A/N: More of an interlude chapter than anything else, but still worth existing for its additions to the plot and world development, in my eyes.
I DO NOT OWN RWBY
Chapter 20: Ancient Arts
The sound in the room was almost silent, the only sounds being pen on paper, footsteps and either a thoughtful hum or an aggravated growl. The response depended on the outcome. Eien stood in his 'study' within his mansion, within his soul. It was the only place he could truly claim he had privacy, since nobody could gain access to his soul without extreme, rare methods and he would notice it instantly and deal with it accordingly. His Spirits wouldn't rat out on him, so there was that too.
Risa, Eleanor and Mona had informed him they completed their work, but had found troubling things. Of course, he immediately ceased his sparring with his mother and after giving an apology - one she easily accepted - I entered my own soul. The findings my Spirits had found troubling were... troubling indeed. Lists of people who had been taken from their homes, lists that details their condition as experiments continued - ranging from malformation to downright gruesome like growing multiple heads. Even more troubling were lists of other targets, some of them just because they were healthy, middle-class individuals while others for more specific reasons such as heritage and large Aura.
It appears the SDC, or whoever was behind this, had not intended this to be a small-scale operation. One of the documents contained a list of locations of other facilities, either active or abandoned. One of the 'newest' documents we could find was from four years ago, meaning that everything on that list was subject to change. It was a miracle that the SDC hadn't sent a clean-up crew to burn it all. Probably because they couldn't use their Atlesian Knights to kill all the mutants and couldn't call upon the military or hunters because it would risk exposing them... unless hunters had been sent in the past, threatened to expose them and were disposed of.
Honestly I could see why Adam held such strong disdain for the SDC now, although the circumstances differed. The biggest problem was that I couldn't outright expose them, because if I did then Weiss would be in danger, no matter how much proof was shoved in the faces of the spectators.
To my knowledge, the SDC hadn't been especially cruel to Faunus under their employment. They were paid minimum wage for work that shouldn't be paid that little, had more than a few human superiors that were harsh and racist, and even Shiro Schnee seemed to be racist, if only because of the White Fang. He didn't seem like that much up front; cold, calculating, polite, everything a CEO of a major company should be. At first glance it seemed like a typical businessman who ran a major company, someone you didn't want to mess with.
What was lesser known was the fact that he was an ex-huntsman. Not a particularly known fact because he hadn't held the career for more than a year, since he had to take over the company. I didn't doubt his skills though, Ozpin likely only saw combat every few months, if not years, yet he was a monster on the battlefield, magic or not - I hadn't even seen him at full power yet.
I sighed, running a hand over my face. The stress would probably turn my hair grey before long, I mused idly. I had confirmed that the SDC Headquarters in Atlas held another, more modern but smaller facility, one hidden from prying eyes. The most recent information on it was that it did less dangerous experiments, mainly focusing on mixing Dust within the human body to see its affects among other things.
The plan I had drew up so far was a rather simple one, a plan that had multiple flaws and could ended badly if not done correctly. Not to mention this could potentially ignite another war, though of a different kind. Then again, I knew many things that could ignite a war, few of which I would be willing to share. The plan; fly over Atlas, drop in at the SDC and sneak into the main facility while Weiss, Ruby and Yang go to meet Shiro Schnee. Ruby and Yang will go with Weiss because they'll pose as her teammates and say the fourth and fifth are busy. Meanwhile me, Blake and a few of my Spirits will sneak in and do what we can to gather evidence and free anyone who is saveable.
So a very rickety plan.
I sighed ''Oum, this is frustrating...''.
''Perhaps you should take a break, Father?'' Eleanor said, likely haven snuck into the room silently when I wasn't paying attention. The concern she held broke through her monotone, showing said emotion. I shook my head, sighing again.
''Taking a break only delays the inevitable'' I dismissed, scanning over the wall of documents I pinned to it and the others I placed on the table. As I did, a set of words caught my eye, making me read it over.
''It seems that there are still incredibly powerful heritages amongst the kingdoms, surviving the test of time. Most are unaware of their power, if not all of them are unaware. The Arc family has two children who possess such powerful heritages, both of them locked away, one a boy and one a girl. Unfortunately the Arc family currently reside in Vale and any attempts at offering prime housing in Atlas has been met with failure. Interestingly, more Shades have popped up recently, having a child. The father was found recently and detained, but his power had been leeched prior to us finding him, leading me to believe that the mother was responsible, maybe even the child in a rare case''.
''The Lie clan was found recently and subsequently captured when they left Vale via Airship to go to Mistral. We intercepted them before they could fully cross the border, but one of our pilots had idiotically shot out their engines, sending it crashing into the beach below. It was abandoned, thankfully, and we found success in capturing them. Several died in the crash, mainly the young ones, but we succeeded in capturing just under a dozen of them. They were truly unique, two or three of them possessing the ancient power of Shé wǔ. Sadly, they died before long and we were unsuccessful in gaining the knowledge behind the ancient art. They died shortly after''.
The grip on the paper both wavered and tightened, forcing me to place it down lest I rip the document. I heaved a deep breath, my fingers twitching as I forced myself to calm down lest I blow up - figuratively and literally, in a sense. They had intended to target Jaune's family, had targeted Ren's clan - which posed the question on how he survived - and also someone or something called Shades. I turned to Eleanor, who was looking at me with concern, considering this was a state I rarely got into, since anger was difficult to inspire within me unless it came to hurting those close to me.
''Eleanor, I need you to go contact Ozpin'' I ordered sternly ''Ask him to look up everything he can on 'Shades'. People, places, myths, anything. It might also be an old thing, a legend or forgotten piece of history. Relay it back''.
She nodded, becoming serious. I opened a dimensional gate, allowing her to leave my soul and contact Ozpin. Sighing, I once again enlisted the assistance of Risa, who would be better for this situation anyway.
'Risa' I mentally called out.
''Hm...?'' Risa hummed, slightly sultry in tone... perhaps the ability to summon alcohol at will wasn't the best of abilities his soul possessed.
''I need you to go find Jaune and Ren and bring them here. Its important'' I said firmly, which shook her out of her stupor enough to become more coherent.
''Mm, sure thing~'' She sang, her presence leaving my soul as she made her own dimension gate - a feat only capable of several of my Spirits, regardless of strength.
I sighed, trying and failing to reign in my fury.
The dorm room of JNPR was rather inactive, since the four students had been active in the fighting. Pyrrha was in the shower, Ren was sitting on his bed with Nora humming a tune next to him, holding a magazine above her and lying on her back. Jaune was polishing Crocea Mors on his bed, looking out the window occasionally. The atmosphere was quite cheery, that was until the air literally shattered with intangible glass, making all three current occupants jump in surprise. Risa walked out, looking half-serious, half... off.
''Jaune and Ren, right?'' She hummed noncommittally, looking at each boy as she said that ''I'm supposed to bring you to Eien, said he needed you for something''.
''Huh? What for?'' Jaune asked, already attaching his weapons back in their places encase he needed to fight.
Risa shrugged. brushing some dark green hair out of her eye ''I don't know. He sounded pissed though''.
An awkward moment passed, Jaune and Ren looking at each other until Jaune indiscreetly murmured ''Did we do something to piss him off?''.
''I don't think so'' Ren shrugged, unsure.
Risa huffed ''Its probably not what you did, but something that relates to you or you might know about. It might not even be related to you, and that he's just pissed for whatever reason... might be because of that''.
Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but Risa interrupted him ''Anyway, c'mon, don't want to keep him waiting''.
''Can I come?'' Nora asked, popping up next to the snake-like teen, who merely cast a disinterested look at her.
''No'' She said bluntly, rolling her eyes ''Eien didn't say you could and if he's as pissed as he is now, he wouldn't want his friends seeing him in that state, unless he called for them 'course''.
''We won't be long'' Ren assured his friend Nora, who pouted but nodded, bouncing back onto her bed. Ren merely gave a nod to Risa, who hummed and retreated into the still-present portal. Jaune followed his friend swiftly, disappearing into the portal seconds before it faded from existence.
Within Eien's soul, Jaune and Ren marvelled at the world they had only been told of in passing. The land of rolling green hills and fields, while plain, was a vast and beautiful sight to behold. Distant forests could be made out, the occasional flower sitting on the ground with houses dotted amongst the hills, distant and near. They unfortunately didn't get long to marvel at it until Risa started moving again in a steady stride towards a large, wooden mansion that was less than a hundred metres away.
''Is this were Eien lives, within his soul at least?'' Ren asked in polite curiosity.
''Yeah, though he doesn't spend too much time there'' She shrugged ''But with all the stuff going on recently, he might spend more time there, which can either be good or bad depending on perspective''.
Silence ensued after that, filled by the uncertainty that came with being unsure of what was to come. Jaune, on the other hand, couldn't help as his eyes unintentionally lowering to her sashaying hips, blushing a little. As they came close to the mansion, Risa turned around, still walking.
''Mm, didn't know blondie was a perv'' She teased with a sly smirk, Ren discreetly exiting the conversation by entering the building.
''S-Sorry'' Jaune spluttered, embarrassed at being caught. His spluttering increased when she teasing unzipped her hoodie slightly, fondling the zipper suggestively.
''Maybe after this you and I can... relieve some stress'' She smirked, turning towards the door as Jaune used all his willpower to not get a nosebleed from the images ''I'll have you know I'm quite... flexible''.
Pretending not to notice his nosebleed, Risa sashayed into the building, smirking widely to the point Ren took his eyes off of the pristine entrance hall to give her a raised eyebrow, which she responded with an even wider smirk.
''Its quite impressive'' He commented, ignoring Jaune who had a nosebleed and was failing to control it ''Though it is a little hard to breath''.
''That's because of Eien'' Risa shrugged, smirk dropping for a frown, her gaze roaming over the room ''His presence is so powerful, his emotions so wild that his power manifests into the air, making it thicker''.
''Incredible'' Ren hummed, gazing around also.
Risa snorted ''This isn't the worst its been. At times when he's absolutely furious - something that I have only seen once - even gravity is affected, plant life dies, building crumble to ash, living beings die... his power is vast, far more than anything I'll ever attain, yet it only makes me respect him more''.
Ren noted that statement, that it wasn't mere friendship Risa - and presumably, most if not all Spirits - held for Eien, it was also respect. It was to be expected really, since he created them and was capable of creating more on a whim without visible pain. Hell, many of his friends and fellow students respected him, whether it was because of his incredible power, his kind heart, his kindness to Faunus, he was a role model for generations to come. His friends were more aware of his 'full personality', which had a more devious side, one that was willing to do anything to ensure the safety of his friends and the innocent civilians of Vale, even if it meant killing dozens. He had an infamous criminal, Roman Torchwick, under his thumb and was actively working with him. He wasn't the purest of the pure, but he was a good person at heart.
''Anyway'' She said, shaking her head lightly as she started walking towards a large, grand staircase in the middle of the room ''He's waiting''.
They progressed through the house, moving down several hallways that made the mansion feel even larger than it looked. Soon though they reached their destination, though the air was even thicker. It wasn't to the point it left them struggling to breath, but it just felt stuffy, though Risa showed no reaction to the thicker air.
She knocked twice on the door ''Master~ I brought Jauney and Renny~''.
Immediately, the thickness of the air was reduced slightly, but noticeably. Eien voice spoke up in but a murmur, something the two male teens couldn't hear, but Risa nodded regardless and opened the door, strolling in casually. The room wasn't the largest of rooms, but even then it was relatively big. The square room was surrounded on all sides by dark oak walls and roof, the floor a slightly lighter shade with no carpet. On the left wall was several boards with dozens of pieces of paper pinned to it, more laying on the tables below it.
Eien was standing above them, muttering something to himself as he shifted through pieces of paper, a scowl on his face. Eleanor was beside him, the faintest of pouts on her usually expressionless face as she presumably argued with him in a soft tone.
''Just rest for a little bit'' She murmured, sparing the new arrivals all but a glance.
''Rest is just delaying the inevitable'' He retorted for what must be the hundredth time judging from Eleanor's exasperated look.
Risa turned to the two other teens, a sly smirk making its way onto her face as she held up a finger in sign to wait. She strutted over to him, murmuring something the other two boys couldn't hear. Eien grumbled something back and shook his head, which only made Risa's smirk grow. She spun him around to face her and crashed her lips against his, making his expression turn to one of stunned surprise, even Eleanor blushed at the act. Risa broke off a moment later, a faint tint of pink on her cheeks as she gave a proud grin, shoving him into him chair and pulling duct-tape from thin air and tying him down in all of two seconds.
''And that, Eleanor, is how you subdue any human being'' Risa said proudly, strutting out the door and passing the two stunned teens, giving a passing wink at Jaune who once again got inappropriate thoughts in his head.
After a few moments, Eien broke the silence with a sigh ''I hope she knows I can just destroy these bindings...''.
''Its the thought that counts...?'' Eleanor said, tilting her head uncertainly ''I'll go keep an eye on her''.
''Mm'' Eien grunted, spinning on his chair to look at Ren and Jaune ''Apologies for the delay, but it appears my Spirits aren't particularly happy with me spending multiple hours working through all these documents''.
''I can agree with them on that'' Ren nodded as the tape on Eien just turned to ash ''What is it that you needed us for?''.
Eien sighed again, running a hand over his face ''I'll start with the thing I know the most about, Ren... the Shé wǔ''.
Ren tensed, an inkling of fear running down his spine ''How do you know about that?''.
''Research. These documents are from a company that has committed many atrocities, including being the ones to apparently kill and capture members from the Lie clan'' Eien said quietly, looking Ren in the eye ''None survived, nor were successful in learning about it... and there is the chance they might come for you to learn it''.
''I only have minimal knowledge about it'' He stated with a dark frown.
''That does not appear to matter to them, sadly'' Eien shook his head ''However I have be able to procure this knowledge myself and can hand it over to you, if you can read the ancient dialect that is''.
''I am capable'' He nodded, prompting Eien to hum and nod, reaching inside his ever-present cloak and pull out an old, worn leather book. He handed it over to Ren, who nodded thankfully and opened the book with care, staring at the various symbols, reading.
''The reason I called you here, Jaune, is because your own family may be in danger from the same company'' Eien informed, staring at the stunned teen ''Do you have any brothers? Sisters?''.
''Seven sisters, no brothers''.
''I see. That means you and one of your sisters are in danger then'' He hummed ''Have any of your sisters been acting odd in the past few years? Maybe being forgetful? Anything?''.
Jaune took on a thoughtful look, before he uneasily nodded ''My older sister Cotton has been unwell for a year or so, the doctors say they don't know what it is. She throws up a lot, but she's been getting better over the past month''.
''I see'' Eien nodded ''I think it would be wise for us to take a visit to your family then, Jaune, encase this illness has something to do with the company''.
''Sure'' He shrugged ''When?''.
''How about tomorrow?''.
''I can do that'' Jaune smiled, slightly enthused to see his family again.
''Mm, I'll try and get whatever other information I can'' Eien murmured to both of them ''I wish you luck on that, Ren''.
Ren nodded ''Thank you... how did you find this though''.
Eien smiled slightly ''Found it in the archives inside Death's soul, belonged and written by one of your clan members and he took it to the grave with him, so I was able to reconstruct it with my Semblance. Now then, you can talk to Risa and she can make a portal for you to return to your dorm''.
Ren nodded his sincere thanks, leaving the room. A silent, questioning look from Jaune was met by a dismissive wave as Eien turned back to his work, frowning and searching through it. Jaune turned and followed Ren, neither having to go very far to find Risa, since she was leaning against the wall a few feet from the door, Eleanor disappearing down the hall.
''You guys heading back?'' She asked, smirking. When they nodded she snapped her fingers, causing the air to shatter next to her, the ominous look of the shattered portal not entirely lost on the two hunters in training. Ren went ahead, nodding his thanks and cradling the book to his chest like it depending on his life, disappearing into the blackness of the portal. Jaune made to follow, but was pulled aside by Risa and pressed up against the wall, Risa preventing his exit and getting uncomfortably close to him.
''Have you decided to take up my offer, Jaune?'' She purred, pressing her body up against him as she did.
''Wha-'' He stumbled out with a blush, only for his mouth to be occupied before he could finish by Risa, her lips locked onto his and her tongue dancing in his mouth before she pulled back.
''C'mon, it doesn't have to be anything personal... call it stress relief'' She convinced with a silver tongue, cupping his cheek ''I promise I'll be gentle...''.
Unsure and feeling slightly turned on from her subtle touches, he wasn't entirely against the idea. It didn't mean he was wanting to just go off with her, a random girl he barely knew, but the way she said it... it sounded... nice. His vision was momentarily obscured by black, which was enough to make him a little worried, until the darkness melted away from his vision, but his location had changed.
Gone was the large mansion hallway, in its place was a small, comfy bedroom. The walls were a dull lilac with black spots, the carpet a simple but fluffy grey. The bed was a double, with purple covers and puffy pillows. He was standing at the edge of the bed before he was spun around to face Risa before her lips crashed against his once again, the sweet addictive feeling of her lips making his stomach twist. She broke the kiss, pushing him onto the bed, idly noting his armour was now on the floor, as was Crocea Mors.
''Mm... you taste nice'' She slyly smiled, licking her lips. A sudden burst of heat overtook his body and he bolted up, crashing his lips against hers, surprising her, but not displeasing her. When he was sitting down she stood at a little taller than him, given her short stature. They broke the kiss, panting slightly as Risa grinned at him.
''Good~'' She purred delightfully as her lithe hand came up to fondle the zipper of her hoodie, slowly pulling it down, Jaune's eye tracking it. With a metallic click it reached the bottom to her jumper, opening it up and revealing the red high-collar beneath it. She shrugged out of it, letting it hit the floor as she tilted her head at him, smiling with an ever-present sly look.
''Aren't you gonna help me out of this?''.
Back in the JNPR Dorm...
''Should we be worried about Jaune-Jaune?'' Nora asked, slouching on her bed with a sandwich in her mouth.
Ren considered it. While his life was almost most certainly not in danger, there was the chance his virtue was if Risa's attitude was not just mere teasing. Regardless, Jaune was a man and a leader, he could make his own decisions.
The fact that he didn't' want to invoke Pyrrha's wrath may have also been a deciding factor.
Some time had passed since they had finished, in more ways than one. Risa, for all her snake-like nature and teasing, was surprisingly cuddly when she wanted to be. Despite that, she had been quick to become active again, having a shower and getting redressed before letting him have his turn at it. Only then, after making sure it was completely unidentifiable to any Faunus that their activity remained secret, did they leave Eien's little world and return to the real world, or more specifically, his dorm room.
''Hey guys'' I smiled after scaring the living daylights out of them with the weird portal that Risa made.
''Jaune! Where have you been?'' Pyrrha asked, slight concern in her tone.
''Eheh, sorry'' I smiled apologetically at her worry ''Risa wanted to see how strong I was since I had dealt a lot of damage to Aria when we fought her, so we ended up sparring for a bit''.
''Twice'' Risa said dryly, carrying on the lie better than I could've ''We fought twice, the rest of the time was him resting - granted our second fight was more of a game of hide and seek, but you know''.
''I tried'' I huffed defensively, keeping up the act.
''Yeah, yeah'' She rolled her ruby eyes, before pausing, staring into space for several seconds before sighing ''Sorry, Eien's calling me for something, catch you guys later''.
''Bye~'' Nora sang while I gave a smile and nod. Risa gave a similar goodbye before disappearing into the portal, the fracture in the air repairing itself before fading from reality.
''So, what did Eien want you for?'' Pyrrha asked, sitting on her bed.
''...Stuff'' I shrugged, sharing a look with Ren ''Something to do with family, me and Eien are going to visit them tomorrow''.
''Is something wrong?'' She frowned, Nora and Ren listening in a little, even though the latter had been present at the time.
''Maybe, we don't know yet'' I dismissed ''But Risa said that Eien might be planning on going to Atlas soon, something related to the situation''.
''Hopefully this blows over soon'' Ren said, his voice containing less emotion than usual.
''Yeah, I hear you''.
The elevator dinged open as it reached the top of the tower, Ozpin sitting in his chair as always, looking out the window. My mother was leaning against the wall next to the window, staring out of it, Summer nowhere in sight - likely with Ruby. I walked over to them, sitting on a chair since I couldn't be bothered standing.
''Where did Roman go?'' I asked questioning, mildly concerned for the thief I now had under my employ, if you wanted to call it that.
''I sent him away on a Bullhead shortly after you left, he should be somewhere in Vale, alive and well'' Ozpin informed and I nodded. Roman, despite being something that Huntsmen such as me and Ozpin should capture, was a man who was valuable. Not only did he have many contacts, he was a skilled fighter with huntsman training. If I kept ties strong, I could pull some strings and get him to assist in future endeavours.
''What did you find?'' My mother asked, her tone serious.
''The SDC is definitely responsible, and the project, known as Project Helix, was authorised by Shiro Schnee himself nine years ago. The goal of the project was to combine Humans and Dust to create a group of super-powerful humans to serve Atlas. However throughout testing they have been unsuccessful according to the documents. My theory is that they are not meshing the Soul and Dust properly, instead forcing it to combine and resulting in death or malformation. They attempted something similar, but with Grimm Essence, which resulted in the severe mutations''.
''They abducted civilians, criminals and other members of society as test subjects. After research was done and a few months had past, they started going after families with unique genes in them, such as the Arc's and the Lie's. According to the documents, the families had special techniques or fighting arts that were kept exclusive to the clan members, the Lie's having an art called the Shé wǔ, translated it means Serpent Dance. I didn't get much chance to read it, but from skimming it over it seemed to be a very powerful fighting style, similar to what Ren currently uses but better in every aspects''.
''There is also the issue of the 'Shades' which I asked about'' I said, frowning at the thought ''The Shades... a codename and old, forgotten name for the Belladonna Family''.
''You have a Belladonna on your team, don't you?'' Marisol asked, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
''Blake Belladonna, Ex-White Fang, Cat Faunus'' I listed off the major traits I knew of my friend ''Despite her bad past she's got a good heart, but hasn't shown any signs of abnormal abilities that you mentioned, Ozpin''.
''It is unlikely they have manifested prior to now, but with her frequent proximity to you it is likely to awaken it soon'' Ozpin replied calmly ''Miss Rose - Ruby Rose - is also likely to gain access to her... unique ability rather soon also''.
I chuckled in amusement ''I feel like that statement is a little late''.
He looked perplexed, before nodding understandingly ''Ah. I see''.
''So, what's the plan?'' I asked, looking between my two known family members. Ozpin hummed, massaging his cup as he thought, before nodding to himself.
''We'll use the plan you made up; We'll move in two days, since you are occupied tomorrow. You, Marisol, Summer and Miss Belladonna will sneak in through the roof. With you and Marisol's SchattenSchritt it should be easy to sneak inside. Miss Schnee, Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long on the other hand will enter through the main entrance on the premise of visiting Mr Schnee, with Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long accompanying her in place of body guards''.
''When you are inside you are to find and neutralise Mr. Schnee, I will trust your judgement on his fate, as we have a net set up encase of his death. Search the laboratory within the compound, though do try and keep it quiet. I will contact General Ironwood encase you are captured, therefore allowing you freedom from any presumed crimes''.
''But, until then, I can only suggest you prepare'' He warned and I nodded.
''I intend to''.
As they had agreed on, Jaune and myself had left Beacon to go to the Arc household. We could've travelled directly with my own Bullhead, but the weather was nice and Jaune suggested just a nice, causal walk through the sunny streets of Vale. The household was in northern Vale in the more richer districts, since the Arc family was quite infamous, and was a fair distance away from Beacon, though we were just coming up the street now.
Still, didn't mean I couldn't spend that time doing something efficient. Like reading a book. Without holding it.
Jaune gave me an exasperated look as the small leather book floated a foot or two in front of my face ''Is it really necessary for you to do... that?''.
''Of course'' I nodded, not taking my eyes off the book ''By displaying that I am powerful enough to freely use my powers it shows confidence and that I would be more than capable of fighting at the drop of a penny, which would ward off potential opponents who would go for smaller fish and also remember me in future, targeting me when they are stronger and thus allowing me to remove valid threats. Plus, this book contains important information''.
''...I think you're overthinking things'' He drawled dryly and I shrugged, my whole body concealed within my cloak even as we walked.
''Maybe, but its better to be cautious and alive than remorseful and dead''.
Jaune just sighed ''Well when you put it that way...''.
''Big bro!'' A high-pitched, childish voice cried. We had actually moved to the Arc Household, standing outside, and Jaune hadn't been aware it seems - or at least too deep in thought. Despite the fact the book was floating in front of me and I was actually reading it, my senses were alert enough to pick up the new presence long before they spoke.
Said presence was a younger girl with blonde hair tied up into a high ponytail behind her, the signature sapphire-blue eyes present. She must not have been in any kind of school at the moment, as she was only wearing an orange short-sleeve shirt and some knee-length green shorts. Given the dirt on her she must've been enjoying the weather. She was only about thirteen or so in appearance, but then again Ruby was sixteen and she still looked a year or two younger than her appearance suggested.
''Hey Daisy'' Jaune smiled as the girl tackled him, though he didn't fall to his credit ''How have you been?''.
''Good, what 'bout you?''.
''Just dandy'' Jaune remarked amusedly ''Is Mom and Dad home?''.
''Mm!'' She nodded enthusiastically before noticing me ''Who's this?''.
Remembering me, Jaune smiled, waving a hand between us ''Eien, this is my sister Daisy. Daisy, this is my friend Eien''.
''Hello'' I smiled, nodding slightly in greeting.
''Are you two on a team?'' Daisy asked curiously, looking at the floating book but not commenting on it.
''No, we're on neighbouring teams though'' I explained briefly before adding ''Though we're both the leaders of our teams''.
''Cool!'' She smiled, following her brother when Jaune began to walk towards the house, with me a step or two behind him encase anyone else tries to tackle him. Not to help of course, but so I wouldn't get caught in it.
As we walked towards the door I felt the sense of being watched, my senses prickling and my Aura naturally rising. Yet I could tell no immediate attack was coming, so I forced my Aura to remain at ease, lest I give this advantage away. It might've been a civilian or maybe even someone looking at me from their window, but even if it was then it was a good idea to keep my senses alert. Ozpin had taught me a spell not long ago, on the first day of our erratically-timed training, which was named Ping. As its named suggested, it released a ping of Aura that would travel a certain distance before coming back to me, alerting me of all living beings within the radius.
Problem being, it wasn't a subtle technique. It was probably the exact opposite, since I fired a beam of orange energy into the air and a ping soared out through the sky before coming back to me. It was not subtle in any regard. Because of that, I remained visibly calm and followed after Jaune as the Arc male followed his younger sister, who in turn led us into the backyard. It was a large, flat plain of grass with high walls on all sides. Trees were dotted about, some with slash marks, while there were also metal training dummies with more severe markings.
''Jaune!'' A chorus of three voices called out before three bodies crashed into the male Arc, sending him to the ground. Daisy giggled, looking on cheerfully. My smile remained, both for appearances and because I found the act amusing, though I did shift the gravity of the book to the side, making it float off to the left-side of my vision, moving with my head. Aside from the three girls now hugging and giggling with their brother, I took idle notice of the two elder people within the garden, likely his father and mother if their age and appearance was anything to go by.
The fatherly-looking one of the two was a very large man, probably 6'6 in height with messy light-blonde hair, stark blue eyes identical to Jaune's. He was wearing just a simple yellow shirt and jeans, but he did have a large broadsword over his back, likely encase anything bad was to happen. The mother of the duo was more different in appearance, having long brown hair and emerald green eyes, she looked similar to Natasha, but was different in multiple aspects. She was wearing a white shirt with a green cardigan that was left open, along with a simple brown skirt. Both looked to be relaxing today since they were mostly unarmed.
''Jaune, What are you doing home?'' The mother of the two called, both of them in the shade of the building.
''Hi mom'' Jaune smiled, confirming my guess ''Well there was a bit of an explosion at Beacon and the classrooms were damaged, so they're doing repairs and all students have the day off, so I thought I'd come by and check up on you guys - my friend, Eien, came along because he was bored''.
''Hello'' I waved idly, finding someone in front of me in a heartbeat, one of the sisters judging from looks. She was probably our age if not a year or two older, with signature blonde hair, though it war brushed in a way that her fringe curled and partially covered her right eye, the rest curling in slightly and not passing her shoulders. Unlike the others she was wearing a navy-blue hoodie with a red shirt peeking out underneath, a pair of green jeans and black shoes.
She seemed slightly surprised when I met her eyes, and in less than half a second she was leaning against the wall, leaving me to momentarily stare at the ground below me. When I looked up at the family none seemed to have noticed any difference or change, leading me to believe it might be a speed or teleportation Semblance.
''I'm Violet'' She said, nodding slightly, eyes boring into my own with surprise lingering within.
''Eien'' I introduced politely, nodding slightly as Jaune was besieged by two other sisters who were of equal, if not slightly older than Violet, all of them laughing. I entertained myself by reading my book, which slowly helped add to the knowledge I was gaining on the family.
They messed around for a bit before Jaune spoke, looking at his parents ''How's Cotton been?''.
His mother frowned sadly ''Her condition has declined again''.
''What? Why?'' Jaune said in mild surprise.
''We don't know, we think it might be the heat the past few days'' She shrugged ''She's been having more of those nightmares too...''.
I hummed quietly to myself, so quiet only Violet and Jaune heard. Jaune took the subtle signal and perked up ''Eien might be able to help her''.
''Really?'' Violet said, her tone half suspicious and half surprised.
''Potentially'' I commented ''I'm quite advanced in Soul Manipulation, so I might be able to find out what's wrong and possibly treat it''.
The fatherly Arc hummed, looking at me curiously ''Soul Manipulation? Haven't heard that in... a long time''.
''Well it is a rare skill, if I remember correctly'' I smiled with mild amusement, the book floating next to me smacking shut before floating close to me, allowing my hand to come out of my cloak and pull it in, a transdimensional Sigil forming and allowing me to deposit it back into my own soul. Appearances are everything after all ''If it isn't an inconvenience either, I would like to talk in private with you, Ms and Mr Arc''.
''...Sure'' The father nodded somewhat uncertainly, but it was likely more of my odd nature opposed to natural hesitance. Smiling, I followed after the man as he walked into the house with Ms Arc behind him. The sisters outside didn't really seem bothered, resolving to talk with Jaune, but I could feel the glances on me, especially from Violet. The parents of the family led me into the kitchen, which was a rather large one compared to the average ones I've seen. They sat at the large table and gestured for me to sit, which I did with a polite nod.
''So, why did you want to talk to us?'' The man asked.
''I'm here in Ozpin's place, since his presence would draw unnecessary attention'' I started off, my senses still alert ''The reason of my visit relates to the offers to live in Atlas that has been given to you over the past few years; they were a trick. A company that I believe would be best left unnamed for now is responsible for the deaths of many Humans and Faunus alike, killing them during the process of sick and twisted experiments. Around a couple years ago they began kidnapping multiple different families and clans because of unique genes within them or ancient arts that the family or clan knew''.
''One such family, is the Arc Family'' I said pointedly ''From the documents I have procured from their research team, they seem to believe Jaune and one of your daughters is in possession of this unique gene, and given your mention of nightmares, it is likely to be the sister Cotton''.
''And how do you know all this?'' Mr. Arc asked, prompting me to created another transdimensional Sigil and retrieve the book that I had been reading, one that detailed the Arc gene titled 'Maudit', which roughly translated into Cursed One from an old language.
''From a book I have acquired from my Teacher's Library, written by Nicholas Arc 800 years prior'' I explained as the mother of the duo skipped through a few pages calmly, nodding slightly ''I acquired it after the documents informed that the company had attempted to get you to move to Atlas in an attempt to have easier access to your children, likely kidnap them. Also, I believe we may be being observed at this moment, but I cannot be sure''.
''I see'' The man nodded with a troubled frown ''Do you know who is watching us?''.
''No, but I'll check...'' I said, voice dropping to a murmur as I extended my hand to the side where some free space was ''Risa''.
Barely needing a prompt after me calling on her so often, my little snake of a Spirit rose from the greyed Sigil, dressed in her ever-present hoodie. Given the serious nature of the situation, one would expect her to be equally as serious, though that only applied to a degree since she was such a... free spirit, pun intended. Regardless, she just gave me a slight smirk, before directing her gaze at the slightly stunned parent duo.
''I'll go check the area out'' She offered freely, tapping into her Semblance and flaking away into invisibility, the door opening and closing of its own volition, to the outside perspective.
''Risa will take care of observation, likely will alert me if she finds them'' I explained ''Now, should we move onto the main purpose of my visit, to attempt to heal Cotton?''.
''Yes, I'll take you there'' The wife said, getting up while the man continued to read the book. I didn't mind, since I could technically get another, but I was a little wary of it falling into the wrong hands, making a mental note to pick it up before I leave. I followed the woman, letting her lead me through to the living room and up the stairs. Only then did I begin to speak again.
''I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?'' I asked politely.
The woman immediately flushed a little ''Oh, sorry! I'm Juniper, and my husband is John''.
''John and Jaune, huh?'' I said in mild amusement, getting a laugh from the woman.
''Yeah, its been sort of a private joke between us for a while'' She laughed good-naturedly ''If I remember, my son's team is named the same as me too''.
''I can imagine Ozpin taking amusement in naming the teams this year, given my team is called 'A Ruby' - and my partner is called Ruby'' I said with smiled. Juniper led me down a hall until we reached a door with the name 'Cotton' on the white door in rainbow letters. Juniper opened the door, revealing the very artsy room to me. The walls were a light blue, getting darker the higher they went up, white clouds painted across it with the occasional bird or plane on it. The carpet was a very grass-like in appearance, along with being a shade of green.
The bed was a pretty oak brown with a green blanket, giving it a style of a tree in colouration. There were other pieces of furniture in the room, which I mostly skimmed over, but did take note of the many pieces of paper and drawings and literature dotted around the bed, along with the large window opposite the bed. The person in the tree-like bed troubled me slightly in terms of appearance. The woman, who looked about twenty or so, was unhealthily skinny with pale skin, brown-blonde hair kept in a high ponytail behind her. She was wearing what looked like a blue tank top, the rest of her form concealed beneath the blanket.
She was reading a book when we came in, looking up curiously with sapphire blue eyes ''Hm? Mom? What is it?''.
''Hey sweetie, Jaune's friend here wishes to speak with you'' Juniper said, basically leaving it to me to handle the situation, the reason why was unknown.
''Hello, I'm Eien'' I smiled, waving politely.
''I'm Cotton'' The sickly girl smiled politely, yet looked a little nervous ''So, um, what did you want to talk to me about?''.
''Well, to be relatively to-the-point, its about your illness and, by extension, the nightmares'' I explained and she froze up a little.
''Um... w-what do you want to k-know?'' She asked, stuttering slightly and looking even more nervous, glancing at her mother beside me every two seconds.
I hummed, staring into her nervous blue orbs ''If its no trouble, please enlighten me about these nightmares you experience''.
Swallowing audibly, she seemed to draw out the silence as she gripped the cover of her bed repeatedly, biting her lip over and over again before she spoke. I swore I felt a prick at my senses then, but I decided to let it play out since Risa was capable of sensing them if I was.
''Well... I'm always in different places, sometimes I'm home, others I'm at the park I used to go to... b-but there's always this... m-monster that's just so... so evil'' She explained shakily, breathing deeply ''I never get a good look but its always got long claws... like a demon from all those stories mom used to tell me about''.
''I see'' I nodded slightly ''What of your condition? Do you have any ideas what may have started this?''.
''Um... no'' She shook her head slightly
''Are you on any medication?'' I asked, prompting her to shake her head again ''Have you been interacting with any suspicious people? Felt funny when going outside or when the window was open? Anything that may have been prompted to cause the illness?''.
''I don't think so...'' She denied softly before asking ''Are you a doctor?''.
''Something like that'' I chuckled, holding my hand out in front of my ''Now, lets see what the problem is...''.
I extended an invisible tendril of Aura, connecting it to Cotton and replicating her soul in a sense. I manifested it in my open palm, revealing it to be a nice ivory colour, but with a large black blob on the top, giving it a pseudo-monochrome look. That was probably the curse, given the details within the book, but something concerning was the pulsating tendrils extended from it, cascading down randomly across her spherical soul. The black, tainted part of her soul gave off an eerie vibe, akin to an old rickety mansion; you don't know why, but it just feels wrong.
''What's that?'' Cotton asked, sounding awed.
''You're soul, or rather a manifested form of it'' I explained with a light smile ''From the feeling I'm getting from it, I believe I can identify that the source of your illness is the tainted part of your soul...''.
I paused, looking at Juniper as if for permission to say it. She hesitated a little, but conceded with a nod.
''...The tainted part of your soul is because of a family curse, of sorts. Its called 'Maudit', roughly translating into 'Cursed One', and is the reason you're in this state if my suspicion is correct''.
''Is there anything you can do about it?'' Cotton asked, her tone not as scared as I thought but more... unsure, as if she was pondering on selling a precious item and wasn't sure if the money was worth it. An unusual, but adequate analogy in my opinion.
''Potentially'' I said evenly, looking out the window ''There are various options I can try; removing it entirely, finding a way to ease it, alter it to potentially benefit you opposed to harm you, things such as that''.
''Really?'' She asked, hopeful sounding. Again, I gave a questioning look at Juniper, since I didn't want to do anything without her consent, since I was technically interfering in a familial matter of sorts.
''Even if it only helps her a little, any assistance would be greatly appreciated'' She informed me, nodding. I returned the gesture, approaching Cotton and placing a hand on her head.
''It'll be relatively painless, but you may feel some discomfort, maybe a tingling on your skin or watering in your eyes, simple things like that'' I assured/warned as I extended multiple invisible tendrils of my Dunkelheit-enhanced Aura, slithering them around her soul, phasing through her body and leaving only a tingling feeling. The tendrils grew smaller, claw-like extensions before digging in, making Cotton flinch a little. The extension pulled back, slowly at first, before being more forceful as it tried to pry the onyx-black sludge off.
It took about three minutes, gradually putting a strain on my Aura from continuously utilising the full extend of Aura Construction and my Dunkelheit. Eventually however the darkness was pried off, instead it latched onto my own Aura, fading into it. I felt a ripple on my own soul, as if someone had punched my in the balls, and while it hurt, I just grit my teeth and let it pass. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like a few minutes, and when it was over my legs gave out as the shock numbed my body slightly. I was able to catch myself before I fell clumsily, but I did still fall to one knee, panting.
''A-Are you alright?'' Cotton asked, leaning over me slightly from her bed.
I nodded faintly ''Y-Yeah... just exerted a lot of Aura is all''.
''Did it work?'' Juniper asked, giving me a slightly concerned look.
I glanced up at Cotton, who was already showing signs of being in better health even after a few seconds - not noticeable to the naked eye, but her soul was already beginning to produce Aura to make up for lost time, healing and strengthening her, however slight.
''Yeah... her Aura is starting up again, I'm willing to wager she might even be fully recovered by the end of the week, if not in a few days'' I explained, before I was suddenly pulled into a hug, courtesy of Cotton.
''Thank you...'' She murmured, voice soft as her voice watered ''Thank you''.
The backdoor to the Arc Family home opened, creaking open dramatically and drawing the eyes of all the Arcs, which widened upon seeing who was behind the door. Now dressed in a long white, sleeveless dress and sun hat, Cotton stood smiling in the doorway, taking a few steps out onto the soft grass, marvelling at the garden around her.
''Hello'' She smiled gently.
''Cotton?'' John was the first to speak ''Shouldn't you be in bed?''.
She shook her head gently ''Actually dad, I'm fine now... Eien healed me''.
''Really?'' John asked, surprised that Jaune had been truthful about his friends ability to heal.
''Indeed'' Eien smiled as he exited the house ''Apologies for taking so long, we were having a nice chat for the past... forty minutes''.
''Yes, Eien certainly has some interesting stories to tell'' Cotton smiled peacefully, but with gentle excitement ''Did you know he can make living beings? Like actual people? It was certainly pleasant to meet them all''.
''They're equally glad to have made a new friend'' Eien smiled ''Unfortunately I must take my leave now, as my team needs to prepare for a forthcoming mission. I wish you well, Cotton and Co. See you back at Beacon Jaune, Risa sends her regards''.
Blushing and abruptly stammering, Jaune mumbled out a goodbye until he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders, a body pressed against his back. Risa grinned widely, winking at the family before leaning near to Jaune's ear.
''Bye-Bye Jauney~'' Risa sang in his ear before she vanished into a Sigil, leaving Jaune embarrassed under the stares of his family, Eien having used the distraction to vanish himself with SchattenSchritt. The silence left in the wake was a little off-putting to Jaune, as all his family continued to stare at him with a suspicious look.
''Honey'' Juniper smiled with a saccharine-sweet voice ''How do you know her?''.
''She's uh... a friend?'' He said in a small voice as Juniper began converging on him, a overly sweet smile on her face ''Dad...!''.
John took only one step before Juniper smiled back at him, making him pale and begin backtracking into the house.
''Sorry son, you're on your own'' He called as he locked the door, leaving his son to the metaphorical wolves.
Mothers could be scary when needed, especially when another woman was involved.
Night fell rather quickly that night, but maybe it was just my perspective. I guess I hadn't been the same since yesterday, given that every member of my team was giving my concerned looks even though I wasn't doing anything outside the norm. That wasn't helped when Jaune also spoke to me in private, concerned that the transaction I performed on his sister was taking an unexpected toll on me, but I dismissed such theories quickly. It wasn't difficult to find some air to breath, leaving in the middle of the night to rest upon the top of Beacon's tallest tower.
The night air was nippy, but given that I had an Aura, the bitterness and reduced oxygen was effectively negated. The cold air helped clear my fluctuating mind, though I was careful not to lose control of my Aura - someone who was adept at either Aura Sensing or Aura in general would notice and investigate, hell if I unleashed the full might of my power it'd reverse gravity, potentially bringing the tower down if it was strong enough.
It was becoming too much now, even I could see that. I was quite introspective, and I knew my problems needed to be dealt with soon... but my options were severely limited, unfortunately. I can't tell my team, my friends, teachers or acquaintances... the only person who had even a chance of fully understanding was Ozpin, but he had enough on his plate as it was and I didn't want to bother him when I could possibly fix it myself.
Cinder... it was like a knife, even now. I failed in gaining another asset, another ally, another friend. Her presence might've meant saving many lives when the time comes, who in turn will go on to save lives themselves, and the chain effect continues. Even if she only ended up saving one person, that person could go on to save hundreds, if not thousands of people who could become hunters. She knew. She knew about Life and Death, even if she didn't say so. She knew of reincarnation, and there was the potential in her future life she could be friends with me. She had come to fight me, not to win and kill me, but to die. She knew she'd die, and was willing to do so, even though she could've done so much more if she merely ran and escaped.
But she didn't. She stayed and fought, knowing that she would lose, and she did so without giving me a serious injury - she only scored a single hit, and even then it was more of a lucky shot. The worst part was I couldn't decide if I was just that much stronger than her - a Half-Maiden! - or if she was just so low on Aura that she couldn't summon a strong enough attack to actually wound me. Amber had died fighting, and rested within my own soul, adjusting with the help of Neo, her fellow trapped soul.
I was no more than a prison, in that regard. I captured souls, created them for my own purpose, forcing them to do my own bidding. No, I wasn't forcing them, but they felt obligated to. It like Hunters and Grimm; they are obligated to attack the other, lest they be shunned by their fellow species. My Spirits were the same in a way, that they were obligated to fulfil my orders on the sole basis that I had created them, so they didn't exactly want to deny their creators orders. They had done in the past, but it was mostly because they either had something important that prevented them from doing so, or that they were putting it off for a few hours to commence it then.
...What of Salem? She was powerful, so much so that the power of Death's Mark didn't affect her in the slightest, but I'm leagues stronger now than I was a year ago, strong enough to rival an A-Rank Hunter, potentially an S-Rank given time. Seraphim said Salem created her... does that mean that she was the same as me? Did she somehow have the same knowledge as me to be able to create souls? If so, how? She wasn't a Haizen, to my knowledge, so how?
That wasn't even speaking of what use Seele Ernten on Cinder and Amber had done.
I sigh/groan ''This will get me nowhere... It'll have to wait until later''.
''And hopefully, the future will wait for me''.
A/N: Sorry for this being a day late, I've been reading The Games We Play for the past few days. For those who look for it on , I suggest searching for it on SpaceBattles forums, since the full story is up there and is roughly over 1m words! Its an excellent work of art that shows a lot of dedication, so I advise reading it.
Hopefully the chapter was alright, it was more of an interlude than anything. Its now revealed that Eien isn't the only one with a unique power, that Blake, Ren, and Jaune all have something similar. Will others be revealed? Maybe, maybe not.
Eien's having a little more stress, slowly whittling away at his patient mind. Subtle hints are dotted around to elude to future events, as I have done in the past with hinting at Silver eyes back in Mistral, which was Summer. The attack on the SDC will be next chapter. Also, for translations;
Shé wǔ = Serpent Dance (Chinese)
Maudit = Cursed One (French)
Also as an additional note; HAHA! I SUNK THE ARKOS SHIP~! (Partially).