Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and/or scenes from the show RWBY, which is trademarked by Rooster Teeth, and the video game Persona 3, which is trademarked by Atlus. I do not, in anyway, claim ownership over the characters, the world, the story, or any other aspect belonging to either one. This story should not be, in any way, considered canon. This story is written strictly for entertainment and not for profit.
Warning: This story will exhibit slight differences in character behavior since I will be taking the liberty to fill in blank points in the pasts of various characters. As such, expect that many characters will not behave exactly as their canon selves. I will attempt to keep their core personalities intact, but slight changes will be unavoidable.
Warning 2: With the ongoing status of RWBY, it's to be expected that many of my ideas will, at some point, go against what is canon, such as when more of each character's respective pasts are revealed. I will do my best to incorporate what I can, but expect that many will be blended with my own ideas or perhaps even ignored completely if incorporating it will be detrimental to my existing story plans.
Ha! Updated before five months passed!
… Yeah, I know, not really anything special compared to how I used to update at least once a month, but when life piles on the work and obligations I can't really ignore it without consequences I'd rather not deal with.
Still, I promised I'd keep updating and I will.
This chapter marks the beginning of the next arc and, also, the one I've been most excited to write since starting this story. The plans for it have undergone multiple revisions with regards to the minute details, but the major framework has been finished long before we got to this part.
So, I hope you all enjoy the surprise at the end.
Chapter 20 - Homecoming
January 28, XX14
"Elizabeth-san."
Eight heads and eight pairs of eyes turned to the members of SEES. Then, just as quickly, turned back to the woman standing before them.
This woman was that Elizabeth?
White hair in a short bob cut that reached just past her ears, framing a pale face that bore an exotic type of beauty that Weiss and Pyrrha would claim to not be out of place amongst the upper class of Atlas and Mistral. Her countenance, though relaxed and possessing a smile, was sharp and focused, her unusual yellow eyes making them feel as though she were stripping them bare down to their very souls.
Her choice of clothing was odd in their eyes. A cap and a sleeveless dress of varying shades of blue that reminded some of them of the flight attendants on intercontinental flights, gloves of the same color that were wide at the wrist and forearms, and matching knee-length boots over black stockings.
Cradled in her left arm was a large and heavy-looking book, though some might refer to it as a tome due to its exotic and aged appearance. Blake, ever the bookworm, wondered just what sort of book it was for the woman to be carrying it around with her.
Many of them could not believe that they were finally meeting the woman who had assisted SEES after the destruction of their home country. Moreover, none of them could believe that this woman was the one who had helped train SEES, the same woman who every member of SEES had sworn was undoubtedly one of the strongest people alive, easily a monster in the guise of a human when it came to combat.
There was practically no muscle tone to be found on her arms and what little they could see of her stocking-clad thighs, and her posture and stance did not match that of someone who was trained in combat. The sharpness of her gaze could have been said to be a sign of a ready Huntress, but there was no other indication that this woman could possibly have been as skilled and powerful as their friends had often portrayed her as.
A few pleasantries were exchanged, mostly Junpei asking where Elizabeth had been lately, to which he received vague non-answers, before they took the offered seats at the Headmaster's urging. Once they were settled, they moved on to the reason for the meeting.
"Now then," began Professor Ozpin, elbows resting on his desk with his fingers interlocked in front of his face. "I'm sure Glynda has already explained the situation, so I will allow Ms. Elizabeth to present her case to you. Know, however, that even if you wish to accept, as students of Beacon it is ultimately our decision whether to allow such an exception to the rules. Is that clear?"
It was more than clear, in fact. At least, it was clear to those who knew how to read between the lines. Neither the Headmaster nor his Deputy would allow this mission to take place with SEES as the Trainees in question. It would take an unparalleled amount of convincing arguments coupled with an equally vast amount of charisma to win them over.
Mitsuru's left eye, hidden behind her crimson fringe, narrowed slightly as she contemplated the various possible reasons why Elizabeth, after proclaiming that she would no longer interfere with their lives once they were properly situated in Vale, would suddenly return like this asking for their assistance.
"It's quite simple really," Elizabeth began without fanfare. "I wish for SEES to accompany me in order to resolve a situation from their pasts."
Two pairs narrowed and turned to the white-haired woman. The two were deeply suspicious, an inkling of the 'situation from SEES's past' forming in their minds.
At the same time, sixteen pairs of eyes widened in surprise at those words. Eight wondered if the 'situation' was a positive turn for their friends. The remaining eight, the members of SEES, were deeply intrigued and just as worried.
There were very few things left from their previous lives in Iwatodai that they had not brought with them to Beacon. Most of these things were minor things that they felt they did not need, such as old or excess clothing that they could not pack or felt they could live without, or a few trinkets or odds and ends that held no sentimental value. Of everything they had left behind, only two things could possibly have some relation to the situation their benefactor wished to have them resolve.
The dorm where they once resided was one such thing, having been left behind for very obvious reasons. Could they have unknowingly left something of great import behind? Something that required their immediate return? Perhaps it had something to do with the crystal chamber they had awakened in?
The other was less of a thing, though some may argue. And it was this particular one that worried the members of SEES.
"Is it urgent?" Mitsuru asked almost immediately after she came to the most likely possibilities, her expression hard and determined.
"Only if you consider it to be," was Elizabeth's cryptic response, matched by her mysterious and ever-present smile.
At that point, Glynda seemed to have lost what little patience she had for the white-haired woman. "Now see here. You cannot just-"
Her words were interrupted by Mitsuru, who did not even seem to notice that she had spoken. "How soon do we need to leave?"
That question brought on an outburst from nearly everyone not of SEES. In fact, only the Headmaster and the members of SEES seemed to be focused intently on Elizabeth, though the former had a deep frown on his face hidden behind his interlocked hands.
"Ms. Kirijo, you cannot seriously be considering this." Glynda's words were more or less echoed by the other students, many of them asking Mitsuru to reconsider or, at the very least, learn more about what they were meant to do. "You do not even know what it is you are being asked to do."
"Perhaps not, but I believe we already have an idea of what it pertains to." She didn't even need to look to know that the rest of SEES were sporting similar looks of resolve, and that at least some of them nodded in agreement. "Regardless of whether our suspicions are correct, if Elizabeth-san feels that our presence is required then I have little reason to believe otherwise."
"And if I were to decide that you were not to be allowed to accept?"
The question was obviously rhetorical in nature. Judging by the way he was looking at them, Ozpin already knew that they would not back down now that they were determined to see things through.
This time, Mitsuru took a moment to look at her fellow Persona-users. In turn, each of them met her gaze. And, one by one, they nodded wordlessly, already knowing just what it was she silently was asking them.
Their decision unanimous, the redhead turned back to the Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress. "If you were to do so," she began, resolute crimson meeting the Headmaster's curious yet equally determined brown. "Then you would have four pairs of students without a full team."
It took a full three seconds before her words truly registered. Then, all at once, a great clamor rose up from the other eight students. "WHAT?!"
Eight voices spoke all at once, an unintelligible mess bursting forth as their voices, most of them louder than necessary yet all filled with urgency, soon became the only thing that could be heard. A few of them tried to be more reasonable, trying to calm down their agitated friends, but to no avail.
And yet, for some reason, those of SEES didn't seem to notice. Or, rather, some chose not to pay the voices any heed, though it was clear to the three adults that those were the ones who were struggling with their own feelings on the matter. Even so, it was evident that they would not change their minds, even if it would no doubt bring them pain to part ways.
"QUIET!"
A ninth voice cut through the din, sharp and authoritative. A voice that could have only come from one person in the room.
Before that person could speak once more, the calmer man next to her spoke instead. "You realize, of course, that you are trading away your future prospects to chase after the past in doing so and that such a course of action would be irreversible. Even were you to return next year, I would have to reject your entry."
The redhead's response came without delay or hesitation. "And we will accept that outcome if that is what it takes."
Nine people could only stare and gape at the sheer conviction in Mitsuru's tone, as well as those found in the eyes of SEES, while the Headmaster could only sigh and shut his eyes in thought.
And as all this was going on, nobody noticed the faint grin of anticipation that briefly appeared on Elizabeth's lips.
"Do you… really have to do this?"
In a surprising show of restraint, Yang had only voiced her question several hours after the meeting with the Headmaster had concluded. Perhaps it was the sheer disbelief regarding what was about to happen, but she had been silent ever since Mitsuru's declaration that she and SEES were more than willing to be expelled from Beacon for choosing to comply with Elizabeth's request.
"…" Neither Mitsuru nor Yukari responded immediately to the query, both looking very deep in thought.
"Have you…" the archer began, only to pause to further contemplate her words. "Have you ever had something you deeply regretted? Did you ever have something that you wished you could take back? Or wished you could do differently?"
"Too many," were the words that nearly slipped past Yang's lips, words that she did not want to admit in front of them for some reason. Instead, she responded first with a shrug. "I guess? Never really stopped to think about stuff like that."
"Well, we have our own," said Yukari. And it was clear to Yang that no matter her response, the brunette would have said the same thing. "And if this is what we think it is then it's something we have to do."
"But what is it?" she pushed on, but still trying to reign in her stronger feelings. "I don't get why you're still keeping some secrets. If it's something troubling then don't you think we could have helped somehow? It's like…" Yang hesitated, biting her lip as she steeled herself before saying the words she'd been wanting to say for a while now. "It's like you don't trust us."
Were anyone to ask Yang at that moment, she would have replied that she didn't know what hurt more. Was it the fact that her friends were still keeping secrets from her and their other friends? Or the fact that they didn't even seem bothered by the fact that they were keeping secrets in the first place?
Mitsuru, whose eyes had never strayed up from the ground since arriving at the landing pads, spoke after a moment's thought, her voice soft and sullen yet retaining its firm tone. "It's because letting anyone else know would be completely meaningless."
Seeing her partner tensing up even more, the feline faunus next to the blonde decided to intervene. "What do you mean?" She sent a glance towards her partner, silently urging her to calm down. "Isn't saying that it's 'completely meaningless' a little much?"
"It's 'cause this is a burden we all would have to bear for the rest of our lives." The voice that spoke was neither feminine nor cultured. It was slightly rough but just as firm, and was distinctly male. Walking up to Team KYBT was Akihiko, the straps of a camping bag over his shoulders. "Or, at least, we thought it would be."
"Akihiko," greeted the redhead, turning and raising her head in his direction then following with a nod.
Not far behind the silver-haired teen were the rest of Team ANKR and Koromaru. Surprisingly, Nora was quiet despite her wide grin and overall cheerful demeanor.
"Don't ask," Akihiko requested with a resigned sigh before anyone could voice their query. Getting the overly excitable girl to understand the mood had not been easy in any way.
"So you're saying that this 'mission' that woman's asking you to do will… what, solve your problem?" Yang asked bluntly, returning to the topic at hand.
Unnoticed by anyone else, Blake had slowly slipped behind her partner, keeping the blonde between her and Koromaru, who was gazing at her with his curious, crimson orbs.
"Don't be ridiculous. What we left behind isn't something that simple. If it was, we would've solved the problem long ago," he answered just as bluntly, crossing his arms and looking to the side, his eyes gazing past the empty landing pad.
Koromaru went around the boxer's legs then softly padded towards Yang with his jaw hanging open, his tongue lolling about, and his tail wagging playfully. As he did, Blake slowly crept to her partner's opposite side and continued on until she was now standing behind and slightly to the left of Mitsuru.
"But whatever this is, it's better than not being able to do anything. Maybe it won't lead to anything but false hope, but…" He paused, took a deep breath, and turned to face Yang, his face full of resolve and determination, an intense fire burning behind his eyes. "Even if I had to follow a thousand leads to a thousand dead ends, as long as there's even an impossibly small chance that we'll find even the tiniest clue, I'll take it that road again and again until I find one that leads me to where I want to go."
Just a single glance was all it took for Yang to confirm that the other three Persona-users shared Akihiko's view on the subject. It also meant that she wouldn't be getting any more information from them until… whenever they decided to share it.
Soon, the other two teams arrived as well, all eight carrying a traveling bag complete with everything they'd need for the weekend just as they had been advised to do. Much like everyone else, the half that was made up of SEES were deep in thought, while the other half were either excited or worried.
Not too long after, a large number of people arrived, almost as many as the four teams that had already gathered there. Many eyes widened in surprise at the sight of several familiar faces while the eyes of the oldest pair in the group narrowed ever so slightly, a frown on their lips.
Mitsuru stepped forward to meet the Headmaster, who had walked slightly ahead of the group behind him. Only Professor Goodwitch accompanied him, but she still stayed a little ways behind her superior. "I take it they are part of the agreement you mentioned earlier," she stated without even bothering with a greeting, a clear sign to those who knew her that she was a touch displeased despite being as outwardly calm as she usually was.
The agreement they had come to earlier was simple. SEES would be allowed to officially accept the mission, thus making it so that they would be able to continue attending Beacon afterwards, as long as two conditions were fulfilled.
The first was that, regardless of what happened with the mission, they must return in time to attend classes on Monday.
And the second was that he would be sending others to accompany them, as was the usual rule when first-year trainees were sent out on missions later in the year.
What he neglected or chose not to mention, as well as the source of Mitsuru's displeasure, was the number of people he was sending with them.
"Indeed." The Headmaster didn't seem to notice. Or, if he did, he simply gave no indication that he was aware of it. "You're already acquainted with Scarlett and Gwendolyn, as well as Team CFVY."
The two blonde Huntresses nodded in greeting, eyes quickly locking-on to their younger brother, who chuckled and waved nervously in response, while one sister gave an encouraging nod and the other turned away and frowned. The other team of Trainees did the same, with the exception of Coco, who gave a bright and cheeky smile along with a wave of her hand.
"Next to them is Team Lightning, the second team who witnessed your Personas during the Initiation."
At those words, the four unknown students all stepped forward, led by a tall, slender teen with shaggy, light brown hair and a suave disposition. He wore a crimson, collared shirt with the collar popped up, and near-blinding bright green trousers. Slung over his shoulder was the suit jacket to match his trousers. On his arms were black and green gauntlets, similar to Yang's once deployed, but with a layered build that allowed more flexibility around the wrists. "Yo," he greeted with a cool and smooth voice, a hand raised to wave at the redhead. "Lionel Bleuwen, leader of the team."
"Gracia Jiong," continued the girl next to him, a short, black-haired, bespectacled girl whom Aigis, Chidori, and Blake recognized from their Field Medicine Class. She wore a simple set of casual clothing that was not as visually offensive as her team leader's, a navy blouse, black slacks, and black flats, somehow making her stand out more compared to most of the other Beacon students due to how plain her choice of clothing was. Of note was the silver case that was present by her feet.
"Odinia Tordenson." Next was a taller girl, about as tall as Akihiko, with short, chin-length bluish gray hair. Despite wearing what seemed to be a full set of plate mail, her voice was soft and feminine and her movements were graceful, almost elegant. Strangely enough, there was nothing on her person that appeared to be a weapon.
"Geoffrey Barthelos," the fourth finished, his voice low and rumbling but with an undertone of playfulness. His short, cropped forest green hair standing nearly straight up, its bright color a contrast to his face, which had a few pale scars that seemed to have been caused by a sharp and thin blade. Compared to Lionel, he was slightly shorter, about as tall as Odinia, but stockier and of a heavier build. He wore a plain burgundy shirt that was just the right size to show off his muscled torso, a leather jacket with silver accents, and sturdy looking black pants. Strapped across his lower back, but hidden by his body, were his weapons, the ends peeking out at his sides. "And now that we've actually met, I've gotta say, you kids have guts facing down all those Grimm back during the Initiation."
"Thank you," Mitsuru responded curtly, then turned her attention back to the Headmaster before another word could be spoken by anyone else. "I suppose you wish for them all to accompany us."
If the Headmaster, or anyone else, was offended by her actions, none of them gave any indication of it. "Indeed. As I mentioned earlier today, first-year students only take on missions towards the end of the year once they have completed most of the initial training provided by the school. While your four teams are, indeed, quite skilled, none of you are at a level where we would even consider sending you out on even the simplest of missions."
"Teams CFVY and LGTG will, therefore, accompany you as senior Trainees while Gwendolyn and Scarlett will be the Huntresses overseeing the mission and ensuring that you all remain safe. Normally, there would be one Huntsman or Huntress per team, but Ms. Elizabeth has assured me that what you will encounter will be no different from what you have already encountered prior to your arrival in Vale."
"And yet you feel that two additional teams and two certified Huntresses are still required as escorts." It wasn't a question, though some felt that the redhead might have been just a little bit indignant at the implications.
"Whether the threat, if any, is familiar to you, you are all still students under our care. We will not be remiss in our duties in ensuring your safety."
"I see."
Mitsuru glanced back to where Teams KYBT, ANKR, JACN, and ASYR were waiting. Then she turned back to the additional ten that would be accompanying them, taking in as many details as she could.
She was relatively acquainted with Team CFVY, having conversed with Velvet and Coco when they sometimes came to visit Yukari in their dorm room. She was less familiar with Fox and Yatsuhashi, but the brief interactions she had with them gave her an idea as to the kind of people they were. Fox was blunt and, at times, sarcastic, but never outright rude unless the situation called for it. Yatsuhashi was a bit more reserved, but he was respectful and seemed to have some sort of personal moral code that he followed to the best of his ability.
Scarlett and Gwendolyn Arc were more Junpei and Chidori's acquaintances, but she had seen and heard enough that one day last year to understand them well enough. Furthermore, both were accomplished Huntresses known across the Kingdom of Vale. Gwendolyn also had the honor of being close to world-famous, having received requests to train people, and even children, from the Kingdoms of Vacuo and Mistral. Given that her mother was once an instructor at Atlas Academy, Mitsuru was fairly certain that she was also known in that kingdom, even if only in select circles.
Team LGTG was the only unknown at the moment, asides from the fact that they had witnessed SEES's battle against the Grimm during the Beacon Initiation. The fact that they hadn't told anyone else about SEES's Personas spoke volumes of their character, however.
At any other time, she would have been willing to give them a chance. No, that was inaccurate. She was willing to give them a chance. Given the circumstances, however, now was not the right time to test one's trustworthiness.
After a brief assessment, she turned to the Headmaster once more. Then, surprising most everyone there, she shook her head. "Our teams may not be as hardened, but you know first-hand that we are not incapable. Sending two more teams as well as two Huntresses… Isn't this too much?"
Though she had spoken otherwise in the Headmaster's office, she knew the value of being able to continue their studies at Beacon. She would not throw away the future, but neither would she throw away the past. Thus, her words were not an empty threat, nor an attempt to force the Headmaster to compromise. It was a display of SEES's determination so see things through no matter what consequences they would face.
"With the number of lives at stake, do you not think it better to be over-prepared than the opposite?" The one who answered was the armored member of Team LGTG, the tall young woman taking half a step forward to speak with Mitsuru. As Odinia spoke, some couldn't help but compare her current bearing to the redhead she was addressing. "We were told that you were not given any details regarding your task. Given the circumstances, it would be far more prudent to err on the side of caution and prepare for any and all possibilities."
"Do you believe that your aid will suffice?"
"WHAT THE F-"
"WHERE'D SHE-"
"HOW DID-"
"-ING SHIT OUTTA-"
"-NGUAGE!"
All hell broke loose at the unexpected voice as a chorus of panicked voices screamed out in surprise, some being quite liberal with their obscenities, even as a few weapons were drawn and directed towards the source of their shock. Three of the four adults present had moved into a ready stance, ready to deal with the perceived threat. The fourth adult seemed unperturbed, but the tight grip of his hand on his cane and the speed at which his head had turned betrayed his surprise.
The only people who had not reacted with surprise were Mitsuru, Chidori, and Fuuka. The latter seemed more shocked by the chaos that unfolded while the former two turned to the new arrival, though only Mitsuru greeted her with a nod. "Elizabeth-san."
Everyone's attention was now on the white-haired woman who had somehow appeared in their midst, standing barely two meters away from the group in a spot where all those caught by surprise could have sworn had been unoccupied just seconds ago. The white-haired woman, however, paid Mitsuru's greeting little heed beyond a glance and a small nod for her gaze was focused on Odinia, curiosity and amusement in her sharp, yellow eyes. "I have no issue if you wish to accompany us, but I would recommend paying heed to Ms. Kirijo's words."
"So…" Lionel drawled out with a relaxed, almost playful, tone, taking over for his teammate. "You saying you know what they're gonna be facing? Why not tell them then?"
"They are more than aware of what dangers they are about to face," was the response Team LGTG's leader received. "There is little to none that I can say that will prepare them further."
"What…? That doesn't…"
At that point, Mitsuru decided to cut in before even more attention could turn to their benefactor. "Are we to reach our destination the same way we arrived in Vale?" she asked.
And, at that moment, those not of SEES began taking note of one peculiar detail. Despite the fact that they were in the vicinity of the private landing pads, as per Elizabeth's request before parting ways earlier, there wasn't a single airship currently docked. If they were supposed to take one of Beacon's ships, they would have to move to the larger landing pads. Even then, those would only take them to Vale where they would need to take another airship to wherever they were supposed to be going.
"Indeed," replied Elizabeth. "The sooner we arrive, the better."
She held a gloved hand to the side, her palm facing upwards much like the way someone would say 'this way please'. Then, to the surprise of those who had never seen it before, a brief flash appeared next to her hand and door seemed to materialize from out of nowhere.
It was a simple-looking door, dark blue in coloration with a similar colored frame and a silver handle. If not for the fact that it had appeared out of nowhere and was standing right in front of a docking area, nobody would have given it a second glance.
"Woah! Where'd it come from? Where does it go? Huh? It's locked? But there's no keyhole! Hey Ren, can you open it for me?"
There were a few aborted laughs, while a few allowed themselves to chuckle and giggle at the almost expected behavior from their friend. The aforementioned childhood friend, however, just sighed and smiled indulgently.
One by one, SEES picked up their bags, their respective teammates following suit when it became clear to them that the doorway that appeared was their method of transportation, however it worked. Teams CFVY and LGTG, however, glanced at the Headmaster as though asking for instructions. So too did Scarlett and Gwen, though the two of them also kept a wary eye on the woman who had someone appeared close to them undetected and unseen.
Seeing that there was no stopping them, the Headmaster gave the two older teams and the two Huntresses a nod before turning to SEES. "If you are set on this, then I can only await your safe return. Do not hesitate to contact us should anything occur or if you require anything."
"Thank you, Headmaster," Mitsuru replied. "We'll keep that in mind."
However much she wanted to argue against having so many people accompany them, there was little point in contesting the decision now. Besides, all ten no doubt wanted to join them on this mission for more than just because they had been asked to. They wouldn't leave just because they were asked to.
SEES gave the Headmaster and his deputy one final nod as the mysterious door gently swung open on some unseen signal.
No scenery was visible beyond the doorway. Instead, only a pure, white light, yet one that did not shine outwards, could be seen beyond the frame. Whether it was part of her ability or something she had intentionally done to prevent anyone from seeing their destination, Ozpin couldn't say. He would just have to hope that they would be somewhere his influence could reach should anything happen.
One by one, the nine members of SEES walked through the doorway, their figures disappearing into the light as soon as they stepped through. With a hint of trepidation, their teammates followed as well, though one in particular seemed immune to the tension as she happily skipped through the doorway, the sight bringing a small smile of amusement to his lips.
Once they were through, Elizabeth turned to the remaining ten who would accompany them as though asking whether they still wished to do so.
"Well, time to go see what the hell it is we're doing, eh?" Looking as carefree as he usually did, Lionel shouldered his own pack and walked towards the doorway, his team following closely behind. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, the brown-haired team leader stepped into and through the light, disappearing like the others did.
With her own words of parting, Coco soon led her own team through the doorway, leaving only the adults on the Beacon side of it.
Scarlett gave Elizabeth a stern look before entering the doorway without a single word.
Gwen, on the other hand, turned to Ozpin and Glynda, giving them a firm nod. "We'll look after all the kids. Make sure they get back safe and, hopefully, without a single scratch on 'em."
"I know you will," Ozpin responded, a confident smile on his face. "I apologize again for pulling you away from your family after you've just returned from another mission but, given the circumstances, you and Scarlett were the best choices available on short notice."
"It's fine, Professor," the tall blonde responded, waving her hand in response. "Besides, our brother is one of those we're going to be protecting. If someone's going to watch over him it may as well be us."
Without another word, Gwen followed her sister into the doorway, her massive frame disappearing into the light.
"Well then, I suppose this is farewell once more," said Elizabeth, turning to face the Headmaster to give him a brief nod before walking through her own doorway. Then, once she did, the door slowly swung shut and the entire thing faded away in the time it took him to breathe in.
There were no signs, physical or otherwise, of the door's former presence. Had he not been present for it, he might have thought that it had been nothing more than an illusion.
Even so, Ozpin's eyes never left the space that Elizabeth had occupied before the doorway's light engulfed her.
That woman was not one he could trust. That much he could say with absolute certainty. She had far too many secrets for comfort. And there was no doubt in his mind that the secrets he already suspected weren't even all the secrets she had.
And now here she was, requesting a first-year team for a mission long before they were slated to go on their first training mission. And not just any team. She had requested SEES, the very same group of children who had received her assistance in entering Beacon Academy.
Not their teams, but SEES and only SEES.
The group in question did not even question it, nor did they even request to have their teammates accompany them. They simply accepted their patron's request without even bothering to learn any of the specifics first. Even the threat of losing their place at Beacon failed to deter them. There was no hesitation in their eyes as Mitsuru made her declaration.
It was only after a relatively lengthy negotiation on his part that they had come to an agreement that would satisfy most of his and Glynda's concerns.
He only regretted that he could not send more people to aid them.
He had wanted to send four Huntsmen, one for each of their teams as per Beacon's rules. But the number of Huntsmen he could call upon that were aware of SEES's secrets, or some of them at least, was far too low. And among that number, only two had been available. In fact, had it not been for Sephiria Arc herself calling some time ago to inform him of her and her family's knowledge of Persona, he would not have been able to call upon Scarlett and Gwendolyn earlier.
Without them, only the teachers at Beacon would have been qualified to accompany SEES without evoking more violent reactions due to sending someone unaware of their secrets. But the weekend was to be a busy one and he could not spare any of them.
It was truly nothing more than good fortune that the two Arc siblings were even available for the mission.
After that, sending both Team CFVY and Team LGTG was all but a last-ditch attempt to bolster their numbers. While he had faith in the two teams, the lingering thought that they may come across that which destroyed the land of Japan had been more than enough to make him hesitate.
It had not been an easy decision by any means. But the fact that SEES was so willing to rush headlong into danger, so willing to throw away their future and possibly their lives, made the decision for him in the end.
Experienced they may be, but it seemed they still took the threat that the Grimm posed far too lightly despite what the Grimm had done to their home. He may have failed to convince them to see reason, but he would not fail to do what he must in order to protect them.
He could only hope that what aid he had given them would be enough. That, and hope that they were within range of a relay tower so that they would not be completely cut-off from the CCT Network. Even if things were to go poorly, if they could call for help then their safe return was just that much more certain.
In the end, however, all the reassurances and preparations in the world could not stop the worry he felt.
All he could do for now was wait.
When Elizabeth stepped through the doorway, the sight that greeted her was that of over two dozen people turning to face her, the few ongoing conversations dying down in an instant.
At the moment, the large group was in a large clearing in the middle of a dense forest. The air was much more humid than back at Beacon. Already a few had begun to perspire lightly, a faint sheen of sweat on their faces. And unlike the less experienced students, the two Huntresses had already turned their gaze upwards once or twice, noting the sudden change in the sun's position.
"Elizabeth-san, where are we?"
Turning to Mitsuru, Elizabeth answered with the same smile she usually bore. "We are in Southern Anima," she said, her answer earning many shocked looks from those not of SEES. A gloved hand was raised, and a finger uncurled to point at a seemingly random direction. "Our first destination is the village a short distance away."
"First?" questioned Scarlett, blue eyes narrowing as she focused her attention on Elizabeth. "You mean to say you plan to take us all to other places?"
Seemingly immune to the glare being sent her way, the pale woman graced the Huntress with her placid smile. "Only one other. There is merely something here that they must see before we proceed to our true destination."
"Then let's not waste any time."
A few heads spun quickly at those words, surprised that the red-haired leader of SEES would say that. In the months they have known her, never did she show a side of her that would give in to haste rather than careful thought and preparation. The fact that she, as well as the rest of SEES, were already walking briskly in the direction their benefactor had pointed at earlier was cause for some measure of concern.
If there were any lingering beliefs that the matter was not important to every member of SEES, their actions now cleared them away. Even Fuuka, who was not normally so bold or outspoken, had so much steel in her eyes and was moving with a level of determination that surpassed what they had seen during the initiation.
Seeing that nothing would stop them, everyone else could do nothing but follow.
Moving through the forest with such a large group was, as expected, difficult. The uneven terrain and the densely packed foliage meant that, more often than not, they had to travel in single-file. But with their numbers being what it was, doing so meant that those at the front would be too far from those at the back.
To facilitate their travel they had divided into three groups, each one traveling within sight of the other two. To the left was Team CFVY as well as Yang, Blake, Pyrrha, and Jaune. To the right were Team LGTG, Ruby, Weiss, Ren, and Nora. The center file was made up of the members of SEES, along with their guide and current employer, Elizabeth.
From her position at the back, Scarlett kept a close watch on both the group and the surroundings. Gwen was at the very front, leading the way while keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings in case a Grimm decided they were easy prey, the Aura-less SEES especially.
While the first-year students at the side groups had little idea of how they were supposed to act, their upperclassmen made sure to educate them even as they marched onwards.
"Make sure to keep an eye on the other teams while moving. With all the twists and turns we have to take around the trees, it's easy to get misdirected and lost. Before you know it, you've already strayed from the group."
"Nothing wrong with taking it easy, but you gotta keep an eye and ear on your surroundings all the time."
"No, sending out a scout is only a good idea if you have a way to regroup. Unfamiliar place like this with no proper landmarks and with a fresh team? There's a chance you won't meet up with the group again."
"Don't be too tense. There's a huge difference between being ready for a fight and being too high-strung. Don't want to be going off on a false alarm."
Scarlett had seen their team dynamics when they had been on their way to meet the group at the landing pads and what she saw now was significantly different. Rather than aloof or playful, all eight second-years were alert and constantly checking their surroundings. Their hands were never occupied with anything else, always ready to draw a weapon or act in some way should a Grimm pounce from out of nowhere.
The blond woman nodded in satisfaction at what she saw. Beacon's standards clearly weren't slipping even a little bit.
She could distinctly remember how vastly different many of her classmates had become by the time they were in their second year at Beacon. They were the same as always for the most part, but the experiences they gained as they undertook missions as first-years hammered home the need for a different mindset when out on the field.
No doubt it was the same for both Teams CFVY and LGTG. They were still relatively rough around the edges, but already she could see the foundation of habits that would later serve them well as proper Huntsmen and Huntresses. That they were able to maintain it while teaching their juniors was a bonus.
Speaking of which…
Directly in front of her, SEES marched in single-file, following the path Gwen was clearing for them. Their eyes were focused directly ahead, never once straying to the sides or above where an attack may come from at any moment.
Blue eyes narrowed in both thought and disappointment. After hearing from Junpei about what they had gone through, Scarlett had expected them to be more vigilant, especially compared to their teammates. She knew that one of them was capable of sensing the Grimm, but their Personas were currently not in use.
She breathed out a soft sigh of annoyance, wondering just what was going through their minds. The mission parameters were currently unknown, yet the teens had agreed to it regardless. It might have been due to their employer, who was SEES's benefactor, but somehow that did not fit the image she had of the red-haired teen who led the group.
Mitsuru had come off as calm and level-headed, the intellectual sort who favored logic over emotions. Was her assessment of the redhead wrong?
The only clue left was what Headmaster Ozpin had told the ten of them prior to meeting the other sixteen teens.
"All Elizabeth has mentioned was that she requires them in order to resolve a situation from their pasts. What it is and how it involves them was never mentioned at all."
SEES's past was, for the most part, a mystery. As forthcoming as Junpei had been during his time in Domremy, there was no doubt that many things were purposefully left out. She could hardly blame him, but her instincts were telling her that this so-called mission was connected to that unknown portion and that knowing it would be important sooner rather than later.
The only thing she could think of that they needed to resolve was the incident that destroyed their homes. And, according to the Headmaster's theory, it was likely caused by a Grimm they called 'Death'.
The fact that it had a name like that was enough to tell them that, whatever sort of Grimm it was, it was highly dangerous and almost certainly very, very old. The evidence was in the event itself.
No lone Grimm could possibly bring about such a level of death and destruction by itself. It must have been leading other Grimm. But to destroy an entire country in a single night? Not even a horde of Grimm was enough to accomplish that. Not unless, of course, it was a horde of elder Grimm. And the only way that many elder Grimm would band together was if the one leading them was far older, far more powerful, than them.
It was… a sobering thought to consider that there was such a Grimm out there.
And it was almost fear-inducing to think that there was a chance they were being led right to it.
Despite all her accomplishments, Scarlett was no arrogant fool. There had been many times where she had chosen to retreat rather than fight, and even a select few occasions where she had been forced to abandon a mission that turned out to be far beyond what she and whatever team she was on was capable of. She was not necessarily proud of those moments, but there was a time to be bold and reckless just as there was a time to be cautious.
Her parents had certainly made sure to hammer that point home long before she had even graduated from Beacon.
And now, there was that ever so slight possibility that this woman with them was leading them all to confront a monstrous Grimm capable of leading others of its kind to destroy an entire country.
Already, Scarlett's mind was abuzz with countless plans to escape should they find themselves facing a monster they could not defeat. Plans were made for every possibility she could think of. A flying Grimm able to maneuver deftly in the sky, a hulking land-based one with thick armor or hide, a small and swift one that few could manage to strike, a subterranean one that would destroy the very ground they walked on, one that attacked at a distance while surrounded by hundreds or thousands of Grimm for protection, every single possibility she could think of was given a basic outline of an escape plan that could be adjusted with little difficulty based on the Grimm's capabilities.
No doubt Gwen was already running through similar lines of thought. While she was hardly the most academically gifted, her ability in combat was undeniable, including the planning stages.
If they had time, they would have to compare notes and see if the other had missed anything. Hopefully they could-
A soft but sharp gasp put a stop to her preparations, eyes darting every which way to search for the threat even as Gwen did the same up front. At least one person from the other two groups noticed soon after and made sure their groups stopped as well.
"Fuuka? What is it?" asked the brunette, Yukari, if Scarlett wasn't mistaken.
The answer came with urgency, her gaze turned slightly left of their original heading. "There are people nearby. Eight of them, and three are hurt badly."
"Can you tell if they're hostile?" Gwen immediately asked, half glancing over her shoulder while still maintaining her vigilance.
Fuuka shook her head.
"In that case, everyone stay sharp," Scarlett ordered, watching with satisfaction as everyone, even SEES, checked their combat gear. It was worth noting that SEES checked their pistols, Evokers she remembered Junpei calling them, before their primary weapons. Then again, given the sheer power they possessed, their Personas would qualify as their primary weapon while their other armaments would be secondary, back-up weapons for when the Grimm got too close.
Gwen led them once more, taking a slower pace in case Fuuka had been mistaken and there were more people than she realized, hidden and possibly waiting to ambush them. The continent of Anima was a well-known haven for bandits and the like after all.
That said, Scarlett had to wonder what else SEES were capable of. Fuuka had detected people yet her Persona was nowhere in sight. She also hadn't missed the way Mitsuru's eyes glance over to the exact same direction that Fuuka's had before the teal-haired girl herself did.
Did she possess something similar despite her Persona being combat capable? Or was it some other power?
For that matter, what were the rest of SEES and their Personas capable of?
Junpei and Chidori had trained with her family a few times, showing off their Personas' capabilities and learning in turn. But of their capabilities, Chidori claimed that there were some abilities her Persona, Hecate, possessed that she would not use against them because of the potential dangers.
Did Junpei's Trismegistus have such secrets as well?
Holding some cards in reserve was always a good idea, especially as one grew in fame. The more that was known about one's capabilities, the more likely someone would know how to fight you should they encounter one another. It was a pragmatic move that she could appreciate and approve of.
But, in their current situation, not knowing what one's allies were capable of could be a double-edged sword. It could be a trump card to be used against enemies, but it could also be a hindrance to their ability to plan and cooperate.
"We should be able to see them soon."
The words from Fuuka, firm and determined, very much unlike the quiet wallflower she appeared to be, brought the tension up just a little more. Fists were clenched, hands were placed on their weapons, and eyes were sharpened as they roamed their surroundings for any surprises.
It didn't take long before they encountered the people Fuuka had detected. Rather, it wasn't long before those at the front found themselves with blades and gun barrels pointed at their faces.
The more experienced students reacted quickly, weapons drawn and bodies placed behind cover, which was plentiful. The others followed suit just a second later. But, as quick as they were, their worries turned out to be needless.
"Gwen?"
"Sable?"
In an instant, the tension of the impending battle fled Gwen and Scarlett's bodies along with the white glow surrounding the former's hands. Sable did the same as she addressed the four standing next to her. "It's alright, they're friendlies."
Seeing that their two escorts had relaxed, the students calmed down as well and stepped out from behind cover.
Sable, who stood at the front of the group, was easily recognized by many, having met her before. What surprised them, save for Jaune, were the weapons on her arms. They knew the weapons were massive, having seen her carrying them around back when she visited Beacon, but it didn't take away the surprise at seeing them for the first time without their wrappings.
Two massive mechanical arms covered her own all the way up to the shoulder. Each one was easily at least half her size and had to weigh more than she did combined. At the front, three blades extended from the weapon's equivalent of a fist, each about as long as someone's forearm with the edge facing downwards like claws. Above and slightly behind the middle claw was a barrel wide enough for the average person to stick their hand into. Other than that, there were no obvious weapons on it but the many lines and seams all over it hinted at something more.
The other four Huntsmen left after being reassured, moving to tend to their injured companions once more, though they remained alert.
"CFVY and LGTG, take your groups and secure the area. SEES, don't wander off," Scarlett ordered immediately. Even if someone with them could sense Grimm before they arrived, it never hurt to be careful given that they lacked their classmates' final line of defense, Aura. "If you can, scan the area and see if there are any nearby Grimm and in which direction."
Thankfully, none of them argued. Instead, they moved to the center of the makeshift camp and set down their belongings along with the other students. Immediately, Fuuka knelt to the ground and shut her eyes, the others keeping watch. Aigis, Akihiko, and Chidori went towards the other Huntsmen, and Scarlett could hear them asking if they could help in any way.
Elizabeth stayed close to SEES but did not engage them in conversation. In fact, she seemed quite content just watching everything that was going on around her.
"What are you two doing here?" Sable's question pulled her attention away from the students and their employer, the younger sister stabbing the right mech-gauntlet into the ground and pulling her arm free. It said much about her wariness that she kept the left one ready for a fight. "How did you get here? You were in Domremy just last night. You couldn't have gotten this far out even if you left immediately after we spoke."
Seeing that Sable's current team was preoccupied, Scarlett and Gwen explained the situation, starting from when they received the message from Ozpin requesting them for an urgent mission. When they got to the part about their destination, Sable interrupted them.
"A nearby village? The one in that direction?" A slight chill went down Scarlett's spine when her younger sister pointed roughly in the direction they were originally headed towards. "If that's the one, then the mission might already be a failure."
"What do you mean?" The one who asked was none other than Mitsuru, who was the closest to the three sisters. Having heard Sable's question regarding the village, she moved closer just in time to hear what she did. "Did something happen?"
When asked at a later time, Sable would be unable to explain why she had answered the question without hesitation. At most, all she could say was that she somehow felt compelled to answer the younger redhead. As though the girl possessed something, some power, that practically demanded her obedience.
"Our own mission," she said in response. "Have you seen the news recently? The ones regarding the Anima Massacres?"
"I have, yes. So the village is…"
It did not need to be said. Anyone who knew about it would come to the same conclusion. So Sable just nodded, blue eyes locking onto Mitsuru's wine red. "After others examined the previous trail, this village was one of three locations that could have been hit next. The good news is, the information was right. The bad news is that it didn't matter. Even with two teams that… thing slaughtered the entire village. We just barely managed to escape. Even then, three of us came close to dying, as you can see, and it almost felt like it decided to let us go at the end rather than chasing after us to finish the job."
"So the rumors are true then, it's just one Grimm doing all this?" asked Scarlett.
But Sable shook her head in response, short, dark brown hair swaying to and fro as she did. "Since it's you, I'll be honest," she said, lowering her voice so only the three close to her could hear. "I don't think it was a Grimm despite what anyone else thinks." She raised a hand, anticipating the question, and pulled out her Scroll.
It was then that Scarlett remembered one of Sable's habits. She always had at least two cameras hidden on her person, set to take a recording whenever she went out on a mission. Most of the time the recordings would be deleted afterwards, not having picked up anything that needed to be used beyond a quick review of what happened and what could have been done better. Other times she would manage to record evidence that could be used to prove someone's guilt or innocence, evidence that would have been nothing but empty words without the recordings to back them up.
Selecting the right recording on the Scroll, Sable turned down to volume and showed the three a portion of the fight, if it could even be called that. She made sure to keep her right mech-gauntlet between the Scroll and her team. They had wanted to keep the exact details secret from all who didn't need to know. No doubt some of them would go as far as breaking her Scroll if they knew she had recorded the mission from the start.
The image on the Scroll was dizzying, no doubt because Sable had to constantly be on the move. While no sounds could be heard, the recording occasionally showed scenes from the surroundings, all of it signs that the fight had already been ongoing for quite a while.
Debris was scattered everywhere, and Scarlett noted that many were caused by a blade capable of cutting through stone and steel with apparent ease just as the previous incidents had reported. Now and then, pools of blood were seen as well as its sources. A quick glance showed that the redhead in their midst grew tense at those sights, but her face did not lose its color like others who had never been exposed to such a thing. Then again, she might have seen even more horrific sights that day her home was destroyed.
Then, finally, the Sable in the recording seems to have been granted a brief respite as the video steadied and turned to face the culprit.
It was unlike any Grimm they had ever seen before.
It was humanoid in appearance. A head, a torso, two arms, and two legs, just like any other person. If not for the fact that it seemed to be able to hover and moved about in the air, they might have even thought that it was a person. But even accounting for a possible Semblance, no human or faunus could be that large. It was easily three times as tall as the average man.
Then there were the other details. Details that led credence to Sable's theory.
First was that this… being, did not fight like the Grimm did. Where the Grimm utilized the weapons granted to them by their form, such as fangs, claws, or even just their bulk, this being utilized a blade. It was long and narrow with only a single bladed edge, its length longer than a man was tall. And it wielded it in a single hand with skill that, she grudgingly admitted, may be on par or even superior to her mother's.
Second was its appearance beyond its humanoid shape. Its head was covered by two white pieces reminiscent of a bird's beak, similar but not to the white bone-like plates the Grimm possessed. Its hands up to just past its elbows, and its legs from mid-thigh down, were covered in a white material like a pair of long gloves and boots, though its legs ended in a tapered limb rather than feet. It also seemed to be wearing what looked to be a midnight blue bodysuit or coat, along with a waist cape of the same color held up by a wide belt that also bore its sword's scabbard.
Third were the objects around its back, eight of them in total. They looked like large slabs of metal, possibly no thicker than a hand was long, but each one as tall as a person and shaped like a coffin, possessing even hinges on one side as though it would open up to swallow someone whole. Taking up a little over half the surface was an embossed image of person holding a sword by the middle of the blade. It reminded Scarlett of old images of hooded saints or clergymen from religions that no longer existed.
Those 'coffins' were attached to one another by a long length of chain, the two ends attached to something just behind the mysterious being's shoulder. They moved, directed by an unknown will, blocking any and all attacks coming from behind. Whether this mysterious being was manipulating them was unknown, but if it was then it meant it possessed a preternatural awareness of its surroundings or perhaps some means of being able to see behind it.
Yes, she could definitely see why Sable did not think it was a Grimm at all.
Grimm were brutal and savage, creatures of instinct not so different from a wild beast. They tore through every obstacle in their path with barely a thought, caring only for the singular goal their kind shared. Even the Elder Grimm were not too far removed from that mold. They were capable of leading, capable even of some measure of planning that often took the unprepared by surprise. But they were still beasts in the end.
This, however…
This being was brutal and savage, much like any other Grimm. That much was clear after how it had completely wiped out the population of multiple villages and settlements by itself. But the way it fought was far too… human. Yes, that was certainly the best word she could think of.
It moved about in the air despite its lack of wings, or even any mechanical means, yet its movements were very much like a human fighting on the ground. She should know. After all, while her blade was of a different sort, as someone in their group pointed out once, there were only so many ways one could swing a sword, more so since both she and this being used only a single hand to wield their respective swords.
That was a crucial detail. She could tell that much. She also felt that she should know just why it was so important, yet that part eluded her.
"You understand why I let you see this."
It could have been a question, yet the tone was unmistakably that of a statement. Scarlett was about to respond when someone else beat her to it. "I do."
Looking up, the eldest Arc daughter saw that Sable was looking not at her or Gwen, but at the red-haired girl in their midst. A quick glance back at the now frozen image on her younger sibling's Scroll and she understood as well.
"It's a Persona, isn't it?" asked Gwen, giving voice to the thoughts running through their heads.
They, all three of them, were quite certain of it after giving it some thought. The appearance was similar enough, at least in terms of size and its generally strange appearance. While it had not displayed any abilities beyond its swordsmanship, it was not completely out of the question just yet.
The final nail was Mitsuru's answer just then. At no point did Sable imply that it was a Persona, just that there was a reason why she allowed the redhead to see the video recording. Whether or not she had intentionally baited the girl into confirming it for them didn't matter anymore. She had answered, that was confirmation enough.
Only…
"Yes… and no."
… it didn't seem like things were as clear-cut as they expected.
"That is, indeed, a Persona," Mitsuru continued without being prompted, her eyes focused entirely on the frozen image of the now-confirmed Persona. "However… the one it belonged to is long dead. It simply isn't possible for it, or him, to have been here."
"Could he possibly have survived? Or perhaps someone else has the same Persona?" asked Sable, carefully scrutinizing the smallest details of the redhead's expression for any tells. "Better yet, can you think of any possibility, no matter how remote or unlikely, that could explain its presence here?"
"… Just one."
Scarlett wondered whether that pause was simply the girl gathering her thoughts or if she was somehow hesitant to reveal her thoughts for some reason.
"Is there any way to find out for certain?" There was no mistaking the hope in Sable's tone.
She shook her head. "Not without returning to Iwatodai first I'm afraid."
"Do you need to consult some records or something?" asked Gwen.
Scarlett remained silent in the meantime, but she was certain that Gwen and possibly even Sable were thinking along similar lines. If it was indeed a Persona-user responsible for the recent massacres, then there was a possibility that he or she was yet another survivor, one that was unknown to SEES for some reason. At worst, Mitsuru was aware of the culprit and was making excuses via half-truths and omission to avoid having to give away important information.
"Not records, no. But there is something there that could tell us whether or not my theory is correct."
Sable made to speak when someone beat her to it.
"It's quite fortunate, then, that our next destination is Iwatodai."
The third Arc daughter's mouth snapped shut but failed to completely stifle the brief yelp that slipped out when someone spoke up from directly behind her. Neither of her older sisters were unaffected either, both tensing and twitching as they held themselves back from reacting violently when they realized that Elizabeth was standing within arm's reach of their sister.
She may not seem to be the most trustworthy person, but she had yet to do anything that would give then enough reason to overtly act against her. At least, not yet. The fact that she was so easily able to approach them without being noticed was certainly unnerving, to say the least.
"Iwatodai?" It didn't escape their notice that Mitsuru wasn't the least bit surprised, both now and earlier at the docks. "Why there?"
"For your task, of course." And, yet again, the woman gives nothing more than the absolute bare minimum of information. "One must first resolve the past before they can proceed into the future."
Profound words, certainly, but she felt as though this woman was hinting at something else. The brief flash of discomfort that flitted through wine-red eyes let her know that the redhead had at least an inkling as to what it was.
"Come then," Elizabeth continued, not giving them a chance to respond. "It's time we proceed."
Mitsuru clearly had something to say, her lips slightly parted even as Elizabeth turned away from the small clearing where Sable's team was recuperating. Yet, in the end, she chose not to speak for some reason. She seemed resigned but, at the same time, determined. Without another word, she left their group to gather the rest of SEES, calling out to her teammates, Yang and Blake, to let them know that they were departing.
Watching things progress from there, Gwen could only shake her head. "That girl's got the presence of a natural-born leader," she commented, heard only by her two sisters. "Her friends are ready to go in seconds and their classmates stopped paying attention to the perimeter and got ready to leave as soon as she gave the word." A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "Wonder how long before she's ordering us around."
Neither sister gave a response, instead turning to one another as an unspoken message passed from one to the other. "I'll let you know as soon as we discover something," Scarlett promised, to which Sable nodded gratefully. "Be careful if you encounter that… thing again. Persona or not, I doubt it showed everything it was capable of."
"I was thinking the same thing."
Soon, the group of twenty-six had gathered once more, following their employer past the treeline where another doorway was already waiting for them. Barely any words were exchanged as they stepped through the blinding light that separated them from the other side. Gwen in the lead with Mitsuru just barely half a step behind, followed by Teams ASYR, ANKR, JACN, and the remaining trio of KYBT. Teams CFVY and LGTG followed, with Scarlett bringing up the rear.
Just as she passed the white-haired woman in blue, Scarlett could have sworn she saw a brief glint of mischievousness in her yellow eyes. But, before she could confirm what she had seen, she passed the threshold and her vision was filled with light.
Much like earlier, the light did not blind her vision. It was as though she were merely staring at a blank, white canvas that glowed with light.
Then, in but an instant, the moment passed and her vision returned. And, when it did, her eyes shot open in surprise at the sight before her, Teams CFVY and LGTG doing the same just a few steps ahead of her. Recalling what she had seen earlier, the blonde woman spun around, right hand flying to the hilt of her weapon, only to be met by empty space.
The doorway had already disappeared.
Letting out a growl of frustration, she released her weapon and turned back, walking up to the still stunned teens who were now muttering in confusion.
"Let's go," she said, pulling them back to their senses. "Nothing we can do now but explain the situation."
Still shocked but now much more coherent, the members of Teams CFVY and LGTG followed the Huntress as she led them to the familiar structure in the distance, all eyes focused on their destination which was located near the top of the tower.
The office of Headmaster Ozpin.
"Bring them here! NOW!"
It hadn't taken long for Gwen to realize what had happened. Granted, she spent a brief moment to stare in bemusement at the unassuming lobby she found herself in. But, once she had turned around to address her sister, it barely took her five seconds to come to a mostly correct conclusion.
Unfortunately, despite having an advantage in both height and bulk over the woman, Elizabeth was completely unfazed and continued to give her that same mysterious smile that had been on her face this whole time. "I do not believe that the decision lies with you."
Again, it did not take long for her to connect the dots as she spun around to face the most likely culprit. "You asked her to send them away?"
"I did," Mitsuru answered without remorse. Her tone was calm and understanding, free of any accusation towards the muscular blonde. "I understand why the Headmaster wanted them to accompany us, and I understand that everyone is simply worried for our wellbeing. That said, I highly doubt I am the only one who does not appreciate being treated like an incapable child."
A quick survey with her eyes told Gwen that, indeed, every member of SEES felt that way. All but two of them met her eyes and held her gaze, even Ken. Chidori's gaze was impassionate, but it showed that she stood with her friends on the matter. Junpei was the only one who turned away, but she felt it was not because he disagreed with his friends, but because the two of them were well acquainted with one another, making the situation more uncomfortable for him.
His straight-forward and forthcoming nature was something she could admire even if they were at odds at the moment.
Standing slightly to the side were their teammates, looking mostly lost and uncomfortable with how the situation had developed. If she were being honest, she didn't think even half of them would side with her at the moment. Then again, she doubted Mitsuru, or even SEES as a whole, would change their stance even if the other eight took her side.
"So what now?" There was no point in arguing. The only person who could bring her sister and the other two teams back was decidedly not going to listen to her, and, here in Iwatodai, if that really was where they were, she had no idea what they would be dealing with. Much as she hated to do so, the best option was to hand the reins over to someone who could better deal with the situation. "Do you send me away as well? I assume the only reason I ended up here with you was because I was walking ahead of you instead of at the back. Speaking of which, did she at least make sure not to leave them in Anima? It would take them days to get back to Vale, if not a week."
"Despite how I feel about having to be accompanied by so many, they had little to do with the decision that made it so. I made sure to have Elizabeth-san send them back to Beacon."
The weight that disappeared from her shoulders was significant, and no doubt the others could see it as well. "And myself?"
"… I doubt you'll leave even if I asked. Moreover, I would rather not resort to forcing you through one of Elizabeth-san's doorways. I would still rather do this by ourselves, but there's no helping it now." That wasn't what she expected to hear, but at least it meant she could continue to keep an eye on them. "For now we'll…"
"We'll what?" she asked, frowning when Mitsuru trailed off. Following the girl's line of sight, which was aimed at something behind her, Gwen turned to see what had caught her attention only to find… nothing? All that she found behind her were the double doors that, presumably, led outside the building they were in. But… wasn't there something or, rather, someone else there just moments ago?
"It seems we'll have to figure things out for ourselves then."
Gwen resisted the urge to curse their employer. First providing no information about the mission whatsoever beyond vague hints, and now disappearing without a trace at her leisure. Not to mention the fact that they were down two teams and a Huntress because she granted the request of her charges.
Before she could compose herself, Mitsuru was already issuing orders to the others. "Akihiko, Yukari, help everyone get settled in. We'll meet in the Command Room in half an hour."
Curious as to why she had been left in charge of the task, the archer addressed the older girl. "What will you be doing senpai?"
"I need to check on something before our meeting," she replied without pause. "It's best to be certain rather than worrying for no reason."
SEES accepted the answer easily enough, but most of the other half of the group clearly wanted to know more. Before any of them could ask, they were led away towards the stairs on the far end of the room.
Once they were gone, Mitsuru made her way to the one thing that looked out of place, a smooth, steel door located behind a dinner table. Gwen followed after her. Asides from a quick glance, the redhead gave no sign of disapproval so she felt there was no problem with going along.
While crossing that short distance, the second Arc daughter glanced around the room, taking in the modest setting of what was apparently a dormitory, if she heard Junpei correctly when he spoke to Jaune on the way to the stairs. A small lounge area, a dining area, and a kitchen were present on the ground floor with the rooms no doubt on the upper floors.
It all seemed so… normal. And yet… Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something… off… about the whole place. Something that shouldn't be yet not so obviously out of place.
Surprisingly, everything was quite clean despite the building being uninhabited for months, assuming SEES only left to attend Beacon. Elizabeth must have spent quite some time making sure the place was ready for them for this mission. A quick brush of her finger on the top of the chair's backrest as she passed showed not even a single speck of dust.
At least Elizabeth was thorough in this regard, thought Gwen, as she came to stand slightly behind and to the side of Mitsuru. Inwardly, she was very surprised that such a woman could clean so well.
Despite the lack of any obvious mechanism or sensor, the door slid open with an almost silent hiss to reveal an empty circular room. Mitsuru entered without a word followed by the equally silent Gwen. It was only when the door slid shut, plunging them in absolute darkness, and she felt the slight pull of gravity pulling her down to keep up with the descending platform that she realized that they had boarded an elevator.
But it was strange. The ride was incredibly smooth, lacking the slight vibrations normally present in elevators caused by mechanisms it used for movement. The closest equivalent she could think of were the elevators that relied on Gravity Dust, but those were rarely seen due to the use of Dust. It was much cheaper, and easier, to maintain a standard mechanical elevator.
And yet, all of them claimed that Dust was completely unknown to them prior to their arrival in Vale. So it couldn't be-
A soft glow suddenly caught Gwen's attention, a pale blue ring of light appearing at the very edges of the platform they were on. The first thought to enter her mind was that the lights had taken a while to switch on. But when the light grew, rising up like a circular wall, she saw that she was mistaken.
All around them, the darkness faded as the blackened walls were replaced by a wall of deep blue crystals, all glowing with a pale blue light. The light emanating from them was weak, but with the walls covered in them the collective light was strong enough to illuminate their surroundings without being uncomfortably bright.
"Is this… Dust…?"
"Unfortunately, we don't know," came Mitsuru's prompt response, as though she had been expecting the question. Rather, she likely had expected it and was simply waiting for it. "When we awakened after the battle, this was already here. And yes, these crystals were not present before the battle. In fact, the chamber we are headed to, as well as the hallway and this elevator, were not present prior to that time. The details are unclear, but Minato somehow created all this not long after he saved us."
Interesting, but there was one detail that didn't match the story she was told. "Wasn't everyone wiped out that night? How could he have built all this by himself?"
"… I'd like to believe that you merely want answers to sate your curiosity and not for any ulterior motive." Well, it was good to know that SEES's leader didn't see her as some sort of spy at least. "Unfortunately, I cannot give you any answers. Not out of lack of trust, but because even we don't have the answers ourselves. Only endless speculations."
"That woman, Elizabeth, doesn't know either?"
"If she did, she hasn't told us," Mitsuru replied plainly.
"And yet you trust her." Too much, Gwen wanted to say but refrained from doing so.
"The trust we have in her is merely an extension of the trust we have in Minato, whose message to us included letting us know that he trusts her and that he had asked her to support us however she could."
With the redhead standing forward and to the left of her, Gwen couldn't see her expression. The tone of her voice was even, giving no indication as to her feelings on that particular matter. However, the muscled blonde could see that the trust was genuine, whether the girl in front of her realized it or not.
Perhaps, at the beginning, they merely trusted her because they were told she was trustworthy. Now, after all that time spent around her, there was no doubt that their trust grew more genuine. It was obvious in the way they did not question anything that the older woman said.
Gwen lost track of how long they'd been descending, too deep into her thoughts to actually make note of it, but eventually an open section in the crystal walls slid into view and the platform came to a smooth halt. Beyond the opening was a hallway that, much like the walls on the way down, seemed to be made of the same crystalline material. Even the ground.
Mitsuru began to traverse the hallway, and Gwen followed, wondering what answers, or questions, lay in wait at the very end.
Half an hour later, everyone was gathered at the fourth floor of the dormitory. Given that the room wasn't really made to hold so many people, most of them had to remain on their feet. Some leaned against the walls, others leaned against the furniture, and two sat on the armrests of the couch.
"Did you learn anything?" Akihiko asked once everyone had settled into place.
Sadly, much to everyone's disappointment, Mitsuru shook her head. "No. Whatever it is we were brought here to do, the chamber below holds no answers. Nothing there has changed."
"Same here," the boxer responded. After making sure that Ren and Jaune were settled in, he had gone on a quick circuit around the dorm to search for anything that was out of place. Unless whatever they were searching for was on the girls' floor, then he could safely say that everything was as they had left it. "Nothing's out of place anywhere else that I check. Even… Minato's room is the same as ever."
"So… we don't know why we're here?" The question came from Ruby, who was sitting next to Weiss on one of the couches. "That woman, Elizabeth, didn't leave anything like a message or something? Maybe a letter?"
A quick glance around the room showed that nobody saw anything that could be one.
"What about outside?" asked Blake. "I don't think anyone's gone out yet."
A grim chuckle from Junpei followed that suggestion. "Yeah… I don't think we're gonna find anything out there."
Looking around, the feline faunus saw that the rest of SEES seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Why?" she asked, genuinely curious. "I mean, if this building survived what happened back then, then there might be something in one of the others, right?"
"Blake, I think you're misunderstanding what Junpei just said," answered Yukari, her expression laden with some heavy emotion that she couldn't quite place. "It's not that we won't find what we need out there. He literally means we won't find anything out there."
Eight pairs of eyes shared confused looks, wondering just what, exactly, the two older teens meant. Leaning against the inert command console, Gwen narrowed her eyes as a suspicion formed in her head, eyes glancing towards the curtain-covered windows.
"Um…" Seeing that nobody seemed to understand, Fuuka cleared her throat to draw everyone's attention. "What Junpei-kun and Yukari-chan are trying to say is that there's nothing left outside to search through."
Still, nobody seemed to understand. All but one wore perplexed expressions on their faces. The only one who didn't was Gwen, who strode across the room to the windows under a multitude of curious gazes. Pulling open the curtain, soft orange light came through the window though not directly from the source. And beyond the glass was a sight that Gwen was wholly unprepared to see.
"What the…"
"Woah!"
"This is…"
"Haha! I'm gonna get you!"
With the exception of Nora, whose surprise only lasted as long as it had taken for Koromaru to race past her, the visitors from Vale couldn't help but gape and stare at the sight before them as they stepped out of the dormitory, SEES following close behind.
For the latter group, what lay before them beyond the walls of their dormitory was no longer a surprise. After all, it wasn't as though they could properly train inside the dorm. As such, their surroundings, which had once surprised them as much as it now did their new friends, quickly became the new norm for them.
"This… doesn't make sense. This just isn't possible."
"Indeed, it shouldn't," said Mitsuru as she stopped beside the white-haired girl. "And yet, it is what it is."
"We were just as surprised as you were when we first stepped out," added Akihiko, standing not too far behind the group of Aura-users. "We were expecting the ruins of a city, maybe even a wasteland. Not… this…"
And indeed, what surrounded the dormitory was not the ruins of a city like they had expected. Rather, it was a beautiful and pristine meadow, a sea of green as far as the eye could see that was disturbed only by a few trees scattered here and there. And, not too far away, the waters of the ocean could be seen glistening under the twilight sun, the water seemingly sparkling as the gentle waves caught the light.
The soft, orange light of the setting sun coming from behind the dormitory cast a long shadow in their immediate surroundings, but the way it lit up the field beyond the shadow was absolutely breathtaking, the sea just as beautiful behind them.
Nobody spoke for a few moments, the silence broken only by the soft rustling of the leaves as a gentle breeze blew past, and the playful sounds coming from Nora and Koromaru as they ran around.
"Did your friend have anything to do with this?" asked Gwen, thinking back to how SEES's field leader had somehow created the underground passage and chamber by himself. But, judging by the silence she received, they didn't know either.
As beautiful as it was, it was definitely strange for an entire country to have been destroyed without leaving a trace. Ancient ruins found all over the world could still be found, dating back hundreds of years. Some were even said to be over a thousand-years-old. So there was no reason why the ruins of a city destroyed only about a year ago would suddenly disappear.
For the second time within the past hour, Gwen was struck by the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Years of experience were whispering in her ears. It was not something that could be found with her senses. Rather, she instinctively knew that there was something to be discovered, or that something would happen, soon. Very soon.
"How far do these plains go?" she asked, squinting slightly in an attempt to see further, to see if there was anything else worth seeing. "Does it match the geography you remember?"
She was no longer surprised when the answer to the latter question was an affirmative. Mitsuru and Akihiko, the two oldest among the group, were likely the ones who first thought of checking to make sure they were still in the same place and not, somehow, transported to some other land.
In response to her first question, they told her that, yes, it matched what they remember of the city save for the island to the south-east that was no longer there. That evoked some looks of shock until it was explained that the island was artificial, so it was no surprise that it was no longer there.
Asides from the shore, there was also a river to the south that fed into the sea, running from west to east. The city had been built on relatively flat ground with only shallow inclines and short rises, so there were no outstanding hills that could serve as sufficient landmarks.
It wasn't enough for Gwen, but they seemed oddly insistent that their dormitory was in the exact same place as it had been a year ago so she let it go for the moment.
"So if there's nothing inside and nothing out here, why would Elizabeth send us here?" she asked, getting straight to the heart of the matter. "How far out have you explored? There must be something out here."
Everyone turned to SEES, wondering the same thing. But still, all they received was a shake of their heads. "I went out west as far as I could in half a day before turning back," said Akihiko, having been the one to choose to see what lay beyond the fields of green that surrounded them. "I went north the day after. Nothing. Just more of the same."
A thoughtful yet troubled expression appeared on Gwen's face.
With no clues, they had no way to progress with regards to the mission.
With no way off the island nation, they were unable to return.
Their Scrolls could not be used for communication as they were outside the range of any of the CCTs or their relay stations.
Presumably, since they hadn't brought it up yet, SEES had no means of communicating with their patron as well.
Their food supply would last two days, which was supposed to last longer if they were somewhere where they could purchase or even hunt for fresh food rather than the dried goods they had packed away. Unless they could fish from the nearby river, or from the shore, they'd run out of food in short order.
It wasn't the absolute worst-case scenario, but it was certainly cutting it close.
"So, what now?" asked Ren, noticing that the sky was slowly getting darker as the sun behind the dormitory continued its descent.
"For now, we get settled in and rest," answered Mitsuru. "It's only a little before noon back in Vale but, as you can see, we've already lost daylight. Unless we find something in the dorm, we'll have to begin our search in the morning."
No one argued as nobody had any better ideas. So, after reining in Nora, the group of seventeen returned indoors.
After a mostly unsatisfying dinner - or lunch given the time zone they had left earlier – of dried fruit and meat, everyone broke off to the rooms they had been assigned to.
Mitsuru asked Yukari to room with her, leaving Yang and Blake to share Yukari's room. The brunette found this amusing, but refused to share the reason why, much to the redhead's dismay.
Chidori and Pyrrha would be sharing a room while Jaune was rooming with Junpei.
Nora, after losing the very brief argument with Mitsuru, would be rooming with Gwen, taking the room the once belonged to Shinjiro. Not only was it the only vacant room asides from Minato's, but the proximity to her childhood friend was the only compromise that the leader of SEES had been willing to grant. Besides which, the older woman had promised to make sure that nothing untoward occurred, though that was not what Mitsuru was worried about.
Ren would room with Akihiko while Ken had his room all to himself. Later, however, Koromaru would find his way to the young teen's room.
With her room having been cleared out completely when they departed, Aigis's room was completely bare and, thus, not very hospitable. This left all of Team ASYR to stay in Fuuka's room. Fortunately, the dormitory rooms were spacious enough for their sleeping bags after moving the short-legged table, which Weiss and Ruby learned was called a chabudai, to the side.
"How can you sit like this?" Ruby asked, kneeling on a small pillow next to the table the way Fuuka showed her. "I think my legs are falling asleep already."
"Hm… I suppose it's just something we've gotten used to," replied Fuuka. "It's not easy at first, but it gets easier the more you do it."
An arm's length away from her, Weiss tried not to squirm so as to maintain an image of poise. "Didn't you mention earlier that you sometimes do it without a cushion?" She was trying not to show it, but she could already feel the tingling in her legs as the circulation of blood was cut off by her sitting posture.
"It depends on the setting… I think," Fuuka glanced up in thought, trying to remember if there were any particular instances where a cushion was not allowed for some reason.
"Uh… a little help?"
Aigis was quick to offer assistance, gently assisting Ruby as she rose from to her knees then to her feet, only to stumble due to the lack of strength, and most of the sensation, in her legs at that moment. Strong, steel arms caught her before she fell too far, and the young girl offered a sheepish but grateful smile up to the blonde.
Weiss, finding no reason to… torture herself further, placed her hand on the floor next to her and shifted her weight, sliding her legs out from under her to a more comfortable position while maintaining her posture and dignity. She twitched slightly as the blood rushed back to her legs but no more than that.
Neither girl had ever been happier for the invention of the chair.
"It's pretty small for a dorm though," said Ruby, looking at the few things in the room that Fuuka had left behind when SEES had left for Vale.
"Well, it was meant to be a private dorm for SEES since our schedule was different from a normal student's," explained Fuuka. "And given how rare Persona-users can be, being able to fill up the rooms as much as we have was already beyond everyone's expectations."
"What was the city like?"
Three pairs of eyes turned to the white-haired heiress at her question, and she had to fight down the light blush that threatened to deepen at the attention she garnered. "I don't remember you telling us much about the city itself so I was curious."
Seeing the eager curiosity also dancing in Ruby's silver-colored eyes, Fuuka settled down on one of the cushions and made herself comfortable before turning to the two. "Well, what do you want to know first?"
"So this is where you guys stayed back then?" Jaune asked Junpei and Akihiko.
The trio of young men were at the second floor's lounge area, dressed in their nightclothes now that they'd showered. Although night had long since fallen, it was, however, still relatively early as the time zone of Vale was roughly a quarter of the day behind going by what their Scrolls showed as compared to the clocks in the dorm. As such, none of them really felt all that tired.
Junpei and Jaune left the former's room, not wanting to be cooped up in the room while passing the time. Just as they did, Ren left Ahikiho's room to check up on Nora. Akihiko, having seen them walking by, decided to join them. Gwen, after opening the door to allow Ren entry, was unwilling to leave the two childhood friends unattended so was unable to join the trio despite vocalizing her desire to.
"Yeah, sure is," Junpei replied, forearms resting above his knees as he sat on a very familiar seat. "I mean, I live in the city too, but it was easier for me to just stay here once I got my Persona."
"It's headquarters for us as well," added Akihiko. "The room at the top floor's the command room, as you saw earlier. Mitsuru's normally manning the console at night just in case we get a call, though when we're out on a short patrol either she or Fuuka are there as coordinators."
"Mitsuru's got a lot to do, huh?" the blonde muttered idly, though still loud enough to be heard judging by Junpei's short laugh.
"You've got no idea."
Akihiko chuckled as well, though for a slightly different reason. "Mitsuru used to be worse, believe it or not. She always had this strong sense of responsibility so she always tried to do as much as she could by herself. Sure, she'd tell us when there was stuff that needed to be done but, if it was something she could take care of, she'd take care of it before we even knew what was going on."
"She didn't trust you guys to take care of it?"
The boxer shook his head, not surprised at all that Jaune had reached that conclusion somehow. "It's not that. She just always felt like she needed to shoulder more of the responsibility. Might be because she was the first one among us to awaken her Persona and was our leader. Who knows?"
Junpei had to fight to not show any signs of knowing the real reason behind Mitsuru's decision to bear that much of their burdens. It was, after all, not something they needed to share for a multitude of reasons.
"It took a while before she let us share some of it," continued Akihiko, unaware of Junpei's thoughts. "She still does a lot of the work, but it's mostly because she's really the best person to handle a lot of things. The rest of us just aren't as good at a lot of what she does, so the best we can do a lot of the time is do whatever we can so she doesn't have to do it herself."
Thinking of what he knew about the red-haired leader of SEES, Jaune could see why she handled a lot of the group's non-combat workload. If anything, however, it made her so much more amazing, being capable of handling so much despite her youth. "No wonder she's your leader," he commented with a laugh, completely missing the meaningful yet amused looks exchanged by the other two.
A few hours later, up in the command room, the same redhead whom the three young men had been discussing earlier was staring intently at her Scroll, reading over her notes once more. It wasn't the second time she was doing so, nor the third, nor the fourth. It wasn't even the tenth time. She had gone over everything so many times that she could recite it all from memory word for word without error. Even so, she returned to the top and began reading once more.
She had to be missing something. Elizabeth was a mysterious woman, in more ways than one. More than once, Mitsuru suspected that the older woman was keeping something from them. She had never outright lied, to her knowledge at any rate, but she was prone to keeping secrets.
In fact, she never hid that from them, openly telling them that there were many things she was keeping hidden for one reason or another. Sometimes it was because it was irrelevant. Other times it was because it was not something they needed to know at that moment, implying that it would change at a later time. A few times, they were outright told that it was not something they were ready to learn just yet.
As such, it made little sense for her to simply leave them here, stranded for all intents and purposes, for no reason. Her very being was screaming at her that there was some underlying reason for everything. She just didn't know what that reason was, or if she even had all the clues needed to piece things together.
She was just about to go over all her observations once more when the door clicked open followed by a soft creaking from the hinges as the door swung open. "Got a moment?"
Mitsuru nodded without any hesitation, gesturing to the array of seats around her as she slid her scroll shut and turned her attention to her visitor.
With grace belying her size that no doubt came from years of training and experience, Gwendolyn Arc gently sat on one of the cushioned stools directly opposite her. That she had chosen to do so indicated that this was not likely to be a casual conversation.
"Give it to me straight, are we stranded here?"
The question both surprised her and not. She had expected that question at some point, just not now, and certainly not the first one to be asked then and there. "I believe so," she replied honestly, seeing no reason to hide it from someone who had likely already come to the same conclusion. "However, in all our dealings with her she has never once acted without reason," she added almost immediately after, then went on to explain what little else she knew about their patron as she had been thinking of just then.
Throughout the explanation, Gwendolyn listened silently and patiently, taking in every word and considering her own before speaking. "So you think there really is something here she wants you to do? Something she's confident you'll find despite leaving no clues?"
"Yes. I understand that it may seem like blind faith from your perspective, perhaps even misplaced, but I also feel that there is something here for us."
"So instinct rather than reason then?" she asked, an eyebrow raised behind her spectacles. "Can't say I don't understand the feeling, but forgive me if I'm not entirely convinced just yet."
Mitsuru nodded. She would have been surprised if the older woman had simply taken her word for it. "Tomorrow, I'll have Fuuka scan the surroundings. If she can't find anything, we'll divide into our respective teams to search the area. I'll leave it to you to decide whether to search on your own or to join one of the teams."
The older blonde barely thought about her answer. "I'll probably go by myself. I can cover more ground that way."
"We may not need to search too far out, however." At the look from Gwen, Mitsuru elaborated on her reasoning. "Elizabeth-san is more than aware of our, that is SEES's, capabilities and limitations. If our destination was too far out she would have just left us closer to it even if it meant being unable to use the dorm for shelter."
"So whatever we're looking for should only be as far out as you can reasonably travel while still being able to return by the end of the day," Gwen thought out loud, trying to consider how much distance they could cover in half the day if they paced themselves properly.
Even if she were to place their physical constitution at above the average civilian's, it still wasn't an especially great distance. She could easily travel at least three times that distance in less time. It would limit how well they could search, but having four teams would make up for it.
At the very least, they could cover the surrounding area with ease.
The two sat in relative silence for a while, one returning to her earlier thoughts while the other continued to formulate plans for the next day.
"Hey." Looking up at the call, Mitsuru found Gwen watching her with a thoughtful expression. "Why'd you all choose to become a Huntsmen? I get there's something you all need to do, Junpei's told me that much, but I just don't see it."
"What do you mean?" asked the redhead.
"What I mean is that none of you have the right… mindset, for this sort of thing. Your classmates might not see it, but Scarlett and I do." Gwen leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees without breaking her gaze away. While her face showed no intent of confrontation, Mitsuru was certain she wouldn't stop pursuing this line of questioning until she was satisfied. "You say you were all recruited as a sort of militia because of your Personas, just an additional line of defense should the main force fail or if they need immediate assistance while in your area. But even if you weren't on the frontlines you still should have been trained to an extent, something that isn't reflected in your movements and mannerisms."
One by one, Gwen pointed out the things she had noticed earlier that day. And, much like herself earlier, Mitsuru listened patiently as their shortcomings were presented. And, once that was done, she took a moment to collect her thoughts.
"I can see why you'd think that. Indeed, we aren't trained as well as you'd expect from someone in our position." If the open admission surprised the older woman, then she had hidden it well. After another brief moment of thought, Mitsuru sighed softly. "I suppose there's no use keeping it a secret at this point."
"Oh?"
She nodded then took a deep breath as though to prepare herself to divulge some great truth. "SEES, the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, is not a militia as we've led everyone to believe. I suspect you've considered this as one of the many reasons behind our shortcomings."
"Didn't expect you to admit it so soon, but yes, I did." To Mitsuru's pleasure, there was no judgment in Gwen's tone. "So what is SEES, if it isn't something supported by your government or the like?"
"SEES is, on paper, a school club," Mitsuru began to explain. "In practice, we're a privately funded group of Persona-users. While not a militia, we are volunteers." She made sure to emphasize that part to ensure that Gwen did not think they were forced into it. "While not all the finer details were covered at the beginning, all the relevant information was provided and the dangers associated with joining were made clear before the choice to join was given. And even after joining, anyone and everyone was free to leave at any given time without repercussions. We've had at least one member leave in the past. And while there were some… circumstances behind it, one of those members rejoined us at a later date."
While not entirely false, neither was it completely truthful. Clever wordplay obscured the truth of the matter.
She couldn't possibly explain why they were unable to provide all the information they had at any given time. It was not as if she could say that they were lacking in information. Nor could she say that the Shadows had only become a problem within the past decade or so. After all, while Shadows were an existence shrouded in mystery, the Grimm were a well-documented threat that have plagued mankind for centuries, if not millennia.
And although everyone had their own reasons for joining, one of the underlying reasons was the threat presented by the Shadows. No doubt all of them, at some level, felt obligated to join because they did not want to be seen as the one who had ignored such a threat when they could have acted. Very few could have shouldered that sort of burden and gone on with their lives as though it did not affect them.
Shinjiro was the exception but only because, from a certain perspective, he bore a heavier burden of responsibility. The true threat that the Shadows presented did not become clear until later, long after he had left the group and only a comparatively short time after he died. As such, the weight that he bore after the death of Ken Amada's mother was magnitudes heavier than abandoning the fight against the Shadows.
"But why form a volunteer group at all?" asked Gwen, a flash of skepticism in her eyes. "I'd understand it if the city was in desperate need but, from the way Junpei tells it, the city was as peaceful as could be."
That was a problem that she had foreseen and had expected since the start. Now that they were on separate teams, it was expected that they each have to come up with an acceptable answer when questioned by their peers. And when they did, it wasn't unexpected that they would neglect to inform the others of what they had already shared.
Mitsuru wouldn't blame them if such a thing caused a problem if conflicting information came to light. For all their preparations, it wasn't as though they could cover every minute detail nor could they anticipate every question from the people around them. She just had to make plans to prepare for the worst.
Thankfully, in this case, she was already prepared to give an answer. She had just expected that first someone to be the Headmaster. "That's because the general populace were unaware of the severity of the situation." The minute widening of eyes was all she needed to know that it was an answer that Gwen had not anticipated. "The number of Persona-users was not as great as they were led to believe due to the high fatality rate when awakening a Persona. There are just barely enough Persona-users to both defend the larger cities and to occasionally travel to the smaller towns."
"To prevent people from panicking and drawing them towards us, the government relayed misleading news. They would report just enough to remind people that a threat does exist, but any major incidents are downplayed or covered up to prevent hysteria and panic."
"Wouldn't news still spread? Surely people who were there to witness such things would let it be known."
"Sadly, peer pressure and the like have always been a strong influence on our society," she admitted with a hint of shame. "Even in more mundane affairs, very few would go against the wants of the many, especially that of their superiors at work, for fear of being ostracized as someone who does not act for the good of the whole. If someone was pressured by the government to remain silent, I've no doubt that a vast majority, if not all of them, would do as they were told."
The frown that was on the blonde's face deepened upon hearing that but, for some reason, did not give her opinion on the matter. "And those who refuse?"
She shook her head and shrugged slightly. "I cannot say for certain. Though I'm not naive enough to not consider that they may have been dealt with in a more… permanent manner, if it was thought necessary."
"I see." Gwen seemed to take a moment to collect her thoughts before giving voice to her next concern. "And just how bad were things before the end of it all? How badly had things deteriorated?"
"… Bad enough that, despite all efforts to conceal the truth, some people who were aware had started a doomsday cult, one that preached death as a form of salvation from the pain and suffering we experience while alive."
"That's…" She paused, unable to find the words as she tried to imagine such a cult coming into existence. "…messed up," she eventually finished with a shake of her head. "And people actually went with it?"
"It didn't help that there was a strange epidemic at that time," explained Mitsuru. "Fittingly, it was called 'Apathy Syndrome'. For seemingly no reason, people would suddenly lose the will to live, just lying or sitting in place doing nothing. Some people would go to sleep one day and their loved ones would find them afflicted by this condition the next morning. So by the time the cult formed, it wasn't strange to find one or two people sitting against the wall of some random building or just lying on the sidewalk everywhere you look. If anything, Apathy Syndrome provided the masses a reason to believe in the cult's message."
The older woman shut her eyes, humming thoughtfully. "I think there was a Grimm that caused something like that called the Apathy, coincidentally enough. Every person in the vicinity would gradually grow tired and weary, losing the will to do just about anything. But it happened over a period of time, not overnight like you're saying. Though I suppose close proximity and a large enough number of them might hasten the process."
"We know it was the Grimm causing it. We had even killed several of them," said the leader of SEES. "The problem is that we could never find and eliminate all of them, nor the one leading or coordinating them all. The incidents happened all across the city with no discernible pattern, save for concentrated incidents now and again. Those were easy enough to locate and eliminate, especially with Fuuka's help, but we'd sometimes have one large incident near the outskirts at the same time as a small handful scattered in the middle of the city."
Had it been anyone else but herself or Akihiko being questioned, Mitsuru was certain they'd have slipped up already. Creating a web of lies and deceit was never easy, especially when trying to blend some truth into it. One needed to keep track of everything that was said to ensure they did not mistakenly contradict themselves at a later point.
Aigis might have managed it, with her memory being mechanical in nature, but it wasn't in her nature to lie. Conceal the truth, yes, she was certainly capable of such but only to a limited extent. Outright lying made her uncomfortable by her own admission. Mitsuru would never force her friends to perform an act they did not wish to.
Yet another burden she had chosen to shoulder on top of everything else.
A heavy sigh from the woman in front of her pulled her attention back to the present situation. "You know, this was pretty much what Ozpin was worried about."
"Oh?"
"You mentioned earlier that sending all that backup was too much," she pointed out, reminding Mitsuru of her words earlier that day after Team LGTG's introduction. "Thing is, we weren't sent just in case you were overwhelmed by the Grimm. The Headmaster asked us to accompany you in case Elizabeth pulled anything sketchy."
"I see. And he used the excuse of worrying over our capabilities to send as many people as possible should the worst come to pass."
Now that Mitsuru thought about it, it all began to make more sense. While the Headmaster was no doubt sincerely worried for them, he had seen that they would not be persuaded to remain behind by mere words. Not when Elizabeth, someone SEES trusted greatly, was the one making the request.
So instead, he made sure to create a scenario by which he could protect them from what he saw as a threat.
Mitsuru posed the possibility of all of SEES dropping out of Beacon in order to fulfill Elizabeth's request, a request that normally would not be granted due to her choice in teams. In turn, Ozpin instead allowed them to accept the request and would even allow them to return to Beacon without repercussions but only if they accepted his own conditions.
She had thought that the Headmaster was either underestimating their capabilities, or overestimating their possible opposition, leading to him assigning so many people to accompany them. Instead, he had been planning to combat the unknown threat posed by a woman who, likely upon investigation, had no background or history beyond those that connected to SEES.
And, in many cases, the unknown was often the more dangerous threat. Therefore, it was better to cover as many possible outcomes as he could by sending two teams of senior trainees and two full-fledged Huntresses.
"I wouldn't say it was entirely an excuse," added Gwen. "You have to admit, for all the power your Personas have you aren't invincible or all-powerful. Maybe you could have handled whatever this all is, maybe you're way in over your head. He's the Headmaster of Beacon, and you're all his students. In his place, I'd still be worrying even if you were all fourth-years already. I get the feeling he'd have sent us even if you'd chosen to drop out of Beacon. Would have been a stupid decision if you did though."
"I suppose I can understand that," conceded Mitsuru, ignoring Gwen's closing statement. And, indeed, it was the truth. No matter how strong the individual members of SEES had become, there was always that lingering worry in the back of her mind that wondered whether each night they left to explore Tartarus would be the night they would encounter something far beyond their capabilities.
The Reaper that wandered the halls of Tartarus was one such being in the early days of their explorations.
The powerful Shadows they occasionally encountered, those that acted as guardians as they ascended Tartarus and were notably stronger than those encountered along the way.
Then were were the Arcana Shadows, those that appeared on the night of the full moon and were magnitudes stronger than any other Shadow.
And, of course, she could never forget Death, the thirteenth Arcana Shadow, or Nyx, the mother of all Shadows.
As much as she feared dying any time they set out to fight the Shadows, greater still was the fear that one of the others would perish instead. She was their leader. It had been she who had invited many of their members. Therefore, she would have been the one to lead them to their deaths had any occurred.
It was a scenario that haunted her every night that they fought.
Even so, she couldn't deny that being underestimated chafed at her pride. They had all gone through so much, stood up to foes far beyond what could be reasonably expected of children their age, and still they stood strong. They may not have succeeded at every turn, but they came back from each failure stronger than before.
Perhaps it was wrong of her to prioritize the group's pride and independence over their safety. Perhaps she should not have rebuffed the aid that was given out of concern, even if it was outwardly forced upon them.
It was too late to take it all back now but, even if given the chance to do it all again, she would maintain the same stance each and every time.
It was neither logic nor emotion that dictated her actions, merely instinct. Instinct told her that this was a situation that only they were equipped to handle. Instinct told her that no amount of outside help would change the outcome for better or worse.
A soft chime pulled her away from her thoughts, eyes glancing down at the Scroll in her hand and the numbers displayed on the open screen. "I didn't realize it had gotten this late already."
The night had just begun in Vale, but it was already midnight where Iwatodai was formerly located. A part of Mitsuru still expected that familiar shift to occur despite nearly a year having passed already. It was not an expectation she felt would fade in the near future.
"I suppose we should get some rest," she said, sliding her Scroll shut and rising from her seat. Across from her, Gwen did the same. "I've no doubt most of us aren't tired enough to sleep, but there's little that can be done about it."
The blonde woman nodded. "Yeah, traveling across continents always messes with someone's sleep but it's something Huntsmen get used to. Out in the field we may not have a choice when it comes to when and where we can rest, so we learn to take any opportunity we can."
The pair left the command room and proceeded downstairs, parting ways at the third floor landing.
Just as she took the first step down, Gwen turned around and called out to Mitsuru. "Hey." Once she had the redhead's attention, she continued. "One more thing. What happens if we can't find whatever it is we're supposed to do?"
Much to her surprise, there was no hesitation at all in the young woman's voice when she replied. "Then we look harder, and search further."
Whether it was faith in their benefactor or in their abilities to find what they needed to find, she couldn't say. But it was clear to Gwen that Mitsuru did not, at any moment, consider the possibility of failure. To her, their success was a foregone conclusion no matter what obstacles they may encounter. If nothing else, she had to admire the redhead's confidence.
"One way or another, something tells me tomorrow will be an interesting day."
January 29, XX14
An ear-piercing sound jolted her into wakefulness, her body reacting instinctively as she shot to her feet and dropped into a defensive stance, eyes scanning her surroundings despite the blur caused by her missing spectacles. Behind her, her current roommate let out a startled yelp followed by the sound of her body falling to the floor as she leapt out of bed in a less coordinated fashion.
Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, the loud blaring noise that had woken her, one that she now recognized as an alarm of sorts, was cut off, followed by the brief sound of static, and then a familiar voice. "Everyone up to the command room, now! We've got a situation!"
Akihiko, her mind supplied as Gwen picked up her glasses from the bedside table. His voice was familiar enough that she recognized it easily. What she found strange was his tone. Besides the urgency, she could hear an underlying tone of panic seeping slightly into his words. And given what she'd seen of him, he was not one to easily panic at the unexpected. Whatever happened must have been big enough for that to happen.
As she left the room, all but dragging the still half-asleep Nora with her, her mind raced to examine the current situation.
The alarm and the abrupt wake-up call clearly meant that the situation was not something that could wait until everyone woke up on their own time. It was highly likely that immediate action would be needed once the situation was explained.
At the same time, Akihiko had called everyone to join him in the command room. To her, that meant they weren't under attack otherwise he would have said so lest they stumble upon whoever or whatever was attacking them. Even if the attack was still to come, he likely would have mentioned it already to ensure that everyone knew what to expect.
Thus, if there was a threat, then it was not an immediate one, even if the situation was clearly urgent.
As the most experienced of them all, it didn't surprise her that she was the first to reach the command room. There, she found Akihiko pacing in front of the console that he had used to alert them all, a deep frown on his face. Currently, he was dressed in a gray track suit, meaning he had likely been intending on going outside for a quick workout.
Though why he had packed such clothing in the first place eluded her considering they were on a mission, unless it was clothing that he had left behind previously.
He acknowledged her presence with a nod and nothing else. This was reassuring to her, as it meant that the situation was not immediately dire and they could afford to wait for the others.
They did not need to wait long as the others rushed into the room within the next two minutes, all dressed in their night clothes but carrying their weapons in their hands. Only Nora was unarmed, having been dragged out of the room by Gwen before she could fully awaken.
"Akihiko, what is it?" Mitsuru asked immediately, quickly taking command of the situation.
"Before I explain, I need to ask something." The silver-haired teen glanced at all of them one by one as though assessing something. "Does everyone remember what happened yesterday?" Before anyone could answer, he added, "I'm not asking for anything specific. I just need to know if anyone might be missing any memories, or if anyone's having trouble remembering anything from the day before."
Those words sent a brief jolt of panic through Gwen as she thought back, doing her best to remember the events of the previous day. From waking up, to the sudden call from Ozpin, to their departure from Vale, their unexpected meeting with Sable, the separation from Scarlett and the other two teams, the mysterious crystal hallway and room underneath the dorm, and even her conversation with Mitsuru last night.
She nearly sighed in relief when everything seemed to check out, but she didn't dare be careless just because of that.
If any memories were missing, they were either insignificant or it had been removed from her mind so cleanly, possibly even replaced, that there were no traces that anything was missing at all. And if that were the case, then nobody would know if something was wrong.
There were brief murmurs from the others as they responded that, no, they were not missing any memories as far as they could tell. Still, she could see that only Mitsuru and Aigis seemed to pick up on how important it was. Everyone was alert, yes, but only those two seemed to have at least the slightest clue as to what was happening.
Seemingly satisfied by their answers, Akihiko sighed with relief but remained tense and wary. "Something's happened. It's…" He paused, clearly struggling to find the words, but gave up with a shake of his head. "Sorry, I… I dunno how to explain this. Even I can't believe what I saw."
"Is it the Grimm?" Gwen asked.
At the same time, Mitsuru asked, "A Shadow?"
Gwen filed that away for the moment, but she knew that the distinction was important. Even if Junpei had said they were the same, something about the two were clearly different if Mitsuru had reverted to using that particular name for them.
"I… I don't know," was Akihiko's response, his expression becoming disheartened and bewildered.
Mitsuru frowned at the response they received. His behavior was… concerning, to say the least. Out of all of them, Akihiko had always been the most resolute, even if it was sometimes in a foolhardy manner. But no matter the problem, he was always the one who was ready to march forward no matter the circumstances. To see him like this, confused and unsure, even if it was just for an explanation, was not something she was used to seeing.
"I think… it'll be easier to show you all."
The boxer led the way, leading them out of the room. Everyone followed, confused and filled with trepidation, as he made his way to the door that led out to the dorm's rooftop.
He pushed the door open, allowing light from outside to stream inside, and stepped out, followed by everyone else.
Nothing prepared them for the sight that lay before them.
"What the…"
"This… this can't be real…"
It was an impossibility. Even if their reasons for thinking so was different, they would all agree that what their eyes showed them was not something that should be there.
"It's…"
Gone were the open fields of endless green.
Gone was the sparkling sea that stretched out towards the horizon.
And in its place…
"… Iwatodai…"
Finally, after so long, we're back to where it all began.
It was always my intention to bring SEES back to Iwatodai, but the 'how' was always changing.
I knew I would be bringing in their teams, I didn't see much point sending them on their own as that would stunt development. At the same time, it felt like a waste not bringing in someone else to open the way for future interactions and development.
Then came the question of who else to send. Too much authority and they'd end up fighting one another over who should take charge given the situation, especially where Elizabeth was concerned. Too little and they may as well not be there if they were just going to be an extra fighter when needed. So I needed someone (or two) who was somewhere in between.
Then, of course, I had to fit whichever character I sent, Gwen in this case, with the events I had planned. Needless to say that the planning of this arc's finer details took up a lot more time than normal even though I've had the basic structure laid down long before the story was even first published on-site.
As always, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think of it as well as what you think of where this current arc is headed.
Until next time.
P.S. Farming in FGO is a massive time sink. Yes, that does explain part of where some of my free time has gone. XD
