A girl made her way through Vacuo's northern coast, a narrow strip where the frequent fog and haze generated by the cool ocean provided enough moisture to support a variety of lichens and shrubs. Not a lively spot compared to the other beaches of the world, especially with the gray clouds that hid the morning sky. Then again, Vacuo had always been a desert wasteland, so there wasn't much here in the continent that was any better. She certainly wasn't here to go sightseeing; having left since midnight, the fact that it was already morning proved just how remote this area was, and she knew she was at the right place for a unique job opportunity. But in case she wasn't… Well, she could always just leave, and she always had her twin dustmetal weapons kept behind her waist.
She had short green hair with straight fringes that was a sharp contrast to her dark skin and red eyes, wearing a green crop top beneath a cropped white biker jacket, and matched them with white jeans, thigh length brown strapped chaps, and brown ankle boots. Basically a biker look, and she didn't hide her love for motorcycles; the motorcycle she used to get here was only a short walk away. It wouldn't do her vehicle any good to be left here in the elements for too long though. She could care less where the client set up his secret lair, but with the amount of money he was offering, he better give her parking for her bike as well, even though she just stole it.
The girl stopped to feel the cool wind blowing from the ocean. For someone living in a desert her whole life, it was only natural that she would have a soft spot for the coast. But uneasiness slithered down her spine as she stared at the horizon, knowing what was beyond it.
Three thousand or so miles north lay Tenebrae, a continent lost to humanity ever since the Grimm appeared. It was a Grimm empire in every sense of the word, with the power to match it; Tenebrae destroyed every kingdom's attempt to even breach its maritime border, and the ocean was pretty much the only thing stopping them from launching a direct attack on humanity. It wasn't long before the continent was simply left alone by everyone after so many efforts. There was wisdom in letting sleeping Grimm lie, and she also wasn't about to wish for Tenebrae to be disturbed.
Now that she thought about the Grimm, she wondered how Atlas was going to push through with its promise to pursue ways on how to finally get rid of the Grimm in Solitas. She had always taken interest in what was beyond Vacuo's borders, and this one interested her in particular simply because she doubted that Atlas could actually make it happen despite their posturing. Not to mention the rumors she heard about it… The whole thing could just be a political trick to pass laws that take more taxes, but she had a feeling there was more to this than just that.
Putting the thoughts aside for now, she moved on. She supposed she could wait a little bit longer to find out the truth.
Soon enough a figure appeared in the distance, sitting on a boulder near the shoreline. This could be the man her contact told her to look for to get to the client, so she quickened her pace.
She finally reached him, and she suddenly wished she hadn't, as he turned to her. He had brown hair tied in a braided ponytail, and wore a white sleeveless open front belted jacket, brown belt, and white pants. Brown leather boots and brown vambraces below his bandaged upper arms completed his look. But it wasn't his fashion sense or his scarred chest that repulsed her. Rather, it was the man's yellow beady eyes, his crooked smile, and his grotesque scorpion's tail that seemed grafted straight on his back. The tail was so ugly that even his jacket, customized to accommodate for his tail, still looked slightly ruined because of it. He was hideous to look at, quite frankly. She was serious in that assessment. She considered herself kind when it came to judging people's looks, but there was just no other way to describe the faunus, and the murmurs and mumblings of nonsense she heard from him certainly didn't help things.
"Well…" the faunus said, the first comprehensible thing she heard from him. "Look who's arrived. A pretty girl, walking around alone at the beach? You seem lost."
"I doubt that." Already she could tell from the man's voice that his mind wasn't quite there, and his tail seemed itching to attack at the slightest provocation. But this was always the case for the faunus. The good ones never failed to look great with their animal traits and acted accordingly, but the bad apples? This unsettling wretch was one such example. But given what she learned from her contact, it was to be expected that the people the client hired would be just like her, part of the seedier side of society, and this faunus was ugly both inside and out.
"Someone like you shouldn't be wandering off by yourself," the man continued. "But don't worry, I can help you find your way back. Your accessories look very nice, they'll do for payment. C'mon, be a good girl now. Don't be shy."
His right hand beckoned, clearly wanting her necklace with a red gem pendant, and her red beaded bracelet. But she got them a long time ago – from her first theft, actually – and she liked these items. She shook her head. "No, I don't think I will."
"Ah, so you don't want to play along, I see. Tsk tsk, how sad." The man made a mocking shrug. "Well then, tell me why you're here, girl. And make it quick."
"A stranger told me about this place," she said, and stared at him directly in the eyes. "The isle with rivers of wine, where nature reaches for the divine."
"Oh…" he said simply, and had a blank stare on his face.
She suppressed a scowl. For someone that looked so dangerous, why did this man suddenly look so dumbfounded? Was this really the person her contact said she needed to talk to? He had to be. He was the only person she saw for miles. And that weird line she said was the password her contact gave her, so that should have caused a reaction. Unless this guy was just fooling around, in which case she didn't take kindly to his actions at all. Her eyes narrowed. "Don't you have anything else to say?" she said abruptly. "Because I need to be somewhere else if you're just going to sit there, and–"
She had no warning. One instant the man was just sitting there, the next he was kicking her on the chest, driving out her breath, doubling her over. Eyes bulging, she fought to stay on her feet, but the man didn't give her any time to breathe as he spun, and his other foot hit against the side of her head, staggering her, and her vision blurred. She landed on the ground hard. Then she noticed that he glowed purple, and he had giant dual dustmetal karambits in each hand, each half as long as his entire arm.
The next thing she knew, the man was on top of her, and that the warm sensation on her head told her that it was bleeding, busted open. That was when she saw him raise his scorpion tail, gleaming despite the dull morning light. She tried to reach for her weapons, tried to fight back, but she was forced to stop once the man put his karambits much too close to her neck.
"Damn you!" she yelled at him, but those yellow eyes of his dilated, and a whack of the blunt end of his scorpion tail to the girl's head sapped all of her remaining strength. Her vision darkened.
"The name's Tyrian Callows," the man whispered, his eyes still fixed on hers. "You may have found this place, but you're worthless if you can't even put up a fight. Now, now. Don't be angry that you can't land a scratch on me little girl, so stop struggling. Enjoy the coastal scenery, why don't you? You're with me now after all, and who can be a better man in the world than good old Tyrian?"
"…you goddamned–"
"Tch, you know I'm being charming here, girl." Tyrian licked his lips with his tongue, which was much longer than normal. "Now I'm going to have to correct you on your mistake. Oh, you disagree? Heh, you're putting up such a brave face too… Well, we'll just see about that." So saying, he cackled as he reached for her throat…
"Did you enjoy your dream?"
Tyrian gasped in shock, much like someone waking up from being thrown a pail of cold water. He was on the ground, his back on the same rock he was sitting on earlier, and he didn't have his weapons on hand, much less had his Semblance active. The girl meanwhile stood right in front of him in a dominating position, without any wound in her head or any sign of fatigue.
"Wait… What… What the hell?! What's going on?"
The girl had him right where she wanted him. She already had her dustmetal weapons unsheathed – large twin shotels she named Oneiros Magos – with the one on her left hand skewering the base of his stinger to the ground and immobilizing it, while the edged tip of the one she held on her right rested deathly close to his neck, just like what he imagined he did to her. "Be careful what you think about, you might just get it." She then pulled her shotel back just a little bit, and blood oozed from Tyrian's neck. "How's that for a scratch?"
"What kind of Semblance–"
"Like I'd tell you." She was sure Tyrian would have an inkling eventually, but just like he kept his own Semblance hidden, she guarded the true extent of her Semblance as well, like any criminal would.
The two went silent. But she didn't have to wait long for Tyrian to speak up again. He was chuckling now, his earlier shock nowhere to be seen, even though her blade was so close to cutting his neck. He raises his hands up, his beady eyes staring directly at her. "Alright, little girl. You win." He then showed a cheeky grin. "I give up, I surrender."
She smiled back, though only briefly. Tyrian appeared willing enough to cooperate with her now, and his craziness seemingly disappeared. But there was only one way to find out for sure. Putting him to the test, she released his scorpion tail, withdrew her blade from his neck, and waited.
Tyrian just sighed in relief.
Very good of him; he was smarter than he looked. "I think I've more than passed your little test, and I'm done playing games." So saying, she transformed her weapons into twin revolvers. "Now bring me to the client. I want to get down to business, and ask him where I can park my bike."
"Of course," Tyrian replied, with a smooth bow to go along with it, showing deference. He seemed to ignore the wounds she gave him, at least for now. "Follow me. I'll take you to the others."
She let the man take the lead, and he guided her to the nearby dune field, which happened to have larger sand dunes than normal. It was a considerable distance away from where they fought, and it was a comfort that they walked while not being subjected to the hot midday sun. Tyrian was quiet the whole way – not really appearing to trick her or anything like that – but he did try to kill her earlier after all, so she still had her guns on him, just in case.
Eventually they arrived at a large sand dune, and already she could tell it was fake, being so close to it, only believable if seen from a distance. Then Tyrian knelt to press something in the ground, and the sound of machinery followed. The girl raised her eyebrows; this sand dune was actually a building in disguise. A door to a mine shaft elevator then opened, and they promptly entered, with her still being behind the faunus.
"Do you intend to sheathe your weapons at some point?" Tyrian said as the elevator entrance closed, initiating their descent.
"Ask me that again, and I'll kill you."
"Aw, don't be like that. Give me a chance. I was just doing my job back there. I'm actually a pretty nice guy." Tyrian giggled after saying that. "And since you went through the trouble of going here, then starting off with some pleasantries between us would be a good start, don't you think? I'll be your teammate, you know."
"Shut up." She preferred not see Tyrian anymore if she could help it. But as much as she disliked this faunus, she knew better than to ruin her chances with the client by being a loose cannon. She would just have to bear with this creep as much as she could.
"Ok, I understand. No rush, we'll have more moments together soon enough." Tyrian giggled again. "By the way, you couldn't have arrived at a better time. Everyone else is here for a meeting anyways, so they might as well see you too."
The elevator stopped, and the two continued on their way, this time traversing an underground hallway that progressively became more like that of a modern underground facility. She suspected that this place was an abandoned attempt to mine for Dust, long forgotten throughout the years – she would not be surprised if this was made a century ago – and that there were efforts to adapt the area for new purposes. For this facility to be in the middle of nowhere – and with Vacuo most likely unaware of its existence – it was clear that the client had money to back up his plans, whoever they were.
They reached a metal door, and Tyrian went to the intercom to press some buttons. "Tyrian here. Tell everyone we've got a guest from one of our contacts. She's legit… I can vouch for her strength."
The door opened, revealing another hallway with three doors at the end, in which Tyrian chose the middle one. Three more hallways and multiple doors followed, all with the same metallic layout. Easy for someone new to get lost here. But they arrived at a conference room soon enough. It had a big monitor facing a boardroom table, and she saw a man sitting in one of the chairs, phone in hand.
"You're here already? That was fast."
"We have a meeting today, don't we?" He was in his middle years, with thick eyebrows and a thick mustache, alongside graying hair, green eyes, and tanned skin. He wore a gray coat over a yellow dress shirt, complimenting it with gray pants, burgundy shoes, fingerless gloves, and a black necktie. The man seemed to be busy with his phone; he spared them a few glances. "And I wanted to see the person you brought down here for myself. It's not every day we have a guest, as you always try to kill anyone you see wandering at the beach."
"You're welcome." The faunus smirked at what the man just said, with no hesitation at all. "Happy to do the guard work as always."
"I'm sure you're elated," the man replied. He then threw the faunus a handkerchief. "Clean after yourself. I know you love the sight of blood, but don't stain the room with your own." Tyrian just grinned as he caught it, and went to take care of his wounds, sitting one chair apart from the man, at the same side of the table. The man then turned to look at her. "Hello there. Have a seat and relax. I've already told the others of your presence, and they'll be arriving shortly, as well as the client."
She did so, taking the chair opposite him. "I wasn't expecting a warm welcome."
The man smirked. "Don't misunderstand. The meeting's about to start, so if I were you, I'd sheathe your weapons this instant. You don't want to make the wrong impression."
That was a good point. She didn't need Tyrian to guide her anymore, and she didn't want to start a needless fight, so she sheathed Oneiros Magos. The man's smirk widened. "Perhaps Neo's contacts have finally done something right for a change. I'm Arthur Watts. If you survived and wounded Tyrian, then I have high hopes for you, so don't disappoint them."
She made a rote nod, and noticed that Arthur looked at her as if he was sizing her up; she paid no mind to it. Arthur could size her up for as long all he wanted. She knew that he would act much differently around her once he had a taste of her Semblance.
"Hey there."
A pale young boy, probably no older than she was, entered the room from another door. He had gray eyes and gray hair that was partially slicked back while unkempt at the front. He wore a gray jacket, black pants, and black shoes. His dull colors that ensured he didn't stand out; he was a background character in every sense of the word. He seemed oblivious to the idea though, as he sat beside her with a smile. "I heard about you from Arthur. Welcome to our hideout, it's been a while since we last had an addition. You must be strong if you got past Tyrian… I like that."
"So you do, huh?" she said dryly, rolling her eyes. His tone was too friendly for comfort; it would be foolish of her to forget just what kind of people she was working with. "Don't bother keeping up the act, I'm just here for the pay."
"Oof, just like everyone else here, huh?" His smile seemed to widen upon saying that. "Yeah, I figured as much. No one's ever friendly in this group."
"With people like you here, I can't imagine why."
"And with a sharp tongue too, as if we can't have more of that here. But you look cute, so there's that." The guy said it casually, almost in a flirting way even, but she felt that he actually meant it. "Anyways, feel free to stick with me, I help out newbies as much as I can."
"Thanks, but I can take care of myself." Then, on a whim, she decided to humor him. "You can help me put my motorcycle down here though. I left it at the surface, and I don't want it to rust."
"Ah, I see. But the meeting's coming up, so it'll have to wait. I'm sure that bike you stole can withstand a few more hours under the elements. Or a few months." Grinning, the guy leaned in his chair. "Hey, you wanted me to drop the act, right? So go pick up your bike yourself. Or have Tyrian help you out if you can't wait."
Arthur mumbled something under his breath, and Tyrian chortled; she simply ignored them and dropped the subject. As much as she wanted to get even, with the client arriving, now wasn't the right time to make a fuss.
Another door opened, and a man appeared that was seemingly hacked right out of a mountain. He was large and broad, much larger than anyone she had ever seen in her life, easily more than seven feet tall. She didn't think that his bulk was even possible, but there he was; a bearded man with short brown hair and brown eyes, his sleeveless dark green vest showing the various scars on his massive arms, wielding huge gauntlets that no doubt served as his dustmetal weapons.
"You all interrupt my business," he growled, then he sat on the chair between Arthur and Tyrian, and crossed his arms. It was a miracle the chair could even support his weight, she noticed. Then, as if reading her mind, he looked at her with curious eyes, and snickered.
She didn't react to it. Wearing brown pants and brown boots, he was as dull in his fashion sense as the guy beside her, and his wit seemed suspect. But his fist looked strong enough to crush her skull, and her instincts told her to not have anything to do with the man, even though she could easily defend herself.
"That's Hazel Rainart," the guy beside her said, leaning towards her, his voice low enough to be a whisper. "Yes, it's pronounced 'hah', then 'zel'. Don't let him hear you confuse his name with the color. I'd leave that guy alone if I were you. Just let him laugh, he's not nearly as dumb as you think."
"Thanks for the heads up," she whispered back. "But I wasn't asking."
"And now you don't have to."
She heard Hazel cackle, as if he managed to hear them; she suppressed a frown. "I thought you weren't going to be friendly with me."
"Well, I decided to play nice again. Maybe this time you'll get wise."
"You think you're wise with what you're doing?"
"And you are?"
"…"
He smiled. "You're really cute, you know that?"
She sighed. "…whatever."
"The doctor will be here in a moment."
She turned to the sound of that new voice, and found another person enter the room. It was a woman this time in her twenties, with neck length black hair, and the girl would readily admit that the lady was beautiful, even while accounting for the eyepatch on her left eye; her right one was a striking gold color in comparison. But eyepatch aside, the rest of her fashion sense suited her quite well. She wore a black tank top with a feather design at the right side, black shorts, and black shoulder cape – all trimmed with gold – along with black earrings and black heeled boots that reached up to her knee. This one definitely loved her blacks. It was easy to overuse the color, but she made it work. She looked great even though she wore her cape oddly, fully covering her left arm for some reason.
"Nice of you to report that to us, even though it's completely redundant. I've already informed the others of his arrival." Arthur's voice had a mocking tone to it. "Well, is that it? After following him like a toady, you have nothing else to tell us?"
"You'll get more news later," the woman said levelly. "And I get to follow him because I'm stronger and more useful, that's all. Don't you agree?" Arthur said nothing to that; his face darkened.
"Or maybe the doctor just likes her company," Tyrian added, licking his lips. "A woman is a woman at the end of the day. I can relate."
"I'm sure you do," the woman said, and showed him her clenched right fist. "Now keep it to yourself." Tyrian backed away with a smile and raised hands. Seemingly satisfied with that, the woman then turned to the others. Standing there, she exuded an unmistakable commanding presence in the room. Everyone had their eyes on her, even gigantic Hazel. "It looks like everyone's here. Very good." She then took her seat beside the guy in gray, putting him in between the two females. "I've heard about you from Neo's contact," the woman said. "The doctor is the client you're looking for. He's on his way."
A few moments after she said that, the door where she came from opened once more, and two figures emerged.
The first was a girl – a small one even for females – who looked alright, but was born with the most unusual combination of colors ever seen. It wasn't an exaggeration. Her left eye and the left side of her hair was brown, while her right eye and the right side of her hair was pink! She never saw anything like it before. Then there was her fashion sense. Her white pants were fine, as well as her white and black spat heels, the gray scarf on her neck, and the feathered black bowler hat with a red stripe she had on her head. But the other things she wore… A brown longline open jacket that went down to her knees but only reached her chest, supported by straps on her shoulders? A white cropped tube top with a dress vest design and faux buttons? Black arm covers with pink trim at the puffy tops, alongside white gloves? She resisted shaking her head; she would never wear something like this in a million years.
"Neo never fails to carry herself," the guy in gray whispered to her. "Pretty nice, huh?"
She looked at him incredulously; it was hard enough to whisper back. "You think I'm cute, but she's your type? Are you insane?"
"I didn't say she was my type, but she's not exactly ugly either, you know what I mean? Besides, what kind of look are you expecting from a girl called Neopolitan Vanille?"
"Neo… What?"
"Just call her Neo, she won't mind."
"Tch, unbelievable…" Already she could sense a hidden deviousness in this Neo girl, so she dropped the subject; Mercury was more than enough for her to handle right now. She then turned her attention to the second person alongside the weird girl… A man in his middle forties.
He had disheveled gray hair, mustache, and beard, wearing a light gray jacket with a high collar and a red shirt underneath, with black pants and black shoes. She immediately thought of him as the kind of man so fixated in his thoughts that he only bothered to make himself presentable in the barest of senses. But it was his confident stride, prominent eyebrows, and strange eyes – his right eye a dull blue, his left one sharply red for some reason, almost like a Grimm's – that assured her that he was the client she was looking for.
Neo sat beside the woman clad in black, and the man stood at the end of the table, with Neo at his right side. He looked at the people in the room one by one, asserting his complete authority to everyone. But he didn't start the meeting Tyrian told her they were here for to begin with, not just yet. "Before everything else…" he began, putting his eyes on her, "…you must be the one our contact had talked to. Your name must be Emerald, if I remember correctly."
"Emerald Sustrai," she replied with a nod. "I've met with your contact a few days ago, and I've shown him the requirements you asked for. I take it they meet your expectations?"
"Indeed they do," he said to Emerald, then he turned to Tyrian, observing him. "What about you, Tyrian? What do you have to say, given your wounds?"
"She's so strong I have no idea how I even lost," Tyrian smirked. "Imagine that, doc."
"Perfect. As it should be." The man returned to looking at Emerald. "Tyrian here does a wonderful job weeding out the weak, and he's worth every penny I pay him to guard this place. Only the best can be by my side… Only those with the potential to be more than just mere rank and file… And you passed that test with flying colors. Glad to have you with us. You're exactly the person I'm looking for. You'll be a great asset to us with your Semblance."
"Thank you."
"Welcome to our group, Emerald. My name's Dr. Lusus Merlot. I'm a scientist that once worked for Atlas, and I used to lead a group that specialized in the Grimm. Particularly, in biological engineering." He smiled upon saying that last part. "I've heard of your life in Vacuo. But from this point on you'll become something more than just a thief. You'll become part of something far bigger than yourself."
Emerald wasn't exactly proud of her line of work being broadcast like this to everyone in the room. Then again, it wasn't like she was some kind of assassin, like what Tyrian and Hazel surely were. Growing up had been difficult for her, to the point that she had to resort to stealing to cover simple necessities, so the moment she gained her Semblance she used it give herself what had been denied from her for so long. Anyone she met was fair game, and she spent a few months living a comfortable existence here in Vacuo, finally escaping the poverty that held her back her entire life.
But recently she found out that her way of life wasn't sustainable at all, not to mention unfulfilling. That didn't mean she was about to go back and reintegrate into normal society, though. Why should she, when it turned its back on her? If she couldn't simply coast with her Semblance, then she might as well maximize it to its full potential, without holding anything back, her victims be damned.
"I know that look of yours, child. You have the look of someone that's unsatisfied with the state of things in the world. Rest assured, everyone else here share the same sentiments, and that's what binds us together. We wouldn't have lasted this long otherwise. In due time, we'll unveil the truth of this world, and we'll hold everything in the palm of our hands."
Emerald nodded. Not that she cared about the world in particular, but she cared very much about herself, and that was why she was here, accepting the offer of Merlot's contact that found her in a café one rainy night. She recalled the conversation she had with that man – how fearless he was despite experiencing her Semblance – and his parting words to her lingered in her mind quite vividly. Will you continue to waste your talents by living aimlessly, taking money from fools to spend on useless things? Or will you forge a different path for yourself? Think about it carefully. This isn't an offer I give to just anyone. Perhaps now is the time to see just how far you can go… And maybe you'll change the world along the way.
Emerald made her decision soon after that. "When do I start?"
Merlot beamed. "Very good, you will start immediately. And with that said, I believe now is the time to start the meeting." Merlot then looked at the woman beside her. "Cinder, you may begin."
So, that woman's name was Cinder. She still had that commanding presence as she stood from her seat, but now Emerald could feel that she was more of the cold and calculating type, quite unlike her namesake. She cleared her throat. "You all still remember our plan about Atlas?"
"So you finally have some news about that," Arthur said. "You've been assigned there for almost a year with nothing to show for it."
"Hear me out first," Her eyes narrowed, but Cinder kept her face calm. "My spies found out that the Atlas military's computer mainframe was tampered with four days ago by unauthorized personnel. Atlas is currently conducting an extensive manhunt, carefully keeping it hidden from the public. But even they can't hide the increased security regarding travel in and out of the kingdom. Whatever new excuse they might pull on their citizens, for Atlas to go out like this… I have no doubt that someone finally extracted the data we've been trying to get."
Emerald quickly noted everyone's reactions. Arthur raised an eyebrow, and Hazel grunted, while Tyrian just nodded. Meanwhile the girl named Neo looked calm, and so was the guy in gray and Merlot. But they all seemed to know the gravity of what Cinder just said.
"Your minions only found out four days after?" Arthur replied. "Whoever took the data must be long gone by now. Do we have anything to help identify him at least? Please tell me your report is not as useless as I think it is."
"We quickly made a scan of every security video we could lay our hands on the moment we heard of this," Cinder continued. "We looked at every face that was within ten miles of every airport and wharf, in case we found someone that Atlas had missed. And to my surprise, we got a windfall… I found an acquaintance."
Emerald saw Cinder press a button from a device she held, and the monitor turned on, and the screen showed a program that played a video of a crowded place. Upon a closer look, Emerald saw that the place was actually one of Atlas's airports. A few zoom ins later, and Cinder showed a faunus in his middle years, having thick hair much like a lion's mane, trying his best to blend in with the crowd.
"Interesting find," Tyrian said. "Who the hell is he?"
"Leonardo Lionheart, or Leon for short. A professor in Beacon, and an excellent spy as well. Knowing his talents, I know exactly why he's in Atlas." There was a tone of familiarity in Cinder's voice, and Emerald wondered how she knew the man. "Clearly trying to make his way out of the kingdom a few hours ago, too. But it seems he was forced to change his plans, given how Atlas is handling the situation. Regardless, I'm convinced he has the data we need. I have no doubt about it."
"But there's lot of spies going around in every kingdom," the guy in gray said. "What makes you so sure he has what we're looking for?"
"Because he has the skill and the patience to get the keys he needs," Cinder replied. "And if anyone else was going to get the data, then it's no surprise to me that it's him. He's one of the best spies Vale has. The record I have of him proves his abilities, and the fact that Atlas is still on high alert assures me that he's still alive."
"Pfft, you want us to go after this man all because you have a hunch?" Arthur scoffed. "Seriously Cinder, do have anything better than this?"
"If we go to Vale and I'm wrong, then we wasted time and effort, so feel free to laugh at me however long you wish." A cold look formed on Cinder's face, her golden eyes piercing. "But if we don't go there and I'm correct, then we lose the data Merlot needs to further his plans, which gives me every right to slam your head into the dirt. Deal?"
Arthur scowled, clenching his hands into fists, but nothing more came out of it. Tyrian laughed at the sight, while Hazel guffawed, and Emerald did her best to hide her smirk, though the guy in gray made no effort to conceal his own. She liked Cinder's retort, she gave her that much.
Cinder then looked at Merlot. "But I'm willing to gamble that Vale still doesn't know Atlas's true intentions, at least not right now. That's why Leon was there in the first place. Knowing Vale's lapses in considering Atlas as a threat, Leon could have only been sent by the one man who would have any idea of what's actually going on… Though without having anything concrete, he must have acted on pure suspicion alone to even bother. Then again, it's par for the course for a man like him. Isn't that right, doctor?"
"Ozpin Levert," Merlot answered, acting very familiar with the name, as if it was some old, nagging wound. "About time he made his move."
"Too little, too late. Ironwood couldn't finish you off after all, and we both know how that man acts."
"You're right. Only more proof that destiny is on my side, and that my research was correct from the very beginning." Merlot's eyes had a look to them as he said that, and he began to giggle to himself. "One's a treacherous thief, the other a patriotic fool, but those two can't stop what's coming. Not after I've come this far, not after everything I've done." Merlot grinned, then he clenched the air with his right hand, as if squashing a bug that wasn't there. "Ironwood stole what's mine and thinks he can conquer all the kingdoms. He doesn't have the intellect to look past his earthly ambitions and truly discern the nature of the world. And Ozpin?" Merlot paused briefly; he seemed to be remembering something, but he continued just the same. "…he's of no consequence. At the end of the day, people like him are a dime a dozen, every one of them fighting blindly to protect the status quo, but they'll soon know the truth. Both Ozpin and Ironwood will get what's coming for them in due time."
Emerald digested this new information. It was interesting to know that Merlot had been betrayed, and he was out for revenge; she couldn't blame him for that. She definitely empathized. She herself wasn't above doing the same on others that wronged her. Using her Semblance, she learned to become quite creative – and cruel – in dealing her own kind of vengeance.
"All of us mercenaries here are glad to work for your goals, Merlot." The guy in gray answered. "This underground base alone is enough to tell us you're the real deal. We do the missions you tell us to do without asking unnecessary questions, and you pay us the highest amount any of us have ever received." He stretched his arms and legs. "I'd say that's a nice arrangement. But something tells me that we'll be doing a lot more work moving forward because of this Leon guy, huh?"
It certainly looked like it. The way Merlot set up his operation seemed as if he had eyes on every kingdom, biding his time in the shadows, and that she was just in the right moment when they could be put into battle, based on what Cinder just said. That was fine with Emerald. She knew a few things about combat, and she also knew not to ask unnecessary questions, at least not in the open. She cared little about the other kingdoms anyways, and much less for Vacuo; why should she bother with those that never helped her get on her feet? As long as Merlot's pay was good, then all was well as far as she was concerned.
She then remembered what the old man said, and realized that Ironwood was the main proponent of Atlas going all in against the Grimm with their supposed new weapon… Could Merlot know more about it than he let on? She had a hunch that he did, and the deal just became a little bit sweeter because of it. What exactly did Merlot know? But she could afford to be patient and stifle her curiosity on this one. Just like what the guy in gray said, there was no need to openly ask unnecessary questions.
"You're correct," Merlot said. "Now that Atlas's data has finally been uncovered, in what I thought would take us much more time to get, I can now move forward to the next stage of my plans. Rest assured that all of you will be compensated with increased pay as befitting your new workload. Now go and tell them their new mission, Cinder."
"We need to go to Vale to get the data and kill Leon at once," Cinder said. "My spies predict that Leon will attempt to leave as early as tomorrow, but if we move now, we'll make it in time to face him no matter how he makes his escape. I also have some good ideas on how he would make his move, and we're well equipped to handle it." She then looked at Emerald. "You're part of this plan as well… You're coming along with us. I suspect we'll have our hands full, so you'll prove useful in handling resistance and ensuring we get Leon's data for analysis. Because no matter what, Vale must not know anything about Atlas's project…"
As Cinder continued to talk, the guy in gray leaned in toward Emerald again. "My name's Mercury Black," he whispered. "And she's Cinder Fall. We look forward to working with you."
"Are you always this polite?" Emerald whispered back.
"This place needs a gentleman, that's for sure." Mercury made a passing look at Cinder, just to ensure he was listening, then turned back to Emerald. "And it wouldn't hurt if you acted more like a lady. It's definitely not going to kill you."
"If you can handle Tyrian, then you can handle me." Emerald made a passing nod at Cinder, just to tell her that she was listening too. As for this guy… "… but you're a step above that lunatic, I'll admit."
"Glad to hear it." Mercury smiled. "See, that wasn't so hard, now was it? Don't worry, I'll help you take care of your bike after this."
Emerald paused; she wasn't about to become chummy with people ready to kill her with their Semblances or dustmetal weapons if given a good chance. Then again, it would be good to have an ally, and she preferred that to be Mercury rather than Arthur, or that psychopathic faunus, or that cackling behemoth. And while he was annoying, Mercury thought about her bike… There was something about his tone that told her he wasn't faking, so she gave him a nod. "…thanks."
"Before I forget," Cinder said, turning to Arthur. "How are your moles doing regarding that other group in Atlas? Your men better make sure that they're still in the dark. We don't want complications."
"There won't be any," Arthur replied. "That group doesn't know that my team is on to them, much less that we even exist. Not that they presented any difficulties to me… I don't expect much from those savages. My team is currently disrupting their intelligence gathering, so they should be in the same situation as Atlas, if not worse."
"Very well." Cinder nodded. "Then we'll proceed as planned. Arthur, continue to monitor the movements of the Atlas military and their defenses. Make sure that they're under our eye, both in Atlas and at their base, while we make our move." She then turned to Hazel. "Hazel, continue to do the same with Vale's own forces, just as you've always done with your own group. Now I know it's been a while since you last saw that man, and you get pleasure in being at the front lines, but this mission needs to be handled… Delicately."
Hazel laughed. "Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Cinder."
"I wasn't trying to," Cinder said. "Just being honest here with you. I know why you're working with us, and believe me, I know how it feels to hold a grudge."
"Hmph, fine." Hazel smirked. "As long as my conditions for my services are met. The moment I see Qrow…" The huge man then cracked his knuckles, making an awful popping sound befitting his size. "…I make my move. I don't care about whatever plans you have, I'll do what I want at that point."
Qrow? Emerald raised an eyebrow, wondering who this person was. She ultimately didn't ask, but it was notable that from the corner of her eye, Mercury looked at her and slowly shook his head.
"Of course." Without missing a beat – and not intimidated by Hazel's deep voice – Cinder then turned to Tyrian. "As for you, take over Mercury's job monitoring Vacuo for the time being. I'm sure you can do two things at the same time for a few days."
"It's all the same to me whether it's two things or ten things," Tyrian responded blithely. "But that's fine as long as I get paid the way I want to get paid. Hazel isn't the only one here with certain… Needs."
"You'll be paid in exactly the way you've always been, Tyrian." Emerald thought she saw the faintest hint of disgust from Cinder; if it was real, it was only for an instant. Cinder then went to the others. "Neo will stay to help Merlot as always to monitor the remaining kingdoms… Mercury, Emerald, and I will leave in an hour. We'll be reporting the details of Leon's data immediately once we retrieve it. Depending on how far Ironwood got with his research, and depending on the strength of Atlas's defenses…"
"That's when you come into play," Merlot said, looking at Emerald. "There's another reason why I've been looking for unique Semblances like yours."
Emerald nodded. "I'm ready for anything you ask of me."
"Well said," Merlot replied, then turned to Cinder. "Make sure to update me as soon you can. I'll form a strategy regarding Atlas depending on the circumstances."
Cinder then went on with the finer details of how exactly they were travelling to Vale, and that part shocked Emerald. Their mission to retrieve data from some old coot was one thing, but this thing they were going to use… Never mind the idea that such a thing could even exist, but for Merlot to be the one to create it too? She was at a loss on what to say, if there was even anything to say. Looking at the rest of the group, they all seemed to treat it as if it was as normal as the sun rising, so Emerald quickly made an effort to keep a calm look.
"We all had the same reaction the first time we heard of it," Mercury whispered to Emerald. "But it's real, believe me, and surprisingly comfortable too. You'll get used to riding it soon enough. Eventually, you'll feel like you can't be on anything else." He then looked at Cinder. "Hey, why don't you show her our ride?"
Smiling softly, Cinder then changed the contents of the monitor screen to show the very thing they were going to use, confirming its existence, and any lingering doubts Emerald had about the doctor simply evaporated. Merlot was an insane genius in every sense, and Emerald was left questioning everything she thought she knew about the world.
"Still shocked, huh? Just wait until you see it up close with your own eyes…" Mercury then made a passing glance at Cinder. "…and yeah, that's just the start."
"…I can't wait." Suddenly Emerald felt a surge of excitement at being part of the mission; she hadn't felt like this in a long while. She recalled what Merlot said, that she could become part of something bigger than herself. She never really believed in the doctor's ambitious plans, but now…
"Do you have any concerns, Emerald?" Merlot asked, his eyes fixed on hers.
Emerald shook her head. That meeting she had with Merlot's contact at the café was a much bigger turning point for her than she thought. Perhaps it really was time for her to find out just how far she could go with her life. Whether she carved her path through her Semblance or her shotels spilling the blood of Hunters that got in her way, she would find out what lay in store for her soon enough.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ruby…
Cale recalled that night in Patch, and touched the large scar on his chest.
"What's on your mind, kid?"
"Just reminiscing," he said. "And my name's Cale."
"Hey, the kid finally replied!" Sienna chuckled. She was on the driver's seat, using her maroon sedan, with him riding shotgun. "I've been trying to talk to you all morning. I know it was still dark when we left, but you've been quiet ever since… It's not like you're waking up any neighbors. You have your head so high up in the clouds that I wondered when you'd get down, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I get it." It wasn't like he was oblivious to her presence. He just had a lot of things on his mind, now that he recovered his memories here in Vale, and naturally they all revolved around Ruby. He needed to be together with her again and make up for lost time… He needed to find her as soon he could; he had so much to say. "Sorry about that. But I'm not a kid, ok? Do I even look like I'm a minor to you?"
"You sure are a growing boy, though. Don't forget that you ate every leftover I had–" Cale's stomach then growled suddenly – even though he wasn't particularly hungry – and Sienna's chuckled harder. "Heh, why am I not surprised? You'd make any grandmother proud."
"You really think so?"
"…you're one of a kind, I'll tell you that." Sienna paused for a bit. "It's not every day that I get someone as hungry as you are, you know what I mean, kid?"
"…yeah, I guess you're right." Even Cale had to smile at that; he had only spent around three days with her, but it quickly became clear that Sienna had a teasing personality. 'Kid' could very well be her nickname for him at this point. But it wasn't something that he minded, despite his complaints. Sienna still fed and sheltered him, and he needed all the help he could get.
"You remember being such a big boy with a big appetite?"
"…not really."
"So you don't, huh?" Sienna paused again. "How was your sleep last night?"
"Ok, I guess. I didn't have any dreams or anything like that, if that's what you're asking."
Sienna nodded. "…I figured."
"Was I tossing, turning and snoring or something?"
"No," Sienna said. "Not at all."
Cale then looked at the walls of Vale, giant structures built to protect the kingdom's citizens from the Grimm, and incredible works of architecture in their own right. Being this close to the walls, to the point where he could even see the stations that soldiers manned, meant that they had just entered Vale's border, and were now on a straight course towards Pharos, the capital city. Once Sienna was done with her tasks there, she would then drive him down south to Patch, and he hoped that the countryside had enough clues for him to start his search.
"But seriously, this is my first time being with someone like you." And that was the thing; it was of note just how Sienna acted so relaxed towards him. It was as if their fight last night never happened. She certainly appeared like she had forgotten all about that. Maybe that was for the best. Cale had no intentions of bringing that up himself. "Being a Vale agent cooped up at the coast doing research… One can forget how good it is to have someone to talk to, and it's been a while since I drove this car of mine along with someone else."
"I'm not really that good of a talker."
"Something tells me that's not exactly true." Sienna smiled a bit. "You told me earlier that you regained a lot of your memories, right? Hey, if you're comfortable with it, feel free to tell me everything about them. Maybe it'll help with regaining the rest. We're still some distance away from Pharos anyways, so c'mon, I'm all ears."
Well, Cale did remember a lot more than before, but as for telling her that, he instantly hesitant. "…I don't know about that."
"Try me." Sienna then spared a glance at him, and Cale found her eyes lingering at his chest, if only for a few moments. "For starters, are you sure you're not cold?"
"…I'm good." It was true, despite being naked from the waist up, accidentally tearing his shirt on the night when they first met, and with Sienna not having any clothes that fit him. Cale covered himself using towels during his stay at her place, but this time his scar was covered up in bandages. It was Sienna's idea to do so, even though he had no open wound, and he knew why; it was to help sell her story to the border guards. They had just passed the last checkpoint a few minutes ago, out of many they had encountered on the only road they could travel on, and the fact that they were now inside Vale meant that her plan worked. He was a fellow agent of hers that had his mission compromised, she told them, and that she managed to save him from a nihilith. She even presented identification and records about him to prove it, and the guards allowed them through without further questions. They didn't even bother asking or opening his case that was on the back seat, but he was sure she had a story for that too if it came down to it. "And you don't have to keep staring."
"Who said I was?"
"What, you don't like the view?"
Sienna chuckled again, and Cale smiled. Whatever happened to him, it was good that he still knew how to make a joke. The faunus then shook her head, as if admitting defeat, then cleared her throat. "I stayed up all those nights forging your documents, by the way."
Cale slowly nodded. "…thank you."
"You don't have to worry about the story I said," Sienna added. "It'll check out. Despite what most people believe, Hunters really do struggle to survive against Class Two Grimm, and the guards know this too. They also know that Vale periodically sends out Hunters beyond the border, and they themselves have seen their fair share of Hunter deaths. But they're in the dark regarding the details of our missions, and they're not supposed to ask anyways, so it's not like they're in a position to doubt us. Which is just as well. It's not like we're deceiving them to cause harm, and what they don't know won't hurt them. Just one of many good reasons why we conduct operations in secret."
Cale knew what Sienna meant by that last part. It was normal for Hunters to be hired by clients or kingdoms for special types of missions, given how rare and valuable Hunters were compared to the common foot soldier, especially those with unique Semblances. The kinds of special missions offered, however, were another matter. Keeping secrets was one thing, but transparency was important on a fundamental level too. It was bitter to recall how his parents died, as well as how Signal left him completely in the dark about it… Cale shook off the thoughts. "I guess so."
"I'm still willing to listen to what you have in mind, you know. And don't lie to me kid, you have that kind of look."
"…it's just that I'd prefer less secrecy, that's all."
"Even though that secrecy just got you here in Vale?"
"I know… And I'm not being ungrateful, don't get me wrong. But still… There's a lot that can go wrong once the web gets too tangled."
"Ah, so it's the principle of the thing, I see. I haven't heard that in a while. I didn't expect you to be the type, but I can't blame you either." There was a different look in Sienna's eyes now, Cale noticed. "Do you know what Atlas is up to these days?"
That sparked a memory. Cale saw it in the news, of Atlas planning a large campaign to exterminate all the Grimm in Solitas. Ironically they announced it just a few days before the Grimm invaded Patch. "Their campaign to destroy the Grimm in their continent? Yeah, I remember that. But I have no idea how they're going to make it happen… Are they still going ahead with it?"
"Oh, they're all in on it. Those people up north sure are an ambitious bunch." Sienna chuckled again, a cynical one this time. "Their plan sounds great on the surface, but no one really knows how Atlas is actually going to do it, and it doesn't help that they're keeping quiet. It's an important distinction that many people miss out on, and you can't blame others for trying to know the truth behind it. For all the effort the kingdoms have been pouring out to combat the Grimm, if Atlas somehow found a way to break through their stronghold and kill every last one of those monsters in Solitas…"
Sienna's voice trailed off, and Cale realized her point. The irony of it wasn't lost on him either. "Not really a good situation to be in," Cale said, and Sienna nodded. Then he realized something. "But you're just a Grimm researcher, right? Don't tell me you'll be sent to fight in case the worst happens."
"Nah," Sienna said, shaking her head. "Don't let my Semblance and whip fool you. I'm just a humble bookworm minding her own business at the end of the day, so don't worry about me. Vale has other folks to take care of those kinds of scenarios, and I'm not exactly the best fighter in my group anyways. Though I'm curious just how strong my peers really are, compared to you."
There was something in her voice when she said that, and Cale couldn't quite put his finger on it. But whatever it was, he had a feeling Sienna hadn't forgotten about last night after all. "I'm not–"
"Do you have a Semblance, kid?"
It was the first time she had asked him that. And in retrospect, it was something he should have thought of himself, the moment he recovered his Vale memories. But he had been so overwhelmed with his desire to meet Ruby that it drowned pretty much anything else. He now remembered his wolf avatar Semblance, but he didn't think that was even involved in his feats last night.
Be a good boy and keep your power secret for as long as you can. And remember to never tell anyone… It's for their own good.
There was that voice again in his head, discouraging him from telling Sienna that he had a Semblance. At least, that was what Cale thought it was referring to. But he decided to heed it again regardless. It wasn't like that voice had steered him wrong. Not yet, anyway. "No, I don't. Because if I did, I could explain to you how I crushed chains with my bare hand."
"Makes sense."
Rest well and wait for me. Be careful out there. Our time will arrive sooner than you think.
He then recalled being tied up in a dark room, hearing beeps and hums of machines. He thought he saw a figure in the distance. Then he heard whispers of someone else, except this one had a body blurred between metal and flesh, if that was even possible. Then came snarls and howls around him, coming from moving shadows…
Who are you?
Expect my visit when the darkness comes. The night I think is best for hiding all.
Cale only thought he could speak to the voice in his head. He didn't think it would reply though… But did it actually reply? Or was it only a memory of what that man said to him before? More memories of shadows came up, and soon Cale clutched his head, feeling a sudden sharp spike of pain in his head. He winced, growling as he did. Then the pain vanished as quickly as it came. When he opened his eyes, he saw Sienna staring at him, and her face darkened.
It was only for an instant. Her eyes went back on the road, and soon she was back to her usual self, as if nothing happened. "Regaining your memories sure hurts, doesn't it?"
"It's just a headache…" Cale rubbed his temples on instinct, but he wasn't sure what to say about that, other than the obvious.
"Take it easy, kid. No need to stress yourself out." Sienna sighed, as if admitting defeat. "Your thoughts are your own, so forget I asked about your memories. Sorry if I came off as prying, I didn't mean to do that." Sienna then showed a small smile. "By the way, just in case you're thinking of it, I have no plans of reporting you to Vale. What, you think they're really going to believe that someone like you broke metal with a single hand, all without a Semblance? It's not worth the hassle. Besides, I'd be a fool to do that, knowing how strong you are."
"I'm not going to attack you, by the way." Cale smiled back. "I know you mean well, so I want to make that clear."
"…thanks." Sienna's smile widened. "Just think of all this as pro bono. Your goals happen to coincide with mine, so I might as well bring you along for the ride."
A message signal suddenly popped up on Sienna's phone, and so she quickly checked on it. She immediately made a call right after, and answered the person on the other line in a terse, dry manner. She then hung up. "Your trip to Patch will have to wait a bit more, kid. Something just came up."
"What happened?"
"I'll need to make a stop at Beacon first before we get to Patch."
Beacon Academy. Memories of that rainy afternoon came to mind, of that day when he aced the Hunter tests, but was actually a terrible one for Ruby. He picked her up only to find out that not only did she fail, locking herself out of becoming a Hunter for a year, but also that her mom died fighting the Grimm, and that she was ashamed of not living up to her mother's heroism. He consoled her as much as he could, and he recalled how they spent the night.
But his mind was soon smothered by what happened during that night in Patch – something that had been happening to him every now and then since remembering – and he did his best not to dwell on it any more than he already had. It was still hard, though. Knowing what happened back then, and how Ruby's life was jeopardized, he had no choice but to do what he did, just so that she could live.
It won't be long, Ruby. Just hang tight. I'll find you as soon as I can, I promise.
"Don't worry, it'll be quick. I'd say it's even quicker to deal with than what I have to deal with in Pharos."
"Alright," Cale replied. "It's fine, I understand. I don't mind the detour at all. And I can't really complain about it anyways, not after everything you did for me." He then thought of something to occupy his thoughts. "Which reminds me… We haven't talked about this, but since we're on topic, you don't really need to stick around for me after we get to Patch. Once we're there, we can then go our separate ways."
"Go our separate ways? I went through the trouble of bringing you to Patch, and you expect me to leave you without a shirt?"
Cale forgot all about being half naked, and Sienna bringing it up meant that she most likely planned to treat him to new clothes. He shook his head. "You're doing more than enough driving me there to begin with. It's becoming a road trip at this point."
"You want to take an airbus to Beacon once we get to Pharos?"
"…I can't ask you that, Sienna. All of this is your money."
"It's my money, you're right, so I get to make the decision. And since we're on the road anyways, why don't we own it and make this a road trip for real?" Sienna beamed, and her tiger ears twitched. "C'mon, kid. It'll be fun. I have a feeling you'll enjoy the ride, just like I was right about you being honest. Oh, don't give me that face. Tell you what, let's see what happens when we get there to Patch, then I'll adjust accordingly. Fair enough?"
Cale said nothing. He felt like he was asking for too much already. Not to mention that it was still hard to believe that Sienna was going out of her way for a stranger like him, and he still needed to find something to give Sienna as a token of gratitude.
"Just go along with it, kid. I'll accept your agreement as your payment for my help, how about that?"
"Well…" Now that Sienna mentioned it… Cale didn't think arguing any further about it would help. He still felt that he needed to give her something, but for now, going along with her idea seemed best. "…alright, I'm all for it."
Sienna showed a small, knowing smile. "Glad to hear that."