DISCLAIMER: I own nothing related to RWBY
Pyrrha sits across from Ozpin in his office, with Qrow leaning against a column in the back of the room.
"Congratulations on your victory in the doubles round. It comes as no surprise that they've chosen you to move on to the final round of the tournament. Your performance was exemplary."
"Thank you, Professor." Pyrrha humbly replies. "But I would have never made it this far without my teammates."
'Jaune should be here, not me.'
"Personally, I disagree. Aside from that Jaune Arc, I think it goes the other way around," Qrow scoffs with his arms crossed.
Pyrrha turns around and gets up from her seat. With a slightly hostile tone she asks, "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've been introduced."
"Name's Qrow," he grunts.
Ozpin mentally sighs.
"Qrow is a trusted colleague of mine."
"Professor, if you don't mind me asking, why have you called me here?" Pyrrha asks.
Smiling, Ozpin gestures to the chair.
"Please, take a seat."
After she does, he leans back and puts his fingers up to his lips.
"Tell me. What is your favorite fairy tale?"
Understandably, Pyrrha is caught off guard by this random question.
"I-I'm... sorry?"
"Fairy tales. Stories from your childhood. Surely you must remember some of them."
While still put off by the question, Pyrrha reminisces.
"Well... there's the Tale of the Two Brothers, The Shallow Sea, The Girl in the Tower..."
Ozpin leans forward with an intent gaze. "What about The Story of the Seasons?"
"Well, of course! A callous old man, who refuses to leave his home, is visited by four traveling sisters. The first understands his reclusive nature and urges him to spend his time in solitude to reflect and meditate. The second brings him fruits and flowers, tending to his crops and revitalizing his garden. The third warms the man's heart, convincing him to step outside and embrace the world around him. And the fourth begs him to look at all that he has, and be thankful. In return for their kindness, the man grants the sisters incredible powers, so that they may continue to help others all over the world. They graciously accept, and promise to share their gifts with the people of Remnant 'til the end of days. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall; the four maidens." Pyrrha's eyes soften. "My mother loves that story."
With a distant look in his eyes, Ozpin asks, "Would you believe me if I told you that one's been around since I was a boy?"
Pyrrha laughs, "You're not that old, professor."
Ozpin turns deadly serious. "Well, would you believe me if I told you it was true?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Pyrrha lets out an uneasy chuckle.
"What if I told you that there were four maidens existing in this world, that would wield such tremendous power, without requiring Dust?
"You mean... like a Semblance?" Pyrrha tries to make sense of all this.
Ozpin gives a small smile.
"Like magic."
Pyrrha looks down in befuddlement.
"Yeah... First time hearing this, it's pretty crazy," Qrow comments.
"Why... why are you tell me this?" Pyrrha struggles with her words.
Standing up, Ozpin gazes out his windows, being bombarded by heavy rain. "We tell you this, Pyrrha Nikos, because we believe you are to be next in line to receive the Fall Maiden's powers."
Her eyes widen.
"We?"
The elevator door opens, revealing Glynda Goodwitch and James Ironwood.
Fixing his tie, Ironwood says, "Sorry we're late."
Jaune remains seated as still as a statue on top of the plateau. Paying no heed to the wind and rain, his expression remains calm and serene. Meanwhile, the ink like clouds churn and roll above him like boiling water, becoming denser with every passing moment.
A red portal manifests beside Jaune, and Raven steps out into the rain.
'Where am I? What is this?'
Raven looks around, noting the surrounding forest and Beacon Tower glowing in the distance.
'This is the Emerald Forest. What is Jaune Arc doing all the way out here?'
A guttural thunderclap causes Raven to flinch and look up into the sky. She blinks through the rain.
'Those clouds are not normal. They're almost... alive.'
Her head tilts back down and locks onto Jaune, who has shown no reaction to Raven's arrival.
A wisp of white air escapes his mouth as he breathes out and opens his eyes.
Raven involuntarily reaches for her weapon and takes a step back.
'Those are the eyes of a warrior. Someone fully prepared to face death.'
Jaune slowly pushes himself onto his feet and impassively looks up to the maelstrom above.
'It is finally time.'
"Raven," Jaune calls out without glancing at her.
"I strongly suggest you move far away. Otherwise, you will die by what is to come."
An ominous crackle of energy rips through the air, prompting Raven to immediately sprint to the edge of the plateau. Without a shred of hesitation, she jumps into the air and flies away in her bird form. She'd survived for many years without the need for the Kingdoms' walls. Right now, her instincts are screaming at her to get as far away from the plateau as possible.
Once she is several hundred meters away, the sense of dread dissipates and she lands on top of the forest canopy.
'What the hell is going on?! What is this?!' Her mind races.
An enormous dark red maelstrom spirals above the plateau. As it spins, the clouds undulate like a beating heart, and serpentine sparks of electricity weave through the spiraling arms of the clouds. The sparks of energy slowly coalesce into the maelstrom's eyes. The air above the plateau turns deathly still, and all rain and winds pause, as if there is a sacred boundary around the mountaintop.
The 3-in-9 Tribulation has finally begun!
Jaune calmly gazes at the contorting clouds.
'The first strike is always the weakest.'
He remains standing without making a single move to draw Crocea Mors from his back.
'My progress is meaningless if I have to resort to my sword in order to deal with the first strike.'
A heavy pressure descends upon the plateau, and the air visibly contorts around Jaune as the Tribulation Cloud prepares its strike.
With a resounding boom, a thick yellow bolt of lightning cuts through the silence and shoots straight down towards Jaune's head.
Eyes gleaming with anticipation, Jaune spreads his arms open, inviting this challenge sent down from the Heavens.
'Come!'
Jaune baptizes himself in the pillar of lightning enveloping his body. Bolstered by the natural defense provided by the Black Tortoise, he absorbs the energy with ease. A series of cracking noises erupt from his body as the energy courses through his bones, muscles, and organs. Taking a deep breath, Jaune circulates the Heavenly energy through himself, taking advantage of this rare opportunity.
When the remaining energy of the bolt dissipates, the sky darkens once more. In the center of a small crater is Jaune remaining perfectly still with tendrils of energy skipping across his body. As he releases his breath, he casts his gaze up to the clouds with a smirk. The first strike has successfully been overcome.
The millions of viewers around the world, and the thousands in the Colosseum collectively gasp in horror as they witness Yang Xiao Long brutally attack her defenseless opponent without provocation.
"My leg! MY LEG!" Mercury cries out in pain.
"Yeah, well that's what you get for-"
"Yang Xiao Long, you will stand down immediately!"
Several Atlesian Knights and Atlas personnel surround her with their guns trained on her.
"What? Why?!" Yang demands.
"Why would she do that?! Why would she suddenly attack me?!" Mercury cries hysterically.
'What?...'
Yang's eyes widen as she finally looks up at the display screens above. The replay footage shows Yang circling Mercury, who is crouched on the ground exhausted. Then, she suddenly shoots him in the leg with her gauntlet.
'B-but that's not what-'
She turns her head towards Blake, Weiss, and Ruby. Her heart drops when she sees their horrified expressions. As if the universe wants to rub salt into the wound, a deafening clap of thunder echoes through the skies, illuminating the disgusted and horrified expressions of the audience.
Cinder smirks in her seat.
'Even this unexpected storm works in my favor. Destiny is on my side.'
*** In the waiting room of Amity Arena ***
Ironwood sighs tiredly, "All of you seem like good students, and the staff here at Beacon are fully aware that you would never lash out the way you did... under normal circumstances. What I believe and hope this to be is nothing more than the results of stress and adrenaline. When you're out on the battlefield, your judgement can become clouded in an instant. Sometimes, you may see things that simply aren't there. Even after the fight is finished..."
"But I wasn't-" Yang blurts.
"That is enough. The sad truth is, whether or not it was an accident, it doesn't matter at this point. The world, millions, saw you attack an innocent and defenseless student. They've already drawn their own conclusions, and it is my job to inform you that... you are disqualified."
Without another word, Ironwood leaves their room.
Yang glances at her teammates in desperation.
"You guys believe me. Right?"
"Of course!" Ruby instantly responds.
Weiss shakes her head.
"You're hotheaded, but you're not a ruthless brute."
Blake remains silent, causing the others to look towards her.
"I want to believe you... but honestly, it's difficult."
She takes a deep breath.
"My mentor when I was in the White Fang. His name is Adam. He changed in ways I thought was impossible. It wasn't in an instant, but gradual. Little choices that began to pile up. At first they were accidents. Then it was self-defense. Then it became ruthless. All for the sake of the cause. I'm sorry... but this is all just very familiar."
Yang looks down at her feet, biting her lip with tears threatening to fall.
"But..." Blake continues, and Yang looks up.
"No two people are exactly the same. You've never done or shown any kind of behavior like this in the past, so it would be unfair of me to judge you based on my own experience. I will trust you, but first, please look me in the eyes and tell me that he attacked you first."
Yang sniffs, then looks directly into Blake's feline eyes.
"I saw him attack me, so I attacked back."
Blake smiles in relief upon finding no deceit.
Yang sighs depressingly, "I still don't know what happened out there. But... I'd like to stay here for the rest of the matches, if that's okay."
Ruby, Weiss, and Blake silently assume positions around Yang to comfort her, and look towards the screen with the upcoming match. Pyrrha Nikos vs Penny Polendina
Jaune reaches up behind his back and smoothly draws Crocea Mors. The blade hums as he traces it through the air.
Meanwhile, Raven feels as if she if losing her sanity.
'Insane. This is insane. Without a doubt, that bolt of lightning would have drained 90% of my Aura, and that is being optimistic. Yet, he stands there as if nothing happened?!'
Her eyes widen when Jaune draws his sword.
'Why is he drawing his weapon?'
As if responding, the maelstrom clouds boil and rumble with even greater intensity than before. Even from her distance, Raven can feel her hair raising on their ends due to the energy in the air.
'There's more?!'
A pillar-sized bolt of deep red energy spirals into the center of the Tribulation clouds. The air grows doubly heavy, and the bolt strikes down like a viper towards Jaune's head.
As the red bolt streaks down the from the sky, Jaune siphons Aura through his Black Tortoise sigil on his dantian, then infuses the resulting qi into Crocea Mors, making it glow with dark blue energy. In a single motion, Jaune swings the blade upwards towards the incoming bolt with the flat side of the weapon.
The moment he makes contact, a burst of blue light engulfs his area, and for a split instant, a fierce tortoise entwined by a snake manifests. The red energy splashes all around Jaune, like rain impacting against an umbrella, tearing the ground apart with deep gouges and deep craters.
Jaune audibly grunts as the second strike of the Tribulation concludes. The smell of burnt clothes and ozone fills the air, and his breath is slightly uneven.
'A red bolt... Those are normally reserved for the 6-in-9 Heavenly Tribulation.'
Jaune narrows his eyes.
'If that is the case, what lies in store for this third and final strike?'
He glances down at Crocea Mors, which has several hairline fractures marring its surface.
'Please hang in there.'
Catastrophic thunder rips through the air as the audience stares in shock and confusion. One of the contestants, Penny Polendina, was just torn apart by Pyrrha Nikos. Wires, bolts, and sparks of electricity reveal to the world that Penny is a robot. A singular thought runs through the minds of the viewers.
'What the hell is going on?!'
Penny blankly stares at Penny's remains in abject horror. Her eyes are wide and mouth agape. Combined with stress of her meeting with Ozpin and the existence of the Maidens, her mind nears the brink of collapse.
'Those swords weren't real. Then is this real? She looks like a robot, but am I hallucinating again?!'
The screens suddenly transition to an ominous red background with a black queen chess piece in the center. A sultry voice begins to speak as the world watches the current events unfold.
"This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are, in reality, nothing more than men. Our Academies' headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference."
Ironwood grimaces and grits his teeth.
'I thought my scientists cleared out any traces of the virus!'
He shakes his head, leaving that discussion for another time, then rises from his seat to march up the steps.
"I ask you, what is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment, and now this? Shouldn't Huntsmen and Huntresses carry themselves with honor and mercy? Yet... I have witnessed neither."
Back in their waiting room, Ruby bawls into the Yang's shirt, while she embraces her. Blake and Weiss are utterly shocked by the fact Penny was an artificial lifeform.
"A robot..." Weiss whispers.
Ruby shakes her head while it is still buried in Yang's arms.
"She's real! She had a soul, and now she's-"
She chokes her tears back, refusing to finish that sentence.
"Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong. But I know the existence of peace if fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable. Our kingdoms are on the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark. So I ask you: When the first shots are fired... who do you think you can trust?"
The screen cuts to static and silence overtakes the Colosseum. When the automated system suddenly announces, everyone jolts out from their frozen state and erupts into pure panic.
"Grimm attack imminent. Level 9. Grimm attack imminent. Level 9. Please find the nearest exit in a calmly manner."
The Tribulation clouds undulate once more as it builds up energy for its third strike. A blood red bolt flickers amongst the clouds as it rapidly spirals towards the center.
'A peak level red bolt!'
Without hesitation, Jaune rotates his cultivation base to the fullest, refining as much Black Tortoise qi as possible.
The blood red thunderbolt screams downwards like a raging dragon with its maw open, as if showcasing its intent on devouring and destroying Jaune.
Jaune swings Crocea Mors with a defiant roar, and an ethereal image of an ancient tortoise flickers around Jaune as it absorbs the force of the Tribulation strike. Jaune can feel his body shuddering and shake as the impact shifts the entire mountaintop. A sharp crack echoes out as a portion of his defense succumbs to the pressure. Seizing the opportunity, part of the lightning slips through the opening and directly strikes the shoulder of Jaune's sword arm.
Jaune involuntarily steps back due to the impact and coughs up a mouthful of blood, staining his teeth red. Despite that, he holds his stance, refusing to lower his sword. After what felt like hours, the pressure finally lifts, and silence fills the plateau. With deep ragged breaths, Jaune falls onto a knee with Crocea Mors stabbing into the ground as support. With exhausted eyes, he looks over at the weapon, now nearly completely destroyed with large fragments missing. With pity in his eyes, he sighs in relief.
'It's finished.'
His reprieve is interrupted by a sudden rumble in the sky above, causing Jaune's head to snap up in shock. The Tribulation clouds did not disperse as they were supposed to, but is churning, signaling an incoming strike. Madness flashes across his eyes and Jaune releases an uncharacteristic maniacal laughter filled with bitterness.
"So you'll honor me and break the rules? Do you think you can do such a thing without paying a price?!" He roars at the Heavens.
Jaune condenses White Tiger qi into Crocea Mors, illuminating it white and yellow. He stands up and arches backwards like a bow drawn taut, and aims the tip of Crocea Mors at the center of the spiraling maelstrom. Releasing the built up tension, Jaune launches his sword through the sky like an arrow. A white beam of light streaks upwards and the majestic roar of the White Tiger can be heard as it pierces into the center of the Tribulation clouds.
A shockwave surges through the skies and the clouds violently flail. Like a balloon popping, the clouds rapidly disperse into nothingness, leaving nothing but the energy the clouds had managed to gather. A wisp of purple flame that darts down towards Jaune.
He reaches out and catches the shattered pieces of Crocea Mors falling from the sky, then looks up at the purple flame converging upon him with a gleam.
'Divine flame!'
Mustering up the last of his reserves, Jaune lifts his arms up, holding the broken pieces of his weapon towards the flame. A dark blue illusionary furnace manifests around Crocea Mors and the Divine Flame. The furnace shaped like a tortoise shell violently shakes as the flame thrashes like a wild animal trying to escape its confines. Due to the violent outbursts, small cracks run along the surface of the furnace, and traces of the flame's energy mercilessly lash Jaune, bloodying and burning him. Despite spitting out multiple mouthfuls of blood, Jaune's eyes remain steadfast and resolved as he firmly holds onto the furnace.
A final roar echoes out and the thrashing stops.
Jaune's arms droop down to his sides due to utter exhaustion, and he falls onto his back. His multiple wounds ooze and leak, forming a pool of blood underneath him. The heavily damaged furnace floating above his head fades away, revealing a reforged Crocea Mors. Its cross guard is no longer present and the blade width is thinner at 3 fingers wide. A divine glow emanates from the blade, and it hums in joy as it circles above Jaune, celebrating its birth as a divine weapon. From the cosmos, a pillar of energy descends and envelops Jaune. He is wrapped in the light like a cocoon, healing and transcending from a Houtian to a Xiantian lifeform.
From her perch, Raven witnesses Jaune fall onto a knee after the blood red bolt of lightning strikes down on him. She can do nothing but stare in awe. Her skin tingles and stings as the residual energy of that energy bolt could be felt even at her distance. When Jaune's head jerks up towards the sky, a heavier ominous feeling washes over Raven.
'Was he expecting it to be over after that last bolt?'
Her eyes widen when a white beam of light pierces the sky. The resulting shockwave nearly causes Raven to tumble off the branch. She barely manages to catch a glimpse of a glow of light above Jaune's head, before he collapses onto his back.
'Did he succeed, or is he dead?'
Raven continues to watch intently, until she notices a sword hovering above Jaune.
'A flying sword? That's not gravity Dust... Magic?'
She grits her teeth and takes flight towards the plateau.
Jaune curls into a fetal position as the warm energy envelops him like a mother's embrace. With every breath, the energy surges through his body, rejuvenating and repairing the damage he had incurred during the Tribulation. Once healed, his body further strengthens to another level. His muscles tighten like coils of steel. His bones become harder than iron. The organs expel all impurities and his vital energy spikes.
His skin peels away, revealing new jade-like skin underneath that glows with luster. When the energy reaches his dantian, his divine sense rapidly expands, now able to passively cover an area equal to a large portion of the Emerald Forest. Jaune's mind and memory sharpens to beyond mortal capabilities to accommodate his newly improved divine sense. The sea of Aura within his dantian condenses and forms a massive pillar, signifying that his sea has successfully transformed into the foundation establishment for his future path.
When Raven lands on the edge of the plateau, the cocoon of light is fully absorbed by Jaune, revealing his figure. He slowly floats down onto the ground with a silent tap of his feet, then he opens his eyes. He gestures with his hand, and Crocea Mors hums in joy before settling onto the palm of Jaune's hand.
He delicately traces the length of the blade with his fingertips.
'You will be my natal weapon...'
With a thought, the sword visibly shrinks and disappears into Jaune's dantian. He turns his gaze towards Beacon tower with narrowed eyes. Through his divine sense, he can see that the Grimm within the forest have grown restless, and several hordes of them are heading straight towards the Academy.
"Raven," Jaune calls out.
Raven remains deathly still with her hand on her sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Her hands slightly tremble due to the presence emanated by Jaune, and knowing full well that she stands no chance, Maiden powers or not.
"Beacon is in danger, which includes Yang."
Raven flinches at Jaune's remark.
He quietly floats up into the air, his severely damaged clothes swaying around him.
He sighs, "I do not have the time to deal with whatever you're here for."
As he prepares to fly towards Beacon, he turns his head and meets Raven's eyes with his own.
"In the end, we must make our own choices. What will be yours?"
Without waiting for a potential response, Jaune bursts into speed as he rapidly soars through the sky towards the city and Beacon Academy.
As Jaune's figure becomes progressively smaller in the distance, Raven stands alone on the plateau with tightly clenched fists. Her eyes remain hidden under the shadow of her hair.