A/N: Not a lot of feedback here, given the Holidays. That's proper depressing...T_T
...sorry for the shorter chapter. I barely managed to finish this on time with work banging on my door. CoAs promised, another Saturday update. Holidays are wild. working the third shift/graveyard shift at both jobs and it is RUINING ME. Every review helps at this point; feedback keeps me sane. I feel so dead inside, exhausted, with so little time to write, think, or breathe. Sleep, eat, work, rinse and repeat.
Worse, things won't go back to normal until January.
*cries* sorry for complaining, I'm a hot mess.
That said, would you prefer weekly updates to remain? Do let me know what you think in your reviews! One open slot remains! As ever, the fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others. I own no references, quotes, memes or themes! They're all tributes to legends far greater than I. I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that. In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know in the the comments~!
Once more, hopefully I captured the feeling of a proper RWBY episode from the old days.
I'll leave that to you, the reader, to determine. Do tell me what you think! It matters!
As a reminder for the Arc Children, I'll list them up here once more: Saphron, Sabrina and Sable, Child, Vaylin, Jaune, Jeanne, and Azula, quite literally the black sheep of the bunch with her dark hair. We haven't seen the ninth yet. Enjoy the chapter~! Away we go~!
Anyone remember Juniper's semblance? Yes? No? Maybe so?
ALLOW ME TO REMIND YOU.
HERE COME THE ARCS.
"Words are powerful things. Take it from me. I should know; my voice IS my Semblance. From the moment I unlocked it training with my husband, I had to train, train, then retrain again. To be so terribly careful with what I said, watch my words, because they were more dangerous than any blade. A single remark spoken out of turn, and a forest might burn. An angry oath and a village collapses. A curse said in anger, and someone might die. And when I shout...well. The results speak for themselves.
I see the way you look at me. You don't believe me. That's fine. You will in a moment.
Let me tell you an important truth. When a blind man sees, the first thing he does is throw away is the stick that helped him. Did you know that? He abandons his crutch, that which he relied upon for so long, casts it aside because, simply put, he believes he doesn't need it anymore.
Not me.
My children are my crutch, you see. I'll always need them, as they need me. Why, I once loved a flower so much that, instead of picking it, I left it alone. I watched it from afar, watered it, warded it away from weeds and all manner of harm. When it wilted, I gave it sunlight. When it grew dry, I parched its thirst. But I never trimmed it. Not even once. Before long, that flower grew and spread far, thorns and all. Now I wake up everyday to a field of flowers right outside my doorstep.
Would you like to know their color?
Don't sulk, now. I'll tell you.
Red like roses."
~Juniper Arc.
Just a Little Voice
Jaune felt the tremors long before he saw the source.
Even then he couldn't help but balk at the sheer size of the swarm. There were just so very many of them, more than there should be; it was a sight he'd seen before yet never expected to encounter here, so far behind the walls of Vale.
Grimm. Here, in the heart of the city. The one place that should've been safe from them, now caught wholly unawares. He could sense the fear, the horror, the dread, a rising tide of negative emotions so strong he nearly choked on the lot of them. No, he was choking, he couldn't breathe...! Oh gods...
He lurched forward in a panic. "Pyrrha...!
"Breathe!" Naruto caught him by the shoulder. "Your mother's with her, remember? She'll be fine. Your sisters, too."
"Rest assured!" Arthur flung up his hands to ward off an attack. "This was not our queen's plan. Kill me if you wish, but I swear, I've nothing to do with this.
Naruto, for his part, ignored the doctor's blustering .
Rolling up his sleeves, he waded in.
Jaune followed his father.
Battles broke out all over the city.
It would prove to be a most memorable afternoon.
(.0.0.0.)
The Grimm boiled forth.
A tide of black and white bearing red eyes, gaping maws, and horrible claws surged down the street and into the plaza toward the hotel to hound a pack of screaming civilians. There were neither huntsmen nor huntresses here, no one to protect the civilians even now fleeing from them. There was no thought. No hesitation. Only destruction, the urge to finally catch the prey that they sought.
Rip and tear. Tear and rend. Rend and kill.
They cared for one thing and one alone.
DESTROY.
A child clutched at her mother, only moments away from being torn in two-
With a sonorous roar, a comet of pale blue fire crashed down from on high and smashed the Grimm apart.
They were still reeling when a bolt of lightning blitzed through their ranks, scattering them like so many leaves in the wind. Even as they fell another struck, then another, and another, followed by yet a fourth and a fifth then a sixth, each longer and louder than the last.
In a matter of moments a hundred Grimm lay dead and smoldering in the street.
...is that all Grimm can do?" A young voice sighed with petulant dispelasure. "How incredibly...disappointing."
A lone figure clad in red and black stood forth silhouettes against the azure flames, arms crossed before her wearing a sinister grin. At a glance, one might have mistaken her for a very young Cinder Fall, such was the shape of her face, her golden eyes and dark hair, the ease with which she commanded the flames.
They would be mistaken; very much so.
With a flick of her fingers, the inferno parted before her, banking high to ward off another surge of Grimm. The horde raced through it, undaunted, unknown to fear..for all the good it did them. None of them made it close to their position before they found themselves immolated on the spot.
"Run along now, sheep." she waved a hand at the terrified chattel behind her, wholly unamused. "I'm not here to protect you."
One of them babbled, sharp and shril. "But you're a huntress!"
"I most assuredly am not."
The child sniffled.
The golden-eyed girl sighed. "Really, I'm only a little older than you and you don't see me crying. Do act your age, dear.
Tears gleamed in the child's eyes.
Ugh. Civilians.
"Fiiiiiine. Jeanne, dear," she touched a hand to her ear, brushing the earpiece there. "Be a good sister and protect the sheep, would you? They're about to start weeping all over me and I despise tears. I need to go hunt for Jaune." Her brow furrowed as someone "Don't sulk. You have Sable and Sabrina with you, and Saphron's nearby. You'll be just fine...
Not a moment later, A wall of golden light shimmered atop the hotel roof and slammed down around the building, forming a protective barrier across the entire complex.
"There," she huffed at the crowd. "Happy now?
Evidently so; because the weaklings scarpered toward the hotel.
None of them bothered to stop and thank her. How terribly rude of the sheep.
Someone tugged her sleeve.
She looked down to find one of the "sheep" she'd rescued staring up at her. "...you're strong."
The golden-eyed girl preened. "I am."
The younger child considered her with grave eyes. "How do I become like you?"
She fought down a smile. After all, she could hardly give away family secrets now, could she? Still, she wouldn't say no to a minion...
"Pushups, situps, and plenty of juice. If you like, I might deign to teach you a thing or two. What's your name?"
A slow blink. "...Mai."
"Azula." she lifted her chin, unable to conceal her smug smirk. "When you reach the hotel, ask for Jeanne. Tell her I sent you.
Satisfied with her new minion, she pivoted and walked through the barrier, idly considering the empty streets beyond it, and the chaos in the distance.
Papa had asked them to stay put, but Papa wasn't here now, was he? Besides, that had been before the Grimm.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; who knew when she'd get a chance to test herself like this again?
"Honestly, what does that dumb-dumb think he's doing?" The annoyed girl ran a hand through her hair. "Big brother better hurry up...
It wasn't long before she found fresh prey; The Grimm sensed her negativity and were drawn to her like a lighthouse in a storm.
Azula cackled at the lot of them.
Fresh flames burned in her hands, wildly blue.
"Oooh, look! More target practice. Come and burn!"
(.0.0.0.)
Vaylin flicked White Fang blood off her hands and sighed.
She could've sworn she heard laughter just now.
"Such a troublesome little sister...
(.0.0.0.)
This won't do.
Professor Peter Port pursed his lips as he brought his trusty ax, Blowhard, crashing down on a Beowolf's skull for what must've been the umpteenth time in the last hour. His mighty weapon cleaved the creature's head from its shoulders, struck two more Grimm on the way down, before it finally hit -and split!- the street, conjuring a great gaping ravine that swallowed a score more.
In hindsight, that might've been a mistake.
For you see, in creating another opening so near the breach, he inadvertently allowed more Grimm to boil out from the tunnels and they all came clamoring up to meet him.
Annoying monsters.
Blowhard cleaved through them all.
Gah, Blowhard. He really did loathe that name. But it was a necessary sacrifice.
His ax hummed and spat sparks as it twirled in his hands, mowing down another would-be monster. A Berringel lunged at him while he was occupied and he drove the haft backward, impaling the crude creature with the handle. In its death throes, it smashed a meaty fist down on his back, drawing his ire.
"Irritating beast," he muttered under his breath, leveling his gun. "Begone!"
Blowhard barked and the Berringel barreled backwards
Monsters. Bah!
He'd seen puppies with more bite than these beasts. He should know. He was one. A monster. The very epitome of such.
All these years playing pretend. Fumbling about. Acting the fool, lulling those around him into a false sense of security.
Telling all those silly stories that made no sense.
Pretending to be Peter Port.
How he longed to shed this disguise, to stand tall and proud, to be respected once more. Frankly he would settle for fear at this point. Anything was better than this humdrum pattern he'd fallen into. It had been so long since anyone looked upon him and his flabby gut. Students spoke ill of him on a near constant basis, believing him little more than a washed up Hunter long past his prime. If they knew what -who!- he really was, they wouldn't dare disrespect him but alas, such was the way of things.
A shadow fell over him and instinct seized him before it could, leaving him to step aside with far more grace than should've been possible for a man of his size. The deathstalker's stinger skewered the sidewalk where he'd been standing not a moment before
"Child's play." he muttered under his breath, mighty mustache twitching. "Hardly a proper challenge."
Forgoing his ax, he pivoted and punched it between the eyes. Its skull caved in along with a good portion of its upper torso besides.
Simply put, its body burst.
Vaulting over its corpse, he seized it by the dissolving tail and whipped the evaporating beast into the trunk-like legs of a nearby Goliath with a mighty roar. The elephantine Grimm went down with a pained trumpet, which brought its neck well within range of Blowhard. His ax drank parted through white bone and blackened hide as a hot knife would butter.
"WEAK!" he all but spat the word at it. "All of you! None of you are worth my time!"
And as he fought, he gloried in it. The sweet release of combat. The escape of his false identity.
He had begun to forget, you see, to think that he was the only one alone in this world.
The mask had become a part of him, and he, it.
Layer upon layer of subterfuge had grown to suffocate him, until it was nigh on impossible to break out of the role he'd crafted for himself without arousing suspicion. In truth he hadn't been able to muster up the effort to do so in quite some time.
But then it had all changed.
Jaune Arc had arrived in Beacon and with him, he realized that somewhere out there in the vast nothingness of Remnant, there was someone else with chakra. Someone worth his time. Not the boy, not quite yet; no, no, no, he wouldn't be for quite some time. He spoke of the Arc patriarch, or rather, his sire.
Because you see, Naruto Uzumaki was here.
And now he'd come to Vale.
FINALLY.
He already had one Arc in hand, and what a delightful girl she was. Such lovely conversations they had. He looked forward to meeting the rest, the better to satisfy his own goals, means, purpose, needs and ends.
The Fall of Vale served none of them.
It was chaos, raw and primal, disorder in its purest form. Such waste.
"Port" hated any kind of waste with the burning passion of a thousand suns.
Some harlot must've unsealed the tunnels from Mount Glenn somehow, likely using one of the old rail cars as a battering ram. Probably with one of the trains, no doubt; such a mediocre plan. Frankly, it was a miracle she'd succeeded at all, and right under 'ol Ozpin's nose at that.
But it HAD caused chaos at a crucial junction in his little venture and that, he would not allow.
When he found the one responsible for this...why, they would have to die.
Slowly and painfully - there could be no other recourse.
Brow furrowing, mustache twitching, he laid into another Grimm, then another, beating them down with his ax and even bare hands where need be, forcing them back into the accidental secondary breach he'd created. All with brute strength alone. It wouldn't do to reveal any of his "other talents" just yet. The staff might have questions, inquiries he wasn't willing to answer.
One of the monkey-beasts through a bit of broken building at him, demanding his attention.
He slashed through it, quite unharmed, but the offense rankled all the same.
To think, he'd nearly been laid low by such a lowly beast.
For the first time in awhile, "Port" opened his eyes.
He saw red.
"You have my attention now, creature. I hope its everything you wanted...
It was not.
He launched himself at them like a laughing meteor and like any good huntsman, began chopping down Grimm like trees.
His weapon whistled in, hewing out the legs from another abomination, shoulder barged an Ursa, seized it by the paw and whipped it around as one might a dog's chew toy. Or perhaps a flail. He wasn't sure which was a better comparison and frankly he didn't much care the moment. The rage had him, you see, the wrath left unvented for so long now demanded release, and so he must head it.
"You!"
Crunch.
"Will not!"
Splat.
"Interfere!"
Thud!
Eyes wild, chest heaving, he glared down at the last smoldering corpse beneath his feet.
Belatedly, he noticed a number of white uniforms amongst them, humanoid bodies mowed down not by his hand, but other, more feral implements. Even then it took him a moment to recognize said garments; one he finally did, he couldn't quite contain the belly laugh that followed. The White Fang. Of course it was the White Fang. Bloody idiots. This wasn't how you led a revolution...!
Something shot over his head. Not a Grimm, but a person.
He glimpsed the flicker of a red cape.
The sight brought him back.
"Oh, dear." He chuckled, drawing a hand over his face. "Lost control of myself for a moment there. How unbecoming. That's no way for a man to act, oho~! That won't do!"
Wiping the blood from his face, he closed his eyes and wandered away in search of the next mob.
"No, no, no, it simply won't do...
(.0.0.0.)
There were everywhere.
Pyrrha skipped backward, bashed in a Berringel's skull with her shield, lopped off the head of a Boarbatusk, kicked off it and alighted atop a Beowfol's spiny shoulders. The beast bucked, but it was too late; she'd already driven her blade down into its skull and kicked away, leaving it to convulse in its death throes. Three Grimm dead in as many seconds.
More came.
Always more.
Ever and always.
Juniper Arc glided past her flank, decapitating a score more in a single-handed sweep of her blade. She snapped her fingers and orange fire flashed forth, immolating a dozen, leaving them to roar and roast where the lay, trampled under their fellows. She muttered something under her breath, ran a hand across her sword and a gust of wind battered them back, forcing them into the inferno, which was in turn banked higher by the sudden gale.
Even then it wasn't enough; she was beginning to fear that it never would be.
She'd meant what she said earlier. They were endless.
Grimm. Just. Kept. Coming.
They were at ground zero of the Breach, with nowhere to turn; no choice but to fight their way out. Where, she knew not, only that they must, and soon, lest they find themselves overwhelmed. Whichever way they went, they were met with more and more of the wretched beasts, each more determined than the last. She might've been tempted to blame Salem for the travesty and would have, if the self-proclaimed queen didn't look so horribly shocked.
She'd stopped moving a minute ago and hadn't said a word since. They'd find no help on that front.
By the brothers, she didn't think they'd be finding help anywhere from anyone, not anytime soon.
Was this the end...? Were they truly going to die here?
An Ursa lunged at her!
It dissolved abruptly.
Just...evaporated.
Pyrrha balked, terribly startled by the sight. Even the Grimm, mindless animals that they were, gave pause.
It was enough.
Juniper stepped bast her suddenly, sword in one hand, sheathe grasped tight in the other. Her face was carved from stone. "Pyrrha. Cover your ears.
In the middle of a fight? Did she have a death wish?! "Why..?"
"Just do it!"
She complied without thought; she wasn't sure why; her body just...obeyed.
Juniper pressed a hand to her neck and something appeared beneath her fingers. A small piece of paper, torn aside now and left to burn in the wind. Juniper inhaled deeply in its absence and the very air rippled aroun d her, as though she'd somehow drawn something up out of it. That was the only term Pyrrha could use. Whatever it was, it seemed both empower and pain her at the same time. Her eyes glowed like balefire and vicious veins pulsed in her forehead, then her jaw, her throat now...
Her lips parted just so.
She said something. Pyrrha couldn't hear it.
Ten Grimm were suddenly frozen solid.
The rest reacted accordingly, lunging in at this new threat.
Another word and a hundred rocketed backwards, battered to death against buildings.
A third and the very earth turned against them, the street become a swamp in some parts to slow them, while pillars of jagged stone jutted from others to skewer their reckless charge.
The Grimm didn't relent. The knew not fear. They charged.
Juniper noticed and waved a hand, barked a word that somehow uprooted a nearby building. She brought it crashing down on the swarm, denying them an easy path to her. Up came her sword, crackling with vile energy. It slashed out, bifurcating dozens in a single sweep.
"Annihilate!"
Jaune's mother was shouting now, and through her muffled ears, Pyrrha began to hear the words.
She immediately wished she hadn't; because she realized what this was.
There was power in the Words, strength that had her quailing in her boots; because each utterance killed hundreds.
"Obliterate!"
More.
"Incinerate."
More, now.
"Decimate!"
Yet more still.
"EXTERMINATE!"
Juniper coughed up blood and crashed down to a knee, choking and gasping for air.
The Grimm saw their weakness and surged forward, howling in triumph.
Someone stepped between them.
"Enough."
(.0.0.0.)
So this was what pride felt like.
Pride in someone else.
Unfortunately...
...it was overshadowed...
...BY ALL THIS UNYIELDING RAGE!
Just as she had stepped between her descendant and certain death, so too did Salem find herself torn between the two emotions.
She had hesitated to be sure, but she had to know. She had to be certain. And now she was.
Her little girl, her baby girl, she could command the Grimm and she didn't even realize it. Semblances didn't do that. Magic did. As her closest descendant they sensed the inherent power within her. No doubt the others as well.
All across the city she'd felt little sparks of magic flare to life.
They were here. Her descendants. In this city.
And they were in danger.
This was Cinder's work, no doubt. The little churl would pay. She'd make certain of that. Still, her heirs had acquitted themselves most admirably. But there were too many. Even for them. Her great great greeeeeaaaat grandchildren. She wanted to meet them. She wanted to see them! And these Grimm! Were in the way!
At the very sight of her, the Grimm drew back. As well they should.
She was delighted, yes, but oh so very angry.
"Yes, excellent." She clapped her hands, delighting in their confusion. "Well done. Well done, indeed. I haven't had this much fun in ages." she tilted her head. "What did you say your name was, dear?"
The blond woman wiped blood from her mouth. "Juniper."
"Good." she tutted and pattered on the head. Good girls deserved headpats. "I'll remember it. That was some dangerous magic you used just now. Inherited from me, no doubt. You certainly have a fine level of control that Ozma didn't. But you've used too much. You'll destroy your poor throat at this rate...
Drawing herself up, she scowled back at the Grimm and intoned a singular command. "ALL GRIMM SHALL CEASE AT ONCE! OBEY ME!"
Pyrrha balked. Surely they wouldn't listen to her...or would they...?
All across the city, Grimm froze.
"Sit." Salem spat the word.
They sat.
Not satisfied, she looked to each of them in return.
"Slay those who loosed you upon these masses!" Her voice cracked out at them like a whip, demanding-commanding!- their complete and utter obedience. "Destroy them!NO SURVIVORS!"
Throughout the city and far from the main breach, she felt her will be obeyed. Members of the White Fang were dragged down into a teeming mass of death and torn apart. Without their precious paladins, they were no match; they were swarmed, destroyed, and devoured. It was the work of moments.
Their task completed, Salem looked at the remaining Grimm and clicked her tongue in dismissal. "Slaughter one another."
Her Grimm stilled, just for a moment.
Then they obeyed.
Satisfied at last, Salem turned her back on the ensuing savagery and adopted what she hoped was a pleasant smile.
"Well, that's sorted. Now, I do believe I deserve a reward for saving you...
My, but those poor girls looked terribly pale; had she frightened them? Like two small children...
Well, there was only one thing for it, then.
She knelt and embraced Juniper. Held her close now, tucking her chin over her shoulder as though she were naught but a small child.
The younger woman quivered once, reluctantly relaxing into her. Good, good...
She was feeling rather emotional herself. Why, it felt like she might cry...
Something wet ran across her cheek and dripped down her chin.
Oh, blast it! She was just feeling all the emotions right now, wasn't she?
How wonderful it was, to finally embrace one of her kin after all these years.
But that alone made it worthwhile, did it not?
"My dear girl...I'm so glad you exist...
A/N: Mama Salem be Mama Salem.
To be clear, neither Adam nor Cinder were present for the breach. They're not that stupid.
But questions remain! Who is Port?! Where are Weiss, Blake and Yang? Will things actually work out?! Is the harem plan a go?! Who knows?!
Find out next time, on Practice Makes Perfect!
Once again, reviews are my fuel. Without them I simply cannot write.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review...Would You Kindly?
Alas, there are no previews this time.
Next chapter will be bonkers.
Everyone's gonna laugh~!
...alright, some previews.
But just some!
(Preview!)
Naruto tilted his head. "Whar am I looking at, here?"
-
Ozpin's jaw clicked open. "Salem is here?! She did what now?! No, no, slow down, Qrow...
"You slow down! I just saw some crazy shit!"
-
"SALUTATIONS!"
Ruby toppled backward onto her arse.
Someone fell with her, practically landing in her lap. "Penny, whyyyyy are you so heavy...?!"
The ginger girl hummed. "I have no idea what you mean! I am a normal girl! Have you seen cousin Jaune?"
"Do I want to answer that question?"
A distant explosion answered.
...that's him, isn't it?"
Someone swooped down.
She had a red cape. A flash of blond hair and blue eyes, whiskered cheeks.
Jaune?
Not quite.
Alright that settled it; this lady was absolutely stacked and rocked that blue jumpsuit of hers
Dangit, she hated being so short!
"Then who are you?"
"Saphron. His first sister, silly."
He has sisters?
Hmm. Aren't you adorable...?
-
Weiss opened her eyes eyes with a groan. "Where am I..?"
~Nz.