AN: Here we go! More Bastion! In this chapter we have the begining of the town arc! Where shit goes very wrong. I try my hand at horror and we get a CLEAR hint as to what Mika really is...
"What do you want?"
Jaune asked in a confused to tone as Adam? Stood in front of him. The recently escaped faunus prisoner now turned school teacher? Grinned his strange Grimm mask still planted over his face.
"It's time for class."
The faunus man said as Jaune grimaced.
"Class? We don't have class today."
Ruby added popping up behind Jaune as the young girl's mechanical eye whirred up at Adam, its baleful red light blinked spuriously at him.
"That was before now. For today you will have one class with me before you go on to your mission. Ludo has already agreed to this so get ready."
"What class?"
Ruby asked as Adam smiled.
"You have gym."
"I love our new gym teacher!"
Mika said happily as she sat at the cafeteria table, her once straight long silver hair now frayed and burned. Serval scorch marks plastered her usual thick furs as they were now singed and burned black as a series of bruises, smudges, and literal fire crept up around it as team ARKM ate their breakfast.
"I never want to pick up another ball a day in my life."
Kage said irritably into his usual meal of thinly sliced and fried tubers. His one short, unruly curly mop of pitch black hair now long and almost ramrod straight. Fizzled out and occasionally pulsed with electricity. As his body shook like a live wire went through it.
"Jaune... I can't feel my legs..."
Ruby complained her fake eye rapidly extending and retracting into her skull as she coughed up clouds of black smoke onto her plate of cookies as Jaune nodded. Like always it was hard for Jaune to look at Ruby. The girl had lost so much in the month since they were forced to come to this nightmare of a school. Her thin frame sat hunched over her typical breakfast of cookies and milk. Her precious baby Crescent Rose in her lap. And the all in one combination of a sniper rifle, shotgun, and Uzi affectionately called a Shoozi sat tucked to her hip.
As she ate her cookies Jaune winced as he saw her fake eye shoot out of her head, the long cylindrical object scanning her cookies for some unknown purposes as it glowed red. The eye as obtrusive as it was, was not the worst loss for the girl. Most of Ruby's body was gone. Even if you couldn't outwardly see it fully half of her internal parts had been replaced with cybernetics. She was more metal than human and it showed. Besides her fake right eye her right arm even though it was sheathed still had its sword tucked away in her bone. And even though she had not used her sword yet Jaune had a feeling it was only a matter of time until it too drew blood.
"We won't do that ever again."
Jaune gagged spitting up a tar-like dust from his mouth as he groaned. Adam the teacher that they had just rescued had been put in charge of the Bastions physical education section. In other words, he was in charge of Gym and Adam had a very unique take on physical education. Mainly he liked to do a sport called pain ball.
Basically, think dodgeball but infinitely! Worse, the game was similar, in concept pick up balls throw them at the other team but the balls were not regular rubber but charged with a rare type of dust. That when impacting on a body would cause the body to experience the absolute maximum amount of pain that it could physically cope with without losing consciousness.
An experience that made Jaune Ruby and Kage scream at the top of their lungs. As the felt the sing most drawn-out excruciating pain of their lives again and again. Before they eventually beat the team they were laying against as all three of them left the Bastion Gym which was surprisingly much like a regular Gym but just in Baston and with Adam as their teacher as three out of ARKM where exposed to the worst pain of their lives the other member had a very different experience.
As Mika simply swung on her seat positively beaming with happiness as she grinned widely the odd girl had loved the game. Mainly because A she could not feel pain in any physical form. And B! If she was exposed to pain she would convert pain to pleasure, as the girl had one of the most orgasmic experiences of her life. As she could barely keep the loopy smile off of her face.
As she had according to her gone through three set's of panties since the game started. And she had earned the win mainly because she often blocked every ball heading for their team. Her body exploding in bright baleful green energy as she screamed in orgasmic bliss. As even if she was now sitting pantyless in the cafeteria Jaune could spare her exposed waist no spare thoughts because A. He was going to follow his teammates Kage's policy on Mika mainly the whole don't stick your dick in crazy aspect. As Kage steadily ignore the fur covered girls lecherous advance as team Arkm had a typical breakfast in Bastion.
Jaune rubbed his head as he looked at his singed eyebrows as his scarred pale face looked back up at him, his sunken once rich now dull and sharp like a razor's edge cerulean eyes staring back in his silver Bastion breakfast tray. It was almost time for team ARKM to go on thier next mission. Hopefully, this one would be an easy one. According to Ludo, they had to investigate a village? Of some sorts, Ludo said that something was wrong with the town and they needed somebody to check it out. Whatever the hell that meant.
"As long as Ruby makes it out alive. That's what matters."
Jaune reason digging back into his breakfast as he sighed.
'Boss, you know when Ludo want's us?"
Kage asked finally gaining enough control of his motor skills to form questions and not statements and curses as he fought to control his shaking brown limbs. His long muscular milk chocolate colored arms were still shaking with raw energy as he gritted his teeth.
"No idea, but I know he want's us soon. We can go after breakfast."
Jaune said having no incentive to go see that damn monster sooner than he had to as he went back into his meal, digging back inot a pile of buttered toast as Kage nodded. His usually dull brown eye now flickering with pain as she ate another tubber slice.
"Fine so I don't have time for a shower?"
Kage asked hopefully no doubt wanting to get rid of the excess sweat and dust.
"Not today, we can take a shower at the mission. We are going to a town that is supposedly friendly to us, so I'm assuming they will have a shower."
"I hope so. I need something to wash off this dust."
"Oh don't complain Kage! I loved Gym! Let's go again! Jaune! Can we go again? Please!"
"NO!"
Kage and Ruby both shouted at once as Mika back up a slight frown on her face,
"But it was fun!"
"No. No, it was not." Jaune said firmly as Mika grimaced.
"Well, I had fun!"
"That definitely means we won't go back."
Kage grumbeled as Mika gave an affrotned gasp.
"How dare you! Jaune! Kage is being mean to me!"
"Kage don't be mean."
Jaune said too tired to argue with Mika as Kage glared at him.
"Don't blame me. I'm not the one who enjoyed having her body rocked by those damned balls of Adams."
"So you don't like getting hit by some guy's balls? Well, that's a bet I lost."
"Shut up Zach."
Jaune said almost on instinct as the thin pale boy plopped down next to him. His thick black hair smoothed out as he smirked.
"Ey what' s the matter, my virgin friend? You mad Mika took all the balls to the face for you?"
Zach asked digging into his plate of Bacon and sausage as Jaune sighed.
"Why must you keep bringing up the fact that I'm a virgin?"
Jaune asked as he looked at his friend? If you could call Zach a friend and Jaune begrudgingly did. Zach was an ass probably the biggest as Jaune knew but he was a friend, he saved Ruby's life in the badlands, and he owed him for that.
"I-
"Please ignore my dick of a partner. He is mad that his latest attempt at flirting left him flat on his face with a knife in his liver.'
Hino said calmly sitting down next to her partner who was glaring daggers at her as she greeted Kage and Mika who nodded before-
"Hino! The light passes you!"
Ruby said animatedly bowing to her tall bronze skinned friend. As Hino smiled warmly her rich creamy brown eyes the same color of her skin shining as she nodded to Ruby.
"And also with you."
"It lite my way on the last mission."
"And it will illuminate your path from this day on."
"So say's the prophet."
Hino, Ruby, and Kage all said at once as Jaune glared. He did not know what to think of Ruby's sudden take to religion. He did not know much about the light despite being its prophet. Or the faunus thought he was thier prophet and Jaune knew the first rule of dealing with religious fanatics. When someone asks if you are a god, you say yes. Every. Single. Time.
Even if they did not seem unfriendly, Jaune did not know how long thier hero worship of him would last. And what a god was supposed to do...
"Boss. We should get going. Ludo doesn't like to be kept waiting."
"Got it. ARKM let's go."
Jaune said sighing heavily scarfing down what was left of his toast as their team bid goodbye to Zach who was bickering Hino about calling him out. As she blamed him for calling her a broad as they left the two partners, Jaunes hand went to the piece of paper in his pocket as she gulped.
"Kage. Mika, Ruby. Go up to Ludo before me. I have to ask someone a question."
Jaune said backing off from his team as they pause as Kage raise a suspicious eyebrow as Ruby's prosthetic eye popped out of her skull. As it whirred up to him.
"Who?"
Ruby asked looking forward as Jaune looked away from her fake eye that seemed to look into his mind.
"I have to talk with another leader..."
"Krix?"
"Yeah! Krix I'll be with you guys soon so don't wait up ok?"
Jaune aksed as his team nodded as they left him alone as Jaune grimaced. He needed to find his chaperone and ask her some questions...
"Well now, this is new."
A familiar cocky voice said as Jaune felt his hackles flare as he glared up.
"Uzepi."
Jaune said in a stony voice as he looked up to his chaperone who he had managed to call for a private meeting in a seldom used Bastion hallway as Uzepi nodded to him.
"Tell me what does my favorite leader, and the sole blonde in my life want from me? Surely, not just ther to appreciate the view? Though I wont fault you if you are. It is a nice one."
Uzepi said smugly showing off her curvy form that even trapped in her light grey-brown flak armor was still tractive with an almost hourglass waist and a large chest as Jaune shook her off.
"No. I need your help."
"My help? What could I help you with?"
"I need answers."
"Answers? What makes you think I have them?"
Uzepi asked a thin smile on her face as her pale skin seemed to glow in the fain torchlit hallway as Jaune reached into his pocket.
"I need to know everything I can about three words."
"Oh? And what would those three words be?"
Uzepi asked as Jaune held out the piece of paper Hino had given him as Uzpi's smirk faded.
"Blacklight. Mercer. Childs. Interesting. Where did you hear about these words my inquisitive little friend?"
"Doesn't matter. I just you to tell me everything you know about them."
"And why would I do that?"
"Becuase you are my chaperone and these answers are key to my team's success. And that means they are key to your success."
Jaune said glaring up to Uzepi as she nodded once to him.
"Interesting... You are looking into things that you should not be looking at my little friend."
Uzepi said scratching her chin as Jaune nodded.
"What do you know about them? I've looked up all I could on my scroll. Even with my own leadership credentials, I can't find much. I need your clearance."
"What makes you think I have it?"
Uzepi asked flashing Jaune a knowing wink as he held his ground to the woman who had over a clear foot on his six-one frame.
"Becuase I first read about something like it on your scroll on the way to the city. That's why."
"Why do you want to know anything?"
"I... it's for my team. Will, you help me or not?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"That quick?"
"Hey what can I say? I like you blondie; you got a nice cut to your gib!"
"People keep telling me that. What does that even mean?"
"You'll figure it out, here let me see your scroll."
The woman said taking his scroll and typing something into as she grinned.
"Activate Bastion clearance. Name Uzepi. Class Instructor Chaperone. Give clearance."
Uzepi said as she handed Jaune back his scroll.
"There you go blondie look up those words to your heart's content! But don't be shocked if you don't get a good night sleep after you peek behind the vale."
"What the hell am I going to see?"
"Something that should be kept buried and burned.'
Uzepi said before waving good by leaving Jaune alone as he sighed. Looking at his search bar as he typed in the first word.
Blacklight.
Jaune typed as the scrolls show a whirring search icon as-
Blacklight. Codename. Description.
A biological weapon developed an unknown time ago. Description.
A highly infectious virus that spreads rapidly and if left unchecked will have disastrous results. The virus enters and repurposes and changes cells of host organisms. Mutating and evolving them into entirely new cells. The newly infected cells will then replicates with formerly dormant non-encoding regions active, causing drastic biological changes.
After infection, the virus "plugs in" and activates the 'junk' DNA in its victim, resulting in several biological changes that create (and recreate) sentience within the infected creature's cellular makeup. It acts by affecting the protein-encoding regions of the promoter introns in each cell. As a retrovirus, it contains both RNA and the reverse transcriptase enzyme, allowing it to insert its own genetic codes into the host's cells. It enters, re-purposes and changes the cell, replicating previously dormant non-coding segments of the organism's DNA.
More often than not, these changes are too drastic, and 99.99% of all infected organisms die from massive organ failure and cell saturation. However, few variants have yielded other beneficial results, endowing the infected organisms with incredible superhuman genetic prowess that significantly increase their natural abilities to levels far exceeding human capability; these variants include DX-1120 and DX-1118 C.
Warning. This virus is HIGHLY contagious. And can spread through physical contact. Air born exposure. Bodily fluids, corruption, and direct injection.
Note the virus cannot travel through large bodies of water and if exposed on an island like environment containment is simpler. Note.
Black Light is infamous for changing the environment it infects, creating large growths of biomass to alter the world around it. Also, the virus is EXTREMELY susceptible to fire and fire is the preferred way to deal with infected individuals.
Note. Infected. If infected with the virus humans will change dramatically, suffer severe physical mutations and boemc incredibly hotel of all nonother infected. They will seek to spread the virus those methods listed above as the virus uses its gains sentience that appears to grow with the number of infected.
"The hell? A sentient Virus?"
Jaune thought as he looked into a sentient virus before typing the next name.
Mercer.
Unkown. An individual who was said to come into contact with Blacklight and merge with it. Making him if stories are out believed the only human to form symbiotic relationships with the virus. Note. If files on Mercer are to believed it is possible for a human to for a successful symbiotic relationship with the virus. No matter how unlikely this may be. Such individuals may or may not act like a virus and for all intents and purposes appear as a normal human.
"Well, that was short."
Jaune said as he flicked to the other screen.
Mc. Creedy.
Bastion team leader. Current fourth year in charge of the Blackwatch division of the Piercing Lancers Bastion faction.
"That's the faction I want."
Jaune said as he read on.
Mc. Creedy is the only survivor of his team after the incident-
NAME REDACTED when the NAME REDACTED occurred.
The incident was heralded by a meteor falling and the spread of-
NAME REDACTED. When NAME REDACTED first comes into contact with living organism it attempts to assimilate and subsume them rapidly. It is highly aggressive and nigh invulnerable to conventional means but has a marked weakness to fire.
Simmilatres between NAME REDACTED and Blacklight espically when how they both aggressively seek to assimilate and subsume living cells of their hosts. And how both of them are vulnerable to extreme heat.
Although it should be noted that NAME REDACTED has several fundamental differences between it and Blacklight.
For one NAME REDACTED cannot become truly sentient. It can only mimic the sentience of the hosts it infects. No records of NAME REDACTED having a genuine intelligence of its own have been reported.
It is very vulnerable to fire, but also might be susceptible to acid, plasma weaponry, and potential electric charges. But that is untested and is only a hypothesis. It should be known that NAME REDACTED does not seek to change the actual environment as Blacklight does. And besides the rapid assimilation of organic matter, the two are very different. Important note. Mc. Creedy destroyed all know instances of NAME REDACTED in the NAME REDACTED incident. He is currently enlisted with the Piercing lancers and is on track to graduate Bastion later on this year.
"How does any of this help me!? Everyone calls her a virus, a plague a pox! Kage and Zach say she's immortal and Zach arms me to be wary of her? Is she a virus?"
Jaune thought before shaking his head.
For one Mika was clearly sentient. She had her own goals ambitions and even affection, plus she never seemed to want to assimilate anyone. I mean she liked to cook people alive in the ring. And she would on occasion turn the random Bastion faunus into her outfit. So sure was a bit odd, but she seemed reasonable enough for Bastion.
And two her weapon was a flamethrower! A virus that was scared of fire would never use that as a weapon! That would be like walking around with a bomb strapped to her chest! It made no sense! She would never do it!
"Unless it's a cover-up."
A voice in Jaune head said as he gritted his teeth.
"It would be a good cover but no."
Jaune thoguht smiling as he saw a note on Blacklight. Apparently, ALL cases of Black and Name redacted where purged sometime ago, and none were left alive.
"So she's not a virus, she's human. Just like me Ruby and Kage."
Jaune thought smiling as he left the hallway and went to see Ludo.
"Ahh! Mister Arc so good to see you! Come in! Come in!"
Ludo said as Jaune walked into the Baston's headmasters office to see his team waiting for him in the dim office light of the off fireplace as the headmaster as Ludo nodded.
"Sir, sorry I'm late I had to-"
"A meeting with Miss Krix? Say no more! Say no more! I was a young man once! I know the importance of camaraderie with our friends! Now onto your mission!"
The man said as Jaune walked next to Kage still dressed in his thin black impromptu armor as Felica was currently busy designing a brand new set of plate mail for the boy. The tech-priest would soon get the armor back to him as well as for the others if she was to believed. And Jaune believed.
"For this mission, your goal is quite simple. You will be going to a rather secluded town of Still Water. It is town far off into the wilds approximately one hundred miles from the nearest settlement."
"Why are we going?"
Jaune asked as Ludo grinned.
"Simple! The town is in a peaceful relationship with us. They help Bastion and Bastion help them." "How do they help us?"
Jaune asked as Ludo raise a thin eyebrow at him as his cold grey eyes glistened in the firelight as he flashed Jaune an ethereal smile.
"The town acts as a weapons testing range. We employ and discharge a number of strange exotic weapons around it. They let us utilize thier environment, and we provide security for the town."
"So they act as a testing zone? Did a weapon get out of hand?"
Jaune asked a wave of fear and the thought of something the Mechanicus mad going haywire or another levitation from the city appearing.
"Oh, nothing of the sort! The weapon we designed is perfectly fine!"
"What weapon are we testing?"
"A weather control device. It keeps the temperature ten miles outside of the town at a nice negative one fifty."
Miss Heil said a frim disinterested look in her blood red eyes as she glared at her scroll as Jaune nodded.
"So the town's frozen?"
"Not at all Mister Arc. The town is at a comfortable seventy-eight degrees. It's at a perfect temperature for human settlements. That's the point. The weapon is designed to manipulate temperatures to varying extremes in close proximity to one another."
"Ok... So why are we going? If the weapon is in perfect order why do we need to go? Is there another type of weapon that's got out of control?"
Jaune asked not seeing why they would go to a town where nothing was wrong.
"Well, you see Mister Arc that's the problem. The town has gone dark as of late."
"Gone dark?"
"Yes. The town has gone dark. For the past two weeks, we have received no communications from the settlement, and we are starting to get worried. We need you to go and check it out. See what's wrong if you will."
"Seems simple enough, what is the environment around the town?"
"Ideal Mister Arc. Outside of the town for a solid ten-mile area ther is nothing lush plant life in a forest fully cleared of Grimm."
Miss Heil said looking into her scroll as Jaune smiled at the good news. "So there is no Grimm?"
"None. No Grimm exist in the area and the forest is filled with lush life and noncarnivorous placid animals. There is nothing to fear."
Miss Heil said with an odd smile as Jaune sighed.
"So why are you sending us then?"
"Simple. We do not know what coudl make the town go dark, they have a contingent of Mechanicus, so medicinal failure is unlikely, and if something has happened we need you to go because-"
"We are the best, but we are also expendable."
Jaune said as Ludo smiled.
"I see someone is paying attention."
"Expendable? I thought we are the best?"
Ruby asked a worried tone in her voice as her eye shot out of her head and zoomed in on Ludo inquisitively.
"We are the best first years. This is as school just like Beacon. There are not just first but there up to fourth years here as well. We are the best of the rookies. I'm assuming even the wors of the second years would scrape the floor with us right?"
"They would be wiping you off the ceiling for months."
Miss Heil said without a hint of irony as Jaune nodded.
"We are the most valued of the throwaways. We have potential but! If we do well, we eventually won't finish Bastion as we are going back to Beacon. As such we are not a long-term investment for Ludo. We might be elites, but we are throw away elites at that."
"Good boy! You understand."
The man said as he grinned.
"Yes, you are all! The best an of the best of my first years but! Since half of you will not be returning to Beacon, you are not how I say... A long-term plan. I will use as I see fit and if you die?"
"No big loss to Bastion right?"
Jaune asked shrugging his shoulder his bronze chest plate raising as his slick black carapace armor lifted up with his arms as Ludo grinned.
"Precisely!"
"Fine. When do we leave?"
"Oh! Not all of you are going! Only half of ARKM is assigned to this mission."
"Sir?"
"Jaune you will take Kage and two! Other students nor form your team of your choosing to accompanies you."
"But sir!"
"Now miss Rose don't' be sad! I have a personal assignment for you and miss Smith. You two will have your own goals while the boys are out."
"Sir. We are a team. We work best as a team."
"I know that is also why you are being split up. You are an expendable team, but I will not waste your talents. If something goes wrong, I won't have the whole team die."
"If we are all together, we can work together, and things might not go wrong in the first place."
"Maybe. But I need Miss Rose, and Smith for this. Now pick you two supports and get ready! I need this resolved and won't feel too bad! You will be back in two days time, so rest assured. You will see each other soon enough. If you live assuming."
The man said leering at Jaune with a glare that chilled his soul.
"Sir... is ther anything you can tell us about the town before we leave? Anything strange or odd that coudl cause a blackout?"
"Well... At first no but now that I think about it. Approximately two weeks before the town went dark the Mechanicus reported a meteor striking in the safe zone of the town. But besides, that nothing?"
"A meteor sir?"
Jaune asked as a cold hand gripped his spine.
"Yes but don't worry. It was a minor thing, and damage was minimal. The wasn't even a forest fire, so there is nothing to worry about..."
"I hate all of you."
"Hello, sirs! I must say that I am quite pleased to be reunited with you all! And I hope for a quick and expedient mission!"
Six said the initiation student grinning as the brown-skinned dark haired boy stepped up to Jaune. His usual Vox pack on his back and his own thick black collar strapped to his neck just like Jaune and all the other Bastion students, along with his stubby now gauss pistol on his side as he and Zach stepped on the bullhead as thier backup arrived.
As soon as Jaune sat down the sounds of two dozen boots filled the air as twenty-four initiation students with silver swords on their chest walked inside as Jaune sighed.
"Kage when you told me you would get us an audience with the Lancers I didn't think this is what you meant."
Jaune said as thier charges boarded the ship as Kage shrugged. Scratching at his black collar that was like Jaunes, Ruby, and Mika latched firmly to his neck with a large P stamped on it the designated them as punishment students as the boy sighed.
"We need them to like us, so this is how we do it. We bring back theses rookies, and we are in."
Kage said as Jaune nodded. The Piercing lancers had given Jaune a chance. As a show of good will, and as a reward for actions done with the Death Kops twenty-four of the rookie lancers had been assigned to Jaune under his command.
He was to escort them into and out of the mission. The lancers cared for thier own and if Jaune brought them back alive? He had an inn with the Lancers, and that was good. Aa the final innate walked in the bullhead door closed behind them with a loud pneumonic hiss! As the craft shuddered thrusters firing as they took off. As the ship rose Jaune let a sigh leave his lips as he checks his power sword. He just needed to keep it together for two days. Then they have a whole faction at their back. Jaune just needed to survive.
"Whoa! Sir can you see that!?"
"I see it Six. I see it."
Jaune said looking down past the bullheads extended ramp as he saw it. The massive blizzard that surrounded still water ragged aroudn the town. It was a large silver circle with a roaring gust of wind. As Jaune looked down to the whirling cyclone that reminded him of a massive sugar donut just more deadly.
As the craft rocked.
"We are going in! Hold on tight!"
The pilot yelled in his scroll as Jaune nodded.
"OK!"
He yelled back as the ship lurched nose diving forward as Jaune held onto a strap for balance as the entered the town's airspace.
"Repeat! This Eagle one! To Steel water Tower! Tower do you read?"
The pilot yelled as Jaune walked to the front of the ship as the eager faces of the mainly female initiation students regarded him. Out of the two dozen initiates, only a quarter was male.
The others all female as the ship rocked as a wave of turbulence sent it shuddering. As the ship rocked Jaune took the time to look over his weapons. As he reached down to his side he drew his first weapon. The glowing blue hue of his plasma gun gave a low hum. As the massive blocky energy pistol with several coils going into hummed in his lap.
"Good. It still has charge packs. I can use it for a day or two."
Jaune thought to check the gun's settings before putting it back on his side. As the ship lurched again Jaune sighed as he drew his sword. As he looked at the thin energy sword a frown crossed his face.
"How long has it been since I lost Crocea Mors?"
Jaune thought as the memory of losing his ancestral sword and shield to the leviathan in the ruins filled his mind. As the sword that read property of Jormund Creed on its base was put back. Jaune double checking that its power pack was working correctly. As he yawned he didn't need to check his power fist. That weapon always hummed with a low drone. As it filled the air with the faint acrid smell of ozone as the pilot yelled into his radio as Jaune frowned.
"Anyone responding?"
Jaune asked the pilot as he shook his head.
"No, sir. The tower is dead. I'm taking us down to the landing pad as per Ludo's instructions."
The man said as the bullhead dipped down as Jaune nodded.
"Good. Take us in slow. And keep broadcasting our approach. I don't want us getting shot down because they don't know who the hell we are ok?"
"As you say, sir." The man said as the Bullhead tilted as Jaune went back to his friends.
"How's it looking?"
Kage asked in his typical monotone voice devoid of all emotion as Zach looked out his window.
"Good news the town hasn't gone to heel in a handbasket. Yet. No fires, do piles of corpses no obvious signs of damage. That's good. Don't know how long that's gonna last."
The boy said as Jaune looked out a port window to verify the claim of nothing out of order.
Zach was right. The town was in regular order. No fires, bot shooting, there was nothing off about the city as even people walked around as the ship rode past a massive silver building that Jaune knew was the Mechanic headquarters as the sizeable black skull looked back at him as-
"Bastion one! This is Tower! Come in!"
"Tower! This is Eagle one! We are landing on platform A! Confirm?"
"Landing confirmed! Welcome to Still water boys."
The voice said as Jaune nodded.
"OK! Everyone up! We are investigating a disturbance in town and I want this done right! Half of you will go with Kage and me! We will investigate the base itself and see if we can find out why this town went dark. The others are with Zach and Six! We are your commanding officers, and you will remember that! Do you get me?!"
"Sir yes, sir!"
The student's yelled as Jaune nodded to them, drawing his plasma pistol.
"Com on Jaune. Just get through this. You need to get back to Bastion. Ruby needs you. She needs to live. But she needs us to live. Her life matter. Mine doesn't. We have to make it out ok"
Jaune thought as the ship laned and the students spilled out.
As soon as Jaune stepped out into the bright sun of Still Water, a woman awaited them. She was a tall young woman. Maybe in her early twenties dressed in low green combat fatigues with long green hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.
"Hello! My name is Ester! I'm so glad you could come!"
The woman said coming up as Kage eye her warily as his hands fell to his bolt pistols.
"Kage?"
Jaune asked as his best Bastion friend glowered at the woman as his eyes narrowed at her.
"I don't like her boss. Somethings wrong with her." Kage said as Jaune's dull blue eyes narrowed into slits.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't know... yes. I don't trust her."
"I see."
"Zach?"
Jaune asked turning to his other best friend. And while a bit of an ass his tactical advice and gut instinct had never steered Jaune wrong before.
"I don't trust any woman. But Kage's right. She's sketchy as all hell. I don't like her walk."
"Welcome! Welcome brave sirs!"
The woman said happily waving her arms as Kage frowned.
"Brave sirs?"
Kage asked as Jauen frowned.
"Hello, Esther. My name is Jaune Arc. I'm leading the Bastion inquiry into your town."
Jaune said neutrally in a diplomatic tone as the initiation students now armed with Arcadian gauss weaponry filled out behind him. Forming a defensive firing line in amateur of seconds as Esther smiled openly at them.
"Thank you! We have been waiting for your team for some time now! How long will you be staying?"
Esther asked as Jaune saw her eyeing the Bullhead like Ruby eyed cookies, or Kage eyed meat.
"We will be here for two days time while we investigate."
"Good! Good! You can all stay at our lodge! Even your pilot! In fact, he can come out right now! I'll take him out of the Bullhead for you-"
"No. No, you will not."
Jaune said in a steely tone stepping in front of the woman who looked to be really about to attempt to take the pilot out of the bullhead as Jaune blocked her path as Kage's eyes narrowed as Zach unholstered his energy pistols.
"Is... is there a problem good sirs?"
Esther asked pausing looking honestly surprised that Jaune told her she could not take thier pilot off thier ship. "Ummm... Good sirs? What is the issue?"
"The issue lady is that you can't take our pilot off our damn ship!"
Zach yelled as Esther blinked owlishly.
"Good sir?"
"Quit it with the good sir you dumb broad! You can't take our pilot!"
"Zach-"
"I'm so sorry! You are right! I am a dumb broad! Please forgive my dumb broadness!"
Esther said bowing as Zach froze. His black eyes blinking owlishly as his mouth gaping.
"What did you say?"
"I said I agree! I am a dumb broad! I do aplogoize!"
The woman said as the four student's looked at each other worry in their eyes as Zach looked at her worriedly.
"I... you agree with me?!"
"Yes! You are a good sir, and I am as you say a dumb broad!"
"That's fucking weird,"
Zach said as Esther? Suddenly broke into her sweat her eyes rapidly moving in her skull as she began to hyperventilate.
"Wierd!? Wierd!? NO! Good sirs! Please! I implore you! Nothing is weird! I am a dumb broad! As you say-"
"Enough. The pilot stays on board. He will be back in two days. Esther take us to the Mechanics building."
Jaune said cutting of Zach before he bothered the strange woman even more as Jaune felt the hair's rise on his arms.
"Sir yes, sir!"
Esther said winking flirtatiously at Jaune as she turned around.
"I don't like this boss."
Kage said as the definitely sketchy woman walk away as the boy fought to not blow her head off as soon as she took her eyes off of him.
"Neither do I."
Jaune said as the bullhead took off and a sinking feeling formed in his gut. As Jaune had a distinct feeling that this mission was going to be terrible.
"My name is Jaune Arc! Bastion Death Korps! We are sent here on behalf on Ludo Von Richthofen to investigate the communications blackout! Open up!"
Jaune yelled at the massive silver building as-
"Nothing? Is anyone in there?"
Kage asked as the silver skull tinted door stayed still as Jaune frowned. They had been here for almost half an hour and ther was still no word from the tech priest. And this rare Jaune was going to say to hell with it activate his power fist and simply break the door down.
"Open up! We are here to investigate the communications blackout!" Jaune said as no one replied to his call as even his verified Bastion signal was getting nothing but static.
"How long has this been like this?"
Jaune asked Esther as she frowned.
"For two weeks I'm afraid. Ever since two weeks ago the Meachicus went inside and shut themselves in. They have not made any type of contact with us since then. They have barely made a peep!" Esther said as Jaune sighed.
"Mechanicus! This is Jaune Arc of the Death Korps! Open up!"
"Boss. No one's answering."
Kage said as he sighed heavily leaning on the side of the building taking out his bolt pistols as Jaune sighed.
"I can see that Kage. Dammit, I hope Zach and Six are doing better than us."
"Sir I'm back from my report!"
A sharp voice said as Zach sighed heavily.
"You don't say."
Zach said in a tired voice as he looked out at the wall. A massive cyclone of frost stood in front of him. Cascading down in bright plumes of silver and blue as Zach stood in awe as a literal wall of sleet cut off the perimeter to the town. He had his rookie search the forest for anything suspicious as he yeh the wall.
"So Six you see anything suspicious?"
Zach asked turning around to see his subordinate checking his Vox caster. As he tuned in to a frequency as Six frowned.
"Sir no, sir!"
The boy said as Zach sighed rubbing his head as he crushed the fallen pieces of wood on the forest floor as he sighed heavily.
"Goddammit."
"Sir?"
"Use your eyes dammit!"
Zach said as Six frowned.
"Sir? I don't understand, use my eyes?"
"Yes, kid! Use your eyes! What do you see?"
Zach asked pointing around him to the seaof large brown trees. All richly colored and covered in moss as Six frowned.
"I see trees, sir."
"What else?"
"I see woodchips, dirt, and streams down the way."
"What. Else?"
" I saw some plants, why?"
Six said clearly missing the point as Zach sighed.
"Kid. Did you even read the mission dossier?"
"Yes, why?"
"And what did it say about the forest?"
"That it was lush, full of nonaggressive herbivores."
Six repeated as Zach nodded.
"And what have you seen so far kid?"
"I've seen trees, plants and-"
"And what?"
Zach asked as the kid finally got it.
"Sir! There are no animals!"
Six gasped! As Zach nodded.
"Bingo! Got it in one! This first is supposed to be lush forest absolutely filled to the brim with animals but where are they?"
Zach asked waving his arms to the errily silent forest as Six frowned heavily.
"There is no hunting animals sir."
"Exactly. And assuming the town didn't massacre them all in two weeks which I doubt something fishy about this town. And I don't like it."
"Sir what do we do? Do we look for the animals?"
"What? No. Kid the animals are the last of our problems look."
Zach said as he ground up the dirt under his foot using his large black combat boot to stir up the empty mud.
"You see that kid?"
"Sir... what am I supposed to be seeing here?"
"It's not what you are supposed to see. It's what you are not seeing. Look, there are no bugs. Not here not anywhere! This is an Oum damned forest! For Monty's sake! Where are the animals? Where are the bugs?!"
"I don't know sir... it's like they vanished."
"I know and that doesn't sit right. This is just a three-legged hound dog kid. And you know what I say about three-legged hound dogs. That dog don't fetch."
"What do you think?"
"About you hairstyle or this town. Cause let me warn you both are bad."
"Thank you, Zach, about the town."
Jaune said as the two of them walked into the stilted town that just made Jaune's back shiver.
"Fishy. For one there is almost no one in town."
"I saw I've only seen fifty people since I started to walk and I swear I'm seeing some twice."
"There is also no wildlife in the forest."
"None? It's supposed to be lush."
"It's not. It's barren. No deer, no birds, bo moose. Not even bugs."
"No bugs?"
"None. I looked, for over two hours and I got nothing. Besides plants that forest is dead."
"That's... that's not good."
"You think? Any luck with the techs?"
"No. They are still locked up tight. I've been trying to get a signal in but they won't even answer."
"Damn techs. Figures. Look."
Zach said pointing to a woman washing a window with a large towel. The woman was busy scrubbing the window of a shop with a large bucket beneath her as Zach scowled at her.
"What about her?"
"For one she was washing that window when I went to the forest with Six and the rookies."
"And?"
"Two she's still washing too. And three Look at her bucket. It's empty."
"So?"
"Jaune. It was empty when I left. She's not using any water to wash that window. She's just rubbing it. It's like she doesn't know what to do. Like she's just going through the motions. Like she just mimicing."
"The fuck?"
Jaune asked as he squinted his eyes and she was washing with not water...
"Right. She's faking it. The whole town is off."
He said as Jaune, and he walked the streets as women walked to and fro carrying boxes, wearing suits.
"I mean look at them! Where are all the dumb broads going? This is a Bastion town Jaune. These people look like they are going to fucking office Jobs in Vale. There are no office jobs here. Hell! People here don't even work! Bastion brings them food, water, and medicine. Hell! The damn tech priest even use thier tower to give them entertainment! Besides existing this town has nothing to do. So where the hell is everyone going?"
"I... I don't know."
"Also. Look closely around us what do you see that's off?"
"Where are the men?"
"No idea... Since we got here there has only been, women. No men."
"That's not usual."
"You think? Worst of all they agree with me! I asked one for thirty lien to buy a soda."
"Are you just a dick?"
"She gave me one hundred. She gave me one hundred Lien Jaune. For a soda! And had another woman break open the machine for me. I kept the Lien."
"That's...
"Odd as fuck. I know. And they keep listening! I told five different ones that they were dumb broads and they all agreed with me! This place is creepy as fuck. Let's find Kage and-
DING!
Jaune's scroll rang as Kage texted him.
Get to the Mechanicus base. NOW! Don't let Anyone from the own follow you. Don't let anyone so much as TOUCH you. We have all the students with us. If you see ANY other student on the way here KILL them on site, get here soon Jaune. This is bad.
"You read that?"
Jaune asked drawing his plasma pistol. Thumbing the activation rune making the coils hum! With power as his power fist flexed as Jaune took out his sword with his other hand.
"Sure did. let's get killing." Zach said as he drew his green energy pistols Slight and Fell as the two boys began to sprint.
When Jaune and Zach got to the Mechanicus building, it was still barren. No one was outside as they ran up to it.
"Looks dead."
Zach said the irritation clear in his voice. Dusk had set and none of them had any intention of staying outside or going to the lodge.
"Let's find out. This is Jaune Arc-"
The door opened right away as a loud hiss of air filled the air as-
"Get in! NOW! Before they come!"
A feminine voice yelled as Jaune and Zach ran inside the building where Kage, Six and all the students awaited them as the door closed with another sharp hiss of air sealing them all inside a large silver entrance room. With steel walls and floors with one locked door at the end of the room as Kage nodded to him.
As soon as the door closed-
"Kage, what's going on?"
Jaune askes stalking up to the man as Kage sighed.
"Boss the doors opened, and some tech priest invited us in. Her name's Alica, but she was waiting for you to introduce yourself. She-
"I'm right here."
A woman said as another door opened in the back of the room as a tall, light-skinned woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes walked out. She carried the cog wheel on a staff as Jane nodded.
"Jaune-
"Drink this! You must be famished!"
Alica? Said forcing a canteen of water to a initiates mouth making her gag on the water.
"Who are you-
"No time. I need you to order your student's to spread out. This town is contaminated!"
"With what?"
Jaune asked determined to get answers as Alica sighed.
"Have you ever heard of something called Blacklight?"
"Why me?" Zach said as he sighed. He was ordered. Quote unquote by Jaune to take two initiates women of all thing with him to check for a perimeter breach. So far none which was good if not expected. This was a mech facility after all and the tech boys knew ther job. Now he just needed to find the broads that had left him, and he could go back to whatever hell hole this was inevitably going to be.
"Come on! Where are-"
"What did you ask me here for?"
A feminine voice from in front of Zach said as he crouched low suddenly feeling a need to be stealthily creeping up to an open door where the two girls he was supposed to be leading stood alone in the room.
"Finally! He-
"This."
One girl said as she ripped opened her shit? Making Zach pause as his lesbian! Sense began to ring as the girl started to heave?
Her chest pulsed and throbbed writhing as something rolled inside of it?!
"The fuck?"
Zach thought as the girl's chest burst!?
Her skin popped open as several large tentacles?! Shot out of her impaling the other girl in her face mouth and gun making her scream outside as she was dragged inside of the initial girl's gapping squirming chest in a grisly display as Zach swore she was being digested as-
"Who's there!?"
The girl said turning from her grisly task as she stalked to the hallway her prey feebly attempting to escape as she looked at the empty corridor.
"Just the wind?" It asked a frow split it faces as it grimaced.
"Ok. As you know the town is infected."
Alica said as Jaune grimaced.
"Blacklight?"
"Well-"
Jaune was interrupted as a panting shaken Zach broke into the room.
"Guys! We got a problem."
AN: There we go! We got an infection boys! Shit's about to go down. The town Arc has begun and the next chapter is a claustrophobic mess! About suspicion betrayal and all another manner of terrible things! Also! Mika's revel is getting closer and the first pillar draws to a close! I hope you enjoy and Game on is next! Until then? Thanks for reading!
Omake. Here of Remnant part Ninteen. Reunion.
"Commissar!"
"Ren?"
Jaune asked as he and Sieena finished butchering the Gene stealer Grimm that had just perused them halfway through the damn sewers. "Jaune!"
Pyrrha said as the inquisitor stalked up the two as the faunus soldiers from menagerie stalked forward. Their strange blocky pulse weapons aimed at the tunnels as Sieena communicate with them through some type of archaic communications system. The inquisitor somehow got to Jaune before Ren did as he redhead eyes hid.
"Report. Now."
"Inquisitor. There is a Genestealer infection below the city."
"I can see that."
Pyrrha said kicking the body of one of the dead Grimm scowling. As she saw the freshly disintegrating corpses as she sighed heavily. "This changes everything. And it explains everything." Pyrrha said grimacing as Ren finally got to him. The sigh of his second in command running up to him was refreshing for Jaune as Ren's haggard unkept face and hair ran up to him hell pistols on his sides fresh from use.
"Commissar! Are you ok?"
Ren asked looking the commissar over as Jaune nodded.
"Fine Ren. I and Sieena are both fine."
Jaune said making sure he said he and Sieena. Bringing attention to the fact that he and Sieena worked together. Making is know that he was working with the faunus. Showing the normally less than open imperials that he was working with a faunus.
And to show the faunus he respected Sieena enough to ask about her well beings. As Sieena nodded to him subtly as Jaune went on.
"We encountered a gene stealer nest and after an unfortunate, but unavoidable incident we alerted them to our presence."
"What was the accident?" Pyrrha asked as Jaune saw Sieena gulp audibly.
"It was the collapse of a ceiling section. A large amount of the ceiling fell altering the Grimm to our presence. We couldn't avoid it and it was unfortunate."
"I see."
Pyrrha said as Sieena smiled warmly at him.
"Anyways. Now that we know what we are facing we should head back to the surface. We should make our way home before we face any more incidents." Pyrrha said as everyone nodded together.
"Let's go men. We got civilians to save."
Jaune said in his best Commisar voice as Ren nodded.
"As you say, Commissar."
"Now Emarld won't have to threaten to kill our allies!"
Pyrrha hissed as Emerald flushed.
"He started it!"
"Did not."
Mercury said smugly leaning on his sniper rifle. His long lass held on the floor as a staff as Emerald glowered at him.
"Yes, you did!"
"No, I didn't!
"Yes, you did!"
"Prove it."
"You-"
"Children, please! Let us work together!"
Pyrrha said as the two groups nodded and begna to move out. As they left the sewers behind them.