When Ren had gone off to class, Morgana told him that he was going to do his own thing. No way in hell would Glynda let the cat participate in a fight, and as much as Morgana would love to see Ren fight, he felt like the outcome would be too obvious. No one could prove too much of a challenge for his leader, after all.
That's why Morgana was roaming around Beacon, looking for anyone worth listening to, trying his best to find intel that could help with their mission. He went to the CCT and listened in to the operators, he went to other classes and listened in to the students gossip, he even went to Ozpin's office, but there was no one inside. Morgana was about to give up hope, but just as he was making his way back to the room, he heard something interesting. Following the sound of the voices, Morgana found himself stalking Professor Peach and Professor Port. The two eventually sitting in the staff lounge, Morgana listening in from just on top of a high shelf, hidden away from their eyes.
"Peach, you said that next week the students were going to Forever Fall to gather some sap for your experiments. Weren't there reports about how the grimm were acting strange, how they seemed to become stronger, and exude some kind of energy to them? Do you really think it is safe enough to let the students go?" Peter worriedly asked, clearly against the idea of letting students go to the field trip. Morgana was surprised by this, Peter was usually so boisterous during his lessons. Whatever it was that made him so concerned, it must've been serious.
"There were more reports about how the forest warped whenever people went further in." Peach added, making Peter eyes furrow. "Oh, don't be such a worrywart. Those reports were never confirmed to be true. Besides, the students won't be going too far into the forest, and Glynda will be accompanying them. They'll be fine."
"If you say so."
"I know so, trust me on this. They'll be fine."
Morgana had heard enough, already jumping off the shelf and running out of the lounge, making his way to his and Ren's room. His heart beating unnaturally fast, Morgana couldn't help but cheer at his luck, happy that he had decided to leave Ren for a while. This was what they were searching for, what they needed to find to carry out their mission.
If what they said was true, then there was a distortion inside Forever Fall, which was empowering the Grimm somehow. Whatever was causing it needed to be stopped, and if possible, interrogated into telling them if there were any others causing the distortions.
Now in front of the door to their room, only to remember he needed a scroll to enter, Morgana turned around to go outside and enter through the window. Luckily for him, Ren had decided to make his appearance, slowly walking towards the dorm while reading a book. Completely unaware of the information Morgana had landed upon.
"Ren, you won't believe what I just found out!" Morgana yelled, jumping up and down and he did his best to get his friends attention. He watched Ren remove his eyes from the book, giving Morgana an amused look and a raised eyebrow.
"What's up?"
"Distortion! There is a distortion within Forever Fall; you're going there next week!"
That made Ren silent, stupefied by what the Morgana had just said. Moving faster than ever, Ren picked up Morgana, much to his annoyance, but said just the right words to be forgiven by the cat.
"We're getting you sushi."
Morgana cheered at Ren's reward for him, happy that he was being appreciated for a job well done. Morgana was put down and they were going to enter their room, but a certain rose decided to make her appearance, her eyes sparkling as she had overheard Ren's words.
"Sushi? Can we come?!" Ruby asked loudly from around a corner, her head peering around it. Her question seemed to draw a crowd, as Weiss, Blake, and Yang decided to show up, also peering their heads out of the corner like Ruby.
And then they fell on top of one another, Ruby managing to painfully groan out a single word. "Whyyyyyyyyy…"
'Poor Ruby.' Morgana thought, wincing slightly as the leader tried to get up, only to fall back down from the weight of her team. Being a leader must be hard.
Blake, tossing Yang off herself, quickly moved in front of Ren, her eyes shadowed by her bangs as an ominous aura surrounded her. Morgana was disturbed by this; he couldn't get a read on her. Just when he was going to meow at her to back off, she revealed her intentions to Ren, her eyes filled with hope and longing.
"Will there be tuna?"
Morgana couldn't help but think she was a woman of high standards. Anyone who liked tuna was alright in his book. Who didn't like the fish, after all? Morgana could already see the beautiful friendship between the two of them; two cats and their love for tuna.
It would be glorious.
"And more." Ren answered, perturbed by Blake's invasion of his personal space. "However, I'll only bring you girls if Morgana allows it. What do you say, Morgana?"
"I'll allow it. It'll be easier to sneak some for me if they come." Morgana said or meowed in the case of the girls. Weiss couldn't help herself and walked over to the cat, kneeling to scratch the back of his ears, pure adoration for the cute animal in front of her.
"Aww, is that a yes? You're absolutely adorable. Yes, you are. Yes, you are~." Weiss cooed, picking up the feline and snuggling with it. Morgana tried to escape, but that just made Weiss hold him tighter than before. Looking at his leader for help, he saw Ren's shoulders shaking, covering his mouth as he tried not to laugh at feline's situation.
"When she lets go, I'll be giving you a world of hurt." Morgana threatened. This was the wrong move however, as Weiss just thought he was meowing in pleasure, squeezing him harder in response. Morgana felt the air leave his body, the precious oxygen he needed so badly unable to enter
'Choked to death by embrace of a woman… I'm sorry Lady Ann, it seems I won't be able to see you once more.' And with that his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body going limp. The first time in a long time, Morgana had fainted, defeated by the heiress.
How shameful.
Thankfully, Yang pulled him out from Weiss's hold, saving him from losing one of his nine lives. "Alright Ice Queen, that's enough. You're choking the poor guy." Putting Morgana down, she continued. "We still have some daylight left, how about we find a sushi joint now? Anyone know a few places?" Yang asked, smiling at the idea of going out with her team.
"I know a few. Let's go. We don't want to lose any precious sushi time, now would we. Let me just get my bag so Morgana has a place to hide." Ren said, entering his room, but quickly exiting it with his bag in tow. "To the airship dock?"
"To the airship dock!" RWBY declared, following Ren as Morgana jumped into the bag. With team RWBY following their lead, Morgana peered through the opening that allowed him to see the girls, looking at them with a plan in mind. A delicious plan involving sushi.
With his skills, it should be easy to nab a few from the girls without them knowing. The true reason they were invited, was because the more people the more sushi. Ren had barely given him his fair share during their time at Shujin, so this was going to be the day Morgana got his return, the day he finally got what he deserved!
His plan already in motion, Morgana silently thanked the girls for deciding to show up at that moment. With unrestrained excitement, he counted every step Ren took, every step closer to the sushi restaurant.
'Beware sushi shop for your tuna will be stolen! I swear as a member of the Phantom Thieves, that your treasure is as good as mine! Mwehehehe~!'
When Weiss entered restaurant, she was pleased that it seemed to be a reasonable looking place. It was not the largest restaurant, but it was still big enough to hold several groups of people. Not to mention that the place was completely empty, meaning that her loud teammates wouldn't bother anyone other than the owner of the restaurant.
"Should've known that the place was near the docks. Doesn't smell like fish though… Is this place really a sushi joint?" Ruby asked, suspicious that the place didn't smell like the fish it supposedly served.
"The restaurant's name is "A Simple Sushi" … How do you miss that?" Weiss clarified, annoyed with the dumb question Ruby had given. This caused her partner to slump, before moving Ren in front of her like a shield; a shield against the cold that was Weiss.
"Save me."
"Table for five." Ren said, ignoring Ruby's plea. The cries of "betrayal" and "my only hope" escaped her partner's mouth, making Weiss smile in satisfaction.
Gestured towards a stall in the far corner of the restaurant by the Shopkeep, Weiss and her friends took their seats. Yang, Ruby and Weiss sat on one side, while Blake and Ren sat opposite from them. Looking at the menus and figuring out what they wanted, they called the Shopkeep over and ordered. Weiss decided to have just a few rolls and a salad, Yang and Ruby decided to share a party tray, and Blake ordered a lot of tuna. An unnatural amount of tuna. Weiss couldn't help but be stumped by Blake's order, a huge grin on the bow wearing girl almost feral.
"You're all crazy…" Weiss declared, looking at her teammates with disgust. Baffled by their large appetites, she looked at Ren, the only normal person there, sitting across from her. He had ordered quarter the amount of tuna Blake had and a few other things and asked that after everything be served he receive "The Challenge". The exemplary student then told the Shopkeep to take his time, that they were in no rush, and he not push himself too hard to serve the massive amount. This made the Shopkeep smile appreciatively at him, before leaving the students to prepare, whistling a happy tune as he made his way to the kitchen.
Weiss couldn't help but marvel at Ren Amamiya. She had gotten a bashing from him the first day of classes, but the days that followed after only left her to wonder at his abilities. He was the perfect student in her eyes; knowledgeable, courteous, charismatic, a capable fighter, and good humored. He was what she thought a leader should be. What she strived to be.
"Is something the matter, Weiss?" Ren asked.
Deciding to use this opportunity to ask some questions, Weiss played off his concern. "Oh, nothing is wrong. I was just wondering how you became Glynda's assistant, and how you managed to refine that dust crystal. Both are feats I doubt were easy to have done."
Piquing her teammates interest with her questions, they couldn't help but focus their attention to Ren. "Know that I think about it, I didn't see you at the entrance exam for the school… I know your plain looking, but I think I would've seen you then." Blake bluntly said, her amber eyes now curious as to how he had gotten into the school. Weiss couldn't help but raise her brow at that. Didn't take an entrance exam? How was he here then?
"I want to know how you learned to fight. You moved way too skillfully to be just a regular hunter-in-training, not to mention you're quicker than Ruby." Yang pointed out, putting her sister into a headlock and giving her a noogie. "No offense Ruby, but this guy is definitely faster, I couldn't even see him move."
Prying herself out of Yang's headlock, Ruby gave her own question. "Oh, how did you pass initiation without finding a teammate? None of us saw you during the time."
Ren put his hands up to slow them down. "I'll answer your questions in chronological order. First off, I was put into too many dangerous situations suddenly. Not wanting to die I learned to fight, otherwise my life would have been forfeit." Ren morbidly said. "Second, the reason why I wasn't there during the entrance exam was because I was passing by a town called Peace. You may have heard, but it got attacked by Grimm at night, just a week before the semester began. The morning after the attack, I met Ms. Goodwitch. We talked for a bit, but a death stalker had attacked the town. Ms. Goodwitch left, told me to leave, but I followed her, and happened to save Ms. Adel."
"That must've been one hell of a situation…" Yang said, pitying the guy for being thrown into something he couldn't control. "Must've been rough. Ruby couldn't even use her semblance without crashing into a wall for a few years, so I can't imagine what you had to do."
"It was hard, but worth it."
"Wait a moment… Oh my gosh, it was you who saved Coco!?" Ruby shouted, pointing her finger at the rumored "Saviour of CFVY". "Is it true that you froze the Death Stalker, danced on top of it, swept Coco off her feet, then killed it with an epic finishing move like in the video games?!" Emphasizing her point she did a few karate chops.
Weiss couldn't help herself and slapped her own face. Her partner was such a dork.
Raising his eyebrow at the wild, but not completely false rumor, Ren answered her. "I believe I am, but those are exaggerated. I simply stopped the death stalker. Professor Goodwitch got Coco out of harms way. I got lucky that it froze completely, making my next attack all the more effective." Ren revealed, making the girls awe at him for a moment. "Anyways, after saving Coco, Glynda asked me to join Beacon. I accepted and now I'm here."
"Wow, you got admitted into Beacon by the Professor Goodwitch. Way to go." Yang commended. Offering him a fist bump which he gladly reciprocated.
"Thanks. Third, at initiation I just didn't run into anyone." Ren lamely explained, causing RWBY to slump at the anti-climactic way he put it. "I actually ran to the cliffside to help you all out, but when I arrived I saw little red behead the giant Nevermore. Nice job, team RWBY."
The girls beamed at his praise. Weiss adding "Flatterer" to the list of ways to describe the boy. They all said a few words of thanks to him before silencing themselves, eager to hear how he had become the assistant of their professor.
Weiss leaned in, eager to hear of his exploits.
"I gave Professor Goodwitch some experimental dust, a more reactant variant that I deemed safe to use. However, I did not take into account that she did not know how to handle it. She called me to the amphitheater the night before her class, When I arrived it was a complete mess. The teachers were curious about what I had created, and when Glynda used it, she had caused a rampant lightning storm apparently."
Blake couldn't help but ask. "Isn't she one of the best practitioners of dust in the world? Doesn't that mean that the dust wasn't safe to use then?"
"Perhaps; however, I decided to show them it's capabilities." Putting a hand in his pocket, he pulled out a small wind crystal the size of a thumb, before creating a small tornado in the palm of his hand. The girls looked at it in fascination, amazed by the amount of control he was showing to them. Without a warning, it disappeared from existence, his voice bringing their attention back to him. "When I showed them what it was capable of; what I was capable of, Professor Goodwitch asked me to be her T.A. As for the refining, I usually do that using tools, but I didn't bring them with me that day. Not wanting to keep everyone waiting, I used my aura to nullify its properties and crush it with my hands. I allowed some of the dust to activate, controlling the wind it created to finely grind the dust even further. When I opened my palm, well, you all saw what it was." Ren answered all their questions, a sigh escaping his mouth as he asked them on more thing.
"Anything else?"
"Let me get this straight… You learned to fight because of necessity, saved Coco, got admitted into Beacon, and became an assistant by showing Glynda how capable you were with dust…?" Yang summarized, slowing down at the end to make sure she had covered everything. Getting a nod from Ren, she huffed in pride, glad she had gotten everything correct.
Before more questions could be asked, their sushi arrived. Weiss and Ren's meal tidily placed in front of them, Ruby and Yang's party platter taking up a quarter of the table, and Blake's mountain of tuna that took up the rest of the table. Saying thank you to the Shopkeep, they all looked at their meals with happy expressions, glad that they had gotten something worth while.
Weiss and Ren slowly ate their food, savouring the taste of the delicacy. Weiss noticed that Ren was giving all the tuna to Morgana, who was sitting beside Ren inside his bag, the cat's little head poking out whenever being presented with food.
'He's so cute~!' Weiss crooned in her mind. She just wanted to take a photo of the little kitty. However, she was interrupted out of her thoughts by the loud belch the two siblings had created. Finishing up her meal so that she would not lose her appetite, she blanched at sister duo. The two devoured their food like it would disappear the next moment. Whenever they grabbed the same piece of fish, they would glare at each other before fighting over it; battling each other using their chopsticks.
"You both are such children."
Too busy fighting over a piece of salmon, Weiss glanced over at Blake, hoping that at least she was more civilized than those brutes. Instead, she was greeted with the mountain of tuna slowly descending, Blake making quick work of the fish by stuffing it into her mouth. She was no better than Red and Yellow.
At the corner of her eye, she saw Morgana exit the bag he was in, and grab a fork with his tail. The cat took from the unsuspecting, sneakily piercing the fish and leading it to his mouth. Weiss gaped at how talented the cat was with his tail, expertly using it just like a person with opposable thumbs.
Ren exposed Morgana, making Weiss go wide eye in shock. "The real reason he allowed you girls to come."
"Shouldn't you stop him?"
"It's their fault. They should be more aware of their surroundings. Besides, Blake is about to figure him out."
Just like he said, Blake had figured the cat out. The instant they made eye contact, they hissed at one each other. Weiss could only watch in shock as the two began to battle like Yang and Ruby. Morgana expertly wielding the fork like a sword, while Blake dual wielded her chopsticks to stop him. Morgana seemed to win however, as he stuffed his face with tuna, much to the ire of Blake.
"What- Hey! How dare you! Blake yelled. Not wanting the cat to finish everything, Blake continued eating as much as she could. With the combined efforts of the two, it was finished in an instant, nothing left behind.
"That was good~!" Yang said, patting her belly in good measure. Ruby did the same but burped, causing her sister to laugh. Blake and Morgana nodded at her to agree before glaring each other down, no doubt annoyed that they had to compete for the tuna. Weiss couldn't help but sigh in exasperation, not believing her teammates.
"It's here." Ren said out of the blue, crossing his arms while closing his eyes, as if anticipating something to happen. Without warning, the Shopkeep returned with a giant sushi roll the size of beach ball, placing it in front of Ren before nodding in respect and leaving.
"Whoa." Ruby exclaimed, vocalizing the thoughts of her team. It was beautiful, it was huge, and it was ordered by Ren who still had his eyes closed. The girls could see an aura of concentration exuding off the him, making them back off and watch. His eyes opened, fire beneath them, and began to dig into the giant masterpiece. It took him 12 minutes to finish, no breaks in between. They watched him chug a glass of water before slamming it on the table, a victorious smile on his face.
"25% off your order if you finish it." Ren explained, making the girls pause to process the information, before they clap at his accomplishment. Weiss, while a little bit disturbed by the amount of food her friends had eaten, couldn't help but giggle a bit at Ren's victory. Before she knew it, the had all gone to the register to pay. The girls were talking about how to split the bill, but Ren pulled out his card and payed for them all, making them cry out in shock.
"It's my treat. Don't worry about it." Ren said, his act of chivalry making the girls smile in appreciation. Saying thanks to the owner, they left the restaurant in satisfaction. It was now night, and Weiss couldn't help but blink and rub her eyes to make sure time wasn't messing with her.
The group walked back to the airship docks that led to Beacon in a slow pace. Weiss couldn't help but bring up something that had been bothering her, a spar with a clumsy knight coming into mind.
"Jaune's getting better. I know he's been training with Pyrrha, but I don't understand how he's been improving so fast."
"Is Snow Angel not happy that Jaune managed to push her back? You won in the end, though." Yang teased, jabbing the heiress in the ribs with her finger. "But yeah. He is getting better."
"I suppose I have to apologize then. I also train with him. He probably used what I taught him just yesterday. Did he push your sword back with his shield when you went for a finisher, causing you to lose balance for a moment, then gave a few slashes of his own?" Ren asked, a knowing smile on his face.
"So, it was you! I was wondering how he had improved so much the past couple weeks." Weiss cried out, a little peeved that the leader of JNPR was getting help from two of the best students in school.
That wasn't fair at all.
"So, you tutor Ruby, train Jaune, practically teach a class, make dangerous experimental dust, and can eat a giant sushi roll… Is there anything you can't do?" Weiss asked, a bit bitter that this guy was admittedly starting to sound better than her. She was about to just throw in the towel but Ren said something she hadn't expected; what team RWBY hadn't expected.
"If Morgana tells me to go to bed, I go to bed."
…
What?
"Are you serious?"
Ren didn't answer, staying silent as he looked anywhere but them, clearly embarrassed and ashamed with his weakness. Morgana decided to make an appearance, jumping on top of Ren's head, subsequently making the poor boy almost fall. "Mwehehehehehe." The animal mocked his owner, looking down at him with a condescending smirk. The boy didn't do anything to get the cat off him, instead he just slumped his shoulders in defeat as he let the feline do as he pleased.
"Whipped." Yang whispered to Ruby, giggling a little when the cat used Ren's head as a throne. Ren finally decided to act after that comment, grabbing the cat and dropping him onto the ground, rebelling against the tyrant widely known as Morgana.
"It's starting to get late. We should head back." Ren suddenly suggested, clearly trying to change the subject and save face. Weiss couldn't help but feel a bit pleased by his embarrassment, happy to know that he wasn't as perfect she thought he was.
He was much more relatable after that.
Time flew by once more and they were now inside the airship, taking a few seats for themselves as they got comfortable for the ride. Ruby, Yang, and Blake all fell asleep for the ride, the satisfying meal to blame. Weiss sat beside Ren and Morgana, the cat sleeping on his lap. She watched Ren scratch the back of Morgana's ears, a smile on growing on his face as the animal purred.
"Thank you for coming with us today." Ren said, surprising the heiress. "Morgana gets lonely sometimes, so having some company really helps him."
"You're welcome." Weiss replied. "Thanks for having us."
He stayed silent after that, focusing at the view from the window seat. Weiss couldn't help herself and looked at him, the moon illuminating the features on his face. She couldn't help but be confused by what she saw; surprised by the sudden turn of emotions.
He was smiling wistfully as his eyes were filled with longing. An air of melancholy surrounding him as he looked out the window. The expression didn't match his behaviour from earlier. The expression just didn't match him at all. It was like looking at a stranger and she couldn't help but think he was one at that very moment.
It somewhat reminded her of when she was in Atlas. When her father had full control, and every action she made was just him telling her what she had to do. When she would hide away from the world and let go, let her true emotions out.
It was like watching a mirror, except it shattered in an instant. Ren turned his head to look at her, his demeanor suddenly changing into the one he had in the restaurant.
"Is something wrong? You look sad."
'You're the one who looked sad.' Weiss couldn't help but think he had put on a mask when he said that, covering up what he had just unknowingly showed before. How his demeanor changed from one to another, she could not figure out; however, that sad expression on his face haunted her. She didn't know why, but she let the words out of her mouth. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. This was her best bet, yet her worst.
"Ren, would you like to hang out sometimes?" What was she thinking… This was the guy who didn't like her attitude the first day of school, the same guy who berated her for it. There was no way-
"I would like that."
Ok, maybe there was a way. A very simple and easy way that she hadn't expected to be so efficient.
"Just so you know," Ren began, a cheeky grin on his face. "Ruby has been asking me to hang out with her the past two weeks. Expect some whining when she finds out that you'll be doing it in her stead." With that warning told, he ended the conversation there, looking out the window once more.
Weiss dreaded the thought of a complaining Ruby as she stared at him once more. Again, she studied his features under the moon light. To her delight, he had a small smile on his face, his eyes shining with an emotion she couldn't identify. No longer was there that melancholy that hanged off him, instead it was replaced with something happier.
Weiss internally cheered, she had helped him somewhat it seemed.
"Thank you, Weiss." Ren said out of the blue, not bothering to look at her as he expressed his gratitude. "I needed that."
"You're welcome."
Weiss didn't understand, but time somehow flew by after that once more. They made it to Beacon, walked back to their dorms, and said their goodnights. Weiss, in her pajamas, laid on her bed with a content smile on her face. Wondering what they could do to hang out, a revelation smashed into her which made her sit up, apprehension marking her face at her lack of knowledge.
She was born into a high-class family with high standards. Presumptuous as it was, Ren probably wasn't. She couldn't help but think that Ren wouldn't appreciate what she considered enjoyable; Ruby and Yang proved this fact long ago. Anxiety now taking over her thoughts, she laid back down with her eyes staring at the bottom of Ruby's bed. A new sense of dread filling her.
"What do normal people do to hang out…?"
Waking up early to start preparations, Ren walked to RWBY's dorm with renewed motivation, a goal in mind. Knocking on the door loudly, he was met with a disheveled Ruby. The girl had just woken up it seemed, her teammates still sleeping as she was the one to take the door.
"Ren…? It's 6 am, and It's Friday; we don't have classes." Ruby groggily said. Rubbing her eyes to get a better look at him, she noticed he was fully clothed; wearing a light gray hooded sweater and a pair of jeans.
"I guess you don't want to help me make a weapon then." Ren said slyly. The mention of weapon woke the girl up, making her squeal before disappearing in a flurry of rose petals. Reappearing in front of Ren in her usual red and black outfit, she jumped out the room and grabbed his arm, dragging him to the forge available to the students.
"Why didn't you say so earlier! Let's go!" Before he knew it, he was flying through the air. Ruby was using her semblance to get to the forge as quickly as possible, dragging him like a ragdoll. Fast than Ryuji saying "For real", they were inside the forge. Ren holding complicated weapon schematics courtesy of Ruby. The girl was flying about, grabbing different kinds of metal, and equipment to use to make the boy's weapon.
The girl was fast. They literally left her dorm just 5 minutes ago.
"What do you want to make?!" Ruby asked, slowing down to so that Ren could finally see her. Her eyes were sparkling, her hands clasped together as she smiled like a maniac. Ren couldn't help but compare her to Futaba for moment, the overly excited girls almost paralleling each other. Chuckling at her exuberance, he ruffled her hair, making her squirm and whine.
"I just need a knife that can change into hand gun." Ren said. "Preferably one much more durable than this."
Letting the simple knife slide down his sleeve, Ren presented it to her. it was worn down and on the verge of breaking. Not because of the Grimm or his opponents, and not because of irresponsible maintenance. It was breaking due to the amount of power he was exerting into it. The knife worked amazingly well, but it amazed him more that it managed to last this long. Handing it to her, Ren watched the myriad emotions that danced on Ruby's face.
"What did you do to it? You poor child…" Cradling the blade to her chest, it disintegrated into dust. The girl crying out in shock as it disappeared into thin air.
"It wasn't as durable as I thought…"
"Durable? You… You fiend!" Ruby yelled, falling to the floor on her knees, crying tears as she tried to pick up the dust that fell to the ground. The remnants of the weapon now in her hands. "How could you?!"
She looked like she was going to attack him in vengeance. The girl frothing at the mouth in pure disdain over what he had done to his weapon. "Promise me you won't break the child I will make for you." Ruby said, stating the terms for creating his weapon. Ren couldn't help but groan, her words a double entendre that could lead to so many misunderstandings.
"I promise. Don't ever say that ever again."
"Huh? Why?"
"Ruby. For your dignity and mine, never say that again." Ren uttered, making the girl squeak when the intensity in his eyes tripled. Taking her silence as a yes, he nodded at her. "Let's get started."
Ruby, deciding to forgive his insolence towards the now deceased blade, got to work. She and Ren gathered all the material needed, making sure to get the strongest and lightest metal the school had to offer. Usually, it would take a few weeks to create a mechanical shifting weapon, but Ren had quickly grasped the concept of creating one. Ruby couldn't help but stare in awe as he efficiently created the parts from scratch, adding his own little designs to make sure everything worked to his liking. She was sure Ren could create it the weapon by himself, but he had assured her that he only knew the basics, that he couldn't put it all together. He needed Ruby, which made the girl beam before getting back to work. He had asked her to create a specialized clip for the gun, one that can store dust like Weiss' Myrtenaster. This confused her, but she complied. It took a bit of effort on her part, but she managed to finish it in record time. By the time they had finished making the weapon, it was 10 in the morning.
Tossing the blade between both hands, before giving it a few good swings, Ren smiled at it in satisfaction. The weapon was based off Satanael's signature rifle, the reason being that was the most notable weapon he had ever seen in his life. A gold and black handle with a single-sided black blade to match, the weapon was kept simple in order to not complicate the mecha-shifting. With a press of a button on the handle, it would change to a gun. It would look like Satanael's rifle, just as a pistol. No fancy gold designs however. The that allowed dust to flow into it when as a blade, inspiration from Weiss' weapon, and would automatically change to a bullet trigger when changed to a pistol. The design was kept simple, clean, and easy to use. The reason why it took so long to make it was because of the parts Ren had specially made for it.
Those parts made the shifting between the two modes just slightly faster, and also allowed him to use his specially made dust. Ren had learned that the empowered dust he created deteriorated the weapons using them, so in order to use it he would have to create special chambers for the dust. It was quite annoying, having to create and recreate the chambers that withheld the energy sources, but if they proved successful then it would be more worth it.
"I can't thank you enough, Ruby." Ren said, hand the weapon over to her to marvel at. "This couldn't have been made without your help."
"Aww, it's no problem. Just repaying your tutoring." Ruby said, blushing at his appreciative attitude towards her. "Just know that if you destroy this child like the last one, I will end you."
"Noted." Ren said, putting his hands up to placate her. She seemed satisfied with that, huffing as she began to walk out the forge. Ren followed her, taking a place beside her as they made their way out of the building.
"By the way, what are you going to name it?" Ruby asked, looking at him curiously as he hid the blade away. "Every weapon is given a name when it's made, so what's yours going to be?
"A name…" Ren said out loud. What should he name the weapon? There wasn't a distinct one he could think of. His eyes lit up a moment later, a smile adorning his face as he brought out the blade.
"Phantom." Ren declared, holding the blade up in front of him as he gave its name. As a student he would wield Phantom in his arsenal, while as Joker he would be the Phantom.
Not bad if he said so himself.
"Phantom? Simple, but cool. I approve" Ruby said with a thumbs up, before holding her stomach and slumping in pain. A large growl escaped from her belly, prompting her to hold it tighter Laughing at her misfortune, Ren looked at her teasingly, before waving her to follow him. She deserved a good breakfast today. She worked hard for it, after all.
He just hoped she liked curry.
"Ruby Rose, I am only going to ask this one more time. Where did you get that curry?" Yang was jealous of her, Ruby could see it clearly. It wasn't just Yang, Weiss and Blake were also looking at her enviously. Not that she minded of course, after all, she was the one with the blessed breakfast while they eat mush.
"Go back to your potatoes." Ruby ordered. This was the time for them to feed their stomachs for the day to come. They didn't have classes during Fridays, which meant they could do whatever they pleased. They had a fun activity filled day ahead of them, so that meant they should eat their mush while she ate her curry.
Her teammates didn't like that, for the moment she said those words they were already upon her. Yang grabbing her plate, while Weiss and Blake held her arms, effectively stopping her from making any moves.
"WHAT?! LET ME GO?!"
BLAKE! WEISS! HOLD HER THERE!"
"Greed is a sin, Ruby." Blake scolded.
"You should share with your teammates, team leader." Weiss chastised. "You should have seen this coming. While we eat mush, you come in with a delicacy. Think of this as your punishment."
Ruby was about to retort but was stopped by the noise Yang made. Looking over at her sister, Ruby gaped as she saw that Yang was shovelling down her food. Her reward.
"Oh~, this is so good."
Blake and Weiss let go of her, mad that they were doing physical labour while the blonde took the fruits of their labour. The two walked up to her and took the plate, effectively stopping Yang's eating spree.
"Hey! I was eating that!"
Weiss admonished Yang. "We agreed we would share! That is not sharing!"
"Oh c'mon, Ice Queen. I was going to give you guys some. Once I had my fill of course."
"You are despicable." Blake said, narrowing her eyes at Yang. "Have you no shame?"
"Nope!"
Ruby decided to take action against the plate was in Blake's hands and she was distracted; this was the only opportunity she had. With the use of her semblance, Ruby quickly stole her plate back, shocking her teammates from their argument. With her plate back in her hand, Ruby gobbled down what was left of the food, quickly using a spoon she had grabbed along the way. The curry now done, her teammates looked at her like she was a savage.
The early bird gets the worm.
"Ruby! That's not fair." That was a frustrated Yang.
"Says you! We didn't get any!" That was an angry Weiss.
"So much for breakfast." That was a depressed Blake.
Ruby only burped in response.
"Where did you get that, Ruby? The kitchen staff don't serve curry here if I remember correctly." And that was Pyrrha. Oh, right. Team JNPR were sitting across from them, eating their pancake breakfast Lie Ren had made for them. Rens around the world must be good cooks.
"I made a weapon for Ren. Not you Ren, but other Ren." Ruby explained. "After we made it, he made me breakfast. He left after he ate his share and told me to tell you guys that there were leftovers in the student lounge." She forgot about that. "Oh! There are leftovers in the student lounge!" And Ruby bolted in a flurry of rose petals, wanting seconds of the meal she had just eaten.
She could hear Weiss, Yang, and Blake chase after her. Her teammates screaming at her to save some for them. She couldn't help it, the food was just too good that it was unfair. Booking it to the student lounge, Ruby turned the corner that led to it.
And crashed straight into Professor Goodwitch. The woman didn't fly back like she would have though, instead she stood like a wall while Ruby crashed into it, slumping into a pile of flesh and bones as she groaned.
"Ruby Rose. Do not run in the halls."
She was about to say sorry, but then her teammates repeated her actions. Crashing into Goodwitch, the slumping onto the ground, on top of their leader. Ruby built the foundation for her team, literally.
"Whyyyyyyyy…" The rose themed girl groaned out. With a great show of strength, she threw them off of her, their surprised cries drowned by her scream of strength.
"Ruby Rose! Do not yell in the halls either."
Why was she the only one being scolded – they ran in the halls too! Pouting at Glynda, Ruby said a quick sorry before looking inside the student lounge, her eyes focused on the pots on the oven. At least they should have, there was nothing on top of it, only an empty space.
"Aww, where did the curry go?" Ruby asked gloomily. Her teammates followed, their eyes looking on in disappointment as they searched the room for the food Ruby was given.
Glynda adjusted her glasses and made them shine, a smug smile appearing on her face for once. "My colleagues and I smelled the curry when you left, Ms. Rose. We gladly ate it, there was a note on it saying to, after all." Glynda smiled mockingly at them. "I guess you're just going to have to get here faster next time."
RWBY gaped at the teacher. This was the first time they had seen such a cocky smile on her face. Without another word, Professor Goodwitch left the girls to stare, turning the corner as her heels clicked on the ground.
Yang, Weiss, and Blake looked inside the room one last time, before turning to their leader. All of them angrily staring at Ruby.
"Why didn't you get any for us!?" They yelled. Ruby had to cover her ears at how loud they were.
"I can't carry four plates by myself! Besides, Ren was the one to cook it! Just ask him to make more." Ruby trailed off, hoping her excuse would work. It didn't.
"Then where is Ren?"
"Ummmm… I dunno…?" Lamely answering them, Ruby looked away from her teammates. The same question also forming in her head.
'Where was Ren?'
"So, we're resupplying today." Morgana asked, hidden within the bag Ren was currently carrying.
"Yeah. Remind me if I miss anything, okay?"
"You can count on me, Joker."
Ren had left Ruby after making her breakfast, the girl was practically drooling when presented with the food. Saying it was her reward, the girl left to show off to her teammates his culinary expertise. He had made sure to leave a note on the pots for anyone passing by, telling them to take the food for themselves, and to clean the dishes afterwards. With that business done, Ren went back to his room to pick up Morgana and headed to the city. They had six days left to prepare for Forever Fall, which meant they had plenty of time to resupply and think of a plan.
"Dust first." Ren declared, which Morgana readily agreed to. Making their way to the shop, they couldn't help but notice many of the stores around the area were closed. Broken windows and police officers everywhere.
"Excuse me, young man!" An officer called out. "I'm afraid this road has been closed off. I'll have to ask you to leave."
"What happened?"
"There have been string of robberies lately, the White Fang being the perpetrators. Run along, young man."
"I understand, thank you." Not wanting to bother the officer, Ren left. His eye furrowing in worry as he glanced back to the scene. Morgana decided to voice his thoughts, the cat having the same expression as him.
"You think there are any other stores open?" It would be a problem if they weren't. They won't be able to receive any dust. And while they still had quite a collection of the energy source, it was better to have extra then less.
"Let's hope not."
Ren walked around the city, luckily managing to buy a few dust crystals, but at a higher price. The White Fang were really doing a number to these businesses, all the owners were extremely paranoid whenever they had entered their stores. Thankfully, no incident had occurred.
"We won't be getting anymore dust than this, unfortunately." Looking at the bag of crystals he had bought, Ren stored them in his inventory. "Let's take a break. Want to stretch your legs? I'll be going off to buy some books."
Morgana jumped out the bag, glad he was finally out of there. "I'll meet you back at that ice cream stand that we passed. I want to try that mint chocolate."
"Got it." The two left each other to do their own thing, Morgana to explore, while Ren off to buy some books. Walking to his favourite bookstore, Ren opened the door and was greeted with the usual.
"Welcome to "Tukson's Book Trade", home to every book under the sun! How may I help you?"
"Just browsing. It's good to see you again, Tukson."
"Ren! It's been a while. How's school?" Tukson asked with a smile. The two had met the same day Ren went to buy his coffee equipment. Ren had walked upon the store and instantly entered it. Once Tukson had greeted him, the two hit it off. Ren spending the entire afternoon checking for any books he found interesting, while chatting with Tukson, even helping the man with carrying a few to the back.
"It's definitely interesting." Ren said, checking over a few shelves and grabbing a few books. "Business been treating you well?"
Tukson sighed at that, a bittersweet smile on his face. "The usual. No one seems to appreciate books these days."
"A shame. I know a girl who loves to read, maybe I should bring her over."
"Please do! It would be good for business." Tukson laughed, wincing a bit as he seemed to rub his shoulder. "Damn…"
"Did you hurt yourself, Tukson?"
"Oh, this? Just carried a few too many books." Tukson explained. This would've normally satisfied Ren, but he could tell when someone was lying through their teeth. Tukson was hiding something important, his anxious look couldn't fool anyone, especially the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Activating Third Eye, Ren saw the giant bruise across Tukson's shoulder, and upon further inspection, the man also had bruises covering his torso; bullet wounds if he had to guess. Ren would've played it off with saying Tukson got mugged, but he saw something that put the pieces together, Inside Tukson's fingertips were retractable claws; He was a Faunus. And while Ren had nothing against the race, he couldn't help but notice how Tukson seemed to sweat and jump a bit whenever a police officer had passed by the window.
"I see." Ren slowly said, observing Tukson from behind a shelf. "Do you need a hand with carrying some books then? You look like you could use it."
"That would be a great help, Ren. There are some books in the back that need to be put out for display, I'll show them to you." Opening the doors behind himself, Tukson gestured for Ren to come in. "I have to warn you though, they're a bit heavy."
Saying nothing in response, Ren entered the open doors and studied the back storage. The shelves were littered with all kinds of literature. Letting out an appreciative whistle, he looked back at Tukson and nodded at him in approval, giving the man a thumbs up. After that, he was led further inside, a small table with a stack of books on top of it. From the sheer size of the pile, Ren would guess it weighed roughly thirty pounds.
"You sure you can lift them?"
"I've benched heavier, no problem." Ren boasted, rolling his shoulder as assurance. Going to the pile, Ren positioned himself underneath the pile, making sure to carry them properly lest he hurt his back. Easily picking them up, Ren slowly made his way to the front, pretending to make it seem heavier than it really was.
He wanted some extra time to see if anything significant was in here.
"I'll hold the door for you. Take it easy." Tukson warned, walking away from Ren to do as he just said. This worked in Ren's favor, making his investigation much easier. Activating Third Eye and searching the vicinity, Ren slowly made his way to where Tukson was. Noticing a thin book on a shelf, Ren picked it out and placed it in his inventory, replacing it with another with same cover. Deciding to make a scene to not seem suspiciously slow, Ren made himself fall, letting the books drop to the ground as he gave a convincing yell.
"Woah~!"
Convincing.
"Ren?!"
Tukson was given the sight of him on the floor, books scattered everywhere as he laid beneath them. Ren had made sure to include the books on the shelves to make it seem like he hadn't selected that single one. Getting up and sweeping off the dust, Ren gave his excuse while rubbing his neck to seem abashed.
"I stubbed my foot on one of the shelf corners; couldn't see it. I'll pick these up right away." And he did, expertly grabbing the books that were on the shelf and placing them there and making sure they were all mixed up to make it seem like a happy accident. With that done, Ren picked up the display books and placed them on the counter, a large thud resounded across the room as he dropped it there.
"Thank you, Ren. I appreciate that."
"It's not a problem." Smiling at Tukson, he offered a handshake to him. Muttering a quick Diarahan while he shook his hand, Ren made sure to control the spell so that the light never appeared. "I'll be taking my leave now, I have to meet with a friend. Take care of yourself."
"You too. Thanks for helping."
Waving a goodbye, Ren left the store and brought out the thin book he had stolen. Opening it, he was greeted with instructions and addresses. These addresses were all the dust stores that had been robbed, and these instructions were procedures and plans regarding them. Flipping the page, Ren saw the insignia; the White Fang.
"Tukson…" Ren muttered, upset with the revelation he had pieced together. Ren was astute, but sometimes he couldn't help but curse it. Ignorance was truly bliss sometimes, but he knew it was better this way. Flipping the page once more, Ren was greeted with a very recent plan. Tonight, there was going to be a robbery, and by the looks of it a rather large one led by Roman Torchwick.
'It's happening much faster than I would've liked, but looks like the Phantom Thieves are going to make their official debut.'
She was bored. So very bored. If boredom could kill, then this was it, this was her end. Swinging her umbrella around wildly in circles, she headed to her favorite ice cream stand, skipping along the way. Using her semblance to disguise herself as a brunette with brown eyes, she lined up at the stand, excitedly jumping up and down in patience. When it was her turn, she ordered her usual. The owner always gave her an extra scoop, so she always made sure to tip him. Smiling at the cone, she licked it and shivered in delight. This was what she was lived for, why she lived to this very day. Without this, her life would be meaningless. Sitting down on a bunch underneath a tree, she took her time with the treat, savoring the taste it had to offer. It was only until she was done eating the cone did she notice the person beside her.
"Meow." It said, making Neo jump. She had not even noticed the thing, too distracted with her dessert to care. Now that it was finished, she studied what sat beside her and silently squealed. A black cat with bright blue eyes and a yellow collar, and it was looking at her with curious eyes.
How cute.
Picking it up like an excited child, she gave it a e friendliest smile she had to offer, which made it tilt its head. The sight made her heart melt and made her want to adopt the animal here and there. Who cares if it has a collar, it's not like the cat was with its owner. Probably was too irresponsible to care, stupid person.
She was about to snuggle with the cat, but it lifted its paw and booped her on the forehead. Normally she would've thought that was adorable. Normally she would've silently died in delight at the act. But the cat did something she had not expected. Something no one would've expected.
Her illusion shattered, the sound of glass breaking indicating such. Her pink and brown eyes widened in pure shock, as her mouth gaped. However, she was a trained professional who prided herself in her abilities, so not even a second passed before she put up a new one. Looking at the cat with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, she was about to throw it in the air and see if it would scream or not. If it did, it meant it was a regular cat and she would snuggle with it. If it didn't…
Let's just hope it did.
"Excuse me but could lessen your grip on my cat. He looks like he can't breathe."
Snapping back to reality, Neo turned around to face, what she presumed was, the irresponsible owner. "Frizzy hair" she would call him, or maybe "extra". He didn't look all that remarkable, and he didn't seem like anything special. Lightening her grip on the poor feline, she watched it desperately take in air before meowing frantically at Frizzy Hair. The boy just chuckled though, brushing off the cat's panic and giving it a teasing smile.
"Morgana, just because you're cute doesn't mean you can attract pretty ladies as you please. Pardon him, Miss, he's quite the player." He jested with a smile. The now dubbed Morgana seemed to take offense to that, however. Neo couldn't help but snicker as the feline in her hands started angrily hissing and growling at Frizzy Hair.
"Yes, I know. You have eyes for only one girl. But you can't deny that she is pretty." Frizzy said, giving her a polite smile before returning his attention to Morgana. She liked that. He was flirting but, but it wasn't obnoxious like the cat calls she would receive time to time. The boy was polite, and that gave him point sin her department. She smiled at the compliment and winked at him, letting him know she was pleased with that little comment.
"I'm sorry, but could you keep him company a bit longer? I'll make it worth your time if you do." Make it worth her time? That sounded interesting. Nodding to let him know she accepted his offer, she gave him an alluring smile as she crossed her legs seductively. Usually this would make men, and sometimes women melt, but this had no effect on him, he just sauntered off to the ice cream stand without even giving her a second look, she didn't miss the amused look he gave her as he left.
A polite flirt capable of resisting her charms. Oh, this guy was definitely making things interesting now. Dropping Morgana on her lap and petting the feline, much to its ire, she waited for Frizzy to return. When he did, she couldn't help but drool and smile in satisfaction. He certainly did make the wait worth it.
He held a small bowl of mint chocolate ice cream on his right hand, while balancing two ice cream cones with double scoops on his left hand's index and middle finger. Making his way to her with the treats, she couldn't help herself from being impressed in his little accomplishment. He was just making things so fun today. He took a seat beside her, and offered one of the cones to her; two scoops of her favorite, what luck.
Smiling in appreciation, she took the cone from him and licked it, shivering in delight once more at the frozen dessert. Usually she would be giving her one hundred percent attention to the dessert, but she decided to observe Frizzy and Morgana. The cat had left her lap the moment she had took the cone and had sat prim and proper in between the two of them. She watched as Frizzy put down the small bowl in front of Morgana. Frizzy ate his ice cream slowly, savoring it just like she was, but quickly finished it once he got near the cone. He looked at her and smiled when he finished the treat, handing her a napkin he had been holding. Gratefully accepting it, she wiped off any excess ice cream that had melted, before expertly throwing it into the garbage. Frizzy clapped at her feat, which prompted her to bow a bit.
"I would like to stay and chat, but we have some business to take care of. It was nice to meet you."
Frizzy stood up and Morgana jumped inside his bag. She couldn't help but feel disappointed that her entertainment was leaving her. That wouldn't do. She had tons of spare time between her jobs and dumb bosses, so when she found what something she liked, she usually indulged in it until she was bored with it. Not wanting to just part ways with what she liked at the moment, she stood up and tapped his shoulder, giving him one of the demurest smiles she could muster before taking out her scroll and tapping it. He seemed to understand this and took out his own scroll. This guy knew when to take a hint too, it seemed.
"I'm surprised. I didn't expect to get a cute girl's number today." Frizzy stated, giving her his number while she gave hers. She couldn't help but smirk at his little compliment. He wasn't like her bosses, he actually had some tact. She only hoped he could keep her entertained long enough before all this was over.
Frizzy took his leave, walking away from her as she stared at his back. Just before he turned a corner, he looked at her and mysteriously smiled, she couldn't help but be surprised because it was the same kind of smile on of her bosses made. He spoke loud enough for her to hear, and the words that left his mouth shook her to the core; this guy was much more interesting than she had thought.
"You shouldn't hide your true appearance like that. You look much better the way you are." With that said, he turned the corner with the cat in tow, leaving her to stare in shock. It took a good few seconds for her to process what he had just said, a few more seconds to recover from the initial surprise. When she did, she couldn't help but think of the two in suspicion and wonder. The cat had shattered her illusion, which wasn't a fluke now that she thought about it, and Frizzy just saw past it for who knows how long.
Smiling to herself, she took off from where she stood. She had to meet up with her bosses; they had job to do tonight. Skipping as she twirled her umbrella wildly, she walked into an alley way where no one could see her. Letting her appearance shatter, her true self now out in the open, she jumped to the rooftops and looked at the direction Frizzy had left. Her scroll suddenly rang, prompting her to answer the call. It was her boss; the bitch, she was called sometimes. Scowling at her voice, she halfheartedly listened in to what the woman had to say in, already knowing what she had in mind.
"Hello dear." A roll of her eyes was her response. "Get back to base." And the call ended. No jokes, no compliments, just business. With that done, she made her way to where the woman told her to go, looking at the picture of Frizzy Hair she had secretly taken. She couldn't help but think he was far more entertaining than the woman right now. She couldn't wait to meet him once more. With her location now in front of her, she landed in front of their little warehouse, greeted by her first and favorite boss. Roman Torchwick held his arms out wide, smiling at her in relief. She couldn't help but look up to the man, Literally and figuratively, he was just so much fun sometimes.
"Neopolitan! Am I glad to see you; shall we start the debriefing?" Unfurling her umbrella at his words, she walked inside the base, eager to get started on their plan. A dust heist was the gist she was given, but she knew it wasn't just a normal heist. They would be stealing from one of the biggest dust Depositories in Vale, the same one that stored the dust needed for the Vytal Festival. With Roman behind her, she walked up to the door that led to the room where plans were discussed, opening it for Roman as he gave her a tilt of his hat in thanks
"Neo, you took your time." The woman drawled. Not wanting to anger the woman and waste her own time, she took her usual position in front the door so that no one could enter. Paying attention to the debriefing, she couldn't help but glare at the woman for a moment, her true thoughts letting themselves known.
She didn't like Cinder Fall. She wanted to stab her. However, Neo knew that she would be killed in an instant if she got in the woman's way, so she opted to stay on her good side until an opportunity arises. She liked Roman a lot, but the man had lost his touch when he started obeying Cinder; he just wasn't the same person that took her in so very long ago.
He disgusted her now; she would gladly leave his side if it meant preserving herself.
"And that is the plan. Any objections?" Cinder asked, making Neo snap out of her thoughts. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. 'Any objections'? Any that opposed would be charred in less than a second. "Good. Be on your way." And the meeting was adjourned. Not wanting to be anywhere near the woman any longer than possible, Neo left the room hurriedly, already far outside the warehouse.
She felt her scroll vibrate, it was Roman, no doubt going to ask where she went. Frowning at the name of the man she once idolized, she hit the decline button. She couldn't help but internally sigh. This wasn't how things were supposed to go, things changed too quickly for her to adjust. They used to call the shots but now they were just underlings in the greater scheme. Roman had become a pawn, and so had she. She was about to stuff the scroll away into her pocket, but it received a notification; Ren Amamiya being the sender.
Opening it, she was greeted to a picture of Morgana with a little pink bow on top of his head. "He wasn't pleased" Was the message that went along with it, and she couldn't help but agree. Silently giggling at the picture, she couldn't but feel a little better. Her mood lifted, if just a bit.
Twirling her umbrella in circles, she walked back to the warehouse with a smile. Maybe if she got to know him, he could somehow help her out of this mess. She knew that was a large stretch, but she couldn't help but think that Ren Amamiya may just be the key she needed. Maybe he could house a criminal or something. She would figure it out eventually. He was an opportunity to leave that group, and she wouldn't let that go any time soon.
If only she knew that he was much more than just the key to her problems, and that she would be presented with an opportunity much earlier than she would have ever expected.
Little Neo could only wait for what the future had in store for her. Much like anyone else who had interacted with the boy.
"I know this is sudden, but are you ready, Mona?"
"Hmph. Who do you think you're talking to? Of course, I'm ready."
The two stood on the rooftop just a block away from the Depository. They watched as White Fang members exited numerous airships parked in front of the building and marched their way into the building, yelling for everyone to get down. Gunshots were heard, but no alarms were sound, which meant that the organization had infiltrated the place before hand and disabled them. Screams and yells could be heard from afar, begging the group to spare their lives.
That was their queue.
"Let's go, Joker. It's time to show Remnant just who we are."
They dropped down to the street below the building and silently ran behind their airships. They swung their blades as they cleanly cut the tail and wings off the vehicle, rendering it unable to fly. The members outside were only given a second before they were sent to a deep sleep, Tentarafoo being the last words they will be hearing.
"Mona, tie them all up and put them somewhere they won't be found." Joker ordered. The bipedal cat quickly did as he was told, pulling a rope they had bought in preparation for the night. Joker walked to the closed front door of the building, stopping in front of it as he took a deep breath. Mona joined him a second later, done with the job he was given. With a heavy kick, Joker sent the steel door flying, knocking out a few unsuspecting members who had their back towards it. Slowly walking inside the room with loud steps, Ren analyzed the situation at hand. Hostages with their arms tied behind their backs were on the floor, while the White Fang members aimed their guns and readied their weapons at him.
"Who are you?!"
"Hunter?!"
"Monster Cat?!
"No one ordered a magician…"
"Don't move or we'll shoot!"
Smirking at that last comment, Joker challenged that, walking without a care in the world for he knew he was covered. "Magarudyne" He heard, no doubt Mona behind him saying the spell. The White Fang members flew as their guns were removed from their hands. They crashed onto the walls and roof of the building, screaming as they were sent flying. Their weapons were torn to shreds, the bullets they fired at last minute useless as the wind changed their trajectory. The wind disappeared, and the White Fang members that were in the room were defeated. The hostages were left untouched, their bodies remaining on the ground despite the elemental attack. Their restrains were destroyed by the wind Mona had made, allowing them to stand up.
"The police will be here soon. Please get away to safety soon as possible, we will handle this."
Making his way further inside the building towards the blown open vault, he was about to enter the giant storage archive of dust, but stopped when a faltering employee asked him a question.
"Who are you? You're not with the White Fang, that's obvious, but… who are you?"
Turning his body around, Joker was faced with several hostages staring at him. Suspicion and fear filled their eyes as they observed him, unsure of what to make of the person who had saved their lives.
Introductions were always a must, weren't they?
Letting out a series of blue flames, but not summoning his persona, Joker glanced at the hostages that were staring with their jaws dropped, a cocky smile adorning his face as he introduced himself to them, and subsequently to the world.
"I am Joker, Leader of the Phantom Thieves. But you can just call me –"
"Remnant's Phantom."
AN
Reviews and flames. I feed off opinions.
Hope the next update doesn't take long.
