A Warning: The Story's Rating has been upped from T to M due to events near the end of this chapter. They are non-MA, it is due to Violence & Description. I repeat this warning: The Story's Rating has been upped from T to M as of this chapter due to Violence.

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RWY and Memnol left the library soon enough, and while they were mildly faster than they were going in, it really was only mild, as Memnol did need Loom's support to walk even as he slowly improved. But even with that, they soon enough made it to the dining hall on Memnol's request.

As they walked, they drew more than their fair share of looks, though mainly Memnol was the one they were looking at, even RWY was still glancing at him. To them, Yang most of all, it felt odd to see him, someone who used to kill for hire and who'd wiped out a horde of Grimm that got larger every time the rumor passed by, slowly hoveling along, needing something just to stand himself up.

Though that only shone through to those who already knew him, to most others he fully retained a sense of regality, and to some degree authority. Not official authority so to say, but the feeling when you look at someone and can just, tell, 'They have a handle on the situation.'.

Partway through them grabbing their Breakfast, Memnol using his tentacles to hold his tray while his free hand added to it and drawing a few more looks, Memnol spotted Ren and Nora near the end thanks to his newfound height.

He tapped Ruby on the shoulder with a free tentacle, causing her to shudder for a second with surprise since she was rather busy weighing whether to have sweets for energy to find Blake or to celebrate afterward, and he said, "Excuse me Ruby, could you delay Mr. Ren and Ms. Valkyrie for me? I'd rather like to speak with them."

Ruby affirmed with a quick, "Sure," and did so.

A few moments later the two groups met, Ren starting the conversation by saying, "It's good to see you're already walking. Ruby said you wanted to talk?"

Memnol said, "Yes. I'm curious, how is Ms. Nikos holding up? There are a number of concerns I have, and I'd like to run through them to you."

Ren said, "Pyrrha's not doing well."

Nora said, "She hasn't left the room for anything, and she's being really hard on herself."

Ren continued, "She can't even hold a pen or pencil for too long at the moment."

Nora said, "She was still in bed from yesterday to now."

Ren said, "It's only because of Jaune that she's at least sitting up right now. At least she was when we left."

Memnol said, "That is even worse than I had thought, I had my suspicions that I had been her first kill,"

A flinch-like motion happened from the rest of the group as Memnol went on, "Or near-kill I suppose in this instance. Have you noticed any more physical symptoms? Sudden Blindness, Deafness, Muteness, Inability to comprehend language?"

After some confused and mildly worried head shaking Memnol said, "I do have one more thing to check, has she been indicating a sudden increase in capabilities, power, mental capacity?"

At this Nora and Ren looked right at each other, and Nora said, "We got her to open up this morning,"

Ren finished, "And one of the first things she mentioned was along those lines."

Nora stepped up, though her attempt to be questioning was mitigated by the fact that she then had to crane her neck up to look at Memnol's face, and said, "Do you know something about that?"

Memnol said, "I believe I know what occurred," as he mentally made something up that was just plausible enough, "And it may be comforting to her to know what it was."

The group soon took their breakfasts with them to JNPR's dorm, though Memnol snuck from his tray with his tentacles as he walked. When they went in they soon found Jaune sitting on Pyrrha's bed, next to Pyrrha, Jaune partway through a childhood story trying to cheer up Pyrrha.

Pyrrha said, still looking down as Nora placed a tray into her hands, "Sorry you had to get breakfast for me, thank you."

At Pyrrha's sad state, still in her pajamas, most of the room had felt quite sad for her, and the whole situation in general.

Memnol, however, felt something rather different when he saw Pyrrha Nikos, the woman who had killed him, looking so low.

Memnol said, no levity in his voice, "Ms. Nikos."

At this, Pyrrha froze, and the rest of the room, bar Jaune who was trying to reassure her, was looking between the two rather awkwardly.

Memnol said, "Ms. Nikos, could you look at me?"

Pyrrha slowly did, taking in the details of the now more imposing Memnol.

Memnol said, once Pyrrha looked up, "I not only do not hold my defeat against you, but rather I must congratulate you. Well done."

At this, the anxiety in Pyrrha gave way to a visible confusion that spread through the room.

Pyrrha said, looking back down, "I- I don't know how to- I, I'm so sor-"

Memnol cut her off, a dangerous edge to his voice, "No. Look at me, Pyrrha Nikos."

As Jaune seemed about to speak, Pyrrha put a hand on his leg and shook her head to tell him not to, before mustering up what she had and looking back up.

Memnol said, "You are among one of the very few non-practitioners to defeat a powerful one of us, and regardless of the circumstances, that is regarded by many to be nigh-impossible. To be on the list of those beings is a mark of respect and position in itself, one that many would still be in mid-celebration by now from achieving that."

Memnol kneeled down, "Defeating me, under any circumstances, ought to have been entirely impossible by the beliefs of some, including myself for some recent time, yet you did so. That is a mark of pride, Pyrrha Nikos, Pride! I will not allow you, at least in my own presence, to refer to my defeat as though it were some common mistake."

As Pyrrha digested that, Jaune said, "See Pyrrha, he's not upset."

Memnol said, "Well, I am displeased, but rather with myself. I suppose I ought to have actually put some form of effort in during Ms. Goodwitch's class. Rest assured, Ms. Nikos, your achievement in defeating me will likely remain exclusive to you for a long while."

Yang said, "Come on now, I know you're trying to make Pyrrha feel better, but that's a little bit much."

Memnol said, the same force behind his voice, "Ms. Xiao Long, There are numerous districts where I am from where deliberately irritating or inconveniencing a powerful practitioner is legally ruled as suicide. Those who do so are referred to in the past tense within seconds. I am not altering the truth in what I have said there."

Yang and Pyrrha gulped without realizing at that, as the implications of it hit them and the rest of the room.

Memnol said, "Anyhow, the other matter, I had suspected, and it was confirmed, that you are having feelings of suddenly being more powerful than before, far more powerful if my thoughts are correct, am I?"

Pyrrha was silent for a long few moments before she said, "Yes. I- I'm sor-"

Memnol said, "No."

Pyrrha said, "R-Right, sor-. I mean- I-" Pyrrha stopped to breath for a moment when Jaune put his hand over hers, "I don't understand it, I had just- I seriously hurt you, I thought I- I,"

Memnol said, "You believed you had killed me, correct?"

Pyrrha nodded and continued, "And after that I just felt so, so, I don't know how to describe it. Like there was something that had just welled up inside me, just waiting to be let out, and this morning, once I woke up, I felt so, so strong, like I was suddenly more than I was before, if that makes sense."

Memnol said, "Yes, I had thought this might happen. Rest assured, Ms. Nikos, that what you're feeling there isn't even faintly unusual for the circumstances. I am willing to explain what that was, under one condition; Nobody in this room dares to speak a word of what I am saying to anyone else, the only exceptions being Ms. Belladonna once we find her and Headmaster Ozpin, and even then only when you have absolute confidence that nobody else will be aware, understood?"

The room nodded and Memnol said, reciting what he made up earlier, "This may seem like a tangent initially, but it will soon make sense. When a Practitioner uses The Art, they partition portions of their soul to fuel Pieces, but this creates a few noteworthy side-effects by necessity. These partitions are, 'hollow' would be the word, after expended, there's enough space for the would-be Aura to refill after enough rest and the partitions, along with any would-be Aura within, have a weaker connection to the soul. Of course, this is only a vague semi-correct explanation since even I don't fully understand all of the precise mechanics. Do you understand that so far?"

Pyrrha nodded, the rest of the room also agreed, and Memnol continued, "There is also some amount of residual, unusable soul-stuff throughout the souls of all Practitioners, that builds up due to the very small inefficiencies inherent to the majority of Pieces and the partitions themselves by an unknown necessity, and simply by virtue of our existing in such a state. This residue is entirely unnoticeable and harmless, and after enough buildup it fades away, most akin to a constantly self-filling cup where the contents instantly evaporate on overflow. As a Practitioner grows more powerful, having more and more partitions of greater amounts and power within themselves, the capacity for this harmless buildup grows as well. Still understand so far?"

More nods, and Yang said, "Excuse me, but where are you going with this?"

Memnol said, "I am almost finished. Now, when a practitioner dies, or as we've discovered reaches an extremely near-death state, for reasons that are still unknown this residual soul-stuff immediately goes to the one who defeated that Practitioner, and assimilates itself into their soul. Now before you get the wrong idea, this residue is not only harmless, but devoid of any individual, how do I say, 'soul-pattern' let's call it. There are no aspects of the original soul in it, like the difference between mineral water harvested from a lake, and completely pure elemental water."

Nora said, somewhat understanding, "So it's because of your soul-water that Pyrrha's feeling stronger?"

Memnol laughed for a second and said, "In essence, but Ms. Nikos shouldn't merely be feeling stronger, she should legitimately be stronger, too. While for the Practitioners that generate this residue it has no effect, already being from their own soul, there have been numerous individual reports on the residue's effects. It's been confirmed that beings stronger than Ms. Nikhos, after defeating a Practitioner weaker than myself, become any or all of stronger, faster, smarter, wiser, more beautiful, hardier, and many other beneficial effects, consistently."

He looked right at a now shocked Pyrrha, "Ms. Nikhos, if you didn't feel a sharp spike in yourself that would almost be more worrying. The benefits of killing, or in this instance defeating, a Practitioner are massive. What you are feeling is entirely normal for the circumstances, and you do not need to feel bad about it."

At this Pyrrha gave a small smile, and said, "Thanks. That does help, actually."

Weiss said, having just had a realization plain on her face, "Wait, you mentioned a-" She paused, "A high mortality rate in The Art. Is that part of why?"

The realization into the rest of the room as Memnol nodded. He said, "Yes, that is why, as I've said, not so much as a word of this is said to anyone but the exceptions. Speaking of, I've been here long enough, I must get back to helping the remainder of Team RWBY find Ms. Belladonna. A pleasant day to you, Team JNPR."

After Memnol left the room, Pyrrha was the first one to speak, "Has he been walking like that all day?"

Weiss said, "He was worse earlier actually, he could barely stand then. Actually, he was still slightly stumbling after he picked up Loom. I'll step outside with him."

Ren asked, "I would guess Loom is his quarterstaff?"

Ruby said, "Yeah, he only named it today. Well, we're going to go and find Blake, then. See you guys around."

Pyrrha said, "See you."

Team JNPR spent the rest of the day mostly in their dorm, doing homework or just enjoying eachother's company.

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Once RWY was out, Memnol directed the group towards the front of the school near the bullhead docks, only to swing by the side, bringing them just out of sight.

Memnol said, "I'll need about ten minutes to get us started in the right direction with a Piece, do avoid disturbing me during that."

So RWY waited and talked to eachother while he leaned against the wall, speaking very deliberate gibberish and waving his arms around for 10 minutes. At the end of it he said as suddenly as he started, "Ms. Belladonna is located, as of ten thirty-seven A.M. Vale time, at the Mocha Cafe, building number three seven five ten, South Harbor street, harbor district, Kingdom of Vale, Continent of Sanus." Leaving out, "Planet of Remnant, Sole Material Plane." "A cafe which, wouldn't you know, I happen to have been to before."

Yang said, "Woah, bit detailed there."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Ruby said, "Let's go then!", though as she started walking towards the bullheads, Memnol tapped her on the shoulder with a tentacle again.

He said, "I have a way to get us into that part of town much faster than a Bullhead, those were simply as a backup in case you don't agree to what I'm going to ask."

Yang said, "Which is?"

Memnol said, "If any of you are to travel this way you must first of all link hands, one of you linking hands with me, and never break contact while we do so. Secondly, I will require that you close your eyes during it and to keep them closed until I say otherwise, regardless of the vertigo it may or may not induce. I must still keep some secrets, after all."

Yang said, "Yeah, I'm out on that. You guys?"

Weiss said, "I'll… Trust Memnol on this."

Ruby said, "Let's split up then! Me and Yang will see if we find Blake if she's on her way back, and you guys can go ahead."

Memnol said, "That is reasonable enough. Madame- Pardon. Weiss and I shall depart in a few moments then. May there be luck on your end."

Yang said as she and Ruby walked off, "Same to you."

Once they were gone from sight, Memnol turned to Weiss and said, "Thank you for your trust, Weiss. Now, all that's needed for us to go is to maintain contact," He placed his hand back on her shoulder and wrapped one of the longer tentacles around her forearm just to be certain, "It's just that linking hands is the most traditional method. Now then, eyes closed until I say otherwise, and we'll be off."

For Weiss, she closed her eyes, and didn't feel as though anything had happened, until what felt like a few moments later when she suddenly heard the cries of seagulls and waves, and Memnol said she could open her eyes. They were already at the seaside, to her visible shock, and Memnol quietly said, "It hasn't been long, there's a reasonable chance she may still be at the cafe, to our right, unless she was just passing by when I got the reading. Be prepared if she is."

Weiss nodded, and when Memnol let go she stepped out rather quickly to see Blake sitting down with that stowaway, Sun Wukong unknown to Weiss, at the cafe.

Blake's face showed clear surprise at seeing Weiss suddenly step out of an alleyway, which grew further when she saw the new and unfamiliar form of Memnol step out, though all the clothes matched.

Despite her surprise, she and Sun followed their current plan if she was found, which was to bolt. Except once she turned away, after one step Memnol appeared in her path more suddenly than she could catch, startling them both.

He said, "My apologies, Ms. Belladonna, but I'm afraid Ruby has called in a favor, so I'm rather obligated to treat this matter with effort. You, however, unknown man to me, are free to walk by."

Blake looked around, and after sizing up her options, dashed to Memnol's left, only to leave a decoy at the last moment and switch to his right where he carried Loom. She looked back for a moment at Memnol who she successfully dodged, only for him to disappear, and her to look in front of her in time to be grabbed by the arm by one of his longer tentacles.

Weiss was catching up to them, and Sun had already made it off down the harbor a ways away, when Blake said, "Let me go! You said you'd find me, right? Well you've found me!"

Memnol said, "I'm afraid the favor was to assist them in finding you, and the other members of your team have yet to do so. Now, the way I see, there are two distinct methods in which they can find you at this point; with your cooperation, being able to speak for yourself as someone who can work with them when they seek to speak, or quite otherwise."

Blake, shocked, said, "You wouldn't do anything like that, right? Not after, you know. Your past."

Memnol said, "I have been called upon to repay a debt, Ms. Belladonna, I will not be known as one who fails to uphold his end of the bargain before the other. You will cease attempting to flee, or I will halt you myself by whatever means I deem most effective. I don't believe you would enjoy the feeling of paralysis, Ms. Belladonna."

Blake shivered at the thought and said, "Alright, alright. Just, please, let go of me."

Memnol nodded, and did so. Blake said, "Can I go and get him over too?", pointing to Sun.

Memnol said, "Go ahead, but know that if you attempt to go any direction but back here afterwards, I will not give you a second warning."

Blake nodded, and went to get Sun.

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After some time RWBY was all united, with Sun and Memnol at the cafe table as well after Sun's introduction. RWBY had already gone through forgiving Blake, Weiss' sight flickered towards Memnol when she said she hadn't cared about her past anymore.

Blake said, "So, Memnol… You're a faunus now? Assuming you are Memnol."

Memnol chuckled and said, "Yes I am, and yes I am. Now that the entire team is here, we'll only need to gather JNPR as well at some time, and I can explain what I believe the mechanics behind the shift to be."

Blake said, "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, how do you feel about, you know?"

Memnol said, sarcasm threatening to drip from his teeth near the later end as he put on some theatrics, "Are you referring to physically, my adjusting to the new body, or mentally, at what I assume would typically be some utterly harrowing realization that once-favorite shops are now closed to me, and oh how terribly I'll be treated just for being me, and all of that rather obvious, perhaps mildly trite even, sort of woe and so on?"

The table looked at each other awkwardly, and Blake said, "Mentally, the second one, though I think I could guess at this point. You're fine with it?"

Memnol said, "Blake, being denied access to some shops for a little while isn't exactly the biggest deal for me given that I can make better versions of near anything they could hope to sell."

Blake said, "For a little while? You think there's still hope for the faunus rights movement?"

Memnol said, "Oh it would inevitably work within maybe another decade or two, maybe three at the most."

As Blake started to smile, Memnol continued, "Assuming you stuck primarily to the nonviolent protests, that is, as many creatures do eventually feel bad about beating up a target that doesn't fight back. So long as the White Fang exists in its current state however, I'm doubtful. Even the name alone would near-definitely have to go if they went peaceful again due to its latest connotations."

Sun said, "That's part of what we were doing, actually. We're going to see who's really behind the recent Dust robberies, stake them out."

RWBY and Sun kept talking as Memnol's mind halted for a good while, comprehending what just happened, and came to a result he arrived at before, magnified to an extreme degree.

Memnol cut in from Weiss saying that if they were staking out a Schnee supply then they should've informed the actual Schnee, and said with the end coming out as a hiss, "Do you Remnans have no concept of subtlety?!"

Ruby said, catching the mistake that Memnol didn't in his irritation and post-resurrection state, "What do you mean by-"

Memnol cut in again, "I mean, you are not only discussing a stakeout in broad open daylight, which at this point would be standard for you, but did you also genuinely intend to just wait in one location for the entire day? As though that wasn't an immense giveaway, though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to think that maybe, perhaps, a White Fang lookout actually might not notice the pair of people who have been in the exact same location for numerous hours, right by where they'd be committing a heist, and that they wouldn't be aware that one of them is a known deserter."

After a brief silence Memnol said, "Waiter!"

The passing waiter stopped and scurried over, "Y-Yes sir?"

Memnol said, "Do you serve alcohol here?"

The waiter said, "Yes, we d-"

Memnol soon slapped down a very quickly counted 70 Lien and said, "Bring me a glass of your strongest, and the sourest lime you can find."

The Waiter said, "I- ID, sir."

Memnol said, "ID? What for?"

Blake said, "You do know you're supposed to be over twenty-one to order alcohol, right?"

Memnol blinked and said, "No. No I did not. In that case, waiter, just bring me whatever you have with the most natural fat, something like raw steak, bacon perhaps, or a whole uncooked pork head if possible."

At the odd looks he got when the waiter went off, Memnol said, "New body, new cravings. Anyhow, I suppose I'll be going back to Beacon in a few moments."

Ruby said, "You're not going to help?"

The waiter very quickly reappeared with a raw slab of meat, which a tentacle of Memnol's snatched as soon as he was within eight feet of him, in another moment devouring it whole.

Confident he had the table's attention, Memnol said, "This appears to be mostly your concern at the moment, no offense. My main duty was to help Team RWBY find Ms. Belladonna, and I have done so. Besides, I will likely be practicing walking again for a good while before I'm deemed ready to return to the practical portion Ms. Goodwitch's class and as such am not exactly in prime condition. Regardless, luck to all of you." The moment he said the last part, he lifted Loom slightly, and just plain vanished, though what he had actually done was activate his ring of sequestering, and Teleported about 20 feet over at most onto the building roof, using the inherent scry-like ability that comes with an IA, as he had ordered one of his usual retinue to stand right there for a while, to listen in on them as they continued to discuss what they were planning.

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That night, RWBY and Sun were waiting on a nearby rooftop, while Memnol waited invisibly on the ship itself. While nothing large had arrived yet, Memnol had spotted a little something, or rather a little someone, who had snuck onto the ship.

Standing at just over half his height was a rather colorful woman, with half-pink and half-brown hair and eyes. They were both out of view from the stakeout, so Memnol took the opportunity to cast an Automatically Silent Charm Person, so she'd consider him as a trusted ally for the next day and some hours.

Once he had done so, he quickly undid his invisibility and tapped her on the shoulder, saying quietly, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

Neopolitan whirled around, and took out her scroll to type and show, "Same to you."

Memnol said, "I was just told to be here as backup, one the elites if hunters show, you?"

Neopolitan typed, "Again, same."

Memnol said, hoping to play it up, "Fair, I did hear you were one of the best. You here to back up anyone specific or are you general like me?"

Neo typed, smirking, "Getaway for Roman."

Memnol said, adding a light laugh as he sat down, which only put them at eye level, "Oh yeah, you two go back a ways, don't you? Or am I getting mixed up again like I always do?"

Neo typed, "Partners N Crime 4 Life."

As an idea formed in his head, Memnol said, "Hey, what's your guy's bounties at so far? I bet it's lower than mine."

Neo typed as she pulled it out, "100 Lien on the bet."

Memnol said, "Alright, on three."

Memnol counted down with his fingers, and they both revealed, Neo having typed and Memnol saying, "Me: 0/Roman: 14,000" "Thirty-two K in Mistral. Roman's finally hit the Ten K mark, has he?" Memnol held out his hand at the end.

Neo paid up and typed, "Yeah, got caught by some Red."

Memnol said, "Rough. Well, good conversation, shame it never happened."

At this, Neo only had a moment to appear confused before Memnol cast Overwhelm, staggering her for a start, and after dodging a panicked and startled parasol swipe, one strike from Loom brought her unconscious. He got up and propped her up against the wall, and cast Modify Memory two times, the first to entirely remove their short conversation, including his existence, from her mind, and the second to fill in the blanks, that she had decided to lean on the wall for a moment while walking when she zoned out for a moment. Then he went invisible again, woke her with a heal from Loom, and waited.

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Soon enough Roman and the others arrived, Roman cheerily stating to the White Fang grunts, "Sadly, this is probably the last heist we'll be working on together, since it's the last our ex-joint boss gave us. I'll be terribly sad to see you all go, so I won't blame you if you take your time today before we have to part."

At this, the grunts got to work particularly quickly, and soon enough RWBY and Sun arrived on the scene. The ensuing fight was more even than it could have been especially once Penny arrived and got rid of the suddenly arriving air support. Although at the end, Roman had escaped onto a previously unseen fourth bullhead, piloted by Neo.

While RWBY and Co dealt with their own issues on the shore, Roman and Neo made their getaway to a hideout they kept on Patch. Roman soon took the controls from Neo, and told her to take a break for a moment while he set the thing to autopilot.

After a good few minutes Roman had managed it and said, "Right then, now that we're unemployed," Roman laughed, "I say we lie low and live high off of what we've got for a while, yeah?"

When Roman turned around for an answer however, he was met with the sight of Neo in the grasp of some squid-face leaning back against the corner of a wall with a quarterstaff behind him, four shorter tentacles hovering by her head, the longer two holding her up by the shoulders, her parasol on the ground out of reach, a dagger to held to her throat by his right hand, and her scroll displaying, "HELP" as she held it with wide eyes. Memnol had managed this silently with a well shaped Silence spell, itself courtesy of a Silent Limited Wish, which he had dismissed once Roman was turning.

Memnol said, "Promoted to a better superior, actually, presuming you care for profit or the life of Bite-Sized here."

Roman was, well to say he was panicking internally was an understatement. Roman said, "Alright then, what do you want?"

Memnol said, letting his own sense of sadism, developed from working among actual Devils quite often, leak through, "I thought I just told you, I am offering you a rather lucrative employment opportunity. Or if you decline, I am killing you both, throwing this one," He lightly shook Neo, "Into the ocean depths, and returning your body for the bounty. Oh, and I think I would keep your hat as a trophy too, though I'm still debating whether to overtly reveal it's yours once I'm back or just let the hint be slightly subtler. Either way it would make a wonderful conversation piece for parties."

Roman said, leering at him, "Wait, Bounty, You're a hunter?"

Memnol said, "In training, technically."

Roman let himself smile and said, "Right, I thought you were serious about those threats." Feeling like he had it all figured out he leaned in a little with his cane-cannon, Melodic Cudgel, and said, "Why don't you prove you're so serious then?"

What Roman didn't have figured out was that in response to this Memnol wouldn't get even remotely shaky about it, but instead laughed and said, "Alright then, I'll ask Bite-Sized, which color do you like less, Brown or Pink? You have ten seconds to answer."

Neo turned her scroll around in her hands and quickly put in, "Brown. ?"

Memnol said, "Brown it is then. And what coincidence with the placement actually, now that I notice. I suppose that as the opportunity presents itself, I'll recite a more fitting variation of the chant for the circumstances."

Roman's face was rather confused and extremely concerned as Memnol slowly raised his left hand and spoke, quickly putting some variation on the traditional cultist's chant, "Teachings of Vecna guide me. I seek the knowledge and I shall find the secrets. For power, for Remnant, for ageless will, and eternal rule." As he said this his left hand was up to Neo's face, and he placed the nails under Neo's eyelids on her left side, forcing them open, further terrifying her, as he said in a loud-yet-whispering tone at the end, "In the name of The Hand and The Eye, I devote this act to thy whispered memory."

In an instant his hand lurched in, and Neo flailed in immense pain, and from her mouth's movement she would have been much louder if she could, but the only sound coming out was constant exhalation. The hand in a second instant moved away in a plucking motion to reveal Neo's face, missing an eye. Her brown left eye, which was being held by Memnol's now red fingers and hand.

At the sight, Roman felt like his blood was both frozen and boiling at the same moment, made of oil and ice, conflicting senses screaming at him. In a moment he lifted Melodic Cudgel to aim for Memnol, tense as can be, as the sight of Neo silently screaming etched itself into his mind, she kept doing so for a while as she dropped her scroll in her pain to clutch at her empty socket, hidden by her eyelids.

Memnol said, "Now that I have proven that I am rather serious as to my threats, I will repeat my previous offer in new terms; You and Bite-Sized can be under my employ from here on out, working as my envoys, contact points, informants, extensions of my will in the criminal underworld among other duties, where eventually you may earn her eye privilege back among many other, far greater benefits."

As he said this he held the eye in front of the now empty and closed socket, facing the iris toward Roman, though Neo was treated to the horrific sight of the back of her own eye, until he turned it to look her in the remaining eye which felt even worse. After he finished he moved the eye to his dagger, and 'trimmed' off the remaining portion of loose nerve, then waved his free hand for a few seconds and uttered some nonsense, and her eye turned into pure gemstone, a Tiger's Eye gemstone, in the exact same sphere-shape as before. Roman knew the name of the gem, and while he could tell it had meaning behind the exact choice, he couldn't begin to guess at which of the possible meanings it actually was, except that most of them were either mocking, threats, or both.

Memnol pocketed the now-gem and said, "Or, I can kill the both of you, leave no evidence of Bite-Sized behind, and autopilot this bullhead back to Vale to return a celebrated huntsman with a promising future. It is your choice, Mr. Torchwick."

Roman said, "Fine, I understand. Let her go and we'll listen."

Memnol said as he mentally assigned his accompanying pair of IA's to each of them, "Of course, Do know however that if either of you attempt to move against me in any way, you will die. Is that clear to you both?"

Roman said, "Yes, I understand, and I'll make sure she understands, Now let her go!"

Memnol put Neo down surprisingly carefully and said, "As a sign of the beginning to our endeavors, allow me to prevent the hassle a hospital visit may cause."

He lifted Loom, and a Twinned Mass Heal halted Neo's bleeding instantly, as well the pain for a moment, though it soon returned in a thankfully duller state.

Memnol said as he walked towards a side door, "When there is a task for you, you will be informed. Until then, you are free to do as you would normally, though I recommend against getting caught. If you need to communicate with me, simply whisper your thoughts to the feeling of being watched. Goodbye for the time being, Mr. Torchwick, it has been a grand time doing business with you."

He opened the door, stepped out, and fell out of sight. When Roman looked out for a moment as he closed the door, he didn't see him at all, since Memnol was already at a small, secluded alleyway by the harbor, Prestidigitating away all signs of what he had been doing.

Roman instead focused all his effort on the now thoroughly terrified Neopolitan, and just tried to console her on their way to Patch, promising her all the ice cream that money could buy and he could steal, as well as whatever else she wanted.