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Chapter 36: Every-day Life
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Because Myriad was a famous and wealthy combat school, their facilities were pretty exceptional. An ever-changing obstacle course, weightlifting, and sparing matches never left the kids bored. Training was adequate but was rather easy for Robin and the others. Since they were already so far ahead, they didn't really learn any new techniques. Instead, the group set to refine their skills.
Robin, in particular, started reading in the library. Some of the things he learned included various computer skills and programming languages. Thanks to his constant reading, Robin gained a new skill.
HackWith your increase of knowledge, your class has granted you the ability to hack any device. Upon activation, your aura will act as a guide that will walk you through on how to gain access in the device. The tougher the security, the more aura it requires to hack. The more you learn about hacking and the more often you use this skill, the less aura it requires.
Cost: --- Aura
= ...My class really is broken. Although, this definitely gives a new meaning to knowledge is power. =
The days passed by rather quickly. They got a new Coach named Jack who was rather harsh in their training. He seemed to enjoy their suffering in his lessons, so he continued to make training longer and more difficult with every week that past by. Raven came back once every week to take the quiz or test Mrs. Veranda would give them. What Robin found interesting was her hatred for the new teacher.
“Why do you hate him? Do you know him?” he had asked.
“No,” she said. “He looks nothing like the guy I despise, but I can't shake this feeling for some reason.”
Raven would come and go just like that. Every time, she came back stronger, which only motivated Robin to train even more. The actual school part was rather easy for them. Learning was so boring that the group began to skip and take more missions as well. They would head out and rent a car before driving themselves to areas outside the kingdom to hunt Grimm. Upon returning, they would rest and participate in faunus protests.
Robin, Blake, and Adam were pretty lively during the protests. They held signs they made themselves and stood in the rallies while listening to the speeches that were made. Alex Fexlar was very inspirational. More faunuses joined the White Fang every day. Eventually, entire blocks began to be filled to the brim with each protest, but that only led to police arriving to break them up. The lack of results was something that was a bit concerning.
“We need to do more!” a faunus yelled.
He was Jason Cruzel, a bear faunus and the second in command of the White Fang. Currently, all the major members were at a meeting inside a warehouse. Robin and the others had been attending all the protests. In addition, their strength had become well known among the faunus community which led them to become included in the meetings.
“No, Jason.” Alex said. “We will keep going like always.”
“Keep going?! We have been protesting for years, Alex. What has it achieved for us other than the police showing up to tell us to knock it off? Tell me, Alex!”
“We have been protesting for some time, yes I will admit.” Alex nodded. “But that shows our never-ending spirit for justice and for what is right. We must show them that we are not the monsters they make us out to be.”
“That will get us nowhere! While we sit here and decide to once again meet up on yet another day to protest on yet another issue, our comrades are doing the same jobs, with the same CONDITIONS that they have always been in! This is the moment where we have to show them we aren't just some animals they can push around.”
“And how do you suppose we do that? Violence? Retaliation?” Alex questioned.
“If it comes down to it, then yes.”
“Don't you see that's exactly what they want us to do?”
“Alex we've been doing the same thing for 4 years. How do you expect to get different results when you use the same methods? That's insanity!”
“What's insane is that you expect for me to consent to acts of violence that could hurt, maybe even kill innocent people.”
“We need to change our methods, Alex. If you can't see something like that, then I don't know what to say to you!”
Jason stood up and walked out the door. As the door slammed shut, the room was filled with silence. Alex adjourned the meeting and the kids went back to school. On the bus, they began talking among themselves.
“What do you think is gonna happen now?” Conner asked.
“I don't know.” Robin said. “I think Jason and Alex might be competing for leadership for the White Fang soon.”
“Do you think we're going to be doing violent stuff from now on?” Blake asked nervously.
“I think that's fine.” Adam said.
“Why do you say that?” Ophelia asked.
“We tried protesting peacefully already. Since that didn't work, we have to try something else. It makes perfect sense.”
“And that means destroying property and hurting people physically?” Amy asked while scrunching her eyebrows together. “No thank you.”
“Are you quitting on us?” Adam accused while looking straight at her. The two of them never got along and their conflicting views certainly didn't help.
“Nope. I'm not into the whole hurting people idea. If they start doing stuff like hurting others, I'm out.”
“Amy..” Ophelia started but was interrupted by Adam.
“Traitor! Us faunus have to stick together. If we don't, the humans will just step on us again and again.”
“Hey I'm not part of your Team COBRA or whatever. I do my own thing. You guys are nice and all, but I'm not into hurting innocent people.”
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Adam was about to blow his lid, but Robin stepped in between them to calm them down.
“Whoa, calm down. She has every right to leave when she wants. We talked her into joining the White Fang anyway.”
“And what about you, Robin? Are you gonna betray us too?”
The group looked at him while Robin began to formulate his answer. He had given this point a lot of thought on the bus ride.
“...I think it's perfectly normal to want to only want to do things peacefully...but I also believe that sometimes it's best to take it a step further. I'm not stupid enough to believe that words can alone change the way people think.”
“See?” Adam looked at Amy with a triumphant look.
“However, that doesn't mean it's ok to hurt innocent bystanders.” Robin added.
“Ha!” Amy returned.
“So what do we do?” Blake questioned.
“I'm going to stay in the White Fang. I'll see what kind of stuff they will do before deciding anything.”
Amy scoffed and said.
“Sorry, I'm gone the moment they change. I don't want anything to do with that.”
Adam looked at the rest of them, waiting for their response.
“Didn't you say we were a team Ophelia?” he said. “That teams stick together?”
The three of them exchanged looks but nodded.
“We'll stay.”
The group got off the bus and walked back to the dorms in silence. A rift seemed to be created between them like no other. When the boys got back to their room, they sank into bed completely exhausted. Robin couldn't sleep so he turned on the T.V. and listened to the news.
“The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information about his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department.”
Upon staring at the picture, Robin was astonished to recognize the man as the one he had seen in prison.
= Wow. So he was a big shot. Stealing Dust? No wonder Dust prices are getting so high right now. Ugh. What a pain. Couldn't you steal anything else? =
Robin spoke towards the man in his mind, knowing full well he couldn't be heard. Meanwhile, in another location, two people were chatting across the phone.
*Is the device ready yet, Doctor?
“Oh give me some more time. We're just about finished. Then we'll need to test it as well.”
*How long will that take?
“Well that depends on the results. It could be another month or so. We also need more test subjects that can survive the experiments. Strong kids are rather hard to come by you know.”
*I'll handle that. You make sure you get that device working by the time I send another batch of kids over. Madam will not be pleased with your progress.
As the one referred to as Doctor hung up the phone, he threw it against the wall which smashed it to pieces.
= Madam this, Madam that! Who does she think she is anyway? =
The man began pacing quickly across the hideout. As he approached a room, he passed by cells that contained Grimm and slaves that were illegally purchased and captured.
= I was supposed to be the one in charge of the Eden Project. Not that blonde slut, Udane. It was MY genius that created these guys and it'll be thanks to ME that the device gets finished. But first.. =
After entering in a code, he entered a cell. Inside was a women of a short stature hung by chains wrapping around her arms and legs. Her hair was two different colors that split down the middle of of her head. One side was pink and the other was brown. Her clothes were ragged from fighting and were unwashed. Upon the man's entrance, she opened and looked at him with her eyes. Just like her hair, her eyes were two different colors, giving her a bizarre presence.
“Hello Neo.” the Doctor said.
She smiled wryly at him.
“No need to be so condescending. Don't you understand what position you're in?”
The woman just smiled and made the old man annoyed.
“You were my best work. All those years ago, my research broke through and proved it was possible to implant Dust into humans. You were going to be the pinnacle of greatness, but you just had to run off with that stupid thief and cause us some trouble now didn't you.”
The man walked closer to her and asked her in a threatening voice.
“The research you stole has set us back for so long. Now, where is it?”
She didn't speak a word. The everlasting expression made her look like a doll.
“Where is it!!”
Neo moved her finger and indicated for him to come closer. When the Doctor leaned towards her face, she spat on him.
“Ugh!” Wiping away the spit, the Doctor looked at her with scorn.
“Fine if that's how you want to be, that's fine with us. We lose nothing without the research anyhow. Instead, I'll drain you of your blood instead. I'm sure testing your body will provide more than enough details about the results.”
The change of her expression was evident. The prospect of those experiments continuing once more struck fear into her heart. The old man walked out of the room and pressed a button. As the doors closed behind him, his mind became fixated on his goal.
= I'll show them-- all of them. That this Doctor will be the creator of the perfect race ever to exist! Grimm, humans, faunus. All shall bow down to the brilliance of Doctor Frank Victorian! =
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Transition still feels weird to me. I'm gonna be editing that. Other than that, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I think I'll go for one more today. Rate, comment, enjoy! Thanks for reading!
ps. Roman Torchwick and Neo Politan
I hope somebody gets the Frankenstein reference.