The protector of Remnant (Pokemon x RWBY crossover)

In The Shadows

Mountain Glenn, Vale

Roman Torchwick fidgeted with his white fedora, which is his own way to soothe his nerves when he was not smoking. Idly his left hand reached for his vest pocket to draw out a Cigar, but decided against it. This area is infested with Grimm, and the light of a Cigarette, no matter how small, might draw them in.

He still didn't understand why he was called here and not their original hideout. This place reeks of misery, and while he isn't a particular religious person, he still has standards.

"Why choose such a dangerous place for meeting?" Roman pondered thoughtfully "Unless they want to kill me for my failure and dispose of my body discretely?".

It could be a possibility. There are very few places in Remnant, as seclusive as Mount Glenn. No one would know if he died here.

A tap on his shoulder shook him out of his dark thoughts. He turned left, a small smile appearing on his face, as he looked at his partner in crime.

It was a 22 year Old Woman with Pink-Brown hair and matching heterochromia eyes. She wears white cropped wide, broad tailed jacket with a pink interior, collar, a single pink button and large pink cuffs with brown leather pants with a dark belt that has a gray buckle and an additional narrow belt under it. Her left hand was carrying a pink Umbrella, casually resting on her shoulder.

It was Neopolitan. Or Neo as she liked to introduce herself as. She is Roman's right hand and his most trusted companion.

"What is it?" Roman asked his companion.

Neo shrugged tilting her head as she signed "You okay?"

"Fine" Roman grumbled out causing the girl to frown. He has been like that since the failed operation at the Docks.

"What are we doing here again?" Neo sighed feeling anxious in this gloom and doom atmosphere. She hated this place and wants to get out of here as soon as possible. Maybe even take a short break from all their heists or eat an Atlesian Ice Cream. Those tastes delicious.

"They told us to meet here. We don't have a choice unless we want to get paid" Roman said thinking "If we get paid, that is?". He knows that his failure in the Battle of The Docks won't be taken lightly.

Thinking about the massacre sent shivers down his spine. He hasn't slept properly since that battle, which is evident with the dark circles under his eyes. Even his bright jade eyes were dimmed of its usual glint.

And all because of the nightmares. Every time he closes his eyes to sleep, the images of the battle flashes under his eyes. Many times, he had woken up from sleep screaming while looking around in terror. Like the man who murdered his men would come at him any moment.

The truth is Roman had cared for his men, even though he didn't show it often and degraded them by calling them animals. But it was all for appearance and to show his authority during working hours.

And his men knew about this, which is why they followed his command, even when the Kitty Cat (Blake) tried to convince them to stop obeying him. Because when not in a heist or a fight, he would sit down with them, play cards with them, and drink with them while asking about their families, their health or their dreams.

He knows that they have dreams to be much more than bloody thieves or bandits. Many of his men were from poor backgrounds and didn't care one bit about the interracial prejudice between the humans and faunuas. The only thing they cared about was to put some food on their family's plate.

There is one named Sam, a fox tailed Faunus from Menagerie whose dream was to become a Huntsman before it was dashed when he found out that his mother is suffering from a terminal Disease and needed money for her treatment. With his family poor, he had tried finding jobs in Atlas and Vale, but he didn't have any success as most jobs refused to hire faunus, especially ones from Menagerie like Sam was.