"There are other items of concern regarding Mr. Arc and Miss Schnee."
"Such as?"
"Well in addition to the change in personalities, skill set, and loss of aura there are manifestations."
"Manifestations?"
"Scars and tattoos and now appearing on their bodies."
"I see. It would seem whatever is happening with them has yet for lack of a better term to finish."
"We can't keep them isolated, but the pair are too volatile to mingle with the general population. Even without Aura they are far superior in skill then their classmates and even our older students."
"Not to mention they seem to have the ability to bypass aura defense entirely."
"Yes. Cardin and his team are still recovering from their injuries, and considering Jaune and Weiss did that damage with nothing but their bare hands and a couple of food trays, we cannot let them have free reign of the school grounds."
"How are they currently?"
"Barely contained. They are behaving but it wouldn't take much for either to snap, include the fact they seem to want to literally kill one another . . . this is not good Ozpin."
"No, it is still a mystery as to how or why a pair of our students have changed." Ozpin leaned back regarding a reply of the cafeteria fight footage. Both Arc and Schnee had suddenly gone off. The level of violence was shocking but so too the efficiency the pair when about it. No wasted movement. Everything point to point. "Have them restrained and brought to me. I think it is time I have a little chat with them."
/ - /
If either Weiss or Jaune were upset about the restraints it went unnoticed. The pair were silent as the grave and did nothing more than sit rigid and ready in the chairs before Ozpin.
"Mr. Arc, Miss Schnee we seem to have an issue that needs to be resolved and post haste. Currently you two as you are well aware are being held away from the rest of the students and staff of this institution, due to a change in not only your abilities; but your overall temperament. I would like to understand this and so we'll have a nice calm little chat."
"As you wish." Replied Weiss while Jaune sat silent.
"What was the last things you remember prior to anything that has occurred in the last few days?"
"A temple, a pond and a knife blade entering my gut."
"A knife entering my side."
"I don't follow?"
"Mr. Arc here was able to in our most recent encounter drive a knife through my stomach up into my lungs . . . while I was able to drive one into his side."
"Through my kidney into my lungs."
"I'm still not. . ."
"Oh for fuck's sake! We killed each other." Jaune comment flatly, "or at least that what should have happened."
"Then we found ourselves here as your guests, wherever here is? Are you a member of the High Table? I don't recall ever seeing you?"
"High Table?"
"I guess not."
"Just release us, so we can finish what is our business. If you are not part of the Continental or the High Table you should just step aside."
"You still just want to rage at me do you Jaune?"
"You sister started this. It should have ended with her."
"And what type of a sister would I be if I had let your killing of Winter go unavenged?"
"I had warned you to stay out of it. I warned you to step aside or you would die screaming beside her. You engaged, and now it needs to be finished. She took Pyrrha away from me just because you wanted me back in the game. I was out and you dragged me back in!"
Ozpin was dumbfounded. None of this made sense. Pyrrha Nikos? Winter Schee? He almost didn't notice the pair as they stood to face off against each other.
"There is only one way out Arc! You know this better than anyone else. You had your little holiday, your dream and now it is time for you to come back to the real world. You are a killer, and will always be one. God cursed you because of your deeds and because of my sister you're now my curse!"
"Enough!" Ozpin slammed a hand down on the desk before him. Their response was far from what would normally be considered appropriate for a student. They instantly refocused their aggression towards him, ready and eager it would seem to retaliate. "I think we have a few things to clear up before we continue this discussion. It would seem" Ozpin turned his monitor showing live video feed of Winter entering Beacon and Pyrrha walking the halls headed to class, "It would seem neither Winter nor Pyrrha is as you would claim. Deceased."
The effect was instant and unexpected for both Weiss and Juane. They collapsed. Utter shock and disbelief etched on their otherwise normally emotionless faces.
"How?" they spoke in unison.
"I do not know, but for some reason you both seem to have gained memories not in line with how reality is, however we can easily wave off the chance of mental illness. That would not account for the unique skills you now possess or the other physical changes we have noted in both of you during your time in observation."
Ozpin let those words sink in as he watched the confused pair sitting upon the floor. Their eyes solely intent on the video feed before them.
"Now when you are ready, please tell me what you remember about this temple you both feel you should have died in."
/ - /
"This complete and utter nonsense Ozpin." Winter was not amused but still shaken by the video playbacks she was watching as the Headmaster of Beacon recounted his long conversation with Mr. Arc and Miss Schnee. "That's my sister, but . . ."
"But not. I have no answers for you Winter. I can barely myself understand or contemplate what has happened. There is no reason, explanation or even rationalization that can make it work. All I can say is somehow, somewhere, at some time Mr. Arc and Miss Schee killed each other in a temple and in doing so ended up transferred into and replacing the ones we know as Jaune and Wiess."
"But it makes no sense?"
"I understand that, yet they have vivid memories of killing each other, and watching you and others close to them becoming victims in an underworld war as it were. Their personalities are vastly changed, as are their skill levels and sets. Neither of them even recognize the weapons they came to beacon with. In addition the sheer ease the pair are willing to escalate to lethal force is extremely troublesome."
"I'll have to speak to my father about this. I doubt he'll be happy with you having Weiss locked in secure isolation."
"I wouldn't doubt he would be happy, but I have the safety of my students, staff, the general populace of Vale and in fact even Jaune and Wiess in mind while doing so." Ozpin tapped a few keys ending the looped play back. "Winter I have a request that I would like you to take back to general Ironwood."
"And what might that be? Seeing as you could just as easily contact him directly."
"Not for this. I need a better way to assess your sister and Jaune. I'm going to need Specialist help, and I need it to be under the table and unofficial."
"Help for what?"
"Without Aura, Wiess and Jaune decimated with their bare hands a team of hunters in training, and it took a lot of effort from Glynda to slow them enough for others to intervene. We don't have anyone capable off testing them. Atlas Special forces especially the lesser known branches would have individuals that could."
"I see. You want to put my sister and this Arc boy in a spar with Atlas covert operatives? Is this a game Ozpin?"
"Far from it, and it won't be a spar. It will be a tactical exercise, and if possible I would like to ask for two fire teams."
"Two?"
"Jaune and Weiss have shown great animosity towards each other, but as you could see during the incident. They have also shown a great ability to easily work together against a common threat."
"Fine, I don't know what the General will say but I will pass on your request. Can I see my sister now?"
"No."
"No?"
"It's too dangerous, and there is too much of a risk at this point that if you present yourself in the flesh that one or both of them may snap. Until we understand what is happening, but more importantly what they are capable of individually and paired, the risk of harm or death is too high. For all involved."
"I don't agree, but I'll concede the point for now. So while you wait for the General's response, what are you planning on doing with them?"
"I really don't know. The longer I keep them locked up the more agitated they'll become, but I also can't let them wander without some type of leash or method to control them."
"I'll speak with General Ironwood on that matter as well. He may have a suggestion that will work."
"Thank you."
"Have you spoken to the Arc family yet?"
"Not yet." Ozpin was not enthused with the prospect of speaking Jonathon and Jasmine Arc about the situation regarding one of their children, let alone the sole male and heir to the Arc name. "To be honest I would rather deal with your father face to face."