Save the world? Fuck that, I want to make money! (RWBY SI) ch 45

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The sea bubbled carelessly, free and blue like the sky above. Shade covered me, cooling me from the warm embrace of the sun. A necessity considering Atlesians fared poorly under the sun. Atlesian was a bit outdated now, though, considering the interim government voted to call the new kingdom after the continent, Solitas. It was a bit boring, bland, and unimaginative. But it encompassed the whole continent. No Atlas, no Mantle. Only homeland. But at the moment, I was going to take a break from all that. Now, I had turned off my scroll, found a good spot to lounge at, and relaxed. I had been working way too damn hard as much as I could remember. I deserved a break.

I let out a breath, glancing at the expanding sea beyond. I sat up, considering if I should go and dip into the waters. I had only bought enough stuff just for myself, and once I was done, I can just go back to the facility being set up. Honestly, the Patch Launch Station was going to take some time to finish. I had insisted that every safety precaution had to be considered. No way in hell was I going to rush things. It did have the effect of the facility not being able to be ready by the time Vytal Festival in Vacuo would happen but luckily, I had also proposed a means to circumnavigate that.

Ground was limited. The sea was endless.

It was a wild idea, something that had been thought of back then. A product of endless zeros and a will to rise up. I have both, and the primary motivator, to spite the enemies of mankind.

Salem, her floozies.

They will wake up to a new world. And we will bring that new world on dragon's wings.

It was then, I heard the crunching of boots against sand.

"I distinctively said that I did not want to be disturbed," I said, glancing around to see Winter walking up, hands folded behind her back. She was sweating visibly, her cheeks flushed from the heat. Understandable, considering that our country was literal snow. A little bit of heat and we'd burn.

"You better have been putting on sunscreen, Winter. Wouldn't want to damage you skin so carelessly," I commented, earning an eyeroll from her.

"General Ironwood is on the line, sir. He says that it is urgent. I need you to come with me to Communications." Winter reported.

"Would it kill you to call me Alex. Gods, Winter, it's just the two of us here," I pointed out.

"While I am in uniform, I will remain in uniform," Winter replied crisply, refusing to budge.

"Not even with me?" I asked, battling my eyes dramatically. She scoffed. Winter and her merry band of troopers had been assigned to me as added protection considering this too was funded mostly by Atlas. Better to have the facility guarded by one of its finest Specialists. So far, she had been doing a stellar job. There had been areas that we didn't need to cut the trees down because Winter was there.

"Fine, Alex," Winter stressed, I grinned, loving how she said my name. "Would you kindly take your scroll and answer him now? He is waiting," she continued.

As much as I would have loved to tell Ironwood to fuck off since I was taking a short break, the man was also the company's biggest client. Oh well. "Let me put on a shirt first," I said, standing up and reaching for my shirt. I could feel Winter's eyes scanning every single inch of my body without shame. As soon as I put one on, I turned to see her and chuckled. She wasn't red just because of the sun now.

"Utterly shameless of you, Miss Schnee," I whistled.

"W-we are dating. It is perfectly natural," Winter defended herself, her pale skin betraying the blood rushing on her face.

"Didn't you say you were being professional?" I cocked my head.

"Silence your insolent tongue and answer the General already!" she fumed, embarrassment plain on her face. As I was a magnanimous man, I replied with a laugh. "Alright, let's go."

We walked in silence, and quickly. If the man was on the line, better not keep him waiting. Communications was in fact a command and control vehicle deployed on wheels. It had powerful communication equipment that could take clear signals in the field where scrolls would fail. The Atlesian Army mostly used it to coordinate troops in the field. Walking inside the shuttle, it was already empty on and the screen was General Ironwood, looking absolutely grim. Sensing the gravity of the situation, I adjusted myself accordingly. Winter followed me in, closing and locking the door behind us. She then walked up, pressing a few more buttons that soundproofed us. Finishing up, she stood at attention.

"Mister Wayland," Ironwood spoke up, not wasting time. "I apologize for calling you at this time but the Kingdom needs your assistance."

"Of course," I agreed immediately. I was a good patriot after all and Ironwood had been doing us nothing but solids. If Ironman wants me or the company to do something, I had no issues with it. I continued. "How may Royal and Imperial serve Solitas?"

"What I am about to speak of is strictly confidential. Releasing information to individuals without clearance regarding this will be classified as treason. Am I understood?" Ironwood continued, eyes boring in my soul.

I nodded quickly. "Of course, General. You have my silence."

A part of me suspected that I was going to be brought into something that I was going to regret being into but what the hell, I was already dipping into that pond. Might as well make it official.

"The Kingdom of Vacuo has suffered a coup d'tat. Elements in the Vacuan police force opened the gates for the self-proclaimed King Jax Asturias. Formerly a gang leader of a group called the Crown, he has been thrust into power by mysterious backers who we believe will be a danger not just to Atlas but to all of Remnant." Ironwood explained. I had heard of Jax, both in universe and out of universe. Honestly speaking, I sympathized with the man. He tried to save his homeland and reclaim what dignity it had. It was just a damn pity he had to do it in the worst way possible. Already, I figured that Salem was behind this.

"And where does Royal and Imperial come into this? Are we invading the Kingdom, General?" I asked.

"No, this is a internal matter for Vacuo. We will not interfere with that," General Ironwood replied. I inwardly agreed. As much as a war would be good for sales, I'd rather Solitas not deal with another kingdom's bullshit.

"No, the Kingdom requires assistance in another way, with your Silver Shields," he continued.

"Oh?"

"Currently, Solitas has no assets on Vacuo but you do." He paused, carefully considering his words. "There is in Vacuo an item that we believe would be of great interest to Jax and his backers. By removing it, we will deny them a powerful tool that could be used for malevolent purposes."

"What sort of item?" I asked innocently. I was pretty much feeling that Ironman was asking me to help transport the Relic of Destruction away from Vacuo. Honestly, it made sense. That sort of artifact could be devastating if used.

"I cannot say," Ironwood shook his head. I was not going to accept that.

"General, if you want my help, I need to know what sort of grinder I'm throwing my people into," I pressed. "We would need to know why because if my men accidentally press something they shouldn't, they hardly can't be blamed for their ignorance."

"Alex..." Winter whispered behind me, pinching me. "What are you thinking?"

"No, it's alright, Specialist." Ironwood sighed, earning a subdued look from Winter. He took in a breath.

"The item in question is a deadly heirloom, capable of destruction on a scale unimaginable. It is a weapon that must not fall into unstable hands," he said quickly, and firmly.

"I see," I said, confirming my suspicions. "So, you wish for my Shields to transport it out of the Kingdom?"

He nodded. "Smuggled out, yes. All that needs to be done is for the truck to be transported away to the outskirts where a prototype stealth-ship awaits. Our partners on the ground would normally do it themselves but their location is besieged by opposing forces."

I immediately thought of Fiona May and her hammerspace semblance. Inwardly, I couldn't believe the stroke of luck in the decision to send her and the Happy Idiots to Vacuo. It was decided to send them there because it was frankly a shithole and they deserved both to be punished and to prove they were capable. If they could pull this off, I wouldn't be opposed in letting them come home.

"I may have a way of letting that happen, General," I nodded. "Consider it done."

"Once completed, I cannot stress how much the Kingdom will be thankful of your efforts. It will not be forgotten, Mister Wayland." Ironwood sighed, relief in his eyes. I nodded.

"For Solitas," I proclaimed.

"For Solitas," Ironwood replied before shutting off the link, leaving only an empty screen save for a logo, the spear and gear of Atlas and Mantle, unified.

"A weapon of unimaginable power..." Winter whispered behind me. I turned to her to find her contemplative.

"It is probably a tool of old Vacuo. Maybe a relic of Malik the Sunderer," I offered my explanation. I was aware of its true nature but I wasn't going to tell people about that.

"Perhaps," Winter nodded in agreement. "But if such a thing were true, why didn't the Vacuans use it in the Great War? Our armies would have been annihilated without them needing to sacrifice their dust fields."

"The destruction of their dust fields was not their choice, Winter," I said, remembering my history. A bit of a dick move of Ozpin to do that but then again, it was war. Decisions are made on the spot. "As for not using it...I do not know. Perhaps they'd rather not lose their country. If it is so destructive as General Ironwood said, maybe it would have some devastating effects on the land?"

"That makes sense," Winter agreed. "It is still a pity for Vacuo, however. Their future was stolen from them."

And that fact Salem was going to use and abuse for her own evil overlady benefit. "I will have to confer with Land about this. He's the man in charge of the region so I am going to let him decide how to handle it."

"Mhm," Winter nodded. At that, conversation died down, each one of not really having anything else to say. Winter however did look at me expectantly.

"You know..." she began to say, her fingers tapping against her opposite palm. "We are alone."

"We are," I nodded, my stomach suddenly feeling a bit heavy. Again, I remembered that this body was young and still in the throes of growing up. I wasn't shy about that. I was more miffed that the control I had with age was not apparent now.

"Oh, for the love of," Winter complained. "Kiss me al-"

I was on her immediately, my lips clashing against hers in one fluid movement of grace and barely restrained passion. Her eyes widened, unprepared for me, but they closed themselves quickly, her hands wrapping behind my neck as I pushed her against a holographic table. Her lips were soft to the touch, tender and embracing mine in its gentleness. Our tongues found each other, combining in wet turns and twists. Fire burned in my body, our skin embracing each other. Every caress, every touch literally torching us a alit like a forest fire. I was the first to pull back, a trail of saliva connecting our tongues. Winter gasped for breath, her cheeks utterly burning red and her eyes lidded with a inviting expression.

An expression only a lover would make, inviting you to totally and utterly ruin them.

"I missed you," she whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't call. It was ju-" she moaned and hissed as my hips bucked forward, grinding against her. Her throat visibly swallowed something, feeling a hardness against her pants. I had only been wearing nothing but a shirt and simple shorts after all. I was leaving everything for her to see and feel.

"It's fine, you overthinker," I whispered back, heavy with desire. "We're busy people. I understand."

Ï then smiled. "I am surprised at your forwardness, Winter. I thought you'd be a bit more demure."

"Hush," she purred. "I am not...experienced, yes. But I know what I want."

She then leaned in, resting her head against my shoulder. I felt her breath against my skin, against my ear. "And now?" Her voice was husky and deep, stirring and reaching into my soul. "I wan-"

Suddenly, sirens blared. Loud and uninviting, an assault to our ears. I blinked as Winter pushed me off, her eyes turning from inviting to alert. She took a breath, iron control battling now to show her annoyance, as she reached for her Scroll. "What. Happened?" Winter asked slowly, and carefully.

It was then the sirens stopped blaring but the shouts of rushing boots still continued. The voice on the other line spoke quickly, fully aware of Winter's tense voice. "We had a break-in, Specialist. Sensors detected someone trying to trespass the grounds. Silver Shields surrounded her."

Her?

"Who was it?" Winter asked, her voice taking a more serious tone.

"A child, Specialist. Red robe and everything. She brought a notebook with some scribbles in it." the man dutifully reported.

Oh.

+++

Ruby liked to think that there was very little that actually terrified her. She had her aura activated, she also had her semblance too. Well, actually, she was terrified of a few things. Public speaking, literally speaking to strangers. Ruby was a introvert. And even if she spoke, it wasn't as if people were interested in what she had to say. They liked Yang. She had plenty of things to say. She on the other hand was a small girl with a high pitched voice. A bully once told her she'd get so squeaky that only dogs would hear her speak. Yang responded to that quip by sending the bully into the sky. 

Literally. 

But now, Ruby felt that there was something new to add to the list. In one second, she was sneaking through the grounds trying to find the most important looking and official place. Then the next, she was surrounded on all sides by both Silver Shields and Atlesian regulars pointing their guns at her. The guns, it wasn't what scared her. She had been shot before and sure, it was a unpleasant experience but getting shot was normal especially for students of Signal. It was the shouting, the loud voices. Ruby was already terrified of public speaking and now, hundreds of men and women were all rushing and yelling at her to freeze. Again, Ruby was not a helpless little girl. She could headbutt people, aura activated and all. But she was a little girl who shrank at adults yelling at her. 

Once everything had died down, she was seated in a sterile white room, her fingers nervously twitching. It was a spartan room, a table and chairs to sit on. On all sides were mirrors which placed her in a endless staring contest against herself. Ruby felt exposed at this and tried to squeeze into her bright red cloak as if it could shield her from whoever was watching her. 

All she wanted to do was sneak in, say hello to the man that was quite literally revolutionizing weapons-smithing on Remnant, then leave. It was like, a quick meet and greet. There was no harm in what she wanted. 

Gods, they were probably going to call dad and Yang. 

Ruby deflated. She was going to get grounded until she was thirty. She just knew it. 

Her attention perked up when the door opened and in walked two people. Immediately, Ruby's face lit up brighter than a fire dust shell landing at a position of Grimm. Alexander Wayland was here. In the flesh. 

"Wh-" the other person, a white-haired woman, tried to speak. But Ruby beat her to it.

"OHMYGODSITSALEXANDERWAYLANDHOWIAMRUBYITSSONICETOMEETYOU!" Ruby popped off like a buzzsaw, rushing her words out in a fluid speedy manner. The woman frowned, her brows furrowed into dissatisfaction as Ruby spoke over her. She tried to speak up but Alexander chuckled, going close and whispering something into her ear. The woman frowned some more then sighed, taking a step outside but not before giving her an annoyed grimace. Ruby blinked, seeing that Alexander had a silver tray in his hands. On it was milk and-

Ruby's eyes locked in. 

​Cookies. 

"Pardon Winter," apologized Alexander. "She's rather, ah, annoyed." 

At that, Ruby had the decency to flush. She gripped the hem of her skirt, her legs swaying on the chair. "S-sorry," she apologized earnestly. "I didn't mean to-" 

Well, she did mean to sneak in, her mind reminded her. 

"Well, Ididwanttosneakinbutijustwantedto-" she tried to explain herself, her mouth blabbering as a Buzzsaw on five times its firerate but Alexander laughed, shaking his head. 

"Slow down, girl. My ears don't work that fast," he chuckled, depositing the tray of treats on the table for her to enjoy. Or maybe they were for him? Sending her hesitance, Alexander nodded at her.

"They're for you. I don't need to eat this since I already had my fill of sugar earlier," he hummed. Ruby could swear she could hear a woman spit something out or choke, she couldn't decide between the two. She glanced up at Alexander, barely struggling to contain her excitement. Here was one of the people she idolized and giving her milk and cookies no less. 

"It's not exactly home-baked cookies but out mess hall staff make mean treats," Alexander said as Ruby took a cookie and bit into it. Ruby did not care if it was home-baked or a industrial pack. A cookie was a cookie. 

"Twhank yew," she mouthed as she chewed. 

"Speak when your mouth isn't full," Alexander chided her. Ruby flushed, as red as her cloak, from the reprimand. She did so, chewing then swallowing down her snack. She had better cookies, sure, but cookies were cookies. 

"So, you don't mind me asking who you are and why you came here?" Alexander asked gently. 

​He was asking for her name. 

She was going to remember this moment until the day she would die. Ruby took in a breath, resolved to introduce herself in a official and formal way. Sure she wasn't raised rich but dad did try to teach her and Yang good manners. And with a focused heart, Ruby spoke up. 

"I'm Rose! R-Ruby Rose," she squeaked. 

Inwardly, Ruby died a death a thousand times and one. Her life was officially over. If Alexander had something to say about her voice crack, he gracefully chose to ignore it. 

"Well, hello, Ruby," Alexander smiled, a smile that set Ruby at ease. "I'm Alexander Wayland and I am the owner of this facility. Well, my dad and the company isn't really mine yet but, I am the heir. So, would you mind telling me why you were trying to sneak in?" 

​The way he phrased it made Ruby's stomach twist uncomfortably. That sort of questioning made her feel like she was a criminal. Well...she was trying to break in. Criminals were liars and thieves and bad people. Ruby was none of those. And so, she told the truth. 

"Um..." she hesitated. Telling the truth was a bit hard. Even more so when her idol was quite literally sitting across her. He had a kind face however and his smile was gentle. And he did give her cookies and milk. If there was anything that could get her to warm up to someone, it was those. 

"I wanted to, um, talk to you. Can...can I get an autograph?" Ruby explained. She cursed herself. She wanted to talk to him about weapons too! But the words, they simply would not come out!

"I don't mind," Alexander laughed, taking a ball-point pen from somewhere and saw her notebook placed on the table. "You want me to sign your notebook?" 

"Y-yeah! And my hoodie too!" Ruby spoke up, hoping that he'd see the weapon designs she had sketched there as well. Alexander hummed, reaching for her notebook. He flipped the cover open and signed onto the first page. Seeing as he wasn't going to turn the other page, Ruby forced herself to speak up.

"You can look at the other pages!" she yelled, cringing as she failed to control her volume. With that assent, Alexander did so. 

"Crescent Rose," he said softly, eyeing the sketches had drawn. 

Oh yeah. It was all coming together now. 

+++

They had been talking for thirty minutes, non-stop. Winter had timed the amount of time it took for her to leave them, go for Comms to call for the Mayor, and come back. The Mayor had been horrified about what had happened and immediately dialled up the parent of the child, a certain Taiyang Xiao Long. Winter was a tad familiar with the name, seeing it in a roster of employed huntsmen on the payroll and their database. If the Mayor was horrified, Taiyang was outright scandalized. Already, sentries had spotted a antiquated van speeding towards the launch facility. It was already granted clearance to go near them and wouldn't be shot up for trying to drive in. 

​Her ears perked up as excited squealing left the holding cell. 

​They had been doing nothing but talk about guns, the girl's dream weapon, and weapons for the past thirty minutes. She was quite convinced that neither had stopped to breath. 

​Winter's mood was more than sour. It was annoyance with fire dust sprinkled onto it. Bad enough that her...moment, she inwardly coughed, got interrupted. It was interrupted by a little girl two years younger than Weiss. And that same little girl had taken away her boyfriend, (Gods it still gave her stomach twisters saying that), and her boyfriend was legitimately having a good time. It was like watching two idiots cut from the same cloth and once more sewn back together. 

Winter sighed. She was getting jealous of a tween of all people. She was a twenty year old woman. She was better than this. 

At least Alexander was happy. And seeing him happy calmed her down. The girl, Ruby, wasn't so bad herself. She had the same sort of earnest energy that Weiss also had. Sure, that Ruby couldn't be as refined, as cultured, or as dignified as Weiss was but she did possess the same energy that awakened Winter's caring side. Cold and indifferent she portrayed herself as, Winter was in truth a soft woman once she was around people that earned it. 

Winter thought back to the call earlier, with General Ironwood. It was perhaps the first time she had seen him truly disturbed and that was the semi-mythical Ironman now. It...disquieted her, seeing their General look so...

No. 

If the artifact he was referring to was so unnerving then he had a right to feel such a thing, considering what Vacuo was falling towards. Though she did find it strange that they would be taking away a treasure of Vacuo and placing it in some vault somewhere. The Vacuans had already lost so much. Where they going to lose something more? What right did they have to take away a Relic that rightfully belonged to Vacuo? 

Again, she shook her head. It...it wasn't as if the previous council of Vacuo was any better. Winter was not stupid. The ineptness of Vacuo's council was matched that of Mistral. Two honored Kingdoms now a mockery of what it had been. If General Ironwood and his allies felt that the weapon being hidden was for the best then she wasn't going to question it. 

A good soldier follows orders after all. 

​It was then her earpiece went to life. "Specialist, we have a van at the gates. Blonde male in his middle-age. Accompanied by a girl, blonde like him." 

Finally. "They are expected. Guide them here," she spoke up. 

Not a minute later, frenzied apologies and frantic bowing echoed through the air. "I am so so so so sorry!" Taiyang apologized profusely for what felt like the thousandth time. He turned to his daughter, a strained smile on his face. "Apologize too, Ruby!" His eyes were wild, manic. Both at the idea of his daughter running off to sneak into his employer's facility. Well, not exactly a total employer as he was only working for them part-time. That did not mean it was not embarrassing. 

The girl, grinning from ear to ear, bowed her head slightly, the high of meeting Alex fresh in her mind. Her expression cracked, seeing the death glare her father sent her. Gulping, Ruby tried to appear as small as possible. 

"We're so so sorry," Yang apologized as well, bowing a little too, and utterly red-faced. "I swear my sister won't do it again. Right Ruby?"

"Y-Yeah!" Ruby said, trying to keep her best to not wilt under their intense stares. 

"Apology accepted," Alexander said graciously. While absolutely a stupid and dangerous thing to do, sneaking into a Solitan facility like theirs, she was ultimately just a child. What punishments they were going to dote out were better applied by Taiyang as he was the parent. "I only ask that you do not punish her too harshly. Ruby has a bright mind. She has potential." 

"O-of course," Taiyang tried and failed to keep his soft side from leaking out. Taiyang muttered even more apologies even as Yang dragged Ruby into their car. He was still mouthing his apologies even as he started up the van and left, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. 

"What a day," Alexander shook his head. He turned around to see Winter frowning, arms crossed. 

"Our moment was interrupted," Winter grumbled. 

Alexander smiled, not a infuriating one as he usually did, but a comforting one. He walked up, trailing round Winter, and hugged her from behind. What troopers were there quietly made themselves scarce, not wanting to see what was happening. And if they knew what was good for them, they saw nothing happen. 

"She's a child, Winter. The youth are allowed to make mistakes." he said soothingly. Her eyes met his. 

"Should we have children, are you going to be spoiling them?" Winter asked. 

"No, I shall be the very image of stern," Alexander said, straight-faced. 

​"Forgive me for saying this, Alex, but I do not believe you." Winter said, her eyes narrowed. 

"So, you want children, huh?" he asked, his smile now a smirk. And with that, Winter released herself from his embrace. 

"I must return to my post, sir," Winter said, professional and stoic, and ignoring the burning of her own cheeks. 

"Of course. As you say," Alexander nodded, graceful. "Though come to think of it, if Ruby hadn't interrupted us, we'd be-" 

"Silence your scandalous tongue before I take it from you," Winter warned. 

"My tongue is silent," Alexander quickly added, hands raised in surrender. Winter scoffed, her arms crossed, as she regarded the man in front of her. Honestly, she did need it considering how starved for touch she was these past days. However, getting interrupted by a little girl was a mood killer. 

Later, Winter decided. 

She did not know where her confidence was coming from. Winter was inexperienced, a virgin for all intents and purposes, but that did not mean she was someone without desires. She had all copies of Cold Heart, Hot Love after all and such books weren't meant for prudish maidens. Winter was neither of those things despite her appearance. She was a young woman and her hymen had broken a long time ago from an accident riding horses. 

"Silent, for now," Winter opened up. 

She walked up, grabbed Alexander by his collar, and leaned in. Her hot breath clashed against his neck, his ear. 

"Tonight, we're making our relationship official," she breathed out. She pulled back slowly, eyes not leaving his. 

His eyes blazed with fire. "Aye aye, ma'am." He steamed out, lips quivering in excitement. 

She pat him on his cheek, smirking. "Good boy," she winked as she turned on her heels and left. 

+++

A/N: Winter lewds coming next. 

I plan to make it long so, I beg thy patience as I summon the full power of horny posting.