Chapter 3
AN: I'm going to be in San Francisco (and thus away from my computer) all day tomorrow. So, you get a present: Chapter 3 a day early! Isn't that grand?
"It was just a short mission a little ways away from home."
"A week-long hike through Grimm-infested wilderness!"
"The trip there wasn't all that eventful."
"Beowulves as large as Bullheads!"
"Only one or two."
"Two dozen!"
"Finally, we got to a small, out-of-the-way farming village."
"A White Fang outpost!"
"They weren't that dangerous."
"One of them had a huge Chain-Axe!"
"We managed to incapacitate a few and get out unscathed."
"A dozen broken bones! And that was just on him!"
Ren rolled his eyes at Nora's overenthusiastic antics. "It was a rather extraordinary assignment."
"We did it all the time back at Signal!" Nora squealed eagerly.
Silence reigned as Jaune and Pyrrha stared at the duo in bald, open-mouthed shock.
They were snapped out of their stupor by a slow, almost bored clap.
"Well, well, looks like we've got some badasses here," Coco drawled from right across the table, slowly clapping at the story. "So, did you ever have to clear out a terrorist cell with the Dust Devils?"
To Coco's left, Yatsuhashi and Fox were nodding with different amounts of respect, while to her right, Velvet seemed surprisingly subdued, though there was a slight amount of awe in her eyes.
"Yes!" Nora exclaimed before reconsidering. "Well, no, it was a big pack of Grimm, but it was still the best mission we ever had! General Xiao Long was there, and she was so. Awesome. She was all like BAM! BAM BAM! WHA-BAM!" Nora squealed, shadow-boxing at some unseen target before thumping her fist down on the table, knocking the dishes about an inch into the air. She then proceeded to all but melt onto the table, giggling as she pressed her hands against her cheeks."Oh, I wish I could go on a mission with her again! I need to get her autograph!"
Velvet chuckled at the hammer-wielding Huntress's antics as she grabbed her glass. However, in picking it up, she found it to be empty. She sighed sadly as she picked up her tray. "I'll be right back. I need to get some more milk," she declared, standing and making her way to the dispenser at the far side of the cafeteria.
Coco spared her teammate a glance before shrugging and refocusing on Team JNPR. "Well, it sounds like you had a bit of an easier time than we did. A lot of the Dust Devils' ground troops seem to have a complex about Hunters. They don't quite notice us whenever it comes to concepts like 'friendly fire'." She shrugged in a devil-may-care manner. "Of course, given their propensity for collateral damage, that could just be their SOP."
A glove-clad hand nervously rose into the air.
Coco cast the hand's owner a cool glance over her glasses. "Yes, Mister Arc?"
"Uh..." Jaune rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "What's an SOP?"
This question drew a variety of reactions from the students: Coco and Yatsuhashi cocked their eyebrows at him, Fox scoffed and rolled his eyes, Nora broke down into a renewed fit of giggles, and Ren and Pyrrha slapped their hands to their faces with tired groans, though his was vastly more exasperated than hers.
"Oh Jaune..." she sighed.
Jaune blushed iridescently as he tried to sink into his seat.
Ultimately, though, Coco rolled her eyes and looked away as she started to casually observe the dining hall. "SOP is a military acronym that stands for-" Suddenly, she cut herself off as she froze in place, staring at something further down the hall.
"What. The. Hell." She ground out, her voice absolutely frigid.
Jaune blinked in confusion. "But wouldn't that spell-GAH!" He yelped when the other team leader suddenly grabbed his chin and forced his head to turn. "What are you-!" He instantly fell silent when he saw what she was looking at.
Yatsuhashi and Team JNPR followed their gazes and gaped in shock and disbelief.
About halfway down the row, a male student with an orange crew cut and a full set of plate armor had accosted Velvet and was pulling on her ears as she bit her lip and tried to tug her way out of his grip. The student was shaking in obvious mirth, a feeling that was imitated by two of his teammates, although the third seemed to be panicked by the situation.
"I'm going to guess that whatever we're all looking, it isn't a good thing?" Fox asked flatly.
"It would appear that Cardin Winchester thinks that it's funny to mess with a faunus by antagonizing them and doing things like, say... pulling on their ears." Ren answered evenly.
"Ah." Fox nodded sharply. "I see." He was silent for a moment before calmly standing up and cracking his neck back and forth. "Shall we beat him black and blue?"
"I've got a better idea!" Nora snarled as she leapt onto the table, cracking every joint in her hands as she slammed her fists together. "Let's break his legs!"
"I was thinking along the lines of something more permanent. Let's start with his spine and work our way up to his face." Coco intoned darkly as she stood, followed closely by Yatsuhashi and the rest of Team JNPR.
Students parted before the teams like Grimm-flesh around a hunter's blade as they passed, whispers following in their wake.
"Is that them?"
"Can't believe they actually did it!"
"How old d'you think that Goliath was?"
"Badasses, every one of them."
"Fifteen lien on Cardin making it for all of one minute."
"Twenty on thirty seconds."
However, before they could get any closer, one of Cardin's teammates, the one who'd been looking like he was about to piss his pants, started in terror and frantically hissed something into Cardin's ear.
The bully's face flashed with fear for a moment until he schooled his expression and let go of Velvet's ears, shooting her a final sneer. "You got lucky, you little-!"
CRACK!
The sound of splintering wood and stone filled the air as the onlookers fell silent, staring at the scene in shock. Velvet's chest heaved violently as she stared down at the remains of the table she had just axe-kicked into oblivion, her face a twisted mask of rage and hatred. Cardin, on the other hand, was frozen as he accounted for the jetstream of air that had passed within half a foot of his skull.
The silence stretched on for an interminable moment before Velvet, still panting, wrenched her foot out of the wooden wreckage and stormed past the shell-shocked bullies without so much as a glance.
"Damn it, Velvet..." Coco breathed to herself as she strode after her teammate without so much as a second thought.
There was another moment of silence before Cardin let out a loud snort. "Well! That was unpleasant. I guess you really can't expect anything but violence from those ani-"
Cardin froze mid-rant when a pair of slender arms tenderly slid around his neck. He tried to pry them off, but panicked when he found that they were practically immovable.
"Heeeeey..." An airy feminine voice breathed into his ear.
Ren patted Cardin on his shoulder as he passed him by, focusing intently on the teammate Yatsuhashi was holding in place with a glare from directly above, while Fox, Pyrrha and a somewhat galvanized Jaune circled around the other two. "I almost pity you. Almost. Nora?"
"Yeeees?"
"Have fun."
"Yaaaaay!"
That day, history was made as Cardin's voice reached octaves once thought unattainable by a male human's voice.
~o~
Coco sighed as followed the trail of footprints sunk into the hall's concrete floor. It made it easy to find her teammate, but it always made Glynda upset, even when she let them off with a warning like she usually did.
The senior team leader frowned. Was it just her, or were the prints... deeper than usual? Well, that didn't bode well for finding anything intact at the end of the trail.
Finally, the trail of footprints ended at an open door to one of the training fields in the courtyard, one that featured a dozen or so wood-and-cloth dummies shaped like Beowulves for the students to practice on.
Or rather, Coco noted idly as she stepped through a field of debris, it had featured a dozen dummies.
She could see her teammate in the distance quite literally beating the stuffing out of one of the training dummies, cotton and wood splinters flying with every blow. The shattered corpses of the dummy's brethren lay scattered in hundreds of pieces throughout the courtyard, one even embedded a full foot in one of the stone outer walls.
Coco was silent for a full minute as she watched Velvet repeatedly batter the unfortunate object into a wall over and over again, even going so far as to stamp on the larger chunks of wood that remained when it ultimately disintegrated.
Finally, she spoke up as Velvet took a moment to catch her breath.
"You're really chewing through all the credit I have with my shoe-stores, you know that, right?" she asked neutrally.
Velvet jerked slightly at the unexpected voice, but continued to stare at the wreckage she'd wrought. "I can buy my own shoes..." She muttered darkly.
"Not according to the fashion disasters you had the gall to call footwear you bought the last time I let you shop unsupervised." Coco sniffed.
Velvet didn't respond; instead, she stomped over to the dummy embedded in the wall, grabbed it by the faux-leg, and and pulled. It didn't budge, so she made to brace a leg against the wall...
And was promptly halted by Coco gently but firmly grabbing her elbow. Even without looking, Velvet could tell that her leader was wearing that same unreadable-yet-full-of-emotion look she always gave her around this time.
Velvet growled with barely restrained rage as she let go of the leg. "Do you know what Cardin's teammate told him?" She didn't wait for a response. "He said that Cardin shouldn't mess with me, because if he did the White Fang would..." Velvet's hands clenched into fists and her body began to shake. "Would..."
Almost instantly, she was spun around and engulfed in a firm, secure hug.
Coco rubbed Velvet's back slowly while her friend desperately clutched at her own back like a lifeline, the other girl's fingers clawing into her blazer furiously.
"I know you hate it, but that doesn't mean he was wrong." Coco stated softly.
Velvet bit out a terse snort as she glared over Coco's shoulder. "That doesn't make it right."
Coco sighed heavily but chose not to respond, unwilling to restart the only recently-dead argument.
The sound of the bells signalling the start of classes made it a moot point, anyway.
"We'd better get to classes, Velvet," Coco said, reluctantly pulling out of the hug. "But tomorrow, we'll spend some time just unwinding and relaxing, alright?"
Velvet let out an unladylike snort. "I seriously doubt it'll work..."
~o~
"Still doubt you'll be able to enjoy yourself?" Coco asked calmly as she sipped the steaming cup of overpriced coffee in her hands.
"Shut up..." Velvet giggled ecstatically around the chocolate mousse cake she was nibbling. "You fight dirty!" She moaned, any ire in her voice offset by her obvious bliss.
"Oh man, this stuff is delicious!" Nora squealed as she swallowed sugar-coated donut after donut from the relatively massive bag she was toting. "Sure it cost an arm and a leg and another arm and a kidney, but it was worth it!"
"It is very good cake," Pyrrha said, taking a prim bite of her lemon cake before adopting a worried expression. "But..." She cast an uneasy look over her shoulder. "Shouldn't we have gotten some for the guys?"
"Nah, we're good, don't need any of that delicious, mouth-watering cake you're eating in front of us," Fox replied, his voice thick with scorn and sarcasm, which was no doubt aggravated by the half-dozen bags bearing varying emblems that were scattered around the chair he was slouched in.
The two teams were seated at a large table on the outdoor patio of L'Arbre D'argent, one of Vale's premiere restaurants. The food was top-notch, using the best chefs and the finest ingredients to create a selection that matched anything in the Four Kingdoms. The decor was tasteful and homely, with wrought iron chairs and tables, and a very nice old Atlas-style wallpaper on the walls, and unobtrusive light fixtures that made the light seem almost sourceless. The service was impeccable, with short wait times and extremely polite waiters. And it was just casual enough that you didn't have to dress up and book it a month in advance, at least during the lunch hour.
It was also, unsurprisingly, fantastically expensive, bordering on the obscene.
"I mean," Fox went on sardonically, "Sure, we would have appreciated it if you'd offered to buy us anything with that bottomless pit of money you call a bank account, but nah, we're totally fine. Isn't that right guys?"
Ren and Yatsuhashi shared a glance at each other, then shrugged slightly. "We're fine. We'll order something on our own. Who needs more than three digits in their bank accounts anyways?" Ren stated flatly, Yatsuhashi nodding in agreement.
"Eh, I don't need to eat anything. My wallet is safe thanks to my stomach of steel," Jaune said flippantly as he pounded his chestplate... only for his stomach to audibly growl, prompting him to sigh, hanging his head in embarrassment. "Et tu, bodily functions?"
That prompted another round of giggles from Nora and Velvet. Pyrrha gave him a pitying look before reaching for her scroll. "I can get you something if you want, Jaune. I have a lot of money saved up, it's not a problem."
"Eh, why bother?" Coco replied, condescension practically dripping from her tone. "Feeding them food above their station? All that will do is make the poor dears think they're people. Get their hopes up and all that. And that's just cruel."
Silence fell over the group as Team JNPR stared at Coco with varying amounts of stunned horror as she took a calm sip from her coffee.
The tension shattered like glass when Velvet let a snort slip out and and Pyrrha caught sight of the smirk Coco was hiding behind her drink.
"Oh thank heavens..." Pyrrha breathed as she sagged in her seat, her entire team letting out a collective sigh of relief as Team CFVY broke into laughter.
"Please don't do that again, Coco." Jaune pleaded.
"Seriously. It's disturbing how convincing you sounded." Ren grumbled.
"Why else do you think she does it?!" Velvet gasped out between peals of laughter.
"In any case," Pyrrha said as the laughter began to subside. "I really should get the boys something to eat." She then flashed them a coy smile. "We wouldn't want them collapsing under the weight of our purchases from hunger, would we?"
While the guys gave a unified groan of dismay, Pyrrha scanned the interior of the restaurant, spotted a free waiter, and began slowly waving her hand to flag him down. It took a few seconds, but she managed to get the waiter's attention, and he began to make his way over to their table.
Until he fully took in the group. For all of a second, his face twisted into an ugly grimace, as if he had smelled something terrible; then his face turned white, his eyes widening to their fullest extent and his mouth silently working up and down. As quick as the expression came it left, leaving the waiter swallowing in an attempt to compose himself.
"Ah, h-how can I help you, ma'am?" he said to Pyrrha once he reached their table. Though his face was composed, he couldn't hide his twitching fingers or the nervous sweat building on his brow.
Before Pyrrha could respond, the tortured scream of metal being crushed rang out from the girls' end of the table. All heads turned to Velvet, and the crumpled section of the iron table under her fingers. Her eyes bore into the waiter, full of fury and loathing, and he lost all semblance of composure. His attempt to escape only made him fall on his ass as his mouth tried to form words but instead merely did a very good impression of a fish out of water.
Abruptly, Velvet stood up, her eyes still boring into the waiter. "I lost my appetite," she said flatly. "I'll see you guys later." She turned around and left the restaurant, her eyes never making contact with the rest of the group.
"Velvet, wait!" Coco cried out. She made to go after her teammate, but waited just long enough to throw an icy glare at the cowering waiter, as well as one last parting shot. "You are very lucky that this restaurant's legal team is slightly larger than my family's. If it weren't, I would own you." And with that, she chased after her teammate in as dignified a manner as she could manage.
Yatsuhashi and Fox exchanged a silent glance before standing from their table with hasty goodbyes and went after their teammates.
Team JNPR stared after their older counterparts in shock.
"Uh..." Jaune breathed dumbly. "What just happened?"
"Hmm... " Nora hummed to herself in uncharacteristic thoughtfulness before returning to her usual manic grin. "I have no idea!"
"What is going on here?
Team JNPR turned to see an older man, wearing the same uniform as the waiters, but with the addition of a small badge that marked him as a manager.
"Are you folks having any problems here?" he asked, his eyes falling suspiciously on the still sitting waiter. "And Simmons, get up, you look completely undignified."
The newly named Simmons hastily scrambled to his feet. "Sir, I-"
"Stuff it, I want to hear it from the customers, not you," he said, cutting him off.
"Well, all he did was look towards us and suddenly he went all nervous," Jaune said uncertainly.
"Actually, I think he was looking towards Velvet," Pyrrha corrected. At the manager's questioning look, she elaborated. "One of our friends. She's a faunus."
The manager's expression immediately hardened. "I see."
Ren narrowed his eyes at the man. "Is that a problem."
The manager nodded solemnly. "Yes, but not for you or your friends. Simmons, on the other hand." He shot an acidic glare at the pale waiter. "Well... he'll be meeting me in my office after work. After that? Well... suffice to say that he'll be incredibly lucky to keep his job. Do I make myself clear?"
The waiter snapped into a shaky salute. "C-c-crystal, sir!"
Nodding, the manager turned and reentered the restaurant, Simmons trailing reluctantly behind.
"Ah, excuse me!" Pyrrha called out to the manager. "If it isn't too much trouble, could you send a waiter to our table? We still want to order something."
"I'll do that!" he called back. There was the sound of muffled conversation, and another waiter walked up to their table.
"What can I get for you, ma'am?" he said.
"Well to start with, why don't we order…"
~o~
For the second time in as many days, Coco found herself following a trail of dainty footprints punched into solid concrete.
Ugh, what a way to start a new year, she grumbled to herself. The sound of a loud crash echoed from ahead. Please, be beating up on something and not somebody.
Turning a corner into a rather dingy alleyway, Coco saw Velvet repeatedly ramming her foot into a helpless dumpster, grumbling something inaudible under her breath. The garbage bin already looked worse for the wear, with multiple holes punched in the metal. Luckily, all the garbage seemed to be bagged, so none of it was spilling out of the holes. One less thing she'd need to have the family lawyers cover.
Of course, that still left the problem of calming down her pissed-off teammate. "Uh, Velvet," she tried tentatively.
"Don't even start, Coco!" The faunus all but snarled as she continued her assault. "I am sick of it! All of it! Every last bit of it! Sick, sick, sick!" She punctuated the last word with a particularly violent axe-kick.
Coco winced as the dumpster cracked straight down the middle. 'And that's a full digit off my allowance...' She swallowed heavily before speaking. "I-I realize that waiter was a racist bastard, but-!"
"THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM AND YOU KNOW IT!" Velvet shrieked, shoving her finger in her teammate's face. "I can handle bigotry and racism, I've been dealing with it my entire life! That doesn't matter!"
Velvet started to pace up and down the alley like a caged tiger, yanking on her ears in frustration. "But the damn Fang... because of those, those monsters... people fear us! They're absolutely, legitimately terrified of faunus, of making any kind of slight that they could be punished for!"
"How could that possibly be a bad thing!?" Coco demanded.
"Because you're my friend!" Velvet exclaimed in frustration. "Because I want to be friends with humans! Because I don't want to be feared! And besides, it never works, at least not long-term! That sort of strategy is the reason the White Fang even exists!"
Coco opened her mouth to refute her friend, to try and steer her away from the dark thoughts... then thought twice. "Alright then... What do you plan to do about it?" she pressed. "Or rather, what can you do about it?"
Velvet paused in her rage, seeming to struggle with the words. "I- They weren't always like this. They were peaceful, just held nonviolent protests. But..." She bit her lip, her hands clenching into fists at her side. "Something happened. Changed them. Made them... what they are."
Velvet faced her friend, conviction written all over her face. "I want to find out why they changed, to find out why they're doing what they do now. And then..." She lashed out another kick against one of the halves of the dumpster. "Stop them." She raised her foot again. "Permanently."
However, before she could move, Velvet squeaked in surprise as Coco swept her up in a hug. "Uh, Coco, what are you-"
"Ssh," Coco said, slowly running a hand up and down Velvet's arm. "Do you know how frustrating it's been, watching you get like this and being unable to do anything about it?" She tightened her grip. "Well, now I can do something about it. This plan of yours… I'm supporting you every step of the way."
"As will we," came a rumbling baritone from behind them.
Coco and Velvet whirled around to see Yatsuhashi and Fox standing at the entrance to the alley. "Uh, how long have you guys been there?" Velvet nervously said.
"Since about when you started yelling about fear and the White Fang," Fox replied, prompting Velvet to blush. "We didn't speak up then because you two were obviously having a moment and we didn't want to ruin it. Plus, come on." He held his hand up and shook his scroll. "Blackmail. Duh. I'm fairly certain that even if the video sucks, the audio oughta be worth-whoa!" He barely managed to dodge Coco's folded weapon as it whiffed over his head.
"Wait, if you arrived when I was, uh, ranting about the White Fang," Velvet said nervously, Coco and Fox pausing in their game of tag. "Then you, uh, heard about my plan." Velvet tensed, waiting for a response.
"If you can even call it a plan." Fox snorted. "It's barely even a concept at this point. It's stupid, it's suicidal, and dare I say it, hare-!"
Yatsuhashi cleared his throat conspicuously.
Fox glanced over his shoulder before sighing. "At the risk of suicide by continuing, I'll wisely shut up. But yeah, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm in."
Velvet beamed, looking expectantly at Yatsuhashi.
The giant of a man gave her a silent look that could best be interpreted as 'are you serious right now?'
"Of course. I'm surprised you need to ask," he rumbled.
Velvet's smile grew even wider, and she started dancing in place. "Alright! Operation Expose the White Fang and Take Them Down is a go!"
"And how, exactly, do you plan to do that again?" Coco interjected. Velvet froze mid-step for second, before she started shaking and sent a pleading look in her leader's direction. Coco maintained her stony facade for a moment before cracking a smile. "Oh, I can't resist that face," Coco laughed, slapping her hand over Velvet's shoulder and leading her out of the alleyway, Fox and Yatsuhashi trailing behind. "C'mon, let's get back to the dorm so we can start brainstorming."
As they headed towards the airship docks, Fox dug his scroll out of his pocket.
~o~
"I see... alright, got it. I hope she feels better. See you later then." Pyrrha sighed sadly as she hung up her scroll. "That was Fox. Apparently they decided to head back to Beacon. Coco's sending some people to pick up their stuff and ours, so we don't need to worry about that. They'll also pick up their ammunition on the way back."
"Waaaait, ammo?" Nora asked suspiciously. "Where are they gonna get ammo? We've been looking for half an hour and we haven't found any! What's with all the stores today?"
"They'll probably get it at the Vale PD commissary," Ren replied. "It's where most students go to stock up when they aren't at the academy."
"Then why are we in Vale on an 'ammo run'?" Nora air-quoted.
"Because it was the only reason Beacon would give us a day off from classes," Pyrrha provided with a sigh. "I was a bit uneasy with the idea of playing hooky, but Coco said that everyone does it and that the faculty is fully aware of what really goes on during these 'ammo runs'. So long as we don't abuse the privilege and actually have some Dust when we come back, we'll be fine."
"Call me crazy, but I don't think we'll have an easy time doing that." Jaune groaned.
"What makes you say that, Jauney?" Nora asked.
The team leader flatly jerked his thumb at the restaurant's window, through which the rest of his team had a clear view of three different Dust shops, all vandalized and boarded up.
"Ah... heh, riiiight..." The valkyrie rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
"Think we can get away with telling Goodwitch that all the shops were closed?" Jaune asked uneasily.
"Probably..." Ren mused. "But I really don't want to risk getting on her bad side. A matter of wanting to stay in good health and out of detention, you know."
"Well then I'm all out of ideas," Jaune said, throwing his hands up in the air. There was a moment of silence as the other three members of the team wracked their brains for a solution, until Pyrrha spoke up.
"I… might have an idea," she said, her voice hesitant. "I know a place that will definitely have Dust. The robberies wouldn't have even remotely affected it."
For a moment, Jaune sat there, confused, until he spotted Nora and Ren looking at him expectantly. "Oh! Right, uh, lead the way, Pyrrha."
One paid check and ten minutes of walking later, Team JNPR found itself standing in front of a sizable office building in one of Vale's industrial parks. The building was of generic construction, distinguished from its neighbors only by the large snowflake logo above the main doors that had the letters SDC emblazoned over it.
"Uh, Pyrrha," Jaune started uneasily. "This is the regional branch headquarters of the Schnee Dust Company. I don't think that they actually sell Dust here, and definitely not to rookie Hunters. Even I know that much."
"I-I know that, but, well... I have a, uh, friend who works here," Pyrrha said, rubbing the back of her head. "A very high-placed friend. Who can definitely get us some top-notch ammo if I ask for it."
"Ooooh! Who's this friend of yours?" Nora asked enthusiastically. "Is he, like, this super-awesome corporate executive deciding the fate of entire companies with the swipe of a finger?"
Pyrrha's face drained of blood for a moment before she started hastily marching towards the entrance. "L-let's just go inside, shall we?" she squeaked.
Ren and Jaune exchanged confused looks for a second before shrugging and following her, a mirthfully oblivious Nora in tow.
The lobby was surprisingly tasteful for one of the largest corporations in Remnant. The walls were a soft blue-white, the chairs actually looked comfortable, the carpet wasn't hideous, and the only real nod to the company's might was another copy of their logo, dominating the wall behind the reception desk, which was manned by three bored-looking secretaries. Pyrrha made a beeline for the reception desk, and rapped on the wooden surface to get the attention of one of the secretaries.
The woman looked up at Pyrrha, bored expression still on her face. "Can I help you, miss…?"
Pyrrha put on a winning smile, though it looked distinctly brittle. "Pyrrha Nikos. I need you to pass my name up to the local director."
The secretary looked at Pyrrha for a long moment, her bored expression not wavering a bit. "Do you have an appointment?"
"No, I- Look, just humor me on this, okay?" Pyrrha said, frustration starting to creep into her voice.
Another long look. "You're not gonna leave until I bother the Director, are you," she stated more than asked.
"Sorry, I know they're probably in a meeting," Pyrrha said. "But it is rather urgent."
The secretary sighed. "Fine. I'm not taking the heat for this, though." She reached for her console, tapping in a few commands. "Hello? … Yes, I'm sorry to bother you, but there's this person here insisting on passing her name on to the Director. … Pyrrha Nikos." The secretary's eyes widened, any lethargy vanishing in an instant. "Really? She's … My apologies, ma'am, I didn't recognize her. … Yes, her team's here too, should I-? … One moment."
The secretary looked up at Pyrrha. "Did you want your team to come with you, or…" At Pyrrha's nod, she turned back to the screen. "Yes, she wants her team to come with her. … Alright, I'll send her up right away." Ending the call, the secretary looked back up to Pyrrha, her expression much more lively. "I'm afraid that Director Lorenson isn't in right now, but there is someone who wants to see you. She's waiting in the Director's office."
Pyrrha's eyes widened in surprise before she composed herself. "I-I see. Thank you." She turned back to her team, who were standing behind her in confusion. "Well? Come on," she said, walking towards the elevators.
The remaining three members of Team JNPR hastily followed, still confused at what they had just seen. None of them said anything until they were all in the elevator, at which point Nora simply couldn't wait any longer.
"Wooooow, that was so cool! You walked in like you owned the place, and then that secretary was all grumpy and stuff until she learned your name and then she was all 'How may I help you today' and you wanted to see the Director and how do you even know these guys and-"
"Nora," Ren said, putting his hand over her mouth. "Perhaps we should let her answer."
"Mmm mm," came the muffled agreement. Ren removed his hand, waiting expectantly for Pyrrha to answer.
Said champion hesitated nervously. "It's… not that much of a story," she started slowly before pausing and sighing heavily. "Okay, it actually is a story. You all know how I became famous, right? Record wins in the Mistral tournament?" Nods all around. "Well, to get into the tournament, you need to have a sponsor, someone with a fair amount of pull and money. And well, back then, I wasn't really..." Pyrrha hung her head dejectedly. "I didn't look like much. A wet-behind-the-ears kid with a lot of bark and no bite who no one was willing to waste their time on..."
Jaune made the connection and looked down at the snowflake emblem that was emblazoned on the floor of the elevator. "Except for the SDC?"
Pyrrha nodded definitively. "They let me compete like I'd dreamed of and I returned the favor by making sure to win. I've always made sure to do them proud because as embarrassing as the hero worship might be at times, I owe everything to the Schnee Dust Company because they gave me a chance. If it weren't for this company... for all of them..." Pyrrha stared at her hands solemnly, flexing her fingers and watching the materials of her gloves fold and bend. "I probably wouldn't be here in the first place..."
No one said anything. What could you really say to that? Of course, that meant a silence made very awkward by the close proximity the elevator created. Finally, Jaune tried lighten the mood a bit.
"Wow... Pyrrha, that's-"
Whatever he was about to say was cut off by a light ding as the elevator reached its destination, opening up into a very posh waiting room, all red velvet and gilded wood and a large, and somewhat out-of-place, bay window overlooking the Vale skyline. You could even see the ruins of Mountain Glenn, if you squinted. Nora let out a low whistle as she took it all in. "Wow. Fancy."
"Feel free to sit anywhere," Pyrrha said, heading for the door at the far end of the room. "I'll go talk to, uh, whoever's currently in charge and ask for some Dust."
Before Pyrrha could knock, however, the door opened from within and her jaw dropped open in shock when she saw who'd opened it.
The woman in the doorway had long, dark hair, and wore a red suit jacket and skirt over a standard white shirt, with a black tie trimmed in yellow waves like fire. Her yellow eyes matched the mirth in her smirk as Pyrrha struggled to formulate a response. "Hello, Miss Nikos. We've been waiting for you."
"M-Miss Fall!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "Wait, if you're here, then-!"
"Hello, Pyrrha."
The huntress in question gasped in shock as Cinder stepped back and slowly opened the door, revealing a woman sitting behind the desk bedecked in a full white suit, an equally white duster draped over the back of her chair. Her white hair was done up in a long ponytail with a crown-like band resting upon her skull at its base. A thin, vertical scar over her left eye completed the picture, doing nothing to lessen her impressive aura of power.
Weiss Schnee smiled benevolently at the girl. "It's been quite a while."
"M-m-miss Schnee!" Pyrrha tripped over her words with eager haste. "Bu-! How-!? What are you-!?"
"I'm here for a business meeting. The Vale branch was the best place where me and my associate could meet in person." Weiss answered the last question simply. "You came at a good time; she had to step out to use the restroom, so-"
The CEO was cut off by a hidden panel in the waiting room's wall sliding open, allowing a loud flushing noise to ring out as a statuesque blond in a rather… abbreviated military uniform stepped out.
"Sorry about the stall, I might have cracked it a little. Those things are way too- oh!" The woman cut herself off when she noticed the teenagers staring at her before plastering an ear-to-ear grin on her face. "Hey! Pyrrha Nikos, right? And your team? I'm General Yang Xiao Long, nice to meet you! Sorry a... bout..." She was about to continue, but trailed off when she caught sight of Nora.
Yang's face scrunched up in thought. "Wait... don't I know-! Oh yeah!" She pounded her fist into her palm as she smirked with satisfaction. "I remember you! You're the little badass who helped me and my guys take out that Deathstalker nest at Old Rock! Nice to see you again! Hey, want an autograph?"
The resultant supersonic squeal cracked every piece of glass in a twenty meter radius.
"DAMN IT, XIAO LONG! THOSE WINDOWS ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR PAYCHECK!"
"OH COME ON!"
-o-
Several replacement windows made of ice later, everyone was calmly sitting down in a chair retrieved from the waiting room. Or, at least, most everyone was calmly sitting.
"I apologize for my partner, General Xiao Long, she can be... excitable... at times." Ren groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
The blonde general laughed as she waved his apologies off. "Call me Yang, and hey, it's no big deal! Always happy to meet a fan!" Her grin widened as she shifted her other arm. "Especially one this enthusiastic!"
Nora moaned and giggled in ecstasy as she held onto Yang's arm with her entire body and rubbed her cheek against the metal bracelet attached to her wrist. "Sooo... eeeepiiiiic..."
A light cough from Weiss drew the attention back to her. "So, Pyrrha, when were you planning on introducing me to your teammates?" She asked politely.
"Oh!" Pyrrha lurched in her seat. "Yes, um, you've already met Nora Valkyrie," she said, indicating the pink-clad girl throttling Yang's arm. "Her partner Lie Ren," her hand moved to him, still shaking his head at Nora. "And my partner and team leader, Jaune Arc," her hand on the blonde, who gave a shaky wave.
"H-Hello."
Weiss quirked an eyebrow at the last introduction. "Hum, I'm surprised you're not the leader, Pyrrha." She eyed Jaune critically, making him shrink slightly into himself. "Arc, huh? Well, so far he seems to be living up to the family name."
Jaune started in surprise. "Y-You know my family, Ms. Schnee?"
"I've worked with a few of your sisters, as has Yang," she replied. "Very talented and very professional."
"Well, most of them are professional!" Yang smirked. "Charlene can chug the good stuff with the best of my guys!"
"Ooookaaay..." Jaune slowly raised his eyebrow at the general. "Good to know. Going to be a heck of a phone call with my mom later, but still, good to know."
"And your grandfather's a legend, of course," Weiss continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "but I don't think anyone expects you to match his accomplishments. Shoot for the level of your sisters, it's much more attainable and only marginally less respectable."
"Oh! I, uh, wasn't... planning to," Jaune replied, his eyes shifty and his voice wobbly.
An uncomfortable silence reigned heavy in the office following the assessment.
Weiss blinked and looked around in confusion. "What? What's wrong?"
Pyrrha groaned and started to massage the bridge of her nose, even as Yang started snickering under her breath like a loon. "Miss Schnee..."
Weiss stared at them absently for a moment before clenching her eyes shut. "I just acted like an insensitive ass, didn't I?"
Jaune, Pyrrha and Ren avoided looking at her uncomfortably and refused to answer.
Cinder, on the other hand, hummed as she worked on the Scroll she had out. "You crushed Mr. Arc's hopes and dreams in a most heartless and cruel manner, Miss Schnee. I was quite impressed, to be honest."
Weiss slapped a hand to her forehead. "Thank you, Miss Fall, for that incredibly... honest assessment."
"My pleasure, Miss Schnee, I assure you."
The CEO sighed heavily as she massaged her temples. "I apologize, Mr. Arc. I have a tendency to be a bit frank at times but I assure you, no offense was intended. I'm certain you'll be a fantastic Hunter, Ozpin wouldn't have made you team leader over Pyrrha without a good reason, of that I'm certain."
"Uh, thanks?" Jaune said uncertainly. A thought occurred to him, sweeping away the uncertainty. "Hey, how do you and Pyrrha know each other? I mean, I know the SDC sponsored her-!"
"Actually, that's a bit inaccurate." Pyrrha interrupted. "It wasn't so much the company that chose to sponsor me as it was Miss Schnee herself."
"It's true." Weiss nodded in agreement. "After I saw Pyrrha display her prowess and natural talent, I knew that she was a goldmine of potential. The other companies and sponsors were fools to pass her over, but I refused to make the same mistake. I personally greenlit her participation in the Mistral Tournament and the rest is history."
"Miss Schnee's been a constant source of support over the years." Pyrrha elaborated enthusiastically, most of her previous nervousness and embarrassment having slowly melted away. "She's motivated me, supplied me with top-class gear, even given me one or two pointers about how to fight! Honestly, if it weren't for Miss Schnee-!"
"Then you'd still be a spectacular Huntress," Weiss cut in firmly. "You have amazing potential and possess an unparalleled drive to tap that potential, as I keep reminding you."
Pyrrha chuckled in embarrassment, but smiled nonetheless. "Sorry, Miss Schnee, and thank you."
The company president smiled fondly. "And please, all of you, we're all friends here. Just call me Weiss. Not Weissy." The last part was accompanied by a frigid glare she shot at Yang, who appeared fantastically unrepentant.
"I wasn't going to say anything," Yang said innocently, giving a one-armed shrug.
Weiss rolled her eyes and muttered darkly under her breath for a moment before reasserting her pleasant demeanor. "Well, anyways, as pleasant as it is to see you again, my dear, I doubt you knew I'd be present here today and I equally doubt that you had any personal ties with Director Lorenson. What brings you to the SDC?"
"We need more Dust rounds," Pyrrha replied. "We used up most of our stock during initiation, and none of the stores in the city had any for sale. Or were even open, come to think of it."
"Yes, you can thank the Crimson Thorns for that," Weiss grumbled, her face contracting into an annoyed scowl.
"The Crimson Thorns?" Pyrrha asked in confusion. "Who are they? Some kind of criminal organization?"
"Not just a criminal organization. The criminal organization, at least here in Vale and somewhat in Atlas and Vacuo. It's not surprising you haven't heard of them, they have only a negligible presence in Mistral, though from what I've heard they're slowly expanding," Cinder replied as she continued to work. "They've committed every crime in the book, from arson and assault and battery to vandalism and the occasional white-collar crime, though they're usually a bit blatant with the latter. The recent string of Dust robberies has their fingerprints all over it."
"The really weird thing about them is that they often don't shy away from a fight," Yang added. "My Devils have had over a dozen run-ins with them, and they usually end in a sustained firefight over the goods rather than just bugging out at the first chance they get." She folded her free arm over her chest and sulked a bit. "The seriously sucky part is that it works. They've managed to get away with a metric shitload of Dust in the past two weeks."
Weiss sighed heavily as she also crossed her arms over her chest. "Honestly, I can appreciate a spike in demand as much as the next firm, but only when my supply can adequately handle it. That's why the good general is here; we're renegotiating the contracts between the Dust Devils and the SDC. They'll redouble the troops they supply for security efforts, and in return, we guarantee them a supply of ammunition at a discount rate."
"Oh right! Speaking of those contracts!" Yang patted down her jacket and fished out a battered and wrinkled sheaf of papers. "I read them while I was on the can. Everything looked alright so I went ahead and signed them. We should be good to go."
Weiss gave the blonde a shaky smile that held far too many teeth. "Oh, that's... nice..." She gingerly took hold of the contracts with the tips of her index finger and thumb. "I'll just... put these..." She hastily dropped them on the corner of her desk and vigorously wiped her hand off on her jacket.
"Prude," Yang snickered.
"Slob," Weiss shot back with a glare.
"Arrogant prick." Yang's grin widened.
"Barbaric neander-!"
"Sorry to cut off one of your always amusing back-and-forth sessions, Miss Schnee," Cinder cut them off flatly. "But one of my assistants just texted me. Your next appointment is in the elevator."
"Oh, is that time already?" Weiss jerked in shock before shooting an apologetic smile at Pyrrha. "I'm so sorry, my dear. I'd love to spend some more time catching up with you, but I'm afraid that I can't miss this meeting. It was pure luck that I managed to book the CEO of Landels Machinery on such short notice. Miss Fall?"
"Yes, Miss Schnee?"
"Please escort General Xiao Long and Team...?"
"JNPR, or Juniper, Miss- ah..." Pyrrha hesitated at the semi-scolding look Weiss gave her. "Juniper, Miss Weiss."
Weiss chuckled and shook her head lightly. "Oh Pyrrha... anyways, see them out and see to it that they receive the best ammunition we can provide."
"Understood, Miss Schnee." Cinder nodded definitively before turning and walking out of the office.
Yang and Team JNPR made to follow her, but Pyrrha paused in the doorway and turned towards the CEO. "Goodbye, Miss Weiss."
Weiss smiled, giving Pyrrha a dainty wave. "Goodbye, Pyrrha. Don't worry, we'll see each other again soon enough."
Pyrrha didn't have time to ponder that cryptic statement before the door closed behind her.
"Well!" Yang stated firmly as she rolled her shoulders, ignoring Nora's weight the entire time. "Seeing how there's nowhere I've got to be in the next few hours, what say I escort you guys back to the airship docks? Vale's a dangerous place lately, and I've got a ton of stories I can tell you!"
"YES!" Nora shouted, still attached to Yang's right arm, before the rest of her team could respond. "Yes we will! Right guys?" she continued, twisting her head around in order to shoot them a too-wide grin and a glare that promised pain.
"Y-Yes! That sounds great!" Jaune frantically responded. Pyrrha and Ren nodded equally fervently in agreement.
"Great!" Yang said, seemingly oblivious to Nora's actions. "Now, we just need to wait for the elevator."
Almost as if in response, the elevator doors opened, disgorging an older businessman in a suit that was clearly a notch or two below Weiss' in quality. Glancing at the group, he straightened his back and tie before striding towards the doors to the office.
"That poor bastard has no idea what he's getting into," Yang breathed to herself with an eager grin as they all entered the now-vacant elevator. "So! I believe I promised you guys stories! And I think I'll start us off with one of the good ones. So, this was about a month after I formed the Dust Devils, and we were in Atlas competing with several other mercenary companies for a security contract…"
~o~
"... And, just to put salt in the wound, we left behind a timed explosive in his Dust stash and let the bastard think he got away. I wish I could have seen his expression when he got back to his safehouse, only to see it go up in flames! Ah, good times." The story finished, Yang glanced out the Bullhead's side window. "Oh, looks like we're here already! Man, time sure flies when you're having fun."
"Right... 'fun'..." Pyrrha smiled uneasily.
"A rusty spoon..." Jaune was muttering to himself, a far-away look in his eyes. "Ten grown men... with a rusty spoon..."
"Nora, that means it's time to let go of General Xiao Long," Ren admonished, seemingly unfazed by the general's… colorful stories.
"Don' wanna," Nora whined childishly, redoubling her grip on Yang's arm.
"It's fine, it's fine," Yang replied, waving off Ren's concern. "Actually, this kind of works out for me! Gives me an excuse to actually check out Beacon! Man, I haven't been here in, what, five years?"
"Six, as a matter of fact."
There, standing on the landing pad, was the rotund, mustachioed form of Professor Peter Port, who was holding, Team JNPR realized with a start, his blunder-axe in one hand and a whetstone in the other. He was meticulously sharpening the blades, dragging the rough stone up one edge .
Port, content that he had won their attention, chuckled lightly. "Oh, my apologies, Miss Yang. I hope you don't mind if I sharpen Ivory Barrage while we talk. I was in the middle of maintenance when I was informed that you were coming, and I was in such a hurry I completely forgot I was holding it."
Yang gave the professor an unreadable look. "Riiight..." She droned. "Anyways, you were saying?"
"Oh, nothing much really, nothing much." Professor Port chuckled. "Just that it has, in fact, been six years since the day you left Beacon academy, taking with you all the skills and all the knowledge we armed you with."
Yang stared at him flatly for a moment before chuckling and scratching the back of her head. "Oh yeeeeah, now that I think about it, you're right! Sorry, I've got sooo many things to remember that the more... trivial bits get forgotten," She shrugged in a helpless manner. "You know how it is."
Professor Port chuckled heartily. "Oh yes yes, I'm certain that you're quite busy nowadays, running that band of mercenaries you founded and all that!"
The general's grin widened a few molars. "We actually prefer the term 'freelance army', just so you know."
"Oh, well, tomato tomahto. You know how it is." The professor slipped the whetstone back into his pocket and inspected the blade he had been working on. "Speaking of you and your mercenaries, there's something that I'm quite curious about..."
Yang's muscles tensed minutely. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Well see, the thing is, Miss Yang, back in the day, you were never what I would call the 'wealthiest' of individuals. And yet, when you went to start your little merry band, lo and behold you had the necessary start-up capital right in the palm of your hand." Professor Port lightly ran a finger over his gun's blade. "Might I inquire as to where you came by that small fortune?"
Yang was silent for a moment before shrugging. "Oh, you know, here and there. I shook some hands, put in a few good words, got some investors interested. Nothing special, really."
Port cocked an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"It is." The general returned evenly.
The two adults stared at each other quietly for what felt like an eternity, neither willing to capitulate to the other.
Finally, Yang shrugged and started to march forwards. "Well! It was nice seeing you, Professor, but I've got to get going! Need to get these guys back to their dorm and-!"
"I'm afraid..." Professor Port swung Ivory Barrage down, planting its muzzle on the floor in front of him as he folded his hands over its stock. "That won't be possible. I'm afraid that without a familial relation or pre-existing appointment, I cannot allow you onto school campus. Terribly sorry, but it's the school's policy. You know how it is."
There was another moment of absolute tension, before Yang gave a sigh. "Fine." She reached up and yanked Nora off her arm with absolutely no effort whatsoever. "Sorry, squirt. Looks like you'll need to give me the grand tour some other time."
"But-but-but-!" Nora whined as she was handed off to Ren, who struggled slightly under her weight.
"Hey, don't sweat it!" Yang grinned. "I'm sure we'll see each other again real soon!"
"Oh, now, let's not go that far!" Port chuckled in a grandfatherly manner. "No need to try altering your schedules around the whole thing."
Yang chose to ignore the professor, instead digging into her pocket and proffering a small square of paper. "Here, my card. I still remember how kickass you were taking down those Deathstalkers. The Dust Devils could use a recruit like you."
Nora squealed and made to grab the card, but before she could even come close a large hand clamped down around Yang's wrist. "Miss Yang..." Professor Port grinned merrily. "I would very much appreciate it if you didn't attempt to recruit my students right in front of me. A matter of... professional courtesy, you know."
If Yang was in any way disconcerted by the professor's grip, her cocky grin didn't show it. "Careful there, Pappy Peter," She drawled. "Moving so fast at your age, it must be dangerous. Wouldn't want you to break a bone, would we?"
Team JNPR froze as the tension ratcheted up another notch. It was practically a physical force at this point. Nora couldn't even protest Port taking the card.
Port's grin twitched slightly as he let her go. "I do believe it's time for you to leave, Miss Yang. You are a busy woman, after all. Best you get back on the Bullhead and be on your way."
Yang's grin somehow became even more vicious. "Oh, there's no real need. See, I thought something like this would happen, so on the way here I... texted someone."
Port tensed sharply. "Who did you call." He demanded.
"Ohh, no one special." Yang chuckled.
Suddenly, the air was filled with the roar of engines as a quintet of Bullheads rose above the edge of the landing platform. The aerial vehicles were covered in pitch-black armor and were loaded down with a variety of weapons: rocket pods, chin-mounted autocannons, and a pair of missile tubes beneath the wings. The sides of the Bullheads bore decals that looked like whirling yellow tornadoes with either wide grins or determined scowls, and orange flames licking their edges.
"I just told my guys to come and pick me up. No big whoop."
Port's knuckles turned white as his grip on his weapon redoubled. "Some people might consider this to be an act of war, Miss Yang."
For a moment, Yang's grin took on a decidedly bloodthirsty tinge. "Those people might want to consider their position before making any grand claims. After all, they might just be some no-name person at some no-name school, whereas I have an army at my back." As fast as the menace was there, it was gone. "Ain't hypotheticals fun?" She chirped.
Professor Port's mustache twitched with irritation as one of the Bullheads turned to the side and opened its doors. "Miss Yang-!"
"Actually, Professor..." Yang leapt from the launchpad into the open door, gripping the edge of the frame for stability. She shot a savage smirk over her shoulder. "That's General Xiao Long to you."
Port tensed momentarily before relaxing somewhat. "If you insist, General. Oh, and before I forget, your team sends their regards!"
That somehow managed to strike a nerve in the General, causing her to shoot him a vicious glare before grinning at Team JNPR. "Well, I'll be seeing you around, kids! Count on it!" She rammed her fist against the hull of ship twice. "Let's get a move on, dinguses! Those Grimm aren't killing themselves!"
The doors slid shut and the Bullheads flew off into the distance with a roar of mechanical power. Port waited until the Bullheads were simply specks in the distance before turning around and striding back towards Beacon.
"Come, students, it's getting quite late and you have classes tomorrow," he stated calmly.
"P-professor!" Jaune blurted, snapping out of the paralysis that had befallen his entire team during the length of the conversation. "I-w-what was that all about!? Why were you and Yang-!?"
Professor Port froze in his tracks. "General Xiao Long, as she apparently prefers to be called, is a disgrace to Beacon Academy. Instead of becoming a Huntress, she went rogue and founded the band of hooligans-for-hire she calls an army." He cast a cold look over his shoulder. "For your sakes, I pray that you do not follow her down that path. Am I understood?"
The students nodded hesitantly.
"Perfect!" Port's demeanor lightened instantly. "Now then, I see that you all have the ammunition you went out to purchase! Go store it away and then return to your room, pip pip!"
Team JNPR exchanged nervous glances before gingerly making their way past the Professor towards the school.
Once the students were out of sight, Por's expression fell back into a heavy frown. He turned around and watched as the Bullheads vanished into the distance before pulling his Scroll out of his pocket, staring at it for a moment before dialling a number. "Ozpin? … Yes, I met her. She's gotten stronger. I doubt that I, or most of the faculty, for that matter, could defeat her. ... No, I already checked. Whatever her Bullheads are made of or coated with, they're blocking the signal from the tracker. ... Mm hmm... Mm hmm, understood. If that's all you need, I do have work to do. Papers to grade and all that. I'll talk to you tomorrow. … Good night, Ozpin." He sighed as he shut off his Scroll. "Honestly, that man…"
And with that, he slowly turned and strode back towards the academy.
~o~
"... It's going quite well, to be honest. I already have Pyrrha practically wrapped around my finger - sweet girl, if a bit naive - and, in a stroke of good luck, that Valkyrie girl practically worships the ground Yang walks on. Though, I - excuse me for a moment," Weiss said into her scroll, buffing her nails against her sleeve before examining them. She then raised an eyebrow at the man sitting across from her. "Are you almost through reading our terms yet?"
The CEO of Landels Machinery hastily switched his dumbfounded gaze between the papers in his hands and Weiss. "T-these are-!"
"I'm so glad you agree, one moment please." Weiss returned her attention to her Scroll. "As I was saying, it's going quite well. As a skeptic, I'd have to say it's going almost too well, but you know me. Healthy paranoia is the reason why I'm on top. ... Hm?" She cocked her head to the side. "Oh, no no, it's nothing important, don't worry. Just a minor corporate takeover, barely worth my attention, I can split my focus."
"Minor corporate-!" The president sputtered furiously before leaping to his feet. "Miss Schnee! I came here to negotiate a contract between-!"
Weiss gave the man a frigid glare before sighing. "One moment, darling." She covered her Scroll's speaker with her hand. "Miss Fall. The photographs please?"
Cinder drew a folder from the organizer she was carrying and opened it on the desk, displaying the contents within. The CEO took one look at them and the blood drained from his face.
"Thank you, Miss Fall." Weiss nodded appreciatively before focusing on the CEO. "Now then, as the terms state, you'll be funneling the majority of your profits to the SDC. You'll be able to keep enough to keep your company running and your workers paid, obviously, but you and the rest of your board will have to settle for tightening your belts. A lot. Still, I'm certain that you have enough saved up to survive. Also, you'll be providing mining equipment to the Schnee Dust Company completely pro bono, and you'll be transferring as many shares as you can to me, free of charge. To be honest, I'm being quite lenient with you. Now, do we have a deal?"
The CEO didn't respond. He was too busy staring at the photographs in terrified shock.
"I'll get back to you. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She uncovered her Scroll. "I'm back. ... No no, it's fine. As I told you, this is just a minor takeover. Barely worth a dozen million Lien, if that. I should be finished within minutes. Now, how are things on your end?" Weiss listened for a few moments before smiling eagerly. "Perfect! Wonderful, simply wonderful. Store the merchandise in the Vale dockyards, warehouses eleven through twenty-three. I'll send some people around to pick it up. Now, do you need anything from me or-?"
"I..." The CEO finally broke his silence. "I won't..."
Weiss shot the president a flat look before rolling her eyes and heaving a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to cut our conversation short, my dear. This buffoon is being... difficult. I'll call you back later. Until then!" She shut her Scroll and shot the CEO an irritated glare. "What?" She demanded.
"I-I won't do it..." The CEO said, weakly at first, but then with more force, slamming his palms on the table. "I won't do it! This is blackmail! This is extortion! I'll take this to the police! To the government! I-I won't be made a fool of by some young upstart who barely fills her father's-!"
"Miss Fall." Weiss commanded darkly, her voice as cold as a glacier.
Before the CEO could react, Cinder had stepped up to his side and shoved a bit of wood between his teeth. The CEO tried to spit the wood out...
Then bit into it and screamed in pain when the secretary rammed a dagger of black glass through his hand, pinning it to the desk.
"Mister Landels, look- look at- look at me, Mister Landels!" Weiss ordered firmly, grabbing the CEO's chin and forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Mister Landels. Listen to me." She said slowly. "You stumbled and impaled your hand on a decorative paper weight- No no, Mister Landels, look at me!" She redoubled her grip on the CEO's chin when he started to struggle. "Mister Landels, this is very important. It is imperative that you comprehend the consequences of how you explain your injury. It is the difference between you living a long and healthy life and you jumping off the roof of your own building and leaving behind two widows and three half-orphans. Do I make myself clear, Mister Landels?"
The CEO of Landels Machinery stared at Weiss in absolute terror before nodding slowly.
"Good. Miss Fall?"
Cinder yanked the dagger out of the CEO's hand and went about wrapping the wound with a roll of gauze she drew from one of her pockets.
The man spat the bit of wood out of his mouth and panted heavily. "M-Miss Schnee..."
"Sign, Mister Landels." She ordered without a hint of emotion, pushing the papers forwards.
The CEO stared at her in terror for a moment before slowly sitting down, picking up a pen with his uninjured hand and hesitantly writing.
Weiss stared at him icily for a moment before sighing heavily as she cracked her neck back and forth. "Good heavens this job is stressful. Miss Fall, do me a favor and schedule an appointment at the Alabaster, would you? I'm getting a crick in my neck and I think I'll need some deep-tissue work."
"Of course, Miss Schnee." The secretary nodded as she finished wrapping up the CEO's hand and took out her Scroll, making a quick note on it.
"Perfect!" Weiss chirped. Then, noticing that Landels was done signing, she snatched the papers up from in front of him and started to look them over, humming in satisfaction as she went. "Mm hmm, mm hmm, yes, yes, this all appears to be in order!" She clasped her hands happily. "Fantastic! Well, we're done here. Miss Fall, please see Mister Landels out. Tell Mercury to give him the standard workover."
"At once, Miss Schnee." Cinder nodded in acknowledgment, tapping another button on her scroll and causing a panel in the wall to slide open. She then grabbed the CEO by his shoulders and started to drag him towards it.
"W-what!?" He sputtered, struggling helplessly against the secretary's iron grip. "B-but I agreed! I-I won't tell anyone, I swear! P-please don't-GAH!" He was cut off when he was bodily hurled through the opening.
"Give him the standard." Cinder called through the doorway before sliding it shut.
The CEO slowly managed to get back to his feet, knees knocking furiously as he glanced around the shadows that ruled the room.
"Geeze..." A tired voice wafted out of the darkness.
The CEO jumped when a lanky silver-haired young man in a black-and-grey jacket and gunmetal greaves stepped into sight.
"You're the reason why they woke me up?" Mercury drawled. "Lame. Still, a job's a job. Assume the position."
The CEO blinked in confusion. "P-position? What are you-!?"
Before the man could react, Mercury sprang forwards and brought one of his boots down on one of his kneecaps, causing a sickening CRACK to ring out.
"ARGH!" The CEO roared in pain, falling on his side as he clutched his shattered knee in agony.
"That position."
"W-why!?" The CEO blubbered. "I-I signed her contracts, I surrendered everything..."
"Yeah, you did..." Mercury nodded in agreement as he crouched next to the man. "Buuut you put up a fight. So, I'm going to teach you not to do that by making the next hour of your life hell on Remnant." Mercury drew himself up to his full height. "Look on the bright side: I won't be leaving anything visible besides the knee. Now then... you might want to grit your teeth. This is going to hurt."
Outside the room, Weiss had turned her chair away from her desk so that she was staring out over Vale's skyline, watching as the setting sun painted the skies red.
Cinder stepped up to her side, a tray held between her hands. "Tea, Miss Schnee?"
"Hm?" Weiss glanced up at her secretary before smiling contentedly. "Ah, yes. Thank you, Miss Fall."
Cinder set the tray down on the desk, poured a cup and handed it to Weiss.
Weiss took a sip from the cup and hummed contentedly, savoring the flavor as screams of agony and pleas for mercy filled the office.
"Perfect."