Save the world? Fuck that, I want to make money! (RWBY SI) ch 72

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Despite the fact that they were going to see people her father warned her not to associate with, Ruby had to admit she was rather excited. For one, she was going out with her team as a group and for a dedicated awkward loner like her, that was an achievement in more ways than one. Then, Blake seemed to like her answer from earlier. She was good at this Team Leader business far more than she initially thought. If anything, mom would be so proud of her. 

​Ruby felt however that mom would not be so proud of her as she, Yang, and Weiss followed Blake through the city. 

"I can't believe I am really doing this," Weiss muttered under her breath. 

"Doing what, Ice Queen?" Yang asked, leaning in. 

Weiss rolled her eyes. She should really get used to Yang's quips by now. "I am the SDC heiress walking into the White Fang's embassy with daughter of Menagerie's chief taking me. Considering our history, it sounds almost unbelievable." 

"Things change over time," Blake said, stopping. That was true of course. What with the SDC cleaning its act through the years and the Belladonna's taking a much more active role in leading the White Fang and Menagerie. 

"Why've we stopped?" Weiss asked, blinking. Blake raised her fingers forward. 

"That," she said flatly. Ahead, a crowd had gathered waving signs and placards before the White Fang's gate. Outside, Sentinels and Riot Police stood guard, watching the protests balefully.

"Oh for the love of-" Weiss clicked her tongue. 

"We'll find another way in," Blake replied as she glanced around. 

"Yang, what are they upset about?" Ruby asked, peeking through the group. Ruby had never really been interested in politics before. Politics was confusing and messy and something adults talked about lots. She would rather much be upgrading Crescent Rose or looking up sick weapon showcases on Scrolltube. Or reading comics. 

"Ruby, I really don't know," Yang replied, just as lost as Ruby was. To Yang, politics was something spoken by old guys like dad or Uncle Qrow. She was not an old guy however and so, politics was way beyond what she would tolerate talking about. 

"Gods, are you two just dense?" Weiss clicked her tongue. 

"No, just normal people," Yang replied with a grin. 

"They're upset about the art theft and how there were faunus involved. They think the White Fang were involved with it because of those faunus," Weiss summarized. That was a stupid way to think, she felt. To lump a entire group as criminal simply because of the actions of a few was lazy and dangerous. 

"I found a way inside," Blake reported, her scroll present in her hand. "Let's get to the back. The embassy has a hidden exit." 

"Blake, when you become the new chief of Menagerie, can we get invited to your coronation or something?" Yang asked sweetly. 

Blake rolled her eyes but mustered an amused look regardless. "I am not a Princess, Yang." 

"Dude, your dad leads a country. You are quite literally one." 

"Whatever," 

+++

"I am so sorry about the disturbance outside, Miss Belladonna. They just showed up after another and it's not like we can get rid of them," apologized the Ambassador. He wore a respectable black suit, with matching vest and slacks and a white undershirt. His black hair was cleanly cut, and had noticeable sideburns, and a clear muscular body underneath. While the office was cleanly decorated, the airs the ambassador presented himself was casual and relaxed. If this was a Solitan office, the man would be much more pompous and proud, no doubt, thought Weiss. The only things that made it look 'official' was the White Fang and Menagerie flags on pedestals at his back. 

They were seated on chairs. Refreshments had been offered and Ruby took the moment to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows inside. Yang accepted some coffee, and she herself took to a small plate of rough looking biscuits that tasted of oats and some syrup base. Blake declined the food however. 

"It's alright," Blake assured him. Gone was the relaxed stance she would be doing at school. Instead, she sat properly, her back straight. "I just wanted to come by and ask some questions." 

"Ask away," the ambassador replied with a nod. 

"Do you know if any of our people have involved themselves with Torchwick?" Blake asked. 

"None that I know of. Members of our organization have kept ourselves clean and orderly. If any of our people have decided to take matters into their own hands, they would most likely be Red Fang. Sienna's lot," replied the ambassador after some moment's thinking. Weiss listened on and figured that the man was telling the truth. 

"That won't stop the Fleur and their supporters from thinking otherwise," Blake muttered. 

"It's unfortunate that there are some humans who can't distinguish normal everday faunus from those taken to Sienna's ideology. But such is life. What we can do is to live our lives as normally, show that we are different, and that we are friends, not enemies." the ambassador explained. He held out his hand and pulled back his sleeves to show off his scars. Yang leaned in interest, noting that the man was much more muscular than he let out on. 

"I used to know Sienna Khan, back when she led the operations here in Vale. These were wounds I sustained back then in a world much less kinder than the one we have now," the ambassador said as he pulled his sleeves back, to Yang's inner disappointment. 

"The White Fang have achieved much of its aims now. Our people are healthier, wealthier, and much more respected than before. Not just our effort but that also of our new friends as well," the ambassador smiled, looking towards Weiss who preened. 

"The Red Fang are different however. They would let past grievances cloud their judgement too much. I understand where they are coming from but a continuous cycle of violence..." the ambassador shook his head. He paused, noting the looks on the girl's faces. He laughed nervously, shaking his head. 

"I'm sorry, I'm just an old veteran reminiscing on what's happened. Is there anything else you need, Miss Belladonna?" he asked kindly. 

"Yes, just one more thing," Blake said, smiling as well. She had enjoyed listening to the ambassador speak it would seem. "Have you heard any rumors about the Red Fang? Anything that they might be up to?" 

"None so far, I am afraid. I am White Fang, not Red." the ambassador said jokingly. 

"Then I don't have anything else to talk about," Blake declared as she stood up. "Thank you for your time, Ambassador." 

"Of course," the ambassador replied as he stood up as well. "Anything for the Chieftain's daughter." 

From the back, Blake felt Yang mouthing the word princess under her breath. 

"I have a question, actually," Weiss spoke up. "These biscuits, they're wonderful. What are they called?" 

"Oh? Those? They're just biscuits, Miss Schnee. They were a staple back in the day when Menagerie was wilder and more primal. Clearing the jungle often meant long hours away from home so wives made a ration with ingredients that do not spoil easily. The sweetener was added to make it more palatable," the ambassador explained. 

Weiss nodded, looking at the last biscuit in her hand. For someone that appreciated knowledge in all its forms, knowing that she was tasting history was an experience she would cherish. She munched on it, smiling. 

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"Well, that was a thing," Yang pointed out as they walked. The sun was on its highest now and in the distance, the crystal blue waters of Vale's coat bubbled. Ahead, the seagulls flew above making their calls and Weiss was doing her best not to die of heat exhaustion. Her clothes clung to her body, sticky and sweaty. 

​"How...do...you...function?" she breathed out, her pale skin turning red from the heat. 

"Hm? Ohhhhhh," Yang smirked. "What's wrong, Weiss Cream? Melting already?" 

"We should get ice cream!" Ruby declared excitedly. She turned to Weiss, eyes glittering. "Weiss, bestie, let's get ice cream! That'll cool you down!" 

"You are wearing black, with tights and a hood. How are you not overheating?" Weiss breathed out. Ice Cream and some shade sounded real good as well.

"I got used to it?" Ruby blinked. But their plans were cut short as Blake spoke up.

"I am not satisfied," Blake clicked her tongue, frowning. "We should check how my people are doing. Let's see how they are in their districts." 

"Gods, Blake, you already heard from that ambassador guy. Your people are fine," Yang attested. "Also, where do you guys find ambassadors because that dude was packing, you know? Is he single?" 

​The girls all looked upon her with varying degrees of disgust and concern. Yang snorted. "Look, I am a girl that appreciates art and nothing's more finer than a nice toned physique, you know?" 

"Yang, is it really an appropriate moment to talk about your fetishes?" Weiss asked, tilting her head. 

"It's not a fetish!" Yang exclaimed quickly. "I just like muscles, is all!" 

"What's a fetish?" Ruby asked innocently. 

"We'll tell you when you are older," Blake smiled awkwardly, patting Ruby on the back. Ruby frowned. 

"I am older! I am fifteen!" Ruby squawked indignantly. 

"Older than that. Maybe when you are twenty. Or thirty," Yang chuckled as she walked up, ruffling Ruby's head. Ruby growled, trying and failing to swat her hand away. 

"Yaaaaang! That's too old! And stop treating me like a kid! I am your Team Le-" 

A gruff voice suddenly cried out, interrupting them. "OI! STOP THAT NO GOOD STOW-AWAY!" The clinking of chains and the rapping of boots followed. The girls turned as a figure leapt up and hung by a street-light. Hung by a golden yellow monkey tail. 

"A now good stow-away would have been caught!" the monkey faunus yelled back as he dropped from the street-light and stood on his legs. Then, he turned and ran their direction. Blake watched as the monkey faunus, clad in a open and unbuttoned shirt exposing his muscular midriff ran past. Their eyes met. Blonde eyes met golden yellow. And he winked. 

The girls stood aside as men chased after him, clad in the fatigues of dock workers. But it was too little too late as the monkey faunus leapt up on another street-light and onto an adjacent building next to him. 

"Fucking...Faunus..." the nearest dockworker breathed out, sweating heavily. They all shook their heads, turning back for the docks. The same dockworkers stopped walking, seeing Blake. He flashed her a dirty look before walking away. 

Blake blinked. 

"Did that guy just-?" Yang asked dangerously. 

"Yes. Yes he did," Weiss nodded, turning to the retreating man. 

"Give me a moment," Yang promised as she turned, pushing past Weiss as she yelled after the man. 

"Hey! Wharfie!" 

"Huh?" 

The man's scream was cut short as a closed and tight fist found his face. 

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​Of all the things Weiss Schnee planned to do that day, running from Valean Police and their security robots was not one of them. Neither was ducking behind a smelly old dumpster, her team couched right behind her. Ahead, the police cruiser zipped past, leaving the street clear of them. As soon as Yang had delivered that blow to the dockworker's face, someone had called the police and they were forced to run. 

"Coast is clear," Weiss whispered as she stood up, looking back to her team. 

"Can we get ice cream now? It smells here," Ruby sniffed. "Maybe that's just Yang," 

"Excuse you, I use nothing but the best shampoo money can buy. Maybe it's Weiss," Yang laughed. Weiss rolled her eyes, walking up and out of the alley they were in. Behind, the girls followed. She stopped by the street, glancing at different corners to check if any police were there. Thankfully, there was none save for a few ordinary citizens going about their day and giving them looks. 

"Mommy, what are those?" she heard a child ask. The child was quickly shushed by his parent who led him away. 

"Don't look at them, Jonny. They're huntresses. They're weirdos," the woman quickly explained. 

Weiss could not help but feel offended. She was not weird. If anything, that woman was the weird one, telling her own child ridiculous things like that. 

"Alright!" Yang clapped. "Time for ice cream, eh guys?" 

"S-sure. Give me a moment. I am just...shaken." Blake sighed, rubbing her head. Yang paused, offering Blake a sympathetic look. She worried for her partner. While she was apolitical as far as it went, she did draw a line to remarks towards her team-mate. 

"You okay there, Blakey?" Yang asked.

"I was just reminded that we still have a long way to go before people accept equality," Blake sighed, her ears drooping. It was disheartening to be sure but not totally. She still had her team-mates who had her back. Not everyone was like that. To be discouraged now because of one was the height of foolishness and Blake Belladonna was no fool. 

​Ruby sensed the tension in the air. It was clear as day and even in her inexperience, she could grasp it. To calm her nerves, she would usually take nice long walks wondering how best to make her weapon even better. She doubted that would work for Blake but ice cream was always a good idea. "But ice cream will get people to like each other. How about that, guys"

Blake smiled, slightly. "Ice cream sounds nice, Ruby. As an apology to you guys, my treat." 

"Ice Cream? I'd love some too!" A new voice called out. The girls turned immediately. Yang's eyes blazed red, ready for violence, as she raised her fists. Weiss may not have Myrtenaster but that did not mean she was totally helpless. Schnee Glyphs needed no weapon to use after all. Ruby glanced around, ready to rush at them with her semblance. Blake looked just ready to jump at the voice. 

"Woah! Woah woah woah! Chill! Chill! Í'm a friend!" the voice quickly added, the panic apparent on his voice. It was then the voice made himself known as he hopped from the roofs and landed on the alleyway. It was the stow-away from earlier, Weiss remembered. 

"It's you. The guy from earlier," Weiss said aloud. Said guy smiled, his monkey tail swishing playfully. 

"Yup! It's me. Sorry about earlier. Ship crews don't like it when you sneak aboard their ship for some reason," Sun laughed, rubbing the back of his head. 

"Why would you sneak aboard and not pay like a normal person?" Blake blinked. 

"And waste all my Vytal spending money on stuff like rent and transport fees? Oh please!" Sun scoffed, waving it away. 

"Yang, why is his shirt open? Should I look away?" Ruby asked innocently. She had always wondered why her sister was so interested in boy's physiques and abs. She looked at Sun's exposed mid-riff and all she could think about was that they looked like tightly packed pieces of bread. 

"Yeah, uh, do look away, sis," Yang blinked, powering down. To think that she was about to beat someone up for surprising her. With a closer look, he didn't look half-bad. But that begged the queston, "Were you following us, Sun?" she asked carefully. 

"Yep!" Sun admitted quickly and honestly. "I saw the faunus girl with you and I thought, 'Wow, that sure does look like Ghira Belladonna's girl' and what do you know, it actually is the Princess of Menagerie!" 

Yang could not help but snort and giggle, elbowing Blake at her side. Blake took a nice long deep breath, fully aware that Yang was never going to live this down. 

"And you often follow girls around, Mister Wukong?" Weiss asked, her tone bordering on concern and slight disgust. 

"Well, no? I usually try to find people to fight. Test out my skills, a little. I just wanted to see if she was actually the Blake Belladonna because if it was, I wanted to report something to her as a concerned faunus." 

That got Blake's attention immediately. Pushing past her team, she walked up, looking up at Sun who stood a little bit taller than her. "What do you know?" 

​Sun blinked, sweating a little as Blake stared him down. He held out his hands in appeasement. "Nothing too big. I just, uh, heard from some of the other crew that an important shipment was going to be disembarked at the docks." 

"And then what?" Blake demanded. 

"Uh, I asked what it was then they found out where I was hiding so I ran," Sun answered honestly. At the looks the girls gave him, his tail swished. "Look, I get so excited sometimes, okay? And people talk about stuff that should be secret so easily it's like they aren't even trying." 

At that, Blake turned back to her team, towards Ruby. "Guys? What do you think?" 

"We don't have our weapons," Weiss pointed out. 

"We got rocket lockers. We can get them here in no time," Yang pointed out. 

"But we are going to be asked why we needed them. Are you ready to get into trouble after this?" Weiss asked carefully. 

"I mean...this sounds exciting and Blake does need our help, you know," Yang reasoned. Then, she did a double take. "Weiss, you sound like you're weighing the pros and cons of this." 

"Damn it, Xiao Long, I am curious, okay? I want to know what sort of shipment the Red Fang have gotten themselves in," Weiss clicked her tongue. She turned back to Sun. "You, was the SDC involved in anyway?"

"Uh, the SDC was mentioned a couple of times, yes." Sun confirmed. 

​Weiss preened. "Then as the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, I am compelled by my position to investigate further." She softened, turning towards Blake. "That and...I do feel like I owe Blake some help. The SDC is always looking forward to cleaning its image." 

"Ruby?" Yang asked, noting how silent Ruby had been the entire team. Her precocious sister walked up to Blake, looking up at her. 

"Blake, since you are buying us ice cream, we're going to help you out," she declared. It sounded like shaky reasoning to Ruby. She really didn't want to use that as a reason. All she knew was that a Team Member needed help and she was more than ready to help out and be a hero. Not that she was going to tell Yang that and get bullied relentlessly. 

Blake smiled. 

"So...we getting the ice cream before or after?" Sun interjected.

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They crouched low underneath the light. The sun had long since began to dip and the bright blue turned into a orange red. Their weapons were tightly secured in their hands, their eyes affixed on a busy port. Workers by the dozen were slowly starting to desert, leaving it an eerie and quiet. A single cargo ship sat at anchor by the quay, its cranes lifeless for the day. 

"Are you sure this is the place? Because if I had sacrificed my study time to-" Weiss began but she kept herself quiet as suddenly, engines began to roar. Down at the street, trucks sped past, all angling for the docks. 

"Told you so," Sun said, squat on the roof, and with a piece of ice cream in his hand. Weiss rolled her eyes as she took her scroll and snapped pictures. 

"What are you doing?" Yang whispered at her side. 

"The police might use this," Weiss explained as the trucks pulled up and out hopped...humans and faunus? She leaned in closer, snapping pictures all the way. She shook her head. "Red Fang," she muttered under her breath. "I can't believe it. How are they getting people to work with them?" 

"Well...they do promise about making a world without the rich, or something like that," Sun commented, enjoying his ice cream. "That's bound to attract people."

"Sienna needed a coherent ideology to bind people together," Blake explained, watching the display unfold. "It's not hard to see why Southern Mistral was so caught up by it when you know their history." 

"Um...what happened?" Ruby asked, curious. 

"The countryside used to be run by bandits, Ruby. No matter how hard they cried for help, Mistral didn't do anything. That's when Sienna showed up." Blake recounted. "She and John Brown, they first helped out faunus settlements at first then they started assisting other towns. It all snowballed into a wider movement. When Mistral saw that the countryside was clean, they sent people out to try and claim control. By that point, many towns had stopped recognizing Mistral and wanted to follow Sienna instead for obvious reasons." 

Ruby blinked, watching the human and faunus work together without visible tension or pause. They were breaking into the shipping containers and dragging out heavy looking boxes onto the trucks. For her part, Weiss paused, looking at the ground. 

Yang caught this and quietly sat next to her. "You okay there, Weiss Cream?" she asked softly. 

"Yes, Yang, I am fine," Weiss sighed. She glanced to the side where Blake continued recounting the story of the Red Fang to Ruby who listened attentively. 

"It's just..." she hesitated. 

"It's okay. You can let it out," Yang offered. 

"That man Blake said, John Brown. He assassinated my father when he was being sent to trial," Weiss revealed. Yang blinked. 

"Holy sh-" she was about to say. But Weiss cut her off. "It's fine. He wasn't a good man regardless. And I understand where it was coming from considering that days earlier, extremists tried assassinating Blake's family as well with a bomb." 

"How are you two not at each other's throats?" Yang blinked. Knowing all this, she could not blame them from hating each other. 

"Well...I can't exactly say I loved my father too much. You have no idea what sort of a monster he was, Yang." Weiss sighed, looking up. "Look up the Courrières mine disaster and you'll see why." 

Yang nodded, making a mental note to do that. Weiss continued. "As for Blake not hating me...that I don't even know, considering our history. But I suppose I shouldn't look up a gift horse in the mouth. Blake says that her parents helped her out so I guess we should thank them." 

"Guys! Look!" Sun pointed out. 

The girls stopped their conversation as a familiar man in a bowler hat stepped out of a truck, twirling his cane around lazily. His voice was loud, reaching up to them. "Alright, you miserable little bands! Make a clear clearing! I want a nice space before the transports arrive!" 

"Transports?" Blake blinked. Her question was asked quickly as jet engines roared in the distance. Ahead, a dark shape was moving. It was an air freighter, clearly, judging from its size. Following it like bees protecting its queen were two bullheads. 

"We're going to be seen," Weiss whispered urgently. "If we're going to attack, we should do it now!" 

Just as the girls and Sun made ready to leap off the building and attack, something happened. It was minor at first but Sun and Blake hesitated. Weiss halted, seeing them stop. "What?" she asked. 

"We hear something," Blake whispered. 

Weiss spotted it as well. It moved fast, against the wind. It was human shaped with wide wings. Then, it attacked. Missiles flew from its back and propelled itself against the bullheads. Metal screamed and groaned as the missiles struck the bullhead's engines. It swerved, crashing down onto the dockwater below in a display of orange-yellow light. The other missiles swerved past, aiming instead for the docks. Plumes of smoke and ash followed as some of the trucks were engulfed by fire. Screams poured forth from the Red Fang as many were tossed about by the force, landing against walls, against each other. 

"What are you all standing around for? Return fire, you stupid idiots!" Roman yelled from below. At his orders, the Red Fang recovered, took up their arms, and fired. 

And thus, chaos descended. 

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A/N: I lied. Action scene comes next update, uwu.