Typed in the Arial font, one painstaking letter and symbol at a time, this chapter has illuminated the screen of a battle hardened laptop. From the thesis papers of a major, to the short stories of fiction writing, it has weathered storms, seasons, and time to present to you the latest addition to this possibly galaxy spanning story.

As always, the grammar may have gotten mangled along the way, but that simply means the position for Beta writer is still open! Details in previous chapters as always, or simply shoot me a DM if you are interested.

Moving onto the reviews, which will be both a blast and painstakingly hard to respond too. On the one hand, both replies are awesome, and I could began typing for days about the insight… but on the other hand, I have to hold back from that because of spoilers XD

Joecola double 'o' please write a spin off series for From Ashes to Dust were Vyliria travels around the world with Penny as her squire: The awkwardness is only just beginning XD. Although most of that chapter was dedicated to Laura's reaction to the event. Regardless of the circumstances, Arthur showing up out of the blue was hard enough as it was, but to realize the random stranger who had returned Gareth turned out to be, in her mind, her replacement was beyond excruciating.

The moment Amr is brought up though, Laura has to forcefully reclose all those old wounds that have been reopened. Not because she's moved on, but rather she has to at least pretend she has in order for Gareth to not to return to an unhealthy coping mechanism.

Also, I'm glad people got it was Penny's body. Ever since the first villain's scene I was wondering if people would begin questioning were her avatar actually was. Since it was stated that it too was brought through the portal, and after a few Mercury, Emerald, and Tyrian scenes, I was curious to see if anybody would notice that they don't possess it since they've never mentioned having Penny's corpse or even aware it fell through with them. Funnily enough Penny, and Velvet, probably would be the only ones to think it could have traveled with them as well, but neither has made the leap in logic that if her computer core made it though other parts may have followed.

Blitzkriege37: Tying into the last point, you bring up an excellent point about Earth based weaponary. While I can confirm, although I left it far more poetic and vaguer than I wished in chapter one, Salam doesn't know that much about Earth. She essentially knows an artifact is here, Summer Rose could still be guarding said artifact, and that it has a human population. But besides that, she has no idea on the technology or infrastructure. Her knowledge on the planet is actually only slightly more then Mercury and she just merely wants Emerald, him, and in some sense Tyrian to think she has far more control over her own plan then she does. That being said, you bring up an excellent point with how devastating nuclear weapons would be to a planet with a population that's at best is in the low millions and encourages people to live in highly dense cities… and how, because of Summer, Uther has more knowledge of Remnant then Salam does of Earth.

As always, please feel free to review as I get us on the road to the next chapter of The Electric Lens!

Text Key

"Speech"

'Quote'

Thought

"Flashback", scene

"Electronic Speech"

Electronic Text's

"Langue that isn't understood by POV Character"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 16

Watching a true wall of pinewood trees reflect off her chocolate coated irises, Velvet could only stare in bewilderment at the sight of an actual Earth forest. One that, while still contained by thin sheets of concrete, was at least large enough that somebody could at least pretend to get lost amongst the foliage.

...and the mere fact the rabbit could view the sight of the wilderness, even though the outside of a speeding car, without fear or the certainty of a Grimm bursting out of the woods...it still astounded her. However, given the previous night's event, she would have been far more at peace if the threat of the nightmare creature hadn't just proven itself to be a newfound Earth problem as well.

In the back seat, most of what Velvet had been doing ever since landing in a true Earthen city was taking in sights. While her time in the plane was...eventful to put it mildly, she and Gareth had ended up drifting off into a catatonic state between sleep and awareness in the midst of Penny's explanation on what Grimm was.

Needless to say, Gareth was still confused as ever on the subject of Remnant, but at least the extra eared girl got to explain the concept of faunus to him. Which, when he finally made the connection of the sister species to discrimination, through a series of stutters assured her that he didn't really care. Of course that was the gist of what she could make out of what he was attempting to voice...not that she minded him saying that on Earth people with animal parts would probably be viewed as deities, whether by ancient humans...or modern high schoolers.

The thought made her smile, or rather it already did. However, being separated into two vehicles, for still unexplained reasons, Velvet found herself traveling with the mother of team RWBY's tittle and end page in the passenger seat, the strange agent, who the rabbit faunus still did not have a first name for, silent behind the wheel, and Penny who was...everywhere in the vehicle.

This set up confused the chocolate theme huntress to no end. While Gareth had...well using the statement 'calm down' would feature a stretch from Earth to wherever Remnant was, at the very least lessen his rage filled murdered drive when his father and Summer wasn't around.

However, as if inviting trouble, all the planes occupants had been split up into two vehicles, with Laura insisting that she, Gareth, and Arthur take the one now trailing thirty minutes behind...and despite Penny and the emerald eyed boy possessing the ability to send the former between cars with ease, the eldest Cadarn also was adamant the electronic Atlesian stay with Velvet...which now made things awkward on two fronts.

...Although, as the silence permitted into the car throughout the first hour of the trip, nothing was more uncomfortable than the fact Summer hadn't been integrating, or so she had initially put it, Velvet for more information.

Truthfully, the Beacon legend seemed far more interested in the changing landscapes than even the two beings experiencing this area of Earth for the first time. However, upon closer inspection one could tell the silver eyed prodigy was staring right through the legion of vegetation, her mind preoccupied on something else.

"Salutations Mrs. Rose...or Mrs. Aelle", seeing that it must have been exactly sixty minutes that had passed, Penny was, as was becoming the tradition, the first person to speak up. Her attempt to break the monotone atmosphere accidentally made it become even more awkward by her inability to choose between one of two last names...or rather her natural inclination to choose the first.

"...just Summer is fine", the woman's eyes blinked rapidly for a moment after she came after her daze. But after looking at the driver, who, although showed no physical response, Velvet could hear her teeth grind with one another at the evidence that the electronic Atlesian had once again infected her vehicle, the white reaper responded, "Penny was it?"

The android had opened up the conversation in universal, much to the jaw clenching annoyance of the suit clad operative who the sole faunus was now convinced would never get accustomed to Penny. However, more noteworthy, the famous Beacon graduate had responded in English...and although this could be for the benefit of everyone in the car, it did seem as if she was avoiding the tongue of Remnant.

"That is correct, friend Summer-", if the agent's enamel on enamel crime wasn't occupying Velvet's most powerful sense, she'd be curious to see if she couldn't hear the uncomfortableness in the room rise.

"Just Summer is fine Penny", the mother repeated, and was quick to remove the title the pastel huntress had given her. Although, from Velvet's point of view it was ironic, since the artificial aura users lack of vocabulary dictating her bound to somebody meant she viewed that person as a true companion...also interesting, and slightly worrisome to the rabbit faunus, was the Penny had skipped over the acquaintance step.

Over their month together, the young Polendina made it quite...joyously obvious to Velvet that she was friends with one Ruby Rose. It had started out as Penny simply wishing to make the extra appendaged bipedal more at ease with her presence. Stating that she knew many of her fellow Beacon students...however, her description of her relationship with the prodigal first year was...well Velvet slowly began seeing that her robotic ally would force the high impact sniper rifle wielder into any conversation necessary.

Whether that be going on for two and a half hours about Ruby's weapon when Penny saw Velvet had it photographed, or simply stating how she was so well acquainted with the crimson speedster that she got the privilege of waving to her during the Vytal festival ball.

It was honestly adorable, and even with their own relationship strained, part of why Velvet had given the coded sentience a chance to regain forgiveness was because of how innocently she went on about her friendship with Ruby. It showed she, at her core, was not that person that stated the demeaning words in the hospital.

Unfortunately, the next two facts that Velvet was able to deduce about the two opposite shaded redhead relationships were not as uplifting. The first was that, based on Penny's own account, the hooded reaper and the artificial being had known each other for no more than two weeks, and had a number of conversations countable on one hand. Not that those conversations weren't meaningful to Penny, they were based on the third objective truth, but Velvet couldn't be sure Penny's viewpoint on the relationship was shared by both parties.

...and given the last thing the rabbit eared being picked up, well if Penny and her own friendship returned to normal, she'd have to talk to her about. Because, despite being clueless when regarding people's social view of herself, Velvet was an excellent observer on how other people viewed each other. Because of this, even if Penny didn't know it, she could tell the electronic organism was beginning to develop a crush on Gareth. It was subtle, and probably in its infancy, but she'd talk about him for a bit longer than usual, and her accusation in their fight...as horrible as they had been towards Velvet, stemmed from Penny's own insecurity, and only later could Velvet tell Gareth was connected to that.

However, if the new aged huntress held a crush for the emerald eyed Cadarn...then she was all but planning out her wedding with Ruby. It was...admittedly the cutest attraction on two planets, and for Penny's sake, Velvet had found herself silently routing that all her claims about her friendship with the young Rose were true.

Both because, whether an outsider or directly involved, everybody held onto the belief of a first love story being true...and also for...personal reasons. Unfortunately, Velvet, despite herself only ever having three or four conversations with the gem themed team leader, didn't think Ruby would be the type of person to pursue a romantic relationship with a person just after meeting them.

Penny only understood all of this, and herself, at a subconscious level. As such Velvet watched in horror, not being able to prevent what would happen, as the electronic huntress tried to use her version of subtly to bring up their fellow Remnant natives family...a family she had been, to the chocolate theme rabbits best knowledge, avoiding for a number of interpersonal reasons Velvet was only beginning to piece together.

"Of course, Summer! May I say it is a pleasure to finally meet you, I am so thrilled to know you are safe. I am also relieved to know I can put Gareth's fears of his father harming him and Velvet to rest", without a body...or at least without Earth's first aura user to show her were it was, the hard light wielding huntress hoped Penny didn't see her eyes shut tight momentarily in a cringe. Truly, the seafoam green souls' jubilance was a phenomenal personality trait...but for this situation it was proving less than ideal.

"I...that's kind of you, but Arthur and I have captured you technically. Even if your detainment is a bit more free roam, I wouldn't take offense to you holding ill will towards us...or think my reputation as a huntress back on Remnant would...increase Gareth's opinion of me", she trailed off with each pause, clearly not understanding the mechanical girl's logic….but unfortunately Velvet could see the destination clear as...well day or night.

"Your reputation is quite astounding, especially Team STRQ's mission success rate", not having a person to avoid eye contact with, Summer met the first awkward hurdle presenting a small smile...that she kept pretty natural despite it clearly being forced, "More importantly though, after Gareth spoke to me of his father, I could only begin to formulate that my early inability to be find him on the international databases, coupled with his assault on Velvet and his own son, meant he was working with a Earth institution that could bring us harm"

With her phone...actually among most of all her other equipment in the back seats, but still locked up in a container she didn't dare try to open, Velvet had no way to indicate Penny to stop. No options outside of verbal ones, which would probably only go on either deaf or misunderstanding speakers.

"However, since you too have gone undercover in this agency, I can only be reassured that our paths crossing has only brought us into the most caring of hands, and will restore Gareth's family structure!", with spoken tongue not being an option, Velvet was getting desperate enough to send Penny the universal kill signal in hopes of sparing the awkwardness the electronic robot was about to unleash.

"I'm glad you think so...but as I've said I still will require many answer from you, and unfortunately, while I'll try not to be as hostile, I don't think you'll view my upcoming request as… caring", Summer spoke as if that was the easier answer to give, and also made sure to use the terminology 'order, instead of 'request', "...and I've ruined that kids family structure...so I doubt he'll even want to talk-"

"Nonsense", the electronic soul spoke as if she held a more complete view of situation then Summer herself, "Although it caught me quite off guard, obviously your work on Earth required a falsified identity, and as such adopting a fake identity with Mr. Aelle allowed you two to complete your objectives more officially. I apologize that are presence has made that strategy obsolete, but with Gareth and Laura knowing the truth, you may return to your previous identity, and Arthur can reunite with Laur-"

"I was first known by Earth's governments as Summer Rose", catching onto what the artificial intelligence was getting at, Summer's forced smile gave way to a real frown, "I only became Ceinwyn Aelle when I got married...it...helped make things easier"

"Precisely!", not hearing the almost defeat nature of the winter cloak reapers tone, Penny continued as if she just received justification, "A marriage was the perfect cover up, and it must have been in the best interest for the Cadarns and Earth's safety, but now we can all be relieved that Laura and Arthur can-"

"Arthur's my husband Penny...and even if he wasn't...I doubt Laura would be his wife", the woman felt like she was pulling of a band aid on the Cadarn's matriarchs behalf, and even Velvet's curiosity at least matched the awkwardness in the vehicle, "Listen my personal life isn't important to you two and...there's a lot I have to prepare for so-"

"...But you are my best friends mom-", only now could Penny see her hypothesis falling apart, and at this point, even with how tense things were still between them, Velvet decided to intervene...only to be beat to the punch.

"Technically speaking I'm just his step mom… but Arthur didn't apply for any custody, and I've never even talked to him as Ceinwyn so I wouldn't even pretend I'm that-", Velvet knew it was coming, and even as the first symbols to prevent it from gaining form left her mouth...the attempt at an emotional de-escalation, was interrupted by more fuel.

"I am not speaking of Gareth, you are Summer Rose, mother of my best friend Ruby Rose", although she probably didn't realize it, Penny emphasized the last names as if being desperate on Ruby's behalf, "I fully intend to return Velvet, and now you, to Remnant. Given your false status as decease, she'll be overjoyed to see you again, and you'll be able to reunite with your husband and daughters-"

"...Listen kid", she used that term whenever she was addressing somebody she felt sorrow for, and Velvet was quickly figuring out what she had to do to make it so both speakers knew the other never meant to offend one another, "I'm really happy Ruby...has friends like you-"

"Best Friend", the built girl was quick to make that a known fact.

"…Best friends like you, but...even if there's a way to get between Earth and Remnant safely...there will be a lot of questions of if a passageway should exist...and while in the best case scenario I'll go back to see Ruby and Yang, their father and I won't be getting back together"

"...why not", perhaps making her infatuation with the mother's daughter even more stoic, the electronic being took on a tone that...while not hostile, definitely indicated some level of disbelief.

"Because he'll probably hate me...and he'll hate me because I won't leave Arthur and Amr", now she had ripped off her own band aid, but immediately seemed to want to put it back on. Despite having been on the receiving end of this woman's military mindset...her sudden stutter made Velvet wonder if they were the same person...or it would have, if the faunus' eyes weren't so widely focused on her previous sentence, "T-that came out wrong...I...I think I've settled down for the last time...but… I mean I'd want my daughter to be a part of this life too...and even Tai in some weird way"

Not being the only organic being put off by this knew side of Summer, the driver, in a rare display of facial movement, raised an eyebrow and took her eyes off the road briefly to shoot the eldest Huntress a look,

"I just...I probably won't be getting remarried again-", if nothing else, the sunglass wearing agent brought the snow clothed woman back to the reality that she was in her late thirties not teens...not that that stopped the digital girl being that age.

"...Who is Amr", there was a sudden quietness after Penny voiced that she could not find identification on the name...although where logic failed, Velvet's emotional intelligence of the scene already had an educated guess.

"So much for staying out of my personal life… not that I'd be able to hide it thirty minutes from now", Summer sighed, and as if looking to the mechanical like driver for support, only to find none, the knight wielding huntress continued, "Amr's my son...we're trying to keep you and Velvet on the downlow, so were taking you back to our house...and the reason we left before Laura and Gareth, is because I have to explain to Amr that he has a brother...and Arthur needs to do the same for Gareth"

"And Ruby and Yang", whatever Penny was experiencing, she was fighting hard against it. Her words wanted to come out...maybe angry, or maybe just still in disbelief her original prediction of the situation was so inaccurate, but she forced them to come out desperate. Voicing how she could help on that front, "If...if Amr needs visual aid Velvet has taken picture of both your daughters, he can know what his sisters look like being making their-"

"H-hey Penny", Velvet spoke up, and given how taken back Summer was it probably a hollow victory she interrupted the conversation late rather than never, "I...Gareth might have a hard time processing...w-well I think he could use your support when his dad tells him about his brother...d-do you mind being there for him, I'd call but I think you'd do a better job"

Adding the last part to encourage Penny to go, the faunus quickly realized that not only could the computerized sentience see through that lie knowing Velvet's own phone was out of reach, but she also voiced she truly didn't care,

"That...I will go and offer support", the tone the electronic being possessed was that of one going through the motion...clearly taking the exact way Summer didn't want her own actual daughter to take it.

Although Penny required Gareth to move between mechanical areas, she still had access to his phone. As such, while she was probably still in this car's system, she probably blocked herself off from all its sensory equipment...something that Velvet could tell through empathy rather than actual sight or interface knowledge.

"...I-I do have the photos if you'd like to see", Velvet started out in universal, but seeing Summer coming out of shock, and into what could only be described as professional downcast, changed to English rather fast.

"...Maybe later…", the hidden message of her trailed off words was difficult to decipher. It was almost as if her body held a want to see the photos with blind eyes.

"I'm...I-I don't believe we've been able to explain what Penny is yet... s-she has emotions, b-but is still trying to figure them out", being on the receiving end of that, Velvet was probably the closest thing to an expert on the technically of what the new sentience was...which was unfortunate given her knowledge was only a months' worth, "E-especially when...Ruby and I both go to Beacon, b-but over two weeks Penny got to know your daughter better than me...a-and given the situation"

"Given the situation, and her being an Atlas program of some sort, she probably thinks the numerical outcome of me not only being on Earth, but you two running into the son of the man I married here statistically impossible", the quantitative words gave meaning to the quantitative outcome, and even if still filled with sorrow, Velvet couldn't help by the think the white cloaked mother had adopted sad smile when turning back to the window.

"...I-It is...you must admit it is a… well your husband was right about the absurdity of the coincidence", the girl's own voice grew quieter as she made her point.

"More so pattern", the woman's lip position was proved accurate by her depressed filled chuckle, "after all, I landed in the same town as you two, from the same creature, and something in the universe just makes it so those Aelle guys always run into us"

Taking a second to realize what she meant, Velvet began to blush, and was happy nobody had their eyes on her.

"Y-you don't have to...I know I'm still your...well you said we were-", Summer's own pitifully happy sigh cut her off.

"Velvet, I'm taking you back to my house so I can inform my nine year old son, his brother and father's ex-wife are coming to visit, and more so than, that they exist", the woman leaned back in the front seat, "Even if it took me half a plane ride, the moment you brought up that shield I knew the integration was over… at the moment I'm just here to fixes past mistakes. Some our personal...and others I need your help with"

She motioned in the direction they were going, then back towards...well it was out the window, but Velvet got the indication it was the other side of the landmass they had come from. Although turning to offer her a two-way reassuring grin, Summer saw this brief confusion then just pointed up,

"...and if that solution offers you a chance to get back home", Velvet voice grew quieter, but with that lowering of volume came clarity in her speech, "After all, Penny and I...there are people back on Remnant I need to see"

"I suppose the problem there is I have two homes", as if coming to an understanding that Velvet could help with this problem as well, the reaper became more open. In line with her now fast pace life, Velvet was seeing multiple sides to the elite huntress, but more importantly was getting a glimpse into who the woman was without those titles, "...and I love people on both...but I need to make sure-"

"Y-you could have a way to go in between", shyly Velvet looked down and tweedled her own handles, "I was...hoping for a similar solution"

"The idea of a Grimm free world has that appeal...although Earth's in no way perfect", the eldest Rose raised an eyebrow. The atmosphere of the car is still downcast, but a new emotion filling its way in.

"I know...b-but there's other things here too", she barely whispered out the last part. But Summer's human ears, and most likely the agent's ones as well, being good enough for the situation, the woman put down her hood and turned around.

"Other things...or other people", there was now some genuine interest, something that allowed at least two occupants to momentarily pretend to be in a situation.

"I...well, I w-wouldn't say that", her face began growing red, and realized that she, ironically being the most removed from the emotional relationship turmoil, had put herself into it by accident.

"Of course, not", the grin only reserved for mothers graced Summer's lips, "Although I think I'll be rooting with Laura on this one"

"O-oh I...I mean...t-there's so much going on right now", the silvered eyed warrior turn her face forward, probably suing Velvet's embarrassment as a much needed stress reliever, "B-besides...there's Penny...a-and if she'd have it her way, she'd get Gareth and Ruby"

"As per protocol, everything that is uttered in this car is recorded", speaking up for the first time, the shaded woman's response was as monotone as ever. But just as Velvet's hastily and illogical but together sentence came out, her realization could only follow as Summer's moment of leisure came to an end.

Having accompanied her terrible attempt to decrease her own anxiety and bashfulness, Velvet's nervous laughter quickly died down. With it came hopeful thoughts. Thoughts that were praying Summer would understand that the faunus didn't have time to think of what she said. That she technically said something that could be viewed in a multiple of different ways besides romantic. Most importantly, the white cloaked woman must have known that Velvet didn't know enough about any of these people's romantic life but could make an educated guess they weren't into… an open relationship.

But all that was hope, and while the last one was certainly fact...Summer treated the suddenness of the statement with suddenness of her own,

"...I'm now siding with Laura '', Velvet had closed her eyes, expecting the roof of the car to have been shot off as Summer went flying in the opposite direction. However, peaking them open she instead was met to a monotone, but now determined voice, "Besides, Gareth's her technical stepbrother... That wouldn't be able to happen"

Blinking, and glad Summer hadn't decided to take her hidden overprotective nature on both her housemates with violence, Velvet stared at the scene confused. Unfortunately, for both of the car's passenger, the driver, with a toneless voice, that carried smirk words, jumped at the chance,

"You made it a point to say he wasn't. Besides, some guys find that quite appealing, and if not that...", the sunglasses remained fixated on the road in front, but Summer stared at the pixie cut blonde with venom...however, the stare also held with it surrender, as if she had been dragged into this agent game, that she had been winning for years by simply not playing, "Well the Aelle's have a type, and you have two daughters"

"...Nimue were in the backwoods", the agent didn't smirk, but with Velvet's stomach becoming upset at this person making...remarks about family relationships, the person was clearly getting under every bodies skin...especially Summer's, "Speed the car up now, or I will speed it up for you"

"You don't know how to drive", the remark was shot back, and Summer's eyebrowed furrows, as if just coming to terms with how bad it was to be in somebody else's shoes.

"You mean I don't have a license… besides its two petals and a wheel, I can figure something out, and I need to make sure Amr gets a proper explanation...and then Gareth gets his threat-...explanation as well", her finishing sentence held with it her weapon, and Velvet really regretted saying anything...especially since Gareth didn't even know who Ruby was.

"Roger that", she sped up the car without missing a beat, a rhythmic pattern her words continued, "After all, Amr developing a crush on one of them would just be inappropriate"

Summer's mouth hung open, as did Velvet's, as the normal earth human was able to gain victory over the two aura powered individuals. Knowing full well, any physical response, not that any would dare come, would only usher in her absolute victory.

Only being able to stare in shock, as if her own silver eyes turned her to stone, Summer eventually just leaned back in her chair, and looked out the window,

"Gods damn you Nimue"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The fuse was traveling down a wire, and Gareth could feel the heat most of all. Knowing full well he was the flame waiting to blow everything up. He felt it when he betrayed himself and broke down in sadness to Penny. He felt it when he betrayed himself again as he gave way to anger at seeing the ghost, who he had looked upon as a memory for so many years as giving him courage the moment his life fell apart, only to now understand she was responsible for it all collapsing in the first place.

He could count every millisecond that went by since his brief vacation from all this hell when his mind got truly lost in its own maze talking to the now revealed extra planetary artificial intelligence, and his now uncovered human sub species roommate.

The moment they landed, he could feel his own personal regret for not having been able to throw Arthur out a window at a higher atmosphere. He could feel the sudden stress at being informed by his own mother that the spirit was taking the other Remnant natives to a new location ahead of the Earthlings. He felt the frustrated confusion when his own mom had called the other woman by an actual name, and then all he felt was pure frustration when after Summer hadleft with his friends, he had to wait thirty minutes to get into a car with a person he'd rather run over.

However, over the last half an hour of being on the road, watching the cityscape of a Northwestern metropolis give way to massive subtropical rainforest, all he could feel was his want for nothing. As such, he spent as much time as he could, behaving how he told Penny he always felt about the blue-eyed man currently behind the wheel...absolutely nothing.

Although such a task was harder than he initially planned, for as much as the passing scenery of rushing rapids and evergreen trees that reached for the heavens should have distracted his emotions. He felt most of his time being utilized to keeping them down...luckily however, as thirty minutes of untreated silence that Arthur and his own mother in the two front seats both produced, nobody was risking open Pandora's box's in the back… well, that was until a voiced filled with the monotone nature he urged to produce came at it with a perfectly paced crowbar.

"We've arrived back at the manner, and George is heading back to Caliburn based", given how the only noise that had been produced came from the sound of wheels on concrete, everybody seemed to jump a bit at the sudden human speech.

"Oh...uh thank you Nimue, we'll be pulling through in about half an hour then", the words themselves came out unnatural, and like much of the car ride the absent father seemed to be hiding something… then only problem was, as he stated the time, his own mom sent the man a quick look.

Unexpectedly, and much to Gareth's...well much to his annoyance and somewhat disappointment, it wasn't one out of anger, more so like she was waiting for him to say something they both already knew. Why his mom had even agreed to be within the same vehicle with the man who cheated on her was beyond the youngest Cadarn. But unfortunately, he was more upset that his father was not on the receiving end of all the rage she deserved to give him.

"So… how's school, you're a senior right? Sending out college application", whatever Arthur was trying to postpone needed to be led into, and if Gareth wasn't so busy suppressing the heat of an atomic bomb the eldest Aelle had already seen, he'd probably catch the obviousness that was the man's uncomfortable icebreaker.

However, having caused the fuse on the matchstick to shorten, the emerald eyed teenager could only pick up the fact that his alleged father's tone was that a person would use it when forced to act polite to a stranger. As such, probably for both their benefits, although Gareth only cared about his own, he remained silent.

"Yeah, he had filled out the common application… one of his top choices was actually Seattle University funnily enough", most of the time he witnessed his parents communicate, Gareth had to decipher words between one sided screams. But with everything, remarkably at room level, he now could see she was actually trying to assist her ex-husband in getting to a point.

"Not anymore it's not", his voiced, even when the words came out hissed through clenched teeth, carried more amnesty then he wanted to let on, with the only saving grace that they were directed to his mother and he could at least try to pretend he wasn't giving Arthur the time of day.

"Oh...y-yeah, I guess this whole series of events is going to lead to putting your academics on hold", although it was awkward, Arthur knowingly presented a meaning of Gareth's words he knew was incorrect. Although looking up towards the driver seat, with dead eyes, Gareth was more vexed than the man answered at all.

"Sure", the sound waves contained nothing but hollowness, and it was the first victory Gareth had. However, much like the atmosphere he was trying to produce it felt pyrrhic.

Not even daring to meet his gaze, and possessing cowardness Gareth always knew the man possessed, the knight in name only nervously relaxed then tighten the grip on the wheel. Unfortunately, the silence could not again take over, as the true hero once again offered accepted aid,

"Over this last week though, he was looking into going abroad", deciding if she was going to provide support for a conversation only she knew was necessary despite the uneasiness it would evidently contain, Laura kept things going...by bringing up a topic she could at least bask in momentarily, "Schools in Denmark I believe, so luckily his priorities are sticking around"

Under normal circumstance, Gareth's face would go red, and he'd already rebuttal his mom embarrassed, and in a voice that would clearly express his jealousy towards ostriches. However, despite his cheeks dusting over pink, he simply turned his gaze back to the window.

"Denmark?", the distracted driver delivered confused, until his wandering mind accidentally stumbled into the hidden meaning, "Oh...I didn't...are you and that girl dating?"

"No", he shot back faster and more off put then he wanted to, but there were some parts of his personality his instinct had more control of.

"He means not yet", taking on a personality that could only be obtain by her need to tease her son overcoming the uncomfortableness of her ex-husband being the one she used to catalyst the turmoil, Laura looked back and gave Gareth a knowing smile, which he happily ignored, "but now that you can really get to know her, I think your chances are skyrocketing Gareth"

"O-Oh well...so long as Summer doesn't think she's a threa-...I mean… well she isn't exactly from around here", clearly, for reasons beyond him, Arthur didn't seem to be keen on the emerald eye boy pursuing a relationship with his chocolate eared roommate.

"Summer knows she's fine, and honestly is more supportive about it then you", although the name was stated through with forced naturalism, as was the entire sentence, the fact there was a forced attempt at playfulness made Gareth want to vomit for a numerous amount of different reasons, "Beside, he gets his attraction to aliens from yo-"

"I don't get anything from him", his anger now boiling into pressure, it began to make itself known. Not quite at the explosive levels it could be, but the little cracks it snuck passed resulted in the words hitting hard.

Probably part of her trying to treat the exchange like their normal routine, Laura opened her mouth as if to state something about a mirror proving that wasn't true, but wisely closed it given the situation,

"...That's probably for the best", now coming to his old wife aid, which briefly caused Gareth's eyes to shine emerald as he wanted to know if there was a way to trigger the airbag housed far too safely in the wheel, Arthur tried to adapt a joking tone to combat the tension, "Him taking after your qualities is gonna lead to a better life anyway Laura, I can only hope Amr's inherits-"

Before he could even finish his thoughts, the man shut his lips, as his sudden silence made it clear he felt as if he just called down an airstrike on his own position. Laura shot her eyes forward onto the road, not expecting the pathway to arrive in such a way.

Unfortunately, the weapon they were now so afraid about, only furrowed his brow in confusion, not sure what the hell they were talking about. Tearing his eyes from the window, and directing them around the car, wondering why the blue eyed waste of space gurgled through his own sentence, Gareth didn't even feel the need to voice a clarification, for he didn't care enough to put together the meaning of the sentence.

However, as he saw his body glow blue, and then an electricity arcing hand hover above his, it was clear somebody already had. Not even having paid enough attention to see his electric companion arrive, although the sudden clarity of his 'semblance', as she had explained, a moment earlier probably was when she did.

"I can comprehend how this can be a lot to process Gareth, I too have just watched my own theory be proven incorrect, and I find it unfortunate you have to face this one", hearing two sets of her voice, both Laura and Arthur, looked towards the speaker, but could only raise an eyebrow as he listen to the incorporeal Penny in front of him.

"It… it is what it is Penny", down casting his eyes to the side, not wanting the digital being to be on the receiving end of his emotionless, "Besides, so long as I can get you and Velvet away from him and that ghost, it'll be fine"

"I...you are taking this in a surprisingly calm manner", Penny voiced a confusion that was...unexpected for her, as if she was praising Gareth for a maturity he hadn't actually expressed, "But to my knowledge, Summer and Arthur are taking us back to their estate"

Laura motions her head back, despite the static still emerging from the audio system. No doubt a bit put off by the fact her son was acting as if he was talking to thin air,

"Penny… Could you give us a moment… I don't know what Summer-", just as Gareth was making sense of what the computerized life form had voiced, his eyes almost closed in angry tiredness by his mom's interruption.

"You seriously taking us to your fucking house", from the corner of his recently perfect vision, Gareth saw Penny bring in her matter less hand, the vulgarly obviously ruining her image of how the emerald eyed teenager was handling things, "I don't know why you thought that was a good idea Arthur, but I'm not living under the same roof as you ever again… not that I ever really did"

"Gareth wait, just hear us-", Laura tried to interrupt, which, although dispute and met with its own resisted, blocked Penny from voicing the true conversation and its danger, not that Gareth could tell what such an interaction contained

"And even if you're willing to use that ghost name, I sure as hell don't want to be in the same house as her either", he kept going, his anger he held for Arthur, now being directed towards his mom for not fueling it.

"The actions committed by Mr. Aelle and Mrs. Rose have been...questionable, but while I regretfully can't inform either you or Ruby", once again Penny was offering more names without context to Gareth, and while Arthur nearly swerved off the road at the mention of the precious mineral, his son only treated the pronoun as if it was just a rock, "That your parents relationship will be restored, you will at least get to create new familiar bounds with Amr!"

The first half of the sentence came out as if she was experiencing sorrowfulness on somebody else behalf, the follow up came out with, albeit forced, Penny like over enthusiasm. One that was met with more confusion from Gareth, wondering how a digital soul could gargle marbles, what could have been a spit take given the right environment from Laura at the word 'restored', and a slowing down of the car from Arthur at the ending sound.

"Make a family bond with a gemstone?", looking back towards Gareth, Laura luckily didn't have to wipe away any water, but was staring at him like he was missing the obvious... although the nervousness in her eyes indicated that deep down she still didn't want it to come.

"Quite possibly, although Ruby is the name of Summer's daughter back on Remnant, my best friend!", Gareth eye twitched, but ignoring the impossibility of Penny also being friends with that woman's daughter...he felt to bad at, from his view point, that the girl was probably in a similar situation to him.

"...Listen Penny, I'm sure your friend's nice, and I'm sorry she got such a terrible…", seeing the true joy the astral projected girl obtain begin to falter, Gareth couldn't bring himself to day anything further that would further ruin Penny's mood...and although he just only found out about the pastel huntress best friend, he could at least try to forced down his negative assumptions about her because he held...less than beneficial thoughts towards her mother, "But I don't think I'll meet this Ruby, much less treat her as sister. After all the ghost-...I don't even have a dad, and therefore don't have, or want, any sort of relationship with Summer or her family, although I'm sorry Aelle ruined that for Ruby as well"

"...I was not speaking of Ruby for the relationship Gareth", briefly Penny's cheeks went...denser with electricity, and under normal circumstances the emerald eye boy would follow suite having misinterpreted a situation, but now, wondering what she could have meant, he stared up waiting for her to finish, "I meant Amr, he is both your and Ruby's biological brother after all"

Time seemed to stop in the car, but only Gareth was able to observe it through a continually working mind. Seemingly tied into his emotions, the boy was once again able to shine his arm blue, as his body could make sense of all the functions of the vehicle. However, before he could even process what to do with that, his neurons finally put all the pieces of the name he ignored together.

"...brother", the knife cutting tension, Laura's willfulness to put on a brave face, and Arthur ice breaker all revealed what the actual title could not, and the disbelief of it all came together in Gareth's one whisper.

"I was informed you had already made this known to Gareth Hiccup", coming out as static as well as organic, Penny quickly placed a and over her mouth, and her eyes widened. Although Gareth didn't know it or was just simply to focus on his own mind about to spill out to reality, her subconscious had given light to a lie she didn't know she had.

"G-Gareth, I just, t-this is truthfully-"

"Penny…Gareth wai-"

Whether it be from Arthur, or Laura, all attempts to reach Gareth were interpreted as the boy raised a hand. With the green light still coming to term with her slip up, a blue piece of electricity made its way into the car system, as Gareth, perhaps initially, or simply taking advantage of his instincts, tapped at the code only he could see and skidded the car to a halt.

Deep in a paradise human had walled off as the wilds, nobody was on the back road to see a car do a reverse zero to sixty in three seconds. However, the three organic beings inside could surely feel it, as seat belts snapped to their limit, forcing bodies and organs to stay in place.

Feeling all his emotions come out in the void less state he craved, it was almost as if Gareth was on autopilot, too wrapped up in the word 'brother' to know how to view it. Instead he simply wanted himself removed from the sibling title. His hand clenching through Penny's electric green one, the door to the car unlocked.

Moving outside, Penny attempted to voice something, but instead of their two shields mixing yellows, her body almost rebounded off of him, and her form dispersed into the car rather than his mind.

"I'm leaving", pushing open the car, Arthur and Laura were still coming to terms with the sudden decrease in declaration. Luckily, just as he unbuckled his own safety device, which he now only viewed as a torturing strap, the car reengaged its lock. As the blue code of Gareth's vision turned green.

"Gareth please, I do not think such an action is necessary", even in this state the mentally broken senior could tell Penny wanted to say more but held herself back thinking she was the catalyst of this event. But as the world was now cut off to take the diffusion of his...everything, the car now was forced to take on a burden it could not contain.

"Penny, if you don't let me out….I don't know, but I don't have brother and I'm not gonna let a man pretending to be my father say there is", his voice was slowly building up anger, and like a snowball atop a mountain, everybody, even those still learning empathy and human emotions in general saw the avalanche about to come.

"Gareth… I get it, I really do", Laura's point beat Arthur, which the man probably berated himself for letting happen. Although given the relief in his eyes, he was secretly relieved he was to cowardice to speak on the subject, "But… he's just a kid, and we can hate a lot of things about this situation, but we can't dedicate are life's too hating the people involved, especially a child who didn't ask for any of this"

"I don't hate anybody", he was already lying to himself, but having voiced an anger he kept down for nine years, expressing his anger towards the two people he never thought received it easily covers it up….and the sudden knowledge there was third simply didn't make him care anymore, "They don't deserve me to even give them negative emotions, they don't deserve any of my thoughts… and even if you forget what giving them your emotions did I haven't, or did Summer make you forget the months you were dead to the world"

For the first time in his life, Gareth got the upper hand on Laura, as even in their worst disagreements before this situation he had never been cruel enough to bring up her depression. Hearing it for the first time though, Arthur's relief at his ex-wife handling things was shattered by the revelation.

"I sure as hell remember. Remember missing school for three days, only for my uncle to take me on the fourth because he found you staring off into nothingness on the couch. I remember the weeks of you not even being able to eat, and I remember when you only regaining a fraction of who you were before when you decided to ignore the situation entirely"

Laura stood with a horrified stare, as the words the lawyer forced her to fear now were turned into compliments by sheer relativity.

"Gareth that's enough", adopting a militaristic like tone the emerald eyed boy never heard, Arthur turned around, and for the first time in their entire relationship faked enough bravery to make eye contact.

"Why Aelle, don't want to know what suddenly leaving one day does, or did you just hope your fellow adulterer would fixes it all with one sentence", green clashed with blue, and although Gareth couldn't see it under his own assault, the fellow cool color was standing its ground, "or are you just now finding the energy to defend her because she's stepping into line with your new life"

"That's not true… If you want to hate me, fine, I deserve it, but I'm not just going to let you talk to your mother-", his voice was meditating sternly, but unbeknownst to Gareth such a disguise was easy to make when one actually felt such emotions.

"I'm not going to let you talk to her Arthur, I'm not going to let the asshole who ruined her life try to ease his conscious", he was like a freight train now, and much like the automotive, there was only one real direction he could accelerate in.

"Gareth please, I have not seen you in such a state, but I am sorry to cause-", the track led to a barrier that the emerald eyed boy rammed through.

"See, now you've even got Penny taking on your blame", more so to make his anger even more known, the out of control aura user looked towards the speaker since he didn't deserve to actually see her, "Don't apologize for his faults Penny, I'm only sorry your other friend has such an awful parent too. With any luck she didn't inherit any of the ghost terrible qualities, but the little shit she and Arthur crapped out is most certainly fuc-"

The sound of a car seat unbuckling paused Gareth, but it wasn't the noise, but the action it allowed that ceased his rant,

"Don't talk about him like that", Arthur's facade was proven real, as he looked at Gareth like...well like an enraged father, "Amr's your brother, and you can hate that it's because I'm his father, but you're not going to view him as the monster you want him to be...I screwed up Gareth, I stole a lot from you, so if you want to direct that anger towards me I have it coming ten times over"

Adding to his argument, he swung back around, and even got his ex-wife to look up astonished as he angrily refastens his seat, and started up the vehicle,

"But your justifiable angers gonna be nothing but a childhood temper tantrum if you direct it towards a person you've never met", he pressed down on the break, and with his vision returning to normal, and thus the only electricity he saw was a reformed Penny, whose shock was now known by both her hands covering a nonphysical mouth, Gareth could not stop the car, "...and that's my fault, I shouldn't have been afraid to introduce you two, to have you in each other life. But you're going to get to know each other now, whether you like it or not"

There was a sudden silence, as Gareth realized his father was also forced to true anger and more so took yells rather than voice them. However, as the quietness caused Laura to look back towards her son with concern, and Penny placed one of her hands on a being who, subconsciously, knew didn't deserve such understanding or kindness, Gareth's face lost its shock as he delivered one last round of his immaturity.

"...Then I'll just view Amr as lucky", the emerald eyes boy began low, and even if the words weren't hostile, the buildup was heading in that direction. Something his mom could tell, as even wordlessly she was begging him to stop...but unfortunately unstoppable objects only had one enemy, and although the immovable force had rested her static filled hand on his, he would need a moment to realize he already surrendered, "After all not every kid has a dad so willingly to defend them"

The hair on his neck began to stick up, but it would take him even longer to understand it was done out of fear and hates immortal enemies,

"I should know, after all where was my dad when I faced insults", Gareth's hands formed a halfhearted fist, as only his body knew he was holding onto something desperately instead, "Where was he throughout middle school when everybody would whispered I was an inbred freak because my uncle showed up for fathers days"

He already lost the war he only played, as anger was replaced with tears, he was to emotionally exhausted to feel as real,

"Where was he when to avoid that I decided I'd just avoid people in general? Where was he when I had questions that I was too nervous to ask mom", Laura looked towards Arthur, almost in agreement... almost wanting an answer as well despite knowing it, "Where was he when I was attacked in a freaking bathroom, where was he when my arm got snapped in half"

There's was now a charge around him, but if Gareth was blind to his silhouette now glimmering like the sun, he couldn't notice touch,

"That's right he was off being a good father to Amr, the only thoughts about me being guilt", there was no reaction from Arthur, as the silence and the constant speed of the car made everything that much more unbearable, "Feeling guilt that I was even an option at all in his choice between sons, and that he should have just put on a condom back in college so his sorrow wouldn't have to exist. Only to have that amplified when he did have to face me because he actually had to have words with the alien who did give a damn enough to stand up for me"

The emptiness emerged once more, and despite a few heaves of air, Gareth's was far past the point of tears. He was almost lucky in that sense...but more so that the person who had helped him through it the first time was resting on him once again in support.

Perhaps understanding his emotions better than himself, Penny had remained silent, but once again wrapped Gareth up in a sideways embrace. Despite everything, the emerald eyed boy could only realize this now...and as such he looked away.

After everything he just did, he didn't deserve her care or kindness, let alone it in a genuine form. He hated feeling hatred, hated getting angry, and probably more than the action he committed, Gareth most likely hated Arthur for being the one being to actual make him want to voice his anger...and as a consequence he had voiced it to multiple people who he didn't even know...one of which, even if indirectly, had been his own best friends actual one, a person who wasn't even on this planet.

"We're arriving in twenty minutes… there will be enough rooms for everybody to have their own'', the blonde haired man adopted a voice that spoke as if nothing ever happened, while also making it clear he was going over every word.

"Thank you Arthur", there was no energy for either Gareth or Laura to work around being formal, and as such she just voiced her exhaustion, "We'll head to them… and get some rest...it's been a long night"

That was right, he'd been up for most of it besides a short rest in the plane, and day had only just really begun as the sun was peeking its way above the tree line...more so than that it was already past its point back east when he woke up the day before.

Ironically, Gareth was too tired, emotionally, and physically, to actually want to go to bed. Hell, he was too exhausted to even tell Penny he didn't deserve her head resting on his shoulder. He didn't even know why she and Velvet had their still technically recovering disagreement, but they handled things in a far more adult like manner then him, his mother who he had forced to relieve through the early days of her own worst experience was willingly to be mature for others benefits….and here he was, as much as he hated to say his father was right, behaving like a ten year old whining about how unfair life was… to be people who were dealing with planetary struggles.

...but with a newfound jealousy arising that his logic couldn't even try to impede, deep down he knew he needed every inch of support he could get.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The screech of metal being murder pierced the night air, and it was only by a stroke of luck granted weeks ago that no soul was around to hear the truly terrifying noise... well no innocent soul at least. But witnessing the shrieks of inanimate objects being given life just for torture and for their abuser to take sick pleasure in bestowing upon them a fear of death, Mercury was questioning weather even the damned inhabitants of this senile warehouse deserved to see this massacre.

His gray eyes flashing silver whenever the sadist blade was raised and then brought down on its inferior cousin, the mechanical mercenary, if he could even call himself the latter anymore, watched in astonishment as Tyrian unleashed more devastation on what was soon to be a twice abandoned building. One arm hanging limp and useless, it served little more than a ribbon as it was whipped about, scattering blood onto the pavement, his movement preventing the aura from purging the wound as it was constantly ripped anew.

Needless to say, the scorpion tale sociopath wasn't taking his pets death likely, and his vulgar intangible words that could briefly be decipher to the pony tailed man voicing his want to do… less than pleasant things to an entire season.

Once again, Mercury stood absolutely still as he processed the sadist second temper tantrum in the last twelve hours. Only this one was far more violent, and his hatred for what the snow cloaked reaper did to his prized Grimm truly made him do the impossible and rebuild his mental state just so he could go through the violence of shattering it again.

With all that has happened, Emerald was preparing their equipment to leave, even with their lack of understanding one thing was made very clear by their encounter with the prodigy student's mother. Not only were their Hunters on this planet outside of themselves and the stowaway, but she had been prepared for them… as was the vehicle.

Those projectiles didn't have dust, and were weaker then are own rounds… but in order to build it these people have to have a civilization at least on par with Vale or Atlas, the insectoid theme man's sweat trailing behind his blood, what used to be an assembly line of some sort was shattered in half before being scattered painted pink, and given how many of them there are… Well, aura is great and all but fifteen of those weapons locked onto us would drain us in an instant, and even if they don't know where to point them at the moment, they now know there's something they have to aim at.

The grayed eyed traveler gave out a huff, one of annoyance and fear. But not at the fact that a worst-case scenario situation meant a military was after them, rather that, because they had lost the element of surprise, he couldn't wait to find out. Which meant, as he opened his mouth knowing he'd regret speaking either way, he tried to redirect Tyrian's energy,

"Beside ensuring...whoever could be after us we were definitely here, you've done nothing to get your things ready", Mercury's words came out far more passively then he thought, and although it probably couldn't fool the axed equipped faunus, he could at least hide his fear from his own self, "So pack up, I doubt you want Emerald and I going in your special room, might clue us in to what's actually going on"

In truth neither he nor his crimson eyed companion dared touch Tyrian's… supplies, because they were afraid of the knowledge it could reveal. But as the middle-aged infant darted his head up towards Mercury. The hatred the amputee was now receiving proved that the sadist hardly cared for the latter part of his sentence.

"My things were murdered by that cold-hearted masochist", the man walked up to Mercury, and instead of taking a scenic route to make the silver haired teenager uncomfortable, he chose a direct approach by towering over him. A feat that worked wonder, despite one of the pony-tailed man's arm hanging uselessly at his side, "As you just watched with your friend from behind a tree, running scared from a long-eared rodent"

When that rodent pulls a mini gun from thin air, yeah, even as he broke gaze, Mercury knew his thoughts would never be voiced, besides, we didn't even know to expect another huntsmen, so sorry we played it cautious and just tried to disable the vehicle like level headed criminals

Although the thoughts made no words public, the narrowing of Tyrian's pupils knew some clever remark was pinging around in his younger compatriot's brain. Something that he did not have the time, or emotional stability to even hate at the moment,

"And none of this changes the fact we have to go; those people clearly have some idea of what's going on. Which is more than I can say for even you", with his eyes on the floor, Mercury couldn't see the mistake he just made as the scorpion tailed man's irises broke, "So unless you want to disappoint the mistress-"

His scope of the lifeless concrete floor was increased, as Mercury found his bird's eye view elevated a foot higher in the air. Light being processed faster than touch, he could feel the tarnished gasp of air hitting a now clogged throat, before chitin screeched painfully with pressure against his aura, rather than sharply through his skin...for the moment at least.

"My mistress", the sadist had no smile on his face, but even now looking up towards Mercury there was hatred fille pleasure in his eyes as he increased the pressure of the pincer now wrapped around the machine legged teenager by bringing it closer to his own face, "and our goddess"

Mercury's hand instinctively grasped onto the arachnid appendage, realizing far too late that Tryian's injury only leveled the playing field in terms of limbs. His blood flow causing him to see lights before oxygen deprivation took effect, he could barely put together cohort thoughts, as the biological weapon lifted him higher in the air.

The room becoming a tunnel, Mercury could his own heartbeat pound his ears, and couldn't even put enough neurons together to express fear, let alone activate the buckshot strapped to his improvised feet.

Tyrian was better than him, and at this moment, as the man lynched him in the air Mercury could only be astonished that his aura still glowed. It was protecting him from harm, but the wrong type, and pressure hardly cared about making its way through shields, but the two arteries in his neck certainly couldn't afford such an ignorant luxury.

"But you've never been a true believer have you Black", the drumming in his audio receptors nearly caught onto that, and making the sender of the waves displeased, he couldn't even saver this form of death since it granted the user piece in its destruction of their senses, "You can't handle what we have to do next, all the towns we'll harvest to produce my herd, the cities we'll drown needed to baptize our passage home"

Mercury's tunnel vision proved counter intuitive, as it simply made the faded words all the more presence with lips he could now only see. Lips that spoke of things that would terrify even his hardened morale code if Tyrian allowed him to live and make sense of all its inhumanness.

But basking in the fact he held life over at least two aura users on this planet, Tyrian was probably debating whether he could accomplish what was ahead with just one. Worse yet for the fading out Mercury, he was probably even debating whether or not he'd have a more joyous time if he could take in all the pleasantries to himself.

...However, as the brains cry for oxygen was reaching the crucial point where the sputtering mercenary wouldn't be able to see the outcome, the objectiveness of a bullet granted him justice.

The round was dust infused, which Mercury was surprised he could even tell or care about, as the projectile pinged off the now shocked face of the sadist's left temple. It wasn't powerful enough to shatter his still recovering soul, although on the topic how he had one to begin with was now nothing more than a paradox to the half dead silver haired teen, but it did pack enough force to capture Tyrian's attention.

"Drop him now", grating him sight by walking up to place her pistol directly beside the killer still rippling shield, Emerald voice was stitched with fear...but it was fear that also heralded in bravery that was more intimidating than any false form of courage Mercury had put on, "Or you can tell Salam why you questioned her judgement by killing a loss soul she specifically saved"

The grip on the now silver glowing teenager's neck increased and seeing Tyrian look ready to kill his only true partner here out of heresy rather than glee, Mercury truly questioned how he was still conscious.

More surprisingly though, the sadistic eyes of the faunus looked deep in thought, and although his body language, or surprising lack thereof, indicated he wanted to brush off Emerald's threat, he actually now viewed her with some respect. As if he was a priest receiving a well thought out question from a worshipper.

"She wouldn't have to know, you think I won't rip your throat out as well", it was the seriousness that got to the grayed eyed mercenary, a speech style Tyrian never used as if it burned his throat. However, no more so than the slight air now being ushered into Mercury's own passageway, allowing him to at least stay conscious for his now forming judgement.

"You would lie to her, you think you can lie to her", the prosecutors view of who the attorney and defendant were was switched with the first point, as Mercury felt the exo skeleton pressure leave him entirely. In place of that, he felt gravity's pull, and even the vibration of the floor up his metallic lower face, before he collapsed on his steel knees.

Rubbing his neck on instinct, he looked up just in time to see Tryian's stinger now an inch away from Emerald's panicked, but unblinking, pupil. The attack was ready to pierce through her skull but stopped as her second line proved her innocence and thus stopped the verdict in its track.

"...You", the sadist old nature was coming through, and he was more than willingly to drown within its misplaced happiness as his bulb retreated, but not before running through the side of the crimson eye girl's green locks, "You may have the stomach for what needs to be down, not the brain to appreciate it, but perhaps the will, even with how overrated such a concept is"

He backed away, and his smile returned as Emerald took in a breath even deeper than Mercury's own heave. Staring out at the scene out of necessity rather than want, Mercury tried to keep his attention pinned to his shaking sickle wielding partner, but the sociopath, walking back towards his room, reeled him in with a thankful smile and pleasure filled eyes.

"Sorry about the mess, but I'll go get my things. I know moving can be hard, but we're just going to rent out towns before we settle down back home", moving in reverse, the arachnid faunus brought up his hind foot, then kicked through his own door, letting the sticky and spider like silk fluid of ichor that darted its walls known to the world.

He walked in and stared at them until the very layout of his lair blocked eyesight. Still staring as if he was about to dissect them both, Emerald hands were still gripping her gun as if it would save her life despite the haphazard direction her shiver sent it. Not that Mercury was in a better position, as even his inorganic legs seemed to vibrate slightly out of a terror, they thought impossible to experience.

Eventually their older teammates' presence waned to the point of consciousness, and Emerald came running over. Practically sprinting the two steps it took to reach down and help him up. Ironically Mercury felt safer in the concrete's embrace, but knew he'd feel better next to the gemstone haired woman.

Accepting her hand, he focused his gaze onto her, then outside, an attempt to focus on the horror that was to come rather than experience the one he was in now.

"H-he's done being under the radar now isn't he", she was making sense of what had transpired faster than Mercury, and if he didn't know full well the bravery it took for her to intervene at all he'd question how long she just stood there, "...we have...he's going to make us help now isn't he"

Under different circumstance, Mercury would have called her out for asking question she knew the answer too, but as he was still breathing heavily, he didn't even try to imitate a nonchalant nature,

"I-I don't know...the time when we'll have to start helping that is", his gasp were somehow getting stronger, and even with life's rich fuel source reentering his neurological center, Mercury was just coming to terms with all the tortuous ways Tryian could torment him and Emerald, "He'll let us kill ourselves in the wait, because we know it will happen"

Everything besides their inhales and exhales went silent, and they both didn't voice the mass murderers Tyrian had all but branded into their mind. A type of killing that required a mindset that mercury had only achieved once before, and under far more personal circumstances that took years to develop with one person… However, as Emerald placed a hand on his shoulder, voicing her own need for support as she provided some for him, they both knew they were once again not being given an option on how to go about their savior's plan.

"...This doesn't feel right", it was surprisingly soft spoken despite the topics it addressed, and it was almost so ironic that Emerald would voice it now that Mercury almost thought to give of a defeated chuckle or scoff.

"Is this what's broken the final straw, after everything that we did to Vale", Emerald stiffened up, but didn't shoot out protest, as if that would make her as sadistic as the man that just walked into his own hell.

"No, it's just… I get having to come here for the Crown, and what artifacts will do for Remnant...but this is'', she trailed off as she organized her thoughts, probably wanting to prioritize one of the many points she could make, "it feels more like Salam's sending us to achieve her own personal revenge rather than let us continue ours"

Replace the word 'revenge' with 'justice' and Mercury was realizing in alternative lives he and Emerald would have been completely different people. Although, considering he'd be demoted from pet to cattle by people like Tyrian in that alternative twist of faith he couldn't tell if blissful ignorance would be worth knowing what was to befall the world.

"I know we don't really have a choice any more… but this just is", having been lost in his own thoughts, the gray eyed mercenary didn't even realize enough time past for his partner to feel the need to explain further, "off I guess… but maybe it's just because Tyrian's view of the restarts different than ours"

Realizing he didn't possess the ability to actually respond, Mercury let his silence prove his crimson eyed teammates point. Watching as she removed her hand then walked outside, wanting to be anywhere put here despite how she'd come to hate what she'd have to do in an open environment.

Still wordless, but this time not being able to blame it on a clogged windpipe, Mercury just waited for the universe to change. Letting the moments go by until reality forced his bearings upon him once more instead of him seeking them out.