Wasteland Walker Axle

by DriftDunkey

After the wasteland takes away his only home, Axle, an orphan of the wasteland, is left with nothing but his thirst for revenge and his car. But in his hunt of the ones responsible for his anguish, Axle finds himself in the world of Remnant. Now Axle will follow a new path that will end his madness induced rage and give him a life where he will find friendship and maybe even love.

6. Ch 5 - From One Challenge to the Next

Velvet had never heard a name like that before, neither part referred to any color. She just took it as more proof that "Axel Dumont" wasn't from around here. The trend of naming your child after a color was pretty much a global thing. Although, she still wasn't sure if she should believe everything he said, It seemed so outlandish, calling him crazy seemed a bit harsh to her, though. He seemed sane to her at least, a bit rude and distant, but sane. It was easy to tell that he wasn't too fond of her group. He was ultimately cold to everyone whenever he had to say anything, everyone except her, that is. He at least made an effort to be patient with her. Maybe it was because he was grateful to her? As for that matter, Why did the Professor tell him that she saved him? If not for Yatsu, Axel AND her could've easily been killed.

In fact, She really didn't like the whole 'Introduction' that the Professor had her stay for. She didn't really end up havIng to say anything, but she felt like she was on the spot for the whole interaction. And even though he was on the ground and handcuffed, Axel is an intimidating person. His appearance alone was enough to make anyone think twice about crossing him, but after seeing his choice of weaponry (particularly the rusted (and maybe even bloodstained) bolt-knuckles), Velvet was quite uncomfortable with having to be one of the first to speak with him.

After stretching his undoubtedly sore limbs a bit, Axle looked towards Coco and held out a hand. "My stuff?"

Coco just crossed her arms and shifted to one hip, a move that Velvet knew all too well as her leader's way of purposely trying to make someone mad. "Not until you tell us how we get outta here."

Professor Port looked like he was about to address Coco's behavior but was beaten to it by Axel. "Well then the food will have to wait."

Velvet had to give it to him, very few could counter Coco that quickly. Coco sported a frown because she knew that she had to give in, They have had nothing to eat for the last 48 hours, And though she was proud that everyone wasn't showing the slightest bit of weakness, she knew that they were fatigued, and lacking the aura regeneration they needed. This little excursion has been the hardest one her team has ever been on, even for it being short. Goes to show the importance of doing basic checks before missions.

Reluctantly, Coco gave in. Without taking her eyes off him, Coco drew the pistol and flipped it around, allowing Axel to grab it properly and store it in his own holster. She then took off her pack and unzipped the largest pocket. From it she retrieved the makeshift gauntlets which were wrapped up with cloth (Coco didn't want the grime getting on any of her things), Axel proceeded to unwrap his favored death dealers and reattach them to his arms with practiced ease. Finally, Coco reached down and pulled up her left pant leg just enough to free the double edged knife from her boot, Which Axel took and stored in a sheath he had inside his jacket.

When he was finished readjusting his clothing, Axel then gestured towards the back wall. "The food's across the street from the garage entrance. If the beast problem is as bad as you say then I'm gonna need a hand fetching it."

Coco nodded and called out to the biggest one on her team. "Yatsu, You and I will assist."

Yatsu answered by drawing his greatsword and resting it against his shoulder. Axel began making his way towards the elevator but was quickly stopped by Velvet. "You should go down that hallway to the right, follow it until you reach the door at the end, it'll be on your left."

He had looked at her and was silent for a few moments, Velvet was about to regret her decision to even say anything in the first place, but before she could Axel gave a quick "Thanks" and changed his course to the hallway she was talking about. Yet again, he seemed to be a bit more tactful with her than anyone else. It was very surreal for her as it was usually reversed, people normally would treat her poorly before her teammates.

Before the group of three entered the hallway, Axel turned around to face Her, Fox, and the Professor. "If you want the food to be hot, I suggest that you start a fire, if you can that is." and then they disappeared from view.

"Well, we should get started on that. Miss Scarlatina, Can you help me retrieve some burnables? Perhaps we can break apart some of this old furniture." Professor Port's question was answered with a "Yes sir" before they both began grabbing old chairs and couches and hauling them towards the center of the room. Fox, who couldn't help with gathering, started breaking it all down and separating the wood from the rest of the junk.

In no time at all, there was a scrap wood pile next to a makeshift fireplace, primed to be lit. They decided to wait till the others came back to light it, even though the lobby was large, they didn't want to completely fill it with smoke by the time food was ready.

Velvet just hoped they wouldn't take too long, she was starving.

- With Axle and group -

This guy is really starting to piss me off.

Was the thought currently running through the mind of a certain Team Leader.

He showed up, tried to rob us, almost got killed in the process, we saved him, he sleeps for a whole damn day, wakes up spouting nonsense, and then turns my friends against me by offering dinner! He has got some balls to try that with me and think he's getting away scot free.

Currently, she wasn't very happy with their 'guest', as the professor has taken to calling him. She would play along for now, but She was gonna hold the professor up on making sure the thief gets what he deserves. She had already tried to get him riled up but it didn't work, she was really hoping to get him mad. Apparently she read him wrong. She was sure that his attitude was because he was hot headed, but that went out the window after he countered her taunt back there. Yeah, Coco did not like this guy very much at all.

Right now they were making their way down the hall at a relatively slow place, if she wanted to figure out more about him, she should do it now.

"So Axel?" His head turning was the only sign of acknowledgement. "Tell me, How did you get in here without us noticing?"

He looked at her for a moment, debating on if he should reveal the details of his infiltration, before turning forward and giving her the rundown. "Well first off I should start with the beginning of that day-'' Axel then spent the next few minutes going over how he woke up somewhere completely different than he was before, the wolf attack, and how he found his way to and in the building. He chose to skip the part about Griffa though, He still wasn't sure if it was real himself." - when the elevator opened up on the second floor I stepped out and saw- wait, there's the door."

Before Coco could tell him not to, Axel went ahead and opened the door and just walked outside. He was really damn lucky though because the Grimm were few in number back here. It was just two juvenile creeps that barely came up to the knee. Coco and Yatsu were going to try to take the quiet route and take them down without a fuss. Axel, on the other hand, had a different idea. When he had initially seen them, he visibly got angry at them, and made a beeline to the closer one. The creep turned around when Axel was probably ten feet away, likely sensing the negative emotion. It crouched down in preparation to pounce, uttering a threatening growl that was severely diminished by the high pitch. Before it could do anything, Axel lunged forward and grabbed it by the neck. It started thrashing around, attempting to claw and bite at its attacker, Axel didn't let it fight for very long. In a brutal display that was as impressive as it was sickening, Axel grabbed the head of the Grimm and twisted it violently while pulling apart at the same time. The Creep had instantly gone limp. The other creep had already become aware of the threat and had pounced while Axel still held his fallen friend. Axel in turn swung the corpse like a bat and sent the assailant to the ground. Before it could recover from its daze, Axel swung his leg up and brought his boot down with all the possible force he could manage onto the side of its head. Since it's actual skull was less dense than the bone mask mounted to it, The mask was cleaved from its flesh when the skull itself had completely caved in. Axel kicked the corpse away, showing that the mask was only held on by a few strings of meat that originated from somewhere in the pulp that was once a head.

Coco and Yatsu walked out to meet the violent man amongst the remains of the execution. Axel was only just now checking to see if there were other Grimm on the street. After confirming that the only Grimm they could see was too far away to notice them, Coco decided to give her piece on the display "Y'know, that was awfully stupid of you."

Axel surprisingly nodded in agreement, the exact opposite of what she was expecting. "Maybe so. But I needed that."

"That's our destination." Axel pointed towards an old restaurant across the street and slightly left of the entrance ramp to the garage. The lower half of the storefront was practically obliterated, A large gaping hole where there could've been a doorway, but the sign out front still read 'The Grimm Burger'. It was an odd choice of theme for an eatery in any situation, but here, it was kind of ironic.

Coco almost wanted to slap herself and her teammates. Now she knew what this punk meant when he said he had 'provisions stashed away', He probably stumbled upon it before he entered the hotel. She just couldn't believe that Fox and Yatsu didn't bother to check the restaurant for food while they were out scouting. She was going to give them a verbal whipping something fierce when they got back to the academy. For now though, she kept her thoughts to herself.

Crossing the street in no time, Coco and Yatsu were presented with just how bad a shape the building was in. The interior was eradicated, broken tables and chairs scattered everywhere, The few scraps of wallpaper left were heavily decayed, and the most notable feature being the partially collapsed second floor that formed a sort of ramp that started a few feet past the large opening. Coco was about to tell Yatsu to help make a clear path to the kitchen when Axel started walking up to the second floor. "Kitchen's that way, dumbass."

"Did I say the food was in the kitchen?" was the snarky reply Coco received.

The leader of team CFVY looked at the Y of the group in a way that relayed her annoyance for their new 'companion'. The large teen just shrugged and moved to follow Axel, who was then followed by her. When they reached the top, they were greeted with something neither of them expected.

"Woah-kay, You neglected to mention the car."

Coco was a little taken aback. Of all the things she expected, this was definitely not on the list. The car was a model she had never seen before, she was sure, and she considered herself pretty knowledgeable when it came to automobiles. It was sorta boxy, but curvy at the same time. It was a severely faded black, covered in dirt, and starting to rust along the edges. The front bumper was obviously chrome once, but its luster was long gone now. The really weird thing about it was there was only a grill, no features save the split down the middle, not even headlights. A large flat metal rectangle hung just below the bumper and looked like it was held on by metal rods. A similar piece was on the back as well, except on the top. She knew there was a name for it, but she couldn't remember it after being out of the loop for a few years. The portion around the rear fender wells had been jutted out, probably for the super wide tires that would've stuck out otherwise. The hood was mostly flat with two vents, one on each side, and a hole cut out for the super weird thing sticking out of it. It was three chrome pipes that curved upwards and then back forward again, a red circle could be seen inside each pipe's end. The bottom of the contraption was connected to a metal wheel with a belt wrapping over the top of it. Is it connected to the engine in some way? The car also lacked windows and windshield for that matter, there was no glass on it at all. How someone could drive with the wind in their eyes was a mystery to her. The rims were also blacked out except for the chrome dome hubcaps in the center of each one. Overall, It looked like it should be in a junkyard.

"Were you going to tell us about this?" Coco was starting to wonder if he had other surprises for them.

Axel was leaning into the car from the passenger door, rummaging around in the back. "Not initially, no. But I needed to eventually because it's part of my plan."

He grabbed a pretty big crate of canned foods and handed it off to Yatsu. He grabbed two more crates of smaller size and handed one to her while he carried the other one. He shut the door with his foot and was already making his way back to the hotel, Yatsu already following behind. Before she went after them, Coco took a look at something on the front of the car that caught her attention. Though concealed slightly by shadow, Located on the right half of the bumper were two markings. The first was a piece of chrome shaped to look like cursive writing that read 'Charger' and the other was two red letters placed diagonally to each other and separated by a red slash. 'R/T'.

Charger R/T huh? Definitely have never heard of those before.

- With Everyone in the Hotel -

Shortly after their return, Axle and company deposited the crates of food on the ground. Axle started grabbing all the non-dog food items from the crate and started popping them open with his knife and setting them aside. He then dug to the bottom of the big crate and pulled out a handmade grill with legs to set over top of the impromptu campfire that Velvet, Fox, and the Professor had made. As he was moving the open cans to the grille, Coco broke the silence.

"What's with all the dog food, have a pet?"

"No, pet food is just the most abundant food source left from before the collapse. People were hesitant to eat it even though everything else was running short." No one had an answer for that. The impression Axle gave off was that he was living a hard life, but they just couldn't fully grasp just how bad it was.

"So you tell us about this 'collapse' as you put it Mr. Dumont, but what happened to have your people resort to such measures?."

Axle stayed quiet for a moment, looking between the group around him. They were all actively listening, expecting him to answer even though he actually wanted to keep interactions at a minimum. They had the whole day, however, to talk. He really couldn't see why he shouldn't.

"Let me start a little before that. You need to have a grasp of what my world was like. The majority of the world's problems were a result of a rapid advancement in society. For the last couple thousand years, the world was progressing slowly, at least until relatively recently. The growth of science and medicine started accelerating rapidly, faster than it ever had before. To put it in perspective, The first functional plane was built 80 years after the first steamship that crossed the Atlantic ocean was built, and sixty years after that the first man landed on the moon."

That particular statement had everyone in shock and awe. Even with the kingdom of Atlas as advanced as it was, it had never been able to breach the atmosphere, let alone land on the moon. Not to mention Remnant had aircraft for a little over two hundred years. The kingdom of Mistral still uses those old flying sailing ships, with updated gravity dust engines of course.

"It took a span of seventy years for the world population to go from less than two billion to almost four, and that was with wars happening all around the world at the time. What killed the planet was our excessive production of emissions. We were so reliant on fossil fuel and growing so quickly that we were hit by disaster before we even saw it coming. The planet started getting hotter and hotter. The air, water, and ground was all so toxic from the pollution. There were a few who were trying to warn the world, but no one listened. But then food started getting scarce, fresh water was becoming harder to find. Forests that had trees as large as city buildings started dying. By the time people had started to realize what was happening, The Oceans had nearly dried up. All but the largest governments had fallen, and those left went to war over resources. People started killing each other for what supplies they had. By the time the change in nature ran its course, there was almost no one left. The whole world is damn near inhospitable except for far, far north or south where you can sometimes get a cloud that will sprinkle some water. This all happened in a span of roughly thirty years, maybe. I was born after it all went down, So I don't care much about the history of it."

The recount, though short, had a significant impact on everyone there. As Huntsmen and huntresses, all they had to worry about was slaying Grimm and keeping the peace when needed. The thought of the world actually dying was something no one there, even the Professor, had considered. (Although he did know of a certain individual who was hell bent on bringing about the destruction of humanity itself).

"Woah". Fox's iteration was a pretty good representation of all their reactions. A thought then occurred to Yatsuhashi, one that needed an answer.

"If it's as bad as you say, how did you survive?".

Axle was getting a little sick of talking about his world when they had much more important things to discuss, like how to get out of here without getting mauled to death. But if it kept him on their good side, he had no choice. A hiss from one of the cans on the grill caught his ear, he leaned forward and slowly stirred the contents of each with a utensil the Professor had lent him. He decided to give a half truth to answer the big man's question, he wasn't about to recount his upbringing to people he just met.

"That car that you two saw is a big part of it." The rest of the group weren't expecting that little statement.

"Since most wildlife and vegetation is dead, the only bountiful and highly valuable resource is, ironically, oil. Our cars run off of gasoline or diesel, which is just oil refined to different degrees. Whoever has the most oil can make the biggest war machines, which then allows for oppression of other groups for all your needs and wants. Now, as to how I survived, I had the fastest machine. There was no war rig capable of matching my car's speed, and the handful of cars that could keep up were either too small to do anything, or had bad drivers." Axle finished by grabbing the now heated cans from the grill and passing them around.

Coco had already gotten her fill of storytelling, and was more than annoyed with this 'Axle Dumont'. She had another little ploy to try to get his feathers ruffled, but she had to rely on some pretty foggy information from her pre-huntress days. "The 'fastest' machine? Really? That ride there was practically a land yacht, probably weighing as much too. If I remember correctly, the only fast cars around were half the size of your 'Charger', and had needed some serious power to pull it off. And mind you, these are expensive sports cars, not some beater made from junkyard parts." What the others might've dismissed as Coco's mere criticism of his car, were blatant insults to Axle, which were directed to the only thing that has kept him alive in the world, his only real ally. He would not stand for it.

"You shut your Damn mouth before I rip it off." They were all taken aback by the venom dripping from his words, He had visibly turned hostile, tense and glaring at Coco with utter hate in his eyes. "Let's get one thing clear. That car has saved my life more times than I can even remember, and has been the only thing that I could rely on. And if I had to make a choice, I would take my car over all of you in a Heartbeat." Axle's blind rage subsided enough to see that his words hadn't helped the unsteady alliance between them and him. Fox and Yatsu were ready to bear their weapons if needed, Coco and the Professor were looking at him with raised eyebrows, but the one that made him cool his jets was Velvet, Who was looking at him with a tinge of fear. That observation caused him to reflect on what he said.

He quickly realized how much he has changed since he left on his path of revenge, and needless to say, it wasn't necessarily for the better. More importantly, Francis wouldn't approve. He raised Axle to be a disciplined fighter who strove for peace, not a feral animal. Doing his best to reign in his anger, Axle let himself relax and tried to switch back to the conversation they were having. "I won't deny that She's a sight heavier than most runners, but she was undoubtedly the fastest ride in the wastes, Fast enough that I've never had a straight long enough to top her out. So I must ask, please don't judge her on looks, sandstorms and combat generally are hard on a car."

Coco quickly regained her composure, maybe trying to make a possible killer and their potential savior mad wasn't the best course of action. She must be irritable from hunger and fatigue. So, for now at least, she'll take the Olive branch he was now making an effort to give. She'll also have to be more mindful with her words, since it was now obvious he was beyond bat-shit crazy. "Well, if it means anything, sorry. It's just that, to my knowledge, There are only two types of land vehicles in the world that can do over 150, and that's certain performance bikes and the Champion line of one and two seaters out of Schnee Dust Company Automotive, the heaviest of those being a little over 1,700 pounds. Mind you, these cars are barely 10 feet long, and the last one built with a trunk was discontinued 40 years ago. Now compare that to your full sized four-seater family car with a full trunk and a hood large enough to host christmas dinner. Not to mention, your car has a flat front-end, to me at least, Wind resistance alone would keep you from hitting 100."

Axle was puzzled to say the least, It was quite common for mid size cars to hit 100 mph, some pick up trucks could do it too. And by the way she was talking, she seemed to know quite a bit about this world's performance vehicles. He didn't want to argue any more (Mainly because he was ready to break her nose for the insults), But he needed to gauge the capabilities of these new machines. While dipping his spoon in for his first bite, he asked the question that he thought would give him the most information "Tell me, What is the world record for top speed here? Land-wise."

Coco looked him in the eye and with utmost confidence and announced "one hundred and sixty-seven Miles per hour." Axle started coughing as he choked on his food, Which he was actually thankful for because he was afraid he would've outright laughed otherwise, although it didn't stop his smirk. There were some cars from the sixties that could do that speed.

Coco thought he started choking out of shock and awe until she saw said smirk. "Oh, got something to say, I bet you find it funny that you thought we'd actually believe your lie."

He was still smiling as he chose not to respond, Mainly because he was now in too good of a mood to argue. If she was telling the truth, then he would be able to outrun anything on the road. He always could before, but now it wouldn't take much effort. Although he had never needed to hit that speed personally, He knew his car could. Well, maybe back when he first found it. As great of a runner as she is, He pushed her hard these past couple years.

Axle thought of the more recent events where he needed to drive like a bat outta hell and remembered that in each instance he had a distinct thought.

"Is it me, or is my car getting slower."

He had always assumed it was him being used to the car now, having a lot of extra weight in it (the 37mm especially), and even just bald tires. But now that he really thought about it, He hasn't really been maintaining his car the way he should, He spent too much time and energy hunting down those butchers to do so. As a matter of fact, The oil hasn't even been changed since before he left his home. His expression turned back to its usual stoic demeanor due to the worrisome thoughts, which he attempted to quell with another bite of mystery food.

The little exchange between Coco and Axle had distracted the others from their food, which they remembered as soon as they saw him take his bite. He watched as they all eagerly dove into their meals, as if they hadn't ever eaten before. The first "blegh" he was waiting for came from Fox, probably because he had a more acute sense of taste than the others.

Coco followed up by spitting hers out "What even IS this? It's horrible."

To their credit, the others held theirs down, although Velvet looked a little sick. "Honestly, I don't know. The labels were long gone by the time I found these. But if I were to take a guess, I'd say stale clam chowder."

Axle couldn't tell if she was going to lose her stomach first, or her temper. Well, he wouldn't let it get that far, as he wanted to get to the topic that they should be talking about. "I think it's time we discussed how to bust outta here."

The effect was immediate, All eyes were focused on him.

"I am in agreement, young man. Also, thank you for the meal, though it isn't all that...appetizing." Of everyone here, Axle expected the Professor to be the last one to complain. He should've known from the stomach alone that that wouldn't be the case. To his credit he continued to eat it.

Axle wasn't going to be all fancy with his words, he wasted enough time storytelling for the last several minutes. "There's a couple of heavy trucks on the bottom floor of the garage. I say we snag one or two of 'em and get out of here."

A few seconds pass where no one makes a sound, then "That's it?"

"That's the gist of it." Velvet held no small amount of skepticism in her voice, as it seemed far too simple to just 'get car and get out'.

"Of course there's a couple little details like making sure the trucks are fully operational and who is riding with who, but simply put, it will get us out." It seemed as though Axle had yet to fully convince them, apparently he had to go into just a tad bit more detail.

"Just to clarify, at least one of them has already started up, I checked it myself. They are big utility rigs built for working on piping and power lines, they'll be able to plow through just about any 'Grimm' we find out there. As for my car, if there happens to be a monster that we can't run down, I can use it to draw the beast away. I still have enough fuel to go about another 70 miles or so, and those trucks seem to have full tanks of...dust? If that isn't far enough away for you to get a signal, then we will need a different plan."

They took a moment to think through all of what he said. Coco looked like she wanted to shoot the idea down but was having a hard time of it. The professor was the first to give his piece. "All in all, it is a much more solid plan than any we've had before, but there are a few stipulations I must insist upon. The first of which being that I would like to examine the vehicles in question, including yours. Secondly, what insurance can you give to prove you aren't trying to abandon us the moment you see fit?"

"Your insurance is the fact that I don't know the way out of the city, and that I have a passenger seat, two if you give me time to reorganize. I'll let you sort it out between yourselves who is riding with who, the only restriction being that I am driving My car, this is non-negotiable." Axle didn't like the thought of having near-strangers riding in what practically is his life-line, But he really did need to win their trust.

After a few strokes of his moustache, The Professor eventually gave a nod of affirmation "Very well, It is settled, I say we take action now whilst we still have a full day left. As for seating arrangements-"

"I'm riding with the punk" Coco's cocky declaration was immediate, and for reasons everyone knew. "I wanna hear what excuses he'll give when he suddenly 'doesn't want to push it too hard." She said the last part in a fake deep voice, evidently mocking him. He changed his mind. Now he Definitely wants a particular someone riding in his car.

Professor continued, either ignoring or just accepting the interruption. "Very well, But you should take someone else too, How about you Mister Daichi?"

"Not gonna work, I'll have to slide the passenger seat up as it is to fit a second person, If we need to get out at any point in time, he'll be severely hindered." Axle's reasoning seemed perfectly practical in nature, but he actually said no because of the big guy's height. The charger may have been big enough in every other aspect, but as for height, Yatsu would have his face pressed against the roof. Probably would break his neck if a bump was great enough.

"Alright, how about you mister Alistair?" The Professor's question seemed to perturb the blind man.

"No thank you, I have enough trouble with the bullheads as it is, getting thrown around in a metal box doesn't sound pleasant." From anyone else, Axle would've called them a snob, but he understands where he was coming from. He would not be able to prepare himself for any turn whatsoever, something that wouldn't pair well with his aggressive driving. "And I should also mention that his car doesn't have any seat belts or even any windows, It's completely open to the elements." Coco's statement was one he could not deny. Sure, he had a bucket seat, but no one else did, and the metal where the seat belt mounts were supposed to go had rotted away. Fox would just be thrown all over the place.

The Professor then looked at the only person left. "Well then, I believe it's decided then."

Velvet turned a shade paler. She did not like being put on the spot in any situation, but especially not here. Everyone was looking at her for her response, but the one that bothered her was his. She was still a little afraid of him, and maybe the others would be too if they had seen what he did to that Ursa, and in that state as well. If he was that strong on the brink of death and without aura, what was he capable of now? She wanted to refuse, but she didn't for two reasons; One, She didn't want Coco to ride alone with him, and Two, He wasn't nearly as hostile to her as he was to the others, even Prof. Port.

"Now then, let's go ahead and begin preparing the vehicles, Mister Dumont, shall we start with yours?"

Axle had a better idea "Actually, I'll bring my car to the bottom floor. It would give you more time to 'examine' it and me more time to reorganize it without having the Grimm joining us."

The Professor actually agreed with him without suspicion. "Excellent thinking, young man. That is a very good suggestion indeed."

Axle just shrugged off the praise because he didn't know what else to do with it. He put away his makeshift cookware and started to bring his provisions back to where they belong. "Yatsu, help me carry the rest of these to the car?"

The ever stoic giant that is Yatsu picked up a crate and began to take, with acknowledgement from Coco, their previous route to the "Grimm burger", Axle not far behind. "We'll meet on the bottom floor." He made sure his statement was heard before leaving the rest of the group.

It was just him and Yatsu in the hallway, silently carrying his stuff back. Eventually, Yatsu decided to speak with him properly for the first time, although it wasn't all too friendly. "Just so you know, If anything happens to either of those two while they are with you, I'll end you myself."

Axle raised an eyebrow at the intensity behind the words. It wasn't a threat, It was a promise that Axle knew would be kept. So he answered in a way that Yatsu hadn't expected. "Understood." Yatsu had expected him to snap a harsh reply or even just be silent, and surprisingly, the leather clad man had more. "I can tell you're close with them."

"Yes, I am." Yatsu hadn't expected him to keep going, he didn't have any responses prepared, But even if he did, he doubted he could've properly responded to what Axle had to say next.

"That's good. Hold on to that closeness, and defend them all at any cost. And above all else, cherish the moments you spend with them, no matter how insignificant they may seem." Yatsu was really caught off guard here. He has heard similar things from the elderly before, but it sounded completely different coming from him, as if those words held an entirely different meaning to Axle. Yatsu wondered what kind of life Axle had for him to have that sort of advice to give. Especially after his previous episode. Whatever the reason, Yatsu had a feeling he shouldn't pry, and so they were silent for the rest of the walk. The next time words were exchanged, It was only for Axle to ask Yatsu to give the car a push down the ramp while he steered. When Yatsu suggested just to drive the car over, Axle's response was "And alert every Grimm in a 6 block radius?". And that was the last time anything was said between them.

After Yatsu gave a hefty shove on the back of the Black sedan, He just now realized exactly what those two were bickering about back there. The car was Heavy, unnecessarily so. He wondered what it could possibly be made of, because it sure wasn't aeronium. Most vehicles this size could be pushed by one person with some effort, and two could move one easily. But as for this car, Yatsu struggled to push it a foot forward, after that it started rolling down the ramp by itself. Axle utilized the car's forward momentum to make it all the way across the street and stopped it just before the entrance of the garage. There was still enough of a slant that it could've rolled all the way down. Without having to be told, Yatsu strode over to the car and got in the front seat, and from there they rolled down the strange spiral designed garage. Eventually they reached the bottom where the others were waiting next to the large trucks. Yatsu was glad to get out, his neck strained from keeping his head at an awkward angle the whole ride down.

The Professor waited for them to join the group before giving his assessment. "Well Mister Dumont, it seems that besides the thick layer of dust, These do indeed seem up to the task." He turned his gaze towards the Charger, his face holding a hint of concern. "However, Your vehicle seems to have been through the ringer." As the Professor moved closer to the unfamiliar design, he failed to notice the annoyed glare from Axle, who had zero tolerance for people criticizing his car.

The professor took his time examining the strange car, scrutinizing the safety aspects of the car, or rather, the lack there-of. "I will take your word that the vehicle is capable enough, But are you sure it is safe enough? I am afraid I must doubt the car's handling at the speeds which you claim it can achieve."

"Don't worry too much Professor, I am sure the car would break down before it hit any speed that could be considered 'risky'." Coco's comments were really getting on Axle's nerves.

"In my hands, it is perfectly safe. Besides, with luck we won't have need for such speeds." Secretly he hoped that something would come along that required him to punch it. "Just let me reorganize my things, then I'll be ready to set off."

While Axle began the endeavor of condensing his belongings, The others made a last minute check to make sure they were ready to leave. Whilst making sure she had everything in her bag, Coco thought of something that could be an issue. "Hey, do any of you guys even know how to drive one of those?"

"Why Yes Miss Adel, as it so happens, I once had a friend who worked in construction. One day during his break he decided to let me have a "spin" in one of the company's work vehicles, a model very similar to this one, only older. Of course this was not necessarily legal mind you, so I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't spread the story around to other students." Those who could gave a look of incredulity to the Professor.

"My My, Didn't think you, of all the teachers, would have been the troublemaker. Did you get caught?" Coco's question drew a small grin that only those who knew Port well could understand.

"No we didn't, luckily." His grin was now a little mischievous as he remembered the outcome of that incident. "But he did have trouble explaining the damages."

Coco turned to face the professor and pulled her glasses down just enough to show her raised eyebrow. "Damages?."

The professor was climbing into the driver seat of the big rig of his choosing when he gave his vague but all too telling response. "Let's just say the suspension wasn't quite as sturdy as we thought it was." Once in he closed the door and rolled down the window. "Mister Alistair, Mister Daichi, I believe we should prepare for departure."

The team all looked at each other in disbelief, there were only a few things their dear teacher would have meant, and Coco had her money on only one. "Professor Port! Did you jump that-" She was cut off when the loud whine of the compressed fire-dust engine started up with a loud, deep whine.

Before she could interrogate further, Axle had waked over and jumped onto the truck's side step. "I'll follow you." The professor nodded his head before rolling up the window. While Yatsu assisted Fox into the truck, Axle addressed his two passengers. "The car is ready to roll, I'll let you two decide who sits in front." They then watched as he walked back and climbed into the driver's seat, now waiting for them.

"You can have front if You want Coco." Velvet's secret plea was not unheard, and as much as she disliked the idea, Coco had to refuse. "I'm sorry Vel, but I still don't really believe nor trust him. I'll take the back to see if he has anything that backs his story up, besides if need be, It would be a lot harder for him to defend himself from the back."

Velvet didn't bother trying to argue with her leader, although she would much rather be in the back, She tried convincing herself it was for the best. After all, If he did turn on them and attack her, Coco would do a better job restraining him from behind. The pair approached the car to find the passenger door already open, with the seat pushed up for the person riding in back to get in. Coco didn't hesitate to get in, as soon as she sat down, Axle placed his hand on the seat and gave a quick "watch your legs" before pushing it back into place. Fighting the urge to ask to sit on her leader's lap instead, Velvet lowered herself into the seat and went to shut the door, only to have her hand slip because of a poor grip. Slightly embarrassed, She grabbed the handle properly and gave it a good heave. The heavy door slammed shut, sounding like a gun going off in the large space. With a slight pick-up in the engine, and the crackling of debris being crushed under the tires, The Professor pulled the truck around and stopped at the foot of the exit ramp. A clear sign saying they were waiting on Axle, who quickly reached in weird and hard to reach places around the interior of his car to flip a few switches, the last of which was actually a little red valve on the floor next to Coco's foot.

"What are all those for?"

Axle pulled a key out of a hidden pocket inside his jacket. "Safety precautions, in case anyone tried to steal my car."

Coco gave a 'hmph' and decided to be a sarcastic ass "what does it do, spray people with ink?"

Axle was completely serious with his answer, like she actually was curious about what they did (which she kinda was). "Well that little valve by you lets fuel go to the engine, the one under the steering wheel lets the battery send power to the spark plugs, the one in the glove box disarms the three shotgun shells I have installed inside the steering wheel, the one under the E-brake disarms the shotgun shells next to my ankles, and the last one on the back of Velvet's seat disarms the system that drains the fuel tank, everything is rigged to go off when someone starts the car."

Well, wasn't that reassuring.

Axle Stuck the key in the ignition and turned it clockwise. And oh boy, they thought the door slamming was loud. Velvet and Coco were assaulted by the thunderous roar the engine gave off, the initial sound making both of them jump. Coco had never heard any engine that could give off this level of noise, Not even in the few street racing crowds she had been around occasionally. It was honestly probably the garage that made it so bad, for even Axle flinched, and poor Velvet couldn't even cover all of her ears. Axle hastily put the car in gear and pulled the car up behind the big rig. When he attempted to tap the throttle, he immediately let off, the rpm needle had barely even moved and yet the additional fuel the engine received seemed to increase the cacophony by several decibels. Axle didn't need to stop, for the professor began to drive up the spiral as quickly as the truck would allow, The charger right on its tail.

After only a few seconds, which felt like a few hours, the pair of vehicles made it out into sunlight. Wasting no time, The professor pushed down the throttle, intending to make it to the edge of the city in record time. Once cruising at reasonable pace, and the engine's barrage over with, Coco gave her piece for the torture she had to sit through. "Good lord man, couldn't you have at least warned us about how loud your rust bucket was."

Axle ignored her and kept his gaze focused on the road, until he heard a barely audible "ow" from his right. He took a glance and saw Velvet gently rubbing the ears on top of her head, and although he didn't show it, felt guilty at the sight. "Sorry, I honestly didn't expect it to be that loud, didn't even think about it really."

They rode in silence for the next hour or so, keeping pace with their front half. The wind wasn't as bad as the Velvet and Coco expected, probably from the truck diverting it all. The only thing around them was the ruined city of Mountain Glenn. In between the city blocks, a few Grimm could be seen every now and then. Sometimes a pack of beowolves, other times a small group of creeps. The only close encounter being when a lone ursa had the misfortune of stepping out in front of the Industrial work rig travelling at 75 Mph, The Professor not even bothering to slow down. After some time had passed, Axle decided to break the silence by asking a question that had been bothering him since they left. He glanced at Velvet , or rather above her. "So, what's with the ears?"

The question had a very different effect on the two girls. For Velvet, It was her face becoming almost as red as Fox's hair. For Coco, It was to instinctively take her glasses off and give a very angry "EXCUSE ME!" Both reactions signifying to Axle that he had in fact stepped on a figurative landmine. Rather than become defensive or apologetic, he decided the best way to defuse the situation was to give a quick, but calm, explanation. "When we left the hotel you were rubbing the ears on top of your head. I thought they were props, like an accessory, but you behave as if they're not."

Coco calmed down a bit, she just now remembered that he was apparently from another world, and when she thought about it, no one explained to him what a faunas was. She would leave that explanation to Velvet though, It was not Coco's place to do so, besides, she just reminded herself of the original reason she chose to sit in the back.

Realizing she was on her own, Velvet regained her composure and decided to properly elaborate what a faunus was to Axle. Hopefully if she did a good enough job, there wouldn't be another faunas hater in the world, That was all she could ask for. "Well, I'm what's called a faunus, someone born with an animal trait. In my case, It's my ears. Before we only made up about 15% of the population globally, but after the Human and Faunus war, we're now at about 43%, maybe even 44 now."

"There was a war?" Axle was now engaged properly, they didn't know it, but he was actually a bit of a war nut. He could blame Francis for that.

"Yeah, some decades ago. Humans and Faunus didn't really get along well, mainly because somewhere along the lines of history, the faunas just sorta popped up. We haven't been around the whole time. Humans, fearing it was some mutation or sickness, locked faunas in cages. Most of the time they were kept for slave labor, but some Human groups just outright executed them, believing faunas to be the spawn of a Human and Grimm. And there were even some instances of hunting them down for sport." Velvet hated that part of history, and she feared she might've been a little too intense with her summary. When she looked over though, Axle was nodding his head with a look of understanding on his face.

"I'm not all too surprised, We had similar problems back where I'm from, even down to the hunting for sport. The only difference was that people were discriminated against based on skin color, I can't imagine what treatment animal traits receive." The two girls were actually shocked, they had never heard anything so ridiculous before, skin color? Really? "For the longest time whites or Caucasians would keep people of darker skin as slaves and such because they thought them inferior by nature, but really it was just them being underdeveloped. Progress by chance just so happened to be brought on quicker in the area where the whites originated from, most likely because of access to more resources. When they traveled to these other places and saw different colored people for the first time, they regarded them as another species. I could also be getting this wrong so don't take this as being for sure what happened."

"They really treated people like that based on skin color?" Velvet had no problem conversing with Axle at the moment, she was too stunned from the revelation.

"Yeah stupid isn't it, but this went on for hundreds of years, and slavery is thousands of years old, places like Egypt and Rome had their own people as slaves. But now that the world was dead, no one really cared about it anymore. Too busy fending for themselves. About the racism I mean, there's still plenty of slavery."

The mood was a little dark now, and oddly enough, Axle wanted to fix it. It had been a while since he had actually wanted to lift someone's spirits. "So back on topic, You were rubbing your ears, I take it they actually work?"

"Yes they do. Actually, Faunus with animal ears actually have much better hearing than Most humans do. In Fact, faunas in general have better senses all around, we can even see in the dark. There are also those with wings that let them fly, and some with gills so they breathe underwater, There's also the spid-"

"Wait, your world has enough water to swim in?" Axle hadn't even thought about it before, just because his world died didn't mean theirs had.

"Yeah, the city we're going to is actually right next to the ocean." Axle was at a loss for words, He had never imagined he would get to see an ocean proper. He didn't know how to feel about it.

"Anyways, before we get to Vale, I have to ask you to please be considerate to other faunas." Axle thought Velvet's pleading eyes were unnecessary.

"You don't have to worry about that, I know what monsters Humans can be." Velvet before was afraid of what he thought about Faunus, and tried to minimize her interactions with him because of it, But Velvet now was actually somewhat relieved. She absolutely did not expect to have such a good outcome from that, it was actually better than her best case scenario. He may be an intimidating man who is extremely distrustful, But at least it's indiscriminatory distrust.

The improved mood didn't last long before something careened down from the sky and destroyed a chunk of the road in front of the party. The professor had to violently swerve to miss it and Axle barely had time to slam on the brakes. When the car was at a complete stop, The first thing Velvet noticed was a pressure being relieved from her chest, Investigating it revealed Axle's arm retreating back to the shifter to put the car in park. She almost blushed, but then realized that if Axle hadn't done so, she might've flown out through the place where the windshield would be. The next thing that snagged her attention was the loud curse from the back seat, which was where Coco resided with a bloody nose. "Perfectly safe, huh?"

"What. In the hell. Is That?" That was when Velvet took notice of the third and final thing, which was in fact a feather from none other than a rather old Nevermore, judging by the size of it. She only needed a split second to process what was happening next. "You need to move NOW."

Axle shifted in reverse and floored it, Velvet and Coco both hastily braced for the sudden acceleration. They had just made it in time to dodge a second feather that landed where they were just a second ago. That's when the first ear piercing screech bombarded their eardrums. Axle decided he wanted to wait to ask any questions. He revved the engine all the way into the red before launching from second gear. Velvet and Coco had no way to protect themselves from the whiplash they had just received. Even though the Professor was almost two city blocks down by now, they covered that ground in a matter of seconds. Axle pulled up along the right side of the truck, Yatsu was already looking out through the window, ready to make a plan. "Can we fight this thing?"

Yatsu already had an answer prepared, saving them precious time. "No, This is a particularly old Nevermore and it's infamous enough to have a name which is bad enough, but none of us have the necessary equipment to kill it. Our only option is to run."

They were interrupted by another feather coming down in front of them, requiring both vehicles to swerve away from each other.

"Neither vehicle can afford to take a hit from one of those, We'll need you to draw it away."

"affirmative, Just tell me where to meet you guys." They had been driving for a while now, Axle needed to know exactly where they were going so he could judge how much fuel he could spend luring the creature away. Yatsu leaned back into insides for a few moments before reemerging with a scroll in his hand, reaching out to Axle. Axle moved the car over just enough to grab it and pull away, just in time for the next projectile to cleave the upper corner of the cab off of the truck. Axle gave the device in his hand a once over, before handing it to Velvet. "I need you to give me directions. The goal is to lose this monster without having to stray more than 30 blocks away from the point he marked. Think you can do that?"

Velvet gave a nod and looked down at the map, studying it in detail in order to find the best path. "Okay you can still go ahead twelve blocks. Take a left at the eight, then a right, and then left again onto the road between 9 and 10."

Axle acknowledged by opening the throttle wide, the surplus of air and fuel made the engine howl. Even though they were already traveling at highway speeds, the sudden burst of speed planted Coco and Velvet firmly into their seats, rendered immobile from the g-forces. They passed the first block at 112 Mph, then the second at 144, by the third they were already at 157. The g-forces subsided as the car's acceleration rate leveled off, but still climbing steadily. Coco, who was finally able to gain control of her clenched jaw, realized how wrong she was before. Her entire body was tensed up, her knuckles on her hand white as snow from gripping Velvet's seat, After cruising at an easy 165-ish speed for literal seconds, they were already upon the 6th block. Thinking that Axle might've misheard before, Coco tried to remind him of his turn. "Hey, you're gonna miss- SHIT!"

Turns out he did remember his turn. Axle used both of his feet to press down the brake pedal, dropping down to 85 before kicking the rear out to the right, initiating a power slide that just barely let them miss the building which was about a foot from the right side of the car. The seemingly possessed driver veered to the left and then accelerated while turning right, allowing the car to clear the turn without losing too much speed, and repeated the process to shoot out onto the necessary street. Axle maintained his speed to look at Velvet, who was already planning the next move. Coco craned her neck around to look behind them and then snapped her head around with a shout. "SWERVE!"

Axle obeyed and cut to the left, narrowly missing the open claws of a giant bird-Grimm that tore a chunk out of the pavement. The engine screamed as it carried them onward, the wind painfully pulling at their skin. It soon fell into a dance between the car and the Grimm, Coco would order Axle to turn every time she saw those massive wings tuck in for a dive, Velvet redirecting their path every so often. Though the airborne hunter was struggling to land an attack, it showed no signs of breaking away. Axle glanced at the gauges and knew they would lose if it came to a duel of endurance. "What kind of monster can keep this up?"

"A Nevermore, Now quickly, turn down there!" Velvet pointed at a road on the right that went down closer to the river, which Axle just now noticed. He had just enough time to slow down and clear the concrete barrier, and had to come to a near full stop in order to enter the tunnel on the left that he was instructed to enter. Turning on his lights revealed a collection of abandoned cars that blocked the way forward. Velvet looked back at the map "Quick we need to go back while-"

The ground shook as the Nevermore landed on, and collapsed, the bridge above the hole it watched its prey enter. Now that they got a good look, they could see the creature's leg was taller than the 14 foot opening of the tunnel. The leg moved out of view just to be replaced by an eye about as large as Axle, The glowing red orb casting the space in an engulfing crimson glow. As soon as it saw the back of the black speck it had been chasing, The monster screeched in fury, and began to claw away at the concrete around the edges of the entrance.

"hurry , maybe we can move enough of these cars to get by." Everyone Exited the vehicle in a panic to carry out Axle's idea, they were spurred on by the most primal level of fear they had ever felt in their lives. They had just started moving the first vehicle when the sound of Crumbling and additional light pulled their gazes back. The three of them were greeted with the sight of the bird using its gargantuan beak to tear out sizable chunks of the walls. Velvet's face completely drained of color as she realized a major problem. "We can't move these fast enough."

"Oh god, this is where we die." Coco was not at all helping the situation. Axle was not any less terrified of the monster, He had actually seen a few birds in the wasteland, but none were ever larger than the scoop of his supercharger. Heart racing, He looked at everything around him to find a way out, was there some way they could break the median, maybe one of the mines he pilfered awhile back. He shook his head at the thought, they had to make something to make it go off, and would have to get closer to the bird to avoid the blast. Ditching his car was not an option, for many reasons both personal and practical. He needed to think! The beast had already made it a quarter of the way to them.

"Coco, do you think you could use your semblance to deal enough damage to make it go away?" Axle looked towards them, seeing Coco quickly shake her head. "No, my bullets are too small, my semblance can barely let them take down a juvenile Nevermore, this sucker is ancient."

Axle almost slapped himself. "Well I sure am stupid." his quiet statement was almost drowned out by the ruckus, but was picked up by Velvet. "What do you mean?"

"You two, help me out real quick." The three of them hurried back to the car, Axle hopping up and standing on the trunk. He grabbed a hold of a large object that was wrapped in a large blanket (Which had prevented Coco from knowing what it was during her investigation), it was large enough to need the end of it to stick out of the rear window just to not be in the way. "Someone push my seat forward and help me lift this up."

It ended up needing all three of them to get on the trunk, and from there onto the ground. "What in the world is this thing, an anchor?"

"No." Axle answered Coco's sarcasm by untying and removing the blanket that had, up to this point, been concealing the 37mm anti-tank gun that Francis had assured him was 'useless'.

Coco whistled in admiration. "Now, we might just not die."

Axle went to the trunk and retrieved his last armor piercing shell he had, now regretting using the majority of them for target practice so many months ago., but he could not risk the explosive shell not breaking the bird's hide. Making haste, Axle loaded the gun with a practiced hand, then rested his hand on the trigger. He took his time to analyze the pattern the bird was destroying the walls in. Top, Left, right, repeat. He put a little pressure on the mechanism. He then hesitated, he grabbed the sole set of earmuffs from the gun shield and handed them to Velvet. "Put these on, then cover your top ears, and you cover yours as well."

Once sure that at least they were spared from permanent hearing loss, Axle dialed himself back into the pattern. The monster reached in to rip off another chunk from the left. It was its last. Axle pulled the trigger, the recoil being minimized by the whole barrel and receiver sliding back in their housing. As if in slow motion, or maybe just imagining it, He watched as the shell drove itself through the blood red eye, and could almost visualize it carrying through the bone, The head was at such an angle that the chunk of metal missed the brain, but went down diagonally through its throat before exiting in a spot just off of the shoulder. The beast reeled back in agony, Beak open to screech, but the only audible sound produced was a sickly squeak paired with gurgling as black blood spurted from its mouth. Impressively enough, the creature took flight, heavily favoring its one shoulder. The pain and useless eye caused the avian to collide with a building on the other side of the river, but still it flew on. After making it almost a half a mile, the three of them watched as the elder Nevermore took a sudden plunge to the earth. Axle surmised that it passed out from choking on its own blood.

"Not gonna lie, that was pretty cool." Axle turned to see Coco smiling towards the falling corpse. Axle, on the other hand, was a little shaken up from the encounter. "Oh really, well with luck, we'll hopefully never have to do that again. Axle was about to start wrapping the gun back up before Velvet said "Wait!"

Axle watched in confusion as She retrieved a camera and took a picture of the gun. When seeing that she was being stared at, Velvet became shy again and was locking eyes with the floor for her elaboration. "It's for my semblance, I can recreate and use weapons I take a picture of, but I have to take another picture if I want to use it again."

"Ok then." Axle, still confused, was too riled up to even ask into it further, So he instead finished storing the weapon back in the car (with some assistance of course). When they were all back in the car again, Coco spoke to Axle non-harshly/criticizing for the first time. "How'd you get your hands on that piece of hardware?"

"I was on a scrap run with some guys from my settlement, and we found it hidden at an old militia outpost, the place was thoroughly looted except for that gun and a small stockpile of ammunition. When we hauled it back, the boss said that they didn't need it as there wasn't any real use for it."

"Well he was sorely mistaken."

Axle shifted in reverse and backed over the small pool of blood, then started going up onto the main road. "Well we weren't exactly fighting off house-sized birds on a regular basis."

"Fair enough." And with that, They were rolling again, the whole incident not even lasting more than ten minutes. "Hey, just so you know, I take back all that crap from before, you really are from another world."

Axle kept his focus on the road, not feeling the need to respond, mostly because he didn't know how. "You have to be, between you not knowing about grimm and auras, but the real give is your stuff, namely the hot rod from hell. There is no way that any car like this has existed before. It's loud, it's big, it's a make and model I've never heard of, and yet it broke 120 mph like it was nothing. I don't even think the bullheads can accelerate like that. Tell me, what kind of engine does it have?"

He wondered whether he should answer or wave her off. The only reason his car was unbeatable was because of the engine, you could have all the skill in the world and still be outmatched by any idiot if they have enough power. Not to say Axle himself was a bad driver, if he was, he would've already killed himself in this car. "It probably won't mean much to you."

"Save it, Before I became a huntress in training, I was big into car stuff. Granted, it was originally because I wanted to know what rides were the most fashionable, but I did end up liking the fast ones too." Coco fibbed a little bit, she actually became really into performance cars and racing, she just forbade to let a soul know that there was something that she was a geek about.

Unfortunately, Axle knew that song and dance, it was the same one he used when he thought that the other boys would make fun of him for liking mechanic work instead of just fighting. He had to fight the urge to give a smile, He was going to give her all the details. "Alright, what you see sticking out of the hood there is the top of a supercharger that is attached to one 426 Hemi, that means it is a 426 cubic inch or 7 liter V8 with hemispherical cylinder heads. Way back when this motor was fresh out of the factory, it was rated at 425 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 490 ft-lbs of torque at 4,000 rpm, but if you had the right hood and carburetors, it made closer to 470 horsepower. When we found it, the car had already been fitted with a supercharger and custom body work. When we brought it back to our mechanic, he took everything apart to see everything that had been done. Whoever had it before the world went to crap, they were thorough. The original cams and crank had been replaced with forged aluminum performance ones that were lighter and stronger. The piston heads were replaced with ones specified for this supercharger, which has actually helped it last this long, the originals likely would have been destroyed by now. This was all attached to a custom five speed transmission that would technically let the wheels spin at 190 mph, but the car would actually never reach that speed."

Both Coco and Velvet were listening intently, but it all flew over the latter's head and the former didn't know any of the part names. Coco could learn about these all day if she could, but to maintain her rep she would only ask two questions. "So, what does a supercharger do?"

Axle thought his tidal wave of information would have dissuaded her by now, but he should've known the amount of knowledge that an incognito car nut craves. "First let me explain something, normally engines draw in their own fuel and air through suction before it is compressed then ignited, another way this can be accomplished is through 'forced induction' or forcing air and fuel into the engine, this is achieved through either a supercharger or a turbocharger. The key difference between the two is how they accomplish the task. A supercharger acts like an air compressor."

He then pointed at the supercharger. "Inside that chrome piece that's going through the hood is two shafts that are spun by the timing belt, as those shafts spin, they trap air and force it down into the motor. Turbochargers on the other hand, use the exhaust from the car to spin a fan that forces air into the motor. Because a turbocharger isn't fixed, it can spin faster than the supercharger, but it doesn't really work at low rpm because there isn't enough exhaust to spin the fan fast enough. The important thing to know is that turbochargers will make more power at higher engine speeds and almost none at low speeds, while superchargers make it seem like the engine is bigger than it actually is. You got all that?"

When Axle looked away from the road to see if they were still listening, he was more than a little amused. You could practically see the fog form over Velvet's eyes as she tried to process what she heard, Coco was at least comprehending it, though with difficulty. Eventually deciding that she would have to ask him to explain it later, she instead asked her next question. "I think so? Anyways, with all that extra stuff, how much power does your car make?"

Coco was dumbfounded when he said the stock motor could make almost 500 horsepower, and at 5,000 rpm no less. The record for consumer vehicles was The SDCA Champion premium that made about 340 Horse at about 13,500 rpm, and that was actually supposed to be an average engine speed. She couldn't imagine that his engine made more than 500, but what if it was, could it even be in the 600 hundred range without being industrial. In response to her question, Axle stared ahead and answered in a matter of fact tone that annoyed her to no end. "That information is staying with me."

That was it. Coco was done with this whole predicament. She felt like a total ass after going on her little tangent about what is and isn't possible, Now she knew why he was laughing at the world speed record, But she was sure of one thing, She vowed to get a better understanding of just how this crazy car worked.

Axle was mentally kicking himself, He had given too much information without realizing it. Never in a million years would he have told a stranger the potential power his car could make, it would just paint a bigger target on it. She was able to sneak past his defenses with her curiosity, whether she knew it or not she had utilized that old soft spot for car talk he apparently still had. He was actually enjoying the conversation until she asked after the car's performing numbers. He didn't actually know himself, if he were to guess, he'd say 600, maybe even 550, whatever the case it sure wasn't what it made before. But the only person that was privy to that info was him.

I have to keep a tighter leash around my mouth.

After a few minutes of driving, they eventually met up with the second half of the group on the edge of the city. After an explanation of what happened, and Axle nearly getting beaten up by Fox and Yatsu for the bruises that their partners sustained because of Axle's driving, A bullhead had shown up. The Professor had called for a large, heavily armed aircraft to deal with the Nevermore, but thankfully it was no longer needed. It took some convincing from said professor to agree on taking Axle's car with them, but the pilots relented after he threatened to stay with the car until they came back for it. Axle was slightly thankful for the Professor's persuasion, he was convinced that he would have needed to stay with the car anyways, Though he honestly was considering it for his fear of heights.

They were up in the air for a few minutes when everyone started lecturing Axle about various things he needed to understand before he came to the academy, most of it being how very illegal his car and weapons were (He came really close to a thrashing when Yatsu and Fox learned about the 'anti-theft' devices). The Professor had just finished going through the basic laws and general rules he would need to follow. "Please remember Mister Dumont, you are no longer in your world, violence and tyranny are not tolerated in a civilized setting. And do try to refrain from doing anything that would be considered illegal, The Headmaster would have a difficult time assisting you if you were to be considered a menace to society."

"I'll keep that in mind." They acted as if he was raised in a pack of wolves. Just because he grew up in a hell-scape didn't make him a demon. The adults did their absolute best to preserve human morality back home.

"Good, The school year is a ways out from starting, but the grounds are far from barren. You'll encounter a few students who are there for various reasons. I suggest you mind your manners because you might be staying at the school for a short time, and if you do have any trouble during interactions or what have you, You can always rely on team CFVY here for assistance." The Professor's words caught the attention of the team leader.

"Woah, wait a minute Professor, I don't mind giving the guy a tour if you want, but don't you think it's a bit much to assign us to him when he's probably not gonna be here for very long. I mean, we're gonna be second-years, shouldn't we focus on schoolwork." Coco was on good terms with the Axle now, but he still tried to steal from them in the dead of night, She wouldn't exactly consider him a friend per-se.

The Professor, as practiced at handling leaders like Coco as he was, used her logic against her rather than outright refuting it. "All the more reason to get Mister Dumont acquainted with Vale as soon as possible, wouldn't you agree? And if you think it will harm your grades, just think of it as extra credit, Huntsmen and Huntresses have to know how to help migrating people into new places of living, as they do it quite frequently."

And just like that, Coco's argument was shot down before it took off. Although, Extra credit did sound pretty nice. Between the excursion and the new babysitting assignment, at this rate the team might pass second year with a 120% in the gradebooks. Not bad at all.

After a bit more small talk between the others that Axle didn't care to listen in on, the Pilot's voice blasted out of the speaker right next to his head, making him wince in pain. "We're about five minutes out, please prepare for departure."

Everyone started to sling their bags on their backs and stretch their legs. Axle stayed right where he was, leaning back against the window, everything he owned was all in his car.

Once touched down, the pilots quickly helped in moving the car off the bullhead, and then took off towards a large hanger that could be seen a couple hundred yards out. Before anything else, The Professor swung his arm around, gesturing at everything that was Beacon. "Welcome to Beacon Academy, Axle."

And what a welcome it was. Axle was awestruck. It was as if he stepped into a castle from a Fantasy book. There were green trees and bushes, paired with dozens of flowers he didn't know the name of. There was a courtyard made of white stone walkways lined with marble pillars that all flowed out from a statue of a huntsmen standing atop a slain snake Grimm. There was a large marble fountain in the center of the main walkway between them and the school, which itself was a collection of towers and ramparts all designed to be absolutely stunning. In a massive ring around the campus was a man made river with little troughs that cut through the lawn in a large, archaic pattern. The image of which could probably only be seen from the tallest tower which the name 'Beacon' likely originated from, for even in the middle of the day, a luminescent green light cascaded onto the nearest towers. A few silhouettes of people could be seen strolling the grounds, only a few sent curious glances at the strange new arrival. The cleanliness of it all highlighted just how out of place Axle and his car looked, one with greasy hair, dressed in a torn leather coat and sporting bloodstains on the shirt beneath, the other covered in rust and sand and in an impossible-to-ignore state of disrepair.

Axle rubbed his hand on the doorframe of his most trusted companion, almost as if comforting it. "We sure ain't in Kansas anymore, huh."

"Ahem."

Axle turned to see the Professor and team CFVY looking at him. They had been trying to get his attention. "Mister Dumont, The Headmaster is waiting for us. If you wish, you can take your car over to the weapons workshop and keep it in the material warehouse, the only people with access to it are the teachers so you don't have to worry about anyone fiddling with it."

He wanted to say that he didn't trust the teachers having access to it either, but they probably wouldn't let him take it in the school, and the only other option was to leave it out here. Axle climbed into his seat, The professor climbing in after telling the others to go ahead and give their recount of events first. After they left and Axle was given directions, he took out his key and turned the ignition in a motion he has done hundreds of times. As the engine roared to life, he remembered that the locals apparently weren't accustomed to loud cars, evident in how startled the Professor was. Not only him either, Axle looked up to see that every living being on campus had snapped their heads at the obnoxious noise, except for the birds, which had flown from the trees in swarms. One group of unlucky students got covered in the droppings of one particular flock. The biggest of the four, turned towards the cause of the chaos with anger, his once slicked back orange hair being ruined by one of the 'white bombs'.

Not at all in his element, Axle idled the car down the only path without students, feeling a tinge of annoyance as he went. The onlookers stared at the car well after it disappeared from sight around a corner of the main building, where the repeated detonations still resonated loud and clear, and were only silenced a few minutes later when the car had been turned off.

From the weapons workshop, Professor Port led him through several hallways, each lined with rooms of varying purpose, until they reached a set of elevator doors. As they approached, the doors opened of their own volition. The professor continued into the elevator, but Axle had halted in his tracks. "How…?"

The Professor gave a small chuckle of amusement. "I must apologize, The elevator sensed my scroll from a distance, and had brought itself down automatically."

Axle stepped in with more caution than when he first entered the hotel.

Yeah, definitely not in Kansas anymore.

The elevator closed its doors and gradually accelerated upwards, almost unnaturally smooth. It took a moment to reach the top of the rather tall tower, but when the doors opened, Axle was yet again blown away by a mechanical marvel. Though the tower looked simple enough from the outside, the inside was almost like wizardry. A comically large clock with exposed gears turned overhead. The contraption made a soft yet deep rumble as it moved, it was almost hypnotizing. Every second was marked with a muffled collision. A sound that only a Giant could register as a 'click'. The most puzzling thing was that it seemed to float of its own accord, suspended in the air by some unknown force. Axle had to applaud the man who designed this, but he would much rather settle for a regular sized clock.

"And you must be Axle Dumont, I presume?" Axle looked down from the contraption to a rather well polished, but ordinary in comparison, desk. Behind said desk sat a Man dressed in black attire, a green scarf, and whose face was adorned with small, round spectacles. The man, who Axle deduced as the Headmaster, had a striking appearance. Though he couldn't be much older than 30, his hair was snow white, and a cane leaned against his desk. His entire demeanor suggested formality, But his eyes, piercing and gold, screamed wisdom, experience, and ferocity. Next to him stood a woman dressed in a white button up blouse and black skirt. She had a pair of cat-eye glasses and her long blonde hair was wrapped up in a tight bun. Strangely, she wore a small cape colored deep purple on the inside and black on the outside. In her hands was a clipboard and a… riding crop? He decided that the stern gaze that only a veteran educator could pull off was more important than her appearance.

"I am." The Headmaster beckoned Axle forth to take a seat. "I've been told you might be able to help me out."

"That depends." The stranger fixed his glasses and took a swig of a brown substance that Axle thought might be that coffee stuff that Francis always said was the best. "On the story you give me, and the parts you choose to withhold. But first, let me introduce myself, I am Headmaster Ozpin, and this is my assistant Glynda Goodwitch. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He reached his hand forward for Axle to grasp it. He could already tell that this was no ordinary person, This 'Ozpin' gave an impression of all-encompassing knowledge and uncanny persuasiveness, like he could convince you that your body and mind weren't your own. But Axle wasn't going to play this game again, There was only one other person that gave off that feeling.

Axle returned the gesture, it was one he had abandoned after the attack. He was more cautious of this man than any he had ever been in the presence of. Giving Ozpin the impression that he was about as manipulable as a mountain was the best option for him, Axle needed him to think he could not be swayed with words. While remaining on high alert, and fighting off the lingering exhaustion from the last few days, Axle took the hand that was offered "I was taught that you can judge a man from his handshake, but I soon found that the eyes are much more telling, especially when there are ulterior motives involved."

The members of team CFVY tensed up, Professor Port raised a questioning eyebrow, And Ms. Goodwitch glared at the disrespectful tone and the rude suggestion. The headmaster just smiled.

Oh? I think you've found quite the extraordinary young man, Peter.

"I am inclined to agree, Mister Dumont. Though I must admit, you seem quite distrusting, have I or anyone here provoked you?"

Axle knew that he wasn't a good enough liar to get around him. He also knew this meeting was going to be more akin to a game of chess rather than a conversation. "You remind me of the man who sent me here, and I don't trust you. Call it… a gut feeling."

Everyone else was now confused, Mainly the team, who remember him saying that he needed help figuring out how he got here. The only one who wasn't was Ozpin, who was already interested in where this was going. "And who would that be?"

Once again, Axle was fighting a battle between his mind and his self-preservation instincts. He didn't want anyone to know anything about him, but he needed them to trust him. What he was about to do was the biggest leap of faith he had ever taken in his life. He told them the truth. "Originally, I needed help to find out how I got here. The truth is, I already know part of it, and it's in the form of a man named Griffa."

The mentioning of the old wandering shaman's name seemed to pique Ozpin's interest, evident in the way his eyes seemed to 'refocus' to Axle. But he moved on, ignoring his suspicious takes on the Headmaster.

Axle began the recount with his campaign against Blood Tail and his allies. After describing in detail the many months of his journey and the eventual run in with the war convoy, He then brought up his interaction with Griffa, and gave a summary of their exchange. This included the whole 'giving of a new life' speech and being knocked unconscious by the mystery powder. Next was his awakening in a completely different environment, mentioning how impossible it was for wild plants to grow in any region near him, as well as the presence of rain. It wasn't long before Axle made it to his first encounter with the Professor and team CFVY, and the eventual result of it. And the events thereafter had already been reported by the four students on his left.

Axle intentionally left out several details, those being Griffa's reappearance (For Ozpin asked too many questions about the first), The murdering of his people (for personal reasons), and the white plastic cards he snagged from the garage (He needed to figure out what they were first).

All in all, the story lasted almost two hours, as some of his many adventures needed some context for his audience to understand.

Like one instance where he had a nasty run in with the apostles of Aphrodite and his narrow escape from becoming a 'vessel of divinity', A fancy name for the people who undergo the process of altering, which in his case would've been going from an outie to an innie. The Apostles believed that the divide between Men and women could only be solved by making them switch places and have intercourse. Many died during the operation, A fate wished for by those who didn't. After personally freeing many of the victims, Axle could go into detail about the gruesome things he saw, But thought better of it as it was sure to traumatize the already mortified team CFVY.

The three adults in the room, who were severely disturbed, had asked him to leave out any tales similar to that one. Axle didn't mind, as it had saved them all about three extra hours of messed up stuff he had seen.

"And so you see now, If I had told them everything, I would've been branded a lunatic. I don't believe a lot of it myself, I very well could be crazy and not know it." Axle concluded with a swig of water that Ozpin had called to have brought up.

Axle was spent, He had remembered things that were better left buried in the darkest places of his psyche. He had worked himself up during his description of the wasteland, way more than he intended to, but he couldn't help the emotions from resurfacing. He had more social interaction in the past couple days than he had in almost… A year? Or was it more? And after his long winded rant, he realized just how unstable he was. He had always used his hatred against Blood Tail and the Snake worshippers, but now that he wasn't focused on them for once, His hard and unforgiving life was catching up to him all at once.

Everyone in the room was silent, not knowing what to make of Axle anymore. He had seemed at first to just be some petty thief who didn't like people very much, who then became a liar and spouted nonsense about another world. But now? He was something else entirely. Some of the things he described made them feel almost sorry for him, while some of the things he said he did, while usually justified, made them wary of him and his mental and emotional state. He had started by staying mostly impassive and brief, but the farther he went, the more he remembered, the more he retold in detail and with anger. On more than one occasion, he let slip some of the punishments he had given to people who committed horrible acts of brutality and evil, and let's just say… He got creative.

Ozpin sat behind his desk with his hands clasped, reviewing some of the key details in his head, but what was at the forefront of his mind was the poor soul in front of him. He had seen many things and met many people in his time on remnant, and nothing had prepared him for this. Ozpin had realized some time in, that Axle was not steady with himself. He had watched as the young man's fortitude eroded and his stress and trauma resurface. But what was truly alarming about it was not the show of negative emotions. No.

It was the restraint.

It was similar to what he had seen in veterans of war, only multiplied nearly tenfold. While everyone else likely thought that Axle had a complete breakdown, Ozpin could see it was just a vent to relieve the pressure. And he didn't need a specified semblance to see that this single boy had accumulated such a sheer amount of negative emotions that it would make life impossible in his current state. Even if he could somehow maintain control over himself, Grim would swarm in from miles around.

Wait a Minute.

"Mister Dumont?"

Axle looked up from the floor to meet the Headmaster's gaze.

"By any chance, do you remember if you were having any nightmares while you were asleep in that parking garage where you first arrived?"

Axle furrowed his brow. "Yes, I did. How did you know that? And what does that have to do with anything?"

"I believe you."

"What?"

"I believe everything you told us was true." Ozpin was now the center of attention, as no one saw any connection between the two. Except for one.

Glynda was the first to catch on, Her eyes lighting up in realization. "Headmaster, surely you don't mean to say that he… that the cause of-?"

"But that's exactly what I mean." Port caught on as well, him and Goodwitch eyeing Axle with looks of mixed shock and concern.

"My heavens. It should not be. It isn't right." Port's worried tone was making the remaining five in the room become anxious.

Coco was the first to speak up, itching to be let in on whatever the big revelation was. "Can someone PLEASE explain what exactly is going on?"

"Miss Adel, why did I dispatch your team to Mountain Glenn in the first place?" Ozpin knew she was smart enough to figure it out. She just needed a push.

Coco's instinctive response was sarcasm to the all too familiar the-question-is-the-answer speech from the headmaster, but it quickly dawned on her the significance of the man in the chair. "You sent us because there was some stupid anomaly…" She then looked at Axle in true awe for what she now understood. "...Attracting a large amount of Grimm."

The rest of the team came to the same conclusion she did. Fox was the next one to say anything. "And when he was asleep for a day, recovering from his wounds, we were surrounded by a multitude of Grimm. He wasn't behaving as if he had nightmares, but he was in pain."

Axle just about had enough of this. "Why does my nightmares or being in pain have anything to do with anything?"

Ozpin knew that it would be impossible for Axle to understand the situation, for it was now obvious that he had never been an occupant of Remnant. "Well mister Dumont, I'm unsure if you were in fact told everything, So I'll enlighten you. I sent Team CFVY to Mountain Glenn under Professor Port's watch because there was an astounding amount of Grimm gathered there, record breaking even, drawn to some unknown 'something'. Now if you can recall, Grimm are attracted to negative emotions, It's what makes them so effective at hunting the people of this world. I sent them the day after the anomaly appeared. That night was when they came into contact with you."

Axle now became aware of what they were insinuating. While he was awake/conscious, he didn't really come across that many Grimm, except for when he was injured. But there had been enough Grimm to pin the team and the Professor in one spot, which he hadn't seen because he was asleep, which was also when he couldn't actively control his emotions. And if these monsters are attracted to negativity…

Well ain't that just swell.

Axle was mulling over the many implicated problems when he was brought back by the Headmaster. "Now I am aware that we specifically asked you to spare us rather… vivid stories, but is it safe to assume that they are numerous?"

Axle nodded his response.

The Headmaster clasped his hands together on his desk, mainly to appear as if he needed to think on a solution to the current problem, truthfully though, He had reached one long before This young man in front of him finished his recount of a arduous journey. It was one that might prove interesting if possible, and difficult as well. He just needed to confirm a hunch first. "If I may, How old are you, Mister Dumont?"

It was now Axle's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I don't see how that pertains to-"

"Please just humor me, if you will." The students were wondering what the headmaster was up to, as the interruption was very uncharacteristic of him. Professor Port and Ms. Goodwitch however, had a good idea of what was happening.

When he didn't answer right away, Coco decided to take this opportunity to maybe win some cash. "Hey Fox, I bet you 127 lien that he's 25."

"That's unfair, I can't even see what he looks like." Coco was still leaning towards her partner. "28"

She knew that he knew the exact amount for a bottle of "Finnigan's original extra resilient body lotion", Her preferred brand, which was something he can acutely remember after that particular trip to the beach. Velvet struggled to suppress the blush from forming as she also remembered that trip to the beach. For any of the other beachgoers, they would've only seen a boy putting sunscreen on his girlfriend. But they were lacking two critical details. One, He was blind, Which completely changed the whole experience for the both of them. The second was that she let him do the front as well as the back… without her bikini.

It was awkward at times for her and Yatsu with how wild their teammate's relationship was, especially since both her and her partner were very reserved and modest.

She was saved from her thoughts when Yatsu nudged Coco and Fox. "254 says he is 26 and a half."

"You can't do 'and a half', That gives you two chances to win." They made it a rule for bets like these that whoever was closest would win cash, so by chance Axle was 26 or 27, Yatsu would get the pot.

"That's why I doubled my slice." His logic was sound enough to make Coco relent.

Velvet couldn't believe how childish they were being.

Although…

508 Lien is a pretty big chunk of cash, and would mean she could afford to splurge on that dress she wanted for this year's dance. "I don't know, He sounds pretty young to me, my bet is 23."

"Oh Ho, even Vel is in on it, Something must be-"

"Ahem!" They disengaged from each other to see that everyone was staring at them, with expressions that showed their entire conversation was overheard. While the headmaster, Professor Port, and even Axle were looking at them with amusement, Ms. Goodwitch appeared quite disapproving of their antics. "Might I remind you that you are now in your second year and practically Huntsmen and Huntresses, which means that you are to handle yourselves with a certain level of professionalism and dignity that is befitting for those of such a position."

"Ms. Goodwitch is right students, Such behavior is unbecoming of you, and is definitely not reflective of how you handled your mission." They all but lost the wind in their sails now, giving a round of murmured apologies. Then the Professor put a hand up to the side of his mouth, feigning to hide his words from his coworker, while whispering almost comically loud. "I'll take a half gamble and say 24, that's the age I first got my moustache."

Goodwitch had a difficult time trying to glare at both sides of the room and Ozpin, one with the merry man, and the other with the now grinning team CFVY. Ozpin was under fire because of the Chuckle he failed in holding.

Glynda and Peter had been at odds for years now, and the reasons were the very same that urged him to hire them both. "Well, Mister Dumont, I believe you have become the source of a bet, one with an attractive sum of cash."

"Yeah, I think you're right. Is it whoever gets it right, or is it whoever is closest?" Axle looked at the team leader for the answer, when she mouthed 'closest', he made his decision. He was hesitant on letting them know his age, but seeing the more casual side of team CFVY had made him change his mind, it had reminded him of better times. "Well in that case, congratulations Velvet, You're closest with 23, but you're still off by five years."

…

"WHAT!?" Coco's outburst was definitely not the professionalism that she had just been lectured about only a few moments ago, but as she went on about how 'he was no way the same age as her' Ozpin's smile was only caught by his assistant, who was rolling her eyes at his now obvious plan, and the merry Professor, who had knowingly thrown his bet to spoil his students just a little.

Ozpin was pouring himself a new cup of coffee when he had made a statement that was somehow heard over the cries of 'LIAR' from Coco. "Well, It's settled then."

When the room was silent and all eyes were on him, Ozpin decided to put his cards on the table. "With my position as Headmaster of this Academy and a Huntsmen, I can give you a very unique offer, almost as unique as your current circumstances. You see, Mister Dumont, things like this are not common in Remnant. And as much influence as I have, 'interdimensional travel' is not a proper reason for being offered refuge at the various charities found all around, so finding a place for you to live, or a place to make a living, would be a very daunting task indeed. Pair that with, and I mean no offense, your problematic mental state which could endanger anyone in a several mile radius within your sleeping self, and we have a severe issue. One that is made solvable with your age, and combat experience."

Axle was listening to him intently, wondering why It would take so much justification to get to the point. "What are you getting at?"

Ozpin took a long swig from his mug before giving his last piece. "What I offer is quite simple, a chance to be enrolled as a student here at Beacon."

"Woah, Don't you think that's just a wee bit, I dunno, illegal Professor." Coco's whole demeanor flipped around. As much as she was a troublemaker, She knew that rules could only bend to a certain point. "I mean, isn't there a whole process needed to even qualify to go here?"

Ozpin had to smile once again as his next little scheme formed. "Not always, Miss Adel. Some students can skip the preliminary tests and evaluations if they receive a recommendation from a teacher within the school, and although I have already used mine, I don't believe you have, right Professor?"

"Now that you mention it, I haven't. And after seeing his tenacity in Mountain Glenn, even if it was against us, I have no qualms on giving it to Mister Dumont." Professor Port was ever jubilant, even with a matter as delicate as this.

"Not only that, Under the recently introduced transfer laws, 'any student entering the Academy from outside of the Kingdom of Vale is granted citizenship.' Meaning we can give you an identity and make you a proper resident of Vale. Not only that, If you become a student here, you can live with free room and board while learning all about our world without endangering anyone, as the school is fully equipped to deal with Grimm hordes. So I ask, Will you accept?"

Axle was hesitant, As good as it sounded, He wasn't comfortable becoming that indebted to someone he had just met. Not to mention, the amount of risk he was taking to persuade him to enroll was suspicious. On top of that, Axle had never gone to a school before. Of course he knew what a school was, as he had listened to all the older members of his settlement talk about their school days, But the children were always taught in a more one on one type of learning. His teachers he chose to learn from were Francis, for one, then there was Mr. Fielder, the gunsmith, and the couple mechanics always juggled me around to help with the varying odd jobs around the town, and he did what they called 'common' classes with Ms. Fairbrinks. But he never really learned anything at a desk with paper and pencil, he was always running around, that wasn't to say he was bad at things like math or history (although history doesn't really apply anymore), It's just that he was a lot better at hands-on stuff.

As if reading his mind, Ozpin added a little more flavor to the deal. "So you are aware, we have many different work opportunities to let students earn money for themselves, so if in the end the scholarly life isn't for you, you can at least have work experience that might land you a job elsewhere."

Axle was honestly enticed, he could have every basic necessity and more provided. There was just one thing, a big thing that took importance over everything else…

...and Ozpin seemed to have guessed it. "Oh, I forgot to mention that a space in the bullhead hangers will be provided for your vehicle, one that is secluded from the rest of the building and will be only accessible by you, and anyone you deem trustworthy enough. You will also have every tool on the campus at your disposal, although I can't promise they are all applicable as I've been told you have a very one of a kind mode of transport."

Axle stayed silent as he scanned the Headmaster, searching for a reason why he would be so generous. It didn't make any sense at all to him. But maybe that's just how people were here. Maybe hospitality is a highly valued custom here. Whatever the case, Axle knew that he had very little options, Even though he could survive on his own, just as before, He had to repay them, or rather, her for saving his life. Besides, His Charger was tired.

"Alright, I accept."

Ozpin gave Axle a friendly smirk, glad he finally came around. "Ah, excellent. I was worried that the groundskeepers prepared the garage for nothing."

Axle perked up at the tail end of Ozpin's words. "Wait, You knew-"

He wouldn't have the chance to finish, as Ozpin carried on. "Well, The hour has gotten late and I can tell that you are all in need of well deserved rest. Glynda, Could you escort Mr. Dumont and team CFVY to their new room whilst I fill out the required paperwork for our new student. And before you protest, There is a very simple reason why I have you all together." Coco, along with Axle, was ready to argue against the sleeping arrangements but had been halted.

Ozpin stood from his desk and walked around to the front, gesturing for Axle to stand as well, his face switched to one of absolute seriousness and had squared his shoulders ever so slightly. "Beacon is a place of learning and growth, and one of its core values is cooperation. I had already finalized the number of students to have exactly four members to a team, until you came along. In order for you to benefit from this like everyone else, I will have you work with various teams of my choosing, who those are haven't been decided yet, but the first will be team CFVY since you have already had plenty of interaction with them. In this, I will not be lenient, so it is your best interest to be willing to 'play nice'. Can you accomplish this?"

Axle gave a nod. He may not like it, but he wasn't going to let something as small as this be his undoing. Just because he was alone for a while doesn't mean he didn't know how to work with someone else. Francis was a military man, and he trained him and every other fighter in the settlement to behave like soldiers. In fact, He purposely forced us to be in groups of people who didn't like each other.

Ozpin let himself relax, his casual side resurfacing once again, along with his friendly smile. "Well then, Welcome to Beacon."

He walked back around to his chair and took a seat. Ms. Goodwitch started towards the elevator with Team CFVY and Axle in tow. Before they made it to the door, however, they were stopped by Ozpin. "Before you forget, I believe Ms. Scarlatina is owed a sum of 571.50 Lien."

Professor Port chuckled as he drew his wallet from a pocket within his coat, the others groaning as they too began to count out their owed amounts until they all eventually walked past velvet in a line handing her varying amounts of lien. Velvet was grinning happily all the while. After they all entered the elevator and began their descent, She whistled to herself while counting and organizing the little cards by color.

Professor Port gave his best shot at making small talk with five sleep deprived teenagers, three of which were grumpy at their loss and one just generally grumpy, he decided the most talkative one would be the happiest of them currently. "So, have you decided what to do with your winnings?"

Velvet, too tired and happy to care about the attitudes around her, answered with an amount of cheer that was stunning in their current condition. "Well 500 of it is going towards a dress I've been eyeing for some time now, and I think the rest will go into the matching shoes."

"Oh, For the dance, I presume?" the professor was answered with a nod from the gleeful girl. "Well, your dance partner to be is one lucky lad or lady, reminds me of when I myself was a young strapping lad. I was the prize to be won among the girls." He finished by flexing his arms in a pose favored by bodybuilders. He might've even been able to pull it off if it weren't for his protruding midsection.

The elevator was filled with the eye rolling often attributed to the professor's boast's, Coco groaning at the all too familiar antics. He was known to throw out cheesy one-liners and act all Macho when it came to members of the opposite sex, and he was infamous for his raunchy jokes that any middle schooler would envy.

"Peter, leave poor Scarlatina alone, for all our sakes." That was all Ms. Goodwitch needed to unintentionally egg him on.

Professor Port looked over to her and raised an eyebrow. "Oh come now, You were aiming to steal the show as well. After all, if I remember correctly, the former headmaster had to rewrite the dress code to prevent you from being expelled after your first year debut."

It took every ounce of willpower to keep a blush from forming on her face, but Ms. Goodwitch's face had tinged with pink when Coco turned to Professor port and gave the most devious. "OH Do tell."

The Professor leaned forward and whispered ever so quietly, but still loud enough to be heard in the small room. "Well, I'm not versed with clothing terminology, but she wore an eastern style dress with slits down the sides, which Was fashionable at the time. What caused the scandal was the fact that the only thing she had for a top was a three inch strip of leather that wrapped around-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH PROFESSOR." Ms. Goodwitch was bright red now, as apparently Her colleague had an impeccable memory. "It was called a belt top and it wasn't three inches, it was five. And he didn't have to rewrite the code because of me. Honestly, your stories keep getting more and more exaggerated."

He could tell that the normally stoic woman was about to snap, so he toned down his last taunt. "Yes well, I don't think there was one lad looking at his own partner."

The entirety of team CFVY were dumbfounded, they, of course, didn't show it because of the sound of Goodwitch's riding crop creaking from the grip she was giving it. She eventually calmed herself down, only because getting angry would only make him continue. "That's what was popular then, can you fault me for following the trends at that age."

"No, I suppose not." and the Professor's finishing note would be the last thing said between him and them as the elevator doors opened and they split paths, he bid them goodnight first. After he had left, Ms. Goodwitch led them through the long corridors of Beacon Academy, Taking them into the second year wing, and passing the room that was originally assigned to CFVY. She kept on walking until she reached the very end of the Hallway. There stood a single entrance identical to all the white doors lining the rest of the dorms except for one thing, It was a set of double doors.

used her scroll to activate the assigning mode on the lock, gesturing for the four team members to pair their scrolls to it. After the process was complete, Goodwitch opened the doors and walked in, the lights turning on as soon as they sensed motion. When their new room was revealed, Team CFVY realised being babysitter to their new classmate might've been for the best.

The first thing to catch their gaze was a large kitchen, equipped with a commercial size… everything really. The stove, the fridge, the deep freezer. The countertops were made of white marble, with a matching island floating in the middle. Literally floating, whether by gravity dust or magnets, they couldn't tell. There was even a full sized flat grill along one wall. All the appliances were stainless steel, along with the cabinets. It was any chef's dream kitchen.

In Beacon dorm fashion, The next room over was the sleeping area with five beds instead of the usual four. The difference was that it was three times bigger and had 80% of the floor sunk down to fit the borderline theater size TV with surround sound built into the walls. There were two doors on either side of the far wall. The first was a large room with large desks with built-in holo-screens for studying on one half, while the other had twin workbenches and a sparring area that looked to be made with the same stone from the arena in the floor and ceiling, this was also paired with a energy field that could be generated to allow the use of firearms.

The second door was also a two in one combo. When they first walked in it was a large closet that was about the size of a normal dorm, there might've even been enough clothes racks to fit Coco's wardrobe. But as they walked on, there was another door that led into the fanciest bathroom any of them had ever seen (especially in Axle's case). It was a mix of white, black-speckled marble and black, white-speckled marble, with what seemed to be Brass accents on everything. There was a large walk-in shower where the entire ceiling was shower heads, which you could custom select which ones to use from a holo screen built into the wall closest to the door. Across from the shower was a large iron jacuzzi tub laid into the floor. By the jet arrangement and size, it was safe to assume that this was designed to hold a large group of people. The back wall was taken up by the fully stocked laundry area complete with a premium washer and dryer set. The most eye-catching part though, was the large mosaic of a King Taijitu that merged the two contrasting colors together beautifully.

Coco was elated to say the least. "Where was this last year!"

"This was originally meant for the dorm managers back when Beacon had them. They were closed off for years until Headmaster Ozpin had them refurbished. He wanted to use them as an incentive for students to do better, it backfired however as there would be one team that would succeed in earning the room, which made the others lackadaisical in their studies as they could no longer get the room. Now he is offering it to you as long as you are grouped with Mr. Dumont." They were only half heartedly listening to Goodwitch, their room took precedence over their teacher.

"All of your luggage has been moved here and placed next to your beds, excluding yours Mr. Dumont." The disciplinarian turned and made to exit the room, bidding them goodnight before closing the doors and leaving the group to their own devices.

The first thing they did was abandon their packs that they had been carrying four the last few days, along with their equipment. Coco was already moving towards the bathroom. "I call dibs!"

"Woah there partner, normally I wouldn't dream of getting between you and the bathroom, but don't you think we have a certain someone who needs it more than you." Fox didn't need to see to know what direction Axle was to nod his head, He could smell him.

While the members of CFVY were grimy from their expedition, they were immaculate compared to him. It had been almost two years since he had a shower or even a change of clothes. The heat and constant running had left his hair mangled and plastered to his head with grease, the few areas of skin left exposed were a handful of shades darker than they were supposed to be from dirt. His once white under shirt had become a patchwork of brown and yellow, and was visibly stretched and tattered from his travels, His pants weren't faring any better. He was sure he had some decent cavities in his teeth, as he had lost his tooth brush a few months back. Overall, they would say he looked homeless (Which he technically was), but he was even beyond that with the several bloodstains dotting various parts of his attire. Not to mention, he reeked like death, they just hadn't noticed until now because of their eventful day.

Coco took a moment to evaluate him, Battling her desire for a bath and her disgust at their new roommate. The disgust eventually won out. "First things first, You need to know how to use the washer."

From there, Axle was taught how to operate all of the different interfaces around the bathroom, going into special detail on what settings to use to make his clothes somewhat decent, at least until he got some new ones. When everything had been covered, Coco shoved A towel, a brush, a shaving razor, and a set of various soaps that he was drilled to know how much to use and when. "And remember, to use the toothpaste when you brush your teeth. And don't you Dare use more shampoo than I showed you, or you're gonna work off a new bottle's worth."

With that, Coco shut the door and Axle was left alone. Not wasting any time, He set everything on the counter and peeled off his rags and bloody bandages. He put them in the washer (without the bandages) and put them on the 'Express wash' and 'Heavy soil' settings. He pressed the few buttons he knew how to use. Three of the shower heads began to pour steaming hot water down from above, slowly covering any glass in the room with a layer of condensation. He was about to step when he had a change of heart. Adjusting the slider on the screen, Axle changed the temperature from hot to just a little cooler than lukewarm. A habit he had when coming back from a scavenging trip on those particularly hot days.

He stuck his hand in and let the cool water wipe the dirt from his palm for a moment, He then stepped fully into the shower and Oh heavens above…

He didn't know how much he missed this.

He decided to indulge, wanting a 7 minute shower instead of the normal 3 max. But his sore arms had difficulty battling the beast on top of his own head, the hair brush losing a few bristles as it tried to divert the system of vines that had formed. By the time he was finished, 10 minutes had gone by. Cursing under his breath, Axle shut off the water immediately and began to furiously dry himself off. He couldn't even properly enjoy the feeling of being clean, his body spurred on by the memory of his more rebellious stage.

After a rigorous endurance workout, he had decided to take 2 extra minutes to himself. As soon as the timer had hit 3:01, Francis kicked in the door and hauled him out of the shower, still very naked, with speed and strength that made Axle wonder if the wrinkled skin was fake. He never made that mistake again.

After he had finished shaving and brushing his teeth (experiences he also sorely missed), He looked and saw his clothes were nowhere near done. He was debating on pulling them out early when he noticed something in the mirror. Axle turned towards the bathroom door where there hung a bundle of cloth and a note. He picked up the piece of paper that was written with very pretty penmanship, but to the point where he struggled to read it.

We thought you might not want to sleep in your old clothes. So Yatsu lent you one of his pajama sets. They might be a bit big, but Fox wears a smaller size than you, sorry.

-C.

He set the note down and unwrapped the articles. His eyes were met with dark green and black plaid pajama pants with a more mint green button up pajama shirt. He donned the gifted clothes and looked in the mirror. They were baggy, ridiculously so. The draw strings hung down almost a foot and a half, while tied. The sleeves of the shirt hung down nearly past his knees, and his chest was almost completely exposed. He decided to forgo the shirt, folding it back up how he was taught to way back when. He took a moment to study his wounds, at least, where they should've been. The area where he was shot was completely healed, only healthy skin was left. There were no marks left by the bear at all. He actually forgot that they had supposedly unlocked his 'aura'. As crazy as the concept seemed to him, it must've done something for him. The only new scar he had was on his wrist, where the wolf had nearly shredded it, his gauntlet must've dug into his flesh without his knowledge. He also still had all his old scars from before. He could only guess that if a wound was left untreated for too long or if it was too severe, then aura couldn't erase it entirely.

He looked for a little longer and then gave a small 'humph' as he tossed his towel over by the laundry as he was instructed. Taking the unused shirt in his hand he walked out of the bathroom and out of the closet it was attached to. The others were talking amongst themselves, only noticing his arrival when he passed the shirt to Yatsu.

When they looked at them, Velvet immediately looked back away, Yatsu just put his shirt away. Fox couldn't actually see so he was unfazed. Coco just had an expression unfamiliar to Axle, and addressed him in a way that he couldn't place. "Woah, you cleaned up nice."

He then realized that she wasn't looking him in the eye, but rather at the rest of him.

Up until now, they have only seen him as mangy. But it seemed he knew how to take care of himself when he had the right stuff. His skin now showed clear, it was lighter than they had presumed, more of a tanned white rather than the darker tone that they first saw. His brown hair was slicked back neatly and his rough almost-beard was gone, replaced with a perfectly clean shaven jaw. His teeth, although not white quite yet, were leagues better than what they were just a few minutes ago. And something that Coco couldn't help noticing, was his well sculpted form. A diet of practically no carbs or fats and pure protein, paired with the hardships of his life had molded his body to one that any athlete would dream of. Over top of his chest and abs sat a thin layer of body hair that gave a very well-rounded masculine look, something that most of the first and second year boys lacked. All in all, He was in fact handsome, plain and simple. But his face said that he was indifferent to the subtle ogling. He wasn't the friendly type.

One thing that Coco hadn't noticed before, was the collection of scars that Axle had crisscrossing over his body, likely hidden by dirt or they were just too focused on patching him up. She still can hardly comprehend that he was the same age as them. Her attention was drawn back to his face when he gave his annoyed reply. "I'm not an animal."

"That's still up for debate." He shot a look that clearly said he was done with games tonight. She and Velvet started gathering their bathing things and were preparing to commandeer the bathroom. "So far you've already ditched the shirt. And we still got to test you for rabies."

Axle ignored her and went over to the only bed that wasn't taken. On top of it rested his favored jacket, the sleeve torn and bloodstained, and the leather tarnished by the many scuffles he had gotten himself into. He picked it up, running his hand over the damages. Coco noticed this and changed her tone to one less taunting and more sympathetic. "I know a shop in town that can fix that, even take out the stains. They could have that thing looking brand new in an hour."

He looked at her quizzically, wondering why now she was being nicer. Nothing was said though, she eventually disappeared with Velvet behind the door. He raised his eyebrow, now wondering about something else entirely, Yatsu was the one to offer an explanation. "One's using the tub, the other the shower. It's already 3:23 in the morning, so we're doubling up on bathroom time."

Axle shrugged and sat on the bed, hanging his jacket off of the bedpost. The three boys sat in silence, not one of them in the mood for conversation. Eventually, Yatsu stood and made his way to the kitchen. As soon as he opened the big freezer, Fox shot up from his lying position and went after the big man. "Got anything good?"

"Actually, we do." Curious, Axle watched as Yatsu reached down and pulled out a cardboard box, then proceeded to tear open one end and retrieve three white packages from it. He gave one to Fox who gave a shout of 'HELL YEAH', and then tossed one to Axle who caught it, unprepared for the sudden extreme cold his hand felt. Instinctively, he dropped it on the bed. Yatsu and Fox sat back down on their beds and opened up their packages and began eating whatever they pulled out of it. Axle looked back at his own and opened it up like they did. He had no clue what he was holding in his hand. It was a light brown, patterned cone with a matte brown sphere on top that was covered in little chunks of something he couldn't name. "What is this?"

Yatsu and Fox both looked at him in confusion, the former being much more vocal. "You're joking, right?"

Yatsu's eyes opened in realization. Axle had grown up in a wasteland, according to him. If that was true, then there were probably no cows. He cracked a small smile. "Go ahead, try it. You'll like it, I promise. Just remember that it's really cold."

Keeping his eye on them both out of suspicion, Axle slowly slowly took a bite, He made it two chews in before his eyes fell back down at his treat, his face full of disbelief. "This is…"

Yatsu decided to give him a name for the little sweet ball of flavor. "It's called an 'ice-o-phone', and they are delicious. I take it, you've never had ice cream before?"

He had to wait for Axle to finish his second bite for him to answer. "No. I was only told stories. It's damn delicious."

They all then returned to silence again, but a much more casual one as they all finished off their cones. When they threw the wrappers away, they all sat back down, Yatsu and Fox then telling Axle all about the different foods he was going to try as soon as they went into town. A prospect that he wasn't all that thrilled for, but if even one meal down there was half as good as that ice cream cone, then he might consider it. They continued talking until The girls got out of the bathroom, both each having their own ice-o-phone as Fox and Yatsu took over the bathroom. Leaving Axle alone with Coco and Velvet.

No one had much to say, as they were too tired to really think of anything. C and V both went around the room, taking stock of all the different things they had, from food in the kitchen to books in the study/sparring room. They were short on nothing.

It didn't take long for F and Y to finish up and soon they all were preparing for bed. The lights were off and everyone was already asleep by the time they hit their pillows. Everyone except for Axle, who was having a hard time getting comfortable on the excessively soft mattress. After a few more minutes of tossing and turning, He opted to sleep on the hardwood floor instead. It still wasn't his car's seat, which he was accustomed to, but it was all he could get.

He laid there, replaying the events of the past few days over and over, still not quite believing everything. It wouldn't be long, however, until he too succumbed to unconsciousness. Luckily he was sleeping too deep for his nightmares to resurface, letting him have a restful sleep. Which was good, for it meant he would be more prepared for tomorrow.

Hopefully.