CHROME THE DUCK UP / Read my past
Willow:「And you're sure this is safe? 」
I sighed before pushing my wheels and turning to Mother, she had improved so much in the last two years.
Whitley:「Mother, I have been studying this topic for 2 years straight and have made many strides, I've done the math and research I built the damn thing myself. 」
Ironwood:「Miss Schnee you have nothing to worry about, we have Atlas's best doctors and minds to ensure nothing goes wrong with this process. 」
Ironwood walked into the waiting room of the hospital, behind him was Winter who was nervously looking at me. It was only two years ago that I was confined to a hospital bed and reading books about medicine and science, I turned to Ironwood.
Whitley:「Remember Ironwood, this tech is mine and mine alone. I made it to help me, not to be used as military tech upgrades to your soldiers. 」
Ironwood:「As we have agreed the research into the human body is unprecedented and will be used for medicinal purposes only unless we have explicit permission from you. 」
I Glared at Ironwood for a bit before relenting, the data about any of this would be stored on my own private server protected by multiple Titan A.I.
Winter:「I understand the spine and nervous system bits are needed for you to walk again, but is the rest really necessary? 」
Whitley:「The interface technology will allow me to properly process and run the software needed for the rest of the Cybperware to work properly, besides I'm the only one who is going to use Cyberware... The medical advancements I made to make this work can be somewhat shared but never fully. 」
Ironwood:「I know you won't tell me, but why? Why can we not use your "Cyberware" to further Atlas's army? 」
Whitley:「After the operation General, I will explain it will be easier once the interface technology is set up. 」
Willow:「Please, Whitley, don't do this. 」
Once the operation is started it can't be stopped it would be too risky... I confided in Mother about Cyberpsychosis so that if something goes wrong and I go psycho... No, I can't dwell on that possibility.
Whitley:「Mother... while the operation is going it can't be stopped, you may tell them when the operation is halfway complete. 」
Willow:「I suppose that's the best I'll get out of you. 」
I nodded at everyone and was wheeled into the OR, my body and mind prepped for the surgery, I can't have any Anesthesia or it could mess with the operation.
- Half-way through the Operation -
Winter:「Mother, the operation is halfway done. 」
Willow looked at both Ironwood and Winter tears welled up in her eyes before she wiped them away, she gained a determined look as she stood up and walked over to the window into the operating room as Winter and Ironwood stood on either side as winter put her hand on her Mother's shoulder.
Willow:「Cyberpsychosis... Cyberpsychosis is what he called it. 」
Ironwood:「What is Cyberpsychosis? 」
Willow:「We don't know if it will happen or not but there is a chance that Whitley may go Cyberpsycho. Theoretically, Cyberpsychosis is a mental illness, specifically a dissociative disorder, caused by an overload of cybernetic augmentations to the body. 」
Winter:「What? 」
Ironwood:「Would he become someone like Tyrian Callows?」
Willow:「If he went Cyberpsycho, however, there is a highly unlikely chance of that. 」
Both Ironwood and Winter stayed silent as they watched the operation go on, replacing human with metal Ironwood silently looked to his left arm in wonder, could he go Cyberpsycho? His entire right side was replaced with Cybernetics so could the same happen to him?
- Meanwhile somewhere else in the world -
Sitting on the railing of the porch was a 10-year-old girl watching 2 blonde people fight off in the distance, her black hair with red tips flowing in the wind as footsteps approached her from the left.
???:「Hello uncle Qrow. 」
Qrow:「Hey'ya pipsqueak, did ya miss me? 」
The man named Qrow leaned back against the wall behind the little girl, both just watched as the blond duo fought. The taller blonde being a man with the small one being a 12-year-old-looking girl fighting him in CQC, both sat there in thought while the fight continued.
???:「I thought about the weapon I want to use. 」
Qrow:「Alright Ruby, what do you want to use? 」
Qrow pulled out a flask from his shirt and started to take a drink.
Ruby:「A High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe. 」
Qrow coughed out his drink at Ruby's words
Qrow:「Ruby, sweetie... I don't think that's a good idea. 」
Ruby:「I want you to teach me like Dad's teaching Yang. 」
Qrow:「Are you sure pipsqueak? It's going to be really hard. 」
Ruby:「Yeah. 」
Qrow took another big swig of his flask before closing and putting it away.
Qrow:「Alright, you've got yourself a teacher pipsqueak. 」
Ruby:「Thank you uncle Qrow. 」
Qrow:「No problem Ruby, we'll start tomorrow. 」
Ruby:「Okay. 」
Qrow:「However I'll tell you the 3 basic rules I have. 」
Ruby:「mmhmm. 」
Qrow:「1. You will do what I say. No complaining and no questioning. 」
Ruby nodded her head as a response.
Qrow:「2. You won't ever tell me you "can't". 」
Ruby:「'kay. 」
Qrow:「3. You must commit 100% to this. You commit fully, and I'll be glad to be your teacher. 」
Ruby:「Yes, uncle Qrow. 」
Both Ruby and Qrow watched her Father fight her Sister Yang, after a while, Ruby asked Qrow a peculiar question.
Ruby:「What's your favorite fairy tale? 」
Qrow:「Why you askin' kiddo? 」
Ruby:「Mom's was "The Story of the Seasons" but she never did tell me that one. 」
Qrow:「You want me to tell you that one? 」
Ruby:「No... I would rather hear it from the person who told mom. 」
Qrow:「What's to say I didn't tell your mom about it kiddo? 」
Ruby:「Hunters take their weapons with them everywhere, all it would take for me to find out would be to ask Harbinger. 」
Qrow stared at his niece suspiciously as he finally walked up to lean on the rail beside her, he look at her eyes to see them in a 1000-yard stare.
Qrow:「And what do you mean by "asking" Harbinger? 」
Ruby turned to look at Qrow, her eyes locked onto the Harbinger hanging from his lower back for a bit, the 1000-yard stare left, and the 1000-yard stare returned before she turned back to look at the blondes resting on the ground.
Ruby:「You take good care of her, she appreciates it but would like to taste the blood of her enemies more. 」
Qrow gained a complicated look on his face and before he could talk she spoke up once again.
Ruby:「I would like to talk to "The Long Memory" it seems like they would have many stories. 」
Before Qrow could say anything both Tai and yang ran up to the house, Ruby's 1000-yard stare left as she refocused back on her father approaching.
Yang:「UNCLE QROW! 」
Qrow:「Hey Firecracker, have a good fight with your old man? 」
Yang:「YEAH! 」
Tai made eye contact with Qrow before gaining a complicated look on his face.
Tai:「Hey yang, why don't you and ruby go inside... I need to talk with your uncle. 」
Yang:「Alright! 」
Ruby hopped off the railing before being dragged into the house by Yang as both the adults watched them go into the house.
Tai:「What is it Qrow? 」
Tai looked serious while addressing his longtime friend and teammate, something that did not happen often nowadays Qrow looked back to where the girls left to enter into the house.
Qrow:「Did you tell Ruby anything about Ozpin? 」
Tai:「No, you and I know that I don't want them involved in this Business. 」
Qrow:「Then how does she know the name of his weapon? 」
Tai uncrossed his arms as he stood up straight, he stared at Qrow as his mind processed what he said.
Tai:「What do you mean? 」
Qrow:「She was watching you and Yang fight with a 1000-yard stare, when I talked to her she told me she decided on her weapon so I asked what it was- 」
Tai:「What does her weapon have to do with any of this? 」
Qrow:「I'm getting there, she wants "A High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe" after that conversation she asked me about my favorite fairy tale, and you know how Ozpin likes to use that. 」
Tai:「Get to the point Qrow. 」
Qrow:「She said and I quote [ Mom's was "The Story of the Seasons" but she never did tell me that one. ] I asked if she wanted me to tell it to her but she said she would rather hear from the person who told Summer, being the smartass I am I said [ What's to say I didn't tell your mom about it kiddo? ] She then started talking about Hunters taking their weapons with them everywhere and asking the weapons themselves. 」
Tai:「None of this is making sense Qrow. 」
Qrow:「She stared at Harbinger for a bit before telling me [ You take good care of her, she appreciates it but would like to taste the blood of her enemies more. ] and before I could say anything else she told me she would like to talk to "The Long Memory" it seems like they would have many stories. 」
Tai stood stock still not knowing what to say, Qrow took a long slip from his flask before putting it away.
Tai:「Qrow if she is able to hold a conversation with a weapon just by looking at it, and you have carried Harbinger everywhere does that mean she knows about you and summer? 」
Qrow:「Possibly, and that worries me. 」
Rapid footsteps approached them as they turned to see a worried Yang rushing toward them.
Yang:「DAD! SOMETHINGS WRONG WITH RUBY! 」
Tai kneeled down to pick up Yang as he started moving inside.
Tai:「What happened!? 」
Qrow rushed in behind them.
Yang:「RUBY JUST FAINTED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRAWING COOKIES! 」
Rushing into the room Tai and Qrow saw Ruby on the floor, rushing past Tai Qrow kneeled to the ground next to Ruby and felt her pulse from her wrist with a steady beat before feeling her forehead.
Sighing in relief, he looked back up to both Tai and Yang.
Qrow:「Pipsqueak's alright, just has a fever. 」
Tai:「I'll watch Yang, you get Ruby to bed and I'll work on some soup for her. 」
Qrow:「Sounds like a plan. 」
Qrow picked up Ruby in a bridal carry, a small smile on his face.
Qrow:「You and summer are really alike, worry Me and Tai like this. 」
Walking into the bedroom Qrow put Ruby down on the bed before tucking her in, as he turned to leave he was stopped as Ruby's hand reached out and grabbed onto the back of his cape.
Ruby:「Please, don't go. 」
Qrow looked back to Ruby, she had part of her head looking out just enough to see her eyes water.
Qrow:「Alright, Kiddo. 」
Qrow sat down beside the bed, Ruby's hand hadn't left his cape instead bringing it under her blanket.
Ruby:「Can you sing the lullaby? 」
Qrow:「What lullaby pipsqueak? 」
Ruby:「The one you would sing to Mom, Harbinger told me. 」
Qrow paused, looked down at Harbinger then back up to Ruby. A small self-deprecating smile fell into place on his face.
Qrow:「I take it you know I'm your father? 」
Ruby:「Sorry but Harbinger couldn't take you beating yourself up about it anymore. 」
Qrow:「Heh, Alright. 」
Qrow slowly started to hum a tune, before he began singing.
Qrow:「Hush your cries... Close your Eyes... Stay with me... 」
By the end of the lullaby, Qrow had tears streaming down his eyes and Ruby had fallen asleep. he pulled out an old picture of team STRQ, he looked directly at summer before sighing and smiling at her picture.
Qrow:「She's just like you, ya know. 」