Happy New Year y'all! To kick off 2023, I thought I'd give you lot new chapter of 'The Rumbling of Remnant'!
For this chapter I thought I'd show you all a quick view on what technological level the Kaiju of Remnant are at in this point and time. While they are post Industrial-Revolution, they are still in the beginning of the Industry Age.
Anyway, enough chit-chat, have fun. Enjoy.
-The Rumbling of Remnant-
-Chapter 2-
-Four Days Later
-Ocean Dock Peer, Kingdom of Vale
"Oh my gosh, just look at all the wonderful representatives from the other Kingdoms! This is so exciting!" a very enthusiastic Weiss Schnee said like she had stars in her eyes.
Her partner and friend, Ruby Rose, had to chuckle a bit at Weiss's behavior, "And I thought you were weird before when people were getting ready for the Vytal Festival, Weiss." she said to her teammate, "It's even creepier than before…" she muttered that last part to herself.
"Yeah Weiss, for real, please chill out." Ruby's older sister Yang Xiao Long then added.
Meanwhile, Blake Belladonna simply kept reading her book.
All of team RWBY was present and ready for their very first true mission. The mission itself sounded easy in theory, simply stay on the ship, fight some Grimm if they had to, and escort the diplomats to their meeting point. But if Ruby was being honest with herself, she too was slightly excited about this mission.
But not for the same reasons as Weiss had been so giddy about.
No. Apparently, when Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch approached them three days ago with this mission, Ozpin seemed almost like he genuinely wanted the team to come with him to represent Beacon Academy, with two other teams as well. Team JNPR and Team CFVY would also be along for the ride.
But it was when Ruby inquired where they were going that Ozpin dropped a bombshell on them. Supposedly, a new Kingdom has been established on Remnant. And it was on the dark continent of Fafnir.
There were endless stories about the continent, ranging from all shapes and sizes. Some good, most bad, and all with hints of mystery and folktale to them. It was starting to feel like a big adventure of sorts. It filled the girl with wonder. And, for the first time since she became a student of Beacon, she finally started to feel like she was living her one true goal in life.
She was following in her mother's shoes. She was going to be a Huntress, like in the stories.
"I can not 'chill out', Yang. Don't you see how amazing time on Remnant this is?" Weiss's voice cut through Ruby's thoughts, bringing her back to the real world, "This is the first newly established Kingdom on Remnant in almost a hundred and fifty years. How can you not be excited to be a part of this world changing event?" the heiress said as she twirled her body around like a ballerina.
"You definitely know how to make something sound all the more less exciting than it is, Weiss Schnee." Yang said sarcastically.
"Quiet you!" Weiss shot back.
Ruby, deciding it was time to stop this before it got verbally violent, spoke up with a question, "Okay, so does everyone know what we'll be doing exactly?" she asked her team.
Blake was the first to answer, "We're playing as escorts of the Councillors of Vale and the other Kingdoms and make sure they get to the continent of Fafnir without being eaten by Grimm."
"Right!" Ruby said happily, before a question crossed her mind, "But… Why are we here on the docks of Vale when we could have just taken an airship there? Wouldn't that be faster?"
Weiss followed that up with her own curiosity on the subject, "That's honestly a good question."
"The reason is simple." a new voice said aloud getting the team's attention.
As one, they turn to see Professor Glynda Goodwitch approaching them from where Ozpin and the other headmasters were talking to each other. She adjusted her glasses as she explained to team RWBY the situation.
"The Kingdom of Zoe has no facilities that can accommodate airships of any kind, with them mostly being an 'ocean bound' culture. And after Professor Ozpin and others spoke about it with the place we are going to, we all decided that this would be a good chance to see our new acquaintances before we go to their homeland."
Ruby kind of understood that, "So in other words, this will be a chance to meet and greet before we get going to the new Kingdom?" she asked.
"In simple terms, yes." Glynda responded, "Now Miss Rose, do you and your team have a few bags packed? We'll be gone for a few days at best."
Yang gave the blonde professor a thumbs up, "No worries, Miss Goodwitch. We are covered."
"Good. Now remember something important please. Remember that once we leave the safety of Vale's walls, be ready for anything." she said with a serious tone, "The things outside our Kingdom's walls will not care if you are children or not, they will try to kill you whatever it takes. Keep that in mind." With that said, Glynda returned to Ozpin's side.
Ruby turned back to her teammates, "We got this, just keep and eye for each other and we will be just fine. Okay?"
Her three teammates nodded and responded with a "Right." at the same time.
Just then, a loud blaring noise is heard in the distance, like that of a fog horn from a lighthouse or a ship.
Team RWBY turned to the sound, it was coming from the ocean. Just on the horizon, and growing in size, was a large dark object approaching the bay of Vale's harbor. As it got closer, the shape took the form of a sea bound vessel. And one that all but one of them had seen before.
Ruby had studied weapons her whole life. She had seen how they had changed over the times in a few history books.
What was approaching Vale's harbor was what the history books would call an aircraft carrier. A large ship with a flat top upon its upper deck. But this ship was not exactly like the ones she saw in those books. For one thing, it was the sheer size of the vessel. It easily dwarfed every other ship in the harbor.
Coming in at least the size of Atlas military dreadnought. If she had to guess at the numbers, she would say that it was at least over eight hundred and fifty feet. It was colossal.
And its welded, dark gray hull looked to be wrapped in seriously thick and heavy looking armor of steel.
It was what was on the tip of the bow that drew Ruby's attention the most. There, on the very tip of the forward clipper-bow was what looked to be a golden seal of some sorts, maybe a flower, it was hard to tell from where she was.
"What kind of ship is that?" Yang asked.
Ruby was about to answer, but, who likely does more studying herself, beat her to the punch, "That's an aircraft carrier… It was designed to carry low range airborne vehicles over open water. They were fairly common back before and during the Great War over 80 years ago."
"Yeah," Blake then added, "but as time marched on, and the airship became bigger and more reliable, nobody seemed to need them anymore. There are no aircraft carriers left in this day and age."
Yang nodded in understanding, while Ruby herself stared in fascination at the vessel as it finally pulled into the harbor.
The steel giant pulled alongside a dock and slowed to a stop before its giant anchors dropped into the bay to secure it into place. As soon as that was completed, a large gangway moved and lowered down onto the dock.
The first person to walk down the ship's gangway was the first official Kaiju team RWBY had ever seen.
Standing an easy eight-teen feet tall was a woman in what appeared to be a military uniform with a silvery trench coat hanging from her shoulders and white captain's cap resting on her head. Along her jawline was what appeared to be silver steel. Maybe mechanical bits? It was hard to tell. And her eyes were a bright yellow color, with red lining of some kind starting from the cover of her eyes and down her cheeks.
As she walked down the dock to the pier, she had to slightly duck under the lamp posts.
Ruby decided to not waste time and turned to her team, "Okay girls, guess this is it. Get ready."
"Got it." came the response from all three.
~o0o~
Ozpin's head craned upward as he got his first look at the Kaiju before him. The woman stared down at him with a gaze that seemed to be a judgmental one.
When she finally spoke, her voice was deep and commanding, but quieter than he was expecting.
"Greetings, I am Captain Kiryu of the aircraft carrier, 'Hakuryu'. I have come here today to take the diplomates of the other Kingdoms aboard my ship and return to the Kingdom of Zoe." she said as she looked at the group of representatives, "This is the company I'll be taking aboard?" she asked.
"It is indeed, Captain." Ozpin replied, "My name is Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. Everyone and everything seems to be ready to leave for your Kingdom now."
The captain nodded and guestard to her ship, "We'll depart as soon as all hands are on deck. I'll be waiting on the bridge." she said.
The Kaiju was about to turn and leave for her vessel, but then she stopped as something caught her eye. And Ozpin rose a brow as he watched as her eyes widened in shock. He turned his head slightly to see what she was shocked by.
Out of the corner of his eye, stood young Ruby Rose as she looked at the tall Kaiju with interest. When the girl in question took notice of the Kaiju's gaze upon her, she got a little unnerved by the intense look.
Ozpin turned back to the Kaiju and watched as her gaze went from shock to a cold stare. The stare lasted a good thirty seconds before Kaiju then turned away finally and started walking back to her ship, without another word.
"That was peculiar…" he whispered to himself.
"Hmmm… as if she saw a ghost for a moment." Glynda added after him.
"Well," he said louder, "We might as well get everyone ready to depart."
As the headmaster and his attendant turned to everyone else, he failed to notice the captain of the carrier had glanced back again, her eyes fixed upon the young red huntress as she continued to walk away.
Aaaaaaaaand that's it. I was kind of rushed to make this chapter in time for the new year, so sadly all I could make.
I know it's a little short, but hey, it's something at least.
As for the what the aircraft carrier looks like, just look up "World of Warships Hakuryu" and you see what it looks like. I'm a huge fan of 'World of Warships' and I just LOVE their ship models.
So expect a LOT more warship action in the fanfic in the near future.
I hope you all have a fantastic new year of 2023. Happy New Year!
Peace!