... So, funny thing, Volume 9 came out a month ago, and, yeah, I'm going to hit myself now, enjoy the chapter.
"Explain."
Said the sniper with a firm voice.
"*But-*"
"Now."
The 3 men in the room (who are still completely made of flesh and bone) are dealing yet again with some new problem.
"THIS IS NOT OUR FAULT."
"You said the same thing, when you were creating cazador-dogs hybrids." Said the blond doctor.
"-Don't be ridiculous." Dr. Borous interrupts him. "They were DOG-CAZADOR HYBRIDS, not cazador-dogs, that would be just silly-."
The follower of the apocalypse was trying so hard, but so hard. They leave them alone for 5 minutes and they are already creating a new lifeform.
"Look we had a deal, no more hybrids of any kind." Said the old ghoul.
"[###%&$&%$%&]###?"
"Yes, including those."
"Exactly - Wait! Raul, you can understand him?"
"[###%&$&%$%&]### [###%&$&%$%&]###."
"Yeah, he's using some old RobCo. Code, why?"
"Why?! WHY?!" The human doctor tries to calm down. "We'll talk about this later."
Boone puts his foot down, and everybody shuts up.
"Last chance, explain."
*Yaaaaaaaaaawn*
I walk out of the local clinic and into the streets of the busy town. Embracing the morning light and stretching my arms, the beds of the clinic aren't the worse, but I had better. My left arm is a bit sore, but, hey, it was a free night under a roof, I can't complain.
After check-up was done and I somehow managed to dodge the questioning of the soldiers, I slept in the clinic. After all, I was part of a dangerous rescue mission to save some poooooor people that got attacked by bandits~. What if I got injured and didn't know?~
Usually entering Embrace is a pain, multiple examinations of me and his things, endless questions, drug test, yada yada yada, and then they ask why nobody wants to come here.
If I knew that transporting idiots who get hurt and lost was this helpful, I would have become an "outland ambulance" a loooong time ago.
Hehehe, in all seriousness, I truly hope those guys get better, I'm not monster, I just make the best out of a bad situation, and their situation helped me get over the town's security without paying any fees or tolls. The doctors even let me park my wagon outside the hospital.
I look up at the sky, seeing an aircraft going to one of the landing fields on the other side of town.
*sigh* what would I give to have one of those.
You can divide the town in 3 parts, on one side we have the government buildings and shops (where I'm right now), in the middle we have houses and inns for the people that come and go, and at the last part, we have the landing paths, car and wagon stations, basically the trading-hub, where after a rigorously examination merchants can sell, exchange, or resupply their cargo.
For an outside settlement, far from the kingdoms, Embrace is quite big, must be one of the largest ones in the outerlands, even if it gets forgotten by the kingdoms once or twice. It's a miracle they haven't called independence from Vale and Mistral by now, but I guess it's in their nature to "Embrace" the rule of their founders' homelands.
I walk and pass most of the big buildings and go straight for the shops, the smell of food almost made me stop and buy some from a bakery, but I have business to attend. At the very end of the street is one of many pubs/restaurants, and I walk in, the business already has people eating in the tables, some at the bar, and a couple outside, enjoying a morning coffee. I get to the bar, take a sit, and ring the little bell.
"Morning." I say, and an older woman turns around and notices me.
"Huh, wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."
The almost elderly says while getting near me.
"I passed the gates early."
"And how the hell did you manage that?"
Once a merchant gets inside the town, the guards don't let people move out of the landing paths until everything is checked. They let us move freely in the trading hub, so if somebody just came for supplies or fuel, they could do it quickly and leave, but everybody else that has business here must wait for hours (almost a full day in some cases) to be able to enter the rest of the place.
"Long story."
More people enter the place, the owner takes a step back from our conversation and signals the waiters to attend the tables.
"Oh, well." She shrugs off her curiosity, never ask to many questions, not on this line of work. "Do you have my stuff?"
"Yeah, 3 creates, your boys can go and take it off my wagon."
"In which path?"
"Outside the clinic."
"Clinic?"
"Loooooooooong story." I say yet again.
She understands and calls a couple of people from the kitchen. She gives them the information, I give them a piece of paper with a symbol, the same one their creates have, and they leave.
"So, what's the special of the day?"
"Hmm." She seems genuinely surprised. "You usually just have a coffee."
"Well, I have time, might as well."
I have more orders to attend, but I'm ahead in my schedule, so why not eat breakfast first. This order was the most urgent one to attend, the others aren't that important, and everybody was expecting their cargo to arrive tomorrow or today at night.
She takes a menu from the counter and gives it to me.
"We don't do specials, but we are serving gecko stew until we run out of it."
"What the heck is a gecko?"
"A nasty little lizard that is surprisingly tasty." We turn our heads to see a familiar looking raven hair man, he approaches us and takes a seat next to me. "Morning."
"Morning." We say to the nearly sobber huntsman. I wasn't expecting seeing him again so soon.
"I'll take the stew, please." He orders with a smile.
"Eggs and coffee." I say while giving the menu back.
"Coming right up."
The owner leaves us as she goes back to the kitchen.
"Didn't take you for a morning person."
Not after having him nearly passed out in my cart for days.
"Neither do I but getting early once or twice isn't going to kill me." He says while stretching his arms.
"If only you were this diligent on the road."
"If only my employer wouldn't be such a cheap prick."
Jackass.
"You already talked with your lady?"
"Not yet."
"What, scared?"
"A bit."
"Ooooooh." I say with a smirk. "So, there IS a child involve."
"Fortunately, no."
"Then what is it?"
"It's complicated."
"Come on, spill the tea."
"Spill the tea? What are you? An old lady?"
"No, I'm the guy who had to drag your drunk ass for days AND pay you for it."
"Your point?"
"That the least, least, I deserve, is some juicy talk from you."
"Hmm."
He takes his time thinking, I was about to insist some more, until our orders arrived.
"Here you go, gentlemen, enjoy."
The smell of good food distracts us, but I still wanted an answer.
"I guess I can tell you, my story." He tells me as he takes his spoon and gets ready to eat. "But you are not going to like it."
Opening my eyes, I see another blank ceiling, making me wonder if I was still dreaming.
Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Scratch that, I'm awake. The pain and the soreness of my body can confirm that. I try to move my head, but something is stopping me, same goes for the rest of my body.
Okay, I'm not that sure now.
It's almost like in my dream, but unlike my dream, I could feel and somewhat see what was keeping me in place. Out of a corner of my eyes I see a red … thing, all around my face, it was like a red helmet made of soft plastic, and in the rest of my body, like my arms and legs, I felt something holding me, akin to the same red material my face was touching.
"Hello?"
I ask out loud, only receiving the eco of the room at first.
"Hello."
A soft raspy voice answers me.
"Michael?"
"Yes."
"I can't move, what is going on?"
He replays me with silence, taking his time preparing his words.
"From what I understand, you had a seizure in the middle of the night, and after the doctors helped you, they hold you down in place for safety."
"Oh."
Yeah, that makes sense.
*sigh*
Damn it, not again.
What is happening? Why am I having these problems again? I was finally good!
I was … *sigh* I was finally good.
"Could you take this off, please? Or, I don't know, call the doctors?"
"I can't."
Huh?
"Why not?"
"I'm …"
His voice sounds embarrassed? Conflicted? Why?
"I'm … also strapped to my bed."
…
"Huh?"
"What were you thinking?!"
The doctor shouts to the nurse.
"He seemed confused! I was trying to bring him back to bed without causing him any harm."
"You were supposed to keep an eye on him! He came here with a concussion! Why was he out of bed?!"
"I – I did, I just, I don't know." His voice becoming coyer as the conversation progressed.
"A patient almost fells thru the window! What do you mean you don't know?!"
"You felt thru the window?"
"Almost, I almost felt thru the window." He corrects me, but I sense something in his voice, shame? Maybe, disappointment? It's hard to tell. "The nurse managed to help me before I felt.
What hell happened while I was sleep?
"Okay, I know this isn't my business, but what happen?"
[Charisma check]
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I don't know if he was going to tell me or not, I made him talk back in the forest, so maybe I had a chance, but somebody else interrupts us. I hear the doors of the room opening, and steps of multiple people approaching us.
I turn my eyes as far as I could to see them.
"Good morning, gentlemen." Says a feminine voice. She stays out of my sight, I can only see our dear nurse (no pun intendent) do his job alongside other medical staff, checking my vitals and changing my intravenous. "My name is Doctor Zǐ."
The mutant at my right has a sad face and was traying to avoid looking at his other patient and the source of the female voice.
"Morning." Me and Michael say in unison, although my voice shows some confusion (over my current accommodation) and Michael's sounds monotonous (I know, what a surprise).
I hear them writhing down things on some papers, and with the push of a button, my upper body starts to rise. The bed shifting until I come face to face with Michael (who's bed had shifted in a similar fashion) and the rest of people in the room.
"Alright, we'll unstrap you now, so please follow our instructions, and stay still."
They start removing my leg bindings and make their way up my body, I was expecting a couple of straps, not like 10 or 20 (what the hell? How much was I moving last night?), taking under a minute to take each one out. Until reaching the last one, the strange red plastic cocoon in my head, once it was off, I stretched my neck.
"Careful now, we don't want to break anything else that wasn't already broken."
I finally see the origin of the voice, a small woman, around 4 feet tall. She was wearing a medical white coat, has black hair, peachy skin, and, oh, yeah, dog ears.
"We need to run some basic tests on you two, so please, cooperate, this may take some time."
They ask us to do different things; stretch, read, answer basic question like mathematical operations and identify colors, look into their lights, etc. I'm guessing to test our motor functions and correct brain activity.
"Now, please stand up."
With the nurses help we get up, and ask us to do more test, walking in a certain pattern, closing one eye, and trying to read a bunch of letters at the other side of the room, and so on and so forth.
"Well, physically speaking, you are way better than what we were expecting, most of your wounds have heal in their entirety." She adjusts her glasses and keeps writhing down on her clipboard. "As for your mental health, that remains to be seen." Her voice is full of sarcasm and tiredness.
Lovely lady.
Again, the miracle of modern science, thanks stim-packs.
"But from your answers and what our specialists has reported, you two aren't a danger to yourselves or others, which complicates things."
Why?
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" I ask.
"Normally, yes, but since you two are kingdomless, and fall into the category of "near full recovered" legally speaking, we can't keep providing you with treatment nor hospitalization, without monetary compensation."
"If we have achieved a full recovery, then why is this a problem?" My companion asks.
"It's a problem because although you qualify under this category, any professional will ask you to stay, you need to be under observation." She stops looking down at her clipboard and looks at us. "However, as I said, because of legal laws, we can't keep you here anymore, not for free, at least."
The medics give us a piece of paper that I can hardly read, but after a second, I realize what it was, a receipt.
I see where this is going.
"According to the life-acts-laws, you won't be charged for your hospitalization, treatments, or administrated medicine, and will be discharged in 3 hours, but, as I said, you need observation and should stay here."
Oh! No! They wany my money! Quick! Say something me!
"And what if we DO belong to a kingdom?"
[Speech check: Failed]
"Nice try, we already checked, no kingdom has any registration of you two."
Oh, well, had to try.
"Registration? You don't even know our names." Michael Interrupts.
"Your DNA and fingerprints were all we needed."
Well, damn, not even the NCR has this level of control over their population. These Kingdoms are something else.
NCR … money … wait.
"And how do we pay you then?"
Please say caps, please say caps.
*Sigh* "We don't accept bartering if that's what you're asking, I know that's a common way in the outer lands, but we only want Lien here."
NCR dollars, Denarius, Aureus, Caps, and now Lien, can you all just settle for one currency already!
Looking down on the receipt again, I notice the weird "L" symbol we saw back in the cave, on those plastic cards. Next to a big seven-digit number! No way in hell we have that much!
"In case you don't own the necessary money, you can go to the government building just outside of here, ask for refugee status, and later, asylum Seeker." She gives us more papers. "We can start the process here, just so you don't leave the hospital, with that, once you're completely healthy, you may work and pay your medical debt, plus the taxes and other bureaucratic tolls needed for your stay."
…
…
…
"Or …?"
"Or you can leave, technically speaking, you are under the protection of a Tenured level Huntsman, so you can roam the town freely as temporary visitors, and while you're here, you must follow our laws until your eventual departure."
She, yet again, gives us more papers, these ones with graphics and figures of the human body, showing different photos of different injuries, our injuries.
"However, I must insist on, YOU, choosing the former option."
She keeps insisting. My injuries don't seem to be all that bad now, or, well, I'll live. A fractured hand, a broken nose, and a sore body, all inconveniences, but I can work with them, the Doctors and the chems already did the heavy lifting.
I just need some time in the sun.
She keeps talking, most her words lost to me, trying to convince us, like she knew we wouldn't like her idea. (Almost like she's been thru this before).
"Your health is the most important thing at play here." She continues.
"If that's the case." My partner starts talking for the first time since they entered the room, I forget the medical papers and look at him. "Then why don't you just help us?"
His voice sounds genuinely curious, there was no malice or bother, the question confused me, I mean, wasn't it obvious? They couldn't heal people for free, everything has a price. But I guess my time with the Followers have made me a bit rebellious against bureaucrats, and now I want her to say it. I blame Arcade.
She still looks tired and irritated but tries to show a softer side.
"We are trying to help you, but this is the best we can do, we don't exactly get abundant resources from the mainland, and the law is very strict on how much we can provide to, well, outsiders."
I know what she means, everybody must think about themselves and their people first, can't blame them for that.
Still, this whole bureaucratic system … now I remember why I almost didn't side with the Republic.
"How are you even alive?"
I let him talk while I took another taste of mt stew.
"No, you know what, better yet, do you want to die? Because that is exactly what you're gonna get once she sees you."
I smirk a little bit.
"Wouldn't blame her if she did, but I know her well, she won't do it."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Or, well, I hope so.
"I – I mean." He lets out a nervous laughter. "I can't even imagine how could she forgive you for that."
I take another sip from my coffee.
"Did you at least take care of the fire?"
"Yeah, managed to control it before it got to the gas line."
"And what about the cat?"
"I rather not talk about the cat."
I keep enjoying my meal while he keeps baffling about my story, it's been a while since the last time I aet Geekko meat, as I said it's surprisingly tasty (if you know how to cook it right, of course), it's good meal, too bad those little critters are only common in the red waste of Vacuo.
"Hehehe, man, if you get out of this one alive, I'm buying you drink, and I don't even like you, heheh."
"Well, we'll see, but before I see her, I need to get her something."
"A gift to soften the blow?"
"You can say that."
The merchant put his elbows on the table, holding his face with one hand and turning slightly to me.
"Soooo, what are you gonna get her? Because unless you carry enough Lien to buy a golden cat, I doubt she will even let you get near her."
"I got a couple of ideas."
"Shoot."
"Alcohol."
"Isn't that what got you into this mess?"
She likes it, though.
"Flowers?"
"You'll need every flower in Remnant."
"She always had a thing for dresses."
"Unless your plan is to humiliate yourself by wearing it, then, no."
"Alright, buddy, and what exactly makes you an expert here?"
"Simple, I'm not the asshole who let a girl dumped in a fire and let her with a debt similar to what Menagerie had to pay to become a kingdom."
"First of, Menagerie is hardly a kingdom, and they didn't pay any Lien for their land." They paid with blood and their souls, but that's another thing for another time (I'm a history teacher after all, I know damn well, what they had to sacrifice). "And that fire was almost gone when I left."
He laughs again and keeps eating. *sigh* I need to buy more booze for my flask.
"Hmm."
I keep thinking. No flowers, no dresses, no alcohol….
"More alcohol?"
"I hope she shoots you." One more bite of his eggs. "That would a proper end to your story."
Ignoring me, he's almost ready to go, a few more bites and this conversation will be over, and we'll part ways.
Or at least, that's what he thinks.
"There's one last idea I have." I say, taking my cup with my hands.
"Oh, pleeeeeease, do tell." He sips his coffee. "This better be good."
"Info on illegal transportation and selling of illegal products."
And he chokes.
*cough**cough**cough*
"What? *cough*"
"After all, she IS a higher up at Forth Vox." I play with my cup. "She may appreciate the info."
"What are you talking-"
"You know EXCLTY what I'm talking about."
"…"
Suddenly, our jovial and happy conversation ended, I stop playing, and let him know my true intentions.
He stops smiling, and discreetly looks around without moving his head. "And where are you going to get that info?" Still traying to act innocent. His voice sounds calmed and secured, but I can tell he's getting uneasy.
"Well, I do have a, let's say, criminal, under my supervision."
"…"
His fun and entertained expression turns serious. By his look, I can tell he already noticed how there was less people in the bar area of the restaurant than before, no waiters, nor clients. I gave the owner some extra cash and a note when she gave us our food, asking her to please give us some alone time.
Nobody here, only us.
I'm good at reading people, something you learn in my line of work, and thanks to this, I know what his next move may be.
"And not only under my supervision, he's also under my legal protection, so he can't leave the town without said protection." I say before any bad idea came to his mind and he reached for the gun in his belt. "So, in conclusion, no matter what he does, no matter what plan he can think of, he is pretty much …"
"… trapped."
"Correct."
Neither of us talk for a minute or two, I'm letting him understand his situation. The guy keeps looking around for a while, looking for a way out? Maybe, maybe he's waiting for the town's guards or some soldiers to come for him and lock him up.
They won't.
Taking one last heavy sigh he turns his full attention to me.
"You knew from the start, didn't you?"
His voice full of resentment.
"Yep."
"We didn't meet by accident, did we?"
"No." I take another sip. "I'll admit, you are good, you act most of the time under the law, but when you don't, you make sure nobody knows, no voices, no paper trails, nothing, that is incredible, and I'm being honest here, especially since you're not doing just some small contraband, no, when you do it, you do it big, but everybody messes up at some point."
Silence, some minutes go by in silence, his eyes centered on me, while I ignore the stare and enjoy my coffee. I turn my attention to him once or twice, his scared face change to one of confusion and, later on, a bit of anger. I was blatantly ignoring him, he probably feels like I'm playing with him, but I'm just letting him catch up.
Roughly 5 minutes pass before the merchant speaks again.
"I've been here for a day."
"Yeah."
"And you haven't arrest me."
"No."
"Why?"
Finally.
"I already told you." I move my empty plate and cup to the side. "I need information for my girl."
"I talk, and the moment I get locked up, everybody will know I'm a snitch, so you may as well just take me now, just, do me a favor and let me eat my last meal in peace."
He accepted his situation rather quickly, his eyes keep searching the room, but that's probably more like a survival instinct, he feels in danger after all, it's natural to try and scape it, even if you know you won't get away.
"Who said anything about locking you up?"
"So, what? You are just going to let me go if I talk? Because I can already tell you, I will not do it."
"Huh? Didn't took you for an honor-among-thieves type of guy."
"Fuck honor, even if you let me go, nobody will want to work with a rat." He said while taking a bite out of his bacon. "That is, of course, if whoever you want me to rat on doesn't kill me first."
"True, but I never said I would let you go either."
"Huh?" He looks confused at me. "You want my info, but you're not going to let me go, nor help me."
"Correct."
"Then what do I get out of this?"
"You'll get deported."
"…"
"…"
"You suck at convincing people."
*smirk* "Four-star pilot, not the best, not the worst."
"What?"
"Atlassian traitor, abandoned his mission and stole several pieces of military equipment."
The guy stood up in shock.
"How-?!"
"Sit down." I Interrupt him. "Don't cause a scene."
Panic, terror, those are the only words that come to mind while watching the merchant. If he felt in danger before, now he must feel indescribable horror. He won't sit again, so I just continue.
"Last time seen 4 years ago, half a year later, you showed up." I throw some papers over the counter, showing all my evidence. His poor eyes getting wider by the second. "Of all the kingdoms, Atlas has to be the best, or worst, depending on your situation, at dealing with traitors, wouldn't you say so?"
I swear he was about to faint.
"What would you say, if I tell you that I could get you back home, not as a traitor, but a missing soldier."
All that terror is washed up with confusion. All his muscles in high alert, he wants to talk, but the words won't come out of his mouth, shuddering the first letters he pronounced. Closing his lips, gulping saliva, and reading his words carefully.
"Why?"
"I saw the footage, of your ship before it crashed, you were transporting valuable stuff the White Fang wanted, everybody was ready to scape, but something went wrong, didn't it?"
"… the left turbine malfunctioned."
"The other cargo ships scaped, you went down with the ship, but before that …"
"I left the cargo go, gave it to the Fang, thought they wouldn't shoot me down anymore."
The guy had already been reported for suspected dust trafficking, this little incident was just the last drop for his superiors.
"After that, and you failing to report back, the other pilots reported you, and you were branded a deserter."
The terror became shame and sadness.
"If you get deported, you'll be receive as a lost soldier, who did everything to go back home, back to dear Atlas."
He is innocent, or, well, of this specific case, I have enough evidence to incriminate him of other crimes, but nothing that deserves to be exiled.
I show him my last paper, a favor from Jimmy.
"That – that's an official pardon."
His eyes full of disbelief.
"What's the catch here?"
But his voice still shows worries.
"You have some unnotarized things back on your cart, right?"
"…"
"Come on, I already know."
"Legally no, but actually yes."
"When you leave in a couple of days, you'll be leaving everything behind, your cart, and any cargo you haven't delivered yet, plus, I don't know, any papers with sensitive information I may like. You're not snitching on anybody; you just got your things unfairly seized by the local government." I finish my last sip of coffee. "Actually, you can give the to me right now, as your "legal protector" I will give them to the proper authorities, anonymously, of course, and you can go directly to the Atlassian embassy."
I get up and offer my hand.
"What do you say?"
"Look over here, please."
I follow their instructions to a T, my eyes centered on the machine, and my mind on … other stuff.
"Now don't move."
The machine starts making beeping and shaking, it doesn't seem to be in the best of conditions.
"This may take some time." The medic informed me.
I didn't care, I did as I was told, but that was secondary, I was mainly doing something else.
Delta, gamma, 101001 101010 10101011010101 10101010101 101111111111111111000000.
Hundreds of different codes I knew kept flying thru my brain, I was never that good with machines, I could fix basic engineering problems and maintain equipment such as power armor or my guns, but that was it, anything further or anything related to code is foreign to me. Luckily, I'm at least good at remembering words and numbers.
Epsilon, 1000000111 101010101010101010 10101010 1010101111110000000000000001.
I keep repeating every possible combination I knew that could break a simulation. After days trapped in that hellscape of Dr. Braun, I became a little paranoid of, well, reality, it took me days to realize I was not in the wasteland anymore, when me and my father finally broke free I went and study every and all combinations that a machine could handle, no matter how powerful it was (Or, I like to tell myself, helps me with the paranoia).
I prepare the last one. Inhale and …
1010101010101010010101010101010101010101010010100101010101010101010100101010101010100101010101010010101010100101010101000010100101010101111100101010101001010101010100101010101010010101001010010101010010101010100101010101001-
By the time I finish the big number the machine in front of me stops whatever it was doing.
"And, done, aura levels look good."
Nothing changes, which means that, this is in fact reality. And I don't know if that is good or bad.
"Alright, that was the last test." The small lady tells us. "How do you feel?"
"Sore." Said Julius.
"We'll give you some pain killers for that and other pains, what else? Still have a headage?"
"No." I say while looking at the ceiling, fortunately my head was clear of pain.
"Okey, will give you antiseizure pills to you and anesthetic cream for you." She points at Julius and then at me. "You'll needed, since you got burned at the forest."
Huh?
The statement brought me back to reality, that wasn't correct. Been a while since something could burn me.
"I didn't bu-."
"I said, we'll give you FREE anesthetics because you got burn IN the forest." She points at my chest and neck, and then her clipboard. "Right?"
Oh.
"Yes, right, ma'am."
"Good." She writes something down.
They seem like good people trying to help, they just can't waste their resources without reason on us forever. I understand their position, my earlier questions didn't have the intent of insult them or recriminate them, they were something I pick up from my dad, I guess, he always insisted on curing everybody, no matter what, and during the short time we travel together, that was something he always asked other medics and doctors we found; Why didn't you help everybody? And other similar questions.
Naive maybe, but I guess he really wanted all people to act like that. With kindness.
"According to the x-rays, your bones have healed, but I recommend keeping the plaster casts for a day or two."
I had one on my right arm, the one the raider impaled with his halberd, and another one on my left leg, where the mutated bore hit me. Well, technically 2 in my leg, one starts near my hip and ends before reaching my knee, and the other one passes the knee and ends at my ankle. This permits me some comfortable movement, being able to flex my leg as I desire.
Julius has 3; one on his left hand (the one the raider stepped on), one on his right arm (I don't recall the hit there) and one on his nose. While he has more maneuverability with his legs, I can move my arms more freely than him, my arm cast is shorter, letting me move my arm (even if I can't flex it) and close my fingers, while Julius has his right arm in place, next to his chest , he can't flex it nor move it in any way, the cast covers the full arm, and while the other arm is free, his hand is not, only being able of moving 2 fingers.
"As for your stitches, there's no signs of infection, and the wound has closed, we'll give you some antibiotics, just in case, they need to be removed in a couple of days, so don't force yourselves."
After this is finish, they give us our blue gowns back, and the medics help us putting them on again. We sit on our beds and the medics bring us some plates with food. A glass of water, some green cube and what seems to be fruit.
"You will be release in an hour, here's your papers to verify you as temporary visitors and your prescriptions. Please read it while you eat." The medics handle us these papers. "If you need anything just push the red button next your beds, enjoy the food."
She and the rest of the staff start walking out the room. Free medication, food, and shelter, for people with limited resources, they sure are giving us more than they should.
"Thank you." I say before the people left, some of them gave me a smile before closing the doors.
We eat in silence, the food had little flavor, something our stomachs could digest easily. I was expecting Julius to try and start a conversation, but he was reading his papers with a concerned look. I understood why, when I saw mine, half-gibberish mixed with proper English words, like on the map we got in the cave.
I can still read most of it, but it was still concerning. Some A's were replace with E's, E's were replace with I's, U's with O's, some letter are facing the wrong way, others replaced with ones I didn't knew, we speak the same language, how can our grammar be so different? It didn't make sense.
Another thing to add to the list.
The documents basically told us the same things the Doctor did; the medicine they'll give us, the permission to stay here for a couple of days, and other bureaucratic info.
Heh, bureaucratic.
Funny, never thought I would ever deal with something like that. Always heard Three Dog's rambles of how old-world bureaucrats fucked us up just to save a couple of coins, but I will never truly know how things worked in the old world. I know that it wasn't perfect, not even in the slightest, considering the state of the current world, but it had to had something going for it, if people still try to bring it back.
I finish my meal and look at the window. Is this really real? I want to see the night sky again, I NEED, to see it again, but the clock told me I couldn't, not at 2 in the afternoon.
We got our things, and the medics are preparing everything for our departure, that was rather quickly, but I guess they have other work to do.
Siting in the same room, they gave me back my bags. I give a peak at my things, making sure everything was in order, and that nothing was missing, but also making sure I wasn't showing to much.
"Please, allow us."
The nurses insist on helping us with our stuff.
"It's alright, I can do this by myself."
I keep the bag away from their hands while smiling them, and thanking them for their help. I wasn't going to take all my stuff out in front of them, I have some rather, questionable items with me, and is best if nobody asks questions, that includes Michael.
Speaking of whom, is acting weird.
My partner is siting in his bed, searching thru his own bags. I tried to hide my things from him (while also trying to take a peak of his) expecting a challenge, a duel of gathering information from one another, like the one we've been playing since we woke up in the forest, however, nothing happened.
He didn't do anything, letting me see all the things he brought out.
Okey, maybe he's keeping the important things in his bags, but he's also spaced out, not putting attention to anything around him. And he's been like this since we got out of our beds.
And THAT, is weird.
All this time, since the moment we understood what each other was after, all the way back with dear old Doctor, we have had an eye on each other's movements, sometimes least attention, sometimes more attention, but attention at the end of the day. But now, he hardly looks at me.
Okey, that sounds clingy.
But I'm not meaning it like that. To better put it, he hardly looks at anything for more than a second, his instance glare has been replaced with a one of apathy. That's why I'm having a hard time reading his voice, before, he was centered, had a centered mentality, looking for a way to always reach his objective, looking at everything and analyzing if they could be helpful or a threat, always active.
And now? He doesn't seem to care for his surroundings, still reacting to them, but that firm and calculated gaze is gone. I took a look at his things, actively acting super obvious in my attempt, and there was no reaction, the doctors talked to us and he received the words, but didn't seem to care for them.
He's not looking for a new plan, a new solution, like back at the cliff, he just … doesn't care, what happened?
They gave us what little intact clothes they saved.
My armor is broken; my boots are okey, they are actually sparkling, they must of clean them with the best soap around, the ballistic vest is still wearable, but I need to fix it soon, same situation with my coat, otherwise, I may as well just throw them out (I'll need a sewing kit, new plates, and some other tools), I'll take me some time, but is worth it. As for everything else, they burn them, which isn't a surprise; my pants were completely torn apart, my shirt was soaked in blood and mud, and even my underwear wasn't save from my bleeding (go figure).
Man, I liked that shirt.
"We're sorry for your clothes." The horned man (are antlers considered horns?) says apologetic.
"Don't worry pal." I tell him with a smile. "To be honest, I'm surprise this much survived the fight."
I reach inside my backpack, and take out clean socks and undies, a pair of grey reinforced pants, that don't look like much, but have lead plates underneath, a simple red t-shirt with long sleeves, and … Ulysses' duster.
It's the best light armor I have that won't attract too much attention, just a sleeveless duster with "my flag" on the back. Still, wearing it, doesn't exactly make me proud.
I'll use it for now, light armor has always been my go-to, but I may need to change that if we find that super-raider again.
I tried to put my clothes on, but with my arms as they are right now, I couldn't deny the medic's help any longer.
"Sooooo, now I can't do this by myself."
He smiles at my demeanor, and helps me, the lower half is fairly easy, nothing to hard to do, underwear and pants ready, however my upper part is another story, it takes us several minutes to put my shirt on, the sleeves being the most irritating part in this ordeal (I almost asked the medic to cut them off), luckily, Ulysses gift was easier, (I still hate it, but thank whatever entity that helped create sleeveless jackets).
"Uhmm, Sir." The medics talks. "I understand armor is important, but don't you think you're putting too much weight on yourself?"
It may be light armor, but I understand him, it's still a bit heavy, with the metal plates and other materials that offer protection.
"I can take it."
"Sir-."
"If I couldn't, you wouldn't even help me on putting them on, wouldn't you?"
[Charisma Check: Pass]
"I … I'm still worried, Sir, we don't want you to make unnecessary work or exert yourself too much while you recover, why don't you just use your aura for protection for now?"
"My what now?"
"Your aura."
My what?
*clang**clang*
The small doctor enters the room again, and with her, two more medics, each with one wheelchair.
"Everything is ready"
The personal moves out of the way and stand still next to us.
"Yes ma'am."
Turning my head, I see Mike with clothes on (how did he put on pants with the plaster on his leg?), ready to go.
"Alright then, hop on."
We sit on the chairs and with our stuff in our laps, we finally leave the room. The corridor is big enough for us to "walk" next to each other, while also leaving space for people to pass us. White and shiny, it remembered me of my dream again, if not for all the noise and movement of personal, going from one place to another and reciting medical jargon I can hardly comprehend.
Speaking of.
"You'll take these ones once a day, preferably before any foods." The lady in charge tells us a long list of things we need to do, avoid, and all the medicine we need to take.
She's walking in front of us, and I'll admit, it's hard not to stare at her big ears moving with every step.
"With the medicine, we'll also give you written instructions so that you don't forget what medicine does what, and how to administer it."
I understand most of her talk, but some parts just cause me more confusion.
"Please, although your aura levels have recovered, don't use any form of it while you heal, it may help, but if you overdo it you're pretty much defeating the purpose of the repose." She stops and looks at us death in the eye. "The soul can't act in a broken body, so just don't, really don't."
She turns again and leaves me with more questions, the soul? What is she talking about? Words like that are just brought up and then forgotten, I want to ask, but she doesn't seem like the type that likes to be interrupted.
Believe me, I know her type, never piss off this kind of doctor.
We get in an elevator (These are always fun), and we decent a couple of floors, accompany by some smooth music.
"We tried calling the huntsman that brought you here, but he hasn't answered back, you can leave our walls only with him, so, please, DON'T try and smuggle yourselves out."
"That's a very specific warning."
…
"I didn't mean to say that out loud."
Please don't put my brain in a jar.
"If I'm giving it, it's because it has happened before." She turns to me. "So, obey, I know the main reason you outlanders live in the wilds is to avoid the Kingdoms' laws, but just, OBEY, got it?"
No-nonsense short fuse doctor that threats me. Arcade would adore her.
With a ding, the doors of the elevator open and we, again, "walk" together, passing by more hardworking personal.
"Speaking of laws, if you possess illegal objects like drugs, weapons or whatever, keep it to yourselves, we can't check your stuff, but if an officer sees it, he can take it away."
We arrive to what seems to be the entrance of the place, a reception-desk in the middle, chairs against the walls, and set of two glass doors, the exit.
"Now, any questions before you leave?"
Where to start? The most important, I guess.
"I'm still a bit lost on where exactly we are, do you have like a map or something?"
"You can go to the library, you can connect to the SCD network for free and find yourselves, I guess."
"Thanks."
I get up from the chair, as well as Mike, who is given a crutch.
"Here's your medicine." The head doctor says while the medics give us some plastic bags. "And here is the scroll number of your Huntsman, in case you need him." She gives us each a piece of paper with a number on it.
"Scroll number?"
"Yes."
We both stare at her, the first interested reaction I've seen from Mikey today.
*sigh* "Of course you guys don't have scrolls." She says with clear annoyance.
"Uhm, you can ask to borrow one in the library, put in the number and you'll call mister Qrow." The guy medic tells us.
"Okey, but what is a scro-?"
"Doctor Zǐ, please report to the main office, Doctor Zǐ, please report to the main office."
My question is interrupted by the speakers, and the doctor in question walks past us.
"Anything you'll two need is in your bags, contact that huntsman as fast as possible if you can, I have work to do."
And with that she leaves us, taking part of the medical staff with her, only leaving 2 nurses with us.
"Is best if you follow her instructions, the library also works as an archives and records management, you can found it by following the main street." The male nurse keeps helping us. "Good luck and, enjoy your stay."
They leave as well, and me and Michael are left alone in the entrance, seems there's more medical work than I thought.
I'm still worry about Michael's demeanor, but I'll find out the reason sooner or later.
"Well, I don't know about you." I tell him before I start walking. "But I need to stretch my legs, and some sun would be great."
Qrow's role under Ozpin's plan was to be a spy, an informant, and don't see a lot of that in the show, he clearly has some scenes, but I gave him some more here.
As for 6 and 101, they have a lot of learning to do.
Thanks for your support, it means the world to me.
A special thanks to Rio Skyron (thanks man) and Spatialyeti8 (I didn't connect the nickname "V" that Sam gives to Vernal to Cyberpunk until you point it out XD) for their reviews .
Please, keep on sending them, it brings me so much joy to read them. Hope you all have a great day, see you later (I hope, HOPE, that in 1 or 2 months).
Bye.