Elysium - Schnee empire - Atlas
Jaune and Cardin shivered in their seats, even stacked with coats that stunk the surrounding area with a Sewer scent. It barely held up against the freezing Atlas air. Jaune and Cardin, red with embarrassment as a zone surrounded them. Everyone looked at them with disgust.
The airship rocked as it battled with the Altesian tundra. 'This will all be over, just a little bit more,' Jaune thought, only sheer willpower separating him and puking his guts out and the gap was getting closer. He couldn't risk himself getting even more embarrassment. Cardin, however, didn't care, living as a hobo makes you used to disparaging stares from the public.
"Come on Jaune, here's our stop," Cardin says as he grabs Jaune by the forearm, dragging him along as the public diverged just by their smell alone. Jaune looked concerned as Cardin brought him towards the exit. They shuffle outside the cramped economy train they took to the uptown.
Jaune shielded his eyes as he looked out onto the city. Glass skyscrapers shone light to his eyes as the sun reflecting of them. resembling icicles hanging from an ice cave as it's height scraped against the sky. If Mistral stayed true to its historical culture, The Vale Principality taking its inspiration form the wonders of technology. Elysium was built by the nature around it, the cold white colours of the buildings being a mirror to the grand glaciers and ice mountains that surrounded the city.
That didn't mean Elysium didn't accept technology, a monorail whizzed above Jaune, left shivering as it whipped up a cold breeze attacking Jaune. He was barely holding on. But was invited with the sights of the bright buzz of neon lights that lined the main streets of Elysium.
Jaune was brought back into reality as he felt the tug of Cardin bring him through the hustle and bustle of the city. If there was one thing that was as cold as the weather, it would be the people. They made sure they weren't welcome as a ring of women looked down on the stragglers that somehow made it into uptown. In the overcrowded city they somehow cared to make the space between them a world apart. All Jaune and Cardin would do was to retreat into the back alleys to avoid any unwanted attention they were already bringing to themselves.
Between two dumpsters Jaune and Cardin hatched their plan. "The statue is located in the middle of a huge central park," Cardin explained, "And I don't know if you noticed, these bitches would dial the cops just for our existence, So we need to get out fast,".
Jaune nodded at that information. He sighed as he pondered at the thought of fighting the police. While in Mistral they were glorified primary school teachers, most of them running off with a couple lien in their pockets after a 'routine' stop. "In the Schnee Empire things were different, more likely you were sent off to the hospital if you looked at those motherfuckers the wrong way" Cardin spat.
"But it's a bit different know isn't it" Cardin looked at Jaune while brandishing his dual maces. Jaune sighed at his Cardin's toothy grin. "That's our last resort, We don't want the military coming on our ass do we?," Cardin's receded as his face contorted in concern. Unlike the other regions, the Schnee empire was hell bent on exerting their dominance over the Altesian continent for some weird reason. But whatever the reason, it meant a pain the ass military."If it does get to that let's take a look at our battlefield,"
Jaune and Cardin clambered ontop rooftop making there way to the park. Situated ontop of a building they zeroed in on their target, Central park was huge, an entire forest created after levelling off an entire mountain. Littered with trees and vegetation that weren't native to Atlas. Jean memorial park, a park given to celebrate...
No one really knew, it was a relic that existed before the days of the Schnee empire and now exists as a historical piece tucked in a far off corner of the Central Park, surrounded by circular wall of trees hiding the hidden gem. Good, hidden and as Jaune pointed out, "Close to the exit, A manhole only a few streets off the entrance to the park."
"Ok we get to the statue, do our meditation whatever and if shit hits the fan we book it to the manhole?" Cardin asked to Jaune,"That's the plan""Seems a bit simple but I think it will work,"
Jaune and Cardin made there way to the park, their guards up and attention at their fullest, hands hovering over their holstered weapons beneath the layers of jackets they wore. Jean memorial park in a quiet, unassuming part of the park. The duo checked there surroundings finding nobody around. A great stone statue was erected in the center of a circular wall of trees seemingly seperating Jaune, Cardin and the statue from the rest of the world. They walked closer to the statue, shifting the loose dirt in the path and tripping over overgrown roots. No one had touched this place in a very long time.
The statue was smaller than the Whitebeard's statue, and as Jaune approached, he made out the small details in his body. All Jean had was his fists and even in the grey stone, he could make out the hard skin that calloused his knuckles and palms. Small nicks that Jaune could only assume as an artists' depiction of all his scars were littered all over his body. As his eyes wandered up to his face, above his loosely fitted gi. Jean's black spiky hair bore a shadow over his eyes as Jaune felt as Jean himself was staring straight into his soul. Jaune placed his hand on the statue as he looked at the plaque below,
"Jean watanabe: The King of the fighters, The bringer of the first light"
Amongst all of this, Cardin flicked his eyes over the terrain, looking for any minute movement. "Uhh, Jaune? How long is this going to take? You haven't even started meditating!"
Jaune sighed as he looked back at Cardin. "Where did you even get that? I don't even know how this works all, Whitebeard just kinda showed up when I first met him," He exclaimed
"Look just give it 5 min-" As Jaune's eyes focused on Cardin he noticed something else. A man standing right beside him. Cardin noticed him as well but from Jaune's perspective, He was frozen. Paralyzed from fear? Injury? Jaune couldn't tell
The man stood a little shorter than Cardin and donned the same white Gi that Jean wears, after a bit more looking. 'Oh shit it is him'. Jaune found himself frozen as all he could do was watch Jean take a seat, cross legged on the now white floor. Realizing the differenceJaune and Cardin backed away to distance themselves from him and to meet with each other. they took in their surroundings. In an instant, Elysium fell to a seemingly infinite white expanse, the only thing they were postive was real was each other and Jean just sitting there.
His body was still as if he was in a meditative stance, His eyes closed as the duo waited for him to make a move. none of them have moved in the past minute since they came here. The only noise that echoed throughout the space was Jaune and Cardin's heavy breathing. Having no idea what to do.
Jaune and Cardin looked at each other and looked back at the man. All of a sudden he opened his eyes. Maintaining an eye contact as he looked to Jaune. Before he put his hand out offering a seat in front of him.
Jaune looked at Cardin as Cardin nudged him. 'Make your move' Cardin whispered, retreating back to give the two some space. Jaune understood as sweat dripped from his forehead.
Based of the whitebeard interaction, Jean was completely different. While Whitebeard ruled the space around him, his overhwelming presence but boisterous personality scared Jaune at times but just as quickly fell into comfort. But compared to Jean, everything was uncanilly still, Jaune chalked it up to the difference of their goals during there times as the Warrior of Mankind.
Whitebeard lead his own legions into battle as he clashed with Kaidou during the Great War. A Leader capable of leading his few hundred into battle against hundreds of thousands of beast and Grimm and winning. Jean though had no one, He had to make his own light amongst the darkness during the Age of Darkness. Where the grimm and the dark gods ruled.
In the four maidens story, It is said a huntress gifted with power roamed the earth awakening these four women to give power to mankind against the Dark lords which after began the Age of Light. The story was does not serve the true reality, for it was Jean who slew the dark lords and awakened the four maidens.
His stoic and quiet nature reflected his journey. That man was sat in front of him right now. As Jaune took his seat, Jean's hand didn't retract. In his confusion Jaune eyed him confusingly, awaiting a response. All Jaune got was grunt and a slight shake of the hand. Jaune realised what he needed to do.
Putting out his hand, Jaune reluctantly touched his his palm resting on the mans hand. Suddenly, something surged through Jaune's hand. Pain swam through his body. Jaune tried to rip his hand away from his but no luck. Jeans hand was wrapped around his wrist as the power continued to surge through his body.
Jaune screams flew out his gritted teeth as he looked at him for any reason why. Jean maintained a steady eye contact with him before light poured out from his eyes. Jaune couldn't even question what was happening as a blinding light filled his vision, He could hear Cardin's shout from behind him but he could do nothing as he fell unconscious.
A Heartbeat, *Thump*
Jaune could see nothing
*Thump*
His mind stirred as he tried to find a way out, he slowly started to panick as there was nothing he could do. 'Am I dead?'
*Thump*
No he wasn't, The cold atlas wind whipped around him but more importantly, that screeching pain he felt before was gone. But something was in his body. No, that wasn't right, It was something else, Like a better connection to everything in his body.
*Thump*
Next it was smell. Jaune felt the cold air and.. smoke? Something was wrong, He just needed to get up.
*Thump*
No good, Right now he was just a particle moving around his senses slowly coming back but not quick enough. He was in danger, but didn't know what was happening.
*Thump*
All of a sudden, a sharp ringing manifested himself as he now felt his whole body. He was laid out on the dirt ground and the cold winds whipped around him as the ringing slowly died out.
*Thump*
Finally light, Jaune's eyes opened as he took in his situation. The Statue? Destroyed. He looked up and scanned his surroundings. Cardin was limping over to him as he carried a box with him. He could see Cardin slowly accelerate as he was now in a full sprint to Jaune.
Jaune looked around, People started surrounding the park something had happened and he had completely missed it. Jaune slowly got up as he to felt now his bodily functions returned. "Jaune! We gotta get out of here, We've brought to much attention to ourselves!" Cardin
shouted as took Jaune under his shoulder. Jaune groggily looked at Cardin, "What happened?"
"After your handholding session with that guy, the statue suddenly exploded!" Cardin said helping Jaune up to a full sprint as they booked it out of Central Park, "Let's get to the manhole and get the fuck out of here, There was a box inside the statue."
As Jaune ran with cardin he soon realised the direness of their situation. The wail of police sirens finally reached his ears as it seemed like the entire city was heading to there location. "They must've think we were terrorist or something," Cardin shouted,
"Shit at this point huntresses might get involved" Jaune shouted back, Cardin shook his head, "My mom told me about this, In Elysium everyone sticks to there own roles, Huntresses in partcular you either a specialist in the military or your out hunting grimm, Police takes care of things in the city." Cardin explained.
"The Manhole's right up ahead, It's only a-" Cardin was cut off with the sound of a bullhead hovering a distance away, it's side door aimed right at us. The Altesian air force insignia plastered on the side of it
"Oh shit,"
Soon the airspace became filled with the sight of milirary ships and bullheads One of them situated right above us.
"Fuck something's coming!" Cardin shoutedThis was taking too long, Jaune grabbed Cardin as he prepared.
'The manhole cover is right there, I need to use Soru and get under without anyone seeing'Jaune's legs twitched with power as he prepared to unleash his speed at the same moment, the bullheads doors opened,
In one second. Two Booms were heard throughout the city. Pyrrha and Joan launched themselves at the ground, their velocity much higher than anticipated but with these new found powers they could handle it, Case in point.
Stopping themselves right above the ground with their powerful but admittedly limited control of flight. Blowing wind right below themselves they look around for their targets. After a little bit, they found them, more like, felt them.
Two masses hurdeled towards them, impacting the aura as they were flown back from the momentum of the two men. Pyrrha and Joan initially trying the grab the ground,found the ground coming to them as they pulled towards the road to slow their fall through the air.That didn't stop them from crash landing on a man's cabbage stand.
Pyrrha and Joan groaned from their landing, Before a screech at their ears alerted them to the radio earpiece. "Hustle up girls, those two men are still standing, somehow" Willow said. Pyrrha and Joan flicked their eyes to the two men they to were just starting to regain there footing. Noticing the weakness Pyrrha immediately leaped into action. Pivoting her first foot forward, She tried something new, grabbing new javelin form of Milo, intending to pin the blonde boy to the street behind him.
She filled it with magic, if the empress wanted a show she'll give it. Throwing it with a ferocious force. A wind formed around the spear, whipping around it like a tornado as whistled straight towards the man. Pyrrha soon realised with the new force, she might actually kill him.
"Don't worry about casulties, they intended to kill many lives today," Willow lied, of course that didn't matter, Willow grinned as she witnessed the power of the new fall maiden. Wind whipped up the ground just be being around it cuts would appear on your skin. If only it was a huntress Pyrrha was targetting.
It was unfortunate a regular man was on the receiving end.
That is until, CLANG!.
The spear bounced uselessly off the man's greatsword, the tornado stopped in its tracks as Milo flew uselessly back away from the blonde man. Even under all their training and new powers, they froze in place as they lamented in this new demonstration of power.
If it wasn't for A crescent of bright energy threatening to cut them in half, they probably would've been stuck frozen in complete surpise. Pyrrha dodged and weaved under the crescent in an effort to grab milo. Joan brandished her sword sending a crescent of fire towards that energy. She was eventually forced to dodge as it cut through her magic like butter.
Joan barely scraping away looked at the energy as it sliced apart the already destroyed cabbage stand. This is getting complicated. A shout caught her attention. "Joan!" Flicking between pyrrha she followed her eyes as she looked right in front of her.
The same man that bloked pyrrhas throw was in the air, rivalling the maiden's own flight capabilities, she wished to see the man, his hood and ski mask presenting no oppourtunity to do so. His greatsword already set in cutting me apart. Joan wasted no time. Brandishing the Crocea moors in an attempt to barely defend against the cut. The logo of the arcadian royalty shining the in the sun. She prepared for it, but it never came.
He hesitated, big mistake. Joan forced the attack, infusing it with the power of magic, the sword burned as bright as the sun blinding the man for few seconds leaving him on the back foot. But she needed him knocked out.
the man barely parried a strike leaving him open for a vertical strike. The man barely dodged it but Joan pressed on the advantage. Squezzing the trigger, the stored magic took form a circle of blazing fire that was aimed directly at his head. In conjuction with a vertical slash intended on knocking the man out with the broadside of her sword.
It was over if he managed to react to this, then I might need to reconsider my position as a prodig- CLANG.
Her sword was locked, she couldn't move
Jean looked down to see her sword hitched on the hilt of a greatsword the flames of a maiden doing nothing against this black material, she looked up to see the ball of magic flying uselessly behind him she managed to burn some of his hood off as the smell of burnt wool traveled its way to her nose, finally she looked straight ahead and locked eyes with him, only hand's width away from each other.
What she saw truly made her freeze. Baby blue eyes and a blonde hair as the ski mask burned uselessly in the wind. This couldn't be real. Her eyes welled in tears as they both backed off in fear. She took a knee as she looked at her brother.
Jaune only looked back also seemingly taken aback. Both of them heavily panting as they just stared. 'This couldn't be real what is happening?!'. As if they were stcuk in the own world, the battle stopped. None of them made a move.
Joan, mouth croaked open, her tears were falling out of her eyes as she began to stand up. "Jaune?".
BANG.
In slow motion, Joan looked behind as the police reached the scene, and found where that came from. A bullet traveled from a pistol as it made its way to.
"NO!" Joan stopped the bullet with crocea moors as she looked at the police squad. Her eyes flickered with magic as she started levitating. "What are you doing?!" Joan screamed. She stared the policewoman down as she put down her gun in fear.
Somewhere else, another scream reached her ears, a mans. Joan flicked her sight to see where that came from, Pyrrha was on the ground and she sees Jaune taking his partner away. Joan locked eyes with Jaune they shared a moment. "Save your friend," Jaune whispered, Joan understooed and left them as she went to Pyrrha.
Things have gotten a lot more complicated