Author's Notes

So, I'd just like to point some stuff out in advance. I did re-watch RWBY to write this fic, and I didn't forget Ozpin and Salem's history. Some events and timelines (particularly my interpretation of the Brother Gods' powers) are different here. This is a fanfictionrewrite, so there will be very noticeable alterations from canon. These changes are intentional.

Disclaimer: Before anyone asks, no. This fic will not end with Jaune solo killing Salem and saving the world and getting a harem.

Chapter 40: It's Bro Time

In which Jaune casually contemplates a way to change the course of history, Ren bros it up to an impossible amount of bro, and Blake learns a bit more about her team leader's not-so-secret secrets.

Jaune and his crew had all but finished their search for the day. Dove had already retired, and Russel and Pyrrha were putting away books and shutting down the computers. They'd found a lot, but not nearly as much as they needed. There was a goldmine of police reports on attacks by 'individuals with powerful semblances' (a.k.a. the maidens, though Jaune couldn't just let his friends know that). It seemed that Salem's little flame was quite the busy lady. They'd gathered plenty of evidence that proved there was a single perpetrator behind the Dust robberies in Vale, but they'd yet to locate anything conclusive linking it to Cinder. Dove had found that she could be charged for high treason if they could present evidence that the Dust theft was weakening the kingdom's defenses, and that was about the only charge serious enough to justify extradition.

The most promising result of the whole day was a grainy photograph from a security camera they'd found in a newspaper article. A black haired woman and some orange haired accomplice could be made out at the scene of a burglary. In the shot, a pixelated stream of fire was coming from the woman's hands to melt the glass of a display case holding Dust crystals.

It was…a good start. All they really needed was enough to prove to the council that Cinder was a threat and get permission to borrow a small army of hunters to bring her in.

And when she resisted, bring her down.

Cinder Fall was a maiden, and she'd demonstrated intent to take lives many times. She could not be contained in a jail, prison, or penitentiary. The only path forward was to kill her. And to do that, they needed more forces than a green Beacon boy, a crippled headmaster, an Atlesian general, and a drunk bird.

Jaune didn't want to kill her. He truly, genuinely hoped with all his heart that she would surrender when confronted. If she did, they would gladly take her alive, but he suspected deep down that a peaceful arrest wasn't in the cards.

But for now, all he could do was return the book he'd been reading to its alphabetical location on the library shelf. Partridge, Patterson, Patton, Pavel, aha! Here we go, in between Pavel and Paz.

"What gave me away?"

Jaune recognized Oz's voice without having to turn around. He had a feeling that this conversation was bound to happen once the two had a moment alone. Honestly, he was surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

"The coffee." Jaune motioned to the thermos in the headmaster's hands. "The cane was my choice, and you've got two other males in your little Gentlemen's Club, but there was no reason for you to get me hooked on the coffee."

"I see. I shall strive to be less heavy handed."

"You mean I shall strive to be less heavy handed."

Ozpin grimaced. "Jaune, you have to understand–"

"No, you have to understand." Jaune set down his book. "I came to Beacon to fight evil and become a hero. Salem's evil, and you're a hero. I'm okay with this."

"You are?"

"Yes. I realize how dangerous she would be if she got her hands on all four relics. We can't let that happen, no matter the cost. If you think having a pre-trained host who already leads a talented hunter team is what we need, then I'm willing to be that guy. Part of being a hero is self-sacrifice. My life isn't worth more than the millions she could destroy."

Ozpin opened his mouth to speak, but Jaune cut him off. "Don't think I'm not mad, though. You lucked out that I'm willing, but if I weren't, you'd have fucked up bad, Oz. Real bad. If you'd chosen Dove or Russel to be your next host without telling them, I wouldn't be so calm and forgiving. Even now, I am kinda upset that you did this without asking my consent, even though I'll give it willingly."

Ozpin leaned on his cane and adjusted his glasses. The old man looked genuinely perturbed. "May I explain my actions?"

"You may."

"Though an immortal life of accumulating knowledge and training has proven to be quite the advantage when combating Salem, I plainly despise the aspect of my reincarnation that forces me to subsume a living soul. Would that I share Salem's brand of immortality within one indestructible body. I'd even be content to wake up in the body of an unborn child and experience a literal rebirth if that meant I could spare an innocent, but I cannot change what is. What I've got, unfortunate as it may be, is the power to attach to a likeminded host who is already happily existing within Remnant. I disrupt their life before eventually absorbing them. There is nothing I can do to change this, no matter how much I may have prayed. The only thing I can do is make the most of it.

"I realized somewhere along the line that I could…I hesitate to say control, but I could sway the selection of my host by imparting my mannerisms and beliefs onto a young man, in an effort to make them 'like-minded.' As I said the day we met in Qrow's office, you and I already had a lot in common. Between the training with the cane, the induction into my cabal, and, yes, the coffee, I'm almost certain you will be my next host."

"You could have asked me before training me. I would have said yes."

"I'd have had to explain my immortality, Salem, and the relics. Until I knew I could trust you, that information was too sensitive to give to you."

"Then why didn't you tell me when I joined your secret society?"

"I was going to. I wanted to wait until the Spring maiden died and Cinder was brought down. Once all of that was dealt with, I would've told you my intent. You would have the option to decline and allow me to search for a new, willing host. You still do, should you change your mind. We could distance ourselves. You'd remain a part of our group, but you'd change your mannerisms and do mission far away from me, like Qrow–"

"I haven't changed my mind. I'm okay to do this, and I refuse to foist this on someone else. Still, that doesn't make what you did right."

"I know, and I'm so, so sorry to have forced this burden upon you, Jaune. The only thing I have to say in my defense is that if I did not prepare a host, I would still reincarnate in another person. The only difference would be that my next mental roommate would be scared and confused by the voices in his head. You, on the other hand, can hopefully expect what comes next."

Jaune broke their eye contact. "So what now?"

"Until I die, nothing. Then, we shall become one."

Worry crept into Jaune's mind. "Was this all I ever was to you? Just the next host?"

"No. Never. I wasn't lying when I said I sympathized with your desire to fight. You're a brave man, Jaune Arc, and I'm proud to be your teacher."

"You mentioned Qrow just now…"

"No, he wasn't. You're the first candidate I've considered since Osbourne died and I became Ozpin." The headmaster smirked. "Seriously, Qrow? Come now, Jaune, do you really think I'd saddle myself with a semblance like that?"

Jaune laughed at the headmaster's quip. Poor old Qrow, with a shitty semblance like bad luck.

Hmmm. A semblance…?

Semblance!

"Will I get magic?"

"Get magic is a crude way to describe it, but yes. The magic that exists within my soul comes with me. You will be able to wield magic."

"Oz, my semblance!" Jaune practically screamed it. If he was right, it could change everything!

"I don't– what about it?"

"Magic! Semblance! Me!"

"Jaune, breathe. You need to calm down. Inhale and exhale. Alright, now calmly tell me what you're trying to say."

"Oz, my semblance is to give someone superpowered aura that enhances their semblance. The aura that I give them is originally mine, right? So, what if it works for magic too?"

"Then…you could give someone magic?"

"I could give Salem magic!"

"And this would…help us?"

"If I had your magic within me, perhaps my semblance would enable me to share it with her, since she also has magic. It would be like what I did to Cinder – give her too much and make her lose control and…explode…or something?"

The more he spoke about it, the more ridiculous it sounded. Make her explode? What a load of crock. Oz probably thinks me a fool. The headmaster must have tried every which way to destroy Salem, and here I was thinking I'd figured it out before even graduating.

Jaune grimaced. "Actually, forget I ev–"

"The Grimm Pools…maybe…" mumbled Ozpin.

Never mind. There is a way, and I'm a genius for figuring it out. Sing my praises, everyone.

Ozpin paused. Jaune could see the gears in the old man's head turning, just like the gears that he surrounded himself with in his office. He clearly had the beginnings of an idea coming together in his mind, and Jaune didn't want to interrupt him for fear of blocking his train of thought on such a serious subject.

Finally, he spoke. "Salem's immortality was ordained by the voice of the God of Light, so it cannot be overpowered. She can't be killed, not even by my magic, but…remember, Jaune, this is theoretical. I've no idea if your semblance can actually channel or carry different forms of energy besides just aura."

"But if it could, what are you thinking?"

"Balance is without a doubt the single most critical tenets of the Brother Gods' teachings. Immortality is a gift from the light, and control of the Grimm the dark. It was the will of the gods to grant Salem the former power, and her own will to steal the latter. Presently, the Gods' delicate balance keeps these inverses from cancelling out within her. Now, that semblance of yours is to push aura into others. Should you bind the powers of light or, in our case, the powers of darkness to your soul, you could in theory push such energy into her and disrupt that balance. This would cause the light and dark to become unstable, unbalanced, thus removing her immortality, and perhaps her control of the Grimm as well. There is absolutely no way to kill her while she hosts such light, but it may be a way to target the light itself and render her vulnerable."

"Then let's do it! Kill yourself, and we can go–"

"It would be a tremendous risk," interrupted the headmaster. "The power of destruction is volatile and noxious. Salem's brief contact with the pure darkness in the black pools of what is now her Grimm wastelands would have killed her if the God of Light hadn't intervened and made her immortal. To disrupt the balance, you'd have to suspend yourself in the pool of darkness, flare up your aura, and immediately expel any tainted portion of your soul as it is being tainted, and not an instant later. Any dark energy that remains in your body and spirit would end your life instantly. My magic came from the Gods themselves, in the form of a gift to all of humanity, so it should insulate your body briefly, but there's still no guarantee you'd survive, or that it would even work. Recall that Jinn said–"

"Jinn said she can't be stopped, but I hadn't been born then. It would've required her to tap into knowledge of the future, and you told me she's unable to do that."

"Regardless, I cannot condone such a reckless mission. Not only would you have to survive the Grimm pools, but also get to them and back. It would be suicide."

"Sir, hunters lay down their lives every day. I chose to come to Beacon."

"Jaune, I cannot just–"

Jaune raised his hands in exasperation. "Oz, if this works, it's well worth any risk. One life to prevent an eternity of torment for all of mankind! Why are you trying to talk me out of this?"

"Because I don't want you to die!"

Pyrrha and Russel looked up at the Ozpin from the other side of the library. The two couldn't have heard their conversation about Salem, but they sure as shit heard that.

Oz spoke in hushed tones. "Salem hasn't ceased her pursuit of the relics since the day we parted ways, and Remnant has suffered for it. Killing my old love will bring me no joy, but I've accepted that it is a necessary action to bring about an end of this dark age. But to risk your life before you've even had a chance to experience this world? I've taken you under my wing. Taught you. Raised you up. I haven't had children in thousands of years. You're the closest thing I can think of to a son of my own. I've sent so many soldiers, some of them still students, to their deaths. No more." He shook his head. "No more."

"Okay, Oz. You've spoken. Now, can I say my piece?"

"Very well."

"You and she have been fighting this secret war since the day I was born. Do you know how it's impacted me?"

"How?"

Jaune scoffed. "It hasn't. I'd never seen it. I'd never even heard of it. For my entire childhood, you and James and Qrow and everyone who fell in the line of duty were able to contain Salem so well that the world didn't even notice her. Me and people like me reaped the benefits, even if we didn't know of your sacrifices. Being a hunter is a thankless job, but not a meaningless job. Humanity and the Faunus get to live in a time of unprecedented peace.

"But Oz, what's going on with the maidens, with Amber, Cinder, Raven? She's moving her pieces. There's no more hiding and playing it safe for anyone. The war for Remnant has already begun. And even if we massacre her agents and beat that wicked witch back to her castle today, unless we eventually take the fight to Salem, she'll outlast us all and torment future generations for all eternity. Let me fight so that the next Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos and Team Adventure won't have to. If it kills me, I'll consider my life well spent – no sacrifice too great. You promised me that I would get to make my own choices about us becoming one, and this is my choice."

Ozpin looked down into their reflections in his coffee. "Fine. I will allow you to test our theory…when I die of natural causes and you are a grown man, not a moment sooner. You are old enough to make your own choices, but I'll be damned if you don't get to live some of your life before we gamble it away. That is the end of this conversation. I shan't budge. Now off with you; go get some sleep, my boy." The headmaster brushed Jaune away with a motion of his hand.

"Thank you, Oz."

Ozpin smiled. "It's almost paradoxical, Jaune. I tried to mold you into someone similar to me, but I do believe you're starting to convince me to be someone like you."

"Bro," said Ren to Sky.

"Bro," said Sky to Nora.

"Bro," said Cardin to Sky.

"I'm alone in the woods, hunted by an intelligent Grimm with only a group of fuckin' idiots for backup. What's the point of this again?" said Professor Branwen.

Ren couldn't understand how the bro was confused. The rules of the bro game were simple. Look at a bro, call them bro, and don't be the next bro to speak. If two people were to bro at the same time, both were broliminated. The winner was the last bro standing.

"Bro," said Ren to Cardin.

It wasn't clear who'd created the bro game. It could have been Nora. It could have been Sky or Cardin. Ren was fairly certain he himself hadn't invented it, but there was no way to bro for sure.

"Bro," said Nora to Cardin.

Normally, Ren wouldn't make time for such silly distractions when they were on a mission, but tonight was a night for bros (including the queen of bros and Brofessor himself). Sky's plans were sound, giving them a fighting edge in the coming battle, so Nora had called for a minor cele-bro-tion. Ren was proud of his partner – his romantic partner, not his hunter partner – both for being so clever at combat and for speaking up for himself when the time came. It seemed so long ago that Ren had struck up a bargain with a halberd-wielding stranger whose shoulder he'd just dislocated; now, Sky was as familiar to him as Nora. Team Castle was a family.

And Professor Branwen could be their weird uncle, Ren guessed. Or maybe pet bird.

"Bro," said Cardin and Ren simultaneously. Shoot.

In some ways, it felt like everyone was all grown up, and things were drawing to a close. Sky was now unafraid to speak his mind, Ren broke out of his emotional shell, Cardin had matured greatly, and Nora moved past her clinginess.

"Bro…?" said Brofessor Branwen to Sky.

And tomorrow, they were going to finish the final arc in the story that began during their initiation. Team Castle was going to kill the mutant Grimm or die trying. Ren wasn't ashamed to admit that both outcomes were equally likely. Hence the game, as a way to unwind before the ultimate battle.

"Bro," said Professor Branwen to Nora.

"No, you can't say bro twice in a row," said Sky.

"Sorry, Mr. Bro-nwen. You violated the bro code, so you're out. Malarky, 1v1 me right this instant," brommanded Nora.

"Bro."

"Bro!"

"BRO!"

"ⒷⓇⓄ!"

"乃尺の!"

"Let's call it a tie," Cardin stammered before the pair could bro one another into broblivion.

"You kids wanna know what real huntsmen and huntresses do before a big fight?" asked the professor. His hand reached down towards his pants.

"Bad touch," said Nora.

"I was reaching for my flask in my pocket!"

"Furnishing alcohol to minors," said Sky.

"Buzz off. Imma go for a walk, maybe scout out the area for Grimm."

"Child abandonment," added Ren to the charges.

"It's about to become child endangerment if you don't shut yer traps." The Castles broke into giggles as the older huntsbro wandered into the forest.

"So, what should we do now?" asked Sky.

"We could get pizza delivered," offered Nora.

"Papa Jaune's is usually closed at this time of night," countered Ren. "Besides, we're outside their '30 Minutes or It's Free' range, so what's the point?"

"Anyone up for a dip? I spotted a lake just north of here on the flight over." suggested Cardin, pointing east. Ren declined to correct him and nodded instead, pleased with the idea his tall teammate had put forth. A gentle swim always helped Ren relax, and the night was warm enough that there was no risk of hypothermia.

Ren, Nora, and Sky followed their directionally-challenged teammate towards the body of water. The glimmering reflection of the starlit night sat perfectly still on the unperturbed surface of the lake. Without the tree cover that was normally present in these parts, Ren could clearly see the snowcapped mountain peaks as they pierced the sky. It was a beautiful night.

Of course, nothing good could ever last. It was probably only a matter of time before Nora would scream cannonball and splash into the waters with the might of the Brother Gods. Ren soaked in as much of the scenic atmosphere that he could before turning back to look at his partner, expecting a peace-shattering scream.

Nora.

Nora.

Nora was…

Ren blinked. "What. Also, why."

Nora stared back at him blankly. "Cardin said a dip, bro."

"I don't think he meant a skinny dip," responded Ren. "Did you, Cardin?" He looked to the man in question for support.

Cardin.

Cardin.

Cardin was…

"No, bro. Queen Nora's right, that's what I meant."

Ren tightly shut his eyes. "Sky, please, not you too."

He cracked one eye open and peeked towards his boyfriend, hoping Sky was clad in his familiar suit of armor.

Sky was not.

"Sorry, bro."

"Damn it, Gretchen. What's taking you this long?"

Night had fallen on Mountain Glenn, and the Sheriff had still not returned. Hazel had taken them around Gravel Lane in search of the missing Dust, to no avail. Blake had to say, the city was just as shitty as the last time she'd been here, back when she was with the White Fang. Unlike the expensive manors and manses of Platinum Lane, Gravel Lane contained naught but scratched out paint, shattered windows, rotting wood, and rusted metal. Toby's little hovel had seemed fancy by comparison to the rest of the Lane's residences. As they walked along the dirt path, Faunus eyed Team Rainbow and the deputy with neither suspicion nor hope, but a defeated lack of care.

Blake had traveled the world. She'd walked the overcrowded ports of Menagerie, bustling with desperate fishmongers, rambunctious children, and Faunus going about their ordinary day, all trying to fit into the tiny cram space in which the world had locked them. She'd born witness to Atlas' military placing curfews on Faunus in the wake of a major attack by the Fang, and to how soldiers had viciously brutalized those who chose to peacefully protest it by simply going outside. She'd seen the unspoked divide between the two races in Vale, where Faunus were tolerated the bare minimum amount possible without seeming overtly racist but never fully accepted. None of the Faunus in those places even held a candle to the utter bleakness she saw in the eyes of Gravel Lane. No wonder the Fang had chosen here.

"Sorry, huntresses," Hazel apologized. "Gretchen was supposed to call me when she'd verified that the Triangle was safe."

Ruby gasped. "What if she's in trouble? We have to help her!"

"She didn't radio me or message my scroll for aid. Besides, she'd be able to handle it herself if there were. We've combed Greengrocer Lane for the missing Dust, and it's not here. While we're here, we'll do one last check around the wall for breaches. After that, I'll take us to the Triangle. Gretch better have a damn good excuse."

Gravel Lane's wall may have been the only part of it not in shambles, though Blake suspected it was because the rich in Platinum Lane preferred Faunus to Grimm as their next door neighbors. They'd probably have neither if they could help it, but Vale's council professed equality (when it was fashionable and fresh in the public's mind), and Mountain Glenn was reliant on their homeland's imports to survive.

Hazel led Team Rainbow to the catwalk that ran along the top of the wall where it met the roof. The only opening to the outside world and the Grimmlands that sprawled across Sanus was here. A long, thin strip of the fortified metal and stone that made up the walls had been removed, leaving a window just big enough to stick a gun out of, should hunters need to fire on Grimm roaming the wastes.

The Faunus foreman nodded to Hazel. "No activity, sir."

Weiss pointed to a roaming group of elephantine creatures in the distance. "What is that?"

Ruby hugged her dog (wait, wasn't she supposed to be trying to hide the damn mongrel mutt?) close to her chest. "Whoaaa! It looks awesome!"

"Those, my dear girl, are Grimm." The foreman grinned at her youthful innocence. "Specifically, a roaming band of Goliaths. They occasionally pass by here, but they never trouble us."

"Neat!" purred the little girl. "Let's kill 'em."

"I'm afraid all the weaponry we have in Mountain Glenn will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm of that size," said Hazel. "Fret not, girl. Those–"

A silver wave of light surged forth from Ruby's eyes. All of the Grimm trumpeted fiercely when it passed over them, but the noise died down as the monsters were petrified.

Ruby brushed her hands. "All done. Now, let's get our Ore on!"

The deputy and the foreman were dumbstruck, both too shocked to speak. Yang followed Ruby as she descended down to the ground from atop the wall, but Blake couldn't manage to move a muscle. Ruby's semblance was supposed to be speed, not…eyeball light Grimm-insta-killing. Those Grimm had to be four, no, five meters tall, and it hadn't taken Ruby ten seconds to lay waste to their entire pack.

Weiss was also looking at the Grimm, but she didn't seem as spellbound by their team leader's casual eradication of the Goliaths.

"Did you know she could…?"

"No, but I saw flashes of silver light during initiation. Goodwitch said she'd killed scores of Grimm, so it makes sense that she has some secret superpower behind that."

"What do think it is?"

"No clue."

"Silver eyed warriors." Blake and Weiss turned to Deputy Hazel, who'd just spoken. "I never thought I'd see the day when they returned."

"Silver eyed warriors?"

"The silver eyed warriors were supposed to be the end of the Grimm. Their control of the light could decimate Grimm, like what we just saw. In my youth, I heard tell of a legendary hunter team with a legendary pirate queen, a high functioning alcoholic, a blond-haired manslut, and a silver eyed warrior like no other that tore through Grimm like a hot knife through butter. The beasts died by the thousands."

"Team Stark."

Hazel eyed Blake curiously. "You know of them?"

"They're Ruby and Yang's family. Ruby's the daughter of the warrior you spoke of."

"Then maybe there is hope."

Omake

Ren: *scroll calls Ruby* Hey bro. How's your mission broing?

Ruby Brose: Pretty well. We're tracking down an accomplice of Broman Torchwick. What about you? Have you had a chance to do some male bonding with my Uncle Brow?

Ren: Yeah. He's like a bro to me.

Uncle Brow: Guys, come quick! I've found a relic!

Ren: A what?

Uncle Brow: *holds Staff of Creation* I summon the spirit of creation!

AmBROsius: Hey, bro.

Next Chapter: The Lies We Tell – In which Ren tries to fit in, Pyrrha absolutely doesn't harm Penny in any way, and Yang must swallow a bitter pill.

Author's Notes

Reiterating: Jaune will not kill Salem and save the world. I promise you all that Jaune is not a self-insert with overpowered superpowers that can kill the main villain. The idea of using his semblance like that is more of a plot device to explain why he does things and goes to certain places than it is a final resolution to the fic. I implore you to stick around – this is a slow burn, and the pay off at the end of this fic with Jaune's character will be worth it.

Alright, then. I promise to not whine any more about Jaune.

Credit: The idea of Ozpin reincarnating into Jaune came to me when reading the fic Knight of Salem by Coeur Al'aran. In it, Salem kidnaps Jaune, thinking that a random boy with fake transcripts who abruptly got accepted into Beacon without any qualifications had to be Ozpin's next incarnation, and Goodwitch was cheating the system to get Ozpin back into his seat of power. In that fic, Jaune isn't actually Ozpin, but it got me thinking. Why would a man who reincarnated into young boys accept a talentless scrub into Beacon for seemingly no reason? Thus, the idea was born that Ozpin might be able to subtly influence who is the most 'like-minded', and he chose Jaune to be his next host when he saw their similarities when reading his application and also liked who he was as a person. He brought him to Beacon despite having no qualifications because he wanted to start early on training him and inducting him into his secret cabal.