The People and Protection
The morning went south as soon as they woke up.
Qrow was training Jimmy alongside Penny. During the session, Qrow was being unusually aggressive, while Penny, still adjusting to her new emotions, looked increasingly confused. Jimmy, meanwhile, got flung into a tree and slid down slowly with a grunt.
"I don't know what I'm feeling," Penny said, her voice tinged with concern. "But I don't like how you're hurting my friend."
"It's called empathy," Qrow replied with a grunt. "I don't like it either. But Jimmy always gets knocked out."
"Really?" Jimmy groaned from the ground.
"Shit, kid, you never get up. You've got no defense," Qrow said bluntly.
Jimmy stood up slowly, rubbing his side. "Since my... thing happened, I've noticed I've gained a bit more resistance to getting hit," he said, half confused but a little proud.
"So, Jimmy, these new emotions," Penny said thoughtfully, "they're like discovering a new kind of pie."
"Oh man, pie sounds great right now," Jimmy chuckled. "So, how's Ironwood? And your father?"
"My father is... confused. He requested I return home, but Ironwood denied it. My parameters are changing fast," Penny replied.
"Cool. I'm thinking of using wind today. Wanna try sparring with your powers, Penny?"
"I'm in," she said eagerly.
"Kid, you sure?" Qrow warned. "I hit pretty hard."
"To be honest… I'm still good to go," Jimmy replied with a shrug.
"I'm ready," Penny said, floating to the middle of the field, blades hovering around her.
"She must really love this," Qrow muttered, watching her.
"It's good for her," Jimmy said with a smile, walking toward his new opponent.
As he stepped onto the field, a grin spread across his face. Battlelust it was starting to feel familiar. Maybe too familiar. The darkness in him stirred again… but so did the light, as if both forces were challenging each other, daring him forward.
"Wow, that smile of yours… is that new?" Penny asked. "When I was given data on the Flame Swordsman, you didn't seem like the battle type."
"You're right. It's new. But the feeling's always been there. I just suppressed it. Ever since I came to Beacon, though... it's gotten stronger." He raised his hand and swiped across his blade. "Let the wind guide the pack." The steel shimmered and turned blue less rusted than before. His expression turned confused, which made Penny tilt her head.
"What's wrong with your blade? It's blue now. But you act like it's different." asked penny
"It's nothing," Jimmy muttered. "Let's just say it's... less broken than usual. But enough talking. Let's see what you've got."
He flipped the blade into a reverse grip, adopting a defensive stance.
Penny activated her six floating swords, orbiting around her. She rose slightly off the ground, her aura shimmering around her. "Wind Spiral let's hunt!" He declared.
The air around them began to howl. Gusts whipped across the field, swirling unpredictably. Then, a familiar voice came to Jimmy warm, motherly, comforting. 'You are close for me to reveal a prayer, but you're not ready. Not yet. But Yang… she's almost there,' said the Wolf spirit.
Jimmy smiled slightly. And Qrow finally shouted, "Begin!"
Penny vs. Jimmy – "Breath and Blade"
The wind whispered through the training field, soft and steady. Qrow leaned against a tree with arms crossed, eyes sharp. Across the open grass, Penny floated gently forward, six blades orbiting like moons. Jimmy stood still relaxed but alert. His hand hovered near his sword, but it hadn't moved an inch.
Penny struck first. One sword lunged low. Jimmy moved. A single sidestep. Graceful. Effortless.
Two more came at shoulder height. He ducked under one, twisted his body sideways between both, and spun with the breeze, landing light on his feet. Not a single counterstrike. Just motion. Flow.
Penny's eyes widened. "You're... reading me perfectly."
Qrow raised a brow. "That ain't reading. That's dancing."
Three more blades came in rapid succession one above, one directly center, one from the side.
Jimmy bent backward as the top blade skimmed over his nose. His foot caught the ground, and he rolled under the next slash, wind kicking dust behind him. The last sword he spun around letting it slice the air just inches from his cheek.
"He hasn't swung once," Penny noted aloud.
"Doesn't have to," Qrow muttered. "That wind's moving with him. Never seen a kid dodge like that hell, I've barely seen hunters dodge like that."
Penny thought to herself "I knew he couldn't be touched... So this is what it means. His dodging won't hold forever. Counters disrupt him. I have to shift tactics. Force him to fight me no more running."
For nearly two full minutes, Penny pushed harder faster movements, sharper angles, but Jimmy never attacked. He just moved. Slipped. Glided. A ghost with lungs. It wasn't until Penny tried to box him in, sending all six blades inward, that Jimmy finally responded.
Jimmy crouched low, eyes narrowing. His fingers gripped the hilt of his sword. No callout. No dramatic charge. Just one quick twist of the feet, and then he swung.
A curved blade of compressed wind erupted from the slash, fast and serrated like a beast's bite. It screamed through the field and crashed into Penny's rotating blade defense.
CLANG BOOM!
Two of her blades flung outward, the others thrown off course. Penny threw herself into a backward somersault midair, skidding to a stop just before hitting a tree.
Jimmy exhaled once, then adjusted his stance. "Didn't know I could do that."
"You condensed air into a shape," Penny said, scanning her disarmed blades. "It bit like a creature. That was... beautiful."
Jimmy grinned. "Thanks. Felt like it was watching me."
The blades realigned. Penny floated higher, eyes glowing now with focus. "Then let's try something harder."
She surged in blades in a tight, staggered pattern. Jimmy responded, finally going on the offense.
They clashed in bursts his sword catching one blade, then ducking under two, spinning behind her to slash, only to have Penny's aura shield block the strike. She redirected her counter, aiming a punch toward his ribs.
He caught it with the back of his blade grunting from the impact. Then she stepped back, fists flaring with aura. Jimmy tensed.
Suddenly, Jimmy moved differently. It was small at first. He slid around Penny's next blow a split-second before it landed like he'd known it was coming. Then again stepping around her spinning uppercut before she even launched it.
Penny's eyes narrowed. "You're predicting me now?"
Qrow's eyes narrowed from the sideline. Jimmy's movements grew smoother, less instinctual, but more of somthing. He moved before danger arrived. Not reacting. Knowing.
Qrow stood upright. "...That's not right."
Penny's next strike, an aerial sweep with all six blades was countered with a single high leap and a spin, Jimmy sliding down the breeze behind her like gravity had no say in it.
Qrow stepped forward. "That kid couldn't counter like that even when I had him sparring Harriet. Something's off."
Jimmy's sword glowed. White. Penny noticed. "Your blade its color changed. Your aura's shifting too."
Inside Jimmy's head, a calm, commanding but gentle voice whispered: "Stay with it. You'll win this time. She won't touch you if I guide your breath." The Light.
Jimmy flinched. "No."
"You want to impress them. Let me show them what perfection feels like."
"No." Solomon's voice cut in angry, sharp. "Cut it off, Jimmy. That isn't yours to wield yet. If you let it inside, it won't leave."
The glow around Jimmy's body shimmered then cracked. Jimmy dropped to one knee mid-move, breathing heavy, resisting. Penny didn't hesitate. Her aura flared, all six blades converged and struck.
They didn't pierce but hit his aura directly, slamming him backward into the dirt with a shockwave.
BOOM. Dust cloud. Silence.
Qrow stood still. "...That'll do."
Penny landed, approaching him slowly. Her blades returned to their orbit, dimmed but hovering.
Jimmy coughed. His sword was still clutched in one hand, but the glow was gone.
"You... changed," Penny said gently. "Mid-fight. Why?"
Jimmy sat up, holding his ribs. "Something... tried to help me. Tried to win for me. It wasn't mine."
"You stopped it." asked Penny?
"Because Solomon told me to. And because... I want to win on my terms. Not someone else's perfection." He looked up at her, eyes tired but sure. "I'd rather lose as me than win as something I don't trust."
Penny knelt beside him. "Then I'm glad you did. You lost. But you stayed you."
Qrow crossed his arms. "Good call, kid. You don't want to start relying on stuff you can't control. You start letting something else guide your hand, eventually you won't remember what your hand feels like."
Jimmy chuckled softly. "Still hurts like it's mine."
Qrow smirked. "Then maybe you're learning."
"This whole thing about powers controlling you... it's still confusing," Penny said, tilting her head slightly as they walked.
Jimmy shrugged. "State secret."
"Understood," Penny replied with a short nod.
Qrow leaned against the wall nearby, arms folded, chewing on a toothpick. "Kid, breakfast's starting soon. Penny, I'd suggest you check in with Ironwood. See if there are any mission updates for you."
"Got it, Master Qrow."
Qrow blinked. "Master?"
"Yes. You are an excellent mentor. Your knowledge of swordplay and scythe technique is highly effective," Penny said with genuine admiration.
That earned a rare blush from Qrow, who rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh... well, thanks. But I'm no master."
"I do have one question, though," Penny continued, tilting her head. "My files say you were a severe alcoholic."
Qrow groaned under his breath. "Yeah, I quit. Cold turkey. Recently."
"That's good! But what triggered the emotional shift? Was there a specific cause?" Penny asked, blinking innocently.
"Personal reasons," Qrow muttered. "And... seriously, stop calling me 'Master.'"
"Yes, sir. Only in private," Penny said, offering a salute without a hint of irony.
"Bye, Penny," Qrow said with a snicker, shaking his head as she strolled off. Then he looked back at Jimmy. "Hey. Be careful. The Light and the Dark. They might start getting more active. Especially around you."
"I get it," Jimmy said with a sigh. "Plus... Yang's pissed at me."
Qrow raised a brow. "What did you do?"
Jimmy held up a hand quickly, smiling with his eyes closed like a man avoiding death. "Nope. Not talking about personal matters to her uncle. Also I'd like to keep breathing, thanks."
Qrow chuckled, half knowing. "Fair enough. But don't go, linking your emotions to Yang. Not when your blade's still blue."
Jimmy looked away, the playful smile faltering just slightly. "Wasn't trying to. I just... sensed a flicker of rage. Like an ember about to spark."
He turned his face further from Qrow so he wouldn't see the sweat forming at his temple. Qrow narrowed his eyes, amused. "Afraid of Yang, huh?"
"I prefer the term 'strategically cautious.'" said jimmy
Dress and Spirits
Jimmy waved the Qrow off with a lazy smile and a towel over his shoulder. "Gonna shower before breakfast," he called, already drifting toward the dorm washroom.
Steam rose lazily as he stood under the flow, letting the heat soak into his back and shoulders. His sword rested nearby, always nearby leaned against the tiled wall just three inches from his reach. A strange thing, really. No one else brought weapons into the shower.
But Jimmy? Jimmy had reasons. His voice echoed softly in the steam. "I know you can hear me. This isn't an invitation, Light. So why are you telling me how to fight?"
No answer came. Not in words. But the sword shimmered faintly. A glow flickered across its edge warm, almost soothing. Calming, like it meant well.
It didn't help.
"For a second there," Jimmy muttered, rinsing shampoo from his hair, "I almost appreciated that. But don't do that again. Let my arrogance take the hit. Let me feel it. It's mine to feel."
The Light didn't respond. Instead, his body suddenly pulsed just slightly like an internal pressure released. His breathing deepened. A subtle, quiet boost to his stamina.
Jimmy rolled his eyes. "I guess that's an answer."
He turned the water off, grabbing his towel. The blade stayed exactly where it was, leaning silently as if pretending it hadn't been eavesdropping.
"Hey Solomon," Jimmy said, drying his hair, "if I ever lost my blade… wouldn't that make my connection to the Light and Dark stronger?"
From deep within, the familiar ancient voice stirred. 'That would be correct… I think I understand. You're not seeking to use their power, you're trying to understand it. So you can resist it.'
"Correct." Jimmy pulled the towel tight around his waist. Grabbing his blade. His gaze flicked to the mirror as he stepped toward the sink. Students passed behind him, throwing the occasional glance his way. He was the only one who showered with a sword. The only one whose weapon looked like it wasn't made from anything that should exist.
He began brushing his teeth, eyes drifting.
The Light and the Dark had been more... present lately. Not like whispers in a cave no, like pressure behind his thoughts. Constant. Watching. He thought they'd only begun their games yesterday, but in truth, they'd been whispering for months. Two months of quiet nudges, subtle tricks now unmasked. Now they had names.
Creation. The thing that split Light and Dark like warring siblings.
He spat the foam into the sink, watching it swirl away. "Tell me this," he said aloud, staring at his reflection.
A few heads turned. A guy two stalls over blinked, whispering to his friend. Jaune stepped forward. "Jimmy? You good?"
"Yeah, sorry," Jimmy said, eyes still locked on himself. "Talking to Solomon."
Jaune raised a brow. "Still people can hear you."
Jimmy smiled, closing his eyes. "I'm used to it."
He turned, picked up his blade, and walked out of the bathroom still wrapped in just a towel, sword in hand. The hallway fell awkwardly silent as students watched him pass. The whispering started up before he hit the stairwell.
Jimmy didn't care. He kept walking. "Like I was saying," he continued to Solomon, "would it really be so bad to commune with them? To learn what their power feels like from the inside?"
'That is dangerous,' Solomon replied, a hesitation in his tone. 'But I see your angle. Still are you sure? The old master barely managed with guidance and discipline. You… you're younger. More raw.'
Jimmy stopped in front of his dorm door, resting his forehead gently against it. "I trust that my friends and you, my Spirit Seeds will guide me back. I don't want anyone else to get hurt. Not because of me."
Solomon went quiet. But not because he disagreed. He didn't tell Jimmy that Ruby and Jaune had already started feeling traces of influence. He didn't say that guilt would only push Jimmy deeper toward communion.
'Then I will say this,' Solomon finally said. 'Only act with their power when I say. Not before. Not on emotion. Promise me that.'
Jimmy nodded. "I trust you."
He opened the door and stepped inside drenched, exhausted, blade still humming with distant light.
"Hey, how was training?" Jane asked casually as Jimmy walked up, towel still draped around his shoulders.
"It was fine," Jimmy said, brushing some damp hair from his eyes. "Though I might've had a very public conversation with Solomon in the showers." He offered a tired smirk, but his posture shifted calm, centered. The kind of posture only a leader carried.
Then he turned to each of them with purpose. "Jane, I want to test your abilities later. I've also come up with a new way to enhance your strengths. You could become the ultimate Faunus, if you're willing to try it."
Jane's eyes lit up.
"Ranger," Jimmy continued, turning to him, "how are the new weapon configurations? The dust integrations? And the paper mods?"
Both teammates responded almost instinctively, like soldiers reporting to a general only this general was one of them.
"My feral senses are sharper," Jane said proudly, her ears twitching slightly. "I can smell and hear farther than before, but I want to go deeper. I want to understand what instinct truly means for someone like me like a dog... but with purpose. Real control."
Jimmy nodded with a subtle smile. "Good. You're evolving. That's the right path."
Ranger was a bit more technical, lifting a folded paper device from his pouch. "The dust channels are stable. The thicker paper adds more impact and the dust spread works better for large-scale attacks. I wanted to ask Schnee about stabilizing it more, but she's been…"
He hesitated, not looking at Jane. "...Busy navigating racial divides," Jimmy said bluntly.
"Yes," Ranger confirmed with a nod. "Exactly."
"It's fine," Jane said quietly. "I forgive her. Because you did, Jimmy. And honestly, she has her reasons. I mean... the White Fang? They've done horrible things. But I understand why people followed them. As for Blake, she's amazing. A great fighter, a symbol for Faunus unity. But she's... still hiding something. Still holding back."
Jimmy's gaze lingered on her for a moment. "I agree," he said finally. "It takes strength to see that clearly."
He stood straighter. "Alright let's regroup with the other teams unless you've got any concerns I need to think about."
"Actually, I do," Ranger said, stepping forward. Jimmy turned to him fully, giving his full attention.
"I've been thinking about the Vytal Festival," Ranger said. "I'd like to propose a new strategy. Let Jane and I enter the doubles round. Show what we've built together. Then... you enter the singles round alone. Use your new abilities. Show the kingdoms who you really are and what you stand for."
Jimmy raised a brow. "So instead of keeping everything a state secret, you want me to display my power publicly? Make a statement?"
"I do," Ranger said. "Let them see you stand for something bigger than yourself."
Jane nodded. "Besides, there's another three-man team registered."
"They might pit us against them to test us," Jimmy murmured, half to himself.
"And since you don't have a fourth..." Jane started.
A flicker of green wisp at the window. "Too bad I'm not alive. I'd join your team," came a familiar voice. They turned to see her The Guardian, standing at the window with a ghost of a smile. "Sister?" Jimmy blinked. "Didn't expect a visit."
"I just wanted to say thank you," she said softly. "I'm glad I could help."
"It's been a while," Jane said warmly, stepping forward.
"What would that make us?" Ranger mused aloud. "Team JGJR?"
"Nah," Jimmy grinned. "Team JJGR. Rolls better."
"I prefer JJRG," Guardian countered, smirking.
A warm laugh echoed in Jimmy's mind. 'Also, thank you for being his core for a time,' Solomon said gently.
"No problem," Guardian replied. "Sorry again for digging so deep into the Spirit Realm. That may've forced your return."
'Now that this world's connected to the old realm, I won't need to leave Jimmy's side again. Though... my wife's very angry with me.' said solomon
"Wait you have a wife?" Jane asked in surprise.
"Oh yes," Guardian chuckled. "She's... intense. She was the one who ripped me from the Tree originally."
'Mine is just as scary,' Solomon added. 'She's part of nature itself. You remind me of her, Guardian. I doubt the Old Master expected you to survive what you did.'
"I didn't either," Guardian admitted, her expression sobering. "I caused so much damage between humans and spirits… I regret that deeply."
She bowed not to Jimmy, but to Solomon.
'No worries,' Solomon replied. 'You did what you thought was right. I didn't send a message back then, but... you're welcome now. You may enter as a diplomat.'
Guardian nodded in gratitude. "Though I'd rather not travel with the Cat of Misfortune again... thank you."
Then her voice dropped quieter. "Is there a place where the dead... go? Like a Spirit World just for us?"
There was a long pause. 'Sadly… I don't know,' Solomon said at last. 'Maybe the gods of this world do.' Even as he said it, he regretted the words.
"So... the gods are real," Jane said quietly, her expression unreadable.
Jimmy exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe. Let's keep that between us for now."
"I agree," Ranger added, voice steady. "Jane best not to talk about it casually. As for you, Guardian... maybe one day we can share what we've learned. But for now, support us from a distance. Please."
"There's something I have to tell you, brother," she said gently. "Something I hid from you before your... change."
Jimmy immediately locked eyes with her, all levity gone. "What is it?"
Ranger and Jane fell silent, watching closely as the air thickened.
"One of my creatures, one I created during the early phase of the Spirit Tree's exposure, was discovered."
She paused. "And now it's being hunted."
"By what?" Ranger asked sharply.
The Guardian's voice trembled ever so slightly. "Grimm, of course. But also... a three-man team. I don't know who they are, but they've been tracking his energy. They're close. I can't protect him since we had to divide because not without drawing the Spirit seeds toward me again."
"What is he?" Jimmy asked.
The Guardian looked at him with quiet guilt. "I call his kind Luxra. His name... is Lumewolf."
Jane blinked. "Why do I feel like you created something you weren't supposed to?"
The Guardian gave an awkward, sheepish smile. "Because... I did."
"But he's still being hunted," Ranger said darkly.
"I have to go," Guardian said, her form starting to dissolve. "Just... be careful. If you see him, protect him."
With that, her figure shimmered into green wisp and drifted out through the window, vanishing like morning dew. The silence lingered for a few seconds before Jimmy clapped his hands together.
"Well," he said, forcing a grin. "Breakfast, everyone."
They nodded, but the weight of the Guardian's warning stayed with them. A hunt had begun. And something pure was in danger.
Breakfast
The cafeteria buzzed with life dishes clattering, students arguing over mission rankings, laughter bursting from one corner while another debated Dust compatibility. Team JJR walked in, trays in hand, slipping between the bodies of students still half-asleep or already brimming with morning energy.
Jimmy walked through the line first. "Okay. Jane, when you go feral in a fight, I need to be close. If we both anchor the front, Ranger can stay mobile take shots from the rear and block off escape routes."
Jane nodded thoughtfully between choosing her food. "That could work. But that also risks isolating Ranger. He'd be exposed if someone got behind him."
"I'm not weak, Jane," Ranger said, his brow twitching. "I can handle myself."
"You're strong at range," she clarified. "But close-up? You burn stamina fast. Maybe we start working in a Dust-based smoke bomb fire and ice combo. Breaks sightlines, buys you time."
"That would be... explosive," Ranger muttered, now picking some oat meal.
"You're right," Jimmy said, still looking at the syrup and decided to grab it even though he just got some eggs. "But that could be a feature."
They found an open table, settling in as the volume of the cafeteria swirled around them. Finding teams RWBY JNPR.
"So... would that even work?" Jimmy asked aloud, turning toward a nearby table.
"Weiss," Ranger called from the opposite side, "can you fuse two Dust types to make a new effect?"
Weiss glanced up from her cup of tea, slightly startled. "Well... theoretically, yes. But if the combination isn't stable, you could trigger a Dust detonation. It depends on intent and control."
Ruby was flipping through a strategy book on Grimm patterns. She looked up with a curious smile. "How was training?"
"Intense," Jimmy replied. "Oh, Pyrrha heads up. You might have competition in the tournament."
"Oh?" she asked, raising a brow, half amused. "And who might that be?"
"You'll find out soon enough." Jimmy smirked knowingly.
"Fifteen minutes," said a voice sharp as steel behind him.
"Huh?" Ruby blinked.
Jimmy paused mid-sip of chocolate milk right as Yang walked up behind him, arms crossed, eyes very focused. A sudden pulse ran through the mark; they shared a flare of wind that made Jimmy choke on his drink.
"Yang !" Jimmy coughed. "We've got class in an hour and a half. We don't have time for this right now!"
"I don't care," Yang growled lowly, frustration and tension boiling under her skin. "I want something. And I'm gonna get it."
A hush fell over their table. The tone in her voice was dangerous, half teasing, half deadly serious. It wasn't about combat. It wasn't even about control. It was about emotion, and the tether between them she could feel pulling tighter every day.
"Oh gods, help me," Jimmy muttered, trying not to look at her.
Jane chuckled. "You're not getting out of this. She's like a wolf about to pounce."
Trying to distract, Jimmy abruptly shifted tones. "Oh yeah news update. The Guardian appeared this morning. She warned us: she made something... and it's nearby. A new creature. A Luxra. She called it a Lumewolf."
Ruby leaned in, intrigued. "A new creature? Sounds suspiciously close to a Beowolf."
"I thought the same," Jimmy replied. "We didn't get a full description, but she warned it was being hunted."
"By who?" Pyrrha asked.
"Grimm... and a three-man team," said Ranger.
"No visuals?" Blake asked, setting down her tea.
"Nothing clear," said Jimmy. "But we'll know it when we see it. You'll feel it."
'Lux is Latin for light,' came Solomon's voice calmly in Jimmy's mind. 'Ra can represent a God or the sun. Together divine light. I suspect Guardian's tapping into something ancient. The Spirit Tree must've become her anchor.'
'That kind of connection... would give her insight beyond her design,' said the Wolf Spirit. 'Especially if she's navigating inner planes of history through the tree's roots.'
"I agree," Weiss said, overhearing Jimmy muttering. "It makes sense. Guardian's intelligence... it's artificial expansion."
'I'd agree with that, Weiss,' Solomon added with rare approval.
"Five minutes," Yang said flatly.
Jimmy paled. "You said fifteen! That was five minutes ago!"
'You're not getting out of this,' the Wolf chuckled. 'Just eat fast.'
Yang leaned over Jimmy, grinning now with that terrifying mix of affection and menace. "Don't make me come over there. Eat. Drink. Or I'll drain you before we even reach the first period."
"And Solomon?" she added sweetly too sweetly. "If you send the dark version blocking his instincts for a bit... I wouldn't appreciate it."
Solomon hesitated. '...I am afraid now. Also, I believe the Darkness... just noticed her mood.'
'She's scarier than Vanessa,' Dino muttered in the back of Jimmy's mind.
"Who's Vanessa?" Pyrrha asked, glancing up.
'Nobody of concern,' snapped the Turtle Spirit quickly. 'Dino, don't speak her name.'
Blake tilted her head. "That's odd. You rarely stop anyone from naming things. Can you tell us more about her?"
The spirits all went quiet at once. Even the crowded cafeteria couldn't drown out the sudden weight in the air.
Yang stared down at Jimmy with a slow smile. "You've got three minutes left."
Jimmy looked at his food, his drink, and then back to his glowing aura bond with Yang and sighed.
"...I'm going to die," he whispered.
'You are not getting out of this,' the Wolf snickered, clearly enjoying the show.
Her tone dropped into something icy and commanding. The air chilled despite the warm food trays around them.
Blake repeated herself "Who is this vanessa."
'Umm…' Dino hesitated.
'Let's just say,' Solomon answered with a deep, rumbling sigh, 'out of all humans ever born, she alone held the full weight of Darkness without breaking. She mastered it. To this day... no one has matched her.'
"Huh?" Weiss asked, visibly unsettled.
"I thought you said the Darkness was beyond human comprehension?" Ruby frowned.
'I said no such thing. You assumed. And technically… you're correct. But the old master. He was connected to her. She embodied Darkness. Controlled it. Choose it. And never once faltered.'
"Damn..." Pyrrha whispered, lips curling into a smirk. "Where is she now?"
'Far, far away,' Solomon said quickly.
"Can we... call her?" Blake asked, deadpan.
'Impossible,' Solomon replied flatly but his voice held tension. Fear. A rare, honest kind.
Suddenly: "Time's up," Yang said, smiling wide as she slammed her hand onto the table beside Jimmy's tray.
Jimmy flinched. "W-Wait! My eggs my syrup my chocolate milk I haven't even "
He was gone before he could finish. Yang hooked an arm around his waist, dragging him bodily across the floor. His tray clattered to the table as his hand reached out in vain.
"Please I need hydration!" Jimmy cried. "One more bite! Just one more egg!"
"She said she brought water," Jane mumbled, shaking her head.
"She always brings water," Ranger muttered in awe.
The entire cafeteria went quiet as they watched the two exit the door swinging open, Jimmy's feet trailing behind him, Yang calm and predatory like a lioness leading a particularly noisy lamb to slaughter.
A group of girls near the wall burst into laughter, whispering to each other. Some of the guys just closed their eyes in silent prayer.
"Rest in peace," one murmured.
"He's not dead yet," said another.
"He's about to be."
Back at the table, Jane sighed. "He brought it on himself."
"Agreed," Weiss said.
Ruby stared after her sister. "She's really been... intense lately."
"I think it's the mark," Blake said quietly. "Their bond's deepening. She can feel when he pulls away."
"Or when he doesn't act on something," Pyrrha added with a smirk.
"Nah she's just in heat" said weiss.
Qrow strolled up to the team's table, arms folded, expression casual mostly. His eyes briefly flicked toward the exit Jimmy had been dragged through, and he huffed, voice dry.
"Hey, Little Red. What's up? And I'm guessing Yang wanted some alone time with Jimmy?" He said the last part with a twist of irritation before cooling off again.
Ruby gave him an innocent smile. "Uncle Qrow, I actually need you to do something for me."
Qrow blinked. "If it doesn't involve parenting Yang or fighting a Goliath in flip-flops, I'll consider it."
"There's a creature out there. Something new," Ruby said seriously. "It's a new creature. It's called a Luxra. A type of it is called the Lumewolf. Guardian Jimmy's sister created it. She says it's in danger."
Qrow raised an eyebrow. "You want me to find a glowing, possibly unstable, emotionally sensitive spirit-beast outside of Vale, without backup, avoid reporting it to Ozpin, and instead deliver my findings to Jimmy so he can spiritually link it back to his sister's?"
Ruby gave a sheepish nod. "...Preferably without telling the Headmaster, yeah."
Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're lucky I like you."
He glanced around instinctively. "Can a beast even hear me from here?"
A voice answered instantly clear, cocky: "Just me."
Another followed. "You know better than to listen in on conversations that aren't yours."
Then a third, quiet and irritated: "Shh. He hears all of you."
"Hello Qrow" said Coco walking up.
Qrow sighed. "The Hounds. Of course. Do you three actually know anything helpful about the Luxra?"
"Not much," the first said.
"But the name's got roots," said the second. "Latin-ish. 'Lux' light. 'Ra' sun, power, divine."
"Boring and irrelevant," muttered the middle head.
"I've heard that name before," Qrow muttered. "That religion?"
"Yeah, that one," said the first head. "The True Believers. Claimed to follow the One God. Fought against demons guided by their 'Lord,' the Devil."
Qrow stared. "Wait the Devil?"
"Don't ask us. We're not theologians," the second muttered.
Weiss, overhearing from the side, frowned. "Ra is Egyptian. Sun god. Revered in early civilization."
"Exactly," said the last head. "The Egyptians believed Ra was the spark of order. Intelligence. Balance. One of the earliest divine concepts humanity touched."
"So where are they now?" Qrow asked.
The three heads fell silent, glancing around their internal space uneasily.
"They don't" one started, then stopped.
"We've said too much already," the third whispered. "Solomon might notice."
Blake leaned forward, voice calm. "Who is Vanessa?"
All three heads visibly flinched. Even in the quiet cafeteria, you could feel the spike in tension.
"No, no don't say her name," the middle head muttered. "She's terrifying. Even the darkest spirits defer to her."
Coco, Felling them closely, narrowed her eyes. "You're afraid of her. I can feel it. Why?"
"Because she's the only human in all of history who could take all of the Darkness into herself and remain sane. The old master couldn't even do that. She did."
"Please stop," said the first head. "She's close to Yelena."
"Who's Yelena?" Weiss asked.
Inside Yatsuhashi's inner world, the Hounds stood in their usual graveyard, silent among broken tombstones and memories. After a long pause, they finally spoke.
"She's the true master of Spirit Seeds," said the first head. "She cultivated four in one week."
Then all three went quiet. Coco blinked. "They cut the connection. That's all we're getting."
Qrow stood there for a long moment, expression unreadable. "If there's a human who conquered Darkness... there must be one who mastered Light."
Flashback Fragment
A memory stirred. "Tell them... I'm sorry. I had to." Silver's voice, broken and fading.
"Was he talking about them?" Coco whispered under her breath.
"What?" Blake asked.
"Nothing," Coco replied quickly. "Just thinking about that mission with Silver... Still mad he kicked Velvet into an abyss."
"He did what?!" Pyrrha snapped, nearly choking on her drink.
"He said it was the only way we'd survive. I'm still figuring out if I believe that." Coco stood, tray in hand. "I'll leave you all to chew on that. I've got thinking to do."
She left, but Blake's mind didn't quiet. Vanessa. Yelena. A True God. A Devil. The light.
Jimmy wasn't just playing with fire. He was balancing the Light and Dark while names and legacies whispered from long before Remnant was shaped.
As the bell rang to signal Breakfest ending, the team gathered their things. The room buzzed again with movement and conversation, but something deeper lingered in the air. Something ancient. Something watching.
And far beyond Vale's walls… the Lumewolf howled.
Qrow's Expedition
Qrow trudged through the outer forests beyond Vale, boots crunching over dry twigs, wind whispering low through the trees. The sun hung just above the horizon, casting long shadows between trunks.
He didn't know exactly what he was looking for, only that Jimmy's sister had asked for something to be found. Something... different. Not quite anything else.
His instincts were right. Two Beowolves burst from the treeline, drawn by his aura and rising tension.
"Tch. Should've seen that coming." Qrow didn't break stride. He pivoted, slashed once with Harbinger two clean arcs, two collapsing bodies. But before the blood mist had settled, a child's scream pierced the air. "Damn it," Qrow cursed, bolting toward the sound. "Who the hell lets their kid wander out here?!"
As he burst into a clearing, he froze. An Alpha Beowolf was towering over a small child claws raised to strike. Qrow raised his blade but the Alpha fell.
A blur of white darted back from the kill. At the center of the scene, standing perfectly still, was a single creature: white-furred, lupine, and cradling the crying child in its arms.
Its mask glowed faintly blue, with a heart-shaped crest over its right eye. It looked at Qrow… and bowed. Qrow didn't move. "Are you... a Grimm?"
He frowned. "No... no, you can't be. The mask. It's not bone-white. That heart symbol... You're not like them."
The creature tilted its head, silent. "Wait... are you a Lumewolf?" Qrow asked, cautious.
It nodded once. Then, gently, it stepped forward and held the child out to him. "You want me to take her back?" Qrow asked.
Another nod. Qrow blinked, caught off guard. "Listen your creator, Guardian... she's been looking for you. She wants you to come back."
The Lumewolf turned and pointed not to the woods, but toward Beacon.
"You want to go there?" Qrow asked, surprised. "That's not a good idea. If you show up like this, people will think you're a Grimm. White mask or not, they'll panic. I might not be able to stop them."
The Lumewolf stared at him, then raised its snout to the sky and howled. Light shimmered across the clearing like mist. From above and below, two new shapes emerged.
First: a massive bird-like creature, descending in absolute silence. White and silver feathers glittered like blades of light. Its mask was pale blue, marked by a soft, glowing eye-shaped symbol beneath the right socket Seravane, the Skywatcher.
Then, from beneath the earth, something rose without noise huge, heavy, armored like ivory stone. A Luxra counterpart of a Deathstalker, plated in polished white, its molten gold tail glowing dimly. Its mask bore an hourglass, flickering with golden dust that never spilled.
Qrow took a slow step back. "Well... shit. I thought there was just one of you."
The Lumewolf padded up and tapped Qrow's shoulder. He stared. "What now?"
The wolf pressed its paws together, then pointed to the horizon. It mimed a stance defensive, proud.
"You want to fight at Beacon? You want to challenge the students of Team JJR?" Qrow said, incredulous.
All three Luxra visibly perked up. The bird's wings flared slightly. The armored one rumbled with anticipation. Qrow sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "You're all gonna get yourselves killed, you know that?"
The wolf shrugged. "I seriously can't tell if you're battle hungry or stupid," Qrow muttered.
The white Deathstalker hissed, like it took personal offense. "Okay, okay." Qrow held up a hand. "Look. Today, Goodwitch is leading training exercises outside. You show yourselves, that's gonna cause a lot of panic. But... if you're really here to test yourselves, to be seen, then do it with control. No harm."
The Lumewolf nodded, then looked down at the child in Qrow's arms. It raised a paw and gently touched her forehead just for a moment.
"You're protecting children," Qrow realized. "That's your purpose."
The wolf nodded once more, calm and resolute. "Damn," Qrow muttered. "Don't die, alright? The Guardian would be heartbroken."
The wolf shrugged again, then pointed to the sky to the sun's position. Qrow squinted. "Four hours from now? You're planning it down to the minute?"
No answer. The wolf simply stepped back, fading into the light. Qrow looked at the girl, who had calmed in his arms. "Say thank you," he told her.
She looked toward the retreating wolf and whispered, "Thank you, Mr. Lumen."
The Lumewolf stopped, turned, and bowed deeply arms spread in silent reverence. She waved, and he waved back. Then, with one last glance, he stepped into the brush and disappeared.
When Qrow turned around again, the others were gone. No sound. No trail. The wind had picked up slightly, brushing leaves across the field. But one thing stuck with him. The white Deathstalker, for all its size, had moved like a tank yet it left no tracks. Not even a print. Qrow stared for a moment longer, then turned toward Vale, the child resting against his shoulder.
"…Jimmy's gonna feel them," he muttered. "That battlelust… he'll know."
Professor Peach's Classroom – Sparks and Schemes
The workshop-style classroom buzzed with motion scrolls lit up on desks, Dust cartridges hummed in testing rigs, and faint mechanical clanks rang out as students tinkered with weapon mods or drew blueprints. The scent of hot oil, coffee, and static energy lingered in the air.
Professor Peach, clad in a sleek white lab coat over her vibrant pink outfit, stood at the front, hands on her hips, tone clear and practiced.
"Alright, class. As you all know, we have several visiting teams from other academies joining us for the Vytal Festival," she began, scanning the room.
A few heads turned, some students whispering excitedly about rumors of strong out-of-region fighters.
Peach continued, walking between the rows of workstations. "In my class, we'll continue focusing on weapon theory including fire mechanisms, elemental dusts controll, and communication synch between teams during high-pressure scenarios."
She stopped briefly beside one student's station. "Miss Renner, please don't load Dust into that chamber without the shield module. Again."
"Y-Yes, Professor," the girl stammered.
Peach glanced toward the back corner. "Flame Swordsman and Jaune... I'm aware you two don't usually participate in field trials, but today you'll need to collaborate on a theoretical prototype. Something unique. I expect a presentation sketch by the end of class."
Jimmy gave a thumbs-up without looking up from his scroll. Jaune sat beside him, rubbing his temple. "Why does she always say 'Flame Swordsman' like it's a cartoon title?"
"Because it kinda is," Jimmy mumbled, sketching a blade that looked like it had vents.
The class continued buzzing mechanical pings, overlapping conversations, a girl asking her partner, "Do you think it's legal to weaponize paint?" Nearby, someone debated ice Dust injection pressure. Jimmy stayed quiet, focused on his work... until a presence drew his attention.
He looked up as a woman in red approached.
Her heels barely made a sound, and her long black hair shimmered like silk under the classroom lights. She walked with confidence, measured, elegant, and dangerous.
"Hello," she said, her voice calm and smooth. "Are you the Flame Swordsman?"
Jimmy blinked. "Uh... name's Jimmy, but yeah. That'd be me. And you are?"
She smiled. "Cinder Fall."
Jimmy's body language didn't change, but the spirits inside him Solomon, the Wolf, even Dino all suddenly went silent.
Cinder's gaze lingered. "I've heard your flames are... unique. What does it mean when you say 'ignite my strength'?"
He grinned slightly. "Honestly? It's like a chant. A mental anchor. Not really magic words, just something to help me sync mind and power."
"A password?" she repeated, tilting her head. "Strange to need one."
"Wasn't exactly my idea," Jimmy said, eyes narrowing slightly. "Also... you're curious. I can feel it. That emotion you're intrigued."
Cinder's smile turned sly. "Of course I am. Who wouldn't be?" Her voice dipped flirtatiously. "But more than curiosity I want to fight you."
Jimmy raised an eyebrow but stayed composed. "I'd decline... but I should probably mention I'm taken."
"Mm. Disappointing," Cinder said, lightly brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But tell me... the Grimm. Do you hate them?"
The question caught Jimmy off-guard. He thought for a second, tapping his pen. "I hate that they hurt people. Especially kids. But... I don't hate the idea of Grimm. They're part of the balance, I think. I just wish they weren't so violent."
Cinder's expression shifted for just a moment, something thoughtful, something cold. 'He's... different.'
"And what brings you to the tournament?" Jimmy asked, folding his arms.
"To demonstrate power," she replied without hesitation. "And to find something I lost."
"Something you lost, huh?" he said, scanning her. No lies but something heavily masked. Malicious. Hidden. "You're being real vague. You're not lying... but you're hiding something."
Cinder leaned closer. "You're staring at me, Jimmy. Keep it up and I might blush."
Jimmy gave her a faint smirk. "I'm good at reading people. I don't need people to tell me when someone's avoiding the truth."
Before Cinder could reply, Jaune tapped Jimmy's arm. "Hey we're supposed to be working on a prototype? Unless you wanna fail in style."
Jimmy stood, dusting chalk off his scroll. "Duty calls," he said. "Cinder, enjoy your stay. Try not to burn anything down."
"Oh, I won't," she said with a grin. "By the way, I'm on one of the three-man teams. I look forward to testing your mettle... Team JJR, was it?"
Jimmy paused. "That's us. What about you?"
"Team CEM," she said, stepping back with a polite nod. "I think the three of us will be a... delightful challenge for your team."
Jimmy's eyes sharpened. "Good. We like a fight."
Then he suddenly straightened, eyes distant. He grabbed his sketch pad. "Jaune, cover for me. Something's coming."
"Jimmy, don't run in the " Professor Peach called as he dashed out the door. "...and he's gone. Again. Ugh. I just finished calibrating and I wanted to test gauntlets on him."
A few students chuckled. One muttered, "Classic."
Peach sighed, moving to the next table. "Ms. Rose, let's see your concept... and don't tell me it's another collapsible scythe."
Jimmy burst out of Professor Peach's classroom like he was chasing a ghost. He followed the strange emotion he'd sensed something distant, soft, but trembling with fear. Not fear of being found but fear of what had already been seen.
His steps slowed as he spotted a girl in a standard student uniform, sitting calmly by the fountain just past the door. Her face was lowered, hair short and neat, but something about her posture... was off. "You," he said, approaching her carefully. "Why are you here?"
The girl looked up slowly, then silently raised her scroll. A message appeared: "To talk to you."
Jimmy frowned. "We shouldn't do this here. Let's move."
They walked beyond campus grounds past trees, past cameras, past the buzz of passing poeple. Into silence. Then, without a word, the illusion shattered. The girl dissolved into motes of glass and light and standing in her place was Neo, eyes locked on his, expression unreadable.
Jimmy didn't flinch. "Neo."
She didn't speak. Instead, she raised her scroll and typed again. "I'm scared."
That froze him. Neo? Scared?
He crossed his arms slowly. "You? Scared? That's not like you... but if you are, then something's seriously wrong."
Neo swallowed and typed another message, this one shaking slightly in her hand. "I found something... Roman and I were gathering Dust, and it found us. We couldn't pierce it. Everything bounced off. It was white... it just starred. Like it was above us. Like we were ants."
Jimmy's face turned serious. "Describe it."
Neo hesitated then typed again: "It was like a Deathstalker. But its body was pure white. Its tail glowed molten gold. Its mask had an hourglass etched into it, and when it moved... time felt off."
Jimmy exhaled. "It's deffenity not grim." He thought for a second, running through Solomon's teachings. "Did it react to negativity? Emotion?"
She shrugged, then typed again. "A Faunus child was crying nearby. The... creature wasn't attacking. It got close... but it felt protective. It never struck first. It didn't even seem hostile until Roman fired at it."
Jimmy's brow furrowed. "A creature defending a crying child... not attacking unless provoked. Emotionally driven... Sounds like you stumbled into something sacred."
Neo typed again, more hesitantly. "It resisted Dust. Not like it absorbed it, just... shrugged it off. Like it wasn't part of this world."
He looked at her for a long moment. "So then... why are you here? Why come to me with this?"
Another scroll message: "I never agreed with the killing. Roman doesn't want it either, we have to. I want to survive. And I think... maybe you'd understand. Maybe you'd protect me."
Jimmy looked away briefly, the wind brushing past them. "I see. Playing all the sides, huh?"
Neo smirked, typing again: "You knew, didn't you? I made sure the blade was close enough."
"I knew," he said. "You're a little too quiet to blend in. I called you 'creepy' for a reason."
She raised an eyebrow and typed with a sly grin: "So you're saying I'm your creepy fit?"
Jimmy chuckled. "Careful. I've got a girlfriend."
Neo rolled her eyes and typed fast. "I know. But I also know there's room in your heart. Maybe not now... but someday." She paused, then added: "Kissy face. "
He groaned. "You're dangerous."
She stepped closer and kissed his cheek, a slight blush on her face before stepping back.
Jimmy sighed, then turned serious again. "You're still hiding something."
Neo didn't deny it. She tapped out another line slowly: "Of course I am. I don't trust you fully yet. But... I trust you more than anyone else."
He nodded slowly. "That's fair."
As he started walking back toward campus, she typed one last message, one he didn't see right away.
She held the scroll close to her chest, lips barely moving as she mouthed the words. "If you ever save me… I'll belong to no one but you. Why do I trust you?"
The screen dimmed. Neo watched Jimmy disappear into the academy, her body still, but her heart racing.
The classroom buzzed with late-morning energy as students finalized sketches, reviewed Dust compatibility charts, or argued over recoil-to-weight ratios. The smell of burned metal lingered in the air like a second teacher.
Jimmy slipped back into his seat next to Jaune, who was not amused. "Seriously, Jimmy?" Jaune grumbled, arms crossed. "You just vanished. Again. What was it this time wandering spirit, rogue faunus, romantic detour?"
Jimmy grinned, flipping his scroll around. "Something like that. Let's just say... I've got a lead on a Luxra."
Jaune blinked, then leaned in slightly. "Seriously?"
Jimmy nodded. "Dead serious. But I'll fill you in later. Right now... help me finish this damn design before Peach decides to turn it into another 'teachable moment.'"
The two bent over their papers, scratching out diagrams and function tags.
They drafted a broad cleaver-like blade, thick and forward-heavy, with an embedded Dust core inside the spine. A pump-action shotgun mechanism extended from the underside of the hilt, seamlessly built into the guard. Dust channels ran along the outer edge, allowing elemental energy to wrap the blade on command.
"We'll route flame Dust into a canister chamber beneath the pommel," Jimmy explained. "That'll let the blade ignite along the edge. Heat retention stays stable through tempered core vents."
"Nice," Jaune muttered, sketching fast. "We reinforce the outer layer with Dust-hardened alloy to resist cracking, but the edge will stay hot enough to melt Deathstalker hide."
"Shotgun function adds spread fire for tight situations," Jimmy added. "Great for Beowolves fast, piercing, and with just enough knockback for breathing room."
"Boom. Versatile, clean, classic," Jaune said proudly. They High fived.
Professor Peach clapped her hands twice, her sharp heels clicking as she walked between rows. "Alright, class! Wrap it up. Let's see some innovation."
She stopped in front of their desk with a mischievous smile. "Mr. Arc. Flame Swordsman. Present your design on the table, please."
Jimmy sighed as he stood. "Why us?"
Peach's smile widened. "Because neither of you ever use advanced firearms or experiment with Dust integration in my class. Consider this... character development."
"Fine." Jimmy rolled his eyes and tapped his scroll to the projection plate.
A holographic 3D blueprint of their weapon spun into view a hybrid cleaver-shotgun, glowing with red and gold Dust channels.
"This is a heavy-blade build with a shotgun core," Jimmy explained. "Standard cleaver body, weighted for high-impact strikes. Shotgun attachment under the guard interchangeable Dust shells."
"There's also a flame Dust canister mounted in the hilt," Jaune added, tapping the diagram. "When activated, the Dust channels along the edge superheat the blade, letting it cut through dense hide like a Deathstalker's exoskeleton."
"The wide-shot mode is built for crowd control," Jimmy continued. "Especially against packs of Grimm. Enough knockback to create space without losing stability."
Peach's eyes scanned the projection. "A practical, aggressive design. Versatile. Efficient. And I'll bet money you'll never actually build it."
Her smile widened with that usual Peach mischief. "You know," Jimmy said dryly, "we don't need it if we're tanks."
Peach raised a brow. "Tanks?"
"Defenders," Jaune clarified.
"Interesting terminology." Peach nodded once, though her brow furrowed thoughtfully.
The bell rang. Scrolls clicked shut. Students started gathering bags and prototypes.
"Alright everyone," Peach called out. "Well done today. Make sure your blueprints are uploaded to your team archives. And don't forget Professor Goodwitch is leading an outdoor combat activity this afternoon."
Students groaned and murmured, rising from their seats. "Be outside in thirty minutes," she added. "If you're late, she will make you the test dummy."
As students shuffled toward the doors, Jimmy and Jaune packed up quietly. "So," Jaune said under his breath, "are you really going to build that?"
Jimmy smirked. "If I survive the day... maybe."
"That was a cool weapon," Ruby said, catching up beside Jimmy as they stepped out into the courtyard. "Let me guess you took inspiration from your longsword?"
"I had to," Jimmy replied, flashing a lopsided smile. "I'm not exactly original."
"Please," Ruby rolled her eyes. "You're more creative than you give yourself credit for."
Then Yang stepped in, her tone less playful. "Okay, real question, why did you leave earlier?"
Jimmy's smile faded just slightly. "Something happened. I got information… about a new creature. It might be a Luxra. Or... maybe a new kind of Grimm."
Weiss perked up, her tone cautious. "What kind of creature are we talking about?"
"White Deathstalker," Jimmy said plainly. "Golden tail, mask carved with an hourglass. Moves slow but precise. More defensive than any Grimm ever seen. It shrugged off most Dust attacks."
"That's... really not good," Blake said, brows furrowing. "If that thing's aggressive, it could kill an average Huntsman easily."
Jimmy nodded. "Yeah. But here's the twist it didn't attack. Unless provoked. And when a Faunus child started crying, it moved toward them. Not to hurt them… to protect."
Weiss blinked. "Wait...WHAT?!" Weiss shrieked, spinning toward him. "A Grimm that protects?!"
"Weiss," Ruby said quickly, reaching out to calm her. "Let him finish."
"Like I said," Jimmy continued, unfazed. "Could be a Luxra, could be a new Grimm. I didn't get a picture. I only got what someone else saw."
"Who told you?" Yang asked, voice tightening with suspicion.
Jimmy paused. "Let's just say… someone you wouldn't approve of. But they're good at finding information. And they once helped me escape when I needed it most."
He turned and started walking ahead, not waiting for the flood of questions. Yang watched him go, arms crossed. "He's hiding something."
"Probably protecting someone," Jane muttered. "Someone... shady."
"He doesn't usually care who you are," Ranger said quietly. "If you need help, he'll help."
"Really?" Weiss asked, skeptically.
Jane nodded, her tone soft. "As a kid, he once helped a bandit. The guy tried to steal from us. Jimmy caught him, gave him food instead."
"And when Jane tried to report it, Jimmy stopped her," Ranger added. "Said he wanted to know why the guy became a bandit."
"He found out the man lost his family. Had nothing left. So Jimmy convinced the village to give him a job," Jane said, a hint of sadness touching her eyes. "He worked hard. Stayed straight. Right up until the burning."
Silence hung for a beat. "So he just... doesn't care who someone is?" Weiss asked, her voice quieter.
Ranger shook his head. "No. He cares. He just... sees past the labels. Doesn't matter if you're good, evil, Grimm, Faunus, thief if you're hurting, and you're genuine, he'll help."
"He doesn't become a hero for the innocent," Jane said. "He becomes a hero for the ones who need redemption the most."
"Even if the world says they don't deserve it," Ruby whispered. "That's... who he is."
Yang looked over. "You okay, sis?"
Ruby looked down at her hands. "I always wanted to be a hero. To save people. But I never thought about what that really means. Saving people who've done wrong... I don't know if I could."
Weiss stared at the ground, her voice quieter than usual. "I used to think being a Huntress meant protecting people from monsters. Simple, clean lines. But now…"
She glanced at Blake. And suddenly, she understood why Jimmy had reached out to her when no one else had. "Maybe I need to rethink how I see the world," Weiss whispered. "Maybe I should try."
Blake stood off to the side, watching Jimmy from a distance. She'd heard the conversation, his avoidance, his vague answers, the subtle shift in his tone. She knew him well enough by now to recognize the signs: Jimmy never gave away information unless he wanted to. Especially not after Cardin. Not after that.
There was something darker stirring in him now. Something that hadn't fully left.
A cold sensation crept over Jimmy's spine. Then like a whisper seeping through the cracks of his mind he heard it. 'Hello, Jimmy... I wanted to speak with you.'
Jimmy's brows narrowed. "Which one are you?"
'The Darkness inside you. The one you try to forget. I wanted to ask you something... What is your true desire?'
Jimmy hesitated, his voice tight. "My desire...? Isn't it obvious? To survive. To live. To..." He trailed off, throat tightening, the words sticking like thorns. "…To do something no one's ever done before," he finished, quieter now.
'Then you desire what all gods once craved to create a new world. Just like him. Or maybe... to become him.' The voice softened, coaxing. 'If you ever need power… if you ever want to see that future... don't hesitate. I'll be waiting. Because, Jimmy... you will see the true darkness of this world.'
Jimmy exhaled slowly. "Maybe. But that day... is not today."
He was the first to arrive.
The training field had been transformed flat, rocky terrain interspersed with metal platforms and shifting walls. A semi-artificial combat arena wrapped in shimmering aura boundaries. Professor Goodwitch had outdone herself.
A few plastic benches sat under a temporary awning near the edge, facing the field. "Ah, Mr. James," Goodwitch greeted with a rare smirk. "First to arrive. How are you feeling... since the incident?"
Jimmy didn't answer. His eyes weren't on her, they were on the far treeline, where something stirred. He felt it. Not just tension. Not just a presence. Battlelust. It was thick. Raw. Familiar, yet... new. His lips curled into a slow, eager smile.
Goodwitch raised a brow. "Jimmy, why are you smiling like that?"
"There's something in the air," he murmured. "A fight. And it's aimed at me. I can feel it. Their strength... it's calling me."
Inside him, the Light surged, bolstering his stamina, his senses sharpening like sunlight through glass. The Darkness, not to be outdone, began to stir strength pooling in his limbs, a primal hunger humming in his bones.
'Goodwitch,' Solomon whispered from deep within, 'all of us feel it. Something is coming. We don't know what but the Light, the Dark... even Dino is excited. It's a challenge. Direct. At him.'
Goodwitch folded her arms, curious. "A who, or a what?"
Jimmy's eyes flicked to her one glowing white, the other black. But even stranger, the black iris began to shift, forming into a green ring. The white iris mirrored it, changing into a gold hue.
"Don't know," Jimmy said flatly. "But I know it's mine."
Goodwitch's eyes narrowed. "I've learned not to get between you and your instincts. Still don't go starting anything before I call the match."
She returned to her scroll and began compiling the roster. Jimmy turned his head toward the forest again. The wind shifted. The trees rustled.
'Yes... it's there,' the Darkness whispered.
'This is a direct challenge,' the Light spoke gently. 'Do you require my aid?'
Jimmy inhaled, then shook his head. "maybe," he whispered. "It's my fight."
In the distance far from Beacon he faintly sensed Neo leaving the city. Her aura trembled, not with fear, but conflict. He smiled softly, sensing her heart shifting again teetering between chaos and balance.
"She'll find her way," he said aloud.
Behind him, the wind picked up again just as the aura barrier pulsed across the arena. The Lumanwolf look at the sky howled for the Seravane to ride on the wind.
The challenge was coming. And Jimmy... was ready.
New Challenger Luxra desend
The crowd had gathered along the edge of the newly transformed battlefield. Dust-scarred platforms and obstacle pillars dotted the ground, a perfect makeshift arena beneath Beacon's morning sky.
Professor Goodwitch stood at the edge of the ring, arms crossed as the students circled up. "Alright, class today's sparring rotation will feature free-form duels. No formal pairings. Show me what you've learned without trying to kill each other this time."
The first match had already begun.
Sun Wukong, staff in hand and grin on his face, was darting across the field against a stocky Atlesian student. The speed difference was brutal Sun's semblance, Solar Step, was already in play. Bright golden afterimages danced around his opponent like illusions, each step leaving the crowd murmuring.
"Whoa," one student whispered. "He's moving like three of himself."
The opponent raised his shield just in time, deflecting a spinning heel-kick but Sun backflipped mid-air, gripped his staff, and swung down with a golden burst.
"Let's end this!" Sun shouted, aura flaring.
His staff twirled in his hands, channeling Dust through the tip. A blinding arc of solar light began forming at its end he was charging a wide-range concussive blast.
But before the hit could land WOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!
The arena was ripped apart by a sharp, echoing siren Beacon's Grimm alarm. Students froze.
Professor Goodwitch immediately raised her scroll. "That's not supposed to trigger today. This wasn't scheduled as a drill."
The siren continued howling. Then... a sound cut through the chaos. Not metal. Not the system.
A howl. Low. Echoing. Familar.
Everyone turned as a shadow fell from the sky, crashing into the middle of the arena right between Sun and his opponent.
Dust kicked up in all directions. The crowd gasped, stumbling back. And when it cleared, a creature stood at the center. White fur. A glowing blue mask marked with a pulsing heart.
It had struck the ground with enough force to knock Sun's opponent out of the area not killed, but clearly defeated.
The creature the Lumewolf turned slowly, its golden eyes locking with Jimmy's. It made no move toward the students. Only him. Jimmy stepped forward. His expression hardened, but not with fear recognition. His eyes changed. One turned black, the other white, and their irises shimmered into gold and green.
"Well," Jimmy said calmly, "this is the one who's been calling me. This is the one who wants a fight."
"Absolutely not," Goodwitch snapped, stepping forward. "That's a new class of Grimm, one we haven't identified. I'm ordering an immediate evacuation "
But before she could finish, a massive shadow passed overhead. Descending behind the arena was a giant Nevermore but unlike any they'd seen.
Feathers like polished silver. Wings stretched wide. Mask pale blue, a second eye-like symbol under the real one.
It perched gracefully near the edge of the area, beside the fallen student, and... sat. Calm. Neutral. Even helping Sun up of the ground.
"Um.. thanks Thing." said Sun the winged bird bowed.
Then it reached over, and with its beak, plucked one of its own feathers gently placing it on the ground beside the unconscious fighter. A silent gesture of peace.
Gasps echoed from the crowd. Even Goodwitch paused.
Jimmy smirked. "Is he with you?" he asked the Lumewolf, gesturing toward the silver Seravane.
The wolf gave a single, slow shake of the head. "No," Jimmy said, smiling wider. "He just came to watch."
He turned back to the creature. "After this... you're returning to my sister, right?"
The Lumewolf gave a small nod, then slowly lowered its body into a defensive crouch, its arms crossing into an 'X' shape in front of its chest.
A formal stance. A challenge. Energy crackled in the air. Jimmy rolled his shoulder once, his aura beginning to rise, a soft heat emanating from him like the opening breath of a storm.
"Then let's give them something to watch," Jimmy said, stepping into the field. "I'm ready."
From behind, the Seravane spread its wings not to fly, but to shade the field like a sentinel.
Goodwitch stared, stunned. The students backed away from the field. All eyes were on the two figures at the center. One human. One not. Both covered. Both silent. Both waiting. And as Jimmy raised his hand and rested it on the hilt of his sword. "Ignite my strength"