And we're back with another chapter of Criminally Good.

Enjoy.

[Chapter 3]

If ever I thought I could fight, I now see how wrong I was.

Neo was relentless in her assault. She was fast, faster than anyone I'd ever seen in my life. Worst of all, she didn't explain anything, not that she could, but still. She continued to beat you down, send you to the floor time and time again, only to rinse and repeat.

While I did get beat down quickly and mercilessly each time, eventually it would come that I didn't get sent down in the first seconds of her assault. I found myself able to parry a blow, dodge out of the way of another. It was slow progress, but progress none the less.

I found myself brandishing my sword in front of me, staring down the evilly smirking Neo as she sized me up. Alright, Jaune, you've got this. You're getting faster, better at dodging and parrying. You can do this. I inclined my head towards her, shifting on my feet uncomfortably.

It was like a flash, and she was on me in an instant. Her blows never seemed to follow the same pattern from spar to spar, always coming from a new angle, trying to pierce my new defenses. I caught glimpse of her making a swipe for my right side, and rather than parrying, I dodged backwards, out of her reach. She closed the space quickly once more, pressing my defense harder.

I found myself still ceding ground to her, dodging the vast majority of her blows. She made to stab at my torso, the blow I deflected with the blade Junior had given me. If the glint I caught in her eye was anything to go by, that was my mistake. She stepped into my guard, following up with a particularly strong elbow to my gut.

Rather than let her remain and continue to wail on me, I did my best to disengage from her, making some small amount of space between us. My reprieve was brief, as steel met steel once again. I grit my teeth and held her back, though she proved to be stronger than I was.

She disarmed me with a flick of her blade, kicking me down to the hard concrete beneath us. As I made to get up, I found the tip of her blade pointed at my neck, as well as a foot pressed firmly into my gut.

Once again, I had lost.

I fell back to the concrete in surrender, staring up at the ceiling above me. The blade was lifted from its place at my neck, followed by a swift kick to my side.

"Alright, alright. I'm getting up." I grumbled, pulling myself up to my feet.

Neo crossed her arms and glared at me. That could mean just about anything. She's got to know I don't speak Neo.

"If you want me to do something, you're going to have to spell it out." I moved to find my sword that had clattered to the concrete not far away.

I turned back to see Neo draw her sword from her parasol once more. She charged before I had even raised my blade in defense. I made a narrow dodge away from her, only just evading being eviscerated by my trainer.

I quickly rose my guard, just in time to deflect her next blow. Her attacks continued to come, and I dodged away as much as I could, blocking what I couldn't dodge. While you might be useless in attacking, at least you can avoid damage.

Neo's assault was relentless as ever, keeping me on the backfoot as I was pushed across the room. I found, far too quickly for my taste, that I was with my back against a wall. Great. Fantastic, really. Now what's the genius plan?

I parried a blow that was aimed to sweep over my chest. You have the weight advantage, as well as reach over her. She's got you beat in swordsmanship… I wonder how she'll do with grappling a larger opponent. It was a stupid move, one that I knew I'd be paying for later, regardless of the outcome. But it was better than nothing.

I deflected another blow, and threw my blade to the side. I made to tackle the girl, landing my arms around her torso as what little momentum I had sent us both to the concrete. I watched as Neo's smirk vanished, her eyes narrowed.

Oh, you are so fucked. I tried to push that thought down.

Neo was struggling under me, and rather quickly gaining purchase. Granted, I didn't know how to grapple, only that one was to try and restrain their opponent. In that endeavor, I was only slightly successful.

I managed to keep Neo pinned under me for all of about six seconds. For my first try, I thought that was at least decent. Neo slipped from my grasp, and somehow had managed to flip me around, now with my back to the concrete, restraining my limbs, her form perched over me.

She looked inordinately proud of herself, a wide smirk on her lips as she stared down at me. I tried my hardest to free myself from her grip, though it was a fruitless endeavor. I relaxed, slumping against the concrete.

"You win, Neo." I grumbled out. She didn't move instantly, keeping me pinned down as she hung over me, watching with narrowed eyes.

"I said you win. Will you get off my chest now?" She pouted, though got up to her feet. I sat up, feeling sweaty, out of breath, and sore.

Neo made a show of dusting herself off, not even appearing to have broken a sweat in our fight. She never did.

"Say, Neo?" She turned to regard me with a perked brow. "Did I at least manage to catch you off guard?" She rolled her eyes and turned away, strutting off, back towards the hideout that we called home.

I let out a sigh and dragged myself onto my feet once again. It felt that, rather than being human, I was a walking bruise, and that might not be all that far off. Granted, I had Aura and that was taking care of most of the damage, but when you still don't know how to channel your Aura into healing, or taking a particularly brutal blow, it still takes a while.

I took my blade in hand and took a moment to admire it.

Truth be told, it was cheap, mass produced, and it didn't feel like it fit. Much like my suit, it just wasn't quite right. I can't place what it was, but something felt off. It didn't sit right in my hand, even if the balance was good, and the steel sharp as I knew it to be.

I sheathed it on my side and pressed on, back towards the place I had come to call home. Neo took the liberty of commandeering a nearby warehouse for my personal beatings. It wasn't all that far a walk back to the apartment, just about two miles, give or take. It was a walk I made almost every day, maybe twice a day. I had come to know the way instinctively, only after getting lost on the first three or four visits.

It was quiet, a time where I didn't have to worry about Neo beating me down or otherwise harassing me. It was a good time to get lost in my own thoughts.

You are getting better, Jaune. Slowly, sure, but you're getting better. Neo won't ever admit it, but your little stunt with tackling her must've surprised her. It sure as hell surprised you. Granted, it didn't do much other than annoy her, but it was something she didn't expect from you. That's got to be a step in the right direction… Right?

While I might be getting better, it's happening too slowly. Sure, eventually I'll become good enough for Roman to consider taking me on heists and not have me a liability, but who can say how long that'll be? I mean, it's not even like I can manipulate your Aura other than to slightly lessen the impact of blows. I can't fight, I can't use my Aura, I can't do a simple heist without the cops showing up. What I can do is fai-

My thoughts were interrupted as I bumped into someone, sending them to the ground. I frowned down at the red cloaked form. "Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." I said almost immediately, holding a hand out to them.

The girl looked up and smiled at me, taking my hand to pull herself up. "Heh, it's no problem… I mean, you did knock me down, but it's not a big deal, you know?" Her voice, I recognized her voice. I took a moment to examine her more closely, finding the awkward looking face of Ruby Rose staring back at me.

It only took her a half second longer to recognize me, and she quite visibly lit up. "Oh my god, Jaune! It's good to see you!" She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, and I was left feeling rather awkward.

"I, uh, yeah, hey, Ruby. It's been a while… How've you been?" I asked, not at all sure if I should be retuning her hug. Thankfully, the girl released me and took a step back.

"I'm pretty good, just went back to school at the start of the week. I mean, Signal is great and all, but soooooo many of my classmates are frustrating. It's like they walk on eggshells around me or something. I guess it might have something to do with my dad being the combat instructor there, but like, they don't need to be afraid of talking to me! My dad's not that scary." Ruby continued to ramble, and I found that I was only half listening to what she had to say.

I shuffled awkwardly. I was hot, sweaty, and tired. All I wanted to do was go home, get a shower, and pass out until Neo inevitably decided that it was time to beat me into submission again. "…Jaune? Hello, Ruby to Jaune, anyone there?" The small girl asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

I coughed awkwardly into a fist and shook my head. "I, er, sorry about that… Must've zoned out for a second there, I guess. What was the question?"

Ruby smiled and shrugged. "It's cool, I do that all the time too. I asked what you've been up to since I last saw you."

I choked at the question. What've I been up to, Ruby? Well, why don't I tell you the most amazing story of how a Criminal Kingpin took me in and made me his new apprentice, oh, and the time that we broke into and robbed a dust shop, only to get into a firefight with local law enforcement. Then I can't forget the slave driver of a trainer I have, who I'm convinced isn't trying to teach me anything other than how to take a beating.

"Well, I've been working, I guess… You, uh, you remember that security that was shuttling all the dust away that night?" I asked, getting a swift nod from the girl. "Well, I sorta got a job with them, yeah." I am SO screwed.

Ruby smiled and nodded. "Cool! It's good to hear that you're doing something good with your time, hopefully with the increased security these dust robberies will start to cool down."

I let out a long breath that I didn't know I'd been holding. "I, uh, yeah, we can only hope…" There must be a god, and he must be merciful. "So, uh, Ruby, where were you headed to just now? Not much down that way other than old warehouses."

"Well, I wanted to go shooting, and since I got yelled at last time for taking up the range at school all day and all night, I decided that I'd come here… That's not illegal, right? Like, I won't be doing something bad by shooting some targets out here, right?" She looked terrified of breaking the law and getting in trouble.

I frowned and shook my head. "I doubt it is. Even if it is a crime, there's generally no police patrolling this part of town, so you should be good."

"How do you know there won't be any police patrolling?" She asked innocently.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Make something up. Anything. "I, uh, well, thanks t-to my security job, we work with the police… and uh, seeing as there's not r-really anything down here worth stealing, the police don't bother, I guess? I dunno, I'm just telling you w-what my boss told me."

Ruby looked to think on it for a moment, shrugging her shoulders. "Sounds reasonable, I mean, no reason to pointlessly spread themselves thin, what with Roman Torchwick running rampant through the streets of Vale."

I made a noncommittal hum in agreement as I shifted around awkwardly on my feet. Ruby didn't seem to take notice.

"Hey, Jaune, if you're free, do you want to come shoot with me? It'll be fun!" The girl looked so hopeful with her question, with the biggest pleading eyes I've ever seen.

"Uh… Sure?" She lit up once again, the smile splitting her face in two.

"C'mon, c'mon! Let's go!" She took hold of my wrist and practically dragged me back towards the warehouses that I had just left.

Internally, I groaned. There goes my hope for a shower and getting to sleep soon.

Ruby didn't seem to have a set destination in mind, wandering through the collection of warehouses looking slightly nervous. For my part, I was relaxed. This was gang territory, sure, but they were under Junior's control, so I had faith that I'd be able to talk our way out of anything unfortunate.

Ruby picked one of the clearly empty warehouses, long since abandoned for an unknown reason. Rather than breaking into the building, she circled around to find a side that was away from the street, both to muffle the noise slightly, and to keep the duo out of sight from the casual passerby.

She handed me a few bottles to set up on an old crate that had been left behind when the warehouse was abandoned, the young girl taking up a position what I guessed to be a hundred meters or so away.

After I had set up the bottles and moved to join the girl, she nodded to me, raising her rifle and firing several rounds. Each round created an incredibly loud crack in the night, followed by the shattering of glass bottles. Ruby looked absolutely ecstatic, while I was still trying to figure out the logistics of how she wasn't sent flying after the first shot.

Ruby then looked to me and tilted her head slightly. "Do you wanna take a shot at it?" I blinked, completely unsure of how to answer that.

"I, uh, well… I mean, I shouldn't…" I stammered, not all that willing to share my complete inexperience with firearms.

"You should! It's fun, the rush you get when you know you've hit your target squarely where you wanted it to."

"Well, you see, the thing is… I've never really, uh, fired a gun before…" Gods, I wanted to go and hide under a rock. What kind of guy my age has never fired a gun in his life? One who's a loser, maybe.

Ruby's eyes went wide. "Really? You've never shot before?" I nodded shyly, finding that my shoes were now rather interesting. "Well, we're gonna fix that tonight! I happen to be something of an expert, so I can teach you!"

I looked up to see what was probably the most hopeful look he'd ever seen, just about ever. His sisters were good, but they couldn't seem to manage this level of cute. I crumbled in an instant. "If it's not any trouble, I guess there's no harm?"

Ruby nodded enthusiastically and thrust the massive weapon into my hands. Crescent Rose was every bit as heavy as it looked, the scythe hanging off the end of the weapon making it terribly unbalanced as well.

"Right, so, the first thing you're going to want to do with that is to dig the tip of the scythe into the ground, that'll stabilize it for you, and probably keep you from going flying." I nodded dumbly, digging the tip of the weapon into the dirt beneath our feet.

"So, the next important part is to aim down the scope on the top there. It's got crosshairs, and you'll need to center that on your target." Ruby paused for a moment, rushing over and finding a spare plank of wood, leaning it up against the box it likely belonged to. "So, what I want you to do is pick a spot on that plank of wood and focus the crosshairs on it. When you think you've got it, squeeze the trigger."

I nodded, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Just line it up in the crosshair and pull the trigger. Seems easy enough to me.

I found the plank of wood in the sight, and centered the middle of the crosshair on it, confident that I still held the gun steady, I squeezed the trigger.

The recoil shot into my shoulder, likely slamming into several bruises if the pain that was incurred was anything to judge by. The next think that struck me was the sound, while the loud bang I was prepared for, the sound of a round slamming into metal was not. I looked over to Ruby who was frowning subtly as she stared down at the unharmed plank of wood.

I missed, and missed pretty damn bad by the looks of things.

"So, uh, Ruby? What went wrong there?" I asked, not all too sure. I did everything she told me to do. I don't understand why that went poorly.

"Well, it was your first-time shooting, right? It's not like I expected you to hit the target square on the first shot." She paused, looking me up and down. "When you pulled the trigger, you were holding your breath, right?" I shook my head and she perked right up. "Right, so that's important. When you're breathing during the shot, it can move the barrel slightly, and it'll throw everything off course. If I had to guess, you also weren't quite ready for the recoil that came with it." Again, I nodded dumbly.

"So, here, take your stance like you're about to fire again." I did as she asked, aiming down the scope. What I wasn't prepared for was her resting hands on my own, directing them. I tensed up. "Loosen up, Jaune. I'm going to fix your stance too." I bit down on my tongue and did as she asked, attempting to relax.

As it turns out, that's a lot harder than it looks when a cute girl is guiding your hands, legs, and feet manually into a, as she put it, proper stance. I mean, it's not a bad thing having a cute girl willing to teach you to shoot with her hands all ov- No! Bad Jaune! Mind out of the gutter, she's like fourteen!

I found myself feeling incredibly uncomfortable, standing as I was. Ruby was insistent that this would make me more stable, make it so that my shots actually landed where I wanted them to, but gods did it feel unnatural.

"Alright, now that I've fixed the glaring issues, let's see what you can do, Jaune. Remember, hold your breath while you fire the shot, and don't tense up."

I nodded, taking aim down the scope once more. I followed her instructions to the letter, and much the same outcome as my first shot fired. There was a massive recoil. There was a loud bang. There was no sound of metal being crunched against metal.

I looked down sight at the plank of wood that was now significantly shorter than it had been before. I glanced over to Ruby who looked so very pleased with herself. I couldn't help but to grin at her.

"Now what did I say, that feels good, right?" She asked expectantly.

I chuckled and nodded. "It does, feels real good, especially seeing the results it creates."

Ruby's excitement was contagious, slipping into me. "It is like, my all-time favorite pastime. Well, shooting and weapons maintenance, but still!" She paused for a moment. "You wanna keep at it?"

I shrugged a shoulder. "Sure, I guess. If you'll let me."

Ruby nodded, pointing to another old crate that was missing several planks, and was more a shell of a crate than a crate at all. I nodded and took aim.

My first four shots on the crate missed, straying up and to the right. I wasn't particularly good, at least, not right now. With time, I might be able to hit something like that crate with pinpoint accuracy. That required a gun, time, and lots of training, just like anything else that was fulfilling did.

My fifth shot hit its mark, shattering the target into splinters. That really is a nice feeling, pulling the trigger and seeing the damage that such a simple action can cause.

Ruby was still grinning wide as I got to my feet and handed the rifle over to her. "It's been fun, Ruby. Really, thanks for showing me how to shoot." I said honestly.

Ruby's grin turned into a pout as she realized that I was taking my leave. "You're leaving already?" I nodded; her pout only grew. "But Jaune! I wanted to hang out and shoot for longer…" I frowned for a moment and dug into one of my pockets, producing my scroll.

"Here, put your number in, that way you can contact me whenever you want." Ruby took it and quickly typed her number in, handing it back to me, having given herself the name Red Reaper. I rolled my eyes at that. I'd just end up changing it to her name later.

"Well, at least I can get ahold of you if I need to now." Ruby said with a smile, rocking back on her heels slightly.

"You know, I've been meaning to get a gun. Maybe when I do, you can teach me to use it as well." I mentioned my wanting a gun even though I really didn't, knowing that she'd love that idea.

Her smile grew to immense proportions and she nodded rapidly. "Definitely! You'll learn to be a marksman from the best in Signal Academy! I mean, best student, I'm still not as good as the teachers yet."

I could only chuckle and rub the top of her head affectionately. "I'll keep that in mind, Ruby. Thanks for the impromptu lesson." Ruby pouted rather adorably at my rubbing the top of her head.

"No problem, Jaune. Happy to help a friend." Her pout seemed to say that she was still unhappy with me, though her rather elated words didn't quite seem to get the memo.

"Mhm. You take care of yourself now, Ruby. All sorts of dangerous sods out late at night." Ruby smiled and waved as I turned and stared walking away.

"You too, Jaune!" I didn't reply, humming a quiet tune to myself as I walked, feeling as though each shot that rang out behind me found some mystical way to be in beat with my tune.

My hand fell to the hilt of my blade, fingering it idly. It's not a bad sword. At least, it's held up against Neo's assault tactics. Still, something doesn't sit right. Not like Crocea Mors did. At least with Crocea, I was comfortable enough holding the sword. It felt natural, like it was an extension of me. This doesn't.

Maybe it's about time I get my sword back. Take back what's rightfully mine. It's not like I've got to worry about the lien for buying it. I smirked, nodding my head ever so slightly. Yes, I think I like that idea.

[-/-]

I entered the hideout to a rather familiar scene. Neo was lounged on the couch, a bowl of ice cream in hand as she watched some really bad comedy that needed the laugh track for people to realize that jokes were being told at all. Roman was nearby, lounging in an arm chair, puffing on a cigar as he fiddled about on his scroll.

Roman looked up and smiled at me once I entered, pocketing his scroll. "Ah, the man of the hour. Good to see you didn't get lost. Again."

"That was one time, Roman. One!" I protested hotly. It was an easy thing to do, getting lost in a new place. That wasn't just me, right?

"As I recall it, it was three times."

"Fine, maybe it was three times, but still! I haven't gotten lost since then!"

"I dunno, I wouldn't put it past Neo to hit you so hard that you've got no idea which way home is."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm getting better."

Roman snorted. "Getting better at dodging and running, sure. Come be proud of yourself when you can go on the offense against her."

I frowned for a moment. "Well, I did manage to grapple her to the ground, however briefly."

"Oh, did you now?" Roman spun to face Neo with a perked brow. Neo only offered a lifting of her middle finger in response. Roman looked back to me. "Well, color me slightly impressed."

I nodded, pushing farther into the apartment, towards my room.

"Listen, kid, once you're done, we've gotta have a conversation." I heard Roman call out as I entered my room. I didn't respond, closing my door and going about getting ready for a shower.

[-/-]

Free of sweat and grime, I returned to the main room. The TV had been shut off, and Neo was nowhere to be seen. I was weary to believe that she wasn't skulking about somewhere. Roman was in his usual place in his armchair, lighting a cigar as his eyes trailed up to me. He spun his lighter in hand, the light catching on the engravings for a brief moment before the item as a whole vanished.

"You said we've got to have a talk?" I asked, feeling the exhaustion weighing down on me. I wanted nothing more than to go collapse onto my bed.

"Mhm. See, kid, it's all well and good that you've got Neo training you, but all she'll do is teach you to not get your ass beat." Roman paused for a moment, taking a draw off his cigar. "If you're gonna make it as a criminal, especially as one of my associates, you're gonna need to know a lot more than that. Defense is all well and good, but doesn't do shit if you can't take advantage of their weaknesses."

I had moved into the kitchen as I listened to him talk, returning with a bottle of cheap whiskey and a glass for myself. Roman generally didn't drink. "When're you going to stop telling me things I know, Roman, and get to the point?" For as much as I appreciated Roman and his willingness to step in and offer me some help, the man was long winded and roundabout.

"If you wouldn't interrupt me, I was getting to that." Roman said offering a glare that held no real ire. I rolled my eyes and poured myself a drink. "Like I was saying, you're gonna have to learn to go on the offensive if you're gonna be useful, kid. Your training with Neo is all well and good, but that's not gonna win you fights on its own."

I took a long drink from my glass, leaning back into the rather comfortable couch we had. "Thing is, for what I need you to do, we don't have time to get you properly trained in combat like I was. We're going to have to take short cuts." I rose my brows at that. Short cuts to becoming a capable fighter? What in the world is he talking about?

"See, Jaune, I am Huntsman trained and certified. I'm sure Neo could be as well if she ever bothered to apply herself to that field." I blinked a few times, staring Roman down incredulously. I made to open my mouth, though Roman silenced me. "Shh, shh. Please, hold all questions until the end… Now, where was I? Oh, right, huntsmen trained. See, it took me years to get where I am now. Years you don't have."

Roman paused to take another puff off his cigar. "You'll start training with me as well, and I am not going to beat you senseless until you can defend yourself. I will be teaching you, young Mister Arc, to fight dirty. You're a criminal, it's only right that you learn to fight like one."

I nodded slowly. "Right… So, uh, am I allowed to ask things now?"

"Yes, next question, please. I don't have all night."

I rolled my eyes. "So, you're Huntsman trained and licensed?"

"That I am, kid. I went to Beacon, as a matter of fact. Graduated with my team, one of the best in our year to boot."

"What happened…? I mean, to your team?" Roman rather visibly bristled at that question.

He let out a long sigh. "We had our differences and went our separate ways after Beacon."

"Got it. So, uh, about this fighting dirty, what's that entail exactly?" I could tell when it was a good time to change the subject, and pressing Roman was not on my list of things to do.

Roman relaxed, a smile coming to his lips. "Well, I'm glad you asked, kid. Fighting dirty is an ancient practice, used by professionals and criminals alike for thousands of years. Be it throwing dirt in someone's eyes, or something more, it's all efficient. Even the best of fighters crumble to someone not fighting fair."

Roman paused for a moment as I polished off my drink, pouring myself another. "The thing that I intend to train you to know is that there's no such thing as a fair fight, and you'll lose almost every one that is. You need to rig the fight, stack the odds in your favor. Tricks, traps, hidden weapons, cheating, it's all fair game. I plan to teach you how to do that and do it effectively."

I nodded a few times. "Alright, different subject. About my weapons. This sword is great and all, but something doesn't feel right about it. It doesn't sit with me quite right."

Roman frowned and nodded, taking a puff off his cigar. "Got any suggestions up there, kid?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I want Crocea Mors back."

Roman perked a brow. "Yeah, and you know how much that'll run you to get it? More than likely four times what you sold it for, if you're lucky."

I just chuckled and shook my head. "Come now, Roman. Why would I buy it back when I can steal it?" I watched as Roman's grin grew on his lips. "I'm just going to be needing a little help is all."

Roman leaned forward in his seat. "Alright, kid. I'm listening, though I've got one question before we do anything."

"Shoot."

"Why sell the sword at all? That thing was used by your father, and his father before him. Some big family legacy passed down through the ages, the whole deal. I'd think that it's got more value than a few thousand lien."

I let out a sigh, pounded the rest of my glass down in one gulp, enjoying the burning feeling that came with it. I poured myself another as I prepared myself to launch into a story.

"You're right, Roman, it is worth more than a few thousand lien. It was the weapon of my great-great-great, for I don't know how many more greats, grandfather. It has a lot of sentimental value and history behind it. It would make for a fantastic Huntsman weapon, or a nice collector's item for a history enthusiast." I took a paused for a moment, taking a drink from my glass.

"See, when I got denied from Beacon, I was pissed. They were just like everyone else, denied me a chance before I'd ever had the opportunity to prove myself. I didn't know what to do, so I decided that I'd go and wander the streets of Vale until my head cooled down and I could think rationally."I took another drink, staring down at the table. "Genius that I was, I managed to wander my way into a real shit part of town. Probably around here, somewhere. With my luck as bad as it is, I got mugged. Guys took everything from me, scroll, watch, my wallet as a whole. I'm lucky they left me with my clothes." I laughed bitterly, shaking my head.

"So, I find myself lost in the middle of Vale. Takes me a while, but I find my way back to the hotel I was staying at. Wouldn't you guess it, I don't have a keycard thanks to my wallet being stolen. Nor can I prove that I am Jaune Arc, the kid who rented that room with no ID. The guy working the counter didn't seem all to amused and threw me out." I glanced up, and Roman had since leaned back in his chair, puffing on his cigar as he listened to me weave a tale.

"I was stuck outside the whole night, waiting for the clerk who'd checked me in to show up and let me into my room. When I went to pay for said room, I had no money. I had nothing other than my sword. I did the only thing I could think of, I ran off and sold Crocea Mors. Came back, payed the bill, and started wandering the streets aimlessly."

Roman nodded slowly. "So, let me get this straight, kid. You sold your family heirloom of a weapon for cheap because you owed some hotel joint money?"

"Yeah, pretty damn pathetic, right?" I knew I had fucked up, but I didn't know what else to do. I wasn't thinking straight.

Roman started chuckling, shaking his head. "That, kid. That is rich. Here I was, thinking that it'd be some sorta tale of you going in debt to a local gang, and being told to pay up or get hunted down." I groaned and took another shot.

"Yeah, yeah, Roman. Laugh it up, I'm a moron, you don't have to throw it back in my face." Roman, however, continued to laugh, shaking his head.

Roman continued to laugh for a few moments, taking his time calming down. Eventually though, he got control of himself. "So, what're you gonna do to fix it, then? Stroll in, explain your story, and ask for an incredibly expensive weapon back? Buy it?"

I rolled my eyes, taking another drink, enjoying the warm feel as it settled into my stomach. "No, Roman. That'd be stupider than hell."

"Coming from you, that's just rich."

"Shut up, for two fucking minutes, Roman, and I'll explain." Roman rolled his eyes but leaned back into his chair. "Thank you. Like I was about to say, I'm gonna steal it back, obviously. Might need some help along the way, but I will get that sword back in my hands."

"Alright, kid. You cased the joint yet? Tested for police response times incase something goes wrong? When're you planning on doing it, during the day, or at night? Any idea what sort of security they've got? Where do they keep all the merchandise if they're closed?" I sighed, shaking my head.

"See, I appreciate that you're so determined to get that sword, kid. Though if it's gonna happen, you're the one planning it. I'll act as muscle, and an advisor, but this is your heist for your sword. You're the one planning it. We clear?" I nodded. It made sense, Roman didn't care one way or the other if Crocea was in someone's display or in my hands.

"Yeah, Roman. We're clear. I'll do what I've got to for staking the place out, finding security and their routines. Though police response time might be harder." I mused, staring into what might've been my third, maybe fourth drink so far tonight. I wasn't keeping track.

"Like I said, kid. I'm here as an advisor. I can provide some help where it's needed." Roman took another puff of his cigar.

I could only grin and nod. "Right, then. I've got a heist to plan."

[-/-]

It was midday, the sun beat down on the pedestrians of Vale like a jackhammer. I, for one, was regretting my decision to wear my suit. A simple tee-shirt and jeans would've done fine, but a certain someone 'misplaced' them. I swear, Roman, if I didn't need you, I would think about strangling you.

I found myself before a shop I recognized. It wasn't overly grand, more a hole in the wall type of place. I pushed my way in through the front door, greeting the younger man that was stood behind the counter looking bored out of his mind.

"Good afternoon, sir. Let me know if you need anything." He called out. I simply nodded and found myself perusing the shelves. Most of the weapons on display were Mechashift and hidden behind a wall of locked glass doors.

"Remember, kid. You're looking for security measures, easy points of entry, and your sword." The voice of Roman called in my ear. I didn't respond, shifting my gaze through the rest of the shop. None of the weapons sitting on the shelves here were Crocea Mors, all looking far too complicated to be my simple sword and shield.

I was subtly glancing around the small store, taking note of the layout, as well as where cameras were placed. Whoever set them up was paranoid it seemed. Two on the front door, two on every weapon rack, and three for the main counter. All of the weapon racks were closed off behind sliding glass doors with locks on them.

I made my way to the counter that too was made out of glass, displaying several weapons beneath it. My eyes were instantly drawn to it; Crocea Mors and her shield displayed on one of the shelves with a price tag that I thought had far too many zeros on it.

I looked up to the shopkeeper and smiled. "You said to come to you if I needed anything, right?" The man nodded fervently. I motioned down towards the sword in the case before us. "I'm in the market for a new sword. Mind if I take a look at that one?"

To his credit, the shopkeeper took a moment to look me over and dismissed any notion that I might be dangerous. "Sure, though I'm going to ask that you keep it in the shop."

"Of course, of course." The man crouched down, and I could hear him punching a code of some nature into a pad. He hit eight digits before a loud beep came, and he slid the panel open. A moment later he laid Crocea Mors on the counter for me.

"Here you are, sir." I took the weapon in hand, testing the balance and weight to it. I couldn't help but to smile as I held it. I took a step away from the counter and took a simple ready stance. This. This is what a weapon should feel like in my hand. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

I took a moment to let my gaze track behind the counter, there was a doorway that led to a long hall. If I had to guess, that had several other rooms back there. A restroom, an office, a break room maybe. I couldn't be sure, but it clearly wasn't somewhere of high value, meaning it might be an easy entry.

I swung Crocea Mors experimentally through the air, the shopkeeper looking completely unperturbed, smiling kindly at me. Yes, this is the weapon I should be wielding. Junior's sword simply doesn't compare.

"It's a fine sword. If what my old man tells me is true, it's ancient, from a long line of heroes or something." The shopkeeper commented as he eyed the blade.

"It feels it, definitely." Despite my urge to just take the blade and run right then and there, I would be running into the busy streets of Vale with a rather distinctive sword and getup. I might be stupid, but I'm not that stupid. Usually.

"Might I be able to interest you in purchasing it? While I know my old man would be reluctant to see it go, he'd never say no to lien." The young shopkeeper said excitedly, hoping that he'd be able to make the biggest sale of the month, likely.

I chuckled and shrugged a shoulder. "I might be, depends on the going price for it."

"Well, dad wants to sell it for something north of twenty-five thousand lien."

"Uh-huh. Twenty-five thousand lien. It's a good sword, sure, but it's hardly going to stack up to modern Mechashift, even with it's shield." The kid frowned, scratching at his chin. "That's a few too many zeros for my taste. Thanks for letting me wield it."

I laid the blade back down on the counter. I'll be back soon. The poor shopkeeper looked like he was about to argue with me, though thought better of it, taking Crocea back and locking her away beneath the counter once more. "Well, if you're sure then. What's your price range? Maybe I can set you up with something?"

I sighed, shaking my head. Not likely. "No, I was just coming in to browse. I've got a meeting to get to. Thanks again for the help." I turned, scanning the room once more. I found several cameras, just about everywhere. Two pointed at the exit, one at the counter I was just behind, and two for each rack of weapons.

I caught sight of a panel as I turned around, one that looked like it might've been something to do with the alarm system the owner had rigged up. It looked standard and simple. What's more, four numbers on it were more worn than the others. 1-7-9-0. That didn't help me figure the order they went in, but it was a start.

I ignored the shopkeeper's call as I stepped back onto the streets of Vale, slipping awkwardly into the crowd. I stood out like a sore thumb, but nobody paid me any mind. All things considered, the owner of that shop did security well. Multiple cameras from multiple angles, locks on all of his cases, the whole deal. Though he does have a suspected weak point through the back door there, as well as in his alarm. Wonder if Neo or Roman could wreak havoc on that alarm, find a way to disable it. While they're at it, shut the cameras down too, maybe.

"Remnant to Jaune, you there, kid?" The voice of Roman called into my ear, shaking me from my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm here. What's up?" I dug into an interior pocket of my jacket and pulled out a small bottle of whiskey, taking a long swig.

"Well, that's good news. Here I thought I'd been talking to a brick wall." I rolled my eyes, despite the fact that he couldn't see me. "Get the job done?"

"No, boss, I didn't. I'm just talking to myself in the middle of the shop like a moron." I responded, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Eh, you might be. I know Neo likes to knock out several brain cells at a time. Not to mention the fact that you didn't have many to begin with."

"I'm sure you'd know all about her tendency to knock brain cells loose. Might explain why you can't keep your mouth shut?" I retorted with a roll of my eyes.

"Hah! Like she'd be able to. She couldn't lay a finger on me if she wanted to." I found that hard to believe. "… Hi, Neo." Roman didn't sound like he was in a good place. If I had to guess, Neo was staring him down, finding the fastest way to disembowel him with a rusty spoon.

"You two have fun over there. I'll be back later." I snickered as I heard what sounded like furniture being knocked over.

"No, wait, Neo, don't you da- "I ended the scroll call that we had going, chuckling quietly as I could only imagine the pain that Roman was going to endure at his insinuation of being better than Neo, even if it might've been true.

Serves him right, I think. See how he likes having the little psychopath come charging at him. I jammed my hands into my pockets and continued on my way, mind awhirl with plans. All I needed to do was execute them.

Well, that was fun. I get the feeling I'm not all too good at writing combat, but that's up for you to decide.

Also, sudden Thanos is sudden. Why put it in there? I dunno, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Sue me.

As far as how this will be updated from here on, you can expect 2 chapters a week until the story is over, or until I get to writing another fic, whichever comes first, really. Regardless, this will be published on Mondays and Fridays, and maybe more often if the urge to be writing strikes me, however unlikely that may be.

Oh, another thing that I'd like to know is if you guys like longer chapters or shorter ones. If I start cutting them down to be like 3-4k words per chapter, I could probably update more often. In reality, you'd be getting the same amount of story, just in differing quantities.

Beyond that, I'm still on the hunt for a Beta. If any of you lovely people out there are willing / know someone who might be, shoot me a message and we can have a chat.

Please, be sure to leave a follow/fav if you enjoyed the story and want to know when it updates. And if you're feeling kind, I would love it if you dropped me a review, even if it's just encouragement to keep writing, that always makes my day to see.

Next Update: Monday, April 8th

Till next time, this is Valres signing off.