Back to the mind-numbing daily grind - moving crates.
Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Roman's keeping the details close to his chest, as usual, but I gather this is all part of his elaborate scheme to cool things down after stirring up so much trouble. His exact words were something about pushing "normal miscellaneous stuff" for a few weeks before diving back into our usual dust heists and smuggling operations.
Can't fault his logic, even if I wanted to. Those dust robberies sent market prices through the roof - something like basic economics, really. This break will let things settle while new shipments roll in undisturbed. Not like it will actually affect me or benefit me, since I have plenty stored in my inventory.
I drop the last batch of crates by the shipping container's door with a satisfying thud, leaving Roman's new hires to handle the loading. The fresh faces around the warehouse are a welcome change. I'll admit that much. Sure, I could let them handle everything from start to finish, but it's more efficient for me to stage the merchandise near the containers. Saves them the hassle of lugging it across the warehouse floor before they can even start loading. Besides, the faster they work, the more breaks I get.
This new arrangement leaves me with plenty of downtime, which is exactly why I'm currently perched on top of a sealed container, legs swaying idly in the air like some lazy cat. After a while, I lay back, letting my eyes drift shut - not to sleep, mind you, just to rest them for a bit. The metal's cool against my back, and from up here, I can keep an ear out for any trouble.
There's something oddly satisfying about lounging up here, doing absolutely nothing. Can't explain why, and honestly, I don't care to figure it out. It just feels right, and that's good enough for me.
The gentle hum of the warehouse's ventilation system almost lulls me into a doze. My ears twitch and flicker occasionally at the sounds of workers shuffling below, their footsteps and muttered conversations blending into white noise. Not a bad way to spend a day, all things considered.
Except...
My brain decides to be an absolute asshole and reminds me that I'm wasting a perfectly good time up here.
"Fucking hell."
I need to keep pushing my other job levels higher.
No...
I MUST increase my actual level. Still stuck at level 17, and I've leveled up plenty of other jobs. Must have stacked up a decent amount of stats bonus by now, so it's only logical that I need to level up and cash out all those points.
That's priority number one right now.
Problem is, I can only level up by killing Grimm, and the Emerald Forest is completely off-limits for obvious fucking reasons.
And I absolutely refuse - emphasis on refuse - to set foot back in Mountain Glenn while that monster is still alive and lurking somewhere in those ruins. I barely made it out alive last time, and that was pure fucking luck.
So where can I go for some Grimm hunting?
Wait...
Forever Fall!
That forest is past Emerald Forest, meaning it's far enough from Beacon to give me plenty of breathing room. Perfect spot for some undisturbed Grimm killing.
But how the hell do I get there?
Walking is definitely not an option...
Neo.
Looks like I'll have to ask the ice cream girl for another favor...
Could be worse, I suppose. At least she's reasonable with her favors most of the time.
I push myself up and hop off the container, landing with a soft thud. Time to track down Neo - she's here somewhere in this warehouse, just gotta figure out where exactly.
My ears swivel, trying to catch any sign of her presence among the ambient noise.
Eventually my ears catch a different kind of noise and I head straight in that direction.
I find her perched on a stack of crates, legs crossed delicately as she munches on what looks like a chocolate-covered cereal bar. The crunching sound echoes slightly in the quiet corner of the warehouse.
"Hey Neo."
Those mismatched eyes light up at my voice, and she flashes that deceivingly innocent smile, patting the spot next to her in an exaggerated manner.
I let out a resigned sigh because I know exactly what's coming, and take my seat. Sure enough, she immediately makes herself comfortable, resting her head on my shoulder before she dangles the half-eaten bar in front of my face with a teasing wiggle.
Rolling my eyes, I take a small bite. The chocolate is surprisingly good, and I can't help but smirk as I chew. "Thanks."
After wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I get straight to the point. "I need your help getting to Forever Fall forest."
Neo pulls back slightly, fixing me with a questioning frown.
'Why there, kitten?'
Her question appears above her head.
"Need to kill some Grimm," I explain, shrugging. "Usually hit up Emerald Forest for that, but with all the initiation at Beacon and those ongoing investigations, haven't had a chance to scratch that itch in a while."
I want to level up.
She tilts her head thoughtfully, tapping her chin in an exaggerated show of consideration. Then, slowly, she turns those mismatched eyes back to me, her lips curling into a predatory smile that makes my tail twitch nervously.
'You'll owe me then~'
"Expected as much," I shrug again. "So what'll it be? A back massage? Food?"
Neo's response is to poke my stomach, her grin never faltering.
'Seeeecret~'
I shake my head, letting out a low chuckle. "Fine."
It's easier to go along with her games.
She beams with silent giggles, mockingly applauding before hopping to her feet. Then she's gone, vanishing into thin air like she always does, leaving behind only the faint scent of vanilla.
Seconds later, my scroll buzzes.
'Tomorrow at 8. Don't be late, kitten~ ♥'
Okay?
I live with her. It would be impossible to be late…. whatever.
Time to get back to work, I suppose.
-Next day-
Forever Fall forest lives up to its name - everything's painted in shades of red and orange, from the leaves to the tall grass below. Not that different from Emerald Forest really, just a palette swap. Might be more to it, but that's all I'm seeing right now.
Not that it matters - both are Grimm territory all the same.
I tilt my head back, scanning the now-empty sky. The bullhead's long gone, just clouds drifting across the blue expanse. The pilot's probably already at the small outpost, waiting for my call.
Yeah, I've got a pilot now.
Well...
Neo got me a pilot, or more accurately, hired one under the table. Apparently, there's this transport service reserved for licensed Hunters and Academy students - drops them off and picks them up for missions or field training. Obviously, I'm neither of those things.
Hence the illegal arrangement, but I couldn't care less. The pilot clearly doesn't either, not with that much lien in his pocket. Nine thousand for another lift isn't cheap, but it's workable. Just means I'll have to plan these expeditions carefully to make them worth the investment. At least until I can get back into the Emerald Forest.
Time to get this show on the road.
I roll my neck and summon a slice of my meat cake, savoring each bite despite my eagerness to start. Damn, I really outdid myself with this recipe.
'Status'
Ma'iq Rakhan
Race–Feline Faunus
Age 18
Class: The gladiator
Level–17 (44%)
Mentor – None
Apprentice– Jeanne d'Arc
HP – 850/850 [60 regen per minute]
MP – 2240/2240 [350 regen per minute]
SP – 3260/3260 [250 regen per minute]
STR–63 (+5)
END–54 (+5)
DEX–65 (+1)
INT–44
WIS–40
CHA– 45
LCK–10
Status:
[The Big One protects yes, yes!]
BLOCKED [Ȳ̶̨̼ỏ̪͔͍ͯ͜͞ú̴̷͔̦̥͍̊͞ ̴̘̲̤̮̠ͦͣͣ̕̕͟c̷͍̩̭͚͔̯̩̓͒ͭ̈́̿̕a̢̡̛̻̭̝̗̗ͥ̉ͬ̀͗̌҉n̸̡̡̡͔͖̺͇̭̯̊̄ͧ͑̍́'̱̗̼̞̱͉̃̾ͬ͂́̃̈͟͜͟t̨̨̨̠͓̗̩̙̙͆̏̅̑̀̅ͮ ̬̙̳̬͖͎́͗ͧ͊̾͗͊͢͜ḛ̷̡̹̟͙̖͍̒̊̈́͌ͥ͞ŝ̴̸̶͍̺̹́̇̓̉͜c̺̀̆́̄ͩͪ͘ͅa̸͚̭̪̔̌̈́p͎͙͆̐e̞▒ (PERMANENT)
[Well Fed, 59:53 minutes remaining]
Perfect - Well Fed bonus is active.
Now I can finally start this expedition properly. I pick a random direction and venture deeper into the forest, letting my instincts guide me.
It's almost boring how uneventful the walk is. Just birds chirping and occasional gusts of wind rustling those red leaves. Nothing worth noting, really.
After what feels like a decent trek, I stop and plop down on the ground. I've learned that staying in one place long enough acts like some kind of Grimm magnet. I still don't understand why this happens, but it is useful. So here I am, waiting for my prey to come to me.
They always do.
As if on cue, my ears perk up at the trembling ground. I snap my attention right, just in time to see a mound of earth unnaturally forming on the ground. It grows a little more before it explodes upward, and the Myrmidons pour out, the nasty ant-like Grimm with oversized stingers. However, since that isn't enough, another but much smaller mound, forms and explodes, spewing out more of these bastards. I can count a dozen of them with a glance.
A smirk tugs at my lips as I stand up, summoning my claws and settling into a combat stance. The Grimm take it as the challenge it is, charging at me with their maws gaping wide.
However, this time I wait.
The first ant lunges with reckless abandon. I snatch it by the mandibles mid-air, feeling the bone-plates grind against my claws as I wrench it around, using its momentum to smash it into another charging Myrmidon. The impact shatters both their carapaces on the spot.
More try to dogpile me, mandibles snapping for my flesh, but I weave between their attacks. One gets too close - my claws tear through its head. Another tries to flank me, but I catch its stinger, yanking it off balance before driving my other hand through its thorax.
Three more come at once. Prompting me to drop and roll, letting them crash into each other, then spring up behind them. My claws make quick work and rip through their exposed backs in rapid succession.
The remaining Grimm scatter, trying to surround me. Which is pretty smart for these beasts, but futile. But this time It is my turn to charge at them and kill one with every swing.
The last one meets its end under my boot, its head crushing with a satisfying crunch.
Yet a howl cuts through my moment of satisfaction. I whip around toward the sound and spot a pack of Beowolves charging my way - four of them, looking ravenously hungry.
'Class change'
My claws dissolve, now replaced by sword and shield. I charge to meet them head-on, smashing my shield into the leader's snout. The impact sends a shockwave up my arm, but I use that force, pivoting into a wide cleave that catches two of the pack mid-lunge. The blade bites deep into their flesh, black ichor spraying as they dissolve.
The third Beowolf lunges for my throat, but I'm already moving. I jump back, letting its claws whistle past my face, then drive forward with a perfect thrust. My blade punches through its chest, the beast's momentum driving it further onto my sword. A quick twist tears the blade free, splitting the Grimm in half.
The alpha's recovered, blood-red eyes burning with rage, clearly offended by swatting it but a recovery far too late as I'm already above it, driving my sword down with all my strength. The blade pierces straight through its skull and into the dirt below.
The Beowolf body goes rigid, then slumps, already starting to dissolve.
Heh, pretty fucking easy, if I'm being honest.
A short laugh escapes me as I remember how these things used to give me trouble. Feels like a lifetime ago. I use the brief respite to roll my shoulders, working out any potential stiffness. No point getting sloppy now.
Another roar cuts through the air, making my ears swivel left.
I turn just in time to spot two Ursa Minor charging at me side by side, their bone spikes on their backs marking them as young ones. However, I couldn't help but frown at how this fight's developing, all these Grimm attacking me continuously, but there's no time to dwell much on it. Instead, I coil my leg muscles and launch myself high into the air as they get closer.
These cubs don't even look up or turn direction - nothing like that Ursa Major months back who tried to bite me mid-air.
Newborn? No, they had their bone armor already, so they couldn't be.
I shake my head and land hard on the first one's back, not wasting a second to drive my sword straight through its skull. The beast crumples, momentum sending it tumbling as I spring into its partner to do the same.
One clean thrust through the head, and it's done.
I get off the now dead Grimm before it crumples onto the ground.
Again, too easy.
I start to take a step to leave when something HARD slams into my side - the impact so sudden and brutal I can't even cry out. My world spins as I hurtle through the air until my back meets a tree with bone-crushing force. I hit the ground face-first, the taste of dirt filling my mouth.
Rolling onto my back, I clutch my screaming ribs and bite back a groan.
Fuck.
Fuck me…
Got too cocky. Should've kept my guard up, should've checked my surroundings.
Through the haze of pain, I turn my head to see the piece of shit, a Boarbatusk scraping the ground with its hoof.
Perfect. Just perfect.
Gritting my teeth, I force myself up and drop into a defensive stance with my shield up. The monster takes this as its cue, lowering those massive tusks and charging straight at me.
I narrow my eyes, watching for any opening. That armored skull and those tusks don't leave much to work with, but if I dodge at the last second, I might get a clean shot at its sides.
The Boarbatusk only picks up speed as it closes in. I tense, ready to move.
Except I can't. Right when it is practically on top of me, I can't. My legs won't respond, like they're caught in invisible binds. I'm putting everything into moving, but-
"Shi-"
Those tusks catch me right in the gut, lifting me off my feet. The beast tosses me skyward like a ragdoll, and for a moment, my vision floods with black spots before I slam back into the ground. A raw groan tears from my throat as I curl around my stomach. However….Beyond the pain, confusion races through my mind - I know I tried to move. Something stopped me. Something held me in place.
Snarling through clenched teeth, I pull a grenade from my inventory and hurl it at the Grimm. Causing it to back away deeper into the forest, but that's fine. Because that's exactly what I wanted it to do.
And the subsequent explosion kicks up smoke and dirt, giving me an acceptable cover.
I roll away, each movement sending fresh waves of agony through my gut. Taking deep breaths helps, but barely feels like I'm about to puke up everything I've eaten today.
Fucking hell…
However, a distorted high-pitched squeal cuts my recovery time short. I turn in the direction where that came from and to find the Boarbatusk emerging from the smoke and its red eyes locked onto me. Knowing the bad position I am in, I scramble to get up, but my body betrays me with a violent coughing fit.
I immediately spit out a glob of saliva, the act somehow clearing my head a bit.
The bastard scrapes its hoof again, lowering those massive tusks before charging at me once more. But this time I won't wait for it and I charge as well with my shield in front.
Suddenly it shifts, tucking into itself and becoming a bone-armored wheel moving at high speed, but seeing it spin gives me an idea.
I plant my foot hard, muscles tensing as I roar and slam my shield into the incoming bastard. The impact shoots up my arms like lightning, but I hold firm. The Boarbatusk's momentum breaks, sending it tumbling and rolling until it lands on its back, legs flailing uselessly in the air.
Not wasting a second, I rush towards it and drive my sword deep into its exposed belly. The beast lets out a squeal, thrashing wildly around my blade, trying desperately to throw me off. But its struggles weaken, and finally, it goes limp.
And it's dead.
I collapse onto my ass with an exhausted sigh, one hand massaging my throbbing stomach. Definitely not looking to repeat that experience anytime soon. And fuck this guy for attacking there. It really sucks.
But I can't shake what happened moments ago. Something held me in place, and I didn't notice until it was too late to do anything about it, I couldn't even feel something on that arm.
Could it be some kind of sneaky Grimm?
I scan my surroundings carefully, ears twitching at every sound, but there's no trace of anything unusual, just more red trees and falling leaves. Which only raises more questions.
Eventually, I decide standing around isn't getting my answers. Time to move on.
Getting up sends fresh waves of pain through my gut, making me wince. Fucking hell, that really did a number on me. I really need to avoid getting hit on the stomach because aura does jackshit against physics.
With no better options, I start heading west.
After trudging through the crimson forest for a while and seeing nothing noteworthy, I decide to get a better vantage point. I scale one of the taller trees, but the view from the top is disappointingly monotonous - just an endless sea of red foliage stretching toward a distant mountain which has more red trees.
The thought of sending out my drone crosses my mind, but it'd probably just confirm what I am already seeing. So no point wasting the time and energy.
I climb back down and continue my trek, but suddenly freeze mid-step. An unsettling sensation crawls up my spine, making my ears perk up and my tail bristle.
Something's wrong, something is definitely wrong almost like…like I was in the tunnels in Mountain Glenn.
I scan my surroundings carefully, my hand gripping my sword, but there's nothing visible or perceptible, just more trees and rustling leaves. Yet that feeling persists, setting every instinct on edge.
Whatever it is, I don't like it. Not one bit.
So it is obvious why I change course, heading south in hopes of getting away from... whatever the hell that was.
As I walk, the feeling gradually fades, letting me breathe a little easier and I'm perfectly okay with that. I don't want to risk it.
A loud rattling behind me shatters the moment of relief. I spin around to face a pair of crimson eyes set in a massive serpentine body - a King Taijitu, if I remember right. The beast's hiss echoes through the trees as it rears back, jaw unhinging to swallow me whole.
It lunges forward, but I'm already moving. A quick sidestep lets the massive head crash into the ground where I stood. Before it can recover, my blade flashes out, cleaving through its neck in one clean strike. The headless body thrashes wildly, coiling in on itself before finally going limp.
Dead.
For a King Taijitu, that was surprisingly... easy. But a stupid pig had me struggling.
I catch myself and immediately slap my forehead because I'm doing it again - underestimating these bastards just because the first one went down quick. That's exactly how you end up dead.
I hold my stance, carefully checking my surroundings again so as to not get caught off guard by another sneaky bitch. Minutes tick by with nothing but the whisper of wind through leaves.
Only then do I let myself relax for a moment.
I sheath my sword and pull out my scroll to check the time, only an hour's passed. Strange, it felt shorter than that. Two more to go before pickup tho.
What else can I do besides Grimm hunting?
Right. The shards.
I should look for those mysterious fragments, but so far I haven't spotted any of the usual signs - no gathering of small animals or birds that typically mark their presence or a lake to try to fish one. Still, might as well make an effort, otherwise this expedition will feel like a waste, incomplete.
I start my search with the trees, checking for bird nests high in the branches. Although, only manage to find a handful of them, and they're completely ordinary bird nests and most of them empty. Moving on to tree hollows proves equally fruitless - just startle a squirrel that voices its displeasure with an adorable squeak before running away.
So when I change to search the ground, it becomes very frustrating. The tall red grass makes it nearly impossible to spot anything smaller than my fist, but I keep at it, anyway. But soon after, I change to dragging my feet around to look for the shard.
After what feels like forever, I've still got nothing to show for my efforts.
Not that I'm particularly bothered. These things have never been the type to conveniently appear at my feet. All of my previous finds were pure dumb luck anyway I can try on another occasion.
Deciding I've earned a break, I move to a sturdy-looking tree and lean against it. A cold can of Pepsi materializes in my hand - the sharp crack of opening it is oddly satisfying in the quiet forest. I take a long pull from the can, letting out a contented sigh as the cold drink hits the spot.
Damn refreshing, worth every lien.
I savor the rest of my drink before checking my scroll again. Thirty minutes spent hunting for shards with nothing to show for it. But hey, that's just how it goes sometimes.
'Status'
Ma'iq Rakhan
Race–Feline Faunus
Age 18
Class: The gladiator
Level–17 (94%)
Mentor – None
Apprentice– Jeanne d'Arc
HP – 800/800 [60 regen per minute]
MP – 2240/2240 [350 regen per minute]
SP – 3010/3010 [250 regen per minute]
STR–63
END–54
DEX–65
INT–44
WIS–40
CHA– 45
LCK–10
Status:
[The Big One protects yes, yes!]
BLOCKED [Ȳ̶̨̼ỏ̪͔͍ͯ͜͞ú̴̷͔̦̥͍̊͞ ̴̘̲̤̮̠ͦͣͣ̕̕͟c̷͍̩̭͚͔̯̩̓͒ͭ̈́̿̕a̢̡̛̻̭̝̗̗ͥ̉ͬ̀͗̌҉n̸̡̡̡͔͖̺͇̭̯̊̄ͧ͑̍́'̱̗̼̞̱͉̃̾ͬ͂́̃̈͟͜͟t̨̨̨̠͓̗̩̙̙͆̏̅̑̀̅ͮ ̬̙̳̬͖͎́͗ͧ͊̾͗͊͢͜ḛ̷̡̹̟͙̖͍̒̊̈́͌ͥ͞ŝ̴̸̶͍̺̹́̇̓̉͜c̺̀̆́̄ͩͪ͘ͅa̸͚̭̪̔̌̈́p͎͙͆̐e̞▒ (PERMANENT)
I click my tongue in annoyance - just 6 percent away from leveling up.
Seriously? The universe is edging me at this point.
Maybe I should hunt for more...
Wait, a damn minute.
It's been half an hour.
Half an hour without a single Grimm trying to tear my throat out. Usually, I get maybe a few minutes of peace at most, not thirty fucking minutes of silence.
That shouldn't be right. It isn't right.
My brow furrows deeply, holding my chin as I think it through. If no Grimm are coming, does that mean I haven't actually cleared the area? But I killed a lot of them.
Or...
Or is something bigger keeping them away?
Taking down a major Grimm would definitely finish this expedition a nicely - guaranteed level up right there and another personal achievement. But these bigger bastards always seem to have some new trick that catches me off guard. Each encounter's been a completely different beast, literally and figuratively.
That makes me squint, weighing my options on how to proceed.
Worth the risk?
A smirk plays across my lips. Hell yes, it's worth it. I still have my long-term plan and I cannot lag behind. I'm pretty confident in killing whatever is out there.
'Class change'
Shield and sword dissolve away, replaced by my trusty claws.
With that done, it is time to go hunting once again.
I break into a steady jog, actively looking for trouble. Don't really care what I find - could be the mysterious Grimm, could be another pack of Beowolves or Myrmidons. Anything to get that last bit of exp and my well-deserved level up.
However, my foot catches something and I pitch forward, causing my heart to jolt a little. My hands snap out, catching myself before my face meets dirt.
I grunt in frustration and look back, only to find just some stupid tree roots. Clicking my tongue, I deliver a savage kick that splinters the offending roots before pushing myself back up.
Back to the hunt. Whatever's out there better be worth this trouble.
I keep jogging, eyes scanning the ground more carefully this time. Not about to let more roots make me eat dirt-
And I'm down again.
I look back, and sure enough, more fucking roots. But something's not right. I know I was watching the ground this time, and there weren't any roots in my path. Things don't just materialize out of nowhere. So how the hell did they catch my feet?
Unless...
Something's controlling them?
Could be someone with a plant manipulation semblance. Bandits?
No, that doesn't make any sense. Bandits don't operate this close to Vale - the kingdom's got zero tolerance for that shit. Any group stupid enough to try gets wiped out fast. This isn't Mistral or Vacuo, where bandits can thrive in the wilderness.
So... a Grimm?
A Grimm that can control plants? Is that even possible?
That horrible feeling creeps back up my neck right on cue, making me shiver and bristle my tail. But then, and thankfully, a warm sensation washes over me, clearing my head from that horrible sensation. That must be my signet, my signet just activated.
Something just tried to mess with my head.
I push myself up quickly, frantically checking my surroundings that now feel oppressive. Really don't like where this is going.
Really, really don't like it.
This isn't worth the risk anymore, and I know exactly what to do.
I pull out the flare gun I was given and fire skyward. The flare streaks up, leaving a thick red trail of smoke before fizzling out in the sky, the signal for immediate pickup. The pilot now is on his way.
My eyes dart back to the forest, searching for anything unusual, but keep finding absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. And I know that's bullshit. That forces me to strain every sense, pushing them to their limits, but comes up empty-handed again.
Yet that feeling of dread returns, stronger now, making me take an involuntary step back.
I need to get out of here.
NOW.
The distant rumble of bullhead engines cuts through my mounting dread. I snap my head up, watching it descend, the downdraft whipping through my hair and clothes. I backpedal to give it landing space, and the moment its side door slides open, I'm inside without a second thought.
The bullhead lifts off immediately, but that crawling sensation doesn't let up. I stay at the door, one hand gripping the support bar as I stare down at the crimson forest below. That feeling - it's still there, still gnawing at the back of my mind.
Fuck this.
I summon a fire dust grenade, yank the pin, and let it drop. The bullhead's already banking away when the explosion lights up the canopy below.
Let it burn. Hell, I hope the whole forest catches fire and takes whatever that thing was with it.
Something was seriously wrong in that place, and I have no intention of sticking around to find out what, because some mysteries are better left unsolved.
And I close the bullhead door.
I need a nap.
-Neo Politan-
A rather boring day, which was exactly why she was lazing on top of a container playing with her scroll. Dust Crush, as the stupid game called itself, was actually pretty fun. Just match three dust crystals and watch the points roll in - easy enough that even Roman could figure it out.
Oh! A power-up! Neo's eyes lit up as she tapped the grenade icon, watching with glee as an entire row of dust went ka-boom. Thousands of points, just like that! Who knew these dumb little games could be so entertaining?
And there went another combo chain! New high score! Her previous record didn't stand a chance. Yep, decision made. Next shopping trip to the mall, she was definitely "borrowing" one of those game consoles... and a second controller too. Her kitten would love this - and what kind of ow-special friend would she be if she didn't share her toys?
"Cinder! My favorite firestarter! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? And look at you—flying solo tonight! Did you finally decide you're better off without the peanut gallery?"
Ugh, seriously? The bitch just had to show up and ruin her fun.
Neo paused her game with an eye roll, lazily turning to see Cinder strutting over without her usual puppies... but wait, what's this? Someone new - shorter than the bitch, and wow, talk about a walking fashion disaster. Some ratty gray hood over what looked like worn leather armor pieces definitely gave off those 'village militia trying to look tough' vibes. Flat chest, so probably a guy?
Something about him just felt... wrong.
"Huh? Who's your new friend here? Bit overdressed for a casual meeting, isn't he? Or is this some new fashion statement I'm supposed to care about?" Roman strolled up, swinging his cane.
"Let me guess. Strong, silent type?"
The weirdo just tilted his head like some broken doll. Great, another creep. Roman seemed to get the same vibe, switching his attention back to the walking matchstick.
"Come on, darling, don't leave me in suspense. Who's the mystery man? And should I be flattered or terrified?"
"It doesn't matter to you, thief." she snapped, nodding to her masked buddy who pulled out some paper from his vest.
Neo's hand inched toward her parasol, just in case. Looked like her boring day was about to get interesting after all.
The masked weirdo walked up to her Dum-Dum and handed over the paper like some kind of a dramatic messenger from those cheap movies.
Roman unfolded it, his eyebrows shooting up with interest as he glanced between the paper and the odd couple. Then, with his usual flair, he destroyed it and scattered the pieces all over the floor.
"If you wanted scrap, you should've asked me first instead of running to these wannabe crime lords who just mess everything up," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Fine, you'll get your Atlesian scrap. Needed a good excuse to redirect some heat, anyway. And at least you'll pay decent rates."
Neo barely held back another eye roll. More business talk. Booooooooring.
"Dear, come here," Roman called out to her.
She let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes as she tucked her scroll away. Hopping down from her spot, she sauntered over to the group, throwing a mocking grin at the ugly bitch just to watch her reaction.
Gas-mask guy pulled out a photo, showing some brown-haired girl with the weirdest haircut Neo had ever seen - just one line with two big tan strands sticking up in front like antennae.
"ELIMINATE HER," Cinder barked out like the demanding bitch she was. "Kill her, cripple her, maim her - I don't care. Just remove her from the equation."
Neo glanced at Roman, who just shrugged. Weird, considering he'd been going on about avoiding Atlas attention, but now they were poking that particular nest?
"She's an Atlas specialist here on investigation," Roman explained. "Should've been gone already, but they're dragging their feet. Moving all this scrap's gonna catch their eye, so..." He gestured vaguely.
Neo's grin widened as she took the photo, drawing an 'X' across the girl's face before miming a nice, clean decapitation. This could be fun!
"With that settled, you'll be handling something else, too."
Weirdo reached for a backpack she hadn't even noticed under all that ugly clothing. With a dramatic hiss, he pulled out a glass tube containing five crystals that... weren't quite right. Those crystal looked like dust but... different.
"If you ever find any of these crystals, they come straight to us. Understood?"
Nah.
She was going to keep them instead.
