Atlas Academy
Specialist Winter Schnee walked the halls of the military/huntsman academy, her destination General James Ironwood office. The man that practically raised her in place of Jacques Schnee, in her honest opinion it was a better trade in the long run for her growth. The General called her to his office for a debriefing for her latest mission. Walking up to his door she knocked and waited for permission to enter, she only had to wait but a moment.
Stepping through the doorway she could see General Ironwood going over blueprints and reports. Looking up he smiled briefly seeing his surrogate daughter snap into a picture perfect salute, the same as the day she graduated the Atlas Military program.
"At ease soldier." Winter loosened her stance. "As you know you will be heading off on your first mission outside the kingdom of Atlas."
Ironwood hit several buttons bringing up an image of Argus.
"Argus is where you will be going to retrieve this," Ironwood projected the image of a large robot painted in traditional Atlas colors. "The Mechanized Remnant Guard Attack System or Mrgas for short. A new weapon built in the fight against the Grimm. It is estimated that this machine by itself carries enough artillery to wipe-out the Grimm on mount Glenn twenty times over, strong enough to fight off the largest Leviathan on record, and somehow light enough for flight capabilities, and reach the outer orbit of Remnant along with so much more we don't know about."
"Sir, is that even possible for a machine of that size?" Winter is bewildered by the estimation on the screen.
"That is what you will be confirming when you start your training."
"My training?"
"Yes, your training. There is no one I trust more to head this new project than you." Ironwood complimented, Winter snapped into salute to hide her giddiness.
"I won't let you down sir."
"I know you won't. This is Jaune C. Arc, the mastermind of Project MRGAS." another image of a blonde young man wearing a cap and gown and holding a diploma.
"Certified mechanic, engineer, programmer, and above all else a genius more than capable of competing with Pietro Polendina." More images filled the screen with Jaune's accomplishments, two items caught her interest. They looked like dust engines but with key components missing.
"Those are Arc's latest inventions. An aura engine and what he has come to call a diesel engine. The first is pretty self explanatory the later is far more interesting. It runs off a special mixture that Arc has created called diesel an explosive compound less volatile than fire dust." Ironwood pulled up a video of Jaune drag racing in a red Plymouth barracuda convertible against a well known professional racer and their professional grade car, Arc won buy a large margin when his car began to glow white both in the car and under the hood.
"As you see his aura engine could be a boon if adapted to Atlas technology. So I'm assigning you a secondary mission. Convince Arc to join the Atlas military."
"I'll do my best sir."
"That's all I ask. Dismissed."
Argus
Saphron welcomed her family into her home, knowing how lucky everyone is for evacuating early from their home soon to be under siege from a giant Leviathan. Her six sisters took off with her soon to be son Adrian as her father and mother watched the live evacuation of 'The island formerly known as Vytal'. Ever since Jaune came to stay with her and Terra she has been able to watch the happenings of the forgotten kingdom.
"We are now in hour 3 of the evacuation and with 80% of the population still being ushered out things are not looking good. The Grimm is estimated to arrive within the next three hours, people are losing hope with no word back for help from any of the kingdoms." Jonathan Arc rose from the couch and went to the kitchen to check on his son.
Jaune Arc took another large bite out of his Philly cheesesteak as his father walked in.
"Think that machine of yours can make a difference?"
"I know it can."
"Nothing I say is going to stop you going is it?" Jonathan shook his head knowing the answer. He looked to his son one last time before walking forward to hand over something. "Take this with you, never know when it will come in handy."
Jaune looked to the family heirloom in his fathers hands, Crocea Mors, the sacred blade past down through the Arc bloodline. As Jaune took the sword and shield/sheath a knocking came from the door. After finishing the last of his food Jaune went to answer the door before he left for Jersey, on the other side was an Atlas soldier with white hair.
"I am Atlas Specialists Winter Schnee."
"And I'm in a hurry. I need to get to Mrgas." Jaune replied closing the door and walking around Winter to his car. He got into his car before removing the shifter and replacing it with Crocea Mors, Winter opened the passenger door.
"That is what brings me to you." Winter insists forcing herself into the passenger seat. Jaune shrugged seeing he won't be getting away from her anytime soon before flooring the gas.
Winter was thrown back into her seat as Arc weaved through traffic at speeds that can do permanent damage to a hunter if they crashed. The blaring of horns and streaking colors of cars filled her senses as she fought with the seatbelt before being thrown across Arc's lap as he drifted a corner, moments later the car was completely dark from the building that Jaune drove into before slamming his brakes. Winter's shoulder lightly hit the horn before she could feel g-forces assault her body. When she finally righted herself and forced down the blush she realized they are now high in the air.
"What's going on!?"
"Your in a giant robot car about to go fight one of the biggest Leviathans on record. So I say a lot of awesome is going on." Arc answered hitting a few buttons on the built in computer of his dashboard. Winter could here engines warm-up before she found herself flying over the ocean faster than anything this size and shape should be moving. Winter looked at the two outstretched arms of Mrgas noticing the many differences from the image she was shown earlier. Instead of the standard Atlas colors it was replaced with a polished blue base with a flaming 8-ball on one arm while the other held a flaming eye-ball, a small chill went down her spine as she felt it stare back at her.
Then she looked over to Jaune Arc who was also much different than his photos on profile. Shaggy, short blonde hair was spiked up; small trimmed beard, black plaid t-shirt torn at the sleeves covering a burned orange shirt with the number twelve on the breast pocket, faded blue jeans nearly covering up what she suspects are steel toed boots.
Next Winter checked the impromptu cockpit she sat shotgun in. She saw gadgets and gizmos aplenty, buttons who's-its and what's-its galore, Thingamabombs? She see's twenty. She even spotted a button measured to be head butting distance from the driver along with a game controller attached to the steering wheel with several more spread throughout the car.
So busy was she studying the cockpit she almost missed Jaune landing in front of the Leviathan and giant nevermore circled high above the still swimming black mass. Behind Mrgas, Winter could see the island of Vytal airships still flying out getting people to safety.
Mrgas stood on the beach as a guardian sentinel waiting for the beast to get closer, the Leviathan surfaced to stand on its feet once it reached to proper level to do so, as it stood Jaune and Winter took notice of the height difference.
"Woah." Jaune said impressed such a huge creature could move outside the water. The leviathan stood at an imposing hundred plus feet high before releasing a challenging roar before charging energy into its mouth, the attack hit Mrgas in the chest knocking the robot into an 'empty' building, as advertised by a billboard.
Alarms began to blare as a holo-screen popped up in front of Winter declaring minimal damage to the armor. The nevermore swooped down attacking the downed robot, both Mrgas and Jaune growled loudly before they both clapped their hands together. Mrgas created a sound wave disintegrating the avian Grimm before performing a kip-up and standing ready once more, Jaune picked up one the controllers and activated the jets on Mrgas back, Winter quickly rolled up her window seeing where Arc was going.
Mrgas tackled the large beast into the water before standing high with the Grimm over his head before he threw the leviathan into another building advertising it as closed. Mrgas ran from the water and strode easily across the beach ready to tackle the Grimm once more only to be smacked away into another group of buildings.
"Nice piloting." Winter said sarcastically as Mrgas sat upside down against another group of buildings.
"You wanna drive!?" Jaune exclaimed before grabbing his steering wheel shifter and moving it to reverse.
"Yes!" Winter yelped as Mrgas jets activated again sending the robot sliding to the Grimm, the Leviathan brought its armored beak down to skewer the blue warrior and thankfully missing, before Mrgas stood to full height he grabbed the Grimm by its feet, the Leviathan came crashing down with a mighty quake making more buildings fall over. Snapping its head around it fired off a bolt into Mrgas chest, making the robot skid back on its feet. Another alarm rang out as the diagnostic screen popped up again.
"Armor plating is starting to melt, MRGAS can't take another hit like that." Winter sounded off, Jaune nodded his head before grabbing Crocea Mors and twisting the heirloom ninety degrees, Winter could hear the clicking of unseen mechanisms before Arc pushed the blade down. Out of Mrgas forearms a collapsible sword and shield moved into place forming giant replicas complete with Arc insignia on the face of the shield.
The Leviathan charged for another stream before unleashing the built up energy from its mighty maw. Mrgas lifted his shield taking the hit direct, the engines roared to the heavens as the robot held off the beam and pushing the giant blue knight back. Jaune activated the jets once more, Mrgas feet began to step forward shakily and slowly but surely picked up speed.
"Whatever you're planning do it fast!?" Winter yelped as she read the shields declining durability. Jaune answered her please by activating his semblance, the ability to boost aura, with a giant robot filled with nine different aura containment engines a lot of power could be seen as Mrgas glowed a blinding light as he charged full speed.
"DECAPITATION~" Jaune sang loudly as the leviathan's head fell to the empty streets of Jersey.
Both Winter and Arc breathed heavily as they watched the decomposing Grimm. Winter blames the adrenaline for what possessed her to reach over and drag Arc into a heated kiss, as the high began to fade she realized what she was doing before shoving Arc away, making him hit his head against his window.
"That meant nothing, it was the adrenaline." Winter tried to hide the blush spreading through her face in her hands as Jaune sat shellshocked momentarily before shaking it off and grinning widely. Setting course back to Argus Jaune activated the cruise control.
"So you were saying something about taking my robot." Jaune said getting conversation started.
"Originally, I was to pick up the MRGAS unit. So that I may begin training for future battles but now, I see you are overall a more valuable asset to the Atlas Military."
"Pfft, good luck with that. If my grandma can't make me join the Atlas military what makes you think you can?"
"Who is your grandmother?"
"Hopefully, with any luck, you'll never find out."
Later: Argus
Winter in fact did find out upon the arrival back to Atlas storehouse, and was more than shocked when Special Operative Caroline Cordovine came stomping up to Jaune after they landed Mrgas back in his underground docking station.
"Jaune Cooplowski Arc, you are in so much trouble! You stole Atlas funded property, you flew said robot out of the country without authorization, you destroyed one of the Atlas storage houses!" The officer raged before jumping slightly to grab hold of Jaune's ear, seeming to completely ignore Winter's existence.
"And worst of all, you worried my poor soul for your safety!" Caroline pulled Jaune down to her level in a painful way, making Jaune drop to his knees as he tried to delicately remove his grandmother's hand.
"I'm sorry Grammy-gram! Gah! I won't do it again, I promise! Ow!" Jaune tried to plea as Caroline applied more pressure.
Winter would have continued watching elderly justice be dispensed but she is here to do a job. Stepping forward she snapped into a sharp salute getting the shorter officer's attention away from Jaune.
"Ma'am, I am newly promoted Specialist Winter Schnee of the Atlas military and General Ironwood has given the necessary authorization to move the MRGAS unit for covert transportation. After discovering my inadequacies for piloting the robot, I transferred responsibility to Arc. It was during transfer that I gave Arc secondary commands and test the MRGAS unit on any passing large Grimm, and I am proud to say that because of his performance Jaune Arc is being offered to attend Atlas Academy, Ma'am."
Caroline eventually let Jaune go during Winter's explanation before inspecting the flawless military form of the younger officer and a few badges of honor pinned to her coat. Skin as white as snow, Atlas born, Military trained and forcing my slacker grandson into Atlas. She's perfect for Jaune!
Before Caroline could begin making plans to marry Jaune off, said boy's stomach growled with the force of a hundred Ursa before Jaune fell to his knees clutching his stomach.
"That's what happens when you overwork your semblance," Caroline began before trying to lift Jaune to his feet, "Now let's get you back to Saphron's so you can eat." Winter rushed over to support him as Caroline opens the drivers side door for herself. Winter placed a groaning Jaune in the backseat before taking the front passenger. Glancing over to the more experienced officer, Winter became concerned when she noticed Coraline couldn't see over the dash but her feet could touch the petals and stated such concerns.
"Don't worry Specialist Schnee. Taught Jaune everything he knows about driving." Coraline replied before flooring the gas and racing like a bat out of hell.