Arc IV: Courage Ascending
Chapter 34: Take Up The Sword
The forest grew darker with every passing step. Combined with the din of battle bouncing off the trees, it turned her harried flight into a gauntlet of terror.
"…keep going! She couldn't have gone far!"
"Come out, come out wherever you are! You can't run forever!"
Right as the voices called out, the nearby trees brightened to a dark, brownish orange, reflecting the torchlight of her pursuers not too far behind. It instilled a second wind that masked her exhaustion, and she continued sprinting without once looking back.
"…were losing her! Fan out and surround the area!"
"…hey, Shay! You still got that flare gun? Fire it up!"
Distracted, she nearly collided with a low-hanging branch before diving into low ground beneath some bushes. It proved wise as a loud pop immediately followed, and the area was doused in an artificial red glow.
Weiss flinched but remained quiet, even with a defeating heartbeat as the footsteps of her pursuers gradually filled the area.
"Dammit. We lost her trail."
"Well, then, find it again, Shay!" an annoyed female voice responded. "Take the others and backtrack if you have to!"
"Geez, alright, I fucking got it," the male voice replied. "Just because you're the boss' favourite, Vernal, doesn't mean you are the boss." There was an audible thwack, a pained yelp and then a dramatic sigh before Shay whistled and several pairs of footsteps receded out of earshot.
But their boss' apparent favourite remained, and Weiss' breath stilled as a pair of brown boots appeared from behind a tree.
"…I know you haven't gone far," Vernal called out, tone patient, yet eager. "But I like a little bit of challenge. It's all the more fun when they squeal upon realizing they can't escape, so do me a favour and make it worth my while."
The footsteps drew closer, and Weiss frantically looked around for something that could provide a distraction.
"Hellooo? Where art thou, most noble and icy princess?" Vernal mocked. "Are you…here!"
Weiss nearly jumped at the gunfire scything through a nearby bush.
"Ugh, curses! Come on, something…anything…there!"
"Or maybe…you…are…"
They locked eyes right when the flare snuffed out.
With a quiet hum, Weiss angled Myrtenaster at a small boulder and fired off the last of her gravity dust, sending the rock hurtling away into the darkness. Vernal let out a noise between a scream and an excited whoop as she charged after it, allowing her to scramble the opposite way.
For what felt like an eternity, she ran as fast as her legs could take her. The overcast twilight sky and woodland terrain were both blessings and curses, with plenty of spots to hide at the cost of making good progress. Combined with her rather poor cardio, what would've been a breeze for Ruby, Blake or Yang eventually became a nerve-wracking slog.
It wasn't one not too long ago; having settled in for a night in the cart, Weiss was on the verge of falling asleep when the convoy was ambushed. Adam Taurus led the White Fang against a local bandit tribe - himself duelling their equally white-masked leader - and the chaos allowed her to recover Myrtenaster, her old Snowpea coat and escape into the unknown.
"…and therein lies the problem. I may be free, but surviving as I am will be…difficult, at best. I don't know where I am in Mistral, I have no food, no water, and my dust supply is critically low. I can't even use speed glyphs unless I want to run headlong into things I can't see, not to mention how anyone would see them because they're just that bright."
Weiss almost tripped upon a half-buried root, but after a few more minutes of running, she stopped beside a tree and leaned on it for support.
"What to do, what to do…? A-are there any roads nearby? No, wait, it's already night time so perhaps I should make camp soon. But then I also need to find a source of water -"
"Ha! Found you!"
Weiss yelped as dust tracers whizzed past her face, and a glance behind her revealed a shadowy figure pouncing from the darkness. Weiss brought up Myrtenaster in time to parry a pair of crescent-shaped blades.
"Ack! You…Vernal…"
The bandit girl smirked as she jumped back, pale blue eyes glinting in the emerging moonlight. "You know how this goes. Easy way or the hard way."
She defiantly raised her rapier, visibly exciting Vernal.
"I choose my way."
"Good girl."
Weiss lunged, though Vernal strafed away and fired a burst in return. Gritting through the sting of bullets bouncing off her Aura, she summoned a line of speed glyphs that kept her running up a tree before rocketing back towards her opponent.
This time, she was prepared for the counter. Vernal tripped when she tried to dodge, courtesy of an ice dust-enhanced glyph beneath her. She managed to roll away and avoid the ground erupting in a shower of dirt and ice, but when the dust settled, little remained but a small crater and a set of tracks leading into the woods.
Up ahead, Weiss hopped onto a tree and used a small speed glyph to propel her in a different direction, hoping to throw Vernal off with an abrupt end to her footsteps.
"This isn't good. Vernal doesn't seem like the type to give up, and if she's smart, she'll have more bandits joining her soon. I can't -"
"- waah!"
She stumbled and ran headfirst into a tree as gunfire tore up the ground around her feet.
"Yo, stop running like a little bitch!"
Weiss grunted and ignored her, though it was clear Vernal was closing the distance. Even with the adrenaline pumping through her veins, she was on borrowed time and it wouldn't be long until exhaustion stopped and cornered her like a hunted animal.
Ducking beneath another hail of bullets, Weiss charged up a small hill and rounded a dense copse of trees -
And panicked as she ran into a hidden figure within some bushes. The two unceremoniously tumbled down the other side, and Weiss let out a pained oof when she collided with a tree at the bottom.
But before she could ask if the other person was alright, Weiss gasped and brandished her rapier instead.
Neo looked tired, ruffled and most definitely furious as she sat on her rear, seemingly trying to convey how offended she was for her cover being blown.
"…in my defence, you were hidden too well for me to have seen you beforehand."
Neo pouted, but she quickly scrambled up a tree to hide as the sounds of snapping twigs and branches grew louder. Right before Vernal could spot her, a pair of hands tackled her into well-concealed hollow ground beneath a tree.
Said hands then covered her mouth before she could react.
"Mmmppph!"
"Shh! Unless you want to get us both caught!" Roman Torchwick hissed, and they both fell silent as her pursuer stepped into the area, followed by sounds of bandits from the hilltop.
"Ugh. Dammit!" Vernal growled, and were it not for Roman's hand, Weiss almost screamed when the bandit girl recklessly unloaded into the woods. "Oy, you there! Take your boys and go east! Shay, you and your guys will go south. They couldn't have gone far, but we'll flank and catch 'em in a pincer."
They heard a series of muttered agreements and watched as the bandits moved ahead, while Vernal poked and prodded the local greenery. Nearby movement caught her attention, however, and she sprinted away in pursuit of Neo's distraction.
Roman hefted Weiss like a sack of potatoes and ran opposite.
It was several minutes later, when the only sounds left were their laboured breathing and the occasional cracks of twigs beneath Roman's feet, that Weiss then chose to flail around to dislodge herself from his shoulder.
"H-hey! Let me down, you sycophant, you thief, you buffoon -"
Roman sighed and let her unceremoniously fall for the second time that night. Weiss dusted herself off and glared at him, who was every bit as dirty as his partner in crime, though much more alert and annoyed.
"Geez, I save your life and you go off like a Mantlean period drama queen. You'd think a little bit of gratitude is in order -"
"Gratitude!? For you!?" Weiss snapped. "You kidnapped and dragged me into the middle of nowhere -"
"Shhhh!" Roman hissed again, shutting her up. "Do you want us to get caught when we just managed to dupe them?"
"I am not putting up with you. With any of this!" she whisper-screamed, half-taking his advice. She pointed Myrtenaster at him. "You are quite literally the last person I wish to deal with right now, nor am I willing to let you stop me. It's like trading one captor for another."
Weiss tried to walk off but froze when Roman grabbed her wrist.
"Torchwick, let me go. Now."
"Trust me, kid, I'm doing you a favour."
"And what exactly would that be?"
"Saving your life for the second time," he replied, letting Weiss rip her arm from his grip. "You might think you're brave and all trying to run off in the middle of nowhere, but it's an idea that's also quite stupid."
"Do I really need to say how the pot calls the kettle black?"
"Nope, because this time, I know I'm in the right," he sneered, and they both turned at the sound of crunching leaves to see Neo emerging from the shadows, nodding in agreement. "Did you forget what I said earlier? I highly doubt you know how to survive out here, not to mention that you're too conspicuous to even try and hide. And those bandits aren't gonna give up either."
Weiss frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be infamous too? And what's to say you two won't try to take me hostage like Adam Taurus did?"
Roman grinned and twirled his cane, and she responded by summoning a glyph behind her.
"It's easy for me to hide in the cities, but I'm trying to think long-term here. We take you hostage and then I put a bounty on my head that Ironwood will collect by sending half of Atlas. It's flattering, really, but also quite inconvenient when we reach Mistral."
She glanced at Neo, who merely shrugged and leaned disinterested against a tree.
"…so why did you save me in the first place?"
Roman sighed, annoyed. "Why don't you use your brain for once? Look, we're not friends. You hate me, Neo and I couldn't care less about you, but…as much as I also hate to say it, we have a better chance surviving together."
"Together…"
A series of distant, animalistic roars and cracks of gunfire reverberated through the forest, though Roman focused on her and not the oncoming Grimm.
"…this is not how I imagined getting back together on a team would be like. I feel like my mind is about to explode with the sheer insanity of it all…if only Winter was here, I could ask what she'd do in my place."
With a put-upon sigh, Weiss sheathed her weapon.
"…you said I know little of survival in the field. Do you know any better?"
"How do you think I survived Mountain Glenn?" he growled, rudely pushing past with Neo following along. Weiss glumly caught up with them. "Half of it was getting back to Vale in the first place. Look, princess…moon's out so we can see a little, but the Grimm and the bandits aren't far behind. Don't pull out your scroll either since bright white light will kill your night vision. Just…stay quiet and hurry up. At least that part shouldn't be hard."
Conversely, it was the hardest part of all.
It was tiring enough to process recent events, but the fact that she was willingly following the two responsible for nearly killing half her team was simply…asinine. As time passed on and the noise of battle faded into the local ambience, a heavy feeling began to weigh her heart.
"…this…this is really happening, is it? This isn't a dream, or…or maybe I've been studying too hard and having a nightmare -"
Weiss yelped as she nearly tripped over some twigs, earning a dirty look from Roman.
She calmed herself down and focused on reality. Yes, this was the last thing she expected to happen. Yes, she trusted them as far as she could see, and yes, sheer will borne from years of distance and spite was the only thing keeping her from breaking down.
But like she once told Winter, a Schnee needed to know when to balance success and compromise. In a wager between life and death, it shouldn't be surprising that the difference between them ceased to exist.
For if a Schnee shall want, a Schnee shall get, and all she wished for was to live and see her friends again.
Even if it cost her a deal with the devil.
x==)==
Sun Wukong was many things.
On one hand, he liked to consider himself a pretty chill guy with a slight mischievous streak, along with a heart of gold that set those around him at ease. Combined with his dashing, almost roguish sort of charm and an obscene amount of patience, it was usually enough to diffuse any tense situation. In fact, it was only because of him that Team SSSN became a team of bros.
How he missed them all, from Neptune's suave fashion choices, Scarlet being the male redheaded version of Weiss and Sage being a stoic, thoughtful stud you could always trust to have your back.
All the more he felt guilty for ditching them in the first place.
"- and that is why we must remember our values and purge our brotherhood of the weak. That is why we will accept nothing less than Adam Taurus' ascension as High Leader of the White Fang."
And when it really came down to it, Sun liked to solve problems by building consensus. He wasn't a people pleaser at all, but if there was a chance to make things work together, then he'd take that path instead of being a hardass any day of the week.
But the Albain twins proved Sienna Khan right as they sat across the dining table in the Belladonna mansion. And by the Brothers, did they piss him off; whenever they replied - usually Corsac, the one with the foxtail instead of the ears - they had that signature look of superiority that revealed their true thoughts. Ghira and Kali looked equally tired, and Blake looked just about ready to reach over and bonk their heads together.
He'd be cheering her on if she did.
"…as much as I'd like to see that, it would make things already worse, and considering how discussions are already falling apart…well…"
"So that's it, then? You'll just stand aside and let Adam genocide his way through the White Fang and Kuo Kuana in the name of liberating faunus? He'll bring revolution, but not the kind you're dreaming of. Just because you want change doesn't mean it'll bring progress -"
Fennec's fox ears twitched as he coughed. "Growth requires change, which can be…painful. We agree that Adam Taurus is prone to anger, but he is remarkably quick to action. Action to help our people, not our own selfish desires. All things considered, it is a pain we can and must endure for the wellbeing of our people."
"Sienna Khan stole antiquities to help pay for desperately needed supplies," Blake snapped. "And this isn't something we can just endure like children where we get used to growing pains. Atlas and the SDC learned the hard way that you can't ignore the consequences when you let people suffer; what will it take for you to see that Adam's leadership will only bring about the same?"
"It saddens me to hear that you think that," Fennec quipped to his twin. "You were once amongst the most dedicated of us. What happened, Sister Belladonna? Has your time spent at Beacon weakened your faith in faunus?"
The air in the room stilled.
"W-what!? No, I -"
Corsac sagely nodded. "Perhaps so, Brother. After all, what would humans know of fighting injustice? What would humans know of bonds forged in fire, refusing to run from the impossible in order to protect the ones you trust -"
Blake whimpered.
A loud crack echoed through the room, and tea spilled across the table as Ghira crushed his mug.
"I think, Brother Corsac, that faunal appendages or a lack of such are a poor measure of determining one's character," Kali smiled back, and the sheer coldness of it unnerved the two brothers. Satisfyingly too, he had to admit, especially since they didn't know the weight behind their words.
But Blake refused to meet anyone's gaze, staring blankly at the floor beneath her feet.
"Y-yes, well, Mrs Belladonna, I just think that -"
"- it's kind of rude to go to someone's house and insult their family to their faces…"
Everyone's gaze - sans Blake's - swivelled to meet his, and Sun eeped a nervous chuckle.
"Oh, uh, did I say that out loud?"
"Do not be embarrassed," Ghira grunted, glaring at Corsac. "We agreed to host the meeting here in good faith, and while we tried to be patient, I do not appreciate your manners in my household - both as Chieftain of Menagerie and a father. If you have nothing left to offer, then you are only wasting our time."
There were a few seconds of silence until Fennec bowed, followed by Corsac when the former elbowed him.
"We apologize for the disrespect, Chieftain Belladonna," Fennec offered as they both stood and dusted themselves off. "We did not intend to insult your daughter nor…insinuate anything about her personal life. We also agree that there is little point staying if there is no consensus left to reach."
"Wait!"
"S-Sun? What are you doing?"
"Look, Blake's right," he said, nodding to Blake. "Change doesn't always mean progress, but if there's one thing I learned about being a team leader, it's that you gotta take responsibility. You can't always keep blaming others, and sometimes the best way to fix things is to help your teammates or leader through whatever the problem is. Not saying you have to literally hug and talk it out, but…"
The twins shared a glance before returning his gaze.
"But you are, if I'm not mistaken," Fennec replied with a raised eyebrow.
"I wouldn't put it that way, but…if you don't have to come to blows, then job well done. And wasn't she a good leader before all this happened? That's gotta count for something."
"Ha! Ever the optimistic diplomat," he chuckled, though there was the slightest sympathy in his grin. "The White Fang could've used someone like you, had we remained a stagnant organization rather than one committed to action."
Ghira and Kali looked offended but remained silent.
"We are willing to stand down and ensure a peaceful transition of power," Corsac continued. "As my brother said, change is a necessary pain for us to continue effectively liberating faunus. Even if Adam's leadership may not last for long, resignation is the only graceful option left for Sienna to take."
Sun's gaze fell.
"…there really isn't another way, is there?"
"No. We shall protect Sienna from reprisal if she resigns, but nothing less will be accepted than Taurus as the new High Leader."
Fennec and Corsac bowed before heading to the exit. "Thank you for hosting us," the former said, "and for the good of faunuskind, we pray for Sienna to see the light."
The doors thundered as they closed, but as the echoes faded into silence, the weight upon his shoulders only increased. It wasn't so much surprise or guilt, but pure disappointment at having the likely outcome finally come to pass.
"…and when things heat up, it's gonna on us for failing to stop it. How did it even come to this? Ah, right. Because you thought you could get Blake to like you by killing a few Grimm and smiling when things got rough. Just…conveniently forget about your team, why don't you."
Sun sighed.
"I can't even blame Blake and Mr Ghira for not wanting me around. But I'd be a dick if I didn't try to help, especially when they're giving me free room and board. Or is it better if I just…get out of the way?"
His gaze fell.
"N-no! Come on, man, what're you saying? How do you think Blake would feel if you just ditched her like you did your team? Why don't you man up and follow your own advice for once -"
The table rumbled as he stood and accidentally bumped it with his knee.
"Sun? Are you okay?"
"Ah, I'm fine," he replied, forcing a grin on his face. "Just gotta clear my head and all that. Don't mind me."
He missed the unconvinced looks from each of the Belladonnas as he walked out of the dining room. After a few minutes of roving the halls, he eventually went upstairs, opened a window and hopped onto the rooftop.
The sun was at its peak, and even though it was winter, the heat was enough to remind him of his childhood in the Vacuan deserts. The air distorted the skyline of Kuo Kuana and the shores of the Rodai Sea just beyond it, but given the horde's defeat several days ago, it was infinitely better than being ruined. But depending on how things play out now, Sun feared that they merely delayed the inevitable.
"Part of me feels like we shouldn't blame ourselves, but at the same time, I can't help but feel guilty about it. And we were able to save Kuo Kuana from the Grimm, right? But it looks like we're gonna do their work for them soon. Maybe we are the real monsters here…man, what would Neptune do? As long as he wasn't near six feet of water, he always knew the right thing to say."
Sun chuckled and dangled his legs over the roof, and before he knew it, he found himself thinking of better days; sparring in Haven with his team, playing pranks on Scarlet with the others, quietly reading books and drinking tea with Blake -
He turned at the sound of clinking tiles and saw her father approaching.
"There is ample space to think in the house so you won't burn outside, Mr Wukong."
"Right. Sorry," Sun replied as he stood. "I'll, uh, make sure to remove myself from your rooftop, sir. Right now."
Ghira held up a hand. "That was merely a suggestion, not an order," he said, and Sun cautiously nodded when he sat down. "I take it you're troubled about the Albain situation."
"Yeah. I mean, how could you not? Your whole country's about to come to blows over some stupid office dispute! Beacon was bad enough, but it's like jumping out of a frying pan right into another. Some guys just can't catch a break, eh?"
Sun sheepishly grinned when he faced Ghira who looked down at him with a dangerously raised eyebrow.
"Eh. Heheh. Um…"
"I seem to recall that it was you, Mr Wukong, who followed my daughter out of his own free will. Under her initial protest as well."
"Yeah," he sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Not trying to say I regret meeting her, coming here and doing what I can to help, but…I dunno. It's just a lot, one after the other. And honestly, I'm not worried for me, but for her and…for everything, really. Blake always pressures herself to solve everything as if only she could do it, and now the stakes are even higher with people caught in the crossfire."
"Hmm…"
"Yeah, I'll stop rambling now."
"Have you told Blake of your feelings for her?"
Sun froze and turned away tomato-faced.
"Uhh…w-well, you see, I don't actually like her - not saying I don't, because I do, but in a way that - ah, well -"
His shoulders deflated as he trailed off, and Sun brought a knee up to lean against. "I haven't, no."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not important," Sun sighed, looking blankly at the city skyline. "There's too much going on to worry about my feelings for her. You've got a potential civil war, personal stuff with her team and what to do with all of it. We - I - need to focus on helping however I can first, not to mention patching things up with my own team."
Ghira didn't reply, but rather than feel nervous, Sun remained equally quiet and lost in his own thoughts. It felt a little relieving to air out the medley of things that were bothering him, but just like Blake, he had now come to the precipice of action.
"That's why I left earlier. I just…needed to think of a plan of attack, you know? How I could go about being as helpful as possible. Me opening up to Blake's just gonna make things harder for both of us. And, well…if we really do start dating in the future, I'd…run it by you and Ms Kali beforehand."
"…I see," Ghira eventually replied. "And I agree. Though it has been too long since I could truly call myself Blake's father, I still cannot approve of you dating my daughter for exactly the reasons you said, amongst others."
"Ah. Like…?"
"You are reckless, impulsive and highly irresponsible to leave your team behind. Feelings or otherwise, what's to say you won't pull the same with Blake?"
Sun grimaced.
"And from what I've seen lately, you are honest, have a good heart and are humble enough to admit fault."
He slowly looked up with a quizzical expression. "You really think so?"
"I still don't like you," the larger man growled, though there wasn't any real heat behind it. "But I thank you for assisting my daughter against the White Fang. Yes, this crisis comes first, and yes, you need to sort yourself out with your team. But you're proving yourself more than just a boy trained to fight against Grimm with flashy weapons. In taking responsibility, you become a man who can accept the consequences of his actions."
Sun glanced down before standing to face him eye-to-eye.
"We can revisit your feelings for Blake in the future if you still have them and have grown as a man. Until then, we shall speak no more of this."
"Sounds good. I'll give everything I've got to help out while I'm still here," Sun replied with a grin. "I won't just be another mouth to feed under your roof."
Ghira grumbled as he turned away. "You need not worry about that. Kali is making lunch soon, so don't take too long up here."
"I won't. And Mr Ghira? Thank you. I promise I won't let you down. For Blake's sake…and for myself as well."
The large man nodded as Sun turned towards the city. He yawned and stretched his arms, but even though he was still exhausted, there was no denying that lighter feeling within his heart, a fire like the sun above which burned off a little of the weight he carried. There was a lot of daunting, yet not impossible work that lay ahead, especially if they did it together.
For Sun Wukong was many things, but never let it be said he went back on his word.
x==)==
The cellars of Evernight Castle were deathly silent.
What Nevermore usually made their homes in the rafters circled outside the tower, and any vermin that skittered across the stone could've been mistaken as beasts from afar. The only noises came from a small breeze that howled through the ceiling window, the crackling of arcane fire and the soft bubbling of Malice.
It was at this moment that a door grated open on rusted hinges.
A single amber eye peeked in, then behind to confirm she was alone. Wearing a tank top, sweatpants and sneakers, Cinder Fall scanned the cavern for her objective and smiled as she found it chained to the centre pedestal.
Smirking, she closed the door as gently as possible -
"Shit!"
And cringed as the mechanism thunderously clicked into place. It echoed through the chamber and down the hallway she came from, and if no one noticed her sneaking around before, they'd be alerted to her presence now. Cinder scrambled behind a small alcove, hiding in the shadows cast by a stalagmite and the Flame of Destruction.
The silence was deafening when it returned, but as a minute became two and nothing happened, Cinder emerged with an irritated glare.
"…at least little Red isn't nearby, popping up to fight me when it's most inconvenient. First the CCT, then the silver eyes right when victory was in my grasp. Oh well…all the more satisfying when I smash them out of her skull with a brick."
Cinder sighed and slowly padded down the stairs, focusing on the means to achieve her goal so she wouldn't wallow in it. After all, dreaming was for those who wanted everything but lacked the drive to work for it. She hated that mindset, expecting the world to give them a hand when all it did was cut them off.
When it cut her off.
But she was different. Sure, she was a dreamer once like most people, but Cinder clawed herself back from the abyss and made her ambitions reality.
Power…was freedom. And freedom was power.
"…and I choose to be powerless no longer. You will help make that my reality."
She paused at the landing and surveyed the ritual arrangement. The torches at the north and southwest remained unlit, while the Flame of Destruction burned bright and doused the cavern in pale, unsettling pink light. Salem left various tomes and artifacts upon her worktable to the side, but she knew better than to blindly meddle with the unknown.
Which was why her gaze returned to what she mostly knew. Dark Link remained inert and chained against the rock pedestal of the Trident while half-submerged in the pool of Malice. The ominous liquid had seemingly grown since the last time she was here, branching out like veins across wraith and weapon. A large, bulbous…thing was suspended in the branches between them, somewhat resembling a closed eye.
Cinder hummed. It looked like a life-sized infection, but after seeing it in action, she knew it to be not just any regular illness, but a plague of ancient, living evil.
To that end, the man she came for was patient zero.
She stepped across the Malice-filled grooves and circle of runes to kneel by the small pool. Dark Link remained still with head bowed, and the faded Yiga tattoo upon his chest pulsed in an undead mockery of a heartbeat, pumping Malice to mend his wounds from Beacon.
"…I've been thinking of you a lot," Cinder said quietly, like a mother lulling her child to sleep. "Not since Salem took me in have I found myself so perplexed, but with you, I am unable to dispel it. I know your name and that great power flows within you…but that's it."
The Flame of Destruction crackled in the background.
"Link…what are you? I assume you're an ancient being as well, given Salem's search for artifacts around Remnant, but what is the true nature of the mark upon your hand?"
No response.
"…and what exactly does Salem intend to summon with this ritual?"
The Malice softly bubbled.
Cinder sighed and sat cross-legged, resting her jaw on her knuckles.
"I have so many questions and you have all the answers," she drawled. "Even if you don't speak, I…suppose it lessens the weight a little to ask them out loud, but there is something you should know."
She leaned forward, snapped her fingers and conjured a small flame, no larger than a small coin. Cinder cast it beside his head and it dissipated off the stone, and while he didn't react, an unsettling heaviness immediately filled the air.
"I know you're awake and have been listening to me ramble," Cinder smirked. "And like a dog, though the language you speak is dead, you've begun to understand what we say. I wonder what gave you those old scars when you were still alive…"
The torch's crackling grew ever so quiet.
"Though all I care about is to find and command the greatest power known to Remnant, and one way or another, you just might be the key. Or perhaps I already have found it, and it's just sitting in front of me. Listlessly. Patiently waiting for me to grab it."
Cinder's gaze swung to the triangles glowing faintly on his hand, then to the pool in which he was submerged.
"I will gain the magic of all four Maidens. I will learn about and find more of those golden triangles. And I will bring vengeance upon this world - onto Ruby Rose and Jaune Arc."
She gingerly dipped her left hand into the Malice.
"…!"
Unlike gaining Fall's powers, it felt like her very soul was being pierced and torn into pieces. Cinder's breath hitched in her throat as the liquid gurgled and clambered up her forearm, overwhelming every crevice of her body with a sheer, indescribable deluge of hatred. Her ears rung sharply with the pain, deafened by a million voices calling for her to destroy and consume.
But she didn't cry out. It was…strangely invigorating, and for a moment, there were flashes of memories that were definitely not hers: a being of light falling against an onslaught of darkness, a calamitous beast raging through a ruined castle -
And then she stared evil in the face, with its head of fiery hair, glowing white scar and eyes of pure evil.
With a surprised cry, Cinder fell back and the Malice receded to leave her arm burned, but that vision never left her gaze. It took a second to realize that she was looking at that bulbous appendage, an eye of the same which stared back with Dark Link from the pool.
"W-well. Easy now -"
Her smirk turned to shock as Dark Link ripped himself free with a metallic snap, then waded through the pool with his Yiga tattoo pulsing increasingly quicker. When he heaved himself out, Dark Link silently screamed from all fours as the sigil burned itself away before her eyes.
Cursing, she scrambled to her feet and summoned a sword of burning glass in her good hand -
And just missed Dark Link as he pounced. Cinder cast a stream of fireballs, but the fallen Hero proved too quick and weaved through the volley. She threw a final fiery javelin that he rolled closer to dodge, and when Cinder swept with a low kick, he backflipped into her chin and stunned her long enough to steal her sword.
Cinder summoned a new one just in time to meet Dark Link's attacks, and though she held her own, to say he was relentless was an understatement. No wonder Ozma struggled against him - even though they slew the former Headmaster, it was only possible with Dark Link's efforts.
But distraction cost her, and Cinder painfully yelped as he forced past her guard and punched her square in the jaw. Stars exploded across her vision, but just before he could stab her, Cinder strafed to the side and held out her burned arm. She caught his torso and poured forth the Maiden's fire.
The explosion sent a tremor rippling through the tower, and orange Aura sparked when she was dashed against the rocky wall. Cinder blinked away the bits of the mask that covered her blinded left eye and scrambled up as Dark Link did the same across the cavern. She stared as he seemingly heaved and clutched his gaping chest cavity, but as he broke into a sprint, Cinder propelled herself airborne with a column of flame.
Dark Link hid behind an unlit torch before she blasted it away, grabbed something from Salem's desk, then dashed into cover behind some stalagmites. She was forced to dodge as he hurled a few at her, but right as she resumed, Dark Link used the Magic Mirror to reflect the flame onto a stalactite above her.
Were it not for her Aura, the stone would've messily speared through. Instead, she screamed as Aura rippled across her spine, but she forced past it and caught his sword. Cinder yanked him closer and punched him in the abdomen with a flaming fist. She then detonated the sword to blow him into the ground, then pounced and rained down blows upon his face.
Dark Link caught her fist and suddenly headbutted her, and as she was stunned, he brought his leg back with ninja-like dexterity and caught her neck in a triangle choke. She gagged and clawed at his legs, but ringing light flared from his hand and her vision grew dark as the pressure tightened.
In a final desperate act, Cinder poured all her magic, all her remaining Aura into one final fireball -
And it was promptly snuffed out when she was sent flying with a blast of black light.
Cinder landed several feet away, shrieking and convulsing as dark electricity paralyzed her body. A side glance revealed her unamused Queen atop the stairs, and when Dark Link leapt at Salem with arm outstretched, she gripped her necklace and the chamber was suddenly drowned in harsh, golden light. Her ears rung and she covered her face to save her vision, but as it all subsided, Cinder sat up and found Dark Link slumped in the pool.
He silently screamed as Salem commanded the Malice to heal his chest, then fired a thin laser-like ray of light from her finger to brand him with a new tattoo - that same triangle symbol surrounded by runes similar to those upon the floor. Dark Link slumped unconscious into the pool, though the bulbous Malice eye remained unblinkingly focused on her.
"Given that it was bound to break soon, I suppose it is better late than never," Salem casually remarked, descending and walking over to her. "But this new spell should do much more than just bind him to my will. It is stronger, amplifies the healing process and allows him to understand us perfectly. Communication is important, after all."
Cinder hesitantly smiled and raised her burned hand, to which Salem raised an eyebrow.
"M-my Queen, I c-can explain -"
"You fought well and are becoming more proficient with your newfound powers," Salem interrupted. "It only satisfies my confidence to give you control over the wraith when you return to the world."
"A-ah. Thank you. I will not let you down. Is there a mission that you need taken care of?"
"Yes, but not immediately. I will call upon you when it is time."
"I live by your mercy, my Queen."
"You really do," Salem replied, and Cinder followed her gaze as it tracked around the room. "Be glad you still have some use to me, for it is all that keeps you alive after this. Beacon…and otherwise. Perhaps I should just be glad that the Flames of Sorrow and Despair are not yet lit, only to be extinguished by your foolish actions. But to sneak in here without permission, then tamper and break things that are not yours to touch?"
She gulped as Salem picked up a shard of the Magic Mirror and glanced at the overturned torch.
"Though the empire Ozma and I built is dead, I am still a Queen. And a good one must always know when to reward success…and when to discipline her subjects."
The Malice pool belched out a Green Bubble at her command and the floating skull hovered over. Salem whispered to it, and the monster's gaze snapped to her burned arm.
Cinder whimpered.
From the pool of Malice, Dark Link slowly blinked awake to arcane light flashing from the corner, accompanied by his attacker's screams reverberating around the cavern interior.
x==)==
There was a loud shing as Jaune ripped Crocea Mors from its sheath and held it skyward. The repaired heirloom glistened in the sunset, and though he heard a door close behind him, Jaune ignored it to shift his stance into a fighting one. He then swung left and crossed right before finishing with a powerful lunge.
"…the edge is pretty sharp and the balance is perfect. Good to see you're back in action, old buddy."
"Heh, someone looks happy about their new toy."
Jaune grinned as Malon came into view, followed by Shad and Colin, the latter beaming at the praise for his father's work. "It feels so brand spanking new without having to break it in. I bet even Dad'll be impressed when he sees this. Mr Rusl really knows his stuff."
Malon rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Ugh. Boys and their big and their big sticks, I swear. Some things just never change."
"Hey, it's not like you're much different. You always said you wouldn't be queen of the castle without one, though knowing a certain teammate of mine -"
"Of course! How could I be a queen without a crown, sceptre and my trusty manservants?" she scoffed. holding out her hand. "Now show me thy sword, brave sir knight."
Jaune offered it handle first and she grabbed it with both hands. Malon stepped back and tried to swing it around, but gave up after a few tries and passed it to Shad.
"T-this is some heavy stuff, Jaune! How did you - no, what've they been feeding you at Beacon?"
"I dunno. Food?" he shrugged, earning a dirty look while Shad also struggled to wield it. "The huntsman life is pretty demanding, but the cafeteria food was actually decent and we could take leftovers back to our dorms. Made for good recovery, I guess."
"I certainly surmised that," Shad coughed as he returned it. "Now I'm beginning to wonder if you're the same person we all knew from back then."
Jaune raised an eyebrow. "One hundred percent stock. Well…mostly, considering this -" he pointed to his eyepatch - "but otherwise, here I am in the flesh."
"Flesh? Honestly, Jaune, I was scared you'd float away in the wind because you used to be such a noodle," Malon chuckled, and when he frowned, she stuck her tongue out at him. As they continued down the plaza, his embarrassment only grew as fond, yet cringy childhood memories returned to mind; adventurous memories where they built hideouts in the forest, swam in the Great Sea or dared each other to explore the old ruined lighthouse. At this point, his past self would probably consider his present self the epitome of coolness along with his dad.
Jaune smiled. He felt much lighter and more relaxed, helped by the fact that he had his first peaceful morning in days, thanks to the Song of Healing. Even then, he couldn't forget how the rose-tinted glasses had been long ripped off after living the dream for almost a year. It was a rude awakening, and as Link said, childish dreams turned to noble ambition - made possible only by sacrificing the innocence of younger days.
…but that didn't mean he had to let it replace the good times as well, both in childhood and at Beacon.
"You're doing that thing again. What're you thinking about?"
They paused as Jaune shrugged. Malon and Shad shared a glance before the latter piped up. "Beacon, then."
"And how far I've come, all things considered. Beacon's not exactly a distant memory, but after a year in school and everything that happened…I was just wondering about what comes next."
There was a moment of silence before Malon nervously cleared her throat.
"…I see. That's what I wanted to ask. You're…not staying for long, are you?"
"Yeah. While I haven't decided exactly when, I'll be going to Mistral to find Pyrrha's family since I want to return her weapons. I think…no, I know that it's the best way to honour her memory. Her family deserves it too."
"I-I mean, maybe," Colin quietly replied. "But…are you sure? I can agree with the going to Mistral thing, but…I dunno. Is there…more to this?"
Jaune grimaced and remained silent. His eye widened, however, as Malon suddenly rushed forward and engulfed him in a tight hug.
"Look…I know you. We know you and how protective you can get. Just…don't lose your way, okay? Don't do anything your partner wouldn't approve of."
Anger flashed through his heart. Why wouldn't she approve of what he was doing? He was doing this for her and her family, for Brothers' sakes! Jaune wasn't about to let anything get in his way to do what needed to be done -
Jaune gasped when it hit him, and all the vitriol faded away. Brunette hair was replaced by crimson for a moment, and he could almost hear Pyrrha herself telling him to take it easy. A good team leader used their emotions to fuel their strengths, not to blind them to what was right and wrong.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I promise."
"Arc's promise?"
Jaune stepped away and smiled sadly. "I…I'll do my best."
"Yes. I think you should," Shad cut in before the tension could grow worse. "Have you begun training or otherwise preparing for your journey?"
"I have, but there's still a long way to go. I need to get better than myself when I was at my peak. Man, I felt so much stronger back then," Jaune replied, thankful for the change in subject. A smile crossed his face as he remembered when he would square up against Pyrrha in the ring; iron sharpened iron, but it was also undeniably fun.
"I wonder how far we would've gotten in the Festival of Beacon didn't fall. Out of all the matches we won, have to say that winning against Team ABRN was probably the most memorable. Man, Ren was a frickin' ninja! And the way Nora went full lightning rod on Nolan…"
"Maybe it would help if you do the same thing that made you strong in the first place," Colin piped up, and when the three of them looked over, he blushed and tapped his feet against the stone. "J-just a thought. I assume your partner had a hand in that, right?"
"That's…probably an understatement," Jaune chuckled sheepishly before he explained Initiation and their rather awkward start to their partnership. But as time went on, the edge to his voice melted away as he recounted all the good times and more. Eventually, he had Shad in disbelief, Colin in tears and Malon slack-jawed at the stories.
It was…good. Good times. The best of times. Pyrrha's memory deserved nothing less.
"…you really loved her, huh?"
Jaune grimaced. "Yeah. Took me a while to see it, but when I did, I knew I had to do something about it. Hence the white dress at the dance."
"I still can't get that image out of my head," Malon replied, grinning sadly. "From the moonlight, how you went out of your way to find her and just you two in a sea of other people…you really did become Pyrrha's champion in the end."
He felt a dull ache in his chest when he heard that.
"T-thanks. That means a lot -"
"CAWWW!"
Jaune's blood ran cold as they all froze on the spot, with Malon going deathly still in his arms.
"I - ah - what!? That sounds like -"
His eye widened as he saw a rapidly divebombing black shape from above. Jaune shoved Malon away, hard enough to knock Shad down when he caught her, then deftly unsheathed his sword to catch a person-sized Nevermore in its talon. Jaune grunted and forced it back into the air, and when it lunged once more, there was a streak of silver and its head rolled lifelessly aside.
With a peppered beard, kindly blue eyes and still wearing his blacksmith's apron, Rusl flourished his sword and smiled at Jaune. "I'm happy you're so eager to use my craftsmanship, but I thank you for protecting my son. Go now and see your family. I'll take care of your friends."
Malon, Shad and Colin offered quick smiles before they were ushered inside, and a loud, droning alarm began blaring through the village. Sprinting south revealed more Grimm advancing on foot and from the air, but at least the village militia were quick to action; a medley of guards met them by the gate, and Jaune even noticed Groose amongst their number, ducking under an errant Beowolf's swing and kicking a table into its knees.
He pushed past the chaos and down the dirt road, killing a few Boarbatusks that chased him. But his worry only grew, for his home was outside the palisade, and considering the numbers already here…
"No. Vale or Hudson, Beacon or the family house, I'm not gonna let my home fall to shadow again -"
Jaune, watch out, ten o'clock!
He growled and rolled forward to dodge a volley of arrows fired from the treeline. Red and blue Bokoblins emerged from the shade, but without armour, a shield and his family on the line, he instead chose to run the gauntlet.
Several times, he hissed in pain and Aura flared when an arrow grazed or would've otherwise dug into his body, but as the Arc cabin came into view, an Aeralfos leapt from the canopy with a gurgling cry. Jaune strafed to dodge its initial lunge, and as it spun with its wings outstretched, he rolled beneath and slashed its knees in the process.
The flying lizard screamed and fell disabled, then it silently sighed as four long flaming claws erupted from its mouth. Jaune dumbly watched it fall, and in its place stood the eldest sister of the Arc family.
Ilia Arc smiled as she looked him up and down. A steel pauldron was on her left shoulder and a small breastplate overlaid atop a short white and beige beater that extended to the midriff. She wielded a pair of dust-enhanced gauntlets called Mogma Mitts, whose claws sparkled with electricity as she swatted away a small flock of Keese.
"Good to see you, little brother. I'm happy to know you're back in the swing of things."
"Of course! You could say I'm bringing it back home," Jaune quipped, and she nodded as they rushed closer to the cabin. His mother was already hard at work fending the monsters off; Syfa used her Semblance to mould a handful of wind dust into a sword, through which she sent a blast of wind that had a line of Helmasaurs losing their shells and flying into the forest.
And when a group of Sky Octoroks popped up from the forest, a giant bladed boomerang whirled through the air and effortlessly carved them apart. Atop the roof, with short ginger pigtails, a beret with the Arc crest and an armoured dark green jacket, Karane Arc caught her weapon just in time to parry a pair of Aeralfos.
Not to be outdone, Jaune chambered a Bokoblin's club and sliced it in half. The monster gurgled confused and again when it was stabbed in the throat, then Jaune ducked in time to miss a blue Lizalfos' sneaky swing. He swung back but missed, Aura flashing when it dragged its jagged spear across his back, but as it tried to uppercut with the butt, Jaune caught it with his free hand and yanked it closer.
The Lizalfos expired on his blade, but his stress only doubled as even more emerged from the forest. While his mother and sisters were powerful huntsmen, the sheer amount was enough to slowly overwhelm them.
"Dammit! If we don't get reinforcements soon -"
Jaune! Above you!
His heart dropped when he heard glass shatter, followed by several fearful screams. Familiar screams. A Skulltula had crawled up the side of his house and smashed through a bedroom window, but even if he tried, it would've been too late to stop it from entering.
Jaune howled and angrily hurled his sword at the giant spider -
The blade missed, clattering uselessly to the ground -
And the Skulltula followed as gunfire cracked through the air.
Jaune rushed over, picked up his sword and repeatedly stabbed the Skulltula, but on the last thrust, it jammed between the monster's ribcage and left him defenceless against an oncoming Lizalfos.
The lizard gurgled as it brought down its boomerang sword -
And the monster was suddenly carved in half as something fast, something distinctly red blazed past with a trail of red petals in its wake. Ruby dashed off to assist Syfa against another wave of Bokoblins and an oncoming Aeralfos plummeted to the ground, dead and with Nora on top.
Jaune turned to find Ren approaching with a determined look.
"R-Ren…you guys -"
"What's the plan, team leader?"
Jaune pursed his lips and flourished his sword.
"Follow me."
Vigour renewed, Jaune cried out and dashed into the fray. He simply bowled over the first red Bokoblin that met him, and when a blue one jumped from above, Nora leapt and batted it away with a powerful swing. A flock of Guays was shot down as Syfa fired a volley of ice arrows from a bow of the same, while Karane rode her boomerang like a hoverboard atop a small whirlwind, knocking monsters down left and right.
Jaune stepped back-to-back with Ren, who ducked under a Wolfos' swing and roundhouse kicked its jaw. It rolled with the momentum and managed to land a glancing blow on the ninja, but right as it pounced, Ren dove back while firing with abandon. The Wolfos crumpled to the ground, riddled with holes.
The monsters' number eventually thinned out. A few even retreated, but they were stopped from pursuing them as several Moblins emerged from the woods. He eyed the black one at the leader of the pack, who responded by hefting a giant makeshift sword and roaring its challenge.
"Ruby, this one is mine! Flank and kill the others!"
"On it!" she cried, streaked past as man and monster did the same. It began with an uppercut that he easily dodged, allowing him to slide past and slice its side. Gurgling in pain, the black Moblin missed when it tried to stomp on him, but decked Jaune with an elbow as he rolled for a back slice.
Dazed and sprawled upon the ground, he watched as it angled the tip down for his chest -
And missed as Jaune crawled away. The monster fell under a flurry of iron as he leapt at it, unable to defend itself with its sword stuck in the mud, then finally fell down as Jaune sliced the tendons in its legs.
Downed and on its knees, all it saw was a single, cold blue eye before bloodied steel entered its skull.
He stepped back and watched the others were taken down, but they all froze as a deep draconic roar echoed over the area. It was at this point the last monsters retreated into the forest, and as they stood still in the heavy silence, ready for any sudden counterattack, it soon became clear that there was nothing left to defend against.
Jaune followed suit and also fell to his knees, tired but mostly due to hard-won relief.
They've done it. He'd done it. He managed to save the people he cared about.
x==)==
As the sun dipped below the treeline and village militia roamed up and down the road, Jaune sighed and leaned against the front porch.
"It's over. It's finally over. Still worried about that Grimm Drake, but I'll take what I can get."
You did well, Jaune, and your family is safe because of you.
"I know. I should've been more attentive though," he gritted, reliving the memory of a giant spider crawling after his sisters. "Thanks for that. If I didn't notice at all…"
But you did and would've even without my warning. In the end, what's important is that everyone survived, and as you continue getting stronger, it shall be you who will take the fight to the enemy instead.
"Damn right I will. Especially with my friends by my side. Wondering when that town hall that guards were talking about will happen, but -"
"Whatcha talking about, Jauney?"
He whirled around as Nora, Ren and Ruby approached, and in the distance, his mother gave him a wink as she continued talking with some of the guards.
"And, uh, who're you talking to? I don't see anyone nearbyyyaahhh!"
Nora went wide-eyed, then giggled as Jaune scooped her up in a tight hug.
"Thank you. Thank you so much," he whispered, letting her go and giving Ren the same treatment. "If it weren't for you guys, I…I don't know if all of us would've made it. Your timing couldn't have been better."
"A-ah, well, they always loved t-to make an…entrance!" Ren gasped as Jaune let him go, and the smaller teen heaved for air. He then fixed an unrepentant Jaune with a flat but good-natured glare. "But we…missed our team leader too. And really, it's her you should thank for this. We would not have been here in time otherwise."
Jaune turned to see Ruby awkwardly kicking the ground beneath her feet, looking like she felt guilty for intruding on their moment.
"You just gonna stand there, crater face?"
She perked up and narrowed her eyes.
"Of course. Wouldn't wanna be near you just in case, vomit boy."
Jaune rolled his eye and walked closer, then was promptly tackled with a Semblance-enhanced hug.
"I-it's so good to see you, Jaune," she whispered. "I…um, like the new pirate aesthetic? And the longer hair you've got going on."
"Well, one was by the choice, the other, not so much," he chuckled, squeezing then letting her go when she blanched. "Don't worry, I'm not offended. I mean, might as well make it cool, you know?"
She giggled, reaching up and ruffling his hair as she stepped back. "I…I…missed you. I'm just happy to know you're okay."
"I missed you too. All of you. But come on in. I have a feeling you guys are here for a reason, and it's best we talk after a meal and hot shower."
They filed in and left their weapons by the entrance, but right before he entered, Jaune sighed and looked behind him into the sky. The stars were already coming out, and he wondered if Pyrrha watched from amongst them, proud of what he managed to accomplish.
Proud to know her team still had it in them after all that happened.
And Gods only knew how grateful he was to have them by his side.
Jaune smiled, turned back and closed the door.
- AN -
Welcome back to A Descendant of Legends!
First things off, important announcement so we can end off on chapter commentary. Ch 35 will probably be delayed due to an increasingly more hectic work schedule, the fact that I need to finish the first chapter of another side project that I've pushed aside twice to finish this one, and honestly, just plain old burnout. Less work for me in that at least the script's been prewritten, and rest assured that it'll come next month. Updates on my profile as usual, but for now, I'm not going to put anything definite to make my brain think there's less deadlines :P
Anyway, back to the chapter! Bit of a roller coaster in that I wanted to keep the theme where good and bad guys keep the ball rolling with their plans, but where one scene starts off chaotic and ends more quietly, then the inverse and repeat. It went on a little bit longer than I intended to, especially with the final fight, but I decided to not cull the action too much to show off Jaune (and his friends) really getting back into the swing of things. Hence why the enemies aren't too difficult either. Something relatively straightforward, even with the stakes at play.
But I do have a question for y'all: I have maps that show the "known world" in terms of locations the group has gone to while unvisited places are still covered by fog of war. Think RPG, and it's far from pretty (like five minutes on MS Paint) since it's mainly just for personal reference, but would you be interested in me uploading said maps onto DeviantArt, for example, where I can update the maps with new locations as the group travels?
Otherwise, thanks again for sticking around and taking the time to read! Constructive criticism and feedback are always welcome. Take care and hope to see you next time!
MountainBookSage25: Thank you! Jaune definitely has a lot of stuff lined up for him, especially as they all travel Remnant, but here's to some down and dirty action I hope you enjoyed.
Fyr RedNight: Thank you! I wanted to spice up the whole Blake in Menagerie arc from canon and twist up how she could reconnect with Yang in the future, so things are definitely coming to a more explosive head. Especially from Yang's perspective too, with the lessons she taught herself along with Taiyang's. For now, both their character arcs are planned up until the end of Arc V, but Yang and Blake will take the lessons learned from the parents to heart as they go on.
So too will Jaune, from both his father and mentor; sometimes the most crucial lessons are the harshest ones. Took a lot of inspiration from a video essay called Ocarina of Time: A Masterclass in Subtext for that, which is personally one of my all time favourite Zelda-subject videos on YouTube.
Fun fact, actually: I never actually intended Richter Arc to be named as such. Richter was a placeholder name, but when time came to write him in, it had grown on me enough that I just rolled with it. Hence why he and Syfa are directly Castlevania themed.
Super heavy weapons guy: Thanks! And yes, in this very Arc too, no less. I have a specific role set out for the HM Salesman, which is why he won't appear often, but you haven't seen the last of him.
ulquiorra . schiffer . 1291: Quick, captain, drop the mic! :D
Dragon lord Syed 101: Don't worry! Ren and Nora, like the rest of RWBYJNR have their own individual character arcs. Without spoiling specifics, I like the theme in canon Vol 8 where they both work to find themselves, but I'm still working on ironing out their specific arcs and deciding where to place them. At least with this chapter, you can tell that the RNJR setup isn't too far ahead, but the Master Sword's more of a long term goal than something nearby.
Guest: Oh man...it's such an amazing animation, and when I read your review, it reminded me how antsy I am waiting for the next episode :P Gotta say, that scene when Link and Zelda met again hit right in the feels. At least we don't have to wait as long for the music; amazing as well, and more than once have I listened to the composer's music when working on ADoL. I can picture it too, when Jaune is a full Hero standing victorious at the end of his journey. I already have his own unique Hero title prepared along with some other things, but honestly, thank you and I'm glad to have you aboard the train.
Guest: Heh, I see it now that you mention it. But Dimitri post-timeskip was actually a bit of an inspiration for Jaune's current look. And yes, he did lose his left eye instead of his right, but they have similar shoulder-length hair right now, and Jaune along with the rest of the cast will be having their own makeovers over the Arcs as well.
Roy4: While he's still far from truly healed of his past trauma, he is well in the process of piecing himself back together - and not a moment too soon, given his lifestyle and destiny are filled with sudden action.
But you know what? Yes, you're right. It's a tale that centres around Jaune's destiny and development as a Hero. I really want to balance things out and give other characters their moments to fall or shine, but when in doubt, Jaune's personal story first and foremost. I've been more strict when asking myself, "is this relevant / necessary?" as I write, and I can safely say it's been helping, so thank you.
That does leave the question of who will attain Power and Wisdom in their entireties; I do like seeing everyone draw straws at who they think it'll be, and to that end, the wielders of the two pieces will be revealed in due time.
Rosewynn: Ahh thank you so much! Glad you like it!
jeremiahkelley93: Thank you!
SentinalSlice: Don't worry! Jaune will be doing a lot of training / real fighting as chapters progress throughout the Arc and beyond.
Thebestoftherest: Fun to fight, but I also wish there were tougher enemies in BOTW. Here's to hoping the sequel will have more and deadlier - Jaune certainly will face such things, especially on the path destiny leads him on.
Spartastic 4: No worries! It's good to see you again. But yes, lot of things have happened over the past several chapters; Ch 24 - 25 were more character development focused chapters, a slow transition from good, wholesome slice-of-life times to the first strike of disaster. But when it struck, there was no stopping the rolling ball. Evil lurks behind every corner - especially as seen by that faunus Poe. I'll confirm though that the "master" she spoke of isn't at all relevant to the plot, merely a hint of what she once was in life. Yeah. Dark stuff...
Things are narrowing down though, with the candidates for Wisdom growing ever thin. But it still remains to be seen, and from a writer's perspective, part of the challenge is trying to keep all options as possibly plausible.
Nobody: Thank you! Despite its flaws, I still really enjoy the show, and I'm glad this actually led you to take a look at it.
Have to say though, didn't expect to see a serious Jojo reference! I also didn't know OOT Ganondorf was inspired by Raoh, but I like seeing that conflict within those called to be heroes, and showing the journey to fulfill destiny in spite of selfish desires is I think a pretty topical theme that could tie both stories together. Maybe I'll learn something in the process too, but I'll definitely give SBR a look.
The Legend of Zelda and RWBY are the respective properties of Nintendo and Rooster Teeth.