[RWBY] White Knight Errant

[Balorak146]

....and suddenly I am pissed off. I so badly hate being volun-told for something and feel enraged on RWBY's behalf.

Yes, even Shitty Kitty's.

Which says things.

 

[FourthPear]

....and suddenly I am pissed off. I so badly hate being volun-told for something and feel enraged on RWBY's behalf.

Yes, even Shitty Kitty's.

Which says things.

Click to shrink...

Plus, the blatant grooming of Ruby.

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

"Aw man, he missed breakfast!" Nora groaned. "That's the most important meal of the day! Aside from second breakfast! And maybe third!"

Click to shrink...

All I can think of now is hobbit Nora......

Thanks for the chapter!

 

[cavalal386]

"Aw man, he missed breakfast!" Nora groaned. "That's the most important meal of the day! Aside from second breakfast! And maybe third!"

Click to shrink...

Wait! first breakfast, second breakfast, shortstack. Nora's a Hobbit? when did that happened?

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Wait! first breakfast, second breakfast, shortstack. Nora's a Hobbit? when did that happened?

Click to shrink...

Always has been!

 

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

They got their gear together and headed out to the airfield. Numerous other teams were gathered around the landing pads. They were checking over their supplies, talking, or meandering around. Arjun cut through the crowds and led them right towards a slim-looking airship in green and black tigerstripe camouflage. It resembled a Bullhead, but sleeker, slimmer, and with longer engine nacelles.

Jaune looked over at Ruby, who was extremely distracted. He gave her a smile.

"So, what's this model Ruby?"

Ruby looked up at it, and a little light returned to her eyes.

"Oh! Wayland Air Motors Tigertail Model A47?"

Arjun nodded in approval.

"Yes, good eyes."

Ruby flinched at that. Jaune's lips thinned a bit, but Arjun went on.

"My company helped the new VDF procure several of these. Since we're going to the military base, they agreed to give us a lift."

Arjun walked up the back ramp into the cabin. The teams followed. The interior was standard military grays and blues, with several seats with harnesses lining the walls. The cockpit was separated with a hatch that was currently open, showing the flatscreen control panels, seats, and the wide windscreen. Arjun scanned around the interior, and checked over everything with a keen, practiced gaze.

"You all know how to stow your gear properly?" He asked. Ruby nodded.

"Y-yeah!"

"Not a problem, Arrow Man," Yang said with a grin and wink. Arjun didn't react to this, merely nodding.

"All right. Stow the gear. I'll do the final checks outside. Ruby, Jaune, with me. You're the team leaders."

"Eh?" Ruby blinked. Arjun raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to trust the lives of your teams to just any aircraft without inspecting it?"

Ruby winced again. Jaune nodded and turned to his team.

"Stow your gear, we'll be back," he ordered.

"On it, Fearless Leader!" Nora saluted. Ren nodded. Pyrrha smiled a bit more warmly, but obeyed. Ruby looked to her team, who were already stowing their things.

"Come on, we're great at packing it in!" Yang grinned. Weiss groaned as Blake shook her head.

Yang shot a flirty look over at Jaune.

"Though I bet you can't wait to give it a try, huh Jaune~?"

"Yang!" Jaune groaned. Ruby flushed. Pyrrha managed a tighter smile. Weiss groaned in disgust.

"I don't suppose you have a gag for her?" Weiss asked Arjun.

"How kinky," Blake observed. Weiss sputtered angrily, her cheeks burning red.

"I-You-THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" The heiress cried.

"Ooh, I knew it," Yang grinned like a cat about to pounce on its meal, "Repressed rich girl with a very hidden kinky side! You're finally loosening up!"

"I AM NOT KINKY! OR-OR REPRESSED!" Weiss denied angrily. "Stop being disgusting, Yang!"

"Or what, you'll spank me?"

"IF I HAVE TO!" Weiss hissed.

Silence fell. Yang cackled. Blake smirked. Nora cheered.

"GO WEISS!"

"Oh my," Pyrrha murmured, blushing bright red but looking at Jaune almost speculatively. Which Jaune bore with his normal stoicism.

Weiss turned bright red.

"N-No! I didn't mean-!"

"Oh man, Jaune, will you still accept me after Weiss has her way with me~?" Yang snickered, covering her cheeks with her hands. Blake was suspiciously covering her mouth up. Ren looked like he dearly wanted to roll his eyes.

Ruby was bright red, but very quiet. Just as she had been since Jaune and Arjun showed up.

"We'll leave you to stow your gear and figure anything else out," Arjun said, his eyes laughing despite his calm voice and neutral face.

"N-No, I-You-OOOH!" Weiss cried.

Jaune hurried Ruby out of the aircraft after Arjun. The older man was smirking slightly as Weiss and Yang continued to argue.

"You have very colorful teams," he observed.

"That's an understatement," Jaune sighed. Ruby flushed a bit. Arjun's smirk grew slightly as he raised his eyebrows.

"Reminds me of better times," he admitted. Before Jaune could ask, Arjun said: "Come on, let's go through this."

They went through the checks, Arjun pointing out each component of the Tigertail and how to tell if it was functioning properly. Ruby's mechanical background gave her the edge, but Jaune did his best. They soon returned to the interior of the Tigertail, where the rest of the teams were sitting in their seats. Arjun had them strap in, and nodded in satisfaction.

"All right. Ruby, you know this machine well enough: I'll teach you how to navigate on the way there. Jaune? You'll stay back here and I'll teach you on the way back. Understood?"

"No problem, Uncle," Jaune said with a smile. Ruby did look a little more excited but a tension remained in her shoulders. Jaune turned his smile to Ruby.

"Hey, don't worry. Uncle Arjun's a great teacher. He taught my dad how to fly."

"And he only crashed three times," Arjun said, still smiling politely.

Much staring. Arjun hummed and rubbed his chin.

"Or was it four times?"

"That's encouraging," Yang deadpanned.

"Absolutely," Arjun nodded. He motioned Ruby into the cockpit, and began to prep the Tigertail for takeoff. Ruby sat in the seat next to him, and helped him go over the final pre-flight checks before the engines started up.

"I'm sure he's just joking," Pyrrha said with a soft smile as Jaune sat down and strapped in next to her. She looked over at Jaune.

"Right?"

Jaune smiled wryly.

"Relax. Uncle Arjun doesn't crash… Though my dad definitely did."

"Aw," Nora pouted, "No crash?"

"Maybe next time," Jaune said with a nod. Nora beamed.

"YAY!"

"Joy," Weiss deadpanned, as the rear ramp and cockpit hatch closed, and the Tigertail took off with a tremble.

- - -

Ruby checked over the instruments carefully as the Tigertail flew over the wide green expanse of the Emerald Forest. She didn't put her hands on the co-pilot controls-She didn't need to be told about that, and Arjun hadn't reminded her. They both wore headsets, Arjun asking her to note their position and anything else while he navigated the vehicle.

"How's the oil temperature?" He asked. Ruby checked it.

"309," she called out. Arjun nodded.

"Good. Tigertails tend to run a bit hotter at low altitudes," Arjun nodded, checking over the screens before focusing on the horizon. Ruby looked ahead, and fidgeted in the seat nervously.

"Um… Uh…" Ruby tried, before she fell silent again.

"Hm? Yes?" Arjun asked, looking as placid and calm as he had been since they met.

"Er… So… You like… Arrows?" Ruby tried.

STUPID! Her brain shouted. Arjun chuckled.

"I do… But why don't you ask me about what you really want to talk about?"

Ruby stared. Arjun adjusted a knob on the joystick.

"They won't hear," he said quietly, tilting his head back towards the passenger compartment. Ruby sucked in a deep breath as she stared intently at the older man.

"Did… Are you the one who saved me?" She asked.

"I am," Arjun said. "Do you doubt your own eyes? What did you see?"

Ruby channeled her Aura into her eyes. She stared intently at the purple and blue Aura figure that took the place of Arjun in her vision. It was like seeing a man-shaped ocean: Placid with a flow to it like waves lapping against the shore. He turned, and she could see two glowing points where his eyes were.

"You're seeing my soul," Arjun said softly, "And I am seeing yours."

Ruby cut the Aura. His gray-blue eyes were glowing softly, before the light vanished. Ruby gaped at him in astonishment.

"Are… Are you a Silver Eyed Warrior too?" She whispered.

Arjun shook his head.

"No," he said quietly, his voice grave. "But in the journal your mother left you, she would have written about the legend of my family's origin. That a Silver Eyed Warrior married the patriarch of the Sakaras centuries ago… And gave us our hereditary Semblance: Aura Sight."

Ruby sucked in a deep breath through her nostrils. She nodded: That had been mentioned in the journal.

"Did… Did you know my mother?" She asked, her heart clenched in a mixture of hope and trepidation. Arjun smiled gently.

"I did. We were friends," he said, "Not as close as I would like, but… Yes."

Ruby opened her mouth, a hundred questions on her mind and all trying to ram their way to her mouth. Arjun shook his head.

"I am sorry I have not made contact sooner, Ruby," Arjun said, "I did check in on you from time to time. I wanted to introduce myself when you were older. It… Was easier that way."

"Easier?" Ruby asked, incredulous and a little upset. Arjun sighed.

"You'll find as you grow up that the adults in your life are just as human as you are. They make mistakes and can be foolish. I was working very hard, to protect the innocent, my family…"

Arjun shook his head. He looked tired and mournful, which stopped Ruby's irritation cold.

"Your mother's death was… Well. It came in the same year that my wife was killed by assassins. And my best friend, Jaune's father, was slain."

He bowed his head to her, solemn and sad. Yet he got his eyes back to the controls and out the windscreen.

Ruby's chest clenched. She sniffled, and tried to hide her tears with her hand.

"O-Oh," she mumbled, wiping her eyes. "I-I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," Arjun said softly. "I am hoping I can make up for my absence. I want to do right by you and Jaune. While I do not have all the powers of the Silver Eyed Warriors? My Semblance retained the power to see people's souls. And that? That I can train you in."

He looked over at her.

"If you wish to learn?"

Ruby nodded.

"I… I do."

She frowned deeply. She opened her mouth.

"When… When those White Fang guys… When you…"

Arjun closed his eyes and sighed quietly. He shook his head.

"Yes. When someone dies… You will see it," he said. "You will see when their soul leaves this world and goes onto the next. It is… Not something to enjoy. It is not something you will 'get over'."

He shook his head, before he looked back at her.

"All I can say is that it can be necessary. To defend the innocent and those you care about. It is a great burden… But if you can take it up? You must."

Ruby slowly nodded. She set her hands in her lap and stared out at the Emerald Forest. They passed over another sea of trees before they passed over a ridge. Before them stretched a wide square space, framed in dirt roads. Boxy buildings stood all over, and vehicles trundled up and down the roads. Arjun smiled softly as Ruby's eyes widened in interest.

Ruby found herself smiling, as a familiar excitement rose in her heart.

"Welcome to Fort Celliwig," Arjun said, as they descended down towards the airfield. "And your first mission."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Glynda Goodwitch frowned thoughtfully as she sat across from Ozpin in his grand office. The ticking of the clocks seemed somewhat subdued. Though it may have simply been the surreal nature of their situation.

"The next line of the forms please," Ozpin said patiently, sipping his hot chocolate as he scanned through the holographic windows before him. Glynda nodded slowly, hiding her disbelief as Ozpin… Did his paperwork with her.

Granted, he didn't always shove it all onto her. Granted, he did need spare time given the immense responsibilities on his shoulders. Finally, he did often manage to get a lot of it done… When she nagged him.

Yet sitting down with him to do this paperwork was extremely rare.

"Of course," she said, "Line 45B is in regards to a change in processing fees for the acquisition of replacement equipment. Its debt has been consolidated after the audit last spring…"

Ozpin nodded slowly as he looked intently at the holographic screens.

"And how did that audit go?"

Glynda blinked.

"Is this really something we need to go over? The audit went very well, Ozpin."

Ozpin shook his head and sipped his hot chocolate.

"I must be extra thorough about our finances, Glynda. Councilwoman Glocken does not take perceived betrayal well. She will set all her resources onto undermining myself and Winchester. We must be airtight on this."

"I don't disagree Ozpin," Glynda said with a slow nod, "But the accounting department is very thorough. You've never shown interest in this before."

Ozpin looked very calm as he sipped his hot chocolate once more. Yet Glynda could detect the tiniest twitch of his eye.

"We've never had a potential political crisis before," Ozpin said.

That was entirely reasonable. Completely reasonable. Yet that twitch was incredibly unusual.

Glynda frowned and adjusted her glasses.

"What's wrong with your eye?"

"My eye?" Ozpin asked. "What?"

Glynda frowned deeply.

"Is something wrong? Aside from Glocken, the Council, the VDF…"

The elevator doors chimed and slowly opened. Glynda looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened.

"Isabel?"

Isabel Arc stood in the elevator with a wincing Qrow standing alongside her. She was dressed in her old Huntress outfit: One Glynda recalled was extremely plain: Just green cargo pants, boots, a white combat vest with adjustable straps, her fighting gloves, and pouches.

She was older but still beautiful. As well as extremely angry. She only wore that bloodthirsty smile when she intended to do a lot of violence. Why would she be here and that angry-?

Oh.

Glynda's eyes widened in realization. She looked back at Ozpin in shock.

"You didn't," she whispered.

"Hello Glynda," Isabel stated, her voice filled with doom as the temperature in the office seemed to plummet, "I'm here to have a few words with Ozpin regarding my son."

Ozpin coughed. He set down his hot chocolate and slowly rose to his feet. He adjusted his suit.

"Hello Isabel," he said, "I hope we could keep this civilized?"

Isabel's fists clenched audibly in the office. Glynda sighed.

"I believe there are many things I could do to you that would be considered very civilized," Isabel continued, cracking her knuckles ominously.

"I tried to talk her out of it, Ozpin," Qrow said quickly, holding his hands up as though he'd just washed them of the whole matter, "But uh… She wasn't going to change her mind."

"I see," Ozpin said with a nod. "Thank you for not throwing a bus into my office this time."

Glynda winced. Isabel had only done that when she was drunk. What would she do when she was sober and angry?

"That's still on the table," Isabel growled, "Unless you tell me where my son is."

"I don't believe a fight here would be wise," Ozpin said carefully, "After all, Glynda would have to clean it up."

Glynda gave Ozpin a deadpan look. One he didn't seem to react to at all.

Really?

Ozpin took a deep breath.

"He's on a training mission with his team and Arjun," he said.

Isabel's eyes widened in shock.

"Arjun was in on this?!" She snarled, clenching her fists. "You both deceived me and went against my wishes?!"

"It was Jaune's choice," Ozpin stated firmly, "When you find him he will no doubt say the same thing."

"Yet you both lied to me," Isabel growled. Ozpin nodded.

"By omission, but… Yes. He is old enough to make his own decisions-"

"Whether he's old enough or not is irrelevant, I am his mother!" Isabel snarled. "And I should have been included! Now, where is he?"

Ozpin looked over at Glynda. She put her arms over her chest and shook her head. Ozpin sighed deeply.

"His team is on a training patrol mission in Fort Celliwig's northwestern quadrant. Near the old Puddleglum Tower."

Isabel's jaw dropped in disbelief. Her eyes widened in horror. She pulled out her Scroll and checked her notes.

"You've sent my son into the same area one of Merlot's locations on the map is here?!" She demanded.

A pause. Glynda facepalmed. Qrow's eyes widened as well. Ozpin sipped his hot chocolate.

"It is in the same area," he allowed, "However, the odds of them running across anything of Merlot's is extremely-"

Isabel turned away, ran to the window, and jumped right out. Qrow shot a disbelieving look at Ozpin before he shifted into bird form and flew out after her. Ozpin sighed.

"She usually has much better control over her emotions," he said, "I should have accounted for that."

Glynda scowled at him.

"Did you really just bring me up here to act as your human shield?"

Ozpin sipped his mug of hot chocolate and shrugged.

"I can accomplish many things with one move, Glynda. That is the nature of the world and the level we are playing at."

Glynda shook her head and sighed heavily.

"Says the thousands of years old man who just told an overprotective mother that her son is in an area with a facility that makes the same kind of monsters that killed her husband," Glynda deadpanned.

Ozpin shrugged.

"That is why I sent Arjun with them. Just because they keep running into trouble doesn't mean they'll get into it on this excursion as well."

"You don't believe that any more than I do," Glynda scowled.

Ozpin finished his mug, set it down, and shrugged.

"It's possible, but still very unlikely. Again, I sent in two trainee teams with the greatest archer on the planet. And now they'll have Qrow and Isabel to aid them."

"It also has the benefit that Isabel will have to work things out with her son before she comes after you again," Glynda surmised, eyes narrowed. Ozpin shrugged.

"They really do need to talk this out and I would prefer to not be directly involved."

"You're literally immortal," Glynda deadpanned.

"And the fact I'm terrified of what an enraged Isabel might do to me should tell you something. Also? I'm going to need you to work with me the rest of the day-"

"Can't," Glynda stated, standing up, "I have my own paperwork to attend to."

She turned and headed for the elevator. As the doors closed, Ozpin sighed and shook his head.

"Then I hope they work things out enough that she's in a charitable mood."

He paused.

"Or perhaps I could start looking for flights to Mistral," he mused.

- - -

Sorry it's taking so long, I gotta slog through some boring bits to get to the good stuff.

 

[Balorak146]

Ozzie has become a master at ducking the thrown shit, and I respect him for it.

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

"It also has the benefit that Isabel will have to work things out with her son before she comes after you again," Glynda surmised, eyes narrowed. Ozpin shrugged.

"They really do need to talk this out and I would prefer to not be directly involved."

Click to shrink...

I personally, would be past the point of talking things out at this stage.

I do feel sorry for Ozpin having to deal with the antics of Jaune's mother though.

Thanks for the update!

 

[AndrewJTalon]

I personally, would be past the point of talking things out at this stage.

I do feel sorry for Ozpin having to deal with the antics of Jaune's mother though.

Thanks for the update!

Click to shrink...

Well, he didn't get a bus through his window this time.

... So far.

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

Well, he didn't get a bus through his window this time.

... So far.

Click to shrink...

She'll probably settle for one of the grounds keepers riding lawn mowers after they have it out......

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The base was still pretty wild, even with the massive amount of work going into it. Men drove bulldozers while troops and contractors went at the buildings with hammers, nails, saws and paint. It was a wonder they could even find the security office near the airfield-It was just one of many white tents set up with troops in camouflage handling paperwork on Scrolls and projection computers.


Arjun simply flashed his Scroll to the two officers sitting at the desk in the right tent, and they got some electronic passes. Arjun turned back and handed them out to the teenagers with a smile.

"This will allow you to go to the main areas of the base without any issue," he said, "Which we will do once we get back from the patrol."

"Not even a chance to relax, check out some Grade A Military beefcake?" Yang asked with a grin and wink. Arjun looked thoughtful and hummed.

"Well, we could stay here. You any good at carpentry? Painting?" He smiled.

"Bug extermination?"

"Oh yeah," one of the desk soldiers said with a smile, "There's a massive cockroach infestation in Barracks B."

Nora held up her hand. Jaune looked over at her.

"Yes Nora?" He asked.

"Could be use Dust Grenades on the cockroaches?" She asked.

Jaune slowly shook his head.

"No."

Nora pouted.

"What about my hammer-?"

"No," Jaune stated firmly. Nora pouted.

"Guess we'll just go fight the Grimm," she sighed.

"Oh, how terrible for us," Weiss deadpanned.

They hiked out towards the northwest gate of the base along the cracked and pothole filled asphalt roads. Trucks drove back and forth, while military soldiers marched, jogged, or worked all over the place. Airships flew overhead. The air was filled with constant sound and activity.

Pyrrha caught Jaune smiling a little at the commotion. She looked at him intently.

"Jaune?"

"Hm? Oh," he shrugged, "Just… It's kind of familiar. In a good way."

Ruby sidled to his other side with a wide smile.

"I know! Like the shipyard at Patch! It was awesome seeing them working on the ships with their welding torches!"

"That sounds pretty cool," Jaune agreed with a smile, "The farms in Radian are pretty fun, too! Lots of work every day at the crack of dawn."

Pyrrha smiled a bit indulgently… Though her eyebrow still twitched when Jaune blushed a little at this contact.

No, no, Pyrrha thought carefully, I'm not the crazy girl. I'm going on a date with Jaune…

The thought still made her feel so giddy!

"That sounds neat!" Nora said happily, skipping alongside Jaune, "Did you raise hamburger trees?"

"No, we raise cows to make hamburgers," Jaune said with a warm smile. Nora frowned.

"What about beef bowl plants? You raise those right?"

"They can't grow rice in North Sanus," Ren observed. Nora pouted and fell back, pressing up against his side.

"Then where do they get rice a roni?"

Ren sighed softly, before he leaned in against her.

"Perhaps we can ask Jaune another time."

"But I wanna know now!" Nora whined. Ren wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Jaune raised an eyebrow, as did the others.

"Wow," Yang murmured quietly to Jaune, "Guess that guy talk worked. He's a lot more touchy feely since then." She smiled at him.

"Good work."

"I did nothing," Jaune said quietly, "Just like I did nothing with Cardin and Velvet."

"But they're all kissy kissy, so you must have done something right," Ruby said with a grin.

Pyrrha beamed at him.

"They do seem a-a lot happier," she said quietly.

"Again, I did nothing," Jaune emphasized.

"Well, you're definitely doing something for me~," Yang teased, pressing up against his back with a grin. Pyrrha's eyebrow twitched.

"Yang! We're on a mission!" He hissed, cheeks bright red.

Pyrrha, still smiling that terrifying smile, pushed in closer to Jaune.

"And my date with him is up next, so if you please?"

"Would you quit it?!" Ruby hissed. "It's our first mission! I wanna look cool!"

"Same," Jaune said.

"How would you not look cool with two hot babes and Ruby all over you?" Yang giggled.

"HEY!" Ruby pouted, as Yang pulled her into a noogie. "ACK! YAAAANG! WE'RE ON A MISSION! RESPECT YOUR TEAM LEADER!"

"Why? You afraid you'll come up short? Little late for that, Rubes!"

"Yaaaaaang!"

Jaune snickered even as Ruby shot him the biggest puppy dog eyes she could.

"Jauuuune! How could you?"

"I've got seven siblings, I'm not getting in the middle of this."

Pyrrha giggled. Ruby scowled.

"Pyrrha! I thought we were cool!"

"Only child, also not getting involved," she said succinctly.

"Need help, Rubes?" Nora asked.

"YES!"

"No pancakes for a month if you intervene, Nora," Jaune ordered. Nora hummed then shrugged.

"Good luck, Rubes!"

"NORA!"

Weiss sighed and rubbed her temples as she and Blake brought up the rear of the group. Blake was covering her mouth to hide her smile while Weiss tried to maintain her poise-Something that had proven impossible from the moment they had become a team, to be honest.

"They're so exhausting," she muttered

Arjun walked alongside them, and chuckled softly with a smile on his face. Weiss looked over at him with a frown.

"What?" She asked.

Arjun chuckled softly.

"Treasure these moments," he said quietly, "because they will never come again."

His eyes became very cold as he stared up ahead at the northwest gates. Blake frowned. Weiss stared intently at him and tilted her head.

"What… What do you mean?" Weiss asked quietly. Arjun shook his head and smiled as he replied in a soft, sad voice:

"Pray you never find out."

They came to the tall gates out of the base. They were stone brick, gray, and built up as two great arches. The tall stone walls flanked it, and beyond was the Emerald Forest with the Albus Mountains rising over them with their beautiful white snowcaps. Two guards stood at attention on either side of the large, heavily reinforced steel doors. Wooden towers with machine gun nests stood on either side of it, the gunners scanning the outside intensely.

Arjun stepped forward, and the rest of the team parted for him. He held up his Scroll with a smile to the guards. They nodded. One tapped a door panel, and the doors slowly opened up. They revealed the great expanse of the Emerald Forest beyond.

He turned to face the young Hunters with a smile.

"Now," Arjun said, "Just a friendly reminder: This is a simple patrol mission. Any Grimm you see? Kill it. The air cavalry has taken care of the big ones but we still need to cull their numbers. Any questions?"

"None, Uncle," Jaune said with a smile.

Ruby grinned.

"Not a one!"

Arjun looked over the rest of the team. Despite their earlier roughhousing, they stood ready to go. He allowed himself his own small nostalgic smile.

"Then let's get to it."

They set out through the gates and down the dirt road that led into the woods. The gates slowly shut behind them.

Arjun then paused. Blake did as well. Jaune and Ruby came to a halt, as did the rest of the teams.

"Something wrong?" Jaune asked, hands already on his weapons.

Arjun's eyes lit up as he scanned around. He frowned.

"... Thought I sensed something," he said quietly. He looked over at Blake. "You?"

The cat Faunus shook her head.

"It… Sounded like something but I can't…" She shook her head. "Probably a bird."

"Oh good. A bird," Weiss muttered.

"Cool it Weisscream," Yang stated with a grin, "No need to be catty. That's Blake's job!"

"I swear to the Breaker Xiao-Long-!"

"Guys, enough," Jaune stated flatly. "Let's get going. And hope it's a nice, easy mission. Okay?"

"Fine," Weiss sighed.

"You gotta stop giving us the cold shoulder, Weiss!"

"DAMNIT XIAO-LONG!"

- - -

In the trees near the base's northwest gate, there was a pile of rubble from a few old buildings that had once stood right outside it. What purpose they had served had been lost in the ancient archives of Vale, as they were now overrun by grass, trees, and the local wildlife.

The piles of brick and rubble however served a useful purpose: Cover.

Cover that a small, strange little Geist made expert use of.

As far as Geist Grimm went, this specimen was especially odd. A few metallic components shined out of its head as the ghost-like Grimm scanned with all the cold intensity of a security camera.

At some point, the electronics lit up from red to green on its tiny skull. At this unseen command, the Geist began to follow the small group of Hunters-in-training with laser-like focus. It ducked into trees, into rocks, and anything else whenever it sensed scrutiny cast its way.

Nothing could stop it from watching them, and relaying the information it was gathering to its master.

And elsewhere in the Emerald Forest? In ruins abandoned for nearly as long as Fort Celliwig?

Something stirred.

 

[TheFabulousCustodes]

As far as Geist Grimm went, this specimen was especially odd. A few metallic components shined out of its head as the ghost-like Grimm scanned with all the cold intensity of a security camera.

At some point, the electronics lit up from red to green on its tiny skull. At this unseen command, the Geist began to follow the small group of Hunters-in-training with laser-like focus. It ducked into trees, into rocks, and anything else whenever it sensed scrutiny cast its way.

Click to shrink...

Another fine Merlot Industries product.......

Thanks for the updates!

 

[Azreales]

Honestly, Isabel does have to thank Oz. Jaune might be willing to reconcile now after all the bullshit he's experienced, given she stops trying to prevent him from being a Huntsman, but if Oz had rejected him because of Isabel I really don't think he'd be down for any type of reconciliation. That doesn't count him just turning around and making the journey to Mistral or Vacuo, because I can certainly see this Jaune doing so.