A/N Drachen's Castle Part 2

Alt title: Bad Company

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YeTianshi: Probably.

SameJake: I plan doing a Cyril Binge. Then doing a Zamaina binge after.

FinalKingdomHearts: Here it is!

GideonBlackthorn: You're welcome! As for rich asshole schmuckery? Yes. Yes we will. This chapter even.

Gerald Apollyon: I felt it was finally time to put a lid on the door bit.

Emp781: Aim better.

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-Date, Time-

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

(Text)

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-Beacon, SLBR Dorms, 11/25, 1am-

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Weiss Schnee POV

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I sleepily blink my eyes open as my scroll buzzes on the nightstand. Reaching over, I tap. Silencing the alarm as I start to wake.

The Sun's Rise Soiree is, predictably, meant to observe the sunrise. So we have three hours to get up, get dressed and get ready. And be there by four.

I move to sit up, but Cyril's arms hold me tight against his chest. And that's when I feel, it poking my thigh.

'Honestly!' I think to myself as I am now wide awake as I notice the heated organ poking me. 'Has he nothing else on his mind? Even in his sleep?'

This happens nearly every time I'm in his bed. I offer to keep him company and he gets like this. Not that it isn't, understandable. Flattering even, in a way. But still! I don't need those kinds of distractions first thing in the morning.

I shift around and try to move around his grip. Where he ends up rolling over on his back as I escape, and I end up straddling his waist and facing Blake's bed. His, thing bulging and pressing right against my crotch.

I look down, not really seeing anything with the covers bundled around us.

Quickly looking around, I notice everyone else is still asleep. And Cyril's, issue isn't going away on its own.

"Hrm!" I cover my mouth as I feel it twitch and bump against me under the covers. My heart thudding as I feel his warmth transfer to me with our close contact.

I look down, and back up.

'M-maybe it's time he got a taste of his own medicine.' I think to myself as I lift the blanket and gulp as I see the bulge in his sweatpants.

Besides! There's no doubt going to be a lot of women at the party. So, this is just preemptive care. Keep him from taking advantage of the women at the party and making a scene.

I carefully move around and place my back to Blake's bed and face Cyril. Scooting down as I lay on his legs and pull his pants down. His large, throbbing dick springing free in front of my face.

I gulp as I reach forward and grab it. Getting it fully hard in preparation as I imagine this going a different way. With him waking up and forcing me down as he gives me a loving smile.

'He better make good on his word.' I think as I momentarily freeze when he groans. Waiting a few seconds and I keep going. Invigorated by the sense of control I have.

Knowing that this stops when I say it does. He only feels good because I let him. Imagining the look on his face as he wakes up to me servicing him.

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Blake Belladonna POV

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'Holy shit he is big.' I think as I watch Weiss "discreetly" give Cyril a happy wake up. Not realizing her alarm woke me up as I tried to ignore it.

Only to get one hell of show. From my angle I couldn't see it for long, but I saw enough to know he's… well he's not small.

I hold back a smirk as I see Weiss try to go all the way down. Imagining her gag and panicking as she looks around to see if she-

'Holy shit!' My eyes snap open as I see her take him all the way. Only giving a soft gag halfway as she forces herself down.

I blink as I realize I did see that correctly. And I grow increasingly, hot as I watch. She's currently bobbing her head up and down as Cyril groans.

'Fuck this is hot.' I think as I slip a hand down to tend to my own needs.

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Cyril Leon POV

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'Okay, what the hell?' I groggily open my eyes and sit up to look at my crotch. My eyes adjusting to the darkness as I stare. My eyes widening as I make eye contact with Weiss as she has my cock in her mouth.

I open my mouth to say something. Only managing a groan as she quickly comes off my cock and leans forward. Putting a hand to my mouth as she keeps her other hand wrapped tightly around my cock.

"Sush!" She hisses. "This is just, what you get for being so, so, you." She whispers through heavy breaths. Her voice lacking any harshness as she pulls back and goes back to deep throating me.

'Shit.' I think to myself as I freeze upon seeing Blake's sleeping form not ten feet away.

I put a hand on Weiss's head to stop her as I look over and see Blake's bed. The position of my bed putting her right in my line of sight. Killing, any real mood I have. And while the thought of hot sneaky sex is appealing. I'm not interested in hearing Blake's bitching. Or being forced to have another sit down.

"You're, barbaric." Weiss whines as gets into my lap and tucks her head into my shoulder. Grinding herself against me.

"Maybe, we should wait till later." I tell the horny girl grinding in my lap.

"What?" She asks and pulls back to look at me with curious eyes. And I nod to Blake's bed about ten feet behind her.

Weiss looks behind herself and sees the sleeping girl. Then looks back to me with an expression I can't quite see due to the darkness. But I can see she's caught between embarrassment and frustration.

"I-I'll be in the shower getting ready." She hurriedly gets and throws the covers over my lap. "Y-you wake the others up. We have two hours to get ready and I'll not be late."

"I could join you." I offer with a smirk as I notice her tail twitch at my suggestion.

"W-we, I have, ahem." She clears her throat, still facing the door. "I have a feeling you'd just waste our time in the shower."

"That was-" I start to say but get cut off as she walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. And pretty soon the water starts running.

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'Cockblocked myself out of concern for a girl who hates me.' I think to myself. 'What is wrong with me?'

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-20min later-

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Ruby Rose POV

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I lay on the edge of my bed with my top half over the edge. Dangling my arms over the side as I wait for Weiss to get out of the shower. Though knowing how she is and what she was just doing with Cyril, she might be a while.

I'm looking down at the floor as my boobs press against the edge of my mattress. Making me wonder what would happen if my bed moved forward suddenly. Like, would my boobs get cut off? I mean, I have aura so obviously not. But like, what if?

Could I live without boobs? I want to have kids one day so of course I'll need them. Wait, would it cut off my mammary glands? Are those in the boobs?

'Of course they're in the boobs!' I yell at myself. 'How else would milk come out of the nipples?'

Guys have nipples. They don't have mammary glands.

'Do they?' I ask myself.

"Ruby." Cyril speaks up, causing me to look up.

"Hmm?" I hum as I look up at him.

"You do realize, that nightgown rides all the way up when you kick your legs like that, right?" He asks with a raised brow.

I did not!

Pushing up, I look behind and blush as I see my butt and panties on full display. Quickly sitting back, I push the hem of Weiss's nightgown down.

"Wait, you seriously didn't realize?" Blake asks from her bed, still on her side under her covers.

"No!" I feel my voice crack. "Why would I just show off my butt?"

"To mess with Cyril and Weiss." Blake says as she turns over.

"Because it's a cute butt." Cyril answers with a grin.

"Not, while I'm in the room." Blake says tiredly. "Please?"

"I'm not the one flashing her team." Cyril grins, earning a pillow to the face from me.

"It's too early for this!" I say, and feel my ears perk as I hear the water turn off. "Dibs!"

I petal to the bathroom and throw the door open and get in. Closing the door behind me as I turn to the shower, and the wet and naked Weiss.

"R-Ruby!" She shouts with a blush as she covers herself.

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-20 minutes later-

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-Beacon courtyard, 2:30am-

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Cyril Leon POV

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"Fuck this." I groan as I stretch.

"I would hope you don't intend to speak in such a manner at the event." Weiss says with a side eye.

She's wearing a longer, pale bluish purple dress that fades to an icy blue as it goes down to her ankles. A slit in the side leading up to her hip. A dull silver brooch with a sapphire gem in it. A small opening in her chest to accentuate her cleavage.

"Don't worry, I'll be prim and proper." I say with a roll of my eyes.

"I should certainly hope so." She says with a huff.

"I just wanna get out of these heels." Ruby whines as she slouches over.

She's wearing a similar dress to Weiss. Just shorter and with black stockings. A deep red that fades to black at the hem and the collar. A rose pinned on her left shoulder that connects a black frill that goes across her chest and biceps as her arms are left bare. Also wearing black fingerless silk gloves.

Blake stays quiet, for once. She's oddly the quietest and the most outspoken of the four of us.

She's wearing a black dress with frills at the waist and hem. Something called a Peplum dress. Shoulders exposed and wearing dull purple silk gloves.

"I feel, naked without my axes." I comment.

"I want my baby back." Ruby moans.

"Ruby stand up straight." Weiss hisses. "Cyril keep your clothes on."

"Yes ma'am!" She snaps up.

"Huh?" I ask in utter confusion.

"What time is the bullhead getting here?" Blake asks tiredly.

"It should be here any minute now." Weiss says, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

As soon as she says that, the lights of a bullhead become visible off in the distance. Heading straight our way.

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-Wood's Island, North Eastern Vale, 11/25, 3am-

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Drachen Brand POV

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I watch out over the balcony of the old estate. Seeing the file of Atlesian nobility and various researchers are greeted by Mira and file in. The lights of the balcony are off, so none can see me as I watch. Counting the heads as they file in. Some names important, others invited out of sheer posterity. Most not truly deserving to be here.

The Eisen family head, owner of several steel refineries. A crass and corrupt man. Invited due to his connections. Seems he brought his wife and two daughters.

The Head of the Holz family, a woman known for taking advantage of her secretaries. Again, here because she's influential and owns much of the plastic production in Atlas and Argus. As well as owning a start up in Vytal.

The Meer family head and his twin children. Nothing bad about them aside from sheer entitlement and racism. But that's something most of these ants share.

They're nothing. Just riding on the high of being related to greatness. It leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. A taste I can only wash out in measured amounts.

I smile as my beloved Mira looks up from the gates and smiles at me. One of the many advantages she has, so convenient it must be to not be bothered by darkness.

I smile fondly at her. Imagining how much it must grate on the nerves of the nobles forced to kind to her or suffer losing face in front of me.

"What is it with you and your dramatics?" I turn towards my other. A darker woman with bright green hair and purple eyes. "Stuck up here, brooding over the masses like some puppet master setting a stage."

"Is that not what I'm doing, my dear Mint?" I ask as I set my glass down on the ledge.

"I still say it's dramatic." She says as she saunters over in her dark green, silken dress. Flayed at the end like leaf edges. Her back and shoulders exposed. A black choker with an amethyst brooch that matches her eyes.

"And I never said it wasn't, my dear." I hold her close as she walks up to me. Giving a chaste kiss as we embrace.

"Hmm." She hums as we separate. "I still say you should grow a beard."

"If Mira or Valentia agree, I will." I remind her as I feel one of her hands drift lower. "Mint." I say in a low voice, though I don't hide my amusement.

"Oh come on." She huffs as she stops at my belt. "You owe me for making me attend this damned event. The least you could do is give me a good rut before I have to deal with those pricks. You won't let me get drunk after all."

"That's because as much as I love to ruffle feathers, even I know there's a limit." I say as I kiss her jaw. "And I don't need the others demanding I hide you away. Gems are meant to be shown off after."

"Yeah?" She says as she shifts in my grasp, turning around and pressing herself back into me. "Well I say gems are also meant to be worn. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You know just how to rile me up." I growl in her ear.

"It's why you chose me." She grins up at me.

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-Drachen's Castle Entrance, main gates foyer, 3:13am-

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Cyril Leon POV

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"When you said this place was old." I remark as we step out of the bullhead. "You meant it."

It looks straight out of a gothic horror novel. Or like Hogwarts was recreated from memory. Though that might be due to the lighting and how dark it is outside. With the only lights being that of what's coming from the window's and the streetlamps outside the main foyer. Again in a gothic, victorian design.

"It's current name is Drachen's castle." Weiss remarks. "No it was not Drachen who named it that. It was his father, Sharkan, who renamed it upon passing his title as Brand head to his son. Before that, it was Sharkan's castle, before that, it Ziha's castle. You get the picture."

"What picture?" Ruby asks as she moves from gawking at the castle to looking at us.

"Nevermind." Weiss sighs and turns to me, linking our arms together as we walk forward.

"Weiss? Weiss come on!" Ruby says as she follows after. "I was kidding!"

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We walk up to short blonde girl next to a thin, black metal podium. With bright blue eyes and certain, assets that'd give Ruby's sister a run for her money. But more notably, is the slight glow in her pupils I've noticed faunus get in low light.

She's wearing a blue sleeveless dress with a white belt and black skirt that reaches her knees. With a leathery black showl over her shoulders that looks bat wings-and they just moved. The claws connecting them over her breasts just shifted.

'Bat faunus.' I remind myself.

"Greetings!" She says with high pitched, almost squeaky voice. "Allow me to introduce myself. "I am Mira." She gives a curtsy, unfurling her wings as she bows and revealing her backless dress where her wings connect. She honestly looks to be showing off before coming back up with a pleasant smile. "Personal attendant to Lord Brand and your greeter for this year's Sun's Rise Soiree. You must be Sir Cyril and company, yes?"

"How'd you know?" Ruby asks from my left.

"Because of said company." She smiles and looks directly at Weiss before bowing. "Miss Schnee. A pleasure to have you attending this year."

"You have my gratitude for the hospitality, miss Mira." Weiss nods curtly, nudging my arm.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to ignore your question." I say with a soft smile. "To answer previously, yes. I am Cyril Leon, and these are my three guests and teammates from Beacon Academy. You've already met the lovely woman on my arm, now allow me to introduce her partner, Blake Belladonna." I gesture past Ruby towards Blake. "And my own partner, Ruby Rose."

"Hi!" Ruby gives a small wave.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mira." Blake nods with a, smile as she keeps her hands clasped in front of her.

'Huh, didn't know Blake could smile.' I bite my tongue from commenting.

"And greetings to you as well, Miss Rose, Miss Belladonna." Mira nods.

Mira then steps over and writes something down in the ledger on the podium. Steps off, and bows low while gesturing to the open gates where the other party guests are funneling into the main building. Some choosing to linger outside the main entrance and loiter.

"Thank you, Mira." Weiss nods.

"It is my pleasure." She says, and I find my eyes drawn to her wings. Wondering just how they function, or if they do at all.

Because the three options are A. She has a flight based semblance. B. Her wings are absurdly strong. C. She's much lighter than her build implies.

"Can I help you?" Mira asks with a tilt of her head, and I see Ruby and Blake side eyeing me in my peripherals.

"I wish I had wings." I mutter softly. Earning a more genuine smile from her.

"Everyone does Sir Cyril, even if they don't admit it." She says. "Please, enjoy your time here."

"We will." Weiss says and starts subtly tugging on my arm. Guiding me to where I need to go.

We four start to make our way to the castle. Crossing the main path and passing a few groups.

"Ruby, Blake." Weiss speaks up to the two behind us. "Do you, have any political connections I'm unaware of?"

"What makes you ask that?" I look down to the woman on my arm.

"The way the greeter addressed Ruby and Blake." Weiss says. "She called them by their family names as opposed to their given. As well as Miss."

"Hey." Ruby whines in a low tone.

"That's not what I meant." Weiss snaps back. "When addressing someone, using their last name is given in recognition of connection. Otherwise she would've addressed you as Miss Ruby, not Miss Rose. Similarly, it's the reason she called you Sir Cyril, not Sir Leon. Because you have no political or corporate affiliation. At least, none that are public."

More info on the weird politics of Atlas. Or is that a general thing? No, Ruby didn't know about it so it's probably an Atlas thing.

"I don't have any." Blake says.

"Are you sure?" Weiss asks. "Not even a cousin with the same-"

"No, none." She says sternly. "She probably heard the name and thought of someone else."

'That's a surprise.' I think to myself. 'Maybe this Blake is from a poor family with reason to blame systemic racism. As opposed to the privileged life it was revealed the canon Blake had.'

Made her so much worse as a character. The number one reason people join extremist groups is because they face extreme circumstances and see no better way out. Which made canon Blake's choice to join the White Fang all the more mind boggling to me.

"My great uncle is the head of the Rosaceae clan." Ruby says after a small stretch of silence. "So, technically? My mom is also on the Arc Catalogue."

"I already knew that." Weiss says with certainty.

"What's the Arc Catalogue?" I ask.

"The list of S-Rank hunters with a ninety percent success rate on missions." Ruby says calmly. "Originally it was Ninety five percent, but that left the catalogue empty for six years."

"Is this a Vale thing or-" I start to ask.

"Each kingdom has their own catalogue. And has named it differently." Weiss says proudly. "Mistral's catalogue is the Ferros Enumerare. Vacuo has the Jaxis Registery. And Atlas has the Eisen Index."

"What about Menagerie?" I ask as we make it to the doors, where a pair of men in black tuxedos wearing and white domino masks open the doors for us.

Opening into a large, four story tall great hall that is far more modernized than the exterior would suggest. Black marbled floor tiles with gold trims, soft white walls in a more Victorian classical design. A large red carpet with gold hems leading to a U-shaped stairs that come to a landing over a massive ornate fireplace. The landing having stairs on either side that lead to the third story heights where passageways on the side observe the main hall. A large crystal chandelier with gold chains hangs from the ceiling, flanked by two smaller

"Menagerie has yet to come to a consensus on the matter." Blake says. "Each list is named after an important figure in the nation's history, but with Menagerie being so young the only thing we can really pull from is the civil war."

"So one tribe's hero is the other tribe's villain." I conclude.

"Exactly." Blake says.

I find this genuinely interesting. Remnant has such a different culture and value set from earth that it makes everything just, interesting, new, wondrous. Those are the only words I can think of to describe it.

"Atlas actually has the record for most individuals on their elite list." Weiss says, proudly raising her head high and smiling. "And we didn't have to lower our standards to achieve it."

"Atlas has a history of loosing those individuals when they take missions outside the kingdom." Ruby mutters softly, causing Weiss to go quiet. Losing her smile, and indicating a bit of truth to Ruby's statement.

"So where do we go from here?" I ask softly as I look around at the group of people here. Noticing more than a few giving us dirty looks. Some looking to us, and laughing after someone in their group says something.

Clearly, we're not getting the best attention. Or the best of intentions.

"Snacks?" A woman in a tux and white domino mask asks as she walks by holding a platter of small finger foods.

"Ooh!" Ruby accepts a small pink ball with brown sauce coating it.

"I'm good." Weiss says, and Blake merely shakes her head.

"I'm alright, thank you though." I hold a hand up to refuse.

The lady nods and leaves. Moving to another group as we make our way through the hall of maybe eighty people.

"We're suppose to mingle amongst our peers." Weiss says as we turn to face Blake and Ruby. Weiss finally letting go of my arm as she talks. "However, I doubt we'll find ourselves any good company here tonight. Though staying to ourselves can just as easily garner the wrong manner of attention, and lead to some nasty rumors."

This is why I stay to myself. I got done with this high school drama bullshit in middle school.

"You don't say?" Blake says sarcastically as she crosses her arms.

"There's no need for sarcasm Blake." Weiss flips her hair and crosses her arms.

"What are we supposed to mingle about?" Ruby asks.

"Usually the current political climate concerning the kingdoms." Weiss recites calmly. "That or discussions of business and economics."

"I can only do one of those." I tell her. Though her raised brow tells me that she's at best suspicious of my claim.

"I'm surprised you can do any." Blake rolls her eyes. "I don't know much of economics or business, but I do know a bit about public relations in political policy."

None of us believe her. And our collective stares make it abundantly clear.

"What?" Blake asks with a returning glare of indignation.

"Blake, you don't have to lie to impress us." Ruby says quietly.

"I'm not lying." Blake says sternly, and I almost believe her. And at one point I actually might have.

If not for the fact that I had to help her with Team Amethyst.

"Anyway." I turn back to Weiss. "What if we were to just, not engage with the rest of the party?"

"While that would be preferable." Weiss says softly as she looks around the party. "It would seem that's not an option as the rest of the party is fairly intermingled. Doing so would most certainly cause issues later, if not sooner."

"How so?" I ask, wondering just anti-social I'm allowed to be.

"Some family heads could refuse business due to your, lack of consideration." Weiss says as though such petty and arbitrary reactions are normal.

"Weiss, you're like a big social person in Atlas." Ruby says optimistically. "Shouldn't you like, have friends here or something?"

Weiss sighs tiredly as she looks out at the crowd. Scanning it for familiar faces that we could blend with. Or at least, not stick out as much. Being three faunus in an Atlesian party.

"I believe I have a few routes in with these people." Weiss says tentatively. "But, well. Ruby, Blake, behave yourselves."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ruby asks with a worried look as Weiss walks off and Ruby follows.

"Stay here, I'll do the talking." Weiss says curtly without looking behind her.

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Drachen Brand POV

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"Just remember, you're expected to be seen during the ceremony." I tell the naked Vacuoan as I button my vest back up.

"Mm, you should've thought of that before." She purrs.

"You knew what you were getting yourself into." I smirk at the woman, who only returns my smile with one of her own.

"Are you two done?" The higher pitched tone of my Mira rings throughout the room.

Looking to the balcony, I see the beauty sitting on the ledge of the railing. Eyes aglow in the dim light as her silhouette is backlit by the lights below. Legs crossed and hands set on the railing as she gives a knowing smile.

"For now." Mint remarks. "Are all the guests here?"

"Yep." Mira says as she hops off the ledge. "Everyone from the bitch Margarine Holz and her two daughters, to that silver eyed orphan from Beacon."

"The one who made Watts nearly tear his hair out?" I can hear Mint's smile.

"Yes, the boy from a mysterious village that got destroyed." I say as I look back to Mint as she sits up on her side, exposing herself from under the covers. "Has, indispensable knowledge on dustless energy. Energy that is potentially endless."

"That's what's so special about him?" Mint asks with raised brows. "Sounds like a con."

"Amongst, other things. And I'd assume so as well if Watts didn't demonstrate some of the technology to me." I confirm.

"Oh?" She smirks. "And just what is this endless source of energy? Water?"

"I'd tell you, but you'd accuse me of drinking." I say and turn back to my dear Mira as she stands before me. "What was your impression of him, my dear?"

"Hmm, I rather like him." She grins as she reaches out and fixes my ascot, then moves to my lapels. Smoothing out the wrinkles.

"Oh?" I ask, my curiosity piqued. "Good first impressions?"

"You could say that." She says in a lower tone as she looks up with a devious smile.

"Not too good, I should hope." I say with a playful smile as I fix my cufflinks.

"Maybe if you weren't in my life." She says with a soft look as she moves her hands from my lapels to my neck and leans up for a kiss.

"High praise." I say as I lean down and give in to her desires, for now.

"Hmm, as much as I want this to last." She breaks away. "We have somewhere you need to be."

"Unfortunately." I agree with her. Turning to Mint, I roll my eyes as I notice she still has yet to get out from under the covers. "Mint, do I need Emerald to pretend to be you again? You know she hates that."

"Ugh." She scoffs as she gets up and tosses the blanket off herself. "I did that once and you never let me hear the end of it."

"Considering you had our daughter pretend to be you, and you didn't tell me." I remind her. "I feel I've got at least two years more of holding that over you."

"You get a month more before I start getting upset." She says as struts across the room, shamelessly displaying the evidence of our activities leaking from between her legs as she heads for the bathroom to freshen up.

"We'll see." I chuckle as I look down to the woman in my arms. Breathing softly as she rests against my chest. Eyes closed as her wings begin to droop.

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Weiss Schnee POV

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"Cyril, I'd like to introduce you to a well regarded associate of the SDC." I say curtly as I hold a hand towards Lord Eisen, a man that can best be described as a bald Professor Port in a grey suit with dull blue geometric designs on his lapels and cuffs. A soft, square aged face bare of any hair. Pale skin, grey eyes. "Gray Eisen."

He truly is the least threatening and politically savvy of the nobles here. And that, again of the nobles here, the one that I'm arguably on the best terms with.

"Ah, so you're the strapping young lad I've heard of." He smiles softly in a deeper, not silken voice, but close. A modest and unassuming voice that serves him well in negotiations. "As, Miss Schnee has said, I am Gray Eisen. I'm sure you know of me." He says, hiding a bit of irritation at addressing me as he extends a hand.

His, inclinations, are no secret. And I'm not just referring to my being as a faunus.

"I've heard of your recent trade success, but I must admit I've not been able to put a face to your name till now." Cyril lies through his teeth as he take his hand and shake. Seeing as I have never made mention of this man. And I doubt Cyril's looked into every minor noble.

'Cyril don't.' I try to give him a subtle look to not try and lie to an older man who has spent his entire life in the political and economic spheres.

"Oh?" He says with a slight raise of his eyebrows. "I was under the impression my acquisition was done with rather little publicity."

'Of course the oblivious idiot just had to dig his own hole.' I refrain from groaning and drawing attention to myself as I try to think of a way to save the idiot.

"It was." Cyril says as they let up on their shake. "But I'm someone who likes to keep an eye on the supply side of the market. And when certain products have a lull in their numbers, and the deficit all comes from one company before picking back up?" Cyril leaves the rest open as a server comes by and offers drinks. One I take with a nod of gratitude and drink to sooth my headache I get as I realize what's happening.

"Here I thought the transfer went smoothly. Hmm." He mutters softly to himself before addressing Cyril again.

"So that's why my order of Gassian steel was delayed." Ruby says out loud, earning Lord Eisen's attention. And his irritation.

'I'm going to kill myself.' I think as my heart thuds. 'Eisen is going to say something, and Cyril is going to snap.'

"Well, Eisen steel as you now know." He corrects her. "Though I'd appreciate you not spread that around. I decided to have the business keep its name. People prefer to buy local after all."

'That's how he's gained so much influence.' I realize to myself.

I found it odd that he had so much power in negotiations, when he's almost unheard of outside of Atlas proper.

"Do they?" Ruby asks with a tilt of her head. "I get my steel based on carbon content. Not name."

"I wouldn't expect you to know the value of such… mercantile tactics." He says with a deal of annoyance and goes back to addressing Cyril. "But that's neither here nor there, I mostly came to meet who I presume to be the team leader of Miss Schnee's group of Hunters."

"You already met her." Cyril says curtly with a strained smile. Causing a drop in Lord Gray's mood.

I step to the side as another server passes by. Replacing my empty glass with another full of the sparking white wine. All while Eisen's irritation grows.

"My, apologies." He says with a smile. "I'm afraid an explanation would be appreciated."

"Certainly." Cyril nods calmly, his own irritation fading as he holds a hand towards Ruby and Blake. "See, Beacon doesn't choose the leader of a team until the second year. And as you can see, there are more women on my team than men. So when I say you've met her, you could say I'm doing a bit of insider trading."

"Grk." I cover my mouth as I try to keep from making a scene. Having found that, rather funny.

Not that Ruby or Blake seem to understand the humor.

"I see." Lord Eisen says and shuffles a bit on his feet. "But… well, wouldn't you feel yourself as being more competent for the role?"

"On what grounds may I ask?" Cyril asks the loaded question.

"Well, clearly you are of better, Atlesian stock-" He scoffs.

"I'm Valean." Cyril corrects him. "But I'm sure Weiss appreciates your vote of confidence."

"Hmm, I suppose so." He says softly. "Tell me, mister, Leon was it? To what clan do you hail from?"

'Please for the love of everything, don't answer that.' I privately beg. Hoping Cyril will not answer that.

I completely forget to coach him on not mentioning that. Not only is being an orphan frowned upon in Atlesian society, being a clanless Silver Eyed Warrior is just begging for the vultures and harpies to swarm.

"I don't come from any." Cyril says, making the pit I feel in my stomach grow. "Careful there, Lord Eisen. You're making a lot of assumptions. And assumptions, can be dangerous things."

"Then it's a good thing I'm doing my due diligence and clearing myself of them." He says in kind, smiling as he hides his irritation.

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Cyril Leon POV

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I give a pleasant smile to the insufferable jackass as he leaves. Heading back towards his entourage or fuck all he calls it.

"Well, that could've gone better." Blake says as she crosses her arms and leans to one side.

"He was, kinda rude." Ruby says.

"That's because he was being racist." I say as I see Weiss pinch the bridge of her nose.

"He was?" Ruby asks with a raised brow and tilt of her ears.

"I'm surprised you caught on to it." Blake says, causing me to roll my eyes and not engage in that debate. Again.

"That went, so so horribly." Weiss sighs quietly.

"I wouldn't say it went that bad." I look to the only Atlesian in our group.

"Cyril, you have no idea what you just-" Weiss starts to say.

"So you're the man my father spoke with." She gets cut off by a girl coming in next to her. Dressed in a grey dress with white lily designs on the midriff and glittery embroidery on the shoulder straps and hem of her dress. Petite, fair skinned and brown haired with a round face that can only be described as innocent. She stands about half a head taller than Weiss. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't interrupting was I?"

"No, we were just discussing mundane matters." Weiss turns around and does a one eighty in personality. "Platina, it's been a while."

"Weiss, it certainly has!" She says with a bright smile and grabs Weiss's hands. "Come now, we must catch up with each other!"

"Platina, wait a second!" Weiss calls as the brown haired girl drags Weiss off. Let me reiterate.

She's dragging away, my only political life line here!

"Um, hey what are-" I go to follow and hopefully stop them.

"Oh dear." Another woman's voice gets my attention. Turning around to face this one, I'm faced with what is basically a taller version of the last girl with a slimmer waist and softer brown colored hair. Gray dress with lily embroidery on her shoulder straps. "I'm sorry about that, we saw you talking with our father and Platina just has a habit of getting ahead of herself." She gives a smile.

"Um, who are you?" Blake asks.

"I'll go after Weiss." Ruby says and takes off faster than I can stop her.

"Oh, forgive me." She gives Ruby a smile, before looking back to me and gives a curtsy. "I am Berrily Eisen, second daughter of Gray Eisen. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Cyril."

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Weiss Schnee POV

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"Platina, this is highly immature! Even for you!" I chastise as I pull my arm away. Having been pulled away to a separate part of the party.

"Lighten up, Weiss." Platina scoffs as we find ourselves in a secluded spot near a painting of King Harsic the first. Also known as the Landed King. "Honestly I'm offended, a year and no good wishes? Has spending time in that school of brutes robbed you of your manners and courtesies?"

'Coming from you? That's richer than me.' I hold back the comment. But relent as she is correct. Immaturity or no, it wouldn't do for me to stoop to the level of a lower noble's fourth child.

"My apologies Platina, your… enthusiastic approach left me startled." I bite my tongue as I feel her condescendence for me. "How have things been with you so far?"

Sooner I deal with her, sooner I get back to Cyril and hopefully-

"Weiss!" I turn around, wide eyed as I spot Ruby running up to us. "Wait up!"

"Oh? Who's this? Your teammate?" Platina asks as she looks Ruby up and down. "Or… a friend?"

"We can be both." Ruby says as she reaches us and smiles brightly.

"… Right." Platina says, her irritation and condescension, before the irritation fades when Ruby stops smiling so wide, her eyes on clear display. "Oh you are just so cute in that dress."

"R-really?" Ruby blushes, and I have to hold back my anger from showing. "Th-thank you. Weiss picked it out for me."

"I see, I didn't take you for the charitable type." Platina says to me. "Then again, I suppose given all that your… father has done. You had to get it from somewhere."

'Don't let it get to you Weiss.' I bite my tongue.

"Ruby here is more than capable of providing for herself, I merely took initiative in this regard." I say with a smile. "Isn't that right, Ruby?"

"It's, ahem." She stands up straighter. "It is most certainly, the case. Weiss, miss."

…

"Oh, that's precious." Platina giggles. "The attempt is lovely, but you don't have to be so uptight with me, Ruby was it?"

"Uh, yes." Ruby nods, taking my earlier advice of not trusting anyone trying to appear friendly. "Though, with all due regards, I'd like to remain speaking, um, the way I am."

'Please stop speaking.' I think to myself.

"Though, I would suggest you work on your coaching, Weiss. I understand some people are harder to train than others." Platina gives a condescending smile. "But, perhaps lead the teaching to those more qualified."

"Um." Ruby starts to say, but stops when she sees the side eye I give her.

"Platina, you were just telling me about how you've been fairing." I pull her attention away from Ruby.

"Oh, I was, wasn't I?" She says with a smile, likely seeing what I'm doing. "Well, you'll be glad to know of my engagement."

"Really?" Ruby speaks up again. "Congratulations! Oh that's so exciting. Who are they?"

"The third son of the Zolot family." Platina rolls her eyes, taking a glass of wine from a server as they pass.

The Zolot family is actually one of the main business partners I'm dealing with. Primarily jewelers, they mostly deal in the mining and refinement of various luxury metals. A lesser family in Remnant. Not like the Eisen family who deals in harder metals in Atlas.

Of course, Cyril's renewable energy devices use a fair bit of gold and copper. So, I can see Zolot stocks rising significantly in the future.

"That may be a more prosperous marriage than you realize." I let her in on a hint.

She may be insufferably condescending and entitled, and racist, but who at these parties aren't? At least she has the decency to acknowledge I exist as an individual.

"I appreciate the condolence, but I don't need any placations." She sighs. "I mean, the third son of a minor jeweling family?" She sips her wine. "I feel I'm worth more than that."

'Says the third daughter of an Iron Baron who has no influence outside of Atlas.' I bite my tongue.

"I mean, he's not even of marriageable age yet!" Platina scoffs. "He's twelve. Though, I suppose that does give me time to get out of the arrangement." She grins as she looks out across the room.

"You, don't like him?" Ruby asks, her ears splaying down.

"Like him?" She rolls her eyes. "I've never met him. But I can tell you he's not my type. Father is just trying to get a better trade deal on copper for the brass refinery in Argus."

That's useful information. Seeing as copper is our main concern with the turbines. According to Cyril, while the energy turbines produce is renewable and essentially dependent on the weather. They, like all machines, require maintenance.

"Hmm, speaking of." Platina says as she looks to me. "The silver eyed boy you were with, Cervil."

"Cyril." Ruby corrects, not thinking anything of the slip up.

"What's he like?" Platina asks with a, problematic grin. One that causes Ruby's ire to start rising.

This, this is what I was afraid of.

"In what way?" I ask, holding back my own irritation.

"Come now, Weiss." She smiles softly. "Playing dumb may be cute when you do it, but you know what I mean. Strapping, Atlesian passing man like that? And silver eyed with no clan connections too?"

"What does the lack of a clan have to do with it?" Ruby asks sweetly in a soft, demure voice as she smiles at Platina.

"Are you kidding?" She scoffs. "You're serious? No clan connection to demand anything of any marriage or, forget the marriage aspect."

"Platina, should you be discussing such things so, openly?" I ask her, trying to get her to move on from the subject.

"Why not?" She asks with a smile. "It's just us girls here. But if you're so insistent, perhaps you could regal me with tales of your own? Certainly you have more than a few by now."

I'd actually rather not if at all possible.

"Actually, I believe it's about time I got back to my group." I say with a curt smile. "They're, unaccustomed to higher society. You understand."

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Weiss." Platina grabs my hand and keeps me from leaving. "Come on, if you leave me alone I'll have to go back and keep company with my family. You wouldn't do that to me, would you?"

"Platina, you're making a nuisance of yourself." I exclaim as I pull myself from her grip.

"A nuisance?" She scoffs and flips her hair with a sour look. "Is that how you treat your friend? With name calling and a lack of manners."

"You two are friends?" Ruby speaks up. One brow raised as she looks to Platina in confusion. "Because it seems like you and Weiss hate each other."

"Ah, yes." She smiles in a sickly sweet tone, one arm under her chest as she holds up her wine. "I'd dare to say I'm Weiss's best friend."

"Um, sure." Ruby says with a flat tone.

"Ruby, let's go." I say as I take the opportunity to leave. Grabbing the girl by the hand and leaving.

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-Meanwhile-

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Cyril Leon POV

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"Berilly, that's a unique name." I say with a smile and a curt nod. "Cyril Leon."

"Oh I know of you." She smiles softly. "You left quite the impression on my father."

"All good things I hope." I smile as I feel Blake tug my jacket.

"Oh most certainly not." She giggles. Covering her mouth with her hand. "Your quick wit left him rather irritated."

"Well, that sounds like a personal problem on his part." I tell her unashamedly.

"Oh it is." She agrees. "Still, I'd rather meet the man who left such an impression on him. Believe it or not, he's a rather difficult man to upset."

'Well, seeing as I'm not Naruto, I won't believe it.' I keep myself from saying. Both to prevent any fallout.

And because none here would appreciate the joke.

"You could say he's as thick skinned as he appears." I say with a smile. Giving a backhanded compliment.

"I wouldn't say that in front of him." She says quietly. Before adding. "But you won't hear any disagreement from me."

"Glad to hear we can agree." I nod. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I must admit I'm rather unaccustomed to the current environment. And I'd like to find my guide."

"Ah yes, Platina came with me to see you." She sighs. "But it seems she found someone she wished to engage with more, I apologize for her actions. Though I must ask you to give them a moment to themselves. Weiss and Platina are good friends after all."

"Cyril, something's going on here." Blake whispers softly behind me.

"I know." I nod, faking engagement with Berilly while addressing Blake. Giving her a thumbs up behind my back. "But be that as it may, like I said. I find myself horribly inept at these sort of events."

"Then we can stay here and wait for Weiss and Platina to be done." She says. "Don't worry, I'll keep the worst of the sharks here off of you."

And yet, I feel as though one of them is right here.

…

I'm being coy. I know what's going on here. For whatever reason, Eisen is trying to keep me separated from Weiss. Maybe it's nothing, perhaps he's just being petty over my words. But I'm not willing to chance that.

"As kind an offer as that is-"

Smash

I turn around at the sound, nearly giving myself whiplash with the speed I moved. Spying Blake having taken a step back as a server lays on the floor, drinks and glass splattered everywhere.

Blake just looks up to me with wide eyes. Shaking her head as the server gets up.

So much for avoiding attention.

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Bonus

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Remnant History: The Rise of The Atlesian Nobility, and The Fall of Seclus, part 1

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The Atlesian nobility, otherwise known as the aristocracy, is a name given in antiquity. It doesn't truly apply in modern sensibilities, but tradition and cultural economics have a way of superseding nomenclature.

After the First War of Freedom (Known as the Mistralian Trade Disaster in Atlesian texts) much of Atlas's economy suffered from various failed ventures in Mistral and Vacuo. One of the causes that lead to the rise of the Atlesian Nobility, is the downfall of the Seclusian government.

Atlas was Mantle at the time, and a true monarchy. It was also the largest purveyor of the slave trade. Using the forced labor to free up manpower in order to invest more heavily in other areas. In short, their economy was supported by two things. Their technology, and their slave labor.

The revolution of Atlas/Mantle was due to a number of various outside factors that applied political and social pressure on the Mantilian government. From worsening international relations, trade deals gone wrong, growing hostilities between human and faunus slaves leading to crackdowns and increased Grimm activity.

Mantle had, in years prior, signed trade agreements with Seclus (modern day Vacuo). These agreements would allow the Seclesian government the power to rent machinery and technology from Mantle. They did try to buy the machines, but Mantle was very protective of their technology. And various clauses in the agreement prohibited any right to maintain or repair the machinery should it breakdown. Violations were fined and the machinery repossessed.

This trade agreement was heavily in favor of Mantle. To the point that modern day Vacuoans consider it an acted attempt to vassalize the nation. With one historian calling it "an invasion through influence and forced dependency."

This, would have long lasting ramifications would lead to The Great Vacuum. The period of instability in Vacuo that is still felt today due to high unemployment, rising Grimm attacks, mass emigration from the kingdom and lack of an effective government.

The agreement seemed fair on paper. Seclus would pay Mantle in raw materials at an upcharge of twenty percenty. And this worked for a time. Seclus became wealthy due to its dust and raw mineral deposits. Seclus had always been a minerally rich nation and they felt the deal was fair. But it would not last. The Seclusian government underestimated just how efficiently the new machines would strip the land. And how quickly.

The deposits that Seclus had been pulling from for decades or centuries in some cases, were left bare in just a few decades. So, they would need to fund expeditions to find more deposits. And they stripped those too.

The government believed that with the wealth they were accumulating early on, that it would just be a matter of investment and finding more deposits. It was not. As the deposits near the settlements ran dry, it became necessary to venture furth into the grimm infested wilderness and deserts to find more. And this brought with it even more costs to the state. Eventually, it was costing too much to secure the deposits, than they were getting back from them. And the fines from damaged and lost machinery were mounting.

This was a rather, new problem for the wealthy kingdom. Who was always reliant on its vast mineral and dust resources. And thus had a very specialized economy that never truly diversified.

So, Seclus pushed for a renegotiation. And offered the other of the two trade goods that Mantle desired. Slaves.

Thus, the Labor Replacement Reimbursement trade agreement was signed. Seclus, would sell off its people to pay off Mantle. Seclus had a steady slave trade, though it was small in comparison to Mantle or even Mistral. Slaves in Seclus were mostly subsistence farmers, housekeepers, dancers, gladiators and concubines. In Seclus, slaves where additional help or entertainment meant for convenience. In Mantle, they were property meant to be used like any other tool or appliance. Used until broken. So it is an understatement to say that the Seclusian government was not fully aware of what they were doing. Or if they were, they turned a blind eye.

Tensions rose astronomically. Originally it was only Faunus criminals being shipped off as slaves. But when that wasn't enough, it turned to the Tarakian Tribesmen of the desert to enslave and use for trading. This only led to the mostly peaceful merchant culture to militarize and become raiders in order to protect themselves. The once kind desert people, renowned as guides and skilled craftsmen, were forced to take up arms against their neighbors. And the government was unprepared to handle the fallout. The Tarakian people have lived in the desert longer than any recorded history can determine. And they know their home well. The Tarakian Tribesmen retaliated brutally. Applying scorched earth tactics to destroy trade routes, lay waste to villages that had slaves in them, and attack any transport moving through the desert that had a Seclusian flag.

Some human citizens even got mixed up in the trade by accident. Like Kindra Farman, who would escape and set up the Free People's Act, later known as the Farman Rights. And it's around this time that we reach a point of no return. The Seclusian government had simply made too many rash decisions by this time to ever effectively come back. Stability was crumbling and it was only a matter of time before the economy collapsed. The only thing they could do, was try and preserve the government.

The lack of stability lead to a rise in unemployment. Which in turn lead to a rise in poverty and crime.bThe fear and animosity of this all, caused Grimm attacks to increase which further strained the government's control and the power of the economy. And Seclus entered a downward spiral of spending money to keep a hold on its territories and prove it's still effective as a governing body, only to stretch itself thin and fail to do just that. Protect and govern the people.

In order to pay off their debts and hopefully reinvest in public security, the government reached out to Mistral and made a deal. In exchange for covering their debt, Mistral would be repaid in land access and exotic goods such as coffee, peppers, stained glassware and rare textiles at a discount. Items that the culturally rich luxurious nation craved. Items that Seclus had in abundance of, and thus was willing to part with at a loss.

Seclus was financing debt, with debt. This may have been enough to stave off the issue long enough to find a better solution. If not for one thing.

Corruption in the government.

The oligarchy of Seclus was an inherited merit based system. Where a mayor, judge or councilor would pass their position to their chosen successor, often times a family member, but that successor could lose the position through incompetence. As such, it was common for mayors and governors to tamper with reports and surveys in order to make their governance seem prosperous and competent. This, is where things become irreparable, and government collapse was inevitable.

In order to avoid mass hysteria and potentially attracting more Grimm. Seclus put a gag order on the economic state of affairs. So no one mayor or executive below the main council truly knew the state the kingdom was in. And so, secretaries would accept bribes to overlook embezzlement as mayors and governors forged reports. Making themselves appear more competent by falsifying productivity and stability reports.

So it went. A coordinator would bribe the surveyor to mark up their report by a small margin, perhaps two percent to make them look better. That report would make it to the mayor who would bribe their secretary to mark it up by perhaps five percent. Downplaying any sufferings and infrastructure failure while scrambling to fix what they can. (Often times embezzling money for their "resignation" when realizing there was little they could do.) that report would make it to a sectional overseer who assisted in governing a region. Who would mark up the report, then pass it to the governor, who would do the same and send it to the council.

Seclus's government had become so corrupt due to the kingdom's debt that everyone from the lowest arbitrator to several members of its oligarchy were taking bribes and embezzling money. So much so that none of the economic surveys were reliable or actually reflected the state of the kingdom's domestic affairs. With a modern conservative estimate being that Seclusian economic reports were inflated past their true representation by an average thirty eight percent by the time the final reports made it to people in charge.

In other words. If the kingdom had a one billion lien to spend in goods manufactured or gathered, then the report that made it to the council, would say they had one billion and thirty eight hundred million. The people in charge, believed they had more than they actually did because of the wide scale corruption and forgery. And even then, that one billion that should be there, is likely only seven hundred million due to wide scale embezzlement.

Then Vale announced its Free Person's act. Which gave any slave who crossed into Vale territory, freedom and citizenship. When word got to the slaves, it led to mass exodus and slave rebellions. Faunus were fleeing to Vale in staggering numbers. Further causing Seclus to suffer as slaves revolted and fled. One extreme case even saw a group of slaves revolt while in transit on a slave ship. They captured the ship, slaughtered the crew who they outnumbered five to one, and then crashed the ship into a port town on Vale's western coast since none of them knew how to operate a ship.

The now freed Faunus survived.

When Seclus would declare bankruptcy, Mantle would take its machines back and renegotiate the debt with Mistral. This led to The Great Vacuum. Factories, mining quarries, farms. The machinery they used to operate these places, were gone. Productivity hit a record low. Unemployment reached somewhere between an upwards of fifty, to eighty percent as foreign investors and government subsidies were gone. Without government subsidies, the specialized economy simply could not recover. Too much of the economy relied on the dust and mineral extraction industry. Landlords couldn't even evict tenants because the people would resist, and would rather bribe the local law enforcement than pay rent.

Yes, the government was so poor that police and guards were being paid purely through bribery. Eventually leading to the rise of various criminal syndicates.

The economy of Seclus collapsed, and with it, the kingdom would follow a decade later amidst the first war of freedom. It would be another twenty two years before Vacuo would rise out of the wreckage of the ruined kingdom.

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A/N

In case it wasn't obvious, Brand and his lovers hate the Atlesian aristocracy. And love fucking with them.

And each other.

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Eisen- German for Iron

Platina- Russian for Platinum

Berilly- Russian (kinda, I fucked with the spelling) for Beryllium.

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More comments! I want them all! Every one of them! Especially speculation, I love speculative comments.

Fuel me my NOOBIANS!

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Find me in my channel, newb's-grotto, on the discord.

Link to the discord: discord .gg/DarkWolfShiro