An hour ago, Emerald feared she was going to be surrendered to the police for stealing. Now, she was trying her best to look presentable in a room she could have only dreamt about in her wildest dreams. Seated on a fine fluffy chair, she winced as the fluffy hat man spoke with the red eyes man.
"You know, boy. When people of your caliber go to amuse themselves, they go and buy cute souvenirs from the little shops. Not pick up street urchins," he spoke. Emerald didn't like fluffy hat man. He sounded harsh and rough, like he had been shouting most of his life. He was also old too, grey-haired and leathery.
"She's not just a street urchin, she's Emerald," the red eyes man said, his voice smooth and amused. Emerald liked him the most. He had red eyes, just like hers. Albeit with white skin and hair. She had a thought that she and him could be related in someway but her skin was tanned.
"The old fart's name is Land and I am Alexander Wayland," Red Eyes man introduced himself. No...Alexander introduced himself.
"As you say," rumbled Land. He looked towards Alexander, eyes narrow. "What do you plan to do with her?"
A spike of fear shot up through Emerald. Was he really going to...?
Instead, Alex's face blanched in disgust. "Absolutely not!" he snapped. Taking a breath, he calmed down as he massaged the bridge of his nose.
"I could use an assistant in my work. Emerald here is capable, her semblance can be beneficial with proper training, y'know." He explained.
Emerald sat up a little bit straighter at the praise. They were talking about her power, her semblance. She could talk about that! "I..." she hated her voice sounded weak. Red eyes man and Fluffy hat man spoke properly. She needed to learn how to speak like them.
"Speak up, girl," Land rumbled.
"I can make images!" Emerald cried out. Her cheeks reddened when she realized she had yelled it out and the two other men looked at her with surprise. She sorely wished that she could curl into a bowl and die. Instead, Alex laughed and Land smiled slightly.
"Well. Looks like you got lungs on you, eh?" The old soldier praised. He nodded. "You have a voice, girl. Don't let it be silent."
"...Okay," Emerald muttered, crossing her legs.
"Anyway," Alex's voice spoke up, earning a look from both her and Land. "Land and I must be heading off now for business."
He gave her a smiling look. "Emerald, I want you to stay here and enjoy whatever stuff this hotel has to offer. There are clothes in the closet and you can go and take a shower in the bathroom. If you are hungry, there's a menu book there that you can look at. Just dial up the front desk and say it's a room charge, okay?"
Emerald thought of what she could do. This really was happening, was it? Well...he did say she could sleep and change clothes, and order as much food as she wants.
She nodded.
"Good," Alex nodded. "We'll be right back."
As the two left, Emerald waited until their footsteps vanished. Then as it did, the girl immediately ran towards the aforementioned menu. She could read...a little. Not well but...it could pass. And so, she found the notebook that contained the menu. Her mouth watering, she opened it, ready to see the delectable treats she could feast on. Except she found no pictures that showed off what she wanted. It was all words unlike the place Alexander had taken her too.
Emerald's expression turned into a frown, frustration bubbling in her as she scanned the menu book. All very complicated names!
Her eyes landed on one particular dish. She did not know what a cordon bleu was but she did know chicken. And chicken sounded just right...
+++
And thus, we left Emerald behind in the hotel room to do as she pleased. I had no doubts in my mind that the girl was going to order as much as she wanted from the room service. Honestly, I had checked the room service and they were making some good food. It was a pity there was little rice dishes there. My mouth craved for it. Perhaps when we'd return to Atlas, I could go and make some good ol fashion garlic rice. My rice related thoughts weren't shared by my erstwhile protector however. Land kept on looking at me as we walked.
I gave him a look. "What?"
Land was quiet, expression set. "You took that kid off the streets. Why?"
My look hardened. "Because she can be useful in time. Her Semblance lets her induce hallucinations in people. That sort of semblance comes every once in awhile, y'know?"
Land looked at me as if he didn't believe me. He then continued to stare, eyes like daggers into my soul.
I relented, stopping.. "I saw her eyes, Land."
"Eyes?"
I nodded as I turned back to him. "They were tired. They were afraid. She looked like a thin reed. When faced with suffering, how the hell could I in good conscience, let her go?"
Really, I could just gave Emerald some money and let it be. I didn't have to go take up extra responsibility by bringing her into my household. But looking back into my previous life where I was nothing, where I had nothing, I knew what it was like. And now, I had both money and status aplenty. I lose nothing by being generous. And so, I muttered a half-remembered phrase I had read in a lifetime ago.
"We are the highest, and people like Emerald, the lowest. It is our duty to raise them up, as high as they will go. Anything less is not worthy of us."
The car ride continued in silence, until Land sighed. "Your mother would have been proud of you, eh?"
I smiled. "I am glad you think so."
The hotel had conference rooms to meet with people. They were paid for their discretion and we needed much of that. Again, this wasn't exactly illegal per se but then again, meeting with Menagerie representatives was a slippery slope. I sat at the head of the table, a gendo pose at the ready, while Land stood next to me with crossed arms like a proverbial fixer.
"They're late," Land grunted.
I checked my watch. They were late by five minutes. Honestly, I didn't mind. In my old life, being late was the norm as traffic and the trains weren't exactly the best.
"Give them time," I yawned.
"We already giving these animals that. They could reply by being on time," Land growled.
My eyes widened at that. My head snapped to him. "Woah, Land. I had no idea you had strong opinions about the Faunus."
He snorted. "I am an old man. I am entitled to my prejudices."
I gave him a long look. A look that he deflated at.
"I will keep quiet, sir." He said with sigh.
"There we go, Land," I smiled. He looked uncomfortable, visibly so. His fingers twitched, his eyes eyed the door as if it were a monster about to go and eat him. Inwardly, I had to admit concern. Normally, Land was confident, sure of himself. But now...
"You cannot manage to be here, Land, then you don't have to atte-" I tried to offer but Land cut me off.
"No!" he cried out. He then took another breath and forced himself to calm down again. "It's just...old memories, is all. The Great War took my friends. Fort Castle took what was left of them. This is a old pain," he admitted. His eyes narrowed in determination, his posture rim-rod straight as he looked towards me.
"My discipline is stronger than my prejudice, sir. You are my boss. You say we talk with them, we shall talk with them. I will be good, I swear it," he said with finality.
Well...if he was so insistent on it.
"Very well," I nodded. Then just as if on cue, the doors opened.
We turned.
I stood up to greet them. There were three people that entered. The first one was to my surprise, human. He was a old man with a beard, tall and hale. His clothing was humble, a brown coat over frontier-like clothing. His eyes were the most striking about him, with a fierce and passionate fire that nothing could ever douse. Then came two other people, faunus, and with thick hoods draped over them.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mister Wayland," the human introduced himself. His voice was throaty, the consequence of a life of constantly shouting over battle. "My name is John Brown. I bring with me Kali Belladonna, Chiefess of Menagerie. And the other is Miss Sienna Khan, her protection for today."
The faunus took their hoods off, revealing two pairs of cat ears. The first were black and white, just like the rest of Kali Belladonna. She was way younger than her Volume 4 counterpart but her eyes spoke a story of struggle and victory. An easy smile was on her face, an air of charisma and warmth flowing out of her. A joy to look at unlike her fellow feline. Sienna Khan oozed barely-restrained rage and passion. Her eyes were bright and predatory like her tiger-name sake and her lips, they were curled into a frown. An indication that she didn't like being here.
I felt Land move and tug at my shoulder. He leaned in, whispering. "Be careful. The faunus may have Ghira as their brain but Kali is their heart. She might put a trick on you, sir."
Sienna perked up, tiger ears twitching. "We can hear you, human," she growled. Looking forward, Land invertedly took a step forward, ready to give a piece of his mind and Sienna would have done the same but then, Kali stepped Infront of her
"Sienna!" she admonished her subordinate. The tigress bristled at Kali's tone. She forced herself to calm down, taking a step back. Land did the same as well, his expression guarded. Kali turned to me and looked apologetic.
"I am so sorry about Sienna. It's been a long journey," Kali explained.
"And the hotel wouldn't let them in through the front, they had to sneak in through the back door," Brown explained with some trepidation. I raised an eyebrow at that. No wonder they had to wear the hoods. I understood Sienna's agitation. What I did not understand was why the hotel wouldn't let them in.
"Why wouldn't they let you in?" I made my curiosity known.
"The front carpet needed to be cleaned," Sienna snorted, doing air quotes.
"That's a bullshit reason," I blurted quickly. The three guests of mine leaned in at that.
"You think so, Mister Wayland?" Brown asked with interest.
I nodded. I was well aware that Remnant had a bone to pick with the faunus. Before I got dragged into this place, I had thought that the racism against the faunus was stupid. What was the rationale? Getting dragged inside however, it was easy to grasp. In the official books, the faunus did grow alongside humanity in recorded history. Their different visible traits marked them as different from humanity, literally, and people started to enslave them. No matter where, humanity is the gift that keeps on giving.
"I like to consider myself as a bit more accepting," I explained. "I see no reason to discriminate against the faunus when we all live in this world under the Grimm. We need to band together; one people, one kingdom, one Remnant."
For Super Ear-Remnant, I corrected myself. Fuck, I should stop getting taken by my own propaganda.
Brown however, he nodded with my words, approval in his eyes. Sienna's angry look vanished a little bit as she listened to my words. Kali however, her eyes were glistening with praise.
"It's refreshing to hear that, Mister Wayland," Kali gushed.
"A pity then that justice has ossified to utter uselessness in the hearts of men," Brown muttered, shaking his head. "They cannot grasp sharing this beautiful world with the faunus."
"Well then," I said with a clap. "Let this meeting be a start towards that!"
And so, the meeting began with us taking our seats. I sat at the head of the table, Land at my side. On the other end, Brown and Kali sat together, rather symbolic to be frank. Sienna took her place at Kali's side, the dutiful bodyguard.
"Allow me to start by thanking you for meeting us, Mister Wayland. Most companies wouldn't," Kali began.
"Royal and Imperial is unique, Madam," I replied deftly. And we needed the money. A fact that I was quite sure the faunus were aware as well. Our stock score was more than visible in the stock market.
"Oh please," giggled the Belladonna Matriarch. "Madam makes me feel old. Call me Kali!" she insisted.
I thought about it then nodded. "Pardon, Ma-Kali," I corrected myself. I continued. "Old habits."
"To introduce, I am the true owner of Cambrian Logistics. Madam Belladonna is here to represent to interests of Menagerie," Brown cleared his throat. "Cambrian Logistics requested to purchase five hundred of your Defender rifles, Mister Wayland. What exactly is the problem of purchase? Cambrian is a good company, certified in Vale and Atlas. The owner is human, sir."
I struck a Gendo pose. "The issue, Mister Brown, is that my father is aware that Cambrian Logistics is a shell company. The owners are human yes but looking into the background...it is sketchy. He is afraid that our arms will be used for...less than savoury purposes."
"They aren't, I assure you, Mister Wayland," Brown attested. "They are going to be used as you intended them to be, protecting people."
He then took something from his coat pocket and pushed it towards me. A scroll, I realized, as I picked it up and glanced inside.
There was a video playing. Inside, a group of Faunus lead by Brown advanced forward through a town or rather, what remained of one. There were bodies everywhere of faunus. Some had no heads left, others fell with a struggle. My expression blanched as a few bodies looked...assaulted. Land leaned in and watched the video with me.
And he growled.
"Grimm did not do that," Brown said gravelly.
Land looked up. "People did?"
The man nodded, making Land even more upset.
"Searchlight was a town of faunus in Mistral," Kali sighed, her voice was pained. Call it human decency or I was just sympathetic, I felt for her. "They were peaceful, good. They made a living trading with the city then..."
"Scum of the earth attacked," Sienna finished, her eyes glowing with rage.
I paused the video and let the scroll land on the table. I considered the information present to me. The Faunus Rights Revolution may have won them freedom but it did not mean that it won them true respect. Faunus as slaves was still within living memory and people were still trying to get used to the idea that the faunus were well...people.
"Was there any information found about the attackers?" I asked.
"The Branwen Tribe," Brown supplied. "They're a ruthless band of cut-throats, brigands, and thieves. They kill, they rape; human or faunus. They are monsters in wearing the skin of men and women. As soon as this is over, I am returning to Mistral to find these monsters and end them. They are a threat not just to faunus, Mister Wayland, but to humans as well. With your guns, we have a chance."
My mind went immediately to that Ronin looking woman, Raven Branwen and her gaggle of cut-throats. It was hard to respect her when one, she was a massive fucking coward that ran from Yang and the world. How could I respect someone who talked mad shit about strength when she hid in her hole? Then, there was the fact she lead a band of rapacious vandals.
No profit to be found in raping and pillaging. Taxes was where the real gains were at. The damn Mongols resorted to taxation and they were horse-lords from the steppes. The Branwen tribe and Raven were just idiots.
"In light of this, I personally see no reason to not sell you arms," I muttered. "However..."
I locked on in shock as Sienna marched forward, slamming her fist on the table, cracking it. Her expression was of pure rage as she threw an accusing finger at me. "Even despite seeing this, you are still hesitating? Every single second we waste here, more people die! People!"
I stood up, leaning in, my expression locked in at her. "Miss Khan. I sympathize with you. I really, really do. But this is not a simple matter of just signing off guns. It-"
"Because we're Faunus, is that it?" Sienna challenged me, glaring back.
My lips went thin. To be honest...it was because they were Faunus. Atlas had laws in place, bullshit laws to be frank, that restricted trade with Menagerie. It was justified as difficulty in trading with far Menagerie. Furthermore, we needed licenses, certifications, and other paperwork magic to get things moving. In reality, it was way of punishing them for their victory in the Faunus Rights Revolution. Humans are vengeful and some people are more vengeful than the others. Mantle had been the center for faunus slavery before the Faunus forcibly ended their bondage.
"Some people are upset that your people won, Miss Khan. Some are holding onto that grudge," I sighed. I looked up at her. "However, Royal and Imperial does not hold that grudge, not in this new world. We are willing to trade with you and your people on the condition that it goes through proper channels, not through backdoors. The Council would be very very interested if the guns we sold to a Valean Company would end up in Mistral. No shell companies. He wants it done as clean as possible."
"Then in that case, we shall," Kali nodded with finality.
"I am glad we have come to a compromise," I smiled.
Instead of Cambrian Logistics, they were going to use an actual company run by faunus instead of a human, a Mistrali corporation jointly owned by a human and faunus. I honestly was puzzled why my father was so adamant about selling to them directly when the settlement with Cambrian was certainly fine. But I suppose the embarrassment of being found out was worse than openly doing it. They would have wanted to purchase more but they were interested in seeing the effectiveness of it before going full in which was rather fair. For payment, it was with Lien, to be paid with each successful transfer of rifles. There were other things that the Faunus wanted as well. Expertise in how to use and maintain the rifles as well as their own means to produce it. That was something that I would have to discuss with my father however. Lastly, they asked for a interesting product.
"So, there's actually a request that my husband would like to ask of you," Kali asked, expression demure.
I leaned in with interest. "Yes?"
"He would like to ask if Royal and Imperial is thinking of manufacturing other things for the frontier?" Kali asked. "For example, is your company willing to make a vehicle that is just like your guns?"
I grasped on quick to what she was talking about. "So, something that is reliable, easy-to-maintain, and dustless?"
"That's right!" Kali clapped happily. "You see, the less dust we use on vehicles, the more it could be used for other things. And with how far Menagerie is and with how difficult Atlas makes it for us to buy Dust, it would make such a massive difference."
That...was something I had to look over. I was so focused on guns that I neglected to think of other things. However..."You understand, Kali, that Royal and Imperial is a arms company firstly?" I pointed out.
"Oh, I do!" Kali nodded in understanding. "But as I understand it, your family are artificers, right? I have confidence that you, of all people, can figure out a way to make one."
I laughed, blushing slightly. Praise is praise, no matter where it came from. "I will try then."
"If we are satisfied with your guns, Mister Wayland, you can best expect us again," Kali said with a comforting and assuring smile.
They left not to soon but not before Land and Sienna glared at each other.
I leaned back on my chair, cracking my knuckles. "Well, that was certainly something. Madam Belladonna is rather charming, don't you think?"
"Right," harumphed Land. "Her subordinate needs to relax otherwise she will grow up old and gray from all the stress."
"Like you?" I snickered.
The doppelsoldner snorted. And as he did, my scroll rang. Puzzled, I took it out and scanned it.
"I didn't order five Chicken Bleu's?" I muttered, puzzled.
+++
The car drove off quietly. Outside, people were rushing to get into cover as the sky darkened and rain fell. Under the torrent of water clashing against metal, Kali Belladonna allowed herself to finally relax after a long day of worrying.
When Royal and Imperial had freezed their order, Kali had feared the worst. Was it going to be just like another company who would sneer and look down on them for being Faunus? With that assumption in mind, Kali had went to the meeting fully expecting the worst. If it had, she was ready to use Cat's Eyes, her semblance. It would have allowed her to nudge his emotions to a manageable level of reason. The more negative a person's emotions were, the more draining it was for her to use her semblance. Hate, prejudice, scorn, this had made her a very tired woman especially when it came to dealing with unsavory humans. With the Wayland Heir however, it wasn't as bad a strain. The boy held no hate towards her or her subordinate but rather, curiosity and amusement to her surprise.
She was glad it didn't have to come to that. It did make her feel a good amount of shame that she herself was prejudiced about Alexander, and she hadn't even met him before.
It was humbling, she had to admit.
"Well," the Belladonna Matriarch said with a clap. "That went well!"
Sienna rolled her eyes as she leaned against the car window. "A single deal done does not mean out mission for equality has succeeded."
Kali turned towards her. "Ah, but one small step marks the start of a great journey. Give it time. Eventually, time will heal all wounds."
The Tigress sighed. "It's just...tiring, Kali. We've tried so hard to work with their system and people still reject us. Look at Menagerie, for example. We proved our capacity to govern ourselves when we carved Kuo Kuana out of the wasteland they awarded to us. We fought and won our freedom. We...we earned our damned dignity."
Menagerie's situation was certainly better than in the past years. It had taken herculean effort by her people to carve a place for them in the new continent. When the first ships landed, the site that was Kuo Kuana was overgrown with thick plants, and fierce reptile creatures stalked the jungles. They had lost much to the Great War, the Revolution, and even more to the plant and reptile monsters. She thought she had seen everything but seeing a Sea Feilong getting torn in half by a swimming reptilian thing was another.
"Hopefully time will prove you correct, Kali," Brown muttered after much silence. "You know how my fellow men are, they are all talk. Talk does not help the victims of injustice, human or faunus. I admire your husband for believing that talk would win faunus equality. There was very much a time that I thought that justice could be done with talk. However, the faunus earned their freedom with blood. I am now quite certain that injustice cannot be purged away from the kingdoms but with blood."
At that, the car settled into a silence. Sienna listened, and listened well. That was...disconcerting, Kali had to admit.
"I...I admire your zeal, Mister Brown. But if my husband had listened to such advice, we would have went and stormed the defenceless Kingdoms after we destroyed Lagune's army," Kali replied. "And in turn, it would have inflamed humanity to organize an even bigger army to strike back with vengeance. And instead of having Menagerie and slavery abolished, we would be watching helpless as infants as slavery would grow to be an even bigger monster."
Kali shook her head. "No, Mister Brown. I thank very much that cooler heads prevailed. We have won our freedom. Now, we must win the peace. But never, ever, at broadsword. That time is over."
"I pray to the God of Light, that such a time will never come again." Brown replied tersely. Kali would never run out of praises for Brown. Despite being human, he fought with a fire of righteousness, as if his own soul was pierced by slavery. John Brown's zeal in the cause of justice was infinitely superior compared to his fellow men. Their spirits were taper light; his was as the burning sun. They could live for the oppresed.; John Brown could die for them.
"Changing the subject, Kali," Sienna coughed. "Is this outing finished? I am needed in Solitas."
"It is," Kali nodded, her mind thinking of what Sienna was talking about. Then, she remembered. "Oh yes! Some miners were worried about conditions there. Which mine was it, again?"
The tigress shrugged. "The miners call it The God of Darkness asshole. The SDC calls it Courrières