Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or RWBY they are the property of their respective owners, any resemblance to any other Persona 4 or RWBY fan fiction is coincidental and plagiarism is not intended. No flames please constructive criticism only.
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Yu couldn't keep an angry look from his face as emotions of disbelief, fury and shock roiled inside him. Monsters remained indifferent as did Dragons, Scholars and Sages debated along with Heroes, while Demons prodded and tried to keep the argument going, while Angels and other such Persona's tried to act as peacemakers and calm things down. He did feel conflicted on the situation but regardless, he had to know the truth. So as he rode the elevator up to the headmaster's office he clenched his hand in his pocket, feeling the Orb of Truth there.
Having an epiphany he took out his scroll and began reviewing the footage from the Initiation in the forest. It didn't take long to spot Pyrrha and work his way back until finally, he saw something that made his eyes narrow. Pyrrha Nikos unlocking Jaune's aura. The implications of this added to the storm in his mind as the doors suddenly opened revealing Glynda turning away from Ozpin, with some paperwork in hand.
"Ozpin," Yu called out sternly to the headmaster, his tone causing Glynda to pause mid-stride.
"Is something the matter Mr Narukami?"Ozpin asked looking impassive.
"I know the truth about Jaune Arc, Ozpin," Yu told him, causing the headmaster to sigh.
"What truth?" Glynda inquired looking at Ozpin with a questioning stare.
"His transcripts are fake, he yelled it from the rooftop at his partner," Yu explained not taking his eyes off of Ozpin whose facial expression remained unreadable. "Team CRDL will keep silent, I have seen to that, but I want an explanation, you cannot expect me to believe he fooled you."
"Fake... Ozpin!" Glynda yelled scandalised before realisation crossed her face and fixing the headmaster with a glare. "That explains his lack of progress in my class, he's probably never been in a fight in his life before the initiation."
"The initiation was also when Pyrrha Nikos unlocked his aura in the forest," Yu stated sending the footage to Glynda whose anger only seemed to grow upon reviewing it. The footage hadn't been hidden, on the contrary, it was perfectly findable if you knew what you were looking for, but there was so much footage of the initiation from all of the camera's on all of the students that no one would bother to review it all.
"Explain. Now." Glynda demanded of the headmaster who had remained silent throughout the revelation.
Ozpin sighed, stood up and turned to face the window, taking a sip of coffee as he did so.
"You said it yourself, he has great potential," Ozpin stated simply.
"Yes, great potential as a Persona user, but for a huntsman, a Persona shouldn't be a crutch it should a trump card, he should be able to fight at least on the same level as his peers." Yu said exasperatedly "You hired me 'because' I'm a Persona user and not a huntsman. Using a Persona in the real world is draining for me. I had a whole year to practice with mine, and I'm not going to be here next year and I don't think that giving a Persona to a kid who seems to have stopped reading comics and playing video games one day to go and pursue his dream is a good idea."
"You don't know that he might have trained before and simply shown poor results, besides he has a strong tactical mind and has great leadership potential." Ozpin debated.
"Ozpin, great leadership is not enough to survive as a huntsman in this world and you know it," Glynda argued. "Besides, Beacon has a limited number of placements; we don't just throw everyone who applies into the initiation, for Mr Arc to be here someone who worked hard and earned their place had to have been rejected."
Ozpin sighed audibly before sipping his coffee and speaking up again.
"I understand your anger, and I also can understand the points you both are making, but please I chose Mr Arc for a good reason, give him a chance." Ozpin pleaded.
Glynda let out a sigh and shook her head, massaging her temples in frustration.
"Agravaine." The Knight materialised his fist to his chest ready to serve. "I am here My Lord."
"Agravaine has an eye for these kinds of things, so let him watch Jaune, if he can find any reason Jaune should stay, then he stays and trains under Agravaine in his spare time. But if he can't Jaune is gone and we replace him with someone who earned their place here." Yu suggested. "Does that sound fair?"
"Can he be neutral though?" Ozpin asked warily.
"Yes I can, only once have my personal feelings influenced my actions as a knight, and it won't happen again." The Knight vowed with steel resolved assurance.
"Very well." Ozpin agreed with a sigh.
"I agree as well." Glynda chimed in. "If Mr Arc does belong in Beacon as you claim Ozpin, then let it be proven. Let us give him one week."
"One week." Ozpin agreed nodding his head albeit reluctantly.
Agravain gave a short nod and turned around to follow Yu as he left the room and entered the elevator. The doors closed after he pressed the button to go to the ground floor and he felt the slight jolt as it began to move down.
"Is this really such a big deal?" Cu Chulainn asked, "So the kid wants to fight what's the fuss?"
"Were you not paying attention Setanta?" Scathach snapped using his given name. "The boy stole his place at this school from someone who worked hard for it and by his own admission he merely wishes to live up to the glory of his ancestors."
"Ok, that first part may be a good point but come on, not every kid in this school just wants to be a hunter to save people." Cu Chulainn retorted.
"While true, his reasons for stealing that place are still selfish," Scathach stated refusing to budge on her position. "It is made worse by the fact that Huntsman are essential to the survival of civilisation on Remnant. His lack of ability could cost the lives of countless people in the future, people whose lives could have been saved by a person from whom he stole the place in Beacon to begin with."
"Well Ozpin saw something in him, why else would he let this happen?" Cu Chulainn pressed. "And besides we know that he has potential."
"The fact that Ozpin knew is concerning," Chiron chimed in. "Especially considering that Mr Arc did not have his aura unlocked, and his bumbling into a marked deathstalker cave shows an ignorance of the Grimm."
"I shall continue to look around Beacon for a way underground," Katō Danzō the spy and thief from the Edo period stated. "If Ozpin is hiding magic then I shall locate it." The Spy vowed.
"Good Grief this has become quite the situation." Merlin sighed.
Well, Jaune's future was up to Agravaine now. Part of Yu did hope that the Knight would find something worthy in the boy, but he also knew that he could not let those feelings influence the ultimate decision.
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In the land of shadows, Hazel and Arthur both watched as Salem's newest creation stood near the window, a bipedal figure silhouetted by the light streaming through. It experimentally clenched and unclenched its fists. Its body was entirely black like the metal armour of a knight, in stark contrast was a white bone-mask helmet like a Grimm with a red slit like a visor where eyes would be.
"Your Grace, now that your newest creation is completed, what will you do with it, your grace?" Arthur Watts asked, looking at the creature with some fascination.
"I will-"
"Send it to Beacon." Salem was cut off by an eerie, deep sounding voice which came from a black butterfly sat on the table.
"Beacon, but Lord Nyarlothep-"
"If you have created it correctly, then it will survive, but if it does not..." Nyarlothep trailed off, which caused Salem to shiver; he didn't need to tell her of his displeasure.
"A giant nevermore is outside," Salem stated looking to her newest creation. "It shall fly you to Beacon, go there and test your abilities."
The knight nodded and marched out of the building to carry out its orders. A Seer Grimm followed behind it so Salem could watch what happened.
"Will it survive a fight at Beacon?" Hazel inquired as the black butterfly simply vanished as if it was never there to begin with.
"It has quite a few tricks up its sleeves, and it is not so easily killed," Salem replied/
"Your Grace, might I change the subject?" Watts requested.
"Very well Arthur, go ahead." Salem nodded giving her consent.
"Well, I'm sorry to report that all of my contacts, in both Atlas and Mantle have gone silent." He reported looking at his scroll. "Those that are alive are refusing to help me, neither bribery nor threats seem to help."
"Perhaps I can help...persuade them?" Tyrian chuckled his tail twitching in anticipation.
"Do you have any idea why this is?" Hazel asked, looking to the other man.
"Those who would talk to me only said that the Mantle and Atlesian criminal underworlds all obey one man now, known only as The Professor. Even simple pickpockets can't do anything without his say so." Watts stated. "If anyone steps out of line, the police will arrest them within hours; I assume this Professor has eyes and ears everywhere in the kingdom."
After a few minutes of silent contemplation, Salem spoke again.
"This will slow down our plans for Atlas, Arthur try to get into contact with this Professor, negotiate, try to get them on our side."
"As you wish your Grace, but I suspect it will take some time, this Professor doesn't take visits from just anyone." Watts warned.
"That is fine; Time is something I have plenty of."
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Six days passed rather quickly, a bit too quickly for Yu's liking. As agreed Agravaine had watched Jaune, watched his combat classes most carefully and yet still the boy had not a single victory to his name. The Knight barely reacted as Cardin knocked Jaune back, causing him to lose his grip on his shield leaving him with only his sword. Speaking of whom, he and his team had kept their mouths shut as they said they would, they also seemed to be keeping their heads down. With Combat class over nothing eventful happened and so the sixth-day went and the seventh day came.
Weiss had finally rested up enough to be able to attend classes again. They had no classes with Yu today. This was the last day, it wore on until finally, the last class was an assignment handed out by Professor Peach, Glynda took the students out to Forever Fall a mountainous area with many cliffs which is covered by a forest of red-leafed trees, causing the whole area to appear as a dust-red colour, even with the grass a normal green.
"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful," Glynda stated at the awe of the students were looking around at the beauty of the unusually coloured forest. "But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you dies while doing so."
"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap." She continued instructing them still holding up a full jar of their objective However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at four o'clock. Have fun!"
With that, the teams all went their separate ways to go and collect the sap they had been instructed to get. Agravaine followed team JNPR from a distance while Yu sat in a tree just looking over the forest in general. He watched Glynda disappear into the forest to go around checking on the student teams individually.
Yu closed his to rest them but opened them when he heard the loud screech of a bird. He looked up to see a giant Nevermore circling the forest a short distance away. It wasn't too much of a problem after all the students had their weapons and could easily take care of it. Then suddenly an explosion blew up smoke from below where it was circling.
"What the hell was that?" Achilles wondered.
An explosion came the direction the thing landed, the Nevermore kept circling overhead. More explosions went off and then Yu felt a sharp pain his chest as Agravain returned to him, then he answered his scroll which had begun to ring a few seconds after.
"Professor Narukami I require your assistance." Glynda requested her voice strained and heavy.
"I'm on my way," Yu replied ending the call and running towards the sounds of battle.
His eyes widened as he saw something fatally wound the Grimm from below, it began to disperse into black smoke which abnormally shot down below the tree line instead of dispersing like it normally did.
"That's probably not good." Cu Chulainn commented
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A few minutes earlier, Teams RWBY and JNPR were collecting Sap not far from each other.
"Nora stop eating the sap," Ren said sternly and yet exhaustedly.
"But it's so tasty." She objected her face splattered with the stuff.
"We'll set aside an extra jar for you to have later," Jaune promised.
"Fine." Nora conceded sulkily handing her half-eaten jar back to Ren to refill.
"Ruby stop fussing over me and let go," Weiss yelled trying to push her partner off of her who was currently clinging tightly to her.
"She just wants to be sure you're alright," Yang told her.
"I spent a week sleeping in the infirmary, I'm fine." Weiss protested, still trying to pry Ruby off.
"Come on Partner I just-WOAH!" Ruby cried out as the tree she and Weiss were gathering sap from exploded into wood chips as its top half was ripped right off.
As the woodchips and the flurry of leaves settled down the teams coughed as the smoke cleared to reveal a tall armoured figure standing there with the tree in its hands. As everything settled down they could see that its helmet was a bone-white in stark contrast to the deep black of its armoured body, from out of the visor a pair of red eyes devoid of pupils peered out at them.
"Hey what the hell is your problem!" Yang yelled waving her fist angrily at the figure.
"Yang!" Weiss snapped having pulled out Myrtenaster and gotten into a combat stance. "That's a Grimm, not a person!"
As if in response to Weiss's declaration the Grimm lifted the tree trunk over its head, leaves fell from the branches as it did so and threw it in Pyrrha's direction forcing her to duck. As it sailed over her head and knocked over another tree causing a loud crash it caused a flurry of leaves to shoot into the air.
Yang and Nora both reacted charging with their respective weapons at the enemy. The Grimm simply stood as both the Warhammer and the Gauntlet made contact, making a loud clang upon contact but that was all. The Grimm simply stood there barely affected by the blows from two of the physically strongest first years.
Their eyes widened but before they could pull back it grabbed them and flung them into the air, it then grabbed Magnhild spun around and use the weapon to smash both of them hard, sending them crashing together through three nearby trees sending them into unconsciousness their aura breaking as this happened.
"Yang!" "Nora!"
Pyrrha shifted Miló into rifle mode and fired upon the Grimm only for the shot to ding off of its armour. Ren, Blake and Ruby all shifted their weapons into ranged mode and joined in the barrage.
The Grimm stared at Ruby and its eyes seemed to widen as it vanished behind smoke kicked up by the barrage of bullets and a blast of fire created by some dust from Weiss. Then suddenly something red shot of the smoke and before anyone knew it the ground beneath their feet exploded sending them all into the air and back to the ground where their aura shattered.
Everyone except for Ruby who was now being held by her head in the air by the Grimm.
"Let go, let go of me!" Ruby cried as she kicked at it to no avail.
"Put her down!" Jaune screamed as he charged the Grimm and swung at the elbow joint of its armoured arm. The strike bounced off but the creature flinched ever so slightly.
"Move aside boy!" A new male voiced commanded, Jaune obeyed on instinct as a figure fell from the sky. "BRAVE BLADE!"
A massive sound of metal upon metal echoed as a sword crashed into the upper arm which held Ruby, the amour where it had been struck cracked black ichor spray out from it. The force caused the Grimm to recoil in pain but not release Ruby.
"Hmm...that strike should have cut its arm clean off." The aiding person was a tall rugged man with black hair and armour much like a knight from the tales of old. "Its eyes are now yellow? You are no mere Grimm that is for sure. Well, it matters not I am Agravaine, knight of Camelot and I shall be your opponent now."
The Grimm stared at Agravaine its yellow eyes now having pupils and narrowed them at him, its free hand was out of sight.
"Boy, back away this creature...!" Agravaine was interrupted as it spun around and the knight suddenly found a red orb of energy right in front of his chest and before he could react it exploded tearing a massive chunk of his torso. "Curse you..."
Suddenly a tree surrounded by a purple aura slammed into the Grimm's exposed chest forcing it to release Ruby as it flew backwards. Jaune was able to grab her and quickly move out of the way and off to the side to the rest of his friend s who were now getting back up.
"Children please stay back I will take care of this," Glynda stated as she stepped forward her riding crop at the ready.
"Professor, this is no mere Grimm." Agravaine stated despite the massive hole in his chest, "It is also a shadow with high resistance to physical attacks and it can shoot energy blasts."
Glynda nodded in confirmation as the knight faded in a flurry of blue dust returning to the Sea of Souls. A sphere of red energy appeared in its hand, Glynda braced herself only for the ball to be fired at the defenceless students who were still recovering, using her power she created a shield glyph to protect them which trembled upon the impact but held.
The deputy headmistress prepared to counter-attack only for an energy bolt to form in each hand and be fired at the shield glyph one after another, by the time the second one hit the Grimm already had another prepared to fire. Releasing the predicament and seeing the students were not fit to move Glynda focused on maintaining the shield.
'It knows I can't attack and protect the students at the same time.' She thought with annoyance suddenly it placed both hands together palms outstretched and an arcane circle appeared with a familiar symbol in the centre. 'Salem!'
Then the assault renewed even faster than before. What was a steady pair of blasts one after another became a veritable machine gun assault, the difference being that the strength of the blasts only dropped marginally. Glynda made a scroll call to Yu for back up but it would take time for him to get here. Time she wasn't sure her barrier could last.
Behind the Glyph, Weiss could see the combat instructors struggle. She knew she probably should but there was no other way.
'This is an emergency after all.' A familiar voice said from within which seemed to twinkle like ice. 'It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.'
Summoning the feeling she had from the trip to the fountain Weiss summoned the Arcana and crushed it.
"Come forth, Anastasia!" In a swirl of blue flames, the Persona answered her call and before the Grimm could react its assault was halted as its arms and torso were encased in ice. Its eyes widened at the sight of the persona as it realised the situation and began trying to free itself.
Suddenly a huge sharp icicle formed in front of Professor Goodwitch.
"Professor its right arm is still damaged do it now!" Weiss cried out quickly.
The professor didn't speak merely reacted, using her semblance she lifted the icicle and rotated it like a saw blade and sent it flying at the Grimm who could not move due to Anastasia freezing its legs to the ground. By the time its arm was freed, it was too late and sharp icicle impacted the damaged part of the arm and sliced it clean off.
For the first time since the battle had begun the Grimm let out a noise, a shriek of pain which sounded vaguely human-like but so distorted that it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female. The severed limb fell to the ground and dissipated much a regular Grimm would when killed.
Eventually, its pained cries subsided and another energy bolt formed in its remaining arm however instead of firing it at its foes it shot upwards blasted the giant nevermore which had until now been circling overhead. The nevermore died instantly and fell from the sky turning to black smoke as it did so. However, instead of the smoke vanishing, it soared towards the knight Grimm and seemed to be sucked into the stump of its former arm.
Within seconds a new arm grew to replace the previous one, new armour even forming over it to the shock of Weiss and Glynda.
"It can regenerate? Can Grimm do that?" Weiss asked,
"Some can, not many but they exist but none do so like that," Glynda stated, it was serious trouble if this one could simply heal itself by basically cannibalising any nearby Grimm. This was serious trouble she hoped...
"Weiss freeze it!" Needed no further motivation and Anastasia did so freezing the Grimm form the torso down before it could move.
"BEGONE BEAST!" A large muscle-bound figure fell from the sky lightning enveloped hammer in hand and smashed the Grimm hard. The lightning exploded outwards and caused a large explosion. When the light and electricity finally died away the Grimm was gone all that remained was a crater and a large scorched area of grass and trees. "HAHA, another victory for Thor!"
"You didn't do it alone," Yu said as he walked into the clearing.
"Of course not but-" Thor was cut off as Yu sent him back to the Sea of Souls, he really didn't want to listen to his bragging right now.
As Yu walked up to see if everyone was alright he was watched by a shadow trapped within a shiny red orb which had rolled into the bushes upon its body's destruction. It vanished returning home to its creator, next time things would be different, this it vowed.
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Several hours later, the teams had recovered, after a quick trip to infirmary who confirmed that their injuries were not too serious and good nights rest would allow their Aura to take care of them RWBY and JNPR were given the rest of the day off while Goodwitch, Yu and Ozpin discussed the new Grimm which had attacked them, which Yu had named ID. By virtue of being the one to defeat it. The name while strange he promised to explain later.
For now Ruby Rose was leaving a weapon store in Vale. She was waiting outside for Jaune whom she had dragged along and was still inside looking at some swords. As she grew impatient she heard a voice drifting outside of the alleyway nearby and curiously went to investigate, Crescent Rose still holstered just in case.
The alleyway itself was filled with the usual boxes, trash and discarded electronics. Rummaging amongst it all was a man with unkempt black hair and grey eyes wearing a black suit with a long-sleeved white shirt, a crooked dark red tie and brown field boots.
"Come on where is it?" He asked in a panicked tone of voice as he dug through the trash looking for something. "Come on, or the chief is gonna kill me."
"Hey what's wrong?" Ruby asked calling out the man who jumped in surprise.
"Gah! Oh...hey you're that kid who stopped Torchwick from robbing that dust store a while back right? Ruby Rose?" The man asked with a goofy grin on his face.
"Yeah, it was nothing." Ruby chuckled rubbing the back of her head bashfully. "So what are you looking for?"
"Oh well, I'm a rookie cop you see." The man pulled out a badge 'Vale Police Department' emblazoned on it. "It's my first day and when I was patrolling this street I went to check out this alley but I dropped my gun, please help me find it." He begged pleadingly. "If my boss finds out I lost gun on the first day I'll be fired. Please?"
"Don't worry I'll find it!" Ruby promised and begun searching.
"Oh, thanks you're a real lifesaver." The officer said before turning his back to her.
Shifting aside boxes it didn't take Ruby long before she spotting something glimmering in the dim lights of the alleyway. She picked up a revolver, to specific a New Nambu M60, strange she could swear that Vale PD carried Nine Millimetre handguns as their standard weapons.
"Ah, you found it thank god." The cop smiled with a grateful expression on his face as Ruby handed the back to him barrel first.
"No problem, By the way, I never got your name." Ruby realised.
"Oh, it's Adachi, Tohru Adachi." Adachi's seemed to grin at her and his eyes seemed to change colour to a sickly yellow, it had to be a trick of the light. "Zionga."
Before Ruby could let go bolts of electricity came from the gun and surged into her body and before she knew it darkness took her and she fell to the floor unconscious.
"Ha, kids these days, way too trusting." Adachi chuckled but stopped as he heard the opening and closing of the door of the weapon shop nearby and the sound of footsteps.
"Ruby!" Jaune called out as he came close.
"Hey over here!" Adachi called out to him, Jaune spotted Ruby and ran towards her, Adachi pulled out his badge. "I'm a cop I came into this alley when I heard something and found her like this."
Adachi backed off a bit as Jaune sprinted towards his unconscious friend knelt next to her.
"Ruby? Ruby, what's wrong?" Before Jaune could do anything before Adachi clubbed him over the back of the head with the but of his revolver knocking him unconscious too.
"Holy crap, that was too easy and you dumbasses want to be Hunters?" Adachi sighed and shook his head. "Kids these days, welp time to get moving." With that Adachi reached into Ruby's pocket and withdrew her scroll. "S-U-M-M-E-R." He input the password and unlocked the scroll and pressed a button to begin recording a video, then set the scroll down on a box opposite the two.
Adachi promptly pulled a blanket off of an object revealing it to be a large solid screen TV. He then lifted Ruby and pushed her through the screen which rippled like water, Jaune followed not soon after vanishing completely. Then Adachi went over to the scroll and stopped the recording. He opened the contacts and found 'Yu Narukami' he then attached the video and sent it, then set the scroll down out of view so it wouldn't be stolen.
"You two." He addressed and pair of White Fang members who had been hidden from sight. "Take the TV out of here get it back to the hideout, I need to keep an eye on our newest guests. Make sure to leave the scroll where it is or else."
With that Adachi passed through the TV screen. The two goons lifted the TV and hauled it away as instructed, leaving the scroll where it was.