Chapter 11: Arrival
Author's Note: Sorry for the late update work has been tough these past few days. Then what little time I had free was spent playing Fate/Samurai Remnant.
The Golden Hind touched down gracefully on the landing pad of Site Beta. As its boarding ramp was lowered and the aged wood touched the concrete, Jaune stepped forward. He was the first to disembark, and he stood next to Da Vinci who was already bubbling with excitement a short way away from the ramp. Headmaster Ozpin followed, exiting the ship alongside General Ironwood as Qrow and Councilor Mauve trailed behind them. Bringing up the rear of the group were the beacon teams and Councilor Mauve's aide.
"Welcome to Mount Arcanus and Site Beta," Da Vinci began, arm outstretched in a welcoming gesture.
"I hope the trip was pleasant?"
"Pleasant and certainly it was a unique mode of transportation," Ozpin said not having expected to make the trip in such a manner.
"Shall we begin the tour, or would you prefer a moment to rest?" inquired Da Vinci, a tablet in her hands.
I believe that we will start with the tour, break for lunch, and then resume," Replied Councilor Mauve
"Very well then if you would all follow me, please." Jaune gestured as he and Da Vince walked into the hallway.
The lighting adjusted as they crossed the threshold into the facility, Jaune seemed to stumble for a moment and as his team moved to see what was wrong with him. He waved it off as a bit of airsickness and urged Da Vinci to start with the tour while he caught his bearings. Opening his mental connection with his servants he asked What do you mean that we have an infiltrator in the group? Do we know who exactly?
It is as I said master, I am certain the Councilor's aide is not who they say they are. They are using an illusion to conceal their true identity; shall we eliminate the security risk?
I don't think that's necessary just yet Kiritsugu, but please do keep an eye on her and ensure she doesn't go exploring where she shouldn't. If we have a chance to isolate her and question her, we will. Replied Jaune as he moved to catch up with the group. He was just in time to hear Da Vinci talking about the research and development of several new weapon designs that the materials group was working on.
This immediately caught the attention of both Ruby and Ironwood, who stepped closer to inspect the intricate designs and materials used. Jaune noticed Ruby's mouth drop open in admiration as she spied the prototype sniper rifle on display at a table. With a warm smile, he gestured towards the weapon. "We can't test this one yet, but we could go to the gun range and see how a similar model stacks up against Crimson Rose."
Ruby practically stared him down with narrowed eyes, her voice unusually serious. "Tell me when," she said.
As the group continued through the research facility, a white blur suddenly raced by them and crashed into Jaune's legs. A young girl with white hair and wearing only a long tee shirt rubbed her head slightly. "Sorry mommy-" the figure started before trailing off and looking at Jaune with a mixture of love and worry on her face. She quickly gave him a brief hug before running off towards the end of the corridor, laughing gleefully as she went. Jaune's exasperated voice called out after her. "Jack, we've talked about this - put some pants on! You can't run around like that!" Ozpin raised an eyebrow in curiosity, while General Ironwood looked on with slight amusement. Teams RWBY, JNPR, CRDL, and CFVY had a variety of reactions to the situation, from stifled chuckles to outright laughter, while others simply looked confused. Atalanta, another servant of Chaldea, shouted in pursuit of Jack as she too raced after the elusive child. "You are not getting away this time!" The corridor soon echoed with their shouted pleas and Jack's joyful laughter.
The teams RWBY, CRDL, and CFVY were either stifling laughs or outright guffaws of laughter. The people from the other half of the group looked like they didn't know whether to laugh at what just happened or looked like it was bringing back memories of similar incidents in their lives. Qrow did nothing to stifle his laughs as memories of Ruby and Yang at that age echoed through his head.
As the sounds of playful chases dissipated, Da Vinci motioned for the group to continue following her, leading them through a set of doors into the living area. This part of Site Beta looked somewhat like a luxury hotel. The walls adorned with various paintings and drawings by the child servants, comfortable seating areas, and open spaces filled with natural light from large windows.
"This is where many of our staff and servants reside," Da Vinci explained. "We believe in providing not just functional but also comfortable living quarters."
Their next stop was the expansive cafeteria. It looked more like a grand dining hall than a typical mess, with the amount of space it had. Tables of various sizes were spread across the room, and one wall was dominated by the kitchen area where the staff was hard at work.
"Meal times are quite the event here," Da Vinci remarked with a chuckle. "With individuals from so many backgrounds, catering to everyone's tastes can be... challenging."
From there, the group was taken to one of Site Beta's most impressive areas: the combat floors. It was a combination of floors each having vast open space, reminiscent of an arena, with a high-tech training setup. There were advanced combat dummies, obstacle courses, and even a section of simulation pods that could simulate just about anything.
"As you can guess, this is where our agents and staff train. The system can simulate different combat scenarios, from Grimm attacks to more... unique threats."
Before anyone could delve deeper into a discussion about the combat floor, an alarm resounded, its urgency echoing through the walls. The calm robotic voice followed, "Warning: Large horde of Grimm detected. ETA: 60 minutes until contract. All citizens of Mount Arcanus make preparations to shelter in place."
The room was utterly silent, the tension so thick that it felt like a heavy blanket had been dropped over them. But then Ironwood stepped forward, his back straight and shoulders squared as he spoke with authority. "How can we assist?" His team, RWBY, CRDL, and CFVY followed suit, ready to join in whatever help they could offer.
Da Vinci's calm voice broke through the din. "Thank you for your offer, but we have specific plans in place for these situations. We invite you all to the observation room, where you can watch the preparations safely from there."
A moment later Jaune's voice echoed throughout the intercom, firm and clear. "Begin preparations for plans Hammer and Anvil. Da Vinci, you now have that opportunity to field test some of your new ideas."
With the alarm still fresh in their ears, Da Vinci led the group into the command center of Site Beta. It was an impressive room, lined with large screens that displayed real-time data, maps of the vicinity, and the ever-approaching swarm of Grimm. Staff members worked with fervor, their fingers dancing over holographic keyboards.
In the center of the room stood a raised platform with a circular table. It projected a 3D map of Site Beta and the surrounding areas. As the group approached, they could see little blue icons representing Chaldean forces and red ones for the Grimm.
Ozpin and Ironwood instinctively moved closer, their years of experience drawing them to the tactical display.
"Plans Hammer and Anvil are in motion," Da Vinci remarked. She gestured to a section of the map where the icons of Astolfo, Salter, Okita, and Musashi moved forward, reinforcing the positions held by the Arcadian Foreign Legion. "Anvil will provide the front line defense, strengthening the Legion's positions."
Off to the side of the display, separate from the main force, were the icons of Hercules, Beowulf, Jalter, and Toshizo. They were currently faded, indicating they were in spirit form and not yet in play. "Hammer will be our surprise element," Da Vinci explained. "They'll remain hidden, ready to strike when the time is right and the grimm are focused on Anvil."
The members of Teams RWBY, CRDL, and CFVY clustered together, observing the proceedings. It was an educational moment for them, seeing firsthand how another organization handled threats. They whispered among themselves, comparing tactics and noting differences.
The atmosphere in the command center was tense yet controlled. Every now and then, staff would communicate updates, adjusting troop movements, or providing intelligence on the horde's composition.
The horde approached like a living tidal wave, a sea of monochrome monstrosities lurching forward with a singular goal. From Beowolves to Ursa Majors, Griffons to Death Stalkers, the Grimm seemed endless.
As they closed in, a shimmering barrier appeared around Mount Arcanus's perimeter. Energy, tinged with a faint blue glow, extended in a dome, encompassing the entire town.
Team JNPR watched alongside RWBY, CRDL, and CFVY, each member gripping their weapons instinctively, even though they were mere spectators for now.
The first wave of Grimm crashed against the barrier, creating ripples of energy. The larger Grimm, including a massive Goliath, tested the barrier's strength, each collision causing noticeable vibrations.
Inside the command center, Jaune activated his comms, "Anvil, engage."
Astolfo, with his lance ready, rode forward on his trusty Hippogriff, while Saber Alter (Salter) unsheathed Excalibur Morgan, its dark aura illuminating her surroundings. Okita, nimble and swift, darted between Grimm, her blade cutting through them with surgical precision. Musashi, her dual swords at the ready, engaged the larger Grimm, her movements a blur.
The Arcadian Foreign Legion, acting as the backbone of the defense, moved in coordinated squads.
Anvil stood in formation, bracing against the sweeping tide of Grimm surrounding them. The weaker Grimm were targeted first, allowing Anvil's strongest members to focus their energy on the larger threats. Minutes felt like hours as the Grimm swarmed them from all sides, but every time a section of the line seemed about to break, an Anvil member was ready to swoop in and bolster their defenses.
With the majority of the forces engaged with the frontline, Jaune realized it was time for Hammer to join the party. His voice echoed across the battlefield: "Hammer, it's your turn to join the party." On cue, Hercules and Beowulf burst from one side of the line and rushed into battle. Jeanne d'Arc Alter (Jalter) unleashed her flames, incinerating rows of Grimm while Toshizo carved through enemies with his twin blades. With Hammer and Anvil unified, they created a deadly force that trapped the overwhelmed Grimm between them. Finally given room to breathe, the Arcadian Foreign Legion surged forward.
The delegation from Beacon watched, a mix of awe and fear. Ironwood's eyes analyzed every movement, Ozpin's gaze deep in thought. For the students, it was both a lesson and a spectacle.
Hours passed, and the battlefield was littered with the dusted remains of defeated Grimm. The combined might of Chaldea had prevailed.
In the command center, a collective sigh of relief spread. Jaune, shoulders slightly slumped from tension, nodded in appreciation to his team. "Well done, everyone."
As the last remnants of the battle faded, the command center was abuzz with a mix of relief and wonder. For many in the delegation, what they had witnessed was beyond anything they had ever seen or even imagined.
Ruby, her eyes wide, murmured, "That was... incredible." She glanced at her teammates, who were equally awed.
Blake added, "The coordination, the sheer might... I've never seen anything like it."
Yang, ever the fighter, nodded in agreement. "Makes me want to train harder. If we're ever going to face threats like that, we need to be prepared."
Weiss, always analytical, noted, "Their tactics were well-thought-out. The way they used the terrain, their resources... It was like watching a perfectly executed strategy."
Members of Teams JNPR, CRDL, and CFVY engaged in similar discussions, breaking down the fight, analyzing moves, and occasionally expressing disbelief at the power they had witnessed.
Ironwood, turning to Ozpin, remarked, "They have a formidable force. With allies like them, we might stand a chance against any threat."
Ozpin nodded, his gaze distant. "Powerful they may be, but as with all power, it comes with its own set of challenges and responsibilities."
Neo, disguised as Councilor Mauve's aide, recoiled in horror. The confidence she had felt earlier, the certainty of her mission, was now replaced with doubt. The sheer might of Chaldea was overwhelming. They were unprepared for this. She needed to get back to her compatriots and explain that messing with Chaldea would only invite their destruction.
Da Vinci, sensing the general atmosphere, proposed, "Given the excitement of the day and the hour, perhaps it would be best for everyone to rest. We have guest quarters prepared, and tomorrow, we can continue our tour and even explore the town of Mount Arcanus."
Jaune, thankful for Da Vinci's intervention, added, "Our town is a blend of tradition and modernity. I'm sure you'll find it intriguing."
Ozpin, ever the diplomat, graciously accepted. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. A bit of rest will do us all good."
The hallways of Site Beta were quiet, the majority of its inhabitants either resting or wrapping up their work in the labs. However, outside a particular room, tension hung thick in the air.
Jaune stood resolutely, flanked by King Hassan and Emiya (Assassin) in their spirit forms, their presence known only to him. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door to Neo's room.
Moments later, the door cracked open to reveal Neo still acting like the Councilor's aide, her gaze wary and alert. "We need to talk," Jaune began, his voice steady yet not threatening. "I'd like this to remain polite," he continued as Neo raised an eyebrow, "but I must stress that the direction this conversation takes is entirely up to you."
For a brief moment, Neo seemed to weigh her options, her eyes darting momentarily to the corridor as if calculating escape routes or potential threats. But then, perhaps sensing the concealed power beside Jaune or simply deciding to play along, she opened the door fully, gesturing for him to enter.
Inside, the room was neat with one exception: a small suitcase lay open on the bed; inside it were several changes of clothes and other necessities within easy reach.
Neo moved gracefully to sit on the edge of the bed, tilting her head slightly and waiting for Jaune to continue.
"I'm aware you aren't who you say you are," Jaune started, "and I have an inkling of why you're here. But I'd like to hear it from you. What do you hope to achieve?"
Neo's eyes shimmered again at his words as she brought out a pad and pencil and wrote down "Information. A Job."