Chapter III – Discovery of a New Power
As everyone looked at Fox how was sitting on the floating pillow. Jaune had one thing to ask him. "So, Fox how many-
"Alteration of you are in the multi-verse," said Fox.
Just then a portal appeared "Hey, Foxsky." said a Faunus man with who looked like Salem but with sliver eyes. and wearing an azura blue gi and hakuma pant.
"Azura, nice to see you. guys this is Azura Arc the Arc's family's adopted son younger brother of Jaune and Salem counterpart in the whole Grimm control." Fox said.
"I'm also a Dragon Faunus, so you're watching the different world."
"So this is a thing?," Jaune asked looking at the God.
"If you can think of it. It already happens Speak of that." Fox then looked at the two cursed couple.
"Hello Darkness, you, fucking cheater," Fox said looking at Salem.
"What?" Salem said Fox then grabbed her face.
"No. wounder it took this long as it should the baster has you under his authority as the Grimm Queen his puppet." Fox then Summon her group and chained them down. "Okay before you do or say anything, I'm a god low-level tear but a bigger tear Only one of you is going to forget everything and awake up no knowing who you are in a prison cell. I'm looking at you Watts, I trust these three do mean I like you," Fox said pointing at Cinder, Hazel, and Tyrian.
"Anyway, Darkness was using you making kill everything in Remnant well done darkness," Fox said getting Salem and Ozma to look at him in shock.
"But yeah, Different Jaunes and in different Worlds. in some worlds, he's the grandson of Salem as well as the Dark knight known as Sparda with a D, not a T. In some Ozma share the body space with the demon reincarnation don't ask, in some of these worlds Jaune gets tangled in a war game of Magus known as the holy grail war the winner gets a Wish, but the said wish is cursed and twisted thanks to one family of Magus that wanted to win the 3rd grail war by cheating. Doing so a god who holds All of Mans Evils Corrupt the grail," Fox then smiles. "As a god whose authority is chaos, I find that a laugh riot, but that world Jaune's was smart when I felt him out by Getting a Trollish vampiric ass whole to train him as well help him out," Salem and Ozpin flinch at hearing this.
"I've seen you meet him, Pyrrha in that world Jaune is a Harem King, He's a Blacksmith Sword but a Harem King of one. In fact, he faces Demons that want to kill him, Rament of Mages from an organization that wants to vivisect him because of his magic so he destroyed it then his friends are trying to rebuild a new one of the clock tower but yeah that Jaune is messed up. There is a world where Jaune is dealing with crazier things than that." Fox said he then put Watts in a purple bubble and send it away he then Summons a green-haired man with messed up clothing. This is Bartholomew Oobleck.
"Hello Oobleck-Sensei," Fox said.
"Doctor,"
"I said Sensai it, Japanese meaning Teacher or Doctor anyway I've uploaded everything in your head that happen, Now Jaune is going to have to find a way out of hell," said Fox he then snips his fingers and another man appeared he is a portly man wearing a red jacket and black pants he had a manly mustache and white hair.
The early morning dew caked the tall blades of grass in the black forest as a simple Boar grazed in a small clearing. The animal simply enjoying the simple food completely unaware of a figure that lurked from the treelines of the forest. The figure was shrouded by a hood as he slowly pulled back on a makeshift bow and arrow.
"Wow that's Bow so simple but well made," Ruby said.
"Three Weeks when I've gotten sick of eating berries, nuts, and fish," Jaune said.
"As well all most getting eaten by animals," Fox said who was getting the stink eye from Jaune and his family and friends.
Blue eyes focused on the animal, as he aimed at the soft spot between its head and body.
"Same weak point in a Boarbatusk if you don't let it see you," Fox said.
He let loose the projectile as the arrow sailed through the air and pierced its hide, just between its head and its body. The pig squealed and hollered as it tried to run away, only to fall as the arrow severed its spinal cord and rendered the animal helpless.
The figure walked out of the forest as it stood over the animal as it squealed and howled in pain.
The figure was a young man dressed in makeshift clothes fashioned from hides of boar and deer as his upper half was covered with a small cloak fashioned from deer hides and a black hood. On his back was a makeshift rucksack with a crude quiver, hand forged arrows and a makeshift bow.
The figure drew back his hood as Jaune looked down at the animal before he drew the makeshift blade from his belt and knelt down to the pig and softly stroked its fur.
"I'm sorry about this…but I need to survive" he plunged the blade into its head and ended its suffering. The boar stopped squealing as it fell limp to the floor.
"Now that is how you hunt," Qrow said.
"R.I.P. Mr. Piggy your Bacan will feed Arc to Beacon," Tai Joked. Getting a good laugh from summer.
"I'm getting hunger," Nora said.
"Here Bacan Pancakes," Fox said giving an eight stack of pancakes.
"Thank you," Nora said.
"If you need food just ask or think of it," Fox said.
The young man pulled the blade from its head as he got to work on harvesting what he needed from the animal. Meat, fat, tusks, anything salvable that would be useful in surviving the forest. He piled the food and meat into the makeshift rucksack as he got to work skinning the animal for its hide.
"What is fat use for again," Yang asked her father.
"Many things but mostly used for burning, Tusks he might make it to tools," Taiyang said.
His blade cutting into its flesh as he carefully removed the hide from the creature's body. Its hide would be useful for making more clothes and better gear as he rolled the hide up and tied it to his back. He was just thankful for his time spent working at his hometowns butchers and learned how to properly remove hides from animals…
After he stopped vomiting the first time.
He carefully looked around for any sign of Grimm before he sighed in relief and pulled his hood back over his head and made his way back to the temple.
It had been a month since Jaune Arc had been thrown into the valley of the Black Forest and the boy had somehow managed to survive. Thanks to all the camping trip's his family took him on. The sewing and cooking skills he learned from his mother, the basic archery lessons his grandfather snuck him and the experience he gained working in the multiple businesses at his hometown had helped him survive.
"Wow Jaune looks less," Weiss said looking a little red.
"Skaggy~" Yang purred.
"Archer now you need is the Unlimited Blade Works," Fox joked.
"What that is it a weapon is italsoagundoesitshootbulletsorrocksorflamesicelazeor." Ruby was then stopped by Fox's hand.
"It what made that other Jaune had t he could look at any blade type weapon he saw and as long it was and arm of war he could copy it," Jaune said.
"So if my other asked her Ruby to put a blade on Magnhild, That Jaune-Jaune can copy it and we can be hammer buddies," Nora said.
"Yes but he also has your semblance do to the Arc semblance of Arua he is called Skill tree," Fox said.
While his parents never wanted him to be a Huntsman, that didn't mean he would do nothing.
They often made it a priority that he learns some of the basic skills in life. His mother absolutely made sure that he learned how to cook, garden and sew. While his father taught him how to identify edible plants and animals while they were on camping trips.
"Thanks, you again," Jaune said.
On his first camping trip, he mistook poison ivy for regular leaves and end up with a rash in a…well, personal area.
This made the group laugh hearing that.
"I wouldn't laugh Yang didn't you use stinging nettle as toilet paper," Ruby said.
"Wow you're lucky it was Poison Ivy and not the Gympie-Gympie," Fox said.
"What's that?" Ruby asked.
"It's a plant that makes you want to kill yourself," Salem said.
"You, Ozpin, and I are going to have a nice long talk," Fox said.
In any case over the past month, Jaune had managed with trial and error, to create a makeshift bow using a strong branch from the woods. Fibre from the remnants of his hoodie twisted into a strong cord. Deer hide for the quiver and feathers looted from dead birds or abandoned nests. He also managed to craft spearhead from his other pauldron for fishing and a stone hatchet for chopping down wood.
Combined with his knife, he had managed to expand his arsenal and allowed him to hunt more effectively rather than just relying on fish.
They did manage to help him survive the Grimm, but the stone heads he managed to craft for his arrows were only good for hunting regular animals, not beasts of darkness that could shrug off simple tools. His knife would dull after each use coming into contact with bone and the stone hatchet he made would suffer the same.
Not to mention he still lost Aura at a rapid pace whenever he left the temple, so he could not fortify their strength.
"Must be the forest," Nora said.
"You may be right the black forest has many types of Grimm one of them being Apathy," Prot said. They make you feel like giving up," Port said.
He did, however, manage to construct some traps to use not only on animals but on the Grimm themselves. He set them up all over the forest in case he ever needed to lose any Grimm that were trying to pursue him. Doing this also allowed him to explore more of the forest and the large valley he found himself trapped within.
"Trap making, like pit trap, net sneers from trees, just don't eat the Grimm I saw it in one world that happened not good," Fox said.
It was completely walled off, with the only way out was by climbing the stone face.
He had tried to climb out, but the lower half of the cliff was too steep to climb, and the Grimm had caught up to him before he could get any higher and he was forced to flee. He tried to follow the river to see if it exited out somewhere, but all it led to was a large lake in the more overgrown area of the forest.
He had tried to see if there was an underwater exit, but no such luck.
What he had noted was that the valley was at some point either a large settlement or Kingdom, as he found other decrepit ruins amongst the overgrown trees and stones of the valley. He also found evidence of an ancient battle many, many years ago. Such as old catapults and more highly degraded weapons that were unfit for use.
Still, he wasn't going to just give up and let this place be the death of him. He would find a way out of here and make it back to his friends. That was a promise.
A curious thing he noted, however, was that continued leaving and re-entering the temple after depleting his aura reserves were helping to increase them.
He figured that aura was probably just like a muscle, more training and continued use could make it stronger. He was intrigued by this and wanted to experiment more with the possibilities and applications of it.
After all, he had little knowledge of Aura and what it could truly do. Hell, not even his partner fully knew its true capabilities and she was a four-time champion.
Aura, to this day, was still a mysterious power that existed inside the hearts of every man, woman and child on the planet. An energy field that protected their bodies and fuelled the power the dwelled inside of them. But only if that power was unlocked.
Yet after many years, not even the greatest Huntsman have ever been to fully understand the power that existed inside them. It was a mystery that could never be explained.
Jaune himself was still relatively new to the concept of Aura and had still lacked the ability to summon his semblance. A unique power that was privy only to the individual. For months he had been trying to unlock his semblance with his partner, but nothing seemed to work.
He had learned that certain semblances were passed on genetically – like the Schnee family – who had the ability to summon constructs of fallen foes. Still, there had to be more to Aura then just summoning a Semblance and making a shield, right? There had to be more than that.
Jaune sighed as he made his way back to the temple. Careful to avoid any of the Grimm or the traps he set up around the temple. Even though it offered him protection, he was cautious about it failing eventually and set up traps just in case.
"At least I've gotten better at this whole hunting thing," he commented to himself as he walked through the crack.
"The way I've and the rest of us here see how much you are handling this we just want you to come back home safe and sound," Jaunes mother said to her Baby boy.
The interior of the cave had been redecorated with animal pelts as a bed, wood crafted into makes shift racks for clothes and pelts, a small storage area for meat and clay he found near the lake to craft bowls and cups. He even managed to craft some spoons and forks from the wood in the forest. He was quite the little craftsmen if he did say so himself.
Well, what do you expect when you had seven older sisters and you needed to avoid playing dress up with them?
He placed the meat into the makeshift smoker he made from wood in order to dry the meat. It was the easiest way to preserve the meat as he could not risk leaving it out in the sun for the Grimm, or wild animals and had no access to salt. He would then store the meat on the makeshift rack for later.
"As much as I used to complain, it was really useful learning how to do this from Old man Smokey…uh, I guess that's why they called him Smokey back home? …or it could be because he smoked a lot?" his mind thinking about the old butcher back in the hometown that taught him how to preserve meat.
After that, he got to work checking his inventory and noted whether he needed to refill his water sacks, recheck the traps and sharpen his weapons. He had to keep up this routine if he wanted to stay alive. When he was done, he sat down by the fire and opened up his journal – that somehow survived his fall from the cliffs – and began writing in the journal.
Journal of Jaune Arc, Day 34, Year of the Wolf, X327
It has been a month now since I've fallen into this place. Food is holding out and I've managed to make myself some better weapons from those times I hung out with the Hunters and Blacksmiths back home. But none of them is any effective against the Grimm without Aura.
I've yet to find whatever it is that is draining my Aura, but I can feel it out there now.
Still no sign of any rescue from above, not even from the fort stationed up high. I've tried to get a message out to them using smoke, but no response so far. They may have been overrun since I fell down here during the attack or have not been able to see me.
More than likely I fear the base was overrun.
Still, I was hoping that the Academy would have sent a team out to rescue me. It's been a month and still no rescue. But maybe the rumours have made them automatically assumed that I died down here due to the high mortality rate. Or it could have been because they didn't expect me to survive the fall, who knows?
"Damn the other me, has been in the forest 34 days now and still can't find a way out I mean come on," Jaune said.
"If that place wasn't so overrun by the grimm you might have a chance," Qurow said
"Like following the river," Weiss said.
"Even if that a good idea it might not be a safe bet," Blake said.
I have scouted a lot of this forest. From what I've seen there seems to be only Beowolves and Boarbatusks living in the forest. I have still yet to find whatever it is that is draining my Aura, but maybe that is for the best as I don't think I can kill it by myself if its ancient like the Deathstalker.
I have concluded that the only way out of this place is to climb. But I doubt I'll be able to climb high enough before the Grimm spots me. So, I need to come up with a plan to get myself higher before they can reach me…
I do wonder how the other's are doing? Pyrrha must be scared sick about me, she always did worry about me too much.
[Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]
"What, was that?" asked Ren.
"That was the mating call of the young dense blond Arc not our arc been hearing about that Jaune broke the world barrier," Fox said.
[EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!]
"Aw and that the squeals of joy form the future female Arc," Fox said making the two blushing.
Ren and Nora must be worried too, even though I've only known them for a few months now. Seeing me fall like that must've been terrifying for them. They might even think I'm dead.
"Then hurry up fearless leader use that big brain of your and bring us something back with you." Nora said.
When I get back, I really need to apologise for worrying them.
As for Team RWBY; Ruby would most likely be worried too, or sad, I keep forgetting she's only fifteen years old and still just a kid. But, she's a heck of a lot stronger then I am. I'm sure she'll be fine. She's got her sister and her team after all.
Yang kind of reminds me of one of my older sisters, so I know she'll do all right. I know she likes to joke about me from time to time, but I know she's a good person and must miss me too….
"Just let me punch you once," Yang said
In her own Yang way.
I don't know Blake as well as the others, but I hope to change that when I get back. And Weiss…
I don't know, I think I come off as annoying to her. She might miss me, but I don't know. I still have a crush on her, but maybe I should give her a break when I get back.
My family, on the other hand, I have no doubt they'll try and convince me to leave Beacon if I ever get back. I know my mum is going to kill me when I get back. But regardless of what they think I need to be at Beacon. It's what I want, and they can't stop me. I love them, but they worry too much…
Then again, I am in a Grimm infested forest with little to no chance of survival…I can kind of see their point.
Saphron would be sad too, especially since she and Terra Cotta just adopted Adrian. I'm going to miss that little guy, he's such a cute little tyke. Another reason to get out of this hell hole, so that he has a cool Uncle in his life to rely on. Because he will no doubt be the target of the others adoration of his cuteness…
"Adopted but Jaune gave Terra a sample." Saphron said making Terra blush. 'By blush go us drugged and locked in a room with the beast,' thought Terra.
I shudder to remember all the times they stuffed me into those dresses…
But, none of that will matter if I don't think of a way out of here.
These markings on the wall must mean something? Could they be a clue to helping me get out of here? Or are they just nonsense from a time long since passed. Regardless I am going to get out of here, I am going to make it back to Beacon and there is nothing that will stop me…
"…Easier said than done," he closed the Journal and lay back on his bedroll.
He stared up at the ceiling as he continued to formulate a plan to escape from the valley. He thought about every possible angle that he could approach, every action he could take, every possibility that he could make it up the cliff without dying.
So far, nothing came to mind as every possibility ended up him being a tasty Grimm snack.
He looked over to the large mural of the two beings – which at this point he could only assume were Gods – as the smaller humans around them wielded strange abilities. In some of the carvings they were depicted shooting fire from their hands, others depicted them wielding swords of magical light – if the faded white paint on the surface was an indication – and some depicted as creating Golems of Stone to fight for them.
The most common feature Jaune noted as that beside them were what looked like…wolves?
"By the brother gods it seems the mister Arc has found a tempol of the brother gods," Oobleck said in awe.
"You're welcome," Light said.
"Fuck you," Darkness said sticking the middle finger.
"Boy don't make break that finger!" Fox Shouted.
They were prominent on the walls as most of them seemed to be seated near one of the warriors or at the feet of the large antler being. He wondered if these were just Huntsman using some form of Dust to augment their abilities. But no matter how much he looked there was no indication that they were using the strange material that grew beneath their feet.
No depiction of shards or any kind of Dust related product.
It was as if they were summoning the powers themselves without it. Was that possible? Was there more to Aura then just what they knew?
He sat up and stared at his hand as he tried and focused his aura into his hand. Trying to will it into something else, maybe even summon his semblance while he was at it. But no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened, and he just gave up.
"Well, so much for that thought…" he laid back down as he drifted off to sleep. Knowing that tomorrow he would have to repeat the whole thing again.
But as he did, his mind wandered back to his friends and he wondered what they were doing right now.
Meanwhile at Beacon Academy
as the transition to Beacon academy at night "Now back to Beacon, I guess it our time skip on our progress after Jaune's cliff jump" Ren said.
"REN!" The group said.
"Sorry but how else am I go to say tackled a Grimm of a cliff," Ren said.
The shattered moon of Remnant hung over the school of Beacon, as Pyrrha swung the blade of her fallen partner in perfect arches and hit the holographic targets of the school's combat arena. Her moves precise, her style graceful and her style flawless. The blade whistling in the air as it was finally wielded by a true master of the arts.
She stabbed, thrust, twisted and slashed as she repeated this over and over again, all the while unaware of the concerned faces that watched her from afar.
"Oh, my she is going through the five stages of griefs thankful it the fourth stage I remember a world where she was stuck on denial holding a Jaune plushy," Fox said.
"What happen to Jaune in that world,"
"A Kai kidnapped him and unlocked something deep within his very body,"
Hearing this some of the girls looked red while the adults was trying to hold back a laugh mostly Tai and Qrow.
"You had to know what you said," Darkness said.
"Yes, now zip it," Fox said.
Nora and Ren watched silently as their teammate continued to practise with the sword of their leader. Concerned for the mental state of their friend after everything that had happened.
For the past months, she had been focused on nothing else but training, constantly pushing herself to be better no matter how many times she was told otherwise. They both knew it was because she blamed herself for Jaune's death and was trying to distract herself by training.
But both of them knew that she was pushing herself dangerously with the excessive amount of work.
They had tried to stop her, tried to tell her that she was going too far, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She just kept training again and again until she would collapse from exhaustion.
Like she did just now as she fell to the floor on one knee after hitting the last target.
'Congratulation's, Miss Nikos. Your combat abilities have improved by 12%' the automated voice spoke as Pyrrha rested on her knee.
'Would you like to take a break and resume at a later-'
"Again!" she ordered as she stood back up.
"Oh no, Kid if you don't rest your body, you'll break," Qrow said look at the half dead Pyrrha.
'Miss Nikos, it is highly recommended that you rest as you have exceeded the maximum time limit for-'
"I said again!" she ordered as the machine complied and restarted the training sequence.
"Note to self-have a lock down on student that over work their body," Glynda said as she fixes her glasses, "I'll work on a program like that as well," Terra said as well.
Again, she practised against the holographic targets, each time swinging just a little bit faster than before and a little harder than the last time. Her moves becoming a little sloppy as exhaustion was clearly taking a hold on her.
Ren sighed as he watched his teammate push herself to the edge.
By all accounts, he should stop her, as he knew too well the pain she was suffering since Jaune's death. But he knew that she wouldn't listen to him. She would just say she was fine and brush it off like it was nothing.
"Guys, if this ever happens to me Ren asked Nora and Yang to knock her out," Jaune said.
"Well do fearless leader," Nora said in joy.
"Jaune why?"
"Semple you over working yourself to death," he said to his partner.
"And if you keep going on this path and you'll be like Salem," Fox pointed out.
"Honestly I know the feeling of lose but the man child is right,"
"Love you too Junny," Fox said getting Salem a Grimm equivalent of a blush. "Oh, by the way I'm Ozma's other half," Fox said.
"What," everone looked at Fox.
"Yep, long story when Ozma soul reunited with me I'd nor longer had the reincarnation curse on me, and I was kidnaped by your group I had fun with Hazel trying to kill me with in the dungeon," Fox said.
"Kinky," Qrow said.
"Oh, gods no," Salem said.
"So, I killed you," Hazel said.
"Bitch I'd impaled you with my tail do to the fact I had regeneration ability I'd could heal faster than you could kill me making you made and piss off you let your guard down that I just impaled you throw you neck and told you, you're wasting your life, but. In the end I did give you what you wanted most to be with your, sister I send you to her," Fox said he then lifted his finger up and a purple ball of energy glowed. "I could do it again," he said killing intent.
"No killing."
He noticed that her personality was changing ever since Jaune died.
She was becoming more determined, more focused on getting stronger that she didn't even care about her own physical being. She even went as far as cutting her own hair shorter that it now reached to her shoulders.
She had changed, and not just emotionally, but physically as well as she even changed her armour to be more reminiscent of Jaune's. With better chest protection, shoulder guards and a symbol of the Arc crest on her left arm guard. She even equipped a grapple launcher to her rifle so that she would never lose another team member like she did Jaune
Ren and Nora were no different as they too had undergone some changes. But they were more worried about her, fearing that she would push herself too far and end up getting herself killed.
They even feared that's exactly what she wanted.
'Combat ability increased by 13% Perce-'
"Again!"
She continued to practise as the blade broke the holographic targets and her cries echoed out with each swing.
"Ren," he looked to Nora as she hugged his right arm. "I'm scared for her, she's pushing herself too much. We have to do something or she's going to get hurt."
"I know, but what can we do? Even though we've been in her position and we both know what she's going through it's not like any of us can stop her, or get through to her, she's too stubborn for that. We just need to be ready to catch her when she falls." Leaned his head atop of hers as she leaned into his embrace.
"I miss Jaune," he nodded as he held his childhood friend.
"Me too, Nora…me too"
"I love my friends," Jaune said hugging Pyrrha, Nora and Ren.
Ozpin watched from his office as Pyrrha continued to train herself. Pushing herself beyond what was expected of her, and beyond the realms of rationality. It was honestly starting to frighten even him how much she was pushing herself.
He had tried to get her to seek counselling, but she refused and even refused his suggestion to take on another partner. It was clear that she was suffering from survivors' guilt, a mental condition that made her believed that it was her that should have died instead of Mister Arc.
He was starting to see now that aside from her exceptional combat capabilities, she was more emotionally sensitive than he initially believed.
"Which is why I believe we need to find another candidate, Headmaster," Glynda told him as she too watched the poor girl.
"How do you mean, Miss Goodwitch?" he asked already knowing the answer, but wanted her opinion.
"While I did agree with you before that she would make a worthy candidate to become the Fall Maidens, it's clear now that we never took her mental stability into account. Her deep attraction to Mister Arc was much deeper than we initially believed, and that losing him has affected her greatly. She's pushing herself too much and taking on too many risks then she would have in the past."
"Plus, you can't just tell her something like this after her love of her life nearly go himself killed," Fox said.
He nodded as he observed her behaviour and her previous match against team CRDL where her tactics were more brutal and more…risky. Especially when one of them, Russel, accidentally said something negative about Jaune.
"Those poor basters," Ren said.
"Sadly, their still alive," Fox said.
"Oh, joist that still can breathe," Jaune said sarcastically still hating team CRDL.
Team CRDL was still in the infirmary after the beat down she gave them.
"God damn," Ruby said.
"I believe that due to the pressure of her celebrity lifestyle she found relief and simplicity in the connection she had with Mister Arc. He had seen her differently from the others and she found that attractive. Losing him was too much for her psyche. If we gave her the Fall Maidens power…I have no idea what she could become?" Ozpin sighed as he nodded.
"I agree with you, but we are running out of options. We've heard nothing from Qrow in the past few months and already there are signs of her beginning her next move. While I agree with your evaluation, she is still our best candidate…but you are right, she is not in the proper mental state to inherit Fall's power. Not yet" he rubbed a hand over his tired face as he nodded to her.
"We'll wait until the Vytal Festival. If her behaviour hasn't changed by then, we'll use someone else. Begin screening for another potential candidate." She nodded as she left the room.
"Hopefully I'll be there before it starts," Jaune said.
Ozpin sighed as he gazed out to the broken moon and wondered what his mortal enemy was up to at this moment. He knew Salem was out there, plotting to take the relics that he guarded and usher whatever plan she had for them. He was tasked with defeating her long ago by the God of Light and failed multiple times. He was losing this war, and he knew it.
He needed something, anything, to tip the scales into his favour. To truly defeat Salem once and for all and unite humanity before the time of judgement would be brought upon them.
The question was…what?
"Well, you could do what I did," Fox said.
"And that is,"
"Break her mind with Sex a good old round of moon slapping," Fox said.
"Oh, my Tommy, what are you saying," Miya asked. "Last to you did that you could walk for a week," this made curse duo to blush.
"Cause all I wanted was to cuddle with you," Fox said kiss his wife on the cheek.
The Black Forest – One Month Later
Another month passed as his feet wadded through the water and he checked the traps he set to catch the fish swimming upstream. A little trick he learned from his father a while back when he went camping with his family and they decided to eat off the land.
It was also the only way he could catch more food without having to run into the Grimm.
While he was checking the traps, his mind was busy formulating a plan to get out of the Valley. He kept thinking of possible ways to make it out of the forest, and he had some ideas, but he still ran into the main problem.
The Grimm.
No matter what situation it always came back to the Grimm. His weapons were practically ineffective against the Grimm, especially without Aura. They were bound to break, dull with each use or get lost during combat and he doubted he could forge another any time soon. But he could feel his aura getting stronger the more time he spent going in and out of the forest.
Growing larger by draining them over and over again.
He tried some of the meditation techniques he spotted Ren doing a while back and noted how they seemed to help him regulate and focus his aura better. He even managed to learn how to store his aura away inside of him from whatever it was that was draining it and use it at the last possible moment to defend himself.
But the problem still remained, he needed a better weapon to fight off the Grimm.
What he needed was a weapon that would never break, never dull and never leave his side again. One that would be…his. Ever since he forged his dagger from his armour, he finally understood how attached Ruby was to her own weapon.
It was something she had put her heart, sweat and tears into crafting. Something that she was proud of and held a special connection with.
Crocea held a similar connection, but it was more out of an ancestral bound rather than one of his own.
He knew when he returned, he would reclaim his weapon, but for the moment he needed something else. Something else that would help him fight the darkness of this forest and make it back to his friends. Something that he could forge on his own, but what? There wasn't a lot of materials in the forest to craft a sword and there was only so much damage he could make with stone hatchets and arrows.
"I need a make a sword," Jaune said.
"But the other you only could find enough to make arrow heads.
What else could a weapon be made of?
He sighed as he pulled out the trap from the river. "One problem at a time I suppose." He smiled when he saw four fish trapped as he placed it on the riverbank and checked the other. Pulling out one of the fishes to examine.
A small twig snapped and instantly he was at his dagger with the intent to fight or run from the river.
"Okay I'm ready for anything," Jaune said.
Instead of Grimm however, he was met with a small wolf pup.
"Awe~" every female said looking at the adorable wolf pup, every female but Blake.
The small animal looking at him curiously as he stared back. The wolf pup had dark blue eyes with pure white fur and what looked like a small crest of red around its neck. The small animal looking at him curiously as it sat on the edge of the river bank. Almost eyeing him as watched his every move.
"He's so cute," Nora said.
"Where's the wolf pup's parents?" Blake asked
"Oh boy," Jaune said.
"That wolf could it be?" Oobleck questioned.
"A, Direr Wolf the last," Azure said getting the adults to look at him.
"By the brother gods," Ozpin said.
"More like their family," Fox said.
He stared back at the animal before he realised that it wasn't him it was looking at, it was the fish in his hand. He moved his hand left to right as the wolf pup followed it.
"Aw he's hungry," Nora said.
Now in any other circumstance people would tend to try and shoo away wild animals so that they wouldn't get at your hard-earned food. Something that Jaune had been struggling with since he arrived in this Gods Forsaken place. But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it as he stared at the small cub.
"I mean even I can't look away," Blake said and she was a cat Faunus with some bad experience with dogs.
Reluctantly he threw the fish at the pup as it landed right in front of it.
"Well, I could always get another," Jaune said.
The small wolf stared at the fish before it looked up at the boy and then grabbed the fish in its jaw and started trotting away. He smiled as he watched the small wolf walk away but grew cautious when two large wolves emerged from the forest.
"And here's Papa and Mama wolf," Yang said looking nervous.
"Well at least it isn't lioness and her cube," Weiss said also nervous.
One was pure white with blue eyes, while the other was strangely pure red with emerald eyes. The two wolves stared at the human boy, slightly growling when they saw his hand near his dagger.
He let go of the dagger as he held up his hands nonthreateningly.
The wolves seemed to relax at this as the young pup run up to them, the fish still hanging out of its mouth and its tail wagging happily. The Red Wolf, most likely the mother, nuzzled the small pup before it picked the pup by the scruff of its neck and walked away.
The White Wolf stared at Jaune and almost seemed to nod at the boy before it followed its mate.
What Jaune hadn't known that day, was what he had encountered was a species of Wolf called - Dire Wolves - a species thought to be extinct on Remnant. The Dire Wolves were half as tall as a man, and just as long. They were once considered majestic creatures that represented loyalty and guardianship to ancient tribes.
It was said that those that encounter these Wolves would either find good fortune or a grave end, depending on how they interacted with humans.
For the moment, it seemed they were friendly with Jaune as they made no move to harm him.
But as they were leaving, he couldn't help but feel something special with the Wolves, something relating to them and the temple mural with the warriors. He was struck with an idea as he packed the fish into his rucksack and made it back to the temple.
After he stored the fish away the young man gazed up at the mural as he cast his eyes on the stone warriors and the swords that floated in their hands. He looked to the wolf beside him before sat in the middle of the temple as he once again tried to concentrate on controlling his aura.
Ever since the river with the wolves, his mind had a strange idea about using something else as a weapon. Wood would break, stones would crumble, steel would bend, and Dust could only be used a limited amount of time.
But what if he forged a weapon form something other than those elements?
What if he forged his weapon…out of Aura?
"Hmm that doesn't seem possible." said Ironwood.
"Right making an energy attack..." Watt said the two then took a looking at the Arc In the room who made a sword of light.
"Just take some time, but it can be done." Jaune said.
Now granted, he knew little to nothing about Aura and it seemed to be draining quite sharply ever since he came to this forest. But recently he had felt his Aura getting stronger every time he went out into the forest and learned to store it inside of himself, he remembered Pyrrha telling him that Huntsman used Aura to strengthen themselves and their weapons.
So, he figured why not forge a weapon out of it?
He looked to the mural as he gazed at the sword hovering over the warrior's palm. He closed his eyes and focused on the same image. He imagined a blade of white, shining like a star, held in the palm of his hand as he cut his way through demons and darkness.
But no matter how hard he concentrated, no matter how hard he focused on the image, nothing happened as all he got was his aura flowing around him before shutting off.
He cursed as he tried again and again for hours straight. His patience straining as he grew more and more frustrated with the lack of results. Until finally he gave up and stopped meditating.
"This is ridiculous." He muttered to himself as he walked around the cave.
"I'm wasting my time with this. I barely know anything about aura, let alone my own semblance. How the hell do I think I'll be able to forge a weapon out of the stuff? I don't even think it's possible at all if it even is possible, to begin with." He sighed as he sat down on his bed.
"…Maybe I should just face the facts…I'm never going to get out of this place…I'm just going to die down here with nothing but fish and the Grimm…" he rested his head on his arms as he curled his legs to his chest.
"Oh Jaune," Pyrrha said as she huge her Jaune.
A distant howl caught his attention as he looked up to the mural and then to the entrance.
He walked over and exited the cave as he met the same wolf from before, the wolf staring at him as he looked into its eyes.
The wolf walked over to the boy as remained completely still. The wolf leaned into the boy as he carefully stroked its fur, almost relishing how soft it felt. The wolf soon leaned back as it gestured back into the temple as Jaune looked between the temple and the wolf before it gestured to the edge of the cliff.
The wolf then turned around as he walked back to its mate at the edge of the treeline. It nuzzled the fur of its mate before it and its cub walked back into the forest. The small pup looking at Jaune one last time before it followed after its parents.
This small interaction had given him hope. For if life can survive down here, then so would he.
Jaune looked down at his hand before he curled it into a fist and smiled.
"Right…I'm not giving up, not yet…not until I get out here" he looked back to the Temple as he walked back in and sat back in a meditative spot.
"His eyes still have hope in them." Ozpin said.
"Yes, but how long will it last?" questioned Salem.
"Far better then you Hang," Fox said.
Instead, this time of thinking of the weapon he instead closed his eyes and focused on calming himself. The words of his grandfather coming back to him as he held out his hand.
"…I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight…" he breathed in calmly as he felt his aura surge within him. "I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light."
The image of a white wolf appearing in his mind as he remained focused.
He felt a strange tingling in his hand but remained focused on the chant.
"I will use its power to face my way through Demon's and Blight's." a small light shined between his eyelids as he opened his eyes and stared at a small white flame dancing on his palm.
"To make my way home from Darkness this Night"
"May those how worship evils might beware my power White Lanter's Light." Fox said getting a few looks at him as he was wearing a white and black suit with a white ring.
"I liked that last part," Nora said as she smiled. "Aw thank you Nora." Fox said.
He stared in awe as the small white flame danced within the centre of its palm, illuminating the temple with its light. He carefully hovered his left hand around the flame, almost afraid that a single gust of wind would snuff it out. He felt something within the flame as twisted and flickered in his palm.
It almost felt like he was holding a small piece of his soul in hand and that he just opened the door to a realm of new possibilities.
He looked up to the mural as he stared at the warriors and the Gods of old before he smirked and clenched his fist, shrouding him in darkness once more.
the light then went on slowly as the silver screen went black.
"So, what does this mean for Jaune?" Ruby asked out loud.
"Well, he just unlocked, his semblance," Ren said.
"I can't believe that mister Arc found a dire wolf." Obleck said.