Chapter 10: Forged Weaponry
Despite its inherent chaos, a battlefield had a sense of order to it. It was the arbiter of its inhabitants, deciding whether or not they lived to fight another day. It was judge, jury, and much too often, executioner. An impromptu courthouse where guilt was not determined by facts or witnesses, but rather by blade and bow.
The tools of such a trade required an orderliness to match. One could not merely pick up a stick and expect to be judged innocent. It could be said that such a lack of preparation was in and of itself an expression of guilt, a declaration that a war was not serious. The war hawks would shake their metaphorical fists at the slight, ending the offender's carefree attitude with a liberal application of mace to the face.
No. The only way to come to war was as one would enter the courtroom- all the arguments planned out, and prepared for anything the opposing side might throw at you. One needed weapons and armour.
Reshan couldn't stop his face from lighting up as he entered the armory. This was the place where battles were decided, where the fates of the brave men and women who marched into battle could be sealed before blades were bared. One bad smith could ruin a weapon, causing it to shatter in the hands of the wielder. A whole workshop of bad smiths could doom a Kingdom.
A row of blast furnaces lay on one side of the hall, infusing the inhabitants with warmth. Their fires were blinding, as though staring into the sun. Occasionally a shadow would cross the wall as a cadet passed in front of the flames. The fires of the forge illuminated the shelves lined with tools. Underneath the assorted hammer lay rows upon rows of ingots waiting patiently to be forged into something more. A few students sweated over their craft, pouring their souls into a tool with which to earn themselves an innocent verdict on the battlefield.
Professor Goodwitch sat next to the shelves conversing with Dr. Oobleck, having exchanged her usual cloak for a smith's apron. She gave an approving nod upon noticing Reshan.
"Ah, good. You're right on time, Mr. Oobleck." She stood off the stool she had been perched on, causing the doctor to take a small step back. "Now then, what do you know about metallurgy?"
He frowned, shrugging. "Nothing, I'm afraid. I've never had the chance to try." He honestly didn't expect to have any knowledge of it. There were only so many skills one man could have, and his seemed to primarily involve the art of war. Destruction, as opposed to creation.
Dr Oobleck piped up. "Well, now is as good a time as any. There are extra aprons in the back- go ahead and grab one."
"Thank you sire," the scarred teen replied. "Will we be having our session here?"
Professor Goodwitch nodded. "We figured we may as well kill two birds with one stone. I have heard rumors that you had a breakthrough with your Semblance. Are they true?"
Reshan nodded, sliding a heavy apron off the wall and putting it on. It weighed him down more than he expected. What was in this thing, anyways?
"Last night, Weiss posited that my Semblance isn't Dust nullification, but rather copying another person to the extent that I take on their Semblance." He walked over to the ingots, inspecting them. They were shiny, but that was all he could say. No rush of knowledge came to him, no symphony of understanding. "I copied Yang's entire personality- her instincts, her combat style, and her Semblance. I believe it to be the Dravenson method, though I cannot say for certain, given the first time my Semblance activated."
Dr. Oobleck gestured to an empty furnace, coals lying in a dark lump. "Ah, so the Dravenson method worked?"
Reshan explained the events of last night, as well as his earlier spar with Ruby. The doctor nodded along, while Professor Goodwitch crossed her arms, listening intently. When he finished, the blonde professor smiled.
"This is excellent news, Mr. Oobleck. If I might ask a few questions?" Upon nodding, she proceeded to lightly tap the ingots.
"For starters, what is the composition of a typical weapon?"
Reshan blinked at the non sequitur. "I don't know."
"What is the melting point of Valean steel?"
He shook his head. She nodded swiftly, as though confirming some theory.
"Well, those are some of the basic questions that a smith would know. I think we can safely say that forging is out of your skill range."
Reshan sighed. She wasn't wrong. He couldn't identify what Valean steel even was, let alone how to work it. He nodded, a wry smile developing.
"Apologies, Professor. It appears I have wasted your time." She shook her head in response.
"Nonsense, Reshan. All it means is that we will be here a bit longer than expected. She reached up, a hammer flying into her hand. She proceeded to explain its use, demonstrating the necessary technique to work it on the anvil. Her coworker nodded along, often supplementing the information with his own knowledge. Reshan hesitantly took the hammer, giving it a try. Where her strikes were confident, his were hesitant, often missing the intended region.
After a while, he started to get used to the feeling of the hammer striking metal, a ring resounding around the small space. It would likely take him weeks or months to learn how to become a moderately good weaponsmith, but with Professor Goodwitch assisting him, and Dr. Oobleck there to offer advice, he was able to forge a blade that, while not a masterpiece, would serve the wielder well.
Dr. Oobleck offered other advice as well.
"Miss Rose is likely correct, Reshan. Fascinating. You display maturity in some areas, but you have always been rather emotional. I suppose it will pass in due time." He reached over Reshan's shoulder, observing the steel as it cooled in its barrel. "Take it out of the water, or the edge will be brittle."
"Yes, sire." He reached in, hissing slightly at the heat of the water. "What do you think of my Semblance?"
"It's certainly fascinating. Why does music trigger it? You never heard a song before your match against Miss Adel, correct? Then why did it function, without a song? And who exactly- oh. OH!"
The doctor turned to Professor Goodwitch, whispering rapidly. Reshan wasn't able to hear, as the clanging of his hammer as he leveled the bevel of the blade blocked the noise. He turned back to the anvil.
This isn't quite what I thought when he said we'd learn things, he mused. I thought we'd be reviewing history, or learning how these 'cars' it likely will help for me to have a craft to ply.
As the clanging ceased, he turned to see Dr. Oobleck with a board, a sheet of paper locked in place by a mechanism he was unfamiliar with.
"What is that?" he asked. Professor Goodwitch hid the faintest of smiles at the question.
"A clipboard, young man. Now then, Dr. Oobleck has an idea of how to determine who the individual was that you manifested."
He paused, setting down the hammer. "Truly?" He wiped a bead of sweat off his bare arms, as he had removed his shirt to deal with the heat a while ago. The blonde professor nodded, gesturing for Reshan to take a seat. He complied, curious. How would Dr. Oobleck proceed?
"When you duplicated Yang's instincts, you started calling Ruby by her terminology, correct?" he said, pulling out a pencil. Reshan nodded. It had been a sore point to his commander, and Reshan as well. Not to mention somewhat disorienting. Who would like it if someone you met only a few days prior started behaving as your older sister?
"Could you please duplicate Yang? I want to ask you a few questions that might help me determine if my hypothesis is correct." Reshan pulled out his Scroll, selecting the song from before. As it played aloud, he let the transition wash over him. Thankfully, most of the other students had already retired in the dusk, leaving them with a small semblance of privacy.
"Excellent, excellent! Now then." He cleared his throat. "Where are you from?"
"Patch." What-
"What is your favorite drink?"
"Strawberry Sunrise."
"Who made your weapons?"
"Ruby."
"Favorite hair spray?"
"W-what is going on?" Reshan's eyes widened at the flurry of questions, as well as the answers that flew out of his mouth. "Professor, what did I just-"
"Please do not think about your answers. Just let them out. Favorite hair spray?"
"I don't know."
"Ah, perhaps too deep. Favorite colour?"
"Gold."
"I think we have our method. Reshan, pause the song."
He complied, somewhat frightened. "Sire, I thought I didn't have her knowledge. Where am I getting these answers from? I don't gain any of her memories."
His eyes gleamed slightly as he slurped from his thermos. "No, but you do have her instincts, right? Whatever she would instinctively answer, you will as well."
Professor Goodwitch nodded, jotting something down on the clipboard. "If you ever find a way to trigger the Semblance, we can ask questions. As long as the person you copy would answer it, you might as well."
"But I failed to identify her hair spray, correct?" he wondered. "There must be a limit."
"Quite so," Dr. Oobleck said. "I believe it falls down to instinct. You won't be able to copy someone and write down their deepest secrets, true. But I believe if the knowledge is something that is accessed on a day to day basis, it will become instinctive to answer. And one of the most common questions asked of a person is their name."
Reshan almost laughed. "Would it truly be that simple? Just ask me, and I will answer?"
Professor Goodwitch nodded. "It seems as good an idea as any. We will see what we can do on our end to discover your past, Reshan. For now, listen to as many songs as you can. They might hold the key to figuring out who knew you before ending up here." She cracked her whip, causing the boy to flinch. "Let's get back to work now, shall we?"
Her fingers trembled as she held the photo in the living room.
It wasn't anything special. The scene was a normal one, all things considered. In it, two sisters smiled at the camera, their uncle smirking cockily from behind. Empty plates of food littered a diner table. Something that would lay above the fireplace to her left, a background piece to a regular family. One where the mother hadn't disappeared for over a decade.
Summer sank back in the couch, tears threatening to overwhelm her. Her little girls had grown up without a mother. She hadn't been there for them.
How many birthdays did I miss?
Yang had been stripped of a normal childhood, forced to mature as she watched over Ruby. Tai had nearly cracked, falling into a depression, while Qrow had become a full blown alcoholic.
Heh… still kinda funny I found him passed out. Typically the situation was in reverse- she was the drunk one, and it fell to Qrow to lug her back home.
Worst of all was Raven, who seemed to have fallen back into her old habits, according to Qrow. The last member of team STRQ had practically fallen off the map. Qrow was the only one she spoke to, and apparently only once in a blue moon.
The floor creaked under Tai's weight, jarring her.
"You OK, Sum-Sum?" He sat on her side, rubbing her back. "You're looking at the photos again?"
She brushed a stray tear off her lip, ears down as she nodded. When she arrived home, she had been hoping for the time delay to have been an hour, or a few days at most. She hadn't expected to come back to her own grave.
Tai had taken her out to it yesterday, in an attempt to catch her up to the present. Up until then, it had been like a dream. It couldn't be true. Really?
That was where the full impact of what had happened sank into her like the claws of a Beowolf. Her husband had thought her dead. Her children had mourned their mother, never knowing she lived.
Damn the Harbinger. Damn it all the way to hell!
"Wh-where did you take this?" Summer handed the photo to Tai. He smiled, wrinkles that she didn't remember crinkling.
"I think that's where we went after Yang finished her weapons. She'd been working on it with Ruby for a couple months-"
"You let our daughter become a Huntress? After what happened to me?" she nearly screamed. Not her little sun dragon! What had happened to her little Yangalang who screamed in terror whenever a bug so much as tip-toed near her?
Tai simply hugged her, full of love. As he always had been. "I didn't let Yang do anything, dear. She chose this life for her, and I couldn't be prouder of her."
He'd changed too. Summer didn't remember Tai being so patient- his temper was one of the things he struggled with. How had he gotten so…
So… so mature?
She nodded, trying to rein herself in. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." She took a shaky breath.
He nodded, letting it slide. "It's alright, honey. You have a lot on your mind." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "Anyways, Qrow dropped by. After we finished, we tested it." His eyes stared into the distance, remembering that evening. "Ruby practically cried when I told her she couldn't try it. Do you know how hard it is to deal with a speed Semblance? I had to bribe her with cookies before she stopped running around the arena."
Summer smirked. "She still likes cookies?" Some of her fondest memories were of baking the confectionery for her girls, Ruby sitting in her chair licking the cookie dough off her fingers as she waited for more. Besides being adorable, she had made for quite the cleanup device. Not a spot of cookie dough was ever left over in the Xiao-Long-Rose house.
"More than you ever did, dear." He chuckled. "By ten, she mastered your recipe. Shame she still can't clean up the kitchen."
The Faunus chuckled, the tears starting to fade. "Like mother, like daughter."
"Yup." After a moment of silence, he sighed. "I can't believe you're really back. It's like a dream come true, but with a whole lot more crying."
"Yeah… a lot more crying." That was an understatement.
"I wonder how the kids are gonna take it," Tai mused. Summer nodded, apprehension building. They were going to go tomorrow morning on a Bullhead.
"I… I'm nervous," Summer admitted. "What if they hate me for leaving them?"
Tai immediately stiffened. "Honey, that's the last thing that's going to happen. They're gonna be thrilled! This is practically their dream come true."
She smiled, brushing back her bangs. "It's gonna be quite the shock. Imagine you're walking down the street and bam! You see someone you haven't seen for years!"
The tanned man chuckled. "I guess you could say they haven't seen you in a Xiao-Long time." Summer smacked him on the arm, though she couldn't resist a giggle. "Your puns still suck, dear."
"I love you too, honey."
Nora grumbled, putting down the controller. No matter what she tried, Renny was just too good at the game! No fair. She wasn't one to sulk, however. No way!
The team, along with their favorite buddies team RWBY were blowing off some stress playing some video games in the lounge. Currently, she had just lost to Ren in Immortal Combat in their impromptu tourney.
"Blakeeeey! You ready for our match?" Yang grinned, seeing the ebony-haired girl's reluctance. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"
Blake stiffened momentarily before setting down her book. "No, Yang. I'm just tired." She got up, walking over to the couch. Her partner cheered as the resident introvert selected her character. Ruby cheered for her sister as the match began. Nora narrowed her eyes as she noticed the lack of support for Blake. That wouldn't do.
"BREAK HER LEGS!"
Why did Blake practically leap out of her seat? This wasn't anything out of the ordinary for her. It was practically her modus operandi for anything and everything! Someone's bothering you? Break his leg. Chair won't sit flat? Break its leg. Can't open a jar of pickles? Break its leg. And if someone pointed out that jars don't have legs, well, break their legs, too. Short, sweet, and to the point. Much like herself.
Blake didn't seem that invested in the game. Either that, or her skills at gaming just weren't that good. After some furious button mashing on her part, she sighed. Once again, Yang had come out on top. The blonde brawler jeered as Blake put down the controller, letting Ren take her place for the final match. He plopped on the couch, quickly flicking the control stick before giving a thumbs-up. If there was one thing Nora knew, it was that Ren took his video games seriously. It was obvious to her by the way his beautiful eyes narrowed ever so slightly, how he flicked back his gorgeous mane of hair that Nora definitely didn't fantasize about running her hands through, and the ever so slight tension she saw on his lips….
Nora pinched herself to keep her attention on the game. Her Renny was far more skilled than most. Unfortunately, Yang seemed to share his innate talent for crushing her opponents. The two warred back and forth, neither having an advantage over the other.
In the end, though, Ren's discipline was no match for the sheer pressure Yang put out. As the screen declared her victory, Ren slumped in defeat.
"And the victory goes to me once again!" Yang pumped her fist into the air, Ruby leaping around her shoulders in a hug. Jaune was quick to congratulate the pair, leaving Pyrrha to console the ninja.
"I think you did wonderfully," she said. Ren simply nodded, taking his defeat in stride.
"OF course he did, silly," Nora berated. "He's been training for this all his pubescent life!" She hopped on the couch, pulling Ren into a hug. Ren let a small smile cross his face.
"Thanks, Nora." He returned the embrace briefly before looking around. "Now, where's Weiss?"
Why- oh, right. The bet! In the chaos of last night, they'd forgotten to carry out the punishment for the heiress. She quickly picked her head up, doing her best impression of an owl as it sought prey.
Weiss snarled before stalking up to the front of the TV. Clearing her throat, she pulled out a small slip of paper. "Before I do this, I just want to say that this is perhaps the most inane idea you have ever thought of."
Yang smirked, pulling out her Scroll to record. "Complaining about it ain't gonna change anything, Ice Queen. On with the show!"
The singer's gaze could have frozen steam, it was so cold.
Reshan brushed the sweat off his brow, groaning at the strain in his muscles. It was night, the sun giving the horizon one last embrace through the windows. He hung up his apron, cradling his blade in his hands.
It wasn't anything special to look at. The fuller was slightly uneven, giving the appearance of a wave. He would have loved to take credit for it, if not for the one fact that it hadn't even been intentional. He had been trying to make it straight.
The edge, mercifully, was level. He had spent a good two hours grinding it until Professor Goodwitch had declared it fit. IT was a good thing she did- he had been contemplating roaring his frustration. Forging was hard work.
Reshan walked out of the forge, wishing the two professors a good night. Professor Goodwitch headed back to her apartment, while the green-haired professor planned to remain a bit longer. Something about a 'pet project'.
Welp, looks like that's done. I wonder what everyone else is up to?
Yang was likely griping about her detention. He snorted just thinking about it. Why complain when it could have been so much worse?
Despite his initial misgivings about the blonde brawler, Reshan couldn't deny that she had a deep heart. The way she'd walked him to the Bullhead last night when his head felt like a bursting grape while giving him a stern lecture on how to speak to her sister spoke to many things. Her dedication to her sister, first and foremost, but also her care for a foreigner. She didn't have to be the one to support him- Jaune had offered numerous times to be the one, and Yang had rejected him every time.
Her soul is an honest one, with a heart of gold. I hope she knows that.
Reshan walked back to his room, passing a few scattered students. He frowned, mulling over what he had learned about Beacon.
It was clear his initial assumption about Beacon was a mistake. The discipline was lacking, as far as he was concerned. A true military academy would enforce a strict schedule, with little to no break periods. There certainly would not be a break on the weekends.
In addition, he had overheard some students making rude remarks about Faunus. He rolled his eyes just thinking about it. Why didn't the teachers step in? By leaving the issue to fester, all that was accomplished was a tacit approval of what was said. Even if the students were trusted to resolve issues on their own, the teachers had a duty to lay out the expectations of the students.
Perhaps they are trying to encourage growth, his mind proffered. He considered it, before shaking his head. Building character would be a more accurate statement of the matter. Growth, as he understood it, was the cultivation of new talents. Stopping petty bullies was more a matter of confidence. Though if the bullies decide to stop on their own, that could be classified as growth, he realized. It was an unusual man who was both willing to lay down their lives for the people and took pleasure in the suffering of others.
He reached his room, sighing in pleasure as he closed the door. He'd arranged to meet with Dr. Oobleck for lunch tomorrow so they could discuss his new findings. Forging had taken up too much time, and his discussions with the eclectic professor had oftentimes been cut off by Professor Goodwitch. It was understandable that she did as such- working with molten iron was a dangerous business, with one wrong move resulting in a scalding burn that Aura would only protect from for a few moments.
He'd noticed something about the deputy principal, however. Her stern gaze hid a sense of caring that was unlike most others he'd encountered. While some acted in a sour disposition due to a negative outlook on life, she lived to see the sense of delight when a student overcame a hurdle. Her role was not a frontline hero, but that of the teacher, who stood guard over the young, and cultivated raw potential into greatness.
Maybe that is what makes a hero, Reshan thought. If the goal of a Huntsman was to create stories, as Professor Ozpin claimed, then a teacher would in fact accomplish that, for that was their job description: to train students to become legends. Without someone to guide them, their stories would end before they began.
He pulled out Seeker of Glory, opening up the book as he sat at his desk. It had been a long week, and he was hoping to finally get a start on it.
Prologue:
Why?
It is this question which plagues mankind. More so than any other query, it is this that causes the world to revolve. We seek to understand our place in the world, believing that this knowledge will somehow help us. I very much protest against this. While it is true that the Brothers have put us here for a purpose, it is not found by isolation and deep contemplation, as many philosophers believe. Rather, it is found by actively participating in life. Knowing our purpose in life is not necessary. Does a hammer function better if it has the knowledge that it is a hammer? Will the forge burn hotter after sitting for years in solitude as it tries to fathom its purpose? No. Tools do not, and are we not but tools dancing to the Divine plan?
Reshan frowned as he read his namesake's work. His mention of being but tools struck him with a sense of fatalism, of the belief that nothing truly mattered. Did he not see the beauty in simply existing, in watching the sun cast a net of flame across the sky as it rose?
But I digress. Purpose is not found actively, but passively. Oft, we will discover by mere happenstance our true purpose. Growing up, never did I think I would be a tactician, much less Herald of Altus. I believed that I would become Chieftan of our tribe, and it is only due to my dear father Darius that I discovered my love for the tent of war, as opposed to previously. I must confess that I still harbor a lust for the battlefield. It is something that all of the Brawnwen Clan possess, and my foreign heritage did not change that. However, he saw something in me. While the Brawnwen Clan is comprised of warriors who can wrestle Ursai and win, we are warriors of instinct. Oftentimes, our bloodlust consumes us, overcoming any sense of cohesion or clarity of thought. My father saw this, and worried for the future of the clan. Were an opponent to understand this, they could wipe us out.
As such, he sent my foster brother Egiel to Altus. After he failed to ingratiate himself into noble society, I was sent. It was hoped that my shyness would be more favorable to the natives of King Samuel's court, as opposed to Egiel's talent to offend each and every person he meets.
Here is where I started to shine. I immediately took to the discipline of the court, as opposed to the inherent chaos that is part of living in a tribe of mercenaries. While initially my skills were lacking, I quickly learned how to leverage my talent under King Samuel's guidance. Without him, my skills in the arts of war would never have come to light.
This was never meant to be permanent. After a year, my foster father came with the clan for a tournament meant to celebrate the close bonds between us. While technically not a noble of a Kingdom, Darius was so powerful that his word-
"Is this a work on philosophy or a history book?" He put it down, rubbing his forehead. Hopefully Dr. Oobleck could shed some light on the ideas within, though he'd probably be tired after a night in the forge. What was he working on?
An explosion rocked the forge.
"Hah… Hah."
Barty leaned over, panting. Sweat poured down his brow. It was nearly midnight, and he was the only occupant. Excellent. An observer might complicate things. This was a delicate process!
Heaving, he poured the contents of the barrel over the fire, extinguishing it with a hiss. Peering into the forge, he nodded in confirmation.
This project had been in the works ever since he first discovered the formula hidden deep in the Vacuan desert, years ago. Some had tried to discourage him from attempting to carry out what had been outlined. He scoffed at those, for they were fools. Knowledge required sacrifice!
A grin crossed his face. In previous attempts, the container hadn't so much melted as it had evaporated under the intense heat. After a few experiments, he had found the only way to protect the substance was a titanium-ceramic alloy. Such was the case when working with such a potent mixture.
He took a pair of tongs, grasping the canister. After a few attempts, he managed to pull it out of the furnace. He gave it a quick check, making sure everything was as he predicted.
Eons ago, the Vacuan desert had been a lush paradise with an utopian society. What he held now contained so much power that it had single handedly turned it into a wasteland as the inhabitants turned on each other to obtain it. If Ozpin knew he was experimenting with such power, he would not hesitate to seize it for himself. General Ironwood was willing to sacrifice every man in his army to gain it. Salem would send hordes of Grimm to crush anything and everything in her path for it.
He quickly downed the contents of the container. After swallowing, he furtively glanced around before pouring it into his thermos.
Hmmm… needs more sugar. Some cream wouldn't hurt either.
Ruby buzzed as the Bullhead landed, trying to contain herself. Dad was coming!
She'd been looking forward to this for a while. She'd been getting a little homesick, to be honest. While it had been nice meeting all her new friends, she missed the old ones. They had written back, and apparently Signal was the same as ever. A new kid named Tucker had gotten in trouble for stealing a sniper rifle. The owner, a crotchety kid named Church, had responded by stuffing his locker full of grenades. When he'd opened it, he got a faceful of Dust.
Heh. Good to hear the gang was doing just fine.
"I wonder what Dad's been doing," Yang said. "Think he's getting back into Huntsman business?"
The scarlet reaper brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. "Probably. It's better than just being back at Signal-"
Her jaw hit the floor when the hatch dropped. This… this wasn't possible! What was going on? Why was she seeing a woman who looked just like her mother? A choked sob emerged from the woman as Ruby dashed forwards. Could it really be true?
"M-Mom?" Yang stammered. Her eyes were like saucers as she hesitantly stepped forward.
"GET BACK! THAT ISN'T SUMMER!"
Ruby started as a man crashed down between the two parties, blade held at the ready.
"I'll give you one chance," Qrow snarled. "Who are you, and what did you do with Summer?"
A/N: Dun dun dun. Suspense!
Sorry for the shorter chapter this week- my workload has been rather high, and it's getting in the way of my writing. Next chapter is going to be pretty long, so hang in there!
I've been thinking about spinning off Summer and Tai into their own story. It would have a few references to this story, but I think it would mostly be a standalone tale. The problem is that I am not exactly good at writing people in a relationship, as I have no experience with them. That being said, it sounds like it might be an interesting experiment.
Please leave a review! I really do appreciate them. It helps to see that people read what I write, and it encourages me to keep writing more content. Next chapter will be a week late- it's going to be a big one (hopefully over 10k), and my workload isn't getting any lighter. See you all then!
Next Chapter: April 10
