Hello everyone! How are you doing? Hope you are all fine!
Chapter 83 is here and as always, I hope you all enjoy it!
Thanks again for reading/following/ favoring the story (I must find a couple different lines to express it at some point, I know).
See you all next week with Ch. 84. Until then, be well and have fun!
'Next stop; City Center. City Center. Passengers are kindly requested to use the left side doors to get off the train. Thank you very much.'
Comfortably seated next to a large window, the black-haired girl didn't mind the announcement as she continued typing in her laptop. After all, she knew there was more than an hour until she reached her stop.
Lumia Starlight wore a long black leather set of trousers, with matching short-heeled boots and a dark green sweater, like her thoughtful eyes.
A stag's head made of jet sequins was woven on it, shining in the bright morning light. A series of simple silver bracers adorned her wrists and a large hawk necklace made of amber framed her ample chest.
Due to the extremely effective heating system, her short black coat was set on the back of her chair, accompanied by her oversized sword that unknowingly to her had drawn every other passenger's attention.
Not that she would mind even if she had noticed, to begin with. Lumia's mind was currently experiencing a swirling mess of thoughts, mostly of worry and guilt.
She stopped typing and shut her laptop before putting it in her bag. Her deft fingers combed her free jet black mane as she let out a deep sigh, still ignoring the stares she was receiving.
Investigate Jaune's health recovery without the doctor notice. Excellent she thought. After having a fight with Yang and having Alex and Albus moved to Cypress, now I have to investigate my friend; fantastic.
She stared out of the window; the sun had risen up from behind the buildings and caressed her face with its deceptively warm rays. It was freezing outside of course, but she couldn't feel it through the glass.
Like we possibly can't feel what is wrong with such a close friend of ours she bitterly thought. Are we so blind? So oblivious that such a thing could exist unnoticed among us for so long? What does that make us?
Idiots. Hopeless, naive fools who got drunk on the sweet nectar of happiness and forgot how temporal it is. That was the answer Lumia's mind came up with. And worst of all is, of course, yours truly.
The image of three corpses covered in long, bloodied pieces of white fabric returned to her mind. You knew that happiness is something you have to struggle for; nothing as convenient as divine providence exists.
Yet, you turned a blind eye to the obviously suspicious phenomena of a friend returning from his coma after accepting a favor from an ancient Godlike Grimm. Well done, Lumia. Well done. Yang would laugh at-
For a moment she stopped. The wagon was half-empty at this point since they had passed the city center a while ago, but her ears thought they heard a familiar sound; a merry laugh belonging to a lilac-eyed girl.
All of a sudden, her thoughts travelled a few years ago, back in the cold night desert of Vacuo where she and Yang shared stories and bantered over a roaring fire during their shift.
"Well, being paranoid works for some people" she had told her. "Take my partner for example. Did you know she sets booby traps over our windows when we sleep in hotels and inns?" she laughed heartily.
Lumia had stared at the sleeping forms of Blake, Erik and team CVFY. In the distance, Raven was sitting, drinking tea "I fail to see the problem in that, but it looks like you don't agree." The tall blonde had chuckled and stared around before she had replied.
"Doesn't work for me. I want to enjoy the happiness of today as much as I can" she had a strange, longing feeling in her eyes back then. "This way, I can fight twice as hard to protect it for all of our sakes."
'Next stop; Riverside Clinic. Riverside Clinic. Passengers are-'
Yang's words in her mind, Lumia left the mechanical voice behind her and stepped out of the train. Feeling the morning chill at once, she put her coat on, fixed her weapon and picked up her bag.
Riverside Clinic was one of the newest and best medical centers in Vale; Goodwitch had ensured that Jaune would have gotten the best care available. She had nearly been kissed by Ruby when she had announced that.
The downside was that it was located on top of Blue Hill. A two-minute drive through a well-paved and gorgeous-looking road surrounded in green separated it from the rest of Riverside, Vale's southern suburb.
Yeah, that was right. A two-minute drive. This, in Lumia's case, meant a 15-minute climb on foot. She checked the time; she could wait here for half an hour until Erik and the others drove by, or…
She stared upwards. No time to be a whiny girl, Lumia. You have done worse; literally. The huntress took one deep breath and started walking up the picturesque hill, trying to admire the view without losing speed.
-o—
The clinic was truly breathtaking. Slowly wiping off her sweat with a handkerchief, the woman stood in front of the tall, open gate. A large and well-tended garden spread before her, filled in tall apple trees.
The road continued through the garden, reaching to the massive white building with the huge windows. A small parking lot could be seen next to the entrance, with a few cars already parked there.
She rested for a couple minutes and typed to Erik informing them to find her at the doctor's office at soon as they arrive. Then, she took the scenic route leading to the large, moving doors in the entrance.
"I am sorry, madam, but it is hospital protocol" the security officer in the entrance told her while pointing at Buster Orion. "Ah, I understand, don't worry" she replied. She handed him the weapon and walked in.
"Good morning!" the girl in the information booth smiled at her. She was quite cute and polite, Lumia thought. There were not many people around them, which was natural since it wasn't visiting hours yet.
"I want to see Doctor Van Ochre" she replied, smiling back "I don't have an appointment, however" she added. "Please wait for a few seconds" she smiled even deeper and turned around while picking up the phone.
Lumia stood back. This girl was so cute and cheerful. She would bet she had quite the fan club in this place. In a sense, she fitted the job quite nicely- the gentle smile suited the serene and calm feeling the clinic's isolation gave and the modern, polished walls gave a sense of security.
She let her face drop. If that's so she thought then what is this uneasy feeling that is pressing in my chest? She rubbed her tired eyes. Could it be because of the hospital? Am I remembering Thornwood?
"Excuse me Miss?" the cheerful girl interrupted her thinking. "Doctor Van Ochre will see you now. Please go up to the fourth floor, his office is in room 406, on your left as you exit the elevator."
"Thank you very much" Lumia solemnly bowed as she walked to the large elevator and pressed the 4F button. Her trip was uninterrupted and, after stepping out, she noticed the corridor was empty.
Ok, I know I said it was too early for visitors, but is it supposed to be that empty? This feels like no one is working here at all! Where are the nurses and the cleaning staff? She took a couple steps to the left-
As you walk in, your fate traps you. Intertwined, inescapable. Every step you take brings you closer to us.
All of a sudden, every hair in her body stood on edge. What was that? She stared around, her green eyes trying to see who the voice belonged to. Even though, this primeval, abhorrent, guttural sound couldn't really belong to any human or faunus walking on the Land of Remnant.
She brought you here, on my doorstep, on your own volition. Curiosity is a cruel mistress.
The corridor was empty, well-lit and clean. Lumia gulped. She could feel sweat running down her forehead. What was that? She hadn't heard a voice so… alien since Salem's booming roar in the castle. Could it be?
"Excuse me, young miss?" the voice came from behind, making Lumia snap her head and jump backwards to avoid- the cleaning lady? Surely enough, a woman holding a broom stood in front of the huntress.
Her expression was confused, but the girl didn't hold it against her. Her reaction would make any person think she had some serious issues.
Maybe I do she thought, taking a deep breath. Had she imagined this deep, powerful, creeping voice? "My apologies" she slowly bowed her head "I was lost in thought and got startled; I am sorry if I scared you."
"Oh don't mind me please" the woman waved her hand "many of the patients' relatives are like that, so I have gotten used to it. Are you here to visit someone? I am afraid it's too early."
"No I am looking for Doctor Van Ochre for a friend of mine" she smiled back at her. "Oh, his office is just behind you, so don't let me take up more of your time, dear" the woman continued sweeping.
"Yes; thank you very much" Lumia bowed once more and moved to the office numbered as 406, with a bright, golden nameplate being read as 'Doctor W. Van Ochre, MD' standing on the door.
She knocked the door carefully, yet firmly. "Yes?" a man's voice, quite old-sounding, replied. "Lumia Starlight, for Mr. Jaune Arc; they told me you could accept-"
"Walk in; embrace the destiny your own carelessness has decided for you"
She stiffened once more, as the door closed behind her. Relax, it's just a- The man standing on the other side of the room was young, much younger than she expected him to be. Is this an Atlas Military Uniform?
"Miss Starlight" his voice was soft and filled in understanding, but there was something really off-putting about it. It sounded like it was coming from far away, like an old record that wasn't even talking to her.
"They fought valiantly" his face was lowered and his eyes narrowed in sadness. Wait, isn't he Corporal Flax? What is he- "But there is nothing more we can do for them. As the sole survivor, you are the only one who can identify them. I know it is a cruel thing to ask a first year, Ms."
Wait, what?
"Ms. Starlight" the voice had now changed. It belonged to a short, old man with grey hair and a thin jaw, wearing a lab coat. The office was a rather small one, with a single window and a plastic plant just below it.
There was a large bookcase behind the heavy wooden desk in the mid and a pair of landscape paintings adorned the wall on the left. In front of the desk, standing on a rugged carpet, the man was glaring at her.
"If you are here to just stare at me rudely without even answering my questions, I will ask you to leave, I am afraid" he told her. She gulped and quickly recollected her mind, bowing deeply.
"I am really sorry, Dr. Van Ochre, I am really exhausted and spaced out for a moment; I had no intention of insulting you." "Intentions mean nothing young lady. Only actions do" he grumbled.
He then walked around the desk to sit on his chair, allowing a startled and disoriented Lumia to sit on one of the patients' ones. What the eff was that? And why did I remember it now of all times?
"As I have already asked, then, why did you ask to see me? Is it about that exhaustion of yours and the huge, tired circles around your eyes?"
"No, even though tips about improving the quality of my sleep would be greatly appreciated" she replied in a serious manner. "It is about a friend of mine, who is also a patient of yours- Huntsman Jaune Arc."
"Ms. Starlight" he replied, narrowing his eyes "even if Mr. Arc is, as you say, your friend, there is no way I would ever disclose any information about his situation to anyone other than himself and Ms. Rose. We value our patients' privacy and security is pretty tight in this clinic."
"I understand, Doctor; I really do. But Ms. Rose is not around and-" he scoffed "In that case, I am authorized to contact the headmistress of Ozpin Academy, Professor Glynda Goodwitch, instead. Not you."
She lowered her head in understanding. Of course, she expected that already. There was no way a respectable institute would even consider sharing patients' info with people who just claimed to be their friends.
Thankfully, she didn't even need that. All she needed was confirmation. And, if her friends were just in time, she would have the necessary dist-
The phone rang and the doctor pushed the speakers' button. "Doctor Van Ochre here; what is it?" "There is a woman, claiming to be suffering from serious stomach pains and asking for you, Doctor."
"I will be on my way; guide her to the examination rooms at once." He closed the phone and stood up "as you can see duty calls, Ms. Starlight, so I would kindly ask you to leave now."
"Of course. Thank you for taking the time to see me. Have a nice day, doctor" she stood up as well and, after bowing deeply, walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.
She then sent a few stares around and, after making sure nobody was close by, she tiptoed to the stairs towards the rooftop. She hid around the corner and waited for a couple minutes.
And then, as fast as a professional could be, Doctor Van Ochre walked out of his door, into the elevator and down to the examination rooms. She smiled widely. Your acting skills are so underestimated, Nora.
Moving slowly and carefully back to the Doctor's office, she took out a small, thin wire from her pocket and slid it in the keyhole. It took her a couple minutes due to checking around every few seconds, but finally she managed to open the lock. Alex would be so proud of me.
She then entered the office and locked the door behind her. She had checked the window and was sure that she could use dust to escape by jumping to the rooftop, so the door was an extra safety measure.
"All right then" she checked the pc and took out her scroll and a cable to connect it. She typed a few commands and started booting up her hacking programs. "Let's see how much of a tight security you have, Doctor."
-o—
The corridor was long, filled in darkness and the smell of unnamable liquid. She was sure blood was among them. She hated that place, but not because it reeked of death; death had been a part of her life for long.
Cherry moved steadily in the narrow space left between the numerous experimental cells. She had counted fifty of them the first day she had arrived in this place and more than half were empty.
It wasn't necessary to pass through this place to reach the main lab, but for her it was an important thing. It was her own walk of shame and she wouldn't allow her eyes to be averted from it.
The smell of spilled blood from failed subjects, the bubbling remains of Darkblood no one cared to clean, the low growls of the captive Grimm in the cells below her, the humans' broken cries of pain…
She had to burn those feelings in her mind. She had no right to forget what was happening here. Assisting to the sacrilege of experimenting on humans and Grimm, was an unforgivable sin she had committed.
She stopped next to the latest test subjects' cells. Cell 043 that had belonged to the greedy traitor was empty, as well as 042 that held a university guy Vivian had brought in a while ago. Probably used up.
039, 040 and 041 were the three remaining university students. Azure had told her they were going to be used in the most grandiose of the experiments; the attempt to try synchronizing with Grand Mother.
She stared at them one by one; the girl was sleeping and, judging from her trembling, having a serious nightmare. One of the boys gave her an empty stare, devoid of emotion, while the last one glared at her in rage.
She liked the last one's expression. One should strive to survive and be true to his own dignity as much as possible. Then again, who was she to comment on dignity? She had tainted her own so much already.
The pink-haired girl stared at the door in the end of the corridor. It was time for her to start making amends for that. She put on her mask and gripped her weapon hardly before stepping in the main laboratory.
Every staff member stiffened as they saw Cherry step in. Was it the Nuckelavee mask? Or maybe the nearly visible aura of religious anger she emanated? Well, in any way she didn't care- they didn't deserve it.
Four guards and Fowler stood up and circled her, raising big rifles with very wide barrels- some kind of makeshift hand canons. She simply scoffed at the mere idea of them trying to fight her face to face.
Azure seemed to be the only one to remain calm. He hadn't even stood up from his chair, only turned around to stare at her. "Vivian is dead; I killed this dishonorable cur with my own hands" she announced.
The scientists exchanged a worried stare at her words. The professor, however, didn't even flinch. "Her loss is a significant setback to our operation, despite her work nearly having been finished" he replied.
"What sort of extensively stupid reason drove you to do such a thing? Did your so-called warrior's pride make your brain cells rot?" his voice made her head fume. "Your filthy mouth doesn't even know what-"
"Oh, shut up" he cut her off. "I warned you many times that you are here to assist with my experiments, yet you finally showed me your true colors. I wanted a sharp blade, not a wild animal, you bitch."
"Scum like you don't deserve my loyalty" she whirled her weapon but the guards stood still. Impressive determination "or my tolerance. I am shutting down this place now and taking the notes to master Woodrock who will put them to proper use without dishonoring our order's name."
Azure's eyes narrowed. "You have zero idea of what you say" and then stood up "or who you are trying to fight, little fox." He rubbed his eyes and took one step forward.
"You are strong and, judging from what I see team RWBY is still alive and kicking. So, you can still be of use to us by taking them on. Put your blade away now, before you waste more of my valuable time."
"Not happening" she replied firmly. "Put your guns away and drop on your knees so that I can decapitate you without causing much pain. I will make sure to give your corpses a proper burial afterwards."
"Unbelievable" the man's face took a disgusted expression. "You truly are nothing more than a savage animal that has failed to evolve. Get her" he commanded, making the faunus assume a defensive stance.
She was outnumbered, but except for the guards and Fowler nobody seemed armed and even they were not even close to her level. Those people were seriously underestimating her. She would use her sembla-
All of a sudden, the guards shot at her. Anticipating it, she stretched her arm out to repel the bullets. But nothing happened. The reason for that was simple; instead of bullets a gray, thick gas was shot at the warrior.
What? She tried to jump, but by the moment she lowered her legs, it was already too late. Cherry felt her energy being sapped away, as deep drowsiness filled her mind and her limbs gave off, failing to move.
She struggled for a moment. I was careless, damn it. I didn't expect him to... she reached out to her talisman and started chanting a healing spell, but Fowler walked up to her and hit her with a weapon's butt. His expression was- ah, so that's what what you truly are!
Her eyes fought valiantly to remain open, but there was nothing more she could do. The metal sound of her prized weapon falling on the floor was the last thing she registered before she fell unconscious.
"What a simple-minded fool" Azure, standing a few meters away, did comment. "Gravity is not as effective against gases, Miss Itazura. Did you seriously not think I would have taken measures against you?"
He turned at his men, who had somehow been unaffected by the gas. This didn't come as surprise to him, of course since it was his work to begin with.
"Fowler" he addressed the taller man. "Take her to the generators and feed her a vial of Darkblood. After that, break her neck and begin the ritual. I want to see how much it can affect a body that's already dead."
He nodded firmly "if we are going to test Darkblood's healing property, then why not do it in the lab? Or in a cell, Professor?" Azure tied up his hair and replied "because I also want you to start plan D."
Fowler's eyes opened wide. "Don't worry about me; I will already be in the underground passage with all Circlet prototypes, tank A and the only copies of our data."
Thankfully the guards had already left; otherwise he would have to deal with them as well. "Nothing leaves this place other than you, me and tank A. Am I understood, Fowler?"
The man stared at the four guards who were waiting for him outside the door, holding the unconscious girl's body in their arms. "It shall be done, Professor."