(F/N) POV
Refining Dust into a liquid, no doubt Weiss would have sent her father all of these notes, I shouldn't think about her. I just finished the machine that is currently taking lightning Dust and turning it into a liquid, turns out that lightning Dust has a special property when in a liquid state, it creates an electric field and it's pretty sizable at that. It took half a week to accomplish that and move it into the dorm where I felt it was safer. I was now working on finishing the nanobot fabricator that the notes mentioned when a knock caught my attention.
Reese: "Sup."
(F/N): "It's Saturday isn't it?"
Reese: "Yup."
(F/N): "Shit."
Reese: "It's all good, but I did remember what me and Arslan were going to get so she's be tagging along."
(F/N): "Alright, let me just bring this to my dorm and I'll meet up with you both at the front entrance."
Reese: "Sounds like a plan. Hey, what's that machine for by the way?"
(F/N): "It's going to help me make my weapon."
Reese: "Huh, must be something... well, I'm going to get Arslan, see ya."
(F/N): "Be there shortly."
Bringing the machine to the dorm room I was met with Auburn, she has been spending most of her time in our room ever since I made the Dust machine. She told me that Cyan dragged Lapis to the library to help her study. I told her I'd be back later and was going into the city with Reese and Arslan, she gave me a concerned look, at least I think it was, it can be hard to tell with how little her facial expressions, still she wished me well. I went to the front entrance and met up with Reese and Arslan, we quickly left to make up for lost time. While we went to the marketplace we talked more about Beacon and Haven, also somethings about our families and past.
The marketplace itself was quite lively with people all around, stalls were filled with food, weapons, clothes, or gift items like jewelry, flowers, and books. The last one of which Reese wanted to get for her sister whose birthday was coming up soon, and according to Arslan she has forgotten that a few times this past month. After we got the book we went to a tea shop called the Jade Palace, run by a woman with long black hair and a light complexion, she wore long robes and cared a long smoke pipe.
Arslan: "Jade, it's a pleasure to see you again."
Jade: "Ah if it isn't my favorite customer."
Reese: "What about me?"
Jade: "Meh." She looked me up and down. "You're new, what's your name?"
(F/N): "(F/N) Light, it's nice to meet you." I offer a hand up she simply looks at it.
Jade: "For someone with the name light..." She took my right hand and turned my palm up. "How many times?"
(F/N): "What?"
Jade: "Your heart, how many times was it broken?"
Arslan: "Her semblance helps her read people."
(F/N): "Oh, well I wouldn't say my heart was broken."
Jade: "Interesting. Let's get you three something to drink." She walked us over to a table in the back and said someone would be with us shortly.
Reese: "So what do you think of Mistral so far?"
(F/N): "It's an interesting place, seems more lively then Vale."
Arslan: "That would be the size difference, though with a greater size comes the difficulty of maintaining order."
Reese: "Yeah, but you don't have to worry abo-" An angered voice came form outside.
Man: "Hey you freak! Watch where you're going!" The three of us went outside to see a man kick a dog eared faunus girl, her groceries her on the ground. I went over and tapped him on the shoulder. "What do you-" I threw a hard right punch straight to his face, causing him to stagger.
(F/N): "You should leave."
Man: "You bastard! Ah why the hell are you defending this freak?!" Reese and Arslan came to my side.
Reese: "Why don't you shut your mouth?!" The sound of a gun shot came from behind us, we all looked to see Jade aiming a pistol in the air, some of her servers stood beside her with guns.
Jade: "I will not tolerate just noise." She stepped forward and stared with her authority. "I will especially not tolerate someone putting their hands on my workers." She aimed at him. "Leave, and pray none of my people see you." She man started to shake, he ran screaming he was sorry. "Maple."
Maple: "I'm s-sorry ma'am, I'll use my own money to-"
Jade: "It's fine, go inside."
Maple: "Y-yes ma'am!" The faunus girl got us and ran inside.
Jade: "Arslan, Reese, help Red pick things up. (F/N)." She looks at me. "Follow." I looked Arslan.
Arslan: "Just do what she says, you'll be fine."
I did as Jade said and followed her inside, she led me to the back into a room with a table and cushions at the center. She told me to take a seat as she shut the door before she took a seat across from me. She took out her smoke pipe and lit it, taking a few calming breaths and rubbing her temple.
Jade: *sigh* "Idiots... people used to know better then to start something in front of my store, now they're attacking my workers. People on the lower levels were scum but they at least didn't mess with anyone out of fear." She takes another smoke then continues. "Have you ever heard the Salem before?"
(F/N): "No, I haven't-"
Jade: "Quiet." I stopped talking. "Short answers. Do you want to know what I read about you?"
(F/N): "Sure."
Jade: "There was tension, a faint shake, your eyes told me you don't sleep, I can also tell you hardly eat. You act stable but I can tell you're boiling over on the inside, that's why you stepped in, you needed to get it out."
(F/N): "How-"
Jade: "Tell me, what are you doing with your life?"
(F/N): "I um... I honestly don't know anymore."
Jade: "What were you doing with your life?"
(F/N): "Making a weapon... when I was young I watched my father die, I told myself there was something I could have done... you know what they say 'war to end all wars', 'a weapon to scare off all threats'. I was going to make one... give power to the powerless."
Jade: "Dreams are often hard if not impossible to achieve."
(F/N): "Yeah... I didn't achieve it, someone else did. That took away all purpose from it."
Jade: "Still... make sure you do the right thing and not what you believe is right."
(F/N): "What do you mean 'do the right thing'?" She smirks.
Jade: "I thought I was asking the questions. You remind me of a man I once knew, he was poor but hard working. When him and his wife had spare money they'd bring their little girl here for her favorite cake and tea. Seeing her smile removed the tension in his hand, the same tension you have. He saw his home burn with his wife and daughter inside, he snapped and to this day he hunts humans."
(F/N): "So he was a faunus."
Jade: "It was after that event happened many of the faunus here protested calling for equal protection by the law. The council gave it, but it is a hollow act as you could see." She takes another smoke. "If you had someone who wronged you at the end of a gun, would you pull the trigger? The honest answer is that you don't know, because in reality we do not see ourselves for what we truly are, we don't know what we'd truly do in a situation."
(F/N): "You think I'll become like him?"
Jade: "I think it's up to you." She takes one more smoke before standing up. "Let us see how the girls are." I got up and walked with her back to the dinning area, Arslan and Reese were sitting where we were before but got up when Jade approached.
Reese: "Hey, you're alive! That's good." Arslan lightly punched her in the side.
Arslan: "What she means is, thank you for honoring our friend."
Jade: "It was a pleasure talking with him." She looks over to me. "Remember our doors are always open."
(F/N): "Thanks." She left without another word, Arslan grabbed my hand and pulled me outside. "Hey, what is it?"
Arslan: "I'm not insane enough to talk about her with her staff around."
(F/N): "Who exactly is she?"
Reese: "The biggest crime boss in Mistral."
Arslan: "That's the blunt way of putting it, and before you ask no we can't go after her."
Reese: "For a crime boss she's really popular with most people."
Arslan: "The majority of faunus included, if you didn't notice her entire staff is made of faunus who get paid well."
Reese: "The lower levels love her, she's helped improve life down there for a lot of people."
Arslan: "In other words if something were to happen to her the council and elite would be facing a city wide riot."
(F/N): "Interesting... so what are we going to do now?" Reese shrugged and looked at Arslan.
Reese: "What do you think?" Arslan gestured to me.
Arslan: "(F/N)?"
(F/N): "Hmm, is there a karaoke bar?" the two girls looked at each other, then back to me.
Reese: "I didn't take you for a karaoke person."
(Time Skip as Chibi Auburn watches Chibi (F/N) sleep talk)
(F/N): "And I'll watch you burn!" Arslan and Reese applauded as I finished the song.
Reese: "Great! Great!" She grabbed her drink and chugged it down. "This was a great idea!"
Arslan: "Reese, you're drunk. I think watching paint dry would be exciting to you right now."
Reese: "That's not true!" I just laugh.
(F/N): "I think we should call it a day."
Reese: "What? Noooo we were having fun."
Arslan: "I think he's right, we should get you back while you can still walk."
Reese: "But I can handle a few more drink-" Her cheeks puffed, in a panic she went for the trashcan.
(F/N): "Come on."
After Reese emptied her stomach we went back to Haven, there we met up with the rest of team who helped carry her to their room. I said my goodbye and went to my teams room and found them sitting around, Cyan was studying while Auburn was sharpening her blade, as for Lapis she looked up from her scroll with a grin on her face. I just ignored her and went over to my machines, and I was about to start the final parts of the nanobot fabricator when I felt arms wrap around me as I sat.
Lapis: "So how did your date go?"
(F/N): "It wasn't a date."
Lapis: "What are you talking about? You and Reese-"
(F/N): "And Arslan."
Lapis: "She went too?"
(F/N): "Yeah." I tried to focus on the machine.
Lapis: "Oh, well, maybe you and Reese can go out tomorr-"
(F/N): "Lapis." I get up and turn around. "Stop. I don't need a you bugging me right now."
Lapis: "I'm just-"
(F/N): "I don't care!" The three of them looked at me, Auburn was mute like usual, Cyan was shocked, but Lapis was more with a hint of sadness.
Lapis: "I... I'm sorry."
(F/N): "No, I'm sorry I shouldn't have yelled."
Cyan: "What's wrong?"
(F/N): "It's this woman we met, her name's Jade. She asked me how many times my heart broke. Five, I've had it broken five times." Lapis counts her fingers.
Lapis: "Ruby, Yang, and Weiss makes three so..."
(F/N): "My mom blamed me for my dads death, told me I should have gone to combat school like my sister. The second time was when I proposed the nanobots to Doctor Edison, he crushed my dreams, told me how fictional my ideas were and to leave the real science to the professionals." I picked up the machine and went to the door. "I'll be back later."
That night I spent my time alone in the workshop and finished the nanobot fabricator, while it started to build the swarm I worked on the last two pieces, the gauntlets and glasses. The first one was the storage for the nanobots, power supple, and computer, while the glasses were for tracking my aura and scanning weapons, there are other functions as well. I kept busy, not stopping for a single break, and by morning I was holding a solid sword built from nanobots.