Chapter 35
Nex leaned over the railing, sighing at the fishy depths below. Fishy, being the literal odour of the docks. Steak. Oh gods, steak. What would he not give for steak?
"All I'm saying is that the White Fang has reasons," Blake said. "They're just misguided."
Misguided. Great. They were definitely stupid or even obsessed. But to each their own.
"And what reasons are those?" Weiss said. "What justifies terrorism and genocide?"
A lot. But they were irrelevant. Actions did not need to be justified for people to do what they did.
"Guys! Stop," Ruby said. "We're here to celebrate. Not argue about the White Teeth or whatever."
Crap.
Nex palmed his face, grimacing as his wolf ears stiffened.
A three-way war between his teammates was raging. And he was staying out of it. Not because he was scared. No. Definitely not because of that. But it was because he was the leader. And he had to stay impartial.
He reached into his pocket, fingering the smooth slits on the mask. Somehow, it was all the White Teeth's fault. They really should have stuck with dental plans, floss, and toothpaste. Preferably the SDC brand.
"White Fang," Blake hissed. "Don't mock them."
Ruby huffed. "I'm not mocking them!"
"The White Fang was behind that robbery," Weiss said. "And you know it. There were masks all over the floor."
Broken masks could have meant anything. But then again, the masks did look familiar. He even broke a similar mask yesterday. Had one in his pocket, even.
Blake growled. "You don't know that!"
His partner did not need to. Conclusions were formed from evidence. Not because a scientist already knew the answer.
A heel stomped over wood.
"What other terrorist cell uses ceramic masks?!" Weiss said, drawing a sharp breath. "Stop deluding yourself."
Yep. Point for Weiss Schnee.
"I'm not deluding myself!" Blake said. "The White Fang aren't thieves. They're reformists."
To be fair, she was right on one front. Half a point for Blake Belladonna, then?
Ruby heaved a sigh. "Maybe it was Roman Torchwick. I've seen him rob a store once."
And a full point for one Ruby Rose.
Well, all of them were probably right.
The White Fang was working with Roman Torchwick—both of them under Cinder Fall. Cloak and dagger conspiracies. There was definitely something brewing on the horizon. A storm about to take the whole of Vale and maybe even the whole of Remnant.
And there was no way he could spill a word. Not without unveiling his mysterious past, along with all the loaded history behind it. Enough history to put the Artificer behind bars forever. Fuck. A stiff drink. One of those would be grand. A cold one to quench the pounding sun in his temples.
But a single bottle of beer now could lead to a dozen more and then to becoming his father. Or even his partner's mom.
Fuck.
Fuckity fuck.
Screw it.
Nex spun, facing his team. "Rubes is right. Let's find a good place to eat. Who's hungry?"
Ruby managed a stained, twitching smile as she raised her hand. "Me! I want pizza. Who wants pizza?"
"Not before we sort this out," Weiss said, her arms crossed over her scarf. She fixed the ghost-ninja a frigid stare. "What's with you?"
Blake scowled, looking away. "Nothing. Forget it. Let's just eat."
"Blake Belladonna. I'll have you speak the truth," Weiss said, her heeled boots tapping the planks. No escape from his girlfriend. "So we can clear the air between us."
Blake stiffened. "I'll just go. Have fun with lunch."
The ghost-ninja loped towards the streets, taking steps that could have outpaced a bike. Her hair faded into the thick crowd—the crowd of students coming from the ships, dressed in their own duds, their chatter ghosting through his extra pair of ears.
"Wait!" Weiss said, twisting. Angling her calves for a sprint.
Too far.
Nex placed a hand on his partner's shoulder, rubbing the taut muscle with his thumb. "Let her go. She'll be back later."
The ghost-ninja would. Then they could probably talk to her straight. Not a shouting match. But a polite, civil talk like the one he shared with Roman a few hours ago. Despite how it ended. Or even with the White Fang woman.
Weiss nodded, her shoulder loosening. "We shouldn't be arguing like this."
An argument like the ones between her parents, even. A shouting match between Jacques and Willow. Not a pretty sight, considering the look in his partner's eyes whenever her parents came up. Sore spot for both of them, apparently. Odd that parents and no parents could result in the same thing.
Ruby frowned. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have said teeth."
It was clever though. That White Fang woman would have probably laughed. Not that he would come back to Roman's hole just to chat. The smoke was bad for his health, among other things. Definitely the other things.
"No, don't blame yourself," Weiss said, breathing a soft sigh. "Today is supposed to be your day."
Nex nodded, removing his hand from his partner's shoulder. "Yep. Let's go. You want pizza, right?"
Ruby nodded. Pizza it was.
They strolled through the docks, crossing the border into the commercial district. Strings of multi-coloured balloons hung over the stalls by the road. Oil. Junk food, probably. His nose wrinkled. Give him cheap, mass-produced bagels or sweet, sweet wild strawberries any day.
The buildings around them were archaic, almost antique—a stark contrast to the sleek, towering skyscrapers of Atlas. Historically, it was because Vale was a city where everyone and their grandmothers lived—a macrocosm of Remnant's diverse cultures and identities. He found himself shaking his head from time to time, looking for the neon lights, the zooming cars, and the giant billboards. And Weiss was probably doing the same. Her skin glowed pink—a glow that never appeared in Atlas.
Weiss smiled, giggling as she poked his left bicep. "You've been staring and smiling at me. What's on your mind?"
Ruby grinned, nudging his right forearm. "Our team leader's in love. What else, Weiss?"
Ugh. He really needed to buy some aviators. It should go well with his hypothetical fedora. What the hell, right? He had the trench coat, the jeans and the boots. The mysterious past. Might as well go all the way.
"Yep. That's me," Nex said, rolling his eyes. "Your silly leader who's possibly in love with his partner."
Weiss flushed, even as she smirked. "Possibly? Why, Mr Shade. I'm positively offended."
Nex shrugged, mirroring her smirk. "You'll have to bear with it, Miss Schnee. I like to maintain my aura of mystery."
Weiss arched an eyebrow, fixing him a glare. Her fingers raced down his arm, lingering on his wrist. "We should test that aura of mystery. See how it fares under duress. Perhaps when we find some time to ourselves, Mr Shade?"
"Yuck," Ruby said, grinning as she gagged under her palm. She swayed to the side, bouncing on her boots. "You're—"
An orange blur crashed into one Ruby Rose.
Ruby rubbed her arm. "Ow. What was that?"
The orange blur screeched to a halt. Her boots dug into the sidewalk, kicking up a trail of broken cement. Lien. A lot of lien lost right there.
"Oh! I didn't see you there," the orange-haired girl said, spinning around. She smiled and tilted her head. "My apologies, citizen!"
Citizen? Last time he checked, they were in Vale. Not in Atlas. The citizen stuff came from Atlesian bots, not from a random girl on the streets.
"It's fine," Ruby said, smiling at the quirky girl. "You didn't mean it. I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose."
The girl curtsied. Like an actual curtsy from those fairy-tale-themed commercials. "Salutations! My name is Penny Polendina. And I've come to represent Atlas in the Vytal Festival!"
Scrap. That explained it. Atlas spat out the weird every day. Case in point—him.
Weiss smirked, eating up the girl with her eyes. "You're representing Atlas? My name is Weiss Schnee. It's a pleasure to meet you."
His partner was just getting to know Penny, where getting to know meant scouting out the competition. Nothing less from the more than competitive woman.
"Weiss Schnee of the Schnee Dust Company, " Penny said, flashing them a wide smile. She shot him a glance. "And this must be your mystery man. Nexus Shade of the Atlesian Cybertech Division!"
What.
Weiss flinched, her cheeks burning scarlet. "Mystery man?"
Nex shrugged, grimacing as he swallowed a ball of spit. Impossible. "Cybertech Division?"
There was no way he heard that one right. Ironwood wanted his involvement to remain secret. The secret boyfriend thing was expected, even inevitable. That picture was taken last night, posted in a tabloid article this morning, and probably spread like wildfire since then—even without that waitress telling on them.
Besides, he still had to take lien from his hidden caches and Beacon's subsidy. He was definitely not receiving lien for being a supposed technician in the Cybertech Division—the techy branch of the Atlesian Military. Home to the best and the brightest of the world's eggheads. In theory, at least. There was that rogue hacker who placed those now-closed backdoors.
Penny pulled out a scroll. "It says here in the article, the heiress and her mystery man. I cross-referenced the facial structure, the hairstyle, and the lupine ears of the mystery man with Nexus Shade's current physical appearance. My analysis is ninety-six point sixty-seven accurate. Capital!"
Shit.
No way.
The tabloid complete with grainy, amateur shot flashed on her scroll. Hell. His wolf ears could have been mistaken for hair. How Penny produced an impossibly accurate analysis was a mystery. Then again, Roman knew. But the thief probably knew because they were more than familiar with each other. Penny was a stranger. Something was definitely up with the loud, quirky girl.
Ruby smirked, staring at the scroll. "Busted."
Apparently. The only thing left to do was wait for Jacques and Winter to call. Now that was a conversation for the storybooks. Or a funeral. Definitely one of those.
"Alright. Fine. Weiss and I are dating," Nex said, rolling his eyes. "What's with the Cybertech Division?"
Weiss frowned. "Yes. I admit that Nex and I are in a happy relationship. The guesswork of this... rag newspaper is correct. But what did you say about the Cybertech Division?"
Come to think of it, he never did tell her. It simply never came up again. Well, people did forget stuff.
"Nexus Shade's contributions to the Atlesian Military are marked as classified, as well as his position," Penny said, her green eyes boring into his. She pocketed her scroll. "But his name appears on the roster of the ACD."
Nex shrugged. Time for an intervention. "Come on. Let's eat lunch. Wanna come?"
Penny frowned, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. "I wouldn't want to intrude."
Ruby smiled, her eyes snapping towards the quirky girl. "Nope. We're friends now, right?"
Yep. Friends with the quirky girl just off the streets. Their society of the socially challenged elite was expanding. Penny Polendina. The girl who spoke like she was on sugar. Their fifth member.
Penny gasped, her green eyes bulging as she held a hand to her chest. "Friends?"
Nex nodded, even as his partner shot him a pointed stare. "Yep. Come on. We're all friends here. Weiss and I included."
"Friends!" Penny said, her lips pulling into a taut grin. "Sensational! Three friends in one day! Capital! A new record!"
The look on Penny's face could have split open an ice queen's heart. Weiss shot him another look. A look definitely saying, this isn't worth it. He shrugged, returning one saying, Rubes has it covered.
Penny leapt, latching onto her victim's arm. Right. "Oh, we're going to have so much fun together, friend Ruby! And friend Nexus! And friend Weiss!"
Ruby's eyes lingered on his as she dragged Penny along. The bubbly girl slid on—no, through the concrete. She must have had godlike aura reserves. That, or feet made of solid titanium. Not enough data to form a conclusion. At least, not yet.
Help me, Ruby Rose mouthed.
She was pouting like a corgi, her silver eyes pleading for the sweet release of death.
Nex shrugged. Not his battle to fight. "Call me friend Nex. It's what my friends call me."
Friend Nex. That had a nice ring to it. Somehow even better than Artificer.
"Affirmative, friend Nex!" Penny said, raising her arm into a salute. The one not wrapped around her unfortunate captive's waist. "Onward, my friends!"
They charged towards the pizza place. To be fair, there were worse ways to commit property damage, disturbance of the peace, and vandalism all in one day. Mekel would be proud. Winter would be scandalized.
"So, that was a thing," Nex said as they settled at their table.
Steaming plates of pizza sat on their table, along with pitchers of different drinks. There was a rack filled with condiments—which he refrained from even touching. Knowing his luck, it would turn his plate into some sort of hot chilly abomination. And probably kill his can of soda.
Instead, he lifted a slice to his mouth, raising an eyebrow as Penny stared at her pizza. She poked the cheese, gasping as it stuck to her fingers. Droplets of yellow dripped over her chest as she brought it to her eyes.
"Sensational," Penny said, beaming at the goop. Steam rose into the air, puffing into white smoke. Well, to each their own. "The cheese is just at the right temperature to achieve a definitive state of adhesion."
Ruby shot the quirky girl a sideways glance, her eyebrows furrowing. "What?"
Weiss nudged his calf with her boot. "What Penny means to say is that the cheese is hot enough to stick to her fingers."
His partner shot him another look, sitting beside him on the couch, their knees touching. She stabbed the pizza on her plate with a fork, slicing it into small pieces with a knife. Apparently, there was a proper protocol for eating pizza—beyond just Mekel's lessons on Etiquette 101. Trust his partner to know.
"Right. So, Penny," Nex said, licking the soft cheese off the back of his teeth. "You've never eaten pizza before, huh?"
Penny flinched. "O-of course, I have, friend Nex. I'm a connoisseur of this pizza. I have travelled Remnant, tasting the glorious wonders of the cheese."
Nex rolled his eyes. Right. The glorious wonders of the cheese. Connoisseur, the quirky girl claimed. Truly, the heights of the socially challenged elite were yet to be attained. But still. Penny Polendina wanted to fit in. To be seen as normal. Far be it from him to deny a fellow member that.
"Of course," Nex said, offering her a smile. "What do you think of its taste?"
Penny grinned, sucking on her fingers. "Sensational. I've tasted nothing like this... pizza before."
Ugh. Way to go, Penny. He handed her a pass. But she took her car diving off the cliff.
Weiss frowned, her eyes fixed on the self-proclaimed connoisseur. "Penny Polendina. If you haven't eaten pizza before, then there's no shame in telling us the truth."
Ruby smiled, patting the quirky girl's shoulder. "We're not going to bully you or anything. You can tell us whatever you want to tell us."
Cardin Dumbchester was gone, but Ruby probably had memories of that jar of sap. Understandable, considering that they were here to celebrate her health. He should have totally kicked Dumbchester in the balls before sending the idiot off. But still, that was neither here nor there.
"Really?" Penny said, her eyes darting between them. "I don't know what to say."
Nex shrugged. "Say ah. Eat your pizza. Enjoy the day with friends."
Penny smiled, her eyes blinking. Tears, probably. "I will, friend Nex."
Nope. Anything but the waterworks. Give him monsters or criminals any day. Just no crying boys or girls. Or crying men and women.
Nex took another slice, biting into the glorious cheese.
Apparently, Penny Polendina was the sheltered type. Atlas had a lot of those. Maybe Penny was the heiress of another mega-corporation. It would certainly explain how she identified Weiss. Important people had their own little sphere of associates, elevated from the rest of the world. Head stuck in the clouds, and all. Case in point—Penny Polendina.
Huh.
Polendina.
The name seemed familiar.
Who was it again? The scientist?
"Nex," Weiss said, her knife halfway through another slice. But still, she fixed him a stare. "What exactly did you do for General Ironwood?"
Right. He still had to address the metaphorical elephant in the pizza place. The one with the glass walls, the plush couches, and the tables. But no cameras. The place buzzed with conversation, grating against his extra pair of ears . People filled with energy for the upcoming festival. Doubtful anyone was listening in.
"That's classified, friend Weiss," Penny said, frowning at his partner. "Friend Nex shouldn't reveal Atlesian Military secrets."
Nex took a sip of his diet coke, offering her a smile. "No one's eavesdropping, Penny. You can keep a secret from Ironwood, right?"
Considering that said general was the headmaster of Atlas Academy, the quirky girl had cause to be worried.
"I—" Penny said, her breath hitching. "I'll try, friend Nex. I'll do it for my friends."
That sold it. Penny Polendina was the fifth member of their society, filling in the niche of the loud, quirky girl, even if she was competing with one Ruby Rose. The one silver-eyed girl stuffing herself with two slices of pizza, the yellow cheese sticking to her chin. She smiled, sipping on a tall glass of milkshake, even as Weiss shuddered and looked away.
"I wrote the new code behind the Atlesian mechs," Nex said, shrugging. "And I gave the good general some extra toys."
Weiss quirked an eyebrow, even as she frowned. "Really? So you didn't learn it from an old dumpster? You wrote it yourself?"
Oh. Apparently, she still remembered that half-assed explanation. To be fair, she was right. It was written by him, but only after he examined a dusty, old mech in a dumpster. And there was also Roman's data on the brand new Atlesian Paladins. The latter was definitely more helpful.
"Not really. I did tinker with a broken mech," Nex said, nibbling on a thin slice. "Then I made the military's new duds. I was bored."
Bored was an understatement. Mind-numbingly bored with nothing else to do in life was a more accurate descriptor. Well, that was in the past.
"Bored?" Weiss said, the bit of pizza on her fork sliding off. It fell, flopping like a fish on her plate. "You accomplished something like this because you were bored?"
Penny shot him a glance. "Friend Nex, boredom is inherently unproductive. Friend Weiss has a valid reaction."
Debatable. Boredom pushed people to search for new stuff to do. It could lead to more productive pursuits.
Ruby grinned. "That's so awesome. Can you make a video game? Can you do Queen of Fighters Five?"
Ugh. Video games were a waste of time. But still, to each their own.
"Nope," Nex said. "I don't do video games."
Ruby pouted, swirling the straw in her glass. "Awww. That's too bad."
Weiss shook her head. "Never mind that. Do you have any idea why your name is on the ACD?"
It was the metaphorical Goliath in the pizza place. And there was no way to know for sure. Why would Ironwood place his name on the ACD's roster? There was no precedent. No cash, even.
"Nope. No idea. I'll call the good general," Nex said. There was no point in speculating about what-ifs right now. "Find out what all the fuss is about."
It was a conversation for another time. They still had to finish lunch.
And have a straight talk with Blake.
Chapter 36
You've finally calmed down," Weiss said, crossing her arms as she loomed over the ghost-ninja. The one sitting on the edge of her bed. "Now. Are you ready to start acting like an adult?"
Blake scowled, her fists clenched over her lap. "I'm already acting like an adult."
Evidently.
If being an adult meant avoiding your team when there was trouble.
It was stupid. Beating around a problem when there was something that could be done. He did not survive the floating city of Atlas by avoiding the nitty-gritty stuff. Things that needed to be done—reputable or otherwise.
But then again, that exact attitude probably landed him in his current predicament.
Well, in hindsight. Everything was still relative.
"Blake, I'm sorry," Ruby said, her hand curling around the bedpost. "I shouldn't have said teeth."
Blake scowled. "You're mocking them. All three of you."
They were most definitely not. But still, there was no point in telling her otherwise. Not when she seemed insistent on her beliefs.
"I'm not!" Ruby said, the bedpost creaking. "Why won't you listen?"
Evidently, he was the only one who got the memo.
Nex shrugged, leaning against the door. "We can talk or you can run away. Again."
Blake flinched. "I didn't run away."
What did she call it then?
A tactical retreat?
Truly, the depths of their ghost ninja were yet to be explored.
Come to think of it, they knew nothing about her past. It never came up, but she never volunteered anything either.
Maybe she had skeletons like his.
But jumping to conclusions would have been unfair.
It was up to her if she wanted to tell them or not.
"Yes. You did. You ran off," Weiss said, holding up a hand. She was counting down every sentence, raising a finger for everyone. "Went missing for most of the day. And when you return, you're still angry."
Angry was an understatement. It was probably an old wound that never healed—something like Summer Rose. Or even Qrow Branwen.
The only question was what inflicted the wound on Blake Belladonna.
"I'm not angry!" Blake replied, her face turning red.
"Yes. You. Are!" Weiss said, stomping the floor. "And the sooner you admit why, Blake Belladonna, the sooner we can go back to being a team."
Nothing but the truth, and it certainly spoke a lot about his partner's intent.
There was no Team SSBR without the B.
But there was no way it was going to happen under his watch. Not if he could do anything about it.
"It's your fault," Blake said, glaring at him. "You and your boyfriend."
Well, at least they were getting something out of the ghost ninja. Even if her accusation seemed unfair.
She probably had reasons. And one of them definitely started with White and ended with Fang.
Weiss fixed the ghost-ninja an icy stare. "Care to explain?"
"You're loving this, aren't you? The heiress of the SDC in a relationship with a faunus," Blake said, squaring her shoulders. "Is this supposed to be your redemption arc? A twisted way to make up for your company's abuse?"
Now that was definitely unfair. Below the belt, even. Something one could have heard in Mantle.
He could have shrugged, closed his eyes on that one. Stitched the wound in silence. But probably not his partner. Not when the ghost-ninja just insulted both him and her company.
Insulted the reality of their bond, even.
"What did you say?" Weiss said, raising her chin. "You won't involve my boyfriend in this. Whatever this grudge of yours is."
Called it.
Ruby sobbed, closing her eyes. The silver-eyed girl fidgeted, sliding against the bedpost as she sank towards the floor. She buried her face into her cupped hands.
Damn it.
"And why not? He's already involved," Blake said, sweeping a hand. "You've brainwashed him. Turned him against faunus. Against the White Fang."
Brainwashed?
It was too strong a word.
Influenced, more like. But then again, they influenced each other. It was definitely not one-sided, nor forced upon them.
"Brainwashed? The White Fang raided our school," Weiss said, her fist clenching. "They took everyone hostage. They almost killed us."
Almost being the keyword.
Blake twitched, her eyes narrowing. "They wouldn't have done it if they didn't have cause."
Weiss snarled. "And what reasons could possibly justify the crimes they've committed?"
"Everything!" Blake said, her legs shaking. "You don't know what it's like to be a faunus."
And she did?
If anyone should have been saying those words, it should have been him. Not the ghost-ninja who seemed as human as they came.
"And you do?" Weiss said, waving a hand. Right. "Enlighten us then."
"You don't know what it's like to be spit on," Blake said. Her fists crushed the top of her trousers. "You don't know what it's like to be treated as less than a person."
Admittedly, Blake had a point.
Bigots like Cardin existed, as well as a lot more. People who found pleasure in pulling on other people's ears.
If that was not treating someone as less than a person, then what was?
"And you don't know what it's like to watch everyone disappear," Weiss said, throwing up her arms. "Family members, missing. Friends, discarded. All because the White Fang's obsessed with their murderous revolution."
Blake growled, leaping to her feet. "Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!"
There was no way he heard that one right.
We?
As in, we, the faunus?
Or even we, the White Fang?
Or perhaps the ghost-ninja simply misspoke.
People said stuff when they were angry.
"What did you say?" Weiss said, her breath like knives on a chopping board. "We?"
Blake reached for her bow. Her fingers pulled at the lace. The innocent piece of fabric fell, making way for an extra pair of ears. The tufts of black fur sat on her head, twitching, even as her bow fluttered to the floor.
"You're a faunus," Weiss said, flinching as she stared at the ghost-ninja's extra pair of ears. Her entire body stiffened. "You're a member of the White Fang?"
Blake sighed, her fists clenched over her hips. "I'll just go."
The ghost-ninja weaved around his petrified partner. She marched straight towards him. Her amber eyes had slits. Near-invisible slits. Slits resembling the ones on that cat in the alleyway. And those were probably cat ears.
The ghost-ninja was a cat faunus. Maybe even a member of the White Fang.
Nex crossed his arms. A wolf staring up at a cat. "Where are you going?"
Blake flinched, a few seconds away from a direct collision. "Out."
No shit, ghost-ninja.
Or cat-ninja now.
Nex sighed, rubbing his temple. "You're not running away again."
Blake fixed him a glare, her extra pair of ears twitching. "Don't make me jump out the window."
Well, of course not. Jumping out the window was a health hazard. Even if they did say cats always landed on their feet.
"You'll come back, right?" Nex said, stepping to the side. "Tomorrow's a Monday."
A school day. One of the last few before the break. The past him would be laughing right in his face.
Since when did Nexus Shade give two shits about school?
Or anything?
Or anyone?
Blake twisted the doorknob. "I'm not welcome here."
The ghost-ninja raced through the doorway, slamming the door shut.
Wood banged against the doorframe.
Nex sighed, clicking his tongue at the crisp scent of books—books lingering in their dorm, even after their half-owner was gone.
"I can't believe it," Weiss said, sighing as she fell on the edge of their bed. "She was a member of the White Fang all along."
Nex padded towards her. Towards the remnants of his team, even if the room was crashing down around them.
Their ghost ninja was gone. Took off her bow and turned into a cat ninja.
She was out there.
Alone in Vale and alone in the world.
Blake Belladonna was probably not the type to have a wide circle of friends. Or even acquaintances. She was quiet, recluse, and introverted. Buried in one of her books all the time.
And now they knew why.
She had skeletons like him—skeletons painting her as a terrorist. A member of the White Fang. The same organization after his girlfriend.
And then there was him.
Just another guy burying his own set of skeletons.
Fuck.
Shit.
And all the other swear words in the world.
Why did his team have to be so complicated?
Yang and Jaune were tame in comparison.
Nex plopped down beside his partner, looping an arm around her waist. "You okay?
Weiss sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "How could she?"
Probably because of their exact situation.
Blake had reasons to hide who she really was.
Like he did.
If this was how they reacted to her skeletons, then how would they react to his?
He did not have a bow.
But the bow was only a metaphor for something.
Not the problem.
Not the solution, even.
"What she said was unfair," Nex whispered, his lips brushing her earlobe. Vanilla tinged with the musk of sweat flitted through his nose. "It's perfectly alright to be mad."
Weiss shuddered, her skin burning through her coat. "She's wrong. I love you."
His brain froze, grinding to a stop.
Would she really say that if she knew who he really was?
His skeletons waved their rotten hands, their teeth clattering. They cackled between the walls of his skull. Their bones were as dense as the ones under his skin. No escaping them. Not when the bones were very real, and very, very sharp.
Sharp enough to skewer his heart into itty bitty pieces.
"I know," Nex murmured. Screw it. "I love you too."
And he meant what he said.
He meant those four words. Courage, even as Weiss trembled in his half-embrace. From the deepest recesses of his bleeding little heart.
Curse his cowardice.
If only a little bit of self-esteem made everything a little better.
If only he could come out and say it—spill his secret and throw caution to the wind.
Just like Blake.
Just like Jaune in The Club.
Ruby sniffled, rubbing her eyes as she shifted on the floor. "Blake's gone. She's coming back, right?"
Maybe she was.
Or maybe she was gone forever.
Not even Pareidolia could predict what their ghost-ninja would do. It was not its purpose. His semblance was dreadfully limited on that front.
In hindsight, it spoke a lot about him.
"I don't think she will," Weiss said, her eyes snapping towards the silver-eyed girl. "She's a terrorist. She's a member of the White Fang."
Ruby scowled, crushing a fistful of her gothic skirt. "You don't know that. Blake's my partner. She's our friend."
And she was, even if she spoke little.
She was their teammate.
The B of Team SSBR.
His team.
Their team.
Even if she was a member of the White Fang.
They could cross that bridge when they needed to cross it—just like how they crossed that old, rickety bridge in the Emerald Forest.
Nex nodded. "There has to be a reason why she's studying here. Instead of out there with the White Fang."
Right?
Logically, it made sense.
If she really was a hundred per cent behind the White Fang, then she would have been working with Roman or something. And she would not have called the White Fang misguided. She would not have been playing devil's advocate for them.
Nope.
She would be playing the metaphorical devil instead.
Ruby wiped her glistening cheeks. "Maybe she's not part of the White Fang anymore."
A very real possibility.
But it was doubtful the White Fang just let her go.
Maybe she was running from them.
Hiding in Beacon.
Weiss huffed, something moist whistling in her throat. "What if the White Fang plans to attack Beacon? What if she's here to spy on the school?"
Another possibility.
But so could any other faunus in Beacon.
Including him.
But there was no point in thinking about what-ifs.
Not when Blake was out there alone, doing who knows what. Maybe even getting herself hurt.
Or worse, getting herself killed.
"We can't just sit here and wait," Nex said, heaving a sigh. "We have to bring her back."
"Bring her back?" Weiss said, her voice climbing. "You heard what she said."
Well, he did.
But then again, people said things when they were angry. Things that could have been spoken in a fit of rage.
"We don't know the entire story," Nex said, rubbing her shoulder. The tight muscle loosened under his finger, even as she sighed. "We only know she has history with the White Fang."
Ruby nodded, her lips lifting into a smile. "Our team leader's right. We have to find her."
Weiss drew a deep breath, her shoulder rubbing against his. "You're right. We don't know for sure. But we can't possibly find her alone. Let's call the police."
Absolutely not.
Calling the police for help was stupid.
It was probably just his thief instincts talking, but working alongside the police was definitely creepy.
Besides, they could arrest Blake on sight. Or worse. Arrest him on sight. Even if that possibility was deemed irrational by his brain and his semblance.
What could he possibly say?
He was still an anonymous thief. A criminal. An outlaw.
The Artificer.
The very fact was etched into his bones and scars.
"Nope. We can handle this on our own," Nex said, managing a smile. "Or with some help from our friends."
Ruby hauled herself to her feet. "Let's call in Team Auburn."
Weiss frowned, resting her palm on his thigh. "If you're sure."
Good.
They had a black cat to hunt.
Chapter 37
Nex sighed, wounding his tongue over the Valean chill.
There was something poetic about the stones twinkling in the night sky, blinking as they chased after the black cat.
Something poetic his brain could admittedly wax. But he had to focus on the task at hand.
Both of them had to.
His cheap, mass-produced earpiece crackled.
"This is Bard to Artificer, do you copy?" Nora said, giggling. "Oh! Please say you copy."
Weiss shot him a look, her brisk strides matching his pace. Artificer, she mouthed, smiling as she arched an eyebrow—like she was looking at a cute little kid. Again. A black earpiece sat in her ear, similar to the one in his.
Why Nora had spy equipment lying around was a mystery.
And none of them even wanted to find out.
He shrugged, peering through the darkness. The dusty, lamp-lit sidewalk led to the industrial district and eventually crossed into the adjoined docks.
"I copy," Nex said. Far be it from him to be a stick in the mud. "What's your status, Bard?"
"Rotten, bad luck," Nora said, her voice shrinking into a whisper. "No trace of Black Cat."
Ren sighed, the breathy bass booming over the line. "We've found no signs of Blak—ahem, the Black Cat in the agricultural district."
The poor man. No escape from Nora the Bard. Not even in the darkness of Vale.
"That's unfortunate, friend Monk and friend Bard!" Penny said. "But friend Reaper and I have found leads as to the whereabouts of the Black Cat."
Ruby hummed over the static. "Yep. There's a bookstore that's seen the Black Cat."
Typical of their ghost-ninja, visiting a bookstore first.
Nex took a left, slipping into the rows of rundown warehouses. The industrial district spewed out smoke, the bitter black rising into the grey clouds. His nose wrinkled, even as he fingered the mask in his pocket.
Weiss coughed, covering her nose with her scarf. Her left hand remained on Myrtenaster, her eyes darting between the garbage bins and the steel chimneys pumping out smog.
His left hand gripped Hrunting and Vigilance, his extra pair of ears straining.
There was something strange going on.
The industrial district was too quiet—save for the thumping of pistons and the whirring of machinery.
Where was the crowd of poor and underpaid faunus workers pulling overtime?
The ones who assembled lien for the rich in their soulless, money-sucking factories.
And the ones probably behind the White Fang's revolution.
"Where?" Weiss said, cracking another cough. "When did they see Blake?"
"The Black Cat was seen almost an hour ago, friend Mage," Penny said. "According to the shopkeeper, the Black Cat was heading south. I hypothesize that the Black Cat passed through the commercial district."
The ghost-ninja passed through the commercial district. No trace of her in the agricultural one. That narrowed down the search to the residential district, the industrial district, and the docks. Assuming Blake did not just up and leave for Forever Fall or hitched on a bullhead or something. That would make bringing her back much more difficult.
Time to ask the last pair.
"Artificer to Knight," Nex said, crushing a ball of foil under his boot. "What's your status?"
"Berserker may have diplomatically asked," Jaune said, grunting over the line. EDM boomed in the background, along with bones snapping and shotguns roaring over static. "We're having a bit of trouble. But we—"
Blades skittered off metal.
Crocea Mors, probably.
Good thing all those bruises paid off.
And, well, without his presence, there was really nothing to stop the pair of blondes from rioting in what seemed to be a bar in the commercial district.
Oh, well, oh well.
At least they could have some drinks after. And as long as they kept him out of the actual drinking, then it would be perfectly fine.
"Yep. We got this," Yang said, the smirk on her face practically audible. "What did you say again? It's rude to keep a girl waiting."
A man croaked, the dying sound mingling with the static.
Weiss shot him another look. They loped through the darkness, breaking past the shadow of the warehouse.
A lamp fizzled off, spilling sparks all over the sidewalk.
Yep. Not foreboding at all.
"Blake was asking about the docks," Yang said. "Isn't that right, Junior?"
The informant whimpered.
Ho Lee Sheet.
They actually caused a scene in The Club—the reputable haunt for irreputables like Roman Torchwick.
And him.
Also him.
"I guess you're telling the truth," Yang said. "Well, how about you give us a couple of drinks? On the house of course."
His earpiece clicked silent.
Weiss heaved a sigh, rubbing her forehead. "I can't believe they just assaulted someone."
Nex shrugged. "Can't believe, Miss Schnee?"
Weiss smiled. "I guess I can believe it, Mr Shade. Let's go to the docks then."
The Weiss trapped at the water's edge walked beside him, the fishy depths shimmering silver. He reached for his earpiece, pushing down on that one button, even as he glanced at the moon. How the thing broke was a mystery. And it was a question for another time.
"This is Artificer to all channels," Nex said. "Proceed to the docks immediately—"
The world shook.
His earpiece cracked.
He flinched, his extra pair of ears flattening.
A shockwave tore through the air, just as a flash of light overtook the warehouse.
Just across the bridge.
One of the ships bobbed, sinking as fire swallowed its deck.
Gunfire rattled in the darkness, the sound floating through the hot, humid breeze.
Dust.
Only a massive amount of dust could have caused an explosion that size. And there was only one active criminal in Vale ballsy enough to rob dust straight from the shipment—probably a desperate attempt to go big or go home in one night.
Roman Torchwick.
Well, fuck.
Fate had an odd sense of humour.
And there really was no way around it.
"What was that?" Weiss said, turning towards him.
His partner pulled out her earpiece, throwing the sparkling metal into the water. He did the same to the now-useless implement.
Nex shrugged, bending his knees. "I'm guessing that's Blake."
The catwalks blurred as he sprinted across the long bridge.
Weiss followed him, her boots rasping over the stone.
Nex dived towards a nearby crate, pressing his back into the piece of cover. The cold metal bit into his palm, just as his partner landed beside him.
He shifted, peeking into the rattling darkness.
Ceramic masks.
And a black cat.
Amber eyes met his.
Along with a familiar cane.
Roman smirked, aiming his weapon straight at the black cat. She was stuck in the air—in the middle of an aerial flip.
No way she could dodge that shot.
Pareidolia buzzed between the walls of his skull, crystallizing everything there was.
Nex tumbled out of his cover, longsword in his left and scabbard in his right. "Watch out!"
He charged into the circle.
Hrunting gnawed into a mass-produced gun, slicing it in half. The broken pieces clattered. Vigilance expanded. He spun, bashing the woman's chest. She flew over the railing, the splash drowned out by the rattle of gunfire.
Fuck.
His eyes widened, hips twisting as he angled his shield, even as the storm pelted his sides. Sparks of blue crackled over his sleeves. The fabric of his coat loosened around his arms.
Shit.
Nikos.
He really had to thank her for the inspiration.
The cane howled.
Vigilance whizzed, closing the gap.
Nex smirked. Hrunting's hilt extended. He spun his spear against the storm, the bullets clanging off the shaft.
The flare exploded, tongues of orange and red licking gold and midnight blue. His trusty shield bounced over the cement, screeching to a stop before it smashed into a crate.
The ghost-ninja landed on her feet.
Panting.
Holding a hand to her singed, bleeding shoulder.
A black glyph spun, whisking her away from a salvo of gunfire. The bullets kicked up dust and nothing else as the ghost-ninja flew behind a metal crate. Big enough to cover both of them.
The White Fang goons circled the crate, holding out their crappy weapons. Some of them flanked Roman, bone-white masks flashing in the dark.
"Well, what do we have here," Roman said, lowering his cane. His eyes narrowed. "More huntsmen straight out of the woodwork."
Nex shrugged, Hrunting's shaft retracting. He eased his longsword into a two-handed grip. "What can I possibly say? We run a cute cloning factory in Beacon."
An unfavourable fight. Surrounded by at least a dozen goons. His teammates pinned behind a crate, one of them probably injured. Vigilance ten feet away, the shield flat on the ground. No access to his weapon's complete form.
Pareidolia buzzed, nudging him to turn around. Close his eyes. Leave everything behind.
And survive.
Live another day.
It was its purpose, after all.
But there was no way he could do that.
His friends were relying on him.
Weiss was relying on him.
"Well. That would've been a sight to see," Roman said, rolling his eyes. He flipped his cane and held it by the tip, even as he lowered his voice. "Nothing personal about this. Your friend got in the way—"
"Definitely nothing personal," Nex muttered, angling his legs for a lunge. His friends. Fifteen meters behind. His adversaries. Five meters ahead. Close. "I'm her team leader. Just try not to die."
Roman chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm not stupid enough to fight you, team leader. Get him!"
The guns rattled.
Pareidolia shrieked.
His wolf ears flattened. Smoke scorched his lungs.
Nex weaved past the stuttering gunfire. Bullets punched into his shoulders, bouncing off his aura. His teeth clattered, even as he forced the bones shut.
The roaring stopped.
A goon yelled, raising his sword. An overhead cut.
Predictable.
Hrunting's blade flashed, cleaving into the goon's bicep.
The goon screamed, the sound tearing into his extra pair of ears.
Blood pounded in his temples, fire raging in his stomach.
This was it.
This was a fight.
Far beyond just friendly matches or half-assed spars.
Nex grinned, his trusty longsword breaking past the goon's sloppy guard.
The mass-produced sword flew from the man's grip.
Nex ducked, sheathing his blade into the taller man's ribs. Red gushed over silver, the thick liquid coating his sword and wetting his fringe.
The familiar warmth raced down his forehead, steel wafting up his nose.
But the fight was not over.
Never over.
Not until his prey was incapacitated. Not until the hunt was complete. And victory—achieved.
He unsheathed Hrunting.
The blade squelched, spraying red all over his sleeves.
The man fell at his feet, lips locked into a silent scream.
Scarlet waves spilt from his mouth—the irony of choking on a lifesaver.
His boot smashed into the man's mask, shattering the ceramic into itty bitty pieces.
The man stilled, lying on his stomach, crimson spreading over grey.
Three seconds.
Not good enough.
He could have done it in one. School was making him rusty.
Neo would have smirked in his face.
And maybe—just maybe, Roman Torchwick was right.
"Damn it. Useless animals," Roman muttered, stepping back into his posse of goons. Their eyes met. The thief's eyes seemed to bulge, his legs flying into a mad sprint. "Shit! Retreat! Fucking retreat!"
Nex smirked, the red dripping all over.
Like vines twisting around his eyes.
Rust smothered his nose.
Hrunting slashed.
Three arcs of midnight blue tore through the darkness. Crossed over each other. A prison of light. Slashing at three points at the same time.
Dust, swordsmanship, and his semblance.
Something that took years to perfect.
The goons leapt. Scrambling for cover.
An unlucky goon took the blades of light. Straight to her chest. She flinched, her jacket tearing.
A fatal mistake.
His feet closed the gap, his blade flashing.
Silver bit into the woman's thigh.
Nex twisted, his hips propelling his arms.
Hrunting carved a gorge straight up a woman's throat, trailing sinew over the blade.
Red and white splattered, the fountain drenching his shirt.
Sweet, sweet iron marched into his nostrils.
His boots strolled towards more of his prey, even as the woman's body slumped by his feet.
"Weiss!"
A scream.
The woman seemed familiar.
"No!"
Shit.
Not again.
Nex spun. His breath hitched.
Roman squeezed the trigger, a flare bursting from the cane's tip.
Straight at Weiss.
Locked in a duel with a swarm of goons.
Straight at her exposed back.
No Vigilance to shield her.
Only one thing could.
Nex lunged. Limbs spread-eagled. His semblance tore its throat out. A banshee wailed between the walls of his skull.
Roman's flare crashed into his chest.
The world shattered into fire and smoke. A million needles stabbed his skin, even as Pareidolia's voice shrunk into a mewl. Bitter heat pressed into his nose, searing his throat until his lungs were going to burst like a fucking piñata.
The world spun. A bang exploded, howling in his extra pair of ears.
And he was spinning—until something very hard and very, very solid slammed into his back.
Metal crunched, his butt sinking into stone.
"Fuckity fuck..." Nex said, coughing as his longsword clattered from his grip. It bounced off his shield, skipping over the pavement. His throat itched, his chest constricting. Almost as if someone just poured rapier wasps into his lungs and doused them in oil. "Did you get the number on the ship?"
Weiss flinched, shooting him a glance. Her eyes lingered on his chest. She snarled, her legs shifting as she lunged at a goon.
Myrtenaster speared the man's shoulder.
A black glyph tinkled.
The man smashed into a crate.
Just like him, actually.
A familiar whirring crashed into his extra pair of ears.
Nex looked up.
Roman stared at him, already on a bullhead. He tipped his hat, waving the cane. Probably to say goodbye.
Nothing personal.
Nex rolled his eyes, squinting them shut as another cough wracked his chest. Something wet slid over the daggers in his throat. A foul, cloying liquid. Smoke and rust. The same stuff coating his hair and face.
"They're getting away!" Ruby said, her scythe clicking as it folded into a rifle. "Soldier, don't let Roman get away!"
"Affirmative, friend Reaper!" Penny said, raising her arms. "I am combat-ready!"
Since when did they get here?
And could they not have arrived sooner?
Green swords gnashed in the wind, rendering gravity useless as they carved a path straight towards Roman's bullhead. Near-invisible wires connected them to Penny's backpack, the black steel glinting under the stars.
They weaved around the bullhead's tail like a knot.
The quirky girl growled, digging her shoes into the cement.
Just how strong was she?
The bullhead squirmed, its creaking audible even if it was probably twenty feet up.
What the fuck?
Just how durable were those thin wires?
Pareidolia hummed, providing no answers to his questions. His semblance hypothesized Penny had a strength or durability semblance, and she could somehow imbue her weapon with those properties.
The blades buzzed, crunching through the dreadfully frail metal.
Nothing stopped the bullhead from swerving under the clouds, smoke rising from its chassis.
Roman placed a hand on the bullhead's frame, his other hand gripping his hat and cane.
Not a very good time for a wardrobe malfunction, considering the thief's lifeline was wobbling, sinking into spirals of smoke on the water.
Nex smirked, offering his middle finger to the thief. "Physics' a bitch and a half, Roman."
Doubtful the thief saw it, seeing as his bullhead was currently hot flotsam—embers lighting up the dark depths with no hope of resurfacing.
But it was the thought that counted.
"Nex!" Weiss said, scowling as she clipped Myrtenaster to her belt. She knelt, grabbing his shoulders. Her hands shook as she fidgeted with the strap on his chest. "You stupid dolt!"
Nex smiled, licking his chapped lips. It tasted like steak. The rare, smoky kind. Like the one at Angus Mcbeef. "I'm your stupid dolt, Miss Schnee."
The strap clicked.
His emblem dangled over his thigh.
Nex took a long drag, his lungs freed from his coat's embrace. The needles pricked the insides of his throat, gnawing a path down his chest and to his stomach.
Weiss collapsed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She sobbed, nuzzling his neck. Tremors raced through her body even as he looped an arm around her waist. The red stuck to the white of her coat, rust mingling with vanilla and sweat. Her warmth seeped through his ruined shirt.
"Hey..." Nex said, resting his chin on her scalp. He smiled. "I'm fine. Don't cry."
Not the waterworks.
Nexus Shade was terrible with those. Terrible with squishy little feelings, really. He was an edge lord, not a therapist.
"You're not fine," Weiss murmured, her soprano vibrating in his clavicle. She stifled a moist hiccup. "You're hurt."
Hurt.
Yes.
But at least he was not dead. There was a stark difference between almost dying and actually dying. The first meant he was alive and the second meant he could probably sleep forever. Not that he was particularly eager to throw his life away.
He still had to find his purpose.
But then again, maybe he already found it.
He was a team leader after all.
Just like his mom.
Amariss Shade would be proud, right?
Rose petals swarmed. A pair of blondes smashed into the line of goons—the one fleeing from their scene of crime.
Apparently, everyone was already here. A bit late, but still acceptable.
"Artificer!" Ruby said, frowning as she tucked her rifle. "What happened?"
Nex grinned, rubbing the small of his partner's back. "A bullhead hit me. Where's the Black Cat?"
The ghost-ninja sat against the crate across them. She stared at them, amber eyes glowing in the darkness. Little fireflies fixed on his partner.
Blake Belladonna frowned and turned away.
Well, at least she did not take the chance to run away. Again. Hopefully, it was because she decided to stay. Not because one of her ankles was twisted, stopping her from pulling a tactical retreat.
They could wait for the bullhead.
The one on the horizon, bearing two axes crossed over a wreath.
Fuck.
Was it too late to die?