A/N: Hey guys/gals, Archemedies back with the newest chapter of my story. In this chapter, I decided to experiment with a first-person perspective. I've never written in first-person before, so I'd appreciate if you could drop a review, and tell me what you think. Is it better off 3rd person? Should I keep going in first? Tell me which you prefer, so I can write to taste. By the way, sorry in advance for the little bit of darkness towards the end of the chapter. I was trying to assert that White Eye are douches, and I may have gone over board. In addition, there's a poll on my profile, if any of you like Mortal Kombat, go check that out. Now, to answering reviews:
Guest: That...Was a very long and interesting theory. To be completly honest, I'm kinda playing this by ear, so...I may take your theory into account? Maybe? Possibly? And I will have a distinction betwenn Ruby and Mercer, both in powers and personality.
FinnJake and Noob6: People are shipping Ruby/Mercer...What have I created...Also, that would be an awsom fanart, Ruby in Mercer's shirt. That should happen. I would make it, but I have the artistic talent of a mentally challanged lemon, so...
Bl4nk: Yet more helpful suggestions/ideas, what would I do without you?
Anyway, Fav, follow, review if you feel like it. Peace!
Chapter 4: Corporate Secrets.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
As I pushed the fog of sleep from my mind, for a moment I thought I was back in the infirmery. But as I gained my bearings, I realized that the beeping was coming from my alarm. I pushed the covers away bleariliy, before leaning over the edge of my bunk bed, reaching down and taking the alarm clock from its place on the bedside table. I jabbed my finger at the button until it stopped beeping, and checked the time.
12:00
What? Why had she set her alarm for twelve? Why had she set her alarm at all? She didn't have any lessons, so...
In a rush, all the events of last night came rushing back. Yang in the infirmary. My friends hurt. Mercer plotting. Now, it all just seemed like a dream. I reached heisitantly for the hem of my shirt, clutching it with pale hands.
Before pulling it up my neck...And finding my ugly, malignant wound staring me in the face, pulsing red.
I sunk back into the embrace of my bed. It had all been real. Somewhere in the haze of my mind, I remember agreeing to meet Mercer. At two. He'd said he had answers. What if I stood him up? For some reason, I don't think he'd take too kindly to me standing him up. And past that, if there's one thing I want most right now, it's answers. Not just want. Need. I need to find out what evil Mercer was talking about. What he has planned to stop that evil. And, what he'd done to me. He said he made me stronger. And he'd seemed genuine when he said it. That, combined with my fall from the window, made me wonder just what else I could do.
If I wanted to find out, I'd have to meet him. That made my decision. I checked the clock again:
12:20
I grabbed the side of my bed, and rolled out, landing on my feet. I took a look around my teams room, finding myself alone. I was confused for a few seconds. Yang was still in intensive care, but where were Blake and Weiss?
A flicker of white brought my attention to Weiss's bed. I walked over, and found a note, addressed to yours truly.
Ruby.
Me and Blake decided that having no lessons is no excuse for slacking. Me and her have decided to head down to Vale library for some studying. I was going to wake you to tell you myself, but we both knew you needed your rest. So we left you to sleep and wrote a note instead. We probably won't be back 'till late. Have a good rest.
Weiss and Blake.
I placed the note back onto Weiss's bed. If they weren't going to be back to late, that was good. It gave me a lot of time for Mercer to show me...Whatever he wants to show me. Another check of the clock.
12:30
Guess its time for me to get ready for my chat with the devil.
I undressed, ran the shower, and got in. I washed, feeling relaxed for the first time since Penn station, where this fiasco began. At least, I felt relaxed until, as I was scrubbing my chest, the sponge grazed my...Mark. I shuddered, dropping the sponge and doubling over as pain shot through my body. I looked up, seeing in the mirror opposite the shower that my wound had began to bleed. Red blood, streaked with black, ran down my stomach, until, with an unpleasant tingling sensation, it stopped bleeding, pulsing red a few more times, before returning to its usual, inert self. I straightened up, carefully washing off the blood before I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. I grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around myself, before walking out of the bathroom, going into my closet. I debated with myself on what to wear, before settling on my normal gear. It wasn't dirty, as it had been washed while I was recovering. And, I felt comfertable in it. I laid it out on my bed, along with some underwear, before drying myself off and getting dressed, being carefull about my chest in both these tasks. After that, I made a quick check of the time.
1:30
Wow. I'd been in the shower for far longer than normal. I decided that I might as well get going. I walked tentativly up to the window, half expecting Mercer to sprint up the wall and yank her out again. Pushing it open, I leaned out, looking down at the drop to the concrete path below. In the mid-day light, it looked even more substantial a drop than it had yesterday. I put my hands on the window sill, able to lift myself up far easier than normal. I half contemplated jumping, to see if my first landing had been a fluke. I pushed the thought away, before letting go of the window sill and turning, walking out the dorm door and taking the mundane path down to my meeting place. Or Mercer's meeting place. Depends on how you look at it.
Within the hour, I'd reached the spot, looking around and finding no trace of any god-like meglo-maniacs, much to my surprise. I pulled my watch out my pocket, and checked it, finding:
1:50
"No wonder he's not here. I'm early. Probably won't be here for a while"
"Wouldn't count on it"
I jumped as a voice, his voice, growled into existance not a foot away from me. I turned, finding Mercer regarding me with amusement.
"Well...I'm here..."
"I noticed"
"...So, what did you want to show me?"
Mercer gave a grunt, before walking away from her, towards Beacons airship dock.
"I need you to meet me by the quarantine barrier, downtown. We need to go past the barrier"
I began speed walking to get next to him again, walking at his side.
"But...We're not meant to go out there! It's dangerous! And I don't have my weapon!"
"What's life without a little danger, eh? You won't need your weapon. Don't worry about the infected. They can't climb. We'll just go over them"
I tried to puzzle out what he meant by that.
"What, do you have an airship?"
He gave a chuckle.
"Something of the kind. Just meet me by the barricade. I'll take it from there"
He suddenly kicked into a sprint, gaining speed quickly, and within seconds he was running as fast as me with my semblance, and with seemingly no effort too.
"Wait! Why are we going to the barricade? What are you going to show me? Damn"
I had no choice. I walked the path down to the docks, jumping on an out bound airship just as it was departing.
Within an hour, I was at the barricade. It had gotten larger since the last time I saw it. Now, rather then sand bags and wire netting, it was formed of a sheer concrete wall, several meters tall. Standing in front of it were a line of Schnee soldiers, "White Eye" as Mercer had refered to them. They cradled assault rifles, their faces obscured by their menacing gas masks. Bright blue lenses glared out at passers by from under their hoods. They all also had brutal looking blades attached to their left forearms, many of them bearing rust colored stains. I stared at the barricade for a few seconds, unsure of what to do now she'd reached her goal. That was, until my attention was drawn by a psst from the alleyway next to me. I looked into the darkness, able to make out nothing. Nothing, except a pair of red eyes that flashed at me. I hurried into the alley, not wanting to stand under the scrutiny of the White Eye for any longer than nescesseray. Once I got into the alley, and my eyes adjusted, I found myself standing next to Mercer.
"All right. What is it you wanted to show me"
Mercer glanced around, before beginning to walk down the alley that ran parralel to the barricade, before turning left, and stopping in front of a concrete wall that plugged the alley, that other wise would have led straight into the quarantine zone. Finally he answered:
"A Schnee research base in the quarantine zone"
"How are we going to get past the barricade?"
He took a few steps back.
"We don't get past it. We go over it"
With that, he leapt into a sprint once more, and ran headlong at the wall. A millisecond before impact, he lifted his right foot, planting it against the wall, before doing the same with his left foot, and then continueing up the wall. He reached the top, and front-flipped over the lip. A thump from the other side signified his landing.
"C'mon, the coast's clear. Just run up it"
Run up it? Easier said then done.
I took a deep breath, and turned, running a fair length down the alley way to give myself a decent run up. I started my run, Mercer shouting words of encouragement as I did so. Soon, I found myself running far faster then normal, and I looked down to find red energy blleding from my hands and feet. But, for the first time, the red didn't scare me. Instead, it lent me speed. I was at the wall now, and I jumped, lifting both feet to land on the wall, cracking, before I kept running, a strabge turning sensation in my stomach caused by running straight up. I reached the top of the wall all too quickly, flying straight over the edge, tripping over the slight slip, and falling back down, flailing my arms as I did so. I mentally prepared myself for the landing, and closed my eyes.
Only to stop suddenly, rather than crashing into the ground as I'd expected. I opened my eyes to find myself face to face with Mercer, eyes and lips, only centimeters away. He appeared to have caught me, bridal style, before I hit the ground.
"You OK?"
I blushed, wriggling out of his arms and onto my feet, before responding:
"Yeah, I'm fine. That was...Fun"
"It's great, isn't it? Well, don't worry, you'll get the chance to do a whole lot more of it, and, something even cooler"
"Cooler than running up walls?" I was incredalous.
"Hell yeah. Follow me"
WIth that, he turned, sprinting up the wall of one of the buildings in the alley way I'd landed, and flipping onto the top. I grinned, and followed.
We ran for minutes, and in those minutes, I found that my jumping had been drastically increased as well, allowing me to leap between buildings, literally going over the heads of the infected hordes. I leapt onto a particular rooftop, and found Mercer standing at the edge, looking at a building across the street. It was far away, and I doubted I'd be able to get to it, even with my new found jumps. Mercer turned to me, an impish grin on his face.
"This, is where it gets cooler"
With that, he leapt from the roof, making it halfway across the infected filled street before he began to fall.
"Mercer!"
I couldn't help but scream his name, almost unable to watch, sure he was about to plunge into the sea of monsters.
But then, against all logic, he spread his arms, and flew. Arms and legs open, trailing red like smoke from his hands and feet, he glided across the street, landing flawlessly on the opposite roof, before turning and waving at her, and pulling an exaggerated bow. I stared at him, mouth agape, before deciding that that was something I definately needed to try. I took a few steps back, befre sprinting forward, leaping from the edge of the roof and spreading my arms and legs as he had. I felt a strange power flow through my body, accompanyed by a strange sense of lightness. Suddenly, I jolted forward, gliding toward the opposite roof. I couldn't help but laugh as the undead below me reached up in vain, and tried their hardest to reach me. I struck the rooftop harder than I thought I would, landing with far less grace than Mercer, staggering as he looked on. I pulled myself together, feeling slightly self concious, and walked over beside him, as he gestured to something beyond the roof.
"That...Is what I wanted to show you"
There, right in the middle of the park, was a square courtyard, surrounded on all sides by a massive concrete fence, topped with barbed wire, and guar towers on all four corners. One of the walls bore an opening, covered by a sliding wire gate, presumbly for vehicles and the like. Standing on the other side of the gate, and patrolling the courtyard itself, were many White Eye troops, all bearing rifles. Mercer indicated to a guard tower on the north west corner.
"That's where we go in"
"Go in? Why would we do that?"
"Because going on in there are experiments that need to be stopped"
"But..."
"But what? They are hurting people in there. Are you really going to walk away and let that happen? How do you think this all started? People who are meant to do good-" He gave me a pointed glance. "Turning the other way"
"...Fine"
Mercer nodded approvingly, before leaping into the air, gliding over and landing on the railing of the guard tower, and dropping to the catwalk that surrounded it, pushing the door open and stepping inside, closing the door after him. I waited a few seconds, before gliding over to meet up with him.
I pushed open the door, stepping inside, and finding Mercer standing in an empty room, an assault rifle on the small table in front of him, it's owner nowhere to be found. I decided would be best if I didn't question that.
"Come on Ruby, we need to get you a disguise"
He turned and walked out of the other door of the guard tower and jumping the railing before I could ask what he'd meant. I followed him after a brief moment of heisitation, vaulting the railing and landing hard, but silently behind a strange armored truck, with a computer built into the side of it. Mercer stood in front of the computers keyboard.
"Hold here for a second. I need to show you something"
I turned to answer him after checking around, only to jump back as I found myself face-to-face with a White Eye trooper. I did the first thing that came to mind, and swung with all my might.
Only to have my fist caught by the trooper.
"Relax Ruby. It's me"
The troop released my hand and took a step back, his body rippling like liquid before he reformed, this time as a young man in a leather jacket, who I knew all too well.
"God Mercer...Don't scare me like that"
Mercer chuckled, before turning away, transforming back into his White Eye garb, and typing away at the computer. As he did so, the login screen disspeared, replaced with several pop-ups, all showing differant pictures. Some showed White Eye troops, others infected confined in cages. A second login screen appeared, and Mercer logged in, causing another picture to appear. This one bore a picture of a strange creature. It had vibrant orange skin, criss-crossed with glowing red veins. It had four limbs, the front two paws tipped with vicous looking claws. It also had a mouth full of horrifying teeth, and what seemed like the remains of a Grimm mask, boney shards protruding from it's face. It seemed to be mid-way through consumning a hapless White Eye troop.
"This is what Schnee are up to. Breeding monsters to kill the innocent. And now I need to ask you. Will you help me stop this?"
"I...I..."
"Just let me tell you Ruby, If we don't stop this here, that creature and others like it will become the weapons of a corrupt organization, and will most likely be released on innocent protesters, who want nothing more harmfull then their freedom"
"...Fine"
Mercer grinned at me, and clapped me on the shoulder.
"Great. But before we can get into the complex itself, you'll need a disguise. Wait here"
Mercer disguised him self as the White Eye troop again, before walking around the edge of the truck, and out of sight. I stood around for a few seconds, before muffled grunting reached my ears. JUst as they registered, Mercer stepped back around the edge of the truck, back in his normal outfit. He also held a struggleing Schnee troop in his grasp.
"Think fast"
With that, he pushed the troop in my direction. The man staggered forward, and as he did so, I struck out, almost without thinking. My fist left a red trail as it flew, connecting with his shoulder with a crunch, and sending him into the truck I stood by. He sunk, almost hitting the ground, before pushing himself back to a standing position, and swinging the blade attached to his left arm at me, his right arm, the one I'd punched, hanging uselessly at his side. My hand snaked out, faster than I'd ever moved before, and caught his wrist. My other hand snapped out, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the truck, hard enough to make it rock. I held him there, with no effort, astounded at my strength. He lifted his head, the blank glass of his gas mask's eyes staring into my eyes. I stared at him for a few seconds, before a thought kicked in.
This is one of the people responsible for this. Not directly, but he made the decision to work for Schnee. He chased Mercer. He made him release the virus. Without this man, and the rest of White Eye, Blake and Weiss wouldn't be injured. Ynag wouldn't be in intensive care. And I wouldn't be having a FUCKING existential crisis, trying to figure out what I am!
I looked over to Mercer, who gave me an affirmative nod. I turned back to the White Eye troop, before drawing my hand back, and slamming it forward, into his chest. Red gushed forward, soaking my hand, and standing out vibrantly against his armor. He gave a final gurgle as I grabbed hold of something solid. Suddenly, my arm pulsed, several tendrils emerging from my forearms, and embedding themselves in his then, I was eating him. He turned to liquid, flowing into my arm and passing through my body with a strange tingling feeling. All of a sudden, I felt both full, and hungry for more. My entire body pulsed, and suddenly, strange images were flying past my eyes, along with snippets of conversation.
"Do gooder Hunter wannabees..."
A picture of files on each of her teammates.
"Can't believe we have to work with them..."
A view down the sights of a rifle, aimed over sandbags, at hoardes of infected.
"Ya' know, command says that little red bitch might be infected. Might have to bust some caps in her"
She saw herself, carving through infected on the other side of the barricade, as a second voice pitched in.
"Really? Damn. She had some moves. Genuinly thought she might have been a match for Mercer"
"Yeah. But we ain't killin her till I've bust my cap in her, if yah know what I mean?"
"No... What do you mea-Oh dude. That's sick. She looked like, twelve."
"Well then she gon' be tight, won't she?"
"What the fuck man...That's messed"
The words and pictures failed, and I awoke to find myself on my back behind the truck, Mercer leaning over me, a look of concern on his face.
"Ruby? Ruby? Anyone there?"
"Yeah. I'm up. God...That was weird"
"Yeah. I was like that the first dude I consumned too"
I stood, with Mercers help, and shuddered, thinking back to what thhe White Eye troop had been thinking.
"You OK?"
"Yeah. Can I do the disguise now?"
"Yeah. Just...Think of yourself as someone else"
"Easier said then done"
I stood for a few seconds, straining, before my entire body trembled, and I experianced the same tingling as before. I got the feeling that something had changed, and I looked down to find I was dressed as a White Eye troop.
No. I was a White Eye troop.
Mercer transformed too, and indicated for me to walk with him.
I walked by his side, passing by an arms container to pick up rifles, so as not to look suspicous. After some walking, and passing by several other troops, who gave us not a second glance, I began to relax. Eventually, we came to a door leading into one of the compounds buildings, which featured a hand scanner, to prevent un-authorised access. Mecre gave me a subtle nod, before walking up to it and putting his hand in the slot, as if it was the most casual thing in the world. The doors opened, and he stepped inside. The sinister looking portal shutting after him.
I walked up, and scanned my hand, expecting it to deny me entry, to trigger alarms all across the site, and bring hoardes of soldiers down on me, to whisk me away to their laboratorys for horrific experiments.
But my fears were unfounded, the doors opened, and I stepped inside.
Once more unto the breach, huh?