Distortion
It was later that night. Jaune was sitting at a desk in their shared room, he was cleaning Souffrance Eternelle. He made sure to clean it after every time he used it. A dirty gun could spell your death, plus he found it therapeutic. After he had returned to Raven, the two walked for the last few hours of daylight. They luckily arrived at a small village. They stayed at the local inn rather than camp out like they had for the last month or so. They ate a small dinner before the two retired to their room. Raven had allowed him to take the first shower but now she was in there.
He looked over his shoulder to the bed. There was her weapon, leaning against the wall on her side of the bed. Her ultimate sign of trust in him. Raven never left her weapon out of reach. The fact that it was in a completely other room from her showed just how much she trusted Jaune. He smiled before he turned back to his revolver. He finished cleaning it before he loaded it and returned it to its holster. It was always loaded; an empty gun was just dead weight. He set it down onto the desk before he drew Tourmentage Tordu to sharpen it. As he was doing this, his mind wandered back to early that day.
That was the first time he had returned to Beacon in over a year. He had mixed feelings: that was a place that went from his dream to a living hell for months. Then again, it was the catalyst in which he became his true self, so that's all that really mattered. He probably wouldn't ever return again. He only did for his personal revenge and to deliver a message to Ozpin. He smiled when thinking about the fight. Those four made sure that his life was hell and he had thrown them into their own. But theirs would be so much longer than his own. They'd never be the same again and unlike him, not for the better. He chuckled to himself.
He then thought of Goodwitch, the most powerful Huntress at Beacon, and he stopped her while barely moving. He even managed to claim a consolation prize from her before leaving. A show of how far he has come. Finally, his mind went back to his former friends. His heart wavered for a second. Seeing them that close, standing directly across from him, made him actually miss them. That was annoying. He made sure to bury any remaining affections for them after the Emerald Forest and for them to surface again.
He growled slightly. It didn't matter anymore. Jaune Arc may have been weak enough to miss them but he wasn't him anymore. He was Jaune Branwen, damn it! He was saved, trained and loved by Raven Branwen, one of the most skilled and deadly Huntresses in Remnant. He would stand by her, no matter what. And if those seven stood in her way, in his way, he'd kill them. Period.
He was taken out of his thoughts when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his bare chest and a pair of lips on his cheek. "You seem distracted." Raven said in her usual tone. To most it sounded neutral and cold, but he could feel the true intentions under her façade. A façade they wore around everyone besides the other.
He continued to sharpen his sword, "Sorry, Beloved. My mind went back to earlier today. Doesn't matter now."
She held him a bit closer, "You can't lie to me, Jaune, just as I can't lie to you. Part of our bond, remember?" she smirked.
He sighed, "Right. Seeing those seven just had an unexpected effect on me but it's over now. So don't worry about it." He made eye contact to show her he wasn't lying. He saw her hair was still slightly damp from her shower and he could feel the warmth that still clung to her skin form the hot water.
She nodded before she left a light kiss to his lips. She stood up and he saw she was only in her towel. She walked over to their bed with a very noticeable sway. She looked over her shoulder and dropped the towel, revealing her bare back and rear to him. "Are you going to keep me waiting?" she asked in a sultry tone.
He smiled before sheathing his weapon. "Never." He said. He walked to the other side of the bed before leaning his weapon there. He turned to see her laying seductively on the bed. He crawled over to her before they kissed passionately and their hands roamed the other's body.
Meanwhile, Ozpin was sitting at his desk. He had his fingers intertwined and was watching the fight from that day. He had watched it countless times already but he kept replaying it. His coffee was sitting next to him, forgotten and cold. This whole situation had many things that just didn't add up to him and because he wasn't his usual cautious self, four of his students were in surgery. He looked up to see the elevator open up and for Goodwitch to walk towards him, "Glynda, how are they?" he asked tiredly.
She sighed before looking down at her scroll, "Not great, Ozpin. They'll most likely live but there is severe damage to each of them. Mr. Thrush had his wrists, arms, shoulders and even shoulder blades broken. It's unlikely that he'll be able to raise either arm higher than his shoulder and he'll need metal implants, most likely. Mr. Lark's back was completely shattered; the young man will never walk again. Mr. Bronzewing is still in surgery. All four of his ball and socket joints were shot. Best case, he'll need several months of physical therapy to even use his limbs again, let alone fight. Worst case, he'll lose one if not all of his limbs. Finally, Mr. Winchester." She sighed sadly, "Nearly every bone in his body was broken, he had severe internal bleeding, ruptured organs and severe brain damage. We're not sure if he'll ever regain consciousness. On top of all of that, all of their auras aren't returning at their normal rate. It's much slower." She looked back up to him at that.
"I may know the cause of the aura situation." He indicated the video and she walked over to watch. After a few minutes, she saw what Ozpin was getting at. Jaune had a faint black outline around his entire body and every time he came in contact with any of CRDL, their aura would drain faster. Meanwhile, his never fell below ninety-seven percent.
"He was somehow draining their aura?" Goodwitch asked stunned. Ozpin nodded. "But how? Aura can only be transferred if the owner wills it to, how could he just override that?"
Ozpin just shook his head, "I'm not sure. I've never seen this before. What about you, Glynda? How's your aura?"
She just looked him in the eyes, knowing how serious he was, "It's better now. For a few hours after the fight, it felt…...off, for a lack of a better term. But now, it feels normal. Although, I'm still wondering how he stopped my Semblance. It wasn't broken, just gone."
"I think it's similar to this." Ozpin waved his hand at the screen. "I think, Mr. Arc somehow absorbed your Semblance before turning it against you."
"That's impossible! Aura stealing, maybe but no one can transfer a Semblance." She said stunned.
Ozpin just turned his chair to look out the window. "Maybe not. Many things don't add up with this. Mr. Arc was gone for a year and he has improved at an astronomical rate. He fought a fight that even Ms. Nikos would have had to show some effort in but he wasn't serious until you interfered. Even him absorbing their aura seemed like a reflex; he was too calm that entire fight. Plus, his aura has changed as well. I've never seen someone's aura change in a drastic way, not only the color but the feel of it was different. Colder, darker."
They were quiet for a few minutes, "At least now, I know why you allowed him to stay with fake transcripts." Goodwitch said.
Ozpin nodded slowly, "I saw that Mr. Arc had a lot of potential. With the right environment, people and training, he'd be a great Huntsman. But because of me, he was hurt in a way he shouldn't have had to endure. And because of that, he has become what he is today." He said sadly.
"What do you plan to do?" Goodwitch asked.
"I'm asking Qrow to look for him. Maybe we can help him before he falls too far." Ozpin just looked up at the fractured moon. Not knowing that this would just push him farther down into that very abyss he was trying to save him from.
Jaune awoke the next morning with the sun warming his bare back. He looked down to see he was spooning his wife. Both bare as the day they were born with a sheet barely covering their modesty. Although, they had none around each other. He had his left arm wrapped around her stomach and her left hand was holding his. Both their ring fingers had a tattoo, a snake wrapped around the finger until it bit its own tail, completing the ring. The snake was a symbol for eternity and the tattoo was a symbol for eternal love. Their love. By her breathing, he knew she was still sleeping. Jaune leant over and left a trail of butterfly kisses from her shoulder to her neck. "Jaune." He heard her speak and stopped with his lips still on her neck. "I'm trying to sleep."
He smiled and he knew she felt it on her neck. He barely lifted his lips and spoke, "Sorry, Raven. But I can't stop myself from showing my love." His breath tickled her neck and she shuddered slightly. He smiled more at that.
She turned to face him and opened her eyes, "You could've waited a few more minutes. I'm tired from last night."
He just chuckled, "You know as well as I, our auras rejuvenate faster the closer the two of us are because of the bond." He said the next part as a whisper, "And intimacy makes it more rewarding, for both of us."
She quickly pushed him onto his back before she straddled him with her hands on his shoulders, "That mean you want more of last night." She said with the same sultry tone. The sheet falling off the two onto the floor. Jaune just took a moment to take in her beauty. The morning sun was shining off her fair skin in a radiant way. Her body was perfect in his mind: Long shapely legs, round rear, toned stomach, amazingly sized breast, and not a single scar to sully this beautiful goddess. The fact he knew how much she fought and how many times she faced death, that made that fact more amazing. He looked up to her face, Raven was just gorgeous, no way around it. Her long black hair with its red highlights was soft and he couldn't get enough. Her lips were incredibly soft and when they kissed, he never wanted them to end. But her eyes, weaker people would see her red eyes as intimidating or terrifying. But they were dangerously beautiful. He cupped her cheek before speaking. "I'll take whatever you give me."
She smiled before taking the same opportunity to take his body in. His entire body was toned. Enough muscle to be strong but not slow him down. He was covered in scars: a series of crossing scars on his chest and stomach, punctured marks on both his shoulders from Beowolves, more scars ran down his left arm and similar scars ran down his right but stopped halfway down his forearm, she couldn't see them now but deeps scars ran down the whole of his back, he had one or two on his thighs but below his knees were scar free. Most people would die from fewer than half of these scars but he managed to survive them all. That made him powerful and deadly, she loved it. His hair was now black besides the tips and she could remember the exact moment of this change and the change of this man. But his eyes, they were a deep blue, they could be cold enough to freeze a rushing river but also warm enough to melt her cold exterior. She leant down and gently ran her tongue from his chin, up his scar up to his lips were she gave him a loving kiss. They were going to have a late start today.
The two left around mid-morning after their little session. They left the village and when they were far enough away, Raven drew her sword and created a portal. The two walked through and found themselves at the beginning of a forest. She sheathed her blade, "I've heard rumors of a small bandit group here. We may find someone useful." She placed her mask on and Jaune just gave her a look. She turned to him, "Yes?"
He sighed, "I know why we wear these but I hate not seeing your beauty." He placed his own mask on, this one only covered his face and was similar to that of a Wyvern. He pulled his hood over his head and the two walked on. They walked in a comfortable silence for a few hours until Jaune spoke up, "This sucks." She turned to him and he continued, "Trying to find useful people is so annoying. I kinda wish that I didn't unintentionally destroy your tribe." He added sadly.
She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Do not live in the past, Jaune. No one knew what your new abilities would do. Besides, the fact that none survived just proved that we reached a level that their strength would no longer be necessary. Just a hindrance. And if not for that, we never would have become what we are now." She turned back to the path ahead. "We will find people to join us." They walked for a bit more and she felt his eyes on her. "I'm not referring to us as that."
"Come on. Say it." He said with a hint of humor in his voice.
She held up for a few minutes before she eventually sighed, "We'll find people to join…Knightingale."
He chuckled and wrapped her in a side hug, "See? That wasn't so hard."
She looked back to him, "I still don't understand why you insist on calling us that."
"What, it makes sense." He shrugged, "Guess my past self spent too much time with my step-daughter and her half-sister."
They kept walking, still keeping an eye out for this supposed group of bandits. Her mind soon wandered to her husband and the night that all of this changed.
Raven was sitting atop of a tree in the Emerald Forest, she was disappointed. She came to Beacon to see if her daughter was strong enough to join her and her people. She had observed her all day and found she was still subpar. She sighed, a wasted day. She was about to open a portal when something caught her eye. She looked to see a blonde young man step into the clearing below her. She recognized him as someone that was usual around her daughter. But that made her think, she hadn't seen him around Yang all day. In reality, it looked like her and her group of friends were openly avoiding him. And it appeared that he was doing it as well but for a different reason. But what was he doing here at this time at night?
She saw him draw his sword and unfold his shield before just standing there. After a minute or so, Grimm started to enter the clearing. They charged him and he started to fight them. At first it was just some Beowolves with the occasional Boarbatusk. He seemed to be doing well. His stance seemed forced, like he was making himself fight a certain way. Soon, more Grimm arrived. Ursa started to come to his negativity along with some smaller Nevermore. He was starting to become overwhelmed but that's when he started to fight on instinct. He wasn't the most skilled warrior she had seen but his instincts were top notch. She could also tell he was a natural tactician. Combine those two facts with some training and he'd be a force to reckon with. She continued to watch and saw his white aura radiate off of him, this helped him to keep fighting and heal quickly. And the sheer amount of aura was just baffling to her.
She watched for hours, she'd seen professional Huntsmen and Huntresses do this but this was an anomaly. Grimm just kept coming; soon Ursa Majors and Alpha Beowloves started to show along with bigger Nevermores, these were as big as cars. They gave him trouble but soon a Death Stalker and King Taijitu entered the clearing. This pushed him to his limit. These more powerful and intelligent Grimm were too much.
While he was distracted, an Ursa Major tore deeply into his back. With a scream, he spun and decapitated it but a Nevermore grabbed him before slamming him to the ground. He was able to impale it through the chest but it's talons cut into his thighs. He was slowly standing; his aura was barely active. It was doing everything it could to stop him from bleeding out but was offering little protection.
A Boarbatusk charged him but he was able to impale it with his sword in a reverse grip before it reached him but an Alpha snuck up behind him and bit into his left shoulder. He screamed in pain before slamming his shield into it to knock it away. But before he could capitalize, the King Taijitu rammed him before sending him into the air. His shield miraculous took the bulk of the hit but soon the other head was coming towards him. At the last second he moved and impaled the snake in the head and ripped it down its back as he was falling. He fell off its back before he landed onto the ground but as he rose, the Death Stalker smacked him away with its claw and into a tree. He fell to the ground afterwards.
He slowly stood before looking down at his shield, which was now just twisted metal covered in his blood from his shoulder wound. He could feel that the same shoulder was dislocated now. He dropped the shield to the ground but as soon as he did the Alpha was on him again. He kicked the shield at it and luckily caught it in the face, dazing it. He used this opportunity to stab it in the chest but its bone armor made it only go halfway to its heart. It started to tear into him in a fury, it cut into his chest and left arm as he raised the same arm to protect himself. His hoodie was torn to bits and the little armor he head fell to the ground after the assault. He shouted in exertion as he drove the blade deeper and finally killing it. But a lower Beowolf ran behind him and bit into his right shoulder and carved its claws into his upper arm and stomach. Jaune cried out in pain before jumping back and slamming it into the tree he just got hit into. It let go and Jaune turned to impale it through the head and into the tree.
Jaune pulled his sword free before turning tiredly as blood fell from his arm down to the sword. That's when the Death Stalker hit him again, he brought up his sword to defend himself but the blade shattered against its shell. A fragment of the blade cut into the right side of his lip to his chin as he flew through the air. It sent him flying into yet another tree but the impact shoved his dislocated arm back into its socket. He laid there for a while, not moving. His aura was gone and soon his life.
Raven just looked on. He survived longer than she thought he was capable of but alas he was still too weak. 'A shame. He shows promise.' She thought. She was reaching for her sword, intent on saving his life. If you were worthy of it, she would save your life but only once. He had definitely proven himself. Before she could though, the air around her turned cold. This stopped her and shockingly, all the Grimm as well. The young man started to climb to his feet and as he was doing so, a pitch black aura was flowing from his body. 'But, his aura was white before? How?' Raven thought to herself.
Then she noticed that his aura wasn't the only thing changing. His hair was slowly turning black starting at the roots and stopping before the tips, keeping them blonde. His wounds were also closing, not completely but enough to slow the bleeding. He raised his head and looked at the Grimm with a cold glare. The Grimm shook themselves from their stupors before all charged him. He crossed his arms in front of him and the black aura started to look like a black inferno around him. "DIE!" he shouted at the top of his lungs and threw his arms to the side, as he did the aura blasted off of him as a wave of black energy. It forced the Grimm back and even the trees were ripped from the ground from the force of it. Raven had to jump away to not get caught in it.
When she looked back, everything within a hundred meters of him was cleared and all the Grimm were dissolving. He was breathing raggedly before he coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Raven jumped from the tree and made her way over to him. She knelt down and turned him over. She looked him over. She had to admit, he was cute for his age and he was okay physically. 'But he has a long way to go before he'll be suitable for the clan.' She thought to herself. Raven stood and opened a portal for them. She tossed him over her shoulder before walking through the portal. Leaving the remains of his weapons and scroll behind.
She was taken from her memories when Jaune stuck his arm out in front of her. "They're here." He said. She instantly started to focus her senses and felt the presence of five people around them. She nodded and he spoke up, "We know you're there. Come out or else." His voice had an edge to it. Soon the five men stepped out. All around the same age and had similar looks, maybe family. They were dressed in different clothing but each have a red 'X' over their hearts. They formed a crescent in front of them and each had a different weapon. From left to right: knife, rifle, battle axe, sword and shotgun.
The one in the middle, the leader most likely, spoke up. "This territory belongs to the Brothers of the Blood Cross. Everything you have, belongs to us." He said in a conceited tone.
Raven turned to Jaune, "I can't sense any aura, you?" His abilities allowed him to sense aura almost instinctively.
He shook his head, "Nope. They weren't worth the trip out here." He sighed in disappointment.
"Would you look at this, boys?" Said the leader. "We got ourselves a pretty lady here. Why don't we show her a good time?" He licked his lips as he said that. The others laughed at his intentions.
Raven started to reach for her sword but stopped when Jaune shot his hand forward. The leader was consumed in a black aura before he was sent flying into a tree ten feet back. Everyone heard a snapping sound and it wasn't the tree. The other four were stunned, as they turned around Jaune was already there with Tourmentage Tordu drawn. He sliced through the neck of the one with the rifle, nearly decapitating him. He quickly grabbed the throat of the knife wielder and lifted him off the ground, strangling him. He tried to pry Jaune's hand off his throat, with no success. The shotgun user aimed his weapon at Jaune's back before firing. Reflexively, Jaune's aura came to the surface and reflected the buckshot back at his chest, killing him. Jaune snapped the man's neck before dropping him unceremonially to the ground.
He turned to the to the wannabe swordsman, who was running for his life. Jaune raised his left hand and the coward was cloaked in black aura. He stopped before Jaune pulled his arm back, sending him flying back towards himself. He simply raised his sword so he ran the bandit through. He hung limply from the blade before Jaune kicked him off. He turned to the leader and saw that he was still conscious. He smiled darkly behind his mask as he walked forward.
"Stay back!" he cried out and tried to stand but he couldn't feel his legs. Mostly because the impact shattered his back. Jaune was halfway to him when he panicked and threw his axe at Jaune. Jaune nonchalantly caught it with his left hand before throwing it back and lodging it into his right shoulder. The man screamed in pain. He turned back to see Jaune standing in front of him with his sword drawn. He could see into the eyeholes of the mask and just see cold blue eyes that promised pain. "Please…" he asked weakly.
"Don't worry." Jaune said in a voice full of faux concern. The man thought he was saved for a second until he felt the tip of Jaune's sword touch his chest and slowly being pushed in. He screamed in excruciating pain as the sword was moving at agonizingly slow pace. "Enjoy the pain before you die." Jaune said in a cold tone as he continued to push his blade into the piece of shit slowly. It was a full minute later before the sword penetrated his heart and he died. Jaune pulled his sword free and swung it to scatter the blood onto the ground before sheathing it.
He walked over to Raven, she had her hand on her hip. "That was foolish." She told him. "The abilities you stole from Goodwitch aren't permanent, you shouldn't have wasted it on them. And you know I could've handled them myself."
He was standing in front of her and looked down slightly, "I know. I lost my temper and went above what was necessary." He looked back to her, "But I won't apologize. They threatened the woman I love and needed to pay. You needn't waste your time on shit like that."
She stepped forward and place her hand over his heart. "I appreciate that." She smirked behind her mask. "And I'll show you how much tonight." She walked past him with a sway in her hips. He smiled behind his mask before following her. Ignoring the massacre in their wake and the crow observing them from the branches above.
A/N- Wow, was not expecting the feedback for this and as a man of my word, Distortion is now a series. But unfortunately, updates are gonna be slow. Two reasons. First, as I said before, Elemental Swordsman is my priority until its completed. Second, I need to figure out where this story is going. Unlike TES, where I planned 90% of everything, I literally came up with the concept for chapter one, typed it out and posted it on the same day. So, I'm going to need some time to figure out the plot. So, I hope you can all wait. I'd rather have some time to make this as great as it can be rather than put out a half assed story. I hope you all understand and I thank you for your patience. See you in the next update.