Chapter Seventy Five: Civil Barbarians

Morning came.

The CRBN crew spent the night in a local hotel. Lucky for them, the charity event held downtown is over the full weekend, with Makara's father Garland set to make appearances each day. This gives some leeway to the team members on time.

Roman and Blair had their own room, go figure. Carmine doesn't enjoy dwelling on that. So, the remaining three roomed together. Makara has expressed on more than one occasion feeling like a third wheel with room pairings, which typically leaves Neo to choose between playing along to tease the boy or making Makara feel welcome.

Carmine, Neo, and Makara step out onto the streets. The boy checks the time. "Alright. When Roman and Blair quit scarring my mind, they're gonna restock us on dust from the local stores..." He hums. "What are some good restaurants around here? Eh, Neo?"

He and Makara look at Neo, the girl blinking before pointing up to the massive floating island city above them. Both others deflate. Makara smiles. "I... think I remember a pastry place from when I was here..."

"Oh, yeah? What's its name?"

"Um..."

The silence is concerning. "Location?"

"I believe the corner of...twenty third and..." Makara trails off. Carmine and Neo slouch.

"Cool." He pulls out his scroll. "Doing it the lazy way. Open the maps app and hit 'restaurant'!"

"There is a p-p-pancake breakfasst around the corn~ner." A stuttering voice chimes. All three twitch and turn to see Cassidy Medusa standing near them. The thin magenta haired boy is once again wrapped in all black, save for a white ascot wrapped around his neck. Violet eyes look uninterested at the group.

Carmine blinks. "Hey, it's you. Uh..." He looks to the others in thought. "I'm in the mood for pancakes. That's a good suggestion." He then pauses. "Wait, what are you doing here?"

Cassidy pouts. "What are y-YOU doing here?" The abrasive response comes. The boy crosses his arms, taking a step back. "I-I was g-... gonna get breakfast before school. It's my favorite."

Makara smiles. "Would you like to eat together? Or would your mother be upset?"

The boy looks away. "She doesn't l-like me being close to her work. It's annnnoying."

"I'd call it responsible parenting, but potato potahto." Carmine jokes with a grin. "Uh, sorry for spooking you yesterday."

The kid looks off. "It's fine. I don't know what to do with people sometimes." Without another word, he starts walking off, a backpack strapped on him carrying supplies. The CRBN trio share a look before shrugging and following.

Within a few minutes, the collective four find themselves in a small cafe. Quaint and warm. Entirely faunus run, which fits Carmine's wishes. The group is sat after placing orders.

"So, can I ask about the elephant in the room?" Carmine starts. A patron of the establishment walking by their table halts, showing himself as an elephant faunus. Carmine quickly waves friendly. "Metaphor, not you man." The man nods and walks off.

"T-talking about my stutter?" The boy guesses.

"It is a great deal better today." Makara states with a smile.

Cassidy looks down. "T-thank you. It comes with my nerves."

"Sorry for making you nervous?" Carmine says in a confused tone. Neo whacks his arm, jolting him. "Ah, sorry." However, the boy's eyes are locked on Neo for a moment. "Something wrong?"

"M-mmmake a n-noise." The boy says towards the mute girl. Neo blinks.

"Pardon?" Carmine chirps confused.

"It's weird when-mmm- someone doesn't-t mak-ke a s-...sound." The stuttering suddenly exacerbates. One hand clamps over his left ear, the side opposite from Neo. A look of a hyper focus and slight panic starts to form.

Put off, Carmine and Neo share a look. The girl just blinks. "Dude, she's mute."

Makara tries from the other side. "Perhaps Neo can go to the restroom to give you a moment?"

Cassidy clamps his eyes shut for a second and shakes his head. "I-I don't know what t-t-to to do with ssss-silent people. Just m-make any noise."

Neo leans back, then shrugs. She leans back and brings her hands up to cup her mouth. Feeling silly, she decides to roll with it. "ahhhh-ack!" She manages a full half second of a scratchy tone before breaking into a coughing fit. She covers her mouth now as she becomes to center of attention.

The boy visibly calms and frowns. "O-oh... sorry... I'm sorry."

Neo smiles through the scratch throat and waves her hand dismissively. She creates a shatter sign in her hand and holds it up like a cue card reading 'It's okay.'

Cassidy looks down, forcefully speaking slow and firm. "I... developed... weird... I-I... hyper focus on things that... break my habits." He takes a deep breath. "I get over... whelmed. A-and I need to break the focus to get out of it."

Makara gives an understanding look. "That is okay. I know it is not the same, but I have my own issues that make some social situations difficult."

And then Carmine has to pull a Carmine...

He bobs his fist into his cupped palm like a look of celebration. Because he gets it. "Oh! You're autistic!"

WHAM!

Neo strikes the back of his head with Hush! The boy's head flies down into the table top as his hands slap over the back of the cranium. "OW! MOTHER FUCKER!" The entire restaurant jolts and looks over at the scene.

"Carmine, that's rude." Makara admonishes while Neo shakes her head smirking.

The boy snaps a furious look up. "What part of that was mocking or rude?!"

Cassidy watches with a blank look. "I-I mean, he's right."

Carmine jabs a finger at him. "SEE! If I could just hear that more instead of everyone choosing violence all the gods damned time-" Neo pulls his pointing hand down and pats his arm with a frown. Her form of soft apology. "Only people backing me up are people not in my own team. Jeez."

The younger boy chuckles at the display. "You seem very fun to bully I think is the problem." Carmine snaps a glower at the giddy younger boy.

"You seem fine with the violence it seems." Carmine grumbles.

"New people in unexpected p-places is a hyper focus. V-violence is something I expose myself to often to desssssensitize myself to it." The boy takes a drink of soda pop. "I wouldn't be able to become a h-... hunter if that wasn't the case."

"You're a huntsman in training?" Makara perks at that.

Cassidy shakes his head. "Not yet. I'll be entering Atlas Prep this ffffall." Right. He's twelve. Combat school ages range from thirteen to sixteen. He checks the time. "I'm still in the Atlas intermediate that starts in an hour and a half."

Neo blinks and straightens. She was slated to go there. She suddenly flies through hand signs.

The boy stares with pursed lips. "Uh... I don't k-know sign language."

The mute blinks and sighs. Back to the signs. She creates cue cards with her Shatter semblance and holds them up. 'I was going to go there years ago. How do you get up to Atlas?'

Cassidy blinks back at them. "There's a ssstudent bulkhead that leaves from Mantle to Atlas and b-back after school. Only students can take it." The CRBN crew take that in. It's interesting- wait.

"Do they do ID checks for it like everyone else?" Carmine immediately seizes the moment.

The younger child shakes his head. "So long as everyone is a kid on it, you could sneak through. It's happened a couple times with young b-beggars trying to get change from the more w-wealthy." He looks to Neo. "She's short enough to fit in as an old-der student, b-but you would be ex...pected to have a student ID to the other t-transports."

Carmine slinks back. "Damn. So, only Neo could... Neo?"

All eyes move to the mute, who has already shifted.

Replacing her typical outfit, the girl is now wearing a standard school uniform. Her hair is now ice blue, and her eyes violet. She blinks at Carmine now as Vanille Carson, the same persona from their Signal infiltration.

Carmine and Makara share a look before looking back at the girl. "So... I take it you want to do a scouting mission?"

. . .

Atlas Headquarters.

Double doors slide open as Winter marches into an operator room. Stations with active workers operate communications and surveillance equipment. The Schnee halts as she sees an unexpected face. She straightens and acknowledges the senior agent. "Specialist Whis."

The man glances up, his cowboy hat currently atop a console allowing his raven hair to show. "Specialist Winter. Nice of you to drop by. I was going to grab you for intel gathering later." He grins kindly and steps up to the woman.

Yet, the woman brushes right by him. "I did not come for you." She steps to the area officer. "I request all relevant files on Team CRBN."

The officer, having already looked a touch bothered by Whis's presence, grimaces. "Could have warned us, but give us a minute. We can have it right up to view here."

Whis smirks. "Always lovely when minds think alike. I was going over the Cult movements in the region myself. Awful spooked having Beacon's golden boy come here on the issue."

"The last prestigious metal that man should be compared to is gold. Copper at best." Winter retorts as her gaze narrows. "What relevant information have you acquired?"

"Finding some overlooked details in the Malum case." Whis places his hands at his hips as he eyes a monitor. On it, a picture of disgraced scientist Arthur Watts. "We have reason to believe our dear ex researcher was the mastermind behind the plot, and that he successfully made off with data originating from Dr Polendina's work."

Winter frowns. "I'll have to speak with the doctor about his security measures."

"That's not what makes it hot tips, my lady." He ignores the ice cold gaze from Winter at the moniker. Whis smirks as he nods to the officer with them. The slides change. Now, deformed pictures take the screen. Within them, static and various malformations pollute the image. Yet, they make out a man with a white top and bright orange hair.

"I was informed that all the surveillance tools in Malum were corrupted and needed replacing."

"Yes, well this is what my fine hands managed to put together with it." He looks to the woman with a confident smile. "And would you wonder who that looks like?"

Winter raises a brow. "Should I know?"

"You will when you get the information that you're clamorin for." Whis steps back and lets the officer speak. "Go ahead, Vic."

"You wanted all the info we had on Team CRBN? This is compiled from all we've gathered and been given by Vale." The officer, Vic, starts. "Working in reverse order, we starting with the an unconfirmed ID of 'Neopolitan'." An image of Neo appears on screen from varying street surveillance cameras from Vale. Another image taken by the police of Vaterra in Mistral years prior.

The officer rattles off. "Neopolitan is unconfirmed as the identity because there are four possible Neopolitans that can fit the age group she appears in. Vale did inform us that she is Neopolitan Rhodes, daughter of former crime family head Brock 'Rocky' Rhodes and current Atlas Mayor Misty Rhodes."

Winter crosses her arms. She's certain she's seen that hair before. Pink and brown? File that for later. Winter frowns. "If she's the daughter of our Mayor, then how is this unconfirmed?"

"Because Misty's daughter still lives with her." Another image depicts their mayor.

Misty Rhodes appears on screen. She has crows feet at the eyes. The slightest of visuals to indicate aging... or perhaps stress. Her violet hair is neatly kept curled at shoulder length. Wearing a gray business skirt suit and pearls, she has a younger woman next to her...

A young girl strikingly similar to Neo... Several inches taller. Her whole head is chocolate brown save for bright pink bangs draping the right side of her head. Likewise, her eyes are mismatched. Brown and pink.

Another Neo..?

"Beacon flipped on us when they asked us to check in on Misty two years ago. Claimed she must have given her daughter to AZRL and have ties to them. Didn't like it when we told them the girl is right here. We checked backgrounds, checked records. Even managed to subvert them and do a sneaky blood test. All came back positive for ID. Beacon was forced to drop it."

Winter scrutinizes the face of this 'Neopolitan' before her. Something doesn't feel right. Winter feels... something watching the girl, but can't pinpoint what it is. "Psyche profile?"

Vic continues. "Reports show the CRBN girl is sneaky, mute, and has no problems breaking and entering or thieving from those in the immediate vicinity. Very self serving. Probably a sociopath if I had to guess."

A brow raises. "That's quite a strong read you have. What about the next one?"

The screens change to showcase Blair Goodwitch across surveillance as well as documents from Beacon Academy. Vic rattles off. "Blair Goodwitch is a former top Beacon Academy student blacklisted by the school following her expulsion."

Further images of science presentations at the school show. "She's exceptionally intelligent, but violated others' rights to privacy by stealing their blood for experiments. Textbook example of morally bankrupt with ambitions. High likelihood of being a sociopath."

Both Winter and Whis twist to look at Vic upon this being the second diagnosis this officer applied.

Paying little further mind, Winter leans in to view her. "She's related to one of Beacon's top professors."

"Twin sister." Whis adds on.

"Definitely sociopath then." Vic adds. "Have you met that witch?"

Irritation creeps in Winter's voice. "On with it, please." Her face remains stone faced despite the annoyance starting to break her composure.

"Show her their leader. The kid." Whis suggests. They swap the screens as Carmine appears on screen. Shots of him at Beacon at twelve years old, in Sanctuary at five, undercover at Signal just six months ago.

Winter frowns. "He's just a kid as well. He leads them?"

Vic spouts off conversationally. "Carmine Uhlric, son of late Beacon Hunters Jared and Senaya Uhlric. Kid's parents were offed by Killian 'Killa' Gonzola, and he was fostered at Beacon for several years before disappearing into the world founding Team CRBN. Kid's got records of acting on impulse and vindication when dealing with anyone he morally condemns. From what we can tell, he's socially inept."

"How did he cultivate this team? How do they answer to him?" Winter interjects.

Whis clicks his tongue with a shrug. "S'possedly, the kid had connections to each of his teammates through chance encounters prior."

"Considering lack of impulse control and an inability to make friends his age-" Vic starts.

Winter narrows her gaze at the officer as she leans slightly to Whis. "Is he about to suggest-"

Vic continues to finish. "A high probability of sociopathy."

"..." Winter glares at the increasingly unhelpful officer. "Is your only contribution to propose unsubstantiated psychological diagnoses?"

"Hey! I completely called Gonzola being one back in the day!" The officer gets defensive before straightening himself. "Ma'am."

Whis pats Winter's shoulder with a chuckle. "Let him make his theories. They don't manifest outside this room anyhow." He nods to Vic. "Get on with the real news though."

Vic rolls back to the computer with hunched shoulders, grumbling. The images flash to showcase Roman Torchwick. Winter's eyes widen, finally catching onto Whis's hunch. Images from his mob days under Senior ranging all the way to snaps of his time with Team CRBN.

"Roman Torchwick, former top enforcer and agent for the Senior, now Junior, crime family that runs the underbelly of Vale." Vic rattles off. "Name it, and he's basically done it. Petty theft, strong arm robbery, assault and battery, grand larceny, laundering, gross human rights violations, and of course murder."

Whis whistles at the list of crimes spanning over ten years of Vale history. "Seems to show no mercy to his own kind or to authority. How former are we talking with this man? What sentences has he worked off?"

"Uh... none." Vic responds honestly. "All his warrants are based in Vale territories, so if Vale doesn't press him, we got nothing on him." At Winter's visible tensing at this information, Vic placates. "That said, he hasn't been charged or convicted of an individual crime since joining Team CRBN years ago, and nearly all victims of his crimes are also criminals, oddly enough if you like that read of him."

"I dislike any read of him currently." Winter responds. "Provide me a reason not to make up a charge and lock him up the moment I see him?"

"Well, rumors have it he has a soft spot for trafficking victims, but the surname Torchwick doesn't exist in any of the four kingdoms. We can't speak to his time before Senior took him off the streets. He may have former AZRL ties that would inform his variance in brutality and responses to those sorts."

"Look at that." Whis clicks his tongue shaking his head. "A nugget soft spot in the hard man? Might wanna share a beer with him."

Winter doesn't shift. "Joyful congratulations to him. He's not the worst example of human infantile criminality."

Whis raises a brow. "When you're sarcastic, you're s'pposed to intone your voice."

"It's not sarcastic. The fact he has any sentimentality is nothing short of a miracle. Yet, that will not stop me from locking him away forever." Winter says seriously, a chilly ice stare meeting the senior agent.

Vic chuckles. "Either way, guy is a talker, a manipulator, and loves to spin a tale. Not unlike-"

"Buddy you need to drop it-" Whis tries to cut in.

"-A sociopath!"

"That is all I require." Winter turns in place and marches from the room. She didn't feel the need to entertain the fool any longer.

Whis behind her jolts and grabs his hat from the monitor and walks after her. He waves to Vic. "Right! I got what I needed too! Have a good one Vic!" He marches after the younger agent. Catching up to Winter, he starts chipper. "Now I don't think I need to spell out my intuition."

"I am certain it is just as useful as that man's insufficient intuitions." She responds cold.

"Ah, Vic is a good guy."

"That man is an imbecile tainting the investigating minds with pointless theories based on nothing." Winter continues without a second of hesitation, not allowing the man to speak. "You suspect CRBN was responsible for the Malum break in, and that they are working with the Cult of Salem." She changes the subject.

Whis sighs. "What do ya think? They lose the support of Beacon who authorized all their business til now, so they start throwin' in with the wrong crowd in their vendetta 'gainst AZRL." He grimaces. "I'm of a mind that the... illustrious Team CRBN... has outlived its usefulness if they're just gonna be pawns."

"That is a substantial claim based on very little. A single image with what MAY be Torchwick does not make for a compelling case." Winter continues to march on, the man tailing her. "But, so long as Beacon withholds information we know they have on the Team, it would bode well to get what we can looking into them."

A smirk works its way onto the man walking behind her. "Well, then perhaps we can wrangle some information out of Mr Branwen when we meet him later, Agent."

"It's-" Winter cranes her neck in a glare, about to correct whatever 'darling' or other term she perceived until she realizes he addressed her properly. "... I do not need to spend time with that drunkard." She deflects to insulting the other proposed company now that her first complaint has fallen through.

Whis chuckles. "So, the man is rough round the edges like any Mistrali. It's not something to make him a bad man! Besides, manners make the man. You'll have my company to offset his. After all, best we work together, eh?" He raises a hand for a handshake. "Partner?"

Winter halts to eye the offered hand. "... If this is a pass, know that you will not keep all your extremities."

The man gives a hearty laugh. "Hand to the brothers, I've no motive of that nature. Gentlemen know not to poke round with danger needlessly."

Her gaze narrows as she slowly grasps his hand. "Very well..." Her mind and mood sour realizing he just called her too crazy for him. The singular most polite way of saying not to 'stick it' in crazy. Yet, if it deters someone like him? Perhaps that is a good thing.

. . .

Atlas downtown. A bulkhead transport soars down to a landing platform elevated above the streets.

Upon landing, its doors open up as a flood of students ranging through their preteens exit. Within the crowd, Cassidy steps out, staying a distance off from the larger groups and placing headphones around his ears. The platform overlooks his school, a large beautifully uniform marble white.

He side eyes the groups before turning to see the mute now blur haired girl with him. Neo stands as Vanille Carson, eyeing the city around her. Cassidy frowns. "Y-you lived here befffore?"

Neo nods solemnly, observant eyes darting about. Getting a bearing on which part of the city she's in. It's admitted not too far from her old stomping grounds.

"Just remem-... remember the bus leaves back in eight-t hours." Cassidy reminds the girl. Neo whips her head to him and... looks him up and down.

It's not lost on her that the only reason she can get away with this infiltration is how short she is. She purses her lips annoyed and sucks in a breath. She nods and pulls her scroll out to set a reminder. She then puts it away and smiles in thanks to the boy for the idea.

Cassidy blushes and looks away. "S-sorry. I-I know you're mmmmmute, but it's still w-weird how quiet you are. I can't hand-dle it."

Neo smirks. "Hmm hmm..." She does her light hum laugh, hoping that is enough.

"That's... better." He shifts and looks away. "Just leave my name out if you're caught. All I did was g-give you the idea." He marches off, leaving Neo to her own devices.

The girl shakes her head and walks to the edge of the platform. Checking around, she notices nothing looking her way. So, she leaps off the platform to an alley below...

. . .

A short walk into the next few blocks takes Neo away from the scholastic area and into the center of commerce. She traveled from there, but her destination should be...

There.

Neo finds herself at the entrance of one of the city parks. She blinks once, twice, then notices she'd already started walking unbidden through the side walk. The climate in the city itself, while still colder than any of the other kingdom's bar none, still remained only a few degrees over freezing outdoors. Much of the technological giant is controlled to be warmer than the surrounding lands.

The girl arrives in the center, looking around in a swivel. This is where it started... Her first pick pocketing theft happened right here! Her mom had given her only five Lien to grab food from a taco place two blocks outside the park. Neo was annoyed and decided to snatch some cash from kids playing so she could have more than a single wrap for the day.

A sour look comes on. Her mom barely kept her alive, but kept herself well fed. Typically off of used connections and abusing men with her semblance. Neo wasn't raised. She was kept until AZRL came knocking.

That... reminds her.

She turns and walks out of the park. Eventually, she finds herself in an apartment complex. Moving up the levels, she comes to a stop at the last door of a hallway. A firm grip tightens in her chest as she stares blank at a blue door.

They painted the doors a new color... That's neat. A nice shade of blue among the whites and grays of most Atlas design. Granted, blue tended to be the most represented color here. Maybe they should've gone with green? At least add some color of nature.

Neo leans to the door, pressing her ear against the wood. Closing her eyes, she listens.

… Nothing.

Pulling away, she checks both ends of the hall. Alone. Neo produces thin picks from her pocket and kneels to the knob.

It doesn't take long to pick the lock, opening the door and letting herself into the apartment. She closes and locks the door silently behind her, checking the room over.

Couch in the same spot. The small living room has a large television than when sh3 lived there. Mounted on the wall and angled. The coffee and side tables show lamps and family photos presumably. Just photos of some brown haired man with various similar looking people.

Neo prowls through the home to the small kitchen. There's still a notch taken out of the wall... that came from when Neo flung a spatula attempting to cook breakfast when she was nine. Pancakes are not her forte.

Still, a single thought pulls her to the hallway.

Thankfully, it seems the current owner of the apartment has a day job. Some photos of him in a suit hand off the walls. Lucky. Neo halts at the tiled floors of the bathroom.

Hesitant, she turns the lights on to view the bathroom as a whole. Buzz clippers and some disorganization decorate the counter. The shower curtains are a warm orange, and Neo curls her nose slightly at the smell.

Still, just being here is enough.

For what, though? Why did she feel the need to come here of all places? Just as a sign of proof?

Proof that her mother moved on, perhaps...

. . .

Years Ago

"Fine... Just leave me alone." Her mother's voice barely drifts down the hall.

What... did she just say?

Footsteps sounded. A door opened, the man was saying some words. She didn't know. Didn't register anything except the cold claustrophobic tightness running through her.

Her mismatched eyes blink wide as the bathroom lights turn on. Her gaze looks up, seeing the tall man looming over her with green hair and orange eyes. The eyes... held nothing in spite of his smile. The man smiled wide at the girl. "Hey there! You're just what I'm looking for. Now, come on. We got a trail to burn."

She didn't move, breathing increasing. It was really happening. Why? Why was this happening?

A rough arm grabbed her by the bicep, wrenching her painfully to her feet. He tugged her out into the hall, dragging her with him as she gasped, winced, and struggled. Hyperventilating, she looked out in panic, finding her mother standing in the dining room. "MOM! HELP!"

. . .

"MOM! HELP!"

The memory flashes as Neo stares at the floor, arms wrapped around herself. Her vision blurs, so she squeezes her gaze shut. It's okay. She's not there anymore! It's okay-!

A door opens.

Neo flinches, eyes jolting wide. Whoever owns this apartment now is home! Neo sucks in a breath, realizing how close to tears she is. She wipes her eyes away and focuses in panic as footsteps approach...

A brown haired man in a suit walks by the open bathroom, pausing. "Hmm? Son of a..." He steps into the bathroom and turns off the light. He sighs and walks away.

Blissfully unaware of the fading shards of a Shatter replacement...

The front door clicks shut as Neo now stands outside the apartment, in the complex halls. She takes long, loud breathes to try and force a sense of calm. Calm down and get a gold of yourself. Keep an eye on the goal...

So why did she even feel like coming here?

A stormy gaze finds the floor as she realizes the answer too quickly.

She needs to confront her mother.

. . .

Back in the City of Mantle below...

"You let her go alone?!" Blair snaps over the scroll call. She stands outside of the dust shop. Through the store front window, she meets eyes with Roman at the store counter. The man raises a brow, so she pinches the bridge of her nose to communicate her annoyance.

"She wanted to, and I figured if she went in and came back, we'd have a feel for the city's general security. Besides, the worst she ever gets into is her kleptomaniac pickpocket bull crap. I'll have to pay a couple stores and be on my way once we get up there."

"Oh yes." Blair allows sarcasm to break her calm demeanor. "Because it is not like she has learned of any new circumstances of interest she may abuse. It is not as if she learned her mother, whom she despises, has managed a rather successful life in the very city you've turned the girl loose in ALONE."

Silence draws for a moment. She does not need to see the boy's face to picture the sudden frustration that must be showing.

"Ah... I see... Errors have been made..."

"Most certainly!" Blair simmers her irritation. "We will contact her soon as our supplies are replenished."

"I'll get a head start on that... Take it easy."

"Be safe." Blair hangs up the call, re entering the store. She pauses upon seeing Roman hauling two large bags in each hand. She raises a brow. "Is that not too much?"

Roman smirks. "It's amazing what sussing out some containment violations and pointing them out can get you."

Blair purses her lips. "You blackmailed them, didn't you?"

"Oh, maliciously." He steps around her with a wicked grin. "Hurry up, Barbie." He marches out the door as Blair waves him off.

The blonde moves to the counter where the cashier frowns back wary. Likely hesitant after Roman JUST threatened them... Such a people person. "M-May I help you, too?"

Blair nods, ignoring the cases and shelves of ammo dust and commercial dust cartridges. "Actually, I'm not looking for dust. Do you have any hand held video cameras and recorders?"

The cashier, the timid woman, blinks. "uh... Yeah. Aisle 12."

A nod of thanks, Blair turns and seeks out her purchase. Since the wedding and her heart to heart with her sister, she'd still put off acting on one of Glynda's suggestions. One camera, five tapes... Should be enough.

. . .

The hum of a printer comes to an end inside the SDC headquarters.

Penny sits, looking over her compiled list of suspects. Okay, so her father's advice about this being tedious and soul crushing was apt. None of what she's found explicitly implicates any of the employees, again like her father suggested. That part she now has a full understanding on. Yet, now that she has a list of suspects... Time to investigate?

Her father did direct her to focus on those that are a great deal more likely to be culprits. Of the one hundred fifty three labs overseen by specific personnel, fifty two had ranging discrepancies in their experiments. Some of those discrepancies are as simple as some glassware not being properly accounted for.

Disregarding these smaller pings, that leaves forty seven.

Perfect. Penny's green eyes light with satisfaction as she moves to the door. She just needs to request her father to come back-

The door opens...

The two guards she'd expected outside hers and her father's quarters are not present. Instead, a man on a rolling office chair halts before her. Penny blinks. "Oh... Hello. You are Doctor Stein, correct?"

Stein draws a huff off a cigarette as he's slouched over the back of the tech office chair. "Hello, young one. That is correct. Is your maker here?"

A slight... well, not tightness, but edge finds itself deep within the robotic girl. She shakes her head. "No, sir. Father is arranging a prosthetic replacement of a woman's arm at the current moment... May I assist you in any way?"

The doctor hums, the overhead lights reflecting off his glasses to obscure his eyes completely. He tilts his head. "Perhaps you can. I had some queries into your makeup and construction, Penny. Specifically, I wish to know the physical functionality of your aura network and systems."

Penny takes a step back. She blinks wide at the man. "Oh! I am not authorized to speak of my father's work to others unsupervised, sir."

"I am sure you're aware, that none other than your maker and our employer, Jacques Schnee, have clearance on or above my level. This is work related, I assure you." Stein rolls by the girl into the personal area of his fellow scientist. "Specifically, my current project, if you would."

Penny blinks as curiosity eases her. "What is your current project, doctor? If I could assist, that would be very fulfilling." She allows a small smile for him, but it drops as Stein is looking off.

"An aura container." He starts. "I am struggling with a container that can take and contain aura indefinitely. Even more so, to preserve aura beyond its original source passing away."

The android perks. "Oh. I see why you are interested in my design then. My aura network is constructed to allow aura to replenish with or without my awareness for perpetuation and recovery."

Stein perks. "Yes... That is the subject of my difficulty in keeping aura from expiring."

Penny smiles politely and nods. "I see. That is because of a more spiritual issue."

"... Explain."

She pauses before explaining. "Originally, my production, or rather Project Polendina, was to utilize my father's own aura within an artificial body. This is akin to what you are doing. But aura, however scientific the way we analyze it, is connected to its source via senses we still cannot accurately measure." Penny closes her eyes. "Aura separated from its origin cannot generate. Period. No matter the nurturing or support. It cannot draw and grow so long as the central conscious it came from is active."

Stein maintains a calm look... That's exactly the line of thought he'd attempted to test before... In Malum. "I see. This confirms my thought process then. So long as a person is alive, then a technological container of their aura cannot perpetuate."

"Of course. That is why father needed to instead synthesize my aura by combining his own and another. Only via the creation of a wholly unique aura without a foreign origin point could my aura begin to propagate and grow into the synthetic network."

A silent contemplation falls on the man as he gazes off. Penny waits patiently for a moment. Which then stretches into a full minute. Still she waits patiently. Not fully socially aware of the implicit dour nature of the man before her.

"Fascinating." Stein mutters. "Synthetically creating a unique aura out of two sources akin to the physical world of mating is a daring direction for this sort. I do have to commend Pietro for the determination. In that sense, I see his need to refer to you as a daughter."

Penny perks at the praise of her father. "Father is very brilliant. May I help you further? I am afraid I still cannot give away details such as blue prints or the like."

"No, your response has already yielded valuable information." Stein turns. "My project is on the preservation of life beyond its original form. I am not interested in the creation of unique auras for artificial facsimiles."

'Artificial facsimiles'... Penny feels that... almost clench inside. She maintains a still look. "Of course. Sir."

"The knowledge that the original source of aura must be expired was already a thought I had. It's confirmation allows me to proceed beyond several current endeavors and preserve my time. The information is useful." He rolls to the door without gazing back. "Please inform the doctor that I appreciate his efforts, Project Polendina."

The door shuts as Penny is left alone. She stares at the door.

Project... artificial facsimile.

Penny's demeanor falls slightly. She shuffles back to the computer, then realizes...

Her walking pace has slowed by twenty two point four percent. Her physical movement is slowed due to this focus of thought. That is odd. Yet, she also recognizes that being able to know such a thing for a fact in itself is alien to what someone normal could perceive. But she's not normal.

Or really a person...

What was she doing?

She opens the list of remaining suspects that investigations could merit something from. A thought occurs... What was it that the thieves had said back in Malum?

She recalls... The girl she fought was silent. A mute. Yet there was a voice through the radio that Penny caught. Remember. What did the voice say?

"Neo! Are you there? It's Roman!"Right. The man's name was Roman, and the girl she fought was Neo.

"Alright, so my end is a bust. Bastard was experimenting on a series Black, a woman, and I just HAD to unhook her like a bleeding heart idiot! Turning into Silver Streak." The lab explosion was not planned. It ruined their plan, so the ignition must have been planned by the scientist she's looking for. Experimenting on a woman referred to as a 'series black'. This is an anomaly to her.

This man, Roman, got the woman out of the lab, sacrificing their goal... Penny is aware of this. This is why Penny allowed Neo to leave unchallenged so that Penny could save others threatened by the fires. The thieves were, at worst, having a bad heist and at best were actually acting in altruism.

'Silver Streak' is an unknown call sign.

"Me and the tag-a-long are getting around the fire fighter teams to one of the helicopter pads. Try to meet us at one of those. Near's lab was rigged to explode, so I got nothing but the rescued damsel to show for it."

The rescuer, Roman, is a rather unpleasant individual. Verbally speaking. The thieves used a heli pad to escape via air. Upon examining all the pads afterward, fire teams found all platforms in pristine condition, and no authorized vehicles were taken. There were reports of a vessel flying in during the incident, but no physical evidence was left behind.

Unless someone who perfectly sculpt metal at will were present, there would be no reason to believe anything happened there.

But that name. Near's lab... Near is referring to the employee she is looking for. Has to be.

Of the labs destroyed in the fire, only seven of the names on her list had labs that were damaged completely. Further narrowing cannot be done beyond that, and it's only on speculation based on trusting the obscure radio traffic at its word...

Still, that leaves seven names.

Her jaw sets at the name that triggered her line of thoughts...

Franklyn Naero Stein.

The fact that he's on her list at all is something to scoff at. He is a very important and notably noble man in his field. In fact, she was just about to remove him from her list outright, but...

'...The knowledge that the original source of aura must be expired was already a thought I had. It's confirmation allows me to proceed beyond several current endeavors and preserve my time...'

Penny's eyes widen. No. It must be a coincidence. Besides, there is little reason to for a man of his statute to hide anything. He could lobby for whatever experiment he wishes so long as it does not dwell into the macabre and inhumane.

"... And I just HAD to unhook her like a bleeding heart idiot!" Roman had said.

Unhook..? A bleeding heart. A colloquial saying describing empathy towards an individual. Unhooking her was the empathetic choice?

"...The knowledge that the original source of aura must be expired was already a thought I had..." Expired...

Penny stands up and moves for the door. Bounding into the hallway, Penny rushes by the two guards. Both men startle before moving after her. "Ah! Miss Polendina!" The guard calls out.

She'd allowed him a head start, quickly losing track of where the man has gone. Grinding to a halt, Penny purses her lips. Her body stands as a statue until the guards catch up. The second guard calls out. "Penny, you need to remain in the doctor's quarters."

Penny's hands clench tight, but her face manages a perfectly neutral visage. "Of course. I apologize. I had a question for Doctor Stein is all. Let's return."

Oh yes. She has some questions. She also has suspicions. Quite possibly, some hunches as detective movies would have her say.

And a very likely prime suspect. All she needs is proof.

. . .

Within the near stark white city, the architecture takes on tall spires and arches. One particularly ornate building illuminates blue and white spires at each point around the central, large structure.

Atlas City Governing Offices.

The structure is designed in layers to allow different sects of the elected body their own spaces for sessions, meetings, and operation. Its second to top floor is devoted specifically to the city mayor. An office dedicated to one... Misty Rhodes.

Outside the structure, atop a nearby rooftop, Neo stands. Her Shatter illusion outfit has shifted to an all white business suit with skirt with a blue undershirt, black leggings under the suit skirt. Her Vanille Carson blue hair is pulled neatly into a pony tail of cotton candy shading. Violet eyes peer at the structure like a hawk.

Neo cocks her head in thought before stepping back from the edge. Aim this right, and... Neo steps into a run, leaping from the roof and opening a gray and blue Hush to drift in the air! The girl drifts aloft over the streets far, far below, as she aims for a mid height balcony.

She silently lands on the balcony, closing Hush in a flourish. Her shatter illusion breaks and reforms in the gesture, her skin losing some flush and gaining some wrinkles, hair tone washing out ever slightly. There, now her Shatter illusion looks like a simple, if short, woman in her forties.

A deft flick produces her lock picks as she manages to infiltrate the government building in only five minutes. In almost no time, the girl has traveled from the block over into the inner halls of bureaucracy. A light smirk paints her in that success.

Next is to check around for the stairs... She finds them easily enough. Moving up eight floors, the girl finds herself entering the second to top floor! The girl finds herself in a hallway, all pristine and clean white, with a few doors on one side to small spaces... and one on the right.

Neo comes to a halt outside the single decorated door on the right. The label beside it is engraved in marble, 'Mayor's Office'. Her violet stare pierces the wall. She takes a second to gulp down a lump in her throat and feel a spike of anger start to rise in indignation.

Vaguely, she wonders why she is here. The answer?

Spite. Lots and lots of spite.

'Misty Rhodes' reads to the public in a name plate slid into the door itself... The last line of proof.

Neo sneers as she raises her hand to the knob to enter.

"Oh hey! Is it alright if I go ahead of you?" A male voice jolts Neo out of her hate. She turns to see a man in a brown suit stride towards her and the door with a file folder. "Sorry, I just have some contracts she needs to sign before we can get the volunteer funding for the service stations in stone. Will just take two seconds."

The disguised teen glances between the door and him before slowly stepping back. The man smiles with a nod and steps to the door. Blissfully, he's unaware of Neo shifting her stance behind him, ready to knock him out-

Click click... Both freeze.

The man sighs. "Locked... Damn it She's either running late or working from home today." He gives a friendly smile back to Neo. "Guess we're both out of luck. Guess Benoit gets these then."

Neo cocks her head, confused. Realizing she can't audibly ask, she struggles to push a "Hmm?"

"The cranky guy in security. Whenever anyone works from home and needs a physical document, he runs out to deliver the papers. He'll know if the Mayor is going to be in today at all or not." He turns and begins walking for the elevators, continuing to chatter. "So what is it you do here-"

He turns and she's gone. Tiny aura flakes of glass dissipate on the floor...

. . .

On the first floor, a security office the man who'd spoken with Neo approaches a burly man who gives a sour sigh in conversation. The two eventually hand off the file folder before the suited man leaves. The remaining burly guard, Benoit it seems, returns to the security offices where other guards work about on various forms of maintenance.

He enters his own small cubicle, pausing in thought...

A file cabinet is open.

A file cabinet of all personnel information... Records, positions, permissions, and of course, addresses...

Little does he know, Neo has now exited the building, marching the street with a thin folder file in hand. The girl flips the documents through, ignoring the permissions or the executive orders signed. She can read those on the way. For now, just the address to plug into a map on her scroll will do-

Neo pouts at the info page.

A penthouse suite is her address... Why even be surprised? It fits.

Her scroll buzzes... So, Neo removes it and responds. Of course they think she's going to do something without thinking about the consequences...

Totally not true. It's all she's thinking about now. This silly family of hers. She can't help a small smile thinking how concerned her current family is over her hunting down her old one. But, she needs to do this.

. . .

In Mantle, Carmine grumbles at his scroll. "Well, she says she's fine. Grabbing food." He gives a doubtful look. "So, odds on bet that she's lying to me?"

"Lying completely." Blair comments from the front passenger seat.

"Eh? Lie of omission." Roman chimes in from the driver seat. "She'd send that text with a candy bar in her mouth and claim she'd told the truth."

"Yeah, that seems about right." Carmine slouches in the back seat of the van. Makara is beside him, perked.

"As a silver lining, if Neo is hyper focused on her mother, then at least she is not stealing, right?" The naive tone is met with a dour glower.

"You say that as if she can't do both." Carmine retorts before sighing. "But, damage is already done. She'll be back down here in a few hours, so let's hurry up to the charity. Isn't it something or rather for the arts?"

"A series of musical performances from applicants of lower means and incomes, I've found." Blair speaks up. "On top of providing exposure to less well off talents, the proceeds for this and tomorrow night's profits will be financing some academic scholarships for Atlas Prep, Atlas Academy, and even some transfers out of the kingdom."

The blonde raises her arm back to present her scroll screen to Carmine, catching his and Makara's full attention. "Pardon?" He leans in and reads the screen, perking. "Ohhh! This is actually cool- Dude! A metal band is getting a performance!" His gaze narrows. "It's name is Megaraptor. All their members are reptile faunus. A theme then."

"And these scholarships are exclusive to faunus?" Makara asks, almost skeptical.

"The qualifications are written to include varying circumstances, but faunus are the primary benefactors." Blair rattles off. "Many of the funds have helped open the door into these institutions for faunus, as well as the poor."

"That is... shocking." Makara frowns, looking down. "Am I... simply forgetting parts of my father a second time? This still sounds overwhelming to me."

Carmine bumps her shoulder with his own and perks. "Well... let's be positive. It's been years, and there will be entertainment, too."

Makara smirks. "You are quite a positive thinker lately."

The boy recoils defensive. "So? Can't I be chipper at all?"

"No." Roman cuts in with a smirk. He earns a scowl from the boy behind him.

. . .

Neo's expression has whitewashed to a blank small smile. She finds herself outside a tall white tower complex, tossing away a leftover stick from a corn dog she'd bought two blocks back. The tiny girl peers up at the structure before cracking a smirk. Let down your hair moment? Her mother really wanted the tallest, most gawdy place to live.

She quickly ascends the inner floors, The penthouse takes up two floors on one side of the structure. Only one entrance existed on the second to top floor, so Neo takes the elevator to the second to top level. The halls are warm browns, yellows, and lively lighting with green carpets.

Finding herself in the hall, feeling slight de ja vu, she centers herself.

Alright. Just... knock on the door. She, or some unknown servant, will open the door. Then, and only then, let the beast out. Confront and free the irritation.

Get some gods damned answers! Just make her answer! 'Why didn't you even try to get me back, Bitch?!' 'What kind of whore doesn't protect her own daughter?!'

Bubbling rage surges as Neo sets her jaw and prepares to shatter her Vanille Carson image and present fully as herself! Her aura begins to burst.

Ding...

The elevator nearby chimes as a newcomer marches out and towards where Neo stands in the hall. Neo steps back and leans against the wall across from the penthouse door. Just wait until the person leaves. Her currently violet eyes remain locked on the pretty, gold plated door of the city mayor's home.

The newcomer stops nearby. Neo tries to ignore them, vaguely aware only of the female frame that's several inches taller.

Hurry up and go away. She has a frigid bitch to interrogate!

"Checking out the penthouse?" A chipper girl's voice chimes from the side. Neo grimaces.

The mute shakes her head and crosses her arms, Hush wringing in one hand's fist.

The girl chuckles. "Yeah, you are. You wouldn't be the first. Wanna come inside?"

… What?

The girl keeps going. "Mom should be heading to work, so I could show you around. Got a beautiful telescope setup with a view." A teasing, inviting tone comes. The girl is a teen, easily.

She lives here... with Misty Rhodes...

She said 'Mom'...

Neo lifts her head in a snap movement- Her breath sucks in, eyes wide... her mouth parting as a sheer unbridled shock begins to wash over.

Standing in the hall is a girl, wearing a neat pink uniform with white undershirt. She wears white socks with brown dress shoes at the bottom. Her nails are brown as well. Her brown hair is draping down her back in a loose braid... and she has pink bangs swept and framing her right side of her face in a curl.

The girl has one brown eye and one pink eye brightly staring back at Neo.

Neo's heart stops. Seeing this... what is this? A near... reflection? There hair is wrong, but close... she's five or six inches too tall. She's almost... innocent. Preppy?

What the fuck is this girl doing here?

The girl smiles brilliant teeth and extends a hand. "Hi! My name is Neopolitan Rhodes! It's lovely to meet you!"

As 'Neo' holds her hand out to Neo... the mute feels her entire world come to deaf silence, frozen with an inability to cope with the image before her.

I initially didn't want to end it here, but I really didn't want to undersell the double Neo reveal. Any thought of just continuing the scenes just felt like I was blowing past it. So, to let it sit, felt like cutting the chapter short here.

But yes... double Neo. A reason why Vale didn't go after Misty upon realizing Neo was in Team CRBN. Apparently, there has been a Neo in Atlas the whole time! Can't legally go after a private citizen when Atlas has proof of the opposite, can you?!

Excited to go into that. Along with getting Makara's family, gonna get a lot of Neo in the coming chapters.

Also, we have Penny full on making Stein suspect number 1, but she's in a position of no authority to act on it. Damn.

Winter is getting a read on the situation as well, but seems to be falling slightly off kilter with Whis's suggestions and implications. This will make their quest alongside Qrow interesting, I'm sure. Hopefully. Maybe.

Finally, a touch more with Cassidy. Probably the most of his contribution is setting up this little venture. Writing his dialogue is a touch annoying, I'll admit, but that's only for having to intentionally insert the stutters. I suppose I don't HAVE to, and can just say they happen, but I don't feel like that properly translates. But yeah, I made his partially on the spectrum, afflicted with some aspects akin to his character inspiration, but also some aspects I've seen in others.

As stated before, IF I manage to get to writing into the RWBY era timeline into the Atlas stuff, a good chunk of things here are setups that I can use as payoffs then, and Cassidy is one of them, being roughly one to two years younger than Ruby, not far from Oscar's age.

I hope I get there.

Join next time in chapter seventy six: Irreplaceable.