"And that's about it." Jade finished her report on the events from the other day to Professor Ozpin in his iconic clockwork office. She was standing tall and stiffly alongside the rest of her team
After surviving the night, everyone was evacuated back to the campus the following morning where they spent the day in the auditorium rehabilitating. However, just as Team JAYD was settling down after their harrowing battle, they were called to the headmaster's office. At first, Jade thought they were going to be reprimanded for going off on their own - they were already chewed out once when they returned with the missing team - but it turned out Ozpin wanted to hear what they encountered that night. Each member gave their own perspective - obviously Yu's was the sparsest - and Jade was the one to conclude the report.
Once Ozpin heard all their testimonies, he leaned back in his chair, deep in thought with a concerned expression.
"Umm, is that all you wanted from us?" Jade asked nervously.
However, Ozpin didn't respond. He just sat there, peering deeply into his clockwork desk. Unsure whether they were dismissed or not, or if they were going to be questioned more, Jade could only stand there and wait. The silence was stifling. The turning of clockworks within the roof and floor was all the more poignant as they stood at attention.
Then, finally, after what seemed like minutes of deliberation, Ozpin finally raised his head to address Jade.
"Thank you for this information. It will be invaluable in our investigation."
"Yeah, um, no problem…" Jade stuttered. She still had some questions, but given the atmosphere, it was hard to bring it up.
Sensing her turmoil, Ozpin let out a smile. "I suppose you wanted some answers yourself?"
Jade's face lit up. "Yes. Please. Whatever that was last night, it was deliberate and planned. I just want to know why it happened and what happened to my brother."
Yu shifted uncomfortably beside her at the mention of his name.
Ozpin sighed.
"I do suppose an explanation is owed to you and your team after what you've been through. However, I must be clear about one thing. What happened last night is part of something bigger than you can possibly imagine, involving closely guarded secrets that few are aware of. There is no coming back once you come to understand the truth. Your perspective on things will change and your current way of life will most certainly be uprooted. I'm saying all this to give you a choice. It's not too late for you to walk away from this. You can leave right now and continue your life without bearing any more burdens. Or, if you really want to know the truth and are prepared for the consequences, you stay and I will reveal everything."
Jade gulped audibly. This was not what she was expecting. This seemed much bigger in scope than what she thought it was. However, with everything that happened since she arrived, the drama and mysteries, she felt she needed the answers. And if that meant tossing away her old life and entering a new world, so be it. It is much preferable to continue knowing the truth than living normally with the cloud of anxiety of the unknown looming over her.
She resolved herself, and, from a glance at her teammates, they shared the same opinion.
Ozpin gazed at each member of her team to confirm their resolve. Once he was sure everyone was ready, he stood up from his chair.
"Looks like you have all made your choices. Very well, I am a man of my word. However, do remember these are secrets kept from the public for their protection so I trust you will not speak of this to anyone other than the people involved. Understand?"
The way he said it made Jade a bit wary of what this secret might be, but the need to make sense of everything that happened outweighed that, so she nodded. Having confirmed their vow of secrecy, he reached down into his desk and withdrew something from one of the drawers. Jade couldn't see what it was, but it was something small that was completely hidden in his clutched palms. Then, he came around his desk and leaned against his heavy oak desk.
"Now, all stories have beginnings, but the beginning of this story does not belong to me."
He reached over and hit a buzzer on his desk. There was a quiet shuffle from beyond the large door to this room and it opened not long after, letting in a team of familiar faces.
"Jaq!?"
Jade turned around with wide eyes. However, they weren't the only ones surprised by this turn of events as Jaq was also surprised to see them there. And of course, the one person who seemed to have expected this was none other than Ace, who boldly stepped forward.
"Did you find it?" He asked, seemingly ignoring the situation at present.
Ozpin tossed the mysterious item in his hand to him, which turned out to be a small vial containing some kind of liquid. Ace caught it and inspected the contents. After a moment, he seemed satisfied and turned to Jade and her team.
"Well, I suppose if you are here, then you are looking for answers?"
"Yes, what's going on? What is that thing?"
Ace looked at the vial in his hand then looked to Ozpin, who nodded as if giving some sort of approval.
"Well, if we're going to start somewhere, I guess we can start with this."
He reached into his pocket and withdrew some sort of identification card with a badge on it.
"What is that? Are you a cop?" Amy asked incredulously.
Ace scoffed. "Please, do I look like I'm old enough to be a police officer? Actually, don't answer that. No, this isn't a police badge, it's to indicate I'm a licensed private investigator. My father owns a firm and I've been working with him for almost two years."
"So, then, what were you investigating?"
In response, Ace held up the vial of black liquid in his hand. "Do you know what this is?"
"No," Jade shook her head. Her teammates also shook their heads.
"I would be surprised if you did know. This is a dangerous drug called Grimm Drops. We have no idea where it originated from, but a little over a year ago, it started becoming prolific within the underground networks. The drug is created from distilled Grimm essences, which, when injected, gives the user increased strength, enhanced sense, and pain numbing attributes. However, it comes with some nasty side effects. They may suffer from increased aggression or depression, wild mood swings, intermittent headaches or black outs, and in some cases, mild schizophrenia. Sound familiar?"
Jade took a step back. Those symptoms do sound familiar. He looked at his brother, but he seemed startled by this revelation, too.
"Wait, are you accusing me of taking this drug? T-that's impossible. I've never seen or heard of this drug before. And even if I did, I would rather be caught dead than take something like that!"
"I'm not accusing you of anything. Let me finish," Ace said with a shake of his head. "I've been tracking this drug for over a year now and a few months ago, I had a lead on a person who may have been producing the drug that pointed to Beacon Academy. I brought this up with Ozpin and he agreed to let me investigate the school on the condition that I must disguise myself as a student and not alarm anyone of my purpose here."
Ace chuckled as he reminisced on those times, but he continued on.
"To be honest, initially, I found the condition a bit restrictive since being a student meant I had to dance around at the very least three idiots, but then I realized 'Hey, I just happen to know three people who were more than willing to give me a hand.'"
Queen audibly huffed in the back. "Yes, 'more than willing' indeed."
"Wait, are you saying you guys aren't part of this...thing," Diamon looked confusedly between Ace and the rest of his team.
"No." It was Jaq that responded. "Only Ace and Kingsley dealt with all that. I'm here because I owe him a favor and Queenie reluctantly agreed for my sake. But, even if I didn't, I would've come regardless because I have my own reasons to be here."
As she said that, she gave Jade a meaningful glance. From it, Jade realized that purpose was the thing she told her about yesterday.
"Yes, yes, and that's a story for another time," Ace quickly reclaimed everyone's attention. "Anyways, back to what I was saying. The suspect I'm pursuing had a particular modus operandi. He doesn't sell the drug. Instead, he offers it to people with deep trauma or are in unfortunate circumstances, then monitors their behavior without the victim's awareness as if they're lab rats. So, naturally, the first thing when I got here was to find potential targets and…"
"...and that's why you were so interested in me, right?" Ace finished his sentence.
Ace chuckled. "Well, there were several potential targets, but yes, you were the most likely one."
"But that still doesn't make sense! No one approached me with anything like that and I never took anything suspicious, so why did I show symptoms?"
"I was confused as well. You were clearly showing signs of Grimm Drop poisoning, but from all our interactions, you never displayed any unnatural abilities. So, I needed to find out why."
Ace then produced another vial from his pocket, this one long and slender, containing a crimson red liquid.
"Is that blood? My blood?!"
Ace nodded.
"How did you get my…" Yu suddenly froze as the answer came to him. He rubbed his arm reflexively, recalling that particular memory.
Ace didn't provide any acknowledgement to confirm Yu's statement, but he did continue talking as if it was a given.
"The tournament served two purposes. One: to confirm whether you displayed the effects of Grimm Drop either consciously or not. And two: to collect a blood sample."
Ace looked at the vial of his own blood in disgust. "There could've been a better way to go about that."
"Ah, yes. I could've totally just walked up to you and asked for a bit of your blood and you would just comply, no question asked. No, this was the only way."
His tone was full of sarcasm and his expression, mocking. However, he seemed a bit regretful that his tone came out a bit harsh and sighed apologetically.
"That being said, it did turn out to be a lot more difficult than I anticipated and there were some... unforeseen consequences. So, I guess I...apologize for that."
Ace looked almost pained to have to apologize, but the fact that he did speaks volume. Yu remained cautious, probing to see if his apology was legitimate, but once he confirmed that he was being genuine, he let out a huff and turned his head away.
"The past is in the past. Anyways, what did you learn?"
Ace smiled, glad to have his apology accepted, but it immediately darkened as he turned his glance to the vial.
"There definitely was Grimm Drop in your blood, but only a trace amount. Not enough to reap the benefits, but, if it persists in the blood long enough, all of the downside. Thing is, it doesn't persist in the blood for long. Amounts like this get flushed from your system within a day or two. The only way to maintain such an amount without the person realizing he's basically poisoned is by diluting it into food or water and then ingesting it at set intervals."
He then turned a stern gaze to Yu.
"Do you recall any moment where you were offered food or drinks from Xeno?"
Yu shook his head, trying to remember the details the best he could.
"I-the only time I ever interacted with him was at the training grounds. But I do remember him getting me drinks after we sparred, or while I was sparring with Yin. Now that I think about it, some of my worst headaches happened after some of those sessions."
Ace crossed his arms.
"Well, I think that's all the evidence I needed. All the witness testimonies pointed to him. The vial Ozpin gave me was discovered in Team ONYX's dorm and you confirmed my suspicions."
"Wait," Jade chimed in. "If Xeno was just a drug peddler, then what was he trying to accomplish at the camp? Why did he poison my brother? And was that creepy Grimm that consumed him part of it?"
There was a brief silence following Jade's question where Ace just stared at her without giving an answer. Then, he slowly turned to Ozpin.
"I would like to know as well, Ozpin. You were more than enthusiastic about letting me investigate with very little convincing. With everything that happened, I get the feeling the whole drug thing is just a piece to a bigger picture. One that you are probably aware of."
Ozpin was silently observing their conversation this whole time while leaning on his desk, but when Ace addressed him, a smile lit his lips. He stood upright and strode between the two teams, much like a professor taking the stage to command the attention of the students.
"You are correct to assume that I have the answers to those questions. Thank you, Ace, for explaining your side of the story. I suppose it's time to share my side of it."
His expression turned stern and he gripped his cane tightly as he scanned each of the students, starting from Jade's side and stopping when he reached Ace.
"You are right to assume I know something. You see, there is a darkness in this world. One that curses the world with a hatred as hot as fire and contempt as cold as ice. It creeps, ever so slowly, in the shadow of light, unbeknownst to much of the world, but the seed of chaos sown in its path can be felt. And that darkness has a name: Salem."
There was a long dramatic pause as everyone present looked at each other to see if anyone recognized the name. However, only one was brave enough, or more precisely, cared little about the atmosphere enough to voice it out.
"Uhh, who's that?"
Of course, that was Amy.
Ozpin cleared his throat. "To put it simply, Salem is a powerful being, one who has no love for this world and wishes to destroy everything and everyone in it. But she doesn't do so through displays of power. No, she prefers to poison the light, bleeding it dry as slowly as painfully as possible. Sudden unexplained disasters, civil unrest...Grimm attack, they are all ploys to divide and conquer. And everyone present here has encountered it in some form."
At first, Jade didn't understand what he meant. Was he referring to the encounter the other day? However, the way he said it felt like it was referring to something long before. It nagged at her, but she wasn't able to voice it. Instead, it was Yu who spoke up.
"Our home. The Grimm attack."
Ozpin nodded solemnly. He strode back toward his desk and looked out the clocktower window at the falling sun, leaving his reflection to address them.
"Perhaps it was mere coincidence, or perhaps the guidance of fate, but my original intent for meeting you back then was to gain insight on the attack. But through conversing with both of you, I felt compelled to invite you to my school. For one, a chance to temper boiling emotion into something productive, and for the other, a chance to find purpose out of doubt. Little did I know how much of a role the both of you will play in all this."
"So, you're saying it was Salem that destroyed our home?" Yu muttered through gritted teeth and tightened fist. A burning rage boiled within him, but unlike in the past, there is no ominous shadow clouding it. Instead, it burned brightly with righteous fury.
However, Ozpin shook his head.
"Yes and no. The thing is, many years ago, the previous Headmaster of Beacon, along with some powerful allies, managed to exhaust much of her strength before imprisoning her in a realm of her own creation. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best they could do. It is only inevitable that over time, her powers will recover and the seal on her prison will weaken. Although her cage still stands, her dark influence has been seeping out, corrupting individuals who sympathize with her cause to enact her will. The Evergreen twin's home, the drug ring the Flushes took down, they were both connected to her."
"And you suspect one of those agents may be in your school? Is that why you were so quick to accept my proposal?" Ace chimed in, having grasped the situation without batting an eye.
"Correct," Ozpin nodded.
"For what purpose? Revenge?" Jaq piped in.
"No." He turned away from the window and faced the two teams again with a much more serious expression. "Since Salem's imprisonment, this school has been guarding the key, or more precisely keys, to her figurative jail, each one capable of freeing her in a different way. I don't know which one her agent is seeking and I intended to let Ace do his investigation in the hope of garnering some information on it."
"And? What did you learn?" Ace pressed him, a look of disgust plastered on his face. The idea he was being used for a purpose beyond his awareness was appalling to him.
"Based on his action last night, I now know his objective."
"And what is that?"
"Not what, who."
Visible confusion reflected upon everyone's eyes, but Ozpin quickly elaborated.
"There is an individual in this school that carries a...unique power capable of undoing the bindings to Salem's prison."
"Surely, you don't mean…" Jade gasped, having realized who it might be.
"Yes, it is someone you are all familiar with: your homeroom teacher, Professor Aki."
Ozpin gave them a moment to let that sink in. However, it appeared wholly unnecessary as the members present either pieced it together or were good at hiding their expression with the exception of Amy who, when noticing no one had any reaction, gave out a loud dramatic gasp just for the sake of it. That, of course, got her a scowl from Diamon.
"What is this power that Xeno seeks?" Diamon spoke up after lightly chopping Amy on the head.
"That…" Ozpin trailed off while making a troubled face. "...is something I think you should hear directly from her when she is better, but what I can say is that due to the nature of this power, there was a possibility that killing her would serve the same purpose."
"So you're saying she could've died last night!?" Jade cried, shocked. "Then why did you put her in such a vulnerable position?"
"Calm down, Miss Evergreen," Ozpin raised a hand placatingly. "I understand your worries, but you must understand, we had no idea which grade the spy was a part of at the time. The likelihood he was part of the freshmen were high, thus making the winter camp an ideal place to strike, but Aki volunteered to serve as bait. I was also worried about the whole situation, but thanks to your actions, not only were you able to reveal the enemy's plot, but also saved her."
"So, then, what now?"
"That is the question, isn't it? Last night was just the beginning. Whatever the enemy has planned you can be well assured that they will strike again and I need your help to stop it. There is a lot to do and very little time to do it."
His expression tightened into a scowl.
"If this is all too much, then you can still step out now, I will not force you to fight a battle you do not want. But, I ask you, will you be able to sit idly by when the people around you may be affected by something they have no awareness of?"
A wave of different emotions swept through the room. Some burned with resolve, while others carried nervous trepidation. There were even signs of indifference and at least one who seemed humored by it all. But whatever the case, none made any signs of leaving the room. They all were prepared for what was to come.
A smile danced across Ozpin's lips.
"Good. Let's get started."
The sun set, almost unnoticed behind the distant mountain, it's radiant light obscured by thick clouds leaving the sky in a dull gray-blue haze as day transitioned to dusk. With it came a heavy fog that set over Beacon like a blanket, making it impossible to see more than 5 meters. Thankfully, the campus was quiet and devoid of life as everyone was still recuperating from last night's events. However, that quickly changed as eight shadows emerged from the clocktower and stepped into the darkness that was only dimly lit by lamplights. They stood by the entrance, listlessly staring at their frosty breaths, as they processed everything that happened in the last hour.
"So, I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other next semester." Jaq was the first to speak up.
"Or not at all, if we get sent on different missions." Jade countered.
"True…" Jaq exhaled, her breath making a long stream in the fog.
"Hey, either way, I think this is a great opportunity for our two teams to become better friends, don't you think?" Ace chimed in, directing his comment to Jaq with just a hint of sarcasm. Of everyone present, he was the only one that seemed amused by the situation they were in.
However, it was Yu who responded back to him.
"Who wants to be better friends with you?"
"Heh, see that? We're getting closer already. You should try it too." Ace said to Queen as he rested his arm over-familiarly over her shoulder, which she immediately shrugged off in disgust.
"Most of our team are hardly 'friends' to begin with," she scoffed, rubbing her shoulders as if it was dirtied. "Besides, I agree with him, who wants to be friends with you?"
"Ouch." Ace feign pain.
Despite the hostile nature of the conversation, the fact they were speaking did help break the ice that formed since they were told the truth by Ozpin. They were still a bit tense about what the future may hold, but for now, the banter they are having now is helping them cope.
"Hey, I have an idea!" Amy suddenly joined in while jumping up and down, her twintails seemingly flapping like an excited puppy.
"Since we are working together and all, we should have a team name for the eight of us!"
Jade and Jaq looked at each other. It was definitely superfluous to have another team name, but at the same time, there was no reason not to. It could even be argued that having a team name was a sign of unity between those within.
"What do you have in mind?" Jade asked.
"Oh, I don't know. Something catchy and makes people think of us when they hear it."
There was a moment of thinking.
Suddenly, Jaq's eyes lit up.
"I think I have something."
"Ooh, what is it?" Amy bounced excitedly.
"Jade, remember I told you that the Royal Flush name is dead and we don't want to associate ourselves with it?"
Jade nodded.
"Well, now that we are basically trying to save the world, I'm thinking of bringing the name back. Not as it is, but slightly different to incorporate the four of you. The Royal Flush of old and the shining gems of Beacon. Together we'll be..."
Jade liked what she was hearing. She practically leaned forward in anticipation. And even though not everyone was invested in the topic, they all eagerly wanted to know.
Jaq paused for a moment as if trying repeating the name in her mind to see if it works. Then, with a smile she boldly said it.
"The Royal Gems."
A/N: Wooh, finally done with the second arc. Despite the short chapter it took a lot of effort to get the motivation to finish it. That being said, now that volume 2 is done I'll be taking an extended break to focus on other things. However, I will still be back from time to time to edit some of the chapters as well as planning the outline for the next volume. Just don't expect anything new until 2022. Maybe a bit earlier.
Anyways, thanks again for reading. Let me know what you think. Any comment or criticism is greatly appreciated.
