Leon Alexander Gates
-----
After willingly tormenting himself to the ear-busting shrieks of the Colosseum, Alexander needed a good dose of peace and quiet.
"Ugh, finally." Cooper slumped as he walked out of the stands. "I'm beat."
"You can say that again." Jaune stretched his back. "Where do you guys think Weiss and Ruby went? They ran out of here pretty fast."
All he got were a series of shrugs.
"I'm sure they're fine," Roderick said. "What I'm worried about is how hard the next round is going to be."
"What's there to even worry about?" Yang huffed and laced her fingers behind her head. "Since me and Weiss will be teaming up, you may as well consider it as good as ours."
"Not if you go up against me and Pyrrha!" Nora blew her lips and flexed her arms. "We'll totally mop the floor with you or whoever we face later."
Blake nudged Stiofan. "Anything you want to add?"
"Only that Roderick and I will do our best, even if we find ourselves standing across the arena from any of you." His smile served a ball of amusement. "My only regret is that I won't be seeing you out there, Blake."
"Is that so?" She arched an eyebrow and returned the ball full force. "Well, think again or else I might go ahead and leave you behind like last time."
Sparks flared between them.
The others gave questioning looks while Roderick and Cooper shared knowing grins.
Alexander rolled his eyes and followed them into the next available airbus.
Once they returned to Beacon, everyone went their own ways, and Alexander stopped by the gardens for a single moment of relaxation.
Instead, of all the things, what he found instead was his sister, Nebula, depressed on a bench.
Great.
Bet his entire life savings that it had something to do with the fact Team NDGO lost to Team SSSN hardly half an hour ago.
Nebula noticed him and gave the weakest wave ever.
"Hey, Leon." She sniffled. "How you doing?"
"Better than you."
Nebula threw an empty watering can, thumping it off his chest.
"Forget I asked!"
While she muttered about how much of a jerk he was, he ran his finger down the list of possibilities to try and cheer her up.
Alexander motioned to the paths. "Want a tour?"
"You really think that'll work?" Nebula pouted and crossed her arms. "It won't work."
"There are flowers here that aren't in the shop."
Her face twitched.
"I'll let you take a flower home. I'm sure Peach won't mind."
"W-well, if you insist." Nebula instantly brightened and skipped away. "Come on, we don't have all day!"
As they went around the garden, Nebula gushed over every flower they came across and drooled at the sight of the one she's never seen before.
Reminds him of the time when he was still new to the shop.
Nebula's mother, Aurora, once told her to help him out, so she went out of her way and spent the entire day teaching him of the different kinds of flowers they had. Not only was it as close to torture as it could get, all the information she dumped on him at once nearly melted his brain.
Then again, he didn't hate it much either.
Typical her.
A rustle hooked him towards some bushes, specifically the pair of rabbit ears sticking out from behind them.
Leaving Nebula's side, who was too engrossed in her rant to notice, Alexander pried the bushes apart.
Velvet stared like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"Hey, Alexander." She shot up and dusted her clothes. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Seriously?
As if realizing what she said, Velvet flushed and came out of the bushes.
The steps she made were small and slow, her fingers strangled each other, and she refused to meet his eye, peeking out in and out from underneath the canopy of her ears.
"Scarlatina," Alexander said as kindly as he could. "Need something?"
"Y-yeah." She averted her gaze to the side. "I was just looking for something."
"And what would that be?"
"I was looking for, uh. . ." Her face lit up, and she darted to the vegetable patch. "Carrots!"
Was this supposed to be an open market?
Velvet pulled on a carrot top with an oddly determined amount of effort.
A part of him wanted to let her do it mostly because the look on her face basically said: 'please give it to me or else I'll cry.'
Did she like carrots that much?
"Don't take them out," he said. "Go buy some in Vale if you want it that bad."
"Yeah, guess you're right." She awkwardly rubbed her head and backed off. "So, anyways, congrats on winning, and if you're-free-tomorrow-let-me-know-so-we-could-hangout. Bye!"
Velvet hopped away in a flash.
What was that all about?
"Leon's an idiot."
Looks like somebody wants to pick another fight they can't win.
Alexander side-eyed Nebula coming up beside him. "Got something you want to share?"
"Forget it." She snorted. "A big dummy like you wouldn't get it."
Grunting, he tried to solve the rambling mess that sputtered out of Velvet's mouth.
"Actually, you know what?" Evil intentions mangled Nebula's grin as she latched to arm like a vise. "I have an idea."
Crap.
-----
Stiofan Ua Binn
------
Stiofan understood this day would eventually arrive whether he wanted it to or not.
Armed with a plate of glazed bacon strips, Stiofan returned to the dorm room and summoned forth an adversary worthy enough to challenge.
Teddy popped out from Leon and Cooper's shared closet and ran amuck.
"Easy, now." Stiofan lifted the plates higher. "You can't make a mess like last time. Understand, Teddy?"
Teddy waggled his tongue and faltered climbing his leg.
"Good." He rubbed the knitted hat on the bear's head lump and dropped a slice of bacon. "Remember to chew."
Like a vacuum, it disappeared before his very eyes.
He chuckled and filled a bowl with water.
A chime from his scroll notified him of a message, and the name of the sender fashioned him a smile.
What a pleasant surprise.
Making his way to the empty marble pavilion where a teapot and a plate of glistening croissants awaited him, Stiofan came across a tall woman standing before the large circular fountain in the center of the area.
A white coat, sleeves split from shoulders to elbows, draped to her knees, revealing her dark blue waistcoat and blouse peeking out beneath. However, the most striking and unmistakable features she bore was the pale complexion, snow white hair, and sapphire eyes—the signature traits of a Schnee.
That was the elder sister of Lady Weiss, Winter.
Paying heed to his arrival, her stoic expression softened but swiftly reaffirmed itself to correct the mistake.
"No wonder you were almost fired." She flaunted a hand. "When I invited you here, didn't I specifically inform you to make haste? My time is short, Stiofan."
"Apologies." He bowed his head and placed a fist to his chest. "I was hoping you'd be gone by the time I arrived."
Winter scoffed, motioning him to follow and occupy the other seat at the table.
"It's been too long, Winter." He watched her fill the teacups. "When was the last time we've spoken like this?"
The fine edges of her lips shifted ever so slightly. "My sister's previous birthday."
"Ah, yes." He snapped his fingers. "We spent the entire day roaming the streets of Atlas if I recall correctly."
The fondness of her smile was worth more than any jewel a Schnee could purchase.
"I spent a fortune treating Weiss and giving her a mountain of gifts." She shook her head which caused her hair bun to bounce. "And then we made you and my brother carry all the bags."
"Don't remind me." Stiofan massaged his arms. "I had to carry Lord Whitely's share when he nearly collapsed from exhaustion."
"You mean when he tricked you and escaped?"
He opened his mouth, paused, and closed it.
She rolled her eyes and passed a tea cup.
The earthy aroma and tinted yellow-brown hue made itself clear this was green tea. Not a drop of honey or lemon on the table, though. Shame.
"Enough talk of the past." Winter sipped her tea. "Congratulations for advancing to the singles round, and I must say, your performance thus far has been. . . adequate."
Stiofan gently blew his drink.
"If it counts for anything, you did better than my sister." She swept aside the long bang brushing down the side of her face and to her chin. "Her performance was nothing short of miserable."
Stiofan frowned. "That's quite cruel even for you."
Winter sighed.
"Voice your mind." He recalled the many conversations they had in their childhood youth. "This is not the first time you've spoken to me in confidence about your grievances."
"Far from it, actually." She hummed at the sky. "I just finished speaking with Weiss before I asked you to come here. Did you know my father cut her off?"
His heart sank. "You mean to say—"
"Yes." She scowled as if her tea suddenly became too bitter. "Weiss is on her own now."
"Why hasn't she told me?" Worry seared his gut. "I can help."
"You know it better than anyone that our Schnee pride is not to be trifled with. Father did the same thing to me when I joined the military." Winter's glower rivaled the intensity of the sun. "Rather live on scraps than run back to him."
The news was shocking to hear but to say it wasn't expected would be a false statement. Lady Weiss had a rebellious streak against her father, and his generosity could only go so far before retaliation.
Stiofan snapped the end of a croissant and indulged himself in its buttery softness. "Are there any more issues about Lady Weiss I should be aware of?"
"Other than that, her complete ineptitude for summoning is concerning." A miniature glyph conjured on Winter's palm, and she summoned a Boarbatusk made of bluish-white light and let it loose on the table. "Careful, Stiofan. Despite its size, it can still very well gore the life out of you."
"I will be most vigilant." He poked the replica Grimm. "With more time and practice, I'm sure she will be able to summon all manner of creatures she's defeated."
"I can only hope." She dismissed the boar and treated herself to a croissant. "But enough about us. Is there anything about yourself that you're willing to speak of?"
"There's nothing of the sort. I'm—"
A certain Faunus flashed in his mind.
Winter held him underneath a microscope.
Stiofan relented and released his inner truth. "I met a woman."
"Is that so?" She leaned closer. "Do tell."
"Her name's Blake."
"Weiss' teammate, hmm." She braced her jaw on a palm. "The one with the bow, right? She's quite beautiful from what I can remember seeing."
"Indeed." Stiofan's chest warmed. "She really is."
"As happy as I am to hear about this, Stiofan, I have to ask." Winter tapped her cheek. "Will it interfere with your duties? You know Weiss comes above all else."
He remained silent to the question that he's repeated to himself on occasion.
"I see." She fiddled with her croissant. "This reminds me of when I had to choose between the military or remaining as the heiress of the SDC."
The amount of turmoil Winter caused at the Schnee Manor when she abandoned everything in search of a new life was hard to forget.
"I don't regret leaving, and I certainly don't miss my father." Winter came around and squeezed his shoulder. "That's because through all the hardships and pain of forging my own path, I finally found peace; this is who I am. And maybe it's time you did the same."
Those words struck a chord within him.
"I believe I've overstayed my welcome. Time I leave." Winter extended her hand. "A pleasure seeing you again, Stiofan."
"Likewise, Winter." Stiofan rose and returned the shake. "Surely you can prolong your stay, no? It would mean the world to Lady Weiss if she knew you were in the Colosseum to support her."
"I'm afraid not." She pulled away, arms crossed behind her. "My purpose here was to oversee some deliveries after several previous Atlesian shipments were compromised. With that accomplished, I have other matters to attend to."
"And here I was hoping you could relax for once and enjoy the festivities." He shrugged and accepted the early parting. "Maybe if you're fortunate, you may catch a glimpse of Reynold Hill and the other celebrities roaming the grounds before departing."
Winter went stiff, mouth agape. "Did you say Reynold Hill was here?"
Stiofan tilted his head.
Perhaps everyone, even Winter, has people they idolize every now and then.
"Reynold Hill made a surprise appearance to open the tournament." He held the teacup to his mouth. "It was truly a sight to behold."
Winter flipped the table, and Stiofan choked on his tea.
"That's right!" She grabbed him, wild-eyed like a rabid animal. "I heard he was here, but I've been so busy he slipped my mind. I would've come sooner to take his head if I remembered!"
He lurched from her grasp, mind racing to comprehend the situation.
"Winter, what's wrong? I've never seen you so livid."
"That damned Four Eyes owes me." She drew the saber at her hip and examined the fine edges of the slender blade. "And yet no matter how many times I demand or chase him down myself, he always refuses to give me a rematch!"
Stiofan sweatdropped.
Now that she mentioned, those two had history.
During her student days, Winter encountered Reynold at one point in the finals of the Vytal Festival Tournament, and all these years later, it appears the humiliation she suffered at that moment still burns as hot as if it were yesterday.
It was difficult to fault her for it, though.
That match lasted approximately the same amount of time required to brew the pot of tea they've been drinking, give or take a minute.
Winter marched out of the pavilion. "I will make him accept me even if it means beating it out of him!"
Stiofan recoiled. "I insist you rephrase that statement, or better yet, stop this mad endeavour."
"Enough talk. This has been a long time coming. You hear me, Four Eyes?!"
------
Leon Alexander Gates
-----
Under the awning of a food vendor in the fairgrounds, Alexander contemplated whether or not he made a mistake letting Nebula take over.
"Orders up."
The old man behind the counter slid a bowl of noodles to the large man with the short, furry tail that was half black and half greyish-white a few seats down before giving Alexander's own share of noodles.
Alexander nodded his thanks, grabbed some chopsticks, and slurped what he could only describe as a pile of hot garbage. The overdone sweetness mixed the salty chicken broth scratched knives inside his mouth, and the noodles were so slimy they drooled when he lifted them.
Either Yang lied to him when she said this was the best noodle shop ever, or the old man messed up big time.
"What's this?!" The Faunus pounded the table. "This isn't what I ordered!"
The old man sweated bullets and apologized like his life depended on it.
Seeing it was just the two of them, Alexander figured out what was wrong.
He slid his bowl across the counter. "Is this yours?"
The Faunus caught it with a puzzled expression. He tasted it and threw his head back, bellowing in laughter.
"This is absolutely delicious!" He reached over and patted the old man on the head. "I guess I owe you an apology, old timer. You had me worried there for a second. To think you just mixed up our orders cracks me up!" He turned to Alexander. "And I believe I owe you thanks."
The Faunus slid the other bowl over and Alexander nodded, glad to know these noodles tasted much better this time around.
"The name's Laurence, by the way." He clubbed his chest. "Laurence Bouvo."
He kept eating.
"Man of few words, huh." Laurence scooted closer and gulped his bowl. "It's fine. I already know who you are, Leon Alexander Gates."
Alexander looked over. "You know me?"
"Watched that match of yours. Not bad if you ask me," he said with a mouthful of noodles. "I also gotta say, Little Ricky's gotten better since I last saw him."
Little Ricky? Did he mean Roderick?
Alexander gave the guy a good once over for the first time, and to say the man was a walking mountain of meat was an understatement. Made him wonder who his tailor was. Everything he wore, from the gloves, boots, black shirt, hat, and camouflage pants, were custom sizes that couldn't be found in stores.
"Boss told me about your team." Laurence slapped on a big grin. "Said he has a good feeling about you guys. Not sure if I do yet. I mean for one: I thought you'd be bigger."
Alexander snorted. That's a first.
Laurence's scroll rang. He answered and tossed it on the counter, showing off Reynold Hill's photo labeled as 'Boss.'
"Laurence," Reynold said, "we have a problem."
Laurence chomped a big ball of noodles and garbled a response, something Alexander couldn't understand even if he tried.
"Are you still at that noodle stand?"
He swallowed and belched. "You gotta try this place, Boss! They let me have honey in my noodles."
Alexander repressed a gag. That's what that was?
What sounded like a lot of screaming and shouting echoed in the scroll.
"I'm coming to you," Reynold said. "Stay there and get ready. We have a Code White."
The line disconnected.
"Oh, she's back?" Laurence cracked his knuckles. "Wonder what that woman's gonna do this time."
The shouts and screams returned, growing louder and louder until Reynold came into view with a pissed off Atlesian soldier hot on his ass.
Was it just him or did that soldier look a lot like Weiss?
The soldier thrusted her saber in the air and doubled her speed. "Fight me, Reynold!"
Reynold whizzed past the noodle stand.
"Haha!" Laurence made a timed dive at the Atlesian. "Remember me, Schnee?!"
She hit the brakes and gawked in complete horror. "Larry?!"
For some reason they started a random ass fight and plowed through the fairgrounds, destroying a few stalls, tents, and whatever else was in their way.
Alexander returned to his noodles and kept eating in peace.
"Greetings, Leon." Stiofan pulled up a stool next to him, slightly out of breath. "Didn't expect to see you here."
He jerked a thumb behind him. "You know her?"
"Unfortunately, yes." He wiped the sweat off his face. "That's Lady Weiss' sister."
"Figures." He pointed at his bowl. "Hungry?"
"As a matter of fact, why not?"
Stiofan asked the old man cowering behind the counter for his most expensive dish.
An Atlesian airship hovered above and several soldiers dropped in. Weiss' sister reluctantly gave up and ran away while Laurence laughed like a madman as the soldiers chased him.
Whatever.
Alexander dug into his bowl and forgot about everything that happened.