No, me buying Jedi Survivor totally didn't impact my writing time at all. I totally didn't lose a couple weekends as I voraciously played games and was distracted...
… It was an awesome game, okay!
Sorry everyone. Now, on to our regularly scheduled programming. Onward Brave Heroes!
Chapter Eighty Four: We're the Help! Honestly!
Late June.
One year, little over one month til The Day.
Character ages:
Carmine – 16, Just under 17
Neo – Recently 16
Roman – Recently 27
Blair – Recently 25
The travel was stunted.
Since Atlas was actively hunting Team CRBN down, the group's travel consisted of a great many back roads whenever possible now. Luckily, Atlas's lack of knowledge on the team's whereabouts meant they could take full advantage of ignorance.
Which found the team trending into the northern tundras...
The Atlas Music Charity Ball is an event hosted by the SDC each year as a means of publicity and public relations. At least, that was the event's conceptualization. In truth, it now much more resembled Misty Rhodes' own words to it. A 'circle masturbatory victory lap' for Schnee profits sounds crude, yet apt.
For starters, the SDC accepted guests, but the guests must apply ahead of time. This allowed the SDC to approve who showed up and who did not. Atop of this, the SDC would send out formal invitations to those who would get preferential status in the event's seating arrangements, services, etc. This prioritized only friendly guests to the SDC to come, or guests the SDC was interested in for later relationships.
This would combo well with selection bias of the charities the Ball would fund. This year's funds three major charities. The first was for community hospital chains within the four kingdoms! These hospitals provide clinical trials and discounts for many in lower income areas, as well as providing treatment for drug addiction.
The olive branch to faunus populations which primarily inhabited such areas.
A nice touch.
The second charity selected this year was for Vacuo specifically... A structural fund to hash out the kingdom's resources to recover from the advent of conflict with AZRL. Though the public did not know of AZRL, it was at least known about how bloody and destruction the conflicts had become between the criminal element and the Hunter contingents from each kingdom.
Again, the charity seemed fine.
Then the final one, which was front and center and gained the bulk of support... An officer support program. For Atlas.
A dedicated line for funding scholarships for those interested in the military. Which, also allowed plenty of donations for SDC research, contracts, and advancements in technology.
It was smart, Carmine realizes. It fully makes sense.
It provides incentive to those within the SDC to work to continue these contracts in order to keep succeeding. Thus, new services from the SDC get made to make other areas up to snuff. Thus, the SDC gains loyal customers. Thus, the SDC gains money. Thus, repeat the cycle of progress.
Gain helps everyone, but one group more so.
Carmine was uncomfortable with that, overlooking various details of the landscape. It made sense, but bothered him. Problem was, he had little way to argue against it. He's said it himself. A person is smart or kind, but people? People are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling. Using greed to motivate, rather than try to grind it out of the populace, was indeed the most efficient means of progress and success.
BUT, considering the White Fang, the plight of faunus, and growing hostilities of a race war... Could no side at least reach for a more direct approach?
Ugh, it's that damned pie analogy from Roman again...
Speaking of when one side gets more of said pie...
"Is there anything that Atlas doesn't put on a floating carrier and let fly over the people oppressively?" He speaks up, raising a brow.
In the distance is a large structure in the sky. Not anywhere remotely close to the City of Atlas in scale. However, unlike the city, this structure IS entirely artificial. One of three such structures in the ownership of this kingdom.
The first is the Amity Colosseum, the seldom used arena for the Vytal Festival that travels kingdoms frequently. Carmine had seen it a few times during his years living at Beacon. It's certainly awe inspiring. It typically remains nearby in Atlas before being mobilized to whichever kingdom's capital that is hosting the festival each year.
Second is the Titanus Lance. This mobile fortress is ninety percent fortification and protection of a massive tech cannon. The first destructive weapon utilizing hard light dust. The beast of a machine condenses dust into a hard shell before imbuing the hard light with elemental properties. The blast yield is akin to that of a controlled nuke!
The weapon was last mobilized against a substantial Grimm horde ten years ago in the oceans of Mistral. Outside of massive hordes with gigantic Grimm, the weapon sees little use, but heavy maintenance.
The weapon was made during the advent of the last war, where it had been stationary as a line of defense in Southern Mantle. The decision to make it mobile was made as a show of compliance and cooperation to offer the strongest of assistance to the other kingdoms. A strong gesture, indeed.
The third... well... The SDC's Apollo Auditorium. A massive private theater and mobile venue. First world assets...
Carmine puffs out a breath. "I mean, seriously. A massive ornate theater on rockets now? Is this the most high class interpretation of the mile high club?"
Neo snorts at that and nods with him, agreeing with the concept.
"Three point seven kilometers from the ground, actually." Blair rattles off.
"Screw the metrics." Carmine grumbles. "If anyone expects to replace mile high club with kilometer high club, they're stupid."
"I'll agree with Silver Streak." Roman smirks, earning a glower from the blonde. "Did Mama Neo tell you exactly who we'll need to speak to when we get there?"
Carmine deflates and sighs. "Well, no. Not a lot of detail, but we should be able to just name drop and have someone direct us." He notices Neo snort derisively beside him, which gets a smirk from him. "Still, we get in, integrate with the staff and find out the schedule of events. At this point, AZRL just has to be running out of resources, so we SHOULD be able to suss out someone or something familiar with how they're planning ahead in the event."
Blair hums. "I highly doubt we will run into Spyyra in such a place. Mary Anne is likely. Unfortunately, we lack knowledge of what their enforcer looks like under his armor, so he is a wild card." She frowns and looks to Roman. "What are the odds of Zandril himself making an appearance, you feel?"
The conman tenses. "... If he does appear, then we're in trouble. Expect all hell if that's the case. We haven't been in the same building as his rotund highness since we first became a team." A tick of thought later, and he adds with an irritation. "That Atlas Agent is also a possibility."
"Still hoping to the Brothers you misheard him and he's on the up and up." Carmine sneers. If AZRL really does have a foot in the door with the military and academies... Though, it certainly fits with them trying to integrate into the Atlas upper class and private sector. Damn it. "Right, so we'll be on the lookout for those five."
The van continues around the curve of the mountain. Even from this distance, they see the floating island suspended in the sky. Massive dust controlled thrusters slowly rotate as they remain ignited, a dull blue hue of wisping energy trailing out from under the propulsion. The island is situated over one an uneven ridge, the tops of pointed structures poking out.
Of course, far in the horizon, the team can see the smog...
They're a substantial distance off, but are relatively close to the North Pillar city of Angustiae. The industrial city with plumes of filth polluting the air. The largest hub of faunus within the kingdom of Atlas as well!
This last fact is why the floating theater venue is out this far from the city. With faunus banned from the event, they want the venue a distance away from the population.
The event still holds some measure of scenery, however, as the floating island showed itself directly at the same level with a truly gargantuan spiraling mountain. It would seem, despite the last minute shift in venue location, they still kept the theater close to somewhat of a significant landmark...
"The monument isn't... super important, is it?" Carmine asks, worried. "Really hoping we're not going through multiple layers of security. Hell, if we gotta sneak past the ground level guards just to reach the sky bound guards, I'm gonna be pissed."
"We'll see. I'm curious on that, myself." Roman grumbles. "Barbie?"
Blair hums and leans to glance out the window in thought. "... I've never been. None of my classmates had operated too extensively in Atlas, though it sometimes happened. I've only heard of this location in passing. It's significance has waned significantly, as it predates the last war." She narrows her gaze, annoyed. "That is all I can recall. Did the book mention anything, Neo?"
Carmine perks to his side, seeing Neo grimacing at the text in her hand. The mute sighs, but does show the book page to Carmine, pointing to a specific paragraph.
He reads out loud. "Hmm. '… Great battles establishing the borders of the kingdom of Callot-' Gods, that's what the kingdom that existed before Mantle was named?" He continues reading. "'-Among great northern tundras-'. Blah blah blah. '-several fortresses and battlefield locations have been preserved as historical landmarks:' Then it lists, like, fifty. Good gods- There!" He points at the page more precisely. "'Bastion Alderley at Mount Edna. Location of the Battle of Spear Point, original resting place of founding fathers of Mantle whom served as generals in the army of Callot before rebelling with the Maiden Mirai to found Mantle.'"
"Ancient." Roman grumbles. "So, it's pretty forgotten, exists for mild tourism, and long since picked clean of anything requiring heavy security. That's good at least."
Neo leans forward, raising a brow at Barbie and signing. "Any old tales of them? The generals or anything?"
Blair frowns. "Wait... I think..."
Roman rolls his eyes.
After a moment, Blair mumbles under her breath. "Is that the right tale? The Knights?"
"Too many fairy tales, Blair?" Carmine smirks at the blonde. "Every time you say you dislike them, you surprisingly know a whole lot."
The blonde hums. "Perhaps. Professor Ozpin's favored professors at Beacon like to allude to them often enough." Her thoughts continue to spin in her mind. "If one is relevant, it will come to me."
"And your shower songs are just because they're stuck in your head?" Roman mocks, earning a scowl.
. . .
Another half hour of winding around mountain sides finds the crew coming up the side of the great mountain, Mount Edna. The massive land mass is one of the highest peaks in the kingdom. One of, though dwarfed by tallest. The mountain's peak itself is an indention into the earth, a sort of bowl shaped summit that is only accessible through a special path.
This path is protected at the mouth, a massive set of tall dirty white stone walls. A fortress the size of a small city shows itself embedded into the mountain side.
Bastion Alderley.
The roads are well kept, moving over a steel drawbridge. The inside of the fortress is open wide enough for many modern buildings within. Multiple terraces with sloped, curved roads weave different sectors further up and into the mountain. Each set of gates for every layer of walls is decorated with statues as well.
Statues of knights.
Walls of stone, tools of steel, and décor trim and monuments of brass and bronze. If Atlas is defined by the colors of white and blue, the kingdom of Callot's architecture shows heavy focuses on dark off pattern yellows and grays.
One can imagine that the views upon their initial construction were impeccable soft whites and striking sun like coloration. The statues and olden structures showed medieval inspirations, with the modern additions stylized into metal modernized buildings.
The knights in the statues are double the height of any of the team members. The towering figurines give Carmine an... ominous feeling. Like he's seen it before, but not in the comforting way.
The redhead eyes one of the statues and reads the inscription-
"For fuck-" He scoffs. The inscription is in ancient tongue, a dead language. So naturally, he cannot read it. His eyes half lid in annoyance. "Not even a translation? Seriously?" He almost asks for a maybe a pamphlet or rough translation from a local stand, but a commotion catches his ears.
It's coming from ahead.
His team had quickly hidden fanned out to find any last minute supplies they might need. The air pad is two terraces up from him, so he looks for one of the tall stone walls. He glances about for any watchful eyes before he mutters.
"Jager." His armor flashes onto his calves. With a running start, the propelled thrusts power his strides to leap up along the wall! Rising some hundred yards to the top, he twists and flips into place by the outcropping machicolations.
With a furrowed brow, he sees the air lift pads on the terrace before him. Only about thirty yards below him rather than the hundred plus he just climbed from his previous spot. The landing pad is surrounded by flashing police lights maintaining and ordered line.
Several Bulkhead transports display with SDC labeling and monikers. These show on top of the couple unmarked ships that surely operate here normally. No, these SDC branded transports are here to move guests from the ground to the island attraction above!
Which then pulls attention to the police line guarding the transports... That's annoying. But, Carmine's mind was drawn to the REASON for the line...
"You don't own me!"
"We aren't your pets!"
"Sanctimonious bastards! Let us in!"
Faunus.
A massive crowd of faunus had built around the pad, forming a large and vocal roaring protest! Signs were out a plenty, and cheers, jeers, and snarling sneers came from every corner. 'Down with Schnee!' One sign read. 'Barred from participation. Barred from equality.' another read. One group of rough looking teens hold up a mock puppet of Jacques Schnee with an animal leash around his neck. It's accompanied by a neck sign reading 'Fight fire with fire.'
These faunus were not simply angry. They were wronged, hurt, and furious! The crowd chanted these signs and sayings as some strayed more... violent.
The screech if a megaphone scratches his hearing. A young adult woman with slit snake eyes waves about with a black coat on! The coat is streaked with three claw marks in a symbol. "Only dogs here are those in uniform! You're the reason we bare our fangs!"
Carmine's gut sinks. He sees the symbol. It's clearly an unofficial clothing, hoke made, but she's clearly a White Fang sympathizer. The girl's makeup accentuates a slight scaled skin pattern around her eyes as she shouts out.
"For too long, we have been oppressed! For too long! When is enough enough?" She chants for the crowd.
However, even the other faunus take conflict with the girl's tone. Some hunch down and try to reach for her, only for the woman to pull away, step ahead, and scream at the Atlas police.
The police take note of her, various grimaces forming. One mutters into his radio. "Got another sympathizer at pad B. Get a ride ready." A few members from the line press forward, the protesters flinching and mildly parting with hesitation. Then they have to push through some of the more stubborn actors.
Carmine sucks in a breath. "Oh shit..." He moves along the high wall, angling his view to peer over the crowd. The police verge on the loud snake faunus woman.
The woman snorts and aims the megaphone as she takes a taunting step forward. "Uh oh! You should be careful approaching an animal. Might not have all my shots." Her voice drips in mockery and venom.
One of the cops present an open hand. "Come with us, please. Put the megaphone down-"
"Pry it from me!" She snaps before directing the megaphone cone around to the crowd. "Silence is consent! We are too strong for that! You will NOT silence us!" One officer's hand reaches for her arm, but she flinches back. "Get your hands off me!"
"You're under arrest for public disturbance and wearing the paraphernalia of a known terrorist group!" The officer orders, sending worried glances at some of the other faunus.
The woman shrieks. "TERRORISTS?! This is how they label anyone who wants equality!" She jerks her arm away from the other officer as she calls out. "Help! Get your hands OFF-"
The officer, patience waned, snatches out and grips her arm. He wrenches her in, attempting to maneuver her round to handcuff her. The snake faunus hisses, baring fangs a before striking. She cranes her neck and bites into the man's arm!
Her fangs don't fully get through the light armor the officer wears. He grunts in pain, but it's only enough to anger him. He jerks the jerk up before bashing the snap jawed woman between the eyes! She cries out, releasing the bite, then finds herself twisted around and slammed into the ground. The officers position themselves atop her, cuffing her arms and legs
"AH!" She cries out, angry and sneering. "GET OFF! HELP! HELP~!"
Carmine watches horrified...
The event isn't for days, and this crowd is only going to grow...
"This can only get worse..."
. . .
"On a scale of one to ten, how difficult is it gonna be to get a ride top side?" Carmine asks Roman. The group had reconvened one terrace away from the protest. The cheers and jeers were a roaring a mere few blocks away. Roman looks mildly annoyed.
"Easy. Same as me posing as a doc in Malum, we use some swiped ID's to ride up as those 'workers' Neo's birther is vouching for."
The boy's worried brow shifts. "How is that easy-" Roman flicks a hand up and showcases an ID... He scrutinizes the ID, squinting before he sucks in a breath. "Fake ID?"
"No~pe!" He pops the p as he smirks. "Been nabbing some ID passports and the like here and there of people that could slightly match us. We just have to use some of them."
Carmine's face falls. "... How long has this been a thing?"
"How long we been in Atlas?" Roman asks softly in thought, earning a jerking look from the kid.
"I'm going to have to start making you and Neo give to charity every time you each admit to a crime to me." Neo snorts and looks away, acting pretty as the boy side eyes her. "Uh huh. Keep that act up." Carmine glowers back to the conman. "No picture ID?"
"Of course. Probably disrupted several people's travels." Roman rattles off with a satisfied smirk. Suddenly, the hand full of Ids is snatched away by the blue haired Neo. The conman flippantly jolts. "Hey!"
Neo smiles and waves the ID cards. She tucks them into her own pouch, holding up a finger. Then, she removes one ID and holds it up. The two boys read it. 'Vanille Carson.'
Carmine blinks and smirks. "You're using your semblance to place our pretend names over the real names."
The girl flips her hair in a haughty self praise before signing. "Just come to me if anyone demands an ID. I'll play organizer for the group."
Roman snickers. "Nice, nice. Lovely work." His mirth falls away as he glances off. "Not to poke my nose in the affairs of the oh so trodden, but I didn't expect this many faunus to be here. The event isn't for days, so..." He scoffs. "Guess we found how faunus are gonna figure into that big master plan."
Blair grimaces. "The faunus are grounded. If they're going to be used from the protest, then our targets must be planning on inciting a riot. Some means of accessing the Apollo."
"Not gonna be hard from our experience with them." Carmine grumbles. "But why?" He looks to the sky at the massive floating structure above. "AZRL wants to embed themselves in the elite, which will be up there. What do they gain from endangering the very people they're trying to slip in to?"
Neo hums and signs. "Causing a problem so they can present a solution? Gain acceptance?"
"Arms dealers do that to buddy up to selling audiences by bringing captured Grimm from the Grimm trade, then killing them to 'save' the locals." Blair elaborates, bobbing her head to recognize the tactic. "But AZRL has been capturing faunus just as much if not more so than humans for their product. Not unless it's some massive scheme to outright use the entire faunus population for the AZRL program? Race war of sorts?"
Roman shakes his head. "No. The fat man as we've learned is an incredibly patient and vengeful man, but I somehow doubt he'd be that reckless. An action like that would urge people into open slavery, which would invite war with the other kingdoms almost immediately, AND gain scrutiny on themselves which is the the opposite of what they're doing right now."
Carmine grimaces. "Let's shelve the speculation til we get up there." He nods to the protest. "People need to sleep, and the air fields and brigade are up full time. We can come back well after dark when the normal protesters have left."
Neo raises a brow before perking. The three send curious looks to her, so she grins and signs. "Historical landmark, right? Sight seeing to pass time?"
. . .
Moving through the landmarks, the CRBN crew find themselves at a junction. A massive gate, restored to full functional condition stands some fifty yards high. The gate is circular, the doorway itself in the shape of a massive cog inserted into a perfectly fit metal wall, locked in place with braces on both sides.
The white metal is brilliant, but the mechanisms show their age with creaking whines as the cog shaped doorway shifts, sinking forward. The cog is ten yards thick, the moment it's free from its walled slot, the cog begins to roll to the side.
This reveals the door to the inside of the mountain. A cavern aglow with shimmering, dull teal crystals and moss. The glows fascinate the boy and girl, Blair and Roman having slightly more composure.
Roman looks about, finding some guards of the location in gate and wall towers, one surely controlling the door. He raises a brow. "A giant thousand year old cog. Didn't think engineering was old enough to reach millennia like that."
Blair nods. "It's an odd thing, but some gates and constructions like that have existed longer than any known kingdom. It's never been congruent with their locations' general level of technology. Even now, one of those gates can take the punishment of a megaton explosion." She inspects the mechanisms as the group enters through the gate into the cavern. "Even without the maintenance."
"This is about to be a disturbing history lesson, isn't it?" Roman grumbles. "Didn't NOT go to school to learn folk trivia."
Blair leans and bumps his shoulder and smirks. "Too bad. Street knowledge does not help all the time." A thoughtful look. "Gates like this one have popped up at multiple castle oasis settlements in Vacuo, at least one ancient and broken gate was found in Eastern Mistral, and one left behind at an old Vale estate far into the West closer to the Vacuan border than it is close to the actual City of Vale." She lets the view of the moss and crystalline light draw her attention as she speaks softer.
"The oldest find was 1,400 years old, with not an insignificant percentage being broken upon discover. All those not broken were maintained to this day. Frankly, because the idea that something COULD break through those gates is silly until you realize that something did."
"Yay. History that terrifies me." Carmine mutters from ahead of them. He frowns. "If nothing is known in terms of engineering could break through for its time, was it Grimm? Some Grimm can get bigger than the gate, right?"
Blair smirks. "Complete that thought, Carmine."
He pouts, Neo sticking her tongue out at him. He huffs. "Right... Grimm THAT huge have never been so common that we'd find the exact same design across all four continents BEFORE the CCT and inter kingdom trade began." He frowns. "Especially not being close to water if they're most common in Vacuo. Had to be an extreme reaction to Grimm hordes, though, but how did the plans spread all over?"
Neo blinks in thought, raising a look to Blair and signing. "They predate the kingdoms?"
A brilliant smile comes to Blair. "VERY good, Neo." She sends a coy look to the whipping around boy. "Slow today are we, Carmine? Yes, it is believed that the design was the product of the civilization that existed BEFORE the four kingdoms and continents ceased contact some time last millennia."
Roman purses his lips. "If they were advanced enough to have protection like that, how did they collapse? Let technology regress centuries worth in such a way that we can't even know they were real with certainty?" He huffs.
Carmine speaks wide eyed, peering back into the darkness whence they came. "The same thing that was able to break those gates... Must have been an internal problem then. Disabled their technology enough to leave communications down, using some tech we haven't recovered or made sense of yet to attack one another until all records were erased."
"Sounds like a fanciful fairy tale." Roman speaks up.
"Yet, he hit the nail on the working theory." Blair speaks up. "The only alternative to technology, which might explain why we cannot locate said technology, is that the people of that civilization fought with magic, greater than anything we've achieved with dust thus far."
"I thought magic was just science left unexplained." Roman quips.
"So did I until Carmine defied scientific convention." Blair deflects.
"You're welcome." Said boy chimes in.
"mm!" Neo leads the group ahead with her verbal hum to the opening of the cavern. The exit comes to a beautifully smooth marble chiseling for a path. The light of the sky pierces as they come out to some sort of oasis sanctum.
Marble curved terraces circle around small pockets of neatly tended gardens. The paths are lined with brass and metal sculptures of nondescript knights. However, the group finds other tourists in the area, people huddled about some of the statue figures and chatting among themselves.
Carmine watches curiously as she approaches one group. "Uh, hey?"
A middle aged man with a young child in hand turn to him. "Oh, hello young man."
The boy grins embarrassed and bows. "Sorry to bother. My friends and I were heading through and noticed the landmark. We were curious, but don't know much about all..." He waves with his hands wide. "Do you know what all this is? Or where we could get a guide to it? Tried reading something earlier, but I don't speak dead language."
The old man smiles warmly and shakes his head. "No trouble at all." He peers around before whispering with his child held slightly away. "Actually, the translation issue has been raised multiple times. The elites like knowing they can read it since only they go to schools to learn it." He scoffs. "But we locals know enough of the tale. Don't we, Conner?"
His boy, no older than four, smiles and waves his hands excited. "Nighs..."
"Knights, yes!" The man chuckles and looks to Carmine again. "This location was the seat of council for the Rebellion that led to the founding of the Kingdom of Mantle just a few years later. The location cherished and shielded by the noble generals, The Knights of the Round."
Carmine nods appreciative of the information as he smile. "Knights have just always been a thing for this continent only, I see. But, didn't the Architect Mirai found Mantle?"
"Of course! Of course. See-" The old man stops and looks to the sky. "Actually, you'll likely get a good telling here soon."
"What do ya mean?" Carmine follows his gaze up.
The weaving marble structures have no ceiling. Everything above them is open to the sky, showing bright blue. From the angle, they still see the artificial structure floating over the mountain.
"My son and I came to watch the Round Tale. Whenever major celebrations occur here, performances of the old passages and songs are broadcast in the days leading up to those events." He smiles wide. "It starts in just a moment, but a better seating location is the actual sanctum of the table." He looks to Carmine and bobs his head. "Get your friends there, look up, and watch. I think the lovely new Schnee girl is performing it this year."
Nodding in thanks, Carmine gives the boy with him an awkward wave as he leaves amicably. Taking the lead, the CRBN group moves ahead to a vibrant oasis. The marble chiseling forms a circular chamber of sorts, statues lining the wall with again, no ceiling obscuring the sky poking from above. Around the room is sculpted in sections for gardens, exotic colors of plants poking about.
But the room's primary content: A table.
A round brass trim marble table sits, displayed behind a pulsing barrier of hard light dust. Several tourists look on, looking at the cut out sections of the table for its seating.
Twelve pristine mahogany seats line identically around with a final thirteenth white seat opposite from the entrance. Little nodes are situated outside the hard light barrier with plaques on them. Carmine and Neo peer at one, Roman and Blair at another.
The blonde's eyes light up in recognition. "Yes... I think I HAVE heard this tale before." She reads the plaque. "'Remodel of original seats lost to time. The seat of Sir Lann de Lenore, King of the West Lakes, Second Knight of the Round'." She looks about to the other nodes. "We briefly went over their rise and fall in Professor Oobleck's ancient origins class."
"Another straight A moment for you, Barbie?" Roman quips. The blonde gives a soft smile.
"I did well enough, but Cella was the real historian."
More people enter the chamber, these ones in fancier suits. Mutterings of 'perfect view' and 'trial run' come from them. Neo eyes them suspiciously with her violet Vanille eyes.
Carmine reads off the node before him. "'The seat of Sir Galahad ol Sorbenic, King of the Wine Lands, Third Knight of the Round.'" He peers at the next one. "These guys are all kings? Or knights?"
Blair lights up. "Kings turned into knights." She looks around, studious until a soft hum comes from her. Two even notes, then three notes down up down, a soft smile. "I'm remembering now."
"Comes with a song, Barbie? Sing for us." Roman teases, looking curiously himself. "Not a history guy, myself, but I'm up for entertainment any day."
Neo watches the two tease before turning her attention to another node. This one for the seat directly next to the white chair at the head of the round table. 'The seat of Peasant Maiden Mirai, First Knight of the Round, First Queen of Mantle, wife of Arthas vi Endrathil. Better known as Mirai the Architect.'
This was the same woman whose statue shows to the world outside the City of Malum... Neo blinks. To be that revered a millennia later is... astounding. Maybe it would make sense if she had magic like Carmine. She also smirks as she peers around. Is this the only woman among the knights? Interesting.
A coy look takes her to the white seat's node. However, before she can read it, the groups of people around all gasp and call attention upward. She follows the gaze. Soon Carmine and Blair do as well. Roman takes the time to glance over to the people around.
The ones in nice suits seem to be hush hush, looking up and miming a view frame as they speak into headsets. Connected to the coming broadcast, perhaps?
He sighs and looks up as well. Interesting or not, he couldn't care less about history.
Just like in Atlas's own skies, rectangular devices fly about in sets of four. Several deploy over the main fortress, with one set moving up the mountain. They float aloft over the cracks of the mountain summit, down into view of the inner sanctum inhabitants. The devices widen out as a hard light screen connects between the machines acting as the four corners.
Sound projects from the devices as the hard light screen projects its broadcast...
The projection begins with the SDC logo, the snowflake first bright before dissolving into sparkling stars to fade into a stage...
The clacking of shoes on the smooth grand stage sounds as a man appears. His hair is raven colored, ever slightly receding, eyes a cold blue, his suit a remarkable white with silver and black trim. "Greetings, friends... I am Director Stass Krennick, overseer of the Apollo Auditorium." He bows for the camera feed.
Rising, he smiles perfectly. "Every year, we are prideful in the strides we've made to enlighten, improve, and progress the world around us, but this year, our venue has a special place in our history. A site laden in Mantle's memory, and Atlas's strength!"
His hands clasp warmly before arms spread wide. "In celebration of our history, as a preview to the show ahead this weekend, the City of Atlas Orchestral Choir and the SDC Heiress will perform for you now. We present the tale of this land... the Knights of the Round."
He bows graciously, the lights fading momentarily...
. . .
Inside the Apollo Auditorium...
Director Krennick moves from the stage as an orchestra of musicians in the first row begin to loose long and low notes. A background hum with the steady beat of a drum.
The stage brightens with lights, a semicircle of noble looking men and women, groomed and dressed in somber, washed out colors. Behind them, the stage shimmers, the back of the stage a screen of sorts... projections of dust forming a landscape around them. The hard light shapes, all colored an off blue, make up a dim hollow wood.
The choir semi circle is glances up, a harmony of low hums coming from them as one dark skinned male with a handlebar mustache takes one step out of line and speaks.
"Turn of the ages... Our tale begins in the country side of Callot... A kingdom of hardships rot with decline... Callot's king, their final king, was a man who once lived in tune with nature. His love shone with blooming petals betwixt shimmers of rainbows."
The man steps back, joining the hums as a woman steps out of line, speaking in a soft silky voice.
"A love not last, chiseled away with tragedy. Pieces of this puzzle of a man left with each bond lost. Alas, the mighty King Ariden would be king no more, but tyrant... His connection to the nature he loved bore the burning embers of his mighty dragon... loss for him turned loss for all..."
The hard light woods shift, forming the ruins of a village... smoke machines within the stage begin to let soft plumes out, shrouding the stage with the atmosphere of death...
The woman steps back, another woman of a lower voice, steps out and speaks.
"Death crept unto all whom King Ariden de Endrathil saw fit to lash. Kindness died within this once great kingdom... it's vassal states all round plot, connive. Scheme and aspire against one another. All but one remaining bond kept the king's heart... His son, Prince Arthas vi Endrathil."
The woman steps back, allowing all three who had spoke to speak in harmonic unison.
"Through him held life anew... A fated encounter set resurrection of peace... or ruin to all."
In the center of the ruined village model stands a new woman.
A teen with white hair, crystal blue eyes, wearing white boots, white combat skirt, a white dress cardigan over white dress shirt... All her clothes internal trim is red, lighting color to her look against her flawless skin.
Weiss Schnee
Age – 16
Weiss's face holds pain for the sights before her as her gaze is held down. Her voice rings out, singing the first verse of the tale.
"Fire, Fire, Dragon fire."
"Searing words of ancient ire..."
"Wake, Wake, From the grave."
"Rise to set the world aflame..."
Weiss and the entire choir hum in unison, a three note hum... down up down. "Hmm- Hmm~ Mm..."
Once more, a single individual steps forward from the semi circle. The hard light environment shifts to that of a farm. Again, the colors do not match reality, but the ethereal nature glows an almost holy atmosphere. The new speaker is a man, younger, perhaps a teen, with golden eyes and porcelain white skin.
His tenor voice speaks.
"The young prince ventured town to town, eager to learn what wrongs his father punished. Yet, all he found was conflict within himself. For every search yielded confusion. His despair turned to a gripping question... Why? Only when fate fell to him would his hand be forced."
The hard light changes, Weiss kneeling down in place as a hard light construct of a dragon appears. Beside her, a crude construct of a knight in shining armor forms before her.
Another bass man speaks now.
"'Halt your wrath!' He cried. The young prince saved a young peasant woman. This woman stood accused of many things. Accused of murder of a priestess... accused of aiding the sick and elderly. Deeds, harsh and proud, surrounded this woman. Young Arthas decreed her innocence, for the light he saw in her eyes could not come from cold blood... Irony for what he'd started."
Weiss stands, taking the hand of the construct knight. The scene of the dragon fades, a new scene forming of a scepter mounted in stone... A woman speaks.
"The maiden held her tongue to her name, but bequeathed upon Arthas a task. She informed him of a scepter, long since taken from the King, now found sealed within stone. She asked of him... 'Please... return it where it belongs'."
A man takes over.
"And thus it was that Arthas freed the relic from the stone! In doing so, he felt purpose. Clarity and truth to the world. That this relic never belonged to his father at all, but to the maiden herself... For honor... He returned the relic to the maiden... The maiden bowed before him and introduced herself."
Another takes over, the scene shifting as the hard light knight presents a shimmering scepter to Weiss, who stands in for the woman. A woman speaks now.
"'You have seen through falsehood. With knowledge, you've made your choice, as I have mine. I, Mirai, pledge my life to you'... Arthas stood awestruck by the loyalty in this stranger... entranced by beauty, purity, and sensing the power within her. So, he knelt back. 'And I too pledge. To return faith and loyalty to all who join me'."
The hard light shatters in a chaotic dispersing of particles.
All voices call.
"Rebellion was called. The one true prince's oath roused to end the tyrant. Conflict once in shadow turned to open storms."
. . .
Gazing upon the show from the round table chamber, Blair feels herself drawn to the performance. She DOES remember this tale. Vividly, in fact, as her alto voice rings in harmony with Weiss's soprano.
While Carmine and Neo's attention is rapt to the sky performance, Roman's enjoyment hones in on his girlfriend's speech... as is the attention of the suited gentlemen.
"Night, Night, Endless night!"
"Terror is the only light..."
"Bane, Bane, Rage untamed."
"Darkness dwells in age old blame..."
Weiss and Blair's expressions mirror the performed anguish. Both singing. "Oh- OH~oh..."
. . .
The hard light environment continues to shift by battlefields, the glowing images of the fallen fade into a map of the continent of Mantle. The land splits with varying defined lines. Borders. A shorter woman speaks.
"The shadows cast in broad day. Machinations of plots came to open war. The fractured loyalties of each vassal state broke to dozens, hundreds of factions vying for power. Perhaps, a new tyrant would rise? Or, the decaying rule would weather the storm. It all fell to the innocent hearts of a few."
A broad man steps forth to take over.
"Brotherhood. Honor. Chivalry to a code. Arthas held true to these attributes, forging camaraderie with friend and foe. His heart was his weapon, striking would be enemies, reforging them into his steel, his blood... his family."
"Hmm- HMM~hmm..." The choir hums with Weiss flourishing a rapier in hand. Around her, hard light forms the silhouette of a large round table...
From the shadows, a large lumbering figure steps out. Not hard light dust, but steel. Atlesian Knights step out, each taking a position at one of the round table's seats. All but the lead seat to Weiss's left, a hard light figure forming in place.
A male speaks.
"To connect one's heart to another is a life long journey for any ordinary man. To Arthas, it came as breathing. The now banished and denounced prince would unite the factions, unify bloodlines, sever parasitic relations, and oust the corrupt. All under the eye of his core group. Their names became known... The thirteen saints. All sat at a table where none sat above the others..."
"Thus divines cried the name..."
"The Knights of the Round."
The full choir chants the name as the orchestra raises in volume... and Weiss sings once more, Blair's own voice joining at the far off location as well.
"Rise, Rise, Enlightened guise."
"Tear the veil, release the lies..."
"Love, Laugh, hearts unbound!"
"Rejoice to charge, these Knights of the Round..."
The hum that comes this time builds with the orchestra as all performers begin a vocal mass... The chants indiscernible, yet soothing to the ear.
Finally... Weiss speaks. Her smiles soft for the camera and stands by the hard light construct imitating Arthas. Hand over her heart.
"Ariden's love for his son stayed his hand long enough. Facing his son in open battle, his corrupted heart ached for the child he'd sired... When Arthas and Mirai slayed his beast, his power lay bare. His remaining love had held him long enough for the rebellion to grow too far..."
"So he asked his son. 'Do you know what you've done?' Arthas stood over his father. Loss of his own friends and the loss to come threaten to overwhelm him, yet he answers. 'I've killed a part of myself I'll always love.'"
"Yes, Ariden shook his head, smiling. His son's success purged him of ill thoughts, allowing perfect clarity to come. 'No.' His father said. 'You've succeeded me... I'm so proud of you.'"
Weiss watches the hard light display shift to one figure holding a sword to the throat of another, then shifting to the kneeling figure running himself into the victor's blade purposefully. With a heavy look, Weiss recounts.
"'Be a brilliant King. Not of Callot... No. Of something more. Wear a mantle all your own. I name you King Arthas vi Endrathil.' He looked from his son, his last breaths coming as he gazes upon the very woman who he'd accused of wrongdoing. His smile never left. 'A lovely choice. She's designed you as the perfect leader. A magnificent architect.'"
"Thus, Callot was no more. Taking his father's word, King Arthas unified the continent under the Kingdom of Mantle. With Mirai the Architect in marriage, he began a magnificent rule. The two crafted a brave new world not seen before... and not since."
"To this day, the kingdom of this continent honors Arthas and Mirai. To take codes and creeds befitting any who wish to claim the title... of Knight."
. . .
And so, the show in the sky panned out from the stage. All its occupants sing together... Blair's own 'private' voice joined as the onlookers all divide their focuses on the screen above and the woman near.
"Knight, Knight, Beacons bright!"
"Create this world within... the... light..."
"Hmm-HMM~hmm..."
With that, the hard light screen dissipates. The show is over as onlookers perk up and clap at the show ending.
Blair takes notice of the attention on her as well. Her amber eyes blink twice before she purses her lips, tense. "What?"
"You should sing more. Shower heads don't make for great audiences." Roman comments easy. "So reserved." He adds, mocking.
"I am not a professional by any means." Blair huffs and looks away.
One older couple steps by, an older lady waving. "A lovely voice, deary!"
"No it is not. Thank you, but silence." Blair curtly responds and turns away.
The elder male with the woman chuckles as the couple leaves. "Oh, young ones are easily embarrassed. Don't let it hold talent!"
Blair's eyes close to focus, but it fails to calm a light blush. "My talents are suited elsewhere."
Neo snickers and nudges Carmine. He smirks. "I dunno. I think multiple talents can be explored at once."
"I agree with the young man!" One of the well suited gentlemen approaches. He brushes off an off blue suit as he approaches. "A lovely voice, Ma'am. Truly." He snaps his finger and gives a limp finger point. "Have you performed for others before?"
Instantly, Neo is thumbing through her scroll...
Blair takes an immediate step back. "No." She says with finality, then glances off, recalling some... parties and occasions at Beacon and before. "Nothing more than what could be called a karaoke performance."
Carmine looks to Neo, curious. He takes a glance over her shoulder to her scroll screen, eyes widening. "Performed during the opening ceremony of the Vytal Festival for Beacon six years ago..." He mumbles amazed she hadn't brought it up before.
The blue suited man rocks to the side, angling to see Carmine around the blonde. "What was that, young man?"
Blair's hand snatches Neo's scroll as she grinds out. "Nothing! I am a scientist. Passion for performance is not even a hobby for years now."
The man would not be denied, it seems. He smiles broadly. "Listen. Call me Harvey. I'm an assistant director under Director Krennick. Whom you just saw the magnificence of his compositions." He winks playfully as he bobs his head up to the retreating drones moving back to the floating construct over the mountain.
Roman frowns at that. His green eyes flick up before back to the man. So, it's one of THOSE situations. He shifts his posture. They could use this, maybe... In a moment of collection, he puts on a smile. "Harvey! Ah! You're one of the names we were told to report to." He leans forward, earning ire filled eyes from Blair and suspicious glances from the others. "As it would turn out, we four were sent to report for duty at the auditorium! If you work there, you were surely told about us, right? Mrs Rhodes sent us?"
Harvey's eyes widen, his coworker, or assistant, bugging his eyes out and muttering. "That tramp meant her word-"
Harvey's hand waves off his helper as he speaks louder and with a beaming smile. "Ah! We WERE expecting you, yes!" He coughs and clears his throat to compose himself. "Yes, we are VERY short handed." His gaze falls on Blair again. "In many ways, if you lot are here to assist. Please, let me escort you to the auditorium. I'll call your names in ahead for clearance."
Roman smiles as he bows with a flourishing hat removal. "Xander DeLarge."
Carmine purses his lips. "Zane Maxwell."
Neo signs. "Vanille Carson."
Blair's eye twitches as she speaks tense. "Dora Gale."
. . .
Harvey and his assistant sneak around the protest with CRBN in tow. The protesters take notice, but only manage to throw some empty bottles and debris their way. The objects harmlessly deflect off a police lineman's riot shield, giving them a nod.
As they walk, Carmine's shoulders tense. Each word he catches in the harsh volume pound on his own beliefs.
"Oh? More people better than us?" "Who do they think they are? They certainly don't look from here!" "Snobbish pigs!" "Race equals status! Race equals status!"
Carmine's eye twitches... He'd really like to flip which side of the line he's on.
As the group enters a bulkhead transport, Carmine feels a nudge on his leg. He looks and meets Neo's eyes. The girl giving a reassuring nod. He takes a breath and calms, allowing a smile to grace his lips. Yeah, he's fine...
Until he looks out a window and sees the wide birth of faunus at the protest.
The grounds shrink in their view as Harvey calls out. "How do you lot travel? Air or meager?"
A tick of anger. Traveling by ground is 'meager'?
Roman speaks for them. Good for being the face of the group sometimes. "Ah, we enjoy the rough riding. We've got a good spot for our ride."
The assistant director chuckles. "Yeah, well. Just for your own safety, we don't want your transport getting nicked by those hooligans." Another angry tick to the boy. "We've had a whole host of problems due to the ban on faunus, so having the extra help will be a god send."
Carmine's eye continues to twitch. Neo gives a wry grin. Just bear with it.
The transport eventually finds a landing platform high, high above the fortress mountain below. Harvey pompously leads the group from the landing pad through to a contained dome, clear topped. The inside was a self contained warm climate.
Inside, the impeccable gardens decorated a series of arches to a massive ornate structure. The Apollo Auditorium is before them, towering over them and spreading wide. It puts the Silver Auditorium in Vale to shame!
CBRN stops. Roman is the least impacted, but all four peer about with wide, glowy eyes. Brilliant blue trim as parts of the construction materials are organized into sections of marble white and silver plating. Engravings on the walls mark up murals of wildlife, particularly around the entrance fountain. This fountain is awfully similar to the one in front of Beacon...
Carmine scrunches his eyes at it. Is it identical? Same designer, perhaps?
Inside, the lights are all on, not like the typical show time strategic lighting. Likely to make cleaning and preparations clear. The inside is extraordinary in height, easily capable of seating several thousand if not for the extravagant lounge seating set about. What would probably contain upwards of seven thousand seats instead seats perhaps fifteen hundred luxurious gala booths. There is one section with ordinary seating, perhaps putting the total seats somewhere around two to three thousand, total.
But the stage...
That massive, draping curtains split to reveal the machinations of a gorgeous set up! Even with the entire room lit up bright, the effect impacts the four. It's frankly intimidating in a way.
On the stage, they see spread workers tending to hard light projectors, others tinkering with overhanging ropes and ties meant to organize the back drops. Some members of the choir they'd seen on the show earlier are around...
Neo blinks and glances around...
Hmm... the Schnee girl is absent.
Carmine nudges her. "Be good. Don't take anything."
Neo snorts and playfully swats him. Just a mild curiosity... Not that the Schnee girl could possibly recognize her, but Neo is certain that was the same girl she'd gotten into a slap fight with as a young child.
On the stage, there's the man that opened the showcase earlier...
Director Stass Krennick stands, his white jacket peeled off now that presentation is less required, but his undershirt still is a neatly kept, high collar black shirt with silver interior. His blue eyes peer over as he snaps his fingers. "Harvey! I assume no issues?"
Harvey grins wide. "Issues? None. Good news? Plenty." He steps near the man, allowing the director to eye the four newcomers. "These are the four that Mrs Rhodes sent to assist our work force."
Krennick snaps a look at them, face comically betraying skepticism. One of the background workers tenses, turning about. "That witch actually sent people-"
The director speaks up, silencing the worker. "Welcome, welcome!" He turns and thumbs for the worker to hasten off back to work. He turns back, sighing, but smiling. "Welcome. Apologies. We... had cause to doubt the lovely sitting mayor of Atlas."
Roman smirks. "Don't worry. No one says she's a good person." Neo smirks, Carmine snorting.
Blair swats the man, glowering. "Be professional."
The conman grins. "Barbie, shows in the arts aren't to be hindered by dishonesty, now?"
Krennick smirks, but raises a brow to Harvey. "Okay. Four sets of hands is a good send by the mayor."
"Actually." Harvey starts, eyeing Blair before leaning in and whispering to Krennick. The Director's eyes scrunch in thought for a moment. Slightly, he leans in towards his assistant director, listening more keenly.
Krennick then leans off, eyeing Blair up and down, then Roman. "Hmm... So, between his keen show mind, I'm also told you've got an impeccable voice, Miss..."
Blair narrows her eye. "Gale, and I am no performer."
"Oh, many people don't fancy themselves such. But... I admit even if amateur, we are a bit low on talent this year." Krennick explains. "What with the pet ban, a lot of the charity cases we'd typically pad out the show with can't come."
Carmine's veins immediately bulge...
Krennick continues. "As it stands, if there's something acceptable, we're open to stretching the show with a few last minute acts."
"I am not-"
Blair is nudged forward, Roman smiling. "As my partner's agent, I say she accepts this." He winks at the now fuming blonde. "Come now, darling. Have some confidence. Plus, it would get us some neat bonuses if we go above and beyond?"
"..." The woman glares at him. He merely smiles back.
Carmine rises from the stupor dwelling on the derogatory insults from the director, perking. It is true that spreading themselves beyond simple manual labor might get them into more discussions for the show... They could learn a whole deal more than they know.
Krennick hums. "Would make for a gimmick if all four of you could be a quartet..."
Immediately, Neo snorts. Carmine smirks and thumbs to her. "She's mute, sir."
The director sighs. "Right. Shouldn't beg for cake when someone's offering free dessert." He looks to the adults. "You two, come with me. I trust the teens shouldn't cause too much trouble?" He turns, waving Blair and Roman to follow. "Fine, let's have a private audition then. The teens may stay here."
Blair's eye twitches. "If I see one casting couch, this man isn't living to see his show." Roman snorts and nudges her along. She snaps a glare at him. "And how DARE you pressure me into this!"
"Barbie, you'll be lovely."
"You're not even doing this for the job. You just think this is funny!" Blair snaps in a whisper shout.
He contains his mirth, looking with a smarmy grin. "Can't it be for both reasons?"
Carmine and Neo are left alone, the boy simmering as the amusement at Blair's expense dies down. Neo bumps shoulders with him, so he sighs. "If I hear one more slur against faunus, I'mma slit someone's throat."
The mute pets his arm and leans against him. The contact instantly takes his mind off it. So, he instead looks down at her... seeing a paper in her hands.
"... When did you get- What is that?"
Neo blinks and looks up at him before leaning away as she reads the paper.
He bumbles after her. "The fu- What is that?" He whisper screams at her, pulling her back and reading it.
… A conductor sheet..? A list of prepared performances the conductor- "How and why do you have the conductor's notes?!" He glares at her.
The chronic thief blinks with a smile and thumbs to the small podium set before the orchestra seats. She signs. "It was just sitting there. There's some good songs here." She leans to show him the song list.
He leans off. "Wha- why- UGH!" He nearly rips his hair out. "Put that back!"
Neo smirks... There he is. Faunus issues forgotten as he's flippantly angry at her now.
She enjoys taking his attention. Especially when he's mentally spiraling. Plus, getting the dirt on the setup around them is a neat plus. There ARE some neat songs on this list...
New arc! New problems. Our characters have infiltrated the charity event. Some managerial issues abound, and some tense feelings from all involved! We have the return of Zandril! Get to have some fun with that.
But, how are faunus fitting into this?
Oh, and a wild Weiss appears! I wonder what could possibly happen with that. (Evil chuckles)
References:
The legend of the Knights of the Round are, obviously, based on Arthurian tales. The mountain, Mount Edna, is named for Mount Etna, one of a couple locations where in tales King Arthur was buried. Bastion Alderley is also named after Alderley Edge, a hill location where the tales say Arthur and all the knights lie in sleep.
The formal name for the Knights of the Round is more in reference to the Final Fantasy variant of the Arthurian characters.
Obviously, Mirai the Architect, whom I first brought up when Team CRBN first went to Malum, is the Winter Maiden of the time, and is based loosely on Merlin the Wizard from Arthurian tale. Ya know... if people wanted gender bent Merlin and King Arthur to screw. (I jest. Who doesn't want that. Am I right?)
The song notes and first two sung verses for the tale of the Knights were part of the song Vokul Fen Mah by Malukah. I had wanted to start integrated or utilizing parts of bardic fan made songs of properties for varying reasons, so only the first two sections were used, but I might do this for some lighter fluff world hymns and the like.
Tales:
Knights of the Round (In universe history. This is how this story ACTUALLY went within this world, despite what the song or culture surrounding it thinks):
Roughly one thousand years before RWBY, the Kingdom of Callot's king Ariden fell prey to the manipulation by the Cult of Salem, resulting in the northern kingdom losing the relic of creation, the scepter.
Much like RWBY's Lionheart turning to Salem's side, Ariden plotted against the warriors of the time, and one result was the death of the then winter maiden. That Winter maiden transferred the maiden powers to the peasant girl Mirai, whom the king framed for the murder in order to control who the next winter maiden would be upon her execution.
Arthas saved the maiden, still believing in the good started by the once great Ozma as one of those in the know about the war on Salem at the time. He and Mirai recovered the relic of creation, where Arthas granted it to Mirai as she began to master her maiden abilities.
The civil war in Callot was the result of Ariden's corruption being outed, splitting the kingdom into dozens of factions, about a third of which banded behind Arthas and Mirai before swearing oaths to begin forming the Knights of the Round, essentially the equivalent of modern RWBY's collection of heroes in Teams RWBY and JNPR.
In the final battle, Ariden and his dragon were defeated by Arthas, but many of the Knights fell and died. His father's death bed confession of guilt and passing the torch combined with Mirai's presence kept Arthas from falling to Salem's way of thinking, allowing him to create the Kingdom of Mantle. He married Mirai for the two to become the fledgling Kingdom's first King and Queen.
Although many mysteries in this tale may or may not be explored later on in my works...
Reviews:
Stalker203x (AO3) – Ah, maybe I wasn't clear enough. So, Makara stayed behind with Penny, but was also allowed by Penny to fire upon the SDC guards from the tower to allow CRBN to escape. Keeping her word at letting CRBN leave so long as Makara remained behind. My bad if that wasn't clear enough.
Blackwhale410 (AO3) – My words per day can vary. Nothing going on and I'm hit with it? I think I've maxed at 4,000 to 5,000 in one day before. Nothing going on but I'm not hitting with inspiration? Probably 500 to 1,000 in a good sitting. If I'm super busy and only getting some short spurts, I can sometimes manage to get 500 in a day, but most of the time next to nothing.
As to my chapter sizes, prior to this story, I kept to a range between 2 to 10 k, but I had the thought in my head of each chapter of this story being roughly the length of like a show episode. (Where one minute roughly translated to one page) I wanted to get to twenty pages... and then I strayed from that in the process... and I found myself in a rhythm of 7,000 minimum to 20,000. Although, the odd chapter does come out that is more than that.
Really, it just went out of hand, and I'm likely to adjust my lengths when I get to the sequel, but I'm keeping it the same for this story until I finish it. I haven't decided if I'm keeping the lengths. Though, I've kept the lengths somewhat similar with my other story I'm doing right now for Death Note (Exclusively on Fanfiction, not on AO3. Didn't think to do it on both like this story).
Join next time in chapter eighty five: Center Stage.