What am I? A Huntsman or a Kombatant?
Chap 1
"-ALL THE MORE REASON WHY I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEADER! BUT INSTEAD, WE HAVE YOU! AUGH!" Pyrrha shouted at me before presumably storming back to our dorm.
"If you only knew, Pyrrha. But I can't hold that against you." I sighed as I moved over to the edge and sat down.
You might be wondering what is going on, who I am, and why the renowned Pyrrha Nikos spent the last ten minutes yelling at me. Well, like with everything in life, there is a short and long answer. The short answer is that I, Jaune Arc, 'disappointed' my partner during our training session. The long answer is too complicated and would take me an hour to explain only a tiny portion. Simply put, Pyrrha decided today's lesson would instead be a surprise test to see if I was paying attention to her instructions and if I had made any progress. And while I had been paying attention and could effortlessly take her down, I didn't for fear of hurting her and losing control. As a result, I 'failed' her test.
But this wouldn't necessarily be enough for Pyrrha to lose her composure. Far from it, as she has enough patience to rival that of Liu Kang before he joined the tournament. However, these past few weeks weren't exactly kind to either of us, especially her. Mine were primarily busy dealing with the bloodthirsty urges and keeping my skills sharp while making time for my studies and the Arc Family. But Pyrrha's past few weeks were the equivalent of spending a whole year in the lower planes of the Netherrealm. And the abundance of grueling tests this week certainly didn't help. Knowing how crucial these tests were, she had forgone yet another night of important sleep to study. And to everyone's surprise, we got our results within a few hours after class. While I was never a top-tier student, I did have pretty decent grades. And Pyrrha showed everyone why she was a cut above the rest as she aced each exam. Yet, as usual, there was routine mockery by Team CRDL and a few other teams, each saying that I had bombed the test despite getting better grades than them. But I guess the constant stress and lack of sleep made her believe them before asking what I got like she typically does after each test. Nevertheless, everyone could tell she was close to breaking by this point, and the tiniest inconvenience would push her over the edge. But regrettably, I was the one that set her off when I 'failed' her surprise exam.
"I wonder how much longer I can keep this a secret?"
Looking toward the shattered moon, I smiled at how ironic I found the view. The Brothers might have shattered the moon, yet it still had a weird soothing and calming effect on me. Raising my right hand, I let hellfire engulf it. Bringing up my other hand, I created an electrical ball in my palm. It felt refreshing to be able to do this, as it allowed me to feel closer to my roots. However, that feeling faded when I felt the familiar but dreadful urge to fight and spill blood. Slamming my right fist into my left palm, I let it cause a small explosion, with the fire and electricity wiping each other out.
"That was too close. I have to be more careful."
Had anyone seen me summoning fire or creating the ball of electricity, they would have assumed it was my semblance. But that was not the case. A semblance is tied to a person's aura. And I had all my powers way before Pyrrha unlocked my aura. Some might still argue that it was my semblance, while others would say it was an experimental device that uses dust to create fire and lightning. Yet that was still not correct.
But if neither of them was the explanation, then where and how did I acquire my powers?
Well, the answer to that is immensely complicated. But to put it as simply as possible. I am not native to the world of Remnant. I am from a world where there is no such thing as aura, dust, semblance, or even a Faunus race like Blake or Velvet. Instead, we have magic, supernatural abilities, hell powers, 'natural' abilities, etc. But those are just the powers. The species that wield them are vastly different. There are cryomancers, specters, demons, deities, elder deities, cyborgs, humans, and artificial constructs. And those are only the races you will most likely meet within the first month.
Now you might wonder how I tie in with all this. Well, the answer is surprisingly simplistic. At one point in a timeline, which I no longer remember, the so-called True King of Outworld had returned. But, shockingly, the Elder Gods decided to genuinely help this time instead of sending some unlucky soul to their death. Although, in some ways and arguments, it was still the same. The Elder Gods decided that instead of waiting for Shujinko to realize the Dragon King had deceived him, they would create their own Kombatant. And on that fateful day, the Elder Gods took me from the orphanage I was living in to train me in the fighting style of every Kombatant in existence.
"I wonder how the others would react if they saw me, the weakest student in Beacon, going toe-to-toe with the near-invincible Dragon King and winning." Chuckling, I imagined everyone's shocked faces at seeing me standing triumphantly over Onaga's dead body. But those thoughts quickly took a dark turn toward what I had been trying to escape. Shaking my head, I promptly regulated my breathing as Raiden had taught me. While it wasn't much and left me to be the subject of ridicule from my peers, it was enough to quell any bloodthirsty urges that tried to overtake me.
While to many people, especially those like Ozma AKA Ozpin, Ironwood, Salem AKA The Grimm Queen, these powers and abilities would seem like a wet dream. But they were not. Not in the slightest. There was a severe cost to having these powers and simply being there with the others. And that was becoming a killer and gaining the nickname of Bloodthirsty Monster. That might seem like an exaggeration, but it isn't. After a while, you become a murderous killer, even if you are with the 'Forces of Light.' Your fighting style, mannerism, and how you end your fights take a darker, bloodier turn. There is no escaping it, no matter who you are. Some might say with a strong mind and will; you can resist becoming one. And when I first became a Kombatant, I thought the same. But that mindset quickly changed when I learned about Liu Kang and his past. He started as a warrior that did not want to kill others needlessly. Yet, only a few short years afterward, he killed others that posed a threat to Earthrealm that were better off dead than defeated. Even the other timeline versions of Liu Kang became bloodthirsty killers. However, it didn't really bother anyone as it was necessary to protect Earthrealm. But that didn't mean we didn't get annoyed from time to time when people called us monsters.
"Is it still possible?" I asked myself as I stared at the moon, almost foolishly hoping that it would answer my question or give me guidance. "Or should I just give up and accept what I am?"
After a few years or timelines, I no longer knew nor gave a shit; things changed. And by that, I mean everything changed. A few Kombatants managed to become 'better people' and resist the urge to spill blood needlessly outside of those who genuinely deserved death, like Quan Chi or Shang Tsung. Some even started families like Jax and Vera or Johnny Cage and Sonya. And I still have no idea how those two of all people found love with each other. But anyway, after seeing them falling in love and having kids, I wondered if I could change.
It might seem strange for me to want to change, but there was a reason. At first, almost no one in Earthrealm knew of us, and those that did kept it a secret. However, after the Netherrealm war, that changed, and everyone learned about the Kombatants and the Mortal Kombat tournament. The people of Earthrealm knew they had a choice, and they had to decide fast. But despite joining our side and us ensuring that they survived, they still held a low opinion of us. This is where all the Kombatants gained the nickname Bloodthirsty Killers.
Initially, the nickname never bothered me. While we did kill nearly everyone left and right, we did not do it for the pleasure of it. We did it to ensure the survival of Earthrealm and keep the Forces of Darkness at bay.
However, that changed when Sektor led an attack with the Cyber Lin Kuei against the town I grew up in before I became a Kombatant. While I managed to fend off the attack and save the city, blood covered me from head to toe in the end. Being covered in blood, or whatever is flowing through the thing I had just killed, typically never bothered me. Sometimes I don't even notice the blood covering me until much later in the day or until someone points it out. But as I stood over the dead Lin Kuei, making sure they were dead and not faking it, I heard people gasping. Wanting to know who was gasping, I looked up and felt my heart stop. It was everyone that I grew up with when I was still living in the orphanage, and they seemed to recognize me.
But before I could say anything, they all began calling me the usual slurs we had heard during the apex of the Netherrealm wars. And for some reason, hearing those I grew up with calling me those names stung deeper than Scorpion's kunai attack. I tried to explain that I was not a bloodthirsty killer, but they wouldn't listen. And the blood covering me with the dead bodies surrounding me didn't help in the slightest. They soon started chanting about how I was a soulless killer and that I should be killed myself. Feeling disgusted with myself, I Hellported back to the Special Forces base to wash the blood off. Yet, even as the blood went down the drain, the names and chanting never left me. Soon, days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months, and months turned into years, but I could still remember that day vividly. It was at the point that I wanted to change so people could no longer rightfully call me a monster.
Initially, it was tough resisting the urge to spill the blood of others, especially Kano and D'Vorah. But with the help of Raiden, Nightwolf, and occasionally Kotal Kahn, I was able to make excellent progress. It honestly felt refreshing, and I felt like an entirely new person after a while. However, that all changed with my progress going down the damn gutter due to Havik, the cleric of chaos, corrupting the current timeline's Kamidogu. As a result, anyone the dagger cuts is now under Havik's total control. What followed next can only be described as a bloody massacre that will cause even the most battle-hardened and sadistic people to retch their guts out. Thankfully, we managed to subdue our allies and eventually purify the Kamidogu. Afterward, we managed to recover in time before Shinnok attempted to corrupt Earthrealm's life force, The Jinsei.
However, there was a severe cost to purifying the Kamidogu. And that cost was what caused all my progress to become worthless. In order to cleanse the Kamidogu, we had to purify the blood that was inside each dagger. But the problem with that was that only three people could do that. Kotal Kahn was one of them but was too weak at the moment. The second was Skarlet, but she was in no condition to do so, even if she was willing, and Mileena had captured her. That left only me. And while I successfully managed to cleanse the Kamidogu, I did not come out unscathed. The purpose of the Kamidogu is to grant the wielder an immense amount of power but at the cost of leaving them in a severely weakened state afterward. And because of this, some of the tainted blood remained inside me, slowly corrupting me.
At first, neither I nor anybody else had noticed any change. But, over time, everyone noticed something was wrong with me. Initially, it was only minor things like getting angrier quicker or having a reduced amount of patience. Yet, soon it began to show in other ways. My fighting style became more reckless and anger-fueled. Even before I tried to change, I was never this reckless while fighting. And pretty soon, I was brutalizing everyone I fought and made sure their death was as painful as possible. I essentially became a version of Dark Raiden.
Thankfully, the Elder Gods did not condemn me to that fate. After a bit of their special kind of persuasion, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Jax 'coaxed' Skarlet into helping us. They also 'persuaded' the Kollector into having him give up his unique blood bracelet. And after a long and tedious ritual, the others cleansed me from the corruption. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Some of the tainted blood had merged with my soul. While there are ways to cleanse my soul, they were too risky, or we did not have time.
"Oh, hey, guys." I smiled as my spirit animals came to stand or rest next to me. Similar to Nightwolf, I had three spirit animals. The first is a green turtle I named Shelly. The second is Amber, and he is a bright orange tiger. The last is Tori, a black female crow. "I guess you all sensed the urge, right?"
While I did say there the ways to cleanse my soul were too risky or we didn't have enough time, that did not mean nothing had happened.
Years later, I was chasing some Red Dragon members after they attempted to steal from the Special Forces base. After I finished killing them, the Matoka Tribe approached me. I was confused about why they would seek me out as we rarely ever talked to each other. But they explained that through The White Lotus, they learned about the events with the Kamidogu and Havik. The current leader of the Matoka Tribe then offered me a way finally rid myself of the damn corruption in my soul. And in the process, they allowed me to connect with my spirit animals. While I always had most of Nighwolf's powers, I could never replicate his spirit animals and the buffs they gave him. And now, being able to summon them and free from the cursed feeling, I felt relieved. But that feeling came crashing down when the Matoka Leader brought me into his tent.
And it was there where he gave me a revelation that floored me. Apparently, during the ritual, the Matoka leader discovered something about me. As it turned out, the tainted blood magic never was the direct cause for me becoming bloodthirsty again. The feeling and wanting to spill someone's blood was always inside me. But due to my rigorous training, it never became something more than a feeling. It was even the reason why I quickly adjusted and grew accustomed to killing and blood covering me. But the tainted blood allowed it to overwhelm me eventually. The Matoka leader then assured me that the feeling would never completely control me as long as I stayed headstrong. And if I stayed that course, I would eventually reach my original goal of proving to the others that I was much more than a bloodthirsty monster. However, he warned me that even if I gained complete control over these feelings, they would never disappear, as they were a part of me.
With this new information in mind, I set out to the White Lotus Academy to begin my training. I would have gone to Raiden's Sky Temple to meditate in the Jinsei Chamber, but I did not want to risk anything, especially since it was still recovering from Shinnok's corruption. Unfortunately, my training did not last long, as Kronika appeared with the intent of creating a perfect world and reviving her son. Again.
"You know, it's funny. Despite being the Keeper of Time, a Titan herself, and the Architect of the Destiny of the Universe, Kronika never learned or realized this wasn't her first attempt. Or even her one-hundredth attempt."
*Caw*
*Roar*
"Come on, guys. Be quiet. We can't let anyone find out about you guys."
I was genuinely surprised when I learned how much personality my spirit animals had. Although, I guess I shouldn't be too shocked, considering all the tricks Nightwolf taught his spirit animals. But I couldn't teach them anything as I needed to focus on the invasion and Temporal Armageddon. Yet, that did stop me from making plans. Even if we lose the battle, we know we will somehow be revived in the aftermath, or something will change our fate during the fight. It might seem strange to anyone, not in the know, but after having to go through different versions of Armageddon, your viewpoint starts to change.
However, all plans came to a sudden crash when something we had never seen before happened. At this point, we thought we had seen everything, but this was so shocking that it shook everyone to their core. Even Shao Kahn started sweating in trepidation. The first was the Kamidogu. In the current timeline, they were daggers that had tasted the blood of The One Being. But in the previous timelines, they were relics the Elder Gods created in an attempt to weaken The One Being. Yet, they were now in the same place, interacting with each other. And before we could try to figure out or do anything, both versions of the Kamidogu fused before disappearing.
The second shocking thing that happened was the timelines and Kombatants themselves. During the first Temporal Armageddon, we learned there were thousands of different timelines, each being unique in multiple ways but similar in others. We even learned from this that there were past and future versions of ourselves living simultaneously. But what sent shivers down everyone's spines was when we discovered the horrifying truth behind everything.
Everything was merging or collapsing in on itself. Nothing was safe, and there was no place to hide. The true end to Mortal Kombat has arrived. And if we did not win the ensuing battle, there would be no coming back. But despite this and how heavily the odds were against us, we were determined to win.
Unfortunately, it was all for not. What we failed to realize in time was that this Armeggedon wasn't like any of the others we faced. Instead of the Kombatants growing too strong, some mother trying to bring back her son and reshape the world to be perfect, Shujinko being an idiot, or something trying to conquer everything, it was something else entirely. Something vastly more powerful.
It was The One Being.
It had somehow managed to regain its consciousness and essence. And it was furious. It then started the process of merging the realms and timelines to gain enough power to exact its revenge against the Elder Gods. We tried to find the Kamidogu to de-merge them in hopes of stopping The One Being. Yet it knew we would do this. As such, The One Being forcibly took control of our allies and enemies and sent them against us. But thankfully, with our new allies from the past, present, and future, and from different timelines, we fended them off and eventually found the Kamidogu. But it was too late. The One Being was successful in merging the realms. Seeing everything falling apart and fading away, we all dropped our weapons and accepted our fate as there was no escaping it this time.
"At times, I wonder, did I make the right choice in accepting The Elder Gods' proposal, or should I have said no and allowed myself to die next to the other Kombatants."
While we awaited our inevitable fate, the Elder Gods did something no one, not even their most devoted followers, could have expected. They transported me to a place known as The Void. There The Elder Gods explained the era of Mortal Kombat was finally at an end. And once The One Being finished destroying everything, all the Kombatants can finally rest properly and eternally. But they then told me that while everyone was ready, I wasn't. Briefly, I was curious about what they meant but quickly realized it. They were referring to how I still wanted to disprove to the people I grew up with that I wasn't a bloodthirsty killer. Then, I realized I could no longer continue working toward that goal as the universe would soon be gone.
*Roar*
*Caw*
"Yeah, It's still mind-boggling that I could have another chance at pursuing my goal."
The Elder Gods told me they had been aware of my goals and wanted to give me another chance. They then went on to explain that there are other universes out there outside of ours, and they could send me to anyone I wanted to have another chance at pursuing my goal. And when I asked why they were doing this, The Elder Gods said that before they died, they wanted to do one last 'good thing.' But it was a lie so weak that even Shujinko would not fall for it.
The Elder Gods let out a deep sigh before explaining their true intentions. While the era of Mortal Kombat is at an end, they wanted someone way preserve the memory. And seeing that I still wanted to achieve my goals, they decided I was the perfect candidate to send to some random universe. But when I asked about this 'last good thing' they had mentioned, they explained that it was simply allowing me to say yes or no. And if I chose no, they would get someone else. I heaved a sigh upon hearing this, as even when they were about to die, the Elder Gods were still selfish pricks looking out for only themselves. But before I could give my answer, Cetrion explained the reason why I was their first choice. They wanted this to be a gift to 'try' and make amends with me for 'robbing' me of my life and putting me in a world of bloodshed.
While most would jump at a chance to continue living, I had to take a few minutes to think it over. As tempting as it was to continue working toward my goal, it was equally compelling to stay behind and die next to the other Kombatants. However, I realized that I deserved the rest the least out of everyone here. Everyone else had already been fighting for eons before I even joined the Mortal Kombat tournament. If I said no, The Elder Gods would choose another one and eventually force someone into accepting if no one agreed. Knowing this, I let out another sigh before agreeing to their proposal and asking what I should expect.
"I'm not sure who is crazier. Mileena or people who think there is never a cost or catch behind anything done with good intentions."
After accepting the Elder Gods' proposal, I asked what I should expect. But they stopped me and told me there was a catch to this outside of preserving the legacy of Mortal Kombat. Concerned, I had asked what it was. And they answered, saying they wanted me to take Shinnok's Amulet with me. I was shocked at this, considering how powerful the amulet is and how everyone would be better off with it destroyed. But the Elder Gods told me why, in any other case, it would be a good idea if they could somehow achieve that. Yet they then explained that if the One Being swallowed the amulet, it would have the power to travel across the dimensions. Knowing that it was unlikely any other universe would be able to stop The One Being, I reluctantly agreed to take Shinnok's Amulet with me.
But after taking the amulet, I asked the Elder Gods to tell me how all this would work. They explained they would have me reincarnated into another universe similar in a few ways to ours but different in every other aspect. While I would have the abilities of this world, such as aura and semblance, I would still retain the powers of each Kombatant and all my memories and fighting styles. But they would not appear when I was born and would return over time. The same would apply to Shinnok's Amulet as it would appear at my family's doorstep for me a few years after my birth. After mulling all this over, I agreed and allowed the Elder Gods to have me reincarnated into this new world. Although, during the process, I wondered how I would keep all this a secret from my new birth family and how they would react if they discovered what I could do.
"I'm not sure if the Elder Gods purposedly had me reincarnated into the craziest family in Remnant or if it was just a roll of the dice."
True to the Elder Gods' words, all my powers and memories did return with time. And by the time I was five, everything had returned, including Shinnok's Amulet. But by then, the question I asked before coming here had risen. How will I hide my powers and the amulet from the Arc Family, and what would they say if they found out. Initially, I did not have to worry about them finding out, as I could blame any incidents on the family's craziness. Unfortunately, an attack by the Grimm, this world's plague, led them to discover my powers. I wanted to leave but knew I couldn't and used my abilities to defend everyone until help arrived. Once everything calmed down, the Arc Family came rushing toward me. I braced myself for the slurs and insults that would come my way. Yet, to my great surprise, they asked if I was okay instead of calling me a monster. The Arc Family then explained that it didn't matter what I was or could do. I would always be their son, with my safety and well-being coming first above all else. Although, they did demand me to explain everything. And to my greater shock, they took it all in stride. It honestly felt surreal, but I was thankful the Arc Family still loved and cared for me.
But this day held another significant meaning in my life on Remnant. After a long but loving conversation with the Arc Family, I learned about this world's defenders. Huntsmen. The people of Remnant considered them noble heroes and protectors of the light. Instantly, I knew what I wanted to do with my new life. I wanted to become a huntsman. And in all honesty, it seemed like the perfect choice. Not only would becoming one help me get one step closer toward my goal, but it would also help me feel at ease as they are similar to the Forces of Light in a sense.
However, the Arc Family did not want me to become a huntsman. When I asked them why they didn't want me to become one, they explained that they no longer wanted me to be in situations where I could die. They also said they wanted me to have a normal, safe, and fun life away from bloodshed. But the primary reason they did not want me to become a huntsman was they felt like if I became one, I would be turning my back on where I came from and who I truly was. For a brief moment, I felt like they had insulted me, but they cut me off before I could say anything and explain what they meant. They explained that I wasn't some bloodthirsty killer like many had called me before coming to Remnant. I was a good person trying to defend others from threats others did know about or understand. And had they known, the others would never have called me those names.
Yet, despite this, I still wanted to become a huntsman. Knowing they would be unable to convince me, the Arc Family agreed to let me become one when I was older and let me attend Beacon Academy. However, they made sure that I knew that they were only allowing this with some strict conditions. First, I had to visit them whenever I had the chance. Second, I had to practice my abilities in secret to avoid any trouble. The third condition was that I was to immediately return home if the urge to spill blood became too intense or too frequent.
When the Arc Family learned about my urges, they became distraught for me. They did everything in their power to ensure I had complete control of the urges. Thankfully, after two years of intense training, among a handful of other things, I rarely felt the impulses. However, that did not mean they were entirely gone. I still feel them sometimes, especially when I am in a 'long fight' or using my powers. Before coming to Beacon, I might feel the urge once every few weeks, but now, I get them about once a week, sometimes thrice. While I have managed to keep them under control and hidden, I was not sure for how much longer. But that raised a question.
"Should I stay here and continue studying and training to become a huntsman? Or should I head home?" Letting out a heavy sigh, I turned to my spirit animals. "What do you guys think?"
*Roar*
*Caw*
For the first few weeks at Beacon, I was more nervous than I had ever been before in my life. I had never been in a formal school outside of primary school back in Earthrealm. After the Elder Gods 'recruited me,' the Special Forces and White Lotus taught me everything else I needed to know to get by in life. As a result, I did not know anything about school. Even growing up with the Arc Family, I didn't attend any school. After learning about my past, they decided it would be best if they homeschooled me.
Thankfully, attending Beacon wasn't as bad as I initially expected. I had a great team, made great friends, I think, and had decent grades. Although, while I wouldn't admit it to anyone, I did become scared of Mrs. Glynda Goodwitch. She honestly reminds me a lot of Sonya Blade. But on the flip side, I gained a great instructor in the form of my partner, Pyrrha Nikos. While I could fight and beat nearly everyone here with great ease, my fighting style was, as Mrs. Goodwitch would say, unbecoming of a future huntsman. Plus, it felt great being in a training session again. It felt like I was back in Outworld training under Bo' Rai Cho, minus the horrific smell, belching, vomiting, and heavy drinking. But the best parts were being able to experience things I couldn't back in Earthrealm due to the wars and tournaments.
But these feelings faded by the middle of the second month. The training soon felt mundane, with everything else starting to feel the same soon after. I no longer felt joy from being with my new friends and teammates. It was also getting more challenging to keep my abilities a secret. Then there was the obvious bullying and racism in the school. As much as I wanted to burn all those assholes to the ground, I couldn't without revealing myself. And that was another thing. Headmaster Ozpin. I never trusted him. Whether it was personal bias or something else, I did not know. All I knew was not to trust him, as he reminded me too much of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. Yet, on top of all this, as I mentioned earlier, the frequencies of the urges were rising.
But it was during the beginning of the third month that I remembered what the Arc Family told me about turning my back on where I came from and who I am. The more I trained, the more Pyrrha helped me, and the more I studied to become a future huntsman, the more I felt like what they said was true. It honestly felt like I was trying to forget not just the bad memories but also the good ones. And that was not what I wanted. I only wanted to be able to figuratively prove to the others that I am not a bloodthirsty killer. Yet, the more I stayed here, the more I felt that was becoming true. But at the same time, I was forgoing all the good I had done while standing side-by-side with the other Kombatants. All this raised a single question.
"What am I? A Huntsman or a Kombatant?"
I could drop out of Beacon and return to the Arc house. I could then train in the comfort of home while not having to worry about the urges or someone finding out about my powers. But I would, in turn, lose all the progress I made toward proving that I was not a bloodthirsty monster. On the flip side, I could stay at Beacon and continue training and studying to become a huntsman. While the urges would be a problem, I could teach myself to control them better. Yet, that would mean forgoing all my powers, forgetting the memories I had about the Kombatants, and acting as if all the sacrifices we made meant nothing. Then there was the matter of Shinnok's Amulet. Since I regained the amulet, I had never used it and kept it hidden in a remote location. It was too powerful, and if it fell into anyone's hands other than mine, it would cause untold amounts of chaos to the point where Havik would consider it a wet dream.
"What to do? What to do?" Groaning, I let my head fall into my hands. I had never expected to have to deal with something like this in all my life. Yet, I knew that if I didn't make a choice soon, things would only get worse.
"Jaune? Are you still there?" A voice asked. Not wasting a second, I had my spirit animals disappear. Once they were gone, I promptly turned to the door just as it opened to reveal a tired Ruby Rose, followed by her equally tired dog, Zwei.
"Hey, Rubes." I said, smiling.
"Jaune. What are you still doing up here so late?" Confused, I took out my scroll and noticed it was 12:40 AM. While most would panic and try to devise an excuse, I had one at the ready. The only 'good thing' I can say I took from Quan Chi and Shang Tsung was developing a silver tongue. Although, that did nothing when it came to asking someone out on a date. But that also reminded me of something else. Whose advice on asking someone out was worse? Johnny Cage's advice or my father in the Arc Family's advice.
"Sorry. I needed some space, and I guess I lost track of time with the peaceful night and cool breeze."
"Is everything alright?"
"Yeah." I lied. Truthfully, I was a little worried that I felt another urge, but I didn't tell Ruby as she didn't know anything about me.
"Don't lie, Jaune. I heard Pyrrha scream and slammed the door earlier. What happened?" She asked as she sat next to me with Zwei curling up in her lap.
"Nothing bad happened, Ruby. Yes, Pyrrha did snap, but that's not directly because of me. To put it simply, she had a terrible week with nearly no sleep. And after everything that happened, she was only one tiny inconvenience away from snapping. And it happened during our training session. Just give her some time to cool off and get some rest, and she will be back to normal."
"Okay. I trust you."
"But now, I have to ask, why are you and Zwei still up?"
"We had trouble falling asleep. We thought that maybe a walk would help us. But as we walked around, we came up here when I thought I heard your voice." She said before letting out a massive yawn. "Jaune."
"Yes."
"Do you think you can tell us a story to help us fall asleep?"
"Sure. What would you like to hear?" I asked, smiling.
"Do you have any stories about fighting for freedom?"
"Weird choice, but yes. Let's see." I answered, racking my brain for an idea before remembering the story of the Edenian Realm. While I would have to change a few parts, it would make for a nice story. "Okay. How does this sound? It's about the king and queen of a place called Edenia and how they defeated and prevented a dictator from enslaving everyone."
"Sounds interesting." Ruby said with Zwei barking.
"Alright. It goes like this. Thousands of years ago, there were six major countries worldwide, each comprised of hundreds of villages and millions of people. Four of them were your standard countries, with nothing significant or noteworthy about them. The fifth, however, was different. It was beautiful. Some even considered it more magnificent than Monty Oum's kingdom. Everyone there lived in harmony. But the peace did not last forever. The last country, known as Outworld, wanted to conquer every country and merge them into itself. Knowing Outworld outmatched them, the king and queen of Edenia begged the gods to give them a way to protect their people. And so they did. The gods created a tournament to give them a fighting chance..."
Half an Hour Later
"...and so, the king tragically died from his grievous wounds. But as much as the queen wanted to mourn her late husband, she knew she didn't have time. After months of fighting, the queen learned the gods never actually gave her people protection. They only turned it into a spectacle they could watch for their amusement. Not wanting others to suffer as she did, the queen decided to perform the ultimate sacrifice. Following an ancient ritual, she would give everyone the protection they rightfully deserved. But the cost of such a ritual required she kill herself slowly and painfully. While some might say it was overkill, it had the intended effect, as Outworld could no longer invade any of the countries. Now, everyone can go about their lives peacefully. The end."
Looking to my side, I smiled when I noticed Zwei and Ruby sleeping peacefully. Knowing that it was already past one AM, I decided that it would be best if I brought them back to their room. Slowly standing up, I picked both of them up while making sure I did not wake them. But I then realized that if I did not want Yang to pummel me into the ground, I had to teleport into Rwby's dorm. And the only form of teleportation I had that was both quiet and safe was Shadowporting. However, Shadowporting often left anyone, aside from Saibot and me, feeling extremely chilly as if death had passed through them. The result would undoubtedly wake Zwei and Ruby. But I could counter this by warming them with some dragon fire. While hellfire would warm them up quicker, the risk of burning them was too high, and it could cause another urge to rise again.
Breathing out, I let the fire cover my hands for a few seconds before snuffing them out. With Zwei and Ruby sufficiently warm, I fell to the floor and Shadowported to Rwby's dorm. Once inside, I tip-toed to her bed and gently set her down before pulling the covers up. Satisfied, I Shadowported back to where Pyrrha and I train.
"That was something, right? I wonder what Ruby will think if she learns the real story of Edenia is far more horrifying." I asked my spirit animals as they appeared in front of me. "Now, if only making important life decisions was as easy as telling someone a story."
Sighing, I sat on the edge again. While sleep is important, I never require much. And if I ever felt exhausted, I would do an hour of meditation and feel refreshed afterward. But even if I were fatigued, I'd fight to stay awake as the night sky was so beautiful; it reminded me of when I watched the night skies at the Shirai Ryu base. But I was brought out of it when I felt my spirit animals gently nudge me.
"Uh, something wrong, guys?" Tori flew to my side and started pecking where I kept my scroll. Confused, I pulled it out and laid it on the floor. Tori then opened it up before pecking where the date was displayed. But before I could ask, Amber gently nudged my head to the horizon, where I noticed the moon was going down. It then all suddenly clicked. "TODAY IS ADRIAN'S BIRTHDAY! I STILL HAVE TO GET HIM A PRESENT!"
Not even giving my spirit animals a chance to react, I Hellported into downtown Vale. I might have done some crazy things in my life, like going against Blaze and Shao Kahn. But I wasn't going to risk facing my sister's or my family's wrath for missing another birthday. Seriously, they were scarier than the time when Quan Chi and Shang Tsung formed the Deadly Alliance. Yet, as I ran through Vale searching for Adrian's gift, my mind kept going back to the question earlier. Am I a Huntsman, or am I a Kombatant? But while I'm not sure if I would ever have a definitive answer, I am sure of one thing. And that is that I will protect my family at all costs. I may have lost those I grew up with in the orphanage and my fellow Kombatants. But I will be dammed if I let anything bad happen to the Arc Family.
