Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by
The Guild of Gamers: The Supervillain
Chapter 25: A Meeting of Minds (and the PRT)
– Emily Piggot –
Watching as Prophet took his seat, Brandish and Lady Photon on either side of him, she frowned deeply. She was almost happy to have had him reach out for a meeting, almost.
Armsmaster and Renick sat beside her, but it wasn't Prophet who was getting their attention as Midas took his seat. Tattletale took her seat next to him, and on the other side, Jaina Hudson, the White Rabbit's master, sat. Both were dressed professionally, Tattletale having swapped her purple catsuit for a smart shirt, blazer and skirt. Jaina was dressed similarly.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Director. Prophet," Midas said, giving his brother an inscrutable look. The Bay's newest, and possibly most dangerous, villain gave them all a confident smile as she hid her glare.
"You said you had information on a massive breach of the Unwritten Rules," Emily stated, skipping the formalities. They had one of the biggest villains in the city, sitting in the Rig, and they couldn't touch him. Orders from up high made that clear after Midas requested this meeting.
"Quite. Information that you will find most infuriating, given your history. Allow me to be blunt, as you seem eager to skip the formalities. Coil has kidnapped Kaiser's daughter and used her to blackmail Purity into trying to kill me, and then Kaiser himself as part of his attempts to take over the city," Midas explained, making Prophet hum in thought.
"So it was Coil? Figures, this was too subtle for Lung. Honestly, I was half-convinced it was you," Prophet said, somewhat accusingly.
"That's because you're blind, oh great Prophet. You assume I'm responsible if your toast comes out burnt," Midas waved off.
Emily stayed silent, sharing a look with Armsmaster and Renick. Purity had attacked one of Midas' bases, and then attacked an Empire rally. It was highly out of character for her.
"Coil has the identities of all the Empire capes, and as such, the Empire is paralysed from acting against him. He learnt them through my Tattletale here, who he recruited at gunpoint," Midas continued, making Tattletale give them a shameless shrug. "I have agreed to take down Coil for him and to retrieve Kaiser's child. The details of our temporary alliance are not for you."
"Which is all well and good, but why did you call a meeting with us?" Emily asked, making Midas smile innocently.
"Because Coil is one of you, and because your entire organisation is riddling with his moles," Midas explained calmly, smiling as she went still. "As he has blatantly broken the Unwritten Rules, repeatedly and without care, I have no hesitation to expose his own identity. Coil is Thomas Calvert, a former teammate of yours and now a PRT consultant, where he's used his position to get countless backdoors into your systems."
Emily froze, feeling her heart pounding as she clenched her fists.
"You have proof of this? That's a dangerous accusation," Renick said, making Midas smile.
"Of course. Do you think I expected you to take my word for it? Since Coil attempted to have me killed, I've been tearing into his security systems, engaging in some cyberwarfare before I start the more physical war he has invited upon himself," Midas explained, Jaina passing over a large manilla folder and a USB.
She grabbed it, tearing it open. In it, Midas explained how Coil's power worked, amused that his own power was interfering with Coil's precognitive powers. He showed how Coil's base was built by Fortress Constructions, a company owned by Thomas Calvert, before the 'Endbringer Shelter' was lost. The evidence was vast, with countless small things that all added up to paint a single devastating picture.
It also had an ungodly amount of evidence of corruption; people in her organisation that were being blackmailed or bribed by Coil. Backdoors into her systems that Calvert had installed in his position as a PRT security consultant.
"What are you up to? Don't try to feed me some bullshit about upholding the Unwritten Rules. You have never done anything without it benefiting you. Everything you do, you do for yourself," Prophet said, turning to his brother as rage burnt in her chest. "You're an egotistical asshole, you always have been."
"I call myself King Midas; of course, I am egotistical. So what? I am the best thing that has ever happened to Brockton Bay, and I will save it from its endless decay, no matter who tries to get in my way," Midas scoffed, giving them a superior look. "I called this meeting for three main reasons, one of which I have delivered."
As he spoke, he gestured to the evidence he'd given them.
"Secondly, in my investigations into Coil, I discovered that he has some other hostages. Specifically, Dinah Alcott and a child simply named Eri. Both are capes, Dinah is a precog, and Eri has the power to turn back time and reset people to an earlier state. They are both drugged up in Coil's lair," Midas continued, making Armsmasters head snap up.
Dinah, that was the Mayor's niece. Triumph's cousins.
"To be blunt, I hate children. They are powerful, but I have no desire to babysit them; as such, I will be handing them over to you when I have rescued them. I can deal with their addictions to the designer drug Coil used to keep them obedient, but I imagine they will require therapy and other forms of care," Midas explained.
"You expect us to believe that you called this meeting because you were worried about some children?" Armsmaster asked, his anger clear. He was very much not over the string of humiliations Midas had dealt him.
"No, weren't you listening? It's one of three reasons, and frankly, the smallest. I thought I'd give you a fair warning before I dropped two heavily abused, powerful capes in your laps. Stop grinding your teeth, Armsmaster; it's embarrassing for an adult," Midas scolded, watching Armsmaster clutch his fists. "Honestly, Armsmaster, you shouldn't be so caustic with your betters. Know your place."
"My betters?" Armsmaster repeated. "You?!"
"Of course. I'm the better Tinker, as Imp demonstrated when she used my technology to shut you down so easily. I'm the better everything. In the short time I have been in Brockton Bay, I've done more to stabilise and save the city than all your years of 'hard' work, hero. You, Armsmaster, are nothing more than a stepping stone for better men. The measuring stick we use to show off our glory compared to you," Midas taunted, but Emily barely heard him as she tore through the folder, hoping, praying, she could find something wrong in his evidence. "Thank you for sacrificing your reputation to help boost mine so much."
"You're a megalomaniacal villain-" Armsmaster started, but Midas cut in.
"I am, and I'm still a better hero for the people than you ever will be. I am the future, and you are just a relic of the past, standing before the ever-grinding wheels of progress, ready to be crushed beneath them." Midas countered, smiling gently. "Or do you think your Endbringer detection system will save your failing career? Or maybe your precious nanothorns?"
This snapped her out of her shock, glaring at Midas, who smiled wryly.
"How do you-" Armsmaster started, but once more, Midas proved how much he loved the sound of his own voice.
"It won't save your career for one simple reason. Do you want to know the reason your career stays so stagnant, no matter how much you do?" Midas asked, watching Armsmaster go silent. "Normally, I charge for this kind of consultation, but I'll give you this one for free. You work with Dragon too much."
"Dragon is one of the premier Tinkers-"
"And that is the problem. Dragon is amazing; nobody can deny that. Tell me, Armsmaster. If you worked with Kid Win on a project that got international renown, who would get the fame?" Midas asked, watching Armsmaster go silent. "You are the Kid Win to Dragon's Armsmaster. It isn't your Endbringer Detection System; it's Dragons. People might occasionally remember you were there as well. Even if you personally used the Nanothorns, the fame would go to the far more personable and famous Dragon for enabling it. You live in my shadow in the Brockton Bay scene, but you didn't notice because you're so used to her far larger shadow blocking out your sun."
Armsmaster didn't respond, going utterly silent as he glowered at the smug villain. Tattletale and White Rabbit both looked like they were enjoying the show, smirks on their faces as they watched their leader tear into Armsmaster.
"Ah, but we aren't here to talk about your failures…" Midas said before pausing. "Well, we are, but we're here to talk about the PRT's failure to notice the villain in their ranks, not Armsmaster's failing career."
"You said you had three things to discuss?" Renick said, ever the diplomat.
"I am going to kill Coil. This is not up for negotiation, it is happening regardless of what qualms you have about it. He has overstretched his reach, and now I have to cut off his hand," Midas said, his tone utterly casual. "I want the PRT and the other heroes to stay out of this entirely. You have failed enough, and your organisation is too infiltrated for me to let you get involved. Allow me to be very blunt. I have hired several members of the League for a single purpose. If you attempt to get involved in the war the Syndicate and the Empire are about to wage upon Coil, they will put you down."
"Do you think you can stroll into the Rig, threaten us and just walk away?" Emily finally asked, utterly shocked at Midas' arrogance.
"Yes."
Tattletale burst into giggles at the blunt answer, stifling them as she grinned widely.
"I want you to do something for me. Call Costa-Brown and tell her what I have demanded. When she tells you to go along with my plan, we can call this productive meeting to a close," Midas requested, a confident smile on his face. "The fact is, Emily, I am more important than you ever will be. You could call your capes to attack me, then the League would fall upon the Rig, and you'd find the thin ice the heroes have been dancing upon breaking beneath you. I can promise you one thing, however… even if you called the entire Brockton Bay Protectorate to arrest me, I would still leave this place unharmed and with a smile on my face."
"You actually believe that," Prophet said, staring at his brother in what almost seemed like shock. "I know every power you have. I have them too, and you still think you could get away?"
"Of course I do, and no, you don't. You only think you do, my lesser half," Midas laughed darkly. "You are not my rival, Prophet. You're my annoying little brother who follows me around and throws a tantrum when I play a game and don't invite you."
"Please, how many of your plans have I disrupted since I got here? I know you too well, Midas; I'm not as easy to get under the skin of as Armsy," Prophet scoffed.
"Yes, you've mildly inconvenienced me. In truth, I'm almost proud of you because you've managed more than everyone else has come close to, but there are easier ways to get my attention than by playing hero. You lost the moment you decided you'd counter me by joining the side of the angels, bound by the rules and stuck dealing with their hypocrisy and incompetence," Midas taunted, deliberately looking towards Brandish, who seemingly froze in place. "But don't mistake yourself for my rival just because I haven't slapped you down. If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. If I wanted to destroy New Wave in ways even you couldn't fix, it would be gone. You really haven't considered that I could destroy your power with a single touch, stopping you from being such a little parasite? You are still alive, despite your little games, despite essentially exposing my identity while thinking you're so damn smart," Midas drawled, unmasking as he gave his brother a sneer. "Because you're still my foolish little brother who used to cry to mommy if I spent time with my friends without you. Following me all the way to the Bay, becoming a hero just so you can be my 'rival'. I tolerate you for old times' sake, don't think that will last if you become a true threat to my rise to power. Make your call, Piggot. Let us end this farce."
– Rebecca Costa-Brown (Alexandria) –
Coil was dead. She already knew that, replaced by Midas. Contessa had revealed that even while running around doing her own thing.
As she listened to Director Piggot, she already knew what the furious director was going to say and already had her response planned.
"Pull your capes back. We are going with King Midas' plans," Rebecca said, listening to Emily erupt on the other end.
Even as she continued to order Emily to allow Midas to do exactly what he said he was going to do, her mind was elsewhere.
Midas and Prophet were stabilising influences on the cape world. They would ensure that the power level of the various capes on both sides slowly rose, making them more prepared for the final battle while also keeping the world more stable and less likely to fall into anarchy. Number Man had confirmed it; the chances were better if they permitted Jin's rise to power.
It was the same with the rapidly spreading League of Villains. It was a stabilising organisation that was gathering countless villains and making them follow a certain level of order. Formerly chaotic capes who couldn't be controlled without Contessa's direct influence were now gathering under the branch of the League where they could be more easier directed. It stopped infighting lowering cape deaths.
If she exposed Prophet, the outcome was inevitable. The heroes would lose access to the empowerments, while Jin would go all in on villainy. He'd rapidly empower the villains he had gathered to drive the PRT out of Brockton Bay and then spread further. The League was essentially the villainous counter to the PRT, even if the villains liked to think they were still 'independent'.
Emily kept trying to get out of this, but her mind was made up, and she did not budge; finally ended the call after having put her foot down, knowing Piggot must be seething at her orders.
'Order Piggot to follow Midas' plans.'
Contessa had this small sticky note delivered to her this morning. They had put too much faith into the Paths to stop now, even if Jin might have compromised them. She would need to speak with Jin herself soon, but first, she'd sit back and watch his plan carefully. She wanted as much information as she could get before that conversation.
– Jin Yukimura (King Midas) –
Watching Emily return, she doesn't need to say a single thing for everyone to realise what answer she got. Her pudgy face is red with anger, looking like she's burst a blood vessel as she glares at me.
"The Chief Director… agrees with your request. The PRT will not get involved in this fight," Emily grounds out, each word forced out and seemingly hurting her to admit. Armsmaster looks like he's about to argue, but Renick doesn't say anything as he sighs.
"We'll stay out of it as long as it doesn't spread into civilian areas," Prophet agrees, sounding like he's gritting his teeth under his mask. Brandish doesn't look much better as she scowls at me, but she says nothing. Such a well-trained little pet.
"I like these little talks, Emily. It reaffirms my decision not to work with the heroes," I say with a smug smile. "It must sting to have your orders make so little sense. You're a Director, and they couldn't keep you further in the dark if they made you do your job blindfold."
Emily just grimaces, knowing full well she doesn't have all the information.
"Get out of my Rig," Emily finally says, making me laugh as I rise.
"Of course. A pleasure doing business with you; I'm glad we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement," I say, giving them a slight bow as I turn and leave. We get escorted back to my limo, where Overdrive is waiting for us, getting into the back.
As we drive along the bridge, Lisa bursts out laughing, having been holding it in for far too long.
"Did you enjoy the show, my dear?" I ask, watching her get a hold of herself, still giggling.
"Oh god, that was amazing," Lisa agrees, Jaina chuckling as she grabs the wine glasses and pours us all some champagne.
"To a successful negotiation," Jaina jokes, clinging our glasses together. "I honestly thought Piggot was going to die on the spot."
"Oh, she came close. Renick called for the medic team to wait nearby; she was so close to just collapsing," Lisa explained, widely grinning as we drove home. Step one, complete.
– Colin Wallis (Armsmaster) –
Even after Midas left, his words still stuck deep into Colin's mind.
He truly liked Dragon; he respected her more than any other Tinker in the world… but was Midas right? Dragon helped him with so many projects, which he saw as efficient, and always accepted her help, but was that why nobody seemed to take him seriously?
'The Kid Win to Dragon's Armsmaster'.
Was that all he was truly seen as?
Make no mistake, he had no doubts that Midas worded it so harshly to get under his skin. He may not be a social person, but he was no fool. Was it a scheme to distance him from Dragon or just an opportunity to mock a hero without them being able to defend themselves?
But still, he could not deny that the mocking words held a certain level of truth to them. It was why they stung so deeply.
"Do you believe your brother is truly planning to ally with the Empire?" Renick asked, making Prophet shake his head.
"I believe he's convinced the Empire that he plans to ally with them. A non-aggression pact, working together to take out Coil and the ABB and establish themselves so thoroughly that no other organisation can move into the gaps left behind. But actually, keep to his word and ally with them? No," Prophet scoffed. "Midas is an egomaniac; he won't tolerate someone like Kaiser in what he sees as his city. Betrayal is inevitable. Honestly, I suspect he's already working on a plan to destroy the Empire. He'll want to do it in a way that lets him absorb their capes and infrastructure so he can prevent anyone from moving into their territory. I imagine he'll prioritise turning the female capes; Midas is predictable in that way; his libido has always been one of his biggest weaknesses."
"If he succeeds, he'll be the only villainous gang leader in Brockton Bay, with far too much power for us to drive him out. He already has a worrying amount of capes; adding the Empire capes to his numbers will make removing him nearly impossible," Renick said, a grimace on his face.
"I have work to do. I need to speed up my own plans because if Midas finishes his plan for the Empire before we're ready, we'll be his last target before the Bay is his entirely," Prophet warned. "He's getting ready for the final stages for Brockton Bay, and we're still stuck playing catch up."
"And yet, you still haven't agreed to start empowering the heroes," Armsmaster pointed out, making Prophet turn to him.
"I have agreed. Do not blame me for the slow gears of your organisation. You have my number; I've been waiting for you to approach me," Prophet scoffed. Armsmaster went quiet, knowing that Prophet was right. The higher-ups were still arguing over where to start the negotiations; how did you put a price on power?
Elastigirl's empowerment was proof that Prophet was willing to empower Protectorate heroes.
"That's why you're losing, by the way. The PRT is bound in so much red tape that you can't keep up with Midas. It's why I am not willing to join you. Frankly, your organisation is too inefficient for me to consider joining up," Prophet pointed out. "Call me when you're ready to stop playing around."
As they went to leave, Colin made a decision and approached the independent heroes.
"Prophet, would you be willing to make a deal for an empowerment between us instead of going through the PRT? I find myself equally frustrated by the PRT's dragging heels," Colin admitted. He didn't particularly like Prophet, finding the younger man to be rather arrogant and abrasive, but watching Midas tear into him had endeared the other cape to him. They both were subjected to Midas' unfortunately deadly insults.
Elastigirl had gone to Prophet for the same thing, so the PRT couldn't complain about him working around them.
"Hm, yeah, I think we can come to an agreement. Not right now; I have work I need to do, but come visit me at the Den of Dionysus sometime," Prophet agreed, giving him a respectful nod. "If nothing else, I think I know how Imp keeps compromising your gear, and as Midas just said, I do love being a thorn in his side."
"I appreciate it," Colin said before pausing. "Do you think he was right? About Dragon?"
Prophet hesitated, scratching his chin awkwardly.
"I think he worded it to be as aggravating as possible, but… yeah. If Alexandria takes down a powerful villain, do people ever remember the other heroes who were there? It's the problem with becoming so well-known. Dragon is known for being a very humble hero, but she is also the Tinker. The closest the world has to a replacement for Hero himself. Any project she even helps with becomes Dragon's project, even if someone else did 90% of the work," Prophet explained. "It's just the nature of that level of fame."
Essentially, it wasn't something that Dragon could change even if she tried. He could remember major takedowns by Alexandria, Legend, or Eidolon, but even knowing that other capes were involved, he could not name any of them. Even he had attributed the takedowns purely to the strongest, most well-known cape.
"Thank you, that is insightful," Colin said, his mind racing as Prophet gave him a nod.
"Of course. I look forward to your visit," Prophet replied before he turned and left, taking New Wave with him.
He had a lot of thinking to do.
– Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy) –
When Midas requested her presence at her earliest convenience, she got the feeling that it had better be convenient for her immediately. Midas was a powerhouse, and while she wasn't under obligation to come running when he called her name, she didn't want to lose the protection of the League with the Empire still breathing down her neck.
Getting out of the car he'd sent for her, she entered the building with a confident stride that she didn't quite feel. Being led down into the base, she was led into a room where the King himself was waiting for her.
"Ah, Ivy, thank you for coming so promptly," Midas said, gesturing for her to take a seat as he did the same.
"I can't deny I was curious what you'd want with little old me," Ivy agreed, putting a sultry tone on. The leaf dress she was wearing left a lot of her green skin on display, using every tool she had at her disposal. "How can I help Brockton Bay's King?"
"In this case, it may be more about how the King can help you," Midas explained, making her raise an eyebrow curiously. "I have come to an agreement with Kaiser, and part of his territory is being given to the Syndicate for services rendered. That includes the district that your botanical gardens are located in," Midas explained, getting an impressed look from her. "You are welcome to continue living there, of course, as long as you obey the rules I have set for all villains holding a lair in my territory."
"Easily done; I have no desire to muddy my own back garden and don't want any more territory," Ivy agreed, feeling the Sword of Damocles hanging over her. The unspoken threat was obvious, and Midas just smiled, pleased by her submission.
"Excellent. Now, Kaiser has bigger problems than you, and I have offered to act as the middleman for a ceasefire. Kaiser is willing to let bygones be bygones in exchange for the release of Hookwolf," Midas explained, and her eyes narrowed. "He promises to keep Hookwolf from seeking revenge, and he made that promise to me. If Hookwolf comes for you, he will be killed."
"I rather like having my pet bodyguard," Ivy countered, making him nod.
"Of course, and it isn't fair to expect you to give up such a powerful pawn without due payment. I am willing to… purchase Hookwolf from you in exchange for three things. Firstly, a power upgrade of your choice to make up for your lost manpower," Midas offered, making her smile slightly. She had access to his empowerment through the League, but it was expensive, and she hadn't had much chance to make money while fighting the Empire. "Follow me, please; the second is better shown rather than told."
Obeying, she followed him through the tunnels and froze as they entered a room. Her power went wild as she looked up at the giant, sentient carnivorous plant staring down at them, drooling.
"This is… Petey, no, I didn't name it. A biotinker in my service made it but could not take him with her, and I have been looking after it ever since. I believe your power will work with him, and the biotinker has agreed to let you keep him if you can take care of him. He is dangerous, only I can feed him because he hates the taste of gold, and he is very powerful. My biotinker friend worked hard on improving her creation," Midas explained, making her nod mutely, her power reaching out to the giant plant with vines stronger than steel. "He will serve as a replacement for Hookwolf, protecting your lair even if he cannot travel everywhere with you."
"He's amazing," Ivy admitted. "Can I meet your biotinker friend?"
"Perhaps eventually, but she is keeping a rather low profile at the moment for obvious reasons," Midas explained, and she got it. The PRT would hate the Biotinker even more than they hated her; Biotinkers were a step above Masters.
"You said you had three things, and while I can't deny that I am tempted, that is only two," Ivy said, gathering her thoughts. She'd already shown her hand and honestly would give up Hookwolf for either of the two things already offered just to get the Empire off her back.
"Of course, follow me," Midas agreed, stepping back as a vine swung for him. Midas once more went through the twisting corridors of his base, arriving at what was clearly a prison.
She froze as she saw the beaten man inside the cell, clearly unconscious.
"I believe you know our guest, Doctor Isley. Jason Woodrue, or the Floronic Man as he prefers, attempted to join the League rather recently. Unfortunately, he was illegible due to his actions against a current Leauge member," Midas explained as she glared at the body of her former lover. The man who seduced her and then kidnapped and experimented on her for months. "He took our refusal poorly but had an overexaggerated opinion of his own powers, powers that I have since crippled in retaliation for his actions. I am willing to hand him over to you as part of the trade for Hookwolf. I'm sure you have your own misgivings you'd like to clear up with him. So, Poison Ivy, do we have a deal?"
Midas smiled, a knowing smile that clearly already knew her answer. He could demanded that she stripped and collared herself as his pet, and she'd still have agreed for a chance to get her revenge on the villain who was responsible for her trigger.
"Why, King Midas, you're spoiling me," Ivy said with a sultry smile, running her hand along his chest as she hid her hatred and rage behind a seductive guise, planning Woodrue's slow and painful death. "How could I refuse?"
– Jin Yukimura (King Midas) –
[The Art of the Deal] - Schemer
You have a precognitive sense of how likely the other party is to accept any deal you plan to offer. If you offer a deal that is heavily in the favour of the other party, it will make them feel indebted to you.
Yeah, I figured she would accept my generous offer. And now, Kaiser will be grateful to have his attack dog back… for a short time. I have plans for Hookwolf, and he's going to help me deal a lethal blow to the Empire.
— Bonus Scene — Aisha Laborn (Imp)
Running across the rooftop, she followed her prey and leapt as she reached the end, her cybernetic legs sending her soaring through the air as she let out a whoop of pure joy, landing with ease as her cyberware cushioned the fall as she continued to hunt her target.
White Rabbit gave her a mocking wave, dashing from rooftop to rooftop as they parkoured through her turf. Despite all her cyberware, even the fucking sandevistan, she struggled to keep up with the Rabbit, who was way too slippery, but it didn't change the wild grin on her face as they raced through the city, moving into Midas' territory.
As she leapt, she glanced to the side and laughed as she changed one of those big electronic billboards to her favourite playlist of annoying videos, hacking into it in an instant. The boss didn't care as long as she didn't cause too much trouble, and it'd change back in a few minutes.
Why the fuck did Brian think that her getting chromed was a bad thing?! This was the best time she'd ever had. Brian was just a fucking downer, everyone else was having fun, but Brian and his creepy friend just sulked over being put on her team. Idiots.
Mom wasn't doing drugs anymore or turning tricks for said drugs; she was strong and had the protection of the smartest villain in the world, and they got to cause chaos and fuck with the Wards all the time. Clockblocker was funny; if she wasn't aiming for someone older, she might have hit on him. Kid Win was even funnier because he looked like he was going to cry when she hacked his hoverboard and stole it.
Rabbit came to a stop, grinning as Aisha caught up with her.
"You are stupidly fast," Aisha complained playfully, making Rabbit giggle.
"And you're getting better, Aisha," Rabbit praised, ruffling her hair. "Midas was right; having an apprentice is fun. But, while you're getting the parkour and escaping down… think you're ready for a little larceny?" Rabbit asked with a wide grin, making Aisha's eyes widen. "The Boss wants a painting that is at some fancy gallery downtown; wanna go get him his prize?"
"Oh, hell yeah," Aisha agreed, beaming. Rabbit was her villainous mentor, teaching her how to properly steal, none of that amateurish pickpocketing or shoplifting, showing her how to parkour and slip away from any pursuer. "I've not had a chance to thank him properly for everything he's done, but this could be a nice start."
"Aww, poor girl, has the big bad boss been clam-jamming you?" Rabbit teased, her hand on her hip as Aisha rolled her eyes. Rabbit liked to boast about how much time she spent in Midas' bed. "Well, why don't we get him some tribute and see if we can get him to stop being such a bully."
Aisha grinned, listening as Rabbit explained the plans for the heist. Rabbit got her, unlike Brian, who still treated her like she was a fucking kid. She was honestly the best mentor a girl could have.
Author's Note:
Written: 11/06/2024
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by
The Celestial Remnant
Chapter 03: Initiation
Listening to Professor Ozpin give a frankly rather mediocre speech; I lean against the wall with a curious look around the room. The massive auditorium is filled with hopeful students, but more than half won't make it through tomorrow. Beacon is a demanding place, and the initiation will remove the chaff.
Pyrrha gives me a wave from the other side of the room, which I return with a small smile. Apparently, we'll be sleeping in the auditorium, going straight into the initiation in the morning. I wonder if they're looking for troublemakers to get rid of before the test even begins.
100cp gained, 400cp remaining for [Widow's Guidance]
One step closer. I hope initiation will provide a nice boost to my CP, but I'm still in the experimental phase of working out what grants me CP. Looking around the room, I mentally sigh. I dislike sleeping with others around, so the idea of sharing the room with well over a hundred other teenagers makes me groan slightly.
I pretend not to notice Blake watching me from the other side of the room. Pulling out a book, I take a seat against the wall and pretend to read as I project my senses. Time to do some scouting. I'm aware enough of my physical location to fake reading, and I want to gather as much information as I can before the initiation.
It's only cheating when other people do it, after all.
– Ruby Rose –
Despite the packed room, something that made her shudder at just how many people were stuffed into one room, a single person stood out to her as she spotted him leaning against the wall.
Silver eyes…
Back at Signal, some of the other girls had bullied her for having silver eyes, saying she was a freak. Yang beat them up, obviously, but it had made her well aware of how rare her eye colour was. The only person she could even think of who shared it was her mother, but sitting against the wall, the older boy flipped the page, brilliant silver eyes peering through a pair of stylish glasses as he read his book.
"See something you like?" Yang asked, making her jump in surprise. "I don't blame you; he's a foxy one, isn't he?"
"Yaaang," Ruby whined, kicking her sister's shin, which just made her laugh. "It's not like that. He has silver eyes!"
"Huh, so he does. Maybe he's Mom's secret Faunus son!" Yang whispered conspiringly, making her eyes widen before Yang snorted. "Or maybe he just has silver eyes; it's not like you're the only person in the world with them, Rubes."
"I know that!" she muttered, averting her gaze. "It's just… interesting, is all."
Yang laughed but didn't press it, and they settled down next to each other, getting ready to sleep. "Well, if you're interested, sis, go ahead and say hello. You only get one chance to make a first impression."
Ruby flinched at the suggestion; approaching a stranger sounded far worse than approaching a Grimm. She knew what a Grimm was going to do, but strangers were unpredictable.
"Go on, it'll be fine," Yang encouraged, seeing her reluctance. "This is your chance to make some new friends; you can't just follow me around for the entire time."
Ugh…
"Why not?" Ruby whined, making Yang roll her eyes.
"Come on," Yang said, her extroverted sister grabbing her arm and forcibly dragging her towards the boy who clearly didn't want to be disturbed! He looked up as they stood in his light, making her freeze. "Heya, foxy. This cutie is Ruby; she wants to talk to you."
"Hello?" the boy said, and Ruby froze at the soft, almost feminine voice. It sounded so familiar…
"H-hi!" Ruby squeaked, being put on the spot. "You have silver eyes!"
"Hm, so do you," the boy agreed, raising an elegant eyebrow. His ears twitched slightly, her eyes lingering on the tail that was currently resting next to him… it looked so fluffy. He seemed to be waiting for her to speak, and Yang was giving her an encouraging look.
"I like your tail!" Ruby sputtered out, making him blink. "It looks really fluffy. We have a dog with a super fluffy tail, but yours likes even more fluffy."
Her mouth moved faster than her brain, rambling as the boy watched her curiously.
"I think that's kinda racist," Yang stage-whispered, making Ruby freeze. Oh no, was she being racist?! She didn't mean to be-
"Nah, it's fine. It is fluffy; I use a special shampoo for it," the boy agreed, making her sigh in relief. "Akari."
"Ruby!" Ruby squeaked, offering her hand, which he took and shook gently. His skin was so soft, but she had successfully engaged her brain and didn't say that out loud. "Ruby Rose, and this is my sister, Yang."
Yang gave him a grin, looking proud at Ruby's ability to only mostly screw up a conversation.
"Is that your weapon?!" Ruby asked, falling back to old faithful as she spotted the umbrella next to him. Yang sighed, but Akari gave her a soft smile as he reached for it. Weren't they supposed to put their stuff in the lockers? Was she allowed to go and get Crescent Rose?
"Yeah, this is Kasa-obake," Akari agreed, giving it a pat. "It's my spear, shield and rifle."
"I have a scythe. It's called Crescent Rose, and it is also a powerful sniper rifle," Ruby explained, excited as she looked over the weapon. He saw her interest and offered it to her, which made her eyes widen as she took it.
"Isn't that an umbrella?" Yang asked, making Ruby give her sister a dirty look as she examined the very well-maintained weapon. Someone had put a lot of love into this.
"Yeah, so I can shield myself from rain and bullets," Akari agreed calmly, uncaring of Yang's almost mocking words. "It's tougher than it looks."
"Hey, if it works, it works," Yang agreed with a shrug. "Whatcha reading?"
Ruby zoned out, admiring the well-made weapon. He wasn't wrong about its toughness.
"Rubes? Oi, Ruby," Yang said, giving her a poke as she jumped. Whoops…
She gave Akari his weapon back, wishing she had Crescent Rose to show off.
"It's really well made. Did you design it yourself?" Ruby asked, making him nod.
"I did, and thanks," Akari agreed. A beeping made them blink as Akari sighed and opened his bag. A small, adorable robot floated out of it. "This too. This is Couant, my shield drone."
The small orb beeped again, its display showing a cute smiley face as it twirled around them for a moment before it returned to Akari.
"It gets jealous if I show off Kasa without showing it off as well," Akari explained, rubbing his forehead. "I thought it was funny when I programmed it."
She went to speak, before someone called that the lights were going to be going out soon, making her eyes widen.
"Guess its time to get some sleep; we don't want to go into initiation tired," Akari said, putting his book away. "Good luck; maybe we'll end up on the same team."
"Same to yo- wait, team?" Ruby squeaked, making Akari blink.
"We'll be getting our partners tomorrow, then our teams. You didn't know?" Akari asked, making her eyes widen in dread. That's what Qrow was laughing about! They didn't think she might want a warning about teams.
"Yang-" Ruby started.
"Oh no, this is a good chance for you. You can't follow me forever," Yang warned, making her pale.
"I don't think we get to pick, anyway," Akari added, fueling her dread. Oh no… "It was nice to meet you, but I'm turning in for the night."
"Yeah, good night, dude. Good luck tomorrow," Yang said, taking her hand. "Come on, Rubes, it won't be that bad."
As they left, she turned back and gave Akari one last look, seeing him watching them leave. Why did he sound so similar to the ghost from Patch?
– Akari –
Feat Achieved: Befriend Ruby Rose (100cp gained, 300cp remaining for [Widow's Guidance])
Ruby is definitely a fellow introvert; I can respect that. I'm glad she saw how much effort I put into keeping my tail in such good condition.
As the room goes dark, I switch to my pyjamas with a small smile as I get into the sleeping bag. I'm not done scouting yet, they interrupted me, but I was able to listen to two teachers discussing the plans for the test. We'll be retrieving something from the Emerald Forest so I've started exploring the forest and found already found the ruins.
Chess pieces, an interesting choice.
– Blake Belladonna –
She wouldn't be able to stay hidden for long. She was starting to regret using her real name, because while she had avoided Akari noticing her so far, it wouldn't last once they both passed the initiation.
She could see just fine in the dark, making a note of where Akari was sleeping. He always liked his personal space, moving to the corner of the room away from as many people as possible. That would help as she waited for everyone to fall asleep, slipping out of her sleeping bag and sneaking towards where Akari was sleeping.
As she reached him, she froze, seeing a pair of silver eyes staring up at her.
"Blake," Akari said, utterly unsurprised as he sat up.
"You recognised me?" Blake asked, making him blink before he sighed.
"You're just wearing an oversized bow; I've known you since we were kids," Akari pointed out. "You didn't even change your outfit."
She flushed at his blunt tone, sitting down next to him to not attract any attention as they both whispered. They both had better hearing, even if hers was slightly muffled by the bow.
"What are you doing here?" Blake asked, making him shrug.
"Your dad arranged for me to take the entry test," Akari replied. "What are you doing here? Got tired of playing terrorist?"
His whispered words made her freeze, glaring at him. They weren't- Oh, who was she lying to? It was exactly why she'd left. The insult coming from another Faunus made it sting all the more.
"Look, I need you to keep quiet. I used faked credentials to get in, but they don't know I'm Wh- I used to be White Fang," Blake whispered, making Akari raise an eyebrow. "Don't give me that, you work for Sienna."
"I work with her to scout the island for threats. I didn't run away to join a bitter psychopath on his mad quest. You know Adam is on the most wanted list of three Kingdoms?" Akari asked bluntly, making Blake flinch back. "You've been his partner for years; you realise how fucked you'd be if that gets out?"
"Which is why it isn't going to," Blake retorted. "The Fang don't need to know I'm here, and Beacon doesn't need to know about my past. I'm trying to do the right thing here, I know joining the Fang was a mistake."
She constantly looked around, paranoid someone was listening in to their very quiet conversation.
Akari didn't look impressed, cold eyes staring at her.
"And your parents?" Akari asked, sending a wave of guilt through her. They must hate her… both of them had told her not to join the White Fang, and she ignored them. They warned her about Adam, but she didn't listen.
"I'll talk to them when I'm ready," Blake said, getting a disappointed look from him. "Look, as long as you don't say anything, then I should be fine. Are you going to expose me?"
Akari didn't reply, which sent a shiver of dread through her.
"Akari, please. The White Fang would kill me for abandoning them, and Beacon would toss me out if they found out I used to be a member," Blake pleaded, hating how expressionless he was. She couldn't read him at all, having no idea what was going on behind those silver eyes. His silence was deafening, sending a shudder of fear through her body. Her plans felt like they were shattering before she'd even had a chance to start on her new path.
She knew Akari didn't particularly like the White Fang, but he'd worked with them as well. Maybe she'd underestimated how much he disapproved of their actions. She knew that a lot of Faunus thought they were just making things worse, and Akari was such a passive person. He wasn't the type to fight against the injustice their people faced, but then what did he even know of it? He never left Kuo Kuana before. He'd learn now that he was in Vale.
Placing a hand on his leg, she gave him a desperate, pleading look. She and Akari had never been that close, despite how her parents seemed to favour him, so she didn't try and call on a barely existing friendship.
"Akari, I'm begging you, please don't say anything," Blake said.
"I'll think about it," Akari said simply, not agreeing to anything as she felt her heart drop. She didn't appreciate the idea of having to spend every day worrying about if he'd made his decision and told either group her secrets. "You might drop out of the initiation anyway."
She gave him an unamused look. She had plenty of experience fighting with the Fang, more than any of these other kids. She didn't like the implication that he thought she wasn't good enough for Beacon. But then, she hadn't forgotten just how good Akari could be with his spear, either.
"Just… talk to me before you do anything, please," Blake said. Akari just stared at her, but as she went to speak again, she heard some movement and froze up. A boy was getting up, walking towards them. He didn't stop, heading towards the toilets, but paused to see them sitting next to each other, her hand on Akari's leg.
Muttering an apology, he walked past, and she went silent. This wasn't the place for this, and giving Akari one last pleading look, she slipped away and headed back to her own sleeping bag.
– Akari –
Feat Achieved: Make Blake Desperate (100cp gained, 200cp remaining for [Widow's Guidance])
Huh.
I was just tired and didn't want to deal with Blake and the mess she'd gotten herself into right now. Curious.
Laying back down, I shrug to myself. She doesn't want me to tell anyone, but I've already told Kali where her idiot daughter is. Kali is relieved to know that Blake is here, alive and seemingly well, but she's also decided not to confront her daughter yet since there's always the chance Blake will run away again. It does seem to be her default state.
Sienna doesn't care where Blake is, but I suppose Adam might have taken her decision to abandon him poorly, so her worry about the Fang is fair enough.
Still, that's a problem for later. I'm tired, and I think I've finished searching the forest. I know where the relics are and have a vague layout of the forest. Tomorrow should be easy enough.
– Pyrrha Nikos –
Spotting Akari standing over to the side, she moved away from the pushy Schnee girl to go and stand by him. He looked tired, yawning as his tail swayed behind him agitatedly.
"Good morning, Akari," Pyrrha said, getting his attention. She wanted to talk to him yesterday, but Weiss wouldn't leave her alone, and then he was reading and she didn't want to interrupt him. Weiss didn't mean any harm, but it was clear the rich girl was hoping to get on a team with her so she could use Pyrrha's skills and fame for herself. It was all too common; most people wanted to get close to her for the same reason.
"Morning, Pyrrha," Akari yawned, stretching slightly. Before they could say anything (or she could push the idea of working together), Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch started explaining how this would work.
They picked their teammates by eye contact? Wasn't that a little random? Well, she was hardly the only one who found that strange or distressing, given the sounds the younger girl standing nearby made, a blonde girl chuckling and nudging her. She'd seen those two talking to Akari last night.
"Good luck, and see you on the other side," Akari said, making her pause as he nodded at their feet. Her semblance had picked up the platforms, but her eyes widened as she felt the mechanics inside. Launch platforms?
The blond guy who was being kinda creepy towards Weiss asked about parachutes. Was that some kind of joke? Giving Akari a smile as she felt the mechanics start to move, she started to plan.
"Good luck!" Pyrrha agreed, preparing herself as she was launched into the air. Watching the platforms as Akari was also launched, she giggled slightly at the blank look on his face as he was sent soaring through the sky, but he didn't seem worried.
With a serene calm she almost envied, he simply opened Kasa-obake and spun it, using the umbrella to slow his descent like in that movie about the magical babysitter. She could tell where he was going to land, and while she had no way to slow herself down, she could set off towards him when she landed.
Akari either didn't know about her fame or simply didn't care, both equally exciting for her. She knew who she wanted as a partner.'
– Ozpin –
It was no exaggeration that Silver Eyed warriors were extremely rare. Once upon a time, they had been more common, but over the years of Salem and her minions hunting them down, they had become rarer than Maidens.
So when the Menagerie sent a young boy with blatantly silver eyes, his record saying he was an orphan, he immediately jumped on the opportunity to bring the young man into Beacon. Even if he had failed the tests, Akari would have been invited to join them (much like Ruby had, despite her age).
Akari had blown through the tests; in fact, he was one of only two aspiring students who had managed to defeat their opponent during the entrance tests. Pyrrha Nikos was the only other one.
Pyrrha, a potential Maiden should Amber not recover. Ruby Rose, the daughter of one of the last Silver-Eyed warriors… and Akari, a Silver-Eyed mystery. What an interesting year.
Akari landed, and he paused in place as he closed his eyes. His Semblance was on record, but Ozpin suspected that the paperwork had understated how powerful it truly was as Akari immediately turned towards the relics and set off in a direct line.
Mr Arc landed if one could call it that, Ozpin raising an eyebrow as the young man with the falsified records crashed through the trees and hit the ground. He did not even have his Aura awoken?
He knew the records were faked, of course, but he did not expect an Arc to be suicidal enough to try and attend without their Aura awoken. The family was known for producing brilliant Huntsmen, and he had hoped that Jaune would follow his ancestor's example.
Jaune wasn't dead, but that was likely to change if he did not get any aid. He was unmoving, body twisted, in a Grimm-infested forest.
Another initiate came across the scene, eyes widening in shock at the sight. Lie Ren paused, looking around before he moved over to the injured form of Jaune. Lie was an intelligent young man, already working out that the boy had no Aura, and after a moment of hesitation, Ozpin watched Lie awaken Jaune's aura. It wasn't enough to awaken the badly injured teen, but it likely saved his life.
Picking Jaune up, Lie focused as he used his Semblance to suppress their emotions, understanding that he was in no position to fight any Grimm.
Ruby found her partner, Ozpin chuckling as the girl excitedly hugged her older sister. Raven and Summer's daughters would be two to watch, even if Ruby hadn't inherited her mother's eyes, and there wasn't the possibility of Yang inheriting a spark of the magic he'd given Raven.
Two people, both seeking Akari, encountered one another. Blake and Pyrrha both hid their disappointment, having found each other while looking for their mutual acquaintance. Still, they quickly headed in the direction Akari had gone, Blake using her skills to track him.
It was an interesting pairing; Blake was unlikely to care for Pyrrha's fame, and Pyrrha would not judge Blake for her race or her past.
"Sir, we should send someone to help Mr Ren. I told you that Arc boy didn't belong here," Glynda scolded, making him hum.
"Not yet, but have Peter be ready to head out. If Mr Ren can reach the relics, he has earned his place here. If we send someone in, I'll have no choice but to fail them both," Ozpin explained, getting an unamused look from her even as she obeyed.
Hm, Akari was currently on an intercept velocity with two other students. Watching with amusement, he sipped his hot chocolate with a smile.
– Weiss Schnee –
"I saw made eye contact with him first," Weiss said, making her decision as the ginger girl made an annoying noise.
"NooooPe," the other girl dragged out. "I called dibs."
"You don't get to call dibs on a partner. The rules are simple and-" Weiss said in frustration. She'd heard someone moving and headed towards the sound, only for this orange idiot to do the same.
Essentially, all three of them reached the small clearing at the same time, and now nobody knew who was whose partner. She was slightly hesitant, the silent male having some very blatant Faunus traits, but she'd quickly come to understand that she wanted to partner with the hyperactive idiot even less.
What a ridiculous way to pick partners; this was utterly silly. She expected more professionalism from a school as prodigious as Beacon.
"You, who did you make eye contact with first?" Weiss asked, making the white-haired Faunus look at her blankly.
"You both came from the same direction at the same time," he explained, setting them back to square one.
"So, we're all partners?" the other girl asked, getting a scream of frustration from Weiss.
"That's not how this works. Do you want to get kicked out because you couldn't comprehend something this simple?" Weiss asked, kicking her feet.
"Look, why don't we just travel together? I know where the relics are, so we can go there and wait for someone else to show up without a partner?" the boy asked, making them turn to her. The other girl seemed to consider it for a moment, looking excited for some reason. "Akari, by the way."
"Weiss Schnee, as I'm sure you already knew," Weiss says. "How do you know where you are going?"
"My Semblance lets me see things from a distance. I found the temple the moment I landed," Akari explained. Ugh, that sounded useful but hardly any good for combat.
"I'm Nora Valkyrie, and that works! I need to find my friend anyway; we came here together. Well, not together together, but you know what I mean? " Nora rambled.
Akari moved suddenly, spinning his weapon around as he opened the ridiculous umbrella and fell to one knee, holding it up as they watched. A single, massive, black feather struck the open shield and bounced off, Akari firing into the air several times as they heard a squawk of anger.
"Nevermore, we've argued for long enough. Let's move," Akari ordered, making them both nod seriously, petty squabble forgotten.
"How did you-"
"Part of my Semblance; I can sense danger," Akari explained, making her nod. She wasn't arrogant enough not to be able to admit when she was wrong. "This way."
Sharing a look with Nora, she nodded, and they followed behind as Akari went from moving at a slow, sedate pace to suddenly acting like the Huntsman trainee he allegedly was.
– Akari –
I think I broke the system.
Feats Achieved: Become Weiss Schnee's Partner, Become Nora Valkyrie's Partner (100cp granted, 100cp remaining for [Widow's Guidance])
I spotted them both, and I hoped to lure them into each other so I'd be left with no partner since most other groups had already formed. I misjudged the timing, now I have two partners? Is that even how that works? I figured I'd be able to get away without having a partner since I have the Silver Eyes, but now I've doubled my suffering.
I pause, considering going to help the dude whose partner is a crippled coma patient but shake my head. He's got caught, being chased by some big Death Stalker, but I can also see a teacher nearby. He'll be fine.
The Nevermore doesn't take the hint as we move towards the temple, firing sword-like feathers down at us. I think I manage to impress the Schnee girl as I pull her out of the way, knocking the feather out of the air with a jab of my spear. [Precognition] is no joke.
If I let my body react, I'll automatically dodge or block almost any threat as long as I have the physical skills and attributes to handle it, which [Invincible Girl] is helping provide.
"Damnit, how are we supposed to hit that thing? Myrtenaster can't go that far," Weiss curses, her rapier drawn as she uses a wind glyph to make a whirlwind and blow away several feathers.
"You'd think the birdie would have run out by now; it's going to go bald," Nora points out, hands gripping her giant hammer. She's not wrong. The Nevermore is high above us, and while I can hit it, I can't really damage it with my mid-tier powered rifle.
We're way ahead of the other groups, courtesy of knowing exactly which way to go (and the haste we are moving at), so we reach the temple first. This is good for our objective, less so for our sudden lack of cover.
"Stubborn bastard," I mutter, looking up at the Grimm. It glowers back, letting out a screech. "Take a hint."
Firing several more rounds at it, I watch them barely scratch the tough fucker. Weiss diverts another series of feathers before they can impale us, but Nora's grenade launcher can't reach up there, and I can't hurt it much, either. It's an impasse, unable to hurt us but equally safe as long as it keeps its difference.
Movement makes me sigh, looking at the forest as the first Beowolfs come out. Ah, that's why it screeched. Irritating.
"Weiss, keep deflecting the feathers. Nora, help me handle the Beowolfs," I order, making Nora nod with a savage grin as she switches her hammer to its grenade launcher form again, firing several times as we both charge in.
The first Beowulf pounces at me from the side, but [Precognition] sees it coming long before it even jumped, my spear striking true as I don't even turn to look at the Grimm, my spear piercing its chest. A pull of the trigger causes the dust within to electrify my weapon, ending the Grimm instantly as I switch to shield mode and block a second set of claws, sweeping my leg out as I call on Brawler to take out the Grimm's legs, knocking it down.
Switching back to spear, I jab down and stab the bastard in the head, using my weapon to pole vault away from the other Grimm trying to surround me. Pyrrha must be amazing, because I do feel almost invincible as I spin through the air and fire twice, striking true as I put down another.
– Weiss Schnee –
Her earlier reluctance to partner with a Faunus vanished as she watched Akari dance between the Beowolf horde, his weapon seeming considerably less silly as he twirled it with grace, ending three Beowolfs in a single sweep.
Yes, it looked like an umbrella, but watching him block several attacks with it made her understand the design a little more.
Nora wasn't bad either, more of a brute than the graceful fighting style of Akira. She tanked blows, smashing the Grimm with her giant hammer, a fierce smile on her face, a single blow smashing a Beowolf into the ground, shattering it with ease.
They were keeping the horde away from her, and she didn't fail in her part of this either, using wind dust to deflect the aerial barrage, sending the feathers flying away from her partner (and Nora).
"Weiss, move!" Akari shouted; the first time she'd heard him speak louder than his soft, serene tone, making her eyes widen as she spotted him spinning his weapon towards her, firing past her at something.
She dove to the wide, spinning in place as she spotted something large diving toward her, fierce claws dripping with a black liquid lunging towards her as a Grimm she didn't recognise pounced. She wasn't fast enough, the four-legged Grimm pouncing onto her and knocking her to the ground, tanking the bullets from Akari as its claws slashed into her Aura.
It snarled down at her, a mouth with far too many fangs dripping down at her as it slashed into her Aura with its claws, her eyes widening as it shredded through her Aura, making the white shield break with a terrifying crack.
Its claw dug into her side, slashing through her dress and her skin like a hot knife through butter as she let out a scream of pain, trying to bring Myrtenaster up to stop the gaping maw from coming down on her neck.
She couldn't, but as the beast tried to snap at her, Akari rushed forward, umbrella shield open as he charged straight into it, the shield electrifying as he slammed it into the side of the beast, knocking it back with a snarl.
The creature dashed back into the cover of the forest, and she barely saw as its hideous figure seemed to shimmer and disappear, but her mind was elsewhere as she touched her shredded side with a fearful look, seeing the red staining her dress and hand. Some black pus was leaking from the wound already, her mind racing as she looked up at Akari with desperate hope, watching the way his beautiful silver eyes seemed to glow.
"You're going to be fine," Akari promised, his voice soft as he looked at her side, giving her a soft smile.
– Akari –
The Silver Eyes react to the desire to protect life, and Weiss is clearly unwell as whatever gunk the new Grimm poisoned her with starts to spread, leaving ugly black lines spreading across her pale skin, visible from where her dress was torn open.
Weiss is arrogant (and a little racist, even if she thinks I didn't notice), but she's young and doesn't deserve to die here. Nora shouts for help, Weiss no longer able to stop the barrage from the Nevermore, and I feel my eyes react as they let out a pulse of silver light, the blackened lines retracting from Weiss's almost doll-like skin. It doesn't help the gaping wound, but whatever it was spreading has been purged.
"Buy me a minute," I shout back, hating raising my voice as I send my Couant to help Nora and get to work. Taking off my kimono and (with great reluctance) cut it into shreds as fast as I can. I can't let Weiss bleed out, and I don't have long to make some makeshift bandages, imbuing the silk with my Aura as I bind her stomach as best I can. She's pale, far more so than usual, and this is only a stopgap.
My [Precognition] warns me, making me leap to the side as the same fucker pounces over Weiss, snarling as it flies through the space I was just inhabiting. Once more, it flees into the woods and vanishes again.
Rising, I spin my spear as I block several feathers, all aimed at Weiss because Grimm is dicks. A mental command sends Couant to her, moving to aid Nora as I slash through a Beowolf.
This fucking sucks, but I just glare up at the Nevermore. Nora was right about one thing: it's going bald… because it is starting to run out of feathers. It's going to have to come down to our level.
Feat Achieved: Gain Weiss Schnee's Love as a Faunus (100cp granted, [Widow's Guidance] Purchased, 0cp remaining)
My eyes widen, and I feel something deep within me awaken. An icy cold chills my veins as the power within me surges, bursting forth. I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to, the Lore of Ice flooding my mind.
I underestimated the power of the Celestial Remnant, my mouth opening in a silent scream as the ice rushes forth.
– Professor Ozpin –
A Lurking Chupacabra, a deadly ambush Grimm found in the jungles of Mistral. It was not native to Vale, and he cursed as he realised what was happening. Salem knew about Akari, and had sent a surprise to try and take him out before he could grow into his powers.
The initiation no longer mattered, the moment that massive Nevermore let out the screech, a horde of Grimm had rushed the temple. Far more than there should be, given that the forest was recently culled in preparation.
He was already heading towards the temple before it happened, but as his every sense screamed, his eyes widened. He was barely able to throw together a protective spell as a magical burst stronger than he'd seen since the Age of the Gods unleashed, forming a blizzard centred right on the temple.
"By the Gods…" Glynda whispered, watching in shock as the entire forest froze over in a matter of seconds, emerald turning to ice as the Nevermore was shredded by a storm of icy shards, ripping it to pieces in an instant.
He needn't have bothered with his spell, the ice sparing him as it spread rapidly, his eyes locking on the centre, barely visible through the storm. Akari stood there, glowing with power, making Ozpin's mind freeze.
A maiden? Well, wasn't that an interesting development?
The storm faded as fast as it appeared, and he could see the dispersing corpse of the chupacabra, embedded with hundreds of icicles, the Beowolfs having been torn to pieces. And yet, Nora stood entirely unharmed despite being right at the centre of the storm, her eyes wide as she stared at her partner in shock.
Akari knelt, looking at Weiss as he reached down, picking her up as he turned and said something to Nora, who nodded quickly. They paused, grabbing a pair of knights from the frozen pedestals, but they moved on as they headed straight towards him.
"Professor, Weiss requires medical attention," Akari said, making him nod immediately.
"Of course," Ozpin agreed, hiding his shock behind a smile.
He paused as they moved back to Beacon, seeing Glynda head to grab the other students, looking over the frozen forest. He'd probably have to rename it, but that was the least of his worries right now.
— Bonus Scene — Ruby Rose
"So, er... did we pass?" Yang asked, still clearly shaken, as they reached the top of the hill. They looked over the forest, which was now a sea of icy blades, frozen trees, and several inches of snow.
They'd been fighting a bunch of jerk Grimm that had come out of nowhere, and then suddenly, all the Grimm were being impaled by giant icicles growing out of the ground; it was snowing, and it was super cold.
"I believe you did, despite the unexpected circumstances. You four would have reached the temple had it not been for the unanticipated Grimm horde and other surprise developments," Professor Goodwitch said, trying to sound calm even as she failed to hide her own shock.
The redhead and black-haired girl both smiled awkwardly at that, and Yang let out a 'Wooo' in celebration, but Ruby stayed quiet. Over to the side, she watched as a blond boy was carried out of the forest by an older man with a massive moustache, a badly wounded boy with black hair and a pink streak following behind with a limp.
Well, that was an exciting start?
Author's Note: Butterflies have flapped their wings, and everyone ends up in different places. [Widow's Guidance] is a Warhammer trait, giving a maxed-out Lore of Ice along with some major buffs. It's an army killer; poor Grimm didn't stand a chance.
The more powerful things in the Celestial Grimoire can be scary, both for the user and their enemies alike.
Written: 04/06/2024
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by
The Celestial Remnant
Chapter 04: Awakening
– Professor Ozpin –
Akari awakening such powerful magic, with witnesses, was both an incredible opportunity and also a problem. The Beacon Initiation was streamed to the other students, it was something of a harmless tradition. There were very few deaths in the Initiation because the teachers were also watching the streams and deployed around the forest, ready to assist in the worst-case scenarios.
This meant that Akari's awakening had already been seen by most of the student body, and before he could put a stop to it, it had also ended up online. James had already messaged him about it, and it was inevitable that Salem and her minions would also discover the rapidly spreading video.
He couldn't suppress it, and with Salem's minions having shown the ability to steal magic, it was inevitable that Akari was a major target for them.
"I take it you know why I am here?" Ozpin asked, the faunus boy (maybe) blinking at him.
"Because I froze the forest," Akari agreed, stating it with such casual ease. "Am I in trouble?"
"Oh, most certainly not. I am hardly going to punish a Huntsman for killing Grimm, after all. I do have some questions, however," Ozpin replied easily, giving him a reassuring smile. "These Ice powers, have you ever used them before?"
"No," Akari replied, a momentary silence filling the room. "It's new."
He was a man (probably) of few words, but Ozpin just nodded.
"You aren't the first to develop such powers, which is why I have called you here. You may very well be the strongest, and you certainly had the most public awakening. I'm afraid you've become a target, my friend, because there are those who will want to either use or slay you," Ozpin explained grimly. "In addition, you also have Silver Eyes. Most would have missed it, but on the recordings I noticed you using them to purge Miss Schnee of the poison. Have you used them much?"
It was surprising that they'd awoken so early but between his Silver Eyes and his magic, there was no doubt he would have risen to very near the top of Salem's list.
"...not really. Grimm seem to target me more when I do," Akari admitted, shrugging. Ozpin nodded, unsurprised.
"They are a gift from the God of Light; it is no surprise that creatures of darkness would hunt you," Ozpin explained, watching his young student just nod easily. Akari's history was a mystery and one he intended to solve. Where did Akari come from? "There are those who would see the Grimm win, cultists essentially, and they have recently attacked someone with similar powers to yours, leaving her in a coma. I fear they will target you as well."
Akari just nodded, still seeming unconcerned.
"...ok?" Akari agreed. A man (?) of very few words.
How does one politely ask if someone is hiding their gender? Perhaps a young orphaned Akari found themselves facing some unwanted attention from an older man and decided to pass for a woman. It would answer one of his major questions and confirm that Akari was indeed a Maiden. Akari's features were fairly feminine, and he wore robes that would easily hide his breasts if they were bound.
"As it stands, you are safe in Beacon. I've been discussing the matter with a friend and ally of mine, and we have come to a decision. We will be getting a transfer from Atlas, who will be joining your team, along with a very talented specialist who will be assigned as your bodyguard," Ozpin explained.
He originally planned to have Lie Ren become Akari's final team member. The young man did exceptionally well and showed that he had the heart of a Huntsman by deciding to risk his position in Beacon and his life to protect the injured Mr Arc, but James had a different idea.
Penny Polendina would be his final team member, and Winter Schnee would serve as a bodyguard for the young magic user. Both could be trusted with the secrets that would inevitably come out.
Lie Ren would get his chance, however. He had too much potential to just be failed and let go due to a situation where there was no right answer. If he'd left Jaune, he would have failed because it would not be the kind of behaviour Beacon expected of its students, but by taking Jaune, he greatly hindered himself. Fortunately, James was more than happy to take a transfer to Atlas Academy.
"Okay," Akari agreed, his face still completely blank.
…that was it?
"So, I passed?" Akari asked after a moment, making him blink before he burst out laughing. Did he pass? He slew two powerful Grimm, froze an entire forest, killing hundreds of Grimm in an instant, all while sparing every single other student, and then got told that he was going to be hunted… and that was his concern?
"Yeah, you most assuredly did," Ozpin agreed, amused despite the serious situation. "Welcome to Beacon, Akari."
"Nice."
For the briefest second, Akari's blank expression changed to show a tiny, fleeting smile.
"So, is that everything?" Akari asked, making him nod.
"Yes, for now at least. I should let you get to your team, both have expressed a certain concern for you. Miss Schnee was rather panicked when she woke up, and you weren't there," Ozpin lightly teased.
"Mhm," Akari replied. "Later, Headmaster."
Rising, Akari just turned and walked off, having said his piece. What an interesting young man.
Probably.
– Akari –
100cp granted, 100cp total.
Feats Achieved: Slay the Nevermore (50cp), Slay the Chupacabra (100cp), Complete Initiation (100cp), Gain Salem's undivided attention (250cp). 600cp total.
Salem. That's who is coming for me? Ozpin seems to know more than he's saying, but oh well. The important thing is that I passed, and sure, the newfound fame is unexpected, but I can work with it. Ghira said I was representing our people, so surely the better I do, the better it is for us?
Hm.
Feat Achieved: Drive Sienna Khan to Drink (100cp), 700cp total
Meh.
[Artifice] - 300cp, 400cp remaining
You have a gift for the creation of powerful magical items. As True Artifacts, their magic won't ever run out, or at the very least won't run out for a very long time. What you can make is limited to your knowledge, your imagination, and your resources.
[Fairy Fountain] 400cp, 0cp remaining
Hidden away in various areas of the world, the fairy fountains are
the homes and sanctuaries of all fairies, sacred places few others ever set foot in. Now, you will find one of these fountains connected to your pocket dimension. The waters within will cure all ailments and heal all wounds, as well as give off an aura of peace and tranquillity, letting all know that this is a sacred place not to be tarnished with violence. You will even find a number of fairies have made themselves at home here, willing to obey the master of the fountain.
Huh, neat.
I have a genius idea.
– Ozpin –
"Ah, Akari. Was there something you forgot?" Ozpin asked, making Akari pause as he considered his words.
"I can probably heal the person who got attacked," Akari finally said, making him blink.
"I'm sorry?" Ozpin asked, blinking.
"The one in a coma, I can probably heal them," Akari explained again. "Got something new."
"I'm sorry," Ozpin repeated. Akari hadn't even seen Amber. Can you explain a bit further? What do you mean you got something new?" Ozpin asked, making Akari shrug.
"My powers give me new stuff sometimes. Isn't that how the other ones work?" Akari asked, tilting his head curiously.
"It is most certainly not," Ozpin replied, but Akari just shrugged.
"Okay, weird," Akari said, as if he was not the weird one. "Anyway, I just got a healing fountain in my pocket dimension. Claims it can cure all ailments and heal all wounds," Akari explained patiently. "So, wanna try and heal them?"
Pocket Dimension?!
"I would like to see this fountain before we attempted such a-" Ozpin started, pausing as Akari just waved his hand and a rift formed next to him.
"Okay."
…oh fuck it.
Getting up, he approached the portal curiously before he shrugged. If this turned out to be one of Salem's traps, he'd congratulate her when he reincarnated for the surrealism involved.
Entering the rift, because it was truly one of those days, he immediately shuddered with pleasure at the sheer magic in the air. It genuinely felt like a place that was saturated with the power of the God of Light, a sense of calmness and serenity that he hadn't felt in a long time overcoming him as he looked around the beautiful forest glade, in the centre was a deep pool of water that shimmered with magical power. Small blue-winged orbs of energy flew around the waters, approaching them hesitantly before circling them curiously.
"What are these?" Ozpin asked, watching as they circled Akari excitedly.
"Fairies, apparently. Cute," Akari explained, watching one land on his finger for a moment before it took off. "So, healing water?"
"Hm, I do belive that your power was correct. This place is saturated with magic in a way that I haven't felt in a long time," Ozpin agreed, making Akari nod. "We should probably test that- what are you doing?!"
He watched Akari, dumbfounded, as Akari calmly pulled out his umbrella and stabbed himself in the hand with it, his aura deliberately down as the sharp blade pierced his skin. Akari didn't even make a sound, watching the blade go through his hand.
Then, equally calm, he walked to the pool and placed his hand in the water. Rising up, he looked at where the large hole had been.
"Works," Akari helpfully added, giving him a thumbs up with the same hand he'd just idly pierced. Oh Gods, Akari was going to drive him mad, wasn't he?
It was only his many years of experience that stopped him from screaming in frustration as he pushed his glasses up slightly with a smile.
"So it does," Ozpin agreed easily, smiling at the young enigma. After a moment of thought, he made a decision. Nothing they were doing was helping Amber, to the point where he was looking at the newest batch of students, wondering if any of them could take her place when the time came. Could he really not try this?
He owed it to Amber to try.
"Well then, shall we see just how powerful these waters truly are?" Ozpin asked, making Akari nod easily.
"Sure."
Akari truly was a mystery, but his power was undeniable. The fact that Akari's first action upon getting this magical location was to bring it up as a way to heal another was a good sign of the good nature behind that blank face.
– Glynda Goodwitch –
Watching as Ozpin lowered Amber's comatose body into the pool, she watched with eager but confused eyes. Akari stood next to her, watching one of the 'fairies' flying around his head, seemingly uninterested in the proceedings.
What was Akari? He was no mere Maiden or Silver-Eyed Warrior (as ridiculous as the statement sounded); this was beyond anything that she or even Ozpin had seen before.
Her gaze was torn from Akari, who was now spinning in place, trying to follow the fairy, as she heard the sound of a feminine gasp.
Snapping her head to Ozpin, she watched with wide eyes and hope in her heart as Amber's eyes opened. Her friend looked around in confusion and shock as Ozpin smiled down at her.
"O-Ozpin?" Amber asked, moving out of his arms and looking down at the pool she was now standing in, coming up to her waist. Ozpin was equally submerged but was clearly unbothered by the wetness.
"Welcome back, Amber. You have been sorely missed," Ozpin said with a smile. "I expect you have questions?"
"Where are we? What happened to my attackers? I remember seeing Qrow, but then- I passed out; I felt like something had been torn from me…" Amber whispered, looking over at Akari, who just waved idly. Amber, seemingly still in shock, mechanically waved back.
"To begin with, we are in the Fairy Fountain that we used to heal you. Our young friend, Akari, gained access or perhaps created this place with his own magic. Your attackers unfortunately managed to escape with part of your Maiden powers," Ozpin explained, guiding her from the waters as she blinked.
"I felt that, but my powers feel fine. What do you mean created this place?" Amber asked, making Ozpin chuckle.
"I do believe the powers of the fountain have even healed your very powers, and as for the second part? I genuinely don't have a clue," Ozpin admitted with a wide grin.
"It just does that sometimes," Akari added 'helpfully'. She genuinely couldn't tell if he thought he was actually being helpful or if he was messing with them, but seeing Amber awake once more, she honestly didn't care.
"Well, thank you, Akari," Amber said, gathering her thoughts. "I owe you deeply."
"You're welcome. Can I go now?" Akari asked, making Ozpin chuckle again.
"You may, though perhaps we should all leave the fountain before the portal closes and locks us inside," Ozpin pointed out, making them all move back to his office. It actually saddened her to have to leave; the tranquillity was very enjoyable.
"Bye."
Turning and walking out of the office, Akari didn't look back once. A very abrupt person, but given what he had done for them, there was much he could get away with.
"He seemed nice, now what is he?" Amber asked, making Ozpin chuckle dryly.
"That is exactly what I am trying to work out. I have my theory but very little to go on so far," Ozpin explained, stroking his chin.
"Well, don't keep us waiting. What's the theory?" Amber asked, her impatience showing as Ozpin smiled at being badgered by her.
"I believe Akari is, somehow, someway, linked to the God of Light. Whether he is blessed, a child of the God, or perhaps even the reincarnation. I do believe that he has some connection with the God. I just cannot confirm how or why. By all knowledge, the God of Light should not have returned until my mission was complete; I simply do not understand why He would intervene in such a way. Do you know what Akari means?" Ozpin asked with a dry smile, getting no answer. "It's from an ancient Mistralian language, and it simply means 'Bright', though it wouldn't be inaccurate to translate it as… Light."
Glynda went still, wondering if Ozpin could be right.
"So… we have a baby God?" Amber asked, making Ozpin shrug.
"It is only a theory, but the power of that fountain felt undeniably like that of the God of Light. I mentioned your situation, and not five minutes later had Akari willed the solution into existence. Those Fairies are alive; Akari's power made living, sentient creatures," Ozpin shrugged. "I do not know how this came about; believe me I wish I did, but that is my best theory so far. It would certainly explain the immense power he showed upon gaining his ice magic."
"Wait, what?" Amber asked, making Ozpin smile.
"Ah, of course, you weren't awake. I could explain, but why don't you just take a look out of the window," Ozpin offered, taking a sip of his drink with a smile. Amber moved over to the window that Ozpin nodded at, which overlooked the forest. Glynda couldn't help but chuckle at Amber's baffled expression, knowing all too well that she looked the same.
"Oz, Fria couldn't do that at her prime and she's better than any of us," Amber said, shock in her tone as she stared out at the frozen forest. She wasn't wrong; the Winter Maiden was by far the strongest when she was in her prime, but even she would struggle to freeze an entire region like that.
"Oh, I'm well aware of the power that would be required to do such a thing," Ozpin agreed. "Beyond any Maiden, certainly, which was my first suspicion… though I do still want to confirm that Akari is indeed male."
"...so, when do I get to hunt down the assholes who ambushed me?" Amber asked, moving on as she clearly had no idea how to handle that.
"I believe it will be better for you to remain on the school grounds for now. We need to ensure you are at one hundred percent, and I suspect Salem's agents have a new target, so having you around to deter them will be invaluable," Ozpin explained, Amber's look going from rebellious to determined. Amber would hate being told to stay in the school, but protecting her saviour was another matter entirely.
"If that golden-eyed bitch even tries it, I'll gut her. I won't go down easily this time," Amber swore, hurt pride and anger clear in her tone at being ambushed.
"Quite. Firstly, however, Qrow saw little of your attackers. I believe one of them was using their Semblance to mess with his mind, so I'd like you to tell me everything you remember about them," Ozpin requested, making Amber nod with a frown on her face, starting to describe her attackers as best she could.
– Akari –
I am a genius.
Why?
Because if Amber is alive and well, she goes back to being a target, and that takes some of the heat off my back. Plus, it helps to show Ozpin, who clearly knows some shit about magic. It turns out that just shrugging and saying 'my power does that sometimes' is indeed a way to get out of questioning over where I got a pocket dimension from.
I don't want to have to put in the effort to hide all my new things, especially given how… noticeable [Widow's Guidance] was. So, I just say, 'Yeah, it does that sometimes,' and shrug when they ask for more information.
Even better, I saved the Headmaster and Professor Goodwitch's friend, which should give me some wiggle room going forward.
Feats Achieved: Join Ozpin's Inner Circle (100cp), Save Amber (200cp), Gained Glynda Goodwitch's Respect and Gratitude (100cp). 400cp granted.
Huh. My fountain paid for itself.
Neat.
[The Honed Edge] - 100cp, 300cp remaining
With just a bit of time and polish, you can restore any blade to its true sharpness, as if it were just crafted. Rust and tarnish can also be removed easily. Your tools and weapons are always in the best shape. Some effort does need to be put into this care, of course.
Neat, my Kasa-obake needs a lot of maintenance.
[Portalist] - 400cp, 100cp needed.
Vilete once knew the secret for making portals that were capable of spanning interplanetary distances, and now, you know that secret as well. You have the knowledge and skill to be able to craft portals between different locations in space. Something within the range of a city can be done 'freestyle', using only your own Aura, though you may need to charge up energy beforehand. Longer-range portals would need anchors and magical focuses, but you know how to craft such very easily. Through practice and study, the range of your personal portals and permanent portals can both expand, with personal portals eventually reaching intercontinental distances, while your permanent portals could eventually reach between stars.
Huh, I could just make a portal back home. Neat. I don't have a choice, but I would have locked it in any way.
Heading towards where my team's room is, I smile to myself at the realisation that we missed the big, over-the-top ceremony. We don't even have a Team name yet since we haven't gotten our fourth member yet, but that ceremony sounded like a pain.
"Akari!" Weiss says, jumping off her bed as I enter the room. "You're okay! You were taking so long. Are you in legal trouble for freezing the forest because I can get my family lawyers to bury them in-"
"I'm fine. I'm not in trouble," I cut in, making her blush as she stops rambling.
"I- well, yes. Of course, you're not; how could they punish you for such a fantastic showing?" Weiss mumbles, giving me a shy look. "I never got the chance to say this, but thank you, Akari. You saved my life, of that I'm certain. I am indebted to you, and you'll find that the gratitude of a Schnee goes far," Weiss swears with a proud look, making me blink at her confidence.
Nora gives me a wave from her place on one of the four beds, but she seems rather subdued. I don't know her that well, but she doesn't strike me as a quiet girl.
"Which bed is mine?" I ask, moving on to what matters as Weiss blinks. "Also, you're welcome, but I'm sleepy."
"Ah, of course you are; you've had such a hectic day. You can take whichever bed you wish, honestly, I should speak with the Headmaster about getting y- us a more fitting room," Weiss says, drifting off into mumbling.
I take that as my cue to move to the bed in the corner; I like corners and fall face-first onto it.
– Weiss Schnee –
Honestly, this room was far too small for them. She was a Schnee and it didn't take a genius to realise how big a deal Akari was going to be. The wave of power he'd unleashed was bigger than any she could find record of. It was something out of myth, not reality.
And he'd done it to save her. Her cheeks heated up, sitting on her new bed (she had wanted the one in the corner, but Akari picked that one; did the pillow he was currently face first into smell like her?).
Akari said something, but he hadn't bothered to lift his face, so his words came out as muffled, making him turn around.
"We're getting a fourth teammate, some girl called Penny from Atlas," Akari said, lying on his back as he turned his head to face them. His doll-like face remained expressionless, beautiful features drawing her attention as she took in his face.
"Another Atlasian? Well, I don't know her, but it will be nice to have someone else from home. Atlas Academy has very high standards, so I'm sure she'll be good enough for our team," Weiss explained, proud of her home.
"Hm. We're also getting a bodyguard because Oz thinks someone might try to kidnap me," Akari explained, and Weiss nodded. It was good to see that Ozpin was taking this so seriously. "You probably know her. Some specialist called Winter Schnee."
"Wait, Winter is coming to Beacon?" Weiss asked, her eyes widening. Oh god, she was going to be the victim of so much teasing. "W-well, she is one of the best; she's a Schnee, after all. My sister is a wonderful choice, and she will easily stop any such attempts against you."
"Sister, huh?" Akari said. "Nice."
"Do you not have any siblings?" Weiss asked, curious to learn more about her saviour. He just shook his head.
"Orphan," Akari explained blandly, making her wince slightly. She had noticed that he never used a second name; did he not have one? It wasn't unusual for orphans to make up their own but did Akari just never bother?
"Same here," Nora added, making Weiss jump. She'd almost forgotten that Nora was even there. The ginger was being strangely silent for a girl who couldn't shut up during the initiation. "Lost mine to the Grimm."
"I don't even know what happened, was just found outside Kuo Kuana as a kid," Akari explained, shrugging.
W-why were they bonding?! She had a rough childhood as well-
Her brain kicked in, reminding her that being a sheltered princess with neglectful parents didn't compare to two people who lost their families before she could try and insert herself into the conversation.
"W-well, I do believe that we should discuss who should be the team leader. Unlike the other teams, we haven't had our team leader picked by Professor Ozpin, so I think we have the opportunity to decide amongst ourselves," Weiss said, preparing her arguments for why she should be the leader (despite Akira's amazing power).
"Not it," Nora cheered, perking up slightly.
"Not it," Akari agreed. "Looks like it's you, Weiss."
"Oh. Hmph, I'm glad you see reason; I assure you that I will lead us to greatness," Weiss promised. "Thank you for your trust."
"You'll do great," Akari praised, giving her a thumbs up.
"We have faith, Weissy," Nora agreed.
– Akari –
Leaders have to do paperwork, right?
– Nora Valkyrie –
Leaders have to do paperwork, right?
Watching as Akari started to get changed into his pyjamas (sending Weissy bright red as he took off his top), Nora laid down on her bed and mentally sighed. Ren wasn't going to Beacon.
She almost wanted to leave herself, but after a talk, she'd agreed not to throw this chance away. They weren't exactly loaded, and this scholarship was a brilliant chance for her, but Ren lost his spot by helping some fucking idiot who came to Beacon with no Aura and nearly died. If he weren't in a coma, she'd track down this Arc and break his knees herself.
Ren should have been on their team, but instead, they were getting some Atlesian chick, and Ren was going all the way to Atlas himself. This would be the first time they had been separated since the attack on his village; they did everything together… and now he was going to be in another Kingdom.
The promises of constant scroll calls didn't make her feel much better as she stared at the ceiling. At least Akari and Weiss seemed nice, even if Akari was clearly a freak of nature. A good one, but a freak all the same. It was fine; she liked weird things.
– Ruby Rose –
Lying on her bed, she smiled up at the ceiling. She still didn't understand how the entire forest froze over like that, but she'd learnt that her new friend was apparently responsible… was he going to be too important to talk to her anymore? She hoped not.
Well, at least her team was nice!
Team RPBY (Raspberry) was officially going to be taking Beacon by storm. She got her big sister, the really nice Pyrrha and the cool Blake. Sure, Blake was kinda a loner, but that was fine; introverts unite!
But still, Akari was amazing; how did he do that? Was that his Semblance? It seemed way too strong. Falling to sleep, Ruby dreamt of adventures with her new team and friend.
— Bonus Scene — Sienna Khan
What the actual fuck.
She expected the next word from Beacon to be that Akari had passed with flying colours, showing off his training and talent to the racists of Vale.
Looking at the picture of the Emerald Forest, completely frozen over, she stared at it in sheer bafflement. Had Akari hidden this power from her this whole time? No, it was impossible. She'd watched the video a hundred times over; Akari seemed just as surprised as everyone else as he unleashed that ice age.
This was new; he'd awoken a new power, and he'd done it in the middle of the Beacon Initiation, where the entire world got to see.
Fuck. She should have seduced Akari, dragged him into her bed and left him too drained to leave Kuo Kuana. Instead, she let her golden ticket wander off to the other side of the world, where he was thoroughly out of her reach.
No, this wasn't the end. Akari was beyond her at the moment, but he would return to Menagerie in time, and she still had her ways. This was good; the entire world was looking at a Faunus as the new strongest. Who cared about the Invincible Girl and her little tournament wins when Akari just froze an entire forest, killing all the Grimm inside without hurting any of the other students?
Plus, he did it to save a Schnee. People were saying that it was his desire to save his new partner that had awoken this power, loving the forbidden romance angle, and that would just make him seem less connected to the White Fang. That was good; if he could replicate it, then he would be in a position to make some real change. Akari might just change the world; she just had to make sure it was in the right way,
She just had to make sure he didn't forget where he belonged and who his people were first. She was well aware that every Kingdom would be salivating over him, but he was one of them, and she wouldn't let them sink their claws into her soaring star.
A call made her jump, turning her attention to her scroll. Adam? Ah, he'd seen it as well and knew they had to solidify the connections that Akari had with them.
"Adam, I take it you've seen it as well?" Sienna asked, covering her confusion and shock well.
"I did. Blake is in Beacon; I saw her in the background of one of the posted clips. Permission to go and retrieve the traitor?" Adam said, his tone angry as she stared at her scroll in pure bafflement.
"Adam, I mean this with all due respect… Do you think I give a singular fuck about Blake?! Leave her; I told Ghira and Kali we'd let her go; she's not worth the trouble," Sienna ordered, wondering if Adam had been dropped on his head. "Akari is what matters, you know, the guy who just froze an entire forest."
"To protect a Schnee," Adam replied, and right then and there, she made up her mind. Adam was not suited for leadership if he couldn't see past his hatred and look at the bigger picture.
Author's Note: You guys don't randomly get pocket dimensions? Kinda weird, ngl.
In true Shiro fashion, it isn't a RWBY fic if Cinder doesn't immediately get fucked over in some way. Sorry, Cindy, but Amber's awake and she is pissed.
Written: 10/06/2024