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Chapter 109: Fragmented

For Headmistress, former Councilwoman and Huntress of considerable repute Coco Adel the summer had been far from the promised stretch of relative quiet and relaxation she might have anticipated before Damascus Nero had changed Remnant forever and declared war on Hunters, both individually and as a concept.

Beyond the confines of Breaktide Academy, the home she and her closest friends who had become her family had built for themselves; the bastion where she had intended to ensure that the fledgling Kingdom of Menagerie always had the means to defend itself from the monsters which stalked the island things were beginning to change in ways which left the Headmistress apprehensive. Coco, like her fellow Heads of each of Remnants' Hunter academies' had been called before the Council of the Kingdom she served to give her account and understanding of the claims made by the former head of the now disincorporated conglomerate headed by Damascus Nero. It had also been made clear to each of the heads that whilst they would still retain a position within their respective Councils the majority of the headteachers would have their political power curtailed and be limited in their ability to possibly overreach; something which was an obvious attempt at a political balancing act intended to appease those who rightly refused to kowtow to a man who would willingly do business with a Creature of Grimm as well as those who saw a validity in the questions Damascus had asked, Atlas was a notable exception to this and yet Coco found that she would rather contend with Menagerie's Council than the particular power structure and cultural norms of the icy Kingdom.

Beyond the ivory towers of the Kingdoms' political elite however there were further signs of contention within the society and its' Capital City of Port Alistair. Gangs that had, in a perverse twist of irony been largely terrified into inactivity or otherwise kept in line for a period by the activities of Carmesi and Grapeshot had been steadily building momentum and influence in the worst parts of the city again and now were acting in a way that was more openly brazen, if still disorganised and factional as varying opinions on the Kingdoms' protectors gave them the mistaken impression that they were free to do so. The signs that had worried Coco the most however the increasingly contentious opinions in the public sphere, with opinion pieces from outlets that had been taken from Nero's possession continuing to question and disparage the efforts of Hunters to such a degree that some misguided youths had felt the need to graffiti the very walls of Breaktide Academy itself. The miscreants had been caught in the act by both Yatsuhashi and Little Fox, both of whom had compelled the vandals to clean up their handiwork; though Team CFVY's child, who was currently on break from college where they were studying out of the Kingdom had confessed to hearing worrying conversations in public.

What had bothered Coco the most however was how little time the events had had allowed her to spend with her family.

At present Coco was once again within her office, the space currently feeling as imposing to its' owner as it was intended to feel to any hapless student unfortunate enough to have been summoned to it; the small mountains of paperwork gathered on and around Coco's desk making her feel unwelcome and forlorn whilst the windows were covered as the most basic of considerations towards security; dimming the bright and comforting late summer sun. The sweltering, uncomfortably dry hear of that sun was however mitigated by the fact that Coco had removed her beret and along with it enough layers of clothing that she currently wore only a tank-top which showed off lean muscle that had persevered through the years and the cincher worn with it whilst her sunglasses were pushed up onto the top of her head; she was further protected from Menagerie's hostile climate by air conditioning that she had insisted upon from the beginnings of Breaktide Academies' construction which she considered one of very few positives about her current situation.

Another such rare positive was the fact that Velvet was currently sat beside her, the Rabbit Faunus wearing a breezy sundress which contrasted sharply with Coco's own choice of attire.

"You're the only person I know who can drink that in this weather, I get faint and dizzy just watching" Velvet noted as she watched Coco pour herself a fresh cup of coffee, brewed from a personal supply that was far beyond that which was available to students or within the staff break room; an expensive that lacked the dangerous quality of Professor Oobleck's fabled brews.

"I just have that effect on women" Coco answered without missing a beat, allowing herself a small smirk behind the rim of her cup as she saw the way that her partner and the mother of Team CFVY's only child attempted to give a nonchalant snort only to falter and hide her face behind her drooping rabbit ears; an effect lessened by the fact that the right ear was sheared away neatly partway. Velvet had a sense of humour that rivalled Coco's own and the Headmistress was certain that there would be playful retaliation in some form in the near future; such pleasant thought were quickly pushed aside by necessity however as the reason that the two of them were both present became apparent, namely the beginning of a conference call with their allies and counterparts.

"It's good to see you again Adel…..It's good to be back at my Academy again as well truth be told" Winter greeted her fellow Headmistress from the comfort of an office that was indeed luxurious, whilst still being made entirely in the image of pristine Atlesian minimalism and which was clearly not the office aboard the flagship that was considered the General's actual residence. Indeed Winter was a fleeting presence at Atlas Academy most of the time, preferring to defer the duties to her trusted deputy Ciel Soleil except for when her presence was required for important or traditional events such as initiations and graduations.

"Hey….is this thing on? Have I got a-There it is, YeP. Salutations people!" a moment later another another image flickered into view, grainy and wavering due to the location of the transmission but still distinct and clear enough for purpose. Ruby Rose perched atop the roof of her wife's personal transport somewhere in the vicinity of Hammerfall Canyon; Penny herself visible in the distance closer to the dormant form of Hammerfall Observation Outpost where it had been brought to a controlled landing after Damascus Nero had wiped its' systems; something which had rendered communications outside of settlements unreliable. Ruby herself looked tired but determined, her remaining silver eye as resolutely as the cybernetic implant which had replaced her missing right eye; appearing as heroic as ever even whilst sitting motionless with her cape flowing out behind her in the faint breeze.

"Good morning everyone" the calm and neutral voice which joined the conversation was that of Lie Ren, the Headmaster of the Halo Academy of New Vale seeming to have visibly aged in recent weeks; his face more lined, his hair showing more signs of grey and his posture appearing to be permanently sagged as the weight of coping with recent events bore down upon him though he refused to allow himself to be broken and instead persevered.

"Is this everybody?" Coco asked, she and Velvet sharing a glance as they seemed to realise how few in number their group truly was now.

"For now it seems so" Ren murmured, the faint discomfort that the response instilled in the others being offset by a slight smile tugging at his lips; a sight which all of them new to be rare of late "Nora is having the final procedure to restore her sight today….With new students arriving within days for their initiation there's no more time to be spared"

"How is she?" Velvet asked, leaning over Coco slightly whilst wearing an expression of deepest concern, having known the diminutive redhead since Team JNPR had been First Year students whom the Rabbit Faunus shared a history class with.

"Amazing as always, she's managed to take being blinded and use to set up games and a points system for the children….But it's shaken her, in ways that getting her vision back won't change" Ren's expression darkened and his eyes were downcast for a moment before he pressed on in search of more positive news "And Ruby, Qrow is mobile again"

"As he should be, Antonia Arc delegated the running of Poly-Tech to provide him with a new chair; one which she assures me will suffer from none of the oversights of the previous iteration-"

"It's not like he's ever gonna fight again" Ruby interrupted delicately, the expression she wore making it clear that she remembered well enough a time that to cut off Winter Schnee would have been unthinkable to her "How is he Ren?"

"He'll speak with you himself soon enough" Ren answered, this alone being enough for Ruby to visibly relax with knowledge that her Uncle was cogent enough to speak.

"Recovery teams in the city found Harbinger" Ren continued with a sigh "There wasn't enough left of it to be recovered after that fall and it seemed to drive home just how old he truly is too him….As well as several stern words from your sister and his daughter. I believe Qrow said something about spending some time with the in laws"

"Team GORE" Ruby nodded in understanding; Hellion, Eagle Arc's wife and the fearsome Shark Faunus Carcharodon Gore who captained the Nemesis Kharybdis both had a deep respect for Qrow and more importantly came from a culture where ones' elders were to be cherished and venerated. The knowledge that Qrow Branwen would spend at least some of what were likely his twilight years in such good company allowed all present to move ahead; with Winter, the person who considered herself closest to Qrow with the exception of his family being the one to do so.

"As needed as the pleasantries are in times like these, what of business?" she had the decency to give an apologetic gesture, even as her cybernetic foot tapped against the group with an obvious eagerness to be about her business; a goal which her fellow Headmasters were forced to admit they could empathise with.

"Hammerfall Outpost has been searched thoroughly under the guise of preparing for the upcoming initiation for Breaktide prospectives, naturally some changes will have to be made to the usual process" it was Ruby who spoke up and Coco gave her an appreciative look before taking over.

"The platform will remain grounded for some time, every line of code for every program and every individual component is being inspected….Naturally the Council of Menagerie have also elected to seize the platforms' Dust reserves and hold them in case of emergency rather than leave them to be stolen in the wastes" there was a low whistle at that as each of those present understood the sheer volume of the Dust reserves in question could power one of the Kingdoms' smaller settlements but Coco herself simply pressed on

"Tensions are rising across the Kingdom however, Council members from other settlements are naturally using my former and current positions as a pretext to jockey for political power. Blackwater Cove has all but declared itself independent whilst still demanding taxpayer funding from the rest of the Kingdom"

"Bastards, the lot of 'em" Velvet muttered under her breath beside her partner whilst Ren took the momentary pause from Coco as an invitation to chime in.

"The damage in Neo Vale was far less than it could have been; targeted in specific areas for the most part meaning that the city is already recovering….Further to that we've managed to find and destroy a handful of Cyber-Grimm that were never activated by their intended handlers during the battler; along with a site we think might have been Nero's base within the city"

"Did you find anything useful?" Winter asked, only for Ren to shake his head.

"No, everything was as thoroughly destroyed as Hammerfall and we've nothing useful from his legal business records….We're forced to work under the assumption that he still has sympathisers within the Kingdoms" Ren paused and frowned for a moment "However none of the captured rebels seemed to know where exactly they were supposed to be retreating to; my best guess would be outside of the Kingdoms"

"They're on Menagerie" Coco growled "Nero himself was here, that's why Hammerfall was taken out….He's set up in our backyard and put us in a position where we can't spare the people to look for him without leaving people at risk of being attacked by the Grimm in the wastes; which then feeds his argument about us allowing threats to grow"

"He might have sent people to other Kingdoms to set up cells" Winter murmured, expression darkening "My spies haven't reported any leads yet however I'll have more Specialists infiltrate the Kingdoms-"

"You are a little bit too comfortable with sending spies into other Kingdoms" Coco gave the older woman a warning glare "The heads of Shade and Haven are our allies, remember that-"

"And yet they're not here" Winter countered "Because Vaccuo is always under siege by Grimm and would be a perfect place for someone like Nero to sow discontent and the title of Head of Haven can be won in an honour duel….We can't work with that kind of inconsistency"

"Agreed, unfortunately" Ren murmured "We need every friend we can find in times like these"

"I'll drink to that" Coco raised a coffee cup, allowing her weariness to show plainly for a moment "No sign of Nero or any idea what he's planning, Grimm activity spiking all over, people don't trust us any more and it shows….A few potential applicants withdrew at the last moment"

"Atlas fortunately has not suffered that problem" Winter breathed out "Though we've been sure to vet our applicants even more thoroughly than ever and I trust that you have all done the same?"

Coco took a single deep breath to steady herself, fists clenching to such a degree that she was forced to set her coffee cup down before it could shatter whilst her eyes flashed dangerously at the unintended implications of her her fellow Headmistress's comment. The knowledge that a traitor had entered her academy and flourished under her nose, breaking into the office in which she now sat and hurting her son in the process was something that Coco knew she would have to struggle with for some time.

"Indeed we have" she forced the words out with a harsh growl that saw Velvet squeeze her hand to keep her calm whilst Ruby, Winter and Ren visibly bristled "And on a related topic, I have to cut this meeting short. I have business to attend to"

With that Coco left the conference call and turned to Velvet, who simply arched an eyebrow before leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"She didn't mean anything by it" the Rabbit Faunus murmured into Coco's ear, prompting her to let out a sigh that saw her whole body deflate in exhaustion.

"I know" Coco breathed out, lowering her sunglasses and retrieving her beret "But I was being honest when I said I have business to deal with"

"Related to students coming for the initiation?" Velvet questioned as she rose to her feet and followed her "They're not coming today, surely Arslan can handle whatever it is?"

"Different student" Coco shook her head "And it's a matter that needs my personal seal of approval….Don't worry it shouldn't take too long; I'm not missing any more time with the family if I can help it"

"You'd better not" Velvet gave a playful pout which gave Coco a small chuckle and the small amount of levity she needed to carry on without developing a migraine.


For Astra Mars, leader of the now defunct Team MARZ the summer break which had been rendered longer than intended by the events heralded by Damascus Nero's broadcast and the subsequent premature end to the academic year had been a mentally draining affair wherein the Deer Faunus had felt as though they were being forced to perform the emotional equivalent of a long distance run just to remain in place, or else the foundations upon which they stood might fall from beneath them entirely.

They had tried to do their due diligence as the leader of their fractured team and ensure that their remaining friends were coping, or at least were not shattering under the weight being placed upon them as Astra felt that to ask for anything more might be overly optimistic. Every glance at Zirconia's contact details and previous text messages they had sent to one another was enough to leave Astra fighting the urge to hurl their scroll at the nearest wall in a fit of anger directed both at their former friend and themselves for not seeing some unknown sign. Remaining in contact with Regalia had become impossible as her clans' colossal dune crawler lacked the means to provide adequate scroll signal and with Hammerfall Outpost disabled communication within the wasteland had been severely hampered, further to this the Aiktishaf did not have suitable outlets to recharge a scroll and so the Racoon Faunus had eventually been left entirely beyond her partners' reach when the devices' battery had failed; though adding the requisite electrical outlets to her peoples' roving home was something Regalia had espoused an interest in during conversation between the pair that touched upon every topic except for the one which both of them were clearly wilful keeping at bay until it could be discussed in person.

Athena-Jade Slate had been easier to maintain contact with and yet the hardest to maintain a conversation with. Astra could understand of course that the Bear Faunus was healing, both physically and hopefully emotionally and also had the realities of needing to design and build a new weapon and other family events to distract her yet the Deer Faunus could not help but worry about the member of Team MARZ who had suffered the most from Zirconia's betrayal; things had reached a point where Athena simply did not answer calls and responded to texts with a single word, often times only then if it were a matter pertaining to studies. Astra had almost considered reaching out and getting her older brothers' contact details in order to have Arctus Slate check on her on Astra's behalf, though they had ultimately decided against this upon being reminded that the eldest Slate sibling had recently become a father for the first time.

Beyond the woes and worries of being a Team Leader Astra had other concerns. Their brother was one of the many Hunters who had arrived to help Neo Vale as recovery and repairs continued, Felix Xiao Long, his partner Eagle Arc and long time boyfriend Helios Nikos arriving aboard the ship they called home and moving between there and the house in a more suburban part of the city where Eagle had gifted a house to her former classmates and Helios's former team-mates Ether and Olivine Arashi. Were they still young and wide-eyed Astra might have believed that they arrival of even half of the legendary Team FADE was enough to ensure things would be made right however things had changed in the city they called home and the Deer Faunus could no longer pretend they didn't see it. Astra and Felix had not had as much free time to spend together as the younger of the two half-siblings would have liked and yet on the occasions that Astra had joined Felix to help root out any lingering traces of Nero's work or protect damaged portions of the wall they had seen first hand the wide berth they were given by the general public. Hunters in general were treated in a way that Astra could not remember having witnessed since the days of Salem's siege when they were only a child; a change which Astra themselves was now drawing the brunt of owing to how distinctive their appearance was and the fact that their association to Zirconia Shadowmoon was now public knowledge.

A fact which had seen even students that Astra had known personally from their time at Halo Academy treat the Deer Faunus with barely concealed suspicion and hesitation which Astra found that they could not honestly begrudge them given how things must look to an outsider.

The combined effect of these developments was that Astra was honestly glad to be returning to Menagerie sooner than anticipated.

Currently they were within their childhood bedroom in their parents' home, a small and cramped box room which they were distinctly sad to have realised in recent weeks no longer truly felt like it belonged to them; furniture felt perpetually in the wrong place after so many months of accumulating to another dormitory, posters represented interests that they were no longer particularly enthused by and the blueprints, technical manuals, training guides for independent martial arts study and other such materials were all outdated and Astra's belongings had largely been kept packed in their luggage so that their departure would be smoother, with the few exceptions being clothes that they had either worn or discarded, textbooks and materials that would need to be replaced and updated and the sizeable, weighty toolbox made from armour plated material so it could be taken into the field which they were currently in the process of checking over once again until a knock at their bedroom door.

"Come in Mum" they answered warmly, recognising who was outside by the sound and intensity of the knocking. The door swung open slowly to reveal Myrtle Mars, jacket and pinafore removed but still clad in the clothes she had worn to work and wearing the tired expression that waking at the crack of dawn had left her with; catching sight of her clear exhaustion Astra halted in their task and frowned.

"You should have called me, I would have come and picked you up….You want me to make a start on dinner?"

"Thanks for the offer but it's fine" Myrtle yawned the words out before studying her youngest child "You look nice, heading out somewhere?"

Astra couldn't help but preen at the praise, even if they told themselves it was a joking gesture. In the weeks that had immediately followed the collapse of Team MARZ Astra has alternated between listless dismay and a bubbling, sickening grief-fuelled anger that had begged for release until the Deer Faunus had vented the emotions out with what they were at least self-aware enough to accurately describe as retail therapy and a makeover of sorts.

The Deer Faunus still wore the tattered remains of what had once been an all red, leather jacket; sleeves removed and the collar perpetually popped and replaced with the same black material which had also been applied to the star with antler-shaped contrails of fire which formed Astra's personal emblem at the back, though the 'broken-heart' image over the breast pocket had been removed, the entire garment barely reaching below their bottom rib.

Now however the jacket which Astra had refused to part with, seeing it as a last frayed connection to simpler times was worn over a form fitting white tank-top which had in turn been paired a black and red-trimmed garment that could strictly be called a corset but did greatly resemble the kind of cincher often worn by Coco Adel. The cincher helped accentuate hips that Astra did not often emphasize as much as their lean and athletic muscle and they had chosen to lean into this effect by wearing pale grey, almost white jeans that were almost indecently figure-hugging and pairing them with a fiery red sash which had been wrapped around their waist like a skirt but was worn at an angle which left it stopping at mid-thigh on the right side whilst dipping below the knee on the left. Astra's knees were covered with small but durable armour plates in a dull charcoal black which was mirrored in the equally armoured boots whose platform soles went some way to boosted the Deer Faunus's mediocre height whilst peeking below the sash they wore as a skirt were ammo belts threaded through belt-loops at odd angles to leave them criss-crossed and hanging down to Astra's knees though the belts were currently empty as Astra's parents had insisted that they not carry live ammunition in the house.

Less practical accessories and adornments could be found on Astra's hands and forearms where they continued to wear martial artists' tape that did little at all to affect the way their weapons sat against their limbs and was juxtaposed against painted nails, at their neck where sharp and defined collarbones were decorated with several beaded necklaces in glistening black and their face where sea-green eyes and light brown, almost beige-toned skin were contrasted with red lipstick and their signature dark, winged eyeliner. Astra still sported several piercings in their ears, ranging from black hoops around the shell of their ears to mismatched dangling ornaments in the lobes, with one being a collection of small jewels on a chain and the other being an ornate fang; Astra had also opted for a tongue piercing out of simple curiosity.

Overall it was a slight change with an effect that was greater than the sum of its' parts, being conveyed more by the way the Deer Faunus carried themselves after the fact however an unmistakable difference came in the form of Astra's hair. The same Mohawk of swept forward spikes rose up from their scalp between their antlers however it was, for the first time in several years its' natural dull auburn colour that could not quite be called red-headed, shaved down to a peachy fuzz at the back and sides after Astra had allowed the black dye to fade and wash away without being replaced during their initial funk.

"I was thinking I might head over to the docks and see if I can hang with Felix if he's not doing anything….Or I could invite him and Helios over if you wanted me to stay home?" Astra offered in response to their mothers' question, pausing for a moment before adding "You know I'm leaving for Menagerie tomorrow right, they need me at the academy ahead of everybody else"

"Of course, I just don't understand why you need to go" Myrtle answered with a disheartening sigh to which Astra responded by reaching for their scroll and pulling up the messages in question in case exact wording needed to be repeated before answering

"Professor Adel wants to speak to me about a few things going forward….I'm assuming, hoping that it's gonna about a fourth member for my team; although I don't know how AJ is gonna take everything" the Deer Faunus paused and considered "I'm guessing they'll my signature on paperwork as well, some last minute changes to elective classes and stuff"

"I understand all of that" Myrtle let out another slow sigh and gave her youngest child an almost apologetic look before adding "I just….I don't understand why you have to go at all-"

"Mum we're not talking about this. We're not" Astra shook their head but their mother pressed on.

"You tried the Hunter route and you did incredible, you are a household name in this city; for good reasons, there are kids who want to be like you but things are different now-"

"Only if you believe the things Nero was spouting right before he let monsters loose in the city" Astra snarled, reigning their temper in as much as they could "Right before he tried to kill me, my friends, my teachers and everyone like us-"

"He was a madman even if he made some points very similar to what your father and I have always worried about" Myrtle spoke quickly, the reptilian Faunus growing more urgent with every word and waving her child's interruption off before it could begin "But it's not a matter of what I think, it's a matter of what I know. I know that a man turned this city into a war zone, a sight I never wanted to see again, I know that children...Damn it Astra I don't care how grown you think you are you're nineteen you shouldn't be fighting and dying in wars or having limbs ripped off by monsters. I know that there was a spy on your team, sleeping in the same room as you every night for two years. She could have cut your throat-"

"Exactly!" Astra interrupted, rising to their feet "She was on my team! She was my friend and that's why I have to go back and fix-"

"It's why you have to be realistic!" Myrtle's voice rose "You are my child and I will love and support you through anything but this, this after you were nearly killed in your first year? This when your brother lost half of his tail and one his arms? Which one of you am I going to have to bury first Astra, you or Felix?"

"That's not fair Mum-"

"Is it fair that your father and I don't sleep for days on end when we hear you're on a mission?" Myrtle demanded "You have given Remnant so much already, you are a hero and I am proud of you….But with that girl being who was and leaving your team a mess, you could walk away and live a normal life without any judgement for it Astra; you could help people in other ways-"

"No I couldn't" Astra rose to their feet, swallowing thickly and screwing their eyes shut as they felt the hot sting of the first tears which they thankfully managed to keep at bay; this was an old sentiment now and one that had been building steadily towards an inevitable crescendo such as this although if they were honest with themselves Astra had expected the attempt at an intervention to have come from their father. Redwood Mars's political and ideological issues with the Hunters was something Astra was more prepared to handle than their mothers' emotional plea though a simple solution presented itself.

They slid the dormant forms of Buckshot Ares onto their arms before gathering their toolbox and suitcases and making for the doorway their mother was still standing in.
"Where are you going Astra"

"I can't deal with this Mum….You don't understand why I need to do this and that's fine, but I need you to accept that this is who I am, being a Hunter is as much a part of me as any other part of me and now there are wrongs that I've gotta make right" Astra didn't push by their mother, they would never have dreamed of such a thing but her presence loomed over them as they made for the front door of the family home; a repeated demand following after them.
"Where are you going?"

"Like I said, I'm gonna go and see Fluffy" Astra turned and looked over their shoulder, teary-eyed again and hoping that their next words would help "I'll ask him to come and see you; maybe he can explain things to you better than I can….I don't know when I'll see you again Mum, but I love you"

With that Astra left their childhood home.


Gestalt-Prime flew lower to the ground and than they would have preferred as they sped towards their destination; remaining members of the small cluster of Cyber-Grimm of the standard and original design trailing behind them in a haphazard and indistinct grouping that would concern any stray onlookers far less than a regimented formation.

The sensation of damaged tissue being righted by an accelerated rate of healing, the process in turn shifting individual armour plates back into something more closely resembling their proper position dragged the Alpha Cyber-Grimm back into full alertness and away from their own personal musings and computations, taking the days' prior events and adding them to their amassed knowledge of how to combat various opponents with countless extrapolations made and scenarios calculated and tested in turn. The sensation of their Grimm-flesh and mechanical components interacting with one another as they healed was not a painful thing for the monster though it was enough to make them intimately aware of which armour plates could be salvaged and which would be better served by being replaced entirely now that the means to do so were more readily available; a task which Gestalt-Prime realised could be attended to in short order as they were nearing their destination.

The outer edges of Jidhir Town, which they are their attendant Cyber-Grimm climbed through the air to soar over in a display which excited the most fervent of the bases' residents.

"LO AND BEHOLD!" the flamboyant and theatrical declaration, artificially amplified could only have belonged Aefen Cruor; the exiled and discredited scientist who had gathered a cult following to do her bidding and who was undoubtedly Gestalt-Prime's most useful ally within Damascus Nero's faction. The black-clad woman herself was close at hand, masked and carrying her skull-topped staff as ever as she paced atop a stage had been erected for her to proselytise and orate to the Path of the Apex Being who flocked around her; many of whom either cheered and hollered or bowed and prostrated themselves before Gestalt-Prime and the monsters that accompanied them. The sensation drew the closest thing to a mocking, sneering smirk from the Alpha Grimm that their inhuman features could manage and they quickly surveyed the greater whole of the growing settlement; their attention turned away from the sycophants even before their axe-tipped wings had fully collapsed and retracted into their resting places.

As their Cyclopean optic swept over it all Gestalt-Prime noted once again that humanity were a strange thing.

Creatures of Grimm were intended to be a unified force, linked and congruent minds forming a greater whole and directed towards a singular goal; even now with the Hive-Mind fragmented and dissent emerging the matter could be solved through consumption and subsumption, domination of the most simple order to ensure focus. Humans and Faunus alike were entirely different proposition, an untamed, disparate and dysfunctional capable of collapsing inwards upon itself at a moments' notice and Gestalt-Prime needed only to look around them to see the evidence.

Since Nero's broadcast to Remnant at large more had rallied to the Chairman's cause, many new arrivals had filtered their way to Jidhir Town through proxies and agents remaining within the Kingdoms including those gifted with intellect and martial prowess along with other useful trades that would be needed even in a more mundane settlement. Criminals turned into a fighting force now served Nero's will alongside individuals with noble intentions of making a fairer world and devout fanatics willing to die for beliefs which had seen them abandon society rubbed shoulders with those simply wishing to make a new life away from a society that had failed them somehow; with not an ounce of trust to be shared between the disparate factions as each rightly suspected the others of some pending grab for prominence.

Not that Gestalt-Prime had room to judge them in such regards, nor would they even if they could; dominance was a natural thing after all.

The thinking monster was forced to return their thoughts and attention to their immediate surroundings a moment later as various senses alerted to them of an approaching presence; easily revealed to be the Komodo Dragon Faunus Carmesi Hueso who was shirtless in the scorching sun, scaled, scared and muscular chest bare save for the harness holding his weapons whilst his beard had grown longer and was less immaculately groomed though his hair remained tied in a tight bun towards the back of his head and overall the renegade Hunter looked more content than he had been within Neo Vale; gifted with a sense of peace that came with a surety of purpose and the ability to live without lies or complications.

Currently the bearded man was flanked by the newest scientists to take up residence within Jidhir Town, none so gifted as the late Albion Herringbone, many of them being disillusioned or overly idealistic recent graduates or in some cases still students though none had earned the ire of the Alpha Cyber-Grimm yet and so Gestalt-Prime ignored them; instead focusing briefly on the more confident and heavily armed individuals that formed a clique of their own with the nearing group, young Hunters who had defected and were led by a Chicken Faunus.

From what Gestalt-Prime understood their confidence was unfounded bravado and they had fled like cowards during the assault on their allies.

"You lost some assets. Were you at least successful?" Carmesi rumbled out without preamble, making no effort at all to mask the open distaste in his tone or expression as he regarded Gestalt-Prime and the Cyber-Grimm accompanying them. An insult the Alpha chose to allow, they could decapitate the Faunus where he stood but it would complicate matters that could no longer afford to be handled carelessly.

"Lost? Compose yourself enough to look….If you did you might see the spoils of my victory as well" Gestalt-Prime's voice had only becoming more articulate since their apotheosis to this new body and with that they had achieved levels of mockery and sneering that rivalled the sheer menace and promise of violence which they could still exude at a moments' notice. Fighting the urge to visibly bristle Carmesi glowered at the obvious challenge before surveying the standard Cyber-Grimm once again, seeing that not only were the mangled and shredded forms of the monstrous creations which had fallen being carried by their surviving kin another of the Cyber-Grimm was carrying the containment unit which would allow more protean Grimm tissue from another Spawning Pit to be integrated into.

"Was the Spawning Pit destroyed?" Carmesi asked pointedly.

"Save for what was taken from it….Not an easy task" Gestalt-Prime answered, gesturing to their own damaged parts to highlight the point. Their answer was an honest one much as they disliked the fact, Nero's plan was both to acquire useful resources to create Cyber-Grimm more quickly and in the process remove a threat to the people crossing Menagerie's open wastelands; if they could be seen doing something that the Hunters would not by those same people then all the better. However the Alpha Cyber-Grimm would much rather have kept the Pit, subsumed it to their will and used it towards their own ends however their had been miscalculations borne of a fear they could not admit to the humans that thought themselves allies. Since staring into the abjectly terrifying abyss of a Hive-Mind network which dwarfed their own, the maelstrom of hunger centred around a single monstrous intellect Gestalt-Prime had been unwilling to risk trying to subsume a Spawning Pit without first ensuring that it was not connected to others in any way; doing so whilst parts of the bubbling, tar-like substance were in the process of being expanded had disturbed whatever primordial subconscious provided the pit with its' motive force and in response it had birthed something monstrously large, a simian Grimm with a howling maw and far too many limbs.

Destroying it had necessitated the destruction of the Pit and had resulted in Gestalt-Prime's current injuries; admittedly minor wounds which Carmesi nonetheless regarded with devious interest, no doubt happy that the monster they had once fought and captured could still be harmed.

"Get some of Aefen's people to clean you up….No doubt they'll enjoy giving you an oil bath or goats' blood or whatever it is they do" the rugged Faunus rumbled out with a derisive snort "Be ready to move, Nero is calling a meeting this evening. It sounds important"

"Understood" with that Carmesi, in an act of supreme arrogance turned his back to Gestalt-Prime and began giving instructions to those who had followed him but remained silent in his presence and within moments he had departed. The Alpha Cyber-Grimm let the calculated insult stand, letting out no more than a bestial snarl before starting towards the place where they would be attended to and have armour panels bent back into shape by humans who reverently worshipped the superior being.

Important news from Nero sounded promising, especially when paired with the activity taking place around the settlement; it suggested an attack and therefore an opportunity for Gestalt-Prime to see and test Aefen's latest work, a chance for them to hone their skills further and ensure that they were prepared for the inevitable.

Their vision for the Grimm species had been made complicated and they would need everything at their disposal to enact it.


Athena-Jade Slate's vision swam for a few brief moments as she staggered towards a padded and thankfully comfortable bench lining the wall of the sizeable gym and training area within the Schnee family Manor and sank down onto it, taking breaths which grew steadily deeper and more rhythmic as the cold sweat began to subside and the thundering of her heartbeat steadied itself.

The Bear Faunus closed her eyes for what felt like only a few moments, opening them again only to suspect that more time had passed as she had been joined in the interim by her mother Weiss and adoptive sister, the Crab Faunus Coral; both of whom stared down at her with a wave of obvious concern washing over whatever it was that the two of them had originally intended to say. Athena-Jade met her mothers' eyes and found the sapphire blue the two of them shared boring into her with an intensity she found herself unable maintain contact with; instead looking to Coral whose frankly ludicrous height and chitinous claws in place of hands contrasted with her immaculately styled rose-gold coloured hair and preference for clothing that could only be described as pretty. Currently Coral's features were pressed into a thin frown which Athena, still blinking herself back to awareness watched the younger girl force aside into a bright smile.

"Wow AJ, I think that's the most I've seen you relax all summer" the words were bright, upbeat and yet painfully brittle and hollow; filled with a nervousness which only set Athena on edge and saw her pull herself forward to rest her elbows on her knees and her face in her palms for a few seconds as she answered.

"I'm fine, just needed a breather" she hated her own voice in that moment, breathless, uncertain and weak; she would have taken care to appear more collected with her next words but the chance was taken from her as her mother placed a delicate hand on a broad shoulder and leaned Athena-Jade back without resistance to meet her eyes.

"We're worried about you AJ, we have been for weeks now but you keep trying to brush us off" there was hurt in those words and something tugged in what Athena would, if the words would not humiliate her to utter aloud have described as the burned and blackened space that her heart had once inhabited. Words came more easily in response to that, reassuring her mother and directing attention elsewhere with the same response.

"It's not like that….I just needed to train; I slacked for weeks and feel behind….Didn't like the me I saw in the mirror" Athena winced there, realised she had perhaps admitted more than she had intended to and quickly covered herself by gently moving Weiss's hand so that she could stand; only for mother to continue to press.

"Recovery isn't slacking. You know better than that" the older of the two snowy-haired women answered with hands on her hips and lips pursed in a brief flash of annoyance quickly smothered beneath more motherly concern "Your legs were broken….To say nothing of everything else-"

"I knew I should have just worn a dress" Athena-Jade interrupted in an irritable mutter as realising where her mothers' gaze was focused left the Bear Faunus's eyes downcast; distraction coming from Coral as she chimed in with a bemused comment.

"AJ when do you ever wear dresses? I didn't think you even still owned any?"

"Right now I don't" Athena answered distractedly, peering passed her mother and sister to catch sight of her reflection in a mirror on an opposite wall. She was still the same short, stocky and incredibly muscular young woman she had been for some time with her perceived loss of muscle mass due to her time of inactivity being imperceptible to anybody outside of herself. Now however her legs, from the soles of her feet reached up to her lower thighs were littered with a haphazard and disparate array of scars marking entrance and exit wounds where Carmesi Hueso had used his Semblance to violently ripped into her and Athena-Jade had, despite her comments actively chosen to leave her injuries on display; her prior habit of wearing brightly coloured and cartoonishly decorated band-aids to cover up injuries or simply as an accessory had been discarded in favour of wearing the reminders of her lowest point openly.

Athena-Jade's attire had changed, something subtly shifting in the overall feel of her outfit. She still wore high-topped sneakers and figure-hugging shorts which highlighted powerful and often admired thighs however now her footwear seemed more stylish than practical. Armour plating hidden beneath the white exterior rather than worn over it and the flat-soled footwear being fastened by a collection of buckled straps to give them a less juvenile appearance whilst her shorts; simple black in place of faded blues and artistically ripped were paired with a series of blue-grey skirt-like capes which hung in frilly layers which reached to the backs of her knees and reached around her back to each hip, a single white belt lined with simple, practical pouches at her waist.

The upper half of the Bear Faunus's outfit seemed to give away more of the change, where before Athena had favoured visible armour, prominent collars on which to display her personal emblem and jackets that were always left hanging open to show off more of the muscle she had worked hard to build she now instead wore a double breasted jacket with its' sleeves removed, the garment white with black buttons and greatly resembling the greatcoats worn by many members of the Atlesian Specialist Branch, its' collar neatly pressed and devoid of any of Athena's usual ornamentation. Straps of a black coloured harness which currently sat empty reached around her shoulders and beneath her sleeveless jacket she wore an asymmetrical garment, the black sleeve of the form fitting t-shirt reaching just far enough to ensure that her bicep strained against it when flexed whilst the right reached down to the elbow and sported an emblem which Weiss had noticed was the Schnee family emblem rather than her daughters' usual variation of it and was also the only trace of Athena's preferred jade green colour to be seen whilst her hands were encased in black gloves which provided additional grip but left her clawed fingertips hidden.

The young woman's hair had lost something of her usual character as well; still the same snowy white as her mothers' and with the shaggy, fluffy texture inherited from her father it was no longer worn in the messy undercut style that had served as a dramatic marking of her efforts to carve out an identity for herself, shearing her own hair away with a tactical knife before leaving for her initiation to Breaktide two years previously. Instead it had been left to grow into something layered and almost wavy in its' current length which Athena had taken little interest in styling beyond simply tying back into a messy ponytail, too short to be braided as it had often been when she was a child.

Athena-Jade's brief appraisal of her reflection, noting how unlike herself she appeared with the deadened, tired look in eyes rimmed with dark circles and flat expression on her rounded features allowed for Weiss and Coral exchange a series of knowing looks, a silent conversation wherein it was decided that it was Weiss who would make the next attempt to reach beyond her daughters' feigned normalcy and composure.

"Have you eaten?"

"I'll get something later, I'm fine-"

"You're living on instant food….I didn't even know we had that much of it in the house, did Gangrel bring field rations with him just for you?" Athena-Jade's eyes flashed at that, that her adopted sibling refused to call Weiss and Gangrel her parents after so many years irking her for reasons she tried desperately to pretend were not related to another Faunus who had addressed their father figure by his first name. Before Athena's bristling could become more Weiss stepped in.

"You won't build muscle by subsisting on sub par food at odd hours….I believe your brother promised to cook tonight" Weiss struggled to get Athena to just look at her "Your father will be here, Henry plans to visit….I'm sure he and Coral could reach out to some of your old school friends if-"

"Is this a fucking intervention?" Athena mouthed the words in open shock, eyes widening further as she realised what she had just said and moreover to whom she had said it.

"There is no need for language like that Athena-Jade, rarely ever and certainly not towards me" Weiss huffed before her expression softened again, words gentle as she took her daughters' hands "As for holding an intervention….Answer me honestly, do I need to?"

"We're worried about AJ, all of us" Coral chimed in, repeating the earlier sentiment whilst her massive form shifted in a way that was comically out of place though Athena could find no laughter

"You've been a mess since you came home-"

"I lost-"

"And I get it-Or, no I really don't….I know I don't get what you're dealing with" Coral's pincers clacked nervously as she retreated from the comment which earned her a harsh glare "But you haven't left the manor in over a month and somehow I've still barely seen you….All you do is work and train, you miss meals and don't sleep; I've heard you crying to yourself in the early hours of the-"

"I sleep enough" Athena countered, voice ragged with sudden anger at the intrusion only for a single step towards her younger but far taller sibling to be halted by a glyph of her mothers' creation forming at chest height and barring the way.

"Coral that's enough" Weiss breathed out, nodding silently for her youngest child to give them some space and privacy before turning her attention back to Athena-Jade "Please don't lie in front of me Athena, I raised you better and you cannot possibly have been sleeping well when you have dark rings around your eyes and you were quite literally passed out when I arrived. You're pushing yourself too far; this isn't training, this is you punishing yourself-"

"I don't wanna talk about this" Athena-Jade hated her voice even more now, cracking and strained to the point where sobs threatened to seep through the gaps between words "Please, Mum just let me-"

"Okay" Weiss breathed out "Then come to dinner with your family and at least tell your Father whether you're planning on returning to Breaktide Academy….He saw the Atlas Academy transfer papers you requisitioned but threw away"

"He-I" Athena sputtered, suddenly dizzy as her fatigue was compounded by the emotional strain of having to answer difficult questions and simply interact with others at all after isolating herself in search of an escape from the pain of loss and betrayal "I'm going back….I'm not that weak, I refuse to be that weak"

"None of us have ever thought you were weak, or foolish or anything else you might have convinced yourself of" Weiss's voice had sudden steel in it as she held her daughter by the shoulders, refraining from pulling her into a crushing hug "You were betrayed and hurt in ways you did not deserve by someone who did not deserve you"

"I need to go" Athena-Jade's tone was flat, not cold but utterly blunt and robotic in a way that made Weiss realise instantly was a misstep; the wound Zirconia Shadowmoon had left on her daughters' heart was still raw and simply too massive for the Bear Faunus to even begin to heal from yet. As Athena-Jade made to slip by her with obvious intention of disappearing deeper into the manor where she would try to be left to her own devices again her mother reached out and clasped her wrist.

"Please?….Arctus and Diamond are just as worried as I am; they want you to at least spend some time with Selenite before you go"

"That was underhanded, something I'd expect Uncle Whitley to pull in a boardroom" Athena-Jade fought to keep any stabbing, biting nastiness from her words and even still she disgusted herself with the amount of venom that seeped into her retort as she tugged free of Weiss's grip.

Selenite Moonstone Slate, the first child of Arctus and Diamond Slate, Weiss's first grandchild and Athena-Jade's niece was by even fair and unbiased accounts and adorable baby girl who even now, at only a few weeks old was a sparkling presence who naturally drew people towards her; cooing and fawning over her chubby-cheeked and smiling features; a shining ray of something pure and simple which Athena had thus far refrained from holding in her clawed hands.

She didn't trust herself not to ruin something precious and was not certain that her influence was needed in her nieces' life.

"I've got work to Mum. I can't back to Menagerie unarmed" without waiting for an answer Athena simply strode away; not forcefully enough to be called storming off but certainly leaving a visibly upset Weiss in her wake.

Her mothers' arm fell limply to her side as she tired to understand how to help mend her daughter's broken heart.


"That one's mine! I've got it, I've got it!" Regalia's voice rose above the din of battle as she charged into action; her own exclamation being lost in turn beneath the roaring of Clunker's engine as the jetbike was pushed to its' limits.

The late afternoon sky over a vast expanse of Menagerie's wastelands was bright and largely cloudless, the scorching sun still visible and providing warmth which promised to last for a while longer still; keeping the biting chill which swept across the island every night at bay. More importantly however the sky above and around Regalia was filled with the Creatures of Grimm, specifically the rampaging, front-heavy of Winged Buffalo, a variety of monster whose presence left the Racoon Faunus feeling oddly nostalgic as they were something she had encountered during her initiation to Breaktide Academy.

Her allies parted the robotic steeds of the Aiktishaf Outriders, things which had been repurposed and modified through successive generations parted with clanking, loping motions which belied a practised ease and familiarity with the task at hand; allowing Regalia to claim her target. A fierce grin spread across her face as the Grimm took notice of the mass of steel rocketing across the ground in its' general direction and dove towards her on a collision course that would have seen the entire front end of Clunker destroyed and Regalia flung through the air if the impact struck home; the braying, trumpeting call of the Winged Buffalo called more of its' flock of beasts which seemed to lumber somehow even whilst airborne to leave Regalia in the path of a barrage of powerful forms, masses of bone armour and muscle diving towards her with the force of meteor shower.

Regalia continued on without doubts or worries and instead made only minute alterations to her plan; first firing Apex Scavenger's harpoon into the hide of the first Winged Buffalo, the head of the herd which she had initially picked out and from there she threw Clunker into a slide; the sudden change of angle and speed dragging the Grimm off-course and backwards in a path that saw it colliding with its' herd to leave them in a state of frenzied disarray. Before the monsters could round on her and attack Regalia had retracted her weapons' harpoon and removed the skull of her initial target with a well placed shotgun blast delivered even as she pulled Clunker into a roaring spin whilst holding the jetbike firmly in place which bathed the remaining monsters in flames spewing from its' propulsion systems.

"I see fire, inside the mountain! And I see fire, burning the trees!" Regalia half-sang and half maniacally cackled to herself as she leapt from her jetbike and raced towards the inferno she had created, Apex Scavenger unfurling into its' melee form; the staffs' pickaxe- head trailing behind her as she readied a punishing blow that would rip through any Creatures of Grimm that remained a threat.

Only to be brought skidding to a halt as machine guns stitched the ground ahead of her with small eruptions of dried and blasted earth as they ripped through Grimm-flesh and armoured bone to silence the last of the Creatures of Grimm; their forms expiring into roiling clouds of dissipating black smog and fading fragments.

"You're far from the only capable scout or warrior to ride forth from the Aiktishaf today…. Do remember that" the admonishment was light and teasing, delivered from a figure sat astride a robot which resembled something to a skeletal, piston driven flightless bird. The relic from before the Great War being bipedal and featuring a sloped body upon which a seat and rigging to carry a considerable amount of weight had been affixed, the space currently taken by a spare rifle, ammunition, a sword and several packs of rations, sleeping bags Dust and other supplies whilst the robots' neck terminated in a cranial structure which featured an array of blinking optics and sensors, guiding the thing as it moved under its' own power whilst also having two machine guns fitted atop it with trigger systems connected by wires to reins which the rider held. The rider in question was a young man in his early to mid twenties, sun-reddened, calloused and built in a lean and rangy way with scars which told of several successful engagements with both the Creatures of Grimm and other, more human foes whilst his hair was tied back as was customary for the members of the clan and reached almost to the small of his back.

"Yes, Uncle" Regalia answered brightly, returning to Clunker and giving the lowest bow she could muster whilst casually slinging a single leg over the jetbike to sit astride it; all whilst sticking her tongue out and enjoying the laughter from older members of the Outrider party that she had accompanied that followed her obviously teasing retort. The older member of Clan Aiktishaf was no blood relation at all to the Racoon Faunus, though within the communal culture of the nomadic people it was common and in fact often expect for one to use titles such as Aunt or Uncle for a person older than oneself but who held no particular title; the young man sat astride the bipedal mount was a qualified and respected outrider but had never before been the one to lead a successful party and whilst the days' events would certainly be seen as enough for them to be bestowed a title and position of authority and influence the fact that it had been Regalia; daughter of the Helms-woman who had visited the most damage upon the Grimm would certainly not be overlooked.

For so much of her childhood Regalia had been an outcast of sorts, on the fringes of Aiktishaf culture and tolerated despite her odd dreams and fixations because of her mothers' name more than her own talent. Now she could claim to be amongst their finest warriors; with the cruel joke of it being that she no longer considered the Aiktishaf and their roving land fortress to be her home in the same way she once had.

Her thoughts were kept focused on the present by the sight and sound of the other Outriders converging on them; mounted on other machines, dirt-bikes and jetbikes similar to her own; one of which had been built to include a sidecar which functioned as a weapons platform, a laser capable of cutting down all but the largest Grimm being operated by the most senior of the group currently present; the grizzled elder nomad deferring their judgement to the young man being trialled.

"You fought well, both of you….So do not bicker like children" the Elders' words saw both Regalia and the young man whose mounted position allowed him to loom over her both straighten up and bow their heads "It takes more than skill at arms to make a leader….Galena, you wish to lead; what now?"

"Regalia….Our Helms-woman wishes to speak with you for reasons she did not disclose" Galena, the young man could have sneered and made insinuations about the Racoon Faunus being coddled by her mother and Regalia took the fact he did not and the nod of acknowledgement he gave her as a mark of respect "I want you to gather those of us who are injured and any young riders who have not fought Grimm in the dark before, take the older mounts or any that were damaged and return to the Aiktishaf; guide our people home. The rest of us will investigate talk of a herd of Boomers whose path would cross our own"

"As you wish and good hunting Galena, I wish you the best in your trials" Regalia bowed her head; showing proper decorum and observing her peoples' tradition and customs in a way which visibly pleased the older Outriders around her; many giving approving looks and taking reassurance that whilst Regalia was now a rare presence amongst them she was still just as proud of her heritage as her current appearance would lead one to believe.

Upon returning from the Kingdom of New Vale, far more mild than the punishing climate that assaulted Menagerie Regalia had naturally changed her attire to be more suitable.

Her boots were heavy and reached up to her calves their colour a dull, oddly purplish brown like something that had spoiled where they were not covered by gunmetal armour plates at the heel, toe and shin whilst their soles were given deep enough grooves and tread to ensure that their wearer could climb and find purchase with ease.

Tucked into these were a pair of cargo pants, the back of which had been modified to account for her bushy grey-brown striped tail which swished behind her. Their dull and faded grey colour contrasted by both the purple harness which wove around Regalia's legs from her boots to her waist and allowed her to carry far more Dust and small tools than she would likely ever need and also by the collection of silvery zips littering the garment allowing them to be shortened at a whim; currently a portion of the left leg of the pants had been removed entirely above the knee and the two halves of the pants leg were held together solely by her harness; the look being completed by a heavy duty belt made of what appeared to be small interlocking, rectangular amour panels around her waist.

Regalia's midriff was bare as always, leaving her golden brown skin and toned muscle on display as the young woman continued her habit of wearing severely cut-down tank-tops in order to show off abs and hipbones that had become, if possible even more chiselled and defined. The tank-top in question was purple in colour and over it was a sleeveless, lightweight garment in the same faded charcoal colour as her pants that was too lightweight to be considered a jacket in any meaningful sense and instead served only to provide extra pockets. Over all of this and draped over Regalia's shoulders was a light, creamy brown coloured cloak whose ragged surface featured a hood and was fastened with a freshly machined brooch in the shape of Regalia's emblem, a cartoonish racoon head laid over a crossed hammer and spanner. More importantly to its' current wearer though it often blew dramatically in even the slightest breeze, whilst at the same time being of the right size to allow her arms to move unhindered and leaving lean and toned biceps and the countless beads and trinkets currently adorning Regalia's wrists and forearms on display. The habit of collecting such trinkets was common amongst the Aiktishaf, Regalia's own mother having a sizeable array of memorabilia from each place she had visited though Swarf Russet had still given her daughter an endless amount of knowing looks upon sensing the significance of the amount of fiery red beads interspersed with Regalia's purple and stony grey.

Her face was much as it ever was, blunt and strong, square-jawed with inquisitive deep purple eyes whilst her tinted and heavy goggles rested in their customary place atop her head where they kept her bangs in place, spilling over and around her ears as they framed her face. Regalia's hair had been allowed to grow longer again, now reaching below her shoulder-blades almost to the middle of her back yet kept rigorously from becoming wild or untamed; the shaggy grey-brown volume being bound in cream-coloured wrappings to produce a single lions' tail of hair which was then adorned with various decorations of no significance; indeed close observation would reveal that many of them appeared to be whatever manner of industrial strength fastenings the young woman could find.

"Move out!" Regalia called after waiting a few moments for those intended to follow her to ready themselves; checking injuries and switching mounts with those who would be continuing the hunt. With a raised hand and a single gesture followed by the throaty roar of Clunker's engine she brought the jetbike to life, whirling around the Outriders to ensure there were no stragglers before speeding off in the direction of her peoples' mobile land fortress where her mother would be waiting. Regalia knew that it was likely Swarf Russet had summoned her back simply because she wished for the two of them to spend some more time together before her imminent departure for Port Alistair and Breaktide Academy; something which Regalia herself was eminently grateful for as her mothers' affection was one of few certainties currently available to her in the wake of Team MARZ's betrayal and fracturing.

Though the fact remained that Regalia was a nomad and her remaining friends, especially Astra were currently far from her reach and that alone was enough reason to leave her fidgety and eager to return; no mater what awaited her upon their reunion.


By the time Headmistress Coco Adel had concluded all other matters of business and reached her final matter of importance for the day the summer sun had almost set over Port Alistair, signalling just how much longer than expected several of the preceding tasks had taken; something which Coco could not say was unexpected, but certainly remained unhappy about.

Currently she was sat beside Yatsuhashi Daichi, the towering man dressed in an olive green suit which, whilst outwardly simple was still luxurious and well made enough to meet Coco's own standards and which went some way to making his enormous height look less imposing than the suit of armour than the suit of armour and enormous sword with which he was more commonly associated. Yatsuhashi's own body was admittedly less fearsome than it had once been, whilst he was by no means frail or unfit the powerful muscles he still boasted were now given a layer of padding afforded by years of relative comfort and docility; an appearance which Velvet had confided having heard described by students as a 'Dad-bod'.

Coco had openly laughed when the Rabbit Faunus had admitted to giving the student in question a detention.

The Headmistress had decided that whilst it might at first thought be the most obvious place for the current meeting her personal office would in fact be unsuitable. Coco had made her office with certain tenets in mind, namely efficiency, her own comfort and a level of unspoken intimidation so that nay student whose misdeeds saw them summoned before her was subconsciously aware of the scope of their problems before she had began to speak; this was not the message or the tone she wished to convey at present and furthermore she was frankly no longer willing to let anybody so close to anything of importance without being thoroughly vetted in the wake of a betrayal from one of her own students, indeed a student she had always thought showed great promise.

Yatsuhashi had naturally offered his own office as an alternative, a far more calming and welcoming space by necessity given his role as student counsellor though Coco had decided against this as well; electing instead to hold the meeting in the staff break room. It was comfortable, currently empty and expected to remain so for long enough to be thoroughly searched afterwards and as a communal area there were no important documents pertaining to anything outside of the daily operations of the campus left lying around to be rifled through.

So it came to be that Coco and Yatsuhashi were sat side by side, a small coffee table between themselves and a young man who presented something of a unique case.

"Thank you" the Faunus boy smiled as he set a glass of water down on a coaster.

"You're welcome" Yatsuhashi answered a faint smile tugging at his lips as he added "I'm surprised that you accepted the offer….So many people make themselves uncomfortable in interviews as if it would impress us"

"You don't turn down free water in the wastes, even if you think you've got a steady supply you can never be too sure" the comment was delivered with a knowing smile that displayed brilliantly white teeth though there was a pain hidden behind it, the nonchalant comment rubbing at something raw and unhealed.

"I've heard some stories, far more than I would like" Coco answered giving an understanding nod. Everything she knew of the young man before her had led her to believe that he was eager to not only defend Remnant against the monsters and more insidious threats against it but also to redress injustices that had gone unchecked and unchallenged for far too long, especially in the wastelands beyond Menagerie's authority which had produced him. Thus far however Coco had only conversed with the prospective student at distance and was only now meeting him for the first time, something which despite the recommendations in his favour now required the Headmistress and the man who was one of her two closest confidants to appraise him with a critical and wary eye.

"Or have I accidentality made some social faux par that I didn't know about? I wasn't in Menagerie's borders for long enough to learn the customs after leaving home" The boy's expression shifted, nervous but not in a way which was undue in the circumstances or suggested anything untoward and so it was Yatsuhashi who gave him a small gesture and warm-voiced answer to put his mind at ease.

"Not at all, truth be told Menagerie's customs are not such a fixed thing. The island has been settled for not much longer than you've been alive and we've been united as a Kingdom for less than that; in all honesty the people of Menagerie are still finding a united identity amongst ourselves"

"Forgive me if I seem….intense" Coco chimed in, understanding the boys' worry and removing her sunglasses so that her expression could be more easily gauged "But you can understand that I need to be stringent in my standards….Especially now"

"I understand" the boy nodded "I was there when it happened, I understand what's at stake"

A tense silence hung in the air for a moment after that and it was Coco who now realised she had made something of a faux pas, one that perhaps could not so easily be powered through with simple charm and charisma like so many others. Thankfully the darkening of her prospective students' expression was only momentary and directed away from Coco herself, likely towards someone who was not present in the room no matter how keenly their presence was felt.

"Professor Adel means no disrespect" Yatsuhashi came to her aid "And my door will always be open to any student, we take mental health of future Hunters seriously here"

"So I'm in?" the young man asked, relief visibly seeping into every facet of him as seconds ticked by without contradiction until Coco casually waved to manilla folders on the table between them whose contents had been discussed throughout the earlier stages of the interview.

"You are recommended by several respected Hunters, including people whose opinions I personally put stock in. Your former team leader speaks highly of you and the circumstances of your transfer are, whilst unfortunate and ones I offer my condolences for still entirely understandable. Your records, some of which are a matter of public record now are impressive….Some uncertainty in your time as a first year, it seems your team took longer than is normal to find a rhythm but your improvements overall performance since then have, by all accounts been stellar" Coco paused adjusting her seating

"You as an individual are certainly suitable for a position at my academy, the only potential I can foresee is your integration with an existing team"

"I….see" the young man across from her looked nervous again, fighting the urge to fidget with his hair and it was once again Yatsuhashi who alleviated nerves that Coco's unmeasured frankness, well suited to politics in a city where the populace had no truck with more traditional politicians but less so for delicacy had caused.

"We do have a potential solution, there is a team within your year group that has an….absent member" even Yatsuhashi struggled to mask his anger at this, expression soured as though he could taste something foul at the thought of the reason for that absence "It's simply a matter of the leader of that team accepting the integration of you into their teams' structure"

"Not that they have a choice really" Coco noted pointedly "I can't allow you to enter the teams' dormitory until things are finalised, but I can see to it that one of the vacant dorms intended for incoming students is available to you"

The Headmistress then produced a new folder, small and filled with only a few documents which was presented to the young man who eagerly opened it and studied the material with a wide-eyed look of surprise and the expected recognition; Coco finding no trace of guile or hesitation upon his jovial features. The young man would of course be observed until his future team-mates arrived, though even as he spoke Coco found herself becoming more certain that the right choice was being made.

"I can't wait" his Faunus attribute of a tail twitched behind him "When do I get to talk with the team?"

"The leader of the team is expected to fly in tomorrow, ahead of the incoming initiates though they have not been informed as to why….Although I assume they're intelligent enough to make assumptions" Coco rose to her feet and held out her hand to her new Third Year student "Welcome to Breaktide Academy"


Zirconia Shadowmoon moved through the confines of Nero's airship, the hallways of the vessel which had served as her home since her arrival in Jidhir Town were completely silent save for the faint reverberation of her own loping, hoping footfalls; the usual graceful silence she possessed being robbed from her by the metal of her prosthetics meeting a metal floor that she was certain had been treated in some way specifically to make creeping across it more difficult. Zirconia pressed on with purpose however, uncaring for the quietly echoing ring and entertaining the thoughts only to keep her mind occupied and ensure that she did not chance a glimpse at any of the more reflective surfaces of her surroundings.

The young rogue had found it hard to look at herself in a mirror for some time now.

At present she was clad in black shorts which reached to her knees, covering the point where flesh and cybernetic limb met whilst her prosthetics themselves had been refinished so that their silver surfaces were brighter and smoother than ever. At her hips she wore a pair of twin cape which were also uniformly black in colour and with the odd stance that her uniquely formed legs forced her to take reached almost to the ground, dangling passed her calves and shins which crossed their path at an angle; Sunriser Cain holstered out of view beneath them with the entire affair being held in place by a pair of black belts fastened with a silver buckle. The single ornamentation upon each of the capes was Zirconia's personal emblem, which the Grasshopper Faunus had changed from the sleek and angular capital Z which resembled the Clara Die Novus Conglomerates' logo titled on its' side as was now a more jagged and stylised thing; still a capital Z but instead resembling a pair of insectoid limbs laid at angles to one another, one pink and the other orange.

Zirconia's upper body was hidden beneath clothing that made little concession to the realities of her current location; namely a black, long-sleeve and turtle-necked sweater which would have highlighted her generous figure were it not for the armour worn over it. A lightweight chest-plate of tactical armour covered her rib cage but left her midsection uncovered, sacrificing some protection for mobility whilst the once pristine white colour of the plate had been replaced by a dark, silvery grey which was mirrored in the rest of her armour. Both shoulders were covered in stylised pauldrons whose sleek and swooping surfaces had been sculpted to evoke the skulls of insectoid Grimm and a gauntlet of ridged armour plates reached from the back of her right hand to her elbow whilst Zirconia's left hand was covered by a leather glove and tied around her wrist was the jade green bandanna that had once belonged to her partner, its' colour now faded somewhat after the efforts to remover her own blood from the fabric.

The overall effect of the attire was a sinister one and it was continued with Zirconia's hair, the sleek raven-blackness having been cut short enough to stop below her shoulders and then styled in such a way that it swept back and out dramatically behind her in spiky masses with only the faintest trace of her signature lone curtain of hair falling above where her right eye should have been visible. The Grasshopper Faunus had foregone her customary scarf or shawl and instead taken her efforts to conceal her face to a new level; she wore what appeared to be modern, streamlined gas-mask whose sleek surface had been modified. Her mouth and nose were protected by air filters and a small apparatus around them, the dull silver metal being affixed to black fabric whilst Zirconia's right eye was hidden beneath a lens with an appearance almost like that of a compound eye and shaped in a sweeping almost-teardrop way; its' surface tinted the same pale, sunset orange as the eye it covered. The right side of the mask had been removed entirely close to the cheekbone, ensuring that the air filters would still work if needed however leaving her pale pink left eye and more importantly the scars which now marked her face the most visible part of her, the natural subject of any onlookers' attention; a quartet of raised lines of discoloured flesh reaching down from the side of her head through her eyebrow and cheek towards her chin with the space between them indicating that the scars had been made by a clawed hand.

Zirconia wore the scars openly with a mix of odd fondness and bitter, self-loathing regret at her failure to convince her former partner or any of her team-mates to follow her out of Neo Vale and join Nero's cause.

The scars were the last gift Athena-Jade Slate had given her.

Eventually she left the confines of Nero's ship, striding out onto a waiting ramp and taking stock of her surroundings; night had finally fallen over the wastelands of Menagerie and brought with it a fierce wind which howled and bit, rustling the vast array of tarps and other coverings which had been used to hide the small airship from any who might fly overhead as it did so.

Zirconia paid little mind to the cold, her sweater more valuable now than it would be in the scorching daylight and she made her way quickly and purposefully into the settlement of Jidhir Town whilst deliberately keeping herself from rushing. Nero's new base of operations and her new current outside of the Kingdoms and society at large was busy and yet still dimly lit, the collections of people brought under Nero's banner for their own myriad reasons taking care to cover any fires they gathered around for warmth out of a habit that had been established before their arrival; Jidhir Town had been made far more secure since Zirconia's arrival by the addition of stealth technology appropriated from an airship though the gloom was of little concern to the rogue Faunus as she used the light from the broken moon to guide her way.

Cultists, freedom fighters and others moved aside to allow Zirconia to pass between them and before long she had made her way deeper into the once abandoned settlement towards what had likely once been envisioned as a town square; the people she sought already gathered and waiting.

"Ah good, Zirconia dear you've arrived" Nero greeted her with a small wave, the man who had raised her appearing much as he often did of late; well-pressed suit contrasting oddly with pallid and waxy skin, sunken eyes and unkempt hair amongst other signs of going without rest, dark quartz-coloured eyes filled with a manic energy and expression pulled into a wild, feral smile that were he not so alert, articulate and sharply intelligent Zirconia would have taken as a sign that he was slipping. The death of Albion had been hard on Zirconia, the scientist had been something akin to an uncle to her, a close family friend however for Nero the loss had been catastrophic and the former Chairman had responded by isolating himself for several days and then emerging, as if from a chrysalis with relentless energy and conviction.

"Finally" an irritable grunt interjected, revealing that Carmesi was at Nero's side "You're letting the stereotypical teenage moodiness, brooding over unrequited love and ridiculous sleep schedule wear a little thin"

"I see you've chosen to have your midlife crisis early, probably for the best" Zirconia responded coldly, giving the Komodo Dragon's bare, scarred chest a distasteful glance even as her cultured and proper delivery sent a nervous titter of amusement through the people congregating around them; a crowd Zirconia now realised was larger than first expected. Dismissing Carmesi she turned her attention outwards and saw that the town square from which Aefen Cruor often spouted he demented sermons and promises of a new age of oneness with the Grimm was now filled by groups of fighters being outfitted with fresh weapons and supplies, gathering themselves into teams and having the far more threatening Cyber-Grimm attached to each group by commanders which the Grasshopper Faunus noted included none of Aefen Cruor's cult or the former gang members who had served Nero previously; instead roles of importance had been given to members of Neo Vale's defences who had deserted the city and Zirconia's fellow students Team NUGT, the Chicken Faunus named Nugget who led the team giving a small nod of recognition as he paced and inspected his troops with his weapon, Cluck-Stick and Cluck-shot in hand.

"New weapons….How are we still getting shipments?" Zirconia murmured, to which Nero merely laughed fondly.

"Whilst I might lack Albion's genius in a great many things, what I can do is manage people and finances well" he gestured with his gloved mechanical hand to the sight before them "New scientists are taking up the roles Albion handled and eventually those students will become something special, which allows us to create new Cyber-Grimm with Aefen's help. We still have allies and sympathisers in the Kingdoms and as my assets are seized, those which are sold can be repurchased through proxies and funding can be funnelled back towards our efforts as can any resources we don't yet have; weapons are not hard to come by on this island and so we can remain well armed…..Other logistics were attended to long before I came here"

"So we are ready for our next move?" Zirconia asked, nervous in a way that was an equal mixture of thrilled energy and hesitance as she considered what would be soon asked of her and those she would be acting alongside; including Carmesi Hueso whom she had tried to avoid in recent weeks.

"Almost my dear" Nero purred, casting an expectant glare in the direction of the Furnace "Where is she-"

"There" Carmesi, eyes keener than Nero's gestured and began striding forwards before the human had even registered the approaching presence. A group of black-clad fanatics preceding Aefen herself who chanted and engaged a display of theatrics which irked Zirconia deeply; having been forced to speak to the woman on more than one occasion making it clear that the scientist turned cult leader made such displays for solely manipulative reasons and believed none of her own rhetoric.

All eyes were quickly directed to what it that the masked woman's twisted procession was leading however, a Cyber-Grimm of some variant which Zirconia had certainly never seen before; led by chains and ropes and moving in ways which spoke of predatory intelligence whilst Gestalt-Prime stalked into view behind it.

"I didn't know we were field testing that?" Carmesi rumbled, to which Nero simply shrugged.

"With the additional Grimm material Gestalt-Prime managed to bring the design to completion earlier than anticipated; it simply seemed efficient to combine testing with your operation" Zirconia watched as her father figures' expression darkened markedly "Besides, no matter how much the Kingdom tries to distance themselves….Your target will be defended by Hunters, skilled ones at that. I am willing to defer to you in tactical matters but I will make some instances, being prepared is one of them"

"I understand" Carmesi nodded, only partly focused on Nero as he studied the new Cyber-Grimm from a distance and quietly assessed it, mentally adjusting plans before turning to Zirconia "Are you ready? Or do you need more sleep, a tub of ice cream and breakup music or maybe a security blanket-"

"Carmesi" Nero warned sternly before turning to the young woman he had raised "Zirconia?"

"I'm ready" she nodded, straightening herself and squaring her shoulders.

"Good. Find and inspect your troops" Carmesi growled, already in motion "We'll be moving out soon. The plan is to strike at dawn"

Author's Notes:

So we're starting the hiatus with a new volume and whole new arc of the fic.
Whilst looking for a new job I managed to get the last chapter of Vol.06 finished, plan out the entire first half of Vol.07 and get this chapter written without falling behind so at present I'm still consistently around two weeks in front of the last chapter I posted.
Also….I know this chapter kinda feels like the 'Oh everyone got a new look' Chapter but it's the start of a new arc, it's a tradition and I had to set the tone and get some things in motion, including the cliffhanger at the end which is gonna lead to massively important things.

Now, let's summarise shall we?:
Okay so starting with the Professors feels like the equivalent of a cold open with a narrator to be honest but it is what it is….Besides, more Coco and Velvet.
So yeah just off the bat Nero's talk has managed to move the Overton window all across Remnant, or at least in private….Maybe you won't hear anything on the CCT than could cause public alarm and risk destabilising things, but there's definitely a lot of conversations being had in private or on forums; where Nero's people are still recruiting.
Tank-top and 'not a corset' Milf Coco….You are welcome, I think I understand my readers.
We will see Nora again soon enough, this scene was just a little crowded already.
Qrow is officially retired and will be out of the story for the foreseeable, he's gonna be on the Nemesis Kharybdis with whichever members of Teams GORE, FADE and their usual allies are there at any given time on a cruise….He's earned it at this point.
I wanted to set up a level of tension right from the get go and honestly the idea that all of the members of the Cabal know that Nero is out there, with a rough idea of where he is but that they can't do anything about it and have no idea what his next move is gonna be does the job.
Winter really does just default to 'Atlas does what it wants' a lot of the time, although she gives solid reasons for why the other two heads are never involved in anything.
"I trust you've been vetting your applicants" is what Winter said, what Coco heard was "Don't let any more fucking spies into your office where they can beat your son nearly to death this year".
RWBY Vol.09 has naturally led to a lot of talk about the works of Lewis Carroll and so the Red Queen's quote "It takes all the running you can to keep in the same place" came to mind for Astra.
The reaction to Zirconia was wholly warranted, the mental image of Astra and Regalia being up all night texting each other and kicking their feet whilst giggling like the lovesick dorks they are gives me life; on the other hand we knew AJ was gonna be a mess.
Yeah, the rest of Team MARZ are absolutely gonna be getting the side-eye just out of a reasonable level of suspicion.
Okay so Astra's new look; the jacket is like Ruby's cloak in that no matter how ragged it gets they'll just patch it up and carry on. They're looking a little bit more femme than they usually go outside of special occasions with the Coco style 'not a corset', necklaces and sash that's basically a skirt. On the other hand, their hair has been a point of pride for them and this is the first time in this whole story we've actually seen it its' natural colour….Take from that what you want.
It's a sad but realistic conversation and it's one you can't blame Myrtle for wanting to have; the Mars family are not legacy Hunters, they're looking at the Hunter subculture from the outside and seeing a lot of lives cut short or changed brutally; Myrtle is absolutely valid for wanting her baby to find another career.
I honestly debated having Gestalt-Prime's scene include the Spawning Pit Fight and consumption that they're on the way back from but honestly there's enough going on, it wouldn't add anything and we've got enough action coming next chapter.
Aefen is barely on screen this chapter and she still manages to be an attention grabbing dick.
Using Gestalt-Prime's thoughts on humanity to show the progression of Jidhir Town and Nero's growing faction.
Carmesi is rocking a tits out look and living his best life.
So an important takeaway from the exchange between Carmesi and Gestalt-Prime, Gestalt-Prime has kept the discovery of 'Something' else lurking in the Hive-Mind from the others and whilst they don't know who or what Pantheon is they are scared shitless.
Athena-Jade is a mood, upon writing this it is a week since I collapsed mid-workout whilst performing military presses….very nearly took my head off; do not recommend.
"The burned and blackened space that her heart had once inhabited"….Oof, but also understandable all things considered.
Okay so AJ's new look; the comment about wearing a dress was a giveaway of the direction things are going. She's always been shorts, usually no sleeves and always a sleeveless jacket but right now she's got skirts on over the shorts and her jacket is something very close to what Harriet wears in canon, she's using the family emblem instead of her own, she's keeping her claws covered and her hair, the hair that she had a whole moment cutting off in chapter 01 and has worn in an undercut since has been grown out into the beginnings of the more traditional Schnee look….Her whole thing has been proving that she's more than a nepo baby and can make it on her own and she's been rattled so badly that she's not trying now.
Coral not using Mum and Dad for Weiss and Gangrel has always been a thing, because she was old enough to remember her actual parents when she was adopted….But now it's pissing AJ off because it reminds her of Zirconia.
Oof, AJ's had it rough….Crying herself to sleep and genuinely, for half a second considering just quitting it all and joining Atlas Academy.
One tiny little silver lining; AJ's an Auntie now. Selenite is a white crystal so it fits the naming themes of both the Schnee family and Emerald→Diamond→Selenite; S has more options for other names if they have more kids so they can do the whole siblings thing that the Schnee family does….Her middle name is Moonstone because that was another name I seriously considered for the kid.
Regalia is living comparatively well compared to her team.
Winged Buffalo Grimm are something In haven't shown since initiation and frankly that is a crime because those are just a fucking hilarious concept….That take-down was slick though.
….And yes that counts as a movie reference, singing the song 'I see fire' from the Hobbit; however in Remnant we'll say that the movie included the "In the style of Disturbed version by Anthony Vincent" rather than the original.
See I've always said that Regalia never quite fit in with the other members of her Nomad Tribe because she was so fixated on being a Hunter; she wanted to go the big cities in Remnant and stay there to learn….But we've never really seen much of that friction, so here's a little bit of what's left of it.
Using a general title for the older nomad, Galena just to draw attention to the fact he hasn't actually earned any titles despite being her senior….A little petty considering that they're literally in the middle of his chance to earn one.
Also the name Galena means 'Ore'.
Okay Regalia's new look honestly isn't doing as much thematically but it is definitely cool….She's wearing more of her own purple colour to symbolise her coming into her own and growing, whilst at the same time having more of her cultures' look about her….The red beads getting her teased by her Mum just 'cos she's so obviously down bad made me smile. The pants are inspired by Yang's, all of her people have their hair tied back; it's basically a cultural practice that started out from the fact that they literally live in and around giant machinery and the cloak with an emblem/brooch is definitely based a little bit on Ruby but also on things like Rokusho in Medabots.
I wanted to have Swarf in this scene but it just didn't flow right.
So this is the meeting Coco alluded to earlier and I'm gonna say this now….I want you to look at the order of the scenes, we did M→A→R→? before we got to Zirconia's scene; which means there's a very clear suggestion of what the purpose here is.
Dad-Bod Yatsuhashi is real.
If you're a student of Breaktide Academy you do not want to end up in Coco's office.
Okay but seriously though what is with all the psychoanalysing in interviews? If you don't want me to take a drink then just don't offer one.
Now I didn't say who the new student was and I didn't give too many direct physical descriptions but he's a Faunus with a tail and some pearly whites, he's originally from the wastes and only passed through Menagerie's settlements briefly before going somewhere else, he's got a mission of his own and he's someone Coco's spoken to before but not in person; most importantly of all "I was there when it happened"….I'm really not being subtle.
I love the idea that the reason Coco did so well in Menagerie as a politician is specifically because she is not a politician; the island is a Kingdom made by people who looked at their own Kingdoms and decided to say fuck it, let's go build somewhere new from scratch.
Okay it's absolutely easy to see that this is the new member of Team MAR_ and that the team leader in question is Astra.
Just introducing Zirconia alone, prowling through hallways and not wanting to see her own reflection to give an idea of where she's at mentally.
But as for her new look, robot legs are always out….It's always either shorts or skirts because long-legged pants are just not an option; changing her emblem is a big sign as is the fact that almost her entire body is covered, I mean Hops as never exactly flaunted what she's got but right now all anyone can see is the palm of her right hand and left side of her face. She had the bug-face armour on one arm in First Year, now she's wearing that along chest and face armour in what feels like a kind of backslide that wearing AJ's old bandanna only highlights. The hair thing is more practical than anything else but the whole gas-mask and making sure that her scars are the 'Only' part of her face you can see is definitely a bad sign.
Also the gas-mask eyepiece is supposed to have some distinct Kamen Rider feels….Because it was actually something I was going to have as part of her Vol.01-03 design when she was really laying the Kamen Rider on thick but I didn't want her and Regalia to both have goggles.
Everybody else moves and gets jumpy when Zirconia shows up but Nero still sees his little girl.
Then again Nero is looking a little frazzled at this point….Because he is a villain who actually cares about the people around him and Albion's death; which Gestalt-Prime has lied about definitely made him worse than he already was.
Well Nero has got what he always wanted on some level….Carmesi and Zirconia acting like siblings by roasting the fuck out of each other; the mid-life crisis shot was funny when you consider that he's not even thirty.
Team NUGT are still here being background characters….get them some red shirts.
A quick explanation from Albion as to how they're still running an operation and the answer, frankly is corruption and capitalism.
Zirconia not liking Aefen because she's been putting on an act for years….When Zirconia went deep cover she had real feelings.
"Are you ready? Or do you need more sleep, a tub of ice cream and breakup music or maybe a security blanket-" he was out of pocket for that.
But, most importantly of all; there's a new type of Cyber-Grimm variant to field test and Zirconia and Carmesi will be taking it out to attack a settlement….Guess which one?

Thank you to MajorBrony95 for their review on the last chapter.
Okay firstly I'll address the private message you sent, I actually didn't it until you mentioned it because I don't routinely check my messages on FF Net and the site doesn't send notifications any more….But as for celebrating the win that is Bumbleby becoming canon, politely as possible I will do that where and however I want within my own writing; you are free to leave at any time.
Yeah, most people realise that Nero is a little bit crazy even if he made a few solid points but at the same time, what's that quote "All that's needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" as long as the majority of people are willing to go about their business and trust things will sort themselves out then those people who do join Nero are going to feel like a bigger threat.
Astra and Regalia are the one silver lining here.
Yeah AJ is in an absolute mess, but to quote Alfred Pennyworth "Why do we fall? So we can learn how to get up again".
Oh the plans I have for Pantheon are gonna be great to get written down.
Stygian, yeah he was born in a settlement on Menagerie that is basically ruled by the Hunters who founded it as a dictatorship and after fleeing he wanted to become a better Hunter so he could liberate it….That settlement was called Pikesreach; the title of the next chapter is Pikesreach.

As always thank you to everyone that reads this, with a special thanks to those of you that follow, favourite and review.