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Nevertheless, the knocking on the door continued again. Three times, as always. A rough male voice could be heard at the other side. Rufus, the man that currently has a speck of a lead for more answers, is currently standing up from his depressing room and walking to open the door. Sulking.

He’s not really that bad of a man, you think. This pains him, its obvious by the way he walks in a half-assed manner, looking at the ground, waiting to be stopped.

And indeed, stopped he was. By your arm. Even as he towered over you by at least one and a half heads, he was still a civilian (Most likely), and far away from his prime days.

Honest people should not feel this way.

You grabbed the handle of the door, sliding it to the side with such force that it almost slammed. On the other side was a group of seven… bandits? Thugs? Mafiosos? Yeah, lets go with a mafia. They all had well made clothes, suits, shirts, and they weren’t exactly dirty. Not your ordinary lowlifes.

The man in front of you recoiled in surprise, almost stumbling back yet still on his feet. He looked at you with a quickly changing expression. Surprise, rage, they were all there. You even felt a tiny bit of amusement due to this. Were you smirking? Hard to tell.

“W-who the hell are you? Where’s Rufus?” the man said, moving closer to you furiously. He had the same tuxedo as the others, a black short hat, beard and orange sunglasses. Any more clenching from his teeth and they would break, you’re sure of that.

“He’s currently not available. Now its my turn to ask something. Why the hell were you all following us?” You answered back with the same anger on your tone of voice. You weren’t sure, but people that usually tailed you almost never had good intentions.

“And why the hell do you care, kid?! You’re absolutely in no position to ask anything OR make demands. Now piss off somewhere else before we…” he continued. You quickly interrupted him, matching his violent tone of voice with yours, feeling the handle of your two swords near your hip.

“Before you what?! Go on, tell me! Push me, I dare you!” you leaned forward, almost as the same time as them. A few clocks of guns could be heard from the people at the back of this. The man in front of you, instead of backing down, decide to move closer to you, inches away from your forehead.

(2/?)

A soft and warm feeling could be felt on top of your left shoulder. It was Rufus. His sulking expression didn’t change at all. “Don’t worry, kid. I’ll take it from here. There’s no need for more violence. No more, please.”

“Rufus, you’re alive! Thank goodness. Now care to tell this bratty child to play with some dolls or something? You and me have business to discuss. The serious and unpleasant kind.” The man in front of you said with clear vile on his tone of voice, spitting to the side. If looks could kill…

>Let the man and Rufus discuss whatever they have to discuss, but stay close. His protection was important. And you could use your enhanced hearing if anything suspicious was cooking.
>Insist on being present on the conversation. You would not let this man intimidate the kind soul that was inside. You feared for his safety, after all.
>As much as you hated being against the wishes of the big man, it would be better to just send the thugs away. Maybe if they knew how dangerous you could be they would live both of you alone.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6049685
>Insist on being present on the conversation. You would not let this man intimidate the kind soul that was inside. You feared for his safety, after all.

>>6049685
>Let the man and Rufus discuss whatever they have to discuss, but stay close. His protection was important. And you could use your enhanced hearing if anything suspicious was cooking.

>>6049685
>Let the man and Rufus discuss whatever they have to discuss, but stay close. His protection was important. And you could use your enhanced hearing if anything suspicious was cooking.

>>6049685
>Let the man and Rufus discuss whatever they have to discuss, but stay close. His protection was important. And you could use your enhanced hearing if anything suspicious was cooking.

QM?

>>6049685

“Not to be rude or anything but…” Rufus started talking to you, almost as if he felt shame by asking you something you already knew was coming. His hand on your shoulder felt fatherly somehow.

“Don’t worry. I get it. I’ll stay outside so that I can make sure nothing bad happens to you. And don’t worry, insults coming from a man-child hardly bother me at all. We need to grow out of that phase, right?” You answered somewhat loudly, making sure the man with the sunglasses heard you.

You heard his knuckles crack. Probably in rage. Hilarious. You couldn’t help but smirk.

“Good. Now, princess, step asid-“ the man started giving out oders, moving his hand towards your shoulder. You slapped his hand away easily, interrupting him to assert your dominance of the situation. “Now, my bearded toddler, step aside. And you better behave. If I hear even a whisper of violence in there then trust me, I will make sure you get in contact with the local doctor as fast as possible, you and your goons.”

The man was furious, clenching his teeth. Yet by what appeared to be a miracle he didn’t lunge at you, instead moving inside while bumping your shoulder. You counted this as a victory to a certain extent. The other thugs clearly didn’t like you that much, but for now at least things appeared to be civil. Not like you felt in any kind of danger or anything, but picking fights with the locals here and there didn’t seem as the most astute move.

You decided to lean against the wall of the building as its door closed. Some of the other thugs ignored you, yet three of them clearly couldn’t help but inspect you from afar. They were pointing with their fingers while snickering between them. You heard their whispers easily. “You think she’s her? I mean, she’s identical…”

So, they recognized you. You decided to turn your face towards them. Your head was still hurting a tiny bit due to your hangover, so you didn’t have that much of patience to being with. Your index finger touched your lips, as if quieting them, and a little tap of the swords on your hips sent a clear message. You didn’t want to be bothered. Specially by them.

They looked at the side, unwilling to meet your gaze. At least your fame was helping you somewhat. Nevertheless, you had more important things to do, like hearing the conversation inside. You closed your eyes, focusing your hearing at the wall behind you.

(1/?)

The words were difficult to hear. The hushed tones, together with the windowless and closed room clearly damped your Faunus hearing, yet some broken sentences could be heard here and there with enough attention.

“…many times must we… Rufus. This… dangerous for both you and us. What if… … …me in the eyes, alright?” Was the voice of the man with the sunglasses. Weirdly enough his tone of voice was almost gentle, yet it still carried the sense that this was a scold of some sorts.

“Yeah, yeah… its just that, she reminded me of…” Rufus answered, still sadness on his tone of voice.

“I know but… …I’ll have to tell him, you know that?”

Silence reigned over a few seconds. Unnerving.

“…if they meet, Zag? Maybe she’s interested in…” Rufus broke the silence. Zag, apparently his name, answered somewhat louder.

“Absolutely not. The last thing we need is attention. I mean, look at her, its obvious she’s a huntress, that’s dangerous enough. And not only that, but almost half the people in the city have seen her face. Do you even watch the advertisements out there?! Don’t you know who she is?!”

“I must admit, my eyesight isn’t as good as it was, not since the accident. Sorry.”

A loud sigh could be heard inside. Zag whispered again. “Just… don’t bring more strangers, alright? Instead of posting papers, make sure to take them all off. That business is over. We’ll contact you again in the future, alright?”

The door was open once again after sliding inside the wall. Zag started walking outside, taking a look around. The other thugs stopped slacking, and they were ready to follow orders again, it appeared.

Zag took stride, closer to me. “And you, piss off. Get away from this city. Die in a ditch or fighting some Grimm, I don’t care at all. Just… get away.” Zag said while looking at you with a furious face. Weirdly enough he seemed less threatening now that you heard his soft side back there inside the room.

>’Agree’ with him, tell him that you’re going to leave and do so. And also, secretly tail him, of course.
>Nothing a good and (mostly) painless beatdown couldn’t fix. Ask him with a slightly unhealthy amount of assertiveness where his boss is at.
>Ask him nicely to tell you more information about his boss or situation. He didn’t like you at all but… who knows? You never liked making enemies of everyone.
>Just tell them to leave. Whatever information you could get, Rufus would more than likely give it to you. He at least was friendly.
>Other

>>6053146
>Ask him nicely to tell you more information about his boss or situation. He didn’t like you at all but… who knows? You never liked making enemies of everyone.

>>6053146
>Agree’ with him, tell him that you’re going to leave and do so. And also, secretly tail him, of course.

>>6053146
>>Ask him nicely to tell you more information about his boss or situation. He didn’t like you at all but… who knows? You never liked making enemies of everyone.

>>6053146
>Ask him nicely to tell you more information about his boss or situation. He didn’t like you at all but… who knows? You never liked making enemies of everyone.

Dice roll here it comes!

High DC for this one. DC 21, Crit 26

May luck be on your side

Rolled 4, 3, 6 = 13 (3d10)

>>6056014

Rolled 10, 5, 2 = 17 (3d10)

>>6056014

Rolled 7, 2, 3 = 12 (3d10)

>>6056014

>>6056014

The man “Zag” started to walk away, turning his back on you. With a snap of his fingers his ‘band’ started following him, ready to leave. Some were following their orders to a T, it seems, yet a few of them remained there, watching you carefully.

“Wait a-“ you started to exclaim, but were quickly interrupted by the leader of this group, hollering angrily. “Didn’t you all hear me the first time?! Its time to go back. Don’t make me repeat myself twice. And you! Don’t you dare follow us, ok? Big consequences to you and to Rufus if you do.”

“Y-yes sir!” The band of thugs repeated in a disorganized unison, turning their backs and going forward, almost marching.

“I-I said wait a minute! I have something I need to say to you! Ask you about something!” You started calling for them, yet they mostly ignored you. You managed to catch a glimpse of some of them turning their head slightly to you, but they kept walking forward. All of them.

Except for one.

The one closest to you, at the far back of the squad. He was tall, yet somewhat lanky. He had a broken pipe tied to his back, a makeshift weapon obviously. Dirty clothes, open vest, ragged pants a scar near his left elbow.

And once he turned his head back by half-spinning around you managed to see something quite unusual. A pair of different colored eyes. One brown, one red. Cool.

He quickly scrambled to grab something from his pocket. A piece of paper it seems, together with a… pen or something, maybe? You couldn’t see very well from your current vantage point, but a few seconds later you saw how he let the paper fall from his hand, as he continued his march as if nothing had happened, together with a sly smile and a wink. Creepy.

Zag, together with his underlings, disappeared after turning some alleyways. You could still hear them somewhat at this distance behind the plentiful amount of stone alleyways that separated you from them. They indeed were getting away from this place. No ambush in the near future, at least.

(1/?)

As you walked forward you picked up the paper. It was wet after falling on top of a puddle of water. Luckily, the message was still readable, even if it felt a little gross on your fingers.

I’m a big fan of yours.
Head here alone right before midnight.
We can help each other.

And after that, a short address was written. Well, calling it an ‘address’ was giving it too much credit. It was far more precise to say that they were ‘bare-bones’ instructions.

It was somewhat of an… alleyway, or maybe a depot or something inside the lower district of the city. Depot 46B1, two streets to the right, go forward . Not the safest of places, your instincts told you.

Well… it was still morning, at least. Maybe close to midday? You took out your Scroll to see the time. The new one, at least, since the original one was still fried after the EMP. Indeed, a few minutes and it would be exactly noon. And what was that? A message notification?

Unknown number. Message sent almost half an hour ago. You touched it with your index finger.

heyy! hows it going, birdie? not even a day in the city and your name is in half the people’s mouths! I’m quite jealous!! i think the bosses are quite unhappy at that, but fuck em right? call me or send me a message or i’m gonna tell the sheriff that ur looking 4 trouble! kind regards -S

Attached to the message was a picture of a blindfolded man tied to a chair. Not only that, but Sora was also in the picture, making a peace sign and sending kisses in a selfie.

You were speechless.

>Tail Zag and his group. Risk it for the biscuit, as they said back then at the academy.
>Reply to Sora, try to find out what she wants. Also ask her how she got your number. And tell her to… persuade her let the man free. Ugh.
>Wander around the city once more. You had time to kill. Maybe look for an upgrade or something for your gear at the market? You had some money on you.
>Other (Write in)

>>6057213
>Reply to Sora, try to find out what she wants. Also ask her how she got your number. And tell her to… persuade her let the man free. Ugh.

>>6057213
>Reply to Sora, try to find out what she wants. Also ask her how she got your number. And tell her to… persuade her let the man free. Ugh.

>>6057213
>Reply to Sora, try to find out what she wants. Also ask her how she got your number. And tell her to… persuade her let the man free. Ugh.

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>>6057213

You decided to call Sora, touching the holographic display of your Scroll. Normally you would only text her back, however she had a… hostage. You suspected that talking would convey your message far better than just written words.

A few seconds passed while the Scroll tried to connect with hers. She eventually answered.

“Hey! Who’s calling? Do I have a new fan or something? State your business or I’ll bite ya.” Sora’s reply came quickly. She sounded smug and happy.

“Sora. You know its me. My name appears when I call you.” You answered, letting out an audible sigh. You didn’t like these kinds of games, at least not with her that much. She laughed after hearing you, clearly amused by your attitude.

“I know, I know. You know how fun it is to make you mad? So, how can I help ya, superstar?”

“First of all… can you please free the hostage? Is that really the sheriff? And don’t call me superstar.” You asked her, remembering the photo she sent you with the original message.

“No can do, birdie. You think I captured him and gagged him just because I find it funny?” Sora answered, starting to sound offended.

“Yes.” You answered back, coldly.

“HA! Well, you’re right. Almost. Yes, I find it funny and entertaining, but I actually did this because the bosses there at the family asked me to. Y’know, they give me tasks as well. How’s yours, by the way?” She answered back. You could hear the gagged man struggle in the background.

“Its… in progress.” You told her. A half-truth. In reality it wasn’t going that well, not only you obtained some unwanted fame, but a good lead you had went cold.

“I know that tone of voice. You’re stuck at a dead end, right? And not only that, but you’re also on half the screens in Kuchinashi! Keep going like this and I’m sure the family will eagerly decline your help. Maybe they’ll send ya some chocolates and flowers, too?” She sounded amused.

(1/?)

“Its not entirely a dead end. And what makes you think I want to join them? I never wanted to work for some criminals, you think that was my goal when I became a Huntress?” Your anger started to appear slowly. Some deep breathing and you felt under control again. Mostly.

“Hey, hey, chill. Its not the end of the world. Not everyone has the skills to become a high-grade professional. Don’t let it get to you. Maybe you could become a hire guard! Or maybe a janitor? As long as you don’t fuck up those jobs you could avoid having to eat trash from the streets!” She started laughing again.

Your pride felt wounded.

“Ok, but hear me out. Serious business now.” Sora started talking again, her laugh disappearing little by little. “Right now, you’d need a miracle to be accepted into the family. Not that I’m doubting ya but… well, yeah, I’m doubting ya. In any case, maybe you could join the Fang? I have a few contacts here and there. If subterfuge is not your thing, they can gladly give you a bodyguard job or something like that. I’d vouch for ya, y’know?”

“…I don’t want to be a criminal, Sora. Remember?” You told her again, starting to get tired of this conversation.

“Ouch! That stung! Careful with that tongue of yours. We are not criminals. We are only looking for each other as a species and all, y’know? So, want me to hook you up with someone? Or do you want to keep trying for that task the bosses up there gave ya?”

This was… a hard decision, actually. Do you wanted to continue working for the Black Sheep family in order to gain their trust and infiltrate them? You could also go solo, but you knew it would be much, much harder, specially here in this chaos of a city.

And joining the White Fang… well, it’s not like you agree with everything they say, but maybe they could help you out with the most critical things? See if what they claim is true about helping each other out? You felt dirty just thinking about it. Were you really considering joining?

>Tell Sora to just send you the details about her contact inside the White Fang. And remind her to let the hostage go.
>Thank her, but say ‘no’. As hard as things could be when going solo, you still had a small lead with that note of yours.
>Tell her about the note the man gave you earlier. Maybe also ask for her help? Whatever this was, it sounded shady, and you didn’t want to do it on your own.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6058615
>Tell Sora to just send you the details about her contact inside the White Fang. And remind her to let the hostage go.

>>6058615
>Tell Sora to just send you the details about her contact inside the White Fang. And remind her to let the hostage go.

>>6058615
>>Tell Sora to just send you the details about her contact inside the White Fang. And remind her to let the hostage go.

>>6057213

You took a deep breath. Why was this so hard on you? You weren’t actually planning on joining. Maybe just… ask them for some help? You could use a favor or two. And sure, if they asked you for something in return then you could MAYBE do so as long as that “favor” wasn’t something too damning on your conscience.

And now you were rationalizing things. That’s a bad sign.

“…just send me the info about the contact, alright? And hear me out…” you heard some giggles on the other side of the call. Sora was enjoying this. “…its not like I agree at all with all that ‘kill all humans’ and ‘faunus supremacy’ thing, alright? I just need some help. That’s all.”

“Oh, sweetie, but where did you get all those ideas? We aren’t all like that! We just want equal rights, equal opportunities, fair treatment, y’know? What’s so wrong about that?” The voice at the other side of the call sounded genuinely curious.

“You mean to tell me that you haven’t heard the news as of a few years ago? Terrorist attacks? Gangs all across Remnant? Indiscriminate killing, kidnapping and all the other things in the book?” You could easily remember those events from a few years back when you were still at the academy. You actually helped out in a few of those operations by doing some recon near the main city of Mistral so that you could catch some White Fang members.

“Look, look, hear me out first. Things are… a little bit complicated. We all aren’t like that. Yeah, a few loose bolts here and there , but the main org is much better. Those guys you heard on the news? Yeah, no, we don’t condone that. Like, at all. Besides, its not like all those attacks were on civilians. Some attacks were on SDC convoys, a few trains here and there, you know they had military grade robots and weapons? And that they deal in slavery? Fairly suspicious for a dust company, aye?”

“Don’t patronize me, Sora. Almost everyone agrees that the SDC sucks. Its just that… I don’t want innocent blood on my hands. I don’t want any kind of blood on my hands, to be honest. I’m not a killer. I don’t want to be complicit in anything like that.” Your voice was breaking a little bit at the end. You regained your composure just in time.

“Aw, what a softie. Cute. But with those skills of yours? And that weird semblance? You have potential, let me tall ya. You’d be swimming in cash and glory if you made use of it. I mean, come on! You’ve barely done anything and most of the people at Kuchinashi love you! Can’t you see?! Such a waste of talent…”

That last sentence stung. Good thing no one was around you to see your hands shaking.

“Just… just send me the details, alright?”

(1/?)

“Already did a few seconds ago, birdie. Not only that, but I told the guy that you were the real deal. So if you want to thank me properly do so by not fucking this up. Contrary to someone I know I really value my rep, aight?”

“Yeah, yeah… I get the message…” You replied. Waste of talent? Of all the things someone could say to you that was by far the most hurtful. The fact that it wasn’t even said entirely out of malice made it feel that much worse.

“No prob, birdie. And good luck. Hey, hey! Where do you think you’re going, dumbass?! Get back here, you sonofa-“ and with that the call ended, Sora hanging up.

A new private message from Sora was inside your inbox. Contact info of someone from the White Fang.

Most of them had the fame of being terrorists. Rebels employing sabotage, guerilla tactics and rampant crime. But… what if Sora was telling the truth? Maybe all of them weren’t like that? It wasn’t that unlikely that the news painted them as the worst thing to have happened on Remnant. After all, famous and corrupt corporations were doing some shady things on the side, too.

You just couldn’t resonate that much with them. Just a tiny bit, but you knew this was because you were actually fairly lucky at a young age. You couldn’t really remember someone being truly mean to you just because of your heritage.

News reports on Faunus slavery was still something that echoed on your mind. You had a few Faunus friends back at the academy whose parents and siblings suddenly disappeared. What if they ended up being slaves? What if it had happened on you too? Truly awful stuff.

You had mixed feelings on all of this.

>Clear your head first. Kill some time. Postpone the call. Your stomach started to rumble. Maybe a place nearby sold good food?
>Wander the city on your own. Maybe the market? This was a call you made you feel uneasy somehow.
>With some luck maybe you could Trace Zag? Work your ass off for the task the Black Sheep gave you?
>This was hard. Your head was making dumb excuses in order to do anything but this. Just press the ‘call’ button on your Scroll and deal with whatever happens next.
>Other (Write in)

>>6060045
>>Clear your head first. Kill some time. Postpone the call. Your stomach started to rumble. Maybe a place nearby sold good food?

>>6060045
>This was hard. Your head was making dumb excuses in order to do anything but this. Just press the ‘call’ button on your Scroll and deal with whatever happens next.

>>6060045
>Wander the city on your own. Maybe the market? This was a call you made you feel uneasy somehow.

Bumpity bump bump, first of three gets the cheese

>>6060045
>Clear your head first. Kill some time. Postpone the call. Your stomach started to rumble. Maybe a place nearby sold good food?

>>6061982
Try /qtg/

>>6060045
>Clear your head first. Kill some time. Postpone the call. Your stomach started to rumble. Maybe a place nearby sold good food?

>>6060045

The holographic screen in front of you disappeared after the push of a button. You felt the strong heat and blinding light of the sun bathing your face after you tilted your head back. Were you seriously considering joining the White Fang? You could easily tell yourself that this wasn’t really “joining”. That you were only asking for help, most likely doing temporary jobs, tit for tat.

But you weren’t dumb. You knew this was just a way of coping. A slippery slope, some people would say. You could easily imagine what could happen to yourself in a few years, maybe even months in the worst-case scenario. You envisioned yourself on a throne. Faunus with white and red masks at your command. Planning hit and run tactics on plenty of transports all around the region. You could even picture yourself with a villainous laugh, maybe even a cool eyepatch…

… maybe you were overthinking things?

A sudden sound stopped your momentary distraction. It was a haggard lady who was emptying a bucket into a nearby sewer. She looked at you and, after an awkward moment, decided to stumble away. The stench of dirty and rancid water filled your nostrils. What an awful moment to be hungry, your sense of smell heightened due to your lack of sustenance.

“Time to go, I guess…” you told yourself, slightly surprised by your defeated demeanor. Maybe having a full stomach would help you clear your head, a relaxing, calm ambiance, and some comfortable silence…

…
…
…

“… And then, he tried to punch me in the face! The dumbass! But guess what? He slipped on his own vomit! He broke his nose after the fall! The floor was all pink and red, dude! It smelled worse than shit, man, worse than shit! Ha!” A burly man almost screamed, laughing, a few tables away from yours. He slammed his tankard of alcohol, the liquid flying across the room in almost all directions.

A few droplets of the stinking booze fell on top of your meal… Was this meat even real? You heard rumors of cloning technology somewhere in Mistral, but nothing of it was official. And you highly doubted that such advanced technology was available here in this… shithole of a city. Yeah, you were now cursing while doing some introspection. Red flag, right there.

“…and after tasting his own vomit and blood he started vomiting again! Fuck, that dude is such a tremendous piece of shit! So yeah, we had to take him to an alleyway to stop stinking the establishment, you know. And that’s how I got so rich, dude! That dude was surely a noble or something! No normal person carries that amount of Lien on themselves. He deserves it for not taking care of it better, if you ask me.” Said the same man, boasting to his friends without even a hint of guilt. His buddies were talking amongst themselves, agreeing to his sentiment overall, laughing and having a good time.

(1/?)

At least they were leaving you alone. This was the only place nearby that sold somewhat edible food at good prices, apparently. Not only that, but the small number of people provided some kind of privacy. If only you could find a place that didn’t smell like trash… a place where people didn’t want to scam, stab or rob each other… you really missed home.

But home didn’t miss you, apparently. It’s no wonder no one bothered to call you or send you a message. In their eyes, you were dead. Most likely any type of communication they tried to send you was intercepted somehow. And this was before your original scroll was fried to a crisp thanks to that EMP explosion. And you? You never sent them any messages either. Not even a call. After all, you had that troublesome health condition. You didn’t want to be seen as a bother by your team, by your friends, much less your family. You wanted it to be a surprise, actually. A few years of medication or therapy, and then you would come back, all well and pristine, happy to meet them all again.

What a dumbass mistake on your part. Why didn’t you say something to them? Maybe one message would have been enough to let them know that you were fine? Would that message be intercepted? Most likely. There was foul play everywhere: Your weird mental condition, your faked death, that weird machine that blocked Semblances.

But you had a new Scroll. You trusted that it wasn’t wiretapped; otherwise, you would be in trouble thanks to your earlier conversation with Sora. Oh, yeah, the White Fang guy. And that weird note from the guy at the alleyway. Let’s add all those problems to the pile too.

You had plenty of things to do. It was time to choose your next course of action.

>Call the White Fang guy, prod him first for information, trying to gauge what he can help you with.
>Call your friends, your old teammates. Surely with this new Scroll the messages wouldn’t be intercepted.
>Call your family. You wanted to let them know that you were still alive. You missed them.
>Call the Headmaster of Haven Academy, Leonardo Lionheart, to confront him about your supposed death, the lack of messages, everything you could think of.
>Follow the lead of the note. Rest and sleep inside this dirty tavern to kill time. After all, there were still a few hours left before midnight.
>Other (Write in)

>>6062989
>Call the White Fang guy, prod him first for information, trying to gauge what he can help you with.

>>6062989
>Call the White Fang guy, prod him first for information, trying to gauge what he can help you with.

>>6062989
>>Call the White Fang guy, prod him first for information, trying to gauge what he can help you with.

>>6062989

You pushed a few buttons on your Scroll, making sure no one was around within hearing range. There were many ways to approach this, but you weren’t sure how the person on the other side would be. Maybe they were just like Sora. Crazy, unhinged, violent…

The call got through after a few uncomfortable seconds. “Greetings, Tay speaking. How can I help you?” said the voice from the Scroll. It was from a man, smooth and deep. It had a charming quality to it.

“Hey, hello. I’m probably the girl Sora told you about earlier. I was interested in getting in contact.” You started with a neutral statement. A good way to see how this man would react.

“Oh, greetings. Susie, was it? A pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard quite few of good things from our mutual acquaintance. However, I was expecting this call a few hours earlier. I almost thought you were having second thoughts. Care to elaborate on the cause of this delay?” The voice said, not sounding angry or anything. He was quite well-mannered, but the words were accusatory.

“I’m going to be honest here. Yes, I was having second thoughts. Forgive my bluntness, but I’m not really fond of your organization. Not that I’m against your purpose for equality, but the methods are… questionable for my tastes.”

Were you burning bridges? Maybe you came out too blunt. But this was a good way to see their stance on honesty. If they seemed hostile, well… at least you had a clear conscience about giving them a fair chance.

“I appreciate your honesty, miss Susie. In fact, I am quite pleased at the amount of caution you have. You may not believe me at first, but I had a similar reaction to yours when I joined a few years ago. Not to speak ill, but I’m sure Sora gives quite a… strong first impression. I assure you, not everyone here holds the same impulsiveness as her, so feel free to speak your mind, no matter how crude it may seem. I prefer a harsh truth to a sugar-coated lie.”

Well, that was… unexpected.

“I… well… I agree, of course. Thing is, Sora said we could help each other. I am in a complicated situation; however you must understand why I don’t feel too trustful of you. Don’t take it personally, but I don’t agree with unnecessary violence, and I know you guys there tend to resort often to those means…” You felt some doubt start to creep in. You had to reel yourself in, don’t let yourself be seen as the weak one in the conversation.

“Of course. I will not deny, most of the common populace know us because of our violent deeds. However, miss Susie, I must advise you to be wary of half-truths. I’m sure you’ve heard all about the raids, the banditry, etc. But have you heard the news about the slave operations being stopped in Vale? The peacefulness of Menagerie? How we recently, just a few weeks ago, rescued a convoy full of children abducted from their parents that were heading towards Atlas to work as miners?”

(1/?)

“No, I’m afraid I wasn’t aware of those.” Sadness seeped into your voice. You knew those things happened, yet you unconsciously blocked them. You and everyone else, apparently.

“Since you were honest with me, I’m going to be honest with you. We do get our hands dirty from time to time, but it’s all for a good cause. We Faunus always stand together. I want to show you how we really are, so that you can give us a proper and just chance. Would you be willing to talk about this face to face with me? I respect the fact that you were courageous enough to admit to me that you weren’t exactly willing to join, but talking such sensitive manners on the Scroll is somewhat bad taste for me.”

“I’m not so sure about that…”

“Understandable. In that case, let me give you an offer. You come here so that we can discuss this face-to-face, see for yourself the community we are building, how we really are, you judge us according to your morals, and in exchange I’ll give you one free favor with whatever help you need. If you decide to stay for a while or leave that’s completely up to you. No strings attached.”

This was quite the surprising turn of events. And you were more than ready to bargain for their help, and now he’s offering it to you for almost free?

“I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, Tay, but it all sounds too good to be true.”

“Thank you for your compliment. But I am sincere in my offer. Even if at the end you decide to not join, well, at least I’m going to rest easy after helping a fellow kin. I’m sorry for cutting the call at this moment, Miss Susie, but my attention is required urgently somewhere else. I’ll send you the details shortly. Have a good day.”

“Have a good day, too.” And with that, the call ended. You looked around and the food place looked almost the same. Nothing seemed suspicious or out of the ordinary. After a few seconds a message was sent from the unknown number. Most likely the address for their location.

>Might as well go there. See for yourself if what Tay said was true, and ask for that favor in return.
>Go there, but try to observe from a distance at first. Not like you felt in danger, but being extra careful was always wise.
>Wander around the city. Maybe you didn’t need their help at all? You didn’t want to owe any favors to shady organizations, especially the White Fang.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6064786
>>Go there, but try to observe from a distance at first. Not like you felt in danger, but being extra careful was always wise.

>>6064786
>Go there, but try to observe from a distance at first. Not like you felt in danger, but being extra careful was always wise.

>>6064786
>Go there, but try to observe from a distance at first. Not like you felt in danger, but being extra careful was always wise.

Dice roll! No crit this time, hidden DC

Best of three. 3d10. Luck be upon you all

Rolled 2, 3, 8 = 13 (3d10)

>>6066452

Rolled 3, 9, 10 = 22 (3d10)

>>6066452

Rolled 1, 8, 5 = 14 (3d10)

>>6066452

>>6064786

You noticed something after reading the address Tay had sent you. The place was located near the border between the lower district and the middle district. Unsurprisingly, it was there, near where almost all of the lowlifes congregated. You decided to leave the restaurant, pulling up your hood and draping the black cloak over yourself to conceal your face and body. The sun was growing redder by the minute as dusk approached. Glimmers of the broken moon mixed with the various neon signs, becoming the city’s main source of light.

By this point, your face was public knowledge, so it would be wise to cover it. Your black cloak helped a lot with this, since it also covered your body and weapons. Additionally, it made you look like a vagabond. It was the perfect disguise to blend in with most of the populace of Kuchinashi.

You decided to walk there to avoid suspicion. This would take at least half an hour, but you didn’t know who might be watching nearby. Running across rooftops or alleyways would attract trouble, so the long route was the safest option.

As you got closer to the location, the overall level of ‘technology’ seemed to decline. Fewer electronics started to appear functional the closer you got to your objective. A few advertisement screens were here and there. One of the screens caught your interest slightly. It was a large looping video on a screen with an image of Vespera, the butterfly-android you fought last night, raising her fist towards the sky. There was a title running across the screen from left to right; however, the title was unreadable thanks to a large yellow rectangle with the words “POSTPONED” labeled on it.

You inspected the street numbers, looking for the correct place to turn and advance. Once you found it, you noticed a… neighborhood of some sort. It was mostly an area of the city where warehouses were in almost every place, yet one in particular stood out amongst the others mostly due to a large wooden sign with the word “ORPHANAGE” painted on it.

Children were running around. Small clothes were hanging from cables strung between buildings. There was even a small park with sculptures made of metal and plastic, clearly affected by time. A few adults were walking here and there, but most were taking care of the kids or playing with them. The thing that struck you out the most was the fact that most people here, both adults and kids alike, were Faunus of some sorts. Some had tails, weird eyes, long and short ears, plenty of fur all around, scales.

So, the White Fang’s base here in the city was located at a Faunus orphanage? You didn’t know what to think. Was this… good? No, it surely must be a trick. A terrorist organization placing themselves among children was a devious move. It was quite smart from a tactical point of view, but extremely devious nonetheless. Hiding among civilians… a deep part of your psyche felt disturbed just thinking about the connotations.

(1/?)

A small ball made of wet cotton rolled down the street towards you. Some kids screamed and waved their hands, signaling for you to return the ball. You kneeled on the ground, grabbed the ball, and threw it back at them. Joyful screams and expressions of thanks came from them. Under normal circumstances, this would touch your emotions. Maybe this was a genuine effort for the White Fang to protect their own, but it seemed too good to be true. You had to remind yourself of that.

“Mister, care to approach please?” An elderly lady with the left half of her face burned, yellow cat ears, and thin whiskers called from a distance while sitting on a wooden bench near your right. She seemed to notice you, somehow, though you weren’t exactly hiding; you were just concealing your identity. Might as well play into it.

As you walked towards the elder, you easily noticed the first sign of something unusual. Some adults had small communication devices near their ears. They looked like civilians, but their placements and behavior were slightly off. They were on the lookout, it seemed. If they were carrying weapons, they would surely be concealed. You focused on your hearing, and they were completely silent. A few glanced at you as you approached the lady, but then their attention drifted. It seemed your strategy to go incognito was working.

“Oh, no! I’m sorry. I thought you were a man by your stature, but your way of walking… I’m deeply sorry. Are you a man or a woman?” the lady asked you again, turning her face more towards you. Both of her eyes were a milky white. Blindness.

“Woman, but don’t worry too much about it. What is this place?” You asked her, keeping most of your body and face concealed behind your black cloak, concerned that you might have been discovered. Most of the undercover guards were still ignoring you, however. Luck was on your side.

“Well, it’s a sort of safe haven. This city is a rough place, and if you’re weak or… different from others, well, it is that much harder to live here. I’m sure you know what I mean. Can you please get closer so that I can see you better?” the old lady asked, lifting both of her hands towards your face.

(2/?)

For a moment you faltered. Your natural reaction was to distrust this woman. But why? There was no reason. I mean, sure, she could have a concealed weapon, or maybe she was another undercover guard… Wait. , were you really feeling distrustful of an elderly woman? Fine… let’s add paranoia to the other symptoms your condition has given you…

The hands of the lady slowly started to touch your face as you bent down towards her level. Her hands felt rough, yet it was gentle enough for you to lower your guard a little bit. She touched one of the feathers at the side of your face.

“There it goes. So, you’re like us. My name is Dinah, and I’m glad I’ve met you. May I ask your name, miss, if it isn’t too much of a bother? And also, may I know why you have come here?” the elderly lady asked, moving her hands away from your face.

Time for multiple votes. Pick one choice from here:
>Tell her your real name, Shelly Suzume.
>Tell her your fake name, Susie.
>Abstain from telling her your name.

And after that pick once choice from here:
>Ask her more general information about this place, what she knows, etc.
>Prod for sensitive information, ask her if she knows something about the leader, Tay.
>Be direct and blunt. Tell her that you know that this place is hiding White Fang members. Ask her more about it.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6066828
>Tell her your fake name, Susie.
>Ask her more general information about this place, what she knows, etc.

>>6066828
>Tell her your fake name, Susie.
>Prod for sensitive information, ask her if she knows something about the leader, Tay
Here for the plushie

>>6066828
>>Tell her your fake name, Susie.
>>Prod for sensitive information, ask her if she knows something about the leader, Tay

>>6066828
>Tell her your fake name, Susie.
>Ask her more general information about this place, what she knows, etc.

Waiting for the tiebreaker!

>>6066828
>Tell her your fake name, Susie.
>Ask her more general information about this place, what she knows, etc.

>>6066828

“For starters, you can call me Susie…” You glanced to the side, trying to gauge the danger you were in. Everything felt fine. You’ve been feeling on edge quite often lately. “…and, well, a friend of sorts told me about this place. Looking for help, or advice, or something, I’m not sure either.”

The old lady smiled at you while listening to your words. “I understand. You have a kind friend. You’re very fortunate to have someone at your back. Many people who have come here have lost either their friends or family in some way.”

You gulped after hearing that. You knew your circumstances were far different from most people here, but in a weird sense, you could understand it somewhat. You lost your old life, your friends and your family as well.

“Oh, I’m deeply sorry for your loss. But relax, trust me, you’re in the right place. As I said, most people find purpose here with us, honeycake.” The old lady continued. Wait, wasn’t she blind? How could she sense how you were feeling?

The elder laughed slightly. “Fine, fine. Sorry for teasing you a little. I have a very good sense of how people feel near me. I promise you it was some harmless fun.”

“You have a Semblance?” You asked coldly. There was no other way she could’ve known, especially when she couldn’t use her eyes. Reading the thoughts of others? Noticing their emotions? Most likely the latter.

“Oh, yes. Helps me a lot with the kids. But keep it a secret from the others, please? It is in my best interest for them to think I’m just a normal old lady. You’re quite perceptive, aren’t you?” The woman laughed a bit, mostly to herself, her voice rough and battered by age.

“Thanks… I’m sorry to cut the conversation short but… it’s just that I don’t like being…” You stopped. You almost said that you didn’t like ‘being blind’. That would be tactless. “…sorry, I don’t like not knowing where I’m going. Can you tell me more about this place, Dinah?”

“What is there to say? Faunus, especially those without the means to take care of themselves, have found a refuge here in Kuchinashi. It is recent, I might add. This place has been open only for two or three months, if my memory serves correctly.”

“And… how do you take care of everyone here? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for you, but isn’t it dangerous for so many people, especially the weak and fragile, to be so exposed?” You knew they had some guards, but it was in your best interests to pretend to be a little bit gullible.

(1/?)

“I understand you, sweetie. And you don’t have to worry too much about it. Most people here know we are refugees. We are mostly children and elderly people. We have almost no money, no valuables. We are not a real target because we don’t have anything those vandals in the city want. The only ones that are a real danger are those that hate us because of who we are. But they know to leave us alone. We may seem harmless, but we can still scratch and bite back if someone bothers us too much.” The old lady smiled again. She was proud of this.

“That’s a bit too violent for my tastes…” you commented in response. Making elderly people and children fight? Not something you agreed with at all.

“It’s hunt or be hunted, sweetie. Law of nature. But rest easy. We are mostly a pacifist community. We don’t seek trouble; we only act in self-defense. If you don’t have the guts or means to fight, well… then you’d better join us so that we can teach you. It would sadden me to see such a pure soul like yours harmed or worse.”

“Thank you for your words, I guess?” What a weird lady. “And how do you get the food or supplies to survive here? It’s really hard to believe you have some donors or anything similar here in this city.”

“I can’t tell you much. I don’t know the exact details. I just know that we have a patron of some sort. Someone wealthy helped us establish this place. If you ask me, it is likely a noble from Menagerie, or maybe even the capital in the north. There are some kind souls out there willing to help us people in need. I’m sure someone inside could tell you more information.”

“I see… well, thank you, Dinah. It was nice talking to you.” You said to her, waving your hand in goodbye. Could she even sense that?

“No need to thank me. Just be careful out there. A word of advice, young one: especially here in the city, if they see you as someone defenseless, they are going to eat you alive. You better learn how to defend yourself or at least appear as someone that can. Otherwise, I’m going to get angry at you. Understood?”

(2/?)

You couldn’t help but smile slightly. If only she knew. “Thanks, Dinah. I will not forget it. Take care.”

Dinah smiled back. “You too.” She said, and with that, she turned her head away from you, looking at the sunset in peace.

As you turned around, you saw some of the kids running towards the main building as they crossed the street. A few of them remained on the playground. Some adults were calling for them. “Dinner time!” said one of them. The lights from the building started to turn on, but the ones near the main entrance flickered from time to time. “There’s a problem with the generator. Tee wants you to fix it. Can you go?” A burly man with fur covering his entire face said to a bunny woman who was holding a crutch. “Sure.” She said, as she started to walk towards a nearby alleyway.

Most people were ignoring you. A few of them saw you, but they quickly averted their gaze. You were not sure why. Maybe they just wanted to be away from strangers? If what the old woman said was true then most people here were refugees and victims of some sort. Maybe the family of some was kidnapped, sent to slavery, killed, it didn’t matter. And the kids? They were most likely orphans, their parents suffering from a similar fate as the others.

The place felt desolate. Somewhat barren. But there was a weird sense of comradery between those you managed to see. You were sure most people were inside the building. How many people were living here in total, counting the children? Twenty? Maybe thirty?

And at the core of everything, you knew it was the White Fang the ones who were taking care of everyone here. You weren’t convinced yet, but the place felt welcoming. Peaceful. Nice. Maybe Tay was telling the truth?

>Approach the main building. Time to see things from the inside.
>Go towards the playground. The kids would surely give you more insight about the truth of this place.
>Sit outside. Try to use your enhanced hearing to listen around you. This would let you spy in relative peace without looking too suspicious.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6068997
>Sit outside. Try to use your enhanced hearing to listen around you. This would let you spy in relative peace without looking too suspicious.

>>6068997
>Approach the main building. Time to see things from the inside.

>>6068997
>>Approach the main building. Time to see things from the inside.

>>6068997
>Approach the main building. Time to see things from the inside.

>>6068997

As you approached the building, you saw how the guards stopped their activities and looked at you with distrust. You stopped walking, slightly taken aback by their reaction. This was so sudden. But how could this be a wrong move? You had just moved slightly closer to them.

One of the guards, a man with a large pair of tusks at the side of his mouth, sighed. “Sorry for startling you. It’s just that we’re on edge. You’re new, right? Approach. We need to make sure you have nothing dangerous on you.”

You felt your concealed sabers dangle slightly. There was just no realistic way to hide them without them noticing. Might as well come clean.

The boar Faunus approached you while the other guards remained seated close to the plastic table. As you got closer to him, you decided to speak in a low voice. “Look. I do have weapons, but I mean no harm. It’s just plain stupid not to be armed in this city.”

The man glared at you. “Yeah, I know. But we have children here, and you’re an outsider. Besides, how do we know you’re not a human?”

Time to prove that you were a Faunus. You moved your hood slightly so that the side of your face was more visible. A few white and brown feathers sprang out, freed from the tattered hood that was surrounding your head.

“Is it fine if I approach to make sure those aren’t fake? No offense, but we’ve had some people try to infiltrate in the past. And also, can you please give me your weapons? Don’t worry. We’ll keep them safe. And once we trust you enough then maybe the boss will let you carry them with you inside.”

So, he was doubting that you were a real Faunus? You could easily prove to him that you were one, but you knew your face was well-known in the city, and revealing your identity didn’t feel like the right move. Not only that, but giving up your weapons would leave you far more vulnerable against attacks. Although you could fight without them, you would struggle and likely lose against more experienced enemies.

>Reveal one of your cards, and tell him that Tay was expecting you inside. Maybe this was the only way to keep your identity concealed and weapons on you.
>Try to persuade him to leave you alone and to just let you pass. You didn’t want to enter a White Fang’s building without your weapons.
>Agree to let him inspect you some more and give him your weapons. You didn’t come here looking for trouble.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6070654
>>Agree to let him inspect you some more and give him your weapons. You didn’t come here looking for trouble.

>>6070654
>Reveal one of your cards, and tell him that Tay was expecting you inside. Maybe this was the only way to keep your identity concealed and weapons on you.

>>6070654
>Agree to let him inspect you some more and give him your weapons. You didn’t come here looking for trouble

File: gwvdm1utks881.jpg (1.14 MB, 4128x2322)

1.14 MB JPG

Gonna wait for a day otherwise I'm picking the most voted option

Also for those that want me to answer questions or something you can always do so either here or in the /qsg/ general.

Last thing, gonna create a twitter soon to make announcements in case they are needed (Like delays and such)

Picture completely unrelated

>>6070654
>Agree to let him inspect you some more and give him your weapons. You didn’t come here looking for trouble.

>>6070654
>>Agree to let him inspect you some more and give him your weapons. You didn’t come here looking for trouble

>>6070654

“Fine but make it quick. I don’t like when people invade my personal space.” You answered, lowering your hood down slightly and shifting your hands towards your hips to unbuckle both of your sabers.

“It’d be weird if you did. Name’s Tusk, and yours?” the man said while approaching you, grabbing your weapons and inspecting them, lifting his gaze to see your face first.

“Maybe I’ll tell you later. For now, I’d like to remain anonymous. And… not to be rude, but… Tusk? Is that a nickname of some sort?” You couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. A bit too on the nose, even for your tastes.

“Nah, it’s my real name. You’re not the first one to ask. Long story short, my parents had a stupid sense of humor.” He lifted your sabers to the side, closing one eye and looking along the blades of both of them. “Too fancy for my taste. A few scratches here and there. You oughta take better care of ‘em. You a Huntress or something? Something this high quality is rare for sure.”

“Not anymore, I think. Things happened. For now, I’m mostly on my own.” You looked at the side, the other guards near the plastic table were still looking at you, slightly more at ease.

“I can relate to that. If you need someone to talk to or something like that, be sure to call me. I wouldn’t mind seeing your pretty face more often.” He smiled.

“Hey! You promised you’d behave!” One of the guards, a female one at that, blurted out while looking at both you and Tusk.

He was hitting on you. The academy didn’t prepare you for this.

“Hey! Don’t blame me! I mean, what am I supposed to do? Stay here and just suck it up like a loser? If I see a chance, I’m gonna take it!” Tusk blurted out to the female guard.

(1/?)

“Girl! Whatever he says is, don’t listen to ‘im. Trust me, I was one of his targets! Once he gets bored of you, he’ll dump you for the next piece of ass that walks by!” The girl said frantically, half laughing. The other guard next to her covered his mouth in order to silence his burst of laughter.

“Oh, give me a break, Vero! It was just one time! What happened to ‘forgive and forget’?!” Tusk said, clearly annoyed.

“Can I go now?” You interrupted both of them. You just weren’t in the mood for these antics.

“Oh, yeah yeah, sure. Take care inside. And remember, if you ever are in the need of someone…” Tusk whispered. His gaze made you feel uneasy.

“I’ll… need to think about it. Thank you, Tusk.” You started moving towards the entrance of the building. You now without a weapon.

“Ha! See? She said she’ll think about it! I’m still a pro at this.” Tusk said behind you, gloating to his mates.

“I can’t believe you’re this dense. She clearly said it so as not to hurt your feelings. You’re a dumbass, Tusk.” The female retorted. Their voices faded as you walked inside the building.

No time for distractions. Now that you were inside you could more easily find out more about this place’s reality. Kid’s laughter could be heard from somewhere deep inside the wide hallways. This place almost felt like an abandoned hospital.

>Heads toward the place where the kids could be heard. Surely, they could give you more info about the reality of this place.
>Look around for the office of the Leader, Tay. You could spy him with your enhanced senses. You just didn’t trust him.
>Explore the place, focusing more on things the White Fang would want hidden. This made sense in your head.
>Other (Write-in)

>>6074644
>>Heads toward the place where the kids could be heard. Surely, they could give you more info about the reality of this place.

>>6074644
>Heads toward the place where the kids could be heard. Surely, they could give you more info about the reality of this place.

>>6074644
>Heads toward the place where the kids could be heard. Surely, they could give you more info about the reality of this place.

Gonna need another dice throw. This is for something special. Very hard cus' of compatibility between thingies.

3d10, best of three. DC 21, Crit 27.

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

>>6077334

Rolled 4, 4, 2 = 10 (3d10)

>>6077334

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

>>6077334

OP?

Sorry for the late reply folks, and thank you all for waiting. The twitter X thing is ready for announcements and such, and also...

NEW THREAD: >>6083581

Info and announcements thingie: https://x.com/MissvalQM