Chapter 10
Roman watched the girls spar under the watchful eye of Mrs. Goodwitch. The past few days had been a chore in their own way. While the girls liked the idea of hunting for treasure, they certainly didn't like researching where they had to go. So that left the leg work to Roman. Several hours of cross-referencing newer, higher-definition maps with the one they found led him to a location on the northern coast of Sanus.
It was possible to reach, but as far as he could tell no one had ever been there. He had no way to confirm whether or not there was anything there. Not to mention that seeing as the location was outside of the Kingdom's reach, the Grimm were likely crawling all over, which meant that he needed to find a way to bring the girls. Sure it would be dangerous, but Roman was a licensed Huntsman, not to mention that he had as good as promised to take them with him.
It should be fine. Roman nodded to himself. There shouldn't be any issue as long as they return within a few days. If they took too long, someone would start looking for them and if things really went south, Roman likely wouldn't be able to show his face around Vale without law enforcement and Huntsmen breathing down his neck.
He could handle it just fine. Kill a handful of Grimm, teach the girls a few things about any potential traps that might be lying about, find anything valuable, and bring it back. It'll be easy. All he'll need to do is let some people know that he's taking the girls with him on some business in Atlas and that they'll be back in a few days.
'What's even going to be in an old, rundown temple from before the Great War?' He wasn't sure what to expect. Some suits of armor, old weaponry? He was more hoping for jewels and other valuables. The map was hidden in an old bust, so it must be hiding something valuable. Yeah, it had to be valuable. Otherwise hiding the map would be meaningless. There was certainly something valuable there and Roman had to bring the girls.
Roman brought his hand to his head. He felt a headache coming on and massaged his temples to assuage the pain.
"Alright, I do believe that today's lesson has come to its conclusion."
Roman turned his attention back to the lesson at hand. The girls had made great progress with regard to their hand-to-hand, so Mrs. Goodwitch had started teaching them some basic swordplay. He supposed it was fair. Legally the girls wouldn't be allowed to carry weapons, but that wouldn't stop them from being able to carry any concealed weapons, like his cane.
'Maybe I ought to send them to the Academy when they get to that age. Sign them up to be Blacklist Huntresses.'
They'd be allowed to carry weapons and kill certain individuals. Plus the training could be useful. There was only so far the two could get fighting each other since they had similar builds and fighting styles. They needed to get out and face new people, but there was still a way to go before then.
The girls were both sitting against one of the random crates Roman kept the warehouse filled with, greedily drinking from their water bottles, as the goodest witch walked to him.
"What's the news, teach? They ready for the next stage?"
Despite his casualness, she still retained her strict "no-nonsense" personality. She took off her glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief.
"As it stands, I believe that they will be ready to create a personal weapon by the time Signal's first years are. Maybe sooner if they prove to be as gifted as I believe them to be." She finished cleaning her glasses, only to hook them on her shirt. She turned to look at Red and Neo, a small smile playing on her lips. "They aren't at the level of my dear Glynda, but they should prove to be quite formidable."
Roman whistled. "Ready for weapons already, huh? You got any ideas for what Red could use? Her Semblance doesn't really leave any room when it comes to weapon choices."
"I will admit that her Semblance restricts her choices, what with the way it forces her Aura to cling as close as it does to her skin. Honestly, I doubt she will ever get it to coat anything larger than a small knife without actively concentrating." Goodwitch sighed. "That being said, it is an incredibly powerful tool to have."
'No kidding.' Roman thought. Intangibility was incredibly useful in his line of work. From what they'd seen, she burned through more Aura the greater the area she was using her Semblance on. Not that big of an issue. There weren't too many scenarios that he could think of that would require her to use her Semblance on her whole body.
"From our next lesson on, we'll be working on their Semblance control. It should go without saying that with both of them having powerful Semblances, they could find themselves using them quite frequently. So I intend to beat into them the fact that their Semblances are not all-powerful and should not be overly relied upon."
Roman raised an eyebrow at that. "What does that have to do with Semblance control?"
She chuckled at that as she walked away. "What, indeed."
Roman was left somewhat confused as he watched her leave. He shrugged as he walked to the girls. They were finally catching their breath by the time he got to them. "You girls ready to head home?"
Two tired nods later and they were on their way. They had barely gotten to the house when Roman's Scroll went off. He pulled it out and checked the name that popped up. "Hey~, Silkie. How's it going?"
"The Chief wants to know if you have everything."
"Really? No warm welcomes, no hellos, no declarations of love. Just straight to business?"
A heavy sigh came over the Scroll. "Fine. How are the girls doing?"
Roman smiled as he sat heavily on his couch, Red and Neo jumping up to sit next to him. He tapped a few buttons on his Scroll and the call was broadcast to his ScrollV. An image of Silkie in her usual attire popped up. "As you can see, they're doing alright."
Silkie flashed a rare smile and waved. "Hey girls, Goodwitch putting you through the wringer?"
The two nodded heartily as they signed about their day. While the girls distracted themselves, Roman escaped to the kitchen. He checked on the crockpot. A few things were left to set up, but dinner was more or less ready.
Seeing as he had everything ready, he returned to the living room where Red and Neo were giving Silkie a demonstration of their abilities. Smiling, he leaned on the back of the couch, "Hate to interrupt, but I thought I'd let you rapscallions know that dinner will be ready soon."
The girls were excited and rushed to the kitchen. Roman lingered. "Y'know. We'll have enough for leftovers, so I wouldn't be opposed to one more at the table."
Silkie was surprised at the offer. "I can't just-"
"Think of it this way. You get a home-cooked meal, time with the girls, and can pick up the groceries the bossman sent me to pick up. I can imagine you probably eat out pretty often, so why not take the opportunity to eat something relatively healthy for once." He smirked. "Besides, I get to spend time with my favorite cop."
"To think you made it sound so tantalizing, right before you soured it." She retorted.
"Hey now." He admonished. "The position as Roman Torchwick's favorite cop is not something to take lightly. Just imagine the prestige and praise your cohorts would heap upon you."
"For being in close association with a known criminal element?" she deadpanned.
Roman mocked hurt before his smile came back. "No, for being associated with the most successful stockbroker in Vale."
"How do you even get good at that?"
"No idea," he admitted, "But I do know that I'm one of the best. Your colleagues will be pinching their Liens, while you're living the big life with all the secrets I can tell you. You'll be the envy of the whole department."
She fixed him with a skeptical look. "You… do know that…everyone thinks you're dealing in insider trading, right?"
Roman was aghast. "What?! Why would I do that? I don't even have the connection for that."
The only response he got was a shrug. Roman sighed and rubbed his temples. "Whatever. Just get that cute butt of yours over here before I throw out your portion."
"My oh my, breaking promises to your little girls already?" Silkie giggled.
Roman turned to see the girls peeking out from the kitchen. "Just get here."
Salem stared at the broken mess of a girl crumpled on the ground before her. Cinder had been making decent headway in her training with Tyrian, so she had ordered him to set the difficulty even higher. Honestly, the fact that the girl was nothing more than a sobbing wreck on the floor was a disappointment in itself, but the fact that she was squandering the opportunity that had been presented to her was the most irksome thing.
She was half-convinced to cut her losses there and search out a new host for the Maiden powers when her mind wandered to the other research Watts was working on. They had already seen that the Grimm infusions altered the personality of the person afflicted.
A cold smile crept upon her face as she left the training room. If Cinder didn't want to fulfill her expectations, then she'd get a Cinder that would.
"I'm still m-m-me. You sonuva bitch." The voice came out far more forced than his subject likely intended, but that was of no consequence.
"Quite. I would no doubt be able to recognize your stellar vocabulary and immense mastery of language anywhere. Truly, the expletives that have been leveled at me have put a most serious dent in my dastardly schemes. The untold machinations of your mind leave me perplexed at the intricacies of your incredible plan to escape.
How is that going by the way? I can't imagine spending years strapped to a slab to be very comfortable, so do be sure to inform me of when you plan on making any overt moves. I would very much like to watch."
The guttural growl that answered him caused Watts to chuckle. The once strapping, young lad had made many threats and assurances as to what would happen should he escape, but Watts knew that deep down the boy understood that he wouldn't be going anywhere unless they wanted him to, and with the final preparations in place for the next phase of testing, he might get to see the wilds of Remnant again.
The door to the lab opened.
"Ah, Your Grace. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit this fine day?" He had his guesses, but it never hurt to make sure. After all, she did have him working on several things these days.
Salem silently walked to the slab that restrained the room's third occupant. "I was just wondering if this labor had born fruit that could be applied elsewhere?"
'Oh?' Was someone getting out of line? "While I will say that our subject here has shown tremendous ability to retain himself, the fact remains that he has proven to be a worthwhile font of wisdom. I do believe that with these next round of experiments, we will see the results we have been looking for. Is there another subject that you'd like for me to see to?"
He didn't dare hope that Tyrian had somehow managed to earn Salem's ire.
"I had hopes that Cinder would prove to be capable, but it would seem that she lacks the drive to grasp even the slightest bit of her potential."
Alas, a man may dream. Watts shuffled through his notes. "While I can't say that I understand her, is she not our Maiden host? Based on what little data we have on the subject; Grimm are not capable of inheriting those powers."
Salem's chuckle sent shivers down his spine. "Indeed, the powers themselves scorn the Grimm, but what I want is not to turn Cinder into a near mindless drone. I simply want for her to…find herself."
She stepped to the end of the slab and ran a bony white finger along their guest's face. "We've already seen what happens. All we need to do is keep it at the stage where the Grimm takes over yet leaves the body intact."
"I see," Watts mumbled. He should have known that this day would come sooner or later. Cinder may have been making leaps when it came to her combat prowess, but her resolve and demeanor simply couldn't keep pace. She jumped out of her skin at the mere mention of her name, nearly fainted innumerable times over whenever Salem came anywhere close to her and cried herself to sleep most nights since she arrived.
He could only think of a few occasions in which the girl seemed to be remotely comfortable and those came from the days when exhaustion claimed her grip on consciousness. For all intents and purposes, Cinder Fall was just a normal girl in over her head. If the circumstances were different, he might have felt a twinge of pity for her, but Salem gets what Salem wants. Right now, she did not desire Cinder Fall, the girl, she wanted Cinder Fall, the vessel for the Maiden powers.
And she had come to the person she believed would grant her that. Watts knew she wasn't making a request. He may have been important to some of her plans, but he wasn't irreplaceable. He could sympathize with Cinder all he wanted but this ends only one way.
"I'll see what I can do."
The witch smiled at him. "See that you do."
With that, she was gone. Once more, it was Watts and the poor soul they had stripped of his humanity. Watts set his notes aside and leaned against the slab. He caught the man's eyes looking at him. "Don't look at me like that. Just because I'm a scientist working for her doesn't mean I don't have my own morals."
He let out a long breath. "If there is one thing I've learned, it is that regardless of one's wants, things will find a way to come about. With or without you. The best you can do is stack the deck in your favor."
"Are you sure we should be doing this, Adam?" Blake Belladonna jogged to catch up to the older boy. They had been wandering the back alleys of Mistral for the past couple of hours. With Sienna's recent takeover of the White Fang, they had begun training to fight back against the humans.
She wasn't sure why Adam wanted to be in the kingdom. She wanted to get back to training, but as his friend, she couldn't let him wander on his own.
Adam huffed. "You worry too much, Blake. We're almost there."
The two continued through the alley until Adam stopped them in front of an unmarked building. Loud clanking could be heard through the walls of the building. The two children looked at each other before Adam pushed the door open.
The first thing either one of them noticed was the heat. It was searing inside the building and the thunderous sounds of metal on metal resounded even more violently. Blake immediately covered her feline ears as Adam stepped forward.
A single man was sitting at an anvil, a white-hot blade being hammered. Stripes coiled around his body were crossed by scars nearly twice as thick. Powerful arms repeatedly brought the worn hammer down. The man, or rather the Faunus, seemed to have not noticed them. Adam took another step toward him.
"That's far enough, boy." The rough, raspy voice boomed at him. The man set the blade in a nearby trough of water, evidenced by the hissing steam. The smith turned to face them, his face marred by smoke and grit. "I don't know what you two are here for but go home. I don't have time for babes that ought to be clinging to their mother's skirts."
He started to turn back to his work, but Adam called out for him. "We're not here for games. We want you to join the White Fang and help our people escape the binds the humans have placed on us."
Blake looked at Adam, astonished. She didn't know that that was why they were here. She wasn't even sure how Adam even knew about this place.
"Why on Remnant would I want to do something as stupid as that?" The smith glared at Adam.
Adam scoffed. "Our people-"
"Are just fine!" The man interrupted. "I swear, it's like you children have learned nothing. The Faunus Revolution wasn't that long ago and now you all want to start it all again. I'll have none of it. Now get out of my shop."
The man turned back to his work. Adam marched forward, only to find himself on the ground with a hammer an inch from his face. Neither Blake nor Adam had even seen the man move.
"I know exactly what it is that your organization wants from me. Ever since that stupid kitten took charge, things have changed. People are scared to be anywhere around a Faunus. You people want me to make weapons for you so that you can scare more people. That ain't why I took up the hammer.
Every weapon I make, I make so that one more kid doesn't hafta cry themself to sleep cause mommy and daddy are gone. So that no parent has to worry about burying their kid. I craft weapons for Huntsmen that protect the people, not for monsters that want to burn the only world we have to the ground. You'd best wizen up boy. Cause the way I see it you're on the fast track to being one of those monsters."
The smith grabbed Adam and tossed him out of the shop, nearly hitting Blake. He marched up to the door and heavily slammed it in their faces.
Blake crept up to Adam. The boy was fuming. "We should go."
She tried to grab his hand, but he yanked away and marched off. Blake chasing after him.
Her fist impacted the sandbag. She had been spending more time in the training room since she started Signal. Dad had given her some guidance in the beginning, but he wasn't a brawler so her fighting style was mostly self-created. That was fine by her. She'd get stronger on her own, then she'd show everyone.
An image of a woman who looked similar to her passed through her mind. She grit her teeth and threw her next punch. The sandbag was knocked further back than her last several punches. She kept them coming. She didn't need help; she didn't need approval. She just wanted to show them just how strong she was.
The next person that popped into her mind was a different woman, one that she had only seen in pictures, but she knew enough about her from what her father had told her. The wretched woman who ruined her family. She played with everyone's emotions, making them believe that she was a wonderful, kind, benevolent woman. Now she was dead.
'Should have died sooner and saved everyone the trouble.'
With her came one more, a small girl that looked just like that woman. Just once had she seen her, when she had wondered where her mother had gone. She'd found their cabin, just outside the town. She looked into the window and saw her mother playing with the girl. They looked so happy. She didn't know where the woman was, but she didn't wait to find out if she was home. She ran home and threw herself onto her bed.
She didn't know that she could get so angry, but with a howl of rage, her fist slammed into the sandbag. The chain the bag was suspended from strained for a moment before breaking, allowing the bag to continue with its momentum. It crashed into the wall of the training room.
The sound of her heart pounding in her ears was all she stood glaring at the bag. She'd show them that she didn't need anyone. She didn't help. She was strong and when her mother woke up, she'd show her that she made a mistake when leaving her behind.
It has been a while hasn't it. Sorry about that. There's been a few things that have taken up my time. Enough of that though, I've got a new story in the works, but it'll be a while until it comes out. On that note, how would you guys feel about me cross-posting this story to ao3? I don't know how everyone feels about fanfiction sites, but I do know that each site has things the other sites don't.
So let me know what you all think about that, and what you think about the story itself. Have a good day.