The Jingo- I'm not gonna judge on what they choose to write, it's entirely up to them. For them and what they write, I hope for nothing but the best. I don't know whether the neonzangetsu that reviewed here is the real one or not, and I hope it's not, but it doesn't matter very much to me.
V- the goal of the OCs wasn't just to contain the tailed beast. They're in part represent a world not just around Madara; outside forces that intertwine with what has been set in motion and flow alongside it, affecting it in small and large parts.
Oh yeah and uh, doubt any of you care but if you've ever heard of Glitchtale, I'm working on something regarding it.
Chapter 29
Patch Forest
"Yang?" both Ruby and Blake looked back at the blonde, silence taking over the three.
Yang's lilac eyes, slowly darkening to red, were wide open as she stared at the second pair of ears atop her partner's head. Looking at the cat girl now, the use of the bow made much more sense. Blake never seemed like the type that would wear a bow for aesthetic purposes or for keeping up some kind of appearance. Instead, she used it to hide her faunus traits that would otherwise stick out.
It did also seem to explain the tension between her and Weiss. The Schnee family wasn't particularly known for its positive relations with Faunus. However, that realization did nothing to ease tension, the exact opposite in fact.
Yang's eyes turning deep red was a clear indication that she was angry. Fearing what could have happened based on the circumstances, and likely being the most , Ruby stepped forward in an attempt to break the silence. "Blake, you're a Faunus? Why didn't you tell us before?" Ruby said nervously, asking for both herself and her sister.
"Damnit Madara! What the hell have you done?!" Blake screamed to herself before snapping back to reality. Unsure of what to do, Blake muttered incoherently, searching for some answer she didn't have. "I'm sorry, it's not like I wanted to hide it out of spite… I just can't say." She replied.
"No, enough with the secrets! I'm so sick and tired of just being left in the dark when something could be done! Just tell me!" Yang shouted, shoving Blake back angrily. Blake staggered, her eyes widening in surprise. "My mom leaves and my dad says nothing about it. There's this whole thing with Madara and he doesn't tell anyone anything. Now you? I don't care about what you are. Human or not we're partners, so just tell me what you're so scared of!"
Blake's mind was running wild, she couldn't think clearly anymore as alarms blared in her head. Her natural instincts were screaming danger, but she couldn't find anywhere to go. Trapped without a single place to go, and facing a foe she could not surmount, Blake's ability to process information had hit a breaking point.
Blake caught her breath, and relaxed her shoulders. Watching the girl in black recline, Yang too calmed, but remained adamant and expective. "I…I can't hide it anymore." She warned the two, glancing away nervously. But they remained still and focused. "You probably could've guessed by now. I didn't come from some well-off family with servants like Weiss did and I didn't come a family of huntsmen like you two did. Although, it was anything but calm or quiet. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I spent my childhood fighting. Ever since I was a kid, and up until I applied to Beacon Academy," Blake paused, inhaling sharply "I used to be an active member of the White Fang."
Following her declaration was a suffocating silence, a silence that felt like hours at least, but was only for a brief moment in actuality. Both of the sisters' eyes widened. Neither's faces implied anger or elation, just shock. It would normally have been hard to believe. The quiet and reclusive Blake being part of an organization that committed murders and robberies? Not only that, but she was also attending Beacon Academy. All of the students should have been background checked. Ozpin's methods were unorthodox at times, and he wasn't against bending the rules to further certain goals, but openly accepting former terrorists? For what purpose? Did he not see the potential dangers of such a thing? Ruby and Yang wanted to know more about the situation, more about Blake's past.
There was still no response, as the sisters remained on the edge of their proverbial seats, prompting Blake to continue. Her cat ears twitched anxiously, before she resumed talking.
"I was apart of it since I was just a little girl, fighting for the equal treatment we were promised but never given. I really believed that if we kept trying and never gave up, then our wish would come true. But then five years ago, our leader stepped down. Their successor was… a lot more aggressive. They didn't think we were doing enough, and decided to fight violence with violence. The worst part is that it was working. People started to look at Faunus in a different way, but the wrong way. Instead of respect, they were afraid. I didn't realize it then, but we were turning into the monsters we were discriminated for. The White Fang that I believed in was gone, and I couldn't stop it. I just wasn't strong enough, and I needed to be. I thought, if I became a huntress, I could actually make a real difference and return the White Fang to its older ways. Then, as I made my escape, Madara appeared and helped me. Even though he was just a teenager as old as we are, he was in a league of his own and far above anything I knew existed. Since we were in Vale, I thought he may have been a Huntsman, or at least one in training. I decided that if that was the case then he could make me even stronger, maybe even help me." She explained, pausing to catch her breath. Her breathing was uneven at first, but the fear in her face had diminished. She looked relieved to have gotten so much off of her chest.
"So then that's why you came to Beacon." Ruby concluded with Blake nodding, confirming her deduction. The heterochromic eyed girl was relieved to know that her teammate wasn't just a criminal. She saw the error in what her allies were doing and was actively trying to put a stop to it.
"And what about us? Aren't we a team? Aren't we supposed to be together? Or are we just your way to Madara?" Yang asked, cocking an eyebrow at the Faunus in front of her.
"What? N-no!" Blake exclaimed, taking a defensive stance.
"Then do you trust even us? After the time we've spent fighting the White Fang every time they started trouble and hurt innocent people? Was this all nothing to you?!" Yang shouted back, her aura flaring up in a small fiery explosion as her eyes turned red once more.
"I don't know!" She screamed out, water particles scattering from her eyes. "This is exactly what I thought would happen. I knew you would hate me when you found out, was I right not to trust you?! What happens now, are you going to call the police?" Blake challenged.
"I-" Yang froze, finally being on the other end, at a loss for words. She wanted to deny Blake outright. She didn't hate Blake, nor was she going to rat out her own friend. She may have had a bad past, but she was a different person now. It's what she should've said, so why couldn't she?
This new situation that the members of team RWBY had fallen into was inevitable, a product of their actions and a result of who they are. Yang's energy had finally been exhausted, her adrenaline bottoming out. Her brain could no longer handle the torrent of emotions she was feeling. In other words she ran out of steam, and at the worst possible moment.
"No, we wouldn't ever do that." Ruby interjected, stepping forward and standing up for her sister as well as herself. "I don't know how much it means to you, but it's the truth. You're not apart of them anymore right? You're becoming a huntress just like us, to make the world a better place. That's what matters the most, not what we were but what we will be. If there's some way we can make things better, then please tell me. As team leader, it's my job to sort these things out." their team leader declared.
Blake looked at Ruby's eyes directly. Briefly, there was a faint glimmer within her shiny metallic eye, fading as abruptly as it had first appeared. It would've been impossible to see normally, but the sensitivity to light brought upon by her Faunus genes allowed her to notice. It was probably just the light reflecting for a moment. More importantly was Ruby herself. She was always honest. Well, unless it had to do with cookies. She was in many ways a child, naive and optimistic even when faced by reality. Was that so bad though? She was old enough and mature enough to take responsibility as the team leader. She wanted to reconcile as soon as they could. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough, but it may have been what she needed the most. An honest word from an honest girl.
"I want to believe you, Ruby. I don't think either of you are bad people at all. I just… I need some time alone to think." Blake muttered, expecting for Ruby to try again. She would stand firm with her decision even if Ruby begged. She just wanted to be alone for awhile, to think about things on her own.
"I understand." Ruby nodded, surprising both Yang and Blake. Her shoulders relaxed as she gave a small smile to her senior subordinate. "If you need that time, then go ahead. You can take as much time as you need, alright?"
"...thanks. I'm going back to my room. Don't bother me." Blake said, unprepared for such a response. She left without another word, moving quickly but not running, just speed walking. In her stead, remained the siblings. Though holding bittersweet feelings about the conclusion, Yang chose to accept Blake's decision. Everyone needed time to cool off, even from their own friends and family.
"Ruby?" Yang asked, also surprised by her younger sister's conduct. It was a delayed response, but Ruby turned back around to face Yang.
"Yeah?" she asked, in the same innocent tone she normally had.
"N-nothing…" Yang responded, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "Just, that was, really unusual of you."
"It was?" Ruby's face contorted confusedly. "I, I thought I was acting normally. Did I sound strange? I hope I did a good job, I'm worried Blake may think I was embarrassing or being silly."
Yang chuckled at Ruby's expense, raising a hand to rustle her little sister's coal black hair playfully. As her little sister, Ruby was used to Yang's spontaneous mood-swings. "I think you did fine little sis. C'mon, I need you to help me out with something. I kinda need help cleaning up my room and you're the speedy one."
"What?!" Ruby whined dejected.
"I'll let you copy my homework. I know that you haven't touched yours and Weiss won't let you use hers." Yang offered, smirking as she watched her sister contemplate the decision.
"Fine, but you better hold up your end though!" Ruby demanded, earning another laugh from her sister. With the atmosphere having lightened, the two could breath normally as they returned home.
Elsewhere - Vale
"Y'know Pyrrha, you didn't actually have to come with me. I can take care of myself." Jaune chuckled lightly, albeit self deprecating.
"That may be so, but it is good to take precautions. If something were to happen to you while you were alone, we would be in quite the trouble, Plus, you don't have your sword anymore," Pyrrha countered, before cupping her own mouth. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up." she apologized.
"It's alright Pyrrha, it's not your fault." The blonde replied, taking out and looking at a small metallic shard from his backpack.
The Crocea Mors, Jaune's sword, was broken into pieces during the attack on Beacon. The sword alone had been passed down for five generations, eight decades old and used during the great war. Despite all of that, it was broken, shattered by a single attack. Now, he was off on his search, a search for an individual to repair what was broken, and restore the Arc's treasure.
"Jaune, it isn't your fault either." Pyrrha remarked, frowning at the boy. "It wasn't you who broke the sword, it was that girl with silver eyes, wasn't it?"
"Yeah yeah, let's just keep going." Jaune brushed off, picking up the pace and walking more quickly. "I can't believe that four different blacksmiths didn't have what I need. The sword is just made of some metal isn't it? At least that's what I thought, but it's made of some kind of ancient steel or whatever." he complained, a look of contempt forming on his face.
"T-To be fair, it has been a very long time since the sword was forged. It's only natural that the methods and materials had changed accordingly." Pyrrha explained to the blonde. "Nonetheless, I'm sure we will find someone who has what we are looking for. We just have to keep looking, alright?"
Jaune stopped for a moment, looking away as if he was contemplating an idea. Before long, he regained composure. "Y-You're right, I just have to keep my head held up high- wait a minute… is that?" he muttered, staring ahead.
About fifteen meters away from Jaune was a group of four who had just walked out of a restaurant. One was a brunette and hat two protrusions sticking out from the top of his head. Two looked similar both having black hair, but one was somewhat taller. The fourth member was… the most noticeable. She was petite, almost to the point of dwarfism. She looked like a child, without a doubt the most unusual of the quartet. Based on Jaune's reaction, he seemed to recognize them or at least one of them. As they drew closer to the four, who also stopped to notice them respectively, one of their faces became more familiar. The slightly taller boy with black hair and glasses, she had seen him before briefly during the attack on Beacon. According to Ruby, he was a second year who participated in the scavenger hunt. His weapons and fighting style were unknown, but he was able to transform himself into an intangible black monster vaguely resembling a grimm. Apparently he was also the "sensei" of a girl named Luna who was able to create explosive shockwaves with her hands and feet, as witnessed by Weiss. The triangular points sticking out of the brown haired boy's head turned out to be cat ears. He was a Faunus.
"You, you're Kari and Neko right?" Jaune asked, staring at the shorter black haired boy and the faunus.
"Uh, yes?" he responded while looking somewhat confused.
"Hello~" Neko waved as he smiled. "You're that kid from the field trip. Doin good?" he asked as he put his hand down.
"Um, alright I guess." Jaune replied, laughing weakly as he remembered what he carried in his backpack. "So this is the rest of your guys' team?" he asked turning his attention, and intentionally the topic, to the two he had never met before.
"I'm Pum, leader of team PNNK." Pum said in a bored tone. "Looks like you've already met my partner Neko and you've met Kari. This is Ness, Kari's partner." he said, pointing to the pettite girl.
"Hi!" Ness exclaimed. Her high pitched voice and physique perfectly invoked the image of a kid, even more so than Ruby did despite the fact that this girl was a second year. Just what kind of person was she on the battlefield? What kind of weapon would work with someone of her size?
"So, you're friends with the so-called 'Invincible Girl' huh?" Kari asked, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, she's my partner actually." Jaune corrected, gesturing to the red haired girl.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I guess you all already know who I am." Pyrrha said with a weak chuckle.
"So what're you two doing out here?" Neko asked.
"Oh, nothing really. Just going around looking for…" Jaune paused, before his eyes widened and he stared at Kari. "Wait, Kari, there's something I want to ask your help with."
"Alright? What do you need?" Kari asked, startled by Jaune's abruptness.
"You're family owns a huge production company right?" Jaune asked, recalling what Blake had said about the boy and his family. "There's this… thing I need to repair. I wanted to see if you could help me get the metal. It's called 'Aurea Iron. We've been looking around for awhile but nobody has any of it"
Kari's ears perked up to the name, his face being washed over by a look of surprise, as well as confusion. "Aurea Iron…? Well there's a reason why nobody has it. It's a really really old metal from, like, a hundred years ago. It's not used or made by, really, anyone these days. Why would you want something like that? Is it for some kind of challenge or history project?" he asked, Jaune shaking his head before taking out another object from his backpack. With a golden crossguard, a blue handle, and the lower half of a sword, the blonde's intentions became clear.
"I… need this repaired. My grandfather told me that it was made from Aurea Iron," Jaune said, looking away from the sword as if trying to avoid it. Kari and Pum stared blankly at the remains of his sword, Pum more intently than his teammate.
"Lemme see it," Kari requested, Jaune acquiescing and allowing the boy to examine the shattered metal. "Hmm… Yeah, this is Aurea Iron… Aside from whatever you did to it, it looks like it was made almost perfectly. There's no impurities or mixtures in it—just pure Aurea Iron. Broken or not, this thing is worth a lot… well, for collectors that is." He commented to himself.
"So do you think you have any of it—the metal?" Jaune asked, his hopes risen by the amount of expertise the boy had over the iron.
Kari pressed his chin against his hand, mouthing words to himself incoherently. "I… think I can find you some. I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I saw it while I was taking inventory." He said with uncertainty in his voice. "Alright, I should be able to get this fixed."
"Really?" Jaune asked, looking elated by the news.
"Well… yes. but—" Kari answered, but was cut off.
"If you're going to talk about it, let's take it somewhere else," Pum suggested, tilting his head to the side, in which a small crowd was starting to form.
"I would agree," Pyrrha said, uneasy as she too noticed the congregation.
"Alright, let's get to our place. It's pretty close to here right?" Kari suggested, Pum nodding in confirmation.
1 Hour later
Their chosen destination was a moderately sized facility. The wooden floor was covered in carpeting, a single row of lights hung from the ceiling, illuminating the large room evenly. A staircase to the side led to a series of doors which each had uniquely decorated nameplates. Neko and Ness had climbed the stairs, walking in through two doors, likely their rooms.
"Jaune, will you come with me?" Kari asked, gesturing to a door on the bottom floor.
"You forgot to say 'would you kindly', Kari." Pum whispered, neither of their juniors understanding what he was talking about. "Ignore me, go with Kari and you'll get what you need. Then you can fix your sword and get back to relaxing at home. Don't forget that classes start back up a week and a half from now." he instructed, sounding like a classic teacher.
"Uh… right. My sword." Jaune paused, frowning before he followed Kari into the room.
The room they entered was far larger, and looked completely different. The ground was made of concrete or stone, gray walls and ceiling like some kind of warehouse. There were several aisles formed by large metal shelves arranged in rows. Boxes filled the shelves, holding every kind of material from glass and ceramics to metals and plastics.
Jaune was in awe, but focused Kari had walked towards one of the shelves and held his hands to the sky. The fingerless golden gloves that he wore started to unravel. As if they were made of some kind of sentient thread, the long strands ascended towards a small wooden box labelled "Aurea". Despite their thinness, the dozens of golden lines wrapped around the body, moving it from its place and bringing it closer to him.
"Woah~" Jaune thought, more than impressed by what he was witness to. "Are those your weapons?" he asked as the crate touched the floor.
"Yeah, it's just something I made with some help. I'm more of an indirect fighter—support's my thing." He explained as the strands removed themselves from the crate and reformed into gloves. "Well, your metal's here but there are some things you should know. I was trying to tell you about it before but Pum cut me off." He warned, dropping his smile and staring intently.
"A-alright." Jaune said nervously.
"There's two things I can do for you. Either I can make you a brand new sword, or I can reforge your broken sword. If I reforge it, you may not get exactly what you want. Re-treating and tempering the blade could lead to degradation, it won't be as strong. On top of that, the iron I have isn't as pure. Along with being over-treated, it will have impurities."
"R-Really?!" Jaune stuttered, shuffling around in his backpack and taking out the multiple pieces of the blade. "Would it be noticeable?"
"Probably. The more impure the iron, the darker it is. It'll have a weaker reflection to it. Otherwise, you'd only notice if you break it again because it will be weaker." Kari explained, showing off a chrome-colored chunk.
"T-but that can't be. I need this to be fixed and be just like it was!" Jaune protested, looking down at his broken sword. "I just, it's an extremely important sword."
"Important to who exactly?" Kari asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Nowadays, most people use weapons made of many different components, specified or made by themselves. That way, no matter where you are and what situation you're in, you'll be able to fight at your best. We make our weapons extensions of ourselves, practice with them until using them feels completely natural—like a muscle or limb. I watched your group during the field trip and, to be honest, you seemed extremely out of sync. You fight like your sword is just a sword, instead of your arm. Considering how old the material the sword's made out of is, I can't imagine it's even your sword."
"I…" Jaune paused dropping his arms and his head. "It's not really mine. The sword is a hand me down from my great great grandfather, all the way back from the old war. It's been used by him, my great grandfather, my grandfather, all the way down to me. I learned how to hold it, practiced the same moves they all used, I even got help from my own teammates, but then I broke it. Me. After eighty years I just let it happen. I can't just go back home and show this to them. I may not like it, but what am I supposed to do? Give up what my family's been holding onto for so long?!" He shouted, dropping the sword and clenching his fists.
"Yeah." Kari replied simply, staring at Jaune with a composed look.
"W...wait what?" Jaune asked, Kari's unexpected answer pulling him back to his senses.
"I mean yeah, it's not exactly cool to your folks, but your life is yours. Your family can pass on a legacy for however long, but eventually it needs to conclude. Don't you think it's unfair that you have to give your life up without a say? Isn't it better to hear your own voice loud and clear than just an echo?" Kari asked, walking towards Jaune and kneeling down, picking up the broken sword. "No matter what, this will never be the same sword. It's legacy is over, you're not your father or his father. Your team isn't their teams. Whatever you do with it now, will make it your sword." he explained, handing the remnants back to its rightful owner as he stared him in the eyes. "So what's going to be your first move?"
Jaune took another look at what remained of the Crocea Mors and saw two things. He saw decades of experiences, adventures, and challenges that the sword had endured. He also saw, within the broken blade, an opportunity. He saw something new, something he hadn't ever noticed before. It was cracked, but he saw his own reflection. He saw what it could be, what he could be.
"I think I'd like to make some… adjustments." Jaune muttered, looking up to see Kari smiling.
"Alright then, let's get to work. I have a few suggestions to make the sword a bit more flexible; a sharpening; could make the swings a bit faster and—Oh! I think adding a new handle may make gripping it—" Kari trailed on, smiling gleefully as his speech gradually became more incoherent.
"Uh, if it's alright, I'd like to look it over myself." Jaune requested, pulling Kari out of his rant. "And maybe some work on the shield. It's a two-piece thing." he said, opening his triangular shield.
"I see, then I am at your service buddy." Kari announced, raising his arms to his sides before stopping and dropping them. His smile fell and changed into a look of confusion. "Actually, now that I think about it…"
"What?" Jaune asked with a concerned look.
"The indents on the blade, and those cracks… come to think of it I've seen Pum do that when we first became a team. Man, Yatsuhashi was not happy with that. But anyways, let's get to work. Alright?"
"I… uh… okay then?" Jaune accepted reluctantly. He really wanted to inquire more, but it didn't seem like he'd get an answer, not from Kari.
END
Well, 100k word milestone reached. I feel like I said I would do something if I ever reached this. eh, oh well.
