Rwby and Evangelion crossover
It smells of blood.
Chp 4: An angels might and a mothers determination.
"Person or creature talking."
"Person talking via speakers."
'Person or creature thinking.'
Authors note: Sorry for the wait. This chapter went through a couple of…..tweaks. It took me longer than I would've liked but I'm rather happy with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy the newest installment of 'It smells of Blood'. Thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter.
Jaune looks at the faces of his family. His mother was gripping her empty rocks glass to the point he could hear the glass slowly start to crack. His father was much the same, nursing the drink in his hand purple eyes soft but hard. Anna was staring at him, eyes soft and emotional. Isabelle was sitting on his lap, face buried into his chest, hands clutching his uniform like it was a lifeline. His chest rumbles with a growl that makes Isabelle grip his uniform tighter. His face softens and he grabs Isabelle in a hug, feeling the girl ease into his grip. He waits for someone to say something, hearing the glass in his mothers hand shatter into shards.
"Well…..what do you think?" Jaune asks. His mother answers first, voice coming out in a low growl. "I think that you should return home, and leave this all this behind."
His heart turns to ice at this, his eyes hardening into cold sapphires. Joan, who was standing next to Pyrrha, stiffens. Nora and Rins eyes were wide, ready to step in if needed. He doesn't look over to team RWBY, eyes locked with his mothers. They held a resolve made of steel, the emotions raging behind them, and Jaune closes his eyes.
"I can't do that."
Amelia takes a deep breath, the action mirrored by his father. Jaune was thankful that Anna decided to stay silent, his eyes looking for any hints to what she was thinking. He finds his answer located in her clenched fists, and steeled face. His mother takes this chance to speak. "Jaune Mari Arc. I do not care what you've become part of, or what you have done in the past 2 years. But you will stop your war against the Angels, and you will come home. I will not allow you to die once more."
His father nods his agreement, purple eyes like amethysts. Isabelle grips become tighter, impossibly so, body shaking and squeaking.
"I would love to return home but I can't…I can't abandon those who've come to rely upon me." Jaune declares, voice unwavering. Amelia Arc growls, stepping forward aura flaring around her body. He does the same, aura whipping around him. His mother seems shocked that he would do so, her concentration waning and her aura dying off. He stops his aura, standing to his feet, bringing Isabelle up with his arm. His mother stares at him, their heights close enough to be on nigh even footing.
"Those who've come to rely upon you can find another. If need be, give those…Evas to world and be done with the whole thing."
And with the simple sentence, those watching feel a shiver crawl up their spines. Osiris and Glynda also shiver, the feeling causing even they to stop in place. The spine crawling feeling was coming from Jaune, an unsettling smile stretched across his face. "You want me to give the Evas to the worlds governments? Beings that can do the one thing no….huntress on this world can do…combat and destroy the Angels? By Lilith, please tell me you're not that idiotic?"
If his mother felt threatened by the pressure he was exerting, she didn't show it; taking it in stride and exerting her own power. To those watching, it felt like two titans were bearing down on them. Despite the pressure bearing down on them, they notice something odd about Jaune. They knew that Jaunes aura was a light orange, much like the A.T. fields he produced. But they watch as it shifts to a cerulean blue, then to a deep red, then to an olive green, and finally settling on the familiar orange. Joans face was worried, stepping forward to stop her brother and mother from attacking each other. Anna surprises her when she steps forward and grabs Jaunes and Amelias shoulders.
The pressure disappears, the two of them turning to Anna. "Mother..Jaune.." She addresses. "This is not the time to be fighting. We can discuss this later…Let's just enjoy what we have missed.."
The words rang true. Jaunes eyes lose their glow, his aura disappearing. His mother was much the same, sighing into the air. Jaune knew that this wasn't over, but he was happy that Anna stepped in before it got out of hand. He sits back down, Isabelle turning around to stare at those around. He raises an eyebrow when she glares at his team and team RWBY, huffing lightly. Ruby glares back for some odd reason, a growl echoing in the room. Everybody jumps at the noise, Jaune looking down at the blushing Isabelle.
"It seems there's a monster living in your stomach! And that it is hungry!" Jaune exclaims. He starts tickling Isabelles sides, her laugh causing those watching to smile. Osiris takes this time to stand up, and walk toward the elevator. "I believe everybody could use something to eat and some rest." She turns to Amelia, who was looking at Jaune and Amelia. "Mr. and Mrs. Arc, your family can stay in the guest quarters." Amelia and Arthur nod at this, Osiris speaking to Ruby and Jaune next.
"Ms. Rose and Mr. Arc?" They both turn to their headmistress, eyebrows raised in question. "You and your teams are excused for the rest of today's classes. Take this time to ponder on what you've learned and do not repeat what you've heard in this room to anyone. Do I make myself clear?"
They all nod, Nora cheering at the prospect of no classes. Yang grins and walks over to him, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Don't worry. Jaunes secrets are safe with us." Jaune smiles at the gesture seeing Ruby nod her head in affirmative, Weiss nodding as well. The only one who didn't nod was Blake, her yellow eyes narrowed and body tense. He frowns and looks to his team, smiling at their faces. Nora and Rin were nodding at him, smiling at him. Pyrrha was standing next to Joan, her and his twins faces much the same. And with a simple nod, Osiris dismisses them from her office. Team RWBY goes first, Ruby waving as she walks to the elevator. He waves back, watching the elevator door close and ding.
He turns to his mother. "Where are the others?"
"Jacquelyn is with Sable in Mistral. Elena is in Vacuo overseeing a mission in the wastes. Jasper and Opal are in Atlas. I don't know what they are doing." Was her answer. He raises an eyebrow at the thought of Jacquelyn and Sable being together. They are polar opposites; Jacquelyn is brash, and hotheaded; while Saber is cool, calm and collected.
His mother, seemingly knowing what he was thinking clarifies. "After your 'death' Jacquelyn started training. She… adored you, and when she saw you get eaten by that…thing; she lost it. She made it her life goal to end the Angels, much like Joan did."
At this exclamation, Joans bows her head and Isabelle stiffens in his hold. A pit forms in his stomach. Jacquelyn? The little spitfire that he used to tease and rough house had drifted down that path?
"Your father sent her a message after we learned that it was really you and not some imposter. We're waiting for a reply." Amelia says this with a little sigh, and almost like magic, his fathers scroll dings. He looks over to the man, his team glancing over as well. His father opens his scroll, and reads the notification, wincing. "Jacquelyn and Saber are on their way here. They'll be here within the next three days." Arthur blinks when his scroll rings again, looking at whatever he had received. "That was Opal, Jasper, and Elena. They're coming this way as well." Jaune perks up at this. He was going to see the rest of his sisters! He pales soon after; by Lillith, the amount of crying and hugging he was going to experience in the next week… Isabelle's stomach rumbles again, jostling him from his thoughts. He stands up and makes his way to the elevator, his team following. They enter the elevator, his parents entering just behind them. The elevator was rather crowded, not that anybody seemed to mind. Nora was giggling wildly from behind him, Jaune blinking when he hears something again to steam. He blushes wildly when he feels something cup his buttocks. If he could see behind him, he would see Pyrrha blushing wildly as her hands squeeze unconsciously. Nora was laughing far harder now, more than likely the perpetrator of his…groping.
Joan was glaring at the orange and pink bomber, Rin sighing. Jaune feels his blush die down, and joins her in her sigh. This was his team; a world renowned champion, a hyperactive bomber, a quiet tired ninja, and a sister in the form of a protective knight.. The funniest thing however, he wouldn't have it any other way..
'I take back my previous thoughts..' Jaune deadpans. He stares at the chaos in front of him. It had been about 4 hours after the talk in Osiris's office, and it was going swimmingly. The first few hours was making sure his family was situated with the campus and could make their way around. The school had changed since his mother had attended, so she was kinda lost with all the new additions. The last hour was introducing Sarge to his mother and father, the three of them talking about a few things. He was there of course….Just sitting in on his bed as the three of them swapped stories.
They were in the cafeteria when the whole thing started. His family and team were sitting on one side of the table, the cafeteria staff happy to lend chairs for those without seats. Team RWBY was on their side eating and chatting when it happened. Anna was sitting at the end of the table, typing away at her scroll; Isabelle was in his lap eating at a small salad. Some things were said, and before long, the entire table was arguing. He caught a few snippets of the argument, something about him leaving Beacon academy and returning home.
He watches them argue for a few minutes, Isabelle wincing every time something unsavory was said. He finally reaches his wits end. "WILL EVERYBODY JUST SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE?!"
The arguing screeches to a halt, their eyes turning to him. He huffs in annoyance, throat a little sore from yelling. He takes a few breathes, his mind racing. 'They're not going to let this go are they? I need to think of a way for this to be settled or at the very least, postponed for a few days.'
He receives an answer from Ramiel, the blue octahedron still hanging around his neck. Jaune blinks at the Angels suggestion, pondering. He smirks a few seconds later; that might very well work. He looks over to his mother and smiles. "Mum, I'll make you a deal." At this, everybody sits back down, looking at him with interest. "After the others get here, and after the tearful reunion and questioning, how about we have a spar?"
Amelia raises an eyebrow at her son. He wants to…spar with her? She narrows her eyes at him. "You want to spar with me? For what purpose?" Jaune smiles at this and spreads his arms wide.
"You want me to come home because you don't want to risk me…dying again. But I want to stay here. So here's my suggestion; we have a spar and whoever loses in the end, has to accept the winners decision. You can use your semblance and weapons, and I can use the Evas and Angels. Not full size of course, but still… What's your answer?"
Jaune leans back, ignoring the nervous 'no's coming from Isabelle and his father. Joan was looking at him with a worried eye, but she held her tongue. Nora, Ruby, and Yang were grinning, already knowing the woman's answer. Rin and Pyrrha were silent, but you could still see the worry in their eyes. His mother hums at the suggestion and looks to his father. They have a conversation, to low for the others to hear and he raises an eyebrow at them.
"I'll accept this challenge of yours."
Jaune smiles and nods at her. "Good. The spar will be held after the others arrive. Until then, no more arguing about this, okay?" He says this, looking to his team. They nod at him, returning to their food. Team RWBY nod as well, Yang and Ruby grumbling.
He returns to eating his dinosaur chicken nuggets, glaring at Joan when she giggles at him. His twin doesn't stop giggling, his glare doing nothing to deter her from laughing. Isabelle starts laughing as well, Anna chuckling at the scene. Jaune smiles in his mind, happy at the scene but unknowing to the horror that was stirring in the far ends of Vale.
4 days later.
Jaune smiles nervously, Joan and Pyrrha whispering calming words into his ear. Nora was bounding around restlessly, Rin keeping an eye on her. Isabelle was standing on his feet, leaning into his frame; just as nervous as he. Anna was standing next to their mother and father, making small talk as the battle drew ever so closer. Even with the calming words of his twin and the red haired Spartan, Jaune couldn't help the nervous grin from spreading across his face.
The bullhead carrying the demons he was about to face lands, smooth metal surface shining in the direct sun. The doors open with a horrible hiss, a cold mist escaping from it depths. In actuality, the mist was a figment of his imagination and the horrible screeching was a figment as well. Right? He turns to his team, seeing them back up slightly. Even Joan was offset by the noises emitting from the bullhead.
The first demon steps out, red haired pulled into a ponytail. Cold blue eyes stare at him, a small snarl on it lips. A jacket sat on its shoulders, the coloration a deep red almost crimson. The gold buttons didn't shine, but they held a deep color that brought attention to them. Black pants covered the little demons legs, a small pair combat boots sticking out of the bottom. A sling of shotgun shells were strung across the demons chest, the wooden stock of said weapon sticking out from it back. This little demon, was his younger sister Jacquelyn.
She stares at him, eyes widening and body sagging with relief. He swears that he sees tears build up in her eyes. "Big brother?"
She whispers this, unbelieving to what was in front of her. He nods at her, feeling his eyes water. "Good to see you too,….Jackie."
Jacquelyn develops a tick mark, dashing at him like a torpedo. She slams into his chest, screaming. "I told you not to call me that!" The force of her collision makes him trip and hit the ground, groaning lightly. He looks down at the mop of red hair, smiling softly when he feels his chest get wet. He pats her back, chuckling. He chuckles when Isabelle joins the hug, blinking when 3 figures stand above.
"I hope that hug isn't solely for Jacquelyn and little Isa?"
His eyes start to swim with tears, as standing above him was Elena, Sable, and Jasper/Opal, the rest of his sisters.
Elena hadn't changed since he last saw her. Amongst the family, she was the only one not to inherit their mothers or fathers hair color. Her hair was a stark black, pulled up into a tight bun. She was wearing a white dress shirt, a black vest barely hiding her bust. Beautiful blue eyes stare at him, pale skin shining in the sun. She was wearing a pair of black dress pants, complimented by a pair of bright red shoes. All in all, she looked like a bartender which was apt as that was a favorite hobby of hers. He smiles at her and looks to Sable.
Sable, the ever cold sister, was staring at him eyes like glaciers. Her spiky blonde hair was pulled to the back, giving her a ferocious look. The lightly tanned skin was an odd sight for him, used to seeing her as pale as snow. Her mouth was set in stone, but he could see it waver slightly. She was wearing a thick black leather jacket, the shoulders and elbows covered in light metal plates. She was wearing a worn pair of blue jeans, oddly reminding him of his own pair. Her hands were covered by metal bracers, the ends of her knuckles covered in spikes.
'Seems Sable took after Mum. More than she probably wished..'
Amongst his sisters, Sable was the only one to have never shown actual care for him. She was always cold, to everyone she met. She never seemed to care for anybody, so in the back of his mind he asked why she was here? He doesn't dwell on the question long, turning to the last sister.
Jasper/Opal was….the oddest amongst their merry band of siblings. She had inherited both of their parents hairs, mainly their fathers with streaks of blonde zigzagging through her tresses like lightning. Her hair was cut short, barely reaching her shoulders. She was wearing a red and black plaid shirt, reminding him of a lumberjack. Her blue jeans were faded and patched in certain places, but smelled of pine and…snow? The boots on her feet were thick and heavy, her height apparent as he trailed up to her eyes.
And there, staring at him with deep yellow eyes was the reason his sister was considered the oddest of their family. When she was born, she was given the name Jasper Penelope Arc. But as she grew and trained certain things became apparent. She would scream and shout at nobody, and then nothing. It was after their mother unlocked her aura, that the issue reared its…well her ugly head.
Jasper semblance manifested into what she would later call Elemental Hardening. Depending on the environment she was in, she could take properties of that element and cover her body in armor. The various armors were extensively tested, making her into an almost Elemental Juggernaut. But her semblance had an added defect; long before her aura and semblance had been unlocked, her psyche and personality had been…fragmented. She manifested a second personality that she came to call Opal.
Opal was…an exact opposite to Jasper. Brash, arrogant, hard headed,…vicious. But in the beginning, Opal would fade in and out, rarely showing up. But once Jaspers aura and semblance were unlocked/activated, Opal became permanent. They became one and the same, different and yet the same.
Jaune looks up at his gathered sisters, eyes lingering on Jasper/Opal. Her yellow eyes flash back to a deep purple, her voice coming out soft then shifting to demonic. "Don't you ever pull one of those stunts ever again! Do you understand us?"
He nods, Jacquelyn still crying on his chest. He stands up, pulling his 2 younger sisters up with him. He embraces them in a hug, blinking when Elena, and Jasper/Opal join the hug. Sable watches the embrace with a cold eye, grunting lightly when Anna pushes her into the hug. The rest of the family join in, smiles all around. Those watching couldn't help but smile and 'coo' at the scene. Jaune, nearly being suffocated from the tight hugs, grins a megawatt grin, snuggling deeper into his family's embrace. They all pull back and he looks at the newly arrived sisters. He wipes away the tear, turning to Elena when she asks. "I believe an explanation is in order."
Jasper/Opal nod, Sable grunting in agreement, and Jacquelyn mumbling into his chest. He thinks of a good place to start and opens his mouth to begin, when Amelia stops him.
"How about you explain this in a private area?"
He looks around, seeing a few slinking students staring at the gathered family. He blushes lightly at this, a still not used to the idea of being the only teenage male in the school. "That would be great." Jaune answers, waving them all to follow him. They do so without question, Jacquelyn finally letting go. They all follow the blonde haired Eva pilot, blinking when he stops and steps through a door. His hand waves them in, the room in question being an empty classroom. He lets them all take a seat, or stand in Sables case and takes a deep breath.
"It started a long time ago, in a faraway place…"
Time skip.
Jaune takes a breath and finishes the explanation. He gauges the newly arrived sisters; Jacquelyn was staring at him with awe and dare he say it… protectiveness? Elena was fiddling with her hands, a tick she developed when she was thinking on something. Sable was indifferent to the whole thin, just staring at his team. Nora returns the cold stare with a happy grin and waves, Rin sighing at her antics. Jasper/Opal was staring at the ground, voice coming out in odd mumbles.
Surprisingly, the first one to break the silence was Sable. "I agree with our mother. You should return home and leave this whole business behind you." He stares at her, shocked. Not shocked about her answer mind you, but shocked at the actual concern in her voice. He was so shocked he doesn't stop his mouth from dropping. His team snicker in amusement, Isabelle giggling from his side.
He shakes off the shock and looks to Elena. She nods her head toward Sable, Jaune taking this as her agreeing with her. He looks to Jasper/ Opal, seeing her eyes change into a ferocious yellow. "I say you should stay and fight but these instincts of ours are saying 'protect protect'. Bah! Do what you wish.." But then Opal looks at him, and then turns to his team. "If he choses to stay, you bitches better protect him. You understand me?" His team nod, Joan nodding along with them. Opal snorts at this, allowing Jasper to take over. The once ferocious yellow eyes turn into a serene blue. "Against my better judgment, I agree with Opal. Do what you wish…but please, be careful…"
Jaune nods at her, hopefully it eases her worries. He leans back into the chair he was sitting against. His scroll rings, his hands dashing to it. He raises it to his eyes, tracing the message, He nods to himself and stands up. "It's time." His team stiffen as he says this, Joan flinching lightly. His mother and father nod to each other and those knowing of the agreement stand and make their way out of the room. The other sisters however, look on in confusion. Jacquelyn looks around and asks.
"What's going on?"
Anna stops and stares down at her. "Our dear brother is going to have a spar with our mother. If he wins, he stays. If he loses, he returns home."
She doesn't clarify for those unknowing of the agreement, Elena gasping in realization. She rushes after the moving group, Sable following. Jasper/Opal mutter under their breath, following. Jacquelyn releases a small 'eep' and dashes away.
Jaune rolls his shoulders, his bones cracking and popping. Joan was next to him, whispering things into his ear. He nods every few seconds, confusing those watching. Team RWBY dash through the combat arenas doors and Ruby dashes over next to Pyrrha.
"Have we missed anything?" She asks. Pyrrha shakes her head 'no' and Ruby sags in relief. The rest of her team sits down, Yang grinning at the two people in their combat arena. Ruby and Pyrrha were twitching in their seats, nervous and worried. Nora looks at them, eyebrow raised. "Why are you guys so worried?"
Ruby looks at her and asks. "Are you not worried Nora?"
"Of course not! Jauney's got this in the bag!" Was Noras answer, her grin infectious. Pyrrha seeing the grin, feels her worries melt away. If Nora could say that with such a grin, and not feel worried, how could she stand next to him as a partner? She smiles, and cheers for Jaune the others quickly following suite.
Jaune and Joan look up at their cheering friends, the twins smirking at each other and looking forward. Jaune walks forward, standing on the opposite end of the arena as his mother. The arena goes deathly quiet, their scrolls booting up and displaying their aura levels. Amelia regards her son with a raised eyebrow.
There were no weapons on his side, while she had Crocea Mors; a weapon that had been in her family for generations. Its blade had never dulled, its shield never punctured; it was a true testament to her family's will. And her she was, about to raise her ancestral blade against her only son. Her son, the only male of the face of Remnant to have an active aura and semblance. Her son, the pilot of the giant monstrosities called the Evangelions. He was too young and too naïve to fight the war that was being waged. She would bring him home, even if it meant breaking every bone in his body. That she would promise.
If Jaune felt his mothers determination, he didn't question it. His mother had Crocea Mors with her; a blade almost as old as the very school they stood in. But he had his own weapons after all. As he wasn't alone in this fight' he had every Eva he had bonded with. He had every experience they had burned into his mind, their pain and their wishes. He had the fear and happiness of the pilots that once piloted the great mechs, residing within him. He also had the defeated Angels behind him; their voices silent but presence undeniable. He had the very best of humanity standing behind him; their last chance for redemption and revival. But he had something just as important, if not more so…his friends.
He had his team behind him. He had team RWBY behind him, well…half of team RWBY at least. He grins at his mother, the sight of it causing her to raise an eyebrow. With a flourish of his hand, a thick orange liquid erupting from the ground behind him. The sight of it causes her to draw Crocea, the blades edge shining dangerously. He chuckles and the orange liquid stops mid air, melting away revealing…weapons? Rifles, pistols, axes, glaives, and even a minigun lay behind him. Jaune twitches, his hands reaching down to grab 2 knives next to him. They looked like orange box cutters, the razor edges gleaming.
The arena grows dead silent, a cool wind blowing through it like an eerie ghost. The first one to break the silence was Jaune, his face broken by an almost battle hungry grin. "What are we waiting for? Game on!"
He disappears from his spot, reappearing behind Amelia. He strikes down only to hit air, a shield coming into the peripherals. He blocks the shield with his arm, his aura flaring up to protect him. The force of the shield launches him back to the place he started from. He lands, already ducking the slash from his mother, cart wheeling backwards. He comes up, two of the rifles held in his hands. With a smirk he pulls the triggers, the rifles unleashing their deadly payload. His mother dodges most of the rounds, one of them striking her leg. Her aura flashes up, her face showing surprise.
This moment of surprise allows Jaune to unleash the remaining rounds onto his mother. The area in which his mother occupied was covered in smoke and dust, Jaune dropping the rifles. He reaches back grabbing one of the Sonic Glavies, standing to his feet. His senses were screaming at him to be prepared, acting upon their screams a little too late. He feels his mothers fist slams into the side of his chest, the force of it causing him to grit his teeth in pain. He stops himself from flying away by summoning an A.T. field behind him.
He retaliates with the Sonic Glaive, the weapons deadly edge slicing through the air. The shield part of Crocea blocks it in a shower of sparks. His mothers calm blue eyes stare into his own, Jaune taking in her appearance.
Her clothes were scuffed and torn in places, but otherwise she looked fine. If anything, the bullets that hit here were simply ignored. He loses the battle of strength, his mother pushing the glaive up and slashing his chest. He pushes her back, glancing at his aura meter.
His was about a quarter down, while his mother was missing about 10%. He rolls his shoulders, the pain in his chest dying down from his aura. 'Let's up the ante..' With a growl, he thrusts his hand forward an A.T. rushing from it and towards his mother. She dodges the barrier, only to be hit by another; the force of it slamming her against the arena wall. The impact drops her aura by 5%, Jaune summoning A.T. field after A.T. field. He stops after the fifth one, feeling the drain on his soul and mind. He waits for something to happen, his scroll dinging in alert. He glances at it, eyes widening at his mothers aura. It had dropped below fifty percent, but it was filling back up.
He looks over to the hole in the arena wall seeing a hand reach out from the rubble. It was covered in light scratches but they were slowly sealing; steam rising into the air. He takes a step back watching with morbid curiosity as the battered form of his mother crawls out of the arena wall.
His mother steps out steam rising from her body, and she looks up. Her aura flares up, the sight of it telling him what his mother was about to do. He curses and jumps out of the way the ground next to him being completely destroyed. He lands, dodging another destruction of the earth he stood upon. He jumps into the air, willing an A.T. field under his feet. He lands on the field, it's hexagonal field appearing for a few seconds. His mother stares up at him, dress fluttering in the wind her aura fading away.
So his mother revealed her semblance…He hums, going over what he knows about it. His mothers semblance was essentially an all encompassing sphere, that when summoned would destroy whatever it encompassed. It was deadly, it was powerful, and it was nigh impossible to see. But he could feel the disturbance in the air, and thus could dodge it.
He curses and slowly floats to the ground. His mother doesn't attack him, staring at him as he slowly descends toward the ground. His feet touch the ground, the necklace hanging around his neck heating up. His mother yells over to him.
"Why don't we stop this? Return home…Leave this school behind and come to a place that is safe."
He chuckles openly. "That's the bad thing mother; there isn't a safe place anymore." He gestures to the room. "The Angels can go anywhere on Remnant. They can't be stopped with conventional weapons; they can't be beaten by huntress's; the entire Atlas fleet can't stop them. But I can, and you can't seem to get that in your thick head."
He sighs and rubs his eyes. He laughs lightly. "Guess I found out where I get my stubbornness from eh?"
He pulls the necklace from his chest and fiddles with it. And with a simple grin, he flicks the blue octahedron in the air like a quarter, and grabs it with his teeth. He stares at his mother, eyes flashing a deep red before crushing the blue octahedron between his teeth. It shatters, and with a deep breath the entire arena is filled with a high pitched scream. Those hearing it cover their ears, blood running through their fingers. The scream sounded feminine, but it was so high pitched and warped; none of them could place it.
The area around Jaune was covered in smoke, and his mother covers her eyes with her arm, staring at the smoke cloud. She gasps when the destroyed form of the arena is replaced with the destroyed streets of Atlas. Sirens were ringing, louder than anything else and a great shadow overtakes her and the city. She looks up, eyes widening at the looming being. It was larger, larger than an Atlas frigate; bright blue skin shining beautifully in the snow covered landscape and sun. It wasn't organic, that she knew.
She remembers this being; this was the angel that attacked Atlas at their heart, and single handily destroyed half of their fleet without a scratch to its body. This Angel had a name, a name her son had muttered in passing.
"Ramiel. The Angel of Thunder."
And with that she was back, the arena still destroyed; the smoke surrounding her son, dissipating. She takes a stance, ears picking up something odd..It sounded like, crystals scraping against each other. There! A flash of bright blue through the smoke, the sight of it causing he to tense. The sound gets louder and louder, almost like it was..walking? Her eyes widen as, the maker of the noise making it appearance.
It was her son, but he had changed. Bright blue crystals covered every inch of his skin, his clothes seemingly absorbed by the oddly enchanting crystals. Each time he moved, the crystals cracked and shattered before returning back to their original form. His head was the worst part, only his face visible. Veins pulsed under the visible skin, the majority of them focused around his eyes. Where his once bright blonde hair was, the blue crystals were sprouting backwards and upwards. It started to look like some odd crystalline crest. His once bright blue eyes were bloodshot but they held something.
His hands were claws, his fingers large and sharp. He takes a step, the crystals snapping under the pressure before reforming. An A.T. field forms in front of him, his body stepping through it. When he emerges, the once bloodshot eyes had calmed and he speaks, his voice a combination of his own and that of some unknown female.
"This…is odd.."
His mother stares at him in shock. "What have you done?"
Jaune chuckles and moves his hands, the crystals smoothing out into the ever familiar bright blue of the angel he had just bonded with. He stares at his body in fascination, answering his mothers question.
"You know of my semblance yes? I can bond with the Evas and the Angels that have accepted me. This is the results of that. Though Ramiel was always the most painful to bond with but it was never this…complete."
He looks up at his mother, his body shining dangerously. He bends his knees, and grins at her; the crystals growing over his face and eyes, completing the transformation. The crystals glow brightly and without warning, he disappears. Amelia stiffens, Crocea coming up to block a strike. The blue crystals of her sons fist impact her blade, the force of it causing the ground beneath her feet to crater. She stares at the faceless blue crystals, her sons voice reverberating through the arena.
"Nice block."
His leg comes up, slamming into her chest with enough force for her to gasp. The kick launches her across the arena, and into the ground. She jumps up, expecting an attack, blinded by a bright red light. She looks to the light, eyes widening.
Her sons once smooth crystalline body was floating in the air, pieces of it floating in a vague barrel. Large flat pieces of the crystal float behind him, and with a simple hum a small red ball forms in the middle of the floating pieces. Amelia curse and doges, her son unleashing the red ball of light. She watches with muted awe as the red ball turns into a laser beams that melts the ground and everything it touched to asunder. The laser melted through the arena walls,carving a deadly path into the ocean below Beacons cliffs.
Everybody stares in shock at the destruction, Jaune whistling in appreciation. While it wasn't nearly as strong as the full size Ramiels, it had more power than the last time he tried this. The crystals floating behind him fade away into dust. His mother stares at the hole produced by his blast, taking the chance to charge her. He throws a punch propelled by his A.T. field, his mother blocking his punch with her shield.
He releases a satisfied hum when his mother is literally launched across the arena, landing with a roll and charging toward him. She slashes at him, the sword grazing his shoulder with a ferocious screech. He tries to kick her, his mother grabbing his leg and literally chucking him into the ground. It barely fazes him, his sense of pain nigh nonexistent while in his current form. His mother continues her onslaught, each punch stopped by an A.T. field. He stands to his feet, the crystals making up his body cracking. He watches his mother from the other side of his A.T. field, her face becoming nastier by the second.
He crosses his arms and waits for his mother to throw another punch, the A.T. field disappearing in a warble. His mother was surprised by this, and as she stumbles forward; he unleashes a ferocious punch to her stomach. His mother spits out a glob of blood, her feet raising off of the ground. Jaune tilts his head in surprise; she should've been launched across the arena.
His answer comes when his mothers aura flares, tendrils of it digging into the ground like spikes. His fist was enhanced by his A.T. field, so it bypassed her aura for a second before it came back to shield her.
He really needs to experiment with what happens when an A.T. field meets aura…Odd considering that he hadn't done it yet but what are you gonna do? His mother stops her coughing, and she swings Crocea at him. He wills an A.T. field to block it, blinking when the sword hits it and starts to actually break through it!
He's cut from his musing when the sword breaks through it and continues on its deadly pass into his shoulder. The sword continues and stops just below collar bone; the blue crystals starting to stain red with blood. His mother stares in horror at what she had just done, eyes widened at the sight of deep red blood seeping to the ground. She sees the faces of her sons team, her daughters, her husband and in all her years of being a huntress; the sight of their horror stricken face would haunt her for years.
The blue crystals surrounding Jaune react violently, shattering and forming large spikes. A deep guttural scream tearing its way out of his nonexistent lips. It deafens those who hear it, and those who don't shiver in unknown fear. Jaune stumbles back, hand grabbing Crocea and yanking it out of his crystalline flesh. He throws the offending weapon away, gripping the bleeding wound and stumbling. The wound was slowly healing, flesh and crystals morphing together in some mitch-match of blue and red.
He stares at the sword that was laying on the ground, his blood running down it's sharp edges.
'What in Lilith's name is that thing made of?! It cut through the A.T. field like it was made of butter! The only things that can do that are the lance of Longinus and the spear of Cassius but I have the them in my possession along with the mass produced lances.'
A random thought flies through his head, growling at the pain.
"Oi…" He calls out. His mother was staring at him in a mixture of shock, horror, and worry. "Where was Crocea forged?"
His mother blinks at the question, tilting her head in confusion. She shakes it shortly after, and answers.
"It is unknown as to where it was forged, as well as to what it was made from. The only hint to its creation is that it was pulled from a giant grey spear."
Jaune groans, the noise sounding rather ominous in his current form. He rubs his head in annoyance, mumbling under his breath. He rolls his shoulder, the wound finally sealed and the pain nothing but a dull ache. He bends his knees, his aura flaring and the crystals glowing with hellish light. His mother tenses, her aura lashing out and grabbing Crocea. The sword is tossed into the air, his mother charging forward and grabbing it. He hums a dangerous tune, the crystals on his body moving behind him.
They start to expand, forming a pentagram. A red orb moves to the surface of his chest, glowing red with energy. His mother gaining ground, her steps growing increasingly loud. He feels the energy reach its peak and prepares to unleash it when something stops his heart cold.
Up in the stands, where his family and friends were watching with bated breath, was his scroll. Said scroll started releasing a klaxon alarm, eyes turning toward it in confusion. He curses, trying to release the energy he had stored; his mother face to face with him.
And with a crack to his crystalline face, his mouth appears and he burps. It was the loudest most obnoxious burp he had ever made, and he was proud of it. The force of his burp pushed his mothers hair back, her cheeks blown out like a dogs when it stick its head out the window of a moving vehicle. The burp lasted a good 30 seconds, and to those watching he literally deflated like a balloon after it was done.
Amelia blinked owlishly for a few seconds 'eh's escaping her lips every so often. And with a reverberating 'pop' Jaune shoots up, the blue crystals melting from his body and turning into LCL. He brushes off a few specks off dust, a smaller burp escaping his lips.
"Excuse me.." He coughs. He turns around without a word and walks over to the arena wall. "Hey can one of you throw me my scroll?" His answer is his scroll flying over the wall and into his awaiting hand. He opens the scroll, reading the message. The others lean over the wall staring at him; Ruby tilts her head in confusion.
"What's wrong Jaune?"
He stops what he was doing and turns to them. They all shiver at his face it was cold, and serious, nothing like the his normal grinning one.
"An Angel has been detected and Vale is standing in its way."
Jaune walks through the hallways, pushing past students and teachers alike. His friends and family were behind him, trying to talk to him.
"Why is an Angel coming here?" Yang asks. He doesn't answer, turning corner and walking slightly faster. Yang growls at being ignored, Ruby stepping forward before anything got out of hand. "Jaune! Talk to us..Why is an Angel coming here?"
He glances at her, blue eyes like glaciers and he looks forward once more. Joan was next to him trying to coax him into speaking, but it proved fruitless. Pyrrha was behind them, apologizing to those they pushed and shoved out of the way. Amelia, seemingly tired of her son ignoring them, growls. "Jaune Mari Arc! You will answer us this instant!"
That seems to stop him, his feet coming to a stop. He turns and looks at them and Isabelle runs up to hug his legs. Jacquelyn does the same, except she hugs his chest. He looks at his family and friends' Anna was staring at him with a raised eyebrow, Elena smiled nervously, Sable was glaring at him, and Jasper/Opal was….staring at her hands? He shakes his head and sighs.
"I do not know where the Angel is headed but the satellites have predicted that the Angel will come straight through Vale. That's why I'm in a hurry to get to Osiris's office and tell her the situation."
Weiss raises and eyebrow. "Satellites? That's impossible. Dust loses its power once it leave the atmosphere.."
He turns to her. "Not all things are powered by Dust." And with a twirl, he turns around and continues on his path. They reach the elevator, Jaune motioning for them to stop. The elevator dings, the calm visage of Osiris staring at him. Gylnda was with her, the deputy headmistress hair slightly frazzled.
Jaune and Osiris stare at each other, Jaune breaking the silence first. "Have you been notified about the Angel?"
She nods and Jaune snorts, not questioning how. His scroll rings, Jaune answering it with flourish. Sarges face comes into view, the mans face grim.
"Sarge. Status on the Angel." Jaune orders. The man obliges.
"The Angel is approximately 3 hours from the Vale border. 4 hours until it makes landfall on Vale city." Sarge looks away for a few seconds, nodding to someone.
Jaune hums and starts walking away, ignoring his friends and family questions. "Is the F.O.B. ready for launch?"
"The Eva cages are fully functional but the main HQ is only partly functional. Liliel has sent Unit 1 to the base and it is being prepped for launch. We are sending a VTOL to your location. Arrival time; 5 minutes."
Jaune nods increasing his pace. His friends increase their pace to match his, Joan catching up and walking next to him. He kicks open the door leading to the courtyard, students and teachers alike jumping lightly. He walks over and stops, crossing his arms.
The other catch up, a few of them actually panting lightly; namely Weiss. They look around, Nora blinking. "What are you looking at Jauney?"
"My ride." Was his answer. Said answer brought confusion, until the sound of rumbling engines echoed across the courtyard. They all blink as a large aircraft floats over to them, before slowly descending. It lands, dirt and dust filling the air. Jaune walks forward, the VTOLs doors opening. He's about to enter it when, Joan grabs his arm stopping him. He turns and looks at his friends and family. He narrows his eyes at them, about to yank his arm free when something stops him. He waits for a few seconds and sighs.
"If you want to come, you can. But if you do, you are to follow my orders as if they were law. Am I understood?"
He receives a few odds, Jaune moving away as his friends and family board the VTOL. He looks at Osiris and Glynda, who weren't coming aboard. He nods to them, smacking his hand against the VTOLs wall. The aircraft starts to lift into the air, its thrusters firing wildly to lift its heavy frame.
Jaune turns around and looks at those who came. They were sitting, holding onto their seats as the craft shook and rocked lightly. The only ones not affected were his family and Pyrrha oddly enough. He nods to them all, Rin looking up and asking.
"Where are we going?"
"To a F.O.B. in the southern part of Vale. I'll launch in Unit 1 from there and combat the angel." Jaune walks over to the pilots entrance pushing a button. "Do we have any available information on the target?"
The pilots voice echoes from a speaker above them. "Sending it to you now sir." A few seconds pass before a low hum tickles his ears. He turns around and walks to the middle of the VTOL and waits patiently. Jacquelyn raises an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing?"
Her answer is Jaune raising a single finger, as a single to wait and to their surprise a holographic screen comes into existence. Jaune waits for a few seconds, the angels appearance coming into view. It was large, body oddly resembling a shrimp. It shells was a deep crimson, a small white skull poking out of the presumed head. Two false eyes were situated on the head. There was something moving below it, but from the angle on the video, he couldn't tell what was moving. The video stops, a name coming onto the screen.
"Shamsel. The Angel of the Morning. The Lonely conqueror of God." Jaune whispers lowly. Nobody seemed to have heard him, but their eyes were trained on the image displayed. Yang raises an eyebrow. "That's the Angel? It looks like a…"
"..Shrimp?" Joan finishes. She receives a few noises of agreement. Jaune chuckles at that, Jasper/Opal raising an eyebrow. "Looks like a squid to us…" Elena hums in agreement, Sable huffing. She stands up and walks over to Jaune, Anna joining. He raises an eyebrow at them, his mother speaking.
"How do you plan on beating it?"
Jaune smiles. "Simple; Launch in Unit 1, neutralize it's A.T. field and destroys its core. After that, see if Shamsel is willing to help me in the upcoming battles." Ruby blinks at that. "Wait…can't you use Sac-sach-sachieul…"
"Sachiel?" Weiss clarifies for her. Ruby nods in thanks and continues. "…Sachiel and Ramiel in the battle?" Jaune snorts at this, Nora doing the same and then giggling. Pyrrha was looking out the window at the passing scenery, Rin nearly falling asleep.
"I wish...They won't help…Something about the 'past has to repeat in certain ways' and if they were to interfere in any of the Angels .vs. Eva battles, the scenario would change in unseen and unknowing ways. But no matter…."
He touches the screen, causing it to fade away. After a few seconds, the VTOL is shook by some great force. They all stumble, Jaune looking around. "The hell was that?!"
Arthur, looks out the nearby window; purple eyes widening. "Son… you may want to see this…"
Jaune walks over to one of the portholes eyes widening and his teeth clench together. "Are you kidding me?! Why are they here?!"
Flying high and proud above them was an Atlas Battlecruiser. It's gunmetal armor dull and bland against the bright blue sky. Thick and blocky, the cruiser was a beauty to look at. Flying around it were the ever so familiar bullheads, their guns spinning and ready. A deep horn blasts their ears to smithereens, as the cruiser announces its presence. Jaune growls and punches the wall, the metal denting outward.
He turns away and looks at Weiss. She was staring at the Atlas Battlecruiser with pride, confusion, and annoyance. Joan looks at him, raising an eyebrow in question. He snarls to himself, eyes flashing green for a few seconds. "Atlas is poking their heads into something they shouldn't. Guess they didn't learn anything from the last time they did this."
The pilots voice comes over the speaker. "Sir! We have a wide range transmission fr5om the Atlas cruiser. Playing it now."
A burst of static makes them all wince. "This is the Atlas Battlecruiser 'Dauntless Warrior' to any and all frequencies. Return to Vale city and protect it. We shall combat the Angel!" The voice was oddly familiar to Jaune, but he had more pressing matters. The V-TOL comes to a slow stop and starts descending. "We have arrived at the F.O.B. sir. Good luck."
Jaune smirks lightly. He walks past his friends and family, grin coming across his face. "Luck? Who needs luck when you have a literal army of Evangelions behind you?" The aircraft lands with a small jolt, the door opening with a hydraulic hiss. Jaune walks out, the others joining.
Eyes widen and in Noras and Ruby's case; sparkle in wonder. The hangar they had landed in was awash with activity. Technicians were scurrying about, doing last minute checks. The sound of guns being cocked echoed louder than any of the power equipment. Standing in front of them were guards, the rifles pointed firmly at them. Their tan uniforms stood out, the rifles in their hands unwavering. Red berets sat upon their skulls; Jaune sighing from his place behind them.
"They are with me." Jaune says. And with that the guards pull their weapons to the side, saluting Jaune.
"Sorry sir!"
He waves them away, their footfalls disappearing after a few seconds. Jaune regards his family and friends with a critical eye. He turns around, waving them to follow. They walk past technicians, guards, and even the odd Atlesian droid. Each one of them would stop and salute him when Jaune passed. Joan was slightly confused, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. Amelia and Anna were the only ones not bothered by the saluting, Isabelle silently gushing at how cool her big brother is. Jacquelyn was right there with her, but was open with it; a smug grin aimed at the others.
They arrive at a large industrial elevator, its yellow paint bright and new. They step onto it, jumping when it starts to move upward; the gears grinding and screeching. Jaune walks over to a small room, shutting the door behind him. Pyrrha walks over and knocks on the door.
"What?" Jaune asks.
Pyrrha looks to the others and looks back. "We are curious as to…where we are going?"
Jaune snorts from the room. "I'm heading to the Eva cages to get ready. You guys…are heading to a place where you can watch the battle."
Pyrrha blinks, and raises an eyebrow when she hears something pressurize. The door opens and Jaune steps out, his outfit changed. Pyrrha blushes up a storm at his attire, stumbling back. He was wearing some kind of skin tight suit, the material surrounding him like a second skin. It was blue and white, the numbers '01' written in back just below his neck. Ruby, Weiss, Joan, and Jacquelyn blush bright red. Nora and Rin were staring at him, a light dusting on their cheeks. Blake had a nosebleed, muttering something about 'bondage' and Yang…Yang was grinning like a loon.
Anna was smirking lightly at him, Elena and Sable raising eyebrows at him. Arthur stares at his son, perplexed and worried. "Son…Should I ask or…"
"This is a plug suit. It allows me to sync with the Evas a bit easier. It also boosts my sync ratio as well as gives my body an extra layer of protection. And yes its very form fitting."
They all turn to look at Jasper/Opal, blinking at her head. It was looking to their immediate left, eyes narrowed lightly. "It's coming.."
Their answer comes when another elevator passes by them, gasps echoing. Jaune smirks and gestures to the purple behemoth passing them.
"Everyone…..meet Evangelion unit 01. The Oni. The Berserker."
The purple behemoth, restrained by metal beams thicker than 3 Goliaths, was a sight to behold. It doesn't stay for long, passing them with a groan of metal. Jaune watches with a fond smile, the lift slowing to a stop. To their right was a door; it had no markings as to where it lead but Jaune seemed to know exactly what it lead to. He walks over to it, the door opening automatically. Joan makes to follow him, her stride confident that he would allow so.
They are surprised when Jaune wills an A.T. field to block her path, his blue eyes like sapphires.
"This is my stop. You guys will get off at the next level. Follow the guards there and they shall take you to the place you need to be. No 'if's or buts', you hear me?"
His team nods there agreements, Joan doing so reluctantly. Team RWBY do the same but his family? Well they didn't agree. His mother walks forward, throwing a punch that shook the air. Jaunes A.T. field held strong its form wavering. He looks at her for a few seconds a smile coming to his face. It was soft, happy even. "You won't lose me just yet. I will come back..I have too much to lose if I don't.."
And with that, the lift starts moving the door shutting. They stare at Amelia with varied faces, but they jerk when she raises her foot and stomps the floor. She does this a few times, raising her arms into the air as she does. When she was done the metal floor had a sizeable dent, the lift coming to a stop a few seconds later. A door to their right opens, 3 armed guards stepping through and staring. They nod at each other and wave for them to follow.
They make a line, one guard staying behind to follow them. Joan looks at her family or more specifically in her mother in worry. Her brother was pushing his boundaries, and she couldn't help but feel that it was a bad choice.
5 mins later
The guard leading them stops at a door, typing in a code on the nearby keypad. The door opens the man stepping to the side. Joan walks through the door, slowing to a stop. The others walk in, Yang whistling. "Holy…"
They had entered what appeared to be a control center. Grey metal shined brightly, people typing away at computer terminals on their sides. Some of them were typing so fast, they couldn't even read what was being typed. Age screen was in front of the control center, shining over the black chasm below it. It had a second and third floor, these also filled with computer consoles and people. A man walks over to them; he was dark skinned man his face gruff but friendly. His eyes were a deep green, his balding hair shining brightly like a star.
"You must be Jaunes friends and family. Welcome to the control room. We don't have the time for a tour, so please follow me."
They follow, Ruby letting out a little 'wow'. The man chuckles and looks at her. "Impressed little lady?" Ruby nods. "This is awesome. How long did it take to build all this?" The man hums and answers. "About 3 months. You should see the main HQ. It makes this place look small."
"Who are you?" Anna asks, eyes narrowed lightly. The man stops and has the decency to flush lightly before replying.
"Ray Coal. The commander of this F.O.B. I apologize for my late introduction but time is a matter we do not have."
His voice, low and light hardly echoed in the open room. Isabelle looks around, frowning and looking to Amelia.
"Is big brother going to be okay?"
Her answer comes from the large holographic screen floating above the dark pit. Jaune was climbing into an entry plug, face cold. He disappears into the entry plug, the top sliding closed. A mechanical arm bends down grabbing the entry plug, lifting it to an awaiting technician with a large black hose in hand. The black hose is inserted into a hole, the technician giving a thumbs up. Pyrrha raises an eyebrow when the black tube swells slightly.
"What's in the tube?"
Ray hums at her question. "That supplies LCL to the entry plug."
Jacquelyn blinks at this. "LCL?" The other sisters had questioning looks on their faces as well. Ray explains. "LCL. An oxygenated liquid that helps increase the pilots sync ratio. It also adds an extra layer of protection for the pliots."
Anna's eye widen slightly.
"He's breathing in a liquid?"
Ray nods. "Yep." The group look to each other. Pyrrha raises an eyebrow. "That must be an..odd experience."
Amelia walks to the screen, gazing at the giant purple behemoth through the monitors. She looks over to Ray. "Can I speak to him?"
He nods and a nearby technician types away at her console. Ray nods to Amelia, and she looks back to the monitor. "Can you hear me Jaune?"
Eva 01 seems to jolt at her voice, the Eva giving a slow restrained nod. Amelia wonders why Jaune didn't answer himself but continues.
"While I don't agree with you fighting against the angels, I understand your reasoning. And I will respect that, as you are no longer my baby boy.."
Nora, and Yang let out little 'aww's at that, the sisters chuckling to themselves.
"..but even if that's true I still can't help but wonder if all of this is real. I mean, everything changed when you 'died' and suddenly 2 years later, I see my dead son on the television, announcing to the world that 'things were about to change'. Deep down I felt relief, fear, happiness, sadness and so much more that I didn't dare question the impossibility of you actually being real. So even if…even if this is all fake, and this is nothing but a delusion; please come back safe. Come back safe and prove to me that this is all real and not some delusion."
Amelia stares up at the monitor as the Eva and its pilot are lifted away to the launching docks. As it was slowly pulled, the Eva breaks the restraints on its right arm and gives a thumbs up. She smiles and nods, backing away to stand with the rest of the group. Ray walks forward and looks to the monitor. "Are you ready sir?"
Jaunes voice echoes, excited for the battle to come. "Yep yep! Launch me!"
Ray nods and straightens his back as the Eva is moved to the launch bay. Ray turns to the group and smiles.
"Would any of you like to do the honors?"
Annabelle tilts her heads in confusion. Ray seeing the confusion, explains. "Before every battle we yell 'Evangelion Launch'! It's a rather invigorating experience."
Eyes light up in childish wonder; Annabelle, Ruby, Nora, and even Jacquelyn dash forward. A technician to their left turns around. "We are ready for launch sir." Ray smiles looks to the assembled group. "Ready?" He asks.
They nod and he raises his hand and gives them a countdown.
'3'
'2'
'1'
"Evangelion Unit 01! Launch!"
And with a burst of electricity, the Eva is launched. They watch the monitor shift into a map of the tunnels, a red light representing Jaune and the Eva. He gets closer and closer to the edge and the monitor changes to the forest above the base. And with as great mechanical groan, the ground opens up, the Evas towering form is thrust into view. The group grins to each other, exchanging high fives.
Jacquelyn and Annabelle smile at each other, cheering Jaune on as he and the Eva start moving toward the Angel. Anna was the only one not smiling, her gaze locked onto the screen with the Atlas cruiser. Jasper/Opal looks at her. "Something wrong?"
When an answer is not given, they look to the screen in concern. Joan joins them in their worried gaze, unknowing of what was to come.
Jaune takes a deep breath, the LCL flowing through his lungs like a fish swam through water. He tests his movement, forming fists. He grunts in satisfaction, moving over to the launch pod. A segment of it breaks open, a large rifle held on giant racks. He grabs it and continues his trek to Shamsel, face set in steel. He taps a few buttons, an overlay of the area appearing before him. He hums in thought.
'I'm 3km from the Angel, and I'm 5km from the Atlas Cruiser. There are 3 battery stations and each battery has 2 minutes of energy. 6 minutes in total, plus the 5 that I have.'
He jolts in surprise when they are jolted from behind. He looks behind him, the umbilical cable was stretched to its max. He detaches the cable, the large plug falling to the ground and crushing a few innocent trees. The timer begins counting down, and Jaune looks ahead.
"No time to dilly dally, eh?"
And with a smile, the Eva begins sprinting toward the angel. And within 30 seconds, the Angel comes into view; the deep red of its shell a glaring difference to the large swath of forests. Jaune clicks his tongue, letting off a few shots from the rifle. They land true, impacting Shamsels A.T. field with no effect.
"A.T. field, max power." Jaune says, the air in front of the Eva shimmering as they ran towards Shamsel. The Angels stands tall, its 2 tentacles slicing forward, to impale the charging Eva but Jaune knew better. He jumps over the Angels attack, twisting in the air like a ballerina, firing wildly. He lands turning to look at the Angel, eyes narrowing dangerously. Shamsel exits the smoke, lazily staring at him.
"That didn't do a single thing." Jaune mutters, bringing the Eva to a crouch. He tenses when the Evas sensor picks up an odd energy signature. He turns to look at the objects, the comm. system blares to life.
"Get away from the angel!"
He doesn't question 'why' making the Eva jump away. It was just in time; a missile passed by him heading straight toward the angel. He watches as the missile draws closer, the armament impacting the angels A.T. field. And then his world was engulfed in white.
Back at the HQ
The whole base was in a panic, team RWBY, (J)NPR, and the Arc family staring in horror at the screen.
Elena sums up their thoughts in one sentence. "What in fucking hell was that?!" Ray was staring at the screen with scrutinizing eyes. "Could it be.."He whispers. He shakes his head, turning to the scrambling personnel. "Status on Unit 01 and the pilot?!"
"Unknown sir! Too much interference from the blast! Video will be back in 40 seconds!" Was his reply. He nods and turns to the family. "You need to leave." At this, a pair of guards come into the room. The group looks at them; Yang moves to stand in front of Ruby, Jacquelyn growling lowly. Sable narrows her eyes, cracking her knuckles threateningly. Jasper/Opal raises an eyebrow at the guards, unfazed by the rifles pointed in her direction.
Amelia raises her foot, and stomps the ground. The floor under her explodes, her aura coming to life. It swirls around her like an angry snake, her gaze colder than anything they had ever seen.
"We…are not going anywhere…"
Ray narrows his eyes, his gaze looked with Amelias. Arthur joins his wife, their gazes making Ray sigh and rubs his eyes. 'I'm getting to old for this.'
They jump when a technician yells. "We have the visuals back. Displaying it on the main monitor now!"
They stare at the large monitor, the once snow static disappearing. The whole forest around the Angel was frozen. The trees, the birds, even the very streams that once ran wild were frozen solid. It was like winter came early and came with a vengeance. Shamsel was covered in sharp ice spikes, the once powerful angel seemingly stopped. It was a serene image, snow falling to the ground, the camera pans around the image of Eva 01 coming into view.
The once giant purple behemoth was in the same predicament as Shamsel, its form covered in feet of ice. The Atlas cruiser takes this time to move forward, small bullheads flying around it. Ray curses when a few of the bullheads divert and fly toward the frozen form of Eva 01. He turns to a nearby technician. "Try to contact the pilot! We must discern his condition!"
"Yes sir!"
A few minuters of frantic typing follows, the Arc family staring at the frozen Eva in worry. A collective sigh of relief echoes when a technician announces that she had made contact with the Eva. A video feed pops up, a red message flashing that visual was unavailable. "We only have audio."
The audio comes through and….
"Those c*** sucking, butt munching, son of w*****, mother f*****s!" The bleeping was courtesy of a nearby technician, who bleeped it for the kids. The all look toward each other, Amelia raising an eyebrow at his language. Arthur chuckles good naturedly, worry fading away. "Guess we know who he got his language from, eh?" His wife glares at him, the man wisely shutting up.
Jaune was still ranting but it had seemingly calmed down. "Is this what a popsicle feels like? If so, this sucks…."
Jaune shivers lightly, rubbing his shoulders for warmth. The LCL had dropped several degrees when whatever hit Shamsel. He looks around the plug, the LCL looking like orange slush and he leans forward gripping the controls. He couldn't see, the Evas eyes seemingly frozen shut and he growls at the shared feeling of ice. He looks up at a small camera in the corner of the plug, his eyes brightening when he sees a small red light flash.
His hopes are tripled when Rays voice echoes lightly. "Can you hear us?"
"I can." Jaune answers, his hands gripping the controls tightly. "What happened?" Ray seemingly pauses at this, his voice coming out static following. "By our scans, the Atlas launched an N2 equivalent missile seemingly combined with ice dust. We are receiving data but nothing concrete. How's your condition?"
Jaune deadpans at this. "I'm freezing. I can't feel my toes nor my fingers. That and I can barely move .How do you think I am?"
His mother comes over the speaker. "Don't be a smartass.." He grumbles a 'yes ma'am' before leaning back into his seat. His eyes narrow. "What about Shamsel?"
"The Angel is frozen as well. The Atlas cruiser is approaching the angel, and it has sent a small group of bullheads toward you. We are sending a small missile toward you in hopes that it can crack enough ice for you to move. It will be there in 30 seconds."
Jaune nods, wincing when he hears his friends and family question Ray about the missile. He coughs into his fist. "That missile can't get throw a single plate of my armor. I'll be fine."
Jaune ears twitch when he hears the telltale sound of engines. "Guess that's Atlas." He grumbles, hands typing away on a holographic screen. His time limit was steadily ticking down, his eyes narrowing at the time left. 2 minutes 30 seconds…Not much time at all….
"But I've been in worse situations, so this should be interesting…." He winces when a bright light is shone into the Evas eyes. He follows the lights, seeing a dark shape behind it. It was more than likely the Atlas bullheads, probably trying to scan Eva 01. He snarls to himself, bringing the Evas A.T. field to bare. The sound of the bullheads engine disappear, Jaune 'humphing' to himself. He looks at the time limit nodding to himself. '15 seconds until the missile arrives.'
He gets ready for the missile when his comm. roars to life. "Missile impact in 5…4…3…2…1…"
Jaune smiles when the Eva is jolted by the missile hitting and exploding. He grabs the controls and yanks them, the pleasing sound of ice breaking feeling his ears. The ice covering the Evas eyes fall away, the sight of the frozen forest causing him to whistle. He brings the Eva to its full height, more ice breaking away and falling. The sight of the Atlas cruiser floating above Shamsel brings a snarl to his face, the Eva already in a dead sprint to the nearest battery station. He arrives with 1:30 left, reaching into the station and grabbing the umbilical cord. He plugs it in, the timer increasing to 3:30. He disconnects the umbilical cord and runs to the second battery station, repeating the process.
He sighs a small breath of relief as the timer was at 5:30, the time limit counting down. He had a bit of room to breathe now, the biomechanical beast groaning. The Atlas cruiser had stopped just above Shamsel, the giant ship actually dwarfing the angel. Jaune watches, a deep feeling of unease filling him. A few bullheads fly toward him, Unit 01 head following them. They fly dangerously close to him, almost as if they were asking him to smack them out of the air.
The deep feeling of unease comes back, Jaune whipping Unit 01 head back towards Shamsel. The frozen angel was glowing lightly, the deep pink energy glowing through the ice. And with a sonic boom that shook Jaune to his bones. Shamsel was free of its icy prison, its pink tentacles of energy whipping around angrily. Shamsel seems to stare at the Atlas cruiser with, dare Jaune say it, annoyance and faster than Jaunes eyes could see, its tentacles whip upward.
The air grows still, the choir of the damned singing softly in his ear, the Atlas cruiser splitting in half as if it was butter being cut with a hot knife. The cruiser starts its slow fall to the ground, explosions rocking the metal. Jaunes open up his communication relay, receiving panicked screams and reports from the cruiser. He watches as the cruiser slowly falls to the ground and with a ground shaking impact, slams into the dirt.
As soon as it was, Jaune was on the comms.
"Ray! Get bullheads into the air now! I want all available soldiers and medics on standby for the incoming injured. I'll broadcast the signal to all available comms. Do you understand me?!"
He receives a chorus of 'Yes sir!' from the other end, smiling to himself. The final patches of ice were falling off, the stiffness in their muscles finally gone. The Eva stands to its feet, the clock steadily climbing down.
"This is the General Jaune Arc, pilot of the Eva you Atlas fuckups just decided to freeze. I am sending you bullheads ready for your injured. Get them and all other survivors to the LZ I am designating on your systems. If you value your lives, I recommend getting on the bullheads and allowing us to help." At this Jaune looks to Shamsel twitching in preparation.
"Because it's about to get messy and you don't want to be here when we get a movin'."
He receives his answer a few seconds later. "Acknowledged. Thank you for the assist."
The timer hits 4 minutes and Eva 01 takes off in a dead sprint, pauldron on its shoulder opening. Jaune grabs the knife from it, bringing it to bear. Shamsel retaliates with a swing of its tentacles, the limb cutting swathes in the air. Jaune jumps the first one, grinning in satisfaction the second tentacle catches the sides of his thigh.
Jaune grits his teeth in pain as the LCL bubbles a little, bringing the Eva to a rolling dodge and thrusting his knife towards its core. Shamsels A.T. field stops it cold and forces him away with a shove.
"Okay." Jaune drawls. "That….was a lot stronger than I thought."
The Eva stands to its full height and does something that surprises them all. It puts its hands on its hips and huffs. It taps its foot, Jaune bringing his hand to his chin. He snaps his finger, grinning. He pushes a few buttons, the video feed cutting out at the HQ.
The others make noises of confusion, Jaune hearing it and speaks. "You don't need to see whats about to happen."
At that, the sound of bones breaking and flesh rendering echoes over the speakers. Those listening could only wince as the sound continued and after a few seconds.
"Aaaaooooooo!"
Chapter end…
Authors note: This took far longer than it should. Thanks for reading and sorry for how long it took!
This is Luckyplains13 signing out.