Haven was weird, Qrow decided.
He looked intensely at the students coming in and out of the school with mission packets in their hands.
Mission packets! Packets containing details of missions to the countryside!
Now it wasn't so strange for students to carry mission packets. He knew Beacon itself gave them to students as a part of their curiculum for them to gather experience but that was at least after they trained for a semester.
Qrow frowned as he saw overeager first years shout excitedly at getting a protection detail to the countryside. They acted as if they were going to go on a vacation instead of a mission where lives were on the line. It didn't even looked like they were going to be accompanied by a teacher!
Qrow took a deep breath, he had to remember it was not his place to change another academy's curiculum. That does not stop him from having opinions however.
"Leonardo!" He shouted, kicking in Leonardo's door before freezing as he saw who was inside.
Leonardo froze before blinking in shock as he shook his head apologetically.
"F-Forgive me, Ms. Fall. Where were we again?"
"There is nothing to forgive, Headmaster. We were just talking about our mission. It would do us good to remember it." The student named Ms. Fall nodded indulgently and Qrow suddenly had the uncomfortable feeling he knew her from somewhere.
Yet looking at her wearing her uniform, Qrow really hoped not because there were only so many places they could have met.
In the field or inside bars and he had no wish to imagine what she and him might have been doing inside a bar together.
Qrow Branwen might be a drunkard and a lech but he was not a pedophile who went for students.
"Ah, yes. Our mission. Thank you for reminding me, Ms. Fall." Leonardo perked up, jolting Qrow out of his thoughts amd reminding him why he barged in in the first place.
"What the hell, Leo?! Your already sending your students out on missions?!" He shook his head even as Leo's eyes widened minutely before looking flatly at him.
"You know him, Headmaster?" Ms. Fall asked softly and Qrow nodded as Leo hummed uncomfortably.
"Hmm, yes. You may go, Ms. Fall."
"Thank you, Headmaster." Ms. Fall nodded, turning around to look at Qrow.
There was a moment there that he thought that he really ought to know her but her striking amber eyes only discomforted him.
He stepped aside, letting her walk past him because really, Qrow did not want to be known as someone who stopped pretty students from going out of rooms. All he could do then was close the door behind her and whirl around towards Leonardo.
"Really, Leo?! Missions?! For first years without adult supervision?!"
Leonardo raised an eyebrow at that even as he huffed nervously. "Hello, Qrow. I didn't know you felt so strongly about missions."
Qrow's eyebrow twitched at that but he only frowned at the Headmaster. "Look, Leo, I'm all for practical experience and all that but I saw dome fresh meat out there who are nowhere near ready and they're about to take missions? You're sending them to their deaths!"
Leonardo paled and for one single moment, Qrow thought he managed to convince the Headmaster but it was for naught as Leonard suddenly looked gravely at him.
"Tell me, Qrow, what do you see?" Leonardo asked as he fiddled with his Scroll and Qrow squinted as a map appeared between them.
"Mistral. That's Mistral." He answered, taking note of the beaches, the mountains, the forests, and the lakes. Qrow even pinned where Raven's camp used to be in his head.
"Yes, Qrow. Mistral, the largest kingdom in Remnant which spans a single continent to itself." Leonardo nodded, zooming the map out to show just how large Mistral is compared to Vale, Vacuo, and even Atlas.
"What's your point?" Qrow grunted, crossing his arms as he looked across Leonardo.
"My point is that we are stretched enough as it is. Can you even understand the logistics needed to keep a whole continent safe?"
Qrow tsked, he wasn't the sharpest scythe in the armory but he could still get where Leonardo was going with. "Fine, I get your point."
"Do you, really? Because I don't think you understand how stretched we really are, Qrow." Leonardo said harshly and Qrow watched as his tail flickered erratically. "Every single Huntsman I lose means more than one village gets less protection! Villages then asking for reinforcements are also sometimes too far from the nearest available Huntsman that all we could do is pick up the bodies after reaching them! I try to send more Huntsmen to the frontiers but I suddenly get the Council hounding me because Mistral crime families started acting up in the cities! So no, Qrow, I don't think you understand how stretched we really are."
Oh, he understood alright. He knew they were stretched. It was why he thought Leonardo wouldn't have sent a force to wipe out Raven's camp, the resources needed and the losses they might incur was just too much. He just didn't know they were stretched this much."
"Why didn't you ask for help?" Qrow frowned but Leonardo only smiled wryly at that.
"What do you think I have been doing? I have been asking for help, Qrow. Vacuo is too far for Theodore to send any. James is too busy playing both Headmaster and General. Care to guess what Ozpin said?"
"What?"
"I trust you to keep the relic safe and the situation under control." Leonardo answered mockingly before frustration had him waving his hands around them. "Well, this is it, Qrow. This is situation under control."
His eyes widened at that. As an agent in the field, Qrow obviously didn't have the perspective Leonardo had and if things were really as bad as he was saying? Then damn.
Qrow sighed as he raised his hands placatingly. "Alright, look. I'm sorry, okay? Maybe you're having it rougher than I thought you did, that's on me. But first years, Leo? Your sending first years out in the field this early? Without supervision?"
Something about it just rubbed painfully wrong at him.
"Look, Qrow, it's not like I am sending them to hunt down the biggest Grimm around. Of course not." Leonardo huffed nervously before shaking his head. "All I am doing is sending them out on escort missions for them to get familiarized with the countryside. Their supervision would be the people they have to protect and the Huntsmen they'll encounter along the way."
Qrow looked on skeptically before shaking his head. No, he realized why it was rubbing him the wrong way now. Sending out greenhorns out into the countryside reminded him painfully of one of the Branwen Tribe's rite of passage, The Test of Blood.
Upon reaching a certain age, members of the tribe who wished to become respected warriors were sent out to hunt certain Grimm. It would've been one thing if they had Aura, but Aura came later after passing the Test of Blood. At the time, they had to face the Grimm like normal people with only the training they had from the tribe to help them along.
Those who backed out of the trial would be ridiculed and relegated to becoming grunts at best but at least they would be alive.
The same could not be said about those who tried but failed. Those people died.
As for those who succeeded? They were treated with respect, of course, and their Auras were awakened.
"Is this why you came to visit me, Qrow? To criticize my way of teaching and keeping my kingdom safe?" Leonardo sighed, jolting Qrow out of memory lane and reminding him why he came here.
"No, no, of course not and like I said, I'm sorry about that. I just saw that stuff happening while I was outside. I actually came here for something else." He shook his head, fishing out his own Scroll and showing Leonardo the current state of the Branwen Tribe. "Somebody attacked the Branwen Tribe. Do you know anything about this?"
Qrow watched as Leonardo's eyebrows climbed upwards.
"If you're thinking I sent some people to attack your sister then you are dead wrong."
"No, no, of course not. I just wanted to know if you had any leads on this. Seeing as you don't however, I guess I'm here to warn you about something or someone strong is in the area. They effectively destroyed the Branwen Tribe." Qrow shook his head before a complicated expression crept up his face.
Qrow did not like the Branwen Tribe but it was the tribe where he came from. It was where his sister was. Now that it was gone however, he did not know how to find her anymore. He thought she would've run to him or Tai but both options would have been unpleasant for her no matter what. Him, for his connection with Ozpin. Tai, for...well, being her ex-husband. Though should Raven be desparate enough, there was no telling what she would do.
"I see. Do you have any idea where your sister might have gone?" Leonardo asked, noting Qrow's complicated expression.
"I'm not sure, actually. I thought I might have an idea where she would have gone but I'll have to check first." Qrow answered, holding his Scroll to look at Tai's name only for his eyes to widen.
As someone constantly in the field, Qrow had made it a point to keep his Scroll silent in order not to give his location away when he was sneaking about.
Only emergency calls could get through so he could react to them, that meant of course that any messages sent to him would only really be read once he was in a safe location.
A safe location like Haven that is.
He watched a notification tell him he got a message from Ozpin and he immediately opened it.
His eyebrows climbed upward however once he began to read the message. Something about calling him back to Beacon to meet and train with a certain person? That was just plain weird.
Qrow tilted his head, confusion filling his head even as Leonardo kept a close watch on him.
"What is it? A lead on your sister?"
"No, no. It's from Ozpin." Qrow shook his head and Leonardo's own eyebrows shot up.
"O-Ozpin? What does he want?"
"Nothing. Just something about training with someone in Beacon." Qrow frowned even as Leonardo's eyes widened before a laugh left his throat.
"Haha, I see. Isn't that nice? You get to go back to Beacon. Your niece is going there now, right?"
A smirk crept up his face at that and he turned to look at Leonardo. "Two, actually. I've got two nieces attending Beacon."
"Two? I didn't know Raven had twin daughters."
"Haha, no. It's Summer's child. She got bumped up two years."
"Impressive. You must be proud of them. Come, have some tea and tell me about your nieces. After all this stress of trying to keep a kingdom safe, I find myself craving for much lighter talk." Leonardo huffed lightly, his tail flicking behind his back even as Qrow furrowed his brows.
This was new. Leonardo Lionheart didn't usually ask about his family out of his own volition but perhaps the stress really was getting to him if he looking for casual talk.
Oh well, who was Qrow to deny the opportunity to talk his nieces up. He smirked, sitting down comfortably on one of the sofa chairs in front of Leonardo's table.
"Well, their names are Ruby and Yang ,and guess what?"
"What?" Leonardo blinked and Qrow couldn't stop the proud smile from appearing on his face.
"They're on the same team! Team RWBY, the newest baddest team in Beacon!"
Ahhhh, he can see it now. His nieces, inheriting the legacy of his own team and being just a well-oiled machine of pure badassery.
Yeah, he knew it in his bones. Team RWBY was just going to be perfect.
Team RWBY had a problem.
One day. They had one day of peace before conflict between Blake and Weiss erupted again.
They thought the argument would be behind them but the moment Jaune was out of the picture and they were in the privacy of their own room, thing started to heat up.
"I can't believe you're flirting with Jaune! Jaune, of all people!" Weiss started, rounding on Blake who only blinked in shock.
"And what's wrong with Jaune? He becomes the Rusted Knight! Even Yang is thirsting after his older self!" Blake replied defensively, nodding at Yang who only raised her hands up.
"Woah there, don't bring me into this. I like the guy as much as the next gal, but I'm not pushing myself that hard to be his girlfriend or something."
Ruby could only bite her lip in frustration as she watched her team start to fall apart.
Again.
Yang only shrugged at her however before nodding back towards Weiss and Blake inside their room.
"Alright, girls. I thought you two were good now. What's up?"
"What is up is that this horny cat is wasting time flirting instead of training!" Weiss hissed and Blake's eyes narrowed at that as even Ruby groaned.
"Horny cat? Is that racism I hear, Weiss? Besides, what do you care? I haven't even messed with you!"
"I care because you know what is coming!"
Tears pricked at Weiss' eyes and everyone froze as they saw her grit her teeth.
"I care because while you waste your time pursuing silly things, the future is creeping in on us! My home is going to be destroyed, Blake! People will die if we let things happen!"
Ruby could understand the sentiment. She really could. It wasn't even that long when she thought the same way as Weiss yet that did not give her the right to vent her frustrations on Blake.
"Weiss, you need to calm down. Remember what Professor Arc said. He's not going to let those things happen. All we need to do is train and do our best." Ruby raised her hands placatingly but even as she spoke to Weiss, her mind remembered what Professor Arc said.
She was the leader. Her thinking that she could shoulder the burden of saving Remnant with only her team and friends led to mistakes that cost them the future. While it did hurt to hear that, the words tempered Ruby and made her think that maybe, just maybe, they should trust the adults more.
Her partner only looked at her in betrayal however and Ruby almost winced at the coldness creeping into her eyes before she looked to Blake again.
"I know what Professor Arc said. He also said the my home was going to be destroyed and here we see Belladonna gallivanting around instead of training."
"You think I'm slacking off." Blake narrowed her eyes, her ears flicking backward hostilely as she glared at Weiss.
Weiss only glared back however, baring her own teeth as she clenched her fist tightly. "I know you've been slacking off."
Blake scoffed and Ruby's eyes immediately widened as she saw Blake step closer.
"Prove it. You, me, sparring room now."
"I thought you'd never ask." Weiss replied, stepping up even as Ruby groaned exasperatedly between them.
She was supposed to be the team leader but what good of a team leader was she if she can't even mediate between her teammates? She looked to Yang for help but she only found her sister shrugging at her.
"I say let them fight."
Palm, meet face. Why did she think Yang would help her deescalate? This was Yang after all. Outnumbered three to one however, Ruby sighed tiredly.
"Welp, it looks like we found out what we're doing for today. We might as well use this as training."
"I'm glad we finally understand each other." Weiss sniffed haughtily even as Blake rolled her eyes.
"Quite."
"Alright, ladies. Save it for the ring." Yang interjected, smiling as Ruby fiddled with her Scroll to reserve a training room as is her right as team leader.
She was just about to confirm the reservation when a pounding sounded out from the door.
They only looked at it for a moment before Yang moved to unlock it. In came Nora Valkyrie who suddenly spilled out the most insane news ever.
"Jaune-Jaune killed some dudes!"
Jaune Arc, seventeen years old, was not a killer.
But it seemed like his almost 40-something year-old self was.
He walked briskly with worried eyes even as he held tightly on his Scroll that was playing a news footage. He didn't need to listen to hear more about what the news were now calling unfortunate casualties of a Huntsman out of control. He already had an idea who was responsible for it ever since his older self told him he was going to move. He just didn't know he was going to move like this. As he neared his older self's residence however, he found people already waiting there.
Professors Glynda, Port, and Oobleck waited outside his room as Jaune paused in the hallway with Pyrrha behind him. They turned to him as one and Jaune immediately found his mind blanking out.
Truthfully speaking, he didn't know why he was marching towards his older self. He didn't even know what he was going to say or do. All he knew was that while he was worried what was going on with Blake yesterday, his older self was out there possibly killing people. Jaune thought he, of all people, deserved to at least know why.
"Jaune...no, Mr. Arc." Professor Glynda greeted as she stepped forward, her eyes softening before she shook her head as Jaune squirmed uncomfortably.
It felt weird speaking to his professor like Jaune could fool himself into thinking she was nothing more than strict teacher who busted all of their balls during Combat Class, he couldn't get it out of his mind that this hot wonderful specimen of a woman was sleeping with his older self. Even Professor Glynda felt uncomfortable looking at him based on the complicated expression on her face as they locked eyes with each other.
"We're here to see Professor Arc." Pyrrha interjected, jolting Jaune and Professor Glynda out of their strange staredown as she possessively took a hold of his elbow.
Jaune would've blushed at his partner's possessiveness but he heard Professor Port hiss beside the door as he cringed uncomfortably. "Ah, lad. I'm afraid now is not a good time."
Professor Glynda, however, came to his defense albeit a bit unsurely. "No...perhaps they might just be helpful in this case. If I remember correctly, Ms. Nikos can speak to her older self."
Jaune felt Pyrrha stiffen beside him as he looked warily at both Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck whose eyes immediately snapped towards Pyrrha.
"Fascinating! Is it because you hold the same soul through time and space? Does this mean the soul does not change despite the accumulation of different experiences? Questions, questions!" Doctor Oobleck perked up even as Professor Port thoughtfully put a hand on his chin.
"I see, so a conversation could be had with another party."
"Just so." Professor Glynda nodded, looking at them assessingly as she adjusted her glasses. "I believe Pyrrha needs a much needed conversation with someone other than Jaune."
"Why? What's wrong with us?" Jaune frowned, adjusting his hand so he was tightly holding onto Pyrrha's as well.
Pyrrha only blushed at the contact even as Professor Glynda shook her head at them.
"Forgive me, Mr. Arc, and please do take note that I would be addressing you two more formally. There is nothing wrong with the two of you, per se, as I was speaking more about your older counterparts."
"What happened? Does it have something to do with what's on the news?" Pyrrha gasped with wide eyes even as Professor Glynda's eyes narrowed at them.
"And what have you heard from the news?"
"Something about Huntsman brutality while apprehending the White Fang." Jaune answered, showing her his Scroll and making Professor Glynda pinch the bridge her nose frustratedly.
"I see the media is at it again."
"They so do love to sensationalize stories." Professor Port chuckled nervously but Jaune only kept staring flatly.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I suppose there is no avoiding it." Professor Glynda sighed as she pinned him with a hard look. "Something did happen last night but perhaps it would be best to speak to the source about it. While I would like to warn you that the answers you seek might be too uncomfortable for someone your age, I know for a fact that you of all people would be adamant in knowing the truth."
She stepped to the side with a wry grin and Jaune didn't know what to feel as Professor Glynda displayed such intimate knowledge of himself. He winced however when he felt Pyrrha nudge his side with an elbow but as he turned towards her with a pout on his face, all he saw was an unamused look that sent even Professor Port guffawing.
Even Professor Glynda chuckled nervously as she shyly put a hand on her cheek.
"Do not worry, Ms. Nikos. My tastes lean towards the mature."
Did she just call him immature? She did, didn't she?
Jaune pouted at that but he only stepped forward even as Pyrrha beamed beside him.
"Thank you, Professor Goodwitch!"
"It is no matter but before I forget, please be advised that both Headmaster and Nurse Tsune are already inside. They believed it was better treat Jaune here where he would be more comfortable." Professor Glynda nodded with a smile on his face just as his landed on the door.
Jaune gulped, it took him a second to realize that she was referring to his older self and as he pushed the door, he saw him there.
Jaune Arc, the Rusted Knight, held his head with his eyes closed as he gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Pyrrha!" He called again but just like the past attempts, his partner did not answer.
It had been a day since the debacle at the docks and Jaune had hoped to catch Pyrrha in his dreams but he only realized it when he woke up, he did not dream. Panic gripped him earlier this morning as he heard nothing but his own thoughts greet him when he woke up.
It got so bad that he remembered calling Glynda even as he desperately shouted for Pyrrha inside his head.
Time felt like a blur then. He knew Glynda came running, alerting both Peter and Barth as they looked at the commotion. He remembered apologizing to them because of last night but beyond that, he was much more worried about Pyrrha. Pyrrha who was not answering him no matter what he did. The fear that crept up Jaune's heart then was immeasurable as thoughts of losing his partner again crossed his mind.
Only Glynda grounded him for a moment before Tsune came to diagnose him.
Panic attacks, he was having panic attacks.
Yet he already knew that, didn't he?
Despite knowing that however, that still did not solve his problem. Pyrrha was still gone.
Only when Ozpin arrived did Jaune felt a measure of hope. He didn't even notice the Curious Cat as he looked at Ozpin. He didn't completely trust the man but if there was anyone who could provide a hint or a solution, it was the man experienced with having more than one soul in his body. Yet Ozpin's words only broke him further.
"I'm sorry, Jaune. From my own experience, we can do nothing but wait until she decides to speak on her own from her side."
Jaune remembered then that Ozpin did do something similar with Oscar. It felt so long now but he knew there was a time Ozpin stayed silent like Pyrrha was doing now.
The only difference was that they knew Ozpin would stay with his host while they had no idea what was happening with Pyrrha.
Ozpin had them settle on the dining table then to talk as Tsune shooed everyone else away to give him space. Based on Ozpin's own experience, if things were similar to his condition then Pyrrha should still be able to see and hear what Jaune did. It was only a matter of being subjected to what was the soul equivalent to a silent treatment.
He felt hope then, such a fragile thing, but even as the Curious Cat looked at him curiously, Jaune paid no mind as he closed his eyes. All he could do was plead to Pyrrha. He trusted his partner. She wasn't going to leave him alone. She promised him.
But the longer the silence went, Jaune feared that she didn't actually have a choice in the matter.
Did she go back to the afterlife? Did the shock from last night surprise her so much that it released her grip on the living? Jaune knew Pyrrha was kind and despite training sooner than he did, Pyrrha had never actually killed a person. So to see dead bodies because of her and the harm that they could have been done to their friends? Jaune feared it broke her.
He feared it more now especially after feeling her own fear, anger, and panic when she thought they were fighting against Cinder.
And so he closed his eyes and tried again and again and again.
"Pyrrha, please. Come back to-"
"Professor?"
His eyes snapped open as he heard voice and as he looked upward, he thought for a moment she had returned in the flesh but his vision cleared and his brain processed her words. He gasped weakly as he saw Pyrrha Nikos looking at him with wide eyes while clinging towards his younger self who looked stricken at his visage.
"Arc...what happened to you?"
Jaune smiled wryly at that before clearing his wet throat.
"Nothing, I'm fine."
His younger self only tilted his head skeptically even as Pyrrha's younger self looked at him hesitantly.
"I...I can't see her. Where is she?"
He froze at that even as his younger self looked at his partner in surprise. That's right, Pyrrha's younger self could see and hear her whenever she was in Jaunes presence. Her words however only dispirited him more.
He tried to form a smile but it was a sad and broken thing, he felt a hand touch his shoulder and he looked to see Tsune smiling at him comfortingly. He could only nod thankfully however even as his younger self gasped at the contact.
"Ah, Ms. Nikos, can you please explain what you actually usually see?" Ozpin interjected and this was perhaps one of times Jaune was thankful for the old coot. He didn't actually think he could last a conversation talking to Pyrrha's younger self when his own partner was gone.
He watched as Pyr...No, Ms. Nikos looked at him hesitantly before waving a hand towards. "I usually see my older self hovering over him. If she wasn't then she was just close by and looking at something else. Yet now...I can't see her."
He could see the worry creeping in in her own emerald eyes but before Jaune could even think of anything to say comfort her, his younger self cut in.
"Is this related to what happened last night?"
Jaune paused for a moment and blue eyes locked into his own as he stared at himself. All he could do was nod.
"Yeah...Something happened. It...spooked Pyrrha. Spooked us all if I'm being honest." He explained, he can still remember the feeling of Pyrrha's rage washing over him. It actually felt like he was in control and not at the same time. As if he was two different people melded into one.
"What was it? What happened?"
He could hardly say the complete truth however so he only shrugged as he redirected the topic.
"Does it matter? The point is that Pyrrha's missing. I can't talk to her. I didn't even see her in my dreams."
He saw his younger self's confused expression regarding the dream but there was just too many things that would take too much time to explain when he could barely understand them himself. He would rather spend that time thinking of ways trying to get his Pyrrha back.
"Ahem, Ms. Nikos. Can you...can you try talking to your older self?" Ozpin interjected, looking at Pyrha's younger self as she frowned worriedly.
"I...I can try but what do I even say?"
"Anything, please. Anything you say might be able to help." Jaune pled, closing his eyes as he called his Semblance for help.
His Semblance amplified souls and he dug into his self to amplify everything in the hopes of forcing Pyrrha to resurface just as Pyrrha's younger self started to speak.
"I...suppose I must thank you first. Your suggestion helped in geting Jaune and I-"
There! A spark within his soul! Jaune immediately blocked off the words from distracting him, focusing more on the spark inside him. He poured more of his Aura into it, hoping it would nurture it and as he saw the spark start to grow bigger, Jaune prayed.
And his prayer was answered.
"You called?"
A familiar voice caused him to snap his eyes open and everyone inside the room blinked as they suddenly found the Blacksmith smiling right in the middle of them.
Featuring:
1. Qrow lech but not a predator Branwen.
2. Ruby I want to be a good leader Rose.
3. Jaune what the hell is happening Arc, the younger.
4. Jaune where the hell is my partner Arc, the elder.
5. Lady ask, and I shall appear Blacksmith.
It's a bit of a setup chapter but we need to prepare everything well for the payoff when we get the next clash!
Next up: Souls, Divinity, and everything else!
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pa tr eon.c o m (slash) MrLightbringer0
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