Author's Note: Yet another chapter out and ahead of schedule! Fair warning, this chapter gets dark and that's going to be the mood for a bit. Hope everyone enjoys as always
Betas: yuvinile and noobalisious
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY
"Can I get you anything to drink before we begin?"
The Slayers both declined, both looking at him intently as they waited for the meeting to begin. The three sat in his office, the sound of clock gears overhead making the only noise. He looked them over again, looking to read any and all reactions they would have as he spoke but for now, both remained impassive.
He took a sip of his own coffee, the hot liquid bringing a sense of clarity to his mind, before beginning.
"First things I need to verify. Dante, I trust that Nyx supplied you with the records and reports regarding your infiltration of the Crescent Fall Dance, correct?"
Dante nodded.
"And do you need any clarifications about the reports on the kidnappings?"
"No sir. As I understand it, the reports say that a majority of those kidnapped were faunus children, most ranging from 7 to 13 years old. A few cases are human children but they differ in the fact that they were all 8 years old, some close to 9."
"Correct, but has any of this knowledge given you particular worry?"
"Isn't it all worrying? They're kids for Oum's sake!" Havasu snapped in annoyance.
Ozpin looked at Havasu, the young man's outburst seemingly being very off character for the usually humorous and easy going behavior. He was about to ask why this subject seemed to bother him so easily but a grunt from Dante drew his attention away. The leader's face was contorted into a frown, his eyes heavy with thought.
"What's on your mind Argentum?" he asked as his curiosity grew.
Dante glanced at him before responding. "Well professor, I was just thinking about how all the faunus children taken were in the middle of a critical growth phase."
"What do you mean?" Havasu asked.
"Well, Omegas aside, when a faunus child reaches the age range of puberty, their bodies undergo a dramatic hormone change along with the appearance of their secondary features or for some the growth of additional primary features."
"Please explain," Ozpin requested.
"Yes sir . . . Almost all faunus children are born with a single animal feature, usually the ears, horns, or tail. Although most already have perfect night vision and fine senses, they don't have the claws, teeth, or animal eyes that appear in states of agitation. Usually around the age of 8 or 9, they begin to grow these secondary features. For the higher classes such as Beta and Alpha, this means that they begin to grow their other primary features."
"What's the difference between primary and secondary?" inquired Havasu.
"Primary features are those that appear in a natural state. They don't only appear in states of agitation and have to be willingly hidden. Take me for example. I have to focus my body to hide my tail, claws, and eyes while my fangs and scales can't even be hidden, just shortened or covered up. That's why Lucian and I always take a breath before showing our real eyes, we need to relax and let them shift. Blake and Velvet on the other hand have claws and animal eyes as a secondary feature while they hide their tails, teeth, and in Blake's case, ears."
"So what does that mean for the children?" Ozpin asked, wanting to form a cohesive understanding of why this peaked Dante's interest.
"It means that those children are aggressive, hyper, and unstable," Dante answered in a hard tone. "Their bodies are literally breaking and reforming to adjust to the changes, all the while they writhe in pain. Not to mention that their mental state is highly volatile and impressionable."
"Is it really that bad?" Havasu asked worriedly.
"I had to be chained down for a week if that gives you an idea," Dante replied with a cold stare. "Every sound was like a drum pounding in my head, the softest lights burned, and it felt like my body was burning inside out. I could hear my own bones and skin tear as my claws came in, feel my fangs as they pushed out my human teeth. I've also heard that the tail is one of the worst pains but luckily I was born with my tail."
"Damn . . ." Havasu muttered as he looked back to Ozpin.
Ozpin himself was heavily entrenched in his thoughts, connecting the dots on these odd conditions linking the chain of kidnappings. As he continued his train of thought other worrying details arose. After the death of councilman Glacewall, the Atlas council had deemed fit to allow Ironwood access into the Razorback area, dispatching small teams under the guise of search parties and patrols. Yet some of those contingents had gone radio silent once in the area leading Ironwood to believe them dead.
As if by coincidence, several attacks have been reported surrounding large mining towns near the western borders. The council along with a heavy hand from the Schnee Dust Company forced Ironwood to send in his own Templar team, the last of his own Slayer-classed hunters available under his direct command, to protect the mines from anymore attacks. This is why Ozpin needs his own Ghost team to mobilize soon and now that Dante seemed to be nearly recovered it could be done.
'It seems that the timing is becoming critical. Even if Dante was at 100%, it would be too great a risk to only send a handful of them into the area. There is also the possibility of another attack happening here while the Ghosts are gone . . . we will be at a disadvantage but Ironwood did say that 'they' would be arriving soon to bolster our forces should the need arise' he contemplated before returning his gaze to the silent Slayers.
"It seems that the situation is more pressing than originally suggested. Though the timing is less than perfect, I will need you and your teams to be prepared for departure in a week's time," he said evenly.
"Teams?" Havasu asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, though not currently present, I do have your team's final member and have decided to give you command, Mr. Tiypn. Sadly, he will most likely not arrive in time for the mission but will be here on your return. Now, I will inform Nyx to begin planning with you during your class periods, dismissed," he ordered.
With that both Slayers stood, giving quick nods before turning and leaving the office, the sound of the gears above him once again remaining as the only sources of noise as he leaned back in his chair.
'Just what are they even doing with those children?'
The halls were bleak and cold, a mix of white tiles and grey walls that conveyed no friendliness, only isolation. She hated this place, her charge and post. She could find no comfort or rest regardless of being indoors or out, both options deemed uninviting. She turned a corner and began to ascend a narrow staircase, each step echoing across the expanse of halls and tunnels. She was dressed in black pants and a grey, long sleeved shirt, a dark cloak with the hood down tied at her shoulders reaching just below the waist. Her boots reached up to her calf, accompanied by a sheath loosely tied to her hip.
She felt cramped, forced to hide underground even as her nature compelled and begged her to go outside, into the abyss of night where she was queen. But this was not the sky she called home, this clouded sky that blotted out the stars as angry gales racked across the mountain side, a bone chilling gust that pervaded even in the middle of summer. These skies could not be called home. She missed the temperate forests and soft breezes of Mistral, the night full of stars as she soared among them. The soundless void that welcomed her with open arms.
She sighed as she reached her floor, soundlessly passing through a small door into another hall, this time painted with a dark red and carpet instead of tiles. 'Pointless luxuries,' she thought as she walked along, her footfalls now silent as she reached a room akin to a lobby, a large desk placed near the center with small chairs along the walls. She didn't even glance at the receptionist, a meek looking woman with pale skin and faded green eyes, her black hair pulled into a ponytail while she herself looked down into some files.
As she walked past the woman and into a large wooden door, the woman called behind her, "He is expecting you ma'am."
She didn't bother responding as she closed the door behind her, turning to take in the sight of the room before her. It was rather large and spacious, a high ceiling easily accommodating a second floor. While it retained the same carpeting as the hall, the walls were lined with bookshelves or adorned with a collection of hunting trophies and old swords, all pristinely clean. To her right was a large fireplace, one of the only light sources in the room as the flames danced around the logs placed inside. To her left was what looked like a small bar lined with whiskey next to a black leather couch. In front of her was a large mahogany desk with two chairs placed before it, a small lamp illuminating its surface to reveal some open files and a scroll but she paid them no mind as she looked past it.
Past the desk was the last wall, only this one was a large, tinted glass. It spanned the width of the room and rose to nearly 4 meters, overlooking a sheer drop reaching nearly 500 meters. In the distance she could see the other mountains forming a line of jagged rocks and cliffs, all caked in snow as rogue winds battered against the glass. After a brief moment of taking in the view she turned her attention to the reason she was here.
Standing with his back to her was a large man, his wide shoulders and muscular frame making his presence hard to miss, his hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed in his usual suit, all black with a white collar shirt, leather shoes, watch, and a gold ring adorning his left ring finger. His dark hair was cut short, the very ends of it starting to grey as a sign of his age. He didn't turn or make any sign to acknowledge her presence as he began to speak in a deep voice.
"A beautiful sight, aren't they . . ." It was more of a statement then a question.
"Just looks like another mountain range if you ask me," she replied dryly.
"Humph . . . you belittle them yet they have stood here for centuries, claiming the lives of human, faunus, and Grimm alike. Truly a place where only the strong can survive. A fitting name, the Razorback Mountains," he said as he finally turned to face her.
His skin was a rich and dark color, a stark contrast to the white scenery behind him. His strong jawline along with clean cut face and bold brown eyes made him handsome. His only blemish, a scar running from his right eyebrow to his left cheek, making him seem more rugged. He looked at her with eyes as hard as steel, without the slightest trace of fear or doubt. He was one of the few humans she had ever encountered to not shudder in her presence.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Diomede?" she asked with forced politeness.
"Come, take a seat," the man now known as Diomede said as he gestured to one of the seats before taking his own at the desk.
As she sat down and got comfortable he closed the files on his desk and put them away in a drawer before placing his hands on his desk while looking at her.
"Now Ms. Alluria, I was needing to as—"
He was cut of by a low hiss, the vampire's fangs glinting in the fire light as her eyes bored into the man.
"Do not think yourself so familiar as to address me by name . . . human," she hissed out. "Do so again and that pretty little scar will find company at last."
Diomede didn't even flinch, his only reaction being a smirk as he raised a hand in mock surrender.
"Forgive me . . . Lady Aleera, it simply slipped my mind but I will do my best to remember," he said flatly.
She maintained her glare for a few more seconds before looking away, using the fire as an excuse as to not have to look at the defiant human.
"I must say, it never ceases to amaze me how your eyes change when angered. The black and red coloration is especially captivating but I must be honest, your natural green eye color seems to suite you better. Your ears also complement your hair."
"Cut the idle chatter," she snapped, already tiring of being in his presence.
She didn't like having anyone talk about her ears. Unlike most faunus, she didn't have two sets of ears, instead her single pair being large, bat-like ears. She normally tucked them away beneath her hair since some had been foolish enough as to mock her ears for their pointed shape and black coloration. She normally tore out the heart of anyone who made such comments.
"Very well, to business. First off, I needed a report on the small search group detected earlier this week."
She glanced at him before answering, "Easily dispatched. We even managed to capture one alive . . . at least partially."
"Partially?"
"I took one of the twins with me. He got a little too excited and ended up trying to see how many bones he could break before the soldier lost consciousness. I intervened before it reached that point but he wasn't too happy to have his toy taken away so I let him bring back some corpses to eat with his brother," she explained.
"Charming."
"They always are."
"Now that you bring them up, how is their condition? Any changes?" Diomede inquired.
"I'm sure those meatheads never had much brains to begin with but they are showing increases in strength and stamina but they are losing agility as a drawback. Luckily for them most standard weapons and hunters can't so much as scratch them now."
"That's good to hear. Successful results like them are what keep us steadily funded."
"You mean more like it keeps your head on your shoulders," she muttered earning a hard glare from Diomede.
"Regardless, they are the living proof that what we are striving for is achievable, that the dream can become a reality."
"Yeah, faunus soldiers pumped full of roids before being set loose like rabid dogs, how grand," she said in a mocking tone.
"You seem to doubt our efforts . . . or is it that you feel as if your power is being challenged," he stated, his voice taking a low tone.
Alluria scoffed at him before saying, "Please, as if simple strength and size make any regular mutt a match for an Alpha."
He didn't seem convinced, his eyes becoming as hard as steel while he continued speaking, "I do believe you think too highly of yourself, after all, there is a reason I am the one giving orders here."
She glared back with hate filled eyes but didn't voice any defense. He apparently took that as an invitation to continue.
"You took an interest in two dangerous individuals, acted on your own to test them out while simultaneously costing us nearly 50 soldiers. To make matters worse they were all successful cases of eye enhancement and you left technology secretly developed by us with the assistance of Arachne Enterprises."
"And what of it? There is no way they would have thought to use an autopsy on any of the bodies or figured out how the jammer worked," she defended.
"As far as we know . . ." he retorted gravely. "Not to mention that we were forced to off Glacewall and lose the cover we had secured. Now some of our strongest forces are out causing havoc as to keep the Atlas military occupied but there is still the matter of the Beacon team."
"They should no longer pose the danger they once did. The demon is dead, meaning that the team is now leaderless and without it most dangerous member."
"Can you even verify that he died?"
"He was stabbed twice by my blade and already half way to bleeding out, there is no way he could have survived even if the vitality of dragons is as potent as the legends say," she countered.
"Then that leaves the lycan, a professional hitman known to brutalize his targets along with the remainder of the Slayer teams coming here."
"We can handle them easily," she stated with confidence. "The twins are more than powerful enough to take on the remaining human members and I can finish off the mutt."
"What of the newest member? We know nothing about the new member and it is impossible for us to reacquire the first files obtained by the witch," he returned.
She scowled at him, knowing that he was in fact right, it would be impossible. Just like the other Slayers, they're personal records are kept in independent systems and public files are erased so there is now way of verifying who and what the new member can do. She had also lost her right hand, Mamba, during the dance and so had no means to infiltrate and steal the necessary files.
"It shouldn't tip the scales in any way, the twins are powerful and if push comes to shove, you could always join us," she reasoned.
"Humph, then what would be the point of having you as a guard anyways. I will request some additional soldiers as a precaution . . ." he said as he grabbed the scroll and began to type away a quick message before setting it down.
He looked like he was about to proceed but was interrupted by a series of rapid knocks at the door. He apparently wasn't expecting any intrusion, judging by the looks but he called out regardless, "Come in."
Not a second later a scrawny looking man burst in, walking hastily to the desk before clearing his throat and waiting to speak. He had pale, almost colorless skin with grey hair combed back, dressed in an old lab coat. He had simple black slacks and black sweater underneath, the smell of disinfectant and latex radiating off him.
"Dr. Lepio, what is it?" Diomede asked calmly.
"Mr. Diomede, I believe we have made a breakthrough . . ." Lepio answered seriously.
Diomede's eyes flare up as he stood, "Show me."
"That is why I came, to retrieve you personally," he said as he turned to Alluria with cold, dark eyes, "I need you to come as well."
"Why?" she asked suspiciously. She wouldn't admit it but whenever he looked at her she felt a shudder run down her spine.
She did not fear him and knew that he had no chance of actually harming her but regardless she hated his gaze. She had seen the doctor at work, knew of the sick aura that radiated around him as he cut his patients open. While she enjoyed carnage and torturing her prey, the thought of being on his operating table as he gleefully hacked away, relishing in the agonizing screams as he reconstructed her body to suit his twisted imagination left a vile taste in her mouth.
"Because you are part of the breakthrough," he answered simply.
She glanced at Diomede for a moment before sighing as she stood up as well, the two others not waiting a moment longer as they began to walk out of the room. As they passed the desk and made their way down the hall, Dr. Lepio started to explain.
"As you are both aware, we have been experimenting with human enhancement through gene manipulation for some time. Though after a few years we identified several genetic codes, that upon activation, could create dramatic changes to the body of the subject but almost all resulted in debilitating side effects. Cardiac arrest, hypertension, muscle tears, nerve failure, skeletal atrophy . . . simply put, human bodies are not meant to experience more than one period of extreme growth. Even subjects with aura could not heal at a rate suitable to match the rate of decay."
"Get on with it," she complained as they arrived to an elevator on their left.
The group stepped in and then Lepio walked to a scanner and keypad on the right wall. He fished out a small ID card and quickly pressed it up to the scanner before typing in an 8 digit code. Once complete the scanner turned green as the doors closed and the elevator began to descend.
"Now where was I . . ." the doctor muttered with a pointed glare at Alluria before he continued. "Anyways, due to the string of failures with human subjects, we turned our attention to faunus enhancement and were pleasantly surprised to see even more diverse arrays of genetic codes specialized for growth. Depending on the genetic makeup of any particular faunus the individual can grow a variety of animalistic features or even change some of their anatomy at will."
" . . ."
"If these genes of a faunus are reactivated, then their body will undergo changes according to the gene specified. Their bodies are especially well suited for increased muscle density, skeletal growth, and even sense enhancement. With these genes identified and isolated we began to implement them directly into human test subjects through gene therapy. Unlike the previous results, the genetic codes originating from the faunus have sequences missing from the human code and so, create far more stable changes within the humans such as some of our soldiers with night vision nearly on par with faunus."
" . . ."
"Sadly, the results still fell short of expectations. The genes extracted from adult faunus turned out to only be part of the necessary ingredients. Adult bodies lacked the natural hormones and enzymes needed to fuel the growth so we turned to younger specimens . . ."
The elevator finally stopped its descent, opening into another hall. This one was built with steel and glass, the right side lined with multiple sets of thick steel doors, each leading to a holding cell. The left side had glass walls allowing for anyone to see the lab equipment and doctors as they worked. As they began to walk she could hear cries of pain, smell fresh and old blood, the occupants of each room begging for the pain to stop. She tried her best to ignore them as they walked on, Lepio continuing as if there weren't any cries at all.
"After careful examination, we isolated the hormones and enzymes generated within the bodies of young fauna, learning to replicate them. Now with those hormones being injected into a test subject before commencing gene therapy, the resulting growth was exceptionally greater than previous tests allowing for the subjects to go beyond suggested limitations. The twins are proof of that . . ."
As they walked they crossed an operation room. Alluria glanced inside to see some doctors slicing apart a body on an inspection table, a young boy by the looks of it. As they worked on the corpse one of the doctors looked up to see their group pass by, Dr. Lepio giving them a curt nod as they walked past. 'They are all mad here' she thought as she looked forward again and returned her attention to what Lepio was saying.
". . . so the experiment can almost be considered standard procedure now. However, we have had little success in reaching for the ultimate prize . . . until now," Lepio stated smugly as they approached another room, this one significantly larger than those previous, the atmosphere reeking of blood and decay.
At the center was a large steel table with several smaller platforms holding an array of knives and medical tools. Strapped to the table was a small human girl, dressed in a small hospital gown with her wrists and ankles tied to each end of the table. She was blonde with clear blue eyes, her skin a beautiful rosy shade. Her only blemish was a small scar on her neck, reaching from just below her chin to the end of her jaw.
She looked at them with shaky eyes, her heartbeat racing as she shifted against her restraints. Dr. Lepio walked past the table and reached for some gloves while Alluria and Diomede stayed beside the table.
"I'm surprised she isn't screaming or crying," Alluria commented as she looked at the girl.
"The children have seen what happens when they voice complaints," Lepio answered coldly before continuing.
"Now, we have managed to take enzymes used to activate the genes from the young fauna and concoct a serum of sorts, rather than use extensive gene therapy to slowly enhance the subject. Of course there is the added side effect of giving human faunus features such as night vision and so forth. In a sense we are creating human-faunus hybrids, the enhancements and physical changes depending on the class and type of faunus the genes originated from."
"But . . ." Lepio continued as he walked to a locked shelf. He produced a key, quickly opening it so Alluria could see the contents, all vials filled with thick dark liquids reminiscent of blood. Lepio picked one from the top shelf with a black lid and turned to them. ". . . the genes of an Alpha have proved too 'aggressive' to be tolerated by the subject's bodies, regardless of whether they are faunus or human. Just look at the mess that happened the last time," he said as he pointed to a table at the far end of the room.
Alluria saw a white body bag, the zipper running the length party opened as a limp arm hung out. 'So that's where it was coming from' she thought as she watched almost black blood seep out of tears running the length of the arm. The wounds looked like the skin and muscle underneath had exploded under pressure. She then glanced back at the open cabinet and noticed there was one vial marked with an almost neon-red lid beside the black lidded vials.
"What's with that one?" she asked with a point.
Dr. Lepio followed her finger to the distinct vial. "Oh, that is a serum I managed to cook from the little gift you brought us."
"You mean . . ." she looked at him suspiciously.
"Yes, it is . . . shame you couldn't just bring back the entire body. Who knows what I could have learned from such a rare specimen. Now, can I continue from where I left off?" he asked crossly.
She glared back at him for a while before curtly nodding.
"The subject had survived for some time and we thought that the finished serum was successful but then we found that this morning. As always, I personally review the checkups and readings of each failed experiment as to discern the point of failure. While doing so I found a very interesting detail," Dr. Lepio explained as he poured the serum into a syringe.
"What was it?" asked Diomede as he observed the girl, now whimpering as she stared at the needle in Dr. Lepio's hands.
"During a routine checkup and a second injection of the serum, the child showed stabilization. I checked the records for the particular version of the serum used, whether it was full strength or diluted and so discovered that the injection had accidentally made use of untampered blood, your blood, Lady Aleera."
"And what of it?" She asked as she glanced at the liquid within the syringe.
"Though this was an error of the staff, as it turns out this was a fortunate occurrence. You see, unlike the other faunus breeds or hunters even, the aura of an Alpha is so potent that their blood actually gives off residual aura. Now, if it take that fact into account, then I assume that it was your aura within the blood that stabilized the child," Dr. Lepio concluded.
"So then what is it that you need, more blood?" she asked hotly. She wasn't too keen on having the doctor come near her with a needle again.
"No, what I need is a higher concentration of your aura to be funneled into her body," he answered as he gestured to the girl.
"What!? Are you crazy!?It will kill her before you even get the chance to inject her," she snapped angrily. 'Doesn't he know that forcing ones aura into another body will cause the receiver to literally dissolve from the inside out as their body tries to reject the invasive aura?' she thought as she stared at Lepio.
"Not before I inject her but, if it is done after, then there is a high probability that she will stabilize and not require further injections while still achieving the desired results," he retorted.
She was about to argue that it was a waste but then Diomede snapped, "Do it. We can always try on another if Dr. Lepio's theory doesn't work here."
She glared at Diomede for a few seconds before looking back at the doctor, a smug look on his face as he grabbed the girl by the jaw and turned her head away as she whimpered even harder, small tears trailing down her cheeks. He placed the tip of the syringe to her neck, slowly forcing the needle in making the girl gasp. Once it was deep enough, he started to press the liquid in completely.
"30 milliliters . . . a complete dosage at full strength," he muttered as he pulled the need out.
He then placed the syringe down and released the now silent girl, closely watching her. She didn't so much as move for nearly 10 seconds before suddenly arching her back as she let out a piercing scream making Alluria wince. Then the girl started to thrash around, pulling at the restraints as she screamed incoherently. They watched on as the girl's body convulsed from pain, her breathing becoming strained as she looked around with dilated eyes.
Then suddenly the girl coughed, blood spluttering out staining her chin and gown. If that sight wasn't bad enough, she started to bleed from around her eyes, making it look as if she was crying blood.
"Now, inject your aura now," Lepio instructed.
Alluria glanced at him briefly before she reached for one of the girls tied hands, effortlessly pulling it free of the leather restraint and bringing it up to her face. She could feel the girl tug away as her muscles continued to spasm but she held her firm. 'It will be easiest if I get it directly into her bloodstream,' she thought as she opened her mouth, two long and slender fangs extending out before she bit down on the girl's wrist, eliciting another scream from her.
She focused her aura into her teeth, feeling it steadily flow into the girl as she continued to cry, having apparently gotten over the initial wave of pain. Alluria kept funneling her aura into the girl for about 15 seconds before releasing the bite. 'Anymore and I'm sure it will kill her.' She held the girl's hand as she occasionally pulled at it while Dr. Lepio went to a small counter and brought back another syringe, this one smaller with a clear liquid in it.
He placed the needle into the girl's arm, the clear liquid being shot into her blood. Alluria could see the girl relaxing, her breathing and heart rate slowing as she slowly started to nod off before finally passing out. Alluria set her hand down while looking at the girl's peaceful face before looking to Dr. Lepio.
"Couldn't you have given her a sedative or painkiller at least before we did that?" she asked with unhidden anger.
"What's this? Showing compassion for a simple human, how surprising," Dr. Lepio replied with a bored look.
"Human yes, but just a child. Look at her, she can't be more than 11," she retorted.
"9 actually, but as to why, because I like to see the reactions," he sneered with an evil glint in his eyes.
She gave him a glare as she turned on her heel, wanting to get away from the mad doctor as soon as possible. 'This place really is just full of monsters of all kinds . . .'
Author's Rant: Hope that wasn't a little much for you guys though I did label this story 'M' for a reason. Any comments~Reviews~Feedback appreciated.