Tonic Chemistry (Blake Belladonna x Male Reader) Rewrite

Chapter 16: Established Bonds

(Y/N) POV

I felt the fatigue reaching for me as the hours went by. My endless string of tinkering dulled the nerves on my fingers as I pieced parts together, unsure of my technical skills as I taped pieces of electronics to a canister no wider than my fist or taller than my arm.

A double tap on my shoulder pulled me out of my realm of focus, hearing the clanging and whirring of machines as they were lifting cargo for transport. Looking over my shoulder stood a smirking Torchwick languidly standing with his cane on my shoulder.

Torchwick: "You about done with your fog machines?"

(Y/N): "Yeah... All that's left is to distribute them throughout the kingdom. As for the bombs, they need a bit more time. RDX isn't a walk in the park to make."

Torchwick: "Why do you even bother making them when we have more capable hands and something equally as powerful?"

(Y/N): "That factory stuff you have is cheaply produced and poorly welded together. I can make the yield much more."

Torchwick: "If it isn't broken, why fix it?"

(Y/N): "Better to be safe than sorry?" I held up my finished diffuser for one last examination before having to set it down into a wooden box filled with many more. Curious, Torchwick picked up one of the canisters, giving it a little shake to hear the liquid inside splosh around.

Torchwick: "You sure this gas will work?"

(Y/N): "I tested them out on some rats. Anyone who gets as much as a whiff will undergo uncontrollable fear. The side effects can involve nearsightedness, shortness of breath, hallucinations, and in rare cases... hyper-aggression. It should work on both humans and faunus alike. It is only a prototype but it should meet with expectations of that woman."

Torchwick: "Hmm..."

I began clearing out my workbench before a metallic clink and a soft hissing went off behind me. A small cloud of white smoke began to expand near a White Fang member wheeling out some dust with Torchwick wearing a mask near him. The White Fang member stopped as his head frantically started looking in every direction as the festering fear began to consume him. His breath shortened almost instantly as it looked like he was about to be crushed by the pressure when he drew his weapon.

WFM: "Stay back!"

The White Fang grunt under the influence of the toxin, began to swing wildly at his subconscious fears. Torchwick made sure to take care of him quickly, giving him a good thwack behind his head, having him drop like a doornail.

(Y/N): "Are you insane?!" I accosted him, ripping the vessel from his hands.

Torchwick: "I needed to make sure it worked."

(Y/N): "If that mask leaked even for a moment!"

Torchwick: "It was only a small puff. Besides, this is perfect. Cinder will be just as thrilled at this."

X-x-X

Time passed since I have talked to Blake about her investigation and I was told by Oz to blend in with the students for today. If anything, it was to get me to loosen up and stare awkwardly at Ironwood who offered a hand to Glydna of which she reluctantly accepted his request with rolling eyes. Standing idly in a corner of the ballroom with my mind still set on the gas that I had handed to Torchwick. Granted they didn't have my formula, but still, I worried as to where they could spread it. They had around four dozen of the gas, which is enough to spread throughout Vale very thinly but would lose its overall effectiveness if it were used that way.

Ozpin: "Not enjoying yourself?" Ozpin approached gingerly, having stood next to me without making eye contact. "You are still young. Perhaps you can enjoy yourself tonight. You impressed Ironwood with your progress in stifling weapon deals. Is it not enough for a celebration or is something else weighing on your mind?"