Expect future chapters to take at least three or four weeks from now on. Work is starting to pick back up after the break, so my already slow writing will grind even more.

I apologize in advance, guys.

Do note that I have gone back and rewritten the entire first chapter. Feel free to reread it if you want.

Enjoy the chapter.


Cover art by: Notgustiarp

Chapter 3


They landed on a rooftop overlooking the area containing the statue. Even though this was close to the outskirts, it was still enclosed on all sides by buildings. Thankfully, each one gave the figure a wide berth creating an empty plaza surrounding it. With all the extra space around it and what appeared to be old stands, the townsfolk would gather to pay tribute to the figure depicted in the monument.

Surveying the area, she found everything she'd need for the plan to work.

So, all I've gotta do is figure out how to knock that down while either immobilizing or distracting Hazel. Easy, right?

The latter would be the tricky part. She racked her brain but came up empty-handed. Instead, she'd focus on just figuring out options to knock it down.

If I'm lucky, my original idea will still work.

She patted the large pouch strapped to the left side of her belt, resting opposite the empty spot where her scroll would typically be.

She cut that thought off before her mood soured.

Speaking of sour moods.

Still being bridal carried, she looked up and saw the kid's face adorned with a blank expression. A stark contrast when compared to just a moment ago. Did using his Semblance affect his emotions? Or was he already over the previous incident?

"Jaune?"

Flinching, he seemed to be knocked out of his trance. His eyes dilated and began darting around until they came to rest on her. Thankfully, he seemed to come to his senses, eyes returning to normal and focus returning to the present. Instead of speaking, his head merely tilted in question.

He's still reeling from that earlier episode, isn't he?

Grimacing, it dawned on her just how frightened he must be and how much pressure she was putting on this child to essentially keep them both alive.

Just a little further.

Pushing those feelings aside meant burying the guilt and not allowing it to drive her decisions. If only she'd done the same for her grief, then they wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

"I need you to take me to the base of the statue so I can check its condition up close. Can you do that for me?"

For a second, he didn't seem to register what she asked, just standing there blinking until it seemed to fully sink in. When it did, his face looked conflicted, hesitating briefly. Looking into his eyes showed the inner struggle quite clearly. In the end, he complied.

"Hold on." He muttered before squatting and illuminating briefly. Her only hope was that Hazel wouldn't notice the veritable beacon to their location.

Hmm...actually, that could work.

She was so caught up in finalizing the plan's finer details while they were sailing through the air that she failed to notice the angle they were falling. Realizing too late that it would end a lot rockier than either would anticipate.

They landed roughly, and like before, she nearly slipped out of his grasp. She let out a yelp as her mind was pulled back abruptly.

"I'm sorry!"

As soon as they righted themselves, he was already apologizing.

After getting his footing, he set her down, taking a wide step back immediately after. She initially thought to brush off his apology and focus solely on finding a way to initiate the plan. She was going to give an offhanded reply dismissing it entirely, but...

She glanced back and saw that his head was held low, and he kept playing with the hilt of the sheathed sword on his back. It looked like the pressure was building again, and the guilt was eating him alive.

He's overreacting again.

She didn't want to say it, but...it seemed that this boy was damaged. Not physically, though he did seem a little skinny for his age, more so emotionally. Noting a few signs that helped point towards him having deeper underlying issues with his mental health. She could think of many, such as how he would react to insignificant slip-ups or the whole panic attack earlier.

Urgency overshadowed any budding feelings of sympathy, though.

I'm sorry, but I have more important things to worry about.

She pushed through both the physical pain of her wounds and the emotional sting she felt throughout her body as she limped forward. Putting more pressure on Crimson Blossom, reducing it to a mere cane.

All the while, he stood by and watched her leave him behind.

Thankfully, she made it to the base of the statue without tripping over her own feet. Too bad at this point, even that winded her. Gazing up, it felt like an eternity before she reached the top, but it was only when she almost tipped backward that its insane stature fully sink in.

"This...this could work alright." Never noticing the smirk growing on her face or how vicious it looked.

It was impossible to see the statue's actual peak from the angle she was looking at. It easily towered over any structure nearby, from the decrepit homes to the ancient trees surrounding it.

She was never that good at calculations, only really being proficient when it included estimating long-distance shots. It was hard to get an accurate estimation of its total height, but she tried anyway.

"Eighty? No, bigger. Easily over ninety high—probably even a hundred feet!" Her hope soared, only barely being kept in check.

"This might not kill him, but even this bastard couldn't walk away from this without some serious injuries."

Enough for them to escape? Probably, but...

She came here to get answers, but could she pass up a chance to finish him if it came to it? Was it even still possible in her current state, or was she overreaching?

For the first time since escaping, she took the opportunity to assess her injuries. If she survived, a more thorough examination would be needed, but a quick check had to suffice. She immediately checked the most agonizing part of her body—the ribs.

"Ow!" She pressed too hard, not ready for the sharp sting she got. Feeling around, she was met with similar pain all around her torso indicating a worrying sign. At this point in her career, it became all too easy to diagnose injuries like these.

"Multiple fractures, no doubt about it..."

She sighed as it seemed the situation just kept getting worse. She was just lucky that her rib cage wasn't wholly caved in from Hazel's assault.

And that's just my ribs. The rest of my body couldn't be much better.

Boy, was that true. Quickly feeling up the rest of her body and ignoring every bruise or superficial cut, she focused only on things that would slow her down.

I definitely either badly sprained or full-on fractured my right ankle.

She wouldn't be walking well any time soon, let alone think of running. Until now, she hadn't even realized but it seemed like her right eye was becoming swollen—no doubt already blackened. All she could do was ignore it, as there just wasn't enough time to worry about it right now.

Thank the Brothers for adrenaline.

It was absolutely the only reason she hadn't passed out from exhaustion, not to mention the burning hate that pushed her, of course. She wasn't concerned that the effects were temporary, only caring that it was helpful to her end.

Putting the rest of her injuries on the back burner, she went back to inspecting the monument. She already had an idea to knock it down but still needed to find the right conditions for it to be viable.

She was lucky, as it seemed that it fit the bill perfectly.

This thing looks like a slight breeze'll knock it down, let alone multiple mini-Dust bombs!

This was great as while she was fully stocked up on her Dust, she wouldn't have had enough to knock it down if it were in better condition.

"Now, all I have to do is plant it."

She already knew where it should go but still hadn't figured out how she'd get it there in the first place. Even with the adrenaline pumping, the intense pain still bled through and hampered her movements. Just thinking about walking around caused intense agony to wash over her, so thinking about climbing it?

She'd be lucky not to pass out from the fatigue, let alone the pain.

I'll need help, but the only option I have is...

She didn't want to even glance back, already knowing what state he was in and how difficult it'd be to convince him to help. But without any other options, she settled on just biting the bullet.

"Here we go," she muttered.

Turning back around, and wouldn't you know, she was right.

He hadn't even moved from the spot she left him at. Seemingly lost on what to do, he chose to just watch her, but as soon as their eyes met, his gaze quickly averted.

No duh, he's lost and completely out of his comfort zone.

Some part of her thought long buried, wanted to reach out at that moment and try to comfort him. She wasn't heartless, but she needed to focus on keeping him alive. Thankfully, it seemed both sides would be pleased as she now had to comfort him for the plan to work.

She nodded, finally able to make a decision she could ultimately fully agree was the right choice.

Alright, enough standing around, Summer.

She hobbled over, all the while doing what she does best—coming up with a plan on the fly.

It was honestly kind of sad how I need a plan to talk to a child, but that's my new life, I guess. Things weren't like they used to be. Everything's different now or rather, I'm different.

Dealing with kids used to come naturally to her, but now she struggled with what to tell this scared child at this point in life. Should she lie and say that everything was alright? That she had everything under control, and he shouldn't feel afraid?

That didn't sit well with her. She'd be keeping secrets that didn't just affect her but would affect his life, and for some reason, that just didn't feel right.

Call her a bleeding heart, but...

I refuse to lie to him. To keep him in the dark about something that would decide whether he lives or dies.

She's been through shit, but she'd hope that the woman she used to be was still there, only now toughened by life.

Or had they taken that from her, too?

"You will not truly die here, but instead your will shall be carried into the future."

The future? What future was there?

I've lost any chance at that. It was stolen away from me, and now I'm too weak to even begin to try to get it back.

Did she even deserve to? It's her fault that it came to this. She drove them away. She thought back on these nightmarish two years. Lamenting the fact that it came this far.

What was it like before all of this? Do I even remember?

It was terrifying to not even remember the peace she was fighting for. A time when their future seemed guaranteed, and there wasn't anything they couldn't face together.

That time feels so distant now.

She'd changed, and not for the better. But was it too late to change?

Do I want to?

Once again, a single thought silenced any attempt at self-reflection.

Focus on the mission at hand. More importantly, concentrate on what we do know for sure.

I promised to save him.

She would die here. He was so right yet more horribly wrong than he even knew. By the time she made it to him, she'd already thrown away any notion of a plan and instead tried to just speak from the heart.

"Even after all this time. Guess I'm still a softie at heart," she muttered.

She stopped in front of him, careful not to touch him.

"Jaune?"

He stood silently, not responding. She let impulse take the lead as ways to lighten the mood began to filter through.

"Hey, don't worry about the landing. I'd struggle too if I had to carry this much muscle around all day," she said, flexing.

It didn't seem to help.

"Welp, there goes the mood, I guess uhh..." Trailing off, wondering if she'd be able to bring him out of his shell before they were both killed.

"You..."

He was muttering something.

"Hey come on, I don't bite."

"You…uh."

She kneeled to his level and gave a small, hopefully reassuring smile.

"You weren't that heavy, ma'am..."

"I um…"

Her hand shot up to her mouth, doing her best to stop the inevitable. She was fighting a losing battle.

A snicker slipped through. Then another and another until a few scant snickers turned into a chorus of laughter. She gave up and rode out the fit, clutching her stomach as it grew and showed no signs of slowing down.

Finally, after a while she was able to regain control of herself. Rubbing her eyes, wiping away the stray tears that developed. Opening them and coming to face a no doubt confused and probably even more scared child.

It wasn't entirely out of her system, so she couldn't help the wide smile that came naturally after that intense bout of laughter. It'd been a while since she'd laughed.

"I-I needed that. Thank you, Jaune."

It helped stem the awkward tension between them. After seeing that she wasn't driven insane from anger, he seemed to calm down some. Now, staring at her with wide eyes that held instead of trepidation, a genuine look of curiosity. Those eyes held such innocence that ironically shined through even the eerie glow they naturally held.

It's a start, at least. Just need to capitalize on it and make him feel more comfortable.

She less thought that and more just felt like she was getting through to him.

"Haven't laughed like that in a long time. Thanks, and for not calling me fat, too."

Even if it was awkwardly worded, he meant well, and she appreciated it. It seemed to help him as well, and she was grateful for that as it made what came next much easier.

"Hey, can I be frank with you, Jaune?"

The question sparked that curiosity, and so he nodded hesitantly. At his trepid cooperation, the smile she wore grew just a tad larger.

"Alright, but you have to keep it a secret just between you and me, okay?"

Ruby and Yang always loved to be told secrets, which didn't change even in a dangerous situation. Hopefully, it distracted him.

"I-I can do that!"

"Do you promise?" She looked at him with fake suspicion, sealing the deal.

"Of course! Arc promise—"

He stopped abruptly, looking like he was gonna tear up again. She ignored it.

"Good, but you promised, got it?" Nodding, he even mimed a zipper being shut over his mouth.

"Alright, to tell you the truth, I'm a little…scared."

This time, the shame she displayed was genuine. It hadn't really sunk in just how bad the situation was getting until she was mere moments away from death. Those few seconds when her life flashed through her mind terrified her. She saw every choice made and every outcome regretted, shaking her to her core. It was only now that there was a lull in the action that it truly sank in.

"I-Is it okay?"

She thought he would have closed himself off again after hearing that, but he seemed to become stunned at the revelation instead. No doubt, he blurted that question out without meaning to.

"Is what okay?"

She knew what he was asking but felt that he needed to say it himself.

"To be scared."

Looking at Jaune's eyes, she saw that a similar fear ran through them, but even more intensely, they seemed to convey a desperate need.

He needed her, and she wouldn't leave him wanting.

"It's alright to be scared. You have every right to be." She didn't know exactly where he would be comfortable being touched, so she settled for his shoulder. "You couldn't have known what you were getting into when you intervened, and no one can blame you for how you've handled it so far."

He was mesmerized, hanging onto every word. She only hoped that she'd be able to get through to him.

"Anyone would be terrified in this situation. Even I'm scared, you shouldn't be ashamed to admit it."

He seemed to take what she was saying at face value, eyes lost in thought.

"What are you scared of?"

She paused when he asked, becoming uncomfortable but before she could change topics, she was already talking.

"That the mistakes I made will be all that's left after I die."

It made sense that he was surprised because she was, too. She hadn't meant to say anything at all, but she knew it would have been lying to say anything else. It was more important to keep the momentum going though, than to dwell on her feelings.

"Tell me, what are you afraid of? Maybe we could help each other out."

His lips drew together, brow creasing in thought. She only hoped that her spilling her guts would make him more willing to spill his. Better to focus on someone else's problems than to dwell on your own, right?

"That I'll never change, I guess? Like that the mistakes I've made are who I am…and always willbe."

She was surprised by how similar they were, and that thought made her worry more about what he'd been through that made them so similar. She wanted so badly to ask, and she would have.

If it wasn't for the distant sound of a house being demolished that brought her back to the present.

Biting her lip to stop the curse that was going to slip out, she watched the cloud of smoke rise high into the air, signaling just how close he was. She whipped back to face Jaune, shelving whatever questions she had as they still needed to finish the plan.

"Jaune, I need you to listen to me." Unlike before, she had his full attention, his eyes looking to her for guidance. "You know what's coming, and I'm not going to lie to you. I need your help if you're going to survive." He was obviously terrified, but now something else had taken root. Resolution.

"Alright, but I won't fight. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Don't worry. If everything goes according to plan, neither of us will have to." More like if it came down to it, then they'd both be dead anyway. "But for right now, I need your help planting charges. Can you do that for me?"

Initially hesitating but eventually nodding his head shyly. Letting out a breath of relief, she couldn't help smiling. Which now counted as the most she'd done in months.

"Thanks, you've been a big help."

She reached for her pouch and retrieved all the loose Dust she had, including most of her Dust rounds, as they all contained small traces. With smart placement, she should just be able to knock it down quickly and efficiently. Since she didn't have a detonator, she took out and pocketed a single Fire-Dust round for later. Using it, she'll set off the chain reaction and ignite the rest of the volatile explosives when the time comes.

Jaune bit his lip as he watched her assemble these doomsday weapons, keeping any comments he had to himself to no doubt to keep from distracting her. She appreciated that, as this was the first time she had ever constructed any form of homemade explosives.

"Alright, finished but you're going to have to be careful with these. Take them one at a time and only plant them where I tell you to, got it?"

He nodded, squatting down and picking up the first bomb. It took both hands to heft them to his chest without his Semblance or Aura. He examined it with cautious eyes as visible sweat built on his forehead.

"I-Is this really safe, Summer?"

"I mean, it's no more dangerous than us coming here in the first place."

They both flinched for different but similar reasons.

Damn didn't mean for that to sound so mean-spirited.

She apologetically looked at Jaune as she knew he wouldn't feel too good about himself from that comment. But to her pleasant surprise, he didn't seem bummed out by it and instead kept that look of resolution.

She took her hand and ruffled his hair. He didn't seem to mind, actually leaning into her ministrations.

"Keep this up, and I guess I'll have to start calling you my little hero." He froze under her grip, though she didn't notice.

"Though you'll have to work on your landing strategies if you ever want to be a Huntsman, trust me."

She gave a light chuckle to her inside joke while turning around to look at the statue.

"Come on, I'll show you where to put that."

Never noticing how deathly still he was or how his eyes seemed to glaze over.

She was able to slowly limp her way to the base of the monument with Jaune in tow. Now with a close-up angle, she was reminded of its size, and with it, her excitement grew to match it. She pointed out where to place them for Jaune and was about to send him to work.

"Before you go Jaune, I'm going to need just one more thing from you, okay?"

Looking at him, she failed to notice the subtle shift in his mood. He kept his head low, his long and dirty hair blocking his eyes.

His head shook stiltedly, never once meeting her eyes.

/-/

He'd lost them.

Hazel huffed and puffed out the last bit of the house he'd blown down. After clearing that out of his system, he braced himself against a tree and took stock of the situation.

The light that he'd been following up until now had gone out. It seemed they'd realized that it was the only way he would be able to track them, without using Grimm, at least. But without that Semblance, how did they plan to escape him?

Did they genuinely think that they could escape on foot? Did she trust the boy to carry her without his Semblance all the way to the outskirts and beyond? He was young, but it wasn't out of the question to be able to use Aura Enhancement to augment his speed without the use of his flashy Semblance. But to keep it up through the miles of wilderness, all while still being able to elude him and any Grimm sent after them?

Unless she could run with him, he doubted they could escape even the village without him knowing.

She shouldn't be able to walk, let alone have enough Aura to make that trip. That wouldn't make sense. I'm sure that I'd broken her body enough to where both options would be unfeasible.

Yet, she still evaded him.

No…

He flexed his hand, thoroughly crushing the tree between them in two. As it fell, it collided with the shabby roof of a nearby building.

She didn't do much, did she? He'd already been done with her before...before...

He gritted his teeth and ripped out the remaining stump, throwing it at the same building. A resounding crash set shock waves as the remains caved in on themselves. Yet all he could hear were his shallow breaths as darkness welled up inside.

That boy...he's interfering with my mission.

He must be dealt with. Yet, hadn't he already tried to finish him? He'd failed once, but how?

He was faster than I anticipated. Yes, much too fast

Was he, though?

His mind, once calm and focused, became a blur with that thought. Replaying each scene from his memory again, focusing on each frame that shot through his mind.

"Get away from him!"

"Oh! Don't worry, ma'am, we've worked it out! Right, mister Rainart"

In the next instance, his fist was sailing for Jaune's head. But the moment his knuckles were about to make contact, he was blinded. The same light that had enveloped the boy earlier came back in full force.

And as his fist was about to land the finishing blow, he vanished.

Yes, I was right. He was too fast to hit at the time, plus as the light shined, it blinded me

Did it truly?

What?

He was about to replay the memory again, but his natural instincts, honed through decades of combat screamed at him, ripping his attention away.

I'm being watched.

He didn't react outwardly. The familiar feeling of danger drew him back to his senses. It stopped him from overthinking and allowed him to focus on the present. His oblivious veneer hid his now more calculated thoughts.

After just a moment of stillness, he was able to be sure of one thing.

This wasn't Rose nor the boy.

He could tell this due to a few factors. The most obvious one was that he could tell he was being watched in the first place. He knew that even in the state she was in, this level of reconnaissance was too amateurish to be from a full-fledged Huntswoman, even with her more volatile attitude that surprised even him. The tension he felt increased as he came to one conclusion.

Whoever is watching me is either too green to hide properly or...

His fist clenched as he scanned every window and bush, every alleyway, and every rooftop, but most importantly, every shadow. But still, he felt those same eyes on him from every angle simultaneously. They seemed to writhe and squirm around him, filling him with dread as to who it must be.

They want me to know.

The only notable thing he saw was the path of destruction he made. The only sounds were of buzzards and birds as he stood in the middle of a cobblestone path surrounded by the ruins of a civilization long dead. But he could feel much more than any of that, so much so that it made his skin crawl.

They want me to know. As if it was all a message specific to me.

The message was all too clear as well. She was watching.

Watching and judging every mistake made. I can only hope that she isn't too displeased with my utter incompetence.

Within him, guilt welled up as he pushed forward to try and locate his prey. Yet as he marched on, a disturbing sense of security washed over him despite the fact that he could still feel their eyes lingering further upon him.

At this moment, as he proceeded to walk on the path that he'd last seen his prey run, the thoughts he'd once been tormented by quelled. At this moment, the knowledge that his mistress was with him silenced any scrap of doubt from his mind.

It matters not what my present self believes is right. All that matters is that I continue to lay the foundation needed to advance to our ever-closer goals.

He will lay the foundation for an everlasting kingdom and grant this remnant of a world a future eternal. Whether laid through brick and mortar—

A radiant light shone in the distance.

"Or through the bodies, I'll bury."

/-/

She felt his arrival long before seeing or hearing it. Each heavy step matched perfectly with the rhythmic beat of her heart.

And by the end of the day, one of these would go silent.

They remind me of the tics of a clock. Doubt he'd enjoy being likened to anything even referencing one, though.

Her musing ended when, at the end of the open courtyard a figure came trudging around the corner. Their eyes met, and a mutual suspicion was shared. They squared off, a pair of hands clasped around a sword-turned cane, and another set were held causally to the side. Yet, it would have been apparent to any watching that both could become deadly weapons at a moment's notice.

She took the lead and broke the silence.

"He's not here if that's what you're wondering."

Hazel's eyes, which had been scanning the area, came to rest back on her.

"It would seem that you're right. So tell me why you are still here, Summer?"

Her hands flexed, gripping the sword in between them in a vice grip.

"I came here for answers, and I'm not leaving until I get them."

Scoffing in clear annoyance, he seemed to lose interest in the conversation. Resuming his scanning of the surroundings, he'd only bothered to keep her in his peripherals from then on.

"Are you still on about this? I've told you everything I know."

"Liar!" She was tempted to shift Crimson Blossom and just fire but pushed that temptation aside.

Not yet.

Sighing, he seemed to lose further interest in arguing with her. It was a level of indifference that set off alarm bells in her head.

He's not even really paying any mind to me. Like…like…

He was tensed up, ready for a surprise attack at any moment. It wasn't directed at her, though.

He's still scanning around us. He's completely ignoring me.

And didn't that just get her blood boiling? Here she was on a silver platter, and somehow murdering a random child was taking a higher precedent. Knowing what he was after didn't help her mood either.

But it would help her plan.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that? I mean, going after an innocent boy, especially with this level of intensity? It's sickening."

That got his attention. His eyes stopped roaming the windows around them and came back to rest on her.

Keep the pressure up.

"He's gone. At this point, he's already made it into the surrounding forest on his way to call for help. All he needs to do is get close enough to the nearest village and connect to the CCT network."

She was already an afterthought. Now, all she had to do was give him a sense of urgency to move on. With his mind preoccupied with figuring out where Jaune is, he won't dedicate nearly as much thought to her—every single thing to tip the scale in her favor.

The plan won't work otherwise.

She'd need him to be as distracted as possible so he wouldn't notice her charging up her eyes once again. Long enough, at least for her to get off the attack without him snapping her neck.

She should have dedicated more time to learn to control her eyes, master be damned. In the end, this would be just another regret added to the list. But with the plan she had, that list would end up being written on her tombstone anyway.

"Is this your way of trying to rile me up?"

Her blood ran cold.

His eyes weren't consumed by intense anger but instead just held an utter apathy. Where's the outrage? Did he figure her plan out already? Or did he just know something that she didn't?

Panicking wasn't an option here, and instead she needed to lower his guard as much as possible.

"Not at all. Whatever made you think that?"

Very convincing.

"Summer, this is futile. You and I both know that, so why continue to make this harder than it needs to be? If you truly cared about what's best for the world, then you should stop struggling for the sake of struggling and just die."

He didn't bother to even look at her when he finished. She was nothing more than an afterthought, just like she had wanted. To initiate her plan, all she would have to do was falsely surrender and when he got close, go on the assault. It was all coming together perfectly.

So why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut?

"Is that what you want from Ozpin too?"

Time itself seemed to freeze.

With a single question—no, with a single name she seemed to have completely thrown the balance of the world off ever so slightly as if she'd opened a door that could never again be closed.

He didn't react for a while, merely staring off into the distance he'd been scanning. It didn't hide his expressions, though. Hence, she could watch every minuet change, from disbelief to contemplation, and finally settling on a burning rage.

He whipped around to face her, his eyes smoldering and veins growing more prominent by the second. Internally, she was in full panic mode, just as caught off guard as Hazel was. But outside?

She couldn't keep the smirk off her face.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve? You seem all worked up now. Where's that stoic expression gone? Hmmm...Ozpin never said you were this easy to anger when he knew you. What changed, I wonder?"

She couldn't stop. The sounds of knuckles popping were echoing throughout the plaza, with the veins on his arms visibly bulging at this point.

"I guess even old allies grow apart, huh? Especially if one turns traitor."

That seemed almost to push him over the edge.

"Do not speak about things you don't understand." He bellowed.

His breathing grew heavy, and when he spoke, it sounded more like a hiss. She should have taken that as a sign that she should stop talking. But it wasn't like she was in any better of a mindset.

"Don't understand!?"

Now, it was her turn to lose her temper.

"I understand what it feels like to have someone I love be taken from me, but unlike you, I don't use that as justification for committing atrocities!"

She wouldn't lie and say that telling him off in the moment didn't feel amazing. Only afterward did she realize what she said—biting her lip and tightening her grip on Crimson, becoming fully prepared for the coming fit of rage.

"Then tell me, what do you think I'm doing then?"

He asked that more patiently than she would have expected as if he was genuinely curious about her thoughts. Well, she wouldn't miss the chance to blow off some more steam if she was already screwed.

The original plan won't work now. He's too fixated on me not to see the energy accumulate, so it's time to improvise.

If she couldn't make herself seem insignificant, then she'd have to do the opposite. Make him so angry he's willing to get hit by the attack just to punch a hole through her.

And she knew just how to do it.

"You're only doing this for petty revenge against Ozpin!"

He was silent.

"You're going to end the world over the death of a single girl!"

Silence.

"Gretchen would hate what you've become!"

By the end, she was sucking in more air and heaving over, clutching onto her weapon lest she fall. Hazel was totally still, long hair obscuring his eyes. It was only after she had nearly collected herself that she heard any sort of response.

Hazel sighed, looking as if all the anger and rage had all at once escaped along with it. Only when they locked eyes again did she see what had replaced it.

Disappointment.

"Is that truly what you believe my only reasons to be? Or is that only what Ozpin has led you to think?"

It was her turn to remain silent.

He snorted. "Of course, that's what he would tell his followers. I'd only hoped you, of all people would be able to see through his constant lies."

She was at a loss at what to say, stunned at his sudden turnaround.

"Did you truly believe I would plunge this world to ruin merely out of some misbegotten grief?" Shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of the thought. "No, my reasons go deeper and strike at the heart of the injustice of this remnant of a world."

She didn't believe him. Couldn't more like it. Even now, where she knew she couldn't fully trust Ozpin, she couldn't fathom a reason as to why he would lie to them—to her.

But why? It's not like he hadn't lied to her before.

"You're wrong about him. He only lies to protect the world from you and your cult!"

Was that true?

"Do you actually believe that? Then tell me, if you truly believe he only has the world's best interest at heart, then why are you here behind his back?"

"How did you—"

"Ozpin is many things, but so foolish as to throw such a valuable piece away along with that boy? If I didn't know better, then I'd say this was a trap."

Feeling his eyes rove her body, taking in every cut and bruise he had inflicted caused her to subconsciously tighten her stance.

"With how you were already half dead before our fight, I'm not surprised he didn't want you to come."

She grits her teeth in anger, not just for what he was saying but because he was right. She did come here without telling Ozpin. Going behind his back to not only come here but to obtain the information that Hazel was here in the first place.

He was right about almost everything. There was one thing he was wrong about, though.

"He's not with me..."

"What?"

"Jaune!" She all but shrieked, her left arm going almost manic in the way it was flailing around. "He's not with me or with Ozpin. He's innocent in all this!"

"Lair."

She recoiled, almost as if being struck.

"W-what? No, I'm telling the truth—"

"Shut your mouth!"

He was heaving after having screamed that out. Fear coursed throughout her body at the sudden shift in temper.

Don't give up!

"Please believe me! I'm begging you."

"You're lying. You have to be!"

Don't give up!

He'd apparently heard enough. His feet slammed into the cobblestone, cracking it through sheer power as he stomped his way to her, ready to end the argument.

A familiar light intervened, bringing it all to a standstill.

Two heads turned to its epicenter. Both perceived what they saw slightly differently—one with bitter resolution and the other with sickening dread.

"Jaune?"


Author's Notes:

This chapter gave a bit more insight into my interpretation of Hazel. Which does differ from what I believe is actually canon.

Wouldn't know as I actually stopped watching RWBY after Vol. 4 and a little way into Vol. 5, as I just wasn't into the direction it was going. I'm more in love with the fandom (At least the fanfiction community), so all of what I know from future stuff is from Fanfiction.

Don't worry, I know that sounds bad. To remedy that, I've chosen to just kinda ignore most stuff past Vol. 4 with only some of Vol. 5 applying. That way, I won't accidentally mess up a character that I've never actually watched.

Note- That does not mean I won't be using any characters/other elements from future Vol.'s as I try to not use OC's very often. But it does mean you won't see them be really that important to the overarching story.

For now, at least.

This chapter was more for setting up the next one, which I'm telling you now will be a lot more action packed. This was more of a transition chapter, and the following will be more focused on the payoff. Hopefully, it won't take so long next time.

See ya next chapter.


Date Published: 2021/01/29