RWBY: The Verdant Star of Remnant

by bardockskywalker1991

The Ashen Demon has fallen after failing to save Garreg Mach from the Imperial Army, but she gets another chance to save a world that's about to have a global conflict of its own. Will Byleth be able to protect this world this time? Or will it meet the same fate as Fódlan? This is a RWBY FE crossover originated by TPoynt. i'm writing this for them.

12. Chapter 12: Setting the Stage

RWBY: The Verdant Star of Remnant

Chapter 12: Setting the Stage

Author's Notes: "I'll do both chapters consecutively" i said, "it'll be no problem" i said, "i'll get these chapters in less than 2 weeks time" i said... Well, LOOK HOW I MANAGED TO PROVE MYSELF WRONG YET AGAIN! Not only have i NOT been able to keep my word, but NOW! This arc is gonna be THREE chapters long as oppossed to 2 like i originally planned! FUCKING FANTASTIC!

Look, i know that i can't plan ahead ALL of the time, i KNOW that not EVERYTHING goes according to plan for the most part, i know rest & burnout is a thing... But good god, this was TORTURE! So if you guys are upset that this arc is not only 3 chapters long, but also upset about not keeping into date with the upload schedule like i promised i'd try to do, DON'T WORRY, CAUSE I'M JUST AS UPSET! This chapter alone is 27 pages long, i HAD to stop somewhere & it HAD to be before the section at Forever Fall, didn't it?!

While it's good since i feel like that section deserves its own chapter due to being ANOTHER action packed chapter (& those are always fun /s), i REALLY wished i could've kept this arc into 2 chapters. I tried guys, i REALLY did & i am SO SORRY for not being able to keep my word & not keep into date... I know, i have a job as an editor now, i have a big project as an editor for my friends for the end of the year, i have to play my brother's game for him to get bit coins, do digital art, I KNOW!... But still, this was INSANE! & For those who were patient with me, you have no idea how thankful i am right now... So let's not waste anymore time & put an end to this already, remember...

The following is a non-profit Alternate Universe fanfiction.

RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth, Warner Bros. & the late Monty Oum. While Fire Emblem: Three Houses is owned by Nintendo, Intelligent Systems & Koei Tecmo. Please support the original release.

Also, major spoilers for both RWBY & Fire Emblem: Three Houses, specifically the Verdant Wind Route. If you haven't caught up with either of them, it's recommended that you catch up with both of them before reading this story.

& On that note, enjoy this chapter.

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Jaune Arc has been feeling a little down as of late, making his fellow Garnet Papillon very worried. It eventually comes to where he finally tells them the truth, that he cheated his way into Beacon academy. He was tired of always being "A Damsel in Distress" as he put it, but no matter how hard he trained, he could never go anywhere & his father is still not feeling well, so he was the only active man on the family. Feeling that he's not worth their time anymore, he leaves the group despite his friends' protests. As if Fate didn't screw him over enough as it is already, Cardin was outside of Byleth's class & he overheard Jaune's little secret & is now blackmailing him. Despite his outburst, Byleth & The Garnet Papillons will do what they can to help Jaune out, whether he likes it or not; but whether if it will end up working or not is up in the air at this point.

We start today's story with the other Garnet Papillons thinking about the situation back at their respective quarters, starting with Jaune's teammates: Pyrrha, Ren & Nora. Ren is quiet as usual; Nora is trying to wrap her head around the situation at hand & Pyrrha is looking at Jaune's lower bunk respectively.

Pyrrha: He hasn't come back yet; guess he really did leave… But then where did he go?

Nora: I don't know, but I'm sure as hell planning to break his legs for making us worry sick like this!... Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Ren: Nora, you don't even know what that word means.

Nora just puffs her cheeks as her partner pokes fun at her like that, Pyrrha then notices something under Jaune's pillow on his bed. She decides to take a look & she founds an amulet of sorts, one that's circle shaped & has his emblem engraved on it. That's weird, Jaune didn't strike as someone who'd have stuff like this. Maybe this is a memento of some kind? A gift from someone from his path? She can't really tell right now, what's weird is that there's something written on the other side of the amulet; but she doesn't know what language it is, so she can't read what it really says. Nora then notices Pyrrha snooping at Jaune's stuff, curious to see what she found.

Nora: Hey Pyrrha, what's that weird thing you got?

Pyrrha: I don't know, but I think it belongs to Jaune if this was under his bed.

Ren goes to Pyrrha when he noticed the amulet on her hands, a little curious to know what it is as well. But when he looked at the writing, it looked familiar to him somehow.

Ren: Hey Pyrrha, can I take a closer look at that amulet?

Pyrrha looks at Ren confusingly before nodding & handing him the amulet, he tried to read it & it looks like it comes from middle west Anima given that it's written in Chinese Kanji. It reads: "Blessed by the gods, you must now forge your own path" in Traditional Chinese, which is the native language for most people from Anima.

Ren: That's odd, why does he have something written in this language?

Pyrrha: You can read it?

Ren: *Nods* It reads "Blessed by the gods, you must now forge your own path", but it's in Traditional Chinese. Maybe he got this from a friend or a relative from someone who wrote like that?

Pyrrha: Probably, I wonder what it means by "Bless by the gods" though. I know that Remnant has a strong religion, especially at the East. But Jaune doesn't really strike me as someone who'd be into that stuff, maybe he does prayers in private?

Nora: Who cares? This stuff about gods & religion are just made-up nonsense that isn't really relevant, I don't really see how this could tie back to Jaune in a big way.

Pyrrha & Ren just give Nora a pretty disapproving look while also having deadpanned expressions on their faces, she gets confused wondering what's their deal.

Nora: What? Ya'know I'm right.

Ren just facepalms while Pyrrha rolls her eyes at Nora's comment, way to ruin the mood. As they're preparing themselves to get some rest, we see how Team RWBY is handling the situation at hand. Blake is quiet & stoic like always, Yang is trying to process what just happened, Weiss looks rather annoyed & surprisingly enough, Ruby herself is pretty quiet as well, which isn't usually a good sign.

Yang: No matter how hard he tried; he could never get any stronger… But due to his lineage, he had to be a fighter… Talk about wanting to prolong the family business. I just hope the poor guy isn't biting more than he can chew…

Blake: While I don't agree with his way of trying to get what he wants; I can relate to him in a sense… Meeting high expectations is always a nightmare, especially for his age.

Both Yang & Blake give their thoughts about the situation at hand, with Weiss doing the same & she – OF COURSE – shit-talks about the situation, completely against Jaune's way of entering Beacon Academy.

Weiss: He's a pathetic man-child, that's what he is! If he wanted to help people so much, then he should've been a cop instead of trying to be something he can't become.

Ruby doesn't pay much attention to what Weiss just said, Yang however is alright sighing in annoyance at her response. "Oh great, there she goes again" she thought to herself.

Yang: You're not a very empathetic person, are you Weiss?

Weiss: Correction, I'm not empathetic towards idiots who don't know their place in the world. He couldn't become a Huntsman, despite how hard he tried… But not only does he try to be something he's not, he cheats his way to do it too!... Pathetic…

As Weiss spills out her usual hypocritical comments, Blake of course tries to call her out on it & OF COURSE, it turns into another fight between the 2.

Blake: Kinda funny considering that you're an Atlesian Noble, yet you chose the path of a Huntress yourself… Shouldn't you relate & empathize with the kid instead of judging for doing exactly what you're doing?

Yang just groans while facepalming as Weiss narrows her eyes at Blake before replying.

Weiss: As if I'd empathize with someone who'd cheat his way into Beacon of all things, we have nothing in common! Unlike him, I've EARNED my strength & skills! I was fit to achieve greatness while he wasn't, it's that simple.

Blake: Oh, so simply being BORN with the great potential for this supposed "greatness" somehow makes you automatically better than all of those who weren't born as lucky? Natural talent is a thing, that much is true. But nobody is just BORN incredibly powerful or is objectively better than anyone else, although I shouldn't really expect an Atlesian Scumbag to be smart & humble enough to know such a simple fact.

The 2 then started to LITERALLY butt heads with one another as they get close to one another & narrow their eyes at each other.

Weiss: If you want a fight, just say so & I'll gladly give you one!

Blake: You're 100 years away from even laying a finger on me, you little brat! Come back when you stop being such a disgusting c**t & learn some decent humility for once!

Weiss: WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!

There are literally sparks of lightning clashing between their eyes, although something that literally grabs them by their ears stops whatever fight they were about to start. Ruby decided that enough was enough & literally pulled both girls by the ear to shut them up, to say that it hurt like a bitch was an understatement as both girls are squirming in pain by their short leader's grip. Especially Blake, who's a lot taller than Ruby.

Weiss: Owowowowowowowowowow!

Blake: Argh! What's your deal, Ruby?!

Both girls suddenly shut up & started shivering a little bit in fear as Ruby gives a death glare so powerful that even Glynda would be impressed by, those Silver Eyes of hers are as beautiful as they are horrifying.

Ruby: My "deal" is that I've had quite enough of hearing you 2 bicker like spoiled brats for long enough! So unless you guys want me to deliver the butt-kicking around here, the both of you will shut up & quit this meaningless squabble right now! GOT IT?!

Ruby pulls their ears a little harder, making them feel even more pain. Yang looks away a little afraid, that kind of attitude & level of authority Ruby has is strikingly similar to their Mother whenever she got really mad for doing something stupid. "Like Mother, like Daughter" Yang told herself as Ruby basically telling Weiss & Blake to knock it off & just shut up for 5 minutes! After they both nod while cringing in pain, Ruby lets them both go & they furiously rub their aching ears.

Ruby: Like Prof. Eisner said, this will be kept between us! We'll deal with it sometime in the future once Jaune calms down, no ifs, ands or buts!... *Glares at Weiss* & I'm sure as heck not going to let you 2 make things even worse! *Glares at Blake* Especially not arguing about stuff that means jack! Listen, it doesn't matter Jaune cheated or not; he's at least trying! So instead of making things worse for everyone by needlessly fighting against one another, use that time to try to make things better & do some good for other people! Because like it or not, that's what Huntresses should do & that's why we're all here! of course, we have our own reasons as to why we're here & we all have different goals… But we're still here at Beacon Academy to become Huntresses, so ACT like it!...

After the lecture she just gave her 2 teammates, Ruby decides that getting some fresh air would be nice as she heads to the door of their quarters & leave for a moment.

Ruby: I'll be at the library, I might be gone for a few hours or so. If I see you 2 fighting for ridiculous nonsense again when I come back, so help me!

Ruby slams the door shut after leaving the quarters, leaving both Weiss & Blake utterly shaking in fear from how scary Ruby can be despite her size & age. Guess that's her way of showing who calls the shots, she acted like a scolding Mother telling her kids to stay quiet & behave, which is honestly really terrifying. Yang walks towards the 2 to get a closer look at how they're doing right now, with Weiss turning to Yang as she asks.

Weiss: Since when your Sister was this-… Scary?!

Yang: *Shrugs* No idea, honestly… But I remember our Mom being like that whenever she got pretty pissed, guess she inherited that side of hers too. But Ruby makes a good point, you guys know that, right?

Reluctantly, Weiss slowly nods while Blake just grumbles & keeps rubbing one of her ears. So for their sakes, they're gonna do what Ruby told them & back off for a little while. All the while we get a quick view of Jaune doing Cardin's assignment for Dr. Oobleck now that they're "friends", he's clearly regretting his recent actions at that moment.

We then cut to the following day when Byleth had trouble sleeping last night, although it doesn't matter much anyways since she's used to sleeping little & waking up just fine, this was an exception. She's still trying to fully grasp what just happened last night, with Jaune & about his insecurities.

Byleth: I wonder where he is now, I just hope he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble.

Byleth grabs her Professor's cloak & puts in on, she looks at Sothis who's still sleeping & snoring like a baby in bed. She decides to let her "Little Sister" sleep a little more instead of interrupting her beauty sleep & leaves, just in time to get a MSG. on her scroll.

The Message comes from Glynda Goodwitch, it seems that she wants to have a meeting with Byleth. The message reads: "If you have some spare time today, could you meet me at my office? There are some things I wish to talk about & perhaps get some answers. Although if you're too busy, we can reschedule this for another day". Byleth messages back saying that she'll be there soon & puts her scroll back in her pocket after doing so, this Scroll technology & technology in general is fascinating to Byleth. Back in Fódlan, there were only 2 types of communication: In person & through letters. But here, they have these devices that let you talk to someone from very far away, it was truly an incredible thing. If Hanneman was here, he'd study & exploit the hell out of these devices.

We then cut to Glynda's office about 30 minutes later, with Byleth already being inside of the room & starting her meeting with The Mage General of Vale.

Glynda: Thank you for coming, Ms. Eisner. I apologize for the rather sudden meeting.

Byleth: Think nothing of it, Glynda. Now then, what do you wish to talk about.

Both young women sit down to their chairs, as well as taking some sips of tea throughout their conversation. Byleth brought some tea to go along with the meeting, something that Glynda appreciates it being a Tea-person herself.

Glynda: There are some matters I wish to discuss with you. I believe I've mentioned this beforehand, but it is my responsibility as The King of Vale's right hand & advisor to guide him properly, as well as aid him with his duties.

Byleth: May I ask what those duties are specifically?

Glynda: For one; as the current Headmaster of Beacon Academy, he must guide these many children into becoming the protectors of the world. All 4 Huntsmen Academies work in different ways, with varying degrees of success. In the case of Beacon Academy, we greatly value the comradery, teamwork & chemistry of the teams we form here at Beacon Academy; it's our duty to show these children that work through unity is how they can truly become the best version of themselves.

Byleth: So in other words, your lesson here is "Divided we fall, but United, we stand!" Is that correct?

Glynda: Correct & you yourself are doing an oddly excellent job at teaching your class that lesson. But there are other duties that His Majesty requires my assistance as well, like donations throughout the nation, taxations, aiding our people with whatever way we can; all of the many administrative tasks that The Kingdom of Vale is responsible for. I also oversee The Huntsmen Academy of Beacon & The Local Huntsmen of Vale; be it traveling Huntsmen that just so happen to be at Vale at the time or one of the Huntsmen that work directly under the King of Vale, like myself & the other Generals of Vale.

Byleth: How many of you are there? Are the 4 generals the only ones who fight directly under Ozpin or are there more out there?

Glynda: No, we are not the only ones who directly work under His Majesty. But unlike the other "military forces" of The World of Remnant, our group is quality over quantity.

Glynda takes out something from the drawer below her desk & places a few documents on the desk for Byleth to look through.

Glynda: We go by "The Venatores"; a small, but powerful group that consists of about a dozen Huntsmen graduated from Beacon Academy that His Majesty recruits himself. There's only a few of us left at this point; myself, Peter Port, Bartholomew Oobleck, Celestial Peach, Qrow Branwen, Kobra Uraeus, Carmine Lu Bu, Falco Gunvolt & Khloud Alcides Ignis. The other members of Team STRQ were also amongst The Venatores, but as we've discussed in the past; Ms. Branwen left the group without saying a word, Mr. Xiao-Long retired so he could work as both a teacher at Signal Academy, as well as being able to raise his daughters & Ms. Rose herself died on a mission almost 10 years ago.

Editor's note: "Venatores" is Latin for "Hunters".

Byleth reads through the documents about each respective member of The Venatores, mainly about these 4 members she's first learning about: Kobra, Lu Bu, Falco & Khloud.Kobra hails from the Vacuan Alliance that resides in the Eastern Deserts of Sanus & surprisingly enough, doesn't look like a tribeswoman. She kinda looks like an ancient Egyptian figure, she's also a Cobra Faunus. Lu Bu is a very powerful Mistralean General, originating from the south of the 3 Nations of Mistral. Byleth can't explain, but she can feel that something is a little off about this guy. Falco is native of Atlas, much like Oobleck & Weiss, his specialty seems to focus on technology & crafting whatever weapons & prosthetics The King of Vale asks for. In simpler terms, he's Ozpin's personal Blacksmith. Khloud has the most interesting story in Byleth's eyes, it says that he's Ozpin's adopted son & he trained the young boy personally. He appears to have Silver Eyes, much like Ruby herself, it also says that he has some history with Summer.

Byleth: Where are the other 5 then? I haven't met any of the personally as of yet.

Glynda: Unfortunately, most of us aren't here at the moment. Mr. Branwen is currently running a couple of "special errands" for His Majesty at the moment, Both Ms. Uraeus & Mr. Lu Bu had to take care of some personal business back at their homelands & Mr. Gunvolt is doing some projects outside of the Kingdom's boarders, due to his dislike of being around highly crowded areas for long periods of time. As for Mr. Ignis, he's more of a wanderer & only comes when His Majesty personally asks him to come, so you won't be able to meet him personally under normal circumstances.

Byleth: Tell me, did you guys rope me into this group without my consent?

Glynda: No, His Majesty recruits new members with a personal meeting. Although, I can confirm that he sees potential in you. Whenever I look at you, I can't help but feel like something's not right. Your appointment to a teaching position at Beacon Academy was a surprise to everyone, including me! I asked Dr. Oobleck to look up your history & we've found… Literally nothing! No date of birth or nationality, no criminal records, no other kinds of certifications, nothing! You're literally an enigma, yet His Majesty gave you such a very important decision in spite of that. Not to mention that despite your incredible power, you didn't know about Aura, Semblances or any of the common knowledge of Remnant before coming here. None of us know who you really are, yet here you are…

Byleth sips some tea while Glynda was speaking, it was clear to her that even now, Glynda doesn't fully trust Byleth. But in her defense, she can't blame her for not doing so. Byleth is from a completely different world with completely different rules from that of Fódlan's, she can't expect things to go smoothly & without someone at least try to question her abnormal situation.

Byleth: In short, you don't trust me… Or rather, you can't trust me. Is that right?

Glynda adjusts her glasses before replying.

Glynda: As much as it pains me to say so, I'm afraid that this is very much the case. Even now, I cannot fully trust you… But please understand that I don't have any ill feelings towards you & that I mean no offense, you've certainly proved to me a great guiding light to our students & we're all very grateful for your help. It's just that His Majesty's… Well, he's a reckless fool at times!... He sometimes makes very rash decisions without fully understanding the consequences those choices would have, he's certainly been on The Valean Council's bad side over the last few years & entrusting you with such an important position was definitely one of those choices. I'm the King's right-hand & yet, when it comes to you, I have been told almost nothing.

Byleth gives the documents for The Venatores back to Glynda, who puts them back to her desk drawer before taking another sip of her tea.

Byleth: There's no need to feel bad about it, you're not the first one who had trust issues with me… & You certainly won't be the last…

Glynda: I understand. Since looking through your history with our own resources proved to me ineffective, I'll ask them personally. I hope that you can be honest with me… For starters, you & your Sister: Sothis were born outside of the 4 Nation's boarders, correct?

Byleth: *Nods* We originate from Anima; our parents were travelers & mercenaries… Or rather, our late Father was the mercenary… Our Mother never learned how to fight & neither did Sothis, due to their kind-hearted nature.

Glynda: I see… Then tell me, for how long have you been fighting?

Byleth: I've started training since I was around 5, before I could even learn to write my own name. When you live outside of the boarders of the 4 Nations, you have to learn how to defend yourself as soon as possible if you want to live until the next sunrise. That said, I've only taken real mercenary work around my early teenage years. & Before you ask what my age is, I'm 21 years old at the moment, Sothis is currently 14. Funny thing is that we have an exact 7-year age gap, since we share the same birthday at Set. 20th.

Glynda: I see, I can tell by the tone of your voice that you're being honest, that's relieving. Tell me, The Sword of the Creator is a curse blade, isn't it? Do you know what the curse is exactly, have you had any personal experience with said curse?

Byleth takes out her sword & looks at the circular hole in the sword's guard, where the Crest Stone would be placed. Said Crest Stone being Byleth's own heart, which has never beat once in her life.

Byleth: The Sword of the Creator can only be wielded by members of my Mother's side of the family, anyone else who tries to wield it is given a fate worse than death… That said, I've never seen an event like that myself, the only concrete detail about the curse that I'm aware of is that it's supposably turn the unworthy wielder into a Demon.

Glynda almost chokes at her tea when she heard that last bit, almost starting to sweat a little bit even. She looks back at Byleth with a very confused & shocked expression on her face, just like Yang did when she first heard Byleth speak of this supposed "curse".

Glynda: I beg your pardon, a Demon?! By Demon, you must mean a Grimm, correct?...

Byleth: *Shakes her head* No, I mean an actual Demon! One that can do some serious damage should it be let loose; I can assure you that this "Demon" is something that even the mighty Creatures of Grimm would cower in fear by just being at its line of sight!...

Glynda widens her eyes in horror at the revelation & it doesn't look like Byleth is lying about it either. Nobody would be stupid enough to make up something like that, Glynda knows better than that.

Byleth: Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure. My Mother told me these tales when I was a small child, but I trust my parents' judgement. Which is why I never let anyone lay a finger on my sword, no matter what!...

Glynda adjusts her glasses as she regains her cool, as well as looking at the time. They've been talking for a good hour or so, Glynda has got a good amount as it is already.

Glynda: Well, I believe that's all the time we have for the moment. Thank you once again for your cooperation, this certainly helped me fill a few holes on your "history" so to say… However, I got one last thing to say before you leave.

Glynda then gets out of her chair to stand next to Byleth, giving her a cold, serious glare. Byleth looks back at Glynda with a similar expression on her face.

Glynda: His Majesty has placed a lot of faith in you, it'd be wise for you to not betray the trust that he has given you… If I see you try to do anything too suspicious or try to betray The King for your own gain, I will cut you down personally… Remember that!

Byleth & Glynda glared eyes at one another, having an intense stare down. Both young women are deadly serious in what they're saying & it's clear that Glynda is not going to let Byleth off the hook just yet. Just as tension is rising between the 2 girls, Gayelette comes by, needing some help on an assignment.

Gayelette: Mother, I'm afraid I am not understanding this task. Could you lend me a-?

Gayelette is cut short when she noticed both her Mother & Byleth glaring at one another for whatever reason, that's when both women take notice of the young child. Gayelette immediately re-postures herself before replying & feeling a little embarrassed.

Gayelette: Oh- my sincerest apologies! Am I interrupting something important?

That's when Glynda goes back to the soft-speaking Mother & goes to her daughter with a small smile on her face, completely going 180 after her talk with Byleth moments ago.

Glynda: It's quite alright, dear. I just wanted to talk with Ms. Eisner for a moment, we're about to finish anyways. Now then, what is it that you're struggling with?

As Glynda & Gayelette are walking away, Byleth begins taking her leave; but not before they looked at each other in the eye once again. As Byleth is leaving Glynda's quarters & walking through the hallways, she spots Ozpin having a nice, quiet walk himself.

Ozpin: Ah, hello Ms. Eisner. Had a little talk with Glynda, I presume?

Byleth: *Nods* She clearly takes her job as Secretary & Advisor very seriously; she even gave me a little warning should I "break a few boundaries" so to say.

Ozpin: I can only imagine, but I can assure you that she means no ill will towards you.

Ozpin takes a sip of his coffee before continuing, very much enjoying the nice & sweet taste of a good morning coffee.

Ozpin: I know she has her own faults as well, but I wouldn't have anyone else as my own advisor & a very close friend.

Byleth: Honestly, neither can I. Is there something you need me for at the moment?

Ozpin: Not at this moment, no. I was just taking a walk around my Academy, it helps me relieve some stress I have to deal with… My most recent meeting with The Valean Council was rather- rough, to put it bluntly.

Byleth: I see, you have my condolences… But I should be going now, take care.

Ozpin just gives Byleth a small nod before they parted ways, Ozpin thought that talking to her about stuff he wanted to ask her about like Glynda just did mere moments ago wouldn't go well due to Byleth just having a talk about that topic with Glynda. As for Byleth herself, she begins getting a little more worried, those 2 are getting extremely close to figuring her out & that could spell bad news for the Eisner Sisters.

About one week later at Team CRDL's room, where Jaune is bringing a ton of finished assignments for Cardin since he's a lazy bastard who have other people do his dirty work. If there was ever a facial expression that screamed "Holy shit, I can't take this anymore! When is this going to end?!" is the one that Jaune's making at the moment, he's clearly very tired & exhausted, yet Cardin shows little to no signs of stop overworking the young lad. These assignments in particular were from Nurse Peach; who teaches about survival in the woods, plant-life & even how to properly use first-aid kits. Let's just say that Jaune had his work cut out for him, but Cardin looks really pleased with the results.

Cardin: Well, you're a lot more helpful than I thought. You're doing some great work for us, not bad Jaune. Tell me, how long did this take to make?

Jaune: *Pant* About… *Pant* 3 Hours or so *Pant* Give or take, Boss…

Cardin just smirks as he gets up from his seat & runs his fist on the exhausted Jaune's head, in such a mocking way too.

Cardin: 3 Hours? That's it? Man, you're a natural! Hahahahahah!

Jaune groans in a little bit of pain as well, carrying so many assignments that weighted so much around the halls really put a strain in your arms. Noticing that he's clearly very exhausted, Cardin decided to throw him a bone for once.

Cardin: Alright, now straight to bed with you.

Jaune looks at Cardin in disbelief before he continues.

Cardin: I mean, you've been working for a good while. I don't see why I can't let you have a little break after all the favors you've done for me.

Jaune actually gets a little excited to finally be able to stay away from Cardin for a while to relax his arms for a bit, but Cardin doesn't let him go just wait.

Jaune: Really? Ah man, that's-

Cardin: Now hold up, kiddo… I still wanna ask you something before you leave, but I can promise you that it's not another assignment. It's more of a question, ya'know?

Jaune: Huh? Well, okay… *Clears his throat* What's your question, Boss?

Cardin smirks as he approaches & corners Jaune into a corner… literally!

Cardin: Be honest with me, who's that Byleth bitch that teaches you all of that "strategy" bullshit? I've never seen someone like her before in my life, could you tell me a couple of "interesting facts" about her?

The look Cardin is giving to Jaune is nothing short of terrifying & malicious, Jaune can clearly tell that whatever his reasons, Cardin wants to do something to Byleth & having information about her would certainly help him. Jaune really wants to make up some kind of excuse to not tell anything about Byleth to Cardin… Unfortunately, Cardin would just blackmail Jaune by telling Goodwitch & he'd never get his chance to become a true Huntsman ever again… So he gulps nervously before he answers Cardin.

Jaune: She was born outside of the Four Nations' Boarders; she was a Mercenary before becoming a substitute teacher at some Church from a Village at Anima for a whole year… That being said, she didn't name the name of the Church or its Village. Her Mother has passed away from childbirth when Byleth's sister – Sothis – was born, their Father was killed on a mission last year…

Cardin: *Smirks maliciously* I see… That's quite the interesting origin story, but what about her powers?... Her Semblance?... & That fancy sword she always carries with her?

Jaune looks away in fear of Cardin's facial expression before answering his question, he's not a fan of this situation in anyway.

Jaune: Well- as you saw in last month's Mock Battle, she's just awakened her Semblance; its name is "Dragonscale". As for her weapon, The Sword of the Creator… It's a very powerful weapon with a blade that can be used as a chain-whip with incredible range… Not only that, but the Sword is supposably… Cursed!...

Cardin: *Raises an eyebrow* "Cursed", you say? Did they tell you what this "curse" is?

Jaune: Y- Yes! Only those from her Mother's side of the family can properly wield The Sword of the Creator, it grants the wielder an incredible power should the requirements met… However, should anyone else try to wield the sword; they'd transform into some kind of Demon!... & I don't mean some sort of Demon-like Grimm or anything like that, I mean an actual Demon! Something that would make even The Grimm cower in fear.

Cardin then drops the cocky attitude & just glares at Jaune while grabbing his chin, making Jaune look at him in the eyes before he speaks.

Cardin: A "Demon", you say?... Is that really true?...

Jaune sweats nervously before speaking while shuttering a bit.

Jaune: I- I'm honestly not sure of that myself! Byleth told us that something like that has never happened before, s- so she probably doesn't even know if the Curse is really true!... However, she trusts her parent's judgement; where they told her to never let someone else wield The Sword of the Creator, u- under any circumstances… As far as I know, she's been doing a good job keeping that sword to herself… B- Boss!

The other members of Team CRDL see & hear this, in utter disbelief from what Jaune just told their leader. A wave of silence is flown through Team CRDL's quarters, said silence being quickly broken by Cardin's slow, but cynical laugh.

Cardin: Hmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhm… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Well, you've certainly gave me a lot to work with, my friend!

Jaune then gets confused as he gives Cardin a shocked, yet scared expression.

Cardin: At first, she had my curiosity… *Smirks evilly* But now she has my full attention! Thank you for your cooperation, Jaune… You may go now, get some rest.

He says that while roughly patting the young Arc on the back, to the point of him pushing Jaune out of their quarters. Jaune doesn't know what else to do, so he just walks away & hoping that this doesn't lead to anything horrible… Unfortunately, this is Cardin we're talking about & he already turns his attention to Russel.

Cardin: Russel, you think you can hack the school cameras to take a look at the bitch's office & see what else we can do?

Cardin's teammates widen their eyes in shock from Cardin's very sudden demands, with Russel starting to get a little scared of his Leader & Partner.

Russel: Wait, hold up! You don't actually believe what that idiot just told you, do you?!

Cardin: Only one way to find out, right? Besides, we might even find a weakness or 2 to exploit to make that bitch pay for humiliating me like that! We'll get our revenge soon, my friends… & Once we're done with her, those other 2 girls are next!

Russel: *Gulps* Understood Boss, I'll look into it right away!

As Russel begins working, Cardin can't help but grin in excitement for what comes next. Just what is he planning for his little "revenge plot" against Byleth? Only time will tell…

Cut to Jaune arriving at the door of his Team's quarters, but due to not feeling able to face them at the moment, he just sits right next to the door & tries to clear his mind… Unfortunately, this current chain of events makes him struggle to get some rest.

Jaune: (Goddamnit! What the hell was I thinking?! If I knew something like this would've happened, I never would've even bothered to come here in the first place! All I wanted is to make them all proud, all I wanted was to make sure Dad could take it easy & focus on his recovery while I was growing up… Why does it have to be so hard?!...)

Jaune continues having second thoughts about his desire to become a Huntsman & feels like he failed immensely, in less than a month's time no less! He doesn't know what the hell to do anymore; but as he's moping around like a depressed teenager, someone else comes by to the rescue.

Ruby: Having a bit of a rough time there, Vomit Boy?

Jaune snaps back into reality & looks up to see Ruby, who's strangely in her normal battle attire as oppose to some casualwear or some PJs since it's pretty late in the night right now. No matter, Jaune shakes his head to regain focus & speak up.

Jaune: Really? Again with the nickname?

Ruby: Somewhat, I was at the library doing some research. I was just about to go back to my room & take a shower before hitting for the night, what about you? Why are you just-... Sitting there instead of being inside of your room?... Let me guess, you can't?

Jaune looks down ashamed as Ruby looks at him, but he gives her a silent nod.

Jaune: Look Ruby… I appreciate the help, but I-

Ruby: It's Cardin, isn't?

Jaune widens his eyes in shock as he looks at Ruby who sits down right next to him.

Jaune: H- How did you-

Ruby: It doesn't take a genius to figure out that he's using you for whatever reason since you're hanging out with him as his lackey, something happened between you 2?

Jaune looks down again lost in thought, but knowing that Ruby is not one to call it quits, he decides to play along & be a little more honest with her.

Jaune: Let's just say that I haven't felt this pressured in years… Look, I just-… I don't know what the hell to do anymore!... All I wanted was to be strong, strong like my ancestors… strong like the rest of you… But I can't, no matter how much I try… If I'm being honest, I think that coming here at Beacon Academy was a mistake… The others back home were right, I am a failure…

Jaune hangs his head low, thinking that he's a failure & that coming to Beacon Academy was a mistake. Only for Ruby to completely disagree with him immediately after he said that, while also sounding innocently positive about it.

Ruby: Nope!

Jaune understandably looks up at Ruby with a baffled expression on her face, not really knowing what she means by that.

Ruby: You're a Team Leader Jaune, you can't be a failure now.

Jaune: *Looks away* Well, what if I'm a failure at being a Team Leader?

Ruby: Hmm… Nope!

Jaune widens his eyes in shock at the response yet again, Ruby has always been pretty blunt & honest, but never like this!... Jaune is seeing a side of Ruby he hasn't seen since the initiation at Emerald Valley.

Jaune: You're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff, are you?

Ruby: Nope! *Clears her throat* Look Jaune, I don't know what exactly happened when you're a kid… But from what you imply & said, you were picked on for being weak, right?

Jaune looks down ashamed again, but gives Ruby a small nod.

Ruby: & Despite training for a while, you never went anywhere, correct?

Jaune: *Nods* That's pretty much it, yeah… My Father trained me when I was little, but- as he grew older, he suddenly started feeling… off, in a way… It was later when we found out that he caught an illness, one of those very slow ones in-fact.

Ruby: I see… I know you probably don't wanna listen to what I'm about to say, but I'm saying it anyways! Regardless of whether or not you were a failure when you were a kid or even just before entering Beacon, you can't be a failure now! This isn't just about you now, you got friends that will be there for you no matter what… But you can't let them down, you can't fail them! Because if you do, you'll bring them down with you as you fall… That's how it is for me too, ya'know?

Jaune then looks at Ruby as she places a hand on his shoulder, with Ruby herself giving Jaune a serious, yet hopeful expression on her face.

Ruby: I'm both a Leader of a Team & a House Leader for a class, neither of which I asked for, nor am I prepared for!... But I can't put my needs & desires above theirs when I'm supposed to be beside them & help them grow & become stronger people… A truly great leader is one who's willing to work alongside their "subjects", as equals!... Not order them around or treat them like disposable objects for your own personal gain, that goes against what a true Huntsmen & Huntress should strive for… At least, that's what I think.

Jaune is at awe from what Ruby is telling him at that moment, but it doesn't completely convince him just yet as he's still in doubt.

Jaune: Woah, I've never really thought of it that way… Unfortunately, it kinda made me feel worse about myself… I've never been fit for this kind of stuff anyways…

Ruby thought as much, she knew that she wouldn't be able to convince Jaune this quickly. Thankfully, she has already thought ahead as she then gets up from her sitting spot.

Ruby: I see, so that's how you feel… Guess you need a little more convincing!

Jaune: What do you mean by- WOAH!

Jaune is then suddenly interrupted by Ruby, who grabs Jaune by the hood & easily starts dragging him away. Despite her small stature, he can't get out of her grip as he struggles to break free, despite the fact that she's dragging him by his hoodie.

Jaune: ARGH! What the- Ruby, what the hell are you doing?! Let me go!

Ruby: Nope! I need a better example, so we're finishing this outside.

Jaune: Well- couldn't you at least wait until next morning to do this?!

Ruby slightly tilts her head back at Jaune with a goofy & cheesy smile on her face, while replying with another "Nope!". Jaune figured that he can't stop Ruby from whatever she's planning to do, so he reluctantly plays along with her "Little Games".

In a matter of minutes, Ruby lets go of Jaune as they arrive at the yard of the dormroom buildings. Jaune gets back up & dusts himself off a little bit, just to spot Byleth & Sothis coming towards them as well.

Ruby: There we go! that wasn't so bad, right?

Jaune: Maybe for you, but that was embarrassing as hell to me!... Wait- P- Prof. Eisner? Sothis? What are you guys doing here?

Sothis: To knock some sense into you, that's what!... You've been away for too long, kid.

Jaune just groans in frustration from Sothis' teasing & treating him like a child, despite the fact that he's supposably older than her as far as he knew. But Byleth decides to step in & try to talk to Jaune.

Byleth: We're sorry for dragging you into this, but we figured that it'd be the best way to make you sit down & hear us out.

Jaune just sighs while giving the girls a wry smile.

Jaune: It's alright, I've been through worse. So what do you wanna talk about? Are you going to give me some big emotional speech about leadership like Ruby did?

Jaune says that last bit in a rather joking manner, which is rewarded by a small flick to the forehead by a pouting Ruby. Byleth just sits down next to Jaune while reaching for something in her coat, wanting to show the young Arc something.

Byleth: No, that won't be necessary… Jaune, I want you to have a look at this.

Jaune takes the object from Byleth's hand, it's apparently a painting of sorts. The artstyle of this painting looks like something from old medieval times given how the people are drawn. Speaking of people, she can see Byleth on this painting; alongside 8 more people he doesn't recognize. This painting was truly beautiful.

Jaune: Woah, who made this? & Who are these people with you?

Byleth: *Smiles* Those kids with me, those are the students from that church I told you kids about. As for who drew it, it was that boy with short green hair & glasses on the left.

Jaune: Wait, really?! That kid over there?

Byleth: Yeah, that kid. His name is Ignatz, he was one of my students back at that Church from Anima I told you kids about. You kinda remind me of him…

Jaune looks at Byleth curiously from that statement.

Byleth: His family put quite the number of pressure & expectations onto him, when all he wanted was to try & become a painter.

Jaune: So why did he train to become a fighter?

Byleth sighs as she looks down, adjusting her hair.

Byleth: He didn't have a choice. He was from a family of merchants, they wanted him to become a Mistralean Warlord while they have their eldest child inherit their business as merchants. At the same time, he didn't want to let his parents down. So he decided to put his desires to the side & focusing on his training & studies… *Smirks* Even if I caught him sneaking out to do his little "hobbies" from time to time.

Sothis (Popping behind Jaune): Sounds familiar?

Jaune tilts his head back a little bit to see Sothis' smug face looking down at him, he rolls his eyes as he turns his attention back to the painting.

Jaune: Yeah, it does… I'm no different than him, I'm also struggling with expectations & the fear of letting people down… Guess I did that second part pretty well, huh?

Byleth smiles as she puts her hand on top of Jaune's head, ruffling his hair a little bit.

Byleth: Yeah, you sure caused a mess a few days ago. But there's still time to set things right, ya'know? It doesn't have to be right now; you can take a little more time to think for yourself if you want to. But when you finally set up, we'll be there for you.

Jaune widens his eyes as he looks at Byleth, who's giving him a reassuring smile.

Jaune: You really mean that? Oof-!

Jaune then suddenly feels Ruby's arms wrapping around his neck from behind.

Ruby: Of course we do, Ano Baka! We're friends now, aren't we?

Due to being hugged by a cute girl, Jaune can't help but blush sheepishly a little bit. But he does grow a faint, yet soft smile on his face from their reassurance.

Byleth: I know I can't convince you to change right away, the rest is up to you now… But try to at least take what we said to consideration, alright?

Jaune takes a deep breath before giving the girls a reassuring nod, that's when Ruby stops hugging the young Arc as does Byleth from ruffling his hair. They both get back up to their feet & get ready to leave.

Byleth: Well, I think I had enough for today. Thanks again for inviting me to do this, Ruby. I'll see you kids tomorrow at Forever Fall.

Ruby waves off to the Eisner Sisters as they're going back to Beacon Academy to get some sleep in their quarters, Jaune also gets back up to his feet & dusts himself off a little bit due to sitting down for too long. As well as being confused to what Byleth meant from that last bit, he wasn't aware that they'd go to Forever Fall Forest for whatever reason.

Ruby: No problem, goodnight Prof. Eisner! You too Sothis!

Jaune: Wait- *Looks at Ruby* We're going to Forever Fall tomorrow? Why?

Ruby: *Shrugs* I don't know. Nurse Peach wants us to find some "sap" that can only be found at Forever Fall Forest, although she didn't explain her reasons as to why she wants those saps… My guess is for new medicines or whatever else she can make with them.

Jaune: Yeah, probably. Let's just hope that there aren't too many Grimm there, Saps are something that those guys love to get their hands on.

Ruby can't help but groan in slight anger at the mention of Grimm, she sighs & shakes her head while looking down.

Ruby: Believe me, I'm well aware of what those abominations can do!... *Takes a deep breath* Anyways, I'll be heading back to my quarters. Goodnight Jaune.

Ruby leaves Jaune as they wave off to one another, just in time for Cardin to MSG him again… His expression changes from worry after he read Cardin's message.

Cut back to the Eisner Sisters in their quarters, already changing into their pajamas. But as Sothis sits on the bed, she starts to feel another headache. It is yet another vision, but now it's clearer than the previous 2 times that have occurred.

She sees Byleth surrounded by a few male students, they kinda look like Team CRDL. They were having some sort of argument until Byleth suddenly felt something hit the back of her neck, making her lose consciousness. Sothis snaps back to reality while feeling a slight headache from what she just saw, with Byleth going to check on her.

Sothis: Argh! Not this again!...

Byleth: Sothis! What's wrong? Is it another one of those "headaches"?

Sothis nods as she slowly rubs her head, still feeling kinda dizzy after her vision.

Sothis: These accursed headaches are starting to get on my nerves, where the hell are they coming from anyways?!...

Byleth sits next to Sothis & pulls her close, wrapping her arms around her Little Sister.

Byleth: Hey, it's okay!... It's okay Sothis, I'm here… We're gonna find a way through this, alright?

Sothis just sighs while blushing, "why must Byleth's hugs feel this good?" she thought to herself. She sinks a bit into her Big Sis' embrace as her headache goes away.

Sothis: I just- I don't know… I'm seeing all of these- things, yet none of them make sense or give me anything to work with!... It kinda feels like I'm hallucinating or something…

Byleth continues to comfort Sothis, mainly running her hand through Sothis' hair. That's surprisingly helpful since it helps Sothis calm down whenever something happens, that's when Byleth gets an idea.

Byleth: I know! How about you go to Nurse Peach to figure things out? She is a nurse, so why not stop by the infirmary first thing tomorrow after breakfast?

As her headache fades away, Sothis steps away from Byleth for a moment to look at her in the eyes with a curious, yet worried expression on her face.

Sothis: Peach? But- don't we have an assignment tomorrow? What if I'm late or if I'm not able to come too?

Byleth has a soft smile on her face as she reassures Sothis by giving her headpats.

Byleth: Come on, you're seriously worried about that? You have a body of your own now, Sothis. You need to start taking better care of yourself now that you're just like the rest of us, a missed assignment isn't going to kill you… Well, at least not in the same way you're "killing" yourself by stuffing your stomach with high amounts of sweets.

Sothis puffs her cheeks & pouts while playfully punching Byleth in her arms.

Byleth: If Glynda or the others mentioned it, I'll just say that you needed a check-up on the infirmary… &~ If you're well behaved, I'll bring you an extra jar of Red Sap.

Sothis widens her eyes at the idea of getting a taste of Forever Fall's juicy & delicious Red Sap, she recently learned from Ren that Red Sap is an incredibly sweet jelly that's found in Autumn based forests, like Forever Fall. She wipes the small drool in her mouth as she regains her composure.

Sothis: I swear… You're never gonna stop spoiling me, are you?

Byleth: Hmmm…. Nope! So how about it?

Sothis readjusts her hair before replying, sleeping with a hair this long is such a hassle.

Sothis: I suppose Nurse Peach can give me the answers I need.

Byleth smiles as she lays the both of them down the bed, she pulls the covers up to her shoulders once they get all comfortable.

Byleth: Good girl. Now let's get some rest, okay?

Sothis: *Huffs* I swear you weren't this cheerful & extroverted back at Fódlan… Did you hit your head or something on your way here?

Byleth: No, it's not that. I guess being a teacher & helping kids makes me… Really happy for some reason, I like being around The Golden Deer & The Garnet Papillons… With that said, however… I haven't forgotten why we're here in the first place, we're here for Ruby & this Salem figure… I know Ozpin knows who she is & where she is, I'm know it!...

Sothis: Yeah, me too… Do you think there are more who might know of her existence? Like the other rulers of the other nations?

Byleth takes that into consideration & begins thinking about it, that possibility never crossed her mind until Sothis pointed it out. Ozpin might not be the only one who knows of this, maybe the other members of the R.U.N. know of this? Like Head Duke Lionheart of the Dukedom of Mistral, General James Ironwood of The Atlesian Empire or Alliance Leader Theodore from The Vacuan Alliance, they could very well know about Salem, who she is & where she is at the moment.

Byleth: To be honest, I wouldn't rule out that possibility at this point. But we can try & figure things out some other time, let's get some rest.

Sothis: Alright, Goodnight.

Byleth: Goodnight.

The Eisner Sisters slowly drift off to sleep, completely & oblivious to what's going on in the shadows, mainly with Ozpin who's keeping tabs at both the sisters & The Garnet Papillons. He didn't have the microphone of the cameras on, so he didn't hear the Sisters' conversation, but he can tell that they're talking about something extremely important.

Speaking of Ozpin, he's getting a call from 2 of the Venatores: Qrow & Khloud; he puts his scroll on Voice Chat mode & begins talking to them.

Ozpin: Ah; Qrow, Khloud. It's good to hear from you guys again, have you gotten any updates about the enemy?

Khloud: [Somewhat, while we don't know the actual members outside of Roman & the Phantom Pumpkins, we know that they're working for someone. We don't know their true name, but they go by "The Fall Empress". They're supposably really powerful.]

Ozpin: *Raises an eyebrow* "Fall Empress"? Could they perhaps be connected to Fall's attacker? The one you 2 faced off back at early February?

Qrow: [I wouldn't pass that possibility up, but we can't confirm this theory just yet. Have you found a possible successor? I don't think Peach can keep Fall alive for much longer.]

Ozpin takes a sip of coffee before replying to Qrow's question with a smile on his face.

Ozpin: I do have a few people in mind, but I need more time for a definitive answer. We only have one shot at this, we cannot fail.

As Ozpin is speaking of Fall's successor, Khloud slightly growls in quiet anger. He's been at Ozpin's side for 20 years now, ever since he gave him a new purpose; but he doesn't fully agree or condone his way of doing things. Especially forcing young kids to bear such burdens that they never asked for; becoming a Huntsman is one thing, but becoming something more for Oz? Unfortunately, Khloud can only bite his tongue for the moment; but Ozpin didn't let that slight growl from his adopted Son pass through his ears.

Ozpin: Khloud, I understand your resentment towards this… But given our situation, we are left with little alternatives.

Khloud: [I'm very much aware of that, I just wish it didn't come at the cost of making someone's life a living nightmare… None of them deserve to bear this burden…]

Ozpin takes a deep breath, knowing that Khloud was correct. He says that he's giving the successors a "choice", but even knows that it's a lie. What he's giving them isn't a choice, it's an ultimatum; either they agree to his terms or the world may get closer to another era of pure chaos like the many wars throughout Remnant's history. Those children are just that- children! They shouldn't be burdened with such responsibilities when they're still figuring out their place in the world, but there's little they can do at this day & age.

Ozpin: [I know… If there were any better alternatives, I would've taken them without a second thought. You both know that, right?]

Qrow: [Yeah, we know… But even so, we're still going to keep fighting… No matter what! Oh- by the way, how are my Nieces doing over there?]

As Qrow changed topics, Ozpin's demeanor changed back to his usual, cheerful mentor persona as he takes another sip of his coffee with a smile on his face.

Ozpin: You & Mr. Xiao-Long raised those girls well, that's for certain… However, I must also give some of the credit for Ms. Rose's growth to you as well, Khloud. How long has it been since you last saw her in person? 3 Years?

Khloud: *Nods* [That is correct, although it concerns me that you let her enroll at a Huntsmen Academy earlier than she should. She's not ready, Father… Not yet, anyways.]

Ozpin: Believe me, I understand your concerns. But things are going well so far, even more so thanks to Ms. Eisner's help.

Khloud: ["Eisner"? You mean that woman who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, yet you let her become a Professor at your school? First you let that power-hungry Atlesian bastard join our personal ranks, now this?! You should've at least have consulted the other Venatores before coming to such a radical decision.]

Qrow: [Come on "Kai", you're worrying a little too much. I'm sure this Byleth chick is actually someone we can get along with pretty well, she doesn't seem like the type of person who'd stab us in the back for petty reasons from what we know of her so far.]

Despite being a voice call & not a video call, both Qrow & Ozpin could feel from Khloud's upcoming tone of voice that he was very embarrassed being called by that nickname.

Khloud: [I told you to stop calling me that, damnit!] *Sighs* [Look, as long as she's in good hands, I can continue my work without any issues. I must be going now; the sun is already rising on my end. I'll call you back if I have anything to report, over & out.]

Khloud ends his transmission without another word, he's never been one who was good in saying goodbyes or anything of the sort.

Qrow: [Even in his late 20s, he's still a kid at heart… But he's a good kid, that's for sure. That being said, he makes a good point on how you make such big decisions on the fly like that. Talk to us before doing something like that again, alright?]

Ozpin softly smiles before replying to Qrow.

Ozpin: I will, take care Qrow. Stay safe out there & don't let your guard down.

Qrow: [Understood, Your Majesty.]

The voice chat ends as Ozpin turns off his scroll & gets off of his chair, ready to go to bed after such a long day. Until he suddenly started "talking to himself" a little bit.

Ozpin: What, do you believe things are getting too quiet as of late?

A brief moment silence later.

Ozpin: *Huffs* I swear, you were always too good at seeing the future without actually having future sight… I wonder if it's a demi-god thing?

Ozpin just shrugs it off as he starts to turn off the lights & exit his office, ready to have a nice, well-needed rest. While he doesn't know what fate will bring them all, he has faith that as long as things keep going at a steady pace, it'll all work out eventually.

Cut to the following day at Oobleck's offices, where he invited Byleth to come over to his quarters to have a chat. She thought that it'd go like her recent encounter with Glynda, but she was wrong. They were actually chatting & getting to know each other while playing a game of chess. Oobleck wanted to test Byleth's skill in tactics in a simple game of chess to see if she can compete with his own tactical genius & lo & behold, she can! Despite being a very close match, Byleth was eventually able to get Oobleck on the ultimate checkmate by being able to corner his King with her knight, a bishop & a tower. Oobleck sighs with a smile, admitting defeat.

Oobleck: Looks like you got me on checkmate, nicely done Ms. Eisner. Tell me, for how long have you been doing tactics?

Byleth: Since my pre-teens, especially whenever my Father hired some extra man power to get the job done. But to be honest, I never understood why I was so good at this. I never got any form of education outside of swordsmanship from my Father, so I simply saw that as a natural talent of mine.

Oobleck then starts putting the chess pieces back into the box to set them aside & put it back to where it belongs, they've played chess for over 2 hours at that point.

Oobleck: That's a likely possibility, yes. I must thank you again for taking your time for me, it's not easy taking it easy as a teacher.

Byleth just chuckles before rolling her eyes.

Byleth: Contrary to popular belief, teachers have lives outside of school too. & It's no problem at all, Doctor. Spending time with people who are in pursuit of knowledge like you makes me feel a little nostalgic, I had a fellow teacher like that in the past.

Oobleck: Oh, I see. That certainly explains a lot of things, mainly about how you're rather open for discussion for the most part… At least, from what I've seen at the moment.

Byleth: Guess it must be me being around kids that aren't much younger than me to feel that way, I never cared about history or my past before I started teaching… Then again, my Father was never one to tell me things in explicit detail. He never liked the Huntsmen system, seeing as a way to "teach children to become child soldiers & murderers".

Oobleck: Well, I can't say that I don't understand that way of viewing things.

Oobleck takes another sip of his coffee, which is now his 10th one this hour alone. Unlike Ozpin, Oobleck's coffee is very high in caffeine & in-turn, makes him rather… energized. Byleth thinks to herself how each Professor is crazy in some fashion; Port is crazy in telling fantasy stories of his past & wrestling Grimm, Oobleck is crazy in high caffeine & history, Glynda is a rather quiet & subtle kinda crazy, but she's not off the chart herself & Peach is crazy over plant-life. Needless to say, she felt right at home with these people given how the Knights of Seiros & Teachers of Fódlan were pretty crazy in their own way too.

Oobleck: Anyways, are there any more of those cursed weapons like the sword you have there? Cause if they're as dangerous as you say it is to normal people, we should be very wary of them. I've never encountered a "Demon" as you put it in all of my life as a scholar, but you don't seem like the type of person who'd make this kind of things up.

Byleth takes out The Sword of the Creator & let's Oobleck take a closer look at it, while also making sure he doesn't touch it.

Byleth: I don't know, this one is the only one among these Cursed Weapons that I'm aware of… That being said, I wouldn't rule out that possibility; due to how this sword was forged over 1000 years ago. That was during The Holy War, correct?

Oobleck: *Nods* That is correct, The Holy War is still to this day, the largest, bloodiest & most devastating conflict that Remnant has ever faced. While there were many other wars & conflicts that came in the future, including The Great War of Remnant, none of them came as close as The Holy War in terms of casualties & destruction… The entire world became completely unrecognizable after that battle, next to nothing from 1000 years ago has been preserved or salvaged. Which is why The R.U.N. was founded after that war, along with the Nations of Remnant we know of today.

Oobleck then takes another sip of coffee before he thinks of a rather horrifying possibility.

Oobleck: Ms. Eisner, would it perhaps be possible that someone could somehow create a weapon like The Sword of the Creator? With the advances of technology that we've made for the last few years, would it be possible to create a cursed weapon like yours?

At first, Byleth wanted to say no; given how The Sword of the Creator is a weapon from Fódlan & Remnant doesn't have any technology or magic required to create a Hero's Relic, especially one on par with her own… But then she begins thinking, that Doctor guy Ruby told her about when they were alone after The Mock Battle last month, she says that she's looking for him. Byleth herself doesn't know all about Remnant, she thinks that there is no magical being in this world other than this Salem person. But what if there are? What if there is legit magic in Remnant outside of Salem & if so, who or where could she find that source? As for the technology, that might be possible. Byleth doesn't know the full extent of Atlas' technology, so she's unaware of what it can truly do. Byleth takes a good, long look at The Sword of the Creator as those thoughts flow through her mind; if someone did try to take her sword, study it, find out how it was created & someone make a replica of it, or multiple replicas of it… Remnant could very well be thrown into chaos, she can't let that happen!

Byleth: For the longest time, I have never considered such a possibility. Due to hold old this sword is, I didn't think someone could find a way to create another one & succeeding it. But now that you brought it up, I can't risk that possibility becoming a reality. If someone was able to fully study this blade & succeed in creating a copy of it, I don't even want to think what would happen…

Byleth puts her sword away & gets up from her seat, ready to leave.

Byleth: Thank you for sharing that with me, Dr. Oobleck. You've given me something to think about while I'm here at Beacon.

Oobleck just chuckles as he adjusts his glasses.

Oobleck: Don't mention it, Ms. Eisner. I do hope something like this doesn't happen, if possible. If that sword really can turn people into Demons, then its best to make sure there are no weapons like that in the wrong hands.

Byleth: *Sighs* Believe me Dr., I'm well aware. Now then, if you excuse me.

Byleth bows to Oobleck before leaving his office, she begins thinking about what they've just talked about on her way to her own quarters. Could something like that really be possible? She doesn't know… & Quite frankly, she doesn't want to know! Just the thought of dealing with Demonic Beasts in Remnant makes her shiver a little bit; while she can handle them just fine, she knows for sure that none of her students & maybe even the teachers wouldn't be able to handle those Demonic Beasts due to their ridiculously tough armor & brute strength. They're quite literally stronger versions of Grimm!

But then again, The Sword of the Creator doesn't have a Crest Stone, the Crest Stone is inside of Byleth. So even if someone tried to wield her sword, there's no way they'd turn into a Demon due to a lack of Crest Stone; which is what turns Non-Crest bearers into Demonic Beasts in the first place. So The Sword of the Creator can't really turn people into Demons in the state that it's in right now… Right?... As Byleth's lost in thought, she noticed someone sitting down on the side of the hallway, it's Cardin. She stops in her tracks once she notices him, "What does this guy want with me now?" She asks herself.

Cardin: Well, well, well… Looks like standing around here doing nothing actually paid off, how are you doing "Professor"?

Byleth: Hello Mr. Winchester, can I help you with something? if you're looking for more trouble, then look elsewhere.

Cardin then gets up from his seat & confronts Byleth.

Cardin: "Trouble"? Now why would I want any trouble?

Byleth: Because you're an entitled prick who's also a racist douchebag?

This immediately got into Cardin's skin, he really wants to beat the crap out of her right now. But he keeps his cool demeanor for the moment, he can't screw up his plan.

Cardin: Why y- *Clears his throat* Excuse me back there, I just wanted to have a little chat with you. Are you busy at the moment?

Byleth thinks about Cardin's request for a moment, she's going with Professor Goodwitch & The Garnet Papillons to Forever Fall Forest in 1:30 hour from now to get some saps for Nurse Peach. Knowing Cardin, it's nothing good & it's not like he'd be stupid enough to corner her & try to beat her up knowing he couldn't do anything to her due to the great gap in power between those 2. So she decides to play along, but still on guard.

Byleth: Fine, but let's make this quick. We're leaving to Forever Fall Forest in 1:30 hour & I don't want Glynda chastising me to be late, so what do you want to talk about?

Cardin: Just wanted to get to know you better, you're not exactly from around here. I've never seen someone like you in Vale, it's like you suddenly just- appeared!

Byleth: Well, I can see why someone would think that… I was born in Anima, but I lived a very secluded lifestyle. I didn't even know the basics of Aura or what Semblances were before I came to Beacon Academy, my Father only taught me swordsmanship.

Cardin: I see… That's truly a very weird scenario, given how powerful you are… Especially with that sword of yours… You're the only one who can use it, correct?

Byleth instinctively held onto the sword's handle, not liking where this is going.

Byleth: Correct & I won't let anyone lay so much as a finger on it, so hands off!

Cardin simply puts his hands up in surrender, all the while making sure his teammates are out of Byleth's sight until the right moment.

Cardin: Hey now, there's no need to fret. I mean no harm, honest! I'm just curious why you're carrying such a dangerous weapon around, doesn't it turn people into Demons?

Byleth widens her eyes for a moment, how the hell does he know that? she doesn't recall telling anyone other than the other teachers & her own class about her sword being cursed. (Even though what she told them wasn't the real truth behind it) So how come Cardin knows of it? It's not like one of her own students would tell him that… Hold on-!

Byleth: You made Jaune told you about stuff he should talk to you about, didn't you?!

Cardin tries to play it off, acting a little innocent.

Cardin: Jaune? Now why would I do that to him? He's my friend, a close one in-fact.

Byleth: No, he's not! I know he wouldn't hang around you willingly, what have you done to him?! & Moreover, why hasn't he come to my class as often?!

Cardin just smirks as he puts his hands on his pockets.

Cardin: Hey now, don't wanna lose your cool just yet… From what I've gathered, you're not suppose to be this emotional… In fact, you should be the complete opposite.

This catches Byleth off guard for a moment, she raises an eyebrow while still standing her ground against Cardin.

Cardin: Although, you're right about one thing… I did ask Jaune to tell me what he knows about you & I've learned quite a bit about you… But it still wasn't enough for me!

Byleth: Cardin, where are you going with this?

Cardin just gives Byleth a sickening grin before replying.

Cardin: Oh, don't worry… I'll get my point across soon enough; I know you're a very busy woman… But first, how about we go somewhere more~… "Private"?

Byleth wonders what Cardin meant by that, she knows that he means that he wants to continue this somewhere else since the hallways of a school isn't really known for being a very good "private" spot… But where does he want to continue this madness?

Byleth: "Somewhere more private"? What's your game, Card- urgh!...

Byleth doesn't have time to make a reply as she feels something prick her by the back of her neck, she reaches to grab whatever hit her with her free hand, only to suddenly start feeling a little dizzy & very tired.

Byleth: What the- why do I-… I feel so-… argh…

Byleth falls to her knees as she holds her head in pain, all the while the other members of Team CRDL surround her; with Russel in particular carrying a pistol of sorts, along with a dart that's filled with a drug. Damnit, she can't believe she didn't see this coming a mile away! How could she fall for such a cowardly tactic & ridiculous trap like that?! Sothis isn't even here, yet she can almost feel her scolding Byleth for being careless yet again through her sub-conscious. Byleth weakly looks at Cardin, who's towering over her.

Cardin: Time to go back to sleep, "Professor"!

Cardin smirks before landing a powerful kick to Byleth's face, knocking her out cold in a single shot. Whatever that drug Russel shot at her, it must've greatly weakened her Aura to the point of both feeling that kick & having the dart's needle go through her skin.

Cut to a dark room in one of the basement floors of Beacon, most likely a small janitor storage room given the many brooms & cleaning supplies that are placed around the room. Byleth is tied up to a chair, her hands tied behind her back with a pair of Anti-Aura Handcuffs. Anti-Aura Handcuffs are made of an ore that weakens the user's Aura when making contact with it, this ore can be found very deep underground, alongside the rarer types of Dust, like Gravity Dust. However, the ore itself is very difficult to forge objects off; even Atlesian Technology has trouble making good items with this ore. That's why they mostly use them for handcuffs or any other objects Atlas would most certainly use.

Byleth starts to groan as she slowly starts to wake up, still feeling a little dizzy from the drug. But she can somewhat hear someone's voice talking to her.

Cardin: Wakey-wakey, sleeping bitch!

Cardin smacks Byleth in the face, leaving a good mark on her left cheek. This was enough to wake her up & in a very bad mood at that, she viciously glares at Team CRDL as she struggles to break free of these bindings.

Cardin: Well, you've been sleeping for quite some time. It's already been more than an hour since you hit the hay, so how was your little beauty sleep?

Byleth: Cardin… I'm only telling this you once… Let. Me. Go!...

Cardin: Or else what? It's not like you can do anything, not while you have those new toys we placed in your wrists.

Byleth tilts her head backwards to see that she's handcuffed with these very thick & very dense handcuffs, almost like they were fully made of iron or something; that's when Russel comes over to explain what he did to her.

Russel: Don't bother, those handcuffs are made of "Anti-Aura Iron". They're the hardest & most durable ore on the planet, no living being on Remnant can break it. With enough of that baby, it can weaken the user's Aura enough to make them useless!

Byleth looks back at Russel before replying with a slight venom in her voice.

Byleth: How did a student of Beacon Academy get their hands on something like this?!

Russel: Let's just say that my family has a few special contacts back at Atlas, that's also how I got the illegal drug I shot you earlier.

Byleth simply groans at that statement, she hasn't even stepped foot into that land & she already hates Atlas like she hates TWSITD; which is saying something. She also takes notice that her ankles & torso are tied up to the chair as well, with what appears to be very tight black ropes. These are not normal ropes that you'd usually find back at Fódlan, that's for sure. They weren't kidding when they said that these handcuffs take a toll on her, Byleth never felt this physically weak before in her life. That's when Byleth realizes that her sword is no longer with her, she suddenly starts panicking.

Byleth: Wait, where's my sword?!

Sky: Your sword? Well, it's right over here, Teach.

The guy with the shoulder length blue hair: Sky Lark points at where they're keeping her sword, it's contained in a large wooden box carried by Dove Bronzewing, a boy with short brown hair. Byleth freaks out when she sees that her sword is in someone else's hands.

Byleth: YOU IDIOTS! You can't use The Sword of the Creator! nobody but me can truly wield that blade! If anyone else tried to use it, it'd only be a matter a time before they'd become a Demonic Beast!

Dove: A demon? Hah, no way! As if we'd believe such a childish fantasy like that.

Byleth growls in annoyance, of course they wouldn't take her warning seriously! Byleth keeps struggling as Cardin steps forward once again.

Cardin: Now then, let's continue from where we left off… Like I was saying, I didn't feel like I got quite enough of you. We even tried looking through your history if we could find anything, but we got nothing… It was almost as if you suddenly came out of thin air. We didn't find any previous occupations, no previous affiliations with any of the nations or even traveling Huntsmen around the world, no birth documents, no criminal records, nothing! We couldn't even find that supposed "Church" you were supposably working on for about a year… It's almost as if you made up that story for some random reason.

Byleth: Why?...

Cardin drops his cocky demeanor for a moment to hear Byleth out.

Byleth: Why in the gods are you doing this? It's clear that you just want to get back at me for teaching you a lesson a few days ago, but why go this far?!... Why would you go to such ridiculous lengths to get back at one person who wronged you? Do you want to become a cold-blooded murderer or something?!...

Cardin: *Smirks* A "murderer"? Now what fun would it be if I just killed people when I can put them in their place? I just don't like when dumbasses put themselves at higher pedestals than others, High members of Society, Nobles, Celebrities & those disgusting Sub-humans are prime examples of those kinds of people. They think that they can have all of that power to themselves, thinking that they'll have it forever… Oh, but how wrong they are… It only makes us hungrier; it only makes us want more!...

To her surprise, Byleth is actually paying attention to what Cardin's telling her. She can kinda tell from his monologue that Cardin must've been one who wasn't born lucky… Or more specifically, someone who was lucky enough to be born. She's reminded of Miklan José Gauiter of House Gautier from The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, who became a leader of a gang of thieves after he was disowned by his family for not having The Crest of Gautier, like his Younger Brother & successor, Sylvain from the Blue Lion's House led by Prince Dimitri. That kind of lifestyle can definitely screw someone over; it's certainly not a justification for their following actions in life, but it is a reason. As Cardin continues talking to Byleth, he's reaching for something from his bag.

Cardin: So instead, I decided to take a quick look around on your quarters while you & your short brat of a Sister were gone. I didn't feel like simply putting you here in this situation would be a good enough reminder of who you've messed with, so I wanted to see if I can find anything that might hit you on a psychological level. But I've looked all over your room & couldn't find anything of use, no use to me at least… *Smirks* That is until I eventually got my hands on this!

Cardin then takes out something from his bag, it appears to be a small brown book with a golden lock. Byleth widens her eyes & gets horrified at what's in Cardin's hands, Jeralt's Diary! Which is now her own Diary, since she started writing important notes on it as well with the blank pages she had. This is bad, if Cardin were to read it- No! If Ozpin, the other Professors of Beacon & The Garnet Papillons learned what's written on that Diary, Byleth's life in Remnant could very well come to an end. But before she's about to make a comment, Cardin places a finger on her mouth to shut her up.

Cardin: Now, now… Don't need to fret, Professor… None of us have read what's written on your little journal… Well, not yet anyways… If I'm being honest, I could give 2 shits on what's written in this old mess of papers. Whatever history you may have doesn't really interest me, but maybe your little bugs would… There might've been some dark secrets in this journal, maybe you were an assassin, a revered monster in human-form, maybe even a dangerous criminal the world wants dead. Oh, the possibilities of what could be in this small little thing are endless!

Byleth widens her eyes even more at the thought, something Cardin takes pleasure in.

Cardin: Oh yeah, we're finally getting somewhere! You're really afraid of your little brats & the higher ups learning of what's written here, aren't ya?! Consider this a lesson of what happens to those who screw with people who are "below you", because you can never tell what they can really do… Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

Cardin suddenly starts laughing like crazy, almost like a deranged psychopath. Byleth has never felt this angry since she confronted Kronya at The Sealed Forest back at January. She wants nothing more than to break free of these restrains to beat the ever-loving crap out of Cardin in ways he can't even imagine, but these handcuffs are too damn strong.

Byleth: You son of a- You're gonna be in so much trouble once I get out of t- OOF!

Byleth can't finish her sentence due to Cardin suddenly punching Byleth square in the jaw, he follows up by a few more punches at the restrained Ashen Demon.

Cardin: Hah! You didn't hear a word I said, did you?! Let me spell it out to you in a way you can understand a little better, YOU. CAN'T. DO. SHIT!

Cardin smashes his fist in Byleth's torso, making her cough off some blood in the process.

Cardin: You're not going anywhere, not before I come back from Forever Fall Forest, I still have some unfinished business with some of your brats!... Don't worry, we'll make sure that we're gonna "play nice." Now you be a good girl & wait right here, I'm still not finished with you just yet… So don't go anywhere, oh wait- you can't! Hahahahahahah!

All Byleth can do is hang her head low while hearing Cardin's laughter, she's never felt this helpless before. Even if she wanted to use her magic right then & there, she can't! She's too weakened & you can't cast magic if you're too weak. Before they leave, Cardin makes sure to keep Byleth's mouth shut by shoving a small apple on her mouth & tying it around with a tight sash to keep her from screaming for help.

Byleth: (Goddamnit! I can't believe I let this happen, how could I have been so foolish?! I can't do anything because of these handcuffs & the drugs these guys injected in me; no Dragonscale, no Aura Burst, I can't even use my Magic!... Heavens above, please have mercy on these 4 & don't transform them into Demons… & Sothis, please be okay!)

Team CRDL leaves the bloodied & beaten up Byleth in her little "holding cell" as they prepare to head off to Forever Fall forest, ready for phase 2 of their little plan. Even more so with Cardin receiving a text message from Jaune, saying that he now has what Cardin asked him to get last night. Cardin grins at reading the message, this is gonna be good! After having everything set & ready to go, Team CRDL heads back to the elevator.

Ruby, Byleth & Sothis were able to have a heart to heart with Jaune, with very high hopes that he'll set things right before it's too late. Unfortunately for Byleth, she's now stuck in a situation she can't get out of & it seems that nobody can help her. Will Byleth get out of these restrains in time? Will Sothis be able to discover the reasons behind her mild headaches? What are Cardin's plans for Jaune, Pyrrha & Blake at Forever Fall Forest? Find out next time on RWBY: The Verdant Star of Remnant!

RWBY: The Verdant Star of Remnant - Chapter 12: Setting the Stage - End

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Author's Notes: When i said this chapter was 27 pages long, i wasn't kidding. It kept GOING & GOING until i suddenly realized that i was almost 30 pages in, so instead of making you guys wait EVEN LONGER, i decided at the last minute to make this arc a 3 chapter arc... I know, it sucks, it's bullshit & i hate it too... But hey, like i said before, sometimes things don't go as planned.

Now as you guys can properly tell by the fact that Cardin has The Sword of the Creator now, that means he may transform in to a Demon in the next chapter. But in the chapter, i wrote how would that be possible if The Crest Stone isn't IN the sword like the other Hero's Relics... Well, you'll see next chapter.

Now i know alot of you are wondering how come Glynda STILL doesn't fully trust Byleth... To that i ask, why would/should someone like Glynda trust someone like Byleth in a short amount of time under these circustances?! Think about it, she LITERALLY appeared out of thin air, doesn't know ANYTHING about Remnant AT ALL, but is also SUPER STRONG & has a weapon that turns people into Demons... Yeah, i don't blame Glynda for still having trust issues with Byleth... AT ALL! That said, i wanna make something clear, she DOESN'T think Byleth is evil or has any MALICIOUS intentions, especially now. She knows that she's good with kids & can do her job well, also she's not a bad person at heart (Even though her heart doesn't beat), However, Glynda DOES think she's very dangerous... & To be fair, she is! Someone like Byleth being put in a world like Remnant would be EXTREMELY dangerous to both herself & those around her. So no, Glynda doesn't HATE Byleth, she doesn't think she's evil or ANY of that crap. She just can't fully trust her yet & you can't really blame her for doing so given the context at hand.

Also for those who read Aqua's Mission by Tpoynt might be familiar with how similar these recent chains of events are, mainly with Cardin... I was actually planning on having Cardin taking Byleth hostage & become a Demon for a while now, just didn't know how to do it. But Tpoynt gave me a hand & we managed to figure something out, so thanks man... Also, it makes more sense for BYLETH to get drugged & kidnapped rather than Aqua, just Saiyan... Anyways, that's all the time i have for now, thank you once again for your pantience, sorry once again for not keeping my word, but i hope this made the wait worth it. This has been Remnant Bardock & until our next meeting, have a WONDERFUL DAY, my friends!