Hello everyone, and thank you so much for your patience!
I apologize so much for the delay in this next chapter! While I had a good 80% of what I had planned written out already, some real life stuff got in the way, and with what I had planned, I wanted to wait to make sure I got the lore and everything as accurate as I could.
Thankfully, Whispers in the Wall dropped, and holy hell what an amazing update! I loved everything about it, from the gorgeous tileset, the incredible music, the awesome new Murmur faction, the hands-down best boss in the entire game, the new Arcanes and Archon Shards (RIP Topaz shard nerf, I hope the Emerald One isn't gonna be next), the new Warframe Qorvex, and of course, the juicy new lore they added. Absolutely can't wait for 1999 next year!
I wanted to take my time to make sure I grabbed as much lore as possible, and thankfully there was a massive chunk that I could sink my teeth into. And with that, I was able to make some corrections to my story and for the upcoming chapters. If I did mess anything up, feel free to let me know.
Glad to see that you guys enjoyed the previous chapter! A lot of people were wondering about the Ever After, the Rusted Knight, and so on, and don't worry, they'll all be answered in no time!
Without further ado, let's continue!
Chapter 2: But All Miracles… Require Sacrifice
It all felt familiar. So. Damn. Familiar!
It all started when he landed on the giant floating hand of His Majesty. When he followed that tiny little jackalope through the portal into this damp cave.
Like a gnawing sense of Deja Vu, or a lingering dream that refused to fully vanish from the back of his mind, Jaune felt more unsettled as he slowly trekked further inside, the center of the cavern illuminated with three statues kneeling down.
Or at least, what he assumed at first to be statues. But as he moved closer to inspect them, that unsettling familiarity reared its ugly head once more.
Three figures, two masculine and one feminine, were kneeling before him. On the leftmost side, a stalwart warrior with the build of an avid swordsman and metallic skin colored in black and white. In the middle, a lithe, feminine figure with a round, bulbous head. And to his right, a pale blue figure brimming with electrical energy.
They lacked any distinguishable face, eyes, or hair. Nothing to properly identify them, and as he stepped closer, his right arm, bound by Sentient flesh, reached out almost instinctively, itching to make contact.
"Right now, you might be thinking - is this real? Or some… fevered dream?"
Jaune recoiled, reaching for his pistol as he stepped away from the statues. Turning around, to his surprise he found an elderly man approaching him with the help of a bronze, ornamental cane. In his arms lay the same small little rabbit-like creature he encountered when he passed through the portal from Duviri.
"Feeling lost? Confused?" the man asked, to which Jaune only responded with a shrug of his shoulders.
"More like a bad sense of Deja Vu. This, all of this, feels so damn familiar, and I have no idea why!" He vented as he stowed away his pistol, sensing no hostility from the stranger.
The old man nodded sagely. "Emotions. They guide where others fail. You've been trapped in the King's spiral for a long time. Time, that has taken away experience."
"You don't seem like one of Thrax's men. Who are you?"
"I… am Teshin. Oh, and this little one? Well, you named her after all. Try to recall her name, where you found her." Teshin responded as the little jackalope chirped happily in his arms.
Jaune peered closer at the little creature, having never seen anything like it in the lands of Duviri. With dark blue fur and sporting golden antlers atop its head, it was certainly an adorable creature. One that seemed to recognize him almost instantly.
Hesitantly, Jaune reached out his hands, gently taking the creature from Teshin's hands and cradling it in his arms. Stroking its fur, he closed his eyes and concentrated, letting his emotions and sensations guide him where memory failed.
He once wandered through a great forest, overrun by thick foliage and leaves of all shapes and sizes.
He wasn't alone. Following him from behind were two young teenagers. A girl with an ambivalent expression on her face and a boy sporting a large pair of glasses on his face, nervousness evident on his face and mannerisms. And not far behind them was a small, colorful floating cat chatting with the boy.
Despite the cat's carefree nature, the tension amongst the group was palpable, just a hair's breadth away from being sliced apart and splitting them down the middle.
It didn't take a genius to understand why.
All of their troubles centered around the lone girl of their group, Alyx. Jaune, who once thought she was a shy and gentle girl, soon realized that she was a mischievous and arrogant woman who delighted in sparking conflict wherever she went, in complete contrast to her brother.
Wanting to be the ever-perfect knight like in his old books, Jaune wracked his brains to understand why things had gone so horribly wrong for all of them. Why did Alyx take so much enjoyment from tormenting all the people in the Ever After? Why did she keep on belittling him and her brother Lewis? And why did the Cat do nothing to intervene? Hell, it seemed to goad her on even more, and he worried what kinds of things he shared with Alex behind all their backs.
Was it something he did? Did he say or do something to piss her off somehow? He just wanted to help them all escape!
The Ever After wasn't some paradise like he thought it was. It wasn't some sanctuary that he could take refuge in from the eternal cycles of Duviri. No, it was just another prison. Another abomination that defied all logic and common sense, and which seemed to taunt and mock him at every point and turn.
Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.
His only method of escape was to just hop back to Duviri, but he didn't want to return to that hellscape, and the last thing he wanted was for Alyx, the Curious Cat, and Lewis to be caught in the same spiral as him. Who knows what the Dominus would do to them? Toss them into the great Oblivion just like all the other islands? Or another round of death by impalement?
No. They spoke of another world, one they called Remnant. A world filled with Monstrous creatures and heroes of equal measure. And the only way to get there was through that supposed Tree growing in the middle of this land.
Or at least, that was what the Curious Cat told them, and Jaune was hesitant to trust it.
Something about the Cat unsettled him, kept him on guard. And the more it seemed to encourage Alyx's behavior, the more untrustworthy it became. And sadly, Lewis was too hesitant to stand up to his far more assertive sister.
Jaune kept a straight face and positive attitude, even though he was anything but on the inside. Even as his armor rusted and his hair grew, he sucked it up, knowing he had to be strong for the others.
Besides, it's not like he had to worry about Death. Even with that Jabberwalker roaming around.
Speaking of…
The cry of a small creature echoed throughout the forest, soon followed by an all-too familiar muttering, and Jaune pulled out his broken sword and shield.
"Stay back!" He warned the others, with even Alyx and the Cat listening to his words, for once.
Barreling through the thick vegetation, he found an abhorrent sight.
The Jabberwalker, a large purple creature with sharp claws and a shimmering, spastic face, devouring several rabbit-like creatures and leaving one little baby wounded on the ground.
Heat crackled in the pit of his stomach, and he rushed forward, attacking the Jabberwalker on sight.
It was a short battle, all things considered. Having brushed against death by Dax Blade multiple times, and with his weighty and rusted armor, he easily drove the foul creature back, watching as it retreated deeper into the forest, muttering incessantly.
Kneeling down on the ground, he gently picked up the wounded little Jackalope in his arms. He tore off a large piece of crimson cloth that hung around his waist and used it as a bandage. Soon, the bleeding stopped, and though the creature was still in pain, it grew to accept his presence, nestling in his palms as it drifted off to sleep.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, Jaune turned as he spotted Alyx, Lewis, and the Cat looking at him in surprise, their eyes staring at the jackalope in his arms.
"It looks like she's hurt pretty badly." Lewis spoke, reaching into his coat pocket for some food he managed to gather from the talking mice.
"She?" Alyx questioned.
Lewis flushed. "At least, it looks like a girl. Though I could be wrong…"
"Tch, you're always wrong about these kinds of things. It's why you can never get a girl to talk to you for longer than 2 minutes." Alyx retorted bluntly, causing her brother to appear crestfallen.
"My my, you people of Remnant never cease to surprise me." The Cat said with a snicker as it orbited around Lewis. "Are human mating rituals really that complex?"
"It looks like Lewis was right on the money." Jaune added, grateful that the poor boy finally got a win for himself. To his surprise, the little jackalope seemed to agree with him, letting out a cute little chirp that even Alyx couldn't defend herself against.
Though she still chose that moment to try and dampen the mood. "We can't exactly keep it around. Who knows what kinds of diseases it has?"
"Alyx, come on. We can't just leave her here! What if that thing comes back? Besides, it'd be cruel to leave her here after she lost her family."
"And what do you know about raising a pet? Can you even take care of one without it dying on you?"
"I—"
"I'll take care of her." Jaune interrupted, settling the argument.
Alyx looked like she wanted to object, but the steadfast look on his face ultimately made her waver, leaving her to just give him a dark glare as she turned away.
Lewis, on the other hand, was ecstatic. "Awesome! She's SO pretty! What should we name her?"
Jaune looked down at the little one, watching it fall asleep in his hands.
Good question, what should he call her by?
He took a closer look at her, seeing the tiny little golden antlers just barely sprouting from her head, before setting his sights on her soft dark blue fur.
A foreign sensation settled in his mind. Thoughts of a group of friends he once knew long ago, and all the little adventurers they would get up to back home. Though their names were lost to the Void, one remained deeply rooted in his mind, signifying the friendship between them that he cherished beyond belief.
"I'll name her—"
"Juniper."
The little jackalope cheered and cooed in his arms, having finally been reunited with its savior, still young but with much room to grow.
Teshin nodded in agreement. "Juniper… ah, how I miss the sharp, but sweet taste of Sahti gin and juniper berry tea."
"Look, while I'm glad I found her again, this still doesn't help me with my problem." Jaune replied.
"Indeed. You are trapped in the spiral of an absurd purgatory, held captive by the child-King's grip. You need to break free, and that doll you brought back from the Paradox is the key."
"You mean this?" Jaune let Juniper jump back into Teshin's arms as he pulled out the broken toy from his pocket. "What does some broken doll have to do with me? Keep it if you want, I need to find a way out of–"
"You know you cannot leave Duviri while Thrax sits on the throne." Teshin retorted sharply. "Even here in the Undercroft, where his reach is limited, he still exerts some semblance of control. You cannot escape Duviri through here or the Ever After. Not until Thrax is removed from the throne."
"Oh really? And how can you be so sure?"
"By all means, try if you wish. I'll even lend you my old blades."
Teshin gestured his head towards the nearby campfire, where a pair of golden katanas shone in the light of the flames.
Jaune raised an eyebrow, but nevertheless accepted the offering, picking up the lightweight katanas and giving them a few test swings. While not something he normally uses, instead preferring to use a sword and shield, they will suffice. He doubted he could get by using just a low-power pistol.
Sheathing the blades to his waist, Jaune made his way to the portal at the end of the cave, looking back as Teshin sat near the fireplace, stroking Juniper's back.
"Until the next spiral, then." Teshin spoke somberly. Sighing, Jaune cast one final look at the three figures in the middle of the cave before steeling himself and running through the portal.
'Here we go again…'
On Remnant…
Jaune gasped, throwing the bed covers off once more as he clutched at his sides.
It was another one of those weird dreams again. He was still the Rusted Knight, still wandering the same mythical land as before. But this time was much different.
Gone were the strange knights and the angry executioner stabbing him in the chest, and gone were the muted colors and softly blowing leaves in the wind.
Instead, the sky was a bloody red, murderous flaming eyes gazing at him from above as he rode atop a metallic, almost spectral steed. One that could sprout wings and fly in the sky as easily as a bird.
Well, not that it did his Rusted Knight self any good in the end.
A massive, mechanical flying… worm flew through the sky, and despite his dream-self's best efforts, both he and the horse were torched to a crisp.
The mere recollection sent shivers down his body, his hands grasping his sides as the phantom pain of those horrid burns festered on his skin.
Just what on Remnant was going on with him? Why was he having these weird dreams of some fairy tale hero he read years ago? He hadn't read anything like it since he was really small, his focus now more on comics and games these days.
Come to think of it, where was he?
Looking around, he noticed that he was no longer in his room, but in Beacon's medical ward. He was unfortunately too familiar with this place, having ended up here multiple times thanks to Cardin or another student kicking his ass so thoroughly in Combat Class.
But why was he here again?
A knock on the door grabbed his attention. Hastily covering himself up, he called for whoever was visiting him to come inside.
Inside stepped not his teammates (or Weiss, unfortunately), but the Headmaster of Beacon himself. And boy, did that send his nerves racing.
"Good evening, Mr. Arc. How are you feeling at the moment?"
"Wait, evening?"
Jaune looked out the window and was surprised to see the familiar shattered moon in the sky. "How long was I out? Did I get my butt kicked that badly in Combat Class again?"
"I'm afraid you're here for much more serious reasons than failing to meet Glynda's standards Mr. Arc." Ozpi frowned, making him tense up. "Do you really not remember why you are here?"
Jaune frowned, thinking back to earlier in the day. He remembered waking up due to that strange dream, him and the rest of his team hastily getting themselves ready when they woke up late, and then attending Combat Class.
He was told he was gonna be facing Cardin today, just after he saved him from the Ursa in Forever Fall. He got his ass handed to him, again. And then Professor Goodwitch said that she was considering looking into his academic background due to his sloppy performance.
It both worried and angered him, thinking he might get kicked out just when he finally stopped having that bit of blackmail dangling over his head. He charged at Cardin, yelling in frustration when…
HEY KIDDO…
Jaune gasped, clutching his chest as fear gripped him in its cold, lifeless fingers. His heart racing, Jaune remembered it all.
The ethereal sword that pierced straight through his chest, leaving not a single splatter of blood or wound. The hate-filled voice, calling for his utter demise.
And then…
AWW, DID YOU FORGET ME ALREADY?
"Mr. Arc?!"
Ozpin approached the bed, just as Jaune jumped out of it, landing on the floor and scurrying away as he pointed to the shelf in the corner of the room.
"W-who the hell are you?!" Jaune yelled, his face pale as he saw a disturbingly familiar young boy sitting on the top of the shelf, dangling his legs in a gleeful manner.
DID I FRIGHTEN YOU, KIDDO? AND HERE I THOUGHT YOU'D BE HAPPY TO SEE ME! AT LEAST NOW THE POOR LITTLE MAN WON'T BULLY YOU ANYMORE, WON'T HE?
"Mr. Arc, who are you talking to? There's no one on the shelf." Ozpin frowned, his eyes focused at the same spot on the shelf but seeing nothing.
HAVE FUN, THEN! AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR DEAL!
With a mocking wave, the entity faded away into nothing, leaving Jaune sweating profusely on the cold floor.
A pair of hands grabbed him by his armpits and pulled him up before depositing him onto the bed.
"Mr. Arc," Ozpin spoke, his expression ominous. "Do you remember what happened earlier during class?"
"I… I lost control. I was just so… overwhelmed. I felt so much power inside of me at that moment, and when I saw him I… I panicked."
"Him? Mr. Arc, you nearly destroyed the entire classroom during your episode."
Ozpin leaned in, his eyes never leaving Jaune's. "I want you to be honest with me. I was already aware that you faked your transcripts to get into Beacon, for one."
Jaune felt his heart practically leap into his throat. "Y-you know?! Who told you!?"
Ozpin shook his head. "You are not the first, and certainly not the last to attempt such a method. Ah, but please don't be alarmed. I am not angry, nor am I interested in punishing you."
Just as quickly, hope swept away the fear in his chest. "You're serious?"
Ozpin sighed. "I admit many kinds of students at this Academy, many of whom have dubious records or a past they wish to escape from. Ultimately, what is more important to me is whether these individuals come here wishing to better themselves for the safety and protection of all mankind, human or Faunus, or if they wish to squander their potential. Do you recall what I said the night before Initiation?"
"Something about 'wasted energy, in need of direction'?"
"Correct. I say that not to belittle you, but to remind you of why you came to this Academy in the first place. Far too often, I see young men and women come here solely for greater strength, fame, or fortune. Or to learn how to deal with other Huntsmen. I care not why they come here in the first place, but whether or not they have the proper mindset to do what is necessary to save others from the Grimm. Anyone can be trained, that is why we are teachers. But having the right mindset? The willingness to work together against a common enemy? To put aside our differences for the greater good? That, I'm afraid, is much harder to change, as you may well know.
I will admit, based on Glynda's report, you are very much lacking in skill, but that is something that can be remedied with training, and with the help of your teammates and friends. And you already have the mindset, the willingness to march forward against adversity. That is why I chose you as leader of Team JNPR, after all. Your success in Initiation was the final icing on the cake that proved to me that you belong here."
Jaune couldn't even open his mouth to respond, his heart and mind heavily shaken by the events that occurred.
So many worries, so many days wasting away as Cardin's lapdog, throwing away his pride due to this stain on his record.
And Professor Ozpin himself comes in and says that he belongs here.
For the first time since he woke up, a relieved smile broke across his face as he exhaled, his body sagging from the positive news.
"I-I don't know what to say, sir. This is… this is wonderful news."
"In fact, there is something you can say, Mr. Arc. I've told you the truth, and now I would like for you to do the same for me."
For the first time, Jaune felt sheepish. "I… you're probably gonna laugh at me, sir. Even I think it all sounds stupid and crazy in my head."
"You would be surprised by what I've encountered during my long years in this world." Ozpin replied bluntly, taking a seat next to Jaune's bed. "By all means, tell me everything you know about what happened. When did everything start to seem different? And why were you so afraid just now?"
Jaune hesitated for a moment, but with a single encouraging nod by Ozpin, he ultimately relented.
He told the Headmaster everything that had happened recently. The strange dreams he'd been having recently where he was the Rusted Knight, the weird pain in his chest he woke up with, the sight of the greatsword thrust into his chest…
And, his mysterious younger-appearing doppleganger, who grabbed him by his hand, invisible to all but him, and gave him his 'Semblance'.
Ozpin's frown grew more and more as he continued his story, ending with how he saw his doppleganger sitting on the shelf just moments before, taunting him.
"And that's it, I swear. I know it all sounds really stupid, but it's the truth. Am I hallucinating or something? Or did I really unlock my Semblance somehow?"
Ozpin closed his eyes as he debated the question in his mind. After a few moments, he opened them, his expression a bit more relaxed.
"I will admit, even I am quite surprised by what you've told me. Fantasizing about a fairy-tale certainly wasn't something I expected. Nor did I expect to hear about some younger version of you somehow unlocking your Semblance."
"Um, how do people normally unlock their Semblance?" Jaune asked hesitantly. "I mean, does it show up all of a sudden? Or do you just suddenly wish for it to show up?"
"Semblances vary from person to person, and theoretically can appear at any time when one has their Aura unlocked. The Semblance a person has often depends on them as a person, and on things such as their personality, desire, or something similar. They are truly incredible things, and they appear whenever they wish to."
"Yeah, but… what I did back there in the classroom. Was that really a Semblance? Or… something else?"
Though Ozpin's eye twitched, he nevertheless pretended to be amused. "Oh really? I know fairy tales make for great bed-time reading, but what other possibility could it be? You aren't thinking that it could be Magic of some kind, are you?"
Jaune let out a small laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Even I'm not that stupid to think it could be Magic or something out of my comics. I guess the whole kid-me thing was just a part of my Semblance."
"A dangerous one, no doubt." Ozpin replied in a serious tone. "I suggest you take the time to learn how to control it to avoid causing that much damage in the future. And remember, it is wise to never be reliant on your Semblance. Even the most powerful one in the world won't make a difference if you can't defend yourself."
"I will, sir. I'll make sure I catch up with the others, and control my Semblance in the future." Jaune replied resolutely.
"Good. I'm glad to see that your interactions with Mister Winchester haven't dampened your spirit." Ozpin stood up and made his way out of the room. "Don't worry, I spoke with Glynda. You won't be charged with destruction of Beacon property, and Combat classes will be postponed until the classroom is fixed. If you are feeling well enough to walk, I suggest returning to your team and Team RWBY. They have been greatly worried about you."
"I'll see them soon, Professor. And thank you again, for letting me stay here."
After Ozpin closed the door, Jaune fell backwards onto his bed, his mind still reeling.
Man, what a night. He had gone through so many emotions in the past hour than he ever had in his entire life. Regret, horror, relief, embarrassment, it was all a chaotic mess.
At least he no longer had to worry about getting kicked out of Beacon, with the Headmaster himself backing him.
"Professor Ozpin's right. I really need to step up my training if I'm gonna be staying here." Jaune mused. Hopefully Pyrrha was still willing to train him after the debacle in class.
With nothing else to do, he quickly changed into his school uniform and left the medical office. The halls of Beacon were eerily quiet tonight, not a single person out and about this evening, which suited him just fine. He was already considered a laughingstock by the rest of the school, he didn't need this incident to cement him as the class freak on top of that.
Arriving at the front of JNPR's room, he hesitantly unlocked the door, just as a pair of arms grabbed him by the collar and hauled him inside.
"It's about time you finally showed up!"
"Jaune! You're okay!"
"Holy crap, Vomit Boy. You really blew up the classroom just like that…"
"Is everything okay? You aren't hurt or anything?!"
"How on Remnant did you do all that?! Did you unlock your Semblance or something?!"
"Okay everyone, let's give him some space."
Ren pulled Nora off of his shirt just as Jaune finally sat down on his bed. His team's room was also occupied by Team RWBY, having gathered here to discuss what had happened in class.
"Alright, spill it, Fearless Leader! How come you were hiding such a cool Semblance from us this whole time?!" Nora yelled excitedly.
"I doubt he's been hiding it, Nora. Otherwise he'd have used it a long time ago." Ren shook his head. "But that was quite the Semblance you have. I didn't think it could destroy the entire class like that."
"I'll say, you should have seen the look on Professor Goodwitch's face when she couldn't fix it at all with her own Semblance." Yang laughed. "Thought she was gonna turn into a cherry for a second there."
"Still, what was with that weird sword lodged into your chest? And uh, why were you so scared when we tried to help you?" Ruby asked.
Jaune sighed. "I had to tell the same exact thing to Professor Ozpin earlier. Alright, don't say I didn't warn you when I said this all will sound really stupid."
And so he told them the same thing he told Ozpin, as embarrassing as it was to admit. Though some like Yang and Ruby did chuckle when he talked about how he dreamed he was the Rusted Knight, everyone had mixed reactions to the revelation concerning his supposed doppleganger.
"Really? A younger, creepier version of you grabbed your hand and somehow gave you your Semblance? How utterly childish." Weiss scoffed.
"I hate to agree with Ice Queen here, but even I think that sounds really dumb." Yang added. "Sure you didn't eat or drink anything weird the night before?"
"Nothing aside from Nora's pancakes, though I wouldn't be surprised if she did add something weird." Jaune leveled a playful glare at said girl, who poked her tongue at him.
"But then again, there are some weird Semblances out there." Ruby added. "I mean, Weiss has her Glyphs, Pyrrha has her Polarity, Yang has hers, Blake can make clones, and I can turn into a bunch of rose petals. Shooting lasers and seeing weird kid versions of you isn't the craziest thing I've seen."
"That said, you should really try to learn how to control it." Blake said cautiously. "Whatever your Semblance was, it did a LOT of damage."
"Yeah, I know. With classes postponed I'll be training with it." Jaune replied.
"I can help, Jaune." Pyrrha added. "Sure, our Semblances are very different, but I can help you with trying to control it."
"Thanks, Pyrrha."
The sound of a Scroll's ringtone interrupted their train of thoughts. Surprisingly, the owner of said Scroll belonged to Weiss, who was puzzled at the sudden call.
"Who would be calling me at this time in the night?" Weiss wondered, opening her device. To her immense surprise, the caller on the other end was none other than…
"General Ironwood?!"
"Ironwood? As in, the head of Atlas's military and Headmaster of Atlas Academy?" Pyrrha inquired.
"Yes, that's him. Why would he be calling me of all people?" Weiss stared at the screen, before reluctantly answering the call.
"Hello, Weiss Schnee I presume?" Ironwood asked.
"Yes, this is Weiss Schnee. I'm surprised to have received a call from you, General. Perhaps you were attempting to call my sister and got me by mistake?"
"No, I was in fact attempting to reach you, and sadly neither of your parents were available to receive my call. Unfortunately, I am calling with regards to your sister, Winter."
Ice practically pooled in Weiss's veins. "I-I'm not sure what you mean, General. Has Winter done something wrong?"
Though Ironwood shook his head, his stern face did little to soothe Weiss's worries. "I'm afraid that your sister was gravely injured during a recent mission to Mantle. Specialist Winter and several Ace Op members were on a scouting run to investigate a recent disturbance that we suspected was caused by a White Fang cell in Mantle. It was during that time that they… encountered heavy resistance."
The entire room fell silent.
"I hate to be the one to have to say this, Ms. Schnee, but I'm afraid your sister is currently on life support. Her wounds were too severe to be healed by Aura. While our top doctors are working around the clock to treat her, I… I'm afraid that you might have to prepare yourself for the worst."
Weiss barely choked back a sob, tears falling down her face as she dropped her Scroll to the ground, Ironwood's call disconnecting.
"Oh, Weiss!" Ruby was quick to wrap her arms around the now openly sobbing heiress, soon accompanied by Yang who rubbed her back.
Blake wore an expression of abject horror the moment she heard 'White Fang' on the call, her hands twitching as she tried to look anywhere else but at Weiss.
Jaune and the rest of Team JNPR could only watch in silence, offering their condolences to the poor girl.
As Ruby took the rest of her team with her back to their room, the air hung heavily around them as they began to settle in for the night.
"Man, what a night. Poor Weiss…" Nora said dejectedly, staring at the door.
"I hope Weiss's sister will make a full recovery. I can't even imagine how she must be feeling right about now." Pyrrha remarked.
"I know it probably won't help much, but we should probably do something to help take her mind off of it, or at least cheer her up somehow." Ren added.
"That means no flirting, Fearless Leader!" Nora remarked, though she fell silent as she noticed Jaune didn't respond. "Jaune?"
Jaune ignored her, staring out the window and towards the nearby trees. While his heart did bleed with sympathy for Weiss, his attention was firmly placed on the lone figure sitting on a nearby branch.
A younger version of him, cackling with glee as it sat atop the branch before it caught sight of his gaze. As it stared back at him with blackened eyes, it winked, before vanishing from existence.
The sound of the EKG humming in regular intervals roused Winter from her slumber.
That, and the sensation of some animal gently licking her face.
With a heavy groan, she raised her arm from underneath the blanket covering her and rubbed the grogginess from her eyes. The animal that had been licking her face quickly jumped off her bed, letting out a quiet growl as it sauntered off.
Taking a cursory look around her, Winter realized that she was in a hospital ward, her room filled with several other beds like her own. With a startle, she soon noticed the heavily bandaged and comatose forms of the rest of the Ace Ops around her. Clover, Marrow, Vine, Elm, and Harriet, all still asleep and resting on their own beds while strapped to IVs and EKG leads.
Looking down at herself, she also noticed several bandages covering her body underneath her hospital gown, in addition to multiple IV lines and pumps poking through her skin. A ventilation mask was placed over her mouth and nose, and pressing down lightly on one of the wounds to her chest caused her to wince in pain, her Aura doing little to repair the damage.
How did she and the others arrive here? What even happened to cause her and the other Ace Ops to be out of commission like this?
Winter tried to recall what had happened earlier. It was some time ago when she received a mission notice from General Ironwood, who also summoned Clover and the Ace Ops to his office.
Apparently, Atlas Air Defence picked up a mysterious object that crashed a few miles outside of Mantle, in addition to a sudden rise in Grimm activity outside the city walls. While the General wasn't sure if the impact caused by the object caused the spike in Grimm numbers, he nonetheless wanted the Ace Ops to investigate and deal with any stragglers before they could penetrate the gaping hole in the wall surrounding Mantle.
It was supposed to be a run-of-the-mill mission, one that should have been finished in a matter of minutes.
Instead, it turned into a bloodbath.
Corpses of not only Grimm, but White Fang members were littered around the impact site. More and more Grimm kept arriving after being drawn in by some strange force, and then they… ran into it.
Winter flinched, her hands tightly curling into fists as she recalled the battle that occurred.
No, she couldn't even call it a 'battle'.
It was a pure, one-sided massacre, and it was only thanks to sheer dumb luck that they survived. Even with Clover's Good Fortune Semblance, that… thing tore through them like starving wolves to a lamb.
It was faster, stronger, and deadlier than anything they had in their arsenal.
Clover's Good Luck? It certainly didn't stop the being from shattering his Aura and nearly slicing him to pieces.
Harriet's speed? Their attacker was easily a match for her speed, dashing through them like a ghost and using its sword to tear her apart.
Elm's strength? That thing shrugged off each one of her attacks like it was nothing.
Marrow's ability to freeze things? One single howl from it shut it down in an instant.
Vine's ability to extend and create limbs? All sliced to ribbons.
And as for her own Semblance? All her summons, all her Glyphs, all her training?
All useless.
It easily killed her Grimm summons, and turned off her Glyphs with its horrendous howl. And where she once prided herself in her mastery over her weapon, that thing's mastery over its own katana easily surpassed her own. A raging monster it may have been, but a novice fighter it was not.
It had training. It had discipline, hidden beneath its hatred. And it fought like a seasoned warrior, its movements precise and lethal.
Things had only worsened for the Ace Ops as the battle dragged on. Many more Grimm kept arriving, drawn in by that thing's hatred, and what was a one-sided brawl quickly morphed into a chaotic free-for-all as all sense of discipline and structure broke down. Neither her commands nor Clover's helped to establish any sort of order or counterattack, as everyone was quickly occupied by both Grimm and that creature all at once.
In no time at all, their Auras were shattered, and their bodies were littered with lacerations and broken bones from that thing's katana. With bones shattered, limbs nearly torn from their sockets, and blood spilling onto the snow, it should have been the end for them. Indeed, Winter felt nothing but abject terror as that shadowy figure approached her, bloody blade in hand, ready to slice her head clean off her body.
Her last thoughts before she fainted were that of her little sister, and the relief she felt that wherever she was, she was at least free from her father, and from the horrors she was facing.
But… if she and the others are here in a hospital ward, then how did they survive? What happened to that… thing? How were they even alive?
She tried to recall anything that happened after she blacked out, but all she received for her efforts was a pounding headache.
Just then, the door to their room opened, and none other than Ironwood himself walked inside.
"G-general…" Winter tried to raise herself up, but even the simple act of saying a single word caused her to double over in pain.
"At ease, Winter. You're in no shape to move around as you are right now." Ironwood reprimanded gently, taking a seat next to Winter's bed.
"T-the others, are they–?"
"The rest of the Ace Ops are fine. Well, 'fine' as in they're still alive. They'll be able to recover with time, but I wish I could say the same for you."
Even in her wounded state, the General's words felt like a knife to her heart. "S-sir? What do you–?"
Ironwood sighed, his face seemingly aging several more years as he stared at his hands. "I'm sorry, Winter. But your wounds were too severe. The thing that attacked you and the others, it tore apart several of your organs. Not even your Aura was enough to repair it all. Your spleen, liver, lungs, all severely damaged. We're trying the best we can, but… the odds aren't looking great."
A stunned silence followed, Winter unable to process the information given to her.
Was she that badly hurt in their last mission? Was this really how it would all end? Was she… really going to die?
"S-surely there's something that can be done! Anything! There… there has to be something!" Winter begged, not for herself, but for what would happen to Weiss should she pass away.
If she were to die, Father wouldn't hesitate to recall Weiss from Beacon, no matter what kind of fight she put up. The death of an heir to the Schnee Dust Company was no laughing matter, and he would strip whatever freedom Weiss had been given when she proved she could be a Huntress.
Weiss would no longer be the strong-willed young woman Winter always hoped she would be. She would be nothing more than Father's puppet for the rest of her life.
"We're trying, Winter, but we're running out of options." Ironwood said somberly. "There's already a long list of people waiting for organ transplants, and even then we're having trouble finding a match. Your father has, of course, been putting up high rewards for anyone willing to donate, but given your family's reputation… I'm afraid no one has volunteered so far. No one is willing to help save the life of a Schnee."
Winter curled her hands into fists. Was she really going to die like this? After all the hardships she went through to avoid being her father's slave?
"I'm so sorry, Winter. I wish there was more we could do." Ironwood responded somberly. "I spoke to your sister to let her know what happened, though she has been unable to call me back. Perhaps, if you're feeling well enough, you could give her a call?"
No doubt Weiss was hurting immensely from the news, Winter thought. It was no secret just how close the two of them were when they had a drunken mother, power-hungry father, and a brat like Whitley for company. "C-call her and tell her I'm, cough, on the phone."
A few seconds later, Ironwood left his Scroll next to Winter as he left the room to give her some privacy. Soon, her sister appeared on-screen, her eyes bloodshot and her face a sobbing mess.
"W-Winter?!"
"I'm here, Weiss." Winter smiled in response, happy to see her sister once more.
"Oh, Winter! I just h-heard what happened from General Ironwood some time ago. Please tell me it isn't true! You c-can't be dying!"
Winter closed her eyes and sighed. "I… I don't know yet, Weiss. As much as I want to keep living for your sake, my wounds were apparently too severe. I'm on a long list of people waiting for organ donors, but… well, you know what people think about our family nowadays."
Weiss's eyes turned thunderous. "Was it that horrible White Fang scum who did this to you?! I swear, when I get my hands on those murderous animals–"
"They're not animals!"
"SHUT UP, BLAKE!"
Winter raised her eyebrow. "Weiss, what's going on?"
Weiss took several deep breaths to compose herself. "It's nothing, sister. Just a… personal disagreement between myself and one of my teammates. But please, just tell me the truth. What happened to have gotten you so hurt in the first place?! You're one of the strongest Huntresses I know!"
"I'm not invincible, Weiss. I'm just as mortal and fallible as anyone else, and back then… what I saw that night…" Winter shuddered in fear. "I hope you never encounter such a being in your career as a Huntress, Weiss."
Weiss was both appalled and horrified. Just what on Remnant could have scared her sister this much?!
"W-was it some kind of Grimm we've never seen before?"
"I… I don't know. It didn't look like a Grimm, more like some man. But the way it fought… we were hopelessly outmatched."
Weiss swallowed. "I-is there anything I can do to help? If you need some organ transplants, then maybe I can–"
"Absolutely not!" Winter roared, before curling up in pain. "I forbid you to do anything of the sort! I left for the military to help you, and I won't allow my little sister to give up something so important for her well-being, even if it is for my sake!"
"But–"
"Just… just do your best and keep working hard while at Beacon, Weiss. Become the Huntress and person you always wanted to be, no matter what happens to me, or what Father says. I'm not giving up, and neither is the General. We'll find a way for me to get better."
Weiss looked as if she aged a decade. "And if you don't?"
Winter looked up at the ceiling in resignation. "Then I will have at least died doing something to help people for once. Doing something that I chose, rather than what Father wanted for me. But I'm not giving up Weiss, and neither should you let this incident worry you. Things will be better, trust me."
"I…"
"Weiss."
Weiss stared at the wounded, but resolute face of her older sister, and nodded. "Okay. Just… please, try to live. I don't care if I have to go back home to Atlas, as long as you're alive and well."
"I promise, I'll do whatever I have to to make sure I see you graduate." Winter smiled, giving Weiss some comfort before she disconnected the call.
A few days had passed since her last call with Weiss, and her condition continued to worsen.
She had lost the ability to move her legs, and now she was kept in a near-constant state of dialysis as her kidneys spluttered and died.
Her skin began to turn yellow as her liver failed next.
Her time was almost up.
Winter's only consolation was that the rest of the Ace Ops began to recover, still heavily wounded, but alive and intact. And though she wasn't the most beloved member of their ranks by a longshot, they still respected her and her work ethic, and each one of them wished her well and a speedy recovery.
A shame that the Brother's seemed to disagree.
It was only a matter of time now. If she didn't receive some kind of miracle, she would either spend the rest of her life as some comatose vegetable, or die by the end of the week.
Neither of which she was fond of.
Her calls with Weiss had gradually ceased as her condition worsened. Loath as she was to spend the rest of her days in silence, Winter didn't want the last thing Weiss would see of her to be a broken, wounded mess. Better her last memories of her be of when she last saw her leave for Beacon, her body and will resolute in her mission to discover herself.
All of Atlas's best doctors did their best, but nothing came of it. The only person to have visited her that wasn't Ironwood or the Ace Ops was her mother and younger brother, to her immense surprise. Willow Schnee didn't say a single word, merely holding her hand and sitting by her side for the rest of the day, tears silently falling down her face.
Whitley had stared at his eldest sister in horror, his face turning away as he saw the many different tubes going into her body. For once, he was speechless, only sitting next to her and keeping his head buried in his palms.
Winter would have loved to reassure him in some way, regardless of the bad blood between them. A brat he may be, but he was still her little brother, and who else was to blame for his snotty behavior than none other than herself? If she and Weiss had chosen to stay, maybe then he wouldn't have had to emulate their Father so much to gain even a little bit of affection.
It hurt her to see how broken her family had become over the years, even more so when she couldn't even tell him that she still loved him.
For her voice had faded away by the end of the week.
And at the end, the doctors shook their heads in resignation, and Winter knew her time was up.
With the lights turned off and the dim light of the moon peeping through her window, Winter was all alone, left with nothing else to do other than try and make peace with the fact that she was going to die.
So many things she wanted to do. So many years she wanted to spend with her family, not as they were now, but in happier days, when Father wasn't the greedy tyrant he was now, when Mother didn't drown herself in booze, when Weiss and Whitley were close and affectionate with one another.
Winter had hoped she would pull through, but it seems the Brothers had decided that her time was up.
'I'm so sorry, Weiss. It looks like I won't be able to see you graduate after all.'
Tears fell down her cheeks, the only part of her body she could now move freely.
And something licked them away.
Had she been able to move, Winter would have recoiled in shock. Instead, her eyes turned to the side, before widening as she took in the sight of the strangest animal she had ever seen.
The purring sounds it made reminded her of a cat, but it was by far the biggest cat she had ever laid eyes on before. Though skinny, it was as large and slender as a wolf, with blue skin and a long tail that coiled around her leg. It wore a golden collar around its neck and it nestled gently atop her stomach, its pupil-less blue eyes staring at her in wonder.
Was this the same cat she first felt licking her cheek several days ago? Why was it here in the first place?
"I see my dear Kalymos has grown quite fond of you since you've arrived here."
An elderly voice could be heard deeper inside her room, the dim light making it hard for her to know where it came from.
'Who's there?!'
Despite being physically incapable of making a sound, she could still hear the sound of boots walking across the floor, as if her mysterious guest could read her mind.
Stepping into the light was a man looking to be as old as her father, with a small silver beard and matching silvery-gray hair and eyes. He wore a navy blue cap alongside a similarly colored coat with gold embroidered at the bottom, dark pants, and surprisingly, gold-tinted nails on his fingers.
Though Winter was startled to see a complete stranger in her room, the warm and comforting smile he wore helped to assuage some of her fears. The man sat down next to her bed, his cat stepping out of the bed and curling up around his legs.
"I'm sorry I was unable to speak with you earlier. Sadly, your General is turning out to be quite the taskmaster, placing new requests one after another on my desk. I don't think I've been overworked this much since my younger days…"
Spotting the inquisitive look on Winter's face, he quietly chuckled. "I suppose you can say that I am a… recent addition to General Ironwood's entourage. It was thanks to me that you and your Ace Operatives were able to escape from that War–, I mean, creature, you encountered during your mission."
Winter raised an eyebrow.
"That creature? Hmm… I know not where it came from, or why it was so aggressive, but it has been successfully captured and contained. It is currently here in Atlas, being studied by myself."
Winter frowned.
"Worried? Rest assured, it is being kept in a state of constant surveillance and guard. I made sure it won't be escaping anytime soon. But I am here to discuss something with you. Something of dire importance. One, that will decide whether you die horribly, or live."
Winter's eyes widened.
The man took off his cap, letting it rest in his hands. "The truth is, the main reason why your condition has worsened so much is that you contracted something. Whatever you fought, it carried some kind of infectious virus that somehow ended up in your system. It is slowly twisting you apart, killing you from the inside out, and there is nothing that Atlas or anyone else can do to cure you of it."
'A virus? How?! I've been vaccinated against nearly every disease before I enlisted in the military! Is this really happening? I'm dying because of a VIRUS?! Wait… what about the others?!'
"The rest of your team appear to carry no such strain in their bodies, and they all are in the peak of health. Sadly, I cannot say the same for you."
The man stood up and rested his hand gently on your shoulder. "I cannot rid you of the virus currently worming its way through your body, but I can do something else. Something that will help you live, but not as you were before."
When Winter gave him a puzzled look, he continued. "To put it simply, I am unable to cure the virus, but I can mutate it. Genetically modify it to not kill, but transform."
He looked deeply into her eyes. "Your flesh will become stronger than the strongest steel and Dust on Remnant. You will no longer have to worry about breathing or excreting ever again. You will be able to shrug off nearly any attack that comes your way, and in addition to your Semblance, you will also gain… new abilities. Your enemies will be unable to do anything against you, and neither Grimm nor human hands will harm you. You will become unstoppable, but at a cost."
'I figured… this all seems too good to be true. So, what's the catch?'
"Your body will transform, no longer resembling the one you remember, save for maybe your head, though for how long I'm not sure. You might not be able to bear children, or even procreate, and you will no longer require sustenance. But you will become stronger, faster, more powerful than ever. And most of all, you will live, far longer than normal."
'How do I know I can trust you? What if this is all some sort of scheme, or mad experiment?'
"I understand you don't trust me, a stranger you have never met before, but I can assure you that General Ironwood and Pietro Polendina have placed their trust in me, else I would not have been able to visit you, especially at this time of hour."
"And besides," the man sat back down next to her, glancing at her Scroll over by her bedside table which sported a photo of Weiss just as she left for Beacon. "You want to live, don't you? You want to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love? I… understand that drive more than you realize. Of course, I can't choose for you, but if you pass away then who will protect your little sister? Especially in a world as dangerous as the one we are in now?"
Winter's eyes never once removed themselves from the man's gaze.
"You only have until tonight to make this choice. By tomorrow, the Infestation within you will render you beyond anyone's help. So choose. Raise your eyes up and blink for yes. Or look down and blink for no."
Winter was torn, trapped as she was in the confines of her own body, unable to walk around or even shake her hands in frustration at the choice given to her.
It seemed completely nonsensical, something that she would only see in those outlandish sci-fi comics. A strange virus killing her from the inside, and this scientist, offering her a way out by turning her into some kind of super weapon?
But… if she really was dying soon, then would this really be a bad option for her? She wasn't really interested in romance or having children anytime soon, especially with how things turned out with her own mother, and the idea that she would become far stronger as a result, strong enough to even match that monster she fought, sounded really appealing.
But was she ready to sacrifice so much of her humanity? Ready to become something else? Something other than Winter Schnee?
As she mulled over her thoughts, her Scroll let out a beep, showing a text message from her sister, including a photo of her and her team smiling at the camera. It looked like Weiss and her team had been on quite the adventure, with police cars around them and what appeared to be several White Fang members getting taken away by the police.
Weiss was pouting, but a small, glowing smile broke across her face as she stood next to a Cat Faunus with black hair, a young woman with blonde hair and lilac eyes winking at the camera, and her partner and Leader, Ruby Rose if she recalled, holding the camera awkwardly and taking a selfie of them.
Seeing the smile on her little sister's face, Winter made her choice.
She turned to the man, looked up, and blinked.
The scientist gave her a warm smile, one that made her feel like a young, carefree child once more. "I'm glad to see you chose life, just as I did. I promise, things will be better."
There was just one last question on her mind as she raised an eyebrow at her savior.
"Me? You can call me… Dr. Entrati. Albrecht Entrati."
I bet that nobody was surprised Albrecht has finally made his appearance in the story.
For those of you wondering how the hell he's here, I will expand further upon that in the coming chapters.
And yeah, with the end of this chapter, I wonder what sort of Warframe Winter will turn into? I have a few ideas in my head, but I'd certainly love to hear what you guys have in mind! Don't worry, she isn't going to die.
And who knows? Based on what we know of Warframe 1999, there might be more like her in the future…
But also don't worry, the regular frames and Primes will be present as well.
I'm so glad you all seem to be enjoying this story so far! I adore Warframe to bits, and the story and lore has only been getting better and better as time passes!
Let me know what your thoughts are, and what kind of Warframe you want Winter to be!