Chapter 7
Hey there guys. Sorry for the late upload. I was catching up with a friend I haven't seen for a while and kind of lost track of time haha my bad. Anyways, this chapter was a little rushed so I apologize for any grammatical errors there might be, and hopefully it's not any worse than my usual quality of writing. Expect the next chapter to be out soon! I plan to start on it right away ^-^
"And then, I raised my weapon and sliced its head clean off, leaving the rest of the pack to retreat in fear!"
Professor Port was going on another rant about how he was a spectacular huntsman. Weiss and Blake studiously scribbled down notes, writing down every detail. Yang had dozed off and Ruby was busy waging a thumb war against Alear in the uppermost seats in the room.
It had only been a few days but Alear was already feeling better, bonding and growing closer with his friends at Beacon, especially Ruby. The duo had become much like kindred spirits after she helped him through the traumatic experience a few days prior. An unspoken bond now connected them.
Weiss scowled up at them. They should be paying attention to class! Her expression softened when she felt a small hand on her forearm. It belonged to Nix. A curious look was on her face. Weiss blushed at the contact, turning back to her furious scribbling. The illusionist took the opportunity to scoot closer to the heiress.
Nix placed her hand on Weiss's knee, causing her to tense up as Nix moved her mouth next to her ear. "You know, we should hang out sometime," she whispered.
Weiss's face was red hot as she tried to ignore the sensations spreading throughout her body. She just wanted to continue taking notes, but Nix had other plans. The illusionist slowly starting tracing her fingers along the heiress's thigh, causing Weiss to panic on the inside. She tried to ignore the feeling, not wanting to cause a scene, as Nix's finger moved closer and closer to her private area. Just as Nix was about to reach her prize, Professor Port gave Weiss an excuse to break the contact without causing a ruckus.
"Does anyone have any questions?" His bushy eyebrows twitched as he asked this.
Weiss immediately jumped at the opportunity, literally. "Yes, sir!" Her sudden outburst startled the many students who had been sleeping prior to her exclamation. Blake raised a curious eyebrow, donning a small smile after seeing Nix's facial expression. The illusionist winked at Blake, telling the cat Faunus all she needed to know. She had noticed Nix steadily increasing her advances toward the cold heiress.
"Well?" asked the Professor. "What is it?"
"Um…" Weiss paused, realizing she'd have to make something up. "I…just wanted to say…that you're an amazing huntsman." She slowly nodded to herself. "Yea that's it," she muttered. "Hopefully we can all aspire to be like you one day." She could hear Ruby and Alear laughing at her, much to her irritation, but she kept her composure. It was something she had been forced to learn, growing up the way she did. An heiress wasn't allowed to lose her cool. She must be in complete control of herself at all times.
Port didn't seem to notice the laughter and straightened his posture at the praise. Nix took advantage of the situation, sliding her hand under Weiss's skirt and pinching her ass, earning a jump and a yelp.
"Are you alright Ms. Schnee?" asked Professor Port through his glorious, bushy moustache.
She quickly slammed back down into her seat, eyes downcast. "Yes sir."
Nix planned to enjoy herself further, but Port interrupted her.
"Ms. Nix, Mr. Meerin," he started, interrupting Alear's thumb war as well. "Ozpin would like to see you in his office, now. You can get the notes from a classmate."
Nix nodded and swung her hips seductively as she walked away, gluing Weiss's eyes to the sight. She could feel her body growing hotter the longer she stared. She swiftly snapped out of her stupor when Alear made his way out of the room as well, leaving behind a pouting Ruby. She moved in a blur next to Weiss, needing something to do since she no longer had a thumb war partner.
"What's the matter with you?" asked the young scythe-wielder.
"N-Nothing. What makes you say think something's wrong?"
"You're face is as red as my cloak," stated Ruby matter-of-factly.
Weiss smacked her head against the table, letting out a groan. "I think I'm in love."
-With Alear and Nix-
"So you're totally trying to fuck Weiss, right?"
Nix feigned innocence before growing a sinister smile. "Maybe. Or maybe I want something more than that."
Alear chuckled. "Is little Nix in love?"
Nix scoffed. her heart racing slightly at the thought of Weiss. "Please, I'm just curious as to what a relationship is like."
Alear wrapped his arm around her shoulder, much like a brother watching over a sibling. "You haven't been in a relationship before have you?" he asked gingerly. She nodded, a little bummed. "Well, you've never been one to back away from a challenge. Don't worry, I'm here if you have ANY questions," he said while wriggling his eyebrows.
She punched his arm playfully. "I know about THAT. Just because I haven't been in a relationship doesn't mean I'm a virgin."
"Hmm, valid point. Heh if you're anything like your sister, well…let's just say I feel bad for Weiss."
"Ew! Ew! Ew! Don't tell me that!" She was horrified at the thought of her sister's sex life. Alear almost collapsed from laughter. She pushed him away as they reached Ozpin's office. Alear rapped on the door with his knuckle.
"Come in," called Ozpin from within.
Upon entering, they sat in two chairs placed in front of the Headmaster's desk. Goodwitch stood to his left.
"We do something wrong?" asked Alear bluntly.
"No, nothing of the sort. In fact, I brought you two here to finalize the details of your first mission." Nix leaned forward in her chair, anxious to hear about their assignment. Ozpin placed a small, metal device on the center of his desk. Goodwitch tapped a few buttons on her scroll. The device activated with a small hum. A blue light shone from the center of the device, projecting a detailed assortment of pictures and reports on something called "The Dust Gulch." It appeared to a mining operation.
Recognition flowed through Alear as he looked upon the scattered images.
"This…" muttered Alear. "This is where I was born…where I was enslaved."
Ozpin and Goodwitch shared a concerned look. Nix looked mildly shocked.
"Interesting," replied the Headmaster. "This is the site of a recently restarted Dust mining operation. After some investigation, we discovered it's being headed by the White Fang." The device showed images of White Fang guards patrolling on top of the walls of the compound; some were pushing prisoners toward the mines. "They're using slave labor, human and Faunus alike."
'This is what Xera must've been talking about…" thought Alear.
"Who's this investigator of yours?" asked Nix.
Ozpin gave them a strange smile. "A dusty old crow." This only seemed to confuse Nix. "Don't worry, he's a trusted friend. His intel is reliable." She reluctantly nodded her acceptance.
Glynda cleared her throat. "We need you to enter this compound, find out where their sending the Dust, why they need it, and shut down their operation if possible. Your top priority, however, is information about the Dust. Terrorists gathering large amounts of it is never good."
"Sounds simple enough," replied Alear.
"Yes, well we'll see." Glynda pushed another button on her scroll. The image changed to a stern looking, middle aged man. Stats such as age, name, and gender were to the right of the picture. A small bio was underneath.
Glynda began to read these aloud. "Overseer Geralt Nomant, age 47. Gender: human male. Eye and hair color: brown. Many years ago Geralt was an influential overseer at a secluded Schnee Dust Company Dust mining operation. He reigned for over two decades, enslaving countless Faunus, and forcing them to work in his mines. When these facts became known to the public, the Schnee Dust Company denied all ties to the operation and publically condemned these actions. Shortly after, the White Fang raided the camp, along with several others, and freed the slaves. The staff was mostly killed, but a rare few were captured alive. Geralt was among the captured and it was assumed he was their prisoner, until recently. It's now known that he is a free man and is currently collaborating with the terrorist organization. He is now overseer, once again, at the Dust Gulch."
The hologram ended. The blue light faded back into the device. Alear was gripping the arms of his chair so hard they almost splintered.
"Is your mission understood?" asked Ozpin.
"When do we leave?" replied Alear swiftly.
"Within the hour, but first, Glynda would like to set up a precaution."
Glynda stood in front of the two students. "I'd like to set up a glyph on the two of you. This glyph will allow us to watch your progress from a first person point of view that we can access from our scrolls. We'll be able to hear and see everything that you do."
Nix frowned, not liking the idea of being monitored. "When exactly will these glyphs be removed?"
"Upon your return to Beacon of course." The blonde teacher pushed her glasses up on her face. "These glyphs are for purely academic reasons. We have no interest in your personal lives."
Nix looked unconvinced, but shrugged it off. Alear silently nodded.
Ozpin stood up, clutching his cane. "I'm glad that's understood. You will depart in exactly one hour. I suggest you ready yourselves and report to the docks. Ms. Goodwitch will cast the glyphs upon your arrival." The two students began to exit the office. "Oh, and one more thing. The information you're looking for will most likely be in the Overseer's office. Do take care when dealing with him. I hear he's not without skill."
Alear left without a word with Nix close behind. He looked pissed.
Nix grabbed his hand, bringing him to a stop. "Hey, you alright?"
"I will be once I rip that bastard's throat out." Alear pressed on.
"That's kind of morbid don't you think? What do you have against him?" replied Nix. He didn't answer.
They walked back to the room in silence, turning their backs to each other as they changed into their combat gear.
Team RWBY decided to pay a visit at the worst possible time. They burst into the room while the two were in the middle of changing. Nix had just finished putting on her leggings with only a bra covering her B-cups. Alear wore only his pants.
While Yang and a more subtle Blake admired his chest, Ruby threw her hood over her eyes. Weiss was embarrassed but couldn't help but stare at Nix's partially uncovered form, much to the illusionist's delight.
The partners looked at the four newcomers. "Sup?" they said nonchalantly in unison.
"Don't mind us," said Yang with a toothy grin. She leaned against the doorframe.
Blake smacked her arm. "You do know that's MY boyfriend, right?"
Yang simply shrugged. "Real friends share don't they?" Blake rolled her eyes at her partner's antics.
Once the two were dressed Alear began looking over his weapon, sharpening the blades and loading clips for Storm Breaker.
"What are you gearing up for?" asked Ruby, pulling her hood back down.
"Got an assignment," explained the wolf Faunus. "We leave in about forty minutes or so."
"Just the two of you?!" asked Weiss incredulously.
"Yup," answered Nix. "All a part of being in the new Stealth Force."
Blake strolled over to Alear, sitting down next to him. "You weren't kidding about that?"
Alear smiled. "Nope."
Blake leaned her head down in the crook of his neck. She grabbed one of his hands in hers and flipped it so it was palm side up. She started tracing her finger along his palm. "You know, I was kind of looking forward to spending some time with you today. Maybe go on a date or something."
The wolf Faunus's grin was now ear to ear. "You know, you're cute when you're possessive." He started rubbing her ears over her bow. She purred lightly, pressing closer to him. "How about this, I'll take you out on a date when I get back, okay?"
"Make it two, and you have a deal," she said, haggling. He couldn't believe his girlfriend was trying to negotiate.
He decided to go along with it, not really caring about the extra date. It just meant more time he had to spend with his beautiful Kitty Cat. "It's a deal. I guess now I'll have to be extra careful, especially where I'm going."
Blake looked up, meeting his eyes. "What do you mean?
"I'm returning to my birthplace; the last place I saw my mother." His eyes grew a little distant, remembering things he'd rather forget. "I already know my…father…is there." He said the word with disgust.
Weiss frowned, remembering the night he shared his past. "I'm sorry. If it wasn't for my father, your mother wouldn't have suffered at this overseer's hands." Alear's face contorted as he stifled a laugh. Weiss grew irritated at the response. "What's so funny?" she snapped.
"Don't get all mushy on me, Ice Queen," he said. "Sure my birth was unwanted and forced, but I wouldn't be here if it happened any other way." He kissed Blake on the temple. "And most importantly, I wouldn't have met my Kitty." Blake buried her head into his shoulder, trying to hide her blush as the girls let out a collective "Awww."
The cat Faunus suddenly whispered in Alear's ear. "Trying to butter me up, Puppy Dog?" He responded by giving her shapely bottom a squeeze. Her startled response was adorable.
The wolf Faunus glanced at Ruby. "And of course I wouldn't have met my little, red, cookie devouring friend here."
Ruby stood proudly at his comments. "Your dang right!"
"Or even Ms. Ice Queen over there." The heiress stiffened, expecting harsh statements. This, however, was not what came from Alear. "Despite the rough start, I truly value our friendship. You might be a little cold on the surface, but deep down you have a warm heart. That is hard to find nowadays. You're always there for people when it counts. I respect that."
Weiss turned her head away in a fake scoff. "I don't know what you're talking about." She waited a moment before giggling. "Thank you. I guess you're not so bad either."
Alear wasn't done there. He next turned to Yang. "Don't think I've forgotten about the famous Blonde Brawler. You always protect the people closest to you and quite frankly, you're one of the coolest people I know." They fist bumped. Yang smirked, finding new-found admiration for the wolf. "You ever need anything, feel free to ask." She nodded with a wide grin. "That goes for everyone. You were all there for me when I needed it, now I intend to return the favor."
Nix slyly stepped toward Weiss, grabbing her hand. "You know, I appreciate you too," Nix whispered in the heiress's ear. Weiss could no longer take all this ceaseless flirting. Before her nerves could get the better of her, she rapidly snaked her arm around the illusionist's waist, pulling her into a kiss. Nix immediately leaned into it, lashing out with her tongue experimentally. Weiss wouldn't have hesitated to allow her deeper access to her mouth, but she remembered where she was when she heard a shutter noise from a camera.
Weiss quickly pulled away, slowly filling with rage. She was desperate to find the source of the noise.
Yang smiled innocently as she tried to discreetly put her scroll back in her pocket.
"Yang Xiao Long! Delete that photo!" The two proceeded to run around the room, Weiss chasing Yang. The Brawler bolted out of the room with a pissed off heiress on her tail.
Nix look quite pleased with herself. Ruby stood there gawking.
"Damn Nix," said Alear, breaking the silence. He stood up, a look of disbelief on his face. "You just kissed the Schnee heiress…" He raised his hand. "Gimme some." She gladly high-fived him while Blake rolled her eyes.
"Something tells me her father isn't going to approve," giggled Nix.
"What?" gasped Alear with feigned shock. "You're telling me the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company won't approve of a former member of a criminal organization that's currently waging a full-scale war against them?!"
"Don't be so dramatic," said Blake as Nix's laugh spread like an infection.
"Her dad can suck one for all I care. I have an heiress to woo." She was incredibly happy at the sudden turn of events.
Alear checked his scroll. "Oh shit, we gotta go! We got about ten minutes to get to the docks."
Nix grabbed a small case from her bed and took off out the door; her multi-colored hair flowed behind her. Alear strapped Storm Breaker to his back and followed his partner, giving Blake one last smile and ruffling Ruby's hair as he passed her.
Ruby plopped down next to Blake. "Don't worry about him. He'll be fine."
The cat Faunus looked out the window at the setting sun. "He better be, he owes me two dates."