Chapter 12
Deserter and run-away. Those had been the words that had hung over Acadian since he was 17, in his mind and because of people he had met, especially his family, had used those words to label him. Acadian released a deep sigh and a large ring of people had circled around the three parties of interest: Ironwood was the farthest away with his pistol out, Winter closer at the ready and Acadian, who readied his sword and stared her down.
"Move Winter."
"No," she said, popping out her second, smaller blade and crossed both blades.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
"Well, this should be a quick fight then," she said, shooting forward but was easily parried by Acadian. She spun a step away and blocked a strike, allowing her to connect with a fist to his gut. Acadian feigned pain by doubling over, his plan working perfectly as Winter brought up a knee that he caught and then he grabbed her other leg and pulled her to the ground. Acadian got up but his opponent recovered and grabbed his foot, tripping him up and sending Solstice away from him. Acadian turned and kicked Winter's hand, causing her to accidentally throw her blade away and both got up, circling each other slowly before Winter lunged in with her smaller blade. Acadian dodged the strike, wrenched the blade from her, threw it on the ground and the two engaged in hand-to-hand combat. It was here that Acadian realized how outmatched he was: he, the former soldier and she, the current head of the Spec Ops arm of the Atlas Military. Acadian didn't last long as Winter moved around his punches, kicks and grapples and kept counter-attacking until she was able to easily throw him to the ground with force, leaving the professor groaning as she regained her weapons.
Winter moved forward with determination but was met with a kick to her knee. Acadian shot up at the opportunity and rushed at Ironwood with renewed vigor but as Ironwood brought his arms up to block him Acadian ran into a wall of ice that shot up in front of him, which he couldn't help but collide with. Acadian stumbled back, rubbing his nose and shaking the cobwebs in his head but was immediately floored and was now looking up at the night sky, a sword and the woman that he once called his CO.
"Stay down Zaffre," she gritted through her teeth as her wall of ice began to dissipate.
"Winter!" the two heard and turned to their friends, who had pushed their way to the front of the group.
"Branwen? Weiss?" she said at first with anger than with confusion. Acadian used her momentary lapse in focus and brought his knee up, connecting with the back of her thigh, stumbling her forward. Acadian got up again, caught a punch from Winter and kicked the back of her heel, tripping her again and infuriating her as he ran, grabbed his blade and turned to Ironwood, who was now aiming his pistol.
"James don't!" Glynda yelled as Winter recuperated and was furious.
"Is this how you've become Acadian!? Someone who wishes to keep running from the fight?!" she bellowed right as he began to inch towards the general but stopped in his tracks, "You run from your family, then your squad and now me?!"
Winter had a bit of a cocky smirk on her face, knowing that in a way, she had gotten inside her opponents mind. The look on her face changed when she saw the look that Acadian shot at her: not the old look of joy and content, not the look he had just a mere second of resolve and concentration. It was a look that made her take a step back: a look of hatred and anger, reflected by his harsh and quickened breathing.
"Oh no," Qrow said under his breath and ran out to Acadian, wrapping his arms around one of Acadian's arms, "Listen to me kid, let it go, just ignore her, come on! Don't do this Acadian!" he screamed but was easily thrown a foot away, something that shocked the group of students he had been watching over: Acadian was strong like any Hunter but he couldn't throw any of them with the ease that he had just thrown Qrow.
"Ah shit!" Qrow said, standing up and cupping his hands around his mouth, "EVERYONE! Close your eyes and cover your ears! DO IT NOW!" he yelled and ran to Ruby, making sure she and her friends did. Seconds filled with dread and intensity passed, Winter nor Ironwood taking heed of Qrow's instructions as the elder Huntsman made a mental note to thank Acadian later for giving him time to warn the innocent. Acadian closed his eyes and shot them back open, a seemingly black aura overcoming his body while his eyes bore into Winter. She looked at him in sheer horror and screamed in a panic, both of her weapons dropping to the wayside as she recoiled at what she saw. Acadian turned to Ironwood and the general did the same, running to try and get through the crowd in a panic but didn't get far as Acadian ran and grabbed him by the collar. James Ironwood struggled valiantly but couldn't stop the former soldier from turning him around, grabbing him by the throat, lifting him off the ground with ease and looking him dead in the face, growling as he spoke.
"Next time Ironwood, you will die by my blade."
With those solemn words Acadian threw him on the ground and was met with a hard grab around his arms, causing him to struggle until he heard a familiar voice.
"You've made your point Acadian, calm it down," Qrow said as Acadian continued to struggle until finally, after a tense minute, calming down and breathing deeply, the black aura around him disappearing and Qrow slowly letting go of his friend. He took a step back and shook his head as Acadian took another deep breath and kneeled down, running a hand through his hair as everyone turned and looked at him in curiosity. Weiss ran to Winter, who was very shaken and leaning against a light pole, and hugged her.
"Winter what happened? My God are you okay? You're shaking like crazy."
"Weiss, let me go… please."
"But Winter-"
"I'm fine Weiss!" Winter yelled before quickly regaining her composure and patting her sister's cheek, "What are you doing here? I thought you were still at home."
"…Acadian brought me," the younger sister began, "He's helping me reunite with my team."
"Weiss, listen to me," Winter said, looking in her sisters eyes and placing her hands on her shoulders, "Watch him closely."
"Why Winter? What did he-"
"Just listen Weiss. Acadian Zaffre is a man that knows how to hurt people close to him. Just be careful around him, please."
"I will Winter," Weiss said, shocked at what her sister was saying to her, "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"I will be. Go back to your friends, I need to check on the general."
Weiss looked at her sister with concern but was re-assured with a small smile before she walked away. Winter stood by herself for a minute to try and get what she had seen out of her head but simply couldn't. She didn't know how Acadian did what he did or where he learned it or if it was his semblance, but she never wanted to see it again. Acadian sheathed his blade, stood up and was met with a very angry off professor.
"You know how to make a horrible first impression Mr. Acadian! Give me one reason why I shouldn't kick you out to one of the villages this instant!" Goodwytch said, nearly yelling in his face as he turned to her with a grim expression.
"Yeah, guess I do and we're," he said, motioning to the students, "looking for Ms. Belladonna and could use all the help we can get. Now, unless you want to know what really happened, I suggest you cool off," Acadian said, darkness swirling his tone as he pushed past her and others while Winter checked on Ironwood, who was gripping his throat. Weiss ran behind Acadian and looked at the professor with resentment before pushing his arm, turning him around to face her.
"What the hell did you do to my sister?!"
"Weiss don't!" Ruby said loudly but was hushed by the heiress.
"Nothing you would want to see," Acadian said, his tone staying the same. He turned to walk away but was met with a hard tug and was now face-to-face with the heiress.
"You better tell me right now or-"
"OR WHAT?!" he bellowed, Weiss jumping back in fear as the darkness consumed Acadian again but was stopped by a sudden light presence. He looked down to see Ruby Rose hugging him tightly before feeling a hand on his back, turning to see Jaune Arc and his team looking with concern. Acadian closed his eyes, rubbed his forehead and sighed as he gently moved Ruby's arms away from around his waist, allowing him to move freely.
"I'm sorry," he said, looking at Weiss, "I didn't mean to lose my temper. Let's just get to their HQ and see if they can help us find Blake okay?" he said to the group, all nodding mostly in agreement but slightly in terror at the unknown that now surrounded the professor.
The group were led by a still angry Glynda Goodwytch to a building near the fountain that had seen its first floor expanded greatly and turned into an intelligence area. The town square itself had buildings stuffed to the brim with families and a soup kitchen to feed everyone, with supplies coming from the two downed Atlas ships and from local fishing.
"I honestly thought at first that Ms. Belladonna had left with one of you," Glynda began after grabbing a map and laying it over a large table for all to see, motioning to the three members of RWBY, "but then a report came out that someone had seen a female in black roaming around the outskirts. I dismissed it as maybe someone pulling a prank or it possibly being a Grimm but then the same report came in a week later and it has been that way ever since, once nearly every week."
The map focused on the town center and had multiple circles around it, each with a date and who had reported in the sighting. Acadian leaned over the table and examined the map closely before turning to the three teenagers.
"Okay," he said, his tone a bit lighter than before, "Why would Blake be on her own?"
"Well, she did run from us in our first semester," Ruby said before Weiss and Yang could shut her up.
"She did?" Ren asked.
"Why?" Acadian asked. The three members looked at each other, as if trying to communicate with their eyes, What do we tell him?
"Girls," Acadian said, his voice now having heavy hints of exhaustion in it, "Look, if we're gonna get your friend, we need to know everything. Now, why did she run?"
"I think it's because a member of the White Fang did this to my arm," Yang said quietly, motioning her head to her right arm, "She… she told us in confidence that she was a former member who had left to become a Huntress," she finished, Acadian and Jaune's team looking with surprise at the revelation.
"So… she's a faunus?"
"Feline."
"Interesting…" Acadian said, turning back to the map as the two teams came together, sharing light talk, which was mainly Jaune's team asking about Blake's affiliation. Glynda joined him and soon enough both were joined by Qrow, who stood next to Acadian.
"Why are the same areas circled?" Qrow asked.
"Multiple sightings in the same area."
"She's keeps doubling back," Acadian said, pressing his finger on the map and tracing it to the dates in order, "She's keeping an out eye for… something… what, I don't know."
"If you guys can predict her next area to check you can catch her," Glynda said while nodding.
"Yeah, well, that'll be in a few hours. I need some rest," Acadian said, rubbing his eyes and feeling a pat on the back from Qrow.
"Mr. Acadian, I don't think-"
"Look professor Goodwytch," he said, turning to her and looking her in the eyes, "I'm tired. I've had a very long 72 hours and a very long and tiring past 10 minutes. I would greatly appreciate it if my students and I could get a little bit of rest so that we can properly get their friend. Now, where can we sleep?"
Everyone looked at Acadian in slight shock for various reasons. Qrow knew that the real Acadian wouldn't be as rude and knew that his friend was suffering from what had happened, Glynda did not care for his attitude whatsoever and the students were shocked because he referred to them as 'his students', a term of endearment team RNJR had heard once before but all of them had varying levels of appreciation to the way he said it. Glynda closed her eyes in frustration, trying not to explode at the young Huntsman.
"Third floor has been empty for a little while. Take it," she said through gritted teeth and the students departed, thankful to finally have a solid bed to sleep on. Right as Acadian was about to leave Qrow stopped him, something the professor did not appreciate.
"What Qrow?"
"Calm yourself Acadian."
"So says the dru-"
"Look," Qrow said, not hiding his annoyance at the dig and pointing in his finger in Acadian's face, "I know you're tired, annoyed, hurt and everything else in-between. Two things: You better learn to deal with Ironwood because he is gonna be here to help organize everything and make sure everything is okay before he returns. And two, you need to set the example for them."
"Something you didn't do with Winter yourself."
"To be fair, only one niece saw that," Qrow countered, Acadian mentally cursing at himself before Qrow placed a hand on his shoulder, "Everything always turns out for the better Acadian, trust me."
With those words Acadian left the two elder professors and soon Glynda was left alone to look at the map. Acadian joined everyone upstairs, who quieted down when he entered the upper floor and looked. Acadian did his best to give a re-assuring smile, which was met with similar ones that quickly dissipated because as he set his stuff down on an unclaimed bed he felt a very familiar presence.
"What did you do to my sister?" Weiss asked quietly, trying to keep herself calm.
"I'll tell you another time," he said as he sat down on the edge of the bed and when he looked up his face was full of Schnee.
"No, you're going to tell me now!" she said.
"Weiss, let it go, come on," Yang said but was met with a stern finger from her teammate.
"No, I want to know what he did. I've never seen my sister so scared in her life and I don't appreciate someone that says he is her 'friend' terrifying her."
"Fine," Acadian said, holding his hands up, "You want to know?"
Qrow left the HQ and walked over to Winter and Ironwood, who were both seated and barely talking to each other. No one else was around two heads of the heads of the Atlas Military and both looked at Qrow with disdain.
"Why did you bring him?" Ironwood asked, rubbing the side of the neck.
"I needed help and so did my niece and her friends."
"And then decided to bring him here? Qrow-"
"Don't start Ice Queen. I'm not the one that decided to make it personal."
"I did no such-"
"Bullshit," Qrow said, before turning to Ironwood, "If I had to guess, you told her those things about Acadian, didn't you? Hell, those are things I didn't know and I've-"
"He told me in confidence," Winter said sternly, Qrow now looking at her with anger.
"So, in spite, you decide to use his-"
"You know what Qrow, I did, because-"
"ENOUGH!" Ironwood yelled, shutting the two up, who looked at the general as he stood, "Just make sure he doesn't do anything like that again Qrow. We can't have internal strife."
"Well jeez, maybe if I wasn't the one that fuc-"
"Enough Qrow," Ironwood said, silencing him. Qrow turned to Winter and crouched so that they were eye-level.
"What did you see?"
"What?"
"Him or your sister. What did you see?"
Acadian's semblance was complex and was devastating in his eyes, thus why he rarely used it, but sometimes he couldn't control himself. If he had built up enough aura, Acadian could concentrate it and create a radius around him, the more aura stored the larger the radius. The aura snuck into the minds of the people in the radius and if anyone looked upon him, they would each see something different but with a common theme: their worse, personal fears, which was more often than not the person they love or care for the most heavily injured and taunting them or asking questions. Winter looked away from Qrow, still trying to get the image that was burned into her out of her mind.
"Winter…" it had whispered to her, moving closer to her as Acadian had moved to the general, "Winter… look what you've done to me… all because you just wouldn't listen."
Winter had laid eyes upon someone she considered her first love, someone she had trusted, someone she saw herself with for the rest of her life. But it wasn't him at the same time: the man was riddled with bullet holes, stab wounds, was missing his right arm, blood ran down his face and had stained his clothes. What shocked her the most though were the eyes, well the one eye, because one was missing and the other, the light-green eye she had seen thousands of time, was crying blood. As Acadian Zaffre moved to Ironwood, the apparition of a heavily injured Acadian Zaffre had moved closer to Winter, horrified at what had seemingly happened to the man she once loved, though it was something she would never admit to seeing.
"It's none of your damn business Branwen."
"You know, I think he'll appreciate that answer," Qrow said, tucking his hands in his pockets and walking away.
"General-"
"Not now Schnee," Ironwood said, sitting back down, resting his elbows on his thighs and tucking his nose underneath his crossed hands, giving a 'deep in thought' vibe. In reality, Ironwood knew what was happening and realized that the plan he had started four years ago was unraveling and he would have to deal with the consequences soon.
So, I know I say it a lot, but man, I love you guys so much and I think it is really awesome how many people are reading this story; this has the most views, favs and follows between all of my stories by their 12th chapter. I cannot thank you guys enough and I love the support so much, trust me, it really means the world to me. Anyways, as I also said before, man I've been wanting to write that scene between Acadian and Winter! Awesome scene that I think came out great! I'll see you guys next Sunday as always with Chapter 13, so until then, stay safe and chill out guys! If you really like this story, please fav, follow or review! Much love!
