Ch:11 Aftermath

The sun shone through the windows, right into her eyes, making her squirm to try and block it out. However, no matter how she moved, she couldn't find a comfortable position that didn't involve the sun blinding her. With a begrudging sigh, she decided to open her eyes.

Looking around, she found herself in an unfamiliar room with a stark white ceiling that had a sterile, hospital-like appearance. As she tried to sit up and get a better look at her surroundings, a terrible pain surged through her head, forcing her to fall back onto the bed.

A voice coming from the left side of the room chuckled quietly and said, "No need to be hasty, Blake. You're still recovering from that shock you took."

Recognizing the voice, Blake turned her head to see Maru sitting in a chair next to her bed, holding a knife and an apple with a few slices cut out of it.

Her movement allowed her to take in more of the room, revealing that they were in some kind of infirmary, likely within the White Fang's base on Menagerie.

Maru's amused expression prompted her to ask, "Well, the sleepy kitty is awake. Have a good catnap?"

Still trying to fully wake up and ignoring Maru's puns, Blake asked, "What happened?"

Maru chuckled again and tried to suppress a bigger laugh, saying, "Well, you managed to get yourself 'catnapped' by Frosty, the Snow Bastard, son of the Ice Bitch of the North. Then, you got shocked through Frosty from our resident chameleon."

Blake's confused expression broke Maru's composure, and she burst into laughter, her grin growing wider as Blake's confusion deepened. Eventually, Maru calmed down and said, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." She chuckled again and continued, "It turns out that one of the soldiers split from the main group and managed to grab you. If not for Ilia, you'd probably still be in trouble." To emphasize her point, she gestured to a figure slumped on her bed, who had been previously overlooked.

The figure turned out to be Ilia, who was fast asleep with her head resting on the bed. Maru patted Ilia's head and added, "She hasn't left your side since you passed out. She wanted to apologize as soon as you woke up. Ilia's a good friend, and if you decide to live this dangerous life, you'll need people you can trust and depend on. You'll encounter many who can fulfill some of those roles, but finding someone who can cover them all is rare. When you do, keep them close and don't let go."

Maru stood up, and Blake noticed the brand on the side of her neck. She asked, "Your scar, is it the same as Adam's?"

Maru sighed, sat back down, and confirmed, "Yeah, I'm assuming that's the reason he joined the Fang."

Blake nodded, and Maru sighed again, saying, "That idiot bull. If he lives only for revenge, he'll end up hurting all the people who care about him."

Blake looked toward Maru then asked "did you not join the Fang for revenge on the humans who did that to you?"

Maru openly laughed at the question and once she calmed down she answered "no not the ones who did this to me I don't really care what happens to them." She then continued "no this is where I'm going to sound like a hypocrite and like I'm selfish but I joined to get revenge on a few specific people."

Blake looked at Maru, a hint of anger in her voice, and questioned, "Isn't that what you just called Adam an idiot for doing?"

Maru chuckled again without the usual amusement, saying, "I know, this is why I called myself a hypocrite."

She then headed toward the door but added one last thing as she glanced back at Blake, "There are some apple slices next to you. Help yourself if you want."

Blake watched as Maru, the enigmatic figure, left the room. She then turned her attention to the few apple slices on the side table, the front two slices cut into the shape of a cat's and a lizard's head.

___

Aric was both utterly humiliated and pissed off as he stomped down a corridor at Atlas Academy. He reached up and touched the bandage covering his right eye, feeling the pain beneath it that only fueled his rage.

Stopping in front of an elevator door, he entered a code on the keypad to the side. The door opened, and he stepped inside, pressing a button before the doors closed and the elevator began to ascend.

When the doors opened again, Aric found himself in a round room with walkways leading in different directions. He headed straight forward and followed a short path until he reached two wooden doors.

Pushing them open, he entered a large room with a rounded roof, adorned with white decorations. In the center of the room, four people turned their attention toward Aric. To the right was a young girl with bubblegum pink hair tied into two pigtails. She wore a white medical mask over her mouth, which highlighted her catlike pink eyes. To the left stood a woman with icy blue hair cascading to her shoulders, donning an Atlesian military cloak with a hood. Her icy hair was matched by her icy expression. Next to the woman was a man in a leather coat featuring Atlas symbols on both shoulders and the right side. He had graying blue hair that seemed to emit a faint glow. In the middle of them all stood a man, tall and clad in a white military coat. His face and right side displayed signs of mechanical and robotic augmentation.

The pink-haired girl was the first to speak. "The hell happened to you?" she asked, her tone cheeky.

Aric scowled at her but turned his attention to the man in the center, saluting him, and said, "Urgent report, General Ironwood. May I proceed?"

General James Ironwood looked at Aric and replied, "You may."

Aric nodded and continued, "The mission at the White Fang compound failed, and we were forced to retreat."

The people in the room expressed surprise, as Aric Steelborne was renowned for achieving nearly any mission he undertook.

The pink-haired girl whistled and commented, "Damn, how the mighty have fallen."

Aric's scowl deepened, and he shot a glare at the girl. "Keiri, enough!" he reprimanded.

She giggled for a bit longer but eventually fell silent.

The icy blue-haired woman standing beside General Ironwood spoke emotionlessly, "If you two are done arguing, can you continue with your report?"

Aric nodded and proceeded, "The main injuries we sustained were concussions. The enemies weren't aiming to kill, but there was one severe injury and one casualty."

The general sighed. "Another family I'll have to inform of their loss."

Aric interrupted, saying, "That won't be necessary, sir. I will be the one to deliver the news."

General Ironwood gave Aric a thankful look and gestured for him to continue.

Aric looked conflicted but then took a deep breath and went on, "The deceased's name was Juno Frost."

The room's temperature seemed to drop instantly, and everyone's attention turned toward the icy blue-haired woman. The room's windows frosted over as she slowly inquired, "What did you say?"

Aric felt a shiver run down his spine but replied, "I'm sorry to inform you, Aurora, but your son, Juno Frost, has been killed."

Aurora's face remained expressionless, but the room grew colder, and their breaths became visible in the frigid air. She uttered only one word, so quietly that it echoed in the deathly silence of the room, "Who?"

Aric gulped and answered her with a smirk forming on his face, "The person who killed your son was someone you used to be very close to, to the extent that you saw her as your own daughter. Well, that was until her father became a traitor to Atlas."

This revelation triggered recognition on the faces of everyone in the room, but the only one to speak was Aurora. She breathed out a name, "Maru Arktis."

Off to the side of the conversing four, the last man in the room sighed and looked up towards the roof with a thought 'you've gotten yourself some powerful enemies little fox, be safe.'

A/N thank you for reading the next chapter will be a short interlude before going into the next arc which from what I have planned out should be quite fun. If anyone has suggestions on how to make this story better do tell. Thx:)