[Dragon Ball Super OST – The Earth's Fate]
残り:四の影/ Remnant's Four Shadows
End of Remnant, Episode 4: A Clash of Castles
[Vale]
It had been nightfall since Yuki returned to Vale…no, to Beacon. His teammates and his students being taken out haunted his mind as he floated around the Dragon's Den like a ghost. Ivory and what was left of Team RWBY, JPNR, and SSSN were not faring much better. Raven, well aware of the irony, was able to help comfort everyone having been through the loss of a teammate. The issue was Raven's advice was to raid the liquor cabinet…and even Qrow could even help but agree.
Early next morning, Yuki woke up…with no hangover. He groaned but Serena warned him that this was no time to be in bed with a hangover. Yuki got up, showered, and got dressed. He got his gear on only for his headset to detect an unknown ship coming from the West. Yuki super speeded right out. Approaching from the West horizon was a modified bullhead ship, its name emblazoned upon the sides with the image of fire on its wingspan. The Icarus was fast approaching the campus easily larger than the modern bullhead airship. The atmosphere upon its descent spoke of military, but the sensation was offset by what could heard as music within the airship.
The steady humming from the ship's engine dulled as the whining sound of the doors opening to reveal the visitors from Vacuo. Out of the ship were four new faces and one familiar face. "YUKI!" Shampoo flung herself at the young man as she was followed by the newcomers. If there was ever a face that he was glad to see, it was Shampoo's. One of his friends came back…a small relief in the toment.
"Shampoo. It's good to see a familiar face." Yuki said rather quietly.
Shampoo took note of the sullen face on him, that his hair messier than usual, and his aura had a heated feel. He looked over at the newcomers. CASL, he had heard so much and seen his own team in them which was not the best thing to think on all considering.
"Yuki, what's wrong?" She asked.
"Lapis...and Kelly are M.I.A. I can't locate them, portal to them, or call them. Weiss, Jaune, Blake, and Sun are also M.I.A. I…I…I…"Yuki said before cutting himself off.
Team CASL picked up on the clear distress Yuki seemed to be in. One of them made sure to clasp Shampoo and Yuki's hands together before speaking.
"Don't dwell on it too much, its bad when the mind assumes too much." She said motherly assuring him.
The youngest of the team offered a confidant smile and said, "Yeah I mean even when we found limbs of people that we thought dead they were still ali-OW owoww."
The person who clearly the leader started pinching the younger one from behind his neck.
"Sorry about that... this is Sulfur Cynbil here, he meant well honestly. The young lady here is Ayla Hadi. The one who just..." He looks around to see the fourth member had disappeared. "Our missing member is Luntian Hearne... and I'm Cael Wick."
"Yuki Azure." Yuki said tiredly.
His headset rang with a call before he answered with a telekinetic command. Whatever Yuki was told got him from sullen to fuming. His aura briefly was visible forming around as battle aura. However instead of the usual color, it was a dark silver that caused cracks on the ground. It faded as Yuki used Tranquility to force himself into a calm state.
"The ship...Lapis was on with her team. Bodies were found...not of Lapis and the others. Innocent civilians...lives lost. But I do not know why, why target them? I know damn well the Grimm King has no desire to go after my team like this!" Yuki said stressing.
Cael is quick to interject after Yuki had opened up that information.
"Tactically speaking it would work in the favor of the attackers. A civilian ship in which huntsmen would have to prioritize the lives of civilians and even then, you only need to destroy the ship not the people… and unlike the first Voyd incursion it was out of the public eye… the Grimm King seems like the theatrical type…." Cael said thoughtfully before he and Sulfur locked wary eyes on Yuki. "From our own encounter with this enemy, they seemed like they didn't want to stay for too long. We lost two of our people on an attack meant for us… the enemy underestimated our team it seemed. A punk by the name of Alqadr… he took two hearts and a sun dial in his retreat."
His voice was cold, curt, and very to the point. That was something Yuki could respect in a leader.
Sulfur seemed to sense the dread in the air and set down a large bag he was carrying.
"Wish this was under better circumstances, man. But…uh…we brought gifts. Well, we made them, but the commission was submitted by Shampoo. We had something for everyone…" Sulfur said sheepishly.
It was clear that despite how closer Sulfur was to Yuki's age he didn't know how best to approach him. Yuki, Sulfur knew by reputation. The man who guarded plenty of secrets. Obviously, Sulfur had said something poorly trying to break the ice.
"So, uh… I heard you have a pretty lady that talks to you in your head?"
The awkward night made it worse, but Serena materialized next to Yuki with a bit of a glow. She was still adjusting to maidenhood with the powers making her feel more alive than she had ever felt before. She put a hand on Yuki's shoulder.
"Shampoo?" Serena asked. "Explain."
"Had to tell them to get them to trust me. They can keep secrets, and I did not tell them everything." Shampoo insisted as Yuki nodded.
"Then let me show our guests to the Dragon's Den." Yuki said motioning for Team CASL to follow. "I trust Shampoo's judgement."
"Awesome. Was sorta nervous which was why I thought…Uh… Serena right? Would like to meet a fellow nice lady in my head this time… " Sulfur said nervously.
A blackish smoke enveloped from his neck to take the form of a Grimm a small snake in particular.
"Greetings, I've heard plenty of stories of you and your team. My condolences on your tribulations." The voice seemed to mix a his and an echo into its voice… "You may call me the Basilisk…. If it suites you."
Luntian soon returned notifying the perimeter to be clear… a certain awkward sensation among the teams grew as there as mixture of conflicting emotions.
"A Grimm latching to a human. Most unusual…especially that Grimm clearly has a human soul." Serena thought narrowing her eyes.
They walked the halls of Beacon not speaking all too much. The tension thick only for someone to interrupt. That being Cardin and his team with a familiar bundle of joy in his hands, Cinnabon. That got Yuki's attention.
"Yuki, we heard what happened. We're sorry about that…and we figured we should hand this to you." Cardin said as Serena took Cinnabon.
"Kelly entrusted you to pet sit for her. What a surprise and Cinnabon was clearly well cared for.
"Cinnabon was not an issue at all, Professor Azure." Sky said nervously. "Besides, you need the pet more than us now."
The four bowed and were going to leave only for Yuki to stop them.
"Did Kelly pay you for this?" Yuki asked.
"We were supposed to get the other half of the money when she returned…" Dove said awkwardly.
"I'll transfer the other half." Serena said. "Thank you for caring for our team pet."
The former bullies were quick to leave, something that CASL caught on too. Shampoo actually asked about that only for Yuki to reveal the team were once arrogant bullies.
"We fixed that, and so did Glynda." Yuki said before arriving at the Dragon's Den. "We're here."
He pushed open the doors to find Ruby pacing around mumbling to herself and Yang was badly hungover on the couch.
"Is this normal?" Sulfur asked.
"No." Serena said only for Ivory to come out of the bedroom in panties and a towel around her neck. "That however is."
Yuki just rolled his eyes before walking up to Yang and shook his head.
"What made you think you could drink like your uncle and not get wrecked because of it?" Yuki asked.
"Screw you, you literally drank three bottles of whiskey!" Yang snapped.
"Yeah, but I can heal from that." Yuki snarked.
"With all those borrowed semblances." Serena snarked. "By the way, I'm already working on adding to the database."
"Whoa whoa, if you're going to take our semblances, buy us breakfast first." Sulfur joked.
"Not yours. Your semblance to us would be redundant." Serena said floating over to put Cinnabon in the special playpen.
"Still, you could just ask for our semblances?" Cael said raising an eyebrow.
"Most illogical." Serena humbly said as Yuki used hydrokinesis to cure Yang's hangover.
"Let me introduce my students, Yang Xiao Rose and Ruby Rose of Team RWBY." Yuki said as Ivory was drinking milk from the carton. "Oh, for shit's sake. IVORY!"
"What? I bought this milk for me from the health foo-We have guests?" Ivory said noticing CASL and Shampoo.
"Yes, Ivory. Go put some clothes on." Yuki said as Ivory went inside the bedroom.
"She certainly is…healthy." Sulfur said watching Ivory only for Ayla to smack him for it.
"Sulfur, it's not nice to stare." Ayla remarked.
"She wouldn't even mind…" Ruby said. "She's…rather open about that."
"Regardless…I did deliver on the task you asked of us." Shampoo remarked changing the subject. "The Crown has been dealt with. You have the semblance data, and all is well."
"I still don't like the matter that no one is questioning the matter of you copying off so many semblances. Everyone is being blasé on it, considering the matter of your semblance's potential." Cael said glaring at him.
"All considering your reputation…" Lunatin said.
"I have a reputation in Vaccuo?" Yuki asked as CASL balked. "Or is this about the matter of me asking for Gillian and Jax to be iced? Because if it's on the second one, I made the decision because it was foreseen in the timeline that they were a serious problem."
"And there's the matter of us asking you, how do you know that?" Cael asked.
[Cues: Final Fantasy VI OST - 02 The Mines Of Narshe]
"Isis did not tell you? Well, I suppose what I would say would put a dent in your trust in her, but she was most likely keeping it under wraps under my say-so given I outrank her." Yuki said making a screen appear in front of them. "This symbol look familiar?"
"Yeah, Isis wears it on her medallion." Sulfur said. "Does it mean something?"
"It is the symbol harkening to the Goddess of Time. Isis is one of few followers in the world. I and my team outrank her because we work for the Goddess directly. Ruby and I are 'time heralds'." Yuki explained. "Watchers of past, present, and possible futures."
CASL went quiet just trying to process that.
"We were tasked with preventing the fuck ups that screwed Remnant from since Ruby got to Beacon." Ivory said coming out fully dressed. "But it's been an uphill battle. Obviously, history changed. Salem's the least of our problems."
"Funny that she was considered a threat." Lunitan said as Yuki rolled her eyes.
"She is only a threat because she's immortal. She can't fight for shit, and I know better magic users than her who can turn her inside out ass first." Yuki said darkly. "Salem is at the bottom of my issues."
He faced Cael.
"You and I, Cael. We are quite similar. I too have an authority problem, been screwed over by it for years. Ozpin covering up my hometown's fall and my parents being murdered, the White Fang refusing to take responsibility for the murderous sect that did it, Glynda hiding said information from someone who could have cared for me, and Ozpin's bungling with his war with the equally inept Salem!" Yuki ranted before stopping to breathe. "And I was pretty much raised in the criminal underground."
"It's messed up, isn't? The fate of Remnant thrusted upon an avenger, a super solider, a fallen heiress, and a perpetual second placer…all with masks to hide the pain." Ivory said going over to pour a drink. "We're all products of the worst of Remnant."
Cael was surprised to hear this, but the mask line got him thinking. A part of him knew they would have hiding issues under the surface. He decided to nix the question on Lapis and ask the million-lienr question.
[Music Ends]
"My semblance's true nature? Well, figured you would realize there is more to it." Yuki said. "Then again, considering you're in my circle and Serena is working on reports on your semblance that she's scanning off you in real-time, I suppose I will humor you. So many people loudly and proudly flaunt their semblances…no, the less people know, the better. I am still studying it to this day."
"Unless you're too powerful for that knowledge to be used against you." Sulfur chimed.
"That is true. But there's a reason I keep my semblance under wraps for so long. People would see fit to imprison me, manipulate me, or kill me because I would be seen as dangerous. After all, being a technopath in where society is reliant on it makes me capable of so much." Yuki said smoothly.
It clicked. Of course, he'd had people tight-lipped about that. Cael's mind ran with the possibilities of exactly what Yuki could probably do…what he has done. He remembered Shampoo mentioning that Yuki had a degree in computer science, and inwardly…Cael went white.
"And I'm not even going into what working for Time Goddess benefits you." Yuki snarked as Peach came in. "Peach? I…"
"One of the Grimm King's guys are here."
Everyone went quiet as Yuki's joking mood dropped to ice. Everyone was quickly moving to the amphitheater where Gen, the alternate Cinder, and Argit awaited them.
"Wait…why's the mad queen here?" Yuki said drawing Wilt.
"She is of no concern to you, Azure. Would you rather not worry about your friends and teammates?" Gen said.
[Cues: Dragon Ball Super OST – The Earth's Fate]
A shockwave from two sets of Silver's Will sent most of them on the ground save for Gen, Cael (who was barely standing), and Ivory. Argit was out cold foaming from the mouth as Yuki had Gen by the collar who was still stone-faced. Sulfur was rattling with fear as even Gen was surprised to see Ruby awaken her Silver's Will.
"TALK." Yuki commanded as the others were getting up.
"I see why the King speaks highly of you…and a reminder of what I long for in a fight." Gen said with a crooked grin. "But Ruby…you surprise me. From the research, Summer Rose was not worth the…"
He was cut off by Ruby trying to hit him only for him to catch her fist and toss her into the ground.
"Now now, little one. The adults are talking." Gen said.
"FUCK YOU!" Ruby snarled getting up. "I…"
"Ruby, enough." Yuki said stonily. "Let Gen speak."
Gen's expression went back to serious.
"Rejoice, Azure. Your friends and your teammates are alive…Griseo and his buddies are sloppy killers. Though, your allies would have eventually died to their severe injuries. He tortured them…put them through agony. He personally mangled Kelly and Weiss along with his own teammate." Gen said as he watched Yuki try more to restrain his rage. "However, the King wishes to point out that Griseo is…a terrorist working to usurp the throne…and possibly go after the Gods including your precious Time Goddess."
"Where can I find the fuck?" Yuki snarled.
"You can't. Not for another four days…you should prepare. For while your friends may be able to deal with the parade of fools Griseo will surrounds himself. You, Yuki, must be the one to face Griseo, fight them, and end him while leading the charge." Gen said before turning and leaving with Cinder.
"Courtesy of the big boss himself…" Argit said producing a letter before giving it to Yuki.
Argit scurried out after them.
[Music Ends]
Yuki read it and he let the letter slip from his hands as he wordlessly left the room saying nothing. He even recalled Serena as he left. Sulfur took it up to read aloud.
"Take this to heart, you're not fighting to save Remnant alone. For Griseo is a threat far greater than Salem, even if he is being used. Yes, he's a king unaware he's really a pawn to a greater evil…who threatens the multiverse. One you know. You want to stop her? Kill Griseo and you'll get the means to stop her and end this madness once and for all. Be the silver eyed warrior we need and lead the charge. Because if you can't…it is all lost." Sulfur said reading off the paper.
CRUNCH! Glynda punched a wall looking furious…but she was not mad at Noire as people thought. No, she was livid at herself. A scathing reminder that she failed him and her old team. However, there was a burning feeling to not repeat her mistakes. Everyone else was not taking that too well.
"We need to make it clear to Yuki that we're all behind him. I failed his parents, but I can't fail him." Glynda said fiercely.
"I'll go check on Yuki." Cael remarked heading back to the Dragon's Den.
He arrived to find Yuki laughing. It was sounding like a twisted cackle and a wide grin on his face did not help.
"So, I have to save more than the world. Well then, game on." Yuki said to himself. "I guess I'll have to pull the stops and commence my plans in action."
"Plans?" Cael said as Yuki eerily turned around.
"Oh Cael, it's imperative to have plans." Yuki said with a chilling tone. "Griseo and whoever his boss is made a mistake in targeting my people. I have made plenty of plans for various things. It's time to put some to action."
He returned to Ozpin's office.
"Ok, if we're going to do this, I got ways. It's a game of war. First things first, we need everyone. Ironwood, Sienna, and the other maidens." Yuki said with a wide grin.
"One problem, Atlas won't just hand over their Maiden, the Summer Maiden is who knows, and the Spring Maiden is…" Cael said before Yuki stopped him.
"We already have the Spring Maiden. And we have the Fall Maiden." Yuki said gesturing to Amber.
"But who's the Spring one?" Lunatin asked only for Serena to flash into existence.
"I am." Serena said with authority to her tone glowing with the Maiden's power.
"How?!" Cael asked. "And when were you going to say you had a Maiden in your mind?"
"I mean Amber's mind did live in my headspace for a few months." Yuki said as Team CASL just looked slack-jawed. "Serena just adapted."
"But how are going to get the other Maidens?" Ayla asked.
Serena glowed before using Raven's semblance to create two portals only for Maiden magic to make them each a different color representing a season. And out came the other two maidens: Fria…and Isis.
"You're the Summer Maiden. So, any more secrets you were hiding, oh boss of mine?" Cael snarked.
"Aren't the maiden's supposed to be you-" Sulfur said as Isis's glare got him to shut up.
"You were the maiden the whole time. But how? I never…felt it on you." Ozpin said.
Isis silently looked around before her eyes went wide seeing Serena glowing with Maiden power. Cael, on the other hand, was glad to see Fria. A small break from the stoicism just to hug someone dear.
"I am the one who brought you here. The time is dire and us Maiden must band together not just to save Remnant, but the worlds beyond." Serena said darkly. "We're going to need all hands on deck."
"So, you can just summon people now?" Ruby asked.
Yuki tried it herself and got Maria Calavera in the room via portal.
"Who? What? Where?"
"Hello, Miss Calavera. I've brought you here…because we…no the world needs your help." Yuki explained.
"And how exactly can I be of help?" She asked sarcastically. "I'm a bit too old to be…"
"I can fix that." Yuki said sarcastically. "And restore your Silver Eyes."
The room was silent.
"Restoring Maria Calavera to her physical prime was on our to-do list for the battle against Salem, when we could take her as a serious threat. We still have the material to do so in the lab. And we even use it on Fria." Serena explained.
"On top the other plans we have. Ozpin, call Ironwood to let him know Team YUKI is borrowing the Winter Maiden. And to ready his army…we have a war coming." Yuki said taking charge. "Shampoo…we're going to have to resort to using the Xīn Jiànkāng."
Shampoo had a worried look on her face and Qrow asked for an explanation.
"Simply put, it is the Wine of New Wellness. An ancient liquid…the recipe passed down from leader to leader. What it does is…if it ingested…it can draw out all of the drinker's potential if they can survive its poisonous and painful effects for twelve hours." Shampoo said darkly. "I'll have a bottle deliver."
"Make it a dozen. Maybe more." Yuki said before she left. "Now, it's time to commence my plans to the operation. Operation Grease Stain is a go."
"Grease Stain?" Salem asked.
-=o=-
Watching from the depths of Castle Grimore, Noire sat on the throne with Sayah on his lap holding him.
"Let's see if you got what it takes, kid. You got the makings…let's see if you can be called a Chessmaster in my e yes." Noire said excitedly.
"Aren't we getting involved in the fight?" Gen asked as the relic staff in Noire's hand.
"We are, but we're not letting them know that are we? Yuki is the one. The one who change everything." Noire said as the staff glowed. "The one who will ascend….and break my curse."
-=o=-
[Cues: Sonic Battle ‒ "Emerl Configuration"]
CASL, Maria, Fria, Yuki, Peach, and Serena were in the laboratory hidden within Vale's many warehouses. Peach was geeking up over the supercomputer and various equipment.
"So, how exactly is going to work?" Ayla asked as Yuki pulled up data on the computer.
"The culture fluid is going to be mixed with an ingredient made from myself, Serena, Lapis. Water formed with aura from either me, Lapis, or Serena that was painstakingly purified. End result is healing water that is extremely potent and hard to make. It's never been tested on humans." Yuki explained getting Cael's attention.
"So, we're playing a game of risk, then? With untested concoctions." Cael said upset as Yuki looked pensive.
"It has been tested. Just not on a human being. Lapis and I…tested it on a plant. Namely, a tree that grows Fùxīng Shuǐguǒ. It worked far too well." Yuki said showing them the room.
A massive tree with its roots sinking deep into the ground. The wood looked firm and filled of life. The tree appeared larger than life…and had a lingering feeling of aura. Drones were picking the fruit and putting it to store away as Serena give CASL a small bag full.
"I ask you both, Fria and Maria, to put your faith in me and Serena." Yuki said seriously. "Preparing a rejuvenation of this nature was something that I planned to do namely when I learned that an SEW was still kicking."
"And how exactly did you find that out?" Maria asked.
Yuki basically explained of how he knew. Maria implored to ask that if the original timeline even matters.
"It doesn't. I haven't even seen all of it yet. My plans have gone off the rails…I stopped the Fall of Beacon over for the Grimm King to swoop in and make a fool of me. I can't even get him back for that because I'm on the hook for him. I keep fighting to minimize the casualties, but…it's not enough." Yuki said fighting back the urge to break down. "Maria, I need your help. We need your help. We barely have enough Silver Slayers as is, and I believe in you."
"Considering the butterfly effect, I figured that the Grimm King was time's way of saying you can't fight fate." Ayla said as Yuki glared at her.
"Days like this, I can't help but feel I've failed as a huntress." Peach said getting their attention. "We couldn't even do what was our main goal, fight back Salem. I wanted to be a huntress to ease the burdens of the next generation…but here you are straining yourself to come up with a plan and lead the charge."
Maria thought back to her youth. He definitely knew how she lost her eyes and the fact she went into hiding. Despite all this, he believed in her. That moment she made up her mind.
"I'll do it, but I have one condition." Maria asked.
"Name it." Yuki asked.
"I'd like a duplicate of this." Maria said tossing her the staff. "The Grim Reaper uses two of those after all."
Hope came up on Yuki's face and he turned to Fria.
"Dear child, you got me out of that bed in Atlas and you're offering me the chance of a lifetime to get back into the fight." Fria said determined. "I got a request."
Fria whispered something into Yuki's ear, and he nodded.
"Consider it done." Yuki said.
"I have made some calculations. With the amount we have, we can divide it to mix with culture fluid shaving off to put you in your early twenties, ideally between the ages of 19-22. We would have to deal with sides, but the culture fluid and you marinating in it should nullify most of them except for two. Your eyes will be sensitive to light for a few hours and your aura will be mutated." Serena said as Yuki looked through the data. "It seems due to Yuki being Voyden touched, this water is slightly spiked with that Voyden essence."
"I do want to ask about the effects of that." Cael said.
"Being touched by the Voyden means you've killed a Voyden Grimm and you've gained its abilities of said Grimm whether it's feral or sentient. There are other ways of getting touched…" Serena said before deliberately vague. "In a way, this mutation is like an indirect kiss. This could affect your semblance in mutating it to be different."
"Considering the nature of Yuki's semblance and that he had Maria's on file, it could amplify her semblance." Peach theorized.
"Maria's semblance really made mastering Manifesta a snap." Yuki said cheekily.
"You can copy semblances?" Maria asked. "Who give you permission to take mine?"
"Welcome to the club." Cael said.
"Tell you what, once you're done with the process, we can fight…" Yuki said before readying the tanks.
"You'll have to disrobe before going in." Serena said as Yuki went to the controls. "Team CASL, I suggest you leave. Peach, we'll need you here to assist."
A portal for them was opened right under Team CASL's feet causing them to fall under it. Yuki was setting at as both Fria and Maria were disrobing.
"Hmph, you aged better than me." Maria said as the tubes opened up.
"01 is for Maria, and 02 is for Fria." Yuki said as they went in. "Commencing rejuvenation process."
The privacy shields came down over the tanks and the process began rejuvenating them.
"Was it really needed for them to be naked?" Peach said.
"Their bodies are going to be cleaned before the process." Serena said. "Can you stay here and assist?"
"And get to look around this lab? Sign me up!" Peach said excitedly looking around. "Holy shit, you have a tank!"
"An Atlas Type 75 Tank. How I got was a rather funny story…" Yuki mused going to his workbench. "But I have to work on Midnight Mortis and make some calls. So maybe I tell you when the world isn't in danger."
"So how much until they're back in action?" Peach asked.
"12 hours for Fria, 13 and a half for Maria. Restoring her eyes is going to be a delicate process. Now after I deal with my gauntlets, we're going to get busy inventing." Yuki said as Peach got excited.
It was an hour into the gauntlet work that Roman called needing to see him. He had left the lab to Peach before making a portal.
[Music Ends]
He arrived at Junior's with Roman explaining that Ivory told them everything, and he wanted to let him know that he and Neo were coming to help. Neo was all for joining in the fight. Junior offered his men for help.
"I won't need your mooks, Junior. Instead, I'll need them to buckle things down here. Things are going ugly, and Vale needs protection." Yuki said seriously. "Roman, you really want to do this?"
"I'm coming with you. I'm not going to let you fight this asshole and his friends without backup that knows you all too well." Roman said with a smirk. "You helped me cheat death, and I know you got a plan."
"So, when's this going down?" Melanie asked.
"Four days from today." Yuki said.
"Good thing you're somehow calm about this…" Junior said.
"Calm? Barley…." Yuki said. "I'm practically stressing."
[Ending Theme : Sonic Mega Collection - History]
(A/N: Yuki had always danced near the trope of the Chessmaster…and now it's time for Xanatos Speed Chess! However, Yuki's stressing a bit too hard. Day 0 ends, and we go to Day 1. The previous chapter was partly rewritten and fixed up, I suggest you go back and read it.)