Momo: Hello everyone.
EmperorJirachi, Tsuyu, and Ochako all tensely stared her down.
Momo: What? Bats her eyes at EmperorJirachi. Is something wrong, my love?
Ochako: What are you doing here?!
Momo: Oh, relax. I won't hurt any of you... for now. I just wanted to see my beloved senpai. Hehehe...
EmperorJirachi: Blushes a deep red at that. He looks away from her and toward the audience. S-sorry about her, everyone. Yaomomo is, well, uh... weird. Anyways, I hope you're all excited for this chapter!
Tsuyu: I know I am. Kero! Especially after that jerkish cliffhanger.
EmperorJirachi: Good point. In that case, I suppose we shouldn't delay things any further. Go ahead readers. I, uh, I'll try and figure out what Creati's up to. Feels Momo pull him into a hug while Ochako and Tsuyu glare at her. U-uhm... Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or Ben 10. All characters and settings in this story, except for any OCs, are not mine. Enjoy!
Chapter 56: Recoded
"Penny?!?!"
"Hello all!" Penny chirped happily, completely unaware of the shock and bewilderment of those around her.
A large part of the group's bewilderment came from seeing the synthetic human alive again. There was also the fact that Penny's appearance had changed a bit. Her pale skin no longer had any trace of decay. In fact, it almost seemed to shine with good health. Her orange hair now flowed freely down to her mid-back in natural waves. Emerald eyes which had once been dulled now sparkled with a light that was new and full of life.
No one knew what to say. Ruby and Jaune stared dumbstruck at their resurrected friend. Nora was barely able to contain her joy at the sight of a fallen friend returning to them. Yang looked a bit confused, if not intimidated, by the prospect of witnessing someone be brought back to life. Ren seemed more perplexed than anything else, and Blake was cautiously eyeing the organic robot.
Cardin and Velvet, despite their fatigued and weary state, were elated at the sight of Penny being awake. Relief and joy washed over the pair of half-aliens. It was a wonderful feeling to know that they could help bring her back.
It was also a major relief knowing that everything hadn't been in vain. Trusting a dream encounter with Ozpin, breaking into a military base and becoming fugitives, and even allowing their public images to be dragged through the mud by Jade Jonah and anyone else who joined her. All of it hadn't been for naught. And that thought brought great comfort to the mated couple.
Penny took note of her friends' odd behavior and raised a brow. Everyone around her was giving such peculiar looks and acting as though something unbelievable was happening. It left the ginger girl feeling a bit concerned and confused at the same time.
Wanting to try and help, Penny slid off of the RM-11's roof and tried to approach everyone else. The robotic girl's legs quickly gave way as Penny fell against the driver's-side door in a struggle to steady herself.
"W-woah! Wh-what's wrong wi-with m-me?" Penny stuttered out as she tried in another futile attempt to stand on her own. "I-I... I can tell I've just rebooted, but normally that do-doesn't compromise m-my bal-ance like this."
"Penny..." Ruby stepped forth to help her struggling friend. The red/black haired teen's lower lip trembled as she fought back tears and rested a trembling hand on her shoulder. "You're alive."
"Uhm... yes. Should I not be?" Penny asked in unease. The actions of everyone around her was really starting to unnerve the ginger robot. Especially with how shaken that last comment from Ruby sounded.
"Well..." Ruby trailed off, not sure how to continue. 'How do you tell someone that they've been dead for like six months now?'
"Perhaps we should all get settled before anything else." Blake interjected. The ninja cat could clearly see that her leader/friend was struggling. The raven haired girl stepped forth and offered the others a calm smile. She knew that her friends needed someone to stay cool and collected right now. Though on the inside, the she-cat was just as rattled as Ruby, Jaune, and everyone else.
Jaune gave a shaky nod of agreement, trying to hold back his own emotions for the sake of everyone in the group. Somehow he managed to keep his voice steady as he replied. "Good idea."
The rest of the group agreed as well before helping Penny over to the fire pit. Once the robotic teenager was settled safely in-between Nora and Ren, and everyone else took their places once more, Penny started asking questions.
"Why are you all so shocked? Why do you keep looking at me like I shouldn't be here? And why was Ruby have to clarify I was alive? It's like you all can barely stand the sight of me." Penny looked down self-consciously. It was then that she noticed that her only clothing was a hospital gown, and she grew even more confused. "What on Remnant is going on?!"
No one answered that right away. Everyone else shared uncertain glances as they wondered how best to explain. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Penny, someone spoke up.
"It's a really long story." Yang admitted while nervously running her human hand through her hair.
From there, everyone in RBY/JNR, alongside Cardin and Velvet, took turns explaining the situation to Penny. The main six explained how Beacon had fallen and what they planned to do going forward. Cardin and Velvet, meanwhile, explained how they had fled to Menagerie and how they ultimately were involved in bringing Penny to the others.
There were a few things that the main group of RBY/JNR didn't mention though. The group silently agreed to ignore certain events for the time being to avoid potentially overwhelming Penny.
Pyrrha's mutation and current status amongst the White Fang was the biggest point that the sectuplet of heroes avoided. No one wanted to discuss it anyway, or didn't know about it in Cardin and Vevelt's case. Even if they did, the six teenagers all felt it would be too much for the cybernetic teen in her current state.
The green-eyed android found herself going from stunned to horrified as she heard tales of the Fall of Beacon. She broke down when it was revealed that she had died, as one would. She was then, after steadying herself, was amazed to hear of Jaune's actions atop Beacon Tower and what RBY/JNR had been doing over the past several months. Though Penny found herself more awestruck by the fact that Cardin and Velvet had risked their lives to help return her from oblivion.
The sun was nearly ready to set by the time that everyone finished their explanations. Penny stared off into the distance with a stupefied expression. It was so difficult to believe that she had been dead for at least six months. And to hear that Beacon was gone and the White Fang were at large added an extra layer of terror to her baffled mind.
She briefly wondered about her father. It was impossible to even imagine the emotional pain he must be in at that moment. As it was, her emotions were high and her thoughts were wild. They tended to bounce between three major things; the fact that she had died, worry for her father, and a deep feeling of care for the ones who had helped restore her life.
'I wish they had gone about it differently. My poor father must already be a wreck after what happened. I do not know how I would react if I were to lose him. But...' Her eyes drifted to the Tennyson-Levin couple and felt an odd yet welcomed warmth. 'They went through so much for me. Me. Someone they had no obligation toward. I... I owe so much to them. Yet...'
The artificial being groaned in annoyance and buried a hand deeply into her hair out of emotional confusion and frustration. Any frustration quickly died, however, as something became immediately apparent to her.
'Wait a second. My hair feels... different.' Penny coiled her fingers tightly around a few stray locks of orange hair and tugged at it. She gave a small wince of pain at the feeling, though that was nothing in comparison to the absolute awe that came over her. Revelation filled the android as her emerald eyes widened to the size of saucers..
Jaune noticed the look on Penny's face and grew concerned. "Penny? Is something wrong?"
"My hair... It's real." Penny pulled her hand away from her hair and ran it along her bare arm. Instead of the cool, smooth layer of synthetic skin that she was used to, Penny felt a warm material which was much closer to actual skin. "My skin is too. It's not fake!"
No one knew what to say to that. They weren't entirely sure what the significance of thess developments were. As far as they had known, Penny's existence was real to her. Even Jaune and Ruby had thought that as a being designed to mimic life, Penny would feel as though she was as real as any other being. Clearly though, that didn't seem to be the case.
"Uh..." Nora scratched her head and gave a confused expression. "I don't get it."
"My hair and skin are supposed to be synthetic. It's the closest our scientists could come to making me look human. And while I may be meant to simulate life, I can tell the difference between real and fake." Penny explained with a slight undertone of sass near the end.
Any sass or annoyance was overshadowed by confusion and fear when she heard her stomach grumble. A startled look overtook her features as she meekly asked. "Wh-what was that?"
"It was your stomach. You must be hungry." Yang observed nonchalantly. The blonde brawler dug into her satchel and pulled something out. "Think fast."
An apple suddenly bonked Penny on the head before she could even blink. The green-eyed girl glared at Yang, as did most of the people around her. The orange haired robot went to retrieve the apple while muttering unkindly about Yang. Nora grabbed it for her and gently handed it over.
"Thank you." Penny gave her fellow ginger a grateful smile which was returned with one of happiness. She bit into the apple and immediately felt rejuvenated. The sweet taste of the apple filled her mouth as she let out a content sigh. "Mmm. That tastes so much better than normal."
"Don't you know what food tastes like?" Cardin asked curiously.
"I have files on it. I know what it should taste like. Though I've never quite tasted like this before. That was also a very strange way I was alerted that my fuel cell was running low." Penny explained in a way that made everyone around her confused. She didn't blame them though, as she was a bit confused as well; albeit for different reasons. "None of this makes sense. Not only has the material of my body changed, but so too has the way it acts. Why?"
"Those are good questions young Penelope. To which there are perfectly logical explanations." A voice interjected from the shadows.
The group of nine all straightened in alarm, instinctively reaching for their weapons as they tried and failed to locate the owner of said voice.
An irritated groan was accompanied by the sound of a hand slapping against someone's face in response to this. "Look down you paranoid, weak-minded life forms."
Everyone did as the voice instructed, a few looking quite upset by the harsh assessment of their characters, and were surprised by what they saw. A familiar alien was standing on Velvet's right knee. A small, bipedal frog-like alien stood at six inches tall with squared features, two sets of long whiskers, and wide green eyes. Eyes which were fully green with the exception of two black minus-sign pupils.
"Azmuth?!" Jaune and Ruby exclaimed in unison.
The creator of the Omnitrix gazed up at the duo with squinted eyes. "Hello again, Jaune Arc and friends. I am glad to say that we meet now on better terms than our last conference."
"Of course it is. Last time we saw you was when Beacon fell." Cardin reminded the inventor as he crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you even doing here anyways?"
"Miss Polendina inquired as to what caused the changes in her being. I am here to provide an explanation; complex though it may be." That instantly caught everyone's attention, especially Penny's.
The orange haired girl stared pleadingly down at the small alien. "Please sir. What is wrong with me?"
"Nothing is wrong with you. In fact, I think you'll find what I have to say is most joyful." The wise Galvan offered a warm smile to the robotic girl as a grandfatherly twinkle entered his gaze. It left as soon as it came though, and his face quickly grew serious. The elderly alien leapt from Velvet's knee to Yang's hip before making his way to Penny's lap. "Now then. I need you to do exactly as I say Penelope."
"Of course sir. But, if I may ask, could you please call me Penny? I'd feel much more comfortable that way." The orange haired girl politely requested.
"Ah, of course. My mistake." Azmuth shook his head at his folly. The inventive Galvan quickly recovered from this minor blunder and instructed. "Copy my actions." Azmuth then placed his hand over the part of his chest where a human's heart would be. His eyes focused on the robotic girl before him as she slowly mimicked his movement. "Good. Now tell me what you feel."
"I... I feel something beating against my chest cavity." Penny answered in uncertainty. She paused for a second to rethink her words then added. "I suppose the best way I can describe it is as if a pendulum is swinging in that spot. Moving in a steady rhythm."
Penny's brows furrowed in confusion as she tried to comprehend what that meant. What did that beating mean? What was going on inside of her chest? As she tried to wrap her mind around it, many of her friends' eyes widened in surprise and total disbelief.
Unable to think of an explanation, and growing ever more anxious by the second, Penny asked in distress. "What is that beating?"
"That is your heart." Azmuth told her plainly. He closed his eyes for a second and placed a thoughtful finger against his chin. Then, with a small shake of his head, the frog-like alien stared back up at her and corrected himself. "I suppose it would be more accurate to say that is your central unit. The piece that was designed to mimic a human heart."
Penny gaped in shock, barely able to think as she sputtered out. "B-but... My core unit has never done this before. Even if it was made to act like a heart, it is simply my power source. My central battery if you will. It never beat against my chest like this before."
"Yes. But that was before." A small hint of coyness entered Azmuth's voice as he smiled knowingly up at her.
Penny returned that smile with a deep frown. "Not to be rude, but I'm afraid that all you are doing is giving me more questions than answers."
"I am accused of that on occasions." Azmuth agreed with a light chuckle. He rubbed a hand to his temples before letting out a sigh. "Very well. Allow me to be more direct. You see, Penny, you are not what you once were."
"What?!" Cardin's head snapped in Azmuth's direction with a look of alarm. "But Ozpin said-."
"From what I have been told, Ozpin told you that this process would save Penny's soul. Never once did he tell you that it would not alter her physical being." Azmuth countered before the Osmosian could cause an uproar. He watched carefully as he waited for Cardin to calm down, and once he did the Galvan continued. "Miss Penny here is a bit different now."
"Then what am I?" Penny asked weakly. There was a lost look in her eyes that was unnerving at best. 'I've been changed? No longer myself? That cannot be. I... I...'
"You are the same person that you have always been." Azmuth broke through the youth's troubled thoughts in a firm, calm tone. "You are the same Penelope Polendina with the same dreams, same beliefs, same feelings and attachments as before. The main difference is that you no longer simulate life. You are truly alive."
To say that these words were startling would be an understatement. Penny looked down at her body in shock, awe, joy, and confusion. Unbridled happiness welled up from deep within as she moved her hand from her chest up to her face, feeling the soft and warm skin once more. Her other hand traveled to her silky orange hair. A look of childlike wonder crossed her features as she tried to imagine all the ways this changed her world.
Azmuth could tell that she, along with everyone else around him, had several questions. And the self-proclaimed smartest mind in several galaxies was more than willing to answer them. He cleared his throat and prepared for what would certainly be a long explanation.
"The use of the evolved Galvanic Mechamorph on a being who already strode the line between technological and techno-organic caused an unforeseen reaction. The Ultimate used it's power to revive Penny, as Ozpin predicted he could. However, this led several traces of Galvanic Mechamorph to integrate into her systems. Those fragments binded to Penny's infrastructure to ensure stability." Azmuth explained slowly, hoping to avoid unneeded confusion.
"So when I used Ultimate Upgrade to bring her back..." Jaune trailed off nervously.
"You in essence created a connection within her to the Galvanic Mechamorphs." The Galvan nodded in affirmation. "Bits and pieces took residence within young Penny and helped to revive her from her previously deceased state. Those pieces then went on to adapt and improve the technology which makes up her physical form. Likely to ensure both her resurrection and continued survival in the future. A small yet effective example could be her skin and hair becoming far closer to their natural counterparts in an effort to assist with camouflage."
"Is that why she experienced hunger and taste differently when she woke up? And why her main energy core now behaves closer to a human heart?" Blake inquired.
Azmuth gave a poignant nod and small smile to that. "Ever the observant one, Miss Belladonna. That is precisely correct. Her processing units require food in ways much closer to an actual stomach. Her core beats and pumps energy like a heart. Even the main computer system in her head is more akin to a real brain. Though she should still have access to the internet and other technologies from within."
"So... what does that make me?" Penny gazed anxiously at the tiny genius. "I mean, I know I'm still me. But... what am I? I'm not human, and it sounds like I'm not a robot anymore either. So-."
"In a scientific sense, you are what I would call techno-organic. Much like the Galvanic Mechamorphs which I created. You live, breathe, think, feel, and can procreate like living beings. Yet you are, by and large, still fully machine on the inside." Azmuth explained thoroughly.
'Procreate? I... I can have children?' Penny was taken fully aback by this final revelation. It had always been a small point of contention to her that she could not create offspring of her own; not without the help of Ironwood and his researchers at least. The thought of being able to now someday do so herself was enough to overwhelm Penny with feelings of great joy.
"I know it must be a lot to take in," Azmuth continued, noticing the sudden rise in emotion obvious across her face. "But I assure you that everything will make sense in due time. I hope that you understand and are not upset by what has happened today."
"N-not at all." Penny choked out. She gave the frog-like alien a teary smile. "Th-thank you, Azmuth."
"Think nothing of it." Azmuth gave a benevolent smile to the young techno-organic girl.
The elderly Galvan turned his attention to the stunned wielder of his greatest creation and gave a stern look. "I will continue to watch you and your actions, Jaune Arc. Try to be more rational going forward."
It quickly dawned on the blonde knight that Azmuth was referring to what happened with Cardin and Velvet hours prior. He glanced over at the tired couple and felt his guilt return. Ruby followed his gaze and felt similarly as shame came over her for having doubted her friends.
"I think you've gotten my point. Now then, let us hope that I won't have to come all the way to this dimension again for some time." Azmuth shook his head and sighed. He mumbled something crude under his breath about adolescence as he vanished in a ray of dazzling green light.
The camp fell into silence as soon as the Galvan genius left. They were all covered by the dark hues of dusk as they stared at each other in surprise and bewilderment. Finally, after a very awkward few minutes passed, someone chose to speak up.
"So... what now?" Nora asked.
The others contemplated that for a moment. The six friends of RBY/JNR still had no idea how they were meant to proceed without any form of transportation. It was great to have Penny with them once more, but that didn't exactly solve their predicament. They were still directionless and lost in the mountains.
Jaune's eyes slid over to the RM-11. It had a few dents in the hood and looked like it may need some repairs, but it certainly wouldn't take much to fix. The blonde knight turned to Cardin and gave him a serious look. "Cardin?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think you could help get us to Haven?" The other five travelers who had been accompanying Jaune all looked at him as he stared down the brunette halfling. There was a look in his cerulean eyes that implied Jaune wanted to say more, but couldn't find the words to do so.
Cardin raised an inquisitive brow. "You saying you want me and Velvet to stick around?"
"He's saying that we're going to need all the friends we can get." Ruby stepped in at that moment, taking her best friend's hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. The reaper stared down the mated couple with a remorseful gaze. "We're really sorry that we accused you. You two are our friends and we should have trusted you. If you still want to help us, then we'd really appreciate it."
Ruby and Jaune both were extremely nervous as to how the couple would react. These were two people who had only been trying to help, and had been attacked and treated like criminals for doing so. The reaper and knight could only cling to each other's hands for emotional support as they waited with baited breath for any type of answer.
Cardin and Velvet shared a glance as they thought over such an offer. They didn't have to think very long though before nodding and turning to face their friends once more. Velvet cleared her throat. "You know, the whole reason we left my grandmother's home in Menagerie was to find you all and offer our help."
"Yeah. Helping bring Penny back was supposed to be the start of it." Cardin added with a nod.
"Then does that mean you forgive us?" Ruby asked hopefully.
"Don't need to. We're the ones who ran off and hid like cowards. We shoulda known you'd be upset the second you saw us." The young Winchester shrugged loosely. He then gave the duo a very serious, grief-stricken look. "If anything, the two of us should be asking for forgiveness."
Nora chose that moment to interject; coughing into her fist then pointing at Penny. "You two are kind of the reason that she's here. I think you already did enough to be forgiven."
Blake's eyes narrowed dangerously at that statement, yet she chose not to say anything. Yang noticed the upset look on her partner's face, and felt similar distrust in the pair. The blonde brawler didn't quite understand the lengths Blake's mistrust went for them. But she did know that the she-cat wasn't alone in not believing in them. Nor was she alone in feeling the couple still had much to atone for.
Cardin ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. A small smile grew on his face as he felt two fluffy rabbit ears droop against his neck in comfort and encouragement. He slowly opened his eyes to gaze at Ruby and Jaune for a few more seconds before nodding. "Alright then."
"Alright then?" Ren cocked a brow.
"Alright then. You guys wanna get to Haven? Then that's where we're going." Cardin pushed himself to his feet and headed toward his car. "I'll fix up my ride before I go to sleep. We'll start heading out tomorrow. Gonna be awhile till we get there though."
"Oh, and why is that?" Blake glared at the brunette.
Velvet noticed the way that the she-cat was treating her beloved, and it made the Anodite-faunus girl quite upset. Though she managed to keep her calm as she answered. "We're in the mountains in the far west of Mistral. The city of Mistral and Haven Academy are in the northern east part of the kingdom." She couldn't help but jab afterward. "I thought directions were a strength of yours."
"Yes, well, much has changed since we really could say we know each other. Wouldn't you agree, my old friend?" Blake rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You two used to know each other? Like before all this?" Yang blinked in surprise.
"I'll tell you later." Blake rose to her feet and turned away. "For now, I'm going to bed. Today has been one of much excitement, and I am exhausted."
No one could argue with that. The various teenagers all retired for the evening; with the exceptions of Cardin and Velvet. Cardin went to work on his car immediately while Velvet tried to stay awake and keep her husband company. Penny also stayed up with them, as she seemed to not want to be too far away from the duo of half-aliens.
Warmth rose up in her chest once more as Penny watched the couple interact. She couldn't believe that they had gone through such lengths to revive her. Nor could she believe that without them, she wouldn't be where she was now. She found herself dozing off in the grass as the night dragged on and Cardin continued to methodically work on his car.
Meanwhile at Salem's Palace:
Pyrrha and Cinder could be found watching protectively over Neo at the same time that Cardin and Velvet had first arrived in Kuroyuri that day. The eldest and youngest of Salem's children stayed in a relatively calm silence as they shared in fretting over the mute thief.
Cinder could tell that something was bothering Pyrrha. She didn't want to intrude on the mutated redhead's thoughts if she didn't have to, but also knew that Pyrrha was the sort to try and hide her troubles out of fear for bothering those around her. It was annoying yet sweet how much she was willing to do out of care for them.
The spartan could almost sense such thoughts coming from her sister. Almost as if she could hear what was going on inside of the green/black harried girl's head. Deciding to push that slight confusion aside for now, Pyrrha chose to instead ease her sister's worries. "Cinder?"
"Yes Pyrrha?"
"I... I'm okay." The former champion chewed on her lip as she tried to think of ways to continue. The look that crossed her eldest sibling's face told her that she had done little to convince her, and that she would need to try much harder. The redhead dropped her gaze as she admitted sadly. "I just... I can't help but feel that this is my fault."
'Your fault?" Cinder echoed in disbelief. Her eyes narrowed as she placed her hands on her hips in an almost motherly fashion. "You truly think that you are to blame for what happened to Neo?"
"If I had just been more careful. If I had just focused more on where she was and wasn't blinded by my desire for vengeance. I... I could have-." Words failed Pyrrha as, despite her best efforts to stay calm, tears began to well in her eyes and her body shook with held back emotions.
Cinder saw this and swiftly dropped her strict attitude. The green/black haired changeling cupped Pyrrha's cheek and gently guided their gazes to meet. Crimson red stared warmly into verdant green as Cinder wiped away her youngest sister's tears and stared at her with a sense of calm. "Pyrrha, I need you to listen to me very carefully."
Pyrrha could only nod obediently and murmur out a simple "Okay...".
"Nothing that happened to Neo is your fault. You were both in the midst of battle. There were only two of you against six of them. It was inevitable that something would happen. You did your best, and got out when it proved to be too much." Cinder told her with unflinching will and confidence.
"I... I know that. I've been in situations like that before. Logically, I know that it's not my fault." The redhead paused as she cast her gaze to the floor. "But..."
"But?" Cinder prodded, waiting patiently for her sister to finish.
"I have no idea how we got away. I... I was so scared for Neo, and then a portal just opened. I felt so trapped, so helpless." Pyrrha admitted in a fragile tone that betrayed the fierce warrior that she always felt the need to be.
"I know how you felt. I'm the one who opened that portal." Cinder confessed, much to her sister's surprise and confusion. The red-eyed girl saw this and explained. "I could feel your fear from hundreds of miles away. The bond that we share alerted me to your distress, and I did what I could to help."
"Our... bond?" The spartan tilted her head in puzzlement.
"Yes. Have you ever wondered why I can communicate with you telepathically? Or how I seem to always know when you feel strongly in any way?" Cinder inquired with a soft smile. She received a small nod before continuing. "It's because, according to Mother at least, we are forever linked. The power of the Fall Maiden and the energy released by the Omnitrix's self-destruction flows through us both and have linked us in an unprecedented way."
The red headed mutant allowed what she was hearing to slowly sink in. It was hard to really grasp when she knew so little. While she knew plenty about the world's history and various facts about life, and of course knew about the basics of aura and semblances, Pyrrha could barely comprehend the nature of spiritual or genetic anomalies such as these.
However, there was one thing that the spartan did understand about all of this. She and Cinder shared a special connection that no one else ever could. They alone carried the responsibility of being the Fall Maiden. They were united in an effort to save Remnant from any force; even if that force was Remnant itself.
A thought suddenly came to Pyrrha. The spartan gave Cinder a pondering glance for a few seconds before hesitantly asking. "Cinder, if we're connected as you say we are, then does that mean I can communicate with you the way you do with me?"
"Of course," Cinder offered the former Mistral champion a bright smile and nodded. "Telepathy, empathy, and more. Mother didn't specify exactly what we can and can't do, as I don't think she entirely knows for sure yet. But I do know that we can do anything the Fall Maiden can, and we can also communicate with each other through thoughts and emotions. I could teach you how, if you'd like."
Pyrrha's lips curved slightly upward at that. It warmed her heart to see Cinder, once again, trying to help her in any way that she could. It was a little embarrassing to the redhead since she felt she should have been able to handle things on her own. Especially since Cinder was supposed to still be on bedrest to recover from her near-death atop Beacon Tower.
Pyrrha didn't need to be strong around her new family though. She could be vulnerable and feel safe around them. For someone who grew up without much care or love like Pyrrha had, having people like Cinder, Salem, or her other siblings around was constantly appreciated.
The redhead wrapped her arms around Cinder nad pulled her into a small hug; one which Cinder happily returned. Pyrrha was about to speak up and accept her eldest sister's offer when an odd noise came from the entrance to Neo's bedroom. Her head jerked in that direction out of alarm. She relaxed almost instantly when she saw it was only Mercury and Emerald.
"Hello you two." Cinder gave the assassin/thief couple a small smile. "How are you doing?"
"We're alright." Mercury shrugged loosely before glancing down at the sleeping figure of Neopolitan. Worry flickered in his gaze as he stared at the ice cream-themed thief who he considered a sister. He kept his tone deceptively casual as he asked. "How's Neo doing?"
"Is she alright?" Emerald followed up with a look of concern of her own.
Cinder offered her two other siblings a curt nod and look of reassurance. "She'll be fine. Pyrrha and I have been keeping a good eye on her to make sure of that."
"That's a relief." Emerald blew a loose fringe of mint colored hair out of her line of sight as relief flooded through her system. Her ruby eyes fell upon Pyrrha as a sense of concern swiftly returned to her. "What about you, Pyrrha? Are you okay?"
"Me?" Pyrrha blinked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Yeah, you. You were in that fight with Arc too. Are you still hurt?" Mercury turned his attention to the youngest of their family and gave a concerned frown.
Pyrrha blushed lightly in embarrassment. She didn't want to make any of them worry or feel that they had to fuss over her. Yet at the same time, gestures such as these really did warm her heart. It was nice to feel cared for, especially with the loveless and empty childhood that Pyrrha had endured. To have a family that loved her and cared for her was unusual yet welcomed.
Of course, she did have her friends from Beacon. Ren, Nora, and the girls of WBY were all people who she really cared for. Even Jaune and Ruby at one point had been included in that. But that was nothing like the family she now had in the White Fang.
Realizing that she hadn't answered her siblings' questions, and in the process unintentionally worried them, Pyrrha quickly responded by shaking her head and giving a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. No need to worry."
The pair of lovers stared down the redhead for a few moments. The concern and worry in their gazes didn't go away as they slowly turned to Cinder for confirmation. Which they received in the form of a small nod and a subtle thumbs up from the alien changeling.
"Okay, if you say so." Mercury relented. He paused for a moment, then asked curiously. "So... what exactly happened in that fight?"
"Mercury!" Cinder and Emerald glared daggers at the greyish-black haired assassin.
"What?" Mercury raised his hands in defense. "I was just asking my sister what went down. I dunno, figured it might help her to talk about it."
Emerald opened her mouth to snap at him in anger when Pyrrha spoke up. In a quiet voice, the spartan admitted. "It wasn't easy. I had to face down people I still consider friends; like Nora, Yang, and Blake. That's ignoring that I had to fight the one I love; Ren. I had to fight them and treat them as though they weren't my friends."
"That had to be tough." Mercury placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
"It was. Yang trying to scold me certainly didn't help either..."
"Scold you?" All three of her siblings furrowed their brows at the spartan. Their expressions showed a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and a bit of anger.
Pyrrha bit her bottom lip nervously. It had quickly become apparent to the mutant spartan that she possibly shouldn't have said anything about that. However, it was too late now and she knew that they would want to know everything. Not wanting to lie or hide from the people who took her in, Pyrrha went on to explain everything that had happened in Kuroyuri.
It was at the point where she told the trio about what Yang had said exactly that Emerald's temper flared. The fury in her ruby eyes accompanied by the deep scowl on her face was enough to give Pyrrha pause. It looked as though the second youngest daughter of Salem was about to tear something or someone apart.
However, Emerald's anger was kept at bay by the calming presence of Cinder and Mercury. Mercury looped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close while Cinder reached out and gave her sister's arm a gentle squeeze. It was enough to calm the dark-skinned girl until her younger sister finished her story.
As soon as the story was over, Emerald quickly went off on a tangent. "How the fuck dare that blonde dumbass talk down to you like that?! She has no Oum-damn idea the type of things that you've been put through because of him. And she has the nerve, the gall to say that you are the one at fault?! Fuck her to hell and back!"
"Emerald... please calm down." Pyrrha glanced over at Neo as the silent thief twitched in her sleep. Emerald's voice had risen considerably, and it wouldn't be long before Neo was forced from her much-needed rest if the greenette didn't rein in her anger.
Emerald saw where Pyrrha's eyes went and fell silent, clenching and unclenching her fists as she tried desperately to calm herself. 'Pyrrha doesn't need to see you like this. Right now, she needs someone to tell her it'll be okay and that she's not the bad guy here.'
"I'm sorry Pyrrha. It's just... How can anyone say something like that? Doesn't Xiao Long understand that you've been altered for life because of him?" Emerald asked in a much lower, though still very enraged, voice. One that oozed protectiveness for family and outrage for those who had hurt the people she cared for.
Pyrrha grew somber at that. "I think she understands almost as well as I or Cinder. After all, she was mutated during the Fall of Beacon as well."
Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury all did a double-take at that. Any sense of tranquility or stillness that the trio had were all but gone at that revelation. Mercury looked ready to dive into a rant of his own while Cinder's eyes were glowing dark purple with raw, untapped mana.
"S-She... she what?" The eldest trembled in rage, her eyes glowing brighter for a few moments before dying down to their natural crimson. The green/black haired girl took a few breaths before addressing Pyrrha. "You know Pyrrha, if that's so... then perhaps we can reason with her."
"Reason with her? Why the hell would we wanna do that?" Mercury snapped.
"Think of it, Mercury. No one in their right mind would stay with the person who mutated them for life. If we could reason with Yang and help her realize that we're not the bad guys, then it could work in our favor." Cinder argued. "And if one of them sides with us, then perhaps the others that Pyrrha considers friends will start to realize it too. Until Arc and his precious Rose have no one."
Pyrrha thought that over for a moment. It made sense to her. 'No one would want to stay with the person who forcibly changed your life forever. And freaks such as us must stick together, even if we do not realize how things truly are.' "Maybe you're right, Cinder."
"Maybe I am, or maybe I'm not. That's ultimately your choice. Yang was your friend after all." Cinder placed a hand on Pyrrha's lower-right shoulder.
"I know, sis, I know." Pyrrha nodded as a small smile snuck onto her face. She then shook her head and returned her focus to Neo. "For now though, I think there are more important things to worry over."
The other three all agreed as they settled into a comfortable silence. Though asthey began to relax, things were getting tense elsewhere.
Meanwhile on Menagerie:
Gwen and Rook could be seen sitting in the Tennyson home's front room, enjoying a cup of tea as they chatted about a variety of things. From Cardin and Velvet to the good old days before the Shattering and anything in-between. Though it was still morning at that point in Kuroyuri, it was now mid-day on the island sanctuary for faunus.
The pleasant conversation between old friends was interrupted by a sudden knock at Gwen's door. The elderly cat faunus raised a brow in mild curiosity as she excused herself and went to see who could possibly be at her door.
'I swear, if this is Vergil coming by to try and find Velvet again, I am going to send that boy to what is left of the moon.' Gwen thought bitterly. Her son had tried a few times to get in contact with her granddaughter, though none of his attempts seemed to be out of genuine remorse. It more so seemed his wife had begged him to try and rebuild the bridge he'd thoroughly burned.
Gwen's frustration melted when she opened her front door and was met with a familiar young woman's face. That of a tan-skinned chameleon faunus with brown hair tied back into a ponytail which curled like a chameleon's tail at the end and grey eyes which held a bluish tint to them.
"Ilia!" Gwen exclaimed in delight as she enveloped the young woman before her in a warm embrace. "My goodness, look at you! I haven't seen you since you were a little girl."
"Hello elder," Ilia bowed her head in respect while half-heartedly returning the embrace.
Gwen shook her head in disapproval. "No need for formalities. You are one of Velvet's friends after all. Please do come in. I could fix you a cup of tea if you'd like."
The chameleon girl wanted to say no, but found it incredibly difficult. Gwen had a certain charm around people that made it nearly impossible to deny her. Especially if it was someone who knew the Elder of Menagerie personally. So Ilia couldn't exactly say she was surprised when she found herself, moments later, sat in the Tennyson living room. Rook and Gwen were across from her, and she even had a cup of tea in arm's reach.
"So Ilia, what brings you by?" Gwen asked pleasantly while taking a sip from her tea.
The brunette took a small sip of tea and shrugged. "No reason in particular. I heard that Velvet was back on the island and wanted to see if perhaps the two of us could reconnect."
"That's nice." The elderly Tennyson hummed. "You two haven't spoken much since you and Blake joined the White Fang as children. I had assumed that there had been a falling out."
Ilia couldn't help but think back to the last time she and Velvet had actively interacted when Gwen said that. It was years ago, when they all were still young children. Each of them wanted to save their world and help faunus everywhere. Ilia had been ten then while Blake was eight and Velvet had only recently turned nine.
Back then, the three of them were very close. They did anything and everything together. It was a time before the White Fang. Before Lucky Girl rose as an aspiring heroine. Then it was just the three of them; Ilia, Blake, and Velvet. Three friends who dreamed of a world where faunus didn't have to face war or prejudice.
'But that was then. Scarlatina went off to be a superhero without telling us while Blake and I tried hard to really make a difference.' Ilia thought spitefully. She tried to keep her emotions hidden around the mature Anodite. Which was extremely difficult with so much contempt within her. 'Then Belladonna had to go and run off as though everything we'd done meant nothing. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that both of my best friends abandoned me.'
Even without her powers, Gwen could tell that something was bothering the young woman. Rook also could tell from looking at her that something was wrong. He was a bit more suspicious of Ilia than his redheaded friend though.
"Ilia dear, is something on your mind?" Gwen pressed lightly.
"No! No... Just thinking about the past." Ilia offered her best attempt at a sincere smile. "So, about Velvet..."
"Oh! I'm so sorry," Gwen gave an apologetic look as she folded her hands together over her lap. "Velvet was here until recently. She and her new mate have left the island for something important. Honestly, it might be better that they aren't here."
Ilia tilted her head in faux innocence. "Why do you say that?"
"Ilia, I think that you as a White Fang member should be well aware of why." Rook stated tightly before Gwen could even open her mouth. The slightly senile Rovannaghander's eyes narrowed with mistrust as he stared down the chameleon faunus.
Gwen gasped in shock at her longtime friend's words. "Blonko! That was unneeded. The girl may be part of the White Fang, but that doesn't mean that she isn't welcome here. She's still a friend of the family."
"Of course, my bad Gwendolyn." Rook shook his head and muttered something incoherent under his breath.
Gwen frowned at Rook's actions for a few moments, then turned back to the chameleon faunus and offered an apologetic look. "Please Ilia, don't mind Rook. He's a bit grumpy these days. As for what I meant, well... It appears that someone is spying on me and the Chief's family."
"Oh. That's awful." Ilia pretended as though she had no clue about who could be doing such a thing.
Though the mature Anodite didn't want to admit it, there was something in Ilia's tone that Gwen didn't like. She contemplated using mana to dive into her mind, but decided against that. Gwen hated invading one's privacy in such a way. She shook her head and sighed. "I see. And if you knew anything about the matter?"
"No, sorry. I'm not high ranked enough to be told of such things unless I were part of the mission. But if I did know, I'd tell you." Ilia answered in a sweet tone. A little too sweet for either of the retired Plumbers' liking. The chameleon girl then rose to her feet and dusted herself off. "If Velvet's not here, then I should be going."
Gwen didn't oppose this. In her mind, it wasn't hard to imagine why the young woman would want to leave when Rook wasn't making her presence feel welcomed. The Elder walked Ilia to the door and saw her off with a smile and wave.
As soon as she reentered the living room, Gwen was met with an upset Rook Blonko. The redheaded Anodite/faunus sighed and shook her head. "I know, I know. She was acting a bit suspicious. That doesn't mean-."
"Magister Tennyson, you know that she could very well be." Rook cut her off with a stern look. "That girl hasn't shown her face to you in years. Not since before Velvet first started being Lucky Girl. Yet now she appears out of the blue looking for her 'old friend'? Don't you find that a bit too sudden?"
"I do. But I don't want to think that someone I've known since she was a child is spying on me and plotting my downfall." Gwen rebutted sorrowfully. Rook saw this and relented, feeling bad for his old friend and offering her a comforting pat on the back.
Meanwhile, a few feet away from the Tennyson home, Ilia pulled out her communicator. "Miss Sienna? Yes, it's me. No, all is fine. I have an important report for both you and Sir Adam." The brunette faunus paused for a moment then nodded. "Understood. I will await your return at headquarters." With that, the chameleon girl faded into the shadows.
Elsewhere:
A masked man could be seen sneaking through the far outskirts of the city of Mistral. He paused for a few seconds to ensure that no one was following him before nodding to himself and pulling out a communicator.
"This is Sir Adam Taurus of the White Fang," Adam revealed with a serious look across his face. He waited briefly for a response before continuing. "I have corresponded with the mole of Haven. I am now on route to report directly to Lady Salem before making a return to Menagerie. I should-."
"Adam Taurus, stop where you are! You are hereby under arrest by order of the Four Kingdoms and the Academies." A light, feminine voice interrupted the auburn haired bull faunus before he could finish his sentence.
Adam merely gave his communicator a disinterested look and let out a bored sigh. "Hold that thought, I may be a moment." He turned to face the Hunter who dared try to take him in, and couldn't help but roll his eyes at what he saw.
Standing before the notorious co-chief of the White Fang was a short young woman with a curvy figure and auburn colored hair and eyes. Her shoulder-length hair was bob-styled, and her eyes were noticeably rounded with thick, pronounced lashes. Though the most, and to Adam the only, interesting thing about her was that her fingertips had small yet thick pads which resembled the digits of an animal's paws.
Her attire consisted of a tight pale pink leotard with a darker pink insignia of Beacon Academy's emblem. She also wore leggings that were the same shade as the emblem which hugged her curvy figure nicely. A fuschia-colored utility belt circled her waist and held many weapons; ranging from Dust grenades to what appeared to be a grappling hook sat over her right hip.
Adam sneered at the sight of her. "What are you supposed to be, a Huntress or a showgirl?"
"My name is Ocha Awata, and you are one of the people responsible for destroying Beacon." Ocha snarled hatefully at the bull faunus. The now-named huntress dug out what appeared to be a ball and stared down her foe. "Come quietly and this will be easier for everyone."
Adam scoffed at such a remark. "For someone whose name originates from the tongue of faunus, you have all the arrogance and foolishness that humanity adores." With that said, the bull faunus drew his blade from behind his back and charged at the brunette.
Ocha managed to leap out of the way as Adam attempted a horizontal swipe. She then threw the ball that had been in her hands, but the White Fang elite managed to block it with his sword. He then leapt forth and slammed the hilt of Wilt into Ocha's shoulder with enough force to send her tumbling onto her back.
The deranged faunus swiftly went to slash straight through the huntress, but she managed to roll out of the way at the last second. Ocha deposited a grenade from her utility belt and threw it at Adam, releasing a shockwave of static electricity. Though to her dismay, the electricity was simply absorbed into her foe's blade.
Adam gave a wicked smile as he pointed his sword in mid-air and allowed his semblance to activate. The electrical discharge was sent flying back at his adversary in a bolt of burning red lightning. The bolt struck Ocha and caused her great pain and brought her to her knees in agony.
"I don't understand you, half-born." Adam clucked his tongue disapprovingly as he approached the injured brunette. She looked up at him in confusion and anger as he mockingly tapped the hilt of his blade in thought. "I can tell from your name and the way that your fingers look that there is faunus in your blood. So why do you insist on fighting a revolutionary who holds the sole goal of helping all of faunus-kind?"
"A-any crook... human or faunus... must pay for their crimes." Ocha strained out while small red sparks danced along her body. The auburn-eyed woman then surprised Adam by pulling another ball from behind her and throwing it directly into his chest. The impact was so strong that it actually made Adam stagger.
"H-how?" He broke into a violent coughing fit as he tried to recover from having the wind knocked completely out of him.
Ocha struggled to her feet and smirked as she produced another ball. "My semblance allows me to affect gravity in such an interesting way. Anything I touch when using my semblance is light as a feather to me, and at least ten times heavier to everyone else." Her cocky smile faded as she gave Adam a serious glare. "Now I will give you one more chance; surrender or be taken down."
The masked bull faunus snorted at that. He steadied himself and went to raise his sword, only to be preemptively countered with another ball striking his chest. Ocha then pulled a small baton from her belt and leapt forth, smacking it against Adam's shoulder with enough force to dislocate it. The bull faunus growled in response and tried to attack with his good arm, but Ocha ducked.
The brunette spun her baton and gave a smug smirk. Adam knew that he might be in trouble at this rate if he couldn't come up with a plan. The demented bull tried to create some distance between himself and the huntress, but she wouldn't let that happen.
Ocha's baton tore into Adam's abdomen as he tried to escape. The blow was so powerful, thanks in part to how heavy it felt to Adam, that the attack actually sent him fully off of his feet. He even found himself spitting up blood as he looked up into the unflinching, unsympathetic eyes of his foe.
Ocha didn't say a word as she readied one final strike to send Adam into submission. However, something unexpected occurred the second that her baton came within a few millimeters of Adam's skull. Ocha felt excruciating pain as something pierced her skin.
The huntress looked down to see three long, sharp blades sticking out from her left side. The brunette looked a bit closer and realized that each blade was connected to what appeared to be a long, chained whip. Adam also saw this and felt a wicked smile stretch across his lips.
"Wh-what is- AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!" Ocha let out an ear-piercing shriek as all three blades erupted with Dust and began spinning. Fire, ice, and static electricity consumed her body in a torrent of energy as the blades continued to spin and quickly tear the young woman to shreds.
Ocha Awata was dead before she even hit the ground, before the assault on her body even truly ended. Adam watched each second of her agony and torture as his smile grew. He then looked up from where he kneeled to see Sienna Khan holding Cerberus Whip.
"Hello darling. Fancy seeing you here." Adam forced himself to his feet and offered the Bengal-tiger faunus a warm smile. "How'd you know where I was?"
Before Sienna could answer, the voice of Tyrian answered. "She forced me to tell her that you were visiting Lionheart. Then I got stuck helping her find you when she panicked." The scorpion faunus-Osmosian hybrid noticed Sienna glaring at him and gulped inaudibly.
Adam ignored the deranged descendant of Aggregor. He instead chose to focus on his girlfriend/co-chief, cupping her cheek and giving her a curious look. "You were worried about me, kitty?"
"...a little." Sienna shook her head and sighed. Her eyes narrowed into dangerous cat-like slits as anger took hold of her. Adam could see the raw fury in her gaze, and felt slightly intimidated. He went to say something, but she cut him off. "Why didn't you tell me that you were going off island? I thought I told you that I would help with whatever Salem wanted you to do."
"W-well..." Adam cleared his throat and tried to keep his composure. "I felt that it wasn't anything serious. The last thing I would want is to bring you out here and risk you getting hurt over a minor mission."
"Adam!" Sienna hissed, gripping his shoulders and glaring directly into his eyes. "Why do you think I agreed to start helping Salem? I don't want you to be out here alone where it's easy for you to get hurt or worse." Her gaze softened and her voice wavered a little. "I-I don't want to lose you."
"You won't, I promise you that." Adam reached up with his good arm and scratched lovingly behind her ear. The sounds of her purring brought a genuine smile to his face as he leaned in and captured her lips with his.
Tyrian rolled his eyes at the display between the demented lovers. He could almost feel himself starting to gag on the sentiment of their weird romance. The scorpion faunus-Osmosian halfling looked away, wondering how long he'd have to deal with this before he could leave. 'There's so much more fun I could be having right now. But noooo, I get dragged into Khan's melodrama.'
Sienna and Adam's moment came to an abrupt end as Sienna's communicator began to ring. The amber-eyed woman growled in frustration as she reluctantly pulled away from her beloved. Not long after answering, however, her frustration melted into her usual no-nonsense self.
"Something wrong, my precious kitty?" Adam asked as he raised a brow.
"Ilia has a report for us. I told her to wait at HQ so that we can go and have you report to Salem about whatever you were up to." Sienna answered in her usual serious tone. The dark skinned woman paused for a moment before quickly pecking Adam on the lips then dragging him off. "Now come on. There is so much to do, and so little time."
"Right, of course." Adam nodded as a smirk snuck onto his features. He thought briefly over what he had heard from their mole at Haven, and couldn't help but feel vindicated. 'Oh sweet Blake, I'm sure you think that Haven Academy will provide all that you hope for. Little do you realize it will be anything but a haven for you.'
With that thought in mind, and several twisted plans for the future, Adam, Sienna, and Tyrian all left the lifeless husk of Ocha Awata and continued on as though nothing had occurred. They were all excited for what was to come, even if their reasons and specific goals were somewhat different at the moment. None of them could wait for what was to come.
To Be Continued...
Tsuyu: Wow... That was awesome! Kero-kero! Don't you think so, Ochako? The frog girl is met with silence. Ocha-chan?
Ochako: Let go of him!
Momo: No, you let go!
Tsuyu glances in their direction to see Momo and Ochako tugging on EmperorJirachi greedily. The green haired girl shook her head, leapt on top of them both, and caused all four to fall onto the floor.
EmperorJirachi & Ochako: Tsu!
Tsuyu: Rolls her eyes as she pulls them all close and snuggles up to EmperorJirachi. There. Is everyone happy?
Momo: No. Glares in jealousy at Tsuyu for being closest to the half-Jirachi.
Tsuyu: Oh cut the Yandere act for five seconds, wouldn't you? It gets old after a while, Yaomomo. Kero.
EmperorJirachi: Tsu-chan is right. If you want to join us, then that's fine. But you really need to stop it. He notices Ochako glaring at her. You shouldn't judge Ocha-chan. You were like her once. So I think we should give her a chance.
Momo gives a wide smile as Ochako pouts. Tsuyu nods in agreement. The quartet then take note of the audience, EmperorJirachi and Ochako blushed while Momo smiled and Tsuyu waved.
EmperorJirachi: O-oh... Hi everyone. I hope you've enjoyed the chapter. A lot of things happened, and all of it was quite important for later. Let me know what you think of it all. I hope you enjoyed reading and we'll see you next time!