Alright so a couple of different people recommended this idea and I thought it looked neat so here it is. The premise is taken from Professor Layton and the Unwound Future and is in a way the reverse of A Knight's New Fight. Hope you all like this. I do not own RWBY.
One Last Fight for a Knight.
Ozpin's POV
This was a mistake. I shouldn't have brought RWBY, NPR, Glynda, Qrow, and Ironwood with me. I should have come by myself. Salem has grown in strength so much while I've declined over the years, by fight with Cinder showed me that. Even with the intense training regimen I've under gone these past two years hasn't narrowed the gap at all. Ironwood has lost his prosthetic arm while Qrow is merely wielding half of his weapon, the only reason Glynda is on her feet right now is the arm she's wrapped around my shoulder. RWBY and NPR are lying on the ground in front of us on the verge of collapse. Salem is across the cave from us with a smirk on her face and a look of sadistic glee in her eyes
"Oh Ozpin you disappoint me so. Honestly, what were you thinking bringing such weaklings to this fight? You might have actually dealt more damage if you hadn't needed to protect these worms." How far the woman I once researched aura with has fallen. She holds a hand out in front of her and dark energy gathers in front of her hand and forms a ball.
"You really should have just focused on training yourself Ozpin, perhaps if you weren't so focused on your students you would have beaten me." She doesn't understand, even though I never age I'm not immortal, I can still die. It's my duty to try to guide the younger generation, I hope my lessons have stuck over the years. The blast fires and I set Glynda on the ground.
"I'll leave the rest to you Glynda." She knows how to defeat Salem, I'll place my faith in them to finish Salem off once I'm gone. I rush in front of the others and brace myself for the impact. I can hear the others call out for me but this is my last stand. I've seen so many others fall over the millennia, so many people who have died so young. Summer, both the original Maiden and Ruby's mother, Winter, Fall, Spring, and Jaune. So many people I failed to save. Not this time. I prepare my aura, if I can time this just right I can hit Salem with equal force to what will hit me, she will probably survive but I'll at least injure her. To my surprise a wall of ice forms in front of me and while it cracks and shakes it holds long enough for the beam to dissipate and it shatters afterwards.
"Miss Schnee I must say that was quite impressive." I didn't think she could create a wall that strong. "Professor I didn't do that." What?! But no one else uses ice here. Something flies by my head and hits Salem where it explodes against her chest and sends her back a little. "Sorry I'm late but at least I made it." That voice! I turn around along with everyone else to see Jaune Arc standing in front of the entrance we came through throwing a stone into the air and catching it in his hand again and again. His hair has gained a wild look with a black streak going from his crown to over his right eye, his eyes gaining a slitted pupil like a predators, the arm he lost is back, and he's dressed like before. It appears that he's aged as well. Seeing are reactions he smirks only for his eyes to narrow and he throws the stone faster than I would think possible past my head. When I look back I can see he's hit Salem once more.
"I'll explain later, whose up for another mission together?" RWBY and NPR wipe away the tears that had formed in their eyes and agree with a chorus of agreement. Jaune laughs at that and starts walking towards Salem. "Alright, try to recover while I buy some time." I grab his shoulder when he moves to walk past me. "Mr. Arc what are you thinking? She's even stronger then Cinder." Jaune smirks at me.
"Don't count me out just yet Ozpin. I got plenty of new tricks to use Old Man." That name startles me, only four people know about that particular nickname and they all died. Jaune shrugs my hand off his shoulder and keeps walking forward ignoring the cries of protest coming from his friends. Salem looks with a hint of interest. "And just what do you think you can do boy, as impressive as coming back from the dead is you're still the same weakling you were before." Jaune sends a cold stare back at her before suddenly appearing right in front of her.
"Shut up." While I know the others can't see it I can keep up with Jaune's movements. He's accelerating himself through time to increase the speed of his blows and raining punch after punch on Salem. One blow sends her back several feet and Jaune jumps back from a blast of energy. "So you can influence time boy, that won't work twice." Jaune shrugs at that.
"Well at least I still have plenty of new material for you to check out. RUBY FIRE!" in response to his call Ruby shoots a bullet at Salem and its speed increases dramatically. It pierces right through Salem's shoulder and Jaune holds his hand out in front of him. "Here have some ice for that." Spikes of ice form in front of Jaune and shoot at Salem yet before they make it Salem counters them with balls of energy which shatters them and only shards land around Salem. The hole in Salem's shoulder heals and she smirks at Jaune.
"Really was that your plan?" Jaune sends a grin of his own back. "No." he then snaps his fingers and the shards of ice explode. He combined his semblance with his new abilities to catch Salem off guard. When the dust clears Salem merely looks a little singed and glares at Jaune. "How could you gain these skills? Your semblance is to turn things into bombs." Jaune closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
"Five thousand years ago you chased four girls at the foot of what's known today as Mount Glen. The girls ran and ran but could never escape you. Seeing no other option the eldest sister stopped running and convinced her sisters to run on ahead while she bought some time." My blood slows as I hear this tale, I know what he's talking about. "The eldest fought against you and allowed her sisters to escape at the cost of her life. Yet her soul lived on, it travelled to a young girl in a nearby village and bestowed her power upon that girl. That cycle continued for thousands of years until your subordinate ripped her in two and then later took the rest. When I killed her she went into me and here we are." Wind picks up around Jaune and flames appear around his eyes. He sends a dark glare at Salem.
"So let's see if we win the rematch." Jaune has the Fall Maiden power in him, I knew a male could hold it but the auras are quite temperamental, I've seen the results of incompatible people trying to force it into themselves. The results are not pretty. A burst of fire is sent at Salem only for a shield of Dark energy to appear around her and block the flames. Jaune speeds around her and stops at various points only to speed back to us and snap his fingers once more setting off a chain of explosions. James looks at him questioningly.
"Why are you not simply doing what you did with Cinder?" Jaune pants slightly, he's wearing down, before answering. "Autumn told me she's got a slight shield of energy around her. It might not stop the explosion but it can block the aura from reaching her and she'd just tank the explosion. I could really use some help right now." Sensing the urgency in his voice RWBY and NPR shake off their shock and stand back up having recovered slightly. Jaune has a small smile at that. Cloud form above us and soon a light rain falls.
"Weiss here's a base for some ice. You're in charge of long range attacks. Ren, Blake, when you see a chance go for an attack and then retreat. You need to bleed her out. Ruby, from what Autumn told me you are our best chance at making sure she stay's down. If you see an opening or when I say so go for the heart. Pyrrha there is a ton of metal in the cave walls around us, go wild. Nora, Yang, just do what you do best." the group nods in understanding and soon Salem emerges once more. Jaune turns to look at me and a small smile appears on his face.
"Try to keep up Old Man." Before I can react he's back in Salem's face and doing everything in his power to distract her. I join in using my cane and power to do the same. Ren and Blake keep dashing around and slashing at Salem or taking shots when she's open while Weiss is sending icicles whenever she can at Salem. Nora and Yang also help by launching attacks whenever Salems back is turned to them, Nora is even more powerful as Jaune has used some lightning to power her up. Small bits of metal are also flying out of the wall at random intervals and hitting Salem in the face, stopping her concentration. Jaune however is fighting the hardest and it shows. All the constant attacks and acceleration through time are taking their toll on him. When he goes in to try to deal more blows Salem knocks him back and he suddenly starts glowing. Everyone turns to look at him and Salem capitalizes on that.
A sphere of dark energy expands from her position and slams all of us against the walls of the cave followed by everyone gaining an energy spear through a shoulder to pin them there. Salem pants slightly but straightens herself and starts look around at us. "So many choices, I honestly can't decide who to kill first. Let's see, I think I'll kill the silvered-eye brat first. Better to remove that thorn first. Everyone struggles to remove their spear but they're stuck in tight. Salem reaches out and a dagger forms in her hand while the other caresses Ruby's cheek. "Say hello to your mother for me." Before Salem can make a move however a vicious growl draw everyone's attention to Jaune only for a blur to slam Salem away from Ruby and then Jaune is standing there with his eyes shadowed, one hand holding the spear and blood dripping down the other. The rage is audible in Jaune's tone when he speaks.
"I swear I'm going to tear you to pieces." The spear in his hand is then thrown at Salem with such speed that it pierces her stomach completely. Even Salem can't take a wound like that and just get right up, it'll take her time to regenerate. Turning around Jaune removes the spear in Ruby and catches her when she collapses. "Ruby get everyone free and then be ready. You can still fight right?" Ruby looks up at him and a look of shock appears on her face but she still nods. Jaune nods in return and turns around to face Salem.
"Good, I'm counting on you Crater Face cause I don't know how much longer we can keep this up." Now I can see what startled Ruby, while his right eye still has the flames around it Jaune's left eye has become like a Grimm's. So he's using that part of him, the part gained from those bastards experimenting on him. Salem having healed stares at Jaune in shock, I can understand why. "How can you have that eye?" Jaune reaches up and covers his left eye.
"I couldn't explain scientifically why but I survived those experiments and gained this guy from them. Unlike you however I didn't throw my humanity away in exchange. I rejected this side of me for so long, but now." A wild grin makes its way onto Jaune's face and he brings his hand down revealing the Grimm eye to be glowing brightly while the flames around the right grow. "I finally accepted it. And because of that the three of us are going to put you down." Aura begins to seep out of Jaune however it's no longer pure white. Now streaks of brown and black are mixed into it. Faster than Salem can react Jaune is in front of her once more.
"Burn." A blast of fire sends Salem flying back only for her to right herself in the air. A Maiden's power is one of the few thing that can truly injure Salem and as such she now sports a few burns. Yang comes over and helps me tug the spear out of my shoulder while Ruby works on Nora's spear. Each person loose helps another person else get loose. I then turn back to the fight to see that the left side of Salem's face has gained a large burn while Jaune is on one knee panting and glowing again.
"Not yet, not until she's done." Jaune stands back up and the glow is leaving him. Salem sends a ball of dark energy at Jaune that splits into several on the way towards him only for them to reverse their course and move even faster before they slam into Salem. Jaune clearly can't go on much longer. All these techniques are draining him of aura even with the Fall Maiden's aura to increase his reserves which were large to begin with. Salem gets back up but there is a hint of exhaustion on her face.
"Did you honestly think you could beat me boy? Look at you, you're barely standing as it is." Jaune sends back a weak smirk and chuckles. "I was hoping to not have to use this but looks like it's going to be necessary." The flames around Jaune's right eye leave and it changes into a Grimm eye as well. His skin begins to darken to the shade Grimm have and a white bone mask starts forming on his face. The mask is shaped like a heart but with pointed edges. The eyes are pure red and four red lines decorate the face, the two on the left side go form the upper and lower parts of the eye to the back of the mask while it's reversed on the right side. A vicious mouth filled with sharp teeth is also present on the mask. The sound of clothes tearing is heard as his left hand starts growing and claws start forming, by the end of it large claws reminiscent of a Beowolf's have formed. The back of his hoodie begins to strain and soon the whole article falls to shreds when two Nevermore wings burst from his back. The skin around his lower back begins to bubble before a white King Taijitu head bursts out and turns to peer at Salem. Jaune's hair then begins to lose color and soon it's as white as Salem's. Jaune's voice is then heard but the mask doesn't move.
"So then, Halfling vs. Halfling. One of us is going to die and I have no intention for it to be me just yet." Flapping his wings Jaune moves to the air and begins firing feathers which Salem blocks with a shield only for Jaune to slam down into the shield with his clawed hand tearing through it. The Taijitu head strikes at Salem and bites her on the shoulder. Salem howls in pain but forms a blade of energy (think Psylocke from X-Men but black) around her hand and cuts the head off of the snake. Jaune moves back and the head turns to dust while the body retracts into Jaune.
"Don't think you can win boy." Salem charges Jaune and slices at him with the blade. Bone armor erupts around Jaune's right arm and a gauntlet of bone is formed to block the balde. Jaune then goes on the offensive and slashes at Salem while firing feathers at her. But soon it becomes clear exhaustion is setting in on Jaune and Salem takes full advantage of it. She bats away the gauntlet covered arm and drives her blade through Jaune's stomach causing a howl of pain to erupt from Jaune and she then slams a fist covered in energy against the mask causing cracks to form and for the part surrounding the right eye to fall revealing Jaune's Grimm eye behind it.
"RUBY GET READY!" Before Salem can react Jaune thrusts his clawed hand into her stomach and keeps it there, the flesh closes around his arm and then the Grimm mode starts fading away, turning to dust like a normal Grimm would. His hair color turns back to normal and a look of panic appears on Salem's face, I can sense why. Jaune is pumping some aura into her spine while his hand is wrapped around it.
"ARE YOU INSANE YOU'LL LOSE THAT HAND AS WELL!?" Jaune laughs at her. "I already talk to voices in my head. Besides I've been around for months, like I said I picked up a few tricks." A detonation goes off and the top half of Salem goes flying towards Ruby who charges her blade with silver aura and cleave that in two vertically. Not even Salem can survive that. A light appears once more and we turn to see Jaune glowing again but even brighter this time, somehow his hand is still there.
"Heh, guess this is it." Shock appears on everyone's faces, Pyrrha is the first to speak. "What are you talking about Jaune? You're back, you can come back to us with Beacon." Jaune shakes his head at that. "Sorry but that won't happen. Although I did go there to check on you guys, when I learned what you were up to I came as quick as I could. You should have seen Port's face when I revealed myself to ask where you guys went. For once he was speechless… until he started running around screaming about ghosts." Weiss is the next one to speak.
"Why wouldn't it work Jaune?" a soft smile decorates his face and tears start dripping from his eyes. "This little trip is temporary. Pecus, my Grimm side, has his own aura because he gained a soul through age and feeding on my own locked aura. His semblance is time manipulation and as you can see he gives me a Halfling mode, I call it Grimm Trigger. Autumn, the original Fall Maiden who lives in the aura, helped fuel it when he tried to save us. It sent us into the future about seven months ago where we landed in the wilds. At first we planned on heading back to Beacon but then we felt my hold on this world slip. I'm going back to the explosion." Cries ring out and Ruby grabs Jaune.
"You can't leave, we just got you back." Jaune pats her head and smiles down at her. "Nothing I can do Crater Face, I'm just glad I could see you all one more time." To my surprise Ren speaks up. "Jaune surely there's something you can do. Anything just don't leave us again." Nora goes next. "He's right fearless leader, there has to be something." Jaune shakes his head once more. "I've gone over every possibility with Autumn and Pecus, there simply isn't a way for me to stay." Balls of light start flying off Jaune who looks at them with a look of contentment.
"I'm just glad I got to see you guys and fight by your sides one more time." His eyes harden and he stare at the teams. "Alright this is my last command as leader of team JNPR, you all aren't allowed to die from anything other than old age. I can't order you girls in RWBY but that extends to you all as well." Pyrrha starts crying harder and suddenly explodes. "HOW CAN YOU BE TAKEING THIS SO CALMLY?! YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE US AGAIN!" Jaune wraps her up in a hug and she buries her face in his shoulder. "I've had months to get used to the fact I'll die. Trust me nothing would make happier then to just head back with you guys." Jaune looks up at me and sends a small smile my way.
"Autumn wants you to know she doesn't blame you for what happened and for you to get over it and I quote "you old fool"." Autumn must be Fall but she must have changed her name for some reason. Those words do take some weight of my shoulders though. In the next second RWBY and NPR rush Jaune and are all hugging him while the lights coming off him increase in number. Tears streaming down his cheeks Jaune speaks once more.
"Thank you all for everything. I'm glad we got that last adventure." Jaune then turns transparent before fading out of existence. RWBY and NPR cry at that. Once more a victory gained by Jaune Arc that defies all odds. I knew I made the right choice by bringing him to Beacon. Goodbye Jaune Arc, may you rest in peace.