Of Stowaways and Runaways
-Amity Arena, 1 Year Ago-
Neptune was in the locker room getting ready for the Vytyl Festival Tournament with Team NDGO for the first round. He was about to retrieve his weapon from the locker. "Neptune, hurry up! We have a first round to win!" Sun shouted.
"Hold up, man! I'm coming!" Neptune called back and left the room. Then Zeos walks in and sees Neptune's change of clothes inside the locker. Turns out he was keeping a collection of similar jackets he's been wearing, and stole it when he had the chance. "Finally. No one will tell the difference. Ozpin will never suspect who I was. Hehe." He chuckled.
After changing into Neptune's clothes and goggles, he then started his own investigation on where to find the Fall Maiden after being assigned by Salem.
After exiting the arena, Zeos finds himself spitting Qrow and Ozpin walking inside the school. "Hmm. Interesting. Qrow Branwen. Wonder what's the legendary Phantom Huntsman doing here. Maybe I should follow them."
"Hey, Neptune. What's up? You chickened out after we won the first round." Sun asked. Zeos knew turned to see his cousin's teammate. The throne of his side. But he had to put up with a goofy smile in order to keep up the act. "Oh, dude! Nothing! Just need some fresh air, yes! Definitely!"
"Okay, you wanna get some grub then? Ruby is inviting us to join in." Sun asked.
"Uh, no thanks. Just need to see Ozpin about his thoughts of this round. I'll catch up with you later!" Waved "Neptune." Sun scratched the back of his head in confusion.
"Um, okay." Sun said.
"Sun, who are you talking to?" Asked Neptune, who just came here. Sun turned around, and was confused for how he got behind him. "Huh? Neptune? Wait if you're here, then who's..." He paused to see that the look-alike was gone in front of him. Sun felt like he had seen a ghost.
Zeos then walks towards the courtyard and hid behind the statue without being seen. Seeing Sun after being expelled from Haven have enraged him.
Sun Wukong. How I hated him. I can't wait to get rid of him.
Zeos continues his path to find the Fall Maiden. Cardin then unknowingly bumped into him. Zeos had to keep up the act and made a fake smiled as friendly as he could. "Oh, sorry..." He was cut off when Cardin grabs him by the collar of his jacket.
"Watch it, nerd!" Cardin shouted. But that didn't affected Zeos, with Cardin thinking it was Neptune he was picking on. Zeos kicked Cardin by the chest and lands. Causing Cardin to flew to the ground and crash.
Cardin is astonished by this. Zeos then approached him and stepped on his armor plate. "Get out of my way, or the next time you won't see another daylight." He growled.
Cardin quickly gets up and leaves. "Okay, okay! Geez!" He scoffed at himself for being defeated by a nerd like him. Zeos wasn't a coward to stand on his own.
Inside the school. He sees Ozpin, Pyrrha Nikos, Qrow Branwen, Glynda Goodwitch, and James Ironwood walking towards the elevator together. As the door slides to close, Zeos approaches the elevator and opens the door. Only for the elevator box to lower down. Zeos uses his spear to pin to the wall and slides down and quietly sets foot on the top of the box.
As the group walked out of the elevator that leads to an underground basement. Zeos climbs down inside the elevator and sees them approaching a pod. With a young woman inside, wounded and black streaks on the side of her face. He found her, the Fall Maiden right before his eyes.
He could tell she didn't have much time to live. Zeos completed his assignment and texted his mistress.
Zeos: I found her. The Maiden was hidden underneath the school.
Zeos sent the last text before making his leave. Using the elevator without being seen.
-Mistral-
A male faunus with a monkey tail, wearing a black traditional warrior tang suit, and his female, human companion rode a horse to a beach. With a woman with brown hair and a white hood.
Sol Wukong, a warrior and protector, and his lover Lumine, a spiritualist who sees the future. Having lost their first unborn child, they came up with a solution. Inside the bag their steed was carrying was a stone of black and white. The symbolism of yin and yang.
As they stopped at the beach, Lumine slides off the horse. Sol leads Lumine to the spot. Where the ritual must begin. "This is it. The only thing that could bring back our child. One that will carry the light to defeat the darkness."
"I hope this works. This is wrong, but I want him back. But at what cost?" Lumine replied to her lover.
Lumine then sculpts the sand into an infant with a monkey tail, she can imagine that their child would take after its father. Sol then draws the circle for Lumine to continue the ritual.
Sol then hands the stone to Lumine and places it near the trees that was said to bring back the life of a soul that was taken too soon. Sol then places a comforting hand to her shoulder as she cannot seemed to go through with this as bringing back a soul is too selfish.
Lumine then places the stone on the sculpture and Sol cuts his arm with a knife as part of the ritual to give the sculpture blood. As it is required. Lumine does the same to her arm to give the sculpture her blood too. Then gets to position of a prayer to bring back the soul of their child.
"Spirits of light and dark. Forgive us for our misdeeds. But hear our prayers, bring back the unborn soul that was taken too soon. Give the child life. And we will meet your conditions." Lumine prayed.
The winds grew stronger as the scarf Sol wore had blown away. The ancient prayer was working in the process. Lumine winces in pain as the ritual too affect. Dark clouds formed. The light shine on the sculpture. The stone was absorbed into the statue.
As the light disappears, Sol and Lumine walked towards the sculpture and notices skin on the sculpture. Wondering if the ritual was a success, Sol picks up the sculpture gently.
The sand keeps sliding off until they feel pure skin in Sol's arms. It was now a real baby, blonde, with a tail. The baby opens his eyes and whimpers, waking up. Lumine's eyes watered with joy. "Sol, it worked. We brought back our child!" Lumine cried.
The baby then cried as he breathes. It was a good sign. Sol smiled in joy as he joins in. Holding their son like never ending. "Our boy. Welcome to the world, Sun." He said.
-Schnee Manor-
Winter was about to take flight for her first year of Atlas Academy. Her grandfather weak and ill, her brother and sister left to fend for themselves at the hands of their father, and her mother still unaware of their Jacques' true colors.
Already packed up and go. She awaited for transportation. Until her grandfather arrived to say goodbye. As he knew too well that Winter wasn't good with emotions. "Leaving without saying goodbye, Winter?"
Her grandfather, the founder of SDC, Nicholas Schnee. White snow hair and ice blue eyes. He wore and armor and a red cape. "Oh, Grandfather. I didn't see you there. I apologized, for taking off too soon. I wish not to strain you for this."
"All in good time. I may be old, but it doesn't mean I won't get to see my grandchildren grow up too fast."
Winter wasn't sure what to tell him. Being an heiress, she had to honor that name. But she wanted a path where she can make a name for herself. But ever the noble-hearted man her grandfather was, Winter did not want to hurt him emotionally that she did not want to take the company.
On the other hand, with that company, Winter would've been the one to help fix her father's shady deals. "Grandfather, I must confess. Joining the military was my one true goal since the establishment of Atlas Academy. I know it would mean a lot to you for me to take the company once I graduate but this isn't what I want. Even with the name and lineage I was born in, this isn't me."
"Why didn't you say so!" Nicholas chuckled. Winter was surprised that her grandfather took it lightly. "Truth to be told. I knew in your eyes that this wasn't the life you wanted. But seeing how passionate you are about helping Remnant. You have become twice the person everyone else in Atlas was. People only respected me because of my wealth. But before, I was a nobody and a son of a dust miner. Just because the Schnee name become valuable nowadays, it doesn't mean I would forget about who I used to be."
Nicholas then walks over to his eldest granddaughter and takes out a silver locket. "Take this, Winter." He gives it to her by the hand and Winter opens it. It was a photo of Nicholas in his 30s and a woman in her wedding dress. "This was a gift from your grandmother before she passed away. Even if you became a new person, just never forget who you are, Winter." Nicholas advised kindly. "Bind your mind and heart together."
Winter struggles to hold back tears as this might be the last time she ever saw her grandfather. "I have no words to express other than thank you, Grandfather." Winter lightly wipes the tears off until Nicholas gives her comfort. "No need to hold back, Winter. Just because knights hold back emotions, it doesn't mean we don't have the right to feel."
"Forgive me. But I hope one day, I will do you proud as a soldier." Winter vowed.
"You already have, my granddaughter. You already have."
-Somewhere in a later timeline-
Sun woke up as he snapped his eyes opened. As he stirred to get up, he feels his head throbbing. Hearing voices in his dreams. He found himself on the beach. A place he was not familiar with. Giant starfishes in an abnormal size.
His staff, lying next to him. "Where is this place?"
"Sun. Sun. Do not be afraid."
"Let us guide you. Follow our voices."
"Who are you?! Hey!" Sun shouted. Then he hears Ruby and Jaune behind him. "Sun!" He turned to see them alive, but also distorted. "Ruby, Jaune? Glad you two are okay. Do you know where we are?"
"Not really? Are you okay, Sun?" Jaune asked.
"Actually, I don't know. I felt like I was hearing things." Sun replied, still feeling a headache.
"To be honest, we felt the same." Ruby said. The three looked at the huge tree. They all landed for what it felt like a Dreamworld. They felt peace, but at the same time they were stuck after falling through the darkness.
"This tree...I have seen it somewhere before." Sun said. His two friends looked at him with curiosity. "Let's go. We might not know how to get back, but we need to try something." Jaune said. "Who knows what's going to happen if we stay here for too long." The three walked towards the jungle. Hoping for a way out.
-Anima-
The night after the events of Shinegure, Ruby, Ren, Sage, Scarlet and Nora are outside a pawn shop waiting for Jaune to finish his upgrades. Ruby recounts of who she saw last night. The reappearance of Blake, whom Ruby was surprised to see.
"What?! Blake was there last night and she left?!" Nora exclaimed.
"I have no words but to express that I was surprised that she appeared out of nowhere." Ren said.
"Yeah, but when I asked her to come with us, she said no. Cause I think she felt guilty for what happened in Beacon, even with Yang. She won't let us in for whatever she's going through." Ruby explained what happened.
While deciding on whether or not they should find Blake and convince her to go with them on the journey to recuperate. While also still indecisive.
"Ruby, I hate to say this. But we can't just force her to join us. Whatever she has gone through after all of this. Given time maybe she can talk to us the next time we ran into her. If she's around, maybe Sun would be too." Sage said.
Inside the pawn shop, Jaune hands over his armor plate, including Pyrrha's golden tiara to make something more out of it to not let Pyrrha be forgotten. With her piece of metal, Jaune cannot let go for what was left of her. As much painful it was to hold on to something once held by someone dear to him. Jaune will need some strength with memories.
The old man, the owner of the pawn shop examines the tiara and the armor. And was amazed that such metal would take the dense of force. "Are you sure you wanted to merge those metals?" Asked the owner. Jaune looked at him and without hesitation, nods. "Yes, it's for a friend. Someone I do not want to forget." The pawn shop owner nods also, intrigued about the blonde young man's devotion for honor and memory.
After a few adjustments to his sword and shield, Jaune came out of the shop to try out his armory. The rest of Team RNJRSS took a glance at Jaune and watched as he shows off his new upgrade. "Check it." He said. Attaching his sword through his shield, it shifts into a disc. Then Jaune throws it at a branch on a tree, then the branch breaks and falls onto the ground. Nora clapped her hands rapidly.
The others were at awe. "Whoa."
"Bloody amazing. And with the metal..." Scarlet paused, still in amazement. "This...this is even better."
"That's an improvement, Jaune." Ren said. "With a speed of a throw like that, you might be able to take advantage of the Grimm's speed." Ren advised.
"That metal, wasn't that Pyrrha's material?" Asked Sage.
"Yes, this way, I could start something." Jaune said. Sage notices something in Jaune's aura. It was even more immense, more so than Weiss, even more than the auras of others. It seemed to him that there was more than a single aura around Jaune. It was something unusual than seeing single auras. Something about Jaune is really special. Maybe bondage of souls.
What is going on with Jaune's aura? It looks like it was more than one. Could it be that someone passed that aura to add to his?
"The former residents of Shinegure thanks you for recovering the Sanctum students. I'd be more than willing to return the favor." The pawn shop owner bowed in gratitude. Team RNJRSS does the same.
"Well, all in a days work for Team JRNRSS!" Nora said. With a cheerful tone, still regarding Jaune as the main leader. But Ruby and Jaune agreed to share leadership of the team to hold everything together. Ruby giggled with her eyes rolled. "Nora, it's Team RNJRSS." Ruby replied. Nora disagrees. "What?! No way! JRNRSS is better!" Nora scoffed.
"Hey, it doesn't matter what we're called. As long as we have each other." Jaune said.
Above the cliffs while the teens were continuing their journey, Qrow, Saturn, Tamaku and Mai were on their saddled above their horses. Watching over the young huntsmen-in-training. No sign of the assailant of hunters just yet. But theu get the feeling he or she can be up close.
"Glad the kids are okay. Sage is alive, thank god." Said Tamaku looking at his son.
"Lie and Nora are okay too. Lie was the only piece I have of my brother." Mai said seeing her nephew with Nora. Saturn checks to see if his youngest son. But with no luck. He tried calling Neptune many times, but no answer.
Qrow then keeps his eyes peeled for any signs of danger. Though the grown huntsmen acknowledged the kids can handle themselves. There is still someone lurking, waiting to strike. Qrow then sees Saturn genuinely worried about what might happened to his son. But Qrow woll have to keep the team together in order to keep calm of the situation.
"Hey, we'll find your kid, Sat. Any chance the psycho is here is gonna be in deep..." Qrow was cut off when Saturn speaks.
"Qrow, I appreciate it. But not even words would put me at ease. Any chance the killer knows about my son, Neptune, what if he..."
"If anything. We give the killer hell, we find your kid alive. But are you sure you want to find Jupiter and face him?" Asked Qrow. To him it'd be worst for a father to fight his oldest son.
"Have to. If Jupiter is falling low, I have no choice on order to save the rest of my family." Saturn said with his mind set.
"Look, Sat. If you can't handle this. I'll do it. Cause that's what friends are for." Sat is surprised to see that despite that Qrow drinks all the time. He sees a softer side of Qrow when it comes to friends and allies. Li Ren has been more than a teammate, but also Saturn's best friend. But now he was gone. And now his eldest son turned to the dark side. Joining the queen of darkness.
"And here I thought you never changed. You never know." Saturn chuckled. Qrow remained in silent, in a loss for concern for the students. Jupiter was once his student. But now he is his enemy. "It was my fault to begin with. Jupiter was my student, and I was his idol. But now I messed up badly."
-Somewhere in the deep forest of Mistral-
Blake was on the run from the Black Vipers, she was heading home to see her parents. Not sure if they ever wanted to see her after everything with the White Fang, and Beacon. She wasn't sure who to trust.
Blake, just let us help you!
It was Ruby's voice from the night in Shinegure. She growled at the sound of the voice. Although it was genuine, it was also the plague and reminder that Blake left because she is guilty for her crimes. Guilty for leaving her friends. "Just get out of my head." Blake said to herself.
She doesn't want to turn back, her inner demons ran inside her heart, her soul. It was as if Adam was here. Here to strike at any moment. It was as if she and him are becoming one, in heart and soul, but blackened in the void.
This is what happens when you joined the traitors, Blake. You and me, we are meant to be one.
"No, we are not!" Blake shouted.
No matter how much you run, I'll always be a part of you, till your last breathe.
Blake stumbles upon a tree, grasping onto its trunk and breathes heavily. Her heart was racing, feeling like it was about to explode. Like a ticking time-bomb. Scratches everywhere from the arms to the legs.
"I can't turn back now." Blake then unsheathes her katana. Then her cat ears flicked at the sound of rustling. "Uh!" She looked around to see if there was anyone spying on her. Or if there was a sniper around waiting patiently.
But Blake could feel either the eyes of the Black Vipers, or Adam's ghost trying to follow her. She remembered the stories about the Black Vipers having a vendetta against Atlas from her father. But never had she thought the myths were true.
-17 years Ago-
"They set their eyes on their prey, they hid in the shadows, cross the line and..." Her father, Ghira Belladonna told a 2-year-old Blake the story as she blinked. Not to scare her, but to beware of the snakes that uses anything to manipulate.
"And the fangs of the viper will seep through your skin." Blake finished the sentence as her father, a little shaken of the Vipers' motto. Ghira comforted her, feeling a bit bad since he already gotten himself in a mess of things.
"Now now, sweetie. It's only a story.
Author's note: Sorry for the short chapter, it's been very busy these days. But I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Also we now get a flashback that explains how Zeos infiltrated Beacon to find the Fall Maiden and sell out information to Salem.
Also I edited the previous chapter cause there was a fan song I wrote based on Neptune's thoughts regarding his fear of water and how he thought of Weiss for his motivations developing romantic feelings for her. Check on the previous chapter, sorry I am too much of an Iceberg fan.
Also based on the Chinese Mythology of our best boy, Sun Wukong. We get to see the original of his, and how he was created.
Sol Wukong- the father and co-creator of Sun Wukong. Sol most likely resembles Sun but with brown hair and tail. Like his son, Sol is a faunus who can crack jokes and is skillfully agile with his tail. As a child, Sol was used to being alone being orphaned by his father because his mother was a faunus. Until he meets Lumine. The two became close friends. By the time they were older, they fell in love and had an unborn child together, until he was lost. Out of grief and determination for a family, Sol and Lumine. Using his and Lumine's blood to create their son, Sun.
Lumine Sanzang- A human spiritualist, and creator and mother of Sun Wukong. Lumine can see the spirits being born from a spiritual family. She and her sister, Fen Sanzang were close. As a child, she befriended Sol who was abandoned by his father for being born to a faunus mother. And the two would would became close, and that friendship would turn into romantic love.