Oh my god, your guys reaction to last chaps cliffhanger were just glorious! Like seriously, all the shock and everything was just perfect, and I think it's safe to say my little cliffhanger was a great success! Which is nice, as that means the Volume I arc of this fic ended in a great success!
Honestly that's all I can really say as I can't think of a witty segway, so instead I say rise your imaginary mugs! To Volume II's hopeful success and this fic being awesome!
Also, please save all pitch forks and torches about the kinda three-month delay for the end of the chapter, thank you!
Let the chatter end, and let's get things rolling. It's show time!
}Episode 24: Life After Death{
The way I died isn't anything new. Or rather I should say, the process of your heart stopping and being restarted isn't new, because Earth doesn't exactly have projectiles made of magicy bullshit fire. But yeah, people have drowned, been overloaded with electricity, died on operating tables, etc. and yet are still alive due to the speedy work of others who know First Aid! I am one such of those successes since I'm, you know, telling you all this story and everything, but it's still a small comfort to realize you were still technically murdered.
I was killed, and the fact that I got better doesn't take away from the impact.
And as for my experience being one of the former living, I couldn't possibly give you an accurate account. I sure didn't see a light at the end of a tunnel, but whether that's because I wasn't dead that long, or was supposed to be downward bound, I don't know, and quite frankly, I don't want to know. It was just…darkness. Not even that, it was just a sea of nothingness. There was no time, no space…just me. I couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't even see really. I don't know how I knew I actually existed, I just somehow knew I was there, but at the same time I felt like nothing was real…not even me. Like a memory of a memory in a half-remembered dream.
Again, this time of darkness is all still hazy in my mind, even to this day, and comparing it to the second time I died is negligible since the aftermath was much more unexpected…but that wasn't for some time.
But moving on, after the excruciating pain, and the indescribable blackness of my first death, my next clearish memory was when I finally awoke, and let's just say, it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences.
}Line Break{
*Beep…Beep…Beep*
The first thing I heard was the ever annoying, yet familiar tone of a heartbeat monitor signaling that I was indeed still in the land of the living, while also doing its secondary job of reducing the sanity of any patient who had to listen to it over and over again.
God…damn it. Not…the damned…beeping.
Not the most elegant of first thoughts after being out for who knows how long, but I'd awoken to that sound countless times back home, and it always grated on me. And before you ask, yes, I'll explain.
As you all know I was a bit of a chemistry wiz before I got Isekaied to Remnant. I'd won more than my fair share of science fairs and grants because of those talents, and they're one of the major factors on why I'm so good at handling dust. That and the countless textbooks and guides I'd memorized when working for Old Man Fuller, but yeah, I'm good at chemistry. But, just like when first learning to ride a bike, I fell a few times in my pursuit of science, sometimes accidentally, sometimes pyromaniacally. So, after many of these "falls" in my novice years, I would end up at the same hospital every time, which just so happened to be where my doting, overprotective aunt was a doctor.
It didn't matter if I woke up after semi-accidentally blowing up a dumpster with a dry ice explosive, or just burnt off one of my eyebrows when working with a natural gas burner, I would always be her patient, and she would insist on making sure I was 100% the pinnacle of health before she let me go. So the point is, waking up in a hospital room to that annoying beeping wasn't anything new to me, nor would it be the last time, but it did have the distinction of being the most painful.
I was doped up to my eyeballs with pain meds, and more than a few tubes were sticking out of me from many different places, but even with the numbing agents, I could still feel the irritation on my chest, and a slight throb in my head.
What happened…this time? I wondered drowsily as the distinct smell of hospital hit my nose. You know the one I mean, like sterilization with undertones of death.
Gotta open eyes. Slowly…slowly… Despite my hazy mind, I remembered the process I'd used before. You only have to get a blinding eyeful of florescent lighting once to learn from your mistakes. So as I opened my eyes, the sensitivity was still there, but I could make out the borderline creepy white colored ceiling that every hospital I'd been to had. There was also the standard hanging screen, basic furniture, a television on the wall, and a single window with the shades drawn. The only thing that seemed off to me was the equipment I was hooked up to. They seemed a lot more advanced than the last time I'd visited the ER.
Ah great…mom's gonna kill me when she finds out, I worried as I figured I was at the hospital nearest to the University. I guess the guys brought me here…but what happened? Did we have another stupid hot pepper contest?
A remembrance of burning came to me as I thought that, but it sure wasn't the memory of that Carolina Reaper. It was worse, much worse. Whatever had happened, a lot of my skin under the covers felt irritated and raw.
Ah hell, a chemical burn. I must have mixed the wrong dusts at the lab and…Dusts? I paused as that word came to my mind first, and just like that my misadventures started to come back to me.
I have been watching too much RWBY, I concluded as I remembered the last few months in vivid detail. But damn, whatever they've got me on is intense. I mean, teaching Ruby, being homeless, being hunted by the White Fang, Cinder being a teacher, hanging with Emerald and Goodwitch smiling? Ha! I mentally guffawed at the ridiculousness with a smile.
And then a young nurse walked into my room with a squirrel tail and ears.
She didn't immediately notice me as she entered, humming some tune, but if she had, she would have seen my eyes trying to bulge out of my skull as my attempts to justify my experiences as a fever dream crumbled away.
N-No way… I slumped as her tail twitched and I saw her ears flick in my direction. My spiked heart rate monitor had gotten her attention, and when our eyes met, we just sort of stared at each other in surprise for a few moments.
"Oh goodness, you're awake!" the Faunus woman said with a smile, revealing slightly pronounced buck teeth. "You were in a mighty bit of trouble for a while there, but I knew you'd come through." Despite her cheerful demeanor, I was still in shock.
It was all real? All of that craziness?! I thought as I looked back down at her swishing tail, hoping beyond hope that it was just some weird prop.
She caught sight of my staring, and when I looked back at her, she had a smirk on her face.
"Pfft, Men," she mumbled to herself with roll of her eyes and a chuckle.
"I...You're...?" I croaked out from a dry scratchy throat and concern came over her face.
"Hey, hey, don't try to speak until you've had some water," she said soothingly, as she poured me a glass from a pitcher and stuck a straw in it. "There we go. Let's try not to choke on your own beard," she said as she brought it towards my mouth, but I didn't even try to drink.
"F-Faunus…?" I croaked out and her eyes went wide.
"Oh…OH! You were looking at my tail…" she said with a blush, before her eyes narrowed. "Yeah I'm a Faunus. Is that going to be a pr-" she cut herself off as my heartbeat grew more rapid and I started to hyperventilate, despite the air hose in my nostrils.
All real! It was all real! My mind screamed as I began to have a panic attack.
"Oh dear! Oh dear! Sir! Sir please! I need you to focus on me and control your breathing! Deep breaths, deep breaths!" She ordered, sounding just as panicked. My body started to convulse as well, and as it did, I felt the wounds that had put me in here.
I can't survive in this world! I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I mentally blathered as the beeping went into overdrive. And then the nurse did something strange. She grabbed the sides of my head and forced me to look into her hazel eyes.
"Sir! Control! Your! Breathing! And! Calm! Down!" she ordered, and a strange feeling washed over me. My body actually started to obey her as my breaths became less and less shallow and I stopped convulsing. But you see, that's the thing, I never said I started listening to her, just my body. I had no control over it whatsoever, and this terrified me even more. Essentially, she was the puppet master to my quaking, conscious wooden slave. On a list of terrifying Semblances, this lady's is in the top 5 for me.
After a few more moments, my panic attack subsided, though my heartbeat still beat relatively fast due to the power she had used on me. But with the more immediate danger out of the way, she wiped her brow and let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew, that was a close one huh? Imagine how much trouble I could have gotten if you croaked right after waking up?" she shivered slightly at that before mumbling, "Ugh, I can just imagine the lecture Dr. Morris would give."
Nice to know my life means so much to you, you freaking Purple Man, Squirrel Girl fusion! I thought maliciously with a frown. Noticing my look, she scratched at her ear and looked to the side nervously.
"Uh, sorry about using my Semblance on you. Dr. Grey says I'm only able to use it in emergencies, and well…it seemed like one to me…" she said apologetically.
Whatever! You're still terrifying! I thought, though I coughed in acknowledgement to her apology.
"Oh, right, water!" she said absentmindedly as she slapped her forehead and picked the glass back up. "Now, please drink. It's not so much for hydration, but to help with speech."
I still wasn't thirsty thanks to the IV sticking out of me, but this time I did as she asked. Getting a good mouthful, I brought rains back to the desert that was my throat and boy did it feel good.
"There we go," she smiled again and held up her Scroll. "Now, I've contacted the Doctor and he's on his way, so maybe we can keep this whole incident between you and me?"
"Hmph!" I managed to grunt out.
"Thank you!" she responded in a bubbly voice.
Oh God, please don't tell me Nora's got Faunus kin, I thought in dread.
After giving me enough to drink, she began to look over my medical equipment, and I began to ponder my situation. I knew I was still in Remnant, and the past few months actually did happen, for better or for worse, but I still couldn't recall why I was in the hospital in the first place. My mind was still hazy on that regard, but I did remember the explosion, even if it kind of bled into the many past ones.
Right, the warehouse blew up…I must have gotten caught in it, I theorized before my eyes widened. Wait…wasn't Weiss there? I could have sworn it was just me, Yang and Foxy…
My head began to pound from these jumbled-up memories just as a man in a white doctor's coat walked in with a stethoscope around his neck and a surgical mask around his mouth. Even if the squirrel girl hadn't tipped me off that I was still in Remnant, this guy's bright red hair with grey highlights would have. Only in anime and anime-esque shows would that be considered normal.
"Well would you look at that," he said sounding genuinely impressed as he looked at me. "It seems you weren't blowing smoke up my behind Nurse Snow. And here I thought this was just another one of your childish pranks."
"Aw come on Dr. Grey, I only did that one time and it was a mistake, not a prank!" the now named Snow mumbled with a pout.
"Yes yes I've heard it all before," he waved dismissively. "Still, the fact that you mistook a patient coughing up blood as a sign of Death Stalker poisoning is still a reason for ridicule."
"He got brought in from a Grimm attack!" she exclaimed while stomping in indignation.
"Yes, from a Boarbatusk, which had broken his entire rib cage and caused internal bleeding," he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, well...no one told me that..." she grumbled.
"It was written in the medical report…on the first page…in bold text," he emphasized in disappointment. This time, Nurse Snow didn't retort, but rather slumped in depressed defeat as she walked away, dragging her tail across the ground, mumbling to herself in shame.
…Okay, what kind of unprofessional hacks are looking after me? Was this Yang's idea? I worried as Dr. Grey looked back to me.
"Please excuse all of that just now. Nurse Snow is a recent addition to our staff and only just earned her medical certificate. She's a rookie who still needs to learn how to properly do her job, and I'm the unlucky one in charge of overseeing her training period."
"Hey! I heard that!" she called from outside the door.
"Good, that means you can also hear me telling you to get started on the incident report regarding Mr. Sullivan's panic attack that you should have started as soon as I arrived," he called back in annoyance.
There was a yelp of surprise from outside the door, followed by a downcast mumbling of,
"How does he always know?"
Once her footsteps receded, Grey sighed with relief and took up a more professional tone.
"Now then, I suppose introductions are in order. I am Doctor Dorian Grey, one of the best doctors currently available at this nice little hospital. I was assigned to you after your…incident and have been patiently waiting for you to awaken."
After having my body controlled by someone else, I felt more than a little exhausted to actually speak. It was quite an effort to even just grunt at Snow, so I just nodded, which was an effort unto itself. I could tell he smiled at that, despite wearing the mask as he brought up a pen and a clipboard.
"Now I know you've just woken up, and aren't really in any position to have a conversation, but I'm afraid I need to ask you some questions none-the-less," he admitted, his shoulders sagging as if that was the very last thing he wanted to do, "They're just some standard procedure questions I need to ask to make sure there wasn't any mental damage while you were unconscious. I'm sure you understand."
Not my first rodeo Doc, I thought with another effortful nod.
There were a few seconds of awkward silence as I just stared at Doctor Grey until eventually he coughed into his fist and said,
"Well…yes anyway moving on. I'll ask a couple of yes or no questions and you can just blink once for yes and twice for no. Sound good?"
Seeing as I didn't really have any other option but to follow his lead, I simply blinked in response. Again, it felt like the doctor was smiling brightly behind his surgical mask.
"Excellent! Now then, first question; Is your full name Chris Sullivan?"
You're missing Joker, but yeah.
Blink.
"Are you currently employed at the Beacon Hunter Academy located in the city of Vale?"
Much to my regret.
Blink.
"Can you currently see me with both eyes and hear me with both ears?"
There's still a slight ring in my left ear, but yeah.
Blink.
"Good, Good," he nodded and checked that off. "Okay, do the names Yang Xiao Long, Nora Valkyrie, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Sun Wukong, and Zatanna Zinthos hold any meaning to you?"
Upon hearing their names, especially Emerald's alias, my chest started to ache and I winced.
Blink.
"Uh huh," he nodded as he wrote something down, which took him a few moments. Once he was done, he looked back to me with a look of reluctance.
"Now this last question I need you to be absolutely calm when answering. If for even a moment you feel any kind of distress or discomfort, I want you to stop and take some deep breaths. Do you understand?"
What's with the mood change?
Oblivious to my thoughts the doctor took my blinking in confusion as a yes before he took a deep breath and finally said,
"Do you remember what caused you to be admitted to this hospital?"
I strained my brain trying to weed through the fog in my mind. Scattered images of pain, screaming, explosions and explosions were all that came to me. Reluctantly I looked back at the Doctor and blinked twice, which caused him to sigh in relief.
"I figured as much," he admitted. "But thankfully your mental faculties appear to be in relatively good shape, so the head injury isn't as bad as we thought."
Head injury? I thought with worry as the dulled throb became more pronounced now that I was focused on it. Noticing my concern, he tried and failed to sound more positive.
"Thankfully, there's no signs of long-term brain damage, but you did take a nasty hit," he said before jotting a note down on his clipboard. "Normally something like this wouldn't be much of an issue…but you seem to suffer from a rare medical defect Mr. Sullivan. So rare in fact, you are quite possibly the only documented case."
What?! I thought as my heart rate monitor spiked for a moment. What does that mean? Did I catch some horrible disease or-
"Mr. Sullivan, I don't know how you've gotten this far in life without noticing before…but you have absolutely no Aura to speak of," he said sounding fascinated.
Oh…I thought in both relief and terror. Not being from this world, it was only logical, but at the same time, something like that stuck out like a sore thumb.
"It's incredible really how your body has adapted in the absence of something so vital…but at the same time, it means your injuries take that much longer to heal," he said in awe.
Quit talking about me like I'm some sort of science experiment! I thought with indignation.
"You can say that again," came Snow's voice as she reentered the room with a half-completed form in her hand. "I mean, it took several personnel with dedicated Healing Semblances to just stabilize your burns from that projectile."
There were a few moments of tense silence as my eyes widened in horror, which was only interrupted by the loud slapping sound when Doctor Grey face palmed at the nurse's slip up.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" she asked nervously.
"Nurse Snow, we truly must get down to teaching you better bedside manner. There is something called 'being tactful' that you must look into sooner rather than later. I was trying to ease him into that news!"
Anything else they said to each other was lost on me as I looked back to my itchy chest and feelings of dread and fright took over me.
Burns? Projectile?! I thought breathlessly as I mustered my energy and pulled my sheets down, and I audibly gasped. Almost my entire torso was covered in bandages from my chest to my belly button.
What the Hell Happened?! I gasped as I reached down for the wraps.
"Oh Wait, Sir I-" Snow started to warn, but I ignored her and made a gap in my bandages, and I saw ugly reddish pink skin. The kind of skin caused by 3rd degree burns.
And like that, the last few memories right before my death broke through the haze and crashed all around me.
Fire! Burning! So Much Burning! Make The Pain Stop! Cinder! Cinder! CINDER!
I only barely registered the two sets of hands that pressed against me as I thrashed about, expending my energy in a burst of adrenaline, As I drifted off back to the sullen darkness, I still felt the phantom burns eating away at me from the inside out…
}Line Break{
Yeah...told you it wasn't pleasant.
Thankfully, I wasn't in that darkness for long, and the next time I awoke my memories of that bitch's arrow were intact, despite wishing I could forget about them. The room was darker than it was before, and there was no hint of sunlight trying to peak in through the curtains. I didn't know if that conversation had been earlier that day, or last week, but it still felt fresh in my mind. And in the darkened room, with only the annoying beeps to keep me company, my mind went through the usual gymnastics.
On one hand, I was thankful that I was alive and all, since Pyrrha wouldn't have that same luxury, but on the other hand, I was still traumatized. I still breathed heavily as I remembered the burning, and my heartbeat kicked up, but this time it didn't come flooding back to me all at once and overload me. Rather I was able to look at my situation both analytically and with regret.
She did it. She actually went and did it, I thought as I looked at the fresh bandages on me. I got too involved and the universe sent its fiery evil thot assassin. But Why…? Why did Cinder try to kill me there? I pondered to myself. I know she hated me for calling her Cindy, but she's hiding in plain sight under Ozpin's nose. Why would she risk being exposed after the battle was over?
I looked back on everything I had changed by my very existence in this land and I grimaced.
Instead of sucking everything into a black hole, the butterfly effect just tried to take out the piece that didn't belong…I reasoned. And for whatever reason, it failed.
And why did it fail? I have no friggen clue. Like Grey said, I had absolutely no Aura to heal my wounds, so I was weaker than the weakest background character in the entire world, and yet I survived something (albeit a weaker version) that would later go on to cause a rift in the fandom.
I frowned at that, as I remembered someone shouting my name in anguish before the darkness took me and I tried to get even with the universe.
…Emerald was there when I tried to rat out Cinder, I thought as I remembered her running towards me from where the other Neo had appeared. Could she have had something to do with me surviving?
I considered her arrival as all too convenient before I was struck. And while her evil friend probably just wanted to be rid of an annoyance, maybe hearing my words made her want to know what I knew. I shivered at that possibility and eyed the door with anticipation.
All she would have to do is come in here, interrogate me, and then overdose me and…
The beeping got more intense as a cold sweat broke out over me.
She would do it too. If it meant making sure there were no loose ends or that I didn't tell anyone else, she would kill me. How stupid am I for thinking she was different?! That she actually cared about me? She's just a murderous thief that can act better than half of Hollywood and-
I heard a commotion at the door and I legitimately heard my heart skip a beat. Voices at the door, seemingly confirmed my worst-case scenarios.
"Step aside please, I believe our guest is awake," came a muffled voice and my eyes widened.
Step aside? Who's out there? Who-
The door opened, and in walked Dr Grey, albeit with bags under his eyes, with no one else.
"Ah, good evening Mr. Sullivan or rather good morning technically," he said looking at his wristwatch.
"I…" I croaked out but he held his hand up.
"Please, don't try to speak Mr. Sullivan, I don't need you any more strained after yesterday."
I complied with his command, though I kept trying to look out the doorway to see if there was someone else. I don't know if he noticed me or not, but he closed the door behind him before he came over to my bedside.
"Now, first of all, I'd like to apologize from the bottom of my heart for Nurse Snow's lack of tact," he said mournfully. "I just want you to know that she has been reprimanded for her actions, she herself feels the right amount of shame for it."
I looked back to the door at that.
Oh, so the squirrel girl is probably outside the door right now then. That's who you were talking to, I sighed in relief. As long as it wasn't Cinder or Emerald, I was safe.
"You, uh, you haven't forgotten what she said have you?" he asked hesitantly. I looked back to him and blinked twice at that. "Ah…so it's safe to assume that you know exactly why you're here then?"
I reluctantly blinked once at that as I gained a thousand-yard stare and he sighed.
"…I'm sorry Chris," he said in all sincerity and gave a pat to my shoulder. "No one should have had to go through what you did."
Story of my damn life Doc…I thought in melancholy.
"I…" he started before he shook his head. "I can give you more information if you'd like, but I've already seen how you respond to shocking news, so I'll hold off till Snow is here to tell you."
I looked inquisitively at him and he scratched at his surgical mask.
"She may be a bit of an airhead, but her Semblance is quite handy for certain situations."
Handy my ass! She's a damn villain waiting to happen! I thought angrily remembering how my body stopped listening to my brain. And wait…
"Snow?" I croaked as I looked to the closed door.
"Oh, she's not here yet. Won't be for a few hours more," he said and I began to get nervous again.
"Who…Door?"
He seemed surprised by my question momentarily, but he quickly tried to wave me off.
"Oh, that was just another part of the staff that were, uh, wheeling another patient away," he said. Hazy as I was, I found the way he answered that highly suspicious, so I filed that away for later.
"So, are you in any major pain right now? Do you need any water or-"
"Tell…Me…Now," I croaked out and he winced at that.
"I…Mr. Sullivan, you are still far too weak. Perhaps we start with some soft foods and-"
"Tell!" I croaked again and he sighed.
"Are you positive sir?" he warned and I blinked once which caused him some duress.
"…I'll tell it to you straight then. After your incident, you entered into a comatose state. Yesterday was the first time you woke up in 52 days."
To say my eyes bulged out of my skull would be an understatement. Unlike the day before though, I did not start breathing heavily. I was far too shocked for that.
"Fifty…two?" I croaked and he nodded. "Well…Damn."
"You are lucky to be alive Mr. Sullivan," he assured me. "Despite your curious handicap, our team of specialized Semblance Healers were able to bring you back around."
His words became background noise as I took that info in. I had ordered him to tell me the truth, but it still felt so strange to hear.
A coma huh? Well…I guess that's a first…
"You're far from fully recovered Mr. Sullivan, but now that you're awake, we can progress further in your healing, and then begin the rehabilitation process."
I just blinked once at that sentiment as my eyes began to get droopy again.
With a sigh, Grey stood back up and said,
"It's going to be tough, but we'll see you through."
I tried to blink again, but I was already fading back into sleep.
I was shaken to my very core by the news, and the fact that I'd slept for a month and a half didn't even seem real. Surely I wouldn't have felt so sleepy after that much rest?
I would ponder this question on the many times I would become conscious over a two-week period. Said days were both agonizingly slow and seemingly fast at the same time for me. Slow because I was confined to my bed, barely able to move, and fast because of the meds. The time I would be conscious ranged day to day, but for the most part I spent them in the company of the Squirrel Nurse, the Masked Doctor, or a TV that played nothing but soap operas and made me wish for death. I couldn't exactly change the channel, Snow needed her poorly written romance drama, and the news was forbidden for me, which I only found out later.
Nurse Snow for her part didn't seem like she had been reprimanded at all because she was still peppy with me and acted as if nothing happened during our first meeting.
"Hey Mr. Sullivan, hope you're ready for Grimm and Bear It," she would constantly say with a smile, and all I would answer her with was a groan.
She was also the one to inform me of my many and sundried injuries. To summarize, I had massive third degree burns on and inside my chest, a concussion with minor cracks in my skull, three broken ribs and two cracked ones, internal bleeding courtesy of blunt force trauma to my organs, a broken right hand, a dislocated left arm, and over 25 other different muscles that had been torn or bruised.
Yeah, I hit the lottery didn't I? For all intents and purposes, I should have died…which I did, but they weren't the ones to tell me that.
But yeah, slowly but surely, the days became more focused as my concussion was healed by their Semblance experts, and less painkillers were needed. I don't know what they did seeing as how they would always wait till I was asleep to do their magic stuff, but by the end of two weeks, I was able to remain conscious for longer periods of time...and that's when things started to suck more strangely enough.
With a clearer head, came a few forced exercises to retrain my atrophied limbs. Unlike my time on the street though, I wasn't malnourished, but I had lost the little muscle tone I'd gained from hauling garbage around. I was eating solid food again, but I was still bed ridden unless I had assistance from Snow, which was a pain when using the bathroom. Oh and fear not, my hair and beard were still around, despite having been singed in some areas. Apparently, you don't need to shave for a brain scan.
But yeah, despite whatever progress I'd made, the phantom burn never seemed to leave. Whenever they would change my bandages, or put their salves on, I would close my eyes. I couldn't bear to see it…
…
…
It still burns some days…
…
Ahem, sorry about that.
Anyway, with my haziness gone and my rehabilitation started, I decided to focus all efforts on becoming functional again and kept all of my new plans right at the edge of my mind. What little information I was given spoke volumes to me, and so many of my backup, and backup backup plans had to be scrapped.
I knew that Cinder had tried to kill me, it didn't matter why anymore, so I had many escape plans for when she came to finish the job, whether in person, with Emerald, or Neo/Not Neo. Also, I knew that Snow and Grey were hiding something from me. Like I said before, they never let me watch the news, so that meant they didn't want me to see the outcomes to my actions, which they didn't even go into detail about.
According to Grey, they didn't care how I ended up in their care, just that they would fix me up, but I knew that wasn't the whole story. Several times both he and Snow would almost say something more but catch themselves and try to play it off like it was nothing. They also gave me different answers each time for when I heard them talk to someone just outside my room. Sometimes it was only a mumble, sometimes I heard muffled conversations as whoever it was stepped further away.
The kicker to everything though was that, being completely broke, I definitely wasn't footing the bill for my stay. My aunt was a Doctor, I know hospitals, getting a room to yourself, especially coma patients isn't the norm. There's usually an open wing for such people, and more often than not, to save on room, people are doubled up. As big as my room was, I should have at least had another patient in with me…but the other bed in the room was never filled.
Oh, and one more thing about hospitals, the patients get visitors. Despite my desires to stay away from them, I constantly had the main characters and then some clamoring around me, and yet, no one showed up when I awoke. I didn't so much as get a "Get Well Soon" card from those annoyingly invasive teens, so I knew something was rotten.
My paranoia and suspicions were raised, and so I made my plans because apparently, I had more time to work with than I originally thought.
You see, even after two months of staying in the hospital, the Vytal Festival hadn't come and gone. I'd always been under the impression that Volume 2's story kicked off two weeks after Volume 1, and Volume 3 not long after that, but nope. Apparently Rooster Teeth loves their time skips because the festival wasn't for another few months, and that the second semester only just started. At first, I didn't want to believe it, since Snow was the one to blab about it for conversation's sake, but I quickly found out her gossip was more than reliable.
So no, I didn't conveniently sleep through Volume 2, just some of it. The Universe wasn't gonna let me get off that easily.
}Line Break{
Barely 2 days after my head was cleared, and I was able to actually hold a conversation, I found myself watching something other than Grimm and Bear It. Snow had reluctantly changed the channel when she had to leave my room, so I got a break from the "drama" of seeing Armando coming back to life after faking his death for the third time. Instead, I got to watch Remnant's version of John Wick, and let me tell you, it's as awesome as it sounds. Just imagine the amazing choreograph of our version and throw in mecha-shift weapons, gravity defying moves, and this world's version of Keanu being a Monkey Fanus.
"Holy crap! He just cut that dude in half, with his tail! Why did Hollywood never think of that!?"
Sadly my amazement of such uber badassery was interrupted by some shouting coming from outside my door.
"For the last time, you can't see him! Doctor Grey ordered that he receive no visitors till he has fully recovered!" Snow's distressed voice rang out.
"And for the last time freak, I can give a rat's ass! You will let me and my partner see him or else I'll have you in for obstruction of justice!" a big gruff voice responded.
What the hell?
I quickly turned off the TV so that I could focus on the argument happening outside, which seemed to be getting more and more heated.
"This is a hospital! I will not just let you two jackasses do whatever you want unless you have a warrant!" Snow screeched.
A warrant? That does not sound good…
"Well would you look at that, it just so happens I do have a warrant. And what's this? It says that as soon as the sus-victim is coherent enough to be questioned then I have full authority to do so!"
And with that, my door was slammed open
Oh you have got to be kidding me! I thought in trepidation as Detective Burg strolled in like he owned the place. You remember him, the fatass that wanted to go Casino Royale on me after the first warehouse blew up? The same asshole who pocketed the lien I'd thrown at that Old Lady at the Pawn Shop? Yeah, well, his opinion of me had not changed apparently.
I couldn't help but start to panic slightly at what was going on outside my room. I remember my heartbeat monitor increasing in speed slightly (yes, I still had that damn thing on) but I ignored it in wondering just what the hell the cops wanted with me.
Crap crap crap crap! Why is he here? He should have gotten all his info from Ozpin and the others by now right?! I couldn't help but panic slightly as my heartbeat monitor increased in tempo. And of course, there was the smell. He had an odor of a decaying meatball, as if he ate nothing but garlic and Extra-Large Subs his whole life.
"Now go bite an acorn while I interr-question my witness. Think you can handle that you overbite rat?" he growled at snow.
And he's a racist prick too, perfect…I thought with a glare as Snow became crestfallen like she'd been slapped. She may have been an annoying gossip that could control my very being and had no concept of tact, but she'd at least been helping me recover.
But before she could voice her offense to the lug's remark, Burg's skinnier, yet still round partner slammed the door in her face.
"Ugh! I'm getting the head doctor; you're going to be sorry!" she shouted.
"Yeah yeah, whatever say you annoying rodent," Burg grumbled as he took out a cigarette pack and started to light one, "Letting those freaks inside Government buildings, pfft!"
"Hey! Didn't we talk about this already?" Burg just rolled his eyes at his partners comment before he walked over to my bed, puffing out smoke as he did.
Oh my God! How many stereotypes can you fulfill in two seconds?! Open a freaking window ya jackass!
Oblivious to my thoughts Burg continued to smoke much to his partners chagrin. His partner gave a deep sigh before he turned towards me and flashed me his badge.
"Hello Mr. Sullivan, I am Detective Hawkshaw of the Vale Police Department. This is my partner-"
"He already knows who I am Hawk, give the introductions a rest."
"He does?" the now named Hawkshaw asked in surprise.
Burg just gave a crooked grin as he grumbled out,
"Course I do. Me and Jim interrogated this homeless bastard after he blew up the warehouse downtown. I was pissed when he got to walk, but…" Burg got a dangerous glint in his eye as his smile turned malicious before he continued, "I'm starting to think that was more of a blessing in disguise now."
"I'm not a hobo damn it!" I growled automatically, "And I didn't blow up that stupid warehouse!"
This only amused Burg while Hawkshaw just raised a brow.
"Whatever ya say street rat, but we're not here about that particular case. At least, not right at this moment. Maybe later after a few questions."
Once again, my heartbeat monitor spiked from Burg's tone, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. I was nowhere near The Zone, but I could at least control my breathing again.
"Look fish breath, if this is about what happened at the docks then I doubt I can give you any better info. I've kind of been, you know, in here trying not to die and all that." He glared slightly at my jab to his hygiene, but his calmer partner spoke up.
"Be that as it may sir, it's important that we have your testimonial to paint a clearer picture."
"How? I was mostly trying not to die and didn't really do any fighting. I was just kind of there."
"Exactly," Burg piped up with a smug grin. "Why exactly were you there?"
My eyes widened slightly as that and I mentally cursed myself for falling for such bait.
"I mean, all those pretty girlies explained how they'd gotten into that fiasco, but no one can give a good damned reason for why you were there."
I stopped myself from glaring at his condescending tone, as I quickly came up with an alibi that sounded reasonable and not insane at all.
"I was enjoying my day off when I heard an explosive noise. I would've ignored it but I heard one of the students I know from Beacon screaming and-"
"Nope," Burg said.
"Huh?"
"I said nope. Enough with that bullshit excuse," he said a bit too cheerfully.
"But I-"
"We know you were with the trust fund brat before any battle took place, so don't try to lie Mr. Sullivan," he said with confidence.
"And we know you two were held captive by the White Fang in the very warehouse that went up in flames," Hawk added and I began to sweat.
"Now why would the White Fang, a terrorist organization that targets high profile individuals, kidnap someone like you along with a family member of their mortal enemy? It seems almost as though they saw you as an equal target..."
Shit! I thought in dread.
Once again, the heartbeat monitor started to speed up, tipping off the two cops that I was getting nervous. Even with that against me it didn't stop me from trying to lie myself out of the situation.
"W-well, I mean, I was right next to her, so maybe they didn't want witnesses?"
"Aw, now I don't think that's true," Burg chuckled humorlessly. "I mean after all, you're The Creeper after all ain't ya? Or am I mistaking one bum for another?"
I grit my teeth at his smug, insinuating tone.
"I mean, surely you've heard of The Creeper right? He's a sexual predator that feeds exclusively on young Fanus girls and-"
"That is all lies you fat bastard!" I shouted before my mind could tell my mouth to shut up.
"Ah, so you admit you are this Creeper guy huh? I don't see what you see in those beasts, but I guess everyone's got their kink. I won't judge."
Hawkshaw glared at his partner for his course comment, while I was just paling more as I cursed out my idiocy.
God damn it mouth! Stop making things worse and worse! Just let me think before you open up!
"We heard all the gossip from those beasts we captured after the first time you blew up private property, so color me curious when you show up yet again in the den of the Fang and history repeats itself," he insinuated.
"I didn't blow up that warehouse," I responded with a snarl.
"Are ya sure? I mean, surely you would want to up your ante after throwing you in a cage. The countless bodies we found were-"
"I DIDN'T KILL THEM! THOSE IDIOTS OFFED THEMSELVES IN THEIR MINI RACE WAR!"
My heartbeat monitor spiked like crazy at the detective's accusation as I loudly denied it with as much anger and conviction that I could muster.
Hawkshaw's eyes widened in surprise at my outburst, while Burg just smiled like the smug bastard he was.
"Now ain't that interesting, are you trying to convince me or yourself?"
"It's the truth!" I stood firm.
"Is it? Then why you sweating? Feeling guilty are we? Did you stick around to see them blown into little chunks for your sick amusement? Does that shit turn you on you sick fu-"
"That's enough Burg!" Hawkshaw's fed up voice fell on deaf ears for me, as I was currently shaking. Aside from the recurring burning in my chest, I had nightmares about those that had died.
I know it wasn't my fault! I did what any man would have done with his life on the line. I was just trying to escape, I didn't make them kill each other, that was all them. I didn't push over that line of dominos; it was all them! I have nothing to feel guilty about!
That's right…it wasn't my fault. I can't be blamed for their idiocy. I can't…
…
…
…
An-anyway, by this point the panic was starting to settle in for me. That tends to happen when you're accused of mass murder.
"L-Look, I didn't blow that damn place up. Weiss Schnee could corroborate that. She already has if you've actually interviewed her like you claim!"
"The Fang are only a factor Mr. Sullivan," Hawkshaw said in a calm tone. "Please understand we're not trying to make you uncomfortable. We're just trying to get to the truth of the matter."
Bullshit!
"Well that's the truth! I can't change it even if Gordo doesn't like the answers," I spat and Burg narrowed his eyes.
"…Alright you little shit, let's cut to the chase then. Why is Beacon so ready to cover up any involvement of you in these latest White Fang incidents?" he asked tersely which surprised me.
"Wh-What?" I asked and he started walking closer to my bedside.
"Why is that smug bastard Ozpin willing to pay for damages and handle the investigation personally? He's done that many times in the past, but he's been swooping a lot faster ever since you showed up."
He is? I mean, I know that gag order came from him but…Wait a minute. My eyes widened in dread as something he said registered with me.
"You're not actually here on orders are you?" I accused and Hawkshaw grit his teeth in frustration.
"Way to go dumbass! You and your big mouth," he scolded his partner while also confirming my suspicion.
I knew it! If Ozpin took over the investigation personally, then these pricks shouldn't even be here! They've gone rogue!
Burg just rolled his eyes before he put out his cigarette via his shoe as he gruffly said,
"Whatever, I was getting tired of all this official nonsense anyway. Now that the jig is up…"
The next thing I knew Burg roughly grabbed onto my bandages and pulled me up uncomfortably close to his face. My still healing chest cried out in protest, and my phantom burns became less than imaginary.
"AGH!" I cried out in pain as tears came to my eyes. "Put me down you fat fuck! It hurts! My chest hu-"
"Now listen here you little piss ant, you're going to give me the answers I want or your recovery period is going to be set back a few months!" he threatened, giving me a shake. "Now to start off, what the hell makes you so important that Beacon's got a gag order on everyone who investigated?!"
"I don't know!" I cried out as I swatted at his hands to no avail.
"The hell you don't!" he roared in my face. "What the hell is Ozpin hiding!? Why are Atlas soldiers guarding your room like you're some sort of VIP!? Why were you and the blonde chick targeted by an assassin!? What Sin were you warning to stop!?"
The more questions Burg asked, the more my heartbeat monitor began to pick up and the more my vision blurred from pain.
Atlas soldiers!? What Sin!? What do you mean Yang was targeted!? What the hell is going on!?
"Burg that's enough!" Hawkshaw warned. "You're going to reopen his wou-"
"I do believe you gentlemen have done enough damage. I advise you to stop before things have to get…difficult."
The last thing I saw before blacking out was Ozpin at the entranceway, with two Atlas soldiers flanking him with their weapons at the ready.
}Line Break{
As was becoming routine by this point, I awoke after my impromptu nap to the bane of my existence, the heart rate monitor. It was nighttime as evidenced by the shattered moon shining in through my window, which was odd in and of itself since the blinds were usually drawn. After a few minutes of deep breathing to catch my bearings, I let out a sigh of relief.
Phew…glad me conking out was advantageous this time. Those detectives were asking way too many dangerous questions…and making too many false accusations. But what did they mean about Atlas soldiers guarding my room?
My face scrunched slightly in thought, my mind going over Burg's literal shake down.
He said Atlas guards were guarding my room, but he and his rouge buddy got in. Was he lying to trip me up? But then again I remember seeing them with Ozpin before I passed out.
The thought of Ozpin's name caused me to shiver slightly, as whatever reason he had for being at my hospital room couldn't be a good one. No doubt it was full of ulterior motives. I then paled slightly as something else Burg mentioned registered.
He asked what Sin I wanted to stop. I remembered trying to say "Stop Cinder" right before my untimely demise, but in those last few moments, I didn't know if I'd actually said them aloud or not. But thanks to Burg, I now had my answer.
So maybe Emerald did hear my last message! Yang, Nora, Weiss and Penny must have heard it too! Shit! I talked about the Fall Maiden! They told Ozpin, and he must have put armed guards in front of my room to keep an eye on me. That's who Grey and Snow have been talking to on the other side of the door! And as I came to these revelations…
"It is nice to see you awake and well Mr. Sullivan, though I admit the circumstances behind it are less than fortunate I would think."
If the ever-present beeping hadn't have been there, I would have sworn my heart stopped. Turning my head to the side I saw Ozpin sitting on one of the visitor chairs with his ever-present poker face present despite him almost giving me a heart attack.
Oh, and can't forget about the coffee mug full of steaming coffee. Can never forget that.
I swear it would be freakier if he didn't have any coffee at this point. I mean serious-wait no that's not the problem here! Focus brain!
Taking lessons from past mistakes, I took a deep breath and asked as calmly as I could,
"G-geeze Headmaster, you almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing here so late…or at least I think it's late? Kinda was unconscious for a while so I don't have an exact time…"
Ozpin just hummed in response to my semi-joke before he spoke in his monotone way,
"My apologies, I had no intention of scaring you Mr. Sullivan. As for the time, well..." Ozpin absentmindedly looked at his watch before he continued, "you would be correct in it being quite late. It is almost midnight after all."
And here you are, still up and sitting creepily in the dark in my hospital room. This does not bode well.
"That is pretty late huh? But if that's the case why are you here Headmaster?" I asked and he raised a brow. "I-I mean I'm not judging you for visiting me or anything like that, I-I just mean it's just so late and you probably have more important matters and stuff!"
Actually, now that I think about, how you are still here? Visiting hours should have ended long ago.
Oblivious to my thoughts, or at least I hope he was, Ozpin calmly took a sip from his coffee mug before he said,
"Make no mistake Mr. Sullivan, I value all of my employees deeply even if they are on a less than desired position such as yours. I would have visited you anyway to make sure your recovery was going smoothly."
Man, I wish I could take that at face value, but damn it man, you're far too manipulative for that!
"As to why I am here so late, well simply put I had intended to visit you earlier today but thanks to some…complications I had to put our conversation on hold. Thankfully the head doctor here is an old friend of mine, so he pulled some strings to let me stay until you regained consciousness."
A part of me was really hoping that the small spike of annoyance on Ozpin's face when he mentioned those detectives was meant for them disrupting one of his employees while he was healing and not because he couldn't talk to me sooner.
I really, really hoped that was the case.
"Oh yeah…those detectives from earlier right? How'd they even get in here, apparently, I had Atlas soldiers guarding my room for some reason? How'd they sneak past them?"
At this Ozpin let out a tired sigh before he said,
"Ah yes, Ironwood's talent pool seems to be lacking lately," he said with a disappointed shake of his head.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Your two guards were caught fraternizing with the nursing staff when they were supposed to be on duty," he rolled his eyes in a rare display of emotion. "Pitiful. As much as I don't care for his metal soldiers, at least they can follow simple orders."
Now of course being a fan of the show, I knew who Ironwood was and what Ozpin was talking about with his robots, but since I needed to keep my knowledge unknown, I pretended to look confused as I asked,
"Ironwood?"
"Ah, General Ironwood is a friend of mine in the Atlas military. He recently…arrived in Vale in preparation for the Vytal Festival and he contacted me to catch up for old time's sake. He usually brings his work wherever he goes, so it was quite the surprise when he showed up…unannounced."
Huh…bitter Ozpin. That's a new one, guess him and Ironwood don't get along just like the show said. Good to know.
"Okay…but why are his soldiers guarding my hospital room?" I asked, though I had my suspicions.
At this Ozpin's poker face returned, as did his usual monotone voice.
"Due to multiple factors really. Mainly because your would-be assassin is still missing, and that some of the White Fang members from a few months ago have escaped custody. We thought it would be best to have your room protected to keep you safe till you made a full recovery."
I'd be more comforted if that was the full truth old man…and if that fiery bitch wasn't working for you! I thought in indignation.
There was a large moment of awkward silence between the two of us after that, with the monitor and Ozpin sipping his coffee to break it.
"So, uh, thanks for stopping by I guess and-"
"Actually Mr. Sullivan, I do have an important question I would like to ask you. I would have done so later but matters that have come to my attention have forced me ask before your full recovery."
An immense feeling of dread washed over me at that, but I tried to not let it show.
"O-oh?" I stuttered. "What would that be Headmaster?"
"No need to be so nervous Mr. Sullivan. It really is a simple question, and the only reason why it can't wait for later is because of forces out of my control."
Yeah, well that right there just made me even more nervous!
Before I could voice my thoughts, or at least a more subdued version of them, Ozpin sighed deeply before he asked his question.
"Tell me Mr. Sullivan, what is your favorite fairy tale?"
…
…
…
Whelp, I'm fucked.
}Episode End{
Oh boy, its the one question no one wants to hear in Remnant. Especially if its coming from the old man Ozpin himself! But lets be honest folks, you all saw that question coming Chris's way sooner or later, it just took being in a flame arrow induced coma for it to happen.
Truly the strangest of things lead to the most interesting of results.
Anyway, I want to give yet another apology for leaving you guys hanging so long with last episode's cliffhanger. Real life got the best of me, and I lost track of time to write. Thankfully I now have a semi-decent school schedule so I should be able to go back to my 'chapter every month' tactics.
Also, it is time for my favorite segment of these ANs! Let's get to calling you guys out!
Bartholomew Black: To strike someone down when their already weakened is what savages do I suppose. Gotta have that main villain attribute somewhere right?
Kevin Bakeland: Welp…this is awkward. Sorry for the wait hehehehe…
TheRealCactoos: That was honestly one of my favorite parts too. Nothing beats fricking chucking your enemy into the stratosphere ala Team Rocket I say! Plus it becomes pretty funny if you imagen Grunt getting a sparkle effect as he flies off.
Neorasu: Indeed, my friend. Indeed.
travisck: The answers you seek lie ahead, but will they be what you wanted? Or will they lead you down a path of destruction? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z! As for Chris's age, context in the story shall lead you to your answer…probably.
zeldawolffang: …Is it bad that I imagen that line as something from South Park, like instead of 'Oh my god you killed Kenny' its what you said? Made me laugh a bit too much…
ubivashka-kun: Nothing sparks tension then one of your friends, and your little sisters' best friend, getting impaled right in front of ya. Yang's gonna need some therapy…probably. And all those cat puns to be made…you brilliant devil you.
Prestige Productions: And here we have the winner for my favorite reaction! Seriously the escalation towards that last line was just brilliant man, made me laugh way too much.
GuestA: In time we'll see how everyone's holding up. But, uh, keep in mind Ruby is a cinnamon roll whose best friend just got put into a two-month coma. It's…not going to be pretty if it pops up.
Bomberguy789: First of all I freaking love your Hamilton review, love that play and that review was just perfect, if too long to make a Omake (gotta keep those relatively short after all). I was honestly geeking out the whole time I was listening to it and picturing it in my head music and all. As for your questions, spoilers my friend. Through I'm glad your enjoying the story still and I hope to continue to see your fantastic Omake ideas in the future!
rbvictor: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you have the previous ones as well!
AscendedHumanity: Thanks, and sorry for the really slow update. An what can I say, when it comes to twists I can even put Shyamalan to shame…through that isn't too hard in of itself.
rocketmce: I like to imagen that the timeline has a nice bunch of cracks all over it now thanks to Chris's accidental meddling, and it looks like Ozzy is making his first move now that Chris indirectly reveled the existence of the Maidens (or at least a Maiden) to his students.
Stryker: Yep, that's probably the best way to sum up everyone's feelings last chap. Great references by the way.
Zilla: What can I say but, Spoilers~
The Mad Author: Oh, you seem to be under the impression that there is a trap to avoid. Sadly, the trap you have stumbled upon happens to be quiet…inescapable. Once the trap is reveled, it will be far too late for you I'm afraid. …Where'd that come from?
NoteBlade: I don't know…is it? *wiggles eyebrows tauntingly*
GuestB: L1
TM Calypso: Definitely one of the best jokes in the Volume I arc if I do say so myself. As for who is the yandere….spoilers~ And my cliff hangers are the work of years of practice, and my undying need to troll my readers. But that's more of a bonus when I make them more then anything else really.
GuestC: Let's not forget the amount of favors and debt he now probably owns Ozpin for bailing him out on all of that. The poor bastard is a dead man walking at this point.
PvtTwitch: I'm with you there. If you want to take my stuff then I'll blow it up and with the grubby thief in the process! No one ever expects the sudden thermal explosion from the PC, no one!
GuestD: Thank you for the input, and I'm sorry that this kind of writing style put you off. I can safely say I can see where your coming from with the pattern, but things will be going differently soon enough. So long as everyone who enjoys the fic has a good time, then it all works out in the end.
Godzilla: *single tear rolls down cheek* That's just *sniff* beautiful man.
Kami Godzilla: It is a possible thing he could do, but he would never do it. While its clear that trying to avoid the plot only gets him more involved in the plot, there's still the fact that working at an soon-to-be Ex-Fang place would attract the wrong kind of attention. Might make for a good AU Omake through, if Chris started work there instead at Old Man Fullers.
GEStorm: Thanks for the praise! I wouldn't have gotten this far though if it weren't for you guys reviewing and constantly sharing what you liked about the fic. It gives me the motivation to keep going so I don't leave you guys hanging and you all get the proper ending! I also have to thank my wonder editor as well, considering these episodes wouldn't be nearly as good without him spicing things up and fixing all my mistakes. Here's hoping Volume II only takes a year to get through, and enjoy the re-read!
Kalbario: Yeah, I strangely have a talent when it comes to expressing all that stuff. Probably doesn't put me in the best light when I do better at making characters suffer then making them have fun, but what can ya do. Also I love just any fic that addresses the fact that being sent to your favorite world has consequences you have to deal with, and it won't be a breeze either. The realism is what gets to me honestly, and it just makes the read more enjoyable ya know?
VirusChris: Spoilers my friend for most of that, as for the dance well lets just say I'm going to have far too much fun when we get there. Poor Chris is gonna wish he was still in that coma when we get there mwahahahahaha…
DarkFox17: Finally someone mentioned Chris's ball shot! It's practically Chris's signature move at this point am I right? Oh, and that Omake was canon, so I guess Chris is gonna have to deal with a complicated misunderstanding down the line huh?
GuestE: Thank you!
Gojira: Interesting idea for sure, can't wait to use it. But as a Omake seems like a waste huh, maybe if I put it in the actual story…hmmmm the possibilities are endless. *troll smile*
Troy: An interesting idea for a Omake, considering the next one should be a non-canon one I might just use it. And if not, there's always future Omakes down the line. Thanks for the idea!
Unsettling-A.I.R: Thank you for the compliments and I'm glad my story managed to catch your attention so fiercely! Soon Chris's 'final' words impact shall be revealed, as for the whole SI thing…well its not. Trust me I'm not this crazy in real life, this is a OC fic through and through.
Majesticleviathan: Oh~ I wonder if Chris made one more slip-up then he thought? Only time will reveal that answer through, so who knows…
bwburke94: Shit hit the fan, knocked it over a four-story building, landed in a pile of compost, and is currently being flattened by even more compost. Basically, Chris just got more screwed over by the universe then even the universe thought possible.
Zen-Aku The Spirit Of The Wolf: Ah, the early bits of my writing coming back to haunt me. True Yang and Velvet weren't exactly the best people in those situations, but I hope recent developments have managed to help improve them in your eyes.
JohnAxios: Thank you, and I'm looking forward to whatever reactions you may have as we dive into Volume II!
Phew! That was a lot of you huh? I love it! As usual thank you all for reviewing and I hope you all continue to tell me what you liked (or didn't like) about these episodes. These always bring a smile to my face, even if there just questions or jokes!
Don't forget that there's no shame in leaving ideas for the fic or Omake ideas/request either. Next chapter's Omake will be a non-canon one, so keep that in mind if you do decide to give any Omake ideas. I always appreciate the extra inspiration and jokes, and don't be afraid to leave some feedback so I can continue making this fic awesome!
All logic used in this fic is completely head-canon, especially in relation to dust and the physics behind it. If you don't agree that's okay, its just how I see things.
Since last episode, our follow count has jumped up to 696! That's so close to seven hundred I literally couldn't stop myself from grinning like a madman when I saw it. As for our favorite count has gone past the five hundreds and is not at 513! Thank you all so much for continuing to support the story, and I hope you guys continue to enjoy reading this!
This has been LightDusk16, signing off!