Present Time-Unknown Location
Cinder Fall looks through her paperwork. A tedious task, but only she could do it with any iota of decency. Roman couldn't fill out a permission slip to a field trip(something she teases him about to this day), Emerald would rather steal things, Mercury's lazy, and Roman's shadow was always ever elusive. So the boring papers fell to her. She bites into the tip of her thumb nail. Ever since she teamed up with Roman, her profit margins quadrupled, but that also meant more money to launder. As it stood right now, she had more money than she could clean. Roman's boy(?) seemed to know what he was doing, but she didn't want to make a habit of relying on enigmas. Thus she left the laundering aspect of the business to Adam.
Footsteps fill the room, "Who is it?" Cinder doesn't bother to look up.
"..." The person doesn't respond. Cinder sighs.
"What do you want Neo?" Cinder scribbles more information into her paperwork. She would personally burn the man who invented bureaucracy, alive. Frankly, she felt it was a load of garbage.
"..." The girl stands there, merely shifting her weight between her left and right leg.
"You're going to have to say something." That remark earns Cinder a glare.
Neo moves her fingers, 'Why are you investigating The Chessmaster? Are we not allies?' Cinder snorts.
"Because I know nothing of him or her. And enigmas usually mean death in this business." Cinder takes out a bottle of whiteout and applies a tiny amount to a corner.
Neo frowns, 'CM is loyal.'
"I don't know that. I don't even know what he or she looks like. All I know is that Roman has a shadow. Phase Two cannot happen if I'm ignorant of any variable." Cinder bites into the pencil.
'Your actions are more of a danger to Phase Two than CM's enigma. You risk exposing us. Trust me, CM is loyal, that should dampen your doubts.' When Neo finishes her hand movements, she leaves. Cinder takes the pencil out of her mouth and presses the eraser end of the pencil against her forehead.
"I still need to know who I'm giving orders to."
Present Time-Beacon Library
Blake flips through the pages of her book. Her current mood calls for adventure, so adventure she reads. Her eyes dart across the pages, her mind devours the words and sentences as she goes along. She loves books, they allow her to witness a world unseen and untouched. She finds solace, friendship, and love within the pages. So when a certain blonde haired boy interrupted her trip to fantasy land, she made no attempt to hide her displeasure.
"What do you want Jaune?" She asks, making no attempt to hide her annoyance. Jaune chuckles to himself, he could never sneak up on the bow wearing girl, not without his Semblance.
"Where's Yang? Also nice book, I heard it was a good series. What's it about?" He looks at the cover. Placing a bookmark into the book, she turns to him.
"It's about a woman who was given a choice, obedience or exile. She chose exile and its about her journey from a scared girl to a warrior queen who toppled her oppressive society. It's a good book, you should read it." Jaune nods, but he mouths the words 'Where's Yang' as he grabs a different book. "Not here that's for sure and I'd like to keep it that way. By the way, you've been disappearing a lot lately. Why?"
"Actually, the answer to my question is the answer to yours. You know how Yang is. The moment I make an appearance she appears like bloodhound to pun and tease." Jaune rubs the back of his neck slowly.
"Well, you could always join me here, Yang never bothers going into libraries." The corners of her mouth twitch upward.
"I appreciate the offer, but I tend to get a lot of work related things. Being a team-leader is not what it's cracked up to be. Just because I had one small plan when the team formed doesn't mean I'm fit for the responsibilities... Kill me now..." Jaune sits down and leans against the beanbag Blake melted into.
"You do seem like the type to just want to sleep in bed all day." She admits.
"Maybe that's why I'm leader, so I'm forced to give my 100 percent, bleh." Jaune makes a cutting motion with his hand over his neck. Blake smirks.
"Well I don't see how that's a bad thing. Responsibility seems to bring out the best in you."
"Jeez you sound like my mom. It's official, you're the mom of the group. Wait no that's Pyrrha. You can be the dad of the group." Jaune sticks his tongue out at her. Blake's bow twitched for a moment, or at least Jaune thought it did. Sighing to himself he puts the book over his face and take a nap. Today was tiring for Jaune. So many errands; so many things to do. One little nap couldn't hurt, especially if he's hallucinating bows twitching.
"You're insane Jaune Arc..." Blake reads her book as Jaune drifts off to sleep. He doesn't know why he mentioned his mom though, he hasn't exactly spoken to his family ever since he ran. The dreams weren't pleasant.
Present Time-Goodwitch's Class
"Good morning class. Today we will be discussing the different applications of Dust." Ms Goodwitch walks in and pushes her glasses back by grabbing the edges. As she passed by Jaune, she remarks, "Try not to fall asleep Mr Arc and Ms Xiao Long" Everyone in the class started laughing. Yang frowns; Jaune shrugs. Weiss raises her hand. "Ah, excellent Ms Schnee. Start us off by identifying the major classifications of Dust. No need to cover the minor classifications." Weiss nods.
"There are many different kinds of Dust as the good Professor said." Weiss smiles to herself, teachers loved it when you paid proper respect. "The major and minor classifications are based on two criteria, rarity and potency. Lightning, Ice, Fire, Earth, and Blood are the five Major Dusts."
Jaune raises his hand, Goodwitch frowns. "Yes Mr Arc?"
"Aren't you forgetting a couple?" Jaune grins. Weiss tightens her hands into fists, but Goodwitch places a hand in front of Weiss.
"Care to explain Mr Arc?" She pushes her glasses again.
"Based on that critieria, we would have Seven Major Dusts. But we classify Aura Poison, I'm sorry I mean Neutra Dust as Minor. Either the criteria system is flawed or there's a third criteria the Schnee Heiress conveniently left out." Jaune yawns. "Of course I could just be full of it and the Schnee Dust Company is always right and heaven knows the SDC has never lied to us lowly people." Blake smirks as she hides her face behind her novel.
Yang turns to Pyrrha and whispers into her ear, "Why's Jaune giving Ice Queen over there a ton of crap?" Pyrrha shakes her head and shrugs.
Weiss's upper lip twitches. "How did you...?"
"Because Aura Poison is both readily available and lethal. Despite my indifference to school, I am not ignorant of the world." Jaune tosses a chart towards Weiss. "I know one more Dust that should be on the Major List, but that one is a family guarded secret. Both mine and yours. So tell me, what's the third criteria you're so desperate to keep hidden?"
"That's enough Mr Arc. That's a S-Rank Hunter information. Frankly, it's a little disturbing that you have information of that caliber." Ms Goodwitch adjusts her glasses again.
"It's common sense. And don't give me that crap about 'classified' information. Knowledge should be allowed to flow freely. Especially seeing how we're going to be putting our lives on the line to be glorified bodyguards to people like Ms Schnee over there. Oh I'm sorry, I mean fight the Grimm and save humanity." Blake stares at Jaune in surprise.
"It appears Mr Arc has volunteered to be the first to spar."
"You got to be fu-"
Goodwitch cuts him off, "And he'll fight Pyrrha Nikos." Jaune seethes at this, he hates fighting other people. Pyrrha merely smiles at Jaune and adjusts her armor, while Jaune's mind drifts to the past...
6 years ago-Arc Household
Gris watched his son swing his sword to hit the training dummies. The attacks were slow and sluggish, it would be a short miracle if the boy ever mastered the Arc Sword Art. He just didn't possess the talent required for high level combat. And that worried Gris. His daughters had what it took to become great warriors but a warrior is nothing without their wit. Daughters with no tactics but talent for fights, and a son with all the tactics but no talent for combat. One way or another his children disappointed him. A left slash, a right slash, a stabbing motion. Little Jaune had made mistakes he shouldn't have and that frustrated Gris.
"Jaune... let's stop for the day. You've done enough." Gris beckoned out to his son.
"Alright Father." Jaune placed the wooden sword next to the dummies. Gris cracked his knuckles and stood up. "Father, why do you hate the Schnees?" Jaune walked up to his father.
Gris pinched the bridge of his nose. "When you grow older, I will tell you. I don't want your mind to be polluted with rage at your current age."
Jaune frowned. "That's what everyone says, but I still want to know."
"One day Jaune. One day." Gris forced a smile, which made Jaune cringe. "But do you want to know a cool Dust trick I picked up in my time at Mistral?"
Jaune's face had lit up like a house covered in Christmas decorations. "YEAH!"
"Bring out your arm." Jaune complied with his father's command. Taking out a vial of white Dust, Gris stuck his forefingers inside of it. He took them out and then had spread the Dust along the back of the little boy's hand and up the back of the boy's forearm. Goosebumps appeared on his skin.
"Dad it hurts..." Tears had begun to form in the little boy's eyes. Smiling, Gris ruffles the boy's hair with the hand not covered in Dust.
"I'm proud of you Jaune. This is Ice Dust. Focus the pain into the palm of your hand and shoot it out like a energy ball." Gris pointed to a tree. Jaune nodded, wiping away the tears. Raising his arm towards the tree, he had focused the pain he felt into the palm of his hand. The white covering his arm crawled towards his hand and the freezing had intensified. "Keep going Jaune, you can do it." Once the Dust reached his hand, a ball of white water formed in the boy's hand. "Not yet Jaune. You can do it, focus." The White completely left the back of his hand. "Now." Jaune pulled his hand back and had shot it foward, a sound of tree cracking had loudly spread. Cracking wasn't the right word, the tree became solid ice and in mere moments it shattered into small little shards. "So, Dust application it is. I think it's time I unlocked your Aura."
"REALLY!?" Jaune jumped up and down.
"Yes, come here." Gris smiled again. Placing one hand on Jaune's heart and the other hand on the boy's head, his hands glowed with a silver Aura. The moment Jaune closed his eyes from bright light, Gris began the Arc's chant. "For it is in legacy we achieve immortality, through this we become a pillar of society and gain perseverance to proudly stand tall. Infinite in compassion and unbound by prestige..."
Present Time-Sparring Arena
"...I release your soul, and by my hand, guide thee." Jaune finishes the chant his father had once told him of, his white Aura burns bright. He unsheathes his sword and spreads Ice Dust along the sharp edges. The moment the weight halves, lunges forward. Unfazed, Pyrrha throws her spear at Jaune. Reacting a fraction too late, he raises his shield to guard against the spear but the spear already grazes his sword hand. Forced to drop it, he channels his Aura into his fists. The cut skin knits itself together, Pyrrha rushes towards her leader. The moment she's within three steps of him, he smashes her with his shield. She guards with her right arm bracer, but the impact forces her back a few steps. Just enough time for Jaune's minor wound to fully heal. Jaune reaches for his sword but a black Aura surrounds it. Unable to pick it up because for some reason it's rather heavy, Pyrrha takes the opportunity to grab Jaune's arm and twist it behind him and place her weapon over Jaune's neck.
"Ms Nikos is victorious." Ms Goodwitch yawns. "Remember class, tomorrow we are covering Aura based combat. You are dismissed." Pyrrha smiles as she lets go of her leader. Jaune rubs his shoulder.
"Thanks for the ass kicking Pyrrha." He laughs. Blake sits in the corner of the building reading her book, uninterested in a one-sided fight. "Hey Blake you should have a match with her. She knows how to fight."
"She's a champion Jaune. Of course she knows how to fight." Yang pipes up.
"I'm fine reading my book, thank you very much." Blake doesn't bother to take her eyes off of the pages.
Present Time-Ozpin's Office
'Please Ozpin. Perle has corrupted what it means to be a Hunter. The way he parades his influence over the Council is sickening. You can't let him destroy any Honor we have left!' Ozpin breathes out slowly and stares at his reflection inside the black surface of his coffee cup. A fleeting fragment of a friend long dead... He hated nobility with a passion, especially his own. Gris always made it point to prove things with ability and not privilege. Perle and Gris were Heir Apparents of their lineage. Gris valued integrity, ability, and each succession growing stronger than the last. Perle valued social image, rules, perfection. Perle followed Gris, he admired the free spirit Gris seemed to have. But it fell to ash...
"Something bothering you Ozpin?" Glynda frowns as she walks into his office, closing the door behind her. Ozpin looks out the window.
"Just remembering a promise I couldn't..." The words die in his throat and he looks away. "It matters little..."
"Ozpin..." She raises her hand to place it on his shoulder, but she hesitates.
"I'll be fine Glynda. Tell me, what brings you here so early in the day?" Ozpin gestures for her to sit down.
"Jaune Arc." Goodwitch waves away the invitation, preferring to stand.
"Ah yes, his combat skills are within the 'acceptable' range." A hint of playfulness tugs at the Headmaster's lips.
"Why did you make him team leader?" Goodwitch shifts her weight from her right leg to her left leg.
"He reminded me of an old friend." Ozpin blows the steam away from his coffee cup and takes a sip.
"That's a rather poor way to choose someone for a leadership role." Goodwitch walks over Ozpin's coffee maker and pops out the used coffee cartridge and pops in Earl Gray. Closing the lid, she presses the start button.
"He takes great pains to hide it, but the boy has a knack for analysis. He knows how to keep people together and he has the heart to save people without hesitation."
"Jaune is a rather strange student, I will admit." She takes off her glasses and rubs her eyes. The tea fills the cup halfway.
"Tell me, why do you think he's not leadership material." Ozpin places his arms on the table and leans forward.
"He seems to enjoy antagonizing Ms Schnee. There's a blatant disregard to the academics; he only bothers showing up for tests. The homework is almost always incomplete and he has no consideration for those around him. And yet just when I expect him to sleep in class, he's asking questions that no person his age should even been to comprehend." She puts her glasses on and stares at the brewing machine.
"He's Gris's son. It should come as no surprise." He chuckles, fond memories.
"I don't know Ozpin, there's something else in that boy that doesn't sit well with me." She grabs the cup full of steaming Earl Gray. She basks in the pleasant aroma and smiles.
"You worry too much Glynda, get some rest."
"Very well." Glynda leaves the room with tea in tow and Ozpin rests his head against the back of his chair, looking at the ceiling. The moment the door closes, Ozpin breathes out slowly. "What are you doing here Azure?"
A beautiful woman laughs and drops down from the ceiling. "How long did you know I was here?"
"Since the beginning." Ozpin brings his fourth cup of coffee within the past hour to his lips.
"Aw you're no fun Ozzy."
"You're one to talk, I remember you always telling me and Gris to not get too badly hurt." Ozpin gives a small chuckle. "Regardless, what are you doing here? You're not the type to pop in just to catch up on old times."
"I want my son back." Azure takes a manilla folder from her backpack and places it on Ozpin's desk.
Sighing, Ozpin slides it in front of himself and rotates it. He opens it and reads the contents of papers. "...I can't fulfill that request."
"Typical... And if I threatened to reveal your involvement in the war?"
"I would cry." Ozpin smirks.
"That's rich. What will it take for you to convince you that his best interests lie in returning home?" She clicks her tongue.
"He's an adult now, you should be talking to him, Azure."
"After his mental breakdown where he threatened to stab Noir? No Ozpin, it has to be you." She shakes her head.
"He left your household. It's funny, two heirs. One disowned and the other flees." Ozpin gets up out of his chair and places his empty coffee cup in the coffee machine.
"I only have one son." Azure glares.
"You still need to talk to him Azure, it's no good coming to talk to me." Ozpin sighs again.
"He wouldn't listen to me. The way he left... Please Ozpin." She looks away in shame.
"I'll tell him you stopped by Azure. No promises."
"Thank you." She walks off.
Author Note: Looks like I'm making decent progress on this mad story of mine. Hard to believe I've been at this so long. The idea behind this has gone through so many changes, half the time I don't recognize what it's become. This fanfic hit 200+ follows the other day, that's really impressive. Thanks everyone. Seriously though, you guys need to review. Feedback helps a lot. Also, if anything confuses you, let me know either in a review or PM. I'll try to address it as quickly as possible.