RWBY: Lex Talionis - Male Reader x Harem (Complete)

Part 174

Nearly two weeks had gone by in what felt like a flash. Except for Maria, who felt this grueling search come to an end.

As she walked along with the 'plink' of her cane, she was overtaken by Atlas academy's finest, but it was more Atlas's rudest.

"Hey!" Maria shouted at a team that nearly knocked her over. "Watch it, you little jerks!"

A member of the team, a young woman, was first to step forward with an apologetic tone.

"Sorry, ma'am!" She bowed on behalf of her team that had already made the next corner.

"Ma'am..." Maria grumbled with a sharp huff. "Before you go, where can I find the General's office?"

"Oh," The student pointed ahead. "Just keep heading that way and take a right when you see a really big—circular room."

"Thank you." Maria waved her cane in a dismissive manner, nearly hitting the girl in the knee. "Now get out of here."

"Yes, ma'am." The girl recoiled and ran along.

The short walk felt like an eternity for Maria, but when she finally found the room, and finally ascended a long stretch of stairs, she was met with confusion.

James was more than confident in his abilities in combat. Yet, when this little old woman came walking in, he questioned the abilities of those around him.

"Can I help you?" The General asked, eyeing the visitor's pass on the woman's sweater. "Ms. Porter...?"

"Ah." Maria ripped the pass off and stuffed it in her pocket. "I wanted to ask about Y/N."

James immediately grew defensive, and Maria caught it along with his frown.

"Calm down." She told James as if she were his superior.

Releasing a deep sigh, Maria approached to sit on the little set of stairs beside his desk, obviously tired.

"Are you a friend of his?" Ironwood asked, putting his desk between them both. "I wasn't aware of any visitors."

"I guess you could say that." Maria groaned and set her cane on her lap, easing the tension the poor General felt. "It was a bit of a surprise to me, too."

After a sudden and very long pause, James made a wide circle around the woman, only to see that she had dozed off.

In a burst of yellow lightning, Harriet had appeared, responding to a silent alarm with her weapons in a white knuckle grip.

"Wha-?" The Specialist almost immediately dropped her guard with a huff. "Is this—is this it?"

James gave her a deadpanned look, making her raise her hands with a sigh.

"Hey." Harriet approached the little old woman to set a hand on her shoulder and give her slight nudge. "Rise and shine, abuelita."

Maria have a small shrug and in unintelligible mutter, dismissing Harriet's worry.

"Do you—know her?" James asked.

"Yep." The Specialist raised a finger to her ear with a hand on her hip. "False alarm, guys, nothing to worry about... Nope, no kidding."

Holding her forehead, she said. "Y/N knows her. He didn't say much, but she's someone he trusts."

"Hmm..." James's expression shifted from caution to curiosity, as well as taking his hand away from the gun on his belt. "Why would she be here? And so sudden?"

"My guess is she has no idea that he isn't here."

"Say what?!"

"Oh, now she's awake."