Revelations


Pyrrha held on to her empty coffee cup as she sat in Jaune's office, the cute little ceramic mug with its ice cream themed patterns seeming to be the only thing in the world that was real. On the room's only couch, Nora and Ren didn't seem to be doing much better, while a color-rippling Ilia had taken to pacing frenetically as she tried to marshal her thoughts.

"So..." Professor Arc sighed from where he was leaning against his desk, looking as tired and defeated as the four of them. "...now you know most of it."

Nora shook her head slowly. "...that's not everything?"

"I... no, it's not." He looked away from the four of them, to where Miss Neo was sitting in their small kitchen. "There's things I can't tell you right now, for our safety as much as yours."

Pyrrha lowered her eyes, staring into her cup, wishing it held more of the drugged coffee.

After she'd run into them in the hallway, he'd quickly swept her and Ilia off to his office... where she'd told him everything. She'd expected the same confusion and shock that she had felt and instead she'd gotten... anger. Jaune had been furious at Professor Ozpin and the others who'd told her, to the point where she'd realized at once that he'd already known.

She'd started to get... well, rather angry with him in turn, then that anger had turned to confusion when he'd told her to call Ren and Nora up so that he could tell them something as a team. So that he could explain himself. He'd given her and Ilia some coffee to calm down while they'd waited, and she hadn't hesitated before losing herself in it. It had seemed like an instant before her teammates had arrived along with Miss Neo, she'd evidently sent her new apprentice home early, and the pair of teachers had then proceeded to finally speak of what had happened at the Academy.

And the quest for answers they'd set off on after its fall.

They'd told them more than Ozpin had. Told them the purpose of the maidens as both guardians and keys to protect the relics, themselves some legacy of a lost kingdom whose capital had lain in the wastes of southwestern Vacuo. Told them what little they knew about the Relics, the old religion they seemed to be descended from, and what little they'd gleaned from ruins about what they could do. But most of tall, they'd talked about how Ozpin's cabal and another shadowy faction, a faction that could control and direct the Grimm, were fighting a secret war to secure both the maidens and relics.

How they refused to be drawn in on Ozpin's side, and were instead trying to end the shadow threat on their own.

"So..." Nora's voice was quiet and uncertain. "...you want the relics for yourselves?"

"We want two of them." Jaune corrected her gently. "The Relic of Knowledge should be able to tell us how to use the others safely, and might also be able to tell us just who all is involved in this war. Especially important is exactly how those people are controlling the Grimm."

Ren cleared his throat, his tones only slightly more even than his partner's. "And then you want to use the Relic of Destruction to get rid of them?"

A finger rose, "If we can use it safely. Those men who attacked the Academy bounced Haley around like she was an angry puppy, and even Neo and I together right now probably aren't even close to how strong she was."

"You need a game changer." Ilia muttered, pony-tail swishing behind her as she continued to pace, "Some kind of magic thing capable of summoning hurricanes definitely counts... and you need the other one to tell you how to use it because you don't trust Ozpin, who is the only person who might know how they work."

Neo nodded from her place, fingers tapping out on the scroll she'd linked to their television. We assume whoever is running the other side also knows, but we obviously want even less to do with them.

She could entirely understand that. "...and you really don't want to help Professor Ozpin?"

The petite woman scoffed, The bitch he put in charge of the Academy openly said it was worth the life of every student there if it meant keeping the Relics and the Maidens safe, right before she lived those words by blowing up half our team.

Pyrrha winced. "You're sure she worked for him? You're positive?"

"Public records say he personally championed her to take the job." Jaune replied flatly. "She was definitely in his little cabal."

"Oh." She murmured, fiddling with her mug again.

The professor noticed her unease and sighed, visibly trying to relax as he guessed a few of her worries. "I don't think Ozpin will kill you for refusing him or anything like that, I don't think he or anyone here is that ruthless. But he had to known the kind of person Haley was... and even if you refuse I think you might find your career options rather limited from here on out."

Ilia made an angry sound, "He'll try and control her?"

"Politely, assuming he's up front about it." Jaune replied, "If he does it from from the shadows, you might not ever realize he's picking and choosing your missions. But... well, the short version is yes, I think he would. It took us years of research and searching and we didn't know much of anything about the maidens until just recently, it's not the kind of information he just gives away, or would be happy about getting out."

So I can expect to be under observation for the rest of my life... She bit her lip, reading a little into his voice and body language. "..you don't like Ozpin very much, do you?"

"...I think his heart is in the right place, and I think he's personally a good man." He said after a long pause, "But I don't care for his methods. Hiding the Relics in schools? Putting people like Haley in places of authority? Hell Pyrrha, he didn't even tell you close to everything even though he's asking you to risk your life multiple times over."

Pyrrha... couldn't really argue with that. Ozpin had been very clear that even if the transfer worked, the person who came out on the other end might not be Pyrrha Nikos anymore. It might be Amber Eld reincarnated, or some strange hybrid mix of memories and thoughts. A new person who just happened to wear her skin but who wouldn't be her.

Death in all but the most technical of senses.

And even if she did come out all right, whoever attacked the prior maiden would certainly be coming after her in turn for the rest of the power. She'd carry a massive target on her back for the rest of her natural life. Anyone who knew the truth, anyone who wanted power, they would all be after her... and how long would she carry that mark without being told everything?

She supposed she could understand some degree of secrecy, given that she hadn't said yes just yet... but the fact that he hadn't so much as hinted that there was more seemed manipulative to her. Miss Goodwitch had seemed upset through most of it... maybe it was because Ozpin and Ironwood weren't saying more than they had, but she hadn't volunteered much either. Like they were all afraid she'd say no if she knew just how deep this whole thing went.

He asked me to risk my life... and he asked me to do it without knowing everything. Jaune at least said there's more that he can't say until he knows where I stand.

Ilia made another angry sound, "He didn't even tell you who would be trying to kill you, he's got to know at least something about who he's up against."

"Agreed." Jaune shook his head, "We're unfortunately light on names on that front, and we have no idea who the main player is... but we're assuming Ozpin does. We know we don't know nearly everything, what we told you is just what we've been able to dig up. Hell, we got pretty lucky as it was that we started in Vacuo, and stumbled across a lead in an old treasure hunting book. It could have easily taken decades, assuming we didn't bow down and pretend to join one side or the other."

Her chin moved as she slowly nodded, "All right... but... what now? This all seems so unbelievable, but... if Ozpin... and if you're saying it's true... I'll believe you, and I'll accept that there somethings you can't just tell me... tell us yet. But what do we do now?"

Jaune bowed his head for a moment, then glanced over at Neo. The other professor's eyes shifted to a sad looking brown as she twitched a finger in his direction. "...now you've got a choice to make. You said he plans to ask someone else if you refuse?"

"Yes." She answered quietly. "He said he doesn't want to, but that he doesn't feel he has a choice."

Fingers snapped as Neo typed out words, her expression disgusted. People love to say that when doing something horrible, it makes them feel better if they convince themselves there isn't another option.

"True." Jaune agreed, "But it doesn't change Pyrrha's problem, if anything it just makes it worse. Did he say what the requirements for being a maiden are?"

She shook her head, "Only that it had to be a young woman, and Miss Goodwitch said the rules were... complicated, and not relevant."

The professor made an irritated face. "Of course they weren't... great. We have to assume it's another student, or they'd have already done this. Gods they've been treating the year and the missions you've all been on like fucking auditions."

"I know." Pyrrha murmured, some bit of anger rising. "And... I don't want it, I don't want to... stop being me. But I don't want someone else to have to do it instead either, especially not someone who might be another friend."

Footsteps shifted behind her, Ilia resting a supporting hand on your shoulder. "You're too nice Pyr... and too conflicted, as always."

She smiled weakly, reaching up to touch her partner's skin. "I know... I'm sorry."

Ilia huffed out a quiet breath, giving her a gentle squeeze before pulling back. "Who do you think it might be?"

Ren hummed, folding his hands in his lap. "In our year... I would have said Yang, but with her injury, I think Weiss would be the next most likely candidate. She has a combat related semblance, and is third in said rankings behind only Pyrrha and Yang."

Pyrrha watched as Jaune's fists clenched, then slowly relaxed. "Maybe. It's also possible it's an older student."

"Either way..." Pyrrha said, shaking her head once. "...I don't like leaving this to someone else."

"But you," Ilia stressed, "Don't want to do it."

She winced and looked down in her cup again, making her partner sigh before Ilia went on. "Let's leave that for now, if we can. There's still the other problem; where we all fit in now. You've told us a lot Jaune... enough for us to get you in some serious trouble with Ozpin."

"Yeah, we have." The professor agreed, "I'm going to have to ask that you don't tell him, or anyone else. The whole point of Neo and I doing this is because we didn't want anyone else to have to learn this crap, or get sucked into this shadow war."

Ren made a polite sound, "You are not asking us to side with you against both groups?"

Neo snapped her fingers again to get their attention, Of course we are. We're outnumbered, out-knowledged, out-everything... we need friends and allies wherever we can get them, but we're not going to force you.

"Or manipulate you. We're telling you everything that's not dangerous to us or you so you can make up your own minds." Jaune added, "If you do decide to side with us, we'll tell you the rest. But if you don't want to get involved, that's more than fine, entirely understandable even. All we ask is that you don't tell Ozpin about us; we'd rather not have to go back on the run."

Unspoken was his evident assumption that the four of them wouldn't be siding with Ozpin... which wasn't a bad one, if Pyrrha was being honest with herself. Professor Arc had already been more of a friend and mentor than Professor Ozpin ever had as a distant figure of authority, and unlike Ozpin had been completely open and upfront with her today. Even telling her that he wasn't telling her things.

"We," Jaune continued, "Don't want to ask you, I really, really fucking don't want to bring you into this... but we're running out of time, running out of allies, and quite frankly... right now we're losing. It's a matter of time before we're forcibly conscripted by Ozpin, or tricked or blackmailed into working for some horrible people. If you're willing, we need all of the help that we can get."

"Pyrrha?" Ren asked quietly. "It's your decision that matters the most."

Pyrrha bit her lip, then shook her head once. "You're all my friends... the first ones I've had in... a long time. I want to know what you think first."

Her leader gave her a small smile, then nodded, "I think I want to know more of what we'd be doing if we helped you, Jaune, Miss Neo. What we would be getting involved with. Would it be illegal?"

Jaune winced. "Some of it, but you wouldn't have to be involved if you didn't want to be. Right now our focus is finding two people, and dealing with them however we have to. The first is Roman Torchwick, for obvious reasons, the second is a scorpion faunus named Tyrian. He's the one who almost killed Winter Schnee, and he was one of the attackers at the Academy."

Ilia frowned as she resumed her pacing, this time along the wall to their right, "You want to capture them?"

"We want to capture Roman." The professor elaborated, "He's... well, playing all sides to put it simply. We worked with him from time to time, mostly as a way to get information, but he's also working with Tyrian, with the White Fang or what's left of it, with someone else in the shadow faction, and most of all... for himself. He might try and bring everything down if we don't convince him to side with us permanently, and do it quickly."

"Or kill him." Her partner noted.

To Pyrrha's surprise both of them grimaced at the idea, Neo typing, We'd rather not, if possible... but there's a chance we'll have to. Tyrian is the main goal, and we don't expect to take him alive.

"Our first request for all of you would probably be researching Roman, specifically his history, habits, anything we might use to find or blackmail him." Jaune continued. "That we would free us up to hunt Tyrian full time, and it's something that you might be expected to be curious about anyways."

Ren nodded slightly once again, then turned back to Pyrrha. "I think you should refuse Ozpin's offer, and that we should help Jaune and Neo within certain limitations. Nora?"

His partner, probably girlfriend now, frowned and fiddled with her uniform's skirt. "...I don't think you should become a maiden, Pyrrha, but... Ren, I think we should help Jauney with whatever we can. Maybe not the super-illegal stuff, whatever that is, but if there's a real fight we should be there to back them up."

Their team leader considered that, "I... suppose that would be acceptable. How illegal are your plans?"

The Professor pursed his lips, "...we try to limit our crimes to morally acceptable targets, and we have a very firm rule about hurting anyone. We don't."

Neo rolled her eyes as she typed, He means we go after assholes.

Ilia snorted, "Burglary?"

We have plenty of allies from Vacuo who can back us up. The older woman replied, But in Vacuo friendship tends to cost cash, and we're a bit strapped. Been paying information brokers for months for things we needed to know.

"You don't need to know the details," Jaune shook his head, "We won't involve you in-"

Her partner interrupted him. "Do you go after the SDC?"

"Well... once or-"

"I'm in." Everyone laughed or chuckled, even Pyrrha, and Ilia smiled. "I'm not exactly a stranger to working outside the law, so long as it's petty stuff it doesn't bother me. I'm guessing we'd use our Friday nights out on the town as an excuse?"

Probably. Neo shrugged as she entered more words, We know the Vytal Festival is important as a deadline, so that only leaves ten weeks to work with. Fridays at the very least, probably Saturdays and maybe other nights as well.

"Ohhhhh...!" Nora abruptly said, "I get it, you don't have a drinking problem at all! You're just out all the time doing things!"

The teacher shrugged and gave a lazy nod, Jaune smiling a little, "Pretty much. It seemed an easy enough excuse to run with, it's definitely doing a lot to keep people from digging too deeply into what we do at night."

Pyrrha smiled a little. All of their worries about how they were doing suddenly made so much more sense, their constant drive for improvement and occasional poor days. It was all because of this fight they were undertaking with only each other for company.

"Ilia?" She asked softly.

Her friend glanced at her, then waved at the other couch. "I'm with Nora, I think you should tell Ozpin hell no, and we help Jaune and Neo find the bastards responsible for the Breach and their school."

She smiled a little, then went back to regarding her cup. "...if I accepted, became the Fall Maiden, would that help? You said only she can access the Beacon relic. If I don't take it... you might never be able to open the vault even if you find it."

Jaune was silent for a moment, "...that's true, Pyrrha, but... no. Neo and I both want you to refuse. The risk to you isn't worth it, and we've lost enough friends."

A shuddering breath ran through her at that, her eyes closing as pure relief ran through her entire body. Of course they didn't want her to... they didn't want to lose their friend. No matter what else they'd been doing on the side, no matter how... gray... their actions could be, they cared about her.

They needed the Fall Maiden, needed her badly. Everything they had spent three years pursuing, questing, chasing... it might all come down to who the new Maiden was. Everything she knew about logic said that they should ask her to take up the mantle, that they should have been convincing her that they'd be there for her, that Ozpin had exaggerated the risk, that it could all be worth it.

But even against all of that... they'd told her not to.

Because they didn't want to lose her.

Even if it cost them the Relic, cost them years of work... they didn't want to lose her.

For the first time since she was a little child she'd found friends who cared about her, about Pyrrha Nikos. Not people who just wanted to get close to the Invincible Girl, who wanted to bask in the fame and fortune that she had won. She didn't want to see Weiss or Yang or anyone else forced to make this choice, and everything her father had ever pounded into her about nobility and honor told her that this wasn't even a decision. That it was her destiny to accept it, to return the family name to glory as she protected the world as a distant, untouchable figure.

But if she went through with it, and she lost herself... she would lose Ilia. Lose Ren. Lose Nora. Lose Jaune and Neo. Lose RWBY. She would lose the happiness and peace that she'd finally found. And even if she survived, it seemed all too likely that she would find herself becoming the Invincible Girl once again, having to forsake her friends to protect them, to fight whatever war Ozpin was waging.

Or worse...

"Pyrrha." Ilia's voice was quiet. "Be selfish for once in your life."

A damn broke somewhere in her chest, and she hurriedly set her cup aside before pulling her scroll out of her pocket. She brought up the number she'd been given, hesitating for just a moment... then forced her fingers to work before she overthink this anymore than she already was. Weights lifted from her shoulders, and she let out an almost sobbing gasp of relief as she sent her response.

No.


"All right." Jaune settled into his chair as everyone else piled in around his kitchen table, Neo appearing, then vanishing in cracks of glass as she retrieved their notes from their hiding place. "Obviously, don't mention the full use of Neo's semblance to anyone. Or mine, for that matter."

After Pyrrha had sent her refusal, they'd had a second quick round of discussion involving semblances, and re-emphasizing their desire to stay under the radar for now. All four of them would have to keep acting naturally, which would thankfully be easy since nearly the entire school knew that he and Neo had all but adopted RAVN already.

The kids nodded nearly in unison as they took their seats, Ren already picking up one of the notebooks. "This is everything you know?"

"That one is everything we could grab from the ruins in Vacuo, and then from research here in Vale." He said, "If you could read through all of it, see if there's anything we might have missed, obviously only read them in here with the door locked. Everything is in there except for our current contact in what we call the Shadow faction."

Ilia glanced at him, "Amber's attacker?"

"Yeah..." Jaune grimaced, "Though we didn't realize that until just now. She introduced herself as the Fall Maiden, and we assumed Amber was one of the other three."

Nora made an understanding sound, "Can't really blame ya. Why can't we know who she is?"

"I didn't say we wouldn't tell you." He shook his head, "But you have to understand that she is dangerous, monstrously so. She will absolutely kill you if she even thinks you know who she really is, and we can't go after her because she's admitted to having contingencies. She'll take everyone down and bolt if she even guesses she's been made."

"In that case," Ren spoke up, flicking through pages of Neo's precise handwriting, "Please don't tell us. No offense Pyrrha, Nora, but I'm not confident either of you could hide knowing such a thing."

Both girls dismissed his apology with sheepish shrugs and grins, while Jaune nodded. "Still, I'd like for you at least to know Ren, so at least one of you can watch out if anything strange happens."

The boy nodded once, and Jaune continued as Neo re-appeared with the last notebook, "We're not bringing Sable into this just yet, so please keep quiet around her as well... and if you could help Neo train her, that would be appreciated."

Ilia frowned, "You are going to bring her in then, after all that about not wanting others involved?"

Jaune winced, "I... may have miscalculated when it came to using my actual name. The shadow group knows about my family, she's already in danger as it is. At the very least she deserves to know why people might come after her."

"Ah." The faunus nodded in understanding, "I get it, sorry if that came off harsh, just wanted to make sure you weren't going overboard just because we're a little younger. What about your other sisters?"

He exhaled, reaching out to touch his partner's shoulder as she panted for breath. His semblance came at once, letting his power flow slowly into her, her small frame straightening in relief almost at once. "We're paying someone to safeguard Saph without her knowing, and we're training Sable partially so she can protect Coral as well. The rest of the family will be safe in Ansel, its got a large contingent of retired hunters who wouldn't take kindly to someone messing with one of their own."

There was another round of nods, and then the plotting and scheming began in earnest as they brought them up to speed with their current plans.

Out of deference to Ren's desire to not be involved in the shadier portions of it all, that was only lightly touched on, though the team leader relented on letting Ilia accompany them if she wished. Neo had backed her up at once, and Jaune had been forced to concede defeat and agree to let her join the various lien-runs that Neo had planned.

In the meantime, Ren and Pyrrha would be focused on researching Roman's past, both at school, as a hunter, and then as a criminal. While they got started there, Nora would be volunteering to help train Sable, freeing up a bit of time for Neo to help Jaune when it came to dealing with their allies, digging up dirt on Tyrian, and trying to get a conversation in with Raven Branwen.

"We're fairly certain she used to be in Ozpin's inner circle." He explained, "And that she bolted after a few years, reason unknown."

Pyrrha, still a bit shaky but in a desperately relieved way, had nodded. "You think she could help us?"

Neo waggled a hand back and forth, her other typing out words on her scroll. Maybe, but really we just need to know the gaps in our information. She's supposed to be some kind of bandit queen, so trust is going to be in short supply. Lien might loosen her lips, or just the fact that we're opposed to Ozpin.

Ren made a sound of agreement, "The Branwen have a... reputation in southern Anima. I'd hoped that Mister Qrow's surname was merely an unfortunate coincidence."

"Seems like it's not." Jaune said, "That brings up the obvious question, why does he still seem to be so close to Ozpin, yet his sister bolted for another continent?"

Pyrrha sucked in a breath. "...you don't think?"

"That she was made the same offer as you got?" He asked, shaking his head. "It's a possibility. Different circumstances obviously, but still possible. We won't know for sure until we can talk to her, so that's my task this weekend, at least when I'm not making sure Yang and Ruby are doing all right."

The champion had given him a smile, "Always have to save everyone, don't you? Even when you're buried with all of this."

He's a complete noble idiot. Neo agreed as Jaune sighed, But he's cute and good in bed, so I mostly forgive him.

He'd groaned as Pyrrha had blushed and the others laughed. After perhaps another half hour of talk they'd run down, gently shooing most of RAVN out while keeping Ren behind. His stoic mask had cracked on learning that Cinder Fall was the one they working both with and against, but he'd rallied quickly and accepted their warnings about her and team EMRD with a promise to keep an eye out of any of them showed interest in his team.

"She keeps dropping hints that she might be going rogue from her group." Jaune explained, "Or that Tyrian went above and beyond orders in his attack on the Academy, and then at the Breach. I'm not sure I buy it, and Neo definitely doesn't, but it's muddying the waters a bit."

Ren frowned, pursing his lips. "I see. You can't see what she'd have to gain from her own ally ruining her plans."

"Yeah." He spread his hands, "If you can think of anything about the Breach that might have actually accomplished something, let me know because we're coming up empty."

Neo nodded, And until we figure out, keeping enemies close seems smart.

"Agreed." The young man murmured, rubbing at his chin as he thought about it. "How do you intend to deal with her?"

Jaune sighed, "Depends on the circumstances. If everything is still hidden, and we think we can hit her with overwhelming force, we do that and keep everyone else out of it. If things are sketchier or we don't think we can take her, we make a dead-drop in Ozpin's office with everything he needs to go after her."

Ren had looked rather reassured at that, "What if she's telling the truth about going rogue?"

"In that unlikely circumstance... we'll have to wing it." He admitted.

A quiet huff of amusement came from the other man, then he'd departed to catch up with the rest of his team. Jaune had slowly cleaned up after them, putting mugs in the sink, then wandered over to join Neo at the window just in time to see four headed back towards their dorms, three of them all clustered around the fourth as if they feared she was made of glass.

"I feel... dirty." He admitted quietly.

Neo leaned against his side, shrugging slightly. Ozpin had been the one to bring them, not them. All they'd done was let their team make an informed decision.

"Doesn't change the fact that we're sacrificing principles simply out of need." He shook his head, "Just like Oz."

She gave him a hard poke in the stomach, telling him to knock it off. There was a world of difference between him and the old bastard, and he needed to remember that.

He let out a slow breath, then gently pulled her around, hefting her up to sit on the windowsill. Neo allowed it, shifting a leg until it was around his waist, hands sliding up and around his neck.

"Tell me we're doing the right thing."

Neo blinked, eyes turning a rare, gentle shade of pink, then she leaned forwards and gave him a soft kiss that deepened almost at once as her tongue slid between his lips. He returned the affection, bringing her closer even as she explored his mouth, claiming at as her own.

A commanding flex of her leg had him pick her up, carrying her to their bedroom where she could help him lose himself in bliss... at least for a little while.

Their work would be waiting for them when they were done.


And from here, we're going to be skipping ahead a bit, until the start of the third volume and covering things in a slightly different fashion. I know there is still a bit of fallout to touch on, such as Weiss and Raven, but a great deal of it would simply be re-hashing the same information over and over in different ways from different points of view. So to avoid getting bogged down... we're going to skip a few weeks and then dive right into the final arc.

Please read and review, criticism is welcome, flames not so much, as usual. Reviews are my lifeblood as a writer.. every-time my email goes off with a review it makes me want to write more, so please take the time to leave one. Guests can leave them as well, and it only takes a minute, so please. Even if it's as simple as "I enjoyed it, please continue."

Thanks, Kat