Ruby trembled excitedly as she and her friends looked up at both Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Arc.
Woah, that was weird. It was still a bit hard to think that her dorky friend as a professor but considering he kicked their butts, Ruby could still somewhat believe it.
They were all seated on the ground and listened as the two older men dropped truth bomb after truth bomb at them. Still, everyone could see how the two men were skirting around the whole truth.
"Wait, wait. So let me get this straight. The Four Maidens are real." Weiss said, confirming what they just heard.
"Yup." The older Jaune answered, popping the p cheekily.
Stars started to appear in Ruby's eyes. Four magical women with the power to control the elements according to the stories. It sounded so cool! She bets it would sound cooler when they finally get to what she was waiting for. She opened her mouth to ask her own question but Pyrrha recites her own before she could.
"And there are only four of them at a time and their powers transfer to the last person they think of at the moment of their death." Pyrrha finishes, looking straight at the Rusted Knight to which he nods softly.
"Last woman they think of. The distinction is important."
Ruby nodded with a pout. That tidbit was still cool but it wasn't what she was looking for.
"Cool, cool. And you say these four magical, powerful women need protection." Yang noted which okay yeah, was also important but still wasn't what Ruby was thinking about.
"Protection from what?" Blake asked but Jaune, the one their age, shook his head despodently.
"Not what, who." He corrected and Ruby frowned at the sadness oozing off of him.
Ruby wasn't the only one to feel it because everyone turns slowly toward Jaune. Feeling the attention on him, he only hunches into himself as he refuses to look at any of them.
It took the Rusted Knight clearing his throat to get their attention away from his younger self.
"We protect the Maidens because bad people are after them."
"Bad people." Yang repeats flatly to which the Rusted Knight nods with a straight face.
"Bad people."
Yang threw her hands up exasperatedly at that.
"Oh come on! Just tell us whose asses we are going to kick!"
For her trouble, Professor Arc laughs flatly straight into her face.
"Hahaha. No. Did you really think we are going to send you guys out on missions to fight bad guys?"
Wait, what?
"Then why are you training us in the first place?" Yang asked exasperatedly as everyone nodded in agreement with her.
Weren't they being trained to help fight the bad guys in the first placr?
Professor Arc only shakes his head at that.
"We are training you for your own safety and protection."
No one was satisfied with that answer but before everyone could complain, Headmaster Ozpin coughs loudly.
"Ahem, you must understand that you are only young students as of yet. It would be remiss of us adults if we let you children do the fighting, wouldn't it?"
Ruby nodded slowly as well as everyone else. She didn't have to like it but even she could get why the Professors wouldn't want to knowingly send them out into danger.
The Rusted Knight however only turned his head slowly towards Headmaster Ozpin at that.
"Yes, it would. Wouldn't it? It would look really really bad if you let students do the fighting." He said flatly to which Headmaster Ozpin winced.
Ruby giggled as Headmaster Ozpin rubbed the back of his head while chuckling nervously. "I take it I let you and your friends do the fighting?"
Professor Arc snorted at that before crossing his arms. "You did but in your defense, you already died by then."
Everyone gasped at that and Professor Arc paused before sighing tiredly at them. "Do remember that he is immortal."
They all stiffened up at that before their stares landed at Headmaster Ozpin who only smiled wryly.
That's right! He was immortal! But wait, if he was immortal then-
"How could he have died if he was immortal?" Ren asked with a frown on his face to which Headmaster Ozpin smiles indulgently.
"Well, students. My brand of immortality has me being reincarnated whenever I die."
"Wait! Does that mean you get to be born as a baby like one of those Mistrali Isekai Comics?!" Nora asked excitedly with stars on her eyes.
Ruby couldn't blame her. While she herself preferred the superhero genre, she still read one or two cool Mistrali Comics that had those tropes for underestimated overpowered protagonists.
Headmaster Ozpin's smile turns somewhat bitter at that however.
"I'm afraid it's nothing like that, my dear, but we disgress." He said slowly before his eyes sharpened as he looked at them.
Ruby couldn't help but straighten her back as she felt his determined gaze pierce right through. By the way the others were straighteng themselves up, she wasn't the only one getting the intense coming off of him.
"I want you to understand that we train you not because we want you to seek out danger but because we want you to be prepared when danger comes for you. We train you so that when Remnant finds itself in danger, there would be heroes ready to defend the weak and the helpless. We train you so that when the time comes, Remnant has you."
Ruby couldn't help but smile brightly at that. They were going to be heroes! Just like her mother!
She squealed lightly as Yang chuckled beside her before a cold voice cooled down their excitement.
"Enough with your recruitment speech, Ozpin. We don't need them charging to their deaths." Professor Arc glared at Headmaster Ozpin and everyone stayed silent as the they all felt the tension rise.
"You agreed to train them, Professor." Headmaster Ozpin replied and narrowed his eyes towards the other man.
"I did agree to train them but I did not agree to send them to their deaths." Professor Arc shot back and blue eyes locked with green as the two men clashed against each other in a battle of wills.
Eventually however, Headmaster Ozpin nods acquiscedly while Professor Arc sighs resignedly.
"Listen students, leave the bulk of the fighting to us. All you need to worry about is being the best self you can be. Is that understood?"
Everyone nods slowly at that, wary of the lingering tension in the air but the Rusted Knight was not satisfied with just a wordless response.
"I said is that understood?!" He shouts and Ruby cringes as mutters of reluctant agreement sound out from their group.
"""Yes, Professor."""
Professor Arc looked at them cooly at that before sighing resignedly.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at all of you. As an apology, I'll answer a question from each of you about your future truthfully after you complete the first part of your training today."
They all perked up at that, Ruby most of all as she looked at Jaune's older self determinedly.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go already!" Nora exclaimed in force cheer while brandishing Magnhild after standing up.
They all stood up slowly at that, dusting the dirt from their clothes.
Professor Arc then nodded at Headmaster Ozpin who steps forward towards them.
"The first part of your training today is similar to your Initiation. You will be launched into the Emerald Forest but instead of having to look for a relic, you will all be racing back towards here."
"Question!" Weiss raised her hand before asking her own question without waiting for Headmaster Ozpin's reply. "What would the winner get?"
"The winner gets to ask Professor Arc another question that he will answer truthfully." He answered without missing a beat to which Professor Arc rolls his eyes at.
"Fine, another question to the first one here."
People around Ruby perked up at that. It seems knowing more about their future was a tantalizing for some more than others. Ruby saw Jaune and Pyrrha both brandish their own weapons at that.
"With that said, are there any other questions?" Headmaster Ozpin asks to which no one answers.
They wordlessly stand on top of the lauchers they were just on a few days ago and just before Headmaster Ozpin raises his hand to launch them, Ruby looks at Jaune and then to his older self.
He was her first friend and so she wonders. Just how could someone so bright that they would fake their transcripts just to become a Huntsman turn into someone who spurns heroism?
She briefly locks eyes with the Rusted Knight as she is launched into the air and Ruby saw the answer.
Pain.
Which brings up another question.
Ruby knew what her own question was going to be when she got back.
Who hurt Jaune so much that he turns into that?
Cinder Fall kept her head down as her Mistress appeared in front of her.
"Cinder, report."
She gulped as Salem's voice echoed throughout the dark empty room they were in. It was easy to prepare a private venue when they had the Headmaster of Haven was hosting them and she informs Salem of such.
"My Queen, as per your previous orders to pursue the Fall Maiden, I have embedded myself into Haven's student body together with my agents in order to pursue the Maiden to Beacon during the upcoming Vytal Festival."
Was it too simpering? Perhaps but Cinder knew she was currently on thin ice with Salem. She failed to completely acquire the Maiden's powers and only her being able to tear out half of it for herself saved her from punishments.
Still, her displays of obedience do not spare her from Salem's displeasure as her eyes narrowed at her. Cinder could already feel Emerald and Mercury beside her shiver on their knee as the air started to feel colder and heavier.
"I believe I have sent you new instructions."
Cinder clenched her hands tight as sweat coated her brows.
"M-My Queen, I...I wanted to confirm it." She stuttered as her heart hammered through her chest.
"And so you called me." Salem replied flatly, disappointment obvious in her voice as Cinder nodded nervously.
In hindsight, calling the Grimm Queen just to confirm an order was a foolish thing to do and trust her, Cinder took a lot of time to think about it but here she was. It was easy to miscontrue her actions as wasting Salem's time but in her defense, Cinder just could not take Watts' smug face as he relayed her orders to her.
She just couldn't believe it. Salem, ordering her to stop her pursuit of the Fall Maiden. Her ticket to power, slipping right through her fingers as her attentions are directed elsewhere.
"Yes, My Queen. Hazel and Watts-"
"Watts?"
Cinder jolted up at the interruption and she couldn't help but chance looking up only to see her Mistress frowning down at her. A surprised thrill crawled up her spine as she realizes Watts might have done something their Mistress did not approve of.
She immediately bowed her head down and replied with a small smile on her face.
"Yes, my Queen. Hazel and Watts arrived yesterday and told me the changes regarding your orders."
Salem sighed exasperatedly and for one single moment, Cinder imagined her queen to be a tired team leader or manager trying to wrangle her subordinates into order. Salem's next words do not dissuade Cinder away from her imagination.
"And so you wanted to confirm their words. Do not worry, the change in orders are real yet I only sent Hazel to your direction. Wait there, I will link them into this call." Salem sighed loudly before tiredly waving her hand.
Cinder blinked as she heard a few beeps and a couple of rings come out from the Seer in front of them and before she knew it, Watts' image appeared under Salem's even as a few beeping sounds remained while waiting for Hazel to join the call.
"Y-Your Grace, I did not expect this sudden call." Watts' greeted nervously and Cinder sees him kneeling the same way she was.
"Watts, where are you?" Salem questioned sharply and joy shoots up Cinder's spine as she sees him stiffen up.
But credit where credit is due, Watts reacts smoothly once he gets his bearings.
"I am currently in the office of one Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart of Haven Academy, Your Grace. As you can see, I was only affirming dear friend's loyalty to our cause." Watts waves proudly to a shakily kneeling Lionheart beside him who only waves back nervously.
Cinder discreetly clicked her tongue at that. Typical Watts, so eager to frame everything as his own accomplishment.
Yet try as he might, Watts fails at pleasing their Mistress and that puts a smile on Cinder's face.
"I had explicit instructions, Watts. Those instructions did not have you gallivanting across Mistral towards Haven."
Watts coughed embarrassedly before clearing his throat to respond.
"A-Apologies-"
CLICK!
The murmurs of multiple people interrupted Watts even as a black image formed beside his.
And just like that, Hazel has joined the call.
"I am sorry, my Lady, but I am currently out in public gathering information about my objective." Hazel called out even as they could only see black all over his screen.
Cinder blinked in surprise. How was Hazel doing that? Did he just use the Seer as a Scroll? Did he have it in his pocket and used its tentacles as ear pods to join their call?
As Cinder grappled with the possibility of Hazel using a Grimm as substitute for an everyday thing, Salem grumbled loudly.
"At least one of you is working properly. Do not worry, Hazel. I will mute your voice in this call so we may talk but I want you to stay and listen."
"As you will, my Lady." Hazel replied before all sound cut off from his side even as the black image wrote Hazel's name in white.
"Now where were we?" Salem sighed and Cinder took the opportunity to throw Watts under the bus.
"You were asking Watts why he was here in Haven, my Queen." She grinned as she heard Watts click his tongue but Salem was already aiming her attention back at him.
"Yes. Watts, explain." Salem demanded flatly as Watts cringed minutely to himself.
"Apologies, Your Grace. I deemed it necessary to support Hazel's words towards Cinder with my own. I believe my presence assisted Hazel in ensuring Cinder's response to be appropriate."
Cinder rolls her eyes at that. She knew exactly why Watts decided to stick with Hazel. It was to see her reaction and relish in her anguish as the Maiden slipped through her fingers.
Cinder grins however when she sees Salem only glare at Watts for his answer.
"Your presence was unneeded. As it was, Cinder could have just contacted me to verify any instructions like she is doing right now!"
Cinder heard Lionheart gasp behind Watts as their image shook and she could only imagine Salem was letting her displeasure be known physically.
"F-Forgive me, Your Grace! I-I only meant to speak with Cinder about her assets in Va-urk!"
"SILENCE!"
And just like that, Cinder's imagination of Salem being their tired manager melts away as the figure of the Grimm Queen looms above all of them.
The air felt heavy, the darkness became all-encroaching, and the temparature dropped that Cinder thought they would form frosts with their breath.
The ensuing silence echoed around them and even Cinder did not let herself react outwardly to Watts' chastisement for fear of attracting Salem's attention.
Eventually however, Salem's cold voice hisses to their ears.
"Spare me your excuses, Watts. I know exactly why you are there. Petty politics." She uttered the words with such disdain that it felt like poison raked through their mind before Salem continued. "I tolerate it in small amounts to my own amusement but only when it does not jeopardize the missions I give you. You should know yourself why your current mission has much more importance than your previous ones that you cannot play around!"
The world shook slightly again and Cinder was in awe of Salem's power. Yet despite that, curiousity bloomed inside her heart.
Why? Why was Salem so affected?
If Cinder was being honest with herself, Watts main reason for coming here was petty but his excuse to speak to her regarding her existing agents and assets in Vale were sound.
Whatever reason she had to treat their current missions as much more important, Watts knew it and he paled suddenly at the realization before bowing his head down deeply.
"Forgive me, Your Grace." He said solemnly and sincerely even as Cinder frowned.
Whatever that reason was, it was enough to have Salem be strict against them and Watts be ashamed without any resistance.
"I see the confusion in your face, Cinder."
She jolted up in surprise at that as she felt Salem's gaze upon her.
"Yes, my Queen. Watts did not inform me any reason for the change in orders or of anything else." Cinder replied sincerely amd humbly, the opportunity to throw Watts under the bus again too good to pass up.
Salem narrowed her eyes at her before sighing loudly.
"I suppose it would only be fair for you to know. To summarize, the Gods are playing their games again."
Gasps echoed beside her as both Emerald and Mercury reacted to Salem's words. She couldn't blame them for their reaction as even Cinder was struggling to process her Mistress' words.
"The Gods?" She repeats dumbly.
"And now you know why your new missions are important." Salem answers flatly even as Cinder's mind was busy piecing together the reason for Salem's agitation.
No wonder she was so angry earlier. For one such as Salem who had much higher concerns, dealing with them when they were like this must've felt like a waste of time.
"I understand, my Queen. I will not fail you." Cinder simpered even as her owm deference grated on her. Yet what can she do but follow Salem's orders and hope for Salem's favor?
"Make sure that you-"
SLAM!
Cinder turned around as the door behind her team opened.
"Hey, what are you kids-urkh!"
As fast as lightning, tentacles flew past Cinder's face and the janitor who opened the door gets pulled inside by one of them as the door is promptly closed behind him.
Before Cinder could even do anything, the tentacles were already piercing the man. Screams would've sounded out from the man if it weren't for the tentacle going inside his mouth.
As it was, only choked gasps and muffled screams came from the man as he looked at them and with eyes filled with terror while the tentacles proceeded to skewer him again and again.
Cinder heard Emerald puke beside her and she saw her lean to the side from the corner of her eye. Her attention is taken again by Salem however as the tentacles turned towards her.
"Now where were we?" Salem asked coldly and Cinder could only freeze as her Mistress nodded slowly. "That's right. Cinder, you know what to do."
Search for the Spring Maiden, capture or kill her, and open the vault under Haven to retrieve the Relic of Knowledge.
Easy, right? Wrong! However there was only one correct reply to Salem's words as she waited for her response.
"Yes, my Queen." She gulped but steadied herself as much as she could. Yet despite her efforts, despite the power she managed to absorb from the Fall Maiden, Cinder still trembled slightly in the face of Salem's attention.
Tentacles crawled towards her and Cinder gasped as one of them tenderly touched her cheekm
There was nothing quite like the sight of casual murder and the feel of blood being wiped on her face to remind all of them the price of failure.
"Good." Salem nodded and with that word, Salem's image blinks out of existence.
Cinder blinked as she was left shaken and trembling in front of her own subordinates as well as Watts who only smirked at her through his own Seer.
"Really, Cinder? The Janitor's Closet?"
Her fear and humiliations turns into rage as she snarls at Watts' image.
"Fuck off, Watts." She uttered as she wiped her cheek only to find nothing was staining her face.
The Seer absorbed the blood like a thirsty man drank water.
She scowled as Watts only laughed at her. What did he know? He was the reason why she had to call Salem in the first place! And by the time Cinder managed to gather the courage to do so, she was too impatient and looked for the nearest place available!
Thus, the deserted Janitor's Closet.
"Enough, you two. We still have our own missions to accomplish." Hazel's deep voice reminded them he was still in the call and Cinder nodded solemnly at the reminder.
She didn't have beef with Hazel hut damn did it hurt to be upstaged by a normally stoic and dull man.
"Of course, Hazel. We all have our own roles to play in this grand plan of our Queen." Watts smiled cheekily at her, knowing that out of the three of them, Cinder had the least idea of what it was about.
Cinder clenched her hands and glared at Watts' image.
"Speaking of roles, Leo! Clean this up!" She shouted, waving down towards the dead body in front of her.
Pleasure shoots up her spine as Leonardo Lionheart whimpers behind Watts' figure.
"O-Of course! It will be done!" Leo jerked up nervously, cringing at the sight of his dead employee.
Satisfied with the answer, Cinder waved her hand and turned off the Seer's call with nary a word before Watts could gloat even more.
If Watts wanted to talk to her about her assets in Vale then he'd have to come find her himself!
Cinder scoffed as she turned around, casually signalling Emerald to handle the Seer and hide from others.
"What...was that?" Mercury asked shakily as he moved to follow Cinder who only answers coldly before opening the door.
"That...was our queen."
"Well, that was a waste of time." Salem sighed tiredly.
Why did she think her lackeys would have some progress so soon in the first place?
Salem was just on her wayvto open another book, this time regarding the origins of Fairy Tales when Tyrian's deranged laughter caught her attention.
Again, Tyrian broke through another glass window in his game with Jabberwalker.
The two chased each other all around Salem, throwing books and wrecking shelves as they both alternated between the rolls of hunter and hunted.
They were like dogs as they scratched and rolled over each other before Salem separated them with a wave of her hand.
She blinked however when instead of her shadows successfully pulling them a part, a black bubble bursts between the two of them and launches them away from each other.
She had the spells and capability to replicate the phenomena of course but it always needed conscious thought. This, however...this was just her will and then it happened.
Still, there was something else to explore now. Her growing capability in magic.
Before she could speak however, the Jabberwalker was already launching itself again before Tyrian meets it in midair.
She sighed as the chase continued.
Whatever Ozpin was doing, she hoped he was suffering as she was with his own bonded magical partner.
Ozpin was having the time of his life.
Why?
Because for the first time for a very very long time, he was teaching someone magic.
"Focus! He's charging up again!" The Curious Cat shouted into his mind but he only grinned as he met the Rusted Knight's glowing fist with his own.
Author's Notes:
Featuring: Cinder (I'm a bad bitch!) Fall and her boss Salem (I'm badder than you!), together with their peers and cronies in a Zoom meeting where it isn't a zoom meeting for villains if there is no murder!
Sorry, just wanted to do that. Anyways, here's the chapter! Hope you enjoyed!
Also, what's up with the magic?
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P.S. Next chapter is 8k words!