Chapter Nine: Nightmares
Forests of Anima
The Seer came to join the gathering of her forces and their potential new allies. Watts was quick to scamper in and deflect as much blame as possible. "Your Grace, it seems Branwen wasn't at the location Leo provided us. And then of course Cinder felt compelled to settle her grudge with some girl from Beacon and we got quite off-track."
Projected in a reflection on the surface of the Seer's head, Salem raised her hand to silence her subordinate. "There's no need, Arthur. Our new friends have told me all about the situation we've found ourselves in. It seems that Raven Branwen has been the Spring Maiden we've been trying to find all along."
Watts scratched his chin. "Odd. I wouldn't think her a likely candidate."
"The Maiden's power can transfer to whatever suitable vessel the last host thinks of," Salem explained. "And Branwen is ruthless enough to acquire that power… and cautious enough to elude us. I'll allow the knights to elaborate."
"Knights?" Cinder repeated, glancing at Arc, Aura still encircling him.
"I'll make this quick," Jaune said. "The Raven you know has somehow been swapped with the Raven we know. You help us capture her, we add the sweetener of giving you the girl Ruby Rose too. My brother's pretty sure they'll be together."
"Where we… came from, Raven saw Ruby as her daughter," Lie explained. "We capture the silver-eyed warrior, and she will come to us. Or we find the location of Ruby Rose and that's where Raven will be. Either way…"
"And the Raven you know," Watts quickly interjected. "I assume she won't be able to open the vault for us, even if we do manage to find her?"
"Once we have her, we'll bring her back to our side," Lie explained. "As soon as she returns, the Raven Branwen you know will return here… and we'll place her right into your hands."
"And this 'side' you come from," Watts inquired, "Do tell me more about that…"
"Another time, Arthur," Salem insisted. "You will be returning to me while Cinder goes to speak to Adam Taurus and ensure our White Fang have a new time to coordinate their attack. The knights will recover their Branwen and the girl Rose for us, Once they have what they need, you'll regroup at Haven Academy and secure the relic."
Watts seemed interested in pursuing the matter further but did as his Queen bid. Cinder was a bit more blunt in voicing her objections. "And you trust them to handle this?"
"I trust their intent," Salem replied.
"What's to stop them from taking what they want and just returning where they came from?" Cinder demanded. "Or to just take the relic for themselves once they've brought Raven back?"
"A fair question, gentlemen," Salem conceded.
Lie dropped to a knee. "Once we've captured her we will bring her to Haven to your Grace's agents. You can watch us return her if you so wish… and the Spring Maiden in our possession will appear before you to open your vault. We know better than to act without our Queen's approval."
"If you have the Spring Maiden already, why can't you just send her back?" Cinder demanded. "If you're so willing to follow Salem's orders, why not show us some good faith?"
"The Raven we know has a piece of Professor Ozpin's magic bound to her," Jaune interjected. "And we have plans for it."
Cinder was growing increasingly wary. She glanced at the Seer with her remaining eye, hoping Salem would pick up on her suspicion and doubt them as she did. And Salem was concerned… it wasn't quite the same plan they pitched to her when they arrived. But she couldn't reveal that to Cinder or Watts; the alliance was hanging by a thread and needed a firm hand to keep it in place. Salem would allow them to play their games a while longer and see if the lies were meant for the queen or the pawns.
"Good faith must be acted on by multiple parties," Salem assured them. "I know why you doubt them, Cinder, but at the moment they have a means of providing us what we seek."
"Thank you, my Queen," Lie graciously replied, bowing his head low. Cinder scoffed at his servile motion.
"We shouldn't underestimate them," Cinder suggested. "And we shouldn't trust these two to handle it themselves. If you'll allow it, my disciples would be very useful in capturing Raven."
Salem stroked her chin, considering it. "Do you have any problem with that, Lie?"
"Not at all, my Queen," Lie assured her.
"So long as they don't get in the way," Jaune agreed, before glancing over at Emerald with a crude sort of smile. "Could use the company."
Emerald rolled her eyes. Mercury eyed the two warily, but wasn't in any hurry to contradict Cinder –or Salem- no matter who he was instructed to work with.
"Very well then," Salem agreed. "Cinder, tell Adam Taurus to hold his fire for now. Let's see what our new friends can do."
Cinder gave a bow, albeit a much shorter one than Lie, still crouched low to the ground. She was still wary of them, thinking about how Jaune had taken the full brunt of her attack with no visible damage to his Aura… and exactly what Salem meant by 'knights'. Cinder knew what she thought their powers were, what she tasted when she briefly clashed with Jaune… but it was impossible.
But then, they also claimed there were two Raven Branwens and two sides, two Remnants…
Cinder meant to steal the power of another Maiden when the opportunity presented itself. Now she wondered just how much power there was for her to find, if men could hold this ancient magic too. Now she began to wonder just how powerful she could become.
And just how many 'allies' she needed to stick around once their task was completed.
Elsewhere
"Do you remember the nightmares, my son?" Salem asked, still running her fingers through Ren's hair as he knelt before the sight of his friend's dead body hanging above him. "How they troubled you still when you came to Beacon? I know you went to great lengths to hide them from your teammates…"
Ren had the nightmares during his first few months at Beacon, it was true. They'd followed him all the way from Kuroyuri, but only Nora ever saw them. The moment he'd start thrashing she'd sidle up beside him and hold him still. All Pyrrha and Jaune ever saw was Nora's lack of respect for personal space and Ren's quiet tolerance of it. He'd appear sleepy and aloof the following day, and many would conclude Nora's presence simply drained away what little energy he had to work with, when in fact her flitting about elegantly concealed the restlessness he began his day with.
The nightmares became less and less frequent the longer he remained at Beacon. Nora still found reasons to cuddle up beside him, of course, but as time went on the past seemed only further away.
Then Nora helped him in Kuroyuri, stopping him from throwing his life away in battling the monster from his past. Working in tandem with his friends from Beacon, he destroyed the Nuckelavee and avenged the deaths of his parents and the destruction of his home. From that day on, with Nora beside him as ever and his friends at his back, nightmares hadn't pierced his sleep. He'd thought the past finally gone.
The Nuckelavee –all the Grimm- were Salem's minions. How could he possibly ever think this woman trying to endear herself to him could be any less monstrous than the demon that killed his parents?
Salem seemed aware of his attempt to resist her, her caress becoming only gentler. "She was the source of it all, my son. She clung to you to try and absolve herself of guilt… to forget her pain by taking you as her family. She wanted to forget, even if you never could."
Ren forcibly shook his head to get Salem's hand away from his hair. "And I suppose your intention is nobler?"
"I saw your nightmares, my child," Salem replied. "In this world, Ozpin told me how you suffered. I reached out to find you and make your sleep easier. But your partner refused to let your pain end. She couldn't bear to live with her guilt alone."
Salem's words sounded logical… but Ren quickly pushed that thought away. Nora suffered as he did, but she carried on with exuberance; energy he couldn't hope to muster. She took care of him just as Ren took care of her. Whatever Salem thought, he would never do something so horrible as this.
Yet Ren kept looking at her suspended above him. He couldn't imagine his hand wielding the weapon that cut her, but he could envision it vividly…
This was just more manipulation on Salem's part. She had some gift, some Semblance –possibly even some magic- that corrupted his thoughts, and he would not allow her to dig deeper into his mind. She was trying to manipulate him, just as she had his other self when she…
"What did you mean before?" Ren asked. "What did you do to m- to this other Ren while he slept?"
"I drew the darkness from your mind," Salem explained, reaching over to run her fingers over his forehead. Ren did his best not to shudder at her touch, to not betray fear… and then found himself in a far worse predicament, as her touch once more felt like a warm caress. "And held onto it for you… keeping you away from your past and reminding you of home."
Ren saw it in vague, hazy glimpses… of Salem embracing him in a hug, of cradling his head in her lap and caressing his hair again, of smiling warmly at the sight of him, proud of her child and all he'd become…
Ren frantically shook his head and drew away from her fingers. "I don't know what you did to this… this other incarnation of me, but I am not going to repeat his mistakes. I am not your son, and I am not the man who killed Nora."
He finally stood up and looked at her hanging above him. "I don't know what you expect me to become, Salem, but I will not be the monster you turned your child into."
"Monster to whom? Huntsmen? Kingdoms?" Salem asked. "My child still. And whether you accept it or not my son, she is the one who brought you suffering. And she always will."
Ren closed his eyes and let Salem's words pass over him. He thought on the ride from Kuroyuri to Mistral, as Nora looked out their ship over the forest and hills, and he reached over to take her hand in his own… how she smiled at him, her cheeks just slightly redder than usual as she slid over to nestle her head in his shoulder and they left the past behind them… as the future beckoned and seemed so much brighter…
"You came too late, I'm afraid," Ren assured her.
"We will see," Salem allowed. "Well, come, my son; I imagine we have a time to wait until the work is done in your other world… what say you tell me how you became so taken with the High Leader of the White Fang?"
Ren was wary about explaining that. Every word Salem spoke to him wore away his defenses and made him more amenable to her offer, but he had a memory to focus on to repel her now. He just had to hold out and rebuke her until his friends could deal with this other version of himself –this Spring Knight Raven warned them of- and he could find a way back.
And if they couldn't…
He'd remember Nora's smile and holding her hand. He'd remember the moment she helped him defeat the past.
He would not be consumed by it. He had someone counting on him to stay strong, and for the moment, the memory of her would keep him safe.
Mistral
With Jaune still occupied keeping an eye on Neo, Nora had ushered Ruby out of sight when she heard a knock at the door. She didn't know what to expect… at best it was a Huntsman associate of Qrow's. As far as she knew, all the people he'd been able to find had already joined them, including one who'd decided to stick around only after her unsuccessful attempt to kill Ruby. She had no idea what to expect, but no matter how wracked Nora was trying to get by without Ren, she remembered to keep Ruby safe from the bad people hunting for her.
It gave her something to think about aside from absent friends. Nora had become every bit as protective of Ruby in the past few months as she was of Jaune. Maybe not quite as protective as she was of Ren, but certainly as protective as she'd been of-
When the door creaked open, Nora's first thought was she'd seen a ghost. Nora's second thought was that Emerald had used her fancy illusion tricks to deceive her and she should be on her guard. Her third thought was that her memories had somehow manifested in front of her, and that without Ren to anchor her to the present, the past was bleeding into her thoughts. "Pyrrha…?"
Then the past raced over and hugged her, a moment before Nora had the very same thought. Pyrrha cradled Nora's head to her neck and shoulder, accommodating for her shorter stature as she always did. "Hello again," Pyrrha whispered, and Nora was instantly at ease.
Nora squeezed her tightly and listened to Pyrrha's rapid breath, savoring their embrace for a few wonderful moments. Eventually, however, Nora drew back to take her friend in, just as Pyrrha's eyes moved up and down. Their grips upon each other relaxed, but never once released.
Upon spotting Nora embracing whoever came to knock on the door, Ruby slowly edged her way over… and her eyes widened in shock at what she beheld.
She still had nightmares. She still remembered the moment of finality in vivid, graphic detail. She still feared closing her eyes knowing she would have to relive the moment sometime in the night.
And there was Pyrrha, arms wrapped around Nora, alive and well… still so tall, still so impressive…
"Pyrrha," was about all Ruby managed to say.
Nora stepped aside, still keeping one arm wrapped around Pyrrha's back. Pyrrha looked deep into her silver eyes, smiled politely and said: "Hello, Ruby."
Ruby stepped forward, still astonished. Not too far after her trudged her sister Yang, every bit as stunned but notably less entranced. Pyrrha did her best not to be bothered by everyone staring at her and kept her attention focused on Ruby.
When Ruby drew near she poked Pyrrha's arm with her index finger a few times, as though unable to believe the girl standing before her was real. Pyrrha did her best to be patient, indulging a rapid series of little pokes from the younger girl.
Then Weiss reached in from outside and took hold of Ruby's wrist. "Stop it, you dolt, you're being rude."
"Weiss, come on, I'm just amazed t-" Ruby then did a double-take. "Weiss!" She jumped right past Pyrrha and pulled her teammate into a tight hug, rivaling even Nora's prowess. When Yang saw the two she smiled fondly, until Weiss managed to poke one arm out from Ruby's fierce grip and beckon her to bring herself in. Yang was only too happy to comply, enveloping both girls in her embrace.
Weiss shed all annoyance in an instant, wrapping her arms behind either sister's neck and pulling them close. She could barely keep her emotions in as she mumbled: "I missed you so much…"
"I missed you too," each sister replied, hugging only tighter.
Pyrrha smiled at the sight, even if she didn't know the tall blonde… well, that tall blonde…
Another stepped forward from the kitchen, flanked by a shorter girl with three colored hair… Pyrrha couldn't help but be unnerved to think some habits from her world carried over into this one…
But at the same time when she saw those blue eyes of his… bad memories weren't the only ones that came to mind.
"Pyrrha," he whispered.
"Hello, Jaune."
Neo looked up at Jaune, perplexed, and then back to Pyrrha and all the hugs being exchanged. Hadn't the Mistralian girl been set up by Cinder and killed during the fall?
This was all starting to give her quite a headache. It was proving surprisingly difficult to keep track of who was dead and who wasn't.
Well, no. Not quite. Neo still knew who she'd lost.
And who took him.
White Fang Headquarters, Mistral
Cinder didn't like standing before him when he sat on that throne. She'd been prostrate before him once already, before she'd gained her Maiden powers, and that had been difficult enough to endure. Seeing Adam lounging in the seat of the White Fang's power made her wonder if he'd recall that time when he'd been able to defy her… and a time when she'd had no choice but to accept his decision. Adam wasn't the sort to express much gratitude, even if he did owe his newfound power to Salem and her allies.
"And why should we wait?" Adam wondered. "When should we attack instead? My men are eager to send a message…"
"Of course they are," Cinder patiently indulged him, keeping her attention focused and trying not to let her considerable anger show. "But I'm sure you understand the need to coordinate."
"I was patient with you at Beacon," Adam agreed. "And that was a success… at least for the White Fang."
Cinder felt her temper flare again but let the remark pass. "This will be no different; another Huntsman academy will fall and everyone will be made aware of your strength. And then Atlas can start their war and your White Fang can pick up the pieces."
Adam seemed gleeful at the prospect. Cinder might've once indulged in a similar enjoyment at the thought of so many enemies slaughtering each other… but now it was hard for her to maintain much enthusiasm when her every step was wracked with pain from the wounds Ruby Rose had inflicted. Still she managed a wry smile.
"What exactly is the reason for the delay?" Adam asked. "What are we waiting on?"
Cinder had no intention of telling him about the Maiden or the relic. She'd hoped his bloodlust would be motivation enough to do their bidding, but it seemed he hadn't lost his curiosity. Cinder made him wait after the failure at the Breach and he was not eager to be kept waiting again, even if he could see the rewards waiting for his loyal service.
It was natural he'd be curious. "Leo Lionheart, the Headmaster at Haven- he's our informant. He thinks it'll be much more damaging to the kingdom if the school is destroyed just before classes resume, so we might dash the hopes of so many huntsmen-in-training gearing up to defend their kingdom. Mistral will be demoralized further… even easier prey for Atlas and their machines to strike."
"Salem didn't promise him protection, did she?" Adam asked. "Because I think quite a few of my men would enjoy seeing that traitor burn down with his school."
Adam may have carefully masked his own intent by attributing it to his subordinates, but he didn't hide his own interest. He had an appetite for killing, and finally had a position to do it on a large scale. No doubt he wanted a big political victory to match up to his installment as leader…
"Once Leo plays his part I can't imagine my master will have any more need of him," Cinder replied. "So, by all means…"
"Fortunately he's given me ample cause," Adam assured her. "One of his Huntsmen killed our former High Leader… and I intend to show Mistral's council that the White Fang cannot be ignored any longer."
Such bravado… did Adam even realize the scale of retaliation he was so gleefully inviting? Or how eagerly he was cleaning up a loose end and deflecting all attention from Salem and turning more and more of humanity against him; indeed against all the Faunus?
Hopefully not. He'd be so much easier to control if he thought all of his reckless attacks were of his own initiative. And if he wasn't strong enough to wear down Atlas and their war machine for them, so much the better… one more loose end dealt with.
The door to the chamber slammed shut as a new entrant joined them. Cinder turned her head around to see the brutish form of Hazel enter, carrying a body on his shoulder.
"Another one?" Adam asked.
"There have been many," was Hazel's simple reply, placing the deceased on the floor. Cinder watched as weapons fell over the dead man's chest. "Lionheart gave us the locations of some of his best fighters."
But clearly not better than Hazel. Or at the very least, unprepared for him… Cinder wondered just how many he and Tyrian had worked through now. She wondered exactly how much resistance they had left to deal with.
"If you have nothing further, please excuse me, Ad-," Cinder requested, before quickly amending. "High Leader."
Just a little reminder. Just a tiny show of respect. Even that tasted like acid in Cinder's mouth.
Adam seemed pleased at her gesture and waved her off. Playing to his ego had worked well enough, but Cinder sincerely hoped she wouldn't have to put on such a show again. She would tell him the time when she had one, and then hopefully he could die a martyr for the White Fang cause and keep Atlas bogged down in Mistral a few months.
Cinder moved quickly over to Hazel. She wasn't particularly fond of him, either, but of Salem's other subordinates, he was by far the easiest to deal with. "Have you been informed?"
"Yes," was Hazel's gruff reply. "I'm supposed to join you and your team when our new… allies return to Haven."
"Did our master decide to kill them if they fail her?" Cinder asked, carefully hiding her hope and trying to keep her tone neutral.
"If it comes to that," Hazel confirmed. "But only if it's necessary. We still don't have the Maiden, and the boy in Sienna Khan's seat needs to be reminded his place in all this."
Between Hazel, herself, Emerald, and Mercury, surely they could repel the former Beacon students, whatever powers they may have acquired. So if they were foolish enough to try anything…
Then again, even if they weren't, they'd be returning from a battle to capture a very dangerous woman. No doubt they'd return with a wound or two when rejoining Hazel and herself.
There were a great many possibilities to consider…
Forests of Anima
Emerald wasn't sure what to make of the two. She'd had very little interaction with Team JNPR at Beacon –almost all of her social interactions were with Team RWBY, because Ruby Rose had flitted about making as many friends as possible- and had only gathered what information she thought might've been relevant to Cinder's plans. Once Cinder decided on using Pyrrha Nikos in their scheme for the Vytal Festival, Emerald stopped observing the team and paid them no more heed. What she could recall was that Jaune Arc was an incompetent buffoon and Lie Ren was very skilled and capable, but constantly deferred to his leader's orders and spent a lot of time suppressing his true talent.
The dynamic they had now seemed more like a partnership, with Jaune deferring to Lie's tracking ability, while Lie turned to Jaune to provide the brute force. It wasn't too different from the dynamic she shared with Mercury: he wasn't unintelligent by any means, but he was very much the brawn to her cunning.
They saw Mistral towering in the distance, the kingdom's mountain towering over the tree line. Lionheart had told Salem and Cinder that Qrow had been the one to pass the information about the Spring Maiden to him, and it was highly likely the drunken Huntsman and his band of students would be waiting for them within. Between Qrow, his sister Raven, and Ruby and her friends she and Mercury alone would be outmatched and they'd need the assistance of their new allies.
Jaune kept casting unnerving looks her way. It was bad enough traveling with people she didn't know she could count on, but this added a new layer of frustration. At least Mercury had the decency to stop hitting on her after the first rebuttal. She wasn't sure how she'd fight off Jaune if he decided to advance from leering to something more serious… and she wouldn't enjoy explaining to Cinder how she'd spoiled their alliance by fending off unwanted… advances.
He'd received an attack from Cinder without suffering any visible damage. If Cinder couldn't stop him, the best Emerald could hope to do was distract him with an illusion.
Lie drew back from Jaune and stepped beside Emerald, whispering to her: "He won't be coming after you. He's just in a very foul mood… he hasn't had much sleep since we arrived."
"And why should I believe that?" Emerald wondered.
"Believe it or don't," Lie dismissively replied. "But he has his orders from the Queen. He isn't to harm any of you here… but his Aura will keep him up unless he burns off the excess."
Lie was being subtle, but Emerald knew enough to pick up on his meaning. She was horrified at the very thought. "Ugh… and who would subject themselves to that?"
Lie didn't answer her. But Emerald got the distinct sense he wasn't biting his tongue because he didn't know.
Jaune had made a particularly crass remark to Cinder before and implied some familiarity…
Had Cinder been the one he'd gained the power from? In his… other Remnant? And more even than that, were Jaune and Cinder…?
Were Jaune and herself…?
Emerald shuddered at the very thought. Maybe she was fortunate and he was leering at her because he hadn't subjected to her to his twisted aims back home. Emerald really had preferred not thinking about it, but it was hard not to now.
But her thoughts quickly refocused on the important possibility: if Cinder was still Salem's servant elsewhere, the queen been content to sacrifice her to Jaune. Emerald knew she was surrounded by dangerous and powerful people with their own conflicting agendas, but she hadn't considered the possibility of Cinder being the one discarded by her master.
It shouldn't have come as such a surprise. That had been Roman's fate, and it'd probably be the White Fang's after they served their purpose. So that left her to wonder… if Salem could replace Cinder –if that had been what Jaune implied- then how long would it be until she was replaced? How long could she expect Cinder to protect her if Cinder couldn't necessarily protect herself?
Salem's house had been a den of wolves before, but Emerald had been under one of those wolves' protection. Now she had to ask herself: how long would that last?
And how long would Jaune Arc hold his appetite without Salem present to hold his leash?
Mistral
Jaune just looked on, completely awestruck. Pyrrha did her best not to be bothered by the way he stared at her. She tried to remind herself –again and again- that she was in another world and that the Jaune before her was not the one she knew.
But clearly, he knew her. The others had started slowly sliding away from her, with Ruby, Weiss, and the blonde girl all making room and Nora just managing to detach herself. It seemed likely that she and Jaune had some kind of bond in this world too, and Nora was just as aware of it.
At the ruins of Vale Pyrrha had learned the basics, that Jaune was her partner here and her team had formed much the same way she remembered. But she also remembered him being her partner when he slowly descended into vice, eventually becoming Ozpin's brute to satisfy his very worst impulses… and taking a few good people with him if they caught his increasingly wandering eye.
This wasn't the Jaune she knew. Pyrrha reminded herself again and again.
"Wow," Jaune exclaimed. He just continued to stare at her.
But not in the cruel, inappropriate leer Pyrrha was used to receiving from him. He seemed genuinely stunned rather than lecherous. His eyes were still wide; cruelty absent from his face. He looked… much like the Jaune she'd met at initiation.
She had to keep dispelling these thoughts. "Now… I'm sure you're all very surprised to see me. I heard that I... well, I was reported killed in the battle at Beacon. But, if it's not too hard to believe-"
"You're from an entirely different world?" the blonde girl blurted out.
Pyrrha was taken aback. "I-uhm… yes."
"Yeah, we've been dealing with that lately," the blonde girl explained. "So what's your deal?"
Pyrrha wasn't sure where to start. Or exactly who she was talking to. Why was Ruby Rose so attached to her? "I… don't believe we've met."
She seemed surprised. "Really? Huh, wonder what else went on at that weird alternate Beacon you went to…"
Pyrrha briefly glanced back at Nora, before promptly burying the thought and refocusing her attention as the blonde girl offered her hand… only to immediately retract it and offer her left instead. Pyrrha quickly noticed why: her right arm was entirely prosthetic, spray painted gold and black. No doubt she was trying not to make Pyrrha uncomfortable… or perhaps aware of her power.
"I'm Yang," the blonde explained, still extending her hand to shake.
Weiss and Ruby observed, apparently just as surprised Pyrrha didn't know the girl. Again she reminded herself things weren't quite as she remembered them for the others gathered here… and gently took the blonde girl's hand in her own. "Pyrrha."
She returned her attention to Jaune, still just staring at her. Yang smirked and asked: "Aren't you gonna say 'hi', Ladykiller?"
Jaune did his best to try and compose himself, stepping forward. Pyrrha tried not to look wary as he drew nearer, and tried to remind herself she didn't have reason to fear him here… not if Nora and Ruby Rose were traveling alongside him without fear.
"I'm…" Jaune began, clearly struggling to find something to say, racking his brain. Then when he finally found the ability to speak he averted his eyes and hung his head low: "…I'm sorry."
Pyrrha never expected to hear Jaune say that. She never imagined him ever returning to the kind boy he'd been from the monster Ozpin had warped him into.
"I'm sorry I failed you," Jaune continued. "I wish I'd been stronger then. I wish I'd have been able to help you… and kept you safe before Cinder ruined everything."
He had his own set of memories to work with. And he was wracking himself with guilt for failing to save his friend…
Maybe their recollections weren't so different.
Pyrrha tentatively reached a hand towards him, struggling to even press her palm to his shoulder. It felt strange trying to show affection to him… it had seemed a very long time since she'd wanted to. It had seemed a very long time since she'd seen him without the corrupted Aura raging all over him, obscuring him beneath its flames.
Then she stopped and spotted the shield strapped to his arm. He'd made some sort of modification to Crocea Mors, some new engraving…
Pyrrha's hands ran over the gold trim emblazoned in Jaune's shield. Her eyes briefly looked up to the tiara that –in another life- forged this new accompaniment to Jaune's shield.
He still would not meet her eye. Pyrrha slowly removed her hand and reached over to his chin, gently prodding him up to look at her. When she saw those eyes again, she remembered watching a cut on his cheek vanish, when she briefly embraced him in the Emerald Forest and bound their souls together to unlock his Aura. She felt a smile forming on her lips.
Jaune finally acted, opening his arms and drawing nearer.
Pyrrha acted instinctively, reaching out to the metal in his plate. He was wearing heavier armor than she remembered, but it made little difference… she flung him back into the wall. The short girl with three colors in her hair rushed over to him, Pyrrha's extended hand still radiating with her Aura as she held him in place.
"Pyrrha!" Nora gasped.
Her reaction passed quickly… her rational mind returned in an instant. Unfortunately, it was an instant after she'd lashed out and hurt someone who seemed to be reaching out to embrace her, just as Nora had before.
He wasn't always a monster. And in this world, it seemed he wasn't a monster at all. Yet she was perfectly willing to hurt him…
"I'm… sorry…" Pyrrha murmured, averting her eyes as the short girl helped Jaune to his feet, glaring a burning hole into her.
"Oh, boy," Ruby muttered. "We probably shouldn't mention Ozpin to her just yet."
"Ozpin?" Weiss repeated.
"Yeah, this is gonna take a while," Yang agreed, waving her sister off before breaking from the group hug herself to help Jaune to his feet, her eyes darting between Neo and Pyrrha. It was hard to imagine Torchwick's former lackey would be the one helping her friend to his feet, and Pyrrha Nikos would be the one who attacked him.
It helped she'd already processed so much in the past few days. But this was still hard for Yang to wrap her head around.
Pyrrha glanced back at Ruby and Weiss. She quickly refocused her attention on what she'd come for. "Ruby Rose," she greeted again. "I… I'm not sure quite how to explain this, but I've come here for you."
"Really?" Ruby wondered, before audibly sighing. "You know, I've been hearing that a lot lately…"
"I'm here because Salem is after you," Pyrrha explained. "And because if she doesn't find you… we can finally defeat her."
A few rooms over, Oscar just continued to stare at the ceiling, musing on what Ozpin had told him.
"When were you planning on letting me in on this secret?" Oscar asked.
When you were older, Ozpin replied. I know that doesn't seem fair to you, but I didn't want to rush matters… I wanted you to get time to grow accustomed to the weight of your burden.
"And what, just keep our secrets from all the others?" Oscar demanded. "Just… just lie to them and use my mouth to do it?"
There are a great many things I've kept from them, Ozpin admitted. This was something that will not help them Oscar. It will only sow further dissension and mistrust.
"And what are they supposed to do, just blindly follow you, without knowing what you've done?" Oscar growled. "You're right… this won't help them. But they deserve to know just the same." He sat up and climbed out of bed.
Oscar, wait. Don't do anything rash… stop and process what I've told you. Consider all options before you make matters worse. Think about how this will impact them. Think about Miss Rose!
Oscar was aghast. "How can you even say that? After what you did?! You're the one who… who cursed her with those eyes! And for what? So you could help your witch girlfriend become more powerful?!"
So we could stop the Grimm, Oscar! So we could protect the people from their rampages by keeping them under our control!
"Well, you see how well that worked," Oscar dryly remarked. "All you did was give Salem an army of monsters. And all you're doing now is trying to clean up a mess you couldn't fix in a single lifetime."
Oscar did his best to glare up at his own forehead. "I hate that I'm stuck with you. You deserve to be cursed."
Ozpin was quiet for a long time before he replied. I… have never thought otherwise.
"Never?" Oscar interjected.
Not since I realized what she would do. Not since I understood what she had become.
Elsewhere
Blake hadn't had much chance to rest in the empty bedroom she'd chosen. She'd just paced back and forth thinking on Salem's suggestion. She thought –she hoped- it was just some sort of playful tease, some inside joke between her and the Spring Knight. But if it wasn't…
What was she to do? Refuse an instruction from Salem? Salem asked once, and the people who refused her were all huddled together in the freezing cold of Atlas knowing Salem could simply wait them out and her Grimm would always outnumber their machines the longer they tried to fight. The alternative to obeying the Queen was a slow, prolonged death.
She'd heard both her 'sons' were unmarried, and that the Fall Knight had a… collection of women to entertain himself. So it was possible the Spring Knight was… better? By comparison? Well, until Blake recalled how he'd brutally murdered a lot of people.
But then… her hands weren't clean there. She'd killed so many more, in comparison. She just did so while watching from a rooftop while a bunch of Grimm destroyed most of the kingdom of Vale. She may not have cut them down herself, but she had ordered their demise… and made a point to take the credit for the heinous act over the CCT.
She remembered the aftermath of the Breach. Her parents sent a communique from Menagerie condemning her actions. Her father –the Chieftain of Menagerie- disowned her for what she'd done. Blake thought nothing of it at the time, as she'd finished what Adam had begun… she'd carried out his dying wish and brought Vale the justice it deserved.
And then Salem had her do the same to Mistral, and gave her the ashes as a reward. She'd finally given the Faunus what they needed: a proper kingdom to settle and be prosperous within. She knew difficult times lay ahead, but without fear of attacks from the Grimm…
Many times she thought of turning back, but what could she do now? Abandon the Faunus to Salem's wrath?
She wouldn't have chosen this human boy. But if it spared her people from harm…
Blake reached up to feel Adam's bloodied mask. The Spring Knight could have her hand if he so wanted it, but her heart had long since gone. Now all that remained was the grim, brutal, necessary duties she had to carry out… and the burden she'd had to bear ever since her love was taken away.
Ren couldn't really flee from her, no matter how he wished to escape whatever influence she was trying to exert over him. Salem seemed amused by his continued resistance, playfully teasing him as though they were playing a game. The more she smiled and laughed the harder it was for Ren to ignore whatever was assailing his thoughts, and he felt increasingly at ease when he knew he was being ensnared by some sort of terrible spell.
An unexpected reprieve came to him, however, when a small Grimm with many tendrils floated over, drawing Salem's attention. The creature's glossy black head transformed into a strange, very clear image… of what appeared to be-
"Professor Ozpin?" Ren inquired.
Salem permitted his interjection. "Forgive him, my love. He hasn't finished his education yet."
"He isn't the only one," Ozpin replied, hoisting up the unconscious body of Raven Branwen, immediately catching Ren's eye. "This one's done nothing but resist me. Now that she realizes we need her to bring the knights back she thinks she's gained some leverage… and she's not entirely wrong. I think we may need to take a drastic step to correct this."
"Oh?" Salem wondered.
"I think the time has come for me to recover the relic stolen from us," Ozpin explained. "It will require considerable resources, of course… but I believe we can fool James and the others if we attack where they don't expect us to."
"If you leave the vault you won't be there to recover Jaune and Lie when their mission is complete," Salem pointed out, and Ren was surprised he detected tangible concern in her voice… before quickly telling himself it was just another of her tricks, another attempt to manipulate him.
"They may have to wait for me," Ozpin conceded. "But I do not believe Branwen will comply any further."
"Give her to me then, my love," Salem requested. "And I will make ready our Grimm to push on Atlas and draw their attention… how will you deal with the Fall Maiden?"
"You needn't worry, my love," Ozpin assured. "I have brought war to Atlas before. I have never forgotten how to bring them fear. And though its power has begun to ebb, I have just the weapon to remind them…"
Ozpin placed the unconscious Raven before whatever was projecting the message. Ren faintly saw red tendrils reach out and wrap around her before the image vanished from the strange creature's face.
Salem turned to Ren and smiled. "It seems you'll be present to witness something very special, my son."
"There is nothing special about harming the innocent," Ren flatly replied.
"Oh, there are no innocent left, my son," Salem assured him. "Ozpin saw to that the last time he wielded his sword."
Ren was curious against his will. He couldn't help but ask: "Sword?"
Salem's smile widened. "Ah, yes. Whatever your resistance, I suppose there isn't any harm in telling you… do you know how Ozpin brought an end to the Great War?"
Salem ran her fingers over his forehead again. Ren saw it in flashes… of a man reaching into desert sands and drawing a long, heavy blade from sandswept stone.
"He called it a sword, then," Salem explained. "But he knew what it was… he knew a gift from the gods. And it brought exactly what was needed to end a war that consumed all of this remnant."
The man swung the heavy blade. Everything… sand, stone, patches of water and grass… all of it vanished in an instant. Ren had heard Qrow describe something like this...
"Destruction."
