AN
It's another one shot, to go along with V5s ending because I feel like it did a disservice to Jaune. If they never address that Raven was somewhere in her mid to late thirties before gaining her Maiden powers I'll seriously drop the series.
Also it has added to my dislike of Ozpin. Anyways like REVIEW and ENJOY!
"Mom was the Spring Maiden not the girl" Yang stated as RWBY sat in the half destroyed hall of Mistral Academy. None of the girls noticed Jaunes hands tighten around his blade. "She killed the last one...the that ran away" Yang continued unaware to the knight shaking hands.
"When did the last maiden run?" Jaunes question cut through the room, his blue eyes glacial as he locked onto Oscar and Qrow.
"Jaune..." Oscar took a half step away from the blonde knight.
"Boy" Qrow put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"How old was Raven before getting the maiden powers?" He felt Ren put a hand on his shoulder. "Why Pyrrha?" He finished.
Qrow frowned "You need to calm down" Qrow advised not liking the look on the blondes face.
"And you need to answer the damn question!" He yelled drawing the attention of not just RWBY, but the Belladonna family and Sun. "Why wasn't Glynda made the Fall Maiden!" As if he had visibly slapped RWBY and JNPR they all recoiled away from the three. Jaunes body began glowing with a faint white light.
"Glynda..." Oscar paused, everyone could see him inaudibly arguing inside his own mind.,
"Get the old bastard out here Oscar" Jaune stated viciously.
"He can't he's..." Oscar began only to be silenced by Jaune saying "Lying to us. He said you guys would become one. What happened with that big guy. He possessed you!" He cast a glance to Ruby, Nora, and Ren. "Remember when we first met this kid. Ozpin could barely hold a conversation before being forced into his mind! He just fought a guy who was fighting and beating us all. Nobodies going to question how much stronger he'll get, or how much longer Oscar has before Ozpin never has to give control back!" Oscar stumbled away from Jaune who was now walking straight towards him. "Now get the bastard out of your head! Because he's answering my damn questions!" Jaune swung a downward cleave that Oscar barely blocked, but the weight of the attack stumbled him.
Jaune was about launch a second swing when a large blade touched the side of his neck. "This is not happening" Qrows once fading almost pink eyes. Where now just as red as Yangs own.
"It's happening because I'm flipping the damn chessboard" The could see the green aura envelop Oscar for a moment. The Arc and the headmaster never leaving each other's eyes. "Pyrrha never wanted to be a huntress. Did you know that Oz?" They could hear the audible crack in speech. "But her parents found out that she was a natural. So they groomed her, got her some of the greatest tutors in all of mistral, and made her into the invincible girl. She never wanted that. But you used what was hard wired in her. Made her question the very core of her being. For what!?"
Ozpin sighed "Mr Arc I've lived longer, and made more mistakes..." But before he could finish his statement Jaune cut in. "No! You don't get to play the victim. You didn't see how torn up Pyrrha was after you and your cabal lied to her! So no you don't get to play the victim. Tell us why you chose Pyrrha, when Glynda was already in your inner circle!"
"Jaune..." Ruby reached for the leader of JNPR.
"What if it was Weiss, or Yang?" She pulled away from Jaune. "What if one them came to you crying. I tried as best as I could but...I had no idea. And I'm starting to get one" Jaune looked down on the still unmoving headmaster. "Why Pyrrha?"
Ozpin eyes hardened "She was the best, the most skilled, the most stable" Ozpin tried for the most part to looked ashamed, but Jaune saw through the mask. To the battle hardened immortal. "She was the only choice. Ms Rose had her eyes, Ms Schnee her family, Ms Belladonna her past as a well if we're cutting through to the core. Her past a terrorist and assassin for the Whitefang. Ms Xiao Long, she was probably my second choice, if not for that anger my first. I've seen the Branwen Bloodline. But she has to much of her mother in her" Everyone but Jaune took a step away from Ozpin. "Ms Nikos was the only choice"
Jaune nodded, but never lost the pure anger he was feeling. His mind always returning to his last hold on Pyrrha, the video. "Why not Glynda Goodwitch?"
Ozpin frowned deeply before saying calmly. "We couldn't risk it. Glynda even without becoming a Maiden was probably the strongest active huntress on Remnant. Well I guess now with Ms Branwen, she's the second strongest"
"Professor Goodwitch forced a retreat from Cinder" Ruby gasped loudly, her hand covering her mouth. "Before I was recruited into Beacon" The look of betrayal never left her face as she finally saw Ozpin."Professor...please...tell me you didn't lie to Pyrrha" She practically begged.
In the back of his mind Ozpin felt Oscar claw for control, but he quickly silenced any fight from the boy, continuing his monologue. "We didn't know how much forcing Ambers aura would change the host body. Just her powers could've been transferred. But just as easily Amber could've taken over the body. We couldn't risk Glynda, Amber had already proven to be a weak maiden" Yang flinched visibly as she could see clear echoes in Ozpin's statements, and those of her Mother. "So we chose the most viable candidate. Should Ms Nikos be taken over by Amber. She would have a strong body, arguably superior to her own. Should Ms Nikos gain the powers, then we would have a maiden gifted in ways that only happen once a generation"
Jaune suddenly grabbed Ruby wrist and nearly shoved her into her sisters arms. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He felt a chill go down his spine, the same chill he had felt when he saw Cinder. "Do you not see our lives as valuable?"
"I've lived a long life Mr Arc. You grow..." Ozpin searched for the word that would gently break it to JNR and RWBY. "jaded. I am sick of this cycle. So I saw an opportunity with this generation. Ms Nikos, Ms Rose, Ms Schnee, Ms Xiao Long, and Ms Belladonna. Four Maidens and a warrior to lead them into battle. Do you see now Mr Arc. I Saw Ms Nikos as a chance to finally break the cycle she was going to be the start of something fantastic" He calmly looked towards the four girls of team RWBY, but before he could eye Nora Ren had placed himself in his line of sight. "Do you see Mr Arc. Pyrrha her sacrifice was going to light the fire, that would burn Salem to the ground"
"How can you be so broken?" The Question was simple, they could see the tears dripping onto the ground. "Do you have no humanity left? Do you not understand that all human lives have value? Don't you see that playing RWBY and Pyrrha like that? Grooming them into becoming Maidens is no better then what Salem did with Cinder? That you're becoming just as bad as the evil you fight!?" He finished his line of questioning by looking at RWBY and Nora. Suddenly a fire lit in his stomach. He was going to protect them. No matter the the cost.
"Some times hard choices need to be made Mr Arc" Ozpin eyes sharpened to a point.
Suddenly Jaune was glaring a Qrow. "When did Ozpin start having you groom Ruby?" The Old huntsmen carefully schooled his face into an expressionless mask. "Is that why you killed Summer Rose?" In a instant Jaune was flung across the room by a powerful swing of the sword.
"You don't know what you're talking!?" Qrow was about to charge Jaune when four arms wrapped around.
"Stop!" Yangs strong metal arm holding him in place with a vice like grip.
"Uncle Qrow please" Ruby begged the old man.
Jaune stumbled to his feet, his aura having taken the brunt of the blow, but the attack did leave a dent in his chest plate. "Hit a nerve" He wheezed as his teammate began supporting his wobbly legs. "The way I see it, Ozpin planned on Ruby leading this generation of Maidens from the day she was born" He glared at the man still being held back by his nieces.
"Jaune just shut up!" Weiss yelled at the knight.
He rounded on her with a quickness she had never seen in him. "No Weiss. If what I'm saying is true, they deserve the answers!"
"Everything we've done is for the safety of humanity" Qrow replied with anger.
"Ozpin already saw how their dad reacted when Raven left him" Ozpin calmly reached for his cane. For the first time Blake and Weiss stood defensively in front of Jaune. "This was his chance to get in on the ground level of a Silver Eyed Warrior. To have one of his personal dogs train her, groom her into what Ozpin needed!" Jaune continued his rant. "Summer though posed a threat to that plan didn't she"
'She was super mom, slayer of monsters, and baker of cookies' Blake had once heard the pride in Yangs voice as she talked about the elder Rose. Immediately her Gambol Shroud was pointed directly at the chest of Ozpin. "Please tell me he isn't telling the truth"
"Blake!" Yang knew she couldn't release her uncle but seeing the hurt in her partners eyes was almost enough for her to do it"
"I'm willing to bet because of the stress of being mother Summer was toying with the idea of retiring, I know my mom couldn't be both after my older sister was born" Jaune stood up tall to even flinching at the throbbing in his chest. "So you told her one last mission. This mission would exhaust her, weaken her, maybe even drain some of the power of the silver eyes out of her" Jaune hands shook "Then Qrow would appear" The huntsmen in question stood absolutely still. "He would tell her that he was back up. Then he would strike when she was least expecting it"
"Uncle Qrow" Ruby looked up desperately trying to look for any denial on his face. Only to have her hopes dashed upon the hardened glare of Qrow Branwen.
"Qrow please..." Yang started, but she had seen his eyes. The same eyes her mother had when she justified killing the former Spring Maiden. "Oh my god, you killed her" She faltered back a half step.
"It all works for you right Oz. You get your silver eyed warrior, even if it took a couple of years. You have a thousand life times to play your game" Jaune looked back to his friends. "I'm not going to force you to come with me" He stated simply. "I'm going to Vacuo. I'm gonna find the Maiden and protect her. From Oz, from Salem and anyone who goes after her"
"We can't let you do that" Ozpin walked towards the Arc. "Those girls have a destiny"
"To die so RWBY can become maidens!" His voice echoed through the near empty hall. "They're not your toys Oz. I'm going to protect them. Because that's what Pyrrha would've done!"
Ozpin frowned he knew that getting in touch with Ironwood was an imperative now. "Mr Arc...Jaune please. I Know you're feeling hurt. But you must understand. Those two maidens are our last bulwark against Salem. They can not be removed from their station"
Jaune limped towards the broken wall "I Don't know much, I'm not all that strong, or smart, I can barely fight, but there is one thing I know. That what you're doing to the maidens is wrong, I'm going to help them. That's a promise"
Weiss looked towards the blonde then to her leader and back. When Yang finally spoke up. "I'm going with him" She shoved her uncle as she followed Nora and Ren. "I Said no more lies. Qrow I can't believe you...Summer...no mom" Tears poured freely down her cheeks "Dad would kill you if he ever found out what you did" She added. She didn't even spare her Faunus teammate a glance.
Weiss was next, she could still feel his aura in hers. She felt the cold blade of betrayal radiating off him. His aura as if subconsciously mixing with hers. "I'm going with Jaune Ruby. He's going to need help" She chased after Yang, gently placing her small hand on the broader shoulder of her teammate. "I'm so sorry" She half whispered.
"Ruby" Blake remained rooted in place watching her little leader.
"Uncle Qrow" The young reaper was suddenly a pillar of petals following after her sister and teammates.
Ozpin eyed the final member of RWBY. "Ms Belladonna"
Blake yellow eyes fell onto the young professor. "I Don't know Jaune. I don't know what Pyrrha saw in him. But I do know this. Night will fall and drown the sun when a good man goes to war. Friendship dies and true love lies. Night will fall and the dark will rise when a good man goes to war. Demons run but count the cost; the battle's won but the child is lost" She followed after the group of former Beacon Students. As she walked above the rubble her yellow eyes turned on Qrow. "Don't you ever come near my leader, or my partner. I'm done running. I Will protect my friends" She warned darkly, before disappearing after the group.
AN
Yeah Raven being the Spring Maiden was one of the biggest ass pulls I've EVER seen. Not just in RWBY but in all of FICTION! It literally shatters any LORE the show tried to create! One of two THINGS we know about the Maidens was completely and utterly false. That puts the entire Pyrrha story in Volume 3 into question, It's makes the Ozluminati unreliable narrators, and Glynda look like a massive bitch!
Let's break down Ravens age for a moments. She was 21/22 before graduating from Beacon, she spent some time as a spy for Ozpin, she then spent time training the previous Spring Maiden, and that's not taking into account, the 9 months to carry Yang, or the six it takes to get to Haven! That means at minimum she was 30! But with all of the unknowns. The Spying for Oz, and training the previous Spring! She could've easily been in her mid to late 30s if not pushing her early 40s!