From the typed words of a generic intro, the next installment of the weekly series known as the Electric Lens uploads itself into the vast digital sea that is the internet. As always, I apologies for any of the grammar mistakes that appear and will use this tradition to also remind everyone that the beta reader position is still very much open!
Onto the review section now!
Joecola double 'O' beacon of light: Oh man, I loved this reply. It's always so interesting to see the creative way people would go about combat between Earth and Remnant. Although achieved in different directions and on two different paths, the Nations of Earth and Kingdoms of Remnant are combatable on their technology level. With Remnant having an edge in complex's machinery and computer science, with Earth having an edge in mass production, numbers, and overall destructive capabilities with how they could fight a war. That being said, you bring up a good point with magic being a massive game changer that keeps Remnant somewhat in the game if they use it creatively enough.
I actually did not think about the Sword of destruction in this way. And your right it could totally erase a nuclear payload from existent. Your also right in that it can only be in one place at a time… and losing one nuke at of ten is a bit insignificant when it only takes one or two to desolate an urban center.
The hard-light barrier… I'm less likely to say would help all that much against a nuclear detonation. A hydrogen bombs more akin to a small meteor striking the Earth, or a volcanic eruption. While Salem's Grimm invasion was impressive, the force at which her army is hitting the barrier (Including the guizer of death) is, in my opinion, probably far less then an atomic explosion. More so then that, nuclear devices also give off an EMP which might destroy the generators feeding the barriers.
Plus, even if the hard-light barrier could withstand a blast and the EMP wave, only Atlas is protected by it. Mantle is not, and as such the city loses the area and populace that digs up the dust that fuels the defense matrixes. Ironically, in this case Atlas would be put under a siege more akin to something found in the World War 2 era. With an Earth Army just constantly using more conventional weapons to detonate against the barrier. Not to break it, but make sure nobody would leave until shield ran out of energy and another nuclear device could be deployed.
Now this one, this one was my favorite out of all the three. It would honestly provide Atlas with the best chance of survival too. For as you mentioned it could potentially safely guard Mantle as well. That being said, your right, unless the user of the Staff knew how an atomic device worked, they wouldn't be able to give Ambrose the blueprints of a shield that took into account everything the barrier would have to protect them from. Unfournanlty, the idea of a siege would most likely occur again even if it did. And if Earth *cough* Uther *cough* get's the drop on them… nobody be coming to help Atlas or Mantle.
Blitkrieg37: And imagine if Ironwood knew weapons like Nuclear devices existed and were more destructive and easier to build then his Atlas bomb. After all, while Earth has the advantage in that its fuel source doesn't have a hard elevation limit… we are limited in the fuel source we can use. Earth doesn't have dust, but Remnant most certainly has Uranium that they've just never had a reason to use or develop. If Earth becomes irrelevant, or peace is broker, he could very well use the new field of nuclear physics against the Grimm. Something that, while only laying waste to large areas of inhabitant land, would usher in a nuclear winter. An environment that would ensure Atlas's command of Remnant, without directly being aggressive against the other Kingdom's (So long as none of them for saw this outcome of excessive use of atomic weapons. Now weather Ironwood would do something like that, well the stories going to have to develop further ;).
SFMC/Perum: Talk to you through DM's. But just as an announcement to others. I believe all types of criticism can be constructive, but let's try to keep insults and politics out of them. At the end of the day I'm writing a fanfiction about Anime characters from another planet coming to Earth, not convincing people to be more conservative or liberal with their personal beliefs.
Phew, now with all that out of the way onto the story. So as always feel free to leave a review!
Text Key
"Speech"
'Quote'
Thought
"Flashback", scene
"Electronic Speech"
Electronic Text's
"Langue that isn't understood by POV Character"
P.S
Shout out to anybody who get's the Cinder name reference
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Chapter 22
Emerald's dreams had been nothing but darkness and time. In absolute clarity she remembered the abrupt pain of the blow that had taken out of the fight. But with her spinal cord now swinging back and forth, the pain that should have accompanied such a strike was nothing but a pulsating sore. A discomfort made even further irreverent since it felt like a pack of Beowolves had just played tug of war with her arms and legs.
"Her heart rate has begun to increase, signs show that she'll be waking up soon", the crimson eyed girl was still banishing the tiredness she now felt. So, the completely sore thief wasn't sure if what she heard were actual words or not.
… However, her instincts had always outpaced her ability to compute verbal language. As such, Emerald wouldn't let something such as a poor night's rest make her vulnerable. Raised by the literal streets of Remnant the scythe wielding pick pocket learned early on in her life that all urchins were morning people. For the ones that weren't didn't last long enough on their own to skew the data.
Eyes flashing open the wayward teenager scanned her environment with the efficiency of a caffeinated college student. The first thing she noticed was that she was alone. Not in a literal sense, but in the practical one since neither Tyrian nor Mercury were in sight.
As she saw a thick sheet of transport glass supported by an almost comically large steel bar frame. The containment cell she appeared to be in made up most of the room. Being no larger than an upper middle-class bathroom.
"Correction she is up", Emerald heard the static filled voice of a speaker assault her from all sides once more,
"... I noticed Penny… ", finally being able to focus her senses in one direction, the interplanetary thief was able to make eye contact. Getting a good look at the two figures on the other side of this glorified dog kennel… Although the amount of voices she ended up hearing would through her count for a loop.
The first being to meet her gaze had just spoken. She no longer wore an arctic tundra as a cape, but the shoulder length near raven colored locks indicated the woman as Summer Rose.
If the thief wasn't swinging between two metallic handcuffs like an organic hammock, she might have cracked a small smile at the older Remnant native's new outfit. A pitch-black suit that had all the empathic range of the faceless people most likely to adorn them.
But given the expression on the seasoned huntress's face, Emerald wisely chose to keep focusing on the task at hand. The eldest Rose narrowed eyes only serving as fuel and encouragement. To remind the caught aura user of the situation gravity.
Using the limited time she had left before addressed, Emerald turned her head to the last occupied corner of the room. Seeing the weapon that housed her defeat in the hands, or on the rear, of the rabbit faunus, the criminal immediately used the eldest Rose look of intimation as blueprints for her own that she now unleashed upon the chocolate eyed girl. Surprisingly though, or at least she thought it was startling given the initial read she had obtained on the second-year beacon student, the long hair brunette absorbed Emerald's glare and shot it right back. Which, as the beige theme huntress knew more than anybody, proved to be an effective strategy on the incapacitated thief.
"Inform Nimue, make sure she keeps an eye on this and a video recording of the intergatio-", on the inside Emerald was anxious, so much so that she was almost glad the clamps around her limbs didn't allow her even the slightest movement. It made suppressing her natural instinct all the easier. Forcing her to focus on the task at hand… and away from all the paranoia nibbling at her every thought,
"If you're expecting a thank you for holding back the animal, you're not getting it", in no way was courage responsible for the green haired woman's decision to interrupt Summer. And if it was any consultation to Velvet, neither was it a hatred for faunus. However, as the rabbit ear girl mouth opened in apparent shock, which caused the stone inducing glare of the halberd wielding Valian to switch targets momentarily, it did succeed in redirecting the built-up tension. One that, although only increasing her odds of liberation and escape by an almost insignificant margin, was to her benefit. Not one loyal to Tyrian, Salem, or even Cinder, but rather her own survival. A state that needed to be obtained before anything else could be considered or entrusted, "Those machines you sent already proved themselves just as feral as any faunus"
Unlike most humans, Emerald never really saw the world in the lens of race. With everybody equally below the poverty line, her home kingdom of Vacuo was progressive in the weirdest sense of the word. As far as she was concerned, all sentient life was prone to belittling people. She had the scars and experience to back that.
All racism had ever proved in regard to her own problem was a tool to be utilized. One she could use to either gain a faunus or humans trust… or something she could manipulated to take advantage of both biological creatures' ability to think, or in this case irrationally react,
"Those weren't even ours!", the appalled brunette fell into Emerald's trap perfectly. Which helped mend the thief recently shattered ego, "b-besides, we saw the film, the only monsters here are you and-"
"How did you obtain transport to this planet?", Summer immediately intervened, and the younger huntress' mouth immediately clenched up.
The senior authority figure tried to salvage her lackey's failure, but even her organic interruption contained useful information. As the uncloaked reaper proved herself much keener to social manipulation tactics than her daughter.
"Ask her", not even granting her the overdramatic insult of 'the animal', both Summer and Velvet were tools to Emerald's survival. The thief simply used her knowledge that the brunette already knew to alter the questions target. Causing the tension in the room to flow between the two Vale natives, rather than towards herself,
"I'm not asking her, I'm asking you", the older woman's face never faltered. Summer's response coming out as a statement to the universe, rather than a point to Emerald. Something that put the rhythmic pattern and dynamic roles of the room right back into place.
Okay… so that won't work, the longer Emerald didn't respond to the question, the worse her situation became. As both captor and prisoner knew time only favored the former. This isn't to say she couldn't take advantage of what she learned. Such as the fact that the silver eyed woman was in command, and that she'd put down any of the crimson eyed girls' attempts to emotionally manipulate the rabbit faunus into revealing any more accidental information. But more importantly she had found the opponent in this joust of minds.
And like an aristocrat lost amongst a crowded bazaar, all the other people were simply parts of the environment to use, not actual advisories.
"Then you're just wasting our time", it was a risk, one that could easily cause Summer to grasp Velvet by the shoulder and leave Emerald alone in unusable isolation. However, she knew the follow up point would barricade both other Remnant natives in the room, "You just want me to repeat what Velvet's already told you. Something to serve as a baseline so you can see how truthful I really am. So, let me just make it easy for you. Yes, we used the attack on Vale as a means to generate enough emotion for transportation. Yes, Salem was the one who planned all it "
The rodent eared faunus didn't dare open her mouth again. The name only sparked confusion rather than fear in the brunette huntress's eye. Which proved Velvet hadn't the faintest clue who the witch was.
Just as the stone-cold glare of the eldest Rose proved she very much did know of the wicked westward being. Such a fact could be used to breed mistrust between the two… but, through the use of selective honesty, Emerald was utilizing the resource of trust much more efficiently,
"...but that's really it", her glare never being wiped from her face, the crimson eyed girl simply brought it down to her chains. Acting as if all the hatred and fear she wanted the other two to see was being directed back on herself, "That woman didn't tell us what the other planet would be like… or why we needed to be here… the only one of us who apparently knew anything was Tyrian"
Perhaps she was giving them far too much. But since they did not interrupt her current point, the bridges she constructed had been built. And more importantly the lies she would now subtly unleash had a foundation to slow their burn,
"... Truthfully, I was beginning to doubt she even told him anything", she sighed, in a vain attempt to see if they'd let their bodies slip up and prove to have information on Tyrian's mortality, "but he apparently knew who you were… Of course, he just said you were 'Salem's' lost plaything and didn't tell us who you actually were. But I guess it had proved she at least had an agenda for this planet… but I guess only her one for Remnant's going to keep moving forward now"
With them not altering their breaths, she had to take a more direct approach to find out if the scorpion faunus was still alive or not. But once again they didn't express any knowledge on the subject,
"The CCT towers can be rebuilt, so how do you still plan on achieving your success", the woman tried to flip Emerald's choice in words back on her. But such a strategy only proved beneficial for the crimson eyed thief. For the woman, and Velvet who most likely informed her, didn't know that was nothing but a distraction,
"... you're serious?… If she wanted those things out of the way, she would have just killed the engineers who built them", once again Velvet's eyes went narrow in confusion. So blissfully unaware that time held no meaning for the demon, let alone a couple of generations,
Opening her own pupils wider, Emerald's feigned as if she had just accidently given away precious information. Acknowledging her own plan act, she even followed up her performance with a sigh,
"Listen… I doubt either if you would believe me if I told you about my boss… or even understand that her reasoning for attacking Vale was to not only transport us to this planet, but transfer one of the maiden's power", the confusion in Velvet's eyes was now being directed subtly towards Summer. Not proving herself as brilliant a tactician of lies, the woman in silence was now speaking all the information Emerald needed to hear, "Hell… even if you knew the fable of the four seasons, it's not like you'd believe your school's headmaster had the Fall one. Or that he transported the seasons power from a dead corpse too-"
Shaking her head, Emerald had played the part of somebody given into desperation and defeat perfectly. At the moment Summer looked calm, but that would change soon enough,
"The power's in Marce's hands now anyway", admittedly, Emerald shouldn't have just said the first female name that came into her mind. Making up a name was truthfully full of unwanted variables, and just saying the fire wielding one's would have been less problematic overall… but given the fabrication she was about to composed… Even if the chances were now astronomically slim, if Summer ever got back to Remnant, the scythe wielding thief didn't want her… friend… to be hunted down because of the lie, "The fate of the in-betweens persons on Ozpin's hands, not ours"
Velvet's pupils conveyed the uncountable speed her head would be spinning at as they went between Summer and Emerald. More than anything she wanted to voice her concern. Or more accurately she wanted to get an answer on why she should be concerned, not even having the information necessary to dedicate that emotion to a single being yet… However, as Emerald slowly shifted her own head to take in more of the features of the eldest Rose, the halberd wielder did not have the impenetrable defense of ignorance to shield her from her own thoughts,
"... it's not like either of you would even believe thi-", Emerald smile, as Summer made the mistake of stepping forward,
"You'd be surprised how much I'm willing to hear. So, you'll tell us everything, including who the supposed 'maidens' were before this Marce person", the thief bit her cheeks. It played to her altered appearance, albeit through old fashion means, but now also held back her grin. One that had to be fought against, as it wanted to emerge and meet the elder huntresses use of plural,
"... fine… the first was a girl named Amber, I don't know much beyond that", besides of course that she assisted Cinder in the unfortunate woman's downfall, " a-after that… w-well… When Marce went to attack Ozpin… l-listen… we didn't decide who the professor would give it to okay… I-I didn't decide…"
"Why would that matter, after all I apparently won't believe any of this", the silver eyed woman was putting up an already broken front, one that became all the more so when Emerald stared into her lunar like orbs in true terror. Such an action made the thief look passed how organized the cracks in Summer's walls were,
"Y-you won't… I hope... Listen… you've got some similarities… so j-just on the off-chance you guys were c-cousins or some-", Summer knew where this was going, but wasn't aware of the lie it was built upon. The bridge Emerald had built with the older woman was about to burn, but that was its purpose. For the fire could spread, and with her unraveled state already approaching, it would strain all other relationships she had… most importantly with the one to the right of her,
"Just tell us", the last part came out of desperation, one hidden beneath an increasingly cold tone. But that soon was about to be warmed and ignited,
"O-Okay… the maidens power were transferred before Salem's lapdog had a chance to take them from Amber", Emerald looked to Velvet, pretending as if she'd need her support, "T-that's why everything was so hectic when you found us… b-because the witch was upset the planned didn't go smoothly… a-and wasn't sure this one could salvage the hiccup of you arriving like the maiden one did"
"I-I… uh", the girl stutter, and her confusion had broken her down the second Emerald had spoken,
"It was only luck that Marce was able to corner and kill Ruby when she just got the pow-", given the skill behind the woman's demeaner. The green haired thief wasn't expecting the reaction she'd give to be too out of control. Maybe a sudden intake of breath and excuse to leave, the formation of single tears on her eyelids, or at worst a stiff hand striking the glass barrier. However, she did expect to witness something… so as the plane momentarily went dark, and the pitch black took away her most important sense, the girl was truly shocked.
But as quickly as it came, the artificial magnetic waves of the craft, or at least room Emerald could know for sure she was in, bleached her retina's back to life. A light show accompanied by a ringing of metal on metal violence, as the scythe wielding girl hadn't even realized she'd bee weightless momentarily until gravity echoed into her ear,
"YOUR LYING", the original voice she heard upon waking now held meaning… but more so than that, it contained a volcanic magnitude of anger. Assaulting her from multiple corners of the room with its static filled fury, "VELVET HAD BEEN FIGHTING ALONGSIDE RUBY EARLIER THAT NIGHT, SO ADMIT TO YOUR FORGERY IMMEDIATELY. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE CAN SHE BE DEAD *hiccup*"
In truth, this was the reaction and instability in one's own emotions and judgement Emerald was hoping for… she just wished she could tell who was succumbing to it.
"Your lying *hiccup* *hiccup* *hiccup* y-your *hiccup*", Seemingly lost were to make eye contact with the mysterious person, Velvet began trying to speak up to calm the malfunctioning girl down. But her waves were lost beneath an avalanche of expelled gas. One that normally sound adorable if it wasn't being ushered in by false hope and a desire to burst into tears,
"Velvet go calm her down, and have Nimue turn off the camera's", the lie Emerald had just manipulated into existence had its risk… and as the shocked, and truthfully scared face of the faunus mirrored her own, the crimson eyed girl merely saw the other run out of the room… Before wondering if she had just ensured her own death rather than survival,
"L-listen I know… w-whatever your relationships was to the girl", the act of stuttering was made easy on Emerald, for as the woman opened up the lock on the cage and entered in… well her performance had already merged with reality, "Y-you want it to be a lie"
"I'm her mother", waiting to hear the faunus footsteps traverse far enough away, and then some to account for the chocolate theme huntresses own audio receptors, Summer sat down just as the camera in the room did its own slouch, "Which is why I know it's a lie… One well made, for the circumstance I guess, but false all the same"
The words hit Emerald like a slap, and the calm demeanor the suite clad woman expressed showed how much she'd been outplayed… well, almost. For the environments that left, still proved to a resource to be capitalized on,
"I've known Salem far longer than you", she almost mixed Emerald's sigh, before leaning back. But not even pretending to hide the fact it was an act, "So I've known the truth a lot longer than you, which is why I can only feel sorry. Because what I'm going to say will shatter the outlook on the world that woman let you think you built on your own"
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"So, you're an orphan. Probably from Vacuo if I had to make an educated guess", given how easily the words cascaded from her lips Summer almost felt like a monster. Or rather, given how Emerald's own jaw was nearly scraping the floor, the young aura user across from her no doubt viewed her as such… Such a viewpoint was absolutely relative though, given the girl's own activities within the past couple of weeks, "That's a tough place to grow up… I was left to my own devices in Vale as a child. Still rough, but at least the government put up a front about caring for its citizens. If I had been left in your shoes… well the survival of the fittest doctrine you guys has over there would not have suited and emotionally wrecked seven-year-old well"
The now decloaked reaper had seen through all of Emerald's lies as they were forming. Obviously, the girl was intelligent, but she had overcast her line, and was expecting to fall for a set of conscience even though she couldn't call a pattern.
"I… what do you think-… I didn't join Salem because I have something against the world", the crimson eyed girl was still trying to piece together how much her own plans throughout the conversation had been foiled, "You're not gonna bound us through the shared experience that it beat us both down"
"Of course not, and don't get things twisted. All those people you killed, armed or not, were innocent. You'll get no sympathy for me", the at ease nature of her tone was startling to even herself, "Worse yet, you'll get nothing but regret you can never be redeem from, because It's the people who picked us back up that made us so similar"
Before Emerald could speak up, Summer raised a hand to cut her off,
"No… I didn't know about Salem until after I 'graduated' Beacon. If she had been the one to 'enlighten' me to the true nature of humanity… well I wouldn't be here… or at the very least you wouldn't want what was left of me here", the horrors of what her eyes could have ensured her was a piece of information the silver eyed woman didn't even want to reveal to herself, let alone Emerald. As such she quickly shook her head and dove back into the current train of thought, "But as you probably know, even orphans are never truly abandoned. If nothing else, human's find a use in everything, even lost children"
"I found my own use… and then … I learned-"
"That there were others like you", it wasn't like looking into a mirror. But it definitely could be compared to a crystal ball, one that showed one possible outcome for Summer if she hadn't taken of some of the luck Emerald clearly lacked, "... that nobody could ever take advantage of you, since you only ever held onto your own beliefs"
The girl's mouth shut itself closed. Whether her silence was due to analyzing Summer's point, or just a refusal to fuel it any further the white aura huntress didn't know… and frankly didn't need to know.
"Just after my parents died… the orphanage I was placed in convinced me that I wanted to be a tailor", she recalled the near assembly line-like condition she worked in most afternoons and weekends. How now the only physical remnant of that time in her life remained scattered on the medical center floor, "After my aura had accidentally unlocked itself at a fight in school, the head of the orphanage kicked me out. I was too dangerous to be around the other children. In reality though, my inability to control my newfound strength meant I was far too hazardous to the expensive sewing machines themselves… let alone the fragile cloth and silk I needed to stitch"
Now her thoughts traveled the path she had. Not far into it of course, at least not yet, but definitely along the cobblestone streets of Vale. As the images of the lost child housing facility back alley came to mind. Accompanied of course by her bloodless hands that should have been pierced through the by the two cross stitch needles she tried to prove her employer wrong with,
"Just like that, my want was taken from me… but, as always, society found a use for me", Summer couldn't remember the coldness of her brief stints between homelessness… and this was of course due to her aura. It could protect her from the chill of winter, but the very fact it was there meant she never had to go through such a month without a roof over her head, "After seeing me tear the hinges off the lid of dumpster when I was diving for food, a… less than reputable individual noticed the opportunity my newfound soul gave me… One that I had overlooked. He gave me a new purpose, and more importantly, I had thought I discovered a new drive. Any guesses on what it was?"
"Huntress", the crimson eyed girl voice held her eye rolls… but considering her position on the ground it only came across as slightly humorous,
"Good guess, but that would have to wait another heartbreak", being picked up from the dumpster, the scarred face man, and his smoky breath still terrified her to no end. But his… off putting warmth was something she instantly clinched onto. For even as he just through her from the trash to the dump, his false generosity was better than none at all, "I wanted to become a weaponsmith"
"...", the imprisoned aura user, well she had to foresight to restrain from opening her mouth. As if finally connecting two long lost dots. But even if her lips had remained closed, the crimson eye girl muscles had moved to open them, and Summer could only narrow her eyes in curiosity at what she could have revealed,
"Before you say anything, no, the people I was with were never part of a gang", the tattoos and general grotesque people scared of the decorated man associated with them were another story entirely however, "... they just sold weapons to them. You see, making huntsman weapons… It's a dangerous and hazardous profession. As such, mass producing them really isn't a wise idea. That didn't stop the invisible hand of capitalism…"
She paused realizing the earth produced expression would go over Emerald's head,
"That didn't prevent the more adventurous corporations from trying though. However, when their machines broke due to the very weapons they forged, large quantities of them were simply thrown out… deemed beyond repair", moving around, the thief new all too well were this profession was going,
"And I suppose that's where you came in"
"... that's where my knowledge of dumpster diving got to be fully utilized with my aura", she remembered how scared she'd been the first night she snuck into the recycle field. How the bonfire and smell of melted metal made her feel like she entered hell… One was its hounds would pounce on her the moment a spotlight reflected against her porcelain skin, "The force that a mecha shift weapon generate when being wielded correctly would dislocate any of our joints if we didn't have aura. Imagine what would happen to a regular civilian if they accidentally triggered one. Then again you already know what would happen in that case"
Her outer soul ensured she had no scars, but Summer would be a liar if she said her first few rounds of salvaging didn't knock her on her ass… or one time buried her beneath a mountain of metal. However, with each night she went, and each conversation she overheard when presenting her load, the eldest Rose's knowledge of the weapons increased… As did her ability to not only avoid their hazardous function but understand how they worked,
"Eventually I'd come to find out… But I'd also discovered I loved the look on my boss's face when I'd come back with better material. For three years I learned so much from that damn dump… so much so that I thought I gained my purpose", she laughed at this, knowing that in a weird way the dump did usher in her next goal, "But one day… well, Vale's not Vacuo. The moment the criminals start interfering with the economy is when they were targeted"
Emerald remained quiet, no doubt accepting as Summer had that this was a part were their story truly did diverge,
"My employer's house was raided, which meant my house was raided… if you could call one eighth of the basement your shared with seven other people a house that it. Either way, a group of first years from Beacon came to put an end to his operations, and since I was fifteen, full of myself, and had a half decent huntsmen grade weapon forged from scrap iron I went to stop them"
"And then you wanted to be a prisoner"
"No", Summer said with a grin, as if the girl before her was her actual daughter. Not a criminal who had tried to use the youngest Rose as bait to cause an emotional breakdown in the elder, "I wanted to become a huntsman"
The ass kicking those four students had given the crimson red head was something she'd carry for the rest of her night. And if it wasn't for the fact Ozpin had come to question everybody involved in the underground weapons smuggling organization… she would likely be thinking of them in terms of revenge rather than luck at the moment. However, one look into her silver eyes and the professor had altered Summer's life once again,
"The headmaster", she carefully choice to leave out the wizard's previous title, "Came and saw me… a parentless, beaten bloody, and at the moment fowl mouth girl… and"
"Took pity", the green haired girl scoffed it out as an insult, but was zero for three for completing sentences,
"No… he took advantage", revealing she had no idea about the silver eyes, Summer bent the truth as the girl had done to her and walked around it, "He saw another person he could use against Salem… and from his need I discovered my own want to become a hunter"
"And here you are"
"Well, a warm dorm room and all the food I could eat at Signal and Beacon first...but yeah. Although looking back… I may be a huntress", she sighed before forcing her silver iris into Emerald's crimson ones, "But it's not for the reason that man wanted… it's not even for the reason Salem probably thinks"
"It's because people constantly told you what to be", the eye roll was now visual instead of just voiced,
"It's because they made me believe their best interest was what I always wanted", the rising suns pause their motions, as her own words were rearranged to present themselves in an entirely new way, "It wasn't because that's what my situation made me… that's just what people took advantage of"
The thief's mouth remained shut. Despite the fact she had ample opportunity to cut in. To voice a cliche or accuse Summer of being a victim of them.
"All those people who took advantage of me Emerald… I hate them the most. Gods I really do, but each one of them is in control of their own life", she shook her head, "Even if they never realize it, or even if they just hold desire to screw over everybody else… there doing what they want, but more importantly they have their own reasons behind their wants''
There was a difference between understanding and respect, and for all of those people the first only applied. But the important and most crucial thing for Summer's own growth, and quite possibly Emerald's as well, was that she had grasp of her own perspective,
"So what?", the question was wrong, but not without its usefulness,
"Let's try 'why?' instead", the girl cocked her head, and the silver eyed woman rose from the ground, "Why did you lie to me, why do you want to get out of here. 'What you have to do' is reserved for the people we work for. But why is the question you have to answer"
The gaze… Well Emerald wasn't as shocked as when Summer first sat down. As such her crimson orbs only bore into the plane's hull, away from the woman who opened them up. Moving onto the next problem, the de-cloaked reaper left the room, letting the silence the thief needed be her companion and listening partner for the foreseeable future. After all, the minutes and hours were her ally, as was the knowledge a self-thinking Vacuo native could give.
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Whenever somebody had asked Penny to remove herself from a machine, camera, or audio receptor she had. But as she watched the eldest Rose, whose association with that name currently risked turning the electrical wiring in the plane red, leave the holding facility, the electronic being realized how she had only ever been limited by her personal morals and formality.
Doing so had always made her feel more human, like she was forcefully bestowing upon herself the same limitations any organic being would have when their senses impeded simple physical barriers. But the pastel huntress wasn't a human being… and given what she had just heard from the silver eyed woman during her 'interrogation', neither was Summer.
"Why were you so open with a proven criminal?", despite standing… in Penny's current avatar technically, Velvet had been in the dark even when the initial exchange with Emerald had begun. As such, the sudden shift in anger from the thief to Summer, with no view of Penny's ever turbulent emotions in between, only increased the faunus confusion,
"How many cameras have you only partially deactivated?", the woman was caught off guard for a moment. However, the seasoned veteran was quick to shift fault to the electronic Atlesian. Avoiding the pitfall of justifying her emotions and being put on the defensive. Not that Penny much cared… she no longer viewed anything happening in this aircraft as a military operation, and was appalled that Summer evidently did,
"I… is… R-Ruby okay?", the rabbit eared girl hesitantly brought up the question, the only one not sure if she should believe the lie or see it as it truly was,
"She's fine", Summer locked eyes with one digital set of pupils. Clearly not liking the tone Penny now took and attempting to reassure her command.
"If we are to believe the words of a liar"
"You're to believe me", before Velvet could ask for any further explanation by either side, both return to their current conflict, "The reaction you now have is exactly what Emerald wants. For us to give into emotions and sow seeds of suspicion between us all. You're from Atlas, I despise many aspects of their military, but a rigid command structure is needed. Which is why after I talk to Nimue we'll discuss your punishment for disobeying order"
"I was made by my father, not the Atlesian military", the pixelated sight of her literally stripped away corpse haunted her images again. The digital soul had already been nervous to bring that information to Summer, but now her thoughts were being embraced by a much more disability hesitation, "And I have sworn no allegiance to you, nor do I owe any trust to an ally who has not only withheld crucial information regarding Earth, but Remnant as well. As such, my statement still remains far from inaccurate or in need of correction. For I cannot confirm if the story you offered on your past was not a complete fabrication as well"
"If that is what you choose to believe then you can't operate on this team, and you'll receive no information at all. I can understand your inability to be emotionally prepared, but that doesn't mean I'll allow any of you to jeopardize the mission objective because of it", the near black haired woman had been moving to the upper hanger, but paused at Penny's further insurrection. Her eyes now tore themselves from the reflective lens of the security camera and to the still deeply confused, and, in truth, simple bystander Velvet, "For that I'm sorry, I overestimated both your mental fortitude and should have done more to strengthen your resolve. Through her failed attempt to manipulate me I learned a lot about how that girl operates...I forget that's a skill Beacon applicants don't learn"
The woman could have said so much more. In poor taste, and more importantly counterproductive taste, Summer could have brought up their near inability to reconcile over a seventeen-year-old boy. However, as the Vale native went to talk to her one true agent, she made no such claim. The logical reasons for this were overwhelming, and nearly none attributed to a personal distaste for either younger Huntress… but of course, this did little to ease Penny's anger.
One that formed the moment Summer's face held no ounce of paranoia or worry over Ruby's fate. The electronic being's grief at the mere possibility the friend she had none for little more than two weeks had literally stopped the plane. Even Velvet had shown more concern and fear than the girl's own mother, and the faunus could count the number of words she had with the girls on two hands.
"... H-hey… Penny", the timid huntress herself now spoke up as the room only contained the two of them, "I… w-want to make sure you're okay… b-but I don't know what's going on"
"... Neither do I", at this Velvet's face dropped alongside her ears. Both young women were in the dark about matters surrounding the organization that held control over Penny's body… but now they were clueless on dangers connected to the very reason both were here… to dangers on Remnant.
"... w-what she said a-about the maidens", Velvet looked towards the front of the plane, not trusting Nimue human ears to be as limiting as her… although Penny most currently could handicap the electronic hearing aids that surrounded them, "... t-that's a myth… one my parents told me when I was kid"
"My records can confirm it is nothing more than a fictitious fable", in truth the rabbits organic memory was just as capable of Penny's electronic one in this case, "... and the non-coherent information Emerald gave on the maidens and their connection to your headmaster is nothing short of a conspiracy theory based on all relevant information"
"... I...then why did you believe it?", there was no hostility or sense of superiority in Velvet calling her friend out for this. If anything, Penny's sudden want to blush was due to self-induced embarrassment for succumbing to her emotions again… for still giving into them,
"... because… even if I was incapacitated at the time I trust your memory more so then my own Velvet", even if Velvet couldn't lock eyes with Penny, she still found the floor very interesting when presented this praise, "Your description of the attack on Beacon… There is a significant time between when you last saw Ruby and first encountered Emerald. Although the story she constructed is highly unlikely… the numerical chances of Ruby actually being slain at any point in the invasion… isn't zero"
Such a number was true for every individual in Vale, including General Ironwood and Winter. But the mere fact Emerald had gone out of the way to mention her friend… it overloaded the electronic sentience ability to reasons. And when that capability had returned, she found herself upset that Summer had not possessed a similar reaction.
"... I… I really do believe she's okay Penny", the brunette seemed a bit lost in her own thoughts, which soon revealed themselves to the world as an overly cautious whisper, "For me… its b-because of the person Emerald mentioned"
Having been so obsessed with her own jumbled mess of thoughts, the pastel themed Atlesian had hardly noticed that Velvet had used her time in the dark to think as well,
"When Summer first attacked me she mentioned a 'witch'… and before the Grimm ambushed us on the highway, she seemed to recognize that ichor looking beast that sent us here", the faunus eyes shifted out the nearest window, "... as well as the woman in it… I… i-it should be impossible to use Grimm for interstellar transportation, right? What if some o-of Emerald claims had a bit of truth to them?"
The static Penny's speakers, or rather the plane's speaker, ceased. As the terrible connection the coded sentience overlooked presented a whole new array of terrifying possibilities.
"N-not that she's right about Ruby", Penny's silence wasn't meant to convey this new form of paranoia… only Velvet's leap in logic just so happened to usher such terrible thoughts in, "B-but… I mean… there's so much we don't know… and n-now there are less people to even tell us what's going on"
"... I am going to deduce my own answers Velvet", rash decisions were the worst type, which is why Penny quickly allowed this one in. It may not have taken this form in quite some time, but ever since the beginning, the plan she and the chocolate theme girl had made were to find their own solution back home, "For that I need to liberate my body"
Despite having encouraged this type of rebellion, even if accidently, earlier the rabbit ear girl's eyes went wide. Now looking between multiple cameras and the pilot section, her cautious whispers grew to mouthed words,
"...Penny… w-what if Summer", the second year student was a stuttering mess, but a disorganized one that couldn't find a logistical counterpoint, "... T-they could just have Gareth reel you back in… and it's not like they wouldn't notice us leave"
"Then we shall make use of the time they can't risk to inform anybody of our departure", the plan had formed the moment the nonexistent carrot top had seen her mutilated exoskeleton, but only now did it have purpose, "The short ranged radio Nimue will use requires them to be over the Aelle estate. If we physically depart the plane, we can then inform them of a new authorized plan by word of mouth… one Summer would not be able to risk telling them until they get back into radio range"
The brunette's bottom lips quivered… but the silence she admitted already spoke of her agreement to the plan.
"From there we simply allow Arthur, Amr, and Laura to fulfill Summer's desire strategy and take a vehicle to meet them… While you, Gareth, and I head out East to pursue our own priorities", for her this course of action held little risk, or rather it possessed a required asset… but the sudden shift in Velvet's facial structure indicate she did not see it as such,
"You want to get Gareth involved… to break your body out from a government agency that took down three hunters in an instant"
"... Yes"
Simply due to the fact she didn't hiccup, Velvet's only raised an eyebrow in concern. However, as she gave off a defeated sigh, she was allowing Penny to give her reasoning behind such a decision… One that, while near flawless in the electronic souls own mind, would take the next two hours to convince its merit to the rabbit ear faunus.
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The amount of anxiety and stress Gareth had gone through over the last twelve hours had been enough to fill five lifetimes. More so than that, the stress was varied and diverse enough to the point that high blood pressure was most certainly the cause of death for each of those lives.
That being said, as the Aelle estate was going up in all but physical flames, for the past ten minute he could at least take solace in knowing he wasn't the only adult on the verge of a heart attack.
Ever since… Velvet's goodbye, or rather her send off before the official one, Gareth had been dealing with a mother very much intent on asking far too personal a question. All of which were only fueled by Amr's innocence. Although, as the night went on, and luckily his more nephew then younger brother was put to bed, a new form of paranoia entered the youngest Cadarn's mind.
Nobody had updated him on Velvet or Penny's status, and while his reaction to… the footage shown earlier would most certainly make others want to leave him in the dark as long as possible… it certainly didn't help or subtract from his worry for what could be transpiring on the North Eastern seaboard. To… indecisive to just ask Arthur what was transpiring, the emerald eyed boy stared into his room's expensive ceiling.
Thoughts revolving around Velvet being dead snuck their way into his mind. Followed by admittedly selfish thoughts of who would actually be dead. Whether it being a close friend or… the person who had been on the futon with him earlier. Given all these unwelcome forms of stress, the teenagers' mind eyes went through a different genre of films. All of which were terrible movies of possible scenarios he wished desperately not to think about.
However, as Arthur came barging through the door, simply flicking on the lights and telling Gareth to get outside immediately… he didn't expect his current position to be an outcome. Even when watching his panicked and confused mom calm down a sleep derived Amr, it wasn't an unwelcome one though. Despite only pajama pants and T-shirt being his defense from the winter air, he didn't feel cold. In actuality this was attributed to his aura, but for the wild haired brunette he just chalked up the warmth produced in his chest to the fact the others had reported back.
All of whom were alive and well… although that term was very relative at the moment. Considering a panicked Summer had basically ordered her husband to reenact a nineteen fifties nuclear bomb drill.
"That bastard, that intolerable son of a", in the process of throwing computer hard drives in the familiar midnight shaded SUV, the eldest Aelle was constantly running between his estate and the vehicle. Of course, Gareth made no move to help, not that the man asked him to, but even with their strained non-existent relationship, the emerald eyed teenager truly hoped his blue irised counterpart wasn't in the midst of a mental breakdown. If only because he'd be the one driving the car, "When I get my hands on you, I'll-"
Proving that his mind still held enough logic to produce restraint, the blonde-haired king's muttered hatred immediately ceased. As the sight of a still yawning Amr, his silver orbs hiding from the moon, was carried out the front door by Laura,
"Daddy", his mouth growing ever wider, still too tired to even know if he had woken up or not, the younger boy clearly wasn't aware of the vulgarity his father had been about to unleash… The sudden narrow eyed gaze his previous wife shot him clearly indicates she caught onto what he could have said. Although weather she was upset about that, or the fact she'd been woken up to a still unexplained Armageddon was a moot point, "I don't want to go on a vacation right now"
For a brief, almost comically so, pause in the chaos Arthur raised an eyebrow of confusion. However, as his son snuggled into Laura shoulder as an improvised pillow and went back to sleep, the brunette mother responded to the fallen knight with a venom filled hissed,
"What did you want me to say…", she quenched her rage briefly as she gently placed her pseudo nephew in the back seat before buckling up, "For all I know this is an actual vacation"
… Please don't be a family vacation, his mom was being facetious of course, but Gareth didn't want to take that risk. A military drill seemed like paradise compared to the hell that would be a family outing. Especially since he had already denounced any familiar relationship to two out of the three people here,
"...Its", seeing Amr's head slumped to the side like a cut puppet once firmly placed in his seat, Arthur shut the door to the governmental vehicle shut, "Somebody attacked Summer and Velvet"
Despite how dangerous the situation had been, Laura crossed her arms. She in no way doubted the blonde lock man wasn't telling the truth right now… she just needed far more of it,
"Fine… we attacked Summer", at this the emerald eyed woman seemed a bit shocked, "Another part of the agency… they've essentially gone rouge, and I don't know to what extent. What I do know though, is they have my files on record, and they know where this house is, as well as access to most of the United States and Canada public infrastructure… Speaking of which… I'm going to need everybody's phones"
Laura didn't even pretend to open her mouth to understand, nor did she voice her anger at how inappropriate it was to be in that line of work if he was literally raising a child… However, seeing his true fear and desperation, her body language could only be read one way. It was the same one she'd present to Gareth whenever he had behaved inappropriately in public. Containing all the sternness and promise of a future lecturing,
"... Jesus Christ Arthur I…", noticing her own son was looking on at the scene as well she simply sighed before turning her own gaze to the car, "Fine"
Handing over her electronic, and also using her stern glare to drag Gareth over to give up his own, Arthur graciously accepted both before pulling out some sort of UBS sized electronic from his pocket. Putting it next to the phones, both Cadarns looked confused at what he was doing, until steam and then flames erupted from the two cellular devices and Arthur threw them back over towards the house.
If the shorter haired brunette wasn't so put off by the sudden blitzkrieg of information he still didn't understand, his eyes would be twitching as fast as his mother's. Whose rage only seemed to grow with the bonfire.
Not wanting to risk his mother's wrath spreading to him, Gareth wisely looked away from the ordeal. Watching the stars shine, he decided to also hold back on informing his mom he never did buy insurance for his new phone,
Letting the sound of Arthur's footsteps back towards the house, as well as Laura mumbles of disapproval become white noise, the teenager's emerald eyes briefly turned blue. As one ball of fused gas appeared to be getting much closer to Earth… Only for celestial object to reveal itself as an energized projection of a familiar green girl,
"... Uh…", the youngest Cadarn at a loss for words, and not even attempting to connect the dots he just pointed dumbfounded to the night sky, "Did they decide to evacuate the plane as well?"
Two sets of parental eyes shifting towards him, Arthur stopped just as his front foot entered the door. Frozen mid stride, the sweating man gazed at where his eldest son pointed… only to look back at him wondering if the boy was suffering from a stroke. However, as everybody took one more look up towards the blue lit sky only Gareth could see, the sight of a very much visible organic being came into view,
Pale skin reflecting into eyes, the youngest Cadarn's still paranoia field brain looked on at the sight of Velvet rocketing towards the ground as if she was about to die. However, as the knowledge of aura burst to life alongside an electrical blue… arc of gravity defying blades, the confused teenagers gave out a sigh of relief. Watching as the light forged steel defied the laws of physics twice over, and gently guided her to the ground.
Acting as if she was still plummeting, the red-faced faunus ran up to Gareth, making short work of the football field length of yard that separated them. Sweat slicking back hair, along with a relatively skintight outfit, the sight of the woman who had made out with him early short circuited the brunette teenager's brain momentarily. With the only saving grace about this whole situation being that the confusion and suddenness of it all caused the other Cadarn and Aelle now running up to the meet the midnight skydiver to ignore Gareth's ripening face,
"Good you guys are ready to leave", despite all the athletic and impossible maneuvers the emerald eye boy just saw the girl display, her words came out with a rushed, but oxygen rich, ease,
"What's going on", Arthur said, clearly confused about this and looking to the sky for any other starlit free fallers, "We were supposed to meet at the airfield"
"A-and we are", the brunette girl seemed to be behaving… well she was nervous… but for a multitude of different reasons. Although, given how little even those in the know seemed to… know, Gareth wasn't about to point it out, "I-it's just, with the radio silence, Summer sent us down to help collect all the information from the Observatory room"
"I've already started that", the man said, his breath and words coming out like he just completed a marathon, "All the physical backups I could get are in the car… we should go"
"A-and you should, but", all of a sudden, the girl's stutter wasn't that of somebody about to face the wrath of a black op's government branch. Rather than an honor student lying to their teacher about helping another student cheat on their last exam, "G-Gareth and Penny can go in and grab so much more… Summer said you guys had two cars, so we can come down here and quickly grant the data. Afterwards the three of us can follow you, Laura, and Amr in your personal vehicle"
At this point, Arthur seemed at a loss. On the one hand the use of Gareth's semblance and Penny's digital capabilities could help collect far more of their research and resources they had housed here… but from the way Velvet was speaking, it would mean two teenagers would be in charge of his private car.
"... I'll go with you then", Arthur supposed everyone, especially Laura, as the faunus girl's voiced raise. Seemingly in a hurry, remarkably more so than everybody else, Gareth hadn't even noticed she latched onto his arm and was dragging him into the house,
"NO!", stop the chaos of the night momentarily, all eyes, including Penny's astral ones locked onto the false Danish girl's chocolate orbs with widened pupils, "I mean… uh… My semblance allows me to have a photographic memory. Nimue told me the route to the landing field, you're the only one else here who knows the route by heart… Since we'll need to be radio silent and take two vehicles anyway, you'll need to drive one and I'll be in the other"
"W-we can just wait for you", Laura nervously spoke up before Arthur, "We've all fit in the car before"
"Summer… she said you all need to leave now. It could take a couple minutes to upload everything", to this, Gareth saw the silent electrical form of Penny arc with electricity before her mouth opened up slightly. An invisible hiccup if there ever was one, the boy now was truly confused. Although, considering the he hadn't started the initial puzzle of tonight, to be told he was trying to piece together the wrong one wasn't too detrimental, "... a-and she doesn't know if the Caliburn based could target the house… y-you three need to leave now"
"...and leave you… leave Gareth", Laura almost took a protective step forward, clearly just as in the dark as her own son… but very well aware that him staying behind was now detrimental to his health, "I… he's not a soldier… hunter… or whatever you want to call it"
She went up to grab the arm Velvet hadn't snatched… only for the emerald eye boy to retract it,
"It's okay mom… I mean", he didn't know why he felt a sudden urge to side with Velvet… especially since she was so against him going into a potential war zone before, but one look to her and Penny made his newfound choice clear, "I-I've got aura and you don't… if somebodies gonna target this place then you need to leave now… and you need to make sure Amr's okay"
He nodded towards Penny who seemed a bit shocked by his suddenness to agree, as well as his ability to fight off his own confusion despite it still being very much a presence. However, her small smile meant she had taken his reaction far better than his own mother, whose mouth hanging open, looked ready to give her an ultimatum. One that Garth quickly had to halt, knowing full well she would just threaten to stand in place until he left with her,
"And you", Gareth, despite having no idea what he was actually agreeing to banished all his nerves to the side as he shot Arthur a death glare, "Definitely need to get my mom out of here if a missile or something could come down"
Flipping the script on their roles in a nonexistent military, or at least an imagined one the younger had only recently known was fake, the blonde hair man only remained frozen for one more crucial moment. The frame of time where he gazed at his discolored doppelganger's face. Analyzing it to see his hidden resolve, and once realizing it was actually there, albeit amongst still very much present fear and anxiety, he nodded.
Ignoring the thoughts of the car and the transfer of digital data he had tried to oversee himself; the man grabbed his former wife's arm. Her shock and dutifulness stayed, all of a sudden making it easy for her to be heard towards safety. Not getting a proper goodbye, the actual stress of danger made the moment all the worse. Although, given everything, and the truth he had to believe, Gareth didn't have the seconds to think about his own life or the moment. Turning towards Velvet and Penny, the last thing the youngest Cadarn saw of the old tonight, was her getting into the car, her door being closed, then the SUV darting out of the driveway before departing from his peripheral vision,
"A-alright", Gareth's words halted his reality, as his anxiety was ushered back in along with his brief grasp at control, "L-let's get that information-"
"A-actually…", all the stress in Velvet's voiced vanished, and his confusion now being born from the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, he paused his joints readiness to sprint inside the house, "W-we need you to… help us… Penny tag in"
His aura flaring up a deep ocean blue, the lines ran from his forearm to the dights the rabbit ear girl had wrapped around them. As the view of the electronic Atlesian presented itself to her,
"Regretfully Summer and Arthur have been withholding information from us Gareth", not expecting that to have come out of the cute girl's freckled line mouth, the youngest Cadarn shock turned to one of a… less then surprise nature. As only his politeness towards Penny stopped him from replying with 'no shit',
"I… P-Penny I'm sorry they're doing that… b-but I'm not that surprised… a-are we not under attack?", the boy looked up to the sky, not sure if he should be expecting a missile array or a bi plane to fly overhead trailing the words 'got you'.
"It is precisely the military influence and capabilities Velvet has faced this evening, or rather dawn, that we need your assistance", not seeing the outcome of a long running joke, Gareth's eyes then noticed how long this impossible stressful night had been. With the first rays of the sun scouting out ahead of its body. Not lighting the sky, but definitely heralding in its core's arrival, "Assistance that Arthur and Summer have been limiting us from, due to their inability to inform us of their entire organization"
"O-Okay that sucks… b-but", his eyes darted back to Penny then to Velvet, then back to Penny. Over the past few hours, he had been kissed by one, forced to watch them head to the other side of the country to fight demi-gods… only to lose contact with them and question if they were still alive. When they eventually got back, he certainly was expecting awkwardness and the inability to answer personal questions… but not based on topics he was clueless about, "I… y-you're going to ditch them… t-that's a bit extreme don't you think"
"I do not wish to make enemies out of Summer or Arthur Gareth. But… they have yet to treat me like a true person. So, I do not think they would approve of what I am about to attempt, nor understand the importance of it", starkly confused beyond belief, the melted eye boy looked to Velvet for some sort of support, or explanation. But all she could provide was a small nod, and a squeeze, urging him to hear Penny through, "You are my… I care for you Gareth, and I believe you do for me as well"
If his brain wasn't torn between multiple different war zones, with one side fighting for the belief that a tomahawk missile would rain down from the sky at any moment, he would have treated the Atlesian words very differently. But given everything, his shock simply gave him misinterpreted honesty,
"Of course I do Penny, you guys are my friends", he blushed, unsure how much longer that word could last, or what it would evolve into, "B-but… I mean… my mom's in that car with people you want… to go AWOL from. It's not that I don't think you have your justification… i-it's just"
"The body you see me have in our dreams Gareth… evidence strongly suggests Arthur's organization has it housed on the East Coast", to this, well… the youngest Cadarn didn't understand what such a revelation meant… but having seen her born, he felt a horror grow in his stomach, "... They… are misusing it… are misusing me, and I… I need to reobtain it Gareth. I do not wish to put you and Velvet in harm's way, but I fear if I do not commandeer my own Avatar, it will be used to harm all of us"
"I… o-okay, that's a lot to process", he brought up his free hand to run through his now drenched locks, "and i-it sounds awful… I want to help you Penny… b-but… you saw me earlier tonight… I'm a coward, w-what can I do?"
"At the moment you possess a numerous number of skills, far more than your willing to allow yourself to believe'', the innocence that Penny spoke of cliche made them believe, and even decades of cheesiness could not overcome the cuteness or belief she spoke her words with, "But… mostly importantly, I need you for the same reason Velvet needed me when we found her in the Park. Why did you need her when we woke up in Arthur's custody? I need you to be by my side… I need a friend"
"F-for transportation and stuff", blushing it was honestly rude for Gareth to take away the genuineness of her statement. His want for a quantitative use, trying to quell his embarrassment for the qualitative one,
"A-among other things", he seemed to be in good company as the girl's cheeks arched with electricity, "But… I also"
To this, seeing the changing skin tone, Velvet's own cheeks mugged that of chameleon. Although her eyes held no hostility, rather a sudden reflection of unpreparedness. As if she knew something Penny was about to admit and was off put by the timing.
Regardless, the aura projected eyes of the pastel huntress seemed all too human. As the darted nervously from Gareth's to Velvet… before finally being vanquished by the car left behind,
"appreciate your ability to digitally transport myself as well hiccup", the adorableness of it, only made Gareth feel more embarrassed for his inability to actually have tactical value. Although the sigh of relief from Velvet seemed to indicate she was fine with Penny's statement, "In addition, you do have a license, and it will mean your knowledge of the American motorized rule systems will be put to great use"
Laughing to herself, and hiccupping all throughout it, the girl seemed to be covering something up. But as she gave out a haphazard and massless thumbs up, Gareth simply looked over to the sports car, and in joyous defeat, offered a hesitant response,
"...I mean… my license back home… but I know how to drive. Where do we need to go?"
"Rhode Island"
Gareth blinked twice, but as the quickness and truthfulness of the response ushered back in the electronic soul, he was more accustomed to… the boy bit his lips. Fifteen minutes ago, he had been in bed… not asleep, but in any other situation he would have. Because of this, he could only give out a small chuckle, one that had preemptive regret and nerves, but one that now confirmed he's out of his self-doubt. They hadn't even told him about what happen on their mission, or what was going on with the criminals from Remnant… but he would help them out as best he could… and he should just count himself lucky that he wouldn't have to
"Alright… but I'm not paying for gas… mostly because my wallets back home as well"
"Do not worry, for the sake of safety we shall acquire a far more gas efficient vehicle when we can safely dispose of your father's easily traceable model!"
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Out of all the games in the world, whether aimed for children or adults, Uther pinnacled domino's above all other forms of entertainment. There was just something about the simplicity of it all. How everybody just accepted that the blocks of marble they set up would eventually fall. Giving into a war against gravity they fought, but never truly believed they'd win.
Uther never tried to seize dictatorship over something that he couldn't control. Rather, while everybody got caught up in the Sisyphus punishment, pushing the boulder up a hill that was destined to always come crashing down, the titan himself expanded his view. He knew that he couldn't fight the very concept of 'falling', but he could dictate where things fell.
Such a thing is what made him an architect, while so many others were simple construction workers. A fact that got him to smile, especially as he continued to alter the path of dominos, even after the first one fell.
It was a complicated procedure, but a very doable one. Especially as fools like Summer, and her fellow sadistic aura users continued to put their time and energy into fighting a naive war against gravity.
On a screen to his left, the season made warrior was being easily tracked. Their plane was not being intercepted by other flying vehicles, but rather easily accessible satellite data and simple math. He knew where they'd land, he knew where she and Arthur would go, and more importantly he knew where dominoes would fall. But above all else, he also knew the diverging path they would take, or rather who they would take.
Then on the left screen, there was the other collapsing path they'd collide with. The one he'd force them to shatter against. Green and blue light showing nothing but statistics, the seasoned veterans' eyes were shielded from hell's army itself. The insect he had so tactfully let go was fulfilling his role better, and worse, then even Uther had expected.
Cutting across the breadbasket of the United States, the interplanetary man was a growing cancer. Small towns meeting fates similar to that of New England but producing far worse monstrosities. None were as unique as the creature of death he rode upon, but hundreds upon hundreds of lesser ichor constructed avians now joined him.
This was the outcome Uther wanted, all though it took every ounce of will he had to not activate his trump card too early. More so than that… as he picked and chose what small towns and out landlocked islands of isolated communities to sacrifice… It took a banishment of emotions to cut off those regions' attempts at communication. To silence their pleas of help to the outside world he knew could only be contacted once. A government and outer humanity, he also had to delay through its own bureaucracy to ensure they targeted both threats to his worlds.
"They're going to land", the Gundleous voice rang through a speaker bored, as if he was a worker who just been asked to work some unexpected overtime , "Arthur's cars pulling up… could always just take him now"
Uther closed his eyes, almost disappointed at the foxed haired man's eagerness. Not granting the hired killer the satisfaction of a sigh however, the steel determined director kept his voice firm and to the point,
"Wait until he gives an opening", he said eyes narrowing as the SUV in question arrived before the aircraft, "We'll only get one chance to buy our insurance, and unless you have it in hand… they will kill you"
"Fine, fine, geez it's almost like you don't believe in my abilities"
I don't, the director thought emotionless, before his brain went quiet. Allowing himself, and to his somewhat Gundleous, to act like professional and simply absorb the scene,
Arthur got out of the car force, and from his brief opening, the camera picked up the bundled up sleeping form of their ten-year-old coverage plan. However, as that purchase was closed off to the world… an unexpected new one emerged,
"I now know why you never told me about your damn job Arthur", the sight of the renegade agent's ex-wife shocked even Uther momentarily.
… It's unfortunate he did not just have Nimue drop the Cadarns off at a safe house, back when the older Aelle had been an actual threat to his position, Uther had found out all the dirt he could on the man. But even he thought the family the blonde-haired king left behind was only present so early on in this debacle due to pure geographic coincidence. Worse yet, one he couldn't take advantage of… in the past tense at least,
"Your God awful at it", like a storm that had just been unleashed. The brunette woman seemed to have saved all her anger until Amr was locked behind the safety of the car,
No disagreement here, the titan thought, with his mind now running on how Summer and Arthur would let him make use of this new development,
"... I… l-listen we'll figure this out… with everything going on", going back to their old ways, the eldest Aelle snapped and turned around in a need to defend himself, "How was I supposed to know Velvet was lying, given the whole situation it never crossed my mind she'd go behind our backs!"
I'll gladly take another new player in this game, the thought was shared between Uther and Gundleous, as the former stretched his fingers at the further divisions between Arthur already limited faction,
"I don't even know why she went AWOL", he mumbled that part before he looked up to the sky, seeing the plane that brought with it another storm to land, "... but… once we don't have to rely on those short ranged radios… I don't know, we'll add it to the list of things to tackle"
The blonde man ran a hand in through his hair, clearly not confident in what he just said. Especially since it only seemed to enrage his former spouse,
"Things to tackle…", the woman's mouth opened wide in pure shock, "Your son's with them… your non huntsmen, non-soldier, very human son"
Without even so much as a swipe of his hand, part of Uther's computer already found a government document of Gareth. Using his driver's license photo as a base, he began scanning the public camera network. At first it was just in the vain hope of finding who was with him… and then that expanded to finding him,
"... I get that Laura okay", he exploded again, although Uther didn't believe the actual concern he expressed. For as far as he was concerned Arthur betrayed Earth and everything on it for Summer Rose, "But… it's not like we can just turn around and go back… they could be towns away at this point… I… until Summer tells us more about what happened between her and Velvet… I-I don't know where they're even going… b-but honestly, it's probably safer than were they'd be with us"
The anger incarnate woman raised an eyebrow, then looked back to the car with the peacefully resting second son. Almost daring the blue-eyed man to speak,
"I-I mean it's safe right here", the plane landed, and the jet engine was probably a mini blessing for it cut off much of his ill planned response, "J-just it won't be… f-for Summer and I that is…"
"... Just… shut up Arthur", the woman said, defeated by Arthur in a different war. Although, to the sight of a bay door that didn't even get the chance to open all the way, a white streak of light nearly ran into him. As an even more furious force of reinforcements came,
"What the hell did they say to you!?", the flood gates broke at the sound of Summer's voice. And given the lick of Gundleous lips, and the gulp traveling down Arthur's throat, it was no secret the two men wished to trade places… well one of them did,
"I… they said we were limiting communication"
And I am so glad you tried such a foolish thing, Uther though victorious, more so that the action had caused them more harm than him.
"I had no reason not to believe… but… well they have my car", the screen flashed a new display, as the sight of the blue-eyed man's sports vehicle began spreading across his screen. Running this with the algorithm already trying to pinpoint Gareth's location, a new video soon began to play.
Caught on film at precisely two in the morning, outside a more run-down part of Seattle. Arthur's silver vehicle parked in a back alley. Two distinct humanoid figures got out, and with no hesitation the one with a far too awkward hat crossed the cobblestone.
Trading luxury for hideous commonality, a new car was purchased, or rather commandeered. For one broken window, and five minutes of messing with wires later, a run down, and truthfully barely functioning SUV took to the street. Banishing the earlier part of the night away, a new algorithm began, as Uther tried to catch up with the vehicle through time rather than distance,
Had your car Arthur, they had your car, the man rolled his eyes. Wondering how such an individual ever got to such a high rank to begin with,
Blinking in disbelief, Summer mouth mimicked that of a country fair goldfish. Looking between her weapon, her eyes seemed to be in a debate with her brain. Constantly shifting focus from her halberd to her husband,
"And your son", Laura said, bringing a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, "Which begs the question, what on Earth are they doing and why do they need him?"
For the same reason I need Amr, Uther stated, giving far better reasons and truths then his west coast counterpart. On that topic however, Gundleous started moving through the brush. Using the apparent distraction of the arguing adults to better position himself for a move on their prize,
"To throw more monkey wrenches in my plan", the woman stated but already was trying to calm herself down. Taking in deep breaths to remain levelheaded,
"You mean my plan", far behind her, the most dangerous piece of Uther's chest game emerged. It wasn't that Nimue had the power of the queen, or the potential of a pawn… no, out of all the people here she was most likely to be the other actual player, "And this does complicate matters. You and Arthur were supposed to originally head back to Caliburn base"
No need to worry about that, the titan thought the words Gundleous mouthed. Even as the foxes waded his way through the forest undergrowth,
"Velvet and I would keep an eye on the prisoner, and take her to an undisclosed location for the time being", a note was made to confirm that two aura user were in the area, and that Summer had not killed her fellow Remnant native as of yet, "And Amr, Laura, and Gareth would move themselves to a safe house and simply wait everything out. Such a way insured that, even those merely meant to be moved to safety, had an aura user with them"
All of a sudden Uther's eyes shot open…
What does she mean by that?, Gundleous stopped his movement, as his eyes now scanned over to Laura and then the car
"Gareth is not an aura user", Laura crossed her arms, as Uther's eyes shifted back to the screen trying to find the boy. His hands indicating more people needed to be put on the task, "... he may have it… but… we need to find them, he'll die if he fights somebody like you"
The hurricane raging around the brunette mother's own emerald eye's ceased. As looking to Summer with desperation, she seemed to be in the middle of a plea,
"...or runs into… t-that thing back near New Haven", the cardinal direction of 'east' popping up for the last known pathway Gareth and the new twice over stowaway was heading, Uther could only pity the eldest Cadarn. Now seeing that her son was heading into the nations heart… and the reason his sightings were so far and in between was because they were traveling through the population deserts of the North American steppes. One that was being flooded by an ocean of void less ichor,
"Then we better find out what their up to quickly", the machine like tone Nimue had showed not even Uther bare level of concern, or at the very least empathic sorrow at the subject, "We'll have to stick as a group, since are aura cable numbers are down to one"
She pointed to Summer, who looked back to the plane. Almost wishing she could say that wasn't true. Unfortunately, her gaze only met with Nimue whose eyes traveled in a similar direction,
"Grab Amr", the agent said, now walking back to the plane ramp, "We've got a civilian car you three will take. Summer and I will relocate the prisoner to the SUV"
Biting in her lips, and clearly not likely the new role they had to play, both mothers' went in their respective direction. While Arthur, being a good little knight, followed the agent to the other vehicles… and being the genius he was, Uther sent his own rook forward.
"Now", there wasn't even a need for that command. And given it was whispered just as Gundleous sprung forth the trap, he doubted the hidden operative even heard it.
Watching the camera stay level, the sight of the SUV grew closer. State of the art equipment is not even able to pick up the sound of its user footsteps. As, by the time the red harried man had his hand on the door, only Laura's quiet yelp indicated his presence.
Raising a hand, a Glock was already leveled at the brunette woman's face before she could even comprehend there was a man before her, let alone a gun. Using his left to place a charge near the door's hinges, the sound of two pooped charges was echoed by a rush of air. However, even as a suit clad streak of white appeared before Laura and the unmoved Glock, the door fell… and another side arm was now raised at an adrenaline woke Amr,
"Yeah, yeah I know", closing his eyes, Uther wished he had a mute button to beat back Gundleous cocky tone and words, "The door was probably unlocked, so excuse me for us playing it safe with protocol"
Uther let the silence be his response. As the sight of Summer gripping her weapon of choice with murderous intent, all while motioning Laura to take cover behind the hood of the car, was hers. Returning to a moment they had long since gave up, Arthur and Nimue quickly came into view… but their added presence only lessened the distance between Gundleous Glock and Amr's head,
"Son of a bitch", the audio recorder picked up Nimue's new trapped position. Chest pieces having pierced her defense,
"Probably", the curly haired assailant said with a toothy smile Uther was gladly blind too. However, as the sound of running water hit leather to the agent's side, the titan intervened… if only to shut his canine up,
"Well, I must say I'm disappointed", the polished head man wasn't one for insults… well he was, but only in cases where emotionally vulnerable people could be emotionally compromised, "Not in you Arthur, your idiocy is to be expected. But Miss Dumond… for shame really, I expected better of you. Although given the strategies I just heard, I'm rather relieved its killing the traitors plans rather than infecting my own"
The shaded government agent went for her pistol. More historically and less affected than Uther would have thought given how much he out played her. But a quick drop of Gundleous second Glock, made useless by the pathway that was Summer Rose, unbuckled Amr's seat. Then before the silver eyed child could even cry out, a hand was wrapped around his throat,
"Stop this", the poleaxed equipped woman growled, but given how swiftly she saw the orange haired agent lift her son from the car. She knew her speed couldn't interfere with the bullet that mattered,
"As much as Gundleous would love that", the man in question now held Amr to his gun with a head lock. The terrified boy silent as his tears wet the washed away bloody arms, "I need all the insurance I can get. After all, even if Nimue wishes to fall in line and head to Caliburn based… I'll need to make sure you all man your position"
"Uther… this isn't… whatever you're thinking, we're all on the same goddamn team", all the acting Arthur normally portrayed around the director was lost, as his eyes constantly looked to Amr. Desperately trying to convey to his son everything would be okay… but not being able to believe it himself, "What can you possibly gain from me by taking my son as a hostage"
The stupidity of that question was unmatched. But luckily Laura was too caught up in her own shell shock to catch onto it,
"Given how easily you throw them away, not much", he said taking advantage of the man criminally stupid behavior, "But Summer… well, I'll make sure she's put to good use again. After all, you reactivate your field agent status."
"Fine… then just take me", the clicheness of it all made Uther question all their intelligence. For even as he stepped forward to 'sacrifice' himself, Summer was nodding along and already offered herself as well.
"... Arthur, try to think from my perspective for once in your life", starting to go limp, Gundleous eased pressure off of the now string less Amr's body. An action that, while almost causing Summer to throw caution to the wind, prevented any unwanted variable in the future, "Amr is coming with me, and so long as you do exactly what I say, no harm will come to him. Unlike you, I don't make it a habit to scar children"
"...", the collective group silence was all Uther needed to continue. Knowing that only their damn pride kept them from verbalizing their acceptance,
"That's better. Now that we can speak as professionals", the hazy eyed man began, making one-way eye contact, "Your all going to get back on that plane. Keep excellent eye on the trespasser you managed to imprison and fly unimpeded into Caliburn base. All your systems will remain offline, a practice that you and George will continue to adhere to at the facility"
To this Nimue tensed up, and being as unproductive as ever, Gundleous licked his lips.
"Forgive his behavior agent Dumond, your father is fine", he pulled up a new window, as the sight of a man in his late fifties with a somewhat humorous 'kiss the cook' apron appeared to be filling a coffee mug with water, "After he woke up this morning George and I apologized to him about dear old steppies sudden business trip, and unless you'd like to incite an accident he's currently making coffee. Such daily routine could take a most unexpected turn however, if I am to discover anybody here or at that based contacted the outside world"
The normally thin-lipped agent bit back her tongue. Then in a peculiar motion, seemed to send a glare Summer's way,
"If… i-if this is about the Crown then just take it Uther", before he could even respond to the poorly clothed huntress final plea, Gundleous sudden grin answered the Vale native, "N-no… he would've-"
"If it's any consultation, George was duped just like the rest of you. And when he did find the relic snatched from under his nose he desperately tried to reach you… unfortunately, all his calls went unanswered", Nimue could only curse in her mind, and Uther would have paid to see what new counter measures she was desperately trying to hang onto,
"You'll… I can show you how it works… take me with Amr if you have too", Uther shook his head, knowing full well Arthur and Summer would pick up the motion through his tone,
"I'm afraid… that won't be necessary", time continued to march on, and Uther knew his monologue only had a purpose if those he spoke to believed they were on his side, "Now get back on the company plane. Patience is a virtue, but you'll want time to clear your heads"
Nobody moved at first, and Summer's grip on her precious alien technology increased when Gundleous backed away. However, one well-placed and controlled partial squeeze of the trigger was all the adults needed to back away,
"Why…", in no way was Arthur or Summer going to get on the plane, until Amr was well and truly out of sight. But he in no way expected Laura to stay… in truth he had the least knowledge about her, but as she spoke up even Gundleous briefly paused, "What possible reason would you ever need to threaten a child"
The question… even its user probably knew human history was nothing but people going against such an innocent moral code. For Uther the mere fact he had a proper reason was more than most animals on this planet, or any other gifted with carbon life, ever had when committing atrocities. However, such an answer would not be accepted. So, with a true sigh… he decided in pity to derail one last line of truth, that while not portraying any information the three rouge agents didn't already know or cold deduce, he had no reason to say,
"Because Miss Cadarn, everybody has the same goal when signing up to the game of life. Some will be traitors, and some will be martyrs", his eyes locked with Arthur and Nimue, before they unnoticeably went to Summer and Laura, "Others will be soldiers… and regretfully some are just victims. But each role helps achieve the same result, even if most people can't look past the horror of self-indulgent pointlessness"
As always, the fox haired kidnapper was nothing but cinematic. And with one last turn he disappeared into the trees. Not even pausing to ask Uther if he should go after the next victim as well. For as sly as the man was, he needed to return to base… and since Prometheus was being such a cooperative guest, the eagle could afford to intercept a new resource.
