Well I just had a brain flash of an amazing idea for this story down the line.

Also, how do I get 50% as many favourites from this story as a do from my RWBY story that is triple the length?

In any case, I'm not complaining.

Also; changing the chapter titles.

Also, also; had trouble making up a training chapter, so this won't be that big. Enjoy anyway.

I order you to.

/

Sometimes… the world expects you to act, but in their own standards.

Act the same way, learn the same way, produce what benefits them only.

Difference scares them.

Mindlessly following a path of self-destruction, rather than self-exploration.

How boring.

Let's show them what scares them.

Difference.

-The G-man-

- - - - - Lazarus - - - - -

Taylor rolled left as Valka's greatsword 'thunked' into the metal floor of the beached ship. Taylor attempted to swing her own sword at her new teacher, with far less grace than her mentor had done. As punishment for such a telegraphed attack, Valka flipped over the sword, using her own as a pivot point. Next, the far older woman swung around and planted both booted feet into Taylor's chest with force, sending her crashing into a wall.

When Taylor had regained her bearings, she saw that Valka had wedged her own sword out of the ground and was now stalking over to Taylor's prone form.

"C'mon, get up," Valka ordered. "You won't learn anything laying down there."

Taylor obliged, using her sword to assist with her getting up. But once she was up, Valka wasted no time attempting to run her through. Dodging and parrying, she had worked up some skills in it the day before when Valka was training her in hand-to-hand.

To say the least, Taylor was surprised to have learned several forms of martial arts in a single day.

"You are doing well, Taylor." Valka complemented. "Now dodge left,"

Taylor did as she was told.

And dodge right into Valka's swinging blade, rending her upper from her lower.

Darkness.

Light.

Movement

Warmth

Whiteness.

Taylor shot up with cough as she felt the crackling energy leave her body that revived her.

"Need to work on your focus, Taylor. Why on this Earth would you listen to me tell you to dive into my sword?" Valka asked, giving her a hand up.

"I thought you were giving me advice," Taylor answered, rubbing her throbbing, fiery skull.

"And I might of. You need to be the one to figure out if its actually advice or me just trying to trip you up." Valka leaned forward on her sword.

Taylor groaned, making Valka chuckle.

Taylor really didn't want to keep duelling Valka. But she could feel her body getting better.

- - - - - Lazarus - - - - -

"Taylor! You're falling behind!" Valka called back to her protégé.

"I'm *huff* trying!" Taylor called back, almost ready to collapse. Taylor had taken up running shortly after she had begun to be bullied, running a few km each morning.

But this? What Valka was putting her through?

P A I N.

Just, pain.

They had been running around the abandoned trainyard, covering its entirety multiple times, for the past SEVEN HOURS WITHOUT STOPPING. Not even for water. At least four hours into the run, Taylor had begun to gather strange looks from people passing by, sweating from places that even she didn't know she could sweat from.

"Okay," Valka spoke up, beginning to slow, "Think it's time to take a quick break."

"Oh thank any god that is out there!" Taylor said as she literally collapsed on the grainy dirt. "I'd have started praying to the Endbringers soon if it meant resting.

"Hmm." Valka hummed as Taylor could see her reaching for something out of the corner of her eye.

"Valka." She asked.

"Yes, Taylor?" She responded.

"What are you doing." She stated, not asked.

"Why nothing." She returned innocently. A little too innocently.

"Valka, I know yo..." Taylor just had enough time to engage her fire and try to roll away before the steel pole splattered through her skull.

Darkness.

Light.

Movement

Warmth

Whiteness

"Had a nice break?" Valka asked as Taylor picked herself up.

"Fuck you," Taylor replied.

"That's fair." Valka shrugged.

I hindsight, Taylor really should have seen this coming. Oh, how she hated Valka whenever she did something like this.

And yet, she could feel her body getting faster.

- - - - - Lazarus - - - - -

Taylor grunted as she lifted the weights up and away from her body. It was easier to call it a 'weights' rather than a 'collection of heavy objects Valka continued to pile on top of her in attempts to make her stronger', because that was just a mouthful.

"Ready for another?" Valka asked from Taylor's left.

"Do I get a choice?" Taylor asked, flashing a cocky smile.

"Nope," Valka answered, returning her smile with a smirk of her own. Then, Valka ripped off a piece of a ship, crumpled it into a kind-of cube, and tossed it on top of the rest of the ones Taylor was lifting.

Taylor's arms wobbled, and her eyes would have widened if she had any at the moment.

'Uh-oh.' Taylor thought.

Then her arms gave out.

Darkness.

Light.

Movement

Warmth

Whiteness

Taylor groaned as she came to. It was still annoying having to pick herself up whenever she revived.

"How much was I on?" Taylor asked Valka.

"Tad over three tonnes," Valka informed her. "I was counting." She added to Taylor's sceptical gaze.

Taylor had gotten used to Valka's training methods, and yet, they still annoyed the heck out of the young Lazarinthian.

And yet, she could feel her body getting stronger.

- - - - - Lazarus - - - - -

"So, have you been thinking on your costume, T?" Valka asked as she flopped down on the couch next to Taylor.

"A little, yes," Taylor admitted.

"Well? Let's hear what you got!" Valka prompted with one of her trademark endearing smiles. Taylor's own face light up as a response. She quickly dashed off before returning with a few sheets of paper, each with various sketches on it.

"So I had this idea with the material to use this thing called NCT, which will not destroy the fabric when I die to things like gunfire and stabbing." Taylor explained, showing Valka a specific sheet.

"Is it available in a heat resistant material?" Valka asked, pointing out one of the more likely ways for her to die as a hero in Brockton Bay.

"Hmm, probably?" Taylor shrugged. "I was more hung up on the detail of dying whilst not ruining my costume."

"And what about this?" Valka plucked one of the papers, causing Taylor's eyes to widen a bit, realizing she hadn't meant to bring that one down. She quickly tried to nab it from the older woman's fingers to little avail as Valka pulled it away and pushed Taylor away with a hand to the face. "So, a firefighter outfit? What gave you this idea?"

Taylor felt her face heat up under Valka's fingers.

"I, just, uh..." Taylor stammered for a reply that didn't embarrass herself. "It was something that I dreamt of..."

Taylor felt Valka's hand become ridged before releasing her poor face. "We'll use this one then."

"Wh-what?!" Taylor exclaimed, surprised.

"You dreamt of it; it must mean something. My own outfit came to me in a dream, too." Valka clarified.

"Really?" Taylor asked.

Valka nodded. "It was actually similar to the outfit a good friend of mine once wore. Blutz 'n' Vega." Valka shook her head. "Anyway, doesn't matter. What does, is that the subconscious is a very powerful thing, and if your dream was compelling enough to make you record this design, then it means something." Valka gave Taylor a pointed look, "Remember Taylor, you aren't human anymore."

Taylor nodded, feeling a little wired hearing those words.

She didn't think she'd ever get used to not being human.


Fanfiction, how you say... fucked up, there for a little while. Sorry, but also not my fault.