The Good Hunter panted as her enemy began to fade away. She had returned to the forest south of Vale and began to summon more and more cooperators. Some of the Hunters, like the last one, were Executioners who attacked her on sight. Others were Vilebloods, whose perverted loyalty to Queen Annalise caused them to leave when they found out there were no Blood Dregs in this world. The Good Hunter found this tiring, but once again beckoned for assistance.
As she did, she slayed a few more Grimm that wandered too close, now bored of these new enemies. It was only when she encountered a Beowolf whose stature dwarfed the ones she had fought before that her interest was piqued, but it fell too easily for her liking. She looked at her current weapon, the Reiterpallasch, and saw the silver lining of these beasts not having blood. She didn't have to clean any vicersa from the mechanisms that often caused the rapier's gun component to jam. It was a small victory in her mind, but one worth noting.
The Good Hunter looked up as a figure began to manifest before her. She prepared to greet the new arrival, weapon in hand just in case. The Hunter before her was a young man wearing the noble's dress and the knight's wig atop his bald head. He held in his hand Ludwig's Holy Blade in its transformed state and stroked his thick beard as he looked around his surroundings through his dark circular glasses. When his eyes met the Good Hunter, he immediately greeted her with a bow.
"Hello, fellow Hunter," he greeted, his voice deep. He looked around confused at his surroundings. "I must confess, I have not the faintest idea where we are. Perhaps you may enlighten me?"
"Greeting, Fair Hunter," the Good Hunter said, bowing back. "Unfortunately there is much about this world I am still in the midst of unravelling, but I am willing to share what I know if you agree to help me with this… unorthodox plan of mine."
The Fair Hunter looked up with a gleam in his eye. "You must be a fellow Powder Keg!" he exclaimed heartedly. He let out a laugh and dismissed the Holy Blade. "But of course, you beckoned for assistance and I answered your call! What do you need of me, comrade?"
The Good Hunter breathed a sigh of relief as she sensed no madness from the man before her. "Follow me," she said, leading him to the fisherman's shack. The two sat on a log in front of the shack. The man looked around the bright forest intrigued.
"This does not appear to be the Forbidden Woods," he commented. "What sort of scourge awaits us in there?"
"Nothing worth hunting," she answered. "Most of the creatures residing there fall to a strike or two. Tell me, what weapons are you capable of wielding?"
The Fair Hunter's expression brightened a bit and he leaned forward. "I specialize in strength weapons, but I am well rounded enough to use most weapons… Although, I will be the first to admit that I have not put much effort into raising my arcane abilities. I've never found much appeal in Hunter Tools or the Kos Parasite."
The Good Hunter nodded in acknowledgement. She manifested her Threaded Cane, and began to draw in the dirt in front of them. "I will admit that I was inspired by the Powder Kegs in drafting this plan; you may be the perfect man for this part of the plan."
"Oh, quit being such a tease and tell me already!" he said, grinning widely.
"You look as if you haven't slept in days, Professor," Glynda sighed, shaking her head slightly at the Headmaster."
"That bell is ringing again," he said quietly, rubbing his temples. "I don't know what she's planning, but she's ringing that damn bell again."
Glynda walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Considering how much this ringing is plaguing you, I'm assuming you can't figure out where it's coming from?"
"Not for long," he admits. "At times, I can begin to deduce a general location, but just as I'm about to narrow it down, the origin of the ringing suddenly shifts. When it finally settles, the ringing appears to be chiming from another direction entirely. It's driving me mad."
The Vice-Headmistress scowled at his choice of words. He had been acting a bit strangely since his last encounter with the woman and her strange weapon three days prior. The woman was an enigma who appeared from nowhere and seemingly disappeared. What's worse, she found nothing in her investigation of the alley the woman appears in. It was as if they were chasing a phantom. "What do you suggest we do next?" she asked, almost hesitantly.
Ozpin looked up with tired eyes, his hair even messier than usual. "We need to be ready to fight her at a moment's notice, but we cannot let the students know that there is an enemy hiding in the city. It will only sow seeds of paranoia."
"With all due respect, Ozpin, I believe that having the students be aware that their target isn't just another Grimm will allow them to better prepare themselves for the inevitable showdown with that woman."
Ozpin looked to Glynda silently. He seemed to be weighing the options before he caught his reflection in the window behind her. It became clear to the Headmaster that he allowed that woman's trick to unnerve him. To say he was unkempt would be a gross understatement. "Perhaps you're right Glynda…" he admitted. "Send out a bulletin to all students still in Vale."
"Right away," she said. She took out her scroll and began to type away.
Ozpin leaned back into his chair and sighed. The faint ringing irritated him, but he had no idea how to muffle it. "I will attempt to rest in my quarters," he told Professor Goodwitch. His body was stiff and his back ached from being arched over his desk for so long. He reached for his mug, but it suddenly was whisked away out of his reach.
"No sugar for you until after you've rested," Glynda said firmly. Ozpin gave her a dry look but said nothing. She walked around his desk and took a seat at the chair. "I will cover your duties in the meantime. You could use a night's sleep."
"Thank you, Glynda," he said sincerely. He turned towards the elevator and pressed the button to call it up. He looked at the number steadily increasing, a pensive look on his face. "Glynda…"
"Yes, Professor Ozpin?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the screens in front of her.
"I'm glad to know that Beacon will be safe in your hands should anything happen to me," he said suddenly. The doors opened as the elevator arrived. Glynda looked up, concern on her face.
"Don't say such things," she said, not wanting to entertain the idea.
"I do not say them lightly," he replied. "It is reassuring to know the protector's of Remnant will have you to guide them."
Glynda was too concerned with Ozpin's health to accept the compliment, and stood up to demand an explanation, but the elevator doors shut just as she did. She sat back down, dwelling on his words a bit, but scowled at the thought. Ozpin had never expressed such a fatalistic perspective.
Pyrrha's eyes grew wide as she looked at her scroll. She had to double then triple check that what she read was correct. She began to have doubts when Ren and Nora didn't seem to get the notification, but when Jaune came bursting out of the bathroom, she realized that it was not a mistake.
"Did you see this yet?" he asked, pointing to his own scroll. His eyes darted to Pyrrha's hand holding her own scroll before leaning back into the door behind him. "Who would have thought she was a murderer?!"
"Wait, what are you talking about?" asked Nora, uncharacteristically serious. Ren took his own scroll out as he just got the message. The two then began to look over the bulletin together.
Pyrrha remembered her gut feeling back when she and her team were first discussing the woman's strange memory loss. Looking back, she was way too calm and collected about being skewered by a Nevermore feather and being surrounded by Grimm. Granted, Jaune admitted his mistake in judgement in the forest that led to Ren's injury, but the number of Beowolves would give most Huntsmen in training a bit of trouble. Now, she felt awful for ignoring that feeling. "I can't believe it…"
"This doesn't seem right," Jaune said, shaking his head. "I mean, why would she save Ren and I in the forest if she was a killer?"
"It says that she's a Human supremacist," Ren pointed out, as he continued to peruse through the message. "She might have saved us due to some sort of code?"
"You think she didn't off you or Jaune because you're not Faunus?" Nora asked in a mixture of disgust and shock. "But she… I mean, how could somebody…"
Jaune shook his head. He may not have had much of a conversation with the woman, but he refused to believe she was a ruthless killer. Maybe it was the way she had tried to ease his own nerves at seeing her on death's door that made him want to believe that she wasn't evil, or perhaps he felt indebted to her for saving his and Ren's lives when their backs were to the wall. "I… I just can't believe this," he said finally.
"Me neither," Pyrrha echoed, although for nearly opposite reasons. Pyrrha felt that if she had not allowed the woman to sidestep so many questions with the excuse of memory loss, she could have found out her intentions. The woman was suspicious from the moment she laid eyes on her. Hell, in their first conversation the woman already seemed to know that she was looking for her team. Then the strange questions about her Semblance, that woman couldn't have known about it. Had she been watching her team? A shiver went down her spine, the threat of the woman becoming more and more apparent.
"What are we going to do?" asked Nora, "I mean, the bulletin says to keep an eye out for her, but not to engage. How dangerous is she?"
Ren gently pulled the scroll closer to him so he could read further. "We ran into her after our dinner with team RWBY… maybe she doesn't know she's wanted yet?"
"Why do you think it took so long for Professor Ozpin to send this message out?" asked Nora. "I mean, if she ran off, she has at least a two day head start."
Jaune ran his hand through his hair, before coming up with a thought. "Maybe they didn't have solid proof that she's really the killer," he said hopefully.
"Wait, are you defending her?" Pyrrha asked. "Jaune, she killed somebody! Just because they didn't figure it out in a day, it doesn't mean that she didn't do it!"
"I know," he said, "but I just can't wrap my head around this… I mean how could anybody do such a thing?" The room became silent as the question lingered unanswered. Jaune then looked over to his partner. "Do you think she did it?" he asked.
Pyrrha was about to answer, but the look in Jaune's eyes gave her pause. "I… I don't know," she relented. "I just have a hard time believing that Beacon would put out a bulletin without having concrete evidence."
"That's a fair assessment," Ren agreed. "Grimm aren't the only evil we are training to fight; there's always assassins, mercenaries and bandits, to name a few."
"Don't be so pessimistic," Nora chided, but it was clear that she was rather down too. There was another long silence that filled the room. This time, Jaune decided to do something about it.
"Well, there's no use sitting here doing nothing," he said determinedly. "Our next mission isn't for another couple of days. Let's go to Vale and patrol around to find her."
His teammates looked at each other for a moment, then back to Jaune. "Are you sure you want to do that?" asked Nora. "I mean, what if she-"
"It doesn't matter," he interrupted, standing up straight. "Even if our chances of running into her are low, we might be the difference between another victim and a life saved. Come on, get dressed, we can sleep in tomorrow."
Pyrrha smiled at his declaration, a bit impressed at how steady his voice was. If there was one thing she wished she could mimic, it was how Jaune always listened to his heart.
The Good Hunter finally drew a large X over the scribbles in the dirt. "Any questions?"
The Fair Hunter stroked his beard once more as he thought about the rather straightforward plan. "A few," he admitted. "Firstly, who is this 'Professor Ozpin?' How big of a threat does he pose?"
"He is susceptible to frenzy," she replied. "If you have any means of invoking that status upon him, it will minimize his combat effectiveness. That being said, he is rather quick, and without a Hunter's Bone assisting your own speed, it may prove difficult to land a strike on him."
"Ha! I have my own methods of getting around opponents that outspeed me!" he said with a hearty chuckle. "It will be but an inconvenience."
The Good Hunter grinned at the man's confidence. "Any other questions?"
"Ah, yes! You spoke of this strange concept of 'Aura', and how it affects one's ability to rally. What more can you tell me about this?"
"Not much, I am afraid. It would appear that the amount of Aura any one person has is completely dependent on that individual's training. Although one thing I can offer from experience, is to make sure your opponent is down. From my understanding, Aura prevents you from harming them directly, but as soon as one 'breaks' it, your opponent will bleed as easily as you or I."
The Fair Hunter nodded, his intrigue once again growing. "This world is full of mysteries, much different than back in Yharnam… As for my final query, what is your role in this plan? You have gone into detail about what I will have to do, yet you have not made a single mention of what you will be doing in all this time."
The Good Hunter chuckled to herself. "My Fair Hunter, my role will not be nearly as exciting as yours. My role is simply to infiltrate the enemy ranks. I have brought enough Blue Elixirs to make it through the masses, but once I have made it inside the walls, I will have to play the part of the 'civilian'."
The Fair Hunter almost appeared apologetic. "That… sounds awful," he said simply. "I would not want to hog all the glory… but I would want your role much less."
"I had figured as much," she admitted. "I would love to fight by your side, but alas, it is not meant to be."
"Perhaps you will require my assistance once again," he said with a shrug. "Is this your first cycle attempting this?"
"Technically, yes, but I have already died twice due to my lack of foresight. Once, I was blindsided after a foe I believed to be defeated arose once more, and a second time when I was forced to engage in a fight where I was outnumbered. Poor excuses, I am aware, but they are the truth."
The Fair Hunter placed a hand on the Good Hunter's shoulder. "Do not feel ashamed, friend, even the best of us still make mistakes. I am thankful for the knowledge you have shared with me so that I may fare better against these new foes." The Fair Hunter rose from his seat and his clothes began to shimmer until he appeared in identical Hunter's Garb. He made the 'Shh!' gesture, before drinking his own Blue Elixir.
"I will give you the signal when I am in position," the Good Hunter said, changing her own outfit. She donned the Knight's set, as she found that its bright colors would actually blend in with the general populace rather well, gold threading and all. It still confused her why the world was so saturated with colors, but luckily, the Cainhurst Knights' fashion came only second to their self-importance. The distance between this lamp and Vale was large, so she would have to get moving if she wanted to get there before sunrise.
The walls of Vale were now in sight, and the Good Hunter could see that there were a lot of soldiers patrolling it. Some walked atop the wall itself while others were stationed on the ground outside of it. The patrols walked in pairs and were armed with large firearms that were foreign to the Good Hunter. Still, it didn't matter to her, as she had one objective in mind. She looked at the sky, which steadily began to grow brighter, which meant it was almost time. The airship would board in only a few hours, which meant that timing was critical. Just as the sun began to peak over the mountain, she summoned her cannon. It was a crude signal, but her temporary ally did not have a 'scroll' as she found out it was called, so this was the next best thing. She began to load the cannon with quicksilver bullets, but as she did, there was a sudden explosion that erupted from inside the walls.
The Good Hunter looked over, cursing under her breath. For a moment, she hoped that the Fair Hunter would not mistake that explosion for the signal, but when the sirens went off, she knew it was too late. Dismissing her cannon, she cursed as she was nowhere near in position. The signal was still a few minutes away, but now she had to go do her best to salvage her infiltration.
She looked at the walls, seeing the soldiers all turn to the east side and began rushing over. Not long after, several more explosions in the distance erupted and black smoke rose into the air. It was all or nothing now.
The Good Hunter drank a Blue Elixir and made her way towards the wall. She was aware of the possibility of Ozpin spreading the knowledge of her abilities, but that didn't mean that he understood how they worked. From what she could remember, the abilities that he should be aware of in this cycle were her invisibility, Bloodletter and summoning her weapons, although she suspected that the ringing might have tipped him off as well. Still, the bell was ringing all night, and he didn't come for her. Even if this was a trap, she didn't really have anything to lose.
She watched as more and more reinforcements were called away towards the other walls, and she grinned as she overheard somebody shout, 'She's here!' off in the distance. It would seem that Ozpin has already started a reputation for her. Whether or not that was a good thing, she didn't really know, but it did seem to unnerve the foot soldiers as they ran off to help their comrades. When the numbers had thinned out enough that she thought it was possible to sneak around, she made her move. She rushed towards one of the gates that had a pair of soldiers frantically grabbing their helmets and shouting into them. One thing she found a bit odd was that these soldiers wore much more armor than the kids she fought in the forest, which led her to believe that they did not have as much Aura. As much as she wanted to find out, she had more pressing matters.
As she got nearer the two soldiers, she began to listen to their conversation.
"If she's just using an axe, shoot at her!" one of them shouted. "It'll bring her down eventually!"
"Sir, what's going on at the east wall?" a notably younger voice cried out.
"That doesn't concern you right now," snapped the older man. "Just keep an eye out for Grimm. If panic gets out, we'll be swarmed in no time."
'That is how they function?' the Good Hunter thought to herself. She found it strange that the Grimm didn't share the same sense of smell as the Scourge Beast from Yharnam, but it seemed that they sensed something else entirely. She thought back to her previous encounters, and recalled being swarmed by Grimm after engaging in battle… Was it the fight itself that they were attracted to, or was it her bloodlust? She was not panicked in the slightest, yet they still seem to seek her.
The Good Hunter decided to put that to the test. She shut her eyes for a moment, her usual mask of stoicism slowly fading. Instead, she thought of the Hunt; weaving between the blades of the mobs that wanted her blood, dodging the fangs of the hounds that were sent after her, but more than that… she thought of all the blood that stained her hands. From the first Scourge Beast in Iosefka's Clinic to the Orphan of Kos residing in the Hunter's Nightmare. The bliss that these actions brought her to end their lives, to spill their blood and absorb their essence. As she opened her eyes, she was unaware that her pupils had slightly deformed. She felt a wild grin forming and almost as if on cue, howling could be heard from the forest. She tried to reign in her bloodlust, but found it much more difficult that she had anticipated.
Thinking quickly, she manifested a sedative and took it immediately. Almost instantly, she felt the effects calm her. Looking around towards the soldiers, it seemed that their own panic was now attracting the Grimm, which made for an excellent distraction. The two drew the strange rifles and began to shoot, not noticing her slip by. As she approached her destination, she wondered how the Fair Hunter was doing.
The Fair Hunter fought the urge to let out a laugh as he fought wave after wave of strange metal men. He found it a bit of a chore to dispatch of them, but when the real humans came to fight, he was disappointed at how little more effort it took to take them out. He began to wonder if his Beckoner had exaggerated the durability of these humans, as he easily made his way through the soldiers and metal men. It wasn't until the black creatures known as Grimm arrived from behind him that he found entertainment in the fight.
He found it amusing how the soldiers had initially believed that he somehow had control over the beasts, as cries of 'She brought Grimm with her!' could be heard. He extended his Hunter's Axe and swung wide, wiping out half a dozen of the wolf-like Grimm. Once again, disappointment filled him when they didn't get up to fight after his initial strike.
'She was not kidding about these things not being worth hunting…' he thought to himself. He decided to ignore them for the time being and push further into the enemy lines. With the Grimm behind him, even if the creatures of darkness were not his allies, they were clearly his enemies' enemy which was close enough to an ally for him.
"Call some Huntsmen!" shouted a soldier as he narrowly avoided a Grimm from beheading him. "By the Gods, we need help!"
The Fair Hunter took out his blunderbuss and shot several Grimm off of some of the soldiers behind him. He had intentionally made it look as if he was aiming at them, but missed, ensuring to keep up the charade. He made eye contact with one of the soldiers he saved for the briefest moment, before he struck him with the back of his axe, knocking him out. He turned back towards the whittling army of soldiers when he ducked under something yellow that was thrown at him. At first, he thought it was a throwing knife of sorts, but when he heard a splat behind him, he saw it was just a banana peel.
It took everything for the Fair Hunter to not burst out laughing in that very moment. He turned towards the source of the random object, only for a pair of feet to land squarely on his face, knocking him down for a moment. He quickly recovered and saw his new opponent; a blond teenager with what seemed to be a tail. The Fair Hunter's eyes darkened as he saw the signs of the scourge.
"Most people don't dodge the first part of my attack," the teen said, his voice dripping with confidence. His grin disappeared, and his eyes became intense as he stared down the Fair Hunter. "Word on the streets is you're a human supremacist…"
The Fair Hunter arched an eyebrow, but it couldn't be seen by his opponent.
"Hey Neptune, I got this chump," he called out. The Fair Hunter looked over to see another teen with blue hair and a red jacket holding a polearm of sorts.
"Are you sure, Sun?" asked the other teen.
"Positive," Sun said, revealing a red staff.
The Fair Hunter's grin grew wide. This must be one of those Huntsmen that his Beckoner warned him about. He dismissed his Hunter's Axe and summoned Ludwig's Holy Blade in its transformed state. This would be a fight worth having.
The Good Hunter was surprised at how complex the interior of the walls were, but eventually managed to make her way undetected and into the city. Unfortunately, the explosion she had heard earlier had already caused much more collateral damage that she had anticipated. There were countless Grimm crawling out of the hole in the ground that was caused by… something. What's more, there were many teens fighting off the invasion of the Grimm, which allowed her to easily escape into a passing crowd of civilians. As she broke into a run along the others, her invisibility was dispelled and she seamlessly became just another face in the crowd.
She had no way of predicting this secondary distraction, but it was a much welcomed shift in her luck. As she ran through the streets, her eye noticed something, or rather someone. It was the illusion casting girl that was responsible for Tukson's death… well, sort of. The Good Hunter had actually stopped in place as she saw the mint-haired girl take on a few Grimm with ease. Like a laser, the Good Hunter focused on her, then thought back to her ticket out of Vale.
Her mind raced with what course of action she should take. She could try to take her down, and expose her for her and her partner's actions… but even the evidence suggested that she was innocent. Her partner was nowhere to be seen, which meant this was an opportune time to take her down, but would only cause the other to remain more cautious. The Good Hunter then realized that even if she did kill or capture this girl, the Good Hunter's only chance to leave Vale would disappear. There was no telling when she would come across another opportunity like this, but the conflict in her demanded to be resolved. The Good Hunter cursed herself, and she began to stalk towards the girl, who seemed to still be unaware of her presence. She began to mentally cycle through her weapons, before settling on the Blade of Mercy, as it was easy to conceal in the large sleeves of her Knight's Dress.
"Wait!" someone shouted. The Good Hunter looked towards the voice, thinking she had been found out. She reached into the folds of her outfit to manifest another Blue Elixir, but it was futile. She turned back to Emerald, who was now running after another Grimm in another part of the city. Angry, she turned back to the voice.
"You…" she said under her breath. In front of her stood Jaune, the teen frantically looking around as if he was hiding himself.
"We can't talk here," he warned. "Follow me, please."
"W-what?" she asked, confused. She had already shifted her grip on her weapon to quickly strike, but his request baffled her. "What do you want?"
Jaune looked desperate as he looked back towards his team. "Please, just trust me, before anybody sees us!"
Normally, the Good Hunter would demand he make his case there and then, but the urgency in his actions swayed her. Jaune grabbed her hand and pulled her into a now vacant store, and shut the door behind him. "You must be either incredibly brave, or unbelievably stupid. Why did you bring me here?"
Jaune took his scroll out, turning towards the Good Hunter. "This… this is a mistake, right?" he asked. The Good Hunter finally looked at Jaune's expression. He seemed exhausted, as if he didn't sleep. "Please tell me this is a mistake."
The Good Hunter took his scroll from him, and began to read. She scoffed at the accusations, which were essentially the same as what Ozpin had accused her of. "Word travels fast around here, does it not?"
"Answer the question!" Jaune demanded, his normal disposition gone. The Good Hunter smiled slightly, approving of this side of him. He had even drawn his sword out, even if it trembled in his grip. She was unsure if it was from anger or fear.
"I have fought your Headmaster and came out unscathed," she warned. "Put that weapon down if you value your life."
Jaune took a step back and reluctantly obeyed. "I'm sorry… There's just so much going on right now." He thought back to the long night he and his team spent roaming the streets in hopes of finding her, the call he got from Ruby that cut out suddenly, and the fact that he was face to face with a wanted criminal accused of murder by himself. He hoped to the Gods he was right.
The Good Hunter reread the bulletin and sighed. "This is all a massive misunderstanding," she sighed. Jaune seemed to let out a breath of relief, but the Good Hunter cut him off. "However, the article is not completely false," she admitted. "I am, indeed, responsible for the death of Tukson and taking his possessions."
"W-what?" Jaune said, eyes wide.
"However, it was never my intention to kill him," she elaborated. "It is a rather complicated story, but the short of it is that my… concoctions seem to be fatal to everybody who is not me. Unfortunately I had found out a bit too late to save that man. I have already explained this to your Headmaster, but it would appear that he has no inclination to believing me."
"So you really did kill him…" Jaune felt his knees grow weak and wobbled for a second. "Does that mean you really are an anti-Faunus human supremacist? Is that why you saved Ren and I?"
"What does that word mean, Faunus? This is my second time hearing it," she asked. She peered behind Jaune through the broken window to see the vast majority of the Grimm had been taken care of. She didn't have much time to escape.
"You don't know what Faunus are?" he asked incredulously.
"If I did, I would not have just asked, would I?" she asked impatiently.
Jaune cleared his throat. "Ah, right, sorry. Faunus are people who have some sort of animal trait. I know of an upperclassman who's a rabbit Faunus… she gets picked on a lot for it actually… She has these really long rabbit ears on her head, but there are also others, people with tails, claws and such."
"Are these traits inherent, or does one obtain them after being corrupted by the Beast's Scourge?"
Jaune looked even more confused. "Faunus are born with them, as far as I know. I don't know, I haven't really asked any, seems like kind of a taboo topic. What the heck is the Beast Scourge?"
The Good Hunter wanted to press for more answers, but knew her flight might leave without her. "I do not have enough time to get into that. Your name is Jaune, correct? Your heart is too kind."
"Thanks," he said with a slight blush.
"That was not a compliment," she snapped. "Had you been wrong about me, you would be nothing but a puddle of vicersa on the ground that nobody would be able to identify. As for this conversation, it never happened. I am a wanted woman in this Kingdom, and it is only a matter of time before your Headmaster sees through my ruse. Know this, Jaune, I am only a threat to those who dare threaten me. The next time you draw your sword against me, be ready to kill me because if you are not, I will tear that soft heart out of your chest so you can see its final palpitations, understand?"
Jaune froze under her glare. He could tell that her words were not empty threats. "Y-yes ma'am."
"Good," she said, as she turned away to leave. But before she did, she stopped at the door. "Tell me, Jaune… How did you recognize me?"
"Your eyes," he replied. "Back when you saved Ren and I, you had this look when you fought… even when we were on the Bullhead bleeding, you always seemed so intense. It's hard to forget, actually."
The Good Hunter nodded, and unlocked the door. "Perhaps I shall invest in some eyewear…" She took her Blue Elixir and downed it, slowly fading from existence. "Goodbye Jaune."
The Fair Hunter panted as he was drenched in his own blood. His opponent Sun was a very capable combatant. So much so, that the Fair Hunter felt ashamed he couldn't acknowledge him. But his Beckoner had granted him the glory of combat, the least he could do for her is follow the plan.
"You're not so tough," Sun said, although it was apparent that he was also tired from the battle. "Although fighting after your Aura breaks… that's pretty intense, I'll admit that much."
The Fair Hunter plunged his last two blood vials into his leg as the teen caught his breath. He had no way of knowing if the Good Hunter had succeeded in her mission, but he was to cause as much of a ruckus as possible for as long as possible. The Grimm behind him were taken care of, and the soldiers seemed to be regrouping, although they didn't interrupt his fight with Sun.
"Mr. Wukong, that's enough," a voice dripping with authority said.
"Professor Goodwitch?" Sun asked. "Um, right! I mean, yes sir! Er- ma'am!"
Goodwitch looked down to the Fair Hunter and recognized his appearance. "How disgusting."
The Fair Hunter looked down at his own clothes, to see them completely stained in red. He didn't really think much of it, as this was a common occurrence during any hunt. He looked back up to Goodwitch, before he raised his Holy Blade to block a swift strike from his left.
He looked over to see a man dressed in green and disheveled white hair. 'This must be the Headmaster she warned me about,' he thought to himself. He was indeed fast, but he also had that woman as backup. He would not be able to hold back any longer. The Good Hunter had told him that he was free to use any Powder Keg weapons if he felt the need. In his left, he manifested the Cannon, and in his right, the Boomhammer. He swung the hammer against the ground, igniting the furnace.
"More tricks?" Ozpin spat. The Fair Hunter could see he was a bit unhinged, which brought a smile to his face. This fight would be even more glorious than his bout with Sun. Ozpin raised his cane and immediately dashed at the Fair Hunter, intending to overwhelm him with speed. Unfortunately, the Fair Hunter was proficient in weaving and dodging attacks despite having much slower and heavier weapons. After a few flurries, the Fair Hunter got a sense of Ozpin's attack pattern and made an attempt to counterattack. Unfortunately, Glynda had been watching carefully and shot several shards of ice that froze the Fair Hunter's arm to the ground.
'Hunters in this world have no honor,' he thought bitterly to himself. He dismissed his Boomhammer to break his arm out of the ice, and aimed the cannon at the ground in front of him and fired. Unfortunately, Ozpin took notice in time and managed to get away from the worst of the explosion.
"Do you really have no sense of self-preservation?" Ozpin demanded. "Such tactics won't work twice." As the smoke cleared, Ozpin could make out the Fair Hunter's face through the charred and singed mask. "W-what?! Who are you?!"
"A Hunter," he said simply, tossing an empty jar of his lead elixir aside. There was no point in drawing this out any longer. "Nothing more."
"Professor Ozpin, where is the woman?" Glynda asked, her eyes darting around.
"How many of you are there?" Ozpin demanded, closing the distance between the two. He pressed his cane to the Fair Hunter's throat. "TELL ME!"
The Fair Hunter didn't seem phased by this outburst, and instead turned to Sun. "Hey kid, I have not the slightest idea what you were so upset about, but you are a damn good fighter. It was an honor to fight you. Should we ever cross paths again, I hope to do so as a Powder Keg, not a substitute Beckoner. These clothes are so restrictive."
"Beckoner?" Ozpin asked, "you mean the other Hunter?"
"But of course," the Fair Hunter laughed. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Maxwell Withers of the Powder Kegs." Ozpin growled as he pressed the cane into Maxwell's throat, but found that he couldn't. "You can never hope to overpower me," he said, as his left hand gripped Ozpin's weapon. "If there is one thing the Powder Kegs are known for, it's our strength."
In his right hand, the Stake-Driver manifested, the stake already cocked back. Ozpin tried to free his cane from his grasp, but it didn't budge. Maxwell then unleashed a powerful strike into Ozpin's ribs. Maxwell could swear he heard cracking, but it didn't sound like any bones he'd broken before. He cocked the Stake-Driver once more to strike again, but this time Glynda interrupted with her glyph. Maxwell found it annoying, as he never enjoyed the match up of a long distance fighter, but luckily, he still had a few tricks. He let go of Ozpin's weapon as he felt the effects of his lead elixir leave him, allowing the Headmaster to put some distance between the two. Just as Ozpin was about to catch his breath, he found himself dodging a barrage of bullets as Maxwell summoned a Gatling gun and began to unleash a hail of bullets. Glynda was quick to react and placed another glyph in front of Ozpin to protect him.
"Just as I planned," Maxwell laughed to himself, shifting his aim towards Glynda. She would continue to be trouble if she went uncontested. To his annoyance, Sun had leapt in front of the Headmaster and blocked the barrage by spinning his staff. Suddenly he felt a jolt of electricity coarse through him, as he turned to see Neptune aiming his polearm at him. Maxwell laughed to himself as he found himself in the same predicament that his Beckoner had admitted to dying to. "It would seem I will not live to see victory this time," he admitted, "but I refuse to concede."
"What are you talking about, dude?! Just give up, you don't have to die for this!" Sun tried to argue, but was pushed aside by Glynda who summoned a storm above Maxwell.
"Mr. Wukong, your intervention is appreciated, but allow us to take care of this."
Sun looked over to see Ozpin stalking over towards Maxwell. "I don't know what you or your 'Beckoner' as you call her, want from us, but we will dedicate all the resources necessary to eliminate you time and time again."
Maxwell's smile widened, turning from earnest enjoyment to almost perverse excitement. He took a deep breath as he reached for a whistle around his neck, as his eye twitched. "Good." He blew into a whistle, signaling the two Professors to initiate their attack. A bolt of lightning descended from the storm Glynda created, causing Maxwell to shout in a strange masochistic glee. As he arched forward, Ozpin plunged his cane into Maxwell's chest. The Headmaster tried to pull his weapon from the Fair Hunter, but once again, the Hunter held on tight. To Ozpin's horror, the ground beneath them began to shift and he tried to jump away. "The least I can do is take you with me," he growled.
Glynda, Sun, Neptune and the few soldiers who were not engaged with Grimm watched in shock as a massive snake head rose from the ground beneath the Headmaster and the Fair Hunter. They were even more surprised when the snake attempted to devour the two. Ozpin clicked the handle on his cane, causing a small eruption, sending him flying back towards his allies. Maxwell laughed, his face missing portions of skin. He pointed at Ozpin, a grin wide on his face. "You would have made a fine Powder Keg," he said as the jaws of the snake snapped shut, severing his outstretched arm.
"My Gods…" Glynda said, disgusted by the sight. She turned back to Ozpin then back to those around her staring. "Reinforce the wall's defenses, eliminate any Grimm and evacuate the wounded!" Without any hesitation, the soldiers and two foreign students began to follow her orders, Sun and Neptune forming the front of the defense. Glynda knelt down beside Ozpin, who was lying on the ground staring up at the sky. "Oz, are you okay?"
Ozpin didn't reply immediately, but instead, looked distantly at the celestial bodies above. He removed his glasses and sighed. "You know Glynda… I have been around for a very long time," he began. "All these years… I wandered Remnant, I tried to guide humanity to be the best they can be. I have been so focused on this goal, I never bothered to think of what might lie beyond."
"What are you talking about?"
"Maxwell… When he died, I felt as if some of his knowledge was passed to me… I feel as if I have just begun to understand something I never imagined existed. I have seen but a glimpse of something much more vast than the four corners of Remnant, but for the life of me, I can't put it into words." Ozpin sat up, dusting off his coat, which was slightly singed from the explosion. "Perhaps… the answer to the riddle I have been tasked to solve resides within that ocean of knowledge…" Without looking at Glynda, Ozpin rose to his feet and began to walk off towards Beacon. "I… I have much to think about, Glynda."
The Vice-Headmistress grew increasingly concerned with Ozpin, but turned her attention to the problem at hand. The Grimm weren't too much to deal with, however, she had to save face seeing at how abruptly Ozpin had left. She would have to discuss this with him as soon as she could.
The Good Hunter made her way through the aisle of the airship as she found an empty seat to take. Even with her current outfit, she felt out of place but attributed it to her lack of luggage. Even back in Yharnam, the carriages had trunks tied to the back of them, but ever since she obtained the abilities of a Hunter she just stored all her things into her interdimensional inventory.
Flying was still a novel experience for her, her closest comparison was when the nightmare horse dragged the carriage to Cainhurst, but even then, it still felt like a normal carriage. The Good Hunter looked over to the window of the airship, a bit amused at being so high up then sat back into her seat. She had no idea how long this flight was going to be, but if it was to another country, she could safely assume she had a bit of time to get into the books she got from Tukson's shop. She pulled out the book on Aura, as she had already gotten a few chapters in.
She found it interesting that the textbook would mention the connection of Aura with one's soul but would not elaborate any further. It was as if this world combined science with some sort of religious concepts, which only further confused her as she hadn't come across anything remotely religious. It was actually one thing she found appealing about this new world over Yharnam, as the Healing Church had left a bitter taste in the Good Hunter's mouth.
She laughed wistfully as she thought back to the endless blood dregs she had offered the undead queen, as well as the time she had proposed to her with the ring she had found in a dungeon. The Good Hunter never put much thought into how much or often she has changed and now wondered if the person she was now was suited for this world.
She pushed the thoughts aside, focusing once more to the pages of her book, but was interrupted by another passenger on the airship. "Studying, are we? Are you going to attempt your hand at becoming a Huntress?" an older woman asked. The Good Hunter looked over to her, noticing the sadness in her eyes. "It's quite a noble profession."
"I might be entertaining the idea," the Good Hunter lied. She wanted nothing to do with the Huntsmen and Huntresses of this world. "I still find myself weighing my options."
"May I?" she asked, gesturing to the seat in front of the Good Hunter, who nodded. "Thank you, young lady. I'll be honest with you, I feel that our society romanticizes those four academies too much… Not that I would judge you if you ended up joining, of course. My grandson just did this year, after all. I just feel that a lot of kids who want to fight monsters don't understand how dangerous it can get."
The Good Hunter placed her book aside and crossed her arms. It was becoming increasingly apparent that this woman just wanted somebody to talk to, and unfortunately for the Good Hunter, she was one of the few people traveling alone. She leaned back into her seat, allowing the woman to continue.
"I really hope that my luck turns around soon… I mean, Vale has some of the best defenses on Remnant, yet the one time I come to this kingdom, there's a Grimm invasion in the middle of the city. I really hope not too many people were hurt…" The woman wiped a tear from her face and cleared her throat. "Sorry, my mind is just all over the place. Say, you're packed awfully light; did you lose your possessions in the attack in Vale?"
The Good Hunter simply nodded, fiddling with a small item she manifested into her hand. "If you are not from Vale, where do you hail from?" she asked. While the Good Hunter wasn't particularly interested in the woman's story, she could use whatever information she could learn.
"I'm originally from Mantle, but I moved to Vacuo when my grandson got accepted to Shade Academy. I had thought I would be able to see him more often than I did, but his professors just kept him and his team busy with assignment after assignment. What about you, miss?"
"I have not lived within the walls of any city in any Kingdom nor do I have any place I call home. This 'Vacuo' seemed as good as any for a new start. I did not exactly have any ties to cut."
The woman seemed to understand, then looked over to the book the Good Hunter had put aside. "You must be strong," the woman noted. "Not many people survive outside the walls, much less alone. Though I suppose living away from the Huntsmen academies influence means you don't see them as most other kids your age do… although I guess that means you don't get the opportunity to learn about such fundamental topics like Aura when you're fighting for your life everyday."
"I could not have phrased it better myself," the Good Hunter replied with an acknowledging smile. The woman returned the smile, seemingly much more relaxed than a few minutes before. She took in the Good Hunter's appearance for what seemed to be the first time and looked curious.
"Your outfit is very fashionable," she complimented, "where did you get it? I don't recognize the style."
"I have had this for as long as I can remember, but I cannot seem to remember where I first came across it," she lied. "But thank you. I must confess, I am not well versed in these sorts of conversations. My life has led me to live in isolation for long periods of time, so you can understand that I am out of practice."
"You're doing fine," the woman assured. She reached into her purse and took out a pen and paper, scribbling something on it. "I'm not sure if you're going to stick around in Vacuo for very long, but if you ever need some help adjusting, feel free to come by my shop. It can be a rough place for newcomers."
The Good Hunter accepted the paper, seeing an address written on it. "Thank you, ma'am." She folded it carefully and put it into her pocket, where it disappeared with the rest of her items. "Have you any idea how long our travel time will be?"
"Well this airship isn't exactly state of the art, but my trip from Vacuo only took about sixteen hours. If we don't hit any storms along the way, it should be the same, I would assume. Actually, I think I might try to get some rest; I can't handle another bout of jet-lag. Thank you for the company, young lady."
"Likewise," the Good Hunter replied, nodding to the woman as she stood up to walk away. She wasn't sure where the older woman was going, but it allowed her to get back to her reading. As she cracked open her book, she vaguely wondered how Vale was doing.
"Where were you?" Pyrrha demanded, almost angry. "I saw you fighting an Ursa Major but then you disappeared!"
Jaune looked away ashamed, his hand on the pommel of his sword that hung at his side. "I… I'm sorry," he said, not wanting to answer her honestly. While he looked away, he noticed the broken streets, he began to feel even more guilty. "How many people were hurt?"
Pyrrha's eyes widened slightly and she also began to notice the wreckage they stood in the middle of. "I'm not sure," she replied. "We were lucky to already be here when the attack started, but there were so many, it'd be impossible to tell."
"Maybe we should get back to Beacon," Ren interrupted. "We spent all night looking for that woman, only to fight a Grimm invasion first thing in the morning. "
"You're right," Jaune agreed, feeling the exhaustion setting in. He walked ahead of his team, his shoulders slumped. He didn't bother turning back as he muttered a defeated, "let's go."