Disclaimer: I do not own the blazblue franchise or the RWBY franchise they belong to their respective owners
(A/N)
This is the start of the Volume 5 portion of the story. I know I'm jumping ahead a bit. But I have few ideas that will divert a few things from RWBY canon. Which will give me a chance to add some ideas into the story and make some changes and additions. Not all of it is set in stone, but a good portion of it is and I'm excited for some of them.
I noticed that among the RWBY volumes, a lot of people consider Volume 5 to be the worst one. Aside from pacing issues, what other problems that Volume 5 has? I'm asking because, to the best of my abilities I want to avoid the same issues and/or problems that Volume 5 has that made it so disliked.
Chapter 72 Welcome to Mistral
(The City of Mistral)
After spending several hours flying in the airship. Everyone quickly settled into their own rooms and decided to get some much needed and much deserved rest. Jaune spent time being reunited with his team and they brought each other up to speed about everything that happened. Bang and Bullet decided to explore the city together as a brief recon assignment. While Jin and Lambda were off doing there own thing and Ruby rested in her room while reminiscing on everything that happened. A day later, everyone agreed to gather at to the plaza of Haven Academy and the first one to arrive was Jin. Almost 16 minutes later, more people from the group arrived.
"You're all late." Jin commented to the group
"Oh I'm sorry if the Hero of Vale has a problem waiting for a few more minutes." Nora said in an annoyed tone
"There is no problem with showing up to a location as early as possible. It's a sign of vigilance with a sense of urgency." Jin responded to Nora
"Relax Jin, Leo Lionheart knows what happened at Beacon. So I'm fully confident that he's going out of his way to set up as many defenses as possible. Though the only I suspect he's worried about is Ragna going berserk in the City of Mistral." Qrow told Jin while the group were walking
"Speaking of Ragna, I still can't believe that we barely missed him." Ren said to the group
"Well I can't believe that we missed our wonderful leader fighting against the cool and legendary Hakumen. I mean I'm mad that he hurt Jaune, but he is so cool. Please tell us what it was like fighting him again." Nora said in a slightly demanding tone
"I don't think you guys want to hear about that again." Jaune said only for Nora and Ruby to run close to his face
"YES WE DO!" The both of them said in unison with sparkles in their eyes
"Well if you insist, Hakumen was intense as he was calming. Like when me, Bang, Bullet, and Lambda fought him. It was hard to get a read on him. he blocked our attacks with ease and nothing we did even fazed him. In fact, one swing of his sword was enough to break all of our aura." Jaune said to the group before he continued to speak
"Ragna was the only one who was able to put up a proper fight against Hakumen. But even then that was short lived. Not thinking about the circumstances of why he was fighting us. The experience was honestly incredible, He really does live up to his reputation as the White Void." Jaune finished explaining the experience
"I know that a lot of people want Ragna dead, but I didn't think Hakumen would be among the people that would try." Ren said voicing his thoughts.
"Remember, Ragna has half the power of the Black Beast. Since the Six Heroes minus Terumi hate the Black Beast. It would make sense for Hakumen to want to deal with it as soon as possible." Qrow said voicing his thoughts on the encounter
"I'm just glad your all in one piece." Ruby said to Jaune
"Yeah, but looking back on it, I think aside from Ragna we weren't in too much danger. Because I get the feeling that if Hakumen really wanted it. He could have killed us with a little more effort." Jaune told everyone
"I see your point, seems like because he wanted to avoid killing you all by accident. He held back a lot of his strength which gave Ragna a fighting chance. We could spend a long time speculating Hakumen's reason for wanting Ragna dead and his sense of restraint. But it feels like those details are better off explained by the man himself. Still the fact that all of you held your own against him is big accomplishment." Qrow said
"Which reminds me, it is so cool that you unlocked your semblance. Please tell me what it is again." Ruby said in an enthusiastic tone
"It's called Aura Amp, I can amplify my aura and other people's. Which is helpful in strengthening someone's semblance or healing abilities. It came in real handy during our journey and our training in Ronin-Gai." Jaune explained to Ruby
"Which reminds me." Ruby said before she rushed to Bang and Bullet and enthusiastically eyed there upgraded weapons.
"I see several new compartments to each of your gauntlets and some cool additions. Oh and is that the incredible Ronin-Gai special brand of Ronin-Gai Dust that your weapons are using that I've heard about?" Ruby said with more enthusiasm
"She's going weapons geek on us." Nora commented to Ren
"It's been a while since she's seen her friends. Let her have this moment." Ren told Nora
"Yes Ruby, along with our weapons getting significant additions and upgrades. Our skills and semblance have seen significant improvements as well. Even Jaune's sword and shield has seen some improvements." Bang proudly said before Jaune activated his shield and proceeded to throw it. A brief second later, his shield came back and Jaune was able to catch it with ease. An action that was able to impress Ruby
"Wow, just like Captain Remnant." Ruby said in an amazed and impressed tone
"My sword also has some special hard-light Dust as well. I've done some pretty cool things with my shield." Jaune said in a proud tone to an amazed Ruby
"So cool, you've come a long way since Beacon. You've even managed to improve your weapons." Ruby said in an impressed tone
"Which reminds me, does anyone know who that girl is? She reminds me of that Nu girl." Nora asked while pointing at Lambda
"Her name is Lambda, despite being very quiet and keeps to herself. She helped us out a lot when we were traveling together. Though aside from what I just told you, we really don't know anything about her." Bang told Nora
"Which reminds me, since you joined us for the sake of Ragna. Why are you still with us? Shouldn't you be out there trying to find him or something?" Bullet asked Lambda
"You are correct, journeying and assisting Ragna is my main priority. However, since he made his plans to come to Haven Academy clear. Then it is very likely that Ragna will make his way here sooner or later. Therefore if I am to carry out my mission, then it will be ideal for me to wait here for his arrival." Lambda explained to the group
"Then would you mind telling us who sent you?" Ren asked Lmbda
"That is none of you need to know. Though I will tell you what I told Ragna. Neither me or the one who sent me on my mission are your enemy or associated with known threats to your mission." Lambda briefly explained to the group before Jaune spoke up
"There is one thing we learned about her, but that's more of a private conversation." Jaune awkwardly said before Qrow spoke up
"Among other things, once we speak to the Haven's Headmaster. It'll give us the chance to compare notes. Because I get the feeling that we have a lot of notes to compare." Qrow told the group before they went inside
(Haven Academy Hallway)
The group spent a good deal of time traveling the hallway so that they can get to their intended destination. Though as they were walking, they noticed that not only the students were gone. But there was no sign of any of the Professors. Eventually they all made it to a pair of large doors and the group started to slowly make their way to the doors. Once they got close, the doors suddenly opened and everyone saw an older man who is a Lion Faunus and shortly after they all looked at each other. The Lion Faunus as well as the group yelled in surprise except for Jin and Lambda.
"Professor Lionheart, are you OK?" Ruby asked in a concerned tone
"Qrow you scared me half to death. I can't handle such surprises at this point of my age." Professor Lionheart said as he was getting up
"I scared you, why weren't you meeting us at the entrance?" Qrow angrily asked Leo before he decided to check his watch
"Oh my, I'm sorry but I've lost track of time." Leo said in slightly surprised tone
"Your kidding?" Qrow said in a deadpan tone
"Where is everyone? We haven't seen anyone in this school and the classrooms looks pretty deserted." Nora asked as everyone put away their weapons
"Oh, classes have been cancelled until further notice and all the Professors are out. Partaking in various missions and the like." Professor Lionheart said which surprised Qrow
"The Professors are gone, then who's guarding the Relic?" Qrow asked which surprised the Headmaster
"Qrow, your saying this in front of . . . ." Leo said before Qrow cut him off
"I already filled them in, they showed that their trustworthy and its only fair for me to fill them in. Especially since several things happened that got them involved with the fight against Salem. Not to mention that I've learned a few things as well and this is something you and the General need to know about." Qrow briefly explained to the Headmaster
"That's right, you're all the students that Qrow mentioned. If you've all earned Qrow's trust then I supposed that's enough." Professor Lionheart said before the group started to introduce themselves
"My name is Ruby Rose. These are my friends, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Bang Shishigami, Bullet, Lambda, and Jin Kisaragi." Ruby said introducing everyone causing the Headmaster to be surprised at the mention of Jin
"Well I'll be, the Hero of Vale is here. You're also the one who slayed the Beast of Remnant. It is such an honor to meet all of you. My name is Leo Lionheart, at your service." Professor Lionheart said in a happy tone
"We still have a few things to talk about. Such as the fact that your staff who are Huntsmen and Huntresses. Are not around to protect the Relic that's hidden in this school." Qrow angrily stated to the Headmaster
"I see that there is a lot we need to go over. Please come in and make yourselves comfortable." Professor Lionheart said before everyone went in
"So . . . is it just me or is everything going worse than we predicted?" Nora asked Bang in curious tone
"I'm afraid I'm getting similar vibes from them too Nora. Hopefully the air of optimism will cool the tension and improve the situation." Bang whispered to Nora before everyone entered and sat down.
"So, I understand that you have all been filled in. I hope that this is not at all overwhelming for any of you." Professor Lionheart told everyone
"We're adjusting, especially since we were attacked by the people who serve Salem." Jaune said which surprised the Headmaster
"You were all attacked, I'm so sorry to hear that? Please explain what happened." Professor Lionheart said in a remorseful tone before Qrow spoke up
"My niece and her friends were attacked by a mad scientist name Relius Clover. He's more skilled than most other Huntsman I've ever met. In fact, the only reason he escaped. Was because if he fought with his full strength. He would have killed us all and he made it clear that he needed Ruby alive." Qrow explained which surprised the Headmaster even further
"Relius Clover, so that's his name." Jaune said while his fist balled up. Something that Ren, Nora, and Jin noticed and understood the reason
"I see, well if this man is working for Salem. Then I supposed that it would make sense for him to be strong." Leo Lionheart said before Qrow continued
"It gets worse, Ruby's other group of friends were also attacked by Salem's forces. But what makes this stand out even further is that they were after the person they were all travelling with." Qrow said before the Headmaster spoke
"I see, who were the other friends traveling with?" Professor Lionheart asked in a curious tone
"They were traveling with Ragna the Bloodedge." Qrow answered causing the Headmaster to stand up in surprise and fear
"The Beast of Remnant himself, then does that mean . . . ." Professor Lionheart said before Qrow interrupted him
"Ragna isn't with us, but don't get the wrong idea. It's not because Salem's forces were able to capture him. The reason is because someone interfered and this person is Hakumen himself." Qrow explained further to Professor Lionheart
"This day is full of surprises, but I didn't think someone like Hakumen would be involved." Professor Lionheart commented
"Ragna being targeted is a bigger deal than you think. This means that Salem has on eyes on an even bigger prize. Bigger than the Maiden, bigger than the relics. She's after a power that almost destroyed the world. She's after the power of the Black Beast and she already has someone who has half the power." Qrow told the Headmaster which made him even more nervous
"The power of the Black Beast, why didn't Ozpin tell any of us?" Professor Lionheart asked in a worried tone
"Because he didn't know all the details and he was asked not to tell anyone. After the fall of Beacon, Jubei one of the Six Heroes decided to fill me in on everything that he told Ozpin. Including the things that he didn't tell Oz. Details that involves the Black Beast, the Murakumo Labs, and last but not least the Three Azures." Qrow said before he started to explain several things
(The Church)
"Ragna, are you sure you want to do this?" Sister Celica asked a teenage Ragna
"I do, I know that I have aura and I can do some incredible things. I care about you and Saya. But I want to go out there and put my power to use. At the very least, I want to be able to make mincemeat out of the Grimm." Teen Ragna said confidently
"It'll be fine Celica, this hothead will be under my care and training. I'll make a noble Huntsman out of him or die trying." Jubei confidently told Celica before he turned to Ragna
"But her concern is justified, the life of a Huntsman is not an easy one. The kind of Huntsman you are will have an impact on what kind of life you'll live as a Huntsman. I see clear as day that you care about the people. Which means you need to be the kind of Huntsman that people when look at you. They will know that everything will be OK. Since your not going to go to a prep school. Your training needs to be intense. Because of all kinds of dangers you'll face. I can see at first glance that your aura is very powerful. So it's important that you can use and control it. If you can do this and hone your skills. You can be a Huntsman toe can be on par with the Six Heroes. Are you sure you still want to do this? You have a lot of power, which means you have a lot of responsibility." Jubei explained to Teen Ragna
"I'm certain, since fighting is the best thing I can do. Then I might as well be a Huntsman." Teen Ragna confidently said to Jubei and Celica
"Well, since that's settled we'll be leaving a little later today. We have to get you a weapon and I know the weapon that's perfect for you." Jubei said happy with the answer
"Good luck Ragna, I know that you'll make a great Huntsman. I wish Jin was here to see you off." Saya said in a proud tone
"Thanks sis, and don't worry about Jin. In fact, I bet it won't be long before he acts like those stuck up Atlus nobles." Ragna stated which slightly angered Celica
"Ragna, we both that him being in Atlus is an incredible opportunity for him. He has the highest test scores among the Remnant aptitude test and was given an incredible off to better his life. I have no doubt that he'll make us all proud and will still be a good person." Celica explained to Teen Ragna
"Well I'm being trained by one of the Six Heroes. That automatically makes me better than whatever training and education Jin is getting." Teen Ragna smugly said to everyone
"I do appreciate the praise, but from what I've seen and heard of your test scores you need my training more than you think. In fact, I have a feeling that if you go to a decent prep school. It won't be long until you get kicked out." Jubei stated to Teen Ragna causing him to be embarrassed before Celica went to him
"Ragna, you know that I don't violence of any kind. But I do know that there are times when its truly needed. But I don't want you to be a Huntsman that fights, I want you to be a Huntsman that protects those who can't be protected. I also want you to remember that if you ever want to come home. Don't hesitate to do so. Always remember that you have a home and family with us. I look forward to the day when all of us, including Jin are reunited as a family." Celica told Teen Ragna
"Alright Sister Celica, I'll remember." Teen Ragna said before him and Jubei left
(The Branwen Camp)
After remembering such a vivid memory, Ragna quickly opened his eyes and sat up. When he looked around, Ragna saw that he was inside a tent and was placed on a comfortable layout. It didn't take long for him to get his bearings and gather the strength to stand up and walk. When Ragna stepped out of the tent, he saw that there were a small number of people in the camp. But quickly noticed that they all did as much as possible to avoid the tent that he occupied. Thanks to his training, Ragna was able to sense the location of Bloodedge and went towards its direction. Before he went too far, Ragna saw that he was going to another tent and decided to enter it. Once he entered the tent, Ragna saw his weapon and quickly grabbed it.
"Someone would have come to your tent soon. You were better off waiting for someone." A female voice said quickly getting Ragna's attention. When Ragna looked at the source, he saw a woman sitting down drinking her tea. When Ragna took a better look at her, he recognized her.
"Raven! You have a lot of nerve to try and capture me." Ragna angrily said to Raven while pointing his sword at her
"Funny, because if we wanted to capture you. We wouldn't have went out of out way to put you inside a tent of your own. Instead, we would have gotten rid of your weapon and tied you up while the guard kept an eye on you ready to shoot the moment you tried something. Or I would have killed you after knocking you out. Now we can fight, or we can talk like reasonable people." Raven said before she drank more of her tea causing Ragna to lower his sword
"I'm still cautious of you, so don't think I'm letting down my guard." Ragna stated to Raven
"Fair enough, now come and have a seat. I'll be happy to pour you some tea." Raven said as she continued to drink
"I'm fine standing, but I'll listen to whatever you have to say. But before we do anything. Can you tell the person standing outside this tent to put their weapon down. Or else I'll be tempted to cut loose." Ragna said in an angry tone causing Raven to chuckle
"You can come inside Vernal." Raven said before Vernal entered the tent while still holding her weapon
"Now, where were we?" Raven asked before she thought for a moment before she spoke
"That's right, I was about to explain why we didn't kill or imprison you." Raven said before she finished her tea and spoke further
"The main reason that I want to once again extend my invitation for you to join our tribe." Raven said before Ragna chuckled
"Really, you don't know anything about me. So why would you go out of your way to invite me to join your group of bandits?" Ragna asked
"To outsiders, we are seen as a bunch of bandits and criminals. But to those that really know us, we are a family that protects each other. A family that will do whatever it takes to ensure our own survival. I want to give you a chance to join our family Ragna." Raven explained to Ragna causing him to smirk
"You must be out of your mind if you think I'll join a bunch of killers and thieves. Besides, e both know the real reason you want me part of your family. You know that I'm the Beast of Remnant. Which goes without saying that I have a lot of power. A power that you want for yourself." Ragna explained to Raven causing her to laugh this time
"In case you've forgotten, I've extended this invitation to you before your infamous outburst. The world knows who you are and while I do admit that there are those who would use you for your power. It's all the more reason for you to join our family. Realistically speaking, you can't really go back to a Kingdom and everyone will be wary of you. Not to mention no Academy will accept you unless there's a hidden agenda behind it. I'm no stranger to power and our family has an open mind policy when it comes to outcasts. With my guidance, you will thrive in our community." Raven explained further to Ragna
"You have a lot of nerve to talk about being part of a family. I know for a fact that you abandoned your own daughter." Ragna stated which slightly got more of Raven's attention
"Where did you hear that little detail from?" Raven calmly asked
"I heard it from your brother Qrow. I also heard that you had a message for your daughter. A message that you couldn't even be bothered to tell your daughter yourself. You're real mother of the year material." Ragna stated to Raven
"The circumstances regarding my parenting skills is an entirely different matter. Besides, you know your in no position to talk. After all, I know for certain that you fought her. Which played an indirect role in the loss of her arm. I admit that I don't know the full circumstances. But we both know that you don't have the moral high ground when it comes to Yang." Raven responded causing Ragna to look away in anger and guilt
"That wasn't how I wanted it to go. I know I've hurt her deeply and destroyed her trust in me. But I can't dwell in what I've done and let my actions be for nothing. For now, the best thing I can do is move forward. While also hope that she forgives and understands why I did the things I've done." Ragna explained to Raven in a guilty tone
"Bold, but you have to know that trust isn't easily rebuilt. She is my daughter and that means she's strong. I'm sure that this is an issue that the both of you can work out among yourselves." Raven explained
"I'm still not joining you bandits. I have my own mission to carry out and I'm not letting anything get in the way." Ragna stated to Raven while tightening his grip on his sword. Something that Raven noticed
"Then I have a proposition for you. Something that I'm sure will interest you and will make things satisfying for us." Raven said which had gotten Ragna's attention before she continued speaking
"My brother is on a secret mission for your old Headmaster. If my hunch is right, he will meet up with his niece soon. Which will without a doubt lead them to Haven Academy. I suspect that your own mission, requires you to go Haven Academy." Raven explained further which had gotten more of Ragna's attention
"Why re you telling me this?" Ragna asked in an intrigued tone while also paying more attention to Raven's words
"My semblance will let you get to Qrow's location in an instant. It will still take time for him to get to Haven. But I have no doubt that he will get there soon. My proposal for you is quite simple, you stay here for a few days and listen to a few things I have to tell you. Once a few days pass and you still want to pursue your own mission. Then I will open a portal which will lead you to my brother. Waiting a few days over traveling on foot which will take weeks to get to Haven from here. All under the assumption that you know where your going. I'd say this is a good deal all things considered." Raven explained to Ragna causing him to think for a moment
"Your all still bandits, what makes you think I'm going to stand idly by and let you do as you please? For all you know, I could get violent and force you to use your semblance." Ragna stated to the Tribe Leader
"True, but there are families here and I believe that you would never harm kids if you could prevent it. A fight here will draw in the Grimm and will put them and by extension us in danger. Are you certain you want to risk that?" Raven confidently explained causing Ragna to growl in frustration before Raven continued
"Still, as a sign of good faith, there will be no raids as long as you're here. The last thing we want is for you to fight all of us. I know your very powerful, and this is ignoring the power of the Black Beast. But you just need to listen to what I have to say. Qrow will still need a few days to get to Haven. So this works out perfectly for everyone. Do we have a deal Ragna?" Raven asked as she extended her hand
"Don't make me regret this." Ragna said as he shook her hand. Seconds after this, one of the Branwen Tribesmen entered the tent
"Leader, an airship was seen crashing not too far from here." The Tribesman told Raven
"It could be a supply ship, it's worth checking out. Especially since the Dust Embargo is making things more of a headache than before. I'll take a couple of people and look into this." Raven said before she turned to Vernal
"Vernal, keep Ragna entertained and make sure he not only stays out of trouble. But also inform the tribe to not go on any raids without my say so." Raven told Vernal as she was putting her mask on before she left. Not too long after Raven left, Vernal spoke to Ragna
"You should listen to what Raven has to tell you." Vernal told Ragna
"Why should I do that? You both know I don't have a compelling reason to trust her." Ragna told Vernal
"Something you need to understand is that Raven will do whatever it takes for the safety and security of the tribe. Because at the core of it all, we are a family and we look out for each other. I don't know the situation with Raven and her daughter. But I believe in her judgment and I trust her with my life without any hesitation." Vernal explained to Ragna
"I hope for your sake that your right. But a mother who abandons her child. Is someone who doesn't have my respect." Ragna said as the both of them left Raven's tent
(Professor Lionheart's Office)
Qrow spent a good deal of time explaining everything to the Headmaster. Professor Lionheart listened to every word intently and once Qrow was done explaining. The Headmaster sat back in his seat and breathed a big sigh of relief at learning everything he just heard. To learn the true history of the Six Heroes and the details of Terumi being powerful threat. Along with learning about the Black Beast being technically alive and learning about the Three Azures and the Murakumo Labs. After having a moment to process all this, the Headmaster spoke.
"This is a lot to take in Qrow, how were you able to handle all of this?" Professor Lionheart asked in a worried tone
"One drink at a time in my case. Keep in mind, I learned the details regarding Terumi, the three Azures, and the Black Beast a few months ago. While some of these kids are just learning about it." Qrow said before he took a drink
"So both Ragna and Nu contain a half of the Black Beast's soul. While the Three Azures is a power and Jin has one of them. Which is the power of Order." Bullet said summing up what she's learned
"While the Black Beast is still technically alive and is within both Ragna and Nu. For the Black Beast to return, one of them has to kill the other. I fear Ragna's burden has only grown heavier." Bang said in a slightly somber tone
"A good way to sum it all up, now that we're all up to speed. We need to go over what we're going to do. We essentially know what Salem wants, but we have no idea of what Terumi is after. So we need to be prepared for that Snake." Qrow told the Headmaster
"I couldn't agree more, but we have to be smart about this. Ever since the announcer said that our history has been filled with lies. The Council has been going over the details of everything we know about the days of the Black Beast. Making things worse is that everyone in Mantle saw how the Beast of Remnant went on a rampage and killed all those people. As a result, the negativity in the Kingdom increased immensely as a result and the Grimm came shortly after. We lost a lot of good Huntsman and Huntresses when they tried to fight the Grimm." Professor Lionheart explained to Qrow
"His name is Ragna, and what happened wasn't his fault. Terumi found a way to force his power to go berserk the way it did." Ruby spoke up to the Headmaster
"My apologies, but that doesn't really change things. We have no proper way to fight against Ragna if he goes berserk like that. While Mr. Kisaragi proved to be essential in stopping Ragna's rampage from getting worse. I doubt he'll be able to magically go to any location Ragna is if he goes berserk like that." Professor Lionheart explained further
"Which means we need to take action now, Jin has one of the Three Azures which is the Power of Order. If Ragna goes berserk like that, we'll be able to subdue him. But we need to do something about the Relic, we can't leave it unguarded for long. It wouldn't be an issue if you had people here at the school to guard it." Qrow explained in a frustrating tone to Professor Lionheart
"Weren't you listening to me, I said that we lost a lot of good Huntsmen and Huntresses when this Kingdom went into chaos. Everyone is now afraid that Ragna will show up and become the beast and everyone is distrustful of the Council because of the supposed lies regarding a name. Not helping matters is that not only are the people afraid of the Beast of Remnant. But they also saw the Atlus mechs attack innocent people. All of that is just the beginning, as for what's happening currently. I'm afraid it has gotten much worse." Professor Lioheart said in a somber tone
"What do you mean it's gotten worse?" Ruby asked
"Attacks on the Faunus have increased since the world saw the Beast of Remnant. From what we've learned, it appears that the people are under the assumption that the presence of the Faunus is what brought back the Beast." Professor Lionheart told the group which shocked them
"That's inhumane, there is no way that can be true." Jaune responded
"I agree, but it's the reality of the situation. We were able to control the situation for now, but we still need to be on guard. Especially since the White Fang could retaliate against us in a significant way. Making things worse is that there have been all sorts of strange occurrences within the city. Various attacks and/or robberies which occurs at a rate that its a concerning problem. As an added headache, the Mistral Council is still at odds with the Atlus Council. The Dust Embargo was bad enough, but now their borders are closing up which will no doubt be a problem in the long run. I figured that General Ironwood would have an interesting response at seeing the Beast of Remnant. But I fear it would aid his more unfortunate tendencies. On top of all of that, we still don't know where the Spring Maiden is." Professor Lioheart explained to Qrow
"All the more reason we need the Huntsmen and Huntresses here. Leaving the Relic unguarded is asking for trouble and its going to end badly." Qrow angrily said
"Your asking me to bring in the few Huntsmen we have left. To guard something they know nothing about and for them to do it because its their job. Ignoring the fact that Mistral's territory is far reaching and harder to protect." Professor Lionheart argued
"No, I'm asking you to do your damn job." Qrow argued further before Ruby stepped in
"OK, OK, let's all just calm down. We are all here and we can figure this out. Let's start with what we can do now. First, let's just go over why the Maidens are so important. I get the feeling that its more than just how powerful they are." Ruby briefly said while calming the situation.
"I thought they were filled in." Professor Lionheart said
"There's a lot to cover and too little time to do it. There's a reason I gave up teaching." Qrow said before he took another drink and the Headmaster started to explain
"As you all know, each of the Maidens can perform incredible feats of magic. Though there is a lot more to it than just their power. Each of the relics are locked behind a vault and the Maidens are the key to gaining access to the Relics." Professor Lionheart explained before Qrow spoke.
"You can probably guess that the Maidens are more important than you realize. The problem is the Spring Maiden herself." Qrow briefly said
"Why is the Spring Maiden a problem in this situation?" Bang asked
"She's a problem because we lost her over ten years ago. Originally, she was excited at the fact that she's the Spring Maiden. Unfortunately, over time the full weight of her responsibilities started to overwhelm her. Then one day she just disappeared and we haven't seen or heard from her since." Professor Lionheart explained
"An unfortunate reality of those who find themselves with power. Just as it can appeal to many. The full burden that it carries destroys many who bears it." Bang commented
"Very true young man, unless we know for certain where the Spring Maiden is. We can't really do anything about the Relic." Professor Lionheart said before Qrow spoke up
"I know where she is, but it's not exactly good news and its more of an idea." Qrow said in a somber tone
"This is still good news, before we didn't know anything. But now, we have something we can work with. Tell me Qrow, where is the Spring Maiden?" Professor Lionheart asked before Qrow sat his Scroll down and pulled up a holographic map
"I did some digging and I know that she's with the Branwen tribe." Qrow said pointing at a specific location on the map.
"Yang's mom." Jaune muttered
"Raven, of course things would get difficult." Professor Lionheart said in a sad tone at this realization
"When Raven returned to the tribe she was able to gain a lot of followers. When the Spring Maiden showed up, it made getting followers a lot easier. Which leads to another fact I've learned that I can't ignore." Qrow said getting more attention
"What did you learn?" Professor Lionheart asked
"As we all know, the world has their eyes on Ragna the Bloodedge. I have a strong hunch that Raven has an interest in Ragna. If someone as powerful as Ragna joins the Tribe. Then the Branwen Tribe will amass a following that can let them go toe to toe with a Kingdom. I doubt Ragna will want to join a group of Bandits. But the thing about my sister is that she knows how to be very convincing." Qrow explained before taking another drink
"Still, this is good information and I have something to work with. As soon as I give the Council all of this information. A retrieval force can be formed in 3 weeks." Professor Lionheart said optimistically
"Leo, maybe you didn't hear me, my sister has the Spring Maiden and we know where they are. We don't have 3 weeks, we need to get her as soon as possible. Raven won't give up the Maiden without a fight. The more time we spend on pointless things, the more time we give Salem to find Spring and take the Relic. We need to go as soon as possible, time isn't on our side!" Qrow angrily said before he pushed some books over
"You're clearly not listening to me, the Kingdom is in chaos and tensions are high with the Grimm and the possible threat of Ragna the Bloodedge. Who everyone is referring to as the Beast of Remnant. As soon as possible doesn't mean tomorrow. It means when I can convince the Council that I need Huntsman more than they do. While keeping certain details such as the Maidens and Salem a secret. Unfortunately, Bandits aren't high on the Council's priority list. Especially since War with the other Kingdoms is a very real possibility at this point." Professor Lionheart explained
"Damn the Council we can do it ourselves. You and I are trained Huntsman and kids aren't pushovers. As an added bonus, we have Jin Kisaragi, the Hero of Vale who also has the Power of Order. Along with a group of people who held their own against two of the Six Heroes. We can retrieve Spring ourselves with none of the red tape to hold us back." Qrow said with a small hint of optimism
"Yeah, we are ready to go on a mission to save the Kingdom." Ruby energetically said with Nora sharing in the excitement
"Maybe there is a way to handle this peacefully without causing any problems?" Ren calmly said
"Spoilsport." Nora said as she pouted
"I do agree with you Qrow, however there are a few problems with your plan. You and Raven are evenly matched. Time has dulled my skills and while the kids are strong, I doubt they can take on a Bandit Army. You said they held their own against two of the Six Heroes. Did any of those encounters result in a victory?" Professor Lionheart asked causing Jaune to speak up
"No, when we fought Terumi, he toyed with us before he killed a student. As for Hakumen, he held back but all it took for him to break our aura was one attack." Jaune said answering Professor Lionheart's question
"I saw how much of a monster Terumi is. He is strong, he beat me and killed Pyrrha. Terumi also beat and cut off Ragna's arm as I it was nothing. He also killed . . . ." Ruby said before some tears left her face which is something everyone noticed
"I'm sorry, the point is that we need the Council's aide on this mission. We only have one chance at this. With no room for error, which is why we need to ensure our chances for success as much as possible. If we fail to apprehend Spring, Raven and her tribe will scatter. Not to mention we are under the hope that Spring will not oppose us." Professor Lionheart explained further
"The Power of Order that I have let's me fight against a Maiden on equal footing. I don't have complete control over it. But it is something to consider. I learned this fact when I fought against Cinder when I tried to stop the match." Jin said which surprised everyone
"That is more pleasant to hear, but there are too many unknown factors with this mission." Professor Lionheart said causing Qrow to sigh in a defeated tone
"Oz wouldn't be happy to hear any of this." Qrow quickly said
"I know, I'm doing the best I can. But I don't control Armies nor do I control the Council. I need to make do with everything I have. Which, given the circumstances isn't a lot at the moment." Professor Lionheart said
"What about Cinder and her cohorts, especially Nu. Did you happen to find anything remotely useful?" Jin asked
"After the Fall of Beacon, we pulled their files and investigated. All of it was forgeries and when we looked to see where it came from. Some of the Huntsmen disappeared." Professor Lionheart answered
"Well I can't say this was a good visit, but it was at the very least an informative one. The local signal is still working so keep me posted." Qrow said as he was making a motion to leave
"Despite the circumstances, its good to see you well Qrow. I will make accommodations for you and everyone. I assume you all came a long way and would appreciate being in a comfortable place." Professor Lionheart told the group
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Ruby asked causing the Headmaster to think for a moment.
"Well, there have been some low-priority missions that's been piling up. That hasn't been attended to. They tend to be missions that helps the community. If you could find the time to do them with supervision or permission from Qrow. It would make the community very happy. Not to mention that it will be easier to get aid from the Council if its for someone that did a noble service for the community." Professor Lionheart explained to Ruby
"I'll keep that in mind, at the very least it'll make for some decent training. Come on everyone, let's go." Qrow said before him and the group left. Before all of them left, Ruby looked back
"It was nice meeting you Professor." Ruby said
"It was a pleasure to meet you too." Professor Lionheart responded before Ruby left. A few minutes after Ruby left. The Headmaster took a deep breath of relief before a symbol of a W came up on the desk
"Oh Professor, it appears this meeting has been quite informative. I believe Salem would like to learn this." Arthur Watts said through the comm system
(Haven Academy's Hallway)
After the meeting with the Headmaster of Haven. Everyone was silent and in deep thought about what to do. Though they all know what they need to do, none of them have an idea of how to it. Since the resources they have is severely limited and they have little to no options on what to do. As they were walking, Jaune was the one who was in the deepest thought about everything that happened. Eventually, he came to a realization and spoke up.
"Qrow tell me again, what are the names of the Three Azures?" Jaune asked getting everyone's attention
"There's the Power of Order, something that Jin has. The Azure Grimoire, which is the power of destruction. Last but not lease, there is the Eye of Blue. Why do you ask?" Qrow asked in a casual tone causing Jaune's fist to ball up
"That's the reason, that's why she was attacked the way she was." Jaune said causing Nora to speak
"Jaune, what are you talking about?" Nora asked in a concerned tone
"Do you remember what I told you guys about the man who attacked Noel. The same man that me, Cardin, and Dr. Oobleck couldn't stop? The same guy who some of you guys have fought." Jaune asked the group
"We remember him, he said his name was Relius Clover." Ren answered
"When he attacked Noel, he said something about the Eye of Blue. This was right before he did something to her. That's the reason Noel was attacked. The reason Noel was attacked is because she has one of the three Azures. Noel has the Eye of Blue and it's the reason that masked monster attacked her!" Jaune said before he punched the wall in frustration which shocked everyone
"If its true, that means we know where two of the Three Azures are. Jin has one, while Noel has the other. That just leaves the Azure Grimoire. All of you go back to the house, I need a drink and some time to think about a few things." Qrow said before he left to go off on his own
(A/N)
I know its been speculated so allow me to clear something up. There is a good chance that Ragna and Cinder will have a reunion and it will be a very violent one. Before anyone speculates it, I'm not going to have Ragna beat up Cinder and then give her mercy. A certain game did that and to be honest, it was handled very poorly. I know Cinder's backstory at this point and if for some reason Ragna learns it. It won't change a thing, he'll still want to tear her to shreds.
So read and review
Thank you