The Shadow of Fire
Chapter 20: Melt the Frozen Soul
Beacon Cafeteria
1:48PM
After an hour of talking with team JNPR and re-introducing a live and somewhat healthy Ruby to the group of friends, eating the mandatory lunch, and getting awkward stares by fellow students as Weiss and Ruby would kiss after every few minutes, a calm and happy attitude seemed to coax the room like a nice, soft, warm blanket.
As team after team finished their respected meal, only a handful of individuals remained in the massive chamber, including the two friendly teams of RWBY and JNPR.
"Ahhh..." Yang sighed out as she leaned on the top of the table, causing a few things to shake around upon the metal surface. "That was a goooooooood meal. My compliments to the chef." She added, grinning wildly.
"Enough with the jokes for one meal darling." Blake said simply, turning a page in her book.
Weiss casually leaned over to Ruby, who had placed her wheelchair to the side in an attempt to sit up at the lunch table and eat, which was going somewhat well, considering she only fell off it twice.
"How are you holding up?" Weiss asked simply, nearly in a whisper.
Ruby's ears fluttered a tad as Weiss spoke, adjusting to her low volume.
"I think I'm ok. Eye kind of hurts a little." She said equally as quiet, covering her right eye with her left hand, glancing down to the black gauntlet attached to her arm. "And the metal gauntlet feels weird."
Weiss took Ruby's palms in her own hand, locking eyes with the Faunus. "I know how you feel. The scar will hurt for some time, but it will gradually fade into your sub-conscious. However, I can't promise that the mental pain will leave you alone. It was pretty scary up there."
"Well, I did tell you that we would go up in a massive explosion-y fireball." Ruby said with a small shrug of the shoulders.
"Don't remind me." Weiss said, having a momentary flashback to Saturn stabbing Weiss in the chest. To this day, Weiss still didn't know what exactly killed her. The katana, the blood loss, or just the massive explosion that followed. Either way, she did die. Most kids her age have all A's in school as a major accomplishment, Weiss can say she came back to life... and has all A's.
"So I've been thinking." Jaune said, chewing a piece of a chicken wing. "You both never said who that pilot was." He said, causing everyone but Blake and Yang to look toward the two.
Weiss and Ruby enhanced glances before Ruby nodded, gesturing Weiss to explain as she took a sip of milk.
"Well, it's a long story." Weiss began, taking a small sip of her hot chocolate. "It all started just a few weeks ago at a nearby café..."
Beacon Airspace
1:54 PM
The white jet flew in circles around the airspace of Beacon Academy, simply awaiting the "all clear" signal to land from the communications tower.
After a lengthy discussion with Headmaster Ozpin on why he should allow the jet to land, the Headmaster finally agreed after speaking with the passenger and owner of the plane.
Geist closed his data pad and placed it on the desk, glancing over his prized rapier.
The rapier, known as The Winters Icicle, has been in his family since the founding days of the Schnee family business. The weapons history included many battle against the Grimm, several executions, and over two hundred forced signed contracts. The blade, which was double edged, was a devastating weapon if used correctly in a fast spin maneuver, capable of slicing through the hardest of bone and the thickest of steel. Having not used it in over several months, Geist had little time to prepare for any self defense. The Dust lord sliced invisible enemies in the air, jabbing a few times to get back into the swing of things. He was truly getting too old for this.
Purging the dark thoughts of retirement from his system, the eldest Schnee hooked the blade to his belt, grabbed his briefcase of weapon designs and contracts, and made his way towards the exit to the craft as it descended downward.
The jets twin engines rotated 90 degrees, resembling a Bulkhead airships design. The craft hummed loudly as it grew closer and closer to the courtyard of the academy, trash cans and trees blowing around as the winds picked up due to the engines.
As the craft touched down on the field of stone and grass, the engines quickly went quiet, a large staircase forming from a door located on the side of the jet. The door open with a harsh hiss as new air entered the craft, allowing the passenger to exit.
Geist blocked out the sun with his brief case for a moment before lowering it, adjusting his eyesight for the outdoors. The Schnee walked down the steps of the jet, his black dress shoes tapping loudly as he walked, adjusting his all white suit with his icy blue tie.
The Schnee gave a quick glance around as he walked towards the schools entrance, smiling wickedly as the idea of weapons for the school caused stacks of Lien to pop into his mind. While greedy, Geist Schnee was indeed a master sales person, and sold what was needed. And this school needs better defenses.
A group of Faunus students ran by the grounds, practicing combat formations. Geist's hand tightened on his rapier, glaring at the students as they ran by laughing and having fun.
"Filthy rodents..." Geist muttered under his breath, entering the main hall to Beacon.
The man looked around the nearby art hanging upon the walls of the building, critiquing them at times as he walked through the hallway. He hummed a soft song under clenched teeth, showing off no sign of emotion as he walked.
He was here for two reasons after all: money, and his heir... or daughter. All depended on your point of view.
Beacon Hallways
After explaining most of the situation to Team JNPR, the group of Team RWBY began to say their respected goodbyes as they left for the town, ready to pick up a few items from the nearby shops of Vale for the teams art project.
The heiress proceeded along the hallways while Yang followed pushing Ruby, Blake covering their rear from any bully's planning on going after Ruby.
As Weiss rounded a corner, her eyes spotted a large object of white standing in the halls, slowly walking as the person glanced casually at the nearby art. Weiss's breath caught in a mildly loud gasp as she identified the man, even from the distance, as he own father, head of the Schnee Dust Company.
The sound of someone gasping drew the elder's attention towards the source, the man's eyes widening as he was greeted with the sight of his daughter and a handful of others.
"Weiss." Geist said simply, gesturing her towards him, the Schnee daughter moving towards him with Yang and Ruby in tow.
Blake, however, froze in place, growing ever so worried due to the fact that the main target for the White Fang was standing just a few yards away. Blake pushed down her past as an agent to their foul ways and looked around frantically. Her bow was back at the dorm room.
Dove, one of the bullies of Team CRDL, walked down the hallway by the cafeteria with a small black hat in hand. He knew Cardin would love the hat, giving the boy a little respect from the leader of his team.
Blake looked toward Dove and jumped up in the air, tacking the boy to the ground, clamping a hand over his mouth. As Dove struggled in utter surprise from his attack, Blake delivered a few swift punches to his face, knocking the boy out. Blake rolled his body under a nearby table along the wall and plucked up the hat, placing it over her ears.
Perfect fit.
'Flawless work Blake, 100%, A plus.' The cat Faunus thought as she ran over to her team, getting a few odd looks from Yang. She could tell her all about it later.
Geist faced his daughter with little emotion upon his face, looking over the girl in crutches before him.
Weiss suddenly curtsied, still holding the crutches under her arms, struggling a bit as she rose back up, avoiding eye contact with her father.
The tension was so thick in the room that you would be able to cut it with a butter knife.
Geist, surprisingly, was the first to speak up.
"It's... good to see you again Weiss." He said awkwardly, looking down at his daughter.
"Thank you, sir." Weiss said in response, momentarily looking at her father's eyes before looking back down at the floor.
Yang coughed.
"I see that your team is intact?" Geist said, the statement coming out as a question rather than anything else, almost hinting that he was hoping someone had been killed.
"Yes father, everyone made it out somewhat intact." Weiss replied, gesturing to her team around her.
Geist hummed quietly, looking from team member to team member, eyeing Blakes hat but not questioning it.
Ruby suddenly rolled up in her wheel chair, holding out her hand with an innocent smile on her face.
"Hi Mr. Schnee, I'm Ru-"
Faster than a thought, Geist's rapier was suddenly pointed in between Ruby's eyes, less than a centimeter away from her skin.
Ruby froze, not even blinking, and if one was to feel her pulse, she wouldn't have one. Her mind went into overdrive, the world around her shifting back and forth from the cruiser to where she sat, Geist being replaced with Saturn before changing back.
"Not. One. More. Move." Geist said coldly, holding his ground as the rest of the team went into a panic.
"Father!" Weiss exclaimed, grabbing his arm in a futile attempt to stop her father from killing Ruby.
Yang's eyes turned a deep crimson, Ember Celica cocking themselves behind the group as Blake held her lover back from killing anyone.
The situation could only get worse if Nora were here.
"Weiss, stay away from this Faunus trash, she's a bad influence on your behavior and academics at this school." He said confidently, as if he was the king of the universe. "I will be sure to have your appointment to leader of this team after I am finished speaking with Headmaster Ozpin, then-"
"If you would just calm down father than I could-"
"No, you will listen to me and me alone, Daughter. This Faunus garbage must have fouled and clouded your thinking with her dark and unworthy Aura." He said in a stern tone, lecturing his daughter. "Once I am done talking to Ozpin I will have this worthless piece of trash removed from your team and-"
"I..." Ruby began, the word sounding like a whisper. Ruby looked directly into Geist's eyes. The once friendly silver eyes now full of repressed anger and frustration from the moment she saw her ears for the first time.
"I am NOT trash, garbage, worthless, or anything that you said you disgusting old man." Ruby said coldly, drawing a gasp from Weiss.
No one had ever spoken like that to Geist Joseph Schnee in his entire life.
"How dare you! I will have you thrown from the cliffs of this school you Faunus tra-"
Ruby smacked the rapier away with her arm covered by the gauntlet, grabbing the man by the tie, pulling him down to her height.
"You listen to me right now." Ruby hissed out in his ear, yanking him by the tie. "I am not trash. I am not a full Faunus. I am a normal, everyday person with my own unique looks and powers. Even if I'm part Faunus I'm still not trash, and neither are any Faunus anyways." Ruby said, growling as she went on.
"I'm only like this due to a surgery because of a sniper that was meaning to kill me, my team, and YOUR DAUGHTER! And the surgery that made me like this, was a Dust surgery. Know who's Dust it was? Yours. I wonder what the public would say if they found out the Geist Schnee hated his customers with a terrible prejudice. After all, I am technically a customer. You're a business man, you can figure out what would transpire." Ruby finished, shoving him back, nearly causing the esteemed business man to fall over.
Weiss was absolutely stunned. Even she didn't have the courage to stand up to her father, and it did appear that Ruby had actually studied her vocabulary for English class, correctly using the big words that she commonly never used.
"Apologize. Now." Ruby said harshly, glaring at the man with a bloodlust.
Geist fixed his tie after catching his breath, snorting at the girl. However, her words seemed to get to him. How could his pure Dust cause such an effect? For a Faunus, she did have a somewhat good point. After thinking it over, he sighed in frustration.
"Fine." He said harshly. "I'm... sorry for my words and actions." Geist said, choking out the word "sorry."
Ruby nodded victoriously, and opened her mouth to say more. Suddenly, within Ruby's mind, something seemed to go tense and relax quickly, making Ruby feel like her normal self. The flashbacks to the cruiser stopped as well, confusing the young girl.
"Wait... Did I just say that stuff out loud?" Ruby asked, gulping noticeably as the group of teens nodded slowly.
Ruby's silver eyes, which had regained their previous happiness and friendliness, quickly shifted to worry and concern.
"I'm so so so so so so so so so sorry Mr. Schnee! I haven't been myself and I just lost it and I keep having flash-"
Geist raised a hand to cut the freaking out Huntresses panicked voice, re-attaching his rapier to his belt.
"It appears that I've been mistaken, for once." He said calmly, his voice still cold and calculating. "And it also appears that Weiss has affection for you, whether it is for friendship or something greater, I simply don't care." Geist explained, coughing slightly.
"I will tolerate you as leader of my daughters' team, for now. I require proof that a Faunus has the strength to lead her to battle and beyond, although I have doubt that you can do such a thing." He added, scanning Ruby up and down, glaring at her flickering ears and tail. "But the slightest stray from helping my daughter and I will not hesitate to ruin your reputation on the face of this planet. You show a remarkable strength, but I have no faith in you whatsoever. But I've been wrong before, Faunus."
"Thanks... I think." Ruby said awkwardly, looking towards the man. "And my name is Ruby, not Faunus."
"I only call people by their names. Not animals." Geist said speaking down to Ruby as if she were a puppy.
Ruby growled slightly but Weiss placed a hand on her shoulder, lowering her spontaneous outbursts of anger.
"She's not an animal father; she is just like every normal person." Weiss said, frowning at her father.
"Yeah." Yang said, stepping forward after retracting her weapons. "I hate to agree with Weiss, but she is a normal person by heart, who cares about her looks? She could have looked like a giraffe and I would have still liked her, even if she wasn't my sis."
"Well I don't know about the giraffe thing..." Weiss muttered, looking back up at her father's eyes.
"Hmmm." Geist grumbled, brushing his hair to the side. "I will regard you as a person once I have respect for you, that's my final offer and the only offer. Not that you have a choice. And even if I doubt you can do it."
Geist turned to face his daughter, nodding in approval to her. "I must be off now, take care daug... I mean Weiss." Geist said calmly, walking off towards the direction of the Headmasters tower.
Quietness enveloped the room, no one saying anything for the fear that Geist Schnee was still in earshot of the area.
After Yang had ran around to the corner to check for the strict man, sprinting back after checking.
"Well, that was a thing." Yang commented uselessly as Ruby pouted in her wheelchair, Weiss and Blake exchanging glances, not knowing what to do.
Meanwhile
Streets of Vale
Orion paced around the nearby alley, his vision from before guiding him along his way. He had to be here, Saturn had to be.
As if summoned by his thoughts, the man walked by the alley way with several body guards in tow, the crime lord limping along with a cane in hand.
The God smiled wickedly before exiting the alley way, a spear made of sea foam green Aura in hand.
A/N: So so so so so sorry for the delay. Just got out of the hospital the other day and im feeling really weak right now, barely could type this little message out. I will say I wrote this chapter a while ago but had a lot of stuff going on. I'm really sorry guys.
Hey, one more person till 100 followers, who be the 100th?
Since it took me forever to update here is a little something for a WAY later event in the story, call it a sneak peak.
Dagonus walked calmly towards the grand doors of Beacon, his blood lust and drive towards total domination driving him past his mental and physical barriers. He had simply lost the will to care about life or death.
He wanted a seat of power, and he would make his here.
Dagonus pressed the center of his golden watch, a pulsing blue light glowing at him as he removed his finger and re-adjusted his black suit, fixing the blood red tie. His black cloak flowed elegantly behind him, the wind growing ever so calm.
The calm before the storm.
As he passed through Beacons main doors, he knew his dream was going exactly as it was planned.
In the central hallway stood Headmaster Ozpin, Goodwitch, and Port, a few of the main members of the Master Hunters. Shadows ran across the second floor balcony, Hunters and Huntresses waiting for the order to attack.
All according to plan.
As he came within several feet of Ozpin, Dagonus spoke no words, glaring at the individuals with blood red eyes. His Aura was rising ever so slowly, building up for the main event.
Ozpin tapped his cane on the floor twice, several Hunters running out of nearby rooms to the sound, surrounding Dagonus with various weapons drawn.
The God of Death gave no response as a distant engine could be heard, a Bulkhead by the sounds of the engine. The warriors around the room grew tense as the sound grew louder, a shadow casting over the windows.
Without any warning, a massive Bulkhead slammed into the front doors of Beacon, destroying carpet, walls, and stone pillars as its wings were torn off, spinning as it slid across the floor, the back facing the Hunters. The burning craft came to a stop right behind Dagonus, who gave no response or movement as the craft settled.
"For three thousand years I have waited, growing stronger as the days and years passed by; while you and your people of this planet rested and lived with no fear but the Grimm in your palace of power. Believing that you and your people were safe and well protected..."
As Dagonus spoke, a blood red spear of pure energy sparked to life in his hands, slamming its tip into the ground.
"All of you were trusted to lead and protect your people from the evils of this planet... But you were arrogant with your ideals and beliefs."
The Bulkheads back door hissed open, lowering itself to the floor. Within it was total darkness, nothing to be seen. Just as the metal door touched the floor, easily 50 people of pure darkness, save for white masks with a red, broken moon and blood red cloaks, emerged from the craft, forming ranks behind the God. Swords and spears, bows and shields in hand.
"You assumed that no one could challenge you and conquer your forces. And now..."
Dagonus locked eyes with Ozpin, blood lust controlling the God.
"I have returned."
The army of demons behind Dagonus let out a battle cry, charging forward in lines, weapons at the ready.
The Hunters above on the balcony jumped down, landing in random assortments before running forward into combat.
See you all soon I hope. Bye.