RWBY: The Honored One - CH9 (Patreon)

[Alabaster Schnee. POV]

Morning light filtered into my room as I stretched lazily from a night without sleep as usual, relishing the first rays of the sun. I hadn't been disturbed since last night's door-knocking fiasco, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. One attacker, however enthusiastic, hardly made for a decent show. 

I half-expected my night-time delivery driver to have friends who fancied a good old scuffle, but alas, it seems the guy was a loser in more than one way. A bit of a letdown, really. 

Where's a good ambush when you're in the mood?

I shrugged off the mild disappointment. Depression could wait; I had a sweet tooth to satisfy.  Yawning, I threw on some casual attire and decided that the best remedy for my thwarted expectations was to go out and explore Mistral. 

A stroll through the city might bring some fun my way. And some sweet, sweet pastries!

Outside, stalls lined the cobbled pathways, merchants hawking their wares with a vigor that was, frankly, quite infectious. I found myself drawn to a confectionery stand, its array of sweets a rainbow of tempting hues. The vendor, a portly man with a smile as sweet as his offerings, tipped his hat at me.

"Something catch your eye, young master?" he inquired, his gaze flickering to the Schnee crest on my attire.

I pointed to an assortment of candied fruits. "A selection of these, if you will. And whatever that is," I added, gesturing to a mountain of fluffy, rainbow-colored confection that promised a delightful sugar rush.

As he handed me; my order, my eyes wandered further into the heart of the marketplace, my thoughts momentarily stolen by a beautiful shades stall. 

I gasped in joy. 

Not too far away from the candy stall, an array of sunglasses was displayed in a rather ostentatious fashion, each pair more extravagant than the last. Behind the stand was a woman with hair as vibrant as the wares she sold, her eyes hidden behind a pair of shades that could only be described as fabulously over-the-top.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" I mused aloud, striding over with genuine curiosity. "A little piece of home."

The woman looked up, a practiced smile on her lips. "Looking for some shade, handsome?" she flirted, unabashed. The audacity, woman I am 15, have some decency cradle robber!

I chuckled. "Always," I said, picking up a pair that reminded me of my favorite shades back in Tokyo, large, black, and utterly fabulous. Wasting no time, I placed them on my face, and the world took on a cooler hue.

Peering over the top of the frames at the vendor, I struck a pose. "What do you think? Do they scream 'mysterious and incredibly powerful heir to a vast fortune'?"

She laughed. "They scream something, all right."

Maybe I should buy a few, just in case I don’t find a store like this once I leave. 

—---------------------------------

[Lil' Miss Malachite. POV]

The man before me was shaking, a mixture of fear and disbelief had painted his rugged features into an unsightly picture of incompetence. While he wasn’t the best at my organization, he was one of the most reliable ones, but now he stood, wringing his hat between his hands as if it could wring out his failure.

"Miss Malachite, we're gonna need... we're gonna need more than just a few guys," he stammered, avoiding eye contact. "His semblance, it's like nothing I've ever seen."

I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued despite the failure. "Oh? And what semblance could possibly fluster you so, Rust?"

His eyes met mine, haunted. "It was like hitting a wall. A wall of... of air, or space, or whatever. My weapon, it just stopped. There was nothing there, but it stopped."

I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers and contemplating. A semblance that acted as an impenetrable barrier, now that was a rare gem, especially considering the Schnee Semblance was known to be Glyphs. 

Could it be the kid hadn’t inherited his family semblance? Or could it be Rust had failed to see the application of Glyphs to stop him.

I sighed.

In the end no answer I came up with would be good enough, I was working on conjectures. Without more information, there was no point in thinking too much about the matter.

"I see, so you're telling me that Alabaster Schnee, who so far we had assumed was nothing more than a spoiled brat, has a unique semblance, instead of the Schnee Glyphs, strong enough to stop you dead in your tracks?" I couldn't help but let a smirk curl the corners of my mouth. "Interesting."

Rust nodded vigorously. "Yes, ma'am. And I didn't even see him move. He just... stood there, smirking at me like I was a child throwing a tantrum."

A chuckle escaped me, the image of the scene amusing and irritating in equal measure. "All right," I said after a moment, standing up from my desk. "Gather the others. It's clear we underestimated our guest. But we won't make that mistake again."

Rust eyes widened. "You mean, we're going to try again?"

"Of course," I replied with a small smile. "But this time, have Mr. Brown go with you."

—-------------------------------------------

[Alabaster Schnee POV]

The sun dipped low, brushing the sky with strokes of orange and pink. Happy with today’s purchases, I sat on a park bench, a paper bag of sweets from the market crinkled in my grasp, each piece a delightful morsel of sugary perfection. 

It was moments like these I found simple yet strangely fulfilling, even if they were accompanied by an audience. Some people have zero manners, I waited for them all night, and now they come? 

When I’m eating? 

The audacity.

I could sense them, long before they made their cautious approach. They surrounded me in a semicircle, so cliche. So many shapes, and they pick the one everyone pick, I would love being cornered with a triangle for once.

Mid-bite into a particularly delicious candy, a figure stepped forward, breaking ranks with a boldness that was adorable. He was broad-shouldered and wore a stern expression that was probably meant to be intimidating, I was entirely sure. "Alabaster Schnee?" he said, voice deep and gruff, "I'm Umber Brown."

I smiled, my eyes flickering to meet his under my new awesome shades. "I'm eating," I said, between bites. "And you should wait your turn. It's rude to interrupt someone's dessert."

Umber's brow furrowed, and I could see the cogs turning in his head, trying to process my nonchalance awesomeness. "You do realize we're here to—"

"Hold that thought," I interjected, holding up a finger, then pointedly returned my attention to the pastry I was demolishing with relish. "This strawberry tart won’t eat itself, and it would be a crime to let it go to waste."

There was a pause, a moment of silent disbelief from the team rocket wannabes. Umber seemed caught off-guard, a huff of frustration escaping him as he glanced back at his companions, who shrugged in shared confusion.

I licked the remnants of sugar from my fingers, savoring the taste before locking eyes with Umber again. His face had settled into a resigned irritation, an acknowledgement that he was out of his depth with a kid who regarded him as mild inconvenience at the worst.

"Are you done staring into your friends' eyes?" I asked, after a beat, and gestured to the now-empty paper bag. "Because now, I’m finished with my snack, and you have my undivided attention. So, what's the plan? A little chat, or do we get straight to the part where you realize how badly you’ve miscalculated this encounter? Please let it be the latter."

Umber's eyes narrowed as he considered my question, the weight of his next words seeming to press down upon him. There was a flicker of something, was it uncertainty? before he masked it with a veneer of toughness that I found rather endearing.

"You will come with us, kid," Umber declared, his voice attempting to sound commanding and resolute. "It's your choice whether you come unharmed or not."

I cocked my head to the side. "Is that so?" I mused aloud, my gaze sweeping across his group. They all seemed confident in the guy.

Standing up, I brushed off the nonexistent crumbs from my jacket, and stretched leisurely. "You know," I began with a smile, "I've always appreciated a good walk. Fresh air, beautiful scenery, and the occasional company."

I stepped closer, closing the distance until I could see the subtle clench of Umber's jaw. "But if it’s a stroll you're inviting me on, I must warn you, I have a knack for turning walks into... let’s call them 'unexpected burials.'"

Umber's hand twitched, likely an involuntary reaction to the undercurrent of power in my voice. "You're not in a position to make threats, brat." he said, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself rather than me.

I chuckled, the sound light and unfettered. "Threats?" I echoed, shaking my head. "No, no, you misunderstand. I'm merely concerned for your health. It's a well-known fact that death can be lethal."

“So, you’re choosing the hard way,” Umber scoffed.

"Well,” I continued, a grin spreading across my face, "I'm afraid I am. You see… I have a very tight schedule of doing absolutely nothing of importance, and I simply can't disappoint myself."

Sighing, Umber moved forward. His fist rocketed towards me, no doubt intended to reclaim some semblance of control in the situation, or at least to vent his frustration. The punch, predictably, never reached me. But the shock on Umber's face was priceless, eyes wide, mouth agape, the gears in his mind grinding to a halt as he tried to comprehend the incomprehensible.

"My turn," I smiled, using Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue, on the point between his elbow and shoulder. With a quick flick of my wrist, I heard the crunch and snap of bones as his arm twisted into a gory mass of mangled flesh as he screamed in agony.

I sighed in disappointment, as I watched Umber crumble to the ground, writhing and screaming, I had barely used any power on that, and yet the fight was already over. His companions stood frozen, unsure what to do, their fear radiating off them in waves.

Why does everyone have to be so weak?

—------------------------

Character Sheet.

Name: Umber Brown. 

Age: 48.

Profession: Muscle for Hire/Former Hunter.

Semblance: Unbreakable

Semblance Type: Physical

Description: The user of this Semblance possesses an incredible level of physical strength and resilience. They can withstand powerful physical attacks with little to no damage, making their body as strong as steel. The user is also capable of enhancing their physical strength beyond normal limits, allowing them to perform superhuman feats of strength with ease.

Drawbacks: The user's enhanced strength puts a significant strain on their body, causing extreme physical exhaustion and muscle fatigue after prolonged use.

Usage: The Unbreakable Semblance is best used in close combat situations, where the user's strength and resilience can be most effective, or where a war of attrition is needed. It is especially useful in one-on-one fighting scenarios, where the user can overpower their opponent with sheer physical strength.