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Cover Art: Serox

Chapter 34

The elevator was silent as they made their way down. For James, the silence was a chance to contain his fury, stamping down on the hot fire that threatened to come bursting out. For Glynda and Qrow, it was more tense, uncertain and, in Qrow's case, accompanied by clenched teeth and shaking fists.

Only Ozpin remained calm, and even that wasn't quite right. He was shaking himself, humming a quiet tune almost unconsciously and tapping a foot on the bottom of the elevator as it took them deep into the bowels of Beacon. Such irreverence for so serious a situation irritated James even more. He'd been found out, caught, and yet Ozpin looked unconcerned.

Excited, James realised. Ozpin was excited. He was fidgeting like a child.

No sooner had the elevator pinged open was Ozpin strolling out, his cane no longer supporting him but flipped up and caught under his arm. The man had never looked so spry as he practically skipped between the tall green pillars, down a dark path toward a thin spec of light in the distance. Glynda and Qrow exchanged silent and uncomfortable glances, but James moved out. He had come for answers. Nothing less.

He wished he could say he found it in the small and pathetic sight of two girls, one a young child, strapped down to white mattresses set atop steel frames. Their faces were sunken and sallow, eyes shadowed and hair matted. They were each clad in white medical gowns with insultingly simple drips keeping them hydrated. Two girls who, by some stroke of providence, shared the same name and, if his suspicions were correct, equally important powers.

"Ozpin, no," Glynda breathed shallowly. "What have you done…?"

"I have done what I have never been capable of before," Ozpin said, ghosting around the two girls – or more specifically, Amber Arc – with bright eyes and a wide, manic, smile. His fingers trailed over her bedsheets proudly like he was stroking a vintage sports car. "I've finally come close to defeating Salem once and for all. I'm close to striking the final blow."

"You requested experimental medical equipment from me," Ironwood spat with a look toward the fall maiden. "Including the aura transfer machinery you had us working on. Why are they tied down to beds with not even a single piece of equipment to keep them alive?"

"Because they won't work!" Rather than sound upset, Ozpin laughed delightedly, looking up to them like he was excitedly sharing a joke and waiting for them to reach the punchline. "We all know what Mr Arc's Semblance does, his Null, but Chivalric Arms made a grand mistake with him. Not just giving him the motivation and the means to hunt them down, but also in missing the absolute gem in their midst." His hand touched Amber Arc's shoulder, and James found himself tensing. "Jaune Arc may have been the first to show the potential of the Arc's Semblance, but he's a precursor, an early bloomer. His Semblance is not nearly as developed as this young woman's is."

Ozpin set his cane down on Amber's bed and reached into his pocket, drawing out a thin blade no longer than his finger and more for cutting rope or cloth than people. He pushed it up against his thumb and dug it in, letting them see the blood bubble up past the steel.

"See? No aura. None of us have any. No Semblances, either, and she isn't even awake or consciously using her power. The range is larger as well, reaching a whole sixty metres to the elevator doors – and there was no discernible moment where you could sense it happening."

"You didn't have to cut yourself," Qrow said. "We could have checked our scroll-? It's not working." He shook the device. "What? It's not just out of battery; it's completely dead!"

"Yes!" Ozpin bounced on the spot, smiling so fiercely that every tooth could be counted. "That's another part of what makes her Semblance so much more powerful. It's not just aura and Semblance, Qrow. It's dust as well, including everything that might run on it. That's why I can't have any machinery or medical equipment here; it doesn't work. It is also what brought down the Bullhead carrying her and caused it to crash into the Emerald Forest."

A Null Semblance that impacted not only aura but machinery as well. Ironwood reeled at the implications. It wasn't all machinery, but since everything in Remnant ran on dust nowadays, it might as well be. If Amber Arc walked through a city centre, she would cause untold havoc. If she was dropped off at a public hospital, every piece of equipment there would flatline and hundreds might die as a result.

The girl is a living bomb. An anti-aura, anti-technology IED.

"It gets better!" Ozpin gushed, throwing aside all pretences of innocence now, all pretences of the calm and composed man he normally was. "When I found her in the Emerald Forest, I found her surrounded by piles of black dust and with no Grimm in sight. That was despite the fact they'd been drawn to the impact of the crash and the dying cries of the people within. Do you know why?" He didn't give them time to answer, too excited to say it. "Her Semblance even nullifies Grimm!" His voice dropped to a hiss. "It nullifies their power. The power of the Gods!"

Ironwood felt the imaginary blow deep in his stomach. The sudden intake of air and the blast of ice-cold water deep in his soul. More than that, he felt the temptation. The desire that so surely had taken Ozpin. Amber Arc was potentially the most powerful Semblance he'd ever heard of. If Atlas had that, no, if he had that…

No! He would not become as Chivalric.

"You can't be serious!" Qrow shouted. "How can a human have power to rival a God!?"

"Oh, she doesn't," Ozpin said quickly. "Not really. It's more a specific power to obfuscate or cancel out. I don't know the specifics just yet." He laughed again, loud and richly. "Perhaps it's a stronger facet of the God of Darkness' power or some bizarre mix of light and dark that ends up in the middle. No one understands how Semblances work, least of all me, but what I do know is that Amber no longer displays any signs of being the Fall Maiden when she is close to her younger counterpart. I know that the tug on Amber's soul has been eased. I know that I cannot use my magic, and I dare say that you would not be able to turn into a bird, Qrow. By all means, try it. That is magic and not Semblance, so you would be able to transform in front of Jaune Arc. Try it with his sister."

All eyes were on the man and he nodded after a moment's thought, stepping up and looking down on the sad little girl. James watched his expression closely, more interested in Qrow's thoughts than whether or not this worked. If Ozpin said it did, he had no reason to doubt.

Qrow's eyes wouldn't leave the young girl's face. Though she was blonde unlike his own youngest niece, she was still a small and fragile child and Qrow Branwen didn't know what to do. His lips opened to speak but a cough from Ozpin brought him back. He closed his eyes, concentrated and… did nothing. Nothing happened.

"I-I can't do it," he whispered almost miserably. "I can't transform."

It was true, then. Ironwood closed his eyes and sighed.

"An incredible Semblance," Ozpin said. "So much more than Jaune Arc's. You ask why I took her, James? I ask you how I could not. If this girl can cancel out a power granted by the Gods, then she might also be capable of ending Salem once and for all. If not killing her then removing her immortality and allowing someone else to strike the final blow."

"And to do that you'll throw away a young man's life," James said. "You'll steal his sister, frame and kill him, then force said sister to act as your slave and give her life against an impossible enemy. You'd turn a fourteen-year-old girl into a weapon."

Glynda struggled with her own words and Qrow was still staring down at Amber Arc.

"I would, old friend. Of all the mistakes I've made in my long life I'm proud to say using a child as a weapon has not been one of them. I cannot in good conscience allow my ego to prevent me using her, however. I won't be proud of it," Ozpin admitted. "I will not consider myself a good person for doing so, nor will I expect Nicholas Arc, his wife or his family to forgive me in the afterlife. But if by using one person, I can save so many others, I shall. I have to. There is no choice."

"There's always a choice."

"Yes, of course, semantics. There's a choice between defeating Salem and ridding the world of the threat of Grimm against helping one girl have a good life and being able to walk away on my high horse, all the while people suffer and die and Salem plots her eventual rise to power and the destruction of the human race. Don't give me your moral exercises, James. I've lived three thousand years and I know more about right and wrong than you ever will! This is wrong!" he spat. "Of course it's wrong, but it's the kind of wrong I'll dip into if it means finishing this battle once and for all."

"The kind of wrong where you'll work with Chivalric Arms?"

"Ruby!" Qrow cried, looking up suddenly.

"Miss Rose, yes. Chivalric Arms have somehow found out I have their missing test subject and want her back. They have taken Ruby Rose hoping to use her as a hostage in some exchange."

An exchange that would not take place. Qrow realised it, stepping back and shaking badly. "You… You're going to leave Ruby to die, aren't you?"

"She won't die." James said gruffly. "Though she may wish she could. Experimentation. Torture. Forced insemination. Needles, tests and constant loneliness until she begs for the cold embrace of death."

Qrow let out a strangled sound. "Ozpin! Help her!"

"I shall, Qrow. I shall." Ozpin said it with a scowl sent James' way. "Just because Chivalric Arms seem to think they have the upper hand doesn't mean they do. We will reclaim Miss Rose if we are able-"

"If!?" Qrow shouted. "They want her! Say you'll do the trade. We can fake it or something, start it and then attack them to get Ruby back!"

Ozpin didn't say a word.

Ironwood chuckled. "He won't do that, Branwen. Don't you see? Your niece is old hat now. Silver eyes? Vague and nebulous powers of ancient warriors? That can't compare with Null, let alone Null on steroids. He won't risk his new weapon to save an older model."

"I will do all I can to rescue Miss Rose."

"Except place your newest asset in danger."

"…"

It was the lack of an answer that broke Qrow. He twisted to the side and cried out in abject fury, hand reaching for his weapon. Glynda took her own, ready to intervene, but Qrow gave it up and turned away.

"I'm done."

Ozpin frowned. "Qrow-"

"I'm done!" the huntsman repeated. "I didn't sign up for this. I joined because I saw something better than my sister's tribe in Beacon. This is worse and I won't be a fucking part of it. Team STRQ didn't fight for this. Summer didn't die for this!" Stomping away, he shouted back, "I'm going to go save my niece."

"Don't do anything reckless, Qrow," Ozpin called after him. He received a middle finger in return before Qrow entered the elevator and slammed his hands on the keys, closing the door. Ozpin breathed out heavily. "I suspected he wouldn't take this well. Not that I can blame him. I'm no prouder of this than you, James, but I hope you can see the necessity."

"What I see, Ozpin, is convenience. Not necessity."

"They're one and the same with Salem as she is." Ozpin placed his hands upon Amber Arc's bed and looked over her body at them both. "That is all I can say. This girl holds the potential to end Salem once and for all, and I will use her for that purpose. If she wishes to kill me afterwards, I shall accept my death with open arms. Until then, I will harden my heart and do what I must."

"Jaune Arc will come for her. He will come for Beacon."

Ozpin didn't seem surprised by the news. He nodded his head. "Yes. And you will stop him." Ironwood cracked his neck dangerously. "No, that's not a threat on my part. You will stop him because whether or not you agree with my actions, you know his are no better. Civilisation only persists so long as it is stable. Stability does not always equate fairness. Atlas has placed you in charge of the security around Beacon, Vale and the Amity Colosseum. If Jaune Arc makes his move as we all expect he will, and succeeds in harming my school, then it will lead to the kind of international crisis Salem can take advantage of. Neither of us want that. One man's life is a small price to pay for peace."

General James Ironwood turned and marched back to the elevator, a constant ringing in his ears. He pushed his finger into the button so hard it almost cracked, waited impatiently for it to return and then stepped in. Glynda slid in with him, face pale and lips moving without speech for a few long minutes.

"I don't like this any more than you do," she eventually said. "I can't believe Ozpin would do this, let alone put Beacon and its students in danger. I feel for the boy, I do, but he's become so dangerous, and I don't want to see what happened to Team RWBY happen to other people."

Ironwood continued to stare ahead. Glynda waited for him to comment but continued when it was clear he would not. "To think there would be a Semblance so powerful it could swing the battle against Salem. I don't know what to think about that. On the one hand it's horrible to use a girl so young as a weapon, but on the other we train children from the age of ten to fight. If that could all be ended, then isn't it worth any sacrifice?"

"I'm not saying I agree or like it," she went on. "But Ozpin hasn't led us wrong so far. I can understand Qrow's anger, especially with his niece in danger, but I trust Ozpin to put all his resources into finding and saving her. And really, is it any different from what you do in Atlas? You use soldiers to fight the enemy. Salem is the enemy of all Remnant."

The elevator dinged and the door swished open. Ironwood did not immediately step out.

"The difference," he said softly, making Glynda jump, "Is that I do not force anyone to fight. I do not steal them away from their families, orchestrate the death of their siblings and then try to bend them to my will. I do not see people as weapons, Glynda."

Glynda Goodwitch stood silent, eyes downcast and clipboard clutched to her chest.

General James Ironwood stormed out.

/-/

Blake crept into Team RWBY's dorm and closed the door softly behind her. Immediately, she was the focus of two pars of eyes, one pale blue and the other burning angry red. It wasn't just the irises, either. Yang's eyes were bloodshot and ringed from crying, her face so much a mess that you almost couldn't recognise her.

Weiss wasn't much better. There weren't any tears, but half her face was blistered and burned, the skin still red and prone to peeling despite all the expensive treatments and medicine available to her. Right now, Weiss didn't care. The moment Blake closed the door she was up and moving forward, lips working.

"Well? What is being done?"

Never before had she so wished for a hole to swallow her up. "Nothing…"

"Nothi-rk!" Yang's voice cracked, her cry rising far too much far too soon. It ended in a gurgled choke and she clutched her neck, bending forward while Weiss slapped her back and glared at Blake demanding answers.

"I spoke to General Ironwood," she explained, coming over to collapse on the bed. "He says he's being held back from taking part in any investigation pertaining Ruby. When I said it was Chivalric Arms, he said he's not allowed to investigate again."

"H-How can he ignore this-?" Yang croaked out. "Ruby was kidnapped on his ship!"

"I… I don't think he's ignoring it. At least not willingly. He didn't have to tell me anything. He didn't have to accept my request for a meeting at all. In fact, he probably wouldn't have for anyone else. The fact he let me in and even told me this much… I think he wanted to tell me. He wanted to let us know."

"He's being held back," Weiss rasped. Her voice would be off for a few days they'd been told, all part of her burned lungs. It sounded raw and scratchy now, and she'd taken to saying few words because of how much it hurt.

"That's what I got from it," Blake agreed. "I know… I know from when I was in the White Fang that Atlas was prepared to sweep things under the rug, especially where Chivalric Arms are concerned. This is nothing new but… I get the feeling General Ironwood wants to help us. He just can't. There's something – or someone – stopping him."

"Yeah," Yang snapped, "His fear of losing his job!"

"It must be more than that. We can't know everything he does. I… I asked him if Ozpin would be searching for Ruby and all he could say was that Ozpin said he'd try but…" Blake's head fell into her hands. "The way he said it, I don't think he has any faith."

Yang and Weiss punched their bed and covered their face with their hands respectively.

"He did tell me your Uncle is looking for her," she told Yang.

"Course he is," Yang said, almost crying. "U-Uncle Qrow wouldn't give up on us ever."

"We have to help," Weiss rasped.

She wanted to, of course she did, but what could they do? Chivalric Arms had been unstoppable when she'd been a part of the White Fang, and she couldn't say she was in a better situation now. They were students, minors, and accountable for anything they did. This wasn't something where they could find evidence, present it and have everyone come crashing down on Chivalric to arrest the bad guys and save Ruby.

If they tried, Chivalric would either kill them, frame them or crucify if them in the public eye. It wouldn't take much to dig up her connections to her parents and portray her as having anti-Atlas sympathies. Yang would be shown as a violent and bitter teenager quick to get angry and make mistakes. Weiss would either be dragged through the wringer for her connections to the SDC or maybe just pressured by her father, recalled to treat her injuries and not seen again until this was all over. Chivalric Arms was more than just a company; it was a state-sponsored and state-protected entity. Ruby had as good as been kidnapped by Atlas itself, the strongest Kingdom on Remnant.

"What can we do?" Yang asked.

"Nothing. We can't do anything."

"Bullshit! We can fight!"

"How!?" Blake snapped, her own eyes burning with angry tears. "I've tried fighting them, Yang. Me, Jaune, Adam and the whole White Fang tried, and all we got was the entire kingdom of Atlas hunting us across Mistral. They sent huntsmen after us. They turned everyone against us. Do you think it'll be any different here? We can't fight them. We can't even inconvenience them."

"He can…"

The words, so quiet from Weiss, chilled Blake's soul. "No…"

"They come pouring out whenever he appears," Weiss continued, every word sounding like it physically hurt, but the girl forcing them out all the same. All for the chance at saving Ruby. "They want him. They will -ack." Weiss winced. "They will c-come out for him. He'll fight them."

/-/

When Jaune received the news from Roman, he almost didn't believe it. The message came from Junior, Roman's pet information broker and the same one who had come good on helping him find Chivalric before, and the promise that there would be more information at hand here tempted him even if he already knew where Amber was being held.

That wasn't the only thing that drew him to Junior's club, though. Not at all.

It was dark inside. Not entirely black, but gloomy with only a few of the strobe lights on and suited men going around cleaning tables and the floor with brooms, collecting broken glass, sweeping up spilled alcohol and hauling binbags of trash out the public restrooms. Junior stood behind his bar taking stock of his alcohol with a clipboard and pen, shouting out instructions to another man on a laptop nearby, likely ordering more.

The twins were sitting nearby nursing drinks and spotted him first. Before, they'd shown interest in him – not romantic, but curiosity, like they weren't sure what to think about him. Now, he caught the momentary flash of fear and the urgent tugging on Junior's arm. They'd seen the news report, then. Watched him storm his way into a hotel, kill people and then walk out through Atlas' blockade.

"H-Hey there." Junior said, setting his board down. "Did Roman give you the rub? Guess he must have. I've set aside a room for you." He pointed. "It's private and the bugs are off. I promise you that." Jaune believed the man. It wouldn't be wise of him to lie. He nodded and started to move toward it. "One thing!" Junior called. "Uh. I thought you should know that… well, they didn't come alone. Just wanted to give you fair warning."

"I should have expected it. Thank you for letting me know."

"Yeah." Junior just looked relieved he wasn't in any trouble. "No problem. None at all. Friend of Roman's is a friend of mine. Just… maybe keep in mind this is my place? It's hard to hide bodies. Not that I can't," he added quickly, hands up as if to ward off a blow. "You know what, I'll let you decide. We're at your beck and call. Just holler if you need us to do… well… anything."

Jaune didn't really feel the smile that crept over his face. It was just something he did because it felt like the best way to disarm them. The lack of any real warmth must have shown, however, because Junior paled and went back to his drinks, stiff as a board. The Malachites also looked away, and no one would meet his eyes as he walked toward the private room. His hand slid down to his side, flicking the safety on Mors off and on again. He pushed the door open and stepped into the small room. His eyes made to take in the and judge the space, but they got trapped halfway. He'd known who he would be meeting, but his lips still peeled back.

"Blake…"

The dark-haired faunus sat at the table flanked by two other familiar girls flinched. "J-Jaune. It's good to see you- wait, wait, wait!" she cried, holding her hands up when Mors leapt up, barrel aimed right at her. "We're not here to fight! Please!"

The trigger creaked under his finger. His teeth clenched together, and his eyes burned. Pull it, his brain whispered. Do it! For Juniper. For Adam. For his own satisfaction. Pull the trigger and blow her fucking brains out!

He didn't, but neither did he bring the gun down. His Semblance flooded the room, eyes glowing and aura dropping. The other two girls were tense but for the most part unarmed. The blonde's hand was wrapped in bandages where he'd cut it in two, and the one with the white hair was badly burned and looked to stiff to be a proper combatant.

"You said you would be coming alone," Jaune hissed.

"They wouldn't let me! I meant it, Jaune, I swear, but they're my teammates and they wouldn't-"

"You lied, then. Not that I'm surprised. It's all you ever do, Blake. Lie and run away. I've half a mind to kill you right now." He licked his lips. "More than half a mind. Give me one good reason not to make my day ten times better."

"Chivalric Arms has kidnapped our team leader. We need your help."

The gun dropped. Jaune stared at Blake, unsure if he'd heard correctly. His lips wobbled and his chest stuttered as he missed a breath. Then, with a gurgle, he bent double and burst out laughing. "Ha ha ha! Ha ha! Ha ha ha!" he roared, stumbling back into the door and throwing his head back. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The blonde was up on her feet. "It's not funny, you sick fuck-"

Mors cracked once. The bullet whizzed by her arm and impacted the leather seating, burying itself inside and hitting metal deeper down with a loud clang. The blonde froze and Blake dragged her back down into her seat with an arm over her chest.

Jaune continued to laugh even with the gun aimed at Yang, tears running down his cheeks. It was so hard to stop his arm wavering, even when he knew he shouldn't. Blake… this… now asking him? His thoughts bubbled off and he laughed again, genuinely having to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Oh man. Oh… ha ha." He snorted loudly, trying to calm himself down. "That – snrk – oh, that's amazing. No, not you," he said waving the gun at Yang and watching her tense up. "Blake! Oh this is incredible. Blake asking me for help. Weren't you – ha ha – weren't you the person who went out her way to criticise me for this? You kept going on about how I was doing things wrong, giving in to dark thoughts, hurting innocent people in pursuit of saving my family. And now!" he crowed. "Now, the moment your friend is taken by those same people, it's suddenly `we need your help, Jaune`. Help from the same person whose methods you considered so sickening you betrayed him and abandoned him in the middle of Vale! Is that what I'm hearing, Blake? Is that what's happening here?"

"It… It's not the same…"

"It's the exact same thing!" Jaune roared, amusement gone, barrel locked on her face, right between her wide eyes. "You're content to take the high ground around me, around Adam and the White Fang, when in the end you're no better! Chivalric Arms is Atlas, Blake. If you want to go against Chivalric with your team then congratulations, you're becoming terrorists. That's how it works, but then, you already know that."

"I'm prepared to become a terrorist if it means getting my sister back," the blonde said.

"Good for you," Jaune fired back. "And I feel for you, I do, I've been there, but the problem is that you fucking killed my mother and I'm not feeling like I have much of a reason to care. In fact, part of me thinks this is just what you deserve." Selfish or not, he felt it. There was no denying that. "See how walking a few miles in my shoes feels!"

"We're offering to help you against Chivalric!" Blake cried.

"I don't need your help! I know where my sister is!"

"Then let us come with you when you break-"

"My sister is in Beacon." He watched their faces go blank. "My sister, Amber Arc, is in Beacon, locked away by your headmaster. And Chivalric knows. Why do you think they went after your sister? That wasn't to get to me, Blake. They know I don't give a shit about a girl I put two bullets in. But who do you think would care?" He didn't wait for the answer. "That's right. Beacon. Your sister is a bargaining chip for mine, so I hope you won't feel too surprised when I tell you I'm not going to bother trying to save her. Good luck with your own efforts is what I'd say." Mors came back up. "If I wasn't going to kill you here and now."

"Jaune, please!"

"Please what, Blake? Please don't take vengeance for my mother? Please don't kill you for betraying me? Please think twice and surrender because I can be redeemed by the same man who has kidnapped my sister and is trying to push for my death?" He smiled sarcastically. "No. I think we're done here. You've got nothing to offer yet you call a meeting, and what's more, you don't come alone as you promised. You're a liar and a snake; that's all you've ever been. And here and now, you've got nothing I want. Nothing except your head."

"Jaune!"

"Goodbye-"

"Matthew Fields." It was the white-haired one that croaked it out, face pinched but eyes locked on his. For once, Jaune looked away from Blake. "We can give you Matthew Fields."

"What…?"

"Matthew Fields," she rasped. "CEO of Chivalric Arms. The one who founded the company. The one who decides everything. Decided everything. Including killing your father, kidnapping your family and experimenting on you all. He's in Vale. He has our team leader. He's away from the safety of Atlas and all the armies that would protect him." Weiss Schnee met him head on, eyes cold as ice behind scarred and puckered skin. "You'll never get a chance like this again. A chance to find and kill the one responsible for all of this."

Mors clacked as he pressed it down into the table. Jaune's eyes flashed blue, Semblance receding as he sat down. Blake gasped and shivered in her seat, slumping down with her eyes fluttering shut. There was no mistaking how afraid she was, but Jaune didn't have eyes for her. His remained locked on the girl opposite him, and the promise she offered.

"Talk…"

Still feeling a little rough today but writing honestly helps distract me from that, so here we go

Did take a lot longer to write, though.

Next Chapter: 12th October

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur