I'm going to say this now. DO NOT contact me about buying your art for my stories. I don't care. If I need art, I will make it myself or get it from a reputable artist not someone that just contacts me out of the blue with a fake message about reading my stories and being 'inspired' by them. Don't waste my time with that or you will be blocked immediately.
Symbiote Knight
Chapter 38: The Old Stories
Ozpin took a sip from his mug in his office, the sweet taste of hot chocolate was a soothing one. It was funny, every time he was forced into a new body, he had to re-learn what things that body liked. Some had allergies to foods he had enjoyed previously, some couldn't handle spicy foods, or were lactose intolerant.
This one had a sweet tooth, not that he minded.
In front of him sat Jaune and inside of the boy was something he was learning was a visitor from out of this world, literally. He had given the young man a few days to process things, they had one small talk earlier but not he felt it was time for both of them to ask some serious questions.
"So, Mr. Arc, I must say I do believe this conversation will be one for the ages," he smirked at his hidden joke as he no doubt would remember this for a long time.
"Yeah, Valor is really curious about that other symbiote on the planet."
Ozpin sighed, "I wish I had more information to give, it's not exactly one to just site down and talk."
"Well, how long has it been here?"
Ozpin thought about it. "It's hard to tell but first accounts were at least over a five hundred years ago. When it became under her control I can't say, only that it seems to come and go on Salem's whims."
"That's another thing I don't get, what's her ultimate goal?" Jaune had been thinking about this on and off and normally there is some kind of goal for something like this right?
"All I can say is that Salem is a creature of control, she wants total absolute control and what she doesn't control, she'll destroy." Ozpin seriously told him. He remembered those early years, back when they were both a lot younger. Back when they had been happily married with a family but how she had this cold and vicious side to her. How she started war after war because not everyone would bow down to their rule. Or maybe it was really her rule she wanted them to bow down to.
Had there been signs he had missed when they were both in their first lives? Had he missed this side of her because he had been blinded by love? Or was this the result of her prolonged isolation? Of her half-grim nature? There really was no way for him to tell.
Well, there was one way, but he was saving those Three Questions for when they really counted.
Valor's head emerged from Jaune's shoulder, "Okay then tell me this, what happened to your moon?"
"Excuse me?" Ozpin blinked at the question.
"It looks like something blasted it, that is not from an impact. Planets don't get that damaged from an impact they would shatter completely if it was, this was blown apart."
"Why do you want to know about that?" Jaune questioned.
"It's been bothering me since I got here as it's not normal, like a few other things on this planet like aura, semblances and those Grimm creatures." There were a few other reasons, one of the main ones was to ensure the planet was safe. He knew of a few races that had the ability to shatter worlds and wanted to make sure they were nowhere near that kind of territory.
While he hadn't seen it personally, Ozpin knew what Salem had told him when they were reunited as he too had asked her that same question since he was wondering what happened to the moon when he had first seen it again. He leaned back in his chair his mind going far back to his first and second life.
"There's a very old story, one of the oldest of stories that you'd be hard pressed to know about."
"And you just know it?"
Ozpin smirked. "I'm more of a history buff than a certain teacher here." Mainly because he actually lived through all that history. "But as the story goes it was done by the Brother Gods, mainly the God of Destruction."
"Oh yeah I've heard stores about the Brother Gods," Jaune nodded his head. The story of the Brother Gods was something that a lot of children stories were based around.
"Well like all fairy tales this one has some truth to it," Ozpin stated as he wasn't sure how much to give away. It was still too early for them to learn the full secrets of the world, but he didn't want to hide too much. This was the problem sometimes, just how much information to give someone. He had seen people break when they learned too much and became paranoid and suspicious when they didn't get enough.
"There was a great rebellion against the Gods of Creation and Destruction, humans had been fed lies and manipulated by a person with a grudge against them. They told them they could dethrone them, that they could gain power that they could never have with them around. Well, the rebellion didn't last long from what I can tell. The army that was gathered was instantly defeated and the gods turned their wrath on the people."
"Which people?" Jaune asked since the army was destroyed. Did he mean the countries they were from?
"All of them," Ozpin said gravely. "They destroyed everyone leaving only one survivor the one that started the rebellion as a punishment for them."
He didn't go into that this was Salem and that they had made her immortal before that rebellion and the grudge was that she was made immortal because she tried to play them off each other to resurrect him.
"Typical," Valor huffed out. Ozpin gave him a curious look so the symbiote clarified. "Too many gods are more trouble than they are worth, even the Klyntar god, we never speak his name, never acknowledge his existence if we can help it."
"Truly?" Ozpin asked very curious about this. Ozpin had met the gods himself but to know there were other gods was something he hadn't considered before now. Although it seems that gods were very callus at the best of times but the way Valor spoke, they could be so much worse than even he had seen.
He remembered how it felt to be brought back and killed again by the two of them like a pair of children fighting over a toy. That had been a very unpleasant experience and then being put into this vague role to 'guide humanity' was something he should have thought out first, but alas he had been blinded by love.
Thinking back on it now, he could see how the Brother Gods were at times very callus to the people of this world. Even the legends and stories before he died the first time there were old stories of the things they had done.
Valor stared at the hidden immortal. "Whatever your gods have done, ours is so much worse. He awaits in the darkness to break free and if he ever does, this universe will all go back into the darkness that birthed it."
That gave Ozpin pause, he wondered what the alien meant by 'darkness that birthed it' but he was hesitant to ask the question. Also, Valor didn't seem pleased talking about it, he would put this off for a later time.
"But wait if all humans were wiped out how are we here now?" Jaune quickly asked.
"It seems before they left or some time after they made new ones. The humans were created by both gods originally, an equal form of both creation and destruction went into them." Ozpin continued. "It's a little unclear on the timeline of events as no one really wrote down much about that, for obvious reasons."
That last bit was true as even Salem wasn't sure, she had just found humans one day while she had been wondering the planet alone, plus the Faunus as well was something new that hadn't originally existed. Both the new humans and Faunus had their own creation myths, but he never found any hard evidence to support anything about them. Now though he was starting to wonder if the Faunus gods had been/were real at one point or at least been here before they too left. Could some other higher power come back to restart humanity?
The god of Creation did send him back and into this endless cycle, maybe they had come back to restart humanity one last time but leaving them diminished as some type of punishment? These were questions that plagued him for untold centuries.
"We got off topic, about the moon?" Valor asked.
"Ah yes, apparently in rage when they left the Brother of Destruction did that." Ozpin told him. "I guess he was still very angry and left the moon like that."
"He sounds just as petty as most gods are," Valor made a face.
"Are all of them so bad?" Jaune asked as this was a heavy topic and learning that the gods from his childhood stories were not only true but apparently kind of jerks was starting to bother him. Ozpin himself was curious about this as he hoped there were some that might be more sympathetic.
"Well, it depends, not only are there gods but higher beings. The embodiments of certain cosmic forces and concepts for instance," Valor explained.
"Wait you means like gods for gods?" Jaune asked confused.
"Gods don't worship them, but they do respect them as they are more powerful," Valor explained. "There are the Celestials, beings older than the universe."
"Wait how does that work?" Jaune blinked.
"I myself am curious about that," Ozpin nodded.
"This isn't the first universe from what I know," Valor had to go deep into his genetic memory to the first symbiotes to pull that information out of. "You get Beings like Eternity which embodies the current universe, Death who is, well you can guess what she is, The Living Tribunal is the embodiment of multiversal laws, it goes on like with things such as the Pheonix Force."
"As for gods that are better than most…Shadrak is a nature god and decent fellow from what I know, the only other ones that might work are the Asgard but that's a mix bag. Maybe a few others but from the stories I know and the experiences I have it's best to just avoid them."
Jaune and Ozpin sat there in silence digesting all this information. It was Ozpin that finally broke the silence.
"Well…that certainly puts things into perspective." He took a sip knowing this information was the kind that could unsettle those that believe in the old gods. "I think it's best to keep this information between us for now."
"Yeah," Jaune slowly nodded as he wasn't sure he wanted to know all this. It just made the universe seem a bit too big but also kind of lost a little of the magic behind it. Not to mention how disappointing it was to learn that not only did gods exist, but they weren't the nicest of people. Sure, it sounded like Valore had some prejudices thanks to his own specie's god, but he also knew a lot more about the universe than anyone else on this planet.
Ozpin sighed, "As much as I would like to change to a happier topic there is another reason, I asked you both here."
He leaned forward a little. "I have reasons to suspect that General Ironwood of Atlas might have a symbiote of his own from the meteorite that we gave Atlas for analysis."
Valor got very still for a moment before speaking. "Oops."
"Oops? What do you mean oops?" Jaune looked at his partner as Ozpin also was just as eager for an explanation.
"Okay it might be possible," Valor slowly explained a little embarrassed about this. "During the impact I was very hurt, and I don't remember much until I woke up in that creator. I was injured and didn't have time to fully check myself over."
"Yeah, and?" Jaune asked.
"I just did a check and…well this is very embarrassing," Valor slumped a little. "I'm missing a seed."
"A seed?" Ozpin asked for clarification.
"Symbiotes are 'born' with a few 'seeds' in them," the Klyntar started to explain. "When we reproduce, we use one of them to spawn a new one. I think the crash and impact might have damaged a part of me with a seed in it and it was cut off from me."
"How did you not notice this?" Jaune asked not sure how something like this was overlooked.
"I was a little busy healing, plus it was only a seed, it wasn't that important." Valor told him nonchalantly.
Jaune was about to question it when he remembered how Valor explained that symbiotes didn't really do the whole 'family' thing. They just spat out another symbiote and that was it, no real parenting as the symbiote was technically 'born' fully grown in a way with everything it needed to survive and live on its own.
"So, it is possible then," Ozpin leaned back.
"If the seed survived then yes, it could also have easily died being that young and without a host but if it has one now then it will be growing." Valor explained.
"Is that a good thing or bad thing?" Jaune asked uncertain how it worked.
"Don't know, depends on the host it bonds with remember? If they bond it with someone unstable it could drive the symbiote mad, it's happened before."
Ozpin sighed as he rubbed his temples, he knew that Ironwood wouldn't just throw someone at the symbiote once he learned what it could do but use someone, he approved of for it. The problem was how to warn him about the pitfalls without tipping his hand about Jaune and Valor?
The fact of the matter was that he couldn't, not really. He would have to talk to him about Jaune and Valor, explain everything but he was worried Ironwood might jump at the chance and use the symbiote as some kind of weapon. These were sentient beings and needed to be treated as such.
"I fear we might need to have a conversation with General Ironwood to prevent him from misusing this symbiote even on accident." Ozpin eventually said.
"How trustworthy is he?" Valor asked.
"He is part of this order and knows about Salem as all Headmasters." Ozpin said diplomatically which was noticed by Valor.
"Is it more dangerous to let him go in blind?" Jaune innocently asked. Knowing there was another symbiote out there a third one, well this was basically Valor's 'kid' in a way, so he felt responsible to help it. Even if his alien partner seemed kind of detached about it all. Coming from a large and close family he couldn't really wrap his head around how Valor felt but he had to remind himself that Valor was an alien and sometimes that meant just that 'alien'. As in, something totally different.
"I fear what might happen if he's not careful," Ozpin really didn't need for there to be a second symbiote that Salem could get her hands on and twist to her purposes. "I fear we all might have to have a talk with General Ironwood in the near future."
"Joy, more people that know," Valor grumbled.
"If he has a symbiote he already knows about you guys," Jaune shrugged.
Valor had to admit to the point, it would be irresponsible if the new symbiote was given something like a prisoner to bond with as an experiment or someone that wasn't totally stable. He had seen firsthand how Corruption can easily spread into a symbiote.
-Ruby-
Ruby was really trying to focus today but this week had been a lot to take in. First her best (male) friend had shown them that he had an actual alien living within him for the past few months. That alone took some getting used to but the more they talked with Valor the more she got used to him.
Then there was the fact that Pyrrha, her partner Weiss and her own older Sister were now 'dating' Jaune. Well apparently, after they came back with Jaune they explained that they were all taking it slow and exploring their feelings. They told both teams so there would be no misunderstandings about what was going on, since they didn't want them to worry that Jaune was cheating on them behind their backs or something.
Granted Ruby didn't care what people did as long as it made them happy, but it was still a weird relationship. Blake had gotten this strange look on her face like the ones she got from reading "those" books, the ones she thought no one knew about, casting looks at the four of them now and then. At least the atmosphere between the teams seemed to be doing better.
Still, it was getting used to this new dynamic between them all. Ren and Nora were going along with it just like they were, but Ruby could tell it was going to get some getting used to, Nora was easier going but Ren looked perplexed and unsure when the news hit.
"Hey there Kiddo," a very familiar gravely voice got her attention.
"Uncle Qrow!" she zoomed over to hug him. "You're still here? I thought you would have left for a new mission."
"Not just yet," he smiled rubbing her hair. "Ozpin is keeping me close for now, so I got free time to spend with my nieces."
What he didn't say was that he was Amber's unofficial protector until she was better. Which suited him just fine, he hadn't gotten there in time to save her, but he would be damned if Salem would get another chance so easily. He had memorized those three faces that thanks to Jaune he now knew who to look out for.
Speaking of Jaune.
"So, kid how about a snack? My treat," He offered. That was all it took for her to agree.
So that's how they ended up in Vale at an ice cream shop with Ruby eating a full sundae ice cream he had bought for her before dinner. He knew Tai would have some words for him about that, but he needed to soften her up to get some information.
"So how are things going in school?" Qrow asked.
"It's a little hard at times," Ruby said between bites. "I have two years of catching up and being a leader can be hard but it's also really fun at times. Blake and Weiss are nice and it's great to have Yang on the team. Oh, and team JNPR, they've been good friends."
Ruby knew that she always had trouble making friends before, she wasn't like Yang who was so much better at talking with people. It also sucked that she had to leave all her friends behind, she might not see them again in two whole years and that's if any of them ever came to Beacon. So, she was thankful she made new friends, and she was even slowly getting to know team CFVY as well.
"Good to hear," her uncle nodded, and he was glad for it. He smiled slyly at her, "So should I tell Tai to worry about any possible boyfriends you'll bring home?"
Ruby chocked on her snack before glaring at her uncle. "Eww, no, I'm too busy with school for that uncle Qrow!"
She felt her face heat up in embarrassment, it wasn't like she was even interested in anything like that at the moment. Sure, maybe one day but she was focused on being a Huntress. Plus, everyone was at least two years or older than her and she felt she was kind of plain. She knew she didn't turn heads like her big sister did and so she just wanted to focus on her friends and school.
"Well, I'm sure Tai will be happy to know that." Qrow chuckled as Tai was always protective of his girls. "What about Yang then?"
That's when Ruby got quiet and Qrow paused to look at her. Seems like he found something after all. "Something you want to tell me?"
"I mean it's nothing serious, really," Ruby shifted her eyes not looking which he knew was a sign that there was obviously much more going on than she was saying.
Qrow made a dramatic sigh, "And here I was thinking of going to see if there were any news issues of Weapons Monthly you wanted but I guess since I'm so worried about your sister we might as well head back after we're done here."
"Wha-but that's not fair!" Ruby pouted she knew that her uncle knew that she loved weapon magazines.
"Well unless there is something you can do to put my mind at ease," he teased her. "You said it was nothing serious right?"
Ruby was conflicted, sue really wanted a few new magazines to read especially since she was coming up with plans to help improved Jaune's weapon she needed some inspiration. Granted it's not like Jaune dating Yang, Weiss and Pyrrha was some kind of secret. At least they hadn't said as much so was there a point in hiding it? Her uncle was going to find out eventually, right?
"I guess…" Ruby eventually said but still a little unsure. "It's just a little, well, unconventional."
Qrow blinked not sure what she meant as he gestured for her to continue.
"Well Yang is kind of, sort of seeing Jaune."
"Ah so there was something going on there," Qrow sat back with his arms folded. He figured something was going on.
"But that's not all," Ruby continued. "You see, Weiss and Pyrrha are also interested in Jaune so at least for now, well, they are kind of all…dating him…"
Qrow blinked not sure he heard that right but slowly started to realize that Ruby wasn't joking. "How did that happen?"
"I have no idea!" Ruby threw her hands up. "I mean as long as everyone is happy, I don't see a big deal but it's still a little weird."
Especially when you consider the alien factor that in a way, they would be sharing Jaune with someone living inside of him, but she couldn't voice that since as far as she knew, her uncle had no idea about the alien living inside of her friend.
"So, wait the girls are onboard?" Qrow asked.
"Apparently it was Yang's idea," she told him.
Qrow wasn't sure what to make of that but if this was Yang's idea and the fact the other two were going along with it, well he wasn't sure where he stood. If the guy was actively cheating on his niece sure he would have done something, but this was very unique territory.
'I don't think I'll tell Tai this,' Qrow thought to himself. Some things he didn't need to know what his eldest daughter was up to. Yang could break that news to him, he'd just sit back and watch the reaction from a safe distance.
'Still, three girls at once?' Qrow had to have some part of him respect the young boy. To somehow get three girls to agree to something like this was a miracle in itself. 'Wonder if I should ask for how he did it? Then again not sure I want to know how he got my niece to propose this kind of idea.'
He always knew that Yang was the wilder one out of the sisters, but this took the cake.
"Uncle Qrow? You've been like, really quiet." Ruby was a little worried she might have said too much.
"Just processing," Qrow stated. "I'll keep my mouth shut about this, finish up and let's get you some magazines."
"Cool!" she brightened up instantly. "I've been looking for some inspirations for some new designs lately. I wanted to see what they have about modifying existing gear to…"
He tuned this part out, when Ruby got worked up about weapons, he found she could talk for hours, mostly about stuff that went over his head. Sure, he made his own weapon like most Huntsmen and Huntresses, but Ruby's knowledge was a lot more in-depth than most adults. He had no idea where she got it from, Summer hadn't been like that, and either was Tai.
'Three girls at once?' Qrow thought to himself. 'Jaune you are either the luckiest or soon the be the unluckiest boy in the world. He just better not hurt Yang in this process.'
Speaking of said girls they were currently in the RWBy dorm as Yang had a small glass with popsicle sticks as she shook it.
"Okay ladies so I got here three sticks with three numbers on them," Yang explained. "We draw lots and we'll go in order of the lots, that's a fair and impartial way to see who gets the first date."
"Sounds reasonable," Weiss nodded given it gave them all a fair shot, then suddenly a thought hit her. "Where did you get those anyway?"
"Let's just say that I don't need to snack anytime soon," she replied. Eating three popsicles in a row was something she didn't want to make a habit out of. Sure, they were good, but she was someone that really took care of her figure.
Pyrrha nodded her head. "It is a fair way of doing this."
Yang grinned as she stopped shaking the cup. "Alright then, let's pick."
Each girl grabbed a stick and pulled it out. Yang made a face looking at her number.
"Three!? I picked last? It was my idea!" Yang angrily looked at the stick like it had personally betrayed her.
"Number two," Pyrrha sighed.
The other girls looked at Weiss as she was grinning showing off the stick with the '1' written on it. She always did like to win and this was no exception.
"Well then, I'll have to think of what to do," Weiss tipped her chin with the stick making a show of thinking if over. "There are so many options."
"Yeah yeah, rub it in," Yang muttered at least she was going to get her turn eventually.
"Are there any additional rules?" Pyrrha had been thinking long and hard ever since Yang proposed this idea. Both girls looked at her questioningly, so she started to elaborate. "What I mean is, this indicates the order of the dates but what about…other things?"
"Other things?" Both girls mirrored.
Pyrrha blushed as she fidgeted a bit. "I mean, if the dates go well and all and say we are getting very close to Jaune, what if things develop?"
Yang realized it first. "Oh, you mean what if we start making out or something, maybe getting a little handsy?"
"Yang," Weiss quickly said appalled at how crass she was being.
"What? I know I've thought about it," Yang shrugged. "I mean don't feel pressured but honestly, I say just do what you are comfortable with. This is to not only for us to figure out our own feelings but for Jaune. No need to add more pressure to him or us into anything none of us are ready for."
Weiss and Pyrrha did share a look, Yang was the most out going of the three of them so they felt that Yang might push ahead further ahead. She could say that there was 'no pressure' all she wanted but the two of them knew that internally they would be keeping score. Neither of them liked to lose after all.
"Well," Weiss interrupted. "I got plans to make." She pulled out her scroll as she was looking up a few ideas. She wanted to see what she could reserve on short notice, thankfully the Schnee name opened a lot of doors.
TBC..
So, I have a few ideas for the symbiote that Atlas has. I have two possible ideas that I wanted some feedback on. First was an injured soldier like what happened with Flash Thompson when he was Agent Venom, another was to have someone out of the Ace Ops chosen to be the host. I wasn't sure to make an OC for this story and pick a canon character.