Once again I found myself on the familiar hilltop, with the familiar breeze on my face as the familiar sound of leaves gently touching to the ground and rolling in the wind lightly filled the air around me. I took a deep breath as I always did before departing. Then I smiled as I hard leaves being rustled behind me in a familiar skipping pattern.
"Not like you to be out and about in the early afternoon miss Neopolitan"
I turned to greet my diminutive devil with a smile as she came to a stop in front of me.
"Didn't know you knew my special relaxation areas" I chuckled.
She tapped her finger three times against her head.
"I'm well aware of how crafty you are my deductive damsel of death"
She took a bow before rising again, opening Hush over her shoulder as she stood.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
She closed her parasol and in a swift movement pointed her arm in the direction I knew the warehouse to be.
"Roman wants me back?"
She shook her head.
"Oh of course, you know he's lost without me so you came to ensure his most valuable asset is secure and ready"
She folded her arms at my words of 'valuable asset'.
"You disagree? Why who else could possibly fit that description?"
I was just quick enough to deflect Hush away from jabbing me in the gut.
"Not fast enough" I smirked as she placed the weapon back over her shoulder and shrugged. I knew she would just bide her time to get me again though, and to be honest I looked forward to it. She began her skipping decent down the hillside and I followed behind.
"So, Is there a lot of activity back at HQ?"
Neo nodded before spreading her arms out to indicate something of a large quantity.
"Business has definitely been good lately. Things have only gotten better for us since that whole clusterfuck at the docks. Really wish you had been there Neo, would have been great"
She hooked my neck with her parasol handle, notably more gentle then usual, although still sudden. I assumed she was taking me by surprise but instead she just knocked my hip with hers playfully. A sign of endearment from Neo was a rarity, I didn't even try to hide the smile. I placed a cautious hand round her shoulder for a moment, worried that even with the playful display, she would still be more than happy to break my arm. But she didn't seem to mind the contact all that much.
"Its a shame ya know" She looked at me with what I could only assume was a quizzical expression as I removed my hand from her shoulder. "I feel like we only fight each other anymore, been awhile since we fought actually alongside each other"
Neo shrugged nonchalantly.
"You're right, I'm sure we'll get the opportunity. Especially now we're on huntsman radars more than ever"
Neo smacked her weapon against her palm.
"I know you're more then looking forward to those encounters"
Some time later we made it to our secluded hanger hideaway. First thing I noticed was the high energy concentration. All those auras and all the dust, would have disorientated me if I wasn't acclimated to it by now. Next thing I noticed was the vibrations of a certain pair of metal legs on the ground and the auras of a pair of irritating teenagers.
"Well well, look who's decided to grace us with their presence" I turned to Neo only to find her aura nowhere. How the hell had she managed to sneak away without me sensing it?
"That women is something special" I smiled to myself, heading in behind Emerald and Mercury. They were approaching Romans workstation when I called out.
"Oh look Roman, she sent the kids again"
He perked up and moved over to them, placing an arm around each one as I came to join him in the planning area.
"This is turning out just like the divorce" Roman said, incurring a shudder from Emerald.
"spare us the thought of you procreating"
"That was a joke" Roman droned as he walked away from the two a few paces before turning back to face them, holding something in his hand. "And this just might tell me where you two have been all day"
Emerald let out a small gasp as she checked her pocket for what I assume was the object in Romans hand.
"I'm a professional sweetheart, pay attention you might learn something.......where did you get this address?"
"Wouldn't you like to know"
I chimed in now. "Yeah thats why he asked. Care to tell us what you were doing?"
Mercury stepped in "Cleaning up YOUR problems. One of them at least"
Roman slowly spun to face me. "I thought you had that under control" My confidence shattered like one of Neo's allusions as I remembered the deserter. The one I was supposed to murder
"Uhhhh"
Mercury cut me off, rubbing salt into the wound "Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise. What happened? Could you not read the signs?"
I stepped up to the smug bastard "Listen punk, If it was up to me, I would take you and your little street rat friend here and I would-"
"Do what (Y/N)?"
The echo from above cut through me like a hot knife through butter. I was to caught up in mine and Romans argument to notice the burning aura pulsating above. But now it had my full attention.
"I would uhhhh"
"Not kill them?" Roman filled in for me.
"Cinder" Emerald called out excitedly. How she had so much love for a sadistic psychopath like Cinder was beyond me.......Wait. Is Neo a psychopath?
Anyway, Cinder was at our level now and yet her presence still eclipsed me and Roman as she approached.
"I thought I made it clear you were to eliminate the would be run away"
"I was going to-" Roman went to explain before Emerald cut in.
"He palmed it off on his blind friend and then they both almost let him escape. So me and Mercury took it upon ourselves to kill the rat"
"I think he was some kind of cat actually" Mercury corrected.
"What like a puma?"
"Yeah exactly"
I took the small opening I had to get my own back on these two. "Rat, Cat who cares? Its only murder in broad freaking daylight"
"Quiet"
Cinders voice silenced me like a gunshot before she turned to her lackies.
"He does have a valid point you two. Did I not specifically instruct you to keep your hands clean while in Vale?"
Emeralds tone was embarrassed and dejected "I just thought-"
"Do not think. Obey"
At this point Roman was amusing himself. Dragging his finger across his throat as Cinder chewed out her young subordinates and I had to stifle my laugh.
"Yes ma'am, it won't happen again" Emerald complied and Cinder turned her attention back to me and Roman.
"And you two. Why was this not handled sooner?"
Roman made a show of gesturing to his right. Then his left. And then behind him to the massive crates, completely brimming with dust.
"Sorry if we've been a little busy stealing every speck of dust in the kingdom"
Mercury immediately had to undermine Romans showmanship of course. "You're an inspiration to every punk with a gun and a ski mask"
I clapped back though "Uh huh, and where would you be without us kid? We've got this town running scared" I said with a smirk, rightfully confidant to shut this brat down. Roman continued playing up our efforts. I always loved it when we bounced off each others words.
"Police camping out at every corner, dust prices through the roof AND, we're sitting pretty in an old warehouse with more dust crystals, vials and rounds then we know what to do with" He spun on his heel to face Cinder "Speaking of which. If you wanted to fill me in on your master plan it just might make the next string of robberies go a little smoother"
Cinder stepped towards him, her glass heels clinking with each step. "Oh Roman, you'll know what you need to when you need to know it" She said, lightly touching his cheek.
I couldn't help but mutter my thoughts. "Yeah, the cooperation here is just so open"
Cinder gave me a glance. "Well, if you must know (Y/N) we're actually done with dust"
"What?"
"Okaaay then what now?" Roman enquired as me and him shared a quick glance of confusion.
Cinder answered, "We're moving, have the white fang clear this place out. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight. We're moving to phase two"
As she sauntered away I turned to Roman. "There's a phase two and nobody told me?"
He grunted and put something in his mouth before searching his pockets. I heard the chink of what sounded like his lighter and he looked to Emeralds direction. I did the same as she clicked it shut and followed after her master. I sighed deeply.
"Well that went as smoothly as it usually does"
A small metal thunk signaled a new presence. I looked up and Neo's aura stood atop the stack of crates.
"Just like you to escape the scolding Neo" I smirked and she sat with her legs crossed, hanging over the crates edge as Roman moved for the stairs to the walkway above.
"But back just in time. We've got work to do"