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"This is a terrible idea…" Weiss murmured as Pyrrha lead her along, winding through the meandering paths of the outer segments of New Atlas.
They were indoors here, with a ceiling that towered nearly a hundred feet above them and buildings running up to meet it on either side, filled by restaurants, stores, storage and apartments. A metal frame ran along the ceiling far above them, where the buildings curved away a few feet as they did at the apex of the streets to either side of her, and Weiss watched a silver blur scream by as a tram went on its way. Trams and trains ran along the route nearly non-stop, but supply haulers were blockier and darkly colored, not silver. Which told her that the one she'd seen had been military.
She'd always taken her father's connections for granted, but now that she didn't have them, she wondered what was happening to need a bullet-train cleared and sent out…
"Weiss?" She felt a hand on her forearm and looked down- Or, well, less up more accurately yo meet Pyrrha's concerned face. "If you really don't want to come, you don't have to."
"I'm fine." She sighed, shaking her head, "I'm just… I was thinking."
"About?"
For a moment, Weiss considered lying or changing the subject. Age old instincts, honed in the politics of the upper class, railed against revealing even the simplest proverbial cards without some gain. But she shook the urge off easily enough - this was Pyrrha, after all. Not some high society fop she could hardly trust as much as she could throw.
So, she answered frankly, "Just… Thinking about how much I took for granted that I lost."
"Such as…?"
"Information." She sighed, gesturing for Pyrrha to lead on, rather than standing in the street. No one dared do more than grumble as they walked up the foot-road around them, not with Pyrrha there in her armor and wearing her weapon, but Weiss disliked the attention regardless. "Before, my family knew more or less everything happening in the city. We traded in Dust and metals, when I was young, and even when things… Worsened, my father had enough old friends to keep us apprised of the news, so to say."
"They aren't your friends, now?"
"No." She sighed, "Most are second generation from Uplift, or third, and won't deign to speak to an Heiress except for business. They preferred my father and Whitley for that…"
"Ingrates and pigs." Pyrrha sighed, "You're better off without them regardless."
"You sound… Invested in that opinion."
"I've done work for a lot of the higher classes. Usually small-time, short-burn contracts for expeditions and scouting." Pyrrha sighed, shaking her head, "Everyone is a number to them. Or something they think they can buy, in one way or another."
"They didn't…" Weiss trailed off, but Pyrrha didn't go on, glaring ahead silently. It was Weiss' turn to lay a hand on her shoulder, though she withdrew when the redhead turned a hard look on her, refocusing as if she'd been suddenly lost in thought. Quietly, Weiss let her hand drop and said, "Perhaps… We are both better off without such people."
"Yeah…" Pyrrha sighed, shaking her head as she relaxed - seemingly forcibly. "They didn't hurt me, in any way, I just… I just know they hurt others. Others I know. Or, well, knew, in some cases."
"I'm sorry to hear that…"
"Leave it." Pyrrha sighed, "Tonight isn't about that, I'm sorry I mentioned it."
"What is tonight about…?"
"Us." Pyrrha turned, smiling widely, and more warmly than she had in their walk so far. Weiss felt heat creep along her cheeks at the phrasing, and whether Pyrrha noticed or not, she turned and wrapped an arm around her slimmer shoulders, going on warmly, "You, me, and our new floating home. Not to mention your recovery. We've much to celebrate, no?"
"I suppose…" Weiss inclined her head, "But a bar doesn't sound like the kind of place I would-"
"It is no mere bar." Pyrrha snorted, shaking her head and letting Weiss go, following in air that felt all the more chilly now, somehow. "And we're here besides.
'Patch' was a bar, regardless of Pyrrha's words, that had an open bottom floor with powerful load bearing columns lining its front, and a carved wooden sign that stretched along the second floor which, Weiss could see through the open front, was open on the inside. A wide landing ran around all four sides of the second floor, crowded by tables like the first was with circular stairs at each corner that had their own supports, adding to the reinforcement. A long bar and counter ran along the back, with an open kitchen with a handful of cooks coming and going while servers ran food out and dirty dishes in. Old sounding music, mostly guitars and drums, echoed from speakers throughout while the smell of roasted vegetables and alcohol washed over Weiss as she followed Pyrrha to a round, empty table surrounded by five chairs against one of the walls closer to the front.
"See?" Pyrrha smiled, raising her voice to carry over the moderately dull roar of everyone chatting. "A bit more than just a bar, isn't it?"
"I suppose…" She'd always imagined something a bit… Dimmer, and more run down, but the floors looked clean and everyone seemed happy enough. Quietly, Weiss asked, "What about-"
"A lot of the staff live up above, along with a handful of hunters at the very top, in the… Well, less good rooms." Pyrrha shrugged, "They're nice enough, but most that end up here are either recovering or hurt enough to need to find other work."
"Weren't you the one that suggested Reclamation wouldn't be that bad…"
"For you, maybe not." Pyrrha agreed, sighing and shrugging as she scooted their chairs closer. Leaning on the table, she sighed and looked around like she was searching for someone specific and rattled on while she did, "For others… Well, sometimes all you have is brawn or beauty to offer when Reclamation comes. And not many are keen to be pushed into the fields those account to."
"I see…" She'd heard the rumors, of course, but no one ever had any evidence of the… Less legal things people would supposedly often be pushed into doing. "Whatever the case, I'd rather not think about it."
"Hiding from the truth is hardly a very 'Weiss Schnee' thing to do…"
"Certainly not, no. But setting it aside until it is a philosophical point to discuss rather than a practical concern is." Weiss smiled, hearing the teasing edge in Pyrrha's voice even as subtle as it was. Bobbing her head to the side and lazily drumming a finger on the table, she sighed, "And besides, if I were so overly anxious as that… Well, I'd hardly let you drag me all the way down to a bar of all things, now would I?"
"I don't recall doing any dragging…" She smiled, "Do you?"
"Now, how could I say no to someone around twice my size who I have personally seen beat Beowolves to death," Weiss smiled, glad their little game had leveled out so quickly, "with metal rods."
"They were small ones…"
"Bigger than me." Weiss countered, "Although I suppose that isn't saying much, is it?"
"You are a bit… Vertically challenged, as it were."
"Oh, you wound me." Weiss scowled, pressing a hand against her chest in feigned outrage. "Absolutely cut me to the quick. I suppose we know who is buying tonight, don't we?"
"Oh, asking me to buy you a drink are you?" Pyrrha blinked slowly, leaning back in her chair and smiling widely. "Bold, Miss Schnee. Very bold indeed."
"I-I, um…" Weiss blinked, the game suddenly spun back around onto her. Stammering, Weiss ignored the heat creeping up her back and countered, "Yes, well, having spent so much time with you, I could do for a drink. Who wouldn't need one, hm?"
Pyrrha had always had a sharp, bristly sense of humor, under her feigned decorum and proper posture. But, past that, she had a penchant for sarcasm, laconic jokes, and ribbing. And, once Weiss was used to it, she'd fallen into playing their verbal sparring game whenever Pyrrha opted to start it. And, from the way Pyrrha smiled and nodded the way she did when people took her rather laconic jokes for what they were, Weiss was satisfied her friend caught her point.
"Let me guess, wine?" Pyrrha smiled, "Something light and fruity? And what about dinner?"
"I'll trust your pick."
"Ohh, dangerous game, that is." Pyrrha smiled, standing and heading over to the bar.
Which gave Weiss a precious speck of time to collect herself, which she took to lean back in her eat and reach up, idly scratching at the studs above her eye. They didn't hurt anymore, on their own or to touch, but whether or not she was recovered they still itched. And it took something close to herculean willpower to resist the powerful urge to really scratch at them. Partially because it would have looked ridiculous to anyone, and mostly because of how much it would hurt if she messed with one of their bond-points in the wrong way.
"Oh, look." A voice behind her suddenly spoke, voice barely audible in the din of the bar. "A Schnee, all alone. Last of her kind."
Weiss blinked and turned in her seat, one hand on Myrtenaster while she met the new woman's gaze.
She was a bit taller than Weiss, dressed in the loose, comfortable robes banded at the elbows, shoulders and knees that Mistrali and Menagerie traditionalists wore with dark skin flecked by freckles. No, not freckles, Weiss realised after a moment. Scales. Scales that flashed red as Weiss pushed her seat back and tried to stand, and the woman stepped in closer, looming over her and forcing her back into her seat. Leaning on the table, her short hair fell around her head as she smiled and loomed over Weiss, the other grabbing the back of her seat to keep her from fleeing.
"Funny," the Faunus muttered as quiet started to fall on the nearby tables, spreading out steadily like fire through tinder as the people there turned to watch whatever was coming unfold, "I thought you'd still be in the hospital… Or Reclaimed."
"...I have my own ship." Weiss answered, finding her voice and raising her chin to expose her throat in a display of confidence and self-assured strength that made the Faunus' eyes narrow. "My own interests. Or do you not keep up with the news as closely as you thought?"
"I was busy." The woman shrugged, baring her teeth, "Celebrating."
"Celebrating what, exactly?"
"We barely survived a Grimm attack." Another voice cut in as the first woman was yanked back by her shoulder and a second woman arrived, putting herself between Weiss and the first. She was dressed like the first, but had ever so slightly lighter caramel skin, with two flicking feline ears on her head studded with two silver studs in each. She didn't pay Weiss much mind, however, instead hissing at the first woman, "Which is why Ilia is drunk, or she would remember that whoever it is, we give them time to mourn lost family."
"For people, maybe." 'Ilia' hissed, backing up a step, "But that's a Schnee, Blake. Y-You know what her family did to mine- To our captain!"
"Which is why you should go back up to our room, and sleep." Blake said quietly, pushing Ilia away another step by stepping into her space. "Or do you fancy fighting the readhead at the bar?"
Ilia and Weiss both reacted to that, turning to where Pyrrha was standing, held back by two men and holding her sword in her hand. Were it not for them, she was sure, Pyrrha would already have been among them - and she wasn't being held back easily, either, judging from the one man's bloodied lip. Her hard, bright green eyes met Weiss' and she could have sworn her heart leapt a beat or two before she tore herself away and turned back to the two Faunus. Just in time for the apparently drunk one to turn and stalk off, headed for the stairs with her head low.
"Well…" Weiss murmured, "That was certainly an event."
"Don't take my intervening to make us friends, Schnee." Blake snapped quietly, turning to her and narrowing her amber eyes. "I despise your family just as much as Ilia does."
"Then… Why?"
"I know it might be foreign to you, but I speak the truth wherever possible." Blake answered hotly, cocking her head and baring her own set of sharp teeth at Weiss, brow furrowing deeply. For a second, Weiss wondered if Blake had only stepped in so she could start the fight herself, from the way she looked. But, after a moment, Blake took a deep breath and shook her head, turning away and sighing, "As I said… Even our enemies deserve a time of mourning. You have yours, Schnee."
With that as her parting words, the Faunus followed after her comprade, vanishing up the stairs a few seconds before the din of the bar started to echo around Weiss again.
A moment later, Pyrrha joined her, laying a hand on Weiss' shoulder and glaring after the women, "I'm sorry, Weiss, I should have been here. Should have put them through a wall."
"Forget it." Weiss sighed, shaking her head and asking, quietly, "Where's my drink?"
"I'm… Sorry?"
"Come on, Pyr." She rolled her eyes, pushing her anxiety after the altercation away to turn to the other woman. "Did you really go all the way over there just to bust a bartender's lip? I thought I ordered wine."
"I…" Pyrrha blinked, her anger fading as something… Brighter played across her face and she smirked, "I'm not a serving girl, Weiss."
"I pay your checks, so… Tonight you are." Emerald eyes widened a bit at that, and Weiss shoo'ed her, smiling, "Go on, we need to eat and drink to celebrate, no?"
"I'll be right back." She nodded, standing and shooting away again while Weiss waited, smile slipping away as she turned to stare after the Faunus. Shaking her head, she muttered, "Just once, I would like a day or two to pass without recalling your mistakes Father…"
Though, she doubted that wish would come true any time soon.
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