Darklands: Salem's Castle

Salem stood before one of the Grimm pits, making sure they give rise to a fair number of Geist for her future plans. It has been sometime since she last created a Grimm from her imagination but for the sake of either turning the Blue warrior to her side or simply destroy him she will retake to old hobbies.

The aliens that once housed the fallen mothership had taken some time to get rid of but their bodies made for very interesting new breeds. Cthulhu, as she has come to name them, seemed to to be a more efficient model than her silver-eyes hosts Grimm, I think I still have a few hounds around here?

Salem could feel Cinder approach

"My Queen, the mission was only a partial failure. One of Ozpin's agents interfered before I could finish draining the rest of the Fall Maiden's power." Cinder kneeled behind Salem, head bowed along with her two new lackeys.

"If I know Ozpin he will try to keep the girl close until he can figure out how to fix it. The question is, where would he hide her that will have the facilities necessary to both protect her and keep her hidden."

"Beacon Academy would have the means to at the very least, prolong her life."

"Then you will begin your search there but for now Watts needs to run a few tests on the new items we've acquired recently." A Cthulhu rose from the pit, its hand reaching out to a random Grimm's head and crushed it before bowing to Salem.

Vale: White Fang HQ

Adam, recently promoted leader of the Vale branch White Fang, is going over documents for an Atlas shipment of machine parts that will be making its way through the Forever-fall forest in a matter of days. If all goes right, the White Fang will have a chance to fight against the new weapons being built by Atlas daily. Their spies have shown several videos of the new robot animals being sent out to train daily along with the Schnee and Faunus inspiration everywhere Marrow Amin. Shifting through the papers another caught his attention, A file marked.

[DARK MRGAS]

Robot: Dark Mrgas

Creator: Jaune Arc

Pilot: Unregistered

Weapon(s):Katana [Decommissioned Artillery]

The Alternative unit if Mrgas is ever destroyed beyond repair. The unit has proven unstable and buggy and is being shipped to Jersey for decommissioning by Blackguard Robotics and Garage.

Decommissioning?

Adam rose from his desk as he made his way into the middle of the campsite with an announcement.

"Brothers, Sisters, lend me your ears!"

"That's a cliched beginning!" Blake shouted from the crowd that formed before Adam finished his attention grabbing.

"I need a team for a very special mission! Atlas, is throwing away one of their latest toys. If they don't want it, I say we take it." Adam spoke showing images of the latest robot from Jaune Arc.

Vale: Beacon

Ironwood gazed at the comatose form of Amber the Fall Maiden, webbed scarring riddled her face. Qrow stood in one corner drinking from his flask, with Glynda Goodwitch stood to the opposite side as Ozpin paced back and forth.

"Salem seems to be making a play, if Qrow hadn't shown up when he did." Ozpin let the implication fill the air.

"Qrow, did you see who attacked Amber?"

"Unfortunately, no. One of the three had a semblance that blurred any details all I could see was a bunch of moving color splotches and then a loud roar before something ran me down, not sure what though."

"What should we do now, Ozpin?

Ozpin could still feel the magic inside of Amber but it seemed half of it was gone to the attackers.

"James will have his science teams think of a way to move what power she has left, While I screen for another host and Qrow will try to find what he can about this."

"I'll have my 'top science' teams working night and day." Ironwood alluded to alien help but Ozpin and Qrow seemed to forget about the existence ever since Ozpin borrowed 'Gods of Lerp' from Arc.

Gas Station

Jaune finished tightening the last bolt on the new car he has been building, a sports coupe with the body shape and blue paint completely inspired from Mrgas. Jaune began to wipe his hands with a rag as he ignored the crowd at the entrance, the returning students of Atlas heard rumors about a new class exhibition had spread like wild fire and lead students to looking for the new classroom so they wouldn't be late on their first day. No one! Wants to be late to an Atlas Academy class for fear of the repercussions.

When students saw other students huddled outside one of the specially marked hangars they also stopped to find out what was going on. Students watched as a blonde young man worked on one of two cars sitting in there, but what they stayed to watch was the larger than Paladins robots lined up everywhere. Atlas watched as he entered the red car before lightening bolts erupted out the back accompanied by the sound of thunder from the blue car! Jaune responded with starting his own car with the roar of an aura enhanced engine nearly deafening the people watching.

With a squeal of the tires both cars shot out of the hangar doors and into a free fall over Mantle, several droids following after the two. The center of the wheels jutted out as sparks of electricity magnetically attached them to the Snow Shoe Shipping company tubes. The blue car accelerated before slipping to the underside of the tube to pass Jaune before popping back up ahead of him, now his vision was filled with arcs of lightening as he hits a few buttons to prepare for a jump.

"Let's see you keep up with this!" Jaune exclaimed, jets under his car flared to life as it jumped the building and allowing Jaune to officially be the first one into Mantle. A hologram told Jaune to turn right onto a straight shot, drifting the corner he hit another gear until glyphs began to line the road beside him. The Schnee's car pulled ahead passing by cheering crowds and signs supporting either driver, Jaune pulled his car behind blue on purpose to ride the draft . The straight lead the two to the edges of Mantle where live Grimm targets are slipping through a purposely made hole, turrets popped out from either side of Blue's hood hitting several sabers and racking up a few points to be tallied later. Jaune himself spied a Grimm that was sure guarantee a high number of points, a Goliath had just stepped through before Jaune shifted gears and hit another button, the front of his car split open with a spike taking point. Jaune raced up the side the wall shanking the spike into the eye of the beast with the 'Spike of Death!' As the two cars killed the Grimm aloud inside, other Atlas soldiers closed the hole before sending both drivers a notice to move on.

Schnee Manor

Jaques watched the holo-screen horrified at the money he will have to spend to have the tube those grease monkeys drove all over, as the Grimm round started he began to relax until the the details about the cars weapons, engines and accessories are not powered by any form of dust popped up anytime a new contraption was activated. This publicity stunt is going to nose dive his business if he can't get this matter under control, my blood pressure can't take much more! He thought before seeing both cars race into an abandoned Schnee mine. He could feel lien drain from his pockets as the ground behind Arc and his daughter lit with the activation of fire dust, sending columns of of fire up. If Jaques was lucky both racers would stay long enough to be obliterated, he smiled devilishly seeing Arc enveloped by the fire then threw his cup of whiskey at the image of Jaune accelerate right out of a different tunnel a little further along.

Willow and Klein's heads snapped to Jaques with glares, that have been put away for years from fear, Jaques heart almost gave out when he turned to glare at the two, Klein handed him a broom, dustpan, and resignation. Blackguard Robotics has need of a man with his talents.

Outside the Mine

Mrgas and a repainted Frostbyte both kneeled in front of large ramps, both aimed to launch the cockpits into the correct areas from a far distance. Both cars are neck and neck as they land in place. The now dominantly black and red robot was the first to take to the skyline aimed back at the Gas Station. Mrgas glowed with all the aura Jaune could muster as they both roared into the sky, the more gears Jaune shifted the gap between them and Frostbyte grew smaller and smaller as they approached the hangar doors. Winter's image popped up over the link as Mrgas tried to shove Frostbyte out of his way.

"Watch it Arc. This isn't a real race, it an exhibition for the new class." Frostbyte shoved Mrgas right back as both could now see the finish line.

"Tell that to Bleiss!" The repainted Frostbyte now held onto Mrgas like a certain Gelé does Arc. " Get off. We're gonna crash!"

Both robots came crashing into the hangar, students evacuated the best they could and thanked the gods of aura FOR aura. Jaune and Bleiss' robots now laid in a tangled heap both no worse for wear. Winter rushed to the two pilots getting out, with Marrow taking crowd control.

"Alright everyone, that's the exhibition. You can sign up for classes next week." Marrow ushered the students out and locked the doors.

Jaune was the first out of his mech before running over to help Bleiss out of hers, the car on the back of the other robot opened up letting Bleiss out.

"That was almost as good as my fantasies!" She cheered jumping into Jaune's arms, said boy lost his footing and began to tumble back into Winter, taking all three to the ground.

"You guys rocked." Complimented Oscar helping Jaune to his feet.

"I don't know what that means but you both where sensational!" Penny Polendina spoke up as she helped both Schnee sisters stand. Penny is a new addition to the group introduced by Winter. In Jaune's opinion the girl is odd but incredibly nice and just a tad ignorant of the world. Team- Gas can fix that.

"Anybody else hungry, cause I'm starved after that." Jaune gaged the room as his stomach grumbled audibly. Another stomach answered his calls, everyone turned to Bleiss.

"Last one to the cafeteria covers Jaune's tab!" Winter yelled already skating out the Gas-Station. Being around Jaune and her sister must have really loosened her up, Jaune's money is on cheesesteaks being her life.

Penny was the last to arrive as she clumsily ran through the halls trying to keep up with Oscar, as she walked to the table she could see her new friend Jaune with deathly amount of food hanging out of his mouth she rushed over and started administering the Heimlich maneuver. Penny heard the revving of engines before she was thrown down into the seat across from Jaune, She saw the glare Jaune was giving her but not knowing what for she smiled innocently and waved.

"What was that about?" He asked sitting back down.

"You were choking on your food so I took appropriate action to prevent your death." Penny saluted at the end.

"Penny, was it? If your gonna be part of this crew you need to know a few things. First and foremost no matter what Bleiss says I am NOT her boyfriend. Second; I will NEVER choke on food; and lastly I AM the only person aloud to drive Mrgas. If you can't follow that, I'm taking you down!" Jaune didn't realize it but he began to rant and glow, the people in the cafeteria aside from Team-Gas wondered where the engine growls are coming from. Although Penny was practically pushed into her seat from the intensity of Jaune she still smiled and saluted.

"I will endeavor to have these rules memorized."

Darklands

Cinder sat in the cockpit of Watts latest invention, a near replica of the Mrgas unit but altered as if Mrgas had been dipped in the Grimm pools, with Emerald acting as navigation and co-pilot. An amalgamation of magic, science, and Grimm that should have never been attempted but here it stood, at the base of the castle. The mask of a Geist rested in front of the cockpit yet thanks to the Grimm it belonged to she could everything on her screen. She began run through several tests, preparing herself to one day face off against Arc.

"I see my genius is at work." Watts insufferable voice cut in as his image took up half the screen.

"Last I checked, one person built a complete robot compared to your one-third." It wouldn't do not keep Watts in his place, too bad it wasn't an inescapable building that was on fire, Cinder could hear him beg to be released but she would ignore him as she walked away laughing.

"Cinder!" Watts raised his voice getting the girl's attention. "Now that I have your attention our Queen would like to test out the Cthulhu's robots ."

The smirk on Cinder's face sent chills up Emerald's spine as her mistress revved the dust free engines and activating what she could of the Maiden Magic. The Geist's masked cracked into a semblance of a mouth before the power of a banshee erupted making three robots explode from the sound wave. Geist ran ahead into another group of Glorft mechs and drawing two daggers fit to the robots size.

Salem watched from her throne room as Cinder's latest training session was fueled by the Maidens power, with a little more time Cinder will be ready to face the 'Official Champion of Remnant' as Salem had happily come to learn as she watched robots thrash each other like knights of old. Ozpin certainly seems to have chosen to play on a much bigger field, well two can play that game. What caused you to switch tactics? Salem asked herself unaware of the re-imprisonment of the two gods.

Atlas Academy: Days later

"These uniforms are to be worn at times during school hours, unless you are called for a mission. Make no mistake even though you both attend Atlas academy your first goal is to defend Remnant." Ironwood explained to both Arc and Pine as he handed them both Atlas issued uniforms.

"Woah, woah, woah, I didn't sign up with uniforms in mind." Jaune complained seeing the dull white and grey uniform.

"Sorry Arc but I do have a consolation prize." Ironwood handed both boys black barrettes with their racing numbers sewn onto the front with their matching robot color. A golden orange 64 stared back at Oscar. "And no you are not allowed to alter your uniforms from Atlas standards."

Jaune took a deep breath, if Ironwood can put up with aliens treating Atlas as a tourist hotspot then Team-Gas can follow Atlas rules.

"Good luck on your first day, which will start in two hours. You will meet the rest of your team during combat training."

Vale:Beacon

New students are exiting off the bullhead that delivered them to one of the four biggest Hunter academies. Ruby was gushing over the weapons she could see as she and Yang took in the sight of Beacon. Suddenly the two could hear jets overhead, looking up they could see a black robot with red flames on her legs and feet start to land on a specially marked landing pad. Yang and Ruby rushed over, both being big fans of the latest giant robot craze going on, that and they both recognized the model being the same as a member of Team-Gas.

Ozpin looked out his window to the giant robot, he took a sip of his coffee before addressing Glynda.

"What are the rules of having a giant robot in the Vytal tournament?"

"I don't think the rules cover giant robots specifically." She replied.

"What of our rules for initiation?"

"We don't have any."

"An automatic pass then, as long as she recovers the relic tomorrow."

"Is that really wise?" Glynda challenged still annoyed with the last minute entry into the school.

"Don't challenge me, challenge the robot and good luck if Miss Gelé manages to pass. She is quite the character."

Atlas

Oscar once thought that attending Atlas wouldn't be so bad, now he wants go back and punch that Oscar in the face for his nativity. The history and battle tactics class gave him a headache, basic weapons training didn't allow the use of his car, and to top it all off he couldn't stand the uniforms, at least Jaune is assigned to be his partner and has already finished both of their homework for the week. Now the two are on their way to meet the other half of their team.

"Salutations fellow Atlas students and members of Team-Gas." Penny greeted as the two took their place next to her and…Winter? Winter wore a matching barrette to Jaune's and Penny matched Oscar.

"Didn't you graduate?" Oscar asked confused.

"Never officially, I was actually tutored by Ironwood himself and I followed to continue my training. I never actually attended Atlas Academy." As Winter explained Penny literally scanned the crowd.

"Peculiar, we are surrounded by upperclassman." Before the others could comment Ironwood made himself known at the head of the students.

"Welcome, returning students to the first day of one of the new classes Atlas will be implementing. Now before I get to far into the explanation of the classes, Jaune Arc, Winter Schnee, and Oscar Pine. Front and Center."

A loud roar of an engine was heard before James spotted Arc jump high above the other students with Oscar hanging off his back to land in-fronted of the General and managing to leave visible cracks in the floor from his landing. Thankfully Winter marched forward to stand beside the boys. "About face."

The three turned to crowd of second, third, and forth year students. The students could see the rank marking the three as first year students.

"These three first year students are revolutionizing the war on Grimm. For those that have seen the exhibition, you have seen what these classes will intel for you others" Ironwood was cut off by an alarm sent from the new satellite system Arc and Schnee put up. An image was displayed to the class showing a large Geist practically using a small mountain as a body, wrecking a frontier village "This will be a good opportunity to see what you're in for. Team-GAS, suit and ship out."

Jaune's aura flared with the sound of engines as he and his team raced out to the Gas-Station, Penny following along. The group past through the changing room getting their gear and usual clothes. Jaune could feel his blood pumping as he inserted the key, shift gears and floor the gas; Mrgas and Skalgar raced out of the hangar. Penny sat in the passenger seat of the now jet like robot, Penny had no idea that a machine this big would have a mecha-shift function.

"That would be thanks to Ruby." Oscar said steering the jet. "Why are you in my robot anyways?"

"I have been designated as your co-pilot by General Ironwood."

"Focus you two. This isn't a petty match or stunt, this is the real deal. Our destination is in sight." Winter ordered over the comm-link from Mrgas.

Oscar pushed a few buttons starting the transformation sequence to 'Battle Mode'

Atlas Academy

Watched as the Mrgas and a golden jet raced out, images being displayed by both cameras that have been installed on the robots and a helping hand from the Ace-Ops.

"Currently, Atlas only has four pilots that are cleared by the military to stand against Grimm like the one we see attacking the frontier. Jaune Arc is the first of what I hope is many to take these threats to mind and has made it his mission any and all Grimm."

Ironwood brought up an image of a very basic giant robot, grey and white just like Atlas' colors

"But don't get to excited those of you who sign up for this new combat class will be screened for what the team needs in another member, using these Atlas Guards."

As Ironwood continues speaking the video of Mrgas holding the Grimm in a full-Nelson while Skalgar tried to pull the mask off.

"Oscar, put some muscle into it!" Jaune exclaimed as Mrgas struggled to contain the Grimm.

"You want muscle, I'll show you muscle!" Skalgar began to tug harder at the mask as the engines made the sound of a mad bull. With one last tug the mask came off, Skalgar fell onto his feet with the Grimm now held over its head. Mrgas dropped the the pile of boulders before it jets kicked on, flying up high Mrgas came down with a flaming elbow. As the Grimm faded the two robots shared a fist bump.

"Who wishes to join?"