Note: Unsure now about who to ship.


As far as speeches go, Kroenen had heard better. Ozpin's speech about peace, tolerance and diversity was not as exciting as that of Hitler's call for total war and the waxing poetical about the Germanic race. Kroenen had heard the same before, in a correctional facility for young pubescents with a predilection towards violence. The tone was harsher and along with the platitudes about acceptance there was a hint of a threat that third chances aren't often given out hence he didn't pay much attention to it.

In fact, he spent much more time surveying the crowd for his new two targets. The Snow Queen and the Bronze Champion. Weiss Schnee looked irate, bothered and all those words that described consternation and annoyance for it seemed that she was unable to speak her mind against the mysterious black haired Faunus. Pyrrha Nikos in contrast was cool and collected, many near here in awe of her star power, calm and completely confident in herself. Yet there was a sinking suspicion in him that felt it was all but a mask to hide something far deeper. He had seen her type before, the type who appears perfect but in the inside is a far different individual. If Pyrrha Nikos was male and born in Germany she would have been a replica of himself, if she ends up becoming the way he is now is something that even he was unsure about.

After the assembly they were herded into temporary lodgings, large spacious halls where both genders were present. A poor decision in his opinion as it would lead to merely distractions for both genders. Kroenen unlike many of them saw no point in changing into more appropriate sleepwear and hence in his full regalia sat along an isolated corner far removed from most of the masses. Even this would not save him.

"H-Hey you mind if I bunk here bro?" Kroenen looked up, seeing a blonde young lad wearing the most embarrassing pajamas on Remnant.

Kittens? Really?

"It's fine." Initially Kroenen thought it fit to shoo the fool away, but realized in a stroke of genius that absolutely no one else would want to associate with someone who wears kitten pajamas. Letting him sleep here would have warded off any more interlopers.

He was soon going to regret it.

"S-So uh what's your name." He whispered whilst lying down on his mattress.

Kroenen was quiet for the longest time. He looked at his blue eyes staring at him. Waiting apprehensively for an answer.

"Silber Totenkopf." He sighed out defeated.

"A-Are you friends with Ruby?" Silber's shoulders slumped, what quality did he possess that attracted these types of weirdos?

"Friends is stretching it, we're associates." He clarified.

"Associates? She was gushing about you." Kroenen's muscles tightened.

"Gushing?" The boy shot up, his hands over his mouth.

"I-I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT!" He said muffled. Kroenen stared at him, the foppish young lad so reminded him of her.

"A-All she said was that you were really cool!" He tried to backtrack, but it wasn't a convincing effort.

"Right." Kroenen droned out.

"So, what do you think of the girls here?" Kronene was on the verge of stabbing himself.

"I'm sorry… who are you?" The boy rubbed the back of his hand in an embarrassed fashion.

"J-Jaune Arc." D'Arc? Like the saint?

"Well D'Arc I'm sorry to inform you I have no interest in such things. I am here to become a Huntsman, no more no less. Anything else is a deviation from my objective." Jaune was taken back by such a forceful and absolute answer, in fact it was strong enough for him to shut up. For a while.

"Same here. I-I was just trying to make small talk is all. You know it's so amazing how skilled some of the students here are. There are 17 year olds sleeping with us who can fight a Beowulf when some adults can barely hurt a fly. "Jaune wistfully said, it sounded envious in its tone.

"Are you not among those students?" Jaune quickly avoided eye contact.

"W-Well I'm not good as any of these guys is all I can say." The evasiveness of his answer was a red flag for Kroenen.

"Show me your arms D'Arc." Jaune had a befuddled look to him, as if he didn't know how to respond.

"My name isn't D'Arc and why should I?" Kroenen chuckled.

"You're the one who started this conversation." Jaune scratched his head.

"A-Alright." Jaune took his weapon out of his duffel bag, a collapsible shield and sword.

"A wonderful weapon." Jaune blinked in surprise.

"Really? "It seems like that's the first time he's ever heard a compliment.

"Of course, the sword represents the martial spirit of man. It is the first tool made by man designed exclusively to wage war. The shield is man's perseverance, the endurance of man to fend against the elements and to live long enough for him to propagate his race. Together the sword and the shield are among man's greatest inventions, working in tandem with man they are the instruments of justice". Jaune was astonished.

"Wow, I didn't think of it like that. You're pretty smart Silber." Kroenen balked at Jaunes words.

"Pretty smart? Did you think I was some sort of idiot?" Jaune went through several cycles of embarrassed and admonished expressions.

"I-I- "Kroenen raised his hand.

"That was a joke." Jaune breathed a sigh of relief.

"Still though, I didn't think you're stupid. Just a bit scary maybe." Kroenen tilted his head.

"Is it because of my mask?" Jaune nodded.

"Yeah. I mean it looks so creepy, like an Ursa but with those weird wires coming out."

"You mean the respirator?"

"Wait that's a gas mask?" Kroenen palmed the masks forehead.

"Are you being obtuse on purpose?"

"I-I mean I just don't see why on Remnant would you need to wear a gas mask here." Kroene titled his head, not sure on how to answer the boy's question.

Finally, he found his answer.

"Why not? The gasmask is a modern invention but it has a rich symbolism to it. The mask is a rejection of the self, when I look at the mirror I do not see myself. I see a thing that transcends individuality. I see a Huntsman, one who devotes his life to a single purpose. The person behind the mask doesn't matter. The mask is all that is and will ever be. When I look at the mirror and see a face I see only distraction, when I see this mask I see the single path." Jaune gulped, a bit overwhelmed by Kroenen's little speech.

"Wow … that's a lot to process." Jaune uttered out.

"D'Arc do you just thoughtlessly agree to anything I say? There are people who'd say I had just basically blabbered out meaningless words and forcing them into random intellectual sounding sentences." Jaune just smiled embarrassingly.

"Y-Yeah well I never was that great in school." Kroenen chuckled.

"At least you admit it. You know D'Arc you aren't that bad. Good night." Before Jaune could correct the usage of his name Kroenen fell fast asleep.

"Well … I guess this is a good night then Silber." Jaune said as he curled up in his jammies. Delving on the meaning of Kroenen's words.

Kroenen meanwhile had a dream where he was in the role of D'Arc and his Kroenen was a man named Rasputin who desired to awaken Ogdru Jahad, the Dragon of Revelation, in order to destroy the Earth and produce a new Eden. An Eden where only the truth prevailed. An Eden that Kroenen had spent his life fighting for. An Eden that he will bring forth in this new world.


"But there's like nine of us?" Weiss said in confusion

The first thing that they looked forward to in the morning after was the initiation. Ozpin had just explained to the aspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses what their objectives were. They were to be catapulted into the forest, there they had to fend for themselves against the various Grimm in order to take a relic from a temple. Although there was one problem.

The first person you saw was your partner for the entire duration of your school education. The fact that every student combined formed an odd number meant someone was going to get the short end of the stick.

"Oh, thank you for reminding me Ms Schnee. Please ignore Mr Totenkopf as if he didn't exist." All eyes were now on the individual in question.

'I think you might not like me Ozpin.' Totenkopf thought to himself.

"Why?" Ruby asked this question, a worried look on her face.

"Mr Totenkopf's tuition here is … a unique case. "Ozpin said, taking a sip of coffee.

"Unique case?! Why is he given preferential treatment?" Weiss was outraged, why on Remnant was this weirdo stalker so special.

"Ms Weiss, are you telling me that having no partner to assist you in your journey to becoming a Huntress is preferential treatment? If you do, then I regret to inform you that the only way you can get such treatment is to be sent to Beacon by the Menagerie Juvenile Correctional Facility. "Ozpin's words elicited great alarm with all present, including Goodwitch.

Kroenen licked his lips in annoyance, he didn't like it when he was taken by surprise.

The MJCF was located within the island of Menagerie that was formerly a prison for the Faunus. Now used for a 'nobler' purpose yet the facility has developed a dark reputation as a combat school for those young scoundrels, those with brutal attitudes and anti-social tendencies. A graduate from the MJCF was someone who had seen the worst of humanity, who had seen things that fueled the birth of Grimm and not only survive but thrived. Understandably they were treated differently from most other people.

Kroenen DID 'graduate' from the MJCF but it was for a job. It was his biggest job preceding this current one, but a job none the less. The past seems to catch up to you in mysterious ways.

"So you're just a thug then? And to think my opinion of you couldn't get lower." Kroenen silently chuckled to himself, the Schnee's haughty attitude amused him.

"If we're done sharing stories can we get on with it?" The black haired Faunus said, trying to cut through the newly weaved tension that had blanketed them. Her glare of hatred directed towards Kroenen was all he needed to confirm just how she felt about him.

"Alright then. Prepare yourselves." Ozpin nodded to Goodwitch to give her the go ahead.

One by one they were launched into the air. Kroenen took of his trench coat, revealing the tight fitting bodysuit underneath. On his torso was a bronze mechanical looking apparatus, several knobs and arterial wires were slithering out of several indentations. A cyan polygonal with a large stylized M within it was stamped on the apparatus' back.

This emblem was of great interest to Ozpin whose eyes widened slightly at the first sight of it.

The force that propelled Kroenen into the air was a familiar feeling. He took to the sky like an eagle, felt gravity and drag taking him to whenever he would land. All the while gripping tightly Blitz and Krieg.

The first thing that hit him was a mass of leaves then several branches. He felt his spine impacting on a thick root and felt numbness in his legs.

It seems he had been crippled.

Kroenen sighed internally.

Aura was the manifestation of one's soul, all living things were capable of using it. So what does it mean when one's Aura was in a flux?

Shwartz the Atlas fence who taught Kroenen in the way of Aura was at a complete loss at the state of Kroenen's Aura. It was chaotic, it ebbed and flowed. Aura was the manifestation of one's soul, did this mean Kroenen's own soul was somewhat damaged?

Kroenen propped himself against the tree's trunk, turning a knob on his chest several times. He felt a rush as Dust was directly pumped into his bloodstream.

This was a gift to him from the Schnee Dust Company an apparatus that allowed him to make up for his handicap.

He felt a tingling sensation in his legs as his Semblance realigned his spine into the right position. He stood up, stretching his arms and took a deep breath.

Time to move.


Like a jungle predator she stalked through the forest floor, her grace allowed her to move from a plethora of avenues. She found herself clinging to a tree branch looking down at the fighting that was taking place just below.

She saw a brutal killer and two Ursa's surrounding him.

The object of her scorn and hatred. One of the Ursas was unmoving on the ground. The other was directly behind him, about to give him a literal bear hug.

He arched his back, it looked so unnatural, like a ragdoll. The end of his shotgun-scythe tonfa directly in the Ursa's face. A loud shot rang out and the Ursa dissolved as it fell.

The remaining Ursa was about to get up; however, Silber planted his foot on its skull. His other scythe-tonfa was placed by its side. The creature roared in pain as volts of electricity coursed through its body.

She felt sick at the Grimm's pathetic screaming. He continued doing it for a good ten minutes. This was wrong, not even the Grimm deserved torture.

Thankfully the screaming came to an end as Silber decapitated the thing once its cries stopped entertaining him.

Now this was her chance.

Kroenen saw it coming, he tilted his head to the side by a single inch. The blade barely missing his head and implanting itself within a nearby tree trunk with a ribbon connecting it and reaching from behind. He was about to turn when the ribbon became tight and he felt a sharp kick on his back that launched him directly into the aforementioned tree trunk.

Why did it always had to be the spine?

Thankfully his Aura was working correctly this time and the force of the blow was mitigated somewhat.

He pushed himself from the new hole he created with his momentum and saw the blade flying back to whomever threw it in the first place, he turned and faced the interloper who attacked him. He wasn't surprised of their identity.

The Faunus girl, and it seemed she was ready to commit murder.

"I can't let you get away you monster." Kroenen's shoulders slumped in disappointment. He didn't have time for this.

He proceeded to ignore her, consulting his scroll for the most likely locations for the Relics.

It seemed she didn't take too kindly to it.

Gunshots crackled out as the soil near Kroenen's feet flew up, it managed to acquire his attention but he recovered quickly and continued onwards.

Blake just stood there letting him go, she didn't know what to do, she's never been ignored like this before.

Yet before she could react a loud angry yell broke her train of thought. A large Ursa was launched at a nearby tree, a fiery blonde haired warrior smiled at them with a fist implanted in the dissolving Grimm.

"Hey! You're Blake right!?" The blonde's red glowing eyes dimmed and her burning hair returned to normal as she approached her with her happy go lucky grin.

"Silber? Oh aren't you a lucky one, you alone with two pretty girls! Wanna help?" Blake looked incredibly uncomfortable as Yang wrapped her arm around her neck. Kroenen standing there silently as Yang winked at him teasingly. It seemed she was unfazed by the revelation of his prior schooling.

Odd

Blake was unconfident if Yang noticed their short fight or if Kroenen would out her for attacking him.

All he did was nod.

"Great! Come on guys! We need to find the others and the relics." Yang said with gusto.

Blake stared directly at Kroenen's eyes, confusion and curiosity plaguing her mind as she tried to see the eyes behind the lenses.

'What are you up to?' She questioned to herself.

"Now onwards my fellow students! To victory!" Yang tugged the very annoyed Blake towards a random direction, Kroenen wordlessly following their lead.


"Our last pairs have been formed Headmaster an- "Ozpin looked aimlessly into the forest below, Goodwitch picked up the change in his mood. He was a lot glummer than normal.

"What's wrong Ozpin?" Ozpin took a sip from his mug. Whatever was on his mind seemed to be more interesting than the initiation.

"Merlot." He said simply without making eye contact.

"Merlot? You mean Merlot Industries? The company that was headquarted at Mountain Glenn before it was overrun?" Goodwitch said to which Ozpin inclined his head by an inch in confirmation.

"Do you know that Merlot and the Schnee Dust Company were once ardent rivals Glynda?" Goodwitch lowered the scroll she was holding, scrutinizing the Headmaster.

"Why are you suddenly bringing Merlot up?" Ozpin looked at her, a slightly worried look on his face.

"Merlot Industries were leading innovators in Grimm research, when Mountain Glenn fell the Schnee Dust Company gobbled up their assets."

"You're not making this easier for me Ozpin." Ozpin chuckled.

"That Silber Totenkopf, you saw him removing his coat. Didn't you see the Merlot sigil on the back of that strange contraption he was wearing?" Goodwitch closed her eyes momentarily in a moment to recall that memory.

"Yes. Are you saying that Totenkopf might be using dangerous technology through Schnee?"

"No, I think Mr Totenkopf IS the dangerous technology." Before Goodwitch could ask for a clarification she felt a buzz on her right hand. She looked back at her scroll.

"I think you may need to look at this Headmaster." She handed the scroll to Ozpin.

"Well it looks like things are getting interesting." Ozpin whispered as he bore witness to the set of events that were now taking place.