Chapter 9: JNPR Reunited
June 2nd 1583
The Town of Shion
Rain poured from the night sky over the summer town of Shion, a popular vacation spot the world over. Everyone living in this town and visiting it were inside their homes, their shops, or the few hotels that dotted its areas, full of Shion citizens, passing travelers, some Huntsmen, and visitors on vacation. It was about ten o' clock when six weary travelers wearing cloaks and packs wandered into the Winking Ursa, Shion's only tavern, which was established shortly after Shion's construction decades ago. Every patron inside turned to see the new arrivals. The tavern's owner went to them. "Anything I can do for you?" the owner, Midori, asked sweetly, her grassy green eyes gleaming at them.
"We need two rooms, as well as some food," the leader answered. He threw back his red cloak and revealed himself to be Jaune. "We're here looking for two Huntsmen by the names of Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie as well, who we hear are stationed here in Shion."
"Are you sure you wouldn't want to stay at one of Shion's hotels instead? The Winking Ursa is known most for its tavern than it is for its lodgings, after all," Midori warned, but Jaune was persistent in wanting to stay here. She lead the six up a stairway and to two of the only seven rooms at the end of the half, not counting her own private bedroom. "Your rooms are here, divide them up as you wish. I shall have some food brought to you soon, but I expect payment by tomorrow," Midori dictated as she showed them the rooms, containing shabby decorations with simple beds and nightstands. Jaune placed a 500 Lien card in Midori's hand, which made her eyes sparkle.
"That should cover us for a few days, right?" Jaune asked her.
"Quite enough for a few days, alright!" Midori beamed before taking off.
"Jaune, my sisters and I shall take the other room. You and Pandora take the other," Autumn notified him before the Four Maidens retreated into their room.
"Well, shall we?" Pandora said as she went into their room, where she changed out of her wet clothes (with Jaune looking away out of respect, as always). She smoked a cigarette before she tucked herself into bed and dozed off.
"This place brings back some memories," said Pyrrha's voice inside his mind.
"I wish I could remember something about us together here though," Jaune softly sighed.
"Right. I'm sorry."
He chuckled. "No need to apologize." Jaune slid off his pack and wet cloak onto a chair. "Regardless, our mission here is to find Ren and Nora and bring them with us to Vale for the Knights of the Holy Spear."
"A good place to start would be the tavern. The only time Huntsmen ever come to this town is for town protection as per the kingdom's orders, so two Huntsmen being assigned to track down some powerful Grimm is bound to earn some murmurs."
Jaune headed downstairs and took a seat at the counter, where he ordered a drink: Mistral rum mixed with strawberry juice; a tame drink for a young drinker. "So, you a Huntsman? What are you doing in Vale?" asked the bartender, a stout middle-aged Deer Faunus.
"I'm not a Huntsman, I'm a knight," Jaune remarked, earning laughs from a man sitting beside him.
"A knight, eh? Like some kind of fairy tale hero who slays beasts and saves princesses!?" he laughed before downing his drink completely.
"That, as well as protecting the weak and innocent from evil," Jaune smirked. He took a swig of his drink just as one of the men grabbed his drink and left.
"So, you're really a knight, huh? I guess you dropped out of one of the Huntsmen academies or something? You look young enough to attend," remarked the other man beside him.
Jaune gave the curious man a smile, noting how he was about Jaune's age. "I wouldn't say I dropped out of my own decision, but when Grimm and White Fang attack your school and destroy half of Vale, you can't really attend there anymore."
The man suddenly gasped, having put the pieces together. "Y-You were at Beacon! The night of the Vytal Tournament!"
"That I was." Jaune finished his glass.
The man ordered a drink for Jaune on his tab. "I can't imagine the horrors you must've witnessed that day, and to continue being a Huntsman after that…"
"There's far greater horrors in this world. Be glad that you are not me, for I have to face those horrors and far worse to keep Remnant safe from the evils that should not exist." The man was confused by those last words, but he thanked Jaune for his valiant efforts as a Huntsman, and Jaune thanked him for the drink and for listening to him.
Jaune went around to the patrons, showing them a picture of Ren and Nora on his scroll, asking about them. "Yeah, I saw them," said one patron. "They were here a couple days ago, said they were going out east of here near Kuroyuri to track down some huge Grimm that's been seen in the area." Jaune asked about Kuroyuri. "That place was destroyed by Grimm roughly 10 or so years ago, and from what I hear, no one survived the attack." Jaune thanked him for the information and went back to his room, where he undressed and went to bed for the night.
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Near Kuroyuri
Nora was lying on her bed roll by a crackling fire while Ren was atop the hill they were staying upon, gazing upon the open land before him with augmented sight thanks to his Aura. There was nothing moving out there, and with his Aura-enhanced hearing, nothing was near. "Ren! I can't sleep!" Nora whined, sitting herself up. Upon graduating at Haven Academy, Nora updated her Huntress uniform by adding a black bomber jacket bearing her insignia upon its back, though she still keeps the armor strips on her body. She increased the length of her skirt since, and she swapped out her old sneakers for calf-length pink boots with knee-high pink socks, and even her hair has grown a little, now reaching the bottom of her neck.
Ren himself changed little of his attire after graduation as well, swapping out his old tailcoat for a longer one with a popped collar, with a black turtleneck to wear underneath. He also wore black fingerless gloves and switched his old shoes for pointed toe black boots. He gave a sigh and went for her. Nora has been having many sleepless nights for the last year, though by no means was Ren upset or bothered by it. He sat down beside her and gave her a warm smile. "Same reason why as last week?" he asked, knowing the answer straight away. Nora gave a slow nod. "I'm worried about Jaune too. I worry about him just about every day."
"Where do you think he ran away to that day? Do you think he's alright, wherever he is?" Nora asked him.
"I don't know, Nora, I don't know, but I know he's alright." He took her hand in his, where she wrapped her arms around his sleeve. "Jaune's tougher than he looks, tougher than us both…he wouldn't…" He hesitated, not wanting to talk about Pyrrha. It still hurts, even after three years. "…He wouldn't let anything bring him down."
Nora hummed to herself, and within a few minutes, she fell asleep. Ren laid her upon her bed roll and went back to the hill to survey the land again. You better be okay, Jaune, wherever you are. I will never forgive you if you leave us alone.
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The next morning, Jaune, Pandora, and the Maidens gathered in his room to discuss a plan. "Given that Ren and Nora are tracking a Grimm, they're bound to be on the move, even as we speak, so I propose some of us go searching the local area," Jaune proposed.
"You and Pandora can go. We shall stay to keep the peace," Autumn advised.
"Our powers combined make us a deadly force to be reckoned with, the kind that any roving bandits or Grimm will instantly regret," Winter added. She raised a hand with a smile and a bush of icicles grew from her palm. The other Maidens followed suit, with a ball of crackling fire in Autumn's hand, swirling wind and crackles of lightning in Spring's, and a ball of bright light in Summer's.
"You have nothing to fear with us here in Shion," said Summer.
The Maidens took their leave to give Jaune and Pandora privacy to gear up and head out. The two dressed themselves (again, Jaune looked away to give Pandora privacy) and slipped their weapons on. "Hold on a moment," Pandora told Jaune. She sat him down onto a chair and grabbed at the back of his hair. She straightened out a ponytail and tied it up with a blue hair band from her own hair. "There you go, now you've got your own warrior's wolf tail!" She slapped the back of his head. She remembered the time when Jaune once mentioned how her sisters always braided his hair.
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Jaune and Pandora set out from the tavern, but they took a moment to stop by a small horse ranch near the outskirts that offered rental horses for fun rides. Jaune rented two horses with a Lien card and handed one to Pandora. The two mounted their horses and took off in the direction of Kuroyuri.
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Nora followed Ren as they patrolled the forests near Kuroyuri as he tracked a set of large horse hoofs. "The creature was here recently, the tracks are still fresh…" Ren remarked. They followed the tracks further for about a mile. "…It's heading for Shion…"
Suddenly, the trees in the fold were blown apart and a large Grimm burst into the clearing. Ren and Nora reacted quickly, jumping backwards and readying their weapons, but the two young Huntsmen suddenly lost their composure upon seeing the creature before them.
The Grimm appeared humanoid in shape, but it was anything but human. The Grimm was clad entirely in black armor bearing a white skeletal pattern of that like the normal Grimm. It rode upon a Grimm-like steed that held red eyes and a skeletal white mane. In one hand the Grimm bore a black lance, in the other an enormous black shield that bore an emblem: a red heart composed of two high-heel shoes. The Mark of Sheena. The Grimm glared upon Ren and Nora with its red eyes peering through its helm and its jagged mouth pursed open in a roar, a roar that the two remember from their childhood.
Their nightmare has returned. The Black Grimm Knight.
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It was over ten years ago when that creature attacked Kuroyuri, back when it was a thriving town that held residents of Mistral that expanded out into the wilds. Ren, a boy at that time, remembered how he awoke in his bedroom with a startle when he heard the roar of that Grimm. His father Li Ren burst into his room with his bow in hand and dragged Lie through the house to his mother An Ren. "Mom! Dad! What's going on!?" young Lie cried.
"Don't worry, hunny! Everything is going to be fine!" An Ren assured her son just before the house roof caved in on top of them, to which Lie lost conscious.
When Lie came to, his body was heaving up and down, for his father was carrying him under his arm, and his bow was in the other with an arrow nocked and ready. Around him, Lie could see his fellow neighbors and Kuroyuri residents running in terror and screaming at unseen creatures. "Dad, where's mom!?" Lie cried, but received no answer, for Li refused to speak. Behind them, a huge Grimm appearing like a man in armor rode upon a black Grimm steed, where it cut down civilians with a mighty lance. They reached a nearby bridge, where Li set his son down and shoved a curved dagger into his hands. Nearby, a child with orange hair sat against the marble railing sobbing.
"Protect yourself, Lie! The time has come for you to become a man now!" Li warned him. Lie began to cry as he clutched the dagger tightly, to which Li embraced his son. He stole a glance back at the Grimm horsemen that was coming for them. "Do not worry about me, Lie." He kissed his son's forehead. "I will hold the beast off while you get to safety. Now go!" Li pushed the boy away and ran back for the beast. The sobbing girl crawled to Lie's side, where they held onto each other as they watched Li Ren fight the monster.
"Creature of darkness, I shall send you Below!" Li declared as he nocked an arrow to his bow. The Black Grimm Knight let out a ferocious roar and lunged its mighty lance towards him, where he leapt onto it and ran up towards the beast, where he jumped and fired his arrow upon it. The arrow plunged into the Grimm's skin, forcing a roar from it. Li fell to the ground and readied another arrow. The Black Grimm Knight swung its lance down upon Li, who rolled aside and fired his arrow, but this one bounced off the protective armor.
Lie Ren and the sobbing girl watched Li battle with the Black Grimm Knight from afar. "Don't worry. My father is a great Huntsman! He'll beat that Grimm!" Lie assured his new friend, who sniffled and clung tighter to him.
Li avoided another lunge from the creature and fired another arrow upon it, which struck skin in between the armor joints. "I won't let you leave here alive!" Li declared as he readied three arrows to his bow. He channeled Aura into his legs and leapt high into the air with the arrows aimed for the Grimm's exposed face. The Black Grimm Knight suddenly leapt from atop its steed to meet Li, where it bashed him with its shield, sending him crashing to the ground, his bow beyond his grasp. Li's Aura crackled across his body and disappeared, making him completely vulnerable. The Black Grimm Knight towered over him with its lance pointed for him. As the blade came down, Li's last thoughts were of Lie and An.
Afar, Lie and the girl watched as the Black Grimm Knight mounted its steed and raised its steel lance in the air, which had Li impaled upon it, and the monster let out a victorious and ferocious roar, one that pierced the two children's very being. "Dad…Dad! DAD!" young Lie cried out with tears streaking down his cheeks. Gripping the dagger tightly, Lie was about to run out to face the monster when the girl grabbed hold of his sleeve and dragged him down to the ground, where she clung herself to him and sobbed again. Lie came to his senses and hugged her.
At that moment, green sparks flew across Lie and he felt himself grow full of a strange energy: his Aura. At once, he felt his conscious grow calm and devoid of the anger and sadness he had a moment ago, and the color in his skin turned a monochrome grey. "What is your name?" Lie asked the girl.
"N-Nora…Nora Valkyrie…" the girl mumbled.
Lie helped her up. "I'm Lie Ren." At once, the color in his body restored itself. In time, Lie would come to call his Semblance "Serenity." "C'mon, we better get somewhere safe." Lie took Nora's hand and the two ran through the streets, avoiding the roving Grimm along the way to Kuroyuri's entrance gates.
They were forced to hide inside a small carpenter's store that belonged to a good friend of Lie's mother, for a Stage 1 Ursa spotted them and headed for them. Inside, they ducked behind the counter, but the Ursa wedged itself inside and began sniffing for them. "I need a distraction, Nora. Can you do that for me?" Lie whispered to his new friend as he drew his dagger. Nora nodded and grabbed a small block of wood, which she tossed to the front door, making the Ursa turn towards it. Lie rushed out with his dagger aimed for the beast's head, but the Ursa quickly swatted at him, where Lie was knocked down and pinned under its foot. The Ursa drooled, ready for a tasty meal. Nora, however, grabbed a large iron mallet and attacked the Ursa, striking its white skull and cracking it. She repeatedly struck it over and over, eventually breaking its exoskeleton skull. With it distracted with Nora, Lie plunged his dagger into its neck, spilling black blood onto himself, and he repeatedly pulled and plunged until the Ursa fell over dead, where it faded into nothing. Nora helped Lie up and the two regained their composure.
"You're pretty handy with a hammer, huh?" Lie remarked with a smile. Nora cradled the mallet in her hands and gave him a weak smile. "C'mon, we better get out of here."
"Um…Lie?" Nora quickly mumbled. "C-Can I just call you 'Ren' instead?"
He gave her a warm smile. "Yeah, that is fine." Lie––now Ren––took her hand and the two left Kuroyuri forever, never to return.
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The Black Grimm Knight gazed upon the fallen wounded Huntsmen before it, as if it was trying to feel pity for the young humans. Ren laid upon his back, his clothes ripped and stained in his blood and a large hole in his lower region. He was gasping for air and he could feel himself slowly dying. Nearby, Nora laid face down in a similar fashion, covered in blood and dying, but she was not moving. "What are you waiting for!?" Ren spat at the monster. "Kill us! Do it now!"
The Black Grimm Knight peered upon this boy for a silent moment, then it turned and disappeared into the forest's thickets, leaving the two to slowly die and eventually be consumed by the wilds' denizens.
"Ren…" Nora croaked as she desperately crawled towards him. "…I'm pretty messed up…Ren…" When she reached him, he reached out and took her, bringing her closer to him. "…Stay with me…"
"I'm here…I won't leave you…" Ren told her, making her smile with tears in her eyes. Gods, why must you do this to us? Why…?
"I just wish we could've seen Jaune one last time…I hope he never finds out about us…" Nora mumbled.
Ren teared up, wishing the same. He relaxed and waited for Death to come for him and the girl he loved.
"JAUNE! JAUNE, I FOUND THEM!" screeched a voice from nowhere. Ren's eyes shot open and he saw a woman with red hair descend from a horse and rush towards them. For a fleeting moment, he thought the woman was Pyrrha.
Another horseman burst from the trees, this one in a red cloak. Ruby? Ren wondered. The rider dismounted and drew his sword, whose steel was glowing a bright light before it suddenly vanished. "The area is clear of Grimm, Pandora," Jaune declared as he plunged the blade into the ground. "I'll start a healing circle for Ren and Nora, but I need you to protect us during it. Keep an eye on the sword for an early warning." Pandora nodded and Jaune rushed to Ren and Nora, where he fixed them onto their backs. "Stay still, you two," he ordered them as he got onto his knees.
"…Jaune…" Ren moaned.
"Hush, Ren! I need to concentrate!" Jaune clasped his hands together and they glowed brightly, then he slapped one hand to the ground, where a white rune circle in the shape of Aziela's Mark appeared underneath Ren and Nora. "Lady Aziela, hear me! Give me the power I need to save me friends from Death's reach!" Jaune called to the sky, where his body immediately glowed with his Draíochta. "Thank you, milady." Jaune hovered his hands over Ren and Nora's body, where their wounds slowly sealed up, fully healed; even their clothes repaired themselves and the stains disappeared. Ren and Nora, despite how surprised they were, attempted to stand, but Jaune forced them to stay down. "Your wounds are healed, but you're still sore, so you have to keep it easy," he explained, and then he smiled. Tears welted up in his eyes.
"JAUNE!" Nora cried, leaping onto him and embracing him in a tight hug. "I MISSED YOU SO MUCH, YOU STUPID DUMMY!" Tears ran down her cheeks, but her smile did not fade.
"Jaune…" Ren mumbled as he too sat up against Jaune's wishes and put his arms around him. "…I missed you, brother…"
Jaune wrung his arms around both of his friends and softly wept with a smile on his lips. "I missed you both so much…" he muttered. They stayed together for a while longer, not wanting to leave each other's embrace.
Team JNPR has finally been reunited.
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Jaune and Pandora took the two back to Shion, where they were taken to the town doctor who tested them and concluded that they were in good shape. Pandora took them back to the tavern to rest while Jaune gathered the Huntsmen and Huntresses stationed at Shion to warn them about the Black Grimm Knight in the wilds; some of them were reluctant to believe the young man who appeared from nowhere and had no Huntsmen credentials, but they could not ignore a warning of Grimm, especially after they heard what happened to Ren and Nora.
Later that day, once the sun Soliela set and the shattered moon Luneis rose into the sky, Jaune stood outside their tavern room on the balcony with a cigarette in his mouth. "You know that smoking is bad for you," Pyrrha remarked.
"Oh, hush up, you can't stop me," he chuckled before taking another puff.
"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to watch out for you."
"It's alright, really." He finished the cigarette, smashed it into the wooden railing, and started another one. "To be honest, I miss you being like a protective mom to me, and to the team too."
"Don't you wish we could go back to the way things were? Back to our days at Beacon…"
Jaune sniffled, holding back tears. "Yeah…back when our biggest worries were remaining top of our class and steering clear of Cardin…"
"So much has changed since those days, hasn't it?"
"Yeah. Back then, I was just a talentless shrimp struggling to be a Huntsman, and now I'm a powerful Paladin brimming with unspeakable power and abilities, destined to protect the world from evil."
"And look at what this power has brought you. You are becoming the hero you always wanted to be, you kept me here in this world, and you saved Ren and Nora from death."
"I just wish I could change the mistakes I made in the past though, especially you." Jaune leaned upon the railing now. "I wish I learned of our past together before I lost you."
"Maybe it was my destiny that I died that night. I am destined to protect you as your Guardian, and I've done that, having protected and trained you at Beacon, sacrificing myself by posing as the Dànsling to Cinder, and having my soul bounded to yours when you confronted your dark half for supremacy. Maybe this was meant to be…"
From inside, Ren stirred awake and spotted Jaune outside. He threw a robe around his shoulders and went to Jaune's side. "Ren, how are you feeling? I imagine you must still be sore."
"A little bit, but otherwise, I'm fine," his friend answered, pulling the robe tighter around him to protect him from the nighttime breeze. Ren stole a glance inside and spotted Nora sprawled in her bed sleeping soundly. "Even after all that's happened today, she's still asleep."
Jaune chuckled. "Yeah, hard to believe, huh?" He offered Ren his cigarette, who took a puff from it before handing it back. "Look at us, all grown up, full-fledged warriors, and smoking cigarettes. We're real men now." The two shared a chuckle amongst each other for a moment.
Ren fell silent, trying to summon the courage to speak. "I want to know where you've been these last three years? Last we saw you, you left us at Ruby and Yang's house on Patch in the middle of the night with that strange note."
Jaune instantly hushed up. He looked away from Ren and smushed the cigarette into the railing. "I'm sorry, Ren. Really, I am. You have to understand what I had to do…"
"Jaune, this morning, I was dying in the middle of the Mistral forest this morning after a creature I haven't seen since I was a boy practically slaughtered Nora and I. I thought I was going to die, and then you come bounding out of the forest with Pyrrha's mother at your side and you healed my wounds. You rambled on about the Goddess Aziela, asking for Draíochta and you brought us back from the brink of death. I don't want to understand anything, I want to know what is going on and why you disappeared for three years," Ren interrupted.
"Jaune, we came here to find Ren and Nora. We both know that you would have to tell them the truth eventually," said Pyrrha's voice.
"I know, Pyr, I know," Jaune said aloud.
"Pyr? Jaune…Pyrrha is gone…"
Jaune shook his head. "She's not gone. She's…just not here right now." Ren gave him an strange look. "Oh great, you must think I'm crazy. Guess I better just show you." Jaune went to Ren and placed his hands upon his cheek and heart, where he channeled his Draíochta into Ren's body.
"Hello again, Ren," said Pyrrha's voice within Ren's mind, shocking him. "I know this is sudden, but please understand that I am alright, given the circumstances…" Pyrrha continued on, explaining how part of her soul came to be merged and synchronized with Jaune's own soul, and Jaune himself explained why he disappeared for three years and what he has endured since. The discussions ended up being a couple hours, and by the time Jaune had finished, the sunset sky turned to a beautiful dark night. When it was done, Ren could barely comprehend it all; that Jaune possessed incredible powers, that his sword held the power of the sun, that Pyrrha had merged with his soul, everything.
"This is…" Ren let out a sigh. "…I mean…" He could not find the right words to express his bewilderment.
"I felt the same when Ozpin told me and Pyrrha of our destinies too."
"…Pyrrha though…I imagine it must've been hard…you know…having her inside you for the past three years?"
Jaune nodded. "Yeah, it was. Still is, but it brought some good."
"So why are you here?"
"I came here to find you and Nora and bring you with me to Vale. I have some urgent business there, but after today, we will have to stay to deal with this Black Grimm Knight." Jaune lit another cigarette. "Ren, this Grimm Knight is extremely powerful, I'm sure you realize that now. It's clear this breed of Grimm is meant to be one of Sheena's most powerful creations. Promise me that you and Nora will not approach it when it comes to Shion."
Ren was hesitant given the circumstances between him and the Black Grimm Knight, but he gave Jaune his word. Jaune went inside and pressed a hand to Nora's forehead, filling her with some of Pyrrha's Aura. Inside her dreams, Nora learned everything about Jaune and Pyrrha from her friend. "Be ready, Ren," Jaune told his friend. "Dark times are ahead of us."
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The Next Day
Jaune went around town with Pandora and another two Huntsmen to survey the town's defenses, from the walls and the mounted guns (courtesy of Atlas to many towns and cities outside of the Kingdoms). "We need to ensure that the mounted guns are all working properly and loaded. The Black Grimm Knight is sure to be a tough customer, but the guns can take down any regular Grimm it brings along with it."
"I'm sorry, but the whole idea of a humanoid Grimm in armor is just insane!" said one of the Huntsmen.
"Yeah, I have to agree. Plus, who are you to boss us around?" said the other.
Pandora was quick to answer for Jaune. "He is Jaune Arc, the Arc Knight and Dànsling of Aziela, and you owe him your allegiance, for without his power, your fellow Huntsmen Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie would be dead!" she boomed without a stutter or slip.
"Mother thinks highly of you, that's for sure."
"Pandora, there's no need for that," Jaune insisted. The two Huntsmen gave puzzled looks, confused as to why Pandora addressed Jaune with the title of a fairy tale hero. The crew finished their patrol soon after. "How many blacksmiths does Shion have?" he asked one of the Huntsmen, who answered that there were three. "We need to have those three start mass-producing swords and spears for every able-bodied person in Shion."
"You don't intend to have simple people fight alongside us, do you!?" complained one Huntsman.
"I don't want them to fight, but I won't have them be defenseless for when the Grimm come!" Jaune boomed. "If we can save even one life by putting a blade in the hands of one citizen, then so be it!" With his decision finalized, the Huntsmen went to the blacksmiths to deliver the orders while Jaune alone inspected the outside of the town walls.
"I assume you hope that you can instill a desire to protect Shion into the citizens here if you put weapons in their hands," Pyrrha remarked.
"I don't want any of them to die through this decision, but it will be blood on my hands if I don't arm them to begin with. At least this decision will give them the opportunity to defend themselves. If they so desire, they can fight alongside us," Jaune told her.
"I hope they will. If Ren is correct about this Black Grimm Knight, then this creature will be immensely powerful and likely to have a lot of Grimm following behind it."
"Looks like it will be my job to kill it then." As Jaune continued his patrol, he noticed a sign pointing in a certain direction into the nearby woods. "Misty Waterfall this way," it said. Feeling a sense of nostalgia, he followed the sign into the woods, where he soon came upon a small pond and waterfall enshrouded in a hazy mist. Jaune retrieved his scroll and pulled up the photograph of the young Jaune and Pyrrha at Shion. "I…I think I remember…"
"This way, Jaune!" called a young Pyrrha as she dragged Jaune towards the Misty Waterfall.
"Aw, c'mon! We've already been there! Can't we climb trees or something instead?" Jaune asked.
"Nah, I've got something cool for you!" They found themselves at the Misty Waterfall, which was deserted. Pyrrha stripped down to her swimsuit under her summer clothes and hopped into the warm waters with a whoop. Jaune followed suit and took off his shirt and sandals before joining her. The two splashed around and jumped onto each other for a while, both enjoying their time together. "Isn't this fun?" Pyrrha called to him before she leapt onto him with a growl, sending them both underwater for a brief moment. Jaune said nothing back, but his actions answered for him.
After a while, once the two have calmed down a little, they spent some time together by the pond's edge, where they skipped pebbles and small rocks into the waters. "So, Jaune, what do you want to do when you grow up?" Pyrrha asked him after her rock made a small splash.
"There's only one thing I want to do and that's to become a Huntsman," he answered as he tossed a pebble. "My oldest sister Blanche became a Huntress a couple years back, and I've always wanted to be like the heroes in the stories."
"Me too. My mom is a Huntress and she says I have what it takes." She tossed another rock and went to Jaune, where she took his hand. "Hey, how about we both promise to become Huntsmen one day, hm? We'll both stay friends, we'll go to the same academy, and we'll be partners, okay?" Jaune gave his word, to which Pyrrha extended her pinkie finger. "Pinkie promises." Jaune chuckled and wrapped his pinkie finger around hers.
"No matter what, we'll both become like the heroes of the old stories, okay?" Jaune told her. "We will become Huntsmen together. That's a promise. So, what should we call ourselves?"
"I dunno, maybe something cool. Something people will remember for years and recognize straight away." Pyrrha grabbed another rock and tossed it into the water.
"How about…Team Arkos. You know, like our last names put together."
"Arkos…that sounds like a wonderful name, Jaune!" Pyrrha smiled.
"Then that's what we'll be! We'll be Team Arkos, the greatest Huntsmen of all time!" Jaune threw his fist into the air with a whoop while Pyrrha giggled.
"Hey, Jaune, mind if I do something?" she asked him.
"Hm? What is it?" Jaune curiously asked.
Pyrrha crept close to him. "This," she answered before planting her lips on his cheek. She maintained her kiss for a few seconds upon Jaune's blushing cheek before pulling off with a "mwah" sound and a giggle. "A kiss for one of the greatest Huntsmen yet to come." Both of them blushed a deep red, but they quickly broke into fits of laughter before they went back to swimming.
"I remember the promise we made back then," Jaune said aloud. "I guess we upheld that promise, didn't we? We both went to Beacon together and we became partners."
"And we became Team Arkos together," Pyrrha remarked. "We will always be Team Arkos so long as I'm here with you."
Jaune placed his hand over his heart. He could feel Pyrrha's soul radiate within his own. "Thank you, Pyrrha."
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Later that day, Jaune and the other Huntsmen gathered the citizens of Shion together and explained the situation, asking any and all citizens willing to fight the Grimm alongside them when they come. "I know that this is a lot to ask of you, given that the Huntsmen are meant to be your protectors, but the Grimm that is coming is a fearsome creature the likes that hasn't been seen in ages. We alone are not enough to fight this Grimm and whatever else it brings with it. We need your help. A man with a weapon in hand is better than a man cowering in fear. We need anyone with previous combat expertise or anyone willing to fight," Jaune addressed everyone. The citizens muttered amongst themselves, some already showing fear and distress at the notion that the Huntsmen will not be enough against the Grimm. Soon, a number of men and some women stepped forward with the desire to fight. Others soon joined after seeing their fellow neighbors step forward. Within time, nearly half of Shion declared their intent to fight. "Thank you, everyone. We will start teaching you how to use swords and spears and have the blacksmiths start mass-producing them for you."
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Pandora spear-headed the training of the citizens with a few other Huntsmen while Jaune set up strategies for holding off the Grimm. "The one leading the Grimm will appear like a large man in armor riding a black horse. No matter what, no one must approach this Grimm, else you will surely die. Only I can kill it." No one questioned Jaune's decision on the Black Grimm Knight, as the rumors from Ren and Nora sufficed for them.
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Two days passed and while all of Shion was ready, no Grimm came. Some even began to believe the Black Grimm Knight passed their cozy town, but Jaune knew that the creature was coming. Aziela's eyes, via a convocation of eagles, caught sight of the Black Grimm Knight with a group of Beowolves behind it less than a day away. Night soon swept over the land and the Grimm were soon near. "They are coming!" Jaune warned everyone on the Shion wall as the citizens hid among the nearby trees. Ren and Nora hid with one group of citizens while Pandora was with the other. The ones who chose not to fight had taken refuge in underground cellars, safe rooms, and the like within their homes and buildings. The Maidens stood alongside Jaune, ready to defend the gates from any Grimm, for the safety and protection of Shion was top priority.
Jaune leapt off the wall in front of the gates of Shion and walked out onto the grass, where he saw the Grimm appear over the hills. "Aziela, the battle has begun. Give us strength and fill our spirits so we will see the next day! Give me the power I need to vanquish these Grimm!"
"Your prayers have been answered, my Paladin," spoke Aziela.
Jaune's body glowed with a brilliant light, as did the fighting citizens and Huntsmen. The citizens found themselves devoid of the fear they once had and the Huntsmen felt themselves brewing with new strength. Jaune stretched a hand out at his side and his Polarity caused his sword to fly into his hand while he drew his shield. With the Grimm approaching, the blade glowed with a soft light.
"We'll fight together in this battle, Jaune! Focus on your foes in front and I shall watch your back!" Pyrrha declared.
Jaune waited for the Grimm to draw closer. "Hold your fire!" Jaune shouted to the Huntsmen stationed at the mounted guns.
"But they're drawing closer, sir!" cried one of them.
"Hold your fire until I attack!" Jaune stepped forward again and raised his sword towards the sky. "Lady Aziela, imbue this blade in the fires of Soleila!" At once, Crocea Mors exploded with a brilliant fire that cascaded the entire blade. "Now, vanish, creatures of Sheena!" Jaune swung his blade horizontally, and a huge disc of bright Draíochta burst from the blade and flew for the Grimm. The Black Grimm Knight's steed was the first to be cut down, sending the Knight sprawling into the dirt while a number of Beowolves was eviscerated by the beam. The Black Grimm Knight grabbed its lance and charged forward, its red eyes gleaming upon Jaune. FIRE!" Jaune commanded. The Huntsmen on the wall opened fire with their machine guns, shredding into the Beowolves, though any gunfire harmlessly bounced off the Black Grimm Knight.
"Paladin…Grrrr…" the Black Grimm Knight growled.
"HUNTSMEN! NOW!" At once, the Huntsmen, including the Maidens, leapt from the wall and engaged the Grimm in combat, ensuring that the monsters do not break through Shion's walls. "PEOPLE OF SHION! NOW!" At his command, the citizens of Shion burst from the dense trees surrounding the town and flanked the Grimm from the sides and rear. With their numbers and the surprise attack, the Beowolves quickly fell, leaving only the Black Grimm Knight left standing.
"It's your turn, Jaune! Only you can destroy the Black Grimm Knight now!" Pyrrha warned him.
"Aziela, grant me a barrier around myself and my foe!" Jaune's body glowed again, and a white barrier burst from his body and pushed outward, forcing any Huntsmen or citizen backwards, leaving only Jaune and the Black Grimm Knight within the walls.
"JAUNE! JAUNE!" Ren yelled, banging his fist upon the barrier.
"Trust me, Ren, this is how it must be! Trust in my power!" Jaune told him.
"Dànsling…!" roared the Black Grimm Knight.
"I am your enemy, Grimm! I will end the terrors you've brought to Mistral today!" Jaune declared. He activated his Aura Armor. The Black Grimm Knight lunged forward with its lance, striking Jaune directly, who blocked with his shield and forcing the lance back with his polarity. The Black Grimm Knight swung its lance overhead onto Jaune, who rolled to the side and slashed at its armored knees, which did little damage. The Black Grimm Knight lunged its spear for his head, but Jaune avoided this and brought his sword down onto the spear's shaft, breaking it off completely. The Black Grimm Knight let out a ferocious roar and drew its greatsword from its back.
"Aziela, give me the solar fires of Soleila!" Jaune shouted, where Crocea Mors burst into flames again. The two swords met together, echoing a loud CLANG across the battlefield. Jaune bashed the greatsword aside with his shield and drew closer to the Black Grimm Knight. "It's time to end this!" he spat upon his foe before slapping his sword to the Knight's chest and sliding it, incinerating the armor in it's path and making the Black Grimm Knight screech in pain. Jaune quickly sheathed his weapon and brought it out in its bastard sword form, still burning with the fires of the sun. He spun and swung the mighty blade down onto the Black Grimm's knight sword arm, where it slid in between the armor joints and cleaving the arm off from its shoulder socket. The arm and sword fell to the ground in a splatter of black blood while the Grimm roared in agony. Jaune quickly plunged his sword into one of its knees, forcing it down with its head at his level. "JAUNE! WAIT!" Ren cried out. Jaune spun towards his friend. He saw Ren pressed against the barrier's wall, desperate to enter. Jaune dropped the barrier and Ren ran to his side. With one hand extended outward, Jaune understood what Ren wanted; he returned Crocea Mors to its broadsword form and handed the burning blade to Ren.
"This is for my family, you son of a bitch!" Ren growled before swinging the blade into the Black Grimm Knight's head, silencing it forever. The creature disappeared into black ash before it could hit the ground.
Jaune sheathed his sword, which returned to normal. The battlefield fell silent, the only sounds being the crunching of grass underneath feet. Everyone was stunned seeing the power Jaune wielded and none could speak. One young man––the same one Jaune spoke to in the tavern days earlier––approached Jaune. "Wh-Who are you, really?" he stuttered.
"I am Jaune Arc, the Dànsling, Paladin of Aziela, and the Arc Knight!" Jaune proudly proclaimed. Everyone looked upon their hero curiously and confused.
"Hooray for Jaune Arc!" shouted one citizen, pumping his spear in the air. "Thanks to him, Shion is safe and the Grimm are defeated! Hip-hip-hooray!"
"Hip-hip-hooray!"
"Hooray for the Paladin!"
"He's like the Paladins from the stories!"
"Hip-hip-hooray! Hooray for Jaune Arc!"
"He's our hero!"
"Hooray for the Arc Knight!
Nora, Pandora, and the Maidens stood among the cheering citizens, all of them content with their victory, but Ren watched Jaune with curious eyes as the leader of JNPR accepted the love and praise from the people. Just mere minutes ago, Ren watched Jaune fight the creature that haunted his life and Nora's. The creature that destroyed Kuroyuri and murdered Ren's parents, orphaning him in but one night. The creature that nearly killed both him and Nora as if they were mere bugs for it to squish while Jaune fought it off alone and killed it. This is the power Jaune wields now. He is unlike any warrior I've seen before, thought Ren.
Once everyone had calmed down from the high of their victory, they had to tend to their dead: six dead citizens of Shion, each with something torn out or impaled by sharp claws. "It would be best if we gather the dead inside the walls and bury them tomorrow, once we have rested," Jaune advised. With how late it was, no one was willing to argue for the desire to bury their fallen friends sooner than later. Everyone gathered their dead and herded back into the walls, where everyone hiding came out to praise their victorious heroes.
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The Next Day
While Shion has a small church run by a young priestess, it is a church dedicated to the Nature Mother Iris for the beautiful forests and lakes surrounding the town. Iris accepts the dead, as do all the Gods, but it is common tradition that those who die in battle be given to Aziela, who sends them Above as heroes for their bravery and self-sacrifice, and the same holds true for the six who died the previous night. In Shion, they bury the deceased within a small, fenced-in graveyard settled inside one of the nearby forests. It is common practice that with Iris funerals, the dead are not buried within coffins so the deceased can be absorbed directly into the earth itself after decomposition.
Shion's mayor, a select number of citizens, Team JNPR, and the Iris priestess attended the funeral ceremony within their graveyard. The six deceased citizens were buried within the earth and the priestess scattered handfuls of dirt and poured river water upon them. "Iris, Mother Nature, we send these departed to you. Take their bodies into the earth and let them become one with you. As we are born from dust, we return to the earth and become dust again," the priestess prayed as she moved among the six. Once she had finished, she stepped away and allowed Jaune to approach. Jaune was wearing his clothes, minus his armor, and had his sword at his hip.
"Lady Aziela, as your chosen Paladin, let it be known that these six died in battle defending their town and their loved ones from Sheena and the Grimm," Jaune began. "Take their souls and accept them Above, where they may live eternally as heroes of Remnant." Jaune drew his sword and planted it into the ground. "Let us have a moment of silence for our fallen heroes." Everyone kneeled to pray for a minute before rising again.
Without saying a word, Jaune and his friends took their leave, leaving the citizens to continue mourning their losses. Before they could go far, Jaune felt someone tug on his pants' leg, which happened to be a young boy holding a red spider lily in his hands. "Mister Arc Knight, will you take this as thanks for all you've done?" he asked, extending the flower to him. Jaune took it and tucked it into his coat's breast pocket.
"It's lovely, thank you." Jaune smiled at the young boy, which made him happy. The young boy watched the heroes of Shion return within the walls, where they boarded the small transport airship, where they headed off to Vale, where Jaune would meet with Blanche and the Holy Spear.
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Two Days Later
The reunited Team JNPR and the Maidens made their way to the Town of Helten, where Jaune met with Nova, who gave the team horses and provisions for the journey. "Head south towards the ocean. Deep within the forests of southern Vale, you can find the fortress to your Holy Spear," Nova instructed. Jaune gave his thanks and they headed south.
It took them nearly a day to reach the southern forests, and from there, they found themselves lost in a maze of trees. While Jaune wished they would find the fortress before nightfall, he knew it would be better to set up camp for the night. They rolled out their sleeping bags and Pandora gathered some wood for a fire, which she started with a fire Dust crystal and some flint. They cooked some dried meat over the fire and spent some time chatting with each other.
"Geez, now I've got three kids to take care of," Pandora jokingly remarked after hearing about Team JNPR's old antics back at Beacon. "Look, I know we're not related to each other, but I'll look after you three like a mother would. That's a promise."
"Yay! I got a new mommy!" Nora whooped. "So, you're going to be the new team mom, huh?"
Ren sat silently as he twirled his father's dagger in between his fingers. His mind was replaying the events that happened at Shion, most notably how Jaune fought the Black Grimm Knight with such ease, but Ren himself felt somewhat disappointed that he could not defeat the Black Grimm Knight on his own, having to rely upon his best friend to do the heavy work for him, and yet he felt relieved that the nightmare was finally over after so many years.
That night, after they have gone to bed, Ren lied awake staring up at the starry sky lost in his thoughts. "Ren, you awake?" came Nora's voice. Nora scooted over to his bedside while still inside her sleeping bag and curled up to him. She extended her hand and he took it. "You okay?"
"I'm alright," he said. He rolled over to face her. "The last several days have been wild, haven't they?"
"You betcha they have, but best of all, we got Jaune back."
"Yeah, that we did."
"It's so cool that Jaune's gotten stronger since we last saw him. I can barely believe that he's a Paladin from the bedtime stories, and that they exist."
Ren pulled Nora on top of his own body, making her blush. "We owe him and his power though. We'd be dead if he didn't show up when he did."
Nora glanced backwards towards Jaune'd bed roll, where he was sound asleep on his side with a smile upon his face. "So Pyrrha's soul is merged with his own…I bet he's dreaming about Pyrrha…"
"He looks so serene in his sleep though, so he must be having a good dream," Ren remarked before he pulled her close, making her blush. Ren gave his childhood friend a smile and slowly drifted to sleep. Nora rested her head against Ren's chest and slowly slipped to sleep.
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The Next Day
When everyone awoke, they found a visitor among them: Blanche Arc, who sat against a tree waiting for them to awaken. "Welcome back to Vale, Jaune," Blanche remarked once Jaune gathered his bearings. Once everyone mounted their horses, Blanche lead them through the forest, where they came upon an ancient, but sturdy black fortress. The front gates were closed, but upon approaching them, a random voice announced Blanche's presence and the iron gates swung open.
Inside, everyone marveled upon the ancient architecture which has withstood the test of time, however long ago that was. "Welcome to the Château de la Sainte Lance from during the Great War's time. This was the original fortress that Jaundice Arc lived in where he commanded the original knights of the Holy Spear," Blanche explained as Team JNPR and the Maidens observed the people around them, whom did not exhibit any form of a knight as Jaune had imagined. Blanche noticed the confusion on his face.
"Jaune, I regret to inform you that in our search to gather the remnants of the knights, many of their descendants have abandoned their families' heritage and deviated from those lives. Many of them who've stayed the course have been killed; we believed this to be Cinder Fall's handiwork, but we managed to find three descendants still alive and they joined us," Blanche notified him. "As for the men and women you see here in the courtyard, most of them are just ordinary people who followed us from their small towns when we gave them the option to join us. Some are minor thieves who claim they're looking for a better life, but we're keeping an eye on those ones. Others are Lawful mercenaries and sellswords who've sworn loyalty, so long as we pay them, which we are."
"Well, that sounds disappointing. Not what I was expecting given the stories of the Holy Spear," Pyrrha interjected.
"Yeah, I feel the same," quipped Jaune, who drooped in stature.
"Is this the one we are to call our Lord Commander?" said a voice nearby. A broad man clad in steel armor stood by with a sword made of diamond in his hand. He gave Jaune a puzzling look after he approached him. "He is young to be the Dànsling, practically a pup. Jaune was ready to give the man a piece of his mind when Blanche stepped between them.
"Maximilian Diamont, you will show Jaune Arc proper respect!" Blanche warned him. "He may be young, but he is the one Aziela chose to be her Dànsling." Maximilian gave a huff and walked off. "Maximilian is one of the few remaining descendants of the Holy Spear."
"He looks like a good ally, nonetheless," Pandora added.
As they strolled through the courtyard towards the fortress doors, Jaune caught sight of a young man dressed in a tunic whacking a practice dummy with a beautifully customized katana. Jaune watched the man effortlessly draw, strike, and quickly sheath his blade before repeating the process. He noticed how the man would even raise the scabbed upward, mimicking a blocking motion with it. He finished up and wiped the sweat from his forehead; he spotted Jaune looking at him, but he did nothing, choosing to watch Jaune until the blond moved on.
"That's Thorn, another descendant," Blanche informed him.
"He looks tough! I like him already!" Nora remarked.
"Thorn refuses to talk to anyone around here, myself included. "He said little when we first found him in his hometown near Mistral, but he joined us, though he said it was to leave his family for good." Blanche lead the group inside, where they were treated to a brightly-lit great hall lined with wooden tables and at the very back was a long table with six seats, one of which was larger and more pristine. "This is the great hall, where we hope to conduct meetings, have meals, the works. We've got plenty of rooms to house our knights and for you eight as well." Team JNPR marveled upon the interior, which was outfitted with modern day technology, such as fully-powered lamps and such. "We had to have electricians, plumbers, all those sort to come in to bring this dusty old place to the modern world, but it pays off instead of having to light candles and fireplaces for light and warmth."
"It has a nice, tranquil appearance to it," Ren complimented.
"JAUNE!" cried a woman's voice from nearby. Jaune stung around and two women jumped onto him in tight hugs. It was his sisters Bleu and Noire. Nearby, his Uncle Gris stood nearby watching the reunited family. "IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" Bleu wailed while Noire sobbed into his shoulders. Jaune returned the hugs, but he was soon reluctant to continue the hugging as he wished to see his own quarters, so Blanche escorted Team JNPR and the Maidens to their own personal quarters, though they soon discovered that Jaune's was the biggest of them, large enough for at least two or three people to live in. The Maidens insisted on wandering the fortress and its exterior.
Jaune himself stripped himself of his sword and armor and sat down upon the king-sized bed, where he took a deep breath. "Sorry I didn't say anything earlier. Granted, I didn't really know what to say given all we saw," Pyrrha remarked from out of the blue.
"Nah, it's fine. While the Holy Spear isn't anything like I imagined it would be, we have ourselves a difficult task ahead of training the new recruits and fortifying them into proper warriors," voiced Jaune.
"Still, I'm surprised your sister Blanche hired mercenaries and even thieves into this. That's risky."
"What else was she to do? We'll need as many knights as we can get, and for now, I'll have to focus all my efforts in helping them, first and foremost."
"I understand, but be careful around those thieves and mercenaries. Lawfuls or not, money will be their primary concern."
"Thanks for the tip, Pyrrha." Jaune lied down onto his back, staring up at the stone ceiling. "Hey, Pyrrha, I just want to say thanks for all you've done for me."
"Jaune, you know you don't have to say that. I'm more than happy to serve you, just as I'm supposed to."
"I know, but it's not just about you being my Guardian though, it's about you being my best friend, and I just want you to know that I love you, I really do." Jaune rolled over onto his side and let out a yawn.
"I love you too, and don't worry, I'll help you out as much as I can, both as your friend and as your Guardian." Jaune smiled and got himself comfortable, where he soon fell asleep and drifted off to the dreamworld to meet Pyrrha once again.
Sometime while he slept, Pandora entered his room and found him asleep. She let slip a smile and proceeded to scoop him up and put him under the blankets. She brushed at his hair and kissed his forehead. "Rest easy, Jaune. You too, Pyrrha. We've got a lot of work ahead for ourselves tomorrow," she whispered before taking her leave.
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The Schnee Dust Company, Atlas
It was midday for Weiss Schnee, the head of her family's company, and even with the day half over, she still had a long list of tasks to do. "Ugh, summers are the worst for me," she moaned before sipping some hot coffee at her desk. She typed some keys on her holocomp and a picture of a middle-aged man with dark skin and hair appeared. "Mister Coal, how is business treating you in the capital city?" Weiss asked him.
"So far pretty good. The Dust & Coal stores are bringing in plenty of profits. I'll be sending you the reports by the end of the day," Sable Coal answered with a grin. Weiss thanked him for the report and ended the video call. Weiss lounged back in her comfy chair and let out a sigh.
At that moment, her holocomp buzzed with an email from her butler Klein. Upon opening it, Weiss discovered a newspaper article on the Town of Shion located outside of Mistral. Upon reading it, she was perplexed upon its subject concerning a "Black Grimm Knight," as the locals called it. She continued reading and discovered several eyewitness statements that a man named "the Arc Knight" defeated the creature and saved the town. Weiss knew straight away that this knight had to be Jaune. "Looks like you've been making a good name for yourself, Jaune," Weiss said to herself, smiling at Jaune's accomplishments. She glanced over at a picture frame on her desk, which showed her smiling family, except for her father, Jacque, who's own figure was scratched out with a black marker. "I've just been here at home taking care of the company while you and everyone else has become Huntsmen and Huntresses, protecting the world, and fighting Grimm…"
Weiss grabbed her coffee mug and went towards the giant windows of her office that overlook the SDC Dust factories. "…It's my turn to make a difference, and I'll do it here." She took a long sip. "I hope we'll see each other again soon. I want you to see the kind of woman I've become, Jaune. I want everyone to see that Weiss Schnee is not the stuck-up princess from Beacon.
Next Chapter: The Paladin That Flies on Black Wings
