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Minecraft Jaune - Chapter 8
🕑 Added 2025-08-27 06:25:45 +0000 UTCI'm sorta excited about this since this is the first time we've seen Jaune's POV (at the allowance of the commissioner).
For anyone interested in making a commission, email me at: storylover543@gmail.com
Patreon Note - Next thing will be a patreon exclusive Jaune x Neo smut oneshot. People seem to be hankering for Silent Knight.
[line break]
For the first time in months, Jaune felt excited.
The blonde whistled a jaunty tune as he made a larger teleporter on the cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. That was another place to gather some materials, though there wasn't much there apart from some garden variety Grimm, trees, and stones. Nothing really worth stockpiling. He reminded himself to head over to the Ever After to get the pieces he needed for Infinity. He couldn't wait to see Ruby's smile when she got it. An engineer after his own heart.
His own smile dimmed slightly when he remembered that Coco girl. It wasn't the first time people asked him for stuff. Back when his Semblance first showed, he took just about any request people made. It was only after Dad sat him down that he learned to be more selective. He still took requests, but only if he liked the person or they were doing it for someone else. He still remembered little Marko who wanted a new wheelchair for his granddad while offering him all the allowance he saved up for that year.
He always wanted to be a hero. When he was a kid, he dreamed about taking Crocea Mors and wandering the land like a knight errant. Protecting villages, saving people in distress, or rescuing people at the last minute. Sadly, his skills never matched up to his dreams. He tried, of course, but he was a kid from the countryside. Most aspiring Huntsmen came from Huntsmen families or could afford training inside the kingdoms. There were exceptions, of course, but he wasn't part of that group. Huntsmen level training from personal mentors didn't come cheap and there weren't any combat schools near where Domremy was.
Ironically, he had more than enough money now to get whatever training he wanted, but the thought of being a regular Huntsman was the farthest thing from his mind now. He still dreamed sometimes of being the wandering hero, of coruse, but he knew that he could do more than just kill Grimm. There were thousands of Huntsmen across Remnant. There was only one (at least far as he knew) person with abilities like his. With great power came great responsibility and all that.
Which was why he was doing this now.
Jaune almost finished up the portal. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and looked back at the group watching him. Headmaster Ozpin, Professor Goodwitch, and those two people from Atlas. General Ironwood and Winter Schnee. He could see the resemblance to Weiss clear as day.
His eyes flicked over to the General briefly. He liked to think the best of people, but the General's first impression was a bad one. Their first meeting and he was already asking - demanding, really - that he work for Atlas. Jaune wasn't against working for good causes. Heck, it was pretty much the only thing he could really do right now. He had more than enough money to last ten lifetimes for him and his family and Domremy was as stable as it could be. Helping people was the only real thing he could devote himself to outside of just retiring and spending the next 60 years coasting on what he already did.
But the General wasn't asking for help. He was demanding his Semblance for Atlas like he was entitled to it. Atlas didn't need help. They were the most technologically advanced kingdom in all of Remnant. They didn't need the help. Sure, the General tried to frame it as helping against that Salem monster, but he didn't seem like the type to just hold up his hands and go "that's enough, thanks for all the help". He seemed like the type to keep asking for more.
Ozpin coughed behind him, "Mr. Arc, could I ask what exactly your plan is?"
"You'll see." He hammered in the last block. The portal suddenly activated, the ethereal gate twisting gently. The General's brows furrowed and he muttered somehting under his breath that Jaune couldn't make out, "Uh, you might all wanna step back."
The first footsteps made Winter Schnee draw her sword. The four of them looked with wide eyes as the first of the knights stepped forward. The General Knights came first. 20 feet tall with ornate black and gold armor. There were only three of them, but that was all he needed. They were his strongest creations. The ones who led the Legion. If all else failed, they were the last line of defense. And they were worth all those Ever After materials.
After the Generals were the regular knights. He had tens of thousands stockpiled under Domremy, but he figured maybe four to five thousand would be enough? He wasn't exactly planning to rush this. Mount Glenn had been abandoned for decades and the Grimm weren't going anywhere. Plus Grimm didn't know anything about siege tactics. Even then, he expected that the majority of the Grimm extermination would take maybe a day or two. The biggest issue was with the stragglers.
Professor Goodwitch, Winter Schnee, and General Ironwood all looked surprised when they saw the knights marching into the cliff. The area wasn't big enough to hold all of them, so he'd have to keep them marching straight into the airship docks. Or maybe make a portal straight to Mt. Glenn. He'd need to check his material stockpile to see if he had the stuff to spare.
Ozpin coughed, "Mr. Arc, this may be an odd question to ask, but do you believe in magic?" The other three looked at him in alarm.
"Uh...yeah?" Jaune shrugged, still watching the knights file out in single form, "I've been to the Ever After. Some things you just can't explain with science." Especially that little bastard Jinxy Peddler. That guy gouged him every time they met. Which was impressive considering the Ever After didn't have currency.
"And do you believe that your Semblance is magical in nature?"
"What? Of course not. It's a Semblance, not magic." Jaune rolled his eyes.
"I...see. If you're certain." He took a sip of his hot chocolate, "Perhaps we should talk about your plans before James' head explodes." He gestured to General Ironwood. The older man was looking at his knights with an intense stare that said a thousand words. Jaune said he was willing to loan out his knights, and he needed to stand firm on that. Another lesson his parents taught him. Be kind, but make sure to draw a line in the sand so people didn't exploit you.
"I assume this will be the main force you'll be using, Mr. Arc," General Ironwood said.
"Yep." Jaune patted one of the knights, which saluted in response, "You said you were willing to lend ships. They'll bombard the Grimm and hit the ones in the air like Nevermores. My Knights will deal with the horde when they came scattering out." He jerked his thumb to one of the General Knights, "Galahad can lead the front and the purging outside. Lancelot will deal with Grimm trying to escape. Mordred will focus on assisting the Huntsmen."
"Interesting names..." Winter Schnee muttered.
"Always liked the old stories." Jaune shrugged with a smile, "Anyway, once the place is cleared out, I can start rebuilding."
"The issue comes with Vale." Professor Goodwitch adjusted her glasses, "Technically, Mt. Glenn is considered public property since no one wants to deal with a Grimm-infested husk, but the council will definitely be interested once Mr. Arc starts rebuilding. They'll claim ownership or bring up some obscure law to justify taking once you've done all the work." She nodded at Jaune, "Politicians can be cutthroat, sometimes literally."
"I can handle that in exchange for certain favors," Ozpin said.
"Depends on the favors."
"Nothing different than what you're already providing, I assure you. I've no interest in personal power, only stopping Salem." He believed him. Even with the bad first impression, "This will also help in that regard. Salem feeds on despair and hopelessess. Showing that we can fight back will bolster everyone."
"I'd prefer if we focused on direct solutions over propaganda victories," General Ironwood said with a frown.
"There are thousands of Huntsmen. Not a lot of people who can give people homes in days." He remembered the place Blake took him to. So many people homeless because the other option was risking it outside the walls where the Grimm could get them, "It'll be nice to help people with more than just surviving the next Grimm attack. They need homes, farms, a place to sleep without worrying if they'll be able to survive the next day."
"A noble sentiment. I approve." Professor Goodwitch nodded.
"Beacon can house these Knights while we transport them to Mt. Glenn. I'm sure Atlas will be more than happy to assist in that regard."
"Provided we gain some knights, yes."
"You can have them for a while, like I said. You can't keep them." The General's lips pursed and he looked like he wanted to argue. Jaune was already walking away, "Before we do that, I gotta go to the Ever After first. Get Ruby her gift." He smiled. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face once she got Infinity. He ignored the memory of that Coco girl again. Ruby didn't ask for anything. He offered and she accepted. She didn't act entitled to it.
He walked over to the dorm room across team RWBY's and knocked on the door, "Coming~!" The door opened and he was greeted with Nora's beaming face, "Oh! Hey, Jaune! What's up?"
"Picking up a friend." He looked past her and saw Curious chatting with that Ciel girl. Ren and Pyrrha were nowhere to be found, "Curious! I'm heading to the Ever After, you coming with me?"
"Hm?" The multi-colored cat looked up languidly, "Why ever would you want to return to that place after Jinxy made you do that three hour jig?"
"Need materials for Infinity, you know that."
"Hm. I suppose it has been a while since I visited home." He stretched and disappeared for a second before suddenly appearing on Jaune's right shoulder, "And someone has to watch over you and make sure you don't have to share your embarassing memories in front of a crowd again."
"That was one time! Jinxy had that transcendent bark I needed and he wasn't gonna sell it for anything else."
"A shame the Ever After doesn't have the luminous rectangles. I would've enjoyed recording that."
"It's called a scroll, and you aren't recording jack!" Jaune crossed his arms and walked off, saying goodbye to Nora and Ciel as he did. He made his way to the portal located in the room designated for it. A quick swipe of the runestone and he was back in the portal room at his castle. He definitely needed to make sure to keep the runestones close. It was the only way to use the portals. Only team RWBY had copies so far and they were keeping them under lock and key.
It took him over 12 hours - the whole afternoon until 6 am the next morning - until to gather the required materials, and that was him getting lucky with Jinxy only asking for a hug this time (apparently they were very valuable in the Ever After). That wasn't to say it was easy, of course. He had to kill the Jabberwalker twice for shadow skin, go through a punderstorm for truth essence, then beat the Red Prince in a game of chess (then run away when the sore loser tried to have him executed) for perfection porcelain.
By the time he got back, Jaune was haggard and covered in substances that shall not be named while Curious' face was knotted in distaste, "Every time we return there I'm reminded of why I was so eager to leave," his friend's voice was dry enough to peel paint, "I certainly hope this human girl you're so affectionate with is worth all this trouble."
"Ruby's great. Just wants to be a Huntress to help people."
"Hm, is this what people in this world regard as courtship rituals?"
"Wh-What?" Jaune's face flushed slightly and he laughed, "Come on, Curious, it's not like that. Ruby's just a friend!"
"And what about the rest of that team? The girl with the cat ears, the ice princess, and the fire woman?"
"They're friends too." He shook his hands to wipe away some of the gunk clinging to his fingers, "Don't make it weird, man."
"Perhaps one day I'll tell you the story of the Oblivious Prince." The Afteran sighed and hopped off his shoulder before Jaune could respond. Jaune shook his head and walked over to the runic table. Whatever, Curious was always making comments like that. He focused on creating the Infininty rune. Once he was done, all they had to do was bond it to Crescent Rose. The bonding would be permanent, so no need to worry about someone else stealing it.
It took him almost six hours to get everything right. One mistake and the materials would've been wasted and he'd have to gather them up all over again. Every step had to be checked and double checked. By the time he was done, his scroll had 11:56 on the screen. Lunchtime at Beacon. Perfect.
Jaune pocketed the runestone and walked through the Beacon portal with a skip in his step. The students were already in the dining hall. Another thing he was proud of. He still wasn't sure who the jerks were who ruined that place (and the highway and the docks), but it gave him a chance to do some redecorating. People seemed to like it too, especially the Ruby statue. That was one a spur of the moment addition. He needed something to fill the center.
He stepped inside and bumped into a big, burly guy wearing armor. He didn't know his name, but he glared down at Jaune like he spat in his Pumpkin Pete's, "Watch where you're going, civvie."
"Hey, you bumped into me." Jaune walked past him and made his way to Ruby's table.
Team RWBY and Team PNCR were already seated. Ruby looked up when he approached and waved, "Hey, Jaune! I got you a tray!" She gestured to a tray full of eggs, bacon, and french fries next to her. For some reason, Blake and Weiss frowned, "Where've you been?"
"Just making something," he said, holding back a grin.
"Would it have something to do with those Knights we've seen wandering around?" Weiss asked.
"No, that's another thing. I made something different." He held up the runestone towards Ruby. She looked confused for a second before her eyes widened and she gasped, both hands covering her mouth, "I did it, Ruby. Infinity! Let's put it on Crescent Rose when you finish eating!"
For a second, the entire table was quiet. And then Ruby squealed loud enough to almost hurt his ears. Jaune was almost forced off his feet as his new bestie jumped into him with her arms wrapped around his neck in a tight embrace. He hugged her back automatically while trying to make sure he kept the runestone from falling, "Jaune! Thank you, thank you, thank you~!" Her legs swung up and down, which made keeping his balance even harder.
"Y-You're welcome!" He laughed and set her down. He offered her the runestone again and she took it carefully, making sure to hold it gently like it could shatter at any second, "Remember, once you bond it to a weapon, it's permanent."
"That's not a problem! Crescent Rose is my forever weapon!" Ruby bounced on the balls of her feet, looking down at the circular stone with awe, "Jaune...this is amazing. If you ever need anything - anything - don't ever hesitate to tell me, okay?"
"I'll be sure to-"
"And I mean ANYTHING." She leaned forward, eyes wide and face just inches away from his, "Don't even think about if it's something I won't do, cause I'll do it! Anything! No matter how weird or d-dirty it is, I can-"
"Okay, let's dial it back a bit sis." Yang grabbed Ruby's collar and tugged her back. Ruby yelped and struggled while Yang manhandled her with one hand, "We're still public here. Let's keep it PG-13."
"Haha, I'm glad you like it." Jaune grinned. Seeing Ruby smile so sincerely was worth all that work.
"That was very...generous of you, Jaune," Weiss said. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, "I'm sure Ruby appreciates it, though I can't help but wonder if some other people might've benefited from such a beneficial upgrade."
"Yeah, maybe." Jaune shrugged noncomittaly. That Coco girl probably saw all that, but he didn't really think about that now. She was just some stranger expecting things from someone she didn't even know, "But I've seen Ruby work. She can do a lot of good with Infinity. Lot of bang for your buck."
"Indeed, though force isn't the only factor when it comes to combat. Versatility and grace, I'd argue, is far more beneficial."
"Your green eyes are showing there, Weiss Cream." Yang snorted.
"My eyes are crystal blue, thank you very much!" Weiss glared at her.
"Ammunition that never runs out," Ciel muttered, "The Atlas military and Specialists could benefit heavily from such an upgrade."
"Yeah, well, it's not exactly something I can mass produce. This one's special." He sat next to Ruby and pulled the offered tray close, "Besides, doesn't seem like Atlas needs any help. They've already got the best tech in Remnant."
"Exactly. Atlas, the SDC...all of them hoarding technology and benefits," Blake said, "Meanwhile, other people have to make do with whatever they can get. Doesn't seem fair, does it?" She sighed sadly.
"Yeah, it isn't." Jaune nodded sympathetically. She was right there.
"And yet that technology means it can do the most good if led properly."
"While everyone else just has to wait. Typical." Blake rolled her eyes.
"You-"
"Rrgh, stop arguing! You're ruining the mood!" Ruby slapped both hands on the table, "Jaune just got me the most amazing present ever, you two aren't gonna ruin it!"
"We're not-"
"She started-"
"That was a very kind gesture, Jaune," Pyrrha said, cutting off both Blake and Weiss, "I'm sure Ruby will be an even better Huntress with your help."
"Here's hoping." Jaune nodded again. Maybe she'd get a chance to prove it sooner rather than later.
[line break]
It didn't take long for all of Beacon to notice the knights. They weren't exactly subtle. Knights of gleaming armor walking in formation towards the docks, each of them at least ten feet fall and walking with rigid duty. Weiss had seen a few of them during their brief stay in Domremy and found them eye-catching even then. She'd always had a fondness for knights thanks to her grandfather. Despite childhood and innocence being taken from her, her admirations for knights never faded.
The rest of their groups were rather taken by the knights as well. Especially Pyrrha. Seems...disconcertingly excited seeing the 20 foot tall ones.
Most of the students were smart enough to give them a wide berth. Emphasis on most. That brute Cardin, for whatever reason, seemed annoyed by them and attempted to attack one with his mace. It ended with him getting backhanded through a wall. It was more humiliating than dangerous thanks to his Aura, but it sent a message. Now every student gave the knights a wide berth, though a few insisted on taking selfies. They weren't hostile unless they were being attacked, after all.
The other thing people noticed were the ships. Atlas had the best aerial fleet in all of Remnant and they'd never been hesitant to show it to the other kingdoms. Seeing those same ships hovering over Beacon to collect the knights made for quite a sight. She imagined the Vale council wasn't much pleased, but Beacon always held a degree of independence from kingdom politics. It was one reason she chose to come here over Mistral or Vacuo.
So by the time the students were gathered in the main hall for Ozpin's speech, it felt more like a formality. The headmaster coughed before speaking into the microphone, "Students. I'm sure you've all seen our...guests by now." Cardin groused under his breath. Lout, "There's no need to worry, this is not some foreign invasion." The fact that he had to clarify that wasn't comforting... "Beacon is actually taking part in something historic. Many of you are aware of the fall of Mt. Glenn."
Weiss' brows furrowed. The fall of Mt. Glenn was before her time - literally, it happened twenty years ago. All she knew about it was what she read from the history books. Vale's attempt at expansion that went catastrophically wrong. The settlement didn't have the natural walls needed for a larger concentrated population, so when the Grimm suddenly surged, the people were forced to barricade themselves into the tunnels.
And even then, it didn't save them. Whether through sabotage or poor architectural planning, the Grimm got inside and Vale was forced to blow up the tunnels with the people inside. Outside of their defeats in the Great War, it was considered the greatest loss in Vale's history. There'd been sporadic attempts to reclaim it over the past couple of decades, but they were half-hearted at best. Usually campaign promises about retaking Vale's glory then sending a token Huntsmen force to show that they were technically fulfilling their promises. Reclaiming it would've been an amazing symbolic victory, but clearing out the Grimm and rebuilding an entire city came at a steep price.
"A great tragedy, one Vale has spent decades trying to recover from. That day is today." He gestured to one of the knights, which walked up on stage, "Thanks to Mr. Arc's assistance, Beacon and Atlas will be reclaiming Mt. Glenn. He has also generously agreed to rebuild it for people that need a home." Blake's bow twitched. Weiss' brows furrowed, "It is for this reason that classes will be suspended for the next few days while the Professors assist in this endeavor. However, third and fourth year students are welcome to assist in the reclamation if they wish."
A buzz of excitement ran through the crowd. She knew from the curriculum that third and fourth years spent more time on missions and practical field work than regular classes. This was merely an extension of that.
The electric atmosphere continued for the rest of the day. Many of the upper years were clearly planning to join (if only for the bragging rights of being there when history was made) while the lower years were quite eager to spend the break relaxing. Weiss found herself listless. She would've preferred to be present at such an event. If nothing else, she would've loved to see the Knights in action.
"This proves what he can do," Blake said that night at their dorm room. Ruby was off doing "things" with her weapon and Yang decided today was a good time to go clubbing, "Reclaiming a city like it's nothing. Imagine what he could do for some place more deserving."
"By "more deserving", I assume you mean Menagerie?" Weiss raised a brow.
"Duh." Blake scoffed, "The Faunus have been waiting for a real homeland for centuries."
"And your solution is to have a Human give you that homeland?" Weiss asked dryly.
"A Faunus homeland doesn't mean Faunus only, Weiss. Same way the kingdoms aren't Human only, even if some prejudiced assholes think otherwise." The casual curse made Weiss blink. Blake almost never used profanity, "The Faunus have fought and bled for centuries with nothing to show for it except "maybe later". Well, we're done waiting. I'll take any chance to save my people."
"By having someone else do all the work for you. Very impressive."
"Says the heiress inheriting a company who also wants Jaune to help depose her dad."
The two glared at one another. This was why being alone together without Ruby and Yang was...tense. They got along for the sake of team cohesion, but the Schnee-Faunus/White Fang divide was a gap that was difficult to cross. They didn't hate one another, but they didn't exactly go out of their way to spend time as a pair outside of group outings. The mission to Domremy had only exacerbated tensions.
Their silent stare-off lasted up until someone knocked on the door. Weiss expected to see Ruby coming back hugging her scythe or Yang with a hangover. Instead, it was Jaune, "Hey, Weiss."
"Jaune. To what do we owe the pleasure?" She smiled charmingly and fluttered her eyelashes. Blake rolled her eyes behind her.
"Well...it's about the reclamation tomorrow."
The next day, team RWBY and PNCR found themselves on an airship heading towards Mt. Glenn. Jaune had talked to the headmaster to allow their two teams to be present in the reclamation if they wished; something both groups were more than eager to participate in. The core of being a Huntsman was the protection of others and the elimination of Grimm. Missing out on this would've been a waste.
Weiss' excitement was blunted by her partner, "Who's a good weapon? You are! Yes you are~!" she cooed at her scythe, cradling it like it was a baby. Ruby always had an...unhealthy attachment to weaponry, but Jaune's Infinity had turned it borderline scandalous. She'd slept with it last night (which was against the rules), wouldn't stop baby talking to it, and sounded downright aroused as she talked about how much Grimm she could kill with a non-stop barrage. She was tempted to jump out of the airship to give the two some room.
Weiss was not jealous, of course. That would've been unseemly. So what if she thought that she could've used a gift like that just as well, if not better, than rifle? Myrtenaster was a weapon of elegance. With her Semblance, dust wasn't merely a projectile but an extension of power. But Dust was also expensive even with her allowance and finding the right purity and grade could be difficult given Vale's more limited selection. It forced her to be conservative. Time Dilation, for example, was an extremely powerful skill. One that required the purest lightning Dust to achieve its effect, and even then only for a few seconds till the Dust was consumed.
Being able to use it infinitely would've increased her combat capabilities tenfold. Surely, that was worth more than a barrage of bullets?
Shaking her head, Weiss looked out the window. They were close to Mt. Glenn now. The destroyed husk of a city made for a stark sight. A place that was meant to be hopeful turned into a dilapidated ruin. And yet Jaune believed that it could be fixed. Given what she knew of him, she had no doubt he had the capability to do so. She was more worried about the politics that'd come after. No doubt the politicians in Vale were already circling, salivating at the thought of taking credit, claiming ownership, and demanding even more from Jaune like they were entitled to his gifts.
That was why he needed her help, she thought. He could help her navigate the shark-infested waters and teach him all about the cruelty of people. Grimm were simple, they didn't pretend to be more than they were. But people? They would smile and call you a friend with one hand while moving to stab you with the other. Jaune was kind, sincere. He deserved better than some scheming politician or businessman exploiting him like cheap labor.
"We're gonna kill so much Grimm..." Ruby muttered under her breath, rubbing her scythe's compressed form with disturbing fondness, "And then everyone's gonna see how amazing you are. You're gonna be the best sniper-scythe in all of Remnant." Weiss not-so-subtly scooted away from her partner, as did everyone else on the ship. Not that Ruby cared. She was too busy whispering sweet nothings to the inanimate hunk of metal in-between promising to reward Jaune for all his help. Ugh...
Ruby suddenly stood up and made her way to the side doors, "Ruby, what are you-"
She opened the door and the cabin was immediately buffeted by powerful high winds, "Rubes, the fuck?!" Yang shouted, hair whipping around like a deranged curtain. The giggling reaper ignored them all and unfolded Crescent Rose into its sniper form. Then she shot down into the horde. Ten, twenty, thirty. She used her Semblance to speed up her trigger and bolt pulling. Normally, Crescent Rose had a ten bullet limit. The price of firing such powerful rounds.
Now? Ruby was shooting bullets downrange like a Brothers damned minigun.
Weiss plugged her ears, face knotted in distaste as Ruby shot a non-stop barrage of gunfire down at the Grimm. The knights were already doing the bulk of the work by purging the Grimm in the deeper parts of the city. In truth, the students were mostly being used to take care of the stragglers and the Grimm that separated from the main force of the horde. Which made sense, but it was still rather anti-climactic, all things considered.
"Woof, look at Jaune's army go," Yang said.
"Indeed. Knowing this is all under the control of one man is...disconcerting," Ciel hummed.
"Better than under Atlas control," Blake muttered. Ciel looked at her with narrowed eyes but said nothing. Ruby continued to shoot, giggling like she was drunk. She was using a wide variety of Dus. Fire, ice, lightning, even plant. Rarity and cost was no longer an issue thanks to the upgrade Jaune gave her.
Seeing her partner shooting, Weiss' mind began to plan. Would this Infinity work with other things? It clearly interacted with Dust, so what about machinery that never needed fuel? Or transmuters that produced absolute pure Dust without expending the unrefined components?
It would be...very useful.
The airship dropped them off at the forward base camp (made by Jaune, of course). Weiss hopped off the ramp and looked at the desolatated city once more. Not too long from now, it would soon be a flourishing settlement once more. She unsheathed Myrtenaster and rolled the cylinder. It was time to do her part.
[line break]
Adam was furious.
"Pack it up! We have to leave now!" he shouted to his soldiers. It was all a mad scramble. His Brothers and Sisters rushed to pack up the Dust that had been gathered into containers as they rushed into the escape tunnels.
Not for the first time that day, he cursed himself for getting involved with that madwoman Cinder. His first instinct when she and her human slaves came into his camp had been to decapitate her and mount her head on a pike as a warning to others. Instead, her unusual power held his rage at bay and he listened to her plans. She wanted to destroy Vale but she needed an army. Bodies. And for some reason, she chose the White Fang.
He agreed out of mutual necessity. He cared little for Cinder and whatever grand scheme she was concocting, but teaching the Humans of Vale that they weren't safe behind their walls was worth stomaching her presence. The Faunus who'd long since accepted the Humans stamping on their necks would join their masters when the Grimm came. He considered it a mercy kill. Proud Faunus brought low and turned into glorified pets. Their deaths would've been a message to Faunus all across Remnant. Either they fought with their heads raised or died on their knees.
It was supposed to be a simple task. That grating thief Roman would steal the Dust, they would load it onto the trains, and then they would ram it into Vale through the Mt. Glenn tunnels. It wasn't without its risks, of course, but the men and women of the White Fang weren't afraid to die for their beliefs.
But the last thing any of them expected was an invasion.
Adam led his troops through the escape tunnels. They'd purged it of Grimm months ago to serve as an extraction point. The tunnels went from Mt. Glenn to the Forever Fall forest. It would be an hours long walk, but holding Mt. Glenn against both the agitated Grimm and the invaders was a fool's errand. If Cinder decided to end their "partnership" here, then fine. He wasn't going to lead his group to their doom for the sake of her vanity.
A scream from behind made him look back. Adam turned and growled at the sight of a suit of armor rushing towards them. The robots - because they definitely weren't Human - had seemed confused when it stumbled upon them in the tunnels. And then one of the younger recruits, Perry, panicked and fired. It was like a switch had flipped and it went from stoic to murderous, charging at Perry before Bane blocked its charge. Barely. He'd seen the behemoth of a man stop charging Ursa Majors flat and yet that knight had nearly knocked him off his feet.
"Go!" Adam shouted. He charged the metal monstrosity, unsheathing wilt in one fluid motion. The knight's blade met Wilt's blood red edge and the two of them clashed. With a frustrated growl, Adam pushed it back and slashed its midsection. Wilt didn't cut through perfectly, but it left a deep gash that would've disemboweled a regular person. Instead, the knight continued to attack without heed of the damage, slashing and stabbing with deceptive speed.
Adam blocked each and every one as he felt his Semblance charging. Once it reached its peak, he jumped back, sheathed his sword, then unsheathed it again to unleash a powerful moonslice that bisected the knight vertically. It stood there for a moment before both halves fell separately.
Adam sheathed Wilt once again and continued the retreat, ignoring the looks of awe from his Brothers and Sisters. He vowed to himself that he would erase the one that cost him so much time and effort. Whoever they were, they would pay dearly for this.
[line break]
James Ironwood was not a man who was easily cowed. He was one of the youngest Generals in Atlas history and he'd earned that position through merit. He was born from a middle class family, he had no special connections to people in power, and he'd faced sabotage from people who thought they deserved his position more. It was...challenging and frustrating in equal measure, but he took it on the chin. If there was one thing he refused to do, it was give up.
So when Ozpin told him about Salem a decade back, he didn't falter at the thought of a long-lived Grimm Queen. Instead, he saw her as another problem to solve. Nothing was invincible, and while Oz seemed satisfied with stalemating that witch, he refused such meager stalling.
Which brought him to Jaune Arc.
James' gaze shifted to the young man standing beside him on the airship's deck. They'd taken a bird's eye view of the operation. From what Arc told him, the knights were semi-autonomous and followed his commands as relayed by the three General Knights. He could've stayed back at Beacon if he wished, but he felt some sort of responsibility to see it all happen.
Calculating eyes scanned the battlefield. The knights were...impressive. Faster than Atlesian paladins and far sturdier than the AK-200 robots. While they lacked in ranged abilities (or the raw firepower of SDC spider droids), that seemed more like a personal preference than an actual limitation. He'd read reports and seen firsthand what Arc was capable of and the casual ease with which he did it. He'd created an army thousands strong that surpassed conventional forces body-for-body while turning his settlement into a burgeoning kingdom.
"Uh-oh..."
"What is it, Mr. Arc?" James asked.
"Take a look over there." He pointed to the right flank of the battlefield where Ruby Rose - Oz's pet project - charged a head in a blur of red, "Guess Ruby was really excited to test out Infinity." James' mouth twitched. Ah yes, "Infinity". Another bit of insanity that he treated with casual ease. Limitless ammo...and he gave it to a teenager who thought rushing into Grimm hordes was the best use of her time. He couldn't help but think of how more...practical people could've used such a gift. Winter or any of the Ace-Ops would've been infinitely more wise than a teenager with special eyes. Magic wouldn't be what won the day against Salem.
The rest of Rose's team, along with team PNCR, followed after her, multicolored dots on the horizon. He could already feel a headache forming. He would've preferred if those first years stayed out of it, but Arc seemed to think they were worth bringing along for whatever reason. He could already imagine Oz and Glynda's reactions. Oz would shake his head about how "eager" his students were while Glynda would mutter something about detention till they were fourth years that Oz would veto because he always played favorites. That was how they ended up with the Branwens.
James saw many of the knights divert to assist them and his eyes narrowed. Arc didn't verbally order them to do that. Some sort of telepathic communication method? He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to muse on that. They had more important things to worry about. Her was certain Winter was already eager to get down there to save her reckless sister. He didn't know much about the younger Schnee, but if this was any indication, then she clearly didn't inherit her sister's caution.
He commanded the ship to draw closer. At the rate they were going, the bulk of the horde would already be purged before the day was even done. He almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. Vale had tried and failed to recover Mt. Glenn for two decades and now Jaune Arc would do it in less than a day. Atlas was providing assistance, of course - their ships targeted aerial Grimm like Nevermores and Griffons - but he was certain that the young man would've had some way to deal with those eventually.
He reminded himself that this was a favor for a favor. Arc was offering food and supplies, possibly even Dust. The less he had to deal with Jacques Schnee, the better.
They were getting close to the mountain itself when they all suddenly felt a shake even through the air. James grabbed the railings and tapped his communicator, "Status report!"
"General, there's a-"
The report was cut off by an ear-shattering roar. The top of the mountain suddenly burst open and...something came out. Despite his ringinging ears, James forced himself to focus. It was a Grimm. No, calling it that felt understated somehow. He'd seen numerous Grimm types across his decades of service. Everything from garden variety beowolves to even the rare Leviathans that were once-every-few-decades occurences.
This was different.
What emerged from the mountain was a monster straight out of legend. A dragon. Or wyvern. The exact terminology escaped him at the moment. His grip on the railing tightened so much that the steel bent under his fingers. He'd heard about it before, but it was always something out of a legend. There'd been no historical records and many doubted they even existed. The only reason he knew was because Ozpin said he'd faced one a hundred years ago in a past life.
All around him, the crew was going into a panic. Professional soldiers looked on in both awe and fear and even Winter's eyes were wide with shock. And yet Jaune Arc remained utterly unfazed, "Woah, that's new!" He peered at it like it was a curiosity, "Never thought I'd see dragons outside The End!"
"All units, focus fire on the new entity!" Ironwood barked, "We cannot let it-"
"Hey, don't worry about it! The three of them will handle the big guy!" Arc shouted past him.
He didn't get the chance to ask what in the hell that meant before he felt a tingle in the air. James' head snapped down to the chaotic ground and he saw one of the General Knights summon what appeared to be a spear made out of pure lightning. Without hesitation, it tossed the "spear" at the wyvern just as it began to take flight.
The projectile stabbed it clean through the torso. The gigantic grimm let out a deafening, pained roar and fell to the ground with enough force to shake the earth. Rock, dirt, and even other Grimm were tossed into the air. Just barely, he saw teams RWBY and PNCR flying back and landing with varying degrees of race, shaken but uninjured.
The wyvern attempted to stand up once more, green flames spewing from its mouth. The other two Generals didn't let it get far. They jumped and sliced through one wing each. The jagged wings crashed to the ground before dissipating, leaving the Grimm grounded. The order for a bombardment was already on his lips.
Too late. The remaining General Knight joined its brethren and what happened next could only be described as a massacre. The wyvern roared and shook, spewing flames and swiping claws with desperate fury, and yet it was all for naught. The Generals easy dodged or blocked its attacks while they continued their assault. Swords of cleaming silver coursed with energy as they tore through Grimm flesh like a hot knife through butter.
In just two minutes, the wyvern was no more. A stunned silence settled over the crew. Many of them seemed to be in disbelief with more than a few pinching themselves.
The silence was broken soon enough.
"Ha, awesome!" Arc leaned over the railing, "Galahad, Lancelot, Mordred, you did great!" And then, just to cap off the insanity of this day, the three knights raised their hands in a synchronized thumbs up, "Man, I gotta get down there! That thing's gonna be leaving a whole boatload of materials!"
"Grimm leave nothing behind when they dissipate..." James said numbly.
"Says you."
James Ironwood looked at this smiling young man and took a deep breath. He had to make plans, he told himself. Jaune Arc was too valuable - too dangerous - to be left to his own devices. Someone like him needed guidance, and Atlas would be the best to fulfill it.
[line break]
Mount Glenn reclamation: successful! Time to make a new settlement!
Question:
1. Been a while, so I've got to ask. Which faction are you guys most sympathetic with again? Blake and Weiss are getting heated and Mt. Glenn's reclamation means multiple factions are going to come to a head soon enough, either to use Jaune or to try and knock him off the board.
Comments
asdo
another solution is just to keep building up his own kingdom to the point he just invites people to immigrate over
Thelurker12
The issue is that Mantle and Menagerie are not allies. Yeah, the Faunus in Menagerie would appreciate this, but the humans there are likely still racist and wouldn’t be keen with sharing with the Faunus. Mantle may not be as rich as Atlas, but that doesn’t mean they’re not prejudiced as well.
KirbyKingShip
In my opinion the most logical solution is to split the whole thing down the middle, Jaune could link menagerie and Mantle with a portal (since atlas is fine it’s always mantle that suffers) and he could alternate between helping Mantle grow to the point they are concerns atlas will be obsolete and menagerie would be a second utopia in the making) Faunus would freely travel to and from which would have two effects, eliminate the SDCs monopoly and free the Faunus who a “stuck” so to speak working for it by giving them new employment opportunities in both the overhaul of mantle and the building up of menagerie. Then the SDC becomes obsolete and Wiess realizes that she inadvertently caused the SDCs downfall and Blake’s family retire and a new leader/government is elected since it wouldn’t make sense to have a chief when they are much to big for Ghira and Kali to run alone
Big Z
It would be really hilarious if Blake pushes the help faunas agenda so hard that it comes to a point where helping Weiss take over the SDC is the biggest help for the faunas
Manuel amores morales
With Weiss, since I feel his idea is easier to do and would help people all over Remnant faster,Blake's requires much more effort and time, not to mention the problem with Fauns and humans.
