Remnant's Most Wanted
AN: Another filler-ish chapter. This was actually supposed to be chapter 20, but I switched it in response to the latest RWBY episode. This is also going to pick up on a hanging little plot thread from one of the earliest chapters in this story, and by extension, some lip-service things from RWBYond War.
Chapter 21: Cold Shoulder
Finals week was upon Beacon. Eiess was cramming for Prof Nora's Grimm Studies class. The library was filled with students, dutifully typing papers and researching texts. Eiess had already written up her papers for her other classes. It may have taken several liters of coffee and an all nightery or two but she did it.
So, her final paper was, on paper, her easiest assignment. She had to research a professional huntsmen team and analyze at least one testimony regarding one of their missions. Huntsmen logs were typically up for public access. Most exploits made it to the news. Since the Grimm War, the media had been required to focus on the hopeful aspects of daily life. Especially since a recent book blamed Vale News for how quickly the Grimm War got out of hand.
Eiess had ulterior motives with this project though. Ever since the semester started, she's had a nagging question in the back of her mind. Who was the blue haired man in that photo? It was just a curiosity. She knew her mother was always the popular sort. She had probably had dozens of boyfriends, both long-term and short, in her youth. Eiess was also sure she had heard about this man before.
It took her some time to find him. Eiess had started with those who attended Beacon at the same time as her mother. The list was short, due to the Grimm War shutting down the academies in favor of quick response teams. But he was nowhere to be found. Eiess then expanded her search to teams who were present at the fortieth Vytal Festival Tournament, a world changing event that set the stage for the Grimm War.
That's where she found him. Neptune Vasilias. Member of Team SSSN of Haven Academy. He had a pretty lucrative combat record with the Gold Knight Huntsmen Company. Taught at Shade for a few years but has since transferred to Haven. His team leader was Sun, Nova's father. At that revelation Eiess had a cute thought of the four going on a double date. She wondered if Mrs. Ruby and Yang might have dated the other two members of Team SSSN. A team on team date night was an amusing idea.
The fact that the two teams seemed to be tight nit, albeit not as much as RWBY and JNPR, added credence that Eiess did know this man. He may have even been around when she was a child, if her mother was on good terms with him back then. Eiess considered asking Nova some questions, surely, she'd heard more about this Neptune character than Eiess had.
Eiess was just about to give her a call when her scroll buzzed. She had a text message from Citrine. Seeing the young leaders beaming face pop on her scroll as it rang brought a smile to Eiess' face. It had always been this way. They had been best friends their whole lives. Their mothers were best friends and partners. It was like history repeated itself, but without any of the loneliness that plagued their predecessors' youth.
"Hello?" Eiess said in a measured tone.
"Hey bestie, you free tonight?" Citrine asked.
"Probably not." Eiess said sorrowfully.
"Dang." Citrine said. "I was hoping on following up on that lead Topaz got."
"I'm free tomorrow." Eiess said.
"Awesome!" Citrine blared. "So, you working on your Grimm Studies paper?"
"Yep, I'm doing it on Team SSSN. They were a Haven team when our parents were our age."
"Oh yeah, Nova's dad led that team, didn't he?" Citrine said.
"That's right."
"I did mine on Team ARRN, Topaz did hers on Team JNPR. Nova tried getting Team RWBY but Nephrite beat her to it. Plus, Prof Nora didn't want us doing a team linked to our parents. So, Nova is doing Team STRQ."
"It would be a little unfair." Eiess shrugged. "Am I the only one who did a team from another school?"
"Johnny is doing some team from Atlas." Citrine said. "We were talking about it in lit class yesterday. I already have mine done though."
"Well you didn't have the amount of papers I had to write."
"True." Citrine said. "So, you want to catch something to eat. If you want, I'll bring you something."
"That'd be really sweet of you." Eiess blushed a bit. "But I must persist you don't. I don't want you to pay for anything when I have more money than I know what to do with."
"It's no problem really." Citrine said.
"No, save your money. I'll order a pizza with my credit card and you can bring it down here for us."
"If you say so." Citrine said. "It'll just be me and you. Nephrite and Topaz decided to study together for their test."
"You should consider studying too." Eiess commented.
"Nah, I got these tests in the bag."
"That's awfully confident."
"Eiess…I don't know about you but I've been studying for this my whole life. There's nothing else I've wanted to be. I've learned things. But I didn't have to learn most things this semester. Trust me, if anyone has this semester wrapped up…it's me. Well, or Johnny." There was a hint of admiration in her voice.
"You're right. I don't doubt you. I just…don't want anything to get in your way."
"I won't." Citrine said. "See you in a bit."
"Bye." Eiess said as Citrine hung up. She switched tabs on the computer and ordered a pizza for the two of them. Citrine arrived mere minutes later with the pizza in hand.
"Grace." She clapped her hands together before digging into a slice. Cheese dripped from her mouth as she took a bite out of the meal. Eiess was much more careful with her meal.
"Here." Eiess tenderly used a napkin to wipe Citrine's messy chin. Eiess began explaining her predicament with Neptune and her curiosity with his history with her mother.
"Yeah, they were dating for a long time." Citrine said. "Apparently, they were on again off again until your parents got together. They were all part of my parents' wedding." She took another massive bite. "I think my aunt Yang dated him for a bit too."
"Hmm…" Eiess contemplated.
"Funny…he's got that same cute tan complexion you got." Citrine said.
"He does? Wait…cute?" Eiess said with a gasp.
"What? Do you not think you're cute or something?"
"No, it's just…coming from you it sounds weird." Eiess shrugged.
"How come?" Eiess just shrugged again.
"I heard there's a dance at the beginning of next semester. Some sort of celebration they're starting this year. I'm going to get us both hot dates." Citrine laughed.
"I don't think that'll be necessary." Eiess said.
"Hot dates are always necessary." Someone said behind them.
"Aunt Yang!" Citrine spun around and gave her a hug. Yang wrestled her down and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
"How're you doing kiddo?" Yang wrestled her around more and messed Eiess' hair. "Studying Team SSSN? I mean, teenage girl going for eye candy can't do any better. That's a handsome team."
"That's Nova's dad you're talking about." Citrine said.
"Yeah and he's pretty much my best friend so I'm allowed." She stuck her tongue out.
"So, what can you tell me about Neptune Vasilias?" Eiess inquired.
"Oh…um…well…he was pretty sweet but…and smart, definitely smart."
"You totally used to date him." Citrine gleamed.
"Yeah and it ended on awkward terms." Yang said.
"Want to talk about it?"
"Maybe when you're older." Yang said. "Or you could con your mom into telling you. I'm sure she likes to gossip sometimes." She looked right at Eiess.
"Okay." Eiess said with a raised eyebrow. "The only thing I want to ask is when my mom and he last went out."
"Why do you ask?" Yang said.
"I just find it odd that there was such a sweet picture in my house yet I'd never heard about him before."
"Yeah, not opening that can of worms. That's a question to ask your mother. I try not to get in her love life anymore. It did not go well last time."
"Last time?" Eiess asked.
"No comment." Yang said. "Anyway, so what's all this about chasing down Merc and Em?"
"We're playing detectives." Citrine cheered.
"Well, whenever you get around to it…give me a call. I won't steal your thunder, just make sure you don't get too hurt." She leaned in closer. "And it'll be our little secret." She winked at Citrine and walked away.
"Well that was productive." Eiess said. It just raised more questions. There was something Yang wasn't telling her. She felt a call deep inside her soul. A call to find the answer.
AN: A lot of set up for Eiess for this whole story. And a little more about how the school works, which as a teacher, interests me. And for anyone who thinks and are dreading how this character cue will play out…shut up I'm doing a thing.