Pre-Note: body horror? Maybe? Not really, some will say yes, while some will say no.
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Jaune slept like the dead. Surprisingly peacefully and with the quiet knowledge that he would dome the first person that woke him up. Breathing, he felt himself lighter than he had in a long time. Even as he slept, half lucid as he were, he could feel his breakdown receding. It was as if they had been playing red-light green-light and he had just sent it back to start. It would return, but until then his mental state would be better.
'Or until Yharnam throws even something worse in my face.' He thought in his half-lucid state, feeling himself stir. Only for a gentle song to reach his ears and lull him back to sleep.
Breathing easily, Jaune felt his brow twitch. The gentle song growing dissonant, screaming in his ear, whispering from far away. It was as if a storm was disporting the notes into noise.
"Mine." A hissed whisper from one side.
"Nuh uh." A self-assured voice retorted. A small weight settling on his chest.
Not to be outdone, a similar weight settled down opposite of it. Followed by a soft harrumph.
"Shouldn't we put a stop to this?" He heard another whisper, softer, with a hint of worry. "We have what? Little under fifteen minutes for our detention."
"This is possibly the cutest cat fight I have ever seen; I'm not dropping this for anything." An energetic voice whispered. "I'm already filming everything, I'm sure we can drop out of detention if we show this to Glyn."
"Nora no." Jaune and Ren said together. Jaune jolting up, ignoring her startled scream, sitting straight up in a second and throwing the two weights on him to the side. His hands shooting out to catch both of them as he looked at Nora with a stern glare.
"I'm going to sit down now." Nora muttered, completely white faced. Clutching a hand over her chest as she stared of into space. "Going to just… need a moment. Think I saw my life flash before my eyes."
"Detention?" Jaune asked, shaking his head to quicken up. Getting out of bed as a large yawn tore through him. Blinking out the gunk in his eyes as he felt small hands wrap around his right hand. Looking down to see Violet hissing like a cat, holding onto his hand with all her might. Another pair of small hands grabbed his left hand, blue eyes staring defiantly at her.
"Bloom? What are you doing here? Do mom know you are here." He asked, two big blue eyes staring up at him as she smiled. Jogging his memory about the text his mother had sent him. 'But I hadn't expected them to come now. Not with everything that had happened.' The thought ran through him followed by 'fifteen minutes to detention,' and 'I hope dad isn't visiting'. "Doesn't matter, you are coming with us."
He would have loved to have simply marched into the bathroom, only for each step forward to feel like ten steps back. Bloom and Violet clung to him, turning the walk more into a determined waddle. Glaring at each other with all the spite they could muster. Which honestly was far more than he was expecting, while he coulndt see it, he could hear them throwing grimaces at another like they were the world's deadliest insults.
Thankfully, when they got inside the bathroom things took on a less hostile atmosphere. Instead it was replaced by one of pure envy and glee. The second Violet began brushing her teeth, and he began combing through her hair, the largest pout he had ever seen appeared on Bloom while Violet lit up like a sun. Grinning into the mirror the entire time.
Quickly brushing his teeth, Jaune chose to forgo a shower due to what little time they had to get ready.
"Where is Pyrrha?" Jaune asked as he got out of bathroom, snapping his fingers and exchanging his pyjama with his hunter gear. 'Gehrman is never going to let me live that down, but Professor Goodwitch first, then the snarky old man.' Snapping his fingers again, Violet was fully dressed in her gear. Shooting Bloom a victorious smile.
Blinking, he saw the gear's in his younger sisters eye switch into overdrive. Instantly she darted to his and Ren's wardrobe, one hand shooting in while she threw of her sweater at the same time. Pulling out his 'ol reliable pupkin pete sweater and throwing it on. Even if it was too small for him now, she almost drowned in it. Her arms were too short for the sleeves, and the hem was halfway down her tights. Yet the victorious grin she sent Violet was in league of its own. So was the growl that escaped Violet.
"None of that now." Jaune said, flicking Violet by the ear. The surprise knocking her out of her anger, the yellow he had seen crawling at the edges of her eyes disappearing instantly as she pouted.
"Who is she." Violet snarled, saying the word with more spite than a scorned wife would say the word 'homewrecker'.
"Violet, this is Bloom, one of my younger sisters." Jaune explained gently, introducing them with the faint hope it would lessen their animosity. Even if he knew that was never happening. "Bloom, this is Violet, my-"
"Daughter!" Violet butted in with a grin.
"Doesn't that make Bloom your aunt, Violet?" Nora pointed out from the side. Instantly all the glee in Violet's eyes died out. The sound of shattering glass ringing out as her great idea turned out to be not so great.
"Wait, no." Violet started, what she wanted to say dying on her tongue as Bloom sent her the smuggest smirk in the history of smirks.
Jaune's hand shot down with lighting speed, catching Violet by the back of her neck the exact instant she chose violence. "None of that now." He scolded, Violet looking up at him with a look of absolute betrayal.
"Pyrrha is meeting the headmaster, something about maybe fighting the second round alone." Ren said, looking to be caught between chuckling at Violet's and Bloom's antics and frowning.
"Ah, okay." Jaune nodded, frowning slightly as he shared a glance with his teammates. "We all agree that sounds like rubbish, right?"
"Well, yes." Ren replied with a nod. "It sounds like shit, but we can't really know until Pyrrha is done. If she wants to share, she will."
"Eh, we'll cross that bridge when we get there." Nora shrugged. Stepping out into the hallway and waiting beside Ren. "But now, let's skedaddle. Moma needs something in her stomach if we are going to be lectured by GG for some hours."
"Do you think it's possible to come out of detention with more detention?" Jaune asked idly as he herded his daughter and younger sister out of the door before locking it. Wondering if he was maybe being a bit to paranoid when he slid a paper under the door.
"I like the way you think fearless leader." Nora instantly beamed. Shooting him a wink with finger guns.
"No." Ren sighed tiredly.
"Oh come on Renny. If they can parade us before hundreds of thousands without a warning, and without any help whatsoever. Then I want to see if we can turn some of GG's hairs grey." Nora replied instantly. The frustration everyone felt from yesterday seeping into her voice as she spoke.
"Let's simply see were the day take us." Jaune replied, looking down at Bloom. His siter clining to his left, while Violet clung to his right. Thankfully they were more cooperative now so they could walk instead of waddle. But he still felt like something akin to a pinguin. "And maybe think about what to do with you, little lady."
"We are dropping her off by the downtown skydock later." Ren chimed in as they walked. Shooting him a complicated look. "Your family is in town and was planning a visit before someone snuck away. Pyrrha lied, or maybe lied isn't the exactly right word as we are actually having detention. But it's the principle of the matter. They are in town and are visiting tomorrow."
"They grow up so fast." Nora replied, wiping away a proud tear.
Pulling out his scroll, he called a familiar number. His mind spinning, knowing that he wasn't in either the right mood or headspace to meet with his dad now. "Yes? Is this you Jaune? Or is it Pyrrha?" Lily replied with more forced politeness than he had ever heard.
"February twenty-fifth." Jaune said plainly.
"Oh fuck you." Lily shot back instantly. The veneer of politeness disappearing in an instant.
"I'm not going to meet dad today, and I might forget." He continued plainly, ignoring the veritable tirade of curses she threw his way. "Oh and remember that I have some more favours I might call in with the entire family in town."
"I hate you. You know that right? I hate you." Lily seethed.
"Shouldn't have had me cover for you so many times then." He replied with a cheeky smile.
"I thought you were to much of a pussy to actually call them in!" His sister hissed back with venom.
"That sounds like a you problem, not a me problem." Jaune said cheerfully. "Just remember, if you want to screw me over. I can get you kicked out of the house, depending on what I choose to share. Or maybe I will just drop everything and see how much shit you will be in."
Ending the call before she could scream at him, he smiled to himself. "And that's that bomb defused. I'm not dealing with that right now."
"You know, Jaune. If you don't want to be known as a mafia. Then maybe don't act like a member of the mafia." Ren sighed, rubbing his glabella as he shook his head. Gesturing at some of the passerby's that sent him looks of surprise. If it was because they had overheard, or if they were shocked another one mini-me was clinging to him, he didn't know, nor care.
Looking at his scroll, Jaune pocketed it. Choosing to forgo rubbing it further in Lily's face. He would rather have her simmer for a bit. 'And if she takes my words as empty threats. Well, shame.'
"Lily is mean." Bloom whispered under her breath. With Violet nodding along.
"Of course that's what the two of you agree on." Jaune whispered as they stepped into the cafeteria. Ignoring the weird looks from everyone and marched his team to the counter. Grabbing the first baguette he saw and turned to the girls.
"Salami and cheese."
"Ham and cheese."
In an instant spark's reignited as they glared at another. What shared comradery they felt against Lily instantly torn to shreds.
"That's enough of that." Jaune sighed as he grabbed their baguettes. Throwing them onto a serving tray with some napkins and plates. "Where are we having our detention?" Jaune asked, holding the back of his hand against Nora's forehead when he didn't see the usual tower of pancakes.
"I'm not sick." Nora huffed, rolling her eyes as she bit towards his hand. "While I can flout the rules every now and then. I don't think Goodwitch will like it if I ate a tower of pancakes in her office."
"Huh, so you have some self-preservation instinct's." Jaune said, not at all minding the not-so-playful playful punch to the shoulder. "It's good that at least one on our team have some self-preservation instincts."
"What do you mea-" Nora started, turning to Ren who was whistling idly as he was picking out what he wanted from the salad bar. "Is this about that thing that happened, but didn't really happen?"
"What are you saying. Nothing happened." Jaune answered instantly.
"Exactly." Ren chimed in, instantly coming in to stop that conversation.
"We are going to have a conversation about this later." Nora said flatly. "And when we are on it, we are going to find a way to help you Jaune. Hamsters have better self-preservation instincts than you."
"Well you are not wrong." Jaune said, feeling a montage of all the stupid things he had done in Yharnam play through his mind.
Pushing those thoughts away, they began making their way to professor Goodwitch's office. Taking them to a part of the Academy they never really visit. Not when the Academy was mostly sectioned into areas. There was the classroom area, different types of gym area, different dorm area, leisure area, and then the staff area.
"Chief, do you mind if you carry this for me, I'm just going to take a look down the hall." Nora suddenly said. Only to stop when both he and Ren placed a hand on her shoulders. Tsking and pouting as they marched her towards Goodwitch's office. Jaune knocking twice on the door.
"Come in." Professor Goodwitch called out in her usual sternness. Her eyebrows falling the instant they stepped into her office, a deep, soulful, sigh escaped her.
"Before you say anything, I will have you know, one is mine, one is my sister." Jaune said instantly, already knowing where she was going. Having heard constant muttering of the same kind as they walked the hallways.
Quickly looking around the room, he quickly moved to place the tray he wore on a desk off to the side. Gesturing to Bloom when he was done. "This is Bloom Isabella Arc." He introduced, pretending not to hear the gasp from the ghost with the same name. "She is visiting and snuck away from my family and made her way here. We are going to meet with them later, but she we may host a sleepover with her later."
"Thank you." Professor Goodwitch replied with a tired sigh. Pinching the bridge of her nose as she gestured for them to sit down by the desks scattered around the room. "I understand this might feel unfair, especially with recent happenings. However with what said during yesterday's stream, Beacon as an institution have to be seen doing something."
"So it's politics?" Ren asked, sitting down by a desk and beginning on his salad.
"Partly, Mr Lie." Glynda said measuredly. "Some things said were out of line."
"Oh come on." Nora groaned, pouting as she leaned against one of the desks. "You coulndt even get an impartial host. Every question was as leading as leading could be. It was bullshit. You wanted us to make show, and when we did, you are punishing us for it."
"Miss Valkyrie, sit." Glynda sighed, shooting the quirl in question a stern glare. "I understand it may feel unfair, and it is, however there is a reason why you have four hours with me today. And not one week with detention with Port."
"hmmp!" Nora huffed loudly, falling into her seat instead of sitting down. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he saw the exact moment Nora switched from 'mild inconvenience' to 'official hellhound'. The joke he had thrown out idly becoming her action plan.
"So what is our detention exactly?" Jaune asked out of politeness. Pulling back a chair for himself and sitting down. Blinking, he felt two hands on his lap. Sharply biting back on the exhale that almost snuck out. Spark flew as Bloom and Violet glared at each other. Bloom's cold detachment clashing furiously with the passionate bloodlust that swirled in Violet's eyes.
"You wouldn't happen to have another chair close at hand?" Jaune asked, standing up and borrowing the last chair in the room. Moving it to the other side, so he sat between Violet and Bloom. 'I know Violet is possessive of me, and I almost raised Bloom, and she is also overly attached. Is the problem me, or is it simply that Violet and Bloom both have something loose that makes them overly attached?'
"Here." None acted surprised when the door opened by itself, and another chair came floating in. Another desk with some colouring supplies landed before Bloom. With another set landing on Violet's desk.
"As for your detention, you are free to do your homework, do next month's assignments, read a book, or otherwise do as you want given you don't speak, and leave having reflected on your actions when our four hours are up." Professor Goodwitch explained patiently as a stack of papers flew out of her drawer and landed before her. With pen already in hand, Glynda began going over her paperwork.
A growl escaped Nora as she sank down in her chair. Quickly transforming into a whimper as she stared flatly at the roof. "Why is it always us?" She sulked, shooting a nasty glare at Glynda. "Team RWBY didn't get detention when they blew up the docks, or when they brought down a bridge. Why are we getting punished."
"Team RWBY didn't act like hooligans before an audience of multiple hundred-thousands." Glynda replied instantly, not even shooting Nora a glare. "As for detentions, the headmaster was in charge of giving out detentions for Team RWBY after the bridge altercation. Given he saw nothing to punish, he decided to forgo detentions."
"Is that because the headmaster has Ruby and Yang's uncle in his employ? If so that sounds like nepotism at best and grooming at worst." Jaune pointed out absentmindedly. Chiming in more to make conversation than anything. Instead focusing on starting Violet on her circles as well as stopping Bloom from glaring at his daughter as he pulled out one of Violet's math work sheets. Finishing up by pulling out his journal and pen, finally having some time to work iron out the funeral ceremony.
Breaking open his journal to the last page, he began refining an outline. Writing down multiple funeral customs he read about growing up. Fishing out his scroll and searching up some things he was uncertain about. The scratching noise of his pen upon paper the only real sound echoing in the office beside Violet's grumbling that disappeared into the heavy silence. A silence only Bloom wasn't affected by.
Feeling the silence, Jaune looked up. Blinking idly as he looked around the room. "Is there something I said?" He asked.
"Mr Arc." Glynda exhaled in exasperation. Sending him a chilling glare as she continued. "The headmaster is not grooming Ms Rose or her sister. Neither is he allowing them to get away with transgressions due to nepotism."
"It was politics again. Since Vale won't admit that a war-machine ran loose in their streets, and Atlas won't admit they lost said war-machine. So it was easier to simply cover it up. Pretend it never happened. It's for the greater good, after all." Ren added from the side with a calm facade, freely sharing his thoughts with them.
"Mr Lie." Glynda exhaled, giving Ren a hard glare. "I can understand your frustration. However, we are not out to get you, believe it or not. I do not know what caused Ozpin to decide as he did. While I personally don't agree, what I see, what you see, and what the headmaster sees, are all different. I trust that his judgment was sound, regardless of my personal feelings on the mater And I trust you do the same."
"Is that office speak for 'I don't agree, but he pays me, so I'll accept, but I'm still going to be petty about it?'" Nora snarked, crossing her arms and starting at Glynda with a raised eyebrow.
"Miss Valkyrie." Glynda said sternly, shooting him a glare.
"Don't look at me." Jaune shrugged, only taking his eyes of his journal to look up things on his scroll. "I just aired my thoughts." He continued, nodding as Annalise pointed out something he had written. Going over what she had said, he corrected it to better fit Yharnam's funeral customs. Humming to himself as he married Cainhurst burial customs with Yharnam's funeral ones, while sneaking in bits and pieces of other cultures he had learned about growing up.
Having decided the best way to tackle this would be in pieces. Starting with getting the entire funeral and burial service done first, before trying to create a ritual for it. He could have done it differently, but building a funeral for a ritual instead, would have been harder. Especially given the rigidity of rituals. One was magnitudes easier, with far more room to navigate, the other.
'I really don't want to know what should happen if I were to fuck up.' Jaune thought to himself. He was in essence composing a symphony. However, should one note be off key, should one instrument play too late, or too early, dying would be a mercy. 'Given the funeral ritual is related to death, would we merge into an undead abomination? A thousand wandering ravenous spirits. Or would She choose to make an example out of me?'
Mentally shrugging, he decided to focus back on his work. The ethereal whisper that made the ghosts momentarily flicker in and out of existence together with the hairs standing up on the back of his neck telling him everything and more than he ever wanted. Failure wasn't allowed. Not if he wanted to see the sunrise.
'If only I can go back in time to shot my younger self in the face. Let's force spirituality into my eyes, let's see who is here. And lo and behold, the abyss stared back.' Pausing to himself he sighed. 'Or not really the abyss. But Death, or a deity related to death and ferrying souls. But is that better, or worse?' Jaune didn't know, and he didn't want to know either.
"So… is Ruby a nepo-baby?" Nora asked curiously, breaking him from his thoughts and earing herself another stern glare from Glynda. "Didn't she say the headmaster mentioned something when she was 'recruited'. Didn't really pay attention when she spoke, but silver something."
"Ehhh not really." Jaune shrugged. "She is no more a nepo-baby than me. She earned her place her, even if two years younger."
"But isn't your family ancient?" Nora pointed out with a smile. "Like 'was around before the kingdom of Vale became a thing' ancient."
"Well, yes, but I meant in a more literal sense. She has earned her spot here, she is keeping up with those who have two years on her, and she is winning a good deal of her spars. That's without mentioning how she has more access to the forge than anyone else. She may have some knowledge gaps here and there, but so do I." He shrugged before sending Nora a quick look. "And I will have you know; we weren't just around before the kingdom of Vale. Bloom, what is the name of Vale's first king?"
"Alexander Arc." Bloom answered quickly. "Not to be confused with his youngest son Ozymandias Arc who poisoned his father to take the throne. He also killed his father's first wife, claiming her to be a witch. And that she had cast magic over his father to make him mad with bloodlust. Which led to infighting amongst the sons, from which-"
"Here, have a lollipop." Jaune smiled, pulling one out of his vest and giving it to Bloom and silencing her. Knowing they wouldn't be leaving until tomorrow if she really got started. Trust his sister to know the entire history of their family as ruler's of Vale by heart. Able to explain from start to finish the entire family tree and what each king, son, daughter was famous for. 'Or infamous for.' He thought to himself.
"You are of royal blood?!" Annalise screamed in his ear. Her voice almost drowned out of the other ghost's mad shriek's. A dozen voices instantly talking over eacother to get his attention. Some even going out of the way to pop their heads through his chest, or through his journal.
"I mean, we have text's back home that stretches back all the way to The Circle and The Infinitive Man. Which may or may not be the first ever properly documented religion." Jaune said idly. Ignoring the ghosts in favour of giving Nora a flat stare. Not even reacting when one of the ghosts floated in between of them and began bombarding him with questions upon questions. "I think I mentioned that earlier? Unfortunately, we don't have any texts mentioning the 'First Arc' or our bloodline's progenitor. Or… maybe we have, it's just that no one knows what language it's written in. But our family is old."
"How many languages do you know exactly?" Nora asked curiously. Impishly ignoring the warning Glynda gave her.
"Not many, about five different variants of old Valean." Jaune shrugged. "I can't speak it, but I can read and write it."
"Enough. Mr Arc, as interesting as what you share is, this is a detention." Professor Goodwitch said politely, a harsh edge creeping into her voice as she glared at them. Hard green eyes wandered over them.
An impish smile splitting Nora's lips as she looked between him and the professor. Humming to herself as she got more and more certain. "You don't think it's possible for you and GG to be related, do you?"
"Possibly." Jaune shrugged, rolling his eyes at Nora's antics. Continuing before Professor Goodwitch could step in. "There has always been someone who ran away, broke out, or otherwise married a 'commoner'. So while there has been one uninterrupted 'main' line, there are possibly other's out there descending from a son or daughter who ran away. If we are related, we are at least fifth generation cousins. As my father is an only child, my grandfather's family all died early, my great grandfather had multiple children, but they also died young. So did the other children of my great-great, and great-great-great grandfather. It's only when you go back further that children have survived, grown up, and moved out on their own."
"It's only our generation that haven't had any complications." Bloom continued. Shooting him a little look. "Beside brother that is."
"I was stillborn." Jaune answered idly before they could ask, humming to himself as he looked over what he had written so far. "My sister's umbilical cord choked me out during birth. Thankfully the doctors and nurses managed to get me back to the living."
"Wait what?!" Nora exclaimed, shock and horror mixing on her face. "That can happen?"
"You were like us?!" Alexandra asked in his ear, having floated away from Nora after having found he was of 'noble' blood.
"Brother got his death certificate and birth certificate at the same day." Bloom butted in idly. Looking around in confusion before going back to her math exercises. Reaching out he ran his fingers through her hair, knowing she felt left out. While she was blind to most social interactions, those she understood, she stood by as if they were carved in stone. Knocking on the door being one she swore my, while the awkward and slightly uncomfortable atmosphere her words had created being something that simply passed her by.
"It is what it is." Jaune rolled his eyes. "It happened, I'm alive. That's it."
Nora looked ready to retort when a thoroughly incensed Pyrrha came marching in. Sitting down on the last chair as a desk landed before her. Emerald eyes glaring at Glynda, a dozen different emotions flashing through them. Crossing her arm over her chest as she stared. Anger bleeding into other emotions, colouring sorrow, duty, frustration, and everything in its fiery passion.
"Uh, Pyrrha? Honey? Did anything happen?" Nora asked gently. "I don't think I have ever seen you so angry."
"The headmaster wants to know why you never showed up earlier today Jaune." Pyrrha hissed, anger bleeding into her voice. Mortification washing over her face an instant later, the fire in her eyes bleeding out as she sat up straight. Making it abundantly clear that the anger wasn't directed for him.
"I'm sure the mail is somewhere in my inbox, but after reading the first hate mail, followed by a good hundred death threats, and seeing the number of new mail's I have gotten. I didn't much care to go looking for his." Jaune huffed with a shrug. For once letting his pettiness win. While he could forgive some things, yesterday's stream had been a shit show from start to end. And he wasn't afraid of letting them hear his opinions. "Neither did it help that we apparently have detention first thing in the morning during the weekend. But yes, it's our fault."
"Careful there, Jaune. We can hear the frustration seeping through." Ren chimed with a roll of his eyes. "But it's not like we were forced from our beds, marched onto a stage, and then marched in a procession after sitting for twelve hours straight. No, that never happened. We will willing be forced to sacrifice our rest time for the greater good. It's for the better of all, after all."
"Mr Arc, Mr Lie-" Glynda started with a heavy sigh, shooting them a flat stare.
"I'm sorry." Pyrrha sighed, cutting of the professor. Giving her a soft apologetic smile as she sighed. "It's just that the headmaster dumped a lot on me, and I'm still working through it."
"Like what?" Nora asked innocently. Eyes glimmering in confusion and curiosity as she stared at Pyrrha. Who suddenly looked caught on the spot, wanting to answer, but not knowing how.
"Don't push her, Nora." Jaune stepped in, sharing a glance with Ren. "If Pyrrha want's to share what they discussed, then that's her decision. We will trust her with her secret's, like I trust you with yours, and you trust me with mine."
"It wasn't about doing the second round alone, was it?" Ren pointed out, framing it as a question even if they all knew it hadn't been. They knew Pyrrha good enough to know her tells. If it had been, she would have come back with a barley suppressed smile, giggling to herself, and trying to find a way to share it with them without breaking into smiles.
"Ren." Jaune said softly, giving his friend another look. "Don't push her. She will share if she feels like it."
He said as if he coulndt see the seeds his words were planting. To say he felt dirty was an understatement. It felt like and was blatant manipulation. Yet it was also the reassuring squeeze on the shoulder Pyrrha needed for her emotions to settle down.
'Why must people be so overly complicated?' Jaune sighed to himself. While he hadn't been exactly the most sociable, he hadn't been socially inept either. He could manoeuvre most social situations just as well as any young lad could. He had been mostly aware of what other's around him felt, when his words hurt someone or when his words perked someone up. 'I can admit I may have had some difficulties when it came to understanding the emotions of girls that weren't my sisters. But I was doing just fine enough for me. Why people?'
It was something he asked himself time and time again. Only to come up blank each time.
"I apologise if I pushed." Ren apologised, giving Pyrrha a soft smile. "I let my curiosity get the better of me."
"It's okay Ren, we have all been there." Pyrrha chimed gently back. A hint of guilt streaking across her face as she gave him a subtle glance.
"Then Miss Nikkos, as I informed your teammates, you are free to read, work on coming assignments, do homework, and what not as long as you don't talk amongst yourself and leave my office having reflected on your actions." Professor Goodwitch explained patiently, sending them a glare as she did. "Something your teammates have been struggling with, it seems."
"Don't look at me. I am working, I will have you know." Jaune said, looking up from his journal. "I may run my mouth every now and then, but when your argument's are half-baked at best-"
"Done." Violet chimed, beaming up at him. Cutting him of before he could somehow manage to incense professor Goodwitch further.
"Let's see what you have done." Jaune smiled, lifting her into his lap as he took her journal. Instantly switching languages, knowing that some knowledge shouldn't be shared. Humming to himself he brough his pen over.
"Here, see this?" He asked, ignoring the suddenly confused look Glynda sent him. Holding his pen by the edge of a boundary she had drawn. "While the edges aren't perfectly smooth, it's good enough. I'm sure you can practice more, but you will get better results by drawing larger, proper, ritual circles. You remember the Intuition ritual you held? That there were two other ritual's you could chose between?"
"Cold blood and Overvoice?" Violet replied somewhat unsurely, growing more confident when he gave a nod.
"Yes." Jaune smiled back. Not missing the way she lit up. "While there will come a time where you have to choose which aspects you want to immerse yourself in. Some of the simplest rituals don't require much specialised knowledge. They require some, enough to make you choose what you think is more important, you can still learn and cast most novice level rituals with only a month of study at best. A day, maybe even in a week, if you are talented and passionate. But with your circles being what they are now, you can choose between more novice ritual's if you want. Your circles being good enough to perform them."
Violet nodded her head so vigorously he was scared she would hurt herself. Her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him. Even most of the ghosts floated closer to him, curiously waiting for him to explain further. Curiosity shining in their eyes. Rolling his eyes he started from the top.
"If I were to mention novice, or introductory rituals, we cannot start without the aspect of Corruption and Overvoice. It's a simple communication ritual. All it does is shift the location of sound in regard to the thing creating it. So if I were to speak, the noise could echo in our room, even if I'm here." Seeing that he had her attention, he continued. Sending a quick look to the professor and feeling his shoulders relax when she wasn't stepping in. Even then he whispered softer as to not tick her off.
"Then there is Alteration. It has two rituals that you can learn now. The first is Masquerade, being another of the rituals that do exactly as they say. This allows you to freely change your appearance, given some limits, however. For example, you can't change your gender. Nor give you yourself more mass or remove mass. And should the ritual be interrupted, or should it be dispelled in the process. Your appearance will reflect that, leaving you caught between how you look and how you want to look." Masquerade was one of those rituals he wasn't going to teach Violet right now. He would teach her about it but wouldn't teach her it until she was older. Not trusting her not to do something stupid. She was nine. There was no way she wouldn't do something stupid with it. Thankfully that wasn't something he had to worry about if the way she gaged was anything to go by. The queens looking equally offput by the ritual.
"Then there is Change, the trademark, or 'core', ritual of Alteration. It's one of those rituals you never stop improving and learning about. And it allows you to change your body. Growing claws, wings, a tail, maybe ten if you want. However, you can easily kill yourself with this spell if you are not careful. All it's changes are permanent. And it has one core rule, and that is that you cannot break the rules of nature. That is after all Corruption's forte. However, do you want to be a dragon, a monster, an agnel with wings, or whatever your heard desire, and you have a way to give yourself more mass. Well, then the sky is the limit. After all, for Alteration, flesh is liquid. And it is a liquid you can freely mold and shape to its heart's contents."
Violet blinked, tilted her head, whispered the words to herself, and had several shades of colour drain from her face. "Flesh is liquid?" she whispered to herself in Remnant common.
"And bone is stone." Bloom chimed in from the side with a nod. Shooting Bloom a dirty look as she raced through the exercise sheet.
"I can understand if Alteration isn't up your alley, especially with Yharnam being what it is." He started. Violet quickly shaking away the ickiness she felt and turned to pay attention. "There are two rituals under Usurpation I think you are more up your alley. The first being Cold Blood, even if it can feel a bit redundant given what your semblance is. Given that it simply turns of all pain, stress, and emotions for a period of time. However, at the same time it's a good panic button to have as you begin getting your feet under yourself." Violet nodded along as he spoke, somewhat unsurely in the start but humming to herself in the end.
"The other is Broadcast. It is a bit more specialised, however it is a great introduction into the core of the aspect. It reveals the thoughts of every person in an area around you. While it may only work on surface thoughts, mental images, and subconscious intentions, that is good enough to get a hang of what and who you are dealing with. A hidden benefit is that you become instinctively aware of every conscious person that is in an area around you."
"I want that." Alexandra groaned loudly, casually floating upside down beside them. Lying on her back as she turned green with envy. "It would make holding court so easy. All the balls, the polite smiles and masks. What I wouldn't give."
"Don't worry if you don't understand some of my words, I will explain the rituals more in-depth tonight." Jaune explained. "Now is just to give you a brief overview and have something to think on. And if you ask, I'm sure the girls would love to help you choose."
Violet sent him a smile, it didn't quite reach her eyes, faltering out unsurely at the edges as she sent a subtle glance at the ghosts. Running some finger's through her hair, he continued as she settled down.
"There is only one ritual you are fit to learn from Negation without delving a bit deeper, and that is Concealment. It's a must have, so it's going to be your next assignment. It shouldn't be so trying, being one of, if not the simplest ritual." Jaune explained reassuringly. Knowing that Violet had some lingering trauma from the Initiation ritual that went both right and wrong. She had held the ritual to the best of her ability. Successfully casting it. However, the dream wasn't a kind place, and simply looking at the Doll had made the effect go haywire. Making her head pop like a pimple. It was his hope that performing a simple ritual without anything going wrong could help rebuilding her confidence.
"Another must have ritual you are going to learn is called 'Save State' and belongs to the Reanimation aspect. It's a small ritual you will learn after Concealment. It allows you to constantly keep a record of your body. So say, if you get poisoned, you know what the poison is doing. You can see cancer's before they form. And say, should you play around with some rituals from Alteration, you will have a template for what is wrong, and how to return yourself back to normal." Jaune explained patiently, cursing at himself again in his mind. 'If I had only known about it before the blood. I could have already had an attribution raising ritual at my hands.'
"Why do you say I get to choose what I learn when you are forcing me to learn something else?" Violet asked with a pout. Crossing her arms with a huff.
"Because both Concealment and Save Stare are must have's." Jaune replied patiently, never loosing his patience as he explained. "They are rituals that will allow you to operate at your best and in secrecy. Of course they are not perfect, but if you get poisoned, sick, or even cursed, they will let you know exactly what is wrong. And for Concealment, it's simply best practice. Rituals leave traces, and it's better for your sake that those traces are 'magic happened here' and not 'This caster is the cause of Archduke Freyja's sudden illness.'"
While some confusion still shone in her eyes, Violet crossed her arms and nodded in somewhat understanding. Making it clear that she only thought that it was important because he thought it was important.
"The last aspect is Perception." Jaune stated, ignoring the sudden sharp glare from Elizabeth. The ghost in question coming floating closer with a raised eyebrow. Ignoring her, he continued. "There are two rituals, or one ritual and one set of rituals, that I think you are ready to learn if you want. The first is Reality Check, while its name is imposing. It's a simple ritual that allow you to check if you are inside an illusion or not."
"But, dad, can't you see through illusions?" Violet asked curiously, curling up to his body as she looked up at him.
"While you are correct, all those illusions we have come across are imperfect, hollow shells or imperfect imitation. The only real reason I can see through them is that I can see some things that can't be mimicked. However, should there ever come a point where my eyes are fooled. Well let's just say that it would be a very bad day for me." Jaune said, wondering idly if he should learn the spell if only to be prepared. Knowing it could be unhealthy to continue feeding his paranoia further. But also wondering if it would be worth it, if only for the simple ability to check. "The collection of rituals all falls under the umbrella of Necromancy."
"Necromancy?" Violet asked, some of the younger ghosts chiming in with her. Each with an option of their own.
"Dark magic?"
"Vile magic."
"No, not necromancy like you are thinking off. No raising the dead." Jaune shot down quickly. Not wanting their imagination to spin out of control. "While yes, it is rituals tied to death. It is so in the sense of communing with the dead, interpreting the events that lead to their death, or simply forcing the dead to speak and spill their secrets. It's also possible to divine the future with necromancy."
Letting his words hang in the air for a bit, he ignored the gentle arms that wrapped around his neck. A head of white and of rotting filth looking at him with a sharp smile.
"It is at least those rituals I feel comfortable with teaching you. They will also serve to properly introduce you to each aspect without forcing you to make a choice of specialising." Rolling his eyes, he ignored how Elizabeth poked his cheek. Her nail turning black and wicked sharp as she put more force into it. The wicked smile never leaving her lips.
"You have forgotten something." Elizabeth whispered, looking over them with a half-smile. "Six is a strong number, true, the most orderly and perfect. But not the most powerful. Nor the most magical."
Violet looked between him and Elizabeth, confusion and curiosity flashing in her eyes. Biting down on the question in her eyes, waiting with rapt attention for him to further explain.
"No. I will not expose her to more when she still so young." Jaune replied sharply, his words coming out as a whispered hiss. Elizabeth didn't let up, instead simply throwing a quick glare over to Goodwitch and back to him before giving him a wicked smile.
Forcing Jaune to concede before she could float away and do something that would undoubtedly heap suspicion upon him. Shooting Elizabeth a sharp glare before he began. "So I might have glossed over some things. Excuse me if we don't exactly see eye to eye on some matters. Yes, Invocation is undoubtedly strong-"
"The strongest." Elizabeth whispered back instantly. Pride thick in her voice as her single eye dared him to say against her.
"No. Every aspect is the strongest." Jaune shot back just as quickly. Violet's eyes ping-ponging between them. "Corruption can freely flaunt the rules of the universe, skipping through time and creating pocket dimensions. Reanimation lets you raise the dead, even truly resurrect the dead, and that is without mentioning it's zenith. Negation, what is often sees as the objectively weakest, can recreate the first spark of existence inside a soul. Allowing you to reject all and any magical influences, from having your mind played with to being unaffected when time and space twists and stretches around you. With Perception you can perfectly simulate a world, from the first spark of life until the last curtain fall if you are mad enough. Giving you the possibility too see and learn everything that have happened and ever will happen. Every aspect is the strongest, it's simply a matter of perspective. You just need to be daring, or mad, enough to push an aspect past its zenith."
Violet sat spellbound on his lap, eyes glittering as she started at him. Smiling gently, he rolled in eyes at the queen. Not missing how her brows escaped into her hairline after his words. Turning to Violet, he mussed, not exactly wanting to teach her about this aspect. But also not wanting Elizabeth to teach it to her instead.
"Invocation is a special aspect; in that it doesn't produce magic alone. Or not in the way the other aspect does. Instead it focuses on deals, and binding the will of spirits and other supernatural beings to one's will. Be that through summoning them through the veil, communing with beings from the stars, or simply stumbling onto spirits and other restless souls that haven't passed on." Jaune started with Violet humming along. Who for one were shooting curios glances at Elizabeth that nodded to his explanation. A gentle smile stretching her lips. "It is an undoubtedly a strong aspect. However, it is an aspect that require extra care regarding it's rituals. Because if you don't perform it correctly, well, there are no telling what will answer."
"The Doll." Violet whispered instantly. Snapping her head too him. Curiosity burning in her eyes.
"Yes, and no." Jaune answered softly. "Gehrman crafted a perfect homunculus. It is a perfect body, or at least from my observations and reading his notes, it is. But he couldn't create a mind nor a soul. So he was left with an empty shell. So he took to Invocation. I'm not privy to the contents of the deal. Neither do I want to know. But he got what he wanted, in a way at least. The Doll is alive, with a soul and mind of its own."
Leaning back, he sent his daughter a look. Violet sitting straight, not even blinking as he spoke. "The Queen also communed with the stars; I refuse to believe otherwise. You know Gehrman, you know the Queen. The Divine loves us, they care for us, willingly answering our prayers and making deals so we can borrow fractions of their power. Yet I wish they didn't. For their love is not something I wish to bear. Nor is it something I ever wish to experience. For their love is poison that mortal minds can't begin to comprehend. Just as an ant in an ant farm cannot begin to comprehend our love."
"Done!" Bloomed chimed from the side. Looking up at him with big eyes and smiling expectantly. Before the ghosts could tear into him for heresy, he lifted Violet of his lap and placed her back onto her chair. Bloom scampering up into his lab the second he sat properly.
"Now, let's see what you have done." Jaune smiled gently, glad to have something else to focus on. Rolling his eyes at the victorious glare Bloom sent his sister. Violet's introspective mood instantly was thrown out the window as she glared back.
"None of that now." He chided, before starting to go over the exercises with her.
"GG, why do Jaune get to talk, but you glare at me the second I open my mouth." Nora huffed loudly. Glaring at Goodwitch as she crossed her arms.
"Miss Valkyrie, if you were a child, I would happily let you talk and whisper. Unfortunately for you, you are a grown woman." Professor Goodwitch answered quickly. Not even looking up from her paperwork once. "And please do quit it with the nicknames, you are a grown woman. Act like it."
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"Ughhhhh. I never want to sit another detention again." Nora grumbled for the nth time inside the bullhead. Having complained and grumbled through their entire detention, only really voicing her thoughts when they were let free.
"It wasn't that bad." Pyrrha chimed in beside her. Her smile not quite reaching her eyes. Having been quiet and demur throughout their entire detention. Her spirit having danced from one colour to the other again and again. "It was pretty mild all things considered. She could have made us run around the school or had us do exercises upon exercises."
"Well, yes, but that would be fun." Nora replied with a loud groan, rolling her eyes with a huff. "Well… maybe not then and there. But I would take doing the plank until my stomach cramps over sitting in an office, silently, doing nothing, for hours!"
"It wasn't that bad." Jaune butted in with a shrug. Feeling as if he had made some real headway on his current project. The outline he had sketched turned from some faint ideas thrown around into too a proper beginning. There were even some things he had managed to properly set in stone. Like the funeral service time, which was seven hours, seven minutes, and seven seconds. While it felt like it was unnecessary long, it was a powerful number, repeated three times to strengthen it. Which meant the entire funeral ritual would be more powerful no matter what the result was. Success or failure, the consequences would spike.
'But it's worth it.' Jaune hummed to himself, throwing an idle look to the Queeny ghosts who had disappeared into his shadow. 'No one deserve such an accursed unlife.'
Letting his gaze wander over to the girls, he was happy that Violet and Bloom wasn't at each other's throat. While their possessiveness was cute in the beginning, having them constantly try and outperform another in an attempt to sit on his lap had been draining. Instead, for now they appeared to be bonding over their shared dislike of flying. Both being motion sick. And even if he had given them medicine, they both clutched onto their pukebags like a lifeline.
"So, fearless leader, how are you feeling?" Nora asked curiously. "You ran away from home, yes?"
"I am feeling, yes." Jaune snarked back. Not capable of properly finding words for what he felt. Anxiety, doubt, warmth, love, a bit of fear, a bit of anger, hurt, emptiness, all coming together to create a wonderful soup of emotions that made him feel like shit while also looking forward to the meeting. "Hopefully Lily made sure dad isn't coming. Otherwise things might get ugly."
"How ugly are we talking?" Ren asked concernedly. "Raised voices ugly, tears ugly…"
"Screaming at each other in public ugly." Jaune commented with a roll of his eyes. "Things were… heated… when I left. To put it simply."
"Dad and brother spent more time shouting at each other than talking together." Bloom chimed from the side. Suddenly looking green as she opened her pukebag and dry heaved.
Jaune didn't get to say more before the bullhead landed, the gates opening quickly and their fellow students filling out. Throwing curious glances their way, but otherwise keeping a fair distance. Something they always had done, but the distance had also grown wider after the stream. Their little walk through the cafeteria earlier making it clear that they were some kind of mini celebrities inside the academy.
Setting foot on the airdock, Jaune took a deep breath. Running his hand in circles on Bloom's back as she got her stomach under control. His team being the last people out before returning students filled in. Looking around before stopping when he noticed his mother.
The first thing he noticed were the crows feet around her eyes. In her head of gold, he could see some strands of white. The laugh lines along her face had grown deeper, and there was a faint purple under her eyes. Expertly hidden by a layer of makeup, but he saw through it quickly. The second thing he noticed was how her eyes lit up. Overflowing with such gentle love and warmth that he was afraid he would drown. She was a bit on the plump side, dressed in jeans and a white blouse. The gentle smile on her face shining with warmth as she smiled and waved.
Placing a gentle hand on Violet's back, he mustered up what courage he had. Forcing himself to burn her smile into his mind. Scarred the dream would take it away again.
"Hello mom." He smiled gently as they stepped down little staircase. Forcing his voice not to break when he was pulled into a warm hug. Making him warm from the bottom of his heart.
"Oh my boy, my sweet baby boy." His mother whispered into his chest, tears welling in her eyes as she broke the hug. Looking at him with a proud smile. "You have grown so much. Last time I saw you, you were thin and lanky, now look at you. You look almost like your dad." Laying a gentle hand on his check, she smiled gently up at him. "I'm proud of you. So, so proud."
Letting go, Claire smiled gently, instantly setting her sights on Ren and Nora.
"And you must be my sons teammates." She smiled, wrapping them into a bone crushing hug. "I'm proud of you, and I'm sure your parents would say the same if they were here to see you now. Going from nothing and coming all the way to Beacon, all alone. I'm sure it wasn't easy. Having only yourself to rely on. And now you are going to fight in the Vytal tournament. The opening match at that. There are no words that can express how proud your parent's would have been. I know they might not be here, so I will do the best to cheer you on for everyone."
"You… you don't have to." Ren muttered, his voice breaking as he gulped for air. Having gone completely stock still the moment his mom hugged him. Tears welling in his eyes as he felt too much all at once. His mother leaving him no time to process his emotions as she kissed both him and Nora on the forehead.
Pushing Nora to finally break down, hugging his mom back with all her strength as she wailed loudly into his mother's chest. Snot and tears trailing down her face as she shivered like a leaf.
His mother only smiled gently. Patting her gently on the back and whispering gentle promises into her ears. Not at all minding the strange looks around them. Not when grief was so common nowadays, with many still not over the breach. Many never going to be able to get over it.
"And you must be Pyrrha." Claire smiled, looking up from the crying Nora as she smiled gently at his partner. Before her eyes trailed back to him and the little form that hid behind him. "And you must be Violet." She smiled, waiting until Nora had cried herself hoarse, to let go of the hug.
Placing a gentle hand on his daughter's back, he smiled gently at her and pushed her gently forward. Violet was instantly enveloped in a large hug; Bloom being dragged into the hug a second later. Melting against their mom with a beaming smile.
"I'm sorry about my mom." Jaune whispered gently, not wanting to pour salt onto their wounds. Startling slightly when both Nora and Ren placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.
"Our mom." Ren intoned strongly; eyes red as tears trailed down his cheeks. Nora looking no better, vigorously nodding her head and looking ready to fight him if he said anything else but yes.
Sending a quick look over at Pyrrha, he saw something settle behind his partners eyes. Her gentle smile growing until it reached her eyes as a weight disappeared. Finally having decided on whatever had been troubling her since meeting the headmaster.
####
Note: And here, ladies and gentlemen and everything in-between, we observe the emotionally constipated little girl protecting her territory from the little autistic girl who don't understand social norms. It's a battle for the legends.
Note: Did Salem do a Nashandra, or a Marika by pushing a strong warrior to fight? Did she find someone to fuck to spite Ozpin? Who knows. It's history.
Note: Oh boy, look at that lad, scion of an old(ancient) noble family, scholarly and willing to learn other customs, and is kind and polite to boot, he even have a great grasp over blood magic. Not to mention he just freed you, your 'sisters' and let you take revenge on those who harmed you. - I know I said I won't ship Jaune with Elizabeth but know that I am a sucker for romance. While there might be little space to fit in romance, if there is going to be romance, there will be a few candidates. With Salem being the only one from the Remnant side, and even then, I'm not touching that with a five-foot pole. Otherwise, all other romantic interests will stem from Yharnam, if only because they understand. I'm unsure if it's ever going to be romantic, or if it's simply going to be platonic with a focus on mutual support. There might be romance, there might not be, I can't/won't promise anything. At least not now, maybe later, but no promises.
Note: There have always existed seven Aspects: Corruption, Alteration, Usurpation, Negation, Reanimation, Perception and Invocation. Isolde exists after all. It's simply that Jaune, no matter how much his morals are slipping would never consider binding something to his will, even if it's from beyond the veil or from the stars. It's the same reason he dislikes his 'vision' and isn't dabbling in Usurpation rituals. Elizabeth on the other hand, and all of Cainhurst, well… that's a different story.
Note: Some might feel as if the last scene is a bit forced. But if grown adults participating in parades can breakdown into strangers arms by simply being hugged and reassured. The so can Ren and Nora break down the firs time they are exposed to heartfelt affection from a mother figure. Doesn't matter who, as long as it is sincere and they know it is sincere.