Chapter 62: Now, We Wait!

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

'Thoughts'

"Active skill name or magic spell"

'Active skill name or magic spell in thought'

"Activation phrase"

'Activation Phrase in thoughts'

"Speech"

*action*

Time*

Noise*

(Location)

[Skill Name] - Passive or Active - AP cost: or none

Description: Info on skill

[Item Type]: [Type]

[Name]: [Item Name]

Durability: 100%/100%

Quality: Poor - Common - Uncommon - Epic - Legendary - Ascendant

Grade: E-/EX

Value: [System Point]/(Cannot be sold to [Persona System])

Description: Info on [Item Name]

[Extra Info]: [Extra Info]

Chapter 62: Now, We Wait!

few days later*

Days?: Ruby's Training Session

(Vale: Borderland: Luna's Personal Airship: Pocket Dimensional Training Room)

We finally reached the borderland of the Vale Kingdom. After running into more than a dozen of varying sizes of Nevermore. Be it small to large as an Airship. If Luna hadn't put on her stealth system to its full power. Then, we would have to face ten times the numbers of grimm on the way here.

Of course, to those grimm that still follow us for a while. I shot them to death with my [Barrett Custom]. Sometime Kirihime would help out when she feels like it.

On the way, I decided to train Ruby to be a better sniper by teaching how to snipe a moving target coming at us. But, with the aim being the vital points, for example. The eyes.

Yeah, Ruby couldn't snipe at all without being on an unmovable platform. To make it even worse, Ruby actually told me she mainly used her [Sniper Rifle] for its recoil to boost her [Scythe]'s cutting power rather than for sniping. Having the [Sniper Rifle] was just a bonus for her.

No one actually teaches her besides the basic for the [Sniper Rifle].

Ruby was very afraid of the look I gave her once I got the answer why she couldn't hit a moving target, without caring about yourself is moving as well. Firing while on the move was a common thing to do with other firearms.

Thanks to [Edea Florence]; I have trained myself in sniping as well as other firearms due to her [Skill] in using firearms. Without having to spend some [System Points] to purchase the [Mastery] for those firearms and all I have to do was equip her whenever I use something other than my [Pistols].

At the moment, I'm training Ruby in sniping by attacking with my own [Sniper Rifle], but unlike Ruby, who has to reload every time she runs out of ammo. I don't due to my [Sniper Rifle] being a [Mana Gun]. Giving me an unlimited amount of [Mana Bullet] as long I have [Mana] to supply.

"AH!" Ruby cried out in a panic, as she tries to use her semblance to get away from getting shot in the stomach again. Sadly for her, she still got shot in the stomach much to her dismay and only thanks to her aura shield to protect her from getting badly injured or worst, death.

What I have done was moving around while using other [Skills/Magic] to help me move around while continuing to fire at Ruby. As for shooting her in the stomach; well, I rather not cause any brain damage if I aim for her head.

So I settle with her stomach and made sure to make the [Mana Bullet] less destructed. And ignoring the painful cries from Ruby as I continue to shoot her in the stomach while she tries her best to dodge and return fire.

next day*

Days?: Fearing for One Health

(Vale: Borderland: Luna's Personal Airship)

"Hey, Ruby. Are you okay?" Jaune asks in a concern for his close friend, who happens to be motionless in her seat for almost half the day now. The only time she moved today was going to the bathroom, eat breakfast, and back to her seat and stay there for the whole now.

"Mmm." Ruby made a noise as a response, but Jaune had no clue what's Ruby trying to tell or if she even trying to tell him something at all.

If anything, Jaune wonders what would happen if he was in Ruby's position. Then, shivering at the memory of his training session with his partner. And wonder if this whole training that should be called torture instead is a common thing with the Nikos twin.

Jaune let out a shriek when Pyrrha place a hand on his right shoulder just as he was thinking about his partner. Slowly, Jaune turns his head to look at his partner and pale at the way Pyrrha is looking at him.

It was the same look he always gets whenever Pyrrha feel like she in the mood to train him or what he calls: Beating him like he is her training dummy. He did ask one time if she was just using him as a practice dummy for her to train with.

Biggest mistake of his life, and that's saying something when he got so many mistakes he has done up to now, so to say this was among the top 10 of his biggest regrets that he wished he could turn back in time to smack his past self for making those mistakes.

As the result, Pyrrha left him alone until he thought he was given up on and a week later. Pyrrha returned with a schedule of what look to be his [Training Methods] and her response to him at the time was, "If you think I'm using you as a training dummy. Then, I will help you out by giving different methods to train instead. So, it took some time, but I got my older brother to send me a [Training Methods] to help you without killing you. You're welcome."

Jaune couldn't even escape if he wanted to, after all, he is staying in the same room as Pyrrha for the rest of his years at Beacon Academy. Making it almost impossible to escape from her.

He couldn't even stop Pyrrha without fearing for what next Pyrrha has in store for him if he complains again. So, he went through those [Training Methods] and discovered it was the ones Pyrrha's older brother done in his younger days.

At first, Jaune thought it would be easy. Well, he has been wrong countless time before, being wrong once again won't make much any different.

The first [Training Methods] was running exercise to build up stamina and awareness. Simple yeah? Well, Pyrrha's older brother had this 'great' idea to include a dangerous environment to be used for the running exercise.

And it doesn't have to be a big place to do so, which is why Pyrrha took a week to get back to him. She was looking for places to help him train at the time.

To his horror, Jaune was forced to go back to the Emerald Forest, the same place that serves as the location for the initiation of new Beacon Academy students. The goal was to continue running through the forest and reach the same abandon temple, he and the others had to go to get the relics at the time.

Then, go the western part of the Emerald Forest, next to the Southern, over to the Eastern, and back to the Northern part where he returns to the abandoned temple.

And he had to do that 5 times in a day, much to his horror and grief. If he had just stuck with being a training dummy, then his life would only be filled with pain instead of pain and close death.

At least, he can get treatment after getting beaten like without much efforts almost all the time. Hell, Jaune would have just sat somewhere in the forest until his partner gives up and allow him to return back to Beacon.

How wrong he was at the time, he learned the hard way and ran for his life as his own partner literally draw in the grimm towards his location.

If he so much as take a wrong turn for a few minutes, Pyrrha would bring any nearby grimm towards him to make him go back on the right path.

Jaune would have called Pyrrha's semblance being able to control grimm if she didn't tell him the honest truth about how she performs these impossible feats.

She uses a nail, not the fingernail, but the smell metal spike with broadened flat head, used for to putting things together.

Pyrrha did not use any [Dust Round] or her main weapons. She just has a box of nails on hand, which he questioned at the time and all he got was not to worry about him. Well, he was sure worried about it after the training exercise was over.

Not only Pyrrha did she weaponize the nails, but made use of them to draw grimm towards a specific spot she wanted. By using her semblance to control the nail and make some noises around the grimm or hit them with them by stabbing them with the pointy end, causing those grimm to react until she gets them to follow the direction she wanted them to go.

So Jaune had started following his fellow male teammate by getting as much sleep as he can at any moment; well, not every moment since he not dealing with Nora, which he doesn't know if that's a good thing or not. When comparing Nora with Pyrrha.

Either way, Jaune tends to always be in an almost good condition just in case Pyrrha take him to do a sudden training exercise out of the blue.

"So Jaune~!" Pyrrha said in a cheerful tone, ignoring her partner shivers at the tone. "I know we had a busy week and all, but I just remember how we haven't done any training just us two alone for a while now. So, I'm thinking we should start." Pyrrha gives Jaune a bright smile, but to him, it was a sadist smile instead.

To others around, it may seem like Pyrrha is trying to catch Jaune's interest and wanted to have some special alone time with Jaune. But, they are way off from the truth. If Jaune had any other way, he would rather spend those special alone time with Ruby instead. At least, with Ruby he won't end up having a chance of losing a limb or two every time he trained with Pyrrha.

"Uh, do we have to? I mean we're close to Vale Kingdom as we speak." Jaune tries his best to keep his voice normal without showing how nervous he is right now. Because he is very nervous and afraid what the next [Training Methods] he will be forced to do and inside an Airship of all places.

He is already experiencing the awareness training from Pyrrha's older brother already for a whole week. Jaune is grateful for the training, but wasn't something he was willing to do and with Pyrrha getting her [Training Methods] from her older twin.

Well, he knows for sure it wasn't something normal and wouldn't be completely safe if it wasn't for his aura protecting and healing him.

"Of course, silly!" Pyrrha smile at Jaune before dragging away from Ruby and the others watching the show, where Pyrrha drag her older brother along as well, to provide them the area for training, being the [Pocket Dimensional Training Room].

"Should we worry?" Nora asks Ren, who still sore from a similar training like Ruby, but with Izaya after he found out Ren's semblance a little interesting, much to the same feeling as his leader when it comes to training with Pyrrha.

"Do you really want to get in between those two?" Ren raises an eyebrow at his childhood friend, who thought about it and shook her head quickly.

"NOPE! I tried once after Jaune asked me before and Pyrrha found out, then ban me from having [Pancake] for a whole day! The horror!" Nora throws herself at Ren, much to his discomfort and he let Nora complain about how unfair Pyrrha was being at the time.

"Anyone wants to train? This would be a good time to do some extra training before we arrive." Izaya looks around for anyone that is interested, but saw none and some even try to act like they're busy.

With Weiss being emotionally unstable; anything could happen and that why it's Kirihime's job to watch over her. Thanks to her semblance, everything Weiss about to do, she would know right away and be a step ahead to stop Weiss in case she does something stupid.

"Uh, quick question. What are we going to do with Whitley?" Blake found out no one has asked about Weiss' little brother yet, and Weiss doesn't look like she in the mood to care about her little brother after what he said to her a few days ago. Breaking her heart further by actually telling her that he doesn't like her one bit and all kinds of stuff.

Well, after Whitley sent Weiss running away crying. Izaya didn't need any other reason to beat Whitley up. In fact, due to Whitley being a normal civilian without their aura unlocked. He still has a black eye and a busted lip.

So yeah, Weiss' feeling for Whitley wasn't in the positive feeling like it was before. Now, Whitley even afraid to go near Weiss after Izaya's treatment.

Lucky for everyone, Pyrrha's older brother could easily heal Whitley back to his original appearance without any trouble, or they could give Whitley one of the pills Shigure handmade for healing others.

next day*

Days?: Time Wait For No One!

(Vale: Vale City: Luna's Personal Airship)

Looking down below me, I could see a large amount of tiny black dots moving everywhere. These are the soldiers and Hunters of the Vale Kingdom. Along with them are the Atlas' soldiers brought by General Ironwood and Specialist Winter.

To everyone else on the Airship; this is a joyful moment they return home. To those from Mistral, we've entered the first battlefield.

Izaya armed himself with multiple [Flickerblade] without their handles, where he uses them as [Throwing Knives], in his overcoat. Also, wearing the [Recon Goggles] I provided for his usage. As for the finisher, he packed with multiple types of [Talismans] ready to be used.

Kirihime didn't need anything, but a few pills to heal herself to spare some aura from having to heal herself. Along with the same extra gear as her cousin. [Recon Goggles] and [Talismans].

Both Yukiko and Narberal are to be sent back to Mistral by Luna. Where Yukiko questions me about why she left out, but went quiet after I told her how it was on Momoyo's request for her return as she is worried about her. Making Yukiko give up on staying with the rest of us and return back to Mistral.

Neo is tagged along with Shigure, who only wore a pair of gauntlets and shin guards, to add in a bit of protection.

As for team RWBY and JNPR, they didn't change anything or included anything else. Besides both Weiss and Pyrrha, as they secretly hid some pills in the case of emergency.

In fact, it would have been the jobs of both Pyrrha and Weiss to gain some intel on Vale before entering. Sadly, with Pyrrha's status as the Fall Maiden. She could no longer go in public without the chance of getting kidnapped.

As for Weiss, she won't be in harm and only be questioned by a few people. Thanks to Winter's present, no one would dare to question Weiss with physical methods, that is now legal due to wartime.

For the rest of us, those that are part of the Arcana. One of the most dangerous criminal organization in Mistral. Now, in Vale, this is just saying to the world that the Mistral Kingdom has some influence over the Arcana. Which is false.

But, the other kingdoms don't know that. Since we're very hidden and could easily escape most missions outside and inside the Mistral Kingdom.

"Team RWBY and JNPR. You guys going to have to do your landing strategy, because we can't have Luna land her Airship without the chance of getting ambushed by Vale. So good luck." I said to them, causing some of them to look at me like I'm crazy. Jaune.

"Stay safe guys." Pyrrha wave at her fellow teammates and friends, which they return and feel sad one of them have to stay behind due to her new status. Just the Fall Maiden status alone would make anyone crazy right now due to wartime. As the Four Maidens' powers would bring countless benefits to a kingdom if used right.

I place a hand on Ruby's left shoulder, causing her to look at me with a confused look on her face. Wanting to know why I wanted her attention.

I just give her a small smile, causing Ruby to shiver a little and had the urge to move away as soon as possible, but my grip was too strong for her to struggle out.

"You better confess your love for Jaune soon or else you may lose him during wartime." I whisper to Ruby, who blushed instantly after having her crush for Jaune revealed, then went pale after comprehend my words near the end.

"Hey, Jaune come over here for a second." I called out for Jaune, making Ruby's face go crimson once more and thinking I'm going to reveal her secret of liking Jaune.

Jaune's guards were up right away after being called out by his partner's older twin brother. Slowly, he walks over and let out a shriek right away after being kicked out of the Airship.

"JAUNE!" Ruby cried out and jump after him, causing multiple chain reaction. With Yang follow after Ruby, then Nora wanted to have fun by doing skydiving. Ren went after her and want nothing bad to happen to her. Leaving with both Weiss and Blake jumping together after the rest.

"That was mean of you, Em." Pyrrha send a playful glare at her twin, but she knew her brother used his [Magic] on Jaune to increase the air resistance, so Ruby can catch up to Jaune easily.

Furthermore, Pyrrha saw her brother secretly place a [Talisman] on Ruby without her notice, where this [Talisman] would deploy a barrier to protect her and anyone near her within 30 meters radius from anything shooting at them and also cushion their landing by scattering the momentum through the ground.

"It gets things done faster. You can't argue with the result." I smirk at my little sister, who roll eyes at me and look down from her spot and frown at how things changed so fast. One moment, she was a student, then next she one of those fairy tales and the Second Great War started during her life.

"So, what's our next move, Enma?" Kirihime walks over, as she finishes getting used to controlling the new [Upgrade] version of the [Scout Drone]. Yup, Kirihime took a liken to the [Scout Drone] and request for a customized made for her personal usage.

[Item Type]: [Gear/Tool/Robot]

[Name]: Scout/Hacker Drone

Durability: 100%/100% (Drone)| 100%/100% (Power Storage[1% per 20 minutes])

Quality: Uncommon

Grade: D+

Value:(Cannot be sold to [Persona System])

Description: This customization drone can scout out enemy locations, hack computers or anything related to a machine required using a computer, and scan the area for anything useful. Furthermore, this customization drone can recover its power storage by absorbing materials. With further upgrades, many other functions are possible.

[Visual Share]: Allow drone to share what they're seeing to the user's scroll

[Visual Scan]: Allow the drone to scan the area for information. Depending on the amount/quality of the information. The time it will take to scan everything will vary.

[Signal Hacking]: Allowing the drone to hack from a distance without having to be connected physically. Depending on the target for hacking, the time varies and will change the threat level of discovering the drone.

[Power Recovery]: Allowing the drone to drain anything related to [Electric] in order to recover drone's power storage.

This [Scout/Hacker Drone] is perfectly suited to Kirihime's semblance in a way. The [Signal Hacking] actually requires the user having knowledge of hacking in the first place. Therefore, the [Signal Hacking] mostly just creates a connection between the user and the target.

In a way, Kirihime possesses the very things, that have control over almost all machines that used a computer to work.

To make this [Drone] even better, Kirihime didn't even need to use her scroll to control it and have a handmade gauntlet to control it. With a 3D Projector build in, to give Kirihime multiple methods to control the [Drone].

Sadly, Kirihime has no desire to test this [Drone] out right away as she only got used to the controls. Her semblance could only help so much already, that any more would be more harmful than helpful. So with a bit of regret, she has to keep the [Drone] deactivated until she deems herself experience enough to use it on the battlefield.

Izaya would have gotten his own as well, but I had only enough time to make one. So, Izaya would sometimes look at his cousin with envy, much to the amusement of Kirihime.

"We're going to meet up with the twins at Junior's Club. Before our presences are known. We're going to lay low for a while until it's time for us to leave." I replied to Kirihime question, as we're going to meet up with the Malachite twins.

Yup, these two girls are actually Arcana members, that specialized in info gathering like Izaya and was recruited by Izaya himself. Actually, these two are Kirihime's cousin and a distant cousin of Izaya.

To make thing a little interesting and funny. Izaya knows three sets of twins in his life now. One is the Nikos twins, his own little sisters that are twins, and his distant cousin the Malachite twins.

"Hmm. I guess this is a good time to visit the twins. Maybe it's time for them to leave Vale and return back to Mistral. After all, we're in hostile territory now." Kirihime thought out loud, as she walks back to wherever she came from.

"So how your training under Narberal, Pyr?" I ask my twin, who is currently training under Narberal. After all, as a fellow Maiden, Narberal has more experience in being a Maiden than Pyrrha. So with a few conditions, Narberal has been training Pyrrha for days now.

"Kind of decent in my opinion. Some of the kinds of stuff we trained are things I've already trained in the past with you. The other was a little interesting, but wasn't something important and just something needs to know basis." Pyrrha replied with a shrugged shoulders.

"Well, I just hope we find a way to get you the other half of the Fall Maiden. Because I rather not find any bad side-effects due to just possessing one half of a Maiden power." I frown, wondering if there was something Cinder experience, but overcome later on after some time.

"It's okay. If things get bad, I've you there to help me. Right, Em?" Pyrrha hug me with a bright smile on her face, as she buries her face in my chest.

"Of course, Pyr. I'll always be there for you; well, at least I will try to." I grin at Pyrrha, who pout at me for reminding her those sad moments she was separated from her twin. After all, twins have their own special bond that's unique to each other, that can't just be replaced so easily.

2 hours later*

(Vale: Vale City: Junior's Club)

Surprisingly, the Club is still intact. Furthermore, Junior is no longer the boss of this place and the Malachite twins are now the bosses. Which explains why the whole place got a major makeover.

By makeover, I meant they added some new kinds of stuff. One good example is the new security cameras everywhere. Another one is the new door, which seems to be broken down more than once by now, thanks to the runaway [Paladins] at the time. From what the twins reported.

"Hey, Boss Man, I see you decided to visit us now of all time." Melanie said to me, who is the white theme out of the twin and the one who would speak more often for her twin sister. Along with the one that picked the fighting style used mostly with kicks, to make it even lethal, she uses the blades on her heels as her weapons.

Besides Malanie is her twin sister: Miltia, who is into the red theme palette. Plus, she the opposite of Malanie who is outgoing and speak up her mind. Where Miltia would be quiet and observe everything around her while sticking close to her twin sister.

As for her weapons, she uses a pair of red and black claws and has the same abilities. Possessing above-average strength, agility, and [Skills]. Just that her fighting methods are opposite of Malanie.

In this world, Miltia learned under Shigure's Grandfather while Malanie actually requested to learn from me. Since out of the everyone in the core members of the Arcana organization. I use kicks the most out of the others.

Funny enough, the Malachite twins didn't even try their best to fight Yang at the time and was using their beginning weapons. Yup, those weapons of theirs at the time are training weapons and was hand crafted by Shigure, for their usage. Making them almost the common handmade weapons from Signal Academy and others similar that build their prototype weapons.

Also, another reason was, because under Izaya's orders not to draw attention to themselves unless they can't help it. So yeah, defeating Yang would have caused some unwanted attention. Which is why Junior was to be asked to leave. By leave, well, he left alright without any question.

"Sorry, trying to get Weiss' inheritance back and I did visit you, girls, last month and don't say I didn't. After all, who was the one that asked me for their budget to be raised?" I lean on my right hand, as I stare at the Malachite twins.

"Well, Boss. You caused lots of problems here in Vale after you left with your twin sister to Atlas. In fact, people showed up the Clube asking questions we had no desire to answer. Luckily, no one knew about our status as members of the organization. Plus, with Junior gone, which is the main reason those people show up in the first place to find the guy. So, after telling them we're just bodyguards and whatnot. They left us alone." Melanie replied, with a shrug and her twin sister, Miltia nodded in agreement.

"So, seeing you here, Boss. I'm guessing it's our time to return back to Mistral?" Melanie looks a bit eager to return back to her birthplace, with Miltia looking a bit of homesickness.

"Yup, you two are returning back to Mistral with Luna here, along with others that are heading back as well. Also, I'm going to need all the information you've gathered so far with the everything related to the underworld of Vale." I said to the Malachite twins.

The Malachite twins are thrilled to be able to return to Mistral, even if it's in the Lower Section of the Mistral Kingdom. Home is home, even if the environment wasn't that much different compared to the underworld of the Vale Kingdom.

However, with Vale Kingdom taking a big hit from two separate invasions. The powerful people in the underworld started taking action, that leads to countless of lives lost, making things worse for the kingdom than ever.

Which is one of the reasons why the Malachite twins, along with the other hidden members of the Arcana scattered across the world requested for their return. As they didn't feel much safe any longer at their current locations.

After all, one of the many methods for the Arcana to recruits other people is by looking for those that are abandoned by the world itself, be it their families or even society.

We just look for them and offer them a few choices; one of them is giving the choice of joining the Arcana organization.

Of course, we made sure to do a few background checks to see if they really abandoned and not a plot against the Arcana.

Afterward, we would train them until they strong enough to be the same level as the elite of Hunters and the militaries under each Kingdoms.

"Before you two leave with the others. Do you mind answering a few questions for me, cousins?" Kirihime quickly drags her cousins away from the others as she started whispering a few things to the Malachite twins.

By the look on the twins' faces, they start with a confused expression, next surprise, then excitement, and finally happy. All in just a few minutes or less for the conversation with those three.

After that is all done, the Malachite twins said their goodbyes and started packing their things and follow Luna, Yukiko, and Narberal back to the Airship hidden under the cloaking system, where the Airship is currently on the Club's building rooftop.

"Should I ask?" Pyrrha looks at Kirihime, who has a satisfying look on her face. As she just did something meaningful and happy things work out between her and the Malachite twins.

"Nah. So Enma. What's our next plan? Because if you don't have one at the moment. I got a few ideas we could do during our one week of waiting for the big announcement." Kirihime give everyone a big smirk, like she had some plans already formed before coming to Vale.