Which do you think sounds cooler, a Transformers Prime crossover with the 86, Transformers Prime with Galaxy Railways, The Mandalorian with The Rising of The Shield Hero, The Bad Batch with RWBY or Jak and Daxter with RWBY? Sorry, I've been brainstorming ideas for possible story ideas to do later on, including the ones I have already mentioned on my profile.
Anyway, now it's time to take a turn off the canon events of RWBY and have the journey to Atlas take a bit longer, considering Caroline's change in personality last chapter. But first, it's time for Jaune to face the dark side growing inside him. I haven't said it yet, but this is what Maul wants from Jaune.
Alright, let's get onto the reviews.
Monster King: Thanks
54godamora: True, he did see Obi-Wan die in front of him, but why just limit to only one Jedi?
BlindFaunusGirl: Yeah, my original thought was for the events of Volume 6 canon to stay the same, when it came to Caroline, but I figured I'd try something else, considering she has that giant mech of hers which shouldn't be wasted on an overreaction over some rule breakers. Now, I haven't considered Revan, but that does give me another idea.
Spartan-626: No need to apologize for being late, just glad you left a review. Now as for Jaune, I figured it would be time for him to face the temptation of the dark side. Now as for Caroline getting put in her place, I have something else in store for her. Now as for what the threat it, you'll have to wait and see.
The Mysterious Mr.E: You'll see who helps out Jaune.
Darth Cody: Don't worry, Jaune won't fall to the dark side.
Mooncake, one of the guest reviewers: Revan does sound like a good choice as well, you never know who will help him.
Reader, another guest reviewer: I've been thinking about redoing my Lone Wolf series and make some changes here and there, but I might just take them down and forget about them. That's still up in the air right now.
Silverfox3456: You are completely correct, there has to be both light and darkness. One can't exist without the other, like the yin and yang. Emotions can be dangerous, when one takes advantage of those emotions for their own gains, like Sidious with Anakin. Now as for the Empire returning to Remnant, yeah, they'll be bringing a lot more firepower the next time around.
Jack Smith1: You'll see how I bring in Kalani.
Alright, onto the chapter. The songs used this time will be Duel of Fates and Anakin's Betrayal. No, don't go thinking Jaune will become a Sith Lord.
Disclaimers are the same as always, please enjoy.
Chapter 91: Trial of the Arc
Outside of Argus, several miles along the coastal track used by the Argus Limited, a Beowolf howled as it charged towards the source of negative emotions before it was cut in half by a blue blade, then dissipated into mist. An Ursa covered in snow was then slammed into the ground hard before it was sent flying like a bowling ball into several more Ursa before they were decapitated by the blue blade.
Recalling the lightsaber of the fallen Obi-Wan Kenobi to his hand, Jaune Arc let out a feral cry as he charged towards the Grimm. Learning that Ozpin had not told them everything, especially that Salem was immortal made him angry with the former Headmaster who nearly cost him the life of the girl he loved, Pyrrha Nikos.
"If Salem want's a war, I'll give her a war. I'll kill these Grimm before she can replenish her numbers. Not that it will make any difference, they're no way we can beat her, even if she has a weakness." Jaune said angrily to himself as she carved up a Beringel like a turkey. Having left the safety of the city on his own, he walked along the tracks before he found a large horde of Grimm near the coast. Wanting to let off some steam, he attacked the horde on his own a reckless and suicidal plan.
His lightsaber and sword in his hands, Jaune tapped into the power of the Dark Side and infused his blades with lightning which upon contact with a Manticore, exploded into mist and blood, some of which splattered onto Jaune's clothing, but the blonde-haired boy didn't care, he was consumed by his anger, his anger at Ozpin and everyone else who defended him. "What do they know about anything!? They didn't almost loose someone they care about! Not like me! They don't know anything!" he roared before he swung his blades around him like a whirlwind severing the limbs of the Grimm when they got in close to him.
However, one Grimm managed to get in close and swung its claws at Jaune, forcing his Aura to shimmer. Glaring at the Beowolf that attacked him, Jaune's eyes turned yellow once again before he grabbed the Grimm by the neck and crushed its windpipe before it vanished into mist. Jaune then roared in anger as nighttime soon came down and the shattered moon lit up the area. "I have to get stronger, even if I can't kill Salem, I'll look out for myself." he vowed.
Though no one heard his vows, the wind blew past Jaune before he heard a familiar voice. "Jaune… Jaune… Jaune…" the blonde knight turned around to see the ghostly figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi appearing before him.
"Obi-Wan." Jaune said in awe. "You're alive!"
"No, I am not. I have become one with the living Force just as my master, Qui-Gon Jinn has become. Even in death, I can sense you have much anger and hatred towards someone you once trusted. You believe that Ozpin lied to you from the very beginning and was using you and your friends for his own gain." Obi-Wan answered.
"He did lie to us! He said he told us everything about Salem, but he hid the truth from us! The truth that she's immortal and that she and him were once a family! He told her about the relics, it's all his fault! I almost lost Pyrrha because of his lies! If they want to fight a losing battle against someone like her, then fine! Let them waste their lives away looking for something they'll never find!" Jaune yelled.
"What Ozpin told you was true, from a certain point of view. But you must learn to control your emotions. Anger, sadness and hatred are the path to the dark side." Obi-Wan cautioned Jaune.
"The Dark Side is power! I need that power if I'm going to survive. If I can't kill Salem, then I can at least kill Maul! He used me, tried to make me his apprentice when he already had Cinder! He needs to die!" Jaune growled.
"Calm yourself, Jaune." Obi-Wan warned Jaune. "If you will allow your anger to control your actions, then you will fall down the same path that Anakin did. He gave into his anger before the war and allowed him to be manipulated by Palpatine. I failed in teaching Anakin better control of his emotions, and you are heading down the same path as Anakin. If you allow this to continue, you will become the same as Anakin, an agent of the Dark Side."
"Then what the hell do I do?!" Jaune demanded.
"There is a cave strong in the force, not far from your location. Go there and face what the darkness building inside you. But be warned, should you embrace your darkness you will go down the same path as Anakin did. I cannot help you, but there are others who will help you." Obi-Wan said to Jaune before he vanished from sight, leaving the blonde knight very confused as to what just happened.
"What would you do, Pyrrha?" Jaune asked himself after he finally calmed down and headed in the direction of the cave that Obi-Wan pointed out before he vanished. "You'd probably check it out." He sighed as he continued walking.
At the same time in the swamps close to the White Fang Anima branches headquarters, Maul sensed Jaune's growing darkness and smiled evilly at this thought. "So, my young friend you're finally beginning your journey towards your destiny. You are about to embrace the darkness and learn of its great power. Power that will make you strong enough to weaken my old master enough, so that I may finally have my revenge!" Maul said with delight as he walked into the old White Fang hideout in search of Adam's whereabouts.
Back on the Argus coast, Jaune had left the railroad tracks behind and pushed his way through the branches of the forest as he made his way to the cave that Obi-Wan told him to visit. "Am I really going to listen to the words of a ghost? I must be going crazy! I should be focusing on getting stronger." He groaned.
"Strength is not the answer, young Jaune." A new ghostly voice said, starling Jaune as he looked around for the source. "You must find balance with the light and dark, for one cannot exist without the other. Your intentions are honorable, but if you give into the darkness, then you will fail."
"Show yourself!" Jaune demanded, drawing his sword.
"There is no need for violence." The voice said as walking through the tree's was the ghostly figure of a sixty-year-old man with greying brown hair, blue-gray eyes and light skin wearing Jedi robes. "My name is Qui-Gon Jinn, I was Obi-Wan's master many years ago and have been to Remnant many times in my life. Tell me, have you heard of Magruder's Marauders?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Wait, are you telling me that you're…" Jaune began.
"Yes, I was the one who put an end to Magruder's plans for controlling Vacuo." Qui-Gon finished.
"Then why are you here?" Jaune asked.
"Like Anakin, you are strong in the force, but you are struggling to find the balance inside yourself. Your belief that Ozpin lied to you is wrong, Ozpin kept certain information hidden from those he trusted because he believed it was his burden alone. He made the correct choice." Qui-Gon answered.
"So, you're saying it's ok that he lied to us about Salem, about the relics and everything else? Ozpin got what he deserved every single time and if he dies again, then fine! I'm better off without him!" Jaune snapped.
"Tell me, Jaune. If you had used fake transcripts to go to Beacon, would you be the warrior you are today? There would have been those who would take advantage of this knowledge, and some would have even forced you to leave Beacon, but Ozpin would have allowed you to stay because you had talent. Your teammates would still have supported you, but no matter what happened it won't change the fact that you are angry at yourself." Qui-Gon said.
"What are you talking about?" Jaune demanded.
"You're angry at yourself for being trained by Maul, the man who killed me and is obsessed with vengeance, against Obi-Wan and against his former master, Darth Sidious who took both his brother and everything else from him." Qui-Gon answered as the wind blew past Jaune's face.
Jaune sighed and knew that Qui-Gon was right. While he was grateful that someone gave him training, he was angry that he allowed Maul to use him as a means to become another apprentice in the event that Cinder died. When he fought those Grimm, he imagined it was Maul he was killing and a part of him was enjoying the bloodshed, but most of all he was angry at himself for being tricked. "You're right, I am angry at myself. I should have realized that Maul wasn't who he said he was, but I just wanted to become a Huntsman that I couldn't see the truth. I'm such an idiot." Jaune said, dropping to his knees in defeat. "I'm no Jedi."
"That is where you are wrong. You are a Jedi, but you must face your demons if you are to move forward." Qui-Gon said, waving his hand to reveal the cave behind him. "To walk the path of the Jedi, you must have balance, between the light and dark. One cannot exist without the other, but you must remember what it is you hold dear to your heart. But if you truly believe that you're on the correct path, then enter the cave and it will show you what lies down this path."
Qui-Gon then vanished from sight as Jaune walked into the cave, unsure about what Qui-Gon was telling him, but he was determined to find out. As he made his way through the cave, Jaune felt as if someone was watching him, but every time he looked behind him, he found nothing. "This place has got to be getting to me." Jaune said before he turned around. Much to his surprise, the cave had vanished, and he was now standing in the center of Argus, but not the city he knew.
(Anakin's Betrayal starts)
The entire city was smoking as fires from the buildings spread all across the city. The once happy citizens now lay scattered across the street, dead. Among them was his sisters, Terra and Adrian. "No!" Jaune screamed as he ran towards the base when he heard the sounds of fighting.
"Why is this happening? Who could do such a thing!?" he asked himself as he ran past the dead bodies of Atlas soldiers, Caroline included and found the base entirely destroyed. The worst was yet to come as he gazed on the dead bodies of his friends, teammates and all of the allies they had gathered on this journey. He then spotted a familiar face. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Pyrrha!" he shouted as he ran frantically towards Pyrrha's body.
"J-Jaune?" Pyrrha asked weakly as Jaune picked her up.
"Who did this to you?" Jaune asked.
Pyrrha coughed before she spoke her last breath. "I love…you…" she rasped before she fell limp in his arms.
"No. NO!" Jaune screamed, tears falling from his eyes. He then heard the flapping of a cape and looked to see someone in black robes standing in front of him. His anger began to rise as he stood back to his feet. "Did you do this!?" he demanded.
The mysterious figure removed their hood and to Jaune's surprise, found himself looking at himself. "No, you did this. This is your destiny. The dark side calls to you. It's power and you desire power. Power that you wished you had when you failed to protect Pyrrha. Sure, she's alive now, but she'll die one day. Like everyone else. This is what the future holds for you." Dark Jaune said with a chuckle.
"I'll never let this happen! I'll never be like you!" Jaune roared, reaching for his lightsaber only to find it missing. He then reached for his sword but found it missing as well as well as his armor was gone. "What's going on?"
"This is who you always have been, weak and a burden to your team. You are nothing but a hindrance to them and I will do them a favor by ending you." Dark Jaune answered before he ignited his lightsaber and ran Jaune through. "This is your fate."
(End song)
Jaune gasped when he felt the blade pierce his chest, but he soon found that he wasn't killed at all. He was back in the cave and realized it was all in his head. "Am I really that weak? Will I really become a servant of the Dark Side and kill my friends?" Jaune asked himself.
"That is a question only you can answer." Another ghostly voice said. This time, appearing in front of Jaune, was the ghost of Revan, the former Sith Lord who returned to the Jedi order three-thousand years ago, dressed in the same robes and mask he once wore long ago. "If you believe what you saw, then you will truly become an agent of the dark side, and Salem." Revan said as his body suddenly materialized in front of Jaune.
"You're Revan. Zett told me about you. You're a Jedi who fell to the dark side and then returned to the Jedi Order." Jaune gasped.
"And I will be your opponent." Revan added, drawing his lightsaber and ignited its violet blade. "Your fate has already been decided, but the fate of Remnant. Your death will prevent Remnant from being destroyed and I will make sure that you die here."
(Duel of Fate's starts)
Staring at the lightsaber ignited in front of him, Jaune grabbed his own saber and ignited it's blue blade. "I won't be dying today." Jaune declared as Revan charged towards him. His blue bladed was brought up to block Revan's overhead slash. "If you think killing me is going to prevent what I saw, then you're still a Sith Lord!" Jaune spat.
"You really think I am still a Sith Lord?" Revan asked, pushing Jaune back with a strong force push. "I was betrayed, just like you were. But I was left for dead by a friend I thought I could trust. I was taken back by the Jedi order and even when I learned of my true identity, it made no difference. I was a Jedi, now and forever. As was my wife, Bastilla Shan." Revan told Jaune who rushed him and then leapt over with an acrobatic flip before attacking with several lightning-fast Form IV strikes that Obi-Wan taught him before his death. "Seems you're more skilled than I thought you were." Revan said amused.
"I'm not as weak as you think I am!" Jaune roared, swing his lightsaber around violently, but Revan blocked each of the attacks with little effort. He went in for another attack before Revan blasted Jaune back further into the cave, sending him skidding along the rocks and knocking Jaune's aura down greatly. "And you're a lot tougher than I thought you were, for a ghost." Jaune admitted.
"That's something we can agree on, but it will not change the outcome of this fight. You will die and the Remnant will be saved from your darkness." Revan said impressed by Jaune's courage which reminded him of himself in his youth. Revan pushed those thoughts out of his mind before he effortlessly blocked Jaune's attacks. "Is this the limit of your knowledge?" Revan asked.
"I've learned enough!" Jaune spat back.
"Clearly not enough." Revan said unimpressed and with a swing of his blade knocked Jaune's weapon out of his hands before he pushed him back once more. Jaune slammed into the cave wall, with the wind knocked out of him and aura depleted. "You are beaten. It is pointless to continue this fight. Allow me to end your life before you become what I and many other Jedi had become, a servant of evil." Revan demanded.
Jaune only razed his head and glared at Revan, his eyes turning yellow once more as he recalled his lightsaber back to him and before he clashed blades with Revan once more, even sending multiple stones flying towards Revan which the former Jedi sliced into pieces. "I'll kill you!" Jaune roared.
Revan smirked under his mask as he blocked each of Jaune's attack, being pushed back down the cave before he stopped and unleashed a surprise that Jaune didn't expect. Lightning shot from his fingers, but Jaune raised his lightsaber to block the lightning, but this allowed Revan to sprint towards Jaune and once again, pushed Jaune further into the cave.
Jaune skidded through the cave until he came to a stop just inches away from a ledge at the end of the cave. He quickly jumped back to his feet as Revan swung his blade at him. Jaune spun around and countered with an attack of his own, this time scoring a hit on Revan's arm, but the blade went right through him. "Oh, right. You're a ghost. Physical attacks won't work on you." Jaune said with a sweat drop.
Revan didn't respond as he continued his attack's, forcing Jaune onto the defensive as the two retraced their steps back through the cave before he disarmed Jaune. "It appears that you have much more to learn. But sadly, that will not come to pass." Revan told the boy.
(End Song)
"Then go ahead and finish it. Kill me! You'll be doing Salem and myself a favor!" Jaune yelled as he felt tears falling from his eyes. "If I really am going to be responsible for the deaths of my friends and family, then I'd rather be dead!" he cried, but Revan didn't make a move to strike Jaune down. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get on with it!"
"No." Revan said, deactivating his lightsaber and returning to his ghostly form.
"I don't understand." Jaune said surprised. "I thought you said you were going to kill me to save all of Remnant."
"What you saw as a possible future if you give into the dark side." Revan said as the ghosts of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon appeared beside him.
"Nothing is set in stone, Jaune. The future, by its nature can be changed. For better or worse. What you saw is a possible future, a future if you give into the dark side." Obi-Wan added.
"This was a test to see if you are truly a Jedi. While your anger and aggression leaves much to be desired, your determination is commendable. You found yourself facing a superior opponent, yet you continued to hold your ground. You also were prepared to give your own life to protect the ones you care about, a Sith would never do such a thing, but a Jedi would." Qui-Gon stated.
"But I let my anger get the better of me. I was angry at Ozpin and wanted to kill him for lying! How can I trust him when he kept so much from us, his own students!? How…" Jaune started before he remembered how Ozpin, Ruby, Galen and the others told them the truth rather than keeping it a secret still. "I get it now. Ozpin decided to tell us the truth because he trusts us. Why would have he told us if he didn't trust us? I was such an idiot." Jaune realized.
"Now you've realized that your anger has been misplaced and will lead you down the path of darkness. You must remember Jaune, to walk the path of the Jedi, one must be strong and that requires great discipline." Revan spoke.
"Darkness and Light cannot exist without one another; there must be balance. Learn to control your anger and you will become a great warrior, perhaps even greater than myself." Obi-Wan added.
"But be warned, fear is the path to the dark side. Fear will lead to anger, anger to hate and hate to suffering. Remember what you are fighting for, and you will control those emotions, channel them into your attacks and use them to defend, not destroy." Qui-Gon said in agreement.
"Thank you, all of you. You really helped me figure things out. I should go back and apologize to Ozpin for what I said. I promise I won't fail you." Jaune said to the ghostly masters.
"No, Jaune. Don't fail yourself." Obi-Wan said before he, Qui-Gon and Revan vanished into mist. Jaune quickly recovered his lightsaber and exited the cave before he started on his trek back to the city.
It was dark when he made it back to the city and he knew his friends would be looking for him considering the way he left after learning the truth. "Chances are they're probably out looking for me. I better get back to Saph's house." He said to himself as he walked along the street before he stopped in his tracks and noticed something.
Nearby, a statue of Pyrrha stood solemnly on a stone pedestal with her head down, eyes closed and shield in her hands below her waist. Jaune slowly approached the statue and looked up at the statue, before he knelt down and noticed a plaque with Pyrrha's symbol and an inscription. 'In Honor of Pyrrha Niko's, One of Many Students Who Fought Valiantly At the Fall Of Beacon.'
Jaune smiled at how the statue of Pyrrha was placed in a place that was close to her, considering she grew up in Argus and attended Sanctum Academy which was located in the city. "Pyrrha, I promise I'll make you proud and one day, you'll return home. I promise you." He said to himself before he noticed a woman behind him bearing a striking resemblance to Pyrrha carrying a bouquet of flowers in their arms. "I take it the people of the city constructed this statue?" he guessed.
"Yes." The woman replied. "It's really beautiful, isn't it? She trained here, Sanctum Academy. Everyone was crushed when she chose Beacon over Haven. No one wanted to see her go, but… it was where she wanted to be. I'm just glad she was surrounded by such amazing people."
"She was one of the best teammates I could have asked for. She understood that she had a responsibility… to try. I don't think she regrated her choice, because a Huntress would understand there really wasn't a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she'll be… Miss Nikos." Jaune said to the woman.
"So, you're Jaune Arc? Aren't you?" Miss Niko's realized. "You know, Pyrrha wrote to me about you quiet a bit. She really believed you were a great leader, one of the best she ever saw and someone who saw her as a person, not because of her title and skills. I take it she's alive?"
"The circumstances surrounding that are complicated… but she's alive and well. She misses you a lot. She'll be standing here again one day, and she'll get a proper graduation, I promise you." Jaune admitted. "You'll see her again one day." He added before he walked away.
"Thank you." Miss Nikos said with as tears started to well up in her eyes. This made Jaune smile.
Finally, he returned to his sister's home and found the others waiting for him in front of the house, including Oscar who was now wearing new clothes. "I want to say I'm sorry for the way I've acted, I was angry at myself and used Ozpin as an excuse. I realize now that he chose to tell us the truth because he trusts us, and I understand why he choose to keep it secret. I can't forgive myself for the way I acted, but I can forgive Ozpin for not telling us the truth, at least until he decided to." Jaune apologized.
"Guess you must have had quite a bit of help with overcoming your anger." Galen observed. "That's a good thing. We'll need your strength for when we get to Atlas. Assuming we find a way to get there without becoming criminals." He added.
"So, what are we going to do?" Jaune asked.
Before anyone could reply, a military vehicle pulled up in front of the Terra-Cotta Arc home and exiting it was Caroline herself. "Oh great, now Corvo is going to put us all on the ban list for travel." Maria groaned.
"Actually, Maria… my reasons for coming here are not what you think they are." Caroline explained as she walked towards Galen. "Is it true that you are the Demon Lord of the Round Table?" she asked.
"I am. But that doesn't mean you'll let us all into Atlas, will it?" Galen questioned.
"Actually, I might just be able to get you all to Atlas, provided you at the very least here me out." Caroline chuckled before she took a deep breath and spoke again. "I'm in need of your help." She admitted.
And I'll stop right there.
Bet you were all surprised to see Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Revan help Jaune overcome his darkness. They see potential in him, much like Maul did, but potential to be a Jedi and not a Sith Lord. I was never planning on letting Jaune fall to the dark side, but he's more like a Jedi then he realizes.
On the plus side, I finally watched Saving Private Ryan and it was a great movie. I wish I watched it sooner.
No voice cast this chapter, but just what is it that Caroline needs help with from our heroes? You'll have to wait and see.
Until next time, please read, review and stay cool. I'll see you all next time.