Huh, so this is another long chapter, I'm beginning to think I have a problem honestly lol

I didn't feel like leaving off without another chapter, especially with the cliffhangers I dropped throughout last chapter. I'm actually not too sure how I want this half of the King's War arc to play out, but as the chapters continue and I get closer to the next arc, I'm slowly starting to figure out how I want things to proceed.

If you haven't noticed, there have been many serious retcons going on throughout the story. This fic is four years in the making with an entire year, almost two, without any updates. I'm gonna be honest with y'all, I forgot how I was going to end this story. I forgot most arcs I had planned and worse yet, I really forgot how I was going to proceed after killing off Cinder. Deadass. I had this planned for several arcs ahead, but in that time of zero updates, I really dropped fanfiction entirely to work on my books and getting published, so everything that's coming about is kinda just me trying to piece together the story I had planned originally. Though, some things aren't going to go as originally planned, so uh, I apologize ahead of time if things don't pan out as expected.

Oops.

ANYWAY

Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY

Chapter 41: Cradle Your Fear

"N-Not your first time?" Their heads turned to him, "H-How many times have you gone back?"

"Forty-nine times…this is my fiftieth life," Jaune lowered his head.

"So, you've done this fight…forty-nine times already?" Blake's question was slow. Her mind barely able to comprehend what he'd just said.

"Yes," Jaune looked to them, tears still streaming down his cheeks, "but after forty-nine times…this is the first time I've ever succeeded in killing Cinder."

"B-But you're so skilled!" Ruby cried, "Y-You're so good at fighting and smart!"

"I wasn't always like this," Jaune began, "the furthest I can remember…is my nineteenth life. Pyrrha still died at Beacon Tower. We made it to Mistral after the teams split up. Weiss, you were practically kidnapped by your dad, but escaped and were captured by your mom; Yang, you still lost an arm. You got that robotic arm and went to look for us and Ruby and somehow ran into Weiss when you encountered your mom; the main difference with that timeline, however…Blake and I died at Haven in the fight with Cinder and her allies. In that timeline, Yang, your mom was the Spring Maiden. I don't know about this timeline, but she was good."

"However, I wasn't. I swing for Cinder's head when Ruby activated her Silver Eyes, but I missed," Jaune said, his voice growing distant, "as I fell over, she made a spear with a similar style as Milo and gutted me before I could even recover. After that, everything went white, and I woke up at my house in Vacuo."

"Vacuo?" Weiss raised a brow, "I thought you were from Vale?"

"No," Jaune said, "apparently, among the many things that have changed over time, that was one of them. I was still descended from the King of Vale, but for some reason, my family fled the Kingdom to live in Vacuo. That's where my original is from. There's a reason my sisters in this timeline, went to Shade, instead of Beacon. Speaking of sisters; the sisters you know, are not the same ones I started with. Rosemary, was named something else; Rosé, was named Saffron and she lived in Argus, with her wife, Terra Cotta and their son Adrian. Nineteen lives were spent where they existed. Then one day, after I am killed in Mistral, again, I wake up in a new house, surrounded by my sisters, but while their faces were the same; their names were different. It wasn't until fifteen lives ago, where Marie existed…and in turn, Margaux and Aurore existed."

"Ren…" Yang massaged her temples, "that coffee you offered a while ago…I think we could use some. Oh, and whip out the liquor – we're gonna need it. Jaune…you may continue."

"I…" taking a deep breath, he faced them, "I have watched each Pyrrha die in every single life I've lived. I've heard her ask me if I believed in Destiny, fifty times. I've had to watch helplessly, no matter how strong I'd become, no matter how much I prepared ahead of time, no matter what I did; I couldn't stop Pyrrha from being killed by Cinder Fall…until now. I know I've pretty much been the worst significant other and an even worse friend to all of you…I have no excuses for how I've felt, but I…I don't know what to do anymore."

Rising from his seat, he wiped the tears, but they just kept falling, "every time, I tried to stop Pyrrha from becoming the Fall Maiden. Every time, I tried to fix the mistakes of every previous life. Every time, I failed and failed and failed, over and over again, until this life happened. Do any of you know why I love you so much? I've lived so many lives, and I always end up with one of you. I've lived so many lives, dedicating each one to ensuring I don't lose you. Every time, I failed."

"But, Jaune…" Weiss said, holding Yang's hand, "we didn't lose. You said it yourself, you didn't kill Cinder until now. That must mean something right?"

"That's the thing, Weiss," Jaune sat back down, holding his head in his hands, "Pyrrha still became the Fall Maiden. I did everything I could to ensure that didn't happen; I nearly died, trying to bring the Maiden powers back to Amber, but in the end, it didn't matter what I did. Amber's body gave up and Pyrrha was the last person she could think of in her pain. I don't know what that means, or why it keeps happening, but it always comes to one outcome, every single time; Pyrrha will die."

"We are not letting that happen this time," Blake gasped. Turning to Pyrrha, the Invincible Girl was already sobbing, "Jaune, is there a way to stop it?"

"I don't know!" he slammed his hands into the table, "I never made it this far! I never knew what it would be like to finally kill Cinder, but here I am; I did it and what do I have to show for it?! This is the first time I've lived a life after the Vytal Festival Tournament. This is the first time that I'm going to attend Beacon for my second year. I don't know what to do. I have no answers, I have no miraculous plans. There is no future-past to reference. Most of the things in this lifetime, I've had to guess about, because so much is different from before."

"The reasons why I wanted Neopolitan as a member of Team KRWN, was because in several lifetimes, Ruby," Jaune paused, "she is who kills you. In Atlas, in Haven, in Vacuo – every time, she comes after you and murders you and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Until now."

"W-Why would she come after me?" the Rose raised a brow.

"In every life, Cinder Fall enacts the Fall of Beacon. Before the Fall of Beacon, after the Ball, you are given a mission to go into Mountain Glenn to find the whereabouts of the White Fang presence in the Kingdom," Jaune noticed the gears in Blake's mind turning, "General Ironwood always arrives in Vale with a fleet of airships; always does something to screw everything up. Every time, he has Amber in a pod to resuscitate her."

"Thanks, Ren," Yang murmured as she poured herself a glass, "you really know the good stuff. One hundred percent Blue Agave. Delicious."

"Alright," Weiss said, cringing as she downed her shot, "continue."

Blake blinked slowly, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. No one seemed to notice her expression, but Jaune and Ren did. The two of them shared a glance; Blake truly was the one who really paid any sort of attention among them. Despite Ruby's new wisdom and ability to see options, she wasn't catching on just yet. The rest were too busy filling their shot glasses, hoping that maybe, the alcohol will make the night run smoother. But, as Yang and Nora's burps received a scolding from both Pyrrha and Weiss, they continued to drink as if the liquor would disappear.

"Wait," Blake suddenly said, putting her palms against the tabletop, "I hope no one here is doubting how you feel…I think we've gotten past that already…I just have to ask; in every life, every time…how did you still have the will to keep trying?"

"I didn't have any other choice," Jaune said, "from every memory I've had before, the eight of us may have been close, but we were never close, never this close. We were never team RRAYNNBW, we were always RWBY and JNR. We were never one group, despite how everything revolved around each and every single one of us. We never connected on this level and I guess, every time, I believed that we could become that group, that we could become that close…"

"In every life, everyone changes. Everything, small or large, is not the same as I started. The only ones who truly remain the same; are you seven. You still remain friends, you still remain a team and you still become the best First Years in Beacon. Ren and Nora, still get together-together, and Pyrrha still comes to appreciate all of us as extended family and some cases, lovers. For us, we always went one direction or another; but every timeline ended when I died and another was made with my rebirth."

"You're asking me how I still have the will to keep fighting…" Jaune's tears returned. Blake reached out, taking his hand. Yang and Weiss, despite how far they were, gave him focused nods, as did Pyrrha. No one at the table held any hate or disappointment in him; they just wanted to know, "I…I don't know how much left I have."

Yang dropped her shot glass, "what?"

"This is my fiftieth life, guys," Jaune wept, "this is the fiftieth time I've fought Salem. This is the fiftieth time I've tried and I'm afraid that I'm going to fail. Remember how Pyrrha becoming the Maiden can't be avoidable…"

"You're afraid our deaths are set in stone, no matter what you do," Blake said, nodding her head slowly.

"Yes. Pyrrha was never meant to have the Fall Maiden's power," Jaune clenched his fists, pushing his knuckles into his bloodshot eyes. Frantically wiping tears, golden antlers grew from his hairline, suddenly forcing Ren's ram horns free, "what does this mean?! What is our fate? What is our destiny?! I tried fifty times to stop this from happening! I just…I built this army to stop that; I built this Kingdom, I brought everyone together; I forged alliances, I killed…just to stop it, but it keeps happening."

"No one is killing Pyrrha," Nora said with a confident glare, "no matter what. None of us are dying. Not this time. Not this time! You said it to Weiss, I'm saying it to you; we are not backing down when the going gets tough. You helped us when we were at our weakest – we helped you in your past lives. Even if we weren't close as we are now, that doesn't mean that we don't care. You're hurting, Jaune. You're hurting so much and you just refused to say anything about it until Ren had to force it to happen."

"I…but if something happens, if something–"

"Whatever we face, we face as a team," Ruby said, with a smile, "like we have in every life before this. Jaune…everyone…this fight against Salem, this fight against the very things that wish to eradicate the world – it's a fight we shouldn't have been a part of. No. Don't go and start blaming yourself for this Jaune. If you weren't here with what you know, we couldn't have had this head start on Salem. You've done your part – let us do ours. You've cared for us, let us have some of that burden for once."

"Guys," he whimpered, "g-guys…I…I love you. I love all of you so fucking much…you don't know what it's like. You can't know what it's like…"

"Jaune…" Ruby stood up, walking around the table, "I don't know how far we've made it in life together…but if you've said that we've never really changed, then trust us to go against Fate and make sure this changes. I might not have lost my friends, but I don't intend to know what that feels like. Now, Jaune, you're a King. You're not alone. Not then, not now, not ever. I promise. I think it's an understatement to say this, but we love you too."

He didn't say a word. As the final dam was broken, he trickled out of his seat, face buried in his shaking, pale hands. Before he could hit the floor, Ruby caught him, holding him in her arms. Slowly, lowering him to the floor, Ren's hand came, resting on his shoulder. Nora came next, holding his hand. He couldn't breathe as the rest clamored over him, holding one another in tight embrace. Heads pressed together, their tears continued to fall, chests tight, shoulders shaking together as one.

"Guys," Jaune sniffled, wiping his face, "I'm sorry for keeping this from you."

"Don't apologize," Blake smiled warmly, "I of all people, have no reason to be angry at you. I'm honestly…I'm honestly relieved that this isn't the first time. It makes a lot of sense, when you think about it, honestly."

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked.

"Just think about it," Blake said, "aside from us, everything changed, even your own sisters and mother. That kind of thing is something that you'd have to learn after trial and error. Fifty times is more than enough to get an idea. I'm assuming there's a certain number of lives to live before something changes again. See, so it seems we both came to the same conclusion about the extent of your semblances. With every change, it remains for a certain amount of time, giving you enough information to work with so you can plan accordingly."

"Everything changes, right?" Blake continued, standing up, "how many times did you try to talk to Junior in your past lives?"

"Twelve times," Jaune said, "I learned about Yang going into the Club and trashing the place after Junior refused to give her information about her mom."

"S-So…" Yang said, her jaw dropping. Hands up and fingers darting left and right, "that's what you said to Junior that night! You knew I was going to go there and fuck them up!"

"Yang…"

"Oh right, mess them up!"

"Yes," Jaune chuckled, "last life, we were almost married. We have almost been married too many times to count and in each of those lives, that was your go-to story to tell whenever we gathered around a campfire in our journeys."

"So, you stole my thunder, is that it?" Yang raised a brow.

He quickly raised his hands in defense, "N-No, Yang, I would never!"

"Anyway," Blake rolled her eyes, "how many times did you actually get to talk to him?"

"Including this time?" Jaune asked, "three times. I could never get the chance to see Junior before everything would fall apart, because he'd be dead. Every life before, I could never find a good enough excuse to leave my home, be it Orléans, or in Vacuo, to come to Vale and meet him. The only time I really could would be during the Vytal Festival, but we all should know by now what that means for me. The Fall of Beacon. He is among the many thousands, millions, who die to the Grimm invasion."

"These other times, how many did you convince him to believe you," Blake asked.

"Once."

All eyes turned to him. The silence was palpable, "W-What?"

"This life is the only life I succeeded in building this King persona before the Fall of Beacon," Jaune said, "so much had changed from previous lives, that I decided I'd give it a go. Last life, was the life I received my ability to duplicate semblances and gods has it been helpful. Yes, Blake, that was how I knew about the White Fang trying to steal Dust from the docks."

He watched as her wide eyes, got even wider, "I've seen you guys fight Roman Torchwick at the docks fifty times. Each time, his force of White Fang got bigger and bigger. One of my shortest lives, was several lives ago and has remained a constant thus far; Adam Taurus showing up in force to take Dust and killing all of us before we're ready. As good as we are now, we'd curb stomp the people we were at the beginning of the year. This time around, because of how I was able to bring us together faster than any other life I've lived, I made sure that we revamped our training, as individuals, to duos, trios, quads, to the whole team. We're all so skilled now, that we don't even have to speak to one another when we fight."

"Weiss, if a Grimm burst through that door, you could work with Nora or Ren as well as you would, fighting beside Ruby, your partner," Jaune said, turning to the rest of them, "Yang, you and I could fight together as well as we would with Nora, Weiss or Ruby. Ruby, the same goes with you, with say, Ren, Blake or Pyrrha. I knew what our strengths and weaknesses were, I knew where we lacked and what fields we were perfect at. I just…I believed if we made ourselves both independent and made it so that we could compartmentalize, no one could hurt us again."

"If we were separated as individuals, we could fight our way through the situation ourselves; but if we were separated with people not our partners, then we could be able to work just as effectively," Jaune sighed, "without Pyrrha, I was the only one who didn't have a partner in every life. I was the one who fought and watched my back. It was hard working with some of you because we just never got the chance to do so, even with previous knowledge of past lives. Memory, muscle memory and skills don't matter if your minds aren't on the same wave length. That's something I've had to deal with."

"It didn't matter how good I was, or how much I knew, if you couldn't keep up and follow what I was doing," Jaune said, "that's why I pushed so hard for us to work together. Whenever we separated, that was when we fell apart. In several lives, we separate in Mantle and Atlas. General Ironwood delves too deep into his semblance and refuses to see nuance or any other course of action but his own. Yang, Ren and Ozpin's reincarnation, Oscar, and I, work together in Mantle to save as many as we can, while the rest of you and Penny work together to stall Ironwood to force him to get word to the rest of the world. With the Fall of Beacon, and the CCT Tower on campus, world communication always comes to a standstill."

"That's why you're building the CCT Tower in Menagerie," Blake nodded.

"Yes, to avoid any mistakes like that," Jaune said, groaning as his headache worsened, "this is the first time, I've actually been able to speak to your parents, Blake. This is the first time that I've succeeded in gaining the financial support to even make a CCT Tower possible. I played my cards right after fifty tries and I finally got it right. But as usual, there are things that are just so out of my control, I don't have any choice but to roll with the punches and figure something out."

"When were you ever afraid?" Ruby asked.

"Every life, after I realized past lives weren't bad dreams," Jaune paced himself, "I made sure to tell all you about me being from the future. Depending on how the friendships were, the reactions were varied. You think I'd just hide this from all of you? Hell no. I just…something was different this time around. The further I look back, the more I realize, I was in tune with past lives. This time, memories were locked away. People, places, things I've done, just simply shrouded in darkness, until…until I killed Cinder."

"She has been the Catalyst for every single thing that's happened to us," Jaune said, "I've been very open about it since all of you joined me. She was my target, more so than Salem. She was the direct leading cause to every single terrible thing that happens in every life, be it my death, or all of yours. Now that she's gone…my memories and past lives are freaking out in a way. Memoires are jumbling, people and places are merging and it's all coming back to just two lives; this one, and my last."

"My last life, was the longest I've lived," Jaune said, "and it is by far, the worst I've seen, even compared to the gods returning to Remnant to obliterate it. I can't even begin to describe it. Anima under the ocean. Solitas melted stone and under water. Vytal a floating pile of smoldering rock. Vale, a literal city-sized bonfire. All of Sanus that is green, turned to ash and smoke. Vacuo's deserts filled with so many bodies, the sands are buried by corpses and broken machines…the smell…the blood…"

Gunfire. Smoke. Blades. Jaune flinched, feeling Salem's open hand on his cheek. Flying back into a wall, he was panting, sweat pouring down his cheeks. Pyrrha sprang from her seat, throwing out a hand. Winds coalesced behind him, cushioning his back, lowering him to the floor. Dashing across the room, she slid to his side, putting a hand on his cheek. Blue eyes, flaked in red, shook in their sockets. Pyrrha cried his name, but as her hand tried to move his face, she flinched – it was freezing cold.

"Gods…" Jaune panted, "I'm so sorry…"

"Don't apologize," Pyrrha rested her forehead with his.

"Are you going to explain what just happened, or?" Nora asked with a raised brow, "I don't know if I should be intrigued or concerned."

"I'm more concerned," Weiss gulped.

"Jaune," Ruby suddenly said, "can…after we all calm down from this night…you've lived with all of us before…train us to evolve our semblances. You had to have seen us do things that we haven't done yet."

"Yeah," Jaune said, quickly sitting up. Giving Pyrrha a thankful smile, he turned to the girl, "my semblance is already evolved to its height thanks to the training I put myself through after I woke up in this timeline. I have my own theories as to why it was so easy, but that's a conversation for me, Blake and Pyrrha. I don't want to bore you. But, that is something that is definitely possible to do. Weiss, you are one of the best summoners of the Schnee family, you were even able to summon your own Monstra that spawned Grimm that followed your command. Yang, your semblance evolves to such a degree, you can do more than tank hits and double it; I've seen you at your height, deal tenfold back on an opponent after taking a literal tank shell to the chest."

"Ren, you've already progressed to the point of seeing emotions; Nora, you could call upon storms at will; Ruby, you were literally able to disassemble yourself into petals and appear in any direction at any time, as long as it was within the realm of your petals. Blake, you were able to multiply your clones with such perfection, that they were even able to speak and make physical hits on opponents, even armies. As for Pyrrha…"

"I guess…for once I'm not at the top," Pyrrha smirked, "I look forward to seeing what I can do, alongside these Maiden powers."

"Guys…" Jaune said, lowering his head, "I promise, I've told you everything I know. No more secrets."

"Well, I guess I should air something out," Yang winked, "I feel like it's nothing but heavy conversations whenever we get together, so I'm gonna switch it up a little. Me and the girls got lonely without you so we–"

"We did not!"

"Yang!"

"W-We did…"

"Pyrrha!"

"Weiss!"

"Yang!"

"Nora! Yup! Still here, guys."

"What's so wrong about it, Weiss-queen? We're literally dating each other. Nothing wrong with having some–"

"Nope! Nope! NOPE! I AM NOT LISTENING!"

"Wait! Don't stop now! I was listening!"

"Nora, no!"

"Nora, yes!"

"See, it's simple, we started a little–"

"NO! NOT LISTENING!"

"What, I might want to try something with Nebula and Dew!"

"See, she gets it!"

"Nora! Yang!"

"Please, Nora, don't do this–"

"Pyrrha, last I checked, in Menagerie with Blake and Jaune–"

"YANG!"

"Oh, that's different and you know it, Yang!"

"HA! So, you did! Cough up, Nora! You owe me some Lien!"

"Why do you people keep making bets on people's love lives?!"

"Because it's an easy way to make money!"

"If you had so much money, you wouldn't need to ask for money!"

"OH, that's a low blow even for you! With how low you went on Weiss–"

"Don't bring me into this madness!"

"Well, she does have a point."

"Oh, not you too. I thought we could trust you to stay out of this."

"Renny, I need money. Thanks, here's the four hundred Lien…"

"You can't be serious."

"She is…"

"I-I'm…I'm in love with idiots. Gods damnit…what has my life become?"

Jaune laughed, almost crying as he rolled back holding his sides. Yang stood victorious with that shit-eating grin stretched across her face while Ruby ran back and forth the room with her hands on her ears and Nora running after her to stop her. Blake and Pyrrha were shouting and begging, respectively, at Yang, as the woman simply continued to run her mouth. At the table, Ren simply shook his head with that smirk and Weiss, head in hand, poured herself a tall tumbler, meant for juice and water, with the rest of the tequila. Dark rings already beneath her eyes, Weiss brought the tumbler to her lips and started chugging, trying to drown Ruby's screams and Nora and Yang's evil cackle.

I'm not going to fail again. This is the last time I'm going to relive my life. I'll make sure of it.

Orion stood in the cold winds of Atlas, looking down at the city below. Cars packed in low highways, theaters booming with business and streets filled to the brim with untold numbers of people. Hundreds of thousands, if not tens of millions lived in the city below. Tightly packed, they were snuggled close like penguins in the wild. Fur coats and fur boots. Those with aura were fortunate, but not even aura could keep them warm in the winds of the coming blizzard. Out in the tundra wastes, he could already see Grimm moving in hordes and packs, dancing and swimming through the snow.

Above him, storm clouds rife with thunder and lightning built in the distance toward the great mountain ranges of Solitas. Hands behind his back, his aura generated a pocket of pressure that kept the cold winds and the freezing temperatures from affecting him too badly. Slow breaths, slow blinks. Amethyst eyes softened at the Airships hovering above him, going about their patrols in search of this new creature the King called Tempest and Tesla. He had not read much about these new Grimm or any of the new additions to the database since he'd returned from Vale, but to think the Grimm had almost five hundred different forms that they had not experienced yet was enough to make him feel the cold.

Calm. Blinking once more, he stood in his balcony, looking down at the city of Atlas itself. The floating rock of despotism and greed, left a sour taste in his already souring mouth. The thought of it, the sight of it, and the people who lived within those pristine condos and high-rise lofts made his stomach turn. Each of them, form the business moguls, councilmen and socialites, to their repulsive spawn, made him sick. Clenching his wrist, he gritted his teeth, frustration growing the longer he stared at the white streets and cream-colored buildings. The walls surrounding its outermost districts separated the city from the farmland that stretched twelve miles out in front of the metropolis proper.

In the night, the fields were empty of men and women who worked the fields. Their equipment in their barns and sheds, it was nothing more than an empty field. There were rumors among the other military personnel that have growing concerns about the King of Vale. Staring out at the farmlands, he had to agree with their assessment; it was the perfect staging ground for an invasion force, without having to bombard the city beforehand. The King could drop hordes of infantry, tank columns and even those rumored walkers he has in his arsenal. Flatland was a division of mechanized infantry's wet dream. If they truly wanted to, they could mount the invasion whenever they wanted to.

From what he saw during their official reveal, the Airships of the King's Fist were geared more for kinetic batteries, rather than the energy weapons of the Atlesian Air Fleet. They were smaller, but packed a significant punch if those massive cannons could hit their mark. They may not meet the Atlesian fleet pound for pound, they made up for it in incredible maneuverability and speed. Not only that, their air wings that deployed were incredible pieces of engineering that he just couldn't forget. Those Broadswords were simply breathtaking to watch fly over the city during the Tournament. Orcas were great, but never had he felt his heart rush, nor feel excited, when it came to the Atlesian choice of air superiority fighter.

Better yet, the LAHAT gunships the King deployed for most troop movements. From the company to the unit, it was the go-to choice of transport, fully phasing out Bullheads from use. Those vehicles were incredible and packed the same punch Manta's did, but had its true specialization in air-support. Any company or division could have one or three at the most aiding them in ground interdiction and screening. The perfect fighting machines. Orion wiped his face of the sweat turning to snowflakes against his skin.

"Baby?" a call came from behind.

"Rei," he said, snapping out of his mind. Turning to her, she wore a fur coat and thick pajama pants, "what are you doing still up?"

"I had another nightmare," she said, "it's been two weeks since we've gotten back to Atlas…and Larissa hasn't spoken to us, or her team. No one knows where she went and I'm fearing the worst."

"Is that worry for my sister?"

"It's worry for us. How long before the Brotherhood comes to talk to you about what happened with the King?"

"I already talked to my dad about it," Orion shook his head, "I gave him the full report."

"A full report, you've deigned from sharing with the rest of the team, team leader," Rei said pointedly, "how many times do I have to say this, Orion. When we're in our dorm, team leader and team leader secrets go out the window. The Brotherhood isn't in there, the General isn't in there. How can we expect to live more than what we have, if we can't even be honest with one another?"

"Fine," Orion sighed, taking her hand into his own, "I'm afraid. I can't stop thinking about what the King said…they're at war with this person called Salem. I don't know who she is, or what she's all about, but they seemed pretty freaked out by all of it. I'm afraid because of my sister's sudden disappearance and my parents actually being kind to me. My mother hasn't called me a mistake or a leech and my father hasn't told me he's disappointed in me since we've gotten back. I don't know what to make of it."

"Maybe they finally see your worth?"

"Rei…" Orion chucked. Breath turning to clouds of mist as he turned away, "we both know that isn't true. Let's not kid ourselves."

"W-What do you mean?" Rei questioned, fists at her hips.

"What did my parents see? They saw their children get annihilated by their opponents," Orion shook his head, "me and you faced off against Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi – people we had no chance against. And Yatsuhashi was defeated by my sister in the singles rounds. She was defeated by the Queen Yang. All this says to my parents is that we're failures and that we've proved them right all along…now with this propaganda campaign springing up across Anima, with the trial of the Lord Arc and my parents' total investment into it…I'm losing my mind."

"Come to bed and think of it later," Rei said, tightening her hand, "whether the King intended to ruin your life is not something I want to think about, or else I'm going to get angry. Xue said she'd beat me to a pulp if I tremored the room and interrupted their cuddle time, again."

Slowly led to their bed, he was pulled under the thick covers. Legs freezing cold and arms just as frozen, Rei threw her arms around him, nestling her head into his neck. Across the room, Xue and Yuki were nuzzled together, in each other's tight embrace. Amethyst met red. Bringing their faces together, the cold of the outside world was forgotten as their lips met, melting into each other, they relished in the warmth. Arms tightening, legs lacing and caught in a web of limbs, they stayed like that, staring at one another, matching their breaths.

"Orion," Rei whispered, "we love you. We trust you. I know I haven't been the most accepting, nor receptive of your decision to talk with the King, but I'm willing to stand by you if you believe in him."

"R-Rei…no one is asking you to do something you're uncomfortable with," Orion said, "I'm not my sister, or my parents, or the Brotherhood. I just want to get the three of you out of harm's way."

"We're huntresses and soldiers, harm is in the job description," Rei rolled her eyes.

"Rei…" Orion groaned, "that's not – you know what I meant. This fight…your assignment to this team wasn't by choice and we have all already accepted that and moved on. None of you had a choice in the matter. I'm not about to force you into another fight you might not want to see."

"And by trying to get us out of the fight, you're taking away our right to choose to join," Rei raised a brow, "choice goes both ways, Orion. You can think that shouldering all of this bullshit is the noble thing to do, but I don't anyone has known Argents for being noble."

"Ouch, that one actually hurt," Orion chuckled nervously.

"Listen…" she giggled, "all I'm saying…you and me…I'd be disappeared by the Brotherhood if any of them learned how far we've gone together…and even if I was a human, I can't have kids, so what use would I be to the Argents?"

"Rei–"

Her lithe finger rested on his lips, "my whole life I've had choices taken away from me for either my good, or someone else's…I'm choosing to join you and trust you. If it all boils over into a fight, then so be it. I can't be your wife if I sit back and watch from afar while you go out and fight battles for us. We're more than a couple; we're a team, we're partners. I won't abandon you to a pack of Grimm, I won't abandon you to the Brotherhood or a foreign King."

"Besides," Rei yawned, pressing her forehead with his, "I've been doing a lot of reading about Menagerie and what kind of place it is…the beach sounds amazing. I'd like to see it as soon as possible, thank you."

Since he watched his village die, there was nothing that could scare him. That was until he was thrown into a pit of Grimm and told to survive. Despite that, he still survived, trusty bow and a jawbone. The limbs he lost in his fight with the Nuckelavee, Hanzo could remember the pain he felt, feeling his new limbs grow. The parasites and the creatures crawling through his blood stream were like little knives, stabbing and cutting everything they touched as they skittered through his body.

Nodding his head as the information flooded his mind, he turned to the Seer. Its malicious clicks and moans telling him everything their mistress needed to hear. As the final word was said, the creature's tentacles and blades were pulled from his head, drawing small droplets of black blood. He could only watch as the Seer suddenly crumbled, cracked and collapsed to the dirt. Glass shattered, spilling Grimm liquid into the training field, seeping between the cracks of stone and earth.

Hundreds of men and women, backed away, keeping their eyes focused on the creature hissing with smoke and steam. A young man glanced, scrunched his face, flexing his muscles in an involuntary reaction. Black hair and pale skin, his face was devoid of wrinkles, or the signs of aging, but for someone in their fifties, he was strong. Next to him, a woman with a blackened, poisoned fox tail, cringed as the death throes of the Seer. To their left, was a scrawny boy, no older than his early twenties, cringed at the sight. Scrawny, weak, the grizzled Yūrei still wondered how this boy survived the transformation.

Behind them, there were many, young and middle aged, with powerful auras, but none of the skill to show for it. Hanzo sighed, turning back to the Castle towering into the purple sky and the shattered moon that seemed to eternally hover by. The Queen must have a plan, if she was kidnapping these people. She must. However, every time he looked at them, some had their semblances, others did not. There was little to convince him that they were the fighting force the Queen herself had convinced him they would be.

But he was not about to question her.

"Hanzo, what happened?" a Yūrei asked.

"Our Mistress won't be happy," the man huffed, "continue your training. I fear that we are on the eve of war."

"War?" the man asked. Several more gave Hanzo a quick glance, eyes darting between them, "you mean…we're finally going to fight?"

"I wouldn't be excited," Hanzo narrowed his blackened eyes, "you are not ready. Your semblances need work and your aura control leaves much to be desired."

Turning away, he scaled the steps leading to the Castle entrance. Giving a Grimm hound a small pat on the head, he walked within the main foyer, looking between the men and women not corrupted, working and maintaining the aesthetic of the keep. They wore collars on their necks, chains wrapping around their torsos and backs. But, despite their binds, Hanzo spotted the smiles on their faces. Without a comment, he arrived at the doorway to the Queen's meeting room.

"Hanzo, took you long enough," Arson smirked, "Eton was getting antsy. You know he gets when other Alpha Yūrei venture too far."

"I was training the lesser other Yūrei; something you should be doing as well," Hanzo said.

"Well, I've been busy with missions from her grace," Arson nodded, "the Queen is expecting your report. As the one who controls the Seer, she's grown impatient."

"What have you heard?"

Arson shrugged, "I heard Adam was captured. Good riddance too; he had a stick the size of a CCT Tower, shoved up his ass. Who knows, maybe he'll be free to disappoint her grace again."

"That's enough, Arson," Hanzo rolled his eyes.

The terrorist smirked, "what? Hopefully we'll finally get the Glorious War, Tyrian won't shut the fuck up about. Let's see Hanzo in action."

"We aren't ready for war yet," Hanzo glared, "you aren't ready."

"With that attitude, we'll never be ready. Now go in, the Queen is expecting you."

"Mistress," the harsh Anima accent came to life as he stepped into the room, "ACID failed with one half dead and other in the–"

Salem raised a hand, silencing the Yūrei. Hazel, Watts and Tyrian turned to her, as did the Grimm clinging to the ceiling above. There was a pitch silence, one that sucked the air from the room. Those corrupted within the halls of the ancient palace, trembled, feeling the sudden, drowning anger in the air. Grimm that had just crawled to life from their spawning pits, howled and screamed, shaking the castle to its foundations. Beasts stamped their feet, creatures howled into the night sky, screaming for their creator.

"I have seen the news," Salem said, lowering her hand, "it seems that King of Vale has just achieved the master stroke. He disbanded the White Fang; drew the Faunus completely to his side with the Healing of Menagerie; defeated Team ACID, killed Cinder Fall, has a Maiden in his army; arrested a member of the Brotherhood and several of their supporters and turned the Brotherhood into the world's new target…all of this, all of this, within four months?! What is the point in having all of you, if you can't defeat one blond idiot?!"

Slamming her fists into the deadwood table, windows shattered in the shockwave. Winds picked up, even throwing Grimm who were perched on their pedestals. Hanzo flinched as their unholy screams and shrieks reached new volumes. Ears bleeding, he watched as the members of the venerated Team WTCH held hands to their heads, trying to drown the expulsion of magick – even Tyrian was afraid. Throwing her hands out, glyphs appeared around the room. Hazel and Watts' eyes widened as Grimm arms wrapped around everyone's throats, slamming them into the floor, knocking chairs and torches, dragging their faces through glass and debris. Blood splashed, scrawled across the floors and walls, feeding the starving Grimm.

"How many times will he deny me my purpose?! How many times will you let him walk over my plans?! How many times will he be allowed to stand in my way?! How much longer will I have to wait, before you worthless idiots get your act together?! The Monstra Fleet is not ready, my armada of Tempests and Tesla are not ready!"

As the Grimm threw them back, Hanzo panted, looking to the last members of team WTCH. Before they could speak, Salem's hand outstretched, magic coming to life in her palm. Anger, brows furrowed, even the Grimm were afraid of her strength. Tyrian was on his knees, hands up, scorpion tail curled. Tears fell down his face, the delirium coming to the surface. He pleaded, begged and praised her, hands clasped together, fingers interlaced. The Yūrei captain raised a brow – even Hazel and Watts were doing the same.

"Watts – you will make sure that Argents hurt the King. I don't care in what fashion, I want it done within the next two years for the Forty-First Vytal Festival," Salem glared, "Tyrian – you will ensure the CCTN has something to report every day. I want this trial to sow the dissent we were supposed to have months ago. Hazel, you are going to continue the search for the Summer Maiden and I want as many of those Atlesian agents dead as you can possibly manage. There is a Faunus Mafia forming in Vacuo – use them in any way you see fit. Hanzo – take the best Yūrei you have and I want Reggie Byz, Adam Taurus and Ilia Amitola broken out of their prison cells. Once you are finished, you will head to Mistral and Anima. There is word that the Spider is in an uneasy alliance with the King. Ensure that alliance breaks. Wave is still active, so is the Clan Luna. There are powerful people in play that are more than willing to side against this King of Vale. They are nothing more than Pawns – find them and bring them into the fold."

"If Cinder's last report was anything to go by, the Clan Xiong and Clan Ankōshoku work with the King. Distract them, break the King's Power Base from within," Salem commanded, "With your knowledge of Anima and the political nature of that forsaken continent, it shouldn't be too hard. When that is done, when you've given Anima enough chaos…eliminate Headmaster Lionheart and besiege Haven Academy. That coward has been compromised; I can feel it. If anyone comes to his aid, or he decides to have some Huntsmen with him…kill them too. The Summer Break between school years will give you more than enough time to accomplish this, Hanzo."

"As you command, my mistress," the four men bowed their heads, "how do we go about this?"

"You may work together or not, I don't care. I want it done," Salem glowered, "Watts, what have you gathered about the political nature in Vale? From what I know, the Valean Council still remains the true power, while the King continues to work outside their laws. Surely, there are people there who do not appreciate the shifting status quo."

The doctor coughed, fixing his tie, "the Argents and Alivia are at odds with the Arcs and Winchesters, respectively. Viridian Hollow and Glade have become new flashpoints in the Kingdom's already divided Council with no one knowing who to side with; this King of Vale, or the powers that have been in control since the last King died Eighty Years ago. The Winchester Falcon Knights and the Azure Knights of the Arcs are already moving throughout Sanus to project not only the power of the King, but their own Houses. Both Houses, for several decades have already lost much of their prestige – with Glade falling out of White Fang hands, it is giving both the Brotherhood and the King a battlefield to contest over. Judging by the young Larissa's statements about it all; it would seem either side is just waiting for an excuse to act."

"I see," Salem hummed, "See to it that the Argents and the Arcs come to blows. If say, a siege of Glade or Viridian Hollow were to happen, the King's Fist and their King would not be able to protect their interests abroad. I cannot move on the Relic of Choice yet, but the other Relics are still in play. If you were able to convince the Brotherhood to our cause, it would give us a spearhead to the Winter Maiden and the Relic of Creation. If Hazel succeeds in finding the Summer Maiden, we would have a quicker pathway to the Relic of Destruction. With the Relic of Destruction and Creation, I could finally put an end to this King's actions."

"From what dear Larissa has said, the situation in the Kingdom of Vale is beyond repair," Watts continued, "the Trial in Vale is proving to be a decisive point for the Kingdom's stability. Whether the Arcs win or lose the trial, the effects could balloon into all-out war."

Taking a deep breath, the Grimm Queen calmed down, "His sudden propaganda campaign in Anima has ruined the legitimacy of the Brotherhood, even painting a target on the children of Alexios and Evanthe Argent. No one in their right minds, expected the King to be able to circumvent everyone so quickly. In Anima, hundreds of thousands of bandit gangs and criminal syndicates were annihilated in a never-ending war. In Vale itself, hundreds, thousands, were obliterated and subsumed into his growing power base, for months. These are not the actions of a good and just king, they are the movements of an Emperor; someone who sees themselves beyond the rule of their Kingdom's laws. A Conqueror. The people of the world will not appreciate a foreign monarch stomping into their realms, over their laws, to impose himself over them."

"Use it until it's a broken record; now go…however, if any of you fail again," Salem's face darkened as Grimm crawled into the broken windows, "you will wish you were dead."

Hanzo took a deep breath, glancing between the three men and women he had gathered. Already armed and ready, he knew it wouldn't be easy. The first and the smartest, was Ardit, a lanky man, but had a semblance that would make up for his weakness. Gifted with a semblance that allowed him to hyper focus, he was one of the best sharpshooters of the Yūrei chosen. Beside him, was Afra Candida, a Faunus abandoned in the deserts of Vacuo. Her semblance allowed her to turn herself create mirages, allowing her to hide groups of people through mind tricks. The last, was the tallest among them, a brute. Named Dawa. Similar to Hazel, his semblance allowed him to turn pain into focus; it was the only way he survived against the Grimm when he was turned.

"What's the mission, Hanzo?" Dawa asked.

"We are going to Vale," Hanzo responded, "my worries were confirmed; the war has begun."

Yūrei in the training fields raised their weapons, cheering and clapping, "this is not something to celebrate. Continue your training, for when we are deployed in the masses, we will have to contend with those Fireteams of the King's Fist. Unlike us, they have been at war since the day they joined the King's Fist. They faced a horde of Grimm that numbered almost a Million. They are battle hardened veterans that could give even Team RRGE a challenge, and one of them is still a prisoner of that King. Do not overestimate your abilities; you are resources that the Queen cannot spare now, with that King of Vale."

"Ardit, come with me, we have things to discuss," Hanzo motioned for the man to follow, "Afra, Dawa, ensure the Yūrei continue to train. We will leave as soon as we are finished planning the campaign with Team WTCH."

"Understood, Hanzo," the two bowed their heads, "We won't let you or the Queen down."

Neither said a word as they left the rocky training grounds. Watching the dark realm around him, he took a slow breath, examining the terrain. There was only one way to attack the Castle without throwing lives away. If there was one thing he knew about this King of Vale, he cared for people's lives and didn't want to risk treating them as throwaway objects, unlike Salem. Hanzo could not wrap his head around the brashness of this child who fashioned himself a monarch.

An air fleet of six ships was paltry compared to the might Salem had already erected. Several hundred Tempests and several thousand Tesla were already alive, floating from massive cesspits within these badlands. As he walked, another Tempest was birthed, screeching to life as the Grimm liquid trickled off of its bulbous body, down to its hanging tentacles. As the giant blobs hit the ground below, more Grimm came to life, screeching, roaring and spitting wings from their boney backs.

He just couldn't understand how someone can think they can defeat the Queen. Was it arrogance? Was it confidence? As his heart beat, thanks to the Grimm wrapped around his insides, he continued walking, ignoring the Hounds perched on pedestals. Their breath was hot and spewed black dust as they neared, sniffing them as they passed. Above the entrance of the Castle, Teryx screeched, fighting over the bones of a failed Yūrei. He had died long ago, but these creatures were ancient, smart and enjoyed to play with their food. Tossing the femur left and right, they flapped their fleshy wings, before flying off with their prize.

"I don't know what you know of Vale and what's happening right now, but we have been given the task to ensure things don't go smoothly in the city, or for the King," Hanzo began, "despite all that ACID had done to sow discourse in the city, the King of Vale's efforts have silenced any fear among the people that live there. That is almost one hundred million people living within those walls that could have served as vectors for Grimm attraction. His ability and his army have swayed them to no longer feel fear. It's time that we change that."

"How do you intend to do it? There're only four of us against the King's Fist," Ardit asked, "worse yet, their Fireteams. I've seen the news reports."

"We make the people lose their trust in the King of Vale. It won't be easy, but there are a few events we can take advantage of," Hanzo said, "in my research into Vale and after speaking with Arson Rom, we have agreed that our first order of business is to find Lady Beat. Do you know who that is?"

"No."

"Years ago, there was a private school, dedicated for the daughters of socialites in Vale's high society," Hanzo said, "Arson had a sister who went to that school a long time ago. The one we're looking for, was known as Beatrix Browning, headmistress of Lady Browning's Preparatory Academy for Girls. More than just a private school, she manipulated many powerful socialites into sending their daughters to the school; turning them into high end assassins. Arson learned some of the skills he knows because of that sister."

"Now that I think about it, I know who that is," Ardit said, "Lisa Lavender covered the fall of the school a decade ago. Team STRQ moved in and destroyed the building and arrested many of the staff in one night. No casualties for the law enforcement and Beatrix Browning disappeared, never to be seen again."

"That's just it," Hanzo said, "she isn't gone. Arson got in contact with his sister and she knows where to find Lady Beat."

"I see…" Ardit said, "so, what; we're going to get an army of assassins to work for us?"

"Not us; our Mistress," Hanzo smiled, "with the death of Cinder Fall and half of Team ACID, some of our most powerful and aggressive Yūrei, things got out of hand against the King's Fist and the King managed to outmaneuver us once more. The King somehow predicted what was happening and took advantage of the situation with a new team in play, that almost countered Cinder Fall and ACID perfectly."

"Hanzo," Watts said as he walked into the foyer, "I see you've brought Ardit. Good. We have much work to do."

"What do you have so far, Doctor?"

"I have some agents in the field in search of Beatrix, but they do not know her whereabouts just yet. Though, a Seer has given me some interesting information," Watts hummed as he opened a door. In the center of the room, a large table with a topographical model of Remnant. Pieces were placed at various locations, denoting towns, cities, villages and people of interest. In Vale alone, there were several. The one that made him raise his brow, however, was a hat wearing, suit bearing, megalomaniac with a walking cane, "it would seem Sienna Khan and Raven Branwen are not out of the fight just yet. The King of Vale has formed a team, called KRWN. Sienna Khan, Raven Branwen, Winter Schnee and Neopolitan. The very same team that defeated Cinder Fall and team ACID."

"I'm going to make sure Neo comes back," a man huffed, blowing smoke. Tapping his cigar, he twirled his cane, "listen, I don't really care about all of this and I'm sure Salem doesn't care about me either; I'm in it to save my friend."

"Torchwick," Hanzo said, "I was wondering where you were lurking about."

"What can I say, this place is a maze, sometimes," Roman twirled Melodious Cudgel, "I've gotten lost more times than I can count. So, where're we going, ninja-man?"

"We are going back to Vale," Hanzo said, "somehow, we will have to find a way to sneak past the defenses of the King's Fist, given their total control of the Kingdom's walls. Maybe if we snuck into the city through Mountain Glenn?"

"We would need the maps of Doctor Merlot," Watts murmured, "but he's been dead for a long time."

"Surely, he must have some laboratory in Atlas," Hanzo replied, "a doctor as meticulous as he, would not leave anything undocumented. Especially him."

"Regardless, of his record keeping skills," Watts waved off the Yūrei, "Torchwick, Hanzo; once you are in Vale, it will be your job to disrupt and encourage distrust between the courts of Vale and the King. They already don't trust him, given their allegiances to the Councils. All they need is a push in the right direction. Assassinations of jurors; blackmailing of the Arcs and families involved. There are several Houses in Vale that are vying for not just the position of the Arcs and Winchesters, but that of the Argents and Alivia as well. There are plenty of ways to approach this cacophony, that will yield the best results."

"Remember, the goal isn't to make the Arc win or lose his sentencing; it's to make sure that whatever the outcome, it will lead to war between the two Houses," Watts continued, "Hazel, as this is happening, you will have landed in Vacuo. Your first task will be to find the Faunus Mafia. Despite the dissolution of the White Fang, their supporters who do not side with the King of Vale, remain in that dust bowl of a city. The Kingdom has never had a central government, so the only threat you will have to contend with, will be the Huntsman Academy of Shade. If those so-called defenders and guardians, can't even stop a rabble of former terrorists in their own borders – you should not have any problems."

"Tyrian," Watts said, "as Hanzo and his team delay the Trial, you will search for Junior Xiong and other high-ranking members of the King's Fist High Command. The King, for all his wisdom, is too transparent with his people – the names of his generals and commanders are all on the CCTN. Know their names, their faces and be ready to strike as soon as you get the opening to do so. You are not sneaking about – you are trying to give them something to fear. Like most in power, when something that should be in their control, is suddenly not; they crackdown, they lockdown and they ensure that their illusion of control remains intact. If you must go on a murder spree, I don't care; just don't be caught."

"This goes for all of you; if you are caught, none of us will come to save you," Watts glared, "her grace has made it a poignant fact, if we fail; we will wish we were dead. Hanzo, as your team works to undermine Vale's law, you will move into Beacon and free Reggie, Adam and Ilia from their prison cells, whether they want to or not. Whoever gets in your way is to be removed and disposed of. Beacon is a fortress; do not draw attention to yourself, or else, Phase Two cannot happen."

"While we do not know the movements, nor the deployments of this Team KRWN, I have reason to believe they would head for Anima and Mistral," Watts said, "we have our own contacts and syndicates working for our interests within the continent. Before the Great War there were magical artifacts buried deep within Anima's mountain ranges – these are artifacts that our Mistress wants. As she said in the war room; Wave is still active, despite Qrow Branwen's attempts two years ago. As for why KRWN would be there; Sienna Khan and Raven Branwen were once deep within Anima's underworld, and must be searching for old contacts."

"With Wave at your side, it should not be too hard to learn of these contacts," Watts continued, walking over to the Anima side of the map, "The Spider Gang works for the King of Vale, but from what I can gather, it's not one of mutual benefit. Lil' Miss Malachite's daughters are Lieutenants of the King's Fist; her own daughters were turned against her and threatened the life of not only herself, but her entire organization. She is not one who would take kindly to threats like that. Not only that, but Junior Xiong and the Xiong Clan have been at war with her for decades, it is one of the most well-known rivalries in the underworld of the Four Kingdoms. Find her; give this scroll to her and I will handle the rest."

"I would prefer to live," Watts glared at all of them, "if Doctor Merlot is alive, then I will find him myself. Atlas will be the next proving ground for us and this time, we will not fail our Mistress. Jacques Schnee and his daughter's ascension as Queen, has upset the balance of power in Atlas and Mantle. Between the Dust prices stabilizing and the growing distrust between the Kingdoms; I believe I will be the one to light the spark that will blow that Dust keg. With the Argents traveling between Dale and Atlas regularly, I will go dark in the field, as should all of you. We will not return here, until we have accomplished our missions."

"How long will this mission take?" Ardit asked.

"No longer than two years," Watts said, "you will not be in Vale for long; you should be gone from Vale within two months, at the latest. Hazel, you have all the time you need to find the Summer Maiden and get the Relic of Destruction. Tyrian, beyond just Vale; move to Glade, the Brotherhood's new seat of power in Sanus, do what you can to spread distrust between the Alivia and the Winchesters; after all, the heir of that House is engaged to a Faunus. Make sure your features are seen and wear Winchester iconography. It shouldn't be too easy, but the Brotherhood were fooled before they could even make their first move against the King."

"With pleasure, Arthur," Tyrian cackled, "this is going to be a fun two years, boys. Revel in it, because the Glorious War has finally begun!"

So, we get to look at Salem and her inner circle again. With so much mention of Team RRGE and Yurei existing in numbers beyond the teams Salem already had, I thought it would be a good idea to circle back and see what they're up to. Anyway, the war has finally, truly, begun.

Now, for some things I'd like to get off my chest:

If we're going to go by the team naming rule, the letter at the beginning of each team name is always the first or last initial for the leader of the team. Watts to me, when I first started this fanfic, was a bit of an enigma, since in Volume 4, he didn't really do anything aside from piss off Cinder (which I absolutely love to see). So, with some creative freedom, I created this persona, of a man who was so incredibly smart, a literal genius, who was killed by Professor Ozpin in combat. Kinda doesn't make sense, but that's what I was going with at the time and I didn't receive any criticism on that take. As such, with Watts so smart, I also had the headcanon that he was also a skilled tactician for some odd reason and I stuck with it. After all, he's a fucking team leader lol and seems to be the only other person Tyrian respects aside from Salem.

As for Hazel, I had no clue what kind of person he'd be, or the kind of history he and Ozpin had. In Vol.4, the only information we had about him was Ozpin being scared in Oscar's head saying 'that's Hazel Rainart, a dangerous man from my past' or some shit that has that delivers the same context. I at the time, took that as, oh, Ozpin must've fought him in a past life and thought he was dead. Which honestly, just like the Watts headcanon, doesn't make much sense either, or else, Ozpin would've made a much bigger fuss if that was even remotely canon. I don't know, in canon, as badass as he was against Salem in Vol.8 I feel like the whole Gretchen angle is annoying as hell, because he kinda devolves into a DBZA version Broly in that way. Instead of Kakarot, he's only saying Gretchen, and not to mention, his reasoning is flimsy as fuck.

Now onto the introduction of more OC's. Most OC's in this story are situational, but are introduced to give the RWBYverse a more diverse cast. Most named characters in the series are other teams that are canonically in the roster; most of which, are students and can't do much against Salem or help the main cast. These OC's are there for one reason or another. Give the main cast a challenge, because no matter how powerful someone is, I always believe that they can be outsmarted. No one is omniscient, this fanfic is no different. Especially going forward, Jaune won't have any knowledge of what to do, which will be interesting to write. Everything we have seen thus far, has been pretty much canon with extra steps, which is usually how I write fanfics until it comes to a poignant moment in canon that can serve as a vector for deviation.

Okay, this is a long ass A/N, I swear I'm done now lol

Tell me what you thought!

Ja ne!

gottahavekyuubi