When Jaune and Pyrrha received a message telling them to come to the headmaster's office, they didn't know what to do. It was a day after their match. There were still more fights to be had and they needed this day's break to recover any injuries and aura levels. Even the assurance that they weren't in trouble did nothing for their confusion. If the headmaster did have something important to say to them in person then the question is: why them? Still, there was nothing to be gained from staying where they are and it didn't seem like headmaster Ozpin was in a hurry. Jaune and Pyrrha went up the elevator after washing up.
The trip was a quiet one. Many things were going on inside their heads as they tried to guess as to the nature of their call. When the doors of the elevator opened, they were met with the expecting headmaster, along with a huntsman that they do not recognize.
The cape the huntsman wore reminded them of Ruby, if they were being honest. He had a faint scent of alcohol coming from him. He might have been drunk if the way he would sway about was any indication. He was a professional huntsman, that much was clear from his age.
There were three seats ready for them. One was obviously for Jeanne. It felt rude not to so Jeanne materialized already on her seat as the three of them did so with Jaune in the middle.
It was Jeanne who first broke the silence. "You called us here, headmaster?"
"Yes." Headmaster Ozpin nodded. "Yes we did. First of all, congratulations on your victory in the doubles round. For a second there, I had thought that the you two would have been eliminated from the tournament."
The three of them looked away, a little red in the cheeks.
Pyrrha then said, "yes, well, we wouldn't have made it without each other."
"In this one instance, maybe," replied the huntsman. He had a tone of disbelief. "Any other time, I don't think so."
"I'm sorry?"
"Personally, I think your team wouldn't have made it this far without you."
Ozpin then entered the conversation saying, "I believe you have yet to meet each other. This is Qrow Branwen, a trusted colleague of mine."
"Headmaster," Jeanne said. "With all due respect, why have you called us here?"
"Actually, I have something to ask each of you," Ozpin replied. "I want to know if you have any favorite fairytales or childhood stories that you hold dear. Mr. Arc? Why don't you start?"
"Me?" replied Jaune. "Um okay. I don't exactly have much in the way of fairytales. Most of the stories I grew up with were in the comic books with superheroes. Other than that it would be the tales I had heard about huntsmen and huntresses from my father and stuff."
Ozpin nodded. "Miss d'Arc? I am aware that you are not exactly of this world so I find it rather interesting about yours."
"There isn't much to say, headmaster," said Jeanne. "I grew up in a farm. Most stories I've heard were more religious in nature. About a man who went around and preached about God and healed people. Ultimately though, he was condemned to death because he was accused of heresy and he was betrayed by one of his own people."
"Fascinating." Finally, Ozpin turned to Pyrrha. He didn't need to say anything.
"I guess I'm the only one here with actual fairytales, huh. I definitely heard about the Two Brothers. My personal favorite is about the Girl in the Tower."
"Have you heard about the one of the Four Seasons."
Jaune and Pyrrha nodded in affirmation. It was Pyrrha who retold the tale with Jaune adding what little he had heard of that tale. It was about an old man who lived alone only to be visited by four young women. After aiding the old man, the four women were gifted powers themed around the four seasons.
It was an interesting story for Jeanne. She wondered what the moral of it all was. Perhaps it was being rewarded for kindness? Or was it a means to explain how the four seasons came to be? Stories like these have a tendency to teach some kind of truth or explain the way of the world in way that can be easily understood.
"Well, what if I were to tell you that the fairytales of Remnant are all true," said Ozpin.
"Excuse me, headmaster?" Pyrrha replied, looking like she had just heard a poor attempt at humor.
"It's true. From a time before Dust there was a time where all the things we have could have been done with a gift much different than our own, a gift we call magic."
It was Jaune and Pyrrha that had expressions of surprise and disbelief. Jeanne wasn't. It might not be the same kind that she, as a Servant, would have been familiar with but magic as a whole wasn't entirely a concept that Jeanne was unfamiliar with. One could even argue that the way Remnant has been made might be the result of its own magic. Of course, for Jeanne it would be more aptly called magecraft but it is still a different world for her so it might have different rules which might not apply necessarily.
The elevator's door opened from behind them. Out of it came General Ironwood and Deputy Headmistress Goodwitch.
"Headmaster," Jaune asked, a little nervous. "What's going on?"
"It's alright, Jaune. We are still the same headmasters and professors that you know," said Goodwitch.
"We are still the protectors of this world," added Ironwood.
"And we believe that one of you could help us," finished Ozpin.
Soon all three were escorted back into the elevator. The surprise there was that there was a different button kept hidden from sight before now. It was accessed only with permission by the headmaster it would seem. In this moment, the three of them had that. Jeanne dematerialized for this as the elevator wasn't as spacious as it allowed.
They made their stop significantly lower than what Jaune and Pyrrha had thought. When the doors had opened, they were met with the cooling air of a large and empty cavern. Metal and rock combined as the two walked out of the elevator. Their eyes widened as they didn't know such a place even existed beneath Beacon.
The adults continued onwards with them following a few ways behind. It was a cool place, with a faint green light. At the end of it, there were two pods. One of them was empty, the other had a person inside them.
"What happened?" Jaune asked.
"This is Amber," Ozpin began. "She was once the Fall Maiden, one of four individuals who are gifted or cursed—depending on how you look at it—with incredible powers. A long time ago, they could have walked freely as they wished but there are those who seek such power for themselves. In the end, it was decided that they would fade away into secrecy and we here are those people charged with keeping that secret."
"She was attacked." Jeanne materialized. "Those who sought this… power, attacked her."
"Yes." Ozpin nodded. "Whatever their reasons may be, the fact is that they have stolen her power. But they weren't completely successful for still part of that power remains."
General Ironwood then entered the conversation saying, "we are keeping her as stable as we can. But it couldn't last and we are afraid that should Amber die at any moment then the half may seek to be whole again."
"What does that have to do with us, sir?" Pyrrha asked.
"In the most convoluted sense of rules to have ever been written," explained Qrow. "Only a young woman can inherit those powers. Usually it's the young woman the last maiden thought about in the end. Otherwise it goes random."
"You have the means of transferring then?" Jeanne asked. "If that is the case, then—it's either me or Pyrhha, isn't it?"
Qrow gave his affirmation. "Ten points to the familiar."
Jaune was flailing his hands. "But why them? Why does it have to be them?"
"I believe I can answer that for you, Mr. Arc," replied Ozpin. "The one mistake here was that Amber travelled alone. It is one of the reasons that she was ambushed and ultimately overpowered. Were it not for Qrow here, we would not be having this conversation in the first place. We wished to pick between Miss d'Arc and Miss Nikos simply because we know that they won't be alone. Personally, I had chosen Miss Nikos, it is James here that has chosen Miss d'Arc."
"General?" Jeanne turned to face him. "Why me?"
"The rules referring to the Fall Maiden are murky at best," Ironwood explained. "Assuming that you were chosen and that it was successful, it serves two purposes. The first is that we have now transferred the Maiden's powers to someone who could technically hide away. Most of them would suspect a woman and not a man. Even if they did, Mr. Arc is guaranteed to always be there, ensuring that you won't be alone; a mistake that led us to this current predicament. The second is that the rules pertaining to a young woman is a rather flexible thing. I have to ask you this: are you alive, d'Arc? I do not mean to offend but I mean in a sense that you are born and you will die."
"Once," Jeanne answered quickly. "As I am now though, it is best to think that I am a really good copy of who I was. Or at least, how people think of me."
Ironwood nodded. "You yourself are a young woman. But your existence is tied to the aura—the soul of Mr. Arc who is not a young woman, I presume?" He turned to face Jaune for affirmation. Ironwood continued when he received a nod. "Good. Now if it works, then that means that we don't have to confine it to a simple man or woman. It can be flexible in a way."
"Will it even work?" Jaune asked. "What's the catch here?"
The huntsmen were silent. Jaune, Jeanne and Pyrrha dreaded what would come next.
"Before I say anything," said Ozpin. "I would like you to know that you have until the end of the Vytal Festival to decide."
AN: And off we go to beneath Beacon Academy.