Heart to Heart

Chapter 38: The Morning After

Jaune groaned awake as he tried to shift but something was on top of him. He slowly opened his eyes as he felt a warm body pressed up against him. Looking down he noticed the familiar blonde hair and Yang's sleeping face near his own. He smiled as the memories of last night's date came back to him as he gently brushed a strand of her hair away. He just looked at her, the girl that he had given his first time to. Actually, it was a first time for them both making it extra special in his mind.

His other hand trailed along her spine gently as she shifted and seemed to want to bury herself more into him if possible. He still couldn't believe it in a way he just lost his virginity to Yang. He watched her sleep, even with her messy hair and smeared makeup from last night she was still so very beautiful to him. He lost track of time as he just lay there watching her, his hand caressing her back lightly.

Yang stirred feeling a very comfortable as she was snuggling up against something warm and something was caressing her back very nicely. She slowly woke up seeing a bare chest in her vision as she shifted to look up to see Jaune's face.

"Morning Sunshine," Jaune said.

"Sunshine?" Yang smirked.

Jaune looked a little embarrassed. "I uh…was that no good? I mean I've been trying for a nickname."

"Needs work," Yang snuggled against him. "Maybe when it's just us."

"I can work with that," Jaune told her. "I didn't wake you did I?"

Yang shook her head. "Don't worry about it, I feel very well rested."

There was a moment before Jaune had to breach a subject. "Uh Yang…I kind of need to get up."

"Bathroom?"

"Yeah," He blushed as she chuckled.

"Alright go ahead." She shifted letting him get up.

Jaune was thankful for it as he got out of the bed. He had on his boxers as after he and Yang finished having sex they got on their underwear before settling in for the night. Yang couldn't help but watch her boyfriend leave leering just a bit at his backside.

Yang rested up as she eventually sat on the edge of the bed stretching out as she groaned feeling certain muscles sore from last night. It was strange she worked out and had been in fights but apparently there were some muscles you worked out during sex you didn't normally use. So much for health class telling them about that but she didn't mind. Last night had been great the whole romantic date had been amazing and last night?

Part of her was glad that she waited while another if she knew now when she first met Jaune she might have jumped him on the air ride into Beacon. Well she would have flirted with him and maybe after he had thrown up on her shoes demanded a date as a way to make up for it. She could already see his confused look, as he most likely would have agreed and her taking him on a tour of Vale's nightlife.

Leaving her little day dream of what could have been she focused more on what had happened. She and Jaune were together and had gone one-step further in their relationship. She frowned when remembered how he had said that he loved her and she couldn't say the words back.

How could she not love him back? She did didn't she?

There was no one else she could see herself with in her life, hell she had a dream of them even having a family together. So why the hell couldn't she say the words?

She was pretty sure she was in love with him, granted she had nothing to really base it on as she had never been in love before. She was certain this was how it felt but then what was stopping her?

"Great I got more issues I never knew I had," she muttered herself. Maybe she just needed time for it? Maybe she needed to talk about it with someone but it's not as if she knew anyone that was in a relationship at the moment.

She heard the shower go on and Yang decided that a nice morning shower it what she needed. She got up and slipped out of her panties as she entered the bathroom. The shower was at the end with the glass door facing her and Jaune under the shower his back also to her. She bit her lip as walked to the door and quickly opened it and slipped in with him.

"Yang!?" Jaune jumped not expecting her.

"I wanted to see if you needed anyone to wash your back," Yang smirked running her hands over his muscular back. She pressed up against him, "Maybe your front later and you can do me after."

Jaune groaned feeling her against his back.

"Hand me the soap." Yang asked him as he passed the liquid soap to her. She poured it into her flesh hand as she put the bottle away with the other and started to wash his back.

They spent the next few moments just doing that, just showering and washing each other. It was partially sexual but also loving in nature. Yang may have used her sizable bust to help lather him up a few times as he may have caressed her body more than simply wash it.

"Can you get my hair?" Yang asked him handing him the shampoo.

He started to lather up her long blonde hair as Yang sighed feeling his fingers working it. Jaune had gained the right to touch her precious hair and the feel of his hands gently working her scalp and undoing any knots in her long hair felt very nice.

She hummed in appreciation feeling the shampoo dig in with his fingers. Jaune washed her hair as he had to admit she really did take great care of it. He could see why she was so proud of her hair. Eventually he finished as she stepped under the water to get it off running her hands through her hair.

Jaune nearly groaned at the sight of her doing that, the way she posed and the water hitting her. Why on earth was it that girls got more hot when they were wet? He didn't know the reason as he could only marvel at her. They were in this small space and yet were both comfortable with each other. He felt comfortable in her presence like this, then again it's not like they had anything else to really see after last night.

While lost in the sight of his girlfriend a certain part of him was getting excited as Yang stepped back and took notice.

"Jeez didn't you get enough last night?" Yang teased him.

"Uh…well, you know, you're here, naked and all…" He said a little flustered. So much for being comfortable.

"Well as much as I would love for more, I'm a little sore down there after last night."

"Oh yeah, it's okay really." Jaune quickly told her, while the offer of more was so very appealing he didn't want to hurt her or anything.

Yang smirked at him. "Well since we're here, how about I try something special as a thanks for helping me wash up?"

"Something special?" Jaune asked confused.

-M Scene -

Yang turned around as she kissed him keeping his erection pressed against her stomach. Jaune could only groan into the kiss feeling her warm and silky smooth skin pressing against it. Yang could feel the heat of it against her skin as she rubbed her body against him a little making him moan a bit more.

Without a word, she starting moving down his body until she was on her knees starting at his member. She couldn't believe it wasn't that long ago that thing was inside of her, part of her really did want to have it inside of her again. She hated the fact she still felt a bit sore and the condoms were in the other room. Well this should be good too Jaune went all out for her so she wanted to as well.

Gently taking hold of it, she stroked it a bit before kissing the tip. Jaune started to breathe a bit heavier as soon as he felt her warm and wet mouth wrap around him. He groaned as she started to work her mouth onto his member. He rested against the wall as Yang's head started going back and forth.

Yang ran her hands over his thighs as she did her best with him, this was her second time ever doing this. Although she enjoyed making him moan like that, she was the one he was thinking about, the one who could make him feel like this.

After a minute of this, her jaw started to get a bit sore so she decided to try something new. She pulled back as she gave it one last lick when it was out of her mouth. She then took some of the liquid soap and put it between her breasts to get nice and lubed up.

"Time for something a little new Lover Boy," Yang placed his member between her large soft breasts ass she squeezed them together and started to rub it between them.

"Oh god Yang," Jaune groaned feeling the soft flesh around him.

She sped up looking up at him. "You getting close Lover?"

"Y-yeah." Jaune nodded.

"Then do it, let it all out on me, just not in my hair." Yang told him.

"Yang…I'm cumming," Jaune groaned as she took hold of his penis and pointed it right at her chest. She could feel it pulsing as the warm liquid hit her chest.

"That's it Lover Boy, let it all out on me." She urged him. She slowly jerked it a few times making sure to get it all as she looked at the mess that was on her breasts at the moment.

"Surprised you still had so much in you since last night," Yang grinned standing up as she washed off her chest. "Hope you enjoyed that."

"Yeah, I did." Jaune nodded he couldn't wait to do more of that later. Then he thought about Yang and remembered how she said she would like to do more. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"That's nice of you but like I said, still a little too sore from last night." Yang hoped this wouldn't impact her missions today, maybe they could get a nice patrol mission or overseeing transports to the construction site? Ruby and Weiss had that and they said it had been pretty boring.

"Well…what if I did for you what you did for me?" Jaune asked rubbing the back of his head.

Yang turned around, "You offering to go down on me?"

"Well it's only fair and I was kind of curious." He admitted.

Yang smiled as she rested against the wall spreading her legs. "Well then, let's try it out."

Jaune got down this time as he found himself looking right at her exposed sex. Gently rubbed her lower lips making take a breath, she was actually a bit turned on already from all their shower play.

"So…do I start licking or…" Jaune didn't really know exactly what to do, he felt a little awkward asking her this when he was already down there but he wanted to make sure he didn't screw this up.

"Start licking the outside and use your fingers inside," she explained. She felt his tongue going to work on her folds as his fingers from one hand started to gently work their way into her body. She hummed at first as she gave him little bits of advice on what she liked and how to improve.

She had to admit Jaune took to it like he did his lessons in combat. Soon she was panting from his work and then moaning as a hand went to his head as her other one went to one of her breasts. Jaune stumbled a bit here and there but with Yang's help he soon was finding out what she liked. He needed a bit more room by this point and an idea hit him.

He took one of her legs and put it over his shoulder, she didn't fight it as she was enjoying herself so much. It was a little awkward but she soon didn't care as his mouth and fingers went back to work. By now she was moaning out her head resting against the slick wall.

Jaune noticed her clit was more clearly seen so he attacked it with his mouth.

"Ahhhh!" Yang's hips bucked against him. "Oh god Jaune!"

Jaune started to suck on it now as his fingers when to work faster and faster into her. Yang hips kept thrusting against him as she could only cry out with a passion. Jaune gave it one hard suck and that was all it took for make her reach her climax as she held his head in place crying out. Yang started panting after she came down from her high as Jaune untangled himself from her. He had to help steady her as her legs were a bit shaky.

"So…good?" Jaune asked.

"Oh god yes," Yang sighed happily.

-M scene end-

After a little light washing up to get rid of what they had finished doing in the shower. They dried off and got dressed. Yang hummed happily to herself slipping on her panties and then her dress. This had been a good day and she was looking forward to more of them.

Jaune wore a grin on his face as he did the same but didn't bother to straighten up to much. Both of them were just going to change anyway when they got back to their rooms. He soon found Yang pulling him into a kiss as she pulled back smiling.

"This was great Jaune."

He blushed a bit. "Thanks, I really wanted to make it special."

"Oh you did but why all the trouble? I mean I'm not against it but it's not like it's an anniversary or anything."

"I…" He searched for his words. "I just wanted to have a special moment with you. I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me."

Yang stood there blinking for a moment touched by that as she rested her head on his chest. "You know you keep saying things like that to a girl and I might just keep you here all day."

Jaune swallowed at that thought. "As appealing as that that, and it really is, I mean seriously I would like nothing better but I think everyone will be looking for us."

Yang sighed. "Yeah that's right, still food for thought."

They left the room going to their team bunks, Yang walked into the room holding her purse and shoes as she walked in with a smile on her face and humming.

"So you finally decided to come back to the room." Blake smirked seeing her walk into the room.

"I take it you two used that room Penny got for you." Weiss stated.

"Oh yeah we used it all right." Yang grinned.

"Ewww." Ruby made a face not wanting to have that mental image in her head.

"Agreed." Weiss said in a deadpan expression.

Yang rolled her eyes, "Well get used to it because what happened last night is not going to be a onetime thing."

"I'm going for breakfast," Ruby rushed out of the room not wanting to hear anything more if her sister started to get descriptive of things.

"Well just keep it in that room," Weiss told her.

"Fair enough," Yang shrugged. "Now I need to change for breakfast, I worked up an appetite."

"That I didn't need to know," Weiss left to find Ruby.

Yang smirked as she left and then noticed Blake still in her bunch with a slight blush on her cheeks. Yang raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I was just wondering, I mean…was it nice?" Blake had never gone that far with anyone before so she was a bit curious.

"Oh yeah, I'll tell you about it if you want while I change."

For Jaune coming into the room he was tackled by a ginger missile in the form of Nora who knocked him onto his back the moment she saw him, it took him a moment from the stunning blow he got to notice she was talking at him.

"So things went well right? I mean you didn't come back to the room so we kind of assumed things went well, so where did you guys go? You two didn't get a hotel or something did you? Oh maybe you found a nice secluded spot? You can tell me, I won't say anything where it is." Nora said in a rapid fire manner.

"Nora please let him up and he can talk." Ren gently got Nora off him as Jaune slowly got to his feet rubbing his chest a bit. Even with aura, Nora could hit very hard.

"Yang got one of the extra rooms for us thanks to Penny." Jaune scratched the back of his head. "Apparently she thought of wanting us to have a place to…well you know, have some privacy."

Jaune felt his face heating up, he had an idea that they would know what he and Yang had been up to. Sure, they were dating and what they did was their business but it was still embarrassing to talk about for him.

"I…think I'll go now," Oscar left, as he didn't think he should be hearing all this. Just because he had some immortal wizard hiding out in his head, he was still a fourteen year old. He was only just now noticing girls and this seemed like it was a bit too much for him.

"Uh yeah, I really need to change guys," Jaune said hoping to change the subject so he wouldn't have to talk anymore about what happened last night. That was more between him and Yang in his mind. Plus it was embarrassing to talk about.

"Come on Nora, let's leave him be," Ren said gently dragging her out of the room.

"Fine but I will hear more about this!" Nora shouted as she was pushed out of the room.

Jaune sighed slumping down onto his bunk. This was going to be a whole thing for a while now, he just knew it.

When both Yang and Jaune met up in the hallway with everyone to leave for breakfast, Yang eagerly wrapped her arm around his smiling brightly as he did the same scratching the back of his head. Yang hummed to herself as Jaune tried not to blush as he felt one of her hands tracing his arm.

Qrow who had gotten up and into the hallway looked at the kids but when his eyes locked onto Yang and Jaune he groaned as he rubbed his eyes.

"It's too early for this, why the hell did I stop drinking." He sighed.

"What?" Ruby asked her uncle.

"Them." He pointed to the couple.

"W-what do you mean us?" Yang blushed a bit, as she didn't see how in the world her uncle could know what they might have been up to last night.

"You two are acting just like Tai and Raven after they got together." Qrow told them before walking off. Looking at the two of them brought back memories of when Tai had finally worn down Raven to date him. Fact was his sister might not have shown it back then but Tai had actually made her happy. He wasn't sure what had changed or when with his sister but something happened to her.

Seeing those two was like a mirror image of when Raven and Tai had gone into town one night for a date and didn't get back to Beacon until early in the morning. Tai with that stupid grin on his face and Raven actually had softened up with her doing the exact same thing Yang was doing with Jaune.

He was too old for this young drama crap he needed a drink as he didn't need the mental image of his niece sleeping with a guy. Although apparently Yang took after Raven in more than just looks but in her taste for men as Jaune reminded him more and more of Tai at times.

He still had his flask a voice in his brain told him, it was back in his room. Just a little sip and no one would notice.

Qrow was tempted he was very tempted he still felt like crap from suddenly stopping to drink. Now he had this on top of dealing with some withdrawal was not a good start to this morning.

-Elsewhere-

He was falling.

Falling into an abyss, he had no idea how long he was falling for only that he was. He felt his life flowing past him, through him, being carried by a current he couldn't see or feel while still falling into that darkness.

Damn animal!

Learn your place beast!

I love you.

Kill them all!

I'll never leave you.

Now you'll always know who owns you boy.

You didn't need to take things that far!

Voices from his past, voices he knew and that he carried with him. Flashes of memories came to him. He was younger being dragged by SDC employees. He was working the mines and he had been arguing with one of the mangers. He was arguing about the low pay, how they were overworked and they were tired.

He had been beaten and dragged in front of others to be made an example to the other workers. To keep them all in line.

His arms were being held to his sides outstretched as an overseer came up to him with a hot branding iron. He struggled but his body hurt from the beating as one of them grabbed his hair holding his head steady.

"Time to learn your place beast," the human holding him said.

He could only watch in terror and horror as the bright orange glow of SDC came into his vision. Then it was pressed into his eye as he screamed. He could feel the pain to the back of his skull, he could smell the burning flesh, his screams filled his ears.

It seemed like an eternity he was there screaming before it was pulled back. He was let go as he curled into a ball holding his face crying out in pain.

"Now you'll always know who owns you boy." One of them said.

He could always remember this moment, those words they were burned into his brain like SDC was burned into Adam's face. Every time he looked in the mirror, he was reminded of this moment. Every time he couldn't see out of his eye, he was reminded of this moment.

Then he remembered how after leaving the mines he had found a man that he had looked up to. Ghira Belladonna a man fighting for the Faunus and Adam threw himself into the fight. Finally, he had a way to fight back, to change the world, to finally help those. Help those as he wanted helped that day he was burned.

"You didn't need to take things that far!" Ghira yelled at him.

Adam remembered this moment, the moment he first killed. Killed one of those humans that attacked their convoy, they were just peacefully trying to get to their destination without trouble. But the humans refused to listen, to let them be, they attacked. Why was Ghira so against killing someone no better than a bandit?

They came at them to kill them it was only right to fight back.

That was the day his vision of Ghira shattered he was not the man he thought he was. He didn't suffer as Adam had he hadn't seen the mines or grew up in them. He couldn't understand fully what the pain and suffering those like him had been through.

"I love you." Those simple words, those words spoken by her lips, the only one to say such words to him.

Blake was in front of him, it was just after the White Fang fractured and Sienna Khan too command, she knew what was needed. She was a leader that would push back against their enemies and Blake had joined them. She was the one light in his world, the only bright point in his life, the light of the moon on his dark sky less skies of his life.

"You'll never abandon me?" Adam asked.

"I'll never leave you Adam." She said to him.

It was the train, the day she broke those words to him. He watched her leaving him as the train cart he was on was losing momentum. He thought maybe she was just angry with him, maybe when he got back to base she would be there and they could talk, but she never came back.

He knew she wasn't but some part of him had held out hope.

That was the day he knew hope was a poison.

That was the day he had lost yet one more thing.

That was the day his hatred burned in a way that he wanted to rage against the world.

Pain, the world was pain as he felt the stabs in his chest and back. Blake had stabbed him, the blonde with her had stabbed him again. He had seen the blade sticking out of his chest as he staggered. He couldn't believe this was how it all ended.

He was falling again falling down the cliff, falling into the darkness as his life kept flashing over and over, out of order, in pieces like a broken mirror reflecting his life.

"I love you."

The burning of his face replayed as he screamed.

"Learn your place!"

The stabbing pains in his chest.

"I'll never leave you."

Falling again, falling, always falling.

Stabbing, falling, burning, screaming, falling, stabbing, screaming, burning.

He gasped as his eye opened and he wondered if he was still reliving his life. He looked around with his eye but he didn't remember this place. The ceiling looked like some kind of converted medical room. He tried to move but found he couldn't. He could hear a heart monitor, feel a cold table under him but something else was wrong with him. He couldn't feel parts of himself they felt numb or just gone in a way.

"Doctor the subject is awake." A robotic voice spoke up.

Adam tried again to turn his head but couldn't as footsteps slowly walked towards him. Then a face leaned over him, it was a human face, older, touch of grey but well groomed.

"Ah good, here let me help." The man said as he pressed something and Adam felt the table tilt upward at a light angle.

Adam tried to speak but his throat was so dry it came out more like a hacking cough if anything.

"Here drink this," The man held out a glass of what looked like water. Adam's first instinct was to ignore it but his throat burned for water. The glass was slowly pressed to his lips as he felt the cool water sliding down his throat.

"There, that should help," The man said putting the glass away.

Adam coughed a few more times before speaking in a horse voice. "Where am I?"

"In my home, my lab, my personal exile from the world if you would." The man laughed. "My name is Dr. Stein, you were brought to me by two female companions of yours."

At the words 'two females' Adam immediately thought of Blake and her blonde friend. He could hear the heart rate monitor rise up as the man said those words. The only two women in his mind were the two that put him in this condition.

"Who?" he asked.

"I thought you knew them," The man rubbed his chin in thought. "Oh well one I believe was named Cinder. The other, well she didn't talk much, kind of a quiet one in fact."

Cinder? He was wondering how that woman had found him, she always showed up out of nowhere it seemed. So the woman had save him for some reason, well he could ask later right now he had other things to worry about.

"Why can't I move?"

"Oh that, well you were near death my boy. In fact, any other doctor would have called you a lost cause and you would have been in a morgue by this point. I had to fix you up in my own special way and that meant to keep you immobile."

"Fixed me up how?" Adam asked him. "I feel different."

"Well allow me to help show you but keep in mind I did what I did to save your life." The doctor pressed a button as the table was raised up to nearly vertical. A robot, which Adam could see now, which was a cobbled together from various robots brought in a mirror.

Adam hadn't been prepared to what he saw in the mirror. He noticed the metallic chest piece connected to his chest with a large glowing circle under where his sternum was. It looked like some kind of power source. Then there was his damaged eye was replaced by an artificial one with metal all around the part looking like part of a mask covering his eye.

There were some artificial parts on sections of his legs but then his eyes went to the metal stump his shoulder ended in.

"What happened to me?" Adam hoarsely demanded.

The doctor picked up his notes. " Let's see, internal injuries to your stomach, diaphragm with burn tissue around that. Slight damage to both lungs and heart from said burns and blunt force trauma. Shattered spine, that had to be almost completely replaced mind you. Skull fracture to the back of your head which I had to piece back together after I made sure any brain swelling stopped."

"Replaced one damaged eye, your right arm was useless. All the broken bones and damage from a large fall made it unsalable I'm afraid. Your legs needed some help as there were breaks and fractures that needed fixing. Including one of your kidneys shutting down from internal damage, plus several bones I had to knit together with a fiber mesh."

"In short you're lucky to be alive." The doctor told him.

Adam could only silently look at the black metal fused to his body. How much of him was still flesh and how much was metal he didn't know. There was a moment of strange disconnect with him in that moment as he just stared at what he had become.

"Well now that you're awake we can start on getting you up and running," Stein picked up a scroll as he hit some commands.

The artificial eye came online as Adam saw the red glow of the eye as his vision was now for the first time in years he could see out of both.

"How does that feel?" He asked his patient.

Adam was silent for a moment before softly answering. "It's a little off."

"Of course a few adjustments is why I'm doing this." They spent the next few minutes adjusting the vision to match both eyes. "Now this eye if you concentrate you'll see if has other uses."

Adam tried to do what the doctor said as he found his vision changed. He had to close his organic eye because of the conflicting information. The other eye showed him what looked like heat signatures he found an infrared mode as well. He had to admit that would be useful as it was even better than his usual dark vision of his real eye.

"Now let's see about your new arm," The doctor pulled something out of view as a metallic arm in black was shown to him. The shoulder had a pauldron like armor on it the arm had cables like muscles running through it with a gauntleted forearm. "I took the measure of keeping the black aesthetic you had on you when you were brought in."

Adam said nothing as he waited for the arm to be put together into his shoulder joint. He had no idea what to really think he felt mostly numb to it all. The part that wasn't numb he was slowly feeding a growing fire of hatred towards the two that put him here. He was going to make both of them suffer for this. He didn't care about what happened between him and Blake in the past, he didn't care about the White Fang, he didn't care about anything other than making those two pay in blood.

"There that should do it," The doctor said as he finished attaching it as he went to impute some commands into the scroll. There was a slight hum before Adam felt his body able to move again. He tried to get up but his body was sluggish and felt off to him.

"It will take time for you to get used to moving as well as there are still parts of your body trying to heal. Try flexing the new arm."

Adam looked at the new metal arm as he tried to move it. Slowly at first, the arm rose up as he managed to flex it and make a fist a few times. The more he did it the more easier it got for him.

"That arm should be strong enough to tear through certain metal."

"Let me test that out," He reached out as fast as possible to grip the human's neck but he stopped frozen just before he could reach.

"Young man did you really think I don't put safety procedures into my work?" Stein asked him with a smile as Adam struggled against his body. "Don't worry you just can't harm me, either directly or indirectly. Other than that, I don't really care what you do."

"So I'm your slave?" Adam seethed.

"Of course not, when you leave here you're free to do whatever you do." Stein told him plainly as he made a few adjustments to the arm. "I don't care who you are, what you do, or what you want to do. All I care about is my work."

He finished his work as Adam could move his body again. He glared at the human, just because the man saved his life didn't mean his hatred for humans would suddenly vanish. He silently watched as the man continued his work. Adam looked at his body as he just numbly looked at himself in the mirror still there across from him.

"Personally I think this is an improvement." Stein said making small adjustments and testing certain parts of his body.

"How is this an improvement?" Adam said through gritted teeth.

"For starters you're alive," The man straightened up and stretched out. "You're also far stronger than before. Flesh is transitory and weak, it's easily damaged and hard to fix. These new parts are the exact opposite. Human and Faunus are at a dead end, we're all stuck in these weak and frail bodies and a limited life span."

"I believe that we can overcome our limitations as a species through science. We can extend our lives, maybe even one day living forever as consciousness in an artificial body."

"So you want the world to be robots." Adam spat out.

"Hardly," Stein was offended by that remark. "My helpers are robots, simple things that can't think for themselves. If we can put a mind into an artificial body it will open up a world for us. A body much like what an old colleague of mind did with his own artificial being."

"His what?" Adam asked.

Stein smiled as he pulled up his scroll and showed him an image of a ginger girl in green flying as well as firing lasers. She looked familiar but he didn't really care, apparently, he girl was some kind of robot. Wait, now he remembered, the robot girl that was cut to pieces in the tournament. So either they built a new one or she had been recovered and repaired.

"Yes little Penny is a marvel of technology. I have to admit I'm a bit jealous of my old colleague Pietro. I do wonder how he did it he made an artificial person that has a mind of their own and aura as well. I've struggled for years trying to find the secrets of extending and improving life and he somehow managed to do it."

He looked at the image of Penny with a wishful expression. "I would love to see what makes her tick, how she was built. Oh the things I could learn and improve on."

"Then go out and get her then." Adam grumble.

"My boy if I could leave this place do you think I would still be here?" Stein sighed putting the scroll away. "Because of my views I was cast out, I had to hide myself away and if I take one step out of my little prison that I've made for myself, my face will be picked up by all the security cameras and I would find myself surrounded by an Atlas strike team."

Adam had to admit, it was bit impressive that this man seemed to be wanted so badly by Atlas. He knew the problems with getting around Mantel with all the facial recognition software Atlas put around in all their cameras. It's what made Atlas missions so hard to pull off at times.

"And after all the work I did for them," Stein got a bit angry thinking about it. "I created so many cybernetic advancements, my work copied and plagiarized by others, do you know I'm the one that saved the ungrateful Ironwood?"

Adam knew that Ironwood was a cyborg but no one really knew how it happened.

"He was brought in nearly a worst state than you were my boy. I saved his life, made him better than he was. I did so to many people but when my ideas were too radical, when I tried to give people better replacements they called me mad. They called my work unnecessary. My work was for everyone to enjoy, to lift up our world and make everyone better."

"Flesh is weak and fragile, I would have made everyone strong and nearly immortal. Think about it, a body that doesn't age, that needs to eat, that can be repaired faster, that if far stronger and faster without the weaknesses of age, illness, hunger, tiredness. We could have become like gods on this world."

Adam wasn't sure just how far gone this man was, flexing his new arm he did have to admit the arm felt stronger and he could see out of both eyes again.

Stein looked at a picture on a wall that held the science team he had been a part of, they had been the best of the best and had been the only ones he felt any kind of kinship with, that was until his fall and they all turned their backs on him. Well all but one, that was because he died of course.

Seeing the image of a younger Arthur Watts, that was the only man he felt that understood his drive if not his goal.

"Well then, let's get you up and walking, you have a lot to get used to my boy." Stein said clapping his hands.

TBC…