The humid air of Arthur's lab, usually filled with the gentle hum of magical currents, now held a strange tension.
Cinder was gone, her frustrated departure a clear signal of her plans falling apart.
Arthur had successfully messed with her big show, turning her terrifying Atlesian Knights into bumbling fools and her grand network takeover into a giant, confusing mess.
He watched her retreating aura through a special glowing crystal, a faint smile on his face.
"Running away now, Cinder? That's not very like of you."
Suddenly, a tiny flicker of energy caught his attention, barely there, like a whispered thought. Someone was coming.
He adjusted another crystal, focusing its light.
It was Neo, Roman's silent partner, moving like a shadow.
Arthur had a feeling she might show up eventually, but not quite like this.
He let her come closer, letting her think she was being sneaky.
Neo glided into the lab, a ghost in the dim light.
Her steps made no sound. Her umbrella, usually a fashionable accessory, clicked open, revealing a sharp, hidden blade.
With a quick, smooth movement, she darted forward, aiming the blade straight for his heart.
Arthur didn't even flinch. He just stood there, letting her strike.
A shimmering, unseen shield of dragon scales, a part of his true form, appeared just beneath his clothes.
CLINK!
The sound was sharp, like metal hitting rock.
Then, a loud CRACK! Neo's fancy blade, built for slicing through tough materials, shattered into tiny, useless pieces against his invisible scales.
Neo froze, her wide, mismatched eyes staring at the broken hilt in her hand.
Her perfect weapon, destroyed just like that. She looked up at Arthur, who still stood completely still, not a scratch on him.
A small, knowing smile played on his lips.
"Well, now,"
Arthur said, his voice soft, almost a purr. He moved then, quick as a wink.
Before Neo could even think about what happened, his hand was on her wrist, a firm, gentle hold she couldn't escape.
He easily took the broken pieces of her umbrella from her, tossing them onto a nearby table.
"Trying to sneak up on me? That's a bold move for a little pixie like you."
Neo struggled for a moment, her small body tensing.
But it was no use. Arthur's grip was like iron, unyielding.
He was Lv. 5, a being of immense power, and she was only Lv. 3, a skilled human.
The difference was like trying to punch a mountain.
Arthur easily brought her down to the ground, not hurting her, but making sure she couldn't move.
He held her still, looking into her unique eyes.
"So, you came here to kill me, didn't you?" he asked, his voice low and a little playful.
He expected her to fight, to rage, to try and escape.
But Neo didn't.
She lay still, looking up at him. Her mismatched eyes, usually so hard to read, held a strange spark.
A faint pink blush started to spread on her cheeks.
She wasn't struggling. In fact, her body, held firmly in his grasp, seemed to… relax.
Arthur blinked.
This was not the reaction he expected.
He leaned in a little closer, still holding her, trying to tease her.
"Your little knife couldn't even scratch me. What were you thinking?"
Neo just watched him, her gaze intense.
The blush on her face deepened. There was something in her eyes now, a look he couldn't quite understand at first. It was… fascinating.
And something else. Something like… surrender.
Then it hit him.
He suddenly understood. She wasn't just here to kill him. She had come to find him, to confirm something.
To test a feeling, a dark desire she had hidden deep inside.
And in his effortless control over her, in his absolute power, she had found exactly what she was looking for.
She actually liked being completely overpowered. She liked being dominated.
"You…"
Arthur started, his voice a little softer now, less teasing.
"You like this, don't you?"
Neo, still silent, gave a tiny nod, barely noticeable.
Her eyes never left his, and the blush on her cheeks grew warmer. She didn't try to hide it.
Arthur's mind raced.
This was… unexpected. Truly unexpected.
He had become a powerful dragon, a being of magic and knowledge, had stumbled upon a human who found pleasure in being completely at his mercy.
It was a strange twist, a complicated knot he hadn't seen coming.
"So," he mused, looking down at her, a new kind of curiosity in his eyes. "You came all this way, not just to fight, but to… confirm you wanted to be controlled?"
Neo's eyes seemed to sparkle in the dim light of the lab.
Another small nod. Her breathing was steady, not from fear, but from something else.
Something almost… content.
This changed everything.
His plan to save Remnant was about fighting Cinder, protecting Penny, and guiding Ozpin. It was not about… this. A silent, submissive assassin who sought out his dominance.
Arthur let out a soft sigh, a sound like rustling leaves.
He still held her, feeling the subtle tension of her body, not of resistance, but of anticipation.
What was he supposed to do with her now?
He couldn't just let her go. She was an assassin, a dangerous one, even if her weapon was broken.
But he also couldn't just… discard her. Not when she had come to him with such a bizarre, unspoken request.
"Well, Neo,"
Arthur said, his voice thoughtful.
"This certainly wasn't in my mind."
He shifted his grip slightly, not releasing her, but adjusting her so she was more comfortable, still utterly contained.
"So, you like it when someone is completely in charge, do you?"
Neo's eyes widened a fraction, and the blush deepened. She gave a third, tiny nod.
Arthur leaned back slightly, still holding her.
He looked around his lab, at the glowing crystals, the intricate designs for Penny.
His mission was clear, but now… he had an unexpected passenger, a silent shadow with a very surprising desire.
"Alright, then,"
Arthur said, a faint, almost mischievous smile returning to his face.
"If you want to be dominated, little pixie, you've certainly found the right dragon."
He paused, considering.
"But this means you work for me now. No more Roman. No more Cinder. Understand?"
Neo's gaze remained fixed on his, and after a moment, she gave a clear, decisive nod.
Her silent agreement.
Arthur felt a strange sense of victory, not just over Cinder's failed plans, but over a much more personal, unstated challenge.
He had not only prevented an assassination but gained a most unusual, and utterly submissive, ally.
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