A/N Act2 is here! Just like before I encourage you to leave feedback, but i ask you to wait until you finish the whole Act (8 chapters this time, which will all be here in a few minutes of they are not already) before you do so. Enjoy!
Act 2
Secrets and Lies
Beacon came into view from the airship window. Velvet's team was already waiting for her, as well as Weiss and Blake. She was here to start her final year. She was also going to start her search for Ruby once more. The petal she found breathed new vitality into her heart. Ruby had to be somewhere, and Velvet wouldn't give up this time no matter how long it took. She was never going to love Ruby any less. The pair parted on their very first 'I love you's, how could anyone leave it there?
"Hey Velv. You seem almost cheery." Coco greeted.
"I found something." She told them. "I'll tell you all later. Let's get settled in first." She looked over Weiss and Blake. The faunus had her arm around the heiress, who seemed to be crying recently. "How's Winter?"
"Still asleep. She's not doing any worse though, no life support needed, I suppose that's good." Weiss answered.
"Can't pull the plug if there's no plug to pull." Coco stated.
"Coco!" Velvet was astonished at her leader's bluntness.
"What? I'm trying." Coco shrugged.
The group headed to their respective dorm rooms to unpack. After some time, Weiss and Blake knocked on the door to CFVY dorm. "You said you had found something?" Blake asked Velvet after Fox answered the door.
"Well, yeah, but are you sure you don't want to take more time to settle?" The rabbit asked her cat friend.
Weiss pushed through the door to answer. "There's only one thing that could make you like this. One person."
"I'm curious too." Coco told her.
Velvet wasn't prepared to show them so soon, but decided to barrel through. "Okay, look at these." She pulled out a few rose petals. "Do you notice anything?"
Blake looked over them before pointing one out. "That one is different from the rest. It's subtle, but it's more than just being a different breed of rose."
The rabbit girl smiled. "That's because that one is from Ruby. From her speed semblance."
Weiss perked up. "Are you saying you found this recently?"
"In Vale, about a month and a half ago now. I could have sworn I caught Ruby's scent just before I found it." Velvet answered. She looked around to see mostly questioning glances. "I admit, it's rather flimsy, and I'm not asking you to help me. But it's something, and that's more than I've had in months. So I'm going to start looking again."
The group around her knew they couldn't change her mind. "When do you plan to start looking?" Weiss asked her.
"A few days into classes, so I can figure out how to search without wearing myself out too much for academia." She answered.
"Alright." Weiss nodded. "I'll join you."
"Are you sure, Weiss?" Blake asked her girlfriend. "What about studies? Winter?"
"She was our team leader. We have to follow this lead, even if it's a dead end already. We owe it to her to try. We can figure out a schedule with Velvet that doesn't interrupt our own schooling. And as far as Winter… there's something I want to ask Junior." The heiress explained. The cat faunus thought for a moment before coming to realization, and nodded. Velvet questioned the couple with a glance. "Sorry, we made a promise. We can't tell you just yet. It has nothing to do with Ruby, don't worry."
With that, the two groups split for the night. Velvet stared out into the sunset, wondering if Ruby was doing the same at this moment. I'm going to find you. I swear it this time, love. As Weiss settled to sleep that night, her own thoughts were of Torchwick. There was another living human who saw what happened other than Winter. And Weiss was going to find him and get answers.
Reaper couldn't enjoy the sunset if she wanted to. She currently strode through one of the massive underground caverns just outside of Vale's walls. Roman had a large compound currently under construction here to keep his new gang out of public sight. Though not yet large by any means, the new gang had more members every day. Its rapid expansion kept Roman confined to a private office, fine tuning deals and details day in and day out. Not that he minded, in fact he seemed to enjoy sitting back and watching his money grow.
Reaper didn't miss the time she lost with Torchwick. Ever since the outfit started growing and she started dealing with him less directly, she's had fewer Red Haze incidents. She was now officially a high ranking lieutenant in the organization, equal to Neo and second only to Torchwick himself. They only spoke using his constantly cycling secretaries as cut outs because Roman was just as uneager to be near any of Reaper's rages as Reaper was to have them. Sigh… He may frustrate me, but I can't say I don't respect him professionally. He's good at what he does. It's only been a few months since he got back, and he's already got this far.
Neo was another story. She seemed to go out of her way to be around Reaper. Whenever one had to go into Vale, the other always just happened to be on the same assignment. Even their personal houses, small private mansions built down here for each of them (perks of their rank), just happened to be annoyingly close to each other. The windows to the master bedrooms just happened to face each other, and just happened to be three feet apart.
Reaper banished the hard to read creature from her mind. She stepped through her front doors and headed straight for her bed. She had had a long day, and just wanted some sleep. Her kitchen was occupied, however, by Torchwick's current assistant. "Hello, miss Reaper." She stated professionally. Boy he knows how to pick 'em. Reaper admired the cute girl and her long brown hair. She was about to say something flirty back when another brown haired girl, one with long rabbit ears, came to mind.
"Yeah, what do you want?" She said instead, coldly. The brunette was unfazed. Reaper already had a reputation for being difficult to work with and work for down here, often cold and occasionally very angry.
"Mr. Torchwick wants you to pay Junior a visit within the next few days. The man is behind on his information-"
"And we need to figure out why he is delayed." The scythe master finished for the girl. "Why me? This is a small job."
"We're still gaining our footing in the underworld."
"Intimidation. Send someone important, show we aren't to be fucked with." Reaper nodded.
"And no one down here is more intimidating than you. It's quite an impressive reputation, honestly."
Did she just wink? Is she flirting with me? Again, the long eared girl of the past interrupted her thoughts. "I'm sure it is. And likely deserved. Are we done?"
"Um… Yes…" The secretary seemed hurt and disappointed, departing quickly. Maybe Roman should get a blonde next. No wait, that might be worse… Reaper realized that a lot of Roman's recent assistants seemed to hit on her. In fact, quite a few remarks seemed to fly her way lately no matter where they're from. She decided to look over herself in a passing mirror to determine why. Holy crap… I've filled out like Yang… That's right, I'm about the age she was now… huh…
Reaper continued to her bedroom, stepping inside to another unwelcome sight. Neo had somehow managed to get inside, and was lying very suggestively and very naked on Reaper's bed. Reaper just sighed and crossed her arms. "What are you doing?" Once again, the multi colored girls peculiarities were far from Reaper's understanding. Neo rolled her eyes and grabbed a scroll from the nearby bedside table.
'Really?' She sent to Reaper's black scroll.
The black clad girl raised an eyebrow. "I don't get you. I'm not in a Red Haze, I don't need this. What I do need is sleep." Neo huffed at Reaper's words, dressing and leaving with an air of frustration, jumping out of Reaper's window and into her own home through hers. "Finally…" She said to her bed, about to drop in when she remembered Neo had been naked on here a moment before. She tore the top sheet off and replaced the blanket before settling in for sleep.
A few days later, Velvet waited in front of the fountain in the Beacon courtyard. She and the last of team RWBY were going to look for Ruby today, starting with a few questions at Junior's Club. She didn't want to get her hopes up. She knew it may take months, even longer, to find her Rose. But she wasn't going to give up and give into sorrow this time. It was hard not to at least be hopeful after the petal that proved to Velvet that Ruby was somewhere in Vale.
"You ready to go?" She heard Blake ask as her and Weiss drew near. Velvet only nodded, determined to finally find her girlfriend. They made their way through Vale, minds completely on the task at hand. Across town, another small group (a pair actually) resolved to set off for Junior's Club as well. Reaper had no idea how on Remnant Neo managed to get herself attached to this job. Just one of them could handle it. Hell, a random goon could handle it. Why send both of the highest ranking lieutenants? Neo's constant and unexplained presence was starting to wear on Reaper's legendarily short patience.
Junior's Club was, as always, loud and colorful. The man himself stood behind the counter, playing a second bartender to keep an eye on his club. Ever since some crazy blonde blew it up, he liked to keep an eye on the guests. It also allowed him to see when people such as Neo and Reaper showed up. What the hell are they doing here? It must be important. "Back office." He told them both, pointing its way with his head, as they came close.
"So what's this about?" He asked them once they were secure in the soundproof office.
"You don't know?" Reaper asked him, hood drawn as always. Junior didn't even know how the girl saw in that thing; he only ever saw the girl's mouth it was pulled so low. "We paid good money for your 'Brochure'."
"You haven't gotten it?" he asked, checking his computer. "I sent it out, the courier told me he got it done."
Reaper and Neo traded glances. "Who was the courier?"
"Some new blood." Junior answered. "He passed my checks. Funny… I haven't seen him since."
Reaper thought about it for a second. Before she made any deductions, she needed to know he was telling the truth. She flashed forward and drew Brutal Thorn, unfolding the all black sniper-scythe and drawing the blade around the front of his neck and spoke from behind him. "You wouldn't lie to us, right Junior?"
"And make you, of all people, angry? Not all of us are insane, Reaper." He told her.
"Were going to need a Brochure." Reaper reminded him.
"Top right drawer. The master copy. I'm done for this month, so just take it." He offered quickly, desperate to get the serrated blade from around his neck. Reaper withdrew Brutal Thorn and picked up the file. Junior's 'Brochures' were filled with all the juicy information a criminal organization could need. Unless there was an active gang war, everyone only utilized intel from their districts, as an unspoken curtesy.
Someone knocked on the door to the office, drawing the attention of all the occupants. Junior looked to Reaper and Neo. "Act normal." Reaper told him, her and Neo shimmering from existence.
"They just keep getting weirder." Junior answered the door. "What? I was in a… something important…"
"Some girls are here, insisting that they speak to you."
"What girls?"
"There's a rabbit faunus dressed in brown, some girl in all white, and a cat girl in all black. The white one says she can pay." Reaper's breathing hitched.
"I'll be right out." He closed the door. "I assume you'll show yourselves out? I have a business to run." He spoke to the apparently empty room before departing. Reaper followed closely, walking into the main room. It can't be… apparently it can. She spotted Velvet, Weiss, and Blake at the bar. What are they doing here? Neo noticed them too, and kept herself and Reaper shielded.
Reaper got close enough to eavesdrop while making sure her scent couldn't be picked apart from the crowd by the two faunus. "What do you three want?" she heard Junior ask.
"I'm looking for a girl." Velvet told him. "The picture I have is old, be she couldn't have changed much." She showed him her scroll. He shook his head. "She might have been wearing a black skirt, and a red cloak with a hood?" the rabbit girl pressed. Velvet is looking for me? Why is she looking for me?
"That would stand out. Sorry. Is that all?"
"No." Weiss talked this time. "We're also looking for any information you may have on Roman Torchwick."
Torchwick? Is Winter awake? Why are they looking for Torchwick? Atlas never said he was the escapee… Ironwood. Of course Winter's sister could get that information from Ironwood.
"Sorry, last I heard he was locked up tight."
"I know for a fact that's not true." Weiss rebutted.
If Winter were awake, Weiss wouldn't be as passive as she is about looking for me. I'm sure of it.
"Really now?" Junior said, with mock-interest.
"I can pay." Weiss told him.
Junior looked her up and down. He could tell she was a Schnee. "It would take a lot of money for me to say anything about Torchwick."
"So he's a big player in Vale again?" Blake interjected, catching Junior off guard.
"Not yet. But soon. One doesn't do well in my line of work without anticipating the tides."
Weiss pulled out her wallet. "What will 500 Lien buy me?"
"A cab." Junior played smart-ass.
"A Thousand?" Weiss asked.
Junior thought for a second. "Double that and I can give you a name."
"Two grand for one name?" The heiress asked incredulously.
"It's a good name." Junior assured her. Weiss handed over the cash with a huff. "Orange Clockwork. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm busy."
Damn it. Reaper grimaced, Can't really fault an information broker for doing his job, but god-damn it. 'Orange Clockwork' was the name of the front company Roman set up to handle laundering and legitimate businesses.
Reaper and Neo got up to leave, going through the back alley. As they rounded to the front, Reaper made sure the girls weren't coming out before continuing. "Where did you find the petal?" Weiss asked Velvet as the Beacon group stepped outside. Petal? One of mine? Is that why she's looking for me?
"Around the north part of Industrial." Velvet answered.
The train heist. That's where I started my run at the train. What the hell was she doing around there?
"What were you doing around there?" Blake asked her.
"I was a couple streets over, in Commercial, when I caught her scent."
Reaper waited until the Beacon girls were a good distance away before moving. It wouldn't be good if Velvet is searching as actively as it just sounded. It'll make it harder to move in Vale when I have to constantly watch out for her. Add that to what she heard Junior tell them, and Roman was not going to be happy with her report. He had been on the other end of just how persistent her old team can be, and now Reaper knew how annoying it was for a criminal group to have to watch out for a group of schoolgirls on top of all the normal problems.
