Ruby Rose was being ridiculous.

"Ruby Rose! You're being ridiculous."

"Awwww. Emerald, pleeeeease? It's just a whoopie cushion." Had those puppy-dog silver eyes been half gold, maybe they could have swayed her. Luckily for Emerald, Ruby Rose was not her daughter.

"Ruby. No. As much leeway as you have in this building, I cannot allow you un-approved entry into Mrs. Sh- Weiss' office under any circumstance. It is literally the first listed responsibility on my contract." It actually was, not 'protection of the client and their wellbeing' or 'defence of the client's assets' but very literally 'Do not allow Ruby Rose into Mrs. Schnee's office without permission.'

Emerald had thought the clause a joke at first. Surely someone in Weiss' position needed actual protection. She was a trained Huntress, sure, but bombs and kidnappings were still a possibility. Weiss was much more popular than her father had been, that much was true; you just never knew when a new White Fang would try to make it move though. Not that it had ended well for the last few attempts on Weiss or her loved ones.

Ruby had proven it to be very serious within the first day when she tried to enter the room through a window. on the 87th floor. With full, private military-grade equipment. When questioned about why, she have quite possibly the most Ruby Rose reply in history: " I thought it'd be fun, and Weiss forgot her lucky socks. "

Weiss did actually change her socks before attending the luncheon she had been stressing about that morning.

"Awww, so no hope of bribing you with-" Ruby brought out something wrapped in foil from her bag. "-some wonderful, amazing, fresh-Blaked sourdough?"

Sweet Seasons, Bread? Like that's even a choice?

"You said whoopie cushion? Let me make sure it's up to SDC snuff."

Weiss Schnee, who somehow made a wet jacket and bangs look intentional, was staring at her door.

"Mi- Weiss? Is everything okay?"

"Emerald. Did Ruby stop by?" She turned towards Emerald's desk with a look that said she knew everything that had occurred within this entire city while she had been locked in that boardroom.

"She did. Yes."

"How?"

"Front lobby. Executive elevator. Quick stop at the supply closet, unsuccessful. Walked up and asked to be let in."

"I see. No semblance use? Didn't try to HALO drop onto the side of the building? Not even a disguise?"

"No ma'am. The weather is well outside allowed conditions for a hot drop, but I can forward the recordings to your office of all of her movements within a three block radius."

"I see." She seemed to consider the information, turning towards the door, then back to Emerald's desk. "Did you let her in?"

"I'm contractually obligated not to. Ruby's got your number, not mine."

Seemingly placated by the bit of backsass, Weiss gave a small, curt nod in agreement and entered her office with a confident stride. Emerald began counting down.

Three… Two… One…

"Emerald, you traitor." Weiss' voice came from the speaker on Emerald's desk. A statement of fact, with the promise of retribution in the most humiliating way hidden in its calm, even tone.

She couldn't help herself, Emerald burst out laughing. She was having trouble breathing, or even remaining in her chair. It was starting to hurt.

Eventually, she did recover from the hysterics, only to find Weiss had left her office once more and was staring at her with an amused expression. One that said the joke was funny, and she was happy that Emerald was happy, but that an explanation was more than required.

"Contractually obligated?"

"Yes ma'am, SDC standard contract; Page 4, section B, subsection III, clause B: In the event of any bribe/gift/offering originating from the kitchen (or appropriate equivalent) of Blake Belladonna, no legal recourse shall be taken against any who accept; We're not monster's."

The specific wording of it often left Emerald wondering if even the Grimm dared to turn down food from that woman's counter. No mortal being could resist the temptation, that much was sure.

Weiss, long since used to her security guard's eerie ability to recite near anything with crystal clarity, took that information in. Before pinching the bridge of her nose in seeming defeat.

"I'm surrounded by traitors. Enemies on all sides. Outnumbered!" the dramatic flair was theatric and over the top, but never failed to bring both a feeling of oncoming doom and amusement to Emerald.

"Get ready Ms. Sustrai. You've declared your allegiances in this war. I hope you've prepared for the consequences. Ruby may be a little trickster, but she learned everything she knows from her sister . And if I remember correctly, dear sweet Emmy, you have a date tomorrow."

The threat was implied and terrifying. Emerald hadn't been this scared since probably Haven. Of course, back then it had been mortal terror, now it was something between despair and early-onset giggles. The joy of these prank wars was half rooted in the pranking, and half in the being pranked after all.

Whoopie cushions and shock gum were the handshakes of kingdoms before the slaughter truly began. Troop movements along borders in 'training exercises' heralding the coming ransacking.

"I look forward to your surrender, High-chancellor Schnee. May your battles be glorious, and your defeat crushing." Emerald added with a crisp mock salute.

"Likewise, Empress-Ascendant Sustrai. I expect the lamentation of your women to be on my desk and color coded by range, pitch, and desire."

The declaration was set, as per tradition. So began the twenty-eighth war of the Roses (and friends).

Unfortunately, the true opening salvos would have to wait. Weiss had a call to make first, and Emerald needed lunch.

The "lobby" of the SDC building was easily one of the more impressive buildings Emerald had ever seen. She had spent her time in the castle of Evernight, with its ancient splendor and ageless architecture letting you know just how small you were in the eyes of its inhabitant. The halls of several Academies had graced her life as well. Most where of a similar scale and import to Evernight in their own ways. Alternate to Salem's refuge though, they all felt like homes to the countless people who inhabited them across the years.

The lobby was… it was closer to Evernight if she was being honest. It wasn't a home, it was very much a show of splendor and money to the puny public. Not that it was intentionally trying to match such a dark place; but they very clearly both wanted to show off.

Two opposite walls, for the first thirteen floors or so, were glass panels and city views. With storefronts and shops lining the other two sides of the grand mall. There were bridges branching between the opposing walkways, all glass and white metal.

Above the shopping center's open-core railings the building became the more bureaucratic offices belonging to the SDC and lease-payers alike. Not nearly as flashy as any who managed to purchase office space down below, but still prestigious like few other buildings in the world.

The ground floor itself was a typical shopping mall, with people coming in from the rain with families and friends to browse in a more pleasant climate. Clothes and speciality shops of all kinds and quality vying for attention in a strictly-regulated manner.

The third and fourth floors were dedicated to the higher-end of things; tailors and similar to-order craftspeople for the wealthy to look down upon others for not shopping at.

The fifth and sixth, through almost complete coincidence, were mostly world-culture and Faunus-run establishments. They weren't segregated to the section, not anymore than the owners did to themselves anyway. Still the idea that the faunus were above the hoity-toity almost always found Emerald amused.

Above that there were privacy fields active to keep the noise from below at bay, with the lease spaces used for more open things: studios for dance and other arts, floor space for show rooms, really everything that needed extra open space to work with.

Another five floors above, sat a two-story space dedicated to ensuring employees from all over the building were cared for. Mechanical servants took the place of flesh-and-blood staff in this worker's retreat. Rooms dedicated to the latest entertainment systems and appropriate sports, several complimentary snackbars and resutaunts, a jungle gym for those more kinetically inclined, an actual gym for those who needed to work the stress off, countless prototype products available to ensure they could withstand real-world use and abuse, more services ranging from spas to sensory-deprivation pods were available as well.

The final floor was for security and Hunter services. Job boards and other aura-recommended service necessities were all linked to the central Hub of Vale by hardened, thrice-redundant, hidden and secured hardwire. The only way to forcefully break the SDC tower's link to the Hunter population would be to kill every last hunter in the country; in such a case, the Tower could act as a temporary CCT link to call for external backup. The Schnees did not fuck around when it came to possible Fall-level scenarios.

Emerald had tried most everything available across the building, within reason, at one point or another; she'd been working here for almost as long as it had been open to the public after all. The only things that had been here longer in fact, were a fifth-floor noodle shop, and her favorite lunch stop here in the employee-section: Nickle and Dyme.

Both Polendina models (mk IV), Nickle and Dyme were among the first created units from Penelope "Penny" Polendina's second-gen line. They were designed after the death of Dr. Polendina by Penny herself, and were the first attempt at something close to mass production. Because of complications with the Doctor's original design, apparently, neither one had aura above the level of a locked child. They each had individuality, but neither one would ever attain the level of personality available to their 'mother'.

They made a mean Penn-ini though.

As Emerald sat in her favorite spot, staring out the glass window into the city beyond, she appreciated just how amazing this place was. Here she was, eating a free hot sandwich over a hundred feet above ground, created by two not-quite-robots, watching a storm rage through a city she had twice been instrumental in the assault of.

The small personal crisis of a lunch date seemed so much sillier from up here.

As the rain continued to pelt the glass beside her, Emerald took to her favorite pastime while in the staff lounge: being a dastardly eavesdropper.

She made more than enough to afford various types of entertainment, even ignoring those available to her here, but none quite matched her interest in the lives of strange people. The stories of heroes and villains didn't interest her so much due to her own story being so similar, so most games movies or books were out. Action and daring were similarly familiar to her, the odd humdrum of other's daily lives was simply something she hadn't grown up with. No manufactured drama or bad jokes, just the stuff they talked about with their friends over a coffee. She was living a similar life these days, but her imagination was a wild beast for the stories she pieced together.

"...-y little brother likes that show, keeps bugging me to get him tickets to the mo-..." That's sweet.
"...-ou think she's interested? I mean, look at her!" "Man, just, you gotta go for it. Won't know unless you ask, and I sure as hell don't know." Go get her! Nothing hurts like distant pining, kid.

"...-inking I should… you're his sister. And I don't want to be… you know. But I was thinking of taking a trip down to Menagerie, the Shallo-" "Cyanne, seriously? Those are a big deal. It's sweet you want to try, but the Shallows are going to spit you out. I won't say not to do it, just. Be ready. I'm sure he'll lov-..." Damn, Cyanne. Going big for that man, good luck.

The storm outside wasn't letting up anytime soon, but Emerald was quickly running out of lunch to enjoy to its steady roar. The little snippets continued on around her, and she loved the fact they ever got the chance.

Maybe that was ridiculous coming from someone who had once worked so hard to create a world where they wouldn't. She knew it was unhealthy to hold herself so harshly for actions made so long ago, but the return of Cinder to her life had been reminding her of those years recently. The time spent apart was massive compared to the time spent together, but she couldn't deny just how much weight that time still carried. She still had a day to try and figure out just how she felt.

Was she the girl, still clinging to Cinder like a shadow? Asking for a family without knowing just what that meant?

Was she pining? Wanting the thing that she knew so little about?

Did Emerald want a grand gesture of love? To prove that Cinder really did care?

She'd have to figure that out soon enough, maybe Weiss could help. She seemed to know her way around relationships.

She was overthinking things again, wasn't she? Calm down Emerald. It's just Lunch. Maybe we can talk it out together. Who knows? Maybe I don't know Cinder as well as I used to.

Yeah, right. And Mercury has real legs.

Emerald Sustrai. You're being ridiculous.

Emerald Sustrai was being ridiculous.

Then again, her life was pretty ridiculous these days too. So maybe she was just being normal.

Until that was proven, one way or the other, she had a job to do. A job to do, and bread to fantasize about.