Clover Ebi, specialist, member of the Ace Ops, had begun to wonder if his semblance was only bringing good fortune to others. Could a semblance possibly evolve backwards in a way? If so, how could a semblance like good fortune ever evolve backwards that wasn't simply misfortune?
The loud slam of his current partner brought him out of his moment of pondering philosophy and reminded Clover that he was currently in a fight for survival. His opponent was none other than the god of light, albeit wounded. Perhaps, the good fortune would be in his favor and not necessarily for everyone else. He had been assigned to this task because of his semblance; he just needed to survive.
The god of light burned down the ground beneath that the snow didn't have a chance to melt into water before evaporating into steam. Beasts of horror and myth combated one another with one man that had a fishing pole on the sidelines running for cover.
For a Servant that didn't have any divinity, whatever that would entail, mister Hyde fought more furiously and with a wild savagery against the god of light. If Clover were a betting man, he would say that Hyde had better combat experience than even the god of light. It might have been the wounds that was already inflicted. It could be that the god of light tired in the journey while Hyde was waiting making him fully rested.
Clover ran and ran. No matter where he would go, the god of light and mister Hyde would not cease their ferocious battle for territory. Every ground lost was ground gained and both combatants were jealously guarding what had been theirs and enviously snatching what had belonged to the other. If there was a place he couldn't reach, he used his fishing pole to help himself.
Should I be thanking the brothers for my semblance? Clover managed to squeeze a thought in-between his running steps. Feels wrong considering Atlas' enemy right now.
Biting, scratching, breaths of fire, roars of the beast, a wild skirmish kept disturbing the ground. Dust and steam mixed with one another as they rose into the atmosphere. A cloud was forming above them.
Clover couldn't find any length of rest. At most, he could gasp for some air before having to move because the divine drake and wild wolf just refused to back down. His presence was so small and yet the general insisted that he come along. Clover suspects Winter had a hand in that one; she'd have to have convinced the general before she had left.
It wasn't just that he had to keep himself alive; Clover also had to keep his scroll intact. The floating city of Atlas was to become a bullet. The intended target was the god of light but Clover knew that plans like these couldn't hinge on a single target. He wasn't sure if the general suspected it as well but Clover believed that the god of light wasn't the only target; it was a matter of who came second. Harpe was proof that the god of light was simply a target.
God of light's wounds had made him a target for the ferocious claws and jaw of mister Hyde. Every scream and wail was evidence that the god of light could bleed and could be killed.
Then, he checked his scroll and sighed relief. It didn't last for long as he had to keep running, again. Behind him, the god of light fell on the ground with the wolfish Hyde pouncing on top, almost going for the neck as wolves do.
Dragon jaw bit back and mister Hyde was the one on the ground. Furious claws from the back paws were scratching against the god of light. The serpentine form wrapped around Hyde, coiling him tighter and tighter. Clover threw a rock and hoped for the best; he got the attention, how lucky he was. He ran again, how unfortunate.
The scroll had signaled the coming of backup and that Atlas was arriving. Another slam came. This time, it was the god of light that was on the ground. Hyde didn't miss in chance and went straight for the wounded part. More screams and screeches came.
/-/
Whoever it was that suggested that they prepare themselves for the coming fight, Pyrrha had make sure to give that person her thanks. Fully rested, reloaded, and ready for action, the group are now moving towards the god of light and assist mister Hyde. However, records had shown that Salem was also approaching and Watts had given them the courtesy of showing where Cinder was.
Watts had some concerns but he allowed them that. The number of Servants against a wounded god of light would have been too much in their favor. Pyrrha even argued that there is a chance that they could die, which still meant one less Servant for Watts and Archer to deal with.
"I would rather have you than miss Fall, miss Nikos," remarked Archer. "Still, neither I nor my Master could deny the short term benefit to that."
"I'm only glad that we could come to an agreement." Pyrrha bowed.
There was no need for any sort of courtesy anymore. They knew that they would try to kill each other after this. The alliance might as well be one out of convenience. Pyrrha knew that Watts and Archer are making their own plans against them just as she was sure that those two are more certain in Pyrrha and Rider trying to catch up on the planning department.
"You're really not joining?" Ruby asked one last time. Pyrrha still couldn't deny the threat Ruby would pose. But Pyrrha could trust that Ruby would rather that that confrontation be at the end of it all at least. "We could use the help that we could get."
"You have Astolfo, Archer, Sanson, and mister Hyde seems to be doing it all on his own," Pyrrha replied. She even pointed to the distant commotion that they could see from their vantage point. "I think you guys can handle this. Besides, I have my own help too."
"I must still advise caution," said Sanson. He had chosen to stay by Blake's side on this one. "I do not purport to know what Caster has done on Emerald. But I'm willing to suspect that Caster might do upon the god of light what he had done on the faunus."
"Then that is for me to step in." Adam Taurus stepped forward. On his wrist was the very same device that Weiss had worn.
"I'm Servant ready!" Penny saluted. She then bowed cordially to Adam Taurus. "I'll be in your care, mister Adam Taurus."
Blake shook her head. "I cannot believe that Adam of all people is acting Master."
"And that a Schnee of all people would approve of this." Adam raised one eyebrow at Weiss.
Weiss only bowed. "It wasn't easy convincing Winter."
Neo was waving her hand. She was joining them on this expedition as well.
Team JNPR, along with Jeanne, Adam, and Neo, proceeded towards the edge of Atlas. Atlas was entirely abandoned, only a handful of soldiers and huntsmen were stationed here, meant only to ensure that the tech was running smoothly. Watts and Archer were clever men but there were only two of them. The others were simply the muscle.
From their view, it was as though the ground beneath them wasn't moving at all. But the clouds were rushing past them.
"Never did I imagine that I would see Atlas vanish with my own eye," remarked Adam.
"You're saying that as if you're other eye is blind." Pyrrha already knew of Adam's facial circumstances; he showed it to them.
"You expect me to be able to see through them?" Then, he noticed that it was just him, Pyrrha, and Rider. "You have your plans, then?"
"I'll be honest," confessed Pyrrha. "I do not trust Neo, she's been too friendly with Penny ever since we arrived."
Adam chuckled. "And you don't trust me either?"
Pyrrha didn't answer directly. "I trust you more than I do Neo."
"That's good. I can respect that. However, none of you will complain if I get my chance against Cinder."
"I will most definitely complain if I wasn't there to see it. The only consolation is that Rider gets to kill Berserker."
"As if I have the capacity to deal with a Servant."
"Your semblance?"
"My sword broke the first time I fought against a Servant, and that was without these Noble Phantasms."
"Caster has a high rank in strength," Rider explained. "Not what you'd expect given the class but that is the case. It's made even worse when you consider the amount of magical energy that Salem could supply Caster with."
"That's assuming those two still have a good relationship." Jeanne's eyes were burning. "If you'd let me, I'll handle Caster."
It was Rider who stared. None else on team JNPR nor did Adam have any reaction at that conviction.
"Caster bears the face of Gilles de Rais. I will not let my comrade's redemption while on this world go to waste."
"It's a miracle that he isn't obsessed with me," remarked Rider. "Then again, I already have Cinder."
"He would have if you were a girl. If it was Gilles, you'd have to be a little boy." Jeanne had to have noticed the looks she was getting now. "It was after my time, and I will stand by the idea that he was framed. I was accused of being a witch and it wouldn't surprise if he was the same."
Nora interrupted them. "We're here, guys!"
They had reached the lowest point of Atlas' floating geography. Rider's Paper Pleasers manifested in groups. They the living people among them.
"I can manage." Jeanne declined the offer. Her eyes burned and she had begun to fly.
It was difficult to feel any movement while still grounded in Atlas. But once they had taken their first step outside of it, they could all feel the winds pushing against them. Had they been any higher, they would have been struck by the stones and ground that still clung to Atlas. A marvelous wonder of technology, it was a miracle that none of those stones had fallen from Atlas and onto Mantle in all those years.
The landing itself wasn't the most pleasant of moments. Stalagmites and abandoned outposts and buildings were the only means of shelter against the blistering cold. Then, Jeanne had conjured an igloo for them.
A massive structure of ice surrounded them, yet the freezing cold did not reach them. There was no breeze to lower their temperatures and there was enough warmth from Jeanne's newly conjured fire without melting the ice that she had just made.
Atlas' floating form was already out of sight. Flashes of light could be seen peeking from the other side of the ice wall.
"I can take the first watch!" offered Penny. "I'm watcher ready!"
"We'll do it together," said Jeanne. "We're Servants, we have no need for rest."
"Rider," said Pyrrha. "Let's scout ahead."
He nodded and whistled. At that command appeared Juniper the mount.
"We'll be back quick."
Juniper's hooves were swift and light. Ren and Nora waved farewell with Nora wrapping herself around Jeanne before their forms were ultimately gone from sight.
Atlas' floating form returned to view. Juniper's speed quickly closed that distance again that Pyrrha could be beneath Atlas and still maintain pace. However, Juniper had parted from Atlas' path as the distant combat between the god of light and mister Hyde was not their fight to have.
It was there that Rider spoke up. "You're not planning on taking Cinder on her own, are you?"
"I was thinking of drawing her towards us. Same thing that we've done for the god of light."
"An ambush." Rider summarized. Pyrrha nodded at the answer. "I'm not sure how we could keep that jig up without making Cinder suspicious."
"That's why we're not going to engage her quickly."
Juniper resumed its path, deliberately circling around the estimated point given to them by Watts. Horrible qualities of video feed were their only reference. Cinder had destroyed some of them deliberately and that alone was enough to convince Pyrrha that she knew that they were coming.
"Have you noticed anything strange in those feeds?" Pyrrha asked.
"She and Berserker are coming along," Rider commented. "There is… a kindness from Cinder in how she's treating Berserker. It's hard to tell but she's not as cruel as she used to be."
"Not exactly what I was going for but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."
The back of Rider's head turned. Then, he realized it. "Oh, you mean that she's alone."
Pyrrha nodded. "Emerald really is gone." Her eyes trailed towards the other estimated location: Salem's Monstra. "I don't want to think of where she could have been."
Juniper paused.
"Rider?"
"Monstra changed course." Rider pointed towards the black dot in the sky. "Look at that."
Pyrrha couldn't make out the details. But the blurry dot that was moving swiftly must have been Monstra if Rider was that confident in it. It wasn't moving towards Atlas at all. By their trajectory, it was moving towards Mantle.
"What should we do, Master?"
She cursed. "Can we find evidence of Cinder's path while we're at it? How fast can we move?"
Rider looked at Juniper. Anxiety had lasted only a moment as Juniper's version of Ren's Tranquility had washed over them. That change was a reliable thing that kept their minds in a calmer state.
But still, Rider said: "even if we find them on time, we would be rushing it if we did."
Pyrrha pulled out her scroll. There was no means of contacting Watts from their location, they were out of range of any support towers.
"Master?" Rider kept Juniper calm. "Orders?"
Tranquility washed over her once more. "Let's go back and inform the others. We can decide on what to do after that."
Juniper sped back to the ice barrier. Jeanne and the rest were there waiting for them with team Jeanne being rather surprised at their so quick return.
"Salem is already within the borders?" Jeanne asked again.
Rider nodded, confirming it. "There are more people in Mantle. More souls. More of those Repha'im."
The mention of the Repha'im had Adam Taurus stiffening.
"Penny," Pyrrha said. "Can you connect with the others?"
"I'm sorry. But Atlas is too far out of range."
Adam himself kept his distance on one side of the ice wall with Neo maintaining hers on the other side. It was clear on both of their expressions that they wished to prioritize Cinder but Adam seemed more willing to cooperate and protect Mantle. Neo couldn't care less if she tried.
But night was slowly coming over them. They could hope that Raven had finished her duties back in Mistral; Qrow was stationed in Mantle for the explicit purpose of quick transportation. Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora were stationed around a fire that Jeanne herself had made. Adam and Neo had their own separate flame just next to team JNPR's little circle. It was Adam that had lain next to them with Neo on the farther end.
"Rider?" Pyrrha asked.
"We'll stay up." Rider guaranteed it. He even removed his helmet.
Jeanne was further giving Penny some energy. Penny was grateful for it. She remarked: "Energy output: sufficient for Frankenstein phantasm release. Blasted Tree protocol: access granted. Thank you, friend!"
"Anytime, Penny." Jeanne sat next to Rider. She noticed that Pyrrha was still awake. "Don't worry about us, we'll shout if anything happens."
Pyrrha nodded and went to sleep.
/-/
Watching Pyrrha and the others did little to distract Ruby from their coming approach of the god of light. Even from their vantage point, she could make out the figures battling there without any need for her scope. Looking through her scope only made things worse with how fast those two combatants were moving.
"Mister Hyde is quite protective, isn't he?" remarked Archer. Both he and Ruby were the only ones who could see better from this distance but Ruby had her scope to help her. Archer was an Archer. "I would have said that it is because he hasn't run free in so long that he's letting lose all the steam here but that would be erroneous. For one, he actually cares for Clover's safety to not let any harm come his way. Two, he is rather efficient; Hyde is often someone who craves the violence yet he seems intent of killing the god of light without us, even if it wouldn't work."
"Uh," Ruby asked. "Are you talking to someone?"
"Hmm? Oh, just thinking out loud, miss Rose. Having a mind like mine and my Master, such matters can get scrambled if it remained in our heads. Of course I could do it but doing so still makes it easier. It is not like I'm unveiling my current plans for you to hear, after all. An awareness built on experience I assure you; it is not some gifted genius though I will gladly accept the praise."
"Okay." Ruby didn't want to know any further. Instead, she stood up and went back down from their vantage point.
Docking bay had many airships, most of them were meant for the people still trying to keep Atlas afloat. But one bullhead was already going through the final inspections as that would be the one that team RWBY, along with the Servants would use. The general himself would accompany them since they were still young, though professional huntresses. Even the presence of the Servants, of which there are three counting Ruby's own, did nothing to stop Ironwood from joining them.
"In this battle for Remnant," he had explained. "I will not sit back and send children to the front lines. I understand that you are a Master, miss Rose, but the same cannot be said for the rest of your team. I also know the rest of you to be stubborn and will follow your team leader even if I had ordered you to remain; none of you are my soldiers. I will not treat you as soldiers. But I shall treat you as students still. I owe that much to your uncle Qrow, your sister Winter, and your mother and father, miss Belladonna. And I'm sure that Oz would want me to keep you safe."
Either he wasn't surprised or Ironwood knew how to hide his grief at headmaster Ozpin's permanent death.
Ruby found her team there in the docking bay, waiting for the orders to go. They'd know once the general would arrive. No one wanted to be elsewhere considering that it wasn't some building they were in but rather all of Atlas. The time it would take to look for any of them would have cost them too much. No one could afford to be anywhere where they aren't supposed to be.
Everyone had been distracting themselves. Yang was busy brushing her hair way too fast to be anything remotely concerned about how she looks, though still delicate. Weiss was practicing her forms and posture, somewhat guided by Sanson who seemed to have some knowledge on Weiss' own fighting style with that rapier.
"I knew of someone who was good with a sword," Sanson explained. "Sometimes a woman, sometimes a man, I would say that they were absolutely excellent in infiltration and espionage. A fellow Chevalier like myself."
How Sanson managed to hold his slab of metal the same way Weiss holds her weapon, which is a toothpick by comparison, is beyond Ruby.
Blake, rather than reading, was writing. She wasn't writing a letter for anyone nor was she making any stories of her own. It was a journal. She stopped now and was massaging her wrists.
No one noticed her arrival until she was within the group herself.
"Any news yet, Rubes?" Yang asked. She stopped brushing her hair and she appeared anxious and raring to go already.
Anything was better than idling about, waiting for their fight. They had no Paper Army to support them this time. Though the god of light hadn't brought any toys, that didn't ease their concerns. They were still approaching and yet they could already hear the vague sounds of the fight coming from the distance. The fact that their current ship is the entire city of Atlas, Ruby felt confident in saying that she had little confidence in her current combat capabilities.
Most of which came from the fact that her Servant, and even herself, or at least her eyes, were from the god of light himself.
"Hey." Lancer knew what she was thinking and manifested before her. "Just because I'm silver-eyed doesn't mean I'm useless!"
"Can you slay dragons at least?" Ruby asked.
"Do Grimm Wyverns count?"
"Maybe?" Ruby shrugged. "Do they?"
Blake overheard their conversation and joined in. "They're close enough to being in dragon-like shape. Does that help?"
"I burn," Yang said. "Dragons burn things. Do I count?"
"I haven't killed one so I couldn't summon one," Weiss said.
All members of team RWBY, even Lancer, looked to Sanson. "I execute people," he said. "Unless royalty counts, no."
"Draconian laws?" Blake shrugged.
"I don't believe that is close, miss Belladonna."
Ruby couldn't take it anymore. "Does anybody here have any means of fighting a dragon? Or a god? Anything?"
"If Chiron was here, you'd have better chances," Sanson commented. "Ancient Greece has its share of mortals challenging gods. Not all of it turns out well for the mortals."
"Not helping, Sanson." Blake shook her head.
"It's actually almost always turns out horrible for mortals." Sanson was indifferent. "To be honest, I'm failing at recalling any one time it turned out well for the mortal."
Ruby groaned. Everyone else resumed to their usual distractions but Ruby didn't have any. Lancer didn't even try to teach Ruby anything silver-eye-powers related. Not only did they not have enough time, they have too much time. Each ticking second of the clock felt like a minute and a minute felt like an hour. Ruby could nap here for twelve hours and wake up with only two hours having passed.
Tapping her fingers, she was learning how to be a drummer. Or was it a beatboxer? She groaned and laid down on the box, hoping to take a nap. Nothing. It was doing nothing. Counting the lights above like they were stars, Ruby soon estimated their distances from one another and connected them with an imaginary line, careful to not let the lines reach the same point twice.
Then she began to count the individual bolts that she could see. "…sixty-seven, sixty-eight, sixty-nine." She paused. "Did I count that one already?"
The battle sounds still remained faint. Despite their speeds, Ruby felt as though they were not getting any closer to their destination at all. No entertainment could distract them as all energies and connections were tied towards information and towards the god of light.
Grimm would have been welcome by now. Something, anything to distract them with.
"I really wish I brought a comic book right now," Ruby remarked. She was groaning "That'd be great."
"Board games would have been much better," commented Yang.
"I'd rather do something physical to be honest," said Blake. "I don't want to think right now."
"Yet you're the one doing the writing."
"I'm just pouring out random words. Half of them don't make sense, and I can't remember the other half with how horrid this penmanship is."
Weiss was wiping her sweat. "Believe me, physical doesn't do it either."
Sanson commented: "it is a good thing that you're training your stamina, miss Weiss. But this isn't the best time for one to push your limits. You'll need all your strength when the fight comes and half of your stamina is already drained by the mental strain."
"Like I have anything else to do!" Weiss raised her sword above her head along with her free hand. "We could have been at the Schnee Manor and I could at least have the illusion that I am back home or at least prepare some tea for everyone. Brothers know that we need some stress-relieving tea!"
"I could make one if you wish," Sanson offered. "There is a supply here that we could go to."
"You mean the rations?" Yang asked. "What good are Atlas military rations?"
"There are a few here, scavenged mostly for this moment. Wait here."
Sanson left them alone. He came back a few minutes later.
"Army stew?"
"A what?" Ruby asked.
"Something one learns while on the march," Sanson said as he prepared. He seemed to move with some familiarity.
"Grail knowledge," Lancer said. "Bunch of random stuff can get added but that's probably leftovers from other heroic spirits, it's bound to be relevant to somebody."
"When on the march," Sanson said. "Oftentimes, an army couldn't rely entirely on their carried rations and would have to scavenge around them." He was putting stuff in there. Ruby couldn't tell what those were and Weiss' face showed all sorts of judgement, none of it were good.
Whatever the final product was, Ruby would take it for no other reason than to keep herself warm and have something to eat.
"That is not of your time, Sanson," Lancer remarked.
"I made do with what was available." Sanson distributed the plates, bowls, and cups, to whoever wanted one. "I mean it."
"I know that," Blake remarked. "Dad used to make something like this. It's always different per household."
Sanson smiled. "It was one of the things your father taught me during my stay." There was a melancholy between them. Sanson and Blake shared in one another's grief. "Even before the White Fang turned to violence, he and the rest of the faunus would have to scavenge for food and supplies when they couldn't find any settlements."
"Yeah." Blake nodded. "I remember how we used to do that with our raids."
Yang kept her distance from Blake. There was no animosity there but there was certainly a change that Ruby could see. Those two couldn't just start over as if nothing had happened. Everyone knew that but the fact was that those two could at least acknowledge one another's presence was enough for Ruby.
As for this army stew, it was red and that meant spicy. However, the steam also meant that it was hot. Ruby only wanted to soup for now and was immediately brought back to life by the spice. Yang, by contrast, was taking it remotely well. Between the two siblings, Yang was the one with better handling of spice.
Blake was the best among them. This meal was probably a trip down memory lane for her. Already, Blake had crawled up as if she was sharing a tightly cramped shelter with someone else. But as it stands, there was a wide space that Blake didn't need to do any of that. Sanson was of a similar boat with how he was looking above; it was like he could see Blake's parents.
Lancer was faring well enough. Perhaps it was a Servant thing.
Weiss, on the other hand, was the worst among them. Her fair skin, white as snow, was turning redder than the reddest apple. Lancer had to grab a falling Weiss with Yang holding onto the cup. Looking at the cup, Yang commented: "not even a sip. How bland is Atlas cuisine?"
"Very," Blake answered. "We raided a few Schnee kitchens and had a few… demonstrations during events; I sampled a few. Correction, it's actually high-class Atlas cuisine."
"Most of these were imported from Mistral and Vacuo," Sanson explained.
"I canth theel anything." Weiss had her tongue out. "I can only theel the thice."
Cold milk was enough to relieve Weiss. After a few more breaths, her usual speech returned.
"That was horrible and I don't ever want to do that again. There is such a thing as too spicy, you know."
Blake shrugged. "Out there, you need the heat in order to survive the cold nights."
It was enough that it was getting their attentions. It was a challenge whether or not Yang could outlast Blake. However, Blake was used to this considering her experience. In the end, it was Blake who won that exchange.
Sanson had cleaned up after them. But Blake insisted on joining on this matter. Something about how the White Fang would have to look out for each other and that it is more efficient this way.
"Well," Yang said. "I'm distracted. How much time do we got left?"
"We should be deploying in a few minutes actually." Weiss thanked Sanson when he had found a cloth; she was still red after all that; it didn't help that she kept trying anyway.
They didn't wait for long before the alarm blared in the docking bay. All the Servants readied their weapons and waited for a little while longer. Team RWBY already knew what this meant. They were near enough.
General Ironwood came running. He didn't give them the time to brief before he went inside the airship and aggressively motioned for them to follow. He was to be their pilot. Astolfo was running behind him.
The bullhead began its sequence and the at the moment that they were lifted into the air, the bullhead was already moving towards the open space behind them. Team RWBY managed to feel the movement now.
"Miss Belladonna," said Sanson. "Over the course of this confrontation, I shall leave the commands to you. I shall act as your Servant, if you would have me."
Blake nodded. "Understood."
Astolfo put an arm on Yang. "Looks like I'll be in your care, miss Xiao Long! Give me the manliest commands you got. Make the boys back home proud."
Yang looked down at the lark design on her prosthetic. "You got it."
Ruby already had Lancer.
"So where's mine?" asked Weiss. "I'm just saying that you three got a Servant and Penny is with Adam."
A wolfish roar was her answer.
"Doctor Jekyll seems nice," Ruby said. "Only mister Hyde seems to be the problem here."
Weiss nodded. But she didn't seem too excited about it. "I shouldn't be surprised."
AN: I don't know if Sanson and d'Eon actually met historically, but there is a chance considering time periods. Plus, Sanson is also a Chevalier and given their professions social circles, they might have met.