AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you again for all the support this story has gotten. It has just hit a lot of huge milestones: 200 favorites, 250 followers, and over 85,000 views. It is all thanks to you in giving this story a chance and the TV Tropes page is still updating. This chapter deals with a few characters getting a moment together with others, as well as some more context on past events. Hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what you thought or if you have any suggestions, and have a nice day.
Chapter 34 – Impressing Others
Jaune.
Outside the academy, Jaune holds his shield in defense of a charging Lancelot while Mash watched close by. However, the dark armored knight bashed through the male Arc's shield, knocking Jaune on his back a few feet away from where he stood, "Are you okay?" Mash called out, "Can you get up?"
"Yeah," Jaune groaned as he tried to push himself up, "It's only the twenty-fifth time...I think...I might have lost count." He said as he got back on two feet, but his legs shaking. He looked over to see Lancelot, ready to charge at him again, "Why did my stats have to go up?" He muttered to himself as he raised his shield.
"Papa." Mash called, gaining Lancelot's attention, "Maybe we can take a break."
"…" Lancelot calmed done as he changed to a relaxed stance.
Jaune sighed as he sat down, Mash walked over to him, "Your dad is a little more extreme than I remembered as a kid." He said as Mash sat next to him, "I remembered hearing about his adventures with Gawain, he seemed so valorous and less…berserk?" he said with Mash having a slight giggle, "Yeah, I remember he worked with Melian and that lady they all called King of Knights. My parents told me she was strongest, but that I was too young to understand the reason for why they called her Arthur sometimes." Jaune then looked over to hear Lancelot growling at the mention of a certain name, casing a line of sweat to come down his face, "Uhh...who else was there. Oh, I remember them hanging out with a woman called Guinevere." He said as he slightly blushed, "You know, I had a slight crush on her growing up."
"Oh, she was the King of Knight's wife." Mash answered with a slight smile, "She is also my Mom."
"Oh…I…" Jaune said as his face turned redder.
"It's okay, it's a bit of a complex story." Mash said as before looking up at the clouds, but Lancelot started to walk away, not wanting to hear this story, "You see, The King of Knights was once a man who turned into a woman. Before that, he and his wife, Guinevere, who wished to have his child. It was all she had dreamed of at the time. However, that dream was shattered after she learned of the change to her husband's gender. And with that change came an unforce addition that made Guinevere feel completely lost to the man she once knew." Mash said before she looked over to see Mordred and Yang talking to Lancelot, "So, Lancelot went to comfort my mother, he used to tell me he had a crush on her also. Everything happened so quickly afterward, Guinevere left the newly named Artoria and married my Papa. Soon after, I was born." Suddenly, Mash's face changed to sorrow, "My Papa loved me and my mother a great deal, but he knew his wife still had felt something for Arthur. And in one day, she vanished, as well did The King of Knights disappeared, and my father was changed to the berserker he is now."
"Wow," Jaune commented in speechless voice, "That's more that's more depression than complex."
"It's okay," Mash commented as she put on a slight smile, once I am ready, I'm going to venture out and find my mother. Then, I'll convince her to come back so that my family can be whole again." She then got up and walked over to the rest of the group. Jaune got up also, however, he noticed Mash wiping something from her face. He had a sorrowful expression as he followed her.
"Again, sorry we are late Lancelot." Mordred said before turning to Yang, "But you see, my roommate's outburst had us get an earful from some of the professors."
"Hey that little pervert had it coming, I don't want Ruby seeing that at her age," Yang responded.
"…" Lancelot responded looking to the sky, seeing somewhat approaching from the distance. He then walked away as the Yang turned to Mordred, who had a slightly perturbed look.
"Not much of a talker," The blond berserker commented. She then smiled as she had an idea, "Tell me, does he often?"
"Often what?" Mordred responded.
"Does he lance a lot or not at all," Yang responded, but Mordred to sigh as she placed her right hand on her face. "Also, was I sensing some tensions between you two?"
"Back before I learned the truth about myself." Mordred responded as she lowered her hand, "My father told me Lancelot was the one that impregnated her. But, that was just a lie." Mordred then turned to Yang, who had a somewhat confused expression, "You're wondering who told me the truth?" She said with Yang nodding, "It was father's ex-wife who told me, but it was my father who confirmed it." She then looked over at Mash and Jaune approaching them, "Also, out of all things I told you about myself, don't mention that to anyone. Got it?"
"Sure." Yang responded before the two Shielder joined them, "Hey Jaune."
"Hey, Yang." He said in a slightly uneasy voice, "Listen, I have been hearing some crazy rumors. Did you-"
"Yes." Yang interrupted with a grin.
"Oh…" Jaune said as an awkward silence fell over the group. In the distance, he noticed Nora walking with her group from the earlier class, expect Neo had wandered off towards Lancelot, "Hey, it's Nora."
"Jaune!" Nora called out as she ran ahead of the group, "You and I are the same class now." She said before calling out her Plasma Blade, "Check out my new sword."
"Oh cool, you have to show Ruby that." Yang commented, "But, what happened to your hammer?"
"It broke, but this is cooler." The orange haired saber said before she funneled her electricity in the blade, causing it to light up, "See."
"Wow." Jaune comment, "I hate to tell you, but I'm not a Saber anymore. I'm a Shielder." He then had a sudden realization, "Did it hurt when you went through the class change process?"
"Nah," Nora said as she recalled her weapon, "Kind of tickled actually." Fran, Emerald, and Jekyll then joined their group, "Also, made some new friends." Nora added on.
"Fran," Mash asked in concern, "What happened to your arm?"
"Aa." Fran responded, "Au."
"Multiple fractures, yikes." Mordred commented, "But I guess any Grimm biting will do that to you."
"Ua," Fran added on in a disappointed voice.
"Yeah, that's going to be broken for a while. About a month or so." Mash commented, "Did they say anything about you on future missions?"
"Aa!" Fran responded with enthusiasm.
"No Fran, they said you should take it easy." Jekyll commented, "Your arm was broken too severely for normal healing magic."
"Aaaa!," Fran responded toward the man in glasses with a slight growl, causing him to take a step back in fear.
"That's the spirit Fran," Mordred said with a smile, "We overcome any pain, small or big."
"Aa!" Fran said with a smile and a nod as she extended her right arm forward, making a fist. Mordred grinned as she extended her left fist, slightly bumping against Fran's right, "Ua."
In the group, Yang and Jaune had a look of blankness of the situation, "You all…. can understand that?" Yang commented, "How?"
"It makes more sense the longer you know her," Jekyll responded, "We have been a team for a while now, so we have gotten used to it." Yang and Jaune then nodded in understanding, but then they looked over Nora.
"What?" The orange haired saber commented, "It just makes sense to me."
"I didn't know this Kingdom also did the four-person squad thing." Jaune added on, "What are you called?"
"Ua," Fran answered, but Jaune had a look of confusion.
"She said Team London. Our kingdoms name convention is a bit different though," Mash responded before looking to the prideful knight, "Mordred is our leader."
"You didn't tell me that?" Yang commented with a smile.
"It never came up," Mordred responded before she looked over to Emerald, who was looking up at the sky, "You with them?"
"Yeah, sorry." Emerald responded as she looked back done, "Just…saw something in the sky."
"We're all friends here, Em," Nora responded, causing Emerald to slightly smile.
"Is she your friend?" Yang asked Emerald as they looked over to see Neo looking up at Lancelot.
"…" Neo said as she looked up at him. She grinned as she changed the orientation of her eye colors.
"…" Lancelot said as he looked down at her.
"Yeah, she's just…quiet," Emerald responded.
From above, the group heard a horse's neigh. They looked up to see Medusa riding her Pegasus, wearing her combat gear, but without the mask. Yang, Nora, and Jaune looked in amazement, but Emerald remained content. As Yang got a better looked, she noticed someone sitting behind Medusa. It was Penthesilea, who was to wear a revealing set of steel armor, only covering her forearms, forelegs, and upper chest. Around her waist was a white fur pelt with a red cape over her lower back torso. Also, on the Queen Berserker's face was a pair of glasses, "YOU!" Penthesilea sounded as she pointed at Yang.
"Oh great," Yang said with a groan of annoyance, "What do you want stalker girl?"
"In our fight yesterday, you knocked out my contacts!" Penthesilea yelled back, "Now I've lost them."
"So," Yang responded her tone raises, "Go back to that dojo and find them, don't complain to me."
"I did!" Penthesilea responded, "However, half the dojo is destroyed!"
"…Did you check the other half." Nora asked, but Penthesilea glared at her while she flared her fangs.
"We did but they weren't there," Medusa said as she put her hand on the berserker queen's right shoulder, holding her back, "We are just returning from town, where we hoped to buy a new set, but they are out."
"Now, I have to use these things to properly see straight." Penthesilea continued, "I demand retribution."
"That's not my problem," Yang said before her eyes started to turn red, "But if you want a rematch, I'm not against hitting someone who is wearing glasses." She said before hitting her fist together, while in the foreground, Jekyll to take a step back in fear.
"You fail to understand," Penthesilea said as she grinned, closing her eyes, and holding out her hands in open palms, "I have to hold back when fighting in that dojo. But here, I have no restraints." She then called her weapons, a long black chain with a large spiked ball attached to each end. Her armor gauntlets then spawned three curved black claws out form the knuckles, "You cannot match my rage." The Queen Berserker said as she opened her eyes, show them as blood red with the iris resembling a small ball of fire.
"Ga." The group looked over to see Lancelot address the students, Neo followed close behind, "Aa."
"Oh," Mash responded, "He says Neo wants to fight Penthesilea."
"What?" Penthesilea responded, "Why would I fight someone so small."
"You're one to talk," Yang said with a grin.
"HEY!" Penthesilea turned back in anger.
"Hey, height doesn't matter at all," Mordred added on, as she crossed her arms, "Among other things."
"Neo, why do you want to fight her?" Jekyll asked, but Neo answered with a smile as she changes the orientation of her eye color with a blink, causing him to sigh.
"Fine, you can be my warm up." Penthesilea agreed, "But be prepared to take some real damage," causing the other students to spread out. Neo called her umbrella and opened it, resting on her left shoulder.
Neo.
"Don't let her break your glasses," Medusa called out, "They're your only spare." However, Penthesilea only focused on Neo, causing Medusa to sigh.
"Ga..." Lancelot spoke again.
"He says you two can start." Mash translated, "And to go until your unable to fight."
Penthesilea screamed in a battle cry before jumping forward a high speed, extending her right knee. However, Neo ducked the first hit. The Queen Berserker skidded on the ground for a few meters before stopping. Neo stood back up as she had a smirk on her face, but she soon had a sudden realization as she heard the clanking of the chains. She noticed Penthesilea pull the spiked balls attached to the chains towards her, heading also to Neo on their path. The pint-sized girl jumped the spiked projectiles before landing back on the ground. once she had reeled back her weapons far enough, Penthesilea began to swing the spiked balls in a circle.
As Neo landed, she looked to see the Queen Berserker had launched another assault with one of the spiked balls. The pint-sized girl rolled out the way, but the weapon's impact on the ground caused a fiery explosion. Neo had barely any time to recover as Penthesilea continued with the other spiked ball, screaming with each swing, "I will crush you!"
The rest of the class watched on from the distance, "Yikes," Yang commented, standing next to the two members of Team JNPR, "She's really angry." She then turned Jaune and Nora, "Do I ever get that angry?"
"…Nope." Both teammates said at the same time, but Yang noticed the pause.
Near them, Emerald stood next to Fran and Lancelot as they looked on, "She's practically insane," She commented before turning to the two, "Not all people in the Berserker class act like that?"
"…Aa." Both Fran and Lancelot said at the same time, but Emerald noticed the pause.
Jekyll had his fists clenched as he watched on, "Come on Neopolitan," He said to himself as he focused on the fight, "Find an opening, and don't get hit." He then looked over to see Mash and Mordred grinning as they looked at him, "What?"
"How did your trip go?" Mordred said as she crossed her arms, still grinning, "Anything interesting happens?"
"Yeah," Mash added on, with a slight giggle, "You seem a little different." Jekyll's face turned slightly red before he turned away from his teammates to focus back on the fight. Mordred and Mash then looked at each other with a slight smile.
"This is bad for your friend," Medusa said to Jekyll, "She's dodging well enough now, but if Penthesilea gets one hit in, it won't be pretty." Her comment caused Jekyll to grit his teeth
Back at the fight, Neo continued to gain distance from Penthesilea, causing the Queen Berserker to reel back both her spiked weapons. They collided with each other in midair, radiating a fiery aura as they stuck together. Penthesilea screamed as she swung the combined weapon.
Neo watched as the massive spiked ball came down on her. She jumped back to dodge, but once the weapon collided with the ground, it created a plum of fire around the area. Neo held out her umbrella like a shield, stopping the fire. However, the pint-sized girl heard something rushing her from ahead. Her eyes turned white as she saw the black claws slice the fabric of the umbrella. Penthesilea ripped through Neo's defenses and attempted another claw slash. At the last moment, Neo unsheathed her hidden blade from the umbrella, blocking the strike, "Too weak." Penthesilea said with an as Neo gritted her teeth. The Queen Berserker adjusted her stance, pushing past the blade, and slashing Neo's face. The pint-sized girl fell a few feet from her opponent landing face first on the ground. Blood dripped from the tips of Penthesilea's claws.
"Neo!" Emerald called out.
"Hey!" Yang yelled out to the Queen Berserker, "That's going a bit too far, don't you think!?"
"She's the one that wanted to fight Penthesilea," Medusa added on, "She brought this on herself thinking she could beat someone like her only by dodging."
Yang glared back at Medusa, but the two then noticed something odd with Jekyll. His hair changed to dishevel as his teeth flared like sharp fangs. He held his knife in his right hand as his eyes glared a hate-filled red, "How dare you!?" Hyde said as Penthesilea turned to him, "You will pay for that!"
"Oh, the scrawny man wishes to fight now?" Penthesilea commented as she turned to the group, "Fine, that fight was much of a warm-up anyway." Hyde then took a step towards the Queen Berserker. However, he stopped as a look of shock came on his face. the other students had a similar look of misunderstanding, while Penthesilea had a look of confusion. She then turned around to where she saw the others looking.
On her feet, Neo stood back up. Over the left side of her face were three vertical slash marks, the middle one over her destroyed left eye. Her right eye was brown as her breathing was tired, holding her hidden blade in her right hand. However, she grinned as she closed her right eye, opening it to the iris changing to pink, "No…" Jekyll softy said as his expression changed to sorrow, "You should have stayed down."
"Oh," Penthesilea said as she put her hands on her hips, "You have the spirit of a warrior, but you and I both know this match is over." Neo then adjusted her grip on the hidden blade, "You can't har-" Suddenly, Neo rushed forward while Penthesilea was in mid-sentence, putting her in shock. She plunged her sword towards the Queen Berserker's head. The group looked on in shock as it appeared Neo stabbed her opponent in the face. But upon closer examination, Penthesilea had caught the tip of the blade by biting it with her teeth. Penthesilea had a mixed look of fear and anger as Neo changed her eye color back to brown. The Queen Berserker reel back her right arm and tried to slash with the claws, but Neo jumped back. However, as she did so, she aggressively pulled her blade out of Penthesilea's mouth, cutting the right corner of her mouth in the process. Once Neo recovered, she grinned as she readjusted her stance.
Penthesilea gritted her teeth as she glared at Neo, "Fine, I'll just rip out your other eye!" She shouted before rushing toward Neo, reeling back her right arm. The Queen Berserker tried to slash at her opponent, but the pint-sized girl ducked the hit, stabbing Penthesilea in the abdomen. Penthesilea looked down in a rage as Neo glanced up at her, change her eye color back to pink, "Drop dead!" Penthesilea shouted as she raised her left hand before swinging it towards Neo. The pint-sized girl back dashed to dodge and Penthesilea's claw got stuck in the ground. Neo then rushed back towards Penthesilea and ran past her. In the process, Neo grabbed her glasses. Once she stopped a few feet away, she put them one, changing her eye color back to brown. Penthesilea started to hyperventilate in a rage as she turned around, but her eyes not as focused as normal.
"She's winning now." Jekyll commented, "How?"
"I get it," Medusa said as she crossed her arms, "She dodges until she knows her opponents fighting style, then moves into offensive based combat." She then turned to the assassin in glasses, "It's adaptive, but it's almost a gamble against certain enemies of it working the way she wants."
"Yeah, if your opponent surprises you, That's all it takes," Yang commented as she saw Neo continue to slash Penthesilea, who was now unable to land a hit, "But if the plan works, there isn't much the opponent can do expect to get angrier until they are knocked out."
"And she took off her glasses, so she can't see right," Jekyll commented, "She just needs to knock her out quickly."
Back to the fight, Penthesilea fell to her right knee as her breathing became heavy. Neo looked on as she readjusted her stance. She then rushed the Queen Berserker, running her hidden blade through her left shoulder, coming out the back of the shoulder blade. Penthesilea eyes slowly started to close, until they busted open in a rage, causing Neo's eye color to turn white, "I'll crush you!" Penthesilea yelled before she lunged her body forward, opening her jaw as she flared her fangs. Neo tried to block with her left arm, so Penthesilea bit into her forearm, making a cracking sound.
In the distance, Fran had a line of sweat come down her face as she grabbed her left arm. She then looked over to Jekyll, who hair began to become more disheveled. Hyde was about to rush forward, his knife in hand. However, Emerald grabbed his right shoulder, causing him to turn around and glare at her, "Calm down," Emerald said quickly, "This time, she made one before the hit."
"Wha-" Hyde said before he turned back to the fight, seeing Penthesilea's eyes twitch as Neo's arm began to crack. Neo then brock apart into glass, causing Penthesilea to have a muffled scream as she started to cough up blood. The Queen Berserker then fell back as she rolled in pain. As she looked up, in her blurry vision, she saw Neo standing near her, grinning as her eye color was pink now. The pint-sized girl lifted her right foot and stomped on Penthesilea's face, landing the final blow. Neo then took off the glasses and put them back on the unconscious Penthesilea. As she started to walk back to the group, "Neopolitan!" Jekyll ran towards her, causing Neo to have a calm smile. However, her smile soon shrunk as she put her hand near her fresh wound, "Your eye…" He said as he stood in front of her, "Why did you want to fight her like that?"
Neo then reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll. She then typed a message before showing it to Jekyll. It read, 'Did I impress you?' Jekyll then looked over to Neo's face, where she had a weak smile as she blushed. The assassin in glasses then had a weak smile as he hugged her, "Yes," He said as she hugged him back, "But you don't need to."
"We should take her to the infirmary," Mash said as they walked over to the group, "They might be able to do something about her eye." She said as they nodded walking.
"Wait!" Jaune said as he called to them, "Maybe I could try something." He then walked over to Neo putting his hand near her face. Neo had a look of disgust as she pulled her head back, "It's okay, I think I know how to heal it. I've been practicing," Neo looked up to Jekyll in slight worry. Jekyll then held tightly onto Neo before looking to Mash, who nodded as she smiled. He then looked back to Neo, loosening his grip as he smiled peacefully at her. Neo then smiled before turning back to Jaune. Jaune then placed his hand on Neo's wound, causing his body to glow in a yellow light for a few seconds.
After he lowered his hand, Neo injure had nearly fully healed. She opened her left eye, her iris brown, and a tear coming down her face as she smiled. She then looked up at Jekyll, who was also smiling, "I don't believe it, your eye is hea-" He was saying until Neo pulled his head closer to hers, kissing him on the lips. Jekyll then closed his eyes as held onto Neo's waist.
Mash smiled as she turned to Jaune, who was slightly breathing heavy, "Wow Jaune, you already have a good handling of how to heal people." She said as Jaune breathing became heavier, "Are you okay?" Mash said in worry.
"Yeah, just tired." Jaune responded, his legs shaking as his eyes started to close "I guess I should do that when I have more aura left, as opposed to right after training." He then yawned before continuing, "I think I just need a nap before I can do anythi-" He said before his eyes closed and he fell backward.
Thankfully, Lancelot caught him and held the male Arc in his arms, "Thank you, Papa," Mash said as she smiled, "He has had enough for today, can you take him back to his room." She asked with her father nodding.
The rest of the class gathered around the knocked out Penthesilea, "Again with this?" Medusa said as she knelt near her teammate, "Why do I always have to carry you?"
"Does she have a habit of this?" Yang asked, with the long-haired rider nodding, "Well, at least she didn't break those glasses." She said as Medusa had a slight smile.
"Well, our class is over." Mordred commented, "We really didn't do much."
"You say it like it's a bad thing," Yang said with a smile, "Come on, let's get something to eat in that cafeteria."
"Yeah!" Nora agreed.
"Aa!" Fran added on.
"Fine…" Mordred sighed with the others happy.
They then looked over to Emerald, "You want to come also?" Yang asked Emerald.
"Uh…" Emerald paused before she thought about, remembering her early conversation with Mercury. However, she looked back at a Yang and smiled, "…Sure." The green haired assassin responded, "What's the harm?"
"That's the spirit," Yang said with a smile as she led the back towards the academy.
AN: There you go, a lot of stuff happened now. You see more of the story of what happened in the past with Artoria's family drama. I talk about Guinevere a bit here, who isn't really a part of the fate series, but still has an important role for the context of this story. It does bring me to a question, what character from an already established mythology/lore in the fate series should be a fate character and what class, (For me, I want Odysseus Archer from Greek legends. He would be so cool and savvy). I wanted to also give Neo and Jekyll's relationship the spotlight because it has been neglected a little bit. Also, those are two of a couple of my favorite characters from each respective series. Jaune also shows a bit more building up of his defense and healing abilities. And Penthesilea comes back to prove how crazy she really is, also I think her design looks even cooler with the glasses. I know I didn't get to the Ruby part here, but I will start the next chapter off with that. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.