Shards of Reminisce Ch.76 (Patreon)

It’s been a little over a month, and not much has happened. Not the big shift I was half-expecting after hitting level 30.

I’ve had weekly appointments with Ozpin, and I couldn’t honestly tell you if any of it is working. The sessions themselves are fine, I think. The problem is that I keep spacing out the moment I try to talk about certain things, like the words just dissolve before they reach my mouth, and that’s usually how the hour ends. Ozpin notes something down, tells me that’s enough for today, and I walk out feeling roughly the same as when I walked in.

There has to be marginal progress if I’m being generous with myself.

I don’t know.

I still go every week because it makes Jeanne happy, and if it makes Jeanne happy, then I can be somewhat happy too, and that’s a good enough reason for now.

Right now, though, I’m not thinking about any of that.

I’m lying on my back in a small park I found completely by accident about a week ago, staring up at whatever the blue sky feels like doing today, with no particular reason to be here and no particular reason to be anywhere else. I’ve just been letting time pass. Walking without a destination, ending up places, sitting for a while, moving on when the sitting stops feeling like a choice.

Neo isn’t home. Something came up with Roman, which means I have the apartment to myself and no one expecting anything from me.

So this is a break, I think. From everything going on.

Or maybe I just don’t feel like doing anything right now, even though I know I should, even though my goals are closer than they’ve ever been and I still can’t find that same sharp edge of motivation that used to make the next step obvious. 

Get more levels to finally tell everyone to fuck off…

I suddenly sit up, blink the sky out of my eyes, and yawn hard enough that my jaw pops. I rub it for a second, then extend my hand and let the small colorful gems surface from my inventory, settling into my palm one by one.

I’ve been carrying these since that strange tall ghost or whatever gave them to me, and I still don’t have a good answer for what they actually are or what I’m supposed to do with them. All I instinctively know is that they’re important. Every time I look at them, I get that sense of something just out of reach, like a word sitting on the tip of your tongue. But every time I actually try to get something out of them, I come up empty.

Maybe there’s a condition I haven’t met yet. Some dumb requirement I’m missing without knowing what it is.

I turn one over in my fingers, watching the light move through it, the color shifting depending on the angle.

“What are you supposed to be?” I murmur, although they look quite pretty in the light.

Something green catches the corner of my eye, and my body freezes because I know that green color.

I send everything back to inventory and turn my head slowly to dissimulate a calm attitude.

Emerald is crossing the park toward me from the far side, hands in the pockets of a coat I haven’t seen her in before. And there is no Mercury tailing her. Just her, walking like she’s trying to look like she’s not walking toward me specifically.

I watch her close the distance and say nothing.

“Emerald.” I’m the first to break the ice.

“Ma’iq.” She stops a few feet away and crosses her arms.

“Looking for trouble?” I look her over once, slow and obvious about it. “Another round? I’m available, as you can see.”

‘Class change: Pugilist.’

My brass knuckles materialize across my fingers, catching the light.

Something crosses her face that isn’t quite annoyance, which throws me slightly, because annoyance is essentially her only expression around me. She holds my gaze for a second. Then she lets out a long sigh in exasperation.

“I’m not here for trouble you idiot.”

I raise a single brow and wait for her to continue talking.

She looks away and takes a deep breath before turning back. “I came to apologize. For what I did before and you getting hurt because of my actions.” She pauses for a moment. “I was out of line, and I know it was wrong to attack you.”

My eyebrows go up before I can stop them.

I genuinely did not see that coming.

I try to study her face for a moment, looking for the lie, because there’s always a catch or secret meaning with these people. But she just stands there looking uncomfortable instead of hostile, which is a new look on her entirely.

Cinder told her to do this. That’s the obvious answer. Whether she beat the stubbornness out of her or just applied enough pressure that Emerald figured out compliance was easier, the outcome is the same. The apology isn’t entirely hers. But she still had to stand here and say the words to me that must taste like bile to her.

I can work with that and dismiss the brass knuckles. I can be safe that there won’t be a fight here.

“Okay…” I say, tilting my head. “Is that all?”

“No.” She uncrosses her arms, her posture visibly relaxing. “Cinder wants to hire you for a job. She’s asking through me.”

I blink. “Hire me?”

“Yes.”

I let that sit for a second. Because that’s a big shift from sending her lapdog to try to strangle me in an alley months ago. Either Cinder has genuinely changed her views and her approach to things, or she needs something badly enough to pretend she cares, and I’m the only viable option.

Either way, this has gotten me curious about where it might go.

“Alright, alright.” I raise a hand. “I’ll bite. What does your boss want, and what’s she offering?”

Emerald reaches into her coat and pulls out a package, then tosses it to me without any ceremony.

I catch it, tear it open, and my eyes go wide.

That is a lot of Lien.

I can only stare at it with my mouth hanging open at this much money so casually dropped in my lap. How does Cinder have so much money with her? And I have a strong feeling that this much doesn’t even faze her because from the few times I have talked with her, I know she isn’t the type to give things. Maybe this fortune is the result of all the stuff she had us move months ago, all the stuff that could be measured in the number of cargo ships.

And most of them were filled with dust…

I think about the dust shop prices I’ve been walking past lately, which have gone insane over the past few months.

Cinder’s been busy, apparently. But dipping her hands in gouging dust prices for profit would explain this wealth.

“That’s the upfront half,” Emerald adds..

I look up. “This is half…”

She nods.

I can’t help the abrupt laugh that comes out of me. I store the package in my inventory and watch the balance update with a number that would have made my old Vacuo self fall over. Or how my dumb self was so happy in getting paid a few miserable thousands per job when I was under Roman’s thumb.

And that prick now can only seethe and grind his teeth, especially when I rub it on his face that I’m fucking Neo.

How times change.

“Spit it out then,” I say, keeping my voice even. “What’s the job?”

Emerald’s expression twists into a deep frown. “Don’t be an idiot. I’m not discussing specifics out in the open.”

I glance around the park and find a single woman walking a dog near the far path. A kid on a bench with a scroll.

“Fair enough.”

She turns slightly, already moving. “Follow me.”

I look at her back for a moment.

I still don’t like her. That hasn’t changed and probably won’t. She’s Cinder’s lapdog, through and through, and the only reason she’s standing in this park being civil is because her boss needs something, and I’m apparently the best available option for it. I’m not the damage she caused to me.

But she’s not being a stuck-up bitch about it today, the money is objectively hard to argue with, and I’ve been lying in a park for the better part of an hour trying to figure out what I want to do with my time.

I stand up, brush the grass off my pants and jacket, and follow her somewhere with better privacy.

The alley she picks is narrow and unremarkable, wedged between two buildings that look like they haven’t seen maintenance in years. Which is rather odd, given that this part of the city isn’t bad by any measure. If it was those closer to the slums, then yeah, but here?

There are no windows facing this direction, no foot traffic, a dead end at the back. So this is a smart choice for a private talk or as much as it can be, because inside an abandoned building would be better, but there are none here.

Why not the roof of a random building? Meh, don’t overcomplicate things.

Emerald stops at the dead end and turns around.

“It’s the White Fang.” she says, without preamble.

I stare at her. “What about them?”

Haven’t heard that name in a while now that I think about it.

“They’ve come back and been causing problems. Hit two of Cinder’s holdings in the last few weeks. Took supplies, roughed up some people.” She crosses her arms, and her expression furrows. “She wants them dealt with.”

My mind goes to Blake for half a second, then slides off her just as fast. She’s not running the Vale branch anymore after whatever happened that landed her at Beacon and also her selective amnesia. Whatever happens to whoever’s in charge now is none of her business and none of mine.

So who stepped in to fill that gap? And whoever it is decided that raiding Cinder’s operation was a productive use of their time.

Although. Now that I’m actually thinking about it. Should I be helping Cinder with this? The White Fang being a thorn in her side is objectively, a good thing in my book. 

I should just take the name and tell them to fuck off so the Fang keeps being a nuisance to that bitch.

Sounds very tempting now.

“You want me to hit their new base?”

“Yes.”

“Walk in, break a couple things, then break some noses or bones.” I tilt my head slightly. “That’s the job?”

“That’s...” She pauses, opening her mouth and closing it before giving me a quick nod. “In simple terms, yes.”

I hold my chin and think it through properly.

Cinder having problems is good for me in the short term. But Cinder getting increasingly frustrated with no outlet is bad for me in the medium term, because eventually that frustration goes somewhere, and I’m one of the more convenient targets on her list. Neo would back me if it came to another fight, she helped me last time after all. But I’m not stronger than Cinder yet, not decisively, which means fighting is still the worse option compared to negotiating. And you can only negotiate with someone who feels like they need something from you.

So this is progress toward that position of advantage. And Cinder’s paying well enough to make the progress worth it.

Then there’s Sienna Khan.

That thought alone makes me clench my teeth. The so-called pilgrimage she roped me into all that time ago, the complete and total arrogance and audacity of that bitch that I’d somehow be grateful for, that it would be an honor instead of having my plans yanked sideways by someone who never asked. She was the first one to ruin my life before I even understood what direction I was heading to.

This new Vale branch isn’t directly under her. But it’s her organization and her people.

My people too but…

Getting paid handsomely to make their lives difficult sits just fine with me. It’s not what I’m owed. But it’s pretty close to it, and I’ll take it for now. Eventually I will have my chance to punch her in the throat.

“Why me?” I decide to ask. “Why not Mercury?” 

Like that asshole is her partner and all that.

Something flickers across her face before she lets out a sigh. “He’s occupied with another job. That’s all you need to know, so don’t bother pushing.”

“So I’m the backup option.”

“You’re the available option,” she says, like there’s a difference between those two things.

Fair enough, I guess.

“Do you have a plan for this? Or is this just walking in and causing as much chaos as possible? I’m fine either way, I just want to know what I’m walking into.”

Emerald rolls her eyes. “No complex multi phases plan if that’s what you are worried about. You go in through the main entrance and make as much noise as possible. Keep their attention on you.” A short pause. “I come in through a separate point and retrieve files they took from us.”

They stole files?

I’m briefly curious about what kind, then immediately stop being curious because it doesn’t matter and I don’t need more of Cinder’s problems living in my head rent-free.

So how do those things help to deal with them? Maybe my actions will cripple them?

“So I’m the bait.” I state flatly.

“You’re the disruption.” She tries to correct me, which is a bait with a professional coat of paint on it.

“Sure, whatever you say.” I shrug. “In and out. How many are we talking?”

The corner of her mouth curls into a small smile. “Enough to make it interesting. Isn’t that what you’re after?”

I frown slightly because she’s right, and I don’t particularly want her to be right.

“Should I expect aura users or just regular mooks?”

“A few at most.” Another shrug. “The majority are foot soldiers. The Fang doesn’t use hunters most of the time, and if there are, they are mostly in Mistral.”

So no hidden hunter to fuck things up, cool.

So, considering that I’m level 30 now, with a room full of targets and no particular reason to hold back on the new moves and stuff I’ve gained from reaching that milestone.

This is almost convenient.

“Alright.” I let go of my chin and roll my shoulders. “Fine, I’m in. But just so we’re clear, I’m will be testing a few things and having some fun while at it. You don’t mind what I do on my end, right?”

I will still do it if she rejects it though.

Emerald rolls her eyes and gives me a single short nod.

“This will be in two days,” she says, already pulling her coat tighter and turning to go. “South side, slums’ entrance. I’ll give you the rest of the details there.” She pauses just long enough to add, without looking back. “And don’t be late.”

No time? Then probably means morning hours.

Then she’s gone.

I wait a few seconds, giving her enough distance that we’re not walking out of the same alley in the same direction, which would defeat the point of the whole discreet meeting thing.

Then I pull out my scroll.

‘Going to beat up White Fang mooks in two days. Wanna come?’

I send it and lean back against the wall. I did promise Neo I’d always give her a heads up before I go after gangs, and the White Fang technically qualifies, so I’m keeping my word. Keeping her happy is always a good thing, after all.

Also, it would be good to hang out like that again, if I’m being honest. She might teach me a new trick too.

Neo’s reply comes back in under a minute.

A single thumbs up emoji.

I snort, pocket my scroll, and head back toward the park to pick up where I left off.

Doing nothing in particular.

Not a bad afternoon, all things considered.

----------------------------------------

I slam the last one’s head against the wooden table hard enough to shatter it on the spot, then straighten up and stretch my arms above my head, working out the tension in my shoulders with a slow roll.

Only then I decide to take a quick look around.

The room is a mess of groaning bodies, broken furniture, and scattered White Fang masks. 

That was it. That was the whole cell.

Honestly? Too easy. No different from clearing out a no-name, street gang, just with matching uniforms and much less babblering. I was expecting at least a couple of aura users, as I got one, and she went down in under a minute.

Dunno how to feel, I didn’t really put that much effort, but at the same time it also proves how strong I’ve become since I started over a year ago. But well, it was just an aura user, not a hunter, big difference there.

The click of heels reaches me before I turn. Neo steps in from the side corridor, twirling her spike lazily between two fingers before sliding it back into the parasol with a quiet snick. She settles it open against her shoulder then glances at me with an innocent smile.

“Anything fun on your end?” I ask.

She puts a finger under her chin, considers, then gives me a flat so-so gesture.

“Figured as much.”

That’s when somebody coughs from below.

I look down.

The woman I smashed against the table is on her hands and knees on the floor, trembling with the effort of it, blood dripping from a split lip. Deer faunus, judging by the short antlers visible now that her mask came off somewhere during the scuffle. She gets one hand under herself and looks up at me, chest heaving.

“W-Why?” Her voice comes out hoarse but loud. “Why are you doing this? We’re fighting for our people, and you’re just some hired muscle for humans!”

I blink and look down at her.

She stares back up at me expecting an answer.

I open my mouth.

Then close it.

Because I don’t actually have an answer worth giving. Because I got paid? Or because I simply hate Sienna?

I do care…. To a degree about my people, but now that I have things, I suddenly don’t put much thought about the entire issue. 

I look at Neo instead.

Neo looks at the woman on the floor. Then her face twists into that slow manic grin s, eyes lighting up because she just got an idea. She walks over, crouches down to the deer faunus’s eye level, pats her once on the cheek, and then grabs her by both ankles.

And drags her away toward the back room without breaking stride.

The woman yelps and grabs at the floor and finds nothing to grip.

I watch them disappear through the doorway.

Neo’s having her fun. I’ll leave her to it.

I look the other direction, nudging a collapsed shelf out of my path, and wonder if Emerald’s already done with her end. She said retrieval, not an extended operation, so she should have been in and out before the noise settled.

As if on cue, she steps in from the far entrance, a sickle in each hand, neither one particularly clean. She sweeps the room then looks at me.

“Job’s done,” she says. “I’m leaving. Do what you want with this.”

I glance around the room. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Honestly expected a little more. 

But she’s already gone.

Neo reappears from the back room a moment later, skipping, parasol spinning over one shoulder.. She glances around, takes in the general state of the place, and then produces a lighter from somewhere.

Flicks it open.

Tosses it.

The flame catches a pile of scattered papers near the far wall and moves fast, jumping to a crate, then the shelf above it.

“Neo.” I stare at the growing fire. “What about them?”

I gesture at the room. The bodies still on the floor, some of them definitely still breathing, groaning, trying to work out which way is up.

Neo tilts her head at me.

‘What about them?’

I open my mouth.

Think about it.

Close my mouth.

I shrug in response.

“Yeah, fair enough.” I step over the guy on the floor and head for the exit. “Come on. I will make you a strawberry cake.”

Neo falls into step beside me, before hooking her arms around mine.

This was their fault after all, not mine. And maybe this will reach Sienna, so fuck that woman.