RWBY: Legacies

Best Day Ever!

"I knew you were lost."

"Ugh, Mercury, I will seriously pay you to shut up." A wallet waves in front of Mercury's face, held in the tanned hand of his partner Emerald, her red pupils semi-invisible as she scowls at him. She cocks an eyebrow when he chuckles, slanting her head, causing her light green bob to skew.

"That's not your money, Em." Mercury grins. He peers around the corner of the building, his eyes fixing on an old man in front of his store a little way down the street, the owner of the wallet.

"It could be yours for five minutes of silence." Emerald points out, pushing the Lien just a little closer to his face, her eyebrows drawn in frustration.

"Hmmm", Mercury hums, feigning contemplation. "No deal." He smirks.

"Fine." Emerald growls, removing the Lien from the wallet and tossing it to the floor. "Let's just go; he told me how to find the place." She pockets the cash and takes out a slip of paper with a scrabbled name and address on it.

Mercury follows as she storms off. The sun is shining as they traverse avenues and boulevards, passing bustling cafes, stores of every kind. Clothing stores, art suppliers, collector items retailers, toy shops, banks, a small gallery, even the odd street performer – just an average day in Vale. Emerald enjoys the quiet while she can, until Mercury groans a few minutes later.

"Ugh, this place is so dull. There's barely any litter, never mind street crime and no smog at all. How soon can we leave?" He moans, exaggerating his mockery with a whining tone and stretching lethargically as they continue down the street.

Emerald scoffs. "I kinda like it actually. Tall buildings, nice colours, diverse culture." She glances around at the bustling life surrounding her.

"And nice dopey people, who are easy to pickpocket." Mercury grins, instantly getting into character. "Oh Emerald, master thief, please don't take my money! I barely have enough to get by..." He mewls ironically, making pleading gestures before changing tack with a downcast expression. He waits patiently for her response.

"Dear Oum, I hate you." She seethes, making sure to bump his shoulder as she brushes past him. His sigh is one of exhaustion, but she ignores him, rounding the end of the block, where spots their destination. "Gotcha." She murmurs to herself, as she trots across the road and enters a book store.

The interior of the store is rustic, yet minimalist, with neat rows of bookshelves lining the walls and smaller pew like bookshelves arranged around the floorspace. It evokes a sense of harmonious philosophy, Emerald imagining she could almost smell the antiquity coming off some volumes. She slowly pads to the counter. Mercury starts to absentmindedly peruse the books, his head swivelling for a brief moment when she rings the counter bell.

"Be right there!" Comes a deep voice from somewhere at the back of the store. They hear a door swing open a moment later, revealing a dark-haired, stocky man in his late forties, his arms laden with two high stacks of books. "Welcome to 'Tukson's Book trade: Home to every book under the sun.' How may uh..." He trails off when he turns around and sees Emerald and Mercury, his smile faltering for a second before he clears his throat. He stands a little straighter. "How may I help you?"

"Just browsing." Mercury states, snapping shut the book he's holding before picking up another.

"Actually, I was wondering, do you have any copies of 'The Thief and The Butcher'?" Emerald asks, batting her eyelashes as she leans over the counter.

"Yes, we do. Would you like a copy?" The man asks uneasily.

"No, just curious." Emerald returns his uneasy look with a coy smile, glancing over her shoulder as Mercury snaps another book closed. "Oh, how about... 'The Third Crusade'?" She asks, her smile becoming sinister.