Silence drowned the journey back.
It came as no surprise when Weiss sat him down at the edge of their bed, after they locked the doors and windows and took a long, hot shower.
His thoughts swirled as the water scoured the filth off his skin. The suds went down the drain like little snippets of thought caught in the middle of a thunderstorm, along with the shredded remains of the damned picture. He ripped it in half and kept his mom's side for himself. Unlike his father, she did not deserve to join the rest of the filth in the sewers of Vale.
"Nex. Are you alright?" Weiss frowned, running a hand through her tussled hair. The other trailed between the valley of his digits, her callouses rough against his. "You haven't said anything ever since we came back."
Nex licked his chapped lips, reaching for the cooler by the foot of their bed. His throat bobbed as he chugged down the freezing strawberry juice. "Tai showed me a picture of Amariss Shade and Qrow Branwen. My mother and father on their wedding."
"Really?" Weiss said, arching an eyebrow. "You should talk to your father then. It means—"
"I'm not a bastard," Nex said. His jaw clenched as he put down the cooler. "But still, that only makes it worse."
And it did. For fuck's sake, his mother and father were married. Actually married, and not just a one-night stand where one of them forgot the condom. Which meant Qrow Branwen should have been there.
Through the dark winter nights they spent huddled in a corner of their shack, the wind howling through the paper-thin walls. Through all the times he pestered his mom asking where his father really was. And through all the times his mom hobbled back home, bleeding all over the rat-stained mat even as she grinned and told him she was alright and it was only a flesh wound.
Where the hell had his father been in his mom's life? Or even theirs? Or his?
He should have been there.
He should have.
He should have never left.
"I'm here for you," Weiss said, placing a hand on his forearm. "I can't say I understand completely, but I'm here."
Nex chuckled, cupping her chin. "I know. I promise. I won't ever leave you."
Because Nexus Shade was no Qrow Branwen.
Leaving the woman by his side was no longer an option, even if it caused his brain and his semblance to recoil at the sheer irrationality.
No fucking way he was going to turn out like his father. Not even a little. Screw it. Even if it made him dozens of enemies. Fuck Roman Torchwick and Cinder Fall. To hell with Raven Branwen's offer. The White Fang had to be dealt with, so the Schnee's and the SDC's greatest enemy no longer posed any threat.
He had a new goal. A new mission. And far be it from him to let anything stand in his way.
After all, he never let anything or anyone stop him before.
Huh.
Nex blinked. When did he get so reckless? Thinking about taking on the world while lost in his girlfriend's eyes... But then again, maybe love had that effect on people.
It took a few more blinks to snap back into reality, the air-conditioner humming in his extra pair of ears.
Weiss beamed, her pale cheek burning on his palm. "You know, when you say things like that while staring at me so intently..."
"It makes you want to kiss me, right?" Nex said, matching her smile. "Unfortunately, Miss Schnee, you and I have work to do. Business before pleasure as the saying goes."
"Oh?" Weiss said, leaning in.
Her soft chest pressed against his. His back sank into the toasty sheets, vanilla and baby blue suffusing his nose. Her heart thumped in his extra pair of ears, speeding off like one of Argus' trains.
"What could possibly be more important than me, Mr Shade?" Weiss asked, winking.
She wiggled her thighs in the way she definitely knew he liked. A smirk lifted the edge of her glistening, pink lips.
"Weiss..." Nex groaned, the blood rushing to his groin like lava.
He squirmed as her arms fenced his head, the mattress sinking under her elbows.
Trapped. Again. Why was he always the one at the bottom?
"You know it's not like that," Nex mumbled. "I love you. But I really have to report to Ironwood, then we need to do some jams and then we need to go—"
"Shhhh... I love you too," Weiss whispered, pressing her lips against his.
She pulled back and placed a finger on his chin, her polished nail brushing his lower lip.
"Just for ten minutes, Mr Shade," Weiss said, "stop thinking about the rainclouds and think about the woman straddling you."
When she phrased it like that, maybe ten minutes was... Ten minutes was... Ten minutes was, well...
They did survive almost being poisoned to death via unfair semblance. And stopped a couple more faunus kids dying. They probably deserved a little reward.
What the hell was he thinking and blabbering about?
Nex grinned. He wrapped his arms around her lithe shoulders and held her close.
Maybe Weiss had a point. Almost as if the whole I discovered a cracked White Fang mask in your pocket thing never happened. It was amazing how quickly she had forgiven him.
Fuck. Here he was again. Thinking instead of living.
"Quick, brain. Stop thinking and come up with a coherent and cool reply and..."
When did ten minutes turn into an hour?
Nex shook his head, gazing down at the city. It glowed red under the scorching sun.
Weiss lay on their bed, her eyes scrunched shut. Apparently, the entire ordeal with the White Fang and his godmother had sapped whatever energy she had. He would let her sleep in, of course. Doubtful Ironwood needed Weiss to report in as well.
Nex held his scroll up to his ear. He half-considered placing it back in his pocket.
Fuck it.
Ironwood was probably going to be pissed, but there really was no point hiding from his now-employer.
"Developer Shade. Report."
Nex sucked in a breath. He went over everything that happened yesterday, down to the assassin recognizing Oathkeeper. Which Ironwood took in stride.
Of course, excluding the part where his godmother saved their ass, and she may or may not have said, "Hey, I want you to stay here and live like a cowboy or something. You'll get to do whatever you want whenever we want it. Funsies. Marshmallows and singing around campfires not included though."
"I doubt the assassin would stir up more trouble, having already been discovered," Ironwood said. "It's a small victory."
Nex grinned. "What's next then?"
"Exfiltrate, continue attending Beacon, and await further orders."
Nex shrugged. "What about the White Fang?"
It suited him just fine, standing by for orders. At least then there would be no need to risk their necks. He did it yesterday and look where it got him.
It almost got his team killed if not for his godmother. Green huntsmen-in-training thought the world was their oyster. But the reality was, oftentimes, vastly different.
"It is no longer your battle to fight. You recklessly endangered a group of Beacon students. Teammates or not, what you did was still a breach of Atlesian military protocol."
Nex frowned, squeezing the cold railing. "I simply used the resources I had. Besides, I got the job done, right?"
"We are the Atlesian Military, Developer Shade. Not a band of ruffians. You'll be put under probation if this happens again. Understood?"
Fuck.
Was Ironwood not the one who told him he could do whatever he wanted on his mission?
But there was no point in arguing with his employer. Certainly not when the big man was the one paying his wages.
"Understood," Nex said, heaving a sigh.
"You're dismissed then."
Nex shoved his scroll back into his jeans and padded to their room, sliding the glass door shut. He slipped under the blanket and wrapped an arm around Weiss' waist, drawing her close.
Gods.
She had always been so warm. And even now, as she snuggled deeper into his chest, her hair drawing a curtain over his nose. He sucked in a breath. Vanilla. Fresh ones, straight from her bottle of SDC shampoo.
"How did it go?" Weiss yawned.
Nex propped his chin on her scalp, twirling a lock of her silky hair. "Has anyone ever told you your hair's pretty?"
"Oh, but all the time, Mr Shade," Weiss said, breathing a soft sigh. "That's actually quite tame compared to what I've heard before, you know."
He chuckled. Right. She probably had hundreds of admirers or something. Hundreds of heirs from other companies. But still, out of all the hundreds of rich guys, she chose him. And he was nothing but just an average guy eking out a living. What she saw in him, he definitely never asked before. But then again, it never really mattered.
"Ironwood took me off the case." Nex stroked the back of her head with his thumb. "The authorities are probably gonna take care of the White Fang and the dust robberies."
Weiss hummed, shifting on her side. "That's it then?"
"Yep." Nex licked his lips. "What, you wanted more?"
"It's just that..." Weiss whispered. "I've come to realize something."
"And what's that?" Nex asked, glancing at the crook of her neck.
"We can't just sit here, talking about change," Weiss said. "I guess our little outing opened my eyes. You know, when I was handing out those packs of goods."
To be fair, it probably did. Doubtful Weiss even stepped down Mantle before, which was the closest equivalent Atlas had to the Valean slums. Seeing it for herself was definitely different than just hearing about it. Waking up in the midst of marauders and outlaws in the frontier, even more so.
"What's the plan, Miss Schnee?" Nex said. "You do have one, right?"
After all, between the two of them, she was definitely the one who was better at planning out stuff. He tended to wing it. Make plans at the last moment and all.
"I want to expose my father," Weiss said, her shoulders stiff against his chest. "Ferret out every single corrupt deal he's made and put him behind bars."
Nex blinked, his thumb stilling. "What? Sorry. Must've heard you wrong."
Weiss huffed. "You're mocking me. You think I'm being ridiculous."
"You don't say," Nex said, snorting. "Even if you do find evidence"—which was probably fucking impossible since Mekel and Jacques hid their secrets like a pro—"I don't think the jury's gonna side with you on this one."
Weiss spun in his arms to face him, her eyes narrowing. "Elaborate."
Pareidolia cackled. Now that was something he could definitely do. It was practically his speciality by now, even.
"What would happen if Jacques Schnee ended up in jail?" Nex asked. "Think about it, will you?"
It was definitely a question for the headlines. Had he been a two-bit journalist instead of a technician, he would have probably written an editorial advocating for Jacques Schnee's retirement and subsequent incarceration.
Not that it would actually happen. No. Of course not.
But it never actually cost anyone anything to dream, right?
"The SDC won't be involved in illegal businesses and faunus labor anymore," Weiss said.
Nex smiled. "Well, assuming there's an SDC left after we hang its dirty laundry. And... let me see... that'd also be assuming the public doesn't tear the SDC apart, Atlas doesn't pull some bullshit to seize your assets, and all hell freezes over. Voila. Congratulations. You get to sit in your father's spinny chair. While I get to bend you over the table whenever you're feeling stressed—"
He wagged his eyebrows.
She giggled, flushed pink as she slapped his arm.
But then she smoothed her face into her this is serious business face.
"Continue." Weiss coughed.
"You know how to run a company, right?" Nex smirked.
Weiss scoffed. "Of course. I'm the heiress of the SDC. I've trained and studied for it."
"Tell me how the SDC became a corporate giant."
"Simple. We hold the monopoly over dust, a miraculous substance that powers the four kingdoms, arms huntsmen and huntresses, and provides the means for various technological and scientific advancements. More eloquently put, it is the lifeblood of Remnant, and the light of humanity on its road to pave the way through the darkness."
Nex snickered, palming his forehead. "Oh, gods."
Weiss' eyebrows furrowed. "What's so funny?"
"You stole that off a brochure somewhere." Nex grinned.
Weiss' lips twitched into a smile. "The point still stands, doesn't it?"
"Well, yeah." Nex bobbed his chin. "Now, tell me how the SDC managed that."
"That's..." Weiss' breath hitched. A sudden, sharp slap in his extra pair of ears. "The faunus labour camps."
"Right. Other companies use bots to do their menial labour, which ain't exactly cheap," Nex said. "Thus, the SDC rakes in more net cash, pulling ahead of its competitors. Cold, but efficient." And something he would probably do, had he been in Jacques' place. "It's why you're filthy rich, partner. You're really giving that up?"
"Nex." Weiss frowned. "I can live with less money."
"Maybe," Nex said. Maybe not. "You still wanna expose your father?"
Weiss nodded. "That hasn't changed."
Stubborn. It was probably one of her strong points. But, whatever happened to making peace with their respective dads?
"Oh, what the hell," Nex said, shooing the thought away. "Let me just put deposing a corporate tyrant on my to-do list and I'll get back to you asap—"
His scroll buzzed against his thigh, crooning the acoustic guitar to a song called Thief.
Right.
Ugh.
"Work. Downtown Vale." Nex rolled his eyes. "An hour at least. Rain-check?"
Weiss snuck in a quick kiss, her rough lips brushing his chin. "Go, Developer Shade. I've got some composing to do myself."
When Nexus Shade arrived at the alley of one of Roman's hideouts, the sun already plunged past the brick walls of the Valean square, casting the city into darkness. Stars blinked in the ashen sky, the bite of smoke stinging his nose. He ducked down an alley. His eyes darted from the civilians in dresses and suits to the shadows hanging over the dumpsters.
A cat curled up on the box of steel, mewling, the sound carried over the clacking of shoes and the whooshing of bikes and cars. The city's symphony in the stillness of the night.
The cat's amber eyes blinked.
For a moment, the cat stared down the wolf.
"Meow," Nex said, chuckling as he skulked deeper into the alley.
Believe it or not, the symbolism did not escape him. Right now, the ghost ninja was probably licking her wounds in the confines of her room. Metaphorically of course, as it was doubtful she really was injured. Certainly not with her semblance.
The cat yawned and closed its eyes.
Admittedly, it looked comfy. Just like their first date. But just like that night, he had something else to do before he could close his eyes and just fall asleep.
"I know you're there," Nex said, shooting the brick wall a glance. Dub, dub, dub. "You're mute, but your heart ain't."
The bricks peeled off like a sheet of dry paint, mismatched pink and brown eyes glinting in the dark.
Neo pursed her lips tight, twirling her pink parasol over her shoulder.
"What's the deal with tonight's hangout?" Nex asked as they made their way to the end of the alley. "Roman doesn't normally call in favours."
Nope. His fellow thief hoarded favours as dragons did with their gold. It was probably because the underworld ran not solely on lien, but on connections as well. And, as Roman Torchwick once said, favours were another type of currency entirely.
Honour among thieves and all.
Well, only among thieves and only up until someone had to cut their arms off or something. In hindsight, Roman Torchwick would have been the image of a smart and classy underworld tycoon, if not for his inclination to get hands-on with their jobs. And getting those hands dirty and sometimes cuffed in the process.
Neo raised her index, dragging the tip of her nail across her neck.
"Someone's got you two in a bind?" Nex raised an eyebrow, fingering Oathkeeper's hilt. He tugged on his hood and adjusted his mask.
Last time, he got his ass kicked. It was a damn shame, but it would not happen again now that he knew what he was up against.
Whoever that assassin was, he was good. Really good. If not for the assassin's air-based semblance, then they could have probably had a great fight. Maybe he could bring a gas mask next time they saw each other. Doubtful it was the last he had seen of the man, if his grandmother was to be believed.
Still, it raised a question. What exactly was his mom's history with the Resolutionists?
Digging through the files Ironwood gave him produced no answers other than the ones he already knew.
Maybe if he went to Auntie Raven and asked...
Nex chuckled as he rapped on the steel door. "All is quiet by the wall, all is silent in the city."
"Wrong code, kid," the same woman from before said. "Try again."
Nex raised an eyebrow. "Roman's never changed it before."
Something was wrong. Did Ironwood already make his move?
Neo strode forward, scratching the steel with the tip of her umbrella four times.
The woman wrenched the door inward, the rusted slab of steel creaking.
"Get in," the White Fang woman said as she shoved a blunt of cigar into her jeans pocket. The bite of after-smoke lingered in the cool air. "You're a sight for sore eyes, kid."
"Nice to see you too." Nex nodded. He reached into his pocket and tapped his scroll.
Neo slid through the doorway, grinning as she bowed and waved for him to come in.
Just like old times, huh?
Roman Torchwick stood at the end of the long tables, waving his cane around. He barked something at the throng of goons. They shuffled along the tiles, lifting crates of dust and loading them into steel boxes. Probably to be moved to one of the dilapidated trains later, if the information he gave Ironwood was correct.
"Well, well," Roman said, sweat dripping down the side of his temple. Not even the thick mascara he wore concealed the black rings around his eyes. "I'm sure we both know why we're all here."
Considering how irregular everything was and the number of people who could strong-arm Roman into doing something...
Nex grunted. "Your friend?"
Neo sauntered towards the fridge by the corner, six or so goons parting away from her.
"Time's running out," Roman said, tapping the rug with the blunt of his cane. "Cinder's not a very patient friend."
"I need another month." Nex shrugged. "Atlesian tech ain't exactly easy to crack."
Of course, he already had what Cinder Fall wanted. But stalling for one more month would hopefully allow Ironwood to deal with Torchwick and the White Fang. By then, he would have no obligation to help Fall. She was Torchwick's friend.
Not his.
And if he had his way, the number of friends he had would have stayed at the manageable number of I can count them using ten fingers. It was honestly easier.
Roman scoffed and fixed him a look. He lowered his voice as he said, "Not for the average joe. But you're not average at all, are you, developer?"
"Right," Nex said. "Of course you'd know about that."
Roman clicked his tongue, stroking the blunt peeking over his suit's pocket. "Gotta say you're milking the Schnee for all she's worth. Money and connections, as well as a warm body to stave off the cold and lonely nights? Why, I'd say you've upped your game while I wasn't looking."
Nex tightened his jaw, his eyes narrowing. "Ever heard of the saying: let sleeping wolves lie?"
"None of that now," Roman said, the thief smiling and reaching out to pat his shoulder, dusting it off. "We're all friends here. Aren't we?"
"You sold me out, didn't you?" Nex hissed, placing a hand on Oathkeeper's hilt.
"Oh, please. What was I supposed to do?" Roman asked, rolling his eyes. "Should I wait until she sets my ass on fire?"
"We have a pact," Nex said, glaring at the thief.
"That we do." Roman nodded. He raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you want an apology."
Nex sighed, shaking his head to clear it all up. Not like Roman Torchwick stabbing him in the back was anything unexpected.
"She doesn't know. About me," Nex said. "Right?"
"If you need it to stay that way, you best watch your step." Roman shot a pointed glance at the far door. The room where he last met with Cinder. "Do what she wants and we all get to see another day. Think of it as a business opportunity."
Nex strolled past Roman, sneering as he stopped beside his fellow thief, craned his head, and whispered, "Coward. Who cut your balls off?"
"The pot reminds the kettle he's black," Roman said, sucking on his cigar. "You haven't told her, have you? She's got you squirming by the balls, eh?"
Nex scoffed, loping towards the backroom. "Do your part and we're square."
"No worries on that front," Roman said, puffing out a cloud of smoke. "Just remember whose side you're really on."
Weiss. Her side. Their side.
Nex grinned as he turned away, Oathkeeper creaking in its nondescript scabbard. "I know. I'm not stupid."
"Let's hope you aren't..." Roman grumbled. "To be dumb and in love..."
Nex paid the thief's mumblings no mind as he reached the door.
"In for a penny..."
He pulled the door open, slipping inside the backroom. A couch there, some boarded-up windows lining the flaked walls, and a woman garbed in a red dress. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, her heels resting on the desk. Two wine glasses sat on the blackened wood. A bottle of good ol' Mistralian Nightshade completed the set.
"It's you," Cinder Fall said, her eyes twitching even as an easy smile lit up her face. "You're the one?"
Evidently, she still remembered what he said last time.
Nex shrugged. She honestly looked liked she had prepared for his visit, if it could be even called that. He deepened his voice like before and said, "What? Want me to put on a name tag? Or maybe you want me to shout my name from the rooftops?"
Cinder gave a low chuckle, sounding like it came from the bottom of her throat. She patted the red cushion beside her, the cotton thumping. "Let's talk business, shall we?"
Nex plopped down on the couch across Cinder, leaning against the armrest. "I believe we haven't been introduced."
Cinder's eyes narrowed for a split second. "Cinder Fall. But please, call me Cinder. There's no need to be so formal between friends, after all."
"Are we friends now, Miss Fall?" Nex said, a smirk lifting the edge of his lips. "We've only just met." He chuckled. "After all."
Cinder arched her back, jutting her chest out like a swan. A red swan trimmed with gold, but a swan nonetheless. "Please. Don't play coy with me." She stared at him. "You have something I need."
"The keys to Atlas," Nex said, licking his lips.
Now they were getting somewhere.
"Not just the keys to Atlas," Cinder said. "The keys to the four kingdoms."
Nex hummed. She was right of course. Still, how exactly should he play it?
"What's your agenda?" Nex said, cracking his neck side-to-side. "You see, I can't help but feel concerned."
"Ah," Cinder said, nodding. She reached for the Mistralian Nightshade and poured the two of them a glass each. "My little venture won't get in the way of your business."
The as long as you don't get in the way of mine went unspoken of course. And if he failed to hand over the virus, he would have been definitely getting in the way of hers.
"As a show of sincerity," Cinder said, raising one of the glasses. "I propose a toast. To the Artificer. To the man behind the mask."
Nex rolled his eyes behind said ceramic mask. "I don't drink. Got this disease off my father. Sorry."
Cinder raised the glass to her lips. "How unfortunate. Fine. I'll help myself then."
She placed the half-full glass back on the desk.
"You seem rather fond of this vintage," Nex said, glancing at the Mistralian Nightshade.
"It brings back memories," Cinder said, her ruby lips tightening. "Now. Name your price."
Nex shrugged. "I'm not hurting for lien. You should see my bank account. What I want is information."
He seemed to be missing a lot of those lately. Important ones too. The irony was definitely thick.
"Of course you aren't," Cinder said as she took another sip of her wine. "What do you want to know?"
His, of course, was left untouched, droplets of water shimmering under the dim light as they dripped down the sides of the glass.
"What are you planning to do with the CCT?" Nex said. "You don't strike me as the type to be interested in tech, Miss Fall."
"Not technology," Cinder said. "Change."
Change. There was that word again. Weiss wanted change. Blake wanted change. Now even Cinder wanted it too.
"Change?" Nex asked, steepling his fingers.
"Call it the new world order," Cinder said as she leaned back into her couch. "Of course, one that will be favourable to my friends."
And unfavourable to her enemies. The woman's plan was, undoubtedly, to overthrow each of the four councils and install her own. With the CCT, she could hold contact between Vale, Vacuo, Atlas, and Mistral hostage. With the White Fang, she had her own army of fanatical faunus ready to fight the system. And with the amount of dust she stole using Roman, she had enough to strip the kingdoms of their walls and arm the White Fang.
Still, with the dust about to be removed from the picture, what exactly could Cinder Fall do?
"An ambitious plan, Miss Fall." Nex smirked. "Give me a month and I'll have what you need."
In a month's time, Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan would be behind bars drugged with aura suppressants. The White Fang's abandoned train filled with dust explosives would be confiscated by the military. Cinder Fall's plan would be foiled to no fault of his. And Nexus Shade would be home-free, living the normal life of an average, inconspicuous, and most definitely unassuming huntsman-in-training slash budding developer.
"You're a reasonable man, Artificer," Cinder said, nodding. She raised her glass. "A toast, then, to the future."
"To friendship." Nex chuckled as he clinked his glass with hers. "To success."
Pareidolia squirmed at the back of his skull like something was wrong with the woman in front of him. No doubt related to her supposed Maiden-magic.
"Ah, so we're friends now," Cinder said as they put down their wine. "But friends don't need to wear masks around each other."
His pores were oozing out sweat, seeping into the sleeves of his jacket. Since a few minutes ago. Probably before he even took one step inside.
Heat manipulation.
It was definitely her semblance. Threatening him all the while.
Fitting. But ultimately useless.
"If we're to be working together, a modicum of trust is to be expected," Cinder said, chuckling. "Don't you agree, Artificer?"
Nex clicked his tongue and stood up, strolling towards the door. He twisted the knob and said, "The mask is the real me. My face is nothing but a disguise, Miss Fall. Or should I say Maiden?"
Cinder Fall flinched, her glass shattering in her grip.
Nex grinned and slammed the door shut. He hightailed it past a chain-smoking Roman, plucking the poor blunt from the thief's fingers.
"Hey!" Roman yelled.
He took a whiff of the nicotine, his grin turning into a smirk.
Maybe, just maybe, there was truth in fiction after all.
Chapter 48
Whoooo..." Ruby Rose gaped as she stared wide-eyed at something on her lap. She hunched in her seat, her hood draping over the brown leather. "Ooooh boy that's awesome."
The first-class, SDC airship ploughed through the cloudless sky. It was the oddest sensation of sailing over the ocean, the tide ebbing and flowing like Amariss Shade cradling him in her arms, the world outside quiet, save for the whistling of the wind and the rumble of the engines.
He crossed the aisle, passing by the ghost ninja. She looked up from her book and shot Ruby a glance.
"Don't tell me," Nex said, sighing as he rubbed his forehead. The sweet scent of lemons in the freezing air filled his nose. "She's got my scroll."
Thank the gods he had everything about the other side of him well under lock and key.
Blake buried her nose back in her book. Weiss was sitting across her, staring out the window with her lips pursed tight. She was probably thinking of Atlas, and whatever it was that awaited them there.
Nex stopped behind Ruby, clearing his throat loudly. "Ahem. I don't need to tell you that what you're looking at is probably classified, right?"
Ruby's finger blurred. She swiped to the left, the screen of his scroll displaying an old blueprint of Hrunting and Vigilance. The sheathed sabre clicked as it curved and unfolded. Still, she was probably looking at the Atlesian weapon prototypes he had been working on last night. There was absolutely no way she would have been interested in something so normal otherwise.
"Wait, so your sword-cannon-thingy also turns into a scythe?" Ruby twisted her neck, flashing him a big, wide, and guilty smile. "That's so cool."
Nex rolled his eyes, holding out his palm. "If you want early access to the hard-light armoury, you better get on the level of a master dust mage. Can't guarantee you won't slice your wrist off otherwise."
"Ehehe." Ruby giggled, scratching her neck as she handed him back his scroll. "Who said anything about a hard-light armoury?"
Nex shrugged, flicking through what she had been looking at. "Crescent Rose, huh?"
It was a 3D model of her signature weapon, rendered in pale blue with its specifications in white text.
Date of creation. Just today.
"Hardlight Rose," Ruby said, raising her chin. "Or something."
He tapped the scythe's shaft. It spun, crunching as it collapsed into a wide, single-edged sword. A second passed and the sword shattered into pointed fractals.
Nex squinted. "Daggers. Quaint."
Impractical, more like. Breaking her weapon apart into dozens of smaller weapons would have made reforming it impossible in the heat of combat.
"Cool, amirite?" Ruby said.
The fractals rushed to the centre of the screen, clinking as they formed a long spear adorned with a rose on its shaft.
"It's also a spear," Nex said, licking his lips.
Damn. Where the hell did all the drinks go?
"Yep," Ruby said. "But I still can't figure out how to make it transform into a high-calibre sniper rifle."
"The proto hard-light armoury isn't gonna work for you," Nex said, shrugging. "Best drop the fan of knives and the spear."
Besides, in its current form, the Atlesian Portable Armory or the AX100, the brainchild of the designs he presented Ironwood back when he was still in Atlas Primary, would have only worked for people with an abnormal affinity over dust and aura. Case in point: him, his mom, or maybe even Winter if her records in Atlas Academy were to be believed.
Well, them or machines. With machines, he could probably jury-rig something up.
Nex hummed. Maybe a machine that could do all the technical stuff so it was more huntsman-friendly.
Ruby frowned, her lips curling as she yawned. "Yep. That's what I'm thinking too."
Nex shoved his scroll back into his pocket, strolling towards Weiss. He grinned, bending down and poking her cheek, saying, "Hey."
"Hey yourself, Mr Shade," Weiss said, smiling as she patted the couch beside her. The leather gave a dull and satisfying squeak. "Is that how you'll be greeting me at the ball?"
Nex shrugged, sinking into the first-class leather. He snatched the glass of lemon juice off the armrest and chugged the cool, sparkling liquid down. "With any luck, it's gonna be something like..."
He coughed and cleared his throat again, jutting his chest out.
Nex put on his best smile and deepened his voice. "Miss Schnee, may I have the honour of a dance? Just imagine I actually bothered to put on a tie and it'll be golden."
Weiss giggled, resting her head on his forearm. "Oh, but of course, Mr Shade. As your fiance, I'll be delighted to spend the eve dancing with you."
Ruby gurgled, sputtering and spraying milk all over the red carpet.
Blake's eyebrows shot up to her hairline as she tore her eyes away from her book. "You're engaged?"
Nex shrugged, smiling as he stroked her temple and brushed the strands of platinum-white away. "Wanna tell them or should I?"
"It's unofficial," Weiss said. "But my father plans to announce it during the party."
"That's great!" Ruby squealed, beaming as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "When's the wedding?"
Weiss glanced at him from the corner of her eye. A look saying something undecipherable. Almost like she was waiting for something.
Nex winked. "We're still working the bugs out."
Blake nodded and placed her book on her lap. "What about, you know..." She pointed at her extra pair of ears. "The world won't accept it."
"Acceptance has to start somewhere," Weiss said, heaving a sigh. She rubbed the ring on her finger. "I want it to start with us."
Blake's lips twitched as she said, "Hopefully, the Atlesians will accept it. It's a big step for faunus-human equality to have the heiress of the SDC together with a faunus."
Weiss scowled. For some reason. "It isn't just about that."
Blake raised her hands, her eyebrows furrowing. "No, it's not. Bad choice of words. Sorry."
Nex whistled, looking up at their luggage. The entire compartment was practically a room with an en-suite and couches, along with a fridge containing everything four huntsmen could have possibly asked for. If it lacked something, then they could probably ask the on-board chef to whip it up for them.
Truly, the rich lived different lives. Much less the richest of them all.
Nex brushed back his fringe, closing his eyes as he leaned deeper into the cushion. "Ah, this is the life."
Never mind the fact that he could probably afford dozens of their current ship. Weiss was right. It was more than just the lien.
Weiss shifted on his arm, her breath warming his skin. "When we get married, I don't want you lazing around like a kept man."
Nex rolled his eyes. He probably mastered the art of doing it with his lids shut a long time ago, back when they were still partners in Atlas Primary. "When we're married, I don't want you stuck in a chair all day."
"Ugh..." Blake groaned. "Get a room, you two."
Three days later, Team SSBR alighted from their ship.
Cameras clicked and flashed as they strode across the airport. A throng of reporters formed a ring around them, buzzing like flies.
Nex grunted, shoving his hands into his pockets. Not even a second after the heiress of the SDC returned to her home-kingdom and the press was already onsite.
Ruby huddled behind Weiss, Blake fidgeting as she brought up their flank.
Weiss had her back straight and shoulders squared, her chin raised as she smiled at the cameras. With the four of them in their combat apparel, she looked like a swan sauntering across a stage made of marble. It was probably second nature to her. Smiling in front of the cameras. Even if her smile looked empty compared to the grins she always wore whenever they were alone.
No one dared to stop them of course. Unlike that one time in Vale. In the SDC's territory, it would have been suicide to even touch its heiress.
Which was probably why Hard-on was still in jail, despite the influence of Atlas Primary's headmaster. Being the grumpy guy's son and all.
Nex heaved a sigh as they made it out of the airport, taking a long drag of the chill and the smoke. He rubbed his arms through his trench and looked up, grinning at the sun. "There's no place like home."
"Yes," Weiss whispered, a tiny smile on her lips. "There's no place like home."
Her eyes roved over the lampposts encrusted with white and the sidewalks covered with a faint sheet of water, along with the rows upon rows of cars and drivers waiting for their charges.
"So this is Atlas," Ruby said as she stared at the towering, metal spires and the windows shimmering under the sky.
The wind howled and whipped her scarf against her face.
"Awesome. Can we get a tour?" Ruby said, peeling the red fabric off her face. "Atlas has these high-tech VR arcades, right?"
Nex shrugged, shifting his pack's strap on his shoulder. "Well, seeing as we're technically on vacation..."
"Not before we get settled." Weiss shook her head. "Come on. There's our car."
"Same old Weiss." Nex yawned as they followed her to said car. A white snowflake glinted on the sleek black paint job. "Can't catch a break around her."
Ruby and Blake coughed, giggling as they shot each other looks.
"What was that?" Weiss said, looking over her shoulder.
Nex cleared his throat, smirking. "Nothing. Have I ever mentioned you look good from behind?"
He let his eyes trace down the contours of her hips, stopping on the patch of alabaster skin where her leggings met her skirt.
Huh. Was she wearing a shorter skirt? It seemed a little shorter.
Not that he was going to complain.
Weiss hmphed, her cheeks pink as she looked away. "Pervert."
"Young Mistress Weiss." The stout man bowed down to his waist. His tie hung inches from the pavement. "Welcome back to Atlas."
"Klein," Weiss said as the bald man took her bag and hoisted it into the back of the car. "Thank you for fetching us."
"It is my duty, young mistress," Klein said. "These three must be your friends."
"Hi!" Ruby said, waving at Klein. "I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose." She pointed at the ghost ninja. "This is Blake." Then at him. "And this is our team leader. Nex."
"It is an honour to meet the young mistress' friends." Klein's eyes lingered on Blake's extra pair of ears. His fingers twitched. Probably for the pistol bulging under his suit.
Apparently, old wounds ran deep.
"Come then, we must be off." Klein tapped the doors, the black steel craning upward.
Weiss' personal butler, as she told him a couple of times before, sped them through the winding highways of Atlas.
"Young Mistress Weiss," Klein said, turning a left. "Your father wishes to see Master Shade."
Nex blinked. What? Master Shade?
That was a new one.
"Why?" Weiss arched an eyebrow, shifting in the passenger seat.
"He didn't say, I'm afraid," Klein said.
"I see." Weiss frowned, her palms taut on her lap. "Father wants to see Nex right now?"
"He wants me to drop Master Shade off at the office." Klein turned a right, the SDC's tower fading into view. "Master Shade, Master Schnee tells me that it is a matter of utmost importance."
Ruby grinned as she tapped away on her scroll, red lasers going all pew-pew as they flashed across the screen.
Nex shrugged and dusted some snow off Blake's stiff shoulder. "Alright, alright, I'll be there. He's not actually mad about me and Weiss being a thing, right?"
Klein hummed. "I'm a simple man, Master Shade. I don't dare presume what goes on in Master Schnee's mind."
They stopped in front of the SDC's headquarters, the door beside him swinging out.
"Be careful," Blake murmured from the bottom of her throat, soft enough that he was probably the only one who heard it in the car.
"Nex," Weiss said, flashing him a smile. "Good luck."
Nex nodded and hopped onto the pavement, watching the crowd of suits and dresses swirl around him. Clad in his trench, he probably fit right in. Well, except for the presence of Hrunting and Vigilance on his hip and his extra pair of ears which drew a few narrow-eyed looks.
Nex grinned and strolled up to the doors of the building, chuckling at the giant-ass logo on its front. "Let's see what Jacques has to say."
"Stop!"
A burly guard held out his baton, blocking the glass doors. "We don't let weapons inside."
The guy glared at his extra pair of ears, as if he could not have been more obvious.
Nex rolled his eyes, whipping out his scroll. A few taps and his huntsman license along with his shiny developer ID shuffled onto the screen. "Nexus Shade. Huntsman. Atlesian Military. Cybertech Division. Your boss also wants to see me. Capiche?"
Seven or eight bystanders formed a circle around them, dressed in stupid fancy clothes and murmuring it all up.
"You? Atlesian Military?" The guard scoffed. "Don't you know the penalty for impersonating a military officer?"
"Are you blind?" Nex waved his scroll at the guard's ugly mug. "Do you need to get your eyes checked? Maybe a pair of glasses?"
"Nowadays, IDs can be easily faked," the guard said, fuming. "You don't enter until you leave your weapons behind."
"Fat chance. A huntsman without his weapon is half-dead," Nex replied. "Just verify my scroll in your thing or something."
"It's—" The guard stuttered. "It's out of commission."
Nex snorted. He burst out laughing, the harsh sound ringing in his extra pair of ears. "Out of commission? The richest company in the world doesn't have a scanner on hand?"
It was probably the punchline to a big, fat cosmic joke.
The guard growled, fixing him a glare. "You have the guts to mock our company? Forget it. I'm reporting you for suspected terrorism."
"Terrorist?"
"He's a faunus..."
"He might be White Fang..."
Nex heaved a sigh, flipping through his contacts. He tapped Jacques' mug and held it next to his ear. On loudspeaker of course. "Hey, Jacques. Care to settle something for me?"
"Hello to you, too, my boy," Jacques said, chuckling. "Now, tell me, what do you need?"
The guard's eyes bulged out of their sockets. A hushed silence fell over the crowd of a dozen or so bystanders.
"Your guard's not letting me in," Nex said, snickering. "He's even gonna report me for suspected terrorism."
"The man must be foolhardy," Jacques said. "Hand over the scroll, will you? So I can tell him to hand in his resignation."
Nex shrugged. He held out his scroll towards the guard.
"Boss! I'm sorry!" the guard said. "I'm simply following protocol! Please don't fire me, I have a wife and kids..."
"You should have thought of that earlier," Jacques said, steepling his fingers over his blackwood desk. "The man has already shown you his ID, hasn't he?"
"Yes! But—"
"But nothing." Jacques scoffed. "On account of your unprofessional behaviour, you are hereby discharged from the company." He smirked. "Do swing by upstairs and have your resignation processed."
Jacques hung up with a short beep.
"So..." Nex said as the guard's baton clattered over the floor. "Does that mean I get to go in now?"
"Bastard!" The guard brandished his rifle.
Nex gritted his teeth, even as Pareidolia buzzed and slowed everything down to a crawl. "Don't call me that."
He lashed out at the man's arm with Hrunting and Vigilance. The sheathed blade smacked against it.
The rifle crashed into a pot, toppling it over and spilling soil on the stairs.
The crowd gasped.
Nex loped past the guard, attaching his weapon back to his belt. "If you keep coming at me, you'll get penalized for assaulting a huntsman and a military officer."
With those words, Nexus Shade smiled and marched into the SDC's headquarters. Blue curtains fashioned from thick fur lined the hall along with lavish white couches. He shoved his hands into his pockets, grinning at the receptionist. A brown-haired woman who looked only a few years older, slathered with the SDC's signature whites and blues.
"Welcome to the Schnee Dust Company, purveyor of the world's finest energy propellent," the receptionist said, glancing up from her terminal. Her eyes narrowed. "How... How may we serve you?"
Apparently, no one recognized him. It was understandable. Last time he came here, it was in the dead of night with Jacques as his personal escort.
"Don't need much," Nex said, waving at the woman. "Your boss wants to see me. Would you be so kind as to point me in the right direction?"
"You have an appointment?" the receptionist asked.
Nex jerked his head towards the guard hobbling his way over the carpet. "That guy got fired for holding me up. Do you really wanna do this?"
Not his fault Jacques Schnee was an asshole and a half. But, well, the man being a dick did help him out it. In hindsight.
"Fired?" The receptionist sneered. "Because of you?"
Nex frowned. It seemed like the SDC's employees carried a lot of baggage. Particularly of the faunus kind.
The terminal beeped, Jacques' voice coming through. "Miss Brown, do assist Mr Shade. Treat Nexus here like you would Weiss. I don't want to have to lose half my staff, after all."
Nex chuckled. Smart man.
"Very well, Mr Schnee." Miss Brown nodded, wrenching her lips into a smile. An ugly one. But still. "Follow me, Mr Shade. I apologize for my unprofessional conduct."
She gnashed her teeth while they walked into the elevator, the blue lights shimmering. A jingle chimed over the speakers. The box of steel rose up the who-knows-how-many-storeys building. A minute later, and they arrived at Jacques' study.
"Please take a seat," Jacques said, clapping once. His moustache twitched as he smiled. "Miss Brown, you're dismissed."
"Yes sir." Miss Brown gave a low bow. She spun on her heel and skulked out the door, nudging it close behind her.
Nex plopped down on the spinny chair, resting his heels against the groove of Jacques' desk. "So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Perchance you play chess?" Jacques asked, swiping over the blackwood. "I'm afraid my son isn't back from the academy yet."
A chessboard flickered into existence, Jacques' side rendered in blue, his in red.
Nex shrugged, cracking his fingers. "I might've played a game once or twice."
And memorized the entirety of a chess book, in case Ozpin wanted another game.
"Excellent," Jacques said, lifting his pawn. "Then just do what comes naturally."
"Why bring me here?"
Mirror the pawn.
"An important mission. Perhaps suited to a man of your calibre."
Knight.
"My calibre?"
Parallel the knight.
"Not every seventeen-year-old gets personally vetted by Ironwood, my boy."
Well, people already thought he was talented. Might as well roll with it.
Bishop.
"What's the mission? And why me?"
Pawn.
"Think of it as your service to the family."
Nex hummed as the board froze. His soon-to-be family then. "You're actually serious?"
"What do you think I've been hinting at since we first met?" Jacques scoffed. "There are few suited for my position. Out of all of them, you're the only one that my headstrong daughter would actually care to listen to."
Nex grunted. "If you think I'm gonna sit in that chair, you're dead wrong."
Jacques shook his head. "Of course not. But you don't need to be in my chair to lend Weiss your counsel, do you? A whisper here, a whisper there. Just like how a loving husband should act, don't you agree?"
Nex shrugged, his jaw clenching. "Weiss won't listen if I steer her in the wrong direction. I won't manipulate her either."
"Ha! Her righteousness has certainly rubbed off on you," Jacques said, leaning back into his chair. "But you'll come around. You and I aren't as different as you think."
"Maybe." Nex rolled his eyes. "We'll see, right?"
The blackwood desk creaked, groaning as it sank into the floor. Pale blue shimmered in the dark and cast a faint glow over the dusty staircase.
His nose wrinkled. Alcohol. The sterile, hospital kind. Mixed with lightning and steel.
"After you." Jacques pointed at the passage, leaping to his feet. "I assume you'll keep this nifty little trick between us?"
Nex stood up, taking his first steps down the unknown. "Sure. Honestly, who's gonna believe me if I say that Jacques Schnee has a secret room in his study? Pretty sure your PR's got that covered."
"Right you are." Jacques said, his shoes tapping the steel of the staircase. "You'll find that having the public on your side can be quite advantageous."
"So you have it on your side?" Nex asked.
"Most of the time," Jacques said. "But we can't help it if little accidents sour relations once in a while."
"Like the thing you're hiding here," Nex said, the familiar tang of dead blood stinging his nose.
"How astute of you," Jacques said as they reached the bottom. "My eldest was kind enough to throw the military off our trail." He slammed the wall. A switch clicked, flooding the laboratory with light. "You must understand, my boy, that a misunderstanding of this magnitude can be blown to epic proportions."
Nex glared at the five or so corpses bathed in cold, sterile light. Good thing they had green blankets draped over them. "Wow. The SDC's been expanding into the morgue industry?"
Jacques chuckled, pointing at the carcass to his right. "You joke. But this is serious business. What you see here is what Winter found in Mantle a few weeks ago."
He pried the blanket off the corpse. Red veins pulsed under its blackened chest, almost like pure charcoal if not for the scratches marring the dried skin. The veins snaked through its limbs, creeping up its neck. And, seared into the remnants of its face in bold white, was a mark that read SDC, along with a metric fuckton of numbers and letters. Probably a serial code.
"Can't it be fake?" Nex raised an eyebrow.
"It most certainly is," Jacques said, nodding. "But with our name on the corpses, who do you think will the military investigate first?"
"Someone's out there then," Nex said, poking the forearm of the body. Taut. Almost like steel. Like Grimm, even. "Experimenting on dead people and framing the SDC."
"Not dead people," Jacques said, his lips pursed tight. "These men and women were very much alive and begging for a quick end."
"You gave it to them then?"
"They expired on their own after a day or so."
"How'd Winter find out?"
"A tip from Mekel. Too bad the perpetrator escaped."
Nex quirked an eyebrow. "You mean the guy managed to run away from Winter?"
It was either the guy was that good, or the Atlesian specialists were overrated. Snowball's chance in Vacuo for the second.
"He had the advantage of dozens upon dozens of traps," Jacques said. "Even a dragon would find it difficult to rout a snake in its territory."
"So you want me to sniff around," Nex said, crossing his arms. "Rustle a few bushes. Why not get rid of the evidence first?"
"Because these corpses are, gods forgive me, simply biological marvels," Jacques said, grinning as he whipped out a dagger and sliced off the carcass' arm.
It flopped over the white tiles, dissipating into black smoke.
The very same smoke burst from the chopped limb, forming another arm, complete with the faint glow of red.
Pareidolia squirmed.
"Grimm." Nex parked his hand on his sword's hilt. "These guys have been turned into something in between Grimm and people."
Abominations. His fingers curled around Hrunting's hilt. The very things they were meant to fight.
"If the SDC can decipher the secrets of Grimm," Jacques said, "think about how it would revolutionize the world. Regeneration. Immortality. An infinite amount of soldiers. We might even discover how to get rid of them for good."
Admittedly, Jacques had a point.
Still.
"You're not seriously thinking that people will, you know." Nex gestured at the corpse. "Volunteer to be turned into Grimm in the name of science."
"Don't be ridiculous," Jacques said. "My researchers will study these corpses, not make more of them."
"Where are they then?" Nex asked.
"In our main lab, hidden from prying eyes," Jacques said. "This room only contains a fraction of the experiments."
Nex released Hrunting, tugging the sheet over the carcass. "I'll get back to you when I find something, Jacques."
"Please, call me dad," Jacques said, smirking. "I imagine it'll be quite the shock when we announce it at the party."
Nex shrugged. "Whatever you say."
"Good," Jacques said. "And I'm sure I don't need to tell you that no one else must know about this."
"Nope." Nex grinned, shoving his hands into his pocket. His scroll beeped. "I can keep a secret."
Secrets were practically what made him who he was, after all.
"Even from your fiance?" Jacques asked.
Nex stilled, glancing at the father of said fiance.
Their eyes met.
Jacques raised an eyebrow with one hand in his pocket, the other twirling his knife by the ring on its hilt. The smirk on his face and the way his moustache all bunched up to his nostrils were...
Insufferable.
Nex strode up the stairs, pulling out his scroll. "We all gotta square sometimes, dad. Better be ready when that day comes."