Lux was going downstairs after waking up feeling parched. As he opened the refrigerator to get a pitcher of water and pour himself a cold one, he heard his mother chattering to someone at the counter. Normally, he would just go on his way and return to his room while his mother gossips away. And yet, he felt compelled to know what they were talking about. Curiosity got the better of him and Lux opens the door to check it out.

T his surprise Lux sees Team RWBY with his mother at possibly the worst possible time.

Everyone stood still, trying to process what they are seeing as the awkward silence envelops the shop. As the four women gawks at him, Lux grips on the doorknob tightly, observing them carefully while keeping a cool head. He was glad that he looked them up in his Scroll yesterday in order to know who they are. The same goes to the four women as they kept a careful eye on him once they quickly got over their shock. Although one of them looked like she really wanted to whale on him for defeating her but was being held back by her friends.

Who would have thought they arrived at Chiaroscuro so quickly, he thought. It probably took the four just a good night's sleep for them to recover their Aura whereas he needs to rest more. He is no condition to take them head on and, if he tried to fight them, he might wreck the place. However, although he is still recovering from yesterday's fight, he kept his guard up, expecting the four women to retaliate as revenge for defeating them and escaping their clutches.

"Lux!" his mother cried out as she gave him a big hug. Lux was so engrossed at his own thoughts that he didn't notice her presence. "What are you doing here? I thought you were resting."

Lux scratches the back of his head. "I was thirsty so I went downstairs" he simply told her. "Then I heard you were talking to someone at the shop. I decided to check what the fuss was all about."

She giggles like a schoolgirl. "Well, since you're here" she said, glancing at the four women, "these ladies are looking for you."

"Oh really?" He gave them a curious look.

Her eyes shined. "Yeah! I didn't know you scored four girlfriends at the same time." His mother gave him a playful nudge. "You must've been a real sweetheart for them to be a part of your harem. In fact, I didn't know you had one in the first place!"

"A harem?" Lux wondered rather flatly at her response. He felt the urge to roll his eyes at his mother's wild imagination.

"Pardon the intrusion but…"

Lux turns his attention towards the person who spoke up. It was white-haired woman known as Weiss. It seems she manages to get over her shock at his sudden appearance. Though she spoke in a polite tone and appeared to be professional, there was subtle irritation in her voice and the fact that her gaze was piercing into his own. Not that he minded though; rather, Lux was intrigued by the amount of attention he was being given by Weiss and her friends.

Ever so vigilant, Lux observed. They must have felt humiliated when they lose to him. Still, he thought, it wouldn't hurt to tease her a bit. She seems to be the type of person to poke fun.

"I don't think we've met" Lux said to the Weiss and her friends with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

Her professional demeanor cracked and was replaced with that of confusion. "What?!"

"I don't think we've met" he repeated.

"What do you mean we didn't met? We've just met yesterday!" she exclaimed.

He gave her a quizzical look. "Did we?"

"Yes! You even told me to meet you here at Chiaroscuro yesterday!"

His mother's eyes widened. "Wait, you don't know them?!" she cried, bewildered. Lux just shook his head. "That's a bit of a shame" his mother remarked disappointingly. "I thought the two of you would be an item."

"That's not the point!" Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out an exasperated sigh. "Look Miss Penumbra," Weiss said coolly. "Is it okay if we speak to your son? It's really important."

"Does it involve handcuffs?" Lux pipes in.

Her face flushed. It seems she recalls her attempt to arrest him yesterday. "N-no…" Weiss stammered. "Why would you think that?" Lux merely hummed in response, which infuriated her to no end.

"I don't know what's going on between the two of you but, if it's that important, why don't you all talk at the rooftops?" his mother suggested.

Lux nodded. "That's not a bad idea."

"Normally, I wouldn't even allow people at the backroom up to the rooftops" she added, "but I'll make this an exception for now."

"We accept!," they delightfully said in unison without hesitation. They must be really desperate, he noted.

She beamed and clasps her hands together. "Excellent" his mother then glanced to Lux with a stern look on her face. "Just no funny business on the rooftop while it's open, okay? If the neighbors see the five of you doing anything indecent…"

Lux merely responded with an eye-roll. When he turned to Weiss, curious as to how she would react, she shrank back as her face heated up. As for the three, they had different reactions; Yang just shrugged, Blake is indifferent at the implication and Ruby remains clueless.

His mother snickered. "I'm just joking," she told them. "But do try to keep an eye on my son though. Knowing him, he might be up to his usual shenanigans."

"Ma…"

The blond Yang gave her a thumbs up. "Oh we'll keep an eye on him alright Missis P" she reassured her. Yang then formed a mischievous grin on her face. "After all, we could beat him to his senses if he does something funny." She turned towards her friends to see if they reacted. Unfortunately for her, they groaned and cringed at the pun she made.

In spite of the implied threat though, Lux found it hilarious.

Lux felt the chill of the Atlesian air as he stepped out into the rooftop of Chiaroscuro. Dominating the clear blue skies from the distance was the large, floating landmass that is the City of Atlas. Often he would see a patrol airship or two passing by high above him. Down below, he could see people walking at the sidewalk, careful avoiding the Atlesian drones monitoring the streets. Sometimes, he could hear their hums as they pass by.

Even when the Grimm invasion was routed all those years ago, the military continues to patrol the air and the streets of Mantle with utmost vigilance, despite martial law being lifted by the Atlas Council. He couldn't help but smile wryly at the sight, how it reminded him of Woolworth and his men watching him and his mother.

Leaning on the rooftop ledge, Lux watches the four arriving on the scene. They surround him and observed him intently as they readied their weapons while he casually summons a rather detailed hologram of a snowflake on the palm of his hand.

"There's no need for that," he told them as the snowflake vanishes from his hand. "It's not like I'm going to run off or anything."

"But you did" the cat Faunus pointed out. "We had to chase you to a warehouse and fought you there."

"Ah, but didn't you all tried to arrest me?" he countered.

"No we didn't," she said before nonchalantly pointing her finger at Weiss. "But she did."

Weiss sharply looked at the cat Faunus as if she was being ratted out. "Blake!" she exclaimed incredulously, shocked that she was laying the blame on her. "I wasn't trying to arrest you okay? I was hoping that you'd come with us quietly."

Lux raised a brow. "Quietly?"

She lets out an audible gulp. "W-well," Weiss tried to explain, "we were told that you're a formidable fighter. I thought it was a good idea to handcuff you using a special device that suppresses your Aura and, err…" Her words trailed; it seems that she accidentally drove herself into a corner, Lux thought. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Blake shaking her head; Ruby looking sympathetic towards her and Yang snickering as if she knew Weiss is digging her own grave.

"I'm still impressed though" Lux remarked as he gazed deeply into her steel blue eyes and flashed a smile. "I didn't expect you all to come here to Chiaroscuro so quickly, given that the fight yesterday was even intense for me."

"Blame it on Weiss" Yang said. "She was the one who insisted that we all come here."

He couldn't help but chuckle. "That means she trusts me."

Weiss' cheeks flared up. "I-it's not like we have a choice," she protested. "You're the one who told me to meet up here at Chiaroscuro after all. I had to trust your word that you'll be here."

Her expression quickly changed from embarrassment to annoyance. "Anyway, don't change the subject. What was that all about?"

Lux tilted his head and gave her a "what do you mean?" expression.

"Don't play dumb. You said you don't remember us a while ago."

"I do actually," he admitted, much to her surprise. "I just wanted to mess with you a bit."

"Are you trying to humiliate me again?"

"Nope."

"Umm, guys?" Ruby interrupts their spiel. "Can we just focus on the topic at hand?"

She pursed her lips but she managed to calm down. "Fine," Weiss said. "Look, the reason why we're here is because our client, your brother Lucius Candela, wants to bring you in to see your father."

Lux crossed his arms upon hearing his brother's name. "I've been told. May I ask why?"

For a moment, Weiss was about to answer but, for some reason, she hesitated. Why did she become quiet all of the sudden, Lux wondered. The same goes with the others who looked down and remained silent.

"Your father doesn't have much time left" Weiss finally responded, the tone in her voice was oddly soft and somber. "I don't know the exact details why you left but your father has been using his resources to find you. Your younger brother even pitched in to help until he found you at this place called the House a week ago. That's where he told us where you were and about how well you fight."

Her steely blue eyes became serious.. "So please" Weiss said. "Will you come with us?"

As she finished, Lux closed his eyes to think. His father dying and desperate to see him, and that his brother even appeared at the House looking for him is a lot to take in. It was a miracle that he wasn't overwhelmed by the amount of load he was given in just a week.

Obviously, he'll have to turn them down. If Lux leaves, who is going to protect his mother in the meantime? Woolworth's men are still keeping tabs on them and it's most likely they'll report him about the stunt Lux pulled yesterday, not to mention his debts with the Head of the House.

This is going to be a problem, he thought. How is going to solve it?

Just as Lux was about to refuse her, an idea popped up in his head. It turns out the solution of the problem is right in front of him. He is not sure how he will pull it off but he has to risk it however. After all, if he managed to charm his way out of a fight, then this might probably work.

With his hands on his pockets, Lux confidently approaches the white-haired woman. Her friends watched him closely as they readied their weapons to strike him down if he does something funny. Weiss remains undeterred though when he stopped just a few inches away from her.

"Well?" she asked, looking at him straight in the eye as she waited for his answer.

He smirks. "Sure" Lux replied. Weiss' face brightens and her friends relaxed their grip on their weapons but he wasn't finished yet.

"I want to make a deal..."