XxX-XxX-XxX
Official Supporters:
Obsessive Readers, Laurel
Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin
Commissioner, Gib, Death Daddy, Le Spork, Polemoduke
If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : /2UZncAm
Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i) (slash)kfhkfUb
I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.
Beta(s) :
XxX-XxX-XxX
Requested by :
Le Spork
XxX-XxX-XxX
"But she's alright?" Weiss asked quietly, leaning against the door in the brightly lit hallway of the office building she had come to. It was mostly empty, the doors scattered every dozen or so feet along the way drawn closed as the workers inside went about their meetings and work.
"She's doing as well as can be expected." Ren answered quietly, "She's been in bed since yesterday. Jaune is… Trying to make her eat lunch, at least."
"Lunch was an hour ago…"
"I know." Ren sighed, sounding as tired as she'd ever heard someone. She heard someone say something in the background, Nora she assumed, and he grunted, "Have to go. Nora is going to try and get Pyrrha to watch a movie with us."
"Alright." Weiss nodded, ending the call and sliding her Scroll into her bag. Shaking her head, she murmured, "Damn Mistral and damn its lazy law…"
Even if it had helped her father make so much of their fortune…
Smoothing out the pants of her simple, grey suit and turned, reaching for the handle and yanking the door open with all the demanding authority she'd been taught in Atlas. Inside was a messy excuse for an office, with shelves that lined the walls covered in books, folders and scrolls - both paper and electronic, both kinds stacked in the ends where they would stay more firmly - and a simple spinning ceiling fan that lightly clicked with each spin. The floor, at least, was clean, a nice enough carpet covering it. But the desk at the back was cheap and filthy, simple oak and covered in paperwork and trash.
The man behind it was little better.
He was dark-skinned and bald, with a scar that crawled back along his head from one eyebrow all the way to his spine. As if someone had somehow peeled up his skin from his skull, then laid it back to heal along an ugly, ragged line. His own suit was blue, but pitted along one side of his collar by burns, and his pant legs let her see stains on the knees as he stepped around. Old, barely grey against the blue, but oh so obvious. Even so, the middle-aged man smiled, bright blue eyes kind, as he offered her a hand.
"Barnaby Blue." He smiled, taking the hand she offered in both his own and shaking it eagerly. Still smiling, he said, "And thank you, Miss Schnee, for this chance."
"O-Of course." She smiled, reflexively curling and uncurling her fingers when he released her hand and rushed back around his desk. Why were his fingers so sweaty…? Shaking her head, she laid a hand on the back of the simple office chair on her side and smiled, "I presume this to be mine?"
"Hm?" He hummed, looking up as he sat and then nodding, "Of course."
"Thank you…" She sighed, taking the seat and forcing herself to smile politely as best she could in spite of her rapidly waning confidence. Leaning forward, hands folded in her lap, "I was told you're our… Primary expert on Mistralian contract law?"
"In Vale, at least." He nodded, chuckling wearily and gesturing at the mess that was the private office, "I'm mostly here on retainer for specialized cases, but I keep myself busy helping other departments. I may not be up to Atlas snuff, but you can rest assured, I'm valued here. And will be to you, too, Miss Schnee."
She smiled, ignoring the usual up-selling she'd come to expect from all the board meetings and press screenings she'd had to sit through, and nodded, "Of course."
'He will do' her father's message had read - and she was forced to have a little faith in the man, in spite of her better instincts.
"Now, I got a summary of the issue from your Headmistress." The man grunted, turning and organizing a stack of folders in all different sizes, colors and states of damage. Tapping them with all the fingers of a hand, splayed out across them meaningfully, he said, "Do you understand Mistralian contract laws, and their place in the Vytal Treaty?"
Her pride immediately told her to say yes, teachings of her father pushing to the fore as ever, but she bit the inside of her cheek before she could. Instead, she said, "Not well enough for this, no."
"I see." He smiled, "The brief version, then?"
"No." Weiss shook her head, "I want the long version."
"Er… How long, precisely?"
"I have two days off of classes, starting today." She explained for him simply, leaning back in her seat and smiling primly. "You are going to teach me everything you can in that time. And we are going to work together to put this whole ugly mess to bed."
"I see…"
"Is that against your tastes?"
"No, just…" He sat back and sighed, tapping his hand on the arm of his chair and raising his eyebrows meaningfully. "It's a lot."
"I'm well aware." She frowned, "But I will not be unprepared for this fight, Mister Blue."
His eyes narrowed, just a bit, before he sighed and nodded, "Mister Blue Eyes, to my friends. Pretty striking feature, I'm sure you can see."
"Mister Blue Eyes, then." She smiled, gesturing at the papers, "Shall we?"
"I'm going to start with the brief I drew up." He nodded, turning and picking up the top folder, reaching across his desk to offer it to her. It was flashy and showing off, and hard to do without Myrtenaster, but she flicked a finger instead of moving, using a line of barely palm-sized glyphs to carry it to her while the man sat back, impressed, and nodded, "You are a Schnee, I guess…"
"Indeed." She nodded, ignoring him - and the suitably off-put look he was giving her - as she opened the folder and skimmed. And Father had taught her more than once that keeping even allies just off-balance enough to keep control was imperative, and she hoped it had worked as she looked up and said, "Shall we get started then?"
"Uh, sure…" He nodded, blinking the surprise away and grimacing. Finally, he started, "Well, in simple terms, Mistral operates… Somewhat autonomously, in regards to specific aspects of international contract law."
"Aren't all the Kingdoms?"
"Not to the same extent." The man sighed, tapping his finger against the side of his chair as he thought and grunted. "Page two, halfway down, you'll find the details. In short, after the Great War, Mistral was in a somewhat better standing than the other Kingdoms. And sought a few more grants to its own sovereignty than others could afford. They pushed these rights further when the Faunus War ended and a moderately large continent of their land was signed away."
"An unsettled-"
"Mostly unsettled." Mister Blue Eyes cut her off, smiling when she looked up at him. "The war started with a small settlement there, and further… Less than enthusiastic settling throughout."
"Mhm." Weiss still didn't buy that Mistral had any sort of claim to Menagerie. But of course, it didn't really matter if they had. So long as everyone signed the treaties, it bound them up regardless. Moving on, she asked, "How is this relevant?"
"A compromise born years later, thanks to it, is at play here." He sighed, "When Atlas lead efforts to unify certain aspects of law, they mostly stuck to high caliber crimes. Murder, trafficking, those sorts. And, well, I'm not sure how aware of Mistral's, er, underbelly you are, but…"
She could see the question written into his words, and carefully chose her own, "I know the rumors, but I am obviously not someone experienced with those specific walks of life. You understand."
"Of course." He smiled, "I wouldn't dream of suggesting otherwise."
"I'm sure." He wouldn't want to risk her father's wrath, that was. Or her own, for that matter. Both of which were reasonable of him.
"Regardless, they argued that the standardisation of law would put more pressure on them than Vale or Atlas and, as such, they should be granted some… Well, grants." Mister Blue Eyes went on, shrugging, "As a result, their contract law was enshrined as protected. At least within Mistralian borders. And, under them, there's very, very little you can't consent to. Even predatory items such as those at play here."
"There isn't a policy for entrapment?"
"Entrapment is criminal, not civil." He explained simply, earning a simple nod of understanding from her. "But yes, there is legal protection against what is known as 'contract fouling'. The issue is that, to prove it, you need to prove they actually intended for Miss Nikos to violate her contract and thus void it."
"But there has to be some… Solution to it, right?"
"We would have to examine the contracts, and closely." She simply raised her brows, as if the next statement was obvious, and he chuckled. "I have requested a copy from the lawyers representing Miss Nikos' former agents. But…"
"But what, exactly?"
"No response." He shrugged, "I sent it last night, when your Father sent me a command to do so, but they have yet to actually respond."
"They're dragging their feet." She grumbled, realizing the implication without needing him to say it. He nodded regardless, though, and she frowned, "Of course. But why do you think they are doing so?"
""Isn't it-" Obvious, she expected he was going to say, but he cut himself off with a grimace and a sigh before he could. Instead he said, "Because it buys them time. This will go to court, I'm assuming, with you involved-"
"You assume correctly." She'd only agree to settle if they dropped most, if not all, of this nonsense.
"Then they only benefit from delaying, since we don't have a court order." He explained with a little shrug, "Which I can file for, and have the papers drawn up to do so, but we'll need your friend's signature to do it."
"Why?"
"Valean law requires direct consent to legal matters." Mister Blue Eyes explained simply, "Even if Mistral doesn't, this case will go to an international court. Most of which are here, in Vale. Further, Miss Nikos lives here, so for me to represent her I need her permission in the Valean way."
"Even if we're trying things in Mistralian law…?"
"Even then." He nodded, "International law, thanks to the precedent set by the treaties and agreements I just provided, when it comes to civil law, is tried with representation decided by the locale the agents - that is, the people acting in the case - live. Even if the breach is in another country."
"That sounds complex…"
"Needlessly so, yes." The man laughed, a rough but bright sound that echoed around the office. Shrugging, he sighed, "But I suppose that's why people like me have a job. Hm?"
"I suppose…"
"Don't over-think it." He waved it off, "Just think of it in simple terms. She lives here, so the case is international, and biases to be held here. And since she lives here, she follows the laws here. Not in Mistral."
"I understand." It was an overcomplicated mess, as he'd said, but it was politics. And politics was always a nasty web of tangles, thorns and pit-falls by its very nature. Shaking it off, she sighed, "We'll go over the contracts when we get them, then."
"Mhm." He nodded, "For now, shall I get into detail about the treaties? Since you wanted to know."
"You shall." She nodded, getting comfortable in her seat. "I need to know as much as I can learn."
"Knowledge is power." The lawyer nodded gravely, "And in a fight like this, it's the only power you'll have. You can't exactly stab the other lawyers."
"No, I can't." She smiled.
If it were only so simple…
XxX-XxX-XxX
Pyrrha stepped out of the dorm-shower and towelled herself off, using her Semblance to call over her brush - made of metal, just for her - when she was done and working on her hair as she came over to the sink. Towel wrapped around her, and hands busy working through her wet mess of hair, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Lean, toned, and with a tiny, almost imperceptible scar on her chin. All signs of her years spent training, being shaped into the fighter everyone wanted to see - and the guardian she wanted to actually be.
"And now all so close to the verge of pointless…" She murmured, feeling, for one of the few times in her life, helpless. Shaking her head, she said, "Moping around here will do nothing for you, Nikos. Make a plan, act the plan, keep moving."
But to where, she wondered as she pulled on her Beacon uniform?
The answer, apparently, was waiting outside in the form of her own partner. Waiting with a box of chocolates, of all things, and smiling awkwardly as he held them out, "My, uh, sister said to give you sweets."
"Uh huh." She laughed, rolling her eyes as she stepped over to her bed and dropped onto it while Jaune leaned against the wall by the door. The box was small, a little pack of peanut butter and chocolate from a vending machine, but she appreciated the thought. Smiling so he would see the joke, she said, "Your sister thinks chocolate will solve my problems, then?"
"N-No, just that it… Helps, somehow." He shrugged, then frowned and asked, "You doing okay?"
"As I can be." She sighed, "I just… Needed time."
"Understandable."
"Where are Ren and Nora?" She nodded, looking around and noticing the stark silence in the room.
"At the docks, meeting with someone Weiss sent." He answered simply, laughing when she turned to him, brow raised in question, "Something, something, consent forms for a lawyer she got?"
"Joy." She sighed, "More lawyers…"
"Hey, we don't have much option." Jaune sighed, "Unless you happen to have a law degree tucked away somewhere?"
"In a hidden compartment in my shield, of course." She chuckled, shaking her head and standing with a tired little sigh. How was she still so tired after more than twelve hours in bed? She had no idea. "I suppose we should go and meet them?"
"If you're-" The door buzzing and unlocking cut him off and he turned, chuckling as Nora and Ren tried to come in quietly. Until the ginger spotted Pyrrha and smiled widely and Jaune rolled his eyes, "Here we go-"
"P-Money!" The hammer-wielding warrior crowed, rushing her and bundling up in her always shockingly powerful arms. Pyrrha chuckled, fighting for breath until the woman set her down and asked, "Feeling better?"
"With or without the broken ribs?"
"Oh, she's feeling better." She smiled, turning as Ren came over and set the little folder of papers down on Pyrrha's bed. Sighing, Nora said, "Renny, the run down, if you please."
"Consent forms for the lawyer, Mister Blue, to put a file access request through to Mistral." Ren sighed, shaking his head at Nora as he took a seat on his own bed. "And a form that lets him represent you. Until you see fit to dismiss him, at least."
"I suppose it's all fairly simple…" She sighed, opening the folder to try and read it until the legal jargon simply overwhelmed her and she closed it with a sigh. "I can't understand a word of this, though…"
"Weiss probably can." Jaune said, opening his Scroll when it chimed and he nodded. "And she just said she read it all herself, too. To make sure nothing, uh, 'untoward' is in it."
"I see…"
"Mister Blue works for her dad." Nora offered, turning and leaping, spread eagle, onto Ren's bed with a grunt and a groan from the young man. Ignoring him, she said, "I doubt he'd screw with you when he's been told to help you. Her dad would put him in the ground for it."
"Figuratively speaking…"
"Sure, Renny." Nora chuckled, "Sure."
She didn't trust Mister Blue - couldn't trust any lawyer now, really. But she trusted Weiss well enough… And Nora's words made sense. Even so, she stood and said, "I'm going to see if Miss Goodwitch or someone will check it over with me before I sign it. Just to be safe."
"Alright." Jaune nodded, "Want company?"
"No." She shook her head, "Thank you, though."
"Yep." Jaune gave her a last look, like he wasn't sure he should leave her alone regardless of what she'd said, but eventually he just turned for the bathroom and said, "Alright, shower's mine."
Pyrrha watched him go, before grabbing her chocolate - it was hardly anything, but she hadn't eaten much all day - and stepping out, into the hall.
XxX-XxX-XxX
A BIT dry but some subtle character work at play, and also some explanation of the politics and laws and how they both came to be to allow what is happening - plus the case itself, though as you can guess Pyrrha's contract details will come later.
Kind of an insane prompt, in Spork's own words, but I hope you all enjoy regardless.
XxX-XxX-XxX
Lea Rosenwulf :
Ye~
MitocondriaIsThePowerhouseOfTheCell :
Who? Lol
Hirschja :
You'd think, but… No. Foreign law is very tricky. Especially when it comes to crossing national boundaries. Like, for instance - making up laws here btw - say that France allows women to do topless scenes, but Germany doesn't. Simple, right? You just edit the topless scene out. But what if she gets paid special royalties because she was nervous about being topless? Would that cut into her ticket revenue in Germany, where the sales are NOT featuring that scene?
Something similar happened irl with streaming movie premiers a while ago - lawyers found a loophole to try and avoid paying actors for roles since their contracts were based on TICKET SALES, not SALES.
Law is stupid, is my point.
In this fictional law, Mistral just has different contract law. Would Pyrrha's contract fly in Vale? Or even in the real world US? No. Mistral is not those, though. Mistral is much more laissez faire in regulation. Including contract law.
HOWEVER, the important bit-
I'm tackling the legal stuff more as a vehicle to the shipping.
And this is experimental, lol.
