Chapter 54: Lower

"Forget the tears of joy, walk towards oblivion—hear the resonance of my steps in the ashes…"

Weiss Schnee panted, her teeth gnashing together. Her glyphs wrenched the fallen pillar up. The man pinned under it groaned, his lower half finally free. Free, but mangled. His goat legs were bent forty-five degrees—backwards.

Nex nodded at the paramedics as they took their hundredth-third patient away.

The flames raged around them, the aftermath of the four-hour siege ripe for all to see. He could barely glimpse the stars blinking past the edge of Atlas. They were the only bright spots in the darkness that hung over the city like a cloak of death.

The White Fang had been routed. The Grimm were driven back. The only thing left to do was to rebuild and lick their wounds.

Weiss being one of the first to jump into the menial task would have scandalized half her guests. And would have made headlines had a camera crew been filming them as they worked. Too bad that Atlas was probably too busy starting their most recent smear campaign against the faunus dissenters—or, well, against the White Fang.

"Weiss," Nex said, rubbing the knots in his partner's shoulders. "If you're tired, rest."

"I'm fine." Weiss shuddered. She drew a shaky breath, puffing out mist. "Really."

Nex sighed, kneading her neck and temples. He pressed his chest against her back, sharing his warmth. "You don't look fine."

Simply put, Weiss looked terrible. It was the farthest thing anyone would expect from the princess of Atlas. On her birthday, no less. But then again, no one really expected that the White Fang would bomb Atlas—or that a horde of Grimm would tear a new one into Mantle.

Weiss grinned, her cheek brushing his palm. "You're really good at massages."

"Among other things," Nex said. "How about we take a breather? I hear Blake and Rubes found an inn still standing."

"Not now," Weiss said, and he had to follow as she loped after the rescue squad.

"When?" Nex said.

"I understand that you're worried about me," Weiss said, "but there are more important things to do than"—she yawned into her fist—"taking a nap."

Nex heaved another sigh. "If you say so. Far be it from me to lock you up in your room and drug you to sleep."

Weiss chuckled. "That's oddly specific, lover boy. Has it ever crossed your mind before?"

"Just now," Nex said. "You honestly have me quite stumped."

"Oh?" Weiss said. "Stumped in what way?"

"Nothing," Nex said. "What would your father say if he sees you right now?"

"He'll say that I shouldn't be slaving away down here," Weiss said. "He'll have me locked in my room to teach me a lesson."

"Oh." Nex frowned. "Sorry."

"It was a long time ago," Weiss said. "I was quite spirited back then."

"Heh," Nex said, chuckling. "You still are."

They dug up a couple stuck in the ruins of their home. Burns streaked their daughter's face. And she would have to live with it. Well, unless they had the lien to spend on surgery. But here—in Mantle? Fat chance. The lien would be better off spent rebuilding their lives.

"What about you?" Weiss said.

Nex licked his lips. "Me?"

"How did you become, you know," Weiss said. "Who you told me you really were."

"You sure you wanna know?" Nex said.

"I want to see the real you," Weiss whispered. "I won't turn away no matter what you tell me. I promise."

The rescue team pressed onward—and they followed.

"I was in desperate need of lien," Nex said. "So I sold my services to the highest bidders. It's purely selfish, really."

"There you go again with your selfish tirade," Weiss said. "Why turn to crime? You could've tried other things first."

Nex closed his eyes. For a moment, the gold stared back. "I could tell you that no one gave a fuck about an orphaned faunus." He opened his eyes, finding pale blue staring at him instead. "But that wouldn't be the complete truth, huh?"

They found a man hunched over a girl's pale and bloodied corpse. He had tears running down his tanned cheeks. The fires lit his face, his eyes almost glowing brown. The paramedics gave him a wide berth as he growled at them.

"Hey, man, easy," Nex said. "We're here to help."

"Where were you when they"—the man sobbed—"oh, gods… Olivia, no…"

The paramedics had to guide him to their cart and give him the mandatory check-up.

"I am…" Weiss pursed her lips. "Sorry for your loss."

"What would you know of loss, huh?" the man said, sitting on a stump as the paramedics prodded him with their tools. "You know nothing, Weiss Schnee. You think I ain't recognizing you?"

"I'm not sure where this attitude is coming from," Weiss said. "I haven't done anything to you, have I?"

"Haven't done anything?" the man said, his voice shrill. "Haven't done anything?!"

Pareidolia twitched.

Nex stepped in the man's path as he lunged at Weiss. He gripped the man's shoulder, the other one trailing down his leg. A simple twist of his hip had them both wrestling on soot, a cry slipping between the man's parted lips. His arm and leg had been pulled right out of their sockets with a soft squelch.

"Nex!" Weiss gripped his shoulder. "That's enough!"

Nex sighed as he let the man go, standing up and patting the ashes off his clothes. "Semblance. Sorry. You know how it goes."

"Gods." A medic shook her head. "You huntsmen and your way of solving problems."

Nex shrugged. "Well, at least he doesn't need to crawl to the hospital. Might be difficult with all the bodies around."

Weiss elbowed his side. "That's a really dark thing to say."

The nurse chuckled as her assistants helped the unconscious man up, laying him down on a stretcher. They left him and another nurse behind to move deeper into the district. Goons shuffled in and out of the stores, carrying canned stuff and crates of beer.

Huh. They started the celebration early. Too early, if the uniformed soldiers sweeping across the sector were a bad omen.

"Oi!" a familiar bald man said, waving at him. "It's Nex!"

Nex groaned, trying his best to hide behind his partner.

"Nex?!" another familiar man said. This time, a burly one. "The bugger's here?"

"Friends of yours?" Weiss arched an eyebrow.

"Fellow rogues," Nex whispered. "Went on a heist once."

"Who's this, huh?" the bald man said, blocking their path. "Damn. She's a little out of your league, eh?"

"I'll have you know," Weiss said, "that I'm his fiance."

"Yeah, right." The bald man—Aaron—snorted. He raised his crate of beer, his bloodied axe dangling from his belt. "You coming?"

Nex grinned. "We're busy. Huntsman stuff. Rain-check?"

"Come on," Aaron said, mirroring his grin. "Clyde's missed you."

"I don't," the burly man—Clyde—said. "I ain't playing cards with him again."

Nex laughed, looping an arm around Weiss' waist. "Is Torch coming?"

"Nah," Aaron said. "Well, if you ain't coming, then…"

He tapped his axe thrice.

"I'll see you when I do," Nex said, nodding. He prodded Weiss along. "Happy drinking."

As long as he kept himself out of it, then it would be perfectly fine.

Weiss smiled as they caught up with the rest of the rescue team. "I didn't know edge lords had friends."

"Real rogues don't do solo," Nex said. "What did they say again? It's not about what you know—"

"It's who you know, yes," Weiss said. "My father's drilled the saying into my head before."

The paramedics called them over. And then it was back to work. By the time they were done, they had already cleared out most of the streets. Hell, they even saved a cat that somehow ended up on top of a tree. That one was probably the oddest thing he did all evening.

Well, morning to be exact. It was most likely three. A quick look at his watch confirmed it.

"Nex…" Weiss mumbled, leaning against him as they ghosted through a ruined Bone Alley. "Take us home."

"The lift's not on," Nex said. "We should find a motel and wait."

Weiss pouted, batting her eyelashes at him. "You have a flying saucer, right?"

Aside from the fact that he was no alien?

Nex groaned. He fingered Hrunting and Vigilance. "I'm sleepy. You're sleepy. We'll probably end up crashing somewhere if we fly."

"Fine." Weiss locked her arms around his neck, draping herself over him. "But you'll have to carry me."

Nex grunted, reaching behind and propping her thighs up into a piggyback. "Your wish is my command, my queen."

"Of course it is," Weiss said, her hair tickling his cheek. "You love me, don't you?"

"Yep," Nex said. "You have to ask?"

Weiss giggled, her heart pounding in his extra pair of ears. "You'll do anything for me?"

Nex jogged around a flattened stall, blurring past the merchants inspecting their goods. "I'll take on the world."

"I'm already feeling sorry for it." Weiss snickered. "Will you make me a cute dog?"

Nex rolled his eyes, an easy smile on his lips. "Well, it's your birthday. What else does my queen want?"

"Will you marry me?" Weiss said.

Nex flinched and stumbled over a sheet of snow. "What?"

"I said." Weiss laughed, her voice tinkling through the desolate street. "Will you marry me?"

His brain crunched into a long halt on its metaphorical tracks. Marry her? When he was a criminal—a bad person no matter how much she insisted otherwise? Marry her when he was the Artificer, the shadow of Remnant's underworld, accomplice to Roman Torchwick and now Cinder Fall?

"I can't." Nex licked his lips. "Not now."

"Why not?" Weiss said.

He hopped over a fallen mistletoe, embers licking its shredded leaves.

"I don't deserve you," Nex said. "I don't won't you ending up with a criminal."

Just like her mom. That bit went unspoken. But he knew that they both knew exactly what he was hinting at.

Weiss scoffed, her breath warming his earlobe. "Hmph. Fine. I'll be waiting then."

Nex put her down. He fished out his scroll and handed it to her. "Here."

"Your scroll?" Weiss said. She flicked it open with a swipe of her thumb. "You're not showing me photos of your ex, right?"

Nex chuckled. "I don't have an ex."

"Sure." Weiss grinned, eyeing him all up. "Any guy would say that to their girlfriend."

"I'm not just any guy," Nex said. "Go hit that reset button."

"You want a fresh start," Weiss said. Her fingers flitted across the screen. "Are you sure?"

"I'm keeping my promise, Weiss." Nex shrugged and smiled at her. "No more secrets."

From now on, he was gonna try living as Nexus Shade. And only as Nexus Shade. Wiping his scroll was the first step. Keeping away from the underworld was the second. And the third? The third step was simple. He needed to be a good person. Whatever that one meant.

Well, he could wing it. Figure it out as he went along.

How hard could it be?

His scroll beeped. Once. Twice. And thrice. Until it flatlined, the screen displaying nothing but his credentials as a trainee and a member of the military. No more Project Artificer. No more viruses hiding in encrypted archives. No more contacts worth millions of lien.

His shoulders sagged. Like the past decade of his life suddenly went away. Almost like he was breaking free from the chains shackled to his feet.

"I'm proud of you," Weiss said, beaming as she handed him back his scroll. "I'm so, so proud of you. It's like I'm falling in love all over again."

Nex placed his hands on her hips, glancing at the fallen mistletoe. "Well, it's not exactly traditional…"

Weiss winked. "Shut up and kiss me."

"We wish to dedicate this song to the good citizens of our kingdom," Weiss said into her microphone, staring at the camera. "Last week's tragedy was a terrible one, and we've all lost…"

Nex fidgeted with the acoustic on his lap as Weiss went on with her obligatory speech. The engineers shuffled behind the glass. One of them offered him a thumbs-up. Though the others looked less than pleased with him.

Was it his extra pair of ears? Or was it his relative inexperience with playing live on camera? Nothing he could do about the first one. Not with the word on the street, the tension between faunus and literally everyone else running like wildfire.

He got the second one covered though.

Nexus Shade could dual-wield with his eyes closed and harness the elements with a flick of his wrist. Playing the guitar for a few minutes? Easy. Now he just had to take a deep breath and—

"This one's for all of you: an acoustic single from our upcoming record," Weiss said, flashing him a smile. She strummed a quick minor on her guitar. "We give you, Season's End."

Nex let his fingers drift over the strings, lazily plucking them. He zigzagged into a slow, jazzy melody. One they had practiced for the past week—just with a little more flair and improv. He let it rise and fall like the waves on a summer day, all while making sure to not overshadow his partner.

Weiss chimed in, playing her rhythm in odd time. Something she supposedly had never done before. She crooned over his guitar, her voice cracking at just the right words and holding on to just the right notes. Like a lover mourning the loss of her half, unwilling to let go.

The song reached its crescendo—a section where she leaned away from her microphone and belted out the chorus. When her voice faded into a whisper, he picked up the slack, breaking off into an arpeggio.

Weiss' guitar shrank back. She followed along his twist and turns, keeping up with him, playing her own melody. Her eyes fluttered close—when their duet ended—as she mumbled the final words of the song.

To be fair, when they left the studio, he hardly expected the crowd cheering outside, or even the flash and clicks of cameras and the scrolls being shoved into their faces.

"Miss Schnee!" a reporter from the Atlas Bugle said. "You mentioned that—"

"Miss Schnee!" another reported said, this one from the Atlesian Times. "Is it true that—"

Another reporter cut in, her voice climbing over the clamor of the crowd. "Miss Schnee! Do you have anything to say about the Faunus Segregation Law?"

Nex doubled down on the urge to roll his eyes. Yep. That one. Apparently, the kingdoms decided that a potential solution to the White Fang was to limit the movement of faunus and lock them away from the humans.

Idiotic. Stupid. Regressive. And a lot more words his brain spat out.

They were only playing into Adam's hands. Feeding enough fire to the flames of Cinder's revolution that he had to wonder what Ironwood had to say about it. Surely the big man was not as blind as the bigots sitting on the council.

Blake was right of course. The real solution was unity. Not whatever the morons cooked up in their meeting room.

Weiss cleared her throat, smiling as she stopped walking and faced the woman. "I believe that everyone should be treated with equity and compassion, regardless if they have an extra pair of ears." She shot him a wink. "As my partner here says: what's important is who you really are and what you're striving for."

Nex grinned. She really had to slip that one in, huh? All while deflecting the question too.

"Mr Shade!" another reporter said. "Do you have something to add?"

He glanced at his partner. She bobbed her chin left and right, the motion just subtle enough to be missed. But not with his eyes.

Let me handle it, was exactly what she was trying to tell him.

Nex shrugged, putting on his best smile. "I'm a simple guy. I really don't know what Weiss sees in me."

Weiss giggled and held his hand. "I see us as an example of what we could accomplish if we work together. Humans, faunus, and everyone in between." Her eyes hardened. "So no. Let this be my statement as heiress of the SDC: I don't approve of the proposed Faunus Segregation Law, whatever it's called. In fact, I consider it downright barbaric."

The crowd of fancy suits murmured, cameras clicking even more.

His semblance could almost see Jacques sighing, cupping his face, and muttering something about public relations.

"Miss Schnee!" the woman said, almost toeing past the rope blocking the crowd. The guards almost moved to stop her—but Weiss shook her head. "Is there anything else you can confirm about Mr Shade?"

"He's the love of my life, and I intend to marry him someday," Weiss said, her smile growing wider. Her eyes crinkled as the crowd gasped and broke into frantic murmurs. "There. Now you can stop asking us about it, yes?"

"Marvellous!" Jacques planted a fist onto his desk. "Now everyone's asking if the SDC is advocating for faunus rights."

"Is that really so terrible that you had to call us to your office?" Weiss said, arching an eyebrow. "Father."

Nex crossed his arms, leaning against the door. There was an explosion coming from Mt. Weiss. He could feel it in his bones. By now, that feeling of dread had been already ingrained into his semblance.

"You must understand, my dear," Jacques said, "that our company should only take the side that benefits us."

Weiss scowled. "You're already scheming something. I can't believe you."

"When have I ever erred in my leadership?" Jacques said. He pushed a sheaf of papers across his desk. "Read it. See why your spiel, a noble sentiment it might have been, has no place in the world you'll someday inherit."

Weiss snatched the papers off the table. She stiffened, her eyes glued to the first page.

"You're a monster," Weiss said, her wrists trembling. "Why would the council even agree to this?"

"To housing the faunus in our camps?" Jacques said. "Why, it's the most efficient solution. The citizens feel safe and the kingdoms receive more dust."

Jacques Schnee had a point. But still, it was hardly the safest solution. Larger camps—the size of villages in the frontier—meant more people. More people meant more Grimm. More bandits. And definitely more White Fang raids.

"Is everything just a paycheck to you?" Weiss hissed. "How many of them will still be alive after a month?"

Apparently, she realized it too.

Too bad she failed to dig even deeper.

"That's the point," Nex said. "Right?"

"Ha!" Jacques laughed, clutching his stomach. "Is there anything that gets past you, my boy?"

Nex shrugged, even as Weiss crumpled the papers. She set them on fire with a slash of her rapier. The ashes fell to the floor, staining the white.

"You do realize that everything's digital nowadays, don't you?" Jacques said. He swiped at his desk. "Miss Brown, do send one of our cleaners to my office. I'm afraid that my daughter has made quite the mess."

"We won't let you do this," Weiss said, glaring at Jacques. "I won't let you do this."

"Oh, but you will," Jacques said. "You are heiress, yes. But that fact isn't as immutable as you might think."

"You're—" Weiss growled. "Fine. May we take our leave then, father?"

"Of course, my dear," Jacques said. "Do await your fiance by the door. We have matters to discuss."

Weiss stomped past him, her eyes darting to his. Then to Jacques. Tell me later, were the words unspoken.

Nex nodded, stepping aside and opening the door for her.

She slammed it close, the wood banging against its frame.

"Have a seat, my boy," Jacques said, pulling out two mugs and a thermos. "Coffee?"

"What's your game?" Nex said, taking his seat. "This is plain idiotic, Jacques."

The White Fang would send an army to his door. And when said army came knocking at the SDC's camps, the losses would be catastrophic. More than just the dust. Lives—both faunus and human—would be lost as well. It would spark a second Faunus Rights Revolution. The one thing they had been trying to avoid. And the one thing that the White Fang had been pushing for.

"So was the expedition that launched the SDC," Jacques said, pouring them each a cup. "Besides, we're hardly alone in this venture."

"The council strong-armed Ironwood into giving you military support," Nex said. "If shit hits the fan."

"How astute of you," Jacques said. "But on to why you're here."

Nex raised an eyebrow, cradling his cup of steaming coffee—cashew with a hint of something sweet.

"I lost the bodies," Jacques muttered.

"What?" Nex said.

"The attack, my boy," Jacques said. "It was nothing but a distraction. Our labs were raided while the kingdom was besieged." He took a long, drawn-out sip from his mug. "One must wonder who is powerful enough to direct both the White Fang and Roman Torchwick."

"Ever heard of Cinder Fall?" Nex said.

"Cinder Fall," Jacques said, humming. "No, I haven't. Why?"

"She's a rogue from Mistral," Nex said. "She disappeared five years ago. When she returned, she seized control of Vale's White Fang and gained the allegiance of Roman Torchwick through intimidation."

"Is that so?" Jacques steepled his fingers. "Just how do you know all this?"

"Come now," Nex said, playing with the handle of his mug. "The first step to war is knowing your enemy."

"Happy birthday, Weiss!"

Ruby tossed a giant box into her arms as soon as they stepped into the mansion. Whitley was behind her, arms crossed over his spine—again. He had a strained smile on his face. Blake stood beside him, eyes fixed on her book.

"My birthday was last week," Weiss said, huffing as she held on to the box. "Isn't it a little late for a present?"

"We decided, that since the White Fang crashed your celebration, sister," Whitley said, "that we should do our best to make it up to you."

"Yep," Ruby added. "What he said."

"Why, thank you," Weiss said, her nose curling up. "What's inside the box?"

"Nothing but the best that we could provide," Whitley said. "But, of course, if it fails to meet the golden standards of Weiss Schnee, then there's nothing more that we could do, is there?"

Weiss sighed, passing the box to Nex—who propped his chin on it and took a whiff of the musty wood. "I appreciate the gift, whatever it is. I'm sorry for being ungrateful."

"Oh? What's this?" Whitley said, hold a hand to his chest. "My big sister apologizing? Vacuo hasn't frozen over, has it?"

"Not unless Atlas has melted, no," Weiss said. "Should I take this as a sign that you don't dislike me as much as I think you do?"

Whitley's arms snapped to his sides. "You're always off playing huntress." He sneered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "What did you expect me to feel?"

Weiss crossed her arms, staring down her brother.

"Uh…" Ruby fidgeted with her skirt.

"Excuse me," Whitley said. "Sister."

The boy spun and strode up the stairs, his back painfully straight like a ramrod.

Blake shut her book, the pages giving a soft thud. "I take it there's a story behind what just happened."

"It's… not a very good story," Weiss said, resting her hand on the box. "I just don't understand why he didn't want to become a huntsman."

"Did you ask why?" Ruby said. "You're his big sister, right?"

"He says he could never be like us," Weiss said. "No matter how much Winter, mother, or father offered to train him, he'd always have an excuse to weasel out of it."

So it was like that. Whitley Schnee. The odd one out in a family of huntsmen and huntresses. The boy who never fit in at all, left alone with no one to turn to except his parents.

Nex nudged his partner's leg. "Go talk to him."

"What?" Weiss said. "Just let him be. He'll be fine."

"We lead short lives," Blake said. "Today could be the last day that you'll ever see him."

"Oh, stop being so overdramatic," Weiss said. "We're flying back to Beacon, not rushing off into war."

"Weiss, please," Ruby said. "He really wanted to give you a gift."

"Fine." Weiss groaned. "But only because you insisted."

She took the box and chased after her brother.

"Well, that was a thing," Nex said, licking his lips. "What's in the box?"

"It's a surprise," Blake said, smiling. "How far have you two went, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Nex blinked.

Blake rolled her eyes. "She's all over you, team leader."

"But she isn't?" Nex said, scratching the back of his head. "She just went up the stairs, right?"

"I think." Ruby flushed, twiddling her fingers together. "What Blake's asking is—"

"Have you two had sex?" Blake said. "If you still don't understand, then I don't know what else to tell you."

Were their teammates seriously gossiping about their sex life?

"Yep," Nex said. "You could've just asked me straight, you know."

"Sorry for trying to be discreet," Blake said. "We'll ask louder next time."

Nex grinned. "Heh. As long as you don't scream it out for everybody to hear."

They moved aside—into a shadowed alcove—as a couple of servants scurried past them, carrying mops and buckets filled with water.

"So..." Ruby stared at him, her eyes unblinking. "Artificer."

Nex nodded. "Yep."

Weiss and Blake must have told her. Well, he was going to anyway. Funny thing was—out of his three teammates, Ruby Rose was the only one he felt safe letting in on his secret from day one. And that was probably no mistake. Even now, her eyes harbored no judgement. Only a sheen of curiosity hidden behind silver.

Ruby grinned and tapped his chest. "Whose side are you on right now?"

"What?" Nex said.

"You're like this super spy, right?" Ruby said. "One second you're the bad guy, then suddenly you're batting for the good guys, and then you're stabbing their backs, but then you only did it so you can catch the real bad guy, and—"

Blake snickered as Ruby's tongue twisted into knots. "Nex isn't a revolving door, you know."

A revolving door. Yep. It was probably one of the better metaphors to describe the past him.

Nex shrugged, chuckling as he scratched his neck. "I'm just a normal guy now."

Ruby's eyebrows furrowed. "But why?"

"Why what?" Nex said.

"You have this whole super cool secret identity thing." Ruby bit her lip. "I don't know. Maybe the Artificer joins the good guys?" she said, giggling. "Having someone like him on our team would be so awesome."

"Uh..." Nex cupped half of his face. In exhaustion or something else, not even he understood. "You know that he's me, right?"

"Yep," Ruby said.

"And you know he's a bad guy, right?" Nex said. "That's why I'm trying not to be him anymore?"

Blake turned a page on her book, her eyes flitting towards Ruby.

"I don't think you were ever a bad guy," Ruby said. "You're just... complicated." Her voice shrank into a whisper. "I don't know. You're not like Roman Torchwick or that bull-man Blake told me about—"

"Adam," Blake said, her eyes glued to her book. "Adam Taurus."

"—what she said," Ruby continued. "Eheh. I still think you're the coolest real-life spy ever though."

Nex shrugged, his lips curving into a smile. "Thanks, Rubes."

For whatever it was worth—what Ruby Rose said was probably the best thing he heard all week.

Even if she was dead wrong.

Pretty soon, the three of them went to their separate rooms to pack. He stuffed his clothes into one of Weiss' suitcases, making sure to not leave anything behind. He took a break halfway, sitting on the bed and taking one last glimpse of the room, his eyes lingering on the mirror.

The door swung inwards, Weiss strolling in and shutting it behind her.

"So?" Weiss said, twirling on her heels. "How do I look?"

"You look like you came straight out of the fairy tales," Nex said, standing up. "How much does the armour weigh?"

Weiss Schnee had a plated combat dress on, the silver steel glimmering—grafted into sections of the blue and white cloth. The Schnee snowflake—in obsidian lines—was etched prominently on her breastplate. Myrtenaster hung off her waist, the tip almost touching the floor.

She looked like a knight. A knight of Schnee, ready to march against the armies of Grimm—even though she seemed small in her armour. But then again, his mom was tiny in hers. And she still kicked ass.

"It doesn't weigh that much, surprisingly," Weiss said, grinning as she rapped at her flat breastplate. "I can see why your mother fancied armour."

Nex smiled, thumbing his frayed hood—the one still wrapped around her shoulders like a cape. "You're really holding on to this, huh?"

"It's special to me," Weiss said, lacing her hand around his. "Just like you are."

"Yep. I know," Nex said. He glanced at the piles of clothes and gizmos around them—a giant fucking mess. "About that. Mind helping me out?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, chuckling. "Oh, very well, Mr Shade. But only if you fill me in on what father told you."

"Your father's insane," Blake said. "No offense."

They were huddled around a table at the station, waiting for their bullhead to dock.

"None taken," Weiss said. "In fact, that's what I think too."

"They're not really putting people in cages, are they?" Ruby hugged Crescent Rose to her chest, her chocolate cake untouched. "We're not gonna let them, right?"

For some reason, three pairs of eyes turned to him.

"What?" Nex said. "Why are you looking at me?"

"Artificer," Blake, Ruby, and Weiss said at the same time. "Team leader. Jinx."

They giggled.

Nex rolled his eyes. Why did he even tell them again? "Look. I already hung up my mask."

"If we're gonna oppose the system," Weiss whispered, "we need someone who knows how."

"True," Blake muttered. "Maybe I should join the White Fang. Again."

"Don't even think about it, Blake Belladonna," Weiss said. "There must be a better option than joining a terrorist cult."

"The White Fang wasn't a terrorist cult before," Blake said. "I'm just saying. They're misguided."

"Unless you're planning to depose Sienna Khan and install yourself as the White Fang's new leader," Weiss said, "then I think we need better ideas. Any pitches, anyone?"

"How about…" Ruby said, tapping her chin. "Nope. I got nothing."

Nex shrugged, taking a bite of his bagel. "We don't even know if the law's getting approved."

"I, for one, am not waiting until the high council makes their final decision," Weiss said. "We should make our voices be heard—before the Vytal Summit comes. I'm sure we're not the only ones who disagree with this."

"You're right."

Robyn and her team loomed behind Weiss, the fourth-years stopping just out of reach.

"You're not the only ones with a brain," Robyn said, adjusting the collar of her uniform. "I'm surprised though. The heiress of the SDC. Throwing her lot in with faunus."

"People change," Nex said, nodding at Fiona—who smiled at him. "Well, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't."

"Exactly as my partner says," Weiss said, craning her head back. "How much did you hear?"

"Just the end of your talk," Robyn said. "We're representing Atlas. Will you be representing Vale?"

"Along with some other teams," Nex said.

"From team leader to team leader, good luck," Robyn said. "Though I'm betting we have more pressing concerns than glorified sparring matches."

"Of course we do, Miss Hill," Weiss said. "Shall we discuss our concerns over coffee then?"

"Just Robyn," Robyn said as she and her team sat around the table next to theirs. "Three cheers for stopping another war, right?"

Fun Trivia: The scene where Nex encounters some friends from his past is a reference to an Artificer spinoff the I may or may not publish, entitled Olden Tales and Deathly Trails. It's about a (young and impressionable) Nex and Neo—the double N—going on a life-changing heist with Roman and the crew. It's only 7 chapters long and clocks in at about 50K words... Let me know if you'd like to read this, so I can finish writing it. Maybe I'll put it up as a Christmas special.