Chapter 25: Cherry Blossom

Scarlet was sitting at a bar in Mantle, she was in her new outfit she had bought. The sunglasses she had on hid her eyes away from the surrounding people inside the bar, even the bar tender as well.

The people who were in the bar were either drunk, sober or just pissed off at the world for dumb things. The bar tender didn't really pay any of the drunks any mind as they glanced at Scarlet.

"Give me a Bloody Mary." Scarlet said looking at the bar tender.

The bar tender pointed to the sign on the wall. "Sorry kid, but rules are rules. If I don't know your age or if you don't have identification, I can't serve you any alcoholic drinks."

Scarlet scoffed as she glared at the bar tender. "Let me try this again." She popped her knuckles. "Give me a Bloody Mary."

"And I told ya." The bar tender said reaching under the bar grabbing a musket. "I can't sever ya anything."

Scarlet's eyes glowed as she was angry, she gritted her teeth revealing her vampire like fangs. "Is that a wise choice? Pulling a musket out?"

The bar tender stopped. "How did?"

Scarlet snickered a little. "Running a bar, without any preparations on a weapon at hand? So, are you going to give me my drink?"

Some of the sober people who sat a few stools away from Scarlet were talking about someone. "Yeah, did you hear? There's supposed to be some new guy going to Vale and help fix it up."

"Yeah, I heard...something about rebuilding it to be brand new." The other person said. "What's he gonna name it? Neo Vale? Like that'll happen."

Scarlet rubbed her chin as she looked at them still. Some of the drunks wobbled over to where Scarlet was as the bar tender was in the back room. Scarlet could smell them as she turned her head to look at the group. "Ara ara, look at you all. Drunken like a couple of clowns..is there anything I can help you with?"

One of the drunks placed their hand on Scarlet's shoulder. "S-Sure can...meet us in the alley w-way..." The group left the bar.

"Hmm." Scarlet said as she got up from her seat and walked to the people talking about this new person. "Hello boys, who's this person you're talking about?"

The one that mentioned Neo Vale looked at her. "No one knows. Those who've met him never got his name, he's a mystery."

"Mystery huh?" Scarlet asked. "Interesting."

They nodded their head. "Yep, but take this with a grain of salt. There is a old boat captain who calls him Alastor."

Scarlet tilts her head. "Alastor...hmm."

~~~

One of the drunks were flung across the alley way as Scarlet scoffed, kicking the other in the face. "Tch, to think...fools like you don't have any weapons, you're just regular civilians." She grabbed one of the others by the collar. "Allow me to put you all down, you've annoyed me long enough."

The alley way was wet and dark, since Atlas was looming over Mantle. As for why it was wet, it did rain which was odd for a snowy area.

Scarlet snickered as she tossed the drunk down. "Now then....I think it's time you all suffer."

The drunks were shaking and scared as they backed up. "T-This chick...she isn't human!"

Scarlet grins as she walked closer to them. "I'm glad you noticed." She took her sunglasses off as she licked her lips. "I'm your nightmare."

They tried to get to their feet but slipped, there were no guards in sight or anyone else around to notice what was happening.

"Now where was I?" Scarlet asked. "Oh yes...I remember now." She snapped her fingers as Tyrian walked up from behind the group. "It's time we had some....fun, wouldn't you agree Tyrian?"

Tyrian laughed as he aimed his tail at them. "Of course!"

"No, please....have mercy!" The drunks shouted.

Scarlet slashed on two of them with her nails cutting into their throats ripping their heads off, while Tyrian stabbed the other one with his tail. Scarlet looked at the bodies as she looked over to Tyrian after, an idea came to her as she turned around putting her sunglasses on.

"Take these bodies and toss them away somewhere, make it look like they killed each other." Scarlet said.

"Oooh, sounds fun." Tyrian said. "What are you going to be doing?"

Scarlet turned her head. "Me? I'm going to go undercover as a worker...let's say...for Atlas academy."

Tyrian chuckled. "The enemy within, good. Meaning you can find out where the relic is too."

"Indeed." Scarlet said walking off.

~~~

Tyrian had made sure to take the bodies someplace to make it look like the drunks were fighting amongst themselves. "There. That should do it, now to wait for the next plan of this objective."

Scarlet had noticed a Atlas guard walking through the streets of Mantle, she followed the guard as she reached her hand forward covering their mouth and slit their throat. "Sleep now...let me take over."

Scarlet dragged the body from sight as she stripped the guard of their clothes before gobbling them up. She put the clothes on as she glanced around before reaching into a bag she had pulling out fake contacts. "Thanks to Watts, these eye contacts will help me get into Atlas academy and the Schnee manor."

Scarlet looked up as she saw a airship, she cocked an eyebrow up as she saw how slow it was going. She decided to find a way to Atlas instead of worrying about the airship, she had hoped Tyrian took care of the bodies. All that was left for her, Watts and Tyrian to do was make sure Atlas and Mantle's defenses were down for the Grimm invasion to begin, and for Salem to make her approach.

"Perhaps I should let her know about Alastor." Scarlet said as she found a way to Atlas. "I'll do that once she makes it here."

The airship slowly flew through the city, Scarlet glanced up seeing different screens with Ironwood on them. And some with Winter as well, her hunger was growing again as she wanted to sink her teeth into some Schnee meat. But she didn't want to risk giving away who she was, not yet at least.

"My mouth is watering." Scarlet said. "Hmm...maybe I should find some chocolate..." She glanced around not seeing much, her eyes were soon drawn to a snack machine. "Bingo."

Eventually the airship was detected as unauthorized, Scarlet had a gut feeling on who it might be. She glanced towards it seeing it make it's way to Mantle. "So she's here...perfect, first things first though." She made her way to Atlas Academy as she noticed the others were tipping their hats to her like she was an ordinary Atlas guard.

Once Scarlet had made her way into the academy she noticed the ace ops, as well as a new smell. Her eyes glanced around as she could smell Winter, and Ironwood. She took the chocolate bar out she had gotten from the snack machine and started nibbling on it. Clover glanced at her not thinking anything else as he was gearing up to head into Mantel, it seemed Scarlet's gut feeling was right. Ruby and the others made it to Atlas.

A/N:[Alastor is another character owned by my friend on Discord, I can't take any credit.]