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SABL (Ashen Wolf x LittleCloud)

The only answer Sable got to his perfectly reasonable question was mischievous wink from the fox girl until the entirety of her attention was suddenly occupied by the deadeyed assault from her teammate. At the best of times Wanda wasn't the easiest target to hit but she had overextended to drop the Grimm (and mind controlled or not she probably wasn't taking him as seriously as she should be) and the room filled with the clang of metal on metal as she tried to deflect the relentless slicing of Alex's blade until she could keep up no longer and with a final thrust her aura burst in a shower of golden light and her unconcious body was sent bouncing along the floor of the gym until it slumped against the nearest wall.

"Wanda!" Daisy was wide awake now and didn't need to be told twice, the explosive burst of speed she'd shown to take a hit for Sable propelling her forward to practically tackle the Grimm, forgoing her baton in her panic and trying to brute force her semblance in to the beast and send it into a deep deep sleep.

It barely seemed to notice.

With Sable's attention elsewhere Nikki was able to snap back in to focus, unfortunately still under the control of the Grimm, and dived back in to the fray, channelling her Semblance back in to her fists and throwing out a haymaker hard enough to send him flying out in to the street.

The tide of battle seemed to be shifting firmly in favour of the Grimm and the pair still standing swarmed Daisy, lashing out with thier claws on the mouse faunus to bring her down and leave Sable to face them alone.

Alex
Move Entranced
Standard Attack Wanda with Multi Slash: 1D20+8 = [20]+8 = 28 DC23 DC28+Multiattack Toughness vs Damage if that hits. Crit
Wanda Deflect: 1D10+18 = [8]+18 = 26 No Multiattack Bonus
Wanda Toughness vs DC28: 1D20+6 = [3]+6 = 9 INCAPACITATED
End of Turn Alex Will vs DC18: 1D20+8 = [4]+8 = 12 Fail

Daisy
Move Move into Close with Thrall #2
Standard Attack Thrall #2 with +2 Power Attack Sleeping Grasp: 1D20+7 = [2]+7 = 9 DC29/24 Will vs Damage, Cumulative Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated with Secondary Effect & Weaken Will if that hits. Miss
Extra Effort Standard Attack Thrall #2 with +2 Power Attack Sleeping Grasp: 1D20+7 = [12]+7 = 19 DC29/24 Will vs Damage, Cumulative Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated with Secondary Effect & Weaken Will if that hits. Hits
Thrall #2 Will vs DC29/24: 1D20+8 = [16]+8 = 24 Bruised

Nikki
Move Move in to Close with Sable
Standard Attack Sable with Brawler & Power Smash: 1D20+6 = [16]+6 = 22 DC25 Toughness vs Damage & DC20 Defense/Strength or be knocked out of the door! Hits

Thrall #1
Move Move into Close with Daisy
Standard Team Attack with Thrall #2 Thrall #1 Team Attack: 1D20+8 = [6]+8 = 14 +2 DC

Thrall #2
Move Move into Close with Daisy
Standard Attack Daisy with Tainted Claws: 1D20+8 = [20]+8 = 28 Good thing Daisy is immune to Crits! DC23 Toughness vs Damage & DC18 Fortitude vs Cumulative Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated.
Daisy Toughness vs DC23: 1D20+12 = [10]+12 = 22 Bruised
Daisy Fortitude vs Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated (DC18): 1D20+8 = [14]+8 = 22 Resists

Initiative
Thralls
Wanda
Sable
Alex
Daisy

Status
Sable Fine
Wanda Fine
Alex Compelled (DC18)
Daisy Fatigued/Bruised x1

Thrall 1 Fine
Thrall 2 Bruised x1
Thrall 3 Dazed (DC18)/Staggered/Bruised x3
Nikki Fine
 
As Daisy sprung off his back, Sable spring back into action.

"Eyes open, Ringleader," he grinned, shoving her out of the way just as Alex's first blow came down across his chest, sensing reverberations throughout his pallid aura. He tried to meet him blow for blow, but he was off balance. With only a machete to carry him, his defense simply wasn't good enough. For every cut turned aside, two slipped through. He only just managed to block the most vital ones, but the damage was piling up. He was getting slower.

"You two are just a couple of peas-in-pod, aren't'cha?" Sable spat. He didn't need to turn his head. He could read the writing on the wall. Too much time tangoing with Alex made him all too vulnerable to the brutal follow-up from his rabbit-eared partner. "You've even got the same eyes n-"

*SMASH!*

Sable went flying through the wooden doors, landing right between his two diligent sentries. His vision blurred painfully, sharpening into the image of his two teammates. He narrowed his eyes at the two girls leaning over him.

"What are you lookin' at?" he growled, gesturing wildly in the direction of inside. "Go! Jump 'em!"

Pain shot through his stomach as he sat up, peering through the shattered doorway to line his sights up on the one who just punched him.

Reaction: Interpose for Wanda, Toughness vs DC30: 1D20+10 = [9]+10 = 19
 Three Degrees of Success -> Bruised + Staggered

Toughness vs DC25: 1D20+9 = [13]+9 = 22 Bruised
Defense vs Move: 1D20+8 = [9]+8 = 17 Moved

Standard: Activate Semblance through the Doorway at Nikki. DC18 vs Cumulative Entranced/Compelled/Controlled.

Condition: Bruised x2, Staggered
 
"Oh come on, it's just Alex." Wanda remarked flippantly as Sable took the blow meant for her, leaping out of the chaotic melee around her to perch on one of the corners of the boxing ring that sat in the centre of the room. An attitude that quickly vanished when she saw what 'just Alex' could actually achieve (she had kinda forgotten that he had beaten Lilac in training) but she had a plan anyway.

Being a Huntress, Wanda's duty was to battle the creatures of Grimm, but there was more to that just killing the monsters wherever they rose up. The Grimm were attracted to negative emotions like fear and anger, so thought Wanda what better way to fight them than with hope and joy?

"Come on guys! One down two to go! If we can't stop three monsters those GLNT jerks'll never let us live it down! Lets kick their ass!" She cheered, squeezing the trigger on her rifle and sending a round thudding in to one of the monsters.

With Wanda making herself scarce and Sable sailing out the door that only left Daisy still standing and still enslaved to the will of the Grimm Alex rushed down the mouse faunus, wildly swinging his oversized knife. This time Daisy was ready for the attack and swung out hard with her baton to knock his weapon away only for the boy to utterly fail to deliver any follow attack. Instead he blinked for a few seconds before a look of confusion played over his face.

"What just...?" He asked disorientated.

"Monsters gave you the mind-whammy keep fighting!" Wanda helpfully got him up to speed.

Daisy just gave a relieved smile before turning her attention back to the monsters that surrounded her, swinging her ponderous ceramic composite weapon at the nearest beast, yawning as the blow went wide but if nobody knew any better, if these weren't fierce creatures of Grimm, then it almost looked like they started yawning too, the red glow of their cyclopean eyes starting to dim and flicker.

Outside the gym Lilac suddenly wasn't their anymore, vanishing and reappearing inside, her weapons appearing in her hands from within the baggy sleeves of her hoodie and humming it to life with a flick of her wrists. "Don't worry everyone team SABL is here!" She declared brightly "Well most of us, I don't know where Meg is right now..." With that she slashed her hard light blades at the gently swaying Grimm with the same level as enthusiasm she did everything else, the black ooze of the Grimm hissing where it made contact with the hightech weapon but achievieving very little else.

"Are you okay?!" Henri asked, her voice full of worry and canine ears still perched on her ahead as she reached out with her free hand to try and help her leader to his feet.

"There's only one still moving! Beat it down!" Wanda called out, bouncing off the ropes from turnbuckle to turnbuckle and firing again and again to try and hem in her target before squeezing the trigger one final time and launching another brilliant red firework at the monster to try and keep it off balance for her friends to finish the job. "Man I wish we had some cool team moves already..."

Wanda (Last Turn)
Move Jump on to the ring
Free Set Dual Mode Weapon to Rifle
Standard Attack Thrall #2 withMotivating Cheer: 1D20+8 = [12]+8 = 20 DC23 Toughness vs Damage if that hits & Wanda attempts to heal a Bruise from all of her allies Wanda Healing vs DC10: 1D20+8 = [17]+8 = 25 Hits/Heals
Thrall #3 Toughness vs DC23: 1D20+7 = [7]+7 = 14 Dazed & Bruised

Alex
Move Compelled
Standard Charge Daisy with Multi Slash: 1D20+6 = [5]+6 = 11 DC23+Multiattack vs Damage if that hits Miss
End of Turn Alex Will vs DC18: 1D20+8 = [12]+8 = 20 Recover

Daisy
Move N/A
Standard Attack Thrall #2 with +2 All-Out Attack Heavy Baton & Slumber: 1D20+6 = [1]+6 = 7 DC27 Toughness vs Damage if that hits and all enemies make a DC18 Will Save vs Cumlative Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated Miss
Thrall #1 Will vs Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated (DC18): 1D20+8 = [1]+8 = 9 Stunned
Thrall #2 Will vs Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated (DC18): 1D20+8 = [4]+8 = 12 Stunned
Nikki Will vs Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated (DC18): 1D20+8 = [15]+8 = 23 Resist

Lilac
Move Teleport in to Close with Thrall #2
Standard Attack Thrall #2 with Slice & Dice: 1D20+8 = [6]+8 = 14 DC23+Multiattack Defense vs Damage if that hits. Miss

Thrall #1
End of Turn Thrall #1 Will vs DC18: 1D20+8 = [20]+8 = 28 Recover

Thrall #2
End of Turn Thrall #2 Will vs DC18: 1D20+8 = [8]+8 = 16 Fail

Wanda
Move Feint Thrall #1, DC26 Acrobatics/Insight Check vs Vulnerable Thrall #1 Insight vs Feint (DC26): 1D20+6 = [6]+6 = 12 Thrall #1 is Vulnerable vs Wanda, Alex & Daisy until Wanda's next turn
Standard Attack Thrall #1 with +2 All-Out/Power Attack Fire Dust Flares: 1D20+8 = [8]+8 = 16 DC25 Toughness vs Damage & DC20 Fortitude vs Cumulative Impaired&Vulnerable/Disabled&Defenceless if that hits Hits
Thrall #1 Toughness vs DC25: 1D20+8 = [16]+8 = 24 Bruised
Thrall #1 Fortitude vs Impaired&Vulnerable/Disabled&Defenceless (DC20): 1D20+8 = [14]+8 = 22 Resist

Initiative
Lilac
Thralls
Wanda
Sable
Alex
Daisy
Henri

Status
Sable Staggered/Bruised x1
Henri Fine
Liliac Fine

Wanda Fine
Alex Fine
Daisy Fatigued

Thrall 1 Bruised x1
Thrall 2 Stunned (DC18)/Bruised x2
Thrall 3 Dazed (DC18)/Staggered/Bruised x3
Nikki Compelled (DC18)
 
Sable could hear Wanda yelling something inane about GLNT, as well as Henrietta's voice reverberating through his head. Brothers, it was all so loud. He narrowed his eyes and swatted Henri's hand out of the way. "Grr... I can take care of myself," he grumbled, stumbling to his feet. "Don't worry about me! You go deal with... those things."

Sable gestured uneasily in the direction of the fight, which seemed to be taking a turn for the better. He didn't even need to have the rabbit knock out her blond friend, which, while fortunate for the group's greater efforts, would have been extremely satisfying for the petty faunus.

Instead, Sable issued an order to Nikki to press her advantage: make a show of resisting the effects of the thrall's mind control and then go beat on the only active thrall with the rest of her team.

Standard: Assert control over Nikki, DC18 vs Will for Cumulative Entranced Compelled Controlled
Condition: Bruised x1, Staggered
 
For a moment Nikki stood frozen in place, Sable's Semblance fully overriding the control that the Grimm had on her after a brief internal struggle. She was a surprisingly good actress as followed her new orders, seeming to shake off the monster's hypnotic snare before turning on her former master and unloading with a heavy bare knuckle punch.

"She's back on the winning team!" Wanda cheered from her perch on the ring "Hey Nikki! I got your gloves!"

The hare faunus didn't respond, her current task was far more important than anything else right now but Wanda didn't think anything of it, they were in the middle of combat after all and if someone had mind controlled her she'd want to punch them in the mouth too.

What happened next was something Sable would be familiar with, there was only one monster still standing (more or less) and with Wanda providing supporting fire the rest of team WNDA rounded on it for a good old fashioned gang beating! Alex and Daisy knocking the creature backwards and forwards between them until the monster collapsed in a heap on the ground, it wasn't particularlly flashy or heroic and it probably wasn't the sort of thing that the Academy would approve of but it worked.

While this was going on the light in the final Grimm's eye guttered and died as it collapsed to the floor seemingly off its own accord, only the gentle rising and falling of its chest as it slept any indication that it wasn't actually dead.

"We won...?" Alex looked at the unmoving monsters on the floor in front of him, talking as if he didn't quite believe it himself and letting out a small squeak as Daisy slumped over against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah we did!" Wanda hopped off the ring and threw an arm around her both her teammates, inserting herself between them for a celebratory hug.

With the Grimm defeated, the towering mountain of a man that was Nikki's father snapped back to reality in the corner of the room, dropping in to a fighting stance of his own before he looked around and realised things had changed a little since he had gone to investigate a strange noise in his cellar. His daughter of course was equally free of the Grimm's now too but Sable was another story all together...

Nikki (Last Turn)
Move Move in to Close with Thrall #1
Standard Attack Thrall #1 with Brawler & Haymaker: 1D20+6 = [1]+6 = 7 DC25/20 Toughness Save vs Damage & Weaken Toughness if that hits. Miss

Alex
Move Move in to Close with Thrall #1
Standard Attack Thrall #1 with +2 All-Out/Power Attack Multi Slash: 1D20+8 = [15]+8 = 23 DC25+Multiattack Toughness vs Damage if that hits Hits
Thrall #1 Toughness vs DC27: 1D20+7 = [6]+7 = 13 Stagged & Bruised

Daisy
Move Move in to Close with Thrall #1
Standard Attack Thrall #1 with +2 All-Out/Power Attack Attack Heavy Baton & Slumber: 1D20+4 = [16]+4 = 20 DC29 Toughness vs Damage if that hits and all enemies make a DC18 Will Save vs Cumlative Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated.
Thrall #1 Toughness vs DC29: 1D20+6 = [3]+6 = 9 INCAPACITATED
Thrall #2 Will vs Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated (DC18): 1D20+8 = [5]+8 = 13 Cumulates to INCAPACITATED

Initiative
Lilac
Thralls
Wanda
Sable
Alex
Daisy
Henri

Status
Sable Staggered/Bruised x1
Henri Fine
Liliac Fine

Wanda Fine
Alex Fine
Daisy Fatigued

Thrall 1 Staggered/Bruised x2
Thrall 2 Stunned (DC18)/Bruised x2
Thrall 3 Dazed (DC18)/Staggered/Bruised x3
Nikki Controlled (by Sable)
 
A slow clap echoed from the door way. Sable, standing slumped against the door frame, made his snide comment before wandering over: "Where's my celebratory hug? How about a kiss where it hurts?"

Given that it hurt pretty much everywhere, that was a tall order for just one kiss. No doubt he'd still feel that one-two combo from Alex and Nikki for a while yet. And to think that today was supposed to be a vacation! Not that he was especially surprised that an excursion down to Mantle capped things off with a fight, though. It didn't really feel like coming back home if someone didn't end up on the floor--for a given value of someone, at least. He couldn't exactly call a Grimm a person.

Speaking of which, it wasn't exactly dead yet, was it? It was laid out on the floor, unconscious. Had he his weapon on hand and a bit more energy, he'd stab the damn thing himself, but most of his mental effort was devoted to maintaining a stranglehold over Nikki's consciousness. He could do this, at least:

To Ciel Soleil said:
Here's spicy pic for my favorite operative~
lmk wyt ;)
*image attachment*
Don't tell Penny.
Click to expand...

Sable tucked his Scroll back into his pocket. He didn't have anything against Penny, but odds were that she'd say something dumb in front of Meg, assuming she was still hanging out in his dorm. Knowing both of the girls, the answer was more likely than not.

"Right," he turned to Nikki and her dad. "You two want to tell us everything that happened?"

He phrased it like a question, but it was really an order. Grimm didn't just show up in the middle of Mantle, and it was rare that the monsters showed enough intelligence and foresight to post a sentry in the form of Mrs. March while they carried out whatever their hypnotic objective was. Clearly there was something going on, and Mantleans weren't exactly the most forthcoming folks.

(Personally, he thought their business was their own, but if he couldn't look good in front of the ladies, he'd look good in front of the brass. Maybe he'd get some special treatment out of it.)

Nikki would obviously answer to the best of her capabilities, but perhaps her father had some personal insight into the situation. Her daughter's forthcomingness would surely grease the wheels in that respect. Sable didn't give her any directives to leave out any embarrassing-but-relevant secrets or anything.

"We should also package that thing up for delivery before it wakes up, too, huh?" He kicked the injured Grimm callously. "Guess we could just kill it. Feels like a waste, though."
 
It wasn't quite a hug but Henri reached over to give him a cautious but congratulatory pat on the shoulder while he rattled off the message on his Scroll.

It was a testament to the innovation of the CCTs that it only took a few seconds for Ciel Soleil to recieve it, several competing thoughts running through her mind as she saw the picture of the strange incapacitated Grimm lying on the floor of the gym. First amongst them was what the hell even was that thing, quickly followed by whether he was okay (obviously he was if he was able to send her a message but that didn't mean he couldn't have been roughed up) and finally just the tiniest sliver of relief, this all meant that he had gotten her last message.

Forcing the schoolgirl blush from her cheeks she quickly sprung in to action, sending a businesslike reply as she made her way down to the hangar.

To Sable Grey said:
Tracing your location
Is anyone hurt?
Click to expand...

Back on the ground Nikki was surprisingly unhelpful despite Sable's control over her, with some embarrassment she admitted that she had fallen under the Grimm's sway almost as soon as she'd walked through the door.

"Started last night." Her father spoke up, sounding exactly as gruff as you'd expect from a man like him "Heard some noises in the basement, I figured it had to be rats or something, no big deal right? 'Cept when I go down there in the morning to put some traps down there's this hole in the wall and those things were there. Next thing I know here we are. Thanks by the way, don't know what would've happened if you kids hadn't showed up."

"Just doing our job Mr M." Wanda informed him with a cheery two-fingered salute "Oh by the way I'm gonna need that loaner back when you're done."

The Grimm didn't so much as stir from its slumber as Sable's boot connected with its chest, Daisy's semblance had just as strong a hold on it as his had on Nikki but he was right, it wasn't going to last forever they were going to have to do something if they wanted it to still be here when the authorities arrived but luckily Henri had a plan! She was more than a little aware of how she'd been pretty much useless for that fight and Sable had gotten hurt.

"Let me." She said as she approached before she poked the creatures unmoving form with the tip of her cane, a burst of ice dust trapping it in a block of ice in an instant, looking back at her leader for approval.
 
Sable barely had the chance to pocket his Scroll before it buzzed with a response from Ciel, which came as a bit of a surprise to the oft-neglected young delinquent. If only those blowhards in Atlas Academy administration could be equally prompt in processing his paperwork. He was normally against calling the establishment to solve his problems, but he did have to admit that, with an Atlesian squad en route to clean things up here, their assistance simplified the situation immensely. Making sure that nobody saw what was on his screen, he replied:

To Ciel Soleil said:
yeah
me
I expect someone to kiss it better ;)
cya later~
Click to expand...

"I'd bet good lien that the bastards would've just pulled you into that tunnel and eaten you," Sable suggested blithely. That wasn't exactly true; considering their displayed intelligence, he thought it would be more realistic that they use the gym as a venue to take and eat other people... and then eat the March family. Honestly, part of him wanted to press for a reward given the hazard averted, but he didn't think he did enough to warrant that if nobody else was asking. "By the way, someone should check out that hole in the wall."

Sable looked pointedly at Team WNDA, already opting not to volunteer himself. Of course, whether they investigated or not, he'd make sure to tell Ciel when her crew came. He had no doubt that he'd be kept in the loop anyway; WNDA was a gossipy crowd, and Lilac was even gossipier.

"Or at least brick it up. I'm no carpenter, though. Swinging a machete around at monsters ain't really my thing, either," he playfully stuck his tongue out at Wanda and casually lobbed her machete at her, trusting in her ability to make the catch in the face of very unsafe sharps-handling etiquette.

"...Huh?" With the monster now on-ice, Sable was prepared to leave it at that, but Henri was looking at him like she wanted something. First, the wolf only looked back in confusion. Then, a glint appeared in his blood-red eyes as the realization hit. He couldn't help the pleased smirk that tugged at his lips. Those ears really did suit her, didn't they?

"Oh. I see~" Sable chuckled. He stepped closer, too close. "Fine, I suppose you've earned a little reward."

With a dramatic flourish, Sable reached over and gently ruffled her hair, as if bestowing a royal blessing upon his dog-eared heiress. Then again, just under her chin.
 
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Ciel's Scroll buzzed with Sable's reply and she pulled it from where it hung on her belt without breaking her stride, marching through the sterile corridors of the Academy as she made her way to the hangar and her fingers danced over the screen to unlock it without even bothering to look down, a poster child for the cool, calm and professional demeanour that Atlas liked to project to the rest of Remnant.

And then she read his message and she nearly tripped over her own feet, the blush she'd only just banished flooding back to her cheeks with avengeance!

She looked around and breathed a sigh of relief at the empty corridor around her, she didn't bother replying this time and stowed her Scroll back where it came, nobody had seen her this time but who knew if she'd be so lucky with Sable's next message? Clearly their next debrief was going to have to include a more thorough explanation of the Academy's regulation regarding fraternisation.

Someone who was far more relaxed than Ciel Soleil, about a lot of things and not just weapon's safety, was Wanda and she happily snatched the machete out of the air with a twirl and sent it vanishing in to the depths of her svelte purse. Sure it might have been nasty if she hadn't made the catch but that's what aura was for right?

"I'll go scope it out, lead the way Mr M!" Wanda took the hint and span on her heels to go and investigate with Nikki's father heading towards the basement.

"Ooo ooo I want to see the monster hole too!" Lilac called out because of course she did and bounded off after the faunus. Hopefully there was functioning lights in the basement or this was going to get tricky (come to think of it, even if the property had functioning lights in the basement when they moved in what reason would faunus have to replace burned out bulbs....?)

In retrospect this was all great as far as Henri was concerned because that meant there were three less people to see what happened next. She'd been expecting an approving nod or perhaps a 'Well done.' from her leader, the sort of thing she might have earned from her parents , not that. When he reached out ot ruffle her hair she froze in place like a deer dog in headlights and by the time she felt his hand under her chin all brain activity appeared to have shut down, a deep crimson blush painted on her cheeks.
 
"Heh... If you wanna see a monster hole, we can just turn this guy over," Sable snickered. Unfortunately, his dirty joke went mostly unheard; the three had already left the gym to investigate, leaving only Sable and the three stragglers topside. That was fine and all, but Lilac and Wanda struck him as a questionable investigation team. So, while Henri was busy turning into a ruby statue, he turned to Alex and Daisy. They weren't exactly the pinnacle of physical activity, and Alex didn't even seem to be able to use his semblance, so surely they had something else to bring to the table other than looking docile as a lamb and cute as a mouse, respectively.

"...Not to make assumptions," Sable said, making assumptions, "But aren't you supposed to be the smart one of your team? Shouldn't you be around making sure that they're thinking with their heads straight?"

Well, if anything important did happen, he was sure he'd hear it loud and clear. Besides, regardless of if the two opted to go or not, between Alex, Daisy and Nikki, only one of them could be said to actually be present. Daisy was asleep and Nikki was only as present as Sable wanted her to be. Although Henri may have been focusing on the benefits of that isolation, didn't that also mean Sable basically had her all to himself?

"Aren't you supposed to be Bronze, Henri? You look a bit more red to me." He turned his attention back to the girl. Playing around with Atlesian princesses just came natural to him, he supposed. Call it retribution by proxy, but he could hardly resist teasing her now that her composure had been eroded. "Does the little puppy like when I praise her?"
 
"I am?" This came as news to the blonde Atlasian, straightening up almost on instinct and causing Daisy to murmur in her sleep, sure he wasn't stupid, private tutors would do that but he didn't think of himself as particularly smart, having two older siblings would do that to you. "I mean I guess I am." He spoke with a little more confidence, taking Sable's comment as a compliment, looking around he carefully moved Daisy towards the ring in the centre of the room and gently let her down propped up against the canvas "I'll go check on them."

Pulling out his Scroll to light the way he descended into the dark leaving Sable to continue his reign of terror over poor flustered Henri. Frozen on the spot Henri couldn't meet her leader's gaze as he continued to toy with her, whatever faculty she had remaining simply trying to keep her other half under lock and key, although she might not fair any better thanks to Sable's meddling...

"I...uh..." Henrietta Bronze was utterly out of her depth, she didn't know why but she did like it when Sable praised her in a way that her sheltered upbringing had utterly failed to prepare her for, which only served to send her spiralling deeper into distress until her brain grabbed on to the first part formed idea it could "I'll go get Mrs March!" She squeaked before bolting for the door as fast as her legs could carry her.

If Sable's gaze continued to follow her, he'd watch her trip on the step outside and faceplant in to the ground, a slightly confused and disorientated Mrs March helping her to her feet and making sure she was okay.

Sable would have surprisingly little time to himself until finally the sounds of engines would come from outside and a pristine white Bullhead descended from above to land in the middle street, causing locks to click shut and people watching from the windows to scurry out of back doors. In short order Ciel Soliel marched through the doors of the gym, flanked by a trio of helmeted soldiers and a pair of faceless humanoid machines, if the sight of the Grimm frozen in ice gave her pause she didn't show it and began to issue commands.

"You men secure the area and start taking statements. Units 4 and 7 prepare that thing for transport." Her underlings sprung in to action and Ciel's gaze turned to Sable "Mr Grey with me, you have some explaining to do."
 
On second thought, maybe his assumption hadn't been correct. Alex's reaction certainly did very little to inspire confidence in Sable, but callous as he was, Sable didn't have the heart to tell the poor boy that he was smartest by default. Considering the bar for smartest in that particular group didn't strike him as the highest thing in the world, he was willing to trust the Atlesian with making sure that the other two didn't end up doing something extremely silly, like finding a nest of Grimm and poking it. Alex already had the good judgment to use his Scroll to light the way! Silver linings!

Of course, with the only cognizant people on the floor being Sable and Henrietta, that meant he was free to do anything he wanted with the poor Bronze girl... Or he would have, if the poor maiden had not managed to gather her wits and escape the big bad wolf's clutches. It was a pity, but seeing her fall flat on her face was a mildly entertaining consolation prize for losing out on the opportunity to have some fun. Besides, escape was never really an option for her in the first place; he'd seen to it.

Not that he would've managed to do anything anyway, as the draft of wind whipped his hair and filled his ears with the sound of roaring engines and scything wings came too soon even for him to fantasize about hypotheticals. Atlas certainly had a way of making an entrance, that was for sure. Where was the discretion? Clicking locks, shuttered windows, and hasty escapes showed just how little they were welcome in this neck of the woods, and neighbors talked, especially in Mantle. Did they want everyone to know that something had gone on here?

Well, the gym's financial and reputational prospects weren't his business, so he didn't really care, but when it came to Mantle versus Atlas, he was batting for home team every time.

"Explaining, huh? Is that all we're gonna do?" Sable asked Ciel wryly. "I believe I made a request."

He crossed his arms and followed after her. Of course, he didn't expect her to actually go through with it. She was a bit too straitlaced for that. "By the way, while you're yelling at your bucket heads, you might wanna get them to check on the monster hole downstairs, too."
 
"And if you'd read the documents I had sent you. You would know that that request is a Section 11 Class E misdemeanor, you're lucky I don't give you a reprimand." Ciel explained to him cooly, his messages might have caught her off guard before but now in person she had shields up, now she was all business. "I trust my men to handle the situation appropriately."

Leaving the gym behind Ciel walked briskly through the streets of Mantle with Sable in tow until she arrived at a small cafe (that she absolutely hadn't researched back on the Bullhead on the way here), the place wasn't anything special with framed black and white pictures on the wall showing nobody in particular in a variety of scenic locations and the sound of music drifting out of the doorway.

Stopping outside the Atlasian agent scanned the interior through the glass front and, satisified that there was no one else inside, walked in taking up a seat at the booth furthest to the back and pulled out her Scroll.

"Now." She said, her fingers dancing over the glowing rectangle as she readied to take notes and waited for Sable to take a place opposite her "What happened in there?"
 
"Ouch. You really think I wouldn't read that? I'm hurt." Of course Sable didn't read it--the thing was a damn brick--but that wouldn't stop him from playfully feigning offense. He had no way of knowing how flustered he'd made her with his texts, but he was confident their last encounter certainly had the operative charmed. With a wry grin, the faunus added: "But I wouldn't mind being reprimanded by Miss Soleil too much~"

Or Penny, for that matter. Considering her personality, Sable couldn't imagine she'd enforce extremely stringent reprisal. He wondered how she and Megara were getting along. The answer was probably terribly well, unfortunately. If he knew anything about Atlesians, it was that they were good at playing games, and it would be all too fitting for Megara to smile and wave her way into influence.

Well, maybe not smile and wave.

Sable followed Ciel to a quaint little cafe a few blocks away from the commotion at the March family's gym. When he caught her peeking into the cafe to make sure nobody was there, he quietly chuckled. Ciel didn't the type to be so inefficient, and considering how purposefully she'd led him, there was really only one reason she'd have picked such a roundabout location to carry out their 'debriefing'.

"If you want the study notes version of events, we were going to pick up our seventh for some noodles, but it turns out her family gym had a pest problem and we had to play exterminator for a few hypnotic rats in her basement... Did I mention they were hypnotic? Crazy." He willfully neglected to mention that his own semblance was effectively mind control. "I wouldn't have believed it myself if I didn't have these here."

Sable lifted his hoodie. In addition to showing off his physique, he had some wounds from Alex and Nikki's critical combination combo. After making sure Ciel got a good look, he dropped it. "Afterwards Wanda, the fox faunus from the other team; Alex, the twinky blond guy from the other team; and Lilac--you read my team file--all went to scope the big mouse hole while I got to enjoy my time with my second favorite parole officer."

He stuck his tongue out playfully.

"There are less roundabout ways to ask how my day's been going," Sable leaned back in the chair, arms crossed. Between his Atlas merch and her operative uniform, they looked like a pair of school kids out on a date. "I know last time you neglected to, but a cafe date is a bit overcompensating, no? Granted, Mantle isn't exactly full of exotic teas. Maybe we ought to try this again back up top, Miss Soleil?"

"Well, my tastes aren't so elaborate anyway." He'd ordered himself a pretty simple affair: coffee as black as his name. It tasted bitter just like him, as well. "Nice and private is fun, too~"
 
Ciel might have had her back to Sable but he could practically feel her rolling her eyes, she didn't know exactly what fantasies were running through the Faunus' mind but she was sure it wasn't sitting in an empty classroom and being forced to take notes while she dictated sections of the Special Operative Cadets Operations & Regulation Manual.

"Please try and take this debrief seriously Mr Gray." She said cooly, even if she doubted that he actually would and a tiny traitorous part of her hoped that he wouldn't, her mind drifting to being alone in a classroom with the rougish wolf, perching on the edge of his desk in her little blue skirt...

Through sheer force of professionalism she brought that train of thought to an abrupt end before it could hopefully manifest on her features, using her brief scan of the cafe as the moment she needed to steady her breathing before she walked inside. Taking her seat her order was almost identical to Sable's, a black coffee only with the addition of a slice of cheesecake small enough that she thought that she would be able to claim it back on expenses.

"Can you remember anything else about these Grimm?" She asked, either way the boys back at the lab were going to have a very interesting time before the thing disintegrated back in to smoke and ash but it wouldn't hurt to get as much information as possible first "They don't sound like anything I've h..."

Her words drifted off as Sable lifted his hoodie and like Ms Aegean before her she got an eyeful of the toned physique of a huntsman, of course this particularly Atlasian was far more appreciative than the last and it wasn't until the barista arrived with their order a few seconds later that she snapped back to reality. Thanking them with a smile she quickly tried to cover her indiscretion with concern "I'll take you to medical as soon as we return to the Academy, now if we could get back to the matter at hand."

She hoped that that would be enough to get her debrief back on track but somehow she doubted that it would. "This is not a date Mr Gray, this is a debrief." She insisted. "Please focus. As a team leader Miss Mercury will also be questioned in due course."
 
"Obviously," Sable smirked smugly. It was funny: the more Ciel insisted it wasn't a date just made it feel that much more like one. She certainly had no complaints when he was showing off his injuries, that was for sure. She was professional, not subtle, and like Henri, he thought that side of her was absolutely delicious. For a man of so many masks, he certainly enjoyed the idea of breaking others'... "You know best, Miss Soleil. This is just a debriefing, and I'm just your silly little delinquent~"

Emphasis his.

"I'm focusing," he said, "I'm focusing real hard." Sable crossed his arms and looked at Ciel, gazing at her with barely-concealed intent. It was half in jest, half in earnest. Ciel wasn't a difficult sight to enjoy. Her outfit was positively puritan, but he could tell Atlesian luxuries and a good training regimen had definitely treated her well underneath. It was all too easy to sinking his teeth into the idea of peeling away all those layers or dressing her up in something more scandalous. But moreover, while Ciel was an undeniably pretty girl, she was downright adorable when she was fretting. Especially when it was about him.

The pause lingered uncomfortably, but before she could besmirch his good name any further, he spoke:

"They're smart. Or controlled. Never heard of anyone controlling Grimm before, but it makes as much sense as a Grimm getting through the walls. They fought using coordination. Not pack tactics. Coordination. Clever enough to manipulate the mother into stalling us, too, but not smart enough to adapt to changes or make the act especially convincing." To Sable, at least. Those less versed in mental manipulation may have thought otherwise, though. "Can't confirm if they can only individually control others or do it en masse, but beating them up fixed the issue. The claws are comparatively less important, but they're venomous. Just don't get hit."

"That should be all. Any questions, or should we proceed with making eyes at each other and playing footsie under the table?" he concluded as if he had just finished talking about a pleasant walk he had this afternoon rather than a startlingly thorough breakdown of what he'd fought. He nested his fingers and smiled. "You Atlesians are all about efficiency, ain'tcha?"

"Oh, and speaking of efficiency," he lifted his finger like he wanted to get called on, "Can I get one of those buttons on my Scroll that shoots a weapons locker in my direction? Or is that something I need to trade some backroom favors for?"
 
Ciel tried to keep the red from creeping across her cheeks as she diligently recorded everything that Sable had to say about the strange Grimm they had encountered, the key word being tried and a maidenly blush quickly coloured her face despite her best efforts. There was just something about the way he talked about being hers that made her squirm in her seat in a way that her training hadn't really felt the need to equip her for.

Still she was here to do a job and she was going to do it, reaching for her coffee and taking a sip before she focused back up, pushing whatever she was feeling down under the weight of her duty and looking back to Sable with a renewed sense of professionalism whilst hoping that by simply trying to ignore his relentless teasing and flirtation he would let her be.

"Thank you for your cooperation Mr Gray." Her voice was quickly losing it's nervous edge and slipping back in to the Atlasian authoritarian that Sable had become familiar with "That request is above my authority but I can make a recommendation to my superiors on your behalf."

Having said her piece she finally closed her Scroll and decided that she'd earned a little treat, finally looking away from her deliquent and taking a bite out of her cheesecake and savoring the sweet treat.

And has it happened (because I forgot to put this in the last post) Meg and Penny were having a delightful time, Meg was a little disappointed that Penny didn't appear to know anything that could give her leverage over Sable but she had managed to impress upon the other girl that she was welcome to come and go from their dorm whenever she felt like it, which she was sure would annoy him at least.
 
"What a shame." Sable clicked his tongue discontentedly. Even Ciel was beholden to the colossus that was Atlesian bureaucracy, it seemed. Honestly, who did he have to talk to to get anything done around here? The General himself? Being caught and collared was one thing. Having his hands tied by red tape? He'd never be free of his chains at this rate. But matters like this just couldn't be helped. He'd simply have to play by their rules until he was strong enough to make his own. So Sable just shrugged and said: "Well, thanks for trying at least."

He took a long sip of his coffee, basking in the warm feeling of caffeine rushing through him. Besides, what were the odds that he'd need that button in the near future, anyway?

Bereft of any additional prompting on Ciel's part, the faunus set the cup down and leaned back. He eyed up the operative across from him, a charming smirk playing at his lips. Try as she might to hide it, there was no mistaking the innocent blush dusting her cheeks. So it seems there was a cute girl underneath that cold exterior after all. "Interesting," Sable remarked, "I've answered all your questions and we're still here."

His boots kicked against hers with a telltale clack. Another careless swing brought them into contact again, just in case she thought it was a coincidence. "You aren't thinking about breaking any rules, are you Miss Soleil?" Sable challenged. He leaned forward and wiped a stray crumb from her cheek. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."
 
"You're welcome Mr Gray."

Beneath the table Ciel's feet played with Sable's, making the whole scene seem even more like a pair of students on a date, she didn't really know what she was doing but the little cafe was a world away from the cold sterile confines of Atlas and surely there was no harm in a simple little school girl crush? So long as it didn't interfere with her job and she would make sure that it wouldn't.

"If you're ready to return to the Academy we can collect your team momentarily." As soon as she had finished her desert anyway, her next bite leaving a few errant crumbs at the corner of her mouth for Sable to reach out and brush free, freezing her to the spot for just a second as she got to feel like something other than a cog in the military machine for just a moment. Once the world started spinning again Ciel tried to pretend like that hadn't just happened, with a mixed success, not quiet being able to smooth out that stern authoritarian mask.

"I'm surprised you even know what the rules are Mr Gray." She retorted "Have you even read the documents I sent you?"
 
"If I'm ready? Don't sound too excited to see me leave. These pants aren't that tight on the seat."

Sable smugly noted the language at play here. Even if she didn't mean it that way, it was very telling of what she might be thinking deep down, especially with how she played along with him below. Their boots and calves brushed against each other freely, offering the opportunity to savor that little bit of momentary contact before they were drawn apart, only to be brought together by sheer force of attraction. Ciel was an intense girl, and the way she looked at him had not diminished that description in the slightest. The difference now was that there was a little something else mixed in there, an uncertainty that Sable could easily latch onto.

And latch on, he did. Sable's romantically charged gesture may have been careless, but it certainly wasn't frivolous. He couldn't deny that she was a catch, after all. Confident, competent, and well position--the faunus could do far worse than get someone like her wrapped around his finger.

"You asked me that already," Sable pointed out cheekily, standing from his seat, In this case, the lack of a straight answer to his own question was also a telling answer. "My answer hasn't changed, but... Maybe my willingness to has?"

He slowly paced over to her side. Then he slid into the booth next to her.

"It'd be nice to be reminded of the rules..." One hand around her shoulder, the other covering his lips as he let out a conspiratorial whisper: "...You know, when we break them together."
 
Ciel hadn't expected Sable to get up from his seat and she certainly hadn't expected him to slip in to place beside her, she was rapidly losing control of the situation but there was a part of her that didn't think that would be so bad, she might have held the authority over the faunus next to her (at least on paper) but back in Atlas she was a minnow swimming in the enormous ocean of Academy bureaucracy and between Penny and her other duties she rarely had time to relax. Would it really be so bad if she just let her hair down this one time?

With him settling in at her side she leaned against him, goosebumps on her skin where she could feel his warm breath. She opened her mouth to reply and faltered, there was nothing in her field guides and operation manuals to guide her here, a few moments longer and her mind was made up, turning her head to look at the deliquent with her wide green eyes and...

*BEEP*

Her Scroll buzzed from its place on the table and she shot up to her feet as if she had been freed from some kind of spell, her device ringing for several more seconds as she fumbled to answer.

"Payload secured and ready for transport Ma'am." Came the voice of one of her subordinates from the other end of call, Ciel's nerves and hesitation evaporating as she slid in to an altogether more familiar scenario.

"And the statements?"

"Already taken from team WNDA's leader."

"Good work." She turned her attention away from the Scroll for a moment and looked back to Sable "I think we should return to the Bullhead."
 
"Oh?" The wolf hummed, feeling Ciel's head press to his chest. His steady heartbeat comforted her for a few precious seconds, and as she gathered her impressions of their new dynamic, so too did he. To Sable, the difference was stark. It was like he'd traded out Ciel for Henrietta! Still, it was clear to Sable that under all that militaristic bluster was a soft-hearted young woman. It was perfect prey for a wolf like him to sink his fangs into.

"Lost for words, Miss Soleil?" the faunus crooned. His hand touched her chin, drawing her attention into those deep pools of lupine red. "I didn't know you could be so--"

*BEEP!*

Sable audibly groaned as Ciel's Scroll rang out, prompting the girl to shoot to her feet. His head rolled back, and with it, his eyes out of his head. Seriously? Way to kill the moment! He silently cursed those Atlesians for the umpteenth time today. They really wouldn't let him get away with anything, would they? When Ciel looked back over, she'd no doubt see Sable looking quite cross. "It's time to go already?" If he sounded disappointed, he wasn't; he was annoyed. "What. A. Shame."

The wolf got up, shoulders heavy with physical and mental fatigue. "Well, the date was nice while it lasted," Sable quipped, unwilling to let her get off without one last jab. "Does Miss Soleil want me to count to 100 before I leave so that nobody knows about our dirty little debriefing?"

"Just kidding." He shot a teasing grin over at her, and then proceeded to return to the Bullhead regardless.
 
Stowing her Scroll, Ciel briskly left the cafe quickly catching up with the delinquent faunus and making sure that by the time they were rounding the corner to where the bullhead stood in the middle of the street she was a few steps ahead of him, appearances mattered after all.

"Sable!" Lilac waved excitedly from where she had been losing to Wanda at a dice game, running over to greet her leader "We found a..."

"What you found is classified information until further notice Miss Langley." Ciel quickly cut her off "Everybody gather your belongings, we return to the Academy in five minutes." With that she left them behind and headed back in to the gym, there was a few things she had to settle to with Nikki's parents before they left.

Watching her go Lilac only managed to contain herself for a few moments before she cupped one hand over mouth and whispered conspiratorially "I'll tell you later."

With that (unless Sable had anything else to add), Lilac, Henri and team WNDA piled back in to the airship, all of them giving the grimmsicle that dominated the hold a wide berth as if merely going near it might cause the monster to burst free and attack, fortunately the trip back was fairly uneventful bar Wanda trying to convince anyone to lick the ice block, but nobody really felt like taking her up on it.

Sable would be relieved to know that by the time they returned to their dorm Penny was long gone but 'Miss Aegean' was still there and as smug as ever, putting away the last of her very expensive Mistralian tea set.

"Well there goes my peace and quiet." She said with a sigh that was mostly for show "Have fun on your little trip?"
 
"That's classified information until further notice," Sable quoted dryly. Of the three members of SBL, their leader was clearly the most roughed-up of the bunch. Cut and torn, his once-pristine academy merchandise had clearly been put through its paces. Before Meg could linger on this detail for too long, Sable unceremoniously lobbed his tattered Atlas Academy hoodie at the not-so-little, but still very smug heiress.

"My deepest condolences for your peace and quiet." He said in his poshest Atlesian accent. He didn't need an Lilac's imagination to figure out why the shark seemed to be much more self-satisfied today. "Unfortunately, my Gossipy Fashion Heiress Sense was tingling, so I simply had to leave behind my adoring fans and check it. Alas, they just couldn't keep their hands off me..."

Sable began taking his shirt off as well, casually exposing his toned upper body for his teammates' viewing pleasure. The damage from Nikki and Alex's one-two-combo only somewhat detracted from what would otherwise be a tantalizing peek at the attractive, but often covered up, faunus. He bundled the shirt up in his hands. This too, he lobbed vaguely in Meg's direction.

"Speaking of." He stomped over to Lilac. "What'd you find when you and Wanda were getting down and dirty in Nikki's hole?"

Yes, he intentionally phrased it like that.
 
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