In the heart of Atlas was a bustling nightlife. Deep downtown there was always something to do. From bars to theaters and high-class restaurants, the city was never quiet nor still. Men and women were always moving, going on dates, seeing movies, eating out, having fun. Some sidewalks were so packed they became difficult to move through. High-class families in their luxury cars and limos could be seen pulling into parking lots of the greatest and most renowned diners on Remnant, with reservations that sometimes went back months. Tourist spots were also heavily traveled. Those from Vale and Mistral, typically, would be enveloped by all sorts of tourist guides and hotel sites. Suffice to say, downtown Atlas was a paradise for the reveler, the well to do and the wealthy. Excess of all kinds was the unifier among everything in downtown Atlas.
The Glass Unicorn no exception. A five-floor hotel, restaurant, and bar wrapped into one great package made it a popular destination for tourists and natives alike. Alongside the excellent food, drinks, and service, was the extremely personable owner and hostess, Madame. Young, blond and eager to please, she made the Glass Unicorn what it was from the ground up. The hotel had a strong streak of popularity among huntsmen and huntresses as well, even advertising itself as proud to support local huntsmen. Pulling up to the hotel was a pair of cars, one military, and the other a rental. Stepping out from the military car were Captain Ironwood and Corporal Ebi. Outside the other came Deputy Headmaster Ozpin. "This is the place!" James remarked, locking the car doors and slipping the key into his coat pocket.
"Seems a bit…. much, wouldn't you say?" Ozpin quipped, shutting his car door. Vale had a vibrant nightlife certainly, but nothing of this magnitude. The Glass Unicorn appeared to be one of the pinnacles of Atlesian elitism that the other kingdoms hated so much.
"Maybe, but the drinks are good. That's why we frequent it!" Clover spoke cheerfully. "Shame Arthur couldn't make it." Their mutual drinking partner had passed on tonight, claiming he was busy with something important. What could be more important than drinks, Clover couldn't say. "The man doesn't have much else going for him really." Clover was in casual clothing, wearing a green and blue shirt and tight brown pants. James remained in military uniform, taking his cap off as they entered. Ozpin stuck to wearing what he always wore, that damn green suit and tie.
"I'm afraid I haven't met this Arthur fellow yet, Corporal Ebi" Ozpin mused, enjoying the banter between the two military men and taking a liking to them already.
"The doctor behind much of our advances in dust this Vytal Festival" James informed Ozpin from behind. A few other patrons greeted the captain as they entered the foyer. The Glass Unicorn had a red carpet and golden brown walls that radiated warmth and a welcoming aura. Looking up, one could see that the very ceiling itself was made of glass, letting in rays of light during the day and a combination of moonlight and light pollution by night.
Several circular wooden tables littered the sides of the red carpet with patrons drinking, eating, and talking amongst themselves. Several huntsmen were present, some James even recognized. To the left and right of the desk, there were majestic-looking glass sculptures of great magnitude. Each was in the shape of fearsome Grimm. The most common, the Ursa and the Sabyr sat front and center, while others like the Sea Feilong were more muted and subtly presented. The sculptures were made of white glass that made them sharply contrast with the gold-brown atmosphere of the rest of the hotel.
The party of three made their way to the reception desk, gaining the attention of Madame. Ozpin pursed his lips in displeasure at the 'No Faunus' sign that sat near the center of the desk.
"Are you sure this is the best place?" he asked quietly to James, who lifted a hand for a moment to speak to Madame.
"Drinks for three. The usual for Clover and me. Our friend will order once we sit." Madame seemed to know exactly where to take them, having done this same dance with James and Clover before.
"Anything for our fine huntsmen! Might I have a name for the third?" she asked politely, albeit strained, a thin smile plastered across her face. Peering at Ozpin, she waited for the professor to introduce himself.
"Ozpin is just fine." Curt and to the point, Ozpin wished to sit down and be away from the owner as soon as he could. James shot the professor a sympathetic look while Madame guided the trio to their table.
"This here is for you three. I'll bring our drinks menu right away, Mr. Ozpin." Madame scurried away in a flash, going back and forth between the reception desk, tables and drinks. As always, she had a handful on her plate. Taking their seats, James put his cap on the sleek, light-colored wood.
"Perhaps we ought to have visited someplace more… inclusive?" Ozpin made his intention clear. Why had he been brought to an establishment that didn't serve faunus? More importantly, why did James visit? Ozpin was very interested in hearing the captain's answer. The Deputy Headmaster had already taken a liking to the huntsman officer, hoping that he'd not disappoint him.
Sighing, James beaded his knuckles and then clasped his fingers together, elbows on the table. "If I wanted to protest every establishment that discriminated against faunus in Atlas, I'd be looking in another kingdom for drinks." Ozpin looked disappointed, wondering if Captain Ironwood wasn't the sort of man he thought him to be.
James caught the glance and continued, trying to clarify further. "Clover and I talk about it often-" Madame returned with their drinks on a silver plate. Thanking the owner for their drinks, James sipped at his for a moment before setting it down. "- As I was saying, Clover and I talk about it often. There's so much we want to do but…" Ironwood tightened his free hand into a fist, frustration visible on his face. "There's so little we actually can do. If we want to buy our own drinks, the grocers don't allow faunus. If we wanted to go down to Mantle, you'd find more of the same, but with more faunus being affected by it."
Ozpin listened carefully and felt more sympathetic. James was being genuine when he made his distaste of his kingdom's racial policies known, alongside the aggressive campaign to keep the faunus locked up in Menagerie. James wanted change, he just didn't have the means to do it. At least not for now Ozpin mused. The captain was an ambitious man, that was for certain. Ozpin wondered if James was in the leadership position right now, would the world be on the brink of war once more?
"Right now, I have to ensure the Vytal Festival goes off without a hitch. I can't make every business owner allow faunus clients and I can't make command change its mind about war, nor disobey orders. What I can do, however, is protect the people. That's why I became a huntsman, Professor. I'll protect those that come to Amity and the faunus delegation." James finished his inspiring monologue with a deep shot of his whiskey. Clover was listening in awe and taking the captain's words in like gospel.
Ozpin considered himself impressed. Pragmatic yet holds himself to a higher ideal. A refreshing view from the Atlas military. Ozpin was pleased to know good men still remained in Atlas. "Well said captain. I wasn't sure how bad things had become here, though. A pity." Neither of the military men disagreed with that assessment. It was shameful how hard Atlas pushed to keep the status quo with the faunus. "Glynda was right in her assessment of Atlas, sadly."
That got James's attention. Ozpin knows Glynda? Ozpin didn't think anything of it until he saw how Ironwood reacted. "You know Glynda? Where is she? How is she?" James asked with desperate interest. He hadn't heard anything from his ex-girlfriend and former team leader in a year.
Ozpin blinked twice. He hadn't expected the captain to care so much about the status of Ms. Goodwitch. Oh yes. They were on the same team once. Unaware of their past relationship, Ozpin obliged James and told him all about what Glynda was up to in Vale. "She took up a teaching position at Beacon Academy. Spent a little bit in the field before becoming a TA. Quite the impressive huntress I must say. You were on her team, no?" Ironwood nodded meekly, beckoning Ozpin to go on. He wanted to hear more. To know more. To understand why she left him.
"Did she say anything about me?" Ironwood muttered quietly. Ozpin took a moment, raising both eyebrows, a questioning look penetrating James.
"Not much. But it was how I'd heard of you. One of Atlas Academies' strongest joining the army rather than going solo like everyone else? It intrigued me. Though she did mention one thing. About your senior ball. Told me she cherished that memory greatly. Other than that, she doesn't seem to mention you. I'll have to ask when I get back."
Frowning, James leaned back and drank deep. A part of him was utterly miserable. She didn't think much of him. She didn't speak much of him either. Yet the other part jumped with joy. That senior ball. Their first kiss. Their night together…
Yes, it was a cherished memory for him too.
"Would you like to hear any more?" James shook his head. He'd heard enough. Ozpin could tell that something existed between Glynda and Ironwood. While he wished to know, tact dictated he not ask when it clearly affected James in such a way "As I was saying. The way things are here in Atlas… dreadful. Hopefully, we'll have peace in our time soon."
One day, things will change, James thought. Clover nodded with Ozpin and drank his own shot. Seeing how they'd begun in earnest, Ozpin downed his own, licking his lips with satisfaction. Clover had ordered a strong vodka while Ozpin settled on a gin and tonic. "Three cheers for peace, then," Clover said, pouring himself some more alcohol and raising his shot glass to clink with the other two. Three soft dinking sounds followed.
The drinks then started to flow more freely and quickly. Coming and going, Madame brought drink after drink for the trio. Using this time together, James and Ozpin sought to trade stories, bonding closer to one another over shared experiences. "You're kidding?" Ozpin asked incredulously. James shook his head no and Clover had backed up his account.
"You had no landing strategy?"
"Not only did I not have one, I only survived because my partner saved my ass!" Clover howled with laughter, having heard the story countless times yet still finding it absolutely hilarious. Ozpin joined in, cackling with laughter at the thought of the imposing captain, humanity's strongest soldier, asking Headmaster Arsène if they would be having parachutes. "What about you then? How did the Deputy Headmaster of Beacon commence with his landing strategy?" James countered, cheeks red from the drinking he'd been doing. Another sip of whiskey tricked down his throat. Ozpin lifted a finger to proclaim his story for all to hear.
"The headmaster saw my weapon and told me to go home!" Excitement flashed between them all at the serene and intelligent Ozpin being told off by the headmaster on his initiation day. James asked what type of weapon the man exactly had that earned him a verbal chiding. Ozpin elaborated simply. "A cane!"
"What?" Clover nearly spit out his drink, dumbfounded at the fact the Deputy Headmasters' cane was his weapon! "Does it work as a gun at least?" Ozpin shook his head lazily. The Long Memory was the opposite of Due Process in that regard, being solely melee contrasted with the range of Ironwoods' revolvers.
"Your cane is your weapon? No wonder you got reprimanded!" James guffawed. His blue eyes shined with an intense interest in how exactly this man, who would perhaps one day become Headmaster of Beacon, created a landing strategy with a cane. Ozpin blustered loudly with a shot glass in his hands and continued his story.
"The Headmaster was right in the end! I couldn't use a cane to land safely! So I used my semblance and well.." Ozpin waved his hand around and chuckled. "I used my cane as a pogo stick!"
Clover hooted while James practically spat his drink out. Ozpin bouncing around on a pogo stick? The image was burned into his mind forever now. "What kind of semblance lets you do that?" James asked, downing more whiskey. He knew he was well above his limit but damn the consequences anyways. There were so few moments to spend time with friends. Friends? When did I start thinking of Ozpin as a friend? James wondered before the professor replied.
"An aura bubble. It can bounce, so I simply let my cane jump me along inside my bubble until I came to a stop." James rubbed his chin, impressed. It was a far better showing than his own initiation. Clover took his turn to explain his own initiation. A combination of agility, a pinch of luck, and a fishing rod letting him swing through the air. Out of all three, Clover had the most normal initiation. "Quite the good luck, Mr. Ebi" Ozpin chirped pleasantly, sipping his drink. Clover smiled but it petered out and left him staring into his empty shot glass before calling over for more. The talk of semblance left both James and Clover silent. Unspoken words were shared between them.
"Was it something I said?" Ozpin frowned, afraid he might have offended the men. Carefully, he set down his glass and leaned forward, concerned for the two. James waved him off, shaking his head.
"It's nothing. Just uncomfortable talking about semblances. Maybe later we can talk about it."
Ozpin nodded and mouthed a slight "Ah" in understanding before sitting back. He should have known that sometimes discussing semblances resulted in hurt feelings. Not everyone was fortunate enough to have powerful semblances or even activatable ones. Ozpin had experienced them first hand and knew of the struggles that came with them. Young Qrow came to mind. All the same, Ozpin had immense respect for those that pushed onwards to become huntsmen and huntresses despite the setbacks imposed upon them by their own souls. I wonder, what challenges have these two gone through?
"James," Ozpin started "I may call you James, yes?" Ironwood nodded. They seemed to have reached a level of familiarity and he was off duty. Ozpin continued. "I must ask; Why did you join the military rather than go solo? I've been told the rest of your team did. From what I've heard, humanity's strongest soldier spent last year fighting more Grimm than any other officer had in years. Almost more than any huntsman. You could be doing good in the field. So why the officer corps?" James recognized that the joking and drinking of the past hour had given way to more serious questions.
"My team made their choice. I made mine" he replied briskly. There was a hint of anger in his voice, of bitterness and longing. Clover gave him a look of approval, a silent vote of confidence in the captain's choice. That he had someone in his corner. "I felt I could do more to protect people as a soldier. As an officer. Besides, every Ironwood before me has been in the army. Why should it be any different for me? This is where I belong." Light sparkled in his eyes.
Ozpin pursed his lips and then smiled. "I see. I don't find your choice to be either good or bad, Captain, only that you don't regret it."
"I don't" Ironwood spoke firmly. But he returned the professor's smile. Ozpin was looking out for the captain, in his own way, but James could take care of himself. Solemn but smiling, Ozpin nodded.
"Excellent" he slurred. Ozpin could hold his drink but they'd been drinking for a while now. James and Clover were weaker and Ozpin finally joined them. The last barrier fell and now Ozpin dropped into the well of drunken revelry. Their serious conversations had extended their time here and that meant more drinks.
Hours passed at the Glass Unicorn. Other huntsmen and patrons came and went as well as hotel guests moving back and forth. All the while, the three of them remained to drink and cheer and laugh. Eventually, though, their drinking became a problem for the establishment. Madame stood over the three drunkards with a stern look on her face. Enough was enough and she had to cut them off. "We're not drunk!" Ozpin tried to say, but his words were so slurred and so clearly far gone, that Madame merely rolled her eyes.
"I expected better from three men of your stature to behave!" she sighed, waving them up and away from their circular table. They reeked of alcohol, especially the brown-haired one. Together, the three groaned their complaints but surrendered without much more protest. Stumbling their way out onto the street, the three had just enough ability left to know they shouldn't be driving.
"Well, gentlemennn" Ironwood started saying, unable to fully form his thoughts into words. Ozpin, just as delirious, seemingly understood. "I'll see youuuu all soon. Three cheers for Atlas!" Three cheers went out, even though Ozpin wasn't even from Atlas. They were all too drunk to notice or care.
"I'll see you two at the tournament!" Ozpin groaned and started to stumble over to his car and find his scroll. Clover was already trying to find a taxi to drive him back to base.
Fumbling for his own scroll, James looked through his contacts list. Pitifully small, Ironwood realized he had only a few real options for getting back to Amity. His old team was off the table, Glynda and Arc being in Vale, while Willow was available, something in him didn't want her to see him in such a miserable and drunken state.
That left the most obvious option. Arthur Watts. Both reliable and trustworthy, Watts was probably one of Ironwood's closest friends and allies in the military. Dialing him, Ironwood waited for an answer. Nothing. He dialed again. Wha… why's he not picking up? Ironwood leaned against his car to balance himself. He felt a raging headache approaching him soon. Gotta get back to Amity. Dialing a third time, James gave up. Arthur wasn't picking up. Desperately, he searched for an alternative. There were a few contacts from the engineering team, but nobody he could rely on. That meant only one person was left.
Jacques.
By the time Gelé rolled up in his cheap middle managerial SDC provided car, Ironwood was regretting his choice. Two loud honks jolted awareness back into him. Groggy, James stumbled up to the car and fell against its hood. Weakly waving, he hoped Jacques would open the back door. Thankfully, the man understood. A soft click later and James bounced onto the thick leather backseat. Gurgling a low "Thank you," James pulled himself up and shut the car door. Smiling to himself in the front seat was Jacques, but next to him was another familiar face.
"Willow?" Ironwood whispered in awe. What was she doing here? Desperately, James tried to cover his face. All he did was look drunker. He didn't want to see that concerned look on Willow's face again. It reminded him too much of their academy years. When she was training him. I swore to her I'd never reach the point where she'd be worried about me! "What are you doing with Jacques?" he managed to slur out.
Grimacing, Willow explained. "He was pitching a new sales tactic to my father. Jacques is actually quite the businessman, James." Was there a hint of sharpness to her tongue? He was too drunk to tell. "In fact, he's getting a promotion very soon." Jacques smiled brightly at Willow. The huntress returned it, a happy look on her face. Continuing, she turned back to James. "As a result, we've been spending more time together!"
"It's been quite fun I must say!" Jacques interrupted. James couldn't take all the noise and shut his eyes tight. Arthur would have been much better at this!
James swore he'd give the doctor a serious talking to later for trapping him with Jaques. Nothing was worse than that. Nothing.
Earlier….
Watts was enjoying an aromatic cup of tea. The evening had come in full force and Arthur liked nothing more than private time for himself. No more work was needed on Amity on his part. Not until the start of the festival was he needed. So he was using his few days off to truly enjoy himself. A sound of pleasant music drifted to his ears.
The best thing, however, was that Viola was coming over again. She had just enough time in her schedule to fit in another visit to see Watts. I can't wait to show her what I've been working on! Excitement coursed through him. This was the fourth time she'd come over to see him. Arthur hoped deep down that the woman saw these get-togethers as dates. Watts wasn't holding his breath though. She probably just sees these as two coworkers working together on projects…
Arthur didn't really get time to ponder on it when he heard the knock at his door. A tap of his ring opened the door straight from his seat. The door hissed open and Viola tiptoed in. Her energetic voice brought him joy every time he heard it. "Heyyyyy Arthur! Guess what I brought!"
Watts spun around in his chair to take a look at Valois. She was stunning as usual. Shining purple hair with a few streaks of her natural red below. Those bright green eyes they both shared. A thin smile arose when he gazed upon her. Rising, Arthur went over to her and saw just what she'd brought over.
It was a scroll, though it was quite different. It was bright purple like her hair. Coloration differences weren't l that uncommon. After all, he styled his private scroll black and gold. "Take a look" Viola beamed with pride. Watts lifted it from her hands to examine. Precisely, he glanced at every angle, every groove, yet he found nothing out of the ordinary. That seemed to please Viola.
"What is it?" Watts queried. Curiosity was biting at him. What was Viola trying to show him?
"Ohhhhh I'm so excited to show you. Look at this!" Tapping a few buttons, Viola demonstrated her new tech. A signal bounced from the scroll, pinging his ring. It burst blue as it roared to life. Arthur's interest rose tenfold. Whatever this was would be useful. "It's something I crafted for your ring! It bounces a specific signal off any bit of tech you can interface with!"
Green eyes shining, Watts took hold of the scroll again and mind buzzing with possibility. He'd already planned a second ring but this development meant he had to accelerate the process. I could kiss you Viola! Well….actually, I do want to!
"Like a radar…" he awed. Whatever he could hack into would appear visible to him with this little thing. "Is there a way you can get this on my scroll?" Pulling out his black and gold one, he clarified; "My personal one, of course." Viola giggled and nodded. It didn't take long of course. As cute and sweet as she was, Viola was a master at her craft. Transforming into an engineering genius in a manner of seconds, Viola deftly transferred the relevant tech onto Watts's scroll. It happened in a flash, a goddess molding the first man. Arthur was stunned and flew head over heels.
What a woman! Wearing a cheery smile she extended out her arms to give him the scroll. Like one would give flowers to a lover. "Here you go!" Arthur graciously accepted and began pinging nearby electronics. It was incredible. Viola really was a genius.
"What a gift! Thank you Viola? How can I repay you?" Watts flew through various methods of restitution. Money was the obvious answer, but he didn't think she would want that. Perhaps giving her a higher rank? I could promote her to be third, after Pietro of course. The man is just too smart and I couldn't demote a friend like that. Hmmm, let me think maybe-
"A date would be nice!" she chirped all too quickly, cheeks red with nervous embarrassment. All her courage was used up in that instant.
Arthur's brain fundamentally could not comprehend her request. It continued along at its steady pace. A ring of her own? Maybe-a date? Wait. A date? Did she just!
His eyes nearly popped out. Shock coursed through him. "Uhm, could you ah, repeat yourself for a second?"
Viola was redder than ever. "I uhm, just ahm, said that maybe possibly perhaps we could go on…. a…. d… d… d-d-date?" The words finally were forced out and Viola covered her face with her hands, fully expecting rejection.
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck and exhaled. She's asking you idiot! Say yes! "S-sure" Arthur mumbled out.
Viola moved her hands, opened her eyes and gazed in absolute surprise. He said yes! He said yes! He said yes! "Oh uh, great!" she said awkwardly, compared to her internal jubilation. Watts too was jumping around on the inside, but merely stood with a toothy smile plastered on his face. "What uhm, time works good for you?"
"Uh, any time before the festival!" His voice cracked. Of course anytime before! Idiot! We work in the same place! "Where do you want to go?"
"A restaurant!" she piped up. Of course, we'd go to a restaurant! Everyone goes to one for a date! I must loom so stupid! Viola bemoaned in her mind. Yet, both had silly little smiles. A great burden removed from both their shoulders.
Arthur nodded. "A restaurant works! Works great! I can uh, book one! Tomorrow night?"
Viola had never really planned for a date, but neither had Arthur. She didn't think about how couples planned but she wasn't exactly normal. Couple? Not a couple! Are we a couple? Ughhh this is so weird! I've never done this! "Sounds great, '' she squealed. Joy leaked out she spoke. Arthur's heart beat harder than ever before. This was everything he wanted. Jealousy of his peers… frustration with Slate… it just seemed to fade away. He liked that feeling. "Well, I guess… I'll meet you there?"
"Wait!" Watts exclaimed, louder than he wished to. His hand extended to grab hers and kept her back. Viola shot a questioning look his way. Watts stuttered when he spoke. "Why don't you… stay for a bit?" Viola thought about it, smiled, and then nodded. Why not have a mini-date right now? That was just smart thinking and efficiency!
"Great!" Arthur stated happily. Beckoning Viola over, he pulled her a chair to join him in enjoying some tea. "I know you prefer coffee but maybe some tea will be good?" Viola didn't hate tea, but the delicious holy black liquid of coffee was her sacred love. But Watts had offered and she'd accept. Pouring her a cup and pulling a few soft cookies out, he sat with her and smiled. Then his scroll rang. Rolling his eyes he checked to see who it was. James? Not now! Clicking decline, Arthur slipped the device away. Not during this night! This magical bloody night! Apologizing for the disturbance, Arthur returned to the matter at hand, a night alone with Viola Valois. Agreeing to go on a date with her. That sweet bubbling feeling inside him that was threatening to overwhelm him and-
Bzzz! Bzzz!
There the scroll went, ringing a second time. Once more it was from James. Once more Watts angrily refused to answer. Whatever Ironwood wanted could wait. He was off duty. Their peace was finally back, only the sound of their voices, the aroma of the hot tea and its taste on the tongue. Nothing could ruin this. Nothing- "Oh what the hell does he want?" Watts bemoaned at the third ring of his scroll. Exasperated, Arthur chose to just shut it off rather than keep this game up. "You know, the times I dreamed about this moment, I never had James butting in on this moment!"
Viola laughed, snorting as she did in that cute way Arthur found so utterly adorable. Then she blushed something fierce. "You….dreamed of this? Of me?" Her voice was a mouse, barely above a squeak. Watts widened his eyes and tried to clarify.
"I mean not exactly this and I uhm, not in any bad way but I… well…"
Watts slumped his shoulders and gave up. Contrary to what he expected, Viola just giggled again. Still red in the face, she broke a soft, miniscule smile. "That's so cute!"
"It is?"
Viola nodded back and forth. "It totally is." Arthur perked up and ran a finger through his mustache, flying high on cloud nine right now.
"Well," he coughed awkwardly, pouring himself more tea. "Would you…. Like to see the schematics for the second ring?" Viola bounced in her seat. Jumping on the chance to work on more of those rings, Viola nearly began to beg him. Arthur did not suspect such a reaction, but rose and led her back to the lab where the two could work.
It wasn't a conventional first date, peering over designs and looking over code and robotics. But they were anything but conventional, two genius scientists in the military, so they really wouldn't want it any other way. Besides, they had a regular date tomorrow to look forward to and a long Vytal Festival to enjoy.
At least, if nothing went wrong.
A/N: The Burning Crusade Classic released. I am an ever suffering WoW addict so my writing time has plummeted. More chapters will come and this first story arc will be wrapping up soon.
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