To say that team JNPR had been silenced would have been an understatement. They sat in a circle with Oscar at the head. The silence was deafening that not even the open breeze that blew inside Haven Academy made any noise. Ozpin, through Oscar, had told them the whole truth as much as he could. All of Remnant's civilization were actually a second attempt of humanity. The first one had access to magic of which the current semblances were simply remains of what that had been. The Brother gods were actual beings that had once ruled Remnant but have left. Turns out, the moon that hung over them had once been whole before they destroyed it like it was some grand exit.

Out of everyone there, only Jeanne had the least shocked expression. It hadn't been her first time dealing with these sorts of revelations. She herself had experience the hands of the divine; she had been moved to action by them herself. With her vague memories, she could recall other times, other battlefields and other allies where she had fight both with and against other divinities. Such a thing wasn't as surprising to her as it would have for everyone.

For Pyrrha and Jaune, the two of them appeared to be reconsidering their life choices. Well, Jeanne could vaguely make out the inner workings of her brother but Pyrrha seemed to be similar enough that she could guess the same. From Jeanne's connection, she could feel that they were thinking back to when the prospect of being a Maiden candidate had been proposed to them. The thought that either Jeanne or Pyrrha would have been tasked with the impossible task of upholding the mantle of some seasonally-themed power that Ozpin—or rather Ozma—had passed on to four girls. Five now, counting Jeanne herself.

For Ren and Nora, it was more the realization that said Grimm Queen was immortal with no means of killing her and that this was simply going to be a war of attrition with the only permanent end being the defeat of humanity. Certainly, mankind has made great strides in development that allowed them to pushback against the Grimm but Salem had an infinite number of soldiers that she could call from and simply deprive humanity of resources. Even if she didn't do it deliberately, there will come a time where humanity would fight amongst themselves again as it had happened during its history. Jeanne could recall those lessons about the Great War during Doctor Oobleck's class.

As for Oscar himself, the poor boy appeared only tired. Was it Oscar? Or was it Ozpin right now? Honestly, Jeanne couldn't tell since there was no obvious hint on the mannerism. Was it this merge thing that Ozpin mentioned? She couldn't tell. The reincarnating wizard had been tasked by the Brothers to go against his own wife whom they themselves have cursed while the farmhand had to come to grips with the real possibility of losing himself someday.

Jeanne stood up. It had gotten everyone's attention as they all turned to face her, waiting for her to act. She looked to her brother, the leader of the team. He was uncertain and while Jeanne doubts that Jaune could trust Ozpin again, he couldn't possibly cause any harm to Oscar as that would have been unfair. She then turned to Oscar.

"How many more questions?" she asked.

"Two." It was Ozpin. The tone was that of exhaustion. "You have something to ask of it?"

"I do." She nodded. "Give me some time and I will ask."

Ozpin was quiet. Then, he gave a weak and tired smile and said, "it is perhaps for the best. It wouldn't do well to waste a question."

The wizard in a boy's body left the lamp with them as he made himself scarce.

"I… I'll leave you all alone. It is perhaps best if you don't see me for a while."

Oscar Pine returned soon after but still left them to their own devices.

For many minutes that felt like hours, team JNPR could only stare at the Lamp that was resting there. The Lamp, the Relic of Knowledge, could apparently attract Grimm. Whether that was because of some innate quality of the Relic or because Salem had commanded every Grimm to look for it was anyone's guess.

Jeanne's thumb was feeling the sword that rested on her side. She recalled that dream she had many weeks—maybe a few months—ago. Much like she had in life, she had been chosen to do the Will of her Lord. With Ozpin's revelation, she could already guess what her purpose had been to being chosen here. The only question that she had in her head was whether or not she could see what happens after she had done what she had been chosen to do.

"Can it be done?" Jaune asked. "Is there actually a way for Salem to die?"

"Didn't Ozpin say that he can't?" Pyrrha stared at Jeanne. Her eyes were furrowed and spoke of doubt. "If the Relic doesn't lie then it should be impossible, right?"

"Under number circumstances," Jeanne replied. "Yes. It would be impossible." Her finger rest on the hilt. "However, the Lamp also said the Ozpin can't. It leaves the possibility that someone else could."

"How are you so sure?" Jaune tilted his head. He too could vaguely guess what she was feeling. He must have felt that as well.

Jeanne took a deep breath. It was a risk. "I… I'm not so certain myself if it could work. The most that I can guarantee is that Salem's physical form may be removed even if only temporarily. What happens after is not for me to decide." She could only have faith that it would. While it may not be a Holy Grail War, these Relics were made by the gods of this world. The only question Jeanne really had had more to do with how much each of them contained, or if they needed all four of them to come close to.

It was Ren who spoke next saying, "I will not speak for everyone, but I will join you if needs me."

"Ren?" Nora asked. The words that had come out of her childhood friend's mouth must have the first time she had ever heard him say anything as such.

"I…" Ren's voice paused, uncertainty filling the little conviction that he had earlier. He shook his head and strengthened his resolve as he stood. "If it means that there won't be any more Kuroyuri, I'll take it."

Nora soon stood after Ren. With a comforting hand on his shoulder, she made her own stance clear. "Even if it is a small chance."

Jeanne couldn't help but show her pride of her teammates. The trust that these two had on her was moving her own heart. I should have been the one with the strong faith, she thought. Yet here I am, being humbled.

She then turned to the other members of team JNPR. She doesn't blame either of them. That decision that they had made all the way back in Beacon's Vault. The prospect of a life lost—of lives lost—for a mere chance against an immortal being that weighed on their shoulders looking back on it.

In the end though, it was Pyrrha who nodded first. "Maybe this is simply destiny."

Jaune was the last to follow. He had been silent and unwilling to talk after all that. He and Jeanne stared at one another; their feelings were syncing as Jaune was focusing on what she felt and she did the same. It was much more difficult for her little brother to take the chance since they had a connection.

However, Jeanne is, at the end of the day, Jaune's semblance in function. She is an extension—a physical manifestation—of his soul. If this was something that she would do, then there is little room for doubt that Jaune would do the same as well.

"Look," he admitted. "You already know how I feel and I know how you feel. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. I just… I just don't want to risk losing you. That's all."

Jeanne approached Jaune. With arms wide, the two Arc siblings held one another in tight embrace. Finally, she replied, "even if it does. We'll see each other again. I know it. You'll be a hero yourself."

"But it won't be you."

"Neither would it be you. But still, the bodies may forget but the threads of Fate have a strange way of intertwining with one another."

The two finally split apart. Once again, Jeanne picked up the Lamp and placed it on her hip.

"Let's rest for today," she said. "We all need it."

To that, team JNPR. Jeanne didn't miss the sighs of relief that they tried to hide. They must have been holding that back for a while then. Jaune went ahead and called for Oscar.

When he returned, he asked in favor of Ozpin, "you guys aren't mad?"

"We are a little," Pyrrha answered. "But we're huntsmen and huntresses. Making today better than yesterday is what we do."

A minute of silence passed. Oscar was listening to what Ozpin was saying in his head. "He's asking himself if he did anything to deserve this."

"It's not what headmaster Ozpin did," Jeanne answered. She was still a faithful girl after all and couldn't help herself. "It is what the Lord wills. Perhaps he has heard your prayers and answered them."

It also helped them by giving them the time to properly form their question. If the Lamp only ever restocks its questions every century or so, then they would need to choose their wording carefully. Now would have been good time if any of them had been a practitioner of law or something. Still, with Ozpin around, they have someone who at least had years of experience in various fields.

"Yes," Oscar answered for the headmaster. "One of his previous lives were the King of Vale."

"Good." Jeanne nodded. That meant experience in the legal word. She wondered how Ozpin might have felt towards those laws that he had written down by now.

After that, team JNPR left Haven Academy. Out of respect for that which Ozpin had made in his previous lives, they had given the school their respects as a sort of farewell.

"The other members of the faculty and staff of Haven Academy will come back here to rebuild." Ozpin had been given control. "Even if they will not, the Council cannot afford to lose one of its own premier huntsmen academy."

"You sound rather depressed about the fact." Jeanne noted.

"I do not doubt that there will be those among them who have their own plans. Perhaps this is an opportunity for them to influence the manner that Haven is run or perhaps a means of securing themselves in greater favor. Such is to be expected of anyone with significant influence and power."

"Isn't that a problem considering how long you've been holding this world together?"

"No. I am no exception to that. I have put people unqualified in positions of power before because of my trust in them. I am not above such things even if I never intended to."

"Well, you're still trying now. I think that warrants some kind of respect."

Ozpin shook his head. But the upward curve of his lips betrayed him. "Now then, tell me, Miss d'Arc, how do you plan on using a question?"

Jeanne held the Lamp in her hands. While Ozpin had given them all the password, they weren't about to use it either unless they were absolutely certain. Apparently, there was a sentient being called Jinn. From what Ozpin had shared with them, she is the spirit of the Relic of Knowledge in the same regard that the other Relics have their own. Each of them had their own eccentric qualities and their own rules. They are, each of them, made to serve their purpose of aiding humanity.

"I just want to know how much power these Relics have," Jeanne said. If it worked out nicely, they wouldn't have to pursue the other Relics as well. Perhaps, they would only ever use the Relic of Knowledge as a fuel source. It was hard to tell since these Relics were bound by their purpose but since they were made by the gods of Remnant, there is a chance that it could be comparable to that of a Holy Grail.

"I'm afraid that I cannot say," Ozpin said. "While the Relics certainly have great powers and capabilities, I cannot assure you if they are as massive as these Holy Grails. Not to mention on what would happen to them if they were used in such a manner."

"That is something that we can figure out soon enough."

Finding a place away from the populace, team JNPR went further out the borders of their city and as far away from public eye as they could. Those that caught sight of them shrugged their shoulders. As travelers go down these paths all the time, it is of no surprise that huntsmen and huntresses were pretty much the same.

Still, as an added measure, they find some coverage to prevent anyone from coming across them. Even if Ozpin had expressed that the usage of the Relic also has the added effect of stopping time temporarily, who gets to move is up for debate.

"The last time I did ask a question," Ozpin explained. "I was alone. I cannot promise that the others will as well."

"Alright." Jeanne nodded. "I guess I'll be the one to start us off." Taking the Lamp, Jeanne called, "Jinn."

The leaves that flew around them slowed to a stop. As blue mists had begun to appear around them, it was as though that Remnant itself was fading away and they were being brought to some other world. A white space that was empty except for them remained. Jeanne looked around her and sighed relief when the rest of her team were still with her. It was still not done.

The blue mists continued to appear and began to gather, forming a vague shape of a voluptuous woman whose only accessory were the gold bracelets and chains. Jeanne looked to Ozpin for answers and only received a shrug in return. Pyrrha and Jaune covered one another's eyes. Ren and Nora did nothing of the sort. What appeared before them was a large blue woman with so little clothing that Jeanne instinctively kept her eyes above. She still remembered the incident of a pink-haired individual from another time; she was not about to make that same mistake again.

The blue woman stretched as though she had been sleeping for a long time. Then again, for someone so large being confined in something so small, it was probably expected.

"Wonderful," Jinn began. She then looked around her and immediately recognized Oscar as the next host. "Ah, it's good to see you again, old man. I'm surprised that you'd actually let someone else use me this time."

"No, you're not," Ozpin replied. "Precious little, if any, surprises you Jinn."

"Come now, can't even humor little old me?" She then turned to Jeanne. "But perhaps that can wait for another time. You are correct in saying that there is little, Ozma. I'm staring at the little that actually is surprising."

Jeanne turned to Ozpin for answers. "Ozma?"

"My actual name," he replied. "The name I was born with."

She nodded in understanding.

"Normally," Jinn said. "You would come to me seeking for knowledge but this is certainly a strange reversal of roles. Is this what you people feel when there is something that takes your curiosity?"

Jeanne giggled a little. "Perhaps that will come sooner than later."

"Will it now?" Jinn smiled, knowingly. "Alright then, it is time for us to get down to business as they say."

"Yes, it is time." Jeanne took a deep breath. A metallic hand was placed on her shoulders. It was Jaune's.

"We'll do it together," he said. His helmet hung on his back, revealing the nervous expression of his face.

Jeanne smiled back, comforting him. She then turned to face Jinn and asked, "how could these Relics be used as a Holy Grail."

Jinn extended a hand. Jeanne had expected something would come out of this. Every other member of JNPR plus Oscar who had now been given his control back looked on in anticipation. The farmhand appeared nervous and he was muttering incoherently to himself. Perhaps he was conversing with Ozpin.

"A mutual exchange," Jinn said. "You are a peculiar one, Jeanne d'Arc. Every time I look at you, I see something different."

"That is because you are." The Jeanne d'Arc that is with them was one of many. A copy of the original that have been recorded in a space beyond even Remnant. Within her were different patches of times of other places, vague as they may be. It could be a past, a present, or a future. It is hard to tell for not everything ever returns to its source but the ones that she had certainly did.

Taking Jeanne's hand, blue mists began pouring out of Jinn as a strong wind. Their hairs were holding onto their heads as the powerful gales threatened to pluck them all. The white blank space began to change into a field somewhere.

The skies above them began to change. Beams of light pierced through the clouds and shown upon a lone figure in the field. It was a surreal experience for Jeanne witnessing this familiar moment.

For Jaune however, the sight before him was something that he had seen before. "Domremy."

"My home." Jeanne confirmed. "On the day when I received my calling."

"Before I could answer your question," Jinn said. "I must first learn of this life you have lived, Jeanne d'Arc. A small sample will do."


AN: You know about how some fanfics have Jaune's home be some kind of farm or something? The fact that the historical Jeanne d'Arc grew up in one makes it really neat. Why that never occured to me when I specifically read that bit back in Ideal Semblance is beyond me.