The Last Hunter
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Illithid behind the Curtain: Laying the Foundations
🕑 Added 2024-04-09 06:53:16 +0000 UTCIt was one thing to have a goal, another to immediately do it. Wizard though I was, even I had limits and I had much to do first. Money was no problem there thankfully, my hidden stores of plunder and petty cash safe right where I put it. Stored with Leomund's Secret Chest, out in the ethereal plane. In a number of bags of holding, Hannibal had stored the majority of the party cash, citing himself as the responsible one and while the rest grumbled, it worked well enough. We all had our own personal coffers as well, but mine had been lost in the final battle and I wasn't about to go looking for that any time soon.
Ten thousand gold dragons were a pittance, given to the good captain on the spot before Taiyang and I finished repairing his vessel and hammered out final details. That done, we teleported back to my tower, and I immediately got to work even as Taiyang went off to go check his home and messages.
The first thing I needed to do was buy Patch-the entire island. Gold sung pretty in anyone's ears and to avoid trouble, I spent the rest of my day making ingots with my personal seal-that of a serpent devouring its tail. Then when all that was done the next three days over, I called for Taiyang and asked him a favor, something I never thought I'd do.
I asked for him to tell Ozpin the Wizard of Patch would be happy to talk to him now.
I didn't expect how enthusiastic he'd be however, the moment he called Taiyang seconds after the text.
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"You must understand, I had thought Magic gone forever." I was in my Esmerelda guise and out of my own amusement, had opted for the classic look. A slightly worn black dress, a pointed wide brimmed hat and a few hat pins slipped in, with my hair tied back into some kind of complicated braid that had amused Taiyang to do so I let it happen. My eyes fixed on Ozpin, one brow quirked as I channeled my best Weatherwax impression.
"You may as well try to destroy gravity or stop the tides. Magic is a force of its own and it wants to be released, it wants to be used. Just look at aura and semblances, to see my point." Ozpin inclined his head, curious and smiling as he spoke smoothly back.
"I'll defer to your expertise at that. I am somewhat curious however, what made you approach me now after all this time?" I pondered for a moment, musing before I spoke to the immortal.
"I'm... Working on a project of sorts. Still need to lay out some of the foundations, but among them is a need for property. So, someone told me you were a big shot apparently."
Taiyang out of the shot snorted and I ignored him, continuing on. "And well... Call this a friendly meet and greet. I've been convinced to do more than just hide away in my tower. So, I was hoping for a favor." If Ozpin had been interested before, he was utterly fascinated now as he spoke on.
"I'm listening."
"I'm looking for an introduction to the sort of folks who can sell me Patch. The entire island mind you. Not a bit, not a forest- the whole kit and kaboodle." I then added with a smile. "In return, I'll be willing to show you a sneak peek at what I have planned for the Vytal Festival, at the point we reveal ourselves to the entire world. And I'll even let you be the first to get a taste by say...." I consider and say casually.
"... Sending two of your first-year teams to my school for a crash course?" I already knew it was possible thanks to Ruby and her brush with magic. If I could get team RWBY and team JNPR to start likewise seeing what clicked with them, I could breathe a lot easier knowing I prepared them better. In addition, there were some skills that could use a lot more polish and the sooner I had them more used to working as a team, as a party... The better they'd be prepared for what was to come.
And I missed my girls, I admitted to myself. They were only in school for so long, and I missed them. Ozpin merely grinned, nodded and spoke.
"I might know a few people. And team RWNN and team JYRB would benefit greatly from your unique skillset. I'll be in touch... Headmistress."
And he ended the call, presumably to hob with the nobs as I blinked and blue screened internally at that little throwaway line. Team RWNN? JYRB?
Wot?
Wot?!
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As soon as I got Patch's deeds and everything else all neat and tidy (Ozpin had been as good as his word), he had requested to visit personally to watch my workings. I saw no problem with it, and at the designated area waited for him as I hummed quietly as Taiyang likewise waited in the clearing. Soon enough, the sound of a bullhead engine thrummed in the air and the sight of it approaching made me put a hand to my hat, another on my thigh to keep my clothing from whipping away too wildly as it landed, and the doors opened.
A blonde, armored kid immediately dove for the ground, retching as Yang stepped out, gingerly keeping her distance even as she tried to support via spontaneous telekinesis apparently. Out of all the changes I'd make to this setting, I still had no idea how Jaune Arc of all people managed to partner up with Yang Xiao Long. Lie Ren stepped out next, Blake Belladona likewise as they both looked at me rather intensely for kids, though I knew it was just their nature.
I crossed my arms, letting out a tsk'ing noise as I peered at the team, giving Yang a wink before I spoke aloud, musingly.
"Now then... I thought I requested two teams. Ozpin ain't holding back on me, is he?"
A laughing mind suddenly came for me from the side, and I held up an arm, almost flexing as a shimmer of air rapidly transformed back into Ruby, to my astonishment. Ruby herself grinned, hoisting herself onto my bicep as she cried out.
"Aunty Esme, Aunty Esme! Did you miss me?!"
I looked into those eyes, smiled fondly and booped the end of her nose.
"Who are you again, brat?"
She giggled, letting herself drop as I turned to see Ozpin, standing next to an amused Pyrrha, scandalized Weiss and a suspiciously excited Nora as I spoke. "Well, that's a bit of a surprise. Your doing, headmaster?"
"Her own work. She wanted to show you some of what she invented." Invented? My eyes turned to Ruby as she beamed and held up her Crescent Rose, which looked much the same save for some kind of runic addition clamp which startled me as she began speaking.
"So, I was thinking about what you first told me. And then I tried applying my way of thought to it, tried to imagine it as an engineering problem. Now my baby is much more effective! It takes ambient mana, drawing from the atmosphere as well as the kinetic motion of my body whenever I move and hold it, and discharges whenever I shoot or slash with it! It's been carving up the Grimm like they were turkeys!" I turned out the magi-technobabble, impressed and smiling but internally surprised.
Between the invisibility and her addition, I think my little Rose became an Artificer.
With pride in my voice, I speak. "It's an honored path you travel and there's someone I know who you're going to love talking to... In a manner. But I am very, very proud of you." Ruby chuckled and I turned to the rest, smiling at Taiyang who had taken the time to hug Yang to her (admittedly weak) protests before I spoke to the rest.
"As for the rest of you, I am Esmerelda Weatherwax. The Wizard of Patch. And when the Vytal festival arrives, me and mine will have a message for the world." I turn to the area in question, raise my hands and begin to chant. There is power in my words, that vibrate the air at my working and Ozpin stares, nostalgic and hungry. For the rest, it is their first experience with the sort of magic I can do, and they watch, skeptic at first as the Xiao Long-Rose clan smile on before a golden circle emerges in the air. Heat ripples out, flames burst up into the skies as I hear Weiss in the background weakly, trying to come up with a logical explanation.
When the Magma Elemental emerges, those protests die.
He's a gargantuan figure, someone whose name I had scried for, proud and intrigued by the sight of us. I look at him and mind to mind, there's a whisper of thought, interest and then satisfaction.
I summon my chest again, the thing appearing in midair as I take out fire dust crystals, some of the larger samples that had been mined from space and the Elemental looks interested before he turns and oozes off-the crystals taken, devoured as he begins his work. On the coastal edge, he makes himself at home as slowly, bit by bit he begins to create a hill around him. One that will eventually become a mountain and then more land to expand for Patch, as fire elementals flow and follow their king, aiding in before I waited and then pull out a scroll.
From the Earth Elemental Plane comes a diamond-encrusted gargantuan figure whom I dub in my mind 'Mr. Shine', who takes the dust I offer and dives into the earth, followed by his subjects. Next comes the skies, as a whirlwind appears and, in the water, a massive sea serpent made of water who likewise dives to seed and protect the area around my island.
One after the other, moving out as I pant and wipe my brow before grinning. Clapping my hands, I turn to my audience. About all of them but Ozpin who merely smiled fondly and my little trio of troublemakers looked like they were reevaluating everything they knew before a blur that could rival Ruby appeared by me, as Nora on her knees grabbed my leg and cried out.
"TEACH ME YOUR WAAAAAAYS!"
"Nora! Have more dignity than that!" Weiss said hotly, which would had been more amusing were she not grabbing the other leg. Einzbern barked gently, my other eyebrow joining as I looked at Weiss with interest. Well, well, well.
Looks like someone got their first familiar.
What an interesting day.
