Disclaimer, I do not own RWBY
AN/ I'm back, and ready to go! So last chapter, I told everyone to guess what it was Ruby had found, and nobody even tried. That's ok though, it wasn't going to be a mystery for very long. Also, I turned 21 last week, for those of you who don't keep up with all of my stories. Anyways, on to the chapter!
As they emerged from the tunnel, a collective sigh of relief was released.
"Alright, time to dump everything, Blake, we're up first, the rest of you, keep eyes on every possible angle." Ruby ordered as she led the group towards the drop off.
"Does anyone else think that was too easy? Because I think that was too easy." Mordecai piped up, watching for anyone that might have followed.
"Why do you think I have the rest of you standing guard? Blake, take Ilia's spot, Kirmizi, get over here." Ruby ordered as her and Blake finished offloading. Silently trading places, Ruby pulled out her scroll. Sending off a quick message to Roman, Ruby turned her attention back towards the estate.
"Mordecai, Slate, you're up." Ilia said as she approached the grey themed man. As Mordecai and Slate threw their bags into the truck, Ruby turned to address the group one last time.
"Alright, time to disappear. You'll get your cut as soon as we have everything fenced, and remember, breathe a word of this to the authorities, they'll find you in a ditch, understood?" Ruby threatened, receiving nods from the group. With a wave of her hand, Ruby dismissed them. When the last one rounded the corner, Ruby dove back into the truck. Pulling her weapon out from a hidden compartment, Ruby began to wait for the driver. Suddenly, a noise drew her attention.
"You know, if you're going to follow someone, it helps if you maintain stealth for the entire time." Ruby called out. Smirking as white hair came into view, Ruby pulled up her hood, hiding her face.
"And if you're going to steal, then you should be ready to face the consequences." A younger voice responded, catching Ruby off guard. Ruby couldn't believe her eyes when not Winter, but Weiss Schnee walked into view.
"I have to say princess, I was expecting your sister, but this just makes my life that much easier." Ruby shot.
"Remove your hood, delinquent. I would like to see your face before your mugshot." Weiss threatened.
"Try me." Was all Ruby said before using her semblance to close the distance between them. Lashing out with her scythe, Ruby was surprised to find a rapier holding her back. "How much did daddy pay for that?"
Silence was her response as a glyph appeared beneath Weiss. Jumping back, Ruby was out on the defensive as Weiss jabbed and slashed at her with the grace of a dancer. 'She's confident, but certainly still not used to fighting. Let's see how she does against someone who plays dirty.'
As Weiss lunged forward, Ruby bent sideways and grabbed her arm. With the limb in a vice like grip, Ruby pulled the heiress down as he brought her own knee up. Smiling at the sound of air leaving the girls lungs, Ruby kicked the heiress away. Feeling a sadistic level of joy at watching the heiress role on the ground, Ruby spoke again.
"I'm not going to kill you, there's no money in it, but I will offer you a deal, you give me information, and I don't hurt you too badly, deal?" Ruby asked as Weiss stood up on shaky legs.
"I'll give you nothing!" Weiss shouted as best she could, ignoring the pain in her chest. Weiss quickly got into a stance, rotating the cylinder on her sword as she created another glyph beneath her feet. Suddenly, Weiss shot forward, intent on running her sword through the thief. Ruby stood still, challenging the heiress to follow through with her attack. As Weiss quickly approached, Ruby sidestepped, leaving the point of the scythes blade in her place. Ruby turned away as Weiss stumbled. Feeling the collision move her scythe, Ruby turned towards the downed heiress behind her as a scream tore itself from the white themed girls throat.
"I told you, if you just answered my question, you wouldn't have been hurt too badly, now, let's see what that did." Ruby gloated as she approached the heiress. Seeing Weiss covering her left eye with her hand, Ruby smirked. Hooking her foot under her arm, Ruby pushed the arm away and pinned it to the asphalt.
"Ooohh, that's a nasty cut, hope it doesn't get infected. Now, what can you tell me about this? I pulled it out of a display case in your dads office." Ruby asked, pulling out a diagram. Weiss, left with little option, looked up and saw a design for some kind of glove.
"I don't know anything, I swear." Weiss groaned out, trying to stop the blood flow with her other hand. Seeing the effort, Ruby shook her head.
"Red, you there?" A new voice cut in. Weiss tried to turn to look at the new voice.
"Nah ah ah, not until I'm done with you. Get the truck moving, leave the passenger window open. You've never seen anything like this? Not once? I find that a little hard to believe." Ruby spoke as she pinned the other arm after addressing the man.
"It's the truth! I don't know what that's for, we were never allowed to ask." Weiss defended as the point of the blade hovered over her right eye.
"Tell daddy that if he doesn't have the real one brought to Vale by the end of next week, then this is just the start of his problems, got it?" Ruby demanded as she brought the point to rest on the ground beside her head. Not waiting for an answer, Ruby brought her foot down, knocking the heiress out with a swift kick.
"Weiss!" A woman shouted, turning to the newcomer, Ruby grinned.
"She's fine, but she might need some more lessons, bye now." Ruby said, disappearing down the alley in a burst of petals.
*Roman*
Roman waited impatiently. Pulling out his third cigar of the last hour, he sighed.
"What has you all riled up?" Neo asked as she approached the crime lord.
"Red said she found something big, and I don't mean by size." Roman explained curtly.
"Well stop worrying, otherwise you'll need to wear more makeup than me to hide that ugly mug of yours." Neo joked. As Roman lit his cigar, the low rumble of an engine approached.
"Open the doors and get ready to sort some loot!" Roman ordered from his perch above the warehouse floor. As the doors opened to reveal the truck, Roman sighed with relief as Ruby jumped out of the open window.
"Always one for speed she was." Neo commented as the truck continued to move forward.
"Red, with me! We have some things to discuss!" Roman shouted as he turned towards his office. Sitting down at his desk with Neo across from him, Roman awaited the red and white blur that would come speeding in.
"I found a lead." Was all Ruby said as she appeared in the doorway.
"Did you now? What'd you find?" Roman asked, intrigued.
"This was is Jacques office, he at least knows where it is." Ruby explained, holding out the diagram of the glove.
"Seems someone didn't want to share her secrets, though this is underhanded, even for him, he knows the laws and the kind of legal trouble he would be in. But how did you get it?" Roman asked aloud as Ruby sat down beside Neo, the door having been shut.
"Beats me, but I've already issued a threat to his precious heiress, assuming he's a smart man, he'll bring it to Vale for us." Ruby explained, appearing proud of herself.
"Tell you what, I'll make it easier for us. Neo, leave a message for Qrow, let's see what his rivalry with Winter brings up." Roman said, looking to the diminutive woman.
"Got it, anything else Ruby?" Neo asked, looking towards the scythe wielder.
"I ruined some of their fancy clothes for fun, also, Weiss might need to wear a lot of makeup from now on." Ruby remarked.
"Dare I ask what happened?" Roman sighed.
"She ran into my scythe, not my fault she can't react quickly enough. She's lucky she didn't impale her pretty little face on it." Ruby defended.
"But she's alive?" Roman asked.
"Do you think I'm that dumb to risk a future contract worth millions?" Ruby shot back, annoyed.
"Fair enough. Look, give us some time, and I'm sure we can get your mothers glove with ease. Neo, you're dismissed, Ruby, home. I have a meeting with Taurus." Roman dismissed. Watching as the two women left, Roman was left alone with his thoughts.
'Word gets out about his little stunt, the SDC is going to have a PR nightmare on their hands. But I know Qrow and Ozpin are close, and the old man will try to avoid that shitstorm.'
*Dusk*
"Boss, Adam is at the door." One of the henchmen said, peeking his head into the office.
"Let the man in, keep working on sorting everything, I want all of this gone before Sunday." Roman ordered. Waiting for the bull faunus to walk in, Roman pulled out one of his few remaining cigars. Lighting it, Roman stood up. A few moments later, Adam appeared.
"I assume they kept their end of the bargain?" Adam asked, referring to his loaned team.
"More than kept it really. My middle man came back without a scratch and a personal lead. Everything is being sorted as we speak." Roman explained, his voice neutral.
"So, I've heard. How much Lien is all of that worth?" Adam asked.
"Aside from the lien they found, I'm guessing the total hall is worth about five million lien, at least." Roman said, putting the cigar to his mouth.
"And when can I expect the lien?" Adam asked.
"When everything is fenced, remember? Now run along, there is nothing else to discuss." Roman said dismissively. If he had anything else to say, Adam kept it to himself. With Adam now gone, Roman was free to look at his scroll.
'Message planted, ready for the shitstorm?' Neo sent.
'You know it. Head home, Ruby is probably getting restless.' Roman sent back. Remembering a time where Ruby couldn't wait for her next contract kill. He was still finding sharp objects in places they shouldn't be.
*Qrow*
"Look Raven, I don't believe it myself, but Ozpin seems to believe she's with Torchwick, have you seen any of them here?" Qrow asked, swirling his whiskey.
"Roman and Neo were both in Mistral a couple years ago, but I never saw anyone who would fit the description of a fifteen-year-old girl." Raven sighed.
"And that's why I don't believe what Ozpin said. Personally, I think he's just trying to get to us. That or someone else has taken in interest in Summer. Her weapon was stolen, y'know." Qrow added.
"Yes, I heard. Rumor has it a girl has been seen around Vale sporting a rather nasty scar across her face, courtesy of you." Raven shot back. Before he could respond, his scroll pinged. Ignoring it, he continued.
"She stole from us, what did you expect? Look, if you find anything, at least let me know." Qrow asked before downing his drink.
"While normally I would scold you for your pathetic attachments, I'll keep an ear out. There is one thing though. When Roman was here, he had a sniper with him. Took the head clean off of one of my men, an impressive shot if-" Raven was cut off by Qrow's scroll, pinging again, only more rapidly this time.
"Shit, something happened." Qrow grumbled as he pulled his scroll from his pocket. Opening the urgent message, Qrow nearly choked.
"What happened, brother?" Raven asked, disinterested.
"Someone broke into the Schnee summer home, affiliated with Roman. White cloak and a scythe. Damnit. And the heiress was injured. Fucking wonderful, now I get to hang around Vale for the next three months." Qrow complained. Opening the other message, Qrow's blood ran cold.
"Out with it brother, anything other than a drunken smile or anger on that face of yours is off-putting at best." Raven remarked, sipping her tea.
"Looks like Roman had a message for me. Tai found a note stuck into his door, addressed to me and me alone." Qrow grumbled. Thinking about how his day couldn't get any worse, Qrow stood up from the table.
"Have a safe flight home brother." Raven said, disinterested.
"Yeah, yeah, fuck you too." Qrow flipped off Raven before transforming. Preparing himself for the long flight home, Qrow began to prepare himself for the shitstorm he was flying into.
AN/ And done! Anyone expect Jacques to have something to do with the glove's disappearance? Any reason he may have wanted it? How did I do? I took inspiration from the show during initiation, when Weiss stumbled into Ruby, figured that would fit well, and I thought it did at least. Also, justification for Qrow and Winter disliking each other now, that's always fun. Anyways, leave your thoughts for me, and until next time, have a great day!