A/N: Finally, new content has arrived! Unfortunately, this light-speed pace has come to an end. Expect future updates to occur approximately once a month, barring any complications.
But for now, it's SHOWTIME!
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Chapter 13: Fall Damage is a Bitch
"What troubles you this night?" Marie asked as they enjoyed tea together after Jaune drank to strengthen his body. It was mostly vitality, as he wished to be able to take more damage. Though his life seemed like a video game at times with the added flavor of Bloodborne, there were some things lost in translation. The issue that currently came to his mind was vitality. Though he might wish it, he did not gain a health bar, and his body was just as susceptible to the same flaws as anyone else. He learned during his training that it functioned more similarly to toughness, with the same force doing less to him as time went on.
Initially, vitality was his primary investment of echoes, just to survive lacking an aura shield. In his spar with Pyrrha, if that same attack that left a cheek scar had done so when he had started training, half of his face would have been sheared off. But now his primary means of increasing his odds of survival, decreasing the scope of received injuries, had begun diminishing returns; a process known in RPG's as a soft cap. He had not reached that point with any of the others, or it might be exclusive to this facet of his body alone. However, he suspected that all six of them would eventually reach the dreaded hard cap, where it would take an ocean of Grimm to accomplish the same gains as what a sip would do right now.
But that small revelation was one he had anticipated, and accepted. He didn't wish to be a god amongst the people, for that would draw all the fun out of the Hunt.
"I shared the codex with my squad, and they'll translate it soon enough, though I didn't know it needed to be." The true trouble plaguing his mind was his last interaction with those closest in proximity him; that being the first step to revealing that held faith not in Oum, but in Oedon, a night goddess of the moon, the Hunt, dreams, and blood. Instead of him directly telling them, they'll work it out before long.
"It is for the best; like the Faunus girl, it would have been revealed eventually." She was most likely correct, and it would have been hypocritical for him to do so whilst encouraging Blake to reveal herself. Besides, they'd logically go from front to back, and the religious tones became more explicit the further one read. He hadn't lied before when the majority of it was indeed philosophy, that being guidance for Hunters of the Old Blood.
Though it was as pleasant as always to see Marie in the Dream and allow her to soothe his fears, however temporarily, Jaune had come for answers. "I never take off my pendant, and the thought of it on my desk, coincidentally at the same time as one of my more… alarming nightmares is also troubling."
"It is for the best." She repeated her sentiments, for it applied in equal measure here as well. "Though you have fared well against the nightmares of the flesh, you must face the nightmares of the mind with equal fervor."
She was interpreting an excerpt from the codex that existed here in the Dream. Switching to a lighter tangent, "Though there has been less combat than I thought, and the only Grimm that I've killed since Initiation has been the few before I arrived. Then again, you likely already knew that."
"I did not. I have been resting." She answered simply before taking a sip of Oolong, a delicacy from Menagerie. "Though it does appear strange in passing, the mind is the strongest weapon, or the greatest weakness. I am sure that more opportunities will arise."
Giving thanks for her advice, Jaune went to scour the book covering Blood Reinforcement concerning the flaw he had experienced. Flipping through the pages, he indeed found the cause.
"One must take heed in this ability, for it drains upon the user of the holy medium, the carrier of life and soul." As vague as it was, what concerned him more was that it was in the back. 'They should really put such dire warnings before, not after' was his last thought before he was called away to face the dawn once more.
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It has been over a month since their first official mission as squad BLAX SPRV, and things had only intensified as time went on. For classes, it seemed that the first week was either just an introduction, or the professors suddenly remembered that Vale was hosting the Vytal Fall Festival Tournament this year, and that they needed to up the ante to prepare for a good showing. Whatever the case, the workload nearly across the board increased, but thankfully not to the extent which became detrimental to training.
Speaking of which, Jaune was happy about the progress on that category at least. True to Goodwitch's word, the scheduling for arena and training room times had significantly opened up, and the two groups of four were coming together both as two teams, and as a whole unit rather than eight people that just so happened to fight on the same side. A favorite among them was the simulation room, where they could coordinate against hard light constructs, though Jaune preferred the reality in the Emerald Forest. They had some hiccups and friendly fire at first, but there was visible progress.
Overall, though, it was a different story. Except for honing combat skills and learning better ways to kill Grimm, Beacon was too much like his past experience in school. Sure, people more often than not stayed with teams, but many also socialized in similar cliques and subgroups, and he wasn't interested in that. In their ensemble, Yang was a prime example of a social butterfly, and would often drag others of team RWBY with her to meet her other friends, or vice versa. Oddly enough, the most responsive to the social change was Yang's own partner. With her coming out as a Faunus, if only to the squad, Blake felt more confident to mingle with others.
He was the most engaged when Yang brought along Coco and the rest of her team, already being familiar with them. He wasn't being rude to anyone; he just wasn't inclined to put in the extra effort for social activity; content with staying quiet or listening to those around him unless directly addressed. That being said, he could see the benefits of networking, and applauded Yang for her initiative, but he just didn't want to out of habit.
The only respite from boredom outside of training Jaune received during this time frame was when he was called upon to fight. Unknown to him, this was a major part as to why Yang tried to include him when she socialized with others during free times and meals. In the aftermath of his decisive win against Lark and Thrush, and in the later matches with similar results; though lacking in an agenda for humiliation, he had accrued and bolstered a negative reputation.
Pyrrha had found it strangely similar to how others didn't want to fight her. However, it was not out of respect or admiration of her skills and success; it stemmed from fear for his ruthlessness. He wasn't trying to maim or cripple them, however it appeared. He would find a weakness, and relentlessly exploit it, the tough love method. If she had to guess, several would rather fight her than her partner, if only to facilitate salvaging their dignity at the end. When she pointed this out to him, he responded with, "I didn't learn to duel, I learned to fight. Better they learn here than out there."
Seeing that Jaune wasn't doing anything in response to his souring notoriety, or even that he noticed it at all, his friends tried to exhibit that he wasn't a sentient mass of psychotic bloodlust all of the time… only when fighting. It wasn't a complete turn around of public opinion, but it was better than had they left it alone, especially since they knew that he wasn't giving really giving it his all. His matches lacked that flair that he had with Pyrrha, but his partner's similar diminished passion in combat went under the radar. Often he wouldn't even use a weapon just to make it interesting, only escalating his ability if his opponent 'proved themselves' in his mind.
Speaking of reputations, team CRDL's was also shifting to a more positive spectrum. They were doing the same socializing as the group of eight was, and none of the Faunus harassment of the past was ever noticed. Though half of their team had gotten wrecked against the squad leader to an embarrassing degree, they had carved their niche as the third strongest first year team overall with their above average win loss ratio. Jaune, keeping a passing interest in them, had noticed they were keeping their noses clean and he was glad their ignorant discrimination ceased to foul the air. 'If they don't act like beasts, then I won't treat them as such.'
But Thursday's Combat class was over, leaving Jaune and Pyrrha free to rush to the patio for hand-to-hand training. The first week of their inability to fully spar was an almost funny coincidence, but after another month of similarly fruitless efforts it conveyed the impression of a cosmic joke. There was training, whether with the team or going through forms together, but it wasn't the same to either of them as a full-fledged fight.
Pyrrha had some basic training in martial arts, and was a quick learner; she could already hold her own better while trying to recover her weapons in a future situation. Even if he wasn't that great of a teacher, regardless of what his 'student' said in contrast, she was an excellent student and was more confident to be offensive with only her body as a weapon. On the opposite spectrum, Ruby was complete garbage in a fight without her scythe, to put it mildly, but she more than made up for it with her incredible skill with it. That being said, Jaune asked his partner to at least show her the basics to begin to fill in the gap once he had learned of it. From what he could tell, the reaper had very strong kicks, and Pyrrha was a far better teacher.
'Speak of the Devil.' Just as his the thought came to pass, Ruby had appeared on time, eager to learn and to have an excuse to get away from Weiss' translation project. Not that the heiress needed her that much, but she still contributed to sate her own curiosity.
Which led up to Jaune as he was at the moment; sitting on the floor with his back against the couch meditating to breathe away the daily stresses of academics. Or at least he was, until Nora picked him up to set him down on the couch without so much as a by your leave, and she plopped right next to him.
"Is there something I can help you with, Nora?" He asked, keeping his calm and his eyes closed.
"Hmm, nope, I'm good! But are you excited about the trip to Forever Fall tomorrow?" Her question got his undivided attention as he ended his meditation. "What trip?" He asked, not having heard the announcement.
"Yeah, it's this thing for Prof. Peach." That explained his ignorance; he had tested out of the Wilderness Survival course, showcasing in the entrance exam his satisfactory knowledge in that subject. But the thought of going out to finally Hunt again brought a smile and acted like a knife to slaughter and field-dress his ennui while she continued to ramble, "I can't wait to go back. Ren and I traveled through there before, and it is so pretty with delicious syrup trees-"
"It's sap." Ren, who had been on the couch and near silent thus far, corrected her, not that she cared. "Whatever, it's sweet and sticky, so it's good enough for me!"
Ren nodded to go along with her gleeful assessment. "Before you ask… yes, I will make pancakes with them." After her excited clapping and giggle, he spoke again to Jaune. "Apparently, it was a bit delayed because they were investigating the Grimm population in the area of our destination."
"What, was it too high or something?" He asked, not seeing the problem. The more there are, the more fun for everyone. Ren's reply, "Actually the opposite. It's suspiciously low, considering the slowly rising population everywhere else" raised an eyebrow due to the situation indeed being unusual, but Jaune shrugged it off as Pyrrha and Ruby had ended their session, the latter a bit more sore than the former, and were passing them for refreshments in the kitchen.
"Well, so long as there's at least some for us. I want to show you how to inhale Grimm vapor." His plan raised a red flag.
"Blake and Yang got sick trying that." Ruby objected, leading to Jaune giving her a questioning look. "Did they try with the Deathstalker?" That part of the story he must have missed since he was washing off.
When she nodded, as if summoned, Yang returned and Blake left her room. "Blake, Yang, did you two inhale Grimm already?"
"Yeah, and you could have let us know that they would smell worse than death." Yang admonished his failure to provide a warning.
"Well, what did you expect a Grimm corpse to smell like? Roses and lumenflowers?" Jaune asked them derisively, before sighing wistfully in apology. "I was going to start you off with a newborn. The stench intensifies with their age, almost like wine but far less palatable. In essence, you did the equivalent of having your first drink being a full glass of Ever-clear."
Then why go through it at all?" Nora asked, not seeing the point of doing something so icky.
"All things come at a price. It might be… scratch that, it is distasteful at first, but I am willing to pay it for something so useful. It'll go down easier with practice." He spoke earnestly, but he added a smirking wink at the end. "Besides, there's no obligation to do so. Many Hunters choose not to, from my understanding."
"I'll give it another try." Blake, who had the worst reaction, stated. "If I could smell Grimm as you say that I can, then I might have not been caught off guard."
Rising to the challenge, Yang said that she would do so as well. The others present did not give an answer, preferring to wait and think before making a decision.
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XXXX Spring M2 W2 D5, 83 AVA, The next morning, 10h00 XXXX
The Forever Fall Forest, covering the northern border of Vale, was considered a natural wonder of the world. Throughout the year, from the harshest summers to the bitterest winters, and everything in between, all foliage carried the same blood red color. To further compound the mysterious natural phenomenon, researchers planted saplings in other forests. Though they grew to be healthy trees, they lacked the same sanguine foliage as its origin, as well as the sweet, red sap that the forest is also known for. Every test, sample, and expedition devised by scientists had failed thus far to provide an answer as to why, but that didn't stop them from trying.
Many legends about the area proved to be just as lacking for answers, ranging from epic to silly, or both. A common one among the more pious that was told to children was that God had a sweet tooth. Jaune, on the other hand, enjoyed the one with battles and wars under the boughs permanently staining the soil the most. To be fair, soil samples did indicate a higher level of iron, and there were many iron mines back when it was the primary metal that humanity used before superior ores and alloys in both quality and price.
The areas closest to the walls, defended rigorously by the Valean Self-Defense Force, were a popular tourist attraction, as well as a romantic getaway. But that was not where they would land. The Bullheads transporting the eight teams of first year class and a couple staff members, were heading in a center zone closer to the northern edge than not. They passed by mountains, gorges, and a few rivers and streams, the ground covered by the same all-encompassing crimson.
Landing in a clearing large enough to support three of the aerial craft, the students assembled outside in front of Professor Goodwitch, who was overseeing the outing. Gaining the attention of wandering gazes by clearing her throat, "Yes, the forest is indeed beautiful, but we are not here to sight see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples of sap from trees deep inside this forest." Said Professor was currently on another expedition with the fourth-years. In fact, she was rarely seen in person with how busy she apparently was, preferring to leave recordings of lectures to sufficiently educate the class. "I, along with Professor Matin and Dr. Fennel, are here to make sure that none of you die while doing so."
While Dr. Fennel stayed in one of the aircraft, setting up a triage center just in case, Professor Étoile Matin was to the right of the Witch of Beacon, looking as always like a businessman at a formal dinner than a Huntsman. He was tall, around 6'6, wearing a three piece with the only color other than black being his dark burgundy dress shirt. He had an light olive complexion and a 17h shadow of black hair, with the only sign of him being a Faunus were his eyes; with a thick, horizontal slit pupil like a goat's, and a infernal yellow colored iris with a jagged red outline, giving the appearance of fire. The other discord he had from the appearance of a dinner party guest was a large backpack the he carried, covered by a heavy red cloth.
The extra professor and medical seemed unusual, along with Goodwitch's stern warning, and one of the other students asked if there would be a heavy Grimm presence. Prof. Matin spoke up in his casual, but chipper baritone with a smile, "Also, that rumor floating around the last week was true. Recon said it was low, but couldn't find out why. But it's best to err on the side of caution, no? Right then, off you kiddies go for play time."
"No more than two miles in any direction from this spot. You will find plenty at this range." Goodwitch added to clarify his vague dismissal as the teams scattered, giving the man a stern look, but it was rebuffed with an innocent grin.
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This particular tract of the forest was familiar to Nora, having especially delectable sap when she last visited, so she led the way.
"You okay, Jaune? You seemed rather quiet on the ride here." Pyrrha asked. She didn't elaborate, but he seemed on edge.
"Hmm? Oh, I'm good. I just don't like air travel that much." He also rubbed his right shoulder underneath, feeling it ache like he leaned on it wrong on the flight. Then again, it was not the greatest comfort with three weapons of differing shape and size digging into his back. He had to lean forward with poor posture for over thirty minutes. "That, and I've got a bad feeling about the Grimm. Something's amiss." He kept a hand on Evelyn, having it holstered for the first time in a while as his gaze peered through the tree line. He was wearing his sapphire inner coat with the muted gold trim instead of his green one because he didn't like clashing too much like the green would. 'Honestly, I'd rather it be stormy above us to complement the mood. At least I could have written my uneasiness then.'
"What, like bandits or something?" Ruby asked, almost blending in with the environment with her cloak. "Oh hey, you brought your gun!"
"Course I did; I haven't given her the proper attention that she deserves." He had avoided using any of his ranged options in spars, only utilizing them against Grimm thus far. Yang asked, "Yeah, we noticed. What's up with that? You can't just leave a girl wanting."
"She's a little too rough to be used in friendly bouts." He explained as they dispersed to tap the trees Nora had marked in the past and fill up their jars. They avoided taking too much from any one tree to preserve its health. In addition, they had brought extra jars because they knew Nora and Ruby wanted to and would drink some here and now. While half filled the jars, the other would guard and search the perimeter.
Eventually, one lone newborn Boarbatusk ventured in their range, and Jaune wrestled it into a submissive hold, hog-tying it with Blake's assistance and Gambol shroud's ribbon. The two dragged it back to the others; the soon to be sacrifice struggling futilely as he asked, "All righty then, who's up for a whiff?"
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"What are they doing?" Up the nearby hill team CRDL, having completed their official task with haste to continue their unofficial one, was watching the squad. At the moment, Sky was watching through their one pair of binoculars, thankful that they had all stayed in one place to make his life easier. He responded to Russell's question, "What they, and everyone else here did. Same as five minutes ago… Hold on-"
At hearing a possible change, Cardin ripped the binoculars out to observe for himself Arc dragging a tied up Grimm to the others. He said something, but he couldn't read lips, and even if he could the hat was obscuring his face anyway. Dictating events as they happened, "They're standing around a hog-tied Boarbatusk; Rose, Schnee, and the crazy ginger are backing off a bit."
And then he watched with both distaste and intrigue and Arc slit the piggy's belly and the five breathed in the vapor. From what he could tell by watching everyone but Arc, it was a far from pleasant experience as Pyrrha Nikos gagged a bit. The other two ladies guys looked fine, as did the two guys, although Arc looked noticeably more relaxed afterwards, almost like he took a drug.
Relaying the transpired events to his team, he heard their mixed reaction of WTF and disgust. Sky said, "Well, I guess we have proof now." He wanted more than a bit of payback, and his patience was wearing a bit thin.
Dove wasn't so satisfied. "No, I think we should look this up first. This might have been something he learned in the field." They had done some digging on their target of interest, and their efforts showed that he'd been apprenticed to his father before attending Beacon.
Unable to look away, Cardin agreed with Dove. "We do not and will not give premature reports. We'll ask Port after class."
"Oh, dude, come on! I get enough of him during Story Time as it is." Russell complained, and Dove volunteered to do so himself, but Cardin didn't care as he put the matter to rest. "We will suffer together, then."
Hearing a loud growling behind them, the four turned to see a very large Ursa behind them. So caught up in their discussion they hadn't even noticed the bear Grimm until it was only forty yards away. There was a more than a bit of fear to go around due to their lack of experience with C-class Grimm.
"We are sheltered and strengthened in the light of the Maker, and we will triumph against the darkness!" Their leader's prayer emboldened the team, motivating them to stand firm instead of flee as they readied their weapons. However, something else jumped out of the brush and was fighting the Grimm for them.
"What the fuck is that thing?" Thrush yelled in shock, taking a few steps back.
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New prey close in its territory. It hid in the brush, the one of the dark and smoke unaware of it. It kept pace with the being of shadow and bone to a greater feast as it had before to feed the famine. Mere drops in a desert. It had found others of the light and flesh earlier, and those of the dark and the blood that was air; greater feasts, but the larger lights nearby held it back. It knew to avoid them for now. But these were further away, like embers drifting from the fire nights ago, and the hunger would be soothed.
The one of dark and smoke charged the four, and exposed its back. Silent as the night, it came beside its prey and flipped the Ursa onto its back, the bone spines sinking into the damp soil before it gorged on the flesh that was not flesh. It only could devour a dozen bites and mouthfuls before the flesh became air all too soon.
It had heard one of the light yell out, and it sniffed the aroma of dread and confusion wafting in the air; the emotions would enhance the food as it slid in its gullet that was dry, too dry from the dark that was flesh. It needed more, and it cried out that the hunger gnawing at everything would be appeased. The prey that was flesh and blood shuddered as it slowly stalked towards them, their fear also soothing the famine. Would they run, or would they fight? It didn't matter; it never did. In the end, it would feed.
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A low pitched, bone-chilling howl echoed in the surrounding area, loud enough for the eight finishing their sap collection and drinking to hear, and a shudder went down their spines upon hearing such a primal call; even the one who had heard such a call before. Pyrrha looked to Jaune, and almost wished she did not. His face was twisted by a black malice as he whispered; "There you are" with a corrupted anticipation so faintly only Blake and her could hear him.
He ordered in a louder voice as he unsheathed Orion and Evelyn, "Get the professors; tell them the Malathyst is here." He set off to run to the source of the inhuman cry. Not hearing any footsteps behind him, he shouted, "NOW!" without slowing his sprint or turning back.
None of them knew who or what what he meant, but with Jaune leaving, Ruby was now in command and she took charge accordingly. "Weiss, give Blake, Ren, and me a Haste Glyph. Everyone else, follow Jaune!" The first three stood close together as the image of accelerating clockworks appeared under their feet before the three fastest runners zipped off. The other four ran in pursuit of their leader, bringing out their own weapons as they intercepted a retreating team CRDL, sans Cardin, carrying Russell who was in serious need of medical attention. Deep claw marks furrowed from his left shoulder to his right hip, bleeding heavily as his ribcage was exposed, the victim letting out a muffled scream as his mouth was stuffed with a stick to prevent him accidentally biting off his own tongue.
Weiss ran over to stop them, Pyrrha halting as well to lend her medical knowledge if necessary. While Yang and Nora pressed on the heiress demanded, "Set him down so I can slow the bleeding." Her Slow Glyph looked exactly the same as her haste, falling under the same purview of time dilation, but the image instead decelerated. It was more straining for the heiress than its opposite, but it would help buy some time to rendezvous with Dr. Fennel. The recipient of the debuff now looked to be in slow motion as his teammates picked him up once more and continued. Weiss said, "Pyrrha, I need to go with them to maintain the status effect. Go assist Jaune." As they went their separate ways, the glyph caster looked to the other two. However they escaped, they had not done so unscathed, if their damaged armor and heavy bruising was anything to go by. She asked, "What happened, and where's Winchester?"
Lark answered her with barely restrained panic, "He ordered us to get Russ to safety while he held its attention. Arc saved our lives, but he looked pissed." Another screech, much louder from the reduced distance, was followed by what she recognized as the aforementioned leader's Beast Roar. "Oh great, another one!"
There was no time to answer, as an emergency call came through all of their scrolls with the voice of Prof. Matin. "Play time's over. Return to the Bullheads immediately." Usually, he gave his lectures with a sharp wit, and to hear it absent was almost alarming, however calm his cadence was. 'Likely to prevent a panic and make whatever's going on worse. It would seem that the three had delivered the message, and it's worse news than I thought.'
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Professor Étoile Matin was bored. Standing in the middle of a forest, no matter how beautiful, and waiting for students to finish their task was not the most entertaining method to pass the time. Thankfully for him, he was not alone, but instead in good company. "Say, Glynda, it's a lovely day. I don't suppose you've got a picnic basket stashed somewhere?"
"I do not, Mr. Matin." She replied briefly, to which he scoffed. "Come now, we've worked together for years. What happened to you calling me Étoile? Is it because of that-"
"That never happened, and you will keep it that way." Glynda interrupted him from bringing up the last Winter Solstice staff party.
He let off a low chuckle. "But of course, I am a gentleman, after all. Thankfully, I came prepared." He reached under the cloth to pull out a bottle of wine and some cheeses. "I even brought your favorite vintage of white~." He added with a tempting lilt to persuade her. "I couldn't help but indulge in the irony."
"As thoughtful as your offer is, Étoile, I must decline for the time being. I feel uneasy with the situation, and this is no time for a picnic."
"Ah, all right then. Rain check?" He conceded. Glynda's face softened from his courteous persistence before adding an addendum. "But I suppose there's no sense in letting a good botttle collect too much dust."
He grinned victoriously, before three runners rapidly approached them before stopping to catch their breath. "What's wrong? Do you need some more jars? That one with the orange hair needs to slow down on her sugar intake."
"Jaune said there's a Malathyst!" At the taller girl's exclamation, he nearly dropped his bottle before putting it and the cheese away so quickly the three newcomers doubted its initial presence. His casual attitude was gone, and in its place was a professional Huntsman as he grabbed his scroll and calmly made an emergency announcement. "Play time's over. Return to the Bullheads immediately."
Goodwitch wasted no time in delegating orders to take control of the situation. "Prof. Matin, stay here for the returning students. Dr. Fennel-"
Upon his name being called, the medical expert interrupted her as curtly as ever, "I heard, just go!"
Watching their interaction, the three, now seven with a heavily panting Weiss and a leaderless CRDL arriving to carry Russell to the good doctor, Ruby asked, "What's going on?"
"Exactly what you said, Miss Rose." Goodwitch answered. "Mister Lark, where were you attacked?" Judging by their injuries, it was easy to assume that they were its victims.
After he pointed behind him, "About a mile and a half" she began to run, but she looked behind and saw a red cloak keeping pace, a feat she'd be impressed with if the teacher wasn't concerned for her safety.
"Miss Rose, this is not something you should face. Go back, now." Rather than oblige, silver eyes narrowed in resolve. "My friends are still out there, and Jaune's probably fighting it. I'm not leaving them behind."
"…Very well, but you will keep your distance, do you understand?" With a nod, they picked up the pace to come across four observers on the sidelines of a fight between two beasts.
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As Jaune raced through the crimson forest, all he could think about was how he had searched for this beast, and how good revenge would feel. His shoulder dully burned both physically and in memory. Passing into a clearing, he could finally see it again, and it was exactly how he remembered it and saw it in his dreams; an emaciated, hunched torso, far too long limbs with extended claws, and a gaunt, sapient face with fangs too large for its mouth.
It looked like the Blood-Starved Beast without the flayed skin veil, allowing Jaune to peer into its blank, amethyst eyes. But its most eye-catching trait was its mask, or at least a partial one covering the top half of its head, and its markings were thick, straight lines like claw marks around the eyeholes, etched in an almost black purple. Seeing a skin tone a shade lighter than abyss marking a scar on its right shoulder, Jaune gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes in a glare.
It had been toying with the four teens, feasting on their fear like a cat with a caught and crippled bird. Though they had clearly tried, they were outmatched and were unable to deal any large injury. 'It's for the best' he thought with what rationality he fiercely held onto.
The Malathyst stalked over to Thrush, who had received a grievous injury in the just over two minutes it had taken the Hunter to arrive. Not slowing down, he aimed Evelyn as a rifle to shoot its face, knocking its head with a loud crack back before it took notice of the newcomer. Wisps of silver wafted off of the minor wound, accompanied by a small sizzling noise. "Remember me, vermin! Let's see how good you do when I can fight back!" Jaune taunted it to gain aggro, shifting his gun back to a long-barreled pistol.
Whether it recognized him or not, it had taken the bait as they now slowly circled the clearing. Without breaking eye contact, Jaune murmured to the team he had saved, now slowly getting up. "Get your friend to Dr. Fennel immediately. Were any of you bitten?"
Cardin answered with a similarly low volume to not draw its attention, "No, just a few bruises and Russell." He turned to the two others. "Sky, Dove, get him out of here. We'll hold it off."
The Malathyst broke eye contact as they followed his order, and in that moment Jaune ran forwards to slice at its arm. It jumped back a bit, but a small scratch was still made. "I was talking to you too, dumbass!" Liquid trickled from the wound, but it was a vibrant purple instead of red. As a drop fell on the ground, the soil it touched blackened and hissed as it absorbed the foul concoction.
"Can it, this thing is ungodly fast." Cardin replied, standing between it and his fleeing companions. "But my explosions can keep it at bay." He was referring to his weapon, which had a Fire Dust Crystal geared for a similar purpose as Djura.
"Fine, just keep your distance from the toxin and don't get killed. Prof's on the way." Having enough of the small talk, the Malathyst pounced at him. As he rolled under it, he heaved Djura to smash against its back right leg without a burst of light and fire since he didn't have enough time to charge it. It barely shook, holding fast with strength in contrast to its thin, bony appearance before mule-kicking him in retaliation. Drunk on the smell of blood, it went to chase after the wounded prey, but was thwarted by a fiery explosion, provided by Cardin, acting as a wall to hold it off.
It screeched with frustration and made to remove the obstacle in its path before another, more guttural roar reminded it of a foe behind it, and the two reengaged once more, probing each other's defenses with bursts of savage aggression. Jaune struck superficial wounds with whatever weapon he had that situated best when the smallest of opportunities arose between dodges. The physical appearance of extreme starvation of the Malathyst belied its durability, and continued to shrug off these attacks without pause.
Behind Cardin, three girls had arrived, Pyrrha having just caught up to the other two. Before they could charge in, the Eagle stopped them, saying, "He said keep some distance, this thing is toxic."
"Since when do you take orders from Jaune?" Yang asked with a snarky tone, to which he replied, "Since he saved my team's lives! Besides, this looks personal."
Looking again at their leader, his hat was off, showing enough fury and loathing that it would not out of place on a Grimm. Even when Pyrrha had been holding back in their spar, he had not shown such venom, and the snarl twisting his face looked frightening even with it not focused on them, the scar she contributed to his collection adding that little touch. Pyrrha shook her head, "But that doesn't mean we can't help. Spread out and be ready to fire."
Yang and Nora had to be more careful with their assistance, as the splash damage from their ammunition could hit Jaune as well with how close the two were; attempting to rip and tear the other to shreds. As his partner had a rifle in her possession, Pyrrha had no such misgivings as she landed two shots in its back, barely piercing its skin. It shrieked in rage from the irritating pinpricks; and as it turned around to ascertain their source, Jaune was ready with Ludwig and brought it down on its shoulder, making the wound symmetrical in location to its other scar, if far larger than its predecessor.
However, a problem did arise from this. It did not go deep enough to kill it, but it did get stuck. Amethyst blood poured from the wound as it went to bite him with their point black range. Smelling its putrid breath, Jaune roared as his left arm was covered in a red glow; punching its face with enough force to divert its teeth from his throat. Wanting to back off for the moment, Jaune drew out Orion and left Ludwig stuck in the beast like a large thorn before it ripped out the unwanted piercing and flung it to the side, the massive wound already beginning to close. The two heavy hitters of their respective teams fired a barrage of their own rounds, causing explosions of pink and yellow, though the former was much larger in quantity.
As the smoke cleared, the toxic blood was on fire as it shrieked and rolled on the ground from the agony of purple flames licking its body as well as cauterizing the enormous gash. It quickly rose back up; its movement seemingly unimpaired by the few other scorch marks littering its body, the sooty black looking grey in comparison to its natural skin tone. It swiveled its head like an owl's at the arrival of two newcomers, Professor Goodwitch and Ruby. The latter shot at it, but even her .50 caliber rounds did little more than puncture the skin, same as Pyrrha's bullets, its hide incredibly resistant to damage however paper thin it seemed.
With a howl of defiance, it turned tail, though it did not have one, and fled in the opposite direction, displaying an unusually high level of intelligence from a Grimm. The teacher swished her crop and a blunted spike of earth jutted from the ground, clipping it with a glancing blow strong enough for it to stagger; yet it continued on with the same impetus.
"NO!" Jaune shouted in protest, seeing his chance slipping away as he took out Orion as a bow, pricked his finger, and fired a lined arrow. "Get back here and DIE!"
This arrow was different fro the usual smooth, narrow spike. With the added blood, he reinforced it with a sanguine, serrated, barbed broadhead that sank into its leg; the two barbs extended to protrude outwards to function like a harpoon. 'Fuck, I missed. Aimed for its back.'
With an unholy strength, it continued is retreat with a passenger now being dragged along. The flesh in contact with the arrow sizzled and burned, reinforcing the Malathyst's urge to flee and lick its wounds even further.
Nora grabbed Jaune up from the dirt, as he was about to pass her. Before they both would be caught along for a far distant second-best Grimm ride, he began giving it slack, red line spooling out like yarn. Before his maximum range of three hundred feet was achieved, he looped it around a thick tree next to him to act as an anchor, like leashing a pet dog outdoors. Stopping the feed, the bow jerked out of his hands and stuck to the tree as the line went taut, the bark denting from the force.
Drawing his dagger and gun, he ran with a manic grin now that his goal was so close. "Nowhere to run!" He ignored Goodwitch's call to stop and the others chasing him as he followed the red string, 'I've got you now!'
Once again in sight of his prey, the line slacked and fluttered to the ground. Malathyst had, in desperation, clawed out a chunk of its own leg to escape its captivity. As it fled, it left splotches of purple in its wake, killing the soil and grass and leaving a clear trail as evident as a neon sign. Before he could continue, an earthen wall blocked his path too high to jump over. "No!" He took Evelyn and fired while still running, blasting a gap the size of a watermelon clean through the obstacle. With two more shots, he cleared a space large enough to jump through, but it was not to be. Blinded by tunnel vision, he was caught off guard the blunt side of Crescent rose smacked his ankle and tripping him. Before he could get up, both Yang and Nora tackled him.
"NO! Let me go, it's getting away!" He screamed with desperation as he struggled for freedom, both in motion and to pursue revenge as it slipped away. He crawled with his arms, dragging the two weighing him down. Unfortunately for him, retribution would not come to pass this day.
He could see and feel his wrists being bound, not by anything physical, but by a circle of violet energy as Goodwitch had caught up. "Mister Arc, cease and desist!"
As the two girls, both stronger than him and having superior leverage, lifted him up, he slumped in defeat as he knew his window of opportunity had closed, his much faster prey had gained far too much of a lead. Glaring at the professor, "Why did you stop me? I HAD IT!"
Ignoring his cursing and tone, "You have been bitten and need to come with us. Dr. Fennel has the antidote." He had developed it when he had received a sample of the toxin from its first appearance.
"And he got that antidote from… Wait, what?" The source of the antidote went unspoken as the meat of their argument dawned upon him. Looking to the only place he felt pain, he glanced at his shoulder, he could see his clothes ripped open and covered in blood. "Oh." He commented simply, anger dissipating in the wind.
During their conflict, the Malathyst had bitten him in the exact same spot it had before all those months ago. 'So it does remember me. Still better than my throat.' In his state, he hadn't even noticed because it had been burning before the fight had even started. Below it, he could feel Deep Sea pulsing as it fulfilled its purpose in keeping him alive. 'So that's why I missed.'
"Here, you dropped these." Pyrrha had picked up Orion and his hat en route, which he had left behind. Unable to recall when he had lost his head gear, he blankly replied his thanks before she put it back on his head, asking, "Let's go, okay?"
Seeing her concern up close, his lingering spite for their interference faded like a shadow in the sun and nodded. "All right."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
After burning off the toxin to safely transport all of his weapons, they made their way back to the landing zone. Just before arriving, Jaune began to cough and retch, his body shaking violently as he crashed to his hands and knees. As it intensified, he saw tainted blood and bile splatter on the ground, but his mouth still felt dry with a great thirst. With haste, his partner carried him herself and sprinted to the triage station, the other students that were milling about clearing in her wake.
Placing him on a cot in the tent, Dr. Fennel came with a syringe filled with a milky white liquid. He kept it with his supplies at all times, for it was better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it. In this case, his forethought had paid off. While injecting it in Jaune's neck, he commented, "Oh dear, it would seem your acquaintance has a rather odd way of greetings, doesn't it?" as he set up an IV bag to counter his symptoms of dehydration.
Around them, Jaune's comrades, the other six teams and staff packing into the other two aircraft, filled up the remaining space in the holding area as they returned to Beacon.
With a sick chuckle at the black humor, the patient replied, "More or less. I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or not."
"Acquaintance?" Pyrrha, who was assisting the doctor, asked.
"How do you think I developed this antidote?" Fennel answered with another question. "Well, at least you're recovering faster this time around." Unknown to the doctor, it was because while going into a coma from the toxin the first time around, he had gone into the Dream to inscribe the last rune, Deep Sea. Though he had gambled, it had paid off and gave him enough resistance to survive until the antidote was synthesized, though not without a token of the beast's esteem as a reminder of the event. 'Should have gotten that one earlier, but I'd never come across a poison-type before, much less one that wasn't pest-sized.'
"You know, I would really like to go out and break this rut I seem to be in. Three times I've been injured enough to require medical attention, and it's still spring!" In his excitement, he began another coughing fit as he was gently pushed down to relax, thankfully with nothing more than air and some spittle catching on the forearm he used to cover his mouth.
Seeing their jars of sap, the doctor snapped his fingers and pointed at the healthy male teen. "Mister Lie, give me the sap jar in your right hand." He remembered his name because he, along with Pyrrha, was in his advanced class and showed proper initiative to learn. Though their samples had been left behind, Ren and Blake had gone to retrieve them, not wanting to return empty handed, with permission from their Aura Theory teacher.
Ren complied without question, as he wouldn't ask without purpose. Incidentally, the jar contained the sap lightest in color. The doctor put on thick gloves and spread a large glob over the bite, explaining why as he did so like he was in a classroom. "This sap was once harvested for medicinal purposes. Though unrefined, it should be enough to help prevent infection, as well as draw out some of the toxin. Speaking of…"
True to his word, little beads of purple bubbled out from the wound, looking to Ruby like the lava lamp she'd seen in her Dad's office at Signal. A rectangle had been cut out of each of the layers of clothing over and around the affected area for ease of treatment. With a good cleaning and some aura, it would repair easily enough. The corrupted sap was wiped off and fresh sap was reapplied. This process was repeated thrice until no more came out, and then it was bandaged over, the sap facilitating the healing process.
The cloth used to wipe away the toxin visibly disintegrated as it was disposed of, prompting Nora to ask, "How are you still alive?"
Receiving six glances of consternation and reproach from the others, "What? We're all thinking it!"
"I wasn't." Ruby denied with a raised hand.
"Well, now you are. But now I'm thinking that Jaune-Jaune would make the worst pancake ever, no offense."
"Some taken, I'm delicious; just ask my old pal Mally. As to why I can still dish out the witty banter, it has to do with my semblance." Jaune explained, feeling that this explanation was quite overdue. In Dr. Fennel's case, he already knew because the information was in his medical file. Besides, it was on semi-public record, and they had not done so probably out of courtesy.
"How is that possible?" Weiss did not ask with disbelief, having seen evidence with her own eyes. Each ability that she and the others had seen; rapid healing, the Beast Roar, Blood Reinforcement, and now poison resistance could each fall under the purview of a semblance all on their own. Then again, she thought that it was for another reason entirely.
"The common semblance of the men in my family, and in the Arc clan before the population dropped to one by the end of the Great War, is Weapon Bond. It differs from person to person, but it bonds us with a weapon type, and adjusts our bodies accordingly."
Cutting in, Ruby asked, "Is that why your Dad's…" struggling to find the best way to put it. Such an obstacle did not impede her sister. "Such a mountain of muscle?"
He chuckled, before, letting out a single cough. "That's pretty much what I asked him when I was told. Anyways, I found out that instead of just any weapon, my semblance applied to my body itself, and it has opened the door to many abilities many would consider to be improbable."
Whistling at the implications, Yang quipped, "Damn dude, your semblance is so OP it's not even funny. Hmm, actually, maybe just a bit."
"Not as much as you think." Blake said, drawing upon knowledge gained from Aura Theory, "Any semblance can evolve over time, same as his. It just requires a bit of insight in its wielder."
Jaune smirked at the Bloodborne pun slipping under the self-proclaimed pun-master's nose. "For example, Dad associates hammers with a blacksmith and the forge, so he acquired resistance to heat and fire as well as strength. Saw him pick up cherry-red hot metal barehanded without using his aura shield or a flinch, true story."
"All right, that's enough chatter." Dr. Fennel cut off their idle prattle. "Like bees buzzing in my ears. I'm prescribing no training or strenuous activity for the rest of the day. Miss Nikos, I trust that you'll know when to call me if something changes?"
"But Doc, haven't you heard that laughter is the best medicine?" Nora asked with a big smile, now that her hammer buddy would soon be okeydokey.
'Doc' stared at her with a half-lidded gaze like she was an irritating insect, having acquired a dislike for both the abbreviation and the phrase. "That is the biggest load of feces I've ever heard about my career, and believe me, that's saying something coming from a man who's treated a condition in which the patient had diarrhea every time he laughed." Once again displaying his ability to kill the mood and his remarkable bedside manner as Jaune lost consciousness with a smile.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Cardin had not pursued along with the rest of the Huntresses. Instead, with the threat gone, he went back to make sure his team had made it back safely. He made a beeline once he arrived at the landing zone to the Bullhead hosting the triage center, where Dr. Fennel was finishing the last stitches for Russell and using some aura technique to speed up the healing process. "What's the damage, Doctor?"
Seeing their team leader arrive, the doctor answered, "Mostly bruises and a broken rib or two, but nothing serious. As to Mr. Thrush's lacerations, they've been cleaned and stitched. He'll be fine in a couple of days." Cardin sighed in relief, before Prof. Matin came in behind him and said, "You kids got off lucky."
"Sir, what was that thing?" Dove asked, the other students around trying really hard to appear like they were not eavesdropping.
With a smirk that was a tinge too satisfied, "Oh no, I would never dream of taking away a glorious round of Story Time with Port for you." His chuckle elicited more than a few groans from their audience, before his tone made an abrupt heel turn into solemn. "But I will say that a Malathyst is one of the most dangerous Grimm alive, and I reluctantly thank the man upstairs that there's only one at a time. If there were, oh say, as numerous as any other type, we'd all be extinct." There wasn't even a hint of a joke, and it was chilling to hear as CRDL left the triage, only to make room for the now injured Arc and his friends. "Load up, time to go!" The teachers rounded up the rest of the students.
During the return flight, Cardin was taciturn as he thought over the events that had just come to pass. With an injury like Russell's, he should have bled out before arriving. When he asked later that evening, he'd be told that it was the Schnee heiress who had saved him. But if Arc hadn't showed up, then they'd all be dead. His actions laid doubt on his father's suppositions. Looking between the lines, Cardin believed that his father thought that Arc's goal was to undermine Humanity, and the easiest way to do that was align with the Grimm; a true heretic. But that was now obviously a ridiculous notion; Arc clearly hated the Grimm with a passion he had never seen outside of a temple, perhaps not even then, and the leather-clad huntsman could have easily let their deaths be a distraction to land a killing blow. He was no fool in believe that there was any love lost between them, but Arc had not done that.
Honestly, it's a miracle that the Grimm population was so low; otherwise such wanton emotion would have drawn every Grimm from over a mile away… and then it clicked as to why it was so low in the first place. The Malathyst had eaten the Ursa, a detail that had been pushed aside when their lives had been on the line. 'Just what this world needs, a freak amongst abominations.'
But he stopped looking at the past before wild conspiracy theories reared their ugly heads, and instead looked to the future, and the next step. He might find it distasteful, but his inner code demanded that he do so. But it would have to wait, as classes were not over for the day. Before the flight, Goodwitch announced that they still had their morning academic classes to end the day, as the trip had been cut short.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
For the next few hours, Jaune felt numb, isolated by his own thoughts of retribution slipping from his grasp. To others, he was far more withdrawn than usual, barely even noticing time pass in the monotony of the day. One moment he was getting off the Bullhead, and the next he was back in their dorm, classes ended, sitting at the table about to eat dinner; leftovers from the preceding week.
Those watching out for him had been told of some of the side effects of the antidote, including mood swings, but it was still depressing to see their leader, usually so sure and confident, morose for more than a glimpse at a time and just… lost. At least he was up and about, despite the antidote also working as a sedative.
The atmosphere between the eight at the table was tense, but it also wasn't. Jaune wasn't in the mood for chitchat at present, while the more cheery members tried to lighten the mood around him to snap him out of it and encourage him to join in.
Distracted, Jaune paid no mind to the unexpected knock on the door, nor Blake opening it, but he did come to attention when she spoke with hostility through the crack in the door, "What do you want, Winchester?"
For the first time since the ride back, he spoke. "Let him in." He kept a calm tone, but it still carried his fatigue and apathetic visage. "Ah, he speaks." Weiss spoke under her breath softly. With a suspicious glance, the Faunus, who had put her bow on before answering the door, stepped aside.
Cardin walked in wearing his school uniform unarmed. Glancing around, he said, "Nice place. You guys got lucky." In CRDL's subtle surveillance, they had discerned that the two teams lived together on the top floor.
"Indeed it is, but let's dispense the pleasantries. You're not here to compare living arrangements, are you?" Jaune spoke sternly with the strength he could muster in the presence of a possible hostile, before rubbing his forehead due to the dull throbbing of his headache. "Apologies, but you'll have to make this quick. I'm afraid that a loss of focus is a side effect of the antidote." It typically was, but Cardin had no way of knowing that he wasn't affected by it in that way.
"Yes, I came here in regards to that." Glancing at their audience, "May we speak in private?" Jaune merely continued to stare unblinkingly, before he nodded and slowly stood up. "Must be important for you to come up here. Let's get this over with."
The unwanted visitor followed him out onto the patio. Jaune told the others, "I'll be right back." He gave a pointed stare at Yang and Nora to nonverbally ask them to not eavesdrop, before whispering so only Blake could hear, "I'll share the details later."
Sliding the door closed behind him, Jaune walked out to the railing next to Cardin as the two stared out to experience the view of the campus.
Cutting right to the chase so that he could leave as soon as possible, "I, and my team, owe you and yours an honor debt. If not for your intervention, as well as Miss Schnee's later assistance with Russell, we'd be dead."
"Yes, it's a good thing you were spying on me, or you wouldn't have been close enough to me to get there in time." His casual speech threw the guest for a loop.
"You knew?"
"Of course I did. You were out in the open, and not even behind cover. In those circumstances, if you could see me, why couldn't I see you?" Jaune smiled before softly laughing, breaking out of his funk. Believing that he was being mocked, the Eagle gritted his teeth, until Jaune spoke, looking at him in a curious new light, "You really are old school, aren't you?"
"Old school implies that I'm outdated. What's wrong with honor?" Cardin stood tall and proud.
Raising his hand in a placating gesture, Jaune responded, "Nothing at all. I too have a healthy respect for the classics."
"Respect?" Cardin spat out in disbelief at the abrupt change in conversation. "You have mocked, slandered, and belittled my beliefs without a hint of remorse." Invigorated by the debate Jaune easily kept his cool, "Not you specifically, but the order that you hold up to such high standards. Sadly, a large portion of it falls woefully short of your honor."
"Same difference." Cardin grunted stubbornly. Knowing that this was going nowhere, Jaune went back to the matter at hand. "You know, I had a feeling you'd come to me eventually. I'm just surprised it was so soon."
Taking a deep breath and a facial twinge to show his distaste for the situation, Cardin asked, "And how is that?"
"I've researched the Golden Eagles' history, remember? That includes what customs are held in higher regard." Calling back to when they both got extra readings, though he had done so years before, "This debt, I can ask for anything that doesn't compromise you or your Order's integrity, yes?"
"Correct." He growled his affirmative.
"Ah, I can see why you'd be anxious about that. No need to worry, you and your team won't be subjected to humiliation. Is that what you thought?" Just looking at the stockier teen, Jaune knew the answer to that. "All I'll ask for for is a truthful answer to one question and one simple task from all four of you at a time of my choosing. Nothing to difficult, I assure you."
"What's the catch?" With Jaune acting for more cordially than expected, he couldn't help but be suspicious.
"No catch. My question for you is… If you view yourself as noble and righteous, why were you persecuting people, specifically Faunus?"
After a few seconds of silence, he smirked at finding a loophole, "I don't have to answer that."
"You already have." It wasn't the question that was important to Jaune, but how he answered it. "You're under orders to seek out undercover White Fang sympathizers or members, no?"
"I don't have to answer that." Cardin repeated his answer with less confidence, though it wasn't a question.
"No, I'm just talking aloud. If you're under orders… huh, that does sound like something your dick of a sire would do, though your initial execution could have been a bit more discreet. It was too obvious you were trying to provoke a response."
Not liking this line of dialogue, it was Cardin's turn to change it up. "Why did you save us today? You could have easily killed it while feeding." As horrifying as it was to discuss his death as being the more practical option, it had been bothering him.
Without pause, Jaune answered, almost offended at the idea. "Our animosity is irrelevant. We are Hunters, and that's just what Hunters do."
"Well… thanks, for your professionalism. What's my task?" This had gone on far too long for the Winchester's liking.
Holding up his scroll to display the address typed on the screen, "Convince your team to accompany you to this address, be on your best behavior, and ask for the special. Who knows? You might learn something from someone far more human than I." Cardin could only think, 'Oh yeah, because that sounds reassuring.'
Turning around, both of them resisted the urge to face palm as Yang and Nora were pressing their ears against the glass, obviously attempting to eavesdrop. Being caught, they unapologetically waved at them. "It appears I gave a mixed signal. Don't worry, they won't have any say in our arrangement." Cardin just grunted in response as he went to leave. It was odd for the other seven to be thankful to Cardin, the one responsible for bringing Jaune out of his shell, even if that was not his intent.
At the threshold of the door, Cardin stopped. "Just one more question. What did that Grimm ever do to you, or do you hate all Grimm with the same fervor? I know revenge when I see it."
Like a flipped switch, Jaune's smile, especially to Pyrrha, appeared as forced as her in front of a press release. "Just the Malathyst in particular, and let's just say that you're not the only one who has a debt to pay."
After he left, Weiss said, "What debt?" She was not one of those who had seen the thing, nor had she witnessed signs of Jaune's obvious vendetta against it.
"Perhaps another time." With that, Jaune went back to how he was before the unexpected guest, introspective and guarded, as his eyes dulled in focus while he resumed eating. Once he was done, he left alone to go to the tower for a debriefing.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The despondent student was not the only one distressed by the reemergence of the Malathyst, as Ozpin and Glynda were in his office discussing the recent conflict. until the elevator came in with student most involved in it.
"How are you feeling Mister Arc?" Goodwitch asked formally.
"A bit groggy, honestly." He stated truthfully, but only skimming the surface.
"It would seem that I must thank you again for your actions, Mister Arc." Ozpin said.
"Why?" He asked defensively. "It was only a partial victory. Sure, no one died today, but that thing is still out there."
"And it will be addressed in due time. Those who are most at risk have been warned of it presence, but that is not why I have asked you here. Your behavior has been considered concerning."
"While you have shown remarkable potential and skill, the emotional state with which you wield it with is not acceptable in the public eye. Huntsmen and Huntresses must display more emotional control to inspire the masses." Goodwitch both praised and chided him, but Jaune's eyes glazed over in boredom of the suppressionist ideal. "What is this, an intervention? I have control. I point it at monsters and I get the job done. What more do you want?"
"Are your fellow students monsters?" She rebutted, bringing her main argument to the forefront. Despite repeated reminders to tone down the aggression in sparring, Jaune had not done so. Once, she had to restrain him from continuing a fight after his opponent's aura shield had been depleted.
"Of course not, but enemies won't care if their shield is taken away, and they need to get into that mindset. To do otherwise is just coddling them. How many students can even take a hit without their precious crutch?" His irritation of being dressed down for doing, in his view, nothing wrong was obvious. Ozpin just sat at his desk, watching the debate that had been subtly brewing for the past the month. He had foreseen this clash coming to a head soon, and decided that having it now in private was the most optimal option.
"That is not how we do things." She frowned at being chastised by a student young enough to be her son when she had been teaching for over fifteen years.
"Why not? What you show them is a cheap illusion of fighting, and here I thought that those with experience would understand that. I guess that it's no wonder why most Hunters don't live to see their thirties!"
"That is enough, both of you." At this bomb being dropped, Ozpin stepped in. He didn't raise his voice, but the stern voice and visage had both of them backing down, only now realizing that their voices had been escalating in volume.
"Perhaps I went a little too far there. My reproach was uncalled for." Jaune apologized, for he knew that he was in the wrong for that.
The Headmaster sighed at such discourse, before setting to resolve the lingering tension. "While it is true that combat training has a safety net, and yes it is slower as a result, Shade Academy used to do things like how you envision combat should be at its inception. Do you know what happened?"
"I do not." Jaune responded, unfamiliar with that kingdom's history even thought the question was rhetorical. "Vacuo was invaded by the Grimm and almost fell."
His bland delivery was like whiplash to the student's thoughts. "How?"
"Anger is a dangerous beast, however necessary for survival. But such unbridled fury is unhealthy, and it has destroyed many before you. Feed it too much, and it becomes much like a Malathyst, toxic to all around you. To those with aura, the stakes are even higher. We are, if you'll forgive the pun, beacons to the forces of darkness, shining flames in comparison to the embers of civilians. It is why the Grimm attack us first, because they are drawn with those whose souls, and emotions, are more exposed."
Jaune already knew this, but he didn't interrupt. The calm, charismatic delivery exemplified Ozpin's experience as a teacher. "Vacuo's philosophy is, for the most part, survival of the fittest. So it made sense at the time to have that bleed into their training protocols. There was the rare casualty, but they were waved off. When students had time to themselves, they vented their fully fed agitations on those around them, which in turn infected the civilians who often bore the brunt of it. I'm sure you can understand what happened next. After it was thwarted, educational reforms occurred all over Remnant, as Vacuo was but an extreme example of the practice."
"I was… unaware." Jaune said to both teachers. He wasn't stubborn enough to blind himself when presented with new information.
"Believe it or not, you are not the first I have had this talk with. Do you know the biggest reason why apprenticeships have mostly fallen out of favor?" Ozpin asked, before answering his own question. "Oftentimes, they do not even attend the academies, or drop out quickly. 'One week in here is a day out there' is a widely held truth, and in most aspects they are correct."
"Are… you asking me if I want to leave?" Jaune asked, reading between the lines.
"Do you?" The Headmaster dropped all pretenses. He wasn't being harsh, just upfront. "You said it yourself. You feel restrained, frustrated at what you believe to be a lack of progress, am I correct?"
"… It's complicated." He scratched the side of his head just below the brim.
"Unfortunately, your situation in more simple, and yet, most difficult. You can stay, and attend counseling sessions with Professor Matin, as I know he's offered… or you will be expelled and your Hunter's license revoked. I do not wish to do so, but it will be out of my hands, especially with the newest Council member, Cobalt Winchester."
"… I see." That was rather big news to drop out of the blue, particularly the election result that wouldn't be public until tomorrow morning. With his new options, his path became clear and he sighed. "When are my sessions?"
"He will organize that aspect of your education, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Your emotional status is not as dire as I may have led you to believe, and everyone needs help at some point, especially those weighed by guilt."
Jaune tuned out the platitude, "Is there anything else, sir?"
"Just a simple request. Professor Port has asked that you share what you know of the Malathyst as a guest lecture on Tuesday." Though the mustached educator had yet to do so, Coco had told them that the best days in his class were those when he brought in guests to discuss rare Grimm, as experience made the best teacher. "Sure, why not?"
As he gave a polite bow and turned to leave, Ozpin had a bit more to say. "Remember, Jaune, the lone wolf dies while the pack survives." Recognizing the quote, he turned to stare at the enigmatic Ozpin, who then said with a small smile, "Enjoy your weekend."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Roman Torchwick was not enjoying his life right now as he sat in the warehouse office mulling over things as he took an aspirin. Ever since he had been… hired, it's just been complete busy work and frustrations. She needed Dust, and by that, she meant all the Dust in Vale, and she didn't even have the damn common decency of explaining why, other than 'to change the world', at best.
The frequent headaches came from his cornucopia of just shy of incompetent hired help, both old and new. He had to call in a few favors that he was saving up to hire goons, only for most of them to be either taken out by a little girl and hit his reputation, only for the woman signing his paycheck to provide afterwards with her own newly found supply of henchmen… and women. He may be a criminal, but he wasn't sexist.
His scroll began ringing that dreaded tone, indicating who was calling. "And here I thought the expression was speak of, not think of." Answering it with a mustered up positive attitude, "Roman's Cleaners, how may I help you?"
"How cute. Is our little business venture proceeding well?"
"And here I thought you calling me twice a week was just to say hello. What a shame. Ah well, everything's on schedule." He answered confidently, because it was true. 'Business' had been booming, figuratively of course.
"That is refreshing to hear, for the both of us. I won't be there to hold your hand if things go astray."
"I appreciate your concern, my dear, but it's hardly necessary. That one time was obviously a fluke. Besides, I have…" Having not heard one crash in the background outside his office for the last hour, "Somewhat more competent muscle than before."
"Good, I'll expect you to meet your quota by summer when I check in. I might even bring over the kids. I know you miss them dearly." She played to his earlier joke of their 'divorce'.
Whilst he spitefully glared at the scroll, glad that this wasn't a video call as he grinned at his partner, Neo, pantomiming Fire-Crotch, as his she once called her, fairly accurately as she spoke with a hand on her hip with mocking facial expressions to match the voice on speaker.
Resisting the urge to chuckle, he still let an amused smile slip through. "Won't that be fun? Might even make a day of it. Give my best regards~." After she hung up, he sighed, glad that it was over. "You know, I really don't care for her."
His vertically challenged companion merely rolled her heterochromatic eyes at the understatement, before he said, "But that's enough of that micromanaging bitch for one night. Come on now, time for your pills."
She made a grimace in disgust, even sticking her tongue out, before he appeased her. "It's only for a little while longer." Before she could change her facial expression, "Yes I know they taste horrible, but it'll just get worse if you don't take them."
She silently sighed, before holding out her hand to receive them. He kept them on his person, to allow her to better resist the temptation of tossing them out. Neo puffed her cheeks childishly before pouting as she took them and quickly swallowed them.
"I've got some ice cream in the freezer to smother the taste and soothe your throat."
"…" And on cue was her glare, the pink and brown having switched sides.
"Nope, I'm not sorry at all." He gave her a crooked grin as he tipped his hat. "If you look like an anthropomorphized version of your name, Neopolitan, then you're gonna get the ice cream jokes. Besides, they're one of the few sweets you can eat right now"
"…" Roman's tri-colored companion changed tactics, now exhibiting a pleading pout that was just too damn adorable for him to resist, and she knew it.
"Ugh, fine, you can have my yogurt." Her lips rose into a cheeky smile as she skipped to the fridge.
"…" She gave him an affectionate smile with the spoon still in her mouth.
"Yeah, I know you do. I got us into this, three-scoop, and I'll get us out, I promise." She hugged him while also give him a light, for her, kick to the shin. It was worth it in the orange haired man's mind. Better for her to be mad at him for his lame, overused joke theme than worry over the barrel they're both bent over.
The touching moment was ruined by another loud crash, "Oh for crying out… and they were doing so well today. Neo, are you up for a motivational seminar?" She flashed him a crooked, toothy smile that he absolutely adored to show her agreement, twirling her parasol as they walked out to… educate the dumbass Faunus who couldn't push a cart straight to save their life. 'Based on her mood, that might just be literal.'
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Far away from Vale, the woman of white and black had seen and felt the death of her creations through their eyes and bodies. However, she could not do so through the one she was looking for. Though she could sense its existence and relative distance, the complexity of the method of its creation prevented further details. But at last she had found the Malathyst, and she smiled at her efforts bearing fruit. 'A rather unruly child, but useful nonetheless.' She thought as she willed more to its location to prevent it wandering off, the hungry child. With them aware of its presence, and with her direction, they could track it.
Not letting an opportunity go to waste, she walked to call one of her more devoted acolytes. His loyalty had proven him to be worthy of a gift. She walked to a mirror with with a tarnished silver frame, pricked her finger, and pressed it against the tarnished silver frame, tracing the whole frame with a line of her blood.
The mirror vibrated upon her touch, until it no longer reflected her, but that of a thin, pale man with gold eyes and dark brown hair. He wore mostly white, with an open sleeveless jacket exposing his chest. "What is thy bidding, my lady?"
"I wish to speak with you in person." He looked eager at the rare privilege, and so he stepped through the glass after she stepped aside, unable to hide his shiver in discomfort as he exited. "Yes, I know that it's uncomfortable, but it is outweighed by its use."
The Shadowglass was one of the keys to her success in her goal. Among its functions was the ability to communicate with any mirror she wanted, but it was easier if she set up a connection to the other mirror. It had taken quite the effort to restore to its former glory, but it was well worth it. In addition, she could summon people through it, as she had just done with her acolyte and return them to the same place.
"I have a task for you, Tyrian. You will go to the northern Forever Fall Forest and retrieve a sample of the Malathyst's toxic blood." She declared with a well-practiced imperious tone. "Do not worry, all you must do is find it." Reaching to her ornate hairpiece, she removed the bell at the end. It was finely crafted in black iron, and engraved with a red eye. "Ring this with your aura, and it will submit for a short time. Once you have a chalice filled, return at once for your trial."
Receiving the gift as it was made of glass, he hooked it onto the end of his tight braid resembling a scorpion's tail. "If I might be so bold, but why not just kill it or summon it?" His queen could easily feel his apprehension, even disappointment at the lack of challenge but little did he know that the true test would come after.
"I have a side project that requires it where it is, alive and well. Now go." It was a perfectly reasonable question to her, and she indulged her subordinate before dismissing him.
"As you command, so shall it be." With a dramatic bow and a manic grin, he jumped back through the mirror, the small bell giving a small jingle as he did so, before his image faded to black.
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Chapter End
For the naming of the 'new' Grimm, it's a combination of malaria and amethyst. Malaria is a bloodborne disease, with one of its common symptoms being jaundice; amethyst being the color of its toxin. I'll hold off on the bestiary entry, as I'm saving it for in story content.
I'm thinking of doing a series of one-shots with other RWBY characters playing Bloodborne, on a separate story. They will be based on the characterization shown here, but it does not have to be considered canon to Bloody Arc. If you think that this will be a fun idea to read, let me know if and/or when you review.
The Shadowglass is a mix of the porting mirrors in the Micolash boss fight and from the fan fiction Resurgence by Kraven Ergeist.