This was not how Roman expected his thieving career to end. He knew there were only two paths for a kid like him, you either bit the dust after your first robbing attempt, or you became a man on the run for the rest of your life. Yet despite his expectations, the boy found himself in the very same restaurant he'd attempted to steal from, with his only friend greedily devouring a bowl of mashed potatoes.

He glanced to the hooked man who'd spared him. His condescending stare matched with his impressive physique, the man held an air of power despite not being a famous figure in Mistral. That, along with the many rings on his fingers, Roman could tell he wasn't struggling financially.

"Oi, are you going to eat? I paid for that damn steak you know." The powerful man grunted.

Roman turned to Neo for assistance, but the little girl seemed lost in her own world as she moved from her potatoes to the hunk of meat plated beside her.

The food couldn't be poisoned, for Neo had already confirmed that, but the question of why he'd been spared dangled over Roman's head like a guillotine. Sure, people had tried to take advantage of him before in the form of bribery, but this was overkill. His anxiety only increased at the questioning looks he got from the surrounding customers. All of them seemed to be of high stature, dressed in fancy clothes with brilliant jewelry, compared to his broken ass, Roman was well out of his depth in this restaurant.

"What, are you allergic to beef or something?" The hooked man curled a brow.

The ginger gulped and reached for a fork. To his embarrassment, he couldn't reach across the table, but another hand delivered it to him. The suited man, known as Daz, handed an extra set of utensils to Roman then went back to his meal without a second thought.

Seconds passed, but the boy's hesitation was pushed away as the scent of succulent meat wafted up his nostrils. This was too good to be true, yet here he was, free to eat as much as he wanted without being threatened. Forcing his clammy hands to comply, Roman cut himself a reasonable piece of steak and plopped it between his lips. His eyes bulged as the corners of his lips curled upward. The taste was absolutely divine! A perfect mix of herbs and spices, the soft meat melted as his teeth chomped down on it.

"Ah, Crocodile, how are you this lovely afternoon?"

Their meals interrupted, the man in question stood up and greeted the random stranger. She wore the typical staff uniform of the restaurant but had a golden star pinned above her left breast with the initials G.E.

Daz leaned over and explained to Roman and Neo that the old woman was the owner of the restaurant, and she'd become rather acquainted with Daz and his boss' visits.

"I hope your meals are to your liking? The steak dish is rather new, so I was worried how my customers would adjust to it."

"It's fine by my standards, Grace." The hooked man grinned. "The brats seem to be enjoying it more than me though."

The attention falling on a nervous ginger and pinkish brunette, Roman offered an awkward smile as Neo looked up with cheeks stuffed with food.

"Oh my, Crocodile, I didn't know you had children!" Grace giggled and ruffled the scalps of both younglings, much to their ire.

Though Grace's smile faltered when she took in the poor state of the warlord's kids.

"They're not mine, just some stragglers I decided to pick up." Crocodile replied.

"Well then, if you need anything you can call on me or any of the waiters. Please enjoy yourselves, and I hope to see you again tomorrow." Grace beamed and strolled away to the kitchens to help the chefs with the lunch rush.

"Tug~"

"What is it, Neo?" Roman asked as his friend pointed to an item on the menu.

The boy shook his head.

"We shouldn't push our luck, besides, aren't we planning to bail after we've eaten? Who knows what that stranger has planned for us." He whispered.

Neo puffed her cheeks. Sure, she was intimidated by the odd man, but he'd given her food without any sort of catch. If he was one of those overly nice types you could take advantage of, Neo was going to make sure to cash in. Hesitantly, she hopped off her chair and approached the tallest member at the table. Menu in hand, she tugged on his coat sleeve and did her best to meet his questioning glare.

"Hm? You want dessert?" Crocodile grunted.

Neo nodded bashfully, her favorite dessert came around with the consistency of a blue moon, so if she had the chance to eat her lovable cherry-topped dish she was definitely going to take it. She held up the menu for Crocodile to see and pointed to a vanilla sundae drizzled in chocolate sauce.

Without saying a word, the scarred man waved over a waiter and demanded an extra-large serving. Neo couldn't believe her ears, this was too good to be true!

The main courses passed, the ice cream arrived on record time and was placed right in front of Neo. Tears spilled down the girl's cheeks as she wasted no time in devouring her meal. The cold silky cream melted on her tongue leaving delightful trails of rich vanilla. She held out a spoon for Roman to take and he complied but shot Crocodile and Mr. 1 a glance before doing so.

Soon after, the restaurant was emptied, leaving only Crocodile and his company to savor the silence. However, there was business to be done back at the warehouse, so Crocodile pulled out his wallet and left a generous tip. He didn't bother looking at Roman or Neo, and simply stood from his chair and began to walk toward the exit. Daz did the same, and neither of the adults seemed interested in the brats they left behind.

Roman let out a long breath he didn't know he was holding. Was that it? Crocodile scared him half to death only to offer him and his best friend a meal, then leave them without any demand of repayment? Holy crap, this was the luckiest day of his life! Heck, if Roman headed back to the alleyway he'd bet his left hand that some of the lien bills would still be there. All he had to do was grab...

"Neo?" Roman's head snapped to the thin blue carpet that led to the exit.

"Tug~"

His condescending visage veered toward his coat sleeve, Crocodile arched a brow at the little brat as she blinked up at him.

"Oi, I fed you already, now get." The warlord sighed and shook off Neo's hold which resulted in her falling on her butt.

Massaging her hurt rump, a look of desperate despair twisted Neo's features as she threw herself at the man's cloak once more, only to be knocked away by his golden hook.

"N-Neo, what's gotten into you?" Roman ran to comfort his friend. "We've been given a lucky break, come on, if we hurry back to the alleyway we might be able to scrounge up our lost loot!"

The pinkish brunette bit her lower lip and shook her head vigorously. Neo didn't want to go back to those dreary days on muggy streets and sketchy alleyways, she wanted to stay with the nice stranger who gave her food!

Breaking free of Roman's hold, the girl clawed at the pant leg of Crocodile's right hand. Maybe if she could coerce him to take her, his superior's view on the matter would change?

"No can do kid," Daz said solemnly. "If my boss says that he doesn't want you, it's best to leave it at that and move on."

Neo wanted to scream, she wanted to break something in half, for all of this hope she'd built up would be for nothing. Standing right before her was a ticket out of the slums, so she couldn't let this chance slip past her!

"I was impressed by your tenacity and devotion to each other so I gave you a reward. Don't test my patience brat." The warlord grimaced as the girl continued to sob on the hem of his coat.

Neo turned to Roman for support, but the boy denied his assistance and tried to pry her fingers from the cloth. His actions were met with a harsh scowl as Neo lashed out at him. Did the boy not see the gate of opportunity that stood only a few inches away? Stumbling over to the warlord once more, Neo positioned herself directly in front of him and slapped on the most innocent expression she could muster.

"I'm not a walking charity, now scram." Crocodile growled and stepped past the kid as she batted her eyelashes at him.

All options used, Neo pounced at the man's ankle and wrapped her arms around it. Even if she got denied, she wouldn't say that she didn't put all her effort into it.

Crocodile's teeth wrinkled his cigar as he shot Daz a glare, only to receive a shrug in turn. With a hard knock on the skull, Neo's head met the ground. Roman jumped back to support his wounded friend, but she smacked his hands away and continued to beg.

Why... Why did the man who showed her kindness turn her back on her... was it because of her odd eyes? Or was it because she looked like a pathetic homeless bum you'd find anywhere in Mistral? After a few more knocks to the head, Neo collapsed to the floor in a puddle of salty tears.

"Hey..." Roman grit his teeth and clenched his fists. His emerald eyes narrowed at the two towering figures, he felt his cheeks burn with rage.

"Hey, you stupid blowhard, I'm talking to you damnit!"

Crocodile's steps came to a halt. Turning slowly, his stone-colored eyes landed on a stiff frame topped with orange hair.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me!" Roman spat. "Neo just poured her heart out to you, and you can't even offer her an apology?! Even if you're the biggest scumbags in Remnant you should still have standards!"

Ominous silence took hold of the atmosphere. His face clear of emotion, Crocodile lunged forward in the blink of an eye. With the tip of his hook perched on Roman's throat, the boy gulped but refused to step aside. A bead of sweat trickling down his chin, the droplet splashed against the golden alloy as Roman narrowed his eyes.

A soft chuckle that quickly shifted to mocking laughter, the warlord turned to his right hand with a raised brow.

"Ahahahaha. What do you think, Daz?"

The assassin nodded with a short smile. "They passed the second part of the test."

Moving his hook away from the boy's throat, Crocodile took out a lighter and ignited his cigar.

"Alright you brats, if you want a life out of the slums, then you'd better be ready to work for it."

/-/

When Neo awoke, she didn't expect to be on a comfy bed with a fluffy pillow and silky sheets. The room dark, the pinkish brunette stumbled through the shadows in search of a light switch. The inside of her skull felt like a drum being beaten during a rock concert, and the pain caused her steps to falter. With a loud thud, Neo's face met the floor, and the sound echoed in the empty space.

"Neo?" The girl's head snapped toward the door. That voice belonged to Roman, and to her delight, the door opened to reveal her only friend.

However, there were some distinct changes about him. Most notably his appearance. His hair lacked the gunk of the slums and his clothes were clear of any blemish. His old rubber shoes had been swapped out for a pair of sneakers, and in his hand was a packaged sandwich.

Neo stood herself up but winced when her headache kicked in. Rubbing her temples, the girl noted an oddity on her skull. Were these bandages?

"Hehe, sorry if those don't cling to your head all that well, I'm not exactly a doctor." Roman grinned and flicked on the light switch.

Blinded by the sudden brightness, Neo covered her eyes but lowered them when Roman flicked her forehead.

"Hey, are you alright? Should I get some new bandages?"

Neo shook her head and happily accepted the meal presented to her. Skipping to her bed, she landed on the mattress with a plop and took in the details that changed on her own person. Her battered shirt and pants had been swapped for a long pink shirt that reached below her knees. Cotton socks covered her feet, and her skin smelled like raspberries. her hunger satisfied, Neo tilted her head with a questioning look.

Roman opted to lean against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "It was the clean-shaven guy who gave you a bath, but don't worry, I made sure he didn't try anything funny."

This answer only got him a more confused expression.

"It's... his home. Well, I guess it's kinda ours too now? I'm not really sure." The ginger shrugged.

Despite his attempts to explain, the pinkish brunette wanted to explore. With a reluctant nod, Roman gently took her wrist and guided her through the long hallways. They passed by a small kitchen fitted with a small electric stove and refrigerator with a stainless steel sink. Next came a wide living room with a full view of the mountains. Neo smiled at the scene as the pinkish hue in the sky reminded her of her hair.

"That's not all, you've gotta check out the roof, it's got a balcony on it with a dining table and artistic chairs!" Roman grinned and hurried up the stairs with his best friend behind him.

Neo couldn't come up with words to describe the spectacle before her. A light breeze caressing her pale skin, the sight of Mistralian airships overhead added to the view as they soared across the empty sky.

"Tug~"

"Hm, what is it now?"

"Why are we here? Well..."

"It's to give you brats a place off the streets." A low voice grunted.

Neo's form shook as she whirled around. The sound of heavy footsteps echoing from the stairs, a familiar scarred visage with slick black hair and stone-colored eyes emerged.

Neo lurched back and hid behind Roman. What did Crocodile want now? He denied her advances, yet here he was standing only a few meters from her!

"Um, there's no need to hide, Neo." Her best friend laughed awkwardly as the daunting warlord approached them.

Neo shot Roman a look of disbelief. What was he talking about?! Was he not there when Crocodile rejected her?

Her nerves jolted, Neo pulled on Roman's sleeve and tried to drag him to the open doorway. Yet to her surprise the cunning ginger refused to move and assured her that nothing bad would happen. Though trembling, the pinkish brunette released her hold and peeked over his shoulder. Met with a smirk, Crocodile called for Daz to join them on the roof and the assassin quickly complied.

"Tug!~ Tug!~ Tug!~"

Neo demanded to have her curiosity satisfied, but instead of Roman speaking, it was Crocodile who replied.

"Are you not happy with this place? I do plan to move out soon, but that small room you got downstairs is more than enough." The hooked man sighed.

Neo tilted her head.

"What, did your brother not give you a rundown of the situation, Neo Politan?"

The girl blinked and turned to her supposed sibling. The only person on this planet who knew her full name was Roman, yet Crocodile had just used her surname. The boy in question gave a sheepish smile and scratched his cheek.

"Sorry Neo, but he told me that I needed to tell him our real names or else we wouldn't be allowed to stay."

Okay, but that didn't explain why Crocodile suggested that she was Roman's sister.

"Er... I know it's weird and kinda sudden, but we're the kids of the RDI now," the boy rubbed his neck and laughed awkwardly.

Neo's eyes widened. RDI? What did that stand for? The Rude Dunces Institute?

Fed up with the useless banter, Crocodile spoke up. "It's the initials for Reptile Dust Industries. The company that Daz and I started a few weeks ago."

Again, Neo tilted her head at the scarred man.

"I hope you brats learn fast, if you can't manage a few numbers and bills, then I'll toss you back from where I snagged you."

Wait... what did all of this mean, where was Crocodile going with this?

From his coat pocket, the warlord revealed a large envelope fastened by a wax seal. Peeling said seal off, Crocodile took out two papers, each one with the faces of Roman and Neo respectively.

Clearing his throat, Crocodile pulled out a cigar and spoke in a low tone.

"From this point on, your new names are officially Roman Torchwick Crocodylus and Neo Politan Crocodylus. If you've got any problem with that, then you can go ahead and leave for all I care."

The eyes of his adopted son bulged out of their sockets at the sound of his new name. As for his sister, Neo pinched her arm so hard she drew a dribble of blood. This had to be a dream right? Stuff like this only happened in fairytales, and Roman had made sure to warn her about those kinds of thoughts. Yet, here she was, standing with her new supposed father while overlooking the slums she'd come to loathe and familiarize herself with.

Glancing at Crocodile, Neo's heart skipped a beat at his playful smirk. Lost in a whirlpool of happy emotion, Neo dropped her paper and wrapped her arms around her new father's neck, and nuzzled her face in his chest.

"Oi, let go you brat! Daz, get this punk off of me!" The warlord growled as Neo clambered behind his head and rested her legs on his shoulders. At this moment Neo couldn't be happier, and judging by the bright smiles from Roman and Daz along with the reluctant one of Crocodile, she couldn't wait to start a fresh new life filled with ice cream and adventure.