A/N: Welcome back, everyone. My apologies, but I forgot to announce the winner of my reference contest for chapter 15 in my haste to post chapter 16. As of 4/21/17, there are no winners. For those who submitted The Sith Code for Chapter 15, thank you for your attempt. However, I did warn you that the Star Wars: Old Republic reference would have a red herring.
All chances for the contest are still valid, if anyone desires to reread and look through the chapters that contain them.
Oh, and one more thing. I've also posted a one-shot in canon to this story. It's titled More Insight, and it will eventually be a compilation of such stories if it receives enough attention. I don't put them in the main story for multiple reasons, mostly two. I either don't think of them in time, or their inclusion muddies the flow I want set.
With that out of the way, on with the show!
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Chapter 17: Communion
Dawn broke, and as the sun rose so did Jaune from his chair. He looked to Ruby, as she was fidgeting in her fitful slumber.
She softly whined as he gently shook her awake, but her non-verbal request went unheeded as her consciousness was fully brought out of the realm of dreams.
"Are you all right?" He asked with concern. Normally she woke up easier and more aware than this.
"Just a bad dream. I just need a few minutes of daylight. I'll be okay." She replied, waving off his worry as she rubbed her eyes. Stress had interfered with sleep more often than not for exam week, and it had taken a toll on her. Even with it over, the residue of it coupled with her uncertainty of Evergreen's situation. With the town's water still possibly contaminated, they were also barred from their morning beverages as well.
"Here" He took his jeweled eye pendant off and gave it to her, closing her hand around it with his own. "I had this crafted when I had an extra strong batch of dreams. Perhaps it will do you some good as well."
"Thank you." She put it on underneath her top as the others awoke from the noise of their conversation, however low it was. As her mind had focused during their talk, she asked, "And don't you mean nightmares?"
"If you want to call it that, sure. But nightmares are dreams too, unpleasant though they might be. Their content doesn't change their nature."
With the sound of stairs creaking, they heard that their extra was also ready for the day. Dressed the same as she had last night, Jackie said, "Good morning. Ready to go?"
Taking a look around to see their friends mostly done with preparation, Ruby answered, "In a minute."
"Besides, the civvies are likely to still be asleep at this ungodly hour, no offense." Yang added as a solid fan of beauty sleep. The blind Faunus smiled at her polite grumbling.
"Actually, most would be awake by this point. The town's comprised mostly of farmers and hunters… with the lower case h of course. This would be sleeping in for some of them."
"Then let's not keep them waiting." Blake commented as she opened the front door, wanting to see the morning sun instead of artificial light.
"Do you know if there's a secret entrance into the vault, like a tunnel or something?" Nora inquired.
"Yes, but it's not a tunnel. It's a side door hidden by shrubbery." Jackie replied. "The switches to open it are the water spigots, and they must be turned in a specific order."
It sounded straight out of a puzzle section of a video game, and it was ingenious. Grimm would mostly be focused on the vault door if they couldn't see another access point, and Grimm strong enough to break through either that or the stone walls were rare to the point of nonexistence in these parts. However, that only took care of half of the threats posed.
"What about bandits?" Weiss asked. "Though the rosebushes are aesthetically pleasing, they don't pose much of a threat to determined searchers."
Her logic, though sound, made the local smile a bit wider and show teeth. "So they would seem, but despite their pleasant smell, appearances can be deceiving. The temple's minister crossbred them with several other breeds of shrubbery. The leaves are razor sharp, the thorns are plentiful and retractable, and they've been fed a Dust-infused fertilizer to be resistant to the elements, especially fire."
Jaune whistled in appreciation as they walked beside the shrubbery in question. "Sounds like my kind of guy. But what about aura-wielders?"
She had been counting her paces, and then stopped at one of the four spigots around the sanctum. "Guards are still inside, and the side door is actually two. The space in between is only large enough for one person, and a door can only open if the other is closed. Now, go to the other spigots and turn them on in this order…"
Following her instructions, they turned the spigots on and let the water flow. As they regrouped, she turned the last valve on, but no water came out. Instead, the shrubs parted to reveal a door, also revealing that the ground underneath his a conveyer belt for this purpose.
"Bet you like this, Jaune. Straight out of a video game." Yang quipped, and Jaune didn't even bother denying it. "Damn straight I do. Jackie, care to go first? I'm sure a familiar face would be most appreciated."
She nodded pleasantly, and went inside. A few minutes later, she called Jaune with her scroll, likely having recharged it last night. "All right, everyone's safe and sound. The mayor would like to speak with your leader, face to face, to confirm your identity. My apologies, but she's rather paranoid."
"No worries. I've got to report with our mission moderator to update them on the situation. Won't take too long." Jaune spoke with relief, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Thanks for understanding. I'll be having breakfast with Father while we wait."
After he hung up, that cheer adopted a darker visage. He turned the spigot, locking and shrouding the entrance as he whispered, "Got you."
"Umm… what?" Ruby asked, unsure with what he was talking about. Blake and Ren also relaxed, as they had been informed last night.
"Congratulations all around." Jaune would have shouted to show his joy, but he didn't want to give away the game so soon. "We've just caught the Malathyst."
"What she said." His declaration sounded completely insane, and Yang was quick to point that out.
"I apologize for the deception, but this needed to be handled delicately. I'll let him explain." Jaune said as he made a conference. This time, on the other line was four other people, those being Ozpin, his parents, and Pip.
"It's all set." He said, and they sighed in relief.
"Well done, Mister Arc." Ozpin said, regarding the details. "The false pretense of this mission was on my orders. I'm afraid that the people of Evergreen are already dead."
"But Jackie said that the mayor wanted to speak with Jaune, and she was eating breakfast with her father." Pyrrha said in confusion.
"Plus, she was clearly human… I mean Faunus, whatever. Definitely not a Grimm." Weiss supplemented.
"Yes, that too."
"It lied." Ozpin clarified bluntly.
"I'm completely sure it was what we claim." Jaune rubbed his shoulder where its bite remained. "Since Forever Fall, I realized that I could sense its presence within a mile or so. I knew that it was nearby, but when it was in the same room as I, there was no more doubt."
"Its former name was Jacqueline Straw." On cue, a picture cropped onto his portion of the screen, while the other three remained silent. It was a picture of team JORN, all four of them. The three they were familiar with, two of which without their masks, and the one girl to complete the quartet. Her green eyes were visible, and she had much less scarring, but it was her face, without a doubt.
"What I am about to tell you is top secret, and to never be discussed without proper clearance. Is that clear?" His serious tone had them subtly straighten their backs in respect. "What Jaune spoke of in his lecture is what is available for Huntsmen and Huntresses to know, but it is not the complete story. The reason that the Malathyst's body is flesh and blood is because it is a possession-type, one capable of taking host in a human body, Faunus included."
The revelation took those just learning this aback. Jaune, having heard this before they left, stood fast, as did Ren, Blake, and Nora.
"But why isn't this made public?" Ruby asked, but this time it was Jaune's father who answered.
"Possession type Grimm aren't capable of taking humans, especially those with aura, as hosts. This fact must remain so; otherwise the panic would be uncontrollable. A Grimm that can take one of their defenders, corrupts the poor soul, and unleashes them onto the masses? Not to mention of increasing intelligence the more it consumes?"
The full weight of this almost caused them to panic as they gave the closed side entrance nervous glances. It would also explain why the other three were present for the call, though Jaune's mother looked ill with the flu. This incarnation of the Malathyst had killed their leader, and nearly killed their son twice in the Arcs' case. Seeing its demise would provide a balm for their souls.
"Why us? Why not send those with more experience?" Pyrrha asked. Though not one to shy away from a challenge, this was beginning to feel above their pay grade. As Jaune had said to the student body, the Malathyst by itself was a level 7 threat. An equivalent to that would be a sizable horde attacking a town. Ozpin explained the choice further.
"They would have failed, whether by it fleeing, it staying to kill them, or taking a new body in its assailants. But we are running out of time before it will notice that something is amiss. You have my word that I will fully debrief you and answer all relevant later. Is everything ready, Jaune?"
He looked to Nora, who saluted with a detonator in her other hand and a smile, eager to do her part. "Yes."
"Then proceed." On the Headmaster's order, they retreated to a safe distance from the blast, on a building over a hundred yards away. Nora handed the detonator, connected to several charges set up the night before on her 'patrol' with Ren, to Jaune. She knew how much he wanted to kill this thing, and wanted him to have the honors. "Thanks, Powder Keg."
Immediately after expressing his gratitude, he pushed the button trigging an implosion, crushing everything within and creating a dust cloud that enveloped the destruction. "Umbasa."
Jaune looked immensely pleased and explained the next and final step of the plan to eradicate his foe. "The rubble will either kill its host body, or completely immobilize and or cripple it. Either way, it will seek a new host. However, it can't go too far away from its physical body; fifty yards at most. With us far enough away, it will be forced to stay in its more vulnerable form, until it can no longer sustain itself and dissipate into oblivion."
They all readied their weapons, waiting for it to show itself. He continued, spurred on by the thought of victory in his sights. He spoke to himself, but the group still heard him. "How long have I waited for this day? The thoughts of my defeats and of this day pulled me forward week after week, and invaded even my dreams."
"Most impressive fireworks, Powder Keg." In his musings, it had slipped his mind that the four were still on the line, and his parents were giving him sad looks. Pip, however, had gone a different route.
"Thanks!" Nora cheered at the praise, but stayed focused. But their good news had run out, as the unexpected sound of approaching Bullheads soured the feeling of accomplishment. By the sound and lack of a visual, they were coming from the other south, on the other side of where the sanctum once stood.
"No, no NO! It's too soon. They'll ruin everything." Jaune snarled before turning back to his scroll.
"Sorry, I'm going to have to call you back to save these ignorant fuckwits." Jaune ended the call before bringing out Evelyn in its rifle form.
"Weiss, use as much Wind Dust as you can to disperse the cloud ASAP! If any of you have a shot, take it out! I'll keep the newcomers at bay." He gave his orders before sprinting and jumping to traverse the rooftops, circling around to stay out of range of the risk of possession.
Now in his sight, the Bullheads looked fairly standard, with the exception of their mounted, heavy artillery and the logo of the wreathed dual axes of Vale on their hull. One of its passengers, likely their commanding officer and a woman, spoke through a speaker system. "Attention, Beacon student Jaune Arc! You are under arrest for multiple crimes. Drop your weapons and surrender immediately, or you will be met with deadly force!"
The aircraft continued to fly over the town, their intent either to land in to square adjacent to the ruined temple or to surround the 'criminal'. With the threat of his revenge being foiled, for if they got to close one of the ignorant humans would be possessed and leave them at square one, Jaune instead pointed his rifle at the nearest Bullhead. "Any of you dumb fucks outside your jurisdiction get any closer and you'll be the ones met with deadly force. I just finished trapping the Grimm that killed the town's populace before we had arrived and I am unsure if it's still alive. For your safety, keep your distance!"
He had to alter the truth a bit with what Grimm it was and how it might have survived, since everything about the Malathyst was confidential. Whether they believed him or not, the threat of a Grimm that necessitated such force, they halted their advance, surrounding him on three sides. With a small grin directed at them for listening to him, Jaune lowered his gun.
However, Jaune was only partially successful in his negotiations, as the woman spoke once more. "Open fire!"
Whether he was going to comply or not would remain unknown as all three followed her order. Cut off from all but one escape route, he ran and jumped back to escape the spraying bullets and a few rockets. He was not fast enough, though, as the cumulative shockwaves propelled him all the way to the mound of rubble that was once the temple, smashing his head against the stone, well within range of his nemesis lying in wait.
With the cloud being dispersed either naturally or assisted by Dust, Jaune could see the new form of his enemy rising like smoke between the cracks and gaps of the ruined stone. Once fully formed, its shape was vaguely humanoid, though without lower limbs, and looked like an almost cartoonish version of a purple ghost. It drifted on the Dust-fuelled wind, slowly but steadily approaching him.
For the first time in a while, Jaune was terrified. For if he were possessed, there would be nothing left of him. His body, his mind, his very identity would be corrupted and rent asunder. He would become that which he hated most. The chilling thought steeled his mind, and he got back on his feet, drawing Orion and ready to end the Jaeger once and for all, sliding the edge against his palm as he stood ready. Noticing the others directly on the other side of the amethyst specter, he stepped back to allow them clear shot.
Nora and Yang held back on their own arsenal, as the splash damage could still affect him. Ren abstained as well, as his automatic fire was not built for such range. Unfortunately, those who could launch attacks had little to no effect. Dust and bullets passed through the misty apparition with no effect but on the stones they impacted.
Unbeknownst to them, the spirit was only visible to those with aura, and remained invisible to those who hadn't unlocked their aura on the bullheads. Of which, one was a nervous pilot who fired another rocket before he heard the order to cease fire at the accused criminal who had obliterated sacred ground. He missed, the shot detonating a few yards short of his target, but the blast was close enough to launch a surprised Jaune directly at the spirit.
Before he was sent into the air, he had Blood Reinforced Orion. Once in the air, he maintained the presence of mind to slash at his foe, and it made the foe disappear. However, it was not defeated, and Jaune had made a critical error with his choice. Blood Reinforcement used his blood and his aura. When his body and soul made contact with the Malathyst, it fused into the construct, turning it purple. The liquid escaped his control and flowed back into his veins.
The sword clattered as Jaune dropped it, severing contact too late as the Malathyst began its work. Pain unlike any other before it overtook his senses, bringing him to his knees as he screamed in agony, holding his head between his hands like it would split open at any moment.
One Bullhead landed in the square, and its passengers disembarked to form a firing line with raised rifles. Of the eight, only one was distinct and dressed in such a manner to obviously be in charge. She was rather short, just above Ruby's height, with bright blue hair shaved on one side and the other half swept to the side. She wore a doctor's lab coat over a jacket vaguely similar to an officer's uniform. Over her left breast was a pin in the shape of a golden eagle.
As Jaune's teammates approached him, the officer shouted, "Back off!" with her subordinate's rifles pointed in their direction. She took out a pistol and fired three tranquilizer rounds into Jaune's neck. Though resistant to poisons and other foreign substances, he dropped to the ground and entered the land of dreams, falling silent. Though however small relief it was to those around him, he still looked completely human in appearance in unconsciousness.
At the threatening, but nonlethal action, the Hunters stood readied for combat, but were unsure with how to respond. Now in command, Ruby demanded answers from the people who had made a well devised plan into a TARFU, or totally and royally fucked up situation. "What are you all doing out here?"
"I am Confessor Doria Cotton. We are under orders from the Council to arrest the one known as Jaune Arc." Though the title or rank was unfamiliar, the military uniforms of her escort were not.
"On what grounds?" Weiss retorted.
"Destruction and desecration of religious sites, mass murder, unrestrained and rampant negative emotions, and suspected heresy. As of now, that has been rescinded to execution."
As the most experienced with legal matters, Weiss continued to take point. "So you say, but I have seen no warrant for arrest. Nor did we hear you read him his rights in the seconds before use of deadly force. Thirdly, religion alternative to the Temple of Oum is not a crime, even if the accusation was more than hearsay. And last, on what grounds do you immediately call for execution?"
"Warrants are not required with direct orders from a Council member, of which we have." Passing an official looking document, Weiss was dismayed to see that they indeed have such orders. Once their authenticity had been confirmed, Cotton continued.
"Heresy is illegal when said religion allows and calls for unrestrained negative emotion and is documented to increase Grimm attacks upon the heathen in question and their immediate vicinity. In the years of his residence in Crow's Hill, Grimm attacks gradually increased by an unprecedented twenty percent, and have dropped by the same value in the times he was documented to be elsewhere."
"Speculation based on circumstantial evidence, at best. Grimm can be unpredictable in the best of times." The heiress rebutted.
"Enough of this, Doctor. Allow me to speak with them." A calm, composed voice spoke through the woman's scroll. Using an app that allowed the screen to be projected on a flat surface, she used the Bullhead behind her to bring the upper body of Councilor Winchester into focus.
"Salutations, students." He said. "To say good morning would seem inappropriate given the circumstances. Though your loyalty to your fallen former ally is admirable, it is mistaken. I must order you to stand aside."
"There's nothing former about it, Councilor. Why have you ordered Jaune's execution?" It was Pyrrha's turn to speak up in defense of her partner. With Winchester's appearance, she suspected a conspiracy on his part to be rid of someone who opposed his son, and therefore him.
"Because he is now, with certainty, a threat to all who walk in the Light." He wasn't even trying to hide his religious zeal and motivations; delivered in a formal, clinical tone. "Men, cover your ears. You do not have clearance to hear this information."
After all but the C.O. put in earplugs, he continued. "He is no longer your comrade. As soon as he wakes up and the possession is completed, what has taken his place will lay waste to all, starting with you."
"What do you mean by completed, Councilor?" Ren heard a possible loophole. He remained respectful to the man who wanted his friend dead, regardless of his hidden distaste for the man's lack of compassion.
"He is still human in appearance, is he not?" As they looked back, they confirmed that he was indeed still unchanged. "Meaning that it hasn't taken root in his soul, and it cannot until he wakes. Over the centuries, various methods have been used to subdue the host, of which you have used the most unethical. Unlocking the aura of everyone in Evergreen, it drew the creature like a fly to honey. Once it was lured by a feast of Humanity and distracted, you blew up one of the oldest known religious sites."
"That's not true." Blake quickly denied. "The water was contaminated with Soul Fertilizer and the townsfolk in the vault before we even arrived."
He did not seem to be moved by her words, and even smirked. "Forgive me if I do not take the words of a subhuman spy to heart, especially one daughter of the former High Leader of the White Fang, Ghira Belladonna."
The unexpected racism and name drop shocked his audience, but it was Weiss that took to her teammate's defense. "She hasn't been loyal or allied with the White Fang for a long time. With your position, I'm sure you're also aware or have the clearance to confirm that she was Operative Nightshade."
Yet even more revelations. Operative Nightshade, up until around six months ago, was an informant on the more destructive plans on the White Fang, and was praised by the media. It was why Blake had been forced to leave on her final mission with Adam, as she suspected that it had been a test of loyalty; one that she obviously had failed. With the extensive background checks during Beacon's application process, her espionage for the side of the law was the only reason she had been allowed to enroll.
"Wait, you're a princess?" Yang whispered. Even watching the news as a casual viewer, it was nigh impossible to have avoided hearing that Ghira stepped down from the White Fang to assume leadership in Menagerie. As he was essentially the ruler of a nation, that made her partner royalty, in her mind. Their last names just hadn't made the connection until that moment.
"Not now." She hissed in response.
"And her actions have already been rewarded, Miss Schnee. Her crimes conducted to maintain cover have been absolved, and she has been offered a chance for redemption of her sins. But it did not cover crimes committed afterwards, of which you and your cohorts will be guilty of if you continue obstructing justice."
"What justice? He still hasn't done anything wrong, nor has there been a trial for the other charges." Weiss argued. She didn't know much about this new political figure, but she felt sickened just hearing his voice. "Besides, we're outside Vale. Your authority is not absolute outside your walls."
"… Very well. Stand down, Confessor." Winchester unexpectedly conceded, but he soon added a stipulation. "When he awakes, be sure to exorcise the monster from existence while it is distracted by consuming them. Their aura and trauma will attract its attention first."
"Of course, sir." She agreed to her new orders without hesitation or remorse. Silently signaling her men, they retreated to their Bullhead, the other two still hovering in the air.
"And if he proves that he can reject the possession?" Ren asked after he realized that the subject had been deliberately shifted to avoid answer. Oddly, the Councilor seemed pleased by his sharp mind.
"In that astronomically unlikely and unprecedented event, then he will merely be detained while we ascertain as to how it was possible, before a trial can be held for the crimes he is the prime suspect of." Left with no other option, they were forced to agree. The heavy weaponry on the Bullheads pointed in their direction would shred through their aura, and their bodies, in seconds.
"For what it's worth, I hope that your faith in your comrade holds true." With the tension mostly diffused, the Councilor did offer some compassion. It had even sounded genuine, even if he had sentenced them to a brutal death seconds earlier. "But if not, then you have my sympathies and condolences. One who has inspired such dedication and loyalty has much potential as a Hunter."
The video call remained active, as Cobalt was curious at to what would happen. Jaune's friend sat around him, with Ruby taking one hand into hers. Pyrrha took his other hand, the one with a death grip on Orion. Yang sat next to her sister, and Blake next to her. Weiss remained standing where she was, while the other half of JNPR sat by Jaune's head, Nora holding her childhood friend for comfort. Ren reciprocated with one arm.
None of them said a word, but all were of one mind; hoping that their leader would come back wholly himself.
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While those in the waking world had debated his legal status, Jaune fought for his very self in the Dream against his archenemy. While both were previously restricted by physical limitations, it was not so here. In this battle, only desire, only will mattered as they tore each other apart. It was the hardened determination and discipline of Jaune Arc, against the ravenous desires of the intruding foreign entity known as the Malathyst, represented with tinted fire in place of blood. Steel and silver clashed against tainted claws and fangs.
With every strike, fire blood spilt upon the white flowers that refused to be dug up by claws or be flattened by boots. When Jaune's red touched them, the whole flower blossomed anew with crimson petals; but when the amethyst flame did so, they shriveled and died, scorching the ground. With every strike, the Malathyst grew. At the beginning, it was half the size Jaune had first seen the beast, but it wasn't until it appeared as large as the Moon Presence boss in the game that had shaped the core of Jaune's being that he noticed the pattern.
Resisting the primal urge to continue battle against an ever-increasing challenge, he stepped back to rethink his tactics, but remained ready to defend himself. Unexpectedly, the Malathyst mirrored his actions by not attacking, but looked ready to pounce in an instant.
With a ceasefire engaged, he heard the sound of soft clapping. "So there is more to you than a desire for bloodshed."
Though the voice was low and seductive, practically caressing his ears as he heard them, his gaze remained locked on the immediate threat before him, which could attack him with the slightest distraction on his part. The woman's voice clicked her tongue before she scolded his perceived lack of decorum. "Did your mother not teach you that it's rude to ignore someone talking to you? You may relax, it will not attack unless you do so first."
With the sound of a finger snap echoing in the air, his adversary froze, and looked to be more carved from stone by a peerless sculptor than of flesh and blood. Cautiously, he turned to address the other unexpected guest with such power at her fingertips. So focused of resisting the subjugation of his self, he had been unaware of the audience of his duel. Two figures watched the battle with similarly unexpressive faces at the top of the hill under the shade of the great oak tree.
The familiar Marie, his companion of the Dream, was one of them. But the other was an unknown to Jaune, was clad in black with red eye markings. With her skin pale as milk, red eyes with black sclera, and blackened veins, she looked as much Grimm as human. They sat at a table with three chairs and a full tea set.
"Please join us, Jaune. We have a matter of significant importance to discuss." Marie, being more worthy of his trust, nodded her head that it was indeed safe to join them, for the moment at least. With a weary sigh, he turned his back on the temporarily subdued spirit and sat in the chair clearly meant for him, appearing in the seat from a wisp of smoke as quickly as a man might blink. "No offense, but I'm sure you can understand my caution."
"No offense was meant, and none was taken." Her smile was as fair as spring, warm and dare he say it, almost matronly. That same caution stayed his hand from his full cup of steaming tea, smelling much sweeter than usual.
"Then you probably know what my next questions will be." Those questions were who was she and how was she here? Until now, only Marie and he had occupied this shard of the Dream.
"Straight to the point, I see. I find that to be a most refreshing trait." He remained silent, as she had yet to answer his unspoken inquiry. "My name is unimportant to you at this time, as is how I came here. However, what is important to you is that I am here to give you an offer."
Jaune did not waste his time with repeating questions that he felt would not be answered directly. If she had wanted to, her sharp and silvery tongue would have done so. "And what does this offer entail?"
"I can grant what you wish for the most… freedom. Freedom from the rage that clouds your mind, freedom from the rules that seek to chain you, and so much more." Her words were like honey, adoring his ears as the sweet substance would his taste buds. He felt a strong urge in his chest to accept the offer practically lain at his feet with every word she spoke. Freedom was worth more than gold, silver and jewels. Focusing on the urge instead of her words, he felt the source of this desire to agree without question not within his chest, but on its surface.
To be more specific, every word pulsed in tune with the Beast and Embrace runes on his chest. That same blissful feeling now felt like a warning. "And what do you want in return? I doubt that one who clearly has power in the Dream would offer such a gift for free."
"My, an interesting one you have found indeed." This time, she had spoken directly to the most taciturn of the trio. After taking a sip, Marie replied, "This one did not find him. He found me and chose to give me a name. He chose the Hunt of his own free will."
She underscored with her voice 'free will', however slightly, in her accented monotone.
"That he did, indeed." She turned her attention back to the Hunter. "Do you not desire the chance to hunt to your heart's content and more? I have seen your unwavering dedication to Oedon, and you have proven worthy of this privilege."
Again, he remained silent, asthe unnamed woman in black had not answered his question. "I offer the chance to ascend into what you desire; a hunter without equal. Grimm will know fear in your presence. Guilt will no longer burden and chain you down."
Her voice, though remaining as dignified and regal as its wielder, practically implored for his answer. "No words need be spoken, but action will speak louder. All that you must do is drink to acknowledge your acceptance; to embrace the destiny of the Hunters of Oedon."
Before his very eyes, an ornate silver chalice, not unlike those that he used to augment his body, instantly exchanged itself with the porcelain cup in his hand. Its aroma was tantalizing, easily the sweetest thing his nose had ever encountered, calling him to drink the almost black liquid.
"I cannot deny that the idea and your words isn't tempting. Wreak havoc upon my prey forever? Ah, what bliss that would be." He murmured before sighing in delight, before he brought the chalice closer to his lips. In the corner of his eyes, he could see the unnamed woman glance at Marie with a satisfaction that fit her just as well as her matronly smile, her crimson orbs softly glowing in the shade.
"But you still haven't told me the price for such a paradise." He asked for the cost once more before taking a sip of acquiescence.
"Something that only you can give of your own free will, sweet child of Blood." She said casually, masking the significance of his end of the bargain.
But Jaune was not fooled. With a sigh that now rang with disappointment, he held the chalice away to the side and poured it onto the ground to show his refusal. "What a joke!"
"You would deny yourself such a destiny of bliss?" She asked, with only curiosity in her cadence.
"There is only one destiny, and it will not be from becoming a beast like the one behind me. I can't do that. It is something I will never do." When pouring out the liquid, it looked more purple than black, revealing its true nature as Malathyst blood.
He did not grin, nor did he smirk, for what twisted his lips upwards was something much more than amusement overtook his facial expression. It was a deep, dark satisfaction and sanctimonious anger that fueled him now. He stood up, ready to face his foe once more. But it was neither frozen as stone, nor was it where he had last seen it. Instead, its eyes were inches away as he turned to stare into the dual amethysts unflinchingly, its eyes glowing afire.
"My mind, my body, and my soul; they belong to me. I will not give them away, not for anything between heaven and hell. From every strand of hair, to every drop of blood coursing through my veins, I Am… Me! What's mine is mine alone. No one, no god, and certainly no so-called destiny can take that away from me." Though his voice was low, it was as hard as steel, conveying that his will on this matter was absolute.
"You will submit." He dauntlessly decreed in the face of what once haunted his thoughts and dreams. Jaune did not shout, but instead spoke like he had said that 'water is wet', stating an undeniable fact. Chains materialized and snared it in its bonds, sinking into and merging with the being. It rippled and slowly shrunk before his imperious gaze to the size of an innocuous house cat, with black and tan fur and green and purple heterochromia.
'Right, this is a Dream. I was half expecting it to explode or fade away or something.'
He thought as it leaped into the lap of the woman in black, visibly impressed by his display with a raised eyebrow.
"Bold words, child. Very well, you have made your decision clear. This child shall no longer trouble you, in either realm." She stood after placing the now non-threatening beast back on the ground taking a small moment to scratch behind its ears. "I hope that such resolve remains after what will soon fall upon you."
Though curious as to her meaning, he said not a word as she slowly walked away and faded from his Dreamscape, as she called it.
"A most wonderful performance, Jaune." His companion praised and blessed him with more emotion than he had ever heard from her before. It still wasn't much, but it was a Nora level of enthusiasm from the aloof figure's usual demeanor.
He didn't quite understand what she meant, but he missed the opportunity to ask for clarification as a familiar fog rushed in both around and within him, carrying him back to the waking world. Still in the Dream, the now sole occupant smiled with motherly affection at her new companion, picked up the feline mewling for attention. "Are you cold, little one?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
He opened his eyes and gulped a deep breath, like had breached the surface of a deep sea. It was good that he had remained still, otherwise he would have head-butted Ruby, whose silver eyes stared intently with unshed tears upon seeing his blues, free from any sign of external corruption. She and Pyrrha hoisted him up before smothering him in a group hug.
Yang soon dragged Blake into joining in on the action with her, but the latter was just as firm with her physical affection, in her own way, as her blonde partner. Ren and Nora were content in expressing their relief by embracing each other. An unwelcome voice creeped into their ears, "Please back away so that we might confirm his identity."
They didn't want to, but he whispered, "It's all right. This will take but a moment."
With his encouraging words, they reluctantly let him go to address the projected image of the Councilor, "Good morning."
Once again, he forsook any title associated with the man, who responded with, "It's afternoon."
He looked up at the sky, the view of the sun beginning its descent unobstructed by his hat. "Hmm, so it is. I hope that I haven't kept you waiting too long. I'm sure that there are more important matters to deal with than a small group on the Hunt."
"I have busied myself adequately awaiting your, or its, return." From what Jaune could see on Cobalt's desk, there was some paperwork organized into neat pile.
"Ah, that would explain the tension in the air that I could almost cut with my sword." He replied nonchalantly, glancing at the bullheads circling above them. "And the not so small amount of firepower pointed in my direction."
"My curiosity has been tempered by caution; advice to take heed of in exchange for yours at the Gala."
"It's logically sound; however, too much caution could snuff out and deprive you of opportunity. But you are not 'here' to debate, are you?" He continued to speak without fear, but also more affably than their last encounter.
"As stimulating as it might be, you're correct in your assumption. Will you submit yourself to a physical examination performed by Doctor Cotton, so that we might confirm your humanity?" His tone, as well as the guns above them, heavily implied that it wasn't a request.
"Why not? Let's get this over with." He conceded without a fight and nodded. She asked him to remove all clothes covering his torso. Without breaking eye contact with her, he practically ripped the clothes off his upper body to get this over with as swiftly as possible. With the severe tone in the air, Yang didn't whistle in appreciation despite the view.
Thankfully, the buttons proved themselves immune to such abuse with as he exposed his upper body. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that the bite mark, once infected by lingering Malathyst venom, was now healthy, unmarred skin. His teammates had also noted that several claw mark scars, which had likely been endowed upon his flesh in his first encounter with the creature, had also vanished. The tattoo that had been closest to where the bite had been was also no longer black, but a familiar dark shade of purple.
"Such disgusting, immoral things you have." The examiner remarked bluntly.
"Tattoos are hardly such a thing, despite conservative voices suggesting otherwise." He rebutted with serenity.
"True, but these are more than mere ink upon skin, aren't they?" She seemed to take his stilled face and silent stare as a yes as she reported her findings with her employer.
"Though he seems clear of any signs of possession on the surface, I recommend more in-depth testing. Also, I'm adding Aura experimentation and subsequent mutilation to his charges."
"Are you certain? These are no small accusations to make." Though his tone sounded to be a warning, there was a gleam of satisfaction that he could not hide from Jaune's gaze.
"Once again, these are preliminary findings. With your permission, I could conduct testing to confirm my conclusion." Not to test if she was right or wrong, Jaune and several behind him had noticed, but to confirm her clinical statement. Already, she was giving away her bias.
"Granted." Before Jaune could react, a syringe with triple the dosage of the sedative that had knocked him out before.
"Overreaching with your newfound authority already, Winchester?" He willed himself to remain conscious to part with a final comment before clicking his tongue and slipping back into unconsciousness, falling like a puppet with its strings cut.
This time, the squad readied their weapons for a fight, but the one with the most authority stepped in. "Students of Beacon, you will stand down. I did say that we would be detaining him if he proves to have resisted possession. Sedating a prisoner with aura is standard procedure and a safety precaution even in normal circumstances."
With that, the scroll call ended. Despite how much they wanted to do or say otherwise, there was nothing that they could do. They were outgunned, and the law was on the other side, despite being outside of Vale. They were forced to do nothing but watch as Jaune was carried into the bullhead with Doctor Cotton and taken in a southern direction to an unknown destination. The only thing that remained of him with them was his hat, which Ruby clutched to her chest.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Upon their return to Beacon, they made haste to the top of Beacon Tower, where Ozpin awaited them. They had made a short call during their flight back to inform them of the situation gone awry, but the Headmaster had calmly asked them to wait to provide details. He was aware of what had transpired, as protocol dictated that he must be notified before one of his students could be arrested.
"We went in there and saw the… what was left. I… do not recommend seeing the footage on anything but an empty stomach." Blake kept the details at a minimum as she placed Ruby's camera on Ozpin's desk. They had used both cameras to record, in case a back up was required.
"When and why did you take it?" Ruby asked, who had not noticed its absence, and ignored the warning.
"Hearing the Councilor accuse Jaune of massacring the town, and having no qualms in our demise, I felt that evidence proving otherwise should not be held in such biased hands. I grabbed it during the group hug." The crowding had provided the perfect obstruction for her sleight of hand.
"Excellent foresight, Miss Belladonna." Ozpin complimented. "I have no doubt that Mr. Arc's will have been misplaced or have suffered an unfortunate accident before the trial."
"So what happens until then?" Nora asked. This situation was now well out of their hands.
"For now, all that you can do is wait." He advised. "It will be closed to the public, like the other rare occurrences when Huntsmen are accused of criminal behavior."
"But what about here?" Yang demanded. "People will notice that he didn't come back with us."
"The truth, of course. He's involved in an inquiry on both your mission, as the town had been emptied, and on another prior to his enrollment here."
"What other mission?"
"One where he dealt with bandits in Vacuo." His explanation triggered a recollection for Ren. It was the same mission that he had gotten his bike. "But we've strayed off topic. I promised a full explanation, and I am a man of my word."
It was then that the hidden details were unveiled. In the unvarnished report of the Grimm's movements, Evergreen was right in the center and should have been one of the most affected sites due to proximity. Instead, the void of Grimm in the area was like a boulder in a river, parting the flood aside. This was quite the paradox, as even without the new information of the aura in the locals being unlocked, it should have drawn them in like flies to honey.
There was only one explanation that came to mind; they were avoiding a Jaeger's territory. By coincidence, Evergreen was directly north of where it had been last sighted.
With the town compromised, Ozpin had divulged how to access the sanctum to the three. For safety purposes, the methods of access for every sanctum were recorded for official purposes, and for rare situations just like this. Going inside, Jaune, Blake, and Ren had entered and seen what was left of the people of Evergreen. What was once a population of close to a thousand, a couple dozen corpses remained, and that just of what was intact and still resembled human beings. It had taken an application of Ren's semblance to emotionally restrain his and Blake's urge to vomit at such carnage.
That had been when 'Jackie' had shown up to the others, and the 'spider bite' had been a lie to cover up that Jaune could sense its presence and proximity, regardless of its disguise. Later that night, on Ren and Nora's patrol, the latter had been filled in, and had set the charges.
"Then why was JORN there if you thought the Malathyst would be in close proximity?" This appearance of a logical gap prompted Pyrrha's blurted query.
"I didn't. They were sent to the next town north of it." Ozpin was surprised by the unexpected question. "Why would you think otherwise?"
"Well, they told us so. We ran into them just before we left." Nora clarified. The headmaster's visage turned from relaxed and serene to stern and severe, like he had received grave news.
"What were their exact words?" The abrupt tone shift for the worse threw them for a moment, but Ren recited the more important parts of the encounter verbatim.
"After some standard greetings, Onyx said, 'After the first day, the most dangerous thing out that way was a stray dog.' After that, Napier said, 'She was just hungry, is all. Ate all those T-bone steaks like a living garbage disposal.' He seemed to find that amusing. It was a short discussion." Ozpin seemed to make a connection, and immediately posted a message, but to whom the others in the room didn't know.
"Why do you ask?" Ruby was curious as to why he was so serious about it.
"Because it appears that we have found the culprits of the water contamination, and the reason why it was able to get inside the sanctum without a sign of forced entry." He seemed to focus on the cross, pinned on Ruby's waist. Noticing his pinpoint gaze, Yang followed suit, and a connection formed, much as she didn't wish it to be so.
"They practically confessed their guilt, taunting us with puns." She spoke with heat, her temper starting to slip as her finger pinged on Ruby's steel cross. She never before thought she could hate her go-to brand of humor. "Those 'T-bones' were the people, hiding in a church with crosses. The stray dog was Jacq-… Malathyst."
"But why would they?" It was still hard to believe for Ruby, hell any of them, to conceive of people leaving people to the mercy of a Grimm.
"If we are to find out, they'll have to be found first." Ozpin laid out the plan, but there was a problem as he read a response. "Unfortunately, based on what I could discover, they went to the city about an hour after you left, and have not been seen since. With Vale's outbound travel suspended for a few more days, they are likely still in the city."
At first glance, their excursion would appear to be post-mission R&R, but in the light on new information, their guilt seemed all the more concrete.
"If they're hiding, then we'll find them." Yang had the overwhelming urge to pummel that now sickening grin off of Jack's face.
"No." Blake sought to pacify her partner. "The fact that JORN's absence in their assigned post not being reported points to more people being involved, including Councilor Winchester himself."
"Yes." Ozpin agreed. "This needs to be handled delicately, especially with the law technically on their side, and I will do so personally."
"So we're just supposed to do nothing?" Yang was the type to take action, not sit around and wait for others to do so.
"Anything you might do now would play into their hands, especially when the end game remains unknown. If that changes, you will be the first to know." Ozpin assured them before dismissing them, looking more despondent than they had on their arrival. "But before you go, know that you all performed as best you could in this situation. Take no blame and shoulder no guilt, for you do not deserve it, nor would I think that he would want you to."
He hoped that his words and condolences would take root, but he couldn't worry about it too much at this time, for there was a much bigger picture to consider. There was much for Ozpin to ponder, and if he didn't know if any third parties were interested in these events. Plus, there were other facts in this matter that held his interest; namely two questions.
How had JORN, or any coconspirators, known that the Malathyst could ascend back into human form? Even with the knowledge and resources at his disposal, he had stumbled onto only inklings of the possibility. It was clear that the town had been set up as sacrifices to accomplish this, but what was the purpose or motivation of such an investment, beyond a foolhardy attempt at resurrection?
This lead to tangential theories of if the beast was sated, did the human reestablish dominance, or did the Grimm absorb the memories and personality of their host to facilitate both hiding and sating its appetite. The thought of other Jaegers having this potential sent a chill up the man's spine.
Temporarily putting such introspection aside, the most pressing question was how had Jaune Arc resisted the possession in the first place? None before him had been recorded in doing so, but he above all knew that records didn't tell the whole story. After all, his father had done the same, even if he had died from an unrelated illness triggered by the stress soon after. 'Perhaps after this matter is settled, I'll inquire as to how Jaune did so if he is aware of it.'
But for now, the first thing he had to do was inform Hans & Julie of the events that had transpired. The tricky portion would be to do so without triggering an immediate response. Though sharing few characteristics in appearance, Jaune had certainly inherited several traits from his father. Hans' moniker hadn't solely been from the appearance of either the weapon or its wielder, after all.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The seven, mentally exhausted from this whole ordeal, sat and ate dinner. It was a silent and somber meal, with one of them not being present for reasons beyond their control. None were sure on what to say, so the only sounds in the room were chewing, swallowing, and the scrape of metal cutlery on porcelain plates. Ruby had put Jaune's leather hat on the backrest of his chair, to symbolize him being there in spirit.
Yang wasn't content with this silence. "Well, if no one else is going to say it, I will. This is completely fucked up."
"Oh, what a brilliant analysis, truly." Weiss bit back sarcastically, but that was just her frustration talking as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sorry."
" It's fine. I'm going to sweat out the stress. Anyone else?" Yang offered an outlet, but no one took her up on it. Her chair screeched back as she stood up. "Right then, I was never good at sitting around and doing nothing."
As she began to leave to go punch something and call it training, her long hair whipped back and knocked the hat off its perch. Her grimace showed that she didn't intend to take her frustration out on that particular inanimate object. "Sorry, let me get that…"
When she crouched to pick it up, the now only present blonde saw something else. Inside the hat were a few objects pinned to the inner lining. As she laid them out on the table, Ren asked, "Should you be going through that? It's probably personal."
"Ooh, maybe he left a secret message or something?" Nora was intrigued, and she was starting to sound more excited with every word that passed. "Maybe I should get a hat? Then I too can be a magician… Nora the Magnificent"
"How about Firecracker?" Ren saw an opportunity to cheer his friend up. It just wasn't her when she wasn't on the verge of exploding with cheer.
"Pssh, that's silly Ren. That sounds like a nickname for Yang. Ugh, messy." But she couldn't help but giggle at that. "So, what's the magician got under his hat besides the invisible rabbit, Yang?"
"Uncle Qrow still calls for that, so good guess." Ruby added, cracking a joke to help clear the air.
"Called it!" Nora exclaimed before Yang went over her findings.
"Honestly, it's not much. Just the rolled up bandage that he uses for sensory deprivation training, a couple of photos, and a folded up…"
As she unfolded the piece of paper, Weiss said, "Ren's got a point, Yang. We shouldn't just rifle through his stuff-"
"Better to seek forgiveness than ask permission, not that we can." During their brief exchange, the small photos drew Pyrrha's attention first as she picked them up. She had always wondered why it flying off his head during their first spar had distracted him when he was usually so focused. 'Perhaps it wasn't just the hat, but what it held within.'
One she recognized, for they were in it. "This one is of us during Initiation."
"The one with the Onigumo?" Blake asked.
"Indeed. How sentimental of him." She smiled fondly, looking at all of them proud of their accomplishment. But the other picture was unfamiliar. It had Jaune in his sunglasses, as the day in the photo had been sunny, but he was also with an older, unfamiliar man. He was a few inches shy Jaune's height, thin and lanky. He was a bit raggedy, but he his most notable features were three things; he was wearing the same hat that was now in their possession, white bandages were wrapped around his eyes, and he had large, bat-like ears.
"This other one is him with someone else, a Faunus." Her description drew Blake's curiosity and she went around the table to look. She recognized him.
"Orion Chiro?" She could hardly believe that it was the same man, but there he was.
"You know who he is?" Ruby had also taken a look, peeking over Pyrrha's other shoulder.
"Yes, I knew a student of his, once. He's one of the founding members of the White Fang, though he abstained from a leadership position." Suddenly, she remembered that name drop she had overheard between Jaune and Pip in the latter's wife's weapon store. She had thought the name a coincidence, but evidently Remnant was smaller than she had imagined. "He left the group soon after my parents did, unhappy with the new line of thinking towards violence along with several senior members. I wonder what happened to him."
"He's dead." Pyrrha realized why he kept this so close. "Jaune told Ruby and I that the Malathyst killed him, saving his life in the process."
On the back was an ominous sentence scrawled in red ink, in Jaune's handwriting. 'No longer will I be prey.' This was more than a memento of a friend of the family. It was a token to remind him of his motivation for revenge, a promise to a memory. The bandages were likely Orion's as well, or an imitation.
"So, was Jaune in the White Fang?" Nora's question wasn't too outrageous. He seemed to know that Blake had been a member, or at least known of her connection to former leadership, and had a connection of his own to a former member of high esteem. Plus, not to be too profiling, but he did have several family members that were Faunus.
"Not that I'm aware of, but it's not impossible. Humans weren't excluded as they are now." Blake knew that the question had been directed at her, but she hadn't taken offense. She was just the most likely to know.
With the pictures done with, Yang turned back to the paper that had been ignored; or rather papers, as it was two folded together. Giving them a cursory glance, "It's a letter, addressed to all of us."
"Two for two, yeah!" Nora congratulated herself for her luck and or skill in prediction. "A secret message. Good thing he left it behind, eh? Or it wouldn't be so secret."
The blonde began to recite the script aloud. On the two pages, both sides were covered in script, with page numbers at the corner for organizational convenience.
"Everyone (and if you're not the right everyone, fuck off and give this to my teammates):
Please do not read this aloud, as the walls might have ears."
"Well, considering what had transpired, that might very well have merit." Weiss observed. With Councilor Winchester at the helm of their current dilemma, it was a figurative possibility.
The orator was none too pleased at reading the next paragraph, nor at the giggles it incited as she growled, "Blake, tell them that I do not snore."
"She doesn't snore." Her dry tone convinced no one, especially with her small grin and her hand, along with Ruby's, waving in a so-so motion.
"Hmph, traitors. Anywho~…" she continued reading silently. Her frown disappeared as a smile took its place. Of the course of four pages, a range of emotions passed through her face, leaving the other six in suspense. Sympathy, shock, and anger all took their turns. Finishing with a shaking head, she restrained the urge to crumple the papers in her fist long enough to pass it on.
One by one, each read his missive. Though he laid out his motives in a clear format, and most of them were understandable from his perspective; others left a rising urge in some to punch him in the face for his recklessness.
"So, what do we do?" Ruby asked.
"What I'm going to do is find him and slap some sense into that idiot who wants to be the worm on one of Dad's trips down to the beach." Yang made for the door, but her sister physically stopped her. "Get out of my way."
"No." She stubbornly held fast. "This is not the time for another temper tantrum like that nightclub."
"I am not throwing a tantrum."
"Prove it then. Sit down, and we will all discuss what to do, as a team." Using her own words against her, Yang huffed before sitting back down with a frown. Beneath the frustration, she was proud that Ruby was asserting herself.
But their brainstorming session would have to be postponed would have by heavy, impatient knocking at their down. "Open up, this is the police! We have a warrant to search these premises."
Thinking quickly, Ruby whispered orders. "Hide them. Blake, get the book. Weiss, stall."
Without a second thought, Yang folded up the letter and in her shirt, pinned between her breast and the fabric containing them. Her jacket hid the small bulge from the folded paper. Yang's choice of hiding place earned rolled eyes. "What, it's the first place I could think of. Don't be jealous."
Pyrrha hid the photos in a similar manner, but tucked them underneath her circlet instead and sat down, looking innocent as she finished her dinner. As Weiss answered the door to authenticate their warrant before allowing entry, Blake silently ducked into Jaune's room, grabbed the codex, looking to stash it where she kept the rest of her erotica.
Yang was provoked one day when she had caught Ruby with one of them, and decided to pay her back with incessant teasing until she put them in a more secure location than just on a shelf.
"Hey!" The police officer brushed Weiss aside as he stormed in through the open door, followed by disgruntled Professor Port.
"Terribly sorry for the intrusion, students, but this… officer has a warrant to search anything of Mr. Arc's property that might be considered relevant to the case." At least the instructor was more polite about his unexpected entrance, less so to the rude man he came with. "I'm here to make sure he does so promptly."
"Like I want to be here any longer than needed, Port, and it's Detective. Where's Jaune Arc's stuff?" There wasn't much to the man in a cheap suit besides his lack of manners. Lanky, baldhead, a lit cigarette clenched in his teeth, and a scowl that seemed as etched on his visage as a tattoo.
"Where's your warrant?" As Weiss distracted him, Blake sneaked to her room to properly hide the book. The authentication was signed, once again, by Cobalt Winchester.
"Have fun with it, now tell me before I charge you brats with obstruction." Deciding to not give him the pleasure of extended hospitality, Pyrrha led him to his side of their shared room, and pointed to his stuff. "That's his."
"Don't tell me how to do my job, huntress." The title was clearly meant as an insult with his unrestrained bile. "I'm searching this whole room, and this suite if I so choose." Pyrrha glared through the smoke rudely billowing in her face, but stood firm as she pointed at Jaune's desk and closet.
As the representative of the law shuffled through the small amount of possessions with no respect or care, he scowled even deeper at so little to look through. Jaune didn't keep much; a few sets of clothes, school notes, a few pictures, and some stationary was all there was. His video games, the few he brought to Beacon, were all proudly on display by the console. If the man was looking for something, he was evidently frustrated at not finding it.
"Right, seeing as you're in close proximity with the criminal, I'm searching through everyone else's belongings, starting with yours." He shoulder checked Pyrrha as passed to look through her stuff as well.
"No, you will not." Port came in and grabbed the smoker's arm, pulling him out of her room.
"You better unhand me, old man." He threatened, but Port looked at him like he was a mouse. For the first time for others around him, he wasn't squinting, allowing his dark brown eyes to be visible. He seemed taller as he gazed the smoker into submission.
"You have already fulfilled the capacity of your warrant, boy. Leave now before I have you out of a job." His words carried none of his usual jovial self from his stories.
"… Fine." He stormed out looking just as mad as when he arrived, 'muttering' under his breath, "Fucking hunters", before slamming the door behind him.
"What crawled up his ass and died?" Yang quipped to cut through the tension.
"Detective Rook has a failed history here. He failed in his first semester for a variety of reasons, several of which he showed you himself." Port explained with a disapproving tone.
"Thanks, Professor." Pyrrha thanked him for his intervention as she put the stuff back into place, and he smiled back.
"It has always been my pleasure and a privilege to assist students in need. The next few days might be difficult for you, but I encourage you to keep moving forward until this nonsense comes to a close. I shall see you in class, and well done on your exams. All of you." With a nod, he too made his leave. Though his praise was appreciated, the exams that had challenged them mattered little now.
"You know what, this can wait until tomorrow. We're tired, so let's get some rest, and approach this with fresh eyes." Ruby yawned, as the mental toll of these events were finally sinking in.
"Well, I don't need my beauty sleep to know exactly what I'm doing once I see him." Yang smiled with false cheer, burning the letter as per the request of the writer with nothing more than her aura. Though her flames were usually a harmless manifestation, she could make them into actual fire with some effort.
"Look on the bright side. We killed it, Jaune's still himself, and this will all blow over. We might hold off on the celebration until he's back, but that just make the victory all the sweeter." After sharing her sentiment and paying no mind to the flash of flame, Nora went to go crash, as it had been exhausting setting up that implosion, and later keeping awake as sleep eluded her with that thing upstairs. It had been her best work to date, though she was remorseful that it had been a temple. At least she got to give those people a proper burial.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
In her current residence of a temple fortress in the blasted wasteland of Anima's eastern tip, it's resident pondered her meeting in the Dream with two unexpected surprises. It had been decades, two to be exact, since one had conquered famine, and another eight before that.
Instead of annoyed or irritated by the non-gain of another potential asset, she was oddly pleased that humanity could muster individuals with such resolve. It didn't matter in the end, most who had crossed this line or potentially could were either killed by outside factors or joined her cause. This young man didn't seem the type to follow orders without question.
"Only for now. Acquiescence is as easily earned by terror as by temptation. If the carrot holds no appeal…" She mused aloud. Though he had poured away the chalice in the Dream, its real life counterpart sat on a nearby pedestal, currently empty. "Then perhaps the stick will suffice?"
As she stared out to the unchanging landscape of dust and Dust, the door opened behind her. Tyrian had returned from completing his task. "Your task?"
"Completed, my lady." He stared at her in devotion, before shuffling nervously. "Well, it changed a few hours ago, but I don't know why. I'm sorry for my failure."
"Give it to me." He approached and kneeled before passing on what she had sent him out to retrieve; a vial filled with the now former Malathyst's blood. Due to the death of its former owner, the once purple liquid was non-homogenized swirl of purple and red, and more red showed with every second. She gave a blank look to her servant, who struggled to meet her gaze as he likely expected punishment.
"You have nothing to worry about. It was killed, and of no fault of yours." Though she did not tolerate failure, she did not hand out punishments to those undeserving of it, much to the relief of her acolyte.
"If I might ask, what did you need of it? I can go look for the blood of a suitable replacement if it pleases you."
"Perhaps, but it is unnecessary. They are either beyond your reach, or beyond your skill. No matter, it wasn't the blood I wanted." Without a second thought, she took the chalice and filled it half way with her own blood, needing no knife or cut to do so. "It was how you retrieved it that mattered. The bell would not have worked had your faith been insufficient. It is time such loyalty was rewarded, Tyrian."
She handed the chalice to the man, stunned that she had used his name for the first time, whom looked back and forth between her and the black and red liquid. "Drink, and then follow."
He obeyed without question, guzzling it like a man lost in a desert. At first, there was no reaction as he walked behind her down the hall in silence, except for a single cough to clear his throat. Another soon followed, and then he couldn't stop, the fit bringing him to his knees. She watched impassively as he began seizing on the floor, the coughing the only thing that interrupted his screams.
"Hmm, how disappointing." She had though him strong enough to withstand the change, but perhaps another year would have mitigated the risk. As of now, it was a coin flip. Bleeding once more on the Shadowglass, she held the now severely ill acolyte by the nape of his neck.
"Return if you survive, or do not and wander aimlessly in the abyss for your failure." Without another word, she flung him like a convulsing ragdoll into the mirror, stranding him in the deepest caverns of the world, filled with Nightmares and more.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
When Jaune awoke, he was strapped to a chair, restrained at his wrists, forearms, ankles, and calves. They were thick leather, padded for a small bit of comfort, and reinforced with chains. He almost felt that it was a compliment with how much thought and effort they put into this. After a gentle tug on each to test them, he made no more moves to free himself. He didn't need to at the moment, instead investing his time in observing his new, unfamiliar surroundings.
The room was a bit on the smaller side and circular. The tiled floor, the walls, and the ceiling were all in white, with the exception of a large section of the wall in front of him being a mirror, and likely a door behind him. This was an interrogation room, of sorts.
As if summoned by his rousing, the blue haired woman entered the sterile setting, heeled boots clicking on the tile and placing a recorder into a pocket of her lab coat. "Greetings, I am Doctor Doria Cotton, Confessor of the Golden Eagles and Warden of this facility."
"Ah, the right hand of Winchester himself, or is it right wing?" Jaune joked; earning a stiff glance that might as well have been a small breeze for all its effect.
"In the future, please refer to His Grace by his title of Councilor."
"Now let's not suck his dick too hard, or is that part of your duties of his right wing?" Though limited in movement, he could still bob his hand up and down in a salacious gesture with an amused grin. She didn't find it as funny, and backhanded him across the face. His smile didn't falter as he conspiratorially whispered, "Don't worry, we can keep it our little secret."
Visibly suppressing her urge to dole out further corporal punishment, she carried on. "As I was saying, this facility is a correctional facility, where you will be held for the foreseeable future until your trial."
"I was under the impression that prisons were for after trials. Come on, he's not even trying anymore, is he?" His jibe went unheeded.
"But before I conduct some tests determining a number of things, your true identity being one of them, this will be a preliminary discussion as well as a disclaimer." Her formal tone was rushed, but monotonous, eager to move along. "This room is quite special, in that no lies or falsehoods may be spoken lest… heavy penalties be carried out."
"I have no need for lying, Candi." Jaune said, already getting bored and desiring a nap, giving out a loud and fake yawn. "How about we get a move on, no?"
"I am waiting for my recruits, as you will provide them with the necessary education to flourish in their new role." At the timely knocking, "And here they are now."
Entering were three men familiar to Jaune; the remaining three of team JORN, and though one was smiling, they didn't look pleased to see him. "Well, hello there Jack and Jills, whose masks are looking particularly polished today. How delightful to see all of team JORN have chosen an alternative career path."
The joke didn't even get a chuckle before Roman punched him in the sternum, likely from being called a girl's name, so Jaune provided the laughter. Due to the force he had felt without his seat moving in the slightest, it was definitely bolted to the floor. Spitting to the side, "So that's how it is? Met that stray dog of yours in Evergreen, by the by. Got squashed with the Grimm, apologies for that."
Another punch was about to be sent his way, but Cotton placed her arm on Roman's to stop such an activity for the moment. "Plenty time later for such crude means, students. Back to the matter at hand, Mister Arc."
"Please, call me Jaune. I have the impression that we'll be getting to know each other rather well in the coming days."
"You catch on quick." She didn't sound approving, but just stating an observation.
"Indeed. With this newfound understanding, I must ask; have we met before? I usually don't forget a face, but you look awfully familiar."
"We have not, but you have met my twin brother." An emotion broke through in her voice, but what it was as of yet was uncertain to Jaune.
"Did I? Well, pass along my regards when you see him next."
"That will be rather difficult, seeing as how you killed him." That emotion, as it turns out, was anger as he finally broke through her objective façade.
Peering closely at her features, he recognized him through her. "Oh, now I remember! He was a bandit in Vacuo, had that ludicrous shade of pink hair. He had good taste in motorcycles, at least. It's mine now, by the way."
Chuckling at an epiphany, he continued, "So it's revenge you all are after. My, how the plot thickens."
"Liar." She denied with heat, but not with a raised voice. "He was a humble missionary, spreading Oum's scriptures to the rats in that lawless, faithless desert."
"You said it yourself, I am unable to lie in here." He pointed out dryly. "When I tracked him down, his idea of spreading your God's word was burning down a caravan, with he and his cohorts taking extreme liberties a couple of girls. I took great pleasure into bringing what they were on the inside, out."
"Your God? So you admit to believing in another?" She picked up on his choice of words, ignoring the accusations that she either didn't believe in or care about; both options had equal merit.
"I admit to holding no faith in the existence of any deity, but that could also be called atheism; hardly the same thing as heresy, even by your standards." He brushed her hopes aside, inadvertently as well as the rest of her patience.
"I see. Well, this preliminary seems to hold no merit in continuing further. Before we continue, I would like you to keep something in mind. Despite appearances and the look of your current predicament, it is you that are in control here. Only you have the power to end what will come to pass."
"Ooh, ominous!" He mocked her attempts at scaring him into compliance as her helpers brought in a tray carrying what were likely the tools of her trade. "See, that would be more intimidating, if you were… well, intimidating. But I have something for you to keep in mind in return. Well, it's more of a question really. I don't know what you expect to find, but you won't find it."
"Hmm, I do wonder how long your little act of bravado will last." Jack said, ending the longest stretch of silence Jaune had ever seen from the showman. "Who knows, you might even break a record while we break… everything else."
He ignored the threat, waving his fingers inviting Cotton to come closer. She restrained the urge to roll her eyes at the predictable, impending refusal.
'What do you think I'm going to do when I get out? I'll repay you sevenfold for everything you give!'
She's experienced many lines of futile bravado in her line of work. At some point, she had started making a list of certain lines and key phrases. It made her inevitable breakthrough all the more poignant.
After she leaned in, he whispered, "How many seconds, in eternity?"
'… That was a new one.' She thought. He shared with her a feral smile of satisfaction and a throaty chuckle that was almost a growl. The sight and sound sent the smallest of shivers down her spine. It wasn't fear, she told herself, but of excitement of a challenge, and gratefulness to her employer and her Lord for providing such a compelling specimen.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chapter End
I originally had this epic fight with the Malathyst planned, but then the idea that it is a possession type came up and I couldn't resist.
The revelations dealing with Blake, especially those dealing with an apparent break from canon, will be addressed in due time. I also had foreshadowed this when I had Noire address her with semi-formality. But consider this… Ghira had to have been a commonly known figure, and he shares the same last name with his daughter… amusing as it is that someone extremely masculine in appearance has a last name meaning 'beautiful woman'. I am under the assumption that he took Kali's last name when they married.
Warning Begins. My reasoning for this logic may offend people, so I left a bolded warning before and after the content that might trigger people. However, I will try to explain this as objectively as possible. If you choose not believe me, you are free to do so.
Though it is traditional for the wife to take the husband's name in our society, this is not Earth, as we know it; this is Remnant, complete with an alternative culture.
When looking back at our history of marriage as an institution, women were considered property that was moved from a father's home to a husband's home. In that context, it makes perfect sense for the woman to take the new name. Marriage was founded as a business transaction and a form of alliance, and still is in some parts of the world, under the term 'arranged marriage'. Marriage for love is a fairly recent concept, from the perspective of history. Most cultures in the world have been and are patriarchal, and remnants (pardon the pun) of that exist to this day. Case in point, women have only been legally allowed to vote in the United States since 1920.
Keep in mind that I have no opinion if people choose to change their name or not, nor on the modern concept of marriage. It is their identity, their life, and therefore their choice.
Anyways, back to my original point. In my vision of Remnant, society as a whole did not progress in the same way as ours did. The constant fight for survival against an unrelenting enemy, that being the Grimm will do that. Since men and women were forced to fight together, there is little to no concept of gender superiority for either side in the mainstream.
Other cultural differences have already been written in this story, and likely more will come in as I think them appropriate. Besides, discrimination and bias have an easier target in Faunus. Animal features are much easier to validate discrimination against, however misguided, than a chromosomal difference. Warning End.
Doria Cotton is another OC. Before anyone sends complaints of too many of these, she will have a role to play in what's to come. If you're wondering about her hair, it's very similar to Henry Marigold's from Volume 4 at the post-concert reception. The only difference is that it's brighter in color; think of cotton candy. As for where I'm going with her, the hint is in her name. I didn't intend it when I first thought her up, but it'll fit all to well in how deep down this rabbit's hole will go. While the reference is foreshadowing, this is not part of the contest.
Speaking of which, on with the reference contest! I made them a bit easier this time. They are both in the same scene. One is from Hellsing Ultimate, but I will not name the other source. However, I will give you a hint, or a riddle to be more specific.
"To all things and men I appertain, and yet by some am shunned and distained. Fondle me and ogle me 'til you're insane, but no blow can harm me, cause me pain. Children delight in me, but elders take fright. Fair maids rejoice and spin. Cry and I weep, yawn and I sleep. Smile, and I too shall grin. What am I?"
Let's see who can figure this out without a Google search.
UNTIL NEXT TIME!