Chapter 7
Gold Dust
Schnee Company Private Docks
Team RBY
Ruby, Blake, and Yang arrived on the pier only to see guards and mechs everywhere. A loudspeaker kept announcing that the docks were closed for the remainder of the day. In the distance they could see a large tarp-covered object that had to be at least twenty feet tall, the bulk of the guard forces seemed to be centered around it.
"How are we supposed to find Weiss in all of this?" Ruby looked across the dock but everything was white. The Schnee Security Force was all wearing white armor, and the newly upgraded Atlesium Knights were made of a white alloy. Not to mention that Weiss' entire wardrobe consisted of only white clothing.
Blake shook her head, "At least we know she wasn't avoiding us, her family must've called her out here. Can either of you see the name of the ship back there?"
Yang squinted, "I think it says 'Gold Dust.' Why?"
"Just confirming a suspicion, that ship has more guards than most other Schnee facilities. The only place that has more guards is their headquarters in Atlas. The White Fang has been trying for years to take that ship, but every raid they ever sent was destroyed."
Off in the distance Blake saw two large black mechs appear on the deck of the ship. "Not those things again…" Yang and Blake turned towards Blake quizzically. "The two mechs on the ship, the last time I saw one of those things was right before I left the White Fang. It wasn't an easy fight."
Yang grabbed Blake in a friendly side hug smiling happily, "Relax. You're not here as a member of the White Fang, you're here as a friend of Weiss Schnee, an heiress of the Schnee Dust Company."
Blake smiled, "You're right. It feels good to hear it that way."
Ruby noticed some of the guards heading towards some brand new Paladins. "Even if we are Weiss' friends, I don't think that the guards will just let us in, and there are way too many of them for us to be able to sneak in."
Yang pulled Ruby to her other side, joining Blake in their strange line hug. "Ruby, I'm sure you're just overreacting. It's not like they're going to shoot us on sight or something."
Nearby Warehouse
White Fang & Cinder's Faction
Adam Taurus stood pacing in a warehouse far from the water. "How long do we have to wait? We've never had such a great chance to attack the 'Gold Dust' before. Why are you wasting it?"
"Patience, Adam." Cinder Fall sat comfortably on a nearby couch wearing her usual red dress while holding a strange black scroll. "With this, you won't have to worry about a thing."
Adam crossed his arms and looked at her menacingly. "Are you going to fill me in on the whole plan yet?"
"All will be revealed in due time." Just then the warehouse door slid open as Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black entered wearing the standard Schnee Security Force armor. "I trust that all of the transmitters are in place?"
Emerald nodded while Mercury smiled and said, "Every last one is in place and ready to go. We were even able to convince this little girl with blue hair to help us with one of them. But don't worry, we had the helmets on, no one ever saw our faces."
A dog-eared Faunus standing near Adam cut in, "What transmitters? I thought we were sneaking in and blowing the place sky high."
"Relax. This is merely the opening act for a much bigger show." Cinder smiled venomously as she pressed a few buttons on her black scroll. "We'll strike a crippling blow to the Schnee Company while not losing a single one of our soldiers."
Adam and his lieutenant looked at her quizzically, not fully trusting her but knowing full well that she'd deliver on her promises. One way or another.
Vale Rooftops
Neo & Phantom
"You know, you really shouldn't be so nervous. We'll get your uncle, he'll jump at the chance for the money the Dusk is offering and I'll even take you out for ice cream to celebrate soon. How does that sound?" The taller woman now wore a dark purple helmet obscuring her face while letting her silver hair out as a ponytail out of the back of her helmet.
Neo attempted a small smile at the Phantom, though she didn't relax too much. She wasn't used to having to rely on anyone other than her uncle, though for some reason she did feel more at ease with this woman. She didn't question her, didn't pity her for her muteness, or question her choice in fashion. Though she did mention how she had friends who really liked to dress weird.
"Let me let you in on a little secret. My friend didn't tell me a lot of what I'd encounter here, saying it was best to allow time to take its proper intended course. But he did tell me how some of my plans would turn out, and with our combined abilities, this'll be a breeze."
She then smiled at the younger girl and despite her face being obscured by the helmet, Neo felt more assured by her mysterious words. Though what did catch her attention was that someone that Phantom knew, somehow knew what was going to happen.
Phantom then grabbed Neo's shoulder and said, "Whenever you're ready, teleport us up there. We'll be done in no time." And with that the two disappeared with the sound of shattering glass.
Just for reference Phantom's armor is heavily based around Capcom's Megaman ZX series, specifically the forms of Biometal P. In the Dusk all four of the 'Guardian' Biometals are in use. (Harpunia, Fefnir, Phantom, and Leviathan) Most of these characters go by different names in my story designs. Phantom (because that is the character's last name) happens to have been the first one I created centered around the Biometal theme.