Greetings everyone,
Welcome back to the 17th chapter of "The Knight The Wizard".
Now, as you all already know that since Volume 6 has ultimately come to an end that also means that this story will be going on a hiatus until the next volume is released. I know that there will be those that want the story to continue onward but I'd prefer to plan these chapters out after first watching the entire volume so that I may plan and fix any glaring problems. An action that I neglected to do for this volume and as such ended running into several problems as a result.
Don't forget to check out my other stories as well, such as "Operation: Jaune's Dastardly Revenge" which will reaching it's conclusion very soon, so be sure to check it out when you can. And be sure to read the Author's Note down below if you want to hear my thoughts about this volume.
Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.
Till next time
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Chapter Seventeen
It was nightfall by the time my team and I had returned to Saffron's house. We'd just gotten done discussing the idea I'd had back near Pyrrha's statue. And, in all honesty, it had literally all of the makings of being a bad idea. It was idiotic, moronic, and so far out of left field that I was definitely sure that the only way it could ever possibly work was through a miracle. But just as Ren had said before even if the chance was slimmer than paper it still meant that there was a chance. And frankly, it was quite possibly the only logical option we had.
I mean, it's not like our only option was to steal a bullhead and become fugitives. Seriously, who would ever think of doing such a stupidly idiotic idea like that?
As we traversed up the hill that lead to my older sister's home we took notice that several of our friends were all standing just outside my sister's front door. And as we drew closer we then noticed that they were all staring at the passed out form of Ruby's uncle, Qrow.
Immediately, I released a disappointed sigh from my lips as I watched his drunken form shift about on the steps of my sister's home. I swear out of everyone here Qrow was the one I'd hoped would actually act like an adult here.
I mean don't get me wrong Maria was technically an adult but after seeing how she acted with Cordovin it didn't take a genius to see that she clearly wasn't up to the task of being the leader. And while Ruby was certainly trying her best ultimately I knew that she just wasn't ready for a role such as this.
Though, in all honesty, neither was I. But at the very least I had some of Ozpin's experience which certainly gave me some leeway in this situation.
This moment called for someone to be a leader and as much as I didn't want it be me, I knew that it HAD to be me that rallied the troops, raised the morale, and come up with a plan to save the day.
It wasn't until we'd just gotten a few more feet away that Ruby had noticed our arrival. And I swear it was like the shattered moon was making her silver eyes sparkle just for me as she instantly transformed into a red blur of rose petals and charged straight towards me. Her tiny body collided with mine as she forced her arms around my neck.
My own arms wrapped around her waist as I pulled her closer to me, savoring the warmth she brought me as a smile grew on me. It was true that seeing Pyrrha's statue brought back some old feelings but I knew in my heart that she'd be happy that Ruby made me feel this way. After all, that was just the kind of person she was. If only I'd seen it before I'd lost her.
"You're okay." she said as she spoke into the crook of my neck, her words causing me to smile as I held her in my arms. "I was so worried. I wanted to go after you but then Yang said I should leave you alone for a bit but I was still worried and I'm just really glad you're back."
"Me too, Ruby." I responded as I lowered her back onto her feet. Her silver eyes meet my cerulean blues as we smiled at one another before we turned back to see the passed out form of Qrow. I sighed once again before reaching down to grip the collar of his shirt.
And with a strength I hadn't even realized I had, I brought my right palm to his cheek, instantly waking the drunken man from his slumber as his red eyes popped out just as I released my hold on his collar.
"Gah! Son of a bitch!" he yelped as he brought his hand to his cheek, his aura already taking care of the stinging sensation as his eyes meet my own. "What the hell is your problem, you bastard!?"
"You're my problem, Qrow!" I shouted back, my clenching into fists. "So Ozpin lied to you? Big fucking deal! You think any of us have had it any easier? Do you think that it gives you the right to be a depressed sad sack? None of us wanted any of this but like it or not this is what we're doing so you can either give me your scroll willingly or I can knock your ass out and take it by force!"
"You? Knock me out?" he asked as he lowered his hand away from his cheek as his lips began to spread into a smug grin. "Listen, Spellsword, you may have Oz's experiences but that doesn't mean you know how to use them. And just what in the hell do you want with my scroll? Because if it's so you can watch porn then you've got another ting coming." he said as he went to raise his flask to his lips only for Ruby to forcibly take it from him before silencing him with a heated glare.
I swear I felt like we were parents dealing with a rebellious teenager with how Qrow was acting.
Gods help me if I ever have to deal with that.
"No. No more drinking." said Ruby, placing the flask on her belt as she placed her hands on her hips. "You're going to sit there quietly and listen to what we have to say, got it?"
And Qrow, seeing that his niece wasn't going to take anymore shit from him, relinquished himself to us as he crossed his arms and looked upon us with his beady red eyes.
"We understand why you're acting like this, Qrow." I said, seeing his left eyebrow raise just slightly. "You think it's your fault that we're in this mess. Because of your semblance."
"But it's not." said Ruby, taking a seat next to her uncle, who was looking away from us. "It's not your fault that everything's been bad. And it's not your fault that Ozpin lied to us."
"You said before that Ozpin gave you a place in this world. Gave you a reason to believe that you weren't the cursed child everyone thought you were. But when Ozpin's secrets were revealed you started to realize that he never gave you a place because he cared about you... it was because he saw what could've been a dangerous opponent and saw it best to ensure that you'd follow him if he gave you the one thing you'd always wanted... Hope. Hope that one day you wouldn't have to be alone anymore." I said, seeing his red eyes widen at my words.
"Don't you get it, Uncle Qrow?" asked Ruby, smiling as she wrapped her dainty little arms around her uncle's neck. "Even if you are cursed, it'll never stop us from loving you. So what if Ozpin lied to us? So what if Salem can't be killed? I know we'll find a way to win at the end of the day."
"But we can't do it without you, Qrow." I said as I watched the drunken huntsman sigh before trying to hide his smile from view.
"Jeez, you kids really know how twist a man's arm, don't you?" he asked as Ruby removed her arms from around his neck. "Alright, Spellsword. What's this big idea you've got in that head of your's?"
"First, I need to see your scroll." I responded as he silently handed me his scroll.
After acquiring the unlocked device, I swiftly began inputting several numbers before finally hearing the telltale ringing from the other side. After a few more seconds of ringing, the call was received as I heard that very same gruff commanding tone is heard on the fateful night during the Fall of Beacon.
"What do you want, Qrow? I'm very busy at the moment." responded General Ironwood, the sound of several keyboard clacks echoing in the background.
"Hello, General Ironwood." I said, taking silent joy in seeing the wide-eyed stares of my friends as they all watched me speak with the General of the Atlas military.
"Who is this? Where is Qrow?" asked General Ironwood, his voice seeping with venom.
"My name is Jaune Arc, we met in Vale... When Beacon fell." I said, as a flood of memories from that night came rushing back before regaining my composure. "But, you may know me better as an old friend. More specifically, one with a near-obsession with black coffee."
"Ozpin?" he asked, the sound of genuine confusion laced his voice.
"Eh, not quite but close enough." I said with a light chuckle. "I'm Ozpin's more recent traveling companion. Though not by choice, mind you."
"If that's true then tell me something that only Ozpin would know." said General Ironwood as a sudden memory came back to my mind. One that had me smiling as I remembered one crazy night involving a certain tin man and his poorly, not to mention drunkenly, conceived attempt to impress a familiar stern-faced professor at a local pub.
"It was the night of graduation, you and Ozpin had decided to go for a night on the town to celebrate when you spotted a beautiful blonde drinking at the bar. After gathering your courage, with the help of several shots of whiskey, you marched over to her, placed your hand on the counter and said, "You, my dear, are easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life." Only for said "woman" to turn around and sock you in the nose before replying "I ain't no woman, asshole!"" I said as I heard several of my friends trying desperately to stifle their growing laughter while Qrow was busy laughing out loud, regardless of Ironwood's growing embarrassment. "Perhaps you shouldn't have had more of those "cups of courage" eh, General Ironwood?"
"I swear that night was the second worst night of my life." responded General Ironwood, the sound of his sigh traveling into my ear. "Alright, I have more questions for you, Mr. Arc. But for now you have my undivided attention."
"Thank you, General." I responded as joy filled my heart. Finally we caught a break! "My friends and I are in Argus. We were planning on bringing the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas for protection seeing as Haven is no longer a safe alternative."
"But with the lockdown on trade and transport you're unable to do so, correct?" asked the General, though already knowing the answer. "I want to help, truly I do, but things in Atlas aren't as cut and dry as they may appear to be. First I'd need to meet with the council and propose a temporary lift of the ban and even then there's no guarantee that they'd lift it just to help a few students from Vale."
"Can't you just overrule their decision then?" I asked.
"I'm afraid it's just not that simple, Mr. Arc." said General Ironwood. "The Atlas council was based around equal ruling for all parties involved. Just because I occupy two seats does not mean that I have control over what does and does not happen."
"You don't understand, sir. The Relic, it's like a beacon for the Grimm. If we don't get it out of Argus soon, this place will be under attack. We need to get it to Atlas. It's the only place in Remnant with enough defense to protect it." I said, my left fist gripping tightly.
"As I said before, Mr. Arc, I do want to be of assistance but it's not that simple. I'm sorry..."
"Then I'm calling in a favor... from an old friend." I said with steely determination. "You still owe Ozpin for what happened in Vale. It was because you decided to bring an entire army of robots that Cinder was able to hack that caused Vale to fall. So like it or not, General Iron-Dick, you owe us." I said as anger flooded my vision until I felt Ruby's gentle hand in my own.
After a few minute of silence, the sound of the General's reluctant sigh reached my ear. He knew that he'd get hell for going over the council's heads. But he also knew that he DID have a hand in the Fall of Beacom, even if it was unintentional. He owed us for the destruction of our home and the murder of our friends.
"You realize that if I do this then the council will have my head on pike, correct?" he asked.
"And if you don't then everyone in Argus will die by Salem's hand." I responded with a stern frown.
"Very well, Mr. Arc." he said. "Then as of this moment you are a Specialist of the Atlesian military effective immediately. I'll send word to the commander of the base in Argus that you, along with your friends are to be allowed entrance into Atlas."
"Wait a second, there was no talk about me joking the military least of all signing up to be a Specialist!" I shouted into the scroll.
"I do apologize, Mr. Arc. But it is the only way you and your friends will be allowed entrance. It is the best that I can do as of this moment. We will speak again when you arrive tomorrow evening. Goodbye." said General Ironwood, ending the call and leaving me fuming with irritation as the rest of my friends now watched me with wide eyes.
But I had no words to give them as I quietly handed Qrow back his scroll while Ruby, kept her hand on mine.
How had everything gone to shit so fast?
I just wanted to get to Atlas so I could be done with all of this bullshit. But instead I end up being forcibly enlisted into the military.
"So, I guess we should start packing?" asked Yang, trying to add some levity to the situation.
Before long nearly everyone was walking back into my sister's home to gather their things, leaving only Ruby and myself alone on the curb as the night sky and all of its twinkling stars hung above us.
And so, I, Jaune Arc, went from being a former huntsman-in-training at Beacon Academy to being the reincarnation of an immortal wizard. And now, I was officially a Specialist of the Atlesian military.
Looking back on it, maybe stealing a bullhead and becoming a fugitive wasn't such a bad idea.
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So, I'm going to be honest right now, I did not enjoy the last few episodes of this volume. There were SO many problems that could've been changed to make the narrative better but they just didn't go through with it.
They changed Adam, one of the more better "villains" that fought for a just cause into an obsessive stalker ex-boyfriend.
Then there was Neo, who should've remained a wild card due to her hatred towards both Cinder AND Ruby.
Then there was just Ruby and everyone believing that their ONLY way to get to Atlas was to become criminals. Seriously, I know they presented Cordovin as this "obstacle" that they, for some reason, needed to beat to achieve their goal. And while I will readily admit that she was a colossal bitch, in the end she was simply doing her job. Sure any sensible person would've sent out a couple bullheads to arrest them instead bringing out the mech that is literally designed to protect Argus from the Grimm.
But what made it worse was that everyone was surprised when they saw that Argus was being attacked by the Grimm.
Why are you surprised?! They literally saw you fighting against Cordovin and her mech AND you're literally carrying a dinner bell around you're waist! Seriously, it's like they forgot that the relic is actively causing the Grimm to chase them down about half-way through the volume.
AND then Cordovin freaking breaks character and lets the people who caused Argus to become attacked just fly away without any punishment.
It was ultimately because of all of these glaring factors that I decided to go off book for this chapter and why I also will be going off-book for the next chapter or two before putting this story on hiatus. I hope you all understand.
Thank you all so much for reading.