Greetings once again dear viewers, and welcome to the fifth installment of The Electric Lens. I somehow managed to juggle finales week, the class I'm taking over spring break and a web show fanfic all at once.

Not much to update outside of the continuation of busy week after busy week. That being said I once again apologize for any grammatical error. As I've said in the past and will say again in the future, I do my best to proofread my own work but the English language, despite being the only one I know, isn't my strong suit.

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Chapter 5

Relief flushed through Penny's circuits when Gareth had stated his, albeit, rude farewell. For as unexpected as the conversation had been for both recipients, such feelings on her side were completely self-imposed. However, despite the potential harm that came with improvising her interaction with the boy, she still at this moment, and for at least the next handful of hours, remained online and conscious.

Now the plan shifted to making sure she'd remained that way, which could prove to be an uphill battle based on the data she gathered, and more so experienced, during their communication when he just got out of bed.

He seems skeptical and suspicious of my existence as an artificial machine. On top of that he could catch on to my fabricated story at any moment, much of this morning's success in even partially convincing him of my false origin is likely tributed to his mental state upon just waking up. Once fully conscious and operating at peak efficiency his suspicion could turn into him investigating my claim to see any potential errors within what I said...this comprised with the fact that my story was constructed as our interaction progressed proved to bring up complications of its own, one's and zero's turning red, Penny would shake her head in slight embarrassment. Although she was proud of her apparent improvisation skills and going into the situation without relying on simulated responses and or percentage-based replies, she couldn't help but think the tale she built was a tad too tall.

A virtual intelligence system, that is what I am now pretending to be, despise the severity that could arise from this false identity she now had, she couldn't help but simulate a giggle with her own thoughts. Embarrassed as she was, she couldn't help but find slight joy, or in this irony, in the fact that on Remnant she felt too machine at times to be a human, and now she felt too human to act as a device as simple as a vocal response assistance.

Comparing myself to such an...early stages of artificial intelligence is like asking a supercomputer to only perform the task of a basic calculator, while still finding humor in the thought, Penny had to stop herself from stating the other machines as primitive. Even despite her logical superiority, they were still like her in a way. Given they were the same in the same way a human brain is like a mouses'. Sure, one has far more neural networks and neurons, but the basic unit of the neuron and the structures they create are shared between the two organisms.

Even he, in his sleep induced state, could see my greater understanding of conversational response. Enough so to question how I came with this device, if lesser versions of my suppositive models cost a small fortune on their own. The computerized laughing slowly died down as she then began to recall having to forge her own description and lie. Even going against a small cardinal rule, she had placed for herself and hacking into the computers company web page to add her to the unit's information, and action she immediately undid once the page was deleted

Given this generation of desktop is no longer in production the probability of somebody stumbling onto that page at the same time I modified the code is slim...although the risk of the corporation realizing something was amiss is slightly higher, the digital red heads imaginary bangs swept in both direction across her face as she shook her way out of such thoughts,

A necessary risk, but one I should hope to avoid in the future. While such alteration of data can be done on a small scale, I must be better prepared when I take an undertaking to do so. Of course, this problem arose due to me having to alter the code, as Gareth was trying to read it,

Luckily for her the boy's morning state once again proved of assistance. Briefly slowing down his processing speed, which allowed her to write on the website page, as well as distract him with a note as she did so. However, she could not rely on such things in the future. Given his suppose interest in reading, she had to be cautious when attempting to change text while he was viewing the screen.

Such things can be accounted for, but unfortunately the most glaring error in my code will not...and it is something he will undoubtedly be made aware of sooner or later, Penny went back through the notes pages and her own responses. Glaring at the small dash marks littering a few, knowing all too well what they meant, even when going through a different script my hiccups have stayed with me. At least, the dashes, while impossible for me to even delete evidently, aren't as obvious or impeding as the inclusion of the word 'hiccup' would be

Trying to account for her now playing the role as a computerized helper, Penny began pulling up files to begin going over his work as she stated she would. In addition to this internet tabs containing data on the limitation and abilities of multiple virtual intelligence units were processed through as well,

If I am to somehow figure out how I obtain transportation to Earth and theorize how to return to Remnant I need to access a stable environment. In order to achieve that I will have to earn some degree of trust or to prove my necessity to Gareth. If I can convince him not to remove my access to his machine, I can establish this device as a headquarters with little worry of being powered down

While word documents were beginning to be scanned, and then edited to fit correct grammatical structure, articles, and schematics on how programs such as the aforementioned Google Home and Amazon Echoes were studied in great detail. In knowing how she would simplify her response to mimic that of these dives, she could now at the very least see the level at which they operated to make sure her advancement didn't raise too many eyes.

However, this did require her to walk a fine virtual line. She had to prove her worth, while also not achieving anything too impossible for the level of technology she now disguised herself as. Gareth did not seem to possess extension knowledge in the field of electronics, which should make the ruse all the easier, but if he was to bring it up to somebody with basic computer science understanding she could find herself in trouble.

Gaining Gareth's trust will not be necessary, what will be is for him to not mind my presence, question, or care about me operating in the background. Therefore, a soft approach of assistance shall be taken. One where I will show significance benefits to his daily life,

A lab report that was to be turned in within the next thirty-six hours was displayed, and easily Penny changed around incorrect formula and mathematic equations,

Because of this I will show him my accomplishments in an evening and morning report. Something that will not bother him but alert him to the improvement of his task completions. Only other time communication would be necessary is then if he initiates it. This should be most acceptable for both parties, as it will allow me to begin my own research regarding my current situation without too much interruption.

Proving the full genius of her multitasking capabilities, web pages on astrophysics as well as theoretical physics began strobing across the screen, while the report of their younger brother chemistry was being effortlessly corrected. Still too cautious to attempt accessing knowledge on the fields from confidential sources, such as esteemed colleges or universities, Penny limited herself to basics brought with each field. However, with her level of reading or rather processing, such a thing was trivial, as she already began using the building blocks to formulate theories on par with the planet's top minds.

An Einstein Rosenberg bridge could be responsible for the travel. Such a temporal bending in the fabric of spacetime would explain the quickness of how fast I traversed the distance, or rather how I traversed a shorter distance. It's also hypothetically possible that such a device would not require a vehicle to go through, and could be opened within the atmosphere, hence why such an anomaly could be opened in Remnant. Although this begs new questions. Such as which side would create the bridge, and for what purpose. Given my current location I also must ask whether I was intentionally meant to go through or if I was an unintended or unaccounted for hitchhiker.

Correcting a….well correcting a sentence to become a sentence, and then editing it to actually state the proper reason for why alkali metals react so violently with water, Penny once again possessed the camera to look around the human dumped Gareth called a room,

Evidence strongly suggests that Gareth does not possess the scientific or engineering skill to accomplish such a feat. Which would then mean I was not the intended traveler. Unfortunately, this leads to the questions of who was, where are they, and which planet were they attempting to reach,

Penny paused in the midst of her question as well as her explanation for why caesium's poor interaction with two hydrogen and one water atoms resulted in its rarity in nature. The thought of somebody from Remnant coming to Earth was...peculiar, as well as the vice versa.

A being coming from Remnant would have multiple reasons to come to Earth. First and foremost, would be safety. The language barrier could prove problematic at first, but an intelligent and well-prepared traveler, especially a human, could blend among the population quite easily. With no Grimm, even a citizen without their aura unlocked could seek safety so long as they picked the right country.

The red heads coded thoughts then turned to the idea of a military or combat specialist coming to this system largest rocky planet,

And a huntsman would essentially be unstoppable so long as they remained hidden from any major military. The Humans of this planet have no aura or semblances to my knowledge, nor any equivalent. Their soldiers are hence limited by biology and technology, putting even their most elite units at the mercy of even a first-year student of any given academy.

Perhaps out of curiosity she could call for research, Penny opened up a website regarding basic military operations of the country she was currently in. Being one of two superpowers and being the sole one when in regard to military capabilities at the moment, the United States as it dubbed itself was the perfect place to judge the two planets strength and weakness when in terms of combat. And unfortunately for the Earth's representative, a human on human, or human on faunus engagement was far from in Remnant's favor,

Statistically even the most trained and disciplined unit of the three ground-based branches would never win an engagement with a singular hunter or huntress. Their standard issue firearms would pose little to know stress on their aura, and even the higher caliber shots would only drain it slightly. Of course, this is not even their biggest disadvantage, being able to target and hit the huntsmen would be nigh impossible. A regular human simply lacks the reaction speed necessary...of course interacting with such units in a hostile way would lead to an eventual termination for the huntsmen if they remained on Earth

The Atlasien robot's curiosity now expanded from a man to man engagement, to one between nation and ultimately planets. Being from the northernmost continent and knowing far too well they were the most militaristic, Penny began producing possible outcomes of a conflict between Atlas and the United States…. which produced thoughts less than ideal for her home.

Soldier to soldier we have this nation, and any nation of Earth, severely outclassed...but the most powerful states of this planet no longer view war in such an arbitrary way. With access to aircraft versus airships they have a severe advantage in terms of travel as well as striking from a height we cannot counter against. And while Earth's human operatives may lack the calibers and reaction time to pierce a huntsmen shield, a ground to air missile, or even computer targeting gun would decimate even the most skilled aura users. This is not evening considering Earth's far superior number and resources advantage…. or their nuclear missile arsenal

Without even realizing the mushroom cloud that had grazed her thoughts when she first gained access to this computer once again emerged. Playing as old film video amongst a streaming site. Given the age, the imagery flash by in silence, making it even more haunting, especially when in regard to the original question that sparked this line of thought,

...What if somebody from Remnant came for their atomic knowledge...or what of somebody from Earth came to unleash upon Remnant.

The thought was uncomfortable in both senses, made more so by the fact that her own planet had known way to account or defend against a weapon,

The modern-day use of these weapons are, thankfully for this world, only hypothetical deployments that are delivered through a missile based payload system. One that takes it far into the upper atmosphere, and even low orbit...Remnant would not be able to to detect or intercept it at such a distances, not even Earth's governments could even with technology that can reach similar elevation...and once it came down that would simply mean the end of a city...as such was the case with Earth,

Having seen the planet through the lens and growth of violence, Penny knew that for all the bomb's power it had only been used twice. Only when it was first invented, and in a time of global conflict. That being said she was also aware that the use of it and then it's sudden stop was the same reason a child only voluntarily touches a hot stove once.

Being a weapon, Penny knows more than most, that it isn't truly understood until used. You can have the schematics, the models, and the simulations, but the consequence can never be truly understood until it's deployed. And when the bombs were dropped, humanity realized in horror the aftereffects it held.

The splitting of atoms didn't destroy an army, or even a high value manufacturing planet. In truth it didn't destroy anything. What it did do was far worse, it made two cities, all with unsuspecting people, children, and families, vanish. There was no moment to understand death was coming, or even be scared of it inevitability, there was simply a flash and then death.

Every problem has a solution. But a solution will take time, and these humans found a problem that took that ally away. They learned, or at least have hoped they learned, in the sciences infancy that the only way to survive the weapons was to not use it...Remnant has not experienced such a lesson.

Images of a missile striking down against a Grimm nest, removing the pools in which they were birthed from existence, filled her mind before the fire took everything.

It could solve the Grimm infestation, it would make the land unhabitable for decades, but it is not like the politicians who would unleash these weapons were ever using that territory to begin with. Once the time had passed the land would be colonized, with no threats of nightmarish creatures plaguing the wilderness ever again… and with no common threats the kingdoms would find their own in each other.

Instead of white and black creatures of death being consumed in a plasma tidal wave of destruction, Atlas, Mantle, and Vale now stood in its path.

If given the weapon in this form, and an arsenal numbering in even a fraction of Earth's Remnant would be destroyed. Humanity, Faunas, and life itself purged from the universe. There was no build up period to know the dangers, there was no initial use of the bomb to fully comprehend what it actually destroyed. Just a new weapon that could be used in its pinnacle form...if its designs were brought to Remnant such a fate is assured...as is a similar outcome if Earth was the one responsible for this connection between worlds

Even with all of Earth's understanding of the nuclear device the humans here hardly lived in a utopia. It was a fact Penny now understood, realizing that humanity's problem went far deeper than just the Grimm. With no common enemy to force alliances, this planet was far more prone to atrocities then even Remnant.

It honestly astounded and sickened Penny, the latter being a new feeling for a numerous number of reasons, what the humans of this planet did when not facing the problems Remnant endured. With no other subspecies having existed with them for over ten thousand years, they made enemies out of themselves, and even more puzzling to her, division within themselves. In her own world, subjugation and horror were unfortunately historically linked to the Faunus. Here on earth though there were no accounts of Remnant's other sentient race, and instead the humans forced even more inhumane atrocities on themselves.

Given that Penny had received an Atlas understanding and programming of the Faunus Civil Rights movement, she did not understand the full severity of the situation. Her father, who was progressive by Mantle standards, hardly addressed the issue either. In no way was he a racist, he simply was never given the truth of the war and treatment of the humanoid race for the same reason as her. Atlas liked to ignore the problem, simply pretending that if it wasn't there it would solve itself.

Unfortunately, this education was harmful to one's social development, and understanding of the world. And as an unintended consequence it left Penny unaware for when she learned about truly awful and atrocious acts of racism. Meaning that she was woefully unprepared when looking into Earth's past and present,

If the Humans of this planet would enslave and genocide other members of their own species over pointless differential in the melatonin levels in their epidermises, what religion they practiced, or even simply what nation they came from what would they do to Remnant?

Penny had already answered the question before she asked. While the humans held back their use of their bombs given the mere fact, they only had one planet, if presented with two their reaction could be different.

Either as a threat or example, they could take out all major capitals of Remnant. Reducing the population to a number in the hundreds of thousands. Afterwards they'd have little issues with the Grimm. They could either repopulate the planet, or simply use it for resources...worse so the remaining population could be enslaved.

Going off of Earth's own worst crimes, Penny began imagining in horror what thought process could happen if applied to the people of Remnant,

They seem to have gone through some social improvement but given their current state I can't trust them not to relapse. Seeing how they made false divides in their species over something so cynical as skin color, they could easily dehumanize the people of Remnant as aliens. Far worse could be what they could unleash upon the Faunus.

Weather subconsciously or not Penny began accelerating the rate in which she processed files on space travel. As if in a futile attempt to solve a problem, she had yet to truly ask,

I must find the reason for who accesses transportation between these two planets and why it was done. The problem has now evolved from my own self-preservation to a possible threat to Remnant as a whole. As for the sake of my planet's survival I must make sure this connection is severed as the person or organization behind its creation cannon repeat this process.

Having finished Gareth's work with little ease, Penny closed all his files, and began her own work. Knowing that another occupant inhabited the house, she made full use of the camera to quickly shut the monitor the moment anybody turned the knob. All though neither Gareth, or his other family member were a threat, his planet's governmental bodies certainly were in her mind. And now with a purpose making sure that danger laid hidden amongst the stars became her number one priority.

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Gareth's day was going horribly, and in his mind, it was fitting since this was just a continuation of the terrible night before. Walking down his school hallway, a blend hoodie blending perfectly into a sea of students, he kept his eyes glued to the floor. An act that was only produced because of all the bad luck he faced these last twenty-four hours.

My 'computer' gains the ability to texts just in time for my phone to go missing

The brunette almost shivered with small frustration when realizing that his phone was not located anywhere in the lower half of his house. Even when attempting to call the device with a landline all he got was a series of rings, before the lifeless automated voice informed him to leave himself a message.

Acting in the moment he even yelped out a short series of curses, knowing that if his phone wasn't in his house, then it most likely got lost in or on his way back from the park. Unfortunately, his mom awoke to the tune of his sailor mouth, which probably led to a confrontation.

So, caught up in the memory of his mother adhering to cliche and stating they weren't made of money he almost forgot to turn with the rest of the human cars when the hallway highway came to an intersection. Disembarking at the sight of his, and most other people's exit ramp, he followed the crowd out of the doors and into the sweet fresh air of freedom.

Well most peoples' freedom anyways, as Gareth could now use the extra space and acceleration to fully remember what happen when his mom found out he lost his phone,

'Well you better pray it's at school Gareth, if not we're tapping into your bank account for the replacement', the brunette thought the words with disdain, made even worse by the fact that he deserved every bit of the passive aggressiveness they carried

Just what I needed, a whole school day without internet access, forced to search for a phone that could be anywhere from a cursed parked to lying shattered on the street beneath a car tire because I had to dash home screaming from said cursed park,

Being the topic of his thoughts, Gareth began walking towards the nearest tree line, the only saving grace of this whole event being that his school was literally connected to the pseudo hiking trail. Making the search area between his daytime educational prison, home, and park all within walking distance at the very least.

With nobody following his movements, the young brunette entered the concrete guarded forest unnoticed. With the air chilled by winter the pathways were far from active, and besides one or two brave joggers, his search would be in eerie silence. Although the word 'search' itself would be used loosely. Given his eyesight, and without another cell phone to pinpoint his own through echo location, the odds of finding his own communication device was just about zero percent, and was even on the verge of breaking physics and going into the negative numbers,

All this fear and anxiety just to be down two hundred dollars, well I hope it was worth getting away from non-existent wildlife Gareth, berating himself with his own pity, the high school senior emerged from the foliage onto a path. The leaves and branches he snapped in his wake being the only evidence of a living thing within this one's supposive bastion of nature.

If only good for this one specific task, Gareth was quickly able to retrace the trail he took. A survival expert by no means, the location he walked towards where he jumped in full blown panic was only engraved into his memory by adrenaline. The sounds of the obnoxious car engines, and the highway they were produced from marking the area in which he should begin.

Theoretically I should be able to send back the co...PENI, I guess, for some money. Given how much those voice activated smart systems cost it would more than make up the cost of a new smartphone. Of course, I somehow bought the one device that came with my desktop for free...God how do I even miss something like that,

The boy shook his head following the curve of the forest trail out of muscle memory. In the distance he heard the faint sound of rubber on rock, and with it his eyes were glued to the dirt path. Not that his malfunctioning orbs could do much good,

Either PENI is some sort of elaborate joke or my brain really is rotting from the inside and I just totally spaced on their detail when I bought my computer...the sad thing is the latter option is more likely. I mean some people in my school are that mean, and in truth talented, to pull something so complicated off, but why do it to a person who won't react. Sure, I'll be embarrassed and stuff, but unless they were in my house they wouldn't be able to see my reaction, and it's not like I'd be brave to make a scene at school by confronting whoever did it. Besides I can think of-

Before his mind could categorize his grades as usual targets for bullying and or pranks, his foot made an all too real discovery. Catching itself in rivet, one half of his forward momentum came to a grinding halt. With no chance of cleaving past the ledge, and not having an option to be forced upward it remained as his other appendage tried to complete the motions. An act that resulted in gyroscopic system failure, and all of a sudden, his emerald irises could scan the ground at a much more intimate distance.

With a comical thud, his black hoodie picked up a temporary bashe hue as a dirt particle clung to its fabric. With his glasses having bounced off his nose, Gareth's next action was to pick them up, but not until a few seconds went by. His body making sure the only things truly bruised was his ego.

Evidently liking the new color scheme, the emerald eyed young man barely brushed the nature from his clothes as he looked around. Instantly, perhaps because his mind was on the subject, he looked to see if anybody popped out of a bush to laugh at his apparent blunder. But seeing no such trickster, and only hearing the laughter of car engines, he turned his attention to the actual culprit behind his loss of coordination.

Obvious to him now, a small indent into the earth was visible. It went down half a foot deep, and its edge made a near perfect circle. In fact, the cause of all the eroded rock particles now clinging to his winter clothing was the result of them being forcefully moved from this area of the path,

If I didn't know any better I'd say it almost looks like a mini...crater, before he could finish his thought Gareth's mind went back to the moment last night when his fear nearly reached the peak of its arc. Almost as if his legs were feeling the vibration twice, he remembered the moment an object crashed into the path beside him.

Perhaps gaining course from the daylight that still snuck its way past the naked branches, Gareth didn't quite freeze up like he did the evening prior. However, that didn't mean his senses weren't set to high alert again. Rising from his kneeled position, it was as if he could see the events of last night without the cover of darkness.

I swung my arm out when I felt the impact, his head swirled like a periscope in the direction his hand went, and soon his legs followed his vision's lead. Even with his level of nearsightedness, the white wires of his headphones stood out amongst the dirt trail. A detached piece of the rocket that was his phone when jolted from the command base known as his pocket.

Alright so earplugs...but no phone, picking up the device, he felt no added wait from an attached phone, so now I at least saved myself 20 bucks...for equipment that would have come with a new smartphone anyway

If he wasn't on edge from one of the paranoid events last night becoming real, he would have sighed to himself. But inspecting the ground he was far too curious to see what other fears were true.

Backing up a few feet, he nearly bumped into a thorn bush trying to get a better scope of the area. Under normal circumstances this would have been pointless, but with the extra soil from the apparent meteoroid, and the inactivity of the trail, the dirt shined with imprints of last night's events.

...Okay so there no signs of canine tracks so no Coyle wolves, so that a plus...not that they would use the human path or anything but at least I can't confirm they were here, a false sense of relief filled Gareth, only to be quickly quenched by the immediate sight of his next discovery, and my phone landed over there

Walking onto the 'crime' scene now, not carrying for contamination or tampering with his own evidence, Gareth looked over a soft rectangular imprint in the ground. Almost perfect in shape beside the five dotted irrigation paths at its side. Four identical ones on its right, and one slightly larger one on its left, all plowing towards the dust imprint of his phone. Even more worrisome was the footprints and knee marks by this discovery...footprints smaller than his own, and lacking the texture of any sneaker he's scene let alone worn,

...and somebody took it...because why not, at this point Gareth's eyes now shot towards the sky, unsure if he should be angry, frightened, or embarrassed at this fact. Eventually his mind just settled on a combination of all three,

A hiker, or just some random jerk, scared me in the middle of the night, and then took my phone, the brief thought of following the footprints, or at least following the direction they went in for all the two steps revealed to him crossed Gareth's mind. Of course, so did the idea of it not being a hiker, but an actual criminal or somebody far worse enter his brain as well vetoing that idea before he could even consider going after the culprit,

Clenching his fist with an ever-increasing red face, the young man opened and shut his mouth. Not able to respond to the situation, or go through with any possible, albeit slim, plans that could actually get his phone back. Eventually just hanging his head down in shame he let out a huff of frustration. Aiming his anger at himself and the world, although they might as well have been the same given his current state. Turning around, and already missing a couple hundred dollars he still digitally possessed, he began walking towards the park exit and therefore his home,

"New phone it is, mom's going to love that news"

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"New phone it is, mom's going to love that news", the sentence was whispered but came to an unintentionally listener as if they were spoken at a casual volume. Not that the sounds at which the words came from helped in protecting their meaning. In fact, for the park's second inhabitant, soon to be sole, they didn't even represent words at all.

Peaking her ears out from the protection of a decaying tree trunk, Velvet utilized her unique animal feature as if they were eyes. Picking up far more of the word through auditory waves then light anyway. Not that it helped her understand the world she now found herself in. That being said it did at least portray the knowledge that the man she heard enter from a mile away, changed the direction of his steps and now walked away from her location,

Having her brown eyes join her rabbit ears, she watched as the black hoodie clad figure disappeared amongst distance and foliage, giving out a sigh of relief as he did. Although such feelings were all too short lived at the problems that arises with him,

Unless people in this area of the world grunt their problems in incoherent groans, he was speaking a language I've never heard before. The fact that he doesn't just speak the universal tongue is crazy enough. Pair it with the weird marks on this old scroll and have no idea what place that demonic...well more demonic looking than usual, Grimm took me too

Going behind the cover of the rotten log that had been her base of operations for the last sixteen or so hours, the rabbit Faunus pulled out the strange non holographic scroll. If for nothing else then to remove her thoughts from the black vortexes of death and the creature associated with it,

Appearing on the screen a spiral collection of stars lit up a dark universe purple, but what their collected light represented remained a mystery to its current viewer. As did the lines and two blinking dots that would change throughout the day and night that disrupted the screen saver. With all the alienness of the mages and, what she could only assume, hieroglyphics before her, Velvet quickly had concluded that powering up this device was quite useless. The only thing she could comfortably guess from it was basic information, such as the fact that it was electronic, and that the rectangular signal in the corner was signally how much power it had left. Although she couldn't make heads or tails of the exact battery percentage, a short analysis of which direction it went down in at least told her how long it could be operational.

Not that this device has helped me out at all, she thought solemnly, while turning off the device with one of the buttons she had frantically discovered as the on and off switch. An act that came when it had suddenly rung to life on its own earlier and scared the living daylight into her rather than out. Luckily in her haste to turn it off, both do to it potentially giving away her position and the irritation it unleashed upon both sets of ear drum, she had stumbled upon some useful physical aspects of the device. Such as the information power button, but also two sets of slim rectangles that controlled volume...which she had deduced when she accidentally increased the siren noise at first,

Gods if it wasn't evidence I would throw this dreaded thing into that river of cars, see how it feels to be deafen by an overbearing obnoxious noise, as if on cue she tighten her grip on the metal, almost causing the material to warp given her superhuman physique

Relaxing her grip before any cracks in the screen could voice their disagreement, the Valian Faunus hung her head while placing the phone to her side. She hated what it entailed, but it being evidence was the only reminder that she was a huntsmen, and elite protector of Remnant, and thus had a protocol to follow...a protocol that kept falling apart the more and more she stayed in this completed moon lit area.

Bringing her head back, some of the rotted bark crumbled away when the nape of her neck made contact. Even without her aura up she doubted the woods opposition would have caused pain, not that she would even care. Her eyes were too busy watching a blue sky lose its hue. Although the strange moon wasn't out yet, she waited for its appearance, to either remind her she hadn't lost her mind, or confirm the opposite.

Stuck in a strange forest after a Grimm attack, surrounded by a highway full of aesthetically displeasing cars, with my only contact being a terrified girl and an angry teenager who communicate in a completely foreign language, she let out a depressed filled snicker, imaginary how Coco would nearly choke on her own laughter if she could ever tell her about the last eighteen hours,

Of course she would also try to cheer me up by stating how the real humor was the fact that the emerald eye boy was probably also the shrieking toddler from last night given how he reacted to the scene and were I picked up the 'phone', she brought her knees up to her chest, producing the only genuine smile, however small it may be, since she arrived, she probably even relate the archaic style of his phone to his outfit, going on about how hoodies were so last century...she then of course would actually try to leave this dreadful place

Her chocolate eyes trailed own to her own dirt and sweat covered apparel, If only because rotting leave stains and sleep deprivation clash all too much

Ever since emerging from the vortex's, and free falling from the lower stratosphere, Velvet hadn't moved more than twenty meters from her original drop sight. Part of this could do with the fact she was in an unknown environment, and given how she got here it wasn't too paranoid to assume any and everyone was hostile, but a larger part had to do with the fact she had known idea where she was...like at all.

Being a second-year huntress, she had learned all aspects of survival training. Learning quickly that once Professor Port's stories were decoded into actual ideals, they proved quite knowledge. As such she had learned various analytical and natural ways to locate her position, whether that be through environmental features, or the very stars themselves...the only problem was one resource was hiding and the other was lying.

At first glance the ecosystem here seemed similar to Vale, but upon even an hour stay in it she quickly noticed one odd detail...there were no signs of Grimm whatsoever, or more so there was no sign of them ever being in this location. Now given the human activity she could literally see and hear through the highway this could simply mean the area was well purged, but even so there wasn't the slightest hint that any creature of nightmare exists within a ten kilometer radius...something she knew for a fact.

Her ears could make out the faintest howl of a Beewolves, or the screech of Nevermore...but none had come to her last night. If this place was the steel jungle that made up the central portion of a capital that would make sense, but it was clearly frosted. And even the outskirts of Vale, a place where the threat of Grim to human life was slim...or was slim at least before the attack, their presents were still obvious.

Wherever there was a natural environment there was Grim, and no amount of patrolling or purging could truly get rid of them unless the area was cleared of all living life. It was the main reason why nearly all of Remnants population needed to live within the capitals direct area of influence or a satellite city, remote town and village life was simply not a viable option...a fact that many still do not understand until it's far too late.

All but these people apparently, the rabbits ears drooped, unsure if she should be jealous of a people she knew nothing about or pity them for having chosen the one place on Remnant void of the Grimm, vehicles travelling without escorts, and defenseless boys hiking among the woods at night. Either these people are stupid, or I've stumbled upon a new continent and there's literally a city right outside the tree line

As if signaled by the sarcasm in that last remark the image of her team leader once again emerged, this time leaning against her physically impossible gatling gun. Looking down towards her chocolate theme teammate, Coco, perhaps in a testament to her letters position, portrayed Velvet's next move with simple cocked eyebrow and lowering of her pigmented optics,

And I will never know unless I push past the leaves.