"So what do you think my Lord?" Misa questioned her master as they made their way through the halls of his mansion, "Is she a suitable candidate?"

The man in question gave a quiet hum, cane tapping on the ground as he walked, lost in thought.

When Gerard had first been recommended to Rei Lynx, he had been more than a little leery.

A small-time thief with little more than home burglaries to her name, sent on a heist that most master thieves would turn their nose up at? It seemed like madness.

Roman Torchwick was no idiot however, the man's skill and professional integrity were well known throughout the entirety of Vale's underworld. A recommendation from him was not one to be taken lightly.

Gerard had decided to take a chance on the young lynx faunus. After all, what was the harm? If the she failed to steal the vial from the poorly guarded research facility, the absolute worst that would happen is that they would simply move it to one with more security. He would simply hire a better thief.

It had cost a pretty penny to get the girl on board, but even that much money was simply a drop in the bucket for someone like him. Especially if the young up-and-comer could actually produce results.

And he was not disappointed.

Roman had not been wrong in his assessment of the young faunus. Rei was certainly skilled in her chosen craft, in a way that few were. She carried herself with confidence that few possessed, and yet to her it seemed as easy as breathing.

From what little Misa had been able to glean from the footage she stole and erased, Rei Lynx was a prodigy of the highest degree. She moved swiftly and quietly, using simple tools and ingenuity to deal with any possible security she came across. Ball bearings and a slingshot, simple yet effective indeed.

In fact, if it weren't for that small hiccup at the end of her heist, Gerard would have thought he was dealing with a veteran aged in his craft, instead of a teenager just now nearing her adult years. The way she moved, utilizing her inherited traits to the fullest, was a sure sign of her potential.

And those goggles she possessed! A design of her own if she were to be believed, and indeed Gerard had been unable to find anything exactly like them outside of military research papers. It shocked him that the girl did not know the veritable gold mine she was sitting on, many would kill for a piece of gear as useful as that, and indeed they had before.

He supposed that it was for the best that she did not know how valuable her design was, he could not imagine what the likes of Ironwood would do with technology like that. Install it in his detestable robots no doubt. And if Gerard's theories were correct and, gods forbid, the man found out about the girl's semblance…

No, best not to think about it.

He had his theories about Rei's semblance, Borrow, he believed she called it, theories he had yet to test. Theories that all started with the vial she had acquired for him.

Gerard and his assistant came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, and he turned to face a painting on the wall. It was massive, the top of it reaching the ceiling and the bottom the floor, depicting a white haired man riding a horse, it was one of his most treasured pieces. And not just for its looks or value.

As his assistant stood dutifully behind him, Gerard raised his cane, eyes closed in concentration and soon the gem atop of it began to glow a bright blue.

The floor underneath them rumbled as hidden mechanisms were activated, centuries old gears turning slowly yet steadily. The painting shifted, rising ever so slightly off of the wall, before splitting in two in the middle, revealing a staircase that descended into darkness.

Gerard tapped his cane and a soft blue glow emanated from its gem, lighting the way as they began to descend down the stairs.

"I believe she is, Misa." He answered her as they walked downwards, " She is certainly competent in her craft, and while her combat skills may leave much to be desired, we both know that can be corrected with time."

"All things considered, she's taken to her training quite well." Misa commented, "While I have certainly had others who have learned faster, there are not many. She has already moved on to live weapons training." She paused, "Once she crafts her weapon I mean."

"And you said she declined the use of our estate smith? I cannot imagine Hawkins was very happy about that." He mused.

Misa laughed lightly, "No he was not. I practically had to hold him down to stop him from coming up from his forge to give her a piece of his mind."

Gerard shook his head in amusement, "That man does have his pride I suppose. Too much of it if you ask me. Still, whoever Rei has commissioned to craft her weapon must be very talented indeed if she declined the offer so quickly."

"I believe her smith to be a lover, or perhaps simply a partner. Perhaps they are talented, but I do not believe that is why Rei went to them instead." Misa frowned, "I hope she doesn't regret it, but I could tell she wouldn't be swayed."

"Ah, to be young again." He sighed wistfully as they came to a stop in front of a large stone door. He tapped his cane on the ground once more, and immediately the walk began to split apart, allowing them entrance further into the depths. They were nearly there.

As they began walking once more, Misa turned her gaze to her master, "Still, you actually haven't answered my question yet sir."

"Oh?"

"Do you think she is a suitable candidate?" Misa repeated.

Gerard was silent for a moment, the two of them stopping just in front of a mechanical door. He pressed on the keypad, entering a complex passcode, before placing his hand on its face. After a second or two, it beeped, recognizing him for who he was.

As they stepped inside, Misa turned to him, with a questioning glance, "Sir?"

"...I do." He finally answered as they stopped walking, "If what I felt was correct, and if what she said she felt from the vial is true, then there can only be one explanation. And if that is so, then I must guide her in her abilities."

"So you really believe she has magic?" Misa asked in awe, "But you said it was lost forever. I mean, outside of-"

"Misa!" Gerard gave her a sharp glance, firmly tapping his cane on the ground. She flinched as his sharp gaze pierced her, "We do not speak of them. Not here."

She bowed her head, "Sorry sir. I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me."

Gerard took a calming breath, lightly rapping his fingers against his cane, "It is fine Misa, just…remember what they took from me. From us. Remember why we do what we do."

Misa gave him a somber look, "Yes sir."

Gerard nodded, "Good. Now then, let's see to what we're here for." Misa gave a small nod and Gerard looked forward, gazing into the dark room they had arrived at, looking specifically in the center of said room.

In the center of the room was a large metal box, rectangular in shape and at least six feet long. Inscribed on the box were various runes, no two the same, as if written there by multiple hands throughout the years.

Gerard gazed at the box with solemn resolution. He leaned his cane against the wall by the stairs, striding forward and extending his arm.

This was the moment of truth. There was no time for delay.

He concentrated his will, ignoring the sound of Misa moving into the room behind him as he focused. Soon enough, bands of purple light extended from his palm, wrapping around the large box before settling into place upon its surface. With a small gesture, several glyphs appeared around the box, all glowing the same purple and spinning with purpose.

Gerard sighed in discomfort as he felt a weight settle on his shoulders. If this had been mere decades ago, magic such as this would have been no mean feat, barely requiring a modicum of effort from one such as him. Alas, it seemed that that was the case no longer, and now the amount of effort expensed was immense.

Still, he couldn't give up, not when he was so close.

"The vial, Misa." Gerard held out his hand to the woman, not opening his eyes as a small click of a briefcase opening sounded out and the item was placed in his palm. Immediately, he could feel the magic inside of the small container begin to sing out to him and began harnessing it, guiding it alongside his own to suit his purpose.

The color of the vial shifted from blue to purple as Gerard exerted his will upon it, several more bands of light flowing up the arm holding the vial to the other, following the flow of his own magic into the box.

Sweat beaded on his brow and his face twisted into a grimace as he began molding the spell, his magic seeping into the runes inscribed upon the box and making them glow brightly.

"Sir! It-it's glowing!" Misa exclaimed in astonishment at what she was witnessing. The dim room was bathed in radiant purple light as the box glowed, indicating that Gerard's magic was doing something.

"Silence!" Gerard urged as his concentration began to waver. He reaffirmed his hold on the vial, grimacing as he felt just how depleted the magic inside had become in just few moments of channeling. The lights on the box dimmed slightly and he grunted, focusing his mind even harder to bring the lights back to normal.

It was all for naught however, and Gerard felt dismay as his hold on the spell began to waver, "No! No!" He shouted the glow dimming even further before beginning to flicker out, the glyphs disappearing and shrouding the room in darkness once more.

He attempted to re-engage the spell, purple streams of light once again reaching out to the box, but they flickered out before they even reached halfway.

"Dammit all!" He cursed as the room was shrouded in darkness once more. He was so close! He could feel the runes working! Could feel them accept the magic he had given them as they did as they were designed! And yet…

And yet it still didn't work. Just as it hadn't for the past sixty years.

"I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to distract you." Misa bowed apologetically.

Gerard shook his head with a sigh, "It wasn't your fault Misa. You simply sped up the inevitable." He looked down at the vial in his hand forlornly, noting its now colorless appearance before placing it in his coat pocket, "It seems it still wasn't enough."

He turned to walk back to his bodyguard, only to stumble as he was hit with a sudden wave of fatigue. He reached his arm out in an attempt to grab hold of something, and nearly sighed in relief as Misa appeared at his side, grabbing his arm to keep him from falling to the floor.

She looked at him with concern, reaching into a pocket and retrieving a small dust crystal, "Here sir. Take this." She handed it to him and he took it gratefully.

"Thank you Misa. It seems the process was more draining than I had imagined." He looked down at the crystal he had been handed. Red. Fire dust. It would do nicely.

He took a deep breath, before focusing his will on the crystal in his palm just as he had the vial moments before, only where before he had simply been refocusing the dist's energy, here he was taking it for his own.

Ever-so slowly, the chunk of dust lost its color, red fading to grey as the energy inside was absorbed by the man holding it. Gerard sighed as he felt his reserves of aura begin to refill, the heaviness in his limbs disappearing as he supplemented his own energy with the dust.

Soon enough, the crystal was completely depleted of its properties and Gerard stopped channeling his will into the now defunct rock. He rolled his shoulders in their sockets, feeling no small amount of relief as the stiffness failed to make itself known. He was back to normal for now.

He turned and handed it back to Misa who took it without a word, merely looking at him questioningly, "What happened sir? The box was glowing, that means it was working, wasn't it?"

Gerard simply nodded as he turned to retrieve his cane, "Indeed it was Misa, indeed it was. Unfortunately it seems that my theory was correct, despite my hoping it wasn't."

Misa frowned as she placed the depleted dust into a container simply marked 'Used', "It wasn't enough."

Gerard sighed, staring at the box with an unreadable expression, "No it wasn't. It seems that even the magic of the Winter Maiden isn't potent enough to undo the damage that was caused. We will need more if I am to succeed."

"So you're actually going through with it? Stealing the other vials?"

He nodded, "Indeed, if the other vials are similar to this one, then they may be the key to our plight. I had hoped that merely one would be enough for… No matter. We will simply get as many as is required."

"And you think she'll be able to do it?" Misa asked doubtfully, "This one was under an oddly light amount of protection. I doubt the others will be the same."

"Perhaps not. But with the proper guidance, I believe she will be more than up to the task. The fact that she succeeded in retrieving the first vial with her limited experience was a feat in and of itself." He spoke quietly as he stared at the now dimly glowing box, "I have no doubt that she is destined to do great things, and it is our duty to nurture her potential, no matter what it may be."

Truthfully, Gerard was running out of options quicker and quicker these days. Every time he believed he had a solution to his problem, life came round to dissuade him of that notion. Now it seemed he had no choice but to bet it all on black as it were.

He would need those other vials and Rei would be the one to steal them, hopefully providing him even more insight into her semblance in the process.

If his theories about the young faunus were correct, and she was indeed like him, then she could be the key to saving him from his plight. He simply must learn more about her semblance and how it functioned.

Gerard placed his hand on the box, closing his eyes mournfully. It was all he could do if he wished to keep his promise.

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