(Balcony above team RWBY's room)
Cassiel POV
I asked Blake to help me discover my Semblance again now that I officially have aura down. We've tried a few times in the past, but she was also helping me with controlling aura. From what she has told me, one's Semblance is a "more tangible projection of aura", or as I understood it, their soul being used to affect the area or assist the user in a way that is unique to them. Examples being Ruby's Speed, though Scatter I feel is more appropriate, Weiss's Glyphs, or Pyrrha's ability to control metal. She did go on to say that people can have very similar Semblances and compared Yang's to her old partner's, Adam. Good to know if I ever have to fight him.
So here we are while nothing important is scheduled for a few more hours trying to figure mine out. Unfortunately, everyone discovers theirs differently. Some are purely accidental, others learn through training or in desperate times, very few can be inherited, and in the more fortunate cases, simple meditation. That is what we are doing now, unfortunately we haven't gotten anywhere.
"There is one thing I forgot to mention." Blake said, putting a stop to this for a moment.
"Alright, shoot."
"Though it hasn't been proven, it is believed that in some cases, a Semblance is also a reflection of the soul and why they are in many cases perfect for them." She explained.
"A 'reflection'? Interesting." If that is true, then I already have a few ideas of what it is thanks to my emotional state and mentality.
"It's unlikely we'll find out what it is today, and there's other things we can try." She said.
"Maybe. Let me ask you something. Assuming that theory is true, do you think that person possessing a deep self loathing and being very familiar with the concept pain would have a Semblance reflecting such?" I asked.
"Maybe?" She stepped closer and placed both her hands on my shoulders. "Cassiel, I think I know where you're going with this. Be careful, alright?"
"*sigh*... Normally I don't make promises, but I will this one time. I have an idea though of how to bring it out." She perked up at hearing this.
"You think so?" She asked, hopefully. If this does work, it'll be official that I learn too quickly even with my curse. I tried projecting my aura outward and shaping it as I visualized the first thing that came to mind. Funny enough, it was Blake. She was right in front of me, yes, but I feel I'm growing a little more attached to her and the rest of team RWBY than I thought. Aura control was a bitch at first, but it's surprisingly easy now. Now that I have the visualization and the aura feels like it's been shaped right, one last push and a bit of emotion was all that was needed. Another minute passed and a projection resembling Blake began to form in front of me. Her bow shifted and she turned around to see a nearly completed red- colored projection of her before it faded a few seconds later and I lost my balance, she caught me and began helping me reach a bench.
"*huff**huff*... That's going to take some getting used to." I said, exhausted. She began pulling my head down onto her lap, so I wiped the blood off my face and used my aura to stop the bleeding.
"Cassiel, after a short time, you've already mastered aura and now you've unlocked your Semblance. You have so much potential, please don't let it go to waste."
"Heh, I guess that's another promise then. What time is it?" I asked, turning my head to look at her.
"There's still a few hours before the match. Get some rest, you've earned it."
"Thank you, for everything, Blake. I should probably say that to the others too." I closed my eyes, this is surprisingly comfortable, Blake running her fingers through my hair too.
"I'm sure they know you're grateful to them."
"You know, I think I forgot to thank Ruby for the upgrades to Lionheart."
"She was probably just happy to help, especially since it was a friend she helped."
"The world really does need more people like her, like the rest of you actually."
"What about people like you?" She asked.
"Less than a year ago, I would have become a murderer if the people I met were Someone else's creations. I slowly learned to care again after so many years of being alone with nothing to keep me company but what others might call the poison within the soul." I shifted onto my back. "I'm not even supposed to be alive. Believe it or not, there's other worlds out there, and I come from one with humans that can't seem to go more than 30 years without a war."
"Cassiel..."
"Call me crazy if you want, but just hear me out. The world was supposed to end according to an ancient civilization's calendar and needless to say, people went crazy themselves. I died as collateral damage during a bank robbery, a bullet bounced off a wall and got me. The 'benevolent' God made a test out of that and I passed. Paradise meant nothing to me, Hell couldn't be much worse, the Void was dull, but still a good option, and my final choice was ask and receive whatever I wanted. I asked for weapons and powers that would best suit me, a mask and blindfold that suppresses half of it, my cloak, and to never see any of his humans again. I would have killed them otherwise and He knows it, or at least He should if he truly is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and all knowing, contradicting the concept of free will, but people still believe in that nonsense anyway." I feel like I'm venting a little now.
"You can stop if you feel the need to."
"I'm fine. I woke up in about world inhabited by anthro animals with enough bullshit to make most people faint multiple times a week. When the Heartless attacked me, they attacked the town not long after. The guards were useless, meat shields and cannon fodder at best. During the attack, a classmate, a piss poor excuse of a bully was killed, apparently meeting the required darkness to be killed. The real reason she died? Her greedy bitch of a mother did the literal equivalent of throwing her own daughter and her daughter's friend to the wolves. It can be argued that I killed the mother after she was proven guilty, but technically I didn't. I saved the town, but because of what I did to her, everyone seemed to have forgotten I'm the reason they still live. Fast forward to my master taking me under her wing, her gifts, new home, and then begin the Mark of Mastery exam. I'm not touring the world, doing as I see fit, I'm touring worlds while doing so and this is the second I've traveled to. Maybe one day I can show you." She shifted her position, turning her body with my head still on her lap.
"I don't think you're crazy." You're not saying you believe me though. "I think you've been through more than anyone should have to endure. I think from what you've told me- told us, that you're getting better, that you're getting closer and closer to becoming something you can be proud of!" I took her hand in mine and wrapped an arm around her, as uncomfortable as that was in this position.
"I think I'll come back once I'm done with my exam. I might pay a visit to a few others beforehand, but I happen to like a few people enough to not want to say goodbye. You especially to be honest. Yang's like the big sister I never had, Ruby would be the little sister if she wasn't a year older, Weiss, I guess she's like a sister too, the slightly troubled middle child. You? I feel more comfortable around you, for lack of a better way to put it. You're all like family to me."
"You should get some rest, there's still some time before the match. We can continue this later if you want?" I opened an eye to see her smiling down on me, a little red on her cheeks.
"Thank you again, for everything." I took a nap right there.
Maybe more attached than I thought.
(Amity Coliseum)
I might be a little reliant on the SR, but you can't deny how useful it is. This doubles match is between Coco and Yatsuhashi of team CFVY and Emeral and Mercury of... I don't think I've heard their team name. Probably any match one of them is in, if they're the enemy, an indicator might show up here. The biomes were a forest, destroyed city, geysers, and tall grasslands. Emerald and Mercury backed away hid in the grasslands, Coco destroyed that hiding place in seconds, but Emerald and Mercury were nowhere.
Mercury somehow got behind them and dropped from above. Gunboots. I've seen stranger. Tricky fighting style as it is, and he's easily going toe to toe with two powerhouses at once. Emerald is nowhere to be seen, not that it looks like she would be needed. Two vs one and the one looks to have the upper hand. Mercury got the others in a position where if Coco shoots, she'll hit Yatsuhashi, and vice versa if Yatsuhashi strikes. Coco turned her gatling gun back into a purse and forced Mercury to back off. Seconds later, a chain shot out from the forest and pulled Coco in. By Raven, that is an unreasonably long chain.
What happened next told me one VERY important detail about Emerald. After Coco forced her to take cover, Coco said something strange for the situation.
"Watch out, she's in the trees!" She warned, looking behind her. The buzzer went off and a clip played on the TV screen that showed Yatsuhashi getting his ass handed to him, causing Coco to turn back around in shock and confusion. Did she actually see and/ or hear Yatsuhashi? I can't imagine what is essentially a mock battle causing someone to lose their mind. The fight has already been decided, and I got what I needed.
Emerald might have the a similar Semblance to Neo, but on another level entirely. Hallucinations maybe? Depending on it's limits, that would be a very useful tool. They won't be doing anyghing important until dusk at the earliest, I can still wait until action is necessary, and finding them would be easy. Though alone is another matter entirely. The next match worth watching was Weiss and Yang vs two members of team FNKI. On second thought... Weiss and Yang are going to win, they don't have my permission to lose against those two.
(Ozpin's office, hours later)
Why the fuck are Pyrrha and Qrow here? I need to hear this first, staying in the SR. Favorite fairy tale, four sisters and an old man, magic, Four Maidens representing the seasons.
"My mother loves that story." Pyrrha finished.
"Would you believe me if I told you that one's been around since I was a boy?" Ozpin asked. Important information about to be revealed, fucking calling it.
"You're not that old, professor."
"Well, would you believe me if I told you it was true?"
"I beg your pardon?" Pyrrha asked liie she misheard him.
"What if I were to tell you that there were Four Maidens existing in this world that could wield such tremendous power without Dust?" Ozpin asked more seriously. I remember you telling me magic doesn't exist. I would step out of the SR, gut important information would be lost.
"You mean like a Semblance?"
"Like magic." You're a fucking liar, Ozpin. Someone is going to get hurt or worse and it'll be your fault.
"I-"
"Yeah, first time hearing it's pretty crazy." Qrow commented.
"You're serious?" Pyrrha asked Ozpin.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" He answered with his own question.
"... No." Pyrrha answered. "Why-why are you telling me this?" Ozpin looked to Qrow and received a nod from him.
"We're telling you, Pyrrha Nikos, because we believe that you are next in line to receive the Fall Maiden's powers."
"'We'?" No later did the elevator open with Glynda and James.
"Sorry we're late." James apologized.
"Wait, what is this? Who are you?" Pyrrha asked.
"You know who we are." Glynda answered cryptically. "We're still the same teachers and headmasters you met when you arrived at Beacon."
"'Cept we've got a little part time job." Qrow added.
"We are the protectors of this world." James added after.
"And we need your help." Ozpin answered.
(Vaults under the school)
Still following them in tge SR. He's not telling her even half the shit he should be. So the Maiden powers choose young women at random unless a young woman was in the Maiden's final thoughts. This time is different though. It would go without saying that if a Maiden is killed that the murderer would be in their final thoughts, giving them the powers. This time, part of a Maiden's power was stolen when she was attacked, which begs the question: Would the remaining power rejoin the rest, or find another host? Not something I'd want to find the answer to either. Atlas has a solution though, something most would consider taboo. Since they can't transfer the power itself into another person, they instead have to transfer what it's bound to. The aura, the soul would have to be transferred. The result? No one knows. High rish, high reward, but a target is put on her back if she survives.
"But understand that before the Vytal Festival is over, we will need your answer." Ozpin told her. "The assailant that attacked the Fall Maiden has made their first move, and there's no telling when their next move will be."
"I already told you damnit!" I said, exiting the SR. Everyone got ready to attack until they realized it was me. "The perfect times would be during the doubles and singles, and I've narrowed down likely targets."
"Cassiel? You're in this too?" Pyrrha asked.
"The Maidens are news to me as they are to you. They tried to recruit me for something else, instead they got a little help with security." I answered.
"You know, you really shouldn't have gotten anymore involved than you already were, kid." Qrow said.
"Do you want to hear who and how an attack might happen? Or would you prefer I just kill an entire team in their sleep?"
"You wou-" Glynda started.
"What news do you bring?" Ozpin asked, interrupting her.
"Emerald and her team. I believe them to be likely to attack. It's also possible the assailant is one of them if that's true." I answered.
"Attack?" Pyrrha asked.
"You think academy students from Haven are behind this?" James asked like he's expecting me to be joking.
"Emerald can cause people to hallucinate. She made Coco think Yatsuhashi was near her seconds before he lost to Mercury. You mean to tell me what is essentially a more competitive mock battle caused one of Beacon's most experienced students to see and hear things that weren't there? Bull shit! I get THE front row seat because of these Corridors, I know what I witnessed."
"That's not enough information to act even if it's true." He said.
"Let's assume it has no limits. Let's assume she only needs to be aware of a person's presence to use it, it has no range limitations, and she can affect multiple people at once. She could make allies out of enemies and vice versa! She could instill enough fear into everyone to attract all the Grimm she wants! She doesn't have to do anything like that, all she would need to do is make one of the contestants do something unsightly. Anger, disbelief, shock, fear, hate, betrayal, so many emotions at once if Grimm are going to be a method of attack again!" I tried to explain.
"That... Raises some red flags." Qrow commented.
"My point exactly. If she is an enemy, then it'd be best to take her and her team out now before they can sabotage a match."
"Unfortunately, we can't just kidnap them, certainly can't just kill them, and we can't just arrest them unless we know for certain they broke the law." Ozpin said.
"Uuuuugggghhh you guys are so useless! I had better be wrong, or I'm pummelling at least one of you!" I warned before turning to Qrow. "Drinking age be damned, toss me that canteen of whatever's in it! I don't care!"
"You can't be-" Glynda started.
"Don't. Care. Not. One. Bit. I swore I would never drink considering my experiences with a drunken aunt and uncle, but I want to break that now!"
"Sorry kid." *chugging* "But I'm out now." Qrow said.
"*inhale**exhale*... I can't be held accountable if there's four bodies no one will find. I tried. Raven knows I tried, but there's just no helping you people!" All but Pyrrha's eyes shot open upon hearing that name. As I was about to leave, Qrow grabbed my shoulder and turned me around, looking me dead in the eyes.
"How do you know Raven?" He asked.
"Funny story, one I'm not going to tell you. You have Her as your current equivalent of a Dark Goddess, Raven is mine. Now if you'll excuse me, the singles will be starting soon. We'll see if I'm right." I pushed him away and entered the SR.
(Amity Coliseum, night time)
The singles were lined up. The only ones worth noting were Yang, Pyrrha, Penny, and Mercury. The first match was between Yang and Mercury. I was keeping an eye on Emerald as well as the match itself. The two looked to be on par with each other, though I can tell Mercury might be holding back more than I thought with Coco and Yatsuhashi. Either his Semblance isn't combat oriented, or he is as subtle with his as Pyrrha is with hers. A good fight between what is basically a brawler and a break dancer or whatever. Yang won, but something off finally happened. Emerald looked to be struggling, she was squinting, trying to keep visual. I looked to the arena and saw Yang walk past Mercury, turn around looking up, then punch the downed Mercury's leg.
She never once looked down at him when she struck, she had to have thought she was being attacked, that punch was directed at something head level with her. As he was being carried away on a stretcher, she was surrounded by soldiers and robots with guns, telling a visibly confused Yang to stand down. Regret, horror, confusion, all etched on her face. The crowd expressing every emotion I mentioned and more. I could only look between Emerald and Mercury with almost as much hate as a certain someone from my past. I stepped out of the SR to whisper in Emerald's ear.
"I know how you beat Coco and Yatsuhashi. I also know how dirty your Semblance is, how you affected the outcome of this match." I began gripping Lionheart's blade tightly, cutting into my hand as she looked at me, alarmed. "The ability to cause others to hallucinate, and so subtly on top of it." I casted Fire at my fingers as I grabbed her shoulder tightly. "This is a promise." I stepped back into the SR and waited with the rest of team RWBY as events played out.
Someone is going to die by my blade soon.