Lost Arc
9
As the light faded and everyone once again looked around to see where they were, they were astonished to find themselves outside. They were in a large, relatively flat looking natural stone cul de sac, with a few tiers raising up towards sheer rock walls. Along the only foot path in were some sort of steam vents that periodically puffed out hot steam. The only features in the space were dozens of round boulders topped with moss arranged seemingly at random as well as mushrooms, tall grass and more moss.
Looking up into the sky, they saw a beautiful red sky made by the setting sun with lots of clouds stretching all over the horizon.
"Nice place. Very relaxing..." said Maria as she sat down on one of the boulders which wobbled slightly. She then took a deep breath and sighed. "...even Atlas doesn't have air this crisp."
"That's because its clean. This world is mostly pre-industrial. So, no pollutants." commented Jaune as he walked around looking at the space.
"I'm getting the feeling this is another space you don't recognise." commented Blake. She and Weiss were the only calm members of team RWBY. Ruby, Yang and Nora were taking advantage of the outdoor space and were stretching their legs by running around the tiers surrounding them. Keeping teenage girls that are used to the outdoors confined for too long was never a good idea, it generally resulted in impromptu fast paced games.
"I've never been here, but other Jaunes have read about this place. It's the home of the Trolls. I think it's called the Valley of the Living Rock."
"Never heard of them. What are they like?" asked Ruby as she bounced around the area, obviously still listening.
"Well they aren't human for one. Marias' sitting on one…" said Jaune nonchalantly as Maria looked at her round moss covered seat and shrugged. "…They are made of stone. Very long lived, and from what I've heard they are probably the nicest beings you'll ever encounter."
"How can they be here? Your dimension room recreates people too?" asked Qrow as he nudged one of the round boulders with his feet.
"Oh no. The room won't recreate sentient beings, but the Trolls are stone. It creates them in a non-living state. So just rock."
"That's good. Otherwise it would be really creepy." said Yang as she finished running around and bounced to a stop near everyone else with a huge grin on her face while Ruby and Nora kept racing around. Not that it was a very fair race.
"How are we suppose to observe this new Jaune?" asked Ren, he being the only one to really look at the space and note the lack of technology rather than just marvelling at the simple beauty of the place.
"I don't really know. The room knows the requirements. It wouldn't have brought us here if we wouldn't be able to observe. This place and the Trolls themselves are magical. I guess magic must somehow allow us to watch." answered Jaune.
As if on que a thick mist started to waft from the centre of the valley and twist and turn a couple of metres in the air. Ruby and Nora took this time to return to everyone slightly panting and rosy cheeked from their run and smiling. Everyone picked a troll to sit on while Nora selected Ren.
The mist slowly expanded to form a border and then an image appeared in the centre.
The screen showed complete and utter devastation. The ground baked to glass for as far as the eye could see. In the centre of it was Jaune. He was on fire. His features difficult to make out with his face, muscles, bones, and everything else that made up his body haven been instantly vaporised as he reached the temperature of a sun. He was now made of plasma rather than solid and liquid matter and he stood in the centre of his destroyed home completely oblivious to what had occurred.
/
Everyone was just looking at the screen in shock, the laughter and energy from before just evaporated. Somehow Jaune had turned into a miniature sun and was standing in the centre of a glassed crater. The good mood from being in the beautiful natural setting displaced by what was being implied on screen. Jaune had somehow destroyed everything around him for what had to be miles.
/
Jaune had no idea how long he'd been just standing. He couldn't really perceive time anymore. Since he lost control all he'd been able to hear is the constant roar of an inferno. He couldn't see anything other than golden flames. He couldn't feel anything other than the intense heat. None of which bothered him or caused pain, but he couldn't see or hear or feel anything else.
After the days of excruciating pain to stay in control this was a relief to him, but he could no longer see or hear his home and family. The last thing he remembered was his mother by his side gently pouring water over his body that evaporated in a second, while he was scrunched up in a ball on the floor screaming.
Then Jaune lost control and everything felt better. He wished he'd done it sooner.
However now all he could see, hear and feel was fire.
Until he could feel something else.
He turned his head towards the sensation. He couldn't see or hear anything different but he knew he had turned his head in the direction of this new feeling. It was cool, soothing. An island of ice in a sea of fire.
Jaune started walking. He couldn't see or feel himself moving but he knew he was.
/
To everyone watching they'd so far just seen Jaune standing for a nearly a minute to them before he suddenly turned his head and started walking, Jaunes inner thoughts playing out to them. The glass being crushed under his flaming feet. However, while he was standing, the scene on screen seemed to be going at an accelerated pace. Seasons came and went several times with Jaune seemingly not noticing. Several times, people came into view at the edge of the screen before they had to flee from the intense heat. Jaune didn't seem to notice anything that was going on around him.
Then he suddenly turned and started walking. The scene having slowed to real time now but jumping from scene to scene. Jaune walked through a forest, setting it alight behind him. He walked through an ocean on its seabed. The water around him heating and steaming away from him just before it came into contact with him and causing a violent whirlpool of water and steam. His passage marked on the oceans surface by boiled fish.
"How the hell can he not know what's going on around him?! What he's doing?" shouted Yang.
"Because he can't perceive anything around him. Here, I'll tap directly into his perceptions. You'll see and hear exactly what he does." said Jaune as everyone briefly looked at him before returning their attention back to the screen expectantly. Jaune just looked back to the screen as well, no gestures needed from him unless he was feeling dramatic or under actual strain.
After a second the screen was replaced by a floating wall of fire, heat and a deep penetrating roar. Everyone flinched away from the screen. None save Jaune being able to look at the screen without constantly blinking to protect their eyes.
"Fucking hell!" shouted Qrow as he leaped up, being one of the closest, and moving away.
"Shit! Ok we get it. Turn it off." shouted Blake. Her more sensitive eyes being hit the hardest.
"Wait…" said Maria, her mechanical eyes squinting at the screen now. "…The dead centre. There's a dip in the temperature."
"Your eyes have thermal?" asked Ruby, still shielding herself from the heat and light with her arms.
"Infrared girlie. Thermal would be blinded here." answered the retired huntress.
Jaune then snapped his fingers and the screen went back to watching Jaunes unintentionally destructive march.
/
Jaunes march continued and eventually he found himself walking towards a small boarder outpost made up of a small stone defensive tower with an attached stable, about 3 stories tall with Arrow Loops and Machicolations. However instead of battlements the roof was enclosed with a pointed roof made of green slate, and a yellow, green and purple banner was hanging down its length.
Jaune wasn't walking directly towards the tower, but he would enter the clearing that it stood in and the guards easily saw the fiery path Jaune left behind him, even with all the snow and moisture around preventing the fire from spread too much compared to the devastation elsewhere in Jaunes few months of walking.
As Jaune entered the clearing 7 guards were standing in his path, a good hundred odd metres away and they were already feeling the heat.
As Jaune walked closer the centre most guard walked out ahead of his men, shield and sword held ready.
"Halt!" shouted the greenly dressed guard.
Jaune didn't hear. No voice, no matter how loudly that voice shouted would be able to penetrate the roar of the flames.
"I said Halt!" shouted the lead guard again as Jaune continued to approach. The lead guard and his men actively shielding their faces from the heat now with their shields and walking backwards as if something was physically pushing them.
"Damn it. Get out of its way..!" shouted the lead guard to his men before they dispersed out of Jaunes way. "…Ride!" shouted the lead guard again as he ran towards the guard tower. His command prompted a horse and rider to storm out of the stables and off towards Arendelle Palace.
Jaune had no idea any of this was happening. He just continued walking towards that cool spot on the horizon. The guards came together again as Jaune exited the clearing, trees covered in snow catching alight around him.
"Was…" started one of the guards before he had to pause and calm himself. "…Was that the Arcadian Man?!" he asked to no one in particular.
"God I hope not. Wasn't Arcadia destroyed when he appeared? It was like it happened overnight from the rumours." said another.
"It doesn't matter..." cut off the lead guard before more was said. "…Mount up. The rider will warn the kingdom, but we ain't staying here and doing nothing. Martin, Patrick. Remain and man the outpost. The rest of us are going to monitor the invader as he progresses. At least he's walking."
The travel time from this outpost to the palace was around a day on a horse non-stop. The riders horse was breed for that but the others weren't. The 5 guardsmen that were going to follow loaded up and then followed Jaunes very clear trail. It didn't take them long to figure out that he was heading straight for Arendelle Palace.
It took 3 days for Jaune to walk to his destination. The guards continued to shadow him until they could see the wall surrounding the capital and then rode ahead to join the mounting defence. The walls were lined with men and woman armed with bows and crossbows, around a third dressed as guards while the remainder wore other clothing of varying colours. Riding out towards him were 3 people on horseback. A young woman in very fine cloths being of green and purple trousers and jacket with a white blouse with strawberry blonde hair and an understandably concerned expression was riding in the centre. The man on her right was riding a reindeer, dressed similarly to the woman but with more black and leather. He had unkept blond hair and didn't look comfortable at all. Due to the situation and the clothing.
The man on her left was wearing a more ornate guards uniform and he had a shield on his back and a sword at his side. Dark skinned and with greying black hair on his head and face. His face was filled with resolve and determination.
/
"Oh my pancakes! I love your hair Weiss! Bestest colour!" shouted Nora as she clapped to herself bouncing on Rens lap.
"Yeah. It's in a nice style to." commented Blake as the screen showed the 3 riders in more detail. The Weiss on screen having her hair platted over her head with a gold tiara sitting on top and then her hair spun into a bun behind her head.
"Makes you look very mature." threw in Yang for good measure.
Weiss was just gapping at the screen. She was watching herself from another universe. They'd seen Pyrha already and Qrow and General Ironwood and Nora and Ren. So she knew it was probably going to happen at some point but even knowing that, she wasn't fully prepared to see another her on the screen.
"Whys my hair colour different?" she asked.
"Genetics. The soul may be the deciding factor in your appearance, but it still can only work with the material available to shape its vessel, your bodies. A Jaune born to Klingon parents will be Klingon. Just a Klingon that looks like Jaune." answered Jaune.
"That's Sun next to you isn't it?" asked Ruby looking at the guy on the reindeer. No one really saw it at first with this guy on screen actually wearing cloths properly, but now that they looked closer they could all see that the man on Weiss' right was in fact the good hearted monkey faunus, minus tail.
"Oh yeah. Hey Blake. Look, it's Sun!" teased Yang with a Cheshire grin.
"Yes I can see that thank you." replied Blake, rolling her eyes.
/
Unlike nearly everything that Jaune couldn't perceive. He knew that 3 people were approaching him. They seemed to radiate the same type of soothing, cool feeling that prompted his march. However something was different. He could still feel that cooling source far away, but approaching. These before him must know what the cool feeling is. They felt connected to it somehow. Especially the one in the middle.
As Jaune was thinking this he came to a stop and seemed to regard the 3 riders, they stopped in front of him close enough that they could shout to him but no further.
"It stopped." said Sun, the man on fire seeming to scrutinise them tilting its head to the side.
"Meaning it's not some mindless human shaped creature." threw in General Mattias, his resolve and determination undimmed but now also hopeful that he wouldn't be forced to order men and woman to fight this thing.
Weiss rode ahead another metre while the two men remained where they were.
"I am Queen Weiss of Arendelle…"
/
"Oh my Oum Weiss you're a Queen!" squalled Ruby bouncing next to her partner who was wearing a smug grin.
"Well. That does make sense I suppose. I do have a queenly presence about me." said Weiss very smugly lifting her chin a little in satisfaction.
/
"…Beside me is Prince-Consort Sun…" said Weiss gesturing to the man on her right.
/
"What!" shouted Weiss, all smugness gone as she found out that her husband is this universe was Sun Wukong.
"You could do worse Weiss. He's got a big heart you know." said Blake teasingly, part of her grateful that maybe someone else can take the clingy monkey faunus off her hands but also a little unsure as to whether she really wants that.
"I think you make a cute couple...!" shouted Nora. "…you would have autumn babies, and more couples for double, now triple dates!"
"I have no interest in Sun. Neptune was more my taste. Less rebellious and more refined." argued back Weiss.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaabs." teased Ruby right into Weiss' ear.
"Oh please. Sun is a very attractive guy but if abs and other muscles were what I was interested in I might as well go after Winchester. The definition of meat-headed muscle." said Weiss, rolling her eyes. That statement got everyone to cringe.
/
"…and to my left is General Mattias of the Arendelle Guard…" continued Wiess, now gesturing to the man on her left before she turned fully to address the flaming man. "…why have you come here?" she asked.
Weiss didn't get an answer. The man on fire just tilted its head before looking away into the distance. Jaune then started walking again.
"Wait! Stop! Why are you doing this! You'll destroy us!?" shouted Weiss as Jaune continued to walk forwards. Of course, he couldn't hear her.
"We must fall back!" shouted Mattias as Weiss and Sun turned away from the man as the heat became too intense. They rode back to the Walls and Weiss and Sun continued onto the palace while the General dismounted and climbed to the top of the wall.
The men and women here were already briefed on what to do. All he had to do was give the order when it was time. He didn't have to wait long.
"Longbowmen. Fire!" shouted Mattias.
Those on the walls equipped with longbows opened fire and hundreds of arrows sored towards Jaune. To no effect. The wood burst into ash metres away from him and the arrow heads splashed against his body like droplets of rain, the metal haven melted. Jaune continued to walk forward getting ever closer to the walls.
"Crossbowmen. Fire!" shouted Mattias again as the flaming man came into range of the shorter ranged but heavier weapons.
These didn't do anything either. Although firing larger and heavier arrows, they were still made of wood and iron. They suffered the same fate as the arrows fired by the longbowmen, and Jaune just continued to walk forward heading straight for the closed main gates.
"Guard! Disperse to the roof tops. Civilians head to the cliffs. Maintain fire!" shouted Mattias again as Jaune came to within a dozen metres of the walls gate. The heat was now very intense and people were hiding behind the walls to try and protect themselves rather than firing their weapons.
From the report given by the outpost commander, Mattias decided against trying to engage this foe on foot with swords or even spears and polearms. The heat was just too great for anyone to get that close.
Arendelles defenders would have to fight at range.
The guard now ran to preprepared ladders that scaled the homes of Arendelles residents. They would continue to shoot down at the invader as he continued his walk while the civilians retreated to their families at the cliffs.
Jaune just walked through the main gate like it wasn't there. It started to glow as the metals heated and then ran like muddy water as he walks through them. Arrows continued to rain down on him whenever an archer saw the opportunity, but they were in fewer numbers now, and the builds were getting in the way. Fire spread to some as Jaune walked past them and teams of people manning manual pumps and hoses immediately got to work to try and prevent as much damage as possible.
Jaune, although he didn't know it, was walking right down the capital's main street, straight towards the bridge leading to the palace. He past homes and shops which caught fire and past a statue of 2 children that started to melt. His footsteps even melting the cobbles beneath his feet leaving orange glowing stone in his wake. All the while arrows continued to rain down upon him to no effect.
Jaune then stopped at the bridge and turned his head towards the fjord beyond the palace. It was close now. Whatever this feeling is, it was so close now.
Weiss and Sun reappeared by the gates into the castle with Suns reindeer following close behind and stood together facing the flaming man as arrows continued to ineffectively pelt him.
Sun reached down and took Weiss' hand.
"This is one of your crazier ideas." He said with a smirk.
"The palace staff needs time to evacuate. It paused for us before." said Weiss as she looked up at her husband and smiled.
/
"AHHH. You guys look so cute!" shouted Nora.
"I can't deny that Sun and I appear quite handsome together, but I have no interest in him. He's just not my type." countered Weiss to Nora who had appeared right by her shoulder.
Blake was listening in and felt a little miffed at her friend. Sun Wukong was an irritating, overly optimistic, interfering…kind hearted, loyal, and trustworthy friend. She knew that whomever he eventually wooed would be one of the luckiest women on Remanent. For a time, Blake even thought about accepting his advances and being that woman. However, like Weiss, she didn't see herself with the monkey faunus in the end. She still liked him though and wished Weiss would see his better qualities beyond his handsome and roguish exterior.
"You guys know that a Flaming Jaune is about to burn down their palace, right?" asked Yang. Thinking that her friends have apparently forgotten that, although unintentional, this Jaune is a literal walking sun burning down everything he gets near and her friends seemed to be only concerned with the lovey looks this universes Weiss and Sun are giving each other.
"Pst. Calm down Yang, We ain't forgotten. This Jaune'll…cool… down soon. You'll see." said Nora, all confident.
"You did not just throw a pun at me?" replied Yang, looking both impressed and annoyed.
"Hee. Good one Nora." said Blake shooting Yang a teasing grin that was answered with Yangs shocked and then pouting expression at her partner.
"Guys shut up. Jaunes started walking forward again." said Ruby. Her attention remaining in the screen worried for Weiss, Sun and Jaune.
/
Jaune had started walking again down the long bridge leading to the palaces main gates and Weiss and Sun tensed again as they made ready to walk out to meet him and hopefully buy some time to finish the evacuation. Just before they could take their first steps however, they heard a horse neigh causing Weiss and Sun to, impossibly, look out over the fjord to see a horse made of water running across the fjords surface with a person on its back in a flowing white dress. Weiss couldn't contain the smile of relief and joy that spread across her face, knowing that her sister had received her message and was coming to Arendelles aid.
"Winter."
The Horse jumped over the bridge ahead of Jaune and Winter jumped off landing in front of her sister and Brother-in-law. Her momentum having forced her hair and dress to flow around her as if standing in a breeze.
/
"Holy crap is that really the Ice Bitch. That is a damn good look." said Qrow before he really realised what he was saying and who was here.
"Don't you dare leer at my sister you disgusting old letch." shouted Weiss as she threw a stone at Qrows head that he casually caught and then tossed over his shoulder.
"Relax Princess, or Queen in this instance. I'd rather jump into a freezing cold lake butt naked, tied up like Oums day turkey than ever consider Winter Schnee as anything other than a royal pain in the ass." responded Qrow, not even looking away from the floating fog screen as Weiss got angrier, before she huffed and turned back to the screen as well.
/
"Winter…" said Weiss again as she hugged her sister when she turned to her. "…We think it maybe the Arcadian Man. Nothing has influenced it. Metal, stone, nothing can withstand the heat." briefed Weiss as Jaune continued to walk forward. Each footstep he took causing the stone beneath his feet to turn orange before he took another step and the surface began to cool again.
Winter turned to the flaming man and marvelled at him. He was so similar to her. She knew somehow that he had lost control, just as she did during her coronation. She knew of the fate of Arcadia. A blasted crater of glass, and she knew of the flaming man but never gave it much thought as the isolationist former kingdom held no treaties nor did any significant trade with Arendelle. Arcadians kept to themselves and expected the other kingdoms of the world to do the same, but thinking back now, Arcadia fell at roughly the same time as when she nearly froze Arendelle into a solid block of ice.
She was standing in the way of her opposite.
He kept walking towards her. Flame and smoke billowed behind him as Arendellians continued to battle the flames this man had generated. It seemed to halo him like he was a herald of destruction.
"Well Weiss…" said Winter turning away from her sister and towards the flaming man. "…Lets see what the cold can do." Finished Winter as she started walking towards the flaming man.
/
"Oh! That is so badass!" squealed Weiss.
"Wow! Did you just say ass?" said Nora, appearing in front of Weiss as if from nowhere making Weiss jump before she rolled her eyes.
"Well she is a big fan of her sister." commented Ruby.
"Look at that…" said Weiss gesturing to the screen. "…this is like one of those weird movies you make us watch with those heroes in them when they do their power walk as you call it."
"I can't deny that your sister does look pretty badass right now." said Yang watching the screen as Winter continued to walk forward with her hair and dress flowing round her.
/
Winter then thrust her hands forward and out of them streamed her power over ice. The freezing cold power tearing down the bridge and smashing straight into Jaune. He was immediately enveloped by steam as Winters powers reached him, throwing out a huge cloud around the flaming man obscuring him from view.
Winter didn't let up when the steam cloud billowed out around the flaming man. This was her home and she wasn't going to take any chances. She'll turn this man into an ice cube before relenting. They can sort out everything else later when Arendelle was no longer in danger. Thankfully, Winter not holding back also helped the people fighting the fires in the Flaming Mans wake as the cold disrupted and helped put out some of the fires.
Winter kept this up for nearly a minute before stopping, Winter breathing a bit heavily due to the effort and energy she put into that stream of ice. The steam cloud was now very thick and reached nearly to her, the edge being only a foot or two away.
"Do you think that stopped him?" asked Olaf as he waddled out from behind the Main Gate of the Palace.
/
No one moved.
"What the fuck." said Qrow to himself as his hip flask fell out of his fingers.
"Is that a small snowman?" asked Ren as Noras' eyes filled with love hearts.
"THAT IS SO CUTE!" shouted Ruby, being one of the first to get over the shock of seeing a seemingly sentient cute little snowman.
"Is that some sort of summon?" asked Weiss, trying to make this make sense.
"Oh no. It's just a living snowman…" answered Jaune like it was nothing, causing everyone to whip their heads around at him. "…I can't wait till you guys see the really freaky stuff." finished Jaune with a knowing smirk. He could tell everyone wanted to punch him right now, and his smirk grew.
/
"Well. I gave it all I had. If that didn't stop him? Then I don't know what I can do that can." said Winter, still looking to the cloud as it hung in front of her, wishing she could look through it. Wiess, Sun and Olaf began backing up again towards the main gate, again shielding themselves from the raising heat.
"It still getting hot. His still coming!" shouted Weiss just as Jaune stepped out of the steam cloud right in front of Winter and then came to a halt. Not 3 feet in front of her.
Winter took a step back, but didn't recoil further when the Flaming man made no further move towards or against her.
"How can you stand so close?!" shouted Weiss again.
Winter looked round at her sister, seeing her trying to approach but being force back by the heat like it was a physical force.
Winter looked back to the Flaming man and she could just tell that he was looking right at her. It made her feel like she was what he was looking for. His goal or want, at the end of a long journey. He seemed to be gazing at her like she was all he could see.
"I don't feel hot…" muttered Winter, gazing back at the flaming figure. "…I can't remember feeling more comfortable. So warm." breathed Winter. She really couldn't remember feeling like this. The cold didn't bother her, but she still felt it. Whenever she sat next to a fire it felt…muted. Distant. She could feel it, but it never provided the relief others felt from coming in from the cold. This however felt perfect.
/
"Hoho! I think your sisters going to get herself a piece of Jaune-Jaune in this Weiss." said Nora suggestively, waggling her eyebrows at her white haired friend.
"Don't be so vulgar you. This Winter being my sister in this universe makes her a princess. Meaning that she'll have the manors and etiquette training to be above such thoughts. Especially to a man she just met that also happens to be on FIRE!" finished Wiess, appearing quite indignant about the whole thing.
"What's up Weiss-cream? You saying you think if Jaune was Winters age he wouldn't be good enough for your sister?" said Yang, sounding at both times teasing and annoyed.
"That is not what I'm saying at all. Jaune is my friend, I don't like the idea of him being involved with my sister because it would likely change the dynamic of our relationship."
"You think about your relationship with Jaune often?" teased Blake with a small smirk.
"Oh…" began Wiess before she just looked up towards the sky. "…why did you curse me with friends like these?"
"You love us really." Said Yang.
"For some strange reason, yes." huffed Weiss in exasperation.
/
Winter just stood staring at the man in front of her while he just seemed to stare back. She couldn't actually see any eyes. They were gone, replaced by fire but she just knew that she, for whatever reason had his full attention. Winter lifted her hand up and reached out towards the man. Her fingers lightly brushed against his cheek and she was surprised when she felt something pressing back instead of her fingers just passing through the flames.
After a few seconds where the man in front of her seemed to relax a little, his head jerked to the side towards her fingers. Then he seemed to stagger and sway a little as if in pain. Then he staggered backwards a few steps and arched his back, tilting his head back as if yelling out to the heavens.
Winter was completely shocked. She had no idea what was going on, or how she caused this by just touching his face.
"The heat is fading. Winter, are you alright?" asked Weiss as she started to take steps towards her. The heat obviously still intense, but apparently Weiss was able to master it now and move forward.
"I'm fine. I don't know what's happening though." answered Winter, clearly a bit distressed about what was happening in front of her and her sister.
"Do you smell that..?" asked Sun. "…smells like charcoal."
They all looked at the flaming man and saw that not all of him was flaming anymore. Large, expanding black areas were appearing and spreading out across his body. Eventually turning to skin. The man was obviously in extreme pain if his thrashing around was any indication, but eventually they could also hear the pain he was in. Suddenly the man started screaming.
His body had apparently finished regrowing his voice and he screamed and screamed and screamed. Winter tried to get closer to try and do anything to help. Weiss and Sun did the same. Stepping forward before being forced back again by the heat.
/
Everyone was finding this uncomfortable now. The efforts made to try and lighten the mood by Nora and Yang gone as the screaming filled the air. For Qrow, Ozma and Maria they conjured memories of some of the most horrific sights they had ever had the misfortune to witness. Coming across the burned down remains of villages and towns where the peoples desperate fight for their lives started the fires that eventually consumed their homes and loved ones.
Most of the teens were finding the blood curdling screams, very frightening. Their media fuelled minds conjuring imaginatively horrific scenes of people melting alive.
Ren and Nora unfortunately didn't need their imagination, they remembered these types of screams from when they were children escaping the destruction of their home. They were holding onto each other tightly, thankfully their will, strength and mutual love gifting them the ability to push the memories aside although not easily.
/
Jaune, thrashing around as he was, stopped Winter from getting too close despite her best efforts, but eventually, he stopped. He seemed to look at Winter with awe and wonder before falling flat on his back and passing out.
Winter could only stare down at the naked man, lost for words.
/
"Should I cover Rubys' eyes?" asked Yang. Looking around at her friends and a little surprised that all her teams attention was riveted to the scene even more than she was.
"You don't want Ruby to get a look at what she has to look forward too?" commented Blake. Just as unashamed as her fellow female team members at getting a look at Jaunes `goods`.
"She's only 17 Blake."
"So? what's your point? She's old enough for her and Jaune to…engage with each other if they so wish." advised Weiss.
"My baby sister ain't `engaging` with no one…ever…" said Yang, with a little more force than she intended.
"Damn Straight! Neither of you are till you're at least…50." shouted Qrow.
"Is that suppose to fit in me?" asked Ruby to no one in particular while she studied what she hopes her future husband might look like. She was part nervous and fearful but also excited, pretty much giddy about the idea.
"Girly. Man and woman are made to fit together. Don't worry. It'll fit." soothed Maria surprisingly.
"They get bigger." whispered Nora right into Rubys ear like a ghost. Ruby eyebrows shoot upwards and she couldn't help but bite her lip and rub her thighs together slightly as new thoughts and ideas stormed through her head.
/
Winter knelt next to the previously flaming, now unconscious man. Weiss approached and knelt on the other side if him.
"What happened." asked Weiss, looking up at her sister. Whose own gaze never left the naked man.
"I don't know. I never felt more comfortable, and I could not help but want to reach out. Then this happened."
Winter looked the man over from head to toe. His defined physique noticeable even when the man was unconscious. Obviously powerful muscles seemed to be pulled taught over a broad and tall frame. Medium length unkept blond hair framed the top of this mans head. Despite herself, Winter couldn't deny that she found the man incredible handsome. Her hand reached out again to touch the mans chest and start tracing the contours of his body with her fingers.
"I got a blanket for the guy." said Sun as he appeared from the main gates and began to drape it over the unconscious man. Winter snatched her hand back when Sun spoke and couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance that some of his man was now hidden from her sight. Then Winter realised that she never even noticed that Sun had disappeared. She didn't realise that she'd been that captivated.
"Nice one sweety..."
/
"Ahhhhh" teased all of Weiss' friends as she rolled her eyes.
/
"…Grab some of the guards would you. We'll secure him in the castle lighthouse on the Breakwater for now. It's the most remote and secure building I can think of. Hopefully we can get some answers when he wakes." Sun kissed the top of Weiss' head and then took off to find help. Weiss' gaze following her husband for a bit.
Winter again lost track of what was going on around her. She just couldn't keep her eyes off this mans handsome face as she stayed kneeling beside him while her sister organised and began to coordinate her kingdom to finish putting out the fires.
"Winter..!" shouted Weiss. "…What's with you? It's like you're in a trance"
"It's nothing. What do you need?" answered Winter quickly as she stood, still gazing at the unconscious man for the most part.
"Some of the fires are growing out of control again. Can you put them out?"
Winter looked away and towards Arendelle and took a step back in shock. How did she miss all this going on? People running all around trying to stop the fires. Shouts, cracking and falling structures. She steeled herself and wiped her hand across the scene. The fires died, and there seemed to be a relieved sigh before people continued working.
"I'm sorry Weiss. There is something about this man." said Winter as she again turned towards Jaune. Some guards haven turned up now and putting him on a stretcher to move.
"Is this a magic thing? This is, the 3rd time now that Arendelle has nearly been destroyed due to magic." commented Weiss sheepishly at her sister. She felt it had to be said, but she also knew that it was not Winters fault.
"I really don't know…" answered Winter as she watched Jaune be carried away. "…I mean…obviously magic is involved but I just don't know why? I just hope he will wake with answers."
/
Jaune woke up slowly with a groan. He felt like giant bruise, which was on fire, while someone poured liquor on him.
Jaune was exaggerating of course. Even inside his own head, but he definitely felt really rough.
As he stirred, he heard what sounded like footsteps nearby. Several footsteps.
Jaune stilled and opened his eyes. Looking towards the sound.
Jaune was greeted with the sight of 2 guards in green uniforms armed with swords and shields. The emblems in the centre of their tall hats telling him that they were part of the Arendelle Guard from his studies when he was younger.
Jaune jumped up quickly. His hands clenched and adopting a fighting stance as anger tore through him.
"Identify yourselves..!" shouted Jaune. "…How are foreign soldiers on our soil!"
The 2 guards jumped and reached for the swords on their hips. Jaune noted that they kept their cool well despite his sudden actions. These were professionals then, but then they looked at each other in confusion.
"We aren't on foreign soil..?" said one after a few seconds. "…You are in Arendelle."
"Wait here a minute and I'll get the General. Please do not burn down anything." said the other as he walked backwards towards the door.
Jaune watched in confusion as one of the guards walked out of the room. The other standing by the door and watching Jaunes every more, his hand resting on his sword, and body appearing very tense.
/
"At least someone thought to put some trousers on him." said Weiss, although she was still looking intently at the well defined physique of this Jaune as he maintained his combat stance, staring down the Arendelle Guardsmen.
"Speak for yourself. All this Jaune meat is seriously making me consider jumping on the hedro waggon. Suite of armour Jaune, super but mute Jaune, scary but sweet Jaune, immortal Jaune and now literal flaming hot Jaune. A girl can only stay on the fence for so long knowing our Jaune has this potential." finished Yang as she started to fake fan herself.
"Aren't you going a bit overboard? You know Ruby wants to be with our Jaune when we get back. What are you doing?" whispered Blake to Yang.
"Making her pissed off…" muttered Yang back. "…She'll go all shy and not make a move unless she feels threatened and angry. You know how shy and awkward she can be. This'll motivate here to at least try."
"I can hear you Yang! I know you too remember!" shouted Ruby. Yang just blinked at Blake.
"Talk about one track minds, you know this Jaune just burnt a path through these peoples home right." sighed Qrow in despair at his nieces.
"But he had no idea what was happening around him. He had no way to know the harm he was causing." argued Blake.
"Do THESE people know that? Some would have just killed the guy when he fell unconscious. It is, unfortunately, the safest option."
"Isn't that one of the unarmed fighting stances you use?" asked Oscar to Ozma. Ozma looked at his new apprentice briefly before scrutinising the fog screen again.
"It appears you're right. `Defendu` it's called. A simple and practical martial art made to end fights quickly."
"I seem to remember no defences involved in it. Wouldn't that be better here for Jaune?" asked Oscar.
"Only if he gives up the offence."
"I would charge out and go on the attack too. Maintain aggression until somewhere safe where I can reassess the situation." threw in Qrow, unfortunately having experience being captured and fighting his way to freedom.
/
A couple of minutes past where Jaune and the Guardsmen continued to eye each other wearily, before the other guardsmen reappeared and was followed this time by another man. Wearing a more ornate Guard Uniform and appearing at least a decade older than both of Jaunes guards. With dark skin and greying black hair, he held his tall and strong frame well as he stepped ahead of the guardsmen and eyed Jaune.
"I am General Mattias of the Arendelle Guard. Identify yourself and your reasons for coming here." ordered the older man. Jaune straightened his posture squaring off against this General Mattias.
"I am Jaune Arc of Arcadia. I have every right to be in my homeland. What are Arendellian Soldiers doing here What have you done with my family!?" Jaune answered loudly.
"You are in Arendelle right now. Not Arcadia. I know nothing of your family."
"You lie." said Jaune uncertainly, trying to maintain the heat in his voice, but confusion must have come through. The guard before said that he was now in Arendelle rather than Arcadia. How can that be? The last thing he remembers was being in pain in his family home as his mother tried to comfort and help him.
"The path of destruction you left through the homes of my people backs up my claim. Want to see what you've done.?!" answered the General. Clearly very angry but managing to contain his feelings. "…follow me..." The General than spun around and left through the only door.
Jaune followed and immediately felt better as the sun fell onto his face, he took a second to relish it with a small smile before opening his eyes to a huge field of white smoke reaching into the sky.
Jaune smile fell. A clear path, just as the General had stated, cut straight through the small capital city. From the now destroyed main gates all the way to halfway down the long bridge connecting the city to the large palace.
"…you did this." said the General, glaring at Jaune. Jaune didn't really hear. This really wasn't Arcadia, apparently, he had attacked another kingdom. Jaune looked down despairingly. How could he have done this. Arendelle wasn't a militaristically inclined nation. They were no threat to Arcadia. They were good trade partners with nearly everyone, providing high quality textile goods and was home to many noted artists in a variety of different disciplines. He couldn't attack and cause this much damage alone. He might be able to sneak past the main wall, but he wouldn't have been able to cause this much damage before being found out and overwhelmed by the Arendelle Guard.
"How..?" asked Jaune, all but begging for an answer. Seeing just how honest Jaune was being now, the Generals expression softened slightly.
"You simply, walked, right through everything in your way. Don't you remember?"
"The last thing I remember, is being at home in pain while my mother tried to ease it and comfort me. Then there was some sort of release within me and the pain went away. Then I awoke here."
The General took a deep breath before letting it out. "Come with me. Queen Weiss and her sister want to speak with you."
The General then turned again and led Jaune down the breakwater towards Arendelle Palace.
During the walk General Mattias had someone grab a shirt for Jaune, green and purple like everyone else's.
The General eventually led Jaune to a large hall with smooth wooden floors, marble support columns and velvet drapes. A small, raised platform with 2 beautifully crafted chairs on it made from wood with a red velvet backdrop supported by 2 wooden pillars was at one end of the hall and this was where the majority of the people in the room were gathered around.
A young, beautiful woman was sitting on one of the chairs while several aids and councillors received instructions from and provided advice too this woman.
She really was a beautiful young woman, youthful in body and spirit with strawberry blonde in a neat plat and spun around the back of her head and clear light blue eyes giving everyone around her the attention they deserved were set into her porcelain, but somehow warm face.
/
Weiss coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment as her cheeks pinked slightly at Jaunes thought description of her.
/
She appearing to easily deal with the staff and advisers around her showing her experience to her position through deed if not in years.
Jaune assumed this woman to be Queen Weiss, Jaune thought the Queen of Arendelle was going to be named Winter and that her coronation was due to take place shortly. Something must have happened to make the elder sister stand down. Odd, and very fast, but not unheard of.
"Queen Weiss…" started Mattias, his powerful voice silencing everyone else in the room. "I have brought the intruder…" Jaune suppressed a winch. Although, apparently, the description was correct it made for a bad introduction. "…This is Jaune Arc, of Arcadia." said the Arendellian General, putting emphasis on the Arcadia part for some reason.
This prompted whispers and stunned looks from the Queens advisers and the Queen herself.
"But…How can that be. Arcadia was…" began one of the advisers before the Queen interrupted.
"That does not matter at present…" said the Queen as her advisers and the General moved to stand by her while a blonde man wearing what appeared to be casual leather trousers and a shirt sat down beside Queen Weiss in the chair next to hers. "…Jaune Arc. Why have you come here?"
Jaune looked out into the pond of faces, he didn't think the group was large enough to be called a sea. All of them were looking at him with a similar mixture of emotion on all their faces. Fear, confusion, anger. 2 were different although that was because their faces held more not less. The General was also resolved, stoic, ready. The fear, confusion and anger were muted by the other 3 but still present. The Queen was the most intriguing though. Openness, curiosity, Jaune even sensed a desire of sorts but not something that was physical. He had plenty of experience knowing when a woman wanted him, this seemed like a desire to…help him. The fear, confusion and anger were their also, but it was something different with her. The anger was so small, and the 3 emotions mixed into caution, rather than 3 separate things.
Jaune debated what to say for a second. He didn't know much, he was in Arendelle when he was at home just minutes before. He had apparently attacked and burned down a noticeable chunk of this kingdom with ludicrous ease, and he didn't remember any of it.
"I don't know your highness. Until I saw it with my own eyes I believed I was in Arcadia and you had somehow bested us and I was held prisoner. I have no memory of coming here."
"Bested Arcadia? Your military was the most powerful we knew of." commented one of the advisers.
Something clicked in Jaune mind just then. It was tense. So far every comment about his home was in the past tense.
"You Highness. I will need to contact my homeland. Confirm or deny whether I damaged your kingdom. If I am responsible, I will see restitutions be made."
"If only it were that easy." said the General this time. The sadness and pity that flowed over his features made a pit of fear form in his stomach.
"Jaune…" Jaune turned back to the Queen as she stood from her throne and walked towards him. The same sadness on her face, and when he looked around, he found traces if it on the faces of everyone here. "…Arcadia was destroyed, 4 years ago now."
The whole world just seemed to stop.
Jaunes mind stopped. He couldn't think, the people around him continued to speak, he didn't hear a word.
Then his mind clicked, he felt the familiar fire burning within him. The fire he'd used to craft at his forge, to warm his family on camping trips, to help his sisters grow flowers and farmers their crops, to help his mother heat baths for his younger siblings. It flared inside him now.
"No..!" shouted Jaune. His eyes shot up and glared at the Queen of Arendelle, fire dancing within them. "…My home is not gone!" Heat started to radiate out of him again and flames licked at his skin but didn't burn. This fire was different, it wasn't the unknowable power and majesty of a sun burning everything that got close to less than ash. This was the fire of a man in pain, of a man doing his best to escape a truth he can't face.
The fire grew around Jaune and morphed into different shaped. Jaune was slowly enveloped in a flaming lion, his body the heart of a magnificent flaming beast as more fire sprouted from the fire creatures back and formed into wings.
/
Everyone was just staring at the screen now as they watched Jaune turn himself into a large flaming lion with wings. Looking tall and muscular and majestic as the flaming wings spread out from its back making it look even larger.
"Wow! That is all kinds of crazy."
"Crazy awesome." muttered Oscar to Qrows comment.
"Could people do stuff like that in your time?" asked Qrow, turning slightly to regard Ozma.
"Elemental Manipulation was a rather basic skill most people could do. However, fashioning an animal image around ones self that could move and act like a body for the conjurer? That took a rare level of skill, and near constant concentration and spell casting."
/
Although very hot, this heat was nothing like before. It wasn't blistering anyone or setting fire to everything about it.
It turned and walked towards one of the open double doors leading outside. No one moved to stop it.
"Please wait." asked a soft calming voice, and immediately the flaming beast came to a halt.
Its head turned to look at Winter as she walked into the room, her dress and hair flowing around her, her breath a little faster and her cheeks slightly flushed as if in anticipation of something, her face filled with hope.
She looked angelic, untouchable, the flowing of her dress behind her slightly moulding to her shapely womanly form. Jaune couldn't look away even if he wanted too. The movement of her hips, her legs, arms, hands, breasts, hair. It all moulded into a form of perfection in his eyes, he would happily stare at her forever, and he would.
Jaune fought to speak, to ask her name and learn everything to know about her. Unfortunately he was just to captivated to speak.
She walked right up to the lion and gently placed her hand on its large face. Immediately the lion seemed to calm, and then the flames started to turn blue at where Winters hand is and that blue flame slowly expanded to cover the whole beast.
Everyone paused and watched in fascination as Winter seemed to tame the furious beast with just a touch.
"Winter..?" said Weiss, taking a step towards her sister.
The lion seemed to huff. As if he and Winter were having a private moment while being watched by a dozen royal aids and advisers and a queen. Weiss just looked at the lion in confusion. Almost finding the human action of the wild beast funny.
"It's alright Weiss. He's calmer now."
"I need to go home. I must know." Jaunes voice seemed to come from everywhere, echoing and bouncing around the room making it sound like several Jaunes was speaking all at once.
"I know. I will come with you. You shouldn't be alone." said Winter. Jaunes lion forelegs lowered and Winter quickly hopped on the lions back.
"Winter. Are you sure about this?" asked Weiss hesitantly, although obviously calmer thanks to her sister, Weiss was still cautious about angering the giant flaming lion standing in her throne room.
"I'll be alright sister. He won't hurt me. We'll return soon." finished Winter, her eye never once leaving the flaming lion as her hand absentmindedly stroked the flames.
The lion then walked out onto the balcony and unfurled its massive wings. One powerful down beat and a jump later and the lion was airborne and climbing high into the sky.
/
"It's not like magic as we use to have here…" started Ozma, staring in awe at the fog screen. "…No incantations. No gestures. It appears to be all intent. Driven by will alone."
"Was that unusual?" asked Oscar.
"Oh yes. I don't think I ever heard of anyone not requiring some gesture or words, or apparatus in my case to cast magic easily. This is really incredible. So natural."
/
The flight back to Arcadia took considerably less time than what was required to make the trip by foot. Winter marvelled at the mode of transport she was using. She, nor anyone else really had ever seen the world from this point of view before. Everything looked so small and delicate and absolutely beautiful.
Winter took in a deep breath as the powerful beast she was riding upon powered its way through the sky. Not since she found Ahtohallan has she felt this…content, complete, this free.
All that changed when Arcadia came into view. The isolationist island former kingdom was gone. Nothing but a blasted cratered landscape remained.
Winter felt Jaune descend, his wings powering them faster and faster with his destination within reach. Jaune landed heavily, shattering some of the glassed surface of the centre of the crater. Winter hopped down and shortly after the fire around Jaune disappeared.
Jaune was just staring all around in disbelief. His home was gone. Burnt to nothing. He did this.
He fell to his knees and ignored the shattered glass stabbing into his legs and knees and then his arms as he fell forward and screamed in pain. Not the pain of his body, but the pain of his heart and soul. Winter rushed over in a second and brought him to her chest. He just collapsed and held onto her for all he was worth. The scream giving way to sobs and tears and he let go of everything he was feeling and just let it flow as Winter cradled him in the ruins of his home.
/
Ruby, Nora, Blake, Yang and Weiss were crying as well to varying degrees. This was just so sad. Jaune was pouring his heart out as the fog screen disappeared.
"That's so horrible. I can't even imagine how I would react to something like that. Why I've never gave into the temptation to have a home." said Qrow sorrowfully, thinking of all the opportunities he let fall away for fear that his semblance would put him through what that Jaune on screen must have been feeling. He then took a big drink from his flask as he just looked down to the dirt at his feet.
"You're right Qrow. What that Jaune is feeling isn't something I would wish upon anyone. The loss, regret, pain, loneliness. Sometimes it's more than a man can bear." said Ozma, caught by his own memories of homes lost, and not all from outside sources.
"Well…"sniffed Ruby as she summoned herself up to start looking at the few positives. "…at least he has the people of Arendelle now. He'll also be with Wiess and Winter and Sun now too. New friends and a people to help. He'll be ok. He's not just some flaming statue now."
"I hope your right Ruby. What he must be going through having now realised that he has devastated his home and killed everyone he knew. It wasn't intention, I get that, but I just hope he has the strength to overcome the guilt he'll be feeling." commented Weiss and Blake nodded along to her.
"At least it's all up from there. I wonder it that Jaune and Winter will be happy? I hope the whole magic thing isn't making them like each other." said Nora, still sniffing slightly.
"I hope not. That would really piss me off." said Yang, wiping her nose with a tissue.
The area then started to brighten before all became white with flash.
(Crossover = Frozen)