Ch. 26 Bloodlines and legacies
Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck sat in his office. Classes were still off for the summer but, thanks to the festival approaching, the staff had too much work to entertain the idea of starting any personal projects.
The doctor would of course love to join an expedition or participate in an archaeological dig, but alas it was not to be, at least not this year.
A knocking on his office door shook him out of his musings. There were some students present throughout the summer and some had already started trickling back from wherever they had gone to. Still it was unusual for any of them to bother with schoolwork of any kind when they didn't have to.
"Come in!"
"Good morning, doctor."
"Ah, mister Arc! Come in, sit down. Do tell what might be the reason for your visit. More ancient language studies?"
"No, the materials you recommended are enough for now. I'd like some help with tracking down a family name and legacy."
"I assume you aren't talking about your own legacy. The Arc family is quite well documented. So if I may ask, what brought this about?"
"Well, you see, me and my team visited my family in Noreia…"
"The Arc family manor, I'm quite familiar with it."
"Why does everyone keep calling it that?" grumbled Jaune under his breath.
"Anyway, Nora let it slip that she doesn't have a family legacy, and initially I didn't think much of it, but when Ruby showed interest in Crocea Mors, the Arc ancestral sword and shield, well…"
"I see, so it is Miss Valkyrie's legacy you're researching."
"Yeah, the books in our home library mention that most skilled huntsmen come from long lines of huntsmen families. That aura follows bloodlines."
"Hmmm, that is not entirely incorrect. In Vale especially, huntsmen families are quite common. Though it isn't necessarily so, it isn't an unreasonable assumption that Miss Valkyrie has a family legacy of her own. Though finding it may prove rather difficult."
"That is why I'm here, I was hoping you'd point me in a direction."
"Hmmm, well considering that the school has no immediately obvious leads as to miss Valkyries origins, it is likely that she was born outside of any major settlements. As she is orphaned it is equally likely that the settlement no longer exists or has gone through some great tragedy. Fortunately if we consider the etymology of the name we can at least guess it originates from old Mantle. Unfortunately nearly all records of the old kingdom are lost, destroyed before the kingdom of Mantle became Atlas…"
Jaune could admit to himself that he was starting to get lost. Doctor Oobleck sped through his reasoning much like he did his lectures in class, so it was a little hard to keep up.
"...and since all other avenues are blocked to us I can only recommend Legends and Fairytales of the Old Kingdoms."
"Legends and Fairytales of the Old Kingdoms?"
"Ah, yes of course, there is much we can learn from folktales of old. Many of those stories are based on a real story that actually happened at the time, however embellished they may end up. In fact I believe professor Ozpin owns an antique annotated copy of the book. Since you're after the real events, it may be prudent to ask him if he'd be willing to lend it to you."
And so Jaune gained a lead. Even though it turned out to be a children's book of fairytales.
=O=O=O=
"Of course mister Arc, I expect you'll treat the book like the antique it is."
That went way smoother than Jaune expected. He barely explained that he needed it for a personal project and that doctor Oobleck mentioned the annotated version to him and Ozpin pretty much pressed the book into Jaunes hands.
The behaviour was strange yet easily excusable by the preparation for the approaching festival. The pile of documents on Ozpin's at other times so pristine desk told a story of its own.
=O=O=O=
As soon as the elevator doors closed behind the young Arc, Ozpin pretty much fell into his chair in relief. He was wondering just how to get his students primed on the topics his inner circle dealt with and make it look inconspicuous.
And now he managed to get a book of fairy tales in the hands of Rose's partner.
He had little doubt she would be shown the story of her own legacy thanks to Jaune's interest. Plus there was a non zero chance that they would see the story of the maidens and perhaps mention it to Xiao-Long and Nikos.
Though perhaps that was a bit of a stretch.
=O=O=O=
Yang Xiao-Long was currently walking through Vale with her team. All of her team.
Despite the rift that had formed as a consequence of their leader's actions they had largely mended their bonds. It would take time to rebuild them fully, but they took steps in the right direction.
Yang would be the first to admit that it was probably a good thing the violence was kept between the guys when they took that first step. She wasn't entirely sure she could keep herself from actually killing Sky when it came to punching him in the face.
Most of their summer was spent training in the Emerald forest. Sky needed all the exposure to Grimm he could get and if the Emerald forest was safe enough to hold their initiation in, then they could certainly use it to train.
However Yang was determined not to spend ALL of her summer training, hence their current location, downtown Vale.
"Come on guys, I know a place."
Her team was apprehensive, especially Pyrrha, who was familiar with Yang's history with clubs. Yang spent a good amount of time talking with Pyrrha when they first got partnered up and as such ended up bragging about the time she fought a bunch of gangsters in a shady club. What she didn't expect though was that Yang would be brazen enough to not only take her entire team to the same club but open with a one liner.
"Guess who's back!"
The music stopped and all eyes as well as the barrels of all the guns in the room were trailed on them.
Cardin was the first to break the silence.
"Yang! What the FUCK!"
=O=O=O=
An empty glass shattered against the floor.
"Nora? Are you alright? You seem a bit… out of it today."
"Sorry Weiss… Guess I'm just not feeling it today."
"Is everything alright? Did something happen?"
Nora looked up from the mess she was currently sweeping up, only to see Weiss genuinely worried.
"Hmm? Oh, no, nothing really happened."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, the vacation was fine, great even! I got to meet Jaune's sisters, we went swimming in the lake, made pancakes, had a barbeque, we had a blast."
"So?"
Weiss gave Nora an inquisitive look as she threw the remnants of the measuring beaker into the broken labglass bin.
"I just… I guess I just realised that I never had that… you know… growing up. I have Ren and he's great, don't get me wrong, but… I don't even really remember my parents. It feels like I've never had a place to belong until now. So when they accepted me so readily, like I was just a part of the extended family… It hit me hard, that's all."
"You know… that may not be that far from the truth. Your team is a lot like a family."
"Is it?"
"Maybe I'm not one to talk, but from the outside you guys look like you've been together for years. You act like I imagine a family should and none of you have any qualms about acting like that with each other. My team is a bit colder than that, but I think it comes down to our upbringing. Sure Cocra and Maroon are "together-together" as you'd put it, but I know I have issues and I think Blake does too. I think you got very lucky with the people around you…"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Oh, don't you change the topic on me, we were talking about you here."
"What's there to tell? I didn't have a family before Ren, and I'm feeling a bit down right now, but it'll pass, it always does. And you said it yourself just now, you have issues. So?"
"Damnit Nora! Fine… I… I don't have the best relationship with my parents or siblings. My father… well he's all business… I'm actually afraid to pick up his calls these days. It's always something about the company, my public image and how I should give up on Beacon and come back to Atlas… to the SDC. He's cold and manipulative and the reason my sister ran away and joined the army. I looked up to her and now I barely see her anymore. He's also the reason my mother drinks… she… she didn't always have a problem, I still remember, when I was little when she acted like a mom. But she got worse. I don't think she's been sober in years… And Whitley… he takes after my father."
"He's the youngest, right?"
"Yes."
"Well maybe it isn't too late for him?"
"Wha… What do you mean?"
"Maybe… maybe he doesn't have a choice in how he acts? I mean your sister joined the army, your mother drinks and you're here. Who else is left but his father?"
"Is… do you think it's like that? Did we abandon him?"
"Hey, maybe it isn't too late you know? When was the last time you spoke to him?"
"I… I don't know. Some time before I left Atlas."
"Then give him a call."
"But what if he tells father?"
"So what if he does? You don't have to tell him anything your father could use against you."
Weiss was at the brink of tears right now. It has been such a long time since she talked to anyone about her family. She could only whisper by now.
"You don't get it Nora, he'll use anything and I mean anything I say against him."
Nora enveloped Weiss in a hug and while Weiss stiffened at the contact initially, she quickly let herself be held.
"Then don't say much, ask your brother how he's doing, let him know you care. If he's as alone as I think he is? He'll appreciate it."
=O=O=O=
Neo was having a blast! Sure there was that disturbance earlier with the huntsmen kids, but now the club has since filled with common party goers and all was good. Better than good.
She was currently dancing with someone she hasn't seen in years and was thoroughly enjoying herself.
Sure Cardin had no idea he knew her, after all Trivia Vanille was dead. Both publicly and in Neo's heart. But that didn't stop her from reminiscing about how she used to play with the younger boy when they were still too little to be involved in politics.
Those were some of the few good memories of her previous life. They weren't friends, not really, but they were cordial acquaintances at the very least.
Unfortunately Cardin seemed to take after his father as he grew up, but seeing as he was here, perhaps he too, in his own way, broke away from the political nonsense their parents were involved in.
Of course, Neo's breaking from her chains involved whistleblowing, arson and the murder of her parents, while Cardin seemed to go for honour and old legacy of his family as huntsmen.
Old Winchester may have been a huntsman, but it was really in name only these days. He spent so much time and resources getting on the council of Vale and didn't do a thing to help any of the less fortunate. As far as Neo was concerned, she had done more for the people than councillor Winchester, and she was a criminal for crying out loud!
But enough of that, she was here enjoying her evening and that's what's important right now. She'd have to thank the blondie later for dragging her team here.
=O=O=O=
"Hey, Junior! Another strawberry sunrise!"
"Look blondie I still don't get it, why are you here!"
"To drink and have fun of course!"
"No shot! Last time you were here, you trashed the place. The only reason I haven't kicked you out yet is because of the Nikos girl, a celebrity like her brings the place's reputation up."
"Maybe I want to mend the bridges, you thought about that?"
"I have trouble believing you, either take your team and leave or spill."
"Fine…my uncle told me to apologise."
"Your… uncle… what?"
"Look, my uncle is Qrow Branwen. And when dusty old Qrow found out I trashed the place I came to get information from, he gave me a stern talking to. Said that I'd make it more difficult for you to trust huntsmen with the actually dangerous info… and that if I did this in every info hub I came to I'd soon get no info from anyone."
"I know Qrow… and dealt with him a few times… yeah ok, that makes sense. Still have a hard time believing you actually listened though."
"Hey!"
=O=O=O=
The book Ozpin gave him was interesting. It was a collection of stories annotated by Theodore Ozaki, a Mystralian collector and translator of fairy tales.
Jaune had been skimming through the pages for a while when a particular passage, and more importantly the note tacked onto it, peaked his interest.
And he commanded the huntresses away from Valhalla.
"I'll face the serpent alone. Go! Go to Mantle! Protect what yet remains."
(Note: While "huntresses" is a common modern translation, the original refers specifically to "female heavenly warriors", or "Valkyries" in the original old mantle text. "Mantle" similarly is a common modern translation of the word "Midgard" despite it technically referring to Remnant as a whole rather than just the continent of Mantle)
Jaune grinned as he bookmarked and closed the old tome. He had hit the jackpot.
=O=O=O=
Author's note:
Ozpin is scheeming, Jaune is reading and Weiss is working through the trauma caused by her family... At least SWNY and Neo are having fun.
I feel like it's reasonable to think Cardin, the son of a prominent political figure, met Trivia at some point during their childhood, as for whether it's going to come up again? Who knows... Only time will tell.
I hope you enjoyed and are looking forward to the next chapter: Ch.27 Storytime with Jaune