Kingdom of Spira III
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a challenger in our cage. Who will step up to fight her?"
Inside the center of the cage was a young woman with long back length wavy auburn hair with a single silver streak. She also had golden eyes, freckles and a black stylish tattoo on the right side of torso running down to her upper leg. She wore a dark navy cropped long-sleeved shirt with a metal chain-like top attached, a silver shoulder cape with crimson trimmed and her emblem on it, crimson torn off booty shorts that match her tatter scarf and thigh-high black leather boots with folded over tops and small lace-up detailing.
In addition, she wore goggles on top of her head, a black belt with sheaths for her Sai weapons, a single belt on the right sleeve and her left leg. She also wore worn bandages wrapped around her wrists.
The woman looked around and seemingly chose her opponent, pointing directly at him. "You. The handsome one with the big sword."
Raising an eyebrow, Jetch looked over his shoulder. "Yeah?"
"Care to try your luck in the ring? You must be pretty confident to just stroll on in her without the password." The woman commented, taking out what looked like a Sai from her belt.
Jetch stared at the woman for a moment before turning back to his drink. "Pass."
Before he could take another sip, the glass was suddenly lifted out of his hand and flew into the cage, grabbed in mid-air by the woman.
"Oh, you mean this?" She smiled before spilling the remaining contents on the ground. "Looks like you're finished."
Jetch narrowed his eyes as he slowly stood up and grasped the handle of his sword. "Lady, you might be in Vacuo but there are some certain rules about manners you never forget." He calmly strolled into the cage. "One of them being, you do not take a man's drink."
The door closed behind him, leaving him and the woman trapped in the cage.
"It seems our challenge has been accepted." The announcer said with a gleeful smile.
The woman smiled confidently as she reached down and pulled out the other Sai sheathed on her belt. She spun them expertly in her hands, settling into a combat stance while Jetch simply held his large sword over his shoulder with one hand.
"And…Begin!" The announcer shouted.
The woman shot forward, moving at impressive speed but the real surprise came when she threw her Sai at Jetch who simply brushed them aside with his sword.
The woman smiled and the Sais suddenly flew right back at Jetch, aiming at his face.
"Are you sure it is wise to just let him go?"
Xanthe Rumpole liked to think she was a fair and understanding person, even by Vacuo standards but just letting a man with literal magic leave the school…
Well, it tested her curiosity and patience.
"Man wants to leave, Rumpole. I got no reason to hold him and besides, he's got that same Vacuan personality that anyone from here should have." Headmaster Theodore shrugged, looking out the window. "Besides, I already told Ozpin and the others. They can keep an eye on him for us."
Rumpole sighed, feeling a headache already coming along. As much as she respected Theodore as a co-worker and was the only one who could keep him from challenging the students to a brawl, he really pushed her buttons at times. Despite his age, Headmaster Theodore acted more like a child at times which really grated Rumpole's nerves, even if he was technically the youngest of the headmasters.
The headmaster of Shade Academy had dark, close cut hair, which was almost shaved off, and a checkered vest showing off his wiry frame, thin but with sharp lines of muscle, like he had been chiseled from stone. Theodore wore an ankle length, grey-blue cape likened to the color of a storm sky which was clasped onto his shoulders with a silver chain, a silver belt with a round buckle, matching boots, and bright white slacks with deep side pockets. Theodore also wore red gloves which were decorated in Dust crystals, his weapon of choice.
This outfit is designed to draw attention to himself, which he manages to make work despite being conceptually ridiculous for a man in his forties to pull off.
His appearance heavily contrasted with Rumpole in both appearance and personality, being a woman with a deep tan, whose age was hard to tell due to her short stature, standing at about four feet tall, and of her fine features and mischievous expression. Rumpole's sandy brown hair reached her ankles, in a long braid bound by a golden cord. She had a wide, squarish frame that exaggerated her shortness, and she wore brown pants with a loose, dark green tunic cinched with a brown leather belt at her waist. The most notable part of Rumpole's outfit was a sleeveless long coat, dark brown and coarse on the outside with glittering flecks, possibly pyrite-infused rocks or cloth studded with Dust and a silky, gold lining.
As the deputy Headmistress of Shade, she was trusted by Theodore, serving as his right-hand woman. Furthermore, Rumpole happened to be the one person who was able to put Theodore in his place, keeping him from challenging students to brawls.
The door suddenly opened, and a man stepped in. "Excuse me, Theodore. Hope I'm not interrupting."
He was a middle-aged man with a muscular physique, and grey hair in a ponytail. He wore an armored vest, gloves, beige pants, and a red cape. His cape and waist belt both had flame-like insignias etched into them.
Rumpole's eyes widened as she faced the man. "Ras-"
"ZANGAN!" Theodore rushed up to the man and gave him a tight hug which the man happily returned. "HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?!"
"Just well, Theodore." The man, Rashard Zangan replied as he hugged back. "I see you have been keeping in shape, despite acting as headmaster."
"Oh yeah! Got to stay in shape to get those students into shape!" Theodore stepped back, flexing his muscles. "I'd be practicing more but Rumpole won't let me spar with anyone outside of the staff. It's so hard to find someone who can up a decent fight."
"Hm…" Zangan walked up to Theodore and grabbed one of his hands, looking it over. "And yet, you rely on Dust to enhance your strength. I had thought I made sure to beat the lesson of never using Dust as a substitute for true strength into your stubborn head."
"Hey!" Theodore exclaimed, looking hurt now. "I do train my strength! I just…Well, we all have to be prepared for anything right?"
Zangan took a deep breath, moving his arms around and spreading his legs as he took several martial arts poses. "Not the Dust or weapons, they can never be a true substitute for the only weapon a man will ever need: his own body."
He held one fist forward while bringing the other one back, a classic kung fu pose.
"His muscles." Zangan took another pose, one foot in front of the other with one fist pointing up at the ceiling and the other pointing down at the floor. "His fists."
He faced Theodore again, pointing both fists at him in another pose.
"His strength."
Feeling inspired, Theodore immediately mimicked Zangan's pose. Rumpole looked between both men, too stunned to even complain.
"To spend every day, honing and training himself to pure physical perfection."
The way Zangan effortlessly practiced his martial arts, even for mere poses was inspiring and she even understood why Theodore idolized him.
"Until the day comes when we can give everything, our heart and souls against an unstoppable opponent! That is what it means to be a citizen of Vacuo!"
After all, Zangan had been Theodore's own teacher, having trained him in physical combat so well, he had become Headmaster of Shade Academy.
"It is not enough to simply have an Aura to shield you or a Semblance to call upon! It's not enough for you to simply be strong enough to fight Grimm. You must be strong enough to endure anything comes your way!"
And not just anyone could become a headmaster of a Huntsmen Academy, especially in Vacuo.
Rumpole even suspected that Theodore's penchant for wearing capes came from Zangan himself, given the red cape of his contrasted with Theodore's blue one.
"Long before I was your age, Theodore I traveled the world. Not just to fight Grimm, but to master every possible aspect of physical combat. Yes, I developed my Aura, and I honed it as much as my body and skills, but I was never reliant on it, nor have I ever tried to unlock my Semblance because I understood that with a Semblance comes to the temptation of being reliant on it. So, I focused on honing everything else, wanting to reach my peak with mine own bare hands." Rangan stated, pointing one fist at Theodore who pointed back with his own. "I spent my travels offering two thousand punches each day, followed prayers and meditation to only conquer all physical limits but to even conquer the inner self as well. My greatest wish has always been to one day, was to see my students pass down my teachings to successors of their own and become the greatest fighters to walk the surface of Remnant and for all of them to one day find an adversary that they can fight with all of their might. That is what it means to be a citizen of Vacuo, my boy."
Zangan thrust a fist into the air.
"We become strong enough to survive anything we face and for one day face an opponent that we can fight with all of our might! To show the world that no matter what happens, the people of Vacuo can endure anything!"
Theodore sported an enthusiastic smile. "So cool…"
Rumpole sighed softly but couldn't fault Theodore for his enthusiasm this time.
Zangan was just that inspiring, even to her.
In many ways, Zangan represented the very fundamental ideas of Vacuo that if one was strong enough to survive, they were welcome. Unlike the other Kingdoms, specifically Atlas, one's rights weren't decided by their heritage or their status in Vacuo, but by their own strength. Zangan was born in Vacuo and hadn't attended any combat school or Huntsman Academy, but he had unlocked his Aura and began traveling across Remnant. She had even once heard the story that he had reached the pinnacle of his physical potential and went up into the mountains to reflect.
During his time there, he came to the realization that he was infinitely grateful to the martial arts for making him the man he was and vowed that he would show his gratitude in his own unique way, by doing a set of ten thousand punches and prayers daily. He would focus his chi, put his hands together, say a prayer, and then punch. On the first day, this sequence took five to six seconds, and it took him over eighteen hours to complete the ten thousand punches. After completing the ritual, he would collapse from exhaustion and fall into a deep sleep, only to awaken and repeat the ten thousand punches the next day.
This would become Zangan's routine for the next two years.
One day, after those two years, he realized that although he had completed his ten thousand punches, the sun had not yet set. Two years later, at the age of fifty, Zangan had become capable of completing the daily ritual in under an hour. As a result, he spent the extra time in prayer, a development that supposedly had led him to enlightenment. Zangan would then return to Vacuo and challenged the previous headmaster of Shade Academy to a sparring match while Theodore himself had been a student.
The headmaster agreed and everyone had gathered to watch the match.
Zangan demonstrated not only his strength that day but showed that the results of his lifelong training had allowed him the ability to strike faster than the speed of sound, to the astonishment and amazement of his onlooker and easily defeated the headmaster, who was moved to tears by the raw power and grace brought about by Zangan's training. The man broke down at Zangan's feet, begging to be trained and offering the title of Headmaster of Shade Academy in his stead. Zangan however, to the shock of the entire academy refused but offered to take on students to teach to become as strong as him. They had thought he had meant taking a class, but Zangan refused, stating he would seek those who were worthy to become his apprentices and train them through the same manner he had been trained. As much as the man respected the Huntsman Academies, he believed that to take on a class and trying to teach everyone at once would be disrespectful as it would mean he could not fully train them all to reach their full potential by diving his attention.
So instead, he focused on seeking out students he found to be worthy and not just in Vacuo but even in other Kingdoms. Some protested why he would do this but he shut them up by reminding them all that strength was not limited to one kingdom but to all of Remnant and that anyone could become worthy and strong if they showed the dedication needed.
Vacuo's motto after all was 'If you are strong enough to survive, then you are welcome here.'
Despite this disappointment, Zangan had gone on to train at least one hundred and twenty-eight students, some Rumpole knew very well:
Theodore, who had become one of Zangan's first apprentices while he had already been a student at Shade.
Taiyang Xiao Long who had been a student at Beacon Academy.
Li Xiongao, a panda Faunus who was a student at Haven Academy.
He briefly mentored a boy named Hazel at Beacon, but he dropped out in his fourth year and disappeared from Vale.
Unfortunately, Rumpole couldn't list the names of all of Zangan's students while the names she did know she heard through the grapevine as Theodore spoke with the other headmasters.
Rumpole was pulled from her musings as Zangan then turned away. "In fact, that is what I have come discuss with you."
"Hm?" Theodore dropped the pose. "What do you mean?"
"I have found a promising new disciple, one that I have raised since I found him among several survivors in a village that was sadly wiped out by the Grimm." Zangan said solemnly as he walked over to the window. "I have raised him and the others to the best of my ability but this one…the quiet life of a monk does not suit him. The desire for adventure burns deeply in his heart."
"Sounds like a true Vacuan." Theodore stated with a smile.
"Indeed." Zangan chuckled and turned around. "For that reason, I have decided to take him on my next journey across Remnant. He is too young at the moment to attend Oscuro Academy before applying to come Shade and he's too impatient to wait. If he travels while under my supervision, not only will he survive he will likely return to Vacuo, as worthy to be welcomed here as all of my students were when they completed their training and more than worthy to become a student here at Shade Academy."
"Oh, he's so lucky!" Theodore gushed, bringing both hands to his cheeks. "Those days of traveling with you were the best!"
Rumpole sighed. "You know, you could spend your time training students here if you are so dedicated, Zangan."
Zangan chuckled. "Sorry, Rumpole but I only teach students who are worthy and even here in Vacuo, there are some who lack the spirit, strength and mind set to be what I look for in a student. Besides, an apprentice is one thing, a whole class is another. I could never properly train an entire classroom as I could a handful of students."
Rumpole simply sighed, knowing that there was nothing that could convince Zangan otherwise. Unfortunately for her, Zangan's excessive and stubborn personality had rubbed off on Theodore to the point he had sought to emulate his old mentor.
"So, who is this new apprentice?" Theodore asked.
"His name is…Sun Wukong." Zangan answered.
Sun Wukong was born in the kingdom of Vacuo, into a nomadic clan along with his older cousin, Starr Sanzang, and has since forgotten his parents' faces. The clan sadly had long since been wiped out by Grimm, but he and his cousin had been saved at the last second by his mentor. His mentor had taken on several students, traveling across Vacuo, learning martial arts at a young age.
He even discovered his Semblance very fast.
One would think it would be enough, even at a young age but Sun Wukong couldn't sit still.
He wanted adventure.
He wanted to see the world.
And his mentor, the coolest role model anyone could ever ask for was willing to take him across Remnant and teach him how to be an awesome fighter, just like his mentor.
He just wished his mentor would hurry up so they could get on the road already.
CRASH!
Sun's ears perked up as he something and looked down the street, seeing someone being thrown out…
No wait.
They literally crashed through a wall while being thrown out onto the street.
"Cool!" Sun grinned and ran over to get a closer look.
"Is that enough for you?" A gruff voice asked as a man stepped through the hole that was likely made by him.
"Whoa."
The man was no doubt, a little Sun's definition of the word: badass.
He was a dark-skinned muscular man with long, unruly black hair and red eyes. He wore a pair of black shorts with an orange and red sash covering his right leg, a red headband, and a metal gauntlet and pauldron covering his left arm. He was barefoot and did not wear a shirt. He wore black shorts with an orange waistcloth draping down his right leg.
He had a black tattoo on his chest that appeared to be a symbol that Sun did not recognize.
If that wasn't awesome enough, he carried a black sword with red markings that resembled dolphins.
All in all, this man was a man.
A big, strong, muscular man.
As for the person he had knocked through the wall, turned it out it was a woman.
A young woman with long back length wavy auburn hair with a single silver streak. She also had golden eyes, freckles and a black stylish tattoo on the right side of torso running down to her upper leg. She wore a dark navy cropped long-sleeved shirt with a metal chain-like top attached, a silver shoulder cape with crimson trimmed and her emblem on it, crimson torn off booty shorts that match her tatter scarf and thigh-high black leather boots with folded over tops and small lace-up detailing.
In addition, she wore goggles on top of her head, a black belt with sheaths for her Sai weapons, a single belt on the right sleeve and her left leg. She also wore worn bandages wrapped around her wrists. Of course right now, she looked heavily bruised from the fight she had just had.
"This Wukong kid sounds like he's got a lot of potential." Theodore commented. "It's good you're still saving kids, Zangan. Vacuo may welcome anyone who is strong enough to handle living here, but kids still need protecting."
Rumpole nodded in agreement. Despite how tough she might be on the students; she would do anything to protect them.
"Speaking of which, Zangan, I think I know someone who could travel with you and your new student." Theodore adopted a thoughtful look on his face.
"Oh yeah?"
"You know of that sport that came up a few years ago? Blitzball?" Theodore asked.
"Heard of it and watched it. Nice to see Vacuo getting more recognition." Zangan commented with a pleased smile.
"Damn right." Theodore chuckled. "Well, the guy who showed us how to play is planning on taking a trip across Remnant and he could use someone who has been out there."
"You're asking me to hold someone's hand, Theodore? That's an unusual request." Zangan noted with a raised eyebrow.
"True but I have a good reason for that." Theodore stated, his face turning serious. "Turns out that guy, Jecht can use magic."
Zangan was silent for a moment before he finally answered. "Oh? And he's not secretly-"
"No, he's a man." Theodore said quickly.
"Ah." Zangan rubbed his face. "Hm, a man with magic who is not Ozpin. Does that mean he's-"
"Maybe." Theodore conceded. "But we have no idea where he came from and he has no idea how to get back. He claims to have come from a kingdom called Spira."
"Can't say I've heard of it."
"Well, I have but only in stories." Theodore rubbed his chin. "An ancient kingdom that existed on an island. This was supposedly during the Age of Magic."
"So, Ozpin would know about it." Zangan mused.
"He did and told us all he could about it. Spira was wiped out when magic was stripped from this world following the Great Calamity: The Rejection of the Gods. But a cult sprung up and tried to resurrect that kingdom and all its magic." Theodore explained. "That cult disappeared, and it was assumed they all died out eventually."
"Or maybe they've just been hiding and Jecht's appearance is only the beginning." Zangan mused. "Very interesting. I suddenly get the reason. You think the Big One will eventually come after him."
"Right as rain, Zangan." Theodore nodded. "And I can't keep him here Vacuo. He's seen all he thinks he needs to know and he's going out to find his family."
"Family?"
"He believes his son is somewhere out there and the only person who can find him…is the Silver Knight."
Zangan paused. "…Ozpin's dear friend."
"He came across an old, recorded interview of her as the wife of Nicholas Schnee and for some reason he feels she's the reason he's here." Rumpole stated.
"Is she?"
"Don't know." Theodore shrugged. "She's hasn't been seen or heard from in years. Ozpin himself is certain she might appear again one day but who knows if that will be in any of our lives. My main concern is making sure Vacuo and Shade are still standing when that happens."
"And I agree." Zangan brought his hands together in contemplation. "…Speaking of Oz, have you heard anything on my old students, specifically Tai?"
"Oh Tai?" Theodore raised an eyebrow.
"I heard that Summer Rose disappeared a few years ago and is presumed dead. I am sorry I missed the funeral, but I was pretty much on the other side of Remnant when I finally got the news." Zangan admitted.
"Well," Theodore scratched his right cheek. "He had it rough, no other way of saying it. Summer kept him together when Raven turned chicken and bailed on him and then she suddenly went missing. Qrow and Tai claimed it was mission from Ozpin but old Oz had no clue what they were talking about."
"So that means one of them likely lied." Zangan sighed. "Summer could have possibly lied about her mission or Oz has lied and is keeping the nature of her last mission a secret."
"You sure about that?" Theodore asked skeptically with Rumpole agreeing with him.
"It's the only possible explanation, Theodore, no matter how much we dislike the idea. A Silver Eyed Warrior disappears on a mission that Ozpin himself knows nothing about?" Zangan sighed and closed his eyes. "This is why I chose to stick to my ways as a teacher. I have no patience for the games of secrecy that Ozpin and the rest of you play."
"It is hardly a game, Zangan." Rumpole cut in, throwing a harsh look at Zangan.
"But it is treated like one far too much for my taste." Zangan stood up. "Very well, I'll speak with this Jecht about being his travel guide through Remnant, so as long as he does not present a danger to my new student. And if, Brothers willing I come across Patch, I might stop by and offer my condolences to another old student."
"I am sure Tai would appreciate it, old man." Theodore smiled.
Zangan smiled back. "Be careful, Theodore. I am not so old that I cannot give you a thrashing for disrespecting me."
"Please, go ahead and do so." Rumpole encouraged. "It might convince this child to take things a little more seriously."
Zangan and Theodore looked at her for a moment, then back at each other…Before both of them broke down into laughing.
Rumpole just sighed and headed for the door, slamming it shut as she walked out.
"I'll say this much, your deputy has a great sense of humor." Zangan chuckled after finally calming down.
"Doesn't she?" Theodore snickered. "Maybe that's why I keep her around."
"Perhaps. So where can I find this Jecht?"
BOOM!
Both men looked out the window to see smoke rising in the city.
"Probably there." Theodore pointed in the direction of the rising smoke.
Author's Note: Okay, I know this might be pointed out to me later but on the RWBY wiki it's been said that Theodore is even older than Ozpin and after having seen the image of him from the RWBY Volume 9 Epilogue, I am just not sure that's how it should be. If anything it looks like Theodore should be the youngest of the Headmasters with the oldest being Ozpin given his silver grey hair, followed by Lionheart, Ironwood and Theodore being the last. So in this 'reboot' I have Theodore as the youngest of the Headmasters but beyond that he is generally the same.