Chapter 23
What's in a Name?
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Flashback
"Scroll Communications / Tv"
Location / Date / Time Change
Emeral and Mercury watched in shock and curiosity as puddles of black sludge birthed Beowolves. Cinder snapped her fingers and the two walked away from the window before standing beside her. On one side of the table was Watts, a newly revived Roman, and Neo, and across from them were Cinder, Hazel and Tyrian.
"Yes, yes, please keep your... rabble in check." Watts said as he put his Scroll away. Mercury growled and was about to attack him when Emerald stopped him.
"Sorry, kiddies. No room at the grown up table." Roman mocked.
"You're in no position to scold them." Watts said to the human Grimm. "In case you've forgotten, you died."
"You call it death, I call it one hell of an upgrade." Roman said back, making Neo stick her tongue out.
Watts sighed and shook his head in disgust. "I'm almost sorry that the little girl didn't finish you both off."
"If you think she's so easy to beat, why don't you fight her?" Roman asked, making Watts silent. "That's what I thought." He turned to Cinder and stared at her. "Still, didn't think Red could do that to someone."
Tyrian looked past Hazel towards Cinder. "If it were up to me, I'd find her, hunt her down, and... well, she stole YOUR voice, didn't she?"
"Too soon, psycho." Roman mumbled the last part.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll leave enough of her for you." Tyrian joked. "She'll probably spend her rage on the blonde." A short fit of psychotic laughter later, Cinder opened her mouth but only short gasps of pain could escape.
She turned to Emerald, who leaned to hear her leaders whispers. "Absolutely pathetic." Watts observed. "How did even you manage to-" The door to the room unlocked before it was pushed opem. All but Cinder stood up and Roman took off his hat.
Salem entered the room in almost a gliding fashion and passed them all before stopping at the alter at the back of the room. "Watt... do you find such petty joy in teasing our allies?" She asked as she turned around before motioning them all to sit down and walk in over to the table.
"Forgive me, ma'am." Watts was the last one to sit down before Salem. "I'm not exactly welcoming to failures."
"So then why do you continue to mock Cinder and Roman?" The white haired woman asked before turning to the girl. "She has become our Fall Maiden, destroyed Beacon Academy, gained a powerful ally for us, and most importantly... helped to kill dear Ozpin." She turned and looked at Roman. "And as for Roman, thanks to him, Atlas' reputation is destroyed, the people of remnant are in a panic, and our army now has a proper general. So do tell me, what failures are you referring to?"
"Well, the girl with the silver eyes..." Watts stated.
"Yes..." Hazel finally spoke up and looked at the girl. "We've killed those like her before. How did a novice manage to beat her?"
"Speaking from personal experience, Red is one tough cookie." Roman spoke up.
"That was when you were human." Watts interjected. "With Cinder's new powers, it should have been easy. Effortless, even."
"It is BECAUSE of the Maidens power." Salem said, silencing the two before looking at Cinder. "Do not make any mistakes, Cinder. You hold the key to our victory. But your new powers also bring a crippling weakness with them. And that, is why you will remain at my side until your treatment is finished."
Her orders frustrated Cinder. "Doctor Watts... you will take her place and meet with our informant in Mistral." Watts nodded inagreement and she turned to Tyrian. "Tyrian, I want you and Neo to continue your hunt for the Spring Maiden."
Like a sociopath, Tyrian rubbed his hands together. "Gladly..." Neo nodded in obedience.
"Roman... I want you to return to Beacon and keep looking for the relic." The human Grimm tipped his hat at the leader. "Tell the Seers if you have any more ideas. Your new Grimm have already proven very useful."
"The Geist certainly has." Roman bragged.
"And Hazel, I'm sending you to meet with the White Fangs leader." The leader told the bearded man. "Adam Taurus has arranged the meeting. He continues to prove his loyalty. Make sure that Sienna Khan feels the same way."
"As you wish." Hazel nodded.
Cinder raised her hand and Emerald leaned in to hear the whispers before standing up straight. "Speak, child."
"She wants to know... what about the girl?" Emerald asked for Cinder.
Watts scoffed at the question. "What about her? Seems like this is Cinder's problem, not ours." Cinder slammed her fist on the table and glared at him.
"Speaking from personal experience, Red always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time." Roman spoke up, glaring at Watts. "So if we don't deal with her now, she'll screw up our plans later."
"Agreed." Salem nodded before turning to Tyrian. "Tyrian, the Maiden can wait. You and Neo will find the girl that did this to Cinder." Tyrian clapped his hands in psychotic joy. "...And bring her to me, alive." He dropped his head in disappointment. "Now, if there are no other complaints."
Watts slowly raised his hand. "What about that... thing?" He pointed towards the door, making all eyes turn to Natsu, standing against the wall like a statue.
Gone was his happy-go-lucky outfit. Now he wore a closed black gold trimmed vest with three collars, on at his neck, a flat one at his shoulders and one in the middle. Salem's cape emblem was painted on the front and his back had holes for his wings. A white belt wrapped around his waist and held up his gray pants with his emblem on the side in blood red. Bloodied bandages wrapped his hands and his black boots had holes for his claws.
"He will go looking for the Spring Maiden." Salem answered commandingly. "Hina Thaw will lose her powers next. Tyrain, I want you to give all you have on her to young Natsu." Tyrian pouted, but ultimately nodded. "Because of your efforts, Beacon has fallen. And Haven will be next."
All stood up as Cinder pulled out her Scroll and typed something in. Hitting send, Natsu walked forward and lifted her out of the chair, showing the massive scars on them. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in with a smile as he carried her out of the room. Neo glared at the sight until Tyrian tapped her shoulder. "Let's go break a leg... or two." He laughed like a mad man at his own joke, making Neo roll her eyes. A small smile crossed her face, as revenge on Ruby entered her mind.
Random Farm
A young boy, black in hair and orange in eyes, shot out of his bed in a gasp. Glancing out the window, he notice that dawn was approaching. Stepping down the ladder, her opened the barn door before shielding his eyes from the sun. A smile on his face, he set about his morning chores. But as he tilled the soil, he couldn't help but want more in his life.
Greenwood Forest
"I'm just saying, if we're going to work together, we need a team name!" Nora said as she walked beside Ren. "And since there are more members of JNPR then RWBY or NVAR, it makes sense that one of us should be the leader."
"Nora, for the last time, there are no seven person teams." Ren sighed as he repeated himself for the hundredth time.
"That's because there's never been one so awesome!" Nora shouted.
"But there's no color that can be named from this group, so why do we need a name?" Ren asked back.
Nora groaned as she stopped walking. "Do I have to spell it out for you?" He held out her hand and the word RYVANJR popped up. "One." She motioned to the first R. "Two." To the N. "There." To the J. "That is more than two."
"But by that logic, there are more nonmembers of JNPR." Ren held his hand out and the word AVYNJRR appeared. "So wouldn't that make Aerith the leader of this group?"
"As flattered as I am, can you two please keep quite?" Aerith asked as she and Jaune crouched behind a log. The words vanished in a pop, leaving the two alone.
"Still, RYVANJR just sounds cooler." Jaune mumbled.
"That's my point!" Nora shouted.
"Oh, don't you start too!" Aerith said to Jaune as the ground shook. "It's here..."
Ruby burst out of the canopy and fired from her scythe as the Preta Gigas swatted the trees away, uncaring that it just ran off a cliff. "Bad! Landing! Strategy!" Ruby shouted with each groan until she landed on a branch. She jumped out of the way as the golem swung again.
"Let's get that thing!" Jaune shouted as he ran to the side. Ren jumped into the forest roof as Nora used her grenade launcher to match his height and Aerith polevaulted up.
"We need to get that things attention." Aerith said as Ruby soared past her. She fired at the beast and was blasted back as Ren jumped up. Aerith jumped on to its back and swatted at the stones over its arms before rolling off as the stones floated back up to the beast.
Nora cocked her launcher and fired at its back as Ren jumped off branches as it swatted at him before jumping onto the stone. Running up the arm, he jumped into the air and spun as the beast protected its mask, making Stormflower bounce of the stone.
"We need to get closer!" Jaune shouted as Ren slid next to him.
"My blades can't penetrate him." The ninja said as the beast turned around.
Aerith launched forward ad split her staff into its kali stick mode and unleashed a fury of strikes on the legs and cracking some of the stone before getting kicked away.
"Crap! That didn't work!" Nora said.
"How about this!?" Ruby pulled out a clip of electric Dust, loaded it into Crescent Rose, launched forward and fired it at the arm. The shot did nothing and it dug the stone into the ground, sending them all flying backwards. All stopped by their own means, except for Jaune who bounced off the ground until he crashed into a rock."
"You'll be fine without a weapon... you're the strategist..." Jaune sarcastically repeated Vergil.
The golem dug its arm out as the other turned from Jaune. "I've had it!" Nora shouted as she ran forward and flipped her gun into its war hammer mode. She jumped into the air as it swung its arm and the two collided. Nora's superior strength destroyed the arm, making the beast spin in place and send a chunk of stone flying at Nora, but Ruby sliced it in half.
The creature slammed its other arm down as the two jumped out of the way. Jaune finally stood up, only to end up dodging all the chucks of stone flying at him, except the last one that sent him flying into a trunk. The Gigas swatted and stomped at the other four until it stood over Jaune.
A red, three eye symbol appeared on its side before a clawed arm shot out of it. "That's... creepy." Aerith said as the arm shoved itself down the dead tree next to Jaune, possessing it.
The Gigas swung its new arm to test it as Jaune ran, screaming. "His arm is a tree, his arm is a tree!"
"Big mistake!" Ruby spun her scythe and pulled out a clip of fire Dust.
Aerith looked over as Ruby loaded it and cocked the gun. "Ruby, don't-" Aerith started before wincing as Ruby fired her rifle. "Shoot it." The bullet hit the tree and Jaune looked up as the dried wood caught fire.
"Bigger mistake!" He turned and ran away again as the golem swung at him.
Aerith ran over to help as Ruby pulled out her Scroll and dialed for her sister. "Yang! We need help here!"
"Kinda busy here!" Yang said over the Scroll. "There's like a million of these Monosaurs here! Ahh! Son of a-" The connection turned into pure static.
"Yang? Yang!" Ruby shouted at the device, missing the fact that Ren flung one of his weapons at the monsters face, scratching it. An explosion rocked the landscape in the distance as the screen returned to normal, only it showed Vergil's face.
"Hang on, Ruby. We're all coming." He said before shutting off his Scroll.
"All?" Ruby repeated as the ground started shaking again, confusing even the Petra Gigas. A large, whining noise drew everyone to the east before a superherd of Monosaurs burst out of the woods.
Their dark black manes and tails bounced off their black bodies as their white hooves carried them over the ground. White spikes shot out the front knee of the front leg and the back of the rear leg. Their mask covered the top of their faces, with one horn shooting out between their exposed ears and a smaller one on the snout.
"Are you kidding me!?" Jaune shouted as the two hundred horses ran closer to them. "Stampede!" Everyone jumped on a tree as Ruby noticed something in the back.
"Yee-Haa!" Yang shouted as she held on to the beasts neck with Vergil holding on to her. The horde of Grimm were to much for even the giant as his feet were made unsteady and he fell onto the swarm, barely making a dent in their numbers.
"This was not my idea!" Vergil shouted before he was thrown off the horse. Yang stood up and jumped from horse to horse before reaching one of the horses in the middle, her synthetic arm on its main horn.
"I'll take this!" Yang ripped her arm off the horn before jumping off. Putting it back in place, she fired a test shot at the horse that stole it and nothing happened, so she fired from her normal hand and killed it before landing by her sister. "Missed me, sis?"
"You two truly are sisters." Jaune complained as he slid down a tree, before Nora slammed down on him as she slid down.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" She shouted as Ren jumped down.
"Not sure that's the word I would use." Aerith said as she reached them
"Guy's..." Vergil ran over and dusted himself off. "We still have a problem..." Vergil motioned as the Preta Gigas slowly stood up. "Any ideas?"
"Isn't this suppose to be your expertise?" Yang asked. "Living off the land, fighting any Grimm that cross you?"
"Yeah, but I never fought anything like this." Vergil said as the Petra Gigas tried to stand.
"Calm down, let's think this through." Jaune said. "What do we know about this thing?"
"It's body is solid stone and we can't break through it." Ren said.
"None of us ever expected to cut through anything tougher than Grimm plating." Vergil replied.
"But it doesn't care about its body." Jaune retorted.
"Plus it can keep adding new limbs." Nora added.
"Why are you looking at me when you say that?" Yang asked.
"But its protecting its face..." Jaune mumbled.
"We can't breat through!" Ruby shouted.
"If we knocked out all the limbs and went for the..." Idea hit Jaune and he turned around as the golem stood up. "I got it! We hit it, harder!"
"Seriously?" Ren asked.
"Thats NOT a plan!" Vergil added.
"Well I like it." Yang spoke up.
"Look, it doesn't care about its limbs." Jaune explained. "It's trying to protect its face. If we take out all the at once, well have a shot to end this thing for good."
"I'm think this arm has enough juice for one last punch." Yang motioned to her arm. "So unless anyone has any better ideas, we're going with Jaune's plan."
"Alright team, let's do this." Ruby said, swaying the naysayers.
"Yang." Jaune turned ott he blonde woman. "You, Vergil, and Aerith take the rear." The three nodded and ran alone side the tree line around the beast. "Ren, the left." The ninja jumped into a tree. "Ruby, right." The hood girl jumped to the other side. "Nora, what do you say we field test that upgrade?"
She nodded and ran in the direction of Ruby, leaving Jaune alone. "Okay, so that leaves me as-" The golem slammed its foot down, forcing him to run in a panic. "The bait!" Ruby shot out of the woods and swung her scythe and the Petra Gigas swatted at her as Ren blasted it from the side as Vergil and Aerith peppered its legs.
Nora stood ready as her hammer started channeling her electricity. Jaune ran forward and shouted at it, catching its attention. Jaune jumped as it slammed the tree down on Jaune as Vergil jumped on to its stone arm and fired at its face.
Jumping off and summoning Gilgamesh, he looked up as Ruby charged the stone arm and swung Crescent Rose before dodging the burning arm and shooting at it. The golem swung its stone arm and she dodged again before firing, increasing her speed as she fell and swung her scythe again.
Fully charged, Nora shouted at Ruby who blocked a swing and landed next to Jaune. "Use everything you've got!" The redhead launched forward and picked up Nora as Vergil and Yang jumped into the air. The gauntlet users and Nora slammed their weapons on the stone at the same time, obliterating the golem into tiny pieces.
The force from the impact caused Yang's hand to explode as the three landed and the face piece landed. The Geist left the stone and floated away, making Ruby and Vergil nod before he pulled out his guns. "Jackpot." He fired both pistols at the same time and the shots merged into one as the Geist turned around, finally killing it.
Jaune panted as he stood in front of the group. "Another victory for Team RYVANJR."
"We are NOT calling ourselves that." Yang said as sparks shot off the nub.
"Is that what you guys were talking about while me and Yang got ambushed?" Vergil asked annoyed. "Team names?!"
Greenwood Village
"Thank you for your assistance." Ruby and the village elder shook hands as the rest of the group stood in a line behind her.
"Just our job, sir." Ruby said with a salute.
"That Geist had been plaguing our village for weeks." The elder said. "And I don't even want to imagine what that herd of Monosaurs would have done to us if you hadn't sent them away. I was starting to worry we would have to relocate."
"Well, we are on our way to Mistral." Ruby said. "If you want, you could come with us."
The elder chuckled at the idea. "I'm guessing your not from around here. Anima is a very large continent, and most of our people wouldn't survive the long journey to Mistral. Safety may be more prevalent in the kingdom's, but we prefer our way of life. I just wish we could pay you more."
"I think we're all fine with what we agreed on." Vergil spoke up before the line bowed at the elder. The six turned and left before walking into the blacksmith shop.
"Ah, you're back." The horned blacksmith turned from the forge as he looked at Ruby. "Your sister is seeing my wife about her arm. But as for you..." He pulled out a gold trimmed version of Jaune's armor and placed it on the counter. "Here it is. It'll be heavier then you expect, but the next time it blocks a set of claws, you'll thank me."
Jaune stared at the chest piece amazed. "I... don't know what to say."
"Don't say anything. Just put it on!" The smith said. "I'll get the rest." He turned and went back into the deeper workshop, leaving the teens alone.
"So... Are you gonna put it on?" Nora asked.
"Oh... right..." Jaune walked over and took off his version, placing it on the table. "Guess I had to grow out of it sometime..."
"A sign of progress." Ren said back.
"Right, progress..." Jaune turned around and Ruby and Aerith gasped before covering their mouths, trying to hide their laughter. "What's wrong?"
"What is that!?" Ruby pointed to the bunny on his hoodie.
"My hoodie?" Jaune asked back. "I've always had this!"
Ruby snickered until she couldn't hold it anymore. "IT'S GOT A CUTE LITTLE BUNNY ON IT!" She hugged her stomach and laughed as Aerith snapped a picture.
"Yang is gonna love this!" She tried to send the picture, but was laughing so hard she couldn't hit send.
"You went to a hunters school, one of the most prestigious academies in the whole world, wearing that?" Vergil asked shaking his head.
"Its Pumpkin Pete!" Jaune tried to defend himself. "You know, from the cereal!?"
His words only made the girls laugh harder. "What did you do?" Ruby asked. "Send in a box top for a prize?"
"Yeah, about fifty!" Jaune shouted back, turning around. Both girls laughed even harder as both fell over, Ruby on her back and Aerith on her front.
"Well... I suppose we don't have to grow out of everything..." Ren spoke up, making the two girls snicker again.
The door opened and the blacksmith walked back out. "Took some doing, but I got it done!" He stabbed the table with Jaune's shield as Ruby and Aerith stood up. "Made all the mods you asked for." The shield open up from the center instead of the side. "Most of the shards were to small, but the bigger ones did the job. Good quality scrap you brought me. Accents the white nicely. Where'd you get it?"
Jaune somber looked at the gold trim on his shield and his swords hilt as the others walked forward. "From a friend..."
The door burst open and Yang stood there before bursting into laughter. "I can't believe it's true!"
"Dear, please sit back down." An older woman with white skin, black hair and green eyes, in a lab coat said from behind her. "I can't make a replacement of your hand if you don't stay still."
The blonde closed the door as the other teens left Jaune alone to dress himself. A few minutes later, Jaune walked out in his new armor, drew his sword and spun his shield onto his another arm. "Done idolizing yourself, bunny boy?" Yang asked as she walked over to the group, her hand fully repaired and replaced.
"Still, he cleans up nice, doesn't he?" The blacksmith asked as he stood behind Jaune, next his wife.
Jaune walked over to the group. "He certainly does..." Ren nodded.
"I still think you should have gone with a grenade launcher..." Nora said.
"That's your solution for every weapon idea." Aerith said back.
"Nothing's gonna stop us now!" Ruby cheered. "Go Team... wait, what's our name again?"
"RYVANJR!" Nora shouted.
"Nora, what did I say about that name?" Yang asked.
"So AVYNJRR it is?" Aerith asked aloud.
"Those still aren't colors." Ren stated.
"Our name doesn't matter." Jaune sheathed his sword and put the shield on his hip. "As long as we're together."
"Are you kids sure you don't want to stay here?" The wife asked. "You've done a lot of good things for this town."
"Unfortunately, we have more pressing matters to attend to." Vergil explained.
"Make it to Haven Academy, no matter what!" Nora cheered.
"Is it true that the next village has a working air ship?" Ren asked.
"Hard to say..." The blacksmith stroked his beard in thought. "Signals on the Scrolls were bad enough WHEN we had Beacon tower. We haven't heard from Shion village in a long time."
"Well, there's only one way to find out." The group turned and left as Ruby waved goodbye to the couple.
"Do you think they'll be okay?" The wife asked.
"They're tougher than they look." The smith told his wife. "If anyone can do it, they can."
The group walked out of the village as Vergil counted the Lien from the job. "Food!" Jaune shouted.
"Check!" Nora responded.
"Water?" He asked.
"Check." Nora repeated.
"Got the ammo?" He asked.
"We are locked and loaded." She said back. "Thank you, Schnee Dust Company."
The mention of the heiress' company gave Ruby a miserable look. Yang noticed this and pulled Ruby in. "I'm sure she misses us too."
"What about the map?" Aerith asked Nora.
"Uh... Vergil's got it, right?" Nora asked.
"No, I'm the one in charge of managing our budget." The swordsman put the money away. "You're the one in charge of the map, Nora."
"Wait, what?" She asked back.
"Please tell me your joking." Jaune said, making Nora nervously chuckle. "Guys, guys, guys?"
Schnee Mansion
Weiss stared out the window as airships flew by. A knock on her door did nothing to draw her attention away. "Yes."
The door opened and her butler, Klein Sieben, walked in. "Pardon the interruption, miss Schnee, but you have a guest."
Weiss sighed. 'Another one of fathers business dealings.' "Very well, send them in."
Klein nodded and opened the door again, letting the guest walk in. Once inside, Klein left the room, leaving the two alone. "Hey, Weiss..."
Weiss went wide eyed at the familiar voice. She turned around and looked at a familiar two toned hair girl. "Ryuko..."
And this story is back! A few things to clarify. The name, Monosaur, is perversion of the constellation name, Monoceros. It, as well as all the new Grimm in this story, were created by Roman Torchwick himself, the newly christened Grimm general.
The scars on Cinders legs appeared due to a delayed reaction from the maidens power. Since Natsu tackled her just as the lightshow went off, she still has both her eyes. Speaking of Natsu, if you want to find his outfit, look up 'END Fairy Tail'. It's the one with the Tartaros symbol on his shoulder. If you don't know what Salem's came emblem is, stop the episode at 2:34.
Everyone has their own theory on the farmboy, but I have my own. I think he's Amber son. There's clearly a resemblance. Ozpin is dead in this story. The crystal he's trapped in is like a trophy case for Salem. Hina means 'little' and thaw means to melt. Perfect for the spring maiden, since that's the time when white snow melts into blue water and reveal green grass.
One last thing before I go, can we just agree that my arm for Yang is better than the canon version? Mine has personality and style, it looks it belongs to a badass. The canon version looks like the most basic version there could be.
Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.