Disclaimer: While I would say there is no definitive answer to the question, "Which of the Overlord OP's is the best?," I would say they at least always deliver on a sense of quality. While I would personally order it "Clattanoia", "Crazy Scary Holy Fantasy" (Even though that's technically not one), "Voracity", then "Go Cry Go", not a single one of them would I actively avoid listening to.
Can't say the same for the Endings, though. They just got progressively worse. Like, "L.L.L." delivered on the fun beat with a Yandere love song, but holy Hell, "Hydra" bored me to tears, and I have yet to actually be invested enough in Season 3's Ending to learn what it's called. Apparently, it's by OxT, so why the Hell did they not bring back that "Clattanoia/GCG" spirit?
Like, Overlord's built on parody. Why play such an important part straight? The second you make the Ending this super serious thing, you make it just another epic song, with very little identity. "Clattanoia" is a poppy autotuned song about the slow loss of identity and Ainz's indifference to it. "Go Cry Go" is meta, you're supposed to be pumped Overlord's back after two years, and the opening animation was a reward to all the LN readers. "Voracity" ties into the theme of Ainz's ambition, comparing it to an addiction or hunger. When the endings sound like these morose songs you could get from somewhere else, about how much it sucks to… I'm not sure. Ainz is a bitchin' skeleton king. I'm not pumped for the next episode, 'cause a song like these make me think I'm watching a terrible teen drama.
Some camp and gags are necessary. Like, don't be ashamed of your brand, just because it was a Light Novel. At least, I hope that's not the case. 'Cause when you take away the fun, the comedy, playing everything straight, you turn into a poor, hollow shell of what you're supposed to be adapting.
Kinda like they did with Jircniv. HEY-O!
And yes, Overlord is worth reading/watching.
Chapter 1: Meeting, Threats, and Everything in Between.
It was a disaster.
There was no other word Raskin could think of.
One kid just tore through six armed bandits in less than a minute.
Correction: The kid tore through six armed bandits, weaponless, in less than a minute, and was currently standing over his prostrate form with an innocent smile of glee.
Raskin could honestly say he would be less terrified if it was a hungry, drooling Grimm.
"Is it already over?" The girl asked, "Sorry, Kana. I blinked and missed it." Idly kicking the comatose form of Kaine, she continued to walk over until she stood next to the kid. "Anyway, you ready to take us to Raven? Or do we need to find someone else?"
"N-no Ma'am!" Raskin squeaked out, climbing onto all fours in a bowing posture. "I'm sorry." It was definitely one of those days.
Two hunters. Of all the luck, how'd they end up threatening two hunters? The Hell were they doing wandering around the woods?
"Good. Lead the way, Gruntson."
"I-it's Raskin, Ma-"
"Sorry, only winners get names, Gruntson. Speaking of which, I don't like 'Ma'am', makes me feel old. The name's Morgan, and this precious Cinnamon-Bun who can rip you apart with his bare hands…" She thumbed to the kid, "…Is Kana."
"No problem, Morgan."
"I'm sorry, did I say we were friends, Gruntson? It's Mrs. Morgan to you. You can call him Mr. Kana." She seemed to be finished, but Kana looked at her expectantly. Within seconds, Morgan sighed, and continued. "Actually, call him Sir Kana of Hoshido, Ultra-Esquire."
"I'm sorry. No problem, Mrs. Morgan."
"Much better. Now, lead the way."
In the city of Vytal, a lone figure walked the empty streets in the dead of night. He was immaculately dressed, in a finely pressed white military uniform. His short blond hair was combed in a simple style, barely a lock out of place. One hand was held at his side, tucked into a pocket in his suit, while the other held on to a briefcase, hidden from view by a glove. While his face was relatively plain, he had an incredibly interesting feature.
His right eye was normal, colored blue, but his other eye seemed to be incased entirely in red crystal. While a pupil was not visible, the fact that he wore no eyepatch proved it somehow did not hamper his visibility.
He seemed out of place, as well dressed and disciplined as he was, but his strides betrayed his confidence. Step by step, he approached his destination with practiced ease, his eyes barely wandering to take in the sights.
Within minutes, he arrived in front of a dilapidated church, stopping to observe the sight of the statue in front. While it once may have depicted the two brothers many attributed the creation of humanity to, years of abandonment and vandalization had reduced it to an obscenity covered mess. With a sigh, the man walked towards the entrance, picking up the sound of music and laughter from within.
He opened the door with a small push, but it was apparently enough to gain the attention of those within. Several teenagers turned their attention to the new occupant, clearly not expecting someone. Several of them sported tattoos and piercings, and many had bottles of alcohol in their hands, already opened and half empty.
If he had less important business, he may have said something admonishing, or maybe imparted some wisdom, but he had no such time.
"Oh, pardon me. Didn't mean to intrude." He spoke, waving his arm dismissively. "Just looking for an old friend. Please return to your business."
This didn't seem to deter one member, a rather large young man, from standing up an approaching. A cruel grimace graced his features, which the intruder mirrored with a disapproving frown.
"And just who are you?" The young man asked, cracking his knuckles. "Don't know if you're just looking for a fight, or if you're lost, but I suggest you turn around before you get hurt."
"Ah, it seems we've gotten off on the wrong foot." The man returned, gaining an honest smile, "Let's begin with introductions. My name is Thomas Stardust," He held out his hand, as if preparing for a handshake, "and as I said, I'm looking for an old friend. I heard from a little bird that he came here often, under the name 'The Saint.'" At this, several of the teenagers let out small gasps, and a few started creeping towards the exit.
"Well, much as we'd love to help out a friend of 'The Saint', we're not in the business of welcomin' narcs. So, I'll repeat myself, just one more time: Either walk out the way you came in, or we throw you out…" He took out a small knife at this, which did not go unnoticed by Thomas. "…Let's make sure it's not in a body bag."
Thomas gave a small sigh as he pocketed his hand, his handshake denied. He truly didn't want to fight, especially against a teenager who didn't know who he was threatening. However, he just didn't have the time to waste…
"HOLD IT!" A bombastic voice called out, grabbing the attention of nearly everyone anticipating a fight. Turning their attention to the source, all eyes turned onto a man sitting on the stairs to the second floor.
He was slovenly dressed, with what could barely be called a dress shirt unbuttoned at every point. His jeans were ripped and damaged at several points, and a chain served as a belt. He had several piercings on his right ear, and some sort of tattoo going from his left shoulder to his neck. His blonde hair was cut to the scalp on his right side, but the left and top were allowed to grow uncontrolled. While he appeared drunk, especially with the half-drunk bottle in his hand, his green eyes contained a certain focus that couldn't be denied.
"I CAME OUT HERE TO SEE WHAT THIS RUCKUS WAS ALL ABOUT!" He slurred out, slowly standing up. "ACTUALLY… I CAME OUT HERE TO SEE WHAT STOPPED THE RUCKUS! SERIOUSLY!" He took a long swig from his bottle, emptying the contents within in moments. He then staggered forwards, stumbling a bit as he approached the guest. "And who do I find but Tommy Boy himself…" As his voice quieted, he put a hand on Thomas's shoulder, which caused him to raise an eyebrow in response.
"HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN FOREVER! HOW YOU BEEN MAN?! HAHAHA!" He descended into laughter, which was soon nervously followed by several of the teenagers around. Soon, the laughter turned genuine, as a fight had been avoided completely.
"Don't worry, Johnny." The man spoke to the younger man. "Tommy and I go way back. He ain't interested in causin' trouble. Just get back to your partying…" He patted the now named Johnny on his back, which seemed to placate him and cause him to return to his friends. He then stretched his arm towards Thomas, as if expecting a hug, which he nervously gave.
"Care to tell me what you're doing here?" The man spoke, his previous slurring gone.
"Just to talk, for now." Thomas returned. The man broke the hug, a smile still present on his face. However, he soon tilted his head towards the second floor, in a silent command.
'Follow me.'
He turned around, and Thomas followed. If one were to carefully observe the man, they would notice his movements were much more coordinated then a couple moments ago. Thomas certainly did, but held his observation.
Soon, the two reached the indicated room, which the man opened and entered. It appeared to be the office of the old priest, as there was a desk in the center with a couple chairs strewn around. It looked as dilapidated as every other part of the church, but he wasn't one to judge. What was more pressing was the young girl, standing against the wall with her arms crossed. She seemed to take the man's fashion statements to her own heart, as she wore a similar outfit, albeit thankfully buttoned up for modesty. Her short blonde hair was also shaved on the left side instead of the right, and she lacked the tattoo on her neck. She could honestly pass as his daughter, which Thomas dearly hoped wasn't the case.
"It's cool." The man said, potentially to either party. "Rudie, Tommy. Tommy, Rudie."
Thomas again held out his hand in greeting, which the girl, Rudie, responded to with her own. She still said nothing, instead staring deeply into his eyes with her own blue orbs.
"A pleasure." Thomas said, gentleman to a fault that he was.
"Eye thing is kinda cool, ain't it?" The man said to Rudie, before sitting down in the seat behind the desk, putting his legs on top of it. "Anyway, back to business." He focused his eyes on Thomas, as Rudie returned to her previous spot on the wall. "What… do you want?"
"Well, James, glad to see you have remained sober." Thomas returned, with a small smile as he sat down himself. "Then again, I'm pretty sure you still retain your immunity, am I wrong?"
"Jimmy." He returned, "And the show's for the kids. Can't scare 'em off, so I play drunk every now and then. Makes them think of me as that fun guy in the church, y'know."
"Well, that's all well and good, but 'The Saint'?"
"Hey, I live in the church, and I'm a nice guy. What do you want? These kids aren't geniuses."
"Noted. Anyway, is… Rudie aware of your past?"
"Yeah. 'Course she is. Consider her my second-in-command."
"Excellent, so I believe I should explain my own." Crossing his legs in a refined pose, he continued. "As he said, my name is Thomas Stardust, of the Atlesian Military."
"See, he always has to use full names. Can't think of one for you."
"Regardless, I held the rank of Captain during James' tenure with the military. We both served under Sergeant Pepper, but where James served as an assassin, I was in charge of reconnaissance." The girl didn't respond to his story, but obviously held rapt attention to him. "Anyway, are you both aware of the breach?"
"You mean that invasion of Grimm a while back?" James answered, "Yeah, kinda hard to ignore a horde of Grimm in your backyard."
"Yes, invasion. That is, of course, the public story." Thomas nodded his head, cupping his chin. "But as we both are aware, there is always a truth behind a simple story. The Grimm didn't invade; they were baited. We do not know the full story, but due to the actions of a couple Hunters-in-training, we know who was responsible…"
He placed the briefcase upon the desk, and undid the lock, pulling out a small folder. He placed it in front of James, who took it and opened it, with Rudie peering over his shoulder.
"Roman Torchwick." Thomas continued, answering an unspoken question. "A rather infamous criminal around these parts, as I'm sure you're aware. What's more, we know that he had assistance from a certain… group." James grabbed another picture, this one displaying the all-too familiar symbol of the White Fang.
"The White Fang. As I'm sure you're aware, they've gone through a change in leadership, and with it, a change in methods. It seems working with a criminal such as Torchwick pertains to their new philosophy."
James gave a motion with his hand, indicating Thomas should get on with it.
"Anyway, from what our mole has told us-"
"Oh, is Rocky still kicking?"
"Our ANONYMOUS mole."
"Thirty Lien it's Rocky."
"…He has told us that the main orchestrator of the alliance was one Adam Taurus: The Boar."
"The Boar?"
"Ah, so you're unaware…" Thomas grasped his fingers together. Oh, how he loved his lectures. "Before I answer that question, who do you believe leads the White Fang?"
"That one lady, Somethin'-Khan, right?"
"Sienna Khan, and you are partially correct. She is the main public leader of the White Fang, but she is not the only source of power." Reaching into the briefcase, he pulled out a large stack of files, twelve in total, laying them across the desk. Pointing to one, he continued. "This is our intel on Sienna Khan: The Tiger. While she holds some views we would classify as extremist, she is still preferable to some of the other Twelve."
"The Twelve?"
"The White Fang used to be unified under one leader, but as its numbers grew, several others were elected. It eventually became commonplace for there to be one public leader, with three others. This would allow there to be a leader for each Kingdom, and this number soon grew to accompany two generals under each main leader. Sienna Khan is influential, to be sure, but she is only one of four."
"Yeah, I'm done reading."
"Among the other three leaders are Ryu Kenshu: The Dragon; Carmen Reath: The Phoenix; and Asmord Deus: The Serpent. I take it I do not have to explain they are all Faunus bearing the features of their title."
"Ok, so what does this have to do with Taurus?"
"Come now, you're an intelligent man." He pointed to the other folders, "As I said, each leader has two generals under them, usually awarded the title through martial valor or courage on the field. Serving under Sienna Khan is Adam Taurus: The Boar; and Ewan Lu: The Horse."
"Ok, I get the pattern. Let's get to the point."
"Anyways, there had been plenty of infighting among the leaders and generals. You can mainly separate it into two camps: Those of the old White Fang, such as Carmen Reath, who wish to remain relatively neutral, or those of the newer White Fang, such as Ryu Kenshu, who wish to take more active measures. Needless to say, certain generals do not partake to specific sides, and a… revolution is on the horizon."
"So, I take it the military wants these friendly leaders to stay, and the others to go?"
"Fantastic observation." Thomas continued, "There is just the small caveat that any death within the anti-moderate faction will in fact only spur on further resistance through martyrdom. After all, if a human or pro-human group is responsible, that would only further their goals." He closed his eyes, as if in thought, "No, there is only one option that would work without total annihilation of the White Fang: Subterfuge."
"I'm listening."
"It is no secret among the ranks of the White Fang that the Twelve infight amongst themselves for power. It would be no surprise if one took it a step further and actively cut down their competition. Therefore, we should… accelerate the process."
"So, frame them, then?"
"That, among other techniques. And that brings me here…" James took a slow breath, as he leaned back in his chair. "You were trained to be one of the greatest assassins in the military, but your… suicide left us with no recourse but to erase your records. You are an unknown, so even if there was a counterspy with access to our files, they would have no knowledge of you or your techniques."
"You know I left for a reason, right?"
"A reason I respect, and why I am here in person. I know you grew tired of the killing, I truly do."
"No, you don't. I finished the jobs you needed me for, so you decided to put me in your debt. Now you're here to collect."
"Believe what you may, I have no intention of threats, coercion, or force. I am simply what you claimed me to be: An old friend, looking for help. If you decide not to, then I will simply leave, I will not report your location to the military, nor come back. You can live the rest of your days here. However, if you do decide to join, then I will offer anything you desire. Money, dust, a new life… anything."
"Awful generous of you."
"I have always held the philosophy that people prefer to receive pleasure than avoid pain. Therefore, I want to make my offer the most attractive decision."
"Alright, so what's the plan, then?"
"Due to our mole's investigation, we know the bases of operation for several of the Twelve. While some move from location to location, many stay around a single area. With permission of the military, I plan to form a small force of the elite. As I said, our mission is less to kill than it is to misdirect. Therefore, we will have those skilled in subterfuge and espionage. We currently have three targets: The Serpent, The Rat, and The Boar. Once they have been dealt with, we will continue if necessary, retreat if not. Any questions?"
"How big is the team?"
"No more than a maximum of ten people."
"When do you need an answer?"
"Now would be preferable, but we do not head out until tomorrow."
James nodded his head and closed his eyes. He then turned to Rudie, "What do you think?"
She stepped next to him and began to whisper into his ear. Thomas was not privy to the conversation, but kept his distance. He didn't want to spoil his chance by appearing dishonest, after all.
"Ok," James continued, "We'll think about it, and either show up tomorrow or not."
"We?"
"Did you not hear me? She's my second-in-command. If she doesn't go, I don't."
"Very well. The more the merrier. Glad to have you aboard, Rudie." He nodded his head in respect, which Rudie returned with her own.
"Anyway, where would we meet you?"
"We plan to depart from the Crawford Pier near 0600 hours. We can extend it to eight, but you've always struck me as a light enough sleeper."
"Got it. Expect us, but don't be too disappointed if we think it's not worth the trouble."
"Wonderful. Then I hope to see you tomorrow." Thomas gathered the remaining folders, returning them to their briefcase. He offered James a final handshake, which he took, and then departed from the door.
After a couple seconds, James let out a sigh. "Couldn't just leave me alone, could he?" He turned to Rudie, "Can you check to make sure if he left a little something? About yea big," He placed his two fingers together, "but obviously metal."
Rudie nodded her head, and closed her eyes. She stayed silent, almost as if she were somehow listening, despite the sounds of the revelry outside the office. She then opened her eyes, and with a shake of her head, James continued.
"Good. Don't want to have to deal with his damn spiders. So, old friend comes in after five-ish years, says 'Hey, want your help, but no worry don't need it.' And leaves. Do you buy it?"
Rudie shook her head again.
"Yeah, neither do I. It's why I'm damn surprised he didn't leave one of his spiders around. Ah well, guess there's no choice. Guy's a pretty spoiled brat. He'll find some way to get what he wants. You up for it?"
Rudie tilted her head, in a silent question.
"Nah, I wouldn't be worried. He's conniving, but that also means he's smart. Probably already has some kind of plan on all of them. Just think of it as a job, probably won't be out for longer than a couple months."
Rudie turned her head to the other side.
"Nah, he's not the kinda guy to double cross. He's one of those, 'I never waste my assets' kind of guys. Means he'll probably come calling again after we're done, but what the hell."
Rudie returned her head to its normal position.
"Good to hear. You might as well get some shut-eye. We've gotta pack in the morning."
It was about time to change location.
It was obvious to Vernal. Sitting atop a watchtower, she could see nothing moving. They had barely had any decent hauls over the past few weeks, and that was soon followed by unwanted attention. Bounty Hunters, law enforcement, there had even been one occasion where the military themselves had come after attacking a dust convoy.
That was fine. She had grown up on the move, never staying in a single place. Location wasn't important: Family was. Raven had led the tribe with that philosophy at the forefront. As long as they stuck together, their combined strength could help overcome any challenge.
So, it would only be a matter of time. They would have to probably move to another area entirely, probably eastward, if she was the betting type. Plenty of woods to get lost in, and with it, several places to hide.
She gave a long sigh. Just when she had gotten used to these woods, too.
Her musings were interrupted, however, by the disruption of birds across the treeline. That usually meant something was approaching, whether Grimm or people. Setting down onto one knee, she grabbed a nearby telescope to get a good look. After a few seconds, the disruption moved out of the woods into her line of sight.
The one at the front was vaguely familiar, and was obviously a tribe member based on his clothing. He seemed to be leading the other two towards the tribe, but judging by the way he was nervously shifting his gaze, he was obviously hoping for a rescue.
It gave her a sense of disappointment when she got a better look at his 'captors'. Some girl wearing a purple robe, with her arms crossed over her chest and attention on her counterpart. What seemed to be a little kid was talking to her, his arms swinging at his side as he seemed to skip behind the man. Neither of them were paying attention to their 'captive', and there were no weapons of any kind. Vernal gave a small growl of dissatisfaction. She would've taken any route to escape and misdirect, not take them straight to camp.
Either way, she needed to alert the camp. Signaling down to the guards, she closed her palm twice. Two bogeys approaching. The guards nodded and braced their weapons, ready to ambush at the first sign of trouble. With preparations complete, she waited until the three approached the entrance. Always had to make an impact, after all.
It wasn't long before they approached the gate. Now or never. With barely a running start, Vernal jumped off the watchtower, landing right in front of the entrance as the three stopped.
When she turned to look at the trio, only the tribesman seemed shocked by her appearance. The other two remained calm, and the brat was even smiling.
*CLAP*CLAP*CLAP*CLAP*
… And then they started applauding.
"That was cool!" The boy said, "Do it again!"
"Good distance." The girl held her hand over her eyes to block the sun. "What was that, like 30 feet?"
"I hope you know where you are." Vernal replied, "And who you've brought with you."
"Yeah, about that. We're looking for Raven Branwen." The girl answered, scratching the back of her head. "That wouldn't be you, would it?"
"'Fraid not. She isn't expecting anyone." Reaching to her side, she withdrew her disk.
"Listen, we aren't looking for a fight. We just want some information. Your proud trooper over here said she was the main leader around here, and we aren't really sure where here is. So please, just let us talk."
Vernal stayed silent for a second, before clipping her disk back to her side. "So, tell me then, who are you?"
The girl, for her part, remained silent. For a couple seconds, there was barely anything between them but the sound of the rustling wind.
"Well, Gruntson?" She asked, turning to the Tribesman. "Are you going to introduce us?" At being called out on the spot, the man's eyes widened, and he turned pleadingly to Vernal. She soon regained her disappointed frown.
"That's right, Gruntson. Don't keep me in suspense." It earned a laugh from both kids and a panicked gasp from the man. Seeing no other options, he began to speak.
"Uh, th-this here's Mrs. Morgan." He pointed to the girl, "And Mr. Kana." He pointed to the kid.
"Grr…"
"I-I mean this is Sir Kana of… uh, Somewhere, Super-Esquire!"
"…You were this close, Gruntson." The girl held her fingers close together.
"Well, pleasure to meet you." Vernal said, sarcasm dripping from the words. "Thanks for giving Gruntson here, back. We'll thank you by allowing you to leave in two pieces. Now if you would kindly turn right back the way you came-"
"Ok, tried to be nice." Morgan took a slow breath, gazing carefully at Vernal. Then she whistled. "You're obviously a cut above the rest, aren't you, Vernal?"
"I'm sorry, did I introduce myself?"
"You didn't need to. Anyway, you've got strength, you've got speed, you've even got decent skill. Your defense, however…" She clicked her tongue, tilting her head to the right. "You strike me as a right-hand-woman. Am I close?"
Vernal remained silent. Carefully eyeing the two youths, she reached towards her disk again. "Actually, I changed my mind. I'll go ask Raven if she's willing to see you. Wait here. Gruntson," She pointed to the man, "you come with me." She thumbed back to the camp, and he hurriedly rushed inside the gates. Keeping her eyes on the two, she began to back up. It seemed unnecessary, however, as the girl simply closed her eyes as if in meditation, while the boy seemed to be distracted by a bird. Soon she was within the borders, as the guards closed the gates behind her.
"Vernal!" The man said, "You've gotta get the boss! Those two, they're Hunters."
"Tell me something I don't know." She replied, before grabbing him by the collar, "For instance, WHAT YOU TOLD THEM!"
"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!" He cried, "I WAS JUST ON A SCOUTING RUN WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF THE WOODS, KILLED THE REST OF THE CREW, AND FORCED ME TO BRING 'EM HERE!"
"I HEARD THAT, GRUNTSON!" Morgan's voice carried over the wall. "YOUR FRIENDS AREN'T DEAD! YOU JUST DIDN'T HEAR THEM BREATHING WHILE YOU WERE BEGGING FOR YOUR LIFE!"
Vernal felt a headache coming on as she dragged him closer to the center of camp. Whoever these two were, they certainly were intent to cause trouble…
Kana would admit he was never the smartest soldier in any army. It came with being perhaps the youngest member at any given point, but he knew he would never be on the level of, say, his Uncle Leo. He was okay with it, though. He joined the original Hoshidan Army to help his Mama, and she had always told him he was strong in ways others weren't.
When she told him that, he had always assumed she meant his ability to turn into a Dragon at any given moment, but ever since he and Morgan started these journeys, he understood more and more what she meant.
"They seem pretty nice, don't they?"
"They're smart, not nice." Morgan replied, idly thumbing through her tome from a seated position. "They don't want to attack something they don't understand."
"Well, at least they know when to give up…"
"Hmm, true, I guess." She closed the book, tucking it back into her cloak. "Though, I'm betting on a… say 78% chance we end up setting something on fire on the way out."
"Morgan…" Kana held his arms at his sides as if he was scolding a child. Too bad Morgan was his senior by about half a decade and was only shorter than him sitting down. "These are the first people we've come across here. We don't need to fight them, just talk."
"Oh, Kana. You have to keep in mind we're skipping a few steps here." Placing her hands on the back of her head, she began to lay down on her back. "We usually don't go straight to the boss. Odds are she's pretty strong, and will either try to kill us or enlist us. Either way, we need an escape plan. Walking headlong into an armed bandit camp without one is just asking for trouble."
"I still think we can talk it out…"
"And that's what I love about you, kid. But just keep in mind, these guys aren't living in monster infested woods for the exercise." Kana seemed to agree, but still wore a sad frown. Before he could object further, the gate opened again. The same woman from before, Vernal if Morgan was right (which she would be quick to say was always).
"Ok, she says she's willing to talk to you. Follow me." Morgan got up from the ground, walking towards the woman with barely a flinch of hesitation. Kana soon followed after. Out of the two of them, Morgan was always the leader, due to her head. After all, that wasn't where Kana's strength lied…
"You sure you don't want to check us for weapons?" Morgan asked, stopping in front of Vernal.
"No need." She replied, "You'll find getting on Raven's bad side is a terrible idea." She turned towards the camp, leading the two further inside. As they entered, Kana noticed that the gates closed behind them, and several other bandits began to follow them. Kana simply smiled, not intimidated at all. It was like his Mama always said: He should always smile, it was when he looked best.
Soon, they had approached what appeared to be the center of the camp, and Kana felt an all-too-familiar feeling.
"Morgan." He whispered, although he was probably still audible to Vernal. "I feel a Vein."
"Really?" She asked, loud enough that Vernal would definitely be able to hear her. "That's a surprise, how long has it been since the last one?" Kana honestly couldn't answer himself, but soon found he didn't need to. Vernal left without a word, and they were suddenly left in front of a large tent. Within a few seconds, a figure emerged.
Clad in a red outfit with black highlights, Kana could say (from his limited experience, of course) that she took the look of the Grimm to heart. That was only compounded further with her mask, a twisted visage of the monsters that left no trace of visible skin from her face.
"You must be Raven Branwen." Morgan said, from his side. She then addressed him directly. "Looks like she's got a thing for katanas too. Maybe you can trade tips." Kana looked at her again, noticing the weapon at her side. It looked like a box to him, but the handle jutting out from the front indicated Morgan may have been on to something.
"So, you two are the ones who attacked my scouts and invaded my camp."
"In our defense, they started it."
"Would you care to introduce yourselves?"
"Oh, come on! Did Gruntson mess up again? It's two names!"
"Alright, so I know who you are. That doesn't answer what you are. Which Kingdom are you from? Atlas, Vale?"
"Kingdoms? Well, I'm Ylissean, with some Plegia and an itty-bit of Valm in there somewhere. Kana on the other hand-holy crap try to diagram this: His mother was raised Nohrian and is Hoshidan by birthright, but she's also Vallite, believe it or not. His grandpa's a real piece of work, he's-"
*BANG*
"Are you done cracking jokes?" While Kana didn't get the best look, it seemed as if she launched her sword from the sheathe at an incredible speed, heralded by the loud sound. An application of Iaijutsu, huh? Interesting.
"Are you done beating around the bush? You know who we are, you know what we want, and you seem smart enough to understand that the only way to get answers is to give answers. So, can we come in to the nice looking tent?"
Raven remained silent for a few seconds, for what Kana assumed was a debate to listen or attack. Then, she sheathed her sword, before turning back into the tent.
"Follow me."
Morgan, again, went first, while Kana followed behind. When they entered, they found a candlelit room with a small table held at the center. Raven was already sitting, and Morgan soon did as well. Kana noticed that, compared to Morgan's casual criss-cross, the woman was kneeling in a Hoshidan-like position. Kana did as well, before Raven continued her questions.
"So, will you answer my questions now?"
"Sure. I was being honest, though. I'm Ylissean, and Kana here is Hoshidan. Never been to this 'Vale' or 'Atlas'."
"I… see. Then, to continue, what brings you here?"
"Well, I'll answer that question with another question: Have you seen a dragon around?"
To Raven's credit, she didn't laugh or act flabbergasted. She kept her gaze focused, and answered succinctly.
"No."
"Damn, 0-for-2." Morgan rolled her eyes and leaned forward onto the table. "We're looking for a dragon to kill. Don't know anything about it, even if it's an actual lizard or not, just know that it's incredibly powerful, and may have once been worshipped as a god. Ring any bells?"
"No."
"Dang, any trusted king or political figure seem to have gone crazy and power-hungry for no particular reason lately?"
"No."
"Are you planning on answering all my questions with no?"
"This is asinine. I thought I told you to stop with the jokes."
"You did, and I am. You're just ignoring the truth."
Raven gave a sigh, and then turned to Kana.
"You, kid. Care to answer honestly?"
"Well," Kana returned, pushing two fingers together, "as reward for both our parents killing the dark dragon Velezark, we were tasked by the Father of All Dragons to hunt down all the dragons that go insane. To do that, we travel from world to world, finding a Hero to kill it, an Oracle to guide them, and otherwise help them in any way we can."
After finishing, all three remained silent for a few precious seconds.
"See, Kana, starting with that makes us sound crazy." Morgan said. "Gotta ease 'em into it."
"I'm growing very tired of your jokes. Either stop with your ramblings or this talk is over."
"Aright, alright, calm down lady. You obviously need some proof." She took a slow breath and continued. "You're the first person in this merry little band that has some decent magic ability. That either means you don't need a mage, which is just foolish, or magic talent is rare here. Probably explains why you're the boss. Tell me, am I off target?"
"Now you're speaking nonsense, magic isn't real." Kana didn't miss how her hands seemed to return to her sheathe. Perhaps it was a sore subject.
"Maybe not here, but where we come from, magic is pretty commonplace. Want proof?" She placed two fingers close, and then snapped them together. As her palm opened, a small fire formed in the center. It was contained, never seeming to fizzle out, or consume anything to stay formed. "This is a simple enough spell; most elementary mages can learn it. Don't need a conduit or catalyst."
"I see. Clearly you seem well versed in magic, aren't you?" Kana wasn't wrong, definitely a sore subject. That was probably the only way to explain the next few seconds.
Without another word of warning, she launched a slice at Morgan. While Kana knew Morgan was stronger than she looked, he also knew her strengths were not in her body. Bringing the back of her hand up, she blocked the decapitating strike aimed at her head, but cried out in pain as the blade dug into her flesh. Kana acted quickly, wrapping a hand around his friend and jumping to the left, bringing her out of the blade's path before it could finish.
Never taking his eyes off the woman, he entered a crouched stance with one hand on the ground. Raven returned the sword to her sheathe, but treated him no different.
"DAMN IT, LADY!" Morgan called out, "NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!" Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Kana, I don't care what it does. Get. That. Vein."
He gave a quick grunt of agreement and growled at the woman. No one hurt his friends and got away with it.
"I see Salem has already found us." Raven continued, "I assume you two were the ones who attacked the Fall Maiden?"
"Now who sounds crazy?"
"No more lies."
"I guess the talks are over, then?"
"I'm afraid I can't let you two leave here alive."
"That's unfortunate… for you."
Before Raven could utter anything else in response, Kana was already upon her. With a single motion, he launched a fist right to the side of her mask. It may have been too fast for her to respond, as she made a vain attempt to dodge, but could not manage to escape. The punch sent her sprawling outside, a result of Kana using his full strength. Given that the blow was to the head, it would leave her disoriented for a second, but Kana had the sneaking suspicion it wouldn't be for much longer.
Kana turned back to Morgan, who had already gotten back on her feet. Her right arm was bleeding heavily, but he had seen her go through much worse with a smile. She also seemed to have a cut forming on her cheek, but that was easily fixable as well. He reached into his armor, hoping to grab the right staff.
"Don't worry about it right now!" Morgan said, "She's obviously going to bring the whole gang! Trigger that vein as fast as you can!" Kana wanted to protest, but knew better than to question Morgan. Not after all they'd been through. Nodding, he turned towards where he had sent Raven, running out the curtain to meet his opponents.
He was slightly disappointed to see he was right: Raven was already back on her feet, surrounded by many of her bandits and Vernal, from earlier. Each of them was brandishing a weapon of some kind, all aimed towards him. He gave another growl, crouching down onto all fours.
"The Faunus brat is incredibly fast and strong, don't take your eyes off him for a moment!" Kana may have asked what she was talking about if he wasn't overtaken by his instincts. It was too late for her anyway, with his hand to the ground, he had already called for it. Feeling the power flow from the ground, Kana gave a roar.
While it sounded impressive to him, clearly it didn't intimidate them. A few of them exchanged glances with each other, wondering what he was trying to do. Within moments, however, that question was answered.
It began with a small gust, a cool wind that wasn't there a couple seconds ago. Only, this gust didn't stop, it only increased. Faster and faster, until they couldn't dismiss it as a simple gale. As the wind increased, an eerily howl-like sound began to ring out.
The bandits began to gaze at each other, nervously wondering where it came from. Only Raven and Vernal seemed calm, both still trained on him with their weapons. It didn't matter, it was already over.
Just like that, the gust that had come, had gone, within only a couple seconds. The bandits were still confused, but wouldn't be for much longer…
A loud creak rang out, signifying the effects of the vein. This time, even Vernal took her eyes off him, only to have them widen as she looked at the gates of her camp. The once-great wood pillars looked sturdy enough to take ballista fire without flinching. Now, however, one was falling down. Then another, and another, like a twisted set of dominoes, until none remained standing. The camp was no longer closed, now left bare for all the wild to see.
"How'd he do that?"
"What the Hell is happening?"
"Oh shit. Oh shit, Oh shit, Oh shit-"
"CONTROL YOURSELVES!" Raven called out, snapping them to attention. "WE DON'T NEED A GRIMM SURGE TO OCCUR! STEEL YOURSELVES, AND ATTACK HIM AT ONCE!" Grimm surge? Kana didn't understand what that meant. Fortunately for him, he also didn't need to.
"BOLGANONE!" He heard his partner behind him, tome in her undamaged hand. Immediately, cracks started to form in the ground between him and the bandits. Raven seemed to sense something was up, as she began to run towards them, only to be interrupted by an explosion.
The eruption of Bolganone, one of the most powerful flame spells of any mage. Morgan was obviously peeved.
A spout of red flame forced Raven to retreat back, further sending her tribe into a panic. Screams of fear and disbelief rang out, and the once confident tribe began backing away in terror. Unfortunately, they would not find reprieve on the other side…
"RAAARGH!" Although he could not see it, he clearly heard the roar of the predators he had faced earlier that morning. It seems the Grimm may have been attracted by the winds, and were happy to find this camp full of prey suddenly undefended. They began to rush in, causing more screams of panic and weaponry to fire. Throughout all of it, Raven didn't take her eyes off Kana, even as Morgan approached him from behind.
"SEE, NOW DON'T YOU FEEL BAD THE TALK IS OVER?" Morgan yelled, "IF YOU SURVIVE, MAYBE I'LL ACCEPT YOUR APOLOGY!"
Raven didn't answer, and instead turned an about face to help her tribe in defense. Morgan closed her tome, returning it into her cloak. "Alright, Kana, let's go. We gotta get out of here before they get this under control." He nodded in response, and they dashed though the tent, out the now broken gates with barely a look back. Within a few minutes, the sound of fighting grew faint enough that they had probably gotten far enough away.
"Ok, so maybe you were right about the fire…" Kana said, stopping just behind Morgan.
"Always need a plan."
"I don't think launching one spell is a good plan."
"It is when you have to improvise." Now that she had stopped, Kana got a good look at her hand, still bleeding from the wound. Noticing his stare, she shook her head, "Come on, now you're crying about this more than I am."
"Just let me see." Pulling out a staff from his armor, Kana grasped hold of her arm. He held the staff tip above it, letting the healing magic flow into the wound. Within seconds, the wound had closed, leaving only the blood and a faint scar.
"Ok, let's head back to the Deeprealm before we meet anyone else. Sound good?"
Kana nodded, and the two set out to search for a body of water.
"…Due to the Breach of Vale this past week, the Vytal Festival has been postponed until further notice. When questioned for comment, General James Ironwood-"
*CLICK*
"…In other news, the recent arrest and detainment of notorious thief Roman Torchwick-"
*CLICK*
"…And so I said, 'Tell me about it, I had to put down three Ursai, one King Taijitu, and an entire pack of Beowolves.' And he told me, 'Dude, I was off yesterday. I'm talking about my wife.'"
"Hehehehe…" A mischievous voice replied, laughing along with the canned laughter from the screen. It was a dimly lit room, with only a TV and lamp providing light. Seated in a recliner was a young-looking boy, smiling wide at the screen despite being done laughing.
He was wearing loose pajamas and seemed to be simply relaxing. He had white hair and piercing amber eyes. What grabbed attention, however, were the small tufts extending from his top. Cat ears, triangular in shape and matching his hair in color. Currently, he was sitting still on the recliner, as if waiting for something.
"BREAKING NEWS!" The TV screeched, replacing the sitcom with a card displaying that very phrase. After a second, the screen switched to a random newscaster, smiling proudly at the camera.
"Hello, audience. There's been exciting news recently. It seems Remnant has some new visitors today. Two young princelings, hailing from the nations of Ylisse and Hoshido, have recently arrived and have begun their quest!"
"Oh, boy!" The boy said, "I hope they're nice!"
"I do, too." The newscaster continued, but his smiling face soon bore a heavy frown. "Unfortunately, it seems their first interaction with our lovely dimension was rather hostile. They met with Raven Branwen and her clan of bandits, and ended up fighting them. It seems one of the kids, poor Morgan, was wounded by the clanswoman, before they ended up escaping!"
"Oh, no!" The boy cried, hands grasping at his cheeks. "Say it isn't so!"
"I'm afraid so you handsome devil, you!" Clearing his throat, the newscaster continued. "It seems they are currently lost and without guidance, wandering the woods of Mistral. If only, IF ONLY, there was some brave, incredibly sexy warrior -with a cute butt- that could help get them on track!"
"Wait a minute!" The boy said, springing to his feet. "I know just the guy! Aaaaaace~" He was not kept waiting long, as a nearby door opened, bringing with it the head of the apartment's other occupant.
"You called?" The voice definitely belonged to someone older, but not by much. His head of blonde hair was held in a small ponytail, and two fox ears poked out from the top, just like the boy's. His teal eyes were filled with confusion.
"It's Morgan and Kana!" The boy said, holding his hands to the sides of his head, "They're lost!"
"Who?" Ace asked, tilting his head. He then turned to look at the TV, seemingly displaying some sitcom. At least, judging by the fact the man was staying silent while canned laughter was continuing.
"There's no time!" The cat continued, hurrying to the fridge. Opening it quickly, he pulled out a small letter, marked with the words, 'To: Mor-Mor and Kana-Nanana.' "I need you to take this to them! Right now, they're in Mistral, and are about to come face to face with Clune!"
"The Rat?" Ace replied, taking the letter without complaint before lazily reading the scribbles. "I forget, where was he again?"
"30.27 degrees North, 97.74 degrees West!" His arms were flapping erratically in the air, now.
"Got it. Be back in a bit." He turned around, beginning to head for the door.
"Wait!" Ace turned back, where the boy had his hands held behind his back. "I'll miss you, y'know…"
"Aw, I'll miss you too, Chesh." Quickly stepping over, Ace kissed him on the head, which elicited a small giggle from the boy. Without another word, he stepped out the door, locking it behind him.
All the while, the cat boy stood, smiling that ever present smile.
Chapter 1 – End:
Author's Notes:
Hello, again, good denizens of the net. Glad to get the first 'official' chapter out. As I said with the prologue, I encourage all pedantic comments you can. How was the comedy? How were the characters? Anything objectionable, as of now?
So, I feel like I should give some more little things to chew on. So, Jimmy, Rudie, Thomas, Ace, and Chesh. Obviously, introducing my OC's DO NOT STEAL a little early, but I want to set up some things.
So, RWBY seems to have this rule that all the characters are based on… something. Like, Team RWBY are all folklore/fairy tale characters, JNPR is mythological/historical characters who have crossdressed, the headmasters are (presumably, we're missing one) Dorothy/her companions/the Wizard, and Neo's… ice cream? Well, clearly there are no 'rules' for naming, so I made some up.
So, give me your best guess on to who/what my characters are referencing.
But seriously, though, they took my main man Jircny and turned him into just another dude in the setting. Unforgivable.