The main reason I give a lot during the holiday season is because I had a fucking TERRIBLE Christmas a few years back, and I just sorta spent it alone. It was the peak of pandemic, my parents had a fight, and then stormed off and my siblings fucked off
So, I was all by my lonesome for the day
And I think that was the worst gift I could have been given. I realized a lot of people dealt with my shitty Christmas countless times. So, I like to give people what i can so they know they're seen
Stuff like that
…
What
Do you expect me to hurt you?
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
Ben was having difficulty sleeping lately. But he couldn't quite explain why. Perhaps it was because he had been too 'high energy' recently. Even the melatonin gummies he'd been given didn't work. While most people would consider this a blessing, Ben regarded it as a strange benefit. It allowed him to reflect on himself.
The silence of the night became his refuge, a time for introspection. He started exploring his mind's labyrinth, each twist and turn offering fresh discoveries about himself. His sleeplessness had become a rare benefit, a window into his own psyche. He was so caught up in the pandemonium that he never stopped to think about how he was doing.
What sort of things did a midnight genius like him think?
I wonder if Ishiyama could punch a crater in the moon. He's strong enough to punch at roughly 2 million tons, right? That'd seem 'craterable' enough.
Can I technically swim through lava as Heatblast?
When am I gonna unlock another cool alien?
Wonder how the election's going.
What was the name of the dude with the bowl haircut from that one Youtube channel?
Am I doing enough?
How does Ironwood get past TSA- oh, wait. He's military. Doesn't need to worry about that.
Am I alright?
I could totally learn how to parkour.
Yeah, probably. I probably am.
Ben's thoughts were interrupted by a snore from the other side of the bed. Ben's gaze lingered on Ruby, her chest rising and falling rhythmically with each soft snore. She'd also kicked the sheets off of her body- she was probably freezing. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, so peaceful and unguarded in sleep. He gently pulled the sheets back over her, tucking her in peacefully.
I'm not creepy for looking at my girlfriend in the middle of the night, right? He wondered. I mean, she's in my bed. Natural, not creepy.
Ben stared up at the ceiling for a few moments. I've known Ruby for almost half of my life now. He thought. We've been through a lot, haven't we? Countless battles, countless victories, countless laughs. She's everything to me. I thought getting together was an impossibility…
Ben suddenly felt Ruby's arm smack his chest. Ruby had rolled over in her sleep, her arm landing haphazardly on him. He chuckled softly, careful not to wake her. He gently moved her arm, placing it back by her side. He turned to his side, facing her, his thoughts continuing to wander.
Look at her. Ben thought. She's…perfect.
Ben blinked.
I think I wanna marry her.
Ben's mind flinched at that thought. His eyes opened wide- did he really just think that?! He stared at Ruby's peaceful face, her soft breaths a comforting rhythm in the quiet room. His mind raced, grappling with the enormity of the thought. Was he really considering this? Marriage?
I-I mean, it's not off the table! Ben thought, sorta panicking. He was rolling around in bed. We're still young. Hell, I just turned 18! This is just crazy to think…
But as he continued to watch Ruby sleep, the initial shock began to fade. The idea didn't seem so outlandish anymore. In fact, it felt… right. He loved Ruby, more than he'd ever thought possible.
Ben looked at her. She'd probably say yes, so…what do I have to really fear right now?
Once again, Ruby's hand fluttered upwards, coming to rest near Ben's face. He observed it for a moment before gently enclosing it in his own. A soft smile spread across Ruby's face in response, even in her sleep.
Ben closed his eyes…and smiled.
Okay.
That's enough to win me over.
I'll ask you to marry me soon.
Systems booted up normally as green hud displays began to turn on. Aura readouts were at peak, battery at full. Everything was ready for the day. Penny opened her eyes, still standing within the charging dock of Pietro's lab. She was alone this morning, her father must've been called away to deal with another project, maybe one of Weller's or Ceres'. Well, physically alone. There was still a new presence in her mind.
"Salutations, sister!" Penny greeted the still groggy AI of the Unitrix. If an AI could be groggy, anyway. Eunice yawned a bit, the sound visualized as a sound wave vector in a small window in the corner of her vision.
"Good morning, sister," Eunice said, still powering up, "What time is it again?"
"We do have an internal time-keeping system. You should know!" Penny beamed as a blue cable, connected to the back of the android's head at her bow, disconnected. She stepped out of the charging dock and stretched, raising her arms above her head. She didn't really need to stretch, it was just a human habit she picked up.
"Systems are still booting up. Remind me?" Eunice politely asked.
"Oh, seven in the morning. Actually a little late for me!" the Protector of Mantle walked over to the shelf that held her prized weapon. Taking the backpack off the shelf, she set it against her back and let the weapon click into place. There was a mirror right above the shelf, letting Penny look at the extended blades of Floating Array once they had unfurled from within the pack.
"You count that as late?"
"Mhm! I actually first activate closer to 6:30! Grimm don't need to sleep, they choose to. And so, I need to be up as early as possible!"
And then it dawned on Penny.
"Wait! This is technically your first day on the job!" the redheaded android beamed.
"Oh are we not counting my impeccable job in assisting you against Khyber?" Eunice asked, a hint of pride in her tone.
"No, no, that was your introduction! This is your first official day as a Protector of Mantle!"
Penny grinned and struck a pose, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, any specific goals or aspirations for your first official day on the job?"
Eunice took a moment to think. "I suppose my primary goal would be to ensure the safety and well-being of Mantle's citizens. Additionally, I aim to optimize our cooperation and combat strategies. Efficiency is key."
"Of course it is! Now, let's see," Penny said as her hud connected to the database. The various mission boards across the academy and cities, even the one up in Amity, shared a single database that allowed all of the available missions to be shared across them. Since her technology was compatible, Penny could remotely said database, bringing up her own personal mission list.
"Plenty of missions down in Mantle that haven't been picked up yet by Hunters or Robyn's crew," Penny hummed as she scrolled through them. They were standard stuff really. A pack of Beowolves here, a group of Sabyrs there, nothing too crazy.
"Should we prioritize the more challenging missions to test our combat capabilities, or focus on resolving smaller threats to ensure the safety of the citizens?" Eunice inquired.
Penny tapped her chin thoughtfully, a habit she picked up from watching Pietro. "A bit of both, I'd say. We don't want to overwhelm ourselves, but tackling a few tougher missions could be a good way to see how synergy works in more intense situations. What do you think?"
"I can agree with that." Eunice said.
"Excellent! Then how about we start wiiiith-"
Ben stared at the knife as he walked back to his room. Ceres had really outdone herself with it- the knife had one of those fancy rainbow reflective metals, and a handle that had a lot of roses on it.
"Wow," Ben said, for the hundredth time. He was going to give this to Ruby eventually, and he'd carry it around with him until the time was right.
"Whatcha got there?" Kevin asked, putting his arm around Ben's shoulder. Ben jumped, before spinning around.
"O-Oh! Kevin." Ben said, shoving the knife away. "Hey, what-"
"Why would an overpowered alien boy NEED a knife?" Kevin quizzed, obviously teasing his friend. "Lemme guess. Gift for Ruby."
"Something more, honestly." Ben admitted, not wanting to deal with Kevin's prodding. "I'll give it to her when I feel like we're both ready."
Kevin raised an eyebrow, but then it dawned on him. "Oh."
"Yeah. It's for that." Ben admitted sheepishly.
"Most people get like a ring, or a necklace." Kevin said, as Ben pulled it out again. "Then again, Ruby isn't most people.
"I want Ruby to know how much she means to me." Ben said. "It's unbreakable. No heat can melt it, nothing can crack it, and most of all...stab it in the right place, and it'll pierce the heart."
Kevin whistled. "You know your girlfriend so well."
"Tell me about it." Ben chuckled, before looking down at the knife.
"Uh, everything good, dude?" Kevin asked.
"Huh? Yeah. Sorry." Ben said. "There's just a weird part of me that's wondering if...no, it's stupid. Forget I said anything-"
"Wondering what?" Kevin prodded, raising an eyebrow. Ben looked away, before sighing.
"There's a part of me that's wondering if I'm moving too fast with Ruby." Ben explained. "We've been dating for nearly two years now- and I know we've been friends for nearly a decade, but...I dunno, it feels like too much. I don't want to pressure her either, so that's why I wanna wait for the right moment."
"Good idea," Kevin nodded. "But I wouldn't say you two are moving too fast at all. You guys seem content with the pace you're going."
"True, but I still worry. Ruby means the world to me, and I just want her happy." Ben said.
Kevin looked around. "Here's my advice- just stick with your gut. Read the room, and if the moment is just right, go for it."
"Seriously? That generic advice sounds kinda tacky." Ben said.
"Generic, yeah. But if it's between you and Ruby specifically? Then it becomes something special." Kevin said, pointing a finger at Ben's chest. "You do you, Ben. Nothing can change that."
Ben looked down at the knife one more time before putting it away. "...yeah. You're kinda right."
Kevin frowned. "...you're worried about something else, too."
"How did-?"
"You forget I've been in your life for nearly a decade too. So, spill the beans." Kevin crossed his arms.
Ben took a deep breath. "Ever since we met that Vengeance guy, I've worried that...maybe I'll lose you guys like he did. Maybe I'm worrying over nothing, and just being crazy, but the multiverse has to be relative in some weird cosmic way. I...I don't want that to happen, so I've been fighting harder than usual. Just to save you guys from whatever comes next."
Kevin frowned. Ben was right to worry.
"So, this proposal is...what, a reason to also continue pushing yourself beyond limits?" Kevin asked.
"I have a whole mountain full of people I need to save, Kev. And...I just think seeing that knife will save me in some way. To remind me of everything close to me." Ben said. "I chose this rainbow color to remind me of everyone- everyone in our lives, both past and present. There's no single name tied down to this. When either of us hold it...I want to remember everyone as we do so."
Kevin blinked. "That's deep."
"Sorry, that's...that's just been on my mind a lot." Ben said.
"Don't be, dude." Kevin said, as Ben put the knife away. "I think you got this covered."
"Thanks." Ben said. "Now, if you excuse me…I need to talk to someone else about all this."
"All you. Me and Min are heading out too, and if you're going to talk to who I think you are? Good luck."
Outside of the city, closer to the Amity construction site, Penny and Eunice raced through the clouds above. Recently, some of the transports carrying the more sensitive electrical equipment needed for Amity Tower's systems- navigation, propulsion-were under threat for another Grimm that had made its home in the area. While the usual suspects would've been a Teryx, Manticore, or even Sphinx, the truth was a bit more interesting. While they weren't as common up in Atlas, Nevermores were still just as capable of braving the frozen winds as their terrestrial-bound counterparts.
Right now, said Nevermore was tearing through the skies as Penny and Eunice chased it down, the latter having boosted the former's speed with some leftover Aerophibian DNA she still had stored. Penny herself kept a firm lock on the avian Grimm as she chased it down, two sets of three blades floating beside her. With her target lock, the two smaller formations of blades fired off blasts of green energy, trying to clip the Nevermore's wings. The massive avian wove through the shots, but Penny had predicted that. On the last bit of its aileron roll to avoid one shot, Penny fired off another so that the Grimm would practically dive right into it.
The energy seared through the Nevermore's wing, making it shriek out in pain. WIth one wing out of commission, the giant Grimm quickly began spiraling down towards the snow-covered earth. On the off chance it somehow survived, the sisters dove down after it.
As Penny descended after the injured Nevermore, the snow-covered landscape beneath them rushed closer. The Nevermore, struggling with its damaged wing, attempted to regain control as it spiraled toward the ground. Penny's eyes glowed as she analyzed the situation.
"Locating weak points." Eunice said.
The newest member of the Polendina family was able to easily find a series of weak points on the giant bird after a quick scan, mainly under the neck and at the shoulder.
"Take out the shoulder to immobilize, then try to entangle its neck your threads," Eunice suggested.
"On it!" Penny enthusiastically confirmed.
Penny adjusted her trajectory, aiming for the weakened shoulder of the Nevermore. As she closed in, the Floating Array shifted its formation, and a set of blades detached, hurtling toward the Grimm. With precision and speed, the blades struck the injured shoulder, causing the Nevermore to let out another anguished cry as it lost control even further.
Seizing the opportunity, Penny executed a graceful mid-air maneuver, positioning herself beneath the spiraling Grimm. The remaining blades on the Floating Array reconfigured, forming a mesh of energy threads. With expert precision, Penny shot the threads towards the Nevermore's neck, aiming to entangle and immobilize the creature.
She may have put just a tad too much power behind them, though. When the mesh launched upwards, it managed to hit its target, ensnaring the falling Grimm, but it didn't immobilize. No, instead the energy threads sliced through its neck and swiftly cleaved the bird's head from its shoulders.
"Not...exactly what I was going for. Still worked out though!" Penny said.
"That power boost may have been because of me. I apologize- my efficiency out performs sometimes." Eunice explained.
"Noted! But the outcome was fine either way! No more assaults on the transports."
"An ultimate good out of everything." Eunice said. "I'll try to calibrate the power output more accurately next time. Lessons learned for future engagements."
Penny nodded. "Let's get back to Mantle and check in on the status of those transports. I'm sure they'll appreciate the swift resolution."
While the Amity project was still ongoing, several suppliers down in Mantle had made lucrative deals with Ironwood for payment and various other favorable terms. The largest supplier, outside the SDC, was Doda Supply Solutions and as such, they had the biggest contract. Not only did they provide various materials, be it metal plating for the hull or the components for the thrusters that would launch the new comm tower into the atmosphere, they also provided use of one of their facilities as a starting point and storage facility for many of the transports. Airships and armored cars would come and go from the facility, stopping off for refueling or leaving with a fresh load of supplies for the site.
With the severity of the Nevermore attacks, other agents of Atlas had been dispatched to try and take it down. Under Clover's orders, Vine and Rook had been sent to act as guards for the next transport.
"This is a standard safeguard and takedown," Vine recounted his plan to his Revonnahgander teammate, "Once the Nevermore is lured within range, it'll be easy to ground it with my Semblance."
"And then I deal damage with my Revonnah-Kai techniques. That should make quick work of our avian aggressor."
"Sounds like something Elm would call it."
"Oh! Vine! Rook! Salutations!" Penny called out after she had landed and made her way inside.
"Ah, Penny. How are you two doing?" Vine asked.
"I'm fine, thank you! Eunice says thanks for remembering her." Penny said.
Vine nodded. "She is living, too. She deserves the same respect as a simple greeting."
Even though he couldn't see it, Euncie's reaction was very positive about all of that, more than he could ever know.
"What are you doing here?" Rook asked.
"Oh! We just got back from dealing with a Nevermore!" Penny beamed.
"Ah, yes. Heard it was causing some trouble. Good job on that." Vine complimented.
"Thank you!"
"Seems our work is done then," Rook noted.
"The transports may still need protection. When one Grimm falls, others may scamper out their burrow to replace it. It may not be as glorious, but-" Vine began.
"No need for that speech. I understand the importance."
"Ah. Right. Apologies, force of habit sometimes. Then, if that is all," Vine nodded and lead to a more uneventful guard duty. He made contact with Clover as he walked, informing the head Ace-Op that the mission was completed before they even got there.
As Penny and Eunice walked out of the facility, Eunice spoke up to her sister.
"So that was Rook? I only have my data on Revonnahganders...and our shared memories," Eunice mentally commented.
"While I have not been around Rook the longest out of our friend group, he is a very kind person!" Penny nodded.
"Accepting as well?"
"Of course! If anything, according to one story Ruby shared, Rook was worried about his parents being the unaccepting ones."
"Really? Hmmm...well the data does tend to show Revonnahganders as more 'traditionalist' and 'low-tech,' so I suppose there would be some push-back against change."
"Hmmm, it seems we'll have to arrange a meeting with him. Perhaps a sparring match! Or a shooting contest! The last time I checked, my aim improved by 5%," Penny suggested.
"What for?" Eunice mentally tilted her head.
"So you can better understand him!"
"But...I have the data. Cultural, dietary, biology."
"A lesson I learned by being friends with the Outcasts. Data isn't enough. When I first awoke, I had data on all sorts of important information, useful for blending in, to be seen as a normal human girl. Social interactions, cultural information about Vale, Mistral, Vacuo, and of course Atlas, but when it came to putting it into practice, I have been told I was a bit awkward. But I improved! Somewhat!"
"And you did so...through action..." Eunice pondered that for a minute. It was a simple thing sure, but to an AI who only had true sentience for a few weeks at maximum, it was still something of a new concept. She had all of that data at her disposal and now that she actually had the chance to use it, she found there was still some aspects left to be desired.
"Mhm. Data on its own can be useful, certainly, but it's only always concrete. It's abstract. But to truly understand something, you need to experience it for yourself! As Yang often says, 'leave your comfort zone!'"
"My comfort zone? But we cannot do that as that would mean leaving- Oh. Oh, turn of phrase," the new Polendina sister realized, "Oh I see."
"See, you're getting there! It took me a while to understand those phrases too! I managed to understand them a little before going to Vale. There were still some I didn't quite know. Father couldn't really tell me every expression there was," Penny reminisced.
"I see."
Ben stood in front of her door. His breathing was slow. His palms were sweaty, knees weak, and something felt like spaghetti. Ben closed his eyes, and knocked on the door.
It took a few moments, but Yang opened it.
"Yo. What up?" Yang asked, before noticing how tense Ben looked. "Woah. What's got you all freaked?"
"Can...I talk to you about something serious? With Ruby?" Ben asked.
Yang blinked. "Come on in," She said, letting Ben inside.
"Thanks," Ben sighed, walking in. He'd gone over this a few times in his head, in front of a mirror. He thought that practicing it a few times would make this easier, but when the moment came, all that anxiety came rushing back.
"Dude, calm. Down," Yang advised, "It looks like you're gonna have a heart attack."
"Definitely feels that way," Ben muttered, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself.
Ben flopped down on Yang's couch after he brushed away one of her bras on the cushion. "So, what's on the mind?" Yang asked.
"So, Ruby and I are...close, y'know?" Ben said.
"I'd expect a couple to be close, yes. That's a healthy display." Yang joked.
Ben looked down. Yang raised an eyebrow. "Dude, is this about what I think it is?"
"We've been going strong for two years now. Aside from Kevin, Ruby's my longest friendship...and my strongest relationship. I know I'm way too young, and I know this sounds too crazy to ask, but..." Ben took a deep breath.
"If I proposed to Ruby, would you get mad?"
Yang looked at him.
"Why the hell do you have to ask me?" Yang asked, playfully punching him in the arm.
"So is...is that a no?" Ben asked, unsure if he should even be asking that. Out of all the responses he'd prepared for, that wasn't one of them.
"If the answer was 'no,' I would've outright said it," Yang rolled her eyes, "but still, why do you need to ask me for this? Shouldn't you be trying to call Dad about this?"
"...actually I was hoping to do that later because that's gonna be even more nerve-wracking," Ben admitted.
"Listen." Yang said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I appreciate you trying to run this by me, but I'm gonna be honest. You're practically a part of this family already."
"Huh?"
"I've somewhat sorta considered you my 'brother in law' the very second you and Ruby started dating. I knew it was always gonna be you and her as endgame." Yang explained.
"Huh."
"If you want me to say it just for that little bit of extra confirmation, fine. Ben, if you asked Ruby to marry you, when the time's right, the only thing you'd hear from me is 'About time,'" Yang smirked, "So you got my blessing. Now Dad's on the other hand..."
"Oh don't you dare," Ben punched Yang lightly in the shoulder too.
"Hey, it was right there."
"Is your dad gonna be cool with this?" Ben asked.
Yang smirked.
"What?"
Yang's smirk got wider as her eyes narrowed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yang held up her Scroll. It had a video call going, and Taiyang was staring at Ben from the screen.
Ben stared back.
Taiyang stared back.
Ben suddenly realized what just happened.
"SIR LISTEN, I KNOW IT'S TOO EARLY-" Ben exclaimed, now cowering behind some pillows.
"I knew that timing was perfect!" Yang laughed a bit.
"I'm a BIT wary, admittedly, but I have one question." Taiyang said.
Ben peeked his head out from the pillows he was hiding behind. "Yes?" He asked nervously.
"...when's the first ever Tennyson-Xiao Long guys night?" Taiyang joked. "We need to hit up a bar- drinking age is 18 here, y'know!"
Ben blinked. "Wait, so, you're also fine with this?"
"Of course! I was just giving you the whole 'stern dad routine' at first. It's like Yang said. You're practically already part of the family," Tai smirked.
Ben began to shake as he heard that comment. "You guys..."
"See? Blessed by Dad himself. What did you have to worry about?" Yang asked.
Ben sighed. "Thanks for being cool about...this, y'know?" Ben pulled out the knife to show Yang and Tai.
"Woah."
"Ceres went all out. And...I want Ruby to have this forever."
"She'll love it," Tai said, "Doubly so since it's from you."
"Thank you both for your blessings...even if they...weren't necessary." Ben said.
"Are you gonna propose tonight, or..." Yang asked.
"No. Probably not for a while." Ben explained. "Something to sleep on."
"You realize what you just did, right?" Tai smirked, "What with the whole dream issue earlier?"
"Now wait, just a second, that does NOT count as a pun! That was way too delayed!" Ben countered.
"Hey, give him a rest, dad." Yang joked.
"Oh, now that joke's a sleeper hit." Tai joked back.
"You guys are gonna be fun in-laws," Ben commented.
"Heh, you know it," Yang smirked, lightly punching Ben in the shoulder.
"Anyways...I gotta meet with Ruby. We're gonna be joining Penny and Eunice down for the election party in Mantle." Ben said.
"Election party? Oh, yeah. That's right." Tai said. "...well, we know how THAT'S gonna end."
"Don't speak too early." Ben said. "America got excited in 2016, and look where THAT got them."
"Fair point. Well, hope you two have a good night. Just, no underage drinking. I know about the cabin retreat!"
"Wait...do you?" Yang asked.
Tai just smirked in response and moved to end the call.
"Wait, Dad, seriously, do you know about that or are you just messing with-?!"
And he hung up.
"I have no idea if he knows or if he's just messing with us," Yang admitted.
"He probably is." Ben chuckled, as he went to the door.
"Hey, Ben." Yang started, Ben paused to turn in response, "I really do mean it when I say you're like a brother to me."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Because then I have someone smaller than me to beat up." Yang joked.
"Ha ha," Ben said, heading for the door.
After the two had left the Doda Supplies building, Penny had opted to take her sister on a more relaxing flight, an aerial tour of the city of Mantle. When Eunice had awoken properly, the only bits of Mantle she really saw where a small corner where Flynt and the others held a music festival that was canceled because of an alien attack and then reopened a few days later.
"While most of the well known landmarks are up in Atlas-the big hotels, the parks, some high-class restaurants-there are still plenty of smaller scale sites that the locals love," Penny recounted, "Diners, small motels, things like that."
"And its our job to protect them as well," Eunice said.
"Our main priority is the people, but you could say so!"
The sisters flew through the city before Penny caught sight of something rather interesting. She actually hadn't managed to speak with any of the Happy Huntresses lately, her obligations to Atlas and her missions often taking her away from those who should be her allies in protecting the city. But there was also the opportunity of introducing Eunice to the Huntresses. They weren't even aware she had a sister!
"Hold on! Slight detour!" Penny warned as she dove down towards an APC emblazoned with the Happy Huntresses' logo. The back doors were flung open as people were unloading and handing out Grimm attack relief packs to the people in the city. While there hadn't been a big attack since the conclusion of the Arrowfell Conspiracy, it was still beneficial for the common people to have some supplies to stabilize wounded before emergency services or Hunters found them. May was the one in charge of this little supply drop, but two of the people helping give out those relief kits weren't actually Happy Huntresses, not officially anyway.
"Never knew you could be so charitable," Doppler smirked from Kevin's wrist.
"Really? After everything?" Kevin deadpanned after handing someone a relief kit.
"Oh come on, I'm still allowed to mess with you, aren't I?"
"I mean I guess you are...just that...you've been kinda quiet for a while, you know? Hell you didn't even say much during the whole Watch Collector thing."
"Not like there was much I could say beyond 'what the fuck is happening right now!' I mean, we went to other universes and fought an alternate version of Ben. Felt like a movie."
"A little bit, I'll grant you," Min added, "Kinda terrifying sometimes, but it worked out in the end, didn't it?"
"Suppose it did yeah. Also, just to warn. Bundle of boundless positive energy landing five...four...three...two aaaaaaaand one," Doppler smirked, perfectly counting down to Penny landing next to the Huntresses' truck.
"Salutations everyone!" Penny announced.
"Oh, is this the robot girl who died?" Doppler asked.
"Dude." Kevin frowned, flicking the back of his head.
"Owwww..."
"Android girls, thank you very much!" Penny took the rather blunt question in stride.
"Oh, are there two of them now?" Doppler asked.
"No, no...she has some weird prototype watch in her. I dunno. Haven't been in focus recently..." Min lampshaded.
"As it turns out, I am powered by the prototype for the Omnitrix, the Unitrix. Said prototype has an AI that has become my sister! Her name is Eunice," Penny beamed.
"See?" Min asked.
"Nice to see you around. You look busy, though." Kevin said. "Do you have the time to stop and say hi?"
"Of course we do! I was just taking Eunice on a tour of Mantle," Penny answered.
"May I?" Eunice asked.
"Oh you want to talk to them? Alright!"
Penny closed her eyes for a moment and let Eunice take control. When the redhead android opened her eyes again, the logo on her bow changed from her usual power symbol to an Omnitrix symbol.
"Salutations, you three," Eunice said. Her voice sounded like Penny's but the tone was a bit more measure, even if the Polendina energy was still there.
"That's neat!" Min said. "Does swapping provide any other advantages?"
"Well, it does allow me to collect DNA samples. I merely need to touch an alien and I can replicate their abilities. A Kinneceleran's speed or a Tetramand's strength for example."
"Seems like you'll have good synergy with Ben, Albedo and me, then." Kevin said. To be honest, this was sort of awkward. He wasn't close to Penny like Ben and Ruby were.
"Your Omnitrix-"
"AntiTrix," Doppler corrected.
"Ah, right. Your AntiTrix is...rather interesting. I actually might need to test the compatibility."
"We can do a test run right now, if you wish!" Doppler said, already shapeshifting Kevin's arm into his Methanosian sample.
"Dude." Kevin groaned.
"Hmm. Interesting," Eunice hummed, "May I?"
"If he's gonna do it unprompted...yeah." Kevin said, holding out his arm.
Eunice nodded and took hold of Kevin's arm gently. As soon as she made contact, her scanners began reading the mutated DNA, trying to incorporate its abilities into her databank.
"Interesting. I'm having some issues integrating it." Eunice noted.
"Not a big issue right?" Doppler asked.
"An annoyance. If you just give me...a few more..."
After a few moments, Eunice's eyes flashed. "Analysis complete- partial scan completed."
To show that it worked, a small collection of vines emerged and wrapped around Eunice's hand before a small green flame ignited in the middle of her palm.
"This upgrade of yours seems too good to be true." Min frowned. "Aren't you worried about someone trying to take it like Khyber did?"
"Who else would? No one else knows the technical aspects and I doubt anyone could actually beat Penny," Eunice smiled.
"Still." Min sighed. "You'd be shocked at how easily 'invincible' people go down."
"Speaking from experience?"
"She...might be referring to my first 'death' as it were," Penny mentally added.
"I'm also not comfortable with you being around fire. Or magnets. Or…anything." Min said, looking at Penny's hand.
"Hm? Oh! Apologies!" Eunice quickly extinguished the flame, "That's right. The original method of-! I-i forgot for a moment."
"It's fine, it's fine." Min said. "Just looking out for people."
"O-of course, of course," Eunice said, silently berating herself, "I-i can come back later to properly introduce myself to Miss Marigold. Please let her know for me?"
"Of course." Kevin nodded. "She'd probably be cool with you."
"T-thank you for the vote of confidence," Eunice nodded.
"You're fine, Eunice. Just keep your eyes open, okay?" Min said.
"I will. A-and again, thank you for the advice," Eunice bowed her head before letting Penny take over again.
Penny snapped back into position. "Aww, don't worry, Eunice! I think you made a good first impression."
"A-are you sure? The fire thing..." Eunice mumbled.
"Just a tiny mistake. I've learned it's best to blame Doppler." Penny explained.
"Hey," Doppler huffed.
"Sorry! Anyways! Back to duty!" Penny saluted. "I'll catch you three...on the flipside!"
With that, her thrusters fired back up and Penny launched into the sky, letting Min, Kevin, and Doppler wave goodbye for now.
"Well that was somethin', huh?" Doppler smirked.
"The hell did I miss?" May asked, walking back up to the truck.
"Ah, just Penny and her sister." Kevin said.
"...huh?"
"Oh yeah, she has a sister now."
"Just missed her," Min said, "She'll stop by later to say hello."
"Ah. Huh. When'd she get a sister...?" May wondered.
After the tour continued a little bit, showing Eunice some of her own personal favorite spots in Mantle and Atlas. Penny always considered herself to be of both cities, even if the people of either often detested having anything to do with the other. The first stop on the list was, of course, her father's clinic. Eunice was aware of Pietro's medical exploits, as well as his mechanical expertise. She had shared memories of the clinic, but it was something else to see it properly for the first time. When they visited, closer to noon that day, Pietro was having an appointment with one of the many miners that was fortunate enough to receive some high quality medical insurance. People might complain about the SDC's strong grip on the Dust trade, almost a monopoly really, but they couldn't complain about the benefits.
"Hey Dad! Stopping in for a visit!" Penny announced as she walked in the door.
"Alright!" Pietro called out from the back.
"So this is...our home away from home," Eunice said.
"Correct! While our main charging dock is up in Father's Atlas lab, we also haaaave-!" Penny smiled and raced towards the stairs, quickly climbing them and taking a right turn. She opened up a door that led into Penny's room, complete with a full wardrobe, a floor to ceiling mirror, and plenty of books to read.
"Our room?"
"Our room!"
"We have a fish tank," Eunice pointed out quite a large tank, full of fresh water and various plants and decorations, "But no fish."
"Oh! Well, before I went to Beacon, Dad and even the general told me about hobbies, a little side activity only for me. It would make me seem more human. The general suggested astronomy, though that was more his hobby. Dad's was tinkering and mine is taking care of fish. Although...given the time I've spent offline and the time I've been going out on missions, there isn't exactly much time for me to take care of them. So, for now, the tank's empty."
"Do you have any idea about what kind of fish you'd like to own?"
"Oh, plenty! But I think I decided on siamese fighting fish, or betta fish! If I could, I would have an entire room dedicated to just them."
"That seems a bit extreme doesn't it?"
"Maybe. But I love them with their bright colors and beautiful fins."
"Would that be my hobby then as well?" Eunice pondered.
"If you want it to be. It doesn't have to be though. I can even help you find one if you wish," Penny offered.
"That...that sounds nice, actually."
After a quick showing of what Penny had aside from all of her fish care supplies and some of her personal favorite books, including the first story she ever heard, the first one her father read to her the night after her original activation about a little wooden boy becoming real that just resonated with her, the two sisters walked back downstairs and waved goodbye to their father. Pietro had finished up with his appointment and was preparing for the next one. With a happy wave back, the two mechanical siblings flew off back into Mantle.
Among the other stops on Penny's tour were a few monuments, including a memorial for those that fought in the Great War and a statue dedicated to Nicholas Schnee and all he had done for the city, candles littered around the base that had to have been freshly placed. The most important part of the tour though was Enhet Plaza. It was an old part of the city, present before Atlas became its own city. Enhet meant "unity" and the plaza was meant to be a symbol for the unity of Mantle's people before the war, then with their Mistralian allies during it, and the unity of Mantle and Atlas after. Despite the name not really living up to expectations in the modern day, it was still a popular meeting place, more akin to a public park really.
Penny loved coming here. All kinds of people came here, from street performers and musicians to parents just bringing their kids here to play, the plaza had some playgrounds installed in recent years just for that. A few park-goers recognized her every now and again and offered their thanks to her. She accepted as humbly as she could, just doing her job after all. But she was never overwhelmed with thanks. She was fine with that, though. On the days when she was left alone, it oddly made her feel more human, not as special as anyone else here. She was just, as Ruby loved to say, 'a normal girl with normal knees.' Though her knees were actually a specially made component that-
Nevermind, getting off topic.
"This is a park?" Eunice asked.
"Yep!" Penny nodded.
"Without a speck of green though..."
"I wouldn't say that. True the heating grid keeps things nice and warm, but Mantle was never really a place for growing crops. So, people tend to color things themselves," Penny walked further into the plaza, passing by people that were just talking or enjoying some coffee at some tables and chairs that were set up. Eventually, the duo came across a mural painted onto an otherwise dull gray concrete wall. More like a collection of murals that just changed into each other at their borders. One mural showed a lovely vista of Mistral City, another showed what might've been a tropical from any major coastal destination, it was left to the viewer's imagination on that, and one mural even showed-
"Oh! This is new!" Penny beamed as she saw the newest. It was her, defending the people of Mantle from the Grimm. Floating Array was out in front of her, the blades spinning and keeping a horde of Grimm back, some actual species while others were just artistic interpretations of monsters.
"It's beautiful," Eunice muttered.
"Isn't it?" Penny tapped the side of her head and blinked, taking a picture of the mural and saving it to her memory files.
"Making sure that's in a nice-" Eunice began, before her train of thought was interrupted by a call, "You should probably answer that."
"Hello?" Penny greeted, swapping channels.
"Penny, it's Clover. Heard you kinda stole Vine and Rook's mission this morning," the head Ace-Ops quipped.
"Apologies! I was just showing Eunice our usual routines!"
"It's fine. Appreciate the efficiency. Where are you now?"
"On patrol through Mantle. I'll be returning to Atlas within the hour!"
"Understood. Might have another mission for you when you arrive. We'll see. Clover, out," the luckiest Ace-Op ever signed off.
"Are we actually going to be there that soon?" Eunice asked.
"That is the goal! Because I'm going to show you some Atlas landmarks too!" Penny beamed.
True to her word, after staying in the park and just enjoying it for a few more minutes, Penny walked a good distance away and activated her thrusters. Eunice had brought up a digital clock in Penny's hud to remind her about that "within the hour" promise she'd made to Clover. It wasn't like she wasn't keeping track of the time, but her sister was just teasing the Protector of Mantle a bit, wanting her to be as true to her word as possible. Sure enough though, the sisters arrived with three minutes to spare. Penny actually considered that a little slow, but it wasn't that bad.
From there, Penny went on a similar tour of Atlas, flying through the shining streets and weaving between the towering skyscrapers. She had no idea when a new mission would come, but she just had to show Eunice some of the city's most famous monuments. Though, there was one landmark that Penny avoided but Eunice still asked about.
"Can we stop to see that one?" Eunice asked, pointing out a certain hotel. The newest member of the Polendina family brought up an image of the establishment in Penny's hud.
"Um, I...would prefer not to," Penny admitted, a rare thing honestly.
"Why not?"
"The Glass Unicorn has a...history. A bad one. I'm honestly shocked it is still in business."
"What happened?"
"In more recent days, the Unicorn was bought up by the now detained Ammoncio Glass, a crime lord involved with the Arrowfell Conspiracy, but even before that there were rumors about it being haunted. The urban legend goes that the original owner of the hotel, her two daughters, and even a professional Hunter still haunt the halls of the establishment after one of the most gruesome murder cases the kingdom had seen up to that point. Friends of the madame of the hotel said she was a good person and that her daughters were 'sweet and innocent.' But I have my doubts. According to everything I have seen on the subject, the hotel had a strict 'No Faunus' policy."
"Oh..."
"There was something else...but there was never any concrete evidence of it. Something about two young girls who lived in the hotel but no one knew their names. They disappeared on the same night as the murder, with many claiming they were just two more unfortunate victims," Penny finished.
"And such a reputation still draws in customers?" Eunice wondered.
"Some people say that it is the primary lure! But I find it rather...macabre."
"That makes two of us then."
"But, plenty of more positive landmarks to show you!" Penny beamed, quickly shifting tones.
Aside from some of its own attractions and landmarks, including a vibrant night life with casinos such as the Two of Clubs and Grimmdark, though Penny would never go to any of them. But because Atlas and Mantle were sister cities, the two mirrored some of their more iconic monuments. The two that stood out the most were the statue of Nicholas Schnee and Atlas' own version of Enhet Plaza. The statue of Nicholas was erected a little after Atlas had been raised into the air, but it was protected behind some velvet ropes. No candles burned at its base like they did down in Mantle. And then there was Enhet Plaza. Instead of being devoid of color, the Atlesian Enhet was so much more vibrant. Well kept grass stretched out, only interrupted by several trees sporting several different flowers of various colors. But the striking part about the Atlesian Enhet was how quiet it was. There weren't any kids at play, no people meeting up for lunch or just to catch up, and no one even went up to greet her.
"It's so...quiet," Eunice said.
"Up here, the more social parks would be Elysium. It's...it's strange," Penny hummed, "In Mantle, I try to visit Enhet whenever I can but in Atlas, I rarely drop by."
"But if you don't frequent it, then-"
"Because you might prefer the quiet. We might share a physical form, but we are still different people. I simply want to cover all my bases."
"Penny...sister..." Eunice virtually smiled, even if she sounded on the verge of tears.
"Is everything ok?" Penny asked.
"May...may I be honest?"
"Always!"
"At first...I did not know how this would go. Not to say that you and Pietro- and Father wouldn't accept me, I just didn't know well I would fit into...into all of this. Unlike many planets, Hunter culture has a scientific measurement of the soul, your Aura. There's a metric there. Even you have an Aura, definitive proof of a soul. But what about me? I'm just a part of you, a little bit of sentient code in your head. Do I need my own Aura? Do I count as being-"
"Of course you count," Penny interjected, knowing exactly what train of thought her new sister was going down. She'd been through it many times herself in the past.
"When I was first created," the Protector of Mantle went on, "Only my father and the general treated me as a real person. Other people with high enough clearance to know about me, mainly other scientists, needed convincing. They often wondered if a 'collection of ones and zeros counted as a true personality.' It took...quite a while for any progress to be made, so long in fact their opinion began to rub off on me. But then I met this girl with a red hood and that all changed. She showed me things I never would've even considered. And, just recently, she gave me the best gift I could ever ask for. A sister. You. So Eunice? You don't need to wonder if you count as alive. You are. I know that. Father knows that. The other Outcasts know it."
"...thank you," Eunice said, wishing she could physically wrap her arms around her sister.
"You're welcome," Penny smiled back warmly, "If you'd like to stay here for a bit, just...enjoy the silence and each other's company, we can."
"I think I'd like that. But...we might need to change the date."
"Why's that?"
"I think we're about to get a-"
Before Eunice could say, a caller ID screen appeared in Penny's hud. It was Clover. His timing could use some work if you asked the android girl, but she still needed to answer.
"This is Penny! What can I do for you, sir?" Penny answered.
"Penny. How's that patrol going?" Clover asked.
"Rather dull. Nothing to report really."
"Good. Then I have a new assignment for you."
"What's the mission?" Penny tilted her head in curiosity.
"Something simple. More of a night off if you think about it," Clover chuckled, "Election's starting up, polls are open and the votes are already pouring in. Robyn is, apparently, throwing a pre-emptive victory party."
"Oh! I'm aware! Ben, Ruby, me and Eunice were going to attend! It'll be Eunice's first party!"
"Eunice?"
"Oh, did I never say? Apologies! Well, I have a sister! Clover, this is Eunice Polendina!"
"S-salutations, sir!" Eunice beamed, joining in on the call. Hearing herself be called Eunice Polendina made her light up. It felt so right to hear that.
"I must have missed that report. Hm. Either way, hello Eunice," Clover greeted kindly, "Now, back to that mission. You'll be given security detail. I don't expect much to happen though. Maybe some political arguments but those can be easily broken up."
"Understood sir! We can handle it!" Penny grinned and saluted.
"Good. Still some time before the party starts, but still, try to be on time, hm?"
"Understood! Penny, out!"
With that, the call ended.
"So, I guess we have a party to attend?" Eunice asked.
"We do. But we still have some time to ourselves. And my offer still stands. Stay here and enjoy the silence before we attend the party."
"I think I'd like that."
And enjoy it they did, for several hours, just the two of them. By the time they had to leave, the sun was already beginning to set, the sky having shifted from a cold blue to a beautiful shining evening orange, with the night sky eager to follow.
The election seemed to be all but decided if the polls were to be believed. Robyn Hill, leader of the Happy Huntresses, was beating Jacques Schnee by a considerable margin. So wide was the margin that Robyn and her group had decided to hold a bit of a premature victory rally. To say that attendance was high would be understating it. This once relatively empty and peaceful warehouse was now packed with Robyn's supporters, some of her Happy Huntress companions, and most importantly, Ruby, Ben, Eunice and Penny. Half of them had the night off while half of them had the easy job of security, but Ruby still brought Crescent Rose with her. Khyber and his Panuncian attack cat were still out there, no doubt waiting for their next chance to get at the Polendina sisters.
The rally was in full swing, multiple conversations going on, enjoying the drinks provided by the hosts. On the stage, behind the podium Robyn would soon take to was a large holographic screen. On it were two meters, each below a picture of their respective candidate. Jacques had a measly thirty-three percent, while Robyn had a considerable sixty-seven. Though, if one were to pay close attention, Jacques was slowly catching up.
While the three of them were enjoying the rally, Penny did notice that Marrow and two other Atlesian soldiers were here. Of course, Ruby had noticed it as well, while Ben was off getting drinks.
"Huh, Marrow's here? Thought you two were security?" Ruby asked.
"Oh, you were not told? Marrow and the two soldiers are just a bit of extra, Atlas-approved security. It is just a precaution, no need to worry!" Penny beamed in her usual cheery way, "Besides, I still want Eunice to see a proper party."
"So far so good. Wish I could taste the punch though," Eunice mentally chimed in.
Robyn stepped up to the podium, looking out over the sea of cheering supporters before her. She took a deep breath, letting the moment sink in before she began to speak.
"Thank you all so much," she said, her voice ringing out over the crowd. "I am honored and humbled to be standing here tonight as the chosen voice of Mantle on the Atlas Council. But let me be clear: this victory belongs to all of us. It is the result of the tireless work of the Happy Huntresses, of every person who believed in our cause, and of every vote that was cast today."
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, and Robyn smiled, waiting for them to quiet down before continuing.
"But our work is far from over," she said, her tone turning serious. "We have fought for Mantle, but we must continue to fight for it. We must demand that Atlas start seeing us as more than just a resource to be exploited. We must demand that they provide us with the basic necessities of life, with fair wages and safe working conditions, with access to education and healthcare. And we must hold them accountable when they fail to do so."
The crowd cheered again, louder this time and Robyn raised a hand to quiet them before they got too rowdy.
"I know that change won't come overnight," she continued, "But I also know that it will come, because we will make it come. Together, we can build a Mantle that is truly just and equitable, a Mantle that we can all be proud to call home. So let's get to work, my friends. The fight has only just begun."
With that, Robyn stepped back from the podium, the crowd erupting into cheers once more. Ruby, Ben, and Penny joined in, swept up in the excitement of the moment. Even Eunice added her digital voice to the cheers, even if Penny was the only one that could hear her. For a brief instant, it seemed as though anything was possible, as though the future was full of hope and promise.
As the crowd cheered and applauded, Ben's attention shifted to Ruby, who was shouting and clapping with wild abandon. Despite the noise around them, he could hear her cheering voice above all others. It was a familiar sound, one that he had grown to love over the course of their many adventures together.
As he watched her, Ben's heart swelled with affection and gratitude. Ruby had been there for him through thick and thin, always by his side no matter the danger or the odds. They had faced countless challenges together, from Grimm attacks to alien invasions, and had come out stronger for it. They had grown up together, in a way, and he couldn't imagine his life without her in it.
...would tonight...
Be the moment?
He contemplated this possibility, and a small smile crept onto his face. If all went well, he thought to himself, he might just propose tonight. The idea filled him with a mix of excitement and nerves, but he knew it was what he wanted.
For now, though, he kept his thoughts to himself, content to watch Ruby bask in the joy of the moment. The future could wait, he told himself. For now, he was happy just to be here, with her, in this moment of celebration and hope.
Nothing could go wrong tonight.
…
…
…
…
Ben couldn't explain it. There was this weird burning feeling in his chest. It felt like he was having some sort of heartburn or indigestion. He had never experienced anything like it before, and it was starting to worry him. Ben tried taking deep breaths to ease the discomfort, but the burning sensation persisted.
"You okay?" Ruby asked, noticing his discomfort. Before Ben could croak out an answer-
He spotted something.
Out the window.
Something was falling from the sky.
Then the building shook and the lights went out.
"Woah, what was that?" Marrow asked, looking around in the dark.
"Is there something going on?" Ben asked. "Are we being attacked?"
"I don't…I don't think so. Would've gotten an alert from Clover or command way before now. What's…" Marrow frowned.
The lights suddenly turned back on. "Switch it to the news!" Robyn yelled, with Joanna swapping the input and channel on the big screen that displayed the votes, bringing up a quite frantic newscaster.
"I'm Jan Van with the Lance of Liberty, coming to you with a live story. Citizens of Mantle were shocked to see the peaceful sky seemingly torn asunder by what can only be described as a meteor, cresting down and landing far outside the city limits. It seems the election story will have to wait! I'm getting word now that our station's news helicopter is headed on its way to the impact site! Along with several others."
Ben was hyperventilating as he watched the events unfolding on the screen. The news feed had changed to that of a reporter in a helicopter heading to the impact crater, one view from what seemed to be an entire fleet of choppers. It didn't take them too long to arrive by air, the crater lying just outside the city, far enough to be beyond the borders but close enough to where the city could still clearly be seen. The crater, while still smoking, didn't seem to be all that deep. Maybe whatever landed wasn't that big.
"As you can see, whatever hit must have been-wait a minute….turn the camera, turn it!" the reporter shouted. "You see that too right?! There's…there's movement! There's movement inside the crater!"
Sure enough, when the camera turned to focus on the smoldering impact site, the shadow of a figure could be seen, albeit faintly. The figure shrouded in smoke began to step forward, just walking out of the crater as if it was nothing. The wisps of smoke parted as the figure became fully visible.
Ruby gasped.
Ben's eyes shrank in terror as he saw who it was. He tried to rationalize what he was seeing.
No, no way.
There was no way he was back.
It couldn't be HIM.
But it was.
That same imposing figure.
The green skin and crimson armor.
The rebreather-like mask attached to the lower jaw was new but it was a small change.
Looking up at the helicopter, standing there in all his terrible glory was none other than-
"Vilgax." Ben gasped.
The former warlord dusted off his shoulder from the impact before turning his attention to the news copter. If one were to look closer, they would see that Vilgax didn't just change into a new suit of armor and add a breathing mask. His right arm had an odd growth, starting at his upper arm and going to his wrist, ending in three circular openings. He brought up his other arm, this one even more armored, and examined a tracker. The signal wasn't far away. Once he found it, he would finally get even with the boy.
The conqueror started walking towards the city, ignoring the news crews as they continued their broadcasts. Then he started to run. And then he took a running leap, jumping large distances across the tundra and closing in on Mantle. Each leap left its own crater behind, the snow covered ground just caving in under the speed and weight of the warlord as he got closer and closer, until the icy ground was replaced by the concrete of roads.
The streets were in a panic. The creature that had landed in a fiery meteor had arrived in Mantle. Atlesian soldiers and androids did their best to hold it off but the bullets only sparked against the crimson armor. The alien returned fire by holding out its right arm and firing what can only be described as organic bombs. They stuck to the ground at first, spikes on their outer shell stabbing into whatever they hit, almost impossible to remove in time.
After a few moments, they would explode and send rubble and soldiers flying. If they tried to flank it, a metallic, whip-like tentacle would extend from the left arm. With a simple motion, the hostel new arrival swung the whip and anyone who was caught in the attack was sliced. Some were lucky and only suffered minor injuries, while others lost limbs or were completely cut in half.
Nothing was going to stop this thing; it was an alien on a mission. And Vilgax KNEW the boy was here. If he was lucky, the girl would be with him as well. What was the Earth saying? Killing two birds with one stone?
Ben's eyes were still glued to the screen in horror. Why on Earth was he back now, of all times? The threat of Salem was big enough, and now that Vilgax was back, the whole plan of both sides was probably gonna be thrown into one hell of a shake up.
Ruby shook Ben a little. "Ben! Now's not the time to freeze up! We gotta help evacuate!"
"...he's here for me." Ben said quietly. "People are gonna die because of his stupid grudge on me."
Ruby looked worried. "Ben-"
"Take care of evacuations." Ben kissed Ruby on the forehead. "I gotta take care of him." He ran off, and quickly activated the Omnitrix. Ben scrolled through a few aliens, before smacking down the faceplate. Ben quickly morphed into XLR8, and began rushing to Vilgax's location.
"Ruby!" Robyn yelled, as she ran over. "What the HELL is that thing?! Not a Grimm but I'm guessing its still in your weirdly specific wheelhouse!"
"Long story, can't say it now! We need to evacuate ASAP." Ruby said. "It could very well waste this place to ashes!"
"You heard her!" Robyn said, yelling to Johanna, May and Fiona. "Get everyone out!"
Amid the crowd of people being rushed out of the auditorium was a single hooded figure who was less than pleased with this turn of events. He was ready for this and now he was being told to hold off. His usually gold eyes turned a sickly purple in rage as he stormed out, making sure to keep his hood up.
Wouldn't want the girl to recognize him.
I lied.