Intermission:
Agendas
"Run for it!"
The six thugs looked up to see the large, hulking figure come down from the sky and land in front of them.
"Is that the-"
"It is!"
"I request you all put down your weapons and prepare to be arrested." The machine stated, its voice electronic and devoid of emotion.
"We can take it!" One of the thugs said, pulling out a pistol. "It's just a machine!"
The robot held out its fists that shot out of its arms like rockets, hitting the thugs before they could even fire a single shot. Each fist hit one thug, slamming them into the two thugs behind them. The robot's fists returned to it, re-attaching themselves to its arms as it stepped forward.
It picked up the nearest thug, pushing him against the wall. "Wh-What do you want?!"
"I request information. You are attempting to procure Dust under the orders of Roman Torchwick, correct?" The robot asked, causing the thug to pause. "Please tell me all information you have regarding Roman Torchwick."
"Go rust yourself!"
The robot's 'wings' sprouted outwards before shoot up into the air, flying high above the city with the thug screaming.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The robot then stopped and hovered while still holding the thug. "I calculate from this heigh you would die instantly should you fall. Please tell me all information you have regarding Roman Torchwick."
"Yo-You wouldn't do it!" The thug shook his head repeatedly. "There's no way-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
The robot let go, leaving the thug to fall to his death…If the robot hadn't caught him at least ten feet above the ground before flying back up.
"Please tell me all information you have regarding Roman Torchwick." The robot repeated.
"Okay! Okay! I'll talk!" The thug desperately cried. "Just don't drop me!"
"Very well." The robot flew down and landed on the roof of the Dust shop that would have been robbed.
Once the robot let go of the thug, he staggered back and quickly spilled everything he knew. "Okay, we were hired by Torchwick to steal Dust from this shop and a few more down the block. He paid upfront for our time and made it clear once we were done, we'd leave and never speak of it again."
"Where is Roman Torchwick?"
"I don't know, I swear!" The thug quickly answered, raising both hands. "He moves around Vale and never has a meeting in the same spot twice."
"Then how do you give him the Dust you steal?"
"We take it down to the docks and leave it near the warehouse sections." The thug answered. "We leave and I guess he comes and takes it."
The robot 'stared' at him for a moment, making him sweat. "…I believe you. Now you will turn yourself into the police."
"Oh sure. I'll just go down and get the guys and we'll head over to the police statIOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNN!" The thug had headed for the edge of the roof when the robot grabbed him.
"Negative. The pulse fluctuations I detected inform me you are lying. I will bring you to the police myself." The robot said and took off again.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The thug and his five cohorts were later found tied up in front of Vale's police station.
"I must say, Arthur, you've been more enthusiastic than I would have expected." Merlot commented, walking down a long hall with Arthur Watts. "You were complaining non-stop when you were first assigned here."
"I was not. I just stated I preferred to work alone." Watts replied, adjusting his tie. "But I admit, I've considered my previous statements to be in error."
Merlot raised an eyebrow. "You, admitting an error?"
"I am capable of admitting I can make an error in judgement from time to time." Watts stated. "Especially when I was unaware of the potential I was shown."
Merlot simply smiled. "I'm glad I could change your mind."
"Yes well, let us move on to the matter at hand." Watts held out his Scroll, showing an image of a hulking machine covered in red armor. "This machine is no doubt the work of Ansem and he seemingly had it constructed behind Ironwood's back. This tells us that he is using knowledge from other Worlds to advance his own agenda."
"No surprise there. His ideals are complete opposite to Ironwood." Merlot replied as they came upon a door that opened for them. "And you worked fast to try replicating it."
"Replicating would mean I'm simply copying someone else's work." Watts scoffed, following Merlot inside. "I prefer to be original."
"My apologies." Merlot replied without sounding like he was actually sorry.
They stepped inside a room with mechanical arms with various tools attached as they worked on something resting on a large worktable. On the table was a large armored grey body suit with yellow highlights with a strong build.
"Countless records of the machine in action have allowed me to gain a decent idea of its inner workings and weapons." Watts stated. "Given this machine was able to outperform Hazel when it comes to strength, I suspect that Ansem has been keeping more than just a few secrets from Ironwood, including its apparent 'super-mode'."
"Well, it's not like we can just call Ansem up and ask for a few hints." Merlot responded. "Still, the man's work is quite the inspiration."
"Yes." Watts rolled his eyes. "The trick here is not to replicate the design but to improve it."
"And you believe we can?" Merlot asked with a grin.
"Well, I know I can." Watts stated confidently.
Merlot simply rolled his eyes.
Arthur Watts could be do predictable it wasn't even fun at times.
"Like here." Watts used the projector of his Scroll to show a more detailed look of the red armored machine. "It's hulking but the servo motors allow for superhuman strength, agility, endurance, and other natural abilities far beyond a machine of its size should be capable of. It's even more advanced than the Atleasian Paladin."
"The one that you designed?"
"Oh, shut up."
Crimson Sentinel Stops Train Crash
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Illegal Dust Trade stopped by Red Giant
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Red Fang Branch Delivered to Police by Iron Giant
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Bandit Tribes Arrested: Red Defender Suspected
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Roman Torchwick Barely Avoids Capture
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Spiders Flee Before It
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Smuggling Busted: Red Colossus Suspected
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Faunus Slave Trade Business Broken Up
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Illegal Weapons Trafficking Exposed
"You are sure of this."
Pietro Polendina nodded, seeing all the news articles and recordings. "Without a doubt, General. Whoever created this machine, they are no doubt a genius."
General Ironwood looked at the image of the red colored robot, dubbed by some as the Crimson Sentinel, others as the Crimson Defender, Giant or even the Iron Defender. Once upon a time, the existence of this machine was dubbed as mere rumors and a hoax by the masses but he knew better now. The first time it appeared; it stopped an attempted abduction of Ansem Schnee by one of Salem's agents: Hazel Rainart.
A mere machine taking on one of Salem's own agents would be seen as a great leap in advancement as Ironwood knew Hazel to be exceptionally strong, even by Huntsman standards. A man so strong he had tried to kill Ozpin several times before he vanished and was believed to be dead, given that he was last reported fleeing into the Emerald Forest, an area heavily populated by Grimm.
Only Hazel was not dead and was very much alive, now seemingly involved with Salem.
But the status of one of Salem's agents was a later issue. Right now, Ironwood was focused on this existence of this strange machine that was possibly a form of AI like Pietro's greatest creation. The way it moved, fought and acted, it was too detailed by simple programming like you would find in Atlesian Knight.
Or maybe there was even someone controlling it from the inside…
It would explain a great many things.
However, the most concerning part about this machine was that in the war to ensure Remnant's safety, it was an unknown factor.
James Ironwood was not one to tolerate unknown factors.
Despite the good this machine has done, it has also proven that there was someone out there with access to resources and skilled in engineering that no one in Atlas, not even the General himself, knew about. It hadn't been sighted in just Mantle but even in other kingdoms like Vale and Mistral, meaning it had a method of crossing across entire continents without registering onboard any official flights. The machine's strength was greater than even the strongest of Huntsmen which alone was concerning…
Unless he knew where it came from and could create more like it for the Atlas Military.
A machine was just as capable as doing harm as any person who had the potential to do great good and the potential this machine had shown scared him. He already had to deal with the mysterious 'DiZ' who operated his own agenda outside of the brotherhood that Ironwood was part of but another unknown factor was pushing it.
"Doctor, can you find a way to replicate this design?" Ironwood asked.
"Not without access to its schematics. At best I can only make a guess." Pietro replied. "And I would need a team of engineers."
"You'll have it." Ironwood nodded, turning to the door. "I'll see who I can find."
Once he was outside, he tapped a 'call' icon on his scroll that was answered immediately. "Yes, General Ironwood?"
"I need to speak with Specialists Schnee, Lightning and Branford. Immediately." Ironwood answered.
"Yes, sir. They will be waiting at your office as soon as you return."
Ironwood nodded, ending the call. He then looked at another recording of the machine taking down a group of Crimson Fang fanatics. The more the machine fought, the better Ironwood hoped his people would understand how it worked.
"And here's the man of the hour."
"I take it this is Hazel Rainart?"
The large man said nothing as he entered the lab, Merlot and Watts watching with amusement as he glanced at a recording of the machine who had bested him in Atlas.
"Hope we're not upsetting you or anything." Merlot turned off the projector. "Watts and I were merely observing this remarkable machine to understand it better."
"Of course." Hazel remarked dryly.
"I have to say, you are certainly a sight to behold, Mr. Rainart." Merlot stepped forward. "A man who in all likelihood has reached the pinnacle of his physical potential. Likely as the result of your Semblance which numbs all physical pain, allowing you to fight and train for hours on end before reaching your limit. And I assume Dr. Watts here has been charged with putting you back together should that ever happen."
"It's rare but it happens." Watts rolled his eyes. "His Aura reserves are higher than anyone else's I have met, and they recharge faster than I thought possible."
"Another bonus in your favor." Merlot remarked with a bigger smile.
"I'd prefer we get right to the point of my being here." Hazel spoke impatiently.
"Now, now, let's not get so worked up." Merlot waved both hands in a placating fashion. "I know you are not one for compliments, but it is all through our observations to help prepare you in the likely event you face that machine again. Or you end up facing someone even more powerful."
Hazel raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he followed Merlot and Watts out of the room and into the hallway. "I assume you plan to try and enhance my Semblance the way Ansem claims he did."
"I have seen enough to understand the basic workings of Ansem's Limit Break theory." Watts answered, arms folded behind his back. "The tests he engineered were pointed at placing individuals in situations where their Semblances would be needed immediately and where they would be tested both physically and mentally. I also noticed that certain effects from the Semblance used in one test that involved super-speed was used to enhance the user's own nervous systems and was retained even after the test was done. Though it might be a challenge to see what evolving a Semblance that simply numbs pain would be like or what it could become."
They walked into another storage room where various vials and bottles were seen on several tables.
"In the meantime, we can make do by improving on some work that was deemed a failure by Atlas." Merlot walked over and picked up a bottle. "A performance enhancing drug."
Hazel raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"This is here would be a combination of certain types of Dust, chemical and artificial growth hormones. It was originally meant for Atlesian soldiers to become stronger, faster and more powerful than Huntsmen. The cocktail was meant to enhance the body and become a replacement for Aura and could even increase the durability of the user." Merlot then sighed. "However a problem came up when it showed the side-effects being increased aggression to the point of permanent brain damage. The Atlas military shelved it and shut the project down. Luckily, Arthur was able to smuggle a few samples out for me to examine."
"I thought I would be taking part in the new Aesir Project you two were assigned to continue." Hazel stated.
"You are but we are lacking in Professor Hojo's research as to how he managed to successfully inject Dust into the subject's body to the point where they can survive." Watts stated. "Dr. Merlot managed to find the research facility in Vacuo, but it was utterly destroyed, leaving us to work from the ground up."
"A minor set-back but we know that doctor found a way to keep his subjects alive by directly injecting Dust into the bone marrow where it could bond with newly formed cells rather than old ones." Merlot continued. "Our work here is to create a fighter strong enough to handle not only anyone Ozpin sends in our way but against beings even more powerful than him…Such as one who used to be Lady Schnee and was even leader of Ozpin's team before her regrettable end."
Hazel said nothing as he looked at the bottle, only showing a minimal reaction to the mention of the one who was more dangerous than even Ozpin.
Her…
Salem had barely mentioned her, but Hazel knew enough to know this was someone Salem saw as a rival and someone to be destroyed.
Just like Ozpin…
"What's the recommended dosage?" Hazel asked.
"About ten ounces a day but we'll still need time to get all the kinks out of it. After all, it's still unstable." Watts answered.
"How long?"
"About a week to ensure it doesn't cause any permanent damage." Merlot shrugged.
That was…
"Unacceptable." Hazel pulled the cap off the bottle.
"Wait, what are yo-" Merlot and Watts froze as Hazel drank the entire bottle right in front of them.
Once the bottle was empty, Hazel smashed it onto the ground. The scientists started at him for a moment while Hazel took a deep breath and held up his hands.
"…How do you feel?" Merlot asked, looking very interested now.
"I feel…strange…Like every muscle in my body growing…It's a strange feeling…" Hazel answered, not sure how to describe what he was feeling.
"Arthur, you'll have to stay with him and keep an eye on his vitals. Salem wants a strong warrior but not one who becomes mentally impaired." Merlot suggested.
"Very well. And of course, he'll need equipment if he wants to go toe-to-toe with the machine." Watts nodded and replied, seeing Merlot sporting another smirk.
"Of course." Merlot turned away and walked over to another work bench with a large case resting on it. "I think you will like this most of all, Mr. Rainart."
Hazel and Watts watched as Merlot opened the case to reveal two metallic gauntlets with metal plates meant to cover the knuckles.
"These babies I based off of watching that machine fight." Merlot turned and presented the gauntlets to Hazel. "It was evident the arms of the machine use a form of servo-motors for super strength so I thought we could design something similar. I call them 'Pain Trains'? Want to know why? Because they are meant to hit with the force of a speeding train."
Hazel eyed the gauntlets before taking and placing them on his arms, noting how they covered his hands at first. However, with a mere gesture, the metal plates lifted upward and slid over Hazel's hands, allowing him to freely use his hands.
"So, shall we test them?" Watts suggested with a grin.
Hazel found himself standing in a large, empty chamber devoid of anything except the ground that was not made of metal but was made of dirt and gravel.
"Welcome to the training ground." Merlot and Watts appeared on giant screens lining the walls of the chamber. "Now, which of my test subjects should I sent?"
"Send your best one and let's get this over with." Hazel replied.
"Very well." Merlot sighed, pressing a button.
A hatch opened from the ceiling and a giant Grimm dropped into the chamber. It resembled a Deathstalker but was larger with green glowing spikes all over its body. The Grimm roared and charged straight at him. Hazel clenched his fists as the metal plates slid back over his hands.
'Charging.' Hazel heard a computerized voice speak from the gauntlets.
Even if they weren't fully charged, he would still meet the mutated Deathstalker head on. In fact he charged to meet the monster head on.
'Charging Complete.'
As the Deathstalker raised a pincer to swat at him, Hazel leapt forward and sent a fist forward…
Punching right through the pincer.
The Grimm screeched in agony but had no time to react as Hazel sent his other fist with a still charged gauntlet forward…
SPLAT!
Merlot and Watts watched with shock and awe as the Deathstalker's entire body splattered, its black 'blood', armor and green slime splattered all over the chamber.
Like it had been splattered by a train.
Hazel stood in the center of the training chamber, covered in black blood that slowly evaporated into a black mist like all Grimm did, but the green slime remained.
"Well…I believe this test to be a success." Merlot gulped.
"Indeed." Watts nodded in agreement.
Hazel lifted his head. "Doctor."
"Yes?" Both Merlot and Watts said at once.
"You called these 'Pain Trains', right?" Hazel held up his fists, the gauntlets still glowing.
"Yes." Merlot nodded.
"I have a new name for them." Hazel said, clenching his hands tightly. "Call them…Gretchen's Rage."
While he wasn't one for weapons, the power he was wielding now and would gain soon showed him just how strong he could really become.
A great power born from his own strength combined with the science that both doctors were so proud of.
The power to avenge Gretchen.
No matter the cost.
'I will wield this power and bring an end to the world that took you from me.' Hazel vowed. 'No matter who stands in my way.'
"So, Hazel has proven himself capable?"
"Yes, Your Grace. I'm monitoring his vitals and checking to make sure he suffers no everlasting brain damage from the drug." The projected image of Watts inside the Seer reported. "So far, everything looks perfect."
"And you can promise me this drug will not have any lasting effects on him once you and Merlot begin the procedure?" Salem asked.
"We will be taking every possible precaution, Your Grace. We won't begin until we are sure it's a complete success." Watts answered. "I believed the mutagen that Merlot is working will allow for Hazel to survive both the drug and the permanent infusion of Dust. The serum has an interesting effect on Grimm, that I didn't believe was possible."
"Yes, I was surprised as well." Salem nodded in agreement. "I believe that this mutagen to be some sort of hold out from ancient times. Perhaps a type of energy that had leaked into the waters underneath Merlot's island."
"The good doctor did state that he moved to the island because he discovered a sample of it while trying to find a new base of operations, far from the mainland." Watts mused. "He's spent years since the Fall of Mount Glenn, trying to perfect the serum for mutating and controlling Grimm."
Salem's lips curled into a smile, looking amused now. "Well, so as long as his research yields results, I have no issue in him trying his absolute best. But keep an eye on him, all the same."
"As you wish, My Lady." Watts bowed and his image then faded from the Seer.
"To think, a human would discover something with such potential so far away." Salem mused, dismissing the Seer. "I suppose once again, Ozpin is right about their potential."
Which also made them a resource of even greater value.
"To think, I would be pushed this far. But of course, as you once told me: those who stop moving forward, stop learning." Salem chuckled. "Well, my dear friend, while I don't know for sure if you truly will return, I hope you do at least one more time…Before this is over."
It would be worth seeing the look on her face.