CHAPTER 12! Yeah, I got no jokes for twelve. I mean, why would I? Not like I got dozens of numerical jokes in my bag.
Nerdy: Go look up the Freemason and Satanic meanings of all the numbers and you'll get some.
REVIEWS:
Jamieoeyes: Oh, yeah, true.
Bwooodlord: Easier done than said!
LuckyPickl3: Read and find out.
HelpingHand: BIG REV MY GUY!
HH1: I do keep to my even promise, just you wait until later. And as far as Nora and Ren go, we do have plans to give them maybe 1 or 3 chapters to show their relationship and whatnot, so don't you worry. All will be explained.
Nerdy: HH2 - TENTACLE RAPE TIME! lol jk, I don't think it will work that way because when Salem and ozpin had kids before, they weren't hybrids. So i don't think they would inherit any grim stuff.
HH3: We got that covered! No need for crazy amounts of kiddies!
Nerdy: HH4 - As a proud Arkos fanboy, I want Pyrrha to have the most kids lol. Totally not biased here. but yeah, there will be a LOT of kids. Possibly even more than you listed. Or possibly not. *runs away*.
HH5: Well, the Harem is growing. Many pairs still to come, and not just Jaune X [Insert Girl]. Also, the ring idea, genius! Why haven't we thought of that? No, really, we have thought of using magic, but about making it a ring.
Everything happened rather quickly when you look at it in hindsight, or at least that is what Jaune wanted to believe. In one day he had met the Head of another Kingdom, helped heal Amber, the previous Fall Maiden, watched as Cinder became the new Fall Maiden, and now he was staring at Ozpin, the old wizard being laid on the ground, James Ironwood holding him up with equally shocked eyes.
"W-what?" The general asked, his voice quivering. "You are sick? Dying? Ozpin, what type of nonsense is this?" He asked, not believing that the man before him, who lifted Atlas from the ground and put it up in the clouds, was actually saying he was sick and dying! In all his years, he never could match Ozpin in battle and his knowledge dwarfed many people Ironwood knew, not to mention his magic. And yet...he talked about dying.
"It is not nonsense, James," Ozpin said, slowly getting up with the help of his cane, the general helping him and offering him support. Salem got closer to him, but one look from Ozpin told her everything she needed to know. This was but one body, one reincarnation. Even if he dies now, he will be reborn anew. "I am sick, and I have been as such for years now. Growing weaker by the day."
"Then why not tell us?!" Ironwood asked, slightly angry. "With the top medicine of Atlas, we could have-"
"James!" Ozpin said aloud, cutting off the general. Ironwood looked at him, seeing the eyes he saw many times in soldiers. The eyes of a man who accepted fate. "I already had doctors from Atlas check me in secret...It is not curable."
"Then why not at least tell us sooner?!" This time, to everyone's surprise, it was Qrow who shouted. "What? Were you going to just die in your sleep or fall from your feet one day and leave us alone to fend against the Grimm? Why didn't you tell us, Ozpin?"
Ozpin sighed. He could understand why Qrow was like this. Because of his semblance, he was always alone, feeling isolated even among his own family, without purpose when he decided to not return to the Brawnen tribe. But then he gave him one, granting both he and Raven the abilities to turn into birds at will. But that is why he didn't tell them either. "Because I knew this is how you'd react." He said, catching Qrow and the others off-guard. "Qrow, I was the one to set you on this path, becoming my eyes and ears all over Remnant and my best Huntsmen on the field. But in the end, I was no better than Salem and simply had you as a pawn. One which is lost without its King."
"What do you mean by that, Ozpin?" Qrow asked, feeling a bit of anger within him.
"That I am sorry, Qrow." And that anger faded away. "For everything. I know I cannot take back all that I have done and fix the mistakes I made, but I hope you can understand why I had to lie about my health; to keep hope alight"
"I...I think I get it." Jaune said, bringing the attention to him, Cinder next to him. "If you were to tell us you were sick then everyone would have started to worry and wouldn't be able to focus on their duties. You alone became the centerpiece of everything and if you were to show signs of weakness, then-"
"Then everything might have fallen apart." Ironwood finished, clenching his fist. "Some leaders never dare show weakness to their soldiers as to keep inspiring them. I once heard of one Mistralian Admiral named Yi who did something like this. He never dared show his men he was wounded and fought fiercely during the Great War on the ocean. I heard he never betrayed pain even when he was shot, and when he died he had his sons, which were soldiers on board his ship, impersonate him to keep his men morale high. Even after death, he didn't let his men know he fell until the very end when the battle was won" He looked down for a second, clenching the bridge of his nose as he felt a tear sip through his eye. "Is that what you were doing, Ozpin? Acting strong to keep our morale and hope alight even though you were in pain?"
The Headmaster smiled weakly. "You all got it in one…"
"Old man…" Amber muttered in disbelief, her lip quivering. Truth be told, she was an orphan taken in by Ozpin, given purpose by this old wizard. He was like a father figure to her, and to hear he was dying was...heartbreaking for her.
Ozpin noticed this, so he turned to her. "No need to cry, Amber. It was bound to happen sooner or later."
"How long?" Glynda asked, trying to keep her composure. "For how long were you sick and...How long do you have left?"
"I have been sick for at least 20 years now, Glynda." He replied, pressing his glasses up. "At first it was minor, didn't bother me much which is why I didn't know about it at the time. But after Summer vanished, roughly three years later, I started to cough badly and blood was visible on my palm. Naturally, I panicked and went to the doctor, in secret mind you. There I found out about my disease, but it was too late to apply the treatment as it was too advanced. The doctor gave me only 2 years, but since then I have been using strong pain killers, medication, and magic to prolong my life and slow down my disease in its path."
"When did you…" Then Glynda remembered his mug, which he never leaves out of his sight. "Your mug. The medication was in your drink the whole time."
"Indeed." Ozpin said. "I also mixed some Aura techniques, later on, to maintain some fighting capabilities. But as time passed I grew weaker and weaker, getting tired at a faster rate and sometimes having problems focusing."
"And now?" Glynda asked again, giving the old wizard a deadly glare. But Ozpin knew it was just bravado to hide her true feelings on the matter.
" Even with everything, I only slowed down everything. With the display here done and the world being safe, I could just stop and I would die in a week. But even if I keep going, I doubt I have more than three months left."
"Three months?!" James echoed in shock. "You were going to die in three months?"
"Yes," Ozpin replied bluntly. "But now that everything is peaceful, I really think I can find peace this week."
"What?!" Almost everyone shouted in shock.
"One week?!" Qrow shouted.
"Ozpin, you cannot do this!" Glynda also protested.
"Please, Ozpin, rethink it!" James pleaded. "I can put the best research teams of Atlas to find a cure, just give me the time to-"
"There is no more time I need to give, James." Ozpin said, going over to the general and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you see? It's over. The war, the strife, the pain - everything can be finally at peace! You all can now focus on other issues, such as the White Fang! Or better yet, the Schnee Dust Company's illegal practices against its Faunus employers."
"Wait, you knew about those and did nothing?!" Jaune said aloud, shocked to hear that.
"Truth be told, Weiss Arc Schnee's father is a very shrewd and cunning man. Each time I came close to getting some incriminating evidence he covers it all up." Ozpin said. "Sorry for not telling you, James. But if you started to use your power to get warrants then Jacques would have gotten his lawyers up in force."
"I understand." Ironwood said. "But what do you propose we do with the Fang, Ozpin?"
"I think it is time we brought Sienna Khan to a common table to talk, old friend," Ozpin said, taking Ironwood by storm, again. The general laughed hearing him, showing a genuine smile.
"I guess I can do it as a favor for a dying old man," Ironwood said, although Jaune could tell he was forcing himself a bit. "I suggest we call Sienna Khan here, in Vale, for negotiations. Last I heard she actually seemed to respect you, Ozpin."
"Having Sienna Khan herself attend such a meeting is bound to send a powerful message to all Faunus out there and anger the likes of Jacques Schnee and his associates," Salem said. "Part of my plans for Atlas actually included taking advantage of him. Knowing how corrupt he was and void of any decent humanity, he was an easy target for my past plans."
"Bingo!" Qrow said, pointing at Salem. "It should also help calm down the lunatics of the Fang still running around and causing chaos. With Taurus behind bars, rumor has it the Vale sect went quiet. This is our chance, Ozpin, to put the nail in the coffin of the Faunus issue - " Glynda cleared her throat. "Oops. Forgive my wording. Of the Jacques issue."
"For once I agree with you, Qrow" Ironwood said. Either way, this has been an eventful day for all of us and I think we all want to return to our quarters and get some much-needed rest. I will escort Ozpin to his room."
"Please, James, just because I am sick doesn't mean I cannot take care of myself"
"So...What now?" Jaune asked, Cinder and Salem standing close to him. Having two users of magic as his wives was certainly going to prove...Interesting. Not to mention taking care of Amber, something he needs to discuss with his friends. "Also, can I tell the others about this?" He asked, to which Ozpin replied.
"Only those you trust, Mister Arc. Don't spread the word all over the school"
"So in other words, keep Miss Lie Valkyrie's mouth sealed," Glynda said, clarifying the situations.
"I will leave that to Ren," Jaune said, then he looked at Salem and Cinder. "Shall we go?" He asked, making sure he had someone with him apart from Cinder. Even he was a bit unsure about it.
"Of course, darling" Salem said.
"S-sure" Cinder replied, a bit unsure which was a novelty. The usually confident Cinder Arc Fall, acting somewhat nervous is certainly new. Granted, Jaune took note of this, and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her shudder a bit. But one look at those blue eyes was enough to put out her fire by now. She sighed, calming herself. "I guess I need to get used to this"
"Good to know you are still with us, Cinder" Jaune replied, then the three went on ahead out of the vault...If not for Jaune tripping and nearly falling, something that everyone found quite funny. Still a dork at heart and clumsy at the soul.
Amber snorted. "Way to ruin the moment, blondie," she said, Glynda behind her wheelchair.
"Let's get you upstairs, to the infirmary, Amber" the professor replied, pushing her wheelchair.
"I will have people come here to tear down the device," Ironwood said, standing close to Qrow and Ozpin. "It is no longer needed."
"Let's get out of here and go grab a drink. I think celebrations are in order, wouldn't you guys agree?" Qrow suggested.
"For once, Qrow, I think I will take you up on that offer," Ironwood said, actually surprising the drunk bird.
"And that's what happened, really," Jaune said, having just finished explaining everything to everyone, watching them try to wrap their heads around it. He could see some worried expressions among them, but also simply confused ones.
"So…" Ruby began, looking at him. "Professor Ozpin only has one week?"
"Three months, if he keeps going with his little treatment" Salem corrected. "But if he stops it, then yes. Only one week"
"But can't he, like, heal himself using magic? Surely that fancy cane of his has enough juice for that" Yang said.
"I think it might be by choice that he isn't using it" Jaune replied, starting to explain. "He said since the war is over he no longer needs to struggle so much and that he can finally let go. I...I can honestly understand him, to some degree."
"Ozma has lived many lives, suffered many losses and, without a doubt, diseases," Salem said, recalling some earlier forms of his. "But he always went down fighting, not because of disease or old age. Just like the Admiral mentioned by the General"
Everyone, bar those who already knew, looked somewhat sad at the news, which Jaune could understand. He was there and heard the news firsthand straight from Ozpin's lips. But there was nothing that could be done. "However, it seems he is putting the little time left to good use" everyone looked towards the cat who said it, looking at Blake. "I mean, he might have little time left, but he is making use of it! He wants to help fix the White Fang!"
"By attacking my father!" Weiss interjected, surprising everyone. "I know they had their point, but if the SDC gets caught in a scandal that includes two Headmasters, then my father would never let anyone live it down. Don't understand me wrong, removing him from power is a good thing for the company, especially if it'd help its Faunus workers. But the company itself might not survive such a hit!"
"Weiss does have a point," Cinder said, supporting Weiss. "If we do remove Jacques from power, the SDC would be left without a CEO. The company won't survive long if that's the case."
"And the board would never allow me to take over if they found out about this!" Weiss said, pulling out her ring from her pocket. "They are likely to prefer my younger brother, but he's more or less a carbon copy of my father"
"What about your mother then?" Weiss tensed up when she heard Ruby ask. "Wouldn't she be able to"
"Perhaps. If she stopped drinking herself into oblivion" Weiss said, catching most of the people there off-guard. "The marriage of my parents was a farce from the start, something my grandfather arranged. He married his daughter to the son of a merchant, back when the SDC wasn't the powerhouse it is today. Said son faked love for her until they got married...He then showed his true colors, ever so slowly. My sister, Winter, left everything and went to the military, while my mother turned to the bottle for help."
"That's horrible!" Ruby said, but Weiss clicked her tongue.
"You don't know half of it. Father isn't above physically abusing his wife either" she revealed, keeping her ice-cold attitude. "But as far as everything goes, my mother is trapped in her own web which she is unable to escape. Not strong enough to escape the web of Jacques Gele-"
"That was before," Jaune said, interrupting Weiss and using a usually stern tone of voice. His voice did shake a bit, but not from tears, but anger. He, a boy who loved his family deeply, cannot swallow how someone like Jacques treats his family. "That was before you had the name Arc in yours, Weiss"
"What- How does that help?!" Weiss snapped, yelling at Jaune.
"I have to agree with Weiss, you are not making much sense, Jaune" Pyrrha added, multiple pairs of eyes locking on Jaune. Except for Salem, Cinder, and Blake. They knew something, right? "Jaune is there something you are not telling us?"
"Well…" And just like that his earlier confidence is gone, leaving Salem to answer.
"The name Arc carries a lot of weight and influence among Huntsman, namely those around Vale and Mistral." She said. "In short, if Jaune spreads the word about Jacques, Huntsmen all over Remnant will stop buying SDC Dust"
"He has that kind of power?!" Weiss was the only one to voice her shock hearing that, only knowing she was learning about Jaune's own piece of power. And what a piece it was!
"I do…" He replied with a sigh. "As the main heir of the Arc household, most of the things will be inherited by me upon my father's demise or when he says so. But I can still start spreading the word around and strike the SDC where it hurts"
"That's...quite the surprise, Lover boy," Yang said. "Since when did your family hold so much weight? I mean, I never heard of this!"
"It's not a surprise, really," Jaune said. "My family made its name during the Great War, and years of producing talented and powerful Huntsmen eventually amounted to our reputation. While we have no such thing as a company to bring in an income, many veteran Huntsmen and even people of our generation seek help from my house. Mostly financial when they are in a rough spot, which they always pay us back. It's a bit like giving loans. But this earned a lot of sway among them. One word and the SDC sells will plummet"
"So the Arcs kept a lower profile, spreading through word of the mouth?" Weiss asked, running the information through her head. She hasn't changed her opinion on Jaune just because of this, but she had to admit it was a powerful attribute, having the respect of the Huntsmen. Most sales are towards Mistral and Vale, where said influence seems to be strongest.
"If we bring that to the negotiation table, then Jacques won't be able to fight back" Cinder pointed out. "This is no matter that can be solved by lawyers."
"Meaning that Jacques Gele has his days counted," Emerald said, even making sure not to refer to him as Schnee. "We just need to pressure him until he gives!"
"Even so, it is not that simple!" Weiss replied again. "My father is likely to drain the company's accounts the moment things start falling apart for him and run with the money. Even if we take him down, he is likely to take the SDC with him."
"Not if I got something to say about that!" Everyone turned their attention to the door, just as the imposing figure of James Ironwood walked through, followed by what Jaune could swear was an older clone of Weiss. Wait a minute.
"Winter!" Weiss jumped up, standing straight before her sister. But the look Winter had was cold, something Weiss rarely saw on her sister's face. At least not as bad as this, that is for sure. "What is it with you here?"
Winter did not reply, instead, Ironwood spoke. "Specialist Schnee is here as my assistant, Miss Arc Schnee" Weiss panicked after hearing the General of Atlas calling her by her new name, fearing the worst from Winter now.
"Winter, I can explain-" Winter placed her hand up, maintaining a cold expression. Yet, Weiss stopped talking.
"I am sure you can, dear sister. However, we should talk in a more private place, away from the ears of the General, your husband, and your sister wives" Weiss froze further, realizing Winter knew. Even Ironwood looked somewhat stressed about Winter's behavior and seemed to be sympathetic to Weiss' situation. "But that aside, what is that about father?"
"Oh, basically Jaune's family name carries enough weight to bankrupt him!" Ruby said bluntly, making Winter look at Jaune with a raised eyebrow.
"What name?"
"Didn't you hear the General?" Yang asked, acting casual, like usual. "Arc."
"And that matters because?" Winter asked, to which the General answered.
"Because the Arc family holds great sway among Huntsmen. They are greatly respected, so their word has a lot of political power. Or in this case, the power to make Huntsmen stop buying SDC Dust and products" To say Winter's expression wasn't perfectly hidden would be a lie, even for a trained specialist like herself. She looked at the boy who was now her brother-in-law, being unable to believe he was the heir to such power.
"Either way, I must say your plan is bold but has flaws," Ironwood said, deciding to test out Jaune's skills. He was told by Glynda he had a good head on his shoulders, so time to test it. "For example, how do you know Jacques won't try to use underhanded methods like an assassination? If the name Arc is thrown he is likely to try-"
"I will have Salem place Grimm," Jaune said, catching Ironwood off-guard. "I admit, I've yet to tell my family, but after I do I plan on having Salem place Grimm around Ansel to protect it, more importantly around my family's house"
"Hmm. That is certainly possible. There is a Grimm in Kuroyuri I can-"
"Wait!" Ren shouted the moment he heard about the old village he jolted up, Nora keeping quiet as she knew what this was about. "Can you...Can you leave that one there?"
"Why so? It is an old and powerful Grimm, it is only logical that we-" Salem stopped suddenly, noticing the look in Ren's eyes. "I see. So you are a survivor. I apologize for my words then and I will respect your wish. I will seek out another Grimm capable of this."
"And if anything, I will also have patrols and soldiers on standby" Ironwood added.
"No, too obvious if we get the Atlas forces included. If theoretically, Jacques does play dirty, the hitman might pull back and report to him, meaning he will create another strategy and go into the defensive. No, we need to trick him well."
"I could use my semblance on him?" Emerald suggested, walking up to them. "Think about it; my semblance allows me to project illusions straight into the mind of people. It should be child's play for him to receive a message from the assassin saying the job is done or that they are in position while, in fact, they were taken out"
"That is a very good suggestion," Both Ironwood and Jaune said at the same time, the general looking back at the boy and humming.
"Do come by my hotel room later, Mister Arc. I would very much enjoy a talk with you, in private" The general said. "And maybe for a small game. Do you play chess?"
"Yes, Sir," Jaune said, leveling with the man.
"In that case, I will leave this matter in your hands. Just know that you have my full support in the matter of taking down Jacques. Between all of us here…" He inhaled, cracking his neck to relieve some of the tension in him. "He has been nothing but an annoying, cheap, and disgusting piece of Ursa crap ever since the day I met him. I saw the signs, I know what he has been doing to poor Willow."
"You knew…?" Winter muttered, looking at the general who looked a bit ashamed.
"As powerful of a man as I am, even I cannot interfere in the domestic affairs of the Schnee household on a whim," He said, then turned to Jaune. "But this here is different. By being the husband of Weiss Arc Schnee here, you are already part of the matter, meaning you also have the power needed to take Jacques out."
"But first we need to trigger the chain reaction, isn't that right Ironwood?" Salem said, knowing what would need to be done. It was obvious. If they wished to provide a reason for this that HAS to be kept private and not leaked to the media, something Jacques would never dare do to damage his image, Weiss had to come clean about her marriage.
And the girl knew it as well and did not like it. "Absolutely not! If father finds out I will be disowned in an instant!" She protested, looking at Ironwood.
"And I will be ready to leak your situation to the board to show them the reason as well as take him to a private court," Ironwood said, catching both Jaune and Weiss off-guard. "I am sorry for using your marriage as an excuse, but this is the best chance and ace we have against Jacques. I will keep my involvement in it as minimal as possible, so he cannot claim this was a political move to remove him from the CEO position by me and convince the other members of the council to vote against me."
"But when should all of this go down?" Nora asked, feeling somewhat irritated by the plotting and lack of action. "I mean, we need to strike hard if we wish to shake him!"
"I agree with Nora, the timing is also crucial," Jaune said, supporting his teammate's opinion. "Which is why I ask you, General, to give me time. I promise I will inform you when everything goes down so you can get ready, but I do not feel like I or Weiss are ready for...This. I mean, this might as well be a coup on the SDC!"
"Because it is!" Winter said, clarifying everything. "Forgive me for speaking out of line, Sir, but that is exactly what all of this is; a coup to remove Jacques from power, yet, replaced by whom?"
"Your mother," Jaune said, catching the Atlesians in the room off-guard. "I heard the stories, I know she is not in the best of state right now, but I believe that-"
"That useless hoe is incapable of leading the company! All she does all is drink and lament in her own-"
"Specialist Schnee, that is enough!" Ironwood shouted, making Winter shut her mouth instantly. "You might see Willow as she is now, but listen to my words, I knew her long before the SDC became what it is and Jacques came into the picture. She used to be a fiery and kindred spirit, truly the daughter of her father. She was devoted and never did anything with half measures, and above all else, she treated everyone equally, Faunus included!" He turned to Winter, looking down on her with a look of disappointment, then at Weiss, the younger girl shrinking in size under the intense gaze of the general. "I see you both share similar opinions, but I wonder...Would you be ok to see your mother die just like that?"
"What?" Weiss quipped.
"Sir!" Winter tried to argue, but Ironwood stopped her.
"I know you do not mean such words, Winter." He continued, looking down on her with disappointment like before, but also pity now. "But words are the most dangerous weapon of all, something that cannot be defeated no matter how powerful the gun. Your mother is a mess now, I admit, but that does not mean she doesn't want to be better for you. Yet, the question is, are you willing to be there for her?"
"What do you mean, Sir…?" Winter asked again, the general closing his eyes to think.
"As I said, I once knew Willow. You are very much like her, Winter. Same to you, Weiss. But that being said, I also see Jacques in you two. But your wish to not be like him makes you better, not to mention you are not him. You both are your own person." He turned to Jaune. "Mister Arc, promise me you will make this work. If Jacques is removed then maybe, just maybe, Willow can be saved as well. Please."
Jaune stared at the general, looking into his eyes. He had a good poker face on him, that was for sure. But he saw what was beyond those eyes of him. He smiled warmly, extending his arm. "You have my word." And an Arc never goes back on their word.
Ironwood allowed a smile to appear on his face as he took Jaune's hand, giving it a firm squeeze. "And you have my thanks." He then snorted. "Damn you Ozpin, always getting the best ones." he then retracted his hand, turning back to Winter who was looking at the ground, trying to get her thoughts straight. "Let's go, Specialist Schnee. We have duties to attend to."
Winter looked back up, looking at the general. The time to be lost was over, now she had to return to her duties. "Yes, Sir!" She said, the general walking past her and through the door. But before she went out she looked back at Weiss, her younger sister equally as shaken as her. "Did we...judge mother too hardly, Weiss?" She asked, the general waiting patiently in the hallway.
"I…" Weiss looked around, at Ruby and Yang, Emerald, Salem, Cinder, everyone! Reading their expressions and trying to see what they thought of her, but she saw no change in them. She only saw one in Jaune's expression. His eyes were staring right at her, digging into her soul. Similar to when he dated Cinder, but this time it wasn't putting out a raging fire, but cracking and slowly destroying the ice. "Yes, Winter." She said, looking at her sister. "Perhaps we should contact mother sometime. What about this weekend at the CCT tower?"
"No, too public, father might listen in on the conversation. I will make a private, military line he cannot tap into" Winter replied, then she showed a weak smile to her sister, then she looked at Jaune, her smile falling a bit as she checked him out. "Also, Mister Arc? I do hope you will not meet mother in such clothing."
"What does that mean?" Jaune asked, only to see Winter leave alongside the general. Everyone around seemed to chuckle a bit at his reaction to Winter's final words before she left. "No, seriously, what is wrong with my hoodie?"
Fucking A! Finally, I managed to push this one out. The plot's getting heavy. And very satisfaction-inducing. Jacques is finally getting his due.
Nerdy: I swear dude, Jaune is luckier than even fucking issei LOL.