And Yet again
The story arc
That will
Not
Die
"Uncle. I want you to meet my partner and leader of our team." Weiss happily said pulling on the older mans arm towards Ruby . Once in front of Ruby she could see how overjoyed Weiss was. She was simply bubbling, like when Winter visited. Just before she hit Weiss Ruby remembered. "Ruby Rose, this is my uncle, Herbst Eis Sturm Schnee."
Ruby offered her hand. "Nice to met you." He gave Ruby a solid handshake. "Likewise. I heard a bit of news concerning you and your team."
Weiss waited until the two had shook hands before asking. "What happened to you? Dad said you had left, never to return."
"That old mustache twirler tell you that? I was kicked out." He stated flatly. "Just before your tenth too. After knocking your dad on his backside. He filed charges of assault on me. Attempted murder no less. Then the law came after me. That man. He has almost every politician in his pocket. So I had to leave. There was not even a slim chance of a fair trial. So rather then spending time in prison or some work gang I left our nation." He sighed brushing a bit of hair behind Weisss ear. "Sorry Princess."
Looking unhappy he took one of Weisses hands in both of his. "Look, I know it was just before your birthday, and truth be told it was a rotten thing he did. When he spouted off that he was in charge of the company. Saying your mother had signed financial control over to him. He was even boasting, boasting! I tell you, that he married your mother just for her money. I'm sorry Princess, but I just could not stand it. So I slapped him, hard." Herbst took a breath, paused to remember and chucked a bit. "You should have seen his face when he hit the floor."
Weiss stared saying in a shocked whisper. "Marrying mother? That's what he said to me and mom at my tenth birthday."
"I should have expected him to do that. Hurt you and your mother out of petty revenge. He also blocked me from contacting sis or you. Calls, letters, massages. Everything. He just wanted to use each of you to hurt me, the cowered."
Rubys scroll rang. And unknown number. "Hello?"
"Ruby?" Came Rainbow voice. "It's time to get you to your class."
"Um. Huh? Ok. It was nice meeting you Mr. Schnee." The man gave her the most elegant bow Ruby had ever seen. It was like he was talking. Saying he would look forward to seeing her again. Weiss waved goodbye before turning to her uncle.
"What have you been up to these last few years?" Weiss asked. "Come with me and I'll show you." He responded.
In the car Ruby voiced her assessment. "I didn't know Weiss had an uncle." Rainbow gave Ruby a crooked smile surprised by Rubys words then laughed.
"Of course she does." Rainbow grinned. "Even cousins, the Schnees are a large family not some low populated inbred aristocrats. They do inheritance rather strangely though. The one who makes the most moneys in life gets the lions share of the inheritance. Everyone else gets a token amount. Weiss, her mother was good at running the cooperation. Well, before her husband tore her down. Word is she drinks now, a lot."
"Ya." Ruby sighed remembering what she learned when Weiss had argued with Blake. "I remember her saying she had a hard childhood."
"Were here." Ranbow announced pulling into a parking lot. Getting out of the car Ruby looked over the two story building with a glass front going around the entire building. "I was expecting more, yaknow, like, a track and field or something."
Rainbow shrugged as they headed for the front desk. "Your abilities are rather strange Ruby. First, you're fast, but when you encounter another aura user you seem to slow down, so something's up. This is our Aura and semblance lab, here are the brightest minds. Or if you will. The most unusual minds that Remnant has to offer."
They checked in. filling out some paper work. Found a seat and waited about five minutes before a tanned black haired man dressed in a gray blue polo shirt and brown pants with black office shoes came out to see them.
"Hello Rainbow nice to see you again." He said offering his hand before turning to Ruby. "So, your Ruby Rose. Daughter of Summer Rose. It's good to finely met you." He smiled taking her hand.
"You. Know my mother?" Ruby assumed. He nodded. "She was on a different team then mine at Beacon, but I like to think we were friends. Truth be told, after graduation I never saw her or her team again." He admitted sadly.
Ruby scratched her head not sure what to say to this man. He knew Summer, so he said, but Ruby had to admit to herself she never knew her mother past fuzzy memories in her toddler days.
"Well, let us get on with it." He offered seeing her confusion. "First is some basic testing and we'll go from there. Right this way please." The three moved to the back rooms to a small office that looked more like a medical office.
He had Ruby sit in a dentist like chair before moving some medical gear to her. Then he looked at Rainbow.
This woman was sharp Ruby noted as Rainbow understood his look and spoke right up. "No, not leaving, Rubys had one nasty set of events these past days for a sixteen year old, and I'm staying by her for comfort." He nodded in a simple ok way.
They did a blood sample, heart rate, pressure and aura test while Rainbow sat to the side and watched the man like a hawk watches a mouse.
"Ok. This is enough for a base profile. Lets move to the testing lab." Down a few halls and into another room that was much larger with two large machines each shaped like a half circle hanging from a tall ceiling. "Ruby if you would stand on that X over there and when were ready we'll have you activate your aura." Once on the X Ruby heard the snap of a large breaker above her. Looking up she saw the two machines humming to life and some lights activating as they moved slightly down and spread open above her.
Activating her aura Ruby was instructed to move her aura in different ways. He even had her do a small step to the side while using speed. Walking in a circle then going rose petal in a small area.
"This is odd." He muttered typing the keyboard. Above the two mechanized half circles moved as he asked. "Ruby if you please, activate your speed semblance, don't move and use it as long as you can without moving."
Ruby found this was the hardest of these tests. Trying as she may Ruby fidgeted in place. When the test ended he seemed upset.
"I'm going to need one of my colleges for this." He stated before leaving. Ruby crossed the room and sat in one of the few chairs in the room next to Rainbow.
"Did the test go that bad?" Ruby asked focusing on replenishing her aura yet wanting to know what this was about. Rainbow shook her head.
"You turned into a blur while we watched. I don't think a speedster does that, and your metabolism dropped to zero. That's to say everything stopped, breathing, and no heartbeat. It was like you were not here. Yet you were and moving." Rainbow shrugged. "You're turning into a mystery. And. In this place, that's trouble." Rainbow started smiling before adding as an afterthought. "For you." Then she ruffled the hair atop Rubys head.
"I was too moving." Ruby complained. Rainbow shook her head. "Not to the instrument's." Confused Ruby stayed still waiting until not two but three people entered the room. They didn't even say hello, just headed for the computers and studied the data muttering to themselves.
One moved to the place she had been testing at and set up some items. A sheet of glass, and apple a light switch and a push button. The machines above moved again, angling as if pointing to the X and lowering a bit more.
"Ok." Said one. "Ruby is it? Would you come to the X. We want you to activate your semblance, push it as far up as you can go. Walk to the glass here and lightly push it with your finger, then eat this apple, turn this knob and push this button, then come back to the X, but we want you to walk, not run as you do this.
"Ok, this is weird. You want me to walk?" They all nodded, two with clipboards in hand started writing as soon as Ruby stood on the X. Ruby heard that device above her shifting.
"Anytime your ready." One said.
Feeling everyone's eyes on her Ruby took a self conscious breath activated her semblance and pushed it up then tried to walk. She found herself sliding into the glass when she tried to stop. The floor was like ice. The glass shattered as she hit it. Running a bit she moved around the now flying shards to the apple, sliding to a stop to eat it. She found it tasty. Leaving the core on the table she moved to the next test. Then turned the knob which came off in her hand. She let it go, watched as it seemed to float in the air, then pushed the button before returning to the X.
When she turned off her semblance the bedlam around her was loud. The glass shattered like a bullet had hit it scattering shards across a wall. The apple was spinning on the table. The knob looked like someone used a sledge hammer on it and the button was flying across the room slamming into another wall. Ruby was shocked. Even Rainbow was standing yelling. "What just happened!"
"Yep." Said one researcher proudly His excitement creeping into his voice. "Nailed it! She's a time distorter."
"That explains the inertia factor. A light touch at those speeds is high impact."
"What about her metabolism?" Asked the third.
"Not sure, need more study, but and this is over simplistic, I'm thinking she becomes immortal for this short period. Otherwise she would be an old woman by now."
"That may explain the lack of heartbeat and everything else, could this be a stasis effect?"
"Ok, but what's this sideways tornado she does? Does it negate her mass? Can she take others with her?"
Like hens clustered around a feed bowl they chatted with each other going over ideas for testing Ruby. Ruby walked over to Rainbow to sit. As they talked and began operating the computer. The machines above the test point reconfigured. Lights started shifting on the inner curve and beams of color targeted the X. The whole thing shifting down and a bit wider. Ruby swore it hummed a bit louder.
"I don't think I want to be here anymore." Ruby wined to Rainbow. The researchers all stopped talking, turned and quietly started watching Ruby. The way they studied her made Ruby fell like a bug in a jar.
"It is a bit overwhelming." Rainbow agreed. "These three seem to forget there dealing with a person when something new comes along."
"Well, we are sorry." One gushed. "It's just, your one of less then a hand full of time distorters we know of. Fascinating. Really. What you and they can do. Just your kinetic factors alone are off the charts. Even the high speed recorders could not get a crystal clear image of you. And the size of the effects, I think, based on the math, but we'll need more testing to be sure. That you may have engulfed all of Remnant. Just in aura consumption the data we gathered shows unknown pathways, it's fascinating."
"Ya." Said Rainbow frowning slightly. "It's time to go." She stood as they objected. A pile of reasons came off them why they should continue. Rainbow ignored them. "Sorry to get you in this mess Ruby but right now, it seems you're the golden goose and they all want an egg."
As they moved to the exit this team of researchers fallowed them. They wanted Rubys scroll number so they could arrange an appointment. Rainbow said no. To go through her. With an arm around Rubys shoulder she guided Ruby outside the building into the car. Only when they pulled away did Rainbow look in the rearview mirror at the three standing on the road with a fourth coming out of the building all of them watching the car leave.
"Thanks." Ruby said gratefully once the car was a distance from the building. "I started feeling more like a thing, an experiment."
"Comfort food?" Rainbow asked. Ruby nodded with a grin "Cookies."
"I know a place." Rainbow told her turning down a different road.
Weiss
"You live here?" Asked Weiss confused that a home would be in the middle of an artificial grove. The house was a ranch style and small to Weiss. A small pond with a walkway round it met the path they walked on. "I found this soothing." Herbest patted Weiss on her arm in a comforting way. "After all there is the armed walls, anywhere from eighty to two hundred hunters in the making here. Not including instructors. Patrols and guards. I feel safe." He quietly explained.
Inside was a more standard layout for a home with two bedroom kitchen dining room combination and a living room with a good view of the small forest. Weiss seated herself at the kitchen table while her uncle made coffee. "What do you think of that faunas that started all this?" Herbst asked abruptly.
"Isaac?" Weiss asked as she shifted a bit. "Personally I don't like him, he's brash, overbearing, and heaps out maltreatment. And those are just his positives." She stated rather upset. Herbst set up a tray as Weiss went into detail on their resent events until it was time to serve coffee.
They were quiet as was proper for appreciating the beverage until half the cup was gone. "He is a handful." Herbst agreed. "I think you should leave team RWBY." Weiss blinked at the unexpected change in there conversation and looked a tad distressed before setting her cup down with an almost clunk. Asking as her voice became manageable. "Why?"
"I think you should also leave Beacon Academy." Herbst added. "When these grim come little is going to be left and most of the student body will be dead." He stated adding with more emotion then was proper. "Please. Leave that place."
It was a eureka moment for Weiss a world changing realization. "I, I can't. Good or bad. This is my life now." She confessed. Herbst looked down all but muttering. "Your like every hunter I have ever spoken to. What is with that place?" Weiss reached over the table to take her uncles hand. "I am sorry uncle. We all make choices for good and bad. Come what may. This is mine."
"I understand Princess." He said softly. Weiss saw his aura manifest then move up her arm.
"Uncle?!" Weiss looked about. Surprised that everywhere she looked was white. Only her and Herbst were here. "What? Where are we? Is this your semblance?" Confused Weiss wondered if he was going to force his wants on her.
He held up his hand in a calming gesture. "I'm not here to kidnap you. This is to help. Now before we go any more into this. Class. I want your word, as a Schnee that none of what happens next will be spoken, to anyone save me." He waited for her answer.
"I trust you Uncle Herbst. I always have. I will be silent on my life. As a Schnee I give this declaration upon our immeasurable history, I will not shame our people." She vowed.
Herbst nodded. "Wordy as always with you in times like this, but I do admit we come from a long line. Now truth be known I am a part of the Grimms Banes counsel what they call an L class or Leader if you will, also I am a telepath. I can read your mind and you, like now can hear mine. Like now you see what I want you to see." He made a motion with his arms. "This place is the training grounds, we will be spending, to your time reference years here." He again held up his hand. "Please Princess let me finish." Herbst saw her, knew her and explained.
"We are now moving at the speed of thought, days can go by here and mere seconds in the real world. Here I will unlock and heal as I can what has been done to you by your father, clean up the excessive social walls you were forced to build and allow you to realize your full potential. To unleash your power upon the world. May the makers forgive me."
Then it started. Weiss relived her life in that place, saw her old world with adult eyes. How her father trained her, gave her hope only to remove it for any slight. Broke down her mother emotionally with his manipulation and made victims of her family. When Winter left she learned her father had no intention of gifting her the family fortune. That was just a means to control. All would go to Wittly only. The malaise of her father reached a zenith as her father broke from tradition, that no mater what Wittly will inherit the fortune, not what was best for the Schnees.
On it went. Reliving her life. Sometimes she felt that her heart would never mend as childhood traumas all but re shattered her. Herbst was there and like in the past he tried to uplift her and helped her to heal herself. Until he declared this was all he could do. Then the training started.
Combat with and without a weapon. Glyphs, summons, aura and dust. Knowledge of Grim of history and land, tidbits of useless knowledge repeated so much Weiss couldn't count all the times. She memory practiced and through it all she summoned.
Days without end, time without meaning. Perfection was not required with Herbst it was demanded. The war to come. The fall of Beacon and Vale. He showed her what he knew and Weiss trained like her life and her teammates lives depended on it. Until.
Weiss opened her eyes. Seeing her hands over Herbsts. She could see he was tired. He had spent himself to teach her. She squeezed his hands to comfort him. Stood to help him up and moved him to his favorite chair. As he dosed Weiss looked out the window and noted how the trees swayed in the slight wind, the movement of each leaf and branch, and how the air felt as it moved about her. She felt reborn, new to the world and every detail caught her eye as something wonderful.
"I am alive." She told the world. That was enough she knew. The rest would attend to its self.
Going outside Weiss summoned. A Beowolf quickly formed before her. It was easy. Too easy. She knew why. Though the concept was hard to comprehend, that her mind held years of learning. "Uncle, you knew this would make school boring." She harrumphed to herself. Knowing he wanted her to leave. She with her new knowledge could challenge all of her classes to the fourth year, and pass. "This is your fault." Then she smiled. "And I love you for it."
She watched the Beowolf fall apart. The dissipating motes of energy pushed around by the breeze until it vanished. Finding a seat outside Weiss with fresh coffee in hand sat and slowly sipped. Idly she watched the world about her feeling a calm within herself she had never known before. The woods helped ground her. The slow movements of the wind and branch somehow kept her mind from drifting.
Time passed slow or fast Weiss didn't mind. Then she felt, something. Turning towards it she saw Ruby walking down that cobblestone path. Setting down her cup she stood knowing it was time to say goodbye, for now to Uncle Herbsts. As Weiss stood she suddenly realized. "By the brothers, I'm like Isaac, old in mind." Weiss cupped her face in her hands wondering if Uncle Herbsts could erase her mind but leave the skills.
Blake
"All right. said Red. "Now, as before." He tossed a red dust shard on the floor. Blake concentrated and her clone grew out of it. She stared at it. Marveling that it just took a different state of mind to create. When her semblance had first manifested as defensive she had given it no further thought. It just happened when a blow landed. She would port to the side or back and the clone took the hit. Not anymore. With her new mindset her clones could be formed, became a solid part of her. A bit of her made large as life. Now she had to work on aura.
"Ok, take it slower this time." Just like those old flat screen films two hindered years ago, port them bit by bit. The faster you port em the more natural there movements. Blake moved her body slowly. Watching her flaming self copy her movements until the dust burned it's self out. "Again." Said Red tossing another shard on the floor.
They had been at it for what seemed hours. Moving from place to place even doing the equivalent of playing tag. Her fallowing Him as he teleported from place to place. Blake was still trying to wrap her head around this. She could do more then port to the side leaving a clone. With practice. It would become a combat buddy fighting along side her. Teleporting? That she could move herself and other things was almost mind shattering. Is the universe truly moving? With her the center? She had to ask herself again as the clone fizzled out. Isaac kept saying the limits on our aura and semblances were placed there by ourselves.
"Are all your students turning out like this?" Red shook his head. "Most just make simple jumps, what they can handle in their heads and no more. Frustrating sometimes." He dug into his bag getting a handful of shards. " I pitched more then a few out the door because of there self limitations." He tossed the hand full of red shards onto the floor. "Light em up." He told her.
No limits? Really Isaac? Thought Blake remembering a book of fiction she had read. "Reality does not exist." She said holding out her hand fingers splayed out as if she was casting a spell. Seven clones formed blazing in there heat.
"You better believe it girl!" Red told her ecstatically. "Now. Port, take em with you." Blake didn't get ten feet with them. Her aura slamming into the red. With a gasp she slumped down to her knees.
"Don't try so hard." He scolded walking over to her as the clones fizzled out. "You've seen the black. That void where nothing is nowhere. Just slip em into that, then move." He counseled. He put a hand on Blakes shoulder charging her aura up slowly. "That's another thing, do some scouting now and again, find a place with positive life. It will help charge you up, just open a small hole from it to you, think of it as if you're the horsefly, and drink it up."
"Just don't get swatted?" Blake asked. Red nodded with his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Some weird stuff out there kid, if you don't understand it scoot. Don't care how pretty it is."
Once her aura was mostly full Blake stood asking somewhat curious. "How did you find yourself here? Seems to me you could find a world you liked and stay there." Watching him toss new shards to the floor. Blake put half an ear to Red as she formed her clones.
"First, did and done. First time you go to sleep Id come back here. Two. I read and heard the news girl. Thought it was a good idea what they were doing. Then that big grim hit the news along with that information dump. That grim research? I spent days reading the stuff. Now Think about it. These people are making a city! You know what that means? You can fit in anywhere you want. Most people here are restarting there lives. So I joined. They have an interesting way of teaching the recruits. Its harsh training make no mistake. Every one has to do it. Tears em down fast. Once free of the old teachings they build you up. Buffs them up by a factor of five. Most of the instructors here I believe could take on the professors or even headmasters at these Academe's. And. Here? Teachers take no crap."
Blake popped out of existence reappearing at the other end of the building. Then popped back with her clones in tow. "That made it easy." She happily declared.
"Make em dance." Said Red. Blake with a vanishing smile folded her arms. The look on her scowling face asked. Why?
A light from an opening door caught their attention Ruby and friends had arrived. Blake popped over to them. "Oh, thank the makers your back."
"Gaaaa!" Ruby cried out. "Warn me before you do that." Blake looked at her with a how plastered on her face. Then Red popped in. "Gaaaaa!"
Weiss turned her head snickering. Trying to keep down a laugh.
"Here ya go kido. A gift." Said Red handing Blake a suitcase. "Don't open it, till ya got somewhere to stow the stuff it's filled to the brim with fire, ice, electric, and earth dust shards.
"Quit the gift." Weiss praised. Red shrugged. "Not really Schnee. Own part of a dust mine. These are the floor scraps, for training." Weiss shrugged indifferent to his belittling. Blake seeing the attitude shifted wondering about Weisss behavior as Weiss continued speaking. "Still. There worth more then most can afford." To that Red bobbed his head. "Good luck Blake hope you survive." Then Red was gone.
"Why does everyone keep saying were going to die?" Ruby burst out her frustration etching her voice. "If I start getting junk mail with funeral proposals." Blake sighed and put a hand on Rubys shoulder turning her to the door. "Just forget it. Red has had a harsh life and he takes it out on everyone." Blake counseled as they headed for the car.
When they arrived at Thumpers they could here rhythmic booms coming from the building. The nose becoming much louder when the door was opened. Finding Yang between two four foot thick logs shod in iron. Yang was braced with her arms up like she was boxing. The iron shod logs would come together with a thrum. Yangs aura would do a double flash stopping the logs then pushing them out. Only to come back again. The thrums were so loud they had to get close just to be heard.
When Ruby got a good look at Yang she burst out yelling. "What are you doing to my sister!" Yang was covered in bruises her lip had been split and she was bleeding out of one nostril. She had small cuts scattered along her leg's and arms.
"She's fine." Thumper told her with a dismissive wave of a hand. "Been at this the last hour. Simple training. She's finely up to channeling damage into aura." Ruby sputtered unable to give a voice to what she was seeing. Thumper seeing the young girl all but vibrating in distress pulled a chain and the logs spread apart.
"Hay!" Yang yelled. "I was in the zone! What gives?" Thumper pointed a thumb at Ruby. "Oh? Hi sis." She waved switching to big sis mode.
"Well, looks like its time for you to leave. Ready?" Yang nodded as that platform started sliding forward. "Ok, then. Impress me." He told her. And pulled another chain.
"Sonofabitch!" Rainbow cursed. Seeing two six foot round solid bars of steel coming down. Yang held out her arms in a traffic cop-T-pose and burst as they hit her hands. Stopping them. The shockwave knocking anyone too close back a few steps. Another burst of aura from Yang. A much stronger one then the first knocked the steal back to a ninety degree angle. Smiling Yang walked forward. Letting the anvil logs boom together shaking the room.
"Yes!Yes!YES!" Thumper screamed at the roof. Then pointing at Yang. "That's how you do it! With style!" Yang looked pleased as punch. If a bit smug.
"Let me clean up." Yang told them giving a thumbs up motion to Ruby before heading for the shower. Thumper nodded then held out a payment device to Ruby. With a sigh she slotted her card. Fifty thousand didn't seem like much now. Happy with the monetary gain Thumper walked away. Rubys team watched as he went through another door.
"What happened here?" Asked Blake looking at the destruction littering one end of the building. "What was that over there?" She pointed at a pile of concrete on the ground with three large bent and twisted rebar frames laying next to it. Two sixteen inch steal I beams were bent almost into a horseshoe.
"Training." Said Weiss. Knowing there was no other word she could have used. However, seeing Blakes reaction to her Weiss added with a more demure voice. "Harsh training?"
"Punch through a mountain." Ruby blurted explaining quickly. "Isaac said that once. Said he wanted to see Yang learn enough to punch a hole in a mountain, and me, run faster then the speed of sound." Ruby went quiet thinking about what happened. "I think I can do that, now, but walking." Weiss and Blake stared at Ruby then looked to Rainbow who nodded her head adding. "Um, girls if you get a call from an aura semblance researcher, hang up. There after Ruby." WHAT? Was plastered on Weiss and Blakes face.
"For research?" Questioned Weiss regaining some control and wanting to be absolutely sure. Rainbow nodded. "She just happens to be one of few people on Remnant with her class of semblance." She waited until Weiss was about to burst before saying. "Time." Ruby can control Time." Weiss thought about it then smiled saying. "Today's full of surprises."
"I would ask what you learned Weiss." Said Rainbow. "But, I know you took an oath just to have the class." Weiss gave her a polite bow gratefully saying. "Thank you."
Thumper came out loitering by the showers waiting for Yang to come out. When Yang finished cleaning up the group saw him holding two ringlets as he talked to her.
"Is he purposing?" Blake asked. "I saw, those armbands are like finger rings, right?"
Rainbow rolled her shoulder. "Depends on the color, can be everything from a friendship band to a bonded pair."
"Looks like copper." Ruby saw as Yang took one. "She's excepting it?" Ruby let out a happy squeal.
"If it's copper its like thinking of you. You know, friends with benefits." Rainbow explained.
"She excepted it." Weiss breathed. As Tumper put the band on Yangs left arm. Then she put one on his.
After Yang started walking to them while Thumper leaned on the wall to watch Yang walk away.
"So?" Ruby looked up at Yang. "You getting married?" Yang laughed ruffling Rubys hair.
"This." She raised her arm. Is bronze. It's like thinking of you, with no restrictions on who we date. So when we want we can go out and spend some quality time with each other. Or not. Marriage?" Yang questioned as she shook her head. "I'm too much of a huntress to give that up and I don't like the brief info dump on how Grimms Bane treats their people, like solders not hunters."
"So. Friends with benefits?" Blake asked. Yang nodded. "I got his number."
Outside Rainbow was almost catty with Ruby. "Your group is interesting. Now. Ready for some real training?"
"If we are hospitalized for this I will never forgive Isaac." Weiss told them. As they gaped at her Weiss added. "We have learned a great deal. We may be pushing it if we learn more."
"Resisting or knowing when my mind is being controlled?" Asked Yang bitterly. "What do you think?" Weiss sighed a finger on her forehead. "Right. Sorry. Forgot about that. Ok, I understand." Yang gave Weiss a wtf look.
"Ok. Mount up people." Rainbow ordered as she put away her scroll. "I just let em know were coming." As they entered the car. Weiss asked. "Just where on this base is this facility?"
"13 stories underground." Moving down the rode they moved to the center of SCP 002 stopping at another walled check point before driving into a large hanger like building. Rainbow pointed at a large metal building inside the center of the hanger that was the size of a house. "That's the lift system. And our destination."
"What's down there?" Asked Blake as they exited the car. A man in uniform had directed them to a parking spot and seemed to be there escort. He didn't answer her question saying only. "Just fallow. If I tell you anything you'll have expectations. Best if you don't." The building housing the elevator was not just one but several of different sizes, they entered a smaller one. Once in the elevator there escort opened a small door pulling out a landline phone. "Were here." He said.
The elevator lurched. "Just the locking mechanism releasing us." He told them hanging up the phone. Then they started moving down, and kept going. After forty or so seconds the elevator started breaking to a stop. As the doors opened there escort declared. "Orientation is this way." Then started walking.
The place was armored with stainless steel on every wall, floor and roof. The clack of there footgear partly echoed in the overly wide hallway. The lack of people here making the ambiance a little unnerving. The doors they passed looked more like heavy iron. Each with a number welded on the door and above it.
"Anyone note that Rainbow is last in line and her smile is gone." Asked Yang. There was a mute agreement from the rest. "Show time." Yang said with her game face coming on.
Entering what could only be a meeting room there escort waved his arm at the chairs. "Please be seated. Someone will be with you shortly." Closing the door as he left. Hardly seating themselves a woman walked in. Dressed in the Grimms Bane uniform. Her walk was all military. The spacing and constant speed of her legs was almost mechanical. Her movements reminded Weiss of Winter in a bad mood. At the center front of the room she stopped and rotated as only the military can facing them. She seemed to stare straight in front of herself. As if focused on a spot on the far wall.
"I am commander Shimmer. You are here at the request of Grimms Banes founder." She began. "First. I recommend you all discontinue this trial. We normally require one to finish our basic training, show promise in the memetic field and then pass certain examinations. Make no mistake this is a trial. Here we will show you parts of yourselves you did not know existed. You will learn fear, helplessness, all the emotions one can endure. You will be exposed to some of the more rare grim in Remnant. These creatures will control you mind, your emotions, and your perceptions. You should be told. This trial has killed students. You will sign a waver saying you understand this before you are allowed to continue or you will leave."
As if waiting for Shimmer to finish another Grimms Bane officer entered the room. He handed out paperwork with pen as any lawyer would. Finished he moved to the front standing besides the commander.
"First page." He stated in a clear voice. "You understand that grim will be used to manipulated your mind, your emotions. Sign at the left bottom with today's date." He waited for them to finish.
"Turn the page." He waited for them to respond. "You understand that shock vests. Sound screamers and strobe lights will be used to keep you from freeing or fighting these grim. Sign bottom left with today's date." Again he waited for them to finish.
"Turn the page." Again he waited. "You understand you may not be the same mentally, physically, emotionally, and you understand your aura may also change as a result of this trial. Sign bottom left with today's date." He waited as they signed.
"Turn the page." He waited for them to finish. "You understand in the case of parasitic possession we will be for safety terminating you. Sign bottom left with today's date." He waited for them to finish.
"Turn the page." Waiting he finished the last page of instructions. "This is an obligation form not to willingly tell anyone in any form what you have and will see in this facility. You will deny this facilities existence. Sign bottom left with today's date."
When finished he gathered the forms then he and the commander added there signatures. Only when finished did the man leave with the paperwork.
The commander took a moment to look them over. "Any questions." She more demanded then asked.
Yang turned to face Rainbow. "I thought you said you were O for 1?" The commander answered.
"That was after the trial." Shimmer cut in. "Hijacking can occur. Only two out of the hundreds that have passed these trials needed to be terminated."
"She is not trying to scare you." Rainbow added sincerely. "This can happen and you need to know all the risks to make a solid choice. Stay. Or go."
"Stay." Said Yang with no hesitation.
Ruby hesitated. "Stay." She all but mewed.
"Stay." Blake declared.
Heaving a sigh of irritation Weiss looked them over before saying. "I'm not leaving any of you. So. Stay."
Rainbow stood. Waiting for them all to stand. "Good luck. See you at the end." Then she left.
"This way." Said the commander. Indicating a door on the far wall. "An escort will meet you on the other side." Then she fallowed Rainbow.
"Showtime." Yang grinned. Blake rolled her eyes, Weiss looked at Yang her face twisting with an are you serous look? Ruby was the first who started moving towards the indicated door.
Thanks for reading.