The job was easy; hijack a cargo transport carrying old Atlesian drones while it was in the air. To Albedo, it sounded relatively easy. He was a genius, and Neo had plenty of criminal experience. Once they set their minds to it, they were able to come up with a near foolproof plan for the heist.
First off were the disguises- Neo would pose as a maid, and Albedo as Whitley Schnee.
...yes, you read that correctly.
It started with a comment Weiss had made during his 'research' last month, about how Albedo had a passing resemblance to her brother. After examining the more recent newspaper photos and society postings about Whitley Schnee, Albedo had to agree with Weiss. While Whitley looked frailer, Albedo could pass for him, given some quick changes to appearance.
Enter Neo. After jokingly making Albedo appear as Whitley for Mercury and Emerald, Roman got to thinking. He regretted giving away those Atlesian droids to Fistrick, especially since one of his 'higher ups' needed one as soon as possible. So, he hatched a plan.
The infiltration part of the plan was simple: Albedo and Neo would pose as Whitley and his servant. They would demand access onto the Atlesian transport, seeing as Jacques Schnee was a very powerful man and it was technically a Schnee owned transport company they were using. Imagine if he found out...
That part went as easily as expected. Albedo and Neo sat in the back, comfortably waiting for their next move.
"Again, Mr. Schnee," one of the cargo workers apologized. "We're sorry about not having a better seat available."
"You should be," Albedo sneered, leaning into his best 'spoiled' persona he could muster. "Wait until my father hears about this."
The cargo worker turned pale before walking away, trembling. Albedo turned to Neo and sighed. "Was that a bit too harsh?" he asked.
More Malfoy-ish than anything, Neo signed back.
"What's a Malfoy?" Albedo asked curiously.
Neo rolled her eyes. So, when do we start the plan?
"We need to get to a decent level in height first," Albedo explained. "We'll start when we're away from the city."
Alright, that makes sense. Neo said. Hey, do you think you could maybe use...them?
Albedo exhaled sharply. "Look, I know you enjoy my powerups, but this isn't the time to use them. Those forms are explicitly for threats beyond my power."
Neo pouted. Party pooper.
"I'm efficient with my powers," Albedo snapped. "I am no party ruiner. Yes, I may subtract from the enjoyment level, but at least I have the decency to attend." Neo gave him a bewildered look before shaking her head. Albedo sighed. "I'm going to close my eyes for a while. I want my mind completely clear for this next phase. Wake me when we're a decent way between our two points."
Right, Neo signed, and Albedo closed his eyes. He didn't understand why humans needed sleep. Many species ate to get energy, or breathe to get oxygen. But they slept to get…what? They put themselves in a bed in a dedicated room, cuddle and then pass out for a few hours – totally defenseless. It was honestly terrifying to think about –
Albedo opened his eyes and sat up as the ship rumbled.
"Hm?" He looked around. "What was that?"
Neo gave him a confused look. Beats me, she signed back. The ride was pretty quiet for the first hour. Must be turbulence.
"That didn't feel like turbulence," Albedo countered, standing up. "Time to go complain and gather info." He made his way to the front of the cockpit-
And opened the door to find a large alien standing over two unconscious bodies. The alien was pink, with yellow eyes inside a red and black suit of power armor. Above her was a less than typical tool of an alien criminal, a phase shifter. Albedo surmised that it allowed her to enter the cockpit without issue, and that she was working for a much more powerful person.
"Found our turbulence," Albedo sighed, rolling up his sleeve and revealing the Ultimatrix. He took his time scrolling through his playlist, looking for a proper alien to fight at close combat. The criminal frowned, raising her fists and slamming them down like a sledgehammer on top of Albedo's skull-
And he shattered like glass. Fistina looked at her hands, confused. "What in stars? Am I really that strong?"
"No," Albedo said bluntly. Fistina turned to see the boy standing behind her. "That was just an optical illusion. However..." Albedo slapped down the faceplate and transformed into his unsettling Appoplexian form. "This part isn't."
Albedo headbutted Fistina, forcing her to stumble back. She shook her head to alleviate some pain, and in that brief moment Albedo lunged at her, delivering a flurry of punches towards her chest. Fistina angrily grabbed Albedo's head and smashed him onto the ground.
"I'm going to break you, piece by piece," she growled, her grip tightening around Albedo's head. He remained calm, unnerving Fistina. "Well? Where's the trash talk? I expect some humor from an Appoplexian."
"Humor is subjective," Albedo retorted, pointing his finger at Fistina. Suddenly a claw shot out like a bullet, hitting Fistina's armor right in the chestplate. Her circuitry had taken a horrible blow, her suit of armor starting to malfunction.
"What the hell?" Fistina yelled as Albedo broke free from her grip. With a quick swipe of his hand, he brought Fistina down to the ground, damaging more of her armor for good measure. She struggled to get up, and Albedo simply walked off. He didn't expect her to be a problem anymore.
Albedo regrouped with Neo in the cockpit. "Thank you for the assist. What's our status?"
They're just knocked out. Auto pilot was engaged, though. We're still on schedule, Neo informed him.
"Good. Make sure our stowaway doesn't try anything else," Albedo ordered, looking out the window.
Got it. Neo nodded as she walked out of the cockpit. Fistina was no longer struggling to get up, but she held something in her hand. Neo narrowed her eyes; it looked like...a syringe...
"Oh, fuck it!" Fistina exclaimed. She suddenly jabbed the thing into her forehead, and the red liquid inside it flowed into her body. A strange black aura suddenly encased her body, before red asymmetrical lines started to appear all over her. The damage Albedo had done miraculously repaired itself, and Neo stepped back into the cockpit. She tapped Albedo's shoulder a few times, and the boy looked at her curiously.
"What?" Albedo asked before he looked over his shoulder. He stood back up and sighed. "This must be that 'Crystal Dolphin' that Servantis was taking."
Well, since she got a power up, you should...you know, Neo made a few vague hand gestures. Albedo rolled his eyes before slapping down his symbol. Neo eagerly looked towards his new form...but that excitement dimmed, since Albedo had just shifted into his Diamondhead form.
"What? My crystals can neutralize her." Albedo frowned. "Now isn't the time for me to use them." And with that, Albedo ran into action once more, Neo following suit.
Fistina launched both her rocket fists at the two; Neo simply deflected one to the ceiling with her parasol, while Albedo promptly caught the other and crystalized it. He threw it on the ground and glared at his adversary. Neo thrusted her parasol towards Fistina, but her body shapeshifted around the blade. Neo smiled coolly as she opened her weapon. Fistina's single red eye glared at the open umbrella as she fired a close range eye blast towards the girl-
Only for the image to shatter upon contact, and for Albedo's crystalline fist to pierce her and knock her head clean off...somehow. That might have been the ice cream girl's scheme. Fistina's head landed on the ground, angry that her body had been essentially ruined after she JUST fixed it...before realizing there was a way she could still win this.
Fistina's influence suddenly began to spread around the ship, her Mechamorph half coating the entire ship within seconds. Her suit of armor was slowly absorbed into herself, as well as everything else she needed. "Thank you for your assistance! And thank you for flying on our selected aircraft!" Fistina used her Mechamorph abilities to create a hole underneath Albedo and Neo's feet, sending them plummeting to the ground below...
Well, plummeting more suited Albedo's Petrosapien form. Neo just used her parasol to float down to the Earth without any problems.
She landed on the ground gracefully, right next to the crater Albedo had made. You alright? she asked.
Albedo stood up and shook his head. "I am fine," he hissed in pain, reverting back to his human form. "But the mission has gone off course. We should contact our 'superior' to give them an update."
Suddenly, Neo's scroll buzzed. She got her phone out and frowned as she looked at the icon of a Black Queen chess piece that had popped up on screen. Her face scrunched up as she handed Albedo her phone.
Albedo pressed the talk button. "This is Albedo of the Galvan speaking."
"Albedo," a low voice asked. "May I ask why it says the plane is off course? And why you and your...associate..." Albedo could feel the 'air quotes' around that term, "are no longer on the plane?"
"Hijacked," Albedo answered tersely. "By alien criminals."
"Interesting," the voice said. "But not unexpected. Your plan did have a hole in it."
"And what's that?" Albedo said, clenching his fist.
"Well, keep in mind, your 'disguise' was on that ship. If the pilot is conscious at any point, he could radio in for help and drop the fact that an heir to the Schnee fortune is on board..." The voice laughed. "Well, the plan falls apart."
Albedo took a deep breath. "We'll get on it immediately."
"You best. Her Grace is especially impatient. I think it's because of our guest," the voice teased. "And you know what he can do."
The threat sent a shiver down Albedo's spine. "Of course." Albedo frowned as he hung up.
He used the Zs'Skayr threat again, didn't he? Neo huffed.
Albedo didn't answer, turning away to activate the tracking app Neo had on her scroll. "Let's get moving."
Neo frowned before following.
Albedo had very distinct relationships with everyone in Salem's group. It ranged from 'I enjoy your company' to 'I would most likely ignore you if we ever saw each other again'.
The first interaction he ever had with any of them was with Cinder. During his first few days on Earth, Albedo would scour the libraries for a better understanding of Earth culture. He didn't want to be a 'fish out of water', after all. It was also to gain a better understanding of why Tennyson remained on Earth. Albedo studied the wars, thinkers of the time period and some bits of pop culture. All he got out of the experience was...utter confusion.
"Lost?" a voice behind him asked one day.
Albedo looked behind him to see a fair-skinned woman with ashen-black hair that covered her left eye. She had bright amber eyes and wore dangling black diamond earrings, a short scarlet dress with gold detailing, black pantyhose, a pair of black high heels, and a long black scarf.
"No, I'm doing just fine," Albedo said, turning his attention back to his books. "Thank you for your concern."
"I wasn't referring to your research," Cinder told him.
Albedo set down his book. "And might I ask who you are?"
"Someone who can get you answers." Cinder smiled as she pulled up a seat next to him. Albedo noticed she was holding a book under her arm. Of course, it wasn't a 'scholarly' source like the ones he had at the table. Given the size and colors, it was more appealing to a child. She set it on the table and gave a sly smile.
"And what am I to get from this?" Albedo scowled, opening the book to see a rather graphic image of two women having their eyes plucked out by birds.
"Are you familiar with fairy tales?" Cinder asked. "A short tale involving a succession of motifs and symbols. It moves in an unreal world without definite locality or definite creatures and is filled with the marvelous. In this never-never land, humble heroes kill adversaries, succeed to kingdoms, and marry princesses."
Albedo flipped through the book and saw more graphic images: a king looking down on a sleeping princess; a wooden puppet being hung from a tree; a woman screaming in pain while wearing burning-hot iron shoes...
"What does this have to do with answers?" Albedo demanded to know. "This is just nonsense."
"Indeed." Cinder grinned, placing her hand on the book...and it slowly faded away into orange sparks and black ash. Albedo stared back at the woman, confused.
"You've been looking at the wrong side of the story, Albedo," Cinder told him, smiling softly. "My mistress can show you much, much more..."
And Albedo, with his Galvan curiosity and insatiable hunger for knowledge, took the bait.
Salem was the next person he met; one minute he had been at that library table, the next he was stepping through a red void and into her court. She was a menacing woman at first glance, and the feeling only became more pronounced as Albedo took in her ghost-white skin and deep red veins, her red irises surrounded by pitch black.
"Here he is," Cinder said with a smirk. Salem said nothing, staring intently at the newcomer.
"I was told you had answers," Albedo claimed, refusing to show fear. "About...a different side of humanity."
"Legends," Salem began, her voice low and melodious. "Stories scattered through time. Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easily that we are remnants, byproducts, of a forgotten past. Man, born from Dust, was strong, wise, and resourceful, but he was born into an unforgiving world. An inevitable darkness – creatures of destruction – the creatures of Grimm – set their sights on Man and all of his Creations. These forces clashed, and it seemed the darkness was intent on returning Man's brief existence to the void. What saved humanity through these times? Simple: a smaller, more honest soul. It's true that a simple spark can ignite hope, breathe fire into the hearts of the weary. The ability to derive strength from hope is undoubtedly mankind's greatest attribute... which is why I focus all of my power to snuff it out."
Albedo was shocked, but still interested. "I see."
"I know your internal struggles, Albedo. I know them better than you do," Salem said, giving him a motherly smile. "I know how you find yourself wondering about why the most powerful man alive would waste his time here. And I would be honored to help you find your answers."
Albedo hesitated for a moment. He knew from first glance that this woman was malevolent in nature… and yet the temptation was still there...
"I will assist," Albedo declared. "On one condition."
"And what will that be?"
"I wish to remain impartial in these affairs. If you need me for anything, I want to go myself, to see and hear for myself," he told her resolutely.
"I see," Salem mused. "I suppose I can make an exception. Your expertise is valuable for us."
The third person he met was Hazel. It was a simple but powerful interaction. Albedo had discovered the Grimm pools and was looking down at them from the safety of the tower's conference hall. He could only sneer in disgust at it; Albedo could understand why someone would want to accelerate evolution- he had done so himself, with the Ultimatrix as proof- but the Grimm pools were a bastardized version of the process. It was like watching a child crudely experimenting with a subpar chemistry set, or a madman playing at God.
Albedo heard heavy footsteps approaching. He looked out the corner of his eye to see a man that fit Cinder's description of Hazel. Just from a glance, Albedo could tell this man had lost a lot in life, whether it be his own doing or just the cruel hand fate had given him. He joined Albedo at the window and stared down at the pools. The two stood there in silence for some time, watching a Beowulf crawl out and take its first steps.
"I'm so tired of seeing needless suffering," Hazel sighed before walking off. "I'm sorry she got you involved in this."
Albedo didn't understand the apology at the moment, but in time he would.
The next person he met was Tyrian. Well, he didn't meet him officially. He just heard screams coming from one of the rooms, and this maniacal, evil laughter that sent shivers down his spine...
Albedo made a note to never interact with him.
The next person was Watts. Albedo had to meet him because Watts was very interested in the creation of the Ultimatrix. Upon opening the door, the doctor was already taking notes.
"Spectacular work on this," Watts complimented after examining the device.
"Thank you," Albedo replied. "I based it off an old prototype my mentor never touched upon."
"Good on you for going through with it," he said sincerely. "I just hope you weren't screwed by your superiors like I was."
Albedo frowned. "We're still on good terms."
"Also good," Watts said, continuing his examinations. "After everything I gave to mine, they disgraced me. They just stood atop it and called themselves a giant...but now, with the more recent developments, I hope to return the favor."
Albedo respected Watts' curiosity and interest for technology, just not his random 'emotional dump' tendency, if you could call it that.
The next person he met was Cass.
"Tea?"
Albedo looked up from his study; once more, he'd confined himself in a library. This time it was Salem's personal library, full of books on the Grimm and the society of the Huntsmen. A fair skinned redhead stood before him, wearing a silver choker and a white minidress with detached sleeves that reached her wrists. Her frosted red lips were pulled into a welcoming smile, but her lime green eyes were mischievous and cat-like. She was holding a tray with a pot of tea and two cups, a book tucked under one arm.
"Why, yes, actually," Albedo said, feeling a bit parched. "What flavor is it?"
"Just chai," Cass replied, pouring him some. "With a spicy blackberry rose mixed into it."
"Interesting," he noted.
"So, you're the new hire," Cass stated, giving him a once over. "Why do you look exactly like Tennyson? Are you his evil twin?"
"No. I just happen to share a resemblance to him," Albedo explained. "And who are you?"
"My name is Cassidy Prewett, but you can call me Cass," she introduced herself. She took a sip of her tea and smiled at him over the rim. They chatted for a bit, enough for Albedo to say that he felt comfortable around her. Still, there was this sense of overwhelming danger to her that made the hairs on the back of Albedo's neck stand on end. Yes, she seemed nice, but as they say, beware the nice ones...
And right he was.
The first time he ever saw the group in action was also the first time he met Emerald, Hope, Neo, and Mercury. They were hired to drop by some random outpost Roman had found. Albedo planned to go because, well, like he said, he wanted to see and hear for himself.
What he really wanted to see was how Huntsmen interacted with threats like these. The extensive reading Albedo had done brought him deeper into the world, but not enough.
It was a simple splinter attack: Cass led Albedo, Hope, and Neo on one side, and Cinder led Mercury and Emerald on the other side. Cinder would give them the signal when it was time to go, which wouldn't be for quite some time. So, he had time to get acquainted with Hope.
"So, you finally came out of your hole?" she teased.
Albedo decided he didn't like Hope much.
Eventually, the sign came- an arrow flew through the air and crashed through one of the windows of the warehouse. Cass quickly jumped into action, pulling out her weapon, a kusarigama/gun hybrid. Neo opened up her umbrella, and Hope flipped open her grimoire. Albedo quickly turned to his Ultimatrix and scrolled to a sample of his Methanosian form. He slapped down the dial and underwent the transformation.
By the time he'd finished, the battle inside was intense. Cassidy was fighting off a burly opponent with a massive sword.
"So, you think you can just invade OUR territory and live, little girl?~" the man laughed. Cass just stared at him blankly. "I compliment you on your bold nature. This is clearly a fated meeting!"
The man held up his large broadsword- the blade was three feet wide, an impressive size. Albedo surmised the character used it as a shield on top of its usual function. Cass only looked like she was half listening, fiddling with her own weapon.
"Witness this mighty sword I wield! I call it 'The Divider' because of the way it can part the seas, much like the biblical Moses!" the man boasted. "Made of hardened carbon, it certainly lives up to its name. It's truly one of a kind. This weapon has slain many people, and your name will be easily be added to the li-"
Cass shot him in the chest, catching Albedo off guard. The man stumbled back as Cass sneered at him. "Shut the fuck up. Couldn't you see I wasn't even listening? Were you trying to sell me the damn thing or what?"
The man yelled as he swung at her, Cass not bothering to move. The blade struck her side and her form ever so slightly rippled.
"Was that supposed to hurt?" Cass taunted as her weapon slowly turned green. The chain part quickly ensnared the man's neck, and she pulled him close and sliced into his back-
And the man exploded. Albedo took a few steps back so he wasn't hit by the gore. Cass dropped the mutilated corpse on the ground. She turned to look at Albedo and smiled that same pretty smile she gave him back at the library.
"Well? Are you going to help or not?"
Albedo quickly shook the horror off and jumped into the fray. He created some seeds in his palms and threw them across the battlefield, under the feet of the Hunters. The seeds quickly grew into vines that ensnared his opponents and sent them to the ceiling, where they couldn't be of any more help, at least until someone cut them down.
Albedo quickly took note of the other two members of the team, Mercury and Emerald. He could tell by their fighting styles they were two very different people. Emerald was jumping around, using Thief's Respite to fire back at her opponents before changing them to sickle form so she could slash freely. Of course, this was a distraction.
Pieces of paper quickly latched onto some of the Hunters. In an instant, they were painfully sucked into the papers, effectively trapping them inside. The rest were quickly dispatched by Emerald, before she regrouped with Hope.
"Thanks for the assist," Emerald beamed.
"Anything for you, sweetie," Hope told her, quickly pecking her on the cheek. Albedo could draw from that interaction that Emerald was at least a team player. That was good to note.
Mercury, however, was not. Albedo noticed the bodies around Mercury's area, and looked over to see the man in question charging at his opponent. He hit them with a barrage of kicks to the face, before kicking them into the air and blasting them with three Dust rounds as they fell back to the ground.
More people started to surround him. Mercury grinned as he did a handstand and started spinning around while firing Dust bullets, which he controlled to make them spin around him, almost like a tornado. The idiots all stood around, confused at what Mercury was planning. He stopped spinning and kicked forward, controlling the bullets so they converged in on his opponent, causing an explosion-
"THINK YOU'RE TOUGH SHIT NOW?! HUH?!" Mercury taunted, slamming his foot onto one of the bodies. "HUH?!"
Just from the sheer satisfaction on Mercury's face, Albedo could tell Mercury was a bloodthirsty maniac.
And then he saw Cinder's fighting style. By the time he took note of this, the warehouse was almost entirely cleared, save for the very, very interesting leader. She was dressed in a Sweet Lolita fashion, wearing a pink frilly dress and stockings...and also weilding a VERY bloody bat. She was madly swinging at Cinder, but she kept gracefully evading the attacks. The girl was not taking this in stride either, as she just kept trying to get a good hit in, until she swung at her skull-
Both fighters found themselves staring at each other for a second, and then Cinder grinned as the girl coughed up blood. Cinder's aura had blocked a fatal bash to the head, whilst in contrast Cinder's sword swing had opened a massive gash down the girl's chest. Cinder stepped back, letting the wounded leader drop to her knees, before constructing her bow loaded with three arrows-
"Pick a God and pray," she hissed, releasing the draw string. Three arrows pierced the girl's body, and she shuddered in fear. Cinder quietly put a hand to her head and shushed her. A bright orange light suddenly engulfed the victim, just like that book...and she faded away into black ash...
Cinder flipped her hair back, regrouping with everyone. "Alright, the room's been cleared..." Suddenly, red portals opened up where the cargo was loaded, the boxes slowly sinking into them. Was this one of the Semblances of the team? Or just Hope's magic? Albedo thought, before he turned around and bumped into someone.
"Oh." He looked down to see the short Neo, looking up at him. "Excuse me, I didn't see you there."
When Neo first saw Albedo, she didn't expect him to be so nice. There was an eerily specific logic that followed a boy with white hair and a pale, handsome, vaguely-effeminate face. 'Face of an angel, mind of a demon', she heard Roman say once in passing.
Neo had read a lot of manga with a similar trope; if there was a long, white-haired Pretty Boy on the side of good, almost always they would be a Jerkass Anti-Hero, the token 'evil teammate' or the nominal hero. In other words, they were never the nice guy.
Well, to her shock, Albedo was kind. He didn't care about the conflict between Good versus Evil and Order Versus Chaos. Those 'empty, fallacious, false dichotomies' were for the simple-minded, not for them. He would rather refer to them as 'antiquated' or 'infantile propaganda'. He had his own ideals, concerns, goals, and needs that were different from either side of the fence, so to speak.
He wanted answers.
Their first real interaction was small, but it led to something big.
It was a slow day. Neo was walking around Salem's massive castle, bored out of her mind, when she heard something in one of the rooms. It was strange because, well, no one was in that room yesterday. She quietly opened the door to see Albedo hunched over at his table. He was working on something, Neo never cared to find out what, but it had his full attention. She quietly crept over and peered over his shoulder (which was kind of hard, considering she was pretty short) to view his work.
Albedo continued working for a few more minutes without acknowledging her, before he paused.
"...could you hand me those precision crimping pliers?" he asked, motioning over to a different table.
Neo nearly flinched; for a man so engrossed in his work, when did he have time to notice her? Neo grabbed the tool and handed it to him.
Albedo smiled at her. "Thank you." He then returned to his work, and Neo just stood there, watching. Occasionally she'd hand him some tools, but that was it.
Eventually, Albedo finished his work and stretched a little. "I think that's good enough for today. Thank you for the assistance..." He paused. "I'm afraid I don't have your name."
Neo whipped out her scroll and pulled up a photo. Albedo read the text: My name is Neopolitan, and I'm a mute.
He blinked. "Ah. Would you prefer to use sign language to communicate?"
Again, Neo was taken aback. You can sign? she asked, tucking her scroll away and signing the question.
Of course, he signed back. Nice to meet you, Neopolitan. My name is Albedo.
Neo smiled. She liked this Albedo better than Mercury and Emerald. Hope was kind of ok, but that's as far as it went.
After that first meeting, Neo would go and help Albedo anytime she could. It was nice to have someone else to sign to. Sure, Roman gave a damn to learn some, but she nearly talked with him all the time. And the others weren't gonna learn it anytime soon.
...well, except maybe Hazel.
"You're really spending a lot of time with that kid, aren't you?" Roman joked one day.
Neo lightly punched his arm. It's not like that, she quickly signed. We're just...associates.
Roman laughed as he lit up a cigar. "Not even gonna call yourself friends? That's harsh. Come on, kid. Be honest with me. You like him, don't you?"
...yes. Neo signed reluctantly. He's, like, the second person to understand me, y'know?
"I get it, I get it," Roman said. "Also, thank you for acknowledging me! I swear, I get no respect from Legs, the Brat, or the Witch."
I just kind of wish I could do more with him, you know? Neo shrugged. The only time I really interact with him is in the lab.
Roman smirked as he took the cigar out of his mouth. "I might be able to help you with that..."
And so, Roman came up with a lame excuse for the two of them to go into Vale, spy on some nonexistent rival group he came up with, that just so happened to be across the street from a very fancy restaurant...and guess where their outpost happened to be? Albedo only went to observe a city hidden away from the usual American society.
Neo peered up from her menu and looked at her...friend? He was engrossed in the text and looked a bit lost. She tapped him on the arm to get his attention. Don't know what to eat? she signed.
"I'm not used to human foods," Albedo admitted. "I don't really know what's good here...or on this planet, for that matter. Aside from chili fries. This form has an affinity for that."
Neo had totally forgotten that Albedo was from space. How about you try the Chicken Parmigiana? She signed. It's one of Roman's favorites.
"Maybe...what's 'alfredo'?" Albedo asked.
Italian pasta dish of fresh fettuccine tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich sauce coating the pasta, Neo explained. She was suddenly glad she liked to watch Gordon Ramsey and all those other fun cooking shows.
"I see. Now, what's pasta, and what's cheese?" Albedo asked sheepishly.
Neo had to stifle a giggle. Eventually they ordered, and that left them time to get better acquainted with one another.
So, you're from space, right? You look pretty human to me, Neo signed.
"This is just the form my Ultimatrix gave me," Albedo said, rolling up his sleeve. "My mentor created a similar device, and the default coding for the watch was set to 'human'. My true form is much smaller."
Like, how short?
Albedo paused. "Hmm...about one foot tall."
Neo stared at him blankly. ...alright...so, this device...you can turn into aliens, right?
"That's right." Albedo nodded. "I dabbled in genetic manipulation with a few of them after reading about a curious case file. A boy with mutant abilities managed to absorb some of the Omnitrix energy and created a similar device from his own flesh and blood. Most samples were horrifically mutated due to lack of a 'control filter' within the device."
Is the kid ok? Neo asked, concerned.
"The case file mentioned he was taken in and properly evaluated. I believe he's working alongside Tennyson. But, enough about me. I'm much more interested about you," Albedo said. "I'm curious as to why you would join Roman and Salem."
What does that mean? Neo signed.
"Oh, well...your backstory," Albedo elaborated. "Everyone has a reason to join."
Neo pursed her lips and took out her scroll. Albedo waited patiently as she typed.
I was raised in a backwater orphanage and ran off one day. I stole for most of my life and one day...I got the attention of Roman, Neo explained. I was trying to steal some jewel to pawn off to someone for some cash, and I guess he saw me. He frowned upon my methods and said I needed to learn how to be a proper thief. And, well, here I am.
Albedo nodded. "I see. He's like a father to you, isn't he?"
Yeah, Neo smiled. It's nice to have someone who understands you.
"I know what you mean. I too was an orphan, back on my home planet. I was somewhat ostracized from my peers on account of my albinism. I suppose the social aspect wasn't a big loss...I was able to focus more on my studies, and gain access to the equivalent of what you would call a university at a young age. Eventually my talent caught the attention of my mentor, and he took me under his wing." Albedo chuckled. "I suppose we aren't that different."
Neo happily smiled back.
"Hm." Albedo said one evening, in his preferred study room.
"What's the matter?" Cass asked, looking up from her dog-eared copy of the Murder on the Orient Express.
"Nothing, nothing," Albedo said, looking up from his book. "I've just read up on some of your legends."
Cass looked curious. "Oh? What caused such an outrageous reaction, then?" she joked.
"The story of the Maidens," he told her. "They say that the Maidens pass down their powers to the ones they love. I had to wonder...what would happen if they didn't have anyone close?"
Cass paused. "Simple. The powers would just go to some random girl. Or to whoever they thought about last. Could be a passing face, or, on a much more ghastly note, it could be the one that killed them...it's a weird way to transfer an ability."
He nodded and looked down at his book. "Indeed."
Albedo was never fully aware of what the others did when he wasn't with them. And it was probably for the best. Cass' dark example...had just happened very recently.
He would have put his foot down if he saw what happened with the Fall Maiden. Let's just say, what Cass did to poor, poor Amber...wasn't pretty.
And that she made her mother very, very happy.
The first time Neo saw Albedo's true power, it gave her goosebumps. Albedo would spend so much time in his lab he never partook in many missions. He was busy with this or that, so Neo never got to see his fighting style.
"It's such bullshit," Mercury complained one day, after a particularly rough mission. "We should've plowed through those assholes! Why'd they fuckin cheat with that goddamn Dust cannon?!"
"They overwhelmed us," Hope sighed. "That's all."
"Oh, I'm sorry, but doesn't your magic do some serious fucking damage to those guys?" Mercury hissed.
"Oddly enough, my magic doesn't really affect Dust all that much," Hope said. "Dunno why that is."
"I don't see why you're so worked up about this." Emerald added as she handed Hope a water bottle. "We got what we wanted, thanks to the brat." Neo shot her a glare, which Emerald ignored.
"Yeah, but I wanted to smash their faces in!" Mercury yelled. "Fucking Atlas Military, always so goddamn high and mighty. Heads shoved all the way up their ASS!"
"Mercury..." Emerald warned.
"What!? I'm just speaking the truth!" he shot back.
"Mercury!" Hope repeated, voice filled with fear.
"What the fuck are you two so worked up abo-" Mercury turned pale as a ghost as he saw Salem and Albedo walk into the room.
Neo felt there was a strange paradox surrounding Salem. Her voice didn't come off as threatening, but her design suggested something demonic. Even when Salem got angry and yelled, she sounded more like a mother lecturing her children rather than a beast holding a knife to your throat. This all felt unnerving, despite Salem's role as their leader...and a mass murderer.
That's what made Neo scared; When a villain can keep themselves level-headed even when things go horribly awry, they are the kind of people to be absolutely afraid of, even more so than the villains who lose their minds screaming and yelling at the drop of a hat.
"What seems to be the issue, Mercury?" Salem asked, frowning.
"N-Nothing!" he exclaimed, trying to keep his temper under control.
Salem gave him the kind of look a mother gave when she knew one of her children was lying. "Hm. Getting worked up over 'nothing', then?"
"The human heart is wild. When you have a huge heart you tend to be more sensitive and emotional to things," Albedo added.
"Hey, shut up!" Mercury snapped. "I'm the backbone of this team."
"Oh, please, you're like the appendix of this group. Nobody knows what you're here for." Hope smirked.
"And you're prone to exploding," Emerald added.
Neo made some sassy hand gestures that Mercury didn't understand.
"What did she say?" Mercury growled.
"She said you're a real pain in the ass to remove," Albedo said flatly. "I apologize for my language, but she put those words in my-"
"You shouldn't even be lecturing me! You just make machines all day!" Mercury shot back. "You can't even fight, can you?"
Albedo let that sink in, taking a deep breath. "Salem, can you please assist me in showing Mercury what I'm capable of?"
"Of course." Salem closed her eyes as Albedo turned to the window. He opened it up and-
"Hey, what are you doin-" Mercury asked, but it was too late; Albedo had jumped out the window.
Albedo plummeted grounds below him, activating the Ultimatrix. He slapped down the face plate and his form changed; his size began to increase, with strong scales growing up his body. His left hand was replaced with a turret launcher, and a shell formed on his back-
The ground shook as Albedo landed, enough for the tremor's to reach the top floor of the castle. "So? He survived the fall," Mercury scoffed.
"Yes," Salem agreed. "But he also woke them up."
The Grimm Pools started to bubble, and Grimm started to crawl out of them to reach Albedo. The first wave was a horde of Beowulf- they started to approach at a steady pace, before they gradually started to speed up. They all pounced at Albedo; he retaliated with some heavy punches that destroyed them with one hit. He held out his turret arm and started firing 'missiles' that soared through the air and hit the ground, eliminating most of his targets. A mighty explosion rang out as it was almost visible for the entire continent to see, with the shock wave being felt from miles away.
Mercury was still acting like he was unimpressed. "So what? He took out some baby Grimm."
"But he got their attention." Emerald motioned over to something moving down below. A large herd of Megoliaths were charging towards the chaos.
Albedo walked from out of the dust cloud and noticed the herds fast approaching. One of the beasts attempted to smash its head into Albedo, but he simply blocked the beast with one hand.
It sounded cool on paper, but wasn't really effective. While it was an effective roadblock, the Goliath was still very, VERY angry. It reeled back its trunk and whipped Albedo on the chest, sending him flying across the field. The force of the Goliath's blow was powerful enough to crack Albedo's back shell, before his body flopped onto the ground- he could feel the Earth shaking as the Goliaths began to approach him-
"I think he's down for the count." Hope frowned. "He's not getting up..."
"Give him a second," Salem said.
A Goliath stampeded towards him, preparing to smash his body with its superior body weight-
FWOOOSH. Lava suddenly spewed out of the crack on Albedo's back. It shot out like a geyser and fell back to the Earth as it hit the Goliath. The beast roared in pain as it started to slowly die...
Albedo stood up. The plates on his skin began to crack and crumble. Had the thing really broken his shell so hard his entire body was starting to fall apart? That's when Neo noticed something-
Something was glowing through the cracks. Albedo's body broke open, blinding everyone nearby. Neo covered her eyes as the others began cursing at the sudden 'flashbang'.
When the light died back down, everyone was back to staring at Albedo, taking note of his new form: larger build, new gravelly charred skin, burning spikes and a glowing red chest...the Ultimatrix symbol on his chest even had spikes that dug into his skin.
Albedo let out a primal screech just as the ground opened up. Blobs of lava bubbled out of the cracks before it exploded again like a volcano. Neo covered her ears and winced; the sound was like being up close to a jet engine plane as it was taking off. The lava spread across the land, swallowing up the Goliaths in the torrent.
"What the hell happened to him?" Mercury asked, awed.
"He evolved," Salem explained, her voice even. "We are the representatives of the cosmos. We are an example of what hydrogen atoms can do, given 15 billion years of cosmic evolution. Albedo just sped up that process for his alien form."
"W-with that dinky little wristwatch?" Mercury spluttered.
"Of course he did, you himbo!" Emerald said, slapping the back of the head. "What, do you think he could just do that without the watch?"
Albedo continued to spew torrents of lava, slowly making his way across the field and leaving nothing but destruction in his wake. Neo had never seen this side of him- she was used to him being quick and efficient about the job...was this in the same vein? Is this how he handled the serious problems on other planets?
Albedo's strength wasn't a bluff. Neo could feel the bloodlust in the air- despite Albedo's usual calm demeanor, he had this innate savage side...and that made him dangerous.
Neo was about to walk away to clear her thoughts when she noticed some rather large, alarming bubbles rising from another lake. She looked back to see Salem, her eyes glowing a menacing red. She was doing 'something'. Neo didn't know what it was, necessarily, but whatever it was-
It let out a horrifying screech that would haunt her forever. She turned to see an enormous Grimm burst out of the lake; it had large red bat-like wings, a pair of legs and a tail. It had rough black skin with white bone-like spines along its body, including an external skull, rib cage, and rows of dorsal spikes.
The thing took to the skies, flying overhead. Black liquid started to pour out of its chest and splatter on the ground below. The liquid started to move and morph, as massive black hands shot out of the puddles and surrounded Albedo. However, when the hands reached the opponent, they exploded into nothingness.
Albedo's body was so hot that even touching him caused objects to instantly combust. He looked up to the sky and growled; while he was near invincible on the ground, the wyvern had the air advantage and faster mobility. If the wyvern was trying to tire him out, it would most likely succeed.
Good thing Albedo had other options.
He slapped down his face plate, and his body split up and rounded out into perfect spheres. His head transformed into a massive, burning sun, and the other orbs surrounding him began to slowly resemble planets in a solar system.
Neo recognized that form- while Albedo never officially named it, she secretly named it Gravattack. She thought it sounded menacing enough, but she might've been wrong on that part.
The evolved Gravattack flew at the wyvern. The monster tried to escape, but it couldn't move fast enough. It reeled its head back and released a torrent of black liquid from its maw, but the attack literally avoided Albedo. His control over gravity was as flawless it was dangerous.
Albedo pulled his fist back and swung it, escalating the momentum with his powers to increase the punch's power. Red sparks of energy struck the Grimm multiple times, and Albedo unloaded a multitude of punches on the monster-
Before the wyvern could even counterattack, it was completely obliterated. Every bone in its body was shattered, its organs imploded upon themselves, and eventually it collapsed into a black hole that quickly erased any evidence of the monster's existence.
Mercury stumbled back as Albedo casually floated over to the group. He reverted back to human as he jumped back through the shattered window.
"Thank you for assisting me with my demonstration." Albedo bowed before Salem. "I must now return to my work."
He casually walked off, with Neo following behind him. She could feel the stares of the others drilling into their backs, but Albedo chose to ignore them. Neither of them said a word to each other until they were in the lab.
So...what was that? Neo finally asked, breaking the silence.
"That was something I like to call my 'ultimate forms'," Albedo told her. "This 'survival of the fittest' method of alien evolution makes the Ultimates more suited for combat. When I first pitched the idea to my mentor, he argued it was 'begging for trouble', but let me experiment with it."
How far can an alien evolve? Neo asked with some trepidation.
Albedo paused. "Hypothetically to their zenith. My forms aren't close to it yet, but maybe someday they will be."
If Neo hadn't been attracted to him before, she certainly was now.
Are you sure this will work? Neo wondered as the two walked down the mountain.
Albedo nodded. "I'm sure of it. You need not worry." He turned straight ahead to see Psyphon's base of operations. While Albedo personally didn't know the crime lord, he suspected he was behind the crash when Fistina used Crystal Dolphin.
One of the minions took note of Albedo's approach and alerted the boss. Psyphon was shocked to hear that Tennyson was here and ready to destroy him. He had mentally made a list of 'burns' he could use on Ben and Ruby, just so he could verbally pick them apart.
Of course, he had no material for Albedo and Neo, so that sucked.
"Psyphon," Albedo said calmly.
"Who the hell are you?" the boss snarled.
"I believe you have our cargo," he continued, motioning over to a rat-like alien that was practically drooling all over the bots.
"Oh yeah? Shoulda had your name on it, Bennyboy." The rat grinned as Psyphon shot him a glare.
"Very well. I'm willing to make a deal for them." Albedo rolled down his jacket sleeve, revealing the Ultimatrix. "I'll gladly give you a taste of a few of my DNA samples in exchange for the bots."
Neo could quietly hear something rustling in the bushes behind her. It was starting...
Psyphon's face lit up. "Wait, seriously? You'll just...give it away?"
"Indeed," Albedo agreed, and Psyphon's grin got larger.
"Aww, but I was gonna use a few of these bad boys as my personal bodyguards..." the rat alien whined.
"Shut it, Argit. This is much better than the bots." Psyphon smirked as he reached out to shake Albedo's hand. Albedo smiled as he returned the smile...
"Let's get down to the business at hand, shall we?" he teased, a strange whistling sound starting to fill the air. Neo covered her ears as the others started to feel disoriented. Albedo didn't flinch. The ones closest to the sound had migraines, while others further away had widespread muscle pain and tenderness.
"W-what the hell is...this..." Argit hissed, his sensitive ears recoiling in pain.
"TENNYSON!" Psyphon yelled, before Neo kicked him in the face. He fell back, rolling in agony.
"How funny. You think Ben Tennyson would be foolish enough to actually pull this off?" Albedo taunted, looking down at Psyphon.
"Well...I know...Ben Tennyson..." Psyphon grunted, whipping out his wrist mounted laser cannon. "And he...would be smart enough... to be in alien form."
ZAP. With the pull of a trigger, Albedo's head was vaporized. The whistling suddenly stopped, and Albedo's headless body collapsed to the ground. Psyphon chuckled to himself.
"Too easy," he taunted, before noticing something strange. The body was fading away, leaving behind no evidence whatsoever. "What the fuck?!"
"How pathetic," a voice said. Psyphon looked over to see a strange looking Galvan sitting on Neo's shoulder. It was dimute yet regal, almost lordly. His arms were like the helixes of DNA, and Psyphon could see his brain through a thin 'glassy' membrane. "I thought our deal would work."
"Wait, what?" Psyphon was caught off guard. "H-how did you survive?"
"Oh, that? A body double. Like I said..." Albedo held out his hand as Neo handed him a small pebble. "I'd give up some DNA samples. That was one of them. A human."
"...I don't follow," Psyphon said. Albedo clamped the pebble between his palms.
"Then let me give you a demonstration." He smiled as he threw the pebble on the ground. The rock started to glow a bright red as it increased in size. Psyphon shielded his eyes, waiting for the light to fade. He lowered his hands to see...something resembling an Arachnochimp, but, for a lack of better words, evolved. It had red eyes, pale-purple skin, and yellow spider fangs on each side of his mouth, with eight plated arms and a massive scorpion-like stinger for a tail.
"What in Vilgax's name-" Psyphon gasped.
"Your Gods had nothing to do with this," Albedo said coldly. "This is my ability."
The evolved Arachnochimp howled loudly, running at Psyphon. He stumbled back as two of his lackies blindly jumped in front of him. The Arachnochimp unhinged its jaw, spewing out a mess of web that cocooned the two up, and then stampeding towards Psyphon.
"START THE GETAWAY COPTERS!" the crime boss yelled, and his minions ran to get things in order. The blades of the helicopters started to spin as Psyphon quickly hopped in one of them. Fistina, still mutated by her transformation, merged with the plane to make a faster getaway.
"That was a close one," a chicken-like minion squawked.
"I agree," Psyphon huffed, slumping over in his seat.
Suddenly, the helicopter stopped. Not a typical 'oh, the engine is down' kind of way, but the vehicle just stopped in midair.
"...oh, no..." Psyphon shot up and looked out the window. On the ground was a new alien made from Albedo's abilities. It resembled a Polar Manzardill with what appeared to be red armor. He had ice covering sections of his back and shoulders, with large red cannons sticking out. Fired from both cannons was a beam of energy, honed in on the ship. That must've been what was keeping them in place...
Something landed on the windshield. Psyphon turned to see a three headed Vulpimancer, hissing and snarling. It had a dagger-like tail and a set of wings to compliment its monstrous form. The left head started to drool on the windshield, slowly making it melt. The beast quickly made its way in, clawing and breathing fire and spitting out acid-
Psyphon was lucky that he made it out alive, through one of the escape hatches on the bottom. The others' sacrifices would not be in vain!
Psyphon landed on the ground with a dull thud. In the distance, he could hear the snarls and shrieks on the battlefield.
"This has gone on long enough," he declared, quickly pulling out one of his personal Crystal Dolphin vials. Tennyson had taken his Tokustar sample, so he had to make do with a simple Pyronite version. He prepared to inject it into his arm, then it was snatched from his hand. Psyphon gasped as the thing whired past him again, striking and shocking his face at the same time. Psyphon was sent flying into a few trees, feeling his back snap from the sheer force.
The thing that punched him appeared before him; it looked like a Citrakayah wearing spotted leopard-like armor around its arms, calves, face, and chest. It was coated in a dangerous red energy, which Psyphon figured to be what shocked him.
The other aliens Albedo created slowly approached Psyphon, as did Albedo and Neo.
"You see," Albedo sighed, reverting back to human, "there are many victories worse than a defeat. Perhaps you could learn from mine."
"He won't be able to, sadly."
Albedo turned to see Watts appearing out of a red rift. He brushed off his jacket and stared intently at Psyphon...
"I thought I told you we don't need any back up," Albedo said, the other aliens disappearing. Watts sauntered on over.
"Oh, yes, I recognize that." Watts smiled as he set down his bag. "It's just that she wanted to speak with the one who jeopardized our mission."
The bag began to shake violently, and Psyphon squirmed in his bindings. Something was making him afraid, making him visibly shiver and shake when he wanted to appear strong and defiant. The bag suddenly burst open, revealing a Grimm; it had a small, spherical body that was covered with bone-like plates, along with red tentacles ending in white, bony spikes, and a single eye that stared directly into Psyphon's soul.
"W-what is that thing?" Psyphon asked, a quiver in his voice.
"A seer Grimm," Watts said evenly. "These Grimm are quite unique. They allow for communication between two points. I present to you...Your Grace."
The red fog contained in the head of the Seer Grimm shifted to form an image of Salem. She did not look angry. Nor did she look happy. Psyphon couldn't read her emotions, actually...and that just made the moment even worse. It reminded him of his first meeting with Vilgax, but in a much more horrifying way...
"P-please," Psyphon spat out, sweating profusely. "Spare me...I-I could supply you with materials, get you into higher places, I-" Salem's glare shut him up. He cowered back as the Seer hovered closer to him.
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure," she said calmly. "The fearful are caught as often as the bold...but I can safely say..."
The Seer's tentacles wrapped around Psyphon's neck.
"You are not one of the bold."
SNAP.
Despite all his power, Albedo feared Salem. He wasn't sure why at first. She was calm and rational, two of the most important details a leader should have. She also made an effort to tailor her behaviour to a person's personality, which was very much handy when dealing with people like Mercury or Tyrian. She chastised needless malice and patiently schooled her subordinates whenever there was an argument.
Maybe it was the way she, with the casual ease of a dinner conversationalist, tasked her subordinates with duties that would enable terrorism, murder, and mayhem, and taught that flaunting the power to destroy lives was unnecessary when anyone can be exploited.
That seemed like a perfect reason to fear her.
But no.
It was the way Salem toyed with people.
Whenever someone would go against her, she would eradicate them in a single moment. No big fight or anything- one minute they were here, the next...they were gone, like they had never even existed. Albedo remembered seeing an associate he never knew the name of walking into Salem's throne room, yelling and screaming about a certain plan detail. Then, his screaming stopped. Albedo peeked his head inside to see Salem, staring at a burnt corpse, watching it turn into ashes.
That was the end result of a usual victim.
But this toy of hers was different. Albedo had only seen her once, when he opened a door he shouldn't have; she was chained to the wall, a bloody blindfold over her eyes. Her skin was pale and bruised, her hair dirty and unkempt, and her clothes were bloodstained and tattered. She flinched as Albedo opened the door, and opened her mouth to scream-
Albedo quickly shut the door and walked away.
He would occasionally see Salem go into this room, stay in there for a few minutes, hear some screams, and then leave. What was so special about that woman that it made Salem keep her alive and needlessly torture her? Why go against her own advice about flaunting power? Who was that woman?
Albedo was too scared to bring it up with Salem, so he decided to go to someone who might know-
"Who is the chained woman?" Albedo asked Cass. She looked up from her Dashiell Hammett book and gave Albedo a strange look.
"What?"
He scowled. "Who is the woman Salem keeps torturing?"
Cass frowned as she shut her book. "Why ask me?"
"You've been involved in her affairs far longer than I have," he said. "I've only been onboard for less than a year now."
"Is that so?" Cass smirked. "If I tell you, what do I get out of it?"
Albedo huffed. "My assistance at any point in time. Doesn't have to be now, just whenever you need it."
Cass grinned. "I do like the sound of that. As for your question... I wasn't a full time member of Salem's inner circle yet, so I don't have the complete story, but I have excellent sources. Rumor has it that the chained lady was the only person to ever truly hurt Salem, post her transformation."
Albedo raised an eyebrow. "Hurt?"
"Have you noticed those veins? On her arms?" Cass asked. "That woman managed to do grievous harm to her immortal body, using only her powers."
"Unbelievable," Albedo scoffed.
"I've only seen her once," Cass continued, her voice growing softer, like she was sharing a scandalous piece of gossip. "When Emerald and Hope were just starting out, Salem asked Hope for her help. The woman wasn't eating, so Salem requested that Hope put a special 'bind' on the room this woman was in. It would keep her alive, heal her wounds… basically, Salem didn't want her to 'wilt'. I guess you could say she wanted to freeze this woman in time."
"Do you know her name?"
"I do, actually," Cass said, smiling mischievously. "It's Summer Rose."
Annnnd cue your reaction. :3
Sorry for the delay, this one was a bit more packed than usual!