I look around.
"Well, this is fucked up."
Spiderwebs. Everywhere.
While it's tempting to KILL IT ALL WITH FIRE, I have the distinct impression I'm going to have a hard time convincing Weiss to refill my gas supplies.
Instead, I quickly turn a stick from one of the trees into a basic Rune-wand, simply Charge-Fire-Line.
I point the tip at a web and channel 200 mana into it. A line of sparks burst into existence, igniting the dry webbing.
I lay about me, igniting every spiderweb in sight. It isn't long before aggravated giant spiders start approaching.
[Lesser Arachnid level 40
4560/5000 HP
0/500 AP
0/0 MP]
I switch to my Wolf-Bone Wands and begin to throw Stone Fists at the first of the Arachnids.
Which, by the way, are apparently also scorpions. Because WHY NOT?!
RAAAAAGH!
I kill two Arachnids before saying 'Fuck this'. I collect a very small bolt of Sticky Strands, 500 lien, a chunk of Spider Chitin, a Spider Eye, a Spider Fang and A Drider's Guide to Bondage.
L-Lewd!
Oh well, at least it isn't handholding. Only degenerates enjoy handholding.
Jokes aside, I pick it up anyway. Knowing Drow, and that Lolth isn't too opposed to Calistria… Well… Even without actual spider silk to work with, it probably has some...very...applicable….uses.
On the other hand, it's also going to be geared towards females being the ones doing the tying up, and I'm not sure how comfortable I am with being the one tied up.
But, hell, it'd be a decent alternative moneymaker to Twilight. I could market it as a practical guide to sex with a slightly fantasy-ish bent.
…
And there are probably at least a few spider fauni with spinnerets around.
I quickly Escape the dungeon after that.
…
Is it really worth considering the Bunny dungeon?
…
Fine.
With a sigh, I go to the Bunny Dungeon.
…
Oh. Like the Spiders, the Bunnies are giant, each being about the size of a large wolf. I Observe one.
…
[Wabbit level 10
750/750 HP
250/250 AP
0/0 MP]
...Welp.
I really don't know what I was honestly expecting.
I quickly use Weaving the Webs.
[Through use of a skillbook, you have learned the skills Intrigue and Webspinner!
Intrigue level 1 0%
+2% to all attempts to work with politics
+2% ability to detect falsehoods and deception
+2% ability to understand politispeak
Webspinner level 1 0% Cost:100 MP/Foot, doubled for sticky
No, you can not shot web.
Spin a strand of web from any part of your body. Can be sticky or not sticky at will.
...Yes. Any part of your body, you fuckin' perv.
Current tensile strength of webbing is BASICALLY NONE.
Current min. Thickness of webbing is 5 MM.
Current max. Thickness of webbing is 2 CM.
Current stickiness of sticky webs is POST-IT.]
...Well, Webspinner officially sucks. Not even good for foreplay.
On the other hand, I really wasn't expecting it to include Intrigue. Maybe it involves reading between the lines of the book?
The Drider's Guide is a skillbook, but it's almost definitely just for bondage.
…
Then again, bondage is basically the art of tying someone up in such a way that they can't escape…
No, bad thoughts.
Anyway, Webspinner won't be very helpful in taking care of the Wabbits.
Not that I really need help for these pitiful fools.
I pull out my axe.
[Woodsman's Pride
2000% STR damage
X3 Damage vs Wood
X1.5 damage vs Animals
Dust-Incompatible]
Best axe 10/10.
First I activate a Wind Crystal Healing.
I advance on the nearest Wabbit before letting out a Warcry.
Since they're dungeon monsters, the Wabbits qualify as hostile and begin advancing on me. Just As Planned.
Oh, right, Warcry…
[Warcry level 2 10% experience Cost:1000 mp
Aggros all hostiles within a range of (Con+Cha)x3.1 meters
+11% all physical stats for 66 seconds]
Considering that I had just increased my Charisma to 50, that means that it's over 200 meters.
I activate Primal Rage and begin to cut them down. Combat Trance is too exhausting for sustained usage.
Each swing instantly kills the Wabbit struck. Pretty much as expected.
Honestly?
I'm not even willing to waste the money for bullets on these things.
I pick up the loot whenever there's a lull.
Let's see…. Oh! A Rabbit's Foot!
I Observe it.
[Lucky Rabbit's Foot
+5 Luck
-5 Charisma]
Why the minus to charisma?
[Because you're wearing a rabbit's foot. That was torn off a rabbit.]
...Oh. Maybe I should get it taxidermied.
For now I stuff it in my Fetish Pouch so I can enjoy the Luck bonus, hopefully, before continuing my killing spree.
…
Man, these guys drop a lot of carrots and clover.
...Wait, why don't animals drop meat?!
[You don't have the Skill for that.]
…
Oh, son of a bitch.
The loot is admittedly sparse on these guys, though it's gotten better after that Rabbit's Foot. I've killed 50 of them and barely scraped together a thousand lien.
And the experience is even worse! 2500, 50 a pop for this.
Still, at least my Axe Proficiency is coming along nicely.
[Axe Proficiency level 5 12% experience
+25% damage with axes
Damage x1.5 vs trees with axes
+2.5% speed with axes]
...Yes, this meant that I would do, uh…
11250% of my Strength in damage against trees with my axe. Before accounting for Fury.
[Well, if I ever need a tree killed, I know who to call!]
Shut it.
Still, I was doing 37.5x my strength against animals before other bonuses kicked in. Hardly bad, really.
Did I even need Fury?
Probably not.
Still, it isn't terrible to train it.
I let out another Warcry when the hordes begin flagging to draw more in.
Still, if there's one good thing about this, they're numerous and easy to kill. Should be alright for soul fusion.
The real issue is that I don't really have any good AOE. So I have to kill each one, then move on to another rather than wipe out twenty in one go or something.
Arrrrrrgh!
After my 100th kill, I call it. I have 2750 lien from these wimps, a pair of cosplay rabbit ears(no comment), 74 carrots, 20 pounds of clover, a...personal… 'cosplay' bunny tail(Especially no comment!), a 'mace' called the Carrot Crusher(Yup), and 60 rabbit pelts of no real value.
Mind, they're pretty good carrots, and maybe the clover is the same.
…
Can people even eat clover?!
I leave the Dungeon to return to working on the Suns.
First things first:Neo is a sadist. Not a drill sergeant. She'd be much better suited to a assistance position, making sure that everyone is doing what they're supposed to and making those who aren't do so.
Dressed up as Eli Burning, and not the Courier, I saunter into the bar.
"My subordinate tells me that you're good at finding information," I say casually.
"...Might be. Might not be. Who's asking?"
"Eli Burning." I stick out my hand, which currently holds a 1000 lien card. "I'm not asking you to do anything that can get you in trouble. I just want to know how to find someone who matches a certain description. Possibly another, too."
"Oh?"
"I need a drill sergeant." I say bluntly. "One who's not prejudiced against Faunus, but preferably one with a massive bone to pick with the White Fang. I might need someone else who matches that description with a mastery of Aura, particularly it's unlocking. It'd be nice to prevent any...incidents when unlocking everyone."
"...So it's true then." Junior takes a sip of his drink. "...I don't want your money. I want a deal."
"Go on?"
"I have control of a fairly large...group. If I were not to be here, someone else would be, and they'd be calling their shots and doing worse with them. I don't want you to do anything to hurt me, the twins, or my men. In exchange, I try to keep my men in line. No murder, no rape, no maiming, no armed robbery, nothing like that. I don't think I can reasonably stop them from anything more than that. So to make up the balance of things which you might target me for, I'll offer you information, both to assist your internal infrastructure and to help you take out the White Fang, and whatever group you set your sights on after they're gone."
"...Agreed."
"...I know two who meet both of your descriptions, if you're willing to deal with eccentricity."
"I am willing, yes."
"Excellent. There's Ex-Sergeant Wode Sanguine, and… Maroon."
"Maroon?"
"His semblance...well, he always was a know it all, so I'm pretty sure it's a precog semblance. Whatever it is, I hear he's always come off as insane ever since he awakened it. Don't let it fool you. I'm not sure if he actually IS insane, but he's surprisingly…" Junior seems to be grasping for a term.
"Practical?"
"...That, yes."
So, a male fanfic-Luna Lovegood then.
Okay then. I'm sure that can't go horribly wrong.
"Give me the info on them, then." I say bluntly. I needed to check on how my recruits were assembling and settling in.
The scene I find is nowhere near as bad as I might have imagined. I arrive at 9, just as they're filing in for breakfast. Those I accepted for military are currently lined up eagerly for the cooks, who have taken my admittedly sparse budget as a challenge.
At the moment, they're assembling egg salad sandwiches, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and making ramen noodles with meat.
"Good morning, Mocha." I greet Neo. "I neglected to ask, do you have the Aura mastery necessary to safely awaken someone's aura?"
She pauses and thinks, shrugs, and murmurs, "Eh."
"...Mostly safely?"
She nods at that.
"Alright. When I make the announcement, I want you to go around and awaken Auras. Take it easy, don't kill yourself doing it, but I want as many of them to have Aura before breakfast is over and training starts as reasonably possible."
She nods.
I give people a few minutes to eat, then hop up on my table, waving.
"Your attention, please!" I exclaim, before continuing. "Mocha here is going to go around and awaken Auras. Those of you who do not have Aura unlocked, keep a eye out for Mocha and raise your left hand as she passes by. Remember, she can't get everyone at one time, so it's possible she won't get to you today. Thank you." I sit down.
By the time breakfast is over, Neo has awakened five people's aura's. She's slightly sweaty, which raises a eyebrow from me.
"Hot and bothered already, huh?" I jibe.
She flips me off. But she's smiling when she does it. I take that as a good sign.
"C'mon. We gotta go whip these people into shape."
Her eyes light up and she pu-
"NOT with a actual whip!"
She pouts as i rest my head in my hands Nevertheless, she puts the whip away.
Neo's method of training is...sadistic to say the least. Still, she does seem to understand the meaning of restraint. Most of her sadism is focused on those who have a Aura and aren't actually performing properly during their exercise, be it by having incredibly poor form in their exercise, or by simply not trying.
Fortunately, there aren't many of the latter, considering the fact that I explicitly chose were most likely to be obsessed with making this work out.
There will most likely be incredibly rapid progress for the first few months, especially after everyone has Aura and Sanguine's with us. Assuming I successfully recruit him.
-=-=-=-=-=Sanguine's POV=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Wode Sanguine was once the best damn drill sergeant in the Atlesian Army.
Of course, Atlas being Atlas, and the SDC being based in Atlas, a certain terrorist organization had a bone to pick with those who were in the Atlesian Army, especially those who stood out.
Wode wasn't even there on the day that his daughter was killed by the White Fang.
His 20 year old daughter died a rather violent death. This was back when the extremists cared about their image, and so their home had been 'mysteriously' burned down. Only when Tay Sanguine ran out of the house, hacking up a storm, she got gutted and thrown back in.
The autopsy showed the cut across her abdomen in spite of the fire damage.
The fire hadn't actually been intended to kill anyone, or at least that's what the police thought. His daughter didn't own a car, and her boyfriend was out. The lights had all been off, and the fire was started soon after he'd left.
In short, his house was supposed to be empty.
Not that that was a comfort to him.
He was honorably discharged soon afterwards after a...incident.
Believe it or not, the Atlesian Army does actually have faunus members, and Ironwood makes it a point to make sure that discrimination doesn't get a chance to set in.
The rules were very clear, and Wode found himself in violation of them.
Even under the circumstances, there could be no exceptions, and so he was discharged quietly. Even shook hands with James Ironwood himself as the man apologized for kicking him out.
Wode casually gulped at a Bloody Mary as his scroll suddenly buzzed.
He opened it and read the message.
'Tell me, mr. Sanguine...how would you like to see the White Fang fall?' The message read.
Now, Mr. Sanguine was no fool. This was probably a bad idea, and he knew and accepted it. He sent a reply.
'Quite a bit.'
'Enough to participate? Despite what happened in the past?'
'I only had one daughter. They can't take her from me again.'
'My condolences. I didn't mean it quite like that. Regardless, if you meet me at this address in two days, I'll explain.'
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=Maroon's POV-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Maroon stared at his scroll expectantly.
Without reading the message, the moment his scroll beeped, he typed his own.
'It is as I have Foretold. We have made Contact.'
'Uh...Yes. Yes we have.'
'Courier Burning. I accept your request that I join with you.'
'I am not Eli Burning.'
'What? But I Hindtold it.'
Hindtelling was the opposite of foretelling. This was obvious. How would anyone not understand this?
Nonetheless…
'..."Hindtold"?'
...He still asked, of course.
'I Foretold that you would ask that.'
Maroon pauses.
'Oh! I now Hindtell that you had wished to keep that secret. I apologize most profusely, Mortant Messenger.'
'...Secret? I tell you, I am not Eli Burning!'
'Exactly. In any case, I will be at the meeting place you plan to meet me at whenever you decide you want to meet me there.'
'That doesn't make any sense!'
'It makes perfect sense to me, and it will to you one day.'
[line]
...Urgh!
Prophets are a fucking pain in the ass.
Apparently, this guy can see the past AND the future or something?
Fuck.
And that means that he knows who 'I' am.
Fuckity fuck.
Interestingly, he didn't use my REAL real name, though! Which is fortunate. I'd rather not have to dispose of him. But it would be risky to let him know that and live.
...Or maybe he foretold that using it would result in him being marked for death?
Urrrrgh, my head.
Still, he was...strangely compliant.
Fuck this, I'm going to figure it out later.
Author's Note:In case it isn't abundantly clear, the Twin Suns will require OCs to function. So yeah. This story contains OCs. Mostly notable ones will be named, though names mentioned in passing may be of non-notable ones.
While CNR is a thing, note that NOT EVERYONE NECESSARILY AGREES WITH OR HAS PARENTS WHO AGREED WITH THAT, or perhaps they're from SOMEWHERE THAT DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CONTACT WITH THE KINGDOMS. With that in mind, some OCs may simply NOT have CNR compliant names.
As to the agreeing with CNR part:
It's a rule that's meant to remind people about creativity by forcing them to be less creative about something.
…
The fuck.
Bonus
Blake was lounging in the dorm, reading the newest installment of Ninjas of Love. She was the only one there; Yang and Ruby had decided to go to a cafe and Weiss was making a call at the Tower.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock. She jolted, bow twitching before she got up.
She gets a vague impression of shattering glass as she opens the door, and she finds a cart loaded with fresh, steaming hot casserole with cheese, pineapple, spaghetti, tuna, peas, corn, carrot and breadcrumbs. There's also tuna salad and cheese sandwiches and a envelope.
Her ears flick under the bow again and she glances each way before pulling it in and opening the envelope.
Several stapled pages fall out with highlighted passages.
…
They're from a Ninjas of Love book!
One has a scrawled note on it.
She begins to read the passages to try to figure out what's going oooooooh my.
Her cheeks burn red.
'Elize tightened the rope. "Your loverboy will never find you," She taunted her captive as she brushed her captive's cheek with the back of one finger. "Why not just relax and enjoy this? It's all just harmless fun, anyway~"'
She started skimming rather than actually reading it thoroughly to get the gist, ignoring the heat she could feel building in her body.
I-it's not smut! It's literature!
The general gist is that the other considers herself(Probably a her? It's probably that pink haired girl who's admittedly been, er...haunting, her dreams.) to have been in a similar position to Elise, who had taken what pleasure she could while serving her master faithfully, and who had fallen for one of his enemies, turning the minute that her master had died against her lover. She had been orded originally to kidnap one of Maieto's many love interests to marry to her master's heir for political reasons.
…
Okay, this is obvious manipulation.
But…
Her stomach growls.
She'd been so absorbed in her book that she hadn't eaten all day and the food was looking really tasty, and admittedly the passages, the idea that her life had begun to mirror a part of the books she treasured(and certainly didn't read for smut) had lit a fire in her body.
It was so tempting to just let go of any ill will towards-
Oh yeah, there's also the scrawled note.
'Look at the underside of the top of the cart.'
She does so.
...Dust. That's…
A collector's edition set of the first 5 books! She carefully peels the tape off and removes the plastic covering that had been applied so the tape couldn't damage any of the books.
"...I-I'm not that easily bribed!" she tries to protest, even as her stomach growls LOUDLY..
Then her scroll buzzes. She blinks and checks it.
Unknown number texted her, huh? She opens the text.
'They're signed ;)'
"D-damn you!" She protests feebly, her resolve crumbling like so many cookies.
She gets herself a bowl of the casserole and one of the sandwiches and makes it halfway through the casserole before it hits her.
"Wait-you're spying on me?!"
'...Maybe….'
'Anyway, you will not get in the way of my fated, now, will you?'
Blake shivers a little. "Your 'fated'? ...Hart?"
'WILL YOU?'
"...Will you try to take him without his approval?"
'...I will not attempt to have sex with him against his will.' Came the carefully worded reply.
"In that case, I will only interfere if he asks me to or if he is in a relationship."
'Acceptable terms.'
'One down, three to go…~' Neo hums to herself triumphantly. 'Not that I really expected it to be that hard; I'm REALLY good at reading body language, and I know EXACTLY how you felt about being tied up and naked like that, you naughty little kitty~' She giggles. 'Maybe once I have my Greyhart wrapped around my finger, I'll seduce you into being our little playtoy once in a while. He seems like the type who likes to top, and while I don't mind giving up control from time to time, it'll grow wearisome after a while…~'
She smirks.
'Yes, I think I'll start preparing something for you…. Maybe a collar?~"
She slips off to go home and do something about how hot she's feeling.
Bonus 2:
A forgotten cup sits on a desk.
Drip.
…
Drip.
…
Drip.
Beneath the desk, brownish black liquid fell from the underside of it onto a puddle on the floor, which was quickly becoming a miniature lakebed…
Bonus 3
"Nat, could you...use it?" Whispered Raze. "I ache all over." The faunus boy groaned.
"I-i can't! Gramma said never to use it where anyone could see!" Natsuko replied in her own whisper.
Raze snorts quietly. "Have you seen the things that Burning's 'Courier' does? I don't think a little bit of healing will be noticed."
"I...Alright." She relents. "But not here." She hesitates, then comes to a decison. "Escape plan theta, on my mark. …...Now."
Raze immediately pretends to grope her, something aided by the fact that they were sharing a sleeping bag. She lets out a mock-stifled gasp and stage whispers, "R-raze! Not here, y-you beast! I thought you said you were too sore to think of doing anything else!"
"And since when has that extended to 'doing' you?~" He pretends to kiss her on the neck, and she gasps.
"R-raaaaze, I'm serious, we have to go somewhere private…" She says before bolting out of bed, dragging him by the wrist.
There were snickers all around.
"Ah, young love!" called out one of them.
Natsuko's face flushed despite this all being basically to plan. It was still embarassing! Still, that was part of the point of Theta.
"Boy!" One of them yelled. "Catch!" A shiny square flew towards Raze who reflexively caught it and then blushed REALLY hard.
They quickly made their escape, Raze quietly tucking the condom away. ...You never know.
"Escape Plan Theta had interesting long term consequences. The tone of the group was one with members who for the most part were angry or desperate...but with Escape Plan Theta, we had accidentally sown seeds of hope. A reminder that even in trying times, even as we trained or fought to defend and avenge the innocent, we could still find time for happiness.
That belief would be tested, but for the time, it would spur everyone on to greater heights."
-Natsuko Yamada, 'The Summer Sun'.