XxX-XxX-XxX

Official Supporters:

Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin

Adeptus Militaris, Wilger

Commissioner, Gib, Death Daddy, Le Spork

If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : /2UZncAm

Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i) (slash)kfhkfUb

I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.

Beta(s) :

XxX-XxX-XxX

Cerulean groaned tiredly as he was finally dragged back into consciousness, his chest aching and cold and his head throbbing. His armor had been ruined above the waist, left in useless, burnt tatters and warped metal, but he at least still had his trousers. He sighed, then hissed and pressed a gentle hand against his side as fire lanced up through his ribs.

"I revived you." Guiding Light murmured, struggling to hover beside him as the weary Guardian forced himself to sit up. The little thing shuddered and fell suddenly, and Cerulean only just managed to catch him, cradling him close in his hands as he chuckled, "S-Sorry, partner. The Light's… Weak, here. I had enough to revive you, but.."

"You're exhausted."

"I am, yeah." He answered, "New to me, that…"

"You get used to it."

"All the same to you, rather not." He laughed, "Just… Get us out of here, Guardian. I'll recover."

He nodded and turned, looking for his weapons. He found them not far away, and the axe was fine, aside from a few nicks on the head. But his rifle was damaged - its barrel cracked from a rock that had come down onto it with enough force the rock itself broke apart. It was all together, though, and that was enough for now. His partner could fix it later, after all, so it hardly mattered.

He slung it over his shoulder and grimaced as his ribs ached some pore. Guiding Light must have caught it, because he murmured, "Sorry, Partner…"

"Don't be." He grunted, "Just rest."

"Right…"

"Hey." He chided gently, running his thumb along one of the edges of his Ghost's frame. "Don't get like that, in your head. We both did our jobs. And we both need rest. It's fine."

The Ghost didn't answer and, after a second's hesitation, he elected to let the matter lie. If Guiding Light just wanted time to rest, Cerulean would give it to him. And if he got stuck in his own head about it, they'd work through it later. But regardless, pressing him now, when he was weak and tired - and they both were - didn't seem productive.

More productive for now…

He found Coco laying right where he'd first seen her, her arm bleeding slowly from a deep gash carved into her bicep. There was another that curved along the back of her head and around, stopping just above her ear. It, at least, had stopped - or at least slowed - in its bleeding, though it left her hair a sickly, matted mess. Murmuring an apology, he ran his hands along her stomach and up her chest, checking for more injuries and pressing in to see if she'd respond - any pain could show another injury - and, when she didn't, he reached down to rip off the bottom half of her top.

Using it for scrap, he ripped off long strips that he used to roughly bandae up the two cuts, and then he undid her belt, pulling it off and using his axe to shave off the ornamental buckles and metal studs. Using that, he tourniqueted her arm as best he was able and then set about fashioning a makeshift holder for her arm. It wasn't a sling, he didn't have enough for that. Instead, he just tied a knot around her wrist, then wrapped it around her back and tied a knot around the same shoulder, pulling it tight and knotting it as needed so it would keept her arm taut against her chest.

Not ideal, or comfortable, he was sure, but…

It'd do.

Tying a loop into his rifle strap and tightening it around his Ghost, he slid an arm under the woman's legs and stood, bracing himself against the ache of pain as her weight settled against his injured ribs.

"Alright then." He sighed, "Let's get the hell out of here."

After twenty odd painful minutes of stumbling up the half-lit tunnels, he finally found another chamber. It was a mess, too, just like the other. Filled with overturned barrels and carts of raw ore, broken tools, scattered equipment, and the splashes of blood that he'd seen below. But, thankfully, no bodies, and less of the stench he'd dealt with there too.

The bodies, apparently, had been collected by the Delver for its… 'Art'.

A concept that immediately made him regret having even thought about it.

But, as he meandered through it, he finally found something alive.

"Cerulean? Is that- Why the hell are you half-naked?" He heard Branwen call out as he emerged from the tunnel ahead of the Guardian. He was exhausted, enough to lean against the thick beam supporting the exit's mouth, and covered in dirt and sweat. But he didn't let either slow him down, pushing off the beam and calling over a shoulder, "C'mon, brats! Punk needs a hand!"

He wasn't exactly enthused to be called a 'punk' after everything he'd been through, but…

Seeing Daichi and Alistair come jogging out of the tunnel and smile on seeing him made it matter less, somehow.

"Coco!" They both shouted, sprinting to meet him as Branwen reached him and turned to grin at them.

"She's alive." He assured them both when they looked at the bloody mess of her head and arm. When Daichi reached out for her, he added, "And hurt. Be careful."

"I understand." Daichi nodded, gently tugging her from his hands and cradling her in his arms and against his broad chest. Against the swordsman's massive frame, she looked like a child, almost. Without looking away from her, he turned and grunted a heavy, "Thank you… Let's get out of this hole."

XxX-XxX-XxX

Oh, bull-fucking-shit, Warden." Qrow snapped hotly, pacing back and forth between the Warden's couch and his desk while Cerulean sat on the couch behind him, pulling the sleeveless, fitted security shirt he'd been given on over his head. "Fuckin' Delver? You knew it was here. And I saw those extra dig, too. Way more 'n are on your docs, way deeper down, and way further out."

"Your point being…?"

"That you fucked us." Branwen snarled, "And you got a lotta good people killed."

"This is a prison."

"Well…" He huffed, "You got people killed, then. And besides, I'm sure some of the ones I saw down in that pit were guards. What, you gonna tell me your guards are all criminals too? Long sentences, except they give 'em nice uniforms and rifles?"

"No, what I'm going to tell you is that none of this is your concern."

"Yeah?" Qrow scoffed, "How's that?"

"Here's how this song and dance goes, my friend." The Warden sighed, leaning back and resting his arms on his stomach like he was bored. As if nothing had happened at all - no dead workers, or guards, and no young Huntress laid out in the waiting area while her team and the secretary cleaned up her wounds so her Aura could go to work. "You will accuse me of things, I will deny them, you will press it, and it will go to course. Where I will drag you for the next year. With a court order barring you from leaving the Kingdom."

"And how am I supposed to work then?"

"That's the point." He dismissed simply, "Deterrence."

"You son of a bitch…"

"Or, the other way this goes." The Warden went on, "I clear payment to Beacon and, thus, to you. With a bonus for the Delver. Vale drags me to court on review, and inside a year, the matter is closed. And all goes on as it must."

"Headmaster Ozpin wouldn't let you ground me."

"Oh, Vale is a monarchy now?" The Warden smirked, raising an eyebrow, "Tell me, when did he take the throne exactly?"

"Not in your lifetime…" Branwen growled, shaking his head, "You're a rotten bastard, you know that?"

"I've been called worse, I assure you." The Warden chuckled, "At the end of the day, Vale - and, by extension, my contract and myself - only care that the mine stays operational. Such ventures as these? Frowned upon, but wholly necessary."

"Your guards agree?"

"Well, I would ask, but I'm afraid they aren't answering questions at the moment." The Warden snarked, "So I'll ask you."

"Pardon?"

"Your weapon, you use a hand-cannon." The Warden pointed out, "Parts to that? Could have come from the metal from any one of my, what did you call them? Extra digs? Your spare parts could have come from them. Or your casings, or-"

"I source mine from Atlas, actually." Branwen snapped, "Bastards up there, but they know their way around a lathe and press."

"My iron could have been sent up there." The Warden shrugged, then bobbed his head towards the door and Cerulean in turn. "Or maybe it's in any of their gear. Hm? You never know. But this mine, and my men? We work for Vale's best interests."

"Sure."

"Believe it, don't, I don't care." The Warden shrugged, "Regardless, your job is done, and your Lien is yours. Now, if you'll excuse me, your friend there doesn't have an Academy and its ivory tower to send payment to. So we need to have a short talk."

"Fine." Branwen snapped, turning to leave and flicking Cerulean a look. "Wait for you outside. Want to talk - privately, if you get my meaning."

"Oh, that isn't ominous." Guiding Light hummed, "Not at all."

"Sure." He nodded, "Be right out."

The mon nodded, flicked the Warden another look, and then stormed out, one hand fishing for his flask. As the door slammed, he heard the Warden sigh tiredly and turned to watch him lean back and pull open a drawer. He pulled a tall, black bottle out of it and set it on the table, fishing out a pair of small glasses right after and standing to come around and join him at the low table in front of the couch. Easing onto the seat, the man sighed and set the drinks out, pouring them so slowly it had to be purposeful.

Finally, he said, "You know, I did know about the Delver. And if I hadn't gotten such a high recommendation from Mayor Greyback, I'd have warned your people away. Or sent some of mine in with you."

"You should have anyway." He argued, taking the glass the man held out to him and sniffing the liquid inside. It tasted sour, bitter, but the Warden took a drink anyway and so he did too.

When he choked on it, the man laughed quietly, "First drink of fine Mistrali whiskey I take it?"

"Y-Yeah." He grunted, setting the glass back on the table and shaking his head. Light, but his tongue was somehow burning and numb at the same time… Which was a neat trick, really. Moving on, he asked, "You mentioned my payment?"

"I did, yes." He nodded, fishing a dark blue envelope out of the inside of his coat and holding it out for him. Cerulean took it, felt the weight, and nodded as he slid it into a trouser pocket. "A thousand Lien for the job. Five hundred for the… Nastiness surrounding it."

"Did you give the others a bonus?"

"No." The man scoffed, shooting him a look like it was obvious. Which it might have been, for all Cerulean knew. "They're Beacon. They don't need the Lien, they'll just blow it on new clothes and movie nights. Besides, you need Lien to replace the gear you lost to the damn thing. How'd that happen, anyway?"

"Mhm." He didn't, actually - he just needed time and some quality materials and Guiding Light would do his work. Shrugging, he ducked the question and pointed out, "Adel lost her weapon. It looked well-made."

"Beacon insures students' gear on missions." The man shrugged, "And with her injuries, she'll be down for a week. Two, with their petty little 'mandatory rest period'. Plenty of time to get the paperwork done, get new parts in, and replace what she lost. No skin off her teeth. Hell, the brat will probably turn it in for a grade."

Cerulean frowned - she'd almost died, and all the man could do was disrespect her?

Standing he paid the man a nod, "Thanks for the drink. But I need to get moving again."

"So soon?"

"No rest for the wicked." He said, then frowned. Where'd that come from? Shaking it off, he turned and took his leave.

He stepped out into the waiting area as the secretary slipped past him, headed into the office. Adel was wrapped up on the couch, talking to the large man, but Alistair cocked his head to the side as Cerulean stepped out. Nodding, he turned and came over, smiling pleasantly, even if his staring into empty space was a bit… Off-putting.

Something Cerulean would have to get over, he figured.

"How is she?"

"She's fine." Alistair said, "Roughed up, but alive. Thanks to you."

"It's my job."

"No, your job was to kill Grimm. Nor rescue one of ours." Daichi called from where he was sitting, paying most of his attention to Adel but smirking like he could hear all the way across the space anyways. When his confusion must have shown, the man explained, "Alistair's Semblance. Remember?"

"Ah." He nodded, "R-Right. Uh, sorry?"

"No worries." Alistair waved him off, bracing his hands on his hips. "After everything that happened, I'm not surprised some stuff slipped your mind."

"Yeah." Cerulean nodded, "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"We owe you!" Coco called over, coughing and pressing a hand against her ribs before she shook it off and waved them over. Shrugging, Alistair stepped to the side and he took the invitation, going over to take a knee beside her while Alistair lurked behind him. Smirking, Coco paid him a weak, half-salute and grinned cheekily in spite of the fresh bandage wrapped around her head. "Second time, I've gotten shit for going underground. Thanks for saving my ass."

"No problem." He'd only died twice for it, after all. All in all, a fairly low price. At least, for someone like him. Cocking his head he asked, "Second time?"

"Y-Yeah, uh…" She chuckled and grimaced, "Rather not… Get into that."

Then why had she brought it up? Regardless, he shrugged, "No problem."

"Thanks, Cerulean." She smiled, a warm gesture somehow made even warmer by how pained and weak she looked - if only because it must have taken so, so much more effort. Chuckling, she went on, "When you think you'll be Vale-way?"

"Don't know." He answered honestly, "It's one of the stops I want to make, eventually, but…"

"Hard to give up the freedom out here?" Daichi offered knowingly, standing and turning to pick up a couple canned sodas. Turning back, he handed one to Cerulean who was grateful to wash the bitter alcohol away with the poppy grape.

"Can you blame him?" Coco chuckled, "Half the time, wonder if I shouldn't just… Drop out, and head out here, too."

"Coco…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." She waved him off, turning back to Cerulean with a smile. "Anyway, won't keep ya. But hit me up when you get that way. I owe you some good drinks at a good club. Maybe a hookup with some one of the cuties I know. Guy, gal, don't matter to me, just-"

"You just can't resist playing match-maker." Alistair laughed, taking a seat at the far end of the couch and leaning over as Daichi joined him. "Best get out of here, Cerulean, before she decides to start making calls."

"Oi!" She scoffed as he rose, "I'm not that bad!"

"Yes you are!"

"Coco…"

"Rambunctious bunch, aren't they?" Guiding Light laughed as he turned, heading down the stairs and back towards the exit. "They all almost died, and they're just… Having a grand old time. Fascinating, isn't it?"

"Yeah." He smiled, "It is."

The offices he passed now were in chaos - answering calls, printing things, shredding other things - and the halls were no better. Security and staff came and went, slipping by him some times and shoving him out of the way others. It was clean up, he was sure. Hiding as much as they could of what had happened, preparing paperwork for what they couldn't hide, and processing the deaths that had happened in the mines.

Probably ordering a cleaning crew in, too, if he had to bet.

"Pure chaos…" Guiding Light chimed as they left, bobbing in front of him, cloaked but just barely visible in spite of it - a mere shimmer, but still - that he was able to see. No one else could, though, so he assumed the Ghost was doing it on purpose.

Or it was a Guardian thing.

"Lot of work to do." He shrugged, "Not our problem."

"Indeed not." The Ghost chuckled, "Lucky us, hm?"

"Yeah." He nodded, "Lucky us."

He found Qrow by the gate, just outside the enclosure that housed the office building. He was talking on his Scroll but, as Cerulean stepped out, grunted something and flicked it closed. Then he bobbed his head away from the building and walked off, while Cerulean trailed behind him with his hands on the straps of his slung rifle.

"So…" Qrow grunted as they reached the other side of the old road and he found a rock to lean against. "He pay you? Fair 'n square?"

"He did." Cerulean nodded, turning to look up at the mountains. "What's next for you, then?"

"Back to Beacon." The man grunted, "Old Man has my next job all lined up already."

"Old man?"

"Headmaster Ozpin, of Beacon Academy." He explained quietly, standing with a grunt and laying a hand on the Guardian's shoulders. "Told 'im what you did for the kids back there. He wanted me to pass my thanks along."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, "Just glad I could help."

"Yeah, well… It's appreciated." The man said, stepping by him and heading towards the office. "Gonna collect my brats. Need a ride into Vale? Where we're headed for a trade-off onto one of Beacon's fleet."

"Maybe?" He nodded, "I need new gear, first, before I can get back to work."

"Or good materials." His Ghost offered, "Either way-"

"City's best place for stocking up and kitting out, kid." The man smiled, "Tell ya what, lemme pull a few strings. Get you a provisional license set up good 'n proper in the city so you don't get hassled by any shops."

"Yeah?" He smiled. He hadn't intended to ride in, like he'd told Coco. "I'd appreciate it."

"Then c'mon." He nodded, "Let's get dusted off."

XxX-XxX-XxX

Vale was, in short…

A hell of a lot to deal with.

It was massive, easily ten - and probably more - times the size of Greyback's comparably sleepy little settlement and the mine-prison rolled into one. And that wasn't even accounting for the height of it all. Its buildings were towering stretches of glittering glass, weathered steel, and wood accoutrements and accessories, many four, five, even ten times as tall as any of the others he'd seen. Others were even larger - fortresses of glass and concrete, climbing into the sky and swarmed by airships and ground cars alike, all coming and going in a dizzying display. Like bees from a hive.

Hospitals, Guiding Light had explained. Places of healing.

All of it was splashed over with colors. Neon lights, bright and blinking. Traffic directionaries and lights, blinking and flashing their messages. Banners, tapestries and flags fluttering and flying high above the streets. Even a mural, painted on the outside of the small airship port they'd come down in. Of trees and birds and deer, all shined down on by a warm sun.

And then there were the people…

What felt like a hundred, maybe more, people packed each road-side walkway while traffic crawled along between the towering buildings to either side. Sleek, fancy cars trundled along beside old, rusted trucks, graffiti'd cabs and service cars for the city, the Kingdom's emblem splashed on the sides in dull silvers and greens. All making their way to wherever they needed, honking and screaming at each other.

"Guardian?" Guiding Light chimed in his ear, "You alright?"

"It's just…" A car honked, and a few more answered, and he flinched before he went on. "A lot. And loud."

"Indeed." The Ghost hummed, and he sounded so much happier about it than Cerulean was. His voice moved, coming from above, now, and went on eagerly, "So much life, so much… Vibrancy! Overwhelming, easily, sure. But beautiful in its way, is it not?"

"I guess it is, yeah." He nodded, leaning his head back against the cool brick of the little clerk's office Branwen had brought him to.

It was a moderately large building, at least compared to the rest of the city, and the office itself only took up a part of it. Above it was a store of some kind, with a stairway outside to the side of the wider entrance, covered in Valean banners and signs, to get in, but past that he wasn't sure what there was. More stores, offices and apartments, he presumed. But the front was a wide, open place regardless. With nice sitting areas under a handful of trees.

Unfortunately, that wasn't where he was standing.

Branwen had lead him around the side, instead, and down an alley, to a door marked 'Clerk's office - Employees Only'.

Then, told him to wait. Half an hour ago.

Bored and curious, he asked, "Is the City like this, too?"

"No, not quite." The Ghost answered, and then hummed. "Well, actually, it may very well be by now. I can't say."

"Ah."

"It was loud, though." Guiding Light chuckled, "I… Never quite enjoyed that aspect of the vibrancy of it all, I admit. It was beautiful, as I said, but just wasn't for me. I enjoyed it all so much more from a distance."

"I'm the same, I think." Cerulean hummed, "It's nice to see. Better to know it exists. But… I'd prefer the forest to the city."

"The ocean is beautiful," Guiding light mused, "But I don't want to live in it."

"Exactly." He nodded, "Yeah."

"Sadly, the best material, if not the weapons and armor themselves, are bound to be found in the city." The Ghost sighed, "Cities have the most people. Thus, the most needs. Which attracts all the amenities needed to meet these and, thus, the most skilled workers. Naturally, businesses boom and-"

"I get it." He smirked, "It's a circle, building itself up."

"Ah." The Ghost chirped, "Indeed."

Finally, he heard the door beside him click and groan. Turning and pushing off the wall, he watched Branwen step out with a thick envelope in his hands. He pushed the door shut and then turned, paid Cerulean an apologetic grimace, and held out the package. It wasn't sealed, so he open it and took a look inside, leafing through some papers and plastic cards.

"I.D., a social card 'n number for an 'Out-Of-Wall' registry, birth date 'n citizenship paper, just jot in your name, home village, whatever, on the lines on 'em. Also got you a provincial Hunter's license. Ain't as good, technically, as an Academy one but… Is what it is." Qrow explained, fishing out his flask and stealing a long drink from it as he leaned against a dumpster across from the door. "Took some favors, and some time, but don't never tell no one Qrow Branwen doesn't pay his favors back."

"I appreciate it." He nodded, sliding the little envelope into one of his pants pockets and nodding. "Thank you."

"Eh, like I said, kid, like I said." He waved Cerulean off, "Just payin' you back. Really pulled our asses out of it out there, so… Anyway, you're out your Scroll, too, right?"

"Mhm." He nodded. It wasn't technically a lie if he just went along with it, after all, right?

"C'mon, then." The man grunted, pushing off the dumpster and freezing. Then he grimaced and flicked his fingers with a groan. "Of fuckin' course… Ugh. Anyway, c'mon, let's get movin'."

"Alright."

He followed the man back out of the alley and further up the street. After a few minutes, and more than a few turns in the winding maze that made up Vale's heart, they rounded a corner onto a wider avenue. One which seemed to only be meant for foot traffic, which would at least save him from the constant roaring engines and barking horns if nothing else. A small kindness, but one he was grateful for regardless.

The avenue here was almost twice as wide as the other streets had been, and stretched out ahead of him for a quarter mile. Its outer edges were straight, clean and new, with planters, trees and glass-fronted shops of every kind from food to books. Smaller lifts were scattered between it, running up to apartments and offices he could see stretching up to another level of more shops, high up and linked by foot-bridges high in the air, which cast a lot of the ground level in shade. He could see families heading up them and coming out, and more on balconies above him, and smiled.

It looked nice…

Even if he wasn't sure how anyone could stand to live in the middle of so much… Well, everything.

"Welcome to the Vale Shopping Center." Branwen sighed, leading him towards the rows of little sitting areas that dominated stretches of the avenue between the buildings, scattered around stretches of grass, trees and flowers. The Hunter waved him into a seat and turned, grunting a parting, "Back quick as I can."

He nodded and did his best to relax into the seat, watching the crowd with a thin smile.

And, a bit oddly, just the least bit of anxiety, creeping up his spine and into the back of his head… Though even he wasn't sure why.

After a few moments, though, he felt something behind him… Shift, somehow, and stiffened as a hand came down on his shoulder. He stiffened, stood, and shouldered his broken rifle most of the way off his shoulder with one hand while his other yanked his axe up to grip it under the head, ready to strike.

"Who, who, chill, Cerulean, breathe!" Adel laughed, backing away and cocking a hip. She'd already gotten back into her nice outfit, somehow, and seemed fine already. Enough to be out shopping, at least, judging from the trio of bags she sat on the ground as she fell into the seat beside him. "Wanted to surprise you."

"Don't." He grunted, returning to his seat and adjusting his rifle on his shoulder. Then he grimaced and added, quietly, "Sorry."

"Nah, nah, it's fine." She chuckled, waving him off. Should'a known better, honestly. Moms always said not to sneak up on soldiers, mercs or Hunters. And you're at least one o' those, so just chalk it up to me being a dumbass, I guess."

"Ok." He blinked, "Moms? Plural?"

"Um, yeah?" Her brows furrowed, "That a problem?"

"Guardian, the correct answer is-"

"No." He shrugged, "Just never knew it was a thing. Not big on that stuff anyway, I guess."

"W-Wait, you don't know-" Adel snorted, reached over, and grabbed one of his hands, smiling pleasantly and putting on an odd, accented drawl. "Oh, you sweet summer child, you. Who on Remnant raised a boy don't know about them there gays?"

"Uh… Are you doing an-"

"Yeah, yeah, silly in-joke from back home." She laughed, leaning back and sighing. "But seriously, who raised you and under what rock?"

"I'm… Sorry?"

"Don't be, it's just funny," She chuckled, "Just search up 'lesbians' sometime. Guarantee, you'll learn quick."

"I will."

"You will not!" Guiding Light tittered loudly, "I will compile a… far less salacious explanation later! The net is, doubtless, not the place for someone as pure as a Guardian. Especially a newborn one."

"A-Alright." He smirked, trying not to chuckle at the mutter Ghost as he withdrew.

"Anyway." Adel sighed while Cerulean smiled at his griping partner's expense, "I still owe you a drink, you know. Or, well, maybe two. But Vale owes you ten."

"Yeah?" He cocked his head, "Why?"

"You saved the world, bucko!" She smirked when his brows furrowed and added, brightly, running her fingers through her hair. "Imagine a world without a beauty like yours truly. Truly a hell-scape."

"And she's so humble, too." He parroted when his ghost spoke up. Then the little Light hissed and snapped, "D-Don't say that to her!"

He grimaced - how was he supposed to have known that? Normally he spoke up to have his words passed along.

"Hey, whoever said loving yourself was a bad thing, hm?" She laughed, grinning widely and toothily. Somehow, as they were talking, he started to get the feeling she and Guiding Light might actually get along fairly well. They turned as a little plastic box thunked onto the table and Qrow sauntered over. Flicking it a look, she asked, "New Scroll?"

"Joker lost his." He shrugged, then smirked and cocked his head to the side as a thought apparently occurred. "Actually, mostly payin' him back for savin' your ass back in the mines. So, how 'bout you save me some time and help get him set up? Show him 'round a bit?"

"For… Anything specific?"

"Weapons, armor, gear. Materials and tools I can use to fix what I already have, maybe." Cerulean grunted, "Lost most of mine."

"Ah. Well, sure, why not?" She waved the man off, smiling warmly. "Owe him a drink anyway, showing him around won't be a problem. See what I can do about his fashion sense while I'm at it, too."

"What's wrong with my-"

"A lot." The two both grunted at once. Branwen turned, chuckling, and added a parting, "Great, thanks, kid."

"Did he just ditch us?" His ghost asked, "I think he ditched us. Rude!"

He only hummed an answer, picking up the box and working at its glued-together plastic edges. It took a moment of annoyed grunting and scowling - it was like they didn't want anyone to get into what they bought or something - but he finally popped it open. Inside was a long, white cylinder with a simple silver seam down the middle with a button in the middle. When he pressed it, it clicked open with a fun little jingle and a cool blue main screen, backed by the logo of the Kingdom itself.

"Input user I.D.?" He murmured, picking up the box. "Where's that?"

"Oh, Gods, have you never actually done this yourself before?" He shook his head honestly and Adel sighed tiredly, "Just… Make up a name- Or use your normal one, actually. Easier that way. It'll ask for a pass after - make that'n up, too. Something you won't forget."

"Like…"

"One Earth, eight technical planets, one City." Guiding light offered, "One-Eight-One. Not a number I'm liable to forget anytime soon."

"Alright." He nodded, punching everything in and smiling when it chimed and defaulted to a basic main screen, now. One with a map-app, too, which he was glad to see. It'd come in useful. Settings, 'Net, App-Store and, lastly, "Contacts?"

"Oh, yeah, gimme." She snatched the Scroll from him and smirked, typing away at it for a while before sliding it back over to him. A second passed and he heard a muted 'chirp' and she pulled out her own Scroll, a little brown cylinder with bronze where his silver was. She flicked it open, typed for a minute, then closed it and explained, "Punched my number into yours then texted myself. I'll get the others to do it, too, later. So expect some messages from randoms tonight or tomorrow."

"Ah." He nodded, "Okay."

"Also looked up Lesbians for ya."

"Oh, by the Light…" His Ghost sighed while the woman chuckled and he rolled his eyes.

"How will I know when they-"

"It'll be in your Messages." She explained, "You'll see a pic. Little plus next to it. Hit that, and just tap 'import contact' and voila! It'll all save automatically."

"Oh." He nodded, "Alright. Thanks, Adel. Appreciate you-"

"Coco." She cut him off, smiling lopsidedly. "Saved my ass for no reason but to do it. In my books, that makes you a friend."

"Oh." He blinked, and then smiled, "Well… Thanks, Coco."

"Mhm." She nodded, opening her Scroll and sighing. "Now, I'm starving. How 'bout I order us some food and then we see about getting you what you need? Starting with some good looking thread."

"I can handle-"

"Oh, c'mon." She rolled her eyes and shot him an unamused look. "Lemme show you around, get you some real city food. I promise, end of the night, you'll like the way you look. I guarantee it."

"Well…"

"It can't do any harm." Guiding Light said, "Why not?"

"Alright then." He sighed, "Food, then… Shopping. Sounds like a plan."

XxX-XxX-XxX

Guess who didn't realize he'd not posted an older chapter for this, and wrote a whole new one? This guy. Guess who gets a near double length chapter cuz of it? You guys, lol.

XxX-XxX-XxX

Dino Guy :

Yup! Trying to be as creative with my Grimm as I can, lol.

Nine Yetis :

Lol

Red Demon Eye :

Ye, she's fine. Just some nightmare fuel, lol.

AMVMaster :

He's not using a Destiny gun. He's using a Great War - Remnant-side - rifle heavily customized by Guiding Light. GL might move over some older Destiny canon designs later, but for now, it's a very 'use what you got' sort of situation.

Sly Sage :

XD

MM Browsing :

Glad you're enjoying it! Lol. When he learns what is kinda up in the air. Kinda still leaning Arc for him, tho, for the obvious reasons. Arc and Sol.