Ansel burned.
The once rustic countryside filled with large farms, ranches, lazy rolling hills, green meadows and children's laughter. A haven for old and retired huntsmen and huntresses who wanted to get away from it all. Setling down, tending to the soil and shepherding sheep and goats in the nearby mountain range. In a blink of an eye it had turned into the very depiction of a hellscape.
Everything was on fire.
Field of corn and wheat had transformed into burning hellscapes of fire and smog. Cows and bulls banged against sturdy steel grates as smoke came creeping closer. Flames already crawling up the walls of the barn.
A windmill older than Atlas went up in a fiery inferno, sparks and embers finding their way to the milled flour.
The village was silent. Everything, from screams of help, names cried out in desperation, to the choking screams and banging ringing out from burning houses. Everything was drowned out under the furious cackling of fire. The flames seemingly alive. Dancing red and orange casting inhuman faces and grins onto the defiantly standing walls. With the rising smoke taking the form of laughing devils and smiling demons.
"We had a deal!" A mighty bellow drowned out the roaring fire. Titus Ozymandias Arc forced himself out of the rubble of what had once been the Arc family home for generations. Dust reinforced steel armour half melted into his skin; the only reason he could even move his entire right side was because the steel was still red hot. Malleable enough as he moved.
The pain of having his flesh merging with steel nothing compared to the pain that threatened to tear his heart in two. The bodies of his daughters, his children, his darling wife, all charred and mangled beyond recognition. Even Dawn, who were only seven, hadn't be spared. Every death a white-hot brand that boiled his heat inside out.
"We had a deal." He spat again, grabbing the hilt of his weapon. A large swordspear, giving him both power and range. Like him, his weapon had seen better days. Half of the blade having charred and melted into a mess. Warping the edge of the other part. Not that he was in a mind to even begin caring. Knowing deep in his heart that even if he survived this day, he had no plans of ever seeing the next sunrise. And that he had a lot to explain to do for his wife the next time they met.
"I would be the last proper hunter from the Arc line, and one of my children would act as her executioner. And in turn we would be under her protection. Free from their incessant games." Titus spat, staring dagger through the visor of his helmet at Cinder. The uppity bitch having the audacity to sneer at him with that superior look on her face. "That was the deal. She swore!"
"What's the code. Where is it." Cinder hissed flatly. Fire roaring to life around her as she walked towards him. Her entire left arm gone; the sleeve of her dress tied with a sharp knot. Dancing carefreely in the wind. Through the smog and shadow, he saw it on her leg. Illuminated as it was. Patches of black. But it wasn't the grimm black he had expected. Instead it was black filled with splotches of blue and purple. Ever so slowly rippling over her skin as she moved.
Tsking loudly, he forced himself to stand. Drawing on his semblance. In an instant his sword spear snapped straight. His half-melted armour glowing as plate and fishlike scales fitted into place. In moment's it was as if he hadn't been harmed in the first place.
"You come here, snoop around for a week, then set the entire homestead on fire and start demanding answers. You will find none." Titus replied flatly, keeping a tight lid on his rage. Spotting a familiar head of silver coming walking out of the shadows. Recognition momentarily flashing through him, forcing a loud snort out from him. "Your boytoy is here. Where is the carpet muncher you kept around? Finally sick of her? Her skills not up to par?"
A ball of fire was hurled his way, quickly moving his sword spear, the ball of fire exploded. Leaving him unharmed as he darted through the firewall. Throwing himself, body and soul, into a furious offence. Effortlessly burying the point of his weapon between Markus's brat's legs when he came in for a barrage of kicks.
Moving with effortless speed and grace, hammering his fist into Cinder's face. Already moving to bring down the edge of his swordspear to cut her head clean off. Fire exploded against his chest, wrapping around him and glowing white.
Titus didn't feel the pain, spinning and forcing the flames of him. Coming into another wall of fire when he tried to approach her. Then another wall of flames, then another. Every wall burning white hot. Obsidian stars passing through the flames and digging themselves into the chinks of his armour. Leaving smell pieces of lava glass buried behind as he pushed forward.
A kick crashed into the back of his head, followed by an explosion of colour and sounds that left him seeing nothing but stars and flashes. Titus didn't think, didn't need to. Acting completely on instinct, he sank down in a stance, spinning his sword spear around him. Deftly moving a flying leg out to the side. Ever so slightly moving his weapon, meeting the weak of cinder's blade with his strong.
Easily batting her sword aside, lunging into a thrust. Eyes shooting open to late when he saw the insuperable smirk on her face. So cocksure of her own victory. Pain exploded into his side, golden orange sparks of aura exploding from him as it felt like a truck crashed into his side. Barely hearing the cackling of thunder through the roaring flames.
A giant of a man with giant yellow dust crystals jutting out from his elbows. Titus barely managing to roll out of a hammer fist. Ending up staring eye-to-eye with Mari. His daughter's eyes cloudy with an underlying glimmer of confusion. Half of her skull cracked open, bleeding out on the floor.
Through sheer force of will and hate of heart, Titus threw his legs under himself. A half cracked golden orange aura wrapping itself around him.
"Hazel. I will give you once chance. Step aside, and I won't kill you." Titus lied, blue eyes scouring over the faces of his enemies. Taking a step forward only for his right leg to give out under him. Titus blinked in confusion, looking down at the limb with honest confusion. Not understanding how his body could betray him so.
"I can't do that." Hazel said, coming out from the smoke. Arcs of lighting dancing over his arms and torso. "Not when you willingly condemn a child to such a bloody future. Ozpin might be a monster. At least he doesn't let children fight grimm."
"You don't get to criticise me about raising my children when you are part of the reason they are dead." Titus hissed out through clenched teeth. Digging the end of his swordspear into the dirt, pushing himself up and back just in time as Mercury came and tried taking his head clean of with a kick. Quickly and swiftly directing the tip of the spear into his mouth. Tearing to the side and taking out his aura together with throwing him into the wall with a mighty heave.
"Don't worry, you will see them soon." Cinder called out, voice coming out from every fire around him. Sashaying with faked confidence towards him. "Tell me what I want to know, and I will send you on your way."
"Cinder. Kindly. Go kill yourself." Titus spat. Feeling his leg's shacking against his will. The only reason he didn't immediately collapse because he locked his knees. And even then, he clung on his swordspear with all the might he had left. He felt like his entire body betrayed him. "You know what, I could really go for a rainbow unicorn about now. Can't you serve me one, little Tremaine. That's your hotel's speciality, is it not?"
A ball of fire exploded towards him, a snarl and a scream ripping out from her throat as she launched herself at him. Titus tried, throwing himself to the side. His body didn't obey him. Stumbling slightly and collapsing to the right instead.
Not making a single sound as a heeled foot slammed into his stomach. Sending pain like never before crashing through him. Fire exploding as his armour was turned to slag on his body.
Titus glared up at her through the visor. Warning bells blaring through the haze of pure wrath that clouded his mind.
"Tell me." Cinder hissed, grabbing him by his breastplate and tearing him up from the ground. Swordspear falling to the side as Titus grinned under his helmet. "The cure. The magic! Tell me."
"It isn't going to change anything." He gargled with a grin under his helmet. Vindictive fury spurring him on as he felt everything grow heavier. "You stepped out of line. I am dead, and you are a dead woman walking."
"Tell me!" Cinder roared into his face, flames exploding to life around them. Another shout of something garbled slamming into him. The madwoman holding lifting him up by the throat and forcing him to stare into burning amber eyes.
Titus didn't feel the heat, didn't smell the smoke. He didn't feel a thing. Feeling lighter than he ever had before.
{-ooo-}
Ruby pulled out a chair, falling down into it. An exhausting weight falling over her shoulders. What she had seen, what team JNPR had done still running through her mind on loop.
"Mistral doesn't exist out here. The world's a big place, and the capital's presence doesn't exist much out here."
"Mistral have the death penalty for bandit's." Ren's voice so icily calm wormed it's way through her mind. Followed by the crack of thunder under open skies.
"I won't harm the kids. They are innocent. Nothing more than victim of circumstances. If Qrow can turn his life around, given the chance. So can they too change."
Team JNPR had moved with a horrifying efficiency and familiarity. Digging a grave, looting the bandit tribe for all it was worth, holding a proper funeral, escorting all the kids and teenagers back to town. Not letting a single grimm even touch the children. Moving all the kids to an orphanage, hashing out a deal with the matron while also leaving them a hefty donation.
It had honestly felt like she was in some weird dream. One that had just ended now, when the sun was going down and she found herself in an empty bar.
Weiss pulled out a chair, sitting down next to her while Qrow sat down suspiciously close to this Oscar they had picked up. Yang and Taiyang sat alone nestled in a crook. Yang still grappling with learning that her mom had popped her out and skedaddled away to play bandit.
'I thought she would be louder.' Ruby coulndt help but think to herself. Knowing how her sister had always gone on about how she wanted to find out who her mother was. Yet, the moment she was face to face with the answer, all wind left her sails. 'Why isn't dad angry?' The second thought something that had crossed her mind more than once today.
"They told her." Her mom whispered gently in her ear. "Time and time again. That she would meet her end at the edge of a blade. All but begging her to come back. She wouldn't listen."
"Thanks' Benny." Jaune said when the barkeep came and placed some drinks by their table. Acting as if he hadn't been the very embodiment of wrath earlier today.
Ruby still felt creeped out just thinking back to it. In the blink of an eye the undiluted anger on his face had washed away. One moment he looked no different from a snarling grimm. In the next he looked like they were just talking about the weather. Calm eyes, a little quirk of his lips upwards, and relaxed shoulders. It was almost like she didn't believe her eyes.
"Jaune." Ruby said gently. Finding herself lost for words. There was just so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted to ask. Her anxiety pilling on top itself as questions upon questions piled on top themselves. Like a car crash that never stopped.
"Ruby." Jaune said with a polite smile, taking one of the remaining glasses and sipping on it.
"Jaune." Ruby repeated, giving him an unimpressed look.
"Ruby." Jaune nodded, setting his glass down at the table.
"Jaune." She sighed, not missing how Weiss facepalmed to her side. Nor how Qrow snickered into his glass.
"Why are you here Ruby." Jaune sighed out heavily. "No, forget it. I can guess." He cut himself of with a little shake of his head. "You want answers-"
"I do." She cut him off, staring into his eyes. Needing to know. The entire Scorching playing on loop in her mid. She had seen him die. His head had only been connected to his body by a sliver of skin. And he had stood up forced his head back on like it was just a minor inconvenience. Then there was the ghost. The ghost she could remember clinging to him. Arms so possessively wrapped around his neck. Then there was what he had done, moving with impossible speeds. All that without mentioning the dozens of questions she felt as she looked at his eye. A rune so innocently carved into his pupil.
She needed answer's. And she wouldn't leave until she got what she wanted.
"Answers to questions I rather not want to answer." He continued with a polite tone. Something that grated her more than anything. She could take anger, an outburst of some sorts. She would take anything over the constantly polite tone he took. Completely flat of emotion, calm bordering on apathic.
"I know of your semblance Jaune." Ruby said softly, completely switching gears. Throwing an apologetic smile over at Pyrrha. "How you die." She continued, instantly Weiss and Qrow sat straighter. "How you lose bits and pieces of yourself with each death."
Jaune looked at her. A heavy sigh leaving him as he changed before her eyes. Not into a different person. Instead, it was like he became truer to himself. Like he had decided to stop pretending. Ruby herself found it hard understand. It was in how he sat. The weight and depth in his eyes. The casual cruelty that simmered in the depths of his eyes. The ease of which he moved, how he let himself relax. Not pretend relax as he had done earlier, but real relaxing. There was a carefree ease in how he leaned back. A realness as he took and lifted Violet up by her armpits and plopped her in his lap.
Warning bells screamed in Ruby's mind suddenly. Aura instantly up as she heard the commotion by the entrance. One of the bandit teenagers her age rushing into the bar pistol in hand. Aiming and firing at Jaune before anyone could move.
The bullet slammed into Jaune's forehead, then fell into Violet's lap. Not a single drop of blood appeared. The skin wasn't even red from tanking a bullet. If she hadn't seen it, she wouldn't have believed it. With one smooth motion, Violet drew Mortem Ignis and fired. Hitting the angry teenager square in the chest. Ripping him in two as his entire torso turned to red mist.
"So that happened." Jaune shrugged, taking his revolver from Violet's hands and holstering it. The girl in question looking down at her shacking her hands, not at all disturbed over taking a life. Instead far more concerned about how the recoil of the hand cannon sent pins and needles through her hands. Sipping from his fizzy drink as if nothing had happened.
"Told you it was going to happen." Nora chimed from the side. Sending Jaune a 'I told you so' look. Ignoring the completely flabbergasted look Weiss and Qrow sent them.
"So you did." Jaune replied with a lazy drawl. Taking another sip. "We all knew some of them were going to try anything." Turning back to her, Ruby didn't know what she felt. The shock having given away to something else. "I thought you had forgotten."
"It wasn't my place to ask." Ruby replied. Feeling like she had fallen completely into Jaune's pace. Yet guilt gnawed at her. Refusing to leave her alone.
"Excuse me?!" Weiss whisper-shrieked. Waving her arms frantically between Jaune and the corpse. Like she coulndt believe what had just happened, or how they so easily brushed over it as if it was normal. "Why are you all pretending that that didn't just happen?"
"Oh you sweet summer child." Pyrrha snorted, nails digging into her forearms with a nervous almost frantic energy.
"Then…" Jaune hummed to himself. Sighing as he sat down his glass. Idly tapping at the table. "What do you want to know? I can't promise I will answer everything… But… I can try."
"Then. Who is she." Ruby asked, sitting straighter up looking him straight in the eyes.
Jaune raised an eyebrow in challenge, but didn't say anything against her. Instead every so subtle looking over at the barkeep. Sharing some sort of invisible message. The barkeep nodded, downing a shot of hard whiskey with more ease than Qrow, and pulled out an old looking Walkman. Pulling out a mop and bucket from somewhere and heading to the entrance.
Whistling the tune of an old rock classic as he began cleaning up the gore left behind. Acting like it was just another day at work.
"Who is who?" Weiss asked suddenly. Looking more than a little lost.
Without answering, Jaune did something. Ruby didn't know what. Only that suddenly the temperature dropped. Rim frost crept slowly up the windows, mist came from every breath, static rang out from the radio. Then she appeared. Slowly at first.
An iridescent shimmer. With only a black hole of festering and gnawing filth exerting its existence onto the world. Somehow making the smut Blake had read seem like holy scriptures instead. Weiss froze in her seat, staring at the platinum white hair dancing through the air as if under water.
Her remaining eye, smile, nose, arms, negligee. Moment by moment she grew more complete. Until it was impossible to ignore her.
"Mine." The girl who looked like she could be Weiss's sister announced with a haughty whisper. Pulling her arms tighter around his neck. Nestling her head into the crook of his neck.
"Play nice Elizabeth." Jaune rolled his eyes.
Weiss blinked beside her. Taking a long and hard look at her drink before turning to her. "Ruby. Did you spike my drink?"
"No." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Words rich, filled with the same haughty arrogance she had once heard Weiss speak with. Entitled to riches and power while also filled with cruelty and satisfaction. "I am as real as you and me."
"I'm going to need something stronger." Weiss said, pushing her chair away and standing.
"Me to sister, me to." Qrow mumbled, sending a betrayed look to Oscar. The mirth and schadenfreude in the boys eyes impossible to miss. Standing, the two made their way over to the bar. Benny already there, looking at the ghost floating behind Jaune with wide eyes.
"We need your strongest drink." Weiss ordered. The bartender taking one look at her, then back to Jaune and Elizabeth.
"Girl. You are going to need more than a drink." Benny said, bending down and placing a golden cross on the table. Then a string of prayer beads. And gold and silver star. Handing them a bottle of whiskey, wine, and a combo and gin and tonic. Benny took out a flask of cognac.
"Now, if you will excuse me. I'm going to get flat out drunk and pray to whoever is out there that my mother, or my wife for that matter, isn't haunting me." Benny muttered, staring at Elizabeth. Loosing more and more colour on his face by the moment.
"They aren't." Ren called out, causing Benny to halt his swig.
"That is helpful to know, but no less terrifying." Benny whispered under his breath, in the silent bar the words echoed like a clear bell. Reaching under the counter, he pulled out a key. Throwing it towards Jaune who caught it out of the air easily. "Close up after yourself, will you? I'm going up and getting myself blackout drunk. Hopefully the world will begin making sense again tomorrow."
"You and me both." Qrow muttered.
Not that Ruby cared much for what they said. Jaune held his hand out. It wasn't covered in aura, yet it felt weighty. Looking her dead in the eyes the entire while.
Her mom moved, ever so carefully placing her hand over his. A shudder raced through her, then she sifted in a way she coulndt describe. Weight, that was the word she was looking for. Summer had always been 'airy' when she looked at her, ethereal in a way Ruby thought all ghosts had to be. Now she grew heavier. Not fat, but she existed with more gravitas than before.
A soft trembling gasp rang through the bar. Hopeful and terrified at the same time.
"Mom?" Never in her life had Ruby ever heard Yang sound so small. So pathetic.
"Summer?" Her dad whispered unbelieving. "Is that really you?"
"Hello cuddlebear." Summer whispered softly. Voice trembling. "I... I never should have taken that mission."
"What… what happened to you?" Yang asked again.
"Ghosts are dead." Jaune said matter-of-factly. Shrugging his shoulders slightly. Elizabeth taking the hint for what it was. Floating up elegantly. A gasp escaped Ruby, staring in disbelief at the dozens or so stab wounds that littered her chest. The poor girls negligée so red with blood her negligée itself slithered into the wounds. "They are echoes of the moment they pass away. If that is in bed, if that is being ritually sacrificed, if that is being murdered. It is all the same."
"How? Why? What?" Three questions tried to leave her dad's mouth at the same time.
Ever so carefully, Jaune moved his hand away. "You have some ten minutes give and take."
"Why?" Ruby asked, looking between Jaune and her mom. Wanting nothing more than to go and hug her. Selfishly wanting her mother's attention for herself. To feel one last real hug.
There was something cruel in Jaune's eyes. Even if it was born from love.
He knew what he was doing. Pleading with her to stand up, to spend time with her mother and family. To take the chance for what it was. The unsaid promise that he and his team would leave when she did not hidden in the slightest.
"Because I don't want to hurt you." Jaune replied softly. The warmth and kindness, the care falling of him. It all dug and twisted the knife deeper. The out was there. Jaune all but forcing it into her hand, pleading with her to take it. To let matters rest.
"I'm sorry. I can't do that." Ruby whispered. Idly looking as Weiss sat down beside her. The heiress looking between the bottles, then to Elziabeth and Summer, before to Jaune. Silently judging if she should be sober or not for the coming conversations. "I… I need answers. I saw you die. I have been able to see mom ever since the Scorching. And everything circle's back to you."
"You are never going to let this rest, are you." Jaune phrased it like a question. It wasn't. They both knew it. The plea for her to turn her gaze, to let it lie, one last chance for her to turn around.
It hurt. Having to so clearly hurt him. Even Ren and Nora were sending her pleading gazes. All but begging her to change her mind.
"I'm sorry." Ruby whispered, guilt creeping into her voice. As much as it hi hurt to push Jaune when he so clearly wanted to spare her. She coulndt. She needed to know. It had become an obsession without her even realising.
"Then, I am sorry." Jaune sighed in acceptance. Nora looking at her softly, a glance of pity in her eyes. "For what it is worth."
"You are really laying it on thick." Weiss muttered out, having been silent till now. "Even if it's understandable to some degree… A large degree…" She muttered out, throwing one long look at Jaune. Elizabeth's form shimmering out of existence. If Ruby squinted her eyes she could see her. Still there, arms wrapped around Jaune.
"I turned to sludge once." Violet replied dryly. Staring Weiss dead in the eyes. "Dad did to." She continued with a huff. Looking down at her hands as if she still coulndt believe it had happened to her. "It was just… I saw him. Then… I just fell. My legs were gone. I puked scabbards. And then I-"
A storm of impossible sounds escaped Violet as she spoke. Sounding like the cursed marriage of Tv-static, electrical discharge, a washing machine, and a dog's bark all at once. Pyrrha and Nora nodded, as if they could understand what she said. Ruby coulndt. Blinking dumbly as the little girl turned to pout at her.
"I take back my previous statement." Weiss mumbled to herself. Taking out a bottle opener and pouring herself a glass of wine. Looking at it with a hard look. Sighing heavily, before taking it to her lips and sipping on it lightly. "I'm going to need to be slightly inebriated for this." Moving the glass from her lips, she stared down into the deep red wine with a look of soft realisation. "Is this how mom feels?" Her words no louder than a whisper. A shudder racing through her as she quickly sat down her wine glass.
"What?" Ruby whispered horrified.
"And that's the mild one." Nora called out with a cheerful voice. Ren sighing heavily by her side, even if he coulndt stop himself from nodding.
"What?" Ruby repeated, blinking horrified. Eyes darting between Jaune and Violet, pleading with her that this was some sick joke. Some way to disgust and shock her away.
"It was when Aurora died." Jaune replied calmly. Staring her unblinkingly in the eyes. As if challenging her to look away. "She wanted to see the inside of the Grand Cathedral. So I brough her there. Something something happened that could best be described as a religious experience. She scattered into a thousand motes of golden light. My insides became my outsides as I died. And Violet died because she looked at me."
Reaching down, he gently pinched Violet's cheeks. The youngest of them not looking guilty in the slightest.
"And… then you just got up? Like nothing had happened?" The words just came tumbling out of her. Remembering the night, or day after with crystal clarity. They, and everyone really, had been a bit glum. Even Violet had been in a slump for a week. But Ruby had always thought it came from losing Aurora.
Something grabbed her heart. An emotion. A pain she coulndt describe. Not when they talked about dying so hurtfully carefreely. They spoke as if it was a daily occurrence. That turning to sludge was just another thing that happened.
Nora snorted, staring at her with a little smirk on her lips. Crossing her arms, before nudging Ren with her elbow. "What about the time I woke up Jaune early." She snorted. A full body shudder going through her. "Think I still have nightmares."
"I was wounded in the dream." Jaune answered before Ruby could even ask. Staring her dead in the eyes the entire time. "My aura broke, and my throat was cut open. Throat, carotid arteries, it even reached bone. The wound followed me into the waking world."
Weiss blinked, violently coughing. Hammering her chest as she fought to get her breathing under control. Pushing the wine glass away.
"There is also the time I tried following Jaune to the Dream." Ren said stoically from the side. Guilt crawling into his eyes. "I didn't come out unscathed."
As if to show her, he brought out his aura. Covering himself in a soft pink glow.
Ruby instantly noticing what he meant. Staring at his outstretched hand in open horror. Part of his aura were missing. A blob of nothing raced over his hand. So large it covered his entire hand. Keeping it unprotected.
"And you've never said anything?" Nora hissed into his ear. Anger bleeding into worry.
Ren smacked his lips. "After almost dying. And being frog marched to the toilet where I and Aurora bonded over who could empty the contents in their stomach the quickest. It never seemed important."
"Ren." Nora hissed. "If I didn't love you. I would break your knees."
Before Nora could react, Jaune sent something flying through the air towards her. Catching it out of the air, she gave him a deadpan stare.
"Really Jaune. Condoms?" Holding up the packet for added effect, she stared at him with disbelief.
"Rather you have them than not." Jaune shrugged.
"How… how can you be so blase?" Ruby hissed at Jaune in disbelief.
"I knew." Jaune said flatly. "Actions have consequences. I won't dig into him when he knows he messed up. Scolding him when he was already busy admonishing himself would do nothing but strain the team."
"Oh shut up you." Pyrrha drawled, stopping the scratching on her arms as she shot a glare into the side of Jaune's head. "'Strain the team' my ass." She snarked. Both Jaune and Ren having the decency to blush. "The reason why you didn't scold him was because the two of you played 'I can't see you'. You only talked when you had to talk."
"You know what. I think I miss Blake." Weiss butted in with a tired drawl. Resting her hand against her forehead as if fighting back a skull shattering migraine. "Sure we bickered. But at least our problems were… mundane."
"Nah." Nora snorted. "That sounds boring." She continued with a roll of her eyes. "Sure, Jaune always pulls out something that shatters what confidence you had in your worldview. But at least it's never boring."
"And where does that include kidnapping a farmhand?" Weiss shot back, rolling her eyes. "What?" She snapped defensively as they turned to look at her. Schadenfreude and something else in their eyes.
"That's Oscar." Jaune said easily. Ruby already bracing for the worst. Seeing the glint in Jaune's eyes. "He has the soul of Ozpin in his head. Who is actually the Infinitive Man. The Wizard. Wandering Hero. Those fairytales? Well, apparently, they are mostly true."
"Hi?" Oscar cringed, giving a little wave. Before he changed before their eyes. Sitting straighter. Shoulder's relaxing, as a twinkle of something settled into his eyes. "It's good to see you again. Ruby. Weiss." He said, his voice might have been the same. But there was no way they were the same person.
It was the way he held himself. If Oscar had been nervous, the beginning of confidence in his chest. Then whatever this where was old. He held himself like an old gentleman. A kind if knowing smile on his face.
Weiss sounded like a boiling kettle. Keening as Ruby heard the sound of glass shattering around them.
"What's next?" Weiss spat. Anger and fear born from a lack of control exploding through her. "Oh I don't know. Don't tell me the grimm have someone controlling them. That there is some Grimm Emperor out there. Spreading destruction for destructions sake."
"It's a queen actually." Jaune replied completely straight faced.
"And for once in history, Jaune isn't the reason we know." Nora beamed proudly. Clapping her hands together.
"What?" Weiss blinked. Echoing Ruby's thoughts. This entire 'interrogation', if it could even be called that, had been a disaster. At least if he had lied, she would've believed him. But Jaune didn't. Instead he was ruthlessly honest. If he lied, it was by omission.
It left her reeling. Things she knew to be true, suddenly not. It was maddening. It was thrilling. Ruby had never in her life felt so lost. So confused.
It was an avalanche of emotions. Just one thing after the other. Leaving her unable to process anything she heard before the next sea of emotions crashed into her.
"What does she even want?" Weiss asked. Sounding just as lost as Ruby felt.
"I don't know." Jaune replied easily. "Why don't we ask someone who knows her." He said, leaning back in his chair and looking up towards the empty second floor. "Tyrian!" Jaune called out sharply. Instantly his team looked sharp, weapons drawn as they turned to the upper floor. "What does Salem want?"
Silence followed his words. Even the softest of conversations between Yang, her father, Qrow and her mother died down.
A silence that was broken by a creepy laughter. The shadow of the second floor moved. Before the poster child of serial killers leaned over the banister. Yellow piercing eyes wandering over them, a deranged giggle and smile on his lips as he moved to sit on the banister.
"Hi." He smiled and waved. Grinning wilder as her mother shrieked. Exploding from where she stood and launching herself at him. Crashing into him. A shriek of pain exploding from Summer as she crashed into a poisonous purple aura. "Oh you are so precious."
Wigging a finger towards Yang and Taiyang, his tail moved. Pulling Benny out from the shadows. Drop of poison traveling down the barkeeps chin. "Remember children. Trigger discipline. You don't want your dearest barkeep here to wake up with a few dozen new orifices, now do you?"
Yang's hair was fire and flame, Qrow looked one moment away from launching himself up at the madman. So did her father. Ruby stained her hand. No matter how much her heart burned. Looking at Jaune with abject betrayal.
"What does she want?" Jaune asked again. "I'm sure she didn't send a man such as you out on shopping errands." He continued, never taking his eyes away from the madman. "Not with how you have been stalking us."
"Yes yes." Tyrian grinned. "I followed you." A tear appeared in his eyes as he looked down at Jaune and Violet. "And I'm so proud of you. How you and your daughter handled the bandit. It was the most beautiful poetry I have ever seen." He sniffed, no differently from how her dad had done when she and Yang had enrolled at Signal.
Licking his lips, Ruby saw the zeal in his eyes all the way down from the second floor.
"As for what my Queen, holiest of all want? I don't know. It's not this servants place to know the plans of his betters." He replied. Shrugging nonchalantly. Voice thick with unwavering devotion. "However, I know why I'm here."
With that he turned to Pyrrha, not showing anything as her dad and Qrow ever so subtly shared a glance.
"It's a game you see." He grinned. "Cinder failed. Spectacularly at that. Beacon was never meant to fall. The plan was for her to sneak in, get the maiden's powers, then sneak out. But she failed, like Cinder always does." At that he grinned, clapping his hands in mad delight. "So my Queen, most magnanimous of all, devised a wonderful game for us, her servants. Since there are two maidens', we were to pick a side. Cinder, or Pyrrha."
"And you picked me." Pyrrha frowned.
"No." Tyrian scoffed almost affronted. "I picked the side where I can kill Cinder."
"She's mine." Pyrrha hissed, her twitching nails and fingers digging into her arms. "Killing her is the only way I can get this incessant itching to stop. It feels like I have bugs and ant's crawling in my skin. If you get in my way…"
Tyrian sniffed, wiping away another tear. "They grow up so fast." He whispered proudly. "One moment you meet for the second time. The next they are threatening to gut you. Is this how it feels to have children of your own?"
"So you want to recruit us?" Jaune asked with a frown.
"No." Tyrian rolled his eyes. Sighing heavily and shooting Jaune a look of disappointment. "My Queen wants to recruit you. I am just an instrument of her will."
"Jaune." Ruby muttered, turning to Jaune. Feeling everything and nothing at all at the same time.
"He has never once lied." Jaune hummed with a frown. Tapping his finger's over the table. "Or… he has no intention of harming us."
"And if we were to do some father-son bonding while at it. I'm sure our wonderful Queen would never deny us." Tyrian continued with misty eyes. "We could teach Violet how to perform autopsies. Where to cut someone so they bleed out the slowest. How to properly kill someone so it looks like an accident. Study at our Queens feet as we deepen our knowledge of the art of murder together."
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Jaune sighed. "I already have a loony old coot as a teacher you see. Having two would be a dishonour to him."
"Then I just have to kill him and take his place." Tyrian said simply. Not bothered in the slightest. Sounding almost eager to take his place.
Tyrian blinked. A loud crack rang from the banister he sat on. In an instant the post under him bent and splintered. As once Qrow and her dad exploded into motion.
A mad cackle of glee escaped Tyrian. Turning around free fall and laughing Benny at her father. Shooting himself backward the moment he landed on a table. Launching himself into the backrooms. Qrow hot on his heels.
"Yang! Stay!" Her dad shouted, spinning and shooting Yang a hard look. Before racing to catch up to Qrow.
"Huh." Nora muttered. Sounding not the slightest bit bothered. "So that happened."
"How can you be so casual about it?" Yang snarled at her. Hair aflame. The only thing that stopped her was the gentle hand on her shoulder. Summer glowing iridescent. "Yang. Don't. His semblance can ignore aura. Evey blow is a killing blow."
"That sounds like Salem's M.O alright." Oscar, Ozpin, or who ever he really was sighed. "Always gravitating towards talent and ability. No concern about values or goals as long as they are loyal."
Ruby collapsed backwards in her seat. Staring at Jaune emptily. Feeling like she was reliving the Scorching again. Today felt like one giant disaster. She felt like she never had before. It hurt to breath. The beginning of a migraine pounded in the back of her skull.
Part of her hated him. Hated him for not setting his foot down. For not shutting her down. For never lying to her. Hated herself for not taking one of the many outs. To caught up in her need; in her obsession for answers.
Part of her was grateful for him. Grateful for not lying. The knowing look in his eyes so gentle that it hurt.
Looking at him, she took in everything about her best friend. The way his skin shimmered with a softness a man almost shouldn't be able to have. The carved gold in his tongue. The way his mouth pulled just a tad to far back when he smiled. The way his teeth were just too white. The way a blue rune was carved into his eyeball. The way too many emotions swirled in his eyes.
Jaune sat opposite of her. The softest of smiles on his lips. Apologetic in a way that twisted the knife in her chest.
Her best friend sat opposite of her. But Ruby wasn't sure if he really was her friend.
Not anymore.
'Could it have been different?' Her mind whispered as something wet slid down her cheek. Absentmindedly reaching up to find a tear. 'What if I talked to him earlier? Asked him? Helped him when he needed it? If I had been that shoulder to cry on he needed?'
'What if I hadn't ran away that night I learned about the cost of his semblance.' Ruby thought. Feeling like she coulndt breath.
'Would he still have been my friend then?'
'Could I have saved him?'
{-ooo-}
Note: Have you ever written a line and gone. No, I can't add that. It's too dark. Because half of this chapter felt like an exercise in moderation. Not something I'm the best at if I'm to be honest But 'I'm glad I did.
Note: And the reason behind most of Titus's actions are answered. This is another one of the things I feel I should've hinted at better. Maybe have another scene or two between Jaune and his family and sneaking it in. Instead of leaning on shock factor. But, eh, it is what it is. This entire series is writing training for me. Only way to become a better writer is by writing after all. Does that mean character's that are more OCC, plot holes, and lost plot threads. Welp, that's just a natural progression of learning to write.
Note: Tyrian is… Tyrian. Ranking all of Team Horizon and him by their mental stability and 'sanity', he comes in number two. Right after Jaune.