Ballad VIII: To Fool A Court

DISCLAIMER

RWBY is property of RoosterTeeth and Monty Oum. JJBA is property of Hiroki Araki and David Productions.

A/N: Nothing new here, sit back and enjoy :)

[3RD PERSON POV]

[Location: Beacon Academy]

[Time: 3:55PM (One Week Later)]

Within only two more weeks, Beacon Academy would be reopened for the school's second semester of the year. As such, Risotto and Doppio both doubled their efforts with their steadily improving Mistralian. In addition to this, the two had often referred to their "scrolls" to gain nearly immediate information covering the history and various cultures of Remnant.

Over the course of this time, the duo would frequently find themselves spending more time with each other. Whether it was within the confines of Risotto or Doppio's personal dorms, eating across from each other in the cafeteria, or 'running into' each other during their now frequent trips to Vale; the pair would never go long with being alone. Though it was quite coincidental, it was to be expected. Stand users often attracted other stand users after all. The fact the two had only been drawn to each other, was a relief neither of the two needed to blatantly confess.

Currently, the two sat beside each other in the headmaster's office. Though school would start in two week, students were expected to return in only one. As such, Ozpin felt it was appropriate to inform the 'stand users' before it would occur. On a second note, the headmaster also had a responsibility to 'review' several other noteworthy issues.

Taking a sip from his iconic mug, the former wizard glanced between the two. Doppio, who he had known for several months longer than Risotto, was as cheerful as ever. Risotto on the contrary, was as emotionless and indifferent as custom. Ozpin thought it was quite the dynamic. Doppio, who was radiantly eccentric in his own way, complemented the hollowed detachment of Risotto. For a moment, Ozpin internally chuckled at the situation. Clearing his throat, he diverted his attention to the matter at present, in Mistralian of course.

Ozpin: "Risotto. Doppio. As you know, the second semester will begin in only two weeks. Students will return next week, giving them a entire week to re-familiarize themselves with the schedule we offer."

Pausing for just a moment to clarify the two men were listening completely, Ozpin was only met by two sets of focused eyes.

Ozpin: "In short, you will soon find the school far less vacant then previously. Doppio, you have met a few of the students here near the end of last semester and so this warning is more or less solely for you Risotto. With that being said, please refer to Doppio over how to interact with your soon to be classmates."

Risotto let his head nod once to confirm he understood. Since the pink haired man already experienced the wave and hordes of students before Risotto even arrived on Remnant, Risotto figured most of the various discussions were done to alleviate any worries he may or may not have. Since his accomplice was much more familiar with the Academy's routines, the assassin was bitterly forced to depend more on Doppio. Alternatively, Doppio felt prideful of being Risotto's 'social protocol' reference.

Ozpin: "Now with that being said...You two share an immensely unique situation. You are both listed as first year students. However, this is the second semester of your first year. Doppio had already attended part of the first semester and as according to mine and his already preexisting arrangement, he had completed most of the necessary assignments of that semester."

Doppio: "Yes I did! And yea...It was a little stressful...but I did it anyways! Boss, if I can do it, so can you!" He said, giving a wide and cheeky smile to his teammate.

Risotto rose an eyebrow in slight surprise. Glancing to his partner, he was met by the standard cheeky smile. Returning his gaze back to Ozpin, Risotto gave Doppio a internal comment of praise. As childlike and immature he came off to be, Doppio had proven to be quite the responsible man. As much as he hated to admit it, Risotto now thought slightly higher of the boy.

Completing nearly a semester's worth of assignments, projects, and essays was no easy task, even for the most academically talented of people. Risotto, in response, vowed to reward the boy in light of the semi-fresh revelation. Still though, Risotto flinched at the implications of Ozpin. He wondered if Risotto would be forced to do the same. As calculating and meticulous as he was, even the leader of "La Squadra" feared the almighty hammer that was mountains of paperwork with a harsh deadline.

"Then Ozpin, are you saying I must do the same?" Risotto asked, his voice steadfast and unwavering despite his now heavy heart.

Ozpin merely shook his head 'no'. Nudging his spectacles, the headmaster began to elaborate further.

Ozpin: "In a way, yes but also no. You, specifically, will only continue with the second semester as if it really was your second semester."

"And what about my nonexistent first semester?"

Ozpin: "If you chose to enroll here at Beacon for the next school year, I will personally hold private courses for you during the extended break to catch up."

Doppio: "That's a little harsh...Boss working when he's supposed to be on break..."

"I see. And I assume by the time the second year begins, I will no longer require extra classes?" He said, ignoring Doppio's comment.

Ozpin: "Correct. However, since you and Doppio are only a two man team, you will obviously be unable to take on any of the academy's listed high difficulty missions. And while I have no doubt in your ability if Doppio's explanation is to be believed, I'm afraid that is simply the school policy."

Doppio: "Don't sell us short Ozzy! I think me and Risotto can handle most things!" The young man exclaimed.

Ozpin: "I'm afraid Doppio, these are the rules of all of Remnant. Had they been my own, I could make an exception for you two."

"And from our previous discussions, higher difficulty means more Lien for me, correct?"

Ozpin: "Correct."

"Yet, I am unable to accept those missions."

Ozpin: "Not entirely, per sey. Your prior occupation within 'Passione', as you called it, was as a hitman, right?"

"Indeed." Risotto skeptically replied.

In the back of his mind, Risotto knew where the headmaster was carefully guiding this topic. Still though, he listened idly in the off chance Ozpin took him by surprise. For a school as largely hailed and famed as Beacon, there were bound to be those who opposed or sought it's downfall.

Ozpin: "This world of ours has many forces on each side of the spectrum. We find ourselves on the side that wishes nothing more than to vanquish the Grimm threat and criminal organizations that litter this land. On the other hand, there are many that wish for the opposite. Criminals, extremists, Grimm, misguided people of power...The are sit goes on."

Confirming his suspicions, Risotto perked his head in mild interest. He had come face to face with a crime syndicate only a week prior, led by Roman Torchwick himself. In addition to this man, goons bombing to the shady "Junior's Nightclub" were also present. Though he spared Roman and his henchwoman's life, he felt no remorse for brutalizing the thugs. Risotto silently cursed the lackluster influence Vale's police force had. Had the Police done their due diligence, Risotto would not have been forced to deal with the matter himself.

Ozpin: "...as such, Mr.Nero, I would personally assign you your own missions. These missions, of course, will be classified and be considered 'hush hush' between the three of us."

"Assassinations? Sabotage? Infiltration? Are these the assignments I should expect?"

Ozpin: "In a manner of speaking...I'm afraid the answer is yes. I understand if you may think less of me for this. A man such as myself, should never stop this low and yet, sometimes it is nec-" He said, only to be interrupted by the appropriately dressed jester.

"I accept."

Slightly taken aback, Ozpin cocked his head. He had expected to persuade the man further, even going as far as to bribe him further. Yet, Risotto had managed to shrug the harsh revelation away in stoic fashion. Clearing his throat, he began to play along with Risotto's acceptance.

Ozpin: "I understand you are not the most noble or righteous of men...but you must realize what this entails, correct?" He asked, further confirming Risotto's already set mind. 

"There are many dirty deeds that someone must do. If I were to refuse, who else would you turn to? A student? A staff member? A run of the mill mercenary? At the end of the day, I care little for morality. All that matters is that you continue to procure and deliver on my payment."

Satisfied with the man's answer, Ozpin relaxed in his seat. With one worry squared away, he felt his uneasiness uplift slightly. Taking a sip from his mug, he began to verbally express his gratitude.

Ozpin: "You have my thanks. As promised, you will continue to receive payments based on your performance. Now onto the next subject at hand..." He said, clearing his throat.

Ozpin: "Now...I received word of a robbery last week. In the report I was given, eyewitness accounts stated they saw and I quote...'A goth clown resisted and stopped five of the seven would be assailants.' Is there any chance you were that goth clown?"

Feeling his eyebrow twitch in annoyance, Risotto bit his tongue to explode in agitation. He cared little for what others thought of him, yet he drew the line at being described in such a manner. He was an abysmal jester, not a hot topic inspired circus performer. Pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, he grit his teeth. Taking a sharp breath, he resumed his bland and cold composure.

"Yes, it was indeed me." He stoically yet reluctantly replied.

Ozpin: "Apprehending the men is one thing, Almost permanently incapacitating them is another." He said, already feeling the mental pressure of the incoming paperwork necessary for the event.

Doppio: "I did warn you he was a little hardcore..."

Ozpin: "Yes...Yes you did..."

Risotto meanwhile, was slightly surprised. He was sure the five men had been killed. In fact, with the exception of Doppio, no one had ever survived his stand's ability. If the blood loss hadn't forced them to kick the bucket, surely the lack of iron and by extension, oxygen, should have seen the men suffocate. Unless this was the work of some bullshit soul magic system...

"They're still alive? Let me guess, was it their aura?"

Ozpin: "You are correct."

Doppio: "Sorry boss...you'll get em' next time."

Risotto facepalmed. The system of 'semblances' and 'aura' still confused him. While he and Doppio both had the luxury of physically manifesting their souls into 'stands', the people of Remnant utilized their own by rather...vague methods. Aura in shortest terms possible, acted as a protective barrier that aided with healing from wounds. Admittedly, this infuriated Risotto, seeing as he would now have to pool additional effort into ensuring someone was dead. Thankfully, with the somewhat exception of Roman's henchwoman, he had yet to face against any capable semblance users.

Speaking of Roman...The price on his bounty rose by several thousand more Lien after last week's incident. Just a few days ago, it rose once more in light of an additional crime spree. The henchwomen however, was by all accounts, still merely a ghost. Despite the several restless nights Risotto had spent scouring every last bit of information on the infamous crime lord, there was not a single mention of his accomplice.

In light of this, Risotto felt unsettled, though he neglected to even hint at his discomfort. The only person he 'knew' that matched this spectacle, was the boss of 'Passione'. Though it was abundantly clear that 'Neo' was not Diavolo, Risotto refused to rule the possibility out. If he and Doppio could reincarnate, so too could Diavolo. Above all, Diavolo was clearly dangerously gifted at masking his presence.

Nero, though he knew Neo to not be the same person, couldn't help but compare the two. Not a trace of their existence. The uncanny ability to slip away at a moment's notice. The only key differences that he knew from their brief run in, was that Neo was a short female who had an apparent obsession with a certain flavor of ice cream, fashion wise at least. Then again, Risotto would have plenty of time to think this predicament over at a later date.

With his pondering done for the time being, he then averted the conversation back to what truly mattered...or what mattered to him, at least.

"One other thing, Roman Torchwick was present. The other one who got away was likely his lapdog. Likely a trusted subordinate of his. Are there any leads on their whereabouts? Roman has a hefty and steadily rising price on his head. I don't intend to collect just yet, but I would feel more at ease knowing his approximate location."

Ozpin: "I'm afraid, we have no relevant information on it. He shows up from the woodworks and promptly disappears. We don't know where he is, or has been. Now, what about this subordinate? This is the first I've heard of an accomplice."

"Unlike Roman, his partner in crime is completely off the grid. There is no mention of her in any report or any case files I procured. All I have to go off of is a name. Likely an alias. I've researched every figurative nook and cranny for any hint on this 'Neo' character. Nothing. Not even a single word on her."

Ozpin: "I see...I'll be sure to look for any potential leads on the both of them. Are there any noteworthy features I should be wary of?"

"Yes. Just as her name implies, her entire aesthetic consists solely of pi-" Risotto tried to explain, only to be cut short by a sharp ring.

Pausing his description, another single sharp ring was heard. Ordinarily, this chime would signal that an incoming scroll call was being made. However, it was only a set of single chimes, not the traditional simultaneously three. Perking his head up in surprise, Risotto raised an eyebrow to his adjacent partner.

Doppio of course, was then met by an accusingly glare. Risotto's face went blank once Doppio revealed that his scroll was in fact dead. The assassin turned his attention to Ozpin, who merely waved a hand in denial. If Ozpin or Doppio were not the source of the interruption, then that only left Risotto.

But that was impossible. The only two people who even had his scroll number were the two other men within the room. After receiving an inviting nod from Ozpin, Risotto reluctantly brought out his device. After pressing the button, he was greeted by an appalling sight.

A third number had been added to his desolate and barren contact list, one that he was completely unfamiliar with. For the shortest of moments, he thought Doppio or Ozpin had leaked his number to another. Then again, he had no doubt that Doppio could have been pulling a seemingly innocent prank on him. His theories however, were cut short once he opened the chat bubble.

In the agonizing default font, Risotto read the name to himself in slight disbelief. The name for the strange messenger was of course..... "[< Neo_Politan_ @ICeCrM3.BxTcH >]".

Resisting the urge to facepalm, he began to read the six unread messages. Scrolling to the top, he glanced over the timestamps. Two from only seconds ago, with the first message being from that fateful day; roughly one hour after Risotto returned to Beacon. The other three messages were spread across the span of nearly six separate days.

Neo: This is that girl from the robbery. Messaging you so you don't forget to text me :3

Neo:  Roman is still scared of you XD

Neo: Good Morning, did you sleep well?

Neo: Roman talked about you to our bosses. Be careful, they're on the lookout 

Neo: Are you alright? I heard they sent a strike team after you

Neo: False alarm. The strike team were to scared to go after you XD

Blankly reading over the messages again in disbelief, Risotto was surprised. Sure, he wasn't entitled to respond to anyone's messages yet he felt a tinge of guilt at not seeing the girls messages beforehand. More than that though, he felt a hint of pride from doing quite literally almost nothing to ward off a supposed 'strike team'. For a moment, he debated if he should respond.

In the end, he chose to indulge the girl. He needed information on her and her apparent boss anyway. True, it was an underhanded method, but Risotto had often resorted to much more...immoral methods before. Feigning genuine interest was not only easy, but also effective. Typing away, he excused himself from the company of the other two men, walking toward the elevator without another word.

Surprisingly, Ozpin seemed not to mind. Doppio however, was preoccupied with playing some sort of game on the headmaster's scroll. As the elevator doors began to shut, Risotto reluctantly began to type. Inside his mind, he was formulating his words carefully. If he came off too strong, he could lose his chance at locating the girl and by extension, her boss. If he came off as not strong enough however, she may be the one to leave Risotto on unopened/seen. Finally, he decided to mask his simple mistake with the oh so common excuse.

Risotto: Sorry, I have a nasty habit of not charging my scroll. Thanks for the heads up

Before he could tuck his scroll into his pocket, it had chimed once more. After sighing to himself, he hesitantly read the next message.

Neo: It's alright. It's nice to hear from you though, I was starting to get worried

Playing along, Risotto continued the chain of messages, quickly receiving a reply after each time he sent his own texts.

Risotto: Worried about a stranger who scared off a strike team? That's a little hard to believe.

Neo: And? It would have been a waste to not get to know you after seeing your semblance. Wanna show it again sometime?

Risotto: I suppose I could be persuaded

Neo: I've got two tickets to a movie 

Risotto: Anything else?

Neo: A nice stroll on the beach?

Risotto: Too cliche. I'd prefer a meal, oddly enough

Neo: Sweet, I know a place or two :3

Risotto: I'll bite if they serve Rigatoni or Pana-Cotta.

Neo: I'm already restaurant hunting (^-^)7

Neo: I found a place. When do you wanna meet up?

Risotto: Anytime works. Preferably today or tomorrow if that's no inconvenience.

Neo: In that case, 8:30pm tonight. I'll meet you at 'Topaz Theater 8'. I shouldn't be hard to pick out from the crowd, I'm the cute one ;)

Risotto: You're an arrogant one. I'll see you then.

Neo: Likewise~ ;3

And with that, Risotto stuffed his scroll into his pocket. On prompt, the elevator doors swung ajar, allowing the man to make his way hastily towards his dorm. Once inside, he began to prepare his outfit for the night. If he remembered the forecast correctly, it would likely be a cold night. As such, he made sure to set a newly purchased trenchcoat aside. Following this, he made his way toward the bathroom to fully prepare.

If he was honest with himself, this 'meetup' was all too easy. As a result, he made sure to slip his heirloom knife into his coat pocket, which was laid across the back of a chair. If worse came to worse, he could always kill the girl after he got the necessary information. Whether she gave that information willingly or not, was unnecessary.

So long as he could even slightly pinpoint Roman's location, he would be satisfied enough. With that being said, he also would attempt to investigate the crime lord briefly mentioned "bosses". If anything, it was a subtle slip up from the girl. Internally, the assassin pondered if Roman's little crime spree was larger than made to believe.

If so, Risotto could potentially be racking in an inconceivable amount of Lien, provided he could manage to collect on Roman's mysterious "employer's" head's as well...

[End Of Chapter]

A/N TIME

Tis I, LORD KIWI!

Let me know what you thought :)

Alrighty my dudes. Hopefully I can pump out another chapter or two during the weekend, I guess we'll find out :)

Hope you're all enjoying so far. Now time for a small poll...do you want me to Timeskip a few weeks or do you wanna 'see' the Neo 'date'. I can go either way. I do intend on speeding things up a little though (story wise, at least temporarily)

Anyway, without a further ado...

[♤~Arrivederci, My Fellow Plague Doctors~♧]

[♡~"...You are already complete..."~◇