G.N. Chapter 36 (Patreon)

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Chapter 36 Beast in the Bastion

Ozpin stared out the window, his face a mask as inside, his emotions raged in a manner he hadn’t felt in years.

Never in this life.

“She is moving again.”

“Moving!” Qrow quickly barked, quick to anger as always or just eager to fight Ironwood. “This isn’t just ‘moving’. We just got hit right in the jaw, no less, and we are past moving. This is overt action that none of us have seen, that hasn’t been seen since-“

“Since the Great War,” Ozpin supplied, drawing the concerned looks of the rest of the circle.

Ironwood rose to stand, “Are you saying she is moving towards war?”

Ozpin snorted, his thoughts turning to the last time war had truly ravaged the world, the steps she had taken to accomplish her goals.

The steps she had taken to hurt him.

“No… no, this time, I believe she has a different game in mind,” Ozpin explained, returning to his seat.

“And?” Glynda spoke up.

“I believe we have already seen her first play; the attempt on Amber’s life gives us a good idea of what we are working with here,” Ozpin explains, fiddling with his coffee mug. “The Maidens have always been key pieces, but it seems this time she has managed to find a far more… efficient manner of securing their power for herself.”

“She is still in the coma, the technology that James has sent over is clear… they were siphoning the Maiden’s power and her very Aura… I have never seen a condition like this before, but I will continue researching the matter,” Glynda quickly supplied.

“I will make enquiries with our own experts; Polendina is always eager to talk shop, and a hypothetical like this… well, it's not really a hypothetical anymore, is it,” James sighed tiredly.

Qrow snorted, “Must be nice to have such a wonderful degree of support to fall back on; tell me, what morally corrupt bastard is funding it this year?”

Jame Ironwood turned to face Qrow, his expression not ever shifting as he did, “You of all people would question the moral character of those I am forced to interact with… really?”

Qrow sneered but kept silent, taking a swig from his flask.

“We need to prepare,” Ozpin announced.

“What did you have in mind?” James enquired, always ready to act.

“… There are troubled times on the horizon; while I doubt she will be able to initiate a second Great War, that does not mean she is not capable of causing untold devastation,” Ozpin warned, making sure that everyone present understood him.

He emptied his mug; he would likely be going through a lot of caffeine in the coming months.

“We need to secure ourselves, check on our contacts and take stock of our assets; our advantage is that, for the time being, we have the superior position; while the attack on Amber is a harsh blow, it is not one she can afford to repeat now that she has sacrificed the element of surprise,” Ozpin intoned already his mind turning over what he knew of his oldest foe.

They had played this game for millennia, and though the board and the pieces might change, the objective remained the same.

He must protect Remnant.

“True, but it was close, Ozpin if Qrow hadn’t been nearby…” Glynda warned her words, doing much to retain the severity of the situation.

“But he was, and that puts us at three Maidens to her zero,” Ozpin reminded.

“Four,” Qrow voiced.

James sniffed derisively.

“Catching a cold?” Qrow asked mockingly.

“Three Maidens and one in the wild,” James proclaimed, his words layered.

Qrow growled, looking ready to hurl his chair at the screen hosting James’s face.

The snap of riding crop cracking the table rang about the room as Glynda levelled a frosty glare at the pair of them. “Must the two of you continue to act like children? I assure you I receive more than enough of such behaviour during my day-to-day.”

“… The status of the Spring Maiden is for now out of our hands… we will just have to hope for the time being the same remains true for those who oppose us,” Ozpin declared, ending the topic altogether.

“… I will continue my efforts with Fria,” James said, quickly returning to the mission.

Ozpin stopped fiddling with his mug, his hand stilling as he took a moment to process James’s words. “… How is she?”

James picked up a Scroll from his desk and read through some messages. “Still deteriorating but… has shown many positive signs as of late… a lot of clarity, she remains ever steadfast, committed just as she always has been.”

Ozpin smiled, “… Is she still drawing?”

James flicked through the sections of text, though with his brow furrowed, “Umm… I am unsure.”

Ozpin shook his head, his smile dropping, “You should visit her, James; she deserves that much at least, no?”

James looked reprimanded as he nodded, “Right… you’re right, I’ll be sure to drop by.”

Ozpin’s smile returned, “Kindness, James, is often an undervalued trait… try not to lose sight of that when using your Semblance.”

James nodded, but before the moment could linger, Glynda quickly pressed forward to keep Qrow from butting in. “Theodore and Xanthe have already been updated, but we can stress the need for an increase in status reports until we have a more thorough understanding of the situation.”

“Understood, I will likely be unable to supply assistance regarding their issues directly; as such, it would do us well to take stock of trade and transport routes between Vale and Vacuo,” James advised, already dotting something down on a Scroll.

“I will talk to the relevant members of the Council,” Ozpin added, nodding to Glynda.

“That’s all well and good, but I feel the need to reiterate that we have already been hit people,” Qrow interjected, “is now really the time for preparations?”

“These are not preparations, Qrow,” Ozpin explained, “this is a shift in the dynamic, a halt to waiting actions.”

“Really, because all I’ve heard is talk of making checks and updates… what about actions,” Qrow pressed.

“And where would you have me direct these actions, what agents should we use, what resources should I supply them… We did not spend the past 80 years Qrow building up our defences for us to throw them away by overreacting,” Ozpin chided.

Qrow rose violently, “Overreacting! Amber is in a fucking coma!”

“I am aware.”

“We need to hit back!” Qrow shouted and was met only with silence.

It was interesting how silence could communicate different things.

Silence from Glynda was admonishing but sympathetic.

Silence from James was grudging agreement.

But Ozpin’s silence was hurt.

“You think me uncaring, that I am just taking the harming of a young woman, a young woman who I will remind you was under my protection, in stride,” Ozpin spoke lowly, getting up from his chair and walking towards the coffee machine.

“I am not saying you don’t care, Ozpin, but-“

“But I’m not shouting? I’m not breaking things and hurling chairs? I’m not mustering my troops and marching them out to wage war, to throw away their lives, to condemn their children to being orphans?”

Qrow felt his words get stuck in his chest and felt very grateful that Ozpin had his back to him as he made his hot beverage.

“I am angry, Qrow…” Ozpin admitted. “I am frustrated, I am hurt, I am regretful… gods, am I regretful…” Ozpin breathed.

Qrow felt his hands curl at the sudden pain in Ozpin’s voice.

But then the pain disappeared, and there was only steel.

“But more so, I am cautious, I am watchful, I am aware,” Ozpin finished making his drink and turned around, and behind his glasses, his earthen eyes were awash with intent. “Salem is not a fool, Qrow, she is old, monstrous, and she scares me… but she is not stupid… she is not a fool.”

Ozpin returned to his seat and sipped his steaming hot drink, the burn negligible in the face of the sleepless nights ahead.

“She has likely forgotten more things than you have ever learnt. She is cunning in a way that embodies the best, and the worst of humanity, and her powers are such that none, and I mean none, can stand as her direct equal,” Ozpin warned, his mind awash with memories of the danger they all faced.

“… But she can be beaten,” Qrow pressed his confidence on full display.

Ozpin smiled; that’s what he liked about Qrow; he wasn’t as dour as one would think.

“Yes, she can, and we are going to do so,” Ozpin agreed.

He looked to his allies, meeting their gazes and returning one of his own.

“She has struck the first blow, but in doing so, she has revealed some of her hand,” Ozpin lectured.

“Amber’s attackers,” Qrow said.

“Right.”

“… Three of them, likely human, though I couldn't see their faces; I suspect two were female and one was male. I suspect some illusory Semblance at play and potentially a fire one… though it could have just been Amber’s powers that one of the women adapted to really freaking quickly…”

“I already am on the lookout for such a trio and have agents investigating whether such a party has been spotted before… though it is vague, we have found people before off less,” James added.

“I have been going through student records but so far have found nothing that matches; I am going to branch out to Primary Combat Schools, but it is unlikely that they are affiliated with any Huntsman institution,” Glynda added.

Ozpin took another sip of his coffee, “This is the crux of the matter, my friends, so long as our foes remain unknown, we cannot move to disable them, for now… we must wait… but Qrow, let me assure you that when we know where to direct our fury… Amber will be avenged,” Ozpin attested.

Qrow, though he still had a look of anger on his face, returned to his seat, nodding, “Right… I will pass the description around to some of my more trusted contacts… and see if I can slip Raven a warning.”

“That would be for the best,” Ozpin smiled.

“She will have more agents,” James spoke up, “You attested that she had a veritable network in times past… even sometimes holding sway over kingdoms through her puppets.”

Ozpin nodded, but his smile was disarming, “Yes, but we can’t let that lead us down a, and pardon my parlance here, witch hunt. After the Great War, we made great efforts to purge her influence from the kingdoms… so much so that it carried consequences we were unprepared for.”

“It is still something to be aware of, though,” James pressed.

“Of course. Salem has never… she has never lacked charisma and has a talent for speech and persuasion… that has always been amongst the most potent of her strengths,” Ozpin warned.

James looked conflicted, his eyes darting to something on his desk. Ozpin could see the exact moment his Semblance was activated.

“… It would be remiss of me not to put this forward, but I feel we are ignoring one of the more obvious groups likely to fall under her banner,” James began.

“Go on,” Ozpin waved, aware that this would likely not be a fun topic.

“The White Fang.”

Ozpin was correct.

“Oh, oh, careful Jimmy, your Atlas is showing,” Qrow teased.

“Qrow,” Glynda admonished.

James powered on, ignoring the barb, “Do not pretend that what I am saying is so absurd; in the past five years, we have seen the White Fang undergo a violent transformation. There is a very good reason they are regarded as a terrorist organisation in Atlas.”

“And why do you think their behaviour changed, Jimmy? What possible driving force do you think was at play to make said group undergo such a violent fucking metamorphosis,” Qrow hissed.

“I do not like what you are implying, Qrow,” James responded harshly.

“Shocker.”

James’s hands clenched on his desk, “Are you honestly trying to lay the entirety of fault for the White Fang at Atlas’s feet?”

“Depends, does that shoe fit,” Qrow shrugged.

“Careful Qrow!” James boomed, “You forget Atlas isn’t the only country experiencing an uptick in White Fang attacks.”

Qrow gave a curt little huff, “Funny how your nation’s issues have a way of making problems for everyone else.”

“We are just a bastion of international unity,” Glynda sighed into her hands.

Ozpin allowed both men to continue, having learned long ago That James and Qrow would never be friendly to one another. It was better for him to play referee in the long run than force the two to go around him for their little spats.

At least in terms of property damage.

“Qrow… what have you heard regarding White Fang activity lately?” Ozpin enquired.

Qrow looked annoyed by the question but answered dutifully, “I still don’t know who is heading the Valean branch; people get shifty when you bring them up as of late… whoever it is, they have no issue inspiring fear.”

“Do they have a preferred target type?” James asked intently.

“None that we can pinpoint as abnormal, mostly businesses with suspected issues with Faunus, primarily Schnee-owned ones, of course,” Qrow added, giving James a pointed look, “So naturally, a lot of Atlas military targets, too.”

James ignored the jab, “Do you know if they lean towards more covert operations or-“

“No, this guy is showy. They're out to make an impact. They're high-profile targets, stage magician type, you know, even their subtle stuff leaves an impression,” Qrow explained, his expression darkening.

“They also aren’t afraid to leave behind bodies… the cells that have been caught tend not to go down without a fight. More concerning is that they are not afraid to gang press others into the fold… they surround themselves with the extreme and the bloodthirsty and then has them keep the rest in line,” Qrow spat out.

“Are you ok?” Glynda asked, noting how Qrow was scratching at the table.

“… They’re running the Vale branch like a bandit group, just on a much larger scale, fear and strength above all… it's very familiar,” Qrow admitted.

“… That is concerning,” James hummed, “Most of the White Fang cells that operate in Atlas tend to operate off the old White Fang playbooks, covert operations that lean on the Faunas' natural attributes to the extreme.”

“So a lot of Night Raids and guerilla attacks?” Glynda queried, looking for clarification.

“Yes… a lot of old Mistrali war doctrine and effective use of a few highly talented agents,” James confirmed.

“Our branch is the exact opposite,” Qrow sighed, looking at his now empty flask.

“… A worrying precedent,” James muttered, making note of the fact. “But if anything, it gives more credence to my concerns about them falling under Salem’s banner.”

Ozpin could see James’s point in that regard.

“How so?” Glynda pressed always sure, always making it a matter of concern to have everything laid out.

“A change in style, operation and mentality five years prior and now in Vale, the nation where the White Fang is behaving most abnormally, is where Salem’s faction makes their first overt move… could be a coincidence, but…” James finished with a shake of his head.

“There are some not insignificant leaps in logic there,” Glynda pointed out but turned to Ozpin, “But he is also not wrong…”

Ozpin picked up The Long Memory, his oldest surviving companion, his face an unreadable mask.

It wouldn’t do for them to see his old hate.

“In the past, Salem has shown a tendency to recruit those who are exceptionally talented in the art of violence… from assassin to thugs… she has never lacked opportunity for those who excel in the field of killing,” Ozpin acknowledged, his eyes locked on his weapon.

She especially enjoyed sicking said types on him and those he cared for.

Ozpin tapped his cane twice, the staccato noise aiding in aligning his train of thought.

“In the end, my friends, the alignment of the White Fang is in the short term irrelevant; they have shown themselves to be threats to the continued stability of every nation… whether knowingly or not, they serve Salem’s agenda and towards that end, they have set themselves against us.” Ozpin declared, looking to Qrow and Glynda for any opposition to his declaration.

He found none.

He pivoted to address James, “Towards that end, I will remind you, James, that crackdowns and increased scrutiny have historically not been constructive towards mending relations with the Faunus,” Ozpin warned, seeing that James was listening intently, his face that of a soldier receiving orders.

“I would advise you to regard the matter of the White Fang in all means as delicate; with Salem on the move, strife and chaos will be her biggest ally. I will not tell you how to handle the White Fang of Atlas General… but I will remind you to consider the actions you take and the reaching consequences they could have less you only exacerbate the Faunus dilemma.”

James nodded, “It is not my desire to create for us more enemies… I will endeavour to approach all matters concerning the Faunus emphatically… but I cannot promise a light hand with the White Fang.”

“As you will, General,” Ozpin accepted his words phrased in such a manner to ensure that James understood that it would be up to him to decide on the degree of militant action he took.

“… So this is it…” Qrow muttered.

Ozpin nodded sympathetically, “I am afraid so… I do not envy the students; the years ahead will be… difficult for Huntsman; our students will be forced into this conflict, ready or not.”

“Atlas will stand ready; our students primed for whatever threat comes their way,” James boasted confidently.

Glynda seemed to straighten at this, “Beacon has long turned out the strongest Huntsman, this will not change.”

“Go, Beacon!” Qrow cheered with half-assed enthusiasm.

“Hah, your confidence does you both of our institutions proud…” Ozpin chuckled.

“Ah, shit…” Qrow suddenly cursed.

“What’s wrong?” Glynda asked.

“I have a niece enrolling this year, dammit…” Qrow remembered his head thumping into his desk.

“Oh?” James asked, “One of Taiyang’s girls?”

“Yeah… aw man, why couldn’t Salem just stay fucked off for like four more years…” Qrow complained into the table.

“Only four?” Ozpin laughed.

“Huh… oh shit no right, Ruby… so I guess fuck like six… yeah six,” Qrow nodded.

“Wow, he can do addition,” James announced, impressed.

His reward was a finger from a glaring Qrow.

“… Ruby…”

“Hmm?” Qrow turned to Ozpin, who was once more looking at his cane.

“How is she… they, how are they. Your nieces, I mean?” Ozpin enquired, his demeanour again becoming kind as they moved away from the more serious topics.

“Eh, they’re good… sorta, well, they kind of both take after their mothers a lot, but I guess that’s to be expected,” Qrow shrugged.

“Ah, so little Ruby is a miniature Summer, then?” Glynda asked with a smile, remembering the kind, departed woman.

“In looks, but honestly, she is so hyper-active that I think she takes after a young Tai more than anything… but she has that same heroic nature Summer had… always wants to help.”

James even had a smile at this, “Summer was a good woman and a damn good Huntsman; I am sure Ruby will prove to be just as, if not more, capable.”

“Yeah, she has talent… I just… don’t like the idea of her having to face a monster like Salem or the psychos she surrounds herself with,” Qrow tsked.

“… It’s a shame that our students will have to endure this fate alongside us… but we can do everything in our power to ensure they are ready,” Ozpin reminded his allies, his countenance hardening.

Glynda took his words to heart, “Agreed… it might be time I take a more hands-on approach with combat training,” She thought aloud.

Qrow went rigid at this, “Those poor kids…”

“You say something, Qrow?” Glynda asked warningly, her Aura flaring.

“No, ma’am.”

James was looking at Glynda now with a not-unfamiliar degree of warmth, “Perhaps I will also look into increasing recruitment at Atlas Academy.”

“A few more billboards?” Qrow teased.

“I was thinking scholarships… perhaps a Mantle-based initiative,” James admitted seriously.

Qrow was silent at this; it was a good idea and would aid those who existed beneath the floating city.

“Recruitment, hmm… that’s an idea now, isn’t it,” Ozpin muttered to himself.

“Shit, someone stop him. The old man is plotting,” Qrow called out to the others in the group.

“Ozpin?” Glynda asked while James rolled his eyes at Qrow.

The silver-haired man smiled, “Plotting seems a bit harsh; I was merely considering James' idea about increased Recruitment.”

Glynda’s brow furrowed at this, “We already have an exceptional fresh set of recruits coming in, or did you forget that we already have two rather famous new students to add to our populace?”

“Ah, I heard about that,” James smiled at Glynda, “You must share with me your secret someday, Glynda. First, you managed to steal Miss Schnee right out of the heart of Atlas and then the ‘Invincible’ Pyrrha Nikos announced her intention to enrol at Beacon; you have my envy.”

Glynda’s smile became beaming with pride, “Vale has always had the strongest Huntsman; Beacon churns out the best, so it makes sense that we attract those who desire excellence.”

James laughed, “We will just have to see at the Vytal festival whether you can still boast as much, won't we.”

“Is that a challenge, Headmaster Ironwood?” Glynda asked her Aura, making her eyes glow.

“Perhaps..”

“Well, now with such a challenge on the table… perhaps I should ensure we have a particularly… interesting batch of first years, hm?” Ozpin declared, rising to stand, indicating that the meeting should be coming to a close.

James seemed perturbed by this, “What does that mean?”

Ozpin’s smile remained, “Oh, just that I think there might yet be a few untapped wells of potential for me to scout out. Don’t fret, James… after all, we are on the same side here.”

“Of course,” James smiled, “I will contact you when the next shipment for Amber departs.”

“Thank you, my friend,” Ozpin nodded, “Until next time James.”

“Stay safe,” James said before he ended the call.

When the screen died, Qrow’s face immediately hardened as he turned to face Ozpin, “What are you plotting.”

“Come now, Qrow, you best of all should know that talent doesn’t necessarily come out of the PCS,” Ozpin shrugged, heading towards the door.

“Am I really the example you want to use, or are you just wilfully ignoring my bitch of a sister…”

“Personality aside, none can deny Raven’s talent,” Ozpin called back over his shoulder as the door closed behind him.

Qrow turned to Glynda, who was busy gathering papers; when she finally looked up, it was to Qrow still staring at her expectantly. “Yes?”

“Well, what is he planning?” Qrow asked.

“You think I know?”

“I would hope you would know.”

Glynda marched up to Qrow, looking down at the shorter man with a single quirked brow, “Meaning?”

Qrow, not one to care if someone was taller than him, tucked his empty flask back in his jacket, “You work the closest with him, you know him arguably the best out of all of us, and you also know what happens in Beacon better than anyone else.”

Glynda let out a low hum.

“Am I wrong?”

“… I don’t know what he is planning, Qrow,” Glynda admitted.

Qrow sighed, “Well shit, if you don’t know, then it’s either something we wouldn’t agree with or something he wants to keep to himself.”

“We should trust him,” Glynda reminded Qrow, the shorter man turning to her with a deadpanned look.

“I trust that he opposes Salem, I trust that he wants to win this war, I trust that he is doing his best… But I knowhe isn’t perfect… no one is,” Qrow muttered, turning away and walking away. “Not anymore…”

“Qrow…” Glynda tried, but her words were ignored as the man retreated out of the room, no doubt intending to head down to Vale and the closest bar.

Glynda was left standing alone in the conference room.

“Interesting… I hope you know what you’re doing, Ozpin,” Glynda whispered in the empty room before casting the matter out of her head.

There was work to be done.

YVYVYVYVY

“…And in other news, the concerning rise of White Fang activity in Vale continues to grow as yet another attack is reported-“

“Shi-nee toothpaste to give your teeth that glacier shine-“

“X-ray! Look out for that ca-“

“Enrolment for Primary-“

“Weiss Schnee’s ‘Last Encore’ tour is closing up soon with the heiress and musical phenomenon prepares to ‘embark on the next step in her own life’, many are curious-“

*Smack*

“Ow! Bitch!” Jade shrieked, covering her abused right breast.

“Stop flicking and pick something!” Sky complained, glaring at her older sibling.

Jade growled, “I get that you’re stressed, but that doesn’t mean you can act like-“

*Smack*

“Ow, right, that’s it!”

Jade pounced on her younger sibling, grasping both her wrists and driving her knee into her gut. Sky, all the while, squirmed and kicked out with her feet, her heels smacking her sister from behind.

“Get your short ass off of me!”

“Short! Fuck you, lanky!”

Both girls continued to fight, inevitably rolling off the couch, but this didn’t cause them to stop for even a moment.

“Ow! Stop elbowing my fucking tit!” Jade shrieked.

“Get off me then!” Sky grunted, trying to get out of her older sister's hold.

It was at this moment that the door opened.

“Room service,” the young woman called out, wheeling in the cart as she looked around for the room’s occupants.

“One second!” Jade hollered back from the floor.

“Get off bitch!”

“Shut it, brat, take your licks!”

The young lady waited patiently, doing her best to keep her best service smile as she watched the two girls roll on the floor.

“Let go!”

“You let go!”

“Um… should I just put the food-“

“Sorry, be right with you,” Sky apologised now on top of Jade but with the older girl's legs around her head.

“Tap, brat!”

Ayame Hosono sighed as she realised that these two brats would likely not stop any time soon. She began trying to figure out how to leave the food on the table and exit without interfering with their disagreement when a door opened.

“Oh umm hel…lo…”

Big.

That was her first thought as a very tall masculine figure exited the hotel bathroom. They were so tall that they had to bend to get through the doorway, the steam from inside billowing out behind them.

He was dripping wet, his blond hair almost identical in colour to the two girls' flat against his scalp. His body was tight and looked hard and sculpted. Steam wafted off his body as the room's cool air came into contact with his still-hot skin. One of his hands pushed the hair out of his eyes while the other was busy holding up his towel.

Ayame found her eyes locked on his body or, more accurately, the intricate weaving ink that ran along the skin of their left arm.

It looked almost alive.

“What’s with all the shouting?” The tall man asked, looking down at the two fighting girls still trying to pin each other.

Both froze as soon as they realised the young man was present, then-

“WHY ARE YOU NAKED!”

“CLOTHES! NOW!”

“I am wearing a towel, and why were you fighting?” The young man, whose modesty was only preserved by a fluffy white towel around his waist, asked again. “Jade, let go of Sky; Sky, get off of Jade,” he ordered, causing both girls to scramble apart.

Then, there was more shouting.

“Clothes Jaune! Clothes!”

“We have company!”

Ayame squeaked as she met the man's bright blue eyes, a sudden bout of anxiety spawning in her gut as he looked at her.

“H-hi there,” Ayame stuttered out.

The young man’s head tilted slightly as he peered at her, “Who are you?”

“A-Ayame s-sir, I umm, I’m the service- I mean! I have the room service you ordered!” She managed to get out barely.

“I see,” the tall blond nodded, his eyes turning back to his sisters, causing the odd racing in Ayame’s chest to settle. “Girls, stop fighting and let her deliver our food; you are being rude,” Jaune scolded his sisters.

“Ok, we will! Now go put on some clothes!” Sky demanded loudly.

“Pants, at least!” Jade joined in.

Jaune sighed, “I’ll be right back,” he muttered, returning to the bathroom, the door closing behind him.

The room was submerged in a deep, oppressive silence as Ayame was left in a room with the tall young man's younger sisters.

“Um… sorry about that; you can just put the food on the table,” Jade directed, stepping out of Ayame’s way.

“Oh! Right, excuse me,” Ayame blurted out, quickly wheeling the cart over and unloading a large amount of food.

It was practically a feast.

The awkwardness was almost unbearable.

“So… that’s your brother?” Ayame asked, immediately regretting the question as it seemed like all the awkwardness was now focused on her.

“Oh yeah, older brother,” Sky answered.

“That’s nice… is it just you three or?” Ayame asked, looking at the table stuffed to the brim with food.

“Oh, sorry, here,” Jade muttered, taking one of the trays and putting it on a side table.

“Thank you,” Ayame smiled and continued to deposit food.

“Yeah, just us three; most of this is for Jaune,” Sky shrugged.

“I see…” Ayame nodded and regarded the many dishes she had brought up.

There was a lot of meat.

“What kind of Faunus is he?” Ayame asked curiously.

“I’m human,” Jaune spoke up, exiting the bathroom again, this time wearing long, loose-fitting black pyjama pants and a black sleeveless top with a yellow biohazard symbol inscribed on it.

Ayame squeaked again, not even having heard the young man open the door, hearing him out of the blue, causing her whole body to lock up. The tray she was holding at the time began to slip from her fingers, but a large hand quickly plucked it up mid-fall.

“S-sorry! I-“

“It’s fine, I startled you,” the girl's older brother excused her calmly, sitting on the couch and still managing to be the tallest in the room.

‘He has to be over 2 meters tall!’ Ayame thought in her head, her eyes darting over the intimidating figure before her.

“H-human, really?” Ayame muttered, disbelief colouring her words.

“Yes,” the blond stated clearly, putting down the last tray next to him before his eyes again focused on her.

Ayame managed not to squeak this time.

“Thank you for delivering our food, Ayame; sorry for the trouble and my earlier state of dress,” the tall man apologised.

“Ah, umm, no problem, Mr Arc,” Ayame bowed, her old Mistrali habits rearing up.

“Mm, you can just call me Jaune,” the ma- Jaune replied, amused by how she addressed him.

“Jaune then,” Ayame nodded, clasping her hands to stop them from fiddling with her apron.

“… Ahem,” Jade coughed after a moment of Ayame not speaking.

“Oh! Pardon! Ah… is- is there anything else I can do for you this evening,” she asked, meeting Mr Arc- Jaunes eyes.

They were very blue.

“No, that will be all for the moment; thank you very much; we will call if we require further service,” he replied happily.

“Of course, Mr Ar- Jaune, I will see myself out; please feel free to contact us if you desire anything else,” Ayame bowed again before hurrying out.

When the door finished closing, Jaune was immediately pinned with two very dry looks.

“… What?”

“What he says, seriously, you just put on a whole ass strip show, and you’re asking us what!” Jade badgered her older brother.

Jaune frowned, “I would not have had to leave the bathroom if you two were not attempting to maul each other… also I sincerely believe that you are misreading the situation that just occurred.”

“Jaune, bro, really…” Sky sighed with a shake of her head.

“She was a Faunus,” Jaune pointed out, reaching for the food on the table.

“Wait, really?” Jade asked, peering back at the closed door, trying to recall if she had seen an animal trait.

“Yeah, chipmunk if I had to guess,” Jaune muttered, picking up a plate and getting ready to dig in.

“Huh… so she was just nervous,” Sky mumbled.

“Or Scaroused…” Jade shrugged, taking a spot next to Jaune.

“… Ew,” Sky exclaimed, sitting on Jaune’s opposite side.

“Oh, come on now, Jaune’s a certified cutie,” Jade cheered, pinching her brother's cheek, who simply regarded her with a raised brow.

“It’s icky!”

“You’re a baby,” Jade retorted.

“I’m nearly 13!”

“Baby.”

“Girls,” Jaune spoke up, making both sisters pause, “Enough, eat your food; you both need to get to bed; we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Yeah…”

“Alright, Jaune.”

Both girls were quick to comply, though Jaune noted that Sky’s appetite was not at all what it should be.

“… Sky, what’s wrong?” Jaune asked, stacking another empty plate on his growing pile.

“Nothing is wrong!” Sky was quick to deny… too quickly for Jaune’s liking.

“She attacked me before as well, just for flicking through the channels,” Jade dobbed her in, stealing some of her big brother's food.

“No I… Shut up!” Sky barked at her sister, flustered.

Jaune placed a hand on his younger sibling’s head, “Sky, talk to me, please.”

“… No…” Sky whined, but it was obvious she was considering it.

“Please,” Jaune tried again.

Sky looked up. Her Arc-blue eyes met his own, and looked away.

“… I’m nervous, okay!” She finally shouted, crossing her arms and throwing herself into Jaune’s side.

Jaune looked to Jade, who gestured for him to keep going as she stuffed her face.

Brat was stealing his bacon-wrapped shrimp.

“Why are you nervous?” Jaune enquired.

Sky huffed, “Because of the contest, what if I stuff up on stage and everyone laughs me off? They’ll use me in the failure montage reel!”

“No, they won't,” Jaune shook his head.

“You don’t know that. What if they do? Then I will never be able to show my face anywhere ever again!” Sky ranted into her brother's ribs.

Jaune resisted the urge to growl at the thought of anyone being so mean to his sister.

Jade snorted, “Sis, we watch it every year; you are nowhere near bad enough to make it onto the shit reel.”

Sky just let out a long groan, her head still buried in Jaune’s ribs.

“Sky…”

Another groan.

“Sister, you are going to do great,” Jaune encouraged, rubbing Sky’s back in small circles.

A softer groan.

“And even if you do fuck up, Jaune can just threaten them all to give you another chance!” Jade added with a shrug.

The response to Jade's input was a much louder groan and a rude gesture.

“I won’t have to; you are easily the best singer I have ever heard,” Jaune encouraged.

Sky sniffed, then looked up, “… Really?”

“Really,” Jaune nodded. “Why else would I learn to play if not so I can listen to you sing more,” Jaune shrugged.

“You’re lying,” Sky sniffled.

“I am not,” Jaune denied, looking slightly hurt by the accusation.

“What about Weiss Schnee? Am I better than her?” Sky asked, pulling her legs up as she shifted so her back was pressed to Jaune.

“I would say so, yes,” Jaune nodded.

“He means it too,” Jade added, getting up to raid the mini-fridge.

“Really?”

“Well yeah, but that’s because he has no fucking idea who Weiss Schnee is,” Jade commented over her shoulder. “Oh, cool, they have alcohol,” she remarked, looking at the drinks on hand.

“No,” Jaune warned, his voice gaining a slight edge that had Jade pulling her hands back instantly.

“Aw, come on-“

“No.”

“Mum, let me try-“

“No.”

“… Pretty please,” Jade tried, giving her brother the best puppy dog eyes she could.

“No.”

“You suck.”

Sky giggled at her sister's disappointment, turning to look up at her taller brother.

“Hey Jaune?” She started.

“Yes, Sky.”

“Do you really not know who Weiss Schnee is?”

“I do not,” Jaune admitted.

“Seriously! But she is like super rich and famous and pretty and a really, really good singer and stuff,” Sky erupted now on her knees and leaning on Jaune’s side.

“You said she is a singer?” Jaune enquired.

“Yeah, a really cool one, too!” Sky explained excitedly, her chin resting on Jaune’s shoulder.

Jaune smiled, “Well then, of course, I haven’t heard of her.”

“Huh?”

“You’re the only singer I ever listen to,” Jaune told Sky, resting his head on hers.

“Wha-“

Sky was lost for her words, her ears heating up as she looked at Jaune’s earnest smile.

Jade was cackling evilly.

“This is why Orr gives us shit, you know,” Jade blamed Jaune, poking him as she sat back down.

“Orr gives everyone shit,” Jaune shrugged, picking up another plate of food.

Sky remained quiet, though she picked up her plate and began eating it earnestly, sitting with her back against Jaune’s torso.

“We should order dessert!” Jade announced, stealing yet another bit of Jaune’s food.

Jaune, not minding, moved his plate closer to his younger sister, “What did you have in mind?”

“Ice cream! It's sweltering this far west,” Jade complained.

“The room has air conditioning?” Jaune pointed out.

“Shush, I want ice cream,” Jade ignored her brother’s common sense.

Sky nodded, “I want a milkshake.”

Jaune smiled, “Very well, I will put in another order for us, but make sure you eat enough proper food; it wouldn’t do for you to be ill tomorrow, Sky.”

“Mm, ‘Kay ‘kay,” Sky agreed.

While Jaune was on the phone, Jade turned to her younger sister, “You think they will send up that poor Faunus girl again?”

“I dunno, why?” Sky mumbled around a mouthful of food.

“Because she looked like she was going to faint last time!” Jade giggled.

Sky swallowed, “Yeah, but Faunus are always jittery around Jaune, except Tami, of course.”

“Yeah, I still remember the first time Jaune met Brick; I have never heard a more girly squeal in all my life,” Jade laughed, remembering her friend's first interaction with her older brother.

“To be fair, he did drop from the second floor…” Sky giggled.

“Yeah… still gonna give him shit for it,” Jade shrugged.

Jaune turned from the phone, “Girls, what flavour do you want?”

“Anything except strawberry!” Jade called across the room.

“Helpful,” Jaune snarked.

“Chocolate, please,” Sky answered.

Jaune nodded before returning his attention to the phone.

Jade took a moment to look at Sky, her eyes dancing between Jaune’s Slayer Marks and her younger sister.

“… Hey, Sky,” Jade spoke up, nudging her sister with her knee.

“Mm?” Sky looked up, still in the middle of eating her dinner.

“You are going to do great tomorrow; I can’t wait to cheer for you super loudly,” Jade winked.

Sky’s face went entirely red as she made a choking noise.

When Jaune hung up and turned around, it was to the sight of Jade cackling again while forcing her drink into Sky’s hand and rapidly slapping her on the back.

Jaune decided then and there that it would be bedtime after dessert if only to preserve Sky from her sister's teasing.

YVYVYVYVY

“Sir… Sir.”

He looked up, glad that his mask likely helped conceal his startlement.

“Apologies, sir, we are about to arrive at the local cells hideout,” his Lieutenant informed him; the man being one of the few who was his equal in height, never failed to approach with a lowered head.

He appreciated his respect and trusted him more than anyone else… especially now.

“Are we secure?”

“Yes sir, it has been a clean trip, not even a security check… they likely think they are safe being this far west,” his Lieutenant explained.

“… Foolish.”

“It is, sir,” his Lieutenant agreed.

“What of the cell? Can you tell me anything about them?”

His Lieutenant seemed to pause for a moment, pausing to consider his words, another trait he appreciated about the man who was his second.

“Truthfully, sir, we have a mixed bag here. Some are true believers, soldiers for the cause; some are… some are victims, good Faunus dealt a bad hand and hurting… If you don’t mind my saying, some are nothing more than a pack of punks.”

“Mm, less than optimal.”

“But they all have one thing in common, sir,” the Lieutenant said, smiling beneath his mask.

“And what's that?”

“They are eager to see you, sir… already there are rumours about the work you’ve done, the victories you have won for the cause… they all want to meet theAdam.”

Adam breathed out through his nose.

“… Sir?”

“The hits just keep coming… I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I thought that having seen things in Atlas and Mistral…” Adam trailed off, looking straight ahead.

“Sir, your efforts have been noted across Vale,” the Lieutenant quickly claimed.

“… My efforts…” Adam rumbled.

He looked at his weapon, his hand clutched about it tightly.

“My efforts have been found wanting… I need to prove that I can do it, that I can save us… that my way is the key,” Adam growled.

“You will, sir, I am sure of it,” the Lieutenant nodded.

Adam turned to the man, eyeing his posture, deference, respect, faith… not a lick of fear.

This was why he was Adam’s Lieutenant.

He believed in the cause.

“Gekko… this is our chance; if we can pull this off flawlessly, it won't matter if we have Sienna’s endorsement; our forces will swell on their own,” Adam explained, seeing Gekko nod at his words.

“You would have the freedom to enact your plans, to prove the merit of your ideas,” Gekko spoke already in the know.

“Yes… we have to succeed,” Adam doubled down.

“We will, sir, I swear it, on my life,” Gekko swore.

The truck they were in began to slow, causing their conversation to come to a halt.

“It’s time,” Adam announced, rising to stand.

“At your ready, sir,” Gekko bowed.

Adam nodded, “Come, let us meet our brothers and sisters.”

Adam marched towards the rear of the modified cargo truck, the disguised vehicle a heavily armoured APC. The one used to transport himself, and Gekko lacked any heavy ordnance but was equipped to take point, to clear the way for others to follow.

A leader leads from the front.

Ghira had taught him that.

Adam bit down a snarl.

He needed to focus.

The back of his transport opened up, revealing that they were in a concrete complex of some sort. It was circular, with a vast open space where the vehicles parked. He turned and saw the path they had entered from already closing, heavy steel doors slowly pulling closed.

They looked heavy-duty.

He approved.

“Sir, Sir!”

A voice, male, exuberant, eager.

Adam turned, slightly annoyed that the person had approached on his blind side. The man was some kind of canid Faunus. They were wearing proper brotherhood attire. He also recognised Adam, meaning he was likely the Cell leader.

“Identify yourself,” Gekko spoke over his shoulder, his Lieutenant already having assumed his position on his left, ready to cover his blind spot.

His right was painfully empty.

“Of course, I am Rajah, sir, leader of the Bastion cell of the White Fang. It is an honour to meet the new leader of the Vale branch,” Rajah saluted, his hands clasped to his wrists.

The breaking of shackles.

Adam nodded; the man dressed accordingly and showed proper respect; exuberance could be excused.

And eagerness was welcome.

“I am Adam. This is my Lieutenant Gekko; if you have any enquiries and I am not immediately present, direct them to him,” Adam spoke, hopping off the transport and taking in the many curious faces.

Gekko was right; he could see it. They certainly had a mixed bag here, but he had been in their place before.

Every White Fang member started somewhere.

The sight of a woman with a missing ear stirred a familiar anger in him.

He was needed here.

His people needed him.

“Of course, my second also serves as our medic and is presently indisposed. I apologise for the disrespect,” Rajah explained, lowering his head.

“Of what disrespect do you speak of?” Adam questioned.

“… Pardon, sir, I was referring to my second's absence,” Rajah reiterated.

Adam gave a smile, doing his best to present himself, his words slightly projected, “They are tending to our brothers and sisters, performing their duty for the brotherhood; there is no disrespect here; they are a merit to your cell.”

Rajah's smile seemed to brighten, “T-thank you, sir. I will be sure to deliver your compliments to them at the earliest convenience.”

“See that you do,” Adam nodded, looking to his other transports and noting that the rest of his men were disembarking.

He let the practised smile slip from his face, “As much as I would like to continue this warm welcome, time is of the essence.”

Rajah nodded, assuming a more professional disposition.

“Yes sir, I and the Bastion Cell are at your disposal,” Rajah exclaimed proudly.

“Very good. Were you successful in confirming the veracity of the intel I sent?” Adam questioned, moving deeper into the complex, his men behind him already unloading and establishing themselves in the base.

They were his men.

All of them were aware of their mission, and their movements reflected such. They were always efficient and driven.

But there was an energy to them this time, an anticipation.

It boded well for their success; their drive would serve them well.

“We were sir,” Rajah nodded.

Adam stopped moving; he turned to face Rajah, his expression steeled, “Report.”

“They are here, sir; the VIP is here in Bastion,” Rajah confirmed.

“… Are they a Schnee?” Adam asked, uncaring that his question drew more than one type of gaze.

“Yes sir, and not just any Schnee, it is Jacques Schnee’s brother.”

There were gaps, mummers and even curses, but Adam ignored all of them.

Instead, he turned back to see his men, the looks on their faces, the masked fury, and the desire for revenge.

It was a reflection of his own.

This was their chance.

“Sir… this is it,” Gekko whispered.

“Yes, yes it is…” Adam breathed, his grip on Wilt and Blush tightening to the point that he was sure a lesser weapon would have shattered. “Gekko, see to the men; the mission is a go. I want them ready to strike by tomorrow at the latest,” Adam ordered, his Lieutenant nodding and moving as soon as he had finished speaking.

“Sir?” Rajah questioned, his voice carrying a hint of hesitance.

“You have done well; your cell has laid the groundwork for us to accomplish something great here, Rajah,” Adam praised.

“Thank you, sir,” Rajah replied, but there was still a hint of nervousness in his words.

“I understand your fear, Rajah; you want to know what is going on, and I am going to tell you. Lead on to your Command Room. We have much to do, and time is against us,” Adam gestured, pointing with his sword.

“Of course,” Rajah moved to obey, his fear forgotten in the face of duty.

Adam shadowed him, already drawing up plans in his head.

From this point forward, the cooperation of this Cell was inconsequential; whether they assisted or not, he would see the mission done. His men were well-equipped and ready to commit to the mission; they would move alone even if they could not recruit further aid.

That didn’t mean Adam would seek out every boon he could possibly grant them, be it resources or manpower.

While he was confident that they could accomplish the mission, the fact remained that they could not afford to fail. He would grasp every advantage he could; they would not get another chance like this.

Their time was now.

His blade would soon taste Schnee blood.

YVYVYVYVY

The giant bellowed, its axe swung, threatening to cleave or splatter Jaune depending on the angle at which it struck him.

Jane stepped back, the draft of the swing causing his jacket to flutter noisily.

The weapon, enormous in size and weight, crashed into the stonework to the side of the stairs, the devastation pelting against Jaune. He paid it no mind, his eyes only on the obstacles before him.

He moved.

He dashed between the legs of the Church Giant, staying low, his weapons lashed out, the serrated bite of both ripping the giant’s leg tendons to shreds.

Its pained grunts were loud but welcome.

A Church guardian rounded on him, its arms wielding a large scythe, the blade honed to a fine edge. Further up the stairs, there were two more wielding thick wooden crucifixes.

And behind them was his goal.

The Grand Cathedral.

The heart of the Church from which the arts of Blood Ministration flow.

He was so close!

The Scythe wielder was his first target; he rushed them as they drew back to swing.

With a flick of his wrist, his left hand was filled with a transformed Saw Spear, the weapon’s increased reach allowing him to catch the scythe even before it swung. His right arm swiped, opening up the guardian’s gut, his Saw Cleaver biting through the flesh and tearing into the organs below.

Blood and offal dropped to the floor as the Servant fell to their knees.

Jaune placed his Saw Spear against their throat and pulled back, opening up their neck and coating his front in a fine red spray.

The Church Guardian collapsed, and Jaune moved on.

The Giant took another swipe, but he ignored it; its legs were yet to recover, and its swipe was aimless.

The following two guardians approached in tandem with their crucifixes lowered dangerously, their intent obvious.

They would halt him here.

Jaune snarled.

He hefted his Saw Spear up, adjusting his grip.

Then he hurled it.

The weapon flew true and plunged into the chest of the one on the left, the guardian staggering back, tripping on the stairs and falling on its rear, its weapon clunking to its side.

This left its accomplice exposed.

Jaune continued his ascent, his Saw Cleaver transforming with a sharp metallic clang.

With a war-like groan, the guardian stabbed at him, but Jaune used the open space to its side to weave around its attack.

His cleaver swung, but the Guardian blocked it, the wood of its crucifix eating his attack.

It also managed to jam his weapon in place, Jaune’s tugs failing to free it.

The guardian pressed forward, trying to drive the point of its wooden weapon into his chest.

Jaune released his weapon at once and palmed the stab aside.

He stabbed his now-filled left hand forward, the barrel of his pistol cracking against the Church Guardian's teeth.

The sound of the gunshot was followed by the sound of his foe falling bonelessly to the ground.

He wasn’t clear yet, though.

The clatter of his Saw Spear was his only warning before he was forced to throw himself backwards to avoid the swing of the now upright guardian.

Damn, Church Guardians were too damn resilient.

Jaune slid painfully down the stairs, the edge of the steps jabbing into his spine.

Then, there was a foot raised above his head.

Jaune threw his legs over his head, rolling down the stairs rapidly as the Church Giant, now back on its own two feet, cratered where his body had been only moments before.

He clawed at the ground, halting his roll and looked up; his weapons were on the wrong side of the enemies before him, and he only had his pistol in hand.

Jaune’s frustrations mounted, and he punched the stairs, quickly rising to his feet.

His pistol was good, but he needed something bigger for the giant.

He felt something bump against his foot.

That would do.

He hefted the large scythe in his grasp and looked up at the Church Giant, its loud steps making it impossible for it to surprise him.

Jaune holstered his pistol; he was unfamiliar with scythes but figured there was never a better time to learn. The spear's shaft was coated in a film of blood from its last wielder and had wraps along its length. It had a slight bend to optimise the tool's cutting arc, allowing the blade more chance to cut into whatever you swung it at.

The blade was solid; cold steel sharpened to a killer edge. It had some nicks to it but was far from the worst condition it could be in.

Compared to some of the things Jaune had been stabbed within this hellish city, it was almost preferable in some ways.

There was mercy in a quick death.

The giant roared and swung its axe above its head; Jaune rested the scythe over his shoulder and prepared to move.

The giant bellowed loudly as it swung the axe down, the bells and chains clanking from its erratic movements. The menacing weapon crushed the stairs it cleaved into, causing more debris to fly about.

Jaune only had eyes for its knee, though.

Such was the ridiculous strength of these monstrous protectors that their own bodies often failed them, waning in the face of the might they brought to bear. Such was the case of the giant before Jaune, its massive downward swing emphasised with a forward stomp.

A stomp that sent the giant's tibia spearing up through its patella and rupturing out of its flesh.

With both hands, Jaune clutched about the haft of his scythe and swung with all his might.

The blade bit deep into the exposed bone, and the giant’s pained roar was the most damaging thing Jaune had endured since he encountered it. When he pulled back on the scythe, the giant flinched and was once more sprawled out on the ground.

Jaune dropped the scythe.

He moved like hell itself was on his heels as he clambered over the giant, all while drawing his pistol again.

On the other side of the Church Giant, the remaining Church Guardian stood waiting, its crucifix held out, ready to stab towards him.

Jaune lined up his shot and jumped.

He launched off the back of the downed giant. The pistol bucked in his hand, and the guardian staggered, stopping it from catching him in the air with its large wooden weapon.

Jaune landed and immediately scrambled up the stairs.

The sound of stone and something else crunching and debris pelting his back made him stumble on the stairs, causing him to fall to all fours.

The last Church Guardian was nothing more than a gruesome splattered smear, the giant's axe having obliterated it.

The Church Giants, hollow, haunting eyes were locked on him.

Then, it started to crawl forward.

Jaune scrambled.

‘Weapon, weapon, weapon, I need a bloody weapon!’

He reached for his saw cleaver and tugged it upward.

The crucifix came with it, and Jaune cursed loudly as he dragged the wooden weapon further up the stairs.

The giant was rising now.

It opened its mouth to let loose another booming roar.

Jaune didn’t let it.

He threw himself forward; the crucifix weighed him down, but it didn’t matter, with his starting point being higher.

The sharpened metal-capped point of the heavy wooden implement drove into the gaping maw of the giant with a wet cracking noise.

Its roar turned into a muffled groan as the crucifix remained lodged in its now bloodied mouth.

Jaune did not relent.

His pistol was drawn once more, the barrel lined up.

The hollow right eye of the giant exploded into gore.

It rocked back, shocked, stunned, wounded.

Jaune swung his whole body forward, his legs kicking out from where he hung from the crucifix lodged in the giant's ruined jaw.

It tipped back.

The huge monstrous thing fell back down the stairs, and Jaune was dragged along on the crucifix.

It crashed into the ground with such force. Jaune would not be surprised to find the stairs ruined beyond all repair.

The force also managed to dislodge his Saw Cleaver.

The creature rumbled lowly, pathetically, its mangled jaw letting slip the noises around the weapon lodged in it.

Jaune had ears only for the sound of his cleaver sinking into the meat of its throat.

He swung, blood erupted outwards, painting Jaune.

He swung again, the cleaver dug deeper, and blood spilled over the stairs.

A third time and, he hit bone.

With a fourth, the giant was decapitated, the head thumping to the ground and rolling, the crucifix clattering to the ground, heavily halting the head from moving down the stairs.

The giant had been dead since the first swing.

Jaune stood there panting, once more dripping blood, as he turned towards his objective. Cathedral Ward had been more extensive than he had initially presumed and featured several gates and impediments that halted his progress.

But now he had arrived.

He holstered his pistol and returned his Saw Cleaver to its collapsed state.

He made his way up the stairs, pausing only to retrieve his Saw Spear, which he slid into its holster on his back.

Then he continued his ascent.

He placed his hands on the doors and looked up; they were massive, ornate… Jaune would even go so far as to call them opulent.

He began to push.

It was time for him to enter the Grand Cathedral.

A.N.

The time skip is here!

It tried something new rather than a recap. I wanted to try and focus instead of hinting at changes through character context; it’s a bit vaguer, but let me know what y'all think.

Lots of Cannon characters getting introduced! Get amped.

The time is upon us if I were to compare this arc to something from canon…

I would call this the Jaune trailer.

Ozpin prepares for the reignition of his conflict.

Adam is primed to claim a victory for his cause.

Jaune, though he does not know it yet, is primed to enter the stage.

And in Yharnam Jaune is about to encounter a turning point in his journey.

…

Are you as excited as I am?

HEHEHEHE

Oh, also, to those of you who consider the Arcs tall, I would like you all to go and do me a favour.

Go look up Glynda’s height…

I will not be harassed any more for tall women… Cloud and Jaune are still fair game, though, so go nuts.