Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods
Written By: GKoh
Chapter 8: Divide
It was a rather morose day for the group that was heading back to Touka Village. Leading the way was Nagata. In the back of the group was Ruby who only had Chouhi as company as she walked beside her. Chou'un and Kanu were in the middle, filling up the space between Nagata and Ruby while keeping them apart.
The Black-Haired Bandit Hunter glanced at Ruby. The red-hooded girl was especially upset after the failed mission. She felt responsible for them losing a piece of the Forge to the enemy.
The mission had been a failure and the piece of the Forge had now fallen into enemy hands. Ruby had nearly gotten herself killed as well. Fortunately, Nagata managed to get to her in time in order to save her, but it had cost them the piece of the Forge. After making sure she was alright, Nagata started giving her the cold shoulder.
Nagata hadn't spoken to her since they started heading back to Touka Village. It was a bit depressing and Ruby felt that he was mad at her.
"I really messed up, didn't I?" Ruby asked. Nagata had given her the cold shoulder the entire trip back. She might be naive, socially awkward, and sometimes ignorant of social cues, but even she could tell when someone was upset with her.
"Nagata-niichan might be mad right now, but he'll be OK later," Chouhi said, comforted her. She wanted to make her new friend feel better.
"But the bad guys have the piece of the Forge now. It's all my fault," Ruby said gloomily.
"Well, it could've been worse," Chou'un remarked encouragingly. "We all managed to survive, so I consider that a win."
"But we won't be celebrating for long if our enemies get all the pieces of the Forge," Kanu countered. "Let's just hope the other team has much better luck in locating and securing their piece."
Ruby looked up ahead at Nagata's back as he led them back home. She wanted to apologize-to somehow make it up to him, but right now he couldn't even look at her. This situation reminded her of the first time she met Weiss and she wondered how her BFF was doing.
XXX
Speaking of Weiss, the heiress was still stuck with Mitsuki and his Crimson Guard. Only this time she was now looking at a familiar face, the last face she expected to see in this place.
Weiss looked furious.
Sun looked nervous.
And the rest were looking at the pair with various degrees of curious interest.
"Where is Blake?" Weiss demanded. "Tell me where she is or so help me I will strike you where you stand!"
"Hey, easy there, Ice Queen." Sun tried to soothe the Schnee heiress only to annoy her further with the nickname. "I don't know where Blake is."
"Don't you lie to me!"
"I'm not, and why do you care? I mean, I thought you hated Blake."
Weiss lowered her rapier and looked down.
"So I'm guessing you both know each other," Hideyoshi observed.
"Another displaced?" Mitsuki asked.
"And apparently not of our world," Hideyoshi confirmed.
"Caught this sucker stealing food." Kenshin pointed at Sun.
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" The monkey Faunus was a stowaway, so of course he would be a thief as well. No respect and total disregard for the law like the White Fang.
"Hey, I was hungry, plus nobody here takes Lien," Sun defended.
Mitsuki noticed the extra appendage. "Is that a tail?"
"Yaoguai!" the natives shouted and stepped back from Sun as they raised their weapons. Of course they would think Sun was some kind of yaoguai (demon). He had a monkey's tail.
"I already have two problems to deal with. I'm not in the mood to deal with three." The annoyed Mitsuki rubbed his temple until he was calm enough to shift his attention towards Hideyoshi and Kenshin. "You two, take him somewhere where he won't cause any trouble."
"Got it, boss," Kenshin reluctantly complied. He wondered, why was he taking crap from Mitsuki? Still, with no reason to argue, he and his buddy started to take Sun away from the scene.
"Now that that's settled, I have some questions for you." Mitsuki focused on Weiss.
"Me?" Weiss questioned.
"I've been thinking. You know a lot about these creatures and that's pretty suspicious. You've either encountered them before, or you brought them with you." Mitsuki's words were quickly spread to his men as they readied their swords to behead the Schnee heiress.
Weiss, while stunned by the accusation, maintained her composure.
"I swear I have no idea how the Grimm came to be here," she told him honestly. Mitsuki wasn't buying it, so she continued to argue her defense, "Look, I had no idea what we were doing here until Riten told me herself. And that wasn't very long ago. So, how could I have sent those beasts when I just learned about this mission?"
"You could've set things up." He maintained his stance. The two stared each other down. Weiss was using her patented 'Schnee-glare' while Mitsuki glared daggers into her. There was a thick tension between them as both sides weren't going to simply back down.
Finally, Mitsuki considered the logic in her words. Begrudgingly, he gestured for his men to lower their swords.
"Lower your weapons," he ordered and the Crimson Guard complied. Weiss let out a sigh of relief, but her troubles were nowhere over as he added, with a tone that left no room for argument, "However, you're still sticking close to me so I can keep an eye on you. Is that clear?"
"Clear," Weiss gritted out. She would much rather be anywhere but near this thug of a general, but what could she do? She was all alone in a strange place.
The tension dissipated a bit when Ukin arrived. She had something to report. She paused as she saw both Mitsuki and Weiss glaring at each other before she made her presence known.
"Baron-sama, I've received some intel," said Ukin.
"What did you find out?" Mitsuki asked his bespectacled lieutenant.
"I've talked with the people that live around here. According to several witnesses, they saw our target making frequent visits to the local Entertainment District," Ukin reported.
"Anywhere specific?" he prodded.
"We don't have that information, but I found out that he has a place that he stays here that's close to the Entertainment District. We might find our target there."
"Good. We're moving out," Mitsuki ordered. The men lined up and marched behind Mitsuki as they followed. Weiss followed them to their next destination, arms crossed and utterly annoyed by the lack of trust she was getting from the Crimson Enforcer. Now he would be keeping a closer eye on her. She really didn't like him. Not one bit.
Following Ukin's directions, they found the building that their target was staying at.
Weiss was waiting outside a building with Riten, while the Crimson Guard had also set up a perimeter around the house to prevent anyone from escaping. They kept watch for anything suspicious.
After dealing with the Death Stalker, Mitsuki had gone in to find their target. When nobody answered the door, they broke the door down and entered to search the place. There didn't seem to be anyone in the house, but this was the only lead they had right now. As he went inside, he was followed by Gakushin who would be assisting him with the search.
Leave no stone unturned. They needed to search this place from top to bottom. Maybe their target found out they were coming and had hidden themselves.
Inside the house, Mitsuki and Gakushin stood in front of the study room. The door was closed. Mitsuki tried to open the door, but found it to be locked. A locked door. Probably hiding something. He huffed in annoyance and stepped back to kick it down.
"Allow me, Baron-sama," Gakushin offered as she got into a stance. She then let out a yell as she kicked the door down. The wooden beam that was used to barricade the door snapped in half as the double door swung open, giving them access.
"Thank you, Nagi," said Mitsuki and Gakushin bowed, hiding her blush as he showed his appreciation. He scanned the study room to see where their target was hiding. He noticed that the desk had a long tablecloth draped over it that reached the ground. Walking over to it, Mitsuki pulled the tablecloth away to reveal a man hiding under the desk.
It wasn't their target. He wasn't the official they were looking for. However, since he was here, he might be able to help lead them right to their target.
"Gotcha." Mitsuki reached down and grabbed the man by the scruff of his shirt as he tried to flee. He yelled as he flailed around, trying to break out of Mitsuki's grip.
"Baron-sama, it appears he's resisting arrest," Gakushin observed. "What should we do with him?"
Mitsuki eyed the window and quipped, "Let's give this guy a bit of fresh air."
Meanwhile, Weiss was checking out her Scroll and swiping through the pictures. She stopped at a picture of Team RWBY. Ruby had insisted they take a group picture. In it, Ruby was in the center with Weiss standing to her left and Blake to her right. Yang was behind her sister making peace signs with her hands. Ruby had her arms around the shoulders of her best friends with Weiss looking both annoyed and uncomfortable. Blake offered a small smile. Despite being introverted, Blake didn't hesitate to join in on any of their activities.
"Hey, what's that?" Riten's eyes widened as she saw the Scroll. She had never seen anything quite like it. Seeing the look in Riten's eyes, Weiss grimaced and put it away. Before Riten could ask further, a crash was heard and they watched a man was thrown out a window.
"What's going on!?" Weiss demanded.
Riten smirked. "That, Weiss-dono, is our beloved Baron-sama delivering righteous justice upon criminal scum." Her expression turned serious as she warned, "And please don't call him crazy or I will be forced to smack you."
The man, groaned as he got up. He tried to flee but his path was barred by the Crimson Guard. Turning around, he saw Mitsuki and Gakushin exit. He began to sweat and pale in fear as he looked at the man who had just thrown him out of his own home like a piece of garbage.
At the sight of Mitsuki coming towards him, with a glare that could pierce armor, the man tried to flee. He didn't care if the Crimson Guard tried to stop him. He needed to get away!
"Get out of my way! Out of my way! That maniac is trying to kill me!" he pleaded as he tried to slip past the Crimson Guard, but he failed to get very far as Mitsuki once again grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and spun him around. Mitsuki then gripped his collar and pulled him close so they could look at each other, eye-to-eye. The man was trembling in fear as Mitsuki glowered at him.
"I've had a really long day and I really hope you don't make this any harder than it has to be. You just need to answer one simple question," Mitsuki threatened. "Where is he?"
"I...I don't know what you're talking about!" the man responded frantically. From the look on his face, Mitsuki didn't like the answer. He looked around for something he could use and spotted a wooden basin used to store water for the horses to drink. Mitsuki proceeded to drag him over towards it, forcing the man to walk.
"Where is he?" Mitsuki repeated. "And don't lie to me."
"I told you I don't know! Please, let me go!" the man begged. Mitsuki grabbed the back of the man's head and forced him to his knees before dunking his head into the basin. The man struggled as his head was held underwater, causing the water to splash. After a few more seconds, Mitsuki lifted the man up from the water. He gasped for air.
"Where is he?" Mitsuki asked again. When he didn't receive an answer, he once again dunked the man's head into water.
Weiss couldn't stand by and watch this continue and stepped forward to object, "That's enough! You can't do this to him! This is barbaric!"
Mitsuki lifted the man's head up from the water. He was gasping for air and didn't look like he could put up much of a fight anymore.
"You may not like it, Princess, but for these kind of things you're going to have to do anything you can to make people talk," Mitsuki shot back. He asked the man again, "Now, don't make me ask you again. Where. Is. He?"
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I'LL TALK! PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!" the man shouted. He didn't want to be dunked underwater again.
Mitsuki smirked as he pointed a dagger up to the man's throat, the point held dangerously close.
"Good, but try not to lie to me. You won't like what happens if you do," Mitsuki threatened. "Do we understand each other?"
"Yes...yes I'll tell you...everything..." the man sobbed.
"Pathetic," Mitsuki scowled in disgust before he handed the man over to Gakushin. "Detain him and make sure he doesn't get away. I still have questions for him."
"Yes, Baron-sama," Gakushin obeyed as she led the man away. The man was happy to comply as long as he could get as far away from Mitsuki as possible.
"Crimson Guard, I want you all to search the place. Ukin, I want you to head in to lead the investigation and find clues," Mitsuki ordered. "Take anything that might be of value."
"Yes, Baron-sama," Ukin bowed and led several Crimson Guard inside to search the building.
"You're looting the place now?" Weiss demanded, disgusted. Were the Crimson Guard supposed to be police? Then they were the most barbaric example of law enforcement she had the misfortune of witnessing.
"You have a problem with how I operate?" Mitsuki glared at the heiress.
"You're acting like a thug," she pointed out.
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, Princess," Mitsuki spat. "But we're here to do a job and we're given permission to do whatever it takes to accomplish our mission."
"But this is just going too far! You were going to kill that poor man!"
"Like I said, whatever it takes to accomplish our mission."
Weiss was disturbed and outright appalled by Mitsuki's way of thinking. She couldn't let this go.
"So, you don't care who you trample, even families?"
"You don't know the meaning of family!" Mitsuki rebutted.
"How dare you!? My family has suffered too! Not only have we endured years of violent protests, many that I cared about have vanished without a trace!"
If Weiss thought she could win Mitsuki's sympathy like that, then she was wrong.
"Yet, while you 'suffer', you still live a life full of luxury, living in a castle with servants at your beck and call. Yes, my heart bleeds for you," he retorted. "Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with money and privilege. Some of us have learned from a young age that life just isn't fair. For most of us, it's a fight just to survive. I learnt a long time ago that when the world pushes you down that you have only two choices: you can either lie down and take it or push right back! I decided to be in the latter category! That's the only way you can survive in this cruel world! And that is something you will never know anything about!"
Weiss shot back, "Why are you treating me like this? I haven't done anything to you!"
"Your kind did."
"My 'kind'?"
"The rich and powerful, the privileged and entitled. You're just like them. You're so damn arrogant that you think you can take everything from those who can't even afford a single loaf of bread. People like you just step on people beneath you, without a second thought. People in the lower classes are just used by you as tools and stepping stones, only to be tossed away and forgotten. I may not have known those who hurt you, but when I look at you, I can understand that their actions are justified."
"Justified?" she repeated. She was visibly shaking in his presence now. There was a fire of anger burning behind his eyes that she couldn't match. She tried to put on a brave face but failed as Mitsuki stared her down.
"Do you understand why you can never be a leader? It's because you fail to inspire people. When people look at you, they see an outsider who doesn't understand one bit of the struggle they have to go through. When people lose everything, they look for a purpose. They look to someone who can understand them and to give them a purpose. My men, my soldiers, they understand what it means to lose everything or to have nothing at all. And I understand it just as well."
The Crimson Guard were made up of men who didn't have anything left to lose. They were men who would die for him, who would fight at his command, simply because he would lead them on the frontlines instead of hiding and commanding from behind. That was the bond of men.
"And don't even try to compare yourself to Sousou. Everything she gained, everything she earned, she fought for with her own hands. She fought, and struggled, with blood, sweat and tears. Now, you can stay out here. I have someone to question," said Mitsuki as he left in a huff, leaving Weiss alone with her thoughts.
This wasn't her world, so the rules were different. However, there were just so many similarities. People still suffered, and while she maintained that she had suffered losses as well, she still lived a luxurious house in a mansion, with servants to do everything for her. So, she just stood there and watched as the Crimson Guard did their job, following an atrocious man who was a better leader than she could ever be.
She had to wonder, though, what did Mitsuki lose to make him this way?
After they finished questioning the man, who was apparently their target's manservant, they learnt that the official was staying at an inn. It wasn't the type of inn for travelers who were on a budget. Rather, it was a very high class establishment with colorful decorations and a very warm and inviting atmosphere. Of course, that was just for appearances.
The inn also doubled as a brothel. Pretty girls in revealing outfits attracted and greeted patrons. Like flies to honey, men hovered around before they entered. He could tell who were newbies and who were regulars based on body language alone.
"So, is this the place, Baron-sama?" Riten asked.
"According to the guy I questioned," Mitsuki nodded.
"You broke his fingers," Weiss frowned in disapproval.
"At least I didn't try to snap his neck," Mitsuki shrugged. "Come on, let's head inside. You too, Princess."
"I can't go into a brothel!" Weiss cried.
"Fine, then stay out here and out of trouble. Mao, looks like you have to babysit her again," Mitsuki instructed. "Sawa, Nagi, you're with me."
Nearby, a pair of eyes glowed in the darkness. The owner of those eyes has gotten word of its master's success. It concluded that inevitably, the mission would succeed. However, in the event that there would be some holes in the plot, it planned.
The former official was staying on the third floor in one of the VIP rooms. He was already enjoying himself as he had paid for two girls to entertain him. The girls were already in their underwear and were having a pillow fight as he watched while sitting on the bed. He applauded as the girls slammed their pillows into each other, enjoying the sight. Soon, the girls would entertain him some more while in bed.
He could not wait.
There was a knock at the door and the official frowned. "I'm busy! Do not disturb!" The knocking continued. "I said I'm busy! Go away!"
Seconds later, the door fell to pieces. Standing in the doorway was Ukin with her swords drawn. The girls shrieked and got onto the bed, hiding behind their client whose eyes widened in shock and fear as he saw the leader of the Crimson Guard. He recognized him as Sousou's Crimson Enforcer, Armored War God Baron of the Ultimate Spear.
"You..." the official trembled. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"
"Well, if it isn't the douche from Rakuyo," Mitsuki identified. "Nagi, please read the order."
Gakushin unrolled the scroll and read, "By official royal order of Sousou Motoku, from the Kingdom of Sou Gi, you are placed under arrest for corruption, conspiracy to overthrow the government, kidnapping and slave trading."
"And those are the charges we have so far. Who knows what else we'll find down the road," said Mitsuki as he stepped forward. "So, give me a good reason why I don't just kill you right now."
"You can't just kill him!" Weiss objected.
Mitsuki turned and saw Weiss with her Myrtenaster pointed at him.
"Wasn't Mao supposed to be watching you?" he asked.
Outside, Riten was frozen from the waist down and couldn't move. "Damn it! Now I really want to see how that weapon works!"
Weiss answered, "That's not important. Right now I'm stopping you from doing what you're about to do. Whatever this man has done, he deserves a trial."
Mitsuki glowered but couldn't disagree. True, the man did deserve a trial, but Mitsuki just didn't feel like it. However, his job was to arrest the man. It would be up to Sousou to decide what to do with him.
"Sousou will kill me! Please, think of my children!" the official begged.
"You don't have any children," Mitsuki retorted. He had read up on this guy. He may have been married but he never had any children. Either his wife was unable to conceive or the man was just impotent. It didn't matter to him anyway.
"What if I offered you information?" the man asked.
"What kind of information?" Mitsuki questioned, curious.
"Promise me that Sousou won't have me killed," the man begged.
"Fine, whatever." Mitsuki rolled his eyes. "OK, then talk."
"It's information about the RinJyuKen. They came to me to find out about it," the official answered.
"What?"
"An artifact of some kind, something which has existed since the first dynasty. They forced me to tell them its location. I don't know if they've already found it or not, but it's very likely that they've been trying to silence me with their horrid beasts."
"They could've killed you on the spot if they didn't want you to talk." Mitsuki's eyes narrowed in suspicion before they widened in realization. "This is a trap!"
As soon as he said that, the shadows around them moved on their own and converged with one another. The shadows formed a terrifying shape that didn't go unnoticed by our heroes. Weiss and Mitsuki were about to retaliate when it lunged right at them.
XXX
Komei waited at the gate of Touka Village for her friends. When one of the soldiers reported them heading this way, the young strategist was quick to rush over to the gate to greet them. Perhaps they had been successful. If they were, there was a reason to celebrate. They were facing a threat, but if they were successful, then it wouldn't be long until they were victorious.
Komei waited and waited, and finally spotted them arriving. She saw Nagata leading the group and beamed as they came towards the gate.
"Nagata-sama, everyone, you're back!" Komei greeted. "How did the mission go?"
"Take a guess," Nagata replied sharply, causing Ruby to flinch. He said nothing else as he walked past his strategist. Taking note of his attitude and the expressions of disappointment on the rest of the team, Komei figured it out.
"You failed the mission," Komei stated.
"Yeah, and it's my fault," Ruby confessed.
"Nobody's blaming you, Ruby-dono," assured Kanu.
"But..." Nagata had not spoken to her during the whole way back.
"Onii-chan will calm down. You'll see," insisted Chouhi.
Now Komei wanted details. "So, what exactly happen?"
"We'll tell you about it later. So, did anything new happen while we were gone?" Chou'un asked.
"Funny you should mention that," answered Komei. "We have a new guest."
XXX
Meanwhile, Nagata was getting changed. After a quick bath and a change of clothes, Nagata was refreshed. However, the disappointment and guilt he felt still hung heavily over her.
"She could've been killed..." he whispered. "Just like...Okaasan..." There was a knock at the door. "Come in."
The door opened and Totaku stepped inside. She bowed. "Gaim-sama."
"Hey, Yue. So, is there something you need?" he asked.
"Everyone's gathered down in the dining room. We have another guest for you to meet," Totaku answered.
"A guest?" he asked curiously. Maybe a new guest could help him get his mind off their failure of a mission. He really shouldn't dwell on it, but he couldn't help it. A lot could've gone wrong.
XXX
Ruby entered the dining room and found someone she didn't think she would ever see again. Scarfing down a bowl of noodles was her big sister, Yang. The blonde brawler put down the bowl and let out a satisfied belch.
"Oh, man! That's good!"
Yang looked up and saw Ruby who just stood there.
"Ruby!" Yang yelled as she ran over to her baby sister.
"Oh my gosh! Yang!" Ruby flung herself towards her big sister, capturing her in a hug. Yang caught her, nearly losing her balance, and hugged her back.
"Ruby!"
"Yang!"
"Ruby, I've been so worried about you!" Yang cried happily. "I thought I would never see you again!"
"I thought I would never see you again!" Ruby returned.
"Well, glad to see you're OK," Yang smiled.
"You know I can take care of myself, Yang," Ruby told her sister pointedly.
"I know, but I'm your big sister. I'm supposed to be worried about you," Yang smiled as she ruffled Ruby's hair.
Nagata couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was surprised when he saw Ruby-a girl who was identical to his deceased birth mother. Now he was seeing someone who looked like his adoptive mother-his Aunt Yang. She was a little younger, but the blonde hair and lilac eyes were definitely identical. She even had the same attitude. He should've seen this coming, though. His mother and adoptive mother were both sisters, so there was a chance that it would be the same for Ruby and Yang.
"Mom..." Nagata whispered. He tried to fight back his tears and calm down. He couldn't let anyone see him get so worked up. "So, you're our guest."
"Yo, the name's Yang Xiao Long," Yang waved. Ruby avoided eye contact. "So, you're this 'Gaim-sama' I've been hearing about. I kinda pictured you being taller."
His vassals would've admonished Yang for her disrespect, but she really didn't mean to be condescending. She was making a blunt observation. She was definitely like his mom in more than just appearance.
"Well, people tend to exaggerate about me," he replied. People recognized the armor, not the one wearing it. "I'm used to it. Anyway, I'll let you both catch up with each other. I need to debrief with the others," Nagata said in a curt business-like tone.
"Geez, what's his problem?" Yang frowned as Nagata walked away. She noticed Ruby's sad expression as Nagata left. "Ruby, what's wrong?"
"He's mad at me, Yang. I messed up." Ruby hung her head.
Now Yang wanted to know everything.
"Tell me everything."
XXX
Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, the Grimm Claw and Armored War Devils were gathered together. The building they were having their meeting in once belonged to Chojo, the tyrannical and power hungry official that used Totaku as a figurehead and scapegoat to rule China and to take the blame for her cruel actions. It was abandoned since her demise, allowing the Armored War Devils to take it and utilize it for this meeting.
This meeting was set up by Ukitsu so that his group could gain the trust of the Grimm Claw, a splinter group of the RinJyuKen Akugata. If they were to be working together, they needed to build a good rapport with each other. However, Ukitsu was also cautious. This meeting was also set up so he could check for any signs of treachery. He didn't want to be caught off guard and to be fooled by these fiends. They had betrayed and abandoned the RinJyuKen Akugata, so they were no strangers to betrayal.
"Well done, Alako. Another piece of the Forge has now been added to our collection," Wendigo praised his subordinate.
"Thank you, My Lord," Alako accepted the praise.
Moments later, a portal opened up and everyone present watched as Marika, Manda and Ranha stepped out of it. They had just returned from their mission. Time to learn about how their part went.
Manda and Ranha bowed before their master and announced, "We've returned, Wendigo-sama."
Wendigo asked, "Did you manage to acquire your piece?" He would be very displeased if they failed to retrieve it.
Ranha bravely, yet sadly, reported, "Unfortunately, My Lord, the Armored War Gods of Shoku have taken possession of it."
Both Alako and Wendigo were surprised by this, with the latter showing displeasure on his visage.
"Impossible!" Alako spoke out. "How could they have found out its location?"
Wendigo, fortunately, didn't lash out at this failure. He was calmly processing all this and came to a logical conclusion. The only way their enemies could have uncovered the location of the secret temple that housed the Forge piece was if they had a map.
But all the maps had been destroyed, weren't they? He had sent one of his subordinates to destroy all the books that the Shoku Faction had gathered from the Imperial Library.
Now he knew who was to blame for this and he was unhappy.
"Manda!" Wendigo shouted as he advanced on his frightened subordinate. Everyone wisely stepped out of the way, giving him a path towards the Salamander Rinrinshi who trembled on the spot. His name was called and Wendigo did not look happy.
Manda knew he had screwed up somehow.
"Master, I swear! I burned everything!" Manda pleaded but Wendigo smacked him to the ground anyway.
"Your carelessness has cost us a piece of the Forge," Wendigo growled. The Salamander Rinrinshi attempted to scurry away from his master's wrath, but Wendigo wasn't about to let him go with just a smack. Grabbing him, Wendigo proceeded to claw, punch and stomp on him. The Salamander Rinrinshi had no choice but to take his punishment as Wendigo took his anger out on his subordinate. A piece of the Forge had fallen into enemy hands, which would make retrieving it a challenge. The leader of the Grimm Claw was understandably upset.
Alako and Ranha stood by and could only watch as their comrade suffered his punishment due to his failure. They waited for it to end. They watched as Wendigo stopped beating on Manda before he held up the Salamander Rinrinshi and opened his mouth. This was the price of failure in the Grimm Claw: you get eaten by Wendigo.
Manda panicked, begging for mercy, "NO, MASTER! PLEASE, I BEG YOU! PLEASE, GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE TO REDEEM MYSELF! PLEASE, DON'T EAT ME!"
Wendigo paused, but not because of Manda's begging. No, he sensed something hiding in the shadows.
"Reveal yourself," he ordered.
A Rinrinshi with the features of an owl stepped out of the shadows and bowed. "My Lord."
"Hu." Wendigo dropped Manda but put his foot down on his failure of a subordinate to pin him to the floor, preventing him from escaping. "What news do you bring?"
The Owl Rinrinshi reported, "The final piece is heavily defended. Heavy casualties and collateral damage are very likely."
"Numbers do not matter to me as long as the piece falls in our hands," Wendigo growled as he ground his foot into Manda, causing him to groan in pain. "However, we now have a new problem to deal with. Our enemies have claimed a piece of the Forge.
"That is not a problem, My Lord. I already have a solution to remedy the situation," Hu replied.
Wendigo was intrigued and removed his foot from Manda. He crawled away and safely went to a corner to lick his wounds.
"I'm listening," Wendigo said to his avian subordinate.
Meanwhile, Marika shut off her Peach Energy Lockseed and reverted to her civilian form. Ukitsu wanted to hear the details of her mission from her.
"So, how exactly did it go?" Ukitsu asked.
"I'll keep things brief," she answered before she described all the details to him.
XXX
"So I went in without backup, fought the bad guys, and they nearly killed me. If Nagata didn't come when he did, I might've died. But then the bad guys got the piece of the Forge and now he's upset with me," Ruby finished telling Yang about the mission and how it ended disastrously.
"Ruby, it isn't your fault." Yang tried to comfort Ruby.
"Of course it is! I didn't listen and now the bad guys got a piece of the Forge and Nagata's angry at me!" Ruby cried.
"Look, I'll go talk to him. Maybe get him to forgive you," Yang told her sister. She would do anything to stop Ruby from crying.
"No, you don't need to. I just need to make it up to him, that's all."
"Well, I'm going to help you anyway."
"Thanks, so how did you get here, Yang?"
XXX
Several Days Earlier...
It wasn't long after Nagata left with his team on their mission when Komei started to decipher another set of coordinates that would lead them to another piece of the Forge of the Underworld.
Using the coordinates, Iori checked the map. Apparently, the Forge fragment was in a place that would be a little chilly.
Batai complained, "I'm freezing!" She sneezed as she hugged herself, tightening the scarf that was around her neck. Iori, Kochu and Bacho, like her, were wearing thick winter coats and scarves to keep themselves warm. Not the most flattering, but they did keep the group warm.
"You don't do so well in the cold, do you?" Iori asked.
"No, I do not!" Batai sneezed. "Seriously, the sooner we finish this mission, the better I'll feel when we get back home!"
"Just be glad we packed these winter coats or none of us would be making this trip at all," added Kochu, the group's 'mother'. "You know, it's very lovely up here."
"And peaceful too," agreed Iori.
"Yeah, but it can get dangerous out here too," warned Bacho. She remembered the last time she went on a mission in a cold climate. It wasn't one she wanted to experience again. Then there was sharing body heat with Chou'un, which was a story she would take to her grave.
"Keep moving. That'll keep you warm. If we need to rest, we'll find a cave or make a shelter, then build a fire," Iori instructed, reciting something he had read from a survival guidebook.
"Is it just me, or is the snow falling really fast?" Batai asked.
"The wind's picking up too," added Bacho.
Iori's eyes narrowed as he picked up on those clues. They were signs of a blizzard coming.
"We gotta move," Iori urged.
"What's wrong, Airen?" Kochu asked as he held her hand.
"Everyone hold hands. We might have a blizzard coming," Iori cautioned. "So hold on tight."
The wind picked up speed and blasted snow in their direction. It wasn't a breeze, but a violent gust that was hitting them with snow. Iori clenched his eyes shut as he braced himself, holding tightly to Kochu's hand. He didn't want to lose her, not out here, where anything could happen to them. Bacho and Batai held on as well, bracing themselves as they kept a tight grip on each other.
Meanwhile, the blizzard wasn't the only danger they would experience out here. Obscured by the blizzard were large shadowy shapes which were converging upon the group.
Gradually, the blizzard ceased as the wind just tapered down until it was barely noticeable. Iori brushed off the snow that covered him and turned to look at Kochu.
"Koi, are you OK?" Iori asked. Her only answer was to grip his shoulders and pull him into a deep, passionate kiss. His mouth opened and in mid-gasp her tongue forced its way into his mouth. Iori did not resist at all as he closed his eyes and returned the kiss.
The married couple broke the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Iori resolved they find a cave soon so they could 'share body heat'.
"Um, guys," Bacho said with a tremble in her voice. "I think we're in trouble."
"Big trouble," Batai added in agreement.
Iori opened his eyes and Kochu gasped as they saw what it was that got Bacho and her cousin worried.
The group was surrounded by what appeared to be huge ape-like humanoids that looked like gorillas, with white fur that blended perfectly into the snowy background. They were eight feet tall and didn't look friendly.
"Um...nice snow apes..." Iori said uncertainly when he felt a chill around his legs. Looking down, he realized that a layer of ice had completely covered his feet. The same had happened to the rest of their team, immobilizing them. Bacho and Batai were trying to chip the ice away.
One of the Snow Apes, the biggest of them all, approached the group. This one was ten feet tall. Iori presumed this was the leader. He saw signs of intelligence in the Great Snow Ape's eyes.
"Airen, what are they?" Kochu whispered as she reached out and held his hand.
"Friendly, I hope," Iori replied. They weren't going anywhere because of the ice. Bacho and Batai tensed up, clenching their weapons and hardening their stares. "Just don't make any sudden moves."
"Hard to make any sort of moves now," responded Bacho as she tapped the ice with the butt of her spear.
The Great Snow Ape studied each of the intruders that had come to their lands. They were humans and seeing as they were here they might be in search of the divine object they were guarding. The Great Snow Ape bared its teeth as it looked into Iori's squinty eyes. He tried to not show fear, but he couldn't help it. He was afraid of what these Snow Apes might do to his wife and friends. He trembled as the Snow Apes closed in on them, as if they had already made their decision.
"We come in peace," started Iori as he spoke in a calm and even tone. These were intelligent creatures, so they needed to use diplomacy and delicacy. "And we apologize for intruding on your lands."
"Is he seriously talking to that thing?" Batai commented in a hushed tone.
"Shush," Bacho scolded.
The Great Snow Ape leaned in close towards Iori and breathed into his face. There was tension, and one wrong move could trigger something terrible.
All of a sudden, howls could be heard in the distance. Were wolves coming here too? As if giant Snow Apes weren't bad enough. A pack of wolves would just make things more difficult. The howls were getting louder, meaning the wolves were getting closer. They needed to get out of here and away from those wolves.
And then they all saw the dark shapes approaching, coming in fast. Their dark coats contrasted with the snow white background, allowing everyone to see them.
They weren't wolves. They were the Creatures of Grimm, Beowolves and Ursai alike.
At the sight of them, the Great Snow Ape bellowed and pointed at the Grimm. Instantly, the Snow Apes' attentions shifted from the human intruders to the inhuman threat. They charged at the Grimm, leaving Iori and his team behind.
"This is bad! Very bad!" Bacho panicked as she hit the ice to free herself. "We gotta get out of here!"
"BUDOU!"
"Hold on! I'll get you out!" Iori told them as he loaded his Budou Lockseed and hit the Cutting Blade.
"HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!"
"Now stand still," Ryugen said as he took aim with his Budou Ryuhou. One wrong move, one misaim, and he could accidentally hurt them. He fired at the ice holding them. The ice shattered, freeing their feet and restoring mobility.
"Thanks, Iori-sama!" Bacho grinned.
"Yeah!" added Batai. "Now let's get out of here!" She really didn't like their chances when facing both Snow Apes and Grimm, but Ryugen remained where he stood as he watched the white creatures fighting against the dark creatures.
The Snow Apes had a home field advantage, a larger size and strength, but not in terms of numbers. The Grimm outnumbered them. Also, the bipedal wolf-like creatures were fast and agile. They pounced on one of the Snow Apes and Ryugen witnessed as they tore it to pieces, as its red blood stained the snow.
The Ursai also gave the Beowolves some much needed aid in the physical strength department. They may not be as tall as the Snow Apes, but they were heavier. One of the Ursai tackled into a Snow Ape. The Beowolves also used their agility to their advantage as they attacked the legs. The Snow Apes attacked with their freeze breath, but the Grimm regrouped and attacked from another direction.
Ryugen grimaced. Their mission was to find a piece of the Forge that was here. They should just go and finish the mission, but part of him couldn't just abandon the Snow Apes to fight alone. Besides, what would stop the Grimm from coming after them once they were done with the Snow Apes?
"We're staying to fight," ordered Ryugen.
"What? Seriously!?" Batai gawked as Bacho followed Ryugen into battle. "Oh, come on!"
"Looks like we have no choice here," said Kochu as she aimed her bow and drew an arrow.
Ryugen aimed at the closest Beowolf and fired his Budou Ryuhou, putting it down to the ground. Skipping over it, he aimed and fired his Budou Ryuhou at more of the Grimm. Their white bone-like plates were like armor, so he aimed for the non-armored parts. The Snow Apes, especially the Great Snow Ape, saw Ryugen fighting against the Grimm.
"Hyah!" Bacho stabbed a Beowolf in the throat before she withdrew her Silver Flash yari from it. Nearby, Batai dodged a lunge from a Beowolf before she landed on its back to stab it in the back of the neck.
"Ah, man! There's too many of them!" Batai complained as she saw the Grimm surrounding them, looking quite vicious.
Kochu aimed and fired arrows like a machine gun. They flew and struck the Grimm in their weak spots. Her aim was so accurate that she hit them all in the eye. This allowed Ryugen to fire at them with his Budou Ryuhou.
A few Ursai had gathered together to bum rush them all. However, Ryugen wasn't about to let them. He hit his Cutting Blade and pulled on his Budou Ryuhou's hammer.
"HAI~! BUDOU AU LAIT!"
His gun charged up as he took aim. His skills as a marksman allowed him to judge directions and distances accurately. So, he had no problems with hitting his target. Purple shots blasted rapidly out of his Budou Ryuhou, and the Ursai dropped as the bullets pierced their bodies, killing them.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the Grimm quite yet. There were still more Grimm and while the Snow Apes were still killing off the dark creatures the Creatures of Grimm were also thinning their numbers. Already, Ryugen saw another Snow Ape fall as it was mauled to death by an Ursa.
"KIWI! LOCK ON! HAI~! KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!"
Once the Kiwi Arms Armor equipped itself to his body, Ryugen spun in place before he hurled the huge round blades, sending them flying. The Kiwi Gekirin sliced through the Grimm before returning to him.
Kochu's eyes widened as she saw something sneaking up behind her husband.
"Airen! Watch out!" Kochu shouted. "Behind you!"
Ryugen turned and his eyes widened as he saw an Ursa Major. It was twice as big as a normal Ursa and had more bone plates and spikes covering its body. It roared and smacked Ryugen to the ground. Rising on its hind legs, the Ursa Major picked Ryugen up and brought him close to its mouth.
And then an explosion shocked the Ursa Major, causing it to release Ryugen. He fell on his back in the snow and blinked.
What just hit the Ursa Major?
"YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Yang Xiao Long came flying like a golden meteor, trailing flames, as she hit the Ursa Major with a kick to knock it off balance. Bringing her fist up, she smashed it into the Ursa Major's skull. It threw her off and she landed on her feet. Her hair glowed, aura blazing, and her eyes were red.
"Finally, some action!" Yang grinned as she pounded her fists together. Ryugen was rising back to his feet, looking at her. "Need some help?"
"Thank you," he replied. "Name's Ryugen. You?"
"Yang Xiao Long," Yang introduced herself. "I see you're having a Grimm problem. Need help exterminating these pests?"
Ryugen liked her spirit and turned his gaze on the dwindling numbers of the Grimm and Snow Apes.
"Go for it!" Ryugen allowed it. "Just target the black ones, not the white ones."
"So just the Grimm then. Gotcha." Yang gave a cheeky grin and pumped her fists together. Yellow flames surrounded her gauntlets and she charged right in.
Iori took the time in analyzing the situation. What were the Grimm doing here? If they were here, that could only mean...
A few of the Snow Apes helped their leader up. They were wounded but they could still fight. Carefully, Ryugen approached them. The Snow Apes stood protectively in front of the Great Snow Ape, growling at the green Armored War God.
"Please, I need your help," Ryugen pleaded. "We need to cooperate if we're going to live through this."
The Snow Apes were about to threaten Ryugen as he dared to speak with their leader, but the Great Snow Ape halted them. It looked at the Demon Dragon's eyes and considered what it had witnessed. This human and his companions were defending them from these beasts. He could be an ally.
Ryugen continued to plead his case, "Please, you need to take me to whatever it is you're guarding. I fear some bad people are going to steal it, and neither of us wants that to happen."
The Great Snow Ape nodded and let out a roar to signal those nearby. He was calling them to return to the divine item and protect it. The Great Snow Ape then offered his hand. But first, he needed a change of armor.
"HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!"
The Kiwi Arms were good, but he was always felt better fighting in his default Budou Arms.
Ryugen called out to his wife, "Shion, the others will take care of the Grimm. You and I need to find that piece of the Forge!"
"Got it, Airen," Kochu nodded in return. The Great Snow Ape helped them to get up on his back and they hung on as it and a number of its kin rushed towards the temple.
"Hey, where are you going!?" Bacho yelled.
"We're heading to the temple!" Ryugen shouted. "We'll come back, I promise!" Ryugen looked ahead as he whispered, "Let's hope we're not too late."
XXX
However, it was already too late. The temple, where the piece of the Forge was hidden, had already gone up in smoke. Parts of the now ruined temple were covered in scorch marks and other parts had been smashed to pieces. A battle had taken place here, evident by all the damage and the carcasses of Grimm and Snow Apes that lay sprawled all over the snow. The Grimm would soon disintegrate into nothing, but the Snow Apes' bodies would remain.
With the Snow Apes guarding the place dealt with, Marika and her allies from the Grimm Claw entered the temple. With no obstacles getting in their way, their mission had become marginally easier.
"What weak creatures. I can't believe they were to be this place's guardians," scoffed Manda. "Even rats packed more of a bite."
"Well, it's hard to find good help these days," remarked Marika.
"And you're one to talk about weakness, Manda. After all, you've lost plenty of times in the past," insulted Ranha. Manda hissed in response.
They had found the piece of the Forge, which looked like a long piece of metal. It was stabbed right into a pedestal made of ice that kept it standing tall.
Marika intervened before both Grimm Claw officers could get into a fight, "May we focus on retrieving the item before we can leave?" Honestly, she had no idea what Ukitsu was thinking when he decided they should ally with these creatures.
"You're right," Ranha agreed as she grabbed hold of the piece. As she was about to pull it out, the silence within the temple shattered as a roar of rage could be heard, echoing all around them.
"Looks like some of them just came back," Marika deduced. Looking towards the entrance of the temple, the trio saw a small horde of Snow Apes that caused the floor to trembles as they stomped their way inside. They finally stopped as they entered the main chamber. Ryugen saw who they were, and identified Marika.
"You?" Ryugen never forgot Marika since their first encounter from way back when. He remembered it as the day he came back and was reunited with Kochu.
"So, the Demon Dragon of Shoku is here as well. How long has it been, Armored War God Ryugen?" Marika greeted casually.
"Not long enough!" Ryugen jumped off the Great Snow Ape's back and fired his Budou Ryuhou. Multiple shots landed around Marika as she jumped out of the way. As Ryugen landed on his feet, Manda conjured a fireball and hurled it at Ryugen. He was hit in the chest and knocked to the ground.
"Airen!" Kochu gasped as she knelt by his side and helped him up.
"We can't let them get that piece!" Ryugen pointed at the ice pedestal.
The Snow Apes and their leader, finally identifying the true threat, roared and charged at the evil Rider and her partners.
Ranha was in the middle of grabbing the piece in the midst of chaos. "Don't just stand there you fools, protect me!"
Marika grumbled but complied anyway as she took aim and fired her Sonic Arrow at the Snow Apes that were coming dangerously close to Ranha, killing them. She then dodged a flying kick from Ryugen who followed up with a series of kicks. She dodged them before she landed a kick of her own and sent him skidding back. She fired at him with her Sonic Arrow, but he ducked then fired back with his Budou Ryuhou.
Sidestepping the shots, Marika darted towards Ryugen and hooked her arm around his neck before she slammed him to the ground. She then rose back up and fired at him, but he rolled out of the way to return fire once he got back to his feet. Rolling out of the way, she jumped and then smashed her knee against his head, knocking him back down.
As Marika raised her Sonic Arrow so she could slice off his head, Ryugen quickly switched Lockseeds.
"PITAYA!"
The Pitaya Armor Part exited out of a Helheim portal and smacked Marika right in the face. Once she was stunned, he quickly switched Arms.
"HAI~! PITAYA ARMS! RYUJIN, HOU, HOH! HOH! HOH!"
"Oh no," Marika groaned as she saw the Pitaya Ryujin Hou aimed right at her.
"Fire in the hole!" Ryugen shouted and fired a pink energy shell at Marika. She jumped out of the way and the shell flew straight towards Ranha. The Grimm Claw Rinrinshi heard the blast coming and screamed as she was hit. She was obscured with smoke along with the ice pedestal and the piece of the Forge.
Meanwhile, Kochu was fighting against Manda. The Salamander Rinrinshi was obviously more powerful than her. She was, after all, only human despite her skill with the bow. However, she had much needed help as the Snow Apes aided her. Riding on the back of a Snow Ape, Kochu had the muscle she needed to stop Manda.
Despite its size and bulk, the Snow Apes were deceptively more agile than one would expect. They jumped from one spot to another, dodging Manda's fireballs. It was a good thing the chamber was so spacious. As the Snow Ape she was riding dodged the fireballs, Kochu fired her arrows. When it came to power, Manda won, but Kochu was a master when it came to accuracy.
Avoiding another fireball, Kochu rapidly fired arrows that pierced Manda's shoulder. He let out a grunt from some of the arrows and was nearly blindsided by a Snow Ape. Glaring at the offending beast, Manda sprayed a plume of fire into its face, blinding it and causing it to scream.
Ranha groaned as she managed to survive the blast from the Pitaya Ryujin Hou. As she felt around the floor, her hand touched something long and made of metal. She picked it up and grinned. It seemed that Ryugen's shell had shattered the ice pedestal, freeing the piece of the Forge they were after.
"Everyone, I've got the piece! It's time we go! Now!" Ranha ordered.
Manda heard as he dodged a swipe from a Snow Ape. He also saw Marika tumble through the air with a scorched and smoking chestpiece.
"Alright!" Manda put his hands together and created a blinding flash of burning light. Everyone who caught sight of the flash screamed as they were blinded.
"Ugh! I can't see!" Ryugen yelled. "Shion! Shion!"
"Airen, where are you!? I'm blind!" Kochu panicked.
Slowly, their eyesight recovered. There were some spots in their field of vision, but those would pass as well. However, they now had some really, really bad news.
Their enemies had fled, and they had taken the piece of the Forge with them.
"They can't have gotten far! Let's go, Koi!" Ryugen called to his wife.
The two Grimm Claw officers and Marika had just exited the temple. Ranha grinned as she held the piece of the Forge. Wendigo would definitely reward her for succeeding. However, her smile was wiped off her face when she received a bone-shattering blow to the face. She was hurled to the stone and lost her grip on the Forge piece.
A hand covered in a yellow gauntlet picked it up and Ranha was shocked as she and her partners faced a small horde of very angry Snow Apes, a couple of spear maidens, and a blonde bombshell.
"So, miss me?" Yang quipped.
"Hand that over!" Ranha demanded from Yang.
"I don't think so. Something tells me this does not belong to you," Yang said as she held onto the Forge piece.
"I don't know who you think you are, stranger, but rest assured that this mountain will be your grave," Ranha growled as she revealed her claws.
"Chill out, scum sucker!" Yang mockingly retorted. "Come and take it, if you can!"
The Snow Apes roared and blasted the villainous trio with a blizzard. They lost their footing and were thrown into the air.
As Marika and the Grimm Claw members were sent flying off the mountain, she had to act quickly. She used a talisman Ukitsu had given to her and tossed it, opening an escape portal. They fell into it before it vanished from sight, sending them back to their headquarters.
Moments later, Ryugen stepped out of the temple with Kochu. When he didn't see Marika and the two Rinrinshi with her, he closed his Lockseed to cancel out his transformation.
"What happened out here?" Iori asked.
"Oh, our big friends here sent those losers packing," Batai answered.
"What happened to the piece of the Forge?" Iori asked.
Bacho smiled. "Don't worry. Xiao Long-san has it."
"Xiao Long?" Iori looked to the blonde who was holding the piece of the Forge. Remembering a conversation they had with Ruby, Iori questioned the blonde, "Miss Xiao Long, does the name 'Ruby Rose' mean anything to you?"
Yang's eyes shot out as she yelled, "You know my sister?"
"Yes, she's with us. We can take you to her if you'd like."
"Well, what are waiting for? Let's go go go!"
"Wait," Iori said to Yang and he turned to face the Great Snow Ape. "I don't know if I can convince you that we're doing the right thing, but please trust us that we will protect this piece of the Forge. That is why we're here."
The Great Snow Ape looked at Iori, judging his sincerity. He then raised a fist and held it in front of Iori's face. He braced himself for the worst when the Great Snow Ape gently poked his forehead. Retracting his arm, the Great Snow Ape turned to face the temple and entered, followed by its kin.
"OK, what was that about?" Bacho asked.
"I think they've accepted me as a friend," Iori guessed. "Come on, let's head back to Shoku."
Yang approached Iori with a sly grin. "So, if you're not doing anything at the moment. Maybe we could get to know one another personally."
"I'm married," he told her firmly.
Yang gasped a bit, hearing that. "Oh."
"And my wife is standing right behind you."
Yang turned around and saw the purple haired woman's face was getting demonic. Yang recoiled as she saw the look Kochu was giving her.
"Can we get off this mountain now? I'm freezing here!" Batai cried.
XXX
The present...
Meanwhile, another conversation was taking place. Iori was speaking with Kanu in the kitchen so they wouldn't be disturbed.
"We managed to grab a piece of the Forge," said Iori.
"That's good news at least," Kanu smiled.
"What about you? How did your mission go?" he inquired.
"We failed, Iori-sama. We lost a piece of the Forge to the enemy," Kanu confessed.
"What happened?" Iori asked for details.
"I don't wish to blame anyone, but during the mission Nagata-sama seemed more focused on protecting Ruby-dono," she told him. Iori scowled. Nagata had lost focus. Maybe it was Ruby's fault, maybe it was Nagata's fault, but this couldn't continue for much longer. They needed to talk to him.
"This has gone far enough," Iori stated.
"What will you do?" Kanu asked.
"We're going to go talk to him. Follow me."
They needn't look very far. They found Nagata out in the garden, performing a kata with his katana. He would usually do this to focus his thoughts when things got too stressful, and this situation certainly applied.
"Nagata, we need to talk," Iori said, causing Nagata to end his kata mid-way.
"Can't it wait? I need to do this kata, and then I need to talk to Ruby. I need to set some ground rules for her while she's staying with us." Nagata wanted to go but Iori and Kanu were persistent.
"I'm sorry," Iori said as he touched Nagata's shoulder, "But this can't wait. So it's important to that you listen."
Nagata looked between Iori and Kanu and saw no way out. He frowned but sat down with them so they could talk. Actually, it seemed to be that they would be doing all the talking while he would be the one to listen.
XXX
At the same time, everyone else was enjoying a feast in the dining room. Yang was the most enthusiastic as she scarfed down as much food as Chouhi, which was quite a lot. The two were eating in sync, boggling the minds of those presently sitting at the table with them.
Yang never got fat from eating a lot. Her lifestyle, consistent exercise and metabolism helped her to burn off any excess calories.
"We should sign them up for eating contest," Chou'un remarked.
Batai agreed. "Yeah, people would pay to see two girls eat 500 bowls of fried rice in one sitting."
Ruby sweatdropped as she watched this 'horror fest'. She was a little embarrassed to be related to one of them. Yang really didn't have much in terms of table manners, especially when starving after a good fight. She always built up a huge appetite after an epic battle.
"Where is Nagata-niichan?" Chouhi wondered. Amusingly, she was asking while her cheeks were bulging.
Everyone finally noticed how their leader was absent. They had been so busy being mesmerized by how two girls could eat so much that they hadn't realized that he wasn't sitting at the table with them. Iori and Kanu were absent as well.
Yang saw a chance and she took it. "I'll go look for him. Ruby, you're coming too."
"What?" Ruby realized she had just been volunteered. "But Yang, I-"
"Come on, little sis. This will be good for you," Yang encouraged. She grabbed Ruby's hand and dragged her away from the table to look for Shoku's Blue King.
XXX
Kanu and Iori dragged Nagata up to his office so they could speak in private. Nagata didn't look very happy but he had no way of getting out of this.
"Aisha told me what happened during your mission," Iori started. "I think you need to stop dwelling on Ruby."
"She disobeyed my orders, and nearly got herself hurt," Nagata countered as he tried to justify his actions. "She could've been killed."
"So could Chouhi, and yet you let her come along on your mission. How old is she now? 13? 14? And what about Batai? She's a kid too, but you pretty much ordered her to come along with me," Iori reminded.
"Rinrin and Tanpopo are both skilled and they have proven themselves in the field of battle. They survived and fought alongside us many times before," Nagata shot back.
"They're experienced, I'll give you that, but that doesn't change the fact they're still just kids. And in case you've forgotten, Ruby's a trained warrior. She's not carrying that scythe-gun thing just for show, you know. From what I've seen, she can pretty much handle any obstacle the world can throw at her." Iori brought that up. He saw the silver eye girl's skills and on top of that, how serious she was. "If you had worked with her instead of sidelining her, things would have turned out differently."
Sadly, Nagata scoffed, "I don't believe this."
"What I don't believe is your lack of faith in someone and that you believe they need your help to succeed."
Seeing this isn't going anywhere, Kanu finally stepped in. "Nagata-sama, Iori-sama speaks the truth."
"You're siding with him now?" Nagata frowned at her.
Kanu whispered, pleading to her lover, "We're just worried about you." She didn't want to see him in pain.
Iori resumed after, "And you need to open your eyes. What you saw in Ruby, she can't be…"
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH PROTECTING MY MOTHER!?"
Nagata breathed heavily after his outburst. His face had gotten darker as the argument continued. His eyes showed signs of anger and his hair was messy like an untamed jungle. Iori and Kanu reeled back after seeing this change in his behavior.
As he regained his composure, his eyes turned sad. The young man realized what he had done and was starting to feel remorseful. He didn't mean it. He didn't.
Nagata hung his head as he whispered, "I'm sorry, I just can't lose her again."
Iori and Kanu looked at him sympathetically. This was probably too painful for him to admit.
"Do you know how it feels to lose someone you love?" Nagata asked. "Do you know how it feels when you realize that you forgot about them?" This was something he couldn't keep a secret anymore. "I lost my memories the same day I lost my parents...but when I recovered those memories, I remembered everything."
"What did you remember exactly?" Iori asked cautiously.
"I remember when I woke up after the accident. I saw both my parents. They weren't moving at all. They weren't…I shook them! I begged them to get up! I prayed! But nothing happened!" Nagata cried as he recounted his experience. He didn't look like the strong leader everyone looked up to right now. Now he just looked like a scared child who had lost everything. He gazed at his hands as the tears continued to come out. "My hands...they were stained in my blood. Ever since I got my memories back, that memory has been one of the strongest and I've been having nightmares about that day."
Kanu covered her mouth in horror as she whispered, "Nagata-sama…"
Iori had no words to say. He wanted to open his friend's eyes, but he may have pushed things too far.
Nagata continued, "Ever since that day, ever since I remembered what happened, I've sworn to never let something like that happen again. I now have a second chance. Maybe, just maybe, this time I can save her."
Kanu understood. Nagata may have been acting overprotective in regards to Ruby, but only because his memories were too painful. It wasn't easy to move on from something like that. Gently, she put her hand on Nagata's.
"Nagata-sama, I know it's difficult when you meet someone who resembles a lost loved one. Remember when we met Nise?" Kanu spoke to him.
"How could I forget?" Nagata responded with a frown. Nise, the man he thought of as a friend, had been a traitor who stole Ryuubi's name for the sake of fame and fortune.
Kanu recapped the event, "I grew close to him because of his resemblance to my late brother, so it hurt so much when he revealed his true colors. I don't want you to go through the same thing."
Iori added, "Ruby may look like her and act like her, but she is not your mother. She was raised in an entirely different world. She's a different person. You have to accept that."
Nagata turned away. "I know that, alright? I know. But my heart tells me differently. I know it doesn't make sense, but what I know and what I feel are two different things." He knew they were right, but he wasn't ready to accept that. Ruby just looked so much like his mother that he couldn't help but project on her. Was it rational, no? But when was being rational ever been a choice in this situation?
What the three didn't realize was that they had a couple of eavesdroppers standing on the other side of the closed doors. Yang and Ruby had gone looking for them when they heard an outburst coming from the office.
Ruby actually wanted to apologize to Nagata for causing their mission to fail, but then they heard everything.
What they heard had shocked the two sisters.
Nagata had lost both his parents, but what shocked them even more was that his birth mother, the one he had lost, was Ruby herself.
It was no wonder he was so warm to welcome her.
'I'm...his mother?' Ruby thought in stunned silence. She heard how he had lost his parents and realized they had something in common. She had lost her mother too, long ago, and it was something she was still trying to cope with. She moved on, but she still visited her mother's grave just to talk with her. But to be honest, she sometimes wished she could've been able to save her mother. Maybe, just maybe, then their family wouldn't have been so broken. She remembered how devastated their dad had been. He had lost his first wife, then his second. He got better, but seeing him in all that pain was something she wasn't likely to forget.
And now here she was, listening to a young man, who was her son from another reality...who had lost her. His mother-she-was dead. It all made sense now. The way he acted around her, the way he treated her, it was all because she looked like his mother.
Her sister on the other hand was outraged. Yang decided to barge inside to give Nagata a piece of her mind but a hand from her little sister stopped her from going through with it.
"Ruby?" Yang whispered.
"No, Yang." Ruby shook her head. "Let's...let's just go..." Ruby wiped her tears away. Yang frowned sadly. Seeing how hurt her sister was, Yang decided to postpone this confrontation until later. It wasn't the best course of action right now.
As the two of them left, Komei was just arriving to Nagata's office. She spotted the sisters walking away and wondered what they wanted with Nagata. Shrugging, she knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Nagata responded.
"It's me, Nagata-sama. I've found something you might want to see," she answered.
"Come in."
Komei entered the office and found that Nagata wasn't alone. With him were Kanu and Iori.
"Shuri, have you found out where the last piece is?" asked Nagata.
"Yes," the tired Komei said as she took out the paper that showed her findings.
Nagata read them and gave out an alarmed gasp. "Are you sure about this?"
"I double-checked and triple-checked. This information is accurate," insisted Komei.
Kanu, Iori and Nagata shared worried looks.
XXX
As these other tales were beginning to unravel, another one was taking place at sea. Actually, it was a pretty big river. Sailing on the river was a ship that belonged to "The Proud and Beautiful Ensho" (trademark). The same words were also painted on the sails.
In recent years, the Inves Games had become a hot topic over China. Unfortunately for most of the nation, the Inves Games were primarily played in Go and its territories. They were still trying to export Lockseeds outside of the known Go territories, but there was a lot of bureaucracy involved so the Inves Games were limited only in Go's territories.
Ensho, wanting to cash in on the Inves Games, was heading out to Go to negotiate a deal so she could have the Inves Games take place in her territories. The ship was sailing smoothly, even with the heavy fog.
Blake was standing up on deck for some fresh air. She didn't want to be cooped up in the cabin, especially if it meant listening to Ensho. The woman had treated her friendly enough, but her ego was so huge that it was suffocating to sit in the same room with her.
Haru joined her up on deck and spoke, "So, Kit. How do you like your stay in China so far?" 'Kit' was a nickname he came up for Blake. The latter was hesitant but she accepted it in the end. He hadn't meant it as an insult, but as a term of endearment.
He could've come up with worse and started calling her 'Pussy'. That would've been inappropriate and awkward.
"It's…unique to say the least." Indeed, Blake was adjusting well to her time in this world and the treatment she was receiving. It probably had something to do with the friendship she had formed with Haru, the fiancé of Ensho who was the noble lord of her own province. She also managed to earn Ensho's gratitude and respect when she aided in protecting her city from the monstrous Grimm invasion. While staying with Ensho, she helped with maintaining the peace.
Then one day, during one of Ensho's weekly events, she accidentally tripped and grabbed hold of Blake's ribbon, revealing her cat ears. Blake was surprised and was afraid that she would receive scorn due to her extra pair of ears. She was prepared to receive ridicule from the public, but they instead accepted her. Ganryo even said her ears looked cute.
The experience opened Blake's eyes. Back in her world, she and her kind, the Faunus, suffered nonstop prejudice from humanity. But these humans here didn't seem to mind. In fact, some of them began to worship her like some kind of deity. Haru explained to her that the people believe she had come from Heaven to protect them from the monsters. They even called her the Lucky Cat Goddess because of her ears, and believed she brought them all good luck just by being in their presence. Compared to the monsters that normally attacked, she was considered normal.
This world was truly different from Remnant. Unlike her homeworld, they did not have any Grimm. Back on Remnant, the Grimm occupied most of her world so it was easy to forget the beauty that the world had to offer.
In this world, she saw wonderful landscapes and grand mountains that reached the sky. She saw clear rivers and lush forests that had birds chirping in them. Once or twice, Blake pinched herself to make sure she wasn't just dreaming. She did read a lot of fiction as a form of escapism.
However, this world wasn't perfect. It still had its share of problem. War was still pretty common around here, according to Haru. The most recent war had left China without a ruler to unite them, causing many factions to be formed. Each of the factions was gathering power and absorbing territories to spread their influence. Sonsaku of Go and Sousou of Gi were the most active warlords trying to unite the land under their own banners.
Blake was saddened by this. Even in a whole new world, even one such lush and beautiful as this, there was still war. She herself had witnessed the aftermath of a war and how it affected her people, the Faunus. However, she was glad to see there were people who wanted to put an end to it.
Haru was among them and he was known as an Armored War God. While he had the word 'War' in his title, Haru was no warmonger. He was a warrior who was sincere in doing his duties to make things better. Knowing her friend wasn't using his powers to cause harm gave her some comfort.
Blake truly wished to live in a world as peaceful as this where people got along. While this place had its fair share of monsters, but they weren't plagued by them. The Grimm on her world prevented humanity from expanding beyond the safety of the kingdoms. Towns and villages that live outside the kingdoms didn't last very long and were in constant threat of the Creatures of Grimm.
As Blake got lost in her thoughts, she began to feel calmer. Her smile widened, with a bit of drool dripping out of the corner of her lips. A lightish red blush was present on her cheeks. Her eyes widened as she realized the cause of her relaxation.
It was Haru. He was scratching behind her cat ears and giving her a cheeky smile.
Blake gasped, her face red, and shrieked as she jumped out of Haru's reach.
"What do you think you're doing!?" she demanded, hand reaching for her Gambol Shroud.
"You were staring off into space again," he answered.
"And you thought it was a good idea to touch my ears?" she glared.
"Well, I couldn't resist. Sorry."
"It's alright," Blake sighed.
"So, what were you thinking about?"
"It's just that...I'm a bit homesick, I guess."
"You miss your world," Haru concluded.
"Well, not really. I mean, it's home, but not the best."
"How so?"
"How would you feel about living in a world where you're discriminated against for having these?" Blake asked, pointing at her cat ears.
"Well, I won't love it. That's for sure. I mean, I can understand what it's like."
"How?"
"Kit, I've been judged by my appearance. When someone looks at me, they think I'm just some dumb musclehead who's only good at punching things. At worst, they think I'm a thug or delinquent just because I'm good at fighting. Didn't win me many friends, though. Kids were too scared of me when they saw me punch a brick in half."
"They judge you before getting to know you." Blake understood that.
Haru shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much, but I learned a long time ago that what they think of you doesn't matter. It's how you think of yourself, and the opinions of those close to you, that should matter the most."
"If only both sides could see it that way," Blake agreed but there were some things that weren't as radiant as the fairy tales in books.
"You're with me. A human. How does that make you feel?"
Blake considered Haru's question. She could see he was taking this seriously right now.
"It's good," Blake responded somberly before giving him a very tranquil smile. "It's very good."
Haru smiled once more, happy that he managed to cheer up his new friend.
Suddenly, a large shadow flew over them. It didn't go unnoticed as many of the passengers reacted in fright.
"What the Hell!?" Haru shouted.
"AAAHHH!" Bunshu yelled. "BIG BIRD! BIG BIRD!"
"A Nevermore!" Blake identified as she saw the giant avian Grimm.
"One of your Grimm?" Haru looked to his new kitty companion.
The next question now, why was it here?
As the ship was slowly approaching Go, the heavy fog began to clean. Instead of a welcoming sight, they saw something that horrified them as they saw and heard explosions up in the sky. Buildings were toppling over as the citizens of Go screamed in terror from the Grimm.
This was a nightmare come to life.
Go was at war.
XXX
Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:
Issei Akechi (AU counterpart of Issei Hyoudou from High School DxD): Issei Akechi is the biological father of Mitsuki Akechi. Unlike his DxD counterpart, Issei Akechi is not perverted. He had a great relationship with his family. However the deaths of his wife and daughter and the loss of his job damaged him severely, transforming the man into an alcoholic. This caused a strained in his relationship with his son, Mitsuki. Despite all that, Mitsuki still loves his father and was devastated when Issei died.
Ravel Akechi (formerly Houoh, AU counterpart of Ravel Phoenix from High School DxD): Issei's late wife and the biological mother of Mitsuki and Karin. She died after giving birth to Karin due to complication. Originally a member of the Houoh Family, she was disowned for marrying a 'commoner' (Issei). Her family refused to help her, but she did not mind, and was happy with her husband.
Karin Akechi: Issei and Ravel's daughter and Mitsuki's little sister. When she was born, her mother died. Instead of blaming her for Ravel's death, they loved her more than ever as she is what's left of Ravel. She copied her mother's hairstyle and also has a bit of an arrogant and haughty personality. She contracted a serious illness later on. Her death would push her father towards alcoholism while her brother lost his purpose and vows to live only for himself. She resembles Sousou, something that drives Mitsuki to swear his loyalty to the warlord. As she died before she could achieve her dreams, Mitsuki swears to help Sousou accomplish her ambition.
XXX
GKoh: Anyway, I'm back and I intend on finishing this story before the next year. To those who had followed my fanfiction such as Hunt of the Armored War Gods or the Age of Pokemon, I have some bad news for you all. Due to lacking the passion I once had for the show, I sadly to say that these would be my last fics. However, I do intend on finishing Hunt of the Armored War Gods completely and I have some almost finished drafts that will serve as the finale for Age of Pokemon. So, I once more say to you all. Thank you for your dedication and loyalty.
