Chapter 254
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Chapter 254:
Winter Schnee POV
"That's not an answer!" I grounded out, focusing fully on this.....woman who had barged into our fight. Not that I was not extremely grateful for the assistance, but she was infuriatingly dismissive of my questions.
"I stabbed it with my spear, what more do you need to know?" She looked at me like I was a child. "Pointy end goes into soft flesh." She gestured to her....creepy looking spear. "Even Setanta could figure that out after telling him once."
I didn't know who this 'Setanta' is, but I felt like it was an insult.
I had merely wanted to know about the other Mutant Grimm she had fought and how she defeated it. By the sound of it, it seemed to have been some cross between a Alpha Beowolf and an Ursa.
And I had no idea what Dust she used to give the spear that....aura that surrounded it. I could feel the hairs on my arms stands up when I gazed at it. I was an expert on the subject of Dust, but I was coming up empty.
"How did you perform that attack with your spear? Was it some combination of Dust, or Aura Manipulation?" I was duty bound to ask questions regarding this unknown woman. The General would want to know everything about her, or as much as I could get.
Her spear, while exotic, looked to be just a plain spear, I was doubtful it had any hidden mechashift weapons, so perhaps Dust was not a likely method answer to her attack.
"Semblance." She said simply.
"Then how were you able to move that fast!?" I replied.
"Semblance."
I felt my eye twitch. "And that kind of strength or ability to jump so high?"
"Semblance."
I rubbed the bridge of my nose, realizing this was going nowhere. I instead made a mental note of every detail about her. I made sure to retain my composure, I was a Specialist of the Atlas Military, I would not get irritated by a....civilian who had just helped us.
Who had just so happen to have slain one of the biggest Nuckleavee I'd ever seen in addition to it being experimented on by that Merlot bastard.
"And you claim to have no formal training." I said dryly.
"I confessed to being no Huntress. I have never stated to having no training. I have trained and trained many others in my long years."
A recluse then? That wasn't....impossible. The General had told me a few times about some reclusive people who cleared certain areas of Grimm around their homes. They generally wanted nothing to do with the kingdoms and are content to live outside the walls.
"You said your name was Sca –" I paused, trying to recall it.
"Scáthach." She finished. "I suppose the naming conventions of my people are different than what you are used to." She laughed.
"And your last name?" It would help in finding any information on this woman.
"I do not have one." She replied, rather nonchalantly.
That could have a number of reasons behind it. I didn't know if the reason was one brought about by a bad experience, so I decided not to push it. It was just another note to file away for the General.
I looked around at the other members of my team. They were receiving field aid, and it appeared that none would die. I hated to admit it, but we had been taken completely by surprise. Our intel said the nearby base was abandoned, but that was far from the case.
No, if this woman hadn't shown up, I feared the majority of my team would not have made it back. I had already spent a considerable amount of Aura before that Nuckelavee appeared. Merlot had some other....test subjects within the lab, hidden away. It took us by surprise when we returned to the surface from his underground lab, to find that monster waiting for us.
It was by chance that we had even discovered Merlot in the first place a few weeks ago. Amid our hunt for that thief that the General seemed so set on, we stumbled upon one of Merlot's research facilities. Since then we had been scouring specific locations for his other labs.
Mutant Grimm.
To think that someone had been making these right under our noses.
Who knew what sort of damage he could have caused had he built up his disgusting armies and unleashed them upon us without warning.
"Are your men going to be okay?" I was broken from my thoughts as the strange woman asked about my team.
"Y-yes, thank you. If not for your help....." I sighed, not wanting to speak the thought out loud. None of us were unaccustomed to losing teammates – friends, in this line of work, but it wasn't something we liked to speak about.
"It was no trouble." She let out a small laugh. "You are a group of brave warriors, battling that creature in the hopes of preventing harm to the innocent. It was my pleasure to lend a hand."
Despite the way she phrased it, it was nice to hear. We rarely received recognition from civilians.
Still, I couldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my duty. We had secured the objective, and we had the coordinates. It was time to regroup back at Argus where the remainder of our forces were still set up. The General would want to know everything, especially about the method this Merlot devised to block Scroll signals from leaving the area.
"You never said what you were doing this far out in the wilderness." It was....convenient that she appeared when she did. I didn't want to think the worse, but we were taught to always be cautious.
"I was merely wandering. I heard the sounds of fighting and saw what was occurring. Had it appeared that your group were able to handle the beast without much risk, I would have not revealed myself."
I couldn't help but furrow my brow. Another noncommittal answer from her. She was good at answering questions without actually giving an answer. N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n.
"Without any supplies?" I questioned again, noticing her severe lack of food, water, or anything other than her spear. That suit of hers didn't lend itself to concealing anything either...
She just twirled her spear with a chuckle. "I have my spear, there is nothing else I require. There is food if you know how to hunt, there is water if you know how to read the land. And shelter is a matter of working with my hands."
I.....didn't know how to respond to that. Even the most seasoned Huntsman wouldn't dare go into the wilds without enough preparation. It made me wonder if she's just taking me for a fool. Yet.....I also saw her combat ability. There was absolutely no denying that she was strong and experienced.
"We have our Bullhead nearby." I spoke up. "If you want, we have enough room to give you a ride over to Argus?"
She looked like she was considering it. "I've never been to this Argus." She hummed. "Perhaps I shall see it then."
Good. It would give me more time to get some information out of her. And if possible, we may be able to get her to stick around once she saw our base in person. Someone of her talents, I didn't think the General would be against extending an invitation.
***
Scáthach POV
Flying on this metal contraption was an experience worth having. I was hesitant to follow along as they wished to return to a city of some sort, but I had no destination in mind. The whims of fate led me to them in the first place, so exploring a town or city for a day would not be remiss to me.
And I would admit, it was fun watching this young girl try to gleam secrets from my words. I feigned ignorance of her attempts just out of the enjoyment I received from her continued disgruntled looks she made when she thought I wasn't looking.
As this machine began its decent onto a cleared area amongst the bustling civilization, I briefly wondered if I could ask my man to procure me such a vessel for my own enjoyment. I did believe I would quite like taking to the skies in one of these – bullheads.
As we landed, I casted a simple illusion over myself. It appeared as though I stood off to the side when we walked off, but I was actually already leaving the area and was walking towards the the center of city. My illusion would later take the opportunity to disperse when no one was looking.
Perhaps it was a bit cruel of me, but I did not wish to spend too much time meeting the people that woman answered to.
The sights were....interesting. They were similar, yet different enough to hold their own charm along with the uniqueness present. I could recognize some of the architecture that could be compared to that of earth. Some Greek designs coupled with some Eastern designs here or there.
Without any true destination in mind, I decided to follow the flow of the crowds. The large gathering of people seemed to be moving with a purpose in a certain direction.
I appreciated that no one batted an eye due to the fact that I carried my spear so openly. No, it seemed I was not the only one as many others carried weapons freely around the city. A culture of warriors that were respected and acknowledged.
"Don't worry, I made sure the illusion was...accurate." She smirked, spinning around, swaying her butt just a little bit for me to see.
It took all of my self-control not to truly test that.
"Hmm, I should weave an illusion around myself as well. I am a wanted man afterall."
"Yes, your 'Youthful indiscretion'" She snorted, a faint look of amusement on her face.
"Yeah, yes." I didn't believe she would let that one go. "Lets see.....how about black hair?" I snapped my fingers, watching an overlay of my hair turn black.
She gave me a once over. "Acceptable." She nodded.
"So, you like it?" I asked.
"It is acceptable." She crossed her arms, reiterating.
"I'll take that as you like it." I grinned.
"Take it however you want." She rolled her eyes. "I care not for the fake appearance you wrap yourself in."
"That's true, you already said I was handsome as I was before."
She let out a huff, hands resting on her hips. "Are you finished? You spoke of a stroll, this is anything but."
I quickly changed a few more things. My facial structure and some features before nodded to myself. With a wave of my hand, opening a portal to vale.
Salem looked impressed as she eyed it.
"Shall we?" I offered my arm again.
"Very well, I shall accompany you." She took my arm again as we walked through the portal.
***
Salem POV
This was the city that Ozma currently resided in. I had no intentions of coming here so soon, yet, it appeared that this man was capable of convincing me. It would be amusing if he caught sight of me walking around his 'territory' without a care in the world. He would surely run himself ragged trying to find out how I just appeared without any warning.
Regardless, I went along with this foolishness purely to gain more information from him. I most certainly had no other intentions when I accepted his proposal for a stroll through Vale. I had initially been content for just a mutual debate on magic, however, plans seemed to change. I don't know what came over me to allow a man to touch me in such an 'intimate' way as it had not happened in many -- many years.
But it worked for my benefit.
He was young, it was easy to use certain....assets to loosen his lips. His eyes were unable to leave my rear. Not that he made any effort to hide his lecherous gaze.....
It was strange how forthcoming he was with his own acknowledgement of such a thing. I remembered men seemed to be shyer about their proclivities before.
I leaned into his grasp as I began my inquires. "I have some questions you have yet to answer.
"Questions? Sure, hit me."
Easy.
"You said your grandfather taught you magic, yes?" That portal he made, it was something I was unable to mimic. Teleportation, to be anywhere at any time, it was something in the realm of the Gods and not available to mortals, yet he so easily broke that sentiment.
"Sorta." He shrugged. "He taught me some things, but I picked up a lot from other people."
Hmm, he mentioned 'others' but no other mentions of actual people or places. It was astonishing to think that a whole society thrived in secret after humanity was wiped out. I thought Magic truly was gone from the world, yet here was an example of another.
It made me.....reconsider certain plans I had. If Magic truly still existed, did I not have a duty to make it flourish? To bring about true humanity back to the world?
We had no destination in mind as we walked the streets of this city, as the insects scurried about their daily lives, not knowing that their most hateful enemy walked among them. How they would cower and run in fear if they knew that the Queen of the Grimm was but in speaking distance.
Should I ask about the Relics as well? He had two of them ,and it would take time to acquire the other two. No, I should approach this slowly. If I immediately ask about the Relics, it may tip my hand too soon. I had a flurry of questions I wanted to ask, but I dared not scare him away this soon.
"You never did say why you approached me in the first place." His motives were still a mystery to me. I should start from the beginning, and see what more secrets I could unveil.
"I think I said the reason?" He tilted his head, looking thoughtful. "I said I used the Relic of Knowledge to learn about the Grimm, which showed me you. I was curious so I wanted to meet you, and here I am." He smiled.
"You approached the Queen of the Grimm.....on a whim?" It sounded...incredulous. I believe I do recall him mentioning this before, but I believed I was understandably distracted by several other revelations at the time.
"Well, I do have some confidence in myself."
"Hmph, you think me weak or someone not to be feared?" How arrogant. To think he had no stipulations about walking into my domain and confronting me.
"You're looking at it the wrong way."
"And what way should I interpret your words?"
"I walked into the Grimm Lands, I stepped into your place of power." He reiterated. "All so I could just meet you. I wanted to meet Salem, the Grimm Queen enough to potentially be swarmed by unending grimm and beset by all manner of nasties that hid in your realm."
"....what foolish sentiment. False flatter to hide your true intentions, I'm sure." I huffed.
"Uh, huh."
"Stop smiling." I scowled.
"Stop being cute." He said with a cheeky look.
Cute!?
He dared call the Queen of the Grimm Cute!?
T-this man!
How insulting, I cannot allow this to abide. I was still debating if I should pry his secrets or let it be, to make inroads instead. I had decided to take everything of value from him. To ruthlessly pluck every secret and piece of information from his mind.
.....I shall endeavor to win his trust. Even if I must spend extended lengths of time with him, I would bear with it and continue down this path. And I would certainly not enjoy it, nor look forward to such occasions.
A ridiculous notion.
It's all for the sake of my plans, nothing more.
***
And I'm back. Still really exhausted by my move, but i'm here again. Couple more chapters of RWBY and then we're back to DxD
If you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 254:
Winter Schnee POV
"That's not an answer!" I grounded out, focusing fully on this.....woman who had barged into our fight. Not that I was not extremely grateful for the assistance, but she was infuriatingly dismissive of my questions.
"I stabbed it with my spear, what more do you need to know?" She looked at me like I was a child. "Pointy end goes into soft flesh." She gestured to her....creepy looking spear. "Even Setanta could figure that out after telling him once."
I didn't know who this 'Setanta' is, but I felt like it was an insult.
I had merely wanted to know about the other Mutant Grimm she had fought and how she defeated it. By the sound of it, it seemed to have been some cross between a Alpha Beowolf and an Ursa.
And I had no idea what Dust she used to give the spear that....aura that surrounded it. I could feel the hairs on my arms stands up when I gazed at it. I was an expert on the subject of Dust, but I was coming up empty.
"How did you perform that attack with your spear? Was it some combination of Dust, or Aura Manipulation?" I was duty bound to ask questions regarding this unknown woman. The General would want to know everything about her, or as much as I could get.
Her spear, while exotic, looked to be just a plain spear, I was doubtful it had any hidden mechashift weapons, so perhaps Dust was not a likely method answer to her attack.
"Semblance." She said simply.
"Then how were you able to move that fast!?" I replied.
"Semblance."
I felt my eye twitch. "And that kind of strength or ability to jump so high?"
"Semblance."
I rubbed the bridge of my nose, realizing this was going nowhere. I instead made a mental note of every detail about her. I made sure to retain my composure, I was a Specialist of the Atlas Military, I would not get irritated by a....civilian who had just helped us.
Who had just so happen to have slain one of the biggest Nuckleavee I'd ever seen in addition to it being experimented on by that Merlot bastard.
"And you claim to have no formal training." I said dryly.
"I confessed to being no Huntress. I have never stated to having no training. I have trained and trained many others in my long years."
A recluse then? That wasn't....impossible. The General had told me a few times about some reclusive people who cleared certain areas of Grimm around their homes. They generally wanted nothing to do with the kingdoms and are content to live outside the walls.
"You said your name was Sca –" I paused, trying to recall it.
"Scáthach." She finished. "I suppose the naming conventions of my people are different than what you are used to." She laughed.
"And your last name?" It would help in finding any information on this woman.
"I do not have one." She replied, rather nonchalantly.
That could have a number of reasons behind it. I didn't know if the reason was one brought about by a bad experience, so I decided not to push it. It was just another note to file away for the General.
I looked around at the other members of my team. They were receiving field aid, and it appeared that none would die. I hated to admit it, but we had been taken completely by surprise. Our intel said the nearby base was abandoned, but that was far from the case.
No, if this woman hadn't shown up, I feared the majority of my team would not have made it back. I had already spent a considerable amount of Aura before that Nuckelavee appeared. Merlot had some other....test subjects within the lab, hidden away. It took us by surprise when we returned to the surface from his underground lab, to find that monster waiting for us.
It was by chance that we had even discovered Merlot in the first place a few weeks ago. Amid our hunt for that thief that the General seemed so set on, we stumbled upon one of Merlot's research facilities. Since then we had been scouring specific locations for his other labs.
Mutant Grimm.
To think that someone had been making these right under our noses.
Who knew what sort of damage he could have caused had he built up his disgusting armies and unleashed them upon us without warning.
"Are your men going to be okay?" I was broken from my thoughts as the strange woman asked about my team.
"Y-yes, thank you. If not for your help....." I sighed, not wanting to speak the thought out loud. None of us were unaccustomed to losing teammates – friends, in this line of work, but it wasn't something we liked to speak about.
"It was no trouble." She let out a small laugh. "You are a group of brave warriors, battling that creature in the hopes of preventing harm to the innocent. It was my pleasure to lend a hand."
Despite the way she phrased it, it was nice to hear. We rarely received recognition from civilians.
Still, I couldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my duty. We had secured the objective, and we had the coordinates. It was time to regroup back at Argus where the remainder of our forces were still set up. The General would want to know everything, especially about the method this Merlot devised to block Scroll signals from leaving the area.
"You never said what you were doing this far out in the wilderness." It was....convenient that she appeared when she did. I didn't want to think the worse, but we were taught to always be cautious.
"I was merely wandering. I heard the sounds of fighting and saw what was occurring. Had it appeared that your group were able to handle the beast without much risk, I would have not revealed myself."
I couldn't help but furrow my brow. Another noncommittal answer from her. She was good at answering questions without actually giving an answer. N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n.
"Without any supplies?" I questioned again, noticing her severe lack of food, water, or anything other than her spear. That suit of hers didn't lend itself to concealing anything either...
She just twirled her spear with a chuckle. "I have my spear, there is nothing else I require. There is food if you know how to hunt, there is water if you know how to read the land. And shelter is a matter of working with my hands."
I.....didn't know how to respond to that. Even the most seasoned Huntsman wouldn't dare go into the wilds without enough preparation. It made me wonder if she's just taking me for a fool. Yet.....I also saw her combat ability. There was absolutely no denying that she was strong and experienced.
"We have our Bullhead nearby." I spoke up. "If you want, we have enough room to give you a ride over to Argus?"
She looked like she was considering it. "I've never been to this Argus." She hummed. "Perhaps I shall see it then."
Good. It would give me more time to get some information out of her. And if possible, we may be able to get her to stick around once she saw our base in person. Someone of her talents, I didn't think the General would be against extending an invitation.
***
Scáthach POV
Flying on this metal contraption was an experience worth having. I was hesitant to follow along as they wished to return to a city of some sort, but I had no destination in mind. The whims of fate led me to them in the first place, so exploring a town or city for a day would not be remiss to me.
And I would admit, it was fun watching this young girl try to gleam secrets from my words. I feigned ignorance of her attempts just out of the enjoyment I received from her continued disgruntled looks she made when she thought I wasn't looking.
As this machine began its decent onto a cleared area amongst the bustling civilization, I briefly wondered if I could ask my man to procure me such a vessel for my own enjoyment. I did believe I would quite like taking to the skies in one of these – bullheads.
As we landed, I casted a simple illusion over myself. It appeared as though I stood off to the side when we walked off, but I was actually already leaving the area and was walking towards the the center of city. My illusion would later take the opportunity to disperse when no one was looking.
Perhaps it was a bit cruel of me, but I did not wish to spend too much time meeting the people that woman answered to.
The sights were....interesting. They were similar, yet different enough to hold their own charm along with the uniqueness present. I could recognize some of the architecture that could be compared to that of earth. Some Greek designs coupled with some Eastern designs here or there.
Without any true destination in mind, I decided to follow the flow of the crowds. The large gathering of people seemed to be moving with a purpose in a certain direction.
I appreciated that no one batted an eye due to the fact that I carried my spear so openly. No, it seemed I was not the only one as many others carried weapons freely around the city. A culture of warriors that were respected and acknowledged.
"Don't worry, I made sure the illusion was...accurate." She smirked, spinning around, swaying her butt just a little bit for me to see.
It took all of my self-control not to truly test that.
"Hmm, I should weave an illusion around myself as well. I am a wanted man afterall."
"Yes, your 'Youthful indiscretion'" She snorted, a faint look of amusement on her face.
"Yeah, yes." I didn't believe she would let that one go. "Lets see.....how about black hair?" I snapped my fingers, watching an overlay of my hair turn black.
She gave me a once over. "Acceptable." She nodded.
"So, you like it?" I asked.
"It is acceptable." She crossed her arms, reiterating.
"I'll take that as you like it." I grinned.
"Take it however you want." She rolled her eyes. "I care not for the fake appearance you wrap yourself in."
"That's true, you already said I was handsome as I was before."
She let out a huff, hands resting on her hips. "Are you finished? You spoke of a stroll, this is anything but."
I quickly changed a few more things. My facial structure and some features before nodded to myself. With a wave of my hand, opening a portal to vale.
Salem looked impressed as she eyed it.
"Shall we?" I offered my arm again.
"Very well, I shall accompany you." She took my arm again as we walked through the portal.
***
Salem POV
This was the city that Ozma currently resided in. I had no intentions of coming here so soon, yet, it appeared that this man was capable of convincing me. It would be amusing if he caught sight of me walking around his 'territory' without a care in the world. He would surely run himself ragged trying to find out how I just appeared without any warning.
Regardless, I went along with this foolishness purely to gain more information from him. I most certainly had no other intentions when I accepted his proposal for a stroll through Vale. I had initially been content for just a mutual debate on magic, however, plans seemed to change. I don't know what came over me to allow a man to touch me in such an 'intimate' way as it had not happened in many -- many years.
But it worked for my benefit.
He was young, it was easy to use certain....assets to loosen his lips. His eyes were unable to leave my rear. Not that he made any effort to hide his lecherous gaze.....
It was strange how forthcoming he was with his own acknowledgement of such a thing. I remembered men seemed to be shyer about their proclivities before.
I leaned into his grasp as I began my inquires. "I have some questions you have yet to answer.
"Questions? Sure, hit me."
Easy.
"You said your grandfather taught you magic, yes?" That portal he made, it was something I was unable to mimic. Teleportation, to be anywhere at any time, it was something in the realm of the Gods and not available to mortals, yet he so easily broke that sentiment.
"Sorta." He shrugged. "He taught me some things, but I picked up a lot from other people."
Hmm, he mentioned 'others' but no other mentions of actual people or places. It was astonishing to think that a whole society thrived in secret after humanity was wiped out. I thought Magic truly was gone from the world, yet here was an example of another.
It made me.....reconsider certain plans I had. If Magic truly still existed, did I not have a duty to make it flourish? To bring about true humanity back to the world?
We had no destination in mind as we walked the streets of this city, as the insects scurried about their daily lives, not knowing that their most hateful enemy walked among them. How they would cower and run in fear if they knew that the Queen of the Grimm was but in speaking distance.
Should I ask about the Relics as well? He had two of them ,and it would take time to acquire the other two. No, I should approach this slowly. If I immediately ask about the Relics, it may tip my hand too soon. I had a flurry of questions I wanted to ask, but I dared not scare him away this soon.
"You never did say why you approached me in the first place." His motives were still a mystery to me. I should start from the beginning, and see what more secrets I could unveil.
"I think I said the reason?" He tilted his head, looking thoughtful. "I said I used the Relic of Knowledge to learn about the Grimm, which showed me you. I was curious so I wanted to meet you, and here I am." He smiled.
"You approached the Queen of the Grimm.....on a whim?" It sounded...incredulous. I believe I do recall him mentioning this before, but I believed I was understandably distracted by several other revelations at the time.
"Well, I do have some confidence in myself."
"Hmph, you think me weak or someone not to be feared?" How arrogant. To think he had no stipulations about walking into my domain and confronting me.
"You're looking at it the wrong way."
"And what way should I interpret your words?"
"I walked into the Grimm Lands, I stepped into your place of power." He reiterated. "All so I could just meet you. I wanted to meet Salem, the Grimm Queen enough to potentially be swarmed by unending grimm and beset by all manner of nasties that hid in your realm."
"....what foolish sentiment. False flatter to hide your true intentions, I'm sure." I huffed.
"Uh, huh."
"Stop smiling." I scowled.
"Stop being cute." He said with a cheeky look.
Cute!?
He dared call the Queen of the Grimm Cute!?
T-this man!
How insulting, I cannot allow this to abide. I was still debating if I should pry his secrets or let it be, to make inroads instead. I had decided to take everything of value from him. To ruthlessly pluck every secret and piece of information from his mind.
.....I shall endeavor to win his trust. Even if I must spend extended lengths of time with him, I would bear with it and continue down this path. And I would certainly not enjoy it, nor look forward to such occasions.
A ridiculous notion.
It's all for the sake of my plans, nothing more.
***
And I'm back. Still really exhausted by my move, but i'm here again. Couple more chapters of RWBY and then we're back to DxD
If you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone
Chapter 254:Winter Schnee POV "That's not an answer!" I grounded out, focusing fully on this.....woman who had barged into our fight. Not that I was not extremely grateful for the assistance, but she was infuriatingly dismissive of my questions. "I stabbed it with my spear, what more do you need to know?" She looked at me like I was a child. "Pointy end goes into soft flesh." She gestured to her....creepy looking spear. "Even Setanta could figure that out after telling him once." I didn't know who this 'Setanta' is, but I felt like it was an insult. I had merely wanted to know about the other Mutant Grimm she had fought and how she defeated it. By the sound of it, it seemed to have been some cross between a Alpha Beowolf and an Ursa. And I had no idea what Dust she used to give the spear that....aura that surrounded it. I could feel the hairs on my arms stands up when I gazed at it. I was an expert on the subject of Dust, but I was coming up empty. "How did you perform that attack with your spear? Was it some combination of Dust, or Aura Manipulation?" I was duty bound to ask questions regarding this unknown woman. The General would want to know everything about her, or as much as I could get. Her spear, while exotic, looked to be just a plain spear, I was doubtful it had any hidden mechashift weapons, so perhaps Dust was not a likely method answer to her attack. "Semblance." She said simply. "Then how were you able to move that fast!?" I replied. "Semblance." I felt my eye twitch. "And that kind of strength or ability to jump so high?" "Semblance." I rubbed the bridge of my nose, realizing this was going nowhere. I instead made a mental note of every detail about her. I made sure to retain my composure, I was a Specialist of the Atlas Military, I would not get irritated by a....civilian who had just helped us. Who had just so happen to have slain one of the biggest Nuckleavee I'd ever seen in addition to it being experimented on by that Merlot bastard. "And you claim to have no formal training." I said dryly. "I confessed to being no Huntress. I have never stated to having no training. I have trained and trained many others in my long years." A recluse then? That wasn't....impossible. The General had told me a few times about some reclusive people who cleared certain areas of Grimm around their homes. They generally wanted nothing to do with the kingdoms and are content to live outside the walls. "You said your name was Sca " I paused, trying to recall it. "Scathach." She finished. "I suppose the naming conventions of my people are different than what you are used to." She laughed. "And your last name?" It would help in finding any information on this woman. "I do not have one." She replied, rather nonchalantly. That could have a number of reasons behind it. I didn't know if the reason was one brought about by a bad experience, so I decided not to push it. It was just another note to file away for the General. I looked around at the other members of my team. They were receiving field aid, and it appeared that none would die. I hated to admit it, but we had been taken completely by surprise. Our intel said the nearby base was abandoned, but that was far from the case. No, if this woman hadn't shown up, I feared the majority of my team would not have made it back. I had already spent a considerable amount of Aura before that Nuckelavee appeared. Merlot had some other....test subjects within the lab, hidden away. It took us by surprise when we returned to the surface from his underground lab, to find that monster waiting for us. It was by chance that we had even discovered Merlot in the first place a few weeks ago. Amid our hunt for that thief that the General seemed so set on, we stumbled upon one of Merlot's research facilities. Since then we had been scouring specific locations for his other labs. Mutant Grimm. To think that someone had been making these right under our noses. Who knew what sort of damage he could have caused had he built up his disgusting armies and unleashed them upon us without warning. "Are your men going to be okay?" I was broken from my thoughts as the strange woman asked about my team. "Y-yes, thank you. If not for your help....." I sighed, not wanting to speak the thought out loud. None of us were unaccustomed to losing teammates friends, in this line of work, but it wasn't something we liked to speak about. "It was no trouble." She let out a small laugh. "You are a group of brave warriors, battling that creature in the hopes of preventing harm to the innocent. It was my pleasure to lend a hand." Despite the way she phrased it, it was nice to hear. We rarely received recognition from civilians. Still, I couldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my duty. We had secured the objective, and we had the coordinates. It was time to regroup back at Argus where the remainder of our forces were still set up. The General would want to know everything, especially about the method this Merlot devised to block Scroll signals from leaving the area. "You never said what you were doing this far out in the wilderness." It was....convenient that she appeared when she did. I didn't want to think the worse, but we were taught to always be cautious. "I was merely wandering. I heard the sounds of fighting and saw what was occurring. Had it appeared that your group were able to handle the beast without much risk, I would have not revealed myself." I couldn't help but furrow my brow. Another noncommittal answer from her. She was good at answering questions without actually giving an answer. N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n."Without any supplies?" I questioned again, noticing her severe lack of food, water, or anything other than her spear. That suit of hers didn't lend itself to concealing anything either... She just twirled her spear with a chuckle. "I have my spear, there is nothing else I require. There is food if you know how to hunt, there is water if you know how to read the land. And shelter is a matter of working with my hands." I.....didn't know how to respond to that. Even the most seasoned Huntsman wouldn't dare go into the wilds without enough preparation. It made me wonder if she's just taking me for a fool. Yet.....I also saw her combat ability. There was absolutely no denying that she was strong and experienced. "We have our Bullhead nearby." I spoke up. "If you want, we have enough room to give you a ride over to Argus?" She looked like she was considering it. "I've never been to this Argus." She hummed. "Perhaps I shall see it then." Good. It would give me more time to get some information out of her. And if possible, we may be able to get her to stick around once she saw our base in person. Someone of her talents, I didn't think the General would be against extending an invitation. *** Scathach POV Flying on this metal contraption was an experience worth having. I was hesitant to follow along as they wished to return to a city of some sort, but I had no destination in mind. The whims of fate led me to them in the first place, so exploring a town or city for a day would not be remiss to me. And I would admit, it was fun watching this young girl try to gleam secrets from my words. I feigned ignorance of her attempts just out of the enjoyment I received from her continued disgruntled looks she made when she thought I wasn't looking. As this machine began its decent onto a cleared area amongst the bustling civilization, I briefly wondered if I could ask my man to procure me such a vessel for my own enjoyment. I did believe I would quite like taking to the skies in one of these bullheads. As we landed, I casted a simple illusion over myself. It appeared as though I stood off to the side when we walked off, but I was actually already leaving the area and was walking towards the the center of city. My illusion would later take the opportunity to disperse when no one was looking. Perhaps it was a bit cruel of me, but I did not wish to spend too much time meeting the people that woman answered to. The sights were....interesting. They were similar, yet different enough to hold their own charm along with the uniqueness present. I could recognize some of the architecture that could be compared to that of earth. Some Greek designs coupled with some Eastern designs here or there. Without any true destination in mind, I decided to follow the flow of the crowds. The large gathering of people seemed to be moving with a purpose in a certain direction. I appreciated that no one batted an eye due to the fact that I carried my spear so openly. No, it seemed I was not the only one as many others carried weapons freely around the city. A culture of warriors that were respected and acknowledged. "Don't worry, I made sure the illusion was...accurate." She smirked, spinning around, swaying her butt just a little bit for me to see. It took all of my self-control not to truly test that. "Hmm, I should weave an illusion around myself as well. I am a wanted man afterall." "Yes, your 'Youthful indiscretion'" She snorted, a faint look of amusement on her face. "Yeah, yes." I didn't believe she would let that one go. "Lets see.....how about black hair?" I snapped my fingers, watching an overlay of my hair turn black. She gave me a once over. "Acceptable." She nodded. "So, you like it?" I asked. "It is acceptable." She crossed her arms, reiterating. "I'll take that as you like it." I grinned. "Take it however you want." She rolled her eyes. "I care not for the fake appearance you wrap yourself in." "That's true, you already said I was handsome as I was before." She let out a huff, hands resting on her hips. "Are you finished? You spoke of a stroll, this is anything but." I quickly changed a few more things. My facial structure and some features before nodded to myself. With a wave of my hand, opening a portal to vale. Salem looked impressed as she eyed it. "Shall we?" I offered my arm again. "Very well, I shall accompany you." She took my arm again as we walked through the portal. *** Salem POV This was the city that Ozma currently resided in. I had no intentions of coming here so soon, yet, it appeared that this man was capable of convincing me. It would be amusing if he caught sight of me walking around his 'territory' without a care in the world. He would surely run himself ragged trying to find out how I just appeared without any warning. Regardless, I went along with this foolishness purely to gain more information from him. I most certainly had no other intentions when I accepted his proposal for a stroll through Vale. I had initially been content for just a mutual debate on magic, however, plans seemed to change. I don't know what came over me to allow a man to touch me in such an 'intimate' way as it had not happened in many -- many years. But it worked for my benefit. He was young, it was easy to use certain....assets to loosen his lips. His eyes were unable to leave my rear. Not that he made any effort to hide his lecherous gaze..... It was strange how forthcoming he was with his own acknowledgement of such a thing. I remembered men seemed to be shyer about their proclivities before. I leaned into his grasp as I began my inquires. "I have some questions you have yet to answer. "Questions? Sure, hit me." Easy. "You said your grandfather taught you magic, yes?" That portal he made, it was something I was unable to mimic. Teleportation, to be anywhere at any time, it was something in the realm of the Gods and not available to mortals, yet he so easily broke that sentiment. "Sorta." He shrugged. "He taught me some things, but I picked up a lot from other people." Hmm, he mentioned 'others' but no other mentions of actual people or places. It was astonishing to think that a whole society thrived in secret after humanity was wiped out. I thought Magic truly was gone from the world, yet here was an example of another. It made me.....reconsider certain plans I had. If Magic truly still existed, did I not have a duty to make it flourish? To bring about true humanity back to the world? We had no destination in mind as we walked the streets of this city, as the insects scurried about their daily lives, not knowing that their most hateful enemy walked among them. How they would cower and run in fear if they knew that the Queen of the Grimm was but in speaking distance. Should I ask about the Relics as well? He had two of them ,and it would take time to acquire the other two. No, I should approach this slowly. If I immediately ask about the Relics, it may tip my hand too soon. I had a flurry of questions I wanted to ask, but I dared not scare him away this soon. "You never did say why you approached me in the first place." His motives were still a mystery to me. I should start from the beginning, and see what more secrets I could unveil. "I think I said the reason?" He tilted his head, looking thoughtful. "I said I used the Relic of Knowledge to learn about the Grimm, which showed me you. I was curious so I wanted to meet you, and here I am." He smiled. "You approached the Queen of the Grimm.....on a whim?" It sounded...incredulous. I believe I do recall him mentioning this before, but I believed I was understandably distracted by several other revelations at the time. "Well, I do have some confidence in myself." "Hmph, you think me weak or someone not to be feared?" How arrogant. To think he had no stipulations about walking into my domain and confronting me. "You're looking at it the wrong way." "And what way should I interpret your words?" "I walked into the Grimm Lands, I stepped into your place of power." He reiterated. "All so I could just meet you. I wanted to meet Salem, the Grimm Queen enough to potentially be swarmed by unending grimm and beset by all manner of nasties that hid in your realm." "....what foolish sentiment. False flatter to hide your true intentions, I'm sure." I huffed. "Uh, huh." "Stop smiling." I scowled. "Stop being cute." He said with a cheeky look. Cute!? He dared call the Queen of the Grimm Cute!? T-this man! How insulting, I cannot allow this to abide. I was still debating if I should pry his secrets or let it be, to make inroads instead. I had decided to take everything of value from him. To ruthlessly pluck every secret and piece of information from his mind. .....I shall endeavor to win his trust. Even if I must spend extended lengths of time with him, I would bear with it and continue down this path. And I would certainly not enjoy it, nor look forward to such occasions. A ridiculous notion. It's all for the sake of my plans, nothing more. *** And I'm back. Still really exhausted by my move, but i'm here again. Couple more chapters of RWBY and then we're back to DxD If you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone
