Within the Headmaster's office at Beacon, Ozpin, the Headmaster was staring at the toughest opponent that she has faced in her immortal life– paperwork!
His attention was averted when he heard a loud scream and his patience was nearing its end. Glancing to the side, his eyes widened when he noticed that the paperwork that he had managed to make smaller since the morning has increased in triple the size.
"This is getting out of hand." The Headmaster said simply, shooting up from his seat. Radiating with quiet frustration, he gripped the paperwork in his hands and angrily threw it out the window, grinning as he watched them lost into the wind.
"Ozpin, what on Remnant do you think you are doing?" Glynda Goodwitch, Deputy Headmistress of Beacon, tapped her foot impatiently as she glared primly at her superior who just hummed innocently, turning his head away from the woman that he regarded as his right-hand.
Unfortunately for them, a white light enveloped them and took them to a place that they did know, humming and shrieking as they disappeared
[Line Break]
In the training grounds of Beacon, Jaune Arc and his teammates which consisted of quiet genius Lie Ren, bloodthirsty warrior Nora Valkyrie and prodigy Pyrrha Nikos. Observing as the two young women sparred with one another, each as equal as one another, neither letting out an inch.
Lie Ren was silent and observing, seated on the grass, as he watched his two teammates spar, wishing that this could be over and done with so that he and Jaune could begin their spar. Say what you will of Jaune's physical ability, but there was no man more strategically talented than his team leader.
Meanwhile, Jaune Arc observed in slight awe as the two teens fought with potential and skill not normal for students. As he was about to stop them, all four of them were enveloped in a white light and the last thing they heard was Nora's scream of;
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?"
[Line Break]
Just like on the training ground of Team JNPR, the other training ground which consisted of the others teams of Beacon including Team RWBY who were training and/or sparring were also enveloped in a white light, each cursing or screaming.
In other parts of Beacon, there were many other men and women enveloped in a white light, each as displeased as the next.
[Line Break}
As the large white light flashed, all displeased individuals were dropped into the middle of the room in a messy assortment of limbs as they tried to escape what could only be called a dog pile.
"Fuck!"
"What the fuck?!"
"What the hell?!"
"Shit!"
"Ow! My ass!"
"...Oi Vomit Boy, not that I'm opposed to such closeness but…why don't you move your hand of my fucking ass!"
"Ah fuck! S-Sorry, Yang!"
After finally standing on their feet, the group of people looked around, trying to locate where in the world they were.
"Where the hell are we?!" Nora asked, asking the question that every single one of the men and women were asking in their heads.
Glynda Goodwitch turned her gaze towards Ozpin who stood at her side. "What is this Ozpin?" She wondered, to which the Immortal shrugged without care.
Along with them, was Yang Xiao Long grinning at Jaune who was flushing from her earlier position, Ruby Rose who was conversing with Jaune Arc with a smile, Weiss Schnee approaching Pyrra Nikos to speak with her hero, along with Nora Valkyrie talking to a quiet Black Belladonna.
Weiss' attention turned towards Jaune Arc in an angry huff, prepared to rip him a new one.
The Arc boy paled at her angry gaze.
"I didn't do anything! Stop looking at me like that, Weiss!"
Weiss huffed in displeasure while her sister Winter Schnee observed in amusement.
Deep laughter echoed throughout the room, bringing the attention of everything making turn silent as they looked for whoever it was.
"Whoever you are, get the fuck out of here!" Nora snarled as she looked around, trying to find said offender.
"Coming, Miss Valkyrie!" The voice was cheerful and after a moment, a man draped in a black cloak with silver hair, dark eyes and fair skin who looked no older than Qrow Branwen appeared, smiling brightly.
"Who are you, brat?" Raven Branwen demanded, not knowing that the man before her was ten times her age.
"Ha! Brat! Haven't heard that in millennia!" The man said, making the Bandin Queen arch an eyebrow at the young man. Waving his words away, the figure continued. "The name's Xander, nice to meetcha guys!"
"Xander?" James Ironwood wondered curiously. "Heard that name somewhere…"
"Course ya heard it, General!" Xander said. "I'm not surprised that a Atlas General knows the name of the God of Space or Time, or in this case, me!" He grinned brightly causing everyone's eyes to widen. "As for where you…in the middle is where you are!
"The middle of what?" Emerald got the courage to ask.
Xander grinned as he raised his hands opposite from one another, laughing as if he saw this whole incident as a joke
"The middle of the Jaune Archive of course!"
"The what of what?!" Said person yelled in utter and complete shock, along with anyone else in the 'middle'.
The Jaune Archive? The fuck was that?!
Xander nodded, grinning brightly and with a click of his fingers, hundreds and thousands of images appeared, images that slowly became a clip and many different clips became playing, began showing previews.
"Me?!" Jaune wondered and low and behold, yes indeed the many frames showed many different types of Jaune Arc's in them
"Indeed, Arc-brat." Xander grinned brightly. "You see, in every universe, there is one person that everything is cantered around. In some universes, it is a young man, in others an old man, in some a girl or even an alien or an animal in others. In this universe, a universe which has thousands of different versions which are known as alternate universes, you are the main focus. Thus…The Jaune Archive
"That's fucking awesome!" Nora grinned as she caught sight of one of the clips in the many frames. It showed a Jaune in plate armour with a golden crown on his head surrounded by an army of knights.
Bartholomew Ooblock arched an eyebrow as he caught sight of another frame, a frame that showed Jaune dressed in a suit, talking to a class of students as an older man.
Others gazed at a frame, each with a different reaction to possible universes.
Weiss scoffed as she saw a Jaune that was ruling as a prince. "This is complete and utter foolishness!" The Heiress huffed, not believing a single word this 'God' said.
Pyrrha flushed as her gaze caught a much older Jaune Arc, clad in his white armour, his arms around her waist as he passionately kissed her while two children, a boy looking like Jaune and a girl looking like her stood by their side.
William Arc gasped when he saw a teenage Jaune wearing stood tall and proud against an invading army, looking very image of the founder of the Arc family.
Joan Arc smiled gently at the image of her much older son with a wife and family of his own. As she looked at the image, her gaze turned back to the younger Pyrrha Nikos with a amused smile, causing her husband to roll his eyes.
"Reality does not have only one universe, one possibility. They are endless and without limit and this is the proof."
Xander looked at them, before snapping his fingered. Instantly, a sphere appeared in his hand. It was a shiny silver, like it was made of stainless metal, and was the size of a basketball. "I am a God and since I have grown bored, I have decided that you will be given a chance to view the Jaune Archive for my amusement."
"Really?" Yang wondered, having always been a sceptic. She would admit that seeing all the versions of the Vomit Boy intrigued her. Not to mention that crimson-haired, red-eyed version of the blondie as he declared himself the 'King of Demons' did attract her somewhat. 'Fucking hot alternate versions of Vomit Boy!' She thought with a grunt, rubbing her thighs together so that she could control her urges.
"Yeah! Ya game!?" Xander grinned brightly.
"Let's do this guys!" Nora quickly said, and soon enough everyone followed in suit as their either nodded or sighed in acceptance.
"Press your hand upon the sphere, young Valkyrie."
Grinning and brimming with excitement, the hammer-wielding girl did as she was told.
Instantly, the area changed, and the scene came to life.
World 1: A King's Grief
"Ooh." Yang grinned in interest. "That sound's exciting." She said with glee, earning rolled eyes from Weiss and Blake.
"Do not roll your eyes, Blake." Kali Belladonna said sternly. "If you do that, your eyes will be stuck that way."
"Indeed, Weiss." Winter was just as stern. "You are a lady. Act it." She demanded, her eyes glancing upon her mother was merely seated, silent and drinking, as always.
Blake and Weiss ducked their heads as they flushed in embarrassment, earning teasing grins from Ruby and Yang.
"The same goes for you two." However, Taiyang Xiao Long was no less strict, causing Raven to arch her eyebrow in interest. It seemed her former husband still had his claws.
Mantle was encased in ice and ruin and sorrow.
"Mantle?" General Ironwood turned towards Xander who grinned. "The Kingdom of Mantle still exists in alternative worlds?"
Xander merely nodded.
"Then what of Atlas in this world?" Weiss wondered.
"You will learn." Was his cryptic answer.
Mantle had faced devastation at the hands of the Dead that walked and destroyed all in their wake, the Dead who first came from the Northern Wastes beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Mantle.
"The Northern Waste?" General Ironwood murmured in interest. "The Northern Waste has been considered inhabitable for generations." He said to himself.
"Can we focus on the fact that the Dead are walking?" Qrow asked the General. "Look, I get Grimm," he glared at the smirking Salem. "and I get traitorous Hunters. But the fucking Dead is something else!" He roared, ignoring the glares of the older women for his language in front of minors.
Yang and Jaune nodded in firm agreement.
"All will be explained." Was all Xander said once again. "Actually, you know what? You do not need me in attendance." He smiled and with a click of his fingers, he disappeared.
"Good one, drunk." Winter said coldly.
"What? I'm not allowed to ask questions now?" Qrow demanded indignantly.
The Dead brought death and destruction upon all they touched. After murdering hundreds of thousands of men, the Army of the Dead numbered as the largest army the world has ever known.
James Ironwood breathed deeply, fear in his heart growing at the mere thought of facing such an army.
Even Ozpin and Salem grew worried, fearful even in their immortality.
However, with the might of Mantle and the Grim Folk joining, a defence was forged against the coming Army of the Dead.
"Grim Folk?" Ozpin and Salem whispered in curiosity, however their question was answered almost immediately.
The Grim Folk, humans that had been infected by the darkness of the Grim thousands of years ago, before the destruction of the Grim at the hands of the Warrior King of Vale. Folk that had been deemed monsters and left in the Northern Waste to die.
"The Grim are not a problem here?" Ruby wondered, imagining what a world without Grim would be like. For one, Hunters would not be necessary.
Salem glared sharply at Ozpin who seemed to be elated at the idea that he had managed to end the threat of the Grim without being forced into a life of immortality, or so it seemed.
Damn Ozpin. Just because he emerged victorious in an alternate world did not mean anything.
However, even with the joint effort of Mantle and the Grim Folk, the Army of the Dead still overpowered them, and all seemed loss when the other kingdoms of Remnant refused to assist, refusing to believe in the threat of the Dead and too embroiled in their own ambitions and conflicts.
The room was silent as they gazed upon General Ironwood who seemed utterly wroth at the idea of none of the kingdoms fighting this world ending threat.
"How could the other kingdoms be so blind and foolish?" The General hissed, his gaze finding Jacque Schnee who seemed to be smirking in amusement.
Winter, however, glared at her father for his disrespect to one of the finest men she had ever known.
"Such is the foolishness of politics." Ozpin shook his head, not at all surprised that the councils would be too embroiled in their own ambitions to worry about the true threat.
Qrow just rolled his eyes, not at all surprised.
This changed when Jaune Arc, the King of Mantle, sought assistance in a foreign ally.
The younger generation turned to Jaune who was pale and wide-eyed.
"Jaune's the King of the Castle!" Nora declared, laughing. "That's what I am talking about! That's the fearless leader for you!" She cheered while Lie Ren nodded in agreement and Pyrra smiled gently.
"W-why? How? What?" Weiss was lost for words.
Winter, however, was confused as she looked at Weiss.
"Wait, why are you children surprised?" Winter wondered as she looked at the younger teams who were utterly baffed.
"Why?" Cardin Winchester sneered. "How about the fact the dead last of Beacon is a bloody king?"
Ozpin smiled gently.
"Be that as it many, Mr. Winchester, you forget your history." He chuckled, looking at everyone who was confused except for Jaune who 'ah'd' as if remembering something in his youth. "The Arcs might be a simple knightly family now, but during the time before Atlas, they ruled as the Kings of Mantle." He explained. "It was King Alric Arc who surrendered to Atlas to save his own people."
The younger generation were silent, awed at this new information.
"Honestly, do none of you children know your history?" Cinder shook her head, sneering at the Beacon students.
"I knew that." The Faunus youngsters pointed out. "The Arc Kings were the only human monarchs who treated the Faunus with fairness and respect." Adam Taurus, a notorious Faunus supremacist, said in respect. "Every Faunus child is told their history, taught to pray for the good health of the Arc descendants." Adam Taurus, to even Blake's utter surprise, inclined his head in respect to Jaune Arc.
Jaune was utterly stunned as every Faunus, even the older ones, inclined their heads in agreement with the red-haired swordsman.
The King of Mantle sailed to Vacuo at the request of Cinder Fall, the heir of the fallen Cinder dynasty, the former rulers of Vale.
Even Cinder was surprised.
"That is not true in this world." Cinder admitted calmly. "I was born on the streets of Mistral with a fisherman for a father and a maid for a mother." She explained.
"Interesting." Ozpin hummed in thought. "So, there are changes, even in the histories of the world." He said. "Because in our own reality, the name of the royal family is not known before the rule of the Warrior King."
"Would you really ally with the good guys?" Mercury whispered to Cinder who scoffed at the mere idea and glared at her subordinate for even suggesting as such.
Mercury backed away with a carefree smile.
After months of dialogue and diplomacy, with the additional condition of bending his knee to become her Warden of Solitas, Cinder Fall and her three dragons were enlisted in the war.
"Ah. She seeks to conquer the world as Queen." Glynda realized. "And to keep peace, she is adding Wardens for each of the kingdoms."
"It is a good strategy." James Ironwood had trouble saying so.
Ozpin and Salem, however, seemed displeased.
Cinder was both terrified and proud. Terrified at the glare Salem was giving her and proud that her other was on her way to ruling the world.
With the join alliance of the Grim Folk, the people of Mantle and the forces of the Dragon Queen, the Army of the Dead defeated, and the day was won for humanity when Jaina Arc snuck behind their leader and killed the Night King, thus destroying his risen army.
The Arcs looked between each other before looking at the young and wild young Jaina who was grinning.
"Wait, that little brat defeated the King of the Dead?" Yang asked, laughing and high fiving the youngest daughter of the Arc family.
Jaune smiled gently and ruffled his sister's hair, earning her an embarrassed flush from the young girl.
The Army of the Dead was destroyed, the Night King slain and the Long Night ended, however all was not well.
A sense of nervousness filled the room.
For the loss experienced was beyond count.
James, Qrow, Glynda and Ozpin sighed deeply.
"As it always is during war." James Ironwood said grimly. "Countless men with families waiting for them, never to return." He shook his head.
"Probably worst against the dead." Qrow grimaced.
Ozpin and Glynda merely nodded in agreement with the two men.
Now, Jaune Arc, the Lord of Mantle and the Warden of Solitas, was standing where the piles of dead bodies were prepared to be sent off, burnt to ash.
"Wait what? Burn bodies?" Ruby sound loudly, indignant at the idea of such disrespect to deceased people.
"Calm yourself, kid." Taiyang told his daughter. "Back in the day, when Solitas belonged to Mantle, it was tradition to burn the bodies of their dead. With Mantle good and well in that world, it still exists even if it doesn't exist for us."
The Arcs and the Faunas gave him a surprised look.
"No, Mr. Xiao Long, the Arc family still follow this tradition." William Arc told the man, his expression surprised he did not know. "There tells a legend that the Arcs have inherited from the Kings of Mantle. One day, there will come a night where the dead walk. To stop this night, bodies are burnt to prevent the Army of the Dead from growing. We have ever since burnt our dead."
The humans were utterly baffled.
"As do we." Ghira Belladonna explained. "There is no prophecy for us, but Mantle once ruled over us and we continue to follow the traditions of our liege lords."
"Huh. Did not know that." Taiyang said plainly.
Beside him stood the Dragon Queen herself with her advisors sellsword Mercury Black, Lady Emerald Sustrai and Lord Adam Taurus.
Mercury shrugged not too surprised, while Emerald grinned victoriously and Adam merely smirked at Ghira who glared at the upstart.
On his other side stood his main advisor Ozpin, and his sisters.
"Of course, you would be advisor to a King." The Atlas General scoffed, not surprised at anything the immortal did.
He was once a King. Salem thought, glaring at her former husband, remembering how fierce and powerful he once was. She still remembered the man that made her heart quiver. When he smirked at her, she felt something in her hea-NO. That was done. There was nothing for Ozpin in her heart but hate.
Breathing deeply, the White Wolf opened his mouth.
"Ah. I see that you inherited the title of King Alric himself." William told his son before turning to the room. "It is tradition that every King of Mantle was given his own title in conjunction with the wolves, the national animal of Mantle." He explained to the rest of the men and women that were Faunus or Arcs.
"We are here to say goodbye to ours brothers and sisters. To our fathers and mothers. To ours friends." His voice powerful with grief echoed with a northern drawl.
"He truly sounds a King." Winter blurted out, feeling herself flush as her mother and Weiss looked at her in interest.
"Yes, I agree, Winter." General Ironwood said. "He also sounds like men in the northernmost villages of Atlas." He realized, knowing that his own world's Arc family lived in a more southern village, thus Jaune Arc's difference in accent.
He reminds of Ozma. Salem realized.
"Our fellow men and women who set aside their differences to fight together and die together! So that others might live." He declared. "Everyone in this world owes them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid."
General James Ironwood saluted, grabbing the attention of Jaune Arc who seemed stunned that a General was saluting him.
"Why are you saluting to someone who can't even see ya?" Mercury mocked the General of the Atlas Military.
"Men of honour are rare." James Ironwood said calmly. "A King even rarer. I, as a soldier, who have been honoured to work under the leadership of such a man."
Winter nodded in fierce agreement.
William smiled as he held his son by his shoulder with pride.
Cinder merely rolled her eyes as the 'good' guys.
"It is our duty, and our honour, to keep them alive in memory." His sharp blue eyes gazed upon the fields of corpses. "For those who come after us, and those who come after them." His face hardened. "For as long as men draw breath."
"He reminds me of old man Branwen." Raven told her brother who arched an eyebrow before smiling.
He truly did when he thought about it. Old man Branwen had not been their true grandfather, but the old man had taken them in as babes and taught them everything he knew. Under his leadership, the tribe had been a place of honour and justice. Not what it became after his death and a younger and crueller leader took over.
Ruby and Pyrrha smiled at Jaune who flushed at the attention.
"I didn't say that." He murmured under his breath, but the two girls did not seem to care as them latched on his arms.
"You are noble as your alternate self, Jaune." Pyrra said, and Ruby agreed.
Yang stared at the trio, fidgeting as she felt an uncomfortable feeling in her chance that she could not understand.
"They were the shields that guarded the Realms of Men." Jaune Arc had to control his breathing and his grief. Breathing deeply, he took a torch from one of his men before lighting a corpse on fire and handing to the next man.
"The shield that guarded the Realms of Men." Ironwood whispered, smiling in respect. "That is an apt title for a soldier."
Qrow almost vomited at the man crush Ironwood seemed to have on this King Jaune.
As the bodies burnt, Jaune Arc and Queen Cinder Fall exchanged a look of icy disappointment and fiery anger.
And they stood and mourned.
"Well, it does not seem that this Jaune Arc and his queen are happy with one another." Winter realized, looking at Cinder who could not care less.
"I could not imagine them getting along, anyway." Weiss told her sister. "This Jaune seems to be a man of duty and honour, despising the political ambitions of others." She explained to the room who seemed to agree with her. "On the other, the other Cinder is a woman of ambition who seeks to become Queen of Remnant."
Cinder smiled cruelly at the idea the fool girl thought only her other was that kind of woman.
"That do not seem to be a good match." Ironwood agreed, while Roman Torchwick smirked at the idea that blondie and pyromaniac could be lovers in any world.
Another flash of light later, Xander had returned.
"Well, that is the end of that world, for now." He said. "We will probably return to that world later and you can learn more about Jaune Arc of Mantle." He declared before disappearing as quickly as he came.
"Before we get started on the next world, why don't we get something to eat?" Coco suggested with a grin.
After a series of agreements, even from Salem's group, the men and women stood up, preparing to make some food.