She didn't find my words comforting, but, anyway, the rest of the party was as cordial as the last. Blake and Weiss didn't bring Glinda and Ozpin with them, but they were very happy with their new steaming cups. And then... I let the girls relax a bit more, turning the conversation to their impressions of Beacon, teachers and acquaintances. For it is known that nothing in the world so tunes the women's group to a positive mood, as the opportunity to gossip and play the word of mouth. The method worked this time too.
At first, Yang, who had thawed, occasionally glancing at Neo, began to eye me in the most natural way, saying that she would be "very, very grateful to such a nice guy"... if he would give her a couple more boxes, preferably of gravi-ammunition. As it turned out, whether Torchwick's skills in clandestine gunsmithing were many times better than those of a militant teenage girl from a family of Hunters, or whether some of my technical knowledge played new colors in the local elementary base, or whether the whole thing was assembled on precision equipment with the use of the highest quality Prah, or maybe all together, but in the end the cartridges I made were many times better than those that could be equipped by Dragoness herself, and that won her heart.
Promised to think about it and look at her behavior. In return, she promised to be a good girl. Then I reminded her that gravlax is only for bad girls. Promised to be a bad girl. With much, much more pleasure. She shouldn't have done that, Neo liked such a speech, and that's why during the whole conversation Ms. Xiao Long "sincerely tried" to fend off the mixed-race cutie that for the sake of attracting a new follower of the Dark Side she was even ready to sacrifice a portion of cake and feed it from a spoon to the said Yang. As a result, RWBY's overall level of embarrassment rose significantly, and Yellow stated that "that Pink is crazier than you are, buddy," to which I had to stand up for my Pretty and proclaim that Neo was a miracle and perfect. In gratitude, I got a piece of cake too. A small one. Very small.
Weiss mostly lectured me about how it was bad, uncultured, and immoral for bandits to visit the Hunter's Academy, and even more so to visit the women's dormitory room at the Academy. But the only thing she achieved was that the whole staff began to look at her with some suspicion. Seriously, drinking tea in the company of a bandit, while telling how she was against and condemned, not forgetting to crunch cookies and support other topics, it is oh-so-suspicious.
Ruby was happy and positive, sharing it all with everyone around her (including jokingly scuffling over cookies and sniffling at Yang as she snatched them from under her nose in passing), and blushing and embarrassed when Neo started that second round of fiddling with her big sister....
Blake... Blake climbed up on the top tier of the bed and watched us intently from there, bringing her catness index up to nearly one hundred percent. No, seriously, I had to stop my urge to put her on my lap and scratch her behind her ear a couple of times, without any further implication! She also tried to sneak up on me and Neo, and she had a good chance, but knowing what to expect, we did too, and every such attempt was rebuffed with an amused (by me) or mocking (by Neo) look.
Our sabantuychik finished already in the pre-dinner hour, hungry muttering of young growing organisms hinted that tea and cookies - it is, of course, good, but it would be good to put something more substantial in the furnace. So I again said goodbye to the beautiful ladies and habitually went out the window.
When we got home and refreshed, I had to take responsibility for Neo, who'd gotten all hot and bothered with the gorgeous blondes. Of course, I didn't object to such arrangements, and we had a very busy evening, and not all of the night was spent sleeping. However, a cup of coffee and breakfast prepared by my favorite girl finally put me in a cheerful mood. I froze for a moment, and then I ran the last thought through my head and... agreed with it. Somehow it all worked itself out, Roman Torchwick's habits and personality merged smoothly and imperceptibly with the hapless engineer from another world, albeit with the dominance of the latter, but still I couldn't completely relate myself to my own past self. The most famous thief in Vale was too strong and charismatic to say that I hadn't changed in any way. He was always asking for trouble. And for all his windiness, Torchwick really cared for Neo... as much as possible. Now it had become more "normal"... ahem, as normal as "normal" could be for this world and this hybrid, yes. What difference does it make? I'm fine with it, Neo is fine with it, and that's all that matters.
Nevertheless, it was impossible to relax and plunge into rest and debauchery with a beautiful lady, even if I wanted to - terrorists, psychopaths, and all sorts of moral freaks were not going anywhere, and therefore it was necessary to continue preparations while there was time of relative calm and relative calm. Speaking of terrorists, I promised to call a nice revolutionary woman. Where's her number?
- Yeah?
- Hey, Flower, how's it going? Eating, not sick?
- Uh... yes, thank you, - eh, it's obvious that this person can't catch my unrestrained flight of thought yet. Oh, well, what are her years?
- Wonderful, but tell our big furry friend that I am saddened by his disrespectful attitude towards his brothers and the Cause of Revolution!
- I beg your pardon?
- Oh, Holy Black Dragon, I meant the lieutenant. I was hired to get your Ashes, not your daily bread. I've already organized fifty bases in the city, technical means and cover for you. I'm great and wonderful and all that, but at this rate, my liver smells, I'll have to fight for the cause of your revolution, and that's a little strange, don't you think, Flower?
- Uh... yes, I suppose so," the other side of the Scroll had to admit.
- No, don't think I'm against fighting for pretty girls with cute ears and ponytails, but I'm not going to protect the interests of psychotic bulls! I'm very biased and even conservative in that regard!
- ...
- Okay, okay, I'm rambling. Anyway, kick the lieutenant and let him arrange the food and equipment through his channels. We'll meet next week at the old place and figure out how to get together while everything's quiet and we have some free time. And yes, don't bunch up and remember: Constant Vigilance! All right, I'm off, call me if you miss me!
- Okay, bye," they beeped back at me amused and confused, and disconnected the connection. Shit, if someone had told me that I would consider "calm" and "calm" the time when I had to organize thefts and raids on warehouses by a terrorist group... life was a strange thing. Nevertheless, that's exactly what it was.
And it was time to make the most of it. The issue of firepower was more or less solved, dirty tricks and "ultimatum" problem solving, in principle, too, but there was still the issue of defense and mobility. My Manifestation had great potential in both, not to say monstrously huge, but I just didn't know how to use it properly. As practice showed (brrr), I could go into immateriality instantly, even without seeing the attack - a very useful skill, but at the current moment of time it was not practiced. It's a fool's errand to rely on luck. Of course, Aura, in theory, should be able to withstand the first blow and give time to get away, but, remembering the same Taurus, there may be monsters in the world that are capable of one blow to shed all the Aura and cut off something necessary. In short, the first moment - I need to develop a reflex to go into spatial shift at every attack on my dearly beloved body, the second moment - it is highly desirable to make it partial, in order to be able to immediately respond, but this is already a "plan-maximum". Eh, I didn't want to get to this point, but I guess I'll have to.
- Neo, I have a favor to ask of you, I might even say a matter of life and death! You got it?
- (^_^)," I nod.
- Good, then... periodically knock me suddenly!
- (O_o)?
- No, I'm serious, I need to be knocked suddenly all the time, and such a responsible task I can only entrust to you. Hmmm... well, you could optionally involve Hood, Dragon, Snowflake, and especially Bunny. But it's still not quite the same... - the girl came to me, moved the nearest chair, climbed on it and put her lips to my forehead.
- (-_-)... - a very big thoughtfulness.
- No, I don't have a fever, white fever, or fall aggravation! It's just such an exercise in developing the right reflexes. Constant Vigilance!
- (<_>)'...' - she didn't twirl her finger at her temple, of course, but judging by the expression on her face, she was close to it.
- Well, you're forcing me to resort to extreme measures!
- (0_o)???
- For every successful surprise attack, I owe you a portion of your favorite ice cream!
- (*_*)!!! - For some reason I felt like I had just made a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really big mistake. Shift!
*The umbrella came out of nowhere and went through my body and hit the table with a thud.
- I knew you'd do it, darling. But alas, you won't get your ice cream that easily. - lighting a cigar.
- (>_<)! - "This is war" look in his eyes. The feeling that I would regret my decision became much clearer.
- Well, well... - no, there's something of a masochist in me, otherwise why am I teasing this tiger now?
Okay, this is a problem I believe I can solve. Sooner or later, through a beating, but I will. Now came issue number two, namely mobility. "Blink" worked perfectly, it wasn't difficult to seal/unseal myself within sight, but the ability to 'teleport' behind closed doors, guided not by sight, but by some 'spiritual perception', let's call it that, clearly hinted that something interesting could be achieved here as well. But... you need experiments and a lot of space, even a hangar won't do. It really requires "hopping around in Vale and its surroundings", but it's better to do it in the evening or even at night. And since it is so and there is time for now... I remember, I wanted to see what's so interesting in Bantik's books. We're pulling out of our own space one of the volumes I "saved" in the bookstore fire. Hmm, "Ninja Love. Volume 1." All right, let's check it out.
Three hours later. Ahem... Yeah... Well, what can I say? Romance, fluff, drama, light erotica, not a bad slog, and lots of... lots and lots of female angst. Wasted three hours of my life on a female love story...how low I've fallen.
Basically, I can't say it was that bad to read, but... uncomfortable. Where I would have limited myself to one or two terms to describe an emotion, there were three or four paragraphs of experiences, projections, suspicions, and fears that even I felt a little uncomfortable reading. On the one hand, for this I was ready to take my hat off to the unique and inaccessible to men abilities of female authors as such, but on the other hand... To read on behalf of the girl-heroine how she is embarrassed and panics from the nightie scuffed higher and higher when she was ridden by a "lustful male"... Well, to hell with it! Even Torchwick's titanium balls have their limits!
In general, not even halfway through the book, I slammed it shut with an inner scream and admitted my surrender. The book was solemnly handed to Neo, who had been keeping me company in reading, sitting on my lap, and I ran to the workbench, for... For my brain needed cleaning.
- So... - I greeted my "garage with tools", - where shall we start?
Actually, there weren't many options. First of all, it was possible to make some ammunition for Dragon, since she asked so nicely. But it was not in a hurry, and from the point of view of educational effect, it was not right to give a child everything he wanted at once and at his first request. Any benefits must be earned. It was also possible to modify the cane. The all-metal one wasn't bad, but a couple of small devices could be added to it, such as a retractable blade or electric shock... Yes, I remember how my teeth were chattering at the realization of how the locals use electric ashes! Nevertheless, the idea itself... Okay, let's get a grip! I know the feeling - we don't need pointless invention for invention's sake! Let's leave this page of Roman Torchwick's history to Neo's memories and get on with something we really need to do, like the gauss project. The rail is good, its kill rate is excellent, but sometimes it's a bit... how should I put it... excessive. Besides, the rapidity of such weapons is good for "rifle" class, but there are different cases, and an automatic rifle or submachine gun can be useful in life. Even though I haven't become a big fan of close combat or even short-medium ranges, it's better to have arguments for such situations than not to have them, because it's not a fact that I can teleport or go into "immateriality" in any situation.
Well, the task has been defined, let's start making sketches... First of all, the superconducting solenoid, power supply and cooling system, all the materials have already been worked out, so let's smoke only geometry. But it's all seeds, the most difficult thing will be to turn on each next coil of the multistage system in advance, to increase the power of its field in proportion to the reduction of the time of flight of the projectile, because with the increase of the velocity of the projectile, the time of action of the magnetic field of each next solenoid on it is significantly reduced ...
*Shh!
- Ouch!!! - I almost smashed the workbench's touchscreen control from the surprise, and turned around indignantly on the spot. - Neo! - to meet the shameless face of this brigand. - What the hell are you doing?! - No, I know I asked for it, but you have to have a conscience too!
- (O_o)... (>_>)... (^_^)!
- That's not what I mean! Why would you slap a metal ruler on my ass?! It's hanging there for something else!
- (:Р)... (^__^)!!! - The girl playfully twirled the umbrella resting in her other hand.
- I don't like the effect this book has had on you! - I raise my finger warningly in a protective gesture. - Trying to stick an umbrella in the same place you just put a ruler should not become part of our family relationship! I'm serious, Neo! It's a bad, hurtful, and totally not a turn-on for me! So you need to stop thinking about it right now!
- (-_-)...
- Don't make that face, or I'll start believing that you were really planning something like that, and I don't want to dirty your beautiful image in my mind.
- (~_^)!
- I put my hand on my chest near my heart for clarity. In response, the girl once again twirled the umbrella and proudly lifted her nose, expressing "I did it, where's my reward?". - Okay, okay, take your treat," I pull out a waffle cup from my spatial pocket.
Satisfied Neopolitan immediately rustled the package and settled down in an old chair in the corner, returning the ruler to its rightful nail in the wall. I couldn't get back to work, though - the Scroll rang, displaying a number I didn't like.
- Roman," Cinder's voice was oozing velvet charm as usual. I had to take a deep breath and tune in to the lascivious and challenging tone of the caller, even though I didn't want to talk to her that way.
- To what do I owe the pleasure of hearing from you?
- I heard a rumor that your employees have some difficulties with accommodation, - the woman delicately hinted.
- Sometimes I think that in White Fang career growth is achieved only through bed, otherwise I can't explain how Taurus and his number two managed to occupy such a high position. Can you imagine, they can't even provide their own soldiers with rations, and it seems that no one there has ever heard of the fact that new recruits should be put on allowance!
- ..." I managed to get her out of my head again, congratulating myself! - Roman," Cinder murmured velvet again, "Adam has important things to do right now that don't allow him to control the situation in Vale. Be a friend and take care of the food for the workers you've been given, you're their commander now, after all.
You gotta be fucking kidding me! If this was in canon, but offscreen, I can see why the real Roman VERY much wanted to kill everyone around him, and when he was "imprisoned", he was almost crying with happiness!
- Listen, maybe I should take over the city too? - I know I'm overreacting, but she started it. - Just in between, so I don't have to get up twice?
- Not all at once, Roman, - smiled at the other end of the connection. Okay, let's try something else.
Cinder, dear, you know how much I appreciate and respect our friend Adam and his furry family, but let me ask you: Where on my body have you seen antlers or at least the ears of a goat?
- So you have faunus ancestors? - half-Dev brazenly played the fool. - Now I see how you get along so well with them.
- You know what I mean.
- Of course, Roman. I'll be waiting for good news from you," and the smug bitch dropped the call.
- Neo-" How I managed to keep from crushing my own Scroll in a wave of emotion, I can't imagine.
- (o_U)???
- If suddenly... hypothetically, you ever get the idea to surprise me and wear the illusion of some other girl in bed... I beg you... Don't ever take the form of that woman. Never.
- (O_O)...
- I'm glad you understand me," I glance down at the Scroll. - Okay," a heavy sigh escapes from my throat, "let's go...
Finding the right number, I press the call and patiently wait for a series of long beeps.
- Yes?
- So, Flower, we have a new policy of the Party, gather your assholes, I'll teach them how to take care of the family, women and children.
- ...
- I'll teach you how to get food, - I explain for the silence. - Your superiors left you, and I was harnessed. So I'm your daddy for life, and you won't be able to refuse coffee, because who feeds you, orders drinks! I'm expecting everyone in transit warehouse three in two hours, don't be late. And bring your uniforms.
This chapter was edited by Old Man of the Mountain/Darklord331 Thanks to him pat him in the comments.