Well wishes to all my glorious readers. Another week has passed, and as such, another addition to the grandiose film The Electric Lens has been edited and processed. In regard to that, I would like to formally apologies to my crimes against the English language, and at this point the Germanic linguistic branch. While, unlike last week's chapter, this one has gone through the normal two day edit period mistakes are still bound to go unnoticed by myself. That being said… the beta reader position is still very much open!
Going onto the reviews, I'll try my best to limit the amount of spoils I could potential give away in my replies. (Spoiler alert on that… I wasn't able to hold myself back from long responses. In my defense you guys gave really thought provoking and well written replies to last chapter)
Joecolo double 'O' That (Redacted) was fantastic! How (Redacted) evolved their (redacted) legit made me want to (Redacted): Inside joke aside, I do want to apologies again for the grammar of last session (Also don't ever hesitate to bring it up! Constructive criticism may be hard to hear, but nothing would ever be improved without it!). Normally I give my chapters two official read through, alongside many smaller edits throughout the week. But for Chapter 20… I only did one… and it was on the day I posted it. I was in a bit of a rush and looking back I would have ignored my obsession with getting the piece out on time and would have instead dedicated another day to editing. That being said, my posting schedule always assures I have two chapters completed on Fridays. The one I post, and the finished rough draft of next weeks. I had ample time to go over chapter 20 any time over that week, and sort of… got lazy.
That isn't the case with this week though. So, banishing my procrastination to the side, onto the jet fighters. The warthog strafing run was perhaps my favorite 'combat' scene I've ever written. The actual attack was heavily inspired by a similar scene in 'Man of Steel' so the violence was far from original. That being said, with the absence of Human troops being pointlessly sent into Smallville to get trounced by Kyrptonians, the overall narrative of the brief engagement sheds light on a lot of things. The most important of which shows how different Earth and Remnant go about combat. On the latter planet, one person/Huntsmen can physically make a difference in a war based on how well they fight. Hence why huntsmen and aura users are sent in first. Their elite troops who can handle any opposition outside another aura user. Which is why their train to fight Grimm and essentially themselves. Their weapons and fighting style reflect this. Because of this, it was how each individual on the ground reacted to this attack, that I really enjoyed writing. How each one reacted to an enemy that is used and designed to fight other human forces.
Blitzkrieg37: You bring up some excellent points. Although Uther's pretty content to except his damnation by the rest of humanity. It's also important to note that he just has to convince the most powerful governments of Earth to nuke Remnant. It's also important that Uther's decision on Remnant's fate was made far before Emerald, Tyrian, or Mercury went on a killing spree. The reason Tyrian is still alive is also very much do the fact that most likely, even the American and Chinese governments wouldn't be down to eradicate an entire planet because of what three people did. Uther's challenge is essentially to convince the United Nations, not the people but the governments, that it's either us or them essentially. To point out how dangerous having a planet of these huntsmen ours. And how the longer they give the people of Remnant time to infiltrate Earth, the more likely these people would take away are planets few advantages. The sad truth is, some of the worst human atrocities on planet Earth have been committed over people like Uther capitalizing and manipulating the government and civilian bodies fear of the 'What if' scenarios. In the end, the killing spree in New England and its public reception, if it ever even gets ones, doesn't matter. The most important thing for Uther the event did was strengthened his own resolve and justification for his goal of a desolate Remnant.
While incredibly unlikely that any State would be allowed to secede over such an atrocity, it is very likely morale outcry would immediately call for the impeachment of the entire presidential administration, Military high command, and, depending on how much they knew, most of the House of Congress and Senate. Heck, if other nations weren't in on the nuclear deployment, they could use this literal planet destroying event to permanently destroy the US economy and help support grass grown routes to topple the government. That being said, even if this was the case… Uther wouldn't care. This isn't too much of a spoiler, but if the cost for extinguishing civilization on Remnant was the governmental fracturing of the United States as a political entity….Uther would gladly make that trade. If you read his scenes over again, you'll see he's not oozing with patriotism for America. He suffers from Nationalism, one that he holds not for any one country, but planet Earth itself.
Now the chapter will start soon, but I also want to address your very insightful last point. One that I will answer by asking you a question. Regardless if anybody on Remnant survived a Nuclear apocalypse, if they find out it was to happen before hand, what type of people on that planet could capitalize on peoples sudden fear of the 'What if?'.
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"
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Chapter 21
Despite having all her senses, and then some given the current aerial avatar she now embodied, Penny felt helplessly alone. Worse than that, as Nimue and her had to assume those vehicles of war would target them next, she had been forced to turn off any instruments that could lock onto Velvet and Summer. Which only left her last view of them being when the latter was struck by the strafing run.
For the next two hours she was completely in the dark, and for the first unit of that time, she only had the short haircut agent's harsh commands as a beacon of sanity to keep her focused. Although the sunglass wearing woman resorted to one of Summer's numerous contingency plans they had gone over, she spoke them out to youngest Polendina as her own unquestionable orders.
Stating how they were going radio silent, landing in a long since abandoned airfield, then commandeering a civil vehicle for Nimue to drive to meet Velvet and the now possibly dead, dying, or remarkably fine Summer at a prechosen rendezvous point… A lot could go amiss with this plan of action. For starters radio silence meant Penny was essentially on baby sit duty for a plane that would certainly be picked up by the East coast facilities when it landed. Worse yet, not knowing what was going on, or who was a threat on the ground, neither Earthling or Remnant native had any idea if anybody would meet Nimue at that location… and since the hidden blue eyed woman had taken a more archaic vehicle without a computer system to jump into or contact… the electric being had just been given the role of guard dog… with only her thoughts of how everything would go wrong to accompany her.
These worst-case scenarios haunted her for over an hour, until the bright lights of terrifying hope streaked back onto the runway. The fact that the driver had broken all speed limits, and messed up the pristine and properly cut grass encompassing the takeoff and landing fields only served to increase Penny's paranoia … but at the very least she would have answers… ones immediately thrown to the wayside when presented with the new questions they now raised.
Why are they letting them board...why did they even let us land?, being attuned now with every camera in and on the plane, only logic stopped her from infusing with every digital device on the entire Eastern seaboard of the continent. From the electric eye however, Penny watched a hidden in plain sight SUV-Coupe skittered its way into the hanger door. Which the coded Atlesian immediately began to close shut the instant the front tire crossed into the aircraft, why am I letting us escape?
The question tore at her… as the green jets of her own, still only theorized to her previous knowledge, exhaust ports entered her mind. Only to be displaced by the faded color hair of the first unconscious body now being moved from the car. Not even having noticed Nimue or Velvet get out, the electronic being was just about to question what happened before she noticed that the apparently now captured Emerald wasn't the only unconscious person in the out of date vehicle... But given that the former's clothes weren't torn to shred, and only darting a sea of organized bruises rather than a haphazard ocean of them, the non-existent copper head wondered why they weren't rushing Summer to the medical room first.
"There's a holding facility labeled in the plane's dirham as room 42-DF, release all the restraints for it now Penny", the pixie cut girl unknowingly answered, as she had evidently taken the sight of her knocked out superior as the signal to grasp her leadership skills… However, as the pastel huntress completed the action by opening up the door to get them to the main room to begin with, she already knew Nimue had taken on that role the moment the attack aircraft had been picked up.
"The detention area is being readied for the detainee... Velvet-", despite everything they had been through, and the awkwardness they promised to return too, Penny was relieved to see the faunus seemingly unarmed by the ordeal… and was merely wishing to confirm this hypothesis by asking for her health. Although, having slung the closed crimson eyed girl onto her shoulder, the now hyper focused chocolate themed huntress gave an unorthodox answer that confirmed her wellbeing,
"The outside panel to that room has restraints meant for aura users Penny. Disable the lock there as well so we can restrain her", having allowed the blonde agent to run forward, Velvet trailed behind with the terrorist turned prisoner. Velvet remembered every detail Summer had informed them of this potential outcome… which only made the electric Atlesian feel like the world's most expensive key, as the events that led them to this pathway shocked her processor into selective memory loss.
"Yes, of course… should I reestablish contact with Arthur-", once again, as the mechanical sentient had to shift cameras to follow the two young women to the next section of the plane, Penny's new found stress caused her to lag behind the two organic beings logic.
"NO!", the emotion from Nimue was off putting… were before in the car it was almost humorous to see the white reaper get the edge of the self-made lady of the lake, the needed panic in her voice now only served to increase the uncomfortableness and uncertainty in the room, "I have a short ranged radio… it's more primitive than anything else we have on board, and will only be able to work when were within one hundred miles of the estate… but Arthur's got the other end of it, and it's something most organization won't be able to tap into"
Not even waiting to hear Nimue's explanation, the chocolate themed faunus was already nodding along. Simply trusting the fact that the government agent, if that even still applied now, had a clear enough mind to give out orders. Trying to do her own part, she practically dropped Emerald onto the digitized map. Using the priceless instrument simply because it was elevated.
"Her aura reserves are either average or just below it… b-but we should use the restraints we planned for the scorpion fauna-", before Penny could even question were the other criminal was… or if they saw were… her corpse took the third, Nimue motioned over to the now opened panel. Using the echo of her tap against it as her command/answer before going into the room that would honestly do a worse job than the cuffs.
As, disappearing into the cell to make sure there were no weak points she no doubt already accounted for, the agent in no way could have tossed them over to Velvet. Heck, even as the long haired brunette had to pry her hands off Emerald, afraid that the momentarily freedom the thief unknowingly had during the switch from organic to metal locks would invite her to wake up, even the rabbit faunus had to heave to get the half ton nearly foot long steel braces out of their case.
And as the digital being's emotional mind took more control, she thought just lifting the upper section of the coffin like restraining device, might cause Velvet's feet to piece the hull of the plane. However, step by step, and not showing her physical limitation, the accidental stowaway fought back ragged breaths and hovered the device before Emerald's reed-like arms. Position them close enough, that the girl merely pressed a button on the side that opened up to small cylinder holes.
Brought down, the desert rich skin of the green haired girl's entire forearms was lost beyond a silver themed event horizon. With the expensive material she now rested upon, creaking slightly as it appeared more like a stretcher made of cloth then a stationary object. Luckily with her legs dangling out from over the table, the ones that, as quickly as Velvet could carry something more than five times her weight, simply became stilts as they connected her feet to stationary ground. A pair of steel sneakers that, as in their haste to ensure her trapped state, the chocolate theme huntress had to drag across the floor.
Terrible screeches of metal on metal violence echoed across the acoustically shined steel alloy of the plane. Ignoring the musical performance, Nimue simply walked past the two Remnant natives, and allowed both to enter the cell as she left. Not even bothering to prop the prisoner up, the green themed package was laid across the floor. With Velvet briskly making her way out, she was able to turn around just in time to see gray lifeless bars shoot their way between her and her advisory. Not to be outdone, a bullet proof panel of glass snuck out from an opening as well and pressed itself to the metal for support.
The restraints making her hands and feet elevate inches of the floor, Emerald's body seemed to mimic the designs of a hammock. But as Nimue and Velvet both took one glance at each other than the prisoner, neither though she'd be getting a good night's rest… and as the sun glass wearing agent seemed to calm down from her underline spiked state to her family robotic like personality, neither seemed to dwell on such a fact.
"I'm going to attend to Summer, Penny will start up the plane, and you'll-", the woman paused as Velvet spoke up even before the still perplexed Atlesian could at being given control of the Nimue's precious plane,
"I'll make sure she won't go anywhere… I-I can't control what those airships do to us… b-but nobody from Remnant's going to destroy this plane", being in a neutral voice, Velvet seemed… more confident in her answers. Something that didn't go unnoticed by her electric friend, who now instantly took control of the engines and flight path and lit up the control panel not even subconsciously questioning the pixie cut agents command… for nor was it ignored by the shaded suit clad leader, who actually gave the rabbit eared woman a sideward glance, a nod of approval before walking back to the hanger.
Being everywhere at once… quite literally… Penny chose to solely view the world through the camera that was in the detainment room. For even while she ran the numbers and processed the code that got the aircraft moving across the runway, she wanted… well she hoped Velvet would want to talk for she certainly didn't know how to bring up what she saw.
"I'm fine Penny… y-you should go focus on flying us back h-... to the West Coast", going over, the chocolate-eyed girl must have seen the camera move and known of Penny's intended presence. Her words didn't have hostility to them, more so tiredness, but one she didn't show as instead of sliding down the wall across from Emerald, the faunus merely leaned on it. Directing her pupils from one green huntress to another, "Who knows if those things will show u-"
"The very tools to detect them, increase their ability to find us", it was honestly a dilemma the girl had found fascinating about Earthen warfare, and one she found humorous… up until she just saw what happens when those weapons actually locate a threat… and what they could do if that threat was from Remnant, "... Most of my scanning capabilities are limited to sight at the moment, but the auto pilot course I have mapped requires no such visionary component…"
Desperately, the digitized being wanted to add she was 'free to talk', but she couldn't find the courage to do so. Maybe it was out of fear Velvet would misinterpret it and think, now that they were heading back to the Aelle's she meant about Gareth… and maybe because she was terrified of what her fellow Remnant native would think about her when learning of the actual decision she wished to voice.
"... T-then maybe you should go help Summer and Nimue… I j-just want to be alone right no-", there was a sigh in her voice, but the position being somewhat reversed from their first encounter, the pastel huntress felt far more vulnerable,
"But I do not… I did not see how the fight evolved Velvet, but I saw how it-",
"English Penny", the brunette said in a far faster tone than she even wanted to, and this time she let out a puff of air directed towards herself, "... if we were going to talk… don't use universal… a-although at this point it wouldn't surprise me if she'd know English anyways"
Shifting sight from the faunus to the crimson eyed sleeping thief, the coded soul realized Velvet was being more cautious and keen to her surrounding then even her… to such an extent that Penny didn't even know she had switched to universal… but she did automatically come up with an excuse to continue the conversation,
"My apologies, and that is well thought out of you Velvet… however, the numerical percentage of Emerald knowing Danish is… well mathematically obtaining zero percent is impossible, but for all intents and purposes...", doing something she hardly ever enjoyed, the coded freckled android trailed off her words… in the northern European tongue just in order to see if Velvet would fuel her own sentence with its end.
"... o-okay… yeah she probably won't understand Danish… and it's not like w-we ever get a chance to use it… a-although", a smile almost bit at the edges of Velvet lips, and in a moment of her old personality returning her words were quite,
"...Have you used it recently, I'm afraid I haven't heard you speak the tongue in quite some time", the words conveyed the head tilt Penny actually wished to express. Which was good, as it distracted both beings from the fact that, for their relationship at least, that question could be answered by the fact Velvet and she hadn't spoken much at all.
"... w-well you didn't see the end of the fight… b-but after Summer went down", she bit her lips at that before looking to Emerald with a sigh… but one mixed with embarrassment and regret, "I may have said something… c-cheesy before I knocked her out"
"Something in Danish? If you don't wish to tell me, that is okay… but know that I will not currently judge you, I am just glad you were able to comprehend the criminal without being injured", for a moment Velvet look up at the camera, almost questioning if the electronic lifeform really meant that. But as a smile formed on her face, as ever small and tired it may be, Penny was relieved to realize the faunus did expect the genius in her words.
"It… w-wasn't anything creative… I just s-said 'good night'... although t-there isn't anything really good about it", still not sure if the prisoner would wake up, the rabbit eared girl started to slide her back down the wall, only to straighten it when she remembered who else was in the room.
"I can… concur with that statement", in truth Penny wasn't a big fan of the entire day itself… but wanting to work with her emotions, and the right ones on top of that, she decided to admit that truth before it turned into a gaseous expelled lie, "... I know you are physically unharmed Velvet, but are you truly okay?"
There was a pregnant pause, one that lasted more than long enough for the brunette faunus to change her gaze from the camera to the floor… even of the latter was now lifting off into the air,
"...Yes...no...both... O-or maybe neither… I don't know", under different circumstances the pastel huntress asked for clarification of the paradoxes, but this time she just allowed her silence to usher that explanation in, "I-I mean on one hand… I beat the person that e-even Coco and Yatsuhashi couldn't"
Motioning her hands out, the digitized soul was briefly brought back to the Vytal tournament and remembered that this wasn't they first time a member of Team CVFY fought the scythe wielding aura user… although, as pointed out, it was the first time one of them obtained victory,
"A-a lot of the time when I go on missions… my team treats me like a porcelain doll… a-and all though I hate it… I-I've never done anything to get them to stop them from doing so", her knees wobbled, but didn't budge from their upright position, "R-right now I feel like that should all be proven wrong… I-I completed the mission, I beat a huntress even Coco couldn't… b-but the more I think about it, the more I realize that's only because Summer gave me the opportunity by l-literally making sure I wasn't shattered"
"I saw… her crash into you after the assault, but wasn't aware it was intentional… is she", almost out of respect, and fear, the android Atlesian didn't switch viewpoint to see the extent the eldest Rose had been injured,
"She'll b-be okay… h-her aura was instantly exhausted, but most of the bruises came from h-her landing on me… a-although the one on her back is from the force that got through", the girl shivered, and even if it wouldn't make her feel any better, Penny felt like doing the same action.
Attacks that broke aura in one go… they weren't uncommon, Velvet and even Gareth knew that from firsthand experience. But what Summer had down… that was against people not prepared for a fight. More so than that, it was just the now decloaked reaper taking advantage of a tactically made weak point… The round from the attack vehicles that had no such precision, at least not surgically. The kinetic energy it brought broke through the shield of an expert level Huntress… and did damage even on top of that, having cared very little weather she was prepared for it or not,
"... Penny… w-who were those people… a-and how… i-if they came back, those two planes could have killed us all", she stated that afraid for her own death… but people light years away as well. And although for the electronic being, those instruments of war paled in comparison to the nuclear payloads… the fact that such devastating weapon was far easier to deploy wasn't lost on her,
"... I only have speculation… but I do not think they will return", not being a scared toddler in need of a parents white lie, the brunette looked up waiting for the rest of the truth, "M-most likely… the three vehicles, and who ever commands them, let us go"
"...t-that's… terrifying", the chocolate iris girl said with a sigh, before her pupils widen when analyzing all of that statement, "... y-you guys did say three… but I only saw two planes of that type… a-and then something with green lights"
Given enough time, the girl, and her excellent memory-powered semblance probably could piece together what the final object was. But, needing to accelerate that, Penny bit nonexistent lips and voiced out her own truth,
"Before the planes struck… an android incapacitated and captured Mercury Black… I do not know eithers were abouts", Velvets eyes narrowed, but her head cocked,
"I...d-didn't know Earth had androids"
"… not to this level of advancement…", suddenly understanding why the pastel huntress was repeating a religious phrase she only said on shock impulse to mimic her father's own reaction to extreme stress, Velvet pieced together the puzzle just as Penny showed the completed form, "Velvet… do you recall all the people who went through the anomaly?"
"...oh, my gods...y-you did… all of you", to her credit, the rabbit girl's ears shot up, and she seemed ashamed she didn't recall that earlier, "Penny… I… I-I should have told you sooner… I-I should have remembered… I-I mean I did-"
"It's fine Velvet Hiccup", at the very least both huntresses knew the lie wasn't directed at Velvet, "I… I just do not know what to do with this knowledge… I don't even know who has my exoskeleton, who rebuilt it, or why they would… but… the glance I saw of it"
She almost felt sick at the sight of her pure metallic form, especially when compared to the one she obtained in Gareth's mental landscape… the one her father had made,
"...It's just a machine"
"Penny", it had been a while since Velvet said her name in such a concerning way, and knowing the girl would reach out to rest a physical hand of reassurance if she could help Penny out immensely… although relatively still presented her with issues,
"... one that my u-... General Ironwood always envisioned", she wondered if the man she knew so well ever slipped up and wanted to call her niece… or if she was just a gun he couldn't holster… like the one that kidnapped the silver haired teenager was, "... We can't keep this a secret from anybody, it is far too important… but I'd be releasing static filled gas if I did not admit to being truly scared by this development"
Usually Penny didn't use such… Well, simple words were a judgmental inaccuracy, but more direct and vulnerable ones such as 'scared' hardly ever left her speakers. Velvet didn't take any advantage of this however, and merely remained supportive. Deciding that at this moment, they were still back in the Cadarn's household… still there for one another despite any road bumps their relationship might still have in the future,
"... Gareth's not going to care Penny… t-there's more to being faunus, human, and alive then skin and a pretty face", she stated this, and in panic, Penny almost didn't let the chocolate them young woman answer her second concern, "a-and your father… and everybody back on Remnant… they know that too… whatever that thing is...i-it's not you, just somebody causing more harm than they could possibly know"
"... but what if they obtained my data… w-what if I put everybody at risk because of the way I was made", her voice couldn't carry an organic cry, but she certainly felt like it… or she at least thought she did. Being the unique form of extent she was, all her emotions truly did just belong to her and nobody else, "... Everybody already conducts their behavior around me differently to that of an organic being. Even when they are kind, they don't truly think I can be communicated with like they would another person with a physical body... and once they see what my actual one can do…"
"... we're going to get it back… a-and you can let people know that Penny", the girl wanted to look away, but the camera range of movement didn't allow for a completely blind spot from the browned auraed huntress… and the electric being didn't have the strength to make her own, "... y-you don't have to hide your feelings Penny… I-I know you already know that… s-so just be direct with them to people, because you don't have to dance around your points for their sake or mine… a-and on that topic, I'm sorry I made you feel like you should"
"That's not true-", the Atlas huntress tried to voice, but Velvet brought up a hand,
"... I got c-caught up in what you said… t-that even when I promised to work towards letting it go… I-I made you feel as if you had to make the first move", she stated this before looking towards were the camera rotated, "B-but I should have put in the effort to… a-and I will because… were going to find out what she knows"
Her eyes steeled over, and in the moment, Penny wondered if Summer's went chestnut,
"... w-e'll get a l-lead from Summer and Nimue… o-on who on Earth thought they would get away with m-mutilating your body like that… a-and if we don't… then w-well figure something out on our own"
"...", the mechanical girl, or rather her true self, was speechless… but just like early she wanted to cry… although still sad, this one also contained a far happier emotion as well. One that words of thanks and gratitude could never do justice to. And as such she would wait and let the promise of helping her get her body back be completed with Penny showing her appreciation towards Velvet…. But in order to not having 'turbulence' until that moment, the electric soul decided to ensure something else about what would be talked about on this flight… or rather avoided, "In that case… if were being correct, can I ask something further of you Velvet"
"A-anything", a bit cut off by the sudden shift in tone, Velvet was still shocked at how well of a therapist she could be… even when she didn't spontaneity make out with the client,
"...Can we not talk about Gareth… I'm… still trying to work out some feelings on that", the girl's face went red, and Penny's electricity picked up a bit. But Velvet was quick to nod.
"... So am I…", she said with a small smile, now deciding to drop to the floor. Noticing that Emerald slight huffs of air weren't likely to change anytime soon… or that she was anything but a watchwoman at this point compared to the steel cuffs that were the actual guard, "... and with Laura p-probably talking his ear off… Gareth is probably as well"
"... that is accurate… I suppose that just leaves Ruby, who I cannot speak fo-"
"W-weren't we not going to talk about that Penny", the second-year student said, her adrenaline now only fueling her cheeks,
"Oh… yes… my apologies… but if it's any comfort… I would not mind if the three of us conducted-"
"PENNY!", in truth, Velvet's suddenly embarrassed words cut off the hiccup that was coming… although the electronic being certainly didn't mind if they all went as normal companions to hang out again.
Although, as a short groan entered the room, both the digital and organic camera shifted their eyes to the cell. Only for both to let out a sigh of relief, when Emerald merely turned her still unconscious face the other way. Her eyes shut, and her subconscious body simply rotating away from the noise.
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"Mom, mom...mom, moooooom, MOM!", having felt her name go through an uncountable number of emotions, Summer's noise twitched. Leaving the darkness of sleep, she was instead presented with the waxing and waning solar eclipse darting across her closed eyelids.
Reluctantly she forced open her biological shades, and even with an unnatural level of grogginess coursing through her veins, her smile tugged at the two reflective lunar orbs that were causing this artificial black out.
The chestnut bark of the house walls shining brighter than usual, the sun shining through the open window to her left suggest that it was late into the morning. Although, the exact time would soon be revealed by her own energetic son.
"Good you're awake, dad said you had a late night, but it's almost noon mom…. N-OO-N!", given the speed and anxious smile he had, Summer was surprised that he let her sleep in that long to begin with… She was also curious to know what she did last night.
However, just before she could question that thought any further, her golden hair bundle of joy jumped down from the bed. Rushing over to her arm, he threw back part of the sheet, and grabbed her arm. Comedically tugging at it, the waking mother looked at the sleeve her son tugged at with a tilted head.
What am I wearing?, giving her outfit once over, the silver eyed woman couldn't help but give off a small smile and a mental giggle. Her clothes… well if one could even call them that, seemed to be straight out of one of Amr's cartoons. With her wearing a black garment that seemed almost gothic with the amount of eighteenth century laces it had going up the center. The cross stitch of the strings being emphasized by a white undershirt… that was covered with recent looking mud stains, what did I do last night, I'm surprised Arthur even let me in the bed
The edges of her lips only traveling more upward at the sight of her sloppy appearance, the woman decided to follow her son's motion as she swung out of bed.
"It appears I did have a very very late night", she laughed before rubbing the locks on his head, glad that one her blondes allowed her to touch their hair… and not questioning how normal that sentence came across in her mind, "Do you know were dad i-"
The answer being given by the worn-out gray pants, and grass stained jersey the boy was wearing, the hidden redhead slapped her forehead. Sensing a tidal wave of stupidity continue to wash over her, as the reason he woke her up now became obvious,
"Todays the last game of the season", the woman responded while blinking to herself. Wondering how on Earth she had forgotten about such a thing… especially since it was all Amr had been talking about for the last week since his penultimate game seven days before,
"Yeah mom, it's in an hour!", still glued onto her arm, Amr dragged her to the kitchen as she could only give the bathroom an apologetic look for not being able to change and wash off her filth immediately, "Since you weren't awake yet, dad decided to pick up Gareth early. When they get back, we're all going to the park, so you better hurry up and get ready!"
Their house was nice and compact, the boy led his mother the two steps it took to get to the kitchen. Seeing the dining room table, a warzone of ingredients, cratered with cracked eggshells and settled battered, Summer wondered how she could have slept through such a noisy attempt at breakfast. With their cottage out of the way, she would have thought any disturbance in the quiet peaceful setting would wake her up,
"Your brother's house is only five minutes away", she said, sighing at all the cleaning she'd have to do later… but not without a smile and scratch of her back when she realized the dictatorship personality she'd have to take on as she watched Arthur do it in her stead, "I should have plenty of time to ge-"
"...You and dad promised we could get their early mom", taking off the cap, the most faded and worn part of his uniform, Amr's words grew down, and he began shifting from his feet. Now anxious for an all too different reason, "I know we'll be heading to the going away party afterwards… but t-this could be my last chance to hang out… without Velvet or Penny around"
Her eyes narrowing, feeling those names be familiar for all the wrong reasons, Summer eventually remembered who they actually were. Of course, ever since Gareth's own mom signed up to house exchange students, Velvet and Penny had been living at the Cadarn house. From what she could recall, based on Laura and Gareth's words on them over the past few months, both students seemed friendly enough. With the former being from Denmark, and the latter from Canada...something that irked the older woman despite never actually meeting the girl or knowing what providence, let alone city she came from.
Regardless, Amr's own distress from the two foreigners came from the fact they had been taking up much of Gareth's free time that used to belong to him. The older boy's weekend visit to look after his younger brother, had to be politely called off as he was easily too busy with work, college application, or now hanging out with his housemates. That wasn't to say he still didn't see the golden hair boy, but at the moment their interactions were much more spotty… Worse yet for her own son, the emerald eyed teenager was about to graduate high school, and seemingly having grown a fondness for his northern Scandinavian friend, he'd been invited to her house for the summer.
After that, he'd be going to college… the same one as Penny in fact, up in Canada. Apparently the girl's father was the head of the engineering department at the school, and despite not being a citizen of the northern country, the man had pulled a few strings for Gareth to help grant him and Laura some much needed financial aid… although why Arthur didn't just offer his support was beyond her.
"Then all be quick about getting ready", she replied, still feeling out of it, but giving her son a boop on the noise, nonetheless.
Heading back into her bathroom, she tried to rinse herself off as quickly as possible, not even wanting to think about how she wished the warzone-like kitchen could be tidy up in a similar process. When she entered her bedroom once more, she was ready to keep her Olympic record like speed up… only to pause when considering what outfit to wear.
Seeing the mundane and regular white t-shirts and jean shorts she typically wore during late spring days… Summer was never one to get caught up in the needs of fashion. But even with her disregarded Halloween costume commercial appearance shining even brighter next to the normal outfit, the woman couldn't help but feel an urge to wear the former.
Gods what's wrong with me, picking up the plain cloth, she was about to put it on before another thought interrupted her, … Gods? I really am out of it today
Trying to put off her odd behavior, and why she used a term more likely to be uttered in the bronze age than modern society, the silver eyed woman tried to laugh off how comfortable the phrase left her lips. However, having heard other voices enter the house, the woman realized she had been frozen in place thinking about her own brain fog.
Forcing herself into the boring clothes that felt unnatural on her body, Summer went back out to greet her husband and Gareth. Deciding that she could question the former on what they did last night after Amr's games… and also to ensure she could voice it in private just in case the answer proved too adventurous for young adolescent ears.
Her disguised red hair still had a few droplets of water clinging to its surface by the time she entered the kitchen. To the sound of Arthur's low chuckle, the silver eyed woman was greeted to the sight of her son's all-encompassing worry being momentarily healed. As the blonde-haired boy was literally running around in circles, shooting off word after word about how he thought the game would go, at the base of his older doppelganger's feet.
Emerald eyes darting around like pinballs in their cage, the youngest Cadarn seem to be having trouble keeping track of all of Amr's questions, as well as the direction they were coming from. However, this didn't stop him from forming a smile at the scene, nor did it falter when his pupils finally did land on a set of silver irises.
"Oh hey Summer", despite knowing the soon to be high school graduate for most of his life, the casualness in his tone was somewhat off putting to the mother… and for some reason she found herself surprised he wasn't giving her a hateful gaze instead of a friendly grin,
"It's good to see your awake", Arthur replied, not realizing he was filling in her wordless response as she got lost in her mind again, "Amr was convinced you fell asleep again"
"In the shower?", the woman finally voiced after blinking away her confusion
"... well… you were taking a long time", stopping his audition for the Flash, the youngest Aelle came to a stop and looked up to his mom. Spouting a disappointed face fit for a parent… only the message was off put by the adorable pout he had adopted,
"It's been three minutes Amr", she laughed, gazing over to the clock.
"...well… in dog years that's a long time", only causing her giggles at his cuteness to increase, Summer saw the time once more. Only this time it was Arthur pointing to his watch, as his footsteps towards the door indicate it was time to go. Deciding to not further fuel the teasing by mentioning her son wasn't a canine, nor did they even own one, and instead follow everyone out the door into the car.
Still coming to terms with her brain fog but allowing the sight of Amr climb up Gareth's back for one last pretend cavalry charge to the vehicle before he outgrew them. Once everyone was in, Summer let her mind go, in hopes of finally shaking off her lingering sleep filled mind.
The white noise in the car still contained meaning, Amr grew quiet as Arthur began asking his oldest about his upcoming plans. For obvious reasons the young silver eyed baseball player didn't want to partake in such a discussion… but more off putting was Summer's own uncomfortableness with the word being spoken.
Everything from the upbeat tone they were released into the actual information they contained seemed. Well to the compelled and utterly normal clothed mother they were a weird mixture of being things she obviously knew… while also being processed by her neurons as if this was the first time she heard them.
… Soon enough however, she let out a sigh as they got to the park. Everybody was quick out of the vehicle, and despite the field still being empty of the adults who would set it up, let alone the actual players, Amr already made straight for the diamond. Already pretending to have already hit a grand slam as he ran around the bases… Something quite humorous given the location of where they parked made his imagination make the third base home.
"You gonna pitch to him Gareth?", grabbing some equipment, Arthur got the word out with a groan, "He's been looking forward to that more than the actual game"
"In a sec", the emerald eye boy looking out towards the park entrance, his words become a bit distance at the end showcase he didn't catch onto the significance of what his father was implying, "Just going to make sure they get here safely"
"Who else is coming?", spreading his legs to support the weight of the baseball gear nobody was helping him carry, Arthur began to focus more on his role as pack mule, then they question he responded to instinctually,
"Velvet and Penny", he said it casually, and not as if he just dropped the information on them at the last second… although completely blind to Amr's jealousy of the two girls his younger brother never met, he had no reason to think there'd be a problem with it,
"Oh, is Laura driving them here", sensing the impending conflict, the blonde-haired knight began making for the dugout. For even with bats and stitched balls falling to the concrete and grass beneath his ever-shifting grip, he wanted to be far away from the initial reveal.
"Nah, mom's still trying to set up for tonight", looking back, Gareth saw that his words were only loud enough for Summer to hear. Seeing his father's retreating form, the boy simply shrugged and gave off a chuckle… something that made the non-blood relative look at him like an alien, "It's pretty far, but our house is close enough for them to walk… but even with the directions I gave and Velv's memory... I want to make sure they get here alright"
With him blushing at his own use of the shortened version of the girl's name, Summer had to fight back her urge to tease. More so, with Arthur walking away from his responsibility, which wasn't as surprising as the woman thought it should be, she decided to interfere on her son's behalf,
"Well… it will be nice to meet them officially… although I can keep an eye out if you want", she said with some hesitation, before looking back to her own son, "Amr was really hoping for some quality time with you"
"Were spending the whole day together", he responded with a laugh, as if Summer forgot the obvious, "Besides, there coming here to see Amr anyway"
"Really?", as a mother… Summer didn't really know how to feel about two teenage girls coming to see her ten-year-old son they've never met.
"Yeah", Gareth normal reply clearly indicated his denseness was incapable of picking up on any of the subtexts, "I was talking about him, and I showed them a picture when him, dad, and I went camping last year"
He pulled out the phone and scrolled to the picture in question. With how thick his lenses were, Summer could already see the photo reflect against his spectacles before he shined it over… the way every one appeared in the pixelated image, smiling faces, as if they knew each other for years… it seemed false in its genuineness to Summer,
"Apparently Penny's friend back in her home city has silver eyes", the boy said putting back his phone after he though the red head got a solid look at it, "and wants to show her Amr's as some sort of proof other people have it, maybe she'll even show your eyes off as well"
Moving back, and now trusting that Summer would keep a watch out for the two unexpected guests, Gareth laughed. Only as his own joke made him experience more jubilance, the woman who he had told it to could feel a sudden wave of dread wash over her… she didn't know why though.
Her fight and flight response kicked in to produce a frozen in place like effect, the fog of her brain seeming to spill over her eyes. Not even sure why such words would cause her this level of panic, Summer watched as Arthur put down supplies as slow as possible in the dugout. Trying to give himself a justification to avoid the upcoming storm. For all of two seconds she gazed on Gareth tossing fake pitches to Amr, who apparently was hitting a home run every time he swung his bat made of thin air.
However, not even three throws in, Gareth let one ball slip from his hand. Gazing up towards the concrete entrance way, he gave out a wave. Only feeling herself able to move the organic camera's that were her eyes, Summer saw the orange hair of a familiar looking girl she just now saw for the first time. Bouncing up and down in pure joy, as she widely through her own digits skywards into heaven in her own responses. Much more dulled down, a less confident wave was also returned by a girl who hid her apparent waterfall of brunette locks beneath some sort of fashion processed black beret.
Whether friendly, enthusiastic, or small, all their smiles were the counterweight to Amr's growing frown. The situation now became apparent for him, as the two strangers grew closer to the two brothers. Urging Amr forward, and with him now silent as a mouse following an event only Gareth cared to make, the group of four met in the middle. Unfortunately allowing Summer's now hyper focus mind to hear the exchange of words,
"Salutations Gareth!", the energetic girl stated, and before anybody else could even react… or Summer could experience shock that the pastel green and white clothes the copper headed person wore looked like they'd be more comfortable on a doll, the freckled woman wrapped her emerald eyed friend in a hug before releasing her grip on him and turning towards Amr, "and it is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance friend Amr"
To his credit, the youngest Aelle shied away behind Gareth's leg due to the girl herself, not the almost mechanical way she went about forging her introduction. Giving off a whispered and eye contactless 'hello', Summer could barely hear her own son, and by the time his older brother said his greeting to his fellow brunette, he was all but opening and closing his mouth when the time to meet her came,
"... Did we miss the game?", after moving her own shy gaze from Amr to Gareth, the taller of the two girls seemed a little out of place… but more curiously Summer felt as if she'd seen the person behave in this exact same way before,
"Don't worry it hasn't started yet, we just got here super early", the emerald eyed boy responded, "But Amr's teammates will probably show up soon, and they'll do some warmup drills"
"I was actually thinking we coul-"
"That sounds sensational", seeing her son cut off by the constant sugar high freckled girl made Summer feel sorrowful for her fellow silver eyed offspring… but that emotion paled in comparison to the fear that young woman continued to produce when she pulled out her electronic, "Then to make ample use of time, I would like you to meet one of my friends. She did not believe me when I informed her my housemates' brother also possessed irises with a silver pigment"
Who talks like that, not noticing the words actually switched languages to one not spoken on Earth, Summer was sure Amr was clueless on most of the vocabulary that girl used in her sentence… unfortunately she took his confused silence as an invitation to continue her own agenda.
The phone, behaved more like some sort of handheld gaming device, as the carrot topped senior had both its end shootout and form some sort of holographic image across its center. Before the mother could even question in her mind the impossibility of such a contraption, the screen was flashing neon. Everything but her ability to process the world frozen solid, Summer's eyes delighted in fear when she saw another person materialize onto the screen.
...worse yet, her mind began turning once again, as the brain fog parted at the sight of her younger self appearing before the four individuals.
"Hey Penny, what's up?", the friendly demeanor that voice contained would soon be gone, as the words everybody else spoke in the background faded away. The porcelain skin girl motioning towards Gareth and then Amr, before pointing to her own pupil with a smile, being nothing but a countdown to a high yield explosive.
All of the mother's confusion today, all the things she thought she should have remembered weren't impeded by a still waking brain… they were being forged by one. Now all the truth was coming back in, and even if the scenario it was presented on was false, the regret it produced was very real.
More so than that it was awful to witness. To see that the brotherly relationship that Gareth and Amr had could only be constructed in a dream, with the sudden confusion on both their faces before looking her way not only breaking the sequence, but acting as quite possibly the world's worst place use of foreshadowing.
One that was quickly followed by the turning of a cellular device she now instantly knew as a scroll. That held the face of technology she barely hung onto, manufactured from a world she left behind… and containing the ever-approaching view of a daughter she not only abandoned but didn't even know,
Nope, the thought was childish, especially with how the breaking mental landscape forced her to focus in on the approaching image. Tunneling her eyes to see nothing but her younger clone come into vision, even as every other face turned away, Not now, anytime but now
The return to understanding of actual reality only made the situation worse… especially since the events that took place before made the possibility of this palace being hell very real…. Or at the very least not a totally out of their leap in logic,
I swear I'll deal with it… if I'm still alive, but gods please just let me get back to work, with the red locks swinging on a now free floating device, Summer wanted to close her eyes from the sight… maybe wanting to save the moment for when it actually happen, or at least no she could still fight to make it happen. Although, with her pleas being self-originated, she hardly knew if that chance was still there.
However, as mentally conjured electronics swung around fully, it gave two answers. And maybe a testament to her willingness and determination to come to terms with this falsehood, the hard light only shined blue when it swung around… but before Summer could question why, or fear the silence now lasting forever, the neon went to a blinding light. One that overtook the device, then spread out like a flash flood across her mind.
With it came the sensation of touch, spreading out from her head to her spine, before traversing overflowing and spilling out to her skin. Almost as if her soul was reignited, her whole nervous system gave off one final tremble, before her eyes shot open.
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Greeted to the sight of another blinding light, she immediately had to close her protective eyelids again. Blinking the evolutionary evolved structure multiple times to rid her cornea of the sudden bleach effect they'd been forced into. But as sight returned, she couldn't take pleasure in the green painted steel plates that indicated she was in the plane she leapt from early. This was in no way because she hated the color scheme, in an ironic sense she found the darkened puke tone somewhat comforting all things considered, but rather because with the revitalization of her senses… came the pain that shut them off.
Her central back and spin feeling like it had been reformed out of fallen Jenga pieces, the silver eyed warrior leaned up. The groan she couldn't hold in felt like it could shake the entire room and collapse her pounding vertebrae back into the floor. But coming too, she did her best to bite back these sensory inputs. Scanning around, she remembered all to clearly now what put her into this state… or rather who most likely did.
"Take it easy", turning around to the voice, Summer positioned her left hand as if Hwyelbane was in it… but luckily, as she grasped nothing but air, the sight of Nimue's monotone as ever face indicated she wouldn't need her halberd… for the moment anyway, "Not many people can wake up after being hit from thirty mm round meant to pierce tanks, and less wake up with just bruises"
Although the tone would make this joke seem in poor taste, Summer didn't even treat it as such. Opening her mouth, she feared for the other people that could have taken the bombardment,
"Relaxes, Velvet's didn't get hit, you made sure of that", letting out a sigh, the silver eyed huntress would have leaned back down if any movement didn't cause her entire nervous system to catch fire… aura was great, especially with bruises, but given what she was just hit by even it had its limits and would need time to dull the pain, "... Although, we can only confirm that one trespasser user made it through that strafing run"
"You saw them get away?", the woman was already shaking her head, even as Summer soon learned that talking was just barely on the table given the torture each word produced,
"I saw Velvet caring one along with you when I reached the rendezvous sight", the sunglasses agents mechanical voice wasn't coming to her as naturally as it did in the past, which only caused the lost Vale native to sense the true severity if the situation, "We're flying back to Seattle now… or at least a private air strip thirty miles from your house, but we've been silent ever since those two attack planes lit up the town. Anything I know after that came from your apprentice"
"And what did she have to say?", being a huntress, Summer had always laughed at the idea of painkillers, but with her natural one failing she all of a sudden found the concept very appealing,
"That you, despite your overbearing and seemingly cruel no nonsense in the field attitude, stole the spotlight by shielding her with your own body", under normal circumstances, the woman would tell her younger counterpart to cut to the chase… but in a way, the hidden redhead felt that Nimue was using the jest as a coping method she never realized the agent had needed, "After that, she saw and engaged with the emerald hair girl, the two duked it out, and Velvet emerged on top"
"...and the other two?", with all the questions he was asking, the seasoned huntress felt like a student at Signal, not even intelligent enough anymore, despite the impossibility of knowing what could have happened when she was unconscious, to even say she went to Beacon,
"We picked up a third craft that was able to incapacitate the boy known as Mercury, but when the two planes showed up, I had to tell Penny to shut off all our systems. We don't know if he is KIA or MIA… or what the purpose of that unidentified object was, although based on the computer's reaction, she has some idea", sighing, but not at the fact the electronic Atlesian could be withholding information from her, Summer forced herself to stay upright, "As far as the 'faunus' goes, Velvet thought she saw him take a round, but his status is also unknown… but given they seemed to be aiming at the criminals-"
"Uther", Summer bit her lips but did not do the pain of her wounds, rather the situation itself, "Let's not even pretend it was somebody else…"
"...", her pauses acting as the phrase 'fair enough', the pixie cut woman realizes her own air through her nostrils before continuing, "Uther seemed to be aiming for the criminals after disposing of the first… what he's planning… I don't know"
The monotone nature was dropped, and regretfully Summer had heard her true tone far too often over the last few days. Out of everybody on two planets, a list that included Uther, Ozpin, and possibly even Salem, the now tattered cloaked woman would have thought Nimue would be the last person to ever utter those words.
"There is no possible way I could see him not having picked us up on radar, and even now if he put in even a fraction of his resources he could locate and shoot us out of the sky", the woman's voice was speeding up, and the white aura huntress couldn't stop her own shock at this sight from inducing a poorly placed pause, "... I-I have a contingency plan… but it was improvised… we'll fly over your house, and I'll contact Arthur but… t-that's all I have Summer"
"Nimue", the woman should be going into military mode, into huntress mode, after all Uther had made it quite clear he was fine with throwing away people's lives now… but seeing the last bit of structure fall apart before her, Summer knew that wouldn't help.
"I don't know what to tell him… that U-Uther's throwing some sort of coup… or that he's always had control… I don't know if I should even risk waiting to use the short ranged radio", the blonde haired woman ran a hand through her locks, and her lips faltered to match her tone, "... T-to tell Arthur so he might think of something… t-to tell George to leave the base, and go back h-home, grab my dad and… I-I don't know get lost in the woods"
Given that the girl was now finding some sort of false comfort in letting her husband come up with the plan, Summer knew Nimue was letting in all her pent up… frustration was the wrong word, rather she was letting lose the fact that everything she had ever prepared for. All her intelligence for predicting the future, and the years of experience she had, were thrown under the bus… that in the face of the enemy she prepared her whole professional life to face, she was taken out by the fact that somebody decided long ago they'd fight it a different way… and that she had been blind to that… or rather always afraid of it,
"Take a deep breath Nimue", pushing past all her body's instinct to just collapse, Summer swung her legs and first herself to sit on the medical table.
"I don't take 'deep breaths'", with haphazard intakes of air, the suited woman turns back towards the now jaw clenched mother with anger,
"And I don't normally let one stray bullet take me out of fights, so we're all dealing with unwanted new experience", with a stern voice she hadn't use since Yang had just graduated from diapers and learned the joys of temper tantrums, Summer tried her best to get through to Nimue… while also still letting her know she didn't think less of her for the situation she could have never predicted, "You think you're the only one who thought Uther was up to something… ever since I met him I knew he was a man built on nothing but hidden agenda and ideals… but in my own bout of stupidity I just never thought somebody on Earth could ever be as dangerous as the ones I ran away from on Remnant"
Despite her want to protest further, the short haired agent body began organizing its breath, as her adrenaline began to succumb to logic. It was odd for Summer, because she felt as if the roles in their relationship had been reversed… but standing up, and grunting more at the fact she definitely needed an emergency pair of clothes then the pain at the moment, she continued even as she had to hold onto the handrail of the medical bed for support,
"So he got us all Nimue, even when we knew he was planning something, he still played us like a fiddle", she motioned one arm outward as if to prove her point, "and your right, the fact that were still flying means he has completed whatever damn song he's working on… but weather that's a mistake on his end or not is up to us"
Whatever remained of her cloak, the one she had weathered so many storms even before her aura had been unlocked, finally gave wave. The final stitches held it around her neck snapping, as it cascaded to the floor… but even with its destruction, Summer remained focused on Nimue… like she would her own reflection when the time came,
"... and… listen, he's a smart man, and even with the limited knowledge of my own planet I gave him…he might out play me there… so he definitely will when it comes to his knowledge on Earth", she pushed herself off, and as she felt the compressed air of the vessel sting the raw skin of her back, Summer subconsciously praised that the moment wouldn't be ruin by the front joining her snow fallen fabric on the ground, "So you'll have to figure out how we beat him here… I know you're scared of what he'll do after what you saw tonight… who he might target to hurt as personally… but even if your too damn proud to admit, know that I'll make sure he doesn't harm anybody else"
"...", for a moment the agent let the final words of the bruised huntress hang in the air, turning around for a moment then taking off her shades. Something that Summer had thought impossible or at the very least would require a welding torch. There was a brief moment of her sleeve to her eyes. Accompanied by one final shiver before her gears locked back into place.
Almost like the machine from that old eighties' movie Arthur had encouraged her to watch, the sunglasses slowly made their way back to the rebooted agent's head. By the time they were equipped, all of Nimue's emotions had retreated inward, and turning wound her monotonous, and more so her secret drive, had returned. Not willingly to lose the game she constantly beat Arthur and Summer at to the likes of Uther,
"We'll remain radio silent, even if Uther can track us, the short range machine will be harder for him to pick up and decipher", walking towards the exits, it was like she had never left… or rather her true self never emerged. Although who was the real Nimue and who was the puppet emotionally was a mystery the silver eyed woman knew she'd never solve, "There is no reason to let him hear us after all. We'll tell Arthur to meet us at the airfield with everybody. From there we'll contact George and see if he still has control of the base… In the meantime, we can't waste a moment of our time, so join Velvet in the holding cell and see what that 'Emerald' girl knows"
"...technically I'm still in charge Nimue-", not expecting the switch to be this smooth, the girl's shade met Summer irises with the thin lips of somebody ready to pick apart any counter plan they might have, "... which is why I think your taking great initiative… and I will go and figure out what this Emerald girl knows… as soon as you grab me some clothes"
Looking between Summer's barely existent outfit, the torn fabric on the floor, and the outer door, Nimue didn't smirk… but the mother could tell the agent was on the inside,
"You've never addressed the need for a pair of emergency clothes, there are some standard issues suites in Arthur's locker however", exiting before the foreign huntress could find out why she couldn't just use some of Nimue, the mother's face went beat red… hoping to every god or deity she knew that nobody would see her traverse to put on her taller hands… probably not washed in years, garment… and then, as she took one hesitant step into the hallway, noticed a camera move.
Remembering the hidden blue-eyed woman's fondness for recording everybody else's suffering she now sped her way to the hanger. More intent on getting her weapon from the locker than clothes and wondering why she held back her combat personality when 'comforting' Nimue.
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The last thing Mercury had seen was the disappearance of stars… which made their sudden appearance upon him waking up a bit ironic. Although, as the little specks of light darted across his eyelids, he hardly assumed these one was the product of gravitational pull on billions of tons of gas literal light years away.
… and of course, this was mostly due to the very real fact that he was no longer staring at a black sky, but rather a void less rectangle surrounded by grey lifeless walls. Immediately trying to move around his head, he found his neck not even able to budge a centimeter. Instinctually when raising his arm to see what could be holding his cranium in place, he noticed those too were locked in place. So much so that he couldn't even feel his skin scrape against the metal imprisoning him,
He would then of course try with his feet… but remembering the pain his spine now ushered in he was pretty sure there was a real chance he could be paralyzed from the waist down… and then, as he voiced his first question, he realized twice over why that wouldn't matter now, and why it didn't matter in the past.
"What the… hell?", his pupils being the only body part able to respond to his bodies call, Mercury immediately felt the urge to either vomit, or beat his head against a wall… regrettably, only the first option seemed to be physically doable, so he had to swallow back all the ration he had been eating since he got to this now truly gods forsaken world.
Not that I need the extra energy though, the mercenary thought rather grimly, as he tore the sight from his now legless torso. As his mechanical appendages had seemingly joined his organic one in their cause to give up on the silver haired teenager, … or maybe I will… considering it seems I've entered one of Tyrian's wet drea-
Being cut off from his own thoughts, which was honestly a self-induced mercy, Mercury felt his grey eyes narrow light shined into the room. Making him feel like a faunus during an unannounced laser light show, the interplanetary trespasser had to close his eyes. More so out of reaction than pain, but upon opening them up to the world again… he had truly wished he'd just remained in the dark.
He wasn't being held down by extremely tight chains… rather the reason he couldn't move was because his entire upper half was encased in a steel boulder. With only his face, and for no doubt somebody's sick pleasure, what was left of his legs, free to the air.
"Funny, I wonder what made it translate that word to hell… perhaps there is an equivalent on your planet", the words came to him in universal… but robotically, and as if they were translated far to directly to the point that his brain had to help out and rearrange words to make them into a proper sentence, "Or perhaps Pandora is so advanced it simply could mathematically calculate the complexes nature of subtexts and subtly"
Despite the words having knowledge to them, they went against Mercury's own analysis of the situation. Although, confusion as a body language seemed universal even when only spoken through the eyes. As such, without even responding to the room terms, its voice echoed across the metallic walls once more… with a far too long, but not long enough, delay,
"Forgive me, I have forgotten my manners. Pandora come forward and officially meet our guest", truly wondering if he was in a horror movie now, the robotic corpse that had ushered him into this privatized torture room snuck best his peripheral vision. It's lifeless smooth metal frame and exoskeleton simply appearing before him… made all the more off putting by the voice it emitted not synching with its welded shut imitation of a jaw. Honestly, between when he couldn't understand the words it produced, or now, he didn't know which was more uncomfortable, "Please excuse its behavior, it has no reason to vocalize any thoughts, but it does provide some insurance that you will remain on your best behavior"
"... Who the…", finding his lips as free as his eyes, he wanted to state a certain vulgar word in between his question… but given what the robotic static tones were indicating to him, he felt the urge to avoid, "Who are you people?"
"It is good to see you can speak, and the system does in fact work. However, for the sake of all our time, know that you'll never know if we even are people", all of a sudden the restraints he thought kept him in place began collapsing on themselves. It wasn't enough to induce pain, but even if his aura had returned, he felt the pressure building against. More than that, he felt the nerves twitch against his shield… a warning by these bodiless captors that pain could come even with everybody stationary, "As of now, your life revolves solely answering are questions. Any emotional complaints you have with that new role can be taken up with yourself for deciding to come to this planet in the first place. Any attempt at physical rebellion can be given to Pandora, who will ensure your continued health"
All the static nature of tone made the voice seem emotionless, the words, even when translated made them seem far more sinister in their cruelty then he thought possible… Then again, these people, or rather 'beings', had him a moving part within his own torturing device,
"Let's start with something simple, what is your name?", being let into Salem's vicinity, even if just on the outer fringes, Mercury was no stranger to integration tactics. He'd argue that he'd witness the worst kind. Whether these things knew his name or not was irrelevant, the simple need to answer, even with a lie was what they were looking for,
"Take a guess", he forced a smirk, even as he felt the action cause his wrist to tighten to a painful degree,
"As you'll soon learn to regret, we've dubbed you Prometheus. While it is our sincerest hope that you will live up to that name, trust me when I say you do not want to die with such a title… although I suppose, in an ironic way, you can't", the pressure stopped building on his wrist, but it did not lessen. As he knew his bones were sinking beneath a manmade continental crust,
"Weird name, sounds like the color for excrement", cringes on instinct he expected his retort to induce more pain… but it did not, as even if it was irrelevant to their cause, him simply implying there was an association between pigments and names, let these people in on something.
Worse yet, as he could only images pictures of the men, if that's what they even were, behind the walls or void, adopting Tyrian's sadistic smile. They know knew that he could slip up… that he could give answers even if they weren't direct,
"That's the spirit Prometheus, and for that you've avoided one night with the eagle", the bastardized corpses of Penny, or maybe it's just true form, didn't leave Mercury guessing on who the avian could be. And, as the mechanical being left the room, he wasn't left predicting what an evening alone between the two would look like, "Now just hold tight. The fires on its way, and there's so much left to give"
When the final word was uttered, it signaled the end of the conversation. With the room almost exploding with silence, it was an aggressive end, that even two second in made Mercury questioning how much time had passed. Even if Tryian was dead, he now knew his soul had simply been exchanged between sociopaths. Although he didn't feel the effects now, he'd seen people put in his position… he'd soon find the silence unbearable, the blindness torturous. So much so that he'd want to yell out vulgar terms just to induce a feeling of pain… and from there he'd crave the conversion, with the briefer they'd make them, the more addicting he'd find the exchange of words.
… but just as he had revealed he wasn't a perfect safe… these beings proved themselves far from flawless with their own words. Above they made a crucial mistake, they could keep him from moving, they could by pass his shield, and they could sick their 'eagle' on him… but as it was essential to their own plan, his mind could keep working… and even if he'd continuously need to regain drive or hope, or crawl out of his own upcoming insanity, work it would.
