Story Time

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I followed Yang back to Beacon, neither of us saying anything. All I was thinking about was how Roman Torchwick convinced me not to kill him. I'm not falling for anything next time. I spent the rest of the ride back thinking of the multiple ways I could kill him. Scavenger interrupted my thoughts by speaking to me through our neural link. THIS CAN'T BE GOOD FOR YOU, PILOT. THIS IS WORSE THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST TO OTHER PEOPLE.

I know, Scav. But Roman deserves all of it and more. No one gets away from me twice in a row and I'm gonna make sure he learns that, I spoke back through the link.

STILL. YOU NEED NOT THINK OF THIS NOW. BUT DON'T WORRY. HE WILL DIE BY OUR HAND.

You're damn right he will.

She said nothing more and neither did I. I parked the motorcycle outside the warehouse and climbed off. I went back inside the storage room of my ship, seeing what I could find. Interesting stuff in there. I found an EVA-8 shotgun and some spare ammo for it. I also found a set of data picks. The blades fold in along the shaft of the weapon, making them easier to travel with while sheathed. I took the EVA-8 and the data picks out to the main room. I put the EVA-8 next to my R-97 on a weapon rack and put down one of the data picks. I kept the other one and unsheathed a data knife. The knife was slightly lighter, but the pick was more evenly weighted. I opted to replace my data knives with the picks. The sheaths I already had for my knives worked with the picks. I collapsed the blades against the shafts, sheathed the picks, and headed to the main building. When I got there, all the students were in the dining hall eating. Emerald and Mercury were back as well as Ruby and Weiss. They seemed to be playing truth or dare. I didn't care. I sat down at the end of the table next to Yang.

I let them play their game and I got up to get some food. I came back and sat down. Their game continued for a while and I just ate. That changed when Mercury spoke. "Milo."

"Fuck," I said.

"Truth or dare."

"Truth I guess."

"Alright." He thought for a moment. "What would you say is the most fucked up thing you did when you were a mercenary?"

I took off my bandana and stared at the logo on it. "When I was an Apex Predator, I did a ton of questionable things. Probably the worst thing was when I ransacked a town with a buddy of mine, Kane. He's also an Apex Predator. When I was done with the town and reported to General Marder, he told us to do something. I still remember his exact words: 'Just burn the damned place down. It is not of use to us anymore.' He added it to our contract and upped our paycheck. So, we went back to the town. First, I went in and slaughtered everybody there. Then, Kane went in with his Scorch and killed everyone I missed. Then he burned the town to the ground. They screamed. Begged for their lives. I didn't care. I became deaf to those sounds long ago. You have no idea the bodycount that day.

"When I met up with the rest of the Apex Predators, me and Kane were congratulated by the others. Well, except for Ash. That bitch never shows emotion. We celebrated a job well done. We went drinking and got our pay. I didn't think anything of it. But, those screams of people burning alive still haunt me. Night terrors are rough. When the nightmares started, I knew I should get out. So, I stole a ship, ditched the Predators, and next thing I knew, I was fighting Adam Taurus in the forest outside Haven." I looked around at the others' expressions and reactions. Some stared at me in awe, some with fear, some with disgust. "Like I said when I met you all, money's money. A job is a job. Everyday, I live through a personal hell that never goes away. Those people never stop screaming. I deserve it. All of it. The terrors, the flashbacks, the screams in my head. I became a monster." I tied my bandana back around my neck and situated it over my shoulder.

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