Gazing at the abandoned warehouse in front of me from under my hood, I raise a brow. Not as inconspicuous as I was expecting, but it's a good place to hide in for sure. It's flanked by buildings at both sides, so they can easily escape from a backdoor if they're in a pinch. The police or hunters won't be able to reach the back of the warehouse until it's too late, especially if the gang was prepared.
I quickly glance behind me and activate my Haki sensing, then continue on my path as I made sure no one was nearby. I look over the site, spotting two guards in front. One was on a balcony high up while the other was leaning near the door, both with a blade strapped on their waist.
No guns, ordinary swords. Less suspicious and police won't care enough to question them. Any form of guns or mecha-shift requires a license, but ordinary weapons like spears or axes are fine.
It's more dangerous to stick with normal swords though since police barely patrol this area, so why not use guns? Is Roman that paranoid, or is he just overconfident? Are these guards stronger than normal grunts?
Observe states otherwise. They're around as strong as those White Fang grunts in Forever Fall. They might have their Aura unlocked, sure, but that's really nothing against any number of hunters or a swarm of police when you're untrained in its uses.
I walk towards the guard, making sure to hide my face with my hood. He spots me getting closer and moves forward, looking at me suspiciously.
"Whatcha here for?" He questions gruffly.
"Roman's expecting me," I reply curtly.
His eyes narrow somewhat, looking behind me then to his fellow guard on top. The other nods and he moves aside, gesturing towards the door.
"Don't make any trouble or we'll fucking gut ye." He warns, making me smirk.
I love my Charisma stat~
I get inside the warehouse, some more grunts inside giving me a few glances before they return to their business. I reach out for Roman with my senses, locating him inside a room right ahead. As I head there, I keep using Observe to see if there was anyone or anything extraordinary, but the only thing that caught my interest would be the few stronger guards, a little over twice as strong as the normal ones, and the crate of Military-Quality Dust.
None of the grunts really pay me any mind, until I reached the room Roman is in. Two of the stronger guards get in front of me, one with an axe strapped behind his back while the other holds a spear. The one with the axe had a bigger build, but was still shorter than me, though, that didn't stop him from glaring.
"What's yer business 'ere?"
"I need to talk to Roman."
"What ye need to do is piss off before I cave yer fuckin' skull in." He sneers.
Charisma, you've failed me.
"I'm not gonna repeat myself," I say tonelessly. "Move out of the way, or else."
He grins, then looks over to his fellow guard. "Ya seein' this, Callan? We got a brave one!" He turns back to me. "And what're ye gonna do, eh? Fuckin' dumbass, ye seein' what's around ye? The fuck is one guy gonna do to a hundred?"
"Trust me;" I growl, taking a step forward as I let my conqueror's do the work for me. "You don't want to know."
His face pales as he backs away, and I can sense the terror in him. My Haki affected his partner as his grip over the spear started shaking, his face sweating in fear. The other grunts finally noticed what's been happening as they gathered around, all of them brandishing their weapons as they got closer in a threatening manner.
...Mass-knock out time?
I sense a familiar presence getting closer, almost making me sigh.
Nah, not today.
I grin as a small figure gets between me and the guard, smirking as she pushes him away. Neo takes my hand and shoos the grunts with her hand, making them disperse seconds later as they realize that she knows me. The two guards move away as Neo leads me inside what is evidently an office.
I expected something more… extravagant, considering Roman, but it's bland and mostly empty, like most of the rest of the warehouse. There were a few old and dusty wooden shelves, a desk, and Roman resting his legs on said desk as he reclined on a chair.
As the door was shut behind me, he speaks. "At last, the hero graces us with his presence." He smirks. "You honor me, o Slayer of Fenrir, truly."
My right eye twitches as I cross my arms. I'm really growing to hate that tone…
"Get to the point," I say, my eyes narrowing. "Why did you call me here?"
I made sure my Observation was working at full-force. Even if Roman is technically working for me right now, I'm not taking any chances. Physically, they can't really do shit to me because I can instantly knock everyone here with a single burst of conqueror's, but there could be cameras or something similar recording this.
My Observation doesn't pick up any malicious intent from Roman or Neo, but there's no such thing as being too careful, so I activate my Sharingan and look at every corner of the room, still not spotting anything. I deactivate it before any of them notice, still straining my Haki to sense if they're really still loyal or not.
"Ah, you're no fun." He rolls his eyes. "Fine then, no time for chit-chat and all that. Hardass…"
...He's trying to rile me up. Does this guy fear me or not? I can't fucking tell anymore.
"There's been word going around in the Underworld recently." He takes out a cigar and lights it up. "Pig Emperor is planning this huge slave auction. Problem is, Piggy is usually all hush-hush about his plans, so this seemed a little out of character."
"How so?" I ask.
"Pig Emperor makes one open auction a year." Roman answers, adjusting the way he's sitting as he leans forward. "And it's supposed to be a week after the Vytal Festival. Otherwise, all of the others are invite-only."
"...A trap?" I say, rubbing my chin.
"Hmmm well, yes and no." Roman continues. "From what I-"
Neo kicks him in the shin with a glare, making him wince.
"F-from what Neo heard, he's making it earlier this year, so it's most likely legit." He rubs his shin as his partner smirks at him. "But it's also a lure for that Black Phantom fella. Security will be at its highest. Nahkriin would have to be out of his mind if he tries to attack the place."
I resist a smirk. "So this is a-"
"A challenge, yes." Roman nods. "Black Phantom already freed a lot of the Emperor's 'goods' and killed a load of his more loyal buyers, which is a kick in the balls on itself. Not counting the paranoid freaks refusing his invitations."
"A dent on his income."
"Precisely." Roman grins widely. "Never thought I'd see the fucker get kicked in the dick like this. Whoever this Nahkriin is – and as mad as they are – I owe them a drink."
"But how does that help me?" I raise a brow, knowing full well he doesn't know the connection between me and Nahkriin.
"A big auction like this is bound to have information regarding his identity or at least a clue." He shrugs. "Personally, I wouldn't get close to the guy, but you're different."
"Different how?"
"You're strong," Roman says bluntly. "Way stronger than any of his men or even me, as much as I hate to admit it. And you have potions and those Golems at your command. If this Black Phantom really attacks the place, you'll have the chance to swoop in with those invisibility potions and gather enough information before falling back."
Hahaha about that…
"And what if I tell you to assist me?" I ask, making him stiffen. "Maybe Nahkriin won't take the bait, so what do I do then? I don't have an infinite supply of invisibility potions, and they're much harder to make than others."
Roman narrows his eyes as I sense his nervousness. If he does assist me, then this will mean war between him and Pig Emperor, and if he doesn't then he'll have to deal with me here and now. True, I really don't need Roman's help, but it's better to know my men than to stay oblivious.
"Then I'm afraid I'll have to decline." He says with false bravado. "If a war broke out, the damages will be devastating on both sides. Other crime lords might feel the need to get involved too, and that could affect the surface."
"Yeah, but I really don't care." I shrug. "If all of you destroyed yourselves in the war, then I'll pick up the remains and establish my own gang. I have the money and resources to make it incredibly easy."
"I said the surface might be affected." He argues, his nervousness being joined by fear. "That means innocent people getting dragged into this mess. Selfish as you may sound, I know you care about them… don't you?"
...Good answer, for him I guess.
As I was about to answer, a scroll was shoved in my face. I stare at what's typed in, "I'll help.", then turn to Neo with a confused look.
"Help?"
"Neo, no." Roman sighs. "We need to stay low. Anyone recognizing you isn't what we want right now."
She rolls her eyes in annoyance then walks up to him, using sign language to communicate. I've never really studied it, so I'm not sure what she's saying, and my sensing isn't really good at translating stuff word for word. All I can sense from her is annoyance, boredom, frustration towards Roman, and intrigue, curiosity, and fascination towards me.
So she wants to understand me, even with all these risks?
Hell, I'm not gonna attack the place as Reid Astera, I'm raiding it as Nahkriin, so I don't need her help at all.
I… need to stop this before I get stuck with her.
I sigh very dramatically, getting their attention as they stop bickering. "Look, I don't really need your help. I mostly asked because I was curious. I can take care of this on my own just fine."
I can sense Roman's relief, but Neo was even more annoyed now, frowning in disappointment.
And now, the carrot~
"But I won't mind spending time with you." I wink at the blinking girl. "Tell you what; once I'm done with this, how about we meet up at Junior's place? Drinks are on me. And you're invited too, Roman."
7 Reputation with Roman Torchwick [35/100]
10 Reputation with Neopolitan [55/100]
Neo grins widely and walks up to me, then pulls me down by the arm before pecking my cheek. She gives a little wink before leaving me on my own with Roman.
Hm… She's either really affectionate or just fucking with me.
Sensing her emotions is telling me it's the latter.
"Well well, aren't you generous?" He raises a brow. "Assuming you actually succeed, then I shall accept your invitation with utmost enthusiasm."
"Keep your sarcasm where I can't see it, jackass." I scowl, making him chuckle. "When and where is this auction?"
"In two months. Near the steep hill in Argon Greens, south-west of the city." A puff of smoke escapes his mouth. "You won't miss it with the amount of security Emperor will afford."
"Right…" I nod. "Any reason why you couldn't have told me through texts?"
"Piggy has some friends working in the CCT." Roman answers. "Even if we spoke in codes, he still might find out about this."
"Makes sense…" I sigh. "Useful info. Thanks, Roman."
"Aye, aye, boss." He waves it off. "'Suppose we'll see how you handle it, eh? Don't die, please. You haven't held up your part of the deal yet."
"If you think I'll just keel over and die, then you're sorely mistaken." I turn around and head to the door, bringing my hood down. "I've made it this far, and I'll take it to the top."
"Oh, before you go, here's some advice." Roman stops me. "Pig Emperor – as intelligent as he is – is… for the lack of a better word, batshit insane."
I remain silent, waiting for him to continue.
"Fucker's as unpredictable as a squirrel on drugs." He warns. "So make sure to expect the unexpected, or you will die."
I process his words before I leave the room, shutting the door behind me and walking back through the large warehouse. I spot Neo, who blows a kiss my way in a teasing manner, making me smirk as I walk out of the building.
And that's another on my to-do list.
...The auction raid or Neo?
Yes.
(Pyrrha)
The red-haired champion frowned slightly as she walked to her team's dorm room, hugging her books tightly as the last classes of the day were over. She'd taken a detour, a walk outside under the setting sun as she thought about what happened that day.
It had been on her mind for a while, unable to forget about it. The betrayal and sadness she felt when Jaune spilled everything was… well, it was something she lost a considerable amount of sleep over and even had nightmares about.
She was training to be a huntress. She knew there was a real possibility of dying on the battlefield, and she'd always accepted that. She was determined to protect as many people as she possibly could before she inevitably fell. Pyrrha accepted that death might come sooner than she expects, but she'd never quite faced it like that day in Forever Fall.
Being so close to death was a lot scarier than what the old stories said. She'd felt cold, lonely, and it was so quiet it haunted her.
She could never look at Jaune the same way afterward. At first, she saw someone who did not care about her social standings, possibly a real friend or even more in her lonely life. Even with his bravado and confidence when they'd first met, he never held any dishonest intentions with her because… well, he somehow never knew who she was.
At first, she thought that he had to be lying or that it was some sort of an act, but his attitude never changed as he was gunning for Weiss instead. She knew her reputation in Vale isn't as big as it is in Mistral, but he had to know something, right?
Turns out, he only knew her because she was on the cover of some really bad cereal brand.
It was then Pyrrha's hope was really ignited. She could have a friend, a real one who treated her like Pyrrha Nikos and not the Invincible Champion, and when her team formed, she gained two new friends, six if you counted team WLBY.
She came to Beacon for this reason, to see if she could make friends and life-long comrades. She was happier than she ever has been in the academy.
But then her former crush had to do… that.
Pyrrha couldn't comprehend why. She went out of her way to try and get to know him better, to get along with him, and even offered to teach him how to fight seeing that he forged his way into Beacon. It was fine because even she knew Jaune had potential if his large Aura pool was any indication.
But he declined, got mad at her for whatever reason, then started hanging out with Cardin and his team instead of talking about his issues. She couldn't even talk to him anymore, hurt by what he said aside from him already making it harder as he actively avoided her.
Which of course, was even more painful.
Throwing a jar of sap at her, which lured life-threatening Rapier Wasps, and attracting an Ursa Maxima and a horde of other Ursae of all kinds. They could handle the smaller fry, even without her help, but the Maxima was on a league of its own. It was even stronger than the Ancient Deathstalker and the Giant Nevermore they had to deal with in the initiation.
On its own? Yes, it might have been possible, but the horde made it far harder to pin down and kill before anyone got badly hurt. With one fighter down, four running away, and one admittedly too weak to really put up a proper fight, they were in real danger. Pyrrha thought she was about to die, and it terrified her.
Pyrrha didn't want to die. She barely did anything in the outside world, not even sent on a single mission yet. She wasn't even 18.
Does she hate Jaune for what he did? Not… necessarily. She just couldn't trust him or bring herself to even talk to him anymore, sure, but he clearly regrets what he did. Even still, the spark she had for him when they first met wasn't there anymore. She couldn't see him in the same light, not after that.
He was punished fairly she thought. Extra classes, stuck as a C-Rank until after graduation and was stripped out of his leader status, which was given to her. Pyrrha didn't even want it. She didn't know how to lead, she just knew how to fight.
Ren would've been the better option in her honest opinion. He knew how to keep a cool head and was intelligent as well, but her suggestion was shot down almost immediately by the Headmaster.
It was funny how people praised her for being this important figurehead when no one ever really listened to her.
She sighed, finally reaching the room as her hand was on the doorknob. She wished Jaune wasn't inside, and the chat between Nora and Ren made her somewhat positive that maybe he'd already left for his other class. As Pyrrha was about to open the door, but a familiar voice stopped her.
"Oh, Pyrrha." The redhead turned to meet a smiling Weiss and a grinning Yang. "Fancy seeing you here."
"What do you mean, 'Fancy seeing you here'?" Yang raised a brow. "Our dorm room is literally the one facing theirs."
Weiss' smile strained as she elbowed her teammate in the side, making the blond wince before grinning, whispering "worth it" under her breath.
"It's good to see you again, you two." Pyrrha smiled. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Oh, I was merely wondering how you were feeling?" Weiss asked. "I'm sure the whole ordeal in the forest is still on your mind."
"Better." Pyrrha nodded. "A lot better, actually. Thank you for asking."
"I'm glad." Weiss smiled. "It must've been terrible to be unable to protect yourself. I'm really sorry that happened to you."
Pyrrha chuckled nervously. She wasn't sure how to react, seeing that while Weiss acts the exact same as those kinds of people, though beyond that she isn't like them. She wasn't deficient in terms of empathy and meant what she said, unlike the ones who always tried to use her for their benefit.
It brought strange and conflicting feelings within the champion. She was thankful that Weiss really meant what she said, but the way she acts always threw her off somewhat. Pyrrha knew she just needed time to adjust to Weiss' personality, but it was still a little jarring.
"Yeah, you okay Pyrrha?" Yang questioned. "I know if that happened to me, I would've busted his balls."
"Yang!" Weiss scowled. "Not in front of her you uncouth brute!"
"Look, I'm just saying that I wouldn't have let him off without a beating." She shrugged. "Bustin' balls is what I do."
"You-!"
"Ahaha, I really appreciate your concern, both of you." Nervously, Pyrrha stopped them before they delved into one of their bickerings. "But I'm fine, really."
The two stopped and glanced at each other before dropping it, the Schnee wearing her smile again. "That's wonderful to hear. And if you don't mind, would you be willing to accompany me today?"
"To where?" Pyrrha questioned.
"To meet Sir Astera," Weiss answered. "I managed to clear out a day in my schedule and decided that it was high time to meet the hero for myself. I thought you may be interested as well?"
"She was gonna send one of her- Oof!" Yang grunted as her friend pinched her side.
"Pyrrha wouldn't want to know the boring details of my plans, Yang." Weiss almost growled behind her innocent smiling face. "So could you please keep your mouth shut?"
"Alright, alright, sheesh…" Yang huffed, looking away as she nursed her side.
"So!" The white-haired girl turned back to her. "What do you say?"
Pyrrha blinked. Well, she is free today, and has been quite curious about this new hero for a while now…
"That sounds grand!" Pyrrha accepted with a smile.
"Splendid!" Weiss exclaimed. "How about we meet near the bullhead station in half an hour?"
"That's fine by me." The champion nodded, then turned to the blond. "Are you not coming?"
"Nah, still stuck with some homework to do." Yang shrugged, then sighed deeply. "Lucky you, meeting Mr. Fantastic when I'm stuck with friggin' Grimm studies…"
"That's what you get for sleeping through Professor Port's class," Weiss said. "Besides, we're meeting him for diplomatic reasons, not whatever crude idea you might have."
"Oh, really now?" Yang grinned. "Don't tell me you never thought of him that way?"
"Don't be crass." The heiress glared. "Of course I haven't."
"His handsome face?"
"No."
"Cool attitude?"
"...No."
"Purrrrfect body?"
"N-no." Weiss denied weakly, but her weak voice and the blush on her face told another story.
"Oh you totally have!" The blond laughed.
"S-shut up!" Her pale face burned brighter as Yang teased.
"Ha! You can't even deny it!"
Pyrrha looked in amusement as the two gave tit for tat, with the heiress trying to shut the blond up, denying whatever came out of her mouth. Yang looked like she was having the time of her life, teasing Weiss by piling on more and more ideas about Sir Astera into her head.
"Bet he could split you in half with his dic-!"
"Okay, that's enough!" Pyrrha cut her off, blushing too at the last sentence. "Near the bullhead station in half an hour. Got it."
"Y-yes!" Weiss cleared her throat, waving at her as she quickly grabbed the doorknob to Team WLBY's dorm room. "I'll see you soon, Pyrrha."
Weiss entered the room and closed behind her, leaving Pyrrha with Yang.
"Ah, she's so easy to mess with," Yang said. "Been a while since I've had so much fun."
"Please don't be too mean to her." Pyrrha sighed. "I get that you enjoy this, but Weiss might not."
"Nah, I get it, no worries." The blond winked and gave a thumbs up. "I know when to stop, but come on, she's making this way too easy~"
Pyrrha giggled at that. "Maybe."
Suddenly, a buzzing sound made her pause as Yang gasped, quickly fishing out her scroll with a hopeful look, only for said look to turn into one of disappointment and… worry?
"Yang?" Pyrrha called out in concern. "Are you… alright?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry." She grimaced. "Just uh… well…"
"If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine." The champion said quickly.
"No, no, it's just…" She sighed. "My dad isn't responding to my messages and it's making me worried is all."
"Oh…"
"Buuuut it's probably nothing." Yang grinned, shrugging. "Knowing my old man, he probably dropped his scroll and lost it. Wouldn't be the first time. He's clumsy like that."
As Yang chuckled, Pyrrha found herself smiling as well. "I'm sure he's fine, Yang. Even if you don't talk about him much, I definitely know Taiyang Xiao-Long, he's former S-Class is. He'll get back to you as soon as he can, I'm sure of it."
"Right?" She said. "Not a lot of things can force the guy to stay down. I'm sure he's fine."
Even when Yang said that the Champion knew she didn't mean it. From the slight, unnoticeable quiver in her voice, to her fake smile. The blond was most definitely trying to convince herself rather than Pyrrha.
If there was one thing Pyrrha was good at, it would be spotting empty words.
"A-anyway, I'll go and finish my homework now." She pointed at her dorm room. "Have fun with your hero meeting!"
"Of course." The redhead nodded. "I'll see you later."
Yang winked and followed after Weiss, shutting the door behind her. Pyrrha turned around and did the same, entering her team's dorm room. Nora was on her bed with her headset on as she read one of her comics as Ren was studying in on the desk, neither of them paying her much mind. Well, Nora threw a half-hearted wave, but that was it really.
Now that she had something to do for today, might as well dress up for it…
(Weiss)
She's been waiting for this moment since the day he made his debut, but with Beacon being admittedly a little harsher than she expected – and her teammates not helping –, she was bogged down with schoolwork.
Thankfully, her teammates, while lazy, were not incompetent. Yang didn't listen to most of the professors, seemingly preferring to spend that time either falling asleep or on her scroll, but she somehow got good marks on all the quizzes. From 96 to 98, and when asked how, she had the gall to respond with "I study, you just don't see it."
Just who did she think Weiss was? Some gullible moron?
Enough about the brute, however, thankfully her other two teammates were more tolerable. Blake had issues with her sleep schedule, but the heiress knew she was trying to fix that problem on her own, so Weiss was happy enough to leave it.
She's been told she was a little too harsh on them.
Levianna was a kind and smart girl, but by the gods how could someone be so... airheaded?! Weiss thought it was just maybe nervousness at first, but it's been weeks! She forgets her books at the dorm room when they were already late, forgets them again in the classroom, accidentally took three books from the library with her without permission, slipped on seemingly nothing so many times the heiress had already lost count, and she kept losing her notes!
"W-Weiss?" Pyrrha said nervously. "Are you okay? You don't look… happy?"
"I'm fine!" Weiss yelled, then quickly cleared her throat. "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong."
"...If you say so…"
No, no, just don't think about it. Weiss took a deep breath, a smile blooming on her face. You're meeting the Hero of Vale. You need to look your best for this occasion.
Ignoring the eerie similarities he shared with the Schnee, Weiss was quite excited to meet him. He gave off an air of confidence in his interview, the aura of a leader that made her and many others look up to him quite a lot. With his cool demeanor and bold promises, she quickly grew to admire his confident outlook.
He, a supposed wanderer, had achieved the impossible. Slaying a Titan on his own using his strength, wits, and the mysterious potions, all while remaining humble about it. Weiss had seen more than enough businessmen and hunters alike exaggerating their achievements in attempts to impress her, and she was sharp enough to spot the insincerity in their words.
One of the reasons that she'd applied to Beacon instead of Atlas Academy. Getting away from those annoying snobs and be free of it all for a little while. Definitely worth having to convince her father for a week straight, who she thankfully now won't have to see for months to come.
Neither that little brat…
And on the bright side, Weiss finally got to see Winter again. Even if they weren't separated for that long, Weiss was glad to be able to talk with someone about Sir Astera's… heritage. Turns out, she was wrong and he wasn't related to them in any way, otherwise, her sister would know.
Had he been in his twenties, it might have been a possibility. Winter would've been too young to remember their mother getting pregnant a second time, and their father could've easily hidden the fact, but with the reveal that Reid Astera was even younger than Weiss, it became clear that there could be no way he was secretly a Schnee, even with his similarities. And when Weiss studied his face, she saw how his face resembled that of a Mistrali instead of an Atlesian.
So him being a Schnee is impossible, even if Weiss felt a twist in her stomach at that thought. Would it really too much to ask for a male family member she could get along with?
But that didn't change anything! Weiss still wanted to meet him face-to-face and actually get to talk to him, and the Invincible Girl is even coming along.
"Is that…?" Pyrrha said, pointing at the white-haired man right in front of the store.
"That's him!" Weiss exclaimed.
The heiress quickened her pace, her redhead friend following after as she waved her hand at the hero. Reid noticed her and turned his head in her direction, waving back with a smile.
"Sir Astera!" She called out, stopping in front of him as she offered her hand. "It's an honor to finally meet you in person! My name is Weiss… Schnee…"
Since he was facing right, Weiss didn't see his state of wear other than the red jacket and jeans he wore, and now that he fully turned to look at her, her eyes trailed down at his half-exposed chest and stomach. Her face flared up, eyes wide at the perfectly sculptured muscles. She wanted to look away, and by god, she tried, but couldn't.
Weiss was fixated on his abs - which felt like an eternity mind you - until he actually spoke.
"Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company." He continued for her, breaking her trance as he gently took her hand before kissing the back of it. "The pleasure is all mine."
Her blush intensified, thankful that he seemingly didn't notice her ogling, but still not expecting this degree of respect. Not a lot of people would do something like this, seeing that they're either too oblivious or think that they're above her in some way, and to be shown this much respect by a worldwide hero is...
Was it her, or did he magically become much better looking? She could say without a doubt that he was the most handsome man she's seen in her life, it must just be the difference in seeing him close up in the flesh.
"A-ah…" With her being caught so off guard, Weiss quickly turned the attention to her slightly red-faced friend. "P-please, let me introduce you to Pyrrha Nikos. The Pride of Mistral."
"'Course I know who she is. Who wouldn't know the Invincible Girl?" He said, offering a hand to Pyrrha.
She takes it hesitantly, and he does the same thing he did to Weiss, making Pyrrha's face redden some more as he gave a wink.
"Come on in. We can talk inside."
He led the two in, both of them spotting Velvet behind the counter. She immediately stood up from her chair, but then Reid waved her off.
"You can leave early for today, Vel." He said. "Thanks for your hard work."
"Yes, sir…" She nodded, giving the two a small smile as the three inside the backroom.
Weiss noticed the lack of potions on the shelves when she entered the store and was a little disappointed she won't get to see the colorful drinks in person, but that's no problem at all. They'll be common knowledge soon anyway.
"Please, take a seat."
He gestured towards the couch to the left as he went in the opposite direction, which seems to be an open kitchen from the looks of it.
"Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee." Weiss reflexively answered, then blushed in embarrassment and slight shame. "A-ah, I mean, you shouldn't have to serve us. Please, we're all equal here."
"Equality has nothing to do with treating your guests right, you know." He smirked. "How do you take your coffee? And do you want anything, Pyrrha?"
Weiss, while grateful, felt slightly uncomfortable with this gesture. "Black. No sugar."
"I'll... have the same." Pyrrha smiled gratefully, facing his kindness a lot better than her partner.
As expected from Pyrrha Nikos...
"Right then…" He nodded as he began working. "So, what brings both Schnee Heiress and the Invincible Girl to my little store?
"Ah, well, as the Heiress of the SDC, it's only natural for me to greet the new hero in person." Weiss rehearsed, definitely never practicing saying this to him by the mirror. "It's merely for personal reasons though. Who wouldn't want to meet the Titan Slayer in person?"
"Well, I'll say that I pride myself in being a decent conversationalist, but there must be something more than that." He said, making Weiss pause.
She was a little surprised that he was this sharp, but it should be expected. He did give off an air of intelligence… dangerous intelligence.
"Well…" She sighed slightly. "I'd... be lying if I said I only came here for a chat."
Weiss felt slightly guilty as she admitted this. One of her main reasons was to ask about how potions really work, and even when this makes her out to be this greedy Heiress only caring about money and income, she really didn't even want to know how to make them for her company.
To say she'd been intrigued about the potions would be an understatement. How does such a thing exist? How was it made? What did it cost? How could it increase someone's prowess twofold instantly? Heal wounds? Restore Aura?
These things felt like they were from a fairy tale. Completely out of this world, magical medicine that by all rights should not exist. Yet here he was, the creator of this magical medicine in the flesh.
She's always been a curious person, and this has been eating away at her mind for a while now, and she needed the answer or at least some sort of a clue or idea.
"Eh?" Pyrrha looked at her in confusion. "But I thought-"
"Yeah, it was obvious. Don't worry, no offense taken." He quickly said, pouring coffee for three cups before reaching to the drawer above him. "I get it though. You're an heiress doing her job, so I don't hold it against you."
"W-wait, I thought this was just a-"
"Oh, I'm very glad you understand." Weiss felt relieved. "And if I may ask…?"
"Go ahead." He said, taking out a jar of cookies from the drawer.
"Thank you." She nodded. "How do these potions work? Is it some sort of a drug with no side-effects?"
"That's a… loaded question." He frowned, putting the jar and cups on a tray before moving towards them.
"You don't need to answer." She waved it off, but still felt slight sadness and frustration. "It's the secret for your company's success, after all. I was merely curious."
"It's not that…" He sighed. "I'd be willing to tell you, but it's gonna take a long while to explain everything, and I have plans I need to get to fairly soon."
"Ah… We came at a bad time it seems?"
"Eh, not really, no." He shrugged, then paused slightly before smirking. "Actually, wait for me here, would you?"
He left the tray in front of them and went to the trapdoor in the room, heading down and leaving the two of them. Weiss blinked, finally noticing that there was a trapdoor there before looking at her partner, who had a strained smile on her face.
"Pyrrha, is everything okay?" Weiss asked in concern, taking the cup in her hand.
"...To tell the truth, no, I'm not," Pyrrha said, covering her face. "I feel so out of place here…"
"That's not true, Pyrrha," Weiss said confidently. "We're all of high social standings. You definitely belong here, you're doing great."
Pyrrha groaned quietly, making Weiss purse her lips. "I let my agency and manager take care of deals like this, Weiss. You two are way out of my league…"
Weiss sipped from her cup and was about to assure Pyrrha, but then the taste made her freeze. She recognized the taste almost immediately, which made her eyes widen almost comically. This… are these Tamaletai Desert Beans? From the most dangerous desert in Menagerie? The far west, from which few men ever came back alive?
Even Pyrrha froze as she sipped as well, she too knew that this kind of coffee bean was one of the most expensive, exotic, and rarest luxuries in existence. Even royalty wouldn't waste these precious beans on… anything really.
"Is-is this-"
"It is." Weiss was sure of it. "How did he get this? This costs a fortune, it's almost as expensive as Stardust!"
"I've only ever had this once in my life," Pyrrha said, still in awe as she gazed at the liquid. "And it was at the party after winning my third tournament."
"Even we only have a limited supply at the mansion." The heiress nodded. "We only bring it out when our most important guests arrive, but other than that…"
And Reid just… gave it to them? Like it was nothing? Why? How could he- sure, she thought herself to be an important member of society, but not to this extent. Why would he waste one of the most valuable things in the world for them? Because… he treats his guests right?
Weiss felt her heart skip a beat as her face flushed. This was… honestly flattering, much different from anything she's been used to. Words of praise and gifts were nice and all, but this? This is more of a symbolic gesture, to say that the person respected so much that they'd share their most expensive treasure. Even Pyrrha was beet-red because of it.
Did he really respect them that much? She could understand Pyrrha, being a four-time champion and all, but what did Weiss do to be worthy of this? She's the Heiress to the SDC, sure, but what did she, as Weiss Schnee, do? To be respected by a worldwide hero made her feel guilt and butterflies in her stomach.
She didn't know how long it has been, but the cup in her hand was already empty as her mind wandered, making her sigh in satisfaction and slight disappointment. Neither of them gets to drink this kind of coffee a lot it seems…
The trapdoor was just then flung open, making the two flinch as Reid clambered out of it, holding two, beautifully decorated metal boxes under his arm. He climbed up and closed the trapdoor, then walked up to them and put the boxes down on the table next to the tray.
"Sorry for the wait." He apologized. "But there were a couple of things I needed to take care of before getting back up."
"O-oh, we understand." This time, it was Pyrrha who answered.
"Right, well, let me explain." He cleared his throat. "Since I'm slightly busy right now, I think we can make a deal between the SDC and the APC at later date."
"A deal?" Weiss questioned.
"You say you want to know more about potions, no?" Reid asked with a smirk. "Well, I want a large supply of High and Military Quality Dust in return."
Weiss's eyes sharpened. "A large supply? How large are we talking about?"
"Seven large crates of each every seven months." He said.
Weiss paused slightly. Doable, but it was a large supply. Military Dust is the one that's a little hard to come by in large quantities, but they did discover huge caverns in one of the mountains east of Solitas. Possibly a lot of Dust in there, most likely plenty of Military Dust too.
"What are you offering?" Weiss asked carefully.
"Once I finish setting up the potion factory, I'll send you double the amount I requested with the best, and strongest potions I can make." He smirked. "Hell, I'll throw in some of my special potions as well."
Weiss's brows furrowed. "Special?"
"Take a look here." He gestured towards one of the metal boxes, opening one of them to reveal three, glass vials filled with colorful liquid. "These here are my masterpieces."
"And what do they do?"
He pointed at the first potion, a blue one with a green hue. "For seven minutes, this here gives you the ability to see clearly in the dark, as if the sun was directly above you. Even better than most of the Faunus' night-vision."
"That is… impressive." Weiss nodded, then pointed at an orange one with a red tint. "And this one?"
"Once you drink this? Fire will not be able to damage you for five minutes." He grinned. "Hell, you can probably swim in lava as if it's the sea under a hot sun."
"That's impossible." Weiss frowned.
"Ms. Schnee, I am the impossible." He chuckled. "I could test it for you right here and now if you'd like?"
She blinked a few times before shaking her head and pointing at the last one. "And this?"
It was a golden potion with a silver and red glow to it. "Finally, we get to my true masterpiece. My Magnum Opus." He took the vial, holding it above him. "This, Ms. Schnee, gives you the ability to use your semblance without spending any Aura for three minutes."
"That's-…" Weiss stood up in bafflement. "That's absurd!"
"Does such a thing really exist?" Pyrrha too was on her two feet, looking in shock, awe, and even a little doubtful.
"I don't blame you to think like this." He shrugged. "It does feel magical, doesn't it? But if you want proof, then all you need to do is drink it and see for yourselves."
Weiss and Pyrrha looked at each other, still shocked and unsure about what to do, but then Reid continued
"How about this then: Take them with you and test them whenever you want." He said. "And Ms. Schnee, the offer can stay on the table until you make up your mind. We can make it official and finalize it after a few weeks if you'd like. What do you say?"
Weiss paused to think. Giving this deal its first look, it doesn't really look like a fair one at all. It's guaranteed that Reid will get what he wants, but this left Weiss in the dark. She might get those high-quality and best potions Reid will make, but these 'masterpieces'… they were not what she expected them to be.
Immunity to fire and lava apparently, night vision, and Semblances with zero Aura cost? These things alone are absolutely revolutionary, even without counting the magical medicine that can heal all wounds or regenerate all Aura.
The Zero-Aura Cost potion will make them push back against the Grimm through extremely powerful semblances that have high costs, opening the possibilities for more land and parts of the world to explore, and the lava immunity can be used to explore the deepest parts of any volcano for possible Stardust veins.
If she gets her hands on it…
"I'd like to test them first," Weiss said. "If you don't mind, could I contact you about this in a few days from now?"
"Fine by me." Reid smiled, taking out his scroll from his pocket. "Here, my contact number. Call me whenever you want."
"Of course." They exchanged numbers, making the heiress smile widely. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Sir Astera."
"Nothing to thank me for." He put the vial back and closed the box, then handed one over to her and one to Pyrrha. "Here."
"W-wait, me too?" Pyrrha looked at him in confusion. "But I don't have anything to offer…"
"It's a gift." He winked at her, causing her face to flare up. "If you find the potions unsatisfactory in any way, then please let me know. I take my customer's suggestions very seriously."
"We will." Weiss bowed slightly. "Again, thank you so much for your generosity. Please feel free to come over to the Schnee Mansion whenever you're in Atlas. I'd love to host you there."
"Sounds great." He offered a hand, to which she shook firmly. "Hope I hear from you soon, Ms. Schnee."
"Naturally." She smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse us…"
Weiss bowed one last time then left the room, exiting the store through the front door with Pyrrha in tow. The redhead was flustered not knowing how to react when she was basically given a gift just because she stopped by.
"I told you you were doing great," Weiss said,
"You did all the talking…" Pyrrha groaned, but her friend didn't even acknowledge her.
Today had panned out better than Weiss ever expected, from meeting the hero to possibly landing a deal with him that would be beneficial to both sides. If these potions really worked as he said, then she'd be able to make the deal official and get closer to him-
She froze, feeling a growing blush creeping into her face. Where did that thought come from? Okay, she went there to get to know him better, but that was out of her own curiosity, not because of… other reasons…
Weiss shook her head as she quickened her pace. She only went there to gauge his personality and now she has a possible deal with him, nothing more than that. She only wants to see him again so they can finalize the deal, not because of his handsome face, cool demeanor, or perfect body.
Weiss's blush intensified as she scowled.
Damn you, Yang!
(Reid)
70 Reputation with Weiss Schnee [90/100]
65 Reputation with Pyrrha Nikos [85/100]
An unexpected visit, but a welcome one for sure. Didn't think I'd meet Weiss, or the rest of the Beacon students this early. Eventually, sure, but I haven't even started making the proper factory yet. I get busy with other stuff and I barely have the time anymore.
Should probably start focusing on that.
In all honesty, I didn't expect such a huge increase in REP for either of them. Anything above 50 points felt a lot, but I think it's because of my perks and Charisma. Still a baffling amount though. I almost have them both maxed out.
Which would mean two new perks.
Weiss was quite different than I expected. Less… pompous, I suppose. I expected her to be annoying seeing as she probably never got that reality check due to Ruby in canon, but she was a lot tamer still. She was honestly nice to talk to, even if I had to force myself to use a politer tone than I was used to.
I wouldn't have spoken politely to anyone right from the get-go, but I needed a good first impression to increase REP… and because she looked positively adorable when flustered.
Really, almost every woman I've met here was Beautiful with a capital 'B'. Not just the show's characters like Ruby and Neo, although they especially were far better looking than even supermodels, but even the regular townspeople. Almost every one of them is incredibly beautiful in one way or the other.
Something I also found adorable is how lost Pyrrha seemed. She definitely felt like she was out of place when Weiss started talking business. Seeing her dismayed almost made me laugh out loud.
I had to stop myself from patting her head on reflex multiple times.
But enough about beautiful women and cute, easily-seduced girls.
Meeting Weiss here was, while a little surprising, very good for me and my business. High-Quality Dust crystals are expensive, Military Dust even more so, and even though I have the money to buy the former, the latter is not sold readily. It can't be bought willy-nilly like other Dust, I needed a special contract with the Atlesian Military or their suppliers, the SDC.
With the new potions, my "masterpieces", Weiss will probably accept the deal then we can finalize it at a later date. When I said I'd give her the highest quality potions, I didn't actually lie. I'm giving Weiss the highest-tier healing and Aura potions, but none of the stat increase serums.
And as for the new potions? Well, they're not quite at their highest tiers yet, and I'll try to add in that I'm only giving them to Weiss as an individual. The Zero Cost Potion is probably one of the dangerous things I've yet made if given to the wrong person. I'm not yet sure how powerful Semblances can get, but even a very weak one would become extremely powerful if it had no cost.
Personally? I don't really benefit from this much. My Semblance requires me to get hurt, and I still haven't found anything that can fill that 'meter' without being damaged.
But for someone like Ruby, for example, it would be immensely powerful. She can fight at her top speed the entire time without losing a single point of Aura, and even I have trouble catching up with her Semblance, with both my Haki and Sharingan active.
Speaking of Ruby…
She really made herself comfortable in my research room, reading the third volume on Leviathan History and making me smirk in mischief. She's so focused on the book she didn't notice me sneaking up on her.
"Having a good time I hope?"
She flinched with a squeak, the book flying off her hand and to the other side of the table. Ruby turned around, embarrassed as she stuttered something out.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to read them without asking but it was just so boring and-"
She delved into her light-speed apology challenge, making me sigh lightly.
"It's fine Ruby." I cut her off, ruffling her hair. "I wouldn't have left the books there if I wasn't fine with you reading them."
I'm not even worried if she finds out about my heritage. Really, what would she do with that information? Knowing her, she'd probably find it cool.
Besides, she already knows enough about magic, and she's gonna find out I'm not from this world eventually. There's literally no need for me to keep this a secret.
"Hell, do you want to take the books with you?" I ask her. "I already read them all myself."
"I can?"
"Sure, you looked like you were enjoying it." I shrug.
Ruby blinks then grins widely. "Thanks."
"Yeah, yeah, now get up." I pat her head. "We've wasted enough time today. We're training extra hard."
"Yes, sir!" She stands up, then I lead her to the training room. "A-actually, could I say something first?"
I pause and gesture for her to continue.
"W-well, you see, there's this festival coming up soon, exactly two weeks from now." She fidgets in nervousness. "It's called the Firesteel Festival. It's where some of the best smiths from all over the world come to one place to sell their weapons or parts."
"Sounds interesting." I nod. "What about it?"
"I know you're busy and all..." Her cheeks gain a pink hue, and I immediately understand what she wants. "But do you think maybe we can... go there together? Like a d-date…"
I can't say no to that face even if I tried.
"Why not?" I smile as I see her face lights up. "We've never really had a proper date yet, have we? This should do great as our first."
3 Affection with Ruby Rose [76/100]
"Yes!" She squeals, hugging me tightly. "Oh, there are so many things I want to show you! We're gonna have so much fun!"
"I'm sure."
I think I literally just scored three dates in a single day. Neo, Weiss, and now Ruby.
This dating game is easy~
(Adam)
"Any news?" He asked the human in front of him, trying to crush his hatred for the sake of the mission.
Titania smirked. "Yes, actually. Found tracks leading east, recent too. We'll probably catch up soon if we move now."
"Time?"
"Less than a week." She answered. "Again, that's only if we move now. Otherwise, they might actually escape."
"I see." He nodded.
"Though, I doubt that's gonna happen." She shrugged with a smirk. "The other party will be trapping them from the other side, but if we move now, we might get a bit of action while also completely crushing them."
He nodded again. "Tell the others we're moving."
"What about Sullivan?" The gray-haired girl questioned. "Want me to-"
"I'll deal with him." He growled. "Move it."
"Okay, okay…" She held her hands in front of her, then moved outside of the tent, "Impatient prick…"
His fists clenched, but then he let out a calming breath, leaving the tent after a minute. The men, both White Fang and Caliban, were getting ready for the final assault on the Branwen Tribe. Raven prided herself in being the Bandit Queen, and even Aurelius was slightly hesitant in destroying them, but now that they angered him…
It's the end for her for sure.
Adam entered another tent, spotting the sleeping form of the Caliban's Ace, Sullivan. Supposedly one of the smartest and strongest assets of the clan, able to match Aurelius with his equally powerful Semblance. Adam was thankfully informed of him and was elated to see that the Ace is actually a Lion Faunus, his feature being razor-sharp claws.
Mixed with the Semblance that makes him able to see seven seconds into the future… well, not many were quite confident when he was brought up.
Unfortunately, his prowess does not translate to work ethics.
"Wake up," Adam growled, making him stir a bit. "We're moving."
"Hmm, yeah, sure…" He replied drowsily. "Just a few more minutes…"
He was unbearably lazy.
"Wake up!" Adam yelled, making him flinch.
"Eugh?!" Sullivan uttered. "W-wha-"
"We found the target. We'll be striking them soon." Adam continued. "So wake up, or I'll dump an entire bucket of ice water on you."
Sullivan fell off his cot, getting up quickly as he faced Adam. Black hair, black eyes, lanky frame and taller than the White Fang Lieutenant. He looked admittedly intimidating, but his behavior…
"W-woah, woah, Adam Bro!" He waved his hands desperately. "You don't have to get that extreme! I'm up, I'm up, see?"
His behavior never matched his appearance. At all.
"Get dressed then, quickly," Adam said. "We're moving."
"Y-yeah, just a few minutes." He sighed. "Damn it, bro. I barely had any sleep last night. Gimme a break..."
Adam ignored him and left the tent, seeing the men all lined up together as some of them chatted with one another. Morale was good, even if the humans weren't quite as comfortable as the Faunus, and it seems that the Caliban and the White Fang were getting along nicely. He smiled slightly under his mask, good memories rushing back to his head before he shook them off.
No time to reminisce about good ol' times.
It's time they get rid of that pesky bandit once and for all.
Omake - The Helpful Wizard, Part 1
(A few days ago...)
Sipping from the paper cup, I frown in disappointment. Nope, not this either.
You've been doing this for the past three hours.
I look at the counter, seeing many paper cups littering the place with over ten pots filled with coffee all over the place, making my purse my lips. And? The only problem I see here is that I'm inevitably going to need to clean all this up.
I put the cup down and take the one next to it.
Even then, that's not really a problem either. I can just blast it all with fire and be done with it in less than a second, so yeah.
What's the issue here?
The "Issue" would be wasting time over something as moronic as coffee.
Look, I don't know if you have a body or even taste buds, but coffee is important, alright? And I'm picky when it comes to coffee.
I sip from the cup, my frown deepening. This is the last one, and I'm still not satisfied.
...Why not get the advice of someone else? You are new to this world, after all.
Yeah, good idea.
I take out my scroll, looking for a specific number. He oughta be able to help…
(Ozpin)
As he was about to sign the form in front of him, his scroll rang, making him thank whoever it was that decided to call him. Damn this tower-tall paperwork, damn Jacques' whining and demands, and damn Glynda for forcing him to work on it.
He dropped the pen and took the scroll, answering without even seeing the caller's name.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Oz." Reid greeted. "Kinda need help right now. It's urgent."
"Of course." Ozpin nodded. "What do you need?"
"I didn't know who to ask, and you seem like you know your coffee." The Titan Slayer said. "Know any good beans? I have the machine and all, but I lack the bean."
"Hm, that is indeed important." The headmaster scratched his chin. "Have you tried the Mistrali Qax?"
"Yup, not it."
"Atlesian Narchis?"
"Not it either."
"Valean Yafriend?"
"What's with these weird names? They're just coffee beans for fuck's sake." He sighed. "Nah, that one isn't it."
"What about-"
"Ozpin, I tried everything sold in the market." He said. "I need some special beans not found in Vale."
Ozpin paused and hummed in thought. He knew his coffee, but he wasn't a big fan of it. He enjoyed his cocoa more than the bitterer drink, but he knew Glynda liked it a lot.
...Glynda…
She was gloating about finally getting her hands on a box of Tamaletai Desert Beans, and when it arrived… well, she only used it once, saying it's too precious or something. He wasn't paying attention, the cute cat video in front of him was far more important.
At the corner of the office lied the remains of one of Ozpin's most precious thing in his long life. His old cocoa machine, which he adopted and named "Betty", broken and destroyed after his assistant went on a childish frenzy because he refused a deal from a well-known dust supplier.
How dare Jacques call his favorite drink "something for children"? Does he not understand the glory of a steaming cup of cocoa? What is he, an idiot? No, he's definitely an idiot. How can anyone dislike cocoa?
…
"...Reid, if you don't mind, could you answer me this?"
"Huh?" He uttered.
"What's your opinion on cocoa?" Ozpin asked.
"...What does that have to do with anything?"
"Answer the question please."
He groaned. "Yes, I do like it. Now can you please help me?"
"Of course." Ozpin smiled. "I'll send you some I… found recently."
"Uh, what do you mean 'fou-"
The headmaster cut the connection, then made his way to the elevator, a blank smile on his face.
Ozpin can and has forgiven many crimes in his life. From robbing banks to murder, but if there was one thing he'll never forget or forgive, it's if someone dared to hurt his children.
Glynda killed his daughter.
And now he'll have his revenge by taking her own.
(Reid) (Few hours later.)
"Reid Astera?" The mailwoman asked, holding a small yellow box in her arm. "This is from Headmaster Ozpin."
She handed the box to me, making me nod. "Thank you."
I caught a glimpse of her face as she tipped her hat, crimson-colored right eye as her left one was covered by her black hair. "Of course."
As she said this, she left me on my own, the coffee box in my hand. Did Ozpin pay for this? That's nice.
Should've called him from the beginning. He's a lot more helpful than I thought...
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