RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant
The Verdant Light of Remnant - Chapter 15: Patching Things Up
Author's Notes: Good god, i really needed this break & i hope you all feel the same, cause both this chapter & chapter 16 will be alot less chaotic & more chill. So i hope you guys can appreciate these next few chapters being calmer. C17 though is their first mission as The Garnet Papillon House, i'm pretty excited to go there. i'm thinking of making 2 chapters, 3 at most since i don't think it will go as chaotic as the Jaundice chapters since there's less scene transitions & stuff going on at the same time.
Like i said last chapter, we're around the halfway mark of the V1 section of this story, meaning that we got 14-15 chapters left of V1, incluiding this one. This isn't the case for those who use Fanfiction . net, but Ao3 users may notice the "Part 1" on the title & how this is a part of a series, to resolve some confusion i should've clarified last chapter when the change happened, i'm gonna explain what the Part one means.
To put it simply, i'm gonna split this story into 4 major parts/sagas, the first part being The Beacon section of the story, which i THINK will be the longest one interms of chapter numbers, i still don't know. Cause my plan is to get part one done in less than 80 chapters... So like, by chapter 65 or 70, ETC. cause the Beacon adaptation of this story is pretty long, since i gotta expand & introduce/re-introduce ALOT of stuff... But once we get to Part 2, that's when things get... Messy! I won't spoil any of my current plans for parts 2, 3 & 4, nor my other plans for part one... Just know that starting part 2, i'm not gonna be as... "Held back" as i am here, so to say... Again, this won't be a thing in Fanfiction . net since i can't DO this kind of stuff there, so this whole part separation thing is mostly an Ao3 exclusive; but i still felt that i should explain what it is to clear some things up for those who were perhaps a little confused.
Anyways, let's not prolong this any further, let us begin Chapter 15 & remember...
The following is a non-profit Alternate Universe fanfiction.
RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth, Warner Bros. & the late Monty Oum. While Fire Emblem: Three Houses is owned by Nintendo, Intelligent Systems & Koei Tecmo. Please support the original release.
Also, major spoilers for both RWBY & Fire Emblem: Three Houses, specifically the Verdant Wind Route. If you haven't caught up with either of them, it's recommended that you catch up with both of them before reading this story.
& On that note, enjoy this chapter.
Cardin's plans to get back at Pyrrha & Blake fail as Jaune finally stands up for himself, forcing him to take the more offensive approach & humiliate them personally. Little did he know however that Pyrrha Nikos alone was able to utterly decimate all of Team CRDL, despite the slight power boost Cardin got from The Sword of the Creator. However, what happens next shocks everyone who was there to witness the unthinkable: The Sword of the Creator corrupted Cardin's heart & turned him into a large Demonic Beast in the form of a giant Gryphon! During his sudden transformation, he subconsciously killed his own teammates: Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing & Sky Lark are now dead.
Our heroes tried their hardest to fend off the ruthless beast & they were able to go pretty far & do some big damage to the large beast, but they were slowly overwhelmed as Cardin became more & more savage throughout the fight & our heroes began feeling very tired. It was only thanks to Byleth coming into the fray at the last possible second that ultimately prevented anyone else dying on that day, Byleth was able to effortlessly defeat the Demonic Beast due to her experience in dealing with their kind back at her own homeland… Unfortunately for Cardin, there is no cure for those who are cursed with such a cruel fate; the only way to "save" them is to put them out of their misery, which is exactly what Byleth did… Cardin Winchester & all of Team CRDL are gone. After this hell of a battle, our heroes go back to Beacon Academy to rest up & try their best to move on from these horrible events. Whether it will go smoothly or not is left to be unknown, for this was clearly quite the unexpected experience they just had…
We begin today's tale back in Beacon's infirmary where Nurse Peach is treating to the wounds of the students, mainly Nora, Yang, Blake & Pyrrha who had it the worse. Just wrapping bandages in Nora's arms in particular makes her hiss in pain.
Nora: Hiss… OW!... Stupid bird-brain jerk, I can't believe he demolished us like that…
Peach: You kids got really lucky, some of these injuries would usually become sustained. Nora, I know you're hurt all over, but I can't exactly treat you if you keep squirming.
Nora: I can't help it, okay?!
While Peach keeps focusing on Nora for the moment, the others reflect a little on what the hell just happened this afternoon, with Ruby explaining the entire story to the group since most of them didn't have the full context just yet.
Weiss: So let me get this straight. You're telling us that Prof. Eisner got drugged by Team CRDL & took her Cursed Sword, then they tried to get back at Pyrrha & Blake by throwing sap at them so that the Rapier Wasps assault them? & That Byleth was found thanks to Sothis & Gayelette, with you getting them back to us once you learned they were already freed by the time you arrived at Beacon?
Ruby: *Nods* Yup, that's pretty much it. Don't know how Byleth recovered so quickly, though… From what Sothis said, she was pretty banged up & even had a lost tooth.
Weiss just groans at the response while also facepalming, not believing what she just learned to be the whole story… "Great, as if today wasn't unbelievable enough as it was already." She thought to herself, Pyrrha however is just happy that everything ended well for everyone… Well, almost everyone.
Pyrrha: Regardless of whether or not it's true, I'm just relieved that we all made it out safe & sound… But- *Looks at Ruby* Are you sure you're alright? You took a really big hit for me before Prof. Eisner arrived & yet-…
Ruby just shrugs while flexing her right shoulder a little bit.
Ruby: I can't tell really tell ya… To be honest, I always had an abnormal recovery time… Guess that little "boost" from Byleth did the trick for me a little too well & patched me up a lot quicker than usual, I've never felt better.
Neither Pyrrha or Weiss are happy that Ruby is simply shrugging off her old injuries while disregarding her very reckless behavior in battle, with Weiss being more vocal about it.
Weiss: Even so, you shouldn't be so reckless like you were back there. Don't you realize that you took a lot of hits & almost died?! Just because you're our Leader, doesn't mean that you should throw your life away like you constantly do!
Ruby: Hey, I know what I'm doing! Besides, it all ended well for us anyways. So I say we should just let the past stay in the past & move on as well as learn from our mistakes, I feel like this won't be the last time we'll be in a situation like this one…
While Weiss is just flabbergasted & frustrated what Ruby is saying, Pyrrha sounds more worried about Ruby's recklessness & voices her concerns as well.
Pyrrha: Ruby, you have to understand that this kind of behavior in battle isn't healthy… What if Prof. Eisner didn't make it in time? What then?
Ruby looks at Pyrrha a little more serious, actually taking what The Red Tornado just said into consideration. She's right about one thing: they all would've died if Byleth didn't arrive when she did & that she was very reckless… But even so, she has to push onwards.
Ruby: Look-… I appreciate your concern, I'm grateful to have you guys to look after me… But this is just how I am… When I see someone in danger, I have to save them…
Ruby then draws Crescent Rose, looking at her reflection through the scythe's blade.
Ruby: Back home, the people in Patch are very religious & they worship the gods who supposably gifted us with Knowledge, Choice, Creation & Destruction… But not me! I never believed in these so called "divine beings", for they never once answer to the cries of the people, let alone reaches their hands to us… That's why I decided to fight, to become that hand that reaches out to others who cry out for help, regardless of whether or not they deserve such kindness…
As she finishes expressing her reasons, Ruby pulls back Crescent Rose as she goes to the door, ready to leave. But not before looking back at her friends one last time.
Ruby: I'm gonna go get some fresh air, I'll come to check on you guys later tonight.
Pyrrha: R- right… Take care, Ruby… *Looks to the side where Yang is sleeping* We'll also make sure to look after Yang until she wakes up, she's quite the heavy sleeper.
Ruby: *Smiles* Thank you.
With that said, Ruby leaves the infirmary to let the others recover. Not long after, Peach finished patching up Nora's injuries, much to the latter's relief.
Peach: Alright, I think that's good. See? That wasn't so bad, was it?
She says that as the camera pans to Nora all bandaged up, yet somehow still to move a little bit. Ren is right in fearing this young girl, she's scary strong.
Nora: Ugh, finally! I sure hope I'll be able to send people packing in a few days, I can't remember the last time I was this bandaged up.
Ren: I do, it was when you were testing your Semblance's limits by letting yourself get hit by many bolts of lightning in a thunderstorm.
Everyone then suddenly looked at Ren with a completely shocked expression on their faces after he said that, thinking they didn't hear what he just said quite right.
Weiss: I- I beg your pardon… What?!
Nora: Oh yeah, now I remember! I was trying to test how much juice I can have, so Ren & I went to a place in Anima where it rained a lot so I can test my limits. I was knocked out cold for almost 3 days; but I had Ren with me at all times, so I didn't have to worry.
Nora says that while playfully knocking at her forehead while sticking her tongue, all the while looking like an adorable goofball. While most are left in disbelief, Ren just shakes his head with a smile on his face.
Ren: I can never stay mad at her, no matter how many reckless decisions she makes.
Weiss just groans as she facepalms at Ren's response, feeling a little sorry for him.
Weiss: Lie Ren… I pity you...
Peach just laughed at the kids talking like that while recovering. Even though they all almost died, they're still children at the end of the day & that was all that matters.
Peach: *Giggles* You children are something else, I swear… Now then, you all try to focus on your recovery & not push yourselves too much, alright? I'll let you all go later tonight, but it'd be best if you all go to rest afterwards & go to sleep early, okay?
The Garnet Papillons all nod in unison, knowing that Peach is right… Only for the latter to look around for a bit & notice that neither Jaune or Blake were in the infirmary at all.
Peach: Say… Wasn't there 2 more of you with you? Mr. Arc & Ms. Blake, I believe?
Pyrrha & the others look around & notice that Peach is right, those 2 are nowhere to be found. Pyrrha understands why Blake probably wouldn't want to be here, but Jaune?... Maybe he wanted a little more time to reflect on recent events?
Pyrrha: Yeah, you're correct… Where are they?
As Pyrrha asks that, we cut to Jaune in the same place Ruby & Byleth talked after the Mock Battle last month. Jaune is too focused on looking at his reflection through his sword, reflecting on all that has happened for the past week or so. He wonders if he must keep pushing onwards on this path, assuming Ozpin lets him keep going since he's most for certain been found out to be a complete fraud after today's events. But before he could continue on his silent reflecting, Blake comes by to see him.
Blake: So this is where you were all of this time, I wonder if your girlfriend still didn't notice your sudden disappearance.
Under normal circumstances, Jaune would bark back at Blake's little tease. But right now, he's not in the mood. Blake notices this & decides to approach him & see what's wrong.
Blake: You look like you've seen better days, is that asshole still fresh in your mind?
Jaune just sighs before tilting his head back to Blake, having enough of not being honest with everyone & just come out & say it.
Jaune: Well- Yeah, he is… I know he was a big jerk & so were his teammates, but-… We still let them die, we're partially responsible for their deaths… I'm responsible for their deaths… *Turns to face Blake* & Keep in mind, we're been in this school for barely a MONTH & despite that, we've already witnessed people dying, our own fellow students! I just-… *Looks away again* It's a little hard to fully process this, I guess…
Blake understands Jaune's feelings about the situation, most likely because the young Arc has never experienced any form of death as far as she knew, let alone death of this scale where not only people you knew personally were killed in such a brutal fashion, but one of them became a giant monster that wrecked their shit. Blake just adjusts her hat before she expresses her own thoughts on the matter.
Blake: You're right about one thing, this isn't something Freshmen Students have to deal with so soon in their path in becoming Huntsmen… I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that this past afternoon will be an event that will linger in our minds until the day we die, especially since we did almost die today…
Jaune then speaks up as he faces Blake again after he faces her again.
Jaune: How can you be so calm about this?
Blake raises an eyebrow as she looks at Jaune before he continues.
Jaune: We almost died back there… You almost died back there! We've just fought something that nothing on this planet could take on by themselves unless your name starts with B & ends with Yleth, this experience just showed how serious The Path of a Huntsmen truly is, where even though we tried our best, we failed miserably & almost died in vain! But you… You act like this is just another day for you, so-… What gives?
Blake didn't wanna reveal the truth to… well- anyone, especially to someone like Jaune who probably isn't the best at keeping secrets. But she felt that he deserves some kind of answer since in a way, he's right… Blake is oddly used to death & bloodshed, as much as it pains her to admit it. She goes to watch the view next to Jaune before she speaks.
Blake: Ya'know, it's rather impolite to ask someone's history out of the blue like that.
Jaune: *Groans* As if you had any room to talk about what is or isn't polite considering the inappropriate language that comes out of your mouth 24/7!
Blake: *Giggles* Never said I had, Vomit Boy… Alright, I'll humor you for a moment. *Looks back at the late afternoon sun from the distance* Let me tell you a story that I read when I was a small child: "On a feudal land, a young Ronin was wondering aimlessly, with no true destination at mind. To that Ronin, the wind is her map, while her pair of swords are her compass. The Ronin herself was a rather distant individual, she had no true goal, no desire, no emotion, not even a true name… But one day, all of that changed when she arrived at a certain village. The village itself wasn't anything special, nothing that the Ronin hasn't seen before… It was loud, crowded & overall, way too lively, just like almost all villages the Ronin has step foot on… & She hated loud noises more than anything, especially from people who don't know when to shut the fuck up."
Jaune stays quiet throughout the whole thing, silently getting invested in Blake's story as she continues her little tale, which Blake takes notice of right away.
Blake: *Smiles* I see that you're paying attention, I wonder what that kind of attitude is doing while we're in class. *Clears her throat before continuing* Anyways: "The Ronin simply made her way to the local tavern to eat a bowl of ramen & drink some water, it's how she usually starts her time in a village she's just visiting… But while she was eating, she certainly felt some commotion outside, so she finishes her food, pays for it & goes to see what was going on. Apparently, a couple of abusive guards were harassing a young, homeless girl with blond hair. The girl herself was quite powerful, yet she was quickly overwhelmed due to not eating well for god knows how long."
Jaune: *Raises an eyebrow* So in other words, she was a thief who was just trying to get some food in order to survive?
Blake: *Smirks at Jaune* Bingo! That's how it was back in the day… & Even now, there are still cases like that throughout Remnant; particularly in Anima. *Looks back at the view again* "The Ronin hated abuse of power & oppressing the weak, so she didn't think twice about cutting down the guards that were harassing the young woman."
Jaune widens his eyes for a moment, scared of what this Ronin did to the guards. Only for Blake to reassure him before he opens his mouth.
Blake: But no, the Ronin didn't kill the guards. Her blade wasn't made to kill her enemies, but for defending the weak.
Jaune sighs in relief, learning that she didn't go to that extreme. Blake then continues her little story as she adjusts her hat for a brief moment.
Blake: "The Ronin than took the blond girl inside of the tavern & bought another bowl of food, just for her. When she saw the girl chowing down the bowl of ramen, the Ronin couldn't help but smile. She learned of the girl's history, her entire village was wiped out by a tribe of bandits, only to be completely decimated by The Creatures of Grimm… She was the only one who made it out alive, as she travelled throughout the large landscapes of the outside world & doing what she could to survive this cruel world. Unlike the other times, the Ronin actually stayed around the village for a while longer, wanting to spend more time with the blond girl. She didn't understand why, but whenever the Ronin sees that goofy, yet confident & optimistic smile that the blond girl always expresses… The Ronin can't help but smile back at her, finally feeling like her life actually matters."
Jaune: So then… What happened?...
Blake looks down before responding, almost dreading to finish this story.
Blake: What always happen, Vomit boy… It always starts with a massive village squabble, followed up with a huge bandit raid, which finally ends in a big Grimm attack… But this time, it was different… By the end of that bloodshed, the Ronin experienced something she thought that she never would have to go through in her life… Loss…
It doesn't take very long for Jaune to learn what Blake really meant by that last bit; he can't help but feel a little sad by how this story ended.
Jaune: Oh-… So it's one of those stories, huh?
Blake nods at his question, not wanting to really say anything else at that moment. While Jaune wasn't able to notice, Blake had a little teary eye that she quickly dried before it became too noticeable. Unbeknownst to Jaune, Blake indirectly told him a retelling of an event of her own past without directly telling that this is a story of her past. While she normally wouldn't do this, she felt that it was a little more necessary this time around. After another quiet moment, Jaune then breaks the silence.
Jaune: Well-… While I appreciate your little tale, may I ask why you told me in the first place? *Looks at Blake confusingly* Are you trying to- tell me something?
Blake then decides to get to the point, feeling that it's better than dragging this little heart to heart between them any further.
Blake: It's quite simple… You're still alive!
To say that Jaune was caught off guard by Blake's statement would be a massive… Well- understatement! But before he could question her, she continues.
Blake: While it's true that we have almost died today, it is also true that we didn't! We're still alive today, we get to live & fight for another day. This afternoon should be taken as a lesson that we should learn from, not a memory that it's better off being forgotten through time! So instead of sulking & regretting your choices, be grateful that you still have a chance to set things right! *Smirks* You only have one life after all, wasting your time in letting your past mistakes is the greatest mistake you can make! So I suggest you stop being a moody little bitch & make use of the time you still have on this world.
Now having a better context on what she's talking about, Jaune feels like reality just slapped him in the face, only to try & give him a pep-talk & some advice… If you could even call it that. But the fact that she's hearing this from Blake of all people is the real shocker, who's not someone who's very talkative, let alone say stuff like that. Speaking of Blake, she turns back as she begins to leave; but not without giving Jaune some more advice that will stick with him for as long as he lives.
Blake: Whether you continue on this path of a Huntsmen or try something else is up to you, I don't really give a shit about what you do with your life if I'm being honest. *Tilts her head back* But if you are going to stick around, try accepting others around you a little bit more… Our class is full of idiots, but they're the kind of idiots who would never give up on you, even at your darkest hour… Remember that!
With that said, Blake takes her leave as Jaune looks down while he gets lost in thoughts, all alone. In a way, Blake's right!... Jaune is still alive & he can still fix this! The question is how… Whatever the case, he'll definitely thank Blake the next time they meet each other like this… He'd do it in public, but he knows better that thanking Blake for something like this in public might give him some trouble with the young Ronin given that she prefers to keep things to herself from the public eye.
The scene then fades to Ozpin's Office, when Ozpin is listening to Glynda's… "Report" on what has happened today… & By report, I actually mean her ragging on about how she was right about Byleth being too dangerous & that Ozpin was too damn reckless.
Glynda: I -TOLD- YOU SHE SHOULDN'T BE TRUSTED!
Glynda shouts while slamming her fist on Ozpin's desk.
Glynda: Thanks to her careless actions & not being fully honest with us, an entire Team of Freshmen students is now dead, while 2 other Teams are in the infirmary! Do you have any idea how much damage that Demon would've caused if it was let loose in the Kingdom - or God forbid - the rest of Remnant?! What's stopping her from letting that disgusting sword from turning more people into those Demons?! We have to something to solve this issue & we need to do it now!
To say that Ozpin is trying his best to keep his cool is starting to become difficult would be an understatement. While everything Glynda just said is technically true, she doesn't have to treat the real victim of this story like the abuser… As well as not shout this loud when he's right in front of her, his ears are starting to hurt a little bit.
Ozpin: Glynda, I understand your concern… But you have to keep your cool…
Glynda takes a deep breath before speaking, but with a calmer tone this time around.
Glynda: Well, forgive me for being a little over the edge due to recent events…
Ozpin drinks his coffee before responding.
Ozpin: While it's true that Ms. Eisner is a dangerous individual due to lack of information about her & The Sword of the Creator, that's exactly why I cannot let her go!
Glynda then gets frustrated by this response, letting her emotions cloud her judgement.
Glynda: What could possibly be so important that we have to keep such an-
Ozpin: Who in the heavens do you think would be able to get their hands on these sisters the moment they get the chance due to not having any real protection?!
Once Ozpin suddenly shouted like that, Glynda immediately shuts the hell up as she takes what The Headmaster said into consideration; knowing exactly who he's referring to. After a quiet moment has passed, she lowers her head in shame as she calms down.
Glynda: My-… My humblest apologies, Your Majesty… I've let my anger take the better of me… I was being too bloody selfish & inconsiderate, I'm sorry…
Ozpin: *Sighs* I-… I must apologize as well, it's unlike me to raise my voice like this… *Shakes his head* Even so, I'm afraid that letting Byleth roam around Remnant without any real protection could very easily doom us all… If any of our enemies managed to get their hands on her, as well as find a way to properly use The Sword of the Creator, who knows what in the heavens could happen…
With that said, Ozpin takes another sip of his coffee while thinking on what to do… He thinks of maybe trying to exchange secrets with Byleth like he tried to do with Sothis, but past experiences showed that trying to play mind games with someone as intelligent as Byleth would never end well… Speaking of The Ashen Demon, she knocks at their door.
Ozpin: You may come in.
After hearing a reply, Byleth entered the office looking like she's seen better days. While Glynda still feels a little bit tense about The Ashen Demon given recent events, she knows that starting another fight wouldn't do jack. Ozpin then faces Byleth & speaks up.
Ozpin: Well, you certainly look like you haven't rested for the last few hours. Are you-
Ozpin suddenly stops when Byleth puts a hand out, wanting to speak up.
Byleth: Stop!... Before you continue, there's something I wish to say first.
Byleth takes a deep breath before bowing down & saying the following.
Byleth: Words cannot express my regret over the events that have just transpired today. Because of my carelessness & incapability to see Team CRDL's true colors before it was too late, 4 Freshmen students are now dead & 8 almost got killed in the process; I have no excuse for such level of incompetency! I take full responsibility for everything that has happened this afternoon & I understand if you wish to banish me from this Kingdom.
To say that both Glynda & Ozpin were shocked by Byleth's statement would be a- ok, you get my point already! Anyways, Ozpin tried to lessen the tension & reassure Byleth to the best of his abilities.
Ozpin: Ms. Eisner, please calm yourself. I do not hold any ill will towards you, nor do I blame you for everything that has happened. While I admire you taking responsibility for the tragedy that has occurred today, I'm afraid that I'm just as guilty.
Byleth gets confused for a moment as she gets back up before Ozpin continued speaking.
Ozpin: I am the Headmaster of the greatest Huntsmen Academy in all of Remnant, I am also the King of the Kingdom of Vale. It is my duty to both protect my land, as well as to guide the younger generation to greatness & making sure they don't let the darkness consume them… As you saw with Team CRDL, I have failed in the latter by being far too passive. *Drinks some coffee* Byleth Eisner, believe me when I say that I have made far more mistakes than any man, woman or child that have ever stepped foot on this planet… I've failed many people, lost many of my closest friends & loved ones, I couldn't stop so many atrocities from happening & so much more… But recruiting you to my side was not one of those previously mentioned mistakes, I can say that for certain.
Byleth: *Raises an eyebrow* How come?
Ozpin: Look at your class, Ms. Eisner… Even in less than a month's time, they've already grown so much. They still have their many hurdles to jump over, but I'm confident that you'll be able to guide them in the right path… You're still new to Beacon Academy, don't let these events get the better of you. *Sighs* However, I confess… These recent events do make me a little concerned for our nation's future. As you probably might've guessed, I have many enemies who are after my head… & When I say many, I do mean many!
Glynda looks at Ozpin with a concerned face, not really knowing what he's gonna say. But Ozpin reassures her by shooting her a nod, telling her to trust him, in which she does.
Ozpin: As you probably know by now, the last worldwide conflict was The Great War of Remnant, which was almost 80 years ago. There were other conflicts in that time, but never one like in that war's scale. Ever since the war ended, the R.U.N. was founded to form a unity between the 4 nations, so that there could never be another world war ever again… *Sighs in frustration* If only we could actually get along with one another.
Byleth: Are you implying that the 4 nations aren't as united as the commonfolk believe it to be? If so, why is that the case?
Ozpin was about to take another sip of coffee, only for him to notice that his mug is now empty. Without even needing his word, Glynda went outside to fetch some more coffee for her King. As she's out, Ozpin clears his throat before replying to Byleth's question.
Ozpin: For one, all 4 nations of the R.U.N. have different forms of governments… While having a different government to form a nation, it's how they're run that it can become an issue; especially if the one at the top has too much political & social power. In Vale, we have a reformed way of democracy, Mistral is divided into 3 dynasties that are always fighting with one another, Atlas is a military state & Vácuo is run by a league of tribesmen.
Byleth: Yeah, I'm aware… If what Dr. Oobleck said it's true, then both Vale & Vácuo are technically allied nations due to their relationship during the war 80 years ago; the same holding true with Mistral & Atlas, is that correct?
Ozpin: The answer is yes & no. While it's true that Vácuo & Vale are in good terms with one another, they haven't made any official alliances yet… Well- not a long-term alliance anyways, that usually requires a marriage between the 2 heirs of each nation. Like the heir of Vale & the hair of Vácuo getting engaged for example, but those costumes are nearly long dead outside of families that have high social status & are rarely with another nation like it was back in Remnant's medieval phase… The same unfortunately cannot be said for both The Dukedom of Mistral & The Atlesian Empire.
Before Ozpin could continue, Glynda comes back with some coffee; immediately pouring some for Ozpin. he smiles at Glynda before taking a sip of the nice warm coffee.
Ozpin: Thank you, Glynda. *Looks back at Byleth* As you probably know by now, The Atlesian Empire which was formally known as The Mantlean Empire was & still is a very racist & imperialistic nation that are mostly ruled by the nobility, its many ministers & their Emperor. They were also known for their massive military power, be it their knights of the medieval days or the droids & Atlesian Military of today, they were always a force to be reckon with… *Sighs* Or at least they would if they knew what they were doing!
Byleth: Atlas was never a nation to be good at using their heads in battle, is that it?
Ozpin: I'm afraid so… To them, it's always "Might makes right!" & "Only brute strength brings victory!" Too bad that it has mostly done them more harm than good, I can never understand what makes it so difficult for them to learn this little thing called "Humility".
Hearing that this is how Atlas is makes Byleth go back to how The Church of Seiros is & how it runs all of Fódlan. They constantly hide crucial historical information that the rest of the people should know about, they execute anyone who dares opposes them in any way, regardless of their intentions & overall, are pretty self-righteous pricks 9/10. Sure, there were exceptions like Seteth, Shamir & Alois for instance, but most of them are way too blindly loyal to a pretty shitty government that has done much more harm than good.
Byleth: Somehow, that doesn't surprise me one bit…
Ozpin: As for the Dukedom of Mistral, well-… I think you can see the problems of that nation for yourself… But with that being said, the northern Dynasty of Argus actually has something that the other 2 Dynasties do not: Atlesian Military Power & Technology. While they don't have nearly as much support from Atlas as they had due to The Tragedy of Argus that occurred 5 years ago, they still have a slight advantage over the other 2 Dynasties of Mistral & the only reason that Argus hasn't fully united Mistral into its vision it's because of Duke Lionheart's efforts to make sure none of the 3 Dynasties have too much power, even if he can't fully stop the constant civil wars themselves. *Takes one more sip of coffee* With all of that being said, however… If Mistral & Atlas ever join forces again, it could most certainly throw Remnant into another age of chaos.
Byleth: Okay?... But what about the R.U.N. itself?
Ozpin: The R.U.N. are run as a collective unit, with the ones at the top being the current rulers of the 4 nations. The Leader of the Vacuan Alliance: Hanon Theodore, The Stand-in Atlesian Emperor & Fleet General of The Atlesian Empire: James Ironwood, The Duke of The Dukedom of Mistral: Leonardo Lionheart & Myself, The King of the Kingdom of Vale: Ozpin. You may notice that James' the odd one out of these four, due to him not being a true Emperor, but rather a stand-in; due to the true heirs of the throne still being too young to ascend & become emperor. So until one of them eventually take the throne, James is the Empire's current ruler & the most powerful man of his nation…
Ozpin then takes out his glasses for a moment to hold the bridge of his nose, just as Glynda herself is rubbing her forehead. From what Glynda told the Ashen Demon, the Fleet General & Glynda aren't in good terms & it's safe to assume that the same would hold true to the rest of Vale, to which Glynda confirms soon after.
Glynda: To explain the history being Vale & Mistral, as well as the relationship between both His Majesty & The Fleet General would warrant a whole afternoon of its own to properly explain why things are the way they are now… All you need to know right now is that ever since Nicholas II's passing 5 years ago, Vale & Atlas always had some tensions brewing with one another… Some for more personal reasons than others…
Glynda looks away to hide her dismay, not wanting to relive that time right now. But Ozpin takes her hand to calm her down & reassure her, to which it works a little bit. After all of that political talk, Byleth kinda wants to get straight to the point.
Byleth: While I liked the little history lesson, may I ask what does it have to do with what has happened earlier this afternoon?
Ozpin: Well, remember when I said that I have many people after my head?... Well, this is precisely why I cannot fire you from your job, let alone banish you from my Kingdom.
Byleth: What?!
Ozpin: While understand your concerns – & Trust me, I know you have many concerns at the moment – The Kingdom of Vale is the only nation that can properly protect both yourself & The Sword of the Creator from falling into the wrong hands… Should you go wander around the land on your own, the other nations will eventually know of your existence & your great power, but they're also going to try to capture you & use you for their own ends. That's not even mentioning what other dark forces may lie outside of the 4 nations, like The White Fang for example… Unlike myself, the other rulers of the 4 nations aren't as morally stable as I am, especially Atlas. I think we can all agree that the last thing we all want is to have an even worse case of what happened today, correct?
Despite not wanting to be the case, Byleth knew that Ozpin was telling the truth, she's still fairly new to this world & for all she knows, the other nations are that much of a mess, they could be even worse than what the others told her as far as she could know. While it does suck that she's essentially a prisoner here in Vale, it's better having that than risking another nation trying to use her or heaven forbid, being able to create even more Demonic Beasts & spread chaos around all of Remnant. Especially since although being insane, Ozpin is probably the only one she can truly trust her safety at the moment.
Byleth: Yes… You are correct, Your Majesty… I understand…
Ozpin nods while a small smile formed on his face, but he still has something to ask of her before he dismisses her for the day.
Ozpin: That's wonderful… However, there is something I'm curious about. Forgive me for being redundant, but given how ungodly powerful The Sword of the Creator is, is it possible to destroy it or seal it away so that it could be locked away somewhere safe?
Byleth immediately shakes her head as she draws her sword.
Byleth: I'm afraid not… There is nothing on this planet that can damage this blade, let alone completely destroy it… As for sealing it away, that would only delay the inevitable.
Ozpin: I see… So this weapon truly is cursed in every way, it's truly terrifying… *Takes another sip of coffee* Pardon me for taking so much of your time, Ms. Eisner. You may leave now, the best advice I can offer you is to learn from your past mistakes & become stronger, so that something like this never happens again.
Byleth bows down to her King.
Byleth: You have my deepest gratitude, Your Majesty. Now then, if you could excuse me.
Byleth then turns around & leaves the office, with the Ashen Demon taking a huge sigh of relief once she got a good enough distance away from the office. Somewhat happy that she can still do her mission to watch over & guide Ruby. The same somewhat holding true for both Ozpin & Glynda, who are glad to finally put this meeting to rest.
Not long after leaving Ozpin's office, Byleth eventually finds Blake walking on the halls as well. They both take notice of one another & stopped to meet with each other.
Byleth: Blake?... Shouldn't you still be in the infirmary? You're still in bandages.
Blake: I rather not lick my wounds around others, have you done your report to Oz?
Byleth: *Sighs* Yeah, I have… It actually went a lot better than I expected, considering what happened today. I didn't get fired, so that's nice… I'm kinda tired though…
As Byleth said that while rubbing the back of her head, Blake reaches for something from her Battle Kimono with the intent to give it to Byleth.
Blake: I see… Well, I wanted to catch up to you before you went to rest. Tell me, aren't you forgetting something rather important?...
Byleth doesn't get it at first, but then she remembers that Cardin also took her Father's diary that she keeps as a keepsake, something that Cardin would use to blackmail her. She then starts to panic.
Byleth: Oh gods, I forgot! Cardin also took my Dad's Journal! Damn, I forgot to check his corpse after I defeated him, please tell me I didn't destroy it in the crossfire?!
Blake: *Smirks* Oh? Are you perhaps referring to this Journal in particular?
Blake then takes out said Journal from her Kimono & gives it to Byleth, much to her shock.
Byleth: Yes, that's the one! But how did you-?!...
As Byleth takes the Journal from Blake's hand, the latter answers her question.
Blake: The dumbass dropped it before he transformed. I didn't recognize the writing or language of the Journal's cover, so I assumed that it might've been yours.
Byleth is overjoyed by the response as she puts the Journal in her bag, happy that she was able to get her Father's keepsake back safe & sound.
Byleth: Thank the heavens… But- you didn't read it, did you?
Blake immediately shakes her hands in response.
Blake: Nope. I didn't get the chance to do so, nor would I do so since I don't feel very comfortable in reading someone else's diary. & Even if I did, I probably wouldn't be able to understand a goddamn thing written on it. If the cover was written in a language that I wasn't familiar with, then it's safe to assume the entire Journal is written like that too.
Then it clicks to Byleth. Even if Cardin tried to read it to the students like he intended, he wouldn't be able to read the Journal at all. Byleth herself then begins mentally bashing her head against a wall once she realized that despite everyone in both worlds being fully fluent in English (Because logic isn't an actual thing in this universe as a whole!) Both Remnant & Fódlan have completely different languages, accents, ETC. Hell! Remnant as a whole has a lot more culture diversity & in-turn, more languages & accents, due to being an entire world instead of a single continent like Fódlan. The fact that she hasn't realized that fact up until now makes her feel like an idiot, something that Blake notices.
Blake: Uh… Professor?... Are you okay?
Byleth shakes her head before responding to Blake.
Byleth: S- sorry about that… I was just- metaphorically bashing my head against a wall.
Blake: *Raises an eyebrow* Okay~…?
The mood goes silent for a moment before Blake suddenly clears her throat.
Blake: Anyways, my work here is done. I'm gonna go brew some tea, later.
Byleth slowly turns back as she sees Blake walking away while waving off to Byleth.
Byleth: Oh, okay… See you tomorrow & thanks again for getting my Journal back.
Blake: You're welcome.
The 2 then parted ways, with Byleth eventually going back to her quarters, while Blake went outside of Campus. Once she made it outside to appreciate the night sky while she was about to begin her tea brewing, she suddenly saw a falcon minding its own business. But then Blake took a closer look to the falcon & noticed that it was carrying a backpack in the shape of a small cylinder, this was a messenger falcon! When the falcon eventually spots Blake, it caws as it flies over towards her direction, with Blake offering her arm so that the falcon may land on it.
Blake: A messenger falcon? Who is it from?
Blake decides to take a shot & take the written letter from the falcon's bag, while also reaching for her bag to grab her reading glasses so that she can read said letter. The more she reads the letter, the more surprised she gets. Whatever it's written on this letter can't be good news & Blake knows it! Thankfully, Blake always has ink, pen & paper sheets on her bag to send messages around the place since Blake doesn't use a Scroll like everyone else so that her communications never get hacked or blocked by someone who may be spying on her. About 2-3 minutes later, Blake rolls the written sheet of paper & puts it on the messenger falcon's bag & ready to send it flying.
Blake: Alright little one, take it to the skies!
The falcon caws before leaving Blake's side & flying away to the distance until it was so far away that Blake couldn't see it anymore. Blake fears that her past is catching up to her far faster than she wanted, something bad is going to happen in a few months' time.
Our next scene is with Glynda returning to her quarters with a few documentations on her hand, said documentations being "Classified Information" on the folder's cover. Glynda is still a little upset that Byleth got a metaphorical slap on the wrist for causing so much trouble this afternoon, but now with a clearer & calmer mind, she understands that this isn't really Byleth's fault, Cardin & his friends were the ones who took their little grudge to the extreme & did what they did. But right now, she just wants to eat a nice dinner, take a much-needed shower & go to bed early for the night, as well as check on her Daughter; Gayelette.
Glynda: Heavens above, this has been a long day…
Glynda then opens her door to her quarters, seeing how everything is where it should be. That was good, neither herself & Gayelette ever liked a messy room. As Glynda goes to put the documents on her desk, Gayelette comes from her room while combing her hair, unaware that her Mother had just arrived.
Gayelette: Gods, why must this hair be so difficult to-
Gayelette then takes notice of her Mother now being there. She hasn't heard from her since she called her about Team CRDL's plan, but she later learned from Ozpin that they fought Cardin as a Demonic Beast. While she knows that Glynda's alright, the young girl can't help but run & hug her Mother, worried that she might've lost her.
Gayelette: M- Mother!
Glynda is a bit taken a back by her Daughter's sudden action, but she returns the kind gesture by kindly placing a hand on her head, running her hand through her hair.
Glynda: Oh-… Sweety, is there something the matter?
Gayelette: I-… I was so worried about you, I heard it from His Majesty that-…
Glynda groans in annoyance, not liking how Ozpin spilled the beans to Gayelette without her Mother's permission & making her Daughter worried sick.
Glynda: Of course he did, that slimy little pest…
Glynda then gets down to Gayelette's level & properly holds her in her embrace, assuring her sweet child that it's alright now.
Glynda: Shhh… It's okay, sweetheart. I'm here, I'm alright… It's all over now, shhh…
After about a minute or two, Gayelette's faint tears dry as she's being comforted by her Mother. She can't remember the last time she felt like this, but being held in Glynda's arms like this feels really nice.
Gayelette: I'm sorry… I acted without your permission…
Glynda then lets go of Gayelette for a moment as she cups one of her cheeks with her hand & begins to softly drying her dried tears with her thumb.
Glynda: I'm aware, you're the one who helped Sothis get Prof. Eisner out of her bindings, correct? As well as the one who figured out what was going on?
Gayelette: *Nods* Yes, ma'am… I know I shouldn't have gotten myself involved &-
Glynda: "&" What? So you could be of help?... I don't see anything wrong with that.
Gayelette widens her eyes in shock as she looks at her Mother, who just gives her a soft smile while running her hand through her hair.
Glynda: You did what you thought was right & used anything you can make use of in order to help someone in need… Because of you, Prof. Eisner was able to come to our aid & save us… All of us… The others may not know this, but- You just saved us from certain doom… There's nothing to be sorry for, I'm really proud of you.
Gayelette is surprised by what Glynda just said… She's-… Proud of her?... Sure, Glynda was & still is a much better & more supporting parent than her Father ever was, but she's still rather new to get recognition of this scale. Not to mention how she thought her Mother might've been really upset at her for getting herself involved in something she shouldn't have & – As her Father puts it –"Tried playing the hero despite not having that right & leave everything to the adults", she sometimes forgets that she's not living Atlas anymore due to the memories of her life back in Atlas still being fresh in her mind.
Glynda: You thought that I was upset at you because of that, didn't you?
Gayelette nods silently, not saying another word. Glynda then pecks her Daughter on the head & reassures her that this is not the case.
Glynda: I know that Atlas is still rather fresh in both of our minds, despite being almost 5 years since we left the Atlesian Empire… But I promise you that things are different from what they once were, even more so now… After all, you're starting to make some new friends here for one, aren't you?
Gayelette: Uh… Y- yes, I am… While it's still hard, I've never felt like I was a "normal girl" before… But now? I can actually live my life as myself, rather than some Atlesian Noble from the Empire. Actually, Sothis & I even became friends today.
Glynda: See? Things have already changed & are still changing, they're just taking a little long to take effect. You're still a growing girl, so make the most of it, okay?
Gayelette smiles at her Mother's words & wraps her arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly as Glynda returns the embrace without a second thought.
Gayelette: *Nods* I love you, Mom...
Glynda: I love you too, sweetheart…
The 2 stay there for a little while longer before they separated. Glynda decided to comb Gayelette's hair before dinner, wanting to help her Daughter & spend more time with her. They then had dinner, Glynda took a much-needed bath & went to bed early that night. Before she went to sleep, Glynda gave her Daughter a goodnight kiss while she was already fast asleep, bidding her goodnight before she herself went to bed.
We then cut to Jaune walking through the Freshmen Dormrooms to head back inside, feeling like he must set things right & apologize to the others… Or at least, he'll try to. But just as he climbs the final stairs before the floor where his dormroom resides, he sees someone waiting for him down the hallways, Headmaster Ozpin himself.
Ozpin: Well, look who finally decided to make a return to his quarters.
Jaune: Woah!
Jaune stumbled a bit & almost fell, but quickly regained balance before he got hurt. At this point, he knows that Ozpin most certainly knows that he cheated his way into Beacon, so he didn't feel the need to hide it from him & just be honest with him.
Jaune: Alright, fine! I forged some documents so I could enroll at Beacon, happy?!
Ozpin: Mr. Arc, I'm never happy. *Drinks some coffee* I assume you were going back to your quarters, correct?
Jaune: Yeah… I don't see a point in being here anymore, now that you know the truth. I'll just go pack my stuff & leave, if you wouldn't mind.
As Jaune passes Ozpin, the latter quickly stopped him.
Ozpin: With all due respect, Mr. Arc… I actually do mind that.
Jaune stops as he turns around, confused as hell on what Ozpin means.
Ozpin: My young Jaune Arc, I would have to be a pretty incompetent leader if I didn't know how all of my students enrolled in my academy. *Turns to face Jaune* Regardless of whether or not they're legitimate entries.
As Ozpin drinks some coffee, it finally clicks on Jaune as he realizes that Ozpin knew that he was a fraud since the very start… Yet still let him stay?... Jaune's jaw then drops at this revelation from the young Headmaster.
Jaune: Wait-… So you're telling me t-… That you knew about my secret this whole time?!
Ozpin: That is correct, I just chose to let you study here.
This completely shocks Jaune as his jaw drops even more as his eyes widen in shock from Ozpin's response. Either he's insane as all hell or-… Actually, no. He's just really insane! But then comes the question of… Why?...
Jaune: But-… But if you knew about it this whole time, why not do something about it? I'm technically an intruder in your academy, isn't that some sort of serious crime?
Ozpin: *Smirks* Oh, I did something about it, but not in the way you think. In simpler terms, I was testing you.
Jaune: *Raises a brow* "Testing me?"
Ozpin nods as he approaches the young Arc.
Ozpin: I know potential when I see it & when I saw your great tactician skills back in The Initiation, I knew you had an untapped potential… But I knew you were still green & needed more time to try & tap into that potential, which is why I was testing you from the shadows & see if my theory was correct… *Smiles* & It was…
Jaune doesn't know how to feel about this, knowing that he was partially responsible for the deaths of 4 Freshmen Students here at Beacon, as well as almost getting themselves killed by not stopping Cardin beforehand. Jaune rubs his arms nervously while looking away from Ozpin.
Jaune: But I-… But I caused so much trouble… Some people got killed because of me…
Ozpin: That is true… You are responsible for what happened this afternoon… Including standing up for yourself when you finally felt that Mr. Winchester was stepping in his little payback scheme too far, as well as saving your friends from The Demonic Beast… You were scared, confused, conflicted… But in spite of all that, you still fought on, you still kept moving forward & did what you felt was the right thing to do. Those moments right there are true qualities of a Huntsman… Not fearlessness, but having the strength to fight back in spite of your fears. You've done a good job, Jaune Arc.
This actually lifts up Jaune's spirits by quite a bit, he didn't think that Ozpin would give such profound & powerful words of acknowledgement for someone who from Jaune's own perspective, was a lost cause given how he was never "good enough". Yet here's the King of Vale himself, Headmaster of the greatest Huntsmen Academy in the world, telling him "No! You -are- worth something & you showed that to the world all by yourself! Be proud of who you are & don't let anyone take that away from you!" Jaune almost feels like he's about to cry, but he's able to hold back his faint tears. Ozpin then places a comforting hand on his shoulder & asks him one last question before leaving.
Ozpin: Now then… With everything that has happened today, what will you do?
Jaune looks down in thought before looking back at Ozpin & answering his question.
Jaune: I… I'll gather the others for a moment, there's something I need to say to all of them… I just hope they're willing to listen to what I have to say.
Ozpin smiles at this response, patting Jaune on the back as he begins making his way out.
Ozpin: I understand. In that case, I bid you the best of luck… & Remember, Mr. Arc. *Tilts his head back at Jaune* If you ever need my help in anything, be sure to let me know.
Jaune smiles as he bows down to Ozpin.
Jaune: Y- Yes! Thank you for this one in a lifetime chance, Your Majesty! I won't let you down, you have my word!
Ozpin smiles as he waved off to the young Arc while leaving the dormrooms, knowing that Jaune will most certainly keep his word. After the young Headmaster left, Jaune took a deep breath as he eventually made his way back to his quarters & knocking at the door.
Nora: {Just a moment}
Jaune could hear all the noise Nora is making from the inside as she eventually opens the door, surprised to see Jaune… But also a bit upset since he left the infirmary earlier today without so much as a warning.
Nora: Oh… Hey Jaune, you're home late.
Jaune: Y-… Yeah, I am… Sorry for leaving earlier this afternoon without a word. *Shakes his head* But enough about that, are Ren & Pyrrha here with you?
Ren: As a matter of fact, we are.
Ren says that while going next to Nora while wearing an apron, as well as having some flower splattered on him.
Ren: I sensed His Majesty's aura just now; did you guys have a talk?
Jaune: Heh, nothing gets pass you. Does it, Ren? Yeah, we did… Believing or not, he knew about my "secret" since the start. But he still let me stick around in spite of that.
This catches the attention of Pyrrha, who was on her bed reading a novel at that moment. She puts the novel to the side & goes to the others.
Pyrrha: I'm sorry, what?!
Pyrrha's "I'm sorry" counter: 12
Jaune: Yeah, he was actually testing me this whole time… He said that I just passed this "test" of his, he even praised me for standing up for myself too.
The rest of Team JNPR all widen their eyes in shock, as well as nod at Jaune for passing at Ozpin's little "Test".
Nora: Wow, who knew that a crazy white-haired guy who only drinks coffee could be that wise & caring.
Pyrrha: Nora, please show some respect to our King.
Nora: But he's not my King, I'm not native to The Kingdom of Vale, nor am I one of his many peasants & neither is Ren. We're both homeless & travelers, remember?
Ren: She's right, we truly don't answer to any ruler or nation. In a sense, we're free.
Pyrrha both groans & facepalms at both Nora's poor behavior & for Ren actually not doing something about it like he usually does, as if dealing with Blake & her constant defiance to law & authority wasn't enough to deal with. But then Pyrrha clears her throat & asks something of Jaune.
Pyrrha: Putting that aside, is there something else you wish to tell us?
Jaune nods as his expression changes to be a little more serious.
Jaune: Yeah, I do… There's something I wish to say to all of you. & When I say all of you, I do mean all of you.
Jaune says that while turning around & motioning to Team RWBY's quarters, which were literally on the other side of their own quarters. Pyrrha understands what Jaune means by that & decides to go to their quarters herself & get them to come. Once everyone has gathered, including Byleth & Sothis (Except for Blake, who was still out at the moment.) they all sat around as Jaune stands up.
Jaune: Thank you for coming everyone, I know you're all still recovering for what has happened today… But now that you're all here, there's something I want to say.
Jaune struggles a bit since his injuries still haven't fully healed yet, but he manages to get on his knees before he says the following.
Jaune: I wish to apologize… To all of you! You're all were just trying to help me, but I snapped at you & pushed you guys away. What's worse, I let Team CRDL take advantage of me & indirectly caused Prof. Byleth's capture & in turn, almost getting all of us killed because of Cardin getting corrupted by the Sword of the Creator… I'm truly disgusted at myself for letting all of this happen, I'm ashamed of my distant behavior. I had all of that macho bullshit in my head, thinking I had to do everything by myself… Boy, was I wrong…
None of them made a sound, they listened to every word that came out of Jaune's mouth. They can tell that he was being serious in everything he's saying & is being fully honest.
Jaune: I know my words may mean nothing to some of you, I'm not going force anyone to forgive me right away either. The best I can do is try to make things whole again… Thanks to His Majesty, I'll be able to keep studying here in Beacon Academy… I just hope that now I can actually listen to you guys whenever you try to help me, instead of being a self-centered asshole for no reason…
Once Jaune finished his apology, the room got silent for a moment. But then Pyrrha gets back up & approaches her Partner. Jaune closes his eyes & looks away, thinking that she might smack him for being an asshole… Only for him to be surprised by Pyrrha suddenly wrapping her arms around him, giving him a small hug while having a smile on her face.
Pyrrha: It's okay, Jaune… I told you, didn't I? We're not innocent either. We shouldn't have pushed you too far either, we didn't think how you might've felt back there &-… We're all sorry… Especially me… Some great Partner I am, huh?
Jaune is rather surprised by the sudden hug from Pyrrha, he also can't really hide his blush since… Ya'know, he's being hugged by one of the most attractive girls in Remnant.
Jaune: Wait- that's it?... Just like that?...
Yang: Dude, we're not gonna blame you for Cardin taking his grudge too far. You're just a victim in all of this, yet you still had the guts to stand up for yourself. We're just glad that we all made it out alive, is that so hard to grasp?
Jaune decided not to push things further, knowing how stubborn his friends can be at times. So instead, he just hugged Pyrrha back in spite of being really flustered about it.
Jaune: No, not at all… Thank you, everyone.
Pyrrha giggles as she lets go of Jaune & stays right next to him, unaware of how close they're actually are to one another.
Pyrrha: That's what friends are for, right?
They then looked at each other as everyone else is just happy for the 2 being together as friends again, now they can finally put this entire madness to rest… Only for Sothis to come in from behind the Arkos duo & be the slimy little brat that she is.
Sothis: So, when will you be having babies?
Everyone immediately stops as the room gets in an incredibly awkward silence, with both Jaune & Pyrrha getting as red as the latter's hair from how flustered they are right now.
Jaune: W- what?!
Pyrrha: B- BABIES?! We're just sitting next to each other!
Sothis: Oh? What about the fact that you're really close to each other & holding hands?
Jaune & Pyrrha slowly look down, finally taking notice that they're indeed holding hands. They both slowly look back at each other even more flustered & immediately backed the hell away from one another, but it was too little too late at that moment.
Nora: Hahahahahahah! You guys were so focused on making each other feel better that you didn't notice that you were holding hands this whole time?!
Sothis then slides next to Nora while rubbing her chin & giving off a cheeky smirk.
Sothis: You guys are something else, huh? Even without noticing at first, you kids were oddly close to each other. Is there something you 2 aren't telling us?
Jaune: N- NO! OF COURSE NOT! We're just roommates & good friends, that's all!
Pyrrha: Y- Yes! We're both still rather young to be thinking of such things!
Nora: Oh, come on~. You guys might become a once in a lifetime thing, don't waste it!
Sothis: Jaune & Pyrrha, sitting on a tree! K – I – S – S – I – N- OW!
Nora: Hey!
To shut the both of them up & stop them from making things even more awkward, both Byleth & Ren pulled Sothis & Nora respectively by the ear.
Byleth: Please forgive my Little Sister, she's always like this whenever 2 people get too close to each other… Unfortunately, even I was a victim of her little games.
Ren: Nora, please behave yourself.
Due to all the fun & insanity that was occurring, everyone else couldn't help themselves from laughing from their antics. Sothis & Nora however struggle to get out of Byleth's & Ren's grip on their ears.
Sothis: Owowowowowowow! Byleth, come on! Let go of my ear, I'm not a kid!
Byleth: Your attitude says otherwise, young lady.
Nora: Ow~, come on! Ren, we were just playing around. Honestly!
Eventually, both Byleth & Ren let go of Sothis & Nora respectively while rolling their eyes in annoyance. Then again, it's nice to have some kind of light-heartedness tonight given more recent events. Once Pyrrha recovers from being all flustered, she then remembers something important she wanted to give to Jaune.
Pyrrha: Oh, I completely forgot!
Pyrrha gets up & goes over to Jaune while holding an amulet in one of her hands.
Pyrrha: I've found this on your bed after you left, I assume this is important to you, yes?
Jaune snaps back into reality as he looks at the amulet in Pyrrha's hand. He recognizes the amulet & takes it to have a closer look at it, there's not a scratch on it.
Jaune: This is-… Did I drop it or something, I always bring this with me!
Pyrrha: I knew it, it is yours! Is it okay if I ask why is that amulet so important to you?
Jaune looks at the amulet somberly before responding.
Jaune: This amulet is a keepsake from my Eldest Sister…
Everyone immediately stays quiet when Jaune said that, until Ruby broke the silence a minute later to ask something of him.
Ruby: Your Sister? You mean one of the 7 sisters you told us about?
Jaune: *Nods* The Eldest one & I were really close, we even trained together… *Sighs somberly* Unfortunately, she's no longer with us…
Ruby looks down sadly, knowing what it's like to lose a family member & so does the rest of the Garnet Papillons present in that room. Pyrrha places a hand on his shoulder & tries to comfort him as best as she could.
Pyrrha: I- I'm really sorry, Jaune… We had no idea…
Pyrrha's "I'm sorry" counter: 13
Jaune: It's okay… I mean- it's not! But-… Thanks… *Looks at Pyrrha* Thanks for keeping it in safe hands, I really appreciate it.
The 2 of them stayed like that for a little while longer before separating from each other, Ren then comes by while adjusting his apron before speaking.
Ren: Well, it's nice to see that we all patched things up… But it's starting to get late, so before we all go to sleep. *Takes out cooking tools* Who wants a group dinner party?
Everyone gasps in excitement, knowing that Ren's cooking is a true blessing in disguise. Looking at their expressions, Ren doesn't even need for a vocal answer. So he goes past the group & heads to the dormroom kitchen, ready to cook something great for dinner.
Ruby: Ya'see? It all worked out well, now we can finally all hang out together again.
Weiss: While I'm happy for Pyrrha & her blond peasant, shouldn't we be worried about whatever classes we have tomorrow? Or maybe even prepare ourselves for our first big mission in a few weeks' time?
Byleth smiles as she sits in between Ruby & Weiss, but mostly sitting closer to Ruby.
Byleth: I'm sure I can convince His Majesty to give you all a break. After all, you're all still recovering from your wounds from this afternoon.
Weiss: Well… I would prefer to go back to school work at peak condition, so sure. I'm not against us taking a few days off to properly recover from our injuries.
Ruby then gets serious for a moment as she asks Byleth something.
Ruby: About that; the others told me that when you came to save us & fight Cardin, you were able to utterly crush it in less than a minute. What was that about?
Byleth gets a little nervous at the question, not knowing how she should respond to it. But thankfully, Sothis comes by to rescue her "Big Sis" from a sticky situation.
Sothis: Ruby, my dear child. All you need to know is that anyone who pisses off Byleth is immediately going to have a meeting with "The Big Man" in a span of a few minutes… & When I say "pissed off", I mean really pissed off!
This actually ends up working as Ruby starts to sweat a bit at the thought of a very angry Byleth, one that could potentially rival an angry Mother in her eyes.
Ruby: Oh-…! I see, good to know… Hahahahahah…
Byleth internally takes a huge sigh of relief, thank heavens that she didn't come to Fódlan alone. Otherwise, she might've been in serious trouble by now.
Weiss: I mean… I don't think I've ever seen someone that silently angry before.
Byleth smiles while adjusting her hair before responding.
Byleth: What can I say? I always had a pretty protective instinct whenever my students get involved, I'm just happy that I was able to make it in time… Still…
Byleth then places a hand on her chest, remembering her heart attack that struck her during Cardin's transformation. She never felt like that in Fódlan, at least not to that extent… Could this be a side effect of having a Crest Stone for a heart?
Yang: Thinking about your sudden "heart attack" from earlier?
Byleth: Yes… It must've been the effects of the curse, since I'm the one who's currently linked with The Sword of the Creator… I just hope this doesn't happen ever again.
Ruby then places a comforting hand on Byleth's back, reassuring her.
Ruby: It won't happen again; you can count on us on that!
Byleth smiles as she ruffles Ruby's hair.
Byleth: Yeah, I know. I can see how tough you kids are.
Ruby shoot Byleth a thumbs up while giving her a confident smirk, Byleth can feel at ease whenever she sees that confident & reassuring smile of the young Reaper. The rest of the evening was the first time The Garnet Papillons felt truly united. While they took a lot of classes together in this last month or so, it never felt like they were a singular unit having a blast like a group of college students hang out every Sunday night. It also helps that Ren's home cooking was truly divine, Ruby decided to later back some sweets for them as well with Yang's help & they were truly delicious… Even if Yang, Ruby & Byleth felt that Blake not being there for the little party felt a little off.
Unbeknownst to them, Blake was actually sitting on one of the trees in front of Team JNPR's dormroom window drinking tea & whenever the others are obliviously talking to one another, Blake used her Semblance to sneakily take one of Ruby's sweets, no one even noticed the sudden food missing every 20 minutes due to how much food they made, let alone that it was Blake who did it… Well- except for Pyrrha, but she decided to keep it a secret. Overall, they were able to have a good night off despite what happened today.
But will this train keep going on that track, or will the train tracks suddenly change its course halfway through? Will Blake ever reveal her past to The Garnet Papillons? Will they be ready for what's to come given what has happened? Are they truly ready to face the true darkness of this world, or are they doomed to fail in a short matter of time? Find out all of this & more next time on RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant!
RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant - Chapter 15: Patching Things Up - End
Author's Notes: Okay, that ending was really sweet. Hope you like seeing all of these characters together, cause we're going to see them hanging out again next chapter too. But overall, i REALLY needed this chapter after Jaundice, especially the NIGHTMARE that was chapter 15, jesus christ!... Anyways, since this chapter went out pretty early, i think i'll be able to get C16 this january as well, so that's neat.
Fun fact, the Gayelette & Glynda scene was added while i was halfway done with the Jaune stuff in the end. While i was writing his moment with the team, i remembered that Glynda wanted to have a "little talk" with Gayelette after Forever Fall. My ORIGINAL plan was to do that scene AFTER the Jaune moment, but i then thought about it a little more & felt that ending it with the Garnet Papillons getting together again felt better, so i wrote that scene in between Blake's scene & Jaune's scene with Ozpin.
Speaking of Ozpin, it was hard writing his reason to NOT fire Byleth & the reason for that is simple, i could NOT let Ozpin lie through this one. i HAD to make him be A LITTLE more honest with Byleth & tell her the truth... Not the WHOLE truth mind you (That's not until MUCH later in the story) but i still had to make him convice Byleth to stay since she was ready to accept exile at that moment & in order to do that, i HAD to make Ozpin tell her that she CAN'T let Byleth go for the reasons explained in the chapter & since Byleth is good at calling out for other people's bullshit (This is VW Byleth after all, she's alot less trusting with authority figures here thanks to Claude's influence) Ozpin couldn't just make some random excuse like he USUALLY does. As for his moment with Jaune, i want to write more moments as Ozpin being a... well- PROFESSOR, since he's usually called PROFESSOR OZPIN... Yet, we RARELY see him actually ACT like a mentor figure in the show outside of his brief moments with Ruby in V1 & 2, so i want to write more of these scenes here & don't worry, this WON'T be the last you'll see of Prof. Ozpin... Or Soft Mom Glynda, i had ALOT of fun & feels writing her scene with Gayelette, i LOVE those 2.
Anyways, i think i'll end things here for now & go to sleep. This has been Remnant Bardock & until our next meeting, have a wonderful day, my friends!