Chapter 52
Long ago, Remnant was once whole. Wielding two supreme beings that watched over the planet, and did their duty admirably in their own way. However, the actions of one woman caused the world to then turn for the worst. Like any Gods, in scorn and spite, when one woman led a rebellion against the Gods, they left. Though not before they decimated all sentient life, annihilating the armies that rose against them, and anybody else on the world they then re-named 'Remnant' for what it became after they abandoned it.
Only one woman, the first to rebel against them, remained.
Ever since then, she plotted and schemed, more so when the God of Light planted seeds to give birth to the next generation of humans. Once the new humans came, and the disastrous fate when she met her former lover, the woman then decided to make it her immortal goal to destroy what was left of her old home. In her eyes, Remnant must be destroyed.
Yet it will take more than her immense magic, Grimm, and her manipulative mind to take down the entire planet. So, biding her time, Salem stayed in the shadows. Turned fellow man against each other. Created problems for many, who would then blame others when it had been her. Recruiting those who were at their lowest or were willing to aid in her goals. Gathering her own group to counter her eternal foe Ozma as well.
This had turned into a stalemate however, as whatever she threw at Ozpin and his forces, he would counterback. The balance between them however, was not eternal. For in recent times Salem had slowly been gaining the advantage over him. For unlike her with her eternal power, Ozpin had grown weakened, had allies that while strong, weren't entirely united. Not to mention she managed to find some of Ozma's split power and had her own follower take some of it away. Then her plans met complications, that would later turn to a boon when he came.
A man that had entered her home, who claimed himself the weakest Servant of all.
The first of her new ally, and her first Servant of another world. Then came a second, a third, more and more of these 'Heroic Spirits' joining her cause, and while not for her sake, they would still help her out for their own goals. Making her hidden cabal all the more stronger with more than just Grimm by her side. Now, in this current age, Salem had a new force of old and new, with intriguing beasts that came in all sorts of sizes under her command. For example, the giant worm called a Demon God Pillar.
"Graaaa!" Using ancient artifacts of old and numerous Beetle Grimm, the Demon God Pillar Haagenti had been reduced from Remnant's greatest threat to a magical power battery linked to Salem. The witch having reduced the Pillar to the size of a car, and created a connection between her and it, similar to how she made a contract between her new Servants. "S-stop!"
Unlike with them though,m where she gave them her mana to sustain and bolster their power, her and Haagenti's relationship was the opposite. Instead, it gave her it's magic, boosting her already great reserves of magic to a higher state. And while she was already told by Angra that her 'dear' Ozma has somehow regained his own magic, hers dwarfed his now once more.
"Oh Haagenti," Salem smiled as she placed a pale white hand on its squirming flesh. "Just enjoy your time here." Her eyes glew and more Beetle Grimm spilled out and began squirting their goo-like substance from their mouth and draining Haagenti further who screeched as its magic was being forcibly ripped out of it. The witch then leaving the hidden room she placed it in and left with the doors closing as Haagenti roared in pain.
After that, Salem walked towards another hall and kept on going up. Eventually, she made her way to her castle's chamber where in it were multiple chairs and a single long table. Already sitting down are her agents and allies, who sat and had been waiting for her.
On her right were Angra, who had his feet on the table again, Tyrian, Hyde, and No Name Assassin sitting down with No Name sipping some tea and Hyde playing with his knife. On the left side of the table were the rest being Hazel, Cinder, Watts, Cu (Alter), Gilles, and EMIYA (Alter). All having been seemingly talking for a bit, with Watts and Tyrian clearly messing with Cinder. Speaking of the girl, her subordinates were off on the side behind her, Mr. Black. And young Emerald she believed they were called. The latter of which looking worried for Cinder.
Considering the girl's wounds, it made sense. A missing eye and a lost limb having been replaced with another type of hand would do that. Salem didn't care however, as she then sat down on her throne ready to start the talks. "I see everybody has gathered," Her red eyes turned toward the last member near the entrance of the door. Gilgamesh, standing as emotionlessly as ever and on guard duty. The Beetle Grimm still squirming as always. "Good." Salem folded her arms on the table. "Then let's begin."
"Cool!" Angra spoke up with a few of the other Servants moaning. None of them having liked him, especially EMIYA (Alter). "In that case, let me start by saying, I did a great job at my end." Angra leaned back on his chair with arms folded behind his back. "I mean, yeah the old guy, the drunk guy, and the loli are still alive, but hey. I still did great."
"If they're alive, then you failed." Cu (Alter0 bluntly states to him. Apparently one consequence of regaining his former emotions is that the Berserker also felt annoyed now too.
"Says the guy who ran without a tail between his legs." Angra laughed with Cu (Alter) really wanting to kill the bastard. The Berserker didn't like mentioning his tail...or lack of therefore. According to Gilles, whatever 'will' Remnant had seems to block the Servants from some of their special characteristics that made them superior to humans. As such, Cu (Alter) no longer has a tail, something Watts will be working on later.
"Moving on," Salem says, wanting to move on from the topic, something Hyde did for.
"Well, all I can say is I killed a bunch of guys on my end." Hyde grinned as his knife then stabbed his own hand, not that he seemed to mind. Great. Now blood was spilling all over the table. "Thoughhhhh," He then trailed on, eyes glancing at No Name. "I did notice a certain general having a very interesting arm on him." That got No Name's attention with Hyde then looking at Salem. "Looks like the Iron-Ass has more than just his weirdo group of Servants with him.
Ah yes, Ironwood. Having now not just the Ace-Ops, but as he reported a few days ago, the Winter Ops as well. A new group of 'Huntsmen' as he called them to help the people, when in reality were actually his Servants now living on Solitas within Atlas. But to hear he had more than just Servants, interesting.
"Tch!" Something No Name seemed to dislike, as her eyes narrowed in anger. "He dares to steal one of the Hassans prized limbs. He will suffer for this transaction."
"If you're going to rip off those limbs from him, then let me join in." Tyrian, fellow sociopath, gleeful giggled. "It would be nice to place his head on a stake!"
"Uh. Such needless violence.' Arthur Watts uttered with Hazel grunting, feeling much the same way. Though more so for EMIYA (Alter), the 'Hero of Justice' twitching as if he wanted to do something to Tyrian. Namely, putting a bullet between his eyes.
"..." Smirking, Angra leaned his head back and said some kind of word, EMIYA (Alter) then stopping for a moment and blinking. Soon no longer bothering with Tyrian and his antics and went back to 'normal'. The Counter Force Agent just sitting down obediently like the good boy he was.
"Why are we talking about such silly notions, when we must talk about what's truly important here." Salem, along with many others in the meeting, rolled their eyes when Gilles then began talking. "Jeane!" In Gilles's hands was a scroll, one that Watts was now regretting on giving the mad sorcerer. " Jeanne is here! Oh! Oh my beautiful savior! What joy it brings me to see that a variant of my love is here!" Tears began pouring out along with some spit with those sitting near him pushing their chairs a bit away from him as he ranted.
"Good for you fish eyes." Angra then decided to have his own fun. "Just what a shame people on the net don't like her." Salem sometimes considered cutting her connection with Angra a few times. Gilles himself not taking the words well as he quickly looked at the video of Jeanne (Lily) and saw that while the likes were immense, a few hundred dislikes and mean comments were there.
"BASTARDS!" He screeched so loudly that one of the windows actually cracked. "They dare to insult my savior! To put down her joyful mood with such blameshpery! Is there no God here!?"
Not anymore.
"I'll summon my creatures and have them eat their entails for days!" Gilles then looked at Watts who flinched. "Hack into these IP's, or whatever you call it, and give me an address!" He demanded. "I'll have my fishies go into their toilets and eat their-"
Hazel, with Dust infused into him, slammed his fist onto Gilles's head and forced the mad sorcerer's forehead to slam harshly onto the table with a nasty crack. While Gilles was a dangerous man with sinister summoning abilities, his physical parameters were never strong. More so with Remnant's Will weakening him, meaning someone of Hazel's physique can shut him up.
"Ah." Tyrian whined. "He was getting to the good part." Maybe Salem should have Hazel knock out Tyrian too. Thankfully, No Name pressed on.
"I have discovered a few Dust Mines unclaimed by man." No Name told Salem. "We can use that for our new...allies here, to consume."
"Excellent.' Salem answered back. "Give me the location later and I will have my Grimm here along with other humans and faunus start excavating the mines for the beasts here." Particularly those like Grendel and the golden boar. Thanks to Haagenti, the fool called upon some of Chaldea's past enemies and not all of them were mindless beasts like the Grimm. Some like Nue, were sinister deceptive thinkers, and gladly joined Salem's side when they learned what she wished to do to the heroes. However, it seemed unlike her Servants here, they needed more mana and were also incapable of making a contract with Salem. As such, they needed Dust. Lots of it.
The Land of Darkness had plenty, but nice to have more options to feed them. The only one she didn't have to worry about was the Lancer Class Servant Medusa, who she had already made a contract with and sent to Vacuo for some...recon. Particularly of the women proclaiming themselves as the Brothers (Sisters now), and to see just how much of an obstacle they may be. False Gods they are, but her own Servants have already told her the threat they may be.
"Which reminds me," Salem then recalled a detail. One that had involved one of the new recruits. "What ever happened to Victor?" The man that placed himself in a woman's body.
"No clue." Hazel answers. "During a trip to an abandoned Atlas base, he vanished."
"Good." Mercury whispered, bit a few like Salem overheard him. "Bastard had it coming." Cinder's subordinate must have felt this way since he learned from Hyde that Victor abused his 'daughters', Frankenstein and Eve. The boy having father issues.
"Well, nothing that can be done about it." And quite frankly, Salem didn't mind if that arrogant fool died either. While she would never admit it, Salem couldn't say she liked bad fathers. In truth, she tortured a few as a way to get rid of stress. As such men reminded her of her own father. Such a wonderful gift when he was annihilated away into Dust, with Salem's only regret that she couldn't do it herself.
"In any case," Watts then spoke up, giving a smirk toward Cinder who had been rather silent this entire time. Though it certainly didn't help her voice box was damaged, and just scowled at Watts knowing what he was about to say. "What shall we do about the Silver Eyed girl dear Cinder let get away."
If glares could kill, Watts would have long since been dead.
"Explain Watts." Salem decided to humor him.
"Gladly." The doctor spoke. "From what I heard, Cinder had one job. To take the Fall Maiden's magic and gain access to the Relic of Choice. And yet," His eyes wandered to the injured Cinder who frowned. "All she got was new wounds and no real victory. The Silver Eye living and now training with what our spies report as a Servant."
"Ph.' Angra laughed a bit when he recalled what Servant it was training this brat. "What are the chances. Huh EMIYA." The Archer said nothing, but Angra could tell he was frustrated.
"We have dealt with Silver Eyed warriors before." Hazel also backs up Watts' claim. "Not to mention," Hazel looked at the drooling Gilles who's open eyes stared at the video of Jeanne (Lily) Even knocked out he looked creepy. "She had him to help."
"Yes. Yes.' Tyrian laughed. "So much back-up, yet failed in the end."
"A disgrace!" Hyde joined in just to be a jerk about it. Cinder moved as if to confront him, then jerked back as her body spasmed a bit and Emerald went to help her.
"That's enough." Salem tells them and everyone stays silent. "While it is true Cinder has failed, I believe it would be difficult to have killed her when she had taken a full hit by those Silver Eyes." According to Mercury and a few of her Servants, they all mentioned seeing a white flash where Cinder was. "Not to mention, Mr. Black mentioned the 'Sisters' arriving at the scene. And no magic or skill Cinder has could take them on."
The others who goaded Cinder relented, as Salem did have a point in that last part. Cinder was strong, but against two Goddesses she may as well have been an ant. Granted, the thought made Cinder seethe a bit as she didn't like being forced to run. Especially by false deities.
"In any case, for the time being we have the advantage." Salem tells everyone. "Vale is gone and wiped from the map. "Ozpin, while has has his powers and some Servants with him, is outnumbered. Ironwood forced to stay in Atlas, and Vacuo, despite having the protection of countless Servants and these Sisters, also do not bother leaving the area. Remnant is still divided." Many of the Servants and her cabal grinned or smirked. The do-gooders had some good cards in their hand, but they didn't have a mass load of Dust, a Demon God Pillar for a battery, countless monsters of both Grimm and former enemies of Chaldea, and of course even Gilgamesh himself. Salem having countless aces up her sleeve with all that was left to do was take out the heroes and gather these all-powerful Relics Salem has mentioned to them.
As such, these grand and terrible villains held the mass advantage in this war. A war that will soon end once they defeat the rest of the heroes in their way and take the gold home. Salem smiling as she then looked at her hand which held three command seals in the form of twisted curved lines full of teeth. To think, she was closer to her goal now thanks to these Servants, and soon, nobody will stop her. Not the people of Remnant. Not Ozma and his group, the Servants against her, and of course the Brother Gods themselves.
Only the greatest fool would ever think of challenging her.
"Ow." The greatest fool on Remnant, Jason, moaned as he fell off the dumpster and landed on his butt. Opening his eyes fully, Jason looked around where he was, then frowned. "Oh. So it wasn't a dream."
"Nope." Nearby standing and leaning against a wall is Atalante, who had woken up a while ago and was just eating an apple. "This is reality." Or as some would call it, a nightmare.
For Jason and his trust Argonauts have once again hit rock bottom.
To make sense of the situation, one has to go back just a bit in time. Not even that far off. Back to just hours after the fall of Vale happened and most of everything was destroyed.
Flashback
"Nooooo!" Jason whined as he sank to his knees. Medea (Lily) patting him on his back and the other Argonauts also looking upset. Hercules grabbing his favorite mug that was on the dirty ground street full of holes.
Crk!
Then looked sad as his damnable monstrous strength broke it.
"This is why humanity is a blight." Castor bluntly states while his sister Pollux grabs the blanket she bought which was now ruined after being burned up. "They ruin everything."
"I can heal anything." Asclepius states. "But this is beyond my skill."
"Aw man. My tablet was in there." Caenis kicked a nearby rock. Also a bit upset.
"Curse you!" Jason yelled to nobody in particular. As the Argonauts looked at their ruined apartment due to an Atlas Cruiser. One that was oddly, still intact and functional. Too bad it came at the cost of their warm beds, shower, the refrigerator full of food, and other convenient supplies. Which all meant one thing.
They were homeless.
Flashback Over
"To think an Atlas Cruise would fall down and destroy our home." Jason mutters angrily. Then shaking a fist up at the heavens. "Does this world hate us or something?" How close and right he is to the truth then and there.
"It doesn't matter." Atalanta then threw down a bag full of hunted animals. Dogs, cats, and rats along with the occasional bird. This city having only domesticated beasts with the real wild animals having long since got out of here when the going got tough, meaning this was all Atalanta could find. "I have the food." She then grabbed the bag and went to a trash can which she then lit up like a professional. "I'll have our meals done soon enough."
Oh great, animal food again. Jason wanted real food! Not the food made by the worst chef in the world. Atalanta may have had some knowledge in eating animals safely, but the taste was just horrible! Too bad all the shops that sold actual food were taken to the evacuation center that was called Beacon Academy. Grocery stores, water, any necessary supplies were being taken away and shipped to Beacon for the people there, and if no food was taken, then it usually meant it was ruined.
Jason and Caenis went scouting earlier for food awhile back, and they found a bread shop. The bread had been covered in blood of Demonic Beasts. So the taste was ruined there already. Didn't help matters that other shops also had the same problems, or had been long looted by those who were also homeless like them. Meaning they had to get by burnt animal, which sucked.
'And in this new world, money has no meaning.' There were a few...shady places that still 'sold' food. Just not for cash, but bartering for anything useful. Something Jason and his buddies lacked. I mean, they were sleeping in an alleyway for crying out loud! Doesn't get lower than this.
So unless they had something super fancy to trade and barter with, then the great Argonauts will be continue eating road kill until-wait a minute! Jason then looked at his teammates, then at the weapons they held. Recalling that the only people who had food were shady people. Hehehehe. He just had an idea.
His name was Chris, a man part of the infamous Marble Trading Company here stationed in Vale, and other branches throughout Remnant. Having been sent here by his boss and mother Ann to managed the place for the time being. So it came to his shock when Vale fell and wiped off the map, and he found himself in a rather horrible yet good position.
Horrible because the company won't be picking him up anytime soon due to countless problems such as the Grimm and the new species. Alongside the fact that Juliet of the Violet Family was about to get married with one of the Goldie's didn't help matters and throwing a wrench in the arranged marriage. However, while Chris was stuck here, he found an opportunity to be of use.
The branch if the Marble Trading Company still stood well, and all his men were fine sans a few who were out during the Vytal Festival and perished. Even better, the cops and Huntsmen were in disarray, and criminal competition like Roman Torchwick and Junior were gone, meaning one thing. The company had a chance to spread its roots here in this finished Kingdom and slowly spread itself to make itself powerful.
The people they took in now worked for them.
Huntsmen who needed food and water from there office's underground bunker had to give bullets and Dust to them.
Plus, the last remaining Councilmen in Vale promised that the Marble Trading Company could take ownership of many of Vale's ruined land if they helped out.
In other words, the Marble Trading Company Vale Branch was at its strongest.
"Sup." Until they came.
A group of eight that Chris recognized. Knowing they were dangerous, and unpredictable. Robbing from Huntsmen, regular stores, and other crooks. They bust into Beacon, and one of their members was a brute so strong that normal people would perish against him. Plus they even had the infamous Princess of the Underworld. The women who saw her fled, with one sobbing a bit as she had the unlucky encounter of once facing her. It didn't end well.
"I suppose you know who we are?" The blonde man he saw on the television says. A grin on his face as four members he didn't recognize but knew are dangerous showing their weapons.
"I do." Chris nods.
"Then you know what we want?" Chris makes a hand motion, and those who were brave enough grabbed crates of food and water. Chris not being foolish enough to know he and the men here could even face them. Especially the brute with whatever was sticking out of his elbows. Heck, not to mention the brown skin held a deadly weapon in her hands, and the smaller blonde looked like he would kill them without a care in the world.
Once the supplies were out, the leader of these people smirked and said one thing. "Good." Suddenly he drew out his sword, and all the others doing the same. Chris didn't show it, but he began to feel his heart beat faster. Were these thugs about to kill them after all? If so, then he could only pray that his criminal mother would not try to avenge him.
The leader of the group walked closer, his sword in a position ready to strike him down.
"Here you go." Then he dropped it, and soon after the other members of the criminal group called the Argonauts dropped all their weapons. Each of them wonderfully crafted and well made, well, okay, the leader's sword looked pretty lame but the rest was good. All of them undoubtedly worth thousands of Lien. Then, to Chris's surprise, the big brute grabbed the supplies with his freakishly huge hand and the group left.
"...Time to go." He then says with all the other gang members feeling the same. Needing to leave just in case they came back.
Outside the office, walking away with a smile on his face, Jason gave a hardy laugh. "See guys. I told you I could get us food." He then placed his arms behind his head and smirked at his teammates. "And all it cost us was a few lousy weapons."
"Yeah. Our Noble Phantasms." Caenis growls. "Why couldn't we just steal again?"
"Are you kidding me." Jason looks at the former tyrant in surprise. "We might steal, but not from innocent people." Jason looks back at the office building which has posters on it that inspire teamwork and unity. "I heard the Marble Trading Company is a charity organization. Would you really lower yourself to steal from charity? Even I have standards."
"Marble Trading Company…" Asclepius tilts his head as he swore he heard that name before. "Strange. I think the Master mentioned that name before." Something he heard from the female Master. How the male Ritsuka fell asleep, went somewhere, ended up in a female look-alike body of himself, and...well, he wasn't really listening that well. But he did recall the female Master mentioning the Marble Trading Company was an organization of sorts. Must have been a charity, since it seems Remnant has the same organization here. What are the chances of that?
"Besides, we need the food anyway." Jason reminds his teammates of the importance of food. "Without our stockpile of Dust which blew up when that Atlas Cruiser smashed our apartment, we'll have to rely on this." Jason's hand then waves to the box of supplies which had the food, water, and of course some Dust which will help sustain them for a bit. "Our survival or weapons. Pretty sure we know which to give up."
"Couldn't we just havn't given them to faunus with supplies." Castor groans. "I'd feel better that faunus would use them instead of humans." Pollux just patted her brother in the back as he complained he had to give up his weapons for humans of all people. Still, they needed the Dust and in a city that was in ruins, finding Dust wasn't exactly easy.
Didn't help especially when any Dust that is found goes straight to Beacon Academy, one of the last places that stood after the great battle. People flocking over there with the only people here being Huntsmen looking for survivors and supplies, and those such as the Marble Trading Company helping their fellow man.
What a shame one of them was actually a criminal organization. But hey, it's the thought that counts.
"Moving on," Jason then spoke up once more. "We'll need a new base of operation. One without pesky Huntsmen to attack us, especially since we're wanted still." Just because the Argonauts helped didn't mean their vast list of crimes just went away. That, and not like anybody actually saw them saving the dcity from the threat known as the Demon God Pillar. As such, reality has spoken and said they are still criminals. Meaning if they go to Beacon, they'll just be arrested, thrown into a cell, and left there since nobody would take the risk of letting them out in these troubling times. Heck, rumor has it that any criminal around is killed on the spot.
One less mouth to feed apparently.
"A new base, huh." The doctor of the group rubs his masked chin. "Well, why not one of the few buildings standing. Like that one?" A finger is then pointed at a tall building just at a distance.
CRASH!
Then tumbles down just at that moment. It should be said that many of Vale's buildings are actually prone to collapse even after the battle. The ground being very unstable and the pillars that support the buildings being weakened and liable to break apart. As such, trying to stay near buildings, even if they look safe, is unadvised.
"Or not." As Asclepius finds out just now along with the others.
"This is what we should expect from work made by man." Castor shifts the blame on crude human hands.
"The blame game isn't going to get us anywhere." Atalanta tells Castor who just huffs in annoyance. "Right now, we need to figure out our next move. The Dust we have won't last us forever. Doesn't help that we no longer have our weapons either."
"Well where can we get more?" Medea (Lily) asks. "Isn't there a way to find more weapons to protect ourselves?" For a long brief of silence, nobody answered. Then, with wide eyes Hercules grunted, getting everyone's attention. For he knew a place that just might help.
One that soon became familiar, as Hercules had them walk back all the way to what even started this trip in the first place.
"Huh?" Jason looked at where Hercules brought them to. "You...took us back to our ruined apartment?"
In the ruined street of Vale, where holes, rubble, and some blood and metal was all around, Hercules led the team back to their apartment. Or what was left of it seeing as the Atlas Cruiser was still on it.
"Is he going somewhere with this?" Caenis asked the doctor who shrugged. Ignoring them, Hercules just walked up to the Atlas Cruiser where the door was at, where with a mighty fist, after putting the supplies down of course, Hercules busted the door open. In that instant, the Argonauts instantly realized one thing all at once.
'Why didn't we enter it?' The ship was the size of a building for crying out loud! Maybe not as big as Ironwood's flagship,or had as many weapons, but it still had plenty of room. Though then again, the shock from seeing said Cruiser destroy your old home would make people not even consider entering it. Regardless, what's done is done as the team in a slightly excited manner entered the Cruiser with hopes this meant no more nights sleeping in a pile of rubble and trash.
Entering the airship, the gang realized that despite falling from a great height, the interior was still good. I mean, exposed wires were everywhere, some robot bodies collapsed on the ground, not to mention a dead body in the center of the room.
"And out we go." Thankfully, in his usual callous manner in regard to human life, Castor threw out the dead body like it was a garbage bag and had a smile on his face. Pollux sighing before seeing a female officer on top of a gun. Like her brother, she did the same.
"Okay, a bit of a mess." Jason says as he walks around the interior. "But…" He then finds a switch nearby, and flips it up. The lights inside the vessel then start flickering and turning on. Not all of them, as some are broken with a few of the bulbs powering it hanging off the ceiling, but enough to see properly. "Looks like some stuff works still."
One of the bulbs then smacked into his head.
As Jason screamed in anger, Atalanta discovered a cache of weapons. Pistols, rifles, guns, all ready and armed. She even discovered some swords and even a bow. A tablet was near it and when Atalanta grabbed it, it lit up saying the words confiscated. Guess these must have been taken from some students. Well, it wasn't her old bow, but it would do nicely as a replacement. As she grabbed it, Atalanta then saw something else on the tablet.
Meanwhile, the other Argonauts went off to check out the airline in their own way. Asclepius entering what appeared to be the medical ward. It was a huge mess, and that was a no go. So without further ado, he began picking up the trash and scattered items and went to slowly spruce the place up. Putting medicine tablets in the cabinet and surgical tools away in their proper order.
Caenis found a room full of even more weapons. Most of them were mundane however. Just standard issue guns made for Atlas soldiers. Nothing that really impressed her. She did find a spear however, one that can turn into a laser gun, so that was okay. Though what really caught the Lancer's attention, was the slightly damaged but still functional Paladin onboard. Now that was a prize.
Elsewhere, while using the Fire Dust they removed from the pistols Pollux found, the Dioscuri twins burned any human body they found to ashes. Along the way they discovered the kitchen which had boxes of rations and canned food. Over half of it was spilled and one could see the refrigerators that held the food being spilled all over with flipped tables and chairs all over. Still, a good cleaner-upper is all that was needed to make this place a good kitchen again to cook meals.
Medea (Lily) for her apart enjoyed herself to the fullest. Travelling around the ship all over, imagining herself on a journey of sorts. The hallways, the bedroom quarters, the command center. Oh her imagination made her see things in such a bright way, that even the overflowing toilet looked like a beautiful fountain to her.
For Hercules, he just went to the cabin quarter and laid on the bed. Naturally, and Hercules expected it, the bed broke. But the mattress was still fine and that was alright for Berserker who decided a nice nap was in order.
Jason for his part, just went to the command deck and grabbed the steering wheel with a smile. The ship was a wreck on the inside, but his Riding Skill told him that he could still fly this thing. Maybe not safely since his parameters and special abilities as a Servant have been reduced, but he had just enough to potentially master the art of steering. "Hehe. And soon I'll be master of the skies."
His imagination of flying in the clouds felt good to him.
"JASON!" But alas, like Icarus himself, all those who fly must go back to the ground. Or in Jason's case, the dirty floor as he felt his body shoved onto the ground. An angry Atalanta snarling at him with an Atlantian bow by her side.
"Ow!" Jason says as he looks at her from his position. "What now?!" This was becoming tiresome. In response to his complaint, Atalanta dropped a tablet near him where she then gave a look that just said 'Look at it'. Doing so, Jason checked it out. It seemed to be a report of some sort. So Jason checked it out.
Granted, he couldn't read everything after only a bit of studying this worlds language, but he soon discovered why Atalanta was so angry. Because on the report, was a picture of none other than the Marble Trading Company branch office they had just dealt with. This confused Jason on why this was important, until he saw some little pictures that didn't portray the company in a good light.
Plus, the few words he did recognize said 'suspicious', 'illegal trading', and stuff that made Jason realize the Marble Trading Company is far from the charity organization he thought it was. If so, that meant one thing. A very bad thing in fact. That not only did he have his team give up some dangerous weapons to a bunch of criminals in sheep's clothing-
"Hey, Jason." Asclepius then entered and chucked a thumb down the hall. "I just discovered this place has loads of Dust that miraculously hasn't blown up. Meaning where set for months now. Oh, and the twins found lots of food and water. Most of it ruined, but enough to last for weeks."
-but also did it for nothing, as this place already had the things they needed for survival.
With a sigh, Jason knew what was going to happen next. Atalanta also knowing it as she pointed at the cracked but still intact window of the command center that showed the deck outside. Jason walked up to it, and raised his arms.
Atalanta dropped kicked him so hard, the windows shattered and Jason fell onto the deck surrounded by glass and numerous cuts and a few cracked bones from the fall along on the chest from the kick. Atalanta huffing and pushing her hair aside while then leaving. The good doctor not even shocked as he guessed Jason must have done something wrong. Heck, he actually looked happy.
"Now I can test myself on how to use this world's medical equipment." The Dust Treatments seemed interesting. So Asclepius went to get the medical ward ready while leaving Jason outside who could only say one thing.
"Some things never changed." He then coughed up blood while looking at the blue sky. Fate can lead to such a disaster at times.
Especially when things were about to get worse.
"Hey Arcueid," A young man with glasses and black scruffy hair calls out to his teammate, a young female bat faunus with white sharp teeth, claws, and red eyes. The blonde haired girl turning toward her teammate. "We should get back to Beacon now. It's getting late."
"Come on Shiki." The woman, Arcueid, teased her fellow graduate. "Scared of the big bad Grimm?"
"More like whatever freaks that have been popping out all over." The young man named Shiki explains. "Plus, my sister has been demanding I don't risk myself, otherwise I'm off to Mistral to her. My little cousin feeling the same way."
"Tch. Like you should care about that little brat." Arcueid retracts her claws. "She always calls me a witch. Just because I take you to other places."
"She's just worried." Shiki chuckles a bit. "Besides, she has a right to with all this crap going down. Heck, Sion herself is also worried since she and the brain wiz's at Atlas are studying those weird rouge machines."
"Uh-hu." The bat faunus walked up to Shiki, and the two then began going away back to Beacon "You sure they aren't just worried because they aren't as smart as they think they are, with this weird knew tech."
"To be fair, I heard that they disappear in a golden light like the Grimm." Shiki tells Arcuieid, who then laughs a bit.
"And Grimm come in green. Sure. But come on, let's get going." The two then left to report to Ozpin that things outside the ruined city of Vale was good so far. Though seconds later, unknown to them and everybody else in Beacon, bursting from the ground came a glowing green Creep. Snarling, it then went back underground to go back to its Master.
For the siege can begin soon.
I'm BACK! Yeah baby, returning to this disastrous story I know and love. Jason and the Argonauts have returned, ready to make fate bend to them or slap them in the face. Either way goes, as you have all read some good old scenes.
Some have remained the same, like Salem talking to her group. Only with more insane people, with powerful allies at her beck and hand. With Servants that may or may not ruin her plans as time goes on. Also, as the last chapter mentioned Victor was with her at first. But if you read the anthology, well, now you know how he ended up with Merlot.
Back in Vale, things are kinda going good. People are in Beacon and being taken care of, with searches for survivors going well. Things are looking up, even our main characters Jason and his crew found a new home to call home...Just at the cost of their weapons afterwards, and now reduced to using Remnant gear. They can still kick ass, and most would fall to them. But yeah, no more fancy weapons because Jason got fooled.
Speaking of fooled, if you read closely you'll see some familiar phrases and faces. Marble Trading Company, Chris, Shiki and Arcueid. Yeah, these are the Remnant versions, and in all honestly won't be playing that much of a role. Just some small cameos here and there with other Fate characters I might add and transplant here just for the heck of it. But who knows, maybe they will be relevant.
Just like how I learned a kingdom being destroyed is relevant after all. When I wiped Vale out in this story, I did it for the heck of it. Who knew that later on in canon, Atlas would be wiped off the map as mention in episode thirteen and fourteen. Pretty harsh in hindsight when I think about it now, yikes. Man has Volume 8 of RWBY got dark, especially that last episode. Here's to hopes that Volume 9 will be a bit lighter.
In any case, enough talking. This story will be updated once or twice a week. As of now, we have entered Act 4: The War of Merlot.
Until Next Time.
"Finally. At long last." It took a lot of days, and a few changed Wyverns since the old ones they rode at first tired out and died from exhaustion, but at last they made it. The wyverns they rode on promptly killed by their blades to ensure they didn't kill anybody else. If a person saw these two, they'd quickly turn around and pretend they didn't see them. Especially seeing as the male dressed in a creepy way while the girl had a sinister grin on her face.
"Here! Here at last! To stop the tyranny!" The girls partner bellowed with a wicked smile which showed his big-old teeth.
"Yep buddy. And father is here to. Now then," Mordred took out her blade and pointed it at Atlas. "Time to become king."