@Lazo@Awesomoman64@Guess Who@AbillioncatsBlossoming Relationships
The airship that had arrived to pick up the members of Team STRV (name pending) was one of distinctly Atlesian manufacture, with the gleaming white steel and thin, pointed frame that was characteristic of machines built in the cold northern nation. It was not a design that was unknown to most Huntsmen, given how frequently Atlas involved itself in peacekeeping operations around Remnant, but few of the Beacon students at the Academy docks (excepting those who were actually native to the north, such as one Sand Vespa) would recognise the emblem of the Ministry of Science painted onto the nose. Rather than transporting Atlesian specialists or troops, the ship descending onto the platform was instead in service to another branch of the Atlesian government.
It was not particularly surprising, however. Given the nature of the mission and the involvement of the
International Centre for the Extermination of Creatures Antagonistic to Mankind, jurisdiction would obviously fall to the Science Ministry, or to be more precise, its child organisation: the
Groups for the Regulation and Application of Newly Observed or Learned Abilities and Sciences.
While improvements in Grimm extermination were obviously appreciated by the Atlesian military, they considered it an absolute necessity to first ensure the safety and reliability of anything developed by either their in-house skunkworks team or other contractors (in the military-industrial complex). As an independent, multinational enterprise, ICE CreAM was neither of these, so instead the Kingdoms would send inspectors to their facilities to make sure everything was in order. As the main source of ICE CreAM's funding, and due to their greater overall focus on technology compared to other states, it was usually Atlas that was responsible for performing inspections.
Via the Groups for the Regulation and Application of Newly Observed or Learned Abilities and Sciences, of course.
And as the members of STRV filed onto the airship and past the armoured guards that were ever-present in any Atlesian operation, they were called to the bridge to meet with a representative of the said organisation for their briefing. No time was granted for settling in. It was straight to business for them.
"You have all arrived," said the inspector, turning away from the main screen to face the Beacon students as they exited onto the white bridge. "Good, then we shall make this a quick one."
She was ... pink.
Shockingly pink.
If a certain famous pop idol were to be blessed by Zeus, she would be a perfect descriptor for how ...
utterly pink the individual standing before STRV was.
From the top of her pale head to her toes, the inspector was covered entirely in pink. Her curly, platinum-blonde hair was accompanied by a braided ponytail held up by a flowery,
pink bow that was clearly silk. Her blouse was white, but it was essentially hidden underneath the huge, fluffy, furred shawl that was also glaringly
pink, as if the corpse of some cute animal had been draped around her shoulders. Her dress skirt, though professional in
appearance, was a single shade of
pink as well.
Her flats? Fortunately white. But there was still more pink to her. Her nails? Painted a bright pink. Her lips? Pink lipstick. Her earrings? Pink rose diamonds. The leash dangling around one arm? Pink. The fluffy poodle that she was embracing, one hand gently rubbing its chin? Pink and white.
"My name is Thoúlē Aristeas," she continued, caring naught for their opinions on her fashion. "I am the Atlesian Inspector that requested your presence. Our glorious mission today is to take account of what misdemeanours could be plaguing ICE CreAM's central facility, and if necessary, resolve them. We may be attacked by Grimm en route, so you may act to neutralise any threat they could pose to our quest."