WARNING: This chapter is really long : 12k+ words
I just like making big chapter
also don't hesitate if you feel like it, to send a private message or review the story on how I could improve or even just point out some critical flaws here and there (I see it as the best way to improve my writing and thus the story)
In the White Fang base camp, Sienna Khan was giving orders to her men. She wanted them to return to Menagerie, and she had been in the tent planning their route along with a few high-ranking members, including Adam.
"We need to go back to Menagerie," said Sienna firmly. "We need to rethink our strategy."
Adam looked surprised. "What? Why? We have so much to do in Vale!"
"It's an order," replied Sienna, approaching Adam. "As a high leader, I order you and your men to retreat to Menagerie."
Adam clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't say anything else. Sienna walked away from the tent, and Adam followed her.
"Please, we have traveled so much already. Let's not let all of our operations go to waste!" pleaded Adam.
Sienna turned to face him. "I came back from Menagerie for this sole purpose. I decided to come myself all the way to Vale, to this very camp."She softened her tone. "I understand your frustration, but we must be smart."
Sienna slowly turned around and began walking away again. Adam couldn't contain his anger any longer and shouted after her, "Since when did the great Sienna Khan refuse to go into battle ?!"
Everyone in the camp turned to look at them.
Sienna turned back to face him, her expression unreadable. She didn't say anything but simply walked past him. and then raise her"Keep packing your stuff. We'll be leaving tomorrow night," she said, addressing everyone in the camp.
After a few minutes, Sienna suddenly heard a voice in her head.
/Hey, it's me, Maos. I'm above the camp/. This voice is only in your head. You can also answer me that way."
"What?" said Sienna out loud in front of several people in the tent. "Nothing"
/How are you above the camp?/ asked Sienna./how ?/
/Flying,/ responded the sorcerer. /Where do we meet? Either in front of everyone or alone. Your choice./
/Alone/ said Sienna. /I will take my leave from the tent. Join me in the forest, and make sure no one is following me/
/Got it/ said Maos.
Sienna gave the other people in the tent a look. "Keep working on the travel plans. I need to think a bit myself." She raised her hand as she saw Adam start to follow her. "You stay there. That's an order. I can protect myself."
Adam seemed to really dislike that.
The high leader then left with great discretion. It was actually unusual for her to disappear. She liked having alone time where she could think in peace.
Soon Sienna stopped in her run. She was pretty far from the camp.
"Where is he now?"
She heard a branch breaking and saw Maos appearing from behind a tree. He had [serene face], [friendly face], and [calm emotion] activated He had cast a series of spells on himself to be sure the conversation went smoothly.
"Good afternoon, High Leader," said Maos.
"Skip the honorific and be quick. I have a group to manage" said the tiger Faunus. "Blake?"
"Not here. I did tell her about you and the others. She will tell me tomorrow whether or not she wants to speak with you," said the sorcerer.
"Is she more on the talking-to-me side or the avoiding-me side?" asked Sienna.
"Given the number of knives she keeps hiding in her sleeves, I guess she's on the avoid side. But who knows," said Maos.
The High Leader sighed and leaned against a tree. She was weirdly relaxed. However, she still had her weapon around her belt, and her guard was still partially up.
"I guess I have to wait. Our group leaves tomorrow night. If she accepts, we have to be quick."
"You're leaving Vale already?" reacted Maos.
"Yes, after our... previous conversation..." started Sienna. "I have been taking time to think..." She paused for a bit.
"About?" added Maos as he approached a bit.
"Everything, really," said Sienna. "The giant grim stuck in the caves, the gravity reversing, you summoning a weird wolf to protect the others in case of grims... and I'd rather not talk about the underground part." Even Sienna seemed embarrassed by the last part, but she successfully hid it from Maos.
"What happened to my jacket, by the way?" asked Maos "I know the one I gave to you to avoid you being half-naked in front of your people,but I wouldn't mind having it back"
"It's currently in Menagerie. I left it there. I didn't see it as part of the things that were necessary for my travel to Vale,also,it's partially destroyed,why would you get it back ? given...you obviously have new and better clothes" Sienna replied,she gives a look to Maos's outfit
"Fair point," remarked Maos. He then leaned on a tree opposite Sienna.
The tiger faunus talks first, 'Any question for me? You came all the way here for that"
"Indeed, I have. Why is the White Fang leaving Vale?" asked the sorcerer.
"Change of strategy. I intend to try a more peaceful approach, but I need to make sure every high-ranked White Fang is in Menagerie and do a lot of speeches to announce it. I intend to make a few changes," admitted Sienna.
"Good to know. I think Blake will be happy about that. Now, next question. Are the White Fang involved in the recent series of heists of dust shops and cargo?" asked Maos.
"You're a journalist or a huntsman?" Sienna reacted. She sighed and answered the question, "No. If it is the case, I'm not aware of it, and people from my group have gone rogue."
"I see... so it's probably gangsters mostly..." said Maos.
Sienna looked at Maos and stared at him for several seconds without saying anything. "What?" reacted the sorcerer.
"How... how can you trust me? How do you know whether I'm lying or not? Can you tell with your semblance?" asked the High Leader.
Maos blinked in confusion for a second. "Huh? No, I don't need my semblance for that. I just don't see why you would be lying to me. You have nothing to gain from it."
"But I do have a thing to gain from it," said Sienna. "You are a powerful man, in the most literal and figurative way. Any politician would try to manipulate you for their benefit."
Maos paused for a second. "I guess you're right. You do have something to gain if you manipulate me. However, given your hatred of Jacques Schnee and his methods or your general behavior with your people, you're not a manipulator. Even if you tried, you wouldn't be very good. It just doesn't suit you, let's be honest, if you failed or I see through your manipulation, you have way more to lose"
Sienna didn't really know what to answer to that. She just froze. Was she that easy to figure out?
"Anyway, the third question," started Maos. "How is Adam Taurus?"
"Adam?" Sienna reacted with surprise. "Why?"
"Just curiosity," responded Maos.
"He probably healed fast, really fast, actually. He kept training like a madman since your fight with him. He's my strongest soldier," replied Sienna.
"What does he think of me?" asked Maos.
Sienna raised an eyebrow. "Why do you seem more interested in him than me, the high leader?"
"jealous ?" said Maos
[bad choice of words! She's not your friend Maos, you idiot!, she's not someone you can joke around with!]thought the sorcerer as his Calm emotion spell ends
The tiger Faunus sighed. "I'm not sure what he thinks about you. Most of the time, he seems to hate you because he gets angry every time you're mentioned. However, I've watched him train in secret, and he seems almost obsessed with your strength. I remember hearing him say, 'How could he be so fast? Can I be this fast as well? How can I be as strong?'"
"It's strange, but from what I see, he hates you as a human but respects you as a warrior and almost admires you. I think that's the best way to say it," summarized Sienna
"I see," said Maos, [she's ignoring the jealous part..great!]. "Also, I'm not jealous," said Sienna. "It's only logical that you would be more interested in the highest rank of a group, especially when you are directly talking to them!"
[Dammit,] thought Maos
"Do not play with me. You have already tarnished my reputation enough," said Sienna.
"I did?" asked Maos.
"The mine was seen as a complete failure by the other high-ranked White Fang," said the High Leader. "I may be their leader, but their opinion has power."
Maos needed to stay calm.
"That's not really my fault. If I hadn't been there, you would have died and all your people with you," said Maos. "But I guess just because it could be worse doesn't mean it's good."
The High Leader seemed to lose her temper a bit. "It's really not good! After I decided to change my position on humans and stop any terrorist operations, people called me soft. They think I'm weak!"
"Does that make you weak?" asked Maos, stopping Sienna in her momentum.
"Huh? Of course not!" said Sienna.
Maos clench his fists" Then why are you complaining? being underestimated works in your favor when it comes to other highly-rank people in your group"
"but not on the population in Menagerie ! my people trust in my strength! and that trust is wavering !" respond Sienna
the sorcerer retaliates "Well, since you're changing your own way of operation, it won't help this supposed strength you build on violence,you should be focused on what could make the population trust you in a different way than your abilities to destroy a building!"
Maos actually walk toward Sienna, but she instantly tries to back off, however leaning on a tree was a mistake, she has her back against the tree and can't back down at all
the huntsman in training kept his speech" You rose in power before, people already know your ability to destroy and they won't forget it THAT easily, however maybe now you could show a more peace full side of yours, show them their leader is not just a tiger thirsty for human blood, but a calm and reasonable person that can dare to question her own opinion and listen to everyone's voice, even her enemy's voice in order to realize the best response to a problem or the best way to reach her objectives! you know? someone that is strong but still chooses to remain peaceful, not feared but respected, smart but not cunning!"
"the Faunus and Menagerie needed a warrior to guide and protect them before, but now they need a leader, a real and full fledge faunus leader"
they were close to a point where Sienna could see her reflection in his eyes
Maos turn on himself and back" dammit, I can't believe I'm giving advice to an almost nation leader! I'm the less experienced in life here! why are you the one with so much trouble seeing the world in a more logical, calm, and composed manner? seriously ?! Didn't you learn anything from our last conversation ?! You are smart, I don't understand why you struggle so much with that thinking"
he turns to look at Sienna, her eyes...seem shining, almost in admiration, and even her tiger's ear is fully ready to listen more, the fact he speaks to her truthfully alway felt weird to her"You...you.."
his words inspired her, impress actually...she felt motivated thanks to it, she felt her heartbeat increase a bit as she kept looking at him and dropping her guard
"What ?" asks Moas, her look at him, made him uneasy, it seems to differ so more trusting and kind compared to her usual look [damn it, she's pretty when she doesn't look mad, no wonder my dream keeps mixing her and Coco]
he then shrugs it off and crosses her arm to regain a"Nothing... any more questions?"
the sorcerer paused for a second "Not really..."
"you came all the way here? calling the leader of a terrorist group and just 3 mere questions?"
"Those were important questions," said Maos "you expect more ?"
Sienna change her arm from crossing to putting her hands on her hips "I did expect more...my turn for the question"
"what happen with Jacque after you came back to Beacon ?"
"I end any contact with him and headmaster Ozpin has been dealing with him,I should be fine"
"what about Weiss Schnee ?" asks Sienna "I know she's in Beacon", she grins at him
"she's none of your concern," said Maos, he crossed his arm "Beacon and every student there is an under my protection, this rule goes for Jacque Schnee, the white fangs, gangster, everyone really, also this goes for Blake as well as she's a student as well"
"she's in Beacon...you did say she was somewhere safe," said Sienna "It makes sense, with her skills...and her personality, huntsmen are the best opportunity for her"
Sienna thought for a moment before asking, "What is the extent of your semblance exactly?"
"Do you think I will answer that? You're basically asking for my weakness," replied Maos as he crossed his arms.
"I saw you reverse gravity, beat my strongest soldier, summon a wolf out of nothing, and even talk to me telepathically," Sienna said. "You asked me a few questions and I answered them, so it's only fair that you answer mine."
"Yeah, and you had to kiss me for gravity to reverse. This level of power was not my normal output," explained Maos.
"So, do you always need to be kissed every time you need to reverse gravity? Or was my kiss so bad that it caused that much of an emotional shock? I don't believe it," retorted Sienna with an offended tone.
"Yeah, it was my first after all, and it was from the high leader of the White Fang! you would be disturbed if a literal terrorist who hates you kiss you !" responded Maos with the same tone.
"I was disturbed as well!, my first kiss was with a human! A human! Do you realize how weird it is for me? Sure, I was shaken a little after that, but I'm not reversing gravity because of it!" retaliated Sienna.
"wait it was your first as well?" Maos reached as his momentum stopped, he seemed genuinely surprised.
"Why so shocked? As a high leader, I'm not the kind of person to have the luxury and time to fall in love! And now, thanks to you and a maid finding you stupid jacked in my house on my bed because I forgot it there!"
"A rumor of me having a lover has spread! It's actually one of the reasons why the other high-ranked called me soft!, because it's what happened to Ghira - he fell in love, had a kid, and got soft!" Sienna seemed to almost throw a tantrum,seem like she has this weight for a long time now
"There's such a rumor? sorry for you...also I'm just surprised...that no guy or girl approaches you at all..." said Maos. "A woman in a position of power and attractive even with your way of life...it's strange no one approaches you. You either really ignore everyone, or you are really scary to people around you in general."
Sienna stopped and froze. [Did he just call me attractive? Wait...why am I talking about that with him?!] She mentally slapped herself.
Sienna's tiger ear suddenly moved a bit. She then jumped on Maos and pushed him to the ground. "Wha-", but Sienna put her hand to cover his mouth.
"Someone's approaching," said Sienna. "Can you hide us? They must not see us together."
"..." Maos stayed silent and put his hand around the ground [dimension door: 5th level]. They both fell into the portal and landed again on the ground, but 250 meters away from where they were.
Sienna landed on Maos, and he on the ground. Her senses were still sharp.
[Detect creature: human/faunus] - no one but them.
"We're alone...whatever was out there, it's gone or it didn't chase us," said Sienna, still checking around her.
"You can get up, you know," said Maos. Sienna being above him reminded him of several dreams. "Like really...please get up."
She actually just froze in this position for 3 seconds, staring at him with wide eyes. "Right!" She got up and let him get up. He found the way her tiger's ear moved quite cute because of the embarrassment. It was heartwarming to see her acting like a regular person her age, even if it was just for a few seconds.
She regained her composure. It took her a good 5 seconds. "Well, I think it's better if I leave now. This was probably Adam or someone else from my camp. I stayed away for too long. I need to come back."
"Understandable," said Maos. "I will call you back when I have news about Blake, or I will just come here." He walked away a bit. "Also, before I leave...just so you know, your little tantrum, it felt good, right?" said Maos.
"You annoy me...human," said Sienna. The way she added "human" with hesitation showed her lack of confidence in that idea.
"No, I won't annoy you...actually, I think you liked our conversation," said Maos. "I'm almost sure you're not that emotive with your men...I see that as a good sign of trust. Try to do it more, not just for me, but also for your people. Show them your heart a bit." He bowed down a bit. "Well, then, High Leader, it was a pleasure. See you soon." And Maos turned into a blackbird and left.
"Can he really do that?!" Sienna exclaimed, her eyes fixed on Maos as he soared through the sky. She rubbed her fatigued eyes, thinking to herself, "Dealing with him is such a pain...at least he's not my enemy..."
Sienna mentally scolded herself and tried to refocus on the task at hand. After all, Maos was the one person apart from Kali Belladonna who could easily distract her from what she needed to do.
Maos arrived in Vales about an hour later and landed in a small dark alley near Junior's nightclub.
[my conversation wit Sieann went well, sure the end was a bit weird, but it was rather positive, I count this as a win]
As he entered the club, he found only Junior behind the bar, along with Melanie and Miltia.
"The bar is closed, but the restaurant part is still open. Oh..., Maos, it's you," said Junior in surprise. "I don't think I ordered anything... nor did you?" he asked, looking at the twins.
"He did not," said the two sisters in unison.
"Hi, Junior...a restaurant?" Maos asked as he approached them, passing by the twins. "Hi Melanie, hi Miltia."
He sat at the bar next to the twins and in front of Junior. "So...you talked about a restaurant?"
"Yeah, we opened a restaurant as part of the nightclub to boost revenue and attract more types of people. It's on the roof, and Melanie and Miltia designed the decoration," Junior explained.
"And I guess it also serves as a better private place for a deal during the night?" said Maos.
Junior sighed. "You got it. We could only make it happen thanks to you, Maos. Due to the amount of money you saved me, I could afford to rebuild the nightclub and create a restaurant."
"You should check it out," said Melanie. "The food is actually not that bad."
"Hey, the cooking staff is expensive. They better be good," said Junior.
"They pass the edible test for me," said Miltia. "The good taste test? Not so sure about that."
"Okay...anyways, that's great and all, but I'm not here to eat," said Maos. "I have a few questions. It's the dus-"
"Juniors! My friend!" a loud voice interrupted from the entrance before the person was not even visible but it wanted to be noticed
"Quick, hide," said Junior to Maos.
Maos grabbed a drink and filled it using magic, then cast a disguise spell. Suddenly, his appearance changed to a suit similar to Junior's. He wore a black vest over a white dress shirt, a red tie, black gloves, and black dress pants. His eyes turned red, his hair became a bit longer, and his face looked a bi younger with a folder expression. He had a whole different vibe, more serious, more gangster-ish, and more cunning...scarier and more menacing. It seemed so natural for him. he also looked more attractive than before
Though his face didn't change, his look and expression made him look like a different person. The twins couldn't recognize him, even though it was the same face. Even Junior had to admit that the disguise would fool anyone.
"I want to see that," said Maos. "Just play along with it."
The twins looked at each other for a second before agreeing to the plan. Junior just facepalmed, realizing it was too late to do anything.
Then, two people from another gang entered the room. A man with red hair and a woman with two colors of hair, pink on one side and brown on the other.
"Roman Torchwick... along with Neopolitan..." said Junior. "And what gives us the honor of your visit?"
Roman has slanted, dark-green eyes and bright, long, orange hair, with long bangs covering his right eye. While Neo is on his side, she seems to have an outfit divided into three colors: brown, white, and pink. She really stands out and has a real ladylike feel to her, especially given the way she walks.
Neo and the twins give each other a hateful look. [So they have a history…] thought Maos
Juniors looks at the twins and says, "Can you two please go?" The twins sigh at the same time and leave.
[They don't like each other at all…] thought Maos.
Juniors turn to Maos and says, "Can you…?" The disguised sorcerer glares at the gangster, which actually scares him. "Forget about it…"
Roman and Neo give each other a look, then Roman approaches Maos, who is seated at the bar, drinking a glass of wine, and raises his hand. "I don't believe we've met! A new member of Junior's boy band?"
Maos takes a sip of his wine, then he adjusts his seating position to face Roman and raises his hand to shake it. "You can call me… Chaos."
The moment Maos said that, his eye color changed to yellow. Neo seemed a bit disturbed by it, but Roman chose to shrug it off.
"Sounds edgy…" said Roman as he shakes Maos's hand. Maos bows his head and looks at Neopolitan. "And your partner's full name is after ice cream? Is it really better?" Maos's eyes change to a pink color similar to hers.
"Fair point… I'll give you that," said Roman as Neo crossed her arms in disapproval, she seems like the kind to be very sassy. Maos's eyes went back to green as they turn to Roman
[This kid gives me weird vibes…He looks sharp and ready to fight… I kinda like it,] thought Roman.
"He is my new alcohol supplier," said Juniors, who seem anxious"Why don't you have a seat while I pour the drinks?"
"Great Idea !" said Roman, he sit without any hesitation next to Maos "Alcohol supplier? who are old are you kid ?"
"19," said Maos as his eye color changed again but to red this time
"As this age ?" said Roman, trying to get a reaction from Maos, the red hair man turn to Neo "seem like we got a good one here"
"and tell me...how does one get to become an alcohol supplier at only 19? Daddy worked for Juniors but Daddy disobeyed and so had to give your heritage sooner ?"
Maos didn't answer he just sips his drink, remaining fully calm "No" it's all he said, Neo join Roman at the bar
Juniors give Roman his drink, and he gives a cup of tea to Neo "he is...my...um..."
"I'm his business associate for alcohol, I gave him an offer he couldn't refuse and here we are" said Maos with a cold tone
"I've never heard of you, where are you from ?" said Roman, he seem joyful, Neo as well, good, they didn't see Maos as a threat
"I arrived in Vale a year ago, been making a few deals here and there," said Maos
"a year ago? And I've never heard of you! how's that? people in our world hear about a new alcohol supplier " React Roman
Maos look at Roman and his eye color change again to a deep red "Who knows?"
"I See...I see"said Roman, the thief then a different approach, he look at Junior a bit and then turn to Maos again "Do you know who was the previous supplier of Juniors before you ?"
"nobody probably,"said Maos, he truly doesn't care
"of course, you don't"Roman rub shake his glass a bit making noise with the ice cubes "I do, actually...I mean, I rob them a couple of times, they are the Diony family, and they are still around, in fact...Juniors have been at war with them since he doesn't need them for alcohol"
[wait what ?]thought Maos, weirdly enough he was not angry as he got a reminder, that the contract of Juniors specify that he doesn't want to be involved in any gang stuff, the young man knew several of Juniors had died in those attacks
Maos give a look to Juniors "Yeah, it's true, they've been attacking the club every once in a while"
the disguised sorcerer actually sigh "Sheesh...you should have told me"
"oh and also, they are on their way to attack the club again"Add Roman, Neo seem to almost laugh, but weirdly she did make any sound
"they are ?!"Juniors hit the bar, he immediately grabs his phone and calls for one of his men "Any news from the Diony family ?!"
nobody answers the phone
Juniors turn to Torchiwick "What do you want ?", Maos keeps sipping his drink as well, he actually finishes it
"Nothing really!"said Roman" As a friend and a good associate, I respect you and so I thought it would be a good idea to at least warn you,and since they are after Neo and I as well for robbing, I just thought it would a big opportunity to fight them together"
Juniors seem so pissed as he hears Roman, this crook is good at it
Roman put his hand on Maos's shoulder "Sorry, you got caught in that, it's just life I guess", Maos turn slowly to him...smiling a bit
"you came here, knowing the Diony family would come here since they are 2, not 3 if we include me of their targets in the same place" start Maos" That is actually smart, I have to admit"
"Thanks...you...I think"Roman turn to Neo for a second in confusion [that kid is not scared at all]
Roman shift his attention to Juniors "So, if you may, Juniors,...Neo, and I will take a sit at a table while your men fight desperately for their lives"
"you will what ?! you better fight Torchwick you brought war to this place!"
"Hey, hey to be fair"Roman points to Maos "This kid is the main cause of it, if he didn't sell you alcohol everything would have been fine"
"you brought them here !" said Juniors, they are start hearing shots through the building "damn it", Juniors grabs his weapon
Maos raise his hand "Don't...I will handle it", he starts getting up" You will?" react Juniors and Roman even Neo had a doubt
the sorcerer turns to them "Of course, I cause of all of that, it's only my responsibility after all, you better check on Melanie and Miltia", he stretches a bit
"Nobody moves!" scream Someone as they enter the room, several armed men take a position all around the room
Roman raise his hand, Neo as well, they are both smiling, it is all according to plan apparently "Don't shoot! Let's have a talk like civilized people !" said Roman,Juniors had to agree and raise his hands,he didn't have his weapon thanks to Maos
a middle age appears at the entrance of the club "Well, well, it isn't Roman Torchwick and Neo along with that traitor that is Juniors and who are you, kid ?"
the "kid" didn't have his hand in the air, he ignore the middle age man at first and then look at him, and his eyes became purples
the middle age man approached the bar" I am Julius Diony, son of Nero Diony current head of the family", he examines Maos from head to toe," you look really well dressed, so you're not a rookie"
Maos look at him with no fear,, the sorcerer then joins both his arm in front of him and put his behind his back like a butler, and give the most innocent smile he could [serene face, friendly face, calm emotion]
[right,I didn't realize that,he dress too well for a rookie of Juniors]thought Roman as he look around the room to find the best way to escape
Maos raise a hand and smile a bit "Hi, Mr. Diony, I am Chaos, the current alcohol supplier of Juniors",he sound so calm it was scary
"wh-...are you mocking me, kid? you ?!"Julius turns to Juniors "Is this a joke ?!"
Julius suddenly punch Maos, however, the punch just stop his face as Maos didn't even flinch, his hand still raised
[that's a strong aura!]thought Roman and Neo [maybe that kid is actually not a pushover..]
Julius backed off his fist "How?"
"it is not a joke," said Maos, his hand he hand goes behind his back again and he keep smiling "So as Roman said, let's negotiate"
Maos start turning to walk"Why don't we all on the roof, and use the restaurant's table to properly negotiate"
"I'm not here to negotiate with you!" said Julius "I am here to have a chat with the owners"
Juniors hesitate a bit, but Maos raise his voice first "I'm sure you understand that Juniors only accept my alcohol because of my extremely low prices, I understand that my prise are too low for the industry so I figure that maybe I should negotiate those said prices, I'm sure the head of your family would agree to try to end this war with the fewer casualties possible"
Julius hesitate a bit, he has the upper here if he plays this well, he can sell alcohol again and even use this kid as a new source of income and even rise the prices overall, his father is a great negotiator and alcohol is a big part of their gang's finance, taking full control again would be good, especially since legalize alcohol's prices are getting higher
Maos realize the hesitation of the enemy, he decided to cast one of the few spells, he only allows himself to cast people he doesn't like
[suggestion: accept to negotiate], a level 2 spell that forces a person to do an action decided by the caster, the spell works only if the action doesn't harm to target, and it can be easily resisted by people with a strong will, however, a strong will is not something this man has, the suggestion spell ends once the action has been done,if the action has not been done in the next 8 hours, the spell ends regardless
"Alright, then let's negotiate," said Julius, Maos just smile at him
[Did he actually accept ?!]thought Juniors, his jaw drops
Roman look at his scroll, he receives a message from Neo /that eye-color-changing guy seems fun to be around, I don't know what his plan is, but at least it seems to work unlike some people/
"What is that supposed to mean ?" said Roman out loud, he was offended to which she responded with a text along with smug on her face /jealous ?/
Roman and Neo then look around at each other, everyone is starring at them
"tch..."Julius look at him"You two are dying tonight", several arm men aim at Neo and Roman, Neo seems ready to fight
"oh come on, can we get a negotiate as well? you just agree to negotiate with a kid you never met, we've met before"
"you stole 5 trucks of the finest wine!" said Julius
"Exactly, we've met before," joked Roman
"Mister Diony" called Maos "Please, do not spill any blood until the negotiations are over, also I agree with Roman, he should get a chance to defend his actions"Maos is forcibly polite,it can actually be heard in his voice,Roman is the only who noticed it however
"see! I like that kid, that kid is smart" said Roman
"Everyone, please...go toward the roof,I have my crew set a nice table"said Juniors after Maos gave a look
[I hope you know what you're doing kid...]thought Juniors
and then they all went to the roof, there was no other customer, seem like the restaurant is not that famous yet, Melanie and Miltia are there as well, a crew member of Juniors had explained the situation to them
Melanie whispers to Milta "What is he doing ?!"
"I don't know...but it's not like we could stop it...I think we should help them, assuring more of Maos's position, having the daughter of Miss Malachite by his side could help his statement have more value" respond her sister
"Are you serious?!" react Melanie "You want to bet on that ?!"
"I think he can make it," said Miltia "I really do,worse thing,is...he kill them all"
Miltia look at her sister with certain eyes "believe me,regardless of what happens in the end, we win"
Melanie sigh, why does her sister seem so sure about it ?,Miltia is closer to Maos than Melanie but the difference is not that great,
Maybe Miltia knows something that Melanie doesn't
"I'll trust your judgment, however, you better not be wrong,Mom is going to kill us if we have to flee Vale" said Melanie, she grabs her sister's hand"Let's go"
on a big white round and white table, Maos sit on a regular chair, Julius didn't sit at first, and Roman took on a sit left of the table, Neo standing next to him
Juniors stand Behind Maos, it actually a personal choice, at First Maos expects Juniors to sit next to him, but it seems Like Juniors decide to trust Maos on this one,Neo and Roman are surprised to see Melanie and Milti grab a chair from another table and then sitting side to side next to Maos
Roman deduces the same as everyone here, obviously, the young and cunning one is the boss or at least equal to Juniors,Neo shows a text to Roman /Do you think this Chaos guy is Junior's junior? They dress the same thing...maybe he took the family business, like a nephew of something/
"it would make sense, but if it is, he mostly took after the other side of the family then...I don't think so..however, he does have style...and seems at ease, it's not his first negotiation or he is a natural" whisper Roman to Neo
Junior got the title of a gang leader from his father, Junior's gang is literally a family business like most gangs in Vale actually, Roman and Neo are actually the reason why Junior's father died,but he doesn't need to know that
a henchman tries to take her scroll her scroll away "Just let her have it,she needs to communicate,she's my partner and deserve the right to express herself...also for you own safety I suggest you avoid getting less than a meter close to her"said Roman,the henchmen turn to this boss, Julius shake his head to allow it
"how about we start? please have a sit, sir Diony" asks Maos, he manages to hide his surprise when Melanie and Miltia sat next to him,he kept his smile all along,like a poker face,he seem in full control of the situation
"not yet,"said Julius "my father is on his way, he likes to negotiate things himself,I already warn him of your attempt at negotiation"
"and how long do we have to wait ?" asks Maos, Julius glare at Maos a bit "It won't take long, he was coming anyway to check the bodies in case there are bodies to check"
Maos keep his smile "I see,I guess we can wait, how we get all a drink ?" propose the sorcerer as his eyes color changed to amber, everyone seems to agree
A few minutes later, the old man finally arrived, wearing a dark coat and walking with a cane. Despite his advanced age, Nero still exuded an aura of danger and menace, and his mere presence was enough to make even the most hardened criminals think twice before crossing him.
This man had gone through a lot and survived.
The old man sat gently in the chair opposite Maos and spoke in a gentle voice.
"So you are the boy who stole Juniors from our client list," said the old man. "I am Nero Diony, head of the family."
Maos's eyes widened for a few seconds. This man felt so gentle and yet so confident. Maos's eyes turned to a silver color.
"And I am Roman Torchwick."
"I know who you are," said Nero as he slowly turned to the thief. "But I am not here for you; you're just a bonus." Nero turned to Maos. "What is your name, boy? I heard you called yourself Chaos. Do you have any real name?"
"Call me what you want," said Maos.
"So Chaos it will be," said the old man. He leaned a bit more in his chair, getting comfortable. "So I heard you are Junior's new alcohol supplier. Where do you get your alcohol from?"
"I have my own magical place," said Maos, taking his glass of wine and taking a sip. "I have my own way of obtaining it."
The old man grabbed a glass of wine as well, from the same bottle as Maos. "Did you steal it from us or somebody else? It can't be this cheap; it wouldn't be profitable."
"I'm not a thief. I'm not that kind of artist, unlike Roman Torchwick here," said Maos. He kept his smile all along, like a poker face. He knew that showing any kind of surprise or emotional reaction to anything could be used against him.
Roman seemed to feel complimented when the word "artist" was said. "I see..." reacted the old man. Nero is thinking, trying to understand the situation correctly. Nero's eyes turned to the twins and then Maos. "Are you part of the spider gang? I see you have the daughters of the boss by your side."
"He is not," said Melanie.
"And what is his relation to it?" asked the old man.
"He is merely a businessman. We trade goods from time to time, but mostly with my sister, Juniors. Chaos is not associated with any gang, really," explained Miltia.
"So you have room for negotiation about the prices?" asked the old man as he leaned on the chair and joined his hands. "I'm a businessman as well. I have no desire for violence, but your prices may disrupt the financial balance I've worked so hard to maintain since a similar age to yours."
"It's not my intention. I'm just here to make money," said Maos. [I didn't expect a gang leader to be so reasonable. Maybe I will be able to leave this place without killing anybody.]
"I only intended to sell to Juniors, and only him. I have no intention of going mainstream. However, I can increase my prices to suit your prices so that they don't seem unfair compared to mine."
"Hey... I'm the one who buys it," said Juniors.
"I will increase prices as long as Juniors agrees to pay them," interrupted Maos. "I can increase prices, but I still need someone to buy my alcohol."
"And what if my family buys your alcohol and we resell it?" said the old man. "That way, you can keep your low prices for Juniors, and only him, and you can sell the rest to us. We will regulate it along with our own alcohol. That way, I gain a new supplier for alcohol, and I keep control of the alcohol market. You get another client. What do you think of that? As long as your prices for us are especially low, in exchange, I will let go of any grudges toward you and Junior, as we would be associated."
Maos stopped and thought, [Fuck, that guy had already thought about it, didn't he? This proposition is good for money-making and peace-making... It's hard to refuse it...]
"And where's the catch?" asked Roman aloud. "I'm no stranger to deals between gangs, and that proposition seems one-sided."
The old man just smiled at Roman. "There is no catch. I'm a businessman, not a thief. I can benefit greatly from this situation by simply keeping control of the market and avoiding a war between Juniors and me. I may be a criminal, but not everything has to be solved with violence. Some things do, but not this situation. The only real catch is that I wish for Chaos to become one of my henchmen. He would obey my orders."
Roman's interruption allowed Maos some time to think and pushed the elderly man to reveal more details about the agreement. In fact, it was Roman's plan all along, and Maos maintained his smile throughout the exchange.
[This kid's poker face is good,] thought Roman
"Sir Diony, where are you from? I don't know your story like everyone else here. Enlighten me," Maos asked.
"And why do you wish to know? Have you truly never heard of me?" responded Nero. Maos grabbed a glass of wine and took a sip. "If I am to accept joining a gang or family, in your own words, I want to know who I am working for. The best way to understand someone is by knowing their story. It seems logical to ask you directly rather than hearing from some random gangster."
"And I happen to like stories," Nero chuckled, despite his son growing angry beside him. "And I happen to enjoy telling them. Very well, it is an elder's duty after all."
Maos felt an odd sensation because of Nero. He seemed genuinely wise and reasonable, reminiscent of Osiris and other teachers he had encountered at the old magic academy. This understanding of life appeared simple, yet profound.
However, Maos also sensed that this man was dangerous, a chill running down his spine. His instincts kept him on edge.
"I am from here, born in Vale," Nero declared. "Unlike the red-haired idiot over there, I grew up amidst the ashes of the great war. My father was the very first person to rebuild a farm in this land devastated by the war, and naturally, I followed in his footsteps. However, as a simple farmer, when the government initiated reforms after the war ended, my father and I lost everything. The government burdened us with such heavy taxation that we couldn't afford to continue living in the house he had built with his own hands. Tragically, soon after, my father passed away. I was left to fight tooth and nail to retain ownership of my properties. People started joining me, and I discovered my talent for dealing with money and group management. Utilizing my skills, I created a gang, a family, and our enterprise has thrived. In fact, my family is one of the main contributors to the city's development. My name is even featured on the historical donor list for cities near the CTT Tower. I have helped finance this very building, as well as the majority of the night district. While my business operates in a somewhat legal gray area, the Vale council tolerates me because they appreciate the economic benefits I bring. There isn't a drop of alcohol in all of Vale that doesn't pass through my hands at some point, particularly the illicit variety."
"And now here I am, a father of three children and a great and respectable business owner. That's pretty much all you need to know," declared Nero. "I guess it's your turn, but sadly you're a bit too young to have a story to tell."
Mao's eyes turned blood red, signaling that this man was unlike Osiris or anyone he had encountered before. Mao sensed it,he felt the difference ,every word of this old man is full of poison
The old man deliberately omitted the gory details of his rise to power even if he didn't need to. Certain parts of his story felt fabricated,it's seem too perfect of a story, confirming Mao's suspicion that he was a liar. The only aspect that seemed believable was his involvement in financing Vale, substantiated by his name on the CCT tower monument.
Nevertheless, Mao concluded that nothing this old man said could be trusted. Any proposition he made would likely be poisoned in some way. The man's ability to appear reasonable and honest made him an expert manipulator and the ultimate liar.
The sorcerer sighed in boredom, thinking, [And I thought I had met someone special... I won't have much remorse; the city would probably be safer without his gang. I guess I wasted my time negotiating.,I guess killing is the only option whee I can just remain unscratched in the end,i'm sure even Juniors or the spider gang would be fine with one less gang]
"Oh, don't underestimate me," Mao retorted. "Your story is interesting,the young farm boy rising in power and all. It's great propaganda, really. I'm sure history has forgotten how many bodies are buried under your business and how you manipulate it to suit your needs. But that's the foundation of being a criminal."
"I won't tell you my story because you're not worth it. However, I will explain the situation you're in. Consider it a reality check,one you won't recover from," Mao smiled sinisterly, revealing his teeth a bit. Melanie, Miltia, and Juniors instinctively moved away from him, feeling the danger.
Miltia had seen that side of Maos before and unlike Melanie and Juniors,she know that there is nothing to stop Maos now,she grabs her sister's hand and start backing down further,she even pulled Juniors along with her.
Mao's sudden shift in position and expression seemed out of place and awkward. Roman and Neo thought of leaving the scene, but Roman stopped Neo, who quickly typed on her scroll and showed it to him.
/I think we should leave. I have a really, REALLY bad feeling about this. This kid wants to die!/
"I know... but be ready. We don't want to get caught in the crossfire. We'll leave before things escalate," whispered Roman as he grabbed his cane, preparing to fight.
Mao's sudden change in demeanor seemed as if he didn't take the situation seriously, which made everyone uneasy.
"Sir Nero Diony, I possess certain abilities and skills that make me a very dangerous person. I am more dangerous than you and anyone you could throw at me, regardless of their number. I DO NOT NEED the Spider Gang nor anyone from Junior's Gang," Mao confidently asserted.
"Are you threatening me, young man?!" Nero's anger surfaced, and several henchmen of Nero and his son reached for their weapons.
"This is a warning, and also a threat... Well, it's both," replied the sorcerer.
The old man smiled slightly, regaining his composure and seemingly diffusing the tension. this young man is not scared of him and it's a problem, he needs to be scared, to truly understand how Nero Diony is !the old man will remind him of his position!
"Aren't you afraid for your friends and family? If they're in Vale, I can find them,if they are not in vale,it's just take a bit more time..."
It was a mistake,a grave one, his last made a lack of judgement
Mao clapped his hands, causing everyone to stagger as the tension spiked once again. He locked eyes with Nero, his smile vanishing. Mao's eyes started rapidly changing color, creating an eerie effect.
""Here is my threat, Sir Diony. I am going to kill you, and there is nothing in this world that can stop me,if anyone attacks me after I kill you,I will also kill them,be it your henchmen,sons or daughters"
The entire room froze, the old man staring back at the boy in silence, his eyes widening.
Roman suddenly spoke up, "I think we will leave now!" All attention turned to him. Neo stood behind, waving her umbrella in agreement.
"Don't you dare!" started Julius, but his father raised his hand. "Let them go," Nero said, turning to Maos. "You agree to it?"
"I do. Let them go. They have no business with you anymore" Maos responded calmly.
All of Nero's henchmen stopped in their tracks as Roman and Neo began walking away. They didn't hesitate; it wasn't that they fully comprehended Maos' true strength, in fact, they whole heatedly believe that this young man is just delusional, but they sensed that a battle was about to erupt, and they wanted no part in it.
[That kid is insane. We better leave. Once the old man is done dealing with him, if he somehow survives, I guess I owe him one] Roman thought to himself.
And so, Roman and Neo left without anyone attempting to stop them. All eyes remained fixed on Maos as the confrontation continued.
A few minutes later, Neo and Roman found themselves downstairs at the bar. They started hearing gunshots, multiple of them.
"It started. I guess we can just leave. Poor kid, he seemed cocky. I wonder why he was so confident... Kinda sad. Anyway, we have dust to steal," Neo remarked.
A few seconds later, Neo was seen stealing a bottle of expensive alcohol from the bar. Roman reacted, saying, "Seriously? Since when do you drink?"
Neo pointed to the bottle of alcohol and then gestured towards Roman.
"It's for me?" Roman asked.
Neo nodded in affirmation. "Oh, you're so sweet," Roman said as he took the bottles. Meanwhile, Neo grabbed a large bag from behind the bar, intending to buy something nice for herself later.
Suddenly, they heard Juniors and the twins returning to the bar. Neo quickly hid the money, and Roman still held onto the bottle.
"Oh, I guess it's over... It was fast," Roman said. Juniors and the twins didn't have a scratch on them, but they seemed a bit scared.
They sat in silence at the bar, with Neo and Roman looking at each other in confusion.
"Hi, sad face," Roman said as he leaned on the bar. "It's over? Kinda sad the boy had to die."
Juniors grabbed the bottle from Roman's hand and drank from it.
"Hey!" Roman protested.
Juniors slammed the bottle on the bar. "It happened so fast... I guess I should have expected it," he said, appearing shocked.
Neo approached the twins, two girls she particularly disliked, but she was taken aback by their expressions. They seemed... impressed.
"Did you see how fast he was? How strong?" said Miltia.
"I did," Melanie confirmed.
Roman and Neo exchanged confused looks.
"Why isn't anyone else coming back?" Roman wondered aloud.
Just then, Neo and Roman heard a small scream from a nearby room. They saw Julius running, trying to escape. He appeared injured.
"Please, please!" Julius pleaded.
Neo and Roman were shocked as they witnessed a bloodied Julius. The notorious criminal looked like a frightened child. They then noticed Maos, still disguised as a criminal, entering the room with blood on his hands. He seemed bored as he said, "No need to run. It won't change the outcome."
Julius ran towards Juniors and grabbed him by the shoulder. "You have to stop him!" But neither Juniors nor the twins reacted. Julius then turned to Torchwick.
"Torchwick! Please protect him. I will pay anything!" He nearly grabbed Torchwick's coat but was abruptly seized by Maos, the sorcerer.
Roman couldn't even react or respond.
In an attempt to defend himself, Julius threw a punch at Maos, but the young man skillfully dodged it. Maos's free hand swiftly grabbed Julius by the head and slammed it onto the bar counter, breaking a part of it. Despite the counter being made of metal, Julius, despite his physical strength, couldn't fight back. Maos's physical strength was far superior.
"You've already got my dad! You don't need to—"
Maos slams the gangster's head again, his face devoid of emotion, causing more injury to Julius's head.
"I won't... I will forget... we can make peace..." another slam on the bar counter, leaving part of the gangster's facial flesh on it, with his left eye barely intact.
Roman is shocked by such violence, and Neo's eyes widen in disbelief.
Maos then lifts Julius's head by grabbing his hair once more. "too late,there is nothing you can,death is the way now"
"Wh-zf I... dozfzfn't... knoggzw" Julius struggles to speak properly, his jaw shattered and all his teeth gone.
Maos's blood-red eyes shift towards Juniors. " Juniors, can you hide the bodies and pretend this is just a gang war and your won ?"
"I-I can," Juniors stammers, shaking a bit. The twins wisely choose not to intervene for their own safety.
The sorcerer turns to Roman. "And you?"
Roman feels his heart skip a beat, but quickly gathers his thoughts. "Yes, I can as well. I even know the location of their hideout, at least.,there are a son and daughter left,you do realize they will hunt you ?" Neo is ready to fight, but Roman raises his hand to stop her. This is a precious opportunity to form a valuable alliance. Besides, Roman now knows that Chaos is not his enemy.
Maos retrieves the scroll from Juniors' pocket. The boss doesn't react due to fear, and Maos throws it to Roman. "that's their problem... Put the address or coordinates in here. in case that problem does become my problem eventually, I spared you a lot of trouble with this gang. Your debt will be paid with this."
Roman catches the blood-covered scroll, handed to him by Maos. He writes the address and throws it back, which Maos catches and reads. "So it's there..."
The sorcerer glances at the man he's holding, as Julius futilely tries to escape, his body unresponsive.
Maos tightens his grip on Julius's neck. "Don't worry, it will be fast.i'm not into torture"
Using [Mind Sliver], a level 0 spell that damages the target's mind and brain, Julius's eyes become empty and lifeless as his brain explodes from within.
The sorcerer then releases the body and turns to the twins and Juniors. "I'll let you take care of the bodies." Maos walks away, seemingly unconcerned, passing by Roman. "I guess I'll ask my question another time."
"Where are you going?" Roman asks.
The boy turns to face Roman. "none of your business. Also, keep my existence a secret. I don't exist, got it?"
"Clear as day," Roman confirms.
Neo jumps over the bar counter and approaches Roman, showing her scroll. "What do we do? I'd rather avoid him. He's creepy."
Maos leaves the club in silence, completely ignoring Roman and Neo.
Outside,he look at his scroll,looking at the time "I guess I will got back to beacon now"
he then turn into a black bird and flies away
10 minutes after Maos left,
Inside the club, Juniors appeared visibly relieved that Maos had departed. The twins, however, seemed lost in their own thoughts. He had summoned his men to dispose of the body. Roman and Neo chose to remain behind.
Eventually, the twins left the room, likely seeking respite from witnessing Maos effortlessly take lives as if they were nothing more than paper, employing an astonishing level of enhanced strength.
Juniors sat peacefully at a table while Roman observed one of Junior's men carrying Nero's lifeless body across the room. "So, the old man really miscalculated... and I did too. I never anticipated this."
Neo glanced at Nero's body. It seemed Mao's super strength had allowed him to kill Nero with a single punch, instantly ending his life. The other henchmen appeared to have met a similar fate.
[I remember seeing something like that before...]thought Neo, she could not remember who, but those men's injuries seem familiar..the concept of someone being strong enough to kill someone with aura in a single punch is not new to her,but she can't put a face to the person,it's blurry in her mind
"So..." Roman positioned himself next to Juniors. "What can you tell me about this boy? Where did you find someone with such power?"
"Nowhere. He found me. He approached me, claiming to be a seller of alcohol. I made the purchase, and now we find ourselves in this situation."Juniors lied so easily,his instinct for survival probably help a lot
"Really?" Roman reacted. "That's it? He just killed the boss of one of Vale's most influential crime families."
"I had no idea he would dispose of them all like that! I mean, I knew it was a possibility, but..." Juniors' voice trailed off as he lost himself in thought, his eyes growing vacant. "I never imagined it was possible to shatter someone's aura with bare hands... The boy never even used a weapon. It was swift and effortless for him. I knew he lacked regard or respect for people in our line of work, but I never expected him to disregard their lives like that completely..."
Juniors turned to Roman. "You know I don't care for you, but I hope you never become his enemy,that's a violent death...even for you"
"Yeah, I saw Julius's head collide with the bar counter... and Nero's body is starting to emit a bad odor."
Roman and Juniors scanned the surroundings in silence. "So... If this boy plans to wipe out the rest of the family... I suppose there will be a territorial war... or maybe he'll take control himself?"
"I doubt it... He doesn't aspire to be a renowned criminal; he values his privacy will only act if they attack him...so I guess they have a month left to live"
"Well, he won't maintain his privacy for long. People will start asking questions, and other gangs won't just sit idly by," Roman remarked. "Rumors will spread, and he'll be hunted. Despite his strength, even he can fall victim to poison."
"I have a feeling it won't be an issue... I'll attempt to negotiate for the Diony territory. I can easily spin it as a conflict between me and them, claiming I got lucky and emerged victorious. Technically, it wouldn't be far from the truth. This way, my gang can gain more power."
"you think people will believe that ? And what do I gain from keeping the secret?" Roman inquired, hoping for some compensation. "I can't simply keep quiet about this Chaos kid. You might need to offer me something..." He smirked, adjusting his hat.
"Handle that with Chaos, not me," Juniors responded.
"Alright... So, no money then..." Roman sighed, clearly unwilling to provoke Chaos.
Later, at the end of the day...
Ruby was diligently working on her homework, or at least attempting to. Frustrated, she slammed her hand on the table and exclaimed, "I can't do this! It's so boring!" Ruby stood up, ready to give up.
"Oh no! Ruby Rose, you must finish this exercise!" Weiss interjected, blocking Ruby's path. "You need to practice for the test at the end of the week!" Weiss had already completed her own homework and was leisurely reading a book she had found in the library.
Yang, having finished her work as well, was engrossed in a game on her scroll. "Come on, Weiss, Ruby has been at it for 2 hours. She deserves a short break. The test is still a few days away. She has plenty of time."
"I agree with Yang," Blake chimed in from her bed, also engrossed in her book. "Ruby should take a little rest."
Weiss let out a sigh as she looked at Ruby. "I suppose it's alright..."
"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed, jumping out of her chair in joy.
Just then, Yang noticed a notification on her scroll. "Wow... everyone, come take a look."
The team gathered around as Yang placed the scroll on the desk, allowing everyone to see clearly. It was a news broadcast.
"Hi, I'm Lisa Lavender, and this is Vale News. Today, a tragic event has unfolded in Vale. The head of the Diony family Nero diony as well as his son julius diony has been found dead" reported the news anchor. "Earlier today, the elder and first son of the infamous Diony family business in Vale were killed by gangsters. After a thorough investigation, it was revealed that the family was accidentally involved in a powerful crime organization which cause a gang war. In response, the police confirm that the rival gang launched an attack, resulting in the death of Nero and julius Diony who were caught in between. the remaining son and daughter,Tiberius and Serana Diony have launched a private investigation fund directly by the family along with the police."
"we will discuss this tragedy more once the investigation has progressed"
"wow, gang war...I think the last one was like 5 or 4 years ago"react Yang
"I didn't know the gangs in Vale could be this violent" said Blake.
Ruby looked at Weiss, who seemed shocked. She went to her bed and sat down to think. Her team approached her and asked, "Are you okay?"
Weiss hesitated for a moment and then replied, "I... I met Nero Diony before when I was younger. I saw him have a talk with my grandfather. He was one of the people who knew my grandfather personally. They had met each other in their 20s. I know there was an argument between the two, and they barely talked to each other in the end. I think they had a big argument over something, but he was at my grandfather's funeral. I had thought of trying to meet him since I was in Vale, but I didn't have the time."
"Why?" Blake asked. "Any reason?"
"I... I wanted to ask for advice. I'm the heiress of the Schnee company, a company born thanks to my grandfather. Of course, I heard stories from my grandfather before he passed away, but I wanted to hear about how he was when he was my age. I wanted to ask him how he could encourage so many people in his time, how he became such a hero... so that I could know how."
"I don't think you should compare yourself to your grandfather like that," said Blake. Yang and Ruby turned to Blake.
Blake looked at the rest of her team and continued, "I mean... I know it's normal to look up to someone, but your grandfather and you are just too different. You both grew up in very different environments. He and Nero Diony grew up in the remnants of the Great War, and their business blew up because those were desperate times, both morally and economically. The argument Nicolas Schnee used to create the Schnee Dust Company wouldn't work today."
"I know!" said Weiss. "I just... I know I can't replicate what my grandfather did. I just wanted to... My grandfather was a hero, a literal knight in armor. My mom doesn't talk about his youth... she doesn't want to, when she can answer at least. My dad gets angry if I mention it. Winter and Whitley are as lost as me on the matter. I didn't expect much from the Diony family, but I had a bit of hope to learn more..."
Ruby and Yang sat next to Weiss, while Blake took a knee in front of her. Ruby put her hands on Weiss's shoulder and said, "You know... well, I'm not sure if this will really help, but... Yang and I don't know much about our grandparents either. We do know our grandmother from our dad's side, but sadly our grandfather died of sickness before Yang was even born. On the other side, it's a mystery."
Yang picked up the next sentence and added, "Our uncle doesn't want to talk about my grandparents, and the grandparents on Ruby's mom's side are non-existent. Our dad doesn't know anything about them, our uncle doesn't know anything about them, and our mom never mentioned them before she passed away. We don't even know if they are alive."
Blake then spoke, "My grandparents on both sides died very young, so my parents were both orphans. I never got the chance to get curious about it either... I had a busy life, even as a kid."
"you know anything of your grandparents from your father's side? what about your grandmother ?" asked Yang
"my grandmother died a bit after I was born, only Winter knew her and she was very young, I don't think she could remember her, my grandparent on my dad's side ? they are snakes just like him, I've met them only one time and they call me and my brother the spare heirs in case something happens to winter,I know where my father get his heart of stone from"
Weiss falls on the bed "Why can't I have a regular family...I even had an uncle and cousins from my dad's side that were nice, but they died young thanks to..."Weiss just sigh as she rubs her hand across her face "Let's not go down that road..."
Blake get up "All family have trouble, it's just part of life, there is no such thing as a perfect family, of course, your family is no exception, it's normal to have a problem,and talking about whatever bothers you is good too, you can trust us with anything"
Weiss suddenly remember a phrase from her grand-father on his dying bed
/one day you will meet good people, one day you met and have real friends, the ones you can't differentiate from family, those are the ones you can tell everything, your joy and pain,your strengths and weaknesses,they will accept all of it, one day you will meet people who truly deserve your trust, people that you want to keep around your entire life"
the princess smiles unconsciously at her very first and real friends [I think I found them,grand-father...]of course, weiss did not figure that just now,she had realized the impact team rwby had on her earlier in the school year, but those are the little moments like this that remind her how important her team is to her
Weiss get up again,"Yes...I know..." she put her hand on her chest a bit, she smile at her team "Thanks for listening...it...it feels great just talking about it"
Ruby,Yang, and Blake smile at Weiss "Thanks for sharing"said Blake,"you don't have to worry about things with us!"said yang,"yeah,we will always be there for you
Ruby suddenly hugs Weiss" Group hug !"
"What?"
"Group hug !" said Yang and Blake
and a group hug there was,weiss fought back the first few seconds, but she quickly accept it
[I don't think I've ever been this happy,Beacon really is a magical place...]thought Weiss
At the same time, Maos is in Beacon walking around. He had cleaned himself and canceled the magic disguise he had. The smell of blood had also been magically cleaned, and his eyes had stopped changing color, returning to their real silver hue.
He is now heading back to his room, not even feeling tired. He lies down on his bed and looks at the news on his scroll.
"They found the bodies? It's only been...3 hours... A journalist works fast. Just Nero and julius, the henchmen are not mentioned... I guess Juniors tried his best, but covering up the death of a famous businessman must be difficult. Also, the rest of the family must have been involved too."
He then wanted to slap himself. "Fuck... I disrupted the whole criminal underworld on a whim. I will have trouble because of this... Maos won't, but Chaos will."
He wanted to slap himself again. "Seriously... was that the best I could come up with on the spot? So cringy!"
He did not question whether he was right or wrong; he didn't care at all about Nero, Julius, and the henchmen's deaths. The moment Nero threatened his friend, Maos knew and accepted that he was going to kill Nero and anyone in the way. He had intended to spare Julius, but the idiot attacked him for revenge, along with the henchmen, resulting in their deaths.
Maos has no intention of hunting down the rest of the family. He doesn't believe in punishing an entire family for the mistake of one person unless he has a good reason to do so. Unfortunately, he knows that the son and daughter will stop at nothing to seek revenge if they discover that Maos is behind their father and brothers' deaths. If they attack him, they will meet their demise by his hand.
"Juniors will keep his word, but I'm not sure about that Torchwick guy... I didn't want to threaten him. I still have contacts in the underground world to investigate the stolen... having someone else I can contact is good."
And so the day went by. Maos wanted to continue reading the story of Chaos when he had free time. He needed the criminals to calm down a bit, to forget about Nero before they could act again. However, he preferred to focus on learning the 5th-level spell [Modify Memory].
however, a certain thing bothers him...Juniors and Melanie were shocked to see his strength...but Miltia wasn't that surprised...almost like she expected it ?why ?
[i will think about that another day]thought maos as he kept learning the spell
somewhere on a boat heading to Vale,A monkey faunus is standing on top of it, looking in the distance
a tan-skinned boy with short spiky light-blonde hair and dark-gray eyes, He wears two red wrist bracers over black fingerless gloves and an open loose-collared white jacket with no shirt underneath, displaying his muscular physique. He also wears blue cargo pants tied up with a white belt. He wears white bandages on his legs and has a chain hanging from the belt loop on the right side of his pants. along with a tail akin to a monkey the same color as his hair
"be ready Vale,Sun Wukong is coming, and it is going to be awesome !"
and that's it for this chapter, hope you like it, and maybe see you in the next one!