(Hello guys, I saw that you really enjoyed the previous batch and that makes me really happy. But I also must mention that I'm not looking for an artist. You're free to make fanarts based on my work, but if I want to commission something, I use different ways to search for one. I'm not going to accept some bot artist's offer.)
(Also I wrote to the site's support and got the Party Girl onto the character list. Now I can actually tag Cherry as the story's character. Woohoo!)
As the Corruption started to spread, it put the surviving populace into a difficult position. Safe land became scarce, resources dwindled, people now faced a question with an uneasy answer.
Your life? Or the life of the others?
In turn the remaining populace became more and more selfish. Villages were pillaged, and banditry became a commonplace. There was no room for kindness in a fight for survival.
Tiara once gave the Pirate fleet a chance to settle in Sol peacefully. To ride out the apocalypse and carve out a safe haven for themselves in the dying world. There was, after all, no need for such hostilities in their corner of the world. The massive tree in Sol's jungle can provide enough sustenance to feed them all.
Be it desperation, the effects of Corruption or just plain stupidity. The Pirates have instead decided to spit on Tiara's hospitality, and squander their only chance to survive.
"The King and the Kingdom are no more!" Their leader declared and raised the Red Flag. A sign that he would take no prisoners. "It's every man for themselves!" He cried out, and ordered the ships to fire upon the flying city.
The shells from their cannons smashed a hole in Sol's containment, allowing their Flying Dutchmen to enter the continent. Wilbur D. Rennet was there to stop them, and the Pirate leader threw every man, woman and child at him, and executed anyone that refused to fight.
When it was clear that the Hero would not be overwhelmed with numbers, the leader was then forced to order a withdrawal, or risk death himself. The shattered fleet, a mere shadow of its former self, was forced out into the ocean… where they eventually perished in the Corrupted lands.
It was a tragic end for the tragic battle that didn't need to take place. An absolute waste of men in time where life was scarce and should be protected.
Only one pirate survived that battle; a lucky Captain who attributed his survival to being captured by someone far kinder than Wilbur. And to this day he's thankful to Cherry finding him first.
-:-O-:-
Cherry has left…
Veronica has left…
These two warnings replayed themselves in Wilbur's mind over and over, almost mocking him for his own failure. Two of his friends, gone, in a single night, because he was distracted with a little adventure in the snowy lands.
Guilt and anger flew through him. Tiara should be angry with me. He thought with bitterness. Cherry was one of her best friends. His best friend. She should be… but isn't.
Tiara had a reason to not be angry. There was, after all, a glimmer of hope. And the Princess in her endless optimism has decided to focus on that - emphasizing the good over the bad. The voices said it clearly: Cherry and Vera left. They didn't die. They were still alive, and could be found and brought back. They could avoid becoming dead like Samuel or Connor.
…They could avoid disappearing like Fay.
The Blood Moon has fallen over the horizon, signifying the end of the bloody night. Now the sun was slowly rising over the horizon, letting the light wash over through Sol's glass ceiling. Most of the defenders were already laying down their arms, and going back home to sleep and recover. Wilbur didn't follow them. He had a duty to fulfill.
Before the Blood Moon, he remembered the voices telling him that these girls were holding a party. Considering how Vera reacted to the vile power of the moon… Cherry's home would be the first place to investigate.
But while Wilbur was many things, he was not a detective. He could see well, and his view was vast… But there was someone else better for this task - A.N.D.Y., Sol's resident Cyborg.
He was currently patrolling the area, keeping overwatch over the blood soaked lands. Making sure that no monster would suddenly get up while everyone else's backs were turned. Wilbur was proud to see him remember his training so well, but there were more pressing matters.
"I need your help."
The Cyborg stopped walking and turned to face him. "What is it, chief? This unit is ready to act."
"Cherry and Vera went missing, I need your help in finding them."
"Orders received. Excuse me for a moment."
A.N.D.Y.'s face blanked out and Wilbur patiently waited. The lights on his body went dim - signifying that his consciousness was no longer fully in his body. "Preliminary scan completed." He said, the lights returning to their full brightness. "The Thinners report no sightings of any humans. Theory: Cherry and the half-beast are still within Sol's lands."
That was good, but it wasn't like Wilbur expected Cherry to suddenly venture out into the Corruption. "Let's check Cherry's house first. She was throwing a party before the night started."
A.N.D.Y. nodded and both took to the skies - rising over the city of Sol. Cherry's home was located right in the main square, very close to the Pylon that Wilbur put in there.
The roofs of the buildings blended together during the flight, and the glass dome covering the continent gave them plenty of space to maneuver. It wasn't hard to find Cherry's house, the decorative streamers and lanterns she placed on the roof were like a landmark for him.
The area was silent when they landed, and the most disturbing sight was an opened front door. Worry started to build up within Wilbur's gut, a heavy and foreboding feeling that he shoved away.
Wilbur and A.N.D.Y. approached the house. "Cherry?" Wilbur called out. "Cherry are you there? Vera?"
No answer. No one was home.
A.N.D.Y. examined the doors, taking a good look at the hinges and the lock. "Doors show no evidence of being forced open. The likelihood of monsters breaking in: Minimal."
That slightly appeased his worry, but that begged a question: If a monster did not break into her house, then what happened? Cherry wouldn't just leave her house open like that. Did… Did Vera force her to flee? Where could they go?
"The state of Cherry's home suggests Cherry abandoned this place in a hurry."
Cherry's living room was a mess. A chair and a table were knocked over, with its entire contents spilled on the floor. There was an entire strawberry cake dirtying the carpet. I will have to replace that. That stain had an entire night to dry. Washing it all off would be difficult and time consuming.
Vera must've turned. He thought with a grimace. Bad timing.
Wilbur saw the other rooms in the house, and he found them tidy. Whatever happened, it was in the living room.
Blue light flashed across the room, scanning it for clues. "Veronica's DNA found nearby: Less than 10 hours old." A.N.D.Y. told him. "The half-beast was here before the night." He looked around, before focusing its gaze on the chair. "Slime residue found on one of the chairs. The composition matches Veronica's post-transformation residue."
Wilbur grabbed the chair and the table, and put them back onto their own feet. His eyes couldn't find any of that residue that A.N.D.Y. spoke about. It was microscopic in its quantity and size, not something that anyone could easily find, much less analyze.
"Theory: Cherry held a party with Veronica before the Blood Moon. Once the night fell, Veronica turned. Cherry ran."
"Thanks Andy."
"Anytime. Proceed further, chief?"
"Yes, let's investigate outside, find out where Cherry went."
Now that he knew what happened and where, he could now start hunting for the lost girls. Vera always posed trouble during the Blood Moon, but even then she was under Wilbur's protection. He couldn't just kick her out.
It would be hypocritical of him to do so.
But if Vera was chasing Cherry, then if they found one they could find the other.
They left the building and Andy scanned the area outside. This revealed a set of footsteps leading into the alley nearby. "Footprints match Cherry's data." He paused, giving the footprint a second scan. "Less than 24 hours old."
Good thing Ada gave him that. Gods know what we would do without it.
Wilbur followed Andy as he followed the footsteps. The alley they went in was kept clean and empty… save for some claw marks in the wall. One more thing for him to fix. It wasn't like anyone lived in this house, but seeing such chips in the wall irked him.
"Cherry and the half-beast ran through here. I'm certain of it."
Wilbur tried to recall what was in that direction. This was a residential area, basically just a bunch of empty buildings, why would Cherry try to lead her there?
…Ah!
"Snare trap located. Unused."
Wilbur remembered constructing a few such traps and scattering them around the city, not to harm but rather to catch and delay any monsters that might have gotten inside… like a transformed Vera during the Blood Moon.
Andy scanned the trap. "I am detecting half-beast's footprints nearby. Theory: Cherry tried to lead Veronica into the trap to bind her, but the half-beast noticed and got around it. Cherry was then forced to continue running."
Vera's other form is getting too smart and perceptive for her own good, she's learning. Wilbur shouldn't expect the old tricks to work forever, but Vera could at least try to steer herself into them. Wilbur didn't have time to deal with her while keeping the monsters off the gate. Eventually I might have to think up something new. Maybe a pit trap triggered by pressure plates. Vera would step on the pressure plate, trigger actuators underneath to make the floor disappear, fall, and then the actuators would retrigger and summon the floor back - creating a cage to contain Vera until it was safe for her to leave. I might not even need a pit, some actuators in the walls would make for a decent cage.
Wilbur took a notepad and wrote notes as Andy continued to walk. They passed a corner and then two more houses. This time Wilbur had no idea where Cherry could be leading her - there was nothing of note in that direction. Just more empty houses. Maybe she didn't really have much of a choice where to go.
Vera, as a werefox, could outspeed most people. Especially when they didn't have any speed increasing accessories… like Cherry. If Cherry threw grenades to slow Vera down, we wouldn't know. Her confetti disappears after a while.
But for running away from Vera, with no speed accessories, there were relatively little signs of struggle. It truly did seem like Cherry was slowing Vera down with her Happy Grenades.
"Claw marks found. Hypothesis: Veronica has engaged someone."
Wilbur froze and waited as Andy gave the area a secondary scan. A worst possible scenario was already happening in Wilbur's mind just as Cyborg announced the result of his second scan. "No traces of hemoglobin found in the area. Translation: No blood was spilled here. Hypothesis: The half-beast either missed her attack, or Cherry blocked and reoriented it."
Wilbur let out a relieved sigh, taking some solace in that. No blood was a good thing. That means his training worked. Good thing that I just showed her how to parry with her arms. But that also meant that Cherry let Vera close enough for the werefox to take a swing at her. Next thing I will teach her is how to throw grenades faster. Maybe also get her something else to defend herself.
Wilbur frowned. What is this?
There was something behind house RM193. An orange rift lazily swirling in the sky. It wasn't there before… but it wasn't the first one that Wilbur saw. It was that same portal that led him to those snowlands, but that was in a completely different sector. What is it doing here?
And A.N.D.Y., while he couldn't see it yet, seemed to lead Wilbur straight to it.
"...Anomaly detected."
A.N.D.Y. scanned the portal in front of them. Then he scanned it again. "I cannot get a read on this. Most of my scanners don't detect its presence." He told him. "However, my magic gauge detects powerful magic in play. Translation: I am not optimized to analyze this. Bring Merlyn here to see this."
A.N.D.Y. then scanned the area around the portal. "The tracks end here." He said. "Hypothesis: Cherry went into this… tear and disappeared. Half-Beast followed her. Area unknown. Threat unknown. Emergency situation. Raise the alarm, chief?"
"No." Ordered Wilbur. "Not yet." Not when the others just went to sleep. "Why would Cherry go into this?"
"Reasoning unknown. Translation: Ask Cherry."
Wilbur sighed and grumbled. However now he knew where these two might've gone. There weren't many places that one could hide from him, but this… portal thing. It wasn't here before, and he couldn't see what was on the other side.
But he has already crossed through a similar gap, and people over there were not friendly. Cherry and Vera were in danger.
…No time to waste. "I will go. I went through one before, so I more-or-less know what I will find on the other side."
There were… certain expectations when it comes to someone of his standing. He was the last of the Heroes. The strongest. On top of the food chain. The safety of the men and women here was his responsibility. The old oath that he swore to the king, before the Corruption cursed this planet, he still followed it.
He will find Cherry and Vera and bring them back, or he will die trying.
…But me leaving will leave Sol, and the rest, vulnerable.
But he couldn't leave these two alone on their own. He didn't want two more people to end up like Samuel… or Fay.
"Guard this place." Wilbur told Andy. "Let no one get in. I will use Magic Mirror when I find the girls, or after 6 hours of searching. Can you last that long?"
6 hours might seem like not a lot of time, but Wilbur could fly. And he could also see everything around.
With his wings and his vision, he could cover a lot of area in that small amount of time.
The Cyborg's dimmed as he did a quick check up on himself. "The battery is at 80%. Ordinance is at 50%. Raw materials to fabricate additional munitions at 70%. Translation: I'm ready to kick more ass."
Wilbur nodded at his second in command. "One more thing, check the OT-oh-1 for another portal like that."
"OT01? The old town?" A.N.D.Y. fell silent for a moment, processing the order given to him. "Order received, I will visit OT01 after 7 hours of guarding this position, or immediately after being relieved of duty."
"Thanks, Andy."
Wilbur took a quick stock of his inventory, before summoning a sword from his Inventory. With the Star Wrath in hand, Wilbur D. Rennet stepped once more into the world of Remnant. But this time, a haunting voice rang out from the depths of his mind, bringing another message for him.
The forces of Light and Dark spread further…
He had no clue where they could even spread anymore.
The portal sent him to a place where it was dark and bright at the same time. It was night time, but there were also numerous lights illuminating the area around him. Green grass, clean pavement and a large castle… all unfamiliar to him, and without any traces of Crimson or Corruption.
This was an unknown territory, and there were two men in front of him, putting Wilbur on the edge. Foes so soon?
Wilbur kept a tight grip on the Star Wrath as he approached them. One of them; short, round and with a thick mustache, he had a blunderbuss in his hands, but it wasn't pointed at Wilbur yet. Curiously, this blunderbuss had two ax blades attached to its stock - allowing this man to quickly switch to melee if he needed.
Or Wilbur could grab the weapon, tank the shot, and then jab one of the blades into the man's neck. Or he could just cut him down before he raised that weapon and took a shot at him. Worst case scenario? Let the stars fall on him.
You're looking for information, Will. The Terrarian reminded himself. Dead men don't talk.
But he didn't need to kill. He just needed to incapacitate and interrogate. If he chopped a limb here and there, they would still survive if given a healing potion.
The other person was unarmed, therefore harmless in comparison. Tall, lanky… not very strong. His clothes reminded Wilbur of his old military uniform, and there was even a badge pinned to his breast. "Valean Police Department"
That piqued his interest. I don't remember there being a "police" department anywhere in the kingdom. Usually it was a local garrison keeping peace. Maybe a militia or Royal Brigade in a distant region. Was this connected to that "Valean" thing?
In any case, he seemed to be a member of some sort of peacekeeping organization. Where is your weapon? Were you not assigned one? How can you police anything without means of defending yourself?
If he wasn't, that would be easy. Chop his leg, bash his face then haul him back for questioning.
With a plan in mind Wilbur stared down the other two men, waiting for their move - any slight movement or thought that could mean hostility.
Curiously, he didn't sense any.
The tall man was shocked. Visibly so. Maybe even terrified a bit. Wilbur believed that he was at the verge of panic. If a fight broke out, Wilbur doubted that he would be of much help for his friend. But the other guy seemed curious. Which in turn made Wilbur curious. What did he notice that interested him? Did he meet Cherry or Vera? Was he expecting him?
Was this a trap?
Wilbur focused on his surroundings, finding no one else nearby. But this was a big place. There could be people hiding outside his range.
The fat man just wrinkled his nose. What did he smell?
"D-Did you just come through that portal?" The tall one asked Wilbur. "Who are you?"
The Terrarian nodded. And because he was greeted with a word, and not a bullet, he will reciprocate. "I am looking for two girls." Wilbur said to them, keeping his blade low but ready for anything. "One with pink hair and clothes, the other with animal ears and tail."
The tall man was confused, but the fat one wasn't. Wilbur saw a curious twinkle of recognition appear on his face. "Ah!" The man's fat belly perked up as he shifted. "Are you here for Cherry?"
This time Wilbur was surprised, because he didn't expect to get a clue so soon. No, that wasn't even a clue. That was a confirmation. Cherry was here. She has crossed through this portal. That must mean Vera should be here as well.
Now he was certain that he needed to keep the fat one alive. He knew something. He was also… strangely nice. A surprisingly peaceful fellow. It was a breath of fresh air.
"Yes." Wilbur nodded to him. It felt… weird, meeting someone who didn't want to immediately rip his innards. It put him on the edge, but the man knew something. "My name is Wilbur, Cherry's friends are getting worried, so I have come to pick her and Vera up."
The fat man seemed… relaxed. Which bothered Wilbur. Like, he was either masking his emotions, or simply immune to Wilbur's presence. Then again, I would've killed him if he panicked and tried something. Maybe it was better that the man was relaxed. Smaller chance for him to do something drastic.
The fat man nodded, then turned to the tall man. "Officer, I'm sorry for this but this man has come to see the victims. I must alert Ozpin immediately."
Wilbur felt his blood turn cold.
The "Officer" slowly nodded. "I see…" He looked at Wilbur. "Mister Wilbur, would you be willing to answer a few questions? It won't take long."
But Wilbur was not having any of it. What victims? What happened? Were Cherry and Vera okay? Wilbur stared at the officer, seizing him up. He couldn't spend any time answering some pointless questions. Not before he saw the girls. Their safety was his priority, and 6 hours wasn't a lot of time to spend dilly dallying.
So Wilbur shook his head at the officer. "First I must see my friends."
He didn't like that answer. Wilbur didn't like his reaction.
Was this it? Was this the moment where decency gets thrown out of the window and burned at the stake? It lasted longer than most encounters he had with anyone outside Sol. The man was like Wilbur sized him up as; unarmed and weak. But even a weakling could hide a dagger or call out the powers of the stars.
"Of course! Follow me and I will take you to them!"
The fat man interjected, laughing cherrily at Wilbur's request. The tall one seemed shocked by his friend. "But Mister Ports, he should be questioned! He came from the other side!" Argued the tall one.
But the fat man didn't budge. "Officer, you will get your answers, later." The fat man stressed the word, then motioned towards Wilbur. "This young man is worried sick about his friends who were just attacked, let him be reassured that they're fine before we ask anything."
Wilbur was surprised, maybe even pleased that this situation was resolved without violence. He gave his silent thanks to the man who seemed to understand that he was in a hurry and he lacked any patience for anything else.
However that didn't dissuade the cold dread that he felt creeping in. Attacked? Cherry? He has to find them. Quickly.
The officer seemed to be torn between duty and empathy. Wilbur could just brush him off if he tried to stop him. He was unarmed… Unless he could summon weapons. Cut him down if he tries.
It was, however, unnecessary as the officer eventually just gave in and waved for Wilbur to get going. The Terrarian stashed away the Star Wrath as he passed, giving these people the barest amount of trust he could give them. They were… unexpectedly courteous and preferred to use words rather than strength. A long time has passed since Wilbur has seen people like them who haven't already taken shelter in Sol.
The fat man, who introduced himself as Peter, led Wilbur into the building. The officer, who didn't name himself, stayed behind. For a moment Wilbur thought that he would try to enter the portal, the man even reached out to touch it but seemed to reconsider at a last moment.
Wilbur eventually stopped paying attention to him. He wouldn't get far, not with Andy watching.
It was easy to see that the building was clean, well kept and often used. It had a rather pretty interior with a modern and futuristic vibe in it. It somewhat reminded him of his time in the Kingdom's Garrison before the Corruption. Lots of empty space here. He noted. Are those… classrooms?
Was this a school? A massive school? On the ground level and without fortifications? A single Blood Moon would have overrun this place. A normal night might even do it. This must've been a well-defended place. The green grass and trees were proof that Corruption's influence here was small. He wasn't surprised to see… basically nobody as they walked, and the people that they did find were dressed like that officer from below. They were calm, though they sent Wilbur some looks.
Guards, probably.
Each time they looked at him put Wilbur on the edge, expecting one of them to pull out a dagger or a gun… but no one tried anything. They looked at him, then let him go. Sometimes they even wished him a good evening.
Definitely a rather chill bunch.
"We just had a person break into our school, right through your friends' room." Peter explained to him. "Your friends were attacked, but they survived."
Unforgivable. Careless. Wilbur's anger and frustration was directed not only at the invader… but also at himself for letting this happen. "Are they okay? Do you know who did it?"
Peter shook his head, which only irked Wilbur. "You will have to ask Ozpin, all I did was watch the courtyard for anyone that crosses through the portal."
Sad and regrettable, but this was already more information than Wilbur expected. As long as he and this Ozpin led him to the girls, he would be happy. He can always start looking for the culprit later. Wilbur saw Peter take out a rather curious tablet with a hologram in the middle. The fat man then began poking the holographic screen. He was typing a message. Presumably to this Ozpin guy.
Wilbur let him write in peace. At worst he was preparing to ambush him, and then they will have a fight. Something that Wilbur was particularly good at. "What is this place?" He asked Peter. "A school?"
The fat man nodded. "Yes, my friend! We train young minds to become huntsmen and protect humanity from Grimm!"
Wilbur didn't know what Grimm was, but training kids to protect others? That was… commendable. After the Crimson and Corruption wiped the kingdom, Humanity could use every warrior they could get… but that still begged the question of where the portal took him? How could this enormous school still stand and be safe and pure when the evil stains have consumed the rest of the planet?
Did they also separate themselves from the rest of the world? Like Sol?
Curiosity took over him. "How many students do you have?" This place was enormous, enough to be a village on its own. Was all of this utilized? Did they have enough people to fill all of the classrooms here?
"Ah, a few hundred fine youngsters, with more coming each year!"
Wilbur was shocked. A few hundred kids? How? Where do they live? How do you keep them fed? What do you do when the Blood Moon appears on the horizon? How do they keep the Corruption from spreading through the underground?
"Is something wrong, friend?"
"I… was not expecting such a high number." Wilbur told him. Hundreds of children, with more coming each year. Here was an entire society that he had somehow missed. Me coming here might've doomed this place, to be honest. Wilbur thought to himself. But in my defense, how could I have known?
Maybe it was better to find Cherry and Vera and then leave… for this place's sake.
The man nodded, unaware of the thoughts plaguing Wilbur. "Ah, right. Cherry and Vera were also surprised." He laughed. "Well, you can speak with Ozpin, he will explain everything."
Wilbur nodded and followed Peter to that man. At least a few hundred more survivors, and nothing he saw suggested that they were touched by the Corruption.
It seemed… impossible for such a bastion of humanity to exist. It was very difficult for him, Fay and Samuel to keep their own land and the handful of friends they had safe and pure, and even that took a lot of sacrifices.
What is your secret? Wilbur wondered. How did you all keep yourself safe for so long?
Ozpin waited by the landing pads for Peter. He gave instructions to Doctor Oobleck and Glynda to explain everything to the police and support them while he was away. The paramedics have already taken Cherry and Vera away, so now Ozpin has to explain, and remedy, the situation to someone who might as well be the extraterrestrial ambassador… and hope that he understands the situation.
And Ozpin could already sense the man's presence. Whereas Cherry's magic was subtle and almost undetectable, unless Ozpin focused on looking for it, this man's sheer presence was practically unmissable. It demanded Ozpin's full attention. It was hard to look away. Ozpin felt a bit nervous, feeling such an oppressive presence slowly approaching him.
Peter's message was clear; "Wilbur is here… and he is strong and pissed." Ozpin didn't know why Peter put it that way, but he must've sensed something big to warn Ozpin in such a way. At the very least he isn't immediately hostile.
The timing might've been poor, but Ozpin didn't blame this Wilbur for it. Ozpin's current predicament was solely because someone broke into his school. The magic he felt back there… there was definitely a familiar "blend" of sorts, buried deeply among the unknown scents of magic. Not Cherry, not the portal. Someone from Remnant.
He thought of who this could possibly be, and landed on one person: Salem. Not her herself, but perhaps one of her agents. Salem, just like him, has once lived in an age where magic was common. She, just like him, was immortal.
But she opposed him.
But why break into Beacon? Why do something like this?
The answer "In order to reach the basement and find what he hid in there" came into his mind, but he ignored it. There was no way this could possibly be her attempt at reaching the secret buried under the ground of Beacon.
But then what else could she do? Was she a distraction? A distraction for what? A warning?...Was Salem not involved? Did her agent simply… screw up? No… There must be something else I'm missing.
Ozpin settled on simply not having an answer. He didn't have enough information to create a sensible theory. Maybe the police will find something after I return.
It took Peter a moment to escort his guest through Beacon, but eventually the doors opened and Ozpin could finally see the man: Tall, muscular and built like a tank. He could possibly pick up a person and snap them in two. Peter next to him looked almost like a dwarf.
He was also very… young. Not older than his students. Ozpin could peg him as another hot-blood teenager if it wasn't for his cold demeanor, and a tired expression.
Now that they were in a line of sight, this… overwhelming presence felt even stronger. It demanded Ozpin's attention and all of his focus. How he was stomping his way towards him, the way his arm seemed ready to reach into the sack to pull out something. Ozpin… felt like he couldn't tear his gaze away from him. It wasn't anything like a romantic attraction, but rather it seemed like a… magical suggestion. He was making Ozpin, and possibly everyone else, focus on him.
It was a Taunt. An ability to make one's enemy focus on him over anyone else.
And Wilbur seemed to regard Ozpin as one of these enemies.
Now that Ozpin has realized what it was, he found it easier to resist… but it was still distracting. "Mister Wilbur." Ozpin said, taking a sniff of the outside air. There was… a coppery stench in the air. Blood. Fresh blood. It seems like Wilbur has killed someone, or something, before coming here.
Ozpin gulped. This was a dangerous man, indeed.
The man seemed to hold no patience for pleasantries. He felt Wilbur's eyes zero-in on him. Physically felt it. It was like his sight had a presence of its own. It felt cold. Unsettling. Like he was being stared at by Grimm.
Years of experience, however, did not go to naught. Ozpin steeled his will, put on a metaphorical mask, and endured his senses screaming at him about the danger he was in. "Indeed, Cherry told me that you would come." Wilbur's features sharpened at the mention of his friends. "...Unfortunately, she and Vera were already taken to the hospital. But I have already arranged a transport to take us there."
The Headmaster motioned to a Bullhead behind him, noticing that the pilot was just putting back his Scroll and preparing the plane for take off. A low hum of the engines has caught his guest's attention. He stared at the airship with a burrowed frown.
Ozpin now wondered if Wilbur even knew what the airship was, or was he as confused as Cherry and Vera when he took them through a short ride on an elevator.
Wilbur turned back to Peter, he hurriedly reached out into his sack and pulled out a couple of silver, almost white, metal coins. "Thank you for your help." He threw the coins towards the teacher. The coins flew slowly and in a high arc, making them easy to catch.
Peter laughed as he snatched the money out of the air. "Stay safe, friend. Please say hi to your friends from me."
Wilbur nodded and Ozpin led him to the airship. "The details are unfortunately scarce, as the police are still investigating." Ozpin said. "But both Cherry and Vera are alive. Fine, even." The headmaster sat on the seat and strapped himself in, whereas Wilbur looked around the rows of seats that lined the walls of the Bullhead.
Ah. Right. This was probably his first time on an airship. "It is… advisable for you to sit down before we take off, Mister Wilbur."
Wilbur silently stared at him for a moment, before looking back at one of the seats. For a moment Ozpin felt like the man would challenge his advice, but after a brief moment of silence Ozpin felt Wilbur's magical presence… just disappear.
He was physically still there, but Ozpin found it easier to look away and focus on other things. He must've stopped the Taunt. His presence still demanded Ozpin's attention, and he still felt head and shoulders above most Huntsmen in terms of power… But now Ozpin found it easier to focus on other things. Or he just dulled it somewhat.
Wilbur strapped himself to the seat with remarkable ease. Well, the seatbelts are rather easy to figure out. Ozpin thought.
"How long until we reach the hospital?" Wilbur asked.
"Around 5 to 10 minutes. Hopefully they will have a free landing pad for us."
Wilbur nodded and watched the airship take off from the inside, studying how it moved and flew. He studied its aerodynamically pointed front, the wings that ended in spinning propellers facing upwards, the retraction of its landing gear as it took off.
Such a strange design. Wilbur thought as he saw the ship take off.
He saw the man he knew as Ozpin watch him with wariness and intrigue. He saw the pilot of this airship doing his job. He saw himself, in his own seat, staring back at Ozpin with hostility and suspicion.
He saw, far in the distance, a great city. Alien and unknown. But definitely a society free of Corruption and Crimson.
And then he saw nothing else, for the airship was already in the sky… too far for the Third Observer to see anything else.
"What is this city we're flying towards? Those are rather big walls."
Wilbur's question caught Ozpin off-guard, but the man quickly recovered. Anyone else might've missed it, but Wilbur was already searching for any subtle tells.
"That's Vale. One of the four great kingdoms." Ozpin explained. Wilbur's expression twitched. "You were just at Beacon, a school for warriors that I am a Headmaster of."
Wilbur nodded, but said nothing. So Ozpin continued. "I take it this is all new to you?"
"You're assuming that I don't know where I am?"
"Cherry and Vera were… very confused about our world. I assumed that you would also feel slightly lost."
Wilbur scoffed at Ozpin's remark. "Your assumptions were correct." He said. "This is the first time I have seen such a city, heard the name "Vale", or heard about "four great kingdoms." Terraria only had one true kingdom, and that was Terraria itself."
Very straightforward answer, but this however sped things up. "My current theory is that this portal took you, and Cherry and Vera, to a different world. For on Remnant, on this planet," Ozpin pointed down at the floor, "We have never heard of Terraria, nor of the Crimson or Corruption that seems to plague your world."
"...Seriously?"
"Cherry described it, and it matches nothing that we've seen in our history. For all I know, none of these things exist in this world."
That surprised Wilbur. For the first time the mask of suspicion and hostility broke, revealing surprise hidden underneath.
"That explains a few things." Ozpin heard the man murmur under his breath. "No Corruption?"
"None."
"Cthulhu?"
"Cherry mentioned it, but I have never heard of it before."
"Heroes of Terraria?"
"What's that?"
"A military rank." Wilbur explained. "We are… were… renowned around the globe."
Ozpin shook his head. "This is the first time I, and possibly everyone else here, have heard of such a position." A small smile appeared on Ozpin's face. "But if we are talking heroes, here we have Huntsmen."
"Now I haven't heard of them."
"In short: They protect humanity from the creatures of Grimm."
Wilbur nodded, then asked "Grimm?"
"My best explanation would be: this world's equivalent of Corruption and Crimson." Ozpin said. "Though I have never seen them both so I don't how well that comparison holds."
The more they talked, the less cold Wilbur appeared. It seemed that Ozpin gave him a lot to think about. The headmaster counted that as a win. He has officially opened the dialogue with the other side, got his foot in the door to uphold good relations with these Terrarians.
"So you didn't open those portals to invade us?"
"No." Ozpin found this question surprising, but answering it came easy. "I spoke with the Council - our government body - and they were confused about how they appeared." Ozpin said. "Perhaps, do you know who opened these portals, or why?"
"I don't know a thing." Wilbur shook his head. "But last time I crossed it, which was only a few hours ago, I found a massive army waiting for me."
"...Excuse me?"
What army?
"Multiple floating airships, similar to this one." Wilbur said. "Hundreds of soldiers and war machines, all stationed in front of this tiny portal that would conveniently lead them right underneath Sol."
Just like that, the suspicion returned in full force, only to be replaced by cold indifference. "I routed them, mind you. Killed as many as I could."
Ozpin was scratching his mind at what Wilbur was talking about. What army could he possibly fight against?
It explains the smell of blood, at least. Ozpin thought. "I apologize, but that other portal must've led you somewhere else. Vale, which might come to you as a surprise, has no official army. Merely a police force."
As Ozpin expected, Wilbur's brows furrowed in confusion. "There was a lot of snow there." He said.
And that was it. The crucial detail that clued Ozpin as to exactly which army fought against. That explains why Atlas was silent. And that also clued Ozpin on what kind of power-level Ozpin was dealing with: Overwhelming.
"You know them?" Wilbur said. Not asked, said. He saw Ozpin's reaction and already got his answer.
Ozpin nodded. "You've probably encountered the army of Atlas - the most militaristic of the four kingdoms."
"Atlas… not here?"
Ozpin shook his head. "That's a different continent entirely." He paused, then leaned towards the Terrarian. "You won that battle?"
"Yes." Wilbur nodded. "Why? Is there a problem with that? They shot first."
Yes. There was a problem. The most powerful nation just barred down their hatches and stopped talking to anyone. That, in turn, made everyone worried. We're really lucky that the Grimm are giving us a lucky break. "It's just… very surprising to hear. They currently hold the status of having the strongest military in the world."
"And I've killed gods before." Wilbur retorted. "An army of men is nothing compared to that."
He…
What?
Ozpin saw Wilbur's face fade out and disappear. His arms and legs vanish. The illusion that was Wilbur D. Rennet broke, the Vanity spell he upheld was turned off. Ozpin could now see the real him.
"This armor here? Made out of the skin of a lunar god, and empowered with the power of the galaxy itself."
A brief glance at it was enough to give Ozpin a headache. A second made him feel like he would faint and collapse. Two seconds and Ozpin's consciousness actually began dropping. The magic built into that armor overwhelmed his senses, threatening to break his mind.
This was unlike anything that Ozpin encountered. In all of his lives. Wilbur gave him just a mere glimpse, but in that brief moment Ozpin felt like he was an ant witnessing a giant. Someone who wielded the might of the stars.
Someone equal, or even superior, to the gods themselves.
Wilbur… was powerful. More powerful than anyone else on Remnant. Today, or centuries ago. What kind of world was on the other side that would allow a person to wield this kind of power?
And he came here just to take Cherry and Vera home.
Ozpin almost missed the Bullhead landing and powering down the engines. The pilot told them that they were at their destination and could now unbuckle the seatbelts. Wilbur put the Vanity spell back on and Ozpin could finally breathe, with a pounding headache as a reminder of what he just experienced.
Nonetheless, Ozpin unbuckled his seat, stood up and led Wilbur out of the ship like nothing happened.
And the hospital was… different from what Wilbur expected.
There were a few familiarities, like the general sterile and utilitarian environment. Patient rooms with two, four or occasionally a single bed. Clean hallways with not many decorations or… anything really. The hospital was cleanly and simply furnished… But the machinery they used on patients was completely alien.
This is a different world for real. Wilbur looked further. Some of the patients were hooked to just one device, others to many. Some patients had just a simple bag of liquid attached to their arm, others had multiple tubes attached to multiple parts of their body - going even into their body through mouth and nose. To his surprise, he did not see even a single bottle of healing potions. Like this world didn't use those.
Maybe they don't have them. Wilbur thought. Different world, different technology. It was a terrifying thought, not being able to quickly heal injuries during a fight. I'm getting side-tracked…
Wilbur frowned when he found Vera, lying in a bed provided for her. She seemed pale, and she was covered in bandages. She has been injured. Wilbur could see that she was also tired, sleepy… sick. He had to get to her as quickly as possible, she needed help.
"This- This is the hospital." Ozpin told him. Wilbur noticed that the man still hadn't recovered. "If you follow me, I can talk to the receptionist to-"
"Thanks for the help." Wilbur cut him off. "But I know where to go now."
Ozpin saw Wilbur throw a pair of coins at him, then pull out a pink staff. The terrarian kept his third gaze on Vera's room, then let out a tiny amount of mana into the Rod of Discord. That was enough for the RoD. It took him from the top of the hospital, to right beside Vera.
For the second time this week, Ozpin saw a person casually teleport in front of his eyes, solidifying the theory that the society on the other side has mastered the art of instantaneous travel.
There was nothing for the headmaster to do, but to rush towards the reception.
Wilbur appeared in the hospital room and looked down at Vera - Her shock and surprise quickly melted into a smile. "Will! You're here!"
He pulled her into a hug, and she laughed into it… Where he noticed that she was tired. Tired, weak… and shaking. "I heard you were attacked." Wilbur whispered. "What happened? Are you okay? Where's Cherry?"
"I… don't know." Vera said. "That- That person, like, launched herself into our room. Literally broke through the window and a wall and we fought… But she was kinda… I dunno. Hesitant?"
Wilbur patted her on the head and rubbed her ears. Vera broke off the hug, then sat on the bed.
Now Wilbur could see, with his own eyes, the state that Vera was in - Bandages wrapped around her shoulder. Bandages underneath her shirt. A piece of cotton covering her chin. Vera was a mess. Her blood spilled and body injured… but she did not slur, nor seem confused.
To injure Vera, a werewolf (or a werefox, depending on how you see it), is no small feat. Wilbur will take it to account when he tears that person limb from limb. "Hesitant?" He asked.
"Yeah, like, she was hesitant… Until she suddenly just grabbed Cherry and shot her in the throat. She's fine by the way! I gave her a healing potion."
Shot in the throat? That will be another thing that this person will pay for.
But I still don't know who did it, or what she looks like. Wilbur thought. There weren't many leads for him to follow, and even then… he wasn't a detective. Still, that was nothing he should worry Vera about. "I'm glad you two are alive." He smiled at her. "Healing well?"
Veronica grinned at the question and gave him a peace sign. "Don't mind me, I ain't even going to scar from that." She said. "...But there's something you need to know first: We can't return."
Wilbur was surprised. "Why?"
"That portal that took us here. It's, like, one way. It won't let us go back."
Oh. That wasn't a problem, actually. He brought Recall Potions with himself for this eventuality. Oh… Oh no. But they were here for a few hours already, and Vera was lying on the bed.
Wilbur pulled out a bottle of blue mixture. The Recall potion that might prevent this scenario from happening. "Drink this. Now." His voice was stern, but there was no time to lose. Vera was weak, sleepy and she… might've nodded off already. Wilbur hoped that she hadn't. Her brother would be terrified.
Vera took the bottle out of his hands and uncorked it. "Thanks, Will." She told him. "And, like, I'm sorry for the trouble." She put the bottle to her lips and downed the liquid in just one gulp. After a brief moment Vera's body began to glow, then disintegrate… slowly turning into a swarm of cyan lights that slowly faded out from existence.
…Before reassembling themselves back in this room, in the same bed that Vera was sitting on. Only this time she was lying on it.
The Zoologist took one look at Wilbur and couldn't help but to cover her face in shame and embarrassment. She has nodded off in this hospital, moving her Point of Rest into this world. The Recall potion, her last hope of returning home, will not take her back.
I was too late. How will he explain that to her brother? He failed him, and her. Because he wasn't there for her. "I'm sorry." Vera cried out. Wilbur sighed. Now what? He asked himself. How could he bring this girl back now?
He couldn't. Not with what he had on himself. "It's okay." He leaned in and rubbed her head once more, to show that he wasn't mad at her. Vera did nothing wrong. But, nonetheless, there was nothing he could do for her. "You'll be okay." He tried to soothe her, just like Cherry taught him. "But I'll go looking for Cherry now, then we will figure out what to do next."
He did a quick glance around the hospital, and found out that it had a lot of rooms and even more people. Too many places for his pink friend to be. Too many places for his patience to check. He needed something to narrow down the search. "Do you know where she is?"
"The doctors took her for some check ups. The teacher back in the school, like, told them to do some tests. Not sure why."
What kind of tests could they be running on her? Why would a teacher order them to do it? Did Ozpin do this? …Peter? This is strange.
"Where did they take her?"
"I think they went… to the right?"
Wilbur's focus immediately went back to Third Observer and searched the rooms to the right. Cherry was, to his surprise, actually pretty close. She didn't have her Vanity on, and her helmet, gauntlets and chestplate laid abandoned in the corner of her room - leaving her in just her greaves and undergarments.
She, just like many patients here, was hooked up to one of those strange machines. Wires were attached through bandaids to different parts of her body; limbs, chest, sides of her head. There was also a small vial attached to her arm, it was filled with blood.
Cherry seemed undisturbed and unafraid to the fact. There was a young woman in a weird uniform, taking the vial from the Party Girl's arm and inserting a new one, and Cherry was chatting with her with an excited smile on her face.
The lack of worry put him off, but that was Cherry. It was a well known fact that she was a friend to everyone, and always willing to listen to others: Something that a few… unscrupulous people took advantage of. You're not doing this again. Not after what the pirates did to us.
He was totally unsurprised to see her trying to make a friend out of someone so… suspicious. But he had do his duty and stop this.
"Thank you, I'll be back."
Wilbur didn't give Vera time to respond before he used the Rod of Discord and teleported to where they kept Cherry. He put himself behind the Party Girl to not spook her and make things worse, but he was well within the vision of the unknown woman doing all of this.
He surprised, and then scared, her when he appeared and drew out the Star Wrath from his Void Bag. "What are you doing with her?" He asked.
The nurse froze and raised her arms in surrender. A smart move. The residents here were more docile than most creatures in Terraria.
But she still didn't give him any answers. He stepped forward, and pointed the sword at her. "What. Are. You-"
"Oh, hi Will!"
"-Doing… hi, Cherry." He didn't lower his gaze to look at Cherry. He didn't need to as he had already seen her and knew the state she was in: Completely unharmed.
"She's nice." Cherry calmly told him. "Miss Doctor here is just running some tests."
A question of "What tests?" left his lips. What kind of tests would require someone's blood?
"They wanted to know more about the healing potions, 'cuz they don't have them here. Then they said that there was something wrong with my Aura and that freaked them out." Cherry shrugged and nodded towards her arm. "The needle doesn't even hurt! And she's nice to talk to, and a caring person."
"W-We've never seen something like that before." The Doctor stammered. "She… Her friend… They are emitting an absurd amount of negativity. They're like beacons for Grimm!"
Wilbur looked at the doctor like she was mad. Emitting negativity? What does that mean? "Can you measure emotions, or something?" What did it have in relation to taking her blood? What purpose would that serve?
"W-Well, in a way." The Doctor coughed. "The Grimm can sense negative emotions; fear, jealousy, hatred… any negativity in general. They're drawn to it, and us by extension. Eventually, we've made sensors that can do the same."
Her eyes fell onto the pink-clad girl. "You seem calm and cheerful, but I still need to ask: Are you okay? Do you feel lonely? Depressed? Hopeless?"
"I feel…" Cherry thought for a moment. How did she feel at this moment, and why did the doctor ask her that? In front of Wilbur no less!? "Kinda surprised at being asked so out of blue. Can we change topics to something else? Do you like to party?"
The Doctor did not seem satisfied with that answer. "Yes." She sighed. "Who doesn't like to have a drink after a hard day of work?"
"...I wasn't really asking about drinking, but that works too! Are you into Ale?"
"Wine, actually." Cherry cringed, and then made the most disgusted face she could muster. "I'm… sorry, I'm probably prying into your personal life here, but there's something wrong with your Aura. Your friend's as well."
"What's an Aura?"
"Our soul. Our life!" The Doctor tapped her chest. "Your aura, even taking into account that it is locked… is almost non-existent. Like there's something actively suppressing it."
"Well… Can you unsuppress it?"
"I don't know…" The Doctor shook her head. "This is the first time we see something like this, so the first thing we must do is learn more about this."
Wilbur sighed, then faced the doctor. "And drawing her blood would help with that?"
"That's to learn more about those 'healing potions', and to learn more about… her, so to speak." The doctor explained, then motioned back to Cherry. "A teacher from Beacon explained the situation to us and this… curse that she spoke about. This seems to be the cause, but we don't know anything about it. Trying to see if we can find any evidence of it."
"In the blood?" Wilbur asked. "You think you will find anything in her blood?"
"We don't know, actually. But it couldn't hurt." The doctor realized something. "Is- Is there a problem with us taking her blood samples?"
"Just…" Wilbur began, then stopped. "She needs it. How would you even find anything in it anyway?"
"We're not taking much, her body will easily be able to replenish it." The Doctor said. "And its chemical composition could show us if there's anything out of order."
Wilbur sighed. "Is this common here?" He asked. "These blood samples, I mean."
The doctor nodded. "This is a standard procedure, yes. We use those to analyze the behavior of things like proteins, cells and chemicals in the human body. It helps us identify a variety of health conditions like cancer or heart diseases."
The Doctor did not move from the spot she was in. Her words were confident, like she was believing in what she was talking about… but she could lie. She could be a cultist. She could be speaking the truth. Different world or not, they have blood rituals here too, right? She could entice a demon into this realm. What weakling of a demon would be enticed with this tiny vial? It's smaller than a finger!
Look at her. She wants to help Cherry, yet you doubt her words and accuse her of demon worshipping. His own thoughts spoke to him. You swore an oath to protect people like her. Innocent people like her. And how did he know that she was innocent? She was drawing Cherry's blood! Her only crime is that medical procedures here are different from what you know. Even if she could summon a demon, you have slain gods.
His arm trembled, and his teeth were grit. The internal struggle was fiercen and relentless. There were arguments on both sides, and Wilbur struggled to pass his judgement.
"Do you believe her?" He asked Cherry. She knew her longer than he did, and had time to gauge her reactions and intentions. He would put this woman's life in Cherry's hands. If she said a word, Wilbur would just kill her and move on.
"I…Yes?" The Party Girl was hesitant. "She's a doctor here, and this is a different world after all."
"Please," The woman took a cautious step forward, her arms still raised to show that she was unarmed. "I only want to help, and there's something very wrong with your friend here."
Wilbur looked down at Cherry. She seemed tired… but otherwise healthy enough. He didn't remember Katelyn saying anything about Cherry. And Wilbur would be the first to know if Cherry's life was somehow in danger. That made Wilbur feel skeptical. Their own nurse could vouch for Cherry's health… but if there was a chance. If there was a small remote chance that this lady was telling the truth. Ozpin did say that this is a different world. A very confusing different world.
But the Doctor was nice and she genuinely just wanted to help, so Cherry nodded. "Yeah, uh… Let her finish, Will."
Wilbur sighed "You're too trusting." But he still hid the Star Wrath away. The Doctor could finally relax as her life was no longer in danger. "I still remember the Pirate Fleet."
"I… trust that their technology is different from our own?" The Party Girl shrugged.
She got him there, Wilbur had nothing to refute that argument. "I'm sorry for this." He told the doctor. "I have met too many… unfriendly people in my life."
"Oh, it's alright."
"I… actually doubt you meant that."
"Oh, yes! I almost thought that I would die!"
The agitated and afraid Doctor cried out and Wilbur couldn't offer her anything to alleviate the trouble he caused. He let her refocus on her work, and she kept giving him a wary eye as she drew two more vials of Cherry's blood. Cherry continued to give him an OK sign through the whole procedure, indicating that everything was fine and he didn't need to intervene.
However he didn't forget that one small detail that Vera told him about. "You were shot." He stated. "In the throat."
Cherry squirmed underneath his gaze.
"Did you take off your helmet?" He pressed.
"She shot me in the throat." Cherry said. "I have nothing there."
The doctor was confused, but she didn't say anything. Cherry spoke up first. "I'm sorry about him. He's just… very protective."
"Oh." She chuckled. "I-It's no worries. It's not the first time someone came here with a weapon in hand."
Wilbur blinked. D-Do people do that often? Maybe the people here were more dangerous than he hoped.
"Really?" Cherry asked.
The woman stopped laughing. "Y-Yes. Is he a friend of yours?"
Wilbur felt awkward.
"Yup!" She turned to him. "You saw Vera, yet?"
"I did, and I gave her a Recall… it didn't work."
Cherry's smile dropped. "Oh…"
"Which is why I want to get you out of here as soon as possible." He rubbed her hair. "Otherwise, Tiara will get worried."
She didn't respond, and she hid her face from him, which made Wilbur worried. Did she fall asleep too? He thought to himself. The Point of Rest moves each time you pass out, voluntarily or not. Cherry could've been simply knocked out and that would be enough for Recall to not work anymore.
The Doctor was still confused, but she ignored it. Personal matters, she wrote it off and stayed out of it. Wilbur let her finish taking her… samples. She has taken several small vials, and each one had a sticker that had a bunch of bars and numbers on it. She then took some gauze, pressed it down on the entry point, and carefully took the needle - keeping the gauze on the injury to stop the bleeding.
"Hold this." She instructed Cherry, letting the Party Girl press the gauze while she prepared tape. She taped down the gauze, preventing it from moving… and the procedure was complete. "Keep this here for about 20 minutes." She told Cherry, but Wilbur also heard it. "Now let's get you back to your room."
This whole thing reminded Wilbur of Katelyn, and how she would sometimes just dress the injury if she decided that her patient hasn't recovered from the Potion Sickness yet. She would just keep the injury stabilized until it was safe to administer another dose of the healing potions.
He… started to feel bad for the troubles that he caused. If anything, the Doctor humored him and gave him answers to his questions. "Before we go, here." He took two platinum coins out of his Inventory and gave it to her. "An apology, and for your troubles."
She took the coins and stared at them in bewilderment. "T-Thanks?" Wilbur thought she felt awkward because no one ever gave her that much cash. Two entire platinum coins could go a long way before the apocalypse. And even after everything came to ruin they still retained some of that worth.
…It was still hard for Wilbur to comprehend that this was a different world entirely… so currency from his world were just baubles in this one. The Doctor however decided that it was safer to take the coins and not disturb the man any longer. She led Cherry back to her room, closed the doors and hurriedly distanced herself.
Now it was just the three of them.
"A different world, huh?" Wilbur began. "What a mess you two have gotten into."
"You should see the moon, Will!" Cherry told him. "It's shattered! Like a crumbled cookie!"
"Maybe later." Cherry scoffed at his answer. "Why did you two even jump through that portal?"
"Well I, like, didn't even remember how I got here. Hehe." Vera laughed awkwardly. "When I came to, I-I was already here with Cherry i-in that school and they were really nice."
So she was still transformed when she got here. "And you, troublemaker?" He shifted his gaze onto the Party Girl. "What do you have to say in your defense?"
"I… was running for my dear and precious life." Cherry put her hand on her chest. "And then the portal just opened right in front of me and I couldn't react in time."
So an unfortunate accident. Or targeted kidnapping. Either way, Cherry seemed to be in an unfortunate place at an unfortunate time. "Andy said that it's some powerful magic." Wilbur said.
Vera shrugged her head. "Ozpin, the man in charge of that school, said that they don't know anything."
"They also don't have magic. Like none." Cherry added. "The Vanity spell blew their minds."
"They have this… Aura though. And elevators." Vera pointed out.
"Is that magic?"
No magic, huh? If the portals were magical in nature, but one side didn't have magic then… Did someone from the Terraria open those? There weren't many magicians left who could be capable of this feat.
He shelved that thought for later. It was time to get Cherry out of here. "Here, drink this." He handed the girl a Recall Potion.
The Party Girl took the bottle and realized that she was the only one with it. "D-Did you already try to drink one?" Vera nodded, and Cherry didn't know how to respond to that. "Welp, here we go." She drank the bottle in one gulp and her body began to glow cyan and disintegrate… and then reassemble itself in the confines of the hospital bed.
Cherry, just like Vera, was also stranded here. "You know…" Cherry raised her finger, realized that there was nothing she could say to make the situation better, then lowered her finger back. "Figures."
The girls were forced to… stay here, forcing Wilbur to… make a choice. Split his attention. "What now?" Getting them out was now a no go. Now he had to at least ensure their safety and comfort. "You can't stay here, not after what happened… but with Recall unusable I don't know how to bring you back."
The Magic Mirror and Recall Potion worked in the same manner. If one failed, the other would too.
I could hook up a Teleporter here, or try to bring a Pylon. Wilbur theorized. The wires… would work, right? They're… wires. I would have to ask Dawn for help. Where would he even put the teleporter?
"...I could make you a shelter." He proposed. "Somewhere far away, where no one would be able to find you." Peter said that this intruder got away, and she wanted them dead. Wilbur wouldn't allow it, but this was a big place and a big… city. City with many potentially dangerous people. People he didn't know.
He didn't know how spread out the civilization here was, but… there wasn't anything that could find a tiny hole deep underground. They would be in isolation, but they would be safe… and then Wilbur would have a place to figure out how to bring them back.
…Should he bring them back?
Why shouldn't he?
Sol was a region inhabited by only a handful of people. The place had no future, no matter how hard Wilbur and the others fought for that continent. The wall would eventually crumble, and the Crimson would ruin what little peace they had.
This place, in comparison, seemed to be alive and well. Wilbur could look out of the window and see an actual civilization here - a place for them to retake their lives in a society that had not fallen yet.
But they're not safe here. He thought. Not even a day has passed and someone already tried to kill them.
But it wasn't like Terraria was safe either. Sol is safe but… Not for long. Its peace was only temporary.
"But if we're found again, no one would be able to help us." Cherry poked a hole in Wilbur's plan. "It's a stretch, yeah. But… I feel like I knew her from somewhere…"
"She called me by my name." Vera added. "Told me that we both need to die. She, like, maybe even knows where we are."
That wasn't something Wilbur considered.
What if the intruder knew where these two were? What if she knew about him? What if she knew where he would hide the girls? She could turn his shelter into a deathtrap.
Worst of all is that something like this is possible. He already had inherent knowledge on the location of all of his friends. Someone else could also get it, and weaponize it. Damn it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The anxiety was making him careless.
"So instead… why not try to live at that Huntsman school we were in?" Cherry proposed. "Oz kinda wants us close anyway, and the kids are nice. They even know how to fight!"
The school, yes. Ozpin wants them close? Why would he want them close? "Are you sure you can trust him?" Wilbur asked.
"Well, he seems to be interested in knowing more about Terraria. These portals seem to be something of an emergency for him and this city."
That made two of them. Wilbur was also curious about these portals. If Ozpin proved to be decent, and if he just wanted to investigate… There was room for cooperation here, and a step towards getting his people out of this mess.
"So we give them information about monsters in Terraria, and in exchange they house and protect you?" How desperate were they for that information? A couple of books about monsters for a house? That seems… too much in their favor. "...It's a start."
"Yeah! And worst come worst… you can make that shelter for us!"
Wilbur nodded at Cherry's words. They had a Plan A, and a Plan B now. Better than five minutes ago. Maybe he would even have time to build a pretty teleportation room. Would he… let me build something like that in his school? Would he be comfortable with letting strangers have access to his teleportation network?
Worse comes to worst, the actuator walls, flamethrowers and spiky balls will see some use.
"Here your friend-making skills will come to a test." Wilbur said to Cherry. "Next time someone threatens you, put as many people as you can between you and the enemy!"
"Don't make it sound like I'll be sending them to their doom."
"Merely trying to joke."
"Oh." Cherry blinked, then laughed awkwardly. "Hehehe…"
"...It fell flat, didn't it."
"I give it a five 'outta ten. Try not to sound so serious next time."
There went his attempt at raising their spirits with humor. "Aye, aye ma'am." He gave her a mock salute. She blew a raspberry at him. So childish. He scoffed, but it did humor him.
He noticed two people approaching them. One of them was Ozpin, and he was being led by someone from the hospital staff. He gave the girls a heads up. "Well… this is our chance to sell your plan to him. Ozpin is coming here."
Vera's ears perked up when she heard two pairs of footsteps approaching. Cherry was getting herself comfortable in her own seat when the doors opened, and the nurse walked in with Ozpin. The girl's gaze zeroed in on Wilbur. "Oh, yeah he's here!"
Will you try to remove me from here? Wilbur wondered, staring at the nurse.
"Oz! Hi! How is the school?" Cherry asked. "We, uh, had quite a party back then."
Ozpin smiled at the Party Girl when she turned to the nurse, who didn't seem to know what to do with Wilbur. "Wilbur's just visiting. He's nice! Shaped like a friend!"
"I… see." The nurse did not seem fully convinced. "Mister, next time you break into the hospital we will call the police. Please check-in at the reception first."
Wilbur glared at the nurse, but he did nothing. Cherry and Vera were staring back at him. "I will keep it in mind." He told her.
The nurse nodded. "Well, I will leave you four then. I got other patients to watch over." She excused herself then left the room.
"Now that we're alone. Good evening, girls." Ozpin greeted. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"Nah!" Cherry cheered. "We were just talking about you, come in!"
"Oh?" He raised his eyebrow as he stepped in. "Should I be worried?"
"Yes." Cherry said. "We're just offering you a deal that we hope you won't refuse."
Ozpin didn't say anything while Wilbur was scratching his forehead. Classic Cherry. He told himself.
But Wilbur saw that Ozpin was intrigued. "And what might this offer be?"
Wilbur decided to take the reins here, make their terms as straightforward as possible. "It's just… these two need a place to live." Wilbur said.
Ozpin nodded. "Go on."
"And I heard that you want to know more about Terraria."
Ozpin smiled. "I recall Cherry saying that you have a 'Bestiary' of sorts."
Wilbur looked back at Cherry to confirm what he just said, and Cherry simply smiled and nodded. "Yes, a copy for a shelter?" He actually kept a few copies in Sol.
"That's acceptable. In fact, I can also offer an option of attending classes if you so desire."
"Sure, but-" Wilbur paused. "You want to teach them?" He was surprised to hear that. All of that for a copy of Bestiary? That was a VERY good deal for them.
"This is, as I've already said, a vastly different place than the one you're from. If they wish to fit in they will eventually need to learn about our world.."
That seemed reasonable. If Cherry and Vera were to stay here, they would need to learn about this place first. And what was a better place to learn than an actual school? Wilbur began to actually really like that idea. "Cherry will also need some self-defense lessons."
Ozpin just nodded at his request. "Sure."
"Will?" Cherry called out to Wilbur.
"No 'Will?', Cherry." He turned around to face her. "If you're going to live here, I… might not be there to save you in time. I only taught you the basics, so you will have to learn how to protect yourself better."
Back in Sol, anything that wanted to threaten them or someone else would have to go through Wilbur first, then A.N.D.Y. Anything that wanted to threaten Sol. And the voices in his head always warned him if something big and powerful was approaching.
This world… changes things. If he stayed here, it would leave Sol vulnerable. But if he stayed back home then these two girls were instead at risk. They had to learn how to protect themselves better. Vera was already a formidable fighter in close quarters, but Cherry was lacking. She knew how to shoot, how to reload, how to throw grenades or maintain her weapons… But put her against someone with a brain, or some combat experience… and she easily crumbles.
And that was now unacceptable.
Was he worried about letting them be free? Yes… Very much so. Was this how my parents felt when a Recruiter took me? Wilbur thought to himself, momentarily forgetting the fact that Cherry was older than him.
Cherry pouted but Wilbur wasn't having it, this wouldn't work on him. Then she did something else… She gave him a cupcake. "Here. I bet you skipped breakfast to get here."
He did, and he also skipped supper. Elysia was complaining about a bad harvest so he wanted to save on some food for someone else. It wasn't like he really needed sustenance.
But he still accepted the snack with a smile and a "Thanks, Cherry." He unwrapped the baked good and put it into his mouth. It was a bit bland, but still sweet. I will need to ask El for some ingredients for her, she seems to be running out.
But it was time to turn the tables here. "Did you two eat?" They've just been through a fight, so they needed nutrition to recover. Proteins to rebuild the muscles, iron to make blood. "I have some cooked fish if you want, still warm."
Vera shook her head. "Thanks Will, but nah. We ate at Ozpin's school, and then the hospital just gave us some food too."
"Yup, food here is… edible." Cherry said.
Ozpin chuckled. "Usually people say that it is the complete opposite."
"It's not really that bad. A bit bland, sure, but edible." Cherry protested. "We're not alone here, there's probably hundreds of other patients here to feed. Better food is possibly too expensive for them."
Ozpin laughed, Wilbur didn't know what he found so funny in that. "I will try to pass on your words to the cooks here." Ozpin told her. This made Cherry burst into giggles and she showed him a thumbs up to the idea.
"Anyway, Beacon is more than willing to provide you with shelter in the meantime." Ozpin continued. "But I also need to ask. Do you know anything about the person that attacked you? The police are still investigating and they could use any information you could provide."
"She's, most likely, from Terraria." Cherry told him. "Vera said that she knew our names, and I feel like I have met her before… but I can't put my finger on it."
"I, umm… Also don't think she was using a Vanity spell." Vera added. "I, like, stabbed her with my claws a couple of times and I didn't see any illusions breakin'. Those clothes were real."
Wilbur hummed in interest. No Vanity spell? Not many people would forego something like that.
Ozpin also found it interesting, though for a different reason. "That's curious." He told them, then reached out into his pocket.
"What's so curious about it?" Wilbur asked.
Ozpin pulled out his Scroll, though to Wilbur it was just an unknown device. "The mask she wore is, definitely, from Remnant. This world. So if she was not using any illusions…" The headmaster turned the Scroll around and let them see what was on the screen.
It was a picture of a masked person holding Vera, and two other girls that Wilbur didn't know. "This mask is commonly used by members of White Fang. A, ah, a terrorist organization."
So even this place has dissidents and bandits. Wilbur noted. Her clothes were shredded, especially by the ankles. She looks just as haggard as the rest. It would be hard to fake pants that were this badly damaged. Vera's assessment seemed correct - this person wasn't using a Vanity spell.
But Cherry was right, something really did seem familiar about this person. "There's not much to go on… But I feel like I know them from somewhere." The picture Ozpin showed him was a good shot, perhaps the best one could take, but the intruder was just so covered up it was hard to recognize anything. The most distinguishing feature was that she had blonde hair, which she kept in a bun and hidden underneath a beret, and her… well endowed and nice figure.
She… looked similar to Katelyn, but it couldn't be her. Wilbur saw her just before dawn. Vera would also demolish her in a fight. What other blondes did he know?
…Only dead people. That wasn't helpful. But he couldn't land on anyone else. Or people who went missing for so long they should be counted as dead as well.
He scratched his head. If only I could take off that mask, or just see her back, under her cape. I could see for myself.
Wilbur ultimately had to shake his head. "Sorry, but I will have to see more to say anything. Or just see her in person. This White Fang was a terrorist organization, right?"
"There's a bit of nuance when it comes to this, but currently… They have been raiding a few sites."
As bandits tend to do. Wilbur mused to himself. While a "terrorist" would be a step above your common scoundrel, you should still be able to find them in the usual spots - Underground. There's probably some sort of black market here that I could find. Getting them to trust him enough for information was… something he could deal with later. Even if our currency is different, they would still value bars of gold, right? I think I still have some.
"And now they've decided to send someone to your school… Good enough for me, I'll pay them a visit. Where can I find them?"
"I will have to ask you to… not do that yet." Ozpin quickly found himself trying to prevent the idea. "While I don't doubt your strength, you're not a Huntsman… and our laws forbid just anyone to pick up a gun and start hunting people, even if some of them are guilty of something."
Wilbur looked at him. "You need a license for vigilantism?" Now that Wilbur said it… that sounded like a reasonable idea. This city had dedicated people who were trained for the purpose of keeping the peace on the streets. Processes to judge the criminals fairly. Letting any common folk be the judge and executioner could cause trouble and anarchy.
But she shot Cherry.
He didn't like that. He understood, but Wilbur D. Rennet didn't like how the only thing holding him back was nothing but words on a paper and his own discipline. "How do you acquire one?"
"You don't. Actually. We don't have anything like that." Ozpin told him. "Rather, you need to go to school, pass an exam, and become a Huntsman."
Wilbur shook his head. "I cannot do that." He said, foreseeing Ozpin's request to have him join. "I don't have time to sit and take classes, Sol needs my protection. But if you find her… Consider sending me out." He tapped his chest. "Remember. I'm very strong."
Of that Ozpin had no doubt. Just what little he had seen showed him that Wilbur had an unquantifiable power and wouldn't have any trouble in defeating anything that crossed him. But how careful was he when wielding it? If Ozpin decided to heed his words, and give the intruder's position to Wilbur… would the fight engulf Vale in destruction? "I will keep it in mind."
He would have to carefully think about it.
To be continued…
I said I will take a year to upload, and it took me… a little less. I would apologise… but writing this batch honestly confirmed that I need to take this story slowly. This whole batch brought me misery. Massive changes and rewrites had to be done, and I still think that this isn't perfect.
But what do you call an imperfect story? Actually published one. So eventually I relented and sent it like it is.
I have four chapters prepared for this batch, then expect another one-year-long pause.
Anyway, not a lot of humor in this chapter… but it didn't feel right when Wilbur was the focus, and half the time he was expecting Beacon to attack him.
He's not Vera and Cherry, who are rather cheerful and friendly people, he's WIlbur… and Wilbur is one of the first people on the frontline when any threat pops up. And, besides the handful of NPCs that join your base, the only humans you encounter are: Pirates and Cultists. The former invades you, the latter… well… They worshipped eldritch gods.
There aren't many "good people" left in Terraria.
For the scene with the doctor… that single scene might've taken me an entire month. Yes. One scene. It was one of the things that made this whole thing painful to write.
At first, I was honestly thinking about having Wilbur kill the Doctor (at that time nurse)… But I didn't see a credible scenario where Cherry either doesn't stop it before it happens, or doesn't freak the fuck out after the kill. And that would've messed up the relationship that I wanted them to have.
So I opted for him threatening and warning the Doctor about the dangers of "blood rituals", but my editor argued that any evil deity wouldn't be enticed by just some blood samples from one person.
And that left me with him… just not understanding medicine. Which also kinda works, shows more differences between the worlds, and gives me an opportunity to show Wilbur's inner struggles. Which incidentally works with his backstory.
For Ozpin being reluctant to send Wilbur out into the hunt… He barely met the dude, and doesn't know what he's capable of beyond the fact he's incredibly powerful, and has killed people. For what he knows, sending Wilbur out might be an equivalent of blowing up a nuke in the middle of a city.
So the safest option was to keep Wilbur at arm's length until Ozpin learned more about his character and his abilities. Kinda like he wants to do with Cherry - keep her close.
- Harmless Orange.