RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC61: Capital Loss (Raven's team & Co.)--5

"So," Mercury finally said, "you and Cinder keep working together. Did Raven just officially make you a team?"

"I guess sort of. You know, it's typical to have a partner assigned to you, even if you don't really work with a team, if you're going to be doing long assignments like this," Royal said.

"Well, I think you're the only one who could put up with it," Mercury said.

"I thought you got along better with her now," Royal said.

"Yeah, I guess I'm getting there." Mercury leaned back again. "I'm over it, pretty much. It's not worth it anymore to keep hating. Anyway, I see she's trying to put her life back together, and who am I to stop anyone from doing that? But I wouldn't want to work with her full time."

"You can't deny she's useful doing this," Royal said.

"She's talented, but she's such a pain to work with," Mercury said.

"Are you sure it's just her?"

Mercury looked up more. "No, it's not just on her side...but it's not just her temper. She's really high strung. It used to stress me the frick out to listen to her go off when things didn't go the way they were supposed to. It sounds like she and Neo were at it non-stop when it was just the three of you. That's why it's a pain."

"I guess everyone can't be Emerald, willing to work with anyone else, no past tensions coming up."

"Out of all the old acquaintances I work with, Em is the only one who's not unpleasant deliberately or not so deliberately," Mercury said. "There's a reason we all only work with each other for money, usually."

"I'll admit, Cinder is not the nicest person," Royal said. "But nice isn't the same as good, I think. At least I think that now. I didn't used to draw a line between them, but I've been rethinking that."

"Maybe that's true," Mercury said. "Nice people can be slimy too.... They're just nicer about it. But I don't see how that applies to her."

"You've never seen any sense in some of the stuff she says?" Royal said. "She's blunt to a fault, at times, but there are times you have to say things directly. People don't always listen to subtlety."

"I think people usually don't listen to that," Mercury said. He shrugged though. "I guess at times it's helpful to be willing to tell them off. I don't like doing it, but who am I to deny someone else should? But aren't you the type of guy not to confront people?"

"Usually, yeah.... It's that obvious, huh?" Royal said.

"Up till recently all anyone had to say about you was that you were nice and a good guy to have as a pilot," Mercury said. "You never got into any trouble for doing anything off limits before. You've had no problem with anyone till you started hanging around her. I'd think you'd realize it's bad for your rep."

"Yeah, I guess," Royal chuckled.

"You like it." Mercury sat up now. "Don't you? Ugh, that's so weird."

"I don't especially enjoy the scrutiny, but it's been strangely refreshing to see what people really think of me," Royal said. "Fake friends aren't better than no friends, are they?"

"You're sick." Mercury shook his head. "I thought you were too nice, but you're actually pretty twisted. Gross. And that's just stupid. Having more enemies is bad for your health."

"Maybe, but safety isn't always the most important thing in life."

"What a thing for an Atlesian guy to say," Mercury said. "Especially one who was an elite."