Across the prairie's, plains, and interstates, this chapter of The Electric Lens comes traveling to you from across the country. Along the way, many things may have been lost in translation, so as always, I apologize to the English langue and must voice that the position of Beta Reader is very much open.

Moving at lightspeed, onto the review section!

Joecola double 'O' light bringer: I always do that with Vacuo, AWOL I have no explanation on my end. The Emerald Vale thing however... that's on me. When I was creating the outline a month ago, I went to wiki to look up where she was from, didn't find anything and just made it Vacuo because I thought it be a nice foil to Summer's. Should have legit just watched her episode again but given the backstory I gave Summer... Emerald's from Vacuo now for EL (Completely due to a brain fart on my end XD, but it won't affect the story too much I promise). Legit feel bad about it though, purely because I graduated college with a history major so this oversight in research on my end is embarrassing lol.

Blitzkriege37: Both of those are very interesting ideas, and I believe that you will find out more by the end of the chapter! Just a head's up though, and sorry if I didn't make this clear, but Uther's dubbed Penny's robotic body 'Pandora', and since he doesn't know Mercury's name, he's dubbed him 'Prometheus'.

Alright, wit all that out of the way, I gladly present to you all the next installment of The Electric Lens!

Text Key

"Speech"

'Quote'

Thought

"Flashback", scene

"Electronic Speech"

Electronic Text's

"Langue that isn't understood by POV Character"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 23

Sooooo, driving to the east coast in a burnt-out Subaru… Maybe I was selling myself a tad bit high when I immediately assumed Velvet and Penny were asking me to attempt the same death-defying activities their missions seemed to entail,

Since entering the flat landscape of the fly over states, his thoughts revolved around nothing but this statement and the far to open road. Having been nothing but a glorified shofar and a car thief, Gareth had been driving for nearly two days. On the one hand, he was happy that their decision to go renegade hadn't put them in immediate danger… but on the other… he was literally driving himself insane.

And his descent into psychological mayhem was mostly driven by boredom. Having had a far more hectic night than even himself, the moment they car jacked the most mundane vehicle they could, Velvet fell asleep. For a full day she had been unconscious, and by the time she woke up Gareth's own body conked out on him. As such, they were on two completely different sleep schedules which didn't offer any overlap moments.

On the bright side… I get to further delay the awkward conversation we were bound to have, the amount of time he had spent in his own head astonished Gareth. Such as the fact that he had actually gotten bored of his anxiety over seeing Velvet again after the kiss. Obsessing about it so much during thier drive out of Washington state alone that he emotionally dulled himself to his own self-doubt… or rather was just too tired of waiting for it to come to worry. Such time worked wonders on other forms of stress as well. For he already thought through and numbed himself to his mother's reaction of him defying her words, as well as almost welcoming the idea of a dangerous operation.

But then again, the brunette was so exhausted from seeing the same grid structure of corn fields and concrete that he was willing to welcome any form of change at this point. Well almost anything…,

"It is astonishing how vast and efficient agriculture production has become on planet Earth", not even allowing this archaic vehicle to take in AM or FM radio waves, the only channel Gareth picked up was Penny. Floating ever so slightly above her centralized core, the digital being's electrically projected eyes scanned the never-ending fields of wheat like a kid in a candy store.

The youngest Cadarn was happy his unique power, or semblance as the Remnant natives put it, allowed her to see. That being said, as she droned on for the hundredth time about the marvel of the food industry, Penny's conversation with Gareth had been incredibly one sided. For the young Earthling simply didn't have the emotional capacity or endurance to match her joy on the subject,

"Uh huh", it wasn't as if he was trying to be rude, but Gareth had quickly become the robot in their relationship throughout this trip. As without a phone or access to the internet, his reliance on electronics to function as a normal human being proved greater than Penny's own need for them,

"Grimm density would make even proclaiming such a large area of land nearly impossible, and the resources to maintain its security would be far too impractical", her weightless hand seemed to point at something, but Gareth's head remained straight… depressingly knowing he was probably seeing the same thing anyway, "Without such a vile threat, the industrial capacity of mankind is truly remarkable! Would you like to pursue a career in agriculture Gareth?"

The haze the emerald eye man had built up in his pupils had to be blinked away. For the first time in her lecture on the subject, Penny turned her neon green head to address Gareth directly,

"I… haven't really thought up it that much", the smile the digital girl shot him was pure, and blushing at her one-of-a-kind outlook on the world, Gareth remind himself to keep his eyes on the road…even if the only risk was running into more asphalt, "But I don't think it be for me… the solitude of it might drive me insane"

"I am afraid I do not follow… why would you have to work alone?", the matter less woman said tilting her head.

"Well… I guess I just assume I would be. Most farmers don't come from the suburbs or urban areas", Gareth was in uncharted territory, and thus making his justification on the spot, "If I became one, I'd be in a new region where I wouldn't know anybody"

"But you are assuming you'd come out here as an individual, what if you had a family to accompany you?"

"My mom would not want to become a farmer", this got the brunette to chuckle a bit, at the thought of his mother trying to tame hundred cubic miles of land by looking up things like 'how to start a tracker' on her smartphone,

"... she does not strike me as a person suited for this profession", Penny's voice seemed to go quiet.

And I do? the youngest Cadarn thought rather humorously as he didn't catch her nonexistent hands suddenly finding their way to her laps,

"But… what if your significant other wanted to pursue such an occupation, would you follow them?", if he hadn't already thought himself to death on a similar subject, Gareth probably would have swerved off the road. But surprising even himself, he remained somewhat levelheaded. Looking back to the rear seat, and his cheeks only dusting over pink at the sight of Velvet's sleeping form, he simply rested back in his seat with a sigh,

"I… well I guess I'd have to talk to them about it… but such a thing would require me to actually have a significant other", eyes now glued on the pavement he hated, Gareth bit his teeth. Debating with himself momently weather he should ask his own question, and how heavy a sleeper the faunus behind him actually was,

"Hey Penny", eventually his scattered brain reached a conclusion, and he gave into his put off curiosity,

"Yes Gareth", even with her voice echoing out of the static filled radio, it took a quieter tone. More importantly, her headed rotated to make eye contact with his peripheral vision,

"... You guys… when you get back home… is that it?", he immediately wished his more rational and empathic side had won the argument in his head. His selfish want not even liking how the question was voiced, he immediately scrunched his eyes shut in a self-directed cringe, "I-I'm sorry, that came out wrong… I mean, if-"

"Are you curious to know if Velvet and I could come back to Earth?", offering a small smile, and a polite amount of time at the end of her own question to allow Gareth a moment to think, the emerald eye aura user could only give off a nod, "There are many variables to consider with such an outcome. But if the possibility presents itself, I would like to create a scenario were transportation between the two planets could be achieved"

"Want to show the people of Remnant the wonders of farming", the youngest Cadarn let out a forced smile, trying to ease the conversation away from his true concern,

"Such a culture exchange could be truly remarkable for both civilizations… but", even with his corrected vision, Gareth's eyes were blind to the deeper shade of green now presenting themselves on her cheeks, "I would also like to be able to see you again...as would Velvet"

Her voice grew quiet, as if she was admitting something at first, but then picked up with the sudden inclusion of the sleeping brunette in the back,

"Really?", Gareth questioned for all the wrong reasons. Dense as the asphalt he drove upon, "...I mean, of course I want to see you guys, and you're totally worth crossing…space for… I just… guess I didn't think I was"

He was being a bit over dramatic in his phrasing, but through misinterpretation, the brunette gave a quick peek to his counterpart out of the corner of his eyes,

"Of course you are! You're a great listener, an excellent conversationalist", not realizing these were Penny's own words, the prairie madness the chestnut topped young man was expiring caused him to picture the pastel huntress with a chocolate theme, "The way you get confused on matters revolving around Remnant is adorable, and even just being nearby is enough to put people at ease. Plus…"

Fiddling her sparking digits, the girl seemed about ready to reveal something else. Looking back however, she decided to stop herself. Which unfortunately only made Gareth's blush originated from a different source,

"Woah… I don't really know what to say", the honoring ghost in the passenger sheet seemed to grow a small smile at this, as her nonexistence corner shifted towards the window seemingly flattered herself, "I can't believe Velv's really said all that stuff about me… honestly I didn't know… well, with how fast everything is going it's nice to know that"

As his own face lit up, the electric being to his side dismissed all laws of physics and was losing color in her own electricity. Her magnetic neon lights becoming a phantom white as her mentally conjured lips rocketed towards the ground,

"Well… that what happened between us early might not have just been her caught up in a moment", too caught up in his own disillusioned success, the driver didn't comprehend the blow he just dealt the passenger, "but I mean… if she told you that stuff… maybe I have shot. What do you think?"

"I-I", there was a newfound sense of hesitation in Penny's voice, but the youngest Cadarn could not connect it to the defeated emotion she felt, "Given her words Hiccup I think you two would be happy together Hiccup"

One set of lips rising to forge a valley, another's continental crust was forced upward at a central point into a never-ending mountain. As the atmosphere of fear grew into a peaceful silence for Gareth, and a rainstorm filled apocalypse for Penny. Although, even as the environments refused to class, the sudden twitch of a rodent ear assured they didn't go unnoticed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Velvet felt horrible. Worse than that, she branded herself as a coward. She could fight terrorists, survive a terminal velocity fall to the ground of an alien world, but when listening to two comrades come to false conclusions about herself, she pretended to feign ignorance through unconsciousness.

Being purposely left over the skies of New England, the rabbit ear girl was wishing she had more time to think on the whole Gareth situation. She certainly wasn't expecting for the young man to bring it up with Penny first. Hours had passed since the rodent had woken up to that conversation. One that she wished more than anything was just part of a demanded dream.

Hearing the devastation in Penny's voice as she essentially admitted her own feeling only for the earthlings to assume, they were her was hard enough. However, so was the fact that she now was going to be forced into a spot to give him an answer or risk the idea of leading him on… when they were all about to take part in a raid to commandeer the electronic Atlesian's physical body. Against an enemy they didn't even know the full capabilities of… but also made three of Remnant top wanted terrorists and criminals look like a bunch of five-year-old's in cardboard armor.

In no way was Summer being viewed positively in Velvet's mind, but her words about needing to address relationships issues before they became a critical problem to mission was proving to be the only truth that reaper ever fully revealed. And just like the last request the seasoned huntress had given her, Velvet fully ignored it. Instead of waking up and addressing her two car mates who were evidently talking behind her back, she remained motionless on the ground. Even as time presented itself to arise naturally, she kept her body still and eyes closed.

Trapped in her own paranoid placed mind field. The faunus spent much of Gareth's time asleep pretending to be so. Not even raising a lid to peak an eye opened to make sure he was unconscious until the son was practically coming back up.

Treating the other passengers in the car as two Ursa in the same cave, Velvet quietly opened up one of the back doors. Deciding she needed some much-needed private time with her thoughts, the second-year huntress carefully closed her anxiety off from the rest of the world. Or rather, as she began wondering into an endless sea of vegetation, she trapped part of her problems away.

Pretty far from that island aren't you Bun-Bun, proving to be a recurring problem, and or, copying mechanism, a mentally conjured image of Coco appeared. Matching the brunette's faunus march away from the vehicle stride for stride.

A-almost a continent… o-or half a continent. I'm not really sure, she wasn't quite at the point of talking out loud to… herself. However, with stutters entering her own subconscious mind, it was clear the coffee themed half of her brain had taken any little self-courage she had,

Continent? the false fashionista lowered her sunglasses while performing her trademark smirk, V you are way past judging distance with continents. Literally light years away from Remnant itself and you're still thinking small.

Thankful for the night sky, only the moon witnessed the rabbit ear woman blush… at herself. Although weather she was performing the action out of embarrassment of being insulted, or because even in her own mind Coco knew just how to tease her,

Relaxes Bun Bun, that's just part of your natural charm, the shades falling back into place, the mini gun wielding huntress still manages to convey an over dramatic eye roll, Besides, you should be thinking less anyway.

I-I have been, now Velvet was just insulting herself, but felt the need to defend herself regardless, I was focused on the mission… i-it's just-

You defeated miss mind games all by yourself, sarcasm enriched the far away leader's words, and we're all very proud of you. But there's a difference between pushing aside your paranoia for your own health, and doing it for other people

T-that's not… I'm going against Summer's orders now!

Because Penny told you too, taken back, the imagined Coco paused for a moment. Only to shoot off a small smile when she did respond

Because I agreed with Penny… because she's my friend, going quite in her own mind, the more Velvet realized what Coco was getting at, because that's all the reason I need

Closing the two-foot distance Velvet had imagined was in between them, the physical form of her leader began to disappear. After all it no longer needed to pretend to be a different person,

Which is why I need to stop overthinking things, the voice morphed to hold the accent the chocolate theme huntress spoke to the world, and stop worrying about what will happen if I answer people certain ways, or what I'll miss out on if I don't answer at all.

Having gotten her fill of the night air, the faunus began traveling back to the car. She didn't know how she'd respond if Gareth brought up the kiss. She didn't know if she was really ready for a relationship. But she was willing to admit that and go from there with everybody else in the car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was only after Gareth had gone to sleep that Penny had realized how much she disdained their choice in the vehicle. Her original plan was to simply bunk in the earthling's mind once more… but their conversation quickly scratched that out as an option. So instead, she spent it on the radio. Which, given the date and age of this automobile, meant she spent it alone.

Although, unlike her last trip to the void, this exile was very much self-enforced. Content to spend her time counting down the seconds of the night, rather than spend it as a ghost. Suddenly finding herself in the passengers' seats once again however, with the bright light of a nonstop nuclear explosion shining upon the solar system, she returned to her specter status once again.

Although, seeing the driver give off a yawn, and Velvet closing the door that woke him as she reentered the car, she doubted mundane aspects of rural Earthen society would distract her from her own emotions. At the very least, the rabbit faunus would most likely being going to bed, so Penny could at least take comfort in knowing the topic wouldn't be brought up until after her body was hopefully liberated,

"Oh… good morning Gareth", the faunus voice seemed calm, but also energized.

"...it is?", the still yawning teenager replied, his brain still very much rebooting, "G-guess we're on the road again?"

Starting up the car, the engine seemed like it might call it quotes and take its own rest. But after a few turns of the key, the pistons decided to fall in line, and with a sputtering exhaust port they were on the open road again.

For a few minutes all occupants of the vehicle were silent. As the electrical eyes of both Penny and Gareth continuously shot back to Velvet. Wondering if she would be going to bed or not. Remaining seated the rabbit faunus clipped in her buckle. An action that made the matter less being wanting to do the same, as she somehow managed to gulp… despite neither one of her forms of existent having the physical property to enable such movement,

"S-so… what time did you wake up?", as Gareth's tiredness was left on the side of the road, he asked the baited question,

"M-midafternoon… I went to sleep for a bit after that… b-but woke up for a walk earlier"

"C-cool-", all of a sudden Gareth's eyes went wide… and in realization so did Penny's non-existent one's. The emerald eyed aura user, unsure what to say, could only open his mouth. Luckily Velvet cut him off before nothing but air could truly escape it,

"I… h-heard what you guys talked about", she immediately cringed at her words, "Sorry...I didn't mean to e-ease drop… well actually"

The faunus took in a deep breath, as if rearranging thoughts she had already organized,

"... I-I don't want to dance around things", she began cautiously, which only increased the tension in the car. Considering most beings, or rather just Gareth in a sense, had only been up for thirty seconds, this new form of emotional rush was acting as a great adrenaline when compared to caffeine, "... So I just want to say… I a-agree with what everything Penny said"

The electronic being had just felt like she'd been slapped. Made all the worse by the driver's cautious sigh of relief.

"... but it… is important that you know that… Penny's the one who said all that stuff", having tensed herself up like a muscle, the digital Atlesian felt as if the slap had been deleted from existence. Or more so rather altered as Gareth's now fully awake indicated he received it, "I-I… want to be able to see Earth again even if I g-get back to Remnant… t-to see you again"

For somebody who's never gone through this scenario, Gareth was behaving as if he had. Already pre deploying his feelings of inadequacy, and false understanding of somebody else's decision,

"... a-and, I don't regret what happened before we left with Summer Gareth", she put her words together honestly but carefully as well "b-but I also don't know… I don't know how to feel about it. I gave it some thought, a-and I'm just not sure I'm ready for a relationship"

"I understand", the electric being hated the build up to those words, and thus had imitated biting her lips when they were entered, "S-sorry I-"

"...I-if you understood you wouldn't apologize", the brunette offered a small smile, but only Penny saw it. Briefly as her own instincts urged her to stare blankly at the road ahead, "B-because… I-I want to find out"

The nonstop explosion of shifting emotions continued. But briefly on the same page, both Penny and Gareth were now confused.

"... a-and w-when things calm down… I-I'd like to go on a date", despite being composed of electricity, the Atlesian was having a hard time moving her facial muscles, or her imitation of them, fast enough to keep up with what Velvet was saying. At the moment Penny wanted a lot of things to happen… but for the sake of her own strive towards politeness and sanity, she really wished Velvet had a better way with words,

"L-listen Velv", Gareth dejectedly began. Seemingly deciding on an emotion before Penny, "... y-you don't have to lie… I get that you guys probably won't be coming back… a-and that"

"I'm not lying", Velvet responded quickly, "The truth is… I-I've been putting off the question of what going back will do. But even if the trip is one way… I-I'm not using it as an excuse to let you down. I really do want that date… b-because I want to see where this could go… I-I enjoy being around you… g-getting to be myself around you"

The car was slowing down, despite only three souls inhabiting this entire highway. Even if Gareth, and in many ways Penny herself, wanting to turn into a ball and hide themselves from the universe, the latter was paying more attention. Just wanting an answer now, even if he didn't like it… or rather he wanted not to like it,

"I-I just want to make sure that's how you feel too… m-more than anything I-I don't want you to ignore somebody else's feeling because you're waiting for me", at this the car stopped.

No emergency vehicles were speeding down the desolate highway. However, the siren sound of Velvet's words causes Gareth to pull over to the side of the road. His head hung down for a moment. As the shadow that now cascaded around his eyes caused concern to course through Penny's form,

Will Gareth relapses from her statement, has he misinterpreted her statement?, the electrical beings head acted as if it still had an industrial level gear. With her now pure green outlined eyes shooting between the driver and rear seats, … Have I misinterpreted Velvet's admittance… Has she just presented me with the opportunity to unload my own emotional weight? Have I missed my opportunity?

Penny was… well she was behaving like how Gareth and Velvet usually expressed themselves in unwanted social situations. Her eyes were unable to make contact with anybody else's, while her mind took in any other slight movement of the two passengers. Her anxiety causes her to live through scenarios rather than the actual moment,

Both her lips are inclined at approximately fourteen degrees… does this count as a small smile, she then looked over to the youngest Cadarn. Falsely believing math would somehow help her read minds, Gareth's own head is still declined at an acute angle, and his own pupils have never left the wheel… is he assuming the worst. Feeling his past isolation is now justified due to a false processing of th-

Gareth's grip on the steering wheel increased, even with the car now coming to a full stop. Lifting his Emerald eyes forward, Penny assumed the worst when he didn't find the strength to look back towards Velvet… however, his lips did move upward.

"Then I guess I've got something to fight for then", his words were just as forced as his smile… and based on their previous conversation this wasn't the outcome the wild haired brunette had hoped for.

It was the one he'd accept though, and more importantly his mind didn't start snowballing into pushing other away because of it,

"Although, I don't think I'm exactly flying off the shelf", the Atlesian frowned, as an awkward chuckle filled the car, "... So just… you know… if you find somebody else that's totally cool too"

Penny was too nervous to look back towards Velvet… but was almost certain the faunus was blushing now,

"I-I wouldn't sell yourself short… I-I don't think there's even anybody back on Remnant who views me that way", Velvet stuttered, and Penny quickly realized the reason Gareth and she had always gotten along so well when they started talking. Besides the ears, the only thing that separates the two was gender, "I'm just… trying to be… t-trying not p-play dirty by forcing you into a relationship"

"Dirty?", more than anything, all occupants of the vehicles wanted the car to start again. Gareth even had his hands on the key… and the ignition seemed to start despite him not turning it. A fact nobody questions given the situation… even when the bulbs in the dashboards remained silent, "Oh… uh… well like I said… n-not too many people on my front… a-and as far as I'm concerned you've got a whole planet of people who would be lucky to have a crush on you"

Is this flirting… because I do not think I enjoy witnessing the act, to be fair, it was mostly to do with who was partaking in it… and who wasn't. But to her credit, Penny finally did notice Velvet shooting an apologetic glance at her void filled processor unit. This only took the faunus eared girl so far however, for the electronic soul also picked up the blush and small smile she sent Gareth's way… not exactly pushing the praise away or feeling awkward due to the source it was coming from,

"I think there might be more p-people then you know…", the girl looked towards the ghost, even if the second-year student couldn't actually see Penny in this form. Biting her nonexistent lips, the arcs of electricity began pulsing around the pastel huntress chest area. As she was essentially receiving the signal she'd push off,

Velvet was never truthful when she said she wanted to wait for a relationship… but she was essentially stating that she wouldn't wait long. Both parties wanted all the cards to be on the table before anything happened… So, if Penny wanted to show her hand now was the time,

Feeling the urge to take in deep breaths, the robot didn't know how to hyperventilate her emotions away. Nor understand that, even if she had a mechanical body… or lungs, such an action would hardly help. Interestingly enough, her ears did appear to ring… which should have been a physically impossible action to produce on her own. However, she was too focused on her light speed surpassing mind, to notice Velvet's own fur covered audio receptors twitch in discomfort. As the girl looked out the rear mirror, and slightly upward, but evidently shrugged the moment of curiosity away,

"Besides my mom t-there are only three other girl's I know at the moment", the boy said blushing as he and his crush found themselves in a perpetual motion machine of selfish modesty, "The first is…."

The sudden dimness in his voice indicated his want not to voice Summer's name, weather properly or as the ghost,

"Which would be… I mean", he didn't have to finish that thought, as everybody, but the now nuclear reactor esc Penny, picked up on the subtext, "The next one I've haven't actually… wait"

Here it was… he was finally putting the pieces together. Skipping over the agent, the electrical beings saw time slow down. Worse than that, it appeared to stop in its tracks. Forcing her into anxiety of an answer she knew was coming,

Had I been too obvious with my behavior… would that be a negative thing? the green themed protector had always wanted her body ever since she lost it… but never before had she desired just her legs before. Merely being contempt with the idea of running away from this conversation, Has this decreased my overall percentage of success-

"Does that… Nimue woman… do you think she likes me?", Gareth joked… but he also was somewhat laughing at Velvet. Not belittling her, but rather making a false conclusion that she actually thought this, "Pretty sure she's like fifteen years older than me"

The Earth teenager didn't see Penny's anxiety come to a stop, nor notice Velvet's blushing face shatter. Bringing her arms up, the faunus began to wave them to signal that was not her point… but as she did the mechanical guardian could see the future with clarity. One where Gareth's jump to conclusion was made… another one would follow. Clenching her non extent hands, and adorning a cute, but determined face, she falsely took in a brief before turning her head towards the emerald eyed driver,

"I didn't… I-I don't believe s-she doe-"

"Gareth, I love you"

This moment… she didn't know what it was supposed to be like. If the person she stood before was supposed to have red or brown hair. Be a girl with silver eyes or a boy with green. All her physically impossible blushing face, and sudden want to immediately a shelled reptile could know what had just transpired was not what she wanted.

It was not the romantic setting or solitude she thought she'd never achieve, or the fairy book moment of connection like her father had read to her when she was still in awe of the entire world she knew, but didn't understand.

But… none of that mattered. Her cheeks, or whatever the universe allowed her to have, sparked against Gareth's iris's even if they didn't reflect that back to Velvet. Her non-digital eyes looked away embarrassed in her admittance, but she couldn't regret what happened. Because unlike the two organic beings, the unique sentence wasn't asking the universe to secretly fall in line for her, not expecting her wants to be the most pure or greatest things to exist.

She was not only content with being alive just to see everything, but it was also the fact she could still be wondered by the inability of it all that made her who she was. Whether for good or ill, her simulations had always failed her. They got close to reality, and sometimes they were hilariously wrong, but they could never beat the real thing… So much so, that even as time somehow reversed in her newfound anxiety… she found no urge to speed through it,

"... Penny", Velvet was the first to speak up, but the electronic life form remained staring ahead. The words were cautious and kind, but the blushing, or greener, pastel huntress just wanted to enjoy her own embarrassment for a moment longer, "Oh my gods, PENNY!"

Which is why only she could bring it to an end. As the roar of soundwave battered against the side of the car, and the sudden yelp of a voice she wanted words from was violently dragged out the window.

Velvet's own voice had gone from quietly addressing the situation, shocked… to being shocked by her ears' sudden outcry of an overlooked threat.

"That's all very touching", Velvet's weapon activated, but as the copper haired girl found her astral form being pulled out of the car, her eyes widened, "So I shall be the next to admit a truth"

His blue aura flaring up, the youngest Cadarn's throat was being squeezed shut. More so than that, even as his hands reached out in pure instinct for Penny, the last thing she saw before turning to a pure stream of lightning was the culprit.

No pixilation to shield her mind any longer, her android body was naked to the world. Literally, no skin or clothes to market herself for a long since abandoned public image. No orange hair that her father jokingly said she inherited… No soul clashing with Gareth's. as a silver hand remained unshielded by his death grip upon its surface… and the other held a void filled boxes,

"I don't care for accidents Gareth", going blind for a terrifying moment, the electronic girl tried to enter her own body. She didn't want to; gods know she did not want to be associated with a thing that wasn't even her. But regardless if she got a say or not, Gareth tried to will her in… only for his eyes to grow in confused terror with her own when she pinched back out next to him, "Such things are a nuisance and more often than not, not actual mistakes but rather somebody's incompetence. That being said… I must apologize. For your father has made you nothing but the embodiment of Murphy's law, and thus my problem is that he has faults, not that I hold ill will to any particular one itself. We wouldn't have needed you if he didn't make it so you came as a package deal with this girl. We wouldn't need you for the other son has a much better insurance policy. We wouldn't need you if the universe just forgot you existed… but in a truly ironic and pitiful twist of fate, it gave you an aura that we can't ignore. So, I am sorry for what is about to come Mr. Cadarn… and I do hope you remember my courtesy of allowing this final moment of pureness to play out for you, but know whatever happens to you next is for the good of the name and planet you didn't betray"

"L-let him go!", the largest sword Penny had seen, or rather one she already saw, appeared in hard light form in Velvet's hands. The single edge blade was so massive it looked comical in the rabbit ear girl's hand. But even when panicked, her eyes shined with the skill of somebody who knew the tool better than its own handler,

"You… unfortunately for you, your only value is as data", the name was said… not mockingly, but in a knowing tone. One that caught the long-haired brunette off guard, "a test run to see how well of a fight Summer will put up"

In desperation, or on pure instinct, the youngest Cadarn beat his hand against the machine. His mind trying to mess with the electronics, but not having the oxygen or discipline to know where to begin his assault. Once again Penny rattle herself against the metallic corpse as if the two represent the same magnetic pole. The only saving grace being that, as the turbines not even her father added lit to light, the person speaking through her mutilated body seemed none the wiser to the fact she was here… or that the person on the other end of that radio was already in the android's hand,

"If I were you", she saw Gareth's eyelids begin to close, just as the ground moved away from his and her feet, "I'd try to last as long as you can… because through your death you'll get to determine how long everybody else lives"

The desperation in Gareth's arm was beginning to fail, as Penny desperately looked around. Although, she had wished she hadn't. For the overcast day turned into a storm, one that Velvet was directly in the path of.

"...Penny", the horse voice of the youngest Cadarn echoed as a whisper into the sky. The first mechanical huntress to respond to it, did so by increasing pressure to his actual windpipe and choking out his words.

Please do not apologies…, caught in desperation, the paste themed Atlesian thought the emerald eyed boy was being overcome by self-pity. But instead of being anchored to his own self-doubt in the situation, a last flicker of Gareth's finger proved otherwise, an access port!

It wasn't a literal electronic interface. Such a thing was pointless in regard to such an organic and digitally fused semblance. What the brunette boy pointed out was a passageway through the ones a zeroes. A gap in between the computerized defense. One she shot too with the neural impulse of Gareth's last conscious thought…. Only to become lost amongst a labyrinth of unwanted codes when her thin lace of yarn finally snapped.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyrian loved therapy. But only if it came in the physical form. Sure, he was missing an appendage he had nurtured since birth. One that he viewed in a higher regard than even his arms, and most certainly his legs. But at the moment, soaring through the sky atop borrowed wings, he couldn't help but feel all forms of terrestrial evolutionary functions were quite literally beneath him.

Well, they were somewhere down there. Scattered across a divinely planned out countryside, littered with the glass of the vials that now made up a one buckle belt. They were by far his most important cargo, where the thousands of nevermore and Griffons beneath him were mere cattle for the herd, they were his special child. One that could hopefully sell why the herd of death beneath him was an accepted reason for his certain inability to claim the crown... But also risked bringing it to a premature end.

Which is why, in his ever-enlightened state, the slicked back ponytail killer simply enjoyed his foreplay. Even with his own damnation quite possibly confirmed, the tailless sadist was loving every minute since he accepted that. It started off slow, him simply finding a small collection of towns when he got bored of how slow his flight partner was tracking that damn snow cloaked witch. At first, the slaughter was so mundane, even if he could indulge in it, the weakness and toothless bites these regular people put up made him end his playtime prematurely.

He'd been through the routine already, and even a set paced couldn't reach the same high his initial spree achieved. That being said, he was practically in a non-stop orgasm about what he uncovered. The planes before… they were behind him. He saw them after his blade bit into its last victim.

In a vain attempt at revenge, he shot curses at the sky. Ones that went unmet with bullets despite his invitation to die. This angered him more of course. As such, he threw a vial on the ground. If they were watching, they'd see him defile their… country… kingdom… planetsmen or whatever relationship these humans operated their nationalism on. However, as he did… the grim ate unimpeded.

More so, having caused true fear and not just potential one. These Grimm fed on the town itself. Growing larger, and more numerous, they even sensed the emotion of the land itself. Ironically, the human and faunus population of Remnant being so low is what had saved both species from the nightmarish creatures of ichor. It not only encouraged high developed cities that could be defended, but it also meant the abomination didn't have enough emotion to feed off of.

… even then the sentient beings on his home planet were outnumbered thousands to one by these beautiful monsters of horror. But on Earth, not only had the terror of the living been harvested… but the unspoken tragedies and atrocities of the path remained untapped as well.

Whatever these people did to each other before… well, it almost was too much for their newfound predators. Growing feral and exponential with each sniff of a bloody history spanning thousands of years. And as this herd grew into a multispecies migration… the planes did nothing.

He was enraged by this, which to his undeserved credit helped add another drop in the Grimm's emotional field ocean, but as he went to the next lost town… they didn't act again. Following the aura trail, this pattern continued.

Sometimes he'd see a larger settlement, sense the emotion of a city far away that dwarfed even the population of Mantle to shame. But even when he held himself back, focusing his hate on Summer, the planes would only shoot to redirect him. Pitifully his pets held up against the bullets, and during one close call apparent missiles, as well as him. As the hundreds at a time could be torn apart like paper… but the attack vehicles did this only as a herding maneuver.

More importantly, a large number did not follow. This bothered him, but as he tore through more small towns. Places forgotten or now sacrificed by its protectors, he realized they were allowing him to get to Summer. More so than that, with the near unlimited amount of Grimm his vials could make through this planet's efficient and over-bearing potential of past and current wrongs, those strafing runs were becoming irrelevant. More so equivalent to a warning shot, that made Tyrian rolled his eyes.

He knew he was on borrowed time, and that he was either walking into a trap, or the world's most glorified and blood-soaked playdate. But he didn't care, he was on the verge of leading the… well this world's largest Grimm horde for sure, but perhaps even Remnant most organized one in mass.

Day breaking once more, not that Tyrian was even pretending to keep track anymore when surrounded by eternal night, the human dotted avian beneath him screeched. That on itself was fine, a release of agony the sadist happily drank up. However, the sudden jolt, as the aura trail it followed broke apart was unforgivable.

"Unless you want me to create you an ass to shove a hand up, I suggest you stop complaining", the man unsheathed his axe blade. His hand never leaving the ichor creatures scalp, the metallic pushed aside well-established bone and pseudo muscle, "geeze, with all the towns I've let you raze on you own you think you'd be less nee-"

Shining through the shadow his herd cast, the tailless faunus saw what the bird produced. The nightlight like soul trails didn't break apart. The silver one of Mercury still pointed east, the four of his failed apprentices and two weapon holsters were… and one he actually never really thought of, were still going west.

But the green and brown one looped back around… along with a deliciously new blue one to wash it all down when the feast was complete.

Regretfully the white one wasn't here… which made the masochist bite his already scarred tongue.

hmmmm, don't want to fill up before the main feast…, his thoughts, in their own demented way, circled back around his true curiosity of why they were even here, what to do, what to do?

He tapped the last vial. Already suicidal, or more so a seeker of an eye for a tail death, he considered asking his mother. Or at the very least send out a phone. After all… once she saw the horde he produced, she believed this was his only way of going for the crown.

I cooooould, it was hard to know if he said his thought out loud or if his song was lost beneath the choir of displaced air, Just send out half the herd, let the doggies feast before the big hunt… but where's my fun in that… oh mistress why must I be faced with such inhumane choices

Rather which inhumane choice he wished to pursue would have been a far more accurate statement. But either way, distorting his face in the glass of the last vial, he dribbled it against his cranium. He was being playful, only something he'd ever admit when his toy didn't adhere to his instructions. Such as when a choice was made for him. Almost as if rebelling against him, the Grimm that shadowed his head, clawed down towards his hand.

The rudeness of the strike caused him to release the microscopic terrors. Far more focused on this sudden spout of disobedience, the container tumbled down into the mass of ambitions. Tyrian himself immediately reacted by stabbing his bulb through the bird's beak. Proving a point to all in the ever-present battle between arachnid and birds… only such as the unrealistic nature of that conflict… so too was the use of his nonattached scorpion appendaged.

Taking his free hand, he instead gutted the bird alive. Sighing at how, even as the shots from his hand axes tore through the avian… and few more above it, the attack didn't hold anywhere near the personal enjoyment his organic tool of war would have.

Before he could rest his head in his ooze-soaked hand and sigh, he felt another sudden bout of turbulence. The tool he embedded in the bird brains… cerebral cortex area, now acted as a true anchor. Moving around as his body mimicked that of a certain aspect of cowboy culture he unknowingly flew above.

"You're even more broken than your damn brother-", before the sadist could whip up a complaint, the source of this aerial anomaly nearly took off his head.

Quite literally as the last vial burst, and a geyser erupted in the center of the Grimm mass. Pulsating with the flow of a polluted river, it seems to reach for the heavens. In a cruel moment, its sheer pressure shredded the center of the herd it had helped birth.

Hanging off the side of the avian human ambition, Tryian watched with a growing grin. As his accident proved to have at least some merit. He truthfully didn't know if even this eco system of untapped destruction had enough to raise such a powerful playmate without his mother's guiding hand. But it seemed, at least upon conception, this beast had an overflow of nurturing soil.

One that presented itself in the form of crushed ichor and bone, as the pathway it cleared condescended in on itself. Becoming a similar being to not the one that brought him here. But in an incomplete moment, it behaved more like a black hole's impossible other half. As a natural urge to move away from the cancerous growing tumor came over even Tyrian.

He urged these primitive and instinctual thoughts aside of course. As the sudden bubbling and emerges of barbed tentacles horrifying beauty was too majestic to let something as mundane as a survival drive scare him away from viewing it be birthed.

Almost as if it was calling to him, the beat and whip of the avian army's wings died down. The teeth equipped Grimm floating in the center as a beating heart, before making its way over to the creatures one intruder,

"Mistress?", Tyrian asked rather hopefully as he remounted his pet.

Unfortunately, the sadist quickly realized such a request to the universe was denied. As no images or illusion erupted from the ichor monster's flesh. However, striking a barb into the human clawed bird head, and then into his own bipedal appendages, new pictures did reveal themselves to him.

Even if distance proved too vast for Salem's pathetic children, his glorious mother work always had a purpose. As such, as his mind was tortured and prodded through, he smiled at his own misery. Loving even his own punishment, only regretting it wasn't at his goddess's direct hands. Forcing his brain to process the past two months at inhumane speeds. The fang retreated outwards as the last three aura diverging was absorbed into the unique abomination.

Nothing but a drooling mess, the neuron overloaded Tyrian seemed to be in a state of catatonic bliss. Barley even paying attention as the messenger of his deity brought up a tentacle. With newfound purpose, it ushered him and the herd towards the lone white streak.

Then… in an act of childish want, it pointed another down at the brown line. One that stood frozen in place, as it and another continuity of a half dozen Griffons began making their way to intercept its producer.

Lying on his back and dislocating his still fused arm the machoistic questioned none of what just happened. Didn't question his joy of getting to still face Summer. His confusion over whether Grimm was Salem will or just an echo of it. Nor did he voice perplexed as to why it only took a drop of death from an ocean of carnage. One that the rabbit below could easily, while not defeat, escape if necessary. But such thoughts weren't for men like him… they were just for the people who either sponsored or cleaned up his work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Velvet didn't feel like a hunter. She didn't feel like a faunus, a human, or any other sentient predator. Hell, at the moment she couldn't even feel like prey. Perhaps, at this very frame of time, she was just a crumbling piece of stone…

…Everything… It hadn't been going well for Velvet, for she truly believed that after the suddenness of Penny's confession the emerald eye boy would no longer wait for, but it was going in a healthy direction. However, despite its long-term benefits, such a pathway was filled to the brink with negative emotions… and enough anxiety and paranoia to chum a small sea of hungry sharks,

I-I… oh my gods, her hard dust reservoirs were still well above half full… but even if she had all the supplies in the world, she doubted she'd survive what was to come.

Materializing the longest ranged weapon she had, Velvet still didn't have the weighted part of Crescent Rose embedded into the pavement. The neon blue scope going between a literal black screen, and a disappearing green dot in what little blue sky was left.

She couldn't risk hitting Gareth, or Penny for that matter. Not confident enough in her aim, or the fact the electronic being had taken control of her own body. A fact made all the worse by the mechanical weapons dedication to heading east.

Having picked the worst time to accept that her unhealthy mental projection of Coco was a part of her, Velvet began to panic. Dispensing the high impact sniper rifle to her box's, the rabbit began looking around, trying to think what her leader would do in this situation.

What do you mean what would I do?!, the voice seemed to be a mixture of her own and the fashionista, Do what anybody would do right now, and get out of the fucking way!

The advice seemed… desperate when put against the literal approaching flood of Grimm. Looking to the car though, and taking advantage of the distance she had between the creatures of death, the faunus hopped in.

Alright… alright… deep breath-, fiddling with the keys, the chocolate themed huntress turned them, her only knowledge on how to drive an Earth made vehicle being from watching Gareth or Laura,

Screw your damn breathing! Petal to the metal this sorry excuse for a car, not being able to argue with… herself? Velvet did just that. The cough of the engine brought her own heaves to an end, as the vehicle sputtered to life.

Instinctually placing her hands in the ten and two position, the huntress turned the Subaru at a ninety-degree angle. Making use of the flat land, she didn't try to outrun the Grimm. Well, she did, just not in the path they were going. Plowing over an endless sea of grass, the long-haired brunette was trying to see if there was a way around… and praying to every deity she had ever remembered that the nightmarish creatures didn't branch off to intercept her,

Come...come on, the wheel rattled in her hands, as the whole vehicle was being pushed to a speed it never was design to do… even on the actual paved road, faster, faster, faster!

There was a very real possibility that Velvet could outrun the car she was currently in. But there was also the very real fact it was the only cover for miles. One that she was thankful for even in her panic.

Ears perking up, she heard the detail of the Grimm before they got close enough to distinguish themselves from the void filled storm cloud. The caws and screeches of nevermore tore away the sky like thunder. With the flapping of thousands of wings being worse than any fear lightning would produce. If Velvet hadn't come from the attack on Vale itself, she'd say she'd never seen anything quite like this.

But unlike the terrorist fueled assault on Beacon… these creatures of death seemed a lot more single minded. For as the mutilated corpse of Penny shot across the sky eastward… very little of the Grimm altered from their path west.

W-what are they doing?, the car never slowing down, Velvet's confusion came as her eyes began shifting towards the rear of the vehicle. She didn't successfully outrun anything. Rather, at the edge of the tidal wave, the wake of ichor never came crashing down.

Like a surfer exciting the swirl, the car eventually pulled past the deafening noise of Grimm. She turned the car back towards the direction of the proper coast. Watching as the tumor filled mass passed by her.

t-this shouldn't be possible, questioning her good fortune was one thing… but Velvet knew full well she was witnessing something impossible. Even if she was the only emotionally tuned life form around for miles… the Grimm should have come at her like a shark to a wounded seal, w-why aren't they hunting me… why am I being ignored

Unfortunately, the next bout of curiosity brought in the reality she didn't want to hear. For while the Grimm were indifferent to her, that very action brought in another hunter. Her rodent-like appendages tensing up, a familiar roar of jet engines came into view.

No mansion, Summer, or stealth to protect her now, the aerial attack craft brought with them thunder. Streaking across the sky, they were approaching as nothing but a cleanup crew. Ignoring the threat that could kill cities, simply because they could murder Velvet instead.

…, the second-year student didn't know what to think. The craft flew so low that they couldn't possibly miss, only Velvet's pupils could dilate to signal her understanding of the oncoming fear. As the huntress couldn't even take time to appreciate the irony of the situation.

Hands finding their way to Anesidora, the girl materialized a shield. It had the Arc family sigil on it, and maybe she brought it up to add to the poetic nature of the situation. The barrier would not be enough to protect her, anymore then the archaic designed shield from its actual era would. It would hold up better than the car, but as she braced against it, even her aura would shatter in one or two shots… and a third would make her nothing but fertilizer for the ground.

A dark cloud blocking out the sun, Velvet hid her chocolate coated irises to the world, not wanting to see the flash the two planes would give. However, before she heard the thunder of the guns, she felt the recoil of kinetic energy.

Causing the car to come to a sudden stop, Velvet heard the remaining glass of the side window shatter. Feeling something pressed against her aura, and nearly spinning her toolboxes around to her front, the shocked faunus crashed through the passenger's side. She had heard a flash, but as the sound barrier never pierced her ears, apparently her camera had gone off due to the force instead.

W-what the, bruised but not shattered, Velvet's aura caused her to groan but it remained intact.

Turning from her side to her back, she also now realized her choice in shield may not have been as useless as she thought a moment ago. Giving a small yelp, the see-through matter light proved to be the only thing between her and the lion sized Griffon clawing against the shield.

Its fangs not being able to be found on the smooth triangle barrier, the force of its head repeatedly trying to break through the shield sent a shiver down Velvet's arm. Acting on reflection, she decided to give it something much less pleasant to eat, however.

Reeling back for another pointless go at her throat, the Griffon created a brief gap between it and the Arc family weapon. Coming back down towards her again, the second-year huntress flipped the shield end over end at the last minute. Bringing the aesthetically pleasing point into a more practical role. As the small animal hybrid's own force caused the beast to impale its jaw on the barrier. The beast's false flesh gave way to the defense instrument turned spear wedging itself further and further into its skull.

Jammed into its flesh and bone, the creature rose on its hind legs. Taking the still strapped in Velvet on a ride mirroring that of reverse pendulum. Forced into a summersault, the rabbit faunus switched weapons halfway through the arc. With the shield morphing into a grenade launcher. A Norse god weapon that just so happens to have its barrel in the mouth of the hybrid mythological creature.

Not pretending to act as bubbly as Magnhild's actual user, Velvet slammed down on the weapon's trigger like her life depended on it. A cylinder-like hand grenade heading her desperate call, as it gladly became the drill that entered the opened jawed felines stomach.

… or rather it paved a digestive and stomach track for the Grimm. No longer connected to the beast, the rabbit fauns were thrown across the prayer. For a terrifying moment, she quickly got to her feet only to see the Griffon do so as well.

W-wait I could've sworn Nora's ammunitio-, being as dynamic in its entrances as the pink Valkyrie herself, the hard light round finally completed its imitation. With the center of the Griffon expanding outwards at a rapid pace, until the skin holding together has a way. Coating the prairie, and Velvet, in Grimm ichor.

Swiping the nightmare paint off her eyes and weapon, the faunus didn't even have time to feel disgusted at the abominations remains. Not even biting her lips at the sight of the red and black ooze dripping into Anesidora.

Her ears moving around like a periscope, the second-year student heard more cries from Griffons. Ranging in size from the actual felines that made up their bodies, to one's bigger than the jets circling back around, Velvet took no solace in being proved wrong in the Grimm not having ignored her.

However… what she could make use of was that they weren't simply picking on her. The attack vehicles lining up for another pass, Velvet crossed her arms in an 'X' formation when she saw the flash. Only for the lightning to never complete its charge.

Taking advantage, or at least coincidence allowing them the opportunity to seem intelligent, two behemoth sized monsters shot towards the path of the low flying planes. Their speed paled in comparison to that of the jet engine powered craft… but only their mass mattered in this equation.

Both four legged avians crashed into their mechanically built counterparts. The bullets would have likely torn them to shreds. But the rounds hardly got the chance. Exploding into paste, a sonic shockwave broke across the field as the first plane proved to make the creature's kamikaze attack a two-partner agreement. With what was ever left of that first pilot joining his crumble plane as scattered bits of shrapnel on the flat ground.

Their wingman however, proved to have more luck. For the second Griffon turned its body at the last moment. Relativity making it an acrobatic when compared to the G force restricted Earth vehicle, the creature still completed a suicide mission… but apparently had commands to be as inefficient in its demise as possible. Being bisected by a wing, the second A-10 turned the creature into ichor fuel rain. But spinning around at Mach speed, the plane was now left nothing but a metallic tornado.

Her mouth hanging open at this sudden bout of luck, Velvet ears turned backwards on themselves. An action and instinct that saved a decent amount of her aura level as she naturally ducked.

Still in the presence of a handful of decently sized mutated predators, another cat and eagle hybrid sailed over her head. Its pounce to the ground was greeted to the sight of its three remaining brothers taking to the sky.

Okay… o-okay, don't get caught up in the luck, just roll with it, snapping herself back into the fight, Velvet did just that. Diving out of the way, as the sole terrestrial Griffon made another leap at her.

Shifting weapons once more, the grenade launcher became a spear. One that embedded itself into the underside of the beast. The force causing the javelin to tear up more of the oozing ichor, the creature spread out its wing. Attempting to stop itself from causing any more harm through momentum.

However, as the spartan forged tool of war was only half complete, the circular shape of its significant other appeared on Velvet's left arm. Letting go of the lance, she spun in the air with a shield, before throwing it like a frisbee up beneath one of the spread-out wings.

Cleaving the appendage off at the beast shoulder blade, the abomination lost its balance. Giving out a death cry, or whatever these monsters' end to an actual life was, the Grimm imitation of myth collapsed to its left. Bury itself further into the spear. As the Earth itself gripped the javelin and thrusted it out the other side of the beast. Claiming victory, when white and black ash burst into existence were the vanquished creature once stood.

Okay...where are the other-, taking in a deep breath, Velvet grasped the spartan weapon. Catching the shield as it came down, she then bent down on a knee. Already in a defense stance with the spear facing outwards to challenge the next opponent.

… Only the monsters that had taken to the sky… weren't coming down to dive bomb her. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, the wreckage of the second warthog vibrating against the ground did capture Velvet's attention. As did the sight of a battered and broken… but very much empty cockpit.

Her ears, as always, being her most valuable weapon, found the answer to where all the missing combatants were. A much smaller caliber gunshot ringing out across the sky, Velvet looked up.

Raising the shield to shade her eyes from the sun, they widened when she saw a parachute… and the three-winged predators circling up toward her. Snarling at the lone pilot, as the vortexes of death took the vehicle operators far less lethal side arm rounds. Simply using it as music to their newfound hunt, as it pinged off their bone like mask.

"Release your strap!", Velvet new she couldn't make it up in time… but she also didn't know why she was trying to help the person who just tried to kill her,

Still, there was no time to think about the enemy of my enemy at a time like this. All the second-year huntress knew for a fact, was that the Grimm wanted them both dead, and that this person was no longer a combatant.

Dust fueled light being coded to a new form, Ruby's weapon finally parted the Earth. Angling up the high impact sniper rifle, the rabbit ear girl took a deep breath, and forgetting every thought and aspect of this moment that could distract her, fired the first round.

Doing far more work than the earth made side arm, the cranium of the largest Griffon burst. With its body now only useful as a misaimed bomb that fell back towards the planet. However, its detonation did signal the other two, for as the brunette fired off another shot, she instantly regretted taking out the biggest and most cumbersome Grimm.

With the last pair's nimbler aerial maneuvers, while slowing their ascent, were much harder to lock onto. Shots going from grazes to full on misses, the Vale native mentally berated herself knowing her ability to shoot them out of the air had passed. Well, it hadn't… but given her human ears could pick up the pilot's curses as the flying lions approached them, she couldn't exactly pull-out Coco's mini gun.

"Release your strap now", the former target screamed up as loud as she could. The matter imitating electric waves coursed around her feet, "DO IT NOW OR YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!"

The world seemed to pause. As the words Velvet utter reached a new volume and caused the Earth itself to stop turning. She was furious with these people. They had violated Penny's body, they had tried to kill her, and they just kidnapped two of the three people on this planet she could actually trust. But more than anything, Velvet hated that they chose to prioritize her as the threat rather than the Grimm. And while it would be a harsh form of justice for them to die for this fact, she'd be damned if she'd ignore her duties as a huntress.

Pushing past the roars and sadistic purrs of the ichor bred felines approaching the falling pilot, the government agents' rounds fell silent. As staring away from the fish about to bite the bait their parachute dangled, they met the faunus eyes. Not getting caught up in her pulsing aura, or the board-like structure around her feet, or even questioning the ears, they saw the plea in the window to her soul. One that shined with the message that, despite everything about her situation, her words were true,

"Son of a bitch", the female voice came down from above, as Velvet's faunus appendage picked up the mumble.

Messing with her buckles, the fighter pilot was hundreds of feet off the ground. But luckily for her, dust only cared when that unit was measured in the thousands. Her feet breaking away from the earth, Velvet eyes locked onto the visor of the air woman.

Each of the two remaining Griffons giving out a final flap of their wings, they shot forward to the lure. Only for it to disconnect itself from the rod at the last moment. Gravity being her only defense now, the pilot barely avoided the outstretched claw of the Grimm. Both momentarily shocked, and caught up in their over pursuit of prey, they tangled themselves in the seat and parachute line.

"Shit, shit, shit", the voice was growing louder. But as two turbines shot up the hard light board Velvet was on, the faunus doubted the woman started out whispering, "Shit, shit, SHIT!"

The scream was new however, as terminal velocity was fast approaching to the free faller. However, spreading force out on both the horizontal and vertical plane, the chocolate aura young woman approached the person at a forty-five-degree angle.

"Brace yourself", the girl cried out, making sure her tongue didn't slip into universal or Danish due to the stress. One that was only increased as the duo of ariel Grimm clawed their way out of the midair snare, and with tucked in wings dived towards the wingless mammal,

Velvet would get to her first… but in order to not kill the pilot with her own built-up momentum she'd slow down. During which, both death seeking abomination would be right on top of her. Currently in the moment she was trying to overthink, the faunus was given the luxury of trusting her own abilities. She couldn't second guess them due to time of course… but the end result was all that mattered anyway.

"Just… whatever you do, don't move", spreading out both her arms, Velvet dispersed the hard light at her feet. The skateboard suspending as she shot herself in a horizontal line at the woman,

"What kind of advice is-", cut off by her own grunt, the air woman was struck by the Vale native. The sudden change in velocity certainly is going to give her bruised ribs, but once she could be alive to feel.

Arcing through the air like a bullet out of steam, the 'y' axis was overtaking the 'x' as Velvet felt the pull of Earth treat her and the woman as one object. But as the Griffons took advantage of their decelerated prey, that was fine by Velvet.

Swinging her legs upright, and clinging onto the pilot tighter, the two women found their feet facing skyward. Or, as Anesidora laced up the aura user girl's boots with buckshot cartridge, found their gun pointing towards the two Griffons.

Each one jaw wide in their final assent, they found themselves ready to play tug aware with the chocolate themed woman's ankle. Only for that came to be called off at the last moment. For as their jaws opened, their teeth met nothing but thunder. With small neon pieces of matter ripping their skulls and craniums to shreds.

"OH CRAP", only feeling the sudden overtaken of physics, Velvet's sky divining buddy didn't feel the same relief of the predator's death as she did.

Calm as ever though with the Grimm gone, the explosive propelled fall to Earth was nothing but child play for the faunus now. Using muscle memory for a tool she only used once, Mercury's leg infused shotguns were replaced by a much friendlier hoverboard. One that slowly positions itself between Velvet and the ground. And allowed her to control the velocity of their fall.

Sweeping onto the now battle ridden field, the girl turned off her toolboxes. With the light particles dispersing to the wind, as one last two-inch drop brought the woman to the planet's crush.

Pushing off from the huntress, the woman Velvet saved back away. Going down to her knees, she desperately brought her hands up to her helmet, then violently tore it off. Cut short, strawberry blonde hair cascaded out,

"Holy shit", hands supported by her knees, the woman's voice came out like she was holding back vomit. Made all the worse by the swallow she to take when she stared at her own plane's wreckage,

"A-are you okay?", the faunus said as she picked up the woman's helmet. Quickly using the moment to voice, well, something akin to concern. While at the same time, chucking the electronic and radio filled visor into the aerial vehicles fire.

Caught up in shock, the woman turned to see her savior. While her brown hazel eyes held deep confusion, they quickly steeled over. An action that may have spoken to her true nature… but quickly became somewhat comical as she reached for her side arm… only to realize it was still in hand.

Fumbling around with the weapon she had a firm grip on, she brought it to a now sighing Velvet,

"H-hands in the air", the woman didn't stutter out of nerves, but rather because part of her sanity was still falling to the Earth,

"I-if that'll make you feel bette-", the girl frowned at this, being reminded of people like this person back at Remnant… But then she was reminded of the situation she just went through, "Wait a second. I just saved your life… after you kidnapped my friends and tried to kill me!"

The fruit haired woman blinked back her response. With her now monotone lips to convey the facial expression of 'and your point is'. A display that caused the faunus to rapidly open and clench her fist, before she let out a torrent of air,

"Fine, you do what you want to do", Velvet said turning around and bringing up Anesidora to see how she fared, "Have fun if the Grimm come back"

Of course, she didn't mean that, but as the slightly angered Vale native switched her weapon to camera mode, she heard the air woman behind her lower the gun… For a far more symbolic gesture then practical one,

"Stop", the Vale native did no such thing, and cringing at the ichor now caught in her toolboxes hinges she had more pressing matters to attend to , "Hey I said hold up!"

All the authority this woman poses vanished with her plane. She knew it too, for her protection was lost with the vehicle as well,

"Why", feeling heat rise from how things have been going ever since she woke up, the brown eyed girl turned around, shifting her weapon back to its camera form. The air pilot backed up at this, but seeing it take the form of a photography device from the nineties didn't reach for her own side arm again, "So you can shoot me, or would you rather suffocate me until I was unconscious like you did… it doesn't matter"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about kid", the strawberry blonde only looked a few years older than Velvet herself, "I haven't kidnapped anybody"

"But you did try to shoot me", the faunus retorted, as the first display her rebooted image capturing device showed was the attack plane strafing towards her, "Focused on me! Instead of the Grimm horde that can destroy an entire city"

The pilot cheeks dusted over pink, but her voice still held its false attempt at control,

"I'm just following my orders lady", the person looked over to the picture of her plane, then the wreck… before her eyes went downcast at seeing her aerial assault craft twin did in fact have a small coat of crimson too it, "and the people I'm getting them from aren't making sense"

Pausing, Velvet turned around at this. Just in time to witness the fallen soldier kick at the dried grass,

"... I don't know who you are, I don't know what the hell those 'Grimm' things are, and I can't even begin to process what's happening", she spat out, but more so to the universe then the second-year huntress, "My names…"

She looked back up towards the brunette, then bit her lips. Seemingly to think over some formal doctrine in her head, before she ended up tossing it into her burning wreck with a sigh of air,

"I'm Senior Airmen Icaria Peterson of the United States Airforce", upon mentioning her own name, the airwoman gave a pause, seemingly expecting Velvet to say something. However, when the rabbit ear girl only raised an eyebrow, the person hesitantly continued, "So was my wingman, Duncan"

Gazing back to the battle's sole causality, both women gave a frown. But considering that Velvet's was only a tad bit small then the newly named Icaria, she doubted the woman knew him all that well,

"We were both redeployed as some sort of… favor", the short hair woman mumbled out the last part, "Our senior officer shipping us out to some military base I've never heard of before… but it must be important because he broke all regulation to do so, and said until further notice we were under command of a guy named Uther"

The chocolate themed aura users' eyes narrowed at this. Remembering the man Summer and Arthur only mentioned in passing,

"When we arrived… I mean we never even got to meet the man in person. Just appeared as a black silhouette on an empty screen", she shook her head, seeming to regret every past moment she overlooked, "When he asked questions… he didn't even let us answer, one of his supervisors did for us. Once he got a list of are combat records, he started going off about how well we followed orders"

"... he talked about some of the operations I flew when I was first deployed in Afghanistan, and was impressed with how…", to this her eyes fell back to the Grimm horde, "I followed through with some off the books missions I always viewed as a blight on my record… mistakes I'd take to the grave"

"How he even knew about some of them was beyond me…", she closed her eyes and shook her head, "All that should have been the weirdest part of the night, but then he started giving commands. We weren't even enlisted with whatever black ops or rouge part of the government he's in. Hell, we still didn't have any idea what he was asking us to do, but he just started talking as if we were now under his control, and any question of this would be met with a firing squad"

Pausing, the girl looked over to Velvet. Only for the faunus to realize she had opened her mouth to mutter out sympathy for the woman. Feeling some connection over the idea of people keeping her in the dark,

"Saying we were going to begin running simulations with A-10's to hit infantry targets", she laughed at herself in a pitiful way, and was expecting Velvet to join in. But seeing how effective the tools of war had been, the huntress wasn't sure what was funny about the strategy. Sighing, the officer continued, "You know how expensive each one of these rounds is, and how fast we go through them in a single run. Were meant to take out armored vehicles, tanks and stuff… maybe, if there was an entire legion of idiots grouped up in some sort of base or house, they'd call us in. But even then, you'd have some upper-level logistics worker ask why we sent the priceless jets instead of sending a barrage, with the dime a dozen artillery shells"

"Under no circumstance where we meant to waste all these resource", she motioned to the burning wreck, making sure her outstretched arm met her fallen mount and not Duncan's, "On three people… and unless World War Three broke out, in no way were we supposed to be flying simulations were we'd make attacks runs in American airspace, let alone populated civilian centers"

"B-but that's where I was", Velvet quietly croaked out. In truth, she wanted the person to feel ashamed of themselves. It was a hard feeling for the rabbit eared bipedal to want, and as such only voiced it quietly, but the emotions were expressed all the same,

"Which shouldn't be possible", she shot out with her own anger, before running a defeated hand through her hair, "None of you freaks should be!"

The Vale native tried not to take it personally, for out of all the reasons this woman was staring at Velvet like she was a time bomb, the rabbit ears weren't a part of it. Or at the very least, not the most cornering part when compared to her pulsing tan shield, or the fact her eight by eight-inch boxes could magically produce mini guns from midair,

"He showed us the video of what that scorpion tail and green hair girl was doing the day we flew out to stop it. Literally informed us eight hours before we would be strafing a New England town with explosive rounds, that aliens were real. Coming in the form of demonic dogs that could shrug of high caliber rounds like it was nothing, or humanoid lunatics who fought with power and weapons straight out of a comic book", she stomped her foot on the ground, "We didn't even have time to not believe him, hell we didn't even have time to think this whole thing was a joke. But maybe… that's the type of shock he was expecting, and knew would trigger us to fall in line"

"Y-you've only known for three days?", the information… It was depressing, but it also brought with it useful information. Proving that whoever had Penny wasn't bathing in military resources, or loyalty,

"Yeah", she said pissed that this was the first time she could think back on all her actions, "And I've been up for most of that… because as soon as I could get over the fact, I shot up a gated community, I was told to track a growing mass of those mutated animals"

She moved to point towards the Griffons' remains… but found nothing but black ash and white powder. Causing her frustration to only grow, she took in a deep breath before clenching her fist,

"But now they grew wings, and we're growing by the hundreds with every small town they mauled", unfortunately… Velvet couldn't connect with the disbelief in this woman's voice. It was horrible of course, and that Grimm mass was something on a level she still could hardly believe. But what else was she expecting the abominations to do… fall in line and run off scared like an actual animal, "And Duncan and I were just told to observe"

Her fingernail drew blood,

"That big brother piece of shit didn't even let us engage unless that herd got too close to a city", her words were now holding ill will to an Earth based threat, "When we landed at bases to refuel, we couldn't even tell them what we were doing. Hundreds of planes that could turn those demons into dust faster than a tsunami of holy water were sitting on tarmac. Unaware of what was happening to towns a hundred miles away"

"Why didn't you tell them?", not even pretending the shattered Subaru could still work, Velvet paused, and offered her criticism in the form of a question, "T-these Grimm… t-they are demons, and yet you shot at me… you kidnapped my friends, one of whom is very much from Earth"

"Do you think I didn't want to tell the military?!", the person charged forward, and for somebody without aura poked a finger into Velvet's chest with far too much confidence, "That I have any idea of what that drone does, let alone control who she picks up from the battlefield"

Velvet stumbled back. Knock off balance by Icaria's anger than actual strength,

"I've only been told two things about that fucking terminator", the soldier towered over the younger women despite only her eyes needing to look up, "Don't attack until after she 'wisp', somebody away to do God knows what with. And that if we ever endangered humanity by informing people about those damn demons, Grimm, whatever, it be the one to destroy our message… and that means more than just killing us"

"S-so, you just blindly trust the words of a person y-you've never met?", the dynamic had shifted, with the true victim Velvet falling into her old nervous habits. However, her words continued onward with her courage, or rather honesty, "T-that you'd be saving more lives by killing me, instead of the monster actually doing it. Because I'm somehow more of a threat"

The woman went silent, but not in thought. Hazel eyes narrowing, Icaria's voice went low,

"Duncan and I had two confirmed hits on you durable alien pieces of shit", she pushed Velvet, or rather the faunus allowed herself to be pushed, with her pointer finger, "Are volley leveled three mansion and tore up and melted the asphalt of two streets, and you all walked away fine. In a matter of hours that scorpion tailed murder was harvesting small towns to the ground to create that"

For a multitude of different reasons Velvet's eyes went wide at the disappearing sight of the Grimm storm that had passed their way. The most concerning of course being that Tyrian was evidently still very much functioning,

"And the other one we did hit apparently through a coup at some government base in Washington. The only casualty of that entire run was a man from Earth. Somebody who had no idea his life just became a warzone, by pilots who had no idea this enemy existed until that very day", now the faunus could only be lost in fear and confusion. So much so she entered a vicious cycle and wondered if the army of feral beast would turn around due to the scent, "So human looking or not, bunny ears or not, you people are very very dangerous. And I won't be judged on what I believe is a threat by somebody who shits out ankle shotguns to fly"

There was a pause, and it was only now that Velvet could hear the pilot's heartbeat. In tangent with her heavy breathing, and raspy voice, she was truly terrified. That's where her fear came from, and whether she was a soldier or not, the person had just survived an encounter they had no right to. More so than that, even at this very moment, they're life hinged on the action of somebody else's decisions and abilities… On her own abilities,

"T-then be judged by the person who just saved your life", Velvet took in her own deep breath, then shot it towards Icaria, "Because that's what my job is… I-I don't know who this Uther person is… but I'm not here to invade Earth, I'm not here to fight you, for gods sake the reason I was able to rescue you is because I'm a huntress. My job is to hunt Grimm"

Going silent, the down pilot was almost as put off by Velvet's confidence as the person speaking,

"I arrived here because I needed to find what that man was up to… a-and the reason I'm going after him now is because he kidnapped my companions. One of which is just as human as you", she looked at her camera then the plane, "Y-you can't stop me… and I didn't keep you alive because I need information. I know where the base is, it'll take a while, but I'll get to Rhode Island and have a general idea where to look"

The strawberry haired girl sucked in her lips, as if she had purposely tried to avoid giving away too many locations,

"B-but I won't be able to get there before Grimm mass attacks another town… a-and even if I could find the right people to tell, they wouldn't believe me", checking her hard dust supply, the rabbit faunus was about to improvise something. And even if she had more than enough to attempt it, she wasn't sure logic was in her favor… or if her luck would continue to hold, "... They could believe you though… I don't want to be too late getting to my friend… you want to know what's going on… and we both want the right people to be inform so nobody else has to face the Grimm"

Not finding a way to disagree, at least not with the moral of velvet's point, the hazel eyes of the woman met the ground,

"I-I've got no reason to trust you… and you don't have any reason to trust me", she looked over to the blood stain of her wingman, "B-but I can offer you more honestly than this Uther person, so I-I'll tell you this. I'm scared for Gareth"

She took in a deep breath, as the reality of why she was in a rush set in,

"I'm scared for Penny", the down pilot still remained silent, but her lack of eye contact proved she was soaking in every word, "I'm scared because I don't know what I'm getting into… but I'm way more scared of what will happen to people if I don't get your help, so even if I die because of it, I'll trust you"

A green and blue mixed ocean meetings pinewood forest, Icaria finally looked up to meet the faunus eyes,

"To do what?", the girl hadn't expected anything yet, and said the question more in mockery. As if she was speaking to a bodybuilder who just asked her to help pick up a three hundred bound bar, "If you know where to go, and if you know how to get there, how can I help?"

"... b-because I don't know how to fly your plane", Velvet tapped a picture on Anesidora, and for the first time in her life, offered up a quick prayer… If only not to look stupid after what she just said. Luckily, even if the bubbling sound and water caused the faunus to cringe, the tool made the weapon form back into its designer mode flawlessly… and then, with some added scans of the more internal parts, began shining blue.

Causing Icaria to fiddle around for her pistol again, the woman's hand went slack as soon as it was raised. The sight of her aerial attack vehicle being printed onto the plain, with a new blue and see-through coat was more than she could bear.

Hard dust reserves being thoroughly depleted, with only an insignificant fraction left, the faunus ear girl sweating. But the terror turning to awe on the pilot's face was giving her just the right amount of hope,

"Oh my-… how in the hell", the woman gave into curiosity now, speaking in a voice that banished away her and Velvet's previous roles, "Geeze if you can pull that out of your fanny pack, I don't even want to know what rabbit you're packing in your ha-"

Finally realizing that Velvet having ears was not just an alien thing… but even weirder because of that fact, the woman's face quickly blushed red,

"You know what, never mind", having just improved something she'd normally labor over for weeks, the brunette just gave a thumbs up. It wasn't even the right gesture for 'no worries', but she didn't even know how she was offended, nor did she really care, "Can she fly?"

The woman hesitantly put a hand on the side of the projected vehicle. Taking it away quickly when static arced to her skin. It in no way hurt, or at least wasn't too irritable, for she slowly brushed the matter filled light again,

"T-that depends", Velvet sputtered out between deep breaths, "Will you fly it?"

Brought back to reality for a moment, the air woman paused. Her eyes looking between the miracle, Velvet, and then the westward direction the storm cloud still swept across,

"There's an air force base seventy miles southeast of here", for a moment, the faunus face fell, already expecting the worst, "I don't know how they'll react to this"

She motioned towards the impossibly generated aircraft,

"But I have some idea what their response to that army of de- Grimm will be", Icaria closed her eyes, took in one final breath of ground level oxygen, then turned back to Velvet, "You have no reason to trust me either… but if I get to make the first pit stop, then I'll taxi you to your friend on the East Coast"

Velvet smile, a true uplift in the corner of her lips, at the idea that just because each woman came with weapons didn't mean they were obligated to use them against each other. The universe had dangerous, horrible abominations in it, but it was up to the sentient to decide if they wanted to be a part of that category or not. And as the strawberry haired woman shot a smile, albeit a tad bit forced and awkward back, the feeling seemed to exist with some level of support,

"Get a carpool going while we're at, and see if Uther wants to answer my questions or try his luck commanding my bullets"