*A random hallway, Beacon Academy*
The search so far, had borne no results for Adrian and his rosy companion. Every hallway, every vacant room and balcony they had been through, Weiss wasn't to be found in it. Despite the context of this hunt particularly contradictory, Adrian thought it would be a good idea to know Weiss' location beforehand.
"Can't… keep walking." Ruby collapsed onto the carpet of the hallway and laid down in absolute bliss, for the time she was on it.
"We've been walking for 6 minutes. Get up." Adrian grabbed the petite girl by her shirt collar and dragged her, Ruby resisting Adrian's grip as one pulled the other's weight.
"You're a leader sure, but you still have a lot to improve on." Adrian chided as he continued to drag the freshly-appointed leader.
"Can't you teach me?" Ruby asked, finally resolute into letting Adrian drag her to where ever he was going.
"I already said, I never wanted to be a leader. What's there to teach anyway?" Adrian answered blankly letting go of Ruby as their march continued.
"Lots of things! Besides, you looked pretty happy leading us during initiation." Ruby chimed as she got up and dusted herself up.
"Well you'd be dead if I didn't. I just like fighting that's all." Adrian laid back against a wall. "If you're tired, then let's rest."
"Sure." Ruby sat down and laid onto the wall facing Adrian. "So, you like fighting others?"
"The HECU tends to train that idea into its recruits." Adrian said to the girl. "Doesn't mean we kill for the fun of it though, most of us anyway." He knew, somewhere in himself that the HECU had died at Black Mesa, he wondered how long he could keep the façade up.
"Do you… kill people then?" Ruby slowly let out. Adrian let out a small click before rubbing his head.
"When it's necessary. The operations I went through don't tend to be the friendliest." Adrian coughed and went back to lying against the wall.
"But you don't have to kill people, you could just-
"Just can it. I don't want to learn about how my morality is wrong on all accords, this search for Weiss is draining me out already." Adrian let out a loud groan as she got himself standing and turned to the girl in red. "You coming kid?"
"Sure, I guess." Ruby squeaked as she also stood up before accompanying the man in green.
None of them talked for the last few minutes. Adrian was severely disappointed in how idealistic these kids were, sure they may have the same amount of aura and bravado as a sergeant would, but at least the sergeants knew killing was necessary. Do or die, the aliens and Black Operations back at Black Mesa had taught him that lesson.
Much could be said for Ruby, maybe Adrian wasn't the ideal person she had saw him as, but rather just a someone trying to tread through life as carefully as he could. She would never come to terms of killing a person, it was evil, and it made the killers as bad as the villains running amuck in Vale.
But did that make Adrian a bad person? That would be a yes and no answer.
She heard the sigh of a disgruntled man as Adrian spoke to her. "See me for who you want to see, but being a protector means you're going have to permanently put down a few folks. If you want to make the world sunshine and rainbows, go for it. But good luck spending the rest of your life doing that."
Ruby let his words sink in. Did being a Huntress really mean she'd have to murder? No, she could change that, she didn't have to slaughter just to protect, but she couldn't help thinking he was right, she wanted to be like the heroes in the tales her mom used to tell her, or was that just a façade too, that being a hero meant doing what the villains did?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the distinct sound of a Scroll, but it wasn't hers. Seeing Adrian take out his own and pick up however was calling him, she stood back as he did some talking with whoever was calling him.
"This is Shephard… Oh shit, I forgot… Yeah I'll be there soon. Where's the office… Okay, I should take care of a few things… Thanks Port, see you soon."
Adrian let out a whistle as the call ended, he knelt to the height where he could place his hand on Ruby's shoulder, coughing like he was going to start some presentation about politics before starting.
"I forgot to do something for the staff, so I got to go do that thing." Adrian rose and walked away. "If you find her, try and talk to her!"
"B-But what if I can't?!" The rosy girl shouted to Adrian.
"Just… alright here's my Scroll's number." Adrian held out said number for the girl to note down. "Just text me, or call me, preferably call me, if you find her. I'll talk, then you apologize."
Ruby watched as Adrian sprinted off to what she assumed to be Professor Port's office, she stood in silence as she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. Almost wanting to go back to the tree and sit, she shook her head. She had a mission, even if she was slightly scared of what could happen.
*Professor Port's Office, Beacon Academy*
Adrian sat in a chair as he stared at Port's admiringly large office. For a man who specialised in the fine arts of slaying Grimm with upmost efficiency, the room seemed to also scream that.
Taxidermy heads of various Grimm were fixed onto the walls, adjacent to a bookshelf containing vast volumes of Grimm-slaughtering material. Various enrichment posters of learning about the Grimm were strewn across the walls and a glass case containing an antique gun of sorts stood right next the door. Port's desk had several wooden statues of miniature Grimm and the reports of Beacon's students were piled neatly next to Port's right.
Talk about grim. Adrian subconsciously thought not even bothering to think about the pun he made.
"Now, I may not be an expert when it comes to what we use to slay the beasts outside our walls, but I am interested of the applications yours possess." Port opened the crate of his weapons and took out the first. "I'd just like a general description of what your weapons are capable of."
Adrian stared down at the first gun in front of him. "Oh, that one's a Beretta 92FS, runs on 9x19MM Parabellum rounds. It's basically a pea-shooter in terms of power but you won't know the amount of times it's saved me when scoring for headshots, deadly accurate. Also has a rapid-fire mode that lets it chew up more bullets in exchange for putting down something faster."
The professor nodded in approval of this new-found information as most of their talks had Adrian call out his weapons and other special tid-bits, like his Laser Tripmines or Satchel Charges. The Combat Knife and Pipe Wrench needed no explanation, with the Barnacle Grapple, Spore Launcher, Shock Roach and Displacer Cannon being the main points of discussion.
"Now, about this thing!" Port struggled to get a grip on the flailing bio-weapon as it attempted to escape the grasp of Port's hands as he pinned it onto the table.
Luckily for the sweating professor, Adrian went in to give the Spore Launcher a quick stroke on its "head", earning a coo as the weapon calmed down.
"Ah, thank you! Now I've seen many unique weapons in my life as a Huntsman, but a bio-organic weapon? Say there's a lot of right and wrong with that."
"True, but I don't think it cares, nor knows of what I do with it." Adrian gave the Spore Launcher a pat on the head.
"Perhaps you're correct. Still, it acts almost affectionate to you." Port would notice that the thing would flail whenever Port made contact with it.
"Considering I freed it from a glass container, care for it constantly and feed it consistently, I say it's thought process is pretty understandable." Adrian shrugged and watch the Spore Launcher lay dormant on Port's now messy table.
"About feeding, I and Professor Peach noticed that this creature regurgitates the fruit it consumes, I can only assume this is through force?" Port raised a brow at the marine.
"I may have kept it barely alive during my time at Black Mesa, but it's better than it being left for dead in that container and me having slightly less of a chance to get out of there alive." Adrian harrumphed. "I had my teams, but you know what happened to them…"
"Let's not bask on those topics." Port stayed silent for some time before speaking.
Port continued. "Forgive me for forgetting to tell you, but I'm also collaborating with Peach to make sure these bio-organic weapons are housed safely as you are. I simply wish for permission to house them in your home rather than the few inconspicuous places we have here."
Adrian stared bewildered at what Port said. "I mean, I'm sure you could've come to a conclusion already, right?"
"Ozpin called upon housing them with you the best decision with the factors he's placed onto you, although he wanted to be polite and ask first." Port answered.
"Well talk about a gentleman huh? Anyway, as long as none of the kids around here see them and they get to my house safely, I say the staff can go ahead." Adrian smirked under his gas-mask.
Port gave a reassuring smile and moved onto the next weapon in Adrian's arsenal, the Barnacle Grapple. Although the thing was very much alive like the Spore Launcher, it remained timid, almost still as he placed it onto his table.
"Another bio-organic weapon, although I and Peach have found no indications of any offensive capabilities. Tell me, who does this one work." Port raised his head to stare into the green tint of Adrian's mask.
"Stick your hand into the rear."
"Stick my hand up what now?"
"Stick your hand into its ass, opening, I don't know what it is Port but it starts working when you do it." Adrian affirmed to the professor.
Port very reluctantly looked onto his right hand before with a disgusted look, proceeded to slowly push his hand into the hole of the Barnacle Grapple, with the thing starting to flail wildly as he did it. For Port it was the worst experience in his life, for Adrian it was another day in the office.
"Not pleasant, but you get used to it." Adrian blankly said.
"I don't think I want to get used to it." Port bared his teeth in worry as some of his arm was surrounded by the Barnacle Grapple. "Now as I said before, how does it work?"
"Well, it's not a weapon, more of a utility tool. I call it the Barnacle Grapple since it's a disconnected version of the Barnacles back at Black Mesa and it serves as an organic grapple hook." Adrian shuddered as he remembered a few unlucky scientists being eaten alive by Barnacles.
"Organic grapple hook…" Port inspected the bio-tool, a little more comfortable than before. "I assume it grapples onto organic objects?"
"Correct. If it's lighter than the thing itself, it'll drag it towards itself and eat it. If it's bigger, or attached to an organic surface, it'll drag the user towards what it's grappled to." Adrian explained.
"So, by example, if a mouse were to be grappled it would've been dragged towards the Barnacle and eaten. But if let's say, a human was to be grappled onto, then it would drag the user towards said human." Port elaborated.
"Well put sir." Adrian would've given the man a hand to shake but went with a nod instead.
"I don't see much application, aside from a few specific situations." Port grumbled as he pulled his hand out of the "opening" of the Barnacle Grapple and put it back into the box.
"Saved me a few times." Adrian said as he thought back onto his fight with the giant worm-armed alien, he still didn't know what to call it.
"Now, what about the thing on your arm?" Adrian raised his eyes in confusion, then mentally face-palmed when he realised the Shock Roach was still on his arm.
How did Adrian manage to get through two days in Beacon Academy with this thing on him? Did the students see it as bad cosplay? Perhaps sheer dumb luck was on his side? Or maybe someone had forgotten to mention it earlier…?
Let's not think about the whats and whens.
"I don't know much about these things. Other that they cling onto you like glue and the Shock Troopers used them, not much to say." The trooper said.
"Anything else you'd like to mention?" Port asked.
"Well, there's probably something special in the Shock Trooper blood or genes, because their shots hit like bowling balls compared to mine which hurt as much as a limply thrown cabbage." Adrian held a painful smirk, reminding himself of the times when Shock Troopers got clean hits on him, and his former team.
"They also don't rely on ammunition of any kind. Just give them a breather and they'll be able to fire again. They only do that if they're attached to an arm though." Adrian continued as he stared at the Shock Roach on his arm.
"What does it fire anyway?" Port asked.
"Looks like plasma of some sort, considering it burned through my clothes and gave me burn wounds when I was shot the first time." Adrian answered.
Plasma? Atlas hasn't even made progress with plasma due to its dangerous qualities and yet this "Race X" harnessed it bio-organically. Port mentally noted to himself. "Try and not to use it too much then. Plasma is a dangerous substance that can burn through Aura easily."
"No promises if the enemy fires first, sir." Adrian harrumphed.
"True words of a soldier indeed." Port admitted as he took out the final weapon in the crate, Adrian's piece de résistance, the Displacer Cannon. Port couldn't help but marvel at the design and what it could do. The decimation of large creatures in mere seconds and self-teleportation to Xen was something Remnant could benefit from.
"Now, I already know what this weapon is capable of, but I'd like your opinion on the implications of if Remnant were to get a hold of Earth's technology." Port waited for the answer he somewhat expected.
"They shouldn't, not even if it benefits Remnant significantly, I will not let another world go through another Black Mesa Incident again. I don't care if Remnant becomes some sort of trans-galactic empire and everyone's hunky dory, the Black Mesa Incident will never happen again." Adrian growled at the thought of someone going through the same ordeals he did.
"You have very strong opinions about it." Port mused as his Scroll started ringing. He when to pick it up as Adrian sighed, unclenching his fists he subconsciously clenched.
"You have no idea sir."
Adrian took out his defunct radio and started playing with it all while Port talked with whoever was on the other side. The trooper didn't bother to listen as he aimlessly tried to get a frequency.
"Ah Goodwitch! What is it you needed... Yes, I have finished with Adrian… Yes, I'll send him over." Port ended the call before placing the Displacer Cannon in the crate and closing it.
"What does Goodwitch want with me?" Adrian asked as he got up from his seat and went to the door.
"She'll tell you once you get there. She's just down the hall." Port smiled at the green-clad trooper, who nodded and gave the professor a concluded look before leaving for wherever Goodwitch was.
"Mr. Shephard." Goodwitch greeted the trooper exactly where Port said she was, at the end of the hallway.
"Ms. Goodwitch." Adrian nodded as he stood by her side. "Here to lead me to your office?"
"Yes, among other things." Goodwitch signalled Adrian to walk with her with a tilted head to the right.
As they walked, Adrian would notice Goodwitch glance at him, varying from poisonous to almost saddened expressions. Adrian ignored them, but the glances become more plentiful and they couldn't be dismissed at this point.
"Something on your mind ma'am?" Adrian asked.
"It's… difficult grasping the magnitude of your situation." She admitted. "I would have you gone by now, but I'm sure I can trust Ozpin with whatever he plans with you, even if I don't agree with it."
"Everyone has their doubts, saying you don't makes you sound awful." Adrian remarked.
"That is true, but again you have my condolences for what you've had to endure in that god-awful facility." Goodwitch said.
"I'll take what I can. And besides, if I couldn't do enough good there, I sure can do it here." Adrian gave her a reassuring smile. Although she couldn't see it, she knew what he meant.
"That's rather unrealistic of you." Goodwtich politely scoffed. "And you did enough at Black Mesa to justify whatever atrocities you did."
"It's called being a god-honest US marine ma'am." He put his hand up, although not too much. "No offense."
"None taken." Both looked to their front, greeted by a door with a small plaque. It spelt Professor Goodwitch. "We're here."
Entering her office, it didn't seem too packed at all. Only a desk and a few chairs placed neatly to the sides, the bare essentials to her abode.
"Now to explain why we're here." She remained standing despite having a rather comfortable office chair. "Ozpin has instructed me to unlock your Aura."
"Uh, my PCV does the same thing to some extent, surely I wouldn't need more than that?" He questioned.
"Call it a 'get out of jail free' card if you will." Adrian raised a brow, since when did Remnant ever have Monopoly as one of their board games?
"Now, it's rather simple. I need you to remove your PCV and anything on it." Adrian obliged, removing any obstructions with his shirt only remaining after he had finished. "Good, this will be quick, I assure you."
"I'd make a quick joke, but I don't think it'd be appealing." Goodwitch rolled her eyes and placed her hand on his chest, reciting the words needed to activate Adrian's Aura. To him it sounded like some magic spell.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee."
Uttering the last few words, a sudden pain shot through Goodwitch's head as she collapsed from the unfamiliar stab. The pain was immeasurable, preventing her from moving or even speaking as the world slowly dimmed around her.
She saw Adrian coming to her aid and checking on her before running out of her office for help, and a man in a blue suit, smiling with malicious intent as she fell into the unforgiving void.
"I'm afraid I can't let you lend any advantages unless it has become rule to do such that, Miss Goodwitch… No thank you."
*[UNKNOWN ERROR: LOCATION NOT FOUND]*
Goodwitch groaned as her eyes fluttered and opened, still feeling the effects of her sudden headache. Getting up, she went to look at herself for anything abnormal, and she was terrifyingly correct to do so.
Her hands were no longer hers, instead they were clawed hands, two fingers for each. She recognised what kind they were, and she panted heavily, babbling about how this was happening.
She had Vortigaunt hands, hands of the aliens who had slew every man and woman in Black Mesa. To say she was horrified was an understatement.
She would've started hyperventilating if she didn't hear two voices from a distance, cold and monotone. She listened carefully to what they were saying for any hope of salvation.
"Yep, this was definitely the best career choice I've ever made."
"You said it partner, beats the shit out of my last job."
"What do you bet we get a pay cut?"
"50/50 at least, I mean it's better than nothing."
"Hehe, guess so."
Thinking she could get help and against her better judgement, she raced towards the two who were speaking. It did not relieve her when she saw what they looked like, and how they reacted with the upmost hostility.
They wore white masks that did the job of concealing their faces, with what Goodwitch guessed were built-in vocoders to disguise their voices; which each contained radio and air filters with them. They were wearing vests, looking bullet-resistant in nature, leather boots, black-green uniforms, and an armband on their right arms, with "c04:i6o" emblazoned on it.
"You! Why are you here, this is a restricted area!" One of them exclaimed.
"Please, you must help me!" Goodwitch begged in a raspy, Vortigaunt-like voice.
"Leave now!" The other ordered, grabbing what looked like a stun baton.
"No, please you don't understand!" She tried to reason with the two, but had hopelessly lost as the one with the baton got closer to her.
"Overwatch, 10-103-M, unclassified labourer, permission to amputate?"
Goodwitch backed away, but couldn't make distance. The one with the baton twirled his weapon around and gleefully chuckled.
"Copy that Overwatch. CP-045 and 198 processing malcompliance verdict now."
At that moment, the armed one punched her in the face and kicked her stomach, sending her to the ground. She coughed heavily and tried to get up, but was kicked in the stomach once more.
The last thing she saw as Goodwitch turned around was a baton being swung down towards her, absolute fear swept through her as she was defenceless to do anything, but didn't feel a thing as she was forced back into the darkness.
"Dammit Goodwitch wake up!"
Goodwitch jolted hearing Adrian's voice as she opened her eyes and jerked upwards. She sweated bullets as she looked around to see familiar faces. Back but still scared after being brutally beaten, she rubbed her temples and took in as much air as she could.
Adrian turned to Professor Port, who was by her side with Oobleck next to him. "Get Ozpin down here right now and call Peach to get Goodwitch some god damn water."
Port nodded eagerly as Adrian rose and marched out, putting on his equipment and PCV before slamming his head against the wall, muttering about how he had been bringing problems ever since the G-Man had sent him here.
His Scroll vibrated as he went to look what had been sent to him. It was a text from Ruby:
"I found Weiss! Meet me on the third floor, fifth balcony A.S.A.P!"
Adrian turned his head back at the display before him, with Goodwitch resting on her office chair and the other two asking what had happened.
"Hey uh, I've got student things to attend to. Give me a sit-rep once I get back?" Both Port and Oobleck nodded, of which Adrian returned as he trampled forward, but not before glancing back to see Goodwitch staring back with a face of genuine fear. He closed his eyes and looked forward.
*A random balcony, Beacon Academy*
The familiar red of Ruby's clothes was propped up against a wall as Adrian got to the fifth balcony. Assuming Weiss was standing outside, Adrian ducked onto the wall Ruby was on, seeing her in a fetal position and a solemn look on her face.
"When did you find her?" He asked.
"About a few minutes after you left, I tried going up to her but I was too scared because she looked really angry so I texted you." She shakenly answered.
"No worries kid, you texted me at a bad time but still, let's go fix your friendship." He sighed and patted her back before leaving Ruby to her own devices as he casually strolled towards Weiss. The girl in question turned and instantly soured up seeing him.
"What do you want?" She angrily questioned, returning her gaze to the sunset.
"Just checking up on a friend." He answered as he looked with her.
"Yeah right." Weiss 'tsked' and didn't say anything after that.
"Weiss, what's the problem?" Adrian asked again.
"Why should I tell you?" She held a mean glace at Adrian.
"Because maaaaaybe you'll feel a lot better instead of being a bit… bitchy." He answered.
Weiss groaned at Adrian's half-checked comment and focused her attention back to the sunset. But his offer was too much to ignore, she really wanted to get her thoughts out, but did Adrian really feel the same she did? It didn't hurt to try.
Weiss sighed. "Fine, what you do want out of me?"
"You seemed more angry than usual. Why?" Adrian crossed his hands, waiting for an answer.
"Because… I think I should be leader of Team RWBY!"
With Weiss' statement, she waited for Adrian to be his comforting self, but what she got was Adrian sniggering before blowing up into laughter soon after. She flinched, annoyed at such childish behaviour and tried to leave to let this fool be, but he held onto her shoulder before she could.
"Wait… phew, okay. Can I explain myself at least?" He pleaded, still trying to take in air after his laughing fit. She crossed her arms and signalled for Adrian to give it his best shot.
First and foremost, what do you think you have over Ruby?" He questioned.
"Uh, the finesse and skill of a fine Huntress! I've been trained and taught by the best. I at a level higher than her in everything!" Weiss answered in her typical tone.
"I can agree with that, except you've got the attitude of a drugged-up hawk." Adrian lightly sneered at her and snickered at his own comparison.
Weiss fumed. "Hey!" Adrian raised a finger, Weiss gave him the chance to speak.
"Weiss, skill is one thing, attitude is a whole other animal. You think anyone would like to follow someone who raves at them constantly and points out flaws with the subtlety of a raging Manticore?" He questioned once more.
This trooper was making a valid argument. Being under the rule of her father wasn't the most pleasant experience, she never liked his attitude nor did she ever get anything other than empty praises. She was too afraid to admit he had rubbed off onto her and all she could see when she looked into the mirror was the end result of her father's reign of torment, his vision of a daughter she longed to not be.
No one should go through the same degrading attitude, she thought to herself.
"Well… no." She reluctantly answered.
"From what I know, Ruby is a compassionate girl who despite still has a lot to learn, makes up for it with the amount of care for a team she's barely getting the ropes of. You on the other hand, are a toxic little princess who can't even get out of her lifestyle, and that snobby attitude isn't doing you any favours either." Adrian continued.
Another valid point. Weiss had to admit looking back, Ruby was supporting her 100%, even with dingy flags to accompany it. She did care for her after all, but her anger clouded her refined thinking, and her 'snobby attitude' didn't help as Adrian said. Ruby had even come back to her to see what was wrong.
Adrian was right, Ruby already won in the attitude contest as soon as Weiss screamed at her.
"I can see it in everything you do. Ruby's probably worked hard to get where she is now. And how about you? Did you work every day to get where you are? Or did you know it was being given to you on a silver platter and you stayed comfortable?" He questioned her once more.
This time, Adrian was dead wrong. She worked so hard to free herself from her father and for him to doubt that infuriated Weiss where she could feel a fire coursing through her.
"No one knows what I've had to go through! I may have been taught, but I made that knowledge my own! I was given it, but I earned it eventually! You know nothing!" She snapped in one long sentence, not even taking a moment to breathe.
"True, but that's exactly the point." Adrian said while she was recovering from her comment.
"What?" She turned to him.
"Ruby, I admit, was given her leadership, she didn't earn it. But I know for damn sure she'll make it her own and earn that title of 'Team Leader' eventually. You can't make perfection, but you can simulate it to thebest of your abilities." He admitted. Weiss didn't say a thing as she let him continue.
"I'll say that I was given leadership too when my sergeant died. I was sloppy, inexperienced, emotional, and I paid for it because of that. But I came from my battle a stronger person, who knows what the hell they're doing now these days. You two are in the same position, you know nothing of leadership yet you think you have what it takes to earn it, so if you're willing to give yourself a shot, why not do the same for Ruby too?"
He was right, if she wanted to be a leader, why couldn't she let Ruby try too?
"You're right. But still, I've always been so high up compared to others and to be in a lower position, I feel… useless." She let a single tear fall from her left eye, but did not cry.
"Then be the best teammate you can. Improve what you know, keep learning and do fix that attitude up. Being a leader can come at another time, but for now, you be a darn good friend to your sisters-in-arms. Can you at least do that?" He asked.
It was a simple request, she let out a simple answer. "I… I can. Thank you."
"Just doing what I can. And one more thing." He turned to the entrance of the balcony. "You can come out now!"
Out of the entrance came none other than Ruby Rose, extremely red having heard what Adrian and Weiss had said about her. Weiss was just surprised to see her here and Adrian chuckled at her expression. Kids.
"R-Ruby?! How did you find me?!" Weiss asked to her leader.
"Well I more proposed she and I look for you and she agreed with me. She was way too scared to confront you though." He said.
She got what Adrian said, considering her behaviour earlier, she wasn't surprised that Ruby would be reluctant to confront her in such a state.
"Weiss! I just wanted to tell you that-
Ruby was stopped by Weiss. "Quiet you, I wanted to say something first. I must admit, I haven't been treating you fairly, this is all just so unfamiliar to me. I'm sorry for shouting at you, and for not giving you a chance to prove yourself. I only know you would've done the same for me."
"Weiss…" Ruby pulled her into a tight hug and squeezed tightly. "I promise to you I'll be the best leader I can, I'll earn it like Adrian said. You're important to me and Team RWBY and I wouldn't trade you for anyone else…"
It seemed the little rose was squeezing Weiss a little too hard as the ice queen struggled to breathe. "Ruby… air…"
"Oh! Sorry." Ruby let go before yelping in surprise as Weiss returned the hug with the same amount of force Ruby had used earlier.
"WeissI'msorryforhuggingyousohardpleaseletgo." She said in a flurry as Weiss finished her embrace.
"That was for nearly killing me." She stated. "But I promise too that I'll be the best teammate I can, and friend as well."
Both couldn't help but smile. Ruby had made a new friend and Weiss felt freer than ever, to hear her words and her reassurance was refreshing to the mind. They both turned to thank Adrian but saw he was nowhere to be seen. They both shrugged as they went together back to their dorms, Yang and Blake would be worried at this point.
"So, uh Weiss, I've been given some work to do! But it looks really hard."
"Then I'll help you with it, if you want that."
"Oh! Yeah I'd like that!"
*Adrian's Home, Beacon Academy*
Adrian, seeing that his work was done, retreated to his home as Ruby and Weiss were apologizing. While he was walking back, he received a text from Ozpin, reading that Goodwitch had recovered from whatever had happened and Adrian would get to know the full details by tomorrow.
So, as Adrian sat on his couch, a question lingered in his mind.
What now?
Adrian's time in the HECU was relatively simple, get up, train, eat and sleep. If there were any missions, most of which were tests, he would get up, spend the rest of the day completing said mission before cleaning up and sleeping soon after.
This was different, he had many options. Options which muddied his mind, he couldn't think straight, he was getting tired. He checked the time, it was 6:07 pm.
So, he made his way upstairs and to his bedroom, removing his mask and PCV, taking off his boots and when face first into the bed without making himself comfortable.
Hopefully Ozpin would give him something to fight tomorrow.
*[LOCATION: BLACK MESA, TRAM SYSTEM 21-B]*
"I hate this shit so much."
Those were the first words Adrian uttered as he found himself back in Black Mesa once more. Precisely, he was at a tram station, standing at the platform where the scientists would've waited for the trams to arrive.
But there were no scientists, not a single soul, not even some garbage or a lone insect, the station was a complete ghost town. It honestly worried him.
He walked around aimlessly for any information to where he was, the only thing he found of worth was a sign: Station 21-B.
It didn't help really. Adrian was still confused and a little scared, he had to admit.
Suddenly he could hear a distinct screech emanating from the tracks, a tram was coming and hopefully with it, some people. But as he saw the tram approach before coming to a stop, he stepped back as he saw what was inside.
Vortigaunts, all sitting on the seats, all staring at him. The seats were taken and one remained. The one sitting next to the vacant spot patted the seat. Adrian knew by the gesture that it was for him.
But Adrian relented, why would he go into a tram full of the aliens that had killed innocent lives? He had no clue of what they intended when they invaded and it made him fear them even more. He slowly stepped backwards, standing a far distance away from the tram before it roared to life and resumed its course.
"We hear your thoughts… You must realise soon enough…"
These Vortigaunts wanted something from him, that wasn't too hard to understand, but for what exactly? He felt this wouldn't be the last time he'd come back here as his vision was overcome by a bright light.
At least that dream wasn't as bad as the last…
Holy jeezums I took a while didn't I?
Life's been throwing shit at me, but I have myself to blame too. From playing a lot of TF2 to satiate my re-occuring loneliness to also trying to set up the structure for a Girls' Frontline x Metal Gear Solid crossover I plan to do sometime in the future.
Now, questions that need answers:
Artyom-Dreizhen - I sent you a PM regarding that, but you still haven't replied yet. Hopefully this chapter's a bit better than the last.
Guest - Well thank you very much! I intend to continue so buckle up.
Leader - Your wish has been granted.
ThePilotArchangel - Good idea, but that's not what I intend for this story. Still, I do like it.
Next time on ORS, it's time we get Adrian's house furnished.
Adios!
-MimicLegend