Howdy! Here's the next chapter. While shorter than the rest, it's because I'm honestly super sick somehow and I'm struggling to write as much as I usually do oof. But, I couldn't just leave you guys off on that last chapter - especially when we're super close to getting to the mid-game of this fic!

In this chapter, we're going to have some seriously GIANT reveals that will affect the rest of the story going forward. After we finish up with these trials - we get to move on to the next Arc - the Great War Arc. It's going to be glorious with some of the most epic battles I've thought of. Can't wait to start working on those chapters.

So, for a roadmap of what's to come; after the King's War Arc, it's the Great War; the Shadow Arc and finally Endgame Arc and it's all going to end with a really nice epilogue. I've let this story simmer and boil in my head for wayyyyyy too long. It's about damn time I get to the meat and potatoes of it all. Let's get lit and excited yayy

ANYWAY!

Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY

Chapter 46: Absolve Your Fear

Cold winds. Fields of white snow. A shattered moon encased in viridian aurora. Feet ran across the fields, careful not to lose footing in the piling snow. A chase was underfoot. A hunted beast in the dead and silent starry night. Eyes focused, the woman jumped forward, gaining air from his powerful legs. Flipping through the air, her gauntlets activated, unleashing a pair of blades and a pair of barrels from each of her wrists. Beginning her descent, she turned, watching a girl with a snow-white leopard tail dashing through the snow. Beside the cat, a girl barreled through the field with her head lowered down; great antlers exploding with aura.

Coming to a stop, the antlered girl took a deep breath, catching her target off guard. With a violent exhale, a visual wave of compressed sound roared from the reindeer's mouth. Roaring out the fields, Centinels were obliterated and turned to violent dust. A pair of Sabyr were suddenly lifted off their feet, heeding the raised hands of the leopard. Snapping her hands back, the Sabyr flew toward her, their underbellies unprotected. Just they rolled in the snow, Rei Nanami landed, gauntlet blades jamming into the creature's bodies, killing them immediately.

"Rei! The Geist!"

She moved quick, raising a leg. Red eyes narrowed at the fleeing creature in its possessed form. A Pagos Gigas, possessed ice, the creature was retreating with a host of Centinels and Sabyr flanking it from either side. She smirked, slamming her foot down. Snow, dirt and stone shot up in a straight line toward the retreating Grimm. Shattering the formation, Grimm were destroyed, snapping their legs and turning into dust. But the Gigas continued to move, tripping over its ice feet. Bringing a foot up again, her knee pressed to her chest, she smirked. With another stomp, in a focused blast of tremor, the Gigas tripped over itself, crushing its body and shattering its ice.

"Let's go! We need to cut off the Geist before it escapes further into the tundra!"

Charging out, she looked above to find a Manta zooming into the airspace, dogfighting with Razorwings and Ravagers dashing in and out of the air. Snow billowing off their steps, they moved about, using their Faunus features to their advantage. Time against them, the Grimm were getting further and further in the tundra wastes. Rei blinked, suddenly coming to a stop, hands up and shouting.

"Wait!" she bellowed, "wait! I just…I just felt a reverberation…Dust!"

The three of them shot together, moving as one and falling into an empty riverbed. Raising binoculars, she watched the Grimm gathering together and fleeing toward a snowed over mound in the middle of nowhere against ancient ruins, "Corporal Nanami; why'd you stop pursuing your target?"

Rei lowered her binoculars, turning to Xue and Yuki. The two had thrown themselves against the stone wall. Snow building every second they waited. Careful to not draw attention to themselves, she lowered her bunny ears, bending them back until they were almost indistinguishable from her white hair. Yuki did the same, however, the best she could do was cover her antlers with snow and spare twigs still carrying spruce leaves. Xue prepared herself, wrapping her leopard tail around her waist like a belt.

Eyes narrowing at the target ahead, Rei put a finger on the earpiece, "Commander Ebi, we have a visual on the target, but we can't reach it in time. The Geist is moving closer to what looks like an abandoned SDC Mine. It's only a few clicks out but we can't intercept it in time. I just crossed over bare Dust veins – the risk is too high to agitate a vein."

"Don't engage, Corporal," Clover said, "whatever that Geist is; it's old and smart if it planned to lure us toward a Dust Mine."

"But…" she clenched her fist before relenting, "yes sir, we'll make sure to keep watch."

"We're sending some reinforcements," the man said, "sit tight. Create a kill zone that spreads one click from the mine entrance. You'll have a platoon on your position within the next hour."

"Yes sir, out," she sighed as her finger left the earpiece. Head pressed against the snow, she flipped around, glaring at the sun above. Just beyond the old mines, were the ruins of the city Prometheus, the first city in Solitas. She remembered the history of the old settlement. The first Dust veins, the first settlers, the first government in the tundra wastes. However, it wasn't enough and the city was abandoned after a century. Too many Grimm, not enough defenses and it slowly became too cold.

"What do you think lives in there?" Yuki asked as she raised her own binoculars, "while it looks dead…we know what Mountain Glenn is like."

"Nothing to be of any concern," Rei frowned, "gods…Orion I hope you're okay…"

Many miles away toward the south and beyond the great Uranus Sea, a city dangled above another by chains. Deep within the streets a girl walked with her hands wrapped around a paper brown grocery bag. Eyes narrowed and almost closed shut, she continued to walk, dejectedly holding her head low. Hologram screens were on, unveiling news from Vale and the trial. Arc had said something that was quickly taken out of context, not that the judges or jury cared. There was uproar, pandemonium.

"What a pathetic mess," a human woman said, "truly. They need to get their Kingdom's act together if they think they're going to go anywhere. I mean, really? A King? Preposterous."

"Agreed," another woman said, "those savages think he's a god. Can you believe that? The world's gone mad."

Ciane ignored it, feeling her scroll vibrate with a notification. Carefully, she made sure not to drop the paper bag, "y-yes, Mistress?"

"Are you on your way back?" she asked.

"Y-Yes," Ciane responded, "did you need me to pick anything else up?"

"No," her voice was like acid against her ear, "you can go home for the day. I don't require your aid right now. Surely you won't have any complaints."

"No, mistress," Ciane tried to hold her sigh, "is there anything else?"

"No. Have a good day, Ciane. Be at my lab tomorrow at nine o'clock," she said before hanging up.

Taking a deep breath, she pocketed her scroll and sighed in defeat. Eyes turning to the sky above, she watched as airwings of five manta each, flew across the night sky. Trails of smoke cutting through the aurora borealis spreading across the starry night. Moving through the streets, she took steps down to the lower sections of the floating city. The high classed life was not for her, leaving holographic advertisements and white lights behind, she entered the more normal side of the city. Far from the high-rise condominiums, she disappeared into the streets below. Thousands packed the sidewalks, rushing to movie theaters, to shopping malls and business strips.

To the left, she saw the gangs within the city, threatening Faunus with no one doing anything to stop them. To the far side of the opposite street, a gang of Faunus, were beating a human couple for their money. Keeping her eyes forward and her one bunny ear tilted down, she sighed, sinking her face into her paper bag. Arriving at her rundown apartment, she sighed, setting down her paper bags. Within the streets, people were shouting, and laughing. Within alleyways beneath the very watchful eye of Atlas Academy, people were dealing in those dark and dank alleyways.

Flicking on light switches, moving toward a cabinet, she sighed, popping it open. A small effigy of the King of Vale, Jaune Arc, sat in there with others of his Queens. In front of it all, a basin with already burning incense trickled ash. Grabbing another stick from the paper bag, she knelt before the shrine, lighting the incense. Hands pressed together, head bowed in reverence, she gave a simple prayer.

Orion…please be safe.

Thousands of miles away, through whipping clouds and thrashing seas infested with demonic Grimm, there was a ruined city. Walls still stood, of stone and mortar, but within, there was nothing but desolation. Not of war against man, but a war against Grimm. Within ruined homes and fallen skyscrapers that once cut into the sky, there were Grimm pools, spilling more of the creatures into the ruined city. Already a hive of powerful creatures – it was more than that now. It was the home to demons beyond imagination. Yet, there were nine young adults, teenagers at best, laying on bed rolls, hands behind their heads, lounging around a crackling fire.

"What are you thinking about, Orion?"

"Ooh, I love this game," Nora said, raising her hand, "let me guess; she's got white rabbit ears, white hair and has red eyes."

"Got it in one go," Orion laughed, "but it wasn't just her…my whole team…Ciane…"

This got Yang's attention, "oh? Who's Ciane?"

"She is one of my sister's servants; if not her only one," Orion sighed, "she and I were…close before I found myself in the military. In a way, I joined because of her. As we grew up and went our separate ways, some things went too far and my sister maimed her…to teach me a lesson."

"W-What did she do?" Blake asked, turning to him.

"She cut off one of her rabbit ears," Orion's response was weak.

None of them said something, but Yang and Nora seemed to have a unanimous lightbulb turn on, "so, do you have a thing for rabbit Faunus?"

"That's what we in the real world, call coincidences," he groaned, throwing a pillow over his head.

"Quality save, firecracker," Jaune laughed nervously, "well…since we're having a nice little campfire…I'm thinking of my family…my mom, my dad, my sisters…Orléans…we're put in a situation that none of us want to be in."

"Yeah," Yang frowned, "I've been thinking of my dad through all of this…he didn't have anything bad to say about us, but knowing that war could break out at any second must be driving him insane…"

"I'm just thinking about the next buffet I can put out of business," Nora declared. Several giggles and chuckles were her reward, "what, being here, eating mucky MREs, it's not exactly a five-star dining experience."

"Some would say eating at a buffet is just as pathetic," Weiss said pointedly.

"Oh boo, you're just mad that there aren't any gourmet buffets," Nora stuck her tongue out, "now, imagine that – wagyu steak buffet…"

"I don't think that's an expense anyone needs," Jaune raised a brow at the Valkyrie.

"What can I say, I've got a palate that knows what it wants," Nora tapped her flat stomach with a content smile, "Ooh, I can already smell it."

"No, don't," Ruby raised her hands, "you're gonna make me hungry, Nora!"

"Cookies~" Yang and Blake said like a ghost, wiggling their fingers at the girl, "Cookies~!"

She crossed her arms and huffed, "now you're just being mean! Ooh tea~; Ooh drinks I shouldn't be drinking because I'm technically underaged~!"

Yang slapped her knee, laughing with her cat partner, "I love you sis, you're so silly sometimes."

"You know," Pyrrha coughed, "I can make all of that come true. If my memories serve me right, Amber made food appear with magic. I don't understand it but I guess if I just think it – I can make it happen."

Ruby sprang up, almost like a rabid dog, "Doitdoitdoitdoitdoit!"

"Whoa – calm it down rubes," Yang giggled harder.

"I mean, I don't know if I can make every food," Pyrrha said sitting up, "but I have a feeling that if I try hard enough – I can make it happen."

"Hold on, what? You're going to make food appear like…like magic?"

Eight heads turned to the ninth, almost surprised, "oh, right, you're still here."

"Yup," he said, lowering his finger guns, "you gonna tell me what I'm missing or?"

"Well," Jaune turned to his friends, "who wants to start?"

Jaune watched the boy with a curious eye. No one said a thing as the LAHAT zoomed across the skies toward Vale. Back against a wall, his arms crossed as the boy was given time to really think about everything he was told. Emotions running across his face, the King watched carefully, examining him as he tilted his head down, hiding in his shaking palms.

He knew it would have been too soon to tell him everything, but he was running out of options. The longer they played the game, the longer they tiptoed around the situation; it would have come to a head anyway. Jaune cut his losses and told him anyway – with everything turning out just as he expected. He was questioning everything he knew – if it weren't for Ren's semblance, the boy would have a full-blown existential crisis. Now, he had to wait and see what the boy was going to do.

On the LAHAT ride back to Vale proper and the HQ, Orion sat on a crate of supplies, head pressed against his hand. Salem. Future. End of the World. Bringing up his second hand, he cupped his forehead, digging his skull into his palm. No words could appropriately describe the turmoil in his head. As the pounding grew, his head felt like it was on fire. Fingers clutched his skull, fingers digging between hair follicles. Frustration growing, his breath hitched with the turbulence outside the gunship.

"Orion," Jaune said, sitting beside him, "you haven't spoken since we told you everything…"

"W-What do you want me to say?"

"Anything at this point."

Orion took a deep breath, letting his hands rest in his lap, "what do you think I should say? Because honestly, I'm kind of at a loss. You're from the future; we all died in that future; the Grimm is being led by an evil goddess named Salem…the gods are real, you and Ren became them…"

"We're not gods," Ren said, "we simply have their near limitless aura and some of their powers at our disposal."

"T-That doesn't…that doesn't make anything about what you said any better!" Orion hissed, holding his head once more. Thoughts, doubts, questions. Everything rushing at the confines of the lobes of his brain at hurricane speeds. He could feel the pressure in his bloodstream thickening; the racing of his heart reach new heights. Holding his head tighter, he shuddered, "W-Why haven't you told anyone about this? Why haven't you said something about Queen Pyrrha becoming a-a Maiden?!"

"Because of this," Jaune said, "look at you…you're having a panic attack and you're a soldier. Imagine what the average civilian would feel if we just told the truth about everything. It would be insanity. The world would be overrun with Grimm."

"It already is," he glared.

"Nope," Jaune laughed, "No, it isn't. That's why we fight."

"No, if it wasn't we wouldn't be trapped behind giant walls in every city," Orion snapped.

Before any of the other seven could respond, Jaune raised a hand, "look, Orion, this is why we didn't want to tell anyone. Your fear is only getting worse."

"H-How can I not be afraid?" he asked, his voice cracking. No longer the Argent, but just a terrified boy, Orion flinched at Jaune's open hand, "I just learned that there is a great and powerful evil just waiting beyond the horizon with an army that is as endless as she is unkillable. I just learned that there are several huntsmen who work for her. I learn that there are demons among us who look like us and act and think like us, but are corrupted and carry darkness like Grimm. You just told me that you've relived your life, and this is just you rewinding time to have a better chance at standing against her – yet you are only just beginning! How does that make sense to anyone?!"

"I am a soldier fighting for Atlas and for people and to stop the Grimm; not fight literal deities!" Orion hissed, "I-I mean that's why I didn't want to fight you! Look in the streets of your own Kingdom, they worship you! They praise you; the write songs and scripture of the things you've said – that's not normal! What's worse, I haven't seen you do anything to stop them! You haven't done anything stop the cult from spreading across the world! There're rumors in all pockets of the Four Kingdoms that your cult has spread to the even most desolate corners of Remnant. That's not normal; that's not right!"

"I mean, what's even right, anymore?" Ruby suddenly piped, "you can be afraid, Orion, but when we know that the Grimm have a master, when we know that there is an army that outnumbers both humanity and Faunus; we have a job to do and that's to protect people. No matter the cost. That's what the mission always was. Don't tell me you're trying to run now. Yes, the fight is a little harder, but that doesn't mean it's impossible."

"You said she can't be killed," Orion snapped.

"There are more ways to defeat someone without killing them," Jaune said, "besides, I have my own theories of what I need to do to stop her."

"Oh, please share with the class then, King," Orion cried, "I just…I don't…"

"Orion," Jaune rose to his feet, "take some time to think about what we've told you. Look out in the city, do something to help out if you want. I'll be in Copper District, helping renovate the dry market. If you need me, JNPR and I will be there. RWBY will be leaving for their own mission."

"Another mission?" Orion paled.

"Yup!" Ruby smiled, "Like I said; we're already at war with the Grimm…battles are being fought as we speak, not just on Sanus, but in Mistral; in Vacuo; in Menagerie. The King's Fist might not be as large as the Atlesian Military, but we are strong and proud. Already the second army is helping the Army of Kuo Kuana expel remnants of Grimm Pools in the wilderness of Menagerie. In Vacuo, the Third Army is working with the huntsmen of Shade to root out the Grimm within the desert. Here, we have our own battles to fight, working with the Azure Knights of Orléans. I mean, just look at Cardin – he and his team, along with CFVY, are in Viridian Hollow, doing what they can to shore up the city's defenses, just in case the Brotherhood or the Grimm attack."

"It's war, Orion," Blake said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I mean, you and I have been at war with each other for five years; don't pussy out on me now. I thought I was the cat here."

"I…" he took a deep breath, sighing in defeat, "right…right, fine. I just need some time to think."

"No problem," Jaune said, "go, get into the city, get reacquainted with Vale…we're here to talk whenever you're ready."

Watching as the sky scrapers zoomed past them, he took a deep breath as the gunship neared the infamous HQ of Tarsier Pavilion. Slowly pulling into the hangar, the ship landed hissing as bay doors sprang open. Soldiers and airmen stopped what they were doing as their eyes landed on Orion. The silver-white hair was a dead giveaway of who he was. In the command center, what remained of the High Command stood from their seats, glares and anger on their faces.

"Yeah," Orion sighed, "reacquainted. Got it."

As he stepped from the gunship, he slowly ascended the steps toward the elevators. Within the gunship, the Arc took a deep breath, "Ren, Blake…you two are the quietest among us…tail him."

"What about the rest of us?" Ruby asked.

"We have a lot of information we can work with. Weiss, you and our top scientists will start on sifting through what we've got," Jaune turned to the Schnee, "The rest of you will continue searching for the perpetrators of the assassinations. Meet up with Officer Jenkins to get an update on the Industrial Explosion. I was told that they've making progress in sifting through the ruins."

"Got it," Yang said, shifting Ember Celica back into bracelets, "ooh, Nora; let's go break some legs."

"I believe the term is eggs," Pyrrha raised a brow.

Blonde and ginger shared a look, "hey look at that; it rhymes. Let's go, P-Money."

"So, what's out plan?" Pyrrha asked, "we can't just rush into the streets and make a mess."

Jaune watched from afar as the group slowly split apart. Blue eyes flaked in red, slowly began to focus on those running back and forth. His legs moved on their own, standing in another elevator. He waited, his thoughts dancing in his head. Bringing a gloved hand to pinch his brow, he hissed through his nostrils, frustrations rising. Back fell against the elevator walls, as pain roared throughout his body. Slowly, slowly, slowly, his vision began to spin. Antlers springing from his forehead, Jaune gripped the railings, barring his teeth.

"Jaune, there's something that you should know," Ren's voice sounded in his head, "he may be genuine, but there's something Orion's hiding."

"I figured," he frowned, "what do you think? Salem finally got her hands on him?"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Ren responded, "there's some strange movement in Remnant. There's a great darkness coming that's blinding even me. It could be what we've been looking for. Salem's Castle."

"She doesn't know about us and the powers we've gained, or else she would have sent a retaliation force ages ago," Jaune said, "we need to be quick and get this done. This is why I wanted to destroy Dale…it is the easiest answer to this question."

"Just because it's the easiest, doesn't mean it's the right one," Ren scolded.

"You just said that her actions are growing out of control, they're blinding you," Jaune hissed.

"That doesn't mean we go against our morals," Ren reminded, "Look, if it makes you feel better, I feel the same way. All of this could be ended with a flick of our wrists – we could end everything and everyone but what difference would that make? We can't kill Salem. The gods couldn't kill Salem. How is that different?"

"I have a way. I don't know if it's gonna work but I need a way to test it."

"And how are you going to test it?" Ren questioned, "you're…you're playing a dangerous game, Jaune. I can see it now. What if it doesn't work?"

What if it doesn't work? Jaune lowered his head, brows furrowing deep. Fists clenching, his mind felt like it was going to explode. No words of encouragement. No past lives to ask. No one but himself and the new life he was living. Crossing his arms over his chest, the Arc laid his head back, staring at the ceiling. He blinked unable to give a response. His heart raced in his chest as his body began to shake and shudder in his armor. What if it doesn't work?

"I don't know…" Jaune said, "but I'm not doing this again…never again…if I lose…then I lose. But I'm getting tired of just waiting!"

"We will wait as long as we need to, Jaune!" Ren shouted back, "we aren't ready! Just like so many lives before, Jaune – we weren't ready to be Huntsmen…"

"But we are now," Jaune growled.

"Then prove it. I know your father is in danger…I know your sister is in danger…but you still have your army," Ren said, "use it. Use us. Be the leader I know you are."

Jaune growled, pinching his brow, "What can I do?! I'm trying to not tear the city apart! We've already dealt with Grimm appearing in the middle of the city; we had to deal with endless protesting and rioting…now we have people worshipping us?! We've been trying to stop and nothing's making any sense anymore. I told everyone before – I have no more references. I'm doing the best I can, without going too far, but what choice do I have anymore?!"

"You always have a choice."

"Jaune," Ren said, "don't do this. You may win these fights; you're not going win the war. The whole point is to stop Salem without going even half the distance she has. Do you even know why she wanted the Relics?"

"No," Jaune admitted, "I…I never got that far. Even in my past life, I never got a chance to even get a chance to think about it. I mean, we were always on the run…especially so when we fought to protect the Relic of Knowledge. We didn't have a chance to even ask the lamp a question…"

"Did you ever get the chance to know?"

"No," he said, "Like I said, it was the last life that was the longest I've ever lived."

"W-What about the one where the gods arrived to destroy Remnant? You must know something about them."

Jaune stopped, his eyes quaking in his head. Taking a deep breath, he scowled at the pricking of his eyes. As the elevator made its ominous ding, he saw nothing but a field of fire. Blue eyes softened, a broken shell of who he used to be. Before Cinder Fall. Before the gods. Before the docks. Before Salem. He blinked, stepping from the elevator, boots sinking into dead soil. He could smell it, the flickering flames, the scent of flooding Aura. In the distance, flames danced across the fields. From the mountains crumbling, to valleys shredding across a place that once had vibrant life and fields of green.

Of all the lives he had to ask about, it had to be this one. Eyes strained with pain, he glared ahead, accepting the memories piercing through the veil. Was it arrogance, that he thought he could fight her alone? Was it ignorance, that led him to believe in the institutions that surrounded him? He didn't know. Through the fields of death, darkened, ashen earth, death and decaying before his feet; he walked. Faces in the earth, shrouded by debris; expressions locked in agony. He couldn't escape it. He continued to walk, hands loose at his sides, remembering everything that came next.

There were monuments in the smoke that were eerily familiar. Walls that held pictures and pedestals that once held statues. He could see it; the remnants of Haven Academy, laid at his feet. He continued, unable to stop. The fires crackled across the broken battlefield as specters dashed across the corners of his eyes. Of all the things; of all the memories, Jaune hissed, holding his head, trying to stop it from outright exploding. Teeth clenched, he walked forward, careful not to step on a stray weapon, or a corpse laid across the ground.

A shadow suddenly moved in the smoke. He was unfazed, having lived the nightmare. Taking a deep breath, he continued through the darkness. He knew what was coming and it frustrated him to no end. His head pounded knowing what was coming. Hand running to the handle of his blade. Not Crocea Mors, but one with an elaborate handle, a magnificent cross guard and a blade that shimmered with the last reflections of the Sun. He raised the sword, watching the shadows flicker and move. From the fires of hell, she arrived.

"Hello, King," she sneered, "look at us…heh, just think about how lovely it is, that it's the two of us remaining on this sad little rock. After years of fighting, after endless death and destruction…look at where it got us…don't hold back – if you do, you're going to make your ancestor cry."

"I am no descendant of yours! My ancestors were heroes!"

She laughed, cackling wildly as she unclipped the Lamp of Knowledge from her belt, "oh believe me…you are. I just think it's poetic justice, really. Ozma couldn't stop me…but of course! It would be my own blood who would bring me down…look at you, Jaune. Quaking in fear…it's delicious."

He took a deep breath, glaring at the woman. Raising the Sword of Destruction, he took a stance, feeling its power violently rush through his body. Closing his eyes, the winds began to pick up as Salem prepared herself, Crown of Choice on her head; Lamp at her hip and the Staff of Creation in her hands. Her smile only spread as she took a threatening step, "Why don't you hand over the Sword of Destruction and put an end to this farce."

"No."

"You really are my descendant," she laughed, "you don't want to accept the way things are; you know you deserve more. So, you just keep fighting back and trying to keep even a semblance of who you are. That's why, even after I killed your family; took your friends one by one; that you still stood and fought back. Even when it's hopeless, there's still that belief that you'll find a way to stop me."

"You don't know anything about me."

"Au contraire, mon Arc-en-ciel," Salem laughed once more, "because of this, I know everything about you. Just like how I know that even with your entire arsenal; nothing you have will do anything to stop me!"

She twirled her staff as she moved in, sliding across the battlefield. Magick roaring off of her body, she swung out, sending beams of multi-colored light. As she approached, everything vanished in a blink of an eye. Standing in the lobby of the King's Fist HQ, he looked around, realizing his legs were still moving on their own. No one seemed to notice, going about their business, lounging in the lobby. On a couch to the far side, Orion was grabbed by a group of soldiers, laughed at and joked with before he was sat down.

Blinking, he continued walking, leaving the HQ and entering Tarsier Pavilion. He was weak, stopping before the monument in the center of it all. Eyes watering, he reached out, putting his hand on the statues. Not a word leaving his lips, he sighed weakly. Warm summer winds blowing against his power armor, in broad daylight. No one approached him, not a sound echoing in his ears; he was alone before the bronze faces and bronze names. Thought's spiraling, images flashing of past lives, he didn't know what to say.

"Your grace!" a call came through his open channel, "it's Marsha! T-The courts! The judge came to a verdict! They found your father guilty of all charges! They sentenced him to d–"

He heard nothing else. Weak, fragile, pathetic. Head pounding violently, he moved, feeling his legs burn with sudden fire. He walked through the streets of Tarsier Pavilion, gathering curious gazes and onlookers. People followed him as he marched. People snapped pictures, scrolls to their ears as they called friends. Jaune didn't care, continuing to march. The crowds began to gather, thickening with hundreds rushing from their jobs, their homes to join him. Eyes glowing with rage, horns sprang from his forehead gathering deafening howls of the crowds behind him.

Hologram screens and projections appeared, showing all the courts. The gavel came down, a loud thwack across the city. Guilty. He heard that word again. It felt like a stab in his chest, a cut across his face. People saw it, groaning and screaming with hatred. Hundreds, soon to be thousands, gathered whatever they could hold, banding together in a mob. Chains, lead pipes, firearms and sticks. They were ready to fight ack against injustice, against a Council who cared more about saving their own skin, than serving justice.

Jaune…what are you doing?

I'm doing what I should've done from the start, Ren. The time has come…my father could be executed for crimes he didn't commit!

Jaune – you don't know what can come of this! We don't have all the pieces yet! Whoever caused the bombing could easily take advantage of the situation! I'm sending Pyrrha and Team RWBY!

Ren, I'll be fine.

It's nonnegotiable. They've already changed into their huntress uniforms.

Goddamn it, Ren.

You're going to make a bad situation worse, that doesn't mean we aren't going to do something to help contain what will come next. Jaune…please don't do anything drastic.

Fine. Jaune took a deep breath, gathering the people of the city to his crowd. Tell them to get ready for anything.

Jaune…if we do this…it's going to change the trajectory for everyone involved. Is this what you want to do?

Yes. I'm doing this and I'm going to make sure my family makes it home to Orléans safely. As soon as we get them out – we begin the deployment of the air fleet to Dale and give the Argents a reckoning they won't forget.

People are going to die, Jaune.

Like Blake said in the gunship – it's war.

In a tenement, there was a group of men and a single woman. The rooms were quite spacious all things considered, when at least compared to their quarters at Salem's Castle. They were spread out through the small home, ignoring the dead bachelor stabbed repeatedly in his sleep. They moved quick before any of the man's neighbors could notice. Now with their new base of operations, they were preparing for the next step.

Afra yawned, rolling her eyes as she lounged in her recliner seat. Running a rag against the glittering edge of her short sword, she repositioned, raising it out. Across the room, she watched as Dawa napped in the couch, legs stretched out and strewn in every direction. On another seat, Ardit was reading a book and carefully taking his rifle apart and checking the armament they had. Bullets stood in a line on the surface, perfectly aligned. In a series of cylinders, Dust in multiple forms, were lined up as well, almost meticulously placed in descending gradient, starting with Burn.

Turning to the blade, she glared at the reflection. She knew that what she did was necessary to get into the home, but it made her feel disgusting. Wiping her lips and her mouth, she spat, massaging her jaw as if poisoned. Kissing that piece of waste was too much. Good thing he was weak willed, he was already in the bedroom before he could even get a chance to realize what was happening. She huffed, wiping her knife once again – she was kind enough to end him quickly.

Eyes followed Ardit's movements as he started to reassemble his sniper rifle. Meticulous and almost in a trance, the skinny man moved faster and faster, every time he did it. Intriguing, she was going to say something, but Dawa's violent snores stopped her and Ardit from saying anything to each other. With a sigh, she sat back down, throwing the back of her head, into her hands. Trying to ignore the snores, there was one person that really caught the young Faunus's attention. He was a mustached man, standing in the kitchen with Hanzo and Tyrian.

"So, Orion Argent has found his way back to Vale," Hanzo hummed, "does he know about Salem?"

"No. Whatever he and the King spoke of, Salem did not come into the conversation."

"But of course," Watts said, "she has gone off kilter as of late, but I have grown to appreciate her…despite her personality quirks. After all, she has come quite handy."

Reaching into his bag, the man lifted a small ballistic case and carefully placed it on the counter. A click of latch releases, he opened the container, revealing one bullet encased in Styrofoam. Lifting it up, the man hummed to himself as he lifted the bullet, "see this? The Argents were always interesting to me, namely for their Dust. This here is a fifty-caliber cartridge, tipped with liquid Inferno Dust. Interesting, isn't it?"

"Larissa has done what she could to keep her experiments quiet," Watts continued, "but of course, our enemies would have their own Argent. I have learned, thanks to a servant of Larissa's, that Orion Argent has told the King about Inferno Dust. If something were to happen…I wonder who would be blamed?"

"But…what about the boy?" Tyrian suddenly asked, "you said he went to the King. Surely he's already earned their trust."

"Trust, like everything else, can be broken," Hanzo glared at the scorpion, "it won't be hard to do. Afra!"

The girl snapped up, springing from the seat, "yes, Hanzo?"

Whipping out a scroll, the man tapped a few times before pulling up what looked like a military record. Putting it on the counter, her turned it to the woman, "this is Orion Argent…your semblance will help us with our next task."

"What do you have in mind?"

Hanzo glared at the picture, "let's just say betrayal is a pain that few can recover from. Orion Argent has found himself peers among the King's Fist–"

The television sudden turned on with an emergency broadcast. All eyes snapped to the screen, "I am Alexios Argent, a member of Vale's High Council; please, for your safety and the safety of our city; the Council demands that you stay indoors. In the wake of Claude Arc's verdict, the Council has begun the first stage of lockdowns to maintain peace and stability in the city. Do not overstep the will of the Council. Our men are given orders to treat dissidents with extreme force."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ardit suddenly shouted, "look outside! Something's going down!"

Watts gave Hanzo a shrug and moved first, gathering the others with him. Coming to the window, even Dawa had awoken from his nap bodies pressed against windows, they watched the streets below. On one end of the street toward the Redwood Bridge, police and riot squads were beginning to drive in. Hordes of men with batons and riot shields raised. Armored police vehicles, refitted in the wake of the Battle of Vale, their powerful turrets turned, pointed toward the other side of the avenue.

Building up from Tarsier Pavilion down the way, the King himself, antlers growing from his forehead, bathed in golden light, marched with hundreds, swelling into thousands, behind him. They carried signs, banners and shouted hymns of war. Their fists were raised, human and Faunus together. They were enraged, beating their chests, screaming at the top of their lungs as they neared the wall of shields. Hanzo narrowed his eyes as he watched the coming processions. Their shouts, their roars, something was off about it.

Looking up, airships were turning, airwings were deployed in their constant formations. However, beneath the overcast sky, he narrowed his eyes at a single LAHAT gunship flew against formations. Following it, he watched it fly completely unseen by the police. As helicopters and gunships roared into the scene from both the Valean Council and the King's Fist, Hanzo wondered quietly to himself, before his eyes focused with realization.

"Gear up…in chess, the pawns always go first," Hanzo said, pointing at the lone LAHAT zooming across the sky, "but it is the Queens who act with true attrition. Look."

All eyes glanced to the lone gunship. Each person came to their own conclusions, "so, we're fighting Fireteam RWBY and the Fall Maiden ourselves?"

"Conflict cannot be avoided," Watts hummed, "though, you may not need to face them in pitched duels. They may have their own agenda at play."

"He's alone in the streets," Tyrian smiled, "I wonder what his Queens are planning?"

"Look ahead; the huntsmen are being deployed from Beacon Academy," Hanzo said, "Bullheads are heading toward the city right now…our window of opportunity has shown itself. Afra, Ardit, you two follow the crowds – Tyrian, you, me and Dawa will infiltrate Beacon Academy. Ardit, when the two of you find your opening, call us. And wait for out signal."

"Watts," Hanzo turned to him, "make sure you find a way to pick up Orion. What we're about to do will have consequences that can pan out of our control if he's given a chance to explain himself."

"Heh, I thought of the same thing," Watts said, "sometimes to get a good result, you just have to let things pan out on their own. Your four have thirty minutes after the first shot is fired, to get to the warehouse district."

Orion sat in a teahouse with his new friends. He honestly didn't know what to make of these people. Humans and Faunus alike, were just so happy. Compared to Atlas, compared to pretty much every other person he'd met up until now. Leg over the other, he sipped at his boba tea as the others laughed and joked with each other. He put his own input, murmuring something in the back of his head, but something caught his attention. There was a commotion going on outside the shop.

No one really noticed and continued on their business, watching music festivals on the tv's and playing boardgames. But his eyes kept being pulled to the street. Turning over, he watched people running back and forth. Amethyst eyes narrowed, as there were some with signs and others with flags. Another protest? He waited, taking another sip. The people were few in between, with maybe ten at the most at a time. He watched setting his drink down getting the attention of his peers.

"Orion, what's up?"

"Something's…something's wrong," Orion stood.

Now, people were running away. They were screaming but he couldn't hear them through the thick glass windows. Activating his aura, he walked toward the door, but immediately froze in his steps. A smoking canister clattered on the street, stopping no more than ten feet away. The people were freaking out, screaming and pushing and running into one another, worsening the situation with their panic. Eyes wide, a hooded woman with the deepest blue eyes he had ever seen was thrown to the ground.

Rushing into action, he burst through the door, his soldier friends at his back. Hand outstretched, he expanded the canister and shrunk it back, trapping it in itself. With a crunch, it was gone. He threw himself into the chaos, dodging fleeing civilians, "hey! You good!"

"Y-Yeah," the woman responded weakly as she grabbed his waiting hand, "I…"

He watched as her hood fell from her head. Marvelously healthy and thick brown hair waved to her mid back, breaking free from its hair ties. He blinked at how beautiful she was, but his thoughts were immediately dashed. But as the last of her hair was revealed, his eyes looked up, following each natural curl to her hairline. But as he continued, amethyst eyes widened at the mangled stumps at the edge of her forehead. As he stared at her, something in his chest just stopped. A panic as violent as any storm, bubbled in his chest. It couldn't be. He kept repeating those three words. It couldn't be.

"You…" she suddenly said as people continued to run past them, "you look…familiar…"

Orion snapped at attention as a click and a boom was heard. Wrapping his hand around this woman's arm, he turned and started running for the nearest alleyway, "Delwyn! Find out what's happening! I'm gonna try and get people to safety!"

"Already on it, Argent!" the soldier cocked his rifle, barking commands to his troops.

As Orion and the woman slammed their backs into an empty alleyway, the two of them panted as more canisters were blasted into the street. He looked over, finding the woman shimmering with aura. As he spoke, something caught his attention. A Faunus appeared with glasses over his eyes, a platypus tail hanging from his tailbone and another, with small, almost premature deer antlers, followed after him. A small group of other Faunus were at their back, angry and clearly looking for a fight.

"Blue!"

"Blue!"

"Perry! Deery!" the woman smiled brightly, "this man–"

"Is an Argent!" Perry snapped.

Before Orion could do anything, firearms were raised at him. Large suppressors screwed into the barrels; they took slow threatening steps. The woman with stumps, got in between them, hands on their weapons, "wait! He saved me from being trampled back there! Put your weapons down!"

"He's fucking Brotherhood, Blue," Perry growled, "we didn't get anywhere with the Winchester so we have this piece of work now. We have never been able to hurt the Brotherhood when we were in the White Fang – I think it's high time that we got our act together."

Deery neared him her handgun held like a true operator, while keeping a respectable distance away from him. Even if he had training to disarm her, the risk would be too great, "I agree…what's your name Argent?"

"Guys, stop this!" the one called Blue shouted, getting between him and her Faunus friends, "we aren't going to make the situation better by attacking him!"

Orion looked around, eyeing his surroundings. Dumpsters, trash bags and trash cans. There was a lead pipe laying a few feet from him. Maybe if he could move fast enough, he could defend himself. Clenching his teeth, the boy kept his hands raised. He took a cautious step back, but the one called Deery pulled the slide back on her handgun, making a very real threat.

He cursed in his head. He didn't know if he should say something or even defend himself. He was already on a thin line in Vale due to his name. That alone was more than enough reason to just sit still and take whatever it was they were going to do to him. However, amethyst eyes could not stop looking at Blue. Her face, her tanned skin, thick, curling brown hair; the stumps on her head. It made his stomach turn.

Under the cover of a loud boom, the one named Perry simply scoffed. Swinging his gun out, Orion, unaware was bashed in the side of his head, "Fuck this. You're going to pay for what you've done to Faunus, Argent."

In his stumble, Deery fired her weapon. The suppressors did their job well. In the chaos of the protests in the streets, no one could tell the difference between gunfire and the police. Orion dodged, ducking under the very visible bullet. Orion moved closer, only to get a gun butt to the back of his neck, shooting him to the floor. Bouncing on the grime and dirt, he coughed, spitting his frustration. Turning around, Perry growled, stomping on his chest, holding him down. Several firearms were lowered, barrels aimed at his face.

"Oh, Argent," Perry glared, "you should have never come to Vale, you freak."

As they shouted, Blue stopped shouting. Head pounding, heart racing, she couldn't stop the images flashing in her head. Hey freak! The words burning in her head. Their threats sounded too similar; too familiar. She held her head, but no one noticed. Clenching her teeth, her stumped antlers trembled, almost vibrating against her skin. Hands clutched the stumps, trying desperately to stop the pain. Flashes in her eyes only worsened. A dumpster nearby, angry people, standing over one that's broken – it was all too familiar.

Her stumped horns continued to ache, as if they were threatening to tear through her skin any minute. Head dipped into her palms; she could barely hear them over the beating of her heart. Just kill the freak! No one's gonna miss him! Frustrations rising, her breath hitched violently as she trembled weakly, everything was rushing back to her. A burning flacon on armor; eyes like gemstone. She hissed, teeth clenching tightly, her hands pressed into her skull, doing anything she can to stop it, but it was over. A face in the blur, a stone through the smoke; everything came back. Everything.

Urgh!

Heads turned away from Orion, giving him the opening, he needed. Springing up, he grabbed Perry's firearm, disarming him in an instant. Kicking him away, he dodged a bullet from Deery and a few of their compatriots. As Perry fell back, he grabbed him, spinning him around he held the handgun at Perry's head, "put them down! Now!"

However, his eyes widened and he quickly released the man. Throwing the handgun away, he rushed to Blue's side as she slid down against brick wall, the stumps of her head, clutched tightly. Orion knelt beside her, not knowing what to do. Panic spreading as in the streets outside the alleyway. Her words however, made him freeze with terror.

I remember.

She sprang her head up, weakly standing on her feet, "I…I remember."

"Blue? What are you talking about?" Perry asked breathlessly.

"M-My name is not Blue!" she shook her head, her eyes shaking with tears. Her lips quivered into a bright smile. As if she was having a crisis, she suddenly broke down into tears. Falling back into the wall, she sobbed, her smile never leaving her face, even when stained in tears. "My name…is Juno Teale. I was born and raised in Viridian Hollow. My mother is named Regina Teale. I was attacked by Cardin Winchester…"

She turned away, spinning head beginning to slow down, "but he immediately regretted it, coming to see if I was okay…Orion…both of you tried to protect me."

"Blue – what are you talking–"

"I just said my name is Juno!" she snapped, "My name is Juno!"

Perry raised his hands, "a-alright, Juno…what are you talking about?! You're not making any sense!"

"I remember…" she said with the purest smile Orion had ever seen, "I remember everything!"

Ruby watched as something ran across rooftops. Leaning against the bay doors, she watched as Jaune, who headed a large procession that clogged many streets and even the Redwood Bridge, pushed through police blockades and walls of riot shields. She could see the panic spreading through the Northern Side of the City. People who didn't wise up and join the crowd, were running for safety, barring the doors and windows for fear of what was to come. Sighing in defeat, the girl fell back, leaning against the doors.

"Guys," she said, "what have we done?"

"We didn't do anything," Blake said, "I don't know what Jaune's planning but we have to make sure things don't go too far. This could very easily spiral out of control."

"Of course, as soon as Orion arrives," Weiss sighed.

"Don't start blaming him, Weiss," Pyrrha glared, "we have already accepted him in our ranks."

"T-That's not what I meant," she sighed, "it's just that everything happening now, just happens to come to a tipping point when he's here? I'm not saying things were fine before, but this is a bit too chaotic, even for us. We've come to blows with who we are and what we want to be…despite knowing that Jaune has known us more than we can ever possibly know, to innocent people literally exploding and dying in our city. Worse yet – people worshipping us. All of it coming to head now."

A ring caught them by surprise, "Marsha? What is it?"

"Lord Claude Arc was declared guilty of all charges," she said breathlessly, "he's been sentenced to death. We need to stop the King and make sure the city doesn't erupt into civil war!"

"Civil…war?" The four queens looked to one another, "y-you can't be serious!"

"Look outside, your grace," she said, "the King's already started his march toward the Silver Tower and the Courts…please, do something."

Yang lowered her head, dropping her hand from the earpiece. Weiss crossed her arms, a nervous glance in her icy blue eyes. Blake bit her lip, ears tilted down in distress. Pyrrha said nothing, closing her eyes to try and calm down. As all of this was happening, Ruby shook her head with frustration, rising from her seat against the bay door. Marching up to them, she took their hands together, "stop this. Right now!"

"Ruby, you heard Marsha!"

"Yes, and I heard that people are in danger," she said, "get yourselves together. We're splitting up, alright. I can't do much with my long-range attacks if we're going to be searching the area for the perpetrators of the Industrial Bombing. We just need to ensure that the tensions between the Argents and the Arcs don't blow out of proportion – got it?!"

"But Ruby…"

"No buts, Weiss," she said, "me and you will join Jaune on the ground to make sure nothing goes too far! Yang, Pyrrha, Blake; you three are close-quarters medium-ranged goddesses – make sure that when you find whoever's calling the shots – you make them pay. These people, whoever they are, have tried too long to tear us apart. I'm sick and tired of it! I won't let them hurt us any longer! Jaune tried fifty times – we only need one. Let's get it done."

"Y'know Ruby…" Yang nodded, "you'd make a great Queen too."

For all her seriousness, the girl stammered, shaking her head, "I-I don't know what you're t-talking about!"

"C'mon girls – let's go kick some ass," Yang said, cocking Ember Celica, "Jaune and Ren don't want to believe the Argents are behind everything…a part of me wants to believe that's true."

"Alright, what's the plan of attack?" Blake asked.

"We engage as soon as we confirm there's someone trying to harm Jaune," Pyrrha said, "our top priority is making sure Lord Arc and Jaune are unharmed. In a situation as delicate as this; Jaune for all of his focus, will be unbalanced. We've seen it before; at least…heard of it from Ren and Junior. He loses composure more often than not these days…Ruby, Weiss, be ready at a moment's notice to restrain him should you need to."

"R-Restrain him?" Weiss gave the woman a raised brow, "I think you're really overestimating our ability here."

"Is Ren on his way?" Ruby asked.

"I haven't heard from him since we got on the LAHAT," Blake frowned, "knowing JNPR, I doubt they're very far from Jaune. Looks like all the plans we originally hard are dashed…just be careful guys. We're not letting them get this victory over us. Not now."

"Agreed," Weiss nodded, "like Ruby said; they aren't going to tear us apart. Fifty times they've succeeded – I say no more."

As the LAHAT began its descent, the gunship lurched and landed on an empty rooftop, kicking dirt and debris in every direction. Doors hissed open, unleashing the sounds of a city under fire. Explosions, gas canisters; shouts and battle cries; broken glass and cocking firearms; gunfire, broken bones; they heard everything. Moving as one, the group split off. Ruby using her semblance grabbed Weiss and zoomed off into the streets below. Pyrrha leading the bees, dashed forward in the opposite direction, keeping to the rooftops.

"We're not failing Jaune…not now."

I've always been in the camp of Jaune is a descendent of Salem theory. After the episode of Girl in the Tower - I was shooketh, especially when Murderofbirds made a video all about it. Let's not mention, despite Fairy Tales of Remnant being not canon, Salem's literal emblem was the Arc rainbows. I don't know, I just really like the idea of Jaune in fact, being a descendent of ancient evil. We already got Ruby having a serious mental breakdown with the reveal of her mother maybe not being as great a hero as she might have thought. Jaune's case - his family were heroes, but not in the sense that he may think. Even villains have heroes and champions of their cause. Besides, we've seen plenty Jaune being a descendent of Salem fanfics on this site, I wanted to change things up a bit. (also, this was a planned thing from the start, just not in the way it was portrayed currently. Originally, I had some crazy reveal that was supposed to have happened, but nah)

Anyway - tell me what you thought!

Ja ne!

gottahavekyuubi