Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of A Lingering Ember. Enjoy the 900-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.

(Mistral.)

Neo looked around slowly. She felt pain flooding through her body at the moment. She looked around before noticing Hush draped over a chair along with her coat. She looked around to notice she was in the air… Did Desmond move them to the airship? She wiggled her toes and then noticed her boots next to the sofa where her weapon, hat, and jacket.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, sweet tooth." Neo heard as she blinked and started to tilt her head. "To the left." Neo heard as she turned to look at Desmond.

The boy looked at her with interest. He looked tired, Neo could tell he had fallen asleep in his seat, the creases in the chair only confirmed it. Desmond leaned on Melodic Cudgel. There was a new care for the weapon as he used it to push him to his feet.

"Are you ok?" Desmond questioned as he looked out the remodeled window. "You've been passed out for a while. I've packed up as much as we could." Desmond stated, walking to the window a moment later.

"You know… I've learned some things from the Spiders." Desmond stated as he turned to Neo who slowly started to climb out of the bed. "My uncle? He had history with them… And my uncle had history with YOU." Desmond started as he shook his head while watching her blink.

"What, do you think I'm going to kill you?" Desmond asked as he leaned on his cane a moment later. "My uncle was a LOT of things, but he cared about you… Just like how you cared about me." Desmond stated while he planted Melodic Cudgel upon his shoulder.

"He was my friend." Neo said, sliding out of bed which drew a nod from Desmond as he cracked his fingers.

"I'm not him, Neo." Desmond said while walking towards Neo who looked far shyer now. "You know that, right? I was just some stupid teen in the wrong place at the wrong time." Desmond stated as he cracked his fingers as he shook his head and brushed some stands of hair out of his face.

"You, ok?" Desmond questioned while he hummed to himself. "You still didn't answer me." Desmond stated while he leaned towards while he hummed to himself.

He knew for a fact that Neo was still catching up to things at the moment. Desmond was still waiting for the rest of his group to get to Argus… Then they would have to sneak through a fleet of Atlesian warships into the city.

He knew THAT was going to be interesting, and there was a lot of things to focus on… Still? If this was the focus? Then he'd have to save any questions he found in the Spider's base for later. The woman was going to be sending more assassins after him considering he humiliated.

"I'm fine…" Desmond heard which caused him to nod.

"Ok, I'm going to go check on things on all over the ship." Desmond stated while he turned towards her a moment later. "Stay safe, come to the bridge when you're ready." Desmond added as he spun his cane and slowly walked out of the room.

Neo was left to think about what was going to happen next. Ms. Malachite knew her, she had employed Roman… It wasn't really a measure that she had expected at the end of the day.

Neo looked at a scroll on the table. She slowly picked it up and then started to scroll through it. She watched as a file upon it pass her eyes, she looked at a photo of both her and Roman from years ago.

She clenched her fist; the woman had always kept Roman under her thumb… Now? Roman's nephew? How horrid was she, war or not? Neo was well aware Ms. Malachite and Roman had a falling out, knowing them? Ms. Malachite wouldn't hesitate to send people to kill him.

'I failed Roman when he needed me… But I am NOT failing Desmond.' Neo thought to herself as she rubbed at her temples, curious about if she told Desmond about his uncle's legacy.

She cared about Desmond as much as she cared about Roman… But still had to figure out what she would do. Neo retrieved her things and started towards the bridge.

The Spiders, White Fang? They'd burn… But the woman who killed Roman? Neo could guess who that was, the woman who treated her as less than a person, the woman who treated Roman like disposable trash…? Cinder Fall, the same woman who only cared about getting as much power as possible while stepping over everyone and everything that could possible

For both her and Desmond's sakes? That woman died by Neo's hand, slowly and painfully. Neo donned Roman's hat and pulled it over her eyes.

Author Note

Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out since I know Roman Holiday is coming out? I decided to update this story. I do want to point out I'm going to try and flesh Desmond out from beyond a gangster like Anti Hero. Next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show both Desmond and Neo training and talking more about Roman. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter is 900-3500 words Wednesday. Yang 900-1200 Thursday, Ruby 900 Friday, Cinder 900-1200 Friday, Blake 900-7500 Friday, Elm 1200 Saturday, Pyrrha 900-1500 Saturday, Penny 900 Tuesday, Winter 1500 Friday, Raven 1200 Thursday and such.