You looked around again. The beasts ignored you. You knew they were dangerous, though you could not quite remember why. Still, if you had been lying here for some time and they had not attacked you, perhaps they would leave you alone for now.

Well. Except for the buzzards circling overhead.

They looked eerily similar to the other beasts, bearing the same black, red, and white tones. One of them had blood dripping from its beak. They were the ones that had been pecking at you. Now that you showed signs of life, you were no longer a desirable target.

You examined the wound on your side. It was not large, but a noticeable chunk of flesh was missing, slightly bigger than your thumb. It bled a little, yet the pain was distant. It was… healing. Extremely thin strands of flesh and muscle moved on their own, slowly knitting the wound closed. Disturbing. Very disturbing. Best to leave it alone.

A mountain stood behind you. Large. Impossibly large. And at its base, a line of open pipes, reeking of an acrid, acidic smell. The same smell clinging to you now. So… you had come from there?

That same cold curiosity settled over you as you looked up at the mountain. Something up there was active. Was it calling you? No. Maybe. Hard to tell. Whatever it was, it was something you could not ignore.

You stood up, enjoying the feel of wet sand beneath your feet. It was almost pleasant, the way the grains slipped between your toes. It was windy. Why were you not cold? Mornings were supposed to be cold here, in Mistral.

Mistral.

What was Mistral? Why did that word surface so clearly? It felt important. Not random. Memory problems? Right. You did not even know your own name. So this place was probably called Mistral. Aside from the strange, unsettling beasts, it did not feel so bad. It felt calm. Familiar, even. You could imagine taking a vacation here. Living here, maybe, someday.

You began to walk, studying your surroundings, and that was when you noticed something unusual.

A girl. An adult woman, sitting on a rock. Her skin was dark, purplish. Her hair was a mix of red and the same dull tone as her skin. She slept upright, breathing slowly, clutching a large piece of fabric to her chest. A sword rested at her side. No. A saber. Slightly golden in hue, finely crafted, with a blade that looked faintly melted near the tip.

And you felt drawn to it.

How strange. Maybe it held clues about who you were.

> Approach the girl openly and call out to her. Maybe this would wake her. If she wanted you dead, she could have used her sword by now.
> Stay quiet. Be sneaky. Get closer and inspect her. Trusting a stranger would be foolish. You should take advantage of the fact that she was asleep. Maybe even steal her weapon.
> Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.
> Other (Write in)

>>6358929
>Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.

>>6358929
>Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.

>>6358929
> Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.

Gonna need a dice roll. Best of three votes, 3d10. DC 16, Crit 13

>>6359717

Completely mb, Crit for 23 instead! Even my mind is jumbled after new years

Rolled 9, 6, 3 = 18 (3d10)

>>6359717

Rolled 3, 1, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>6359717

Rolled 7, 1, 4 = 12 (3d10)

>>6359717

>>6359697

Your memories should be the most important thing right now. Maybe if you were a vagabond or a traveler from a faraway place, you could afford not to look too deeply into them. But you knew, deep inside, that you were not a stranger here. You felt the information buried within your psyche. Sure, the world held all the answers, but you could cheat a few by looking inward.

You walked along the beach while your mind struggled against the ethereal lock that had somehow been placed upon you. Mistral. This place was called Mistral. Mistral was a land of… kingdoms. Yes. Many kingdoms existed within Mistral.

One of the beasts approached you. A large, towering quadrupedal mammal moved slowly in your direction. You felt him sniff you. Was he going to attack? No. No, he wasn’t. Something in the way he moved, the way he carried himself, told you that much.

A part of you screamed that he was dangerous. That he should be put down. But why? He felt harmless. Yes, he looked threatening, but he did not seem violent.

“What’s your name?” You raised your blackened left arm, hovering it near the white of his mask. He recoiled slightly. Was he afraid? Were you frightening? Maybe you could be. But being frightening when your heart was not in it felt… eerily familiar. Had you been someone evil in your past life?

The creature grunted. They could not speak. Of course. They were animals. Awful, ugly, violent, grim-looking animals.

Grim.

These creatures were called Grimm. The piece fell into place within the puzzle forming in your mind. Yes. Mistral. Grimm. Grimm attacked cities and villages. So why was this one not attacking you? Maybe it felt some kind of kinship? They were mindless. Ruled by instinct. Instinct and violence. Maybe they didn’t attack their own. So, he felt that you and he were part of the same species?

You needed more. Mistral. Grimm. You looked at the rising sun. Beautiful, but unhelpful. The sand offered nothing. The mountain, however… it felt ominous. Many invisible flames seemed to burn up there, somewhere.

You watched several Grimm attempt to climb the mountain, only to fail. They felt the calling too. It was too tall, too steep to be climbed easily. The obstacles were innumerable. Yes. They felt the same pull you did. They were drawn to it just as you were. The difference was that you had restraint. They did not.
Grimm were creatures of violence. They were drawn to negative emotions. Another piece of the puzzle. Were those invisible flames the emotions themselves? You could feel them beckoning. So… people were up there. A city? A village?

You began walking towards the mountain, following the faint instinct growing within you. You lowered your mental defenses slightly, just to test it. The pull grew stronger. Much stronger. But it was never enough to overwhelm you. It felt like hunger, like knowing there was a delicious meal waiting while you were starving. You were compelled, but still in control. You wouldn’t push your luck. You’d rise up your mental defenses, not giving in.

The same quadrupedal Grimm nudged you from behind, headbutting you lightly. He was urging you forward. He wanted you to go up there. Curious. These creatures worked together. Pack animals, even when their forms differed wildly. They attacked together. They delighted in it. They loved the hunt.

Hunt.

Hunting. Huntress. You were a Huntress. What was that, exactly? You hunted things. What things? You hunted them. You hunted Grimm. So, you killed these creatures for… sport? No. That felt wrong. Too cruel. You were not like that. Not anymore. Time to reorder the pieces.

You were a Huntress. You lived in Mistral. You hunted Grimm.

Dizziness washed over you. Assembling this much knowledge felt like opening a floodgate. A city. A crime-ridden city. An academy. Friends. Fights. Monsters. A laboratory. A screech. The river. It was too much. Too fragmented to make sense of all at once.

You steadied yourself. And then something else happened. The sand beneath your feet had turned dark and ashen. Hard instead of soft. Brittle. Something surged within you. Something you caused. What was it?

You refocused on your memories, this time remaining alert to what happened around you.

The river. Sabers. Dust. Explosions. A girl with white hair. Pain. A girl with a nosebleed. Fear. A man with wolf ears. Your hands lifting a… shovel? No… yes… regardless, you were burying bodies. You felt pity for the dead. You wanted their memory to be respected.

So it seemed you had not been a complete jerk in your past life. That was something.

There it was. A dark, reddish aura threaded with faint green motes emanated from your body. Aura. Yes. You remembered this. When it touched the sand, it scorched it. Your emotions shaped it, and you controlled it through feeling. That made sense.

The Grimm beside you suddenly fled. The others on the beach reacted to something unseen and followed, all moving in the same direction.

A surge came from somewhere very far away. An order. Go north. Something tempting lay there. Something that demanded attention.

The impulse was not difficult to suppress, but it was distracting. You pushed it aside, compartmentalizing it. You still had free will, and you were certain that with training it would become easier to resist whatever animalistic instinct this was. But for now, it interfered too much with you intentions to recall things about your past.

You were a Huntress from Mistral. You had Aura. You hunted Grimm. Grimm were creatures drawn to negative emotions and driven to attack people. Everything aligned. The picture was incomplete, yes, but it was a solid starting point. You would learn more. About this place. About this world. About yourself.

…You still did not remember your name. Damn it.

As beautiful as the rising sun was, as pleasant as its warmth felt on your skin, both on the untainted flesh and on your blackened arm and shoulder, you knew you could not delay any longer. You had been unconscious for who knew how long. And those impulses urging you north? You could resist them. But maybe it would be wiser not to.

> Follow the impulses. Follow the Grimm horde. Something beckoned them, and it beckoned you. Whatever they were seeking, you could seek as well. Anything that might reveal more about where you were and who you were.
> Resist the impulse. Giving in would only empower whatever was trying to command you. There was no rush. This… ‘Aura’ thing felt good. Perhaps you could practice with it while the beach was emptier. Test it further.
> The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119
> The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119
>The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119
>The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119

Ignoring both the urges that tried to pull you and the Grimm that were slowly fading into the distance by both air and land, you decided to approach the girl. Her skin was an unnatural purple, her hair looked tainted, and she did not really emanate the feeling of being alive. She had no emotions you could sense, or at least none that registered.

You quickly realized she was not dead. Her breathing was soft and faint, but it was there, and you barely managed to catch the sound of her heartbeat. You had good hearing, it seemed.

You stood before her. She remained asleep, unaware of your presence. You extended your hand, considering touching her. Why was her skin like that? Your memory was fuzzy, that much was certain, but you knew skin was not supposed to look this way.

She opened her eyes suddenly, startled, nearly falling from the rock as she fumbled with the piece of clothing she had been hugging. She looked at you and calmed herself. She had emotions. So why could you not sense them?

“Miss Shelly. A pleasure to see you’re awake.” Her frightened tone slowly settled into something neutral. “Please, put on these clothes. You are very indecent right now.”

Shelly. So that was your name. One less thing to worry about. A vague sense of mistrust and paranoia stirred deep in your mind as you wrapped the tattered cloak around yourself. What if she was lying? No. That was overthinking it. If she had hostile intentions, you would have noticed.

“Thank you. Yes, I am awake now. What is your name?” You asked, noticing her own clothing was equally tattered and stained, as if it had been left to dry under the sun for a very long time. Was it a white coat? Hard to tell beneath the black, red, and brown blotches covering it.

“It appears you are suffering from memory loss. My name is Cerise.” The name rang faintly in your mind. “I have been instructed to take care of you and follow your every command.”

“Instructed? By who?” Even though her speech sounded natural, something about it felt wrong.

“My creator. Though creator is not the correct term. Savior? Owner? I am unsure how she prefers to be addressed. She herself seems uncertain.” Cerise continued, reaching for the golden-brown saber at her side. “Here. This is yours. I could not locate the other one. My apologies.”

You took the saber in your right, untainted hand. It felt natural. Comfortable. Almost soothing. “Who is she? Please do not leave out any details.”

“She has not chosen a name. Her brother insists on calling her ‘D,’ but I will not use that designation unless explicitly ordered.” The more Cerise spoke, the more unsettling this all became. “She is the same person who ensured your survival after the events that transpired.”

“What events?” You extended the saber outward, testing a few practice swings. The balance felt slightly off, but usable. Cerise, on the other hand, was strange, but at least she was explaining things. That counted for something.

“We traveled through the pipes exiting the Black Sheep laboratory via the running water. However, the water became contaminated partway through by a dangerous substance tied to Grimm experimentation.” She lifted her gaze toward the mountain. “The substance was highly toxic. Fortunately, thanks to your actions, both my creator and I survived with minimal afflictions.”

“My actions? What did I do?” There was a lot you were missing.

“You saved us. Despite your Aura being in a critical state, you created a capsule enhanced with Gravity Dust to allow safe passage through the pipes. You also shielded us from the acidic agent using your own body, or so I've been told.” She paused, studying you. Her expression remained neutral. “I was instructed to relay a message once you awoke.”

“And what is it?”

“She said, and I quote, ‘Thank you for everything. My brother thanks you as well. I did the best I could with your friend and your body. Sorry if things are messy. I hope we can meet again someday.’ End quote.”

A girl. A brother. The thoughts felt tangled, but not unfamiliar.

“Would you like me to explain everything I know about your situation?” Cerise asked. “I must warn you, it will take time.”

“No. Not right now.” A faint headache surfaced. “I need to process what I already know.” You hesitated. “Wait. My body? What does that mean?” Your gaze drifted to your Grimm-like arm. It felt fine, but you knew it was wrong.

“She returned you to life. The journey through the pipes was dangerous. When we reached the beach, you were in critical condition, and she chose to heal you as she healed me.” Cerise stood and stepped closer.

“Returned me to life?” Your stomach tightened on itself. “I died?”

“Yes. Five times, to be more precise. Cardiac failure, severe brain trauma, spinal fractures, chemical burns, aggressive pathogens in your bloodstream.” She spoke calmly. “Your altered physiology presented a challenge, but it also aided the healing process, strangely enough. Your deaths lasted only for brief moments.”

You studied your blackened arm again. New body. So this was not how you were meant to be. The wound from the buzzard-like Grimm was gone, leaving only a faint scar. “So, this Miss ‘D’ did not give me this arm?”

“No. Nor your wing.”

You suddenly fell quiet with confusion. “Wing?”

“The most probable cause is rapid mutation due to exposure to the contaminant combined with your open shoulder wound. That is only a hypothesis.”

You twisted, trying to see your back. The corruption ended near your mid-back, engulfing your left shoulder blade. Your finger barely managed to brush against something unfamiliar.

“Yes. You possess a wing, Miss Shelly. It looks... underdeveloped.” You continued touching it, but you felt nothing. “It is unlikely to serve any practical function. Many mutations are useless. Some are harmful. Yours do not appear to be. I’m glad.”

“I do not know how to feel about any of this. How long was I asleep?”

“Three weeks and…” Cerise turned back towards the rock, examining scratch marks along its surface. “Three weeks and six days, to be exact. My creator spent nearly three days healing you prior to that. So that’s roughly a month in total.”

A month. Dead. Revived. Altered and with severe memory loss.

This was a promising start.

> Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.
> Ask her about the world instead. You have learned enough about yourself for now. Where are you? What is this place? Where should you go? Maybe some words of advice?
> Rest for now. Your head is still heavy. Perhaps experiment with this Gravity 'capsule' ability this so-called ‘Cerise’ claimed saved her life. It wasn’t like you had something urgent to do.
> Other (Write in)

>>6360862
>Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.

>>6360862
> Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.

>>6360862
>Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.

>>6360862

You looked up at the sky. Was there something there? You closed your eyes and tried to listen. No. Nothing but the wind, the waves, and perhaps seagulls somewhere far off near the coast.

Even if you could feel remnants of a past life, you couldn’t truly feel like the same person. Maybe vaguely. Maybe that feeling would heal with time. But what if it didn’t? You would feel… sad. Just a little. In the end, it didn’t really matter. No matter who you had been before, you were here now. You were someone else. You were you, and you would do things your way.

“Tell me more about who I was, Cerise.” You spoke to the purple-skinned girl as you helped her stand. “About the things I did. About what happened. About what you knew about me.” Was her knowledge reliable? Maybe not entirely, but it was better than nothing. At the very least, you could take it into consideration.

“Of course, miss.” The girl answered, slowly explaining details about your life and your past as a Huntress, as the two of you walked north, following that invisible guiding star calling you forward for reasons still unknown.

---

You walked for nearly half an hour. The sand grew rough, slowly giving way to stone and dirt as the gentle beach turned into an arid wasteland, dotted sparsely with savannah trees. The sun burned brighter overhead, the wind weakened, and the scent of salt faded while Cerise continued recounting your past.

“So… why did you decide to experiment on me while I was at Haven?” The stories she told you about the Black Sheep family, about your gradual change in personality, about the state of Kuchinashi, about the Black Fang branch. It all felt too strange. Not unpleasant, but distant. You couldn’t connect with it. Maybe a little, but not enough.

“Personal glory, mostly. I’ve always lived in the shadow of my half-brother, Arthur. I wanted to create something meaningful. Something important enough for him to understand that I’m capable, that I’m worthy of greatness too.”

You stopped walking and turned your face toward hers. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll get angry and do something to you?” You didn’t feel upset. Curious, yes. Intensely so. “I mean, why are you being so sincere with me? Why are you telling me those… secrets? You’re being uncomfortably honest.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Miss Shelly. You can already do whatever you want to me.” Her neutral tone made the words feel far more disturbing than they should have. “I’m sincere because I have no reason to lie to you.”

“…Don’t say things like that, please. Why… why are you so obsessed with following me and doing everything I say?”

“I’m simply following the orders I was given. I was instructed to obey your every command and do whatever you ask of me.” For a brief moment, confusion flickered across her face.

“What if I told you not to do that?” You hesitated. “I mean, we could be friends. You don’t have to obey everything I say. You could have some autonomy. Don’t you think that would be better?” Your feelings on the matter felt tangled and uncertain.

“I don’t… understand. You want me to make choices based on my own judgment?” Her confusion deepened.

“Yes. Yes, that’s what I want.” Something inside you felt that it wouldn’t be that simple.

“Very well. I will do so, then.” Her tone flattened again as she continued to look at you, waiting for you to move so she could follow.

“Good… and what is it that you want to do?”

“I want to follow your orders and help you.”

You sighed, stopping yourself just short of facepalming. She behaved less like a person and more like an automaton, a constructed servant rather than a companion. You turned north again and resumed walking, the girl falling into step behind you.

“What if I ordered you to leave me and do whatever you want? Would you do that?” As you spoke, that strange, beckoning sensation faded for just a moment.

“Yes, I would.” She answered without hesitation. “What I would want would be to return to you. How long do you want me to be gone?”

You opened your mouth to answer, then stopped yourself. Maybe there was no need to be so harsh. She was useful. And once things settled down, you could make sure she ended up somewhere peaceful.

“It’s just a hypothetical.” You slowed your pace. Emotions radiated from the north, faint but noticeable. Pleasant, somehow. You picked up your pace again, letting that sensation guide you. “But what if I ordered you to have free will? Would you do that?”

“Free… will…?” Cerise slowed, her expression tightening as she began scratching her head with both hands. “Free… will…” The motion grew harsher, frantic. A little more pressure and she would have started drawing blood.

You stepped in, grabbing her wrists and stopping her. “What’s wrong with you? What are you doing?”

Your strength surprised you. Either it was excessive, or she was far weaker than she looked. You had to loosen your grip to avoid hurting her.

“It… it itches… it itches inside…” Cerise strained against your hands, trying to reach her head again. “Please make it stop. Please.” The words spilled out between shallow breaths, desperation creeping into her voice.

“Fine. Forget it. Just stop.” You raised your voice. She flinched, then gradually went still. Her breathing slowed, the tension draining from her arms.

“Please don’t tell me to do that again, miss.” Her eyes closed for a moment as she steadied herself. “Or at least… avoid that subject.” She swallowed. “It is very unpleasant.”

“Alright. Just… don’t do that again.” You released her wrists carefully. She remained still, shoulders lowering as she relaxed.

“I’ll try my best, miss.”

You resumed walking.

This was going to be a strange and sensitive arrangement. Calling it a friendship felt generous.

Bang.

Far ahead, in the direction you were heading, a gunshot echoed.

Bang. Bang.

A second. A third. You still had no idea what that distant, pleasant sensation was, but it was growing stronger. Emotions. Probably negative ones.

“Is something wrong?” Cerise asked, stepping closer until her head barely reached your shoulder. She really was short.

“Gunshots.” You glanced south, towards the city of Kuchinashi perched atop the mountain, still visible and ostentatious. Its massive bulk casting an unnaturally long shadow across the rocky ground. “They’re coming from the north. People from the city don’t usually come out this far, do they?”

“No. They don’t.” Cerise followed your gaze, scanning the horizon beside you.

The ground trembled beneath your feet.

Off to your left, near the edge of your vision, the earth split open. A massive, worm-like Grimm burst from the ground, only to dive back beneath the surface as it moved north, ignoring you completely. Two more at your right side surfaced shortly after, a bit closer this time. The vibrations told you there were others still underground, some of them behind you, all advancing in the same direction.

More gunshots rang out. Faster now. Closer together.

Whatever was happening up ahead was escalating, and your options were limited. Would that slightly warped saber and your weird Aura be enough should a fight arise? What about your arm?

More Grimm emerged. Not just the burrowers, but boar-like creatures and the same buzzard Grimm that had attacked you earlier, all converging on the source of the gunfire.

> Pick up Cerise and run towards the gunfire. You needed to see what was happening. And if someone was in trouble, you would help.
> The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.
> This wasn’t your fight. Grimm followed emotions and hunted others. That was the natural order of things. Who were you to alter the rules of nature? Turn back towards the city, circle it, and look for something else worth your time.
> Other (Write in)

>>6362636
>The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.

>>6362636
>The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.

>>6362636
>> The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.

Dice roll time! A 'better' result at this roll will make the next challenge harder, but it will also change the story substantially more.

> 3d10, Best of 3, DC 17, Crit 22

Rolled 5, 7, 1 = 13 (3d10)

>>6363667

Rolled 8, 7, 1 = 16 (3d10)

>>6363667

Rolled 8, 8, 3 = 19 (3d10)

>>6363667

>>6363667

You raised your saber and stepped into the edge of the moving horde. One of the quadrupedal Grimm, wolf-like with a large white mask, sprinted past you. You tested your reach with a quick slash.

The blade bit deep, sending the creature tumbling several meters away. It scrambled up, confused but furious, lunging against you in retaliation.

You sidestepped easily, scooping Cerise up with your free arm, and struck again in one clean movement. The saber cut straight through. The Grimm split in two and dissolved into black mist after it hit the ground. One down. Only… about half a hundred more.

A few nearby Grimm slowed when their ally fell, turning their masks toward you. Then, almost dismissively, they continued moving north.

“So, killing them isn’t enough…” You muttered to yourself.

“What are you trying to accomplish, miss Shelly?” Cerise asked from where she clung to your left shoulder, gripping your Grimm arm for balance. She was lighter than you expected.

Good question.

If violence against them was not enough to attract them, then maybe something else would. Grimm were drawn to emotions. Strong ones. Negative ones. You knew how good it felt for those things to be around you.

You reached inward and tried to force some of your feelings up. Anger. Frustration. A deep, hollow sadness. Even if they were artificial, they should still count. They should still notice.

And… They did! Partially, at least. Several Grimm broke from the flow. A few boar-shaped ones, some long and serpentine and even a pair of vulture-like shapes lowered themselves from the air towards your position. Close to a dozen figures in total slowed and approached you.

But they did not attack. They only watched.

Curious.

You sliced one of the snake-like Grimm in half, then launched yourself upward, twisting into a somersault. Your heel slammed into a low-flying vulture Grimm with a kick, sending it crashing towards the ground. You dropped after it and landed hard on its body, crushing it beneath the impact, making sure not to hurt Cerise. The vulture dissolved under you.
That got a reaction from the group. Good.

One of the larger boar-like Grimm charged. You braced and caught the blow on your blade. The impact shoved you back a step, your naked feet grinding against the dry stone while breaking it a bit, but you held. With a sharp thrust, you drove the saber through its mask. It let out a deep, broken growl before its body disintegrated into smoke.

Fighting felt… good. Easy. Your body moved in ways you did not consciously remember learning, each motion flowing into the next almost automatically.

More Grimm began to take notice. Not all, but enough for you to not be able to ignore them. A few peeled away from the main group, drawn by the violence, by the spike of emotion in your chest. Even one of the massive worm-like Grimm, easily 20 feet long, turned and slithered towards you.

File: GrimmWorm.png (129.8 KB)

129.8 KB PNG

Still not enough. You were thinning them, sure, but the bulk of the horde kept surging north.

Your fighting instinct flared. Something was ambushing you.

You jumped without thinking.

The ground exploded where you had stood moments ago as another burrowing worm Grimm burst upwards, rocks and dirt spraying into the air. While still airborne, you drove your blade down into the front of its body. The force of its own momentum carried you upwards into the air as time appeared to slow down.

You landed on its scaled back and ran along its length, carving his bone-like plates with both your blade and raw force. Your muscles burned, your bones ached, but not from injury. It felt like waking up after a long sleep. Like this was what your body was always meant to do.

By the time you reached the end, the creature was already split in half. You leapt from its dissolving form and hit the ground in a crouch, dust and pebbles bursting around you from the landing.

More Grimm were turning towards you now. But not all. Maybe half the horde still raced north. Maybe more. Hard to tell in the chaos.

Faint green and red sparks flickered along your blackened arm, together with the faint feeling of pain.

Right! Your Aura! You still had not tried to use it.

“How do I use this thing you called a Semblance?” You asked as the Grimm slowly regrouped, preparing for another wave.

“I… don’t really know how to explain that.” Cerise said. “It’s supposed to feel natural. Especially for you.”

“Especially for me? What’s that supposed to mean?” You raised your blade just in time to deflect a volley of hardened feathers fired from above. Several vulture Grimm had taken to ranged attacks. The gray projectiles clanged and bounced off your saber, scattering across the ground, fading away moments later.

“You were considered a combat prodigy, even when you were very young, Miss Shelly. Finding a fair sparring partner for you at Haven was nearly impossible.” Cerise coughed lightly as the dust cloud around you finally began to thin. “The only recorded losses you had were near the end of your first year, and that was because you insisted on challenging third-years.”

“Oh. That’s… nice to hear.” A bit of pride stirred in your chest. Apparently the old ‘you’ had a reputation. “Still doesn’t help. How do I use my Semblance? What does it even do? Do I... shoot things? Move faster? Get stronger in the air or something?”

“Your Semblance is gravity manipulation, Miss Shelly.” Cerise replied.

You did not get a chance to ask something back. A boar-like Grimm barreled toward you, forcing you to leap aside, while two smaller snake-like ones lunged midair, trying to intercept you. You twisted as you fell, moving your blade in an arc around you multiple times in the span of a second. Both snakes were cut in pieces before they hit the ground, dissolving as you landed in a low stance, ready for the next attack.

“Gravity? So I can fly and stuff?” That sounded… useful. Useful and fun.

“…In a sense. I’m not sure about your exact limits.” Cerise admitted. “Why don’t you try it?”

Fair enough.

A wolf-like Grimm lunged at you. You met it head-on, locking its claws against your saber and stopping its charge. It snarled and pushed, trying to force you back, but your footing held. It was strong, nearly as strong as you, but not enough.

You reached out with your Grimm arm and pressed your palm against its mask, forcing whatever was your Semblance to activate.

Pain exploded through you.

Not just in your arm. Everywhere inside you. It felt like your flesh and nerves were coated in acid while still inside your skin. You gasped and staggered, instinctively breaking the blade lock you had with the wolf-like Grimm, leaving you exposed to a counterattack.

But the Grimm did not strike. If anything, it instead slammed face-first into the ground as if crushed by an unseen force. Its hind legs lifted awkwardly, scrabbling at the air. It opened its jaws to roar, but no sound came out. Thin cuts began to appear across its body and mask, one after another, like invisible blades carving into it from every direction.

The pain eased slightly. You forced yourself upright, breathing hard, just in time to watch the creature dissolve, the spreading wounds finishing it off.

“…Did I do that?” Your arms trembled, but you could still stand.

A deep rumble vibrated through the earth beneath your feet. Another worm-like Grimm was tunneling toward you. You both felt and heard him.

“I… don’t know. Yes...?” Cerise said, sounding just as unsettled.

> Try using your Semblance again, but with less force. It worked, in a way, even if it felt terrible. You needed to control it more. Focus on learning how to use it little by little.
> Ignore the pain. Whoever was fighting ahead had it worse. Push through the discomfort and wipe out as many Grimm as you could, using both blade and Semblance.
> Play it safer. That backlash was no joke. Stick to your saber and polish your fundamental skills with your weapon. You could experiment with Aura later, when you were not in immediate danger. Self-preservation was your priority.
> Other (Write in)

>>6365670
> Play it safer. That backlash was no joke. Stick to your saber and polish your fundamental skills with your weapon. You could experiment with Aura later, when you were not in immediate danger. Self-preservation was your priority.

>>6365670
>Play it safer. That backlash was no joke. Stick to your saber and polish your fundamental skills with your weapon. You could experiment with Aura later, when you were not in immediate danger. Self-preservation was your priority.

>>6365670

You planted your feet, Cerise still on your shoulder and your blade still raised. The rumbling beneath you shifted. Instead of erupting directly below, it veered to the side. A small crater burst open there, dirt and stones spraying outwards, but no worm emerged from there. It was a feint. A distraction.

The real attack came from behind you. The massive worm surged from the earth with an almost impossible speed, its jaws wide, aiming to swallow you whole. You twisted and caught its charge with your saber, the steel shrieking against its mouth.

You could have used your Grimm arm. Triggered your Semblance right then and there. But no, it was too risky. Too painful.

Instead, you dug in the ground and pushed back. Your feet tore through the ground as the creature forced you backwards, its sheer mass driving you across the battlefield. It was trying to topple you, to break your stance so that it could eat both of you easier. You managed to hold on, feeling the rocky ground breaking against your feet and ankles.

Straining, you tried to angle its head aside. Something that large should have been immovable, but it tilted, just slightly, to the right. Not enough to either stop it or to throw it off balance, but enough to prove it could not overpower you outright either. It was almost a draw.

With a violent jerk of its neck, the worm flung you away to disengage. You sailed through the air and landed on your feet, skidding back but staying upright. The lingering agony from your earlier Semblance usage was gone. Your body felt steadier now. You understood its tactics. If it came again, you would be ready.

But it did not return. Instead, it returned to the ground. One by one, the other Grimm lost interest. Their attention drifted back north, towards the distant conflict. Soon, the horde was moving again, leaving you behind.

You decided to not pursue them. You had thinned them. You were still standing. Cerise was unharmed. That was more than enough.

“You’re far stronger than I expected, Miss Shelly.” Cerise said from your shoulder, genuine surprise in her voice.

“Yeah. I guess I am.”

Still, something about that clash bothered you. You had not dominated that Grimm. You had merely held your ground. No. That was your pride talking. You had fought smartly. You were learning your limits. Pushing further without understanding them would have been reckless.

For a brief instant, all sound around you vanished. You turned north without knowing why, feeling something near the back of your neck.

An explosion of light and electricity happened, slowly rising up towards the sky, finishing with an explosion that lit up the clouds for a brief instant. A blinding pillar of condensed lightning speared into the sky, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. The Grimm appeared to be affected by said explosion, running away in all directions.

“I think we should move closer,” Cerise said, rubbing at her eyes. “That looked like a Semblance.”

“If you think that’s smart…”

---

By the time you approached the battlefield up north, the fighting was already dying down. A few scattered Grimm were fleeing the area. Their attack was finished. Fleeing Grimm. That felt… wrong.

The air smelled and felt… sharp. Acute and acidic. Like burning cables. Static prickled across your skin the closer you got to the source of that whatever caused that inverted lighting strike to happen.

Then you saw movement ahead. Two figures. You squinted your eyes, but the sheer distance and heat haze made it hard to see. You focused on your listening instead.

“…If it was just my leg, I’d be fine, but my back’s all messed up.” A man groaned.

“Hang in there. Corporal will sort us out. They’ll call backup once comms are stable.” Another different man spoke, his voice sprained, like he was struggling with something.

You moved closer, trying to see whoever these two were. Two soldiers in white, plated armor with heavy helmets. One was half-carrying the other, struggling to keep him upright. Their backs were turned to you as they moved up north.

“I think they’re from Atlas.” Cerise said quietly, now walking beside you, covering her face as the midday sun made it hard for her to look forward.

“What makes you think that?”

“That armor isn’t standard in Mistral. The Black Sheep stole some Atlas gear before, but this looks different. I could be wrong.” Even so, her guess carried a lot of weight to you. After all, your memories were all jumbled up.

A bit farther north, you saw a defensive perimeter formed. Military vehicles, hard-light shields, metal barricades. Burn piles smoldered inside and outside the encampment. The place had been hit hard.

“So it wasn’t a Huntsman team.” you muttered. “It was an Atlas encampment.”

“That seems likely, Miss Shelly.” Cerise slowed to a stop. “I… think getting closer is a bad idea.”

“Why? They’re people. Don’t they need our help?”

“Atlas shouldn’t be here. That alone means something is very wrong.” Her voice got quieter. “And you don’t exactly look like someone they’d welcome.”

You glanced at your oversized, tattered robe. Your Grimm arm was mostly hidden, but still…

“Unless they strip-search me, I doubt they’ll attack on sight. I could pass for a civilian. Or a Huntress. Right?”

“Maybe.” Cerise admitted. “But Atlas is strict. And they’re operating somewhere they shouldn’t be. They’ll be jumpy and on the defensive. Suspicious."

“I get it.” You kept watching the camp. “But they were attacked by Grimm. We should at least check if they need help.”

“Why would you help them?” Cerise’s voice flared with a sudden bitterness. “They’re backstabbing scum.”

You blinked, glancing at her. That was the most emotion she had shown so far.

"S-sorry… I don't know why, but I really feel like I don't like them… I apologize for my ineptitude in trying to explain to you why-"

"It's okay." You interrupted her. It was obvious that something had happened between her and them. Your focus was still on the camp, trying to hear whatever people inside were saying or doing.

> There were people there. Wounded people and soldiers. Maybe even worse. This wasn't the time to dwell on loyalties and all that. People were people, and you would help them. Approach directly, make your intentions known.
> Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.
> You would trust Cerise on this one. Maybe Atlas was doing something under the table. Maybe it was a bad idea to treat them with respect. Those two soldiers? You were almost sure that if you ran towards them, you could catch them by surprise before they got closer to the camp. Fish out some answers from them, make yourself known as someone who shouldn't be disrespected.
> Other (Write in)

>>6368943
>Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.

>>6368943
> Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.

>>6368943
>Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.

This is a hard roll so be prepared for a high DC

>Best of three, 3d10, Partial Success DC 20, Crit 24

Rolled 9, 5, 10 = 24 (3d10)

>>6370148

Might as well use the insta-crit

>writing

>>6368943

> Negative Emotion Affinity is being slowly understood! Now it is possible to somewhat differentiate what emotions people are feeling. Not infallible but you’re no longer in the dark!

If you approached directly, the chances of being searched or worse were high. And, unfortunately, you did have some things you wanted to hide. That arm of yours would never help you make friends.

But Cerise’s proposal of not trusting them fully? It was biased. Sure, she was smart, had a better grasp on how the world worked and all that, but you had to train your own judgment eventually. You knew Cerise’s knowledge was not perfect.

“We’re going in.” You approached Cerise, wrapping your right arm around her torso and holding her like a bag. She did not seem to mind, so maybe it was not as uncomfortable as it looked.

“...This is not a good idea.” She complained.

“Oh? You? Defying my orders?” You chuckled, looking over at the camp while mapping out possible routes you could take.

“N-no. I’m deeply sorry if I conveyed that message. It’s just that-” You quickly interrupted her.

“It’s okay. Just teasing you a bit. Remember, stay quiet and keep close.” You pressed your feet against the ground, cracking some of the rocks as you focused on your legs. You had to run fast, find somewhere to hide while moving, and react to whatever happened. You did not want to be found.

You started sprinting. Your speed was considerable. You were not even going all out, yet you still felt the strong, comfortable rush of air against your face. At this pace, you were sure you could outrun most of the Grimm you had faced moments ago.

You pushed further, the camp slowly growing larger as you approached. At this speed, you would arrive in just a few minutes.

A hint of something reached you. Those two soldiers. They were wary. You felt what they felt, and so you decided to stop and lie on the ground.

The cloud of dust surrounding you was the most obvious sign of your approach. It was difficult, but you managed to hear them even through the intense wind forming around you.

“...A second attack?” one of the men asked.

“No. No, I don’t think so. We should still report it to HQ.”

Darn. That would make things harder.

The cloud of dirt and dust you created by running advanced across the rocky, barren terrain. You used it to camouflage yourself as you kept moving, funneling the dirt into your improvised cover.

What if you made it bigger?

You stomped the ground with your arms and legs, lifting dirt, sand, whatever lay beneath your feet, feeding the large yellow-brown cloud that was quickly expanding. By now even the camp would begin noticing your presence.

But it would be too late. You were already close to the west side of the camp. If you managed to run without kicking up more dirt, you could circle towards the north while the localized sandstorm lingered in the west. The best way to sneak into somewhere was with a distraction.

Once the sandstorm was large and thick enough, you ran forward, using small rock pillars as cover to sneak up on the camp again, slower this time. Cerise covered her mouth and nose with her eyes closed, trying her best not to cough.

After a few minutes, you reached the north side of the camp. Electrified barriers, metal fences, and deactivated hardlight barricades stood in your way. You focused again and…

You found someone hiding behind one of the barriers. You had not seen or heard him. If anything, you sensed him through his emotions. He felt anxious. Sad? No. Angry? No. Scared. Yes, that fit better.

You considered how to advance, how to sneak closer, how to distract him, but in the end it was unnecessary. His presence began moving farther away, deeper into the camp. He was leaving. This emotional radar was very handy.

You quickly approached the barricade, searching for an entry point. There were several holes marked by claw swipes, rubble scattered across the ground where a worm had likely attacked, but none of it looked like a good entrance.

What if you jumped over it?

You approached the wall, ready to leap with Cerise still in your arm, but something stopped you. A faint vibration, an electronic hum you had not heard before. Something small was moving around. Maybe a hidden camera.

If you jumped, you would have maybe alerted the camp. Not good. At least you caught it at the last second.

Cerise pointed to a spot hidden behind a rock and the torn side of a van. A hole in the wall, similar in size to one of those charging boar-like Grimm you fought earlier, concealed behind a recently built barricade.

This place had been hit hard. Not thinning the horde had definitely made the attack here far more devastating.

You moved the metal barricade aside with one arm. You had to lift it carefully to avoid making noise. It took some effort, but you managed.

You advanced into the small tunnel, faint rays of light filtering through the rubble between the rocks. The way the passage twisted made you feel you were near the northeast side of the camp.

At the end of the tunnel stood another manmade barricade. You focused on your slowly-being-refined emotional radar and sensed no one nearby. You used your hearing to support your assumption. No breaths, no heartbeats. Good.

When you exited the tunnel, you found yourself inside the camp. It seemed severely lacking in soldiers. No, that was not true. There were plenty of soldiers, but they were concentrated near the west wall, emanating anxiety, concern, fear. You were getting used to this.

File: HeliosHarrow.png (113.2 KB)

113.2 KB PNG

You advanced, peeking from behind one of the many white tents as you walked past equipment so advanced you barely understood what any of it did. Some of it looked like antennas, ammo crates, supplies, etc.

There, in the courtyard, nearly three or four dozen soldiers in various states of injury stood with weapons at the ready, all staring at the wall. The sandstorm you caused earlier had not dissipated. If anything, it had grown larger, the wind pushing it upward until it resembled a dome. They muttered among themselves. It was hard to catch everything.

“We can’t handle a second attack.”

“Has HQ not responded yet?”

“Please, I don’t want to die.”

You caught yourself smiling. How awful. Why were you smiling? It felt good. Amusing. Their emotions were clearly affecting you. You touched your mouth, trying to force the smile away. After a few tries, you managed to quell the feeling of satisfaction.

“Everything’s clear.”

A loud male voice came from beyond the wall. A barrage of head-sized eyes made of light-blue electricity climbed over it, slipping through the structure and vanishing moments later. A figure emerged, levitating as a carpet of glowing eyes lowered him gently into the camp. A dark open book rested in his hand.

The man was tall and pale, somewhat slim, and he stood out sharply from the other soldiers. First, instead of wearing armored gear and a visor, he had on layered robes of light gray fabric with black and blue embroidery. And above all, his hair. Long, blonde, wild, elegant. You could go on and on describing it. You felt envious of his hair.

The soldiers sighed in relief almost in unison. Some began walking back into the camp, many limping or groaning in pain.

“What was that, sir?” Three soldiers asked as they approached him, clearly worried.

“Probably a dust devil.” He replied, patting one on the shoulder. “What’s the state of the signal?”

“Slowly increasing in radius, sir, but not enough to reach the main camp.” He sounded disappointed. “There’s a lot of interference in the area, and with some of our equipment damaged, delays are to be expected. Estimated time before contact is… an hour at the very least.”

Some of the soldiers began spreading out again, slowly reclaiming the camp grounds. Your hiding spot would no longer work.

You needed somewhere else to slip into. Maybe a crate. The same tunnel from before. Outside the camp. One of the tents. Or perhaps... the large one nearby.

> The tunnels seemed sensible. The soldiers did not want to remain camped here, so it made sense they would begin packing up. Some of the crates scattered around suggested they were already doing so. You could use that area as cover while relying on your emotional sense to gather information, with your hearing as support.
> The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.
> With the many supply crates lying around, you could probably find a set of armor to blend in. It would also help conceal your appearance. You could find one for Cerise as well.
> Other (Write in)

>>6370541
>The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.

>>6370541
>The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.

>>6370541
> The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.

>>6370541

“My advice would be to-” Cerise whispered to you, but her words were cut off as you picked her up, lifting the tent flap and getting inside while carrying her. Again.

Inside wasn’t… what you expected. It was a large, slightly elevated room made of intertwined pieces of metal. The cloth tent outside was mostly just… decoration? Extra protection from the elements?

“What are you doing?!” Cerise tried to whisper again, but you shushed her. You quickly moved around the large, cube-like room, looking for the entrance. The soldier's steps were getting louder and louder with each passing second. They were spreading across the camp again.

You found the door just on the other side of the large structure. The sliding doors were open, hidden behind the large cloth that surrounded the entirety of the white surface.

As you entered, you noticed the… clutter inside. Boxes of fallen books, opened chests, half-empty weapon racks, a closet with a pile of clothes discarded on the floor. You could have pictured the room being prettier, but right now it seemed as if a small, localized hurricane had passed through only moments ago and had its fun.

You looked for a hiding place. The pile of clothes? No, too obvious. On the roof? Too well illuminated for that to work. Below the ground? It… could work, but there was no practical way to exit that hiding place if you chose that one.

“What was your advice again, Cerise?” You asked her quietly as your gaze loomed over the room again. There was a ‘wooden’ desk near the far back. However, it was too small for you to fit under. Besides, it looked like the only main piece of furniture. The blonde guy would most likely use it.

“That we had to exit the camp! If we leave right now, we might still have some time to-”

“Shh.” You shushed her again, your gaze lingered on the weapon rack. Hiding behind it? No. It was still too obvious and impractical.

There was no real hiding place here. Well, there were some places where you could hide for a brief moment, maybe just enough to get the jump on the guy.

Was it… a good idea to ambush the leader? Maybe talk to him? It would be very hard, but with the right words… maybe you could calm him down. But what if the camp was alerted? Were you able to fight an entire camp of Atlas soldiers and a Huntsman?

…maybe.

A few sets of footsteps got closer and closer. Two guys. Most likely the guy with the book and another soldier. They would enter this place in a second. You needed to find a good hiding place. Somewhere both you and Cerise could fit.

And as for what to do once you hid? Well… You trusted that your improvisational abilities were good enough.

Cerise was getting restless. Time to pick a hiding place and just go with it.

---

“…and that’s the deal with the signal. The heat is too strong and one third of our equipment was damaged.” The technician beside you kept babbling. You tried to focus on his words, but it was hard with so many things happening all at once. The recent attack, the dust cloud, your team, your wife… You were getting a bit overwhelmed.

“Thank you for the information.” You patted the man on his shoulder just as you entered your office. Your long coat had plenty of dirt on it. It wasn’t one of your favorites, but you still liked it a lot. “Make sure to update me as fast as possible, please.” A gentle smile. You had to calm him down.

“Yes, sir. Thank you for being so understanding.” The man spoke with a smile behind his visor. You tapped him on the shoulder a few more times. He had to feel that you trusted him.

“Good. Dismissed.” You turned around, finally letting your face rest from that forced smile.

Your office… It looked awful. Nothing was in place. Your clothes, the documents, the chair, your books, your clothes, even the furniture…

And most importantly, your clothes. It would take quite a bit of effort to make sure they weren’t torn or damaged. They had cost you a fortune and, as quirky as some of the fashion choices used here in Mistral were, your preference was set in stone. It was impossible to beat the design up in the north.

A weird odor assaulted your nose. Sewage?

Really, couldn’t this day get any worse?

You approached the desk, putting your Grimoire on top and pulling it closer to the middle of the room. Symmetry was important. It helped you focus in this sea of chaos and foulness. What about the chair?

You walked closer to the wall, grabbing the chair from the side of the empty closet and turning it upright. The smell of drainage became stronger. Strange. Wasn’t this a desert? Where was the smell coming from?

It was…

> Dice roll time! This is still for our usual protagonist, don’t worry. Best of three, 3d10, DC 18

Rolled 3, 1, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>6373305

Rolled 6, 8, 7 = 21 (3d10)

>>6373305

Rolled 10, 8, 3 = 21 (3d10)

>>6373305

>>6373305

…coming from the closet? Did someone get in here while you weren’t watching? Maybe not all Grimm were dead. Maybe one sneaked in, somehow avoiding all the defenses, scanners and guards.

Better safe than sorry. You walked back, picking up your Grimoire and opening it to a page near the middle. Which construct to make now? A knight? A wizard? No. A lancer would fit.

You focused on the image of the lancer. Static formed around you, slowly shaping the ghostly apparition of a pair of electric arms holding a lance hovering above you. No. A lance wasn’t enough. A halberd would suffice.

The lance changed form into a halberd. Taller than you by far. Wind stirred around your summon, and more papers started to flutter all around you. You were making the room messier. Was there really something there?

The arms slashed the closet open. A few sparks, both from the weapon and the furniture, flew around. A precise cut. The only damaged thing was the door of the closet. The pieces fell, and inside…

…was nothing. Just some more clothes on the ground.

Running footsteps came from the entrance of the tent. Half a dozen soldiers quickly entered, aiming their rifles all around.

“Sir! Did something happen? We heard some…” Their gaze focused on the construct as it slowly dissipated, leaving only the burned halves of the door in sight. “…commotion.”

“I might be overstressed.” You did have a headache, after all. You were on edge. You knew that. You had to relax. Just hold on for a few more hours. “I thought someone had infiltrated my room. Did our defenses scan anything unusual in the past couple of minutes?”

“I don’t think so, sir. Let me check again.” One of the soldiers, a technician identified by the small blue band near his shoulder, took out a datapad and checked it. You sat on the chair in front of your desk. The smell of burning wood and metal now assaulted your nostrils. Well, much better than sewage, at least. “No, sir. Everything’s normal. Except for the dust devil, of course. Other than that, everything’s clear.”

“Good.” It wasn’t good, but you had to make them think it was. Sure, having no infiltration was a good thing, but an overworked and stressed leader would not give good results in the future. At least the mission was over. “Dismissed, all of you. Thank you for coming so fast. I’ll sing your praises to the boss.”

“Thanks, sir. We’re starting to pack up while the signal recovers.” The squad leader spoke for his soldiers, the technician still behind him looking at the datapad. “Hel, you should rest a bit. You don’t look… too well.”

A sharp eye, that one. “I know. I know. I’ll try to take it easy. You too. Stay alert, but don’t kill yourselves over it.”

“Of course, sir. Good luck.” The squad leader lifted his hand, signaling for the other soldiers to exit the room. Now you were left alone with the mess and the faint sizzling of the burnt wood slowly dying out.

You took out your Scroll. Not the standard-issue one, but one with a new security protocol. Something about recent ‘hacks’ in the network or some techno mumble-jumble like that. How did Mistralians manage to get into Atlas databases? Well, maybe you should stop underestimating them.

The signal was on ‘standby.’ The device was catching some signal but couldn’t use it yet. It would most likely notify you once the antenna array started working.

What to do in the meantime? Maybe you should help the others.

No. You had to relax. You were getting overwhelmed by stress and other issues.

You just… laid your head on the desk, trying to sleep it off. With how stressed you were, you knew you wouldn’t fall asleep. Besides, you still felt uneasy about that sewage odor, but you could relax your eyes, at least.

Relax. You had to focus on it.

…

You couldn’t do it. Something interrupted you.

> You felt a strong, bony hand suddenly grab you by the neck. It was a chokehold. You could try to turn it around, but it wasn’t going to be easy. She was so damn strong. She was trying to silence you so that you couldn’t call for reinforcements nor use your Grimoire.
> A voice came from behind you. A girl covered in a long, tattered cloth. A tall one, at that. When did she appear? She had a smaller girl at her side with some… necrotic skin. She tried to calm you down. She tried to make you listen to her. She tried to keep things peaceful.
> You felt… off. You couldn’t sleep. Stress, overall. Nothing was happening. Nothing had happened. You just had to rest, wait for the signal to appear so that you could call and communicate with headquarters. With your team leader.
> Other (Write in)

>>6373581
>You felt a strong, bony hand suddenly grab you by the neck. It was a chokehold. You could try to turn it around, but it wasn’t going to be easy. She was so damn strong. She was trying to silence you so that you couldn’t call for reinforcements nor use your Grimoire.

>>6373581
>A voice came from behind you. A girl covered in a long, tattered cloth. A tall one, at that. When did she appear? She had a smaller girl at her side with some… necrotic skin. She tried to calm you down. She tried to make you listen to her. She tried to keep things peaceful.

>>6373581
>A voice came from behind you. A girl covered in a long, tattered cloth. A tall one, at that. When did she appear? She had a smaller girl at her side with some… necrotic skin. She tried to calm you down. She tried to make you listen to her. She tried to keep things peaceful.

>>6373581
>A voice came from behind you. A girl covered in a long, tattered cloth. A tall one, at that. When did she appear? She had a smaller girl at her side with some… necrotic skin. She tried to calm you down. She tried to make you listen to her. She tried to keep things peaceful.

>>6373581

You couldn’t quite understand what she was saying. You were in an… unfavorable position.

The tall girl had a mismatched, black-yellowish eye with some veins protruding close to it. She was covered in tattered clothes with a shorter girl at her side. A companion of some sorts. She held one hand up. Was she trying to… pacify you?

“Did you hear what I said?” She asked, louder this time. She was keeping her distance and didn’t appear armed. But how did she get in here? This place was supposed to be secure. She was definitely the source of the smell, her and her companion. You should have trusted your instincts. You let your guard down. Damn it all.

And… no. You hadn’t heard her before. You thought it was a dream, but the sudden surge of adrenaline and the feeling of danger made hearing her words difficult. Maybe you could fight back? Your Grimoire was close to you. You moved your hand and-

“Please. Don’t. I don’t want to resort to violence.” Her gaze shifted to your hand. You stopped. Caught with your guard down. How sloppy. This was bad. Maybe you could stall? If she wanted to talk, you could talk, and once she lowered her guard, you would seize your weapon.

“How…did you get inside?” She gave you an eerie feeling. Something was wrong with her. Not only that, but she was with one of the infected. Another one. Did she have ties to that sickness? Was she also ill? No, she seemed too lucid. She had something else.

“Well, I could tell you everything I did, but I think that information is meaningless. Besides, your camp isn’t in a… good state. The Grimm attack was quite something, right?”

“Yes, indeed it was.” She knew about the Grimm. That meant she had been in the area for a while. “Something tells me you weren’t here when they attacked. Or did you use that assault as cover to get in here?”

“Not really.” The tall girl spoke while the shorter one avoided your gaze. She seemed uncomfortable. An infected that showed emotion? Interesting. “I came here after. I tried to quell the horde, but, well, it wasn’t easy. Sorry I couldn’t do more.”

A few bits of information clicked. “Ah, so you were that unknown individual getting their attention down south. It doesn’t matter. Your help was very much appreciated. I thank you for that.” Even if what she said was true, you didn’t trust her. Not yet.

“You don’t believe me, right?” She crossed her arms. This was a perfect opportunity to extend your hand further and-

“Don’t.” She exposed her arm again, touching something beneath her clothes. The pommel of a weapon? It was hard to see through her dark, flowing garments. “Please. I’m trying to be nice. I am a Huntress. I am here to help.”

“A lone Huntress fighting off an entire horde of Grimm all by herself?” Ridiculous. “Please, forgive my… skepticism. Understand where I’m coming from. You appeared out of nowhere, you fought against who knows how many Grimm, survived, and then somehow you came here, avoiding all our surveillance, only to reveal yourself to me now? You’d be jumpy if you were in my shoes.”

“Well… that’s a very good summary. And.. argument. Sorry, forgot my manners. Call me ‘S’. I’d get closer and shake your hand, but I think you wouldn’t like that.”

“That’s… not a name.” She was so non-chalant about all of this.

“Well, true, but I don’t trust you enough to give you my actual name.” Trust? Maybe she was a rogue Huntress? No normal Huntress would refuse to give her name. A criminal, then.

“You’re not someone I can trust, either. Call me Helios. Does that ring a bell?” It was a last-resort tactic. Something to divert her attention.

“No, it doesn't. Why are you-” You lunged for your book. You needed it to give form to your summons, and the girl lunged as well. You managed to touch the cover, but she pinned your arm before you could pull it open. Wow. She was strong. Strong and immovable.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “You’re really making this difficult.” You tried to lift your arm, to open the book or even just glance at the pages, but her grip didn’t budge. You pushed harder and managed to lift her arm slightly, but she shoved your arm back down with ease. She had even more strength concealed?

“As I said earlier, put yourself in my shoes. What do you want?” You spoke as you continued to struggle, but it was in vain. Maybe you should… punch her with your other arm? Use your raw energy without a summon? It would make a mess, but you didn’t need your book to fight back.


> She gave you her name.
> She didn’t give you her name.

And also:

> She asked you why Atlas forces were down here in Mistral. Your purpose for being here. If this was an invasion of some kind.
> She asked for more information about the nearby city. Kuchinashi. Its current state, what was going on there.
> She asked about… factions? Black Sheep? White Fang? Why was she interested in that? Did she have friends there? Was she related to them?
> She asked about… something else (Write in)

>>6376774
>She didn’t give you her name.
> She asked you why Atlas forces were down here in Mistral. Your purpose for being here. If this was an invasion of some kind.

>>6376774
> She didn’t give you her name.

> She asked you why Atlas forces were down here in Mistral. Your purpose for being here. If this was an invasion of some kind.

>>6376774
>> She didn’t give you her name.
>> She asked you why Atlas forces were down here in Mistral. Your purpose for being here. If this was an invasion of some kind.

>>6376774

You felt a tingling in your fingers. Inside them. Static. Electricity. You were ready to hit her. To punch her. To zap her. To shove her aside so that you could grab the Grimoire and prepare to fight. Fighting without it would be… less than ideal, but you could manage.

The girl looked distracted. She was thinking. This was unexpected. She was genuinely considering your question.

“Why are you here?”

The question caught you off guard. The electricity dancing around your fingers nearly faded as doubt and confusion slowly seeped into your emotions.

“What? What kind of question is that?”

She locked eyes with you. There was something unnerving about them. Not just the difference between their colors or the faint bulging of veins near her left eye. They carried an intensity. Like an animal. A smart animal. Wait. Were those feathers near her hair? Oh. She was a Faunus. That explained some things. Now you felt like a jerk.

“The question I’m interested in.” She clarified. “Why are you here? You and this… group of Atlas soldiers? As far as I know, you shouldn’t be in Mistral.”

“Well, we have business here.” Should you tell her the reason? It was classified information, after all. But it made sense that a local would be curious about why you were here. At least her intentions did not seem that hostile, even if her actions suggested otherwise.

“Atlas has no business in Mistral. It shouldn’t.” The infected girl interjected.

What? She spoke coherently?

“Excuse me?” You stared at the short one as you were unable to hide the confusion in your voice. How did she do that? She spoke with clear intelligence. Maybe it was a fluke? Maybe she was parroting something the other girl had said before?

“I said Atlas has no business here in Mistral. You shouldn’t be here. Whatever you are doing, it is something nefarious. I’m sure of it.” She looked at you with genuine disdain. “Atlas never has good intentions.”

You were speechless.

This was important. You had to contact your team leader and tell him about this. This was the biggest and most significant clue you had found so far about the cause of the strange epidemic. A lucid, infected person who could think coherently and speak clearly?

“What’s your name?” You asked the short, purple-skinned girl.

She looked away, moving closer to the Faunus and hiding against her tattered clothes.

“Please don’t evade my questions. Why is Atlas here? What is it you’re doing?” The girl holding your arm tightened her grip slightly. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make it uncomfortable. She was going easy on you. How strange for a criminal not to resort to violence by now. Maybe… you had misjudged her?

“You know it’s classified. You know I can’t answer you. What are you going to do about it?” You were ready to release a discharge straight into her face, but you wanted to test her a little longer. You wanted to avoid hurting someone truly innocent, and the way they spoke, the way they questioned you… it felt off.

The girl fell silent. Was she preparing to break your arm? No. Your Aura was holding, and it was not weakening. She was thinking. Ah. So she had no real plan in case you refused to cooperate.

“Whoever taught you what to do after taking a hostage should have done a better job.”

“I was never taught what to do in this situation. Haven doesn’t exactly offer classes on this.” She said with a sigh, though she kept your arm pinned. “So I suppose I’ll have to improvise.”

“Haven? You’re serious about being licensed Huntress, then? In that case, please show me your license, or an identification, or at least tell me your name so I can look you up in our database.” Was this seriously just a misunderstanding? You wanted it to be.

“Uhm…” She grew defensive, maybe embarrassed. “I don’t have my license on me. Or anything, for that matter. And as for my name… no. Sorry. I don’t trust you. You can keep calling me ‘S.’”

“How am I supposed to know you’re not a rogue Huntress, or a criminal, or something like that? Are you seriously expecting me to cooperate under these circumstances?” How frustrating. You were blind here. Who was she? Would it be better to just zap her and capture her? Or talk it out? What was the correct choice? Damn it.

“I’m not an idiot. I know that whatever I say will be met with distrust. That’s why I haven’t told you to trust me. I know you won’t. I can feel it in you…”

What did she mean by that?

“…but I just want some answers. Basic ones, at least. I don’t want to hurt you. Please don’t make me do something I’ll regret later. I just want to know. Why are Atlas soldiers here? What’s your purpose?”

Haven Huntsmen were always a strange bunch. And this one fit the stereotype perfectly. A lack of discipline. A lack of planning. Acting simply because they felt it was right. Oh, lords above and below, maybe she was telling the truth. Neither a criminal nor a rogue would act with this much recklessness and stupidity. Who in their right mind would infiltrate an Atlas outpost without any prior planning? Either someone brave or dumb. Very likely both.

You…

>Dice roll! Mostly persuasion. 3d10, DC 19, Crit for 24.

Rolled 4, 3, 5 = 12 (3d10)

>>6379374

Rolled 8, 5, 3 = 16 (3d10)

>>6379374

Rolled 8, 9, 5 = 22 (3d10)

>>6379374

>>6379374

You sighed. What was there to say? The girl had helped your encampment earlier with the Grimm horde. You believed her, and she did not seem entirely hostile. If you could avoid a fight, you would.

But you still did not like the way she handled things.

“We came here because the Mistralian Council asked Atlas for help.” You told the truth, but you left out the details. She did not need to know them, and she did not deserve them. “There’s been a serious shortage of Huntsmen on this continent, and your Council is dumbfounded as to why. Add to that the events that transpired in the city down south and, well, it’s no wonder our superiors decided to strike a deal.”

“That’s preposterous.” The purple-skinned girl interjected with indignation while the taller one loosened her grip on your arm. “Mistral would never ask for help from such a power-hungry, militaristic, and underhanded government like yours.”

“It’s the truth.” And it was. “Our team received official orders from Mantle. We were deployed here to establish a presence near the city to the south and help people with logistics, food, security, safety, and all that.”

And the epidemic. Quite a lot of people with similarly unhealthy skin had been seen around the area, ignored by Grimm. Just like that one. You needed to bring her to your leader.

“Sorry for not trusting you blindly, but your encampment is quite heavily armed for what you claim is only a ‘safety’ and ‘protection’ mission.” The girl stopped holding your arm. You quickly grabbed the book and held it close. You could blast her away, but things were calming down now.

“And I’d argue that it isn’t enough.” You stood up and walked to discreetly place the desk between the two of you, just in case they decided to do something stupid again. “You’ve seen what happened here. The city of Kushinasi is right now a beacon for Grimm. Things are awful there, and-”

“Kuchinashi.” The short one interrupted you.

“What?”

“Kuchinashi.” The sick girl smiled at you. Was she trying to get under your skin? “You said the name wrong.”

“…No matter. The point is, that place needs help. There are a lot of refugees who can’t survive under such precarious conditions. They need food, shelter, protection, and help relocating.”

“Wait.” The tall girl stepped a little closer. You stepped back. “Refugees? What happened there? Is the city evacuating? To where?”

How could such a clueless Huntress exist?

“It’s complicated. We aren’t evacuating everyone, only those who wish to leave. We’re relocating them north, closer to the Academy. I’m under the impression that not everyone wants to leave that place.” You opened and closed your right hand. It felt stiff, but there was no damage. “It’s close to becoming uninhabitable with the contaminated water and lack of food supplies, but some people would rather die there than simply leave.”

The short one glared at you.

“By the way,” you said, interrupting the taller girl’s train of thought. She seemed to be the one making the decisions. “Your friend here. What’s her name?”

“Hmm? Oh. You can call her ‘C.’”

“…Figures.” How frustrating. You had to dig deeper to unravel this mystery. You had to convince them. You had to get in their good graces.

Or… did you?

“Where did you find that girl?” You asked the apparent leader. “Was she wandering somewhere? Further north? Where did the two of you come from, anyway?”

“He’s trying to get more information from you.” The short girl said sharply. “Don’t give him anything.”

“Don’t be so distrustful of everyone from Atlas.” The woman in those distasteful clothes began gently ruffling the short girl’s hair. “But this time, you’re right. Sorry, Helios. I appreciate that you were honest with me, but I’m not in a position to answer that right now.”


“That’s unfair.”

“Not really, if you take into consideration that I helped you earlier by thinning that horde. If anything, we’re on equal footing now. No one owes anyone anything.”

“You entered my camp without permission and held me hostage. With your monstrous strength, you could have broken my arm.”

“And you were ready to blast my face with that weird electricity Semblance of yours. You think I didn’t notice?” She kept smiling, trying to keep the conversation friendly even if the topic wasn’t. “But you didn’t, just like I didn’t break your arm. Once again, we’re on equal footing.”

How tiresome. There was no point in arguing anymore.

“Yes, you’re right. I am fishing for information. I have a mission to finish.”

“And what mission is that?” The short one asked.

“I was tasked with securing this location and expanding our communication array, but I never expected such an intense attack out of nowhere. It’s almost as if the Grimm knew when and where to strike. And with their numbers? The last thing any of us wants is another coordinated attack force.”

“It seems you failed.” Again, the snide remark from the short infected girl.

“It’s not my place to say that, even if we both agree. The last thing I want is for my men to be hurt, or worse. If I could act as freely and carelessly as you Haven Huntsmen tend to, I’d go back to base and call this operation off. But unfortunately, I can’t do that.”

“You have to ask and call for your leader, right?” The tall one said, her tone far more compassionate.

Were they playing good cop and bad cop?

“In a sense, yes. You have sharp instincts.” She was smarter than she seemed. Even if she was a disorganized mess, she was not someone to treat lightly.

“I pay attention to important things. No one likes being left in the dark, and it is our duty as Huntsmen to, well, pay attention to those things, right?”

“Right…” The conversation began to die down. “Say, would you be interested in following me back to our main camp? We need all the hands we can get, dealing with civilians who need escort, protecting travel routes, security, all that.”

“What a generous offer. I’m so grateful for the opportunity.” The self-proclaimed 'S' was so nonchalant about all of this. “But I must ask, why do you suddenly want to invite both of us there? A main camp implies tighter security, and, well, I have to care about our safety. You understand.”

“I’m not lying when I say we need all the hands we can get. If you think I have ulterior motives, you’re free to say no. If anything, I think my leader would be very interested in having a helping hand from someone local. Some locals aren’t very trusting when it comes to people from Atlas, for example.”

“They have good reasons not to trust you. Some of us don’t forget.” The purple-skinned one clearly harbored a deep hatred for your people.

“I know. I’m not really into the whole ‘Glory to Atlas’ thing, so you’re wasting your time if you’re trying to wound my nonexistent nationalistic pride. But others? You’d better be careful. Some of us are here against our will, and the last thing they want is for ungrateful locals to be unpleasant.”

“Still, it’s an interesting offer. I’m considering it. Where is your main camp located?” The Huntress asked.

“Southeast. Not too far, but moving all our equipment isn’t easy. Even if you agree, I’ll need to contact my leader first. I’m already breaking protocol by doing this, but he should at least be aware of this… unprecedented situation.”

“And you aren’t calling him right now because the antenna or something like that isn’t working and your tech team is fixing it, right?”

“…You’re not earning any points with me by reminding me that you somehow managed to infiltrate my camp and spy on confidential information. If anything, if you accept my offer and we speak with my leader, I’d appreciate it if you kept that piece of information to yourself.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

An awkward silence settled over the room. Both girls locked eyes with each other, then moved closer and began whispering quietly between themselves. Discussing the proposal, no doubt.

“So? Will you accept my offer?”

> The Huntress accepted the offer. She waited in the room, and once communications were back online, the three of you spoke with your leader.
> They accepted the offer. Unfortunately for you, the girls took the initiative during the conversation, not saying it outright but heavily implying that things here were “under their control.”
> They declined the offer and left, most likely heading towards the main camp, or at least the city. Still, things remained peaceful, so that’s a small victory for you.
> Other (Write in)

>>6381116
>The Huntress accepted the offer. She waited in the room, and once communications were back online, the three of you spoke with your leader.

>>6381116
>The Huntress accepted the offer. She waited in the room, and once communications were back online, the three of you spoke with your leader.

>>6381116
>The Huntress accepted the offer. She waited in the room, and once communications were back online, the three of you spoke with your leader.

>>6381116

“Sure. I’ll gladly take you up on your offer.” The girl covered in tattered robes said proudly. The infected one, on the other hand, glanced to the side, clearly displeased.

“Good. That’s excellent.” You lifted your arm, pointing at the pile of discarded clothes close to the corner of the room. “Please, feel free to take and wear whatever you wish from my… let’s call it collection.”

A small part of you would’ve died if they were to touch your precious robes, shirts, pants, and jackets, but it was either this or letting your leader down even more by presenting him with a pair of vagrants all of a sudden. You had standards and you would stick to them.

Both girls walked to the clothing pile, inspecting it with more interest than before. You opened your book again, summoning a pair of giant static hands that grabbed the burned furniture pile from earlier, moving it closer to where the two of them stood.

“Feel free to change in privacy. I’m a gentleman. I’ll tell you when the signal is good enough for the meeting.”

“A true gentleman would leave the room instead of sharing it with two ladies that are changing clothes.” The tall one spoke smugly.

“I said I’m a gentleman. Not a fool. I have important papers, documents and equipment with me, and I’m not willing to let them out of my sight at any cost.” She really was getting on your nerves. But you had to keep your cool.

“There’s only men’s clothing here. And none in my size.” The purple-skinned one said with disappointment.

“Yes. That’s unfortunate. I’ll have a talk later with Albec to find you both some more… fitting clothing. Why are you both wearing such damp and torn clothes, anyway? You look as if you came out of the ocean during a storm.”

“Something like that. Please don’t ask a woman things like that. She might get offended.” Again, the same forced smile from the strong Huntress. “Albec, you said, right? Is he your team leader?”

“Yes. He’s very ‘to the point,’ so avoid bantering with him if possible. I’m already unorthodox when it comes to Atlas personnel, and I find your banter annoying. I can’t imagine what he will feel or think if you decide to act like a comedian in front of him.”

“I told you Atlas was awful.” The shorter one, ‘C’, whispered to ‘S’ loudly enough for you to hear her.

You ignored her. This day was already going to be awful. It would be best not to make it worse.

---

“…in that case, sir, wait another half minute and try to reconnect. I think we got it this time.” The voice from the scroll said while the man with the wavy hair, Helios, listened with an annoyed expression. He ended the call.

File: AlbecManfredi.png (54.5 KB)

54.5 KB PNG

“Network problems?” You said as you crossed your legs on top of the broken furniture. You picked some long, deep midnight robes with long sleeves. They would hide your Grimm arm pretty well. They weren’t your size, too short in some places and too long in others, but they were definitely better than the tattered, almost ‘garbage-bag’ clothes you had before. Besides, the blend of wool and silk was very comfortable, and the colors would work well at night.

“Just… be ready. I’m trying again.” The annoyed Huntsman opened his Scroll and set it on the table, trying again to video-call this so-called Albec, his team leader.

“I feel dumb.” Cerise said at your side, sitting beside you in a similarly styled robe. Hers, however, had more silvery embroidery on it, leaned more toward charcoal in color and, most noticeable of all, was too large for her. Her arms barely reached the sleeves. She looked like a kid. Was she always this small? No. Your perception of her was a bit skewed. She was a little short for an adult, yes, but you had gotten taller. Maybe that was the reason your memories felt strange. Looking at everything from a shorter point of view would confuse anyone.

“You look adorable.” You pinched her cheek. She looked very cute. She didn’t fight back. She didn’t have the will to do that. That… felt sad. Maybe you could help her in the future. Find a way to reverse whatever had happened to her. As much as you liked her being obedient, you weren’t evil enough to truly enjoy it. Besides-

The hologram above Helios’s Scroll on the table flickered. The face of a man appeared behind the blueish tint of the video call. He looked… displeased. Grumpy. Tired. You were close to calling him ‘evil,’ with the deep shadows around his eyes, most likely caused by a lack of sleep. He had a short goatee, a sharp facial expression and a slick, short hairstyle. You expected someone more militaristic but… well, appearances could be misleading.

“Greetings, Albec. Sorry for the delay, but this was an eventful day. I’m ready to report.” Helios spoke with tiredness in his voice. You felt his emotions. Nervous, maybe a bit scared, hesitant. The more you analyzed people, the easier it was to know what emotions they felt. This felt awesome, almost like a new ‘sense’ that was waking up little by little.

The man glanced around. The first thing he decided to do was look at you. He held his gaze. This was a live video, right? Not a pre-recorded thing. What an… intense and uncomfortable stare. Yet he kept quiet. You did the same. If this was a power move from him, you wouldn’t back down.

He shifted his gaze to Cerise, doing the same thing with her. Cerise didn’t have the willpower to withstand Albec’s expression. She glanced to the side, if anything moving closer to you.

“I see you have company, Helios. Unexpected company.” His voice was rough and deep. He was definitely older than everyone else in the room by at least a decade. Maybe more.

“I agree. It was unexpected for me as well. I present to you ‘S’ and ‘C’.” Helios turned in his chair, lifting his arm as he started presenting you. “The former one is a Huntress from Mistral. To put things bluntly, she helped us survive a coordinated Grimm attack. She was around and, well, things would’ve been worse if it weren’t for her.”

It felt pleasant to be spoken of with respect.

“A pleasure to meet you, Albec. As Helios said, you can know me as ‘S’. Can’t give you my full name for privacy reasons, you know.” You kept your gaze locked with his. You wouldn’t turn around or look away. He looked intimidating, of course, but that made it fun. Facing danger face to face, ready to fight no matter what. You couldn’t hide your smile. That was good. More than good.

“Understandable.” He… didn’t engage in the ‘gaze’ duel. If anything, he shifted his gaze again towards Cerise, studying her while ignoring you. After a few brief seconds, his attention shifted back to Helios.

“So…” Albec turned around, walking away from the video call and sitting in a nearby chair in the room he was in. It looked eerily similar to the one you were in. Another Atlasian ‘high-tech’ tent, most likely. “I’m all ears, Helios. You talked about a coordinated Grimm attack?”

“Yes. A horde, to be precise. The casualties were minimal, but they exist, unfortunately. Nearly half the camp is wounded, too. And the state of our defenses and equipment is deplorable. They hit us really hard.” Helios spoke, tired. Casualties? That was awful. “Do you still want us to try and…”

“No. That won’t be necessary. You’re free to pack up and come back to base.” Albec answered, as stoic as a statue. A girl with what seemed to be pinkish hair entered his room, holding a stack of papers and placing them in a nearby bookcase, sorting through them. She glanced at the video call for a moment, then ignored it. “I’m more interested in the nature of our guests. You mentioned she helped you out?”

Talking as if you weren’t there? Rude.

“Yes. She distracted a sizeable part of the horde, essentially diminishing the force with which we were hit.” Helios glanced at you for a moment. Even if he disliked you, he kept things civil and cordial, to an extent at least.

“Excellent. My thanks to you, ‘S’.” Albec’s gaze shifted back onto you. The girl did the same, looking at all of you from the corner of her eyes. “Is it safe to assume that you did that all on your own? Or did your… friend help you?”

File: LaveThapar.png (46.6 KB)

46.6 KB PNG

His attention was fixed on Cerise. Strange. A shame you couldn’t feel his emotions through video calls.

“My friend here is mostly a civilian. I did things on my own.” It was the truth. You bore the front of the assault too, in your own way. You remembered the pain when trying to use your Semblance, the freedom of flying through the air, the strength and agility of a fight… It felt good. You wanted to feel that again as soon as possible.

“Surprising. And dangerous. Handling an entire horde of Grimm on your own is quite risky. Where’s your team, ‘S’? Or are you more of a solo operator?” Albec’s tone of voice was as grumpy and intimidating as before, but his choice of words didn’t feel hostile or anything.

“Unfortunately, I’m a solo operator. I don’t have a team right now. I had one, but…” You remembered fragments of your old days as a Huntress. “Well, things happen, you know?”

“I see. Yes, I understand you completely.” Albec sighed. He didn’t seem that much like a bad guy right now. “I also had my ‘solo’ phase a few years back. When one’s strong enough, one can handle it well enough, but over the years I’ve found that having a team is-”

“Shelly?!” The girl behind Albec dropped a stack of papers, quickly approaching the video call in surprise to get a better look at you with her purple eyes. “Shelly? Is that you?!”

You blinked a few times in disbelief. What? How did that girl know your name? She… she recognized you? But from where?

Both Albec and Helios shared the same surprise as you, keeping quiet. Time seemed to slow down. This felt… uncomfortable.

“Yes, yes! It’s definitely you. Why… how… why are you there? How are you here?!”

You kept looking at her with confusion. You… you didn’t know her, but you felt like you did. She was vaguely familiar. Very vaguely.

> Dice roll! A mix of memory recall + charisma. DC 17, Crit for 24.

Rolled 10, 5, 6 = 21 (3d10)

>>6383508

Rolled 8, 4, 10 = 22 (3d10)

>>6383508

Rolled 10, 10, 5 = 25 (3d10)

>>6383508

>>6383508

The blue tint of the video call made it harder to study her, but you thought you recognized those eyes from somewhere. That hairstyle also seemed vaguely familiar, though not enough to be certain. And the clothes? Atlas-made. Standard whitish-blue uniforms. They would not help you.

Time seemed to condense inside your head as you scrambled to think of a name. Someone who looked like that. It was not easy, not at all, especially with your memories already in such a precarious state, but a name did come to mind. Just the name, but you were fairly certain it was the right one.

“Lave?” You were almost sure it was her, but you asked anyway. If anything, it would buy you a few more seconds to remember who she was. What her connection to you had been, how she could know you.

“Yes, that’s me! I… I thought you left Mistral. Why are you here? Is everything okay? You… don’t look okay.” She raised a finger and pointed at her own eye.

Oh. Right. One of your eyes looked quite awful, even if it worked perfectly.

“Well, I…” You began to speak, but Helios interrupted. Perfect. That gave you more time to gather your thoughts.

“You two know each other?” He glanced at Lave, then back at you, then at her again.

You did. She had been your teammate during your school years and for a while after graduation. Memories surfaced of a village attacked by Grimm, of you defeating a Deathstalker by bringing an entire building down on top of it. Unfortunately, there had been casualties because of your recklessness. Lave had held a grudge against you, and you could not blame her for it. Even if you had not thought much of it back then, the sting of guilt was beginning to feel stronger now.

“We were… teammates at Haven.” Lave answered. Meek, soft, distraught, and probably scared. Your memories of her began to surface in a rush. You did not need your emotional sense to know she carried many bitter memories from those times. She always wanted to save everyone, keep things orderly, avoid secondary casualties, and, above all, protect others.

You had seen her as someone with a weak heart, and you treated her as such. Every time she showed discomfort, you responded coldly, thinking you were doing her a favor by toughening her up. Whatever she was feeling right now, it was not good, and part of you felt she was completely justified in feeling that way.

“We were. We separated because of… unfortunate circumstances.” You said. She heard every word, and your guilt and regret grew with each passing moment. Sure, something had been wrong with you back then, but using that as an excuse for your actions did not feel right.

“I think you mentioned you came from Haven, Lavender. Isn’t that right?” Helios asked, with Albec nodding silently.

“I can attest to that.” Albec said in the same monotone voice. “You mentioned having problems with your previous team. Issues with leadership and… other matters. That’s why you decided to transfer to Atlas, correct?” Lave nodded silently as the awkwardness in the room became thicker.

You had no idea what Lave had said during her transfer, but that word stood out. Leadership. Saying you clashed with her was not entirely accurate. She had always been loyal and obedient, but clearly displeased with how you handled certain operations. Collateral damage was something she abhorred, and something you often ignored.

“I… did make many mistakes as a leader back then.” You could not recall the exact details of what had happened. You only knew they had, because the pain of regret still lingered. “I did things I’m not proud of. I believed that putting the mission first was paramount, and everything else came second.”

Lave lifted her gaze to look at you. She looked… sad. Pained. No matter what you said in this moment, you knew it would not fix what you had done in the past, nor your relationship with her. If anything, the fact that such a kindhearted girl had traveled across an entire kingdom just to get away from you was enough to show how much you had hurt her.

“I know I told you that… I needed time to fix things.” You had left your team because of the constant pressure from Haven and your friends, all telling you to get your head checked. That something was wrong with you. Something not normal. “And yes, I went and… and tried to deal with that. I tried to fix things, but, well, things aren’t going very well, as you can clearly see.” You turned your face slightly, letting your blackish-yellow eye be seen more clearly, along with the veins spreading from your shoulder.

Were you revealing too much? Ah, no matter. For Lave, it was worth it.

“I’d love to say things are better now, Lave, but I’d be lying. If anything, I’m glad to see you again, because it means I have the chance to say this to you. I’m sorry for how awful I was in the past, and I hope you can forgive me for the pain I caused you and others.” You pulled your robe up slightly to cover the veins running along your neck. Many of the words you spoke felt… strange. But part of you felt relieved for having said them.

Lave trembled, trying to wipe one of her eyes with her hand. She rubbed at it again and again, attempting to steady herself. She failed. This time she covered both eyes as she stepped away from the video call, faint whimpers and sobs trailing behind her as she left the room.

You would also be lying if you said you did not share some of that sadness. When was the last time your eyes had watered?

“That’s… rough,.” Helios said after a few seconds of silence. “Were you really that awful of a leader?”

“Helios.” Albec spoke before you could answer, sighing as he scolded him with a glance.

“Right… sorry, erm… Shelly. I shouldn’t have said that. Forgive my rudeness.” He avoided your gaze. He was uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m trying to learn, to change, and to always hope for the better.” A part of your neck throbbed with pain. Discomfort. You weren’t used to this. “I’m… sorry for making Lave cry, Albec. Is she going to be okay?”

“Yes.” He replied, devoid of emotion. “She’s a tough girl. Don’t let her appearance fool you. And for the record, I’m not someone who cares about the past. Only the present. So whatever you did back then is no concern of mine. And about the words you said earlier... I’ve met people twice your age with half your maturity. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Sure…” It felt strange to be complimented. Was that a compliment? It was hard to tell. You were good at controlling your emotions, but you still felt them. Feeling things… would the person you used to be have reacted this way?

“In any case, let me repeat this. Thank you for assisting Helios during the Grimm attack.” Albec stood up and picked up the papers that had fallen earlier. “Someone with your combat prowess and mindset is someone I could really use. I’d like you to come to our main camp as soon as possible, if you’re interested.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Helios spoke again, doubt clear in his voice. He really held a grudge against you, huh? “I mean… won’t the higher-ups in Mantle get mad if we let a rogue Huntress… you know?”

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes. Don’t worry about it, Hel. Pack up as soon as possible and head back here. And also… good job. Albec out.” The call ended abruptly.

“Well… that call took an unexpected turn.” Helios said, inviting a response.

You gave none. You needed to think about whether you had done the right thing with Lave. The moment felt too bittersweet, leaning more towards the bitter.

“In any case, I should point out that Albec rarely compliments people. And he did it twice here, about you. That’s not normal. You impressed him.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Helios. For a moment I thought you wanted me gone because you think I’m trouble or something like that, but you can be okay at times.” Cerise kept watching you, studying your emotions. She seemed worried about your mental state.

“Oh, I definitely still think that. I do think you’re trouble. To be clear between us, I still don’t trust you. Not yet. But I trust Albec, and if he personally invited you to help him, then I’ll respect his decision no matter what. He’s a leader I respect.”

That last part stung.

“So, you don’t respect me as a leader?” You locked eyes with him, and he did not back down.

“No, but that’s because I don’t recognize you as one. I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but not more than that.”

His logic seemed reasonable. And a bit on the dickish side as well.

“So, are you going to take the offer? Work with us for a while? That city is like honey to flies when it comes to attracting Grimm, and as much of a brute as I think you are, we need brutes.”

“Please don’t call me that.” How bothersome he was.

“Fine, fine. Warriors, fighters, knights, whatever it is you people from Mistral like to call yourselves. We need people like you.”

> Accept his offer and return to the main camp with Helios. You would protect him and his soldiers, get a better sense of them, and maybe let them know that you helped them earlier, even if only indirectly.
> Accept his offer, but go on your own. It would be quicker, and you wanted to meet with Albec and Lave as soon as possible. If they truly needed help, you would want to arrive without delay.
> Go to the main camp on your own, but do not accept working for Atlas. You want to meet Lave, talk things through, and then head to the city afterward. Something about it… a feeling that old friends might still be there, waiting for you.
> Other (Write in)

>>6384256
> Go to the main camp on your own, but do not accept working for Atlas. You want to meet Lave, talk things through, and then head to the city afterward. Something about it… a feeling that old friends might still be there, waiting for you.

>>6384256
>Go to the main camp on your own, but do not accept working for Atlas. You want to meet Lave, talk things through, and then head to the city afterward. Something about it… a feeling that old friends might still be there, waiting for you.

>>6384256
>Go to the main camp on your own, but do not accept working for Atlas. You want to meet Lave, talk things through, and then head to the city afterward. Something about it… a feeling that old friends might still be there, waiting for you.

>>6384256

"I'd love to go." You stood up, cracking your neck a bit and stretching your shoulders.

"Excellent. You can stay here and-" Helios started speaking, but you interrupted him.

"But I'm afraid my answer is going to be no." You turned to Cerise to signal her to follow you. Both she and Helios had a look of mild surprise on their faces.

"There's… a particular reason as to why?" Helios spoke, taken aback. It seemed he hadn't expected you to decline his offer.

"There are many. I do want to help, and I appreciate what Atlas is doing. If what Albec said about helping civilians and all that is true, of course. But there are things I have to do in that city. More… personal things." You wanted to talk to Lave, catch up, see how she was doing, and…

…and you also wanted to check on your White Fang friends. Was it… Taylor? Sora? There were other names, but those two stood out above all others. Remembering exactly what you had done with them was impossible, but you felt it, in your heart, in your chest, that you wanted to meet them again.

"Albec isn't going to like that." Helios looked disappointed.

"Good thing I'm not on his payroll. South, you said?"

Helios sighed. "South-east. Well, it was nice meeting you. Work on your manners before we speak again."

"Mind your own fuc-" Cerise started, but you patted her head to calm her down. She stopped herself instantly, understanding the message as she settled.

"I'll take that into consideration. Good luck, Hel. See ya." You started walking outside the high-tech tent with Cerise at your side. As you exited, a few guards turned towards you, raising their automatic rifles and blocking your path.

Helios walked out behind you, lifting his hand with an open palm. The guards lowered their weapons, looking mildly confused. "They're jumpy." He whispered as he walked beside you, raising his voice to explain to his soldiers that you were no trouble.

Well, whatever he said to them was his business. You exited the camp and walked south. The afternoon sun was hot, but at least you had gotten some new clothes. Pretty, uneven, not-exactly-your-size clothes, but it was better than those rags.

"Thank you for not working with them." Cerise spoke softly as the Atlas camp shrank behind you, the two of you walking side by side.

"You're welcome. It was nothing personal, it's just that… I have other matters to attend to. Why do you hate them so much, anyway?"

"I was from there. They discarded me, like they did my brother. They may look like knights in shining white armor with fancy lights, but deep down Atlas is rotten to the core."

Cerise's backstory… you hadn't expected to hear it at this point. Granted, you were more focused on your own memories, and with good reason.

"That sounds like an interesting story."

"It's boring."

"Do you have a better idea of what to do while we make our way to the city?"

Cerise kept quiet for a while, walking forward.

"Do you… want to hear it?"

You shrugged. There was nothing else to do, and it might be a good way to pass the time.

---

You walked for over half an hour. The sun was still blazing overhead, and the heat was, oddly enough, quite nice. Temperature didn’t really bother you much and, if anything, you felt numb to it, though not entirely unpleasantly so.

Cerise, on the other hand, told her story with what you assumed was honesty, though it was clear she preferred to keep the details to herself unless you pressed her on them directly.

Her name was Cerise Watts. She had been a scientist in Atlas, always jealous of her half-brother, a man known as Arthur. She wanted to prove to him that she was smart and capable, but Arthur largely ignored her, treating her more like an acquaintance than family. That had wounded her deeply.

A project Arthur proposed to the council was rejected, and he grew bitter after that. Then, tragically, an accident took his life. With him gone, Cerise had no motivation to keep working for Atlas, and so she decided to return to Mistral and work as a nurse in Haven while she sorted through her grief.

Atlas didn't take kindly to that, leaving Cerise with little choice but to seek help from those who operated outside the law. The Black Sheep family from Kuchinashi answered her call, and well… that was that.

"So… that's why you decided to test those things on me when I was a student there?" You kept walking. In the far, far distance, a vague smudge had appeared on the horizon, at the base of the mountain. Was that the camp?

"Yes. I was under orders, and I believed the results would benefit the scientific community."

"Any particular reason you chose me?"

"You were easy to work with. Plus, your extensive combat background made it plausible for you to be in the infirmary more often than most."

You slowed your pace, straining your eyes and ears to get a read on the camp. No, still too far. You'd have to get closer. At least the large mountain looming ahead was something pretty to look at. Pretty and ominous.

"Thanks. You make me feel special."

"We tested the devices on plenty of other students and a few professors as well. You weren't chosen for any particular reason beyond the ones I mentioned."

"...Now you make me feel less special. And that's awful. Other students? Professors? Really? Did you ever stop to think, even for a moment, that what you were doing was wrong, Cerise?" You wanted to judge her, but it was hard to stay angry given how openly she spoke. You had to remind yourself that she wasn't really alive anymore, which made it all… complicated.

"It was for the betterment of society."

"Of course you'd have an excuse ready. Do you actually believe that? Or did the Black Sheep tell you that?"

"...Both." She spoke a little quieter, a little more hesitant, but she kept talking the more you pressed her. "I knew that... what I was doing was wrong and unethical, but you can't put a leash on science. If I hadn't done it, someone far worse would have taken my place."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that. Victoria told me exactly that, that if I didn't deliver results, she would simply replace me. The implication that she'd kill me if I stepped out of line was something she never really needed to say outloud."

Victoria… Yes, the old woman from the Black Sheep family. You knew about her. "I'm sorry to hear that, Cerise. But still…"

"Don't pity me. I gambled, and I both lost and won in different ways. Life isn't so bad." You found those words ironic, given her strange, purple-tinged skin. Her undead fate was something absolutely horrid, but you weren't going to tell her that. "Besides, Leonardo was a decent boss. A bit jittery and soft, but fair."

"Wait, Leonardo was in on it from the start?" Now this is getting interesting. The headmaster, allowing his students to be experimented on without their consent?

"Not sure. He didn't seem to care much about what I was doing. I'm fairly certain he was aware of some things, but he never pushed me for details."

The possibility of Lionheart being part of this strange conspiracy was an awful thought. A headmaster, one of the pillars of the world, somehow working under the thumb of a sadistic old woman like Victoria?

You really wanted to talk this over with your White Fang friends. Going at it alone was going to take far too much time and effort, and something this important? You needed people you could trust for whatever lay ahead.

A crow flew overhead, gliding towards the now-visible camp at the base of the mountain. It didn't look as heavily defended as the last one, but something else stood out, a feeling, or many of them. Dread. Despair. Sadness. Fear.

And there it was, a large crowd of Mistralian refugees outside, sitting on the dirt with a few guards patrolling at irregular intervals. Without context, you might have mistaken the Atlas soldiers for captors.

"I think we've finally reached the main camp. I can see people there." You also noted, in greater detail, the large metal structures embedded in the mountainside. Industrial elevators and lift systems. You hated elevators, though you couldn't find a good reason why.

"I have a feeling Atlas might be expecting us." Cerise spoke, clearly annoyed.

"Most likely. But I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing." Helios wouldn't stab you in the back, right? Albec had seemed level-headed enough, but the blonde one… You weren't so sure.

"We should blend in with the refugees. The less attention we draw from Atlas, the better."

"That might be harder than it sounds, given what we're wearing." You glanced down at your overflowing sleeves, the mismatched fit around the chest and stomach… though on second thought, maybe that worked in your favor. You could pass for displaced Kuchinashi nobility, perhaps.

"I still have the torn clothes, at least for you. Couldn’t hide mine." Cerise rummaged through her oversized attire and produced the smelly, tattered cloak. "What do you think we should do?"

> Approach as refugees, using both your current clothes and the rags as cover. You would blend in with the crowd and hide Cerise's purple skin as best you could. Atlas knew you were coming and they weren't enemies, but you still preferred to move unnoticed.
> They were expecting you, there was no need to hide. Approach the guards directly and mention your earlier conversation with Albec. The impression you'd made should count for something. Besides, you wanted to find Lave and talk with her.
> Lave… was it really a good idea to seek her out? She had looked pained. Maybe it was too soon for both of you. It might be better to come back another day, once the dust had settled. Skip the camp entirely and head straight for the elevators. Reach the city first.
> Other (Write in)

>>6387408
>They were expecting you, there was no need to hide. Approach the guards directly and mention your earlier conversation with Albec. The impression you'd made should count for something. Besides, you wanted to find Lave and talk with her.

>>6387408
>They were expecting you, there was no need to hide. Approach the guards directly and mention your earlier conversation with Albec. The impression you'd made should count for something. Besides, you wanted to find Lave and talk with her.

>>6387408
>They were expecting you, there was no need to hide. Approach the guards directly and mention your earlier conversation with Albec. The impression you'd made should count for something. Besides, you wanted to find Lave and talk with her.

>>6387408

"We can simply present ourselves." What was there to fear? These guys weren't enemies. You really doubted a stuck-up military so obsessed with discipline would treat someone they considered a friend that way.

"That's an awful idea. We should go and pretend we're refugees." Cerise's retort carried the slightest feeling of annoyance.

"Oh? Defying me again?" Her, defying your orders? Showing some sense of self? You had no idea how to feel about it. Maybe it was a good thing. Maybe there was a way to cure her.

"No. I'm just looking out for you. Atlas are snakes and…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You hate Atlas. Look, trust me, alright?" You kept walking, Cerise slowly picked up the pace to stay close. She looked frustrated. Maybe going against her wishes was helping her regain some sense of autonomy.

---

Not even ten or fifteen minutes had passed and you were already near the outskirts of the camp. It was… different from the one Helios was leading. The outside resembled a makeshift city of sorts. Scattered stalls, people milling about, soldiers patrolling in high-tech armor and carrying rifles. And the main camp? It looked like a miniature futuristic city, a stark contrast to the improvised slums where some of the refugees were living. How ironic.

A soldier near the gate of the main camp walked toward you. This one stood out from the others slightly, mostly cause by a red bandana tied to his right shoulder. He raised a palm, signaling you to stop.

"Too close. We have no available resting spots. There's an overflow of elderly and children. Please turn back." A… female voice spoke. She carried some authority, most likely a sergeant or squad leader.

"I've come on business, actually. I spoke with Albec moments ago and…" You started to speak as the soldier glanced between you and Cerise.

But your instincts flared up. Danger.

You pulled Cerise behind you, shielding her as you raised your 'normal' arm just as the soldier leveled her rifle at you. A few refugees and even some guards flinched, yelping as the others lifted their weapons and took aim.

"Why do you have an infected one following you?" The female sergeant kept her rifle trained on you, not Cerise. So… she recognized you were the dangerous one. Smart.

"Let's not turn to violence." You said as a few of the Atlas soldiers began to move. Even surrounded, you were sure you could take them. But Cerise? She was just a civilian and, as harsh as it sounded, a hindrance at this exact moment. If a shootout broke out, protecting her wouldn't be easy. "I spoke with Albec moments ago, please, let's-"

"I'm going to ask again. Why do you have an infected one following you?" She pressed her cheek closer to the scope on her assault rifle. A stubborn one, huh?

"She's with me. Is there a problem?" What were they doing with these so-called 'infected'? Were there more people like Cerise? Strange, but it made sense. The girl who had 'revived' you was surely behind it. Was she doing this to others as well?

"Yes, there is. Please hand her over, for both your safety and ours." The sergeant began moving forward, almost as though you had already agreed to her terms.

No. Fuck that.

You moved your hand towards your-

A shot. The sergeant pulled the trigger, aiming at your right side, where your concealed saber was. She aimed at the ground, though. A warning shot. How did she...? You had barely moved your hand, and your weapon was concealed. Those were some damned sharp reflexes.

"Try that again and the next one will land. Now please, hand her over."

You froze. This wasn't expected, not at all. All the guards were riled up. Time for a quick head count. Two, three… six guards. Three to your left, three to your right, with the sergeant in the middle. Of course. She kept walking forward, eager to take Cerise.

No. You would not allow that. What could you do? Shit. Maybe there was no other choice. Maybe you had to show your Grimm arm. Would that help? In combat, absolutely, but it would ruin your reputation. A Grimm arm was something far, far from trustworthy.

You could also try to fight without revealing it. Much harder, fighting with only one hand while keeping the other concealed and protecting Cerise at the same time. But… it could be done. Running away was another option.

You…

> Maybe it was best to use your Grimm arm. If the sergeant moved any closer, you could use your abnormal speed and strength to overpower her and throw her back
> Or maybe it was better to limit yourself to one arm. Harder, but…

The sergeant stopped dead, sudden panic surging from her entire body. She jumped back, putting distance between you while whispering "What the fuck…" to herself.

Huh?

"Do… do you have another concealed weapon on you?" She asked, surprised and clearly shaken.

What? What was she doing?

"What… what do you mean?" Confusion flooded through you, and it was obvious she was feeling something similar. You hadn't done anything. You'd only been thinking, weighing your options, trying to choose the best decision. You had barely moved. Did… did she read your mind?

"Please take out both of your weapons and lay them on the ground. You're dangerous." She raised her rifle again, hands trembling for just a moment, but then the nervousness vanished, snuffed out like a flame.

No. She hadn't read your mind. If she had, she would have asked about your arm. Instead, she thought you had two weapons, which was… partially right, but mostly wrong.

File: Ylva.png (177.5 KB)

177.5 KB PNG

"Ylva! Stand down! I think she's telling the truth!" One of the soldiers near the back called out, a hand pressed to the side of his helmet, a call coming in. "Albec's orders!"

Sergeant Ylva glanced to the side briefly, but kept her sights trained on you. She raised a hand and pressed a button on the side of her helmet. "Patch me through," she whispered, and a muffled voice crackled through in response.

Slowly, she began to lower her weapon, but her gaze never left you. "Your name is Shelly, right?"

"…Yes. Yes it is." You remained on guard. You had no idea what to expect now. Things were looking up, yes, but what had just happened wasn't easy to process.

The sergeant reached up and pulled her helmet off, locking eyes with you again. She was middle-aged, with short blonde hair. She looked… fine. Normal. A little rough around the edges. Her eyes were light blue, a mole sitting just beneath the right one, and her expression was… sad. Pained, yet her tone remained as commanding, hostile and cold as before.

She turned away, rifle in one hand, helmet tucked under her other arm. You didn't follow. What was she expecting?

"Are you going to stand there? Come." She glanced back. Her mannerism was… strange. The guards looked a little confused as well, but none of them said a word. They just stood there, scared, waiting for orders. You could feel it in them through your new sense.

And Cerise? She was clutching your clothes with everything she had. Scared. Breathing fast, on the edge of a quiet breakdown. You'd had no room to focus on her while all of this was unfolding.

It had shaken her badly, making her feel rattled and uncomfortable.

And that? That made you angry.

> Follow this so-called Ylva, but not before taking a moment with Cerise. You would not let her be taken. They had neither the power nor the authority, and if they dared try anything? You would answer in kind, and with violence.
> Refuse. You wanted answers first. What was this? What kind of way was this to treat someone? If they wanted to talk, they could do it on your terms. You would not bow your head to them. Maybe everything Cerise had said about Atlas was right after all.
> Forget it. Refuse, and demand an apology. Whoever this Ylva woman was, you wouldn't stand for this. You would not. You. Would. Not. Deep in your chest you felt it. That thrill, that pull towards danger. You could rein it in if you wanted, but you didn't want to. Challenge her openly. Words or weapons, it didn't matter. You would win either way, and put her in her place.
> Other (Write in)

>>6390213
>Refuse. You wanted answers first. What was this? What kind of way was this to treat someone? If they wanted to talk, they could do it on your terms. You would not bow your head to them. Maybe everything Cerise had said about Atlas was right after all.

>>6390213
>Refuse. You wanted answers first. What was this? What kind of way was this to treat someone? If they wanted to talk, they could do it on your terms. You would not bow your head to them. Maybe everything Cerise had said about Atlas was right after all.

>>6390213
>Refuse. You wanted answers first. What was this? What kind of way was this to treat someone? If they wanted to talk, they could do it on your terms. You would not bow your head to them. Maybe everything Cerise had said about Atlas was right after all.

(Completely mb for late response, I’ve been extremely sick as of recently, but here it is!)

>>6390213

You patted Cerise gently on the head, calming her down. Her grip on your clothes loosened a little, but she was still shaken. You would not let those Atlas thugs take her. Even if they were fragile allies, if they decided to act like this, you wouldn't stand for it.

"No. I'm not going to follow you." You stood up again, fingers brushing the handle of your saber at your hip, just enough of a hint for the soldiers standing in front of you.

Ylva was quiet for a brief moment, studying you. Then she turned and walked towards you again, frustration obvious across her face. She had a firm grip on her rifle, and she pulled her helmet back on. "Are you refusing an order?"

"Order? Was that an order?" You asked in genuine confusion. The way she had worded it made it sound like nothing more than a… suggestion. One you didn't take, given how rude and untrustworthy this whole situation felt.

"It is now." She lifted her chin, the visor fixing on you as she raised the rifle again. "Please stand down and follow, or I'll be forced to engage. And get away from the infected one. I'm out of patience with you."

Out of patience? Just because you told her 'no' once? She was pushing you, and the thought of starting a fight with her had crossed your mind already. But no, you would not resort to violence unless it was absolutely necessary. You had control over yourself.

"And if I say no, what exactly are you going to do? Attack me? That won't end well for either of us." You kept your hand on the handle of your weapon. You even let your coat shift in the wind, letting it reveal itself slightly. She already knew you were armed, but the other soldiers might not. Showing them you meant business was the smart play. Let them stay out of this.

"I'll do whatever it takes to keep the peace, and an insolent child who can't respect their superiors is exactly the kind of thing I will not tolerate. Besides…" She clicked something on her rifle and its tip began to glow faintly. Atlas tech always had a certain flair to it. "It is in your best interest not to start a fight right now. Especially not against me."

She had no real Huntress weapon. Only the rifle, maybe some grenades on her belt, and a few knives alongside them. Very old school. Very standard. But a Semblance? That was unusual. Maybe Atlas did things differently.

"I'm trying to de-escalate. I came here looking to speak with your commanding officer, and you're trying to twist this into something violent." Part of you wanted exactly that, wanted her to pull the trigger, but you had to hold the moral high ground. "By treating a visitor who came in good faith this way, you're staining Atlas's reputation."

That… made her angry. She didn't show it, but you felt it in the flame burning within her. Still, the fact that her composure didn't crack made it clear she had a solid sense of self-control. To an extent, at least.

"Last chance. Put your weapons down and step away from the infected one, or I'll consider this a crime against our authority." She aimed directly at your face. You could react the moment she pulled the trigger. She was trying to intimidate you.

"Authority under whose orders?" You kept pushing back, refusing to yield. You would not stand for this. If it came to a fight? Well, that wouldn't be on you.

"The government of Atlas and the Mistralian Council. We came here with a mission, and you're obstructing it by protecting that-"

The tall doors behind Ylva burst open without warning, cutting her off as Albec and Lave walked out. Albec looked irate while Lave scrambled to match his pace behind him.

"What is the meaning of this? Ylva?" He spoke as he carried a large cylinder across his back, most likely his Huntsman weapon in some kind of sheath. Lave was… unarmed. She had a new pair of communication devices fitted around her head, perhaps, but beyond that she didn't look ready for any kind of confrontation.

Ylva went quiet. She hesitated, you could feel it, yet her sights stayed fixed on you. Albec sighed and stepped closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and whispering something. Your enhanced hearing caught it clearly.

"Stand down. It wasn't your fault. Go rest."

"But sir-"

"No buts. I'm taking over from here. You don't need to worry about this."

Ylva slowly lowered her rifle, though her visor lingered on you a moment longer. Then she turned and walked back through the doors as if nothing had happened. Albec stepped forward, while Lave held her ground, eyes shifting between Ylva's retreating figure and you.

"My apologies. She's on edge. We all are. It's been a rough few days." Albec spoke with both hands clasped behind his back, standing before you. He was tall, broad-shouldered, imposing, and he wasn't even trying. He simply… looked like that.

"Even so, having a subordinate behave like that reflects poorly on your team and your people. What would your colleagues think about this? Or the people of Mistral?" You wanted to vent your frustration at him. But you held back. You were no longer a child. You had to keep yourself composed, show some restraint.

"I'm aware." He watched Ylva disappear through the doors, exhaling slowly. "And for your information, she is part of our team, so she does have the authority to issue orders to our people. You, however, are not one of us, so no, that doesn't apply to you."

Lave began drifting closer as Ylva vanished from sight. She was… avoiding eye contact, but she moved nearer all the same. Hesitant, nervous, unsure of herself. Her posture said it all.

"She's… part of your team? As in, she's a Huntress?" That explained more than a few things.

Albec nodded. "Thank you for not letting that escalate into a fight. I'll make a point to speak with her when she's in a better place, so nothing like this happens again. I assume you came to discuss our cooperation effort?"

"Yes. And about that, I'll have to decline." You paused, choosing your words carefully. "It's not that I object to what you're doing here, even if I've had some unpleasant run-ins with your teammates…" Both Helios and Ylva came to mind. "…but I have things I need to take care of in the city first. Personal matters. I hope you understand."

"I do, and that's perfectly reasonable. That said, if you need anything, we'll be around for a while. I can't share too much, though. Atlas orders."

Lave glanced at you, then quickly looked away the moment she realized you'd noticed.

"Would you be open to having our medics take a look at your eye? We also have a team of professionals looking into people with the… same condition as your friend." His gaze shifted briefly to Cerise, still tucked behind you.

> You were more interested in what was happening in the city. If he had information about the situation there, this so-called 'infection', you might be willing to agree to his terms, at least temporarily. Just long enough to learn more about what was really going on in Kuchinashi.
> Whatever was behind the 'undead' epidemic or the flood of refugees pouring out of the city, you could investigate on your own. Lave, though, was a different matter. You wanted to talk with her. Maybe catch up.
> Albec's help wasn't necessary. Keeping things cordial with Atlas was enough, and as for Lave, you could exchange Scroll IDs and talk later. Don't force it. Right now, getting into the city was your priority. Maybe Albec could help with that. And if he couldn't? Well, you'd find your own way in.
> Other (Write in)

>>6394171
>You were more interested in what was happening in the city. If he had information about the situation there, this so-called 'infection', you might be willing to agree to his terms, at least temporarily. Just long enough to learn more about what was really going on in Kuchinashi.

>>6394171
>You were more interested in what was happening in the city. If he had information about the situation there, this so-called 'infection', you might be willing to agree to his terms, at least temporarily. Just long enough to learn more about what was really going on in Kuchinashi.

>>6394171
>You were more interested in what was happening in the city. If he had information about the situation there, this so-called 'infection', you might be willing to agree to his terms, at least temporarily. Just long enough to learn more about what was really going on in Kuchinashi.

>>6394171

"Thanks a lot for your offer, Albec, but I'll have to decline." Your gaze shifted to Lave for a moment. She kept avoiding your eyes. "Unfortunately, we both met under slightly unfortunate circumstances. Plus, the things I have to do in the city are of really high priority. To me, at least. If you could share information about it, I'd be very grateful."

"We can discuss that, to an extent. Please follow me to my office so that we-" You cut him off, lifting your hand as he fell silent.

"Not to be rude, Albec, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your offer.”

He looked puzzled, then composed himself. "You don't trust us."

You kept quiet. What was there to say? He was right. You didn't trust them. You also didn't lie. You had things to do there, but it would be rude to tell him about the trust issue directly.

"We haven't given you enough reason to trust us." He followed his last sentence.

"Correct." You nodded to his words. Lave glanced at you again, turning her face to the side. You felt her feelings. She was experiencing doubt, fear, regret. It was obvious she didn't want to talk. You wouldn't engage with her if she felt this way.

"Well. A shame. I'll talk with my team so that matters like this don't happen again. My apologies. I would've really liked a local to help us."

Lave was kind of a local. She was born here. How odd that he didn't mention her.

"So... for the city, what information can you share with me?"

"It's a mess. There's a famine, the water supply is mostly infected with an unknown pathogen that's hard to neutralize, close to a fifth of the city is destroyed and uninhabitable, and there's basically no law enforcement. How people live there is beyond my knowledge."

So the city was basically in shambles. Refugees were exiting, being relocated with Atlas help under Mistral's supervision.

"What about the Black Sheep? The criminal syndicate." You had a hunch, but you still wanted to be sure.

"Oh, so you're aware of them. We've found only traces of them. If they're in there, they're in hiding." He showed restraint. He found it bothersome talking about this.

"They're quite a headache, right?" You chuckled, trying to ease the situation with humor. How effective would small talk be with an experienced Huntsman from Atlas?

"For sure. I'm surprised you know of them. Your personal matters that you have to deal with while inside the city are related to them, I assume?"

"You assume correctly. The criminal landscape of Kuchinashi was the only branch holding it together." Now, to lead him to talk more about the White Fang. "Which factions are running things now?"

"Hard to tell. They're all fighting amongst themselves, seeking to fill the vacuum of power, but we've seen elements from the Black Sheep family, the ones known as the Spider, and we've also seen some White Fang masks here and there." Albec spoke, listing the thoughts in his head. "I'd tell you more, but I would be infringing the rules of my contract. I'm only sharing this because I feel a vague kinship between us."

"I can work with that. Thanks a lot, Albec, for the help. For reaching the city..." The air definitely felt calmer now. Cerise wasn't willing to leave your side, but her breathing was more relaxed.

"We have some guards stationed at an elevator that was recently fixed. I'll tell them you're coming. Are you sure you don't want to... pass the time here first? Talk a bit with your... friend?"

At the word 'friend,' Lave reeled back a bit. The discomfort she felt was palpable. You wouldn't push her.

"I would love to, but not right now. I don't want you to feel bad, Lave, but I would for sure like to catch up sometime in the future. As long as you're okay with it. What do you think?" You offered a gentle smile even when the pressure in your chest felt awful.

Lave looked at you for a moment, and she tried to force her eyes to keep looking at you. She was struggling to do so. She nodded once, but then her eyes turned away. You hadn't heard her voice all this time, except during the video call.

Maybe it was best to leave this reunion for the future.

"You have a Scroll on you? We can provide you one should you need help with something inside that place." Albec spoke once again.

Cerise's grasp on your clothing felt tighter as you spoke. "I do not, but I would gladly accept one."

"Very well. I will instruct the guards to allow you safe passage up into the city. If there's nothing else to add, I would like to say my goodbyes. Good luck, Shelly." Albec walked away, but surprisingly enough, Lave remained in place, looking at you. She kept quiet, watching you.

There was an awkward silence between you two. Even Albec seemed stunned, looking back and slowing down as he noticed the light-haired girl take a step forward, closer to you.

"Lavender." Her hands fidgeted with the pair of electronics at the side of her head as she heard your voice. You felt... a bit detached. You couldn't find the right words to say.

"Did you really mean those things?" she asked suddenly. "The things you said, well, in the call?"

"Of course I do." You answered without thinking. It was the truth. "I'm sorry for everything that happened. I do want to connect eventually, but I don't want to force you to do something you don't want."

"I... that seems like a good idea. It's nice to know that you're alive."

If only she knew what had happened to you.

"I can say the same. After I'm done with this... thing I have to do, let's have a talk, just to catch up. What do you say?"

"Yeah..." Whatever she was feeling inside her chest, that 'fire' she had vanished. You couldn't sense positive emotions, only negative ones, so this was good news. "I would like that." Lave walked back a bit, looking at you and then walking alongside Albec. When the doors were closing behind them, you caught the glimpse of... both of them holding hands for a moment.

...Oh.

"Can we leave now?" Cerise whispered at your side. "I don't like these guards. They're looking at me weird."

"Right, right. Let's leave." You walked to the left, ready to circle the encampment as you kept looking at the now-closed doors of the large compound, with a few of the guards glancing in your direction every so often.

---

After nearly some minutes of walking around the allowed perimeter, you ended up at the base of the mountain. Large columns of metal filled with cables, cogs, and lights supported a large metallic platform that went up and down. Atlas personnel were around it, including some of the more usual turrets, security cams, and even some 10-foot mech suits with gatling guns instead of arms.

"Quite the heavy security for what can be considered only an 'extraction' mission, don't you think, Cerise?"

"Atlas loves to show strength. That's their way of causing fear in others."

And security, yet there was no point in trying to convince her. Albec promised you safe passage, so there was no need to hide or act suspicious. You just... walked, approaching the elevator from the sides as some guards lifted their rifles, aiming at you, something that you'd started to notice was their standard first reaction to everything.

"Halt. Name?" A guard followed by a six-man squadron approached, lifting his palm as he lowered his weapon.

You sighed. "Shelly." This was the fourth time you'd been asked this, always by guards stopping you. They always spoke to someone on their visor and then let you walk. This guard did the same.

"You're authorized to pass. Boss asked us to give you this." He searched his uniform, taking out what appeared to be a shiny new Scroll with clear Atlas manufacture and details, white and blue. "Please follow us."

You grabbed the Scroll, opening its high-tech screen and looking at it. It felt... comfortable to use. It was fast, efficient, and very practical. Definitely an upgrade compared to the one you'd had in the past. You kept looking at it, its interface, its options, the contacts it had...

> Dice roll. This time, it is different. Taking the SECOND best result while ignoring the best one. Three votes, 3d10, DC 17, Crit 22.

Rolled 9, 10, 4 = 23 (3d10)

>>6397311

Rolled 10, 5, 6 = 21 (3d10)

>>6397311

Rolled 1, 10, 7 = 18 (3d10)

>>6397311