RWBY: Shadows of Remnant

"You are banished from death, cast adrift between the worlds of light and dark. A curse binds us together to walk the earth of Remnant for all time, but we can be saved. You have been chosen to save it from the ambition of a mad woman, and only by stopping her can we be free of our curse...Jaune Arc"

Chapter VI: Remnant's of The Past

Blood red and the magenta sky's loomed over the broken land as howling beasts echoed across the unknown landscape. Large dark crystals scattered across its surface as it all leads to a large desolate and crumbling ruin, which led to a long staircase.

Over the staircase was a pitch-black cloth that draped itself over like a shadow as the cloth shrouded the shoulders of a woman, who stood at the top of the ruin as she watched out at the hundreds of Grimm before her. Her hair was white as soon and her skin just as pale. Black veins ran across her skin with a black diamond in the centre of her forehead. Her face looked gentle but her eyes screamed that of bloodlust and hate. For this was no ordinary woman, this was the mother of all Grimm...

Salem

She looked out upon the field as she held in her hands a crystal ball as the ball pulsed with dark and foreboding energy. She held the orb as concentrated for a moment before a face appeared in the sphere, the shape of a woman dressed in red with ebony hair and fiery eyes as she smirked at Salem.

"Cinder, what is the progress in Vale? Do you have the location of the Fall Maiden?" she asked as the seductress shook her head.

"No, but I am close to discovering the location as we speak. Once the Vytal Festival has begun, the invasion will begin and Ozpin will be forced to transfer the power to a host. And when that happens, he will lead me right to her," Cinder replied as Salem smirked.

"Good, continue the plan as scheduled and I'll-" she stopped abruptly as she looked off to the left as if she heard something.

"Mistress? What is the matter?" Cinder asked as the woman narrowed her eyes and turned back to the orb.

"Nothing...continue as planned, I will contact you later for another report," she said as the image distorted and the woman faded.

She looked back to where she turned and began to walk down a large hallway, the hall decorated in dark red tapestries and dark red crystals. Her heels clicking away on the crystal-like floor before she stood in front of a large black door. The door attuned with a large foreboding creature and hundreds of skulls upon its surface deigned to easily frighten the weak. Salem, however, was neither intimidated nor concerned with the door, as she opened the door with a simple gesture of her hand.

The doorway opened to reveal a dark room devoid of all light and colour, save for the one shred of light in the centre of the room. At the centre of the room rested a large pure white crystal with smaller crystals growing around the base and four symbols burned into the surface of the crystal. But what really drew her attention was the figure within the shard, a man dressed in black robes and armour while wielding a huge broad sword in his left hand. She slowly approached the large crystal as she rubbed her hand across its surface.

"What is it my beloved?" she asked in an eerily sweet and caring voice. "What has stirred you from your slumber?" she asked placed her forehead against the crystal. Silence only echoed in the chamber as Salem slowly removed her head. "The Gravewalker? But how is that possible? He perished long gone, there should be no one to stop us now," once again only silence resonated in the room as Salem nodded.

"Understood, I will inform my contacts to be vigil. You just rest and prepare...for the second coming of the Grimm King, is about to begin..." she said as from the darkness of his helmet alone red eye glowed.

City of Vale

The streets were bustling with life, as an old man was busy hanging a sign over his store, of its grand reopening since the dust store robbery a few months ago. The older man smiled as he just finished up the last of his hard work and began to get down on the ladder until he slipped and fell to the ground. He groaned slightly as he rubbed his back until a teenage girl appeared before him.

"'Scuse me, sorry. I'm not really from around here." The girl said as she helps him to his feet. "Would you mind pointing me in the direction of this shop?" she asks as the elder man looks at the green haired girl and the silver haired boy behind her. Emerald walks away from the shop owner as both wave goodbye and passes Mercury Black at a corner.

"I knew you were lost," The boy said as the girl rolled her eyes.

"Mercury, I will seriously pay you to shut up." She then produces a wallet with Lien and waves it in Mercury's face. The boy looks unamused as he looks at the wallet.

"That's not your money." He said as she shrugged.

"But it can be yours for 5 minutes of silence." She said as the boy looked slightly intrigued.

"Mmmm... no deal." He said as the girl huffs.

"Fine." She said as she takes the Lien and tosses the wallet, turning to walk away.

"Whatever. You want me." He said as the girl made a groan of disgust. "So, how much farther?" he asked as the girl pointed down the road.

"It's just A few blocks." She said as the boy looked around and scoffed at the city.

"Ugh... this place is so dull." He said as he kicked a random can away, while the girl merely looked around at the city.

"Eh, I kind of like it. Tall buildings, diverse culture..." "And nice dopey people who are easy to pickpocket," the boy finish's as the girl stops.

"That's every city." The girl says as the boy, known as Mercury plays the victim.

"Ooh, Emerald! Master thief! Please don't take my money! I barely have enough to get by!" he said as the girl, now known as Emerald glares at him while groaning angrily. "Ugh... you're no fun today." He said as they continued to walk down the street.

Emerald and Mercury then enter a shop full of books as the shop owner can be heard humming a tune. Mercury stops near the door to look at books while Emerald approaches the counter and rings a service bell.

"Be right there!" Emerald looks back at Mercury as the shop owner is seen through a set of double doors carrying stacks of books as he walks backwards and out toward the counter. "Welcome to 'Tukson's Book Trade', home to every book under the sun!" the man says as he sets the stacks. "How may I..." Turning around, he gasps and hesitates upon recognising the two of them. Mercury is now holding a book. "How may I help you?" he asks cautiously as he eyes the two.

"Just browsing," Mercury said as he shuts the book.

"Actually, I was wondering if you have any copies of "The Thief and The Butcher"?" Emeralds asked as the man glares and nods.

"Yes, we do," He said as Emerald smiles.

"That's great," Emerald says with an excited tone as Tuskon still look's cautious at the two.

"Would you... like a copy?" he asks as Emerald shakes her head.

"No, just wondering." Mercury closes another book. "Oh, oh! What about "Violet's Garden"? In paperback?" she asks as Mercury holds up another book.

"He's got it. Hardback too." Mercury says as he produces a book

"Ooh, options are nice," she said as Mercury shrugs.

"Eh, no pictures." Mercury closes the book, "Hey! Do you have any comics?" he asks as the man nods.

"...Near the front," Tuskon says as the boy nods and walks towards the front of the store.

"Oh, no, wait! What... about... "Third Crusade"?" she asks as the man flinched slightly as he appears to be visibly unnerved.

"Um... I..." Mercury and Emerald are shown to be eyeing him carefully, "...don't believe we carry that one." Mercury slams another book shut as he raises an eyebrow.

"What was this place called again?" Emerald asks as Tuskon grips the counter slightly.

"Tukson's Book Trade," he says as the Emerald points at him. "And you're Tukson, right?" he nods.

"That's right," he replies as Emerald feigns confusion.

"So, then I take it that you're the one that came up with the catchphrase?" she asks rhetorically as the man nods.

"Yes,"

"And, what was it again?"

"Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun."

"Except the Third Crusade" Emerald counters as Tuskon shrugs his shoulders.

"It's just a catchphrase." He says as Mercury shakes his head.

"It's false advertising," Mercury says as he walks towards the windows. "You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep, Tukson." He activates a switch near the entrance causing a front window to darken. "I hear that you're planning on leaving. Moving all the way to Vacuo." He activates another switch and the window in the front door darkens.

"Your brothers in the White Fang won't be happy to hear that." Mercury activates the third and final switch, darkening the last window as he smiles creepily at Tukson. "And neither are we... You know who we are, don't you?" he says as the man nods.

"Yes"

"And you know why we're here?" Emerald says as the man nods again.

"Yes"

"So... are you going to fight back?" Emerald asks as the man glares at the two and flexes his wrists.

"Yes!" Tukson then produces claws from his fingers. "Yaargh!" Tukson leaps atop his counter in a threatening manner. Mercury and Emerald back up slightly as he leaps at Emerald and slashes at her, but she dodges. He looks forward and is surprised at Mercury as he raises one leg for a kick with his shotgun-greaves.

Vale City – Hours later

Jaune, with his hood drawn over his head, walks down the street as peers around at the city that was slowly becoming more clouded and began to cover the skies above the city. It had only been a few hours since left Ozpin's office as he began to look for the location of Tuskon's shop. While Junior's information was spot on, Jaune himself had a hard time finding his way around the city as he was still not used to the large open spaces of a city such as this. Mostly due to the fact he grew up in a small village.

"I think we need to head down this way which will lead us to Dusk Till Dawn, then we continued down this street until we reach the shop," Jaune said as he looked at the map on his scroll. Inu manifesting beside him as he peered at the scroll.

"No, see we turn left here, then we reach Dusk Till Dawn. Otherwise, we'd be heading straight back to the main intersection," the ghost said as Jaune shook his head and continued to walk in the direction he was heading.

"I don't think I need to take directions from someone who's been dead for two years now," Jaune said as the spirit glared at him.

"Says the boy who found his way into a Deathstalker's lair?" the spirit said as Jaune turned to him. "Yes, I've seen your memory. You are just as bad at directions as I am. Least I have an excuse for being dead, what is yours?" he said as Jaune shook his head and ignored the spirit.

"Whatever, we're at the shop. Which means Tuskon's should be just down this way," Jaune said as they now stood out the front of from Dusk till Dawn. Only surprised to see the elderly man staring at the boy who was talking to himself. Jaune blushed as he moved past the man, while Inu seemed to chuckle at this. "Shut up," Jaune said as the spirit did quiet down and left him in silence.

As they continued to walk in silence, Jaune turned to the spirit as he manifests again beside Jaune. "Hey Inu?" he asked as the spirit turned to him. "Why do you think you have a connection to the White Fang? Were you their leader or something?" he asked as the spirit shook his head.

"No, I do not believe I was. Rather I was someone important to them, or I knew someone important. My memory is still foggy, and I only grasp at fragments of my life. But I know it meant something to me, something I cannot place my finger on." He said as he looked at the medallion in Jaune's hand.

"Whatever this medallion was, it was important to me. I think if we find other objects linked to me, then we will find our answers...or be damned to an endless nightmare," he said as he faded away from Jaune.

"Do you always have to be melodramatic?" he said as Jaune then stopped as he stood outside the store with Tuskon's name written on the top. "Well, this is it. Tuskon's Book Trade, home of every book under the sun." Jaune said as he read the quote under the sign. "He can't have every book, can he?" he said as Inu didn't respond.

"Well anyway, let's ask him what he knows," he said before Inu raised his hand.

"Wait, something is wrong here. I detect no life force coming from this store..." he said as Jaune looked worried at this.

He slowly reached out as he grasped the handle of the door and slowly pushed it open. The door opened with a loud creek as the light slowly seeped into the room. The room was dim and the lights were out as Jaune and Inu slowly moved into the store. Books were piled all over the floor as Jaune slowly moved to the counter. A soft clink was heard as Jaune looked down to see an empty bullet casing on the floor along with a small dabble of blood as Inu and Jaune looked between themselves.

"Mister Tuskon?" Jaune called out as he slowly moved to the counter. "Mister Tuskon, are you here?" he called out again as Jaune slowly peered over the counter and gasped in shock, while Inu cursed at the sight.

The slumped against the wall, a bullet straight through his chest was the man they were looking for, Tuskon, as he lay there in a pool of his own blood. Jaune instantly ran over to him as he kneeled beside the man. "Mister Tuskon!?" Jaune said as he grasped the man's shoulder. "Mister Tuskon, are you alright?" he asked as he heard no reply from the man.

"There's no use...He's dead," he said as Jaune cursed.

"Damn it, were too late. You think Roman knew we were coming here and killed him before we could question him?" he asked as the spirit shook his head.

"No, Roman could not have known we were coming here. This was someone else," he said as he gestured to the bullet casing.

"There are no explosions or excess bullet casings, Roman could not have done this. The bullet wound was done with expert precision, professional I would have to guess. Roman could not have accomplished this. And the blinds were closed before the killing occurred and the walls here are thick, so no one would hear the gunshot. None of which adds to Roman's style." he said as he looked over the store.

"Someone merely beat him to the punch," he said as Jaune looked confused.

"But why kill a simple bookstore owner? What's so important about him?" he asked as the spirit shrugged his shoulders.

"I do not know, perhaps the answer we seek is in this store. Search the store, there may be a clue as to why he was killed." He said as he vanished and Jaune looked around the room. He then spotted a door leading to the next room as he opened it up to find a storage room filled with books.

"He really liked books," Jaune said as he passed all the books on the shelves. "I've never seen so many books in one place, other than a library. The guy must have spent ages gathering them up," he said as Inu nodded.

"But still, why kill a bookstore owner?" he asked as a loud noise banged upstairs, frightening Jaune and forcing him to turn to another door at the end of the room.

He slowly approached the door and opened it up to a staircase leading up. He and Inu nodded as they slowly went up the stair, Jaune drawing the broken blade off his back as he slowly made his up the stairs and grasped the handle. He slowly twisted the handle as the door opened with a creek, peering through the gap he then jumped with fright as a cat burst from the room and quickly scurried down the staircase.

"Gah! Stupid cat!" Jaune said as he held his hand to his heart. "Nearly scared me to death!" he said as Inu looked at Jaune.

"Was that a joke?" he asked as Jaune glared at the spirit before walking into the room and gasping in shock. "Well..." Inu said as he turned to the boy, "Now we know why he was killed," he said as the room was filled with White Fang propaganda and posters.

All along the walls, Jaune could see posters and banners supporting the White Fang, with pictures and new's clippings of the many White Fang demonstration and actions against humanity. But aside from the propaganda, there were also computers and disposable scrolls scattered around the room as Jaune could see multiple servers and hard drives connected to each other.

"I think it's safe to assume our Bookstore owner was a proud member of the White Fang...or rather used to be," Inu said as he looked around the room. Images of the White Fang symbol in red caused anger and disdain to swell within the spirit's soul. Jaune nodded as he walked over to the computers and tapped on the keys, a series of lines and codes appearing on the screen.

"It looks like he was gathering intel for the White Fang," Jaune said as he could only understand a fraction of what he saw on the screen. "Look at all this, it's massive. There are police patrol schedules, dust store locations, profiles. There's enough information here to sell to an army," he said as Inu looked around the room.

"Or a group of angry, fanatical Faunus," the man said as Jaune looked at the computer.

"Hey, there's security footage. Maybe we can find out who killed him," Jaune said as he noticed a set of Scroll players hooked up to a set of Dust Screens. But when Jaune attempted to play any footage back, all he saw was static. "Damn, they must have gotten rid of the footage," Jaune said as he shook his head. "Well, so much for that lead," Jaune said as he looked to Inu. "Now what?" he asked as the spirit shrugged his shoulders.

"No idea, we should head back to Ozpin and inform him what's happened. Maybe he would know someone that can decipher the information," he said as Jaune nodded and began to walk away. But just as he did, he knocked over a box as the contents spilt over the floor. Jaune and Inu's eyes widened in shock at the contents as multiple objects pertained to the previous White Fang group, with another medallion like that of Inu's.

"H-hey, that's your medallion, isn't it?" Jaune asked he looked down at the Medallion.

"It is, but this one is younger, probably the old one handed to the previous White Fang Members," he said as Jaune knelt and hesitantly touched, half expecting the same thing to happen as last time. But nothing happened as he picked up the Medallion.

"Well, at least we know it wasn't connected to you?" Jaune said as he looked through the other stuff. "Lots of old stuff here, the guy must have been a real supporter," Jaune said as he looked over the objects as Inu narrowed his eyes at the Medallion, a strange feeling surging in his chest as he felt he there was more to the Medallion then what it appeared to be. The Spirit quickly looked around the room as he soon spotted a small indent in the wall.

"Jaune, the wall over there," he said as Jaune looked over to the wall as he saw the indent.

He walked over as he noticed that there was a small indent like the medallion. He held the medallion up as he looked at it and the hole before placing the medallion in the hole. A small section of the wall suddenly opened behind a framed poster as it revealed a small safe. He opened the safe as he noticed what looked like a small chisel was kept within the safe, he was about to reach in and grab it before Inu stopped him.

"Careful!" he said as Jaune looked at him, "This chisel has the same energy as the Medallion from last time. If we touch this, we will experience the same thing we felt last time," he said as Jaune looked at the tool. "Be careful, we have no idea what we'll see when we touch this thing," he said as Jaune and picked up the chisel.

Instantly his arm began to glow as his mind began to flood with images and memories as a bright light surrounded him.

A slightly older Inu stood next to a forge as he chiselled away at an ornate armour plate as the fires of the forge burned brightly in the dark room. He finished chiselling the last of the engravings and placed the finished work to the side. The door opened as Tuskon came into the room.

"Tuskon, about time you got here, tell Ghira I'm just about to finish his order and that I will be at the meeting shortly," he said as he placed the plate in a chest. He then noticed the sombre mood on his face as he stood up, "Tuskon? What's wrong?" he asked as Tuskon sighed,

"Its Ghira...he's stepping down as Leader of the White Fang and they've elected a new leader," he said as Inu's eyes widened at this.

"What! Why would he do that!?" he said as Tuskon shook his head.

"The others in the White Fang have grown restless with how things have been progressing and they're blaming him for not doing anything about it. They think he hasn't done enough for the White Fang so they decided to vote him out of the position effective immediately," he said as Inu grew angry.

"That's absurd! Ghira has done more for the White Fang than any other member! Who is it that has taken his place!?" he said as Tuskon sighed.

"Sienna Khan,"

"Khan! Why the hell would they choose her!? Don't they realise what will happen if they choose her?! Sienna has been after his position, ever since the White Fang was founded!" he said as Tuskon nodded.

"I know, but the Council have already made their decision. Sienna Khan is the new leader of the White Fang and she is already making some drastic changes." He said as Inu cursed.

"This isn't right! This is going to ruin everything we've worked for!" Inu said as he turned to Tuskon nodded. "I need to speak with Ghira, where is he?"

"He's planning on heading back to Menagerie soon, but listen, Ghira willingly stepped down and he's planning on retiring. I doubt there is anything you can say that will change his mind," he said as Inu glared.

"We'll see about that," he said as Tuskon sighed and watched the man grab is gear and leave.

"Good luck...Tetsu..."

Jaune gasped a deep breath of air as he woke up on the floor again, the chisel still in his hand as Jaune turned around. "Tetsu... that man called you Tetsu...That's your name, isn't it?" he asked as he turned around and the spirit nodded.

"Yes...that was my name...Tetsu no ōkami no Inu Masamune...'The Iron Wolf-Dog'...that was my name, long ago..." he said as he stared at the chisel.

"I remember now, Tuskon was my friend...he and I served together in the original White Fang years ago, before our leader stepped down...he was my friend...and he was murdered!" the spirit said as he gripped his hand and Jaune could feel the spirits rage coursing through his own soul. He then felt control begin taken away from as Inu, or rather Tetsu, was full enraged.

"They Murdered Him! Butchered Him Like an Animal!" he roared as his eyes glowed like fire.

"THEY WILL PAY! THEY WILL ALL PAY! HELL WILL HAVE NOWHERE SAFE TO HIDE WHEN I FIND THEM! THEY WILL BURN!" he roared as blue flames suddenly surrounded Jaune body as it blasted outwards and smashing everything in the room.

"INU STOP!" Jaune managed to say as the spirit turned his gaze to the boy.

"I know you're furious and I know you have every right to be. But getting angry is not going to change anything, we need to focus and get back to Ozpin. He might know more about what's going on, and he might be able to tell us more about who you are," he said as the spirit glared and then slowly released control back to Jaune.

"I'm...I'm sorry...you're right, we need to know more about what's going on here. I may know my name now, but my past is still a mystery to me..." he then perked up as he looked out the window. "Though it appears that my past will have to wait..." he said as Jaune looked confused. He then walked over as he saw several hooded men walking into the store.

"We've got company," Jaune nodded and drew his hood over his head.

Jaune quickly hid in the room as several footsteps resonated up the stairway. Two men walked in as they walked towards the computers, "Grab the hard drives, Adam wants them back to the hideout by sundown." One of them said as Jaune cursed silently.

'Shit, they're getting rid of the evidence!' Jaune spoke in his mind as Inu nodded.

"We have to stop them, that evidence could help us narrow down who murdered Tuskon," Inu said as he gestured to the man standing behind his friend. "We have to take them out one by one, start with the one closest. My abilities should make it harder for them to hear you approach, while you strike him from behind," he said as Jaune spun to him.

'You want me to kill them!?'

"We have no choice! They are going to get away with the only evidence we need, without it, we'll be back at square one!" he said as Jaune cursed and drew the broken blade from his back and slowly crept behind the man. His footsteps silent upon the wooden board as he inched slowly towards the unsuspecting figure. Jaune raised the blade to strike the man but hesitated as he looked at the man and the blade in his hand.

Would he really do this? Would he really kill a man from behind like an assassin hiding in the shadows? Could he kill a man? He had killed plenty of Grimm, there was no doubt he could. But this was another life, a life with a soul. Could he take another life?

"Hey, what's the holdup?" a voice called out as Jaune flinched, "We need to head back to hideout before-Shit! Intruder!" a voice suddenly called out as Jaune turned to see another White Fang member coming up the stairway.

The man in front of him spun around and gasped before he tackled Jaune and tried to wrestle the blade from his hand. But Jaune managed to grab him back as they both wrestled in the room. The man at the stairwell rushed as he attempted to fight the man, but Inu quickly manifested like an invisible force and deflected the man's attack. The man that got thrown growled as he pulled out a gun and shot at the boy, only for Jaune to quickly pull him and the struggling man out of the way as the rounds slammed into the wall.

Sirens started to sound in the distance as the White Fang cursed. "Shit! Grab the hard drives! We need to go!" he said as the man on the computer swore as he removed the hard drives and quickly shot the computers.

"Got the hard drives! Let's go!" he said as both ran out of the room.

"Deal with the brat!" the man said as Jaune continued to struggle against the assailant. The man was clearly larger and stronger then Jaune expected and it was taking every ounce of his strength just to hold him back. He tried to break free, but only succeeding in allowing the man to wrap his hands around his neck and began to choke him. Jaune was struggling for breath as the man continued to grip tight around his throat.

"Jaune!" Inu said as Jaune started to fade to black, yet acting on instinct Jaune managed to grab his fallen blade and thrust the broken sword into the man's neck.

Silence resonated in the room as Jaune looked up in shock as the man grabbed his own throat, trying to stop the blood that now flowed from his neck. He stumbled back as he backed against some crates and fell to the floor, loud gasping noises escaping his mouth as he choked on his own blood. But all Jaune could do was stare at the man who was looking up at him with pleading eyes as his life slowly ebbed away at his feet. Until finally he stopped moving and fell limp on the floor...

He was dead...he killed a man...

Jaune could only stare in shock as the dull sounds of a speeding off echoed in the distance as Inu manifested beside the window as he watched a black van speed away.

"They've escaped, damn it! We were so close!" Inu raged as he turned to the boy, "Jaune! Why didn't you-!" he stopped hover as he noticed the horrified look on Jaune's face as he knelt beside the body. "Jaune?" he said as the boy looked down at his hands.

"...I killed him..." he said with a small voice as looked at his hands, "...I-I didn't mean to kill him... h-he just wouldn't stop, I-I had no choice he..." he said as Inu frowned as he was reminded that Jaune was still only a child when it came to stuff like this. The sight of blood and death was nothing new to the spirit, but this was Jaune first kill. The first time he drew blood. He was about to say something to the boy when he heard sirens in the distance.

"Jaune, we have to go," Jaune didn't respond as he stared at the man on the floor. Inu placed a hand on his shoulder as he turned to the spirit. "Jaune, I know this is difficult, but you had no choice. He was trying to kill you, you were only defending yourself," he said as Jaune looked at him.

"But I can't die...so why did I have to kill him?" he asked as the Spirit frowned.

"Because you did what anyone would do in your position...survive," he said as Jaune looked back to the body and slowly stood up. He sheathed the blade to his back as he walked out the door, but not before looking back one last time to the life he took and hung his head in shame. Inu remained behind to stare at the Faunus as the sighed and then disappeared.

Later – Beacon Academy

Back at Beacon, Ozpin and Glynda were looking over the seven students as they just finished up one of the most epic food fights Beacon had ever seen. It was Team RWBY vs JNPR (minus Jaune) as the two teams had gone head to head with each other as they fought with all sorts of condiments, as well as destroying a good portion of the cafeteria. Luckily Glynda could repair the damage with her semblance as she reprimanded the students for their childish behaviour.

"Children, please. Do not play with your food!" she said as she adjusted her glasses as the teens. Nora burps aloud as both Teams JNPR and RWBY try and fail to compose themselves. A screaming Yang then crashes from the ceiling into one of the tables. Glynda grumbles only to stop as Ozpin approaches and places a hand on her shoulder.

"Let them be Glynda, it's alright to let them have their fun,' he said as Glynda shook her head.

"They're supposed to be the defenders of the world," she said as the man nodded.

"And they will be, but right now they're still children." Team RWBY is shown laughing together with JNPR as they all laugh together. "So why not let them play the part? After all, it isn't a role they'll have forever." He said as he looked upon the seven.

His gaze, however, was then turned to the windows as he spotted Jaune walking past the cafeteria. At first, he was relieved to see the boy return so soon, but then instantly noticed something was wrong as he saw a difference in his stride. The way he walked and the way he hung his head instantly told him something had happened to him as he seemed to be walking without purpose or clear direction as he merely stared at the ground before him. Something had clearly happened to the boy, and he had a feeling that he wouldn't like it.

His team noticed as well as Nora had a bright smile on her face, "Jauney! There you are, where've you been?" she called as the boy stopped to look through the window, he stared at the seven before he drew his hands into his cloak and walked away at a quickened pace. "Jaune?" she said as all of them watched the boy walk away from them, while Ozpin turned to Glynda and excused himself.

Glynda as well had a look of concern as she watched the man walk towards the boy, as they both stopped before each other and then walked towards the tower. She sent a gaze to the children as they looked amongst themselves, wondering what was it that was causing Jaune's strange behaviour. Glynda turned back to the two as she wondered what had happened?

And if she even wanted to know?

Vale – Warehouse District

Roman was looking over all the Dust he had stolen as he found a sense of pride in his work. Roman was a thief and a proud one at that. He always made sure that he stole what he wanted and was paid for what others needed. Having the resources and the organisation he had now, he felt happy to be part of 'the winning team'. But something gnawed at the back of his mind as he thought back to the kid with the broken sword. He knew that craftsmen ship and he knew there was only one person capable of crafting a blade of that magnitude.

So how the heck did some kid come into possession of it? Because as he recalled, the blade should still be back at-. He was cut off as he heard three people approaching him from behind as he turned to see two teens strolled into the base.

"Oh, look! She sent the kids again! This is turning out just like the divorce!" Roman approaches the two from behind and wraps his arms around them in a group hug. Emerald instantly scowled as she and Mercury shoved the man away.

"Spare us the thought of you procreating." She said as Roman smirked.

"That was a joke. And this... just might tell me where you two have been all day." Roman says as he produces a piece of paper from his pocket

"What!?" Emerald said as she reached for her pocket and noticed the paper was missing, she growled in annoyance as the man smirked at her.

"I'm a professional, sweetheart. Pay attention, maybe you'll learn something." Holding up the piece of paper, he frowns as he see's the address written on it. "Why do you have this address?" he asked as Emerald crosses her arms and scoffs at the man.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she said as Roman felt a blood vessel swell on his head.

"Yeah, I would. Now where have you been all day?" he asked as the girl merely shrugs her should as she leans on a crate.

"Just cleaning up your problems. One of them, at least." She said as the man scowled at them, as he waved the paper in their faces.

"I had that under control," he said as Mercury chuckled.

"Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise," he said as Roman turned and glared at the boy

"Listen, you little punk. I don't care how good you think you are, you're still just a brat, no matter who your father was," he said as Mercury suddenly had an enraged look on his face. But he managed to calm himself as he Roman glare at him. "You still don't go out without my permission, If it were up to me, then I would take you and your little street rat friend here and..."

"Do what, Roman?" a voice calls out from above as the three looked up to see Cinder as she appears on a platform above them. She steps onto an automated lift, riding it down to their level.

Roman chuckles nervously as he steps away from him. "I'd, uh... not kill them?" he said as Emerald had a delighted look on her face.

"Cinder!" she said as the woman merely ignored her and walked over to Roman.

"I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway?" she questions as Roman rolled his eyes.

"I was going to...

"He was going to escape to Vacuo! Mercury and I decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat," Emerald interrupted as she had a look of pride on her face, while Mercury had a confused one.

"I think he was some sort of cat, actually"

"What? Like a puma?"

"Yeah, there ya go,"

"Quiet," Cinder suddenly said as the two flinched at her gaze. "Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hand's clean while in Vale?" Cinder speaks, Roman points a finger at the pair while laughing in agreement.

"I just thought..." Roman shakes his head as he uses his fingers to mime having a slit throat, while Cinder merely glared at them.

"Don't think... obey." She commanded as the girl hung her head.

"Yes, ma'am. It won't happen again," she said as Roman chuckled in the background.

"And you," she said as it was now Roman's turn to flinch, "Why wasn't this job done sooner?" she asked as Emerald and Mercury snickered in the background.

"Uh...?" he points to a crate full of Dust, "Eh...?" he said as he points to an even larger crate. "Eh...?" he now directs their attention to a large shipping container loaded with Dust. "EHHHHH!" he gestures all around him at the large warehouse full of dust and weapons. "Sorry if I've been too busy stealing every Speck of Dust in the Kingdom!" he says as Mercury scoffs at this.

"You're an inspiration to every punk with a gun and a ski mask," he remarks as Emerald chuckles at his enraged face.

"Look around, kid. I've got this town running scared! Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, and we're sitting pretty in an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, phials, and rounds than we know what to do with!

Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might make my next string of robberies go a little smoother!" He emphasises the last word by clenching his fist.

Cinder, however, smirks as she approaches Roman. "Oh, Roman. Have a little faith." She places her hand on his face. "You'll know what you need when you need to know," she said as Roman seems entranced, but then looks away with a grunt. "Besides, we're done with Dust." She says and begins to walk away.

"O-okay, then what now?"

"We're moving. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight." She said as Roman looks confused.

"Coordinates?" he asked as the woman turns back to him.

"We're proceeding to phase two." She commanded as she was about to walk away when Roman remembered something.

"By the way," he called out as Cinder and her entourage stops. "At the last job, there was a weird kid there, had some sort of weird glow about him," he said as he turns to her.

"And he had a sword with him, the same one Tetsu crafted...the same one he died with," he said as Cinder ponders this but ultimately ignores it as she and the others left. Roman sighs as he attempts to light a cigar, but realises Emerald has stolen his lighter. She turns back to face him and sticks her tongue out defiantly before flicking the lighter shut.

And Scene, well here is Chapter IV of The Shadow of Remnant, my god it has been a while since I updated this story. I swear I think there was some actual dust in the folder on my computer. Cough! Cough! But after seeing the new Shadow of War game coming out, the fires of this Fic have been reignited...maybe, I have a lot to deal with in the coming weeks so I cannot guarantee this will be updated regularly. I'm more focused on my other Stories for the moment, such as Restart, Remnant Knight, Remnant Rider and Ascension.

Also, yes I decided to Name Inu as Tetsu no ōkami no Inu Masamune, but will still be called Inu. Mainy for him being a Wolf-Dog hybrid Faunus and named after the colour Grey of Iron. And I decided to name him after Masamune, the greatest swordsmith in the world. There is a reason for this.

I may update some of my older Fics, but the Last Light of Arc is cancelled. I have just nothing to continue it, so feel free to adopt the story. Any who thanks for reading and leave a review in the bottom. Also, still looking for a writer to write reaction fics for my stories, PM and let me know if you are interested.

Masseffec-TxS out!