Sorry for the hiatus! A bunch of stuff came up, and then there was my birthday on Saturday, and I was working on another project at the same time so writing was triply slowed, but we're back now!

I wanted to use this chapter to set up the first major arc of the story - The Travelling Arc. I also wanted to get some more of Neo into there, as some of ya'll seemed very excited to see her.

Enjoy!

To Steal from the Cookie Jar

A Rosewick Story

Chapter 6 - Reconnection

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Roman was vaguely aware of grass tickling the back of his head as someone shook him awake.

"Huh – bwah?"

Blinking blearily, he shook his aching head and looked up to see a pair of mis-matched eyes staring back at him.

Neo.

The events of the day came back to him as his eyes widened – Cinder, finding Neo, the forest – and leaned forward to hug her. Neo did nothing to stop him, in fact hugging him back. They clung to each other like molluscs, unable to let go in irrational fear that the other would disappear again.

"Ahem."

They were shaken out of their reverie by the cough, looking to one side to see Ruby Rose standing there, arms crossed, blushing slightly.

"Damnit Red, we were having a moment there." Neo nodded in annoyed agreement as Roman stood shakily. Neo helped him up.

"Yeah, well…" She waved her arms around generally, pointing to the forest around them. "We have no idea where we are!"

"Well, I don't know why you're asking me, I didn't take us here."

"I asked your henchman-"

"Henchwoman."

"Whatever, and she just shrugged!" Ruby sighed, slumping a little. It seemed whatever rant had been building up had withered and died right there and then. She looked over at Roman.

"I'm sorry for yelling, I-"

"Don't apologise to me, Red. It feels weird." Roman shuffled uncomfortably, suddenly aware of the heat. He shrugged off his grimy robe, revealing the pristine clothing underneath. Neo smiled.

"And anyway, your friend-"

"Daughter will work. Legal and everything!"

"Your daughter, I guess, hasn't said a word to me since she woke up."

"You realise she's mute, right?"

Ruby's mildly horrified gasp answered that. He looked over to Neo, who just shrugged. She raised her hands to sign.

"She seems stressed."

Roman grinned, signing back.

"So she does. Good to see you, Neo."

They hugged again, this time softer, yet somehow more effective. They pulled back at the same time.

"So," Neo signed, prodding his chest in mock annoyance, "Where have you been? I thought you were dead!"

"Believe me, Neo, I wanted to tell you, but by the time I found a working phone, you'd already changed the numbers. That isn't your fault, but it isn't mine either."

"Excuses!" Neo giggled. Her face then suddenly turned more serious. "So what's up with 'little Red' over here? Or fighting Cinder? Tell me everything."

"Sure."

Roman then spent a while telling her (in sign language, to keep it from Ruby) of his adventures across Remnant, all the while Ruby looked on in confusion. He told her of the great grimm he fought on his way out of Vale – and then of course the monsters he fought on his way to Mistral. He regaled her with how he met Ruby and her friends, about that night in the inn (which she laughed at), about his plan to escape, and then the fight with Cinder. She nodded along until they reached the part where she arrived, at which point she frowned.

"And the rest is history, I guess. But where are we now? This wasn't where I tried to take us."

"I saw Cinder's fancy magic messing with your semblance – don't ask me how, I don't understand it either – so that's my hypothesis. Speaking of, that was quite a teleport there. You alright?"

Neo smiled, nodding. "I feel fine right now, if a little rough. We're lucky we didn't teleport too high off the ground." At that, Roman burst out laughing, unable to contain himself as both girls looked on in confusion and mild worry.

"What did she say? What is it?" Ruby looked between the two of them as if he had grown a second head, while Neo's expression of mounting horror made him laugh harder.

"She said – sorry, ha – she said 'We're lucky we didn't end up too high up'. Hah! No, honey, we were in the clouds."

Neo's eyes widened in shock, her hands moving at top speed.

"Seriously? How the fuck did we survive?"

"Your umbrella, Neo. Not as good with three people compared to just the one, but it did the trick. You guys were too out of it to remember."

Neo shook her head in embarrassment, pressing her face into her palms and blushing, while Ruby stared worriedly up into the clouds, as if she would suddenly find herself up there again. She soon found her metaphorical footing, however.

"Where are we, anyway? Why did she take us here?"

Neo looked up a little, blushing even harder.

"Neo said it wasn't her intention. I saw Cinders fancy flames doing something to her when we jumped, so I would guess this was her fault – though why here, exactly, eludes me. You tried calling home, Red?"

"Yeah, but…" she waved her phone in front of him so that he could see the screen, "No signal. Not to mention that I don't know where we are, anyway."

Roman looked around at the orange trees around him, observing the shape of the leaves. He looked up into the sky and saw that it was noon, the light shining through the autumn leaves beautifully. He recognised the trees from their leaves, picking a drying leaf from the ground.

"I think we're in a forest near Mistral – these leaves are native there, so that makes the most sense. It's just confusing because none of us came through here during the autumn-"

Neo suddenly squeaked loudly, turning to Roman with wide eyes, her hands a flurry of motion.

"I know where we are! I came through here on my way to Mistral."

Roman relayed this to Ruby, who nodded slowly.

"So you know where the road is?"

Neo nodded.

"How far away is it?"

Neo held up two fingers.

"Two… hours?"

Neo shook her head, making a spinning circle with a hand to imitate the sun.

"Two… days?"

Neo nodded again.

"Right then. Lead the way, Neo!" Ruby shouted triumphantly, but her eyes betrayed her worry; would Neo listen to her?

Neo nodded a third time, though slowly, and with lidded eyes. "Sure thing, Mom." She took a few steps before stopping and looking at Roman in realisation.

"Wait a minute…"

"Neo…"

She grinned mischievously. "Didn't I say something about wanting a mom?"

"Please, Neo… don't."

Neo looked back at Ruby, before putting on a smile and walking over, opening her arms for a hug. Ruby, though apprehensive, opened her arms, into which Neo threw herself, hugging hard. Neo pulled back, smiling earnestly.

"Thanks, Mom!" With that, she skippedaway, while Ruby turned to Roman.

"I need to learn sign language at some point. She is just too confusing without it."

Roman laughed as he followed, silently hoping she never came to understand what Neo was implying.

/-/

Cinder clenched her fist in annoyance as she sat in her chair – a collection of artfully stacked cardboard boxes, thinking back to her fight with Ruby.

Ruby had been just within her grasp – so close to her vengeance – but then Roman had got in the way.

Roman. The man she thought died in Vale with the other incompetents she had enlisted that day. But no, here he was, and fighting with Ruby. Didn't he hate her? He had last time they had met – averting his gaze and shutting down conversation whenever she was mentioned. Why was he working with her this time?

She hissed through her teeth, standing abruptly. It did not matter now why he worked for them. She knew she would never have his loyalty again. She had barely had it in the first place – what was important now was that Ruby and her 'friends' knew she had survived.

She looked around her meagre 'home' - a small alcove of a dark alley populated by cardboard boxes fashioned into makeshift furniture – and scowled. This was functional, but pathetic, especially for one such as herself.

She began to think up plans for redemption – her attack on Ruby had been impulsive and reckless, and it showed through her performance. She was better when she planned everything perfectly. This, surely, was why Salem had abandoned her – she had become too ambitious. She pulled out a water-stained notepad and scrawled mindlessly, drawing up diagrams and figures – but everything came up dry. She soon realised the cause of her predicament.

"I need an army."

Such a simple thing – at least, for her – but at this point impossible to find. The grimm were with her mistress and would not stoop to help her now, the fang where restructuring under Ghira Belladonna – not even the few criminal contacts she had left would likely lend her any men after what happened to Roman, especially with the state she was in. How very unfortunate.

She gritted her teeth as she scribbled the word out on her pad.

"I could supply one."

She jumped to her feet, flames licking her fingers before she had even reached her full height. Her furious gaze melted into that of confusion, however, when she saw who it was addressing her.

"You? Where would you get an army, after your defeat?"

Adam Taurus stepped into the darkness of her home, smirking confidently.

"I have my ways."

/-/

Neo giggled silently as Roman tripped over a root, sprawling onto the floor.

Ruby stopped her walking and turned around, before rushing over.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He got up onto his hands and knees, before glaring half-heartedly at Neo. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. You weren't so amused a few seconds ago when you tripped up."

"Excuse me? I only stumbled. Gracefully."

"Whatever." He crawled up, before glancing at the rapidly setting sun. "Hey, isn't it a little late? We should set up camp."

"Yeah, I guess. Here's as good a place as any." She jammed the stick she was carrying into the ground, and they set to making some A-frames. The leaves and twigs were easy to find in the forest, and before they knew it, they were staring at the sunset surrounded by their plant-based accommodations.

"That should do it." Roman said, leaning back from his latest creation with a tired huff.

"Nice! Now we just need sleeping bags – oh wait. Ah."

As Ruby stared at her own feet, Roman caught on – there was nothing to sleep with! He thought about it for a moment, before sighing.

"It'll be fine, kid. I'm sure we can fashion something to makeshift it. Hey, your cloak would work, right?"

"Yeah, but what about you?"

"Eh, my dumb robes should work. What about you, Neo- huh?" He looked. And then stared.

Neo stared back.

She had stolen his robes and fashioned them into a brown sleeping bag, and was now snuggled safely inside, her tiny head poking from the top in absurdist contrast. She smiled knowingly at Roman as he shook his head.

"Neo…"

"Hey, It smells like you, and that, makes me happy!"

"No Neo…"

"And this will give you an excuse to sleep next to Ruby – she seems the type to be fooled by the old 'body heat' scam. Eh?"

"Godsdamnit Neo…"

"I ain't moving!"

Roman sighed, turning around to the larger A-frame. In their hurry, that had only made two – which made Neo's suggestion more enticing. However, Roman stood resolutely, marching over and settling into the grass.

"Guess I'm going without."

"Are you sure, Roman-"

"I'll be fine kid. Ain't like I've never roughed it before. I've experienced worse."

Ruby nodded, but maintained her worried pout as she settled on the other side of the A-frame.

They sat like that for some time, watching the sky darken and turn black. As it was mid-autumn the temperature dropped rapidly, soon becoming uncomfortable, but Roman pushed on, clutching his sides.

A smooth breeze passed over him, and he shivered.

"Oh for- Roman, get over here."

Roman looked up to see Ruby holding her cloak open invitingly.

"But-"

"No. I'm too tired to argue with you, and you'll freeze."

Roman reluctantly crawled into her cloak before she wrapped it up again, thankful that she couldn't see his flushed face. "Isn't this a little… weird?"

"It's only weird if you make it weird, Roman."

He chuckled. "Fair point." Glancing past her head, he saw Neo's hands flailing rapidly.

"Make it weird, make it weird, make it weird!"

He sighed dramatically. "Neo, go to sleep and keep your weird voyeurism to yourself."

Neo blushed so strongly that he could see it in the dark, pointedly turning away. He let out a breath as he settled into Ruby's cloak, suddenly aware that she had wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Night, Red."

"Night, I guess."

She fell asleep shortly, her light breaths nowhere near as obnoxious as Neo's fidgety tossing and turning. It took a while, but Roman fell asleep eventually, with a calm smile on his face.

That night he had the best sleep of his life.

Ah yes. The classic 'body heat' gambit. Roman didn't even need to try this time, which is good because he's too self-conscious to bother. Too scared of falling in love with his enemy. Too late for that, eh?

I like to write Neo as a cheeky and confident but also kinda arrogant - but in a lovable sort of way. She's also an A- wingman - not A+, because she's a bit of an asshole about it, but still! She also gets embarrassed fairly easily, which is countered by her genuine skill - nobody can get close enough to beat her well enough to make her embarrassed about it. Unluckily for her, no amount of kickflips can get her out of bad luck.

I just realised it's ironic that both Cinder and Neo had bad luck in that fight the moment that Qrow arrived. Not intentional, but the explanation works, soo...

Yeah. Guess trouble's on the horizon, huh?

Next Chapter:

Neo, Ruby and Roman are on there way back to Mistral - let's hope the journey is safe...

What is Cinder Planning? Where does Adam keep his armies? (SPOILER: Up his sleevies) Will Neo ever stop being a perv?

Find out next time. Adios!