(A/N) I've had a very busy month and haven't been able to focus properly on my writing, made only worse with the corona virus going on. Sorry that it's short this month and I hope you have a safe and healthy time.

Oh, and let's play a game of spot the reference. I've been having a hell of a time with it.

Cover art by DownSmashJon.

Playing Our Roles

Chapter 41

It was a few days after my little conversation with Cinder as I looked up from my scroll when I heard two familiar voices coming from one of the main loading doors of the warehouse. I breathed out a plume of smoke and resisted the urge to groan in misery, Emerald and Mercury were quite a drain on my mood whenever they were around. Like crying infants on a plane, they just made everybody miserable.

"Well, well, well," said Mercury. "The incredibly busy Roman Torchwick playing on his scroll while his minions are out taking care of things? I'm sure that Cinder would be pleased that everything is moving so far ahead of schedule."

I scoffed and tucked the scroll into a pocket, I was playing the Remnant version of candy crush but they didn't need to know that, "Can the sass peg legs, you're not very good at it."

"You know," Emerald interjected. "With all this free time you must have it wouldn't surprise me if you took care of that little problem already." She faked a startled gasp and put her hands to her mouth, "But wait! You haven't done that yet have you?"

I snubbed my cigar against the metal wall I was leaning on and flicked it at the mouthy girl in front of me. She swatted it out of her face with a grimace of disgust and glared at me. I chuckled for a moment before giving her a glare back, "Don't pretend to know what my schedule is like when you and your little cliche riddled boss haven't exactly been giving me much help. This is my one moment of relaxation after dealing with these idiots," I pointed a finger at the working Faunus, "So how about you take yourself and your little boyfriend out of my sight and go play so that we adults can work."

Well, I've been having a lot of free time lately to be honest, but they also don't need to know that. I've been spending some time last night going to the dungeon I found, two hours in real time but twenty in the dungeon time. Let me tell you, only that first boss took a long time to beat and I was even able to skip it to the next floor with the dungeon's fast travel. All of the other floors I finished that night were simple in comparison, although the bosses were getting noticeably harder to fight each time. That being said, I did manage my first level up in a long time and dumped the five stats I gained into wisdom. I know that I can gain skills outside of the milestone stat ones if the total stat, not the base, is above the required amount, which means the dungeon I found has made it easier to inch closer to my goal of a Kamehameha Wave. My level is finally at an even one hundred and fifty and I am aiming to use at least one Kamehameha during the final showdown once I gain enough.

It was enough to almost make me grin in excitement in front of these two idiots.

Emerald's face pinched in disgust and she had a nearly backbreaking shudder, "Ugh, Mercury is not my boyfriend."

"She wants me," Mercury added with a cocky smirk and his hands behind his head, one that only grew wider when said girl turned around to sneer at him.

Emerald whipped back around to turn her glare back at me, "Cinder said that we need to keep ourselves clean out in the streets, but that doesn't stop us from telling her that you've been ignoring her orders."

I rolled my eyes, mocked her with a hand mouth, and said, "It's going to get done you whiny brat. Now get some milk and go to your room. Play with some building blocks or whatever it is you kids do these days."

"They're called legos, old man," Mercury said as he and Emerald started to leave. "Get with the times."

Emerald stuck her tongue at me and the two disappeared somewhere into the warehouse. I just sighed and shook my head when a weight settled on my back and a pair of hands covered my eyes. I laughed, "I know it's you Neo."

Said girl climbed off my back and twirled around to stand in front of me. She signed, "I forced one of the idiots to make us dinner. No going out tonight."

I smiled down at her, "If the lady insists then I guess I have no choice in the matter." Yeah, I could use the relaxation of an evening with Neo. "But really, you're making us eat the food of someone who can't cook as well as I can?"

She shrugged and glanced away with a coy look after signing, "I want some variety, your foods getting bland."

I faked a gasp and put a hand over my heart, "Madam, are you saying that I'm boring?"

"You said it, not me," Neo smirked.

I scoffed, "Well, it seems that I'm going to have to teach you some manners my dear Neo." I picked her up in a princess carry, she squealed when I did so and I wish I had something to record that with, and said, "But first let's eat whatever frozen-dinner quality food this person made."

Neo rolled her eyes at me and dramatically threw her arms around my neck.


Another few days went by and I decided that now was the time to go and deal with Tuckson on my own terms. I don't know when exactly Emerald and Mercury go and kill Tuckson, only that it was right in the beginning of the second volume. But that could mean anything to be honest, that could have happened right when the main cast was in the food fight or it could have been a day before or even a week before. While my memory is stellar I must have not watched the start of the second volume recently before I came here because I have a hard time remembering this specific instance. Recalling and retaining a perfect memory apparently doesn't work if I had forgotten the information before I got that memory ability.

Since I'd rather not try and tempt the situation by waiting until the last possible second I decided that I'd just go and get it done a bit earlier than expected. I waited a few days because I didn't want to give the impression I was just bending over to the brats because of the threat of Cinder. The last thing I needed was for them to hang that over my head the entire time they were here.

I stood in front of the back door of Tuckson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun, and used my skeleton key to unlock the door. With a click the door was unlocked and any security measures were turned off. I just walked right in after shutting the door closed and headed to the front of the store. I tinted the windows black so any passing people didn't see us and rang the bell on the counter.

There was a confused grunt and a crash from upstairs and I looked up with mild amusement. Several loud thunks were heard as Tuckson stormed down with a baseball bat in his hand at the ready. It took him a moment to recognize my face and when he did he didn't look at all ready to put the bat down.

"Hello, Tuckson," I said. I looked around at the many book shelves, "Nice store you've got here. While Vale isn't as bad as some other parts of the world it's a pleasant surprise to see a Faunus do well for himself."

"What are you doing here, Torchwick?" Tuckson asked.

"I think you know what I'm doing here," I shot back. "The White Fang doesn't like deserters and their new boss doesn't want any loose ends."

"That woman is your boss too, is she not?" His grip tightened, "And I'm not going back! The Fang is going too far working with that woman!"

"I prefer the term business associates," I said. "But truthfully I'd like for her to disappear as well." I began slowly pacing, twirling my cane in my hand. Tuckson kept a careful eye on me and the movement of my cane, at least he was cautious.

"And why should I believe you?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Maybe because I haven't killed you yet like she wants me to? I'm here to offer you a deal."

Tuckson looked a bit calmer now but he was still wary, "A deal?"

I grinned and held my arms to the side, "Yes! A deal! In exchange for leaving Vale tonight and a small gift of three hundred thousand Lien, all I ask for is that you send an anonymous tip to Headmaster Ozpin about the big scary lady in charge." Really, three hundred thousand is a pittance for me now. Not including my inventory I have millions sitting in a lot of places, can't have it easy for the authorities to track my money now can I? Plus, Menagerie and Vacuo have some really lax banking laws and give zero shits about where the money is coming from.

I paused for a moment, "I'm also going to burn this place to the ground, but that's for appearances sake. You're supposed to be dead after all and doing that will set an example for the rest of the Fang."

Tuckson licked his lips nervously, he was clearly contemplating my very generous offer. After a minute of thought that I patiently waited through he looked me in the eyes and asked, "How do I know that you won't just turn on me after I send this tip of yours?"

"Believe it or not," I started, "I do keep my end of a deal that I make. It's bad business and a mark of a lesser criminal to turn on the people you are working with on a dime."

"Then what do you call what you're doing right now?"

I snorted and sneered, "That woman is just bad business all around. She may be paying me for my services and I may be making an easy buck having the Fang do all the work for me but whatever she has planned is big. And big plans have big waves, I'd rather not stir the water when I'm having such an easy time floating above it."

Tuckson's mouth tightened into a line before he sighed and brought his bat down, "You're right. You could've killed me at any time anyway."

"So it's a deal then?" I leaned over the counter for a handshake.

"Against my better judgement," Tuckson said as he took his hand in mine.

"Wonderful!" I grinned as I pulled a pen, paper, and a letter with the address of Beacon on it addressed to Ozpin out of nowhere. "So let's talk about the message you are going to be sending."

Tuckson put the bat down behind the counter, "I don't know her name, you know."

I waved it off, "That's fine, her hair and eyes are distinctive enough. I have a feeling she might be going into the school itself soon, I want to make this as hard for her as possible. Don't forget to be vague about some strange power she has and tell them to try and wait for the students from the other schools to come to Beacon before they act."

Tuckson took the pen from me and began writing, "So why can't you do this yourself and why not just tell the Headmaster her name?"

I tapped a finger to my chin and pretended to think the questions over, "Hmm, well for one my handwriting might be recognized and since you are a nobody yours won't be. Plus, I want to keep some distance from this in case it comes to the bitch's attention. And since you'd be "dead" then there won't be any suspicion that you are the culprit."

"I also didn't use any of my men for the same two reasons. You never know if they are being watched too closely or if that blonde haired police girl has been trying to gather evidence on me and my men. I'm already risking one of my men tonight, let's not add more."

"Makes sense," Tuckson said, "And the other?"

I just laughed, "I don't want to make it too easy for them, where's the fun in that? Besides, if they are too suspicious of her right off the bat then she'd be too spooked to continue her charade."

He just shook his head at me and continued to write.

"Oh, and add a little bit to the tip to make it a bit more believable," I suddenly interjected.

"What is it?"

"Put on there..." I rolled my hand as I thought about what to say, "What's your favorite fairy tale?"

"Ookay…" Tuckson drawled, not understanding why I wanted him to add that part in. But he doesn't need to know, it's just something to catch Ozpin's eye and hopefully add some credence to the tip. With a final dot added to the paper Tuckson folded it up and tucked it into the envelope. I brought a stick of glue out and rubbed it on the flap to get it to stick without any DNA to get on it.

I handed the envelope to Tuckson and said, "I have a man out back waiting for you. Give this to him and he will take you to a car and try and remove any fingerprints on it, after he does that the two of you will head to the nearest mailbox to deliver the letter and then the airport. The money I offered you is in the backseat."

"I don't suppose I can bring any of my stuff with me?" Tuckson asked.

"Necessary or personal things, I can wait for those. Don't try and pack clothes."

It took a few minutes but Tuckson gathered what he needed and headed out of the back door with a hoodie over his head. He was a largish man so it really made him stand out a bit more than usual, but he was going to be in a very tinted car for most of the night so I let it go. Once he was gone and into the car I stood in front of the counter where we had our talk and gave the place one last look, it really was a nice bookstore and it's a shame it has to go.

I pulled out a few cans of lighter fluid and sprinkled it around the store, making sure to get both the first and second floors while casually summoning my fire elemental. He doesn't get enough time in the waking world as I don't usually need to burn things often. He appreciates the times I need him. Once that was done I tossed the cans to the ground of the store and walked out the back.

"Burn it, Ragnaros," I said to my fire elemental after taking a cigar out and lighting it. The store instantly burst into a sea of flames while Ragnaros laughed in glee as I took a drag out of the cigar.

With this Cinder should have at least some difficulties in the future provided Ozpin and his crew uses some discretion.


Name: Roman Torchwick

Age: 30

Class: The Gamer

Level: 150 (Next Level: 800,247/16,747,500)

Title: Crime Lord(u)/Partners in Crime

Bounty: 925,000 Lien

HP: 9,768

HP Regen: 195.36/min (2%)

MP: 23,630.4 [13,128 + 656.4(5%) + 9,846(75%)]

MP Regen: 5,458.6/min [2,599.3(base 11%) + 2,599.3(100%) + (260(10%)]

STR: 249.2 [Base 178 + 53.4(30%) + 17.8(10%)]

VIT: 226.8 [Base 162 + 48.6(30%) + 16.2(10%)]

DEX: 625.25 [Base 305 + 45.75(15%) + 91.5(30%) + 30.5(10%) + 152.5(50%)]

INT: 562.8 [Base 402 + 120.6(30%) + 40.2(10%)]

WIS: 119 [Base 85 + 25.5(30%) + 8.5(10%)]

LUK: 100 (Max)

Elemental Affinity: Earth (40), Wind (40), Fire (40), Ice (40), Lightning (40)

Attribute Points: 0