Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and/or scenes from the show RWBY, which is trademarked by Rooster Teeth, and the video game Persona 3, which is trademarked by Atlus. I do not, in anyway, claim ownership over the characters, the world, the story, or any other aspect belonging to either one. This story should not be, in any way, considered canon. This story is written strictly for entertainment and not for profit.
Warning: This story will exhibit slight differences in character behavior since I will be taking the liberty to fill in blank points in the pasts of various characters. As such, expect that many characters will not behave exactly as their canon selves. I will attempt to keep their core personalities intact, but slight changes will be unavoidable.
Warning 2: With the ongoing status of RWBY, it's to be expected that many of my ideas will, at some point, go against what is canon, such as when more of each character's respective pasts are revealed. I will do my best to incorporate what I can, but expect that many will be blended with my own ideas or perhaps even ignored completely if incorporating it will be detrimental to my existing story plans.
I'd normally say stuff here but…
Yeah, let's leave it for later. I can feel your excitement even while typing this. XD
Just a quick note before anything else. This intermission will focus on the other characters outside of the four teams. They'll still show up, but they aren't the central perspectives in this one with the exception of one character in one of the scenes near the end.
Intermission 2 - Out With the Old
December 26, XX13
"So this is where you grew up?"
"Pretty much. Mom and dad would take us out on trips now and then for some family time but, yeah, I spent just about all my life here."
"Hm… It seems like quite a peaceful place to live. I could almost believe that the Grimm do not exist were it not for the walls in the distance."
"Yeah, you're not the first to say that. I'm pretty sure I remember mom saying that she thought the same thing not long after she and dad actually started going out."
"Huh… I can ima… nah, sorry Jaune. Guess I can't even lie and say that I can imagine yer mom saying that."
A sigh and a chuckle. "Honestly, me neither."
The next several minutes were spent giving the two newcomers a brief tour of the town, Jaune pointing out various places and activities to occupy their two-week vacation. Next to the sole male sibling, the much taller Arianna would occasionally throw in a comment or two about the town of Domremy, and offering suggestions of her own for the trio's vacations plans.
No too far behind, Scarlett kept an open ear to the conversation as she followed the quartet towards the Arc family home. She hadn't really planned on joining Arianna when the taller teen left to meet Jaune, Junpei, and Chidori when the trio arrived, but the lingering curiosity she had with regards to her brothers teammates led to a change in plans.
There was just something about the two teens that tickled her curiosity, some little detail that she couldn't seem to pinpoint that just kept nagging at her to be noticed. She didn't get the sense that it was anything bad or harmful, but she just knew it was something she wouldn't like. The two teens weren't bad people - Junpei's little deception and role in convincing her parents to allow Jaune to remain at Beacon notwithstanding – but there was just something about them she knew she couldn't agree with.
What it was, however, continued to elude her.
She hadn't spoken to anyone about her concerns, already knowing just how those respective conversations would play out. Her father would tell her that it was natural for her to find someone she didn't get along with. Her mother would tell her to continue observing but to not make any premature judgments. Gwen would brush off her concerns and say that she was probably just annoyed – pissed – that Junpei had gotten her to play along with his little game. Sable would tell her that she was overthinking things again. The twins would laugh and say she was just being a sore loser. Arianna would just tell her to take things slow, that it would probably come to her eventually. And Hazel wouldn't understand her feeling of unease.
She wasn't ashamed to admit that she got along best with her mother – though she drew the line when someone outside the family brought it up in a less… flattering fashion – and, as such, would consider her opinion more than she would anyone else's. In this case, she decided to keep a closer eye on the targets of her curiosity and figure things out from there.
"And here we are," she heard Jaune say just as their family's home came within throwing distance.
Scarlett took that moment to scrutinize the two younger teens a bit more than she already was, throwing her brother into the mix after a moment's thought.
Chidori was as unflappable and stoic as ever, her face giving no indication of her thoughts whatsoever. She clearly wouldn't be the best choice for observation if Scarlett wanted to figure out why she felt the way she did about them.
Junpei had no negative reactions, but neither did he show any positive ones. He had simply cocked his head slightly to the side, giving the house an appraising look but nothing more. Still, he was much more emotive than the girl she learned was his girlfriend – a fact that still threw her for a few loops whenever she thought about how they could have possibly gotten together – and would be much easier to read.
And Jaune… Well, the sight that greeted her was more than enough to make her relax just a little bit. She could even feel the corner of her lips inching upwards regardless of her efforts to not do so. There was a fond, longing gaze on the teenage boy's face, and a small but bittersweet smile on his lips as blue eyes took in every detail of the dwelling before him.
Their home was located outside the town proper but still within the encircling walls. Not too far away were the farms, one of the few reasons why Domremy could remain self-sufficient for a decent length of time even if their walls were besieged on all sides by the Grimm. It was no coincidence that their home was located close to their town's food supply.
The Arc family home itself was, contrary to the expectations of most people, far from opulent or extravagant despite their family's long and renowned history.
It was a humble three-story structure that would not look out of place in a residential neighborhood. Right where they stood, several meters away from the house itself, was a low, stone wall that only came up to their waists. A wide gap along the wall led the way towards the front porch located near one corner of the roughly rectangular home, while the pathway leading to it was nothing more than worn, oft-treaded dirt amongst the grass. The fact that there were two such pathways running parallel to one another, with a sparse hint of grass between them, hinted at a vehicle traversing the path just as often.
The house itself was a simple, humble one. Faded and chipping brown paint, revealing an older layer of white beneath it. Looking closely, however, one would note small signs that pointed to the upper third of the building having been constructed relatively more recently as opposed to the rest of the house. Similarly, the porch and the roof bore imperfections in their construction that hinted at less-skilled hands at work.
To their right, a section of the wall extended towards the side of the house. It was noticeably lower than that which surrounded her family's domicile, coming up only to her knees. Beyond it, in a small fenced off area, was Arianna's garden. Even from where she stood, Scarlett could see the tops of some of the plants, as well as the smaller flower garden on the far side, next to the opposite wall.
To their left was an open space along with another worn path leading out of the house's backdoor. Scarlett stopped herself from sighing when the twins' voice echoed through her head, the memory of their words ringing clear as though they were right there with her. "It's along the side of the house so it should be called a side door." It was an argument they made every single time someone called it the 'backdoor'.
Turning away from her thoughts, her eyes travelled further to a large plot of land that was clear of any form of vegetation. Even from here she could see several craters and pockmarks on the ground, a mark of how often that area was used for training by their family. It was vacant at the moment, and the absence of the pickup truck meant that everyone was inside save for their father, who was most likely still in town.
"Scarlett?"
The voice of her younger sister broke her from her musings, and she turned her gaze upwards to meet the taller girl's concerned eyes. "It's nothing," she replied with a wave of her hand and a brief shake of her head, idly noting that Jaune and his friends had already begun the trek to the front door. Seeing that same expression still on his face, the eldest of the Arc siblings could help but smile.
Arianna smiled at that sight, her normally gentle expression now further enhanced by the sheer happiness she was displaying. Despite the age difference of nearly a decade, no words needed to be said between the two siblings for them to understand that they were both thinking and feeling the same thing.
As they went to join their brother, who was already being accosted by his sole younger sister, their smiled widened even further, both thinking and feeling joy over the same thing. 'Welcome home, Jaune.'
"Hey! What's the big idea?"
"Wha- I thought you didn't want it!"
"I was saving it for last!"
Taiyang Xiaolong held back a laugh at the interaction between his older daughter and her teammate. They'd been at it for nearly the entire time they'd been there and it looked like they would be at it for the entire two weeks they would be spending together. And, if he was a betting man – which he definitely was when he could see the way things were going – he would wager quite a lot that they'd still be arguing over the most pointless things even when they return to Beacon.
He honestly hadn't expected both Yang and Ruby to spend the entire two weeks of their end-of-year break with him on Patch, much less bringing with them their respective teams, but he certainly wasn't going to turn down the chance to spend more time with his daughters. It also gave him a chance to meet their new friends and, more importantly in some regards, the ones who would be fighting alongside them for the next four years, possibly more if they stayed together as a team after graduating.
He hadn't spoken with them very much just yet, having been too busy with a few things earlier, but his first impressions were mostly positive.
Aigis was quiet and kept mostly to herself, very rarely opening a conversation from what he had seen. She responded when someone else engaged her in conversation, and not with short answers either, so he could tell that she was hardly a shy wallflower. That said, she did seem to be quite conscious of her words. The way she spoke was slightly… mechanical in nature. It was almost as though she was overly worried of offending someone just because she misspoke. It was strange, but not completely unheard of, that someone who seemed so uncertain of herself would be assigned as the team's leader. Then again, he could certainly think of worse choices.
Fuuka, on the other hand, just might be the wallflower of the team. Or, at least, she might have been at some point. Her overall behavior reminded him of the students who openly shied away from groups, or even other people in general in more extreme cases. At the same time, however, she didn't hesitate as much as those other students when she had something to say nor did she shy away when addressed or spoken to. She was also very polite when she spoke, taking care not to offend or hurt anyone with her words. It was either she was once very shy, or something happened recently that made her close herself off to a degree.
Yukari seemed to be a generally upbeat person, cheerful and outgoing in a way that was similar to but noticeably very different from Yang. It almost didn't surprise him that they got along very well. At the same time, it didn't take long for him to realize that the brunette had a temper of her own. While nowhere near the sheer rage that his daughter was capable of, it still made him wonder what would happen if the two of them were to set each other off.
On the other end of the spectrum, Blake, Yang's partner, was a very reserved and quiet person. He'd almost thought she was just a shy girl at first, but she lacked the mannerisms and telltale signs of one. She conversed with her two more verbose friends just as much as they did with each other, just with less words and better control over her vocal intensity.
The fourth team member of each team was absent and, when questioned, they had explained to him that one had business to attend to before joining them a few days later. The other had declined the invitation completely. Now, far be it for him to judge the latter but he certainly hoped she wasn't the sort to look at the team as just another stepping stone on her way to being a Huntress. He didn't feel that she would go far with that sort of attitude.
Well… she just might, being a Schnee and all, but that sort of behavior tended to make a lot of enemies.
The girl named Mitsuru, however, intrigued him greatly. He didn't have the full story just yet, receiving only a promise of an explanation later, but for a girl her age – that she was a full two years older than Yang was yet another surprise he didn't have answers to – to have investments in Adamas, of all companies, came as a major surprise to him. He wasn't well-versed in such matters, but he'd heard that the Adamas Corporation was the only true financial rival of the Schnee Dust Company. And, viewed in that light, he didn't think that purchasing stock from them was cheap in any meaning of the word.
It's possible that she'd inherited the stock from her parents, or that she'd bought that stock with her inheritance, but meeting with one of the company's directors? Something told him there was more to it than being just a stockholder.
Still, both his daughters spoke highly of the absent leader of Team KYBT so he'd withhold any judgment until he met her face-to-face. For now…
"YANG!"
For now he had to make sure his daughter's now irate teammate didn't attempt to murder said daughter.
December 27, XX13
"NO! NO WAY IN HELL!"
"Aw, come on papa bear." Thantos allowed the grin on his face to grow wider, knowing exactly just how infuriating it was. "Don't tell me your afraid of a little girl, now are you?"
"LITTLE GIRL NOTHING!" The larger man all but spat in his face. All around them, Junior's many employees shrank back even further than they already were. Unlike them, Thantos grinned even further. "You know who the fuck this kid is!" the man pointed out sharply but not as loudly. "What makes you think I'll stick my neck out for you by getting involved in whatever harebrained scheme you're throwing my way?"
"'Coz you're a nice guy?" The deep, rumbling growl he received was more than sufficient to let him know what the information broker thought of that idea. "Alright, alright, calm down before you blow something."
His words did nothing to calm the seething man, but that was fine by him. Junior was a man who was much easier to read and manipulate when enraged. More importantly, the man had to know by now exactly who he was. He was an information broker, after all. There was no possibility of the man attacking him, even out of rage, now that he knew. And on the very slight chance that he didn't, Thantos wasn't someone he could beat. Hei Xiong was strong, but he was nowhere near the level of a Huntsman. Or a man of Thantos's caliber.
His anger was nothing more than a defensive mechanism he employed when things didn't go his way. Some people were cowed by it, others weren't. If the people who displeased him was one of the latter, then what happened next would vary. Thankfully, this time at least, Thantos was a patient mant.
"Now then," he raised his hand, holding up the black-colored folder he had brought with him. "Just to make things clear, we're not expecting you to do this out of the goodness of your heart. You'd probably run out long before you got this job a quarter of the way done."
Again, he ignored the man's growl as Junior tried to look menacing and intimidating by snatching the folder away. Tried, and failed, as Thantos angled the folder just right so that the larger man's hand only succeeded in slapping the object instead of grabbing it. He only looked all the more foolish when the red-haired man maintained his grip despite the force behind the blow.
The way Junior's eyes narrowed in suspicion and accusation told him that the man had caught on to his little trick. Off to the side, the twin girls he employed seems to have noticed as well. Again, that was fine. Out of nearly two dozen people in the club's spacious dance floor – spacious by virtue of it being daytime – only the three of them had noticed. Everyone else, however, had just seen the man make a fool of himself.
When Junior went for another go at grabbing the new object of his ire, Thantos let him take it. No need to anger the man more than he needed to. He may be able to fight him off, even if the twins decided to jump in, but that would just make the man more likely to decline the job that his current employer wanted the information broker to handle.
And what a job it was.
The person-of-interest of the moment was fairly unknown to most of the public, but was quite well-known to those with the right connections. The young niece of one of the kingdom's councilors. In fact, the girl in question was the councilor's sole living relative, whose death had been faked when her parents had been murdered. It was only by good fortune that she had survived the attempt, and only by quick thinking and action that her aunt had all evidence of her survival erased to ensure that the hired killer did not come back to finish the job.
Thantos had done a lot of jobs, both the legal and not-so-legal kinds, but this was definitely at the top of the list for most daring. But as much as he wanted to be the one to personally take on the job, it was not meant to be. A job like this took a shit-ton of guts and a fuck-ton of power in one form or another, preferably in all possible forms applicable, and he was sorely lacking in most of those.
His current boss, however, was much better equipped despite lacking in the one area that he had in spades.
Thantos's grin grew the more he watched Junior's eyes grow wide, the man clearly unable to believe just what it was he was reading. He nearly burst out laughing when Junior's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he was certain he knew which part he'd just read.
"ARE YOU IN-"
"No," he cut in calmly but sharply, his grin fading in intensity but growing just a hint more feral. "Oh, I get why you're so surprised. And I get why you're worried. But," he tilted his head forward, enough so that he could look over the top of his sunglasses and look Junior directly in the eyes. "Do your job right and nobody will ever know just who is responsible for this."
He came very close to howling with laughter when he saw the larger man shiver in fear. His reputation could be a double-edged sword most times, but in this case it made his job that much easier. Junior, for all his bluster, was a coward at heart. He wouldn't pick a losing fight, not while he was in control of himself and not while he had a way out. And Junior had to know that he had no chance of winning in a fight against him, even backed by every single person in the club.
He straightened back up, hands casually slipping into his suit jacket's pockets. "So…" he drawled out, his grin returning to his face. "What's it gonna be?"
Throwing a casual wave of his hand over his shoulder as he exited the restaurant, Thantos bid farewell to the owner of Olive Garden, Lucas Beruga, a faunus whose animal features the redhead couldn't spot. Idly, he remembered that this was the man to whom Julian had introduced that runaway cat faunus to in order to help her get a job.
Once he was far enough from the entrance and the large windows, the man frowned. It wasn't because of the cold winter breeze gently blowing through the streets. No, certainly not. Even if he weren't wearing his usual black suit, his Aura would protect him from anything but a slightly uncomfortable chill. Rather, his dour mood had to do with the establishment he had just left behind after retrieving a brown envelope from the owner.
While the contents of the brown envelope tucked under his left armpit contained very good news, the things he recalled about the establishment was quite the opposite.
The 'failed' kidnapping that had taken place about a month-and-a-half ago had reached his ears not long after it had occurred. It was both amusing and strange that the incident hadn't been reported to the police in its entirety, but the details he learned about the incident cleared up what little confusion there was.
Members of the White Fang had learned through an agent working at the restaurant that the Schnee heiress was present at the establishment on that day. He was impressed at how quickly they had managed to set things up and how smoothly the operation went.
Or, rather, he would have been impressed has they succeeded. Not only had they captured the wrong girl, due to said girl's quick thinking, but they had also lost the girl to four teams of Beacon trainees.
Now, others might state the numerical advantage as the reason for the White Fang's defeat, or the fact that many of their members weren't highly trained fighters.
He, however, would point out that numbers, especially such a small difference, was hardly enough to be the tipping point. The White Fang may not be made up of highly skilled combatants, but the leadership for the most part were no joking matter. Many former Huntsmen and Huntresses made up the ranks of the faunus-supremacy group and even a single Huntsman was easily capable of taking down multiple teams of trainees, especially first-years who have not even been at Beacon for half a year.
There was also the locale for the battle to consider. While he did not have the full details of the fight, he had seen the building for himself and knew for a fact that it had been fairly well-defended. Bullet holes and casings found on the rooftop showed that there had been lookouts. Similar evidence was found on two other levels inside, showing where the White Fang had set up chokepoints on the stairwell. One of the rooms inside also revealed a brief fight, which he and others had deduced was where the hostage was held, while the ground floor showed signs of a more prolonged battle than the other areas.
Whoever led the group was no fool. And that went for both sides of the conflict.
The White Fang's defensive plan was skillfully done, given their limited numbers, and they should have been able to hold off their opponents long enough for help to arrive. And help did arrive, if only to keep them from being taken in by the police, who had arrived after nearby civilians heard the gunfire and called it in.
Skillful and well-planned the defenses may have been, but it was clear that whoever led the four trainee teams was much better. It was either that or the four first-year teams were extremely skilled and experienced. Enough that they could overpower their opponents despite the defensive planning.
One or two, possibly, even highly likely. All fifteen? No, Thantos would be much more willing to bet that the successful recovery was due to planning rather than brute force.
And what an assault it was. The lack of blood showed that, Aura or no, nobody on either side had received any serious injuries. The lack of massive damage was evidence that none of the skirmishes had gotten out of control. And, most importantly, the significantly short timeframe between the kidnapping and the arrival of the police spoke of both masterful planning and an equally skilled execution of the plan.
He wasn't entirely sure why his boss wanted details of the incident, as well as a deeper investigation of the known elements involved, but he could safely say that he himself was intrigued. Not by the White Fang or the kidnapping, no, but rather the opposition.
Four teams of first year Beacon trainees, half of whom had not existed within the system prior to their arrival in Vale. Furthermore, half of that half were the leaders of their respective teams and one of them had been the victim of the kidnapping, though only after she had acted to keep the real target from being taken. That she had done so while gassed and near blind was still quite a feat given her relative age.
Though that was not to say that the other half of the group was unspectacular in any way.
Weiss Schnee, the Schnee Dust Company's heiress and the real target of the kidnapping attempt. A girl whom he had the pleasure of briefly meeting with not so long ago. He would have labeled her as the stereotypical rich girl, but the choice to become a Huntsman, at Beacon no less, told him that there was more to her than first impressions could convey. After all, if she was all but guaranteed to succeed her father, why would she need to walk one of the riskiest paths there was?
Yang Xiao Long, daughter of Raven Branwen, leader of the Branwen bandit tribe over in Mistral, and niece of Qrow Branwen, a rather infamous Huntsman, even and especially among the underworld. And were it not for his connections, Thantos wouldn't have even known about the girl's biological mother, believing instead that the late Summer Rose was also her mother.
Ruby Rose, half-sister to Yang Xiao Long, and one of the two youngest students currently attending Beacon after receiving a personal invitation by Headmaster Ozpin himself following her brief fight with Roman Torchwick, a tale in itself that he would have to look into in his spare time.
Blake Belladonna, daughter of Ghira Belladonna, current Chieftain of Menagerie and former High Leader of the White Fang. She was also the girl that his boss had, for still unknown reasons, told him to find and ensure was cared for a few days before the kidnapping incident. That he had later been given the address of her location at that time as well as an excuse to check said location was both curious and intriguing.
Pyrrha Nikos, quite possibly the most famous girl of her generation. The Invincible Girl, the four-time Champion of Mistral Regional Tournament, hailed as a prodigy among prodigies. He would be more surprised to meet someone who did not know of her, even if only by name or appearance.
Jaune Arc, one of eight children, and the only male child, of Aurelian and Sephiria Arc. Descended from Jacques Arc, a famous war hero who, himself, was descended from a famous line of warriors. Interestingly enough, the boy had forged his transcripts to get into Beacon and his real transcripts made Thantos wonder what such a boy was thinking by enrolling in the premier Huntsman Academy. More interesting was the fact that he had gotten into the school as a student and had yet to drop out for any reason.
Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, a pair of orphaned children who migrated from Mistral. Neither were as exceptional as the others, reputation-wise, but he had the distinct feeling that the two of them would one day be just as important and exceptional as the others they associated with, even if only by association, which he doubted. Though he did wonder why they went through all the trouble of traveling to Vale to study at Beacon rather than Haven.
On their own, each of the sixteen would be a person-of-interest for one reason or another, no matter how small. All of them together? He had to resist bursting out in laughter right there in the middle of the sidewalk surrounded by about a dozen other people. He'd sooner head to the wilderness of Vacuo to hunt down every single Grimm he could find with nothing more than one of those wooden ice cream spoons before he ever thought that those children were ordinary in any way.
No, whatever her reason for keeping an eye on them, his boss was right to do so. Was she keeping watch on them because she knew that they would one day be on opposite sides of the line? Or was she thinking of pulling them in? After all, she did go out of her way to ensure that the Belladonna girl would be cared for after she had ran away for some reason.
Well, whatever the reason, he certainly hoped she didn't keep him out of the loop too much. It was rare that he found such interesting people these days.
December 28, XX13
"Something is very wrong here."
Sephiria Arc only nodded in response to her eldest daughter's words, ice blue eyes never straying from the spectacle before them. It was as Scarlett had said, there was something deeply wrong with what they were seeing.
It had all started the night before when Gwen proposed testing Jaune, to see how far he had come in the two months since they had allowed him to continue his studies at Beacon. While not particularly enthusiastic, her only brother agreed.
The result was exactly as Scarlett had expected but, at the same time, not. Jaune had failed to land a single blow against Gwen despite the latter using a training sword. The Amazonian woman had done so in order to allow their brother the use of the instincts he had gained while he was training to fight Scarlett, thus hopefully making the battle less one-sided. Although he had failed to strike his older sister, Scarlett had to admit that his form had significantly improved and he had reacted better than expected to Gwen's unarmed attacks, thrown into the mix specifically to test whether he had moved past simply relying on experience.
After three separate fights, all leading to the same conclusion, Gwen then offered to test Junpei and Chidori's skills as well. The pair accepted, but the Arc matriarch had reminded them of the late hour and proposed that the testing be done in the morning.
No one had any complaints, though Jaune mentioned he would probably be too sore to wake up early enough to spectate. Morning came and, surprisingly, Junpei and Chidori had beaten them to the training field not far from their home, already in the middle of a quick warm-up routine when they arrived. And despite the fact that it was nearing the middle of winter, neither teen was dressed heavily.
Then again, Domremy was located in the southern part of the continent. While the winter chill still hit them, the town was fortunate enough that it had been founded in an area where winters were quite mild. Only a small portion of the town's crops were unable to withstand the chill, but those were carefully planned so as not to waste them by planting them at the wrong time. As it stood, those particular crops had been harvested shortly before the turn of the seasons.
And, much like the two teens, none of the Arc women wore anything heavier than a thin jacket or sweater. It wasn't an absolute necessity, seeing as Aura warded off the worst of the cold, but that didn't mean they enjoyed feeling the chill wind blowing against their skin or through thin clothing.
Soon enough, Gwen stepped up to fight after a brief warm-up of her own.
Admittedly, even Scarlett was curious as to how that fight would go. She and her siblings had been filled with an almost unbearable curiosity ever since Jaune had told them that his two teammates were part of a group of eight who possessed a Semblance but no Aura. That they were skilled enough to pass Beacon's initiation exam and had four of their own designated by the Headmaster as their teams' respective leaders only fueled their curiosity.
Reality, however, was as cruel as ever.
"This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever."
This time, her mother didn't bother to respond. Both of them knew that Scarlett would understand the meaning behind her silence.
Despite fighting two-on-one, and despite Gwen holding back more than she did against Jaune due to the pair's lack of Aura, the fight had been much more one-sided than any of them had expected. It surprised Scarlett that even her mother was shocked by the outcome, evidenced by how still she had gone not long after the fight began.
Failing to land a hit was somewhat expected. Gwen was far more experienced than the pair, after all. They had, however, expected them to at least come close. As it was, the second Arc daughter didn't even need to fight as hard as she had been against Jaune.
Receiving no hits in return? That was less surprising but still within the realm of their expectations. The pair lacked Aura, a fact they would be foolish to not be aware of. As such, it was to be expected that their defensive skills were much more developed than the average trainee. But even so, experienced eyes could easily discern the inadequacies that the pair possessed.
Not utilizing their Semblance? Now that was quite possibly the most intriguing issue of the whole fight, barring their surprisingly poor performance.
Jaune had mentioned that their Semblance was so outrageously powerful and useful that it more than made up for their lack of Aura. It was why it had become such a topic of interest between Gwen, Sable, and herself. Even her parents, on occasion, would wonder what sort of Semblance could make up for such a massive disadvantage that the lack of Aura created.
So why? Why did the two not utilize this mysterious Semblance of theirs? Were they of the mind that one's Semblance was far too personal to reveal? No, that couldn't be it. She had heard it from Jaune himself. The group of eight weren't followers that particular belief, but they did take advantage of it to prevent any unwanted questions.
Were she and her family considered to be strangers or mere acquaintances then? Close enough to be familiar with due to their shared connection to Jaune, but estranged enough to not be trusted to be shown their Semblances?
No, that didn't feel right. Chidori, perhaps, but Junpei was incredibly open with his feelings and opinions. Had he not wanted to show it, he would have undoubtedly said so. Yet when Gwen had taunted him earlier, goading him into using his Semblance, he had just grinned and stated that she was 'a thousand years too young to face his full power'.
She and Gwen, and no doubt their mother, thought that perhaps he would stop holding back and fight harder. Fight harder he did, but not by much. He was more cunning than expected, she would give him that much, but against Gwen's experience nothing he had shown was notably spectacular.
By this point, her muscular sister was merely drawing out the fight, pushing them in an effort to draw out their Semblances. But, as it turned out, Junpei and Chidori were far more stubborn than expected, sticking solely to their weapons and wits despite their obvious disadvantage.
"Alright, that's enough" Gwen declared with a weary sigh, lowering her fists and relaxing her stance. "Look, if you're not gonna take this seriously then there's no point in doing this."
On the other side, Junpei sighed, his face twisting into an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he began, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "I know you wanted to see my Semblance but…"
The hesitance and indecision was clear on his face, but Scarlett didn't know what to make of it.
"Does it have to do with why you and your friends were essentially non-existent prior to your arrival in Vale?" All eyes turned to the Arc matriarch at her words, all but Chidori's wide open in surprise. Seeing their shock, Sephiria dipped her head slightly to the side. "Surely you expected that someone, at some point in time, would take an interest in you and your friends after learning that you possess Semblance yet possess no Aura."
"Well…" Judging by the sheepish expression on his face, he hadn't. Or at least… "Didn't think it'd happen this quickly. Always thought it'd take longer before people went poking around."
"You underestimate how much of an impact you've made with your actions," the older woman replied. "Even only counting your interactions with our family, you've done more than enough to catch our attention. Few your age would willingly defend my son given his situation, fewer still would boldly do so while face-to-face with our entire family. And there are even less who would come up with such an audacious plan to help their friends, utilizing an advanced yet questionable training method."
And now the poor boy looked embarrassed, much to Scarlett's amusement. That, however, didn't distract her from what her mother had revealed about the teen and his friends. What could it have meant?
Yet, despite revealing her knowledge of this, Junpei still looked hesitant to explain. He glanced at Chidori now and again, but the redhead's lack of response meant that she either did not want to help or had no answer to give.
"If it is something you cannot speak of without consulting your friends then it is fine." Sephiria must have picked up on something she did not for her to say that, making Scarlett feel awe once more for her mother's many talents. "Speak with them first if you must."
Sephiria turned back towards the Arc family home but paused right after taking a single step. "And while I do not require you to divulge any secrets, I would certainly appreciate it if you were more forthcoming with us. My son trusts you and you have given no indication that you are not worthy of that trust, or ours."
Even as her mother walked away, Scarlett couldn't help but feel that there was more she wanted to say on the matter. And, judging by Gwen's narrowed eyes and thoughtful expression as she followed their mother's departing figure with her eyes, her younger sibling felt the same way.
Junpei, on the other hand, looked troubled.
It made sense, she supposed, as she considered her mother's departing words. Scarlett knew that her mother did not mean it as an accusation of his failure to reciprocate Jaune's trust, and his family's by extension, but it was clear that the young man took it that way. And now, she supposed, he was conflicted. At the very least, he would be able to contact his friends and speak with them rather than possibly divulging their group's secrets behind their back.
Whatever decision was made, Scarlett was certain of one thing. There was far more going on with their group that she had first thought and she was going to find out one way or another, regardless of what anyone said. And, if anything she discovered were a threat to her brother or her family, then, mysterious Semblance or no, she would show them just why it was a bad idea to cross a member of the Arc family.
"How was the trip?"
"It was mostly a business trip for Mitsuru though, with a bit of sightseeing at the end of the day. Aigis and I were just along the ride for the most part. Still, it was interesting, to say the least."
"Anything in particular catch your attention?"
Ruadh could tell a lie of omission when he saw, or heard, one, but didn't bother calling out the silver-haired teen on it. What he and his friends did outside of school-related matters was none of his business. In fact, the only reason he had even approached Akihiko Sanada for a conversation on the airship ride back to Beacon was because he was curious at what the boy thought about Weilai.
Vale, Atlas, Mistral, and Vacuo. The four kingdoms of Remnant. Each one so vastly different from the other that it was almost like stepping into a completely different world. Then again, coming from where he and his friends did, it probably wasn't as much of a culture shock for him.
"The temple, for one thing." Well, he certainly didn't expect that. "The architecture of the city itself too, and that old religion of theirs."
Now that one he never would have expected. "The one about those four animals?"
The teen chuckled. "If you'd called them that in front of the wrong person back home you might have gotten a lecture."
And, yet again, he didn't expect to be on the other end of what amounted to a lecture, even if it was lacking in specific details. Still, the possibility that some of his countrymen had actually made their way into Anima was indeed very interesting. And considering how old the now defunct religion was, it was understandable why they probably didn't have the means to find their way back to Japan.
Ruadh Giollah was no historian like Bartholomew Oobleck, but he was a man who valued knowledge even if he didn't actively seek it out. When it came, however, he would take all he could. So knowledge from an unknown, foreign land? Even if it was literally off the map? He may never be able to use it, but that wasn't why he wanted it. His motivations were far more benign in nature.
It didn't hurt that he actually liked the teen. And his friends too.
Unlike many of the students in the school, some of the fourth-year students included, the young man was focused and driven in a way that he rarely saw. Akihiko Sanada knew what he wanted, knew how to get what he wanted, and did everything he could to get it. And the only rules he played by were those that he allowed himself to follow.
It might sound bad to an outside observer, but Ruadh had seen that the teen had a solid set of morals that he stuck to. He wasn't above the use of violence, but he didn't use it thoughtlessly. He had a sharp mind with a straight-forward personality, and his heart was in the right place even if it was far from his sleeves.
The latter was very obvious when one paid attention to his interactions with his teammate and friend, Ken Amada. It was as though he had taken it upon himself to be the boy's guardian despite the relatively small difference in age. There was a story behind his actions, that much was clear, but he wasn't about to pry. That he was willing to care for the boy was enough for him.
Perhaps it had to do with his age – being two years older than the other first years – or his experiences – having essentially been volunteer Huntsmen despite being students – but he was much more mature than a large majority of the students at Beacon. More importantly, he had far more knowledge and understanding of what it meant to be a Huntsman. It brought to mind a conversation he had with Ozpin a few years after he began his tenure as a teacher.
He had wanted a more difficult initiation exam, and a more comprehensive one that tested more than just their combat ability. Far too many students and recently licensed Huntsmen and Huntresses died because they were lacking in some manner. Something that few schools bothered with. Something that the group called SEES had in spades.
Conviction.
It was one thing to say that they wanted to be Huntsmen. It was another to say that they would live up to what it meant to be a Huntsman. It was yet another thing to say that they would stand and fight 'til their last, possibly dying, breath.
Yet, out in the real world where only the Huntsman stands between the Grimm and the people they were sworn to protect, none of those words meant anything. Words were worthless. But actions, on the other hand...
Few could honestly say that they would die for the cause they believed in. And, in Ruadh's eyes, among those few were the young men and women of SEES.
They had willingly fought against certain death, standing against a foe they knew beforehand they had no chance of defeating. And, after the miracle that preserved their lives at the cost of one of their own, they continued on their path, undeterred. Unafraid.
It was the sort of story told to children at night. The sort of story that birthed hope rather than despair. A story of great warriors. Of legends and heroes.
Yet it was also the sort of tale that would never be told. A tale of great failure and tragedy that only served to remind people of the encroaching darkness.
These eight children had lived through the tale and had come out stronger for it. Even if their physical strength was lacking, their spirit was certainly far from lacking.
Part of him didn't want to send them out again. Their lack of Aura was still a serious issue regardless of the potent and versatile power of their Personas. But it wasn't up to him.
Whether or not they continued down this path was their decision, and theirs alone. However, as long as they remained determined to walk this path, then he would do his utmost to prepare them for the difficulties that lie ahead.
After all, that was his reason for joining Beacon's staff in the first place.
"So what'd you think dad?"
Taiyang Xiao Long groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, shaking the few remaining stars from his vision from when his head collided with the ground and brushing the dirt and snow off his clothing. Aura or not, blows to the head were a pain to deal with for one reason or another. "What do I think?" he parroted back, his elder daughter's beaming smile growing in anticipation. "I think I shouldn't have held back as much as I did."
And, in his honest opinion, he really shouldn't have. Yang had tried to play things off but it did little to hide the fact that she was scheming something. Ruby had tried to warn him and Blake had her own attempt interrupted by her blonde partner, but he thought that he would be able to handle whatever it was his daughter had up her sleeve. But, as they say, hindsight is 20/20.
"Sure you aren't just getting old?"
He was sorely tempted to do something to wipe that grin off his daughter's face, but someone came up to him before he could decide either way. "Are you alright?"
He withheld a sigh at that, trying to bury the embarrassment he felt at having someone his daughter's age worry about his wellbeing. His daughter was one thing, but her friend? Someone who was a recent acquaintance? That was another. To make things worse, the young woman before him was pretty much responsible for his current state. "I'm fine, Aigis. It'll take more than that to put me down," he responded with a brief laugh. "Just wasn't expecting someone as young as you to be that skilled."
Rather than the banter he was used to receiving from his daughter, the blonde young woman before him shook his head. "You are far more skilled than we are," was her response, no hint of insincerity in her humble tone that he could detect. "It was only because we caught you by surprise that the fight ended in this manner."
He shook his head in resignation. Despite only having known her for a handful of days, he already knew that it was difficult to dissuade her once she was this certain of something. Such as the idea that it was rude to refer to him only by his given name. Their culture was different, true, but it made him feel older than his actual age to be referred to as 'Mr. Xiao Long' or 'sir' outside of a professional setting.
Still, there was as much truth in her words just as there was too much humility. Though the fight had been three against one, Aigis aided by Yukari and the recently arrived Mitsuru, it was the exceptionally skilled blonde who had made their victory possible. Even so, it was clear that they had only managed to knock him down due to their exceptional teamwork.
Yukari had done well in assisting from afar. While he had no difficulty dodging or blocking her arrows, her timing and shot placement was always on target, disrupting his rhythm while simultaneously herding him in the direction of their choosing.
Aigis was an almost literal whirlwind of blades with combat instincts that rivaled even Huntsmen that were far more experienced than himself. He had absolutely no idea how a girl her age fought so well or had instincts so finely honed – she had managed to dodge a near point-blank punch to the back of the head while still managing to land a solid counterattack for Dust's sake! – but he pitied whatever fool stood in her way. Though he had been holding back a great deal, she had still put up an impressive fight, matching him blow for blow, never once receiving a single one while landing a few of her own.
And then there was Mitsuru Kirijo.
She had departed from Weilai early in the morning and, due to the time difference, had arrived not too long before lunch. He had gotten to know her a bit in those few hours between then and now, and he could safely say that he was impressed and, if he were being honest, slightly awed by the nineteen-year-old.
She was mature for her age, certainly much more than his own daughter. Then again, all four of the Japanese teens were to some degree. She just took it another step further. Despite having inherited quite a large fortune, she was not content to rely solely on that and had already begun to lay the foundation for future plans. What those plans were, however, were left unsaid. Apparently, even her friends were unaware of it. Even so, it said much about her character.
She was also intelligent. Incredibly so. And he wasn't just talking about book smarts, though she did seem to have that in spades as well. As proven by the fight just now, she was a highly skilled strategist. He had watched as the trio conversed prior to the fight, and she had done most of the talking. If she wasn't responsible for the overall plan that knocked him flat on his back then he'd eat his boots, dirt and all.
She was also a skilled fencer, even if her overall level was below average for a first-year trainee. Still, she knew just when to strike and when to pull back, aiding Yukari in harassing and herding him with precise thrusts in the openings created by Aigis and Yukari. The other two would, in turn, take advantage of what openings she had created.
The final blow, as it were, was when Aigis revealed that she had been holding back the entire time. The sudden burst of speed and power had shocked him so badly that he was barely able to defend himself from the ensuing onslaught of blades. Then, before he could recover and stop holding back himself, Yukari and Mitsuru reminded him of their presence, striking him from both sides. Suitably distracted, Aigis struck without mercy, landing a heavy kick that knocked him away and onto his back.
While hardly out of the fight, he decided to concede the match to the trio. Holding back or not, they had bested him in that match and he was humble and man enough to admit it. Not to say that his pride hadn't taken just as much of a beating or that he'd take his daughter's teasing lying down, but he wouldn't deny that he'd lost the match.
He congratulated the trio on their win, trying his best to get through to Aigis that they had earned that victory. All the while he bantered with Yang and Ruby, enjoying the time spent with his family and getting to know their new teammates and friends better.
There was something about them that bothered him, a tiny little detail that he couldn't put his finger on, but for the most part they seemed to be good kids. And if they passed on some of that maturity and ability to his two daughters, well… he certainly wouldn't complain.
"So, how much do you think he'll tell us?"
"Why don't we just ask Jaune?"
A shrug. "He didn't tell me anything either."
"Not even a hint?"
"Just that Mitsuru replied to his message earlier but nothing else."
The three eldest children of the family, with Sable having returned earlier that afternoon from her most recent mission, continued their impromptu interrogation of the sole son of the family. Next to them, Hazel merely spectated but her eyes betrayed her curiosity. Arianna had chosen to retire for the night. Though curious, she had little interest in martial matters and opted to hear about it in the morning, likely at the breakfast table if not afterwards. The twins had yet to return from their mission while her husband would return from his own the next morning.
Meanwhile, Sephiria's eyes never left the backdoor of her family's home, watching for any sign of their houseguest.
Unlike her children, it did not really matter to her what, if anything, the young man named Junpei Iori revealed to them tonight. Her prevailing character trait, her taciturn nature, should have been enough for others to understand what sort of woman she was, what things she valued.
Actions, as they say, speak louder than words.
And Junpei Iori's actions on the day they met have more than shown her what manner of person he was. And it was because of what she saw that day that she would not turn him away even should he forever remain silent about his and his friends' secrets.
Junpei Iori was strong. Stronger than most children his age. Stronger, even, than her own children had been at that age. Not in the physical sense, if the fight earlier that day was any indication, but in a way that transcended physical strength.
Scarlett excelled in near everything she put her heart and mind to. Gwendolyn was less talented at combat, but made up for it with an innate understanding of strength and how to achieve it. Sable was nigh unmatched in the intellectual realm, so much so that she had no difficulty finding ways to overcome even physically challenging obstacles. And Melanie and Viola were a team unto themselves, overcoming any and all obstacles through unmatched teamwork and sheer cunning.
And yet, as she watched her precious children grow over the years and decades, she had come to realize that it was those same prodigious talents and intellects that led to their shortcomings.
Scarlett, who never failed when it counted the most, has never known, and has yet to know, true failure. Gwendolyn, who trained in every possible manner to overcome any possible obstacle, and Sable, who overcame everything with her intellect, have never encountered an obstacle that could not be defeated by any magnitude of strength or intelligence. Melanie and Viola, who were always together and sought to undermine rather than to confront directly, have never been truly alone against a foe they could not escape.
Junpei Iori was their opposite in nearly every way.
His physical strength was severely lacking for his chosen profession. His style of combat was unrefined and suitable only for fighting the youngest of Grimm, yet still with great risk. His intelligence, if the school records she obtained from Beacon could be believed, not that she had no reason not to, was subpar. And while cunning enough to devise the plan that aided her son in remaining at Beacon, it had not been properly vetted nor had he prepared any contingencies for failure.
And yet, gazing into his eyes as they spoke on that day, she saw those qualities that her children lacked as trainees and, in some ways, even to this day.
Junpei Iori was a young man who has experienced terrible failure. And yet he executes a half-baked plan against people superior to him in many ways with no fear of failure.
Junpei Iori was a young man who has seen death, perhaps even come close to it. And yet he walks towards a future where survival to old age was almost but a dream without fear of death.
Junpei Iori was physically and intellectually lacking, so much so that death was all but certain were he to remain on the path of a Huntsman. And yet he stood tall, aware of his shortcomings, aware of his own weaknesses, yet never faltering as he pushed onwards.
One of the past kings of the Kingdom of Vale once said, "Strength of body, strength of mind, and strength of heart. A hero is one who possesses all."
Sephiria did not necessarily agree with the old king but, on that day, she realized one thing for certain. Though he was clearly lacking in strength of body and in strength of mind, Junpei Iori's strength of heart was more than a match for any Huntsman. For any hero.
Then, as though summoned by her thoughts, the backdoor to their home opened and out stepped the two people they had been expecting. They were dressed as they had been earlier that day. Chidori wore that same white dress that she always seemed to wear while Junpei wore a simple white shirt and black jeans, a partially zipped up leather jacket with brown faux fur lining around the collar, and the ever-present cap on his head.
Their approach silenced her children's speculations. Even from a fair distance in the dark, with only the distant light from the porch and the broken moon, she could see that he was not lacking in resolve.
Whatever else he may be, Junpei Iori was a young man who would unrelentingly walk his own path, come what may.
"Heh, took you long enough," quipped Gwendolyn, her usual manner of resorting to humor in tense situations shining through. Sephiria had hoped she had completely broken that habit, but at least she no longer did so in a serious fight and that was good enough for now. "I was starting to think that you might have jumped out the window on the opposite side so you could run away."
"What?" came the whiny response. "Come on, give me a little credit here." Jaune's team leader and friend paused, then grinned and shrugged. "I would have at least walked out the front door."
"Cute."
She didn't interfere, nor did she attempt to hasten the coming conversation. And with a discreet glance, she made sure that her eldest daughter knew not to do so either. For all her accomplishments, Scarlett was not the most patient of her children. She had enough of it but, in cases involving her family, it tended to not last even half as long.
"Junpei-kun."
His name had been spoken softly by his significant other, her tone as monotonous as it often was. Yet he understood her in a way that she and her children failed to, all levity draining from him in an instant as he let out a long, heavy sigh. "Yeah, I know."
She felt a little amusement, not that she showed it. While Chidori possessed patience that Scarlett lacked, she was clearly one who preferred not to tarry or waste time unnecessarily. Or, at least, not with something as serious as this.
He looked to the group assembled before him. From Hazel, to Sable, to Gwendolyn, to Scarlett, then, finally, to her. It did not escape her notice that he barely glanced at his friend. "Anyway," he began, looking quite nervous despite the lack of hesitance in his tone. "Sorry about calling you all out like this so late. I was thinkin' I'd try to tell you all earlier but… I kinda lost my nerve for a bit. Then I thought it'd be easier if we did it out here."
"It's of no consequence," she responded calmly, cutting in ahead of the others lest one of them, most likely Scarlett, tried to rush him. "As I said this morning, you need not reveal any secrets you wish to keep. As such, if you were to do so, then do so at your own pace."
A small, appreciative smile graced his lips at her words. "Thanks." He paused, gazing into her eyes for a moment and she wondered what it was he was thinking of. "Jaune told me that you weren't actually trying to guilt trip me or anything this morning."
Her lips parted slightly, prepared to further reassure him of those words, when he continued with barely a pause. "But what you said really got to me." Again, she prepared to disabuse him of the notion that she had attempted to manipulate him emotionally. Again, he interrupted her, this time with a shake of his head. "Not just this morning, but back at Beacon when we had that little talk in the hospital. 'Specially the last thing you told me before leaving the room."
She recalled that conversation with near perfect clarity, remembering the words she spoke to him after he had given her his answer to her question. And, more importantly, the parting words she gave him before leaving to return to her son's side.
"I leave him to you."
"I'm no leader, pretty sure you've all heard me say that once or twice, but hearing you tell me that really made me think about things." This time, she made no motion to speak, already having an idea of where the conversation was headed. "Never really thought about it until then, but I've got people counting on me now. Just like how we count on Mitsuru-senpai, or Minato back before everything went to hell."
She could see, out of the corner of her eye, the evaluating gazes of her older daughters, and the confused look on her two youngest children's faces.
"Feels pretty weird to be counted on like this, 'specially since Pyrrha's pretty much better than me at everything," he went on, not noticing how everyone was regarding him given his unfocused eyes and faraway gaze. "It's actually pretty scary. And there I was wanting to be the leader back when I joined SEES." A bittersweet chuckle, and an equally bittersweet smile, graced his lips as his thoughts went back to a memory of the past. "Man, I feel pretty stupid wanting all that. I don't think I'll ever be half the leader Minato was even if I went back in time."
"I'm actually a hell lot more scared now that I get what you were telling me back then." His eyes returned to the present, steel gray eyes meeting her own ice blue ones. And in his gaze, she could see a hint of the burden he now carried. "It's not just my team counting on me now. In a way, you guys are too," his eyes panned out to the others as he spoke. "You're pretty much counting on me to make sure Jaune's alright, especially when they send us out on missions and stuff. Ozpin and the teachers too, probably. Pretty sure Pyrrha's family aren't as worried about her."
There were a few grins and chuckles at that, and even Sephiria found herself agreeing to a small extent, though she was certain they worried more than he thought, champion or no.
"So I uh…" he stumbled over his words, one hand rising to rub the back of his neck, eyes glancing around as though looking for something that could help. "Guess what I'm trying to say is that I uh… thought about it earlier. Could be wrong about why you wanted to see it, but… if it makes it easier for you to relax, I'll show you guys my Semblance."
"Junpei." Surprisingly, the first to speak was Gwendolyn, rather than Scarlett. And surprisingly, again, her brow was furrowed and her eyes narrowed in disapproval. "Not to say that I don't care for his safety, but I didn't want to see your Semblance just because I wanted to know if I could trust you to keep him safe. My reasons for wanting to see it was simple curiosity, nothing more."
Scarlett let out a sharp huff, indicating that she was ready to speak her mind. "While I agree with the first part of Gwen's statement, my reasons for wanting to see your Semblance are a bit more selfish I'm afraid. I'll say no more than that until I've resolved things for myself."
Realizing that that was all they would get out of her, everyone else glanced at one another as though waiting to see who would speak next. Seeing that nobody else would, she decided to say her piece. "As my son has already told you, my earlier words were not spoken in order to manipulate you into revealing anything. My curiosity, like Gwendolyn's, is simply that. No more, no less"
Whether it was her words, or the fact that nobody had increased the already significant burden on his shoulders by repeatedly entrusting Jaune's life and safety to him, Junpei let out a long sigh of relief, body sagging slightly as the tension left him. "Man, you telling me I got worked up for nothing?" he asked jokingly.
Gwendolyn huffed in amusement. "Seems like it."
"Well," continued Junpei, one hand reaching into the pocket of his jacket. "Guess there's nothing left to do but to do this."
Sephiria had been expecting many things when he had reached into his pocket. No doubt her children, save perhaps Jaune, did as well. What he retrieved, however, was not something she had considered.
"A… gun?"
She wasn't sure who had spoken, perhaps it had even been herself, but there was no questioning what they were seeing. And now that she thought about it, Sephiria realized that she had seen that gun before. Junpei had been carrying it in a holster back when they first met. Chidori had been carrying one as well. And their six other friends carried the same gun just like they did.
There was some significance there, that much was obvious. But what did the gun have to do with, if her theory was right, his Semblance?
"Heh, it's not actually a real gun." He spun the pistol around and offered it grip first to her, given that she was the only one who was close enough to receive it. As she took it from his hands, Junpei continued to speak. "We're… we're different."
"Different?" parroted Hazel, stepping closer to her mother as she looked over the pistol from all angles. As the prodigious marksman of the family, she had a greater interest in firearms compared to her other siblings. One that had come from another land, even a simple pistol, was no doubt of great interest to her.
The buzz-cut teen nodded. "We don't have Aura like everyone else here. We've got a Semblance, but it's pretty different too." His face scrunched up in thought, but then he just shook his head in what seemed like resignation and let out a breath of frustration. "Ah damn, I'm really no good at this. I think it'll be easier if I show you first."
After a quick but thorough inspection, Sephiria replaced the pistol in Junpei's waiting hands, wondering, much like her children no doubt, what he would do with it.
He raised his hand with the pistol but then abruptly paused before it rose higher than chest level. "Just uh… don't freak out, alright?"
There were some curious looks all around at those words, but they nodded all the same. Sephiria did wonder, however, just what one could do with a false gun? Her children watched with bated breath, even Jaune for some reason. He had been oddly quiet, now that she thought about it.
She chanced a glance out of the corner of her eyes, and found her son with a look of apprehension on his face. What caught her attention, however, was the fact that his eyes weren't on his friend. Rather, they were carefully trained on his sisters. And, she noted when he turned away all of a sudden, herself as well.
Why? What could cause him to worry for them? Or, a more paranoid part of her mind began to think, was he perhaps worried of them? Was there something about Junpei Iori's Semblance that could cause them to react negatively?
The arm and the gun resumed their ascent and Sephiria prepared herself to intervene if necessary. But the barrel of the gun never once made its way to aim at any of her children. By now it was aimed above their heads and still it continued to rise until it was pointing straight up towards the sky. Then, to her shock and horror, the point lowered, circling around until the barrel rested pointblank against Junpei Iori's temple.
A sharp breath of air left her lungs. The voices of her daughters letting out exclamations of shock were muted by her own. Her perception of time seemed to slow, not that it did any good. The barrel was already pressed up against the side of his head, and the tension in his arm suggested that he was preparing to pull the trigger. Even this close, barely even two meters away from him, neither she nor her daughters would be able to save him from himself.
'…Save him?'
No, there was no need, was there? The fact that neither Jaune nor Chidori were worried for the wellbeing of their friend was proof enough. The gun was a fake one after all. She had personally inspected it. There was no magazine to feed bullets into the chamber and, despite what common sense often dictated, a brief glance down the barrel, her fingers nowhere near the trigger, Aura or no, revealed no bullet nesting within waiting to be fired.
So then, what was this feeling of dread boiling forth from the pit of her stomach? How was it that she and her daughters, skilled and experienced Huntresses and veterans of their trade, were brought low into a panic by the mere sight of a young man holding a false gun to his head?
No answers came to her in that split second. And the young man before her only gave them all a cocky grin before his finger pulled the trigger.
The explosive burst of a gun going of rang through her ears, a familiar sound but most certainly not a comforting one. A scream came almost simultaneously, her mind supplying a name, 'Hazel', to go with the pitch of the voice and the direction of the source.
And then, for the first time in nearly three decades, Sephiria Arc was rendered completely dumbstruck and absolutely speechless.
December 29, XX13
The City of Vale, in his honest opinion, was just like any other town or city. Nothing more than a repository of fat wallets and purses waiting to be emptied. Case in point…
"Wash wer yer gng!"
His hands came up from his sides, back turned to the grumbling, departing drunk, as he opened and perused his newly acquired prize. Pickpocketing was an act he had long since perfected and outgrown, but old habits die hard. Seeing nobody in the immediate area, he dropped the wallet on the sidewalk, significantly lighter than it had been prior to being lost by its proper owner.
It was all just too easy at this point. Roman Torchwick was a name that was, at this point, practically synonymous with words like 'thief', 'stolen', and other such similar words. And, not to brag, but he was a famous thief, or infamous depending on one's perspective. One might question why he was walking down the street in broad daylight if he really was that well-known.
The answer was very simple. This early in the day, when the sun would barely peek over the horizon were the buildings not in the way, in the seedier parts of the city, the only people he would run into were those like his latest victim, or those like him. And the few who weren't wouldn't really make much of a difference.
Oh, they might try and call the police to report having seen him, or even try to take him in themselves if they fancy themselves skilled or bold enough, but there were many reasons why he was still a free man despite his endlessly long list of crimes. He may be a thief, one who much preferred not to have to engage in direct conflict, but before that he was a survivor.
A partial lie to the man seeking information. A little sleight of hand while playing a game. An ever so slightly inaccurate count while handing off the day's earning. Handing over 'all' the missing cash if he was caught pinching some of those same earnings. Nothing but petty little parlor tricks he used in his youth, back before he became the man he was now. Back when he was nothing but yet another street urchin struggling against the world itself.
Simple and petty though they may have been, they were his tools nonetheless. His weapons against the unjust world. And even when they weren't enough, he always made sure to have many other tricks up his sleeves.
A quiet word to the right rival. An anonymous tip to the police. A conveniently placed piece of 'evidence' at just the right time and place. A few lien casually, or accidentally, dropped in the right hands. Or, were he left with little other choice, a special 'flavoring' added to one's evening meal or a concealed weapon in hand in the dead of the night.
Admittedly, the last two were his absolute last resorts back then and even to this day. Options with such permanent consequences tended to draw much more attention than he was comfortable with. It's why he stuck to being 'just' a thief despite being capable of so much more.
The police didn't really care much about the average civilian losing a few hundred or thousand lien while walking down the street. Not unless, of course, he was caught in the act at which point they would no doubt chase after him. Then again, he hadn't been caught doing that for many years now.
Bigger jobs like robbing a jewelry store or a bank drew much more attention but, again, the police never spent too long looking for him. The crime rate in Vale isn't the highest, but neither is it low enough to ignore. If he timed his heists right, the police would be far too busy with other things to worry about him. Such as, say, heightening security for a visiting councilmember or some other VIP, or investigating a much bigger and high profile case, perhaps assault, arson or a murder, caused by some other underground denizen. By the time they were ready to go over the crime scene he had left behind, he and his gains would already be safely hidden away.
Breaking and entering had similar issues and solutions, though he preferred to do so when the occupants would be away for a fair amount of time like, say, a well-deserved vacation or a call from the 'hospital' regarding a family member who was conveniently unable to answer their own Scroll, having 'lost' it somewhere, or were somewhere far from the CCT or their smaller, localized, counterparts.
He was far from being able to claim the title of 'greatest thief', whether in the city, the kingdom, or the world, but he could easily claim to be the one with the longest ongoing career. Sadly, he couldn't claim to have never been caught, but his contingencies had allowed him to escape barely a day after being caught and that was all that mattered to him.
Forest green eyes scanned the surroundings as he approached a narrow alley, one that looked just like any other gap between two buildings. Despite the early hour, it always paid to be cautious when returning to a safe house, especially when one was as well-known as he was. He would have moved on from the city by now, like he usually did when he gained too much infamy and recognition whatever city he had chosen as his hunting grounds, but certain… obligations made it currently impossible to do so.
Still, come what may he would do what he did best. Lie, steal, cheat, and surv…
His feet froze mid-step just before he completely entered the alleyway towards his destination. His visible eyebrow rose up slowly as he leaned back out tried to comprehend the sight before him. "Hello, what have we here?" he muttered to himself with amusement, a grin slowly easing its way onto his face.
Not too far away, two children had just stepped around the corner of the intersection and began making their way towards him. Now, two children out and about at this time was certainly a reason to be intrigued. That one of those two children was someone he knew quite well just made things all the more interesting. But the fact that it was the unknown that was leading his acquaintance around? By the hand nonetheless? Now that was either an opportunity to obtain some priceless blackmail…
"So how much further to your home?" he heard the boy with light brown hair ask, glancing over his shoulder at the girl with long black hair in pigtails, who had briefly locked eyes with Roman then quickly turned away just before the boy turned to her.
… Or a very, very interesting tale.
"Huh… that's…"
Finding no words to describe what he had just been told, Aurelian just shook his head then turned his attention to the window. Or, rather, to what lay beyond.
Outside, a fair distance from the house, a fight was taking place. Now, normally a fight would be cause for concern but, when one of the participants was your Huntress daughter and the others were Beacon trainees, that concern was understandably absent. What was present, in its place, was a good deal of interest and a hint of disbelief.
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it myself."
He could only nod in response to his wife's words. She had always believed in the old saying that 'seeing is believing'. Although, in this case, even the most open-minded person might have had trouble believing the many truths he had just learned.
A country nobody knew existed. The eradication of that same country by the Grimm, all occurring in a single night. The survival of less than a dozen of its population, all teenagers. A Semblance that, despite the lack of familial ties, was near identical across those same survivors. The use of a not-gun as a tool to utilize their Semblance, which turned out to be the summoning of a massive construct that could utilize a multitude of abilities that put Dust to shame.
That didn't even cover the fact that the use of a gun-shaped tool was because the process of summoning that construct, that Persona, was done by essentially triggering their survival instincts to the very limit, tricking them into thinking and feeling that they were about to die.
Why that was necessary he couldn't even begin to imagine. But what he did know was that subjecting people to that sort of thing repeatedly was not healthy. Willingly subjecting one's self to it? Doing it to themselves? One near death experience was enough to traumatize someone. Even a Huntsman could be traumatized by one given the right, or rather wrong, situation. What more would multiple instances, though the situation was controlled, do to a person?
"I'm surprised they don't need a therapist," he finally sighed out, watching as Gwen danced around Junpei's Semblance, the Persona named Trismegistus, as it repeatedly flew past her, swinging its wing-blades with every pass. And whenever she wasn't dodging the blades, she was leaping back or to the side just as the air where she stood either burst into flames or exploded courtesy of Hecate, Chidori's own Persona.
And contrary to the tale he'd heard of the fight the previous morning, the young man that led his son's team was not fighting conservatively and defensively. Not unless you counted running into the middle of what resembled a minefield, despite not having Aura, a defensive measure.
His blade failed to strike Gwendolyn, his far more experienced daughter having no difficulty avoiding the sneak attack, but that had left her open to the crimson Persona, its wing-blade managing to clip her shoulder and causing her to stumble. And like a well-oiled machine, Hecate followed up with a pointblank detonation that Junpei barely avoided at the last moment.
Seeing him dodge back like that even though his pseudo-Aura would have protected him sent a brief wave of relief through him. "At least he isn't completely suicidal." And then, as though to prove him wrong, Junpei ran towards his opponent and tanked a punch to the chest.
For a brief moment he had been getting ready to palm his face. But then, he saw what the young man had planned to do.
He hadn't actually taken the punch. Instead, at the last moment, he flowed around the fist while dropping his sword, grabbed Gwen's wrist and arm with his hands, and then twisted around and threw her over his shoulder. It was a completely unexpected move from a boy whose fighting style was so completely straight-forward that he, and no doubt Sephiria as well, caught the expression of utter shock on Gwen's face right before she flipped over and landed on her back, far too stunned to react to something she should have been able to stop.
The tactic didn't really suit the boy's personality or fighting style, however, so someone must have taught him that move to help add variety.
Aurelian mentally applauded the boy. It was rare that Gwen was caught by surprise like that, especially by someone much younger and less experienced that she was. Unfortunately for young Junpei, the grin on Gwen's face meant she was going to be holding back even less from that point on. Clearly he had seen it as he grinned in return and made a come hither motion with his free hand, his dominant hand having picked up his sword as soon as his hands were free.
"He's gonna regret that," he murmured with a chuckle, knowing his second daughter very well.
Husband and wife continued to watch the fight with keen eyes. Many questions still surrounded the two teenagers their son had brought home, as well as their six other friends from the same country, but for the moment they were content with the knowledge that the young man down below was both resolute and capable of helping their son walk the path he had long since dreamed of taking.
"Well now, that sounds like quite the tale."
Roman leaned back against the park bench, the brown-haired boy sitting on the opposite end having just finished his story.
One might think that a man as notorious as him wouldn't be out and about now that the sun had long since passed the horizon. Normally they would be right. But, then again, those people didn't have an accomplice whose Semblance could hide him in plain sight or disguise his appearance.
Case in point…
The boy – Ken, he reminded himself – shrugged at the comment. "It's true, believe it or not."
Surprisingly, he didn't really seem to care whether Roman believed him or not. Then again, Ken had been surprising him at practically every turn since his meeting him a little over an hour ago.
An entire country, unmarked on any known map and unknown by the known world, existing far to the east of the continent of Anima? People with no Aura yet possessing a Semblance?
Normally he wouldn't have believed any of it. Not because he knew for absolute certainty that it was impossible, but simply because it was so outrageous and preposterous that it simply couldn't be. What got him thinking was the more personal parts of Ken's tale.
A young man who lost control of his power, killing Ken's mother. Ken getting closer to that same young man just to get revenge. His attempt being anticipated then interrupted by a third party. The young man giving his life to save Ken's. Ken grieving the young man's death and, earlier today, making his way to the cemetery to visit the young man's grave.
Were he being honest, he would say that it was the plot for some third-rate television drama that housewives loved to watch. And anyone who knew him knew that he wasn't one to hold back his opinions. This time, however, something was different.
Ken's tone as he spoke was soft, not at all excited like a child telling an exaggerated or made-up story. His eyes were unfocused during most of the tale, not focused on Roman and trying to see if he believed the tale. His entire demeanor was subdued, reminiscent of veteran soldiers and Huntsmen who had seen far too much of the world's cruelty.
At no point during the telling of his tale did he act like a child his age should have been. The possibility that his story was nothing more than a dream or a delusion, which could explain why he believed it to be real, had briefly crossed Roman's thoughts. Instinct, rather than logic, however, told him that Ken was sane – for however much sanity counted in a world like theirs – and that his tale was no mere fabrication.
And if that part of his tale was true, who was to say that the rest wasn't?
A slim, dainty hand gently touched Ken's forearm. When he looked up, brown eyes met bright, leaf green ones above a soft, comforting smile. Seeing that, the melancholic expression on his face turned upwards into a sad smile. Not entirely positive, but a smile was a smile.
Seeing this, Roman couldn't help but shake his head slightly. Sure it was interesting to find a twelve-year-old walking around early in the morning on his own. And he wouldn't deny that it was more interesting to learn that he was on his way to the cemetery. Even so, neither one really explained why she had gotten interested enough to bring Ken to meet him.
"Thanks Lita," said Ken, nodding his gratitude to the black-haired girl sitting beside him. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's been more than a year now so it doesn't really hurt as much as it used to." The girl, Lita, tilted her head to the side. Roman couldn't see her face, given that she sat between him and Ken, but he could imagine the inquisitive look on her face. "It still stings when I think about it, but I'm over it for the most part. I can't stay stuck in the past if I want to move on. Shinjiro-senpai wouldn't want that for me."
If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that Lita had a crush on the boy. But that was just the thing, he did know better. So what was she up to this time?
Deciding to remind them of his presence, Roman cleared his throat, causing the boy to jump slightly in surprise. "Have to say I'm a little surprised you decided to share your story with me," he began with a genial smile. "I don't think I can remember a time when I met someone who was willing to share something so personal with two complete strangers."
Again, Ken shrugged. "I don't really know why myself," he admitted, much to Roman's slight surprise. He had been expecting him to say something along the lines of the two of them looking like nice people, or that he needed someone to talk to, or some clichéd line about talking about his feelings, not that he had done it on a whim. "I guess…" The boy shut his eyes, looking deep in thought, then he continued to speak without opening them. "I guess something about you just made me feel like I could trust you with this."
Roman stared, eyes slightly wide and mouth hanging open just a little bit. He hoped that his little accomplice was masking his reaction because, disguise or not, he did not want anyone knowing just how badly those words had taken him off guard.
Him? Trustworthy? Were he anywhere else and in the company of someone else, he would have laughed out loud. The only thing he could be trusted with was staying alive. Anything and everything else was a distant second when it came to his continued existence. The feelings of some random boy he met? He wouldn't hesitate to trample on them or use them to his advantage if it suited his needs.
Either the boy was just that foolishly trusting and gullible, despite the things he had been through, or his disguise was just that good – not like he could check as he didn't have a mirror to see just what kind of face his partner had given him. Hopefully it wasn't the kind, old man sort of face like she had done once just to mess with him one time, leaving him wondering why some random kid was trying to help him cross the street one day.
For a moment he had seen a, somewhat, kindred spirit. Someone who had seen just what kind of world they lived in and was at the beginning of the path that Roman had taken years ago. And while he hadn't fought back as the thief had, Ken was still young and could easily come to realize and eventually understand things the same way he did.
Then he goes and says something like that.
And, yet again, the world produces another idealistic fool. Roman sighed to himself in disappointment. People like that were a lien a hundred, found in every corner of the world. People like him were nothing more than fools trying to deny the truth of the world, trying to force their false beliefs on a world, on people, that would never change.
"You know, you really shouldn't be so trusting," he said to Ken with a brief shake of his head and a shadow of a grin on his face. "For all you know I could be some criminal mastermind, just looking for some poor, innocent soul to corrupt and coerce into a life of villainy."
Ken laughed at his words and, although he had said it with a smile on his face, it still irked him that the boy didn't seem to even once consider the possibility that it was true, even if, only, to a lesser extent. Regardless of what the boy had been through, it seemed he really was just a child still.
The trio parted ways not long after. Ken had gotten a call on his Scroll from someone named Ren – a brother perhaps given the similarities of their name. He hadn't realized how late it had gotten and apologized profusely for having to leave so abruptly. After assuring him that it was no trouble, and after Lita had given him her contact details while taking his, Ken left to meet with the other boy, leaving a disguised Roman and Lita on the park bench.
The pair departed soon after as well, making their way back to Roman's original destination. Once there, his disguise faded away, shattering and scattering like shards of glass.
"So," he drawled out, turning to Lita. "Care to explain, Neo?"
The only response he received was a wide grin as 'Lita' shattered into glass as well, leaving behind someone else entirely. Despite having the same height, no one could call 'Neo' a girl. She may have appeared short and child-like at first glance but her body was much more developed that any preteen, resembling that of a mature young woman's body but shrunken down to the size of a child while maintaining the same proportions. Most notable, however, was that few children could ever possess a grin as cruel as the one on her real face.
December 30, XX13
Taiyang waved farewell as his children and their friends walked away from the house, having planned to spend the day in town then picking up a few things before they returned. The original plan was for him to do the latter, but Yang had offered to do the shopping for him since they were already going to be in town and she had her own shopping list.
He was about to tell them to just have fun and that he could pick up whatever she needed – minus certain… personal items of course – when Fuuka had cut in, saying she needed a few supplies for when they returned to Beacon. That seemed to have started a small discussion as Yukari and Ruby mentioned the same thing, his daughters then telling the two other girls where they'd find what they needed. The final nail in the proverbial coffin was Mitsuru laughingly telling him that perhaps he should spend the day for himself and leave things to them.
"You've been gracious enough to host us for two weeks. The least we could do is not abuse your hospitality and carry our own weight when possible."
For all her politeness, there was a strange undercurrent in her tone that brooked no arguments. And so, he found himself staying home while his children and houseguests went supply and grocery shopping. After they'd had their fun of course. He made sure to emphasize that last bit just in case they got it into their heads that they should cancel their plans for the day.
With the shopping in their hands and the maintenance on his truck on hold due to the lack of supplies – which was part of the shopping list, he realized too late – he found himself brewing a fresh pot of coffee. Aura may keep out the worst of it, but he still felt the chill and there was nothing like a fresh pot of coffee to warm up the body.
Though if he didn't have any guests he would have picked something a little… harder to warm him up.
On the table was a book he had brought down from his room. He, much like his elder daughter, was on the more active and outgoing side. Unlike her, however, there were times when he much preferred to just lay back and relax when there was nothing else to do. He'd already graded any and all papers for when Signal resumed classes, and he already finished his daily dose of training earlier in the day, so there wasn't much for him to do until the kids came back with the parts for his truck. He was hardly a bookworm, but he did enjoy reading from time to time. So a book it was.
Pouring himself a fresh, steaming cup of coffee, he took it in one hand, the book in the other, and proceeded to the lounge where it was more comfortable. He set the cup down after a quick sip and then sat himself down on his favorite recliner, book in hand, and sought out the most comfortable position for himself. He had just found that little sweet spot, every inch of his body perfectly relaxed with his coffee within reach, when the doorbell rang.
Taiyang scowled, cursing his misfortune, as he rose with a grumble, muttering under his breath the entire time. All the while, whoever was at the door was ringing the doorbell incessantly like an impatient child. His hand landed on the doorknob, a deep breath filling his lungs ready to be let loose at whoever was on the other side. He opened his mouth, getting ready to give his visitor a piece of his mind. And, when swung the door open so fast he nearly tore it off its hinges, he paused then visibly deflated with a scowl on his face. "I should have known."
"What?" The innocent shrug and unrepentant grin on his visitor's face caused Taiyang to scowl even deeper and tempting him to just slam the door shut and lock every single point of entry in the house. Knowing it would do nothing to deter the other man, however, he just sighed and stepped slightly to the side. "Don't mind if I do."
"What are you even doing here Qrow?" he asked as the other man stepped inside, not even bothering to scold the man for, once again, not wiping his shoes before entering. "I thought you were in Vacuo."
Qrow Branwen. His former teammate and partner back in their Beacon days as Team STRQ. At first glance, one may think him nothing more than a drunk or a con artist of sorts, someone who wouldn't be out of place in the seedier parts of the city. As much as Taiyang may have wanted to deny it in an effort to defend his former partner, Qrow fit the profile a little too well.
The man drank liquor much more than he did water, so much so that he may have already died of alcohol poisoning years ago if not for Aura's healing properties. His general attitude tended to be a massive turn-off for most people but his sly tongue and quick wits drew them back in for whatever reason he needed or wanted them for, playing out an obvious con to be turned down only for him to still get what he wanted in the end with subtle wordplay. Not the sort of man he would have wanted as his children's uncle, especially given his questionable roots.
But what he lacked in social graces, he made up for with skill and heart.
He had easily been one of the top students of their year – combat-wise only of course, certainly not academically – and the years since graduation had only allowed him to grow and further hone his skills with his weapon of choice. If he had passed down even a quarter of his skills with a scythe to Ruby then he was certain his daughter would have little difficulty matching her peers in combat.
And, despite his past and whatever ties he still had to it, Qrow had remained a close friend, a brother in every way it counted, in the years after their team had broken up. Their team had only remained together a few years after graduating from Beacon before they parted ways, though they had remained close friends. A few of their former classmates had even joked that the two were more than just friends.
There was nothing of the sort, of course. Or, at least, not in the way they thought.
Qrow had been there when Taiyang's first wife, Raven, Qrow's own twin sister and a member of their team, had left him and their newborn child with nary a word of explanation. And, years later, when his second wife, Summer Rose, the leader of Team STRQ, had been reported dead after she had gone on a mission, Qrow returned with all due haste upon the completion of his own mission.
And, as it turned out, he'd arrived at the island of Patch just in time to save Yang and Ruby from being killed by a small pack of Grimm in the forest. Losing his second wife had been bad enough. To lose his daughters too? He didn't think any amount of time could have let him recover from that had it happened.
It hadn't been easy dealing with the fallout of any of those events, and Qrow was certainly not caretaker material, let alone parent material, so the perpetually drunk Huntsman had no idea what to do about the two little girls. Eventually, he managed to pull Taiyang out of the deep pit of depression he had fallen into, reminding him of the two little girls who needed him.
Much to his shame, Yang had ended up doing pretty much everything to provide for Ruby and herself, and even him on some occasions, not that he had been cognizant enough to realize it. If she had been older, he was certain she would have gone out to get a job. As it was, he had owed Qrow quite a hefty sum of lien for the few weeks that he had spent grieving. The active Huntsman had to leave not long after Taiyang had pulled himself together, having put off a long-term mission he'd been personally recruited for during the time he was piecing his friend and brother back together.
Since that time, Qrow made sure to visit more often, both to make sure Taiyang didn't slip up and fall into depression again and to do what little he could to help the kids. And as rough as Qrow was as a person, Taiyang never doubted his partner's love for Yang and Ruby.
While there was nothing romantic between them, there was other forms of love. One of which certainly fit what he felt for his drunkard of a teammate.
Although, that didn't mean he had to like everything about the man. His timing for instance.
"Finished early and got back to the kingdom a couple of days ago," came the casual response, the other man walking straight into the lounge where he promptly dropped himself into a seat. The same seat that Taiyang had just vacated. "Little firecracker told me they'd be home for the whole two weeks so I thought I'd drop by and see how they were doing up there."
The blonde man didn't bother fighting over the seat. Qrow always sat there just to annoy him, knowing it was his favorite spot, so arguing would just play into his little game. These days he just rolled his eyes and ignored it. However, the fact that his old partner had immediately taken a long drink from his flask, swallowing down what seemed to be half of its contents, was a sign he was all too familiar with.
With a heavy sigh, he sat on the couch, his mood turning from annoyance to somber. "Alright, what's the bad news this time?"
At one point, back when Taiyang first noticed this habit of his, Qrow would have played coy, acting as though nothing was wrong, or playfully giving him 'bad' news and seeing how his partner reacted and if Taiyang called him out on it. These days, especially after Summer's death, he gave it straight the moment he was asked. Depending on the severity, however, he would either give a warning first or try to change the subject.
The news he brought this time and how he delivered it, however, was completely unexpected. "Tell the girls to watch out for those new friends of theirs."
The casual way he had spoken, the same way he often spoke about his attempts to woo the fairer sex – failures more often than not – was so at odds with what he had just said that Taiyang took a minute or two to make sure that he had heard right.
"I'm sorry," he began once it was clear that Qrow wasn't about to play it off as a joke of sorts. "What?"
He waited as the black-haired man took another long pull from his flask, probably draining the remaining contents. "Did you know that Yang's leader, that Kirijo girl, is now the richest in her entire age group?"
"I… n-no, that's… t-that's news to me." Taiyang stumbled over his words as his brain processed those words while simultaneously trying to understand what it meant regarding the girl's finances, and how it connected to his partner's warning. "What does-"
"It ain't about the money, but how she got it," Qrow cut in, leaning forward and leveling his sharp, red eyes with the blonde's blue ones. "Did you know that the woman who passed it on to her deposited that entire amount in one go?" No, no he did not. And it was clear by the look of surprise and stupefaction on his face. "Yeah, I thought the same thing. The bank had to go through every channel, contacted every other bank across Remnant, and even brought in the cops and some private investigators to make sure she hadn't stolen it from somewhere. Took about a month before they got done with it all."
"What did they find?" It was a useless question and they both knew it. The fact that her benefactor had successfully passed it on to Mitsuru was enough of an answer.
"Either she's the world's greatest thief or she'd somehow earned that massive fortune without anyone knowing anything about it… or her." That last bit clearly intrigued Taiyang as Qrow made to answer with a shrug before the question could even be asked. "Don't ask me. I've never seen or heard of her before. Elizabeth, no last name given. Apparently she doesn't have one."
"That's not-"
"Not possible, I know." If he was annoyed by having the obvious pointed out, he didn't show it. If anything, Qrow looked downright weary. Knowing him, the blonde suspected that his partner had investigated things himself just to verify all the information. "The bank wouldn't have allowed her to open that account without proper identification and documentation, but she provided it all and all of it came back clean. Her name was a mystery, but obviously not mysterious enough to keep them from doing business with her."
The father of two leaned back against the couch he was seated on, eyes thoughtful but face weary. "So you think that Mitsuru's… what? The heir or executor of some kind of long-term criminal plan?"
"Hey, I didn't say that," Qrow shot back, sounding almost defensive, one hand waving back and forth as though to ward off an attack. "But you gotta admit, there's no way that woman's on the up and up. The girl doesn't seem like the criminal sort, but something's telling me that she's someone to watch out for."
"In a bad way?"
"Honestly? Who knows? She might open up a charity for the poor for all I know." Qrow leaned back as well, allowing the tension in his body to bleed out with taking another swig of his drink. "Nothing I've seen about her tells me she's up to no good, but you know me. When the hell have I ever trusted someone just 'cuz they don't 'seem bad'?"
'Especially when it comes to Ruby and Yang', Taiyang thought while nodding outwardly. It wasn't something that needed to be spoken out loud to confirm. Both men knew that they would sooner fight an entire continent's worth of Grimm without their Aura before they let anything happen to the two teenagers.
With the serious topic behind them, the conversation shifted to more mundane and light-hearted topics as the two men awaited the return of the teens, a bottle or two of whatever liquor Taiyang had in stock finding its way into their bellies as the hours passed.
There were times she wondered why she had volunteered to be one of two teachers to remain behind while the rest of the school was on their end-of-year break. Then she remembered her empty apartment, occupied only by herself, the fact that all her friends were back in Vacuo, and that the few friends she had made in Vale already had plans. Once she put it all together, she stopped wondering.
And then, over the past few days, she had begun to ask herself the same question once again. Only this time, she would have been more than willing to spend hours in her apartment by her lonesome. At least then she could have been watching a movie or communicating with her friends. At the very least, it meant not having to stand in one place watching a single schoolgirl training late into the night.
Khloe Fair, instructor of the Outdoor Combat class and the occasional Leadership and Tactics classes, sighed as she leaned against the rail with her forearms, her eyes lazily drifting down to the lower level of the massive training hall where a single girl continued to train despite the late hour, studiously ignoring her minder.
With most of the students having gone home, there was little reason for the entire staff to remain as well. As such, the policy implemented was to maintain the bare minimum to keep the school running for the students who did choose to remain behind. The number of staff needed was dependent on the number of students, but there needed to be a minimum of two Huntsmen as a security measure.
With barely two dozen students currently living on campus, the Headmaster had decided that the minimum was sufficient and had requested four volunteers from the kitchen staff to come in for work as usual. Asides from those six, three pilots for the bullheads, or the larger airship if necessary, along with the medical staff on a rotating shift were present at the school.
While the school kept the facilities open for the remaining students, they also minimized how much of it was actually used. As such, all training rooms save for the largest training hall, which was large enough to have four full teams train and not get in each other's way, were inaccessible. The students were free to use it provided they first check-in with the infirmary staff, who took over monitoring the students who trained and keeping track of the room's usage.
This made it easy to keep track of who was in the room and at what time while simultaneously minimizing how many technicians needed to stay behind for maintenance and repairs, if necessary, since only one room was being used.
Now normally a student training late into the night was a minor issue. All it meant was that the infirmary's night shift had to be slightly more vigilant than they normally were since there was a chance that the student would get injured while training. Break or no, the school still had a curfew that the students needed to abide by. It was later than normal to give the students a bit more freedom, but it was still there. And if a student was cutting it close, they would call one of the instructors still on campus as they were the ones with the authority to mete out disciplinary action if necessary.
And, as of that moment, that time was almost upon them. But, if the trend the past few days continued, then there would be no need for her to remind the student below of the curfew, let alone dole out any form of punishment.
Of the two Huntsmen present, the other was Ruadh Giollah, who volunteered for the job practically every single time unless there was pressing business that he needed to take care of over the break. Normally, he would have been in Khloe's place as he was better suited to handling any potentially troublesome students – which wasn't surprising given his stature and blunt personality – who thought they could talk the staff member into bending the rules a bit. In this particular case, however, Khloe had taken over due to the identity of the student.
Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.
Reports have noted that she had never once gone out of her way to antagonize any of the faunus students, though she did, noticeably so, maintain her distance and minimize contact with them whenever she could afford to. Even so, Khloe didn't think it wise to have Ruadh deliver the news to the girl. She may not be openly racist, but her history with the faunus, the White Fang in particular, may lead to complications. Complications that could easily be avoided just by not having Ruadh there.
She glanced down at her Scroll to check the time. At a little over a quarter to midnight, there was just enough time to sign-out with the infirmary staff and walk back to her dorm at a casual pace and still have a few minutes to spare. Being late by a minute or two was no big deal, especially since Khloe would have first-hand knowledge of her whereabouts, but this was Beacon Academy. Everything about the school was meant to teach them something about their future careers as Huntsmen and Huntresses.
And that included even the tiny, oft overlooked, lessons such as punctuality. Whether it was one minute or even just one second, tardiness was unacceptable. With a career that was often relied upon to save lives, arriving at the proper time, or with all due haste, was not just a matter of etiquette but a necessity. And the only way to instill such habits into a person was to have them ingrain the lesson into their heads from as early an age as possible. Repeatedly if needs must.
The lavender-haired woman was about to call out to the heiress when the girl sheathed her rapier, taking a moment to steady her breathing before walking towards the exit. Just like every other night, she mused as she glanced at her Scroll once more. Fifteen minutes to midnight, right on the dot.
Weiss Schnee, at the very least, was one girl who did not need a lesson on punctuality. There was, however, one lesson she needed to learn. One lesson that most first-years learned even before coming to Beacon. And, glancing down the now empty training area, Khloe felt that it was one that she needed to learn soon.
December 31, XX13
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've found yourself a boyfriend. Little young though, isn't he?"
A raspberry followed by a raised finger was all he got in response from his partner-in-crime, who didn't even bother looking up from her Scroll as she continued to communicate with her new 'friend'.
Neo, in her guise as Lita, had gone out to meet Ken the day before. And, being her 'legal guardian' and all, Roman had accompanied her to her little playdate. At the park, he'd had the… pleasure of meeting Ren, who, as it turns out, wasn't Ken's brother. Rather, he was the young boy's teammate.
And hadn't that been a surprise. In addition to what he had already learned the day they met, he learned just yesterday that the boy who had turned twelve just barely half a year ago was a student up at Beacon Academy. A twelve-year-old with no Aura, though possibly possessing a Semblance, was a student at Remnant's premier Huntsman Academy.
It completely boggled the mind how such a thing was possible. But there it was, laid out for him by someone he had just met.
He hadn't taken it at face value though. For all he knew, the boy was just going through some sort of phase – they did that right? – and the teenager was humoring him and playing along. And yet the teen's face as he spoke betrayed no lie or jest.
He'd sent out a discreet inquiry though some of his contacts, asking about any unusual rumors or news surrounding Beacon. Asking a direct question might have led to faster results, but it also meant they would gain a bit of leverage by knowing the things he was interested in.
No. In Roman's experience, the less people knew and could use against him the better. They'd know he was interested in something related to Beacon, but that was a broad subject to comb through without any clues. And with Neo's Semblance taking care of his appearance, no one would ever connect Ken's playdate and her guardian to the two criminals they were underneath.
On that subject, he wished he had a hint as to Neo's interest in the boy. She was playful – and if someone were suicidal they would point out that it might have something to do with her height and the relative age of someone that tall – but it tended to fall more on the… annoyingly playful side of the fence. If not outright sadistic when the mood strikes her.
He could imagine her toying with the boy, playing his emotions and drawing him in as time passed. He was at that age after all. A cute girl who was interested in him?
Roman could see her toying with him, leading him on and the suddenly disappearing into a new identity as she was wont to do, watching as he despaired or panic at her unexplained disappearance. And, perhaps, her guardian would disappear as well, leaving no one he could turn to for answers.
Or perhaps she would play the roles of two people at once and seeing how he reacted to having both show interest in him. Then, at the end, neither would pick him and would one day walk up to him in the arms of somebody else.
Sure, the boy was only twelve, but things like that had never stopped Neo. In the end, it was all nothing more than self-made entertainment for her. And with her experience and abilities, it was all very easy. Too easy in fact.
And that, precisely, was what confused him the most.
Over the years, Neo, much like himself, had grown tired of the mundane and simple things. Just as pickpocketing had long since lost its thrill to him, the simple act of humiliating someone was just as monotonous to her. And just as he had upped the difficulty to stealing from government institutions and the most heavily defended places, she had turned to toying with the more dangerous prey.
Authority figures, government officials, corporate giants, and even the odd celebrity or two. None were safe from her. She'd find some way to approach them, lure them in, get even closer, and then, in one fell swoop, completely destroy and humiliate them in the most spectacular she could imagine.
The mayor in the city where they met? Cheating on his wife with triplets. Male triplets.
The nephew of one of Mistral's councilmembers? 'Discovered' to be a drug lord and smuggler while vacationing in Vacuo.
The CEO of a budding pharmaceutical company? A pedophile with a penchant for bondage.
A Huntsman that had been chasing their trail? A literal motherfucker. Made worse by the fact that his mother had died before he had even hit puberty.
A famous actress? Woke up with a massive hangover. Naked. In the middle of a news studio just as the morning crew was coming in. Surrounded by a multitude of equally naked bodies, including her brother and sister. All of them covered with various bodily fluids. With one of the studio's news cameras apparently having recorded their night of debauchery.
And even though all of those had been a result of false evidence, the fact that nobody had seen through the fog of lies at the onset was more than enough to damage their reputations. And even after their innocence was proven, people still talked about the scandal. Still shunned them. And there were undoubtedly some who believed that their innocence had been bought and paid for.
He'd lost track of how many lives she had ruined over the years. Then again, he'd lost track of how many people he'd stolen from too so it wasn't a surprise. Nor was it a surprise that she had yet to do the same in Vale despite having been in the city for several months now. After all, they'd been ask to lie low by their 'employer'. As much as they disliked working with the woman, they both knew that refusing wasn't an option. At least, not at the moment.
What did surprise him was that she had picked such an easy target this time around. She'd humiliated and embarrassed dozens of people during their stay in Vale, but none of them had been of enough import as to draw attention their way. Even so, none of them were as easy as her current mark.
Even now, watching her recline on the couch in their safe house and exchanging messages with Ken, he couldn't figure out her angle.
Neo had been just as surprised as Roman when she learned that the boy was a student at Beacon, so her reason couldn't possibly have stemmed from that detail.
She had heard Ken's tale at the same time as Roman, on that bench at the park the day they met. Again, it couldn't have been anything from that.
With those two out of the way, it was only logical that it had something to do with how the two had met. Something which he was, unfortunately, absent for.
Seeing the grin on her face as she typed out another message, Roman sighed and went into the next room to plan his next heist. As he glanced down at the papers on the desk, he remembered what his new employer had 'asked' him to do just last night. With that reminder, he could feel the headache from last night returning with a vengeance.
'Still,' he thought to himself, his thoughts turning to his partner for a brief moment. 'At least one of us is having fun.'
"Don't you think the way you're going about your training is too inefficient?"
It was the first time she had actually spoken to the heiress since the end-of-year break began. Now that she thought about it, it was the first time she'd directly addressed the girl, period.
It wasn't really a surprise. The girl was a first-year student while she was the instructor for the third and fourth year Outdoor Combat class and, now and then, the Leadership and the Combat Tactics classes. While she had seen her in the Leadership class, speaking to her directly like this was a different matter.
And given the focus on the Sunday tests, Khloe had little reason to approach the Schnee heiress.
Now, however, was a different matter.
"Professor?" Clearly, she hadn't been expecting to meet the older woman right outside the training building, let alone hear those words. "What do you… mean? Am I focusing too much or little on something in particular?"
"You could say that," Khloe replied with intentional vagueness, not bothering to move from her position, leaning her back against the wall next to the doors. "Now, I'm normally the kind of person who'd just give it to you straight, but I think you'd benefit more from figuring things out on your own. So I'm just gonna give you a little hint. Or rather, I'm going to ask a question and the answer is also the answer to making your training a hundred, maybe even a thousand times more efficient. No need to give me an answer right now, or ever, really. I'll know whether or not you figure it out, m'kay?"
She almost laughed at the heiress's dubious expression and hesitant nod. Even without having to hear it from the girl's lips, it was clear that she thought the advice she would be receiving was some sort of joke due to the tone. It didn't bother her at all. Whether Weiss Schnee took her words to heart or thought it was nothing more than a joke, it wouldn't really matter to her. At the very least, she could say that she did her job to try and guide a student down the proper path.
"Then here goes." She pushed off the wall and walked towards the white-haired girl, hiding a grin at the growing hesitance of her face as the distance shortened. "One and one, equals two. Two and two, equals four." The heiress relaxed a bit when it became clear that Khloe was going to pass right beside her, rather than walking right up to her. "But in this particular case," she paused and let a hint of a grin flash on her face as she came shoulder to shoulder with the teen. "One and one could equal ten. While two and two, might even equal hundreds."
She could almost feel the confusion coming off the heiress and she could almost imagine her standing there, puzzling over the teacher's words. And, with her back to her, Khloe's face broke out into a wide, satisfied grin. With what she'd seen the past several days, she would be thinking over the matter for days or weeks, if not months.
Hopefully she figured it out sooner rather than later. If she didn't then, well, she'd deal with it if it ever took that lo-
"…"
Khloe suddenly froze, blinking rapidly in surprise as her brain tried to parse what she had just heard. It hadn't taken long but, by the time she spun around, the door to the training building was just closing, allowing her to catch a glimpse of the swinging, white hair of the SDC heiress just before it shut.
She stared, dumbfounded, before breaking out into laughter. It hadn't been the answer she was hoping to hear, but a part of her couldn't deny that it was certainly a good one. And, if she were being honest, she would definitely say that she was looking forward to seeing what would come of her training.
'Guess we'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?'
"So you don't really do anything special on this night?"
"It's not that we don't do anything special," came the reply from the archer. "New Year's is one of the most important holidays for us back home."
While Taiyang, with assistance from Aigis that he couldn't turn down, carried away the serving dishes to clear the table, Mitsuru turned to Yang and Ruby, the redhead continued the explanation. "Each year is typically considered as two separate periods of time, the new year being a fresh start rather than the continuation of the old. As such, any and all obligations must be completed before the end of the year so that none of it carries over into the next. Celebrations are less about the joy of the coming year but more about leaving behind troubles and worries behind."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
Chuckles went around at Ruby's question, to which Fuuka made to answer. "Not exactly. The way I see it, nothing is ever certain, so no one can say that the coming year will be better than the last. So we focus on forgetting the bad things that happened the past year and see the new year as an opportunity for something better."
"I suppose it's all about perspective," Yang's teammate, Blake, commented as Taiyang retook his seat at the table, which had been made to fit the large group by adding connecting another table to the other end. "Some people hold on to the past year, always comparing the new to the old. And when something comes their way, they remember the failures of the past year and are too afraid to take the chance for something better."
"If you hold on to the past, your hands may be too occupied to grasp hold of the future opportunities when they come."
Taiyang sighed even as everyone turned to the speaker. "As wise as those words sound, it'd be easier to take you seriously if you didn't reek of alcohol, Qrow."
"Come on, give me a break here. I'm still sober aren't I?" Qrow himself suddenly looked doubtful as he glanced around the room, seemingly searching for something. "Well, mostly anyway."
The blonde man just shook his head and turned to Yukari, who sat next to him on account of his daughters wanting to sit next to their perpetually drunk and often away-from-home uncle, whom they relentlessly teased. "Back to the earlier topic, are you sure there isn't anything you want to do? I mean, you're far from home but I'm pretty sure we can accommodate a few extra year end traditions for you all."
The brunette just shook her head but smiled gratefully nonetheless. "It's fine. Really." He could practically hear the 'sir' in her voice. No matter how much he insisted, none of them would call him by his first name. And as much of a mouthful it was, they defaulted to 'Mr. Xiao Long' the few times they needed to get his attention. "And it's not like we didn't try. It's just that ingredients for traditional New Year's food isn't readily available here. I don't even remember seeing any in Vale."
"Considering that the kind of stuff you need is more commonly grown in Mistral I'm not surprised. Trade between the kingdoms is fairly decent, but food isn't exactly high on the priority list unless you've got a contract of sorts with a good supplier."
"We'll most likely be up early tomorrow morning to watch the sunrise if anyone wants to join us." He could almost imagine the look of revulsion on Qrow and Ruby's faces if they heard that, though Ruby might consider it since she tended to get up as early as needed when she wanted to, which was vastly different from when she needed to. Yang wasn't an early riser by any means, but she took after him in that they both liked to do their workouts in the morning so she might just decide to join them. "It's sort of another tradition of ours."
With everything he had learned about their country and their culture over the past week, it was starting to get more than a little difficult keeping track of everything. And the events themselves aside, quite a lot of their traditions seem to have something to do with eating a particular type of food for a specific occasion and for a specific reason like luck or longevity.
Taiyang was fairly certain that someone had mentioned leaving food on an altar of sorts for the ghosts of the deceased family members, or something like that. Now, he wasn't one to judge people for their beliefs – so long as they didn't push it on him at least – but he couldn't really see why anyone would waste perfectly good food like that. Or was it some sort of offering, asking the spirits of the dead to protect them? Now he wished he'd been paying more attention even though he had been busy cooking at that time.
Still… the whole thing made him think.
The threat of Grimm was an ever-present one. One that was far too great for even the most foolish to forget or ignore.
What was it like, he wondered, to live in a place that held tightly to their customs, to be able to celebrate so many things in spite of – perhaps because of? – the constant danger the way the Japanese did? Or perhaps that was why they lasted so long even without Aura. After all, few people would harbor any negative feelings when there were festivals and celebrations occurring on what seemed to be a regular basis.
Even their views on New Year seemed to be made to combat the Grimm indirectly. To leave behind the sorrows and troubles of the past and starting anew. Even if only some could manage to truly do so, it was still that many less people carrying burdens that drew in the dark creatures.
While, ultimately, the country had fallen, that didn't meant that they were wrong for the way they chose to do things. It had taken an attack so massive that it had wiped out the entire country all at once before it fell. That, alone, told him just how powerful and capable they had been despite their lack of Aura.
For that matter, here were eight children, one of them younger than Ruby, who had gotten into Beacon even with their disadvantages. How much more skilled were their actual Huntsmen?
On that note, what did they call their Huntsmen? Had they mentioned it at some point while he'd been too busy or distracted to listen? He made a mental note to ask at some point.
For now…
"Isn't that the same thing you eat during the uh… that one festival you mentioned earlier?"
"Not exactly the same, but close enough. It's made mostly the same but the ingredients are…"
… he'd let up on the questions seeing as they already had enough of them coming their way.
What were the others doing, she wondered.
Were they already in bed, awaiting the arrival of a new day and a new year? Or were they, like many others, planning to stay up the entire night in celebration, ready to greet the coming dawn as soon as it came?
She hoped, she dearly did, that they were, at least, faring better than she was at the moment.
Not to say that she wasn't enjoying herself but… no… she really shouldn't start lying to herself. Not when she now knew for certain that the lies she had already forced herself to believe had done nothing to ease the burdens on her shoulders and heart.
A casual glance back into the massive ballroom behind her reminded her why she had come out to the balcony.
For all the cheery smiles and hearty well-wishes she had seen and heard since the party started, none of them felt as real as those she had received from her friends. Despite the festive air the decorations exuded, the people around her seemed to be as far from a festive mood as possible. If anything, they seemed to be trying their best to ruin other people's mood.
It boggled the mind just how easily people could pretend like they were friends with one another, smiling in each other's faces while simultaneously trying to humiliate them. She was certain the only reason they didn't try it with her was due to her youth. Her name may carry weight, but she was hardly in any position to use it. Let alone in a way that was detrimental to others.
Or, at least, that was how they no doubt saw things. Sadly for them, they were severely mistaken on that count.
The only reason she was unable, or rather unwilling, to use her leverage in that manner was because of her own personal morals. That, and the absence of any goals that necessitated such an act.
Her goal was to become a Huntress. She wanted nothing more than to be able to use her abilities for a noble cause. And what nobler cause was there than to dedicate her life to the defense of others?
Unfortunately, many of the people in the ballroom behind her did not see things the same way. Their words matched her thoughts, but not what was in their hearts.
Dedicating one's time and resources was one thing, something they were all more than willing to do for the most part. To be ready to give one's life, however, was yet another matter entirely. Especially for those who had other avenues to traverse.
After all, one's contributions would come to an end the moment one's life was lost. Therefore, it was better to give what one could without risking one's life. Or so the rhetoric usually went.
She hated how logical it was because they were right. It didn't matter if she saved thousands of people if the cost was her life. The moment she died was the moment that she would no longer be able to save people, even if through indirect means.
Yet the thought of doing what the others did, making money to fund weapons research or the hiring of skilled Huntsmen, felt too impersonal. It felt like she wasn't giving enough if she, herself, was not there to contribute in person.
No, it simply wasn't enough for her. More importantly, it wasn't what she felt fate had in store for her.
From the time she had seen just what it was mankind was facing, that very first time she had laid eyes on the Grimm, that moment when she had seen the destruction they wrought and the lives they destroyed, she knew that she was meant to fight.
And so she did all she could to make that vision a reality.
She dedicated all her time to learning all she could about how she would go about facing the Grimm. Every book on the matter, no matter how circumspect, was drained of knowledge until there was no more to be gained. Every teacher who had some knowledge to impart received a similar treatment until they had nothing left to teach her or were unable to any longer. Every decision made was made with that one, singular goal in mind.
Every passing moment was spent honing both mind and body. Every hour of every day was carefully calculated to maximize her budding potential. No lessons were ever repeated, not only due to the waste of time but because repetitions were unnecessary with her. No time was dedicated to entertainment for combat and training were her entertainment.
The years passed faster than she expected, but slower than she wanted. Her skills were repeatedly put to the test. First by her instructors. Second by Sanctum's student body. And finally by the Annual Mistral Regional Tournament where she earned her epithet of 'Invincible'.
And, through it all, she stood strong and proud. Never once wavering nor faltering in her convictions.
As time passed, however, her victories soon became empty.
She had grown too much, too fast. She had grown beyond what her peers were capable of yet still not enough to reach those who taught her, Master Li most of all. And after over two years of disappointments, she had pit her hopes on the one place on Remnant where she was certain she would find the challenge she sought, where she would be able to push herself to her limits, hone her skills until they were truly peerless.
Only then would she be able to realize her ambition.
Fate, however, was not as kind as she had expected.
Of the thirty-nine other students who had been accepted, most of them still fell short of her expectations. A handful showed great skill and ability. She didn't doubt they would one day be one of the many 'greats' whose names would be remembered for years to come, if not generations.
Only one out of thirty-nine could satisfy the unquenchable thirst within her.
And yet…
She shut her eyes, leaned forward on her gloved forearms against the marble rail of the balcony, and allowed a soft smile to grace her face.
And yet, who knew that she would find something so much more fulfilling than an opponent who could fight her on equal grounds? Who could have predicted that the deep yearning she had felt for years was not born of a desire to meet a warrior who she could consider her equal?
Thinking back, it should have been quite obvious.
This desire, this longing, had not made itself known while at Sanctum. Nor had it come to her during her reign as Champion.
No. Looking back now, she realized that it had only come after she became Adamas's golden girl.
Surrounded by hollow words, how could she not long for the simplicity of an honest, even idle, conversation? Seeing only false smiles, who would not yearn for earnest companionship? Devalued into an idol, her one and only ambition belittled as the dream of an ignorant child, how could she not seek out someone who was blind to her mask?
She had mistaken the thrill of combat as the proper remedy, seeking out better and stronger opponents to challenge. When she overcame them all, she had assumed, mistakenly, that only someone as strong and capable as herself would fill the hollowness that had somehow emerged within her.
With her battlefield of choice unable to satisfy her, with every possible manner of escape cut off, with all her 'allies' moving around her with ulterior motives of their own, how could she not wish for someone to stand by her side?
She remembered thinking that she could go to her family. They had supported her unquestioningly this entire time, giving her everything she needed and making sure to stand by her side whenever she needed it. But she also remembered telling herself that she had gotten herself into that situation in the first place, that she had been the one to convince her parents that it was the best choice out of all their options. It would be unfair for her to expect them to solve her problem for her when she had created it in the first place.
And so they remained ignorant of her plight, even if it was entirely possible that they suspected something.
Her contract was near iron-clad and the few loopholes she found, after considerable study of the legalese of the matter, showed that she would lose far more than she was willing to pay if she were to utilize those options.
Beacon had been her answer, even if a temporary one. It took her away from her daily dealings with Adamas and put her in an environment better suited to helping her accomplish her goal. She had made some concessions, such has having to spend most of her two-week break making up for her absence from her duties, but a week and a half of near constant PR events was well worth it.
Tomorrow she would finally depart Weilai and travel back to the City of Mistral. There, she knew, she would have several more obligations waiting for her.
That was fine.
Those few days would be busier than normal, taking up the entire day and most of the night, but she was more than ready to face it. Once that was all out of the way, she would have two full days to dedicate to her family before she would depart once more.
Only this time, her destination was, by far, the one she was looking forward to the most.
Domremy was nowhere near as large as one of the capital cities, nor did it have much to offer in the way of unique entertainment, but the company she would be in was more than sufficient.
If anything, it didn't matter to her where she was. All that matter was that she was with her team once more.
"Ms. Nikos, it's almost time."
The voice pulled her from her reverie, and she took a moment to compose herself before pushing away from the rail and turning around. "Of course," she replied to the man who had spoken, one of the party's servers. No doubt there were others who were given instructions to seek her out to deliver that one message. "I'll be there soon."
The man left without a word, leaving her to her lonesome once again.
She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the crisp, night air, and slowly letting it out. She repeated this twice more, each time focusing on what she was about to do.
By the time she stepped on stage, Pyrrha Nikos was gone. Standing in her place, was the Invincible Girl. And so she would remain so until she was once again among family and friends.
January 1, XX14
He gazed down at the buildings far below him, unfocused eyes seeing something that was physically absent. The world around him was silent save for the soft howling of the wind.
At this time, early in the morning, none of the schools large airships or the smaller airbuses were in operation just yet. Not for another hour or so.
Yet another year had passed with barely anything to show for it. It seemed to him like every passing year made his task much more difficult regardless of how much effort he put into it. He had an overwhelming amount of time, yet time was also his greatest enemy.
His allies took too much time to prepare and were far too easily eliminated from the board. All the while the obstacles he faced grew more numerous, more dangerous, that he sometimes wondered where he would find someone, or something, to overcome them all.
Still, confidence and the belief that victory was possible was an important part of any confrontation. If people… if he began thinking that victory was impossible then it surely was.
Yet, even knowing such an important fact, he couldn't help the stray thought that it was all for nothing, that his goal was beyond his reach. For all his power and knowledge, he was still only human. No matter how… infallible many thought he was.
He almost let out a derisive snort at that thought.
If people truly thought that he was, indeed, infallible, then why do they insist on second-guessing his actions and decisions whenever it didn't fall in line with their own personal desires?
No, there was no need to ask. He already knew the answer. For all his skill with diplomacy, his ability to make events fall in his favor, he lacked one crucial skill.
He was a leader of men. He was not, however, a leader of leaders. He possessed great charisma, able to sway the common man with words alone. Yet it was not enough to sway the hearts of those who stood shoulder to shoulder with him, the people whose goals and ambitions were as lofty and high-reaching as his.
They were the men and women who desired to change the world, in one way or another. They were the ones people looked to for direction and guidance. It was no surprise, then, that convincing them to abandon their goals – even temporarily – to aid him in his took much more than simple words. And, in many cases, promises for later favors was not enough despite his reputation, the doubt and reluctance to trust easily perceived by his many years of experience.
It was… maddening, even at the best of times, but there was little he could do. Not without resorting to more… forceful means. And he refused to do so, even when he knew for certain that things would be so much easier by doing so. Had he chosen to do so at any time in the past, then he would have become no better than that which he sought to end.
And so he fought against the tide, using what little he had to the best of his ability. Carefully woven words where power was an unsuitable tool. Subterfuge where he lacked force. Quality in the absence of quantity. A sheer abundance of quantity to make up for the lack of quality. A loyal, if weak, soldier gently guided amongst a sea of corrupt leaders to one day take their place. Unexpected agents acting in the shadows while the expected ones acted openly and easily stopped.
Yet, even so…
He banished the thought before it could form. He was well aware of the… insurmountable odds that he faced. Even if he and those by his side were to reach their goal, there stood one glaring flaw in every single plan he had ever conceived. A flaw that would certainly be present in every plan he ever will conceive.
His foe was not one that could be vanquished. Not by any traditional, or even modern, means. If there was a means to that end, then it was one he had yet to consider.
It was possible that the group called SEES, the students from a land he had never heard of before their arrival, might have something up their sleeves that could help. At this time, however, he was far from comfortable enough to ask. There were still too many unknowns, too many uncertainties, before he could even consider approaching them for help with his problems.
For now, he would simp-
A sharp glare struck his face from the side, his small, shaded spectacles in no position to properly shield his eyes from that direction. Glancing up and to the right, he saw that the sun had begun its ascent over the horizon. Bright rays of light illuminated the former night sky, beginning to cast away the dark shadows that had enveloped the school far below him.
And his heart.
With the passing of the night, his reprieve was over. The school may not be open for another week just yet but there was still much to be done and little time for it all, let alone entertaining his darker thoughts.
He turned to the emergency stairwell to return to his work, his heart both lighter and heavier than it had been when he had first come up. As he walked through the doorway, his eyes turned to the side once more and took one final glance at the slowly brightening horizon, at the dawn of the new year.
So how was it everyone? Are my skills still up to par or does anyone feel that my writing skills have degraded in the year since my last update?
Be honest please. I don't have a beta reader anymore (my friend is too busy with serious real life issues to help me now) so I'm do my own proofreading. As such, my opinion on my writing will be biased just as my ability to spot mistakes will be limited. I wouldn't mind having one to help if anyone wants the job. I'm sure it's clear from my writing style what level of English mastery I expect so please don't offer just because you want an early peek at the next chapter.
That aside, I really do hope you all enjoyed the chapter. It may not have focused too much on SEES and the RWBY gang, but I did want to show everyone how things were progressing with other people instead. Sure, it was still centered around our main characters, but I'm sure most, if not all of you, can see or understand why I did things this way instead.
For anyone who didn't see the Author Note I uploaded a few days ago (and took down upon the upload of this chapter), my long absence was mainly due to a heavy increase in my work due to lazy/incompetent workmates.
I've made some progress with my Volume 6 issues, but nothing set in stone yet. What I can say for certain is that I will still be keeping true to MOST of RWBY canon (not like I haven't already changed a few things in this and previous chapters like Jaune's family) but many details will be changed to fit the fact that Remnant is literally a remnant of the Persona world's Earth.
The two Gods, especially, will need a lot of workarounds if they're going to keep their roles, or something close to it. After all, the two of them were essentially responsible for Salem and Ozpin's continued existence so taking them out of the picture completely would require some other means to explain the two immortals.
While I'm not necessarily asking for ideas (I already have a few feasible ideas that just need to have the details filled in so I can see just how feasible they are in the long run) I certainly won't mind hearing what everyone thinks. Great ideas can come from the most unexpected of places after all.
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough so here are just a few closing remarks.
PLEASE READ
PLEASE READ
1) I've set up a new poll on my profile. Basically, I want to know which group of characters you want to see more of first. By that, I mean that they will ALL get screen time in the future. The poll is simply to decide which scenes and 'mini-arcs' will come first. Before anyone says anything, those particular arcs were planned specifically to be interchangeable with regards to the timeline. While minor details will change, it will ultimately have little effect on the major arcs. So feel free to vote for your favorite.
2) The next update will take a while since I'll be writing the next chapter for my other story first. Gotta give my followers and readers in that fandom some love too after all. Besides, you've all waited this long for this chapter so a few weeks (hopefully not months) won't be that bad. XP
And 3) Seriously, let me know what you think. I'm still getting the feeling that there was something off with this chapter even though I'm certain I put in every scene I needed and wanted to put in. And anyone interested in beta-reading the future chapters for me feel free to send me a PM. I have a test chapter ready for anyone who wants in. We can talk about it more through PMs.
Thanks for reading everyone and I dearly hope I'm still living up to everyone's expectations.
Except the haters of course. Haters are free to click the tiny little X up in the corner of the screen at any time. Don't worry, it won't cost you anything but a little bit of effort and a second or two of your time. XD
Until next time everyone.
