2. 13th of Friday
The air is still. The forest is calm. The shattered moon glows. A mist encompasses the forest floor. The animals are quiet. Even those that flourish in the night.
The dark bird beats its wings hard. It glides above the treeline. The trip has been long yet the night has only just begun. Dusk was only an hour or so ago, yet the forest atmosphere changed entirely. The bird could not help but think: 'Who the hell wants to camp here!?' Besides stupid teenagers of course. There were some locals who stayed. People who have lived out in the province for generations. In spite of the fluctuating Grimm activity. It was part of the reason he was here.
The dark avian finally made it to its destination. It dives downward into the forest, maneuvering trees and their offending branches. Then pulling upward, spins, growing in size. It Changes shape before landing unto a thick branch a man. Qrow Branwen looks out to the shimmering water.
Crystal Lake. Formerly Camp Crystal Lake, what used to be a safe haven, a place to get rid of bad thoughts and feelings. Enjoy the good things in life. Grimm were monitored but far and wide, it was a struggle to find one if you tried. A place you could relax. A place thought secure.
Then a little boy died. A woman went mad, and several more people were killed before the nightmare ended. The place closed down, and attempts to re-open failed. Partially because of Grimm. Partially because of something else. Now the Camp houses are derelict, abandoned. The moss is growing over the foundations, slowly retaking the land.
Taking a relaxed position against the tree Qrow begins his watch of the lake. Ozpin gave him the rundown of the situation beforehand: Past and Present.
"9 years ago. A young boy drowned in the lake. His mother, Pamela Voorhees, was employed as a cook. She blamed the children involved...and the staff, teenage boys and girls, for not watching them properly. No charges were made. A week later the staff was systematically butchered overnight. Some of the children were found dead from poisoning. By the time we got a huntsman to investigate the area the damage was done. Pamela fought arrest, and was swiftly killed.""
"Case and Camp closed." Qrow had remarked then.
"So it would be, yet Grimm activity has been erratic. They would start haunting the area frequently, only to disappear overnight themselves. It was only looking into the technical data, that I realized it."
"What?"
"How many missing person reports led to this location."
It climbed steady over the years, but hundreds have gone missing in this area. People who were thought to have skipped town, travel, runaways. Many of them ended here, where the trail went cold. Qrow went door to door, or field to field with anyone who would talk with him. Using a recent girl who had confirmed to have gone missing, he posed as a concerned family member. They all said similar things. One of them, an older woman, stood out in particular to him.
"She ain't missing. Shes dead." She says, no hesitation. Like its just a fact. "People go missing around here they're gone for good."Qrow looked at her stunned. She spoke with dread that a would send Ursa into a frenzy. Before he can even get another word she continues.
"Outsiders come-they don't know where to walk. They bring trouble. We just want to be left alone, and so does he."
His plan was simple, watch the lake for activity. Qrow was some hours into his watch. The lake had been calm, and no activity was occuring in the surrounding forest. He found himself starting to doze.
Than he heard it. A vehicle rumbling, one of those bands Yang listened to was blaring obnoxiously. Two humvees came out and lit up the lake with their floodlights. They braked hard. Parking on the beach, Young adults poured out of the vehicles. A half-dozen of them, with brains that make up less than that amount.
Immediately they began setting up. Qrow considered making them leave, but had an idea. They could draw out the presence here. If Ruby or Tai knew he was using these kids as bait...they wouldn't know. Tai barely knew what Ozpin had him do for the cause, ever since Raven...
The kids were pulling out coolers and booze, and Qrow wished he could go down there. But he was on a mission. Deciding to shut his eyes, he knew if something came, Grimm or not, he would feel it. It was something that came with experience. It kept him alive naturally, whether lt was Grimm or his semblance decided to act against him. Watching the kids holler and laugh, lulled into dark...
Shink! Shink!"AAAHHHH-Gh!"
The scream brought Qrow to awareness immediately. He looked outward to see the small rowboat out on the center of the massive lake. Abandoned for some time. There was a receding splash by the boat, and the girl on the boat was screaming. 'I heard a guy scream, is he drowning?' Looking out with his binoculars. He looked toward the boat. The girl was looking at the water distressed. He should probably-
Then a blade stabbed through the boat from below.
The girl screamed again. The blade immediately retreated back down, before rising up again just as fast. It sliced open The girls leg, and Qrow scrambled to get over there. His crow form beat its wings as hard as he could. His eyes could make out the blade coming up and down like a demented saw. His heart sank as the girl was cut too many times and fell over. He made it overhead right above the boat-
As the blade speared her through the abdomen. She gasped, and the blade dragged upward to her chest, surfing up to her collarbone like a sharkfin. The blade retreated, her movement ceased, and her body crumpled down. Her blood poured out of her ripped flesh, mixing with the water filling the sinking boat.
A pair of arms bursted out of the bottom of the boat. Grabbing her body by the ankles, the girl was dragged into the water. The rowboat, or what was left, quickly followed.
Qrow...did not know what to think. The suddenness of it. The brutality of it. His heart wrenched. 'That poor girl' Why couldn't he save her? Where the fuck were the rest of her friends? Why couldn't he have sensed it?
It wasn't just something that worked randomly. Growing up in the wilds, training to be huntsmen. He should have felt something off. Even the strange atmosphere of the place shouldn't have messed with him. He should know, he's been around the block, so to speak.
'Wait, where are her friends?' He realizes. He starts flying toward the campsite. Looking toward the cars, everything is mostly where it was. The car are still present as well. He can account for two right now. 'Oh god' He thought. 'How many are already dead?'
As this reality sinks in, He sees bubbles near the beach. A shape rises from the water. A tall figure comes ashore, dragging the girls corpse by both ankles using his left hand. His right holding a weapon. Qrow lands on a nearby branch, watching the figure as it trudges by the dying bonfire pausing to look at it for a moment. The bonfire itself still glows bright enough to reveal the figure.
The "Man's" size is massive, Qrow had to guess at least six foot five. His build seemed strong yet he seemed slimmer than he should. A hunters jacket and worn pants were soaking, with multiple tears all over. Water dripped off the figure generously, yet he didn't seem bothered by it. It was hard to tell, as not only was the figure still, a fucking sack was over his head. There were two holes, but it was still too dark to tell anything. His weapon, a machete, glinted. The metal had no real shine, it seemed aged with wear and use.
Qrow realized that the figure wasn't still looking at the fire. It was looking at him, the figure raised his arm, as if he expected the bird to come. He pretended to act like a bird and moved to another branch, cawing. "Sackhead", as Qrow decided to call him, tilted his head. Then, just as quickly, he resumed his walk, dragging the girls corpse effortlessly behind him.
'He's got some monster strength. I wonder how he'll fair against a real fight. With someone that can fight back.' He couldn't get too cocky though. For now he follows Behind in crow form. It was easy to follow the lumbering figure, who stopped to admire the forest for a moment, even picking a flower from the bushes.
It was hard, very hard, to see the bodies left in his wake. These kids didn't even see him coming. A guy was pinned to a tree, a farmers rake impaled in the back of his head holding his body up. His pants down, likely in the middle of a piss. Another was simpler, a body who's head was crushed into nothing.
Deeper in the forest he sees a a pair of bodies out on a field, Resting on a blanket. a male slumped over a female. The blood and stab wounds on the males body tells him all he needs to know. There are more, he knows there are more. The woman's warning comes back to him. How many had he killed as Qrow slumbered? He was silent and deadly for sure, but Qrow should have sensed something! It had to be the forest.
Outsiders getting lost out here, it made sense now. Hell if he didn't use his Crow form he would have trouble navigating. Doesn't matter what happens tonight. He's telling Ozpin this place won't come back, camp is closed and staying that way. 'Its death. Like a miasma. The ground is tainted. Only the trees stay here and flourish. Flourish with blood.' Only those without aura would be ignorant enough to come here.
Finally he sees it. A cabin up ahead. Dark and derelict, light seems absent this far deep. The front door is missing, leaving a rectangle of black. Sackhead disappears into the doorway of the house, the girl pulled along, still leaving a bloody trail. Qrow hears a thump inside. A dim light glows from within.
Taking a peak through a window, he sees the girl set to the side. Sackhead sits on an old bed, it sinks slightly under his weight. He seems to be looking at something in his hand, a flower. He gets up and sets it down on an unseen cabinet, before heading out the doorway.
Qrow turns back into a human the moment he enters the treeline, and enters the house. The moment the killer came back he'd- 'what'
Sitting on atop of a cabinet. Enshrined by flowers and other little trinkets, was a severed head. The hair was still blonde, and although the face was rotted, he could identify her as Pamela Voorhees. He had seen her photo beforehand, and he remembered his talk with the huntsman that killed her.
"I felt pity for her, but she was a mad bitch. Had to be put down. Unregistered aura user, She was ranting about her son, his father being a bastard. Her madness made her unpredictable, but it didn't take long. In a hard strike I cut off her hand and her head. They fell into the water and I dragged her corpse to the authorities."
"Who's the father?" Qrow had asked.
"Unregistered. But if you believe her ranting...Elias Arc."
"You're kidding, the guy has seven daughters!"
"And if you believe Pamela, one son. I confronted him about it after, and he confessed to an affair. He denies the child being his but... well no point now."
Qrow looks away from the severed head of Pamela Voorhees. Ozpin gave him the rundown beforehand of what was on file, even her mad claims. But the affair? That was new. Must have been true, why everything was dropped. Arc wanted to bury this. But where does Sackhead come into this? old friend? Loon taking refuge? Sea faunus maybe, that would explain the water-
His thought process stops again. At the foot of the bed is damaged wood, a name carved in. The last name was Voorhees, but the first name grabs his attention. It had to be coincidence. There was no way.
"Poor shame about the boy. He was about my dear Nebulas age. They never found his body. but I won't forget, and now two of us won't. I owe it to the kid." The man looks out the window and takes a puff of his cigar.
"His name was Jaune. And today is his Birthday."
It was Qrows natural instinct, recognizing the sound of a blade cutting through air, that saved him. Throwing his body to the side, He rolls away. He draws Harbinger in gun mode. Sackhead is pulling his machete out if the floor as he fires.
Two shots drill directly into his chest. He takes a step back, but doesn't fall. The blood is oozing slowly out the fresh wounds, as a gold glow comes from under his skin. He swings at Qrow again, who dives under him. Firing off four shots into his back, Sackhead staggers forward from the shots. He spins his body delivering a horizontal slash at Qrow, who ducks. He delivers a hard kick to the man sternum, sending him into the Shrine. He rushes forward, firing two more rounds into his chest before switching Harbinger to sword mode.
Shunk!
He drove Harbinger deep. Under the Sackhead's ribcage through his back. He stops moving. Qrow watches for a second, than relaxes slightly. He reached for the dead mans mask.
As he gripped the bottom of the sack, a hand gripped his neck, hard. His aura the only thing keeping it from being crushed immediately. His left arm raises up to stop the machete wielding arm from coming down on his skull. He quickly plants both feet into the giants body, and kicks off, pulling his blade out in the process, tearing the mask. Blood sprays across the cabin floor.
Sackhead looked to the side, where pamela's head fell to the floor. He looked back at Qrow, who felt the anger. He crossed the distance between them incredibly fast. A sudden shine on the blade told Qrow to back off. The machete scratched him, before Sackhead rammed him through the window.
Qrow, laying outside, touched his chest to feel wet and sticky. looking at his hand he saw red.
It was only a graze but the machete cut through his aura. Sackhead practically ate his bullets, hell he skewered the man. Yet he was still moving. There was no aura clash. No indication at all. He shouldn't be alive.
Yet he was, and Qrow had to roll away as Sackhead drove his machete into the ground where Qrow had lay. Having Used both hands, he sank the machete deep. Getting ready to pull it out of the ground, Qrow used this to move. Firing two shots into Sackheads shoulders, he used the open field to his advantage. Switching to sword mode, he sliced at the mans legs and arms. Hoping to immobilize him.
Yet Sackhead did not fold. Managing to pull out his machete he went at Qrow savagely. He was not slow by any means. But Qrow was a black blur in the night. Slicing at him from the side, barely gone before He could swing his blade around. Qrow would than change to his scythe to slash his black open. After that he either switched to slice at a limb or use his gun mode on the kneecaps. He changed his method and order of attack between all three modes, as Sackhead would learn to block certain strikes, forcing him to adapt constantly.
Finally, after Hours of cutting away at him. Sackhead fell back on the cabin doorframe. He sank downward, leaving a fresh trail of blood from his back to the wall. His Sack mask was ripped up revealing tuffs of blond hair. He began a slow crawl into the cabin. Qrow nearly sank to the ground as well. The bastard got some licks in, despite being at a disadvantage. Qrow wouldn't have lasted had the fight stayed indoors.
Going inside the cabin, he saw him picking up the severed head. He held it to his chest as if it was something precious. As Qrow trotted towards sunken shape, it tried to raise it machete arm again. Qrow wacked it aside, and gripped the sack, tearing it off without hesitation. Qrow took several steps back, eyes wide.
ki ki ki, ma ma ma
Ozpin watched the wide expanse of green shine in the early morning pass by the hovercrafts window. Right before dawn, Qrow activated his tracker, and sent Ozpin a single message.
Come to my location, ASAP, Bring Peter and Glynda. Tell Peter to bring his capture gear. Yes, that capture gear.
It threw him off slightly, but he trusted Qrow's word as Qrow trusted his. Glynda was Frustrated, but came regardless. She knew her expertise would not be asked unless it was required. Peter Port was another story. He was not given much details, Glynda only spared some beforehand, yet he was bubbling with excitement.
The Transport landed in the field. Ozpins attention immediately went to the abandoned cabin. Stepping out the smell of spilt Blood permeated the field. Glynda's nose curled at the stench.
"My gods, quite a scuffle occured here. Too much blood for one person, but no rotting Grimm?" Peter Inquired
"Oz, Here! Peter! Bring those restraints I asked for!" Qrow called to them from the cabins doorway. Motioning them to come to the cabin, he quickly went back inside.
The smell of blood and rot blended as the teachers entered. Looking forward, Qrow sits on an old chair. Glynda gasps at the body laying near the wall, an old tarp covering the body. Right next to Qrow, another body was on the bed. This one's limbs held down by chains looped around the bedframe. He was still, only looking at a molding ceiling.
"Found our Boogeyman Oz. Does he look familiar?" Ozpin moved forward to look at the bound man. His eyes did not miss the name on the front of the bed. Still, he was shocked at the face staring blankly at the ceiling, He turned his head to Ozpin. Ozpin's eyes widened at the face.
"Elias?" He whispered the question.
"Qrow, this body, did he..." Glynda whispered.
"Many more Glynda, so many more." Qrow shook his head. "I would ask Ironwood to bring a dropship, there are dead all over these woods."
"You are fucking mad Ozpin!"
"Not yet, I'm not that old yet."
"It's barely been a year! and you want him interacting with others already? In an enclosed space?!"
"The moment we removed him from Crystal Lake, we have made only progress."
"Look its bad enough you kept that head, making a fuckin shrine here. If any kids see it..."
"They won't. Its hidden, I've made sure of it."
"...I don't like it Oz, he's a liability. You can't trust him. You know his background as well as I do at this point."
"The staff are already aware and prepared. If I turned away students of such questionable backgrounds all the time, we would have much less dedicated huntsman defending this land. He can be an asset with time. Need I remind you, I trusted you and your sister many years ago?"
"...Raven broke your trust."
"You didn't."
One year later: Beacon arrivals
Ruby Roses head spun as the Heiress stomped away. As she gained her bearings the Sun seemed to go dark. She saw muddy boots at her feet, and quickly looked up slightly torn jeans to see a figure blocking the sun. Her hand shielding her eyes, she got a good look at the figure. Tall and broad, he seemed to wear a dark hooded jacket zipped halfway. A simple grey shirt clung to his chest. His only indication of living was the movement of breathing on his chest. Movement, as he let out no sound.
Strange enough, a mask adorned his face. Off white with a bunch of tiny holes around the edges, mostly around the mouth. It reminded her of those violent ice skating sports from Atlas she heard Yang go crazy for at home. It was adorned With three red markings. One a wide arrow between the brow, and two marks mirroring each other on either cheek.
She Couldn't see his face, his back blocking the sun. Blonde hair peaked around the mask, hidden by his dark hood. He was just staring at her, she raised a hand in an awkward wave. His head tilted, like a curious animal. Suddenly he moved, grabbing her by the shoulders. She was on her feet, and he was back to staring at her. After a moment of silence he turned around, walking away slowly. She noticed the swaying machete at his hip as he left, aged metal gleaming.
She would not see him again till initiation. She was trying to traverse the forest to find Yang. Hearing a pack of Beowolves, she ran, hoping to find her sister. Following the howls, she arrived to the scene ready to fight.
Only to arrive at the end of it, dead grimm littered around her feet. She watched as the Dark stranger from earlier was rushed by a lone alpha. He swatted a lunging claw away with his machete. His "swat" severed that arm from the body at the joint. Grabbing the Alpha by the neck, he stopped it dead in its tracks, Beheading it without pause.
Than it was just them, surrounded by the vivisected corpses of Beowolf packs. The dark figures shoulders raised with each silent breath. He turned to Ruby, and she sucked in a breath. Her shiny silver eyes stared into void black holes, condemning them to be partners for the next four years.
"So uh...partners?" He tilted his head at her again. Than to her relief he seemed to nod. "I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose. What's your name?"
He lowered his head, as if in thought. Than he moved towards a fallen tree, and began slashing at the wood. The slashes were frenzied yet precise. He finished just as ruby arrived. She read the crude markings, and though he wrote with a blade, she read it clearly.
Yang Xiao Long Grabbed her sister. Pulling her into a nuzzling hug.
"Rubes! You made it! Come meet my partner." She gestured with her arm at the dark haired male. "This is Lie Ren, ain't he pretty?"
"Yaaang, boys don't wanna be called pretty." Ruby moaned.
"Don't be jelly Ruby. Say, wheres your partner at?" Yang wondered. Ruby's head snapped to the direction she came from, seeing no one in sight. Her partner gone.
"B-but he was just here! How did I lose him already!?"
"He is watching us from the treeline." Lie Ren, the new guy stated. Pointing past them, the sisters looked to see Ruby's partner, hidden partially by bushes and the shade provided by the trees. It took Yang a moment to register where he was. When she realised it, she still jumped.
"Holy FUCK!"
"Yang! language!" Ruby pushed her sister off. She looked back. "Its okay Jaune, Yang is good. come over here please?" Jaune waited a moment before moving. He waved through the bushes as though they weren't even there. Staying a few feet away, he towered over the group.
"Yang, This is Jaune, my partner. He can't talk. At least I don't think he can. Jaune this is my sister Yang." Ruby introduced them, Jaune's gaze fixed on Yang, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable. She didn't let it show.
"See something on my face Jaune?" She couldn't tell if those black eyeholes were even looking at her face. His head was already looking down at her because of his massive height. Ruby took a quick opportunity look out ahead.
"Do you guys see those Pillars? maybe they have something to do with-" Everybody turned towards the forest. A massive thumping was coming from the treeline, too close, and too fast.
Multiple things happened at once. An Ursa emerged from the Forest. The massive shape shredded through bushes and foliage. Its body was raised, trampling towards Ruby like spiky black death
Before the others could react, Jaune was just...there. He grabbed Ruby, holding her tight to him he spun fast. Putting her out of harms way his blade glided, the spinning slash tearing the Ursa asunder. Its upper half flew several meters, along with the redhead riding it.
The encounter was over before anybody realized what happened. Ruby's face was to Jaune's chest. She could hear his heartbeat, twice as slow as a regular persons, so quiet you'd think he's dead. It didn't stop her face from reddening. Jaune stepped away from her, keeping a hand on her shoulder for a moment longer.
Meanwhile Yang and Ren took note of the redhead that flew off the upper half of the Ursa. They went to her landing zone to find her legs dangled in the air.
"Nora." Ren spoke. The girl immediately straightened and pulled herself to a sitting position rubbing her head. Seeing Ren and Yang, Her eyes grew enlarged and teary.
"Rennie! you already found a partner!?"
"Together You will be team Brownie (BWNN) Led by Blake Belladonna." The poor girl wanted to be anywhere else. From what They had seen during Initiation she was quiet, yet she and Ren were able to make a coherent strategy to evade the Nevermore and Deathstalker. Well... the Nevermore at least.
Jaune took care of the Deathstalker, while everyone else followed the plan and ran. Nobody saw how the fight went, only that Jaune met up with them not long after. He had this way of disappearing. It was starting to become a trend.
"Lie Ren, Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Voorhees, Ruby Rose, step forward." They all stepped forward. There were many eyes on them. Most specifically Jaune. He still wore his mask, even now. Ruby wondered if he would ever take it off. At the least his hood was down, showing a head of lanky blond hair peaking out of the leather straps holding his mask to his face.
"You retrieved the Knight and Rook pieces. With Lie Ren's calm control of the situation you persevered, using your skills to the best of your abilities." He seemed to look at Jaune in that moment. If he noticed, Jaune didn't acknowledge it. "You are now Team Liver (LYVR) led by Lie Ren"
ki ki ki, ma ma ma
The following weeks were shockingly...calm for the team. Ren proved himself a proper leader, giving the team a routine to follow. Up at a proper time for breakfast, time limits on the bathroom, and of course study time together outside of class. Of course, he only had to worry about Ruby and Yang when it came to the morning routine.
Jaune... he was unusual. First awake, last asleep, They never saw him without his mask. It seemed almost glued to his face, but they decided early not to question it. Studying was strange with him, he still didn't speak, but Ren took time to go over subjects with Jaune, who would nod or shake his head in understanding. It was clear to Ren that Jaune while slow, was not stupid. He was unusual, came from unusual circumstances, and Ren could understand that himself.
He engaged mostly with Ren and Ruby, a social wallflower herself. He wasn't hostile to Yang, but his stares made her uncomfortable sometimes. She wasn't sure if he was shyly crushing on her or thinking of ways to kill her. Shockingly patient with Nora as well.
Nora, while sad at first, perked up fast when she realized they were dorm neighbors. Team BRNN socialized with Team LYVR the most. Nora spent time with Ren whenever she could, and the two teams got along just fine. At least when it came to LYVR.
Pyrrha Nikos got along well enough, Nora not caring for her fame whatsoever. Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna were a different story. To say they were Yin and Yang would be all too literal, and partners to boot. Both teams were powerhouses, but BRNN struggled to build a proper foundation.
Weiss and Blake stayed apart whenever they could during the teams social meets. Jaune while distant, did his share and did not sabotage the team. Only disappearing for small periods of time. Ren couldn't help but wonder if it would be the same, had Ozpin not set them aside after the initiation ceremony.
"I am sure you all have noticed that your companion Jaune is unusual." Ozpin had started, watching the faces of Team LYVR sans Jaune."He is a unique case, brought in from the wilds. As his team, I found it imperative you know the essentials in dealing with him. While Lie Ren is leader, its important you two listen closely." When none of them said anything, he continued.
"We have spent the last year rehabilitating him from a horrible situation. Once we got him out of his previous living arrangements, we made slow but considerable progress. There are some things to know, Push him, and he will push back. His mask, its important to him. Removing it is his choice only. He cannot speak, but he does understand you. If you have a hidden sadistic streak for animals, drop it. No exceptions. If he disappears, he will return, we have made it so. Simply treat it as a long bathroom break if you will."
"Sorry but, Headmaster?" Yang Jumps in. "If there are so many concerns, why is he here?" Ozpin seems to pause, taking a drink from his mug.
"We have several students here with unique backgrounds. Do not worry, every teacher is informed. Every one of them can handle him. However, he will need your help to integrate with society proper. Before you judge him. Give him a chance."
And so they did. He was their Silent Sentinel, and he gave them very little trouble. By now the team was pretty comfortable around him. Even BWNN became comfortable around him. The student body quietly tolerated him. He wasn't a threat.
This changed one day, during lunch. Nora was telling Ren about a pancake dream as Yang teased Weiss. Blake sat at the opposite end of the Schnee heiress, nose in her book. Jaune, who seemed to look at his already empty tray blankly, turned his head up at a sudden cry of pain. Ruby noticed, as did Ren. Both teams turned to the direction of the noise
"Ow! Stop, please!" Velvet, a faunus second year, cried as Cardin Winchester right hand pulled on her long bunny ears.
"Ha, they are real after all!" He laughed with his teammates. This is the first time Team LYVR saw the infamous team CRDL in action. They had heard of the teams bullying of other students, but never saw it till now. Blake was disgusted but looked away, everyone more or less had the same reaction. Ruby heard Jaune inhale deeply, turning to him, only to realize he was gone.
A dark shadow passed other students as it glided over. It was only a second after Ruby realized Jaune was gone. In that second he already had his right hand wrapped around Cardin's offending wrist. The bully's head snapped to yell at the offender, only to realize he had to look up.
When he did, he saw death. It wore a mask like the grimm, but with no mouth and dark pits for eyes. The seven foot tall blonde towered over the six foot bully. But Cardin refused to just fold.
"What the fuck? what do you want freak!" Jaunes grip tightened, making him let go of velvet, who stepped away. She watched in both fear and awe of the dark man. "Ow! Let me go asshole!" Cardin swung his left fist into Jaunes face. No Aura activated, Jaune didn't budge. His grip only tightened.
Cardin was not a weakling by any sort. He was, by strength alone, one of the strongest first years. This meant nothing to Jaune, who's tightening grip made Cardin Panic. He started punching Jaunes Body frantically.
"Help me!" He screamed. Russel, grabbing two dinner knives to make up for his weapons, leaped at Jaune. Jaune's gaze never left Cardin. His left arm suddenly snapped up, grabbing Russel by his throat mid jump. The small agile man dangled in his monstrous grip. He stabbed and slashed at Jaune arms repeatedly, trying to make his grip loosen. No aura activated, as the sleeve became bloodied and torn. Even as Dove stabbed a knife into Jaunes shoulder, there was no response from the giant.
The student watched in shock as Jaune took every hit as though CRDL were only Children. Team LYR and BWNN were too stunned to act. Cardin fell to one knee, and Jaune launched Russel. He used his left elbow to K.O. Dove with one strike. It bypassed his Aura entirely, you could hear the crack as Doves jaw broke. Sky tried to run, he was grabbed, pulling him around front before pulling him close for a headbutt. He was out immediately.
Jaune then grabbed Cardin's other wrist as he attempted to punch Jaune in the face again. Cardin's arms were now crossed in Jaunes grip. The boy was forced to his knees, Jaune began pushing the boy to bend him backward. He was screaming, begging him to stop, Jaune didn't care.
"Jaune please stop, its done! " Ruby was at his side. She didn't dare touch Jaune, his eyes were no longer the pale blue that she saw in initiation, they were black marbles. She kept herself in his vision, trying to draw the dark giants attention. As she spoke the blue swirled around the black. His limbs stopped. He hesitated, her voce seemed to reach him. Velvet than whimpered, by instinct more than choice, and his eyes went dark again. To her horror he was about to resume.
Purple energy locked around Jaune's hands. Glynda Goodwitch strode forward. She forced Jaune's grip to loosen. Cardin whimpered as he crawled on his back away from the monster. He passed out not long after.
"Lunch is over, everybody move on to class!" Glynda Yelled. The student left fast. Only LYVR stayed as Glynda activated a device in her palm. A blue light emitted from it, forming a figure in front of Jaune. Ruby was scared of what it might do to Jaune. Than a voice was heard.
"Jaune, my special boy..."
ki ki ki, ma ma ma
Jaune wasn't seen for the rest of the day. LYVR wouldn't see him until sunday night. He entered the dorm room silently. He nodded at his teammates, than sat on his bed. Ruby took the initiative and sat next to Jaune on his bed. She slowly put her hand over his, making sure it was within sight of his mask. Her hand gripped his softly.
"We still care about you Jaune. You are apart of this team, our friend, okay." His head tilted to her direction at her words. She was relieved to see pale blue eyes again.
Ren took his other side, silently in agreement. The incident reinforced what he already knew, he figured it was Velvet's animal features and harmless nature that set off Jaune. He would simply keep a closer eye on him.
Yang sat by ruby, still unsure of herself. Jaune was strange, sure but he never laid a hand on his team. He didn't even try to harm Ruby during his episode, just ignored her. She was more upset at herself for not stepping in. She was gonna smash the rest of CRDL when they stepped in. Then Russel stabbed Jaune, who started to bleed unto the floor, his aura seemingly inactive. The blood dripped profusely, yet he was so indifferent to it.
Monday was quiet, people kept their distance from Jaune. It wasn't all bad, CRDL's bullying stopped with an almighty halt. The boys turn the other direction at the sight of Jaune. Others who would engage in such activity, they stopped at the sight of the dark sentinel. He seemed to have put the fear of the Gods into every bigot and bully. There was, however, a new fear within the student body. Fear of a dark giant, with black eyeholes that tear into your soul.
Later that week, Velvet was in the library. A dark figure blocked her way suddenly. Too distracted herself to notice, Jaune grabbed her to avoid collision. The Bunny Faunus looked up in fear for a moment as Jaune just stared. His arm reached up slowly for Velvets ears. She shut her eyes, bracing. A soft touch caressed her ears. She looked up at Jaune, seeing for her first time his blue eyes. He ends his petting with a final stroke of both ears, before moving along.
The Semester resumed without much excitement. The team grew closer, slowly learning sign languages to better engage with Jaune and improve team coordination. A field trip to forever falls reminded Team LYVR of Jaunes simple nature. Small animals, in a strange irony, gravitated to Jaune, who sat on a log after collecting his sap.
Even team BWNN seemed to be working better. Weiss and Blake's Dynamic was still tense, but improving. Blake was embracing her role of leader with some help from Ren and support from Pyrrha and Nora. Things were looking up for both teams
Of course, as the water stills, Oum throws a stone at it. Both teams were having lunch in town. The Faunus group, White Fang, were apparently committing robberies around town. Primarily Small stores that sold Dust. Weiss was of course upset about the robberies. Blake claimed that it didn't make sense for the white fang to rob for dust. This continued verbally for the next hour till it finally came to a head.
"Maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!"
The sentence itself said a lot. Her Bow twitch seemed much more noticeable now. She was gone before anyone could make a remark. Ruby looked to Jaune.
"Do you think... Blake is a Faunus?" Jaune's signing was slow. But Ruby felt her face redden as he finished.
"You...not...notice?"
Blake was currently overlooking the docks where the White Fang were suppose to arrive. She wanted to be wrong so desperately. The White Fang didn't work with criminals. Even with Adam going to more extreme measures, it was for their people, not for personal gain! She had been gone for several days, but her team wouldn't understand, she had to do this.
Although she had enhanced senses, and advanced stealth training, she still jumped at the hand that brushed her back. She spun, ready to cut at the offender, before freezing at the sight of Jaune's mask. His visage had become so iconic, it was impossible not to associate him without his mask, and visa versa. He signaled to her slowly
"Why...here?"
"I came here to investigate the White Fang. why are you here?"
"Weiss..worried...asked...to look"
It was Weiss of all people asking for help in finding her. In spite of their fights, in spite of their barely functioning partnership, Blake's heart tightened. Weiss had asked Jaune, The masked demon.( although she would never say that in front of LYVR. Let alone Ruby, who took a defensive shine to Jaune from the beginning.) That reminded her.
"How did you find me?"
"Found.. scent... followed"
Before she could ask the dark enigma anything else, bullheads arrived at the docks. She told Jaune to either help her or stay back. As she left, Jaune silently followed. She did not say anything about messaging the others.
Reality hit Blake hard that night. The White Fang were in fact the ones robbing stores of dust. They were under the command of one Roman Torchwick. She tried to appeal to her former comrades, it failed. Even if She was recognized as the daughter of Ghira and Kali, she would still be a traitor, a defector, turncoat to their cause.
Jaune was hidden in the shadows, allowing her to talk to her former comrades in vain. The moment Roman had enough, and ordered his men to fire, he moved. He moved blake around him, and tanked several rounds meant for Blake. They drilled into his back, it kinda tickled.
The White Fang were faunus, most having senses that gave them an edge over the average person. They didn't see Jaune coming. While armed, they were not armored, and while there were exceptions like Adam Taurus and Blake Belladonna, the majority did not have aura.
When Jaune came down on them with his old blade, it carved through them like red butter. The first one he hacked the arm off, the man barely able to scream before his head was removed. Jaune did not break stride, splitting the next ones head open with a downward slash. He ripped and teared through the grunts, severing limbs at the joints, bisecting bodies at the waist.
Blake and Roman were engaged in their own fight.
"Why? why are they working with you of all people!?" She screamed as she dogged the smooth criminal. Although on the defensive, he smirked at her.
"Don't act all high and mighty girly. I got the goods people need. It's just business really." She rushed him, and Gambol Shroud clashed with Roman's cane in a deadlock.
"Things can't be so desperate." The criminal headbutted her, before kicking her away from him. Turning Gambol Shroud to gun mode both aimed at each other in a standstill.
"Its not about desperation. Its about what people want, and what they are willing to do."
It was the splatter of blood that hit Blake that disrupted the fight. Roman, confused looked to Blakes right, only to leap away from Jaunes downward slash. LYVR's Dark Sentinal was covered in blood. Most of it was not his despite his clothes being covered in new cuts and holes. His machete was darkly stained from an excess of red fluid. He hounded after Roman. It was a dance for the two. Roman-who parried the machete away best he could, and Jaune-who came after him with slash after slash unrelenting. The masked giant hit with incredible force.
Jumping back, he fired a high caliber round into Jaunes eyehole. The giant stopped for a moment, and Roman thought the battle won for a moment, before the machete suddenly slashed Downward, slicing through the cane, staggering Roman. An upward slash followed cutting through the Aura and the muscle fibers in Roman's arm
Roman leaped back, but Jaune was on his trail. As the criminal backpedaled towards the warehouses where more White Fang were moving to help. Blake moved to assist Jaune, but as she turned the smell of blood truly hit her as she saw the carnage Jaune left in his wake. Her knees buckled, and she wept wide eyed at the field of the dead.
ki ki ki, ma ma ma
As Team LYVR and BWNN arrived on the scene, any thoughts they had came to a screeching halt. The fighting had moved deeper into the docks, leaving the gory remnants for all to see. Faunus were everywhere, in pieces. There wasn't a single body that didn't have a limb or more missing. Ruby thought she was gonna be sick. Pyrrha was already throwing up, after looking at a faunus uneven severed in half at the shoulder. Its dead eyes gazing upward in shock.
"We need to find them." Ren said already on the move. They didn't talk about what they saw. They already knew the cause, not far they saw Blake, who stared at the ongoing battle.
She was on her knees, partially covered in blood. She was starring blankly, shellshocked, Weiss came to her side immediately.
"Blake? Blake talk to me." Weiss tried to get Blake's attention. She was mumbling to herself. tears fell down her cheeks yet she didn't seem to blink.
"Didn't hesitate.. he.butchered.them... every single one..kill us all." Weiss followed her sight, seeing why everyone else was seemingly paused. Ren spoke.
"We have to get to Jaune. If he doesn't stop, we need to intervene before he starts going after others. Weiss contact Ozpin, stay with Blake." Weiss looked down to Blake as The others moved, hearing her whisper:
"Shot him in the eye...barely fazed him..inhuman."
Jaune, who was fighting the White Fang, alone. The White Fang, who were getting slaughtered by the masked demon. He made no sound, but moved and slashed at them with zero hesitation and all effort. Taking out many with simple brutish cuts and stabs, he dodged a majority of their shots with inhuman speed. Any hits he received were tanked, and he gave back what he received tenfold.
Pinning a grunt to the wall, he grabbed the arm of a faunus about to axe him. Adjusting his grip to the bicep in a millisecond he pressed a foot to the mans armpit and pulled. The socket didn't resist as the arm was removed from its body, kicking the soon dead man away. Immediately he slid the machete out to behead another attacker, letting the body slide down, a bloody trail following. The remains of the White Fang fought in a panic, becoming more and more disorganized each second fighting the undying brute. Jaunes presence making them more frenzied the longer they fought.
LYVR and BWNN moved in to hopefully mitigate damage. The White Fang still had numbers left, and Jaune while not the fastest, was dropping their numbers every other second. The two teams hoped whoever they could knock out could be spared, unnoticed by Jaune amongst the gore. The grunts themselves fought frantically, borderline rabidly.
Ruby took note of the Bullhead providing reinforcements. She also saw Roman Torchwick, his arm bleeding, leg limping. His cane was nowhere to be found.
"Monster..fucking monster.." he whispered to himself. As the Bullhead lowered he yelled at the White Fang entering the battle. "You idiots, he's going to slaughter all of you!"
"Our brothers need our help."
"You're funeral." As Roman got in he disappeared from Ruby's sight. Teams LYVR and BWNN engaged the White Fang Reinforcements. The Bullhead hadn't left yet. Which was strange. Ruby figured Roman was arguing with the pilot over leaving.
Whatever they decided inside that Bullhead didn't matter. As the transport began to raise, a dark mass landed on the front. It forced its way in. The Bullhead began to sway erratically before crashing into the ground. Whatever White Fang that survived the initial crash were burning alive. As Roman limped out of the wreckage, the screams were silenced.
A spear, most likely from a White Fang member, speared Roman in the back. His Aura, what was left, tanked the hit. It shattered, however, unable to stop it from digging deep into his body. Roman fell over with a cry, unable to move anymore.
From the burning wreckage Jaune emerged. He was partially on fire himself, yet he ignored it. The flames licked at his shoulder, arm, and back. Yet, he ignored it. His machete was set aflame as well, making him a literal part of the inferno.
He walked toward Roman slowly, but for Roman he was far too fast. the criminal was whimpering, begging him to stop.
"Come on man, I have access to it all! Anything you want! women? money!? come on anything please?! just stop please! Red!!" Roman spotted Ruby watching Jaune in shock. "Red for the love of the Brothers help me!!"
It would be Yang ultimately, who intervened. Stepping in front of the criminal. Jaune looked as though he rose from hell itself, maybe he did. The flames were moving as though alive, bathing him in a fiery glow. It seemed light refused to light his face no matter the lighting situation. He began to step towards her, machete drawn up to his mask. The Blade was still ablaze, lighting half of the mask. showing his bleeding eyehole.
Her plan was desperate, it probably wouldn't work. The hologram was one thing, this another. He might kill her, she had to try. She came forward gently. Thinking of Ruby when she was younger, she drew out her maternal feelings. She smiled softly at him.
"Jaune, my special boy." She said. He paused, the blade lowered slightly. She continued.
"You did well Jaune, the bad people can't hurt mommy anymore. They are all going away. It's time to stop Jaune. No more fighting."
The machete was lowered as she spoke. The flames licking the blade were dying out. Behind him, a Glyph hovered over. An icy mist came down putting out the flames licking his body. She looked over to see Weiss in a summoning stance, Blake close by.
"That's good Jaune. You've made mommy proud." His head tilted to the side, and Yang was reminded of the simple giant that befriended Ruby. Said girl moved in front of Jaune, reaching out to his bloody hand. He looks down at her.
"Jaune? Are you ok now?" Its too long a silence before his hand reaches up to caress her cheek. Yang stops breathing as he does so, afraid of him snapping. He doesn't, after a few seconds stepping away, and sheathing his blade. He signs at her slowly, Yang doesn't know what, before walking off. Ruby snaps out of a trance before following after the giant. Yang is about to follow before she nearly trips on a comatose Roman.
Ozpin and Glynda arrived shortly with military escorts. Weiss informed him of the situation as it developed. Though Jaune was apparently calmed down, he needed to be ready. Had they not been seasoned huntsman they would have thrown up at the site. Police and medical personal were already present. The medical personal was not really there to save anyone. Jaunes victims either died immediately or bled out not long after. Roman was already loaded up, being not only one of the few survivors, but being in critical condition.
Police were trying to keep any reporters out, but Ozpin knew it would not be long before details got out. He quickly located Team BWNN. Blake was sitting, a blanket around her shoulders. Weiss had an arm around her partner, offering what comfort she could. Pyrrha was with Nora talking to an officer, describing events in a very 'Nora' way.
"And then Jaune-Jaune did that cute little head tilt of his, all confused. And now they are having fun at the beach."
"Honey I caught that, but Jaune who?"
He found Team LYVR shortly after. They were together on a beach beside the pier. Jaune and Ruby were by the waves, Yang and Ren watching over them.
Jaunes head rested on Ruby's lap, his mask sat in the sand. He would put it on again, just not yet. Ruby softly sang an old Rhyme she recalled from long ago. her fingers caressed Jaune's hair, unrestricted from the mask. She didn't understand why he hid his face, yet at the same time she did. His signing to her said enough.
"I am not...okay but I...am awake."
It wasn't over, it was so far from over. First Semester was barely over, but Team LYVR would stick together. Jaune needed their help, he helped them, in his own strange way. Ruby would not give up on him. She liked to think if her mother was in her spot, she would try to help him too. Funny, He didn't seem a big fan of water, yet watching the waves had a calming effect. It was quiet again, Jaune inhaled, and exhaled.
ki ki ki, ma ma ma
"This is too much Oz."
"I know"
"He slaughtered them Oz. He is too dangerous to be in Beacon, let alone Vale."
"He has nowhere else, If necessary I will lock him up but until than-"
"What happens when we can't hold him back oz? When he finally kills another civilian, hell another student. That hologram of his mother might fail to contain him one day. I don't even know how Yang pulled it off."
"Yang has uncanny resemblance to Pamela. Let us also be blunt, she has more motherly qualities than Raven ever had. We should be thankful she inherited her fathers traits more."
"If he turns on his team-"
"If he laid a hand on Yang or Ruby you would finish what was started at Camp Crystal Lake. Remember, you spared him, we agreed to help him best we could." Qrow laid his hands on the desk. He eyed Ozpin Darkly.
"Or maybe you just want his skill set, a near undying executioner. He has a resume now, an entire white Fang cell nearly wiped."
"Better with us than Salem. If Jaune was put in her hands, an undying unrelenting force of nature? with her blessings." Qrow paled.
"If she finds out about him." Ozpin sighs
"Thats the problem Qrow." He looks toward the news report on the Screen.
"She already knows."
In a land of death and decay, the Dark Queen stood tall in her castle. She watched over the black pools as Grimm crawled out, newly birthed into the world. Her doors opened, revealing Doctor Watts.
"I did not call upon you Watts."
"Forgive me my Queen. I have news you will want to hear."
"Speak then."
"Last night, an entire cell of White Fang were nearly wiped out. It's on the News that two huntsmen teams in training were responsible. What is interesting is what the survivors said. It was only one that was slaughtering them. Not beating up or even attempting to apprehend, literally butchering, Tyrion would blush."
"A stab-happy trainee killed some animals? You must have more for me."
"I do, Matter of fact I have pictures to go with it." His wrist lights up, conjuring a holographic display. He flicks his hand,moving slowly through the pictures of gory remains as he speaks. "Apparently the surviving animals claim that the man had no visible aura, yet was unable to be killed. This was no trick, they allege that the man was 'unkillable'. They stabbed, slashed, shot, Yet he did not stop. Further more, the few that did have aura, were cut through effortlessly. He bypassed their Aura entirely, made quite the mess. What few images we have of him directly are mostly out of frame. However this may appeal to you."
The final image is a recording, taken by a White Fang out of sight. The only evidence he received from his agent. It is comprised of two videos, each only 15 second or so long. The first one displaying a masked demon tearing the Terrorist grunts apart. The second was the figure exiting the burning wreckage of the Bullhead, Romans cries of mercy slightly garbled.
"Go back. Stop there." The Queen ordered. Watts paused the image, displaying the masked figure in burning glory. His blade set aflame, The dark pits of his eyes showed no mercy. The mask was off white, its red accents teased her. Like it was one of her children. Maybe it was.
"Name."
"The report listed him as 'Jaune Voorhees'."
"Watch this one, keep me updated." Watts bowed and left. The Queen was left to herself again.
"Jaune... Ozpin won't hide you forever. I know what you are, so few of us from the old world. Your bloodlust... I have such sights to show you, prince of darkness."
ki ki ki, ma ma ma