Welcome back to Despair Remnants!
Neema Arimy: Why thank you.
Tsun: What I love about Ven is that not every question is answered yet, it will be but give it time. And you would not believe how satisfying it is to write, or how well it is being received!
Shewolfofthepicts: I would never subjugate her to that!
She only needs to go to Iosefka's clinic, that would probably be enough.
Xenophos24: That has been a recent curiosity with Blake's character. I originally assumed it was because of some trama, but… She's the Daughter of the Chief of Menagerie! Nothing has happened to her!
Rnji: That is the point however, that she feels pain from it. Venatores true teacher though the hunt and in fact his life, was indeed pain and suffering. Say what you will, but Venatores doesn't tolerate wishful thinking and useless actions.
Envico: I made it so it was around 50 or sixty. If you can see an Amygdala with forty, which is quite literally seeing god, you can do something as simple as see through a one way window.
LockeBelmont: Thanks man, and I'll see if I can check out the game. Mors Ignis, the Ultimate Bro. He's almost up their with Kaito from Danganronpa V3 levels of Broness.
Jellyfish: It also rhymes.
Throwing the Shade: Thank you, it's far more interesting when a character actually affects the world around them. Thank you for your compliments.
Poison Pen 37: Thank You.
Extreme Sam: Thanks man!
XxExtremeSamX: Well, I hope this chapter satisfies your expectations
Ashbel Longhart: Might've went just a bit to far, but yeah!
Darkuz: Well, no one has truly gone through a nightmare before, accept Mors and Venatores and, arguably, Ozpin.
VGBlackWing: True Heroes are fraught with indecision and death. Heracles killed his wife, that was the reason he had to do the 12 Labors. Not all heroes are moral that's what Myths, Berserk, and Rising of the Shield Hero taught me.
Scarease: Exactly! That is the law of both reality and the Hunter. If you have a weapon prepare for a fight.
ODSTFRymann: Why thank you.
Ahsoei: I shall deliver.
Koreader: I shall try, though I don't know who this Ben is? (Joke)
The Baz: He certainly is.
Axxcel: Weiss is more focused how a killer was right next to her the entire time. Also she wishes to keep the group as close together, after she almost destroyed it at the seams.
Don't worry, all will be explained in this chapter.
He doesn't disapprove, he was just talking from their point of view. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
The problem is they believe he is because of Blake's testimony. But sadly, they are the 'true heroes' type of characters.
Yes, but he wanted her to know what exactly she did wrong. Ven's usually a very mean spirited guy.
That I agree with, but nevertheless it's still happening.
Beau3y: This chapter will explain most of it.
Thank you for your review, and I find it very insightful. Enjoy.
Student: That is the main problem I had with Season Six, one revelation (Albeit a rather big one) and the team goes into chaos. I also watch those dramas, mom is the problem as well, but I love how it works most of the time. Thanks once more for the review.
Noble: May I perhaps grant you with more satisfaction.
Guest 1: Well, here you go. Hope you enjoyed it as how much I enjoyed writing it.
Guest 2: Well here you go dude!
GuestmanSolaire: PRAISE THE SUN! And indeed welcome to reality.
The dude: Here you go and glad you agreed with it.
DashingXrouge: Yep, can't wait to come up with a ton of loophole for it though. After all, Ozpin and the Council aren't all knowing, and Venatores is one clever son of a bitch. See you later and have a great read.
G: That's correct, I knocked all four of her pegs off.
Guest: Probably a little later. Depends when the revelation that your friend is a soul absorbing monster that has lived for thousands of years seems appropriate.
Mico host of the bad fanfic: Why thank you, also please stop using A Call Beyond, it's very annoying.
Lazy Boy 111:Well thanks for the review and the binge reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
LegieonDemonSoul: Well you'll have to find out.
Guest 3: Yeah, I like to take my time with writing. Helps me think more about it.
Pokemonrot377:Why thank you.
The philosopher Anon e moose: Thank you kindly, and it appears as though it has. But hopefully, we may gain a new form of relationship from this.
Rowan Citrian: Who knows when, but I can assure you it will be soon. Thank you as well, I love my two characters very much.
Yakiitori: Why thank you. I am especially happy for my, apparently awesome characters.
Heart Fire 12: I have no idea what that means.
Randomperson: I don't know random guy… all right now I do… Have fun with that :)
Guest 4: Welp, here's you Panacea my friend. Now go, enjoy!
Echoclonet: Well thank you, and I believe that's what I was aiming for.
The Je'daii: Agreed on both points, and I'll try to keep it coming.
Brixen Chright: Thanks, I was hoping I was doing all of the characters justice in this story. Glad to see I truly am making good characters.
Milo S Derrek: Yes indeed. Characters are people affected by people, past, and most importantly environment. You make him go through a nightmarish realm, he's going to come out with scars.
Ravem Armata: All of those stories are really basic, and it's good you've not given up hope. Never give it up, or the OTP will be lost… LOST I TELL YOU!
(This is more of a plot chapter, so you won't see a lot of Ven and Mors.)
Chapter: 12
Revelations
Roman Torchwick
This was very bad. Very, very bad.
I walked into the dark warehouse, my steps quick and slightly panicked. My surroundings hidden from me by the very limits of the human eye. Only the large corners of it accessible, and the small table within it's very center point. After all this was the drop off point for all the dust that was supposed to be given to the Witch.
But that didn't matter because not only did I just witness, what could only be described, as an absolute slaughter. But, I came out empty handed, with barely enough dust to make a quick penny or more! Alongside only seven of the twenty guards given to me by the Top Dog.
But, I now have a killer kid is now on the loose out for blood, my blood, with a knight who could throw lamp posts as if they were small spears!
Positive Roman, positive. Maybe the little assassin died from the fall from the Bullhead. Maybe he was crippled beyond belief, to the point where he can't even remember his name.
No… know my luck today he was probably still kicking. One Eye seems the type to keep fighting despite the odds against him.
I hated people like that, they always came out as Wild Cards in the end. Always destroying plans, cause they kept something from everyone.
Not to mention his skill.
His skill was uncanny. He knew what he was doing, where to aim, how to interrogate me and knew when I was lying. That last one being a very notable achievement, as I was a very good one.
It kept me alive after all.
But, the most important thing that unnerved me, was the look in his eye. The look that glared down at me, with absolute disdain yet held back with sheer force of will. But I saw that moment, that moment he started to pull that trigger.
The sheer nothingness in it. As if he didn't feel joy, pity, anger or anything as he started to do it. He just did it cause he could.
That was scarier than any cop or huntsman in this city. At the very least they would let you live and breathe.
But what was I gonna tel-
"How very disappointing, Roman." A voice responded behind me, smooth like butter almost making me want to relax against my better judgement. The voice that terrified me, as no one else had been able to do that before. The Witch, her high heels clicking against the stone ground.
Keep calm, keep your usual composure. Make them think that you don't care. "Woah, wasn't expecting to see you guys so soon." I spoke turning around, my usual confident grin on my face.
There, within the shadows of the warehouse, stood three people. The lead one acting as a light source for the whole warehouse, as pieces of her Crimson dress was a lit like a fire. Dancing across both of her arms and upper chest. Her right eye looked as if it was engulfed in flames as she stared at me, a small frown on her face. Her long charcoal hair, only enhance the girls look with her fair skin tone.
To say she was gorgeous was an understatement. If I was an average man, I'd probably be wrapped around her little finger by a small little smile alone. Sadly for her, I wasn't average man. I was a thief, who was used to keeping such things under control.
The other female, this one with emerald hair cut short except for the two pieces of it going down her back. Her brown skin apparent against her mostly white outfit. A white choker, more pronounce with it's black outline, formed an 'x' close to her neck. With only a green strap keeping her chest from view. Brown suspenders were attached to her white pants and belt, with her weapons obscured behind her.
Her red eye's, like her boss were glaring right into my soul.
The other one, however, was a male with hair like mercury. His whole posture making him come off as almost cocky, with gray eyes that appeared to look down on people. His arms covered with a thick gray leather, protecting his arms in combat, which moved right into his jacket. Oddly enough, the only thing that wasn't armored were his legs.
Gray, Green and Witch. AKA, my employers. A cocky bunch that, before I even knew, came up to me and told me to work for them. Oh and by told, I meant forced under boot and knife.
"I wasn't either." The Gray haired kid spoke up, moving closer to me. As if he didn't notice his two companions staring at me with true anger. "Half expected for you to leave town by now, what with your… efforts at the dock."
Oh, I was planning. "Right, it's my fault the animals couldn't handle eighteen year olds. I told you we shouldn't h-"
"We need them." The witch spoke, causing my own mouth to go dry. Most of it was out of fear, as the woman continued to stare at me. "They have the manpower to complete our goals, so it would do best to keep them in our good graces. Not rotting on the ground as corpses."
Strange… she doesn't seem as mad as I thought she would. In fact she seemed almost… intrigued at something.
"Right," I spoke up, giving a small role of my eyes. "My apologies, next time I go to the Mountain I'll make sure they are real careful." The sarcasm they had known me for still present.
"Shut up, Roman." Greenie spoke, her red eyes just as angry as I thought they'd be. Though it was expected, after I failed her little 'mistress'.
Honestly she was my least favorite. At least the other two seemed to act like people instead of a dog waiting for orders.
"Alright, alright quiet down greenie." I said in calmly, my hand out in a way that told her I didn't really care. "Didn't mean to insult your patron goddess." I spoke, gesturing to the said 'goddess'.
That, however, appeared to be a mistake. What with the Witch now being even more on fire than she was previously. Especially in her hand, as she appeared to almost be ready to lob one of her, for lack of a better term, fireballs at me.
Needless to say, I shut my mouth.
"That's enough." The Witch spoke up, the fire fading to a mere torch light. Her eyes looking at me with a similar intensity to the fire in her hands. "Now tell us about what happened at the dock."
The other two looked right at me, Greenie reaching for the weapon behind her back while Gray was almost disinterested. So I decided to get right to the point of the matter.
"The usual," I spoke up, my usual sarcasm played down, hopefully so I didn't get burned to death. "went down to the ground to make sure the animals didn't mess up. Was taken from behind by an old White Fang member who didn't understand our business venture… and then he showed up." A shiver unconsciously going up my spine at the memory of One Eye's… well eye.
"He?" Cinder spoke up, her eyebrow raised at my behavior. Even the other two looked at me weirdly, Gray looking at me up and down, similar to the manner One Eye did, except with more of a… soul for lack of a better term.
"One of the cats friends, a kid in a long cloak, a hat and red scarf that hid most of his face. Metal armor on his arms and legs, real fancy stuff, with a busted up curved sword. Around seventeen, eighteen." I continued, my eyes looking at the baren corner of the warehouse.
"I take it he and his cat friend ended up killing all of the White Fang Members?" Gray spoke up, his face unusually calm for his aloof personality. His eyes distracted, as if he was trying to remember something.
"No," I spoke up, causing the Boot wearing man to look at me in small confusion. "Just him."
That gained their attention. Each of their expressions getting a little more curious, and, in the case of the Witch, growing more calculated. As if she was wondering the pro's and con's of this unknown person.
"Just him?" Greenie spoke up, looking as if she didn't really believe me. Not that I expected any less. She seems like the 'doubt everyone, but my higher up' type of person.
"Did I stutter?" I asked, turning my head to look at the girl with a serious expression. "Three of them taken out in less than a second, and the rest killed within, at least, thirty seconds. They might have just been foot soldiers, but the aftermath was… chilling nonetheless."
The Witch nodded, as she continued to look at me as if she wasn't even bothered by the body count. Only on the current conversation at hand. "Did you happen to get a name?"
I thought for second, trying to see if I could remember anything like that. Sadly, either I didn't hear it or it was never said. "No, but I can recognize him if I saw him."
"Good," Cinder spoke, giving a quick glance to Greenie, who had already taken out a scroll and putting something in it. "Than we can have you identify him. Anything else of note, preferably what took out most of our Bullheads."
All right, this is starting to get strange. Usually the Witch is on the up and up about everything, even knowing about Neo when we first met. Which, considering her track record of killing people, means that they had to do really dig for some info.
They were keeping something from me. Sadly for them, a gambler is far more of an observant person then most.
"Why are you asking me?" I spoke up spinning my cane a little, before placing it right in front of me. "Couldn't you just check the surveillance systems to see what happened."
"I gladly would, if the all of the footage wasn't already taken by someone." The witch spoke up, not even twitching at my observation. Enough to shock me from what ever confidence I had.
Strange… She is never usually this forthcoming with information. Hell, she's not forthcoming at all.
"Probably someone from the council." Gray spoke up, continuing to look around the warehouse, possibly to ensure safety, though it only made me feel far more nervous. "took it to review for themselves, who knows for what reason."
That made some sense. The Council's always been weird about killers, no matter what their affiliation.
"The Bullheads were destroyed by some knight." I spoke up, also remembering the strange person as well. Especially his manner of talking, like he was an actual knight from long ago.
"A knight?" Greenie spoke up, looking up from her scroll. Her red eyes looking at me as if I had delved into a fantasy world. "Really?"
"You think I'd be telling you if I didn't see it." I spoke up looking her straight in the eye. My patience wearing thin, despite the possible painful death standing five feet to my right. "It was a knight, his face covered by some helm. And even if he didn't have his head covered, I wouldn't have noticed cause I was to distracted by him throwing lamp post size spears at me! Anything else?" I spoke up, taking out a cigar. Lighting it, while taking in the familiar taste of smoke.
"Jeez, temper much." Gray spoke up, a small smirk appearing on his face as he moved once again. Though there was a sense of caution about him, as he looked at me.
"Three more things." The Witch spoke up once again, her voice compelling me to listen to her. "The man, the one who killed everyone on the docks... What type of man do you think he is?"
That question alone gave me pause, as I looked at the girl straight in her eyes. A familiar gleam in them, the same type that I have every time I see a gem.
Intrigue.
It appeared that she wouldn't be taking no for an answer. So I had to give her the best I could.
"He is unlike any killer I have ever met."
The witch, and by extension her lackeys, looked at me a small sense of shock in all of their faces. "That's quite the compliment, coming from you of all people."
"Well, in my business you get to meet a lot of them," I spoke up, quickly taking in another puff of smoke. " and every good killer I have met was either insane or just a man making do. Yet, from my limited experience with One Eye, he's just... doing it."
The Witch looked confused at that answer, while I took another drag of the Cigar. "Just doing it?"
"I don't know." Which was the truth… His eye was a blank void of nothing after all, even if he didn't have them blank, all the times I saw him were when he was trying to kill me. "I was more focused on the gun at my head than what type of person he was."
The Witch, while disappointed, seemed to understand the plight I used to be in. "How dangerous is this man?"
"I never got to see how he fought… but," A flash entered my mind, blood covering the majority of his cloak, making him almost pure red. Like a demon over a pile of corpses, the few people left alive, sniveling in fear as if they'd seen death itself. Yet still… he looked cut off from it all. His eye only focused on me. "I'd say he's on par with my little helper, maybe even better. "
Their were many reactions. The first coming from Greenie, who looked at me with wide eyes. Possibly because, from my limited knowledge, she believed that she was just as powerful as my little helper as well, what with their apparent similarities.
It didn't take much time to realize, especially after reviewing the camera video of these three breaking into my warehouse, that she had an Manipulation based Semblance. Just like little Neo has.
Gray almost looked excited. As if waiting to see how he'd break good ol One eye.
I hoped he succeeded. At least he'd get a possible predator out of this growing den of snakes.
The witch merely nodded again, a small smile at my description as if she already made up her mind. "Last thing. In two weeks time, there will be a White Fang initiation."
That caught my attention, almost making me drop my Cigar. Obviously there was a point to this, so I only asked the simplest of questions. "And?"
"You're going to go." The Witch spoke up, turning back to the end of the Warehouse, as if already expecting my answer. The flame in her hand still lit. "We need to send one of our own to keep the bond between us and the White Fang strong. The Lieutenant will be their as well, making sure everything goes accordingly."
Great, staying in an entire room of people that, not only hate humans, but alongside the lieutenant, who's men I got killed. Yeah, certainly a great place for me to be. Not only that, both the faunus girl and One Eye appeared to be going after White Fang members.
"Do I have a choice in the matter?" I spoke, hoping that I did, despite knowing that I absolutely did not.
The fire grew in intensity, confirming my suspicions.
Keep it together Roman, keep it together. Finish this job without a hitch, and they'll let their guard down enough for you to escape to Mistral.
"Fine," I spoke up making my way to the back of the Warehouse, completely away from the entrance. "but I'm bringing in my little helper. In case the kids show up again."
The Witch spoke up, gesturing to her two compatriots to follow her out. "Glad to see your taking this seriously."
"Whatever," I waved her off, continuing my walk to the Warehouse. "Now if you'll excuse me. I need to make a call." Pulling out my scroll to put a further emphasis on the call part, even giving it a small shake.
There was no response, only the fading sound of glass on stone.
Thankfully, I knew she wasn't currently busy with anything. As she was most likely cruising around town, looking at all the stores with an 'innocent' smile.
Then, fast as the number was finished, a face appeared on my scroll. One that would almost be mistaken for a little girl, if it weren't for my prior knowledge about her. Her hair was a strange combination of pink and brown, each one split exactly down the middle. The hair flowed down her back, the colors mixing together. She also had heterochromia, the one on the bright pink, while the other was a deep chocolate brown. It was no wonder she called herself Neapolitan.
A message appeared right on the very top of the screen, which I read with a simple eye roll.
'Miss me already?' She 'spoke', an small teasing smile on her face. Which was a given, considering how she like to fight people.
At the very least she was in a good mood. "Got a new job, apparently we'll be attending a White Fang initiation of sorts."
Neo's face then transformed into a pout, which I couldn't help but consider cute, despite it coming from a killer. 'That doesn't sound too interesting. Even then, why bring it up to me?'
"Well, apparently I have to do some talking with the initiates." I spoke up, once again rolling my eyes at her behavior, while taking another drag from my cigar.
She merely turned her face emotionless, before responding once again to what I was saying. Her eyes, strangely enough, switching colors before going right back. 'I'm not really the talking type.'
And now she's annoyed, great. "Didn't think you were," I spoke quickly, before she could type in another message. "which is why I need you to do something else."
Neo tilted her head to the side, her face scrunched up in a manner of confusion that, once again, could be seen as adorable. Sadly, I've seen her stab a man through his gut while smiling, so it really didn't affect me.
"I don't know if it will happen, but I think someone will invade the initiation." I spoke up, an instant smile perking up on her face. "He's very dangerous, reminded me a little too much of you."
Suddenly, her smile grew bigger. This on no longer cute, but neither murderous. It was the perfect mix of a smile that, I dare say, only Neo could have pulled off. 'Do tell.'
"No need after all, if he invades the party, well…" I gave my own coy little smile. "Lets just say you'll have something to entertain yourself."
'A new toy!?' Neo wrote out, the smile growing a bit wider at the admission. 'You shouldn't have.'
"Yes, yes a new toy." I spoke up, a chuckle escaping my mouth despite the murderous grin. Sadly for the both of us, it had to be business before pleasure. "But let me remind you that it's a very dangerous one. He's a killer."
'Have some faith in me, Roman? I'm not exactly a innocent child myself.' She spoke up, a small roll of the eye's very clearly placed.
"Just a warning for you." I spoke up, a small nod at her confidence. It was always refreshing to see it, almost like a second wind. I made the right call, making her my partner.
'Alright.' She wrote out, making a little waving gesture as she did. It was at that moment, the video ended, leaving me with a blank Scroll. Yet, my confidence only heightened at the girls previous record.
Neo hasn't lost a battle, in as long as I've known her. Every time I've needed her skills, she has come through. Be it infiltration, or just defending me in a worse case scenario.
There's no way she'd fail against One Eye. I dropped the cigar, crushing it under my boot.
That is a gamble, I'm willing to go All In for!
Ozpin
"You cannot be serious Ozpin!" A voice screamed out, while I merely took a sip of my coffee.
I was currently within my office, which was left rather barren for my own convenience. After all, the less you have to look after, the cleaner you can be in any situation. It certainly helped with organization and such other things.
All that rested in the circular room, was an elevator, my desk, and a couple of chairs for the young students who wish to talk to me.
And of course, the giant clock head, that served as the whole campuses clock. The ticking of each of the gears filling the room, with a constant beat.
Now only if it didn't have to be interrupted by the scream's of my colleagues.
"I fail to see anything that would allow me to brush this off as a joke, James." I spoke up, placing my coffee down. Looking at the screen right in front of me. Three of them holding within them three people, one of them blurred out. Possibly because she was in the middle of the field, looking for any possible Grimm to hunt.
James was in his usual attire within his office, a snow white military coat fitted with a crimson tie. Below the coat was a gray vest, keeping him looking proper, despite his combat experience, especially in the Military.
James himself, was what most would call handsome. A square jaw, unshaven, deep gray eyes that were piercing like a sword, alongside a mature look, the sides of his hair being a cool gray, while the top remaining a deep black.
The other person, Leonardo Lionheart, was a man with a greying hair and beard. His brown cloak for battle apparent in the picture, though his eyes were quickly moving back and forth. Possibly scared for how this argument will continue. A small sweat of nervousness was already forming on his forehead, his deep brown eyes were moving across the screen with nervousness.
Quite the lion hearted individual indeed, but nevertheless strong as one indeed.
"I thought we were on the same page," James spoke up again, speaking once more on my new student. "the boy is a meanece, not to mention far too suspicious to be within any city, let alone Beacon!"
"And I believe," I spoke up once more, staying calm throughout the conversation. It would do no good to have an emotional argument, especially with one as volatile as James. "we agreed that Venatores Luna's potential was far to high for his imprisonment."
"His potential doesn't matter!" James spoke up, quickly standing up from his desk. His eyes showing a large amount of disbelief. "What matters is that we have someone, who has zero record anywhere in the world! Family, acquaintances, schools, teachers, we don't have a date of birth for god's sake!"
"Which makes him an even better weapon against her." I spoke up, looking at him once more, my eyes only focused on James picture, as he to stared back. After all, with zero information on Venatores, there would be no way to sway him away from us.
As long as we kept him in close sight, that is.
"No, it's better chance of him being with her!" Ironwood spoke up his gloved hand, slammed down upon his desk. A dull ringing of metal on metal being heard around the his room.
For just a moment, the whole room was silent. A tense silence that was brought alongside the sound of the giant clock above me.
That was before the, rather quiet, shot of a sniper rifle was heard through the screen. This breaking up the tense silence and leaving merely three shocked gentlemen.
"Bullseye." A girls voice spoke up from the screen, the sound of a cocking gun and the single sound of an empty metal shell hitting the hard ground.
"Sogeki… are you really doing this now?" James spoke up, looking at the blurred screen. His displeasure already obvious at what she was doing.
"Hey," The girl spoke up, her voice now far closer to the scroll in her hands. "What did I tell you before, call me Ki."
Sogeki 'Ki' Hei, the Headmaster of Shade Academy, alongside the youngest charge ever admitted to be a Headmaster. She was a bright and cheery twenty year old woman, who was a professional sniper. Her hobbies were rather simple, shooting Grimm from the tallest tower in Vacuo. Honestly, she was quite a refreshing change.
"Ki… can you please take this seriously." Ironwood spoke once again, a small twitch in the eye at her. He was the only one who had a problem with the young 'child' joining the group of people against her.
"I am taking this seriously," Ki spoke up, another shot being heard from her end of the screen. "I'm waiting to hear both sides of the story. There has to be a reason Ozpin's keeping the kid."
"That is no reason to risk a spy into Beacon!" Leonardo spoke up finally, the fear and extreme caution apparent in his voice. "What if he's after the Maiden! What if he's already found her?!"
"I can assure you," I spoke up, looking at the three holographic images in front of me. "Venatores Luna and by extension Mors Ignis, have been under careful watch the moment they have entered my school. There's a reason they have a private room and arena, and were given their scrolls with the room."
Best to keep watch wherever they frequent after all, and to better understand them. After all they would be substantial to the efforts to stop Salem, alongside the newly formed teams RWBY and JNPR.
"Mors Ignis?" Ki asked, as I heard the soft but very distinct sound of a cocked rifle. "Who's that?"
"His current partner, with an equally obscure history." I told them all simply, as James took this… rather badly.
"So, not only did you allow two individuals with zero history recorded anywhere into your school, you made them partners!?" James shouted out, standing up from his table practically red in the face.
"I didn't allow them to be partners. It was pure ch-" I began to say, attempting to calm the Headmaster of Atlas Academy. This had the opposite effect, however, as James merely slammed his hand on his desk.
"We both know that's bullshit Ozpin!" James shouted, spit coming from his mouth at the volume of his voice. "With you, there is no such thing as pure chance! This is a huge security risk, and could destroy our carefully laid plans at the seams.
"As much as I hate to admit it…" Ki began, possibly still looking through her scope across the desert plains of Vacuo. "He's right. You can't just expect us to accept these guys from your word alone. Not only that, you gave them high positions and made them partners. That just makes it easier for them t-"
"To have their every move watched." I told them all simply, as the very air seemed to still at my admission. "Do not think I blindly trusted these two on a mere whim, Ki. I have made sure that their every movement is watched carefully, giving them privileges like their own training area so I can grasp their movements and skills. I kept them together in their own dorm so I wouldn't breach the privacy of other students to keep them under watch. I have also watched their interactions with other students, learned their personalities, studied their sleeping patterns. I know every nightmare Venatores has had since coming here, and I know the number of times Mors has swung his sword. Not to mention their bugged Scrolls, that allows me to see what, exactly, they are saying to anyone else."
"This has and will not change so long as they stay at Beacon. This I promise."
Silence followed my admission of how closely I've watched these two. James, who was once red in the face lay silent with a shocked look on his face. Leonardo was stunned as well, not even realizing that the tea he was pouring himself was overflowing. Ki was silent, as if trying to process everything I had just told her.
The only sound in my office were the gears turning above my head, calming me and my thoughts.
Until, of course, Ki shattered such silence.
"Welp," She began, another shot, followed by a nearly silent curse. "I'm convinced."
The other Headmasters nodded their heads slowly, having to agree with Ki's statements. Leonardo quickly putting his teacup to the side, possibly to hear more information about the two.
"... What have you found out." Ironwood spoke up, still looking at me as if I still had a second head.
I nodded, taking out the many notes I have on the partners. "Mors Ignis is a simple person. While he has shown little to the staff of Beacon, research wise at least, his strength more than makes up for it, and his skill as well. His character is also one to be admired, as he helps many of the students in ways that only he can. Like heroes of old, he cannot stand being unable to help people. As soon as he learns of the existence of Salem, I am certain that he would help us."
"Venatores himself is rather quiet, often times simply listening to conversations rather than contributing. But, his skills speak for themselves, as I have no doubt he has been trained extensively. He shows a rather prideful stance on being a Huntsmen, so much so that he has had an outburst with one of the students, involving her rather poor attempt at fighting a Boarbatusk. He has also shown a rather unnatural and brutal style while fighting against the Grimm and other Huntsmen. The most interesting thing, however, is both his dreams as well as his sleep patterns. Each time he sleeps, he utters words of past experiences. Most of these ending in him waking up, lifting his pistol in an act of self defense."
"PTSD?" Lionheart spoke up, his usual fear ridden face replaced by a strong look of interest and questioning.
"Most likely." I spoke up, looking at all of their expressions. Each one growing more amazed, Ki giving a whistle of approval
Huntsman with PTSD, as an average, were more likely to die than any other person. Especially when they were out in the field with less protection. Because of their constant fluxes of memories, they feel great amounts of panic and fear in a moments notice, causing them to become walking Grimm magnets.
The fact that an eighteen year old, not only having PTSD, but surviving with it was a rather big surprise and miracle.
I continued, my thoughts tracing back to the conversation at hand. "But, judging from his obvious violence during these situations, it implies that he has lived somewhere with little to no other protection. Which, in the case of his nightmare's, or rather memories, left him fully prone to the Grimm."
"So that means he's probably had close encounters with multiple types of Grimm, possibly with almost little to no sleep for long periods of time." Lionheart deduced, bringing a hand to his chin as he thought about what young Venatores had to go through.
"Correct. Out of every person, of his age and maybe even beyond, he probably has the most experience fighting Grimm. More than that though, he seems to have had a teacher with a fairly peculiar title."
"A title?" James spoke up, opening up a seperate computer, possibly to try and find the specific person the title belonged to.
Huntsmen and Huntresses with titles were often times rare, as most never reached the type of fame and skill to earn their spot in the name of heroes. The only well known title for a Huntsman was the Grim Reaper. Even then, she had disappeared a long time ago.
Not that the title would help with them accepting Venatores.
"'The Hunter of Hunters'."
Ki fired off another shot, which was not followed by either the cocking of the gun or the silent curse of her missing. Just tense silence, which was shared between the other headmasters. Though I merely kept going onward.
"By the title alone, it's highly likely that his teacher had quite the… experience, when it came to defeating other Huntsmen. Though I have yet to find any solid references to the teacher, if they are half as talented as young Venatores is, than we have a powerful, potential ally on our side."
"He is essential, as both someone who can fight off the Grimm, and even her followers."
"Ozpin," James said, his face slightly paler than it usually was. Possibly at the title of Venatores' teacher being quite unsettling. "Usually I agree with you on these things, but this… He's a threat. You can sugar coat this all you want, but if what we're assuming is true, than his moral compass is askew. Not to mention his teacher's… title."
I nodded slightly, understanding where he was coming from. Even so… His apparent experience with both the human body and Grimm were too important to just pass up. "We will deal with his… problems as time goes on, James."
"You don't get it!" James spoke up, once more his hand already hitting his desk. The smallest of dents being put into the wood. "As far as we are concerned with, he has no morality! You saw what happened at the docks! You can't seriously believe that this one boy is worth angering the Council!?"
"I have already done what I wished to happen." I spoke up, ignoring James' face, filled with contempt and hate towards the young huntsmen he hasn't even met yet. ."As far as the council is concerned, Venatores doesn't exist, except as a student of Beacon."
Everything that I needed done was done, and the council none the wiser of it.
Once more silence reigned throughout the room, no noise or movement coming from any screen. Each one quiet as the very night outside.
Finally I spoke up, my hand hovering over the scroll placed right in front of me. "I believe we are done for the day."
"You can't ju-" James tried to speak up, but was quickly cut off by the turning off of my own scroll. Leaving the room dark and light once more, a perfect place to leave myself to my own thoughts and remember all the things I have only conjecture.
And the impossibility my two students held.
The possibility of magic, within my very own school. Once more, correlating with the two people that I have been spying on for a long period of time.
By all means it should be impossible, yet I have seen to many things that could only correspond with them having a magical affinity.
On the day of the Initiation, Mors Ignis had used a means of lighting the Wendigo on fire, and even when fighting Ms. Xiao Long he had used the same element to strengthen him. Yet, despite all that, he has far more strength than even the above average students. Allowing him to pick up a solid five-hundred pounds with a single hand.
Not to mention he lasted nearly a whole month with only a single night of sleep , without any negative effects.
So, it's most likely that the fire is magic, while everything thing else was a part of his Semblance. There have been tales of people with semblances that causes a severe increase in strength and endurance, some to the point of absurdity. The Flame of Patch, which had been taken just a day before I had arrived to find the two, seemed to have been taken by him. That was the only explanation for the magic he had, as well as the sudden disappearance of the Ancient Grimm in it's hold. If Mors' strength could compare to that of an Ancient Grimm, than he would be a fantastic asset to the cause.
Yet, even then it doesn't explain Venatores…
Despite the evidence of his blade extending, quite a distance, there is still an explanation other than magic. Even then, that's no way to explain how he saw through the one way mirror.
Then there's that interesting tidbit I found within the video, the one directly after Venatores landed upon the ground, his legs undoubtedly shattered into a million pieces. Yet despite that, he got up almost seconds later, limping yet still walking. Then, after doing so, quickly putting something to back into his coat.
Strangely enough, the only thing found one his person, that could be injected into him, was the vials of blood. Even stranger was one of the vials was, indeed, empty.
Yet, which was the Semblance and which was the Magic? If the Healing was his magic, why did he inject himself with blood? What if the blood was the Semblance and the sight and blade was his magic?
There were to many questions, with little to no evidence to the awnser.
Before I could continue piecing together the puzzle pieces, a single ring from my Scroll was all I needed to stop. I pressed the button and a camera feed appeared right at the bottom of the elevator.
One that brought to me a small satisfaction.
"Right on time." With the click of an button, the doors at the bottom of the elevator opened up, letting in the 'unexpected guest' into my office. Then after only a few seconds, the elevator ringed letting in the young lady, which I greeted in a teaching manner.
"You're up awfully late, Ms. Belladonna."
Blake stood in the middle of my office, an eerie glare in the dim light as her yellow eyes almost appeared as if they were glowing. She was wearing a piece of nightwear, a black and gray yukata, complete with a pair of sandals. Despite them being sandals, not a sound was made within my office, though she would be hard pressed to sneak up on me.
"Why did you bring him back." Blake asked, ignoring my greeting and getting straight to the point I knew she wanted to discuss. Which, once again, revolved around the mysterious Venatores Luna.
"It's my job to help my students," I told her, taking another sip of my coffee. "especially when they are about to be sent to prison." She didn't take that very well however, her glare growing almost primal.
"So it's your job to save criminals?" She asked arms crossed in the middle of my tower, her tone of voice accusing.
"There is no evidence to report such a thing, sadly." I spoke up, causing the girl to look back at me, this time in shock. "All the evidence of what happened at the docks has been erased, at least the video."
"Wha-?! That's…" The hidden cat faunus tried to say, her expression confused, as if trying to figure out who did it.
"Though I attempted to track who has done this, my only guess would be the Fang itself." I spoke up, looking at the girl straight in the eyes. "Perhaps in an attempt to bar their followers of knowledge from such a powerful enemy."
The young girl backed away at that, looking down at the ground in, what appeared to be guilty admittance. That didn't stop her rampant questions, or rather statements.
"H-he had blood on him!" She spoke up, once more getting closer to my desk, as if that would help prove her statement.
"Most of it was acknowledged as his own," Specifically remembering the blood vials in his pocket, so I wouldn't look as if I was lying, "while his blade was left clean of any. Even then, he has testified someone else showe-."
"Stop lying!" Blake screamed out, her fist hitting my desk. Shaking the contents of my coffee cup to the point it nearly spilled out. "I don't want to feel better, I want the truth! He wouldn't simply play this off and place blame on someone else!"
I stayed silent at that, looking right at her with near bland eyes. Ones that caused her to back up, but not out of concern for what she did. Instead, she backed up as if she was afraid.
Possibly because, even to myself, my eyes looked like Young Venatores' very own eyes. Bland and without emotion, if only for a second. It would seem he has had a more powerful effect on her than I had thought, perhaps reminding her of something from her past?
"No matter what either of us do, he will not be sent to jail for what only a single person claims to have seen." I spoke up, taking yet another sip of my coffee and draining it to the last drop, just in case Ms. Belladonna put her fist to my desk once more.
"Then you'll testify to. I had another friend at those docks, he can help as well." Blake spoke, her attitude more like her own once again.
"I wasn't there."
"You can say you saw it from me recording it." She spoke up, though that was obviously a lie. "You're powerful enough to get anything you want, there's no reason you couldn't just kick him out!"
"Miss Belladonna… I understand." I spoke up, standing up from my own chair, beginning to make my way around my desk. "Truly, I do. He has killed people that were once brothers and sisters in arms. Even if, to the rest of the world, they seem like criminals, you understand why they are doing this in some way."
I stood right in front of her, as she looked up at me, her eyes filled with confusion. "But doing something that would risk me my position, while there is a known terrorist group in the city…?"
The room remained silent as she processed that point.
"As you said before, I am powerful. I am smart enough to protect Vale, while also capable of defeating most, if not all of it's threats. If I were to be fired, it could have drastic consequences. I am not exaggerating when I say it could wipe Vale off of the face of Remnant. This, I cannot risk."
"On the topic of Mr. Luna, I'm afraid I cannot just expel him." Though the Council may say otherwise, Remnant is in desperate need of any talented Huntsmen and Huntresses that can be placed on the field, and this need gives the students quite a bit of leeway. It's why, despite going far beyond what the term of bullying describes, Mr. Winchester still attends this academy. If I were to have my way, I would certainly take quality over quantity, but that is merely a dream in these times."
It was true, in a way. Salem was on the rise, her force growing by the day, enough where James had to come up with a seperate way from Huntsmen to prepare. We need fighters, people who are willing to defend the world from Salem's growing army. And that meant allowing the worst team up with the best of the best.
"The fact is, he has shown himself to be a powerful Huntsman, whose skill can be used to defend Vale from thousands of Grimm. And, even if I could just expel Mr. Luna, what do you think he would do? Do you think he would learn his lesson, and stop his crusade for 'Beasts'? No. He would just be harder to track and stop should he decide to start. But, in Beacon, he is surrounded by one of the highest concentrations of Huntresses and Huntsmen on the planet. Here, he can be stopped if something goes wrong, and with people who can actually fight back."
"My hands are tied, Ms. Belladonna. There is nothing I can do that hasn't already been done." I finished, adjusting my glasses, as I turned to my desk chair once again. The ticking of the clock tower filling the room again.
But amongst that, Blake's voice rang out like a bell. Just as the question I wanted, was asked by Ms. Belladonna
"Is there anything that I can do…. to make sure he gets into prison. To make sure he pays for his crimes…."
I intentionally waited, as if giving it a small thought. "There is one way…"
"W-what do I do?!" She asked, her desperation for an answer so very clear. Almost as if she would accept any answer I gave her. So I gave her one, the answer that she so desired.
"Give me a reason." Turning around to look at her right in the face.
Her expression was one set in determination, albeit with a bit of confusion. One that I have seen time and time again. Amongst many of the people I give a mission to.
"Give me a reason to expel him. Something that cannot be denied, no matter what the Council may feel. Something that makes them afraid of him, and unwilling to put up with the problems he may cause. It cannot be something small, such as filing a complaint. It must be big, something that has undeniable evidence, and cannot be simply overturned." I spoke making my way to the elevator on the far side of my office, pressing the button for it to open.
"How am I supposed to do that?" She asked, quietly moving into the elevator her eyes still looking at me as she moved.
"Oh don't worry, you'll know." I spoke up, pressing the down button on the elevator for her. The door closing, with her confused expression still present on her face.
Just as the door closed a ring echoed throughout the room once more. This one however, right in my own pocket. One that was by a very influential source that I couldn't ignore.
'The Queen has pawns.'
I felt a smirk reach my features, as I closed the message and leaned back in my chair. Don't worry Qrow...for we now have our very own. For chess is such a wonderful game…
For even a pawn could become a Queen killer, if you play it smart enough.
Yet, it's no good to know nothing about my pawns. That would be a foolish move indeed.
This is the only way… the only way seal her for good. To finally defeat her, to end the suffering on Remnant.
My eternal suffering
So… you, the Darkness filled pawn, shall fight against my Knights. I have given you the chance to do so, so prove yourself to them, and show what lies beyond the stone facade.
As for the Knightly pawn….
A single ding rang out through the empty room. An explosion in a sea of quiet, as I read the message thread from my scroll.
Anonymous ~ 'If you wish for your secret to stay away from Ozpin, you will follow my every command."
Jaune Arc ~ 'What do you want?'
My Rooks shall challenge your blade.