So I don't wanna waste too much time so, if you're looking for your comment, it's not here. I'll start placing comments at the bottom of every chapter from now on. So let's get to it.
[Guest Quarters: Carolina's]
An argument between two of the few members of Ozpin's secret circle gathered together to discuss what has occurred in the match. One, Atlas's general and quite possibly the most powerful man in the world. The other, a genius scientist, engineer, doctor and several other titles earned through a very long, hard career. They were practically at each other's throats trying to determine what was going on with who they thought would be a suitable candidate for the maiden powers.
At that exact same time, two large faunus students were running down to that exact room with news. News that could possibly decide the fate of what would happen next to Carolina.
"Caboose, are you absolutely positive that Carolina smelled different?" Church asked while they passed every door in the hall.
Caboose answered again as they rounded another corner, "Yes... I know she smelled different, kinda stinkier and more pungent."
"That's what I'm more worried about." Church replied as they neared the room guarded by two Atlesian military guards.
The guards saw the two and immediately halted them, for possibly obvious reasons, "Stop! No one is allowed through here!"
"I don't got time for this, I got some information Ironwood and the Director would like to hear, regarding the incident." Church told the guard again.
The guard wouldn't budge, "Leave or we will be forced to use appropriate measures."
Church looked down the hallway they were in and then back the other way to see if there was anyone around them. After the brief check Church nodded to Caboose, "Meh, fuck it."
A quick couple of thuds, a moment where they dragged the two into an empty broom closet they went back to the door. Busting through the door with a kick, Church and Caboose walked in as the two ignored Ironwood and went to the Director.
"What the hell?! You two shouldn't be in here, this is a classified conversation between the three of us-" James began scolding them.
Which Church was having none of, "Can it, Ironwood! Pop, I know this is gonna sound crazy but my friend has something to tell you."
"Hello again sir. Uhhh yeah, I don't think Carolina was truly the one that attacked me." Caboose said, giving no hint to what could've attacked.
The Director calmly walked to Caboose and placed a hand on his shoulder, "While I do appreciate your concern and forgiveness I'm afraid that you have no proof whatsoever."
"But she smelled different. Like she was angrier than before." Caboose argued the best he could.
While those words made the Director think, the General was quick to dismiss whatever thought Caboose was having, "I'm afraid we'll need more than just a change in how she smelled for us to change our minds."
"What if someone forced her, in a world of semblances anything is possible." Church proposed the idea to the General.
The General still wouldn't budge, "What we can only assume and hope this is, is simply the result from stress and exhaustion from too much training."
"James, what if they're right? It could be... THAT." The Director suggested.
"What? What is THAT? What are you talking about?" James asked in an irritated manner.
"Think, James! What could I possibly be talking about?!" The Director yelled at the General to understand.
After a moment where James thought carefully about what it meant, his face revealed that he figured it out, "Oh... no... Which one could it be?"
"Which one do ya think? The second most dangerous one." The Director said.
Caboose raised his hand like he was in class, "What's the second most dangerous one of what? Also, what? And, what?"
"It's classified information, you don't have permission to know." The General stated.
Church was at the end of his rope for patience, "Better unclassify that shit real quick before I lose my shit. Now!"
The stare down between the most powerful man in Atlas and the only person who has slaughtered his corrupt men and lived to tell about it. The tension was thicker than any armor in the world, and almost as strong as Caboose. The General wouldn't give up any more information today, but he wasn't the only one who had information.
"Before your sister was born, give or take a year we we're working on ways to create more soldiers with semblances and aura to match a never ending fight. We were able to but, it wasn't without a cost. The person we had who volunteered had their mind split to create multiple people. Think of it as a multiple personality disorder, except we forced these scenarios to produce different outcomes on our subject. One of them was what your friend might be describing, Omega, based off pure rage." The Director explained in great detail.
Church was still left with several questions, "You're talking about artificial intelligence?"
"No... actual intelligence." General corrected.
"So don't you guys have protocols for this? A search grid? Facial recognition? Anything we can use to track it?"
"Unfortunately Omega isn't really a human. He's a faunus symbiote who latches onto a host and hides within. He can be anyone." The Director described the person responsible.
Which made Caboose ask another question, "So how did you find it last time?"
"Last time, we locked down a whole city and evaluated every person with their family to see if someone was acting different. Took us a whole week to find him and capture him." The Director recalled the event.
Church then reminded his Dad of the news, "We don't have a week, and a lockdown will send people into panic mode. Not only that but how would we be able to tell if someone has been acting different?"
"Has anyone been showing signs of extreme aggression?" The Director asked his son.
Church sarcastically answered his question, "Oh? Extreme signs of aggression after battling monsters all day, then having to compete against other students who have been going through the same thing? No, this is blasphemy."
"This is serious. We're talking complete change in habits, attitude, everything." The General called out.
While anger was growing in the room, Sun and Neptune happened to swing by to ask check up on Caboose, "Hey you guys alright?"
"We're fine. Just trying to think of who else has been kinda stressed." Caboose replied.
Sun made a suggestion that only Caboose really seemed to care about, "Well, I'd check on Doc. He's been kinda upset for a while."
"Yeah, thanks." Church said, trying to dismiss them.
Neptune agreed with his buddy about Doc's habits, "Yeah, I mean. He's been kinda harsh lately. Remember how he told that one guy he'd eat his children?"
"We get it. Thanks!" Church repeated as he felt he was going to snap.
"What's weird is he was checking out that rocket launcher in the shop. Thought he was sorta against all violence." Sun added that little fact in.
"OKAY! You can leave now Sun!" Church yelled as the two walked away, "I swear, sometimes I'm surrounded by distracting morons. Wait... what did he say?"
[Sometime Later]
The only five who knew about the situation were the three members of the Church family, Caboose and General Ironwood. That number would soon grow as they would bring in Doc for questioning and The Director's trusted right hand man. A man who was able to aid in the project he was involved in, and assist in capturing several of the rogue experiments.
Counselor Price, is a faunus, coyote to be exact; one of several social animal types in the Kingdom. His semblance was named, insight, he can see within someone's mind, determine what's troubling them and how best to aid them. His skills are what made him stand out from the rest and what had made him the Director's right hand man.
Price was a dark skinned man, around the same height as The Director, if you were to include his tail for some reason the you could say he was slightly taller. His eyes were a golden color with slight bags under his eyes, seeing as he was one of the hardest working people of the Director's staff. When he entered the room everyone gave him the respect that he deserved, even The General recognized his strengths.
When Doc was brought in, Church slammed the door behind him to ensure he wouldn't try anything wrong. He sat in the only chair available, which was in the center of the room. Already fidgeting and twitching he was giving Counselor Price more information than many would know.
After sitting down for a moment of silence Doc addressed the room, "Ummm... why am I here?"
"To be honest, we believe you were either unknowingly harbouring a fugitive or you were aware of it. We just wish to know the truth, that is all." Counselor Price calmly spoke.
Doc scratched the back of one his hands, "I don't know what you mean. I would love to help you but I don't know anything..."
"Tell me... have you been feeling sudden bursts of anger in these past few days?" The Counselor questioned.
"Uhhh, I mean... a little. It's just been really hard these few days." Doc answered.
"I see... any changes in mood, thoughts or habits?" The Counselor asked again.
Doc nodded, "Yeah, I mean I got some cravings for some junk food a while ago. But I mainly eat as healthy as I can."
"Interesting... Now... does the name Omega... sound familiar to you?" The Counselor finally asked.
Doc shuddered at the name, then gave up everything, "... I thought I was insane. Whenever I was alone in the dark I would hear that name over and over again. In my sleep, when I went to the bathroom, it was horrible. I just didn't say anything because I was worried they would take me away and label me crazy."
"You aren't crazy." The Counselor comforted him, "But what ever you can remember about what he may have mentioned or included in your thoughts, may very well be helpful to us. So that we may bring him to justice."
Doc looked at the floor to search deep within his mind to recollect anything he could, "...I thought I was dreaming of sleepwalking, but I guess now it makes sense that he must have taken up control of my body at night. I can't remember who he met because it was only one time and it was so dark, I do remember however that... Omega... made several phone calls then deleted the numbers and logs after."
"Do you remember the numbers or what was said exactly?" Counselor Price quizzed Doc on his knowledge.
Doc closed his eyes as he tried to tell a tale he hasn't lived, "The numbers, I can't remember. But I remember a few phrases or words that were brought up. I remember, 'Maiden's Power' 'Vytal Festival' and lastly, 'Beacon Falling.' What could it mean?"
"We'll find out. Thank you, however I wish you would stay with us so that we may observe your condition. If that is alright with you." Counselor Price offered.
Doc smiled and nodded, "I think I'd like that very much." He then left with Price.
Now the rest began to think on what could this mean. The two men of power immediately began to issue orders, "I'll stay with Ozpin and inform him of the news. You take my son and his friend to find Omega."
"Understood, but how can they help?" Ironwood asked.
The Director turned back and took Carolina with him, "My son practiced Bounty Hunting in Vacuo, and his friend is a bear faunus with a sense of smell several times greater than even a bloodhound's."
"Bounty Hunting? Wow, that's quite a skill to have at such a young age." Ironwood complimented.
Church nodded in sarcasm, "Yeah, helps after some military dick heads try to kill you at only 13."
"You're not gonna let that down, huh?" Ironwood wondered.
Church pretended to think about the option, "Mmmm, nope. Not yet."
[The Colosseum: The Crowd]
The exact number of seat filled and people in the actual crowd was a difficult number to pinpoint. All the more reasons searching for the culprit was damn near impossible, especially considering they only had Caboose to go off of. Church was strolling through the crowd with his guns concealed and his hat down to see if his eyes were sharp enough to spot them. Ironwood was up in the spectator's box, that way they can see everything they could, an eagle eye view to call out what he can. Caboose, was busy going through all the service ways and backstage areas only authorized personnel were allowed in. Luckily he was given said access.
Now it was the three looking for a rotten hay seed in an even larger haystack, added with a race against time. It was not looking too good, even with the three spread out, time was ticking as they kept searching the whole crowd.
"Ironwood, tell me you have something." Church pleaded as he spoke into his scroll.
The General sighed with an almost whisper, "Not yet. Facial recognition isn't picking up any criminal records or anything that would lead to acts like this."
"Caboose, how ya looking on your end?" Church asked Caboose as the two were on opposite sides of the arena from each other.
"Sorry Church, there's a lot to smell but I'm having trouble pinpointing where Omega could-" Caboose paused as he heard something in the direction he was going, "Hold on... I think someone who shouldn't be here, is down here."
"Hold your position, I'm checking with the team that should be in that area." Ironwood ordered as he called up the expected security team, "Arena Team 5, come in..." Nothing but static responded, "Arena Team 5, come in. This is General Ironwood, repeat come in."
"Caboose wait for me I'll be there in a few minutes." Church responded.
Caboose called back, "By the time you get here they may be gone. I'm going in."
"Caboose you have an arm in a sling, you got no backup. Wait damnit!" Church ordered.
Caboose was trying to remain calm as he looked around his area thinking of what options he had. Then he saw what section he was in and smiled, "Don't worry Church. I'm not alone."
Caboose rounded the corner and peeked his head out as saw several staff laid out on the floor and then saw three people enter the hall from the maintenance room. Of the three, he thought two were students: Kiss and Ivan; with them was someone who looked like Mercury, only older. Caboose stayed behind the corner, but then decided to be brave, out of cover he jumped out and announced himself.
"Hey! You're not supposed to be here..." Caboose pointed out.
The three were on the verge of laughing but kept their composure as Marcus spoke back, "Yeah? What are you, security?"
"Well... no... but what are you doing?" Caboose demanded to know.
From outside, where the crowd roared as the first contender was up, "It looks like our first contender is Penny Polendina from Atlas... and it looks as though her first opponent will be... Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!"
"Did you know, Penny isn't really a true girl?" Marcus quizzed as he gave Caboose a hint, "Metal vs. Polarity... not a good match."
Caboose furrowed his brow and raised his one fist up as he prepared to fight with all he had in him. He was just hoping help would arrive.
End of Chapter
Okay, so I don't think anyone reviewed anything but, have no fear. I am almost done with going over volume 3. So let's get her going.
Churchisalive signing off for now.
