[City of Mantle]
In the middle of the city of Mantle, Robyn Hill, graduate of Atlas Academy, leader of the Happy Hunters, and, of course, council candidate, finds herself surrounded by the crowd of refugees, improvised shelters, and the general chaos hanging in the air.
Beside her is Fiona Thyme, one of her closest companions. They have just checked on the refugees' condition and are handing out one last box of supplies to a family. There isn't much to offer, but people receive it with genuine gratitude.
"Thank you…" says a young man, barely nodding his head as he takes the box.
Robyn watches him. She feels a knot in her chest, but only returns a smile. She can't help but feel regret over the situation. There are too many people, and fewer and fewer resources, and no one seems to have a real solution.
She doesn't stay there any longer.
She turns around and begins to walk away from the crowd, moving with steady steps as Fiona follows closely behind. She tries not to focus on the tired faces, on the children clinging to blankets beside their families, trying to escape the cold.
Her mind shifts to something else. She needs to think of solutions. Atlas had promised supplies until the completion of the Jaeger Core Project and the restoration of power in Mantle, but the reality is far from what was promised.
Yes, they sent resources. Delayed, limited, and clearly calculated. Just enough for the registered inhabitants of Mantle. No one thought about those in the Pit. No one included them. And maybe they didn't even care.
Robyn isn't surprised. Those people had been forgotten long before the bombing. Even if Atlas closes its eyes, she won't do the same. She's not going to abandon them.
Even so, she needs to find a way to make up for the missing supplies. As she thinks about it, they have already left the main shelter area. It's clear by the absence of people and the immediate drop in temperature, moving away from the generators that keep things barely tolerable.
Bzzz!!
The sound of her scroll interrupts her thoughts. She takes it out automatically and checks the message. Fiona, who is right beside her, has written to her.
"We're being followed."
Robyn gives her a quick glance before replying with another short message.
"I know. I already told May."
And without losing her composure, she puts the scroll away without changing her pace. Calm. Showing no signs of alarm.
Of course she knew. At least for the past half hour. Maybe more. At first, she wasn't sure, but whoever is following them is skilled. Knows how to hide, is quiet, and just enough to make her doubt.
What do they want? She doesn't know.
She has many enemies because of her candidacy for the Atlas Council. And even more critics for other reasons. Whoever it was, it didn't matter. Whatever came, she would face it.
She calmly turns into a long, narrow alley she knows well, walking all the way to the end without rushing. Only when she's sure the pursuer has entered behind them does she suddenly turn around.
"Now!"
As soon as she gives the order, both her aura and Fiona's activate, the two of them immediately dashing toward the figure following them. The stranger reacts quickly and tries to back off, but it's already too late.
May is waiting right at the exit, completely blocking any attempt to escape.
The guy is fast, even agile, but he can't compare to three professional Huntresses. Robyn charges in without hesitation, grabs him by the arm, spins him against her back, and pushes him hard into the wall.
The strange thing is that he doesn't resist. He doesn't fight back, doesn't activate his aura. Nothing.
Now that they have him pinned, the three pause for a second, surprised to see that the mysterious figure is just… a boy.
"Okay, okay, I give up," he says, complaining, his voice only mildly irritated by the slight pain from the hold.
Green hair, tanned skin, and a pair of small antennae sticking out from his messy hair.
Robyn watches him closely, not loosening the pressure against the wall. He's a faunus, that much is obvious, though she can't quite tell what kind. What she does know for sure is that he's not from Atlas, and definitely not from Mantle.
But that can wait. The important thing now is to find out what he wants.
"What are you after, following us?" she asks, still holding him.
The boy complains again but stays calm, maybe too calm.
"What? Can't someone admire the great figures of Mantle's freedom?" he answers with an awkward smile.
Robyn narrows her eyes, tightening her grip on his arm just a bit more to make it clear she's not in the mood.
"Alright, alright! Calm down," he groans again, half-laughing. "Okay, I just wanted to meet you… you're my heroes," he insists, looking like he doesn't think he's done anything wrong.
"I don't believe a word," says May, stepping forward, amused, cracking her knuckles.
"Me neither," agrees Robyn.
She loosens the grip just enough to twist his arm firmly, locking it and intertwining her fingers with his. The moment she makes contact, she activates her semblance.
"Don't try to activate your aura," she warns, not even bothering to sound threatening. She hopes the boy isn't dumb enough to try something stupid against three professional Huntresses.
He nods, not resisting. "Alright. I don't have aura anyway."
But as soon as he finishes speaking, the energy between their hands lights up in an intense red. He blinks, surprised.
"My semblance is 'Lie Detection'. I can detect lies. I suggest you start telling the truth."
The boy stays silent for a few seconds, clearly weighing his options.
"I have aura… but I don't know how to activate it," he corrects, giving a slightly more elaborate excuse.
Another obvious lie. Robyn had seen him move when he tried to run. That speed wasn't possible without aura. But to everyone's surprise, the light between their hands turns green, and as it does, a smile spreads across the boy's face, clearly enjoying the confusion he's causing.
Robyn doesn't take her eyes off him. Several questions pile up in her mind, but she doesn't waste time: she needs answers.
"What's your name?" she asks.
He hesitates, as if evaluating whether it's worth lying or how to avoid answering. Then he lets out a soft laugh and points to his head with his free hand.
"Aegis."
The light stays green. And he keeps that arrogant smile, like he knows something they don't.
"Why were you following us?" she asks, not letting go of his hand, trying to understand his intentions.
"I admire you."
Red.
"I want to help Mantle."
Red again.
"I care about the cause…"
Also red.
Aegis's face starts to lose the confident expression he had at the start. Maybe tired, maybe annoyed, his look hardens, and his eyes lock with Robyn's, with no trace of mockery.
"I want to fuck Fiona Thyme."
The tone is low. More serious than they expected. May, who was standing right beside him, rolls her eyes hard.
"Oh please. That's obviously a lie…" she tries to say, but doesn't finish the sentence before the light turns green.
Not just May is stunned. Robyn is left speechless. Fiona blushes instantly, lowering her head as the silence turns uncomfortable. Several seconds pass before May is the first to react.
"Why!?" she blurts out, still shocked.
"Because I like her semblance," Aegis answers without hesitation.
He sounds confident. Calm. And the light between their hands is still green.
"That's not a reason to sleep with someone!" May fires back, now visibly annoyed, but he doesn't flinch. He just shrugs, like he doesn't see the problem.
"It's more than enough reason for me."
Robyn watches the light, still green. She can only let out a sigh. They weren't dealing with a murderer or a spy. Just a teenager with raging hormones and zero self-respect.
"This is ridiculous," she thinks, finally letting go of his hand. "Go home," she orders, trying to put an end to it.
But before she can fully pull away, he grabs her hand again quickly.
"Alright, let's get to the point," he says, this time using what Robyn recognizes as a business voice.
"I'm willing to make a generous donation to Robyn Hill's campaign and the reconstruction of Mantle… if you agree."
Robyn looks at him, incredulous.
"This kid is an idiot," she thinks. But the light was still green. He wasn't lying.
Before she can say anything, May steps forward, puts a hand on Fiona's shoulder, and pulls her close, as if protecting her.
"Sorry, kid," she says with a serious expression. "But this ass isn't for sale."
Fiona, who hadn't said a single word during the entire exchange, turns even redder. She looks at May, then at Robyn, then at Aegis. She doesn't seem to know who to face or how to react.
Aegis, meanwhile, keeps his eyes fixed on May.
"I'm willing to donate one million lien."
Silence.
All eyes go straight to the light between their hands. The green glow is unmistakable. No lie there.
"Well, that's good enough for me," says May, shoving Fiona toward him without warning.
Fiona stumbles and crashes into Aegis, forcing Robyn to let go of his hand.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Fiona yells, completely outraged.
Robyn can only bring a hand to her forehead. She already knew May's sense of humor, but this… this was on another level.
"What?" May replies, without a trace of guilt. "Can't you take one for the team?"
Robyn can't believe she has to say this out loud.
"We can't just sell Fiona," she says sharply, trying to regain control of the situation.
At her words, May goes quiet for a second, like something just clicked in her head.
"You're right," she murmurs seriously, pulling Fiona back toward her.
"We have to negotiate…" she whispers, letting out a barely contained smile.
"Alright, pretty boy. We're interested in your offer, but we're not satisfied. We want three million!"
"I'm a faunus, but that doesn't mean you can sell me. That's racist! My people fought against this kind of treatment in the Great War for faunus freedom," protests Fiona, pulling herself away forcefully.
"You can shut up," May cuts in bluntly. "First of all, mommy's negotiating. Second, the guy's a faunus too, so it doesn't count as racism."
"One and a half," he replies, calm.
"Two and a half," counters May, without losing her rhythm or smile.
"Two. Final offer. I'm not paying more for that ass."
"Deal," says May, stretching out her hand to seal the agreement with a shake. Without giving Fiona a chance to protest again, she shoves her back into him.
"Again?!" exclaims Fiona, completely indignant.
"Pfff," May scoffs. "Enough complaining. You say you're against it, but you sure like putting your hands on him."
"What are you talking about?" Fiona asks, both confused and annoyed in equal parts. May doesn't answer with words. She just points downward, directing her finger below Fiona's waist.
Fiona looks down. Her eyes widen the moment she sees her own hand planted firmly on Aegis's butt.
"AH!" she screams, pulling away immediately. "I'm sorry! I don't know why I did that!"
"It's fine," he replies, completely relaxed, winking. "I appreciate the initiative~"
Fiona turns her head looking for May, probably wanting to explain that it wasn't intentional. But May already has her back turned.
She then looks for Robyn's gaze. But she avoids it too, copying May's gesture, saying nothing. She isn't sure what to make of Fiona's actions.
The comedic moment breaks when Aegis speaks again.
"So… are we going to have sex or not?"
"NO!" Fiona answers without thinking, voice firm.
But as soon as she says it, she's pulled by the arm by May, who this time also grabs Robyn in the same motion.
"Excuse us a second?" she says with a forced smile, dragging them a few steps away.
"Team meeting!" she whispers, forming a small closed circle between the three of them.
"What is there to discuss?!" blurts Fiona, frustrated. "I'm not going to sleep with him!"
Robyn nods immediately.
"She's right. We can't force Fiona to do something she's not comfortable with…"
She doesn't finish the sentence before May interrupts her instantly, letting out the most exaggerated fake crying sounds she can muster.
"Wew wew wew… Oh, poor Fiona!" she laments with a level of dramatics impossible to take seriously. "She's being offered two million to sleep with a rather attractive young man! Poor her! This must be the worst calamity in history. I'm a monster for asking her to do such a horrible thing…"
She makes a dramatic gesture as she pats her pockets.
"Quick! Does anyone have a mirror?" she says theatrically. "I want to see if I've turned into Jacques Schnee."
"If you're so okay with this, then do it yourself!" Fiona growls, annoyed, crossing her arms.
"I would, but he didn't offer it to me," she replies with an ironic smile that quickly vanishes as she locks eyes with Robyn.
Her tone changes. She doesn't sound amused anymore.
"All jokes aside… I don't want to sound desperate, but we really need that money."
Robyn would like to say no. That she's exaggerating. But she knows it isn't the case. They really do need it.
"On a large scale, those two million don't mean much…" May continues, lowering her voice. "They won't solve all of Mantle's problems. But they're enough to cover the missing supplies."
Robyn exchanges a glance with Fiona, and both of them lower their eyes for a moment. The truth is impossible to ignore.
May is right.
With two million they could keep Mantle going for at least a couple of weeks. Medicine, food, fuel… enough to sustain them until the Jaeger Core construction is finished. This was a unique opportunity and she would like to get the money…
But not like this.
Robyn is used to personal sacrifice. She has no problem with that. But she would never force a teammate. Especially not to do something like this. No matter how unusual it is.
Selling her body to a boy for money? Just thinking about it already feels absurd.
And if it were a male teammate, and a woman made an offer like that, it would also be unacceptable, of course. But… it would make a little more sense. Aegis isn't ugly, that's for sure, and with a well-shaped body he could probably get any girl he wanted if he tried.
So then, why Fiona? Why go so far for her?
Before she can say anything, Fiona breaks the silence. "I'll do it…" she murmurs. Her tone is soft, but firm.
"You don't have to," Robyn replies without hesitation, turning toward her, but she's quickly silenced by May with a quick gesture.
"Shhh. She already said it. Her decision," she says, keeping her eyes on Fiona. Then she nods with conviction. "I never told you this, but I'm proud of you."
Without missing a beat, she points toward a corner behind some containers.
"Now go. Give him the best fuck of his life. We'll give you some privacy," she murmurs, bringing a hand to her chin, thoughtful for a few seconds.
"How much time do you need? Four? Five minutes to finish?"
"Ow!" she complains, grabbing her arm after taking a direct hit from Fiona herself.
"You really don't have to do this," Robyn insists again. Although, deep down, she can't help but think about everything that money could fix.
"You know…?" interrupts a fourth voice. It's Aegis, who somehow slipped into the circle without anyone noticing.
He's right in front of them, with an expression somewhere between offended and overly hurt.
"I didn't know it was so awful to think of me that way," he says in a mockingly wounded tone. "Am I really so unpleasant that even two million isn't enough?"
As he speaks, he wipes away a fake tear from his face, with a theatrical gesture that fools no one.
Everyone notices.
Well… everyone except one.
"No, no, no!" Fiona rushes to calm him down, waving her hands nervously, not realizing he's just joking.
"It's not that. It's just that… this whole situation is… weird, okay? I think nobody expected something like this to happen."
"I see…" Aegis replies, thoughtful, tilting his head slightly. "If this is so strange, how about… you come have a coffee with me? We talk, no commitments, and then… only then I'll consider donating the money."
"That sounds suspicious," May jumps in immediately, looking at him with distrust. Robyn also frowns in suspicion. She says nothing, but yes, it does sound too good to be true.
Without further explanation, Aegis pulls out his scroll, types something quickly, and puts it away again.
"What was that…?" May starts to ask, but she's interrupted by the beep from Robyn's scroll. She pulls it out by instinct… and her eyes fall on the screen.
[Incoming transaction: 500,000 lien]
She stays still, her expression unchanged as she stares at the message. May, on the other hand, opens her eyes wide. The reaction isn't surprising. Since she left the Marigold family, this was probably the first time she had seen that much money all at once. And that was just a portion of what they had asked for.
"Well?" Aegis asks, with a relaxed smile. "Now can we go get that coffee?"
Fiona hesitates. The offer is strange… but the money is already there. She just nods, not really sure why she was the one feeling nervous.
Aegis doesn't waste any time. He takes her hand and starts walking with her. It doesn't feel forced, but he also doesn't give her much room to think twice.
Robyn and May just watch them as they walk away.
"Want a cookie?" Aegis's voice can be heard before they disappear from view.
"Look at her… a real fornicator," comments May with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall with a proud expression on her face.
A few seconds pass in silence. One. Two. Until May herself breaks the pause.
"We're going to follow them, right?"
"Of course we're going to follow them," Robyn answers without hesitation.
She had no intention of leaving her teammate alone with someone that suspicious. In the worst-case scenario, it was a trap. In the best, they'd get two million.
Without saying another word, both activate their auras, take their distance, and begin following them in silence.
-//-
Author's Note
Remember, this is a gender-swapped world, so double standards are totally at play here—just in case you forgot.
Is this chapter short? Yeah, it is.
I'm in the lightning round of life where everything hits at once.
...
...
I hate driving. I don't know how to drive.
But I have a driver's license.
I was hoping I'd never have to use it, but due to certain reasons… now I have to.
And how do I have a license if I don't know how to drive?
Well, where I live, they'll hand a license to any idiot who does 16 hours of practice and passes a 20-question test that a child could ace.
Example:
Is running a red light illegal?
❒ Yes ❒ No
I wish I were joking, but that's a real question.
I'm a danger to society! They shouldn't let me drive! Or park!
Long story short: I don't like driving, but I've been practicing in the afternoons on my own, with someone who actually knows how.
And what does any of this have to do with the fanfic?
NOTHING! But I felt like writing down one of the reasons I've had less time lately.
Anyway, leave a comment.
Next chapter will probably be R-18. A review might even motivate me to write faster… who knows.
Anyway…
Kisses and hugs.❤️