A Cosmic Journey
A/N: I'm BAAAAAACCCK! Finals sucked, let that be known. Anyways, I hope the wait hasn't been too long, though I can see that some new readers and reviews came in while I was attempting to cram four libraries of school notes into my head. Somehow this fic shot right past 200 followers while I wasn't looking, so thanks to the followers and fans out there for that! Whatever the case is, A Cosmic Journey is back, and with the last chapter of the Countdown Arc as well! This one clocks in at over 12,000 words too, with quite a lot that I wanted to pack in from my absence. As a note before getting to the reviews, I will have one more update before the year's out on December 30, which will mark at the official start to canon! *Sob*, I never thought I'd get here, but according to some of my readers, I got here too fast. All I can say to that is…keep your eyes peeled, and stay tuned. Now for the truckload of reviews.
AlexFalton: In return for being a cliffhanger asshole, this chapter is extra-long this time. And worry not, all plans will be revealed in time, unless the readers see something that I haven't thought of yet, haha. As for the big fight, I'm glad to hear that it was at least interesting. In my personal opinion, a straight sword fight between Raven and Adam would end in a handy victory for Raven nearly every time, and that's not throwing semblances and Maiden powers into the mix. As for your theory of the fight's conclusion? Well…
Raidentensho: Yup, the divergence from canon is definitely going to have effects, the likes of which will be coming up fast. In terms of any conversations with Ozpin, that's an intellectual chessmaster headache just waiting to happen. And your idea about eye colors is interesting, but I think keeping the effects of Chronometry grounded in a specific set of abilities is easier to explain within the realm of semblances for Remnant.
SoSlimShady: A strongly worded opinion, but not necessarily a wrong one. Kouzai definitely has his flaws, the least of which being that he's been dropped into an unfamiliar and hostile world. As for his reluctance for killing, he hasn't had to take a life before, and that line gives even one like him pause. He's both reluctant to throw himself into the dark of the deep end, and reluctant to just let the events of canon run their course in the pain and horror that comes to Vale and Remnant.
ProfessorGoblitz: The appearance of Cinder's faction, Roman and Neo, and Adam and Blake may appear to be too convenient to be true. However, the course of events in canon hold that Blake left during the train heist, which came after Cinder's first visit to the White Fang. If per chance that Cinder happened to gather additional forces to ambush Amber, and this happened even a week or so earlier than canon? That's where the fun of writing starts to come in.
Gabe2000: Cliffhangers also share that special place in my heart for love/hate. And it's twofold because I both love/hate them as both a writer and a reader.
PyromaniacRabbit: Kouzai might consider himself as being adaptable to new circumstances, but really, he's an overly meticulous planner about scenarios and variables. It's a theme that's shown up in the repeated instances where he's been caught off-guard by things he hadn't planned for, and subsequently went downhill for him. That, paired with his belief that he's still good because he has standards and a code, can lead to some blind spots as far as his willingness to perform certain acts is concerned. He thought that he could get away with just keeping the maiden powers out of Cinder's hands and had a plan for that, but to come upon such a monumental clusterfuck that requires a snap decision? You'd best believe that the wheels are spinning as fast as they can go. As for the usage of his eyes, the persistence with going without his sight since his semblance became passive is both to try to control its effect, and to experiment with finer Aura control in things like Aura sensing. The idea that not using your eyes for a long period of time could lead to the inability to keep them open for a while without strain is something that flew over his head while thinking of the potential benefits.
Explosives Guest: I'm not sure how wealthy or intelligent you may believe Kouzai to be, but an artillery battery is slightly beyond his pay grade and range of science experimentation. Now to mention he'd throw his back out just trying to move the damn thing.
Guest (Adis): I'll admit that the existence of the three chapter 2's at the beginning of the fic may confuse some, and the Omakes of the other viewpoints probably don't help, but I think that's part of what gives the fic its quirk, and lets me tap into a part of what had me considering those other viewpoints when first writing this fic.
Guest (Henkalv): Quite a lot you've put down for review, and I thank you for such a thought out consideration of my writing. The main force behind the Countdown Arc and the start of this fic in general were the close interactions with specific characters, and the selection of Nora and Ren is one that I don't regret for a second. As for character development, that is definitely something that's getting its day once canon starts to come along, so there's that to look forward to. As for Corona, I confess that understanding the science and theory behind putting it together was about the limit of my scientific prowess, so I'd imagine that it's not something the average person thinks of. You are most definitely correct though that the drawbacks also contribute to that, and that he is not the first person to have thought of the idea.
Your constructive criticisms are noted and well-received. The bolded text is something that I've occasionally wavered back and forth with at times, but it's not something that I've applied too often, or at least I don't think I have. Your analogy on it though is intriguing however, so I'll likely look at my writing from that angle to see if it is immersion-breaking. In terms of Kouzai's association with Lil' Miss Malachite, Kouzai considers entities like Ozpin and Salem to be the moral extremes of the chessmaster spectrum, and would avoid them like the plague. This is out of deference to the sheer experience they have and the alien thought processes they possess at times. Someone like Lil' Miss, on the other hand, is definitely manipulative, but is also predictable in the sense of having definable and human goals. Wealth, influence, and creature comforts? Totally fine. The desire to desire all life on Remnant, or the goal of indefinitely stemming the apocalypse for all eternity? Yeah, that's not something that he can relate to.
Now, for the pacing of the story. I'll admit that fitting five years of plot progression into fifteen chapters might be considered a bit quick, all things considered. On the other hand though, I'm not sure how long I and other readers, but especially I, could wait to get to canon. There's just so much to unpack once Beacon gets started that I couldn't help but want to move things along briskly, though hopefully not at the cost of proper development in terms of narrative and the characters. Once Beacon arrives though, you can have faith that my ass is throwing in some fluff, training and just general zany shenanigans that seem par for the course at Beacon. And Kouzai's encounters with characters of RWBY may be considered as too common for the size of Remnant, but trust that I've got a plan. Or at least, I think I have one. But really, thanks for the review, and I'm honored that you consider this fic the best RWBY SI you've read thus far. I hope to make the writing worthy of such a title.
Gizmo Gear: Good to hear from you again, though I have to say that you picked one hell of a time to catch up. Your response is pretty much what I'd expect for someone who read through the last few chapters especially.
Chapter 17: All's Well
Chapter Date: 12/23/19
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
My eyes flew open and I jackknifed to a sitting position, only realizing I'd been on my back when the pain of searing ribs caught up to me. 'Sonofa…what the hell happened?'
I struggled torturously slow to my feet, looking around at the trees around me as my eyes burned from strain. 'Wait…how'd I end up back in the forest?'
A pivot answered my question, as a large furrow in the ground trailed from the small cliff I'd been standing at. A furrow that continued past the crumpled remains of a sizable tree…
'That answers what happened to my ribs…damnit, I should've braced myself first, but I was short on time…wait, the fight!' The fact of the scream recaptured my attention, and I dragged myself back towards the Cliffside, preparing for whatever I might find.
… … …
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Cinder writhed upon the ground, clutching at her left arm, or the charred stump that remained. A few yards away, Amber laid still on her back, her right arm in a similar state. Between them, a large patch of superheated ground smoked and crackled.
Qrow was the first to recover, chucking Emerald into Mercury as he dashed towards Amber's side. "No nonono NO, c'mon Amber! WAKE UP!" Kneeling over the Maiden, he forwent manners and pressed one hand on her chest with his ear tilted towards Amber's face, his other hand grasping her remaining hand and wrist.
Emerald unceremoniously leapt off Mercury and took a similar position by Cinder. "Cinder, are you ok?! Tell me you're alright!" A proffered hand was slapped away by a seething Cinder, as one pained amber eye glared at Emerald, the other fully dilated and unfocused.
"Who…fired…that…SHOT?" Emerald tore her eyes away from Cinder as she glanced at the crater beside her. She'd seen the blast, everyone did, but there was no time to move. As she trailed her eyes back to the treeline, her breath caught.
A full-length black robe, complete with black gloves and boots. The hood of the robe shadowed the blank white mask covering the individual's face, the mask devoid of any markings whatsoever. The eyeholes, difficult to see at this distance, were darkened, but an unmistakable hint of red glowed through. With those exact colors…it looked like…
"A Grimm…"
"Uhh, Boss, that wouldn't be…" Mercury trailed off as he gazed slack-jawed at the figure.
"What the absolute hell is He doing here? This is the middle of nowhere, in Vale…" Roman whispered, eyes narrowed. However, both men were drowned out by a roar.
"The SPECTER?! HERE!" Adam's shout seemed to rattle everyone back into action, including the still figure of the Specter. With a whirl, the Specter turned and fled into the forest. "GET BACK HERE, COWARD! I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!"
The bull Faunus charged towards the trees, but a cane at chest-height blocked his path. "Hate to burst your bubble, Broody, but we've still got a job to finish. Ditch the group now, and all that dust you were promised for your merry band of animals goes poof."
"Like hell you're finishing anything," Qrow snarled, his relieved face turning murderous, one hand now clutching Harbinger. "Make another move towards us, take another step, and I'll CUT. YOU. DOWN." Raven and Taiyang guarded the Maiden's unprotected sides, both sporting glares of equal fury to Qrow's.
"You seem to be mistaken," Roman replied cheerfully. "I'm trying to cut my losses and get out of here, our newly-made cripple in tow. I'd imagine that sounds agreeable to the three of you?"
"What? NO! That power is mine, and I will CLAIM IT! There are only three remaining, so slaughter them and-" Cinder's outburst stopped suddenly, owing to a parasol handle clocking her in the jaw and sending her head into a limp fall before Emerald caught and cradled the unconscious woman.
"HOW DARE YOU! I'M GOING TO-" Thief's Respite was blocked off by a gloved hand as Mercury stood between Emerald and Neo.
"Em, stop. Torchwick's right, as much as I hate to admit it. Cinder's down, you and I were going to lose our fight to that drunk, Adam probably would've lost to Branwen, and I really wouldn't want to pit Neo against that absolute monster over there." A gestured hand over to Taiyang, who still gave off roiling heat waves, showed his laser-sharp focus on the remaining combatants.
"That may be the first thing you and I have ever agreed on, kid," Roman added cheekily, before turning back to Adam. "So how about it, Bull-boy? Make sure we, and by that I mean I, get back scot-free, and you'll have more Dust crystals, vials, and rounds than you know what do with."
Adam glared at Roman, seeming to bore through and behind him, before nodding slowly. Qrow, on the other hand, was not amused.
"If you think I'll just let you all walk outta here-"
"That's exactly what's going to happen, Qrow, because it's what needs to happen."
"Rae…"
"Dear old sis is right, Branwen," Roman replied. "We're both down a man, but you're down your biggest gun. Meanwhile, if you wanna fight, all we've gotta do is take out the girl, and that's a successful job. Considering that both sides have a vested interest in staying alive, or keeping someone on our side alive, this is the best deal either of us are going to get."
Smug green stared off with livid red, before Qrow broke off first. "Raven, cut us a portal back to Patch. I need to get Amber to Oz as soon as possible."
"Bold of you to order me around, Brother." Omen sliced downwards, and a thrumming portal opening up as Qrow collected Amber in his arms while Emerald did the same with Cinder. Both parties began to back away from one another, eyes contact never ceasing. As they did, Mercury glanced around.
"Where'd the faunus chick go? Neo, you happen to see her?" Neo, slowly coming down from her bloodlust high, looked away from Taiyang and shrugged.
"I sent her to track the Specter," Adam replied, carefully watching as Qrow and Amber disappeared into the portal. "Once we're secure again, I'll meet up with her and make an example of the scum."
"Uhh, not for nothing, but you're sure your girl will be fine? The Specter's made a small name for himself back in Mistral." Mercury glanced at a slightly fidgeting Adam, thumb rubbing the handle of his sword as Taiyang vanished into the portal.
"She is superior to me when it comes to matters of stealth, and when it comes to the plight of Faunus her desire to help is second to none." A second's glance between Adam and Raven lasted before the swordswoman stepped through the portal, and the thrum vanished.
"I trust she will fulfill her objective discreetly."
… … …
'SHIT! SHITSHITSHITSHIT!' A bullet cracked deep into a tree beside my head, and I wheezed for breath and sprinted even faster through the forest. However, busted ribs and strained eyes made fleeing futile when the pursuer was Blake-fucking-Belladonna.
'Why is she here, chasing me? What happened to the fight? I know I saw Cinder alive sans arm, along with Amber in the same boat, but-OH SHIT!' Only Chronometry's passive effect saved me from a bullet to the back as I sharply pivoted. In exchange, my ribs creaked further. 'What did I even do to her? The last time we met...was while outnumbering Adam, in the middle of a warzone among SDC and White Fang bodies…ok, that makes sense…'
My shortness of breath took precedent over my ranting, however. Regardless of whether Blake was well-rested and uninjured, I wasn't either of those, which meant she was gaining on me very quickly. Better to handle thing on my terms though, which meant…
A fight against Blake Belladonna. 'Joy…'
I grabbed a thin tree trunk to swing back around, my other hand on Mirror's Edge while searching the trees for-there!
Gambol Shroud's two blades sliced in quick succession, both meeting my longswords. A Grimm mask covered amber eyes, but the grimace she bared at me let me know exactly how Blake was feeling.
"You! You killed all, those, people!" Each word was punctuated with a rapid slash, and my muscles burned to move my much longer blades to meet hers. "You took Ilia away!"
'I did what now?' I needed some answers, but more than that, I needed breathing room. Slamming Mirror's Edge back together, I fired one side a couple times as I shoved my greatsword against Gambol Shroud, knocking Blake back ten or so feet. "Ok, STOP! Just…give me a chance to explain."
Blake stopped, though Gambol Shroud remained up in its sickle form. "Talk then."
'Okayyy, not how I expected our first conversation to go…' I took a deep breath, wheels spinning in my head. "First off, I didn't kill any of the Faunus back in Kuchinashi. Hell, I didn't even kill any of the SDC workers. I haven't killed anyone, period."
"Then what was the point of firing that shot into the middle of our fight? And what was that?" Her question confirmed that she likely wasn't in the know about the finer points of why that fight had occurred. It also confirmed that my modifications to Corona weren't exactly standard additions even among a militant group such as the White Fang.
I held my hands in the air peacefully, and watched her head follow before jerking back to my face. "The only reason I was here today was to stop some very bad people from getting ahold of something very powerful, and very important. Nothing more, nothing less. The shot I fired was a desperate move due to how tense the situation got."
Fingers tightened on Gambol Shroud. "Some very bad people? Like the White Fang? Here to stop our plans again?"
"No." My forceful statement had Blake flinching for a second. "I didn't even know this many people would be here today, let alone the White Fang. But no matter what, you have to have known that trying to kill an innocent girl in cold blood isn't exactly on the White Fang's mission statement of objectives."
For the first time this conversation, cat ears lowered a fraction and shoulders drooped. "It…it wasn't supposed to be like that. Just a simple job, in exchange for a lot of dust to help the White Fang."
'Dust?' "But wouldn't the White Fang have enough Dust anyways the train heist…" I trailed off as Blake's posture became hostile again, cat ears shooting back up while Gambol Shroud was aimed at me. 'Ah nuts, the ambush happened earlier than in canon, which means the train heist hasn't happened yet!'
"How did you know about the train?" Blake growled, and I kept my mouth shut, trying to search for any and all contingencies. "Have you been tracking us? Looking to finish what you started in Kuchinashi?"
"What? No, I already said-"
"It doesn't matter. I'll capture you and get answers." Gambol Shroud fired, and as I ducked away from the bullet, I watched the chain scythe cleave through the air towards me. A dive and roll away let me listen to the blade carving through the tree behind me.
'Grimmshit…after travelling nonstop, firing Corona and taking the recoil to the ribs, my Aura's not looking great…' I had more injuries and more exhaustion than my opponent wielding one hell of an unconventional weapon. But I had at least one idea to deal with things.
My time spent thinking allowed Blake to close in, her cleaver sheathe at the ready to slice down. Gripping Mirror's Edge, I thrusted the blade towards her torso, and watched it pierce through without resistance before the Faunus's form began turning incorporeal. Even before my thrust was finished though, I had my eyes scanning to the sides to no avail, before aiming Mirror's Edge behind me.
BANG BANG BANG
A soft grunt came from behind as all three shots made the telltale sign of impacting against Aura, and I swept Mirror's Edge around to knock an unprepared Blake into a tree, her purple Aura shimmering from the impact.
"GGH…how did you know?" Blake eyed me warily, giving me enough time to catch my breath.
"I've seen your semblance in action during Kuchinashi. I made countermeasures in case I ever had to fight someone with a semblance like yours."
"So you were tracking the White Fang, or maybe just Adam and I…" I sighed but made no attempt to refute Blake's accusation. Now really wasn't the time for it. Instead, I readied myself as the cat Faunus charged once again.
'Since I can counter her semblance, she's trying to leverage her natural agility and lighter weapons to whittle me down.' A good plan, at least in theory.
Splitting Mirror's Edge apart, I furiously slashed and parried Gambol Shroud's two blades, and true to form, Blake's superior footwork and lighter weapons were taking a toll on my arms and ribs. But I just needed to watch for the one specific move.
A straight slice downward with her cleaver was the signal, and I grit my teeth and tensed my arm muscles as the blade carved a chunk out of my Aura.
CLANG
Blake gaped as her cleaver was caught in between Mirror's Edge, but before she could channel her Aura to pull the blade out, I kicked out at her midsection and sent her sailing back once again, burying Mirror's Edge in the ground as she landed daintily on her feet. As I stood in front of Mirror's Edge, Blake readied her chain scythe as she stared, confused.
'She knows the trick to get her cleaver out, considering how she retrieved Wilt during the fight in Kuchinashi. She doesn't know whether or not I saw her do it, but either way, I just sacrificed two weapons to her one, so she's wondering why.' I pulled out Corona, and watched her eyes widen and narrow in realization. 'Yup, she's figured this is probably what fired that shot. Which means…'
A blur of movement, and Gambol Shroud whipped towards me again. A pull of the cord and its trajectory changed, forcing me to pivot and dodge. 'She's trying to occupy my attention and disarm me.' Another pivot as the chain scythe whirled around again, and I concentrated.
BANG
Gambol Shroud came back around, just as Blake was only a few feet away. With her eyes focused on Corona, they trailed away for a split second as I dropped the gun, before snapping back to my hand, with Luna detached from the firearm. With a scrape, I glanced Gambol Shroud off my knife's edge and grasped the chain scythe's cord with my other hand. Channeling Aura into Luna and my body, I yanked on the cord, and watched as Blake was unprepared for the extra momentum. Slipping, she tilted forward, but I was already rushing behind her, wrapping her own ribbon cord around her arms before circling her neck. Applying a chokehold, I held Blake still before bashing Luna's hilt into the back of her skull. Once, twice, and three times before her Aura shield broke and her movements slowed. Keeping the chokehold on, I waited until her movements stilled before releasing my arm and turning her onto her back. Laying her down, I made sure she was still breathing, before sitting down hard next to her.
"Hah…hah…oh gods, let's never do that again…" Pulling out my burner scroll, I glanced at the screen. "UGGGHH…this is gonna be a pain…fine, gotta get moving…"
… … …
Wind was blowing through her ears, and they flicked in annoyance. That, and the rhythmic thumping was only making her headache worse.
Wind? Thumping?
Blake's eyes snapped open and her head jerked up, categorizing immediately that her arms were bound and legs were tied. That didn't stop her from frantically struggling, and she opened her mouth to scream. Before she did, the thumping, now recognized as footsteps, immediately stopped, and her view lurched as she was placed against a tree.
"O-KAY, let's not do that, I had to take the really long way around to avoid attention. I'd rather not draw prying eyes before properly explaining myself." Blake paused to take in the man before her.
A sleeveless black turtleneck covered his torso, while black cargo pants covered his legs. At his waist was a dark belt with various pouches, while his feet sported black combat boots and his left hand wore a fingerless glove. His left arm was covered in black segmented plates, connected to a pauldron at his shoulder. A youthful Mistralian face stared back at her, black hair cut short into a buzz cut, with near-opaque sunglasses gazing inquisitively.
"Right, let's get this out of the way. I'm Kouzai Higure, and you're Blake Belladonna." The mention of her name made her realize that her view was unimpeded, meaning that her Grimm mask was missing, not to mention this random stranger knew her name! "Oh, probably should've mentioned I took your mask just in case. That, and that I'm the Specter."
Blake's struggles ceased out of shock, and she stared back at the teenager who Adam was so determined to hunt down. Questions aplenty came forth, but one took priority at the moment. "What's the point of all this? Kidnapping me, showing me your face?"
"Well, I gotta be honest with you, this was not in the plan, at all," Kouzai groaned, a hand on his face. "Buuut, if I had to give an answer, it's to make things right, in a manner of speaking."
"Kidnapping a Faunus is 'right'?"
"No, not that! I meant telling you who I am. Think of it like this. You could go right ahead and tell the White Fang my name and what I look, and that would surely rain hell on my life. By the same token, I could announce to the world at large that Blake Belladonna, daughter of the Chieftain of Menagerie, is a member of the militant White Fang, which I'm sure would cause suffering to your parents in kind."
Blake's glare increased at the casual threat dispensed, before something registered. "The fact that you know who I am already means that you could've told people about my identity before this. So what's the point of showing me who you are?"
"Reciprocity," Kouzai stated simply. "Think of it as mutually assured destruction. If either one of us tries to sound the alarm about the other, they're liable to both go down in the process. Rest assured, the fact that I haven't told a soul about your identity should signal that I don't actually wish the Faunus ill, which hopefully buys me some goodwill with you. If not, I'll trust in the fact that I believe you're a good person, and wouldn't do such a thing."
"And why would you trust me? We've only just met," Blake accused, knowing full well that he'd likely been tracking them for gods know how long.
"Because you did feel guilty about attacking Amber, despite the lack of compunctions that Adam Taurus had. Something that I'm sure has been a reoccurring theme in recent years. That, and I believe that any friend of Ilia's is also a good person at heart."
Blake's gaze snapped from the ground back to Kouzai. "So you do know Ilia? What happened to her? What did you do to get her to abandon the White Fang?"
"For gods' sake, I've only spoken to the girl twice ever, and haven't seen her in years. And for the record, I didn't do anything besides have a frank conversation about the White Fang's flawed trajectory, which was before the attack on the Kuchinashi SDC factory. Mainly, she just realized that the White Fang's policy of 'kill humans to raise the Faunus up' is pretty unsustainable, which is something that I'm sure you've already realized." A glance at Blake had her looking away out of spite, despite her feet scuffing the dirt. An audible sigh drifted out, before Kouzai got to his feet and walked over to Blake. Kneeling down, Blake flinched as he extended a hand, before watching in surprise as he undid the knots keeping her bound by Gambol Shroud's cord.
"Look, you're free, and there's no need to listen to my 'indoctrination' or what have you anymore," Kouzai said, slumping tiredly. "Just…a bit of advice. It's pretty clear that you were a moment's notice from ditching the White Fang yourself. If it wasn't from the horrors shown today, then probably when Adam was planning to bomb that SDC train had the heist happened. I only ask that you really think about if all of this, is how you want to help the Faunus. I won't keep you any longer, and I really need to make this appointment."
As Kouzai gathered his belongs for departure, Blake blurted out, "What should I do then? Without the White Fang, where should I go from here?"
Kouzai stopped, before turning back to Blake. "Again, not my place to tell you how to live your life, but I don't think being a huntress would be a bad plan. You clearly have the skills, the drive and the intelligence to help humans and Faunus as a whole. If that matches with your perception of helping the Faunus, then give that a shot. I'd recommend Beacon Academy, but then again, I'm a little biased. Either way, I'll stop bothering you. Good luck, and maybe we'll see each other again."
Facing forward, Kouzai dashed further into the forest, and Blake was left alone to her thoughts as the leaves around her slowly rustled.
Beacon…
… … …
'Well, that's embarrassing.' I watched as Blake smoothly finished her practical examination, before exiting the arena. A quick glare my way, and she was out the door before I had time to formulate a response. 'How in the HELL did she beat me here?'
Thanks to the date of Amber's ambush being changed, I only had a couple days to get to Beacon before the application period closed. Since separating from Blake, it took me over a day to get back into Vale, owing to my injuries. I only had enough time to grab a shower and a fresh outfit, stash Corona in my apartment, realize my apartment was searched by Junior's men, check in with Junior while lambasting him, stash Corona somewhere safer, and catch a bullhead to Beacon. After arriving at Beacon, I took the obligatory moment to marvel at the impossible architecture of the place, before dashing in to slam my application down with less than an hour to spare. After the period closed, all the applicants were funneled into one of Beacon's combat arenas, where Glynda Goodwitch stood at its center.
"To all applicants of Beacon Academy, whether they be at the academy itself or at one of the other testing grounds across Remnant, the practical examination for this year is to simulate live combat while outnumbered. In order to test and ascertain your skills, each applicant will begin with facing an Atlesian Knight-130. Applicants successful in beating the android will then face two AK-130's, then four, and finally eight simultaneously. Applicants successful in beating all fifteen androids total without suffering an Aura knockout, ring-out or surrendering will be marked as having passed, and will be extended an invitation to the written examination. Applicants who pass both examinations will be entered into final list of applicants to be selected as students. Now, if there are no further questions, will our first applicant of the day please enter the arena?"
From there, it was a blur as I focused on channeling Aura to mend my still-injured ribs, but I knew it'd take another week or so before they were fully healed. Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out a way around the little snag that this particular examination method created.
'These androids don't have fracking AURA! I can't sense them with my eyes closed, meaning that I have to keep them open longer.' I mentally made a note to never go that long without my eyesight ever again. The benefit of gaining Aura-sensing capabilities, rudimentary as they were, was not worth the strain that came when actually trying to use my eyesight and Chronometry. 'Why couldn't they wait until next year to roll use the AK-130's? Oh yeah, because the 200's are coming out this year. Nuts.'
And so I eventually stepped into the arena. Armed with Mirror's Edge, Luna, and a very overtaxed Chronometry against fifteen androids.
"Applicant Kouzai Higure. You may begin." At Goodwitch's words, a door by the arena edge opened and a single AK-130 stepped out. As soon as it stepped onto the area platform, it shifted its hands into guns and began firing. Shielding myself with Mirror's Edge, I slowly advanced and waited for it to change its weapons. As soon as the firing stopped, I lunged forward, raised Mirror's Edge skyward, and cleaved through the robot before it had finished changing its arms into blades. As my greatsword crashed into the arena floor, I took a moment to glance at Glynda. The combat instructor gazed inscrutably at me, as if she could see past my sunglasses, before calling out, "Round Two may commence."
Taking my place at the opposite end of the arena again, I waited for the doors to open as two AK-130's stepped out, both equidistant from me. Taking a moment, I held Mirror's Edge horizontally and waited. The moment that both robots stepped onto the platform, I dashed for one, using my greatsword as cover again from the multi-angled fired. Once I was close enough, I used Burst to come up right behind the android, running it through with Mirror's Edge. As the AK-130 slumped against my blade, I ran towards the other, using the body of the first as cover before swinging it off my blade as a projectile. As the functional robot sliced its inactive twin apart, I closed in and cut the robot's arms off, before knocking its head away with Mirror's Edge and plunging the blade into the ground to lean against.
"Hah…hah…easy…" I kept a smile on my face, despite the small matter of my ribs aching in protest. In addition, my left arm, especially all armored up, was getting that slow burn that signaled oncoming fatigue. 'Next job on the DIY list; solve the recoil problem for those special bullets, or this is gonna end up being a painful modification for all parties involved.'
However, I still had appearances to keep. Wrenching Mirror's Edge out of the ground, I gave it a twirl in the air before resting it on my shoulder. Looking over towards Glynda, I grinned. "Ready for Round Three whenever you are, Professor." Returning back to the starting position, I lowered Mirror's Edge and watched carefully as four doors opened up, and four AK-130's approached from different sides of the arena. Slowly digging my sword into the ground, I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, waiting and listening.
"Round Three may commence." With those words, I immediately ducked behind Mirror's Edge as gunfire began to slam against my blade. Eyes slowly opening, I remained kneeling and waited for the firing to cease. After nearly half a minute of continuous fire, there was a respite as I glanced over my blade, and saw the four androids approaching, two with blades in front and two with guns behind.
'Oh great, they can coordinate.' Yanking Mirror's Edge out of the ground, I held the blade in front like a tower shield, while pulling Luna from its sheath and holding it in my left hand. Seconds away from collision with the melee fighters, I stopped and channeled Aura to my legs, before leaping forward and under a bladed arm. Carrying Mirror's Edge, I stayed low and cut through the android's torso, before thrusting Luna straight out into a second android's head before it could begin firing. Channeling Aura through the knife, I tugged the sparking robot to the side to block fire from the other shooter. Wrenching Mirror's Edge out of the bifurcated android's body and threw my greatsword like a javelin, piercing the other bladed robot as it attempted to close in. As the last android switched from ranged to melee weapons, I kicked my android shield at it and yanked Luna free. Circling to the side, I took advantage as the android's AI prioritized the incoming projectile and sliced it away. The robot was too occupied to see as I stepped from behind and stabbed the knife into its head, then dropped to my knees and carried the blade down. Sparks flew out of its exposed back as the android toppled forward, and I stood up slowly, arms trembling slightly from fatigue. Meanwhile, my eyes began throbbing again, my brief reprieve in keeping them closed ineffective.
Walking over to Mirror's Edge, I pulled my blade out of the android's body as Glynda approached from the side. "Mr. Higure, are you certain that you wish to continue with the practical exam? You appear to be unwell. If needed-" Whatever might have been offered was never heard as I held a hand up.
"I'm fine, Professor," I breezed out, before pointing at her monitoring device. "If you've been watching, I haven't taken a hit yet, so this last round shouldn't be a problem for me."
"Mr. Higure, I'm sure there is no shame in-"
"I said I'm fine, Professor." I winced both at my forceful tone and the throbbing reaching behind my eyes. "Apologies, but I made a promise to my friends and I'll see it through. Now, I'm aware that the last round is different so I'll get in position." Walking away without another word, I sheathed Luna momentarily and holstered Mirror's Edge, letting my arms relax for even a moment as I made my way towards the center of the arena.
'Okay, deep breaths, relaxed posture. Eight AK-130's, you handled nearly that amount two years ago, and you've more Grimm than that at a time last year. You can do this…you have to do this.' Ignoring the throbbing of my eyes, I turned slowly as eight doors opened and AK-130's approached from all directions. I focused Aura to the legs and to my Aura shield for the beating I knew I was about to take.
'Whatever it takes.'
"Final Round may commence."
Gritting my teeth, I rocketed straight for one of the androids, piercing through its chest before immediately withdrawing Mirror's Edge. Holding both Mirror's edge and the android's body in front of me, I poured Aura into my arms to maintain my grip as I rushed towards a hail of fire. Getting close to a duo of bots, I tossed the android body in the air. "Batter UP!" Firing Mirror's Edge, I slammed the flat of my blade into the body, sending it hurtling into the other robots. As I did, multiple shots impacted against my back. "GRRRR!"
Whirling around I dashed for the group of three on the opposite of the arena, focusing Aura to my legs and turning into a human projectile. Zooming across the platform, I raised my blade to run the androids through before multiple blades cut against my left side, sending me towards the grounds. Planting Mirror's Edge, I cartwheeled and used the moment to pull my blade over my head as cover. Not a second later, multiple bladed arms slammed into the metal, and my legs buckled from the combined force. Swiveling my head, I saw the five remaining androids closing in, literally armed with blades and slamming them down onto Mirror's Edge.
Arms shaking from exertion, eyes struggling to remain open, I wheezed as the searing of my ribs became too hard to ignore. 'Damn…this is the best I've got, huh? Shit…at least I stopped Cinder from getting the maiden power…that's good en-"
"GET UP, KOUZAI!"
"C'MON! I DIDN'T SNEAK INTO BEACON TODAY TO WATCH YOU GET YOUR BUTT KICKED!"
My arms instinctively tensed at hearing the two voices in person, for the first time in the better part of year. Even without looking, years of hearing them in conjunction let me pick them out of a crowd. 'Come on Kouzai…COME ON…COME ON!'
Putting nearly everything I had left into full-body Burst, I split Mirror's Edge apart into my longswords and powered upwards, whirling around to parry the near-dozen blades around me.
Full rotation slashes. Throw-and-return spearing. A flip and cleave downwards.
'Come on, body of mine…hold on…' With double backhand slices, the last android's head tumbled off its shoulders, hitting the ground a split second before Mirror's Edge sank into the arena platform, my full weight leaning on it and gasping for breath.
"Congratulations, Mr. Higure." Glynda's voice, seemingly softer compared to her normal stone-firm speech, drifted over above the whoops and cheers coming from one energetic bomber. "You're technique has some glaring flaws in it, but you have real steel in you. I am pleased to extend an invitation to the written examination."
"Oh, thank the gods," I groaned, a trembling hand gently taking the small envelope from Glynda's hands.
"WHOOOOOOOOO!"
… … …
"Look at YOU, being all dramatic! And you said you didn't like practical jokes!"
"Nora, I believe that Kouzai's injuries and exhaustion are real…"
"THANK YOU! Now, if you could please stop-OWW! STOP PUNCHING MY ARM!"
"Weeeellll, if he's not faking it…and his injuries are real…and he wasn't hurt by the androids…then who hurt him?"
"A very good question, Nora…" Two terrifying glares were sent my way, and I was sweating bullets from my couch, as Nora and Ren sat across from me.
After a grueling journey out of the arena and back into the stands, refusing to show any signs of needing help despite my injuries, I met up with an ecstatic Nora and visibly happy Ren. A quick glance around showed that Blake had long since disappeared, but I trusted that she wouldn't get herself into further trouble…at least until canon began. However, once the joyful enthusiasm from our reunion faded slightly, critical eyes noticed the difficulty I had during the practical examination, and quickly whisked me back to my apartment that they somehow knew where it was.
"Uhhhh…I was training? And got overzealous because I wasn't using my eyesight?" A glance back at the duo confirmed that they weren't liable to believe something so moronic. "More importantly, when did you both get here? I thought you would've taken the practical exam at a site like Haven or Sanctum, not come all the way to Vale."
"We were attempting to surprise you with our arrival, so that we might all take the practical exam together," Ren explained, patting a fiercely pouting Nora. "When our attempts to contact you only received silence, we met with your employer, Junior, and were offered temporary residence in one of his buildings while waiting for you. After taking the practical exams before you returned, it was a stressful couple of days getting Nora's mind off of your absence."
"Not too hard, I'd wager," I shot back, and even Ren's face couldn't avoid darkening a bit at my pointed jab. Nora, on the other hand, was turning the same shade of pink as her outfit. The both of them had shifted their outfits by this point to the same clothes as worn in canon. "I've heard some very interesting things from Jaune and Pyrrha recently. Not to mention Sun and Neptune."
"Traitors…" Nora mumbled. "Revealing a secret relationship is a double-broken-leg offense…"
"Ahem…I suppose it would be good to inform you in person…" Ren made an effort to reassert himself. "It…is true, that Nora and I have begun relationship with one another and-"
"HAHA! RENORA IS FULFILLED!" I leapt up and offered a high five to a very confused Nora, who still slammed her hand against mine without preamble. "I've been waiting FIVE YEARS FOR THIS!"
"But you've known us for less than five years…"
"SIX YEARS!" We all shared a laugh at that, then stopped as I jerked from still-mending ribs. "Anyways, any other eventful news from the Mistral front?"
"Hmm, let's see…we told you about us…You already know about Jaune and Pyrrha…you know that they're both badasses who didn't have any trouble passing the practicals…" Nora counted off her fingers. "Oh yeah! Jaune did his practical on the same day as ours, since he lives in Vale Kingdom! He's big now! Oh, and he mentioned he wanted to have a spar with all of us once Beacon starts!"
'Oh joy…a buff, badass, overeager Jaune…this could end badly…' I paused my train of thought as Ren placed a package on the table.
"In addition, since both Weylin and I knew Nora would likely forget, he tasked me with passing on this package to you, something about your 'requested order', I believe." Both Nora and Ren eyed me curiously as I raised the package up and rattled it slightly, feeling a soft thump against the box's walls.
"Yup, this' probably what I was waiting for. I'll have to pass on my thanks to Weylin later." I slid the item into my bag, away from one Valkyrie's prying eyes, before rising off the couch. "In the meantime, duty calls, or at least, the evening shift at Junior's does. Feel free to stay here while I'm away."
"OOOH, we should go to the club Kouzai's working at! Think of all the juicy scoops on his life that we've missed out on!"
"No, Nora. Something tells me if you started drinking, you'd be liable to wreck the club. And considering that Kouzai is employed there, the cost of damages by association would likely have him indebted to work there for eternity."
"Awwwww…."
"Truly, you're a saint, Ren."
"One of us has to be."
"And I'm not?"
"Kouzai, you're closer to an alien than human."
"GHK!"
… … …
"You've got a lot of explaining to do, kid."
"That I do, and all will be told in time. For tonight though, I plan on working this shift, listen to Miltia and Melanie gush about passing the practicals-"
"Guess which pair of badass twins are going to Beacon?"
"THESE BADASSES!"
Two human missiles in dresses tackled my midsection, both holding the same envelopes of passing that I'd received earlier.
"-And tack on about another week of recovery time for my ribs…"
"Don't be such a baby. If we could do it, it shouldn't have been much of an issue for you," Melanie stated matter-of-factly.
"Yes, well, do remember that there's still the written exam before you're even eligible to be selected as students," I replied, feeling guilty for a moment as literal twin expressions of horror appeared.
"Grimm studies…"
"History…"
"Books…"
"Studying…"
"Work…"
"…Well, it's a good thing that we've got an oh-so-capable tutor to help us get a grasp on the academics side of things," Miltia considered with a far-too-sweet smile.
"…Dear gods, I must've done something terrible in a past life…" I sobbed dramatically while glancing up the flashing disco ball above, taking two solid slaps to my arms.
"Jerk."
"Weirdo."
"Nerd."
"Id-"
"Let's let the kid get back to work, huh girls?" Junior asked. "After all, it's my dime that's going into his paychecks."
"Whatever," Both twins sounded off in unison, before playfully strutting away as Junior pinched the bridge of his nose.
"They make me old, that's for sure," Junior muttered before turning back to me. "Alright, get going. But don't think that we're not coming back to this topic of conversation again. If it involves the girls' safety, or the safety of Vale and by extension their safety, this needs to get brought to me, quick."
"Will do, boss man."
… … …
"Here's to getting into Beacon!"
"To getting into Beacon!"
"Here's to being old enough to drink!"
"To being old enough to drink!"
"Here's to our resident smart-ass, who spent countless hours training people here, be it in combat or academics, to be up to Beacon standards! Here's to Kouzai!"
"To Kouzai!"
The cheers swept around the VIP room reserved in Junior's, and Nora, Ren, Miltia, and Melanie raised their glasses, before turning and finding that I'd already downed mine.
"What? I'm not toasting myself." Everyone laughed, hopefully with me, as Nora hopped off the table.
"See, Ren? I can give a civilized toast while inside a club."
"That does not mean that you're allowed to have more than the suggested amount. Again, Kouzai and our new friends work here, so levelling the building would be bad."
"Fine…"
"You know, when you told us that one of your friends is both shorter than us and stronger than both of us combined, I thought you were just embellishing on your stories." Miltia's gaze swept over to the densely packed muscles present on Nora's arm. "After a spar with her, I'm now very glad you were the one who trained with us."
"Though, that doesn't give you a free pass to get plastered," Melanie jeered, watching me down a second double of whiskey.
"Hey, I'm seventeen now, you'd best believe that I'm taking the opportunity to drink legally." Out of all the important facts of Remnant's society that I'd learned, it somehow passed over my head that the age of adulthood in Remnant was seventeen as opposed to eighteen. Considering the ever-looming possibility of Grimm attacks though, it made sense while concepts such as schooling and adulthood began a year earlier. Even knowing that fact, it still somehow escaped my notice until working at Junior's that being a recognized adult also meant having the right to drink. 'It was a long road, but we finally got here…'
A loud knock on the door drew our attention, as one of Junior's men opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's a bit of a situation downstairs."
Five combat-ready heads perked up. "What kind of situation?"
"…Well, there's a girl talking to the boss right now…"
"Seriously? You interrupted us to say that Junior's about to score with some chick?" Melanie scoffed and returned to her drink, but my head seemed to be buzzing, and it wasn't just from the alcohol.
"Wait, describe the woman to me." All present looked curiously at me, but Junior's thug obliged.
"Uhh, she's blonde, got a brown jacket, pretty sizeable cans-" I bolted upwards out of my seat and out of the room, vaulting over the railing onto the main floor below. Focusing, I saw the main bar across the building, and standing by the counter were Junior and…
Brown jacket and belt covering a yellow crop top and mini-shorts. Knee-high boots, orange socks and scarf added a further splash of warm colors, though the most eye-catching features were the vibrant blonde hair trailing down her back, along with the yellow bracelets around her wrists.
'Ohhhh boyyy…' I weaved through the crowds as quickly as I could manage, straining my ears to catch any hint of their conversation. '
"Got a name, sweetheart?" Junior asked, and I knew I only had seconds.
"Yes, Junior, I've got several. But instead of sweetheart, you can just call me-"
"Yang Xiao Long? What a surprise to see a fellow Beacon applicant? How have you been?" I waved an arm in the air and kept up my obnoxiously loud tone, aiming to be clearly heard over the beat of the club's music. Thankfully, Yang paused in her statement and movement. Even more thankfully, Junior seemed to realize that something was going on and backed up a step.
"Uh, great, like always? Sorry to say, but I don't remember you. Have we met?" Lilac eyes narrowed, hopefully in an attempt to remember me rather than in suspicion.
"You don't remember? Actually, that doesn't surprise me, we were both pretty hammered that night. All I remember was you telling me you were aiming to go to Beacon, and considering how well you mentioned you were doing in Signal, I'm guessing things are looking good on that front. It's Kouzai, by the way." I was heavily relying on the mind's ability to fabricate memories where there were none so long as descriptive details were provided.
A slow nod. "Yeah, don't know why I forgot. Anyways, got accepted to Beacon pretty recently."
"No way! Same thing happened to me too! My friends and I are actually celebrating up in one of the party rooms right now, so you're welcome to stop by!"
"Sorry, I'm here more for business right now." At her words, Junior stiffened slightly and Yang's grin grew wider. "A little information gathering."
"Huh, I'll bite. Anything that someone low on the chain like Junior might know?" I ignored the glare Junior sent my way, and kept my focus on a now-intrigued Yang.
"Well, it might be something that you know as well…" Yang pulled up a picture of Raven on her scroll and held it up. "Do you have any idea of where this person might be?"
"I can't say I-" Only Chronometry saved me from the fist hurtling towards my face. As it was, I only had enough time to flare my Aura shield before a monstrous hook clocked my left cheek, and I slammed straight into the counter.
"One thing, Kouzai…I've never gone drinking with a Mistralian before." I glanced sideways into red eyes, and the sounds of Ember Celica deploying filled the air. "Now, who are you and what's your deal?"
I held a hand out before Junior or any of his men could make a move. "I'm fine, just…smarts a bit. To answer your question, my name is actually Kouzai, though I did make up the fact that we've met. The reason was to prevent the possibility my workplace from being levelled, which now seems to be back on the table."
"Just tell me what I want to know about this woman and I'll leave then," Yang demanded, and it seemed like Junior had reached his last straw, reaching for his Bat-zooka.
"Or," I glanced at both Yang and Junior, "You can sit down, get your Strawberry Sunrise, and we can talk this out like nonviolent people that don't have to involve the police."
Yang glared me, before stepping over to a stool and sitting down. Taking the brave seat next to hers, I nodded at Junior, who stepped away as one of his men began putting together a Strawberry Sunrise. "Where's he going?"
"Somewhere that he'll likely be more useful, as an information dealer in Vale." I stressed the location as Yang raised an eyebrow. "If you want information on someone in Mistral, you're taking quite a long walk for that drink of water."
"How do you know that this person is in Mistral?" Yang kept her eyes on me as her drink arrived.
"Well for starters, you asked a random person in a club if they knew where a person might be. Considering that you stressed that I was Mistralian, I'll choose to believe that you thought I might know something due to being Mistralian, rather than just being racist. Second, this person's armor and weapon just screams Mistral. And third, with a name like Yang Xiao Long, it's not a hard leap that someone that looks that much like you is Mistralian."
"How did you know what my name is, since we've never met before?"
"I wasn't lying about applying to and getting accepted into Beacon. In researching the school, I was also researching some of the noteworthy potential applicants as well. When you graduate from Signal Academy with high marks, and one of the professors there has nearly the exact same name as you, it's not hard to put two and two together." My explanation seemed to engross her, or maybe that was the fervor in which she was consuming her drink.
"Fine. Let's say I believe the reason that you know my name. Let's say I believe the reason why you know the person in the photo is Mistralian. Let's even say I believe that Junior isn't the right person to ask to get information on her whereabouts. That still doesn't answer the question on what you know about this person." A firm hand gripped her drink's glass, the contents getting lower and lower.
'It's never easy with Branwens, is it?' I called a double of whiskey over to me, and downed the whole thing at once. "Okay, here's the gist of it. I once ran into this person in Mistral, almost got sliced and beaten to death for my troubles, and haven't spoken to her since. That's it."
Yang stared for a moment, before grabbing the collar of my turtleneck. "And you know nothing else about she might be? Do you swear that you're telling the truth?"
I held her gaze steadily. "I swear that I have no idea of her current location." At my words, Yang sagged against the counter, the remainder of her drink forgotten.
"Ugghhh…another dead end…" Eyeing me, and then her drink, she downed the rest of her Strawberry Sunrise before turning to me. "Don't think that we'll end up being best buds or something like that. You ever pull a stunt like that in front of me again, and I'll be decking you with Ember Celica this time."
A call came on her scroll, and Yang slowly walked away as she took the call. "Oh, hey sis…"
Junior came around less than a minute after she was out of sight. "How did you know what her name was, or why she was here?"
"Like I said, there's a Taiyang Xiao Long that teaches at Signal, and a Yang Xiao Long that recently graduated. Not hard to place the resemblance there. As for why she was here, one look at her and I knew she was the spitting image of a blonde Raven."
Junior shook his head. "Still kinda miffed you called me low on the totem pole of things. I might've really been able to locate him if I had the time and money."
"Yes, but the continued attention of Yang Xiao Long is not something that you want or need, and even if you came through with information once, you'd be on the hook for other errands as well. Not to mention how Yang's father, her uncle, or gods forbid, Raven Branwen herself might react." Junior nodded in agreement, and I rose off the stool and grasped my newly-refilled glass. "Now, I'm getting back to the party before I inevitably get tackled and questioned on who the 'hot blonde' was and-"
"KOUZAI!"
"NO, I'm holding something!"
… … …
'Whew, it's been a long time since I've been able to indulge that much without raising eyebrows.' After a respectable amount of time at Junior's, not to mention an ungodly amount of alcohol thanks to Aura's healing properties, I was well and properly drunk. Thankfully, after splitting up for the night, all of our apartments were rather close, and everyone returned home without incident, with Ren and Nora opting to return to their own apartment.
"Ah, at last, they don't want me eternally third-wheeling them anymore." I chuckled to myself as I stumbled through my nighttime routine, and fell into bed with a smile on my face. "Only a couple more weeks until initiation though, and then they'll be sharing a room with Jaune and Pyrrha. Oh, the scheduling that'll be happ-"
… … …
"-ening…wait…did I fall asleep that fast?" I quickly glanced around, and found myself back on the marble platform with blending shades of black and white. Only this time, there were no doors present. "If this is a dream, it's pretty cryptic as far as the symbolism goes."
Really? I would've thought the symbolism was rather obvious…
…No…
"Then again, I suppose without the doors present this time, there's little to interpret…"
…Impossible…
"Now, I think now's a good time for a little chat. After all, you've made quite a splash since your arrival."
I couldn't spin around fast enough, to stare at the figure who'd appeared out of thin air in the middle of the platform.
White Sundress. Fair skin devoid of any blemishes or marks. Two hair antenna standing upright and curving slightly downwards. And electric blue eyes and hair.
I stepped within arms-reach of the girl, then gazed for any conceivable clue as to who, or what, I was dealing with. One thing stood out though.
"You…you were at the flower viewing festival two years ago…I mistook Ilia for you…"
The girl smirked and flicked her hand through electric blue tresses. "Perks of choosing a distinctive hair and eye color, though I suppose you could've mistaken me for a sibling of Neptune Vasilias or something as equally contrived. Oh, and before I forget, do tell me if you'd prefer to converse mentally rather than verbally, as your slack-jawed expression seems to be preventing proper speech at the moment."
Another piece of some infinitely vast puzzle. "The voice in my dream last year…and during the festival again three years ago…that was you…"
"Really now, I've been laying clues of my existence since your arrival, though I suppose you'd have only noticed them if you were sufficiently conscientious and paranoid about your predicament. The pitfalls of complacency, I suppose…" A roll of electric blue eyes prompted the realization.
The electric blue butterflies…the voice…her appearance…this platform…
Five years of zany, outlandish life on Remnant didn't prepare me in the slightest for something like this. "Who, or what…are you?"
"Now you're finally asking questions. Good." The smile on her face didn't quite reach her eyes. "I don't really have one name; it depends on where I am and who's addressing me. To the Greeks, I was Hecate and to the Romans as Diana. To the Neopagans, I'm the Triple Goddess. In ancient Chinese legends, I'd be the Lady in the Moon. To some monotheistic religions, I'm the Prime Mover, or the Unmoved Mover. To the sciency types, I'm the Butterfly Effect given form. But I'm rather partial to the name Primordia."
"Pri…mor…dia?"
"Yup, like primordial. Or the Prime Mover. Or the Prime Death Goddess. It's just a name."
Far, FAR too much information. "…So you're a goddess then? Or the goddess?"
"Nope." The goddess popped the 'p' exactly how Ruby would. "Definitely not the 'singular deity'. I'm certainly not omnipotent, or omniscient, and I'm definitely not patient or kind enough to be omnibenevolent. Omnipresent though? That's more on the dot. I'm what some refer to as a liminal deity."
Grueling SAT prep was to thank for knowing the word. "You're a deity of pathways?"
"Pathways, doorways, gates. It's all very broad, and doesn't really explain things, but it's the closest fit."
A tiny, miniscule part of the mystery was solved, namely the how on my situation. "So why am I here?" Unfortunately, I was far too dumbfounded to English properly at the moment.
Primordia tapped her chin in thought. "You want the short proper answer, the short improper answer, or the long answer?"
"I'm kind of dreaming right now, or I think I am, so I have time for all three…" Gods help me if I wasn't.
"Fair enough. You're here to help save Remnant."
"…Is that the short proper, or the short improper answer?"
"Proper."
"…And the improper?"
"You're here to help me stick it to those two horned and glowing asshole brothers."
"GHK!...By 'horned and glowing' brothers-"
"Asshole brothers."
Sweat was beading on my forehead. "…Yes…you aren't referring to the God of Light and the God of Darkness, right?"
"That's exactly who I'm talking about."
I slowly sat down on the marble floor, then proceeded to lie on my back in blank shock. Eventually, a piteous whine sounded out, one coming from my mouth. "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…so I'm here…to help you…piss off two gods who you yourself describe as assholes."
"Weeeellll, it wasn't so much as to why you're here, as to why someone is here."
"…I think I'll take the long answer now…"
"Yeah, good call. So, you've watched RWBY right?"
"Yes?"
"And you were caught up on Volume 6 before all this happened right?"
"Yes?"
"So you know about the whole background about how Remnant was created, yeah?"
"…just start explaining."
"Gotcha. So, the gist of it is that I've been around since the beginning of all the universes. Liminal deity, omnipresent, yatta yatta. I've never had a hand in creating much of anything though, my skillset is far more limited compared to the Brothers Grimm. The trade-off though, is that Thing 1 and Thing 2 have to hang around the confines of this universe. Me? I'm not quite so limited. I can go anywhere, and pretty much any-when. So imagine my surprise when I return to Remnant one day, or whatever it was called before that, and find that the Horned Gods have torn it a new one. Humanity almost completely wiped out, magic is pretty much gone, the Faunus have sprung into existence (though that one is actually more of a plus), and Salem the immortal widow is now an un-killable murder machine in charge of the Grimm. But worst of all? I had a perfectly good spot to watch the world from the moon, and tall, dark and bitchy went and blew it up!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…And, you know, fast forward hundreds and thousands of years, and we've got the events of the show RWBY. And therein lies the problem."
A little specificity never hurt. "Which is?"
"Well, for starters, on Earth, it's a show written by producers and writers and directors. It's plotted and thought out, which also means that it ends with the good guys winning. Quality television."
"And that's bad because?"
"Because, here, Remnant is an actual world with actual people and actual pain, suffering and death happening. And it's been happening for thousands of years thanks to Salem's grudge, and Ozpin's inability to overcome some admittedly stacked odds. And both of these factors, are entirely due to the work of those two idiots who call themselves gods! They're content to just vacation off somewhere else in the universe and let Remnant blow itself up! So, out of hope for Remnant, and maybe to show those brothers just how incompetent they are, I decided to put my own piece on the board."
From my spot on the ground, I gazed up into hazy nothingness, blinking profusely. "And you decided…that 'piece' would be me?"
"Well, not exactly…"
I was officially lost for about the fifth time. "And what, does that mean?"
"The Brothers aren't as fine-tuned to the rest of the universe, and universes, as I am, and don't really notice when I come and go. A more forceful use of my abilities however, like bringing a person from a different universe onto Remnant for example, would definitely get their attention. And so I went and talked it out with both idiots, like any civilized deity should do, and we laid a few ground rules, so to speak."
"Such As?"
"Okay, well first, I'd only get to bring one person onto Remnant. No bringing an entire world to overpower Salem by force or something ridiculous like that."
"Reasonable. Continue."
"Second, no granting immortality or reincarnation or some other death-defying boon to whoever I picked. I'd get the one life, and that'd be it."
"…The ability to not die during those very close shaves I've had over the years would've been nice, but given how much trouble just two immortals caused, it's understandable. Anything else?"
"Third, I would get to pick someone that had some base knowledge and capability of surviving on Remnant. Dropping someone who required being in water to breathe wouldn't really cut it, for example. And even with a slight tweak of ages in the transition to Remnant, bringing an infant or some ancient person wouldn't really get anywhere, regardless of how physically appropriate they were to change things."
"So you got to pick someone that had watched RWBY, and was at an age range that wouldn't be too jarring when they were put on Remnant in a younger or older body. Is it that it?
"…Nope…"
"…That sounds rather suspicious…"
"That's all the rules we set."
"…Fine, let's go with that for now then. So using those parameters, I was the one that you ended up picking?"
"…Not…exactly…"
"…explain…"
Never before this did I think that a goddess could look bashful. "Well…even with those constraints, there were still a lot of people that had watched RWBY. Like, we're talking hundreds of thousands! It would've been exhausting to sort through the number of people on just one Earth, and think of how many I had access to! So…I kinda…chanced it…"
"…EXPLAIN…"
"…I took the names of everyone eligible, put them on a big carnival wheel, spun it and picked whoever it landed on…I didn't have enough strength to spin it all the way around, but your name was closer to the end, so that's how things happened…"
"…YOU CHANCED THE FATE OF REMNANT AND MY LIFE ON A FUCKING SPINNING WHEEL?!"
"Nope!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NOPE?!"
"I was lying about how you were chosen!"
"WHY?!"
Primordia's smirked once again, and this time her eyes crinkled in genuine amusement. "Would it really matter how you were picked? You're already here, after all."
I stopped raging, slowly coming to grips with her twisted logic, before glaring at the goddess. "Then tell me the circumstances in which I was taken, and how I'll be returning after this all ends."
The goddess' smirk grew wider. "Nope."
I was on my feet and grasping her shoulders in a millisecond. "Do not play games with me. I've been here for FIVE YEARS, and have done everything I can to make things better for Remnant than how they happened in canon. So TELL ME how I'll be going back once the job is done."
Primordia gazed into my furious silver gaze, before her face turned just as rigid as mine. "Don't make demands of a goddess, boy. Especially ones you don't really mean."
I blinked once in confusion, and she was gone from the platform.
"Like I said, it doesn't really matter how you ended up on Remnant, only that you're here."
The hazy void beyond the platform suddenly turned white, and began encroaching on the edges of the marble.
"As for 'making things better for Remnant', I think you'll find your changes have wider effects than you predicted."
The platform was fast disappearing, and I felt my consciousness fading as I was engulfed as well.
And make sure you actually believe that you want to return to Earth before you ask it of me…
… … …
I bolted up in my bed, and looked around my bedroom, outside my window then at my scroll to check the time.
'Still early in the night…must be from the alcohol…or the dream involving a literal goddess who just explained my purpose for being on Remnant…'
I knew I wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon, and shuffled around the apartment to keep myself busy. As I did, my eyes fell upon the belt pouches containing my journals.
'I think I've been careful about the changes I've made…things are pretty contained…what's the worst that could happen?'
TIME REMAINING UNTIL START OF CANON: 1 WEEK
A/N: What could happen, indeed? All I'll say is I'm glad that monster of a chapter is out of the way. Hopefully it's a good end to the Countdown Arc, because we'll be jumping right into canon with the next chapter. But fear not, the stingers have returned.
… … …
… … …
"-and with that, most of the preparations for the incoming students is completed," Glynda noted, looking away from her report to glance at an inattentive Ozpin. "Is something wrong, sir?"
Ozpin's head raised from his steepled hands, eyes focusing on Glynda as he registered what she had said. "Apologies, Glynda. My thoughts were occupied with the ramifications of recent events."
Glynda nodded sagely, the events in question being obvious. "The ambush on Amber months prior."
"Precisely," Ozpin replied, rising slowly from his desk to stand by the glass walls overlooking Beacon. "Though the Fall Maiden was protected, it was not without cost. The remainder of Team STRQ, along with young Ms. Rose and Ms. Xiao Long, are now priority targets for Salem and her forces to reach the Fall Maiden. In addition, Amber herself lost her right arm."
"Qrow has reported that Amber's physical rehabilitation using the robotic limb gifted by James is progressing well. He's confident that she will return to satisfactory combat performance quite soon, and with her new arrangement, protection from this Cinder and her allies should be absolute. Meanwhile, the involvement of the White Fang and Roman Torchwick in the ambush is valuable information on the identity of Salem's reach." Glynda paused as Ozpin's grip tightened on his cane.
"While it is true that knowledge of Salem's forces is always a readily-accepted advantage, it is not the presence of Salem's forces during the ambush that creates unease. Rather, it is the appearance of an unknown figure that draws my attention."
"The Specter."
"Indeed. Appearing at the critical moment of the battle, and appearing to target either Amber or this 'Cinder', it is clear that whoever this individual is has learned about the Maidens as well."
"Sir, Amber mentioned in her description of the fight that the blast was headed for Cinder, and that she herself was only injured in an attempt to keep Cinder in the blast radius."
"Perhaps that is accurate, and we have a mysterious ally on our side. However, given that the shot came from an impressive distance away, I cannot deny the possibility that it was only inaccuracy that caused the shot to hit both Cinder and Amber, rather than just Amber alone."
An operative active in multiple kingdoms, and armed with technology that James insisted that they discuss quite soon. Unknown skills, unknown identity, unknown motives. Well, one of those issues could be solved.
"Have Qrow reach out to his contacts, and redouble his efforts to find out who this 'Specter' is. We must act with haste to find if this individual is a new piece, or a new player on the board, and if so, who their allegiance lies with."
… … …
"All the training, all the resources, all the time expended, and what does she have to show for it? Nothing. If that wasn't a clear indicator of her incompetence-"
"Watts."
Arthur Watts immediately fell silent under the single word, as the black-clothed figure at the head of the table rose silently.
"There is no need to further detail Cinder's failure, as I am sure that the consequences of it are quite clear to her."
"Too bad she didn't lose her dominant arm! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Tyrian Callows giggled madly from his perched position.
"With the Maiden gone into hiding, claiming her power and retrieving the Relic becomes far more difficult," Hazel Rainart grunted, arms crossed as he glanced at the back of the woman staring out the window into the Grimmlands.
"While the ambush carries with it some failure, it has also given us an opportunity to strike against Ozpin's forces in turn," the soft voice responded, laying her hands on the stone windowsill. "Now that those such as Taiyang Xiao Long and Raven Branwen have shown their willingness to fight for Ozpin's cause, further weaknesses to exploit arise as well. My issue, however, is with the enigma that intervened during the battle. This Specter."
CRACK
Tons of rock groaned in protest under white fingertips, and pure power radiated back out towards the table.
"Watts. Find where the Fall Maiden is hiding now. If Ozpin has communicated with the other headmasters, he'll have left a trail for you to follow."
"Acknowledged."
"Tyrian. Find Raven Branwen's associates in Mistral, and give her a reminder of the enemy that she has made."
"OOOH, GOOD GOOD GOOD!"
"And Hazel? Head to Mistral, and find out if anyone knows the Specter's identity."
"Very well."
As Salem returned to her seat, her thoughts turned to the nameless interference in her plans.
A lethal shot that could have just as easily been for the Maiden or for Cinder. A blank record regarding their involvement in any of her or Ozpin's plans before. And clear mystery on the part of all pieces present that day. This was something new.
And it needed to be swayed, tamed or crushed.
A/N: Welcome to the table, Kouzai! What was that? You weren't ready to get on Ozpin and Salem's radar? Then you shouldn't have fired a damn railgun at the two most important people on that battlefield!
I digress. The stage has been set, and the start of canon is shaping up to be fun. Next and last chapter of the year for New Year's Eve Eve, so look forward to that. Happy holidays to all!
-SE
Next Chapter Date: 12/30/19