Noble: Wow so I totally forgot this story is now officially a year old. Man how time flies! Thanks so much to everyone who has read this story! And an even bigger thanks to all my fellow writers who helped make this story possible! Couldn't do it without em! Love ya you crazy bastards!
Sparky: Also, we don't own anything that isn't our respective ideas. All characters in this story belong to their respective owners and RWBY belongs to the late Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth
Blaisengfire: Puppy Arc
Masseffect-TxS: Restart
SparkyDapperDab19: Reaping with Sorrow
Noble4259: Being Human
Beta Reader: SparkyDapperDab19
"RAGGGHHH!" Jaune roared with pure unadulterated rage before slamming Re-Jaune's sword into Cinder's blades, all in order to drive Cinder back and away from Pyrrha. The false maiden snarled the entire time she was forced away from her prey now having to focus on the younger Arc. She shot flames toward the boy intent on turning him to ash in an instant.
Jaune took a page from his older counterpart and slammed his foot into the ground not quite bringing up a massive piece of earth like Re-Jaune, but just enough to block the oncoming attack. The clump of terrain and rock was searing hot and on the verge of melting, but still held true against the onslaught of flames.
"This is quite amusing now, isn't it?! I was ordered by my lord to kill Pyrrha Nikos and others beloved by John Arc, now I get to kill his younger brother and the mongrel as well!" She pushed more power into her flame and smiled at the sight of Jaune's earthly shield fall apart; coming ever so closer to incinerating Jaune.
"AWWOO!" with a distracting and yet surprising howl, Puppy rocketed forward; slamming into Cinder's ribs like a cannonball interrupting her attack and making her splutter out blood from the impact. The pup swore he might've heard a bone break from how hard he hit her. There was aggressive satisfaction in the dog's eyes as growled at the murderer.
Jaune took the opening his canine companion gave him and launched from behind his makeshift shield while glowing a brilliant white. He hurled his blade into Cinder while she was trying to get her breath back and couldn't help but feel satisfied as his blade carved into Cinder's shoulder like hot butter. Cinder screamed in agony as she felt the blade be pulled from her body.
"You insignificant worm!" Cinder roared as she lunged from her wounded state and swiped her razor-edged claws across Jaune's chest grinning in pleasure at seeing blood spurt out.
"AGH!" the Arc jumped back with his sword at the ready before assessing the damage done. His aura took most of the damage and was slowly patching him up, but the claws still made their way into his flesh.
'Shit...' Jaune thought as he did his best to control his breathing. 'I need to end this! I only got about four or three minutes left of my semblance!' Jaune looked up from his wounds to face his opponent, only to widen his eyes and grin at his furry counterpart who had been buying him time.
Puppy zipped forward jumping back and forth between fireballs before pouncing onto Cinder's already wounded shoulder. The dog bared his teeth down on the still bleeding wound and held on with an aggressive intensity. Cinder screamed again and with a vicious snarl, she grabbed the pooch by his scruff and threw him into a nearby tree. A sharp yelp escaped Puppy the moment upon impact and left a dent in the tree before sliding onto the ground; not moving.
"PUPPY!" Jaune cried as he got up and turned toward his opponent. "CINDER, YOU BITCH!" Jaune rocketed at her eyes blazing with white fire as Cinder whipped around to face him. She smirked in victory as she sprung her hand forward. Her grimmified limb extended unnaturally and found its grip around Jaune's throat. The arc choked as her grip tightened even further preventing him from breathing.
"Don't worry," Cinder whispered as she drew Jaune in close with her grip. "Your partner will be joining you soon." Jaune gripped clawed at her wrist all while his strength was leaving him rapidly. He gasped for air, but it never came as Cinder's monstrous eyes bore into him.
'I can't...I won't! DIE HERE!' Jaune willed his semblance with all the power he had left wrenching Cinder's wrist to the side snapping the bone within. The false maiden recoiled in shock and pain before whipping her gaze towards Jaune with a venomous glare.
"Stubborn fly! Just die already!" Fire shot out once more forcing Jaune to roll out of the way the best he could, but he was too late as the flames shot across his back, scorching him in the process.
"GAHHH!" Jaune cried in agony. His aura was doing its best to mend the wound but he was losing his concentration as his semblance deactivated.
Cinder took her chance and brandished a blade within her unbroken hand. She panted in both anger and pain before stomping on Jaune's back with her signature anger.
"Doesn't this bring back memories? ARC!" She dug her heel into his back, driving into the seared flesh relishing in Jaune's agonized screams. Cinder pulled her heel from his back, flipping him over bringing the tip of her blade underneath Jaune's chin relishing in seeing his pained face.
"I've been waiting for this moment since your brother dared to oppose me." Cinder said as her blade rose ready to slice him in half, Jaune's eye remained on the monster; refusing to give her the satisfaction of him being afraid.
Cinder brought the blade down, ready to see nothing but blood and a dead Arc. Her eyes grew wide when at a sudden blunt object slammed into her gut. The impact sent her sailing through the air before smashing through a tree. Cinder took no time to rest as she got to her feet and shook her head. Her ferocity returned with a vengeance as she was ready to destroy whoever dared interrupt her victory. However, her fury was overcome with a mixture of shock and confusion as she gazed at what stood across from her. A blonde beast that looked to be the size of an alpha beowolf except more heavily muscled stood before her with a primal fury that dwarfed hers. Other distinguishing characteristics of the beast were gold trimmings around the scruff of his neck and its piercing blue eyes.
"What in the-is that the mongrel?!" Cinder yelled in utter disbelief. The terrifying beast that was Puppy Arc snarled at Cinder while standing between her and Jaune.
"Hehehe...Ya know it's kinda crazy." Jaune groaned out coming to his feet glaring at Cinder with a cocky smirk. "I had no idea amplifying an animal's aura can have such an effect." Jaune trudged up to Puppy's side. "Can you talk, Pup?"
He got a small snarl in return. Jaune nodded at their current situation.
"Gotcha...well Puppy, have at her."
Puppy responded with an ear-shattering roar before sprinting on all fours, ready to shred the false maiden apart. Cinder shot more flames out which puppy dodged with surprising speed despite his size. The blonde beast leapt from tree trunk to tree trunk before launching himself right into his foe. He struck her like a sledgehammer and followed up by grabbing Cinder's head and embedding her into the ground.
The false maiden's head rang while she tasted blood in her mouth. The pain erupted moments later from her already once bitten shoulder and she looked up to see that the beast had his maw in her shoulder once more. Except his fangs that were buried in her skin were sharper than ever before; like a row of daggers piercing her flesh.
"Disgusting MUTT!" Cinder slammed a fist into puppy's stomach, sending him stumbling back and away from her. He growled at the pain and took a knee before getting back to his feet. Puppy Spat a little blood out of his mouth before grinning at the state Cinder was in.
"You...you dare to gloat?!" Cinder growled more savagely than a feral animal lunging at Puppy, slamming into the werewolf sized Arc. Claws tore through flesh, howls of pain pierced the air, blood sprayed across the ground. The two tumbled away from one another, both bleeding from numerous wounds and panting in ragged breaths.
"Vile...insignificant...WRETCH!" Cinder's screams echoed through the air as she conjured a fireball larger than any she had ever created before. Despite the sudden surge of power she felt, Cinder was granted an idea as she remembered that the beast and the blonde weren't her only opponents. She turned towards Pyrrha's unconscious form with a demented grin and readied her attack.
Jaune stared on in horror as did puppy. The two sprinted over to Pyrrha to shield her from the oncoming flame, Jaune and puppy worked together to tear up a massive chunk of dirt and rocks propping it above them. Puppy ripped a nearby tree out of the ground to reinforce their makeshift barricade.
"AS IF A MERE CLUMP OF DIRT COULD STOP ME!" Cinder threw the torrent of flame down on her hated foes, all in order to incinerate them in an instant. The blaze hit the Arc duo's temporary shield like an artillery shell; almost making them both buckle from under the impact.
'Shit shit shit! I gotta think of a plan! But what can I do?! We're about to be incinerated and I can't do a damned thing about it!' Jaune gritted his teeth wracking his brain for something, anything that could save him and his friends but had nothing. As the heat continued to rise, Jaune looked back at Pyrrha's beaten form. That hate towards himself began to rise as he remembered the fight with the mutated Deathstalker that started this nightmare in the first place. Pyrrha was hurt again and he couldn't do anything to stop it.
"ACCEPT YOUR FATE! DIE!" Cinder wailed ready to put the final nail in all of their coffins.
BLAM!
The sound of a shotgun ripped through the blazing inferno of Cinder's power and echoed throughout the fairgrounds; sending Cinder to the ground with buckshot embedded in her back.
"Made it," Reaper panted as he gripped his side, yet kept held one of his shotguns toward Cinder. "Barely made it." Reaper's shotgun was still smoking from his dust infused buckshot blast as the false maiden writhed in pain and agony. The fire dust burned away at her skin and sizzled her muscle with a sadistic intensity.
Reaper took the opportunity to vault over the mound of earth and found out that it was made by Jaune and what looked to be blonde Beowolf. Both were shielding the knocked out, but still breathing form of Pyrrha propped against a tree. He gave out a sigh of relief and smiled underneath his mask.
"Thank Oum she's alive. Today's already gone to shit as much as it had it's good to have some good news." Reaper said as peeked over the mound and saw the now standing Cinder whose face was still twisted in rage and anguish.
"More of you...why do more of you keep popping up?! What makes Nikos so damned important to all of you?!" She breathed out struggling to stay on her feet from so many injuries. Reaper stared at her showing not just hate but a hint of sorrow at Cinder's twisted Grimm form.
'More of Noctis' power.' Reaper's grip around his shotguns tightened as he looked on at the similar power. He ducked behind the mound and looked at his two allies.
"Jaune, can you fight?" Reaper asked. The defeated look in Jaune's eyes gave him the answer he didn't want. Reaper cursed at the situation, but couldn't help but look at the monstrous beast before him.
"Puppy?"
A grunt was all that was given in response. Reaper's red eyes widened at the sudden change. There was no need to ask as the beast bared its fangs and brandished his claws; raring for another round with the false maiden.
"Was not expecting this, but I'm not complaining." Reaper said as he readied his shotguns into machetes.
"ANSWER ME!" Cinder ripped them away from their conversation as another blast of fire was hurled at them.
"An Arc never goes back on his word." Jaune muttered as he clutched his side and made his way to Pyrrha's side. Jaune looked over his partner before looking at his counterparts with his sword at the ready and gave them a determined nod. Reaper and Puppy smiled at the sight before their resolve came back tenfold and the two vaulted over their cover.
Reaper lead the charge Cinder and wasted no time slicing across her waist before ducking under her wild swing. She spun around to strike him but was met with a massive furry fist smashing into her jaw, careening her away. Reaper looked up to see the werewolf-like beast smirk down at him with glee and pride.
"Seriously, how are you like this?" Reaper asked.
Puppy shrugged as he pointed at the young Arc who had just slashed into Cinder. Reaper could tell that his last strike would be enough to subdue her as the sloppy and frantic nature of Jaune's swing matched Cinder. Both were more than spent when it came to their strength and he couldn't blame his blonde counterpart. He looked like he just went through hell fighting Cinder and protecting Pyrrha. The state Cinder was in when he showed up only solidified his claim.
Jaune, Puppy, nor Reaper felt any pity as Cinder fell to the ground. She was still alive, but Reaper could see that Jaune didn't intend for that to be a permanent fact as the blonde knight rose his blade in a stabbing motion ready to end her life.
"Jaune...wait." Reaper phased over to him grabbing his wrist to prevent the young Arc from ending her life.
"Why?! She tried to kill Pyrrha!" Jaune looked at Reaper with rage-filled eyes making the terrorist feel as though he was looking at a mirror. "Weren't you and Sparrow spouting that we have to kill whether we like it or not?! Huh?! Tell me you fucking hypocrite!"
"Yeah," Reaper said as he looked away for a moment. "We did tell you that and we do have to kill in this line of work." He looked back to Jaune and could see that the blonde knight's anger was quelled for a few moments as Reaper's eyes reverted back to their original sapphire hue. "But it doesn't always have to end this way." The red eyes returned as Reaper looked to Cinder and walked toward her unconscious form.
"Sometimes death is too easy." Reaper looked back at Jaune while pulling Cinder up by her hair. "If she lives and reports to Salem on her failure…Well, that's worse than any death we could give her." Reaper's words calmed Jaune as the blade lowered and finally found its way into his scabbard.
"Don't think she's gonna get off scot-free. I got an idea that's gonna hurt worse than anything else." Reaper said as he let his smoke leak out of him, with a curled hand, he made the smoke go through her entire body. Cinder's consciousness returned as her pained shrieks filled Reaper with content as he tore at the darkness that corrupted her.
With a final grunt, Reaper felt the last of Noctis' essence within Cinder leave and with some hesitation, he let the remaining smoke infect himself as he absorbed Noctis' essence. Reaper fell to his knees as the newfound power forced him down. He gasped as it washed over him, making his skin flair and smoke writhe before he finally contained it within him. His heavy breathing was the only noise to greet the silence before the three Arcs.
"Reaper?" Jaune asked as the hooded arc stood up from the sudden wave of pain. "What did you just do?" Jaune looked at the now normal humanoid form of Cinder then back at Reaper.
"Did something to even the odds." He said nothing else as he phased away; disappearing into the wind.
"The heck was that all about?" Jaune widened his tired eyes at the sudden voice as he turned to Puppy to see the now shrunken puppy trot over to him staring on in confusion. Jaune had the same confusion as his counterpart did, having no idea as to what just happened.
"I don't know. But we can't worry about that, right now we gotta get Pyrrha to the hospital as quickly as possible!" he shouted as he sprinted to his girlfriend; scooping her up in a bridal carry. His body ached and screamed at the sudden stress he was under, but Jaune continued onward to Beacon with Puppy in tow. He hated the fact that he was leaving Cinder there. He knew she would be back, but Cinder didn't matter.
Pyrrha did.
(Hours later)
Beacon was in shambles. The once prosperous academy was now a haven for the victims of the sudden and massive Grimm attack that took place at the academy and Vale. Injured students littered the halls of Beacon while the dead were already covered with sheets. Many voices cried out for friends in the hope to hear a response. Some were met with relief, but unfortunately, some would only hear silence.
Ruby Rose stumbled through Beacon, bandage around her head looking for any sign of her team and friends hoping they were all ok. After searching for a bit, she finally found her sister who was sitting down in front of sleeping Blake who was wrapped in bandages in multiple places.
"Yang!" Ruby cried out making Yang look over at her in an instant as relief spread across her face engulfing her sister in a hug.
"Ruby! Thank Oum you're ok!" She squeezed tight, her entire body relaxing at the sight of her sister who was alive and well.
"Where's Weiss?" Ruby asked with concern looking around for her partner.
"I'm right here." Weiss answered while walking over with a dressing covering her right eye and side of her head. She walked into the hug looking down at Blake taking in a deep breath, relieved to see all her teammates and friends made it out alive.
"Have any of you seen the Jaune's or JNPR?" Ruby asked as Yang nodded in response.
"Yeah, I saw Ren and Nora come through. They were beaten up, but ok for the most part. They said hi to me then ran off towards an infirmary room, apparently, John, Sparrow, and Pyrrha got hurt really bad." There was a frantic look within Ruby's gaze as she looked on at her sister. "I'll watch Blake. You two go on ahead."
Ruby and Weiss ran down the hall towards the room Yang saw their sister team enter without hesitation. The duo opened the door to find Puppy, Jaune, Nora, and Ren sitting in chairs in front of an unconscious John and Pyrrha. Nora, Ren, and Puppy were banged up, but there was nothing drastically different about their current state of health. Jaune was bandaged up beyond belief as he sat with a pained look within his eyes. Ruby gasped at the sight as she was right at Jaune's side.
"What happened?! Where's Sparrow?! Where's Reaper?! Why are you all so beat up?! Who could've hurt you all this bad?! Whe-"
"Ruby!" Jaune yelled making his friend go silent.
"One question at a time Rubes. Seriously, we've all been through enough today so let's go about this slow." Jaune rose his voice in an utterly exhausted tone looking a little worse for wear with Puppy Arc sharing the same exhausted attitude.
"I'm sorry Jaune!" The Reaper shrunk away behind her cape and partner eyes full of regret at his sudden outburst.
"It's fine Ruby, you're lucky I'm a good listener. The Grimm King attacked leaving John and Sparrow in bad shape," Jaune looked to Ren for a few moments before the stoic ninja nodded.
"Sparrow had to be taken into Atlas's care for his cybernetics to be repaired since Penny's father was the one who created his limbs in the first place, Penny escorted the Atlesian doctors there herself." Ren said as he recollected what he was told when they wheeled the Cyborg's body out of the infirmary.
"Reaper is around here somewhere," Nora said with a bit of concern. "He wanted to be left alone. He looked really shook up after everything that happened at the colosseum." The bomber grew quiet out of a mixture of exhaustion and concern for their friend.
"Cinder beat the shit out of Pyrrha, Puppy and me." Jaune said as he looked back to Ruby for a few moments. His gaze was soft and full of pain as he turned toward his partner. "But luckily we were able to beat her when Reaper showed up. Even worse though, with how badly Pyrrha got hurt she's...she's in a coma. We don't know how specifically since we showed up too late, but he doctors say they have no idea how long it will take for her to wake up." Jaune said as he looked down. He slumped further in his chair and took in a massive breath as he tried to think about what to do next.
"Jaune, I think you need some rest. Both you and Puppy Arc. Same for you two as well" Weiss inquired giving the two a stern yet concerned glare while eyeing Nora and Ren as well. The heiress looked to her leader for any objection, only to see the distraught nature upon Ruby's face rise.
"I-..." Jaune started with protest, only to be met with a knowing gaze from Weiss. Jaune let out a tired sigh soon after. you're right...I'll go back to my dorm. C'mon guys we all could use some rest." Jaune stood up and walked over to Pyrrha, kissed her cheek, and said silent prayer for her to recover. He exited through the doorway with his teammates, Puppy, Ruby and Weiss following suit.
(Re-Jaune)
Re-Jaune waited for them all to exit before opening his eyes and looked over at Pyrrha with a pained gaze.
'I failed...she didn't die but...look at her. She got hurt because of my failure...because I wasn't strong enough...' He swung his legs out from the bed tearing the IV from his arm clutching at the still healing chest wound. Re-Jaune limped over to Pyrrha propping himself onto the side of her bed; staring down at his partner's still form.
"I can't do anything for you Pyrrha. With all the power I have, all the skills I've attained and hardships I've been through I can't do a damned thing to wake you up. It's all on you Pyr. You have to wake up for Jaune, for Nora, Ren and all of your friends in this world. I swear on my life and name that the next time you wake up, you'll have nothing to fear and see a world where the Grimm have no leader, where Salem and Noctis are dead. Arc's promise." He whispered teardrops staining her bedsheets and streaming down his cheeks as Re-Jaune's body hitch, yet he did not move from her side.
(Sparrow)
The unconscious form of Sparrow was wheeled into Professor Polendina's lab with the elderly man flanked by assistants along with Penny who was giving a diagnostics report on her unconscious companion.
"Penny dear, is our friend here stable?"
"Yes father, he is stable and the anesthetics will keep him under for the procedure. Have you examined the extent of his cybernetics?"
"I have Penny and I have to say this will be quite the experience. I will not only rebuild this man's cybernetics but improve them as well. General Ironwood tasked me with creating new experimental combat cybernetics that are very similar to our friend here. I will use the remains and make of his limbs to model his new limbs."
"Please aid my partner to the best of your ability. I will assist in any way that I can." Mercy popped up as a hologram standing on Sparrow's chest, scaring the assistants pushing the cyborg's stretcher and making Geppeto smirk at the revelation of the AI.
"Hello, professor. My name is Mercy and I am agent Sparrow's AI companion. I will give all the assistance required to ensure that my partner's recovery is swift and beneficial."
"Good to meet you Mercy. I promise to give my best in helping your companion and improve his combat efficiency."
"I will help with everything I am capable of." Mercy smiled as they entered the cybernetics lab.
"Capital, then let us begin."
Chap done. Nothing too exciting compared to the last chapter. Is anyone curious as to how Re-Jaune was weaker? Hehe, you'll have to wait to find out!
