For those who have been waiting for the next chapter of this story, I apologize for how long this took. Moved across the country to Louisiana, and I've also been dealing with personal things that took most of my time. Welding school is rather fun. Hope you enjoy how Salem became a public figure.
A thousand thanks and well wishes to JessesanMan for his help with plot and editing.
Chapter 9: Beautiful Lie
Ruby blinked in surprise as she found herself lying on a bed of yellow roses. She slowly pushed herself to her feet, careful to avoid grabbing onto any of the sharp thorns still connected to the stems. Surrounding her in a seemingly unending field were more roses, all the same, sunny yellow. Looking down, Ruby saw that, rather than the pajamas she'd gone to sleep in, she was wearing her favorite black skirt and a shirt with a sigil of three hands caressing a heart. Suddenly, everything made sense to her.
"This must be one of those dreams where I know I'm dreaming," Ruby put her hands on her hips, glancing around at the infinite garden. She nodded to herself, "One bowl of strawberry ice cream, please!"
The second she finished her sentence, a bowl with two massive scoops materialized in her hands. There were even little chocolate chunks sprinkled over them! Powerless to control her sweet tooth, Ruby dug in and swiftly devoured four bites. Joyfully discovering that dream ice cream didn't give her Brain Freeze. Her frozen delight was gone within a minute, leaving the thirteen-year-old with a satisfied tummy.
"Okay, so now what do I do?" Ruby asked herself as she willed away the empty bowl and spoon. Spinning in a circle, she looked for signs of any dream people. Or anything other than the vast expanse of flowers. Then she saw it. Maybe a hundred yards away was a shadowy figure standing motionless. She couldn't tell if it was a person or an animal, but it looked like it was possibly hunching over. What were they doing?
"Hello? I know I'm in a dream, but who are you?" she called out to them loudly. The shape said nothing in response. Ruby frowned at how rude the person was acting and decided to get closer. A burst of petals and Ruby was standing five feet away from them. Now that she could see better, she saw that the figure was a woman in a golden cloak, currently gazing at the ground. All Ruby could see of the woman's face was the vague outline of her nose and chin.
"Hi, dream person. It's kinda weird that you're not responding like the ice cream did, but I don't really know how dreams work. Unless this is how it works…. it's… heh heh," Ruby trailed off, a little embarrassed that even in a dream, she was socially awkward. The woman made no indication of having heard anything Ruby said. Concerned and momentarily forgetting she was dreaming, she reached for the woman's shoulder, "Uhhhhh, miss?"
Just as her fingers made contact, the woman lifted her head, finally allowing Ruby to see what she looked like. Somehow, the human shape had morphed into a six-foot-tall Beowulf. It reached towards her, its oversized paw tipped with pure white claws. Ruby activated her Semblance a little later than she would've liked, but she put space between her and the Grimm, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there.
Fear began to fill her chest as she realized that she had no way to combat the beast. "I'd like my baby now, please," Ruby shouted, hoping her dream power would make Crescent Rose appear in her hands.
No such thing happened. Ruby tried again and received the same non-result. Her heart hammered away in horror, the uncertainty of the situation crumbling the teen's courage. Ruby understood she was dreaming, but if the Beowulf attacked, would she still feel pain? Her eyes stayed on the tall beast, noting that it had yet to move since offering her its paw.
"…..," the Grimm moved its jaw up and down, but no sound could be heard. Ruby had no idea what the monster was doing, but she wouldn't be taking any chances. Perhaps if she could position herself behind it…
Then the world around her dissolved into a purple blur.
Xiao Long-Rose Household, Patch Island, Remnant
78 AGW, May 6th, 7:05 am
Ruby's jaw stiffened, her brow creasing as she started to wake up. Her eyelids slowly parted, foggy silver eyes adjusting to the ray of light shining through her red curtains. Ruby forced herself up with her arms once she saw the time on her alarm clock. She had to be in class by 8:15, and as an instructor, her father did, as well. Being late to school was never an issue. Unfortunately, even though Ruby knew she'd gotten eight hours of sleep, she felt as if someone had woken her up after only three. For just a moment, Ruby let herself be lazy and fell back on her bed, arm over her eyes, trying to rejuvenate herself.
"That dream again… Why would I be dreaming about a Grimm I can't fight? What's the point of having one ambush me but not give me my baby?" Ruby whispered to herself, wishing she'd turned her pillow to the cool side before laying back down. Ruby had had this particular dream the last three days, but this time was the only one she'd been able to control. Was that supposed to mean something? She already had no idea what the cloaked Beowulf meant. Was she expected to understand the significance of being fully aware of the dream?
"I already have enough homework. I don't need anymore." Ruby eventually threw her blanket off and went to start her morning rituals. Her face was washed, teeth brushed, combat skirt made lint-free, and all the boogers picked from her nose. So far, a great way to begin her day. The shirt she chose to wear had a silhouette of Queen Salem standing on her glider, her shoulder-length hair pointed outward. A check of her scroll revealed she had two notifications from TheLavenderLogs; one a DM and the other a response to a comment she made on someone's thread. Ruby would check them on her way to school. Right now, she had something more important that required her attention.
"Annnnddddd done," Ruby said proudly, saving an email with her purchase receipt. She'd managed to get a 450-yard magnification scope ordered after having been on the waiting list for weeks. The current sight on her weapon, Crescent Rose, only had a maximum range of 235 yards. Not bad, certainly adequate for accurately killing Grimm at a distance. You couldn't go wrong with an upgrade, however. At least, that's how Ruby saw it. She'd saved up her allowance, despite how much she was tempted to spend it on sweets and Achieve Men posters. Not for any bad reasons! She just really liked the music, honest!
Now, onto breakfast!
Her stockings kept her feet warm as she shuffled across the floor, headed downstairs so she could find something to eat and go over her assignment for History class. So many things were going through her mind as she greeted her parents and made a bowl of cereal with a few sliced strawberries added in to sweeten the taste. Several minutes passed in comfortable silence, the family of three eating their meals at a leisurely pace. Ruby sat her spoon down and opened her scroll. She tapped on the icon labeled 'RoQS': short for the Rise of Queen Salem, the subject she'd picked as her assignment. Ruby had spent two weeks working on it, working at least an hour every day when she got home from Signal. Yet, even with all that time, Ruby couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
I have several points about the War, the Remnant Defense Force, and the Queen as a leader. But… should I add more information about King Ozora? And maybe shorten the section about the Great War? Did I use enough words for the RDF portion? What if… Ruby's mind raced as she checked over her work. She next looked at the data of the first defeated kaiju;2 BGW, when Queen Salem killed a giant vulture five times the size of an Alpha Nevermore. The wide-eyed monster's beak was large enough to swallow ten men whole. More details were examined again, then another, one more…
"Ruby, you've been messing with your scroll for the five minutes. Finish your cereal before it gets soggy," Summer lightly admonished her daughter. One could tell she wasn't too bothered going by the smile that illuminated her face.
Ruby Rose turned ruby red and nearly slammed her scroll shut. It was atouchembarrassing to forget about her breakfast like that. Three spoonfuls of sugary goodness were inhaled in as many seconds. The bites she took were mostly strawberries, which had yet to become saturated by the milk. Ruby put her spoon down and reopened her scroll. She started reviewing her work again, oblivious to her mother gazing at her. Everything had to be perfect. It had too-
"Ruby, you're doing it again," her mother rested a hand on her shoulder. "Why are you so anxious, honey? You always get good grades on your work."
While Ruby wasn't the best student in her grade, she always tried her best. True, she was only in her first year of combat school, but she was a weapon enthusiast who spent a lot of time practicing and giving it 100%.
That was beside the fact anything related to her idol would get all her attention.
"Yeah, I know. It's just that… " Ruby trailed off, then closed her scroll again and peered at her mother. "I need to make sure I get all of Queen Salem's contributions to Remnant."
"I'm sure you did a fabulous job, honey." Summer managed to hide her resentment over the matter. When Ruby had come home and announced she was doing a History project about Salem, Summer had nearly chewed a hole in her cheek. Every time Ruby spoke about that monster, the fraudulent heroine, Summer felt a potent mixture of anger and anguish. Yet, she would power onward. She had to, for Ruby's sake.
"And if you get a bad grade, I can always go beat up Professor Frizz for you," Tai offered, grunting when Summer kicked his shin under the table.
"Dad, please don't do that. Mr. Frizz is really nice, and he doesn't care if I eat cookies in class." Ruby couldn't help but laugh at the image of her father marching into her class demanding his daughter get a passing grade. "Plus, I think he could kick your butt if you made him angry."
The Xiao Long-Rose house filled with laughter at Ruby's joke. Everyone soon finished eating the last of their food and washed their dishes. Ruby glanced at her scroll; 7:40, five more minutes before she and her dad had to leave. Ruby intended to spend that time productively. And by productively, she meant giving the still dozing Zwei a few belly rubs. Summer double-checked that Ruby's lunch was sealed tight, slipping an orange in for good measure, stopping for a moment to watch Ruby and Zwei. Ruby was oblivious to her mother's gaze, so focused was the younger Rose on scratching Zwei's stomach. He started to wake up, rolling over so Ruby could get his other side. But, alas, all good things had to come to an end.
Tai topped off his thermos with coffee, then wrapped one arm around his wife's waist. He softly kissed her on the cheek, then turned his head so he could look at Ruby, "It's time to go kiddo. Get your shoes on, and let's head out."
"Okay!" Ruby gave Zwei one last pat and went about putting on her shoes. Summer brought her backpack over just as she finished tying her laces. "Thanks, mom."
"Make sure you eat everything I packed for you this time," Summer instructed, poking her daughter on the nose to emphasize her point. "Next time I find Zwei eating your leftovers, I'm taking your sweets away for a week."
Ruby nervously rubbed one foot against the floor, looking away and grumbling, "How'd you know I gave him food?"
"I'm your mother, Ruby. It's my job to know these things," Summer responded, smiling mischievously.
Ruby's eyebrows raised as she stared at her mom for a second. "Okay, but seriously, how'd you find out?"
"Have a good day, sweetie!" Instead of answering the question, Summer gave Ruby a kiss on the forehead and pushed her towards the front door.
Tai gave Summer another kiss, this time on her soft lips. He flashed a killer smile, then promised, "I'll make sure she eats the orange. If she gives me any trouble, I'll threaten her with detention."
"You always say that," Summer chuckled. She waved her hand in a shooing motion. "Get out of here before Ruby gets any ideas about skipping school."
"Yes, ma'am," Tai responded, finally heading out to his truck.
Summer stepped to the window and watched her beloved family drive off. Once they were out of sight she looked down at Zwei, who had followed to see his favorite belly-rubbing friend leave. The happy little corgi looked up, his eager eyes and wagging tail begging Summer to play.
"Sorry, Zwei, but I have to check the vegetables first. Then I have to go into town to pick up a few things," she apologized, kneeling down to scratch behind his ears. "Once I'm back, we can go for a stroll in the woods and kill some Grimm. How's that sound?"
Zwei reacted to her offer with an excited backflip.
Signal Academy, Patch Island, Remnant
78 AGW, May 6th, 8:04 am
Ruby looked down in surprise at the notification on her scroll, which turned out to be an email from Guns "R" Us regarding her purchased scope. The confirmation she got when she bought it told her delivery could take up to fourteen days due to the part being shipped from the city of Argus. But now, she was being told that the scope would be sent from Atlas instead. Apparently, a mix-up in their ordering system resulted in her getting Priority Shipping. Since it was an error on their end, Guns "R" Us would honor the four-day shipping without charging her the difference.
Well, Ruby's day just got a bajillion times better, if she said so herself!
"And once the new scope is installed, I can look into upgrading the firing pin. The extra range will need extra velocity," Ruby excitedly said to herself. Grabbing two spiral notebooks and the textbooks for her morning classes, Ruby stuffed everything in her backpack and closed her locker. Combat Class with her dad wasn't until after lunch, but her morning still looked to be a good one. After all, her first class was History, and today they were presenting their projects. Anything concerning her second favorite person in the world always put a smile on Ruby's face.
Ruby made it to room 206 with three minutes to spare. Hanging her bag on the back of her chair, she pulled out her spiral and textbook, then sat her scroll down and waited. At 8:15, the bell rang, silencing most of her classmates. Two boys in the back were poking at each other, whispering something about who was buying lunch today. They stopped talking when their teacher, Mr. Frizz, finally stood.
"Alright, so everyone made sure to bring their completed assignments with them, right?" Mr. Frizz asked politely, idly scratching at his chin.
"Yes, Mr. Frizz," everyone answered.
"Awesome. I'll be grading those over the next day or two. Today I wanted to have some of you present your projects and fill the class in on the historical event you choose." Mr. Frizz had already explained this to them the day before, but he always made sure everyone was on the same page. After a quick roll call, Mr. Frizz activated the LCD screen on the front wall. Once it was ready to receive a scroll signal, he looked over the class. "Alright, who wants to come up first?"
"Me! I'd like to, Mr. Frizz!" Ruby thrust her hand into the air so hard her shoulder popped.
Mr. Frizz smiled, waving her forward. "Come on up and sync your scroll to the monitor Ruby."
Ruby just managed to keep herself from using her Semblance to rush forward as she rushed to the front of her class. After syncing her scroll and pulling up the correct file, the first slide of her presentation appeared.
"Emergence Day"
Ruby cleared her throat and took a calming breath.
"Emergence Day is the officially recognized day when Kaiju first appeared on Remnant and ended the Great War. My project is about the impact of this event, most of which are still felt today," Ruby explained to her classmates. She swiped left to bring up the next slide. The image was a picture of a moderately sized city surrounded on all sides by farmland, most of the structures no higher than two stories. "October 27th, 1495 was the fourth day of the Battle of Ondulaciones, a city near the border of Vale and Vacuo. Vale and Mantle's forces were the ones fighting because Mantle wanted control of the farmland. Valian soldiers managed to keep Mantle at bay, and it looked like they might finally win the battle."
Ruby swiped to the next slide. "Then, everything changed when the Buitre attacked."
The screen showed a blurry photograph of a large vulture, five times the size of a Giant Nevermore, swooping in to grab a group of soldiers in its talons. The creature's wide eyes and open mouth might have been comical if not for the crushed bodies it held. It was a little hard to see the blood splashed over its feet since the photo was colorless. The image switched to list a few stats on the monster before those bullet points were replaced by another paragraph.
"That was the day the people of Remnant had their first encounter with what would later be called a Kaiju, which is an old Mistralian word that means strange beast. Larger and more powerful than most Grimm, but still flesh and blood like most normal creatures.Titanus Vulturus, codenamed Buitre, the local tribe's word for big vulture, by the person who took this picture, shrugged off all attacks from the two armies. It didn't matter if they hit it with arrows, spears, bullets, raw Dust, or Semblances. Nothing they did left any lasting damage. At best, there were some ruffled feathers and scratches. By the next morning, the city was destroyed, and roughly 400 soldiers had been killed. Both sides retreated, and the Buitre disappeared, later showing up along Vale's northwestern border. But the world didn't even have time to process what happened before a second monster attacked three days later."
The photo was a beast that looked like a cross between a crocodile and an iguana, using its longer front limbs to smash several homes with slanted roofs. Colorless fires burned all around. It had a slightly stocky build but was still lean enough to imagine it having little problem pursuing prey. A single row of short, needle-like spikes lined its back from head to tail. The creature's roaring maw was packed with razor-sharp teeth, with two large fangs in the upper row.
Ruby cleared her throat once more, "Titanus Rhedosaurus, codenamed Raysen, emerged from the ocean on the eastern coast of Anima, attacking the city of Hālì. Within three hours, the entire city had been devastated, and 3,200 people were killed. Afterward, Raysen turned the city into a giant nest, repelling two attempts to retake the city and kill it over the following year. Raysen, like Buitre, wasn't harmed by the weaponry of the time and resisted Dust and Semblances."
"More kaiju emerged throughout the next year." She brought up a map marked with nearly two dozen red dots, each with the name of a settlement and the kaiju that attacked it. A compilation of faded pictures showcasing an assortment of kaiju, all in black and white, were shown below. Reptiles, flying beasts, bugs, sea creatures, and dinosaurs filled the screen. There was even something that resembled a translucent squid hovering in the sky above Solitas!
"The people of Remnant were unable to defend themselves against the kaiju, no matter how many soldiers were sent after them. Not even the elderly King of Vale could take them down, despite how powerful he was. Some kaiju had extremely durable skin that couldn't be pierced, while others had some kind of healing ability," Ruby whispered sadly. "Fourteen months passed without any progress made in killing them, although this did cause the four kingdoms to focus more effort on eliminating Grimm populations. Then, when all hope seemed lost and looked like Remnant was doomed, Salem appeared to save us."
The screen now displayed a painting: Salem, teeth grit and eyes narrowed, launching several blades of light into Raysen's snout. She wore a torn tunic and tattered pants, arms smudged with dirt and sweat pouring down her face.
"Salem approached Hālì alone on horseback and challenged Raysen. The fight lasted nearly an hour and gained the attention of a nearby garrison of Mistralian troops. In the end, she finally killed it, along with a horde of Grimm attracted to the battle. The Mistralian soldiers entered the city and confronted her, demanding to know who she was," Ruby read eagerly. "Salem told them she was a peasant who had been born with great powers, gifted to her by the Gods. This, unfortunately, gave her the appearance of a Grimm. Her father had raised her alone in the wilderness to keep her safe from others, afraid that somebody would try to kill her for looking like a Grimm. Her father had been shopping at the market the day Raysen attacked Hālì, and she eventually found the courage to use her powers to avenge him."
Ruby paused, holding back a sneeze tickling her nose. After a few moments, the feeling subsided, so she continued. "Of course, everyone was scared of Salem and wanted to kill her. She was able to talk the soldiers down and allowed them to take her to the general leading the eastern forces. They arrived after traveling for three days, and Salem retold her story to General Qipian."
A picture of Salem now wearing a red and blue Mistralian-style robe appeared. She rode atop a horse next to a woman with an unreadable expression dressed in robes and armor. The caption below the image identified her as General Qipian. The duo led a large contingent of soldiers armed with bolt-action rifles, the corpse of a centipede kaiju at their feet.
"Salem worked alongside Mistralian forces in a campaign to kill all kaiju in the southeastern region of Anima. Over the next four months, she killed five more kaiju, doing her best to help people affected by the attacks. Salem remained firm that her only goal was eliminating kaiju since she didn't want the Great War to start again."
The following slide showed Salem standing before the King of Vale in his throne room. "Eventually, she traveled across Sanus, killing three more kaiju before she met with King Ozora. Salem had become loved by so many people, and the King demanded to speak with her. Records from the meeting describe them as tense, with the King acting aggressively towards Salem and refusing to entrust the safety of his subjects to her. Not wishing to anger King Ozora, Salem headed for Vacuo to eliminate a growing nest of 50 meter long scorpions."
Ruby coughed into her arm and took a sip from her water bottle. She brought up a new slide that had no pictures. Instead, a list of cities Salem rescued from kaiju and the dates they occurred. The list spanned almost two years, with cities from all over the planet. None of the names listed, however, were located within Vale's borders. The rookie huntress gave everyone a few moments to look at the chart, then brought up a new set of bullet points.
"Salem continued to slay kaiju across the world but stayed out of Vale to respect the King's orders. Valians begged the King to allow Salem back into the Kingdom, but he refused," Ruby frowned. "King Ozora had previously been a calm and noble leader, but his behavior became very erratic after his confrontation with Salem. He kept telling the public that she was a deceiver who would be the death of them. His court scribe even said he burned letters from Salem that were pleas for Ozora to let her help."
Two pictures now took up each half of the screen. On the left, Salem lay in a wooden hospital bed, with a rag placed on her forehead while she slept. The picture on the right was a tattered poster of a short-haired woman whose face was adorned crocodilian scales. The words on the paper read: Tock, Wanted dead or alive for the attempted murder of Salem, Reward 10,000 lien.
Ruby's frown became just the slightest bit angry when she spoke next. "Salem eventually had enough of Ozora's refusals and protected the frontier town of Ansel from a group of attacking Titanus Kamacurus. When King Ozora learned she did this, he immediately ordered her arrest. While she was imprisoned, Ozora hired an assassin to kill her. The assassin was a suspected serial killer named Tock. She attacked Salem in her cell but was thankfully thwarted by Bret Arc, the commander of Ansel's militia. Tock managed to get away, and during her escape, dropped a letter marked with the King's official seal. The letter promised 100 pounds of gold if Tock was able to kill Salem. Three days later, Tock's body was found floating in a river. No one has ever figured out who killed her."
Ruby had one last slide for her presentation. It displayed a photograph of Salem being crowned Queen of Vale. The crowd before her were cheering, throwing their arms up in jubilation.
"Salem recovered from her injuries, and when news of her attempted assassination spread, everyone was furious. The people accused King Ozora of being mad and feared he would doom them if he wasn't deposed. Ozora hid away inside his castle for a week before being killed by a serving girl who poisoned his food. The King didn't have any children or a wife who could rule after his death, so the army's head general and the King's advisors decided that Salem should be the next Queen. Even though she wasn't someone of royal blood, they believed Vale would prosper under her compassion and guidance. Salem was officially crowned Queen of Vale on April 1st, 3 AGW, three and a half years after Emergence Day. On the day Salem was made Queen, she vowed that she would never rest until kaiju were no longer a threat and the world was at peace. In the four years after becoming Queen, Salem established academies across the world to train people in proper Aura use against the Grimm, and in 9 AGW founded Beacon Academy.
Salem didn't hate King Ozora, though. She was saddened by his deterioration, and wished that she could've helped him. So when she found notes and half-formed ideas in Ozora's private study about teaching large groups of people how to use Aura and fight back against Grimm. Queen Salem was touched by this and sought to make the man's dream real. She tried to honor the good person the king used to be."
The screen turned to one last page that cited the sources for her information. "Emergence Day is possibly the most significant point in Remnant's history since the discovery of Dust. Kaiju remain a massive threat to us, even if their attacks are becoming rarer. The Civil Rights Bill Salem signed the day after her crowning ended slavery in Vale and she pushed for the other kingdoms to adopt it, as well. Mantle founded the Remnant Defense Force in 23 AGW, which has grown into a worldwide organization with branches in all major cities. Huntsmen and huntresses have also made progress into regions infested by Grimm that's enabled the kingdoms to build new settlements. In conclusion: Emergence Day, and Queen Salem, have shaped our world to what it is today."
After 21 minutes, her presentation finally ended. Ruby felt butterflies fill her stomach when everyone politely clapped. Sure, some of her classmates looked a little bored, but Ruby would take what she could get. She'd worked super hard on it, after all!
Mr. Frizz clapped along with his students, then motioned for Ruby to return to her seat. He stood up and looked over the class with a smile. "Excellent job on your work Miss Rose. Perhaps you could put the same energy into other topics we learn about?"
Ruby blushed at the light tease, holding up her hands to object, "I'm sorry, Mr. Frizz. It's just that everything else is kinda… "
"Boring?" Mr. Frizz asked, still smiling.
"Yeah," Ruby smiled back. Mr. Frizz had always tried to keep class chill, even if she wasn't always enthusiastic about the assignments. He was pretty cool. Not as cool as her dad, but Ruby still liked him.
"So, let's talk about Emergence Day. What do you think is the most important development we've seen since then?"
Two rows over, Aquamarine, a girl Ruby knew played for the school's basketball team, raised her hand, "Kaiju would be the most obvious. They've been around for roughly eighty years now."
"That's true. However, the emergence of kaiju brought about everything else. They're still a change, in and of themselves, but think of something that would've been unlikely to occur if Emergence Day never happened. Bruan?"
Bruan was the meanie that slapped Ruby's books out of her hands on the first day of school. She remembered Dad getting very upset about that. "Cities have evacuation plans during kaiju attacks to keep deaths as low as possible. We didn't have anything like that for the Grimm, for some dumb reason."
"We have a lot more trains transporting goods and fortified highways connecting the kingdom's cities." That was Ebon, known to Ruby as N00b$mash3r on Grimm Eclipse Online. She was happy to say she won every game against the other girl.
A boy in front of Ruby, who had a horse mane, scoffed as he lazily raised his hand. "Just because the Queen wrote down laws to protect faunus doesn't mean they're actually being enforced. Humans have a ton of privilege that we don't."
"Mr. Fullen, that isn't within the topic. This is about direct changes to Remnant," Mr. Frizz reprimanded the boy. He pointed at someone to Ruby's right.
"You have fewer independent huntsmen and huntresses considering more people are joining the Remnant Defense Force. Atlas' military has gotten smaller, too," Jazen chimed in. He gave Ruby a pencil once-
"The RDF is a waste of money and resources. They've never had any success killing a fully-grown kaiju. We need more Hunters out there explicitly fighting Grimm, not taking a paycheck from an incompetent and corrupt organization."
Well… Ruby knew the RDF wasn't perfect at their jobs, but she felt calling them incompetent was wrong. Besides, the RDF regularly deployed huntsmen and huntresses on extermination missions. And they always posted the results of those missions online; you just had to look it up.
"How about the fact that Queen Salem killing off kaiju is bad for the environment?"
Ruby looked to her left, staring in confusion at her classmate Nabi Gentile. Like Ruby, she favored a gothic look, though in grays instead of red. How could she possibly believe killing kaiju was a bad thing?
Mr. Frizz waved his hand in Nabi's direction. "Care to elaborate, Nabi?"
"Ever since kaiju appeared, the number of towns and cities being destroyed by Grimm has dropped by, like, a lot. Combine that with the fact kaiju will slaughter Grimm any time they come near them. You could theorize that kaiju keep Grimm reined in like a pack of wolves curbing a deer population. In my opinion, kaiju are just giant predators that have a specific role in the world."
Ruby frowned at the other girl but didn't interrupt as she continued.
"I just worry about what could happen if kaiju are wiped out. I know they occasionally attack cities, I'm not disregarding that. But when apex predators disappear from their natural habitat, the rest of the ecosystem goes whack. Multiple studies have proven this. If kaiju go extinct, what takes their place at the top of the food chain?"
"So how do we keep people safe from kaiju attacks? Any ideas, Miss Gentile?" Mr. Frizz looked genuinely curious.
"No… unless the RDF finds some way to drive kaiju away from a city without killing it. Maybe they could figure out a way to talk to them like we have with dolphins or chimps? Or some kind of repellent. Besides that, no, I don't have any solid ideas," Nabi trailed off uncertainly. Ruby didn't know what to make of her words, but she trusted Queen Salem. The Queen had saved them in their time of need and asked for nothing in return. Heck, the Queendom was practically thrust upon her! How could Ruby feel anything other than love for her? She was like the great heroes in the stories Mom read to her. Ruby was drawn out of her thoughts by the bell going off.
"Alright, we'll do a couple more presentations after your five-minute break is over. Then, we're going to start the next chapter on Mantle's decline," Mr. Frizz called out. Just in time, too, since Ruby's bladder suddenly decided to grab her attention!
Two Miles Outside Shion, Southwestern Anima, Remnant
78 AGW, May 6th, 6:11 pm
Yuma gasped as his wrist was twisted, a quick pull sending him flailing to the ground.
The pain only lasted a few seconds, but having the wind knocked out of you certainly felt like an eternity. His wings provided some cushion between his back and the ground, but not enough to really matter. Yuma was fortunate that the bones in his wings were dense, unlike the hollow bones of some bird faunus. Yuma had lost count of how many times he'd kissed the ground so far, but he took some comfort in not having a broken wing. The gloved hand of his torturer appeared to pull him up once again.
"Remember not to overextend your punches. If someone grabs your wrist or forearm, it won't matter how weak they might be compared to you. Manipulate the joint to control the situation, unless some idiot decides they want a dislocated elbow," Plesskin explained. He slowly rotated Yuma's arm to demonstrate his point. "With your longer limbs, you have a reach advantage, but don't get cocky."
Plesskin threw a slower punch with his right fist, giving Yuma a chance to reciprocate the technique. He grabbed the older man's wrist and twisted, applying pressure to hyper-extend the elbow. Yuma moved his right foot back and pulled the captured arm down in a jerking manner. If he did it right, his opponent would flip forward and land on his back. When Plesskin instead went face-first into the ground, Yuma knew he'd messed up.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Yuma yelled out.
"It's fine. You still blocked my strike and took me off my feet. Now you have the advantage," Plesskin encouraged. He dusted himself off and got back into his boxer's stance. "In an ideal world, we'd land all our attacks flawlessly. Our form, our force, every aspect of whatever action we take would be textbook."
Yuma punched straight at Plesskin's head, only for the man to grab his arm and move beside him. Plesskin put his left arm and left leg against Yuma's neck and behind his left leg, respectively. He felt pressure and was down on the ground before he realized what happened. That one was definitely a little harder than the last few.
"The fact is that's seldom the case. You learn the posture and the technique, but it's called basics for a reason. Who cares if you didn't get full rotation on your toss? That doesn't mean you can be lazy with your moves, of course, but you do whatever you can to end the fight as quick as possible."
Plesskin brought his right leg towards Yuma's ribs. The goal of this training was for Yuma to take his opponent down each time. The teen was supposed to block using his arm and sweep the other leg. He also could've tried trapping the leg and yanking it forward. What happened instead was Yuma freezing up and flaring his Aura to protect himself. It did nothing to stop his left knee from buckling when Plesskin brought his heel into the back of it. His left arm was moved up and over his shoulder, trapping Yuma's wrist against the back of his neck.
"S-sorry, sir, I didn't think you'd switch to kicks without saying anything," Yuma apologized once more.
"It's fine. That's why we're doing this. People make mistakes in training, which is why it's called training. Having perfect technique isn't as important as practicing these tosses until they become muscle memory. Knowing how to react in whatever situation you find yourself in is critical," Plesskin continued to lecture, letting Yuma up to reset himself. "While we're doing this, we're also conditioning your body to take hits. That's just as important as learning any martial art. And don't call me sir."
"So why can't I use my Aura? Why does it matter if I can take someone to the ground when I can use Aura to overpower them?" Despite half-grumbling, half-legit asking, Yuma still caught Plesskin's leg on the second try. He pulled and moved his right foot to trip the other leg, making Plesskin do the splits. The man grit his teeth and spun into a low crouch.
"Why does it matter if you can split a boulder in half with one hand if you can't hit the damn thing in the first place?" Plesskin riposted. "You still felt pain when I locked your arm down. Aura isn't the game-changer that a lot of civilians assume it is. It's another tool in your arsenal. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So shouldn't I be using it if it's a tool?"
"Unless you can outlast the other guy, don't laugh, using Aura constantly is reckless. If you have to ball up your fist and crush a Grimm's face into powder because your weapon is broken, and no one can help you, then that's what you do. However," Plesskin seized Yuma's kick and twisted his ankle, sending the teen down like a limp noodle. "You still need to learn some type of CQC first. I never said I wouldn't train you to use your Aura, but hand-to-hand is the basis of all combat."
Yuma kept his eyes on Plesskin's hands, ready to intercept another strike. "Are we going to fight some Grimm, too?"
"No, we aren't." Plesskin didn't resist when Yuma tossed him to the ground. "The only reason to do that would be if you had a weapon that required you to punch or kick, like gauntlets or greaves. This training is for you to learn how to take another person down."
"Oh, right. That… that makes sense," the teen mumbled.
Plesskin ignored Yuma's embarrassment and resumed his explanation, "Most people with an active Aura train themselves to master whatever mecha-shift weapon they build. Against Grimm, they do a great job, but when they're going up against another person, if they lose their weapon, you can almost guarantee the fight is finished."
"Because they don't know how to fight unarmed?" Yuma guessed.
"Exactly," Plesskin praised the boy's answer. Deciding to switch things up, he pulled Yuma forward by the wrist and wrapped his arm around the younger man's neck. Using his hips and an ounce of force, Plesskin jerked Yuma off his feet, grounding him with a headlock takedown. "Used to be that we were all trained in both, back when the kingdoms were at war. Then everyone started to train almost exclusively in weaponry, and, before you know it, everything shifted too far in the other direction. What good is a sword that can turn into a railgun if I can dislocate your elbow or break your shoulder before you have a chance to hit me with it?"
Yuma thought about what Plesskin was saying as they kept tossing each other to the ground. The Internet and TV always portrayed huntsmen and huntresses as unstoppable juggernauts because of the crazy weapons they wielded. Like countless others, he'd seen plenty of videos where waves of Grimm were cut down in lightning flashes of steel and bullets. It made them look likes gods compared to someone like him. But… now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing vids where a Hunter was disarmed by their opponent, and the fight was over within twenty seconds. Yuma had always been in awe of what Hunters could do, unintentionally overlooking the flaw Plesskin was explaining. He slowly dropped his stance as he put his new thoughts together.
"So, you have to find the right balance between unarmed and armed fighting. You should work hard to master your weapon, but work equally as hard without it."
Plesskin gave him a tiny smile, a little pride shining through the usually serious man. "That's right. Most people with Aura primarily know how to fight Grimm, not other people. Technically there's little difference between the two since you basically hit them until they stop moving. But the ability to fight unarmed proficiently will give you an advantage."
"Got it," Yuma responded with more confidence than he had at the start of their training. Something had been bugging him for a few days, however. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, how did the Grimm manage to take you down when the giant one appeared?"
Plesskin's answer was immediate. "I was caught off guard."
"What?" That was not the response he was expecting.
"I needed to see how the four of you did against Grimm. Blake and Adam have been members of the White Fang for years, but you and Trifa are new to this world. They have experience and know their limits. Sometimes, at least," he explained. "The two of them should have handled most of the work, letting you and Trifa mop up the stragglers and get a taste of actual combat. Not only did they fail spectacularly, but I wasn't anticipating such a large number of Grimm. I think they were drawn to that big one. The way it was freaking out… Anyway, I'm at my best fighting people. A Grimm normally poses little trouble for me, but numbers can overwhelm even the deadliest warriors."
"That makes sense. When I'm playing Grimm Eclipse, I try to stay with the group during a raid. If you end up alone during a Horde section, it's pretty much the end of your run." Yuma understood the connection Plesskin was teaching. His clan leader, Rosebud4Life, was meticulous about keeping everyone close during a session since she had a perk that let her revive fallen players once every five minutes.
Plesskin blinked slowly at that then shook his head. "Right. I don't play video games, but that's how it is when you go into Grimm territory. Sometimes you'll get lucky and a kaiju will clear out a few dozen acres as their own, but being surrounded by Grimm is never optimal as a solo operative."
There was something else Yuma wanted to know about what Plesskin had done. "How did you, um, you know… with your throat?"
"How did I survive having my throat ripped out?" Plesskin clarified for him. Yuma nodded. "I'm a special type of snake faunus. When I shed my skin, it heals any injuries I've sustained. The more severe the injury, the longer it takes for me to shed. Broken bones, cuts, burns, missing limbs, all of them are fixed. The only organ I can't guarantee will repair itself is my brain. I've recovered from a handful of concussions, but something like a stroke or penetration to the brain matter… I don't know what would happen. And I don't intend on finding out."
Yuma wished he could be so lucky to have such a trait. His wings were cumbersome and weak. A dream he had since childhood was to fly like a real bat. But they didn't have the strength to lift his weight. They were just about useless, like him. Raising his arms up, he was about to swing at Plesskin when the man held up a hand.
"Let's call it a day. We've been going for nearly an hour now, and you're doing much better than you were yesterday." Plesskin started doing the cool-down stretches he'd shown Yuma how to do, prompting him to do the same without needing to be told. "Next time, we'll go over how to properly punch and kick. With your height and long limbs, I think I know a style that'll work best for you."
"Really?" Yuma chimed up.
"It's called Beautiful Springtime. It's a Mistralian martial art that's been around since before the Great War. The style's all about quick arm movements and strong legs. We'll see how you take to it, but I have an eye for these things."
Yuma looked down at his legs, frowning at his instructor, not quite believing the man's words. "Are you sure? I mean, my legs aren't exactly bulging with muscles."
"Yes, I'm sure. You don't need to be some steroid freak to be a good fighter." The slight irritation in Plesskin's voice had Yuma throwing his hands up and taking a step back.
"Sorry, I just-"
"Stop apologizing. If you do something that warrants an apology, I'll let you know," Plesskin interrupted swiftly. He kept his eyes locked on Yuma until the boy finally put his arms down, the tension leaving his body. "Look… take a deep breath and don't think too hard about everything. I know this is all new to you, but it'll come in time. No one starts out an expert at anything, and if they tell you otherwise, then they're a liar. Plain and simple."
"Right… right. I'm sor-" Yuma cut himself off when he saw Plesskin's fingers twitch. "I understand, sir."
Plesskin opened his mouth to tell the boy off for calling him sir again, then thought better of it and walked over to his pack he'd left just outside their 'ring'. Pulling out his spare canteen and tossing it to Yuma, who thankfully caught it, Plesskin stared at the bat faunus for several moments. The staring went on long enough for Yuma to think he'd done something wrong. The urge to apologize for whatever he'd done reared its ugly head when Plesskin finally broke his silence.
"When I was first being trained to use firearms, I spent three days going over every inch of my pistol, making sure I knew it inside and out. They didn't give you live rounds until you had plenty of time around an unloaded weapon. My first time on the live range, I was supposed to hit five targets center mass from five yards away. A pretty standard setup for a live-fire exercise. My sergeant told me to start, so I picked up the gun, slammed the magazine in, racked the slide, aimed, then I pulled the trigger," Plesskin paused to drink from his canteen. "And nothing happened."
"What?" Yuma wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean.
"In my excitement, I forgot to switch the safety off. Needless to say, my sergeant was upset and made me do push-ups for thirty minutes straight," Plesskin finished with a shrug. "We all make mistakes. Better they happen in training than when you're in the middle of a life-and-death fight. Don't give up, alright?"
The corners of Yuma's mouth twitched at the man's encouragement. After finishing off the water from his borrowed canteen, the two marched back in the direction of the campsite. He glanced over at Plesskin, curious about something. "So, you were a soldier? In Atlas?"
Plesskin didn't acknowledge him.
Two Miles Outside Shion, Southwestern Anima, Remnant
78 AGW, May 6th, 6:44 pm
Trifa stared down at the three whetstones before her, feeling more lost than a tourist visiting Mantle for the first time. Each stone had a number stamped into its side; 320, 1000, and 5000. The surface became smoother as the number increased, so obviously, numbers referenced how rough or smooth the stone would be. But what was the reason for that? Why was there a difference?
She looked at her knife and gently ran a finger along the edge. It wasn't exactly dull, she imagined it could easily slice into her skin, but it didn't have that 'razor-sharp' feel she always thought a knife or sword was supposed to have. The kind of edge that could slice through an airborne pineapple. That meant she needed to sharpen it. At least, she hoped so.
So how did she do that?
A heavenly aroma drew her attention away from her problem. Amber was crouched before the dinner pot, adding in a large can of black beans. Ten minutes earlier, she'd returned from hunting with five squirrels in hand. Squirrels! The human had apparently set a few simple traps at the base of some trees and was lucky enough that the furry creatures walked into them. Trifa had watched with morbid fascination as Amber pulled a single-edged hunting knife from her pack and proceeded to skin and clean the animals. She'd tossed the viable meat into the pot with some leftover mushrooms from yesterday. Trifa somehow avoided puking all over the place during the display. Now she knew why people said it was better not knowing how your food was made.
So, here she sat, trying to figure out how to sharpen her combat knife. Trifa was sure that Amber could show her how, but she didn't want to distract her from cooking dinner. The only other person around camp was Adam. He… She knew the guy was pretty powerful and probably really smart about this kind of stuff, too. He was currently staring at a picture of that Blake girl on his scroll, unmoving for the last five minutes. Disturbing him would likely result in being severely told off. Or worse. That meant she was on her own.
No big deal, girl. You got this. Adam did it with one arm, so it should be a breeze. Trifa held up the knife in her left hand and the rectangular 320 grit stone in her right. Carefully putting the stone against the edge, she tightened her grasp on both tools and roughly ran the stone down from grip to tip.
-grrrrnnnkkkkk-
The noise her actions created made Trifa's teeth hurt and her eyelids quiver. It sounded like, well, like a piece of metal being scraped across a rock. That wasn't anything like when Adam had done the same. Drawing in a breath and holding it, she tried again.
-grrrrnnnnkkkkkk-
-grrrrnnnnkkkkkk-
-grrrrnnnnkkkkkk-
"Are you really so inept you don't know how to maintain your weapon?" Adam drawled, setting his scroll on the ground.
She glanced up from her lack of progress to see him watching her. Though the mask covered his eyes, the crease in his forehead and downturned lips told her he was aggravated.
"I'm just doing what you did," Trifa defended herself.
"If I still had my other arm, I wouldn't have sharpened my sword as I did. I was forced to improvise." He pointed at the tools in her hands. "What you're doing is a crime against nature."
Well, it wasn't like anyone showed her what to do! The camp she'd arrived at in Menagerie gave her two guns, a knife, and a large pack full of stuff. Most of which she had no idea how to use!
Without warning, Adam reached over and grabbed the whetstone from her hand, roughly tossing it on the ground. "You don't hold the whetstone when you're sharpening a blade. The stone stays immobile while you run the edge of the blade over it. You need to lubricate the stone with water or oil when you're using it."
"Why?" Trifa asked.
"Don't interrupt me. It keeps the stone from clogging up with metal flakes and dissipates friction heat." Adam snatched the knife out of her hand, inspecting its edges and running his gloved thumb over them. "Use the 1000 grit. Firmly hold the handle with your dominant hand and put the fingers of your other hand on the flat of the blade. Keep the edge at a 20° angle and run the knife forward, using just enough pressure to keep it in contact with the stone."
Adam handed the knife back to her blade first. Trifa carefully grasped it and did as he said. She took another deep breath and gently moved her knife over the wet surface. This time the sound was softer, a faint shhnnnnkkk compared to the grating noise of her first attempt. It also ran much more fluid over the stone. Hey, this wasn't so hard now that she knew what to do! Maybe Adam wasn't so bad after all.
"At least you aren't completely worthless."
Scratch that. He was a total dick.
Amber set the lid on the pot of food and walked over, smiling as she sat down to join them, then carefully placing her staff beside her leg.
"Supper will be ready in about… ten minutes. How often do you work on your sword? And how'd ya get the sheath to fire bullets?" Amber asked, gesturing to Wilt and Blush.
Adam ignored the human and went back to looking at his scroll's pictures. Amber's smile dimmed a little, but she persisted.
"Ah really like how your sword is red. Did'ja paint it that way or use red metal to build it?"
The awkward tension kept building as Adam stayed silent. His only reaction was to reach over and scratch at his stump. Trifa looked back and forth between them, her irritation mounting from how much of an ass Adam was being. She'd be the first to admit she wasn't the biggest fan of most humans and sometimes her fellow faunus, but Amber had now spent a week with them on their journey to Shion. The redneck girl had not once said anything racist or hateful to any of them. Amber had been polite and treated them with respect, to an excessive degree. She also pulled her weight without uttering a single complaint and then some. It didn't matter if she was asked to gather firewood, clean their utensils, search for food, or keep watch during the night.
Amber hasn't done anything worth being treated like that. Not to mention the fact Amber liked her faunus traits. Trifa could hardly believe that the human girl was jealous of them, likening them to a beautiful tattoo. The memory of that conversation made her choice clear.
"What made you pick a staff as your weapon?" she asked, nodding at the wooden implement.
Amber gleefully showed the staff off, holding it between them.
"It was given to me on mah 16th birthday by mah grandma when she unlocked my Aura; She originally made it when she became a huntress." Amber fondly ran her hand over the worn grip. "Only thing Ah have to do is replace the fire n' wind dust once in a while."
"Does it have a name?"
"Níyoltsoh," Amber answered proudly. "It's an old Sanus word that means Tornado. Came from a dialect used by a tribe of faunus who used to live where Mountain Glenn is now."
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Adam now staring at Amber. Wonder what that's about.
"Neat." She leaned closer, looking over the staff. The wood was well-worn with age. A spot here and there was discolored, a few shades lighter than the rest. Tiny gashes near the grip were covered with a thin piece of metal two inches long, fastened with screws and… Was that glue? Try as she might, she couldn't help but think Amber should replace Níyoltsoh, a gift from family or not. One good attack would likely break it in half. Still, there was no reason to diss something that meant so much to the brunette. "Pretty nice birthday present."
"Thanks!" Amber chirped. "Ya make your knife, or was it given to ya?"
"It was given to me. I… don't know how to make one."
"Oh, well, it's really nice," she complimented. "Ah bet most people wouldn't expect a huntress to use a plain ole' knife in a fight."
Trifa glanced away for a moment. "I'm not a huntress."
"You're not?" Amber paused, head tilted in confusion. "But yer in the White Fang."
"Yeah, but I only joined three days before you ran into us. I… didn't have the opportunity to be a huntress back in Mantle," she whispered, looking at the ground. "Some stuff happened a few years ago that took away any chance of that."
"What happened?" Amber asked gently.
Trifa shook her head. "Made some bad choices. The Fang was the only option I had left. Sorry, I don't wanna talk about it."
"Ah understand. Sorry if Ah was bein' nosy, Ah'm just trying to get to know my friends. We're friends, right!?" Amber exclaimed.
She was startled by Amber's abrupt outburst. For a second, she seemed terrified beyond belief. As if the notion of them not being friends would kill her. What the hell? Still, Trifa wouldn't lie and say she didn't appreciate Amber's company.
"Yeah, we're friends," she assured the human.
Amber's smile could've powered a small town. "Too sweet."
Was that going to be the catchphrase for their little group now? Eh, there were worse words they could throw at each other. Chomper chose that moment to wake up, yawning and arching his back. The infant kaiju smacked his lips a few times before turning his head in their direction. He walked over and lowered his head between her and Amber. Amber nuzzled his face and gave his snout a quick kiss.
Trifa watched the two of them interacting so chill, and once more wondered if she was in a very long dream. The dinosaur acted like a big puppy with Amber, excitable and loving as he was sometimes. She didn't have any positive expectations about the kaiju hanging around when Amber claimed him but was pleasantly surprised so far. What a day it was that she didn't find it regrettable the dinosaur latched onto them.
All because they gave the monster a chance. If only she...
"You think he's hungry?" she asked.
"Probably. Ah cain't say fer certain, though. Ah'm just wingin' it," Amber admitted.
She wondered if Amber realized she'd been letting her accent slip out during their chat. It didn't mean anything to Trifa whether she talked a certain way or not. What was said meant more than how it sounded. Chomper sniffed the air, catching the aroma of their cooking meal. Trifa reached into her pack and pulled out a piece of bread saved from breakfast. Removing the cloth covering it, she offered Chomper the rich grain.
Chomper took a quick sniff and licked the bread. His face actually scrunched into what could be called a frown. So the baby dino didn't care for it, huh? It made sense, she supposed. All of his teeth were pointed, shaped like tiny bananas, in fact. None of them were flattened. He was a pure carnivore, through and through. And it looked like he wanted some squirrel stew.
"Hey… hey! No! Ah'll get ya something meaty, just-no!" Amber had her hands on Chomper's shoulders, trying to keep him from getting into their dinner.
Trifa tried not to laugh, she really did, but it was such a… silly sight. Even though she'd be a bit miffed if the Gorosaurus managed to stick his nose into the pot, her heart felt lighter watching them act like fools. There was a certain feeling… she couldn't put a name to it. Perhaps… was this really what having friends felt like? Amber thought of them as friends, and she reciprocated the gesture without understanding what it implied. Well, she had time to explore this new concept.
Is it just me, or does Chomper look a little taller? The difference wasn't much, but even her untrained eyes could see that the kaiju had grown perhaps a foot-and-a-half since yesterday. How fast do these creatures grow?
Trifa wouldn't realize until much later she'd called it a creature and not a monster.
Plesskin and Yuma chose that moment to finally return. Having been gone for over an hour, Trifa was glad they were back. Despite the carnage she'd seen Amber unleash with her fire Semblance, Adam was still unable to fight. And her Aura had only been unlocked six days ago. With no training, no decent weapons, and no Semblance, she couldn't help but think what might happen if Grimm attacked their camp. Although… they hadn't encountered a single Grimm since that giant one drew the others away. Strange.
Still, having extra bodies around made her feel safe. Made her feel protected.
Plesskin waved his hand to get everyone's attention, not bothering to help Amber as she wrestled Chomper to the ground. "After we eat, we're heading into town. Sun should be down by then, so I don't expect us having trouble getting a motel or alerting the entire city to our presence."
"How do you figure that?" she asked.
"You can usually find a hotel on the edge of a city or town. People coming in from out of town will often pick the first place they see to stop and get a good night's sleep, so there's always a few proprietors who try to push the boundaries of how far out they can go to be the first thing a weary traveler sees." Plesskin reached into the pocket of his camo pants, pulling out his pack of Critical Hit cigarettes and lighting one. "Some of them are old, run-down, and more importantly, cheap. That's our best asset, depending on how long it takes to find a transport to Menagerie."
"Flights should have resumed now that it's been almost a week since the kaiju attack," Adam surprisingly spoke up.
"That's not what I'm worried about. None of you have any identification. That makes things a bit harder." Plesskin blew out a puff of disgusting smoke.
"We have the scrolls you gave us. Won't that pass for ID?" Yuma pulled out his scroll for emphasis.
"They don't have your information for security reasons. Each one is set up for basic functions only," Plesskin responded casually. "I have to find someone willing to take cash; no questions asked. Odds of that are 50:50 in smaller cities. Less reason for those types to do business there compared to places like Argus or Mountain Glenn."
"What'll we be doin'?" Amber asked. Trifa couldn't help but smirk at how Chomper was trying to chew on the girl's hair now. The kaiju seemed to have a penchant for chewing on things whenever he got the chance. Amber rewarded his behavior with a thump to the nose.
Plesskin took a deep drag of his cigarette. "I need you guys to restock our food, ammo, and medical supplies. Keeping your heads down is paramount until we're back in Menagerie. The last thing we need is one of you getting into trouble and gaining the attention of the authorities. Which reminds me."
Plesskin reached into his pack and pulled out a long strip of gray cloth about three inches wide. He walked over to Adam and held it out.
"Walking around wearing a White Fang mask isn't going to fly. Until we rendezvous with the Fang, keep this wrapped around your scar."
"I refuse. I don't take orders from you, and I don't plan on leaving the hotel room," Adam growled.
"You don't have a choice in the matter, Taurus. This is going to go one way and one way only. Unless you think I should be replaced as squad leader?" Plesskin put a hand on his bladed machine pistol hanging at his side. Green as she was, even Trifa knew the older man was ready to beat Adam's ass.
The camp went dead silent, save for the crackling of the fire. Ever since losing his arm, Adam had gone from aggressively commanding to absurdly contentious, most notably when he interacted with Plesskin or Amber. She couldn't understand why.
Well, no, that wasn't exactly true. Adam having his power and control taken away had left him in a near-constant foul mood. Trying to pick a fight with Plesskin wasn't the best course of action, in her opinion. It was like he couldn't see past his own nose.
Adam silently accepted the bandanna, glaring daggers at Plesskin when he removed his mask.
Shion, Southwestern Anima, Remnant
78 AGW, May 6th, 7:31 pm
Plesskin entered the lobby of the Motel 69, slouching and schooling his features to look like a weary traveler. The irksome foursome was told to remain out of sight behind the building. The cover of night would suffice in providing them camouflage, so long as no one did anything stupid. And by no one, he meant Taurus. Was it pitiful or ridiculous for him to be more concerned about the teenager, not the baby kaiju, ruining their plan?
The disheveled-looking woman working the front desk gave him a once-over and sat her scroll down. She leaned forward in her chair, frowning at him when he approached.
"How can I help you?" She sounded liked she wished to do anything but.
"I need a room for a few nights. Ground level and two beds if possible." He ignored her abrasive tone.
"How many?"
"At least four days. Not sure after that."
"That'll cost you 256 lien." She was already holding out a hand.
Sixty-four lien a night? As he anticipated. Considering the road sign looked like someone used it for target practice, he wasn't inclined to pay much more. The parking lot was sparsely occupied with cars, and they were at the edge of town. There was little likelihood of the wrong individuals interfering in their affairs.
Plesskin put 306 in her hand, not letting go for a moment. "Unless I ask, I don't want anyone disturbing me. If I want the room cleaned, I'll tell you."
The woman's brows creased, eyeing him like he had smoking turds hanging out of his mouth. "You planning on partying with some hookers or something?"
"Or something." Far be it from him to act surly to those who did the same.
Plesskin would be lying if he said it didn't amuse him when the woman rolled her eyes. "Room 143." She handed over a faded keycard and went back to whatever video her scroll was playing.
"Thank you."
The children were collected and led to their base of operations for the foreseeable future. It took three tries before the key was registered by the door. What greeted the group was… a crappy motel room: Yellow walls that had possibly been beige when they were new, numerous tears in the pewter carpet, two beds with cracked headboards, a tube-style television, and a chair covered in old stains of unknown origin.
"Reminds me of home. Ah hope the ceiling doesn't leak," Amber mumbled. Nonetheless, she coaxed Chomper into the room and over by the bathroom sink.
Within minutes everyone claimed a spot for their packs: Hygiene products were placed on the bathroom counter, Yuma put their remaining canned goods next to the TV, Trifa stored the leftovers from dinner in the mini-fridge (thank the Brothers it worked), and Adam headed into the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes.
"After you all shower, I want you to get some sleep; tomorrow's going to be a long day." Plesskin paused for a moment. "I'll sleep on the floor so you four can have the beds. Girls in one and boys in the other. Understand?"
They nodded without complaint. Good. The last thing Plesskin wanted was to be woken up in the middle of the night by salacious activities. True, one of them could be interested in the same sex. But if that happened, whoever initiated it would find themselves sleeping in the bathtub.
"Anyone care what temp the room is?" Yuma asked. Everyone shook their heads, giving him permission to mess with the old A/C unit under the window. "Awesome. I like to keep my room at 80º most of the time."
Yuma walked over and turned the dial towards 80, only for it to snap off and fall to the floor. Just another thing added to the checklist of how run-down this motel was. Yuma's attempt to reattach the broken knob failed, as did his second and third. Having enough of getting nowhere, he hurled the plastic into the trash can beside the door.
"You think they'll charge us for that?" Trifa asked.
Even if they did, Plesskin wasn't paying for it.