Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY, but I do own all OCS in this.

Clairvoyance

Chapter 2

Dates: Uncertain. Two incidents have occurred within this documentation. One was during the winter before the formation of Team RWBY, the other around the beginning of spring…

Location: Somewhere within Mistral

Wintertime

It was that time of year again. Most of the wildlife had gone into hibernation, hidden within their burrows. The world (or at least this portion of it) was buried under a white cloak. Ivory gems descended from the heavens, gleaming in the light.

Many of the trees surrendered whatever green they had, and those that didn't were practically smothered in snow. A few shrubs here and there still stood, even fewer with some type of berries. The flowerbeds here have retreated into the earth, waiting for the warmth of spring. But not everything was asleep.

Within a forest, a group of young souls were busy flinging snowballs at one another. Many of them have built walls and miniature forts out of the cold substance, ducking behind them as hail passed over. A few brave ones popped their heads out and leashed their volley, though were often met with retaliation. They laughed all the while, oblivious to the world beyond them.

One child among them stood out. She was a pale-skinned girl, bearing a floral-white wool coat. Beneath it was a beige shirt and caramel-colored leather pants. Her shoulder-length hair was a snow-white, with streaks of cornsilk on the edges. Poking out from the top of her head were canine ears, marking her as a Faunus. An Arctic-Fox Faunus, to be more specific.

Natsumi Tuemessia poked her head from behind one fort, analyzing the situation with her spring-green eyes. So far, her organization seemed to be doing well. They lost a few forts and soldiers, but they still stood. And besides, they had their secret weapon anyways.

Dust.

She balled up the fist containing the Dust crystal and planted both hands into the ground. pale veins slithered from them and into the frost, creating a massive snowball. She gave a quick nod to one of her larger classmates, the brute flinging it over one of the enemy camps. She fired a thin laser of light-blue with the gem, splitting the projectile into a dozen missiles. She snickered as the occupants shouted in surprise.

Her amusement didn't live long, though, as gazed up at the sky. A storm of ivory rained

down upon her post, with everyone shielding their heads. She attempted to redirect the artillery, but it all ended in vain. In less than a minute, her entire team was buried under a white blanket.

They clawed their way out, finding most of the other forts in a similar state. Only one was left standing, its owners cheering at the top of their lungs. She could hear some of the other fallen groaning at this, a few cursing under their breaths. Everybody frowned, though, when they cast their gaze towards the setting sun. It was high time for them to head back to their homes. Bidding each other farewell, the children scattered to the winds.

Natsumi pulled the hood up, covering her ears. While she didn't think too much of the tensions between her people and the humans, she would rather avoid as much unnecessary attention as she could. The White Fang and the Schnee family have already brought enough trouble to Mistral. She and her family didn't need any more of it.

She glanced back at the sky. A blood-red seeped from the sun as it sank into the horizon. Bleeding above it was a fiery orange, topped with a lemon-yellow. With the dark clouds around the star, it almost looked like an angry volcano erupting. On the other side of the spectrum was a mix of indigo and violet, with blue at the top. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the moon in the sea above.

She paused, stopping in her tracks. Far off in the distance, she could make out something glinting in the snow. She squinted her eyes, trying to make out the object. As far as she could tell, was about the size of a Homo sapien. She walked over towards it, brushing the frost off. It was a rusty old sign, bearing the shape of an arrow. Printed on it were two words:

Boreas Memorial

Curiosity got the best of her, and she followed the white road. After trekking for what appeared to half an hour, she finally found the place. The shapes of gravestones stood out in the pale background, against the might of Mother Nature. She could make out plaques in the mess, though their inscriptions were illegible. Statues of various men and women stood proud, weapons held high in the air.

She recognized this place. Her grandfather used to take her here when she was young. He would often read the plaques out to her, word for word. Though most of their messages escaped her memory, one in particular clung to her.

War… War never changes…

Men do, through the roads they walk...

"Mankind has a history of war," He told her in those days. "For as long as anyone can remember, it has picked fights with everything. Mother Nature, the Grimm… even itself. The four Kingdoms clashed in the Great War, and Humans and Faunus fought each other in the Revolution."

On one particular day, he casted her a glance of sorts. It was a maelstrom of emotions, a swirling mess from the past. She couldn't quite make out the full list, but she was able to identify at least two. Regret, and sorrow.

"But ignorance has always been the bane of Mankind. Far too often, we have quarreled with each other, trading nothing but blood." He continues. "The Grimm circle around us like vultures, and yet we're too blind to acknowledge the situation. Soldiers are supposed to defend their ideas and families, not sacrifice them. Instead of fighting true monsters, we butchered our fellow men. Brothers, fathers, husbands…"

She knew where this was coming from. He fought in the Faunus Rights Revolution, against the Human oppressors. But not all of the Humans they fought were bigots. No, some of them fought for similar reasons. They feared for their families and loved ones, just as many Faunus did. But when you're a soldier, you have no voice.

"People glorify soldiers as the apex of a man," He rants. "Yet they know nothing of their suffering. When you find yourself drafted into an army, your freedom is gone. Your lips are stitched shut, and your heart torn out. You are reduced to a meat-puppet, a soulless machine. And all you can do is kill."

The elder lifts his hands up for a moment, sighing. He kneels down before her, a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't need to be a soldier to fight," He said. "Nor do you need a blade or gun. Your uncle takes part in protests and political discussions, fighting with word and wit. If memory serves, your mother uses the theatre to carry out our ideas and dreams. Me..."

He casted a glance towards the graves. "I made it my mission to preserve history. It is my duty to make sure that the honored dead get the recognition they deserve, regardless of their race. One's social status in life does not determine the man they become. The road they walk molds them into their shape."

"When do I get to fight?" She asked naively.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Depends on what you fight for." He said.

She didn't reply. What answer would a child like her have back then? It took her a few years before she could find one. And when she found it, her grandfather's eyes shot out.

For a moment, she thought he considered her to be raving mad. He may as well have, given the tension between her people and the Humans. But when he saw the look in her eyes, he conceded.

And so here she was right now. An attendant of Sanctum Adamancy, a school dedicated to preserving society. If there was one war worth fighting in, it was against mankind's one true enemy. The Creatures of Grimm are by far one of Humanity's greatest foes, next to Man itself.

Something crunched behind her. Natsumi spun around, drawing out a metal rod. It extended into a naginata, the blade popping out in one end. On the other, an aperture opened, revealing a muzzle beneath it. Within the center of the pole was a slot for Dust, electric veins spreading from it. Within the chamber were two lights, one a pale-white and a lime-green.

Several blurs pasted by her, crawling onto one of the statutes. They were vulpine entities, about the size of a hound. They possessed black fur and blood-red eyes, with white bone-plating around their heads and backs. Their twintails ended in spikes, some of which appeared to be coated in dried blood. She instantly recognized them as Yeouui.

They leapt at her, jaws wide open. She willed her Aura into the Dust within the device, channeling it into the weapon's blade. With a slash of wind, she was able to repel them. One of them made another attempt, only to be sliced in half. The others charged, splitting up as they ran. One leapt from her left, but she sidestepped from it. As the beast passed by her, she spun the naginata around, cutting the Grimm up into a dozen pieces.

Another used this as the opportunity to strike. It sank its teeth into her leg, chewing away at her Aura. She aimed the bottom half of the pole at it, firing a shard of ice into its face. She stomped at its neck for good measure, snapping it. The remaining one latched itself onto her back, stabbing away with its tails. She grabbed its snot, pointing her weapon's exhaust port under its chin. A thick layer of ice developed around its face, blinding and suffocating it. She grabbed both of its tails, tearing them right off the socket. As it fell to the ground, she impaled through the chest, finishing it off.

Natsumi's fox ears caught something crunching behind her. She spun around to see a swarm of smaller Yoeuui. Judging from their size (that being of the average fox), lack of bone-plating, and single tails, they must be the youngest members of the pack. She smiled. This should be easy. Retracting the blade and expanding fins around its Dust chambers, she began drawing in the snow and ice around her. Forming a ring around her, she molded the frost into missile-like chunks. She drew upon the Wind Dust within her tool, aligning the shards before her. With one burst of air, she sent them flying at the horde. A great number of beasts feel before the onslaught, though many still charged on.

She brought the blade back up and began channeling both Wind and Ice energies from the Dust. With a twirl, she sent forth a makeshift snowstorm. The whirlwind scooped up some of the monsters, sending them flying in all directions. Some of them exploded into black mist on impact, others having their limbs (and necks) bent into awkward positions.

She glanced around, seeing if any of them survived. To her delight, none did. Her ears picked up movement, but it wasn't the usual crunching from before. No, this sound was muffled, almost as if-

Just as she traced the source, it came right at her. It burst from the snow, claws forward. She fell back into the frozen earth, shoving the pole onto its chest as it flew above her. Heaving with her strength, she flung the monster over her head. It landed in a roll, stopping by one of the statues.

It rose with a growl, smashing the sculpture with one of its five tails. This specimen was about the size of an Ursa, possessing more armor than any of its previous brethren. Its lower jaw seemed to be splitting into two mandibles, possessing an extra row of teeth. Its "helm" was coated in spikes, with four beady crimson eyes staring into her soul.

The leader of the pack screeched, forcing the Faunus to cover her ears. More of its kinsmen tunneled their way onto the surface, surrounding her. The beasts leapt at her, teeth and stingers out. She quickly converted her weapon into its ranged mode (something akin to a mortar or rocket-launcher), aiming at the ground and firing. The blast sent her flying straight into the air, giving her some breathing space. She fired a lob of Ice Dust at the swarm, freezing it. She crashed back into the earth, sending a shockwave that shattered the Grimm.

As she rose onto her feet, she caught something looming over the fractured moon. She rolled to the side, dodging the alpha as it came crashing down. The monster spun around and lashed out its bladed appendages. The girl found herself trapped in a dance of swords, deflecting each blow with her tool. One of its pawns leapt into the fray, slashing at her face. While it didn't faze her much, it did give its leader an opening for it. The beast rammed into and sent her flying into a group of statues.

The impact shattered the relics like glass, their remains raining down on her. The naginata flew out of her hands, spinning into the air. She found herself pinned down under ice and rubble, her Aura fading. The Yoeuui eagerly hopped onto the pile, lashing out with its teeth. The student was able to grab the jaws before they could close around her head. She could feel its dry, cold breath drifting onto her face, reeking of decay.

She struggled, barely managing hold on. She twirled her head around, trying to figure out where her weapon landed. Her spring-green eyes spied it just inches from behind her head. If she weren't occupied right now, she would've reached out for it. The Grimm seemed to notice this as well, if the spiked tails being poised at her head were any indication.

Suddenly, two of the appendages snapped off with a "bang". The beast screeched in surprise, twisting its head towards the source of the sound. There, on a ledge looming over the two, was a shadowed figure. In its hands was a sniper rifle, weathered and faded. Within the darkness were two glowing orbs, each in olive.

"Get away from my granddaughter," Growled an ancient voice.

The beast snarled, turning its attention towards the cloaked elder. With a bark, it sent its brethren towards the veteran. The man opened fire on them, blasting off heads and limbs as they swarmed up the cliff. None of them made the climb. The alpha growled, deciding to take matters into its own claws.

Racing up on the rocky ledge, it lashed out with its claws and teeth. The man leapt back, converting his gun into a partisan. He charged, thrusting the tool towards the beast's head. It sidestepped around the strike, sending out one of its bladed tails. The elder deflected it, following up with a horizontal swing. He managed to strike one of the eyes, slicing it in half. The Grimm grunted in pain, though it shrugged off the loss.

The thing dashed towards him, swinging its claws in a frenzy. The grandfather simply danced around them, strafing around to the backside of the abomination and broke off another one of its tails. He rolled under another swipe as it spun around, practically foaming its mouth at this point. The Yoeuui roared at him, only for a string of bullets to storm their way into its throat. It didn't do much damage to the being, but it did anger it even more.

The man glanced over his back, noticing a small forest nearby. He chuckled, leaping back from the Grimm and running towards the woods. The beast snarled, giving chase.

"Catch me if you can," Laughed the older Faunus.

Without the Grimm breathing down on her neck (literally), Natsumi turned her attention to her prison. One hand was removing rock while the other fell on ice. Her Semblance was Protean; a strange power that shifted its powers and properties depending on climate. In her current predicament, she could heat up any surface with her palms.

Two minutes of melting ice and digging later, she finally reclaimed her weapon and gave chase towards her grandfather. She looked around, trying to figure out where the elder and the monster went. She noticed some footprints in the snow, leading to some woodland.

The girl followed the trail, making her way into the frozen grove. There, she spotted two figures shifting in the drifts. The smaller one danced around the larger one, trying to cut through its armor. The beast was able to overpower him, pinning the man against a dead tree.

The younger Faunus knelt down, converting her naginata into its light-alterity form. A scope slipped out, giving her a good view of the fight. She took a deep breath, focusing on the larger entity. She fired, sending an icy dagger towards the beast. It struck its shoulder, freezing the claw.

She switched to Wind Dust, propelling herself towards the Grimm. As she dashed across the battlefield, she converted her tool back into its melee-form. She ducked under the beast, raising the weapon above her head as she slid under. The blade cut through the ebony mesh, drawing out its essence. The Grimm screeched in pain, releasing its grip on the older combatant.

She skidded to a stop, beside her rescuer. The beast just stared at her, clutching at the open wound. She charged forth, dodging her way past the tails and remaining claw. She struck the frozen limb, shattering it. She twirled her weapon around, slicing off the remaining tails. Converting it into its mortar-like form, she fired it at point-blank range. The blast blew off the monster's other arm, sending it and its owner flying back towards the graveyard. The Faunus followed its howls, returning to the cliff and dropping down from the ledge.

The thing lay there in pieces, its remains already evaporating. The elder placed a hand on the younger one's shoulder, smiling.

"A bit overkill, don't you think?" He said with a chuckle.

She gave off a prideful smile. "Maybe," She relied. "But you saw what that freak had in mind back there."

The smile shifted, turning into something more humbled. "Thanks for the save by the way. How'd you find me?"

"Where else would you be?" He replied. "There aren't many places of interest nearby."

Just as soon as those words left, he took on a more sadden look. He scanned the area, noticing the damage the beast head down to the resting grounds. He drifted towards one tombstone in particular, inspecting it. To his relief, it stood through the battle unscratched. He couldn't say the same for the other relics.

"Think it's high time we head home, eh?" He said with a weary look. "I'll notify the owners of the damage tomorrow morning, see if they can repair the place."

Natsumi nodded, racing back home. The man lingered for a little while longer, staring at the site. After bidding the honored dead farewell, he walked down the same path.

Springtime

After months of relentless snowstorms, the ice finally began to melt. Beds of white faded, giving way to lush greens. Trees were no longer bare, sprouting leaves and fruit.

The dusk of winter signaled the dawn of spring.

The elder sat on the porch of the family cabin, reading today's newspaper. He wore a rosewood jacket, with a charcoal-black shirt beneath it. He also possessed simple khaki pants and an ebony belt, along with worn brown boots. A straw hat covered the fox-ears atop his head, which in turn sprouted from his artichoke-green hair. His skin was a deathly pale, with a few wrinkles on his face and knuckles. A pair of sunglasses obscured his olive eyes, though not his view of the world around him.

The building behind him was a modern cabin, about two stories high. A stone chimney built into its side, with the fireplace in the main living room. Inside the cabin were about three bedrooms and a guest room, the latter possessing two bunk beds. Most of the power came from a Dust-fueled generator hidden under the stairs, with a couple of solar panels built onto the rooftop as a backup source.

The house bore its fair share of collections. The eldest of the pack held onto relics that museums had no interest in (such as shields or torn banners). The second and third generations of his family (those being his daughter and granddaughter) each had their own wardrobes filled to the brim with the latest fashion attire. Each piece of clothing was from a different corner of Remnant, so no two garbs were alike. Finally, there was the library and office on the opposite side of the household. The former possessed books and tomes from across the ages, the latter housing records and the numbers of his business partners.

A gust of wind blew the article out of his hands, forcing a startled gasp to escape from his lips. He reached out to grab it, only for another breath to knock his hat off. It carried the headgear onto the rooftop, right by the chimney. He growled under his breath. Tossing the newsletter aside, he grabbed onto the chimney and clambered upwards. Once he was atop the house, however, it took off again. He leapt down, following the headgear back to his porch. And there he found it, in his granddaughter's hand.

Natsumi was wearing a short kimono, lacking any sort of sleeves or covering for the shoulders. It was colored in a forest green, with canary lines and designs flowing across it. Fingerless gloves stretched towards her elbow, possessing a similar colorscheme. A small, pale-green obi was wrapped around the abdomen, possessing her mark in silver. The symbol in turn was a fox's skull, twin tails dangling from the bottom. A pair of black shorts and some pale-goldenrod sandals were the final touches to the outfit.

Something else stood out, though. A few months ago, her hair was a shade of white with streaks of brown. Now it was dark-brown with streaks of ghost-white. While it could've had something to do with her arctic-fox linage, it also had some connection to her Semblance.

Protean. The man remembered one doctor telling him. In which one's abilities change and alters themselves based on something present within the environment.

In her case, it was some form of temperature manipulation. During colder seasons, she could heat any surface she touched. During warmer seasons, the Element switches to condensation or flatout freezing. The same rules apply to that as well.

"Looking for something?" She asked in a mischievous tone, placing a hand on her hip.

The elder grunted as she propelled the hat with her tool's staff-mode, catching it.

"How is it that you fly through Dust science," He began. "And yet it takes you thirty minutes to pick through your wardrobe?"

The girl shrugged. "Hey, variety is the spice of the universe." She replied. "That kinda makes it hard for me to figure out how to express myself."

The man grumbled, walking down the beaten path as the younger Faunus followed. Once the two of them were out of the forest, they found themselves before a concrete road. Parked on the side was a cargo truck, waiting for the veteran and trainee. They strode towards the driver's side, finding a man in the seat.

"What took you so long?" He said wittingly.

"Her," The old one replied, motioning towards his granddaughter. She playfully pouted in response.

The driver chuckled. "Ready to head to the museum in the Kingdom? This stuff ain't gonna deliver itself." He asked.

The family nodded, making their way into the vehicle through the passenger's seat. The eldest sat in that spot, while Natsumi slipped into the back. The engine roared as the vehicle came to life, beginning its journey.

"Just a heads up, it might take a day or two to reach the city," The elder's associate informed the duo. "If you ever get bored, there should be some reading material around here somewhere. Drink if the heat starts getting to you."

Her grandfather removed his hat, hoping to make use of his Faunus ears. He had heard talk of Grimm lurking by the roads, waiting to pounce on any moving vehicle that passed by. Natsumi wasn't so worried, though, choosing to cross her arms behind her head. She decided to take a short nap, confident that they'd make a safe trip.

Something landed on her cheek, stirring her from her sleep. She grabbed the object in question, bringing it to her face. It was just a leaf. She leaned back against the tree, eager to get some shu-

Her eyes popped out. Tree? She thought to herself.

She hopped back onto her feet, twisting her head around in a frenzy. She was in a clearing at some forest, though not the one she was familiar with. Trees were crowded together, barely any sort of space between them. Four pathways surrounded her, while the skies were obscured by thick branches. She was in some type of maze.

A strange humming sound echoed around her. She turned to see one of the dirt roads shifting, taking on new shapes. The flora faded away, revealing a silver sea. An ebony bridge rose through the soil, forged from some strange mix of metal and crystal. The branches were sucked upwards by some unseen force, revealing a dark-blue void above.

A flash of light appeared before the bridge, barring the Faunus from it. The light bent and shifted, taking on a form best described as a stained-glass window. It portrayed a black silhouette against a dark-blue background, with a silver object around its neck. At the bottom of it was a single letter.

K

More barriers appeared, blocking off other roads. Only one remained open, and it was no stranger than the first one. It constantly shifted between spring and winter, between warmth and cold. One minute all plant life was smothered by snow, the next instant bursting its way out of the earth. Time seemed to be stuck in an eternal loop.

Natsumi sighed. Reluctantly, she began trekking down the road. Once she was in, the entrance was barred by yet another portrait. This time, however, it was one of herself. And at the bottom, was another letter.

N

Above the child, a cloud of mist appeared. It twisted and turned, molding itself into that of a fox's skull. Within the eye holes were pale lights, tracking her every move. It gave chase, leaving behind a trail of ghost-white as it shadowed the girl.

And back at the clearing, once the girl was gone, the other two pathways brought down their barriers.

It was time for another to arrive.

A/N:

Well, that was one long wait. Sorry it took so long. I'd probably make something witty about writer's block, but I can't seem to find the words right now.

Something I want to touch, though, is her Semblance. It was originally designed to have some limited Elemental power during certain seasons or in certain climates. Then came the revelation of the Maidens and their powers. As far as I'm aware of, they don't seem to need Aura to fuel themselves. Natsumi's Protean, though, does. As such, she is not a Maiden.

I thought that distinction would hold up, but some recent talks with some folk on Discord voiced concerns over otherwise. After some talking, I figured that perhaps would be safe to ditch the Elemental idea. Now Protean allows some control over temperature depending on the climate. Not what I would personally go with, but sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry. If more balent Elemental Semblances pop up in the canon, though, expect me to hope back to the original concept, lol.

Just thought that I'd clear that up before any sort of confusion comes up. If any does (from plot holes or grammatical errors), let me know and I'll see if I can get things straight.

Before I take my leave, though, here's a hint towards the third member of Team KN_.

Tick, tock, tick, tock… whoops, one of the gears just popped off ol' grandpa!