Chapter 37: Admirable
"C'mon, c'mon! Almost there!" Coal reminded himself, running down the hall. He didn't have to guess that the guards following him weren't happy about him stealing data from one of Atlas' laboratories. So long as he wasn't seen again, it didn't quite matter to him. A little slip through solid brick here and there threw them off his trail, but he always found another group on high alert. Don't these guys have anything better to do?
Remain calm, Coal. Seraphina assured him. Your little detour hasn't cost us too much time, though V becomes more and more impatient.
It's not like that was high on our priority list. Coal replied. If we were to cater to all of Grouch's complaints, I'm pretty sure we'd be dead.
Shut up. He could tell the psychic was having a laugh. Coal kicked a droid over from behind, pouncing off of the back of it's head. Part of him wished Sorrell would continue to let them do nothing all day long. But he knew that wasn't likely ever since he acquired that information from the Schnee's. This Polendina Project held a lot of interest to the aristocrat. And even though Coal knew it wasn't good to stick his nose where it doesn't belong, he was curious too.
That's what led him here to begin with. One of the scientists, Dr. Polendina, had a great hand in the project, and although it took almost an hour, Coal found the extensive archive of research the doctor had noted in his studies. He was almost at a breakthrough, it seemed. The CAS Experiments helped shed light on the topic for him, as the notes constantly reference it, though Coal couldn't find anything on that. Rather, he was about to open them when the alarms went off.
Coal gave a sigh, taking a breather at the corner of an intersection. He wondered if Grouch tripped the alarm while protecting their exit point. Whether it was intentional or accidental didn't matter, he just hoped he could get his butt out of here before it gets seen. Again. How much further away am I? He asked, looking down at his Scroll. He still had some Aura left, so he could use his Semblance several more times before he would run out. But to pierce through into the sewer system, he had to be on the lowest floor.
Warmer, Sera answered. Warmer, you're getting much war-no, no. Colder. Cooolder. Frigid. Coal groaned again. Of course he was getting further away. The place was crawling with guards, it's a miracle nobody's seen him yet. Thanks to Seraphina's hacking, she disabled all the cameras, replacing their feed with a still picture. But human eyes remained a threat. Coal jumped through another wall, wasting no time in sprinting off again. Warm, warmer, hot! That's it!
He gave a hop, before slipping through the floor and phasing past the concrete. Coal landed in the muck of the sewers, shock waves rippling up his legs. Once the pain subsided, he waded out of the sewer water with distaste. That smell is rancid. Seraphina handed him his pack. He opened it and felt relieved to see a change of clothing and boots inside. In return, Coal tossed her his Scroll. She checked the information he acquired and smiled.
"Perfect. It's good to have you back, Coal." She said with a wink, which he ignored. He instead swung his pack over his shoulder, wondering when he should change. He'll have to burn the clothing before exiting the sewers, to hide all evidence. A shame, he liked these boots.
"Yeah, it's nice to be back, I guess." Coal answered, wrapping one arm around his gut. "Definitely a good way to keep my cardio up."
"Speaking of, now it's our turn." The psychic tossed his Scroll to Azure. "Would you be a dear and take this to Lord Sorrell?" The assassin nodded and disappeared into the shadows.
"I take it we should split up, meet back at the Academy?" Coal asked.
"You guessed right. However, V and me have a little catching up to do." She clung to his arm, smiling at the gladiator. Viridian rolled his eyes and pushed her off. She almost fell into the waters, but caught herself at the last moment. Sera blew the hair from her face to reveal a scowl. "The plan was to blend into the crowds as a couple."
"Only when we need to. In public." Viridian sounded like he would rather die, making Coal wonder if they'd done this before.
"So, I'm on my own, then?" Coal interrupted their heartfelt moment.
"Indeed." Sera brushed more of her hair back, already making her way down the passage. The gladiator followed, grumbling all the while. "Take care not to get caught."
Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Coal nodded and made his way. It'll be a long trip, he reminded himself. Better pass the time with something. His mind turned to the data from this mission. The Polendina Project was interesting, but whether something like that was possible remains to be seen, although the doctor sounded hopeful in his notes. Something like that, a synthetic entity capable of generating Aura. Depending on how rare the materials for such an android were, as well as the sheer energy that would go into powering it, it could revolutionize the Atlesian Military.
But Atlas was rich in many things, and Dust was at the top of that list. Fuel would be no problem, as would other materials. With the finest minds Remnant had to offer working here, anything is possible. Atlas and Mantle stand as a reminder of that, the extent of human tenacity. Human nature... Coal watched the pile of discarded apparel burn to ashes. Maybe that's what Remnant needs, something that isn't human or Faunus or Grimm. Something new, something of hope.
(-)
"Ah, young Azure." Sorrell welcomed one of his most faithful assassins as she entered his chamber. After the girl bowed, still adorning her helmet and gear, she offered him a Scroll. The aristocrat lit up with glee as he accepted it. "Splendid. I trust everything went well?"
"..." Although a nod or response would have been helpful, her lack of nervous fidgeting and turning away told him all he needed.
"Perfect. You are dismissed, though I recommend a bath and a change of clothes to wash out the smell. Thank you for your service, Azure." With the assassin gone, Sorrell wasted no time in uploading the data they stole. A plentiful harvest, but it was obvious there was something missing. A minor annoyance. "Let's see what James' scientist have been keeping so secret."
The Polendina Project, funded by Mr. Jacques Schnee, developed by Dr. Polendina. A fully functional robot with an Aura, something that has never been done before. An ambitious project, and yet the progress was optimistic. The CAS Experiments gave wild results and valuable information. Dr. Polendina had hopes of using this to manufacture a finished product, code named 'Penny'. There were multiple blueprints and schematics for 'Penny's' design and potential.
Sorrell expected to find a giant of a robot, one that can instill great fear in their enemies. Something like the Paladin, but more compact and bulky at the same time. But the aristocrat raised a confused eyebrow when the rough designs showed a small girl, a child. It seemed so idiotic to put all this effort towards something that could barely match the height of a Beowolf. Who knows what that doctor is thinking.
Although judging by the appearance... It could be sentimental value. Such a waste. A brilliant idea was being squandered on nostalgia. Even if it was to make 'Penny' blend in with humans, a fully grown adult male seemed the best template. Plenty of room to store more weapons, allow for stronger output and everything. Perhaps it's best to improve on this idea of Dr. Polendina's. If he could get the research notes of the CAS Experiments into the hands of Dr. Elmahdi, then he could create his own robots.
And who's to stop me from creating an army of such androids?
(-)
Plum's eyes flashed open, and with the reflexes of a cat, she slammed a hand over her alarm clock a millisecond after it began its blaring. A habit with her; she enjoyed being an early bird, but not at the cost of her friends' mornings. She looked around at the others; Sandra in the bed closest to hers snored away, limbs sprawled out. The brawler rolled over onto her belly after some murmuring about bacon and continued sleeping.
Sherry lay asleep, soundless. She slept like an infant, curled and mouth slightly open. Only it was hard to see with her unbridled hair covering most of her face. Plum smiled at her closest friends, glad to have always been with them most of her life. With the three of them by her side, she was home. She turned her head to see Nadine sitting up in her bed, book open, eyes glazed.
"Nadine!" Plum hissed, cupping her hand over her mouth. Although Sandra snorted loudly, she returned to her sleep. "Have you been up all night again?!" The leader whispered.
"All night?" The bookworm replied in a weak voice. She yawned, rubbing her baggy eyes and saying "No, no, just for an hour or so. One more chapter and I'll go to-" She saw the clock sitting on Plum's nightstand. "Oh." Plum jumped out of her bed, careful her bare feet didn't step on any of the creaking floorboards. She pried the book from Nadine's hands, though it felt like she gave no resistance despite her protest.
"Get some sleep. I'll wake you up in an hour." She whispered back. Though the bookworm grumbled, she struggled to keep her eyes open. Plum knew her long enough to know that one minute away from a book would knock her right out. She carried the novel with her into the bathroom, tossing it onto the pile of laundry. She splashed water on her face, and did everything else that was her daily morning routine. After a shower, she would get the coffeemaker ready, then get changed.
Sherry preferred plenty of sugar in her coffee, while Nadine enjoyed hers black. Sandra insisted on chugging energy drinks as her caffeine intake. Plum repeated it in her mind as she poured and mixed the beverages after tiptoeing past the beds. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nadine deep in slumber. She let out a quiet sigh of relief. The bookworm often neglected her body's needs for the sake of reading and studying. Something Plum found both admirable and worrying. She stirred the mugs in peace, the silence filling the room.
"Uuuuggghhhgghhh..." A low groan reminded Plum that the room shouldn't be silent. Sure enough, Sandra sat up, awake and groggy. Her hands reached into the thin air before her, beckoning. "Fuel... Sustenance..." Rolling her eyes and withholding a laugh, Plum wrapped her sister's fingers around the cold can. A sip later, and the brawler mumbled "I love you, sis..."
"Try to be quiet," Plum suggested. "Nadine... Had a late night."
"Again?" Sandra added, scratching her leg. She downed the rest of her drink and shuffled towards the bathroom like a zombie. Sherry, now also awake, pulled out her Scroll, no doubt checking to see if anyone contacted her during the night. If only she used it to keep track of her studies and what classes were what, heck, even just keeping track of the time. Sometimes Plum wondered how they would get on without her. Though, she admits, she enjoys doing the little things here and there.
"When's breakfast again?" The pink haired girl asked, stretching her arms to the sky.
"Thirty eight minutes."
"Cool." She replied, rolling over and covering up again. Plum tried to shake her awake as gently as she could without being a nuisance.
"No, c'mon, Sherry. It's time to wake up!"
"No," The bubbly girl mumbled. "Sounds like ten more minutes is time to wake up. I need my beauty sleep."
Plum smirked. "I thought you said you didn't need sleep to look pretty?"
Sherry lay silent for a solid minute before pushing her covers back. She got up and grabbed her coffee, scowling. "I hate when you use my words against me."
"Then don't say things you'll regret later."
Some time later, Sandra emerged from the bathroom, looking less dead, but her hair was a frizzy mess. She shook her head violently until satisfied, despite Sherry's protests.
"Not in here! Ugh, you got water on me! Why do you even do that?"
"If it works for dogs, it works for me." The brawler replied with disinterest.
"No wonder your hair is a tragedy."
"Do you really have a right to say that? Your hair is like an off color clown-"
"OK, I think that's as far as you'll want to go with that sentence." Plum interrupted.
"Another lovely morning for team Passion, I see." Nadine added. Plum grimaced. Though it was a naive desire, she wanted Nadine to at least get ten more minutes of sleep.
"We don't have much time until breakfast." The leader reminded them all. "Sherry, go and shower. Nadine, I'm sorry but you won't have time."
The bookworm shrugged in response. As Sherry stepped into the bathroom, Nadine, still wrapped in her blanket, got up to fetch her lukewarm coffee. She extended a hand to Plum, leaving her confused. "My book?" Plum's eyes widened in recollection. For some reason, she couldn't remember for the life of her where she put that book. At least, until Sherry emerged holding it.
"I thought we agreed the laundry basket was just that and not a literature basket?"
(-)
Although a shaky start to the day, team Passion had survived so far, arriving to Combat Training on time. Plum could tell from a glance alone how excited Sandra was. The giant chainsaw on her back quivered as the brawler skipped towards their usual seats. Sherry followed her, handgun bouncing at her hip with each step. Nadine followed, nose buried in a book as usual. From the bags under her eyes, Plum assumed reading was the only thing keeping her conscious.
"Finally, I can't wait to begin!" Sandra declared with a grin. She began tapping her knees like drums.
"Is violence really the only thing you look forward too?" Nadine asked.
"No, there's food, too."
"All right, students," Prof. Teikoss began, his voice booming as always. "Let's begin with the usual warm ups! Any volunteers for the first duel of the day?" Two hands shot up instantly. Sylvia and Sandra locked eyes and tried their hardest to become more noticeable than the other. The titan searched for anyone else. Monica raised her hand as well, causing him to sigh.
"Me! Pick me!" The Faunus shouted while wriggling in her seat. "C'mon, Dusk, Ash! Help me out!"
"I'd rather stay out of this one." Dusk replied nonchalantly.
The brawler growled at the two girls from team Mustard. With her free hand, she forced Sherry to raise hers into the air as well.
"Wha-hey!" She cried out. "Don't rope me into this! Sandra, sto-"
"Very well!" The titan bellowed. "Team Mustard will do battle against team Passion!" Plum's hand slapped against her face in shame while Sandra whooped in victory. She ran towards the platform, ignoring Sherry's glare. Nadine remained unaware of the situation, still enamored with her book. Although she hated to do it, Plum had to pull her back to reality. Team Mustard also paraded to the arena, though Dusk shared Plum's scowl.
"The traditional rules will apply." The professor explained, setting up the arena. The battlefield took on the appearance of rocky and volcanic wastes and ruined buildings and other tall structures. "Once your Aura enters the red zone, you will stand down and be removed from combat. Take your places, and we'll begin immediately."
"Thanks a lot." Sherry spat at the brawler, pulling out her gun and examining it.
"No prob."
"Girls, please." Plum said with a sigh. She unsheathed her twin machetes, swinging them in the air to test their balance. "We're in this now, we might as well see this through."
"I hate Mondays." Nadine added bitterly, pulling the rifle from her back.
(-)
"Booyah!" Sylvia chimed. "Four on four! This'll be fun!"
"Sylvia, please." Dusk begged. "The next time you want to duel, try not to force all of us into it as well. Or at least consult me for strategy against certain opponents! I don't know much about team Passion, and that could be our downfall!"
"I fought against them on our first day here." Ash reassured him. "Sandra Aejong uses a chainsaw with a gun hidden in the hilt. Plum Aeojong dual wields straight swords that double as shotguns. I don't know what Sherry Permen uses, but I doubt it's just that pistol alone. And Nadine Euxine, from the looks of it, is a sniper."
"Well... All right, then." The young soldier replied sheepishly. "But we still don't know about their Semblances or how well they work as a team!"
"They don't know that about us, either!" Monica reminded him. "So it kinda evens out, right?"
"What is so hard to grasp about 'Know your enemy'?!"
"Shh!" The berserker shushed. "It's starting!" She unleashed the battleaxe from her back, entering a battle stance with crazed eyes. Monica followed suit, brandishing her tonfas with the large pommels towards her. The rattling of chains could be heard from Ash, and he revealed a pair of chain blades from his apparel, though the one in his right had no visible chain. Dusk complied, holding his assault rifle in both hands. He loaded it up as the professor began a countdown.
"... Eight... Seven..." Dusk saw Nadine yawn, but kept his attention on Sherry. He didn't know what she was capable of, but as the others have proven, if she made it to Atlas, she's strong and adept for sure. "Five... Four..." The bubbly girl hopped on each foot once or twice, which looked odd to him. Why is she doing that? Then he noticed her pumps were actually shoes with peculiar, detachable heels supporting them. "One! Begin!"
Dusk smacked his forehead for getting lost in thought as everyone around him sprung into action. For Sherry, she literally sprung. The heels he was studying receded behind her feet, and once the countdown finished, they shot back out, sending her into the air. He watched in awe as she landed, graceful as a swan, on the ground behind him. With a smirk, she bounced again, landing on the underside of an arch. Then, she sprung off of it, zooming towards him at an incredible speed.
He barely managed to escape her path, trying to regain his composure. Dusk turned his rifle to where she landed and fired away. But she didn't land, she instead hopped again, cartwheeling off the ground with her left hand. Sherry aimed her gun with her right and landed a few lucky shots on him. Then she jumped high into the air again, shooting at him again from above.
Dusk fumbled back, and just as he fell on his butt, a bullet whizzed past him, burying into the ground. The young soldier tracked the path to a distant building where he could make out Nadine's roost. Sherry landed on the ground again, graceful as ever, with a smile as bright as the sun.
"You ok there, Mr. Soldier? Or is this the first time we've been alone like this?"
He cursed himself again and raised his rifle, unloading half a clip at her. The girl shrieked, hopping this way and that to avoid his fire. Then a blade came flying in from nowhere, missing the girl and embedding itself into the wall that acted as their cover from the sniper. When the sword stuck into the wall, Dusk noticed a chain attached, stiff and straight as an arrow. Ash appeared, following the sword's path as he zoomed past, landing a kick on Sherry. He whipped his chain blade around during his flight, slashing the girl's arm as well.
"He's not alone." Ash answered, the rest of his bladed hookshot retracting back in his right hand.
"Two on one?" Sherry laughed nervously. "I don't really like these odds." She then hopped high into the air, landing on more of the ruined structures, shooting at the two from above. Ash avoided her bullet spray while Dusk found cover. The burned one shot his hookshot into the stone arch the girl stood on, and he zoomed off, whipping around the arch and giving chase.
Dusk turned his attention to where he recalled Nadine was hiding. He decided to take it upon himself to fish her out. He hoped Ash and the others would be fine with their opponents. Sylvia's body emerging through a now crumbled wall gave him his answer. The berserker hopped onto her feet, just in time to avoid Sandra's chainsaw butchering the ground. Sylvia jumped back as the brawler gave chase. Hand tightening around the grip of his rifle, Dusk ran towards the next shelter from Nadine's sights.