Arc: Introduction

Chapter 4: BEAR-handed!

A/N:

The promised day has come! I have received a review finally!

And yes Harutora75, it is a reference to KHR. I like referencing good shows, what else can I say?

This is the second to final chapter of introduction. I'm going to skip the bulk of explanation this time and just get to the fun bits. Because that's mostly why the chapters were sooooo long.

The start of the chapter is going to be with both of them, but from the middle onwards it's going to be Cardin's point of veiw. Jaune's will be next chapter and then I'm nearly going to kill them(again). After all that's done we can finally get on with this story to Beacon.

So thats enough out of me! Let's get this show on the road!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of the things I reference, they belong to their respective owners.

"text" - quote/memory
'text' - thoughts
text - sound effect/Cardin yelling really loud

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"Your name is now Gold, your fur is a golden blonde like my family crest after all." - Cardin Winchester

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Our knightly duo are sitting around the destroyed field lazily with their ghostly friend Leo. Koko had left with Asru after she swore them both into the Kilika tribe. Koko said they had to get some things back at her cottage that are needed for their Metal Heads. What those things they need are, the knight duo have no idea. All they know is that they will finally get some answers to a few of the question's they've had for the last seven years.

"I wonder what that little leather book of her's really is..." Jaune was lying on his back and looking up at the sky. The blonde was watching the clouds float across the clear blue atmosphere with a smile.

"I'm more curious about Asru." Cardin was laying down as well, but with a smirk as he glared at any woodland creature that got to close.

"She said that Asru was something called a 'Metal Head' and it was at one time a Grimm." The barbarian grunted as he stared and smiled at a little white bunny rabbit. The bunny hopped over to him and he petted it with a satisfied smile.

'I will never understand how his head works... Why does he even like bunny rabbit's, but hate's every other animal?" Jaune looked at his rabbit loving friend with a deadpan.

"Well the book is called a 'Voice', and it contain's all of the Calls the spirits have ever taught her." Said the shirtless and shoeless ghost as he sat on one of the jutting rocks near the duo.

The knights immediately sat up and stared at the apparition. Leo didn't seem to notice though as he kept looking up at the sky with a thoughtful expression.

"Asru, Koko's Metal Head, contain's a piece of her heart and soul. That's why they are connected, because Asru has a part of her very being. The ritual to get one is pretty simple to though it is permanent." The brown haired ghost explained as he then looked at the duo with a big grin plastered on his face.

"Though I'm more excited about you guys finding out what kind of elemental spirits your both more in tune with. Because Calls are the main form of attack for Heart of Will and without the spirit's they're useless words." The ghostly lion's tail swished back and forth behind him as he looked at the knight with stars in his eyes.

"And look like really bad poetry." The wolf chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"You're not wrong Little Wolf." Leo laughed with him.

"What the hell does any of that even mean Casper?" The cardinal asked with a scowl.

"Wait, you didn't know what a Metal Head was till today right? How do you know that then?" The blonde detective questioned with a thoughtful expression.

'He really is a detective to some extent, was he like this even before he got his Heart of Will or is this a defense mechanism because he's so thick?' Cardin wondered at his friends deduction skills that always seemed to point out the little things that are important.

Except when it comes to little things about the Little Wolf himself.

"Well uh, I might have remembered a few things about myself during your fight." Leo looked down at the ground. The lion fuanus looked so distraught about whatever he had remembered. It made the duo feel really uncomfortable.

""Want to talk about it?"" The knights asked in synch and then looked at each other.

'How many times are we going to do that?' Thought the swordsmen while looking at his partner with a sigh.

'Yup, we should defiantly train on how to use telepathy.' Thought the mace user as he rolled his eyes and looked back at the depressed lion.

"Yeah, I think I will tell you about it. I already told Koko sort of." Leo had a sad smile and that really worried the duo.

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A few depressing minutes later...

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"Wow... So you were a soldier in a war?" Jaune asked Leo worriedly.

"Yup."

"And you fought against people most of the time and not Grimm?" Cardin asked with a frown that matched Leo's.

"Yup..."

"But why were you fighting in the first place?" The blonde knight wondered aloud.

"I don't really remember, all I remember is fighting and blood. The thundering of steel meeting steel as well as the tearing of flesh is still ringing in my ears. Along with the screams of pain..." Leo said softly.

'And I thought my thoughts were morbid and depressing. We should keep him distracted and far away from that part of his head. It's defiantly not good for our friendly ghost." Jaune thought as he looked at the cardinal who nodded his head in understanding.

"Anyways, tell us more about those second names. Why did you have another name to use when fighting in that war?" The Little Wolf scratched his head trying to come up with an answer but not finding one.

"In the tribes carnivores have three names," Leo held up three fingers and counted them off, "a given name, nickname, and an honored name." Leo tried to look happy while he explained. The loveable duo weren't buying it one bit, but they didn't say anything.

"Your given name is what everyone can call you. Your nickname is what your kinsmen call you. And you get an honored name after completing a special task or something for your village, so not everyone has an honored name." Leo explained.

"So this is basically like a title? The Knight's of Vale have titles, my mother is called Axe of War after all." The Little Cardinal chuckled.

Leo smiled a bit more, "Yeah it's kind of like that."

'I wonder what Leo's honored name is.'

"Whats your honored name Leo?" Cardin asked what the knight JUST thought while giving the blonde a smug grin. Jaune just sighed at him while Cardin chuckled.

"Black Fang's my honored name." Leo puffed his chest out proudly with a big grin.

"My honored name is Brown Bear, but that's Chief Brown Bear to ya idiots. Ya both are sworn into the tribe now and all." The eye-patched gun sliger said as her and Asru walked over to them.

Sir Sarcastic rolled his eyes, 'Brown Bear? I could have sworn it was Pumpkin Pete's because you have an eye-patch like the cartoon character from the commercials.'

Jaune was having very different thought's compared to his friend...

'Oh Dust Asru looks pissed off at me!' The knight paled as he watched the silver plated war-bear stalk over.

The grizzly bear author had a small black box in her hands with gold trimming on the front of it. The brown war-bear was glaring daggers at Jaune and had a small and bulky looking brown bag in it's mouth. The duo looked at their Master cautiously as she approached them with a big smile.

"What?" The brown bear asked cheerily but her little brothers/students didn't say a word.

"Ya both look like I just pointed a gun at ya! What's the matter? Gettin' cold feet?" Koko teased.

"N-no, that's not it. I-it's uh..." The struggling blonde quickly looked at his friend's for back up, but Leo just shrugged.

Thankfully Cardin was there for him in this desperate time of need.

Rigth?

"You're smiling like a mad women and it's making us feel really uncomfortable." Said the blunt as all Grimm mace wielder.

'Thanks Little Cardinal, you doomed us to her rath with your blunt stupidity.' The Little Wolf glared at the barbarian cardinal.

"Great! I was starten' to worry that I didn' strike fear in ya idiots anymore." Koko laughed at them heartily while Asru grunted to get her attention.

'Oh Dust, she is in a really good mood.' Jaune thought with even more fear, 'She's probably going to make us do something really dangerous and crazy.'

Now the shaken wolf was on the guard for any possible threats and doing everything in his power to keep his Crest Sight from activating. If she knew he was expecting something she would plan accordingly. If that happened he would have no way of defending against whatever it is.

'This will be funny to watch.' Cardin sneared as he watched his troublesome friend prepare his heart for whatever their nutty Master had planed. The burnt orange knight knows for a fact that when Jaune expects danger he always scares himself.

"Oh come on Asru, yer gonna 'ave to get along with 'em! Now go make up with Little Wolf." Koko rolled her eye at the miffed ex-Grimm stalked over to them and stopped in front of the blonde bullet that hit her in the gut.

"Um? S-sorry?" Jaune reached out skittishly towards Asru and she growled menacingly.

"AH!" Quck as a flash, the doofus jumped into Cardin's arms who only looked at him with an amused smirk.

"Really?"

"She scared me!" Jaune looked at his friend with distress.

The cardinal rolled his eyes mischievously, "Oh calm down Jauney Doo."

"I don't think I can..." The scardy wolf replied while shacking.

Prying the hopeless knights fingers from around his neck, Cardin unceremoniously dropped his best friend right on the hard ground.

Thump!

"Hey!" The scared blonde wolf glared up at the burnt orange hot-head.

"What?" Said hot-head looked down at his friend while he took the bag out of Asru's mouth. The war-bear was laughing at Jaune's expense along with Leo.

"Are ya'll done bein' idiot's now?" Koko chuckled.

"What are these for?" Cardin asked as he pulled out a silver bracelet with a circular indention in it. Jaune picked himself up off the ground and slowly moved towards his friend who was investigating the bags contents. It was filled with all kinds of accessories and armor bits made of silver.

"Whoa this is pretty cool Master." The wolf said as he inspected a silver ring and Koko smiled proudly.

"These are just some silver accesories that ya both can pick from. After ya pick one we'll put yer Heart Glass in it or if ya'd like I could personalize them a bit more for ya at my forge." Koko said while holding up her bear head necklace.

"What's 'heart glass'?" Jaune asked while cardin pulled out a simple silver plate with a leather strap on it.

"That's what's inside this box." Koko said with a smirk as she took the bag back from Cardin.

"Anyways, open the box Little Cardinal." Koko said as she gave the black box with the gold trimm on it to the curious cardinal.

"Hm?" Cardin peered inside to find...

"Marbles?" Jaune said as Cardin pulled one out and looked at it with narrowed eyes and a pursed lip.

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A long explanation later...

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"Okay so let me get this straight..." The Little Wolf said with frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"These marbles are called Heart Glass and you want us to put our flame inside of it so we can bind ourselves to a Grimm making them our permanent ally for the rest of our lives?"

"Yup." Their Master said while popping the 'p'.

"Then you want us to get on the launch pads and bind the first Grimm we make eye contact with as per the tradition of the Kilika Tribe?"

"Pretty much."

"And to capture them we have to literally beat them into submission?"

"That's the plan." She said while lighting up one of her fake cigarette's.

"Don't forget the part where she wants you to do it unarmed and since you'll be fighitng bare handed you need to follow Koko's rule number six!" The happy-go-lucky lion said to the distressed blonde who seemed to be becoming more and more done with this Thursday by the second.

Hiding his head in his hands the wolf groaned, "I knew that someday, probably a Thursday, I would meet my end. But I didn't want it to be so soon..."

"Your not going to die, get hurt badly yeah, but I doubt you'll die." Cardin rolled his eyes and patted his friends shoulder. Then he walked over to Koko and the black box that he'd given back to her for the explanation.

Taking a marble out the barbarian inspected it. The glass was about the size of his thumbnail and was completely see through. Quickly following after his larger friend, the other knight took a Heart Glass out of the box for himself.

"So I do it like this?" The burnt orange knight asked as he flowed his flames into the little marble held between his thumb and finger. Jaune followed suite and flowed his own flames into his with Leo hovering over him excitedly.

'It feels weird, like this little piece of glass is me.' The swordsmen thought while the little glass ball started changing colors from his orange flame to white.

"Yup, that's perfect ya both got it nice and stable. I was kinda worried ya both would put to much flames in them and they'd break." Koko stated while inspecting each of their Heart Glass with a critical eye.

"Why's it red?" The Little Cardinal looked at his Master with a questioning gaze. As soon as he stopped putting flames inside of the little ball it turned crimson colored.

'It looks freakin cool even though just looking at it makes me feel a little empty inside.' Cardin thought as he looked at the wolf's that had turned white.

"That's the color of both of yer Aura's." Koko chuckled.

"Wait, but I thought we were only putting flames in these things? How did they turn the color of our Aura if we don't even have them unlocked?" The blonde detective questioned.

Sighing Koko decided to answer the obviously stupid question, "Yer heart and soul are connected. If ya put one of those into somethin', ya always get a little bit of the other. So it's mostly yer hearts in the Heart Glass, but a little of yer Aura leaked in and defined the color because it's more dense."

Leo smoothed his brown hair out of his eyes and pouted, "Test their alignment already Koko! I want to know what elemental spirits they work with best!" He begged the bear faunus.

Koko rolled her eyes, "First Metal Heads, I'll teach them Calls tomorrow. That magic shit is confusing as all Grimm."

Jaune's eyes widened, 'Oh Dust...'

"Hey Jaune."

The blonde slowly turned his head to look at a horrific sight. The burnt orange comedian had a full blown not-scary smile on that was nearly ear to ear.

That can only mean one thing...

"Guess you could say that I CALLed it! Haha!" The cardinal crossed his arms and looked rather smug.

Slap!

"Ugh..." Koko groaned while dragging her hand down her face.

"Really?" Jaune deadpanned.

"I don't know guys, that one was pretty funny~!" Leo sniggered.

"Alright, now that I 'ave officailly given up on the Little Cardinal's humor. Lets move on to launching ya both off into the forest so ya idiots can get yer damn Metal Heads." Koko groaned while shacking her head in disbelief for her students atrocious humor.

'Oh yeah, almost forgot that I have a first class ticket on the carzy-for-even-doing-it airlines.' Jaune sighed while hanging his head.

"You'll live." Cardin smirked at his friend and started taking off his armor.

'Probably.' The cardinal decided not to share that thought with his pal.

"Right. Thanks." Jaune rolled his eyes and took off his own armor.

"Do we really have to do rule number six?" Questioned the now amor-less blonde knight.

"What? Afraid to show some skin tooth-pick?" Cardin jeered at his smaller friend while taking off his black button-up shirt.

"I just don't get the point behind, 'Real men don't fist fight with their shirts on.' and how that even counts as a rule for life to Master." Jaune quoted the author's rule number six.

"Just because I'm a women Little Wolf don't mean I can't take my shirt off and fight like a real man should." Koko pouted.

"But your not a MAN! At least change it from 'real men' to something like 'real warriors'!" Jaune tried to get her to see reason for once.

Today is not his day, it's Thursday.

"But that isn't nearly as catchy or manly sounding." The bear faunus waved that idea away, "Not only that but it sounds way to serious."

"I give up," The helpless boy sighed, "Just so you know, if I die because I didn't have my armor on I blame you and your crazy life rule's. I've never been launched without my armor and weapon before and never planed to."

"Don't worry Little Wolf," Koko put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "if you DO die you'll know what it's like to be Leo." The helpful author hiked a thumb at the apparition who pouted.

"You say that like being a restless spirit is a bad thing!"

"It is a bad thing Leo!" The distressed blonde and bear yelled.

'Does Casper even CARE he's dead?' Cardin thought while looking at the see through lion. Turning to his distressed idiot, Cardin gave him a rough pat on the back.

Smack!

"Get over it sunshine, you'll live. You have the tenacity of a cockroach remember?" Smirked the barbarian knight while crossing his arms infront of his bare chest.

Giving his friend's a resigned sigh, Jaune took off his hoodie and black t-shirt, "Not to mention I'm a freaking moron. I have to be an idiot to even TRY half the things Master has made us do." He pouted off to the side while crossing his own arms.

"Oh shut it, at least that crazy shit I made ya do gave ya some badass lookin' scars." Koko scoffed at her blonde student who kept pouting.

"Chicks dig scars~!" Koko sang while waggling her eye brows at the hopeless romantic who immediately perked up.

"Really?" Jaune looked at Koko with a big smile and she nodded with a grin.

The mace-less mace wielder sighed and rolled his eyes, 'I'll never understand his intrest in romance. Maybe it's because he has seven sisters and would make the perfect house husband.'

Looking over his own arms he saw a few thin and small scars. There weren't many, but they were still pretty noticeable on his pale skin. Jaune was slightly tan compared to him though, but his small scars were also noticeable.

She was right that it gave them a wild and badass look.

"Let's get this show on the road boys!" Koko yelled and walked over to the two metal launch pads in the center of the clearing.

They were built into a man made stone slab and had three metal levers next to them. One lever preps the pads for launch and the other two turn's them in different directions. These things have only been here for about three years but were already worn with use.

Koko had installed them after Cardin had made an off-hand comment about rather being launched into the forest instead of being knocked out and dumped at random by the crazy author.

And that is how they came to be.

Following after the brown haired women as she limped slightly towards the launch pads they couldn't help but smile a little bit. The first time they did it, it was freaking terrifying. Every time after though...

It was waaaaay to much fun.

They came to love their launch pads so much that they scratched their names on them. As well as their nicknames and symbols. These launch pads are where the majority of their adventures these last three years started. They held a lot of history to the boys and they were going to miss them.

Now standing on their scuffed up launch pads, Jaune on the right and Cardin on the left. They looked up at the tree tops with anticipation while absentmindedly gripping tighter on the Heart Glass clutched in their hands.

"Now remember, ya 'ave to defeat the FIRST Grimm ya make eye contact with. After beatin' it into submission yer gonna 'ave to flow yer flame into it and press the Heart Glass into somewhere on it's body. The Heart Glass will sink into them and make the connection between ya both. When that's finished they will change physically in a pretty dramatic way, but don't freak out." Koko reminded them as she leaned on her good leg next to the launch lever.

Nodding, they thought about what they are about to do as the breeze ran over their bare skin. Jaune was trying to not think of how he might die and focus on how to actually fight a Grimm bare handed. Cardin was thinking about the best way to end the fight quickly and in the coolest way possible.

'Should I go with kick boxing? It seem's to work well on Cardin and he's twice my size, plus he's as vicious as a Grimm.' Was the slightly worried wolf's thoughts.

'Maybe I can just give it a good left hook to the face with a nice catch phrase? Nah to easy, I'll go with an Atlesian Suplex.' Were the fight happy cardinals thoughts.

"Peace and no sorrow." Leo said with a thumbs up to the duo.

Jaune chuckled nervously, "Are you saying goodbye or telling us we'll be okay?"

"Both." Leo shrugged with a big smile.

Cardin rolled his eyes with a smirk, "Thanks Casper."

The trigger happy author got a dangerous glint in her eyes and looked at her students. Quickly noticing their Master's pointed stare, Cardin gave her his own evil smirk and Jaune gulped and tried his best not to look like he's scared.

You can't fool anyone with Heart of Wills enhanced perception though.

"Ya got this, Little Wolf." Koko's face softened at the blonde and he gave her a relieved smile.

'She really is like a big sister in everyway to us.'

"Y-yeah." He nodded to her and then the Little Cardinal bumped his shoulder. He had that rare not scary smile.

"Let's do this buddy." Cardin held his fist out to his pal.

Giving him a slightly less nervous smile, the wolf gave his pal a fist bump, "Okay, but just so you know. My Will really is on my cot."

Cardin chuckled, "Seriously?"

'I should get him a councilor or something, maybe Peter will do it.' Just thinking of Peter giving Jaune advice made him laugh.

Peter's just as nuts as them after all.

"Ready?" Koko asked while grabbing the lever.

Quickly getting into landing strategy mode, they got into their usual stances. Hands out, knees bent, feet apart, and staying as stable as possible. The last thing they need is to get tossed like a rag doll when their flying through the air.

""Ready!""

clink!

""No..."" They started as Koko pulled the lever and the gears turned. The gears clinked and whirled loudly as they waited. They know exactly when they'd get launched so they did the only thing you could do in a situation like this.

Come up with a catchphrase just for it.

whhrrrrr-Chuck!

""FUTURE!"" They screamed out as they were launched into the air over the multi-colored trees of the King's Forest.

Cardin and Jaune were angled slightly from each other and were quickly getting distance between them as they sailed across the sky. It was nearing six o'clock from what they could tell so they only had about an hour to find and beat a Grimm before it gets to dark.

But first they have to land without dieing.

'Hope Jaune doesn't smack his face into a tree or something, that would really suck.' Chuckled the barbarian as he flew through the air.

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Cardin's "landing"...

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After sailing through the sky and starting his descent downwards the burnt orange hot head executed the landing strategy that he always used. That strategy was Boosting into his feet and just plowing through branches to decrease momentum. He's done it before a hundred times no problem!

With his mace and armor which he didn't have with him.

As well as a shirt, can't forget that his Masters nutty rule's on life made him come out here shirtless. The only reason he still had his steal boots is because you can't remove the plates.

So after executing the first half the Little Cardinal realized that he would need to come up with a new way to actually LAND.

With no other choice he went with Jaune's fall back plan that never seems to fail him on Thursday's...

'Don't break a leg! Don't break a leg! Don't break a leg!'

Chant in his head and pray to Dust he doesn't break something important, like his legs.

Crack!

"Oof!"

Thunk!

"Argh!"

Snap!

"Uuggh..."

Now hanging upside down from a tree branch he'd managed to catch with his foot barely. The not-so-lucky-but-also-not-dead cardinal looked straight down and found himself to be quite a distance off the ground. Sighing and counting his lucky stars he didn't fall ALL the way down the suspended knight decided to try and figure out how he's getting down. Upon further inspection of the earth below him, he saw that he's hanging over a steeply slanted hill.

That went down quite a ways with rocks all over it and into a deep looking river.

If he messed up THIS landing he'd be totally screwed.

Crack!

His head shot up to look at the now snapping branch suspending him from the ground with wide eyes.

'No!'

Crrrrrack!

'No! No! No!'

SNAP!

"AAAAAH!"

THUD!

Falling straight down the cardinal let his instincts take over and he threw his body around. Now spinning in midair the frantic mace user flowed more flames into his hands and feet in anticipation for the long roll down. When he hit the ground, the world was already a blur, and Cardin didn't know up from down as he continued his journey he wished would just stop.

Splash!

Finally the world stopped spinning as he landed in the river. It was a waist deep river and it was very calm compared to how he thought it was. To bad the knight was still adjusting to his little roll down hill. Seeing stars the disorientated barbarian was barely able to keep his head above water.

So instead of struggling to get his barings the boy decided to just float on his back till the world became stable to him again. As he floated the blood from all the now opened scars and his new scratches seeped into the river making them sting. He could also feel his sore muscles ache in his arms and legs from all the pressure he's put them through the last couple hours.

Using his flames he closed the open wounds quickly without much of an issue and continued to use the flames to keep him warm as he floated down river slowly. He couldn't do anything about how sore he was, only grit his teeth and bare it. That's something he does a lot when he train's with his Master and Jaune.

After a few minutes the shirtless idiot was finally able to focus and move without causing his sore muscles to much pain. After pulling himself out of the river and onto the bank with some difficulty, he decided to rest for a bit. It wouldn't do him any good to run around without a plan or energy.

'If this is karma for teasing Jaune and scaring those little animals then I'd hate to see what would happen if I really fuck up.' Sighed the sarcastic and very tired knight.

Laying on his back and watching the clouds again he started to think about himself. He knows his existence is pretty miniscule in this big world full of monsters of death and destruction, but he couldn't help but think about who he is and what he wants. There's something him and the Little Wolf are always told by their Master.

"You can't wield a weapon if you can't see yourself." He whispered aloud as he pulled the red Heart Glass from his pocket and held it up to the sky.

He still doesn't know what she means exactly by it, but he has an idea about it. Like you have to know yourself before you can wield a weapon to it's fullest potential. Not like in a spiritual sense or any of that bull. More like a physical and psychological way.

You have to know your body and your mindset in battle in other words.

He could figure out that his mentality is that of a foolhardy idiot that prefers to deal damage then take it so he can end fights quickly. That was really simple for him, so he added heavy armor to his equipment to supplement for his weak defenses. That way he can focus on attacking and just throw caution to the wind like he always does.

And thanks to the hand-to-hand combat training their Master gave them, they know their bodies pretty well. They understand their limits and can guage how injuried they are while fighting. Since they have Crest Sight active whenever they spar they can even see the subtle twitches of muscles thanks to rule number six. Because they know what to look for, they can even read people without Crest Sight.

That has saved their hides a lot when dealing with punks on the street.

Most of what they know from their hand-to-hand combat training is that instinct is key to movement. Constantly thinking of where to move will slow you down, so Jaune and him form a basic plan before hand whenever they fight. They have a process of thinking about what they'd do before they even do it, and if need be adjust their plans. Being flexible and knowing your exits is the basics of survival.

What does this have to do with who he is and what he wants? Well the answer is simple, he loves to fight and do things others would never consider even trying. He's a thrill seeker in many ways and that's all he wants out of life, to do what no one else would.

Cardin would seek out the strong and challenge them without second thought. Going on adventures and getting into trouble is like second nature to him. It's a part of him he can't get rid of and doesn't ever want to.

If you were to ask Cardin Winchester why he loved fighting, he'd only say one thing:

"It's what I was born to do and what I want to do."

To an extent he's right. He was born into a family of warriors that fight and defend the Kingdom of Vale from all possible threats. His father and mother are knights, his grandparents on both sides of his family are knights, his extended family are knights or Hunters, hell at this point he's more then sure his own kids will be warriors of some kind.

It's just in his blood to be a warrior and fight.

Though his family doesn't have the best histroy when it comes to dealing with people, especially faunus. But after Cardin befriended the faunus women Koko when he was ten years old they started to accept faunus. The Winchesters changed for the better over the last seven years of the youngest son's association with Koko of Kilika and Jaune Arc. Koko has proven to possess the one thing Winchesters hold higher then tradition:

True power in the face of danger and great difficulty.

Koko has earned the respect of the Winchesters and proven years of superstition about faunus being weak animals wrong. Carson Winchester, head of the Winchester family, had started to treat the faunus villages that are under his knight divisions protection differently.

Most of those villages inhabitants worked in the Dust mines that Carson owned, and after meeting Koko he improved the conditions for the faunus workers and they came to respect his strength. Even if he gets mad at them for being weak and complain a lot about things he can't take care of for them.

Cardin and his elder brother Genesis take after their father in many ways. They have his ever present natural scowl when he's not sneering at the fools below him. They have his bloodthristy nature to seek out the powerful and test their metal.

They also have his unsavory hatred for weak things; like tiny animals, people who hide when things get bad, people that runaway and don't take responsibility for their actions, and most of all people who think that just because they are in a group they are strong.

People like the White Fang in other words.

"What do I even want to do in life besides fight and go on adventures? Is that even a life choice?" Cardin asked the little crimson colored marble in his hands.

Growl

Tearing his gaze from the Heart Glass he's been staring at he sighed, "No use thinking about it right now."

The fight happy barbarian started to grin menacingly and slowly rose off the ground and shoved the red glass ball into his pocket. The shirtless knight rolled his aching shoulders and felt the pain from his tumble down hill till there, but he'd have to grit his teeth or die.

Now he turned his eyes to the bushes near the river and saw the red glow. Taking his boxing stance, Cardin extended a hand to the bush and beckoned it's occupant out.

'Let's see what kind of Grimm I got here to tame, is it a Beowolf? I hope it is, or maybe something like a boarbatusk that might be harder though...' He was getting giddy even though he's sore as hell.

'I've always wanted to Atleasian Suplex a Grimm nows my-'

ROAR!

Just like that, the burnt orange knights hopes were dashed. It was a young Ursa that came out of the bush instead of a smaller and lighter Grimm. The ursa didn't even have spikes on it's back it was that young. The bone armor on it's body was limited to only it's face mask.

Groaning at how he wasn't going to fullfill his wish this time around he rolled his shoulders again and felt the burn of his muscles. Cracking his nuckles and neck, the shirtless barbarian looked at his opponent with a menacing scowl. The golden wing representing his Crest Sight appeared on his right eye and he got to thinking.

'I'm not against having a Ursa as my partner for the rest of my life, it should be fun with all the bear puns I can make.' The Little Cardinal's fearal grin grew.

'Might as well do what I do best.'

"Soooo," he drawled out with a smirk, "come here often?"

The Grimm grunted and quickly charged at him with a swipe aimed at his head. Jumping backwards a little, Cardin dug his foot in the ground and sent a Boosted punch to the Grimm's open side. Barely even making the Ursa flinch.

"Well that could have been better." Cardin said aloud as he backed off from the angry bear of death. He had to shake out his hand because of the pain from it's thick hide.

"Mind telling me your weakness or am I just going to have to keep punching till I find it?" Cardin asked as the Ursa sent a flurry of swipes at the pesky human that was mocking it.

"What's the matter?" The burnt orange boxer said while weaving between the Ursa's clunky attacks, "You look like your having a hard time."

Quckly moving back and getting some distance again the mace user held his arms out wide, "Am I that un-BEAR-able when I'm BEAR-handed?"

GRRRR!

"Yesh! I doubt we could work together if you don't like my puns." Cardin rolled his eyes and smirked.

'I wonder if this is how my brother feels like when we spar...'

.


At the Winchester Castle last year...

.

"Come on my cute little cardinal! I'm not even sweating~!" My brother teased as I kept trying to hit him with my mace.

I had asked my elder brother Genesis to spar with me. Just a simple spar since he became a squire to the Knights of Vale this spring after he turned 17. After becoming a squire he was gone as much as father from home after all. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel lonely without him.

This was just a practice fight between brothers. You know, a good natured fight to help each other improve. A battle that has absolutely no ill intents from either of us.

"STAND STILL SO I CAN KILL YOU!"

What? I'm Sir Sarcastic knighted by Koko the Queen of Badassery. You really think I'd start off my flashback differently?

Anyways, Genesis is my older brother. He has brown hair and forest green eyes like our father. I got my mothers hair burnt orange hair and indigo eyes though and I actually like them better, makes me a little less menacing. Though my brother and me both got our fathers natural scowl.

I really hate it.

That scowl seems to be what scares everybody away from me and I never had friends as a kid. Until I met Jaune that is, but lets get back to the topic of my brother.

"What?" Genesis ducked under my swing AGAIN, "You mad bro?" He teased with a smirk. My Crest Sight was already activated before we started, but it doesn't make my brother any less annoying.

Deadpanning I replied with an explosive swing, "If I was mad," I spun in a circle with the momentum and slamed my mace down hard into the floor, "I would be FAR more calm!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot that depending on the level of fear or anger," Genesis said with wonder as he bobbed and weaved between my swings, "your crest thingy calms you more."

Clang!

"I doubt you forgot about that." I grunted swinging at him again and the shaft of his war hammer met the shaft of my own weapon.

"What do you take me for?" Genesis teased while pushing into me with his war hammer. He was right up in my face now and didn't even blink with his next words.

"A mad genius that will someday conquer the world?" He sneered.

"Yes." I said simply before IMTing away from him.

My brother had a thinner frame then me, but he was still leagues stronger then me even without using his Aura. Big brother usually wore light armor like Jaune, except his armor was standared steel and covered the majority of his left side since he's left handed. Normally he uses a square shield and lance combo, but sometimes he likes to use his other weapons he's collected over the years.

Right now he's using a war hammer from his collection, my brother has an obsession with the classics. Sure he thinks the weapon's huntsmen use nowadays are cool, but it's thanks to the classics that crazy weapon's like that even exist. Huntsmen may have 'improved' upon their weapons, but in essence they all stem from the classics.

He never shuts up about that...

My brother just laughed, "You and me both know I'd already have taken over the world if that was the case."

Diving back into our fray, steel met steel again.

Clang! Clang!

"So, why did you want to spar with me again?" I saw the mischief in his eyes. Another thing we got from our father was his love for making chaos.

My brother is way better then both father and me at causing chaos though.

"Where's my left socks!"

...

I know what your thinking, but not even I have the answer to that question.

.


End of Flashback...

.

"Whoa!" Yelled the reminiscing idiot as the very angry bear swung at his head again.

'Yup, just reminisce about your past in a life or death battle. That is totally what you should do Cardin.' The knight rolled his eyes at his own sarcasm biting him.

ROAR!

"I heard you the first time!" The barbarian yelled back and charged a large Boost into his hand's.

It hurt to tighten his fists because they got quite the beating from hitting the Grimms tough muscles. That didn't stop him though, it's fight or die. And there ain't no way in hell Cardin Winchester was going to die here.

Taking his stance, hands burning brightly, again he continued to dodge the hulking bear of darkness. When he could, the knight struck at it's sides and arms. The damage was adding up but it was taking to long.

It was starting to get hard for the burnt orange boxer to throw proper punches. He was still a little shaken from his roll down hill and it was starting to get dark out. He needed to finish this fast.

The whole time he was racking his brain, 'What are these things damn weaknesses again?'

Cardin would be the first to admit that he isn't the brightest when it comes to most kinds of studying. The barbarian knows all of that pretty well, and accepts that it's something he MIGHT need to work on. But at least he's able to read the mood of a room unlike Jaune.

And Jaune is more dense then a brick wall lined with 10 inches of cement and plexy glass.

Memory isn't Cardin's biggest thing either, if he likes it he will remember it. Hell he could recite a chapter from one of his favorite books almost perfectly! But if it bores him to no end then he'll more then likely forget it.

'Peter! What was that story about him and the Ursa?!'

Cardin smirked as he remembered the only teacher that could get him to actually REMEMBER something most people made boring. Because Peter's story's were just so freaking cool! Who else in the world can say they've used a LIVE beowolf to beat up an Alpha beowolf? Or hunted down a legendary monster called the Krackin in the middle of the worlds ocean!

Thinking hard about Peter's many Ursa stories that the knight duo have learned by heart over the years, Cardin came to a conclusion.

'Okay nose, groin, and the ears are all super sensitive. I don't have anything to make loud noises to stun it's hearing like Peter said was the best thing to do. But the side of the head where the ears are at isn't covered much by the mask...'

The barbarian jumped a little ways back from a downwards swing. Now that the Ursa was hunched over, Cardin gave it a swift kick to the nose. The Ursa's Grimm mask only cover's the top half of it's face so it's nose is vulnerable luckily. The Grimm howled in pain and fell on all fours.

"Boot to the head!" Cardin yelled and sent a Boosted kick to the left side of the Grimm's head right at the unprotected ear.

Whack! Crack!

THUD!

Thanks to his steel plated boots he was able to not only do some major damage to the Grimm, but even crack it's bone mask and knock it out.

"Ugh, why didn't I do that from the start if it was THAT easy." The knight rolled his eyes as he inspected his handy work.

While shacking his now aching foot.

'Damn thing must have a thicker skull then Jaune AND me.' Remembering his best friend he sighed.

"I gotta be nicer to Jaune and small animals, that way karma doesn't bite me in the ass so hard." He thought while looking off to the side and seeing a squirrel.

Grrrr.

Terrified, the little animal ran from the cardinal as fast as it's little feet would take it.

"I'll start tomorrow." The barbarian smirked.

.


Three minutes later...

.

After he was completely sure that the Grimm was down for the count, Cardin decided to do what his Master told him. Since the Grimm was flat on it's face he walked over to one of it's limp paws. Inspecting the left one he thought that would be a good place to put the Heart Glass.

Pulling out the small red marble like glass and holding it infront of his face. He saw the setting sun gleam of it's surface.

'It feels like I'm missing a piece of myself.'

Sighing and scratching his head the cardinal kneeled next to the Grimm. Taking the glass ball and pressing it into the beasts left paw and placing his other hand on the Grimm's body. He pushed his flames inside of the Grimm and the Heart Glass started to sink into the Ursa's fur.

'This thing feels so... Empty inside.' The knight scowled while the Grimm's body lit up with his slowly spreading flames.

"Whoa!" Cardin jumped back from the Grimm.

"I know she said it would be flashy, but this is nuts!" He exclaimed in awe.

There before him, his flames that had ignited the large bear turned crimson red like the Heart Glass. The fire burned while it spread further across it's body, the black color of the Grimm seemed to burn off into ashes from it's touch. The cardinal watched as the fur of the bear turned a golden blonde color similar to the color used for the Winchester's familly crest.

The flames continued spreading across the unconcious Grimm, the darkness burned away to ashes slowly in the glow of the setting sun. Rising high into the sky and disappearing as though it was never even a part of the beast it came from. The Grimm's claw's and the broken bone mask burned brightly with the crimson flames. What was left of the mask turned black and slowly cracked off the Ursa's face and dissipated like the rest of the black on the monster.

Squinting he watched as the claws and the crown of the Grimm's head glowed even brighter. Nearly blinding him but he couldn't tear his gaze from the sight. Where there was once white bone, it had turned into a pure silver. Crimson red scrawling's etched into the silver mask and over the right eye of the grimm was the shape of a wing in that very same crimson color.

As the light show died down the knight walked closer to the gold furred bear. Kneeling infront of it's face, Cardin put a hand on the silver mask.

"Gold and crimson huh? My favorite colors just like Master said." He stroked the mask a little and heard the creature breath softly unlike before.

Before it was more like evil breathing, if that's a thing.

"When she said it would take the image that would please us I wasn't expecting my favorite colors and Crest Sight symbol." He had a small smile now.

'So this guy is going to be my Metal Head partner huh? I feel like he's a part of me.'

Taking a look at the left paw he saw that it had grown it's own silver plate and the same Heart Glass was right in the middle. The Heart Glass grew to the size of a golf ball. Crimson lines swirled around the steal plate as they cirlced the glass marble in the center. The Heart Glass shined a briliant red that seems to captivate his gaze, no longer did it make him feel a little empty to look at it.

He felt whole again, like what was missing is back. Yet it's not, that feeling was coming from the beast infront of him. Noticing that the bear was waking up he looked at the slowly opening eyes. They were indigo like his own eyes, another thing his Master said would happen.

"Morning sunshine." Smirked the mace user.

The Metal Head blinked it's eyes a little bit at the new face. Slowly, it stood up again on all fours and looked to be inspecting itself. Like it was trying to get used to it's body, it walked around a little and moved it's claws as though feeling for them.

'Is that susposed to happen?'

"So I take it you don't want to kill me anymore?" The barbarian had no idea why he was asking, he just did.

As though remembering he was there, the Metal Head looked up from it's feet in surprise. Rearing up on it's hind legs it started to stalk over to Cardin. The worn out and very sore knight knew he should feel afraid right now but he doesn't. It took slower steps as it got closer to him, but Cardin waited and didn't move. Upon closer inspection the Metal Head was only a little bit bigger then him hight wise.

'I knew it was a young Ursa, but that's still pretty small.'

Grunting at him the gold furred bear held out it's left paw to Cardin. Looking up at the bear questioningly he pointed at the paw. Nodding to Cardin, the barbarian took the hint and decided to just put his hand in it's paw.

It was the left paw of the bear and as soon as he touched it his Heart of Will ignited on his own hand. Looking satisfied the bear turned and got back on all fours and walked towards the river. The golden blonde fur of the bear was a stark contrast to the dark green grass making it stand out quite a bit.

Walking over to the bear, Cardin decided to sit down and watch the river. It was dyed red and orange by the setting sun and made him feel a little at ease. The golden furred bear was next to him as he sat down and propped himself on his elbows. His whole body was sore and he knew that he had probably sprained his wrists from the fight, if the bruises on his wrists are anything to go by.

"Gold."

The knight kept his eyes trained on the water and saw it reflect the bear as it looked over at it's master with a scowl.

'We even have the same freakin scowl?' Cardin chuckled and the bear just glared at him.

"Your name is now Gold, your fur is a golden blonde like my family crest after all." Cardin reasoned as he continued to watch the river.

It must have been satisfied because it just set it's head back down with a small grin from what Cardin could tell. This bear seemed like him but something was different, like it was him but not. Of course he's obviously not a bear like Gold, but he felt like something inside it is different.

"Come on." Cardin said while standing up with shakey legs. All that Heart of Will flame he was using had caused his body quite a bit of damage.

"We need to get back before it gets to dark and Master decides to come find us." Gold looked at him quizzically and Cardin just scratched the back of his head.

"I'll tell you all about the crazy gun touting bear faunus I call Master as we walk back." The shirtless knight said and Gold nodded.

"Kyyyaaaaaaaaa!"

"Caaaaaaaaaaaw!"

Immediately Gold and Cardin looked to the south towards the other end of the King's Forest. It's full of extremely dangerous and old Grimm, Grimm that Koko has taken to calling:

B.A.G.

What that means is there are Big Ass Grimm. Sometimes Cardin wonders how his Master even comes up with these sorts of names. Almost everything is an acronym when it comes to combat. In fact, whenever Wise Owl visits they always talk about acronym's. Apparently part of the silver haired Huntsmens job is to come up with acronym's.

Cardin and his buddy Jaune still don't know what that job even is.

"Dammit Jaune!" Gold looked up at his extremely miffed master with a curious raised brow.

Cardin sighed, "My idiot friend got in trouble, lets go help him."

'Since I heard a Nevermore he's probably getting carried off to one of their nests in the southern cliffs.' Cardin rolled his eyes.

Gold nodded and the duo took off running towards the south end of the forest where the dark clouds are alive with a strong storm. Just getting near that part of the forest gave Cardin a bad feeling, like there was more then just B.A.G and dangerous cliffs...

Dangerous cliffs full of Nevermore nests to be precise...

'He really is super unlucky on Thrusdays.'

.


Back with the wanna-be pirate and friendly ghost...

.

"Koko, do you think they'll be okay?" Leo was sitting on one of the jutting rocks in the clearing. He was staring at Koko who hadn't taken her eyes off of the part of the sky she launched her little brothers. Her eyes were proud yet painful, which puzzled the lion.

After several moments of waiting for a response Leo became worried, "Koko?"

"It's almost time..." The bear faunus murmered without straying her gaze.

"Time for what?"

Koko finally tore her gaze from the treetops to the south and looked at the worried lion.

"For them to see the path they've chosen..." Koko turned her gaze back as she trailed off.

Leo floated over to her, "What do you mean?"

Koko chuckled lightly while pulling out her little leather book, "Ha ha... The path that only an idiot would take."

After flipping to the last page of the little book, she looked down at it with a sad smile.

"What's that doing in your Voice book? Isn't that only susposed to hold calls?" Leo pointed at the picture.

"Ya gotta keep yer loved ones close right? What better place to put them then my Voice book that always stay's close to my heart?" Koko said softly while looking down at the picture.

There was a girl, no older then 14 or 15, standing with a bunch of other people. Her skin was tanned like she had never spent a day out of the sun. The girl had short honey brown hair and chacolate colored eyes. Clutched in her hands was a pair of pistols and a rifle was slung over her back. She was wearing a simple brown longsleeved tunic, black pants with two crossed belts, and her feet had leather boots that looked extremely worn down.

Around her neck was a silver necklace with a bear head that has a brown circular gem on it's forehead.

Everyone in the picture was smiling brightly and looked like they could always find the good in the bad. There were people old and young in the photo. Humans and faunus were standing next to each other. Some of them had black skin and other's were extremely pale. They all had weapons strapped to their backs and scars littering whatever skin was exposed. Not a single person in the picture looked like they had seen a day without each other at their sides.

To the rigth of the girl in the middle of the photo was a human man with black hair and glasses holding her shoulder with a big goofy grin. The man's skin was pale and just under his arm was a book of some kind. On her left was a very tall women with a bright smile, a giant sword, and bear ears on her head. The women had tanned skin and looked like there was never a day she didn't smile. Standing behind the young girl was a young man who looked to be about 18 or 19 with a sword hooked on his belt. His face was covered in ash and he was wearing a smithing apron. His eyes were silver and his hair was honey brown like hers, but his was a little longer and tousled. He was hugging the short girl around the shoulders from behind and resting his chin on her head with a big toothy smile.

"Is that?" Leo asked cautiously.

The lonely bear nodded slowly, "That's my family when they were alive. That's my tribe when it was whole. That's... My old home."

.

End of Chapter

.

A/N

Welp, I did not mean to end on that depressing note.

ANYWAYS!

I'm really mean to Jaune and Cardin don't you think?

I just flung them into a forest of Grimm without shirts on or weapons to tame creatures of pure hate. Not only that but Cardin kinda had a really shitty landing, though it's his own fault for being a jerk to Jaune and squirrels.

Now Jaune MIGHT be getting carried off to the more dangerous part of the King's Forest by his mortal enemy... Or maybe he's just screaming because a Nevermore found him.

But don't worry about him to much, I don't feel like killing off any of this stories characters so early in.

Well Leo was already dead so he doesn't even count...

On to the obvious questions!

What are 'Calls'? Who the hell is 'Wise Owl'? Why is Cardin's elder brother obsessed with left socks? How do you even tell which ones left or rigth?!

The answers to some of these question's will come! (Except for Genesis and the sock thing. No one knows why, not even me and I'm the author!)

That's it for this chapter, laters!