Outside the CCT, Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury were approaching.

"Man, this thing is pretty cool!" Mercury said. "And big!"

"If you like this one, you'd like the one in Atlas." Cinder said.

"Wasn't that the first one?" Emerald asked.

Cinder nodded. "Yep. Atlas developed the CCT system to allow the Four Kingdoms to keep in contact with each other. Their gift to the world after the Great War."

"Nice! So why are we coming here instead of the library?" Mercury asked.

"There are too many eyes in the library. Here at the tower, most people will be focused on the people they're calling to notice three other kids hacking into the network to track Black Rose activity." Emerald said.

"Plus, I kinda like the tower." Cinder said then saw Penny. "Penny?!"

The orange haired girl's eyes widened.

"What happened to you?! You disappeared after the night at the docks!"

"I think you're confused." Penny said then let out a hiccup. "I have to go!" She added then moved to walk away.

Cinder looked conflicted. She looked at Emerald and Mercury.

"Go. We'll take a look at the Schnee records and see if the Black Rose hit any weapons convoys." Emerald said.

Cinder nodded then went after Penny while the thief and the assassin headed towards the tower.

Cinder stood in front of Penny. "Where have you been these past few weeks, Penny?!" She asked.

"There must be a misunderstanding..." Penny said then began walking down the stairs again.

Cinder stood in front of her again. "Please stop, Penny and listen to me! The Black Rose and the White Fang, they're planning something big and bad! Tell me what happened to you that night, please! I'm asking you that as a friend."

Penny looked around then at Cinder. "Okay, but not here. It isn't safe. Meet me in Vale and we can talk there."

Inside the tower, Emerald and Mercury got into the elevator then headed to the Communications Room. Once in there, Emerald used her Semblance to hide herself and Mercury then the two headed to a terminal away from everyone.

"Okay, let's see..." Emerald said then began typing on the keyboard. "Be ready with an explanation, Merc. I'm not gonna be able to keep us hidden for long."

"On it." He said.

A few minutes later, Emerald's Semblance gave out. "I'll need some time to recover before I can hide us again."

"Got it."

A woman walked to them. "Everything okay, Mister Black?" She asked.

Mercury nodded. "Just gathering some information for a school project." He said.

The woman bought the lie then walked away.

"Nice one." Emerald whispered.

Mercury smirked.

Despite a massive headache, Emerald stayed focused and they soon got the information they needed and left.

Outside a little cafe in Vale stood Penny, nervously waiting for Cinder, who soon appeared next to her with a smile on her face and a hand on the former's shoulder.

The two soon started walking.

"I won't be much help, Cinder. I know nothing about those men." Penny said.

"What happened to you that night? You just disappeared! Did you get kidnapped or something?!" Cinder asked.

"No! Nothing like that!"

"Then where did you go?"

"This is my first time in another Kingdom. My dad said for me to not wander too far but..." Penny started then trailed off for a second. "Please understand. My father loves me so much...He's just very worried."

"I can't pretend to know what that's like. I was an orphan till I was 10. Even then, the woman who took me in didn't treat me like a daughter. She just had me clean the rooms of her damn hotel." Cinder said then looked at Penny. "Why didn't you let us know you were alright? We all were worried about you."

"I was asked not to talk to you or Emerald or Mercury or Neo. Anyone, really."

"Your dad was that upset?"

"It wasn't my father who asked that of me."

The voice of General James Ironwood, headmaster of Atlas Academy and the leader of the Atlesian Armed Forces, could be heard by the teenagers and they saw him demonstrating the newest Atlas Military Robots: The Atlesian Knight 200, and another of the latest line of defense, the Atlesian Paladin, a giant mechanical suit to be piloted by a member of the military.

Two soldiers spotted Cinder and Penny and a chase ensued that was ended by Penny stopping a truck with her bare hands. The two ran to a dumpster in an alley.

"Penny, what is going on here?! How did you do that?!"

Penny started freaking out a little bit, but Cinder tried to calm her down.

"Do you promise that you're my friend, Cinder?" Penny asked.

"Of course I promise. "

"I'm not...a real girl." Penny said, showing Cinder her hands but instead of bruises...Cinder saw metal underneath Penny's skin.

"Oh..." Cinder said.

Meanwhile, Steel was with his 'teammates' in their form room.

"How skilled of a fighter are you, Lysette?" He asked.

She turned to him. "Just behind Commander Xiao Long, I'm one of the best solo fighters in the Burning Suns."

"Kinda like how I'm one of Miss Rose's most efficient assassins." Miltia said.

"So we were chosen because we're the best of the best among our employers." Onyx smirked.

"Makes sense." Steel said. "I'm still a little surprised that he showed up to this Kingdom."

"General Ironwood? Why would that surprise you, Steel?" Miltia asked.

Steel took a deep breath. "...Because he's my father. Steel is a name I made for myself but my real name...is Jonathan Ironwood." He replied, surprising the three girls.

"...Now that you mention it, you do look a bit like him. If he had a beard like yours." Lysette commented.

Miltia and Onyx nodded.

"...Since we're being transparent, I too have a secret." Onyx said and the three others turned to her as she took a deep breath. "I'm half Grimm."

The others were shocked but Onyx explained that she was experimented on with Grimm DNA as a baby and that she had the ability to sense emotions, communicate with Grimm, and alternate between two different forms, one having human arms and legs but with a shark's dorsal fin and a shark's head, and a full Shark Grimm.

Surprisingly, Miltia was the first to speak after a few minutes of silence. "Thank you for telling us."

Steel and Lysette nodded.

"High Leader Belladonna had been helping me learn how to control it as best she can but I'm the only one in all of Remnant who is a hybrid with Grimm in their DNA. My hybrid form is the only form I can control."

"Let's just hope their plan doesn't bring out your full Grimm side."

The three girls nodded then they relaxed together.

That's chapter eleven

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