Chapter 27 – Behind the Black Mask
"You have to be joking. Tell me you're joking." Jaune said.
"Unfortunately I'm not joking. The SRT witnesses claimed that you were at the incident and claim that you partook in the attack."
"I wanted to stop the black beam from shooting and the only way to do that was for me to…"
"To what Jaune?"
"The only thing that I did was stop the machine. Once I had done that the SRT found me and it looked as though I was the one behind it, but I did not do it."
"Hmmm…" Burgundy looked once more over the information once more in hopes he can find a way out for Jaune.
"While you weren't in custody, the local police department found a body by the mountain area where the kingdom's water supply is located. There they found a man's body identified as Adam Taurus. Do you know anything about that?"
"…" Jaune didn't know whether he should lie that or tell the truth of what happened.
"Jaune… if you want me to help you not get sentenced to death, you need to tell me everything you know. You might even be hiding the key to your freedom and you might not even know it." Burgundy placed his hand on the boy's shoulder to avoid distressing him even further.
"Well… if it's going to help me then I have no choice, but to tell you everything."
A Month Later…
"Hiya Jaune. They haven't done anything to you in jail right?"
"You mean rub me the wrong way? No. The criminals in here are hardly a threat to me. Besides, I learned a few tricks from a couple of guys in here which I think could come in handy one day." Ruby, Ren, and Weiss visited Jaune at Mistral to see how he was doing. The people of Vale were upset when they learned that law enforcement officials had arrested their hero and transported him to Mistral to await his trial. Since the time he was arrested, many people who thought of Jaune as a hero began a movement to show their support for the black knight and protest against the law enforcement in Mistral and in Vale. It seems that Jaune's actions spread like wildfire and it only took a few weeks for this to spread to the rest of the kingdom.
"Do you know when the trial will begin?" Ren asked.
"One week from today. If all goes well, I will be a free man soon. Hey, how are things going in your side? Have you guys found Rhett yet?"
"Yang and Blake had reached the location where Rhett was last seen, but only found…a lot of dead bodies. It seems Rhett was definitely there, but had recently left." Ren said.
"What makes you think that?" Jaune asked.
"Apparently some of the bodies haven't even started decomposing yet."
"Damn. We need to find him before my trial begins. If you guys can find him before that time we could use him to our benefit. If we can get him to admit that he and Adam were the ones behind this that will guarantee my freedom."
"Don't worry Jaune. You can trust Yang and Blake to find him before that time."
"Thanks Weiss and by the way… what has Ozpin been doing?"
"We… we don't know. We haven't been able to talk to Ozpin since you were arrested."
"I see." One of the officers who were watching the four signaled them that their time was up and had to leave.
"We'll be back for you Jaune… we promise." Ruby said.
"Thanks Ruby." The visitors left the room and returned to Beacon where they awaited for Yang and Blake's return whereas Jaune returned to his cell to await Burgundy's return to discuss with him about his plan to guarantee his innocence.
The Endless Pursuit
"Are you sure this is the place Yang? Where exactly did you get your info from?"
"From a reliable source Blake. Are you really doubting me even though we found plenty of evidence that Rhett is indeed somewhere around here?"
"Well when you put it like that." Yang walked over to Blake and wrapped her arm around her head pulling her close to her chest.
"Don't be such a buzzkill. Let's just find him and head back to Beacon. I'm sure everyone is worried sick."
"Fine." Yang let go of the Faunus's head and walked towards the abandoned warehouse that was in the outskirts of Mistral.
"Careful Yang, there are a few Grimm near the entrance." Blake said, placing her hand on the handle of her katana.
"It's just two Ursi. Nothing that you and I can't handle." Yang immediately ran towards the Grimm and quickly killed off both of them with a barrage of punches and dust propelled rounds from her gauntlets. The Ursi didn't even last more than a minute and Yang didn't even break a sweat.
"Show off."
"You're just jealous." Yang said, smirking at the Faunus. The two entered inside and looked around making sure there weren't anybody still left inside. From underneath an old desk a boarbatusk came rolling at great speed toward Yang, but was immediately sliced in half by Blake who had no trouble swiftly slicing it in two.
"I saw it coming." Yang told Blake.
"Yeah… sure." The two continued to look around inside and found what seems to be a video recording of some sort inside one of the desks. The two played the video and found something so terrible that they wished they had never watched it. It was a video recording of Rhett experimenting on a boy who was somewhere around the same age as Yang and Blake. Rhett had been torturing the poor boy. The date could be seen at the top right and had time skips. It seems that the boy had been tortured for weeks.
"Subject 64 hasn't been showing any signs of increased aura or any signs of increased strength like subject 36 who released an unusual aura before he died seconds later. It seems that not every person will carry this dark aura around, however I think subject 53 was a breakthrough… but he managed to escape 2 days ago. Well… no matter, I still have others to work with so this is just a minor setback." *End of Recording*
The video would explain the dead bodies that have unusual wounds.
"This isn't a man… it's a monster. How can someone do something like this to another human?" Blake said.
"This is why we need to catch him before someone else ends up in his hands. We have to keep looking for another lead. There has to be something around here that can tell us where he will go next." This was turning into a wild goose chase for Yang. It's been a while since she began her search for Rhett with only leftovers from what he has done to other people.
"I'm going to call Sun and ask him how things are going on his end." Blake said.
"Then I'll call Ozpin and tell him that Rhett isn't here." Blake quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Sun.
"Hey Blake, have you found Rhett yet?"
"No. He isn't here. How's everything in your end?"
"Well besides the whole "We will burn down the entire area if you don't release the black knight" protest, things are going peachy. The citizens in Mistral are starting to get more aggressive by the minute with the Vale citizens. You girls better hurry up or else they'll be another disaster here." Blake ended the call and looked back at Yang hoping that she has something useful they can use to help Jaune.
"Ozpin won't answer any of the calls! Why does he continue avoiding this massive problem!?" Yang exclaimed.
"It's weird that all of a sudden he avoids going to Beacon and won't talk to us. Something is going on and it can't be good."
"I really hope you're wrong… for our sake."
"I'm sorry Ozpin, but no matter how many times you ask us… we will not acknowledge that the boy's mission was a direct request from the Government of Mistral." One of the dark figures that were on the monitor in Ozpin's office said.
"I understand the consequences, but he is my student and he shouldn't be the one responsible for this. It should be me, the one who handed him the mission. He is my responsibility." Ozpin said.
"I'm sorry Ozpin, but our decision is final. We've already made this official. Vale was never involved with the boy's mission and he is fully responsible for the incident. In order to remove any tracks, you will be removed as the headmaster of Beacon later this year and you will be assigned a different position."
"As for the boy, we have also decided that we cannot allow another kingdom know about the secrets about the Dark. We've already have someone that will dispose of the boy." The group noticed the angered look Ozpin had on his face. Usually Ozpin would be calm and collected, but the situation everyone was in made him impossible to remain calm.
"Forgive us Ozpin, but this is the only way to avoid a bigger tragedy." The video conference ended and Ozpin stood still, holding onto his mug. His arm trembled and out of frustration threw his coffee filled mug towards the elevator.
"Another mistake… that I will have to live with."
The Arc Trials
"We're live at the Kingdom's court where the trial of Jaune Arc of Vale is underway. As you can see, citizens of Vale have arrived here to find out whether their "Hero" will be found innocent. We'll talk to one of these protestors to see where they stand. Excuse me, what do you think about the situation that is currently going on?"
"I'm here to support Jaune Arc for allowing me and my family to live without having to worry about a thug who wouldn't hesitate to kill person. Since he was arrested crime rates in Vale returned to its original state. He wouldn't cause this incident here in Mistral and if anything, I would think that he was probably trying to prevent it!"
"Interesting. Why are there so many people wearing these black masks just like you? Is there some sort of meaning behind it?"
"This black mask? When people see this mask they see someone who wants a better lifestyle for every person. They see someone who doesn't want to be praised for doing something that should be expected from other people. We will stay here until he is freed!"
"You heard it here everyone, they will remain here until Jaune Arc is released and is returned home. However, what will happen if he is found guilty? We will find out when they come to a verdict."
The Second Day…
"You're honor. We already watched the video evidence of him at the crime scene as well as heard many eyewitnesses at the scene that he was the one who was at the incident during the time when the massive black beam was being released to the sky. It's obvious that he is the one behind the destruction of Mistral."
"His actions killed my son!" A person inside the room yelled.
"He is the reason why many people lost their homes!"
"He deserves death for what he has done to all of us!"
"You'll see the people you care about turn against you." Jaune kept remembering these words.
"Your honor, as you already know, Adam Taurus who was part of the White Fang terrorist group was found dead by the kingdom's water supply. You've already heard about what had happen between the two. Jaune Arc had a mission that was to stop Adam Taurus from detonating that black beam into the sky of Mistral."
"That's where you are wrong!" The prosecutor shouted.
"We already got confirmation that no such mission has never been assigned to Jaune Arc."
"WHAT!?" Jaune Arc stood up and slammed his hands on the desk.
"Where did you get that fake information from!?"
"This is straight from the Headmaster of Beacon. Are you saying that he is a liar?"
"No he's not but…" Jaune muttered.
"Why would Ozpin lie about this? What could possibly make him lie about this?"
"I have something to say." Burgundy said.
"I have proof that such a mission existed." Burgundy walked over to the Judge and gave him a file containing information that directly came from Vale's government towards Ozpin.
"This clearly shows that the mission was indeed given to Jaune Arc and his mission was to take Adam Taurus into custody." The Judge looked over the evidence and read every detail it had.
"Such a mission did exist then." The prosecutor, the judge, and even Jaune were surprised.
"That can't be right. The headmaster himself said that he never assigned a mission to Jaune that involved him coming here to Mistral."
"The mission wasn't assigned by the Headmaster of Beacon, but the Government of Vale." The Judge stated.
"Wait a minute…the government of Vale? Ozpin never mentioned anything about it being a request from the government itself. This is bad! This is really bad! We're already in bad terms with Mistral. This would seriously cause even bigger tension between the kingdoms. Damn it! Why didn't Burgundy tell me about this before!?"
"These files seems to be authentic, however this cannot be discussed with the public. Today will be cut short and we will schedule the next hearing a different date." The court was dismissed and Jaune could only think about the repercussions that will follow. Jaune returned to the jail he was originally kept and waited for Burgundy's return. He sat on a chair and looked at the television that was outside of his cell.
"It seems it ended abruptly, however we did get some information that the student Jaune Arc was on a mission here at Mistral at the time. We have not heard what exactly the mission was about, but we will bring you any information we can gather about the whole situation going on here." It seems that the media were already told about the stuff that had happened inside. Jaune sat down on his bed and waited for Burgundy's return which did not take long. An officer pulled Jaune out of the cell and led him towards a room where Burgundy was waiting. The officer left the room and the room was now quiet. Only the two were inside.
"This place is really empty as of late. Maybe it has to do with the people protesting to have you released." Burgundy said. Jaune slammed his hands on the desk irritated at what Burgundy had done.
"Why couldn't you tell me about this plan of yours earlier!?"
"What do you mean Mr. Arc?"
"I'm talking about getting files which I think is confidential by the way! Why didn't you tell me about getting that information!? Do you have any idea what you have done!?"
"W-well yes of course. By doing this it will guarantee that you will be found innocent."
"That's not it!"
"What do you mean? Why are you so upset?"
"You gave them information about my mission here at Mistral. If you had told me about this sooner I would have told you the consequences of releasing that information here!"
"What consequences are you talking about?"
"If they government finds out that it was a mission that was sent by the government of Vale, it would place the problem on the kingdom and if that happens, that would make Vale responsible for my failure! This means that not only will they put the blame on Vale, but they will also make the kingdom pay for the damages and maybe do something worse!
"I-I didn't kn…"
"This mission was confidential! I told you that no one in Mistral new my true intentions there! Mistral will not let this go by without some sort of compensation. I highly doubt that the government will even do that and there could be a huge possibility that Mistral will do something drastic."
"I'm sorry. I… I never thought about that. I only wanted to make sure that you wouldn't get imprisoned or killed." Jaune tried to calm himself down but it seemed impossible for him.
"It… it's not your fault. You only tried to help. It's my fault that all of this happened. Had I been stronger… had I focused all of my attention to Adam, I would have stopped this from happening."
"You can't blame yourself for this. You're only human and a human can only do so much. You can't carry everything on your back Mr. Arc. That's why you have friends that will help you carry some of it for you." Before Jaune could respond, the same officer entered the room.
"Time's up. Time to get back to the cell."
"I just started talking to him about his case. We still have plenty of time to…" Burgundy was cut off by the officer.
"Your time is up. Now you're going to follow me to your cell or else you'll have a bad time." Jaune had no choice but to listen to the officer, but before the man could take him out of the room, Jaune noticed a man's body lying on the floor with his uniform stripped from his bloody body. It was the same officer that took him to the room and it was the same officer taking him out. The officer noticed this and before he could pull out something from his utility belt, Jaune had kicked him away.
"Mr. Arc! What was that for!?" Burgundy yelled.
"That's not an officer!" Jaune quickly ran towards the fake officer and tackled him to the ground. Jaune was struggling to subdue the man, but with him having handcuffs that suppressed his aura and nullified his semblance made it complicated for him to retaliate. The officer kicked Jaune off of him and pulled out a knife.
"Who the hell are you?" Jaune asked.
"Someone you'll soon forget." The man rushed towards Jaune, lunging his knife towards Jaune to which he responded by wrapping the handcuff's chain around his hand to prevent him from slashing wildly.
"Burgundy!" Jaune yelled. Burgundy ran towards the two and jumped on the imposter in hopes to stop him from hurting Jaune. The imposter however managed to untangle himself out of Jaune's handcuffs and punch Jaune directly at his abdomen. Jaune was sent soaring towards the cell behind him.
Jaune quickly got back on his feet and positioned his arms in way that would make the imposter cut through the handcuffs in order for Jaune to regain his power and the plan worked. The imposter sliced through the chain and Jaune's semblance and aura returned to him.
"Jaune! Leave the place and find out where the files went!" Burgundy yelled.
"Wait… what?"
"I will stop that imposter here and try to use that time to escape and prevent the information from being revealed! I will take responsibility for what I caused, but I can't allow something like that to cause a bigger problem to everyone."
"If you do that then… then you'll become a criminal. They'll find out that you let me escape!"
"Do not worry about me. This will atone for all the mistakes I have ever done in life. Please on behalf of the people of Mistral, get those files!" Jaune didn't want to leave Burgundy alone with a guy that seems to have skills of that of a huntsman, but Jaune had no other choice. Jaune ran towards the closest window and broke through it whereas Burgundy got in the imposter's way and prevented him from chasing after Jaune.
"You are going to regret that fat man."
"Young man… you're going to be the one who is going to regret coming here." Burgundy placed his hand behind his back as if he was going to pull out a sword, but a sword was not seen when he arrived into the structure. Gusts of wind took shape of a greatsword that would surprise any person who were to witness this moment.
"What in the world is that?"
"This friend… this is your demise. I Burgundy of Mistral have a promise to keep and I am willing to take this promise all the way to my grave with you in it."
The Vanquisher's Returns
"The files that were given to the Judge, where are they!?" Jaune asked a woman who was working at the time of Jaune's trial.
"Sorry sir, that information isn't for the public to… wait… you're…" Jaune grabbed the woman by her shirt and lifted her up.
"Tell me where the files are at now!"
"The files are kept in the archives just around the corner. It's under the first letter of your name!" Jaune rushed to the room where the files were kept and looked through all the files that were under the letter J.
"Hold it right there! Don't make any movement or we will shoot you!" Three officers rushed to Jaune after hearing all the yelling. They aimed their guns carefully towards Jaune to prevent anyone from being harmed.
"If you value your lives… I highly suggest you leave now." Jaune said, staring down the three officers.
"GET ON THE FLOOR NOW! WE WILL SHOOT!"
"I warned you." Jaune rushed towards the three officers that started shooting at his direction. Jaune redirected every round using his polarity and kicked the first officer he managed to get close to. Jaune swiftly turned next to him to disarm the next officer and kick him off his feet causing the officer to fall down. Jaune shot multiple rounds on the fallen officer and at the same time was redirecting the rounds heading towards him from the 3rd officer. Jaune grabbed the last officer's hand and pulled it towards him and punched the officer directly at his face and slammed him down on the ground.
"Now where was I?" Jaune continued to look through the files and finally found it. He quickly grabbed it and ran out the structure before law enforcement arrived.
"Now where the hell should I go?" Jaune ran towards a nearby alley and stopped to think what he was going to do next. Where could he go? He was a wanted man who was now being sought in two kingdoms and the other 2 kingdoms could possibly be after him as well. He couldn't return to Beacon, he couldn't remain here in Mistral. He can't go out in public without getting chased by the law. Jaune took a few minutes to think, but before he could come up with a solution, a sharp pain was felt in his back. Someone had snuck up on Jaune and stabbed him without giving off a sound. A hand was placed over Jaune's mouth to prevent him from yelling in pain. The stranger removed the knife from Jaune's back and turned Jaune around and proceeded to stab Jaune again, this time however, it was directly at his chest nearly hitting Jaune's heart. Blood poured out of Jaune's mouth and through the gaps of the stranger's hand. Jaune focused at the person's face that was somewhat blurry. It was a woman with lush brown hair. Jaune collapsed to the floor and could not move any parts of his body. The knife that remained lodged in his chest paralyzed his entire body.
"Why couldn't I sense her? Why didn't my aura stop the knife?" Jaune started to lose his vision and pass out from the blood loss. The woman walked towards Jaune and was about to deliver the final blow, but from rooftop dropped a short girl that used her umbrella to land safely on to the woman to prevent her from killing Jaune. She kicked the woman away from the knight and pointed her umbrella towards the mysterious woman who attacked Jaune.
"Neo?" Jaune coughed more blood and needed medical attention quickly before he bleeds out. Another two individuals appeared behind Jaune, but Jaune could not tell who the other two were. It was too blurry for Jaune to make out who it was that was approaching him, but one of the individuals kneeled and removed the blade that was lodged in Jaune's chest.
"Are you sure that won't kill him kid?" That voice was too familiar to Jaune. It was none other than Torchwick.
"I'm sure. Jaune has plenty of aura to heal these kinds of wounds. It would take a lot more than a few stab wounds to take him out. It was the knife that was preventing him from healing himself."
"That voice… why is that voice very familiar."
"Neo, would you be so kind and take out that bothersome woman?" Torchwick said. Neo smiled and was more than happy to do that for him. Jay stood up and walked over next to Neo who had a puzzled look on her face.
"You're not 100% yet kid. I think it would benefit us all if you stay out of this."
"I may not be my old self, but the person we are facing isn't your ordinary Huntress. It's going to take the two of us to stop her. Torchwick it would be best if you take Jaune with you and leave her to Neo and me."
"Jay… you have been missing for more than a year now and we have a lot of questions we want to ask you. However, I have a job to do and you are currently in the way."
"So… you were hired to assassinate Jaune? Who contracted you to kill him?"
"I'm under no obligations to answer your foolish question. If you don't move out the way, I'll be forced to kill you. You know that."
"Well then… it looks like you'll have to try to kill me." Jay and Neo readied their choice of weapons. Unlike Neo who only needed her umbrella, Jay had an arsenal of weapons. Jay carried two sawed off shotguns, smoke grenades, and his dual colt m1911a1.
"A fellow Vanquisher that is relying too heavily on weapons? It's insulting having to look at you."
"Neo… her semblance causes our semblance to be rendered useless, but the flaw in her semblance is that she can only use it when she is directly looking at you. Remember that."
"Jay… how are you…"
"I'll answer all of your questions later. Right now we have to find out who sent her to come kill you." Neo started her attack and rushed towards the brunette with her umbrella in her hand. The brunette swung her fist towards the short Neapolitan girl, but completely missed. Neo had used her handle to redirect the punch causing the brunette to fall forward. Neo smiled at the woman, obviously mocking her for her failed attempt. The brunette rushed towards Neo again, this time however she did not underestimate Neo's fighting ability. She swung her fists left and right only to get the redirected elsewhere, but when Neo tried doing the same trick again the brunette grabbed the handle of the umbrella and pulled it in order to get the mute girl close to land the powerful hit, but before the punch could land Jay had shot multiple rounds towards the brunette landing a few hits on her. She stepped away from the two to figure out a way to get close to one of them without having the other to come and aid. She used her aura to speed up not only her movement, but her strength as well. She rushed towards Jay who knew what she would do next and managed to grab hold of her fist before it could strike him right at his face.
"I see you're not as strong as you were." The brunette whispered to him. With all her strength she managed to push through and land the hit and send Jay sliding away from Neo. Neo caught off guard barely managed to avoid several swings of the skilled fighter. Although she was avoiding each swing she did not find a perfect time to strike back. Neo flipped away from the cqc expert and listened to Jay who had a plan.
"Listen Neo… I have a plan."
"Plan all you want because no matter how you execute it, it's going to be pointless."
"Got it Neo?" Jay asked. Neo had a huge grin on her face which made the brunette slightly uncomfortable. Neo and Jay rushed towards the brunette at the same and kicked and punched simultaneously several times, but were stopped by the Vanquisher with ease. With her left arm, the Vanquisher pushed Neo's leg away and with her right hand that held Jay's fist pulled him towards her and grabbed him by the neck. She picked him up and slammed him to the ground making the floor vibrate and crumble. Neo rushed towards the brunette in a flipping motion and jumped over the woman and swung her umbrella towards her. The woman ducked at the attack and kicked Neo on the chin sending her flying away. Jay got up and aura jumped towards the brunette with his fist in front of him. She stepped to the side and grabbed Jay by the arm and swung him towards Neo. Neo rolled away from Jay and flipped towards the woman to make it difficult to predict how Neo intends to attack her. The woman aimed her fist to the side, but Neo avoided the attack and managed to get on top of the woman and grab her by the hair and bring her down to the ground. Neo swung her umbrella towards the woman, but again the woman anticipated this and grabbed the handle and pulled Neo towards intending to use all her strength to break Neo's face.
"Let's see you smile after this!" Neo's smile turned to a grin which caught the woman's eye.
"What's with that grin?" The woman wondered. When Neo moved her head she then noticed Jay coming behind Neo with his two sawed off shotgun aimed at her.
"Idiot, the shot will scatter and hit us both. He wouldn't shoot the both of us." When the brunette looked back at Neo she was already gone. Neo had teleported away when she took her eyes off of her and looked at Jay who was rushing towards the two.
"I'll just move to the…" That's when she noticed that Neo was behind her with a blade drawn out of her umbrella and aiming it towards her. There was no way to avoid any of the attacks.
"Shit!" Jay's reflection could be seen through the woman's caramel eyes and the bright light of the shotgun's barrel shined in front of her. In a brief moment, the blast had sent her soaring towards Neo's blade which penetrated through the remaining aura the woman had. She was now unable to continue fighting. The blade was embedded inside the woman's lower back. Neo's grin remained on her face as she pulled the blade out of the woman and wiped the blood using the girl's clothing.
"Now you're going to tell us who hired you Cara." Before she could answer, officers surrounded the alley and had the three cornered.
"Cops. Neo." Neo smiled and used her semblance to teleport the three out of the alley and to safety.
"What the hell!? They disappeared?"
"Everyone lock this entire area down. I don't want anyone leaving from a 5 block radius!"
Foreshadowing
"Officers say at least two bodies were found inside and Jaune Arc who was in custody, escaped and currently on the loose."
"What… where am I?" Jaune woke up from an old green sofa that looked somewhat worn out. He looked across from him and noticed Neo watching the news and drinking from a glass cup. Jaune attempted to get up, but still felt in pain from the stab wounds he had gotten from Cara. Although the pain he was feeling would have kept any other from getting up, he pushed through it and managed to get on his two feet. Neo noticed the sounds of footsteps and turned to see Jaune slowly limping his way towards her. She smiled at the knight and got up from her seat and lent him her umbrella to use as a cane.
"Thanks Neo. Do you know where Jay and Torchwick are at?" Neo pointed down and Jaune was confused. She noticed this and stomped her foot several times.
"What do you want Neo?" Torchwick said, underneath the floor.
"Oh ok. Thanks." Jaune looked around for the set of stairs that led down, but could not find it. Neo grabbed Jaune by the arm and decided to lead him to Torchwick rather than have him stumble around and get himself lost. As they walk down the steps, Neo decided to mimic Jaune and act as a crippled man using a cane down the stairs. Neo smiled and laughed and Jaune could only ignore what she was doing.
"Ha ha… that's really funny. I didn't know Torchwick hired a mime as his bodyguard." Neo laughed at the response and wiped of the tear she had next to her eye. After an excruciating time walking down the steps, Jaune was able to meet Jay who was sitting down with his earphones on. Jaune walked towards Jay and ripped out the earphones out of his ear.
"Dammit Neo I was listening to…" Jay turned and noticed it was Jaune who had pulled the earphones.
"Oh… Jaune. How are you feeling?"
"How am I feeling? That's not important right now. How in the hell are you still alive?" Neo noticed where this was going and teleported away from the two.
"It's a long story and isn't important right now."
"Not important? Jay we saw you die in that explosion. Everyone was devastated especially Yang who by the way is currently spending most of her time catching Rhett."
"I know…"
"You know? Are you saying that you nev…" Jaune was interrupted by Neo who teleported back to them with a bucket of Neapolitan ice cream. The two looked at the girl who gestured them to carry on with their conversation.
"You know what we have been going through and you never decided to tell us that you were still alive? Why?"
"There has been someone who has been watching everyone at Beacon for months now. If I had revealed myself to any of you… she would also notice me."
"Who has been watching us?"
"A woman. She carries a mask similar to the followers of the White Fang and for some reason never tries to harm any of you. Neo says that she had seen her once during the train incident. She saved Yang before Neo could kill her which by the way…" Jay looked towards Neo who had a spoon in her mouth.
"I had recently learned." Neo rolled her eyes and continued scooping away at the ice cream bucket.
"Wait… I think I know who you are talking about. I've seen her face before. She looked like Yang when I first saw her."
"Where did you see her."
"I… I had left to a forest to find help."
"Help? What kind of help?"
"Well… my dark aura had been acting up since the incident in Mistral. I had apparently consumed too much dark aura and it was overpowering me."
"Well how did you fix it?"
"I met a group of people who had known about the dark for centuries. They had some sort of Mausoleum that led me to what they called the abyss. It was a different world or dimension that was entirely different from ours. I met a woman in there who had the same powers and she healed me."
"Healed you? How could you allow someone like that to heal you? You don't know her and she doesn't know you. What's to say she didn't do something to you?"
"That's the thing. She said that she has been watching me. I don't know when, but it's almost like she has been expecting me."
"So that masked woman is working with her? I don't know Jaune, but this sounds very dangerous. Why didn't you take her out when you had the chance?"
"It's not that wanted to… I couldn't. I could sense how much aura she possessed and it was something that I alone couldn't handle."
"Well did she say anything?"
"Well, she said that…"
"What did she say Jaune?"
"She said that I would return one day. I don't know what she meant by that, but that isn't going to happen I assure you." Jay took a moment to think of all the possibilities that could be going on with the masked woman.
"We'll figure that out later. There's some information that I need to get first." Jay walked away from Jaune and headed towards a door that was across the bedroom.
"Wait! You haven't told me how you made it out alive!" Jaune felt a sharp pain from the wound where he was stabbed.
"You're aura is still healing your wounds. The knife that Cara used is a special knife that can puncture through a person's aura. Unlike other knives, once it pierces through your skin it makes it difficult for your aura to heal it. You'll be fully recovered in a few days." Jay entered the room and Jaune was all alone with Neo.
"Well I guess I have no choice, but to stay here for a while. Hey Neo, when did Jay make contact with you and Torchwick?" Neo took a second to remember and kept 2 fingers up.
"Two months ago?" Neo nodded in agreement and continued eating her tub of ice cream.
"Did he ever tell you anything about why he went missing?" Neo shook her head. She pulled out her scroll and decided to make things simpler for Jaune. She typed out what had happened when Jay had returned after being missing for more than half a year.
"When he returned, he hardly talked. He didn't want to talk about what had happened to him and told us that he didn't want your team to know where he was. He said that if we did mutter a single word he would kill us in an instant. Of course I laughed at his comment because he wouldn't be able to do squat in the state he was in."
"In the state he was in? What do you mean? Was something wrong with him?" Neo started typing again in the scroll and showed her response to Jaune.
"You noticed how his body seems skinnier and less packed with muscle?"
"Yeah I kind of noticed that. He did seem to have lost quite of bit of strength which is weird. Jay isn't the type of person who would stop training for long periods of time."
"Well when he found us he was much worse than that. It seemed as though he had been starving himself for a long time. I tried to ask him why he was like that, but every time I brought it up he would just get angry and storm out."
"Much worse? What the hell happened all those months ago?"
As the day turned to night everyone went to their rooms to sleep. Jay and Jaune on the other hand were still wide awake and were outside in the cold air discussing the few things Jay had learned from Cara after Torchwick had interrogated her.
"You don't have to kill her you know? Isn't she like a family member or something? She is a Vanquisher like you."
"A Vanquisher like me. That name isn't something to be proud of having."
"Why is that?"
"That line of family has turned into something that would make my ancestors sick to their stomach." Jay lied down on the floor and let out a huge yawn.
"I wonder how my life would be like had I never received this power. Maybe I would have been in school right now sleeping like a baby or maybe I would visit my home and get a nice warm home cooked meal."
"So you're homesick?"
"Some old memories had been stuck in my head and I always thought of returning home one day."
"Jaune… you do know you can never return to that normal life you once had right? No matter what you do that normal life of going to school, being with your friends and family, and not worrying about being chased will never return to you." Jaune let out a huge sigh and looked at the cloudy sky.
"Even so, there could be a day when I can settle down and not have to worry about fighting anyone anymore and to be honest, that's something that I can look forward to."
"Maybe, but the possibility of that happen is close to zero."
"So it was Vale's government that had given that mission to Ozpin to give to me. Why am I not surprised?"
"By denying that they were the ones who sent you to Mistral they saved the kingdom from having to pay or become responsible for most of the destruction of Mistral."
"Yeah, but there's something that I still don't understand. Why would they send someone to assassinate me? What would that accomplish?"
"If I had to guess, it would be to prevent the kingdom from using your dark aura. This is something that the other kingdoms still haven't found out about yet. Let alone be able to use it."
"Even so, I still can't deny that it hurts having your own kingdom send someone to kill you. Even after what I went through to assure that something dangerous would not rise. I mean, I stopped Cinder and I killed Adam. You would think they would be grateful for these things, but all I managed to get out of it is my close friends getting hurt and nearly killed. I had to fight Pyrrha again because of that… that monster. The more I think about it, the more it gets me angry." Jaune clenched his fist and his dark aura slowly released from his body.
"Well what do you plan to do?"
"I… I don't know." Jaune looked at his reflection through the window of the house.
"When I look at a mirror, I see someone who has been through places that many people have never been in. I have doubted myself time after time and never relied on anyone but myself. Although I killed the people who were a threat, it seems that it did absolutely nothing to preserve some peace in the world. The more time passes, the more trouble I go through, it seems more clear to me that… I'm the real threat."
"Don't be ridiculous." Jaune looked back at Jay who was lying on his back.
"The stronger a person gets, the more threatening they look to everyone else... even himself. That's what changes the person in power. Whether they use it for good or evil is up to the person to decide how he or she wants to use it for. You can use it to help others or help yourself, but in the end you'll just end up hurting yourself or everyone else."
"What do you mean by that?"
"If you choose to serve the people, you are pretty much acting as a slave that provides their needs. That will end up killing you slowly from the inside and no matter how much you believe that you are doing good, you can't guarantee that they will do the same. But you Jaune, you have the ability to speak to others and influence them by the sound of your voice. You are a true leader, one who has seen how bloody this world can truly be. You want what's best for everyone else and many people can already see it. The people of Vale followed you all the way to Mistral in hopes that their actions could free you."
"You really think that I could be someone that everyone could look up to?"
"Well it's hard to say now, but the only other person who is capable of doing that would be Ruby, but she sees things much differently than you. She needs to learn that you can't simply believe that things can be fixed by simply talking. Action is required even if it means having to kill someone for the greater good. That is what we Vanquisher's tend to believe in."
"Ruby huh?"
"Anyways, let's get back inside. Tomorrow is a brand new day with the same old problems." The two returned inside and headed to their rooms. Jaune lied down on his bed and continued thinking about what Jay had said about him or Ruby being able to lead the people, unite all the kingdoms.
"That would never happen. After everything that has happened, I'm not fit to be someone that everyone can look up to or even lead."
Appreciation
As the morning approached, Jaune felt the need to do something in return for the others who saved him from potential death. He decided to make breakfast for them as a sign of appreciation. He entered the kitchen and noticed that Neo had already been awake and was about to make breakfast herself. He noticed that she was having a hard time trying to get the box of cereal from the kitchen shelf. Jaune walked over to her and grabbed the box and handed it to her. She crossed her arms in defeat and looked the other way, obviously upset that he grabbed it for her.
"Oh come on. You and I both know you would have never gotten it unless you had hopped on the counter." Neo still didn't turn herself around and allowed him to hand her the box.
"Well if you aren't going to use this I'll just go ahead and place it back." Jaune went ahead and grabbed a few pans for him to use and walked towards the oven. Neo not noticing this continued her struggle to grab the box without jumping on the kitchen counter.
"Now what should I make? I guess I should just do eggs and bacon." Jaune grabbed some eggs and some bacon in the fridge and started making breakfast. Neo turned to see what Jaune was making and was surprised that he was actually making food for everyone in the home. She stopped her pursuit for the cereal box and approached him. She looked amazed at what Jaune was making and he took notice of this.
"Something tells me you or Torchwick have never tried making food." Neo shook her head and continued to look at him as he continued making food.
"Well this isn't everything I can make. My older sisters enjoyed cooking and taught me how to do it as well. To be honest, this is child's play compared to what I had to make when my sisters weren't home." Neo became even more amazed knowing that he can cook other things as well. She drooled at the smell and sight of the food nearly being done and she couldn't wait to eat.
"While I start serving the food, you should go wake Torchwick and Jay up. I'm sure they're going to want to eat." Neo nodded her head and teleported to Torchwick's room where she found him still sleeping soundly on his bed. He shook the man violently, but wasn't fazed by it.
"5 more minutes Neo. Running an illegal business takes a lot of energy out of you." Neo became upset and teleported to the kitchen again and grabbed a bucket that was lying on the floor. She placed it on the sink and started pouring water into it. Jaune looked and already knew Neo was up to no good.
"I'm glad I'm not the one who is still asleep." Neo teleported back to Torchwick's room and threw the bucket filled with water onto Torchwick to which he screamed and looked at the person who did it.
"NEO!" She teleported away outside of Jay's room and entered inside. To her surprise, Jay was already awake and putting on his shirt. Before he could put his shirt on, she noticed a weird mark on his back right below his shoulder.
"You should really learn how to knock Neo." Jay said. She rolled her eyes and signaled him that food was ready by moving her hand as if she was eating something. He quickly understood what she was trying to say and simply told her that he will be there in a minute. She smiled and rushed back to Jaune to see if everything was prepared. She made it to the table and sat on her seat where she was about to start eating, but was quickly stopped by Jaune.
"Wait for the others." Neo put on a depressed look which Jaune did not fall for.
"That's not going to work on me Neo. Ruby has tried that various times and not once did I fall for it." She placed her elbow on to the table and rested her head on it as she waited for Torchwick and Jay.
"What's that wonderful smell? Kid, don't tell me you made this for all of us."
"Well, you guys did save me and the only way to repay you at the moment was to make all of you breakfast."
"Just so you know kid, a ruthless criminal like myself doesn't need someone else to make food for them."
"Yeah… whatever. Just sit down."
"Hm. You actually made food for them Jaune?" Jay asked as he approached to the table.
"Hey! We deserve it. Our services doesn't come cheap you know?"
"Yeah I'm sure it doesn't." Jay took his seat and everyone was now seated to eat. Neo quickly started serving herself the delicious warm food that she had been waiting for. When everyone else was already eating, Jaune took the time to place his hands together and pray before he ate. Jay took notice this and decided to do the same.
"You're actually praying? Listen kid *munch* *munch* in all my time of being a criminal, there is no such thing as a higher being."
"Well you might think that, but I do believe there is someone who is watching over us whether we see it or not." Jaune said. Jay looked at Jaune and looked at Jaune and lowered his head. He released his hands and placed one of them on his fork.
"Well something tells me that God wants us to enjoy this breakfast that Jaune made. Thanks for the food."
"Don't mention it Jay." The four enjoyed the eggs and bacon that was more delicious than what they served in most restaurants around them. Jay turned on the T.V and turned it to the news.
"The search is still underway here at Mistral, where Jaune Arc of Vale had escaped. Officials say that there are two confirmed deaths at the jail where Jaune Arc was being held. Authorities have still not released the names of the two victims, but we will be sure to tell you when they become available to the public."
"I really hope Burgundy wasn't one of them."
The Plan
"It's been nearly a year since Jaune had escaped and we haven't heard anything from him. Do you think something bad happened to him?" Weiss asked Blake.
"I don't think so. We all know that Jaune can take care of himself. The only thing we can do is hope that he returns one day. I can't see the reason why he wouldn't return." Blake responded. Ruby was lying on her bed worried about what could have happened to Jaune. The same thought ran through her head and it was the words that Jaune had told her when he didn't have control over his body and mind. The words he said about working so hard to achieve his goal and yet whatever he does it seems that it doesn't help one bit. With the things that have been going on with Jaune, she couldn't stop herself from thinking that what he said was true.
"Ruby!" Weiss yelled.
"What what's going on?"
"I kept saying your name three times now. What's on your mind?"
"Nothing. I'm sure Jaune is fine and is probably having fun somewhere."
"Anyways, where's your sister? It's already late and we have a big day tomorrow. We picked up a mission outside of Vale and it's going to be a long trip till we get there."
"She said that she was going outside for some air. She will be back soon."
"Well she better be in good shape because renting a 4 room apartment doesn't come cheap."
Yang walked into the forest where someone was waiting for her by a tree. She looked behind her making sure no one had followed her here.
"Do you have any good news mom?"
"I still haven't found you're friend's location, but I must warn you, he is someone to be careful with. Something tells me that he isn't the same person you met when you arrived to Beacon."
"You keep telling me that mom, but I'm sure he is still the same goofy guy. I mean, sure he lost his teammate and has gone through a lot, but I'm sure he wouldn't turn on his friends. Right?"
" When you last saw him, he was a completely different person correct? You two were in bad terms last time you told me."
"Well, it's complicated. I was still not over Jay, but I'm fine now." Raven walked over to Yang and wrapped her arms around her.
"Tough just like your mother." Yang laughed at her mother's comment.
"Thanks mom."
"Well I better get going now. I have some things to do elsewhere and it can't wait. Take care of yourself and your sister."
"I will mom. Don't worry about it." Raven slashed through the air and created a red portal to teleport out of the vicinity.
"And Yang,"
"Yeah?"
"If I were you… I would forget about both of them. Your friends can't come to terms that he will not return, but if he does… it won't be good." Raven entered the portal and disappeared.
"Easier said than done."
For about a year Jaune made no communication with anyone he knew. Ren, Nora, Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Yang had already graduated from Beacon and were already accepting various missions of different types. Killing Grimm infested areas around the kingdom, capturing criminals that were on the loose, and working their own solo missions from time to time. Ren and Nora although teaming up with people stayed connected with Team RWBY. They lived from the opposite side of the kingdom where it was always warm and sunny. As time digressed, they slowly stopped talking to one another. Ozpin retired from teaching at Beacon and lived in a cabin located inside the grand forest of Vale. Although relaxing it may sound, he still maintained communication with the government and school. There was an incident where the one of the government officials was murdered and they claimed it to be the doing of a well-known criminal that everyone in Remnant knew. It was Jaune Arc who was blamed for the murder. However Ruby and the others did not believe for a second that he had done it. That was a month ago and although Jaune was blamed, Mistral had not forgotten the things he had done to them and continued to think that Vale had something to do with his escape and the destruction of Mistral. The civilians of both sides could clearly see the problems arising from the two and war seemed likely to happen soon if something isn't done that would clear Vale from suspicion. Jaune knew there was only one way to clear Vale from suspicion and he would have to do it as soon as possible. His life was already ruined the moment he had unlocked his dark aura.
*Knock* *Knock* Ozpin opened the door and was immediately shocked to see who was in his doorstep.
"Jaune?"
"We need to talk Ozpin." The two sat down and discussed what Jaune had done this past year and what he planned to do in order to remove Vale from all suspicion regarding the attack and his escape.
"I can't guarantee that this will be enough to clear the government's suspicion, but it's the only thing that is left to do. I didn't want it to come to this, but all the mistakes that I have done, the lives I have taken led to this. You and I already know that the future that lies before me is a place that no one should have. What I'm going to do is go to Beacon and… begin the massacre."
"Are you insane!? I can't allow you to do that! You're talking about killing innocent students who have a bright future ahead of them!"
"Would you rather have them be involved in a war where all they will see are their friends dying before their eyes? There's no other way to prevent this and if there was… I would have done it already. I already killed one of the government officials that assigned you the mission. If I were to kill the others this kingdom would destabilize and I don't want to think about what Mistral would do. This is the only way Ozpin."
"I already told you that I will not let that happen. You can forget about doing that because I'm not going to allow it to happen." Jaune walked towards the window and looked outside where the sun shined through the trees.
"Salem told me what you did to her a long time ago."
"H-how do you know about Salem?"
"You continue to keep secrets behind my back and here I am still forgiving you. Unlike me Ozpin, Salem intends to make you feel the same pain she had endured when all the people she trusted turned against her."
"It's because…"
"There is someone who is helping her in the outside. After I'm done at Beacon… I'm going to kill Salem and her follower myself and when I do… I'll become what this world needs and she has the tools I need to do it." Jaune walked away from the retired professor and exited the cabin. Ozpin couldn't move his legs, arms, or even his mouth. The way Jaune changed frightened the man to the point of feeling as though his time with him lasted for hours. It's almost as if he was seeing Salem again in front of him.
"Ozpin…" Jaune said, standing outside and looking back at him.
"The choice is yours, would you rather having thousands of lives be taken away because of the war I started or would you rather have the few lives sacrifice themselves to preserve what peace we still have. I've been walking through this world finding sadness and despair at each corner. Although there is some light I still believe that things can change if someone is willing to do it, even if it means doing it yourself."
"What… what do you intend to do Jaune?" Ozpin asked.
"I intend to become the world's enemy. My life and the family line had already tarnished by my actions. When people think of an Arc in the future, it will be me who they will remember as the one who caused everyone problems and spread fear throughout remnant. I will be the one that all the kingdoms will put their focus on rather than each other and when it does, the people will not have to worry about fighting each other. I've made more mistakes that anyone has ever done in their entire life and I will have to live with that my entire life. Well, I guess what time I have left. One week from now, that's when I will do it. Think carefully before you decide what to do." Jaune disappeared into the forest and left Ozpin to wonder what he should do.
"I've wanted to lead you to a different path to follow and it seems no matter how hard I try, the results stay the same. I can't let you do this Jaune, not after what you have been through."
The Red Shattered Night
"Jaune are you sure you want to do this? This is something that is a whole different level. If you go along with this, there is definitely no future for you to witness. Everything you once remembered, your ideals that you believed in, all of that will be thrown out the window. Everyone will see you as an enemy and no matter what you do you will never be able to take that back. You will need to live with that burden your entire life." Jay said. Jaune looked at the night sky which held a red shattered moon. It's the same moon that he saw when Pyrrha died on his hands.
"Jay… do you remember this? The night sky and the shattered red moon?"
"It's just like that day isn't it? The day we ourselves died?"
"Just by looking at it makes me want to regret my decision, but I know there is no other way to stop this from happening."
"This is to save thousands of lives Jaune. Remember that." The two walked towards the school where their mission was at and it seemed that they walked through this forest for years. Jaune could see the images of the White fang soldier's bodies lying around the trees where he had lost consciousness. Jay could see himself running through the forest trying desperately to reach the school to save his teammates. The two reached the front of the school where the statue was at. Jaune took some time to look at it and swiftly sliced the statue in two.
"Ready?"
"…Yeah."
Jaune's dark aura surfaced and created his armor and mask. Jay pulled out a black mask that many of Jaune's once followers used to carry around. They both entered inside and scanned the area for anyone who might still be awake and noticed no one was nearby.
"I'll take the right and you…" Jay was cut off by Jaune's arm that prevented him from moving on ahead.
"Although I haven't seen you for a while now, I can still sense your aura and it's still the same it was when we first met." From the top right of the steps appeared Yang and Blake. From the top left appeared Ruby and Weiss. From the bottom appeared Qrow and Winter and from behind appeared Ozpin and Ren.
"Jaune…" Ruby said. Jaune looked at all the huntsmen and huntresses that surround him and Jay. He looked at how much each of them had changed since he last saw them.
"You've all changed." Jaune removed his mask and threw it across the room.
"Especially you Ruby."
"Why are you doing this!? Why are you going so far as to kill innocent lives!?" Ruby yelled.
"Don't bother Ruby, he's just another monster that's no different than Rhett and Cinder." Yang said.
"I never thought that you would end up like this Jaune." Qrow said.
"Of all the people you could have sent to stop me Ozpin, you send my old friends?"
"Jaune? Is this what you really want?" Ren asked.
"What happen to Nora Ren? I would think that she would come too."
"I didn't tell her about this. It's better for her not to see what you've become."
"What I've become?"
"Jaune… put the sword down. We can talk about th…" Ozpin could not finish his sentence.
"Shut up! I don't want to talk to you! You of all people decided to send them after me! My own friends who I care about! I never expected you of all people to do this Ozpin! No wait… you're the same person who did this to Salem so I should be ashamed to believe that you wouldn't do the same to me!"
"Jaune I…"
"You know what… I've already decided what I planned on doing. It doesn't matter who stands in my way anymore. No matter who it is… I will cut him or her down if it means saving the majority!"
"Saving the majority?" Most of the people inside muttered. Jaune's aura glowed and had his sword drawn and ready to attack. Everyone prepared for the impending attack and drew their weapons as well.
"Jaune! I'm going to save you whether you like it or not!" Ruby yelled.
"Ruby…"
"You wanted to become a hero that could save the kingdoms and although you changed, I know that dream is still inside you. I'm not going to rest until you realize that there is a way to achieve that without harming innocent lives! I promise to save you without having to kill you!" Jaune smiled and it slowly turned to a small laughter that could be heard.
"What's so funny?" Qrow asked.
"I can't wait to see the look of despair on her face when she realizes… that the dream of ours… the promise she made… is impossible to achieve." The dark aura started to hurl around Jaune intensely to the point where everyone in the school can feel the dark emotions that comes along with it.
"If you think all of you can stop us… you're sadly mistaken!"
Alright time to apologize to the people who waited for the chapter, but look at the bright side... it's longer and I didn't stop completely. Well anyways thanks for reading this chapter again, I know the chapter isn't as good as the others, but the upcoming chapters are definitely something that I can excel in. Hopefully. Also I would like to add that I decided to change my mind about giving you a choice in the future. I think it would make things much simpler for me and probably make things much clearer. Well thanks for waiting for this chapter and I will see you at the bottom of the hill when the next chapter comes around and everyone gets to witness their favorite character in all their glory whether it be good or bad!
Next Chapter will be called Malevolent Eyes
See you next time!