Disclaimer: RWBY and all characters associated belong to Monty Oum.
A continuation of the R.I.P.-verse.
In the Cold Heart of Atlas
There was no getting used to the frigid air of Solitas; the temperature was always below zero even during summer and the sharp winds cut through your clothes and Aura, straight to the bone. Even with the appropriate gear Emerald shuddered as another gust of cold night air swept by through the dark Mantle alleyway, and she tugged at her red scarf. It served more than providing some warmth after all, being in a public place like the city of Mantle as she was.
Who would've thought Emerald would be back on this continent so soon after last time? Certainly not her that's for sure! But Emerald couldn't resist the hearsay from the underground of Remnant and if what she had heard was true, then she knew this mission couldn't be done all by herself…especially after what had happened previously.
But that was then. She had learned her lesson and wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Thankfully one of the many great perks of being part of the Sustrai family was the vast network that came with it. Emerald took another right in the alleyway into what seemed to the untrained eye an abandoned dead-end, with nothing but rubble and floorboards keeping the area isolated and away from prying eyes.
She smirked underneath the scarf and stepped up to the wall, and tapped against it with her knuckles: once, twice, thrice, pause, then twice rapidly. Now she waited.
A click and a mechanical hiss greeted her ears before the wall slowly slid open, allowing Emerald access inside to what could only be described as the loft before taking the staircase down to a sprawling longue.
The gentleman who had let her in nodded politely from his counter before focusing on the screen in front of him. The interior was a muted blue and dark green with limited illumination showing just enough so you wouldn't fumble in the dark.
Emerald adjusted her hood and cap as she strode down the stairs. This hangout – a bar, basically – was the home to some of Mantle's underground members like supporters of the Happy Huntresses, self-proclaimed freedom fighters who had kept fighting against Atlas until recently, and other folks who all had something in common; a love for Mantle.
Ruby's efforts certainly gave these people a second wind, she mused, wading through the crowd. She scanned the area, specifically the corners and more remote areas where the light was dimmer until she caught the searching hazel gaze of the person she was looking for, and strode over.
Waiting for her at a booth with two drinks – one for her and the other half-emptied – was a woman clad in dark blue, fully reclined against the wall and practically hiding in the shadows. The woman smirked and raised her glass as Emerald took her seat.
"A Mistral Dragon Breath, my favourite kind of saké." Emerald chuckled and raised it towards the other woman. "You shouldn't have."
"I figured you'd want one. It's a special occasion after all; it's been a while since I last saw you," the mysterious woman replied and sipped on her own drink. "And even longer since we worked together. You mentioned going to the city of Atlas so my interest is piqued."
"Rightfully so." Emerald nursed her saké, savouring the burning sensation of the taste on its way down. "That hit the spot. Good thing Mantle has some proper import."
"But it costs a good handful of Liens so you better enjoy that," the other woman stated with a scoff. "Alright, let me in on the details already."
Emerald rolled her eyes at her and leaned back, drink in hand. "Yeah, yeah. I'll cut to the chase; this heist will take us to the heart of Atlas. I'm talking the centre of the military-academy base."
"The other woman's eyes lit up and she stopped her drinking mid-sip." Oh. You're actually going there."
"I am."
"Despite what happened last time?"
"Definitely. If my intel is correct then it's worth it. And you know me; I don't make the same mistake twice. Which is why I'm letting you in on this, Sylvia; I will need your help."
Sylvia Copeland; a racoon Faunus woman and a fellow lady-thief, known to Mantle as The Ring-tailed Thief who was second only to Emerald in terms of elusiveness, and an old friend and ally to the Sustrai family. With her furry racoon ears, long, silver-grey hair wounded into a braid, and unique birthmark that resembled eye-markings of an actual raccoon, Sylvia looked similar to that of the animal and the classic thief.
The Faunus cockily smirked and took a hefty swig of her drink and crowed heartily, but arrogantly, "SO! Miss Big-Shot Herself needs the expertise of the great Sylvia Copeland for this task, eh?"
"Why not shout it why don't you," Emerald hissed and glared. "I swear, your ego is only matched by your skills."
"Which means that I'm the best person around for this and you know it," Sylva quipped and wiggled her eyebrows. "You can count me in, little gem. I wouldn't miss this for the world! But I hope you at least have a plan or do I have to come up with a brilliant plan myself like the genius I am?"
"You don't even know the word humble do you?" Emerald brushed her off and scoffed. "I do have a plan, thank you. I've gone over it a dozen times already so you need to too. One mistake—"
"-and we'll have the Atlesian military to deal with, I figured," Sylvia intervened, and crossed one long leg over her other, and leaned back. "I need little convincing for this given that we're dealing with Atlas, but just what is it you've got your eye on?"
Emerald lowered her voice whilst she leaned over the table and beckoned Sylvia closer. "Apparently, but not surprising, the higher echelons of Atlas are dealing with something really shady."
"…Yeah, that sounds about right, but hardly worthy of trying to infiltrate-"
"No," Emerald hushed. "I mean shady, shady; something that could make Atlas collapse into itself if it got out – something that even the common folk up there would be horrified if they found out."
The Faunus eyed her. "Oh…Oh I see. Something incredibly scandalous then. But you're being vague about this; do you even know what we're looking for and you just need the proof or..?"
"Not specifically," Emerald admitted. "What I do know is that it's in the heart of the base and that's why we're going up there; the General's office. That doesn't mean we can't snoop around a little extra on our way there."
Sylvia smirked. "Gotcha, gotcha. So then, how would we even go about to get up on that frozen, floating rock? Security is tight these days."
Emerald smirked. "I've already secured a small aircraft. With my Semblance the first leg of this heist will be a walk in the park."
They shared a chuckle and tapped their glasses together before Emerald jovially began to elaborate on the plan. While she had gone over it countless times by herself there was no fighting the slight pang of anxiety in the back of her mind – the pain that she had endured from last time and what could've happened if Ruby Rose hadn't been there.
Her rosy little gem. If she could—when she got her hands on the intel, it would be of tremendous help for the R.I.P. to investigate and aid them in dismantling the kingdom of Atlas once and for all.
But first thing first: the plan. By the time she had explained the details the moon was high up in the dark sky and gradually beginning to descend, and a saké bottle had bene left at their booth.
"Huh. So we'll be using an aircraft then," Sylvia acknowledged. "So how did you even acquire it anyway? Someone from the inside?"
"Someone owed me a favour," Emerald nonchalantly explained. "Let's keep it at that."
The Faunus chuckled. "I bet they couldn't get out of your debt fast enough." She swatted away Emerald's hand as the latter tried to slap her silly and smirked. "Still. Won't they wonder why there's a random aircraft flying into their airspace?"
"The Atlesians are using these to transport the last of their stuff from down below before they're moving their precious floating rock away." Emerald sneered. "They won't notice if one more cargo carrier shows up."
"Hence the fake cargo and with your Semblance we'll be just two ordinary Atlesians doing our job. Got it."
Emerald nodded. "We'll meet up tomorrow night near the mines, by the slums. Get your gear ready until then." She took a hefty swig of what was left in her glass (having refilled it a few times already) and got up from her seat. "This is the heist where failure is not an option."
"Have you ever failed a heist before?" Sylvia arched a single brow and grinned. "Especially when working with me?"
"This is different. Just make sure you're ready tomorrow night. I'll see you then." With a small wave to her friend Emerald turned on her heel and waded through the larger crowd of patrons while running through each possible scenario in her mind over and over.
"Hey! Where's my wallet?!"
"Mine's gone too! What the fuck?!"
"Kyaaa! Did you steal it?!"
"Don't look at me, I can't find mine either!"
Smirking, Emerald neatly tucked her newly acquired Lien away whilst tossing the wallets into the bin on her way out.
The next night when the broken moon was at its highest peak the plan was well underway. The airship waited for them in the slums near the Dust mines along a hooded figure who merely tossed something to Emerald as she approached, and then scurried off.
They wasted no time and boarded the airship right away. To Sylvia's surprise Emerald proved herself a more-than-capable driver as she drove the cargo carrier towards the floating city of Atlas.
"When did you learn this?" The Faunus, while impressed, quizzed her. "I know you're a woman of many talents, but driving a vehicle larger than a motorcycle? No way."
"I'm a quick learner," Emerald responded mirthfully. "Anywho, the trip won't be long so don't get comfortable."
Sylvia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms with a huff. True to her word the trip was practically over within minutes as Emerald flew them swiftly and steadily into Atlas above.
The Faunus grimaced. "Okay, now what? We're just about to land and there are a cadre of soldiers waiting for us."
"Let me handle them. That number of minds is no big deal," the Mistralian replied, smirking. "Just follow my lead as soon as we land."
Her racoon ears twitched as she glanced out the window; they were about to land right in the open field in front of the academy-military base with Atlesians – students and soldiers alike – all over. One misstep and they would have a major disadvantage.
The aircraft landed without problems along the other cargo carriers. A few soldiers and other personnel were already heading over, and Sylvia glanced over at Emerald. "Do you have a plan B?"
"And C. But they won't be needed." The hatch opened and Sylvia poised to strike as soon as the Atlesians laid eyes on them.
"Took you guys long enough! We've been waiting for this batch!" One solider stated.
Sylvia glanced over at Emerald who chuckled. "Apologies. There were some technical difficulties and we needed to double-check the cargo."
"Heh, I hear that. Can't be too thorough; the General is insisting on collecting everything that's rightfully ours before Mantle is completely independent." The soldier and the others inspected the cargo. "Dust crystals, mining-tech, building materials, ammunition…It checks out. Alright, take it to the supply depot."
"Roger that," Emerald played along. Carefully, she and Sylvia rolled out the cargo on gravity-dust trolleys and followed the rest of the workers. They weren't going through the main entrance; everything was taken to a "side entrance" to the west side.
It was heavily guarded to no surprise; while the path to the entrance wasn't ideal for a large force to break in it was defenceless if potential thieves arrived by air, which was a ridiculous notion. Unless you were Emerald Sustrai, but luckily for them she had a different target.
They followed the poor peons down the road and into the storage facility; the large chamber was devoid of colours, a soulless room of management and personnel buzzing about as cargo were designated to various areas, including Lab, Garrison, Workshop, and Emergency Supplies.
"Alright, now what?" Sylvia whispered.
Emerald scoured the area as best as she could while maintaining her Semblance. "There! That doorway should take us into the base proper."
"So how do we slip by undetec-" The Faunus caught herself and shook her head. "Right. Never mind. So we dump this cargo and slip away?"
"Hang in there a little longer," Emerald told her. They pushed the trolley to what looked like the one in charge of this operation – an older man with salt-n-pepper hair who looked stressed out – who was currently issuing directions to every delivery. "Fresh new bath of cargo, sir."
"Hmph." The man and what looked like his assistant and a guard began meticulously rummaging through the containers until he looked somewhat pleased. "Very good. Can't leave this Mantle now can we? Ship it to the Workshop and be quick about it."
"Yes sir," Emerald and Sylvia responded and went on their way.
She nudged Sylvia's shoulder. "That's perfect. The corridor is right next to our drop-off point, and from there we can find the elevator lobby, which also leads to the hangar where we can take an airship. Let's just—"
"Hold it there you two!" The source of the voice was a large man, seemingly all muscle no brain from the looks of it, and likely the head of security given his more ornate armour. "Don't think you can fool me. I know what's going on."
Sylvia and Emerald exchanged looks. Had they been discovered? That couldn't be if…but if that was the case then they would have to fight their way up the base, and the pair reached for their weapons—
"You're trying to just dump the cargo and sneak off to laze about, aren't you?!" The man hollered with a sneer. "You forgot to sign the list!"
"Huh?"
"The list!" The man shouted and pushed his scroll towards them; on the screen was indeed a long list filled with various numbers and today's date. "You need to fill in the cargo's number so we can keep track of things! Don't think you can just deliver these crates and then go on a smoke break or something!"
They sheathed their weapons. "Ahaha! You caught us," Sylvia jested, playing along. "All work no games and all that. Fine, here's the number…uh…"
"286-4370-1," Emerald stated as she typed it in. "Sorry sir, it won't happen again."
"Make sure it doesn't. Now off you go!" He huffed and stormed off, already yelling at someone else.
Sighing, Emerald turned to her companion and cocked her head to the Workshop conveyer belt drop-off. "Come on, let's go."
"Right." They hurried and did what was expected of them before they hurried off out of the facility. To everyone else it looked like they went back out and got lost in the crowd of people coming and going.
"How's your Aura doing, Emerald?" Sylvia queried, somewhat concerned. They had cautiously made their way past the corridor and into the ground complex of the base that was connected to the academy with only a pair of guards encountered so far. Thankfully the Mistralian's Semblance was a gift that made their infiltration perfect, but—
"I'm fine. I was pushed to my limits time and again when I grew up. My Aura is pretty strong you know," she told her with a teeth-flashing grin, albeit a weary one. "But it wouldn't hurt if we could hide somewhere for a bit. Affecting so many minds is easy, but I can't deny it's draining."
"Then let's hide for a while and let you recover." Sylvia peered around the corridor. "Okay, easier said than done. "Is there…Aha! Let's use that room over there."
"A janitor's closet?" Emerald frowned. "I suppose it'll do."
"I know it ain't a five-star hotel room, but I think you'll manage," Sylvia coyly remarked as she led the way and ushered her friend inside. "Alright, let's take a breather for now."
The Mistralian nodded and took a seat on the floor. "The difficult part is over. Now we just need to find the elevator and the General's office…and whatever he's hiding there."
"There will likely be a few more guards around so we can't relax just yet. Then again, your Semblance hasn't failed us yet," Sylvia teased with a grin on her face and blocked a playful punch. "Hey easy now."
"My Semblance is the best and you know it. At least I have one," she sneered, only to quickly catch herself. "Shit. Sylvia, look, I'm sorry—"
"Don't worry about it." The Faunus grinned and struck a pose. "I know you better than that. I might not have a cool Semblance, but I make it up with my wits, gadgets, and charm!"
They chuckled quietly, their expressions softening. "Supposed charms aside, yeah you got it."
"Tch. Why you…Heh. Hater." Sylvia rolled her eyes and shrugged. "On a different topic…Regarding this intel, how much are you going to charge for it on the market?"
Emerald shot her a look. "Huh? Charge for it?"
"Yeah. We're talking about information that can topple this kingdom right? Obviously that would go for an insane price! Think about all the Vacuans who would love to—"
"I'm not selling it. I'm going to give it major news stations and simply let the world know."
The Faunus' eyes went wide and if possible, her jaw would've hit the ground. "What do you mean you're not going to sell this intel to the highest bidder?! It's practically a rich Dust mine! Even you, a Sustrai, would consider retirement despite your already enormous wealth!"
"Would you lower your voice already?! It's not about making a profit, Sylvia; it's about exposing this Brothers-forsaken kingdom. It's about time the so-called holier-than-thou Atlesians are taken down from their lofty perch and I'm more than happy to play a part in it, big or small."
Sylvia scoffed. "Well I'll be! Emerald Sustrai, motivated by morality? Didn't think I'd see the day."
" Shut it, you ring-tailed ruffian. It's bigger than that. I only steal from those who deserve it, same as you, and I'm about to steal these wealthy socialites' world from right under their feet."
The Faunus chuckled. "Oh I couldn't agree more. I'm just surprised is all, but those people are hoarding wealth that could benefit those less fortunate is all. But I think it might have something to do with that pretty little rose in Vale~" she sing-sang.
"None of your business, racoon," Emerald told her, smiling.
"Protective of her, are we? Fair enough, I just think it's a little funny—"
Footsteps approached the door and the door swung open. Emerald jumped to her feet as guards, two of them, drew their weapons. "I knew I saw the door seemingly open on its own!"
"Who are you and how did you get here—?!"
Sylvia drew her cane in an instant, and fired upon the guards before Emerald draw her own weapons. The guards fell, limp, to the floor not even a second later.
"Huh." Emerald eyed them. "That's new."
"The sheath is a gun," Sylvia explained, smirking. "They're just tranquilizer darts however. It's silent, no blood, and all we have to do is hide these two."
"Let's tuck them behind some of the equipment back here," the Mistralian pointed. "And let's get a move on."
"You haven't rested nearly enough—" The Faunus protested before Emerald effectively silenced her.
"We can't risk other guards coming over. Let's just move on and stay out of sight; if we do that then I don't need to use my Semblance and I can recover my Aura on the go."
"If you say so. Alright, so where do we go?"
Emerald pointed ahead. "Down the corridor and it should be to our left. We need to take an elevator."
"Got it," Sylvia confirmed and began dragging one of the guards.
x.x.x
The elevator to the topmost floor was a silent ride. Emerald's chest tightened with anxiety; so far there hadn't been any troubles and no-one would find the knocked out guards until she and Sylvia were long gone, but something bothered her still.
She peered out at the city below and Mantle further down from the glass panels. It wasn't just that they were high up; they were isolated. Should things go wrong then they couldn't just make an escape through the city as Atlas was high up in the sky. While Emerald had backup plans for their means to get away there were still other factors to consider when it came to the Atlesian military.
The elevator doors opened quietly and smoothly and Emerald, with her Semblance active led Sylvia out. To everyone else it would appear as two ordinary soldiers were doing their rounds, but she made a point to try and avoid the cameras when possible.
From the circular chamber the pair made it to the one leading up through carpeted stairs to a large gate. Masking their presence still, Emerald turned to Sylvia.
"This has to be it. Get to work on that door while I keep an eye out," she told her. "The guards shouldn't be back just yet."
"Leave it to me, little gem. This won't take long." Sylvia opened her bag and fished up a small device, aimed it at the locked, and started clicking away. "This should trick the system that someone with clearance is in front of the door."
Emerald sighed. "Fucking Atlas tech…I can't wait for when we leave."
"You and me both." Sylvia kept working on the door's mechanisms. "The lock to the General's office is more complex than I anticipated."
"Try to hurry up would you? Even my Aura has limits you know," she hissed at the Faunus. "I think the guards are coming back."
"So hold out a little longer or deal with them. They should be easy for someone like you," Sylvia bristled. "It's like a woman playing hard to get, I just need to work my magic a little longer is all."
Emerald rolled her eyes, but said nothing. While her Aura was strong she could do with a rest, but with guards ready to enter the circular chamber at any moment she needed to be alert. She wasn't about to take any chances or else their infiltration could be for nothing if the situation went south.
The footsteps of several guards – four to be precise, as Emerald sensed their minds closing in – came from the northeast corridor and she steeled herself. Four Atlesian guard wasn't a problem; trick them with her Semblance, knock one out cold from the back, sweep the leg and strike another to the floor, subdue one by chokehold—
The soft, mechanical hiss emitted behind her and Emerald instantly turned to look over her shoulder; Sylvia, grinning, motioned for her to get inside.
Without hesitation she turned and jogged up the stairs and into the office as the doors closed behind them.
"Now is the part where you thank me for my timing," Sylvia remarked and wiggled her eyebrows annoyingly, prompting Emerald to shake her head.
"Yeah, yeah. Good job." She scanned the office; aside from the desk at the other end of the room there was nothing out of the ordinary. The walls were lined with bookshelves and in the middle of the room, before the desk, the floor was circular and designed with golden star signs and the emblem of the kingdom. "There has got to be more to this than meets the eye."
"Worst case scenario, we're in the wrong room. It makes sense that the General would keep his secrets here, but we can't rule out that there might be another room somewhere. Either way, whatever we're looking for it's properly hidden."
"Hmph. That only makes him that more suspicious." She took another look around. "Let's start with his desk. There has to be something there at least."
"I'll check the shelves just in case," Sylvia stated and already began skimming through books, taking them off the shelves or feeling for any switches. "This is Atlas we're talking about. They of all kingdoms would have a secret door or something."
Acknowledging it with a nod, Emerald went for the ornate desk and carefully examined every inch, on top and underneath. There were some locked drawers, but so far seemingly nothing underneath.
Emerald stubbornly yet deftly felt for anything even slightly out of the ordinary until the surface felt…smoother? It was slightly cold, almost loose too, like it was a piece of a different material built into the desk. Upon feeling it up a bit further she deduced it was circular.
She tried pressing it and the area, with little resistance, was pushed with a soft pneumatic click. The room rumbled immediately and the several layers of the floor opened up in the middle and a round table elevated in their place.
Emerald approached it with caution and a keen eye. Judging from the look of it, it was a computer of some kind, designed for holographic projection rather than using a conventional screen.
"This has to be it," Emerald stated. "We need to access whatever is on this right away."
"Leave it to me. I'll bypass his securities in a few minutes," Sylvia announced and got to work immediately.
The Mistralian eyed her, surprised. "You sound confident. I didn't know you were that tech-savvy."
"I've dabbled with it long enough. And I have a friend who excel in these kinds of things," she explained and winked. "Just a little further and we'll know everything he has stored here."
Emerald merely nodded and began pacing the room, meticulously eyeing everything as she did. Anything in this room could potentially be of use or perhaps the General was old-fashioned and kept a ledger. Her fingers twitched impatiently while Sylvia worked her magic with her gadgets.
The minutes ticked by, each of which further grated on Emerald's patience. There was something bothering her still, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what; something didn't feel right with this operation despite that she was on the cusp of getting what she wanted.
"Almost got it…There!" Sylvia exclaimed as the holographic display came accessible. "All yours, Emerald."
She didn't waste a second. Eyes wide and fingers clicking, Emerald searched every file, folders, and chat logs she could find. At first it was just the regular stuff as expected of a leader, but then something caught her eye.
"What…" She clicked and read the files' contents. A chill ran down her spine and she continued, each file and chat log making her more and more uncomfortable. There were names Emerald recognized and some that were obviously aliases, chat logs mentioning macabre things she didn't even want to try to imagine. "Just what the fuck is this…?!"
They combed the entirety of the office twice, taking pictures and collecting everything that was of importance. When they at last made sure they've gotten everything there were entire chat-logs of Ironwood's involvements – Under the name of Mr. Järn – with an enigmatic "The Queen", various developers and investors for unethical experiments and horrifying weapons that could threaten the balance of Remnant. All of which dating back at least two years and was clearly a secret to all but the very top elites of Atlas society and the higher-ups of the military.
She had all the names sans "The Queen," blueprints, chat-logs, documents, and more. Whatever Emerald had suspected to find didn't even come close to the real thing. She carefully put her Scroll, having transferred everything into it, into her bag.
"I knew Atlas was rotten, but this…" Sylvia shuddered. "I can't even put it into words."
"I think it's about time we leave this place. I've had enough of this morally-bankrupt stain of a kingdom," Emerald replied. "Let's go."
x.x.x
"I can't believe our luck though. Only a handful of security guards and security cameras? They must be too confident; did the cold air give them brain-freeze?"
"They probably don't expect anyone to actually make it into their precious academy…" Emerald mentioned. Her brow furrowed. "I don't like this. It feels almost too easy considering where we are."
"Can't you just appreciate that we're just that good and lucky?" Sylvia teased and flicked her ears. "And should something happen then we're far from helpless."
Emerald let out a hefty sigh. "I suppose you're right. I just have a bad feeling about this one. It's just too quiet."
They hugged the wall and rounded the corner to the doorway that would take them to the hangar. Sylvia scoffed and snickered. "It's probably just as you said; they don't expect people to attempt breaking in the military base of all things."
With a pneumatic hiss the doors slid open to the hangar and the thieves immediately froze up as infrared aims invaded their visions; surrounding them in a crescent moon formation were Atlesian soldiers – half of which being robots – all of which aiming right at the pair. In the middle of the formation was a woman, a Faunus, with long dark-blue hair, but that wasn't what stood out about her.
That's not an Atlesian military uniform… Emerald noted. Damn it.
"Oh wow, what a warm welcome! We sure could've used that when we got here, my ears are freezing!" Sylvia quipped, albeit nervously. "Oh? Do my eyes deceive me or is that you, Carmelita?"
Emerald glanced at her companion. "Carmelita?"
The woman glared at them. "I should've known you'd be here too, Sylvia. I'm glad; my new friend," she patted her weapon sheathed by her hip. "Would love to meet you."
"Oh Carmelita, I've missed your accent so much! Perhaps you can warm me up after the frosty reception we've had," the Racoon Faunus flirted and winked, only to be met with a dark glare in turn.
The wheels in Emerald's head clicked. "Wait…Carmelita, as in Carmelita Scarletta of the R.I.P.?!"
Sylvia winced. "Yep…That's her."
Carmelita Scarletta; a foxy woman both in attitude and Faunus heritage, as well as a decorated and renowned R.I.P. Detective. Emerald knew of her; she was one of the force's best and brightest and Ruby had mentioned that she was the one who had scouted her potential and formally invited her to R.I.P. in the first place. The sniper had been under the Faunus' wing initially and had learned everything she knew about detective work from her.
This wasn't good. If this woman was qualified to train Ruby, then just how strong was she…?
"So what's the deal here, Carmelita?" Sylvia then accused rudely pointed at her. "Last I checked you didn't work for the Atlesian branch!"
The fox Faunus' tail– bushy, bright red and white-tipped – twitched. "Mind your tone, little thief. I was sent here from our HQ because the General wanted some extra security since he suspected there might be some unwanted guests now that there has been a drop in numbers of his security force. As much as I dislike it, I suppose I should thank him for this encounter."
"Aw, I'm so thankful for seeing your pretty face as well, but the General is a giant sack of piss and wind! You of all people shouldn't be working under him, temporary or not!"
"Orders are orders, you sly racoon. You can talk all you want back at HQ."
"If you think we'll go quietly-"
A faint click was the only warning they got; one of the droids shot first, its bullet sharply whistling past Sylvia's ear.
"HEY! I didn't order to shoot—!"
The Atlesians, droid and human alike, fired upon them in an instant. Emerald vaulted behind the wall with Sylvia opposite her of the entrance.
The Faunus shot her a look and Emerald nodded, understanding. As the human soldiers poured through into the corridor they saw nothing but empty space as if they had disappeared out of thin air. And they may as well have been.
With their heavy armour Sylvia resorted to a surprise chokehold to put them out of commission, silently taking one down before moving to the next, sweeping their legs and knocking them down in one swoop!
Emerald, her Semblance fully active, had the soldiers paranoid; to them it just looked like their friends disappeared only to reappear, knocked out, moments later.
She grabbed another one from behind and squeezed her arms around their neck until they went limp, with no small amount of effort.
"We're dealing with the Mirage Mistress! Activate the infrared visors!"
They were prepared…?!
Emerald dropped the illusions and vaulted over a pair of soldiers before swooping down with a kick. The first fell with his face kicked in and the back of his head hitting the floor as she elbowed the other and pistol-whipped his temple. Even with helmets and Aura it would knock them out for now.
She spun and fired a few rounds upon another soldier in quick succession while Sylvia took care of their companion with her a tranquilizer dart before unsheathing a sword from the cane to slash at another.
Dodging and weaving through the soldiers the pair traded opponents systematically, avoiding bullets and melee weapons. The androids, having no Aura, were easier to deal with as Sylvia stabbed them one by one through the midsection or the neck, to short-circuit them.
With Thief's Respite Emerald cut them down with beheading swipes before they could shoot, and together with Sylvia the force was eventually taken down.
"That's all of them," Sylvia declared.
"The soldiers and their new droids weren't much to write home about," Emerald noted.
"No…" Sylvia grimaced. "But the real danger is—"
A sharp elbow struck the Faunus with lightning-speed as Carmelita tackled her into the wall, pinning her.
"Sylvia!"
Carmelita drew her weapon – a large mechanical baton-mace of some kind – and swatted at Emerald who vaulted backwards before it struck. There was a click and the Mistralian jumped and rolled to the side as a bullet hit the spot where she had been standing moments ago.
The fox Faunus' weapon was now a gun (surprise surprise) aimed directly at Emerald. "Don't move a muscle, Mirage Mistress. You're only making it more difficult for yourself."
"No no no, you've got it backwards," Emerald then stated, smirking. "I only make things difficult for others."
"Your illusions won't work on me, thief; I have keen senses. If you think you're going to get the drop on me…"
Carmelita instantly kicked backwards, her long leg fully extended and foot firmly connecting with Emerald's solar plexus before the latter could've reacted.
"Then you're sorely mistaken!"
Falling onto the floor and rolling a great distance away, Emerald coughed and writhed in pain as she struggled to get back up. Carmelita's gun clicked—
"DON'T!" Sylvia knocked Carmelita off of her and wrestled for the gun and forced it to fire upwards. "I swear Carmelita if you hurt my friend—"
"It wasn't meant to kill you stupid racoon!" She grappled Sylvia and threw her over her shoulder and onto the floor. "Stop resisting already!"
"Oh I could never resist you under normal circumstances my dear and as much as I love the sight of you stepping on me we're in a bit of a hurry!"
She swept at the fox' legs, but Carmelita caught herself and cartwheeled away, her tail whipping in her wake. Quickly drawing her cane Sylvia fired dart after dart, but the fox dashed and dodged as her weapon transformed with swift, seamless mechanical finesse from a gun back into a baton as she aimed to strike—
Metal clanked loudly as a kusarigama rapidly wrapped around the baton and stopped Carmelita's attack. The chain pulled back, effectively dragging the fox Faunus who refused to let go.
Sylvia jumped up to her feet and went for disarming Carmelita, grappling with her dominant arm.
"Carmelita, my dear, you need to listen to me! Atlas is rotten to the core! If you knew of the things we saw—"
"Classified information I take it? And here I thought you were only after money, you conniving, two-bit thieving racoon," Carmelita scoffed, struggling. "I may not agree with Atlas' way of doing things, but I have a job to do!"
"You've got it wrong, my vixenish femme fatale! Atlas is far worse than any of us imagined! You, the R.I.P., need to investigate them! They're—"
Before Sylvia could elaborate the fox aimed a kick into her midsection, swift and precise.
She blocked it with her arm, but Carmelita jumped and swung her other leg right into Sylvia's temple with alarming speed; the impact sent the racoon Faunus hurtling across the floor and into the wall with an Aura-flickering bash.
"Sylvia!" Emerald yanked her kusarigama and wrestled the weapon out of the Faunus' grasp. With her other she took aim—
Carmelita was on her in a flash; an open palm strike right against her chin had Emerald staggering backwards, and a punch in the gut forced the air out of her. Narrowly she blocked the second punch, but not the third that knocked one of Thief's Respite out of her hand.
Emerald gritted her teeth and tossed away the other. With her Semblance active she went on full offense; she threw quick punches, feinting every third one before directing it somewhere else be it elbow, face, abdomen.
The fox was quick to block some, but when you're distracted by illusions – making her think for just a second that Emerald was coming from somewhere else as one would expect – and getting feinted blows you're bound to slip up and leave openings. Emerald got her in the ribs, then her temple before Carmelita blocked and struck back.
Keeping it up, Emerald pushed her back into the hangar, dodging when she could, but kept up the pressure with swift punches. Carmelita jump-kicked with impressive strength, striking the thief right in the ribs and Emerald saw red.
Focusing her Semblance, she conjured an illusion that had Carmelita stepping back and her fur standing on edge.
"I know your little trick, Mirage Mistress! Just because you're creating optical horrors doesn't mean I don't know where you—!"
Pain struck twofold across both sides of her head. He temples throbbed, her ears ringing, and her vision blurry.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist in a tight grip. "Yeah yeah, you've got keen senses, whatever, fuck you," Emerald spat. Her grip tightened as she crouched. "But it doesn't mean you can tell what I'm doing!"
Every muscle in her body tensed. The Faunus flailed and elbowed her in the head, but Emerald held on, fuelled by pure spite, and with a wordless shout she hefted Carmelita up into the air, threw herself and the fox backwards, and slammed the agent into the metal floor with an echoing, Aura-breaking bang.
Then, all was silent.
"Ugh…Fuck." Emerald recoiled, struggling to push herself back up. Her back smarted and her head was ringing.
"Damn. You took care of business, huh?" Sylvia observed as she wobbled into the hangar. Handing over Thief's Respite back to the Mistralian she noted, "Gotta cuff her with those gravity bolas before she tries anything…"
"Go ahead. I'll get an airship ready."
The moment Sylvia secured Carmelita with the bolas the fox Faunus stirred, blinking, and immediately glared at her. "You won't get away with this, Sylvia. Sooner or later you'll drop your guard—"
And that's when you will have fallen for me and can't arrest me. And then we'll run away together, maybe to Vacuo." Sylvia chuckled and rubbed her head. "I like you when you're rough."
"Tch."
Sylvia's expression softened. "Hey, Carmelita…about what I said earlier, about Atlas? It's true. The R.I.P. shouldn't be working with them."
"Just what are you on about, racoon?" The other Faunus growled.
"You'll find out soon enough, but I might as well tell you. What we found in the General's office—"
A high-pitched noise filled the air like a sudden bolt of lightning and the thieves clutched their ears, Sylvia more so, as it continued.
"THE MIRAGE MISTRESS AND THE SLY RACOON ARE AT THE HANGAR! STOP THOSE TWO IMMEDIATELY! I WANT EVERY SOLDIER DOWN HERE NOW!" The booming, panic-stricken, and rage-fuelled voice of Ironwood himself reverberated through the halls and the intercoms over the blaring alarms! "DO NOT LET EITHER OF THEM LEAVE THE PREMISES!"
Every room quickly flashed a glaring red that threatened to cause a seizure in people if susceptible enough and down the corridors the thunderous sounds of rapid footsteps were even quicker closing in on the hangar.
"Fucking damn it! Even the General is after us now!" Emerald cursed. "Come on Sylvia, we need to go NOW!"
"If this isn't a cue to leave I don't know what is." Sylvia grabbed her bag and turned, but stopped mid-step; she peered over her shoulder at Carmelita who was glaring daggers. "…I'm sorry. But please, if only this once, believe what I said."
The fox Faunus' expression softened however slightly, but the bitterness lingered in her eyes. With an apologetic glance Sylvia ran to the aircraft Emerald had now secured.
"Hurry!" In the same breath, Emerald's eyes went wide in shock as the hangar was suddenly swarmed with Atlesians; elite soldiers carrying a myriad of high-tech weapons, state-of-the-art androids, all rushing in and lining up with their weapons and trampling their comrades as they did.
And then she saw him. General James Ironwood, looking more android than human, and haggard like a panicking drunkard. His gaze was cold, soulless, and without blinking he raised his gun.
Her heart threatened to burst.
"SYLVIA HURRY THE FUCK UP-!"
The first shot roared like thunder. There was no scream that followed; only a sudden, jarring gasp and a breath cut short before the thud of a limp body hitting the metal ramp of the aircraft.
"SYLVIAAAA!"
"That's the Mirage Thief! Shoot to kill!"
Fear and rage swirled like a maelstrom in Emerald's heart and she snapped. With the last of her Aura she conjured up a vision upon the army, something so terrifyingly real yet nightmarish that the soldiers cowered or shot everywhere but at her as they screamed for dear life. Even Ironwood staggered back, grabbing an android for protection as he fired at whatever eldritch horror he was facing.
Emerald, focusing on the crowd, hurried over to her friend and grabbed her. The androids, not so easily fooled, fired and a bullet grazed her arm with sharp, searing pain. Her Aura flickered, on the verge of breaking, and another bullet whistled past her ears before another gazed her leg, and a third barely nicked the skin of her temple, and so the barrage of bullets continued.
With a profanity-fuelled shout she pulled the Faunus on board and closed the door, taking the onslaught of metal coming her way. Emerald ran to the cockpit and fired up the engine—
"SHOOT IT DOWN! SHOOT IT DOWN! ALL AIR PATROL FIRE AT THE ATLAS HANGAR, I REPEAT—!"
"Oh no you fucking don't…!"
The aircraft ascended, peppered with bullets from the soldiers as well now that the hallucinations were gone and its engines groaned. In the distance the Atlesian military airships were closing in and lining up.
"Come on come on come on come on ALREADY!"
The aircraft shook violently. Then, it surged forward into the open skies, past the hailstorm of missile bombarding the hangar entrance behind Emerald as she took off at highest speed possible into the frozen tundra.
Emerald absentmindedly stared up at the dark-coloured ceiling and rubbed the tiredness from her eyes. She had slumbered to and from for a while now despite how uncomfortable the sofa was for her back. She didn't know what time it was nor did she care at the moment. All Emerald could do was wait and get some rest while she did.
A groan immediately stirred the thief wide awake as she bolted up from the sofa and strode over to a bed where Sylvia was lying. The Faunus slowly blinked, adjusting to the dim light, and met Emerald's gaze. "…Hey."
"Hey you. How are you feeling?"
Sylvia let out another groan. "…My back hurts something fierce. Where am I?"
"At a secret hideout in Mantle. My family has connections everywhere you know. You've been treated and you just need to rest," Emerald explained.
"…Treated?" Sylvia grimaced. "What even happened? We were at the hangar…and…"
"The General shot you. The bullet broke the last of your Aura and you took a nasty hit there. It didn't hit any vitals, but a few inches to the left and your sp-" She shook her head. "Never mind. Don't worry. You just need to rest now and then you'll be back to your old smug, non-humble self in no time."
Sylvia managed a tired, raspy chuckle. "Good…good. Thank the Brothers it wasn't my face, it's how I win the ladies' hearts you know?"
Emerald scoffed. "Idiot. Carmelita didn't seem that taken with you."
"Well she-…Wait." The Faunus' eyes snapped wide open. "What happened? Is she alright?!"
"Easy, easy! She's alright from what I know. Don't think she'll be working with Atlas anytime soon though," Emerald stated. "I got you on board the aircraft and hightail it out of the hangar before the general had the entrance blown up."
"Blown up..?!"
"She was in the far back, she'll be fine. Unfortunately so is the general." Her scowl darkened. "It was insane, Sylvia. That man was deadest on killing us; no capture and trial, no sir."
"He knows that what we got from his office will be his downfall. He was desperate," Sylvia commented. Emerald nodded in agreeance. "At least Carmelita is safe. Wouldn't want that beautiful face getting hurt now would we?"
"Aaand you're already back. Great." They snickered and Emerald patted her friend on the shoulder, and offered and comforting squeeze. "You'll be well taken care of here. I've already secured us safe passages out of Solitas."
Sylvia grinned. "Can't wait to get back to Mistral. Maybe I'll run into Carmelita there. What about you?"
"Vale. I need to lay low a little while and I got some important work to do." She smirked. "A lot of news stations to visit along the way to my lovely lady Rose."
"That's corny," Sylvia jested, albeit tiredly.
Emerald rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Shut it and get some rest already would you?"
"Yeah, yeah…" The Faunus brow knitted together in a frown for a moment. "Hey, Emerald?"
"Yes?"
"When you kept mentioning about how easy it was for us I thought you were just being stupid," Sylvia admitted. She tried to shift and groaned in pain as she did, but managed to prop herself up to a decent sitting position. "But…perhaps it actually was too easy?"
Emerald sat down at the foot of the bed and crossed her arms firmly over her chest. "I've been thinking about that while you were asleep. We practically had no trouble getting into Atlas or the base and there were only a handful of guard…" She let out a heavy sigh. "I don't want to think about it, but—"
"They knew we would come," Sylvia stated. Emerald looked over at her and the Faunus bristled. "Carmelita is a great detective; this isn't the first time she caught me like that, but this…That felt like…"
"She was waiting for us; she knew we would show up. The hangar wasn't our only option and yet they had their weapons right on us before we entered." Emerald swore under her breath. "They were tipped off."
"And we might've been tricked," Sylvia proposed. "Where did you say you got this intel from again?"
"It was hearsay from the underground network. I certainly wasn't the only one who heard about it." Emerald paused for a moment, her mind racing. "…But perhaps it was meant to lure me out?"
"Hey, you don't know that. It could be a coincident," Sylvia argued, wincing from the pain. "Ugh. Look, it might've been a trap, but not necessarily for you specifically. Or maybe we missed something and they caught us, and decided to wait for us at the hangar."
"…Perhaps." Emerald groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't like this one bit, but we got what we came for. Atlas will be finished; Ironwood will be finished. As soon as I'm done I'm going to lay low for a while. You should too."
"Mistral will be perfect then. That underworld over there is something else," Sylvia said and snickered, and Emerald managed a smile. "So. You're off to see your little rose later then?"
"Absolutely. I need to right now," Emerald admitted. "I need to unwind."
"Lucky you. Wish I could."
"You can, and shall, by going back to sleep!" Emerald then chastised and snickered. "I'll talk to you later, Sylvia."
"Later. I'll hopefully dream about Carmelita," the Faunus said huskily while she laid back down.
"Really? You run into her often enough as is."
"But Dream-Carmelita can do things the real one wouldn't—"
"Ookay, leaving now!" Emerald announced and promptly strode towards the door, "Just get better, alright?"
"Heh. Will do." She waved her off as Emerald left the room and to her own. She had a lot of work to do.
"…and while investigations are underway by both the Remnant International Police and the Remnant Criminal Investigation Bureau, the leak that was anonymously shared to all major news stations have thrown the kingdom of Atlas under heavy scrutiny by the rest of the world as the upper echelons of both the Atlas socialites and the military, which includes General James Ironwood himself, seemingly having connections to an enigmatic organization. The implications have caused thousands of citizens of Atlas to riot as they demand an explanation for these dealings, and several trades with the kingdom have been put on hold for the time being."
Ruby gawked at the T.V, her silver, unblinking eyes wide in disbelief. It wasn't that long ago she had heard about what was now known as the "Shady Atlas Leak", but with every news article she had heard over the past few hours the more she was utterly appalled. The Atlas socialites and its military had always been suspicious in Ruby's mind, but to think that so many of them would actually be guilty of something as alarming and severe as this…
"Maria is going to be all over this tomorrow," she murmured and took a swig of her soda, feet propped up on the coffee-table. "Heck, maybe she'll call me later."
"Wouldn't surprise me, you busy-bee."
"AAH?!" Ruby jerked bodily, her soda nearly falling to the floor as she scrambled out of the sofa. With a whirl she turned to the voice as adrenaline kicked in only for it just as quickly fade as her eyes met crimson ones. "Em, you can't just scare me like that! How did you even get in?!"
"Your new locks are a joke you know," Emerald casually said with a smirk and jumped off the windowsill. "I mean, they would work wonders on anyone who isn't me, but still."
"What if someone saw you?!" Ruby shouted and was met with an incredulous look, and she rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, I know, how could anyone spot the Mirage Mistress, I know. But still, it would be nice if I could just invite you in through the front door."
Emerald chuckled. "Where's the fun in that?" She scooped Ruby in for a hug, melting into the embrace as her whole body relaxed. "Mm…I missed you my little gem."
Ruby took a deep breath, savouring the warmth. "I missed you too. I'm glad you aren't seriously hurt."
"It'll take more than some Atlesians to take me down." She soothingly wove her fingers into Ruby hair. "I wouldn't want to worry you."
"Given the information you leaked it must've been difficult," Ruby whispered back. "I know you don't get sloppy. But I can't help but—" She shook her head and hugged the Mistrali woman tighter. "No, it doesn't matter. You're safe."
Emerald hummed in agreement. "I'm being a bit more cautious now more than ever when I have you to look forward to visit."
"As long as you don't scare me like this again," Ruby said with a soft laugh, and soon Emerald joined in. They shared a brief, deep kiss. "So, you've got to tell me; was there anything more to this leak than what the news-stations have told us?"
"You might want to sit down for this then, Ruby," Emerald told her, her brow furrowing. "Because it's difficult to believe."
"I think I've had just enough from what I've heard on the news. I'm still processing it," Ruby admitted and pulled Emerald into a tight hug, her face buried in the crook of the Mistralian's neck. "More importantly, I've missed you. I can't believe you went back to Atlas again…"
Emerald relaxed into the embrace. She stroked Ruby's head soothingly. "I'm sorry…I thought I was better prepared. But I'm here now."
Ruby hugged her tighter, stifling a sob that didn't go unnoticed. Emerald guided her face to hers and claimed a much-needed kiss on those soft lips, one that Ruby reciprocated in earnest. All fatigue and stress melted away, leaving only relief, comfort…and desire.
With their tongues dancing their tango, the pair moved over to the bedroom, a trail of clothes in their wake as the two of them caught up in the most intimate way possible.
FIN