A/N: ModernRogue11 here and, due to popular demand, I present to you chapter 2. I honestly did not expect to make this rather quickly, but here it is! That said, to address some questions regarding this fanfic's overall setting and period, it's pretty much straightforward.
1. The main cast and some important characters are still alive. Ichigo, Orihime, Yuzu, and Karin, some lieutenants, captains, and even Sternritters managed to survive or escape Yhwach's reversion of the Bleach world. Some are still in their original world resisting Yhwach's reign or in other dimensions taking refuge.
2. The setting of this story is one month after the Initiation Ceremony.
3. Slowly but surely, I'll reveal how these five ended up in Remnant in the first place.
4. Ruby will be an important character in this story.
5. I just thought that putting Bambi and Hisagi in a relationship was so random that I had to go with it. In fact, I originally didn't plan on having Bambi in the story.
6. Finally, this is a small tidbit for those who inspired me to write this chapter, but the world of Remnant in this story has a much more significant connection to the spiritual world than you realize.
Without further ado, here is chapter 2.
Chapter 2: Settling In
"Good session, kids," Shinji Hirako remarked as he rested his sword on his shoulder. "Now, if you two don't mind standing up for me…"
As casual as the blonde man's behavior was, it was a completely different story for Pyrrha and Jaune. The two teens lie prone on the hard ground filled with multiple cuts and slashes. There was no surprise that the young paladin got his ass handed to him easily, but to see the Spartan girl in the same condition was just surprising.
These were the thoughts running through the minds of Team RWBY and one-half of Team JNPR as their jaws kissed the floor. Pyrrha was the best fighter among the first years, and she didn't even last ten minutes. She was being toyed with by the flippant blonde professor the entire fight. They thought she'd at least make it difficult for Professor Hirako.
They were wrong.
"It wasn't even a fight…" Nora, who was usually loud, stuttered in utter bafflement. "They didn't even get a single hit."
"I know," Weiss agreed. Being an aspiring swordswoman, it was evident that the skill gap was heaven and Remnant much like with her and Professor Komamura.
That same thought made Blake shiver. While it was ultimately a spar, she had never gone through something so intense even during her time as a White Fang agent.
"At least they weren't used as explosion dummies," Ren said aloud, recalling his encounter with an explosive teacher.
On the other hand, Ruby and Yang just gawked at the one-sided thrashing of Jaune and Pyrrha courtesy of the grinning Shinji Hirako.
Once the knight and Spartan duo stood up, their subject teacher addressed the issues he observed during their little spar. "First off," Professor Hirako pointed at Jaune, "…you are absolute shit."
The rather blunt comment made the others wince. He didn't need to be harsh.
However, the blonde instructor continued, "You have no form, no coordination, no proper combat footwork, and almost every other aspect needed to be a decent swordsman. In short, you have no training."
Hearing this from his teacher made the young Arc sullen. While he already accepted that he lacked the necessary preparation to become a hunter, it was now made clearer when his teacher listed them one by one.
Pyrrha was about to comfort her partner when she was called out by the teacher as well.
"And you, Miss Pumpkin Pete, are indecisive." Shinji sheathed his sword and approached the redhead with a passive expression. "Just because I'm your teacher doesn't mean you don't need to get serious. I admit that prying away my sword using your Semblance was impressive, but you wasted that opening when you thought I'd stop just because I was disarmed. At least your partner never stopped until he got put down.
His eyes narrowed, making the pair flinch under his gaze. "In a real fight, both of you would've died." That statement stung so much because it was true. "Always take your battles seriously. One misstep, one moment of hesitation, and it could result in the deaths of either yourself or your teammates. If anything, don't feel pity for the enemy because they won't give you the same courtesy. Lastly, don't hesitate to go for the kill because I promise you, the Grimm might be the prevalent threat, but they aren't the real danger."
Jaune and Pyrrha didn't understand what Professor Shinji meant by that last statement. As the two saw the teacher head for the exit, they listened one last time for a final piece of advice.
"There's no glory in battle. There's no virtue when you're dead. Don't think for one second that your life only belongs to yourself. If you have something worth protecting, then never hesitate to stab the enemy in the back." Shinji tilted his head to his right, making the side of his face visible to the two teens. "Jaune Arc, you are obligated to attend this class, three days a week. As for you, Pyrrha Nikos, I need someone to be his sparring partner because I feel bad if I have to kick his ass every session. You're remarkably close to him; so, you're the best choice. Well, see you two next meeting."
In the blink of an eye, he vanished like a flicker, leaving both the male knight and female gladiator to contemplate his words – a true wake-up call to the responsibility they will soon take up as future hunters.
A week passed since teams RWBY and JNPR's first encounter with the new teachers. As far as first impressions go, they were rather positive. Yang had thoroughly enjoyed her sparring with Professor Kensei despite being tossed around like a ragdoll most of the time especially when the white-haired teacher began teaching one of his special moves. Ruby, while reluctant at first, grew into the routine and began improving in unarmed combat. While the little reaper was nowhere near as good as her older sister in a fistfight, she was at least no longer a complete novice.
Weiss and Blake both admired Professor Komamura's approach to his lessons, unlike some of the regulars here at Beacon. He would go into the theory of combat, going in-depth and citing examples before applying those concepts in sparring matches, all while giving tips and correcting mistakes during their exercises. Pair with how polite and well-mannered the wolf Faunus is, it was no surprise that the two quickly liked attending to his subject.
Then, there was Ren and Nora. Most of their time with Professor Hisagi and Professor Basterbine was either spent trying to survive the ridiculous woman's explosive methods of instruction, or Ren and Shūhei watching Bambietta and Nora blow stuff up. The two males could only sigh in exasperation and question how they both ended up with explosive women who mean the world to them.
For Jaune and Pyrrha, their first encounter with Shinji Hirako was an eye-opener. It made both of the young warriors realize what they lacked in both skill and mentality, respectively. That is the reason why with each session they had with the blonde professor, the pair were thoroughly focused on making up for the things their professor had pointed out. Jaune thought that just because he was determined he could become a hunter while Pyrrha's experience in tournaments made her complacent. Determination alone doesn't excuse for lack of training and tournaments are quite different from actual life-or-death combat. Shinji drilled these facts into the two and they were making substantial progress on that.
For now, we find the two teams idly chatting with one another in the school library. It was Blake's idea to come here since she was interested in the literature available in the most prestigious huntsman academy of Sanus. Weiss wanted to read up on the advanced properties of Dust; so, she went along. The others like Ruby, Yang, Nora, and Jaune killed time by playing a board game while Pyrrha and Ren watched. All seemed calm and routine for the eight during this break when someone interrupted them.
"If it isn't teams RWBY and JNPR. So wonderful to see you all here."
Blake whipped her head to the voice and her mood quickly brightened. "Professor Komamura!"
The others followed suit and greeted the giant of a man who, in turn, greeted them back. "…And hello to all of you. Tell me, what have you all been doing here while on break?" The wolf Faunus pulled a chair nearby and sat next to the two teams.
"Ooh… we're just playing some board games," Ruby answered. "Would you like to join us, professor?"
"While I would love to, Miss Rose, I am currently busy with the literature I've procured."
Weiss looked at the set of books the professor had brought and recognized most of them to be fairy tales. "These are all of Remnant's famous stories."
"Very astute of you, Miss Schnee," the wolf man praised. "Ever since I've been hired here in Beacon, I've always wanted to learn more about the many stories Remnant has to offer."
The teens were well aware of these stories considering they were usually told to them during bedtime. These narratives were either creation myths, classic hero and princess legends, or cautionary tales meant to teach a lesson. That said, while they saw some familiar stories in the stack of books, they also noticed some obscure ones.
Pyrrha took one of the books, with Komamura's permission, and perused the contents after reading the title. "The Shallow Sea?"
Blake perked up upon the mention of said story. "I know that story," said the cat girl. "It's a story that supposedly told the creation of Faunuskind. There's also another story that tells the origins of the Faunus." She looked through the literature the professor had collected. "Here it is! The Judgment of Faunus."
"There's a lot of older, less known stories here, Professor Komamura." Jaune sat next to his sparring partner and gleaned through the book she had. "The only ones I remember were The Story of the Seasons, The Two Brothers, and The Girl in the Tower."
"My mother and I loved The Story of the Seasons," Pyrrha said, albeit with some pink on her cheeks.
"Same here," Nora added. "Those are pretty much the only stories I've known since Ren, and I were younger."
"Yeah. Although, I have heard of that tale called The Grimm Child," Ren added.
"Well, there was this story about The Warrior in the Woods," Yang interjected. All eyes went to her; so she explained, "It was told to me by Dad when Ruby and I were little. It's a cautionary tale for kids to not wander off."
Ruby suddenly came up to the tall teacher, eyes gleaming with wonder, and asked, "How about you, professor? Are any of these stories your favorite?"
Aside from Blake and Weiss, this was the first time Komamura had met Ruby and the others. Seeing the different personalities of such hopeful teens made him chuckle. As for the question posed by the little reaper…
"While they are wonderful tales, I have my own set of stories from my homeland that I enjoy."
This got the eight first-years interested. "You do?" Nora was now next to Ruby with equally glimmering eyes.
"Haha! Children, calm down. I will tell you two of them; so, you better listen carefully."
With that, Nora, Ruby, Jaune, Yang, Pyrrha, and Ren left their game and sat closer to the towering instructor. Blake and Weiss closed the books they were reading before, fully intending to give full attention to their professor.
"Where do I start? Oh!" Komamura stared at the teens. "How about a creation myth of the Faunus? Would you be interested?" The aspiring huntsmen all nodded, none more so than Blake. "Before we begin, do any of you believe in reincarnation?"
"Somewhat," answered the Spartan Girl for her and the rest.
"Well, this creation myth is set up right after the cycle of rebirth was established." The teacher leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. "Long after the concepts of life, death, and reincarnation came into existence, there was a group of human souls that committed a grave atrocity. What this atrocity is, we'll never know. However, it was so severe that they got banished into separate a realm where they were forced to change into animalistic forms. That place, where these changed souls now reside, is called the Beast Realm."
This was just the introduction, but the nine-foot-tall instructor could see that his listeners were enthralled. This was far different from the two origin stories regarding the Faunus. Komamura glanced at Blake and found her to be the most entranced among them.
"Eons later, these beasts were eventually forgiven," the wolf Faunus continued. "They were given the right to return from the Beast Realm; some took that opportunity while others remained. Those who left had regained only a partial form of their humanity and some minor animal traits remained. Seeing as they are forever changed – stuck between human and animal – they left and searched for a world where they could live. After centuries of looking, they finally found a place to call home…"
"Remnant…"
"Exactly, Miss Belladonna." Sajin then looked at the others and asked, "So, what do you think? This is the story passed down through the ages within the wolf clan."
"Wow, that's a cool story!" Ruby looked at the others. "Can you imagine being punished by turning into an animal?"
"So, originally, the Faunus were human souls transformed into animals as a punishment?" Weiss' question was answered with an affirmative by her instructor. "While I do find it hard to believe, it is just a fairy tale."
"Hey, if that story were true, I bet it'd make for some wild adventure novels!" Yang remarked with a grin.
"I love stories with animals and mythical realms!" Nora exclaimed eagerly. "It even sounds like the Beast Realm isn't the only realm, is there?"
Sajin chuckled. "You have no idea, Miss Valkyrie."
Ren, on the other hand, was contemplating the similarities between this and the other two origin stories of Faunuskind. "While the symbolism is intriguing, we should remember that history is often more complex than any one account."
"I can see where you're going with this, Ren. Professor Komamura?" Jaune questioned. "Is there any evidence that supports this story? Like, historical records or relics?"
"I must admit, while there are accounts from my ancestors regarding this story, it is considered to be mostly a legend rather than a concrete fact. Its purpose is to inspire reflection rather than serve as a historical anecdote," answered Komamura.
Much like Ren, Pyrrha was also thoughtful regarding the inherent theme of the tale. "It's a story that speaks to the struggle of identity and acceptance. I can see how it might resonate with the Faunus."
Blake, however, had a different reaction. The cat Faunus had listened to Professor Komamura's tale with a mix of emotions. As the tale unfolded, her amber eyes held a contemplative gleam, and her ears hidden behind her ribbon twitched subtly as if picking up every nuance of his words. When the story ended, she couldn't help but feel a strong connection to the narrative.
"It's an interesting interpretation," she spoke softly. "The idea of being punished by losing your humanity and then finding a way to exist between worlds." She looked down at her hands, her fingers unconsciously tracing the patterns on her palms.
Yang, having noticed the introspection of her partner, asked, "Blake, are you okay?"
Looking up, Blake responded, "Yeah, sorry. It's just… hearing that story, it's almost like a reflection of what the Faunus have gone through. Feeling like you don't fully belong to either world."
While none of the students could understand why the recent tale spoke volumes for Blake, it was different for the Faunus professor. He could tell at a glance that the cat girl was like him. Komamura could understand that Blake wanted to be proud of her heritage, yet distance herself from the things she committed before she came to Beacon much like the ancient Faunus of the story.
"Being the literal princess of the White Fang does that to you." The wolfman looked at Blake and said, "Keep that lesson in mind, Miss Belladonna." The girl looked at him. "It'll help you in the future when you're faced with tough decisions. But know this – it's okay to leave behind the past but only if you have accepted it. Running away from it would only compound your struggle. Learn to accept that you had a hand in it, but never let it define you. Face that obstacle… and it would make you a better person."
Those words resonated with Blake. She may have only known Professor Komamura only a week, but he's given more meaningful advice than any adult she ever met in her life. It's as if he knew she was a Faunus and the turmoil for committing heinous acts as a member of the White Fang.
There was a single tear. It pooled in the corner of her right eye that eventually spilled, rolling down her cheek. However, she had a sincere smile directed at her instructor out of gratitude. "Thank you, professor," she said as she wiped some tears. "That meant so much to me."
"Whoa! Blake, why are you crying?" Ruby asked, worried about her teammate and friend.
"It's alright, Ruby," assured the secret Faunus. "It's just… the story resonates with me so much."
"As it should," their instructor interjected. "However, the lesson in this story also applies to all of you. You need to own up to your mistakes and make them right. Once you do, your conscience will be clear, and you'll be able to move forward. Understand?"
"Yes, professor!" said the eight in unison.
Before he continued with the other legends, Sajin Komamura eyed Blake for a moment, gaining her attention. To the girl's surprise, he gave her a knowing grin and a nod of understanding while his eyes moved to her bow, making her gasp.
"He knows!"
"So," the wolf man suddenly said, "who here has heard about the legend of the Soul King?"
Shinji Hirako was, for the most part, the de facto leader of the five new teachers here in Beacon. Because of that, he was the one with the most contact with the headmaster and his deputy. After a week of getting to know the students, mostly the first years, the five new instructors produced some changes in the curriculum that modified the elective subjects they taught. While it looked like a tedious task, they were quite savvy when it came to paperwork – all thanks to being former military agents.
"Here," the blonde slacker handed the documents to Ozpin as he sat comfortably on one of the chairs. "Those are the changes we want to implement in our subjects. Honestly, even the minor changes there would be a tremendous help to the students, especially the first years."
Ozpin perused the papers, letting Glynda look at them for a second opinion. Overall, it seemed the suggestions from the newly hired staff would benefit the school greatly.
"I'm quite surprised to find such innovative ideas for improving Beacon's curriculum," Ozpin remarked. He glanced at Glynda who nodded in agreement before bringing his gaze to Professor Hirako. "The most promising that I've read is the entry that establishes an… Aura Refinement class?"
"What made you decide to come up with this syllabus?" It was Glynda who asked this time.
Shinji yawned. "These kids have potential," he admitted. "Especially teams RWBY and JNPR. While most of them are a work in progress, it'll only be a matter of time before they become competent huntsmen."
"Would you like to give some of the observations you and the others found?" Ozpin asked.
"For starters, Kensei's got a liking for Yang Xiao-Long. Being a brawler himself, I could see him teaching that girl a bit of Hakuda… that's a dangerous thought. Then, there's that Arc kid who has the highest amount of Aura in the entire student body. The only thing holding him back is his lack of any basic training. The Belladonna and Schnee are pretty much attached to Sajin, as is the girl with the hammer and the ninja boy is with Bambi and Shūhei. I still need to drill into Miss Mistral Regional Champion to take things seriously even during sparring sessions. Then, there's Ruby Rose…"
That familiar, foreboding pressure wafted into the room. While not as intense as they expected, Ozpin and Glynda still felt their breathing strain from the unbearable weight pushing them down.
"You're not the first manipulator we've encountered, Ozpin," Shinji said with a voice of power and cognizance. "You're not even good at it. Don't you think it's a coincidence that the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, the daughter of the White Fang's previous chieftain, Mistral's four-time regional champion, a boy hailing from a prestigious family of hunters, two orphans with extremely versatile and powerful Semblances, the daughter of Raven Branwen, and a girl with the Silver Eyes all happen to be in the same academy in the same year? I know you're planning to use them for something, Oz, especially Ruby Rose."
The pressure slowly increased. Ozpin and Glynda felt their strength waver as Shinji stood up and walked to the headmaster's desk where the two struggled.
"The Silver Eyes… or the Gin'iro no Me." The blonde man grinned and added, "The distinct trait of the Argent."
Ozpin's eyes widened. Throughout all his LONG life, he never knew what to call the Silver-Eyed Warriors.
…Until today, that is.
Seeing as he had achieved the desired effect, Shinji let his reiatsu dissipate, giving the headmaster and his assistant much-needed breath.
"I can recognize a man who's preparing for war." Shinji turned to the exit and began walking away. But, before he entered the elevator, he stopped and glanced at the two, Ozpin more so. "I'm not gonna let you use them for your war, Oz. Unlike you, we don't trade lives. I don't know who it is you're fighting, but if you do the opposite of what I just said, then the beating you got months ago from Bambi wouldn't be the worst even when she's the most sadistic in our little group."
His threat conveyed loud and clear, the blonde swordsman proceeded to the elevator and down the tower.
Glynda still held her hand over her chest as she took in deep breaths. She'll never get used to that method of intimidation – to impose your will upon others.
As for Ozpin, he eyed the door where his staff member descended. Despite his years of knowledge and experience, nothing could've prepared him for the arrival of these five individuals – all of whom are aware of and against his machinations.
-{}-
The familiar ring of an elevator's complete descent sounded in the control room of Beacon's CCT tower. The doors opened, letting Shinji Hirako out who surveyed the students manning the plethora of computers.
"Let me guess, you threatened him."
Leaning just next to the elevator was Kensei whose arms were crossed, and eyes were closed.
"Do I have to answer that question?"
"Of course, you did." The brawler instructor stood straight and looked at his fellow educator. "Did you at least get the bacteria on him?" he spoke in their native language.
"I did," Shinji replied in the same tongue. He stretched his arms, and pop sounded on his shoulder before he started walking to the elevator that led to the base of the tower. "I implanted it on the syllabus we came up with for the advanced subject all five of us will be teaching to the first years."
"Pretty clever." Kensei pushed the button next to the elevator, opened its doors, and proceeded inside with Shinji right behind him. When the doors finally closed and the shaft began its descent, he told his colleague, "By the way, we finally have access to Vale's CCT network."
"So, you got the bacteria into their system?"
"It was pretty easy." Kensei reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A few beeps and flashes came next before a hologram screen containing symbols and numbers. "Get this, the moment I got the bacteria into the system, it detected a heavily encrypted block of data with impressive firewalls. I'm letting the thing decode the protections installed so we can get all the info we need on this school and that strange spiritual energy that we're sensing."
"We've got to thank Kisuke and Mayuri for that multipurpose surveillance bacteria they handed to us," Shinji stated, recalling the two captains of the 12th Division. "Too bad the sicko's already dead and we're not sure if Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai managed to make it to that dimension."
"I wonder how old that kid is right now," Kensei wondered, remembering the boisterous boy they trained when they escaped Soul Society from a false accusation. "You think he's hitched with his long-time girlfriend?"
"Knowing that kid, I'd bet a thousand lien that he is. If not, then at the very least they're engaged."
Kensei shrugged. "I can totally see that."
"Legend says that long before creation, there existed a formless chaotic void." Komamura continued with another of his clan's legends. "Many souls roamed this landscape aimlessly without change nor progress. It was complete stillness and stagnation. The concept of time was still unknown, and this primordial world was plagued by darkness far greater than the Grimm."
The students shivered. The Grimm were the bane of both humans and Faunus alike. To think that some stories would depict creatures that outclass beasts that plagued Remnant for eons.
"These creatures were known as Hollows," the giant wolf Faunus said. "These abominations were human souls that were driven to despair and gave in to their base instinct."
"W-What did these H-Hollows do?" Ruby questioned. While only a story, the mere mention of these Hollows struck a deep-seated, almost primal feeling inside her.
Komamura glanced at her and replied, "Their sole purpose is to hunt and consume the souls inhabiting the primordial world."
"Just like the Grimm," Pyrrha stated.
"Indeed. However, what made them worse than Grimm was that they also feed on each other to gain strength."
Jaune felt his stomach churn. "They're cannibals. They really are worse than Grimm."
"And they gain more power with every soul they devour?" Weiss questioned.
"They do," answered the wolf man. "Eventually, one managed to consume so much that its power was unrivaled by even the strongest of this ancient world's inhabitants. It was unstoppable – a towering beast whose very step shuddered that primordial world and whose hunger knows no bounds. This unique hollow… was known as the Menos Grande."
"That's a funny name," Nora commented, lightening the mood of everyone.
"It may be, but the power it wielded was nigh unparalleled," reminded Sajin. "The mighty beast's reign of destruction lasted for eons, making the lives of the inhabiting souls of that ancient world tumultuous. But, as an answer to the untold destruction of the great Menos, the void birthed a being that would become the supreme entity to rule them all. That being… was the Reiō or the Soul King."
"How… how powerful was this Soul King?" Ren inquired, intrigued by this unique creation myth.
"The Reiō is an omnipotent being capable of bending the fabric of reality itself; imagine anything his mind can come up into existence; manipulate causation, stagnation, and progression; and finally, a power that cements his reign as the ultimate being."
"What is it?" All eight future huntsmen shared the question.
Sajin looked them in the eye and said, "The Soul King had the power to see the future."
"So, he has precognition," Blake surmised. However, her instructor shook his head.
"Not just one future, but ALL futures," clarified the wolf Faunus professor, "and chose the one future he desires to happen."
All two teams had their eyes wide like saucers. All futures? And to choose a particular future that he desires. They've read numerous creation myths that told powerful beings such as the Brother Gods but even they paled in comparison to the Soul King.
"That's… pretty busted," Yang voiced out her opinion; an opinion she shares with the others.
"Imagine having all that power," Weiss said. "No wonder the Soul King is considered a god."
Jaune then spoke up. "Based on how this myth is going, I'm guessing there will be a clash between the Soul King and the Menos Grande."
"You would be correct, Mister Arc," Professor Komamura confirmed. "However, their clash was anything but spectacular."
"What do you mean?"
"The Menos stood no chance against the omnipotent Reiō. With his power, the Soul King slew the titanic beast and burned its corpse into nothing more than sand. With the monster gone, the denizens of the primordial world rejoiced, for they now had a protector from the Hollows that plagued their world. That said, all did not seem as peaceful as it should be."
"Huh? But the Menos is gone and the Reiō's keeping the other Hollows at bay!" Ruby couldn't understand how things weren't well when the major threats were kept in check. "How is that not great?"
"The answer, Miss Rose, is that the more the Soul King kills Hollows, the stability of that primordial world continues to falter. You see, there must always be a balance between the number of souls. Much like a scale, if you remove one component, the system topples over. That's pretty much what's happening as the Soul King continued his rampage against the Hollow threat."
"So, what happened?"
"Well, seeing as the stability of that world was at risk, five of the most powerful beings from that bygone era conspired to remove the cause of the problem."
"Remove the cause of– WAIT! You can't mean…" the little reaper said with eyes wide in horror.
"It is as you think, children. These five entities planned to kill the Soul King."
"But, but… that's awful!" Weiss gasped.
The others were equally horrified by the decision these five entities came up with. There must have been another way to preserve the world other than backstabbing the one who saved your people. That kind of thinking was just abhorrent and ungrateful!
"But the Soul King is omnipotent!" Nora expressed. "Those five can't possibly beat him, right?"
"And you are correct, Miss Valkyrie," answered Komamura. "However, even the Soul King knew of the impending degradation of their world. So, he used his almighty sight to gaze into the many futures to find a timeline that would ensure the survival of all inhabitants. After finding one, he used his godly powers to mold the primordial world into three separate planes of existence – one where the souls could live in peace, a realm where the Hollows could thrive without endangering the other races, and finally, a world where all souls could take on a physical form. These realms were known as Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living, respectively. And thus… the Cycle of Rebirth was created.
"After creating the three dimensions, the Reiō was approached by those five individuals who plotted to eliminate him. Expecting a fight, those five were surprised when the Reiō offered no resistance. The task was easy thanks to the god's surrender. That said, without the Soul King, the three worlds would fall into chaos. To solve this, they created a new dimension with the Soul King's aid to act as a nexus for all the souls that would flow in the cycle of reincarnation. And then, to ensure that the supreme being could no longer wreak havoc on the flow of souls he created, four of the five powerful individuals mutilated the Reiō, severing his limbs and organs before scattering them throughout the cosmos."
None of the two teams spoke after hearing the fate of the Reiō. Though it was just a myth, they felt sad, conflicted, and disgusted that the ultimate fate of the supreme deity and the savior of the primordial world was mutilation. However, their teacher wasn't finished.
"Upon severing the Soul King's limbs, he was encased in a chrysalis made of clear solidified spiritual energy and placed inside a palace in the Royal Realm where he is guarded by another primordial being known as the Manako Oshō or Monk of Names. There, inside a castle that serves more as a prison, the Reiō stands as the figurehead that oversees the entirety of creation and the reincarnation cycle.
"And those responsible for this sin? They sired five powerful families that established an army that would ensure the flow of souls remain unhindered and any threat that may endanger this will be dealt with. This army is known as the Court Guard and its forces are comprised of the Shinigami or Soul Reapers, the gods of death. It is said that even to this day, the silent watchers of the balance still perform their solemn duty to aid lost souls and help them pass on to the afterlife.
"That, my dear future huntsmen, is the creation myth that told the story of the Soul King – his birth, rise to power, the betrayal he suffered, and his unfortunate fate." The story now concluded, Komamura watched closely how teams RWBY and JNPR reacted to the tale. Based on the faces they were making; it was safe to say that they were both enamored and abhorred by the legend.
"It's an amazing tale, Professor Komamura," Blake said first. "It is far different from the creation myth about the Brother Gods, but the ending…"
"He didn't deserve that kind of fate," Jaune expressed. No person should ever do that to the one who saved them. "I get that he was responsible for the collapse of their world but there should've been another way."
"I agree," Pyrrha nodded. "Those five individuals had the right intentions, but to betray the one who saved them? Truly ungrateful."
"Those five are assholes," Yang grumbled.
"There should've been at least a compromise," Ren pointed out.
"It's not fair!" Nora cried. All that sacrifice, and for what? A stab to the back. "We should find a way to free him!"
"Nora, it's a story," Ren reminded.
Meanwhile, Weiss was about to say something when she noticed Ruby being silent. At first, she thought that the girl wasn't listening to the story, which was impossible since she loves stories. Upon closer inspection, the leader of the all-girl freshmen huntsmen team was in deep thought.
"Ruby?" the young heiress called.
"Huh?" snapped back to her senses, Ruby whisked her head left and right. "What?"
"You were quiet for the duration of the discussion," Weiss informed. "We were expecting you'd have something to say about the story."
All eyes were now on Ruby. Truth be told, the silver-eyed teen enjoyed the tale, far more than she would admit. That said, despite the tragic outcome of the story, Ruby could somehow understand why the Soul King let himself be mutilated.
"It's sad that the Soul King suffered that horrible fate," Ruby started. Everyone was now listening to her. "But he saw it coming."
"What do you mean, Rubes?" her sister asked.
"He used his powers to see which future would save them and, if he let them dismember him, then it stands to reason that there was no other way," explained the younger sibling. "I mean, he has all that power, right? He's omnipotent. But he also knew that power isn't everything and it's even the reason why their world was falling apart."
That was one detail that the others seemed to have missed. It impressed Sajin that someone who was supposedly the most immature was more perceptive than they realized. It made the wolfman smile that behind those young innocent silver eyes was untouched wisdom.
"He thought of the welfare of those he shared the primordial world with," Ruby continued. "Sure, he could rule as a king, but the Reiō isn't a ruler. He's a protector who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice."
For a moment, everybody was staring at Ruby in mild surprise. Even Yang, for all the time she's known her sister, was stumped to hear so much wisdom from the little riding hood.
"Ruby," the blonde brawler finally spoke, not just for her but for everybody else, "when did you get so wise?"
Ruby just blushed a bit. That was a good question. How… or why did she say something so… profound? But deep down, she knew the answer. There was just something about the story of the Reiō that spoke to her, much like Blake and the first story.
She was about to answer when suddenly, her eyes began to itch. Out of instinct, she rubbed them and remedied the uncomfortable feeling. It may have been just instant, but there was a spark that only Komamura noticed.
"It might be small, but you're powers are slowly awakening, Ruby Rose," Sajin internally said while observing the girl who was busy speaking with her classmates. "The story of the Soul King was just a step for you to reconnect with your lineage – a lineage that goes even beyond the machinations of the Brother Gods. But, if you indeed are a member of the Argent, then I hope you forgive us for the horrid secret that we will one day reveal to you."
Eyes closed and in deep thought, Komamura hoped that Shinji managed to complete his objective so they could go over it later.
"Could you repeat that, Ozpin?"
General Ironwood spoke through a holographic screen with a concerned expression. The Atlesian general had been informed of the new faculty that were hired into Beacon and he initially had doubts. For one, Ozpin didn't sound all too thrilled at having the quintet in his school. Usually, the headmaster of Beacon Academy would've had some underlying plan for anyone he recruits, be it for the school or more… sensitive matters. Ironwood surmised that the only reason they were accepted was that they needed to be monitored. However, that initial skepticism grew when the gray-haired man revealed something important.
"It is as I said, James; Shinji Hirako and his colleagues know, or at least, have an idea of our war with Salem," Ozpin repeated with a tone not usually heard from him – confusion.
"Have they done anything to jeopardize our efforts?"
"None as of yet. However, Professor Hirako was stern in warning us not to involve the students in our fight with Salem."
"We're gonna have to, considering that one of the girls would become the new Fall Maiden. Speaking of, have you already chosen a candidate?"
"Pyrrha Nikos is at the top of the list," Glynda answered while going through the display of her scroll. "Given her skill and experience, she's the best person to inherit Amber's powers. I still think that choosing one of our students, especially someone recognizable as Miss Nikos is ill-advised."
"Be that as it may, Glynda, she may be the only one capable of fully wielding Amber's powers. That said, still no word on who was it that attacker Amber?"
"I'm afraid that there is none," Ozpin answered. "I've had Qrow search for the culprit for a while and no leads have surfaced. I may be even forced to recall him soon."
"That may be the best decision," Ironwood agreed. "Going back to your five new instructors, I assume you hired them to observe them."
"You're right," confirmed the Beacon headmaster. "Letting them out in the open would be more detrimental than having them close for observation."
"Do you have any methods to deal with them in the instance they turn on you?"
That was a thought. Ozpin and Glynda knew that they could do nothing against the five. The former had only fought Bambietta Basterbine and suffered a terrible defeat by her hands rather easily. Glynda tried to intervene but she, too, was quickly beaten. Despite being accomplished huntsmen, with the former having incalculable years of experience, they still weren't able to best even one of them.
"No," Ozpin admitted. "Despite my skill and experience as a huntsman, I can say, without a doubt, that I don't have the strength to beat anyone of them."
Ironwood's reaction was apparent. Eyes wide and face full of bafflement, the Atlesian general couldn't believe that this man, Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon, could not beat a stranger. He was privy to man's secrets and power. For Ozpin to admit that he lost and had no way of winning… was just unheard of.
"You can't be serious, Ozpin," Ironwood said. He was finding it difficult to believe this. "You of all people should be more than a match for any huntsman."
"For any huntsman, James," clarified Ozpin. "These five… I don't even think we could consider them as huntsmen."
"Then, what do we call them? Did you even manage to observe their abilities?"
Ozpin glanced at Glynda. The deputy knew what was requested of her.
"Right." The blonde huntswoman tapped a few buttons on her scroll. "I've sent all the files we have on those five. While we've only seen Professor Basterbine in action, it's safe to assume all of them are proficient in swordsmanship given the choice of weapons they carry. Any other information will be available in what we've sent you."
On the other side of the holographic screen, Ironwood opened the digital files and began reading through the documents. After a few seconds of skimming, he raised a confused eyebrow.
"There's not much in here," the general said. "No birth certificates, no education, no license… not even a residential registry."
"Exactly, James. There is no concrete information about them." Ozpin looked at the cocoa innocently sloshing in its mug. He eyed Ironwood again and said, "It's as if they never existed in Remnant, or better yet, they came to Remnant out of thin air."
"That… or they're just very good at covering their tracks."
"Maybe, but all the same, we have no idea who these people are, other than what little we've gathered. We've even added this assignment to Qrow and even he found nothing."
If that were the case, they had a group of unknowns in their war. If Ironwood had it, these five would be considered as a third faction; one who's motives are still shrouded in mystery.
"For now, it's best if we keep a close eye on Shinji Hirako, Sajin Komamura, Kensei Muguruma, Shūhei Hisagi, and Bambietta Basterbine," advised the wizened headmaster. "That's all we can do."
"I'm afraid you're right, Ozpin," Ironwood agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Do you think… that they may be working for Salem?"
Ozpin shook his head. "They have an idea that we're at war, but I don't think they know who it is we're at war with."
Glynda suddenly spoke. "If I may, I think those five are on the side of the students." Both the general and the headmaster were looking at her, so she explained, "The threat made by Hirako was in response to our plans for the students. Despite being hired for only a week, they're furiously protective of the first-year teams considering each one of them has taken a liking to one or two students."
That fact both gave Ozpin and Ironwood some relief. At least, for now, they won't have to worry about another enemy.
"All the same, I'd be careful around them."
"We all are, James," Ozpin nodded. "It was nice of you to call you and I hope to hear from you soon."
"We will be keeping an eye on them," Glynda promised. "That was the sole reason why we let them into Beacon."
"I know. I must be going now. Winter has brought me some valuable intel that needs my attention. Goodbye, Ozpin, Glynda."
"Goodbye to you, too, James." With that, Ozpin turned off the call.
"What now?" Glynda asked her superior.
"Now, we proceed as we've always planned," Ozpin answered, not before letting out an exasperated sigh. "I just hope that a few unexpected variables don't harm us in the long run."
"Thank you, Ozpin, for being none the wiser."
A mirthful smirk was plastered on Shinji's face as he and his compatriots listened to the transmission between Ozpin and General Ironwood of Atlas that he intercepted. Having those multipurpose bacteria made gathering information much easier.
"You're enjoying this too much, Shinji," Kensei told the grinning blonde. He sat comfortably on a soft leather couch while reading through his scroll.
"No, man," Shinji denied, his grin still ever-wide. "I just find it funny that someone so cautious as Ozpin – who's already on to us, by the way – still has no clue that we have total access to his dirty little secrets."
Kensei rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Figures."
Just across the brawler, Sajin was in deep thought. Based on what he and the others heard, the headmaster has plans for their students in this secret war he has against this Salem character. And, by the looks of things, whatever this feud between Ozpin and Salem is has been going on for far too long.
"Maybe even longer than we realize," the wolfman muttered.
Bambi, who was sitting next to her boyfriend, managed to hear Sajin's words. "Huh? What do you mean, Doggy?"
"What I mean, Bambi is that this war might be going on longer than it is," Sajin clarified. "And it seems that Ozpin won't hesitate to use the students as his pawns in this game of his."
"If that bastard does anything to my explosion buddy, then I'm gonna do more than just blow him to bits!"
The three older men looked at the girl in confusion. Luckily, Shūhei cleared it up. "She meant Nora. That said, I am also quite attached to the first years."
"It's Ren, right, hon?" Bambi questioned.
"Yeah, babe."
"I happen to be also quite fond of the freshmen teams, specifically Miss Belladonna and Miss Schnee," Sajin commented while adjusting his eyeglasses.
This made Bambi giggle mischievously. "Kind of hard to see that a doggy would be attached to a kitty cat."
"Really, Bambi?" Komamura deadpanned.
"I can understand Blake, but Weiss?" Kensei inquired. "I get the feeling you're trying to get the two to see each other's perspectives."
"And you'd be right, Kensei. Besides, I hear you've given Miss Xiao-Long some extra training."
"I did." Kensei looked at everyone with a satisfied grin. "Do any of you know that I've taught her Sandbag Beat?"
Shinji raised an eyebrow, not of surprise but of curiosity. "Did the girl manage to master it?"
"Master it? No, but she is getting there, and with the syllabus we came up with, she's gonna be a beast later down the line."
"Like I said to Ozpin earlier, that's a scary thought. Please don't tell me you're going to teach her Ikkotsu and Sōkotsu."
Kensei just smirked.
"So, we're basically gonna see a blonde female version of you soon?"
"You could say that. How about that Arc kid? All of us could tell he has the biggest energy reserves in the entire school."
"The kid's got heart but that won't be enough overall. I've made it my personal mission to get him up to par with the others."
"I see. But, back to the point, I don't like how Ozpin is approaching this war of his."
"You got that right!" Bambietta shouted in agreement. "The one thing I hate the most is being manipulated! Aizen, Yhwach… Gigi."
Shūhei quickly brought Bambi into a tight hug. The woman was still shivering from remembering a dark twisted memory.
"T-Thanks… sweetie," she said after finally calming down. "Remind me to thank Orihime if we ever get to see her again."
"I will," the scarred young man nodded.
The others agreed. All of them were once pawns by individuals more powerful than them. To find out that these kids are being led by the nose by someone they respect just rubbed them the wrong way.
"Then it's clear we need to keep Ozpin from doing anything to them," Shinji declared. The others agreed immediately. He then added, "That goes double for Pyrrha Nikos and Ruby Rose."
"Whatever this Fall Maiden is and the supposed power it holds, I'm sure there are consequences along with it," Sajin commented.
"So, a Catch-22?" Kensei remarked.
"Correct. And then there's Ruby Rose whom we suspect to be an Argent."
"An Argent? I think I've heard of them before– Oh, I remember! Yhwach told us about them. They supposedly disappeared millennia ago," said Bambi, giving her two cents on the topic.
"Ozpin was actually surprised that we have that info, and he didn't," Shinji said with hidden satisfaction but slowly, it morphed into a stern expression. "If Ruby is indeed an Argent, then it stands to reason that she's the most important piece in this whole thing."
Everyone nodded in unison. These kids weren't meant to be simple pieces in a shadow war. But, through their lineage, achievements, and influences, they were thrust into something beyond their capabilities.
The five would do anything to prepare them and keep them away from whatever Ozpin and Salem had planned to make sure these children didn't suffer the same tragedy as they did.
A/N: I want to thank you for your enthusiasm for what was just a side project. For the most part, this fanfic wasn't meant to get an update until I finish either Reapers Among Fairies or Of Heroes, Sorcerers, and Reapers. But ten comments were enough to get me some much-needed inspiration to make this second chapter and truth be told, I already have a definite end goal for this story. It's gonna be a long while before this gets more regular updates, but I'll try to do my best to release some chapters if I am able.
For now, don't hesitate to leave some comments for this story. I'm still quite new to the RWBY fandom and some guidance would be nice. Don't forget to check out my two ongoing stories mentioned above, and I wish all of you a wonderful day.
Until next time.
