A Spellbound Gem (a RWBY fanfiction)

Chapter 22: Crime Pays

The ginger man walked around the corner and his smile instantly dropped. "How can they be both adorable and so very annoying?"

The brunette with pink highlights shrugged, handing a cane and hat to the man as he passed her.

"I mean, they get so excited and so happy over EVERYTHING, and I just have to keep smiling and nodding until they shut up!" He snapped, patting the hat onto his head. "Goodness, I can't believe I'm such a good actor that I didn't just kill them on the spot. Stayed in character the whole time."

The girl rolled her eyes before following him through the alley and into a darker part of town. It was one of many secrets that Vale hid under the surface, a whole web of lies and business just under the bustling city streets.

"Greenwind travels." The ginger whispered to a small opening in the door before them.

Locks clicked open and the door opened, a man in a black suit and sunglasses opening up, nodding as they walked in. "Afternoon, Mr Torchwick."

The ginger made his way through the hall and entered the door at the end, opening into a large club, preparing for their nightly opening. He passed a few more men in suits looking over what seemed to be a broken light, struggling to put it back together.

"Neo, what do you say to giving them a hand?" He asked the girl by his side, her arm crossing as a pout came to her cheeks. "I'll make it worth your while, love."

She sighed, turning and pointing at the damaged lighting, closing her eyes as the entire system started shaking. The two men jumped back, tools dropping to the floor as the lights snapped unnaturally into place, damages warping into nothing as the whole thing rose to where it was meant to be. A moment passed before it flickered to life, illuminating the floor around it.

"Thanks, babe." Torchwick said with a wink.

A heavy door slammed open somewhere behind them both, the men dropping the tools they had been trying to clean from the floor.

"Roman Torchwick, you son of a bitch!" A booming yet smooth voice shouted out.

A smirk came to the well dressed ginger as he turned around. "I had no idea you'd met my mother, Junior." The man before him was a massive figure in a suit, hair cut short and away from his face.

"When did you get back in Vale?" He asked, a smile in place of his usually dark expression. "Last I heard you were doing some big work instead of petty thievery."

"Hey! I take offense to that." Roman cried. "I have never once been involved in petty theft. I am a professional after all."

Junior gave him a look that made it clear he was not taking any bullshit.

"Moving on, I'm actually still working on that big project." He continued, pulling a card from his pocket and flicking it towards the large man before him. "I need some adjustments made to this if you can."

He took a look, hesitation taking hold for a moment. "This is... Weiss Schnee's access card... Did you kidnap a Sch~"

"I'm clever, not crazy." Torchwick interrupted. "She was so happy someone found her wallet that she didn't even notice it was gone."

"Right... What exactly do you need done with it?"

"Well clearly I'm not the teenage girl in the pic." He pointed out, gesturing towards himself. "I need the clearance on a custom card for myself."

"Do I wanna know what for?" Junior questioned with a stone face.

Roman sighed. "It's best you don't know."

The larger man looked over the card again, shaking his head. "I can get it done in two days. You take it and don't bring it back here."

"You understand I can't have anyone else having a copy of that, right?" The ginger prompted.

Junior narrowed his eyes in a glare. "Getting in deep with Schnees is worse than pissing off the cops. There won't be a copy."

"Good." He smirked, throwing his arm over the brunette by his side. "I'll see you in a couple days."

"You better be here when it's done."

A laugh broke from Torchwick's throat. "O ye of little faith. I'll be here."

Junior frowned as the two left, eye moving down to the card in his hand. The girl in the picture had tightly held white hair and cold blue eyes, marked only by a single scar over her eye.

"I hope he doesn't drag me into something I'm gonna regret..."