Idyllic picture?

Bor Martin, no more than a humble official in a not-so-powerful department of Mount Glenn, looked down at the small sheet of paper in front of him.

The entire sheet in front of him was covered in small, neat handwriting and peppered with numbers, words, columns, even a small diagram, also with clear explanations and notes. Most likely, another person in Bor's place would be hard-pressed to understand what exactly was written on this sheet. However, it was Bor himself who sat in Bor's place, and in the written numbers that might as well be eldritch spells to a layman he understood something.

Bor was far from the most influential official, even within the small community of Mount Glenn, even within his own ministry at that. For example, Weimar was also involved in migration policy, a person whom Bor always had quite different opinions with, and perhaps his reach did not stretch as far as those of some of his more entrenched colleagues. He might not be the most powerful, but Bor had many friends.

So many in fact that some of his friends didn't even know about some of Bor's other friends. So much so that, even when he's far from being the most influential official of Mount Glenn, he was still very, very aware of what happens within Mount Glenn.

Few managed to evade Bor's tenacious gaze, Jonathan also failed.

Or rather, almost failed.

Jonathan's... circumstance was quite interesting for Bor. In terms of money and benefits, of course. That, and having a handle on the young man's personality and… vices would be very important in their future relations.

So for that endeavor, Bor squinted harder at the paper full of texts.

Of Bor's many friends, not all of them were, hm... 'officially' influential people of Mount Glenn, but pretty much all of them were influential in one way or another. And they were very close associates of his.

As anyone knows, the best way to determine where an unknown person with large sums of money has come from is to ask other 'unknown' people with undeclared large sums of money for any interesting 'news'. And Bor has many friends indeed.

Bor's initial assumption that Jonathan was a bandit who decided to profit from someone else's property during a Grimm outbreak was very logical. But, alas, as it turned out a little later, was dead wrong. It was quite the likely story too, few families kept millions of liens in cash in their own homes, banks being a luxury in the frontiers. But even, so nobody actually keeps mountains of liens beneath their bed, opting instead to keep their wealth in more 'compact' forms.

So, thinking that Jonathan had found a cache of such precious materials, Bor first checked his contacts for expensive goods being sold with... suspicious backgrounds. Not that his friends care for such things, but bookkeeping is pervasive in all walks of life after all.

Still even after asking almost all his contacts in that business, Bor did not receive any information regarding Jonathan. None knew, none saw anything, and there was no inflow of goods, except for the usual ones. And even more so, nothing of value had passed the usual places that was worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of liens.

So, not a lucky bandit... Then, perhaps, his stupid idea of ​​an escapee from a criminal family was not groundless?

After another round of meeting with his friends… no, nothing. There were no significant criminal associates in Rosegarden, and no mafia clan recently lost significant amounts of lien for reasons.

Which is good for him actually. Sheltering somebody that was about to have the concrete shoes underwater tour would be bad for his health. Sheltering somebody that actually stole that much money from the mafia would be very bad for his health.

Jonathan literally appeared out of nowhere with millions of liens in his pockets. He also parted ways with them with such ease, as if he did not worry about the lien at all… Hmm, perhaps he's an eccentric loner who has accumulated huge amounts of money from his own projects? No he doesn't really look the kind… too stable.

Considering that the first thing Jonathan did was set up a delivery agency… maybe a smuggler perhaps? Just a few shipments of drugs, weapons, or maybe even... his other 'Cinders' in other cities and Jonathan could easily afford to buy his own little house in as many places as he wants...

No, there was complete silence in that regard. Vale's only major drug cartel has long been using exclusively trusted suppliers, and the amount of drugs that Jonathan has to move to make that much money would garner some attention. On another thought, maybe he should pay Junior a visit?

The slave trade is in complete decline, as far as he knew anyway, he prefers not to move in that circle. With the merchandise that are mostly sold, he doesn't want a visit from the White Fang.

And lastly weapons are sold exclusively by small groups to bypass detections. And their profit margin is shit. And again White Fang, enough said about that.

Still, after having no luck at all in finding out his money source, just a couple of days ago, Bor even doubted that he was a criminal at all. Did Jonathan get money by legal means? Wasn't involved in anything illegal at all?

But then why did he need to change his name? Why bribe Bor at all? Was he just a lucky fool who had sneaked into Bor's office solely because he wanted to actually move into Mount Glenn immediately for no reason? But what was the point in that? With how much money he had, the actual immigration process, while it would take much longer, would be no problem at all for an upstanding businessman that Jonathan appeared to be.

He had nothing to go on, that is until three days ago and Bor caught some interesting news coming from the north.

Atlas, and Mantle, was far beyond Bor's reach. The previous because Ironwood and Jacques Schnee have a tight hold on anything that goes on in Atlas. And the latter because he has no interest in a settlement that is more of a slum… a very poor slum with a very dogged 'defender of the people' at that.

Still even with his lack of contacts in that area, the rumbling coming from there was too loud not to be heard by those with ears. And Bor's ears were everywhere… almost everywhere.

And what news it was! Someone had actually robbed a Schnee's bank, in broad daylight at that! Then the perpetrator escaped with the money almost cleanly, shooting the officer that had caught wind of him, and then burned down the place he was staying at to scrub all evidence!

Needless to say, the entire Atlas underworld, as rare as they are in Atlas, was in a frenzy.

Some were looking for the daring newcomer in order to offer him a more than favorable offer to join their organization. Some wanted to punish the upstart who dared to violate the status quo that obviously was being kept for the good of all. Some were looking for a cut of the profit, and not afraid to do some unsavory things to get it. And some even wanted to deal with the unknown in the fastest and most efficient way possible, of course what happens to the lien would be swept aside. Needless to say, they all failed to get even a whiff of the perpetrator's presence.

Which is a mystery in itself. Someone had robbed a Schnee bank in broad daylight, but...the police were suspiciously silent. No official statement, no appeals to other states, no national hunt. Even the name of this daring criminal was still kept a secret - if they even had it in the first place, of course.

Last he heard the police that got shot, who coincidentally also the one who investigated the identity of the robber, was also fired from the police department.

Bor grinned, the less information there is about the robber the better it is for him after all. Still with the very conspicuous silence from the police, the rumors flying about were all over the place.

Some said that the criminal was a teleporter, some said that he had an accomplice in the bank, still others said that the daring raider has the ability to go invisible or even go through walls. Rumors borne out of the fact that Remnant was full of unique people with unique semblances and barely any of them register theirs. Hell, he has even heard a rumor about a semblance that made a person immortal!

If the information about the robber was all over the place, then the information on the amount of stolen lien was even more haphazard. The official amount given by the bank of ten million seemed excessive to name one. A figure that others think is under-reported even.

Those that say that the amount stolen is too low, reasoned that Jacques Schnee is trying to hide his losses, or even to save face. Those that say the amount lost was over the top, reasoned that the Schnee is trying to deceive the insurance companies and depositors, trying to earn extra money by declaring bankruptcy of a subsidiary company. The fact that both are equally likely in people's mind pretty much says what people think of the Schnee family nowadays.

But with what he knows, an interesting picture finally began to take shape in Bor's head.

Ten million liens, a bank robbery, and a certain Jonathan arriving almost at the other end of Remnant to ask Bor to help him with acquiring a new identity. An identity that thanks to his own due diligence was unassailable. It makes a very interesting picture indeed.

Bor sighed, then a moment later reached for a particular pocket in his jacket and pulled out a large cigar. Vacuo, premium blend, as he set it on fire, he swallowed the peculiar acrid smoke. It was a good theory… though not without blind spots.

A daring raider stealing millions from the Schnee, who then fled to the other side of the world to enjoy his gains without anyone paying too much attention. It is logical, it is so logical even that Bor would be hard-pressed to find inconsistencies in this theory...

Except, perhaps, for two.

Where did Cinder Fall come from, and how did Jonathan end up on the other end of Remnant the day before the robbery, and the day after?

Bor tapped his fingers, frowning at the sheet of paper lying on his desk before taking another drag of his cigar.

Teleporters were not exactly rare, but they were a walking talking security threat and therefore were subject to very persistent surveillance by the state. Not only Atlas does it, even Vacuo, that desert backwater hellhole, maintained its own observation of such unique cases. Like so many of Bor's friends, a teleporter has been invaluable in the work of various... Organizations.

How could a teleporter capable of leaping all over Remnant remain out of control for so long, and even without any surveillance placed over him? Even those who could only teleport a pebble an arms-length is so riddled with surveillance the Kingdoms know the consistency of their shit on a day-to-day basis never mind somebody that can teleport literal continents away.

Perhaps Bor was mistaken and these were two unrelated facts. Perhaps Jonathan was not a hitherto unheard teleporter that is more of a strategic weapon...

Although, now that he thinks about it, Jonathan did just start a delivery business... And, as Bor had heard, very profitable and of high quality...

Hmm… Bor grinned.

It's interesting to be able to see what kind of wonderful technique or technology he uses in his work. Or how he handles bureaucratic travel permits to other countries. And more importantly why Jonathan refused to deliver goods to Atlas and Mantle…

Though perhaps the latter is quite logical. He couldn't even imagine a reason as to why anyone wants to go to Mantle. He literally preferred going to Vacuo, and that place is a literal hellhole.

***

"Mr. Kaiser." Jacques' voice sounded more like a hiss coming out of a purebred serpentine faunus rather than a human's. His voice full of venom and hatred, ready to rush at the Councilman at the drop of a hat, literally asking for a reason to unleash all his bestial instincts.

"Could you repeat everything you just said to me?! I'm afraid my hearing is starting to fail me in recent years…"

"Mr. Schnee", The completely calm and relaxed demeanor of the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Councilman was a stark contrast to the fuming Jacques. "The decision is final and was almost unanimous, the Council have decided on a course of action. We will not put this... Jonathan on the international wanted list." Kaiser replied calmly as he took a sip of tea.

"What the fuck?!" Jacques pushed off the councilman's table, the chair he was sitting on flying as he stood to look down at the councilman. "That thief is a threat to the entire safety of Remnant!"

"I didn't say that we will forget about it or even let him go free." Kaiser nodded easily. "Our best operatives…"

"WHAT FUCKING OPERATIVES?! Nobody's looking for him!" Jacques hit the table with his fists, not even trying to hide his fit of rage. "He must be hunted down like the dog he is and punished!"

"And the punishment will be done as soon as he's caught, do not worry so much." Kaiser smiled as he replied. " But Jacques, do try this wonderful Vale's blend. It's chamomile tea you know, perfect for calming the nerves…" Kaiser said lightly as he lifted his cup of tea.

At this nonsensical sequitur, Jacques, clearly realizing that he would not achieve his goal, silently turned around, ignoring whatever it is that Kaiser wants to say next, and rushed away to the exit. Jacques was so full of bile and hate that he almost knocked down the flimsy door to the Counselor's office with his shoulder as he exited.

"Oh, my what a day it has been…" Kaiser sighed, then, noticing the worried face of his secretary, who had appeared in the open door, smiled. "Rosemary, could you please make another cup of this delectable tea? I've seemed to run out." He said as he lifted his empty cup.

"Of course, one second, Mr. Kaiser." His secretary immediately replied as she disappeared behind the door, closing the door behind her, leaving Quartz Kaiser, Councilmen in charge of Foreign Affairs alone in his office.

Kaiser smiled, then stretched and sighed.

These snobby tycoons and their wounded sense of pride… Someone dared to snap the richest man Remnant on the nose, and they're supposed to deploy the army?

Kaiser shook his head, and then with a smile of appreciation towards Rosemary, who returned a moment later with a steaming cup of chamomile tea. Hmm, good help was really worth their worth in gold. "Thank you."

"No worry, Mr. Kaiser.", - Rosemary gave the cup to him, and then soon disappeared behind the door again, leaving Kaiser to calmly enjoy his chamomile tea.

Ha, didn't Jacques realize that he had clearly been robbed by a teleporter? A teleporter who had just as easily hid from the police, burn down the hotel where he stayed and escape? Moreover, escape in such a way that no one had any idea where he could be found?

Yes, Kaiser knew some facts about this Jonathan's case.

Whether he is a teleporter or possessed a semblance of invisibility, he possessed a particular set of abilities. Extremely important, extremely strategic abilities.

What is ten million for the chance, no, the right, to get your hands on an intelligent, trained and capable teleporter? And one that has an appetite that is easily sated at that? Such a prize was worth more than one bank of Schnee and Jacques' wounded ego.

Didn't he realize that once a powerful teleporter was in their control, Jacques' own income could grow exponentially?

After all, teleportation made it possible not only to steal money - but… a lot of other things.

Kaiser took another sip of chamomile tea. Hmm, delicious.

A simple misplaced document could destroy a competitor hundreds of times more effectively than any theft. One assassin sent to neutralize the right person was hundreds of times more effective than any army. Just one successfully placed bomb, and now the necessary moods have been created in the state...

No, of course, an official trial will take place when they catch this Jonathan. It was simply that, after his trial, the only logical solution would be to replace his term in jail with... community service. Only because of his escape risk of course… at least that's what they'll tell the media at least.

Really, these pompous industrialists can never look beyond their noses. Kaiser could. Many others. For example Aifal did...

Just from the mention of their name, even in his own head, Kaiser felt an unpleasant aftertaste on his tongue. It tasted like cloying sweetness, so sweet that it's sickening.

Of course, Aifal will want such a strategic resource under his control.

So, there was absolutely no need to give him, or other forward-thinking politicians, Remnant's most important weapon, information. To not give anyone any inkling that somewhere near them there was a powerful teleporter available for blac… convincing.

Still, Kaiser would not hold his breath. Catching a teleporter, especially with the capabilities that this Jonathan showed, was practically impossible. So limiting the spread of information was the best he could do. Now, what was left to do was to slowly search for the teleporter. Or a man with an invisibility Semblance, cannot discount the possibility after all.

Of course, the final reason as to why making Jonathan's name public was shot down was because attempting to catch a teleporter through open and obvious round-ups was doomed from the very beginning. There is no need to inform the teleporter that you are trying to catch him, it is necessary to act much more subtly to even have a chance of success...

Really, what was that idiot thinking? An international manhunt? Might as well hand Jonathan over on a silver platter to the other movers in Remnant. Too bad that some on the council was actually that idiotic.

It was uncomfortably difficult to convince the idiots on the Council of this. That die-hard idiot James did not want to hear anything about the potential benefits bringing in Jonathan quietly could bring, bullheadedly pressing on the sanctity of laws and punishment... Ha, what nonsense.

Why do we need laws in the first place, except as a way to bring advantages to your state? And if it was more profitable for the state to go circumvent the law, well... then the law could be adjusted a little. For the good of everybody of course!

Kaiser finished his tea, after which he contacted his secretary again, - "Rosemary, please put me in touch with the Special Diplomatic Department."

The main function of the law was the prosperity of the state. All the rest were just chaff.

***

Cinder slowly moved her eyes, reading over the lined stacks of notebooks, textbooks. She was quite pensive as she read the various titles on the books.

'Language Textbook for Grade 2 Primary School, Evergreen Forest', 'Mathematics for Primary School, Tif Geirn'... Textbooks. And more as Jonathan was browsing the many textbooks that he just bought.

It was difficult, even for Cinder herself, to determine how she felt about school.

Cinder knew how to count, write and read… All thanks to Miss Sunny's careful education.

Unlike thousands and thousands of similar remarks she made in her own head about Miss Sunny, in this particular case, Cinder did not lie. Although she did not like to admit that Miss Sunny of all people gave her something positive, her education was one of the handful few. Not for Cinder's sake of course.

You can't send a servant to a room one hundred and six if the servant doesn't know her numbers to read the door plate. You cannot force Cinder to fill out the accounting journals if she did not know how to write. You can't force the slave to warn hotel guests about checking out if the slave couldn't read.

As much as Miss Sunny probably hated it, she had to teach Cinder the basics of life. And even then the education was given to Cinder solely for the pragmatic goals of Miss Sunny herself. Miss Sunny was clearly not planning to give anything beyond basic skills to Cinder.

Though, she hadn't even gone to school before... How Jonathan was able to negotiate her admission to the second grade was beyond Cinder's understanding.

Thinking about learning made Cinder remember Miss Sunny's lessons, and she involuntarily raised her hand to her neck, instinctively checking for the absence of her collar.

Miss Sunny was an impatient teacher... and full of anger. Therefore, Cinder had to learn everything necessary. And fast, if not… Cinder learned quickly that tardiness was punishable.

Memories of past classes and the shocks that accompanied it made Cinder clench her fists. But, just one glance at Jonathan's back, who continued to dig in to pick up the various notebooks, made Cinder breathe out slowly.

Jonathan is near - then everything will be fine. Everything has to be good.

On the other hand, the thought that she would be able to learn, and maybe even start helping with Jonathan's business, could do nothing else but make Cinder rejoice. Yes, it will be a long process... But it will help Cinder to help Jonathan faster. The goal for which Cinder was ready to put up even with school.

On the other hand, she will have to be separate from Jonathan. Every day, for many hours.

And although Cinder knew that Jonathan had never really left her, he could seemingly be anywhere he wanted, the very thought of it made Cinder winced in discomfort.

After all, she won't even be able to help Jonathan while she is in this... School.

And it was unforgivable.

Though the prospect of meeting new people, her future... Classmates - and teachers made her feel… excited? Before meeting Jonathan, Cinder had not been able to interact in any way with any of the children her age… Positive interactions anyway, the twins don't count. And they were older than her anyway.

It also endeared a great amount of alertness. Cinder knew first hand just how cruel and indifferent people were...

So all in all, Cinder had extremely mixed emotions after receiving the news. But...

"Yeah, found it! Jonathan finally emerged from the huge deposits of books, shaking a textbook, as if it was a cherished trophy.

If Jonathan wanted Cinder to go to school, Cinder could only accept his decision. Happily even.

***

The walls of Mount Glenn rose high, surely appearing to the residents of the city as a powerful bastion of protection in the face of the Grimm and bandits living outside the city...

But, contrary to what the citizens of Mount Glenn might believe, not only bandits and Grimm existed outside the city. And to them the walls of Mount Glenn did not at all seem 'reliable' or 'protective'. For the refugees having to stay outside the giant walls of the city, they seemed more like an insurmountable obstacle in their path. A barrier that does not protect the flame of civilization from the wilds, but more like a jewel box that hides the most precious from the unwashed masses.

Civilization… to the forty-eight people languishing outside the walls it was more like a death sentence.

For the twelve men, twenty-six women, three old men, seven children, that remains of the once thriving idyllic settlement in the wilderness around Vale, Rosegarden, the unassailable wall was a sign of their doom.

It was only a month ago, that their small blot in the wild lands, the mark with the name of their settlement was erased from all maps of the world. It was only a month ago that Rosegarden was destroyed. And, of the three and a half thousand inhabitants of the small settlement, less than fifty survived. And soon, because of the wall, they would all die all the same.

Not all of those that live in Rosegarden died immediately. Many, but not all.

First there was the horde of Grimm. No one knew and no one really cared what provoked their attack. Was it some kind of crime happening in a deep forest near the settlement? Perhaps some idiot hunter caught the attention of the horde? Or was it a slow build-up, made up of dozens or even hundreds of small reasons year after year? It didn't matter in the end.

The Grimm attack took place at five in the morning, but the people in the settlement only learned that the Grimm was among them only fifteen minutes later, when someone was able to raise the general alarm. The Grimm struck the homes where the Hunters that were supposed to guard the settlement first.

There were twenty-four hunters living in Rosegarden. Only one survived.

What came next was a massacre. Thousands of Grimm against frightened civilians? It wasn't even a contest, almost two thousand people died in a panicked haze.

The streets were littered with bodies. It was a view directly from hell.

Streets turned pink forever as rivers of blood soaked into the asphalt.

And the sound… If it was not the chomping sound of Grimms, eating and blood-curdling screams wherever you go. Then it was the viscera and blood sloshing around the streets.

As the survivors run like headless chicken, they run over countless corpses.

Grimm dissolved after death.

People don't.

All around the settlement was the smell of metal. A metallic taste that stuck inside your nose and throat, a reminder that you can't hide from. Blood and meat flew around like fireworks.

The experience was too much for some and one hundred and twelve survivors committed suicides soon after. One hundred and twelve in one day.

But they had won, they had fought off the Grimm. They hid the children, and the wounded were taken care off, they had survived… And soon came the bandits.

Bandits, after the Grimm, there are always bandits.

Fourteen hundred frightened civilians, most are children, old people, women, cripples, and wounded against a gang of forty, maybe a little more or less. Really what could they do?

Give us the supplies and no one gets hurt. Really, the bandits knew that they couldn't fight back.

Some survivors didn't, there were those who tried to resist, they went on a sortie.

Six were executed in public, for intimidation.

Amongst them the last hunter of Rosegarden. What was he hoping for when he lost his arm just a day ago?

And so they gave it all away. Food. Weapons. Ammo. Medicine. What else could they have done?

After that, the ones executed, their bodies were buried. Buried with honors, unlike thousands of others.

Only one thousand three hundred and fifty people. Most are children, the crippled, and the wounded. And now they have to survive on their own.

No help came, no help would come. They were already written off as dead. Why would the cities risk their Hunter to save a doomed settlement? Risk precious and rare Hunters that's needed to defend the cities to save a probably already dead settlement? The choice was obvious.

What's worse was what came after… the long march. The survivors had to go to a nearby city. Hoping for shelter. Hoping for survival.

Many died along the way. And perhaps those that died in the Grimm attack were the lucky one. At least it was quick.

Some gave up and simply sat down on the road, watching those walking ahead.

Some were lost, either they could not keep in pace or they simply wanted to die alone.

Some died in a Grimm attack. There's a reason why people used the roads so rarely. It wasn't a horde of them, but they didn't need a horde. But for what came after, they were lucky.

Most of them died due to hunger. After all, most of their supplies were given to the bandits.

It was a great hunger, a hunger enough to loosen some taboos.

Ost first heard it at dawn, a few weeks after their food ran out, a shot rang out. Not everyone had given their weapons to the bandits, and they would not relinquish them. Food was food, and some are so long gone that some… things started being considered as food.

People began fighting for what scraps of food they could find. Soon the group, what left of them anyway, split up. Some things are, no matter how desperate… unacceptable.

Ost did not know what became of them.

Still in the end, sixty people had made it to the walls of Mount Glenn. Ost remembered the first time she saw the settlement up close and realized that the looming wall was not a dream.

That the bustling city in front of her was not a product of a hungry consciousness teetering towards madness. Not a product of an inflamed delirium that clings to any mirage.

It was a city. They had made it. They were saved.

Ost cried then, hugging all the people nearby as she deliriously cried out of happiness.

Ost never thought that she could love humans so much, and the humans never thought that they could so sincerely share their joy with the faunus. When they cried, their tears were the same for everyone.

Ost rejoiced with every person whom in the past she once cursed as she went on strike with the White Fang. The old policeman, who always looked at the faunus with contempt, hugged her like she was his own daughter.

Each step now was a step towards victory. No longer would they wander endlessly in the dangerous wilds, the city beckoned. She was so happy that she dizzy... then it all crashed down around her.

The gates… It was closed.

Security barred their path. Soldiers armed, trained, and ready to act, barred their path.

Ost didn't care about it then, they got here! There are only some bureaucratic formalities left, an official will come and everything will be over! Nothing of the sort happened.

They were not given tents, blankets, food, or even medical assistance, they were just left outside the walls. To wait. They were so close and yet so far.

And so, with no other option, they built a tent from their camping gear right outside the wall, and began to wait.

One Day. Two. Three. Four.

Then it was a month, then more.

Nobody came.

In their long march, Ost had become the leader of the refugees, the chosen negotiator. Every day, every hour she would walk from their refugee camps to the gates. Each time she would ask the same question to the guards. And every time she always received the same answer.

'At the moment, the department is overburdened with its workload, an authorized person will arrive shortly with all urgency'.

A cold answer, from which the soulless machine of a bureaucracy emanated.

Two of the refugees tried to get into the city at night. In the confusion they were shot. It's just a coincidence, they said. The guards did not see exactly who was trying to get into the city.

Or they saw two vagrant faunus, and faunus means a criminal. The vagrant faunus is a bandit, he wanted to know something about the city, he was preparing a raid, a probable terrorist. And so they were shot, and so two of the survivors of Rosegarden was killed.

No food was provided for them.

Ost knew one officer, and he helped as best he could. He carried boxes of food and water. All done secretly so no one can see them.

Soon, two more died of hunger.

Blankets, or any kind of warm clothes, would have come in handy. But the border guards did not even allow them entrance to the city to buy things with what lien they had managed to squirrel away.

Soon a child and their mother on one cold night. They tried to keep warm in each other's arms.

They were buried together.

Then, out of what tens of survivors barely left, some decided to leave. To Vale, they said. They hoped that they could find support there. What's left camped next to the walls.

Grimm did not approach the settlement and the bandits feared Mount Glenn. It was better than nothing.

And day after day, the border guard answered Ost's questions with a blank look and that the ministry was too busy, and that they will solve all the refugees' problems as soon as possible.

Ost looked day after day into the empty eyes of the guards and felt her gaze emptying day after day. Nobody cared about the refugees. Nobody cared about them...

***

"Jeez, how did the Old Man handle my education, there are so many things to buy!?" Jonathan sighed, crossing out another item from the long list of necessary purchases for Cinder's schooling. "Okay! Next... Physical education uniform!" Jonathan then turned towards the sitting Cinder.

"Cinder, we're finished with the bookstore. Next we're going to the clothes store!" - Jonathan exclaimed, looking at distracted Cinder.

Of course, on the first day they moved to the new city, Jonathan had taken care and bought new clothes for Cinder, which is why she was currently wearing a new T-shirt and jeans. But, he definitely didn't think of buying a little girl's sports uniform until that moment. Buying girls clothes was fine. Buying gym clothes, especially for children. And especially for... little girls? Yeah, that doesn't paint a pretty picture.

The realization that Cinder had to start her future studies starting tomorrow struck Jonathan quite unexpectedly. It forced him to urgently finish both his delivery of parcels, and for the first time to meet with the school principal in order to find out about the necessary things to purchase. And lastly about the peculiarities of this world's school...

Ha, usually, guys his age were usually scared to death to meet with a school's principal. Because, usually speaking, they are still a student of some college, or at best graduated from school at that age... Jonathan, on the contrary, was glad that he managed to do it.

Ha, he was a young single father now...

Okay, heads up, dad! You're going to spend your next ten years asking Cinder how things went with her at school! You're going to be the best dad!

Jonathan smiled at his silly joke as he stepped out of the bookstore and sucked in the clean air, clear off of the musty smell of books. He then stared up at the sky.

The sky was light, clear blue...

Jonathan's gaze caught on the distant black clouds flickering on the horizon, slowly moving across the sky towards Mount Glenn...

"It looks like a thunderstorm is coming..." Jonathan chuckled at his own thought. But, for some reason, a bad premonition echoed with a chill passing down his back...

***

Whistling a funny tune, something from modern music, which such an 'ancient ruin' like him should not know at all, the respected doctor made his way to the elevator. The elevator of his own company! All before pressing the button for the last floor and then peering through the glass wall of the moving elevator at the magnificent foyer of his new company.

Just think how many, it turns out, investors can be found! All you had to do was to share your future plans and inspiration with them and the money starts coming! He could barely believe how many orders for future goods he got!

Vale's council were very interested in his future projects. The councilmen for economics, military affairs and even foreign policy, three of the five counselors were interested in his work!

Of course, ahem, because of a certain... Nature of his experiments, their cash infusions were made from more clandestine sources, and all agreements were made without using official seals. But the doctor did not worry.

The main thing was that he was finally given the space necessary for his experiments, and full funding for his projects! Was this not the best thing in life for a scientist?

Having reached the desired floor, the doctor nodded graciously to his secretary, before walking into his office. As he sat down behind his desk, he once again began admiring his nameplate on the door and the stand filled with his awards and achievements placed as a centerpiece in his office.

"Well!" Dr. Merlot exclaimed joyfully. "From this day on, Merlot Industries are officially open and ready for experiments!"

Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled and an ominous black cloud hung in the distance.