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Chapter 38: Self Improvement
Another week had passed for the inhabitants of Port Alistair and the island Kingdom of Menagerie largely without incident; a peace achieved largely by the unwavering dedication to a singular goal that the leaders of Teams MARZ and WULF had allowed to distract them from almost all else, though thankfully in a fortunate contrast pushed the two of them to strive even harder than ever in their classwork and assignments.
The same goal that had brought them out to their current location.
With so much of their first years as students of Breaktide Academy already passed the weather upon Menagerie was once again beginning to change, slowly but inexorably moving a way from the pleasant warmth of previous months back into the airless and blistering heat that had greeted those journeying to the island Kingdom to study before their initiation. That heat caused the air to shimmer slightly and the glaring sun forced Astra to narrow their eyes to a squint, certain that their signature dark coloured and winged eyeliner had already been smeared by sweat as they took in the sight of their destination; a gate set into a perimeter wall of stone, steel and wood which had clearly been repaired countless times over a the years and with glimpses of a village beyond it which resembled what the Deer Faunus had been told the island of Patch had once looked like before the fall of Vale thirty years ago had caused a massive increase its' population; though the buildings seemed to be made in a style more resembling the architecture of Mistral, or what Astra though of as Mistrali as they had truthfully never had the opportunity to visit the Kingdom.
"Welcome" Astra felt an arm loop around their shoulders as Wolfram's voice came from behind them, filled with an unmistakable sense of pride "To Stalwart"
"It looks….cosy" Astra offered as they turned their gaze away from their boyfriends' rural home town and back to the young man himself. Wolfram beamed with pride and a smile that was rare in its' genuine warmth as he stared almost longingly at a home he failed to realise just how much he had missed until he was stood before it again and away from all the distractions of life in the capital city. Behind them but close enough to still join the conversation if they desired were Ursinia Red and Laser Greenback, Wolfram had apparently asked each of Team WULF if they wished to accompany he and Astra to Stalwart and only Diabla had declined; the perpetually blunt and scowling young woman citing that she had one her still ongoing and mandatory counselling sessions with Yatsuhashi Daichi that afternoon, though Wolfram had noted that it that his friends' reticence was likely a combination of her dislike for the current heat and her own shame at the way she had spoken to his mother during their first meeting; something she had apologised to Wolfram for, albeit with an apparent amount of difficulty as such words did not come easily or naturally to her.
As enjoyable as the sight of their boyfriend so happy was Astra was still somewhat confused as to why they were here, though before they could mention that to Wolfram the momentary silence was broken by Laser's nasal tones.
"So are we heading in? Come on Wolfie your mum is probably the best cook I know; you can't leave me here drooling on the floor!"
"Only probably?" Wolfram's tone, whilst joking had the definite air of a challenge to it, something which had been unmistakable in all of his conversations with Laser of late.
"Wait, you're taking me to meet your Mum?" Astra's throat was suddenly dry, the Deer Faunus supposed that such an option should have occurred to them almost the instant they had agreed to travel to Stalwart though in their defence Wolfram had framed the idea as pertaining more to Astra's self improvement goals, particularly discovering their Semblance by whatever means were required.
"Oh darlin' if you haven't met Missus Ironside yet let me tell you what, she is gonna absolutely adore you….Just use your manners now" Ursinia's expression was one of mildly giddy excitement as she spoke, Stalwart reminding her of her own rural community to ease the sting of homesickness that came no matter how many times she reminded herself that she had chosen to venture beyond its' limits secure in the knowledge that she would never be happy or truly content there; Wolfram's mother reminded her of her own in many ways and that was apparent in the tone she used whilst urging the Deer Faunus to speak to the woman properly, one which implied strongly that a failure to do so would be met with the Scorpion Faunus's ire.
"Seriously Wolfie?" Astra gasped "You're dropping this on me now, if I'd have known I would have come dressed smarter than this, I would have-"
"You look fine, as always" Wolfram managed a confidant smile and a wink to soothe the obvious nerves beneath Astra's joking exasperation "But we're not heading in just yet"
"What're we doing here?" Astra's sea-green eyes narrowed in mild suspicion as they ignored the groan of obvious annoyance from Laser and the dramatic flopping that accompanied it, instead they noted that in the corner of their eye there were several people ranging from old and leathery men carrying weapons to young boys and girls barely in their teens gathered along the perimeter wall, all of whom were glancing down at the student Hunters gathered at the gates of their village expectantly.
"Well, I told you I was gonna help you try and unlock your Semblance….The same way I was trained" Wolfram's steely grey eyes held an apology that would not pass his lips, shoulders betraying him with a shuddering shrug.
"Yeah" Astra drawled the word out slowly, the vaguest ideas of where the conversation was heading causing their right foot to slide back as they shifted their weight into a more suitable stance.
"Well those old guys up there are retired Hunters, they all knew my Dad….They're the ones who helped me unlock my Semblance" Wolfram continued, matching Astra's stance even as he shuffled guiltily "And I called them during the week, I told them what I wanted to help you with and they went over some ideas with me…."
"And this was one of them?" Astra asked, cautious and sceptical as they noted Laser and Ursinia moving into flanking positions; the scorpion Faunus at least having the decency to look uncomfortable whilst Laser skulked and prowled without compunction, overall it was a sight which left Astra immensely glad that Diabla Fuego was absent.
"Yeah" Wolfram nodded "I told you it was gonna be hard work and ass-kicking….Semblances are a part of us but they manifest in response to a need, so we're gonna try and create different needs until we figure out what it takes"
"Okay, I get it" Astra nodded, taking in a deep breath and gritting their teeth in an attempt to brace themselves which offered little results; the plan was possibly ludicrous however they could not deny that it had a basis in reality.
"So we're gonna start this off three on one, no weapons" Wolfram continued, the memory of his previous fight with Astra clearly on his mind "Babe, I wanna say I'm not gonna hurt you….But this to work I'm gonna have to try to"
"I get it, no hard feelings….make it up to me later" Astra flashed a cocky wink that managed to catch Wolfram off-guard for a split second that was long enough for the deer Faunus to see their advantage and capitalise "LET'S DO THIS!"
They charged forward, intent to at least put Wolfram on the defensive however their goal was denied to them as they were struck by the wall of pure, crushing power that was Ursinia Red as the farm girl tackled them, picked them up and slammed them into the dusty ground.
Astra supposed they should have expected something like this.
Gestalt-Prime, the hybrid Alpha Grimm that had been designated the 'Hell-Hound' by the Kingdom of Menagerie but had since evolved to become so much more left a trail of choking, poisonous black smoke and flames in its' wake as it hurtled through the air at great speed towards a destination that it had ordered its' packs to observe days ago.
Patience was still an utterly alien concept to the Grimm, yet with the aid of the tactical knowledge forced into the deepest core of their psyche Gestalt-Prime had been able to restrain themselves and more importantly the lesser Grimm at their disposal, keeping murderous intent at bay and preventing any ill-timed or misjudged actions from laying the Alpha's plans to waste by adjusting the way they saw the world, thereby allowing them to perceive waiting patiently as something more in line with their bloodthirsty mindset.
Namely reconnaissance, a prolonged and masterfully executed stalking of a sizeable prey.
With this thought flickering through their mind Gestalt-Prime let out a satisfied sound, somewhere between a rumbling purr and the shriek of a passing jet engine all whilst their fanged maw twisted in the closest thing to a smile that it could manage before the screaming tone of the thrusters, now powered by something far more insidious than Dust changed as the monster swooped into a sharp dive, its' many limbs draw close and flat against its' hulking form as it plummeted; the visor positioned over its' singular glowing eye allowing it to magnify objects and areas in its' view as well as giving the creature access to other tactical and logistical information that greatly aided in the daring landing it executed, four clawed arms tearing into the ground, joined by its' legs a moment later as its' wings drew back with a metallic shriek and its' tail and vestigial tendrils acted as stabilisers until finally the Grimm came to a halt and observed their surroundings from ground level for the first time after their packs had kept them appraised of any developments, or lack thereof for a week.
The packs under Gestalt-Prime's command had found a Spawning Pit as instructed and now the time to claim it had come.
It had been found along the coast of Menagerie, possibly at the edge of or even beyond the sensor range of Hammerfall Observation Outpost though such details were currently trivial following the Alpha Grimm's recent attack on the floating installation and it was an old Spawning Pit, dating back to the days shortly after Salem had first been cast into the shadows and never reclaimed upon her return. This Gestalt-Prime knew from the memories of the wizened old Alpha Beowulf which they had consumed to begin their apotheosis, the island of Menagerie had once been entirely surrounded by a Coral reef Grimm which served to both keep any would be invaders at bay and at the same time to unleash countless marine terrors into the oceans around it; this underwater battlement had been the first line of defence to be shattered when the prey had come to the island in force and yet their attempts to utterly destroy it had failed, a small part of the decimated and yet living mineral, if Grimm could truly be said to live had been carried by crashing and turbulent waves to an area of the coast which sat at the base of a sheer cliff-face which it had, in a display of tenacity managed to embed itself before continuing the function it had been made for.
Namely propagating the Grimm species and spreading its' own influence outward until the re-habitation of Menagerie had begun, at which point it had been annexed from the rest of the island in the apocalyptic firestorm which changed the surrounding landscape and created Hammerfall Canyon.
"Welcome to today's stream!" the hybrid Alpha snarled out in a grating tone only describable as a controlled and restrained scream that echoed through the salty air and carried on the breeze, being answered by dark shapes emerging from behind every misplaced rock formation, long-forgotten mass of twisted and rusted metal that might once have been an aircraft and in several cases clambering over the edge of the cliff-face to gather around their master.
Gestalt-Prime's packs had changed and the Beowolves gathered around the hybrid Alpha were the clearest example, exposure and proximity to the far more advanced and developed monster, accelerated by Gestalt-Prime's own penchant for simply tearing information from their minds and leaving traces of itself behind like a psychic residue had caused each of the base beasts to grow, becoming both physically larger and more mentally proficient, albeit not quite yet at the precipice of becoming Alphas in their own right and still far from reaching their masters' relative enlightenment.
As the pack gathered, one of their number stepping forth and performing a salute which became more recognisable with every attempt Gestalt-Prime addressed them.
"Do you have visual on the target?" there was single beat of silence before several Beowolves let out low snarls as they nodded their heads in confirmation.
"You are my little pog champs. Were you spotted?" another brief pause for consideration, followed this time by shaking muzzles that left gobs of saliva spattered on the dry ground as the monsters' grew impatient, yet Gestalt-Prime was not yet ready to grant them licence to act and instead used their tail to push their pack of minions aside with a sweeping motion before stalking to the very edge of the cliffs so that they could see what awaited them for themselves.
The sight filled them with a deep, primal hunger as bestial desires for carnage and the more evolved and tactical part of the abominations' mind found themselves in concurrence. The Spawning Pit itself took up a sizeable portion of the coastline below, though as the thick and viscous, yet bubbling and pulsating surface of the pool of primordial and protean darkness was also partially swallowed by waves of frothing seawater its' true size was impossible to guess at; the corruption it inflicted upon is' surroundings manifested itself not only in the utter absence of life in the area, to the extent that the beach was utterly absent of even seaweed but also by blackening the sand into a shimmering obsidian and darkening the chalky white of the cliffs until the were smudged and stained, with nightmarish and pulsing veins burrowing into the rock. The edges of the pits' limits could at least be guessed at on land however as parts of what had once been deeply condensed, almost mineral Grimm tissue from the monstrous reef remained and formed enormous, jutting spires and stalagmites of bone and crystal.
Gestalt-Prime snarled in annoyance at the minor complication this presented.
The Spawning Pit being still partially within the waters highly increased the chance of it producing amphibian or fully aquatic monsters, something which would render the hybrid Alpha's efforts to take control of it more difficult as, whilst capable of fighting on land and in the air the Grimm which had once been a Geist had little at its' disposal that would aid it underwater.
The tactical knowledge it had stolen and integrated into itself suggested a simple solution, namely simply bringing the enemy to them and choosing the theatre of engagement.
"Ladies, gentlemen and esteemed others!" Gestalt-Prime began, calling upon its' pack with words once used by the announcers at the fight club where it had been used to sate the perverse urges of an audience of sadists.
"Let the games begin!" with that the Alpha aimed and fired their back-mounted artillery piece, a single shell arcing high into the air before plummeting downwards and striking the surface of the Spawning Pit with a booming impact that sent the congealing and highly reactive substance splashing out in all directions.
Seconds ticked by until shrieks began to fill the air as the pit responded to the threat against it by birthing and unleashing several dozen winged horrors whose bodies were still dripping and taking shape as they came hurtling up at Gestalt-Prime and they're pack, the lesser Beowolves around the Alpha first snarling and bracing themselves as they prepared to pounce only for their demeanour to change entirely, reduced to whimpering whines with their ears laying flat along their skulls as a rumble shook the entire cliff, the surface of the Spawning Pit bulging as something colossal rose from within.
Exactly as Gestalt-Prime had planned.
Athena-Jade wondered for a moment what exactly had compelled her to wander into Port Alistair at its' busiest, on the middle of a Saturday afternoon when its' streets would packed with a heaving press of bodies made all the more intolerable by the heat which had once again begun to reach truly intolerable levels to one born and raised in the freezing winds and high altitudes of Upper Atlas, only for an answer to that question to occur to her almost instantly.
She was here because her friends had asked her to be, or more specifically because Zirconia had asked her to be.
Astra had mentioned some days prior that they would be travelling to the settlement of Stalwart along with Wolfram, which would naturally involve venturing into the city in order to board a flight and once it had become apparent that Team WULF would be joining the two leaders Regalia had suggested that all of them spend some time in the city together beforehand, noting that despite the steadily increasing training regimens that each of the teens seemed to be inflicting upon themselves for their own reasons it still felt as though none of them had actually spent any quality time together, something which did not sit right with the Racoon Faunus whose own upbringing had been far more communal. Astra had politely declined the suggestion, not out of any malice and certainly not in a conscious desire to renege of their previously expressed desires to be a better partner and leader but simply because they were preoccupied with other things, though no amount of careful wording could change the obviously crestfallen look upon Regalia's face that came with the realisation that her partner saw her as less of a priority.
It had been at this point that Athena-Jade had given serious consideration to Regalia's idea, willing to put an extensive workout session that would have served as both a therapeutic release from the tensions still evident between them all since their last mission and also a way to make sure, in a display of admittedly petty competitiveness that Astra did not get too far ahead of her on hold; the Bear Faunus remembering the way she had found Regalia willing to throw her education and dreams away only a few short weeks prior and resolving to take on the role of adoptive sister for the Racoon Faunus. The knowledge that Diabla was not going to be present also made the idea of venturing into Port Alistair more tolerable, not that Athena-Jade would admit to being scared of her class-mate at this point but simply willing to keep a respectful distance between the two of them.
And then Zirconia, apparently sharing her partners' sentiments had told Regalia that she would join her; thereby removing any lingering doubts in Athena-Jade's mind.
They had seen Astra and most of Team WULF off some hours ago, watching their flight depart before venturing deeper into the city, with both Athena and Zirconia more than willing to use the significant funding at their disposal to treat Regalia to an enjoyable day; a kindness which Regalia recognised and greatly appreciated, thanking the pair profusely and promising to return the gesture somehow despite their assurances that it was unnecessary, though Athena-Jade did find herself noting on more than one occasion that Regalia's reaction to being left behind once again by Astra reminded the Bear Faunus a little of consoling a friend after a bad date or break up, something which she was careful to keep to herself.
The act of keeping her thoughts to herself had been made easier in a most unpleasant way, namely most of her thoughts being reduced to a jumbled and garbled mess by the noise and proximity of countless hundred of bodies in the streets swarming around her at all times; a condition that had been made all the more uncomfortable despite the reduced crowd once Regalia had suggested that they visit a record shop, the nomad wanting to become as acquainted with the music of the Kingdoms she had idolised for so long as she was with their movies.
The room was dark and cool, yet what lighting was available was harsh and glaring as it pulsed and swept in time to music that was unbearably loud whilst at the same time a smell of lingering smoke and narrow corridors formed by shelves stacked for too high set Athena's nerves on edge. She was unsure of exactly how and when she had developed a sense of claustrophobia but it was clear that between the attack on Faunus Pride causing painful childhood memories of a White Fang attack to resurface, her fight with Diabla and the way it had ended and both of her missions involving highly dangerous and enclosed spaces that the Bear Faunus was simply no longer comfortable anywhere that left her feeling caged in. Athena knew that Felix, her cousin and Astra's half-brother had suffered with similar matters following the same White Fang attack that haunted Athena herself, where the Lion Faunus had lost part of his tail however she was unsure if she could contact her cousin without it inadvertently creating an issue within Team MARZ considering the terms Felix and Astra were currently on; for the moment Athena-Jade was simply making do by using a single point of focus to distract herself, namely fiddling absently with the pale green bandanna that she wore around her upper left arm in an effort to show off just how large her biceps and triceps were after all of the hard work she had put into becoming as strong as she was.
"Well….At least Regalia's having fun, not your song?" Athena's eyes widened as her partner's cultured rasp broke her out of her mild daze, Zirconia appearing as she often did without a sound at her partner's side and gazing, unless Athena was very much mistaken, at the shorter girls' muscular arms for a single, lingering moment before indicating towards Regalia.
"It's good to see her smiling again" Athena noted as she turned her attention towards where her partner was now looking, following the gaze of mismatched pale eyes to find something that left her wearing a toothy smile that dimpled her cheeks; Regalia had taken such a liking to the song currently blaring over the stores' admittedly impressive sound system that she had found herself perched on a stack of crates that had likely contained new deliveries earlier that morning, the wood creaking under the enthusiasm of her movements as she not only tapped her foot but swayed and banged her head whilst also alternating between playing air guitar and air drums; much to the amusement of a few of the stores' other patrons.
"Part of me knows that if she gets into this band we're gonna be listening to power metal while we try and work on assignments for the rest of the year" Athena sighed, grin never leaving her face "But at the same time I kinda wanna buy her everything they've ever released just for this"
"I recall you mentioning that you used to play drums as well" Zirconia noted with a small smirk that was visible as her signature scarf was currently lowered.
"Well yeah" Athena squirmed and shuffled uncomfortably, unwilling to ponder why the fact the Grasshopper Faunus remembering that detail about her made her smile so much "Drums, sports, martial arts, metalwork until I learned to build a laser-hammer….I guess I know why my parents weren't exactly surprised when I came out as bi….but this wasn't exactly my sound"
"Well we'll have to go and visit somewhere that's more to your tastes" Zirconia's eyes seemed to shine with mischief in the shifting lights as her smirk widened into a true smile "There are a few karaoke bars in the city-"
"Do you know what the press would do if they got photos of us in a karaoke bar?" Athena gasped and sputtered on air at the thought, visualising the headlines that would follow such a discovery and the unrelenting teasing that her sister would unleash upon her from Atlas.
"No different to what they already assume about us" Zirconia gave a resigned and dismissive shrug at odds with her usually dignified bearing, head cocking to the side as she frowned "Unless you don't want to…."
"I didn't say that" Athena's tone was hushed and suddenly far more nervous and intense for reasons she adamantly refused to consider at that moment "It's just I….well….I thought we were hanging out with Regalia today?"
"We are….Oh" Zirconia's gloved hand flew to her mouth "You thought I meant just the two of us….Yes I suppose that would be exactly the kind of scandal that the tabloids love so much, I'm sure I'd hear from my guardian afterwards"
She had the audacity to wink and Athena-Jade was sure her heart skipped several beats.
"You, uh….talk about me to him a lot?"
"Of course, we're partners" Zirconia beamed, leaving Athena struggling for words and after several failed attempts to follow up the answer without making a fool of herself the Bear Faunus instead turned her attention to where Regalia was now gripping a non-existent microphone and giving an impressively impassioned, if not exactly talented backing vocal to the song that was currently playing. The bemused grin slipped from Athena's face however as she sight of a member of staff drawing close to the Racoon Faunus, specifically the look of open hostility on his face set off alarm bells in the Bear Faunus's mind.
"We might need to step in" she warned Zirconia quietly, Regalia had explained that many businesses, especially those in more outlying settlements were often begrudgingly tolerant of the nomad clans at best and openly discriminatory at best; a problem that Regalia had thankfully not encountered as much in the Capital although she had needed one of her friends to pay for her purchases on more than one occasion due to not possessing certain forms of paperwork or identification. Athena was an Atlesian however, more importantly she was an Atlesian of mixed heritage living in the upper echelons of the icy Kingdom and so despite her wealth and social status had been taught how to identify and react to a potential bigot.
"Get the fuck down from there!" the member of staff barked, reaching out and physically pulling at Regalia's arm "Why the fuck is it always you people?"
"Oh hell no" Athena growled, claws sliding from her fingertips as the smiling and friendly face she so often presented vanished and was presented by the same fury that had seen her suspended from a prodigious school for beating a racist classmate with a chair as she began to stalk towards the unfolding scene; Zirconia close behind whilst a voice remarkably like her own mother burst from Athena's lips
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" inwardly Athena was perversely almost glad of the confrontation which allowed her to distract herself from whatever it was that was happening between her and her partner and causing the snowy haired girl to act the way she had been lately by stepping in to fill the role that Astra often occupied as a Gung-ho and fiery leader.
As absent as Astra had been as a friend and team-mate of late Athena was certain that they would want to hear about this.
No matter what they were doing out in the middle of nowhere.
Astra hit the ground, which was thankfully softer than the usual blasted and desolate crags and stone of Menagerie with a thud that knocked the air from their lungs regardless, leaving the Deer Faunus's vision swimming as heat and exertion left them gasping for lungfuls of air that burned and stabbed at their bruised ribs yet there was no chance to simply remain sprawled on the ground no matter how tempting the idea might be, instead they were forced to frantically roll onto their hands and knees and hurl themselves back to their feet to fend off against another wave of attacks.
A less determined soul might have regretted their choices, yet Astra remained determined.
It was some small consolation to them that they had put on such a performance in their attempts to keep Ursinia, Laser and Wolfram at bay thus far that they had evidently earned the respect of the natives of Stalwart as several of the children and teens gathered on the ramparts of the settlements' perimeter wall alongside the grizzled old sentries who manned it were cheering the Deer Faunus on; something which Wolfram had already noted between exchanges of blows was an impressive feat considering that Wolfram was a local and Astra was not given the insular nature of the settlement.
Yet Astra was still flagging.
Dropping into a fighting stance once more they braced themselves for the next attack, which came from Laser Greenback in the form of a wild and seemingly uncoordinated flying kick which Astra evaded with a side-step and pivot before blocking reflexively, Laser was erratic an unpredictable but he was neither stupid nor incapable and Astra's caution was vindicated as the wiry Vaccuan sailed passed in mid-air only to use the momentum they had built to deliver a sucker punch that still hurt despite being knocked aside by their forearm. The moment Laser's feet touched the floor Astra was on them, determined to use their close proximity to cut off their opponents' mobility, starting with a roundhouse kick which caught Laser's unguarded flank and left him doubled over and gasping for air before the Deer Faunus used the same motion that brought their right leg back into place to throw a leaping knee into the blonde teens' head from their left leg, leaving Laser reeling backwards and with his solar-plexus unprotected which Astra capitalised on with a punishing right cross which hurled their opponent to the ground.
Only for the sense of achievement to be immediately undercut as Ursinia came barrelling into them.
"Well now you're just fixin' for a thrashing" she declared as her shoulder drove into Astra's chest and her arms wrapped around their thighs, enabling the Scorpion Faunus to simply lift her smaller opponent from the ground and charge whilst carrying them, no doubt intending to slam them into ground. Astra, having no desire to be so roughly manhandled retaliated in such a way retaliated by reaching over the shoulder Ursinia had slung them over and wrapping their arms around her waist before flinging themselves over her with all the force they could muster and sending them both into a flailing, thrashing parody of a flip. The landing was painful and Astra's Aura visibly flickered around them even as they dragged themselves free of the tangle of limbs, rising to their feet and seeing Ursinia do the same their green eyes narrowed as they debated delivered a cruel kick to her face only to quickly push the thought aside; this was a sparring match for Astra's own good.
The moment of hesitation allowed Wolfram to enter the fray once again.
"You're doing good!" they cheered their partner on as Astra narrowly avoided a snapping front kick which sent them scrabbling away from Ursinia and responded with a hasty jab that Wolfram easily knocked aside "Feeling anything yet?"
"Well I can feel where I've had the crap kicked out of me" Astra answered through gritted teeth, truthfully they had not expected unlocking their Semblance to be so easily done however the knowledge that they were essentially enduring a beating for nothing was undeniably irksome; the two team leaders continued to size one another up, seeking out an opening before lunging at one another at the same time. Astra attempted a spinning hook kick whilst Wolfram sprung forward with a more simple and reliable left jab that was quickly transitioned into a block; Astra's leg collided against his bandaged left forearm and the Deer Faunus staggered to regain their balance which in turn left their back turned and exposed, which Wolfram exploited with a devastating right hook which lifted his opponent from the ground as it struck before sending them crashing to the floor.
Astra let out a groan of pain as their Aura shattered around them, rolling onto their back only to wince in pain at the movement before a commotion close by forced them to leap to their feet and see exactly what was happening.
"THEY'RE DONE! THAT'S ENOUGH!" as Astra stood they quickly realised what had happened; Laser, likely not seeing Astra's Aura break had made to charge at them and continue his attack only to be snatched from the ground and tackled with Wolfram who was currently pinning his team-mate in place and treating the Vaccuan to a baleful glare.
"Wolfie, I'm fine….He didn't see" Astra placed a hand on Wolfram's armoured shoulder, gently prising him away from the team-mate he seemed to have taken an issue with off late whilst Ursinia could be be seen striding towards them, likely preparing to solve the issue herself with much less tact and finesse. Wolfram, thus assured that Astra was unharmed despite their broken Aura rose to his feet and dragged Laser back into a standing position, though he was careful to only touch the loosest parts of his team-mates' clothing; letting out a breath to compose himself the leader of Team WULF stepped back and took stock of his surroundings, an order to Ursinia to use her Semblance on Astra and at least allow them to ignore their injuries until their Aura recovered dying on the tip of their tongue as a familiar voice filled the air.
"WOLFRAM TUNGSTEN IRONSIDE! THE NICE BOYS DOWN THE STREET TOLD ME YOU'RE OUT HERE FIGHTING AGAIN!"
"Sorry Ma'am" Ursinia's apology came instinctively despite the fact that she was not the one being yelled at as the Scorpion Faunus, along with her friends looked towards the main gate into Stalwart and saw none other than Wolfram's mother standing there, the distinctive smoky blue-grey hair that her son had inherited being easy to spot however it did nothing to draw eyes away from the rolling pin she currently carried.
"Was this the way you planned on introducing me?" Astra managed a wink in Wolfram's direction which the boy, who was standing noticeably straighter now merely rolled his eyes in response to before calling back to his mother.
"Hey Mum, not fighting….just a little sparring with my friends and Astra….You wanted to meet Astra right?" Wolfram's mother's sharp gaze turned towards the Deer Faunus, where it promptly softened as she gave a smile that wiped away Astra's nerves.
"Well why didn't you call ahead? I'd have gotten out the nice tablecloths….And you brought your team as well Wolfie, you know I always make extra for them!"
"Love you too Mum, good to be home!" Wolfram spread his arms wide, wearing a bright smile that made it abundantly clear that he could not care less about the snickering from the children and veteran militia still watching from the wall above them. With that he draped an arm over Astra's shoulder and gestured for Laser and Ursinia to follow him.
"Come on, my Mum's gonna love you" they murmured in Astra's ear, warm smile turning savage as they added "And if your Aura's up to it after we've eaten we can try throwing you from the wall….See if that unlocks your Semblance"
"Can't wait" Astra snorted, pecking Wolfram on the cheek for what was a thoughtful effort, in Wolfram's own way.
The coastal spawning which Hammerfall Canyon had been carved into existence in order to annex from Menagerie as a whole had vomited forth a tide of flying, creeping and scuttling monsters which, despite their far greater numbers had failed to cut down the pack of Beowolves that Gestalt-Prime had used to perform reconnaissance.
The air was filled with shrieks and howls as the pack of lupine beasts, each made larger and gifted with a cunning ruthlessness to refine their animal bloodlust through their closeness to their abominable master pounced over the edge of the cliff-face and snatched airborne enemy Grimm from the sky, using the desperate thrashing of their preys' last moments to return themselves to their perches or else simply lying in wait at the top of the cliffs and setting upon anything that clambered over them in a series of gruesome ambushes yet it was none of this that held the attention of Gestalt-Prime. The hybrid Alpha hovered in the air away from the cliffs and almost directly above the Spawning Pit itself, wing mounted thrusters snarling and belching fire as they grasped a feathered horror in their four arms and simply tore the thing apart with a wrenching motion and a vile, wet sound before locking its' singular eye on its' true adversary; the largest Grimm to be unleashed by the Spawning Pit.
A Leviathan.
A towering mountain of muscle draped with rubbery and slimy obsidian flesh and vast, dingy grey-white plates and spires of bone; its' body overall resembling some monstrous, bipedal and oddly saurian fish, its' arms bulging and disproportionately large as they weighed the hulking thing down to such an extent that its' entire upper torso appeared hunched. Despite its' malformed and wretched appearance the Leviathan was a truly dangerous beast which had thus far weathered each of Gestalt-Prime's assaults before responding in kind and unleashing devastating attacks of its' own, each attempt from the hybrid Alpha to cut the monster down being hampered by the knowledge it had gleaned from consuming the Kingdoms' machines of war intruding upon its' thoughts with blared warnings that it simply lacked the firepower and resources, that a Creature of Grimm of such a scale should be handled by a prolonged aerial bombardment or the concerted efforts of several teams of Hunters.
Having neither of those options at their disposal and being unwilling to concede defeat Gestalt-Prime simply let out a shriek of rage and tried again.
Sweeping through the air and circling its' quarry the hybrid Alpha rolled, weaved and pivoted with its' serpentine tail and many tendrils lashing out to tear and whip at the few rival monsters brazen enough to fly directly at them before diving low and aiming they're back-mounted artillery piece directly at the base of the Leviathan's skull in an effort to tear its' spine in two; the attempt was brought to a painful and premature halt however as the Leviathan whirled around with speed that its' squat and lumbering stature belied, its' colossal forearm arcing around to smash into the smaller Grimm which Gestalt-Prime managed to avoid with a rapid readjustment of its' flight path that tore tendons and strained bones whilst leaving the abominations' metallic components creaking in protest at the forces involved only to be rendered futile as the Leviathan continued to twist and thrash, sending vast waves of brine crashing out in all directions as its' finned tail emerged from the sea to bat at its' enemy and strike Gestalt-Prime square in the torso.
Were it not the veins of iron ore and other minerals rendered down from Atlesian steel which permeated the hybrid Alpha's skeleton that single blow would have heralded the end of their duel, instead however Gestalt-Prime, twelve feet tall and hulking in their powerful, muscular mass was simply slapped through the air and sent skimming across the turbulent waters as though they were nothing more than a pebble; their crumpled body leaking viscous midnight black ichor from a score of fissures that had been opened in their pulverised chest.
"Can we get an F in the chat" the lupine abomination sputtered as the light of both their lone eye and their still flaming thrusters flickered and waned before roaring back into full ferocity, allowing Gestalt-Prime to soar upwards once again, limbs fanning out even as the creatures' mangled body was wrenched and twisted back into shape unnaturally by its' regenerative abilities in a truly obscene and unsettling display which went unseen by the Leviathan as the larger Grimm, thinking the matter to be concluded turned its' attention towards the Back of Beowolves still encroaching upon its' domain.
One such Beowolf, the one to salute at Gestalt-Prime pounced from the cliffs in a bizarre display of something approximating heroism only to be consumed in the blinding light of the Leviathan's wrath as specks of gold, each a miniature sun gathered into the opened maw of the enormous beast before unleashed in a stream of devastation which crackled with golden lightning and howled like a maelstrom as it obliterated all in its' path. Gestalt-Prime watched as the beam of pure, concentrated destruction engulfed the would-be Alpha Beowolf and unmade it in an instant before the Leviathan jerked the head and swept their attack across the cliffs to destroy countless tons of stone and, in the following landslide destroy the small pack, something resembling an elite force that the hybrid Alpha had brought with them as they were either crushed, cast into the roiling depths of the Spawning Pit where they were broken down to their basest components or else plucked and savaged by their eager foes.
At that Gestalt-Prime let out a shriek of hatred.
"KICKED, BLOCKED AND BANNED!" the twisted amalgamation of steel and nightmarish flesh screamed as it soared upwards, the pain of so many of its' underlings lancing through their skull as the mental connections between them, formed originally by the Alpha Beowolf that made part of the hybrid, were severed. At the apex of their steep climb, with the Leviathan an indistinct black mass set against the sea and darkness around it Gestalt-Prime simply silenced their thrusters and stilled their wings, inverting their body and allowing themselves to plummet downwards with the howling of the wind rushing around them being superseded by the roar of challenge and defiance that the titanic monster below let out as they reared back, jaws opened wide and light gathering once again.
Exactly as planned.
"Pro gamer move" Gestalt-Prime's words were uttered quietly and largely to themselves in a display of twisted satisfaction that was far too human as the abomination hurtled downwards and waited until the final possible moment to fire their ranged weapon directly into the coalescing light of the Leviathan's attack before it could be unleashed from near point-blank range.
With results that were instant and devastating.
A shock-wave sent water rushing outwards in thundering tsunamis whilst the cliffs that formed the coastline were reshaped entirely in an explosion of seismic force as a flash of golden light consumed both the Leviathan and Gestalt-Prime, along with any lesser Grimm that remained on either side of the battle until, as the light subsided the slowly disintegrating form of the Leviathan slumped forwards, staggering with the last guttering remnants of life before collapsing into the waiting darkness of the Spawning Pit from whence it had come.
Causing the roiling, almost living liquid to dip and swirl; a writhing and shuddering current passing through it and giving way to a whirlpool as a change began to be wrought upon the Spawning Pit from within.
At the Ironside family home, for both Wolfram and his mother still considered it to be such long after and in spite of the demise of their husband and father Astra was slowly managing to overcome the almost insurmountable nerves that had taken hold upon realising that they were now face to face with the mother of the only person they had ever been in a serious or meaningful romantic relationship with.
Wolfram's mother, or Gin Ironside as Astra had learned she was called certainly cut an imposing figure with her tall and powerful build complemented by sharp, almost raptorial features which gave her such a commanding presence that the Deer Faunus had been shocked to learn that she had not been a Huntress at any point in her life, though she had instead been one of the initial organisers of the Mistrali exploratory party which had ventured out to the new frontier that retaking Menagerie had presented, meeting the man who would go on to become her late husband along the way.
Currently she was letting out a booming laugh as Astra recounted how exactly they and Wolfram had begun dating.
"Oh I had worried" Gin chuckled with a shake of her head "Wolfie's not really as big and bad as he likes to pretend….He was born and raised here and he's not as used to the wicked ways of the world as he likes to pretend-"
"Mum!" the young man, who had shed his armour for the time being threw his hands up dramatically at the realisation that the image he had accrued for himself was being rapidly dismantled; though given Astra's laughter in response he noted it might not be the worst possible outcome.
"I thought have gotten himself drawn in by the first slick talking city-kid with fancy clothes and a pretty face to turn the charm on" Wolfram's mother continued, giving Astra a stern look that could only be taken as a warning before her expression softened again "But it looks like he's found someone with a good head on their shoulders who's gonna keep him from being too reckless….Bet you won't let yourself get kicked off of another roof again will you son?"
"He is usually really good in one on one fights….Actually most fights" Astra noted with a shrug, flashing Wolfram a smile as they spoke "I just distracted him a little"
"And that's why he needed two friends to help deal with you outside?" Gin noted with a bemused snort "And where did those two get off too….And where's the other friend you brought here before, the one with the chip on her shoulder?"
"Diabla?" Wolfram grimaced at the memory of both his team-mates' attitude towards his mother and how he had chosen to handle the situation "she couldn't come, she had a….school thing. She's sorry for-"
"I don't mind at all" Gin waved the apology aside "I don't need to know much to know a child that wasn't treated right when I see one"
"Yeah" Wolfram said simply, a nod being enough to convey wordlessly to his mother that the matter was not his to discuss and so Gin fell silent, allowing her son to continue with a snort "And we weren't fighting, I told you….We were trying to help Astra unlock their Semblance. And I think Ursinia is doing dishes or keeping Laser from emptying the fridge?"
"And you just sat right here and let her without offering to help? She is a guest here and we both know I taught you better than that!" Wolfram's mother exclaimed, unleashing a barrage of admittedly playful swats at her son. Ursinia was indeed most likely in the kitchen, the four teens had followed Gin to the house where they had been fed and watered after which it had become apparent to all that the woman had wanted to spend some time getting to know Astra and catch up with the son she had obviously missed greatly; this had prompted the Scorpion Faunus to respond to the hospitality she had been shown with the proper manners and kindness that had been drilled into her since childhood and Laser, more perceptive than he was given credit for to find his own excuses to be elsewhere, though it now seemed that they would soon be rejoined by their leader as Wolfram scrabbled out of his seat to avoid admittedly painless blows that rained down on him.
"All right, all right I'll go help Ursinia clean up" he grumbled as he skulked away "Astra are you coming with-"
"Astra's gonna stay right here with me for a while so we can have a talk" Gin interjected "Go on now"
Whatever interrogation Gin Wolfram had intended however was prevented by the sound of Astra's scroll vibrating loudly, prompting them to quickly produce the device and scan the message that they had received from Zirconia who, by the sounds of things was currently the only voice of reason in a volatile situation.
"Something the matter?" Wolfram's mother asked as she saw the teens eyes narrow and expression darken into something fierce, a similar look of concern coming over Wolfram who had still been lingering in the doorway.
"Missus Ironside it's been a pleasure but I think I'm going to have to head back to Port Alistair" Astra explained apologetically, fighting to keep their tone warm despite the fury currently coursing through them "It's been a pleasure meeting you but my team-mates have run into some trouble and I think I'm going to have to help with it"
"I understand, I was married to a Hunter" she nodded in response "You come back anytime, I've got plenty of photographs to show you and plenty of questions to ask about your intentions towards my boy….Wolfram, you and your friends go with them"
"You got it" Wolfram nodded, their lack of objection to their mothers' brief attempt at teasing speaking to a sudden seriousness that would have had him gather Team WULF regardless. He and Astra shared a look as the Deer Faunus rose to their feet and left the living room, speaking in hushed tones as they made their way into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry about this" Astra muttered, suddenly able to find an apology after being bereft of them for so long "I really am, I wanted to make a good impression with your Mum-"
"Don't apologise, what's happened?" Wolfram asked simply.
"Regalia was in the city with AJ and Zirconia, somebody started being racist to Regalia, AJ got involved….Now there's a scene"
"Right" Wolfram breathed out, rolling his neck and shoulders whilst popping his knuckles as the pair stepped into the kitchen "Mum will understand….Best we don't tell her exactly what we're gonna do when we get there though. Ursinia, Laser get your weapons, it's time to go"
"Darlin' what exactly are you two fixing to get yourselves into?" Ursinia drawled, prompting Wolfram to turn to Astra with an expectant look on his face which made it clear that how the situation was to be handled was entirely their decision. Astra paused, suddenly unsure of exactly what they had been planning; their actions up until that point having been fuelled by a simple anger and need to move even if the destination was uncertain, now that the question had been asked the Deer Faunus found themselves troubled by just how easily answers far more violent than they would once have entertained suggested themselves, ideas about breaking store-front windows and shaking down the offending business on the tip of their tongue before they caught themselves.
That was not who they were.
"We're just gonna keep things from getting stupid….Probably gonna chill with Regalia tonight, she's gonna be upset"
"Okay no problem….see if I don't headbutt the guy with the mouth when we get there though, I don't care if she's from the clans or not, you don't talk to my friends like that" Wolfram gave a feral smile before wrapping an arm around Astra's waist and speaking more gently "So….How'd you like my Mum?"
"She's great" Astra beamed, pausing and faltering before letting out a wavering sigh "She scares the crap out of me"
Wolfram, Ursinia and Laser all laughed at that and Astra couldn't help but find the sound reassuring; even as they prepared to return to Port Alistair where the Deer Faunus would likely find themselves involved in some form of altercation for a good cause once again.
They wondered if this would be a better or worse use of an afternoon than possibly being thrown from Stalwarts' perimeter wall.
It took no small amount of time for the smoke to clear and the proverbial dust to settle following the cataclysmic ending of the battle between Gestalt-Prime and the Leviathan.
Much of the annexed coastline had been ruined or else reshaped and forged anew in the destructive onslaught, leaving blackened sand forced aside to produce a vast crater which had been swiftly filled by rubble and pulverised rock falling from the cliffs and rushing seawater which flooded into the whirling depth of the Spawning Pit. The viscous and thrashing liquid moved like a living thing and a force of nature, the nightmarish surface continuing to swirl even as it pulsated with an erratic, thumping rhythm that threw vast geysers of congealing darkness up into the air and out onto the surrounding coastline where it coalesced and retracted, dragging part of the surrounding area back into the waiting depths of the Pit itself as the mass of manifest and corporeal abyss sought, with whatever base and primordial intellect it possessed to reassert itself.
Until finally it stopped.
The surface of the Spawning Pit stilled, slowly and almost gently returning to its' prior state of bubbling and simmering at random intervals whilst the bone spires and masses of crystalline structures that had once been part of an enormous Grimm reef which the explosion that had slain the Leviathan had uprooted or shattered began to regrow whilst the last lingering vestiges of the colossal Grimm itself were finally subsumed and reintegrated into the blackness that had birthed it.
A silence fell over the coastline, interrupted only by the sounds of water as there were no living creatures or Creatures of Grimm left to disturb the peace which seemed so unnatural in such a place and yet still an electric tension hung heavy and oppressive in the air; given cause only moments later as something began to rise from within the depths of the Spawning Pit.
Gestalt-Prime lived.
The hybrid Alpha's appearance had gone unchanged, instead due to some combination of the abominations' own sense of self making its' physical form less malleable or prone to alterations with each act of consumption and the will of the beast itself the mass of Grimm tissue that it had taken into itself had been put to a far more greater use; namely establishing a mental bond between themselves and the Spawning Pit which they had fallen into, allowing Gestalt-Prime to assert their dominance over the darkness that had failed to unmake them.
"Upload complete" the monstrosity burbled as they dragged themselves out onto the shore where sea and liquid abyss met; their limbs trembling from exhaustion with each movement and primordia l sludge pouring from their maw where it had flooded their body even as their mind began to race, the new connection taking route.
It was almost overwhelming.
Gestalt-Prime's mind was almost swallowed in the chorus of howls, roars and screams that filled it; the entirety of that the Spawning Pit had already produced being melded forcefully with the hybrid Alpha's own consciousness through the shattered remains of the Grimm Hive Mind, where once they had been the head of several small packs of Beowolves, brought together by a single apex predator they now stood at the head of something far more terrible and yet none of it was the prize they had sought. That honour, the thing which twisted Gestalt-Prime's fang-filled maw into a smile was the knowledge that they could now control the flow of the Spawning Pit and use it to create the forces that they would need to enact their plans to bring the Grimm species forward into a new age.
Or they would soon be able to, once their mind was recovered enough to perform the task.
"Connection established….Restart required" they growled, even as the first of a new batch of Grimm began to rise from the darkness.
Author's Notes:
Okay first thing's first: New Tumblr account….The FandomPariah account has been effectively dismantled by varying degrees of Tumblr incompetence, so you can find me at ThePariahContinuum now.
Secondly, yeah this is honestly pretty much a filler chapter outside of the Gestalt-Prime stuff; but let's be honest none of you mind that.
But anyway, let's summarise shall we?:
On the one hand Astra is keeping out of trouble, on the other hand they're becoming obsessive and developing a complex about it.
I know we've seen Stalwart before but Astra hasn't and I didn't give it a proper description.
Yeah Wolfram definitely hasn't forgotten Diabla having an attitude with his Mum.
If your dates don't include getting jumped then….you probably have a healthy relationship.
Actually having Gestalt-Prime land at the spawning pit was gonna happen last chapter but I changed my mind on it as I was writing the scene.
So, the Fortress Reef was part of the final volume of Downward Spiral back in 2017 and I mentioned way back in Vol.01 that Hammerfall Canyon was formed to annex off a spawning Pit from the rest of Menagerie, so I tied the two facts together here and actually made it look like intentional foreshadowing; especially with Hammerfall being disabled.
Yes, yes I had my big bad monster call it's minions little Pog Champs, no I'm not sorry.
And now it's time for some top tier Grimm on Grimm violence….If only the people who ran the fight club could see their main attraction now.
I'll be honest the AJ and Hops scene was largely just to give more context and weight for when one of these two idiots finally figures it out.
Regalia reacting to being left behind by Astra like it's a breakup….Don't think about it.
AJ developing a little claustrophobia honestly makes sense.
Zirconia you're not slick, we can all see you staring at her arms.
Regalia going ham in the background is actually inspired by the way I remember someone writing Nora from way back when I first joined the Fandom.
AJ & Hops Karaoke date…..You love that image and you know you do.
The anti-nomad bigotry won't be a massive plot point considering how much we've already got going on, but I've mentioned it before so I feel like I've gotta show that it's a thing….And there's no way that the daughter of Gangrel Slate is gonna let bigotry of any variety go unchallenged, especially when it's aimed at her friend…..Besides, always fun to have the middle child who wants to differentiate herself from the family name pull out a Weiss line verbatim.
In any other chapter Astra fighting three members of Team WULF at the same team really would be a highlight, but let's be real….they never had a chance because this isn't the key to what they're trying to achieve.
Okay Wolfram was doing the smart thing by stopping Laser from getting one last hit in, but the way he did it is following the theme of Wolfram being a dick to Laser since finding out about his Semblance.
Oh shit, Wolfie just got full-named by his Mum in front of a crowd.
Get you a man who doesn't throw you off of the ramparts.
For days I was wondering what to make the big monster of the chapter for Gestalt-Prime to fight….And Vol.6 of canon had the answer right there.
The Leviathan used Tail Whip, first time that move has ever been super-effective.
Oh you thought the saluting pseudo-Alpha was gonna be a character? That's cute.
Good thing about Grimm on Grimm fights like this, you can literally have your big bad monster have moments where they act almost like the protagonist….Seriously the whole "Kill the engines, dive and shoot at point blank" is something Ruby would do.
Okay show of hands, who thought we were getting Leviathan sized Gestalt-Prime?
I'll be honest the scene at Wolfram's house was entirely filler, I wanted something to break up the two Gestalt-Prime scenes on either side of it but didn't really know what to have there….Any inter Team MARZ talk I could have put there would work better next chapter.
Still, it was an excuse to give Mama Ironside and actual name and description because I slacked on that the last time we were here.
The story of how these two hooked up is always gonna get laughs….Also yeah, Stalwart is rural backwoods and the people there are insular, they were insular even before they left Anima/Greater Mistral….Oh course Gin Ironside was worried about "Fancy looking, fancy talking city kids" making a fool of her son when he went to college.
But seeing big bad Wolfie get taken down several pegs is always fun.
See I was honestly planning on putting a heart to heart between Astra and Wolfram's Mum here….But really, what is there to say? For the time being there's no tension there, this is the one thing Astra isn't fucking up.
First time Astra has apologised for a while and Wolfram told them to stop doing it.
See this what I mean when I talk about the effect these two have on each other….Wolfram did not like Regalia when they first met, he's still ready to back her up. Astra was introduced to us stopping a burglary, no they're debating doing petty vandalism like a White Fang street thug over disrespect all because they want to look like a bad ass. Wolfram has made them believe the worst bits of their own hype.
A lot of talk and tension building to get the fact that Gestalt-Prime is alive and dragged themselves out of there with a cinematic reappearance.
So the recon pack is dead, they still have other packs but those haven't been upgraded by proximity to Gestalt-Prime yet….But more importantly the super-smart self aware Alpha Grimm now has a spawning Pit and an army of Grimm at its' disposal.
All I'm saying is we've seen Grimm with weapons before in my writing….Let's see what schematics Gestalt-Prime can download and adapt?
Thank you to SumoSnipe for their reviews on the last chapter.
Yeah there's the thing, Wolfram is trying….But still has dickhead tendencies and a severe main character syndrome.
Oh please AJ was definitely checking her out and those two already have two ships names.
Yay for seasoning of choice….Personally I use English mustard on everything, introduced a Polish co-worker to it recently and for all the talk about "Brits don't season their food"….He was not ready.
As always thank you to everyone that reads this, with a special thanks to those of you that follow, favourite and review.