AN: Well, then… this is a surprise. To both me and all of you, probably. Here I am, ladies and gents, with my very first standalone RWBY fic and let me tell you, the ideas for this one would NOT leave me alone. Here we'll feature a full team of my OCs as they stir up some trouble in the world of Remnant and possibly change a few things here and there. Hopefully you all enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it, and as always, no flames!
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own RWBY, all rights go to RoosterTeeth.
Chapter 1: Cassius
Mistral was a place rich and ripe with history and culture. It was regarded among the Four Kingdoms as the most culturally rich among them while their military was second only to Atlas. This was due to a number of factors ranging from the collective belief of quality over quantity, hundreds of years of experience and trial and error to fall back on, staunch Council leadership… and the advice of one family in particular: The Argentums.
The Argentum family could trace its roots all the way back to the very founding of Mistral itself, and even further back to the nomadic tribes who first settled the region. This lone family had always been the historic figureheads of the Kingdom, even when the Councils took most administrative power. This did nothing to hinder the power and influence wielded by the family, however, as this family was distinguished throughout all of Remnant as the last living royal bloodline. While the Council of Mistral were the administrative heads and held the real power, the Argentums still held the last throne in the world.
Their King, one Gaius Argentum, was very popular among most of the populous of Mistral and even held favor with the Council. His fair and just dealings earned him favor with the people while his silver tongue and roguish guile proved to the Council that the royal family was in good hands. Indeed, the Council had long ago decided to keep the Argentums around as a public figurehead and only recently was the last royal family afforded just a small measure of political and administrative influence, coupled with the family's historic banking trade made them the premier family that only the likes of Atlas's Schnee family could hope to match.
Gaius's reign was strong, and his family line secure through his family of five. Their youngest son, Trajan was barely a year old, then there was the second youngest son, Octavian, who was only ten years old. He also had twin daughters, Minerva and Juno, who were both fifteen. And then there was his oldest son and his heir, Crown Prince Cassius who was seventeen and a graduate of Sanctum Academy, ranked second in his class.
Cassius was the pride of the Argentum family and was well respected in his own right. He was a kind young man, not given to unnecessary displays of his family's power and influence. He was a learned student of history and while not devout by any means, held a certain reverence for his family's patron Gods. He was humble when it came to his family, as well as protective; above all else, he'd protect his family and his legacy, which led to his penchant for trying to add his own mark upon his family's already epic and proud legacy. Because of this, he had a drive to improve himself and test himself. While he would never outright admit it, he was proud; he held a profound pride of his family's name, pride in his own abilities and pride in the legacy that he had yet to write for himself. And write it he would.
Within Castle Invictus was where the Argentum family stayed. It was a massive castle of carven stone situated right in the middle of Mistral itself. Its interior was very finely decorated as befitting a family of the Argentum's stature; only the finest cloth, silk, stone and wood went into its decoration. As the early morning rays of the sun cascaded the castle in a regal orange hue, one occupant was woken up by the sun in his eyes.
Groaning groggily, Cassius brought a hand up to his face to shield his eyes from the early morning sun as he sat up in his bed and stretched the weariness out of his body. After blinking a few good times to readjust his vision, he threw the covers of his bed off of himself, swung out of the bed and stood to his full height of 6'0", then immediately set himself upon the task of carrying out his morning routine. Once finished, he quickly dressed himself in a royal purple tunic, a pair of black pants and a pair of socks, his destination being the castle's private kitchen for family members only.
On his way, he idly noted the very familiar paintings, garish purple, red and golden yellow tapestries and statues that lined the walls until his path eventually led him to his aforementioned destination, where he saw his sisters already up and waiting for their food to be cooked by the staff on hand. Minerva seemed to still be half-asleep, as she had her head down upon the rather long table that could comfortably seat up to ten people while Juno was wide awake, evident when she perked up upon noticing her brother.
Minerva was the younger twin and she had short, cropped light brown hair, fair blemish-less skin, sapphire blue eyes, stood at a height of 5'5" and was currently wearing an oversized white t-shirt and some comfortable red shorts.
Juno was the eldest twin and therefore the second oldest of all the siblings. Like her sister, she had light brown hair, but it was just a bit longer and was more wavy, had a paler skin tone in comparison to her twin, a beauty mark just under her right eye, a darker shade of blue eyes, stood at an equal height to Minerva and wore a brick red and white bath robe with some slippers.
"Look who's up, Minnie." Juno nudged her groggy sister in the side upon noticing Cassius.
"It's Cass, isn't it?" Minerva groaned into the table. "If it is, tell him to tell the staff to ready my bed; it's too early to be awake."
"It's nine-thirty in the morning, Minnie." Juno deadpanned. "Considering everyone else was up well before the three of us, someone told the staff to let us sleep."
"If that's the case, then let me fucking sleep." Minerva bit out as her head rose from the desk, glaring daggers at her older twin.
"Language!" Cassius lightly reprimanded his little sister before he kissed her upon her crown, then did the same to Juno. "I thought I told you to work with her on that, Jay?" He asked the second oldest before plopping down in a seat next to her.
"You did." Juno smiled as she turned in her seat to regard her brother. "I elected to ignore it on grounds that we're both teenagers attending a Combat School and aspiring to become Huntresses." She then lightly booped Cassius upon his nose for emphasis. "Foul language will become an everyday occurrence."
"Isn't that the truth?" Cass huffed, yet still conceded the point as he held up a hand to call one of the staff over to him. "My usual, please?"
"Of course, sir." The maid bowed, then scurried off into the kitchen to relay his order to the cooks.
"You want to become a Huntress." Minerva finally brought her head all the way up off of the table. "I'm content helping with the family's banking management. I'm attending Sanctum just so I can say I can adequately defend myself if the need arises."
"To each their own." Juno shrugged, regarding Cassius once again. "Speaking of future plans, there have been whispers among the staff."
"Whispers?" Cassius took a sip of the mug of coffee that had just been brought out for him. "What sort?"
"Someone's taken an interest in you and your top marks." Juno explained as she sipped on the milk that the same staff member had brought for her. "Nothing confirmed yet, but supposedly someone from Beacon will be showing up here today to meet with you."
"I thought I had made it clear to Father that I wanted to attend Haven." Cassius sighed indignantly as he ran a hand through his short, blackish brown hair. "What's possessed him to send me all the way to Vale? Surely as Crown Prince, he needs me more here than abroad?"
"Maybe he's disinheriting you?" Minerva suggested and immediately received a light slap to the back of her head courtesy of Juno.
"Father would never even consider the notion!" Juno chastised her younger twin. "Though I did see Father welcoming Uncle into his study last night."
"Uncle Brutus is the Headmaster of Haven; surely he would have gotten my application by now?" Cassius continued to puzzle it over. "Unless he's seen my application but instead passed it off to Beacon?"
"If that's the case, maybe he believes you'd be better off attending Beacon instead of Haven?" Juno suggested after another sip of milk.
"Beacon supposedly is the top rated among the Four Academies." Minerva decided to add something meaningful. "Maybe that's why both Father and Uncle have agreed to bring someone from Beacon in?"
"Prince Cassius? My Lord?" One of the butlers approached the table with a bow. "She is waiting in the foyer, my Lord."
Immediately, both Juno and Minerva saw their big brother's eyes light up at the mention of her, and as Cassius jolted to his feet, nearly knocking his chair over, they both shared a smile at what they knew was happening to him.
"Ready my equipment and relay to the cooks that I want my food brought to the sparring yard." He instructed as he began walking off, his previous worries now temporarily swept under the rug.
"She's arrived with a guest, my Lord." The butler added before Cassius could get too far.
"Who?" Cassius in response whipped right back around and fixed the butler with a light glare.
"Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, sir." The butler clarified, ignoring the now shocked look on his Lord's face. "He has requested a private audience with you, my Lord."
"The Headmaster himself?" Minerva whistled. "Damn. When I woke up this morning, I didn't think a meeting this big would happen."
"Private, huh?" Cassius sighed while pinching his brow. "Very well, then. I'll receive him in the throne room."
"And Miss Nikos, sir?" The butler asked.
"Have her brought to a waiting area and tell her that I'll be with her as soon as I can." Cassius spun on a heel and began walking again. "Oh!" He called over his shoulder while snapping his right thumb and middle finger. "And still have my equipment readied and my food brought to the sparring yard!"
"At once, sir." The butler bowed.
"Minnie?" Juno called out to her twin as she began digging into her blueberry pancakes.
"Yes, Jay?" Minerva answered with a bit of bacon.
"It's good being the younger siblings, no?" Juno dug into her side of bacon also.
"This coming from the next in line should something happen to Cass?" Minnie raised an eyebrow over the rim of her cup of OJ.
"Just let me enjoy his moment, damn you." Juno snapped while digging back into her pancakes.
(Throne Room: Same time)
The throne room of Castle Invictus was arguably the largest and most lavish part of the entire castle. The floor of the room was draped in gold trimmed red rugs, the walls by gold trimmed purple and red bannisters and tapestries, marble columns on either side of the room approaching the throne, two large suits of armor flanking the entrance to the room, a large chandelier hung from the ceiling and flanking the throne were two statues depicting dragon heads. The throne itself was made of solid gold, had red velveteen cushioning, the arms of the throne were carved to three claw-like points and the head of the throne rose up and then curved downwards slightly, resembling a mighty dragon glaring down upon whosoever stood before it.
Leaned back into the throne was Cassius, who was glaring at the opposite end of the room with bated breath until finally the doors swung open, revealing a bespectacled man with ashen gray hair, a black and green suit with a walking cane flanked by two of the Argentum house guard, the Praetorians. Immediately, he smiled and stood from the throne.
"Welcome, Professor." He made his way down the steps leading up to the throne. "I hope the journey here wasn't too exciting?"
"Dreadfully dull, I'm afraid." Ozpin answered coolly while extending his right hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Prince Argentum."
"The pleasure is mine, Professor." Cassius firmly grasped the offered hand and gave it a few good shakes, then retracted it and dismissed the guards. "Though I must admit that I was at a loss when my staff informed me of your arrival."
"I see Gaius still likes to keep secrets." Though subtle, Cassius heard the faintest hint of a chuckle in the Headmaster's voice.
"You know my Father?" Cassius questioned, genuinely curious about this point.
"Both your Father and your Uncle." Ozpin nodded with a faint smile. "I met them both when your Uncle took over as Haven's headmaster."
"Right." Cassius nodded in understanding. "And you gave my Uncle a tea set to decorate his office."
"Indeed I did." The smile was imperceptibly larger now. "How are they, by the way?"
"Father fares well." Cassius answered. "Though he's most likely caught up in a Council meeting this morning. And Uncle Brutus is…" He stopped himself short.
"Being his normal eccentric self?" Ozpin answered for the young boy.
"To put it mildly." Cassius chuckled, though it was a chuckle of fondness.
"And glad I am to hear that they fare well." Ozpin adjusted his glasses with his free hand. "But they're not what has brought me here, Prince Argentum."
"I am." Cassius nodded in understanding once again. "I suspected as much."
"And if I may comment upon something, my Lord?" Ozpin queried, then affixed the young boy with a gaze upon his nodding consent. "You… have silver eyes."
"Indeed I do." The mood in the room seemed to darken a bit. "I know about them and I know how to use them."
"Courtesy of your Uncle?" Ozpin guessed.
"Yes." Cassius confirmed as his silver eyes glowed a bit for emphasis. "Though he wouldn't tell me all of the ins and outs, I know enough to get by."
"And you said you could use them?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "What can you do?"
"Nothing more than keep a Grimm frozen, and even that effect lasts for around ten seconds." A frustrated sigh escaped the young Prince. "I know it's a very rare trait and I know about the old legends and stories, but I just don't know how to unlock more of my hidden power."
"It will come with time, young Prince." Ozpin advised sagely. "And might I be so bold, if you were to attend Beacon, you would have the guidance you need."
"Guidance that I could also receive by attending Haven." Cassius pointed out maybe a bit too harshly for his own liking. "Where my family is, where my friends are, where my Uncle would by my Headmaster."
"Your friend Miss Nikos told me you would say as much." This time, an audible chuckle escaped the aged Headmaster. "She seems to know you quite well."
"P-Pyrrha and I are good friends." Cassius defended with a blush. "We have been for our entire career at Sanctum."
"Where you and she went on to place second and first respectively in the Mistral Region Tournament." Ozpin nodded. "Such bonds are strong and rarely ever broken."
"Why did you bring Pyrrha into this, Professor?" Cassius was no fool; his intuition was telling him that the bespectacled man in front of him was getting at something.
"She's already agreed to my offer to attend Beacon." Yellow eyes were now boring into glowing silver. "And both your Father and Uncle have expressed their compliance on the matter as well."
"I'm still not seeing a reason for me to attend." Cassius tried his hardest to not roll his eyes. "I'm sorry, Professor, but my answer is no."
"Shame." Ozpin seemed to take the rejection in stride. "Well, should you change your mind, I shall be staying here in your castle for the night and shall then return to Vale in the morning."
"I'll have someone show you to your room." Cassius nodded and extended his hand. "I regret it, Professor, but I'm needed more here in Mistral than abroad in Vale."
"Family should always come first." Ozpin took the hand and shook. "I hold no ill will towards you for your sound reasoning. You are, after all, Crown Prince of Mistral and the next head of the Argentum family. Your place is here, with your Kingdom and people."
"As you say, Professor." Cassius flashed a diplomatic smile. "Good day."
On cue, the doors swung open again and the two Praetorians from before arched in and flanked Ozpin as he was walking out. Just as the doors closed, Cassius sunk back into his Father's throne and released a weary sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose. After a few minutes of deafening silence throughout the throne room, the doors swung open again to reveal one of the family's butlers.
"My Lord." He bowed. "Miss Nikos has been taken to the sparring yard and your equipment and breakfast are ready, sir."
"Thank you." He rose from the throne and began his walk. "Attend to our guest, make sure he has whatever he needs."
"Of course, sir." The butler bowed once again as Cassius brushed past him.
(Sparring Yard: Some time later)
"No matter how many times I try…" Cassius panted as he laid upon the dirt of the training yard, weapon in hand. "I still can't beat you."
"Not for lack of trying." Pyrrha managed a giggle through her equally exhausted state, collapsed on the ground much like her friend.
"Even without your Semblance, you'd still be able to beat me." He leaned up into a sitting position with a chuckle. "At least Mistral's number two will still be here for her."
"So you said no?" She queried as she too rose to a sitting position. "How did I know you would?"
"Because I'm predictable, as always." He flashed a smile. "And because I'm needed more here than in Vale."
"And if I were the one to ask you to accept?" Pyrrha glanced upwards at her longtime friend.
"You wouldn't be that selfish." He shook his head.
"You're right." She giggled once again with a smile. "I'd not drag you away from where you think you belong."
"But if you were the one to ask me…" He suddenly grew serious. "Then I'd say yes."
"But…" Pyrrha chewed on her bottom lip. "I really wouldn't be that selfish."
"Nothing wrong with being a little selfish here and there, Pyrrha." He pressed. "Honest, all you have to do is ask."
"You'd just…" She began, green meeting silver in a held gaze. "Abandon everything here… just for me?"
"Father and Uncle Brutus have apparently already approved my attendance." He explained as he moved to sit beside her. "And Ozpin's most likely waiting for me to change my mind. All that I need now is for you to be the one to ask."
"Why did you deny Ozpin then if you were just going to say yes anyway?" She asked.
"Because Ozpin, for all his airs and pomp, doesn't know my family or my situation like you do." Cassius placed a careful hand on her shoulder. "If you believe that I could do more good by attending Beacon, then ask. If not, then I'll carry on with my plans and attend Haven."
Again, Pyrrha went to chewing on her bottom lip, as if debating her choices. After a solid five minutes of contemplation, she looked up from her lap and back into his silver orbs.
"Will you attend with me, Cass?" She asked with a bright smile.
"I'd be honored to." He returned the smile and squeezed her shoulder with the hand that was still laid upon it. "Glad you asked."
'Beacon, huh?' He mused to himself as he and Pyrrha shared a bit of a chuckle. 'What's the worst that could go wrong?'
Little did Cassius know that he would come to regret that thought.
AN: Done! So, what do you guys think for my first standalone fic? What do you think of Cassius? Naturally as one of my OCs, I'm quite fond of him, but that's for you guys to decide. I know I changed a few things around to make his backstory fit, but hopefully you guys can forgive the artistic license I took to benefit the grander scheme of things.
Now, as this is the first chapter and the first of four OCs I'm introducing, pairings are off the table for now, but if you guys feel compelled to give your opinions on who you think Cassius should end up with, I won't be opposed. Obviously, Pyrrha's a choice, but I'm curious as to what you all think! Give me some solid reasons for your choices and I'll take them into consideration!
This is ZeroDivisionRaijin, signing off!