Flame and Crimson: OC x Ruby (DBXV x RWBY)

Hey there everyone Novaflame6 here again! Sorry for the long wait, but the next chapter is here! We will be continuing where volume 3 wrapped up last chapter and volume 4 started.

There were some intersting developments between certain characters and I plan to delve more in depth with those over the course of volume 4 of rwby's part in this story.

There will be some obvious differences due to 1: more character are a part of the story than there would be in the cannonized story of rwby and 2: there's the dynamic of animosity between the Dark Elves and the Humans... not to mention that a WAR has broken out between them after the fall of Beacon.

Below are some polls regarding characters NOT named Odyn, Ruby, Yang, or Roy...

Who would be the best option for Blake:

Giblet

Shallot

Sun

Valvahdern

Other male character (suggestion)

Who in this story is the best option for Hailfire?

Sun

Neptune

Beat

Giblet

Shallot

Yatsuhashi

Oscar

Who should Jinjer end up with?

Sun

Zero

Valvahdern

Yatsuhashi

Who does Scarlett end up with?

Sun

Neptune

Giblet

Shallot

Zero

Valvaderhn

Who should Giblet end up with?

Velvet Scarlatina

Hailfire Caldern

Blake Belladonna

Emerald Sustrai

Penny Polendina

Aiko Reinhardt

Who should Shallot end up with?

Blake Belladonna

Velvet Scarlatina

Hailfire Caldern

Emarald Sustrai

Aiko Reinhardt

Scarlett Reinheardt

Opening theme: Hibana (Tales of Arise opening 1)



Visuals: Starts out showing Odyn walking forward with Ruby following behind him as it pans up to the sky upon showing the title card: Flame and Crimson. The screen briefly goes to a shot of Odyn's hands before cutting to field surrounded in flames. Ruby looks up to the sky as the silhouettes of her family members are seen walking in the background of her mind. The camera then pans to Odyn reaching a hand towards Ruby, who accepts it as the they walk forward.

The camera then pans to others within the group of friends, ranging from Khanna and Mercury fighting off Grimm, to Syrrai and Jaune training as they clash swords. Roy and Yang are seen sparring before she falls to the ground frustrated with herself momentarily before Roy offers a hand to help her up to her feet. It then pans to several lights, representing the group of friends. Odyn reaches out towards Ruby and the two of them grab hands before standing back to back with their weapons drawn.

The dark elf then draws his blade as he rushes towards a giant Grimm. After slashing it, a few times and dodging it with Roy accompanying him. They're saved by a shot from Ruby's sniper scythe. The scene then pans to Baron and Flare fighting off a wyvern Grimm with Blake, Shallot, Yang, and Sun helping. As the beast closed in, Syrrai rushes in and knocks back the beast with an Arte from her shield.

This opened up things for Daikon to blast the beast away. Odyn is then seen to be clashing swords with someone in dark armor briefly before both gain distance and charge in again for a final clash. The clash causes the screen to go white, fading into a field where everyone meets and walks off towards mistral together.

Chapter 29: Future Step part II; The Beginning of War...

After the opening, the screen comes up to reveal Weiss Schnee walking down a long, carpeted hallway of blue, white and gray. Protruding columns from the walls are decorated with black sconces and lit candles.

Nature paintings are hung in an alternating pattern between the columns. There is also the occasional cushioned chair or round coffee table placed along the walls. From there as she keeps walking, she is next seen to be walking along an upper-level balcony above a large dining hall. A white and green floral centerpiece decorates the white-clothed table. Every column both above and below bears a sconce, but these candles are not lit. Beside Weiss on the balcony are large arch-shaped openings with white gauze curtains.

Through one of the curtains, a crystal chandelier can be seen in another room. There is a shut, brown wooden door in the direction Weiss is heading. The girl briefly sighs in reluctance and in slight hesitation before steeling herself as she walks up to the door.

"You can do this, Weiss.. Just breathe.. Okay, here we go.," Weiss thought to herself.

Upon opening the door, She is seen to be walking down a rather wide and expansive stairway with curling balconies on either side. Large armor statues fill the space on either side of the bottom stairs. Behind Weiss, a paned triptych of arched windows lets in the sun, casting her shadow onto the blue-carpeted steps in front of her. The floor at the bottom of the stairs has a blue and white oval design in its center. Both levels have open archways leading to other rooms.

Walking into another room with blue and white floor patterns, Weiss strides pass a life-size statue of a King Taijitu without looking up. Once again, both the lower level and the balcony level have open archways and unlit sconces. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling. An upward view shows that the chandelier is in the middle of a blue and white circular pattern that matches the floor pattern from the previous room. From the point of view of a music room, Weiss is seen walking down another hallway. In the music room is a large grand piano with open sheet music.

A portrait on the wall shows a picture of her brother, Whitley Schnee. Weiss walks alone in the hallway, never having looked up the entire time until she has a startled reaction to hearing her brother's voice coming from right in front of her.

"Good afternoon, dear sister.," Whitley said.

A teenage boy, somewhat younger than Weiss, stands before her. He's got his hand on his chest and he affects a bow.

"It's a pleasure to see you finally out of your room for a change.," Whitley said to Weiss.

Weiss side steps him and turns to face him as she speaks. Whitley mirrors his sister's actions and the result is that it appears that the two Schnee siblings are circling each other.

"Hello there, Whitley. You're.. certainly in a cheery mood today.," Weiss remarks.

"Klein made Crepes for breakfast.," Whitley says as he clasps his hands behind his back while still smiling.

Weiss let her smile falter a bit.

"What do you want?," Weiss asked now suspicious.

"I heard Father shouting at someone in the study earlier.," Whitley said.

Weiss couldn't help but to think the worst.

"Mother?," Weiss asked hesitantly.

The teen shook his head, while donning a thoughtful expression. The whole time however that condescending smirk towards Weiss never left his face.

"No. She's already... you know, drinking in the garden. I believe it was a man.," Whitley replied.

Weiss looks up at him when he says this. The boy then feigns a look of concern for his 2nd eldest sister.

"I just wanted to warn you. I heard he wanted to speak with you.," Whitley said.

Weiss offered a small smile.

"I'll be fine, Whitley.," Weiss replied.

"I know you will, because you're strong, just like Winter.," Whitley said.

Weiss raised a confused eyebrow at this.

"You never liked Winter though...," Weiss responded.

The boy shrugged.

"That's true, but you can't deny her resolve. She at least has that going for her.," Whitley said.

Behind Weiss the Schnee Dust Company emblem can be seen above the archway she was walking toward.

"You seem... different, Whitley. What happened to you?," Weiss asked out of concern for her brother.

"You've been gone... I'll have you know I never stopped growing while you were away. So there were some things that you wouldn't know about." Whitley said before turning and walking away from her.

As he turned and began walking awy from Weiss, the lower half of a family portrait can just be seen on the wall between where the two were standing.

"Also, good luck with Father!," Whitley said as he continued walking away.

After Whitley is gone, Weiss then responds.

"Thank you.," She says.

She continues walking, and there is a close-up view of the family portrait. Clockwise they are Jacques Schnee, Weiss, Whitley, Winter, and Mrs. Schnee. Jacques has black hair that is graying and a full mustache. Mrs. Schnee has a stern look on her face, Winter and Weiss are frowning, Whitley is smiling, and Jacques has a neutral expression.

Elsewhere...

The screen pans to a view of a certain emcampment not far from Atlas. Tents and temporary barracks, along with men practicing spear drills in a field are seen. Knights, Guardians, and swordsmen are also seen practice sparring with each other. These men and women all had one thing in common: They were of Dark Elven descent. Whether full blooded, Hybrid Dark Elf, or even quarter, they were all welcomed into the ranks of the Elven armies.

They were all fighting for the sake of their rights as elves; as people in this world. The screen pans away from the soldiers and towards the High Queen, Hyatan, who looked on into the distance. She was accompanied by her husband, the High King, Berethon, who was beside her. Hyatan was just getting her armor put on by another officer within the Elven army by the name of Lynnia.

Lynnia spoke up as she was putting on the armor for her Queen, knowing that her ruler's mind was upon the conflict their people would soon be thrust into.

"What might be troubling your mind, Your Grace?," Lynnia asked.

"Everything to come, I suppose.," Hyatan answered.

"Everything to come, Your Grace?," Lynnia asked.

Hyatan nodded before Lynnia continued.

"You mean the war with Atlas, yes?," Lynnia asked.

Berethon then interjected.

"Not just with Atlas, but with our real enemy and ultimately with the Underworld and "That Woman" and her followers.," Berethon said.

"Indeed, the war with Atlas is just a formality in comparison to the conflict with our true enemy.," Hyatan explained.

Lynnia nodded in understanding.

"With the Devils themselves, correct my lieges?," Lynnia asked.

The King and Queen both nodded in agreement. The time for sitting back and hiding was past, now it was time to go on the offensive. As the young Dark Elven woman finished suiting the Queen with Armor, Sybyrh and Tarro arrived onto the scene. Sybyrh and Tarro both knelt in front of the two Dark Elven Sovereigns.

"Everything is ready now, my lieges.," Sybyrh said.

Tarro also spoke up.

"Shall we rally the troops, your majesties?," Tarro asked.

Berethon and Hyatan then shared a look before the King then nodded towards the saiyan.

"Indeed lad, the time for preparation has passed. It is time to march.," Berethon said.

"As you wish, milord.," Tarro replied.

Sybyrh and Tarro nodded and then went to do as instructed. While Hyatan then called Zero forward.

"Zero or.. would you prefer i called you Xander instead?," Hyatan asked.

The dark elf in silver armor then spoke.

"I will respond to either, Your Grace.," He replied.

Hyatan nodded as she took in that information before continuing.

"What is the status within Vale, currently?," Hyatan asked.

"Reconstruction of the city is ... still a work in progress, milady. The Grimm did quite the massive amount of damage to the city. It is.. taking a bit longer than previously expected to rebuild, but it is still well within the parameters of our foreseen timeline.," Xander replied.

Hyatan nodded as if processing the information. They could work with that.

"Excellent. Keep up the good work. Was there something else?," She asked.

"Nothing except the rebuidling is proceeding quite smoothly thanks to the efforts of miss Goodwitch, Sir Oobleck, and Sir Port.," Xander responded.

Hyatan smiled and then dismissed him to attend to his duties. Berethon then spoke up.

"I do understand your drive to get Vale rebuilt as soon as possible, dear. But we mustn't rush them.," Berethon said before pausing. "That said... I do wish to see miss Ruby and Odyn's wedding there sometime in the future."

Hyatan nodded.

"Indeed, dear. Once this is overwith we should consider retiring and choosing a successor.," The elven queen suggested.

The King nodded as he was being suited up by a young dark elven boy by the name of Reyan.

"Indeed... It would seem the time for that is approaching, isn't it?," He heartily chuckled.

The thought of such an occasion brought a sense of merriment to elven rulers minds, one in which humans, dark elves, and faunus could be friends and enjoy one another's company without the need for bloodshed and hatred. Their sincere hope was by the time Odyn and Ruby's wedding was upon them in the newly restored capital city of Vale, that the three races would have no more need for any of that.

"Although, dear... We may have cause for a few weddings in the future. Not just one.," Hyatan asked.

Berethon raised a curious eyebrow at this, nit quite understanding what his wife was implying.

"Whatever do you mean by that, my queen?," Berethon asked.

Hyatan chuckled at her husband's answer. He may have been the Dark Elven High King and the man who was her husband, but Berethon could be quite clueless when it came to the complexities of women's hearts and feelings.

"Just a feeling, hun. Call it intuition. I have a feeling that Odyn and Sarai won't be the only two of our people close to us to find love in ways they didn't expect.," Hyatan answered.

Unsure what to do with that information, Berethon simply decided to trust his wife's judgement on that. As the young dark elf, Reyan, finished fitting his king into his armor. Reyan knelt, holding the king's sword out for him.

"Your blade, my liege.," Reyan said kneeling.

Berethon nodded and thanked the boy.

"I thank you, young one.," Berethon said before grasping his weapon.

Looking towards his wife, Hyatan, he nodded once more, extending his free hand towards her.

"Shall we, Aya?," He asked.

Hyatan chuckled and grasped the hand of her husband and king, happy at being referred to by her nickname Berethon gave her when they were still courting in anticipation of getting married.

"Yes, of course my King. We shall.," Hyatan answered.

The screen then fades to white as The king and queen are seen to be walking towards the waiting crowd and raucus cheers from the gathered Elven soldiers.

Meanwhile in a field on the way towards mistral...

The camera cuts to black as Ruby is seen to sleeping, but hears familiar voices in her sleep. Almost as if the experience atop Beacon Tower were etched into her being. She subconsciously remembered what happened.

"Do you believe in destiny?"- Pyrrha

As Pyrrha speaks, small white circles, again blurred, move slightly around a center screen that remains black.

Cinder- "Yes"

Pyrrha- Jaune?

Ruby Rose's voice is heard shouting Pyrrha's name, just as she had when her latent power activated at Pyrrha's death.

Ruby wakes up in a silent gasp, looking around frantically. She sees her friends, Nora, Ren, Jaune, and Sarai or Syrra still asleep in sleeping bags on the ground next to her and hddled around a long burned out campfire. Magnhild, Nora's dust weapon rests on the ground next to her. Ruby sits up and looks around before noticing that Odyn's sleeping bag was empty, along with his sword, Ardenfangh, was gone.

She briefly panicked for a few moments before sighing in relief when she saw her fiancée, Odyn looking out into the distance. Ruby is still feeling the effects of using her latent power within her silver eyes atop Beacon tower as she holds her head in slight pain while making her way over towards the dark elf. Burds can be heard tweeting, signaling morning had come peacefully. Odyn smiles as he noticed Ruby approaching him.

"You're up a bit early, my little rose.," Odyn said smiling.

Ruby nodded and laughed lightly before clutching her head and holding her side in slight pain.

"Heh heh heh, yeah you got me. Ouch! Why are you up so early, Odyn?," Ruby asked lightly chuckling.

Odyn thought how to best answer that question before speaking.

"I suppose the easiest answer to your question is that I was feeling a bit... restless I suppose. Given all that's happened.. I take it you couldn't sleep either?," Odyn answered before noticing his girlfriend wincing in slight pain.

"You alright, little Rose?," He asked.

Ruby nodded slightly fatigued.

"Y..yeah, I'll be alright. Head still hurts a bit though..," Ruby answered.

"Hm.. perhaps a side effect of using your latent powers when they'd never been used before..," Odyn mused in thought before continuing.

"But your pain is only temporary, Ruby. Once you fully become an elf, that won't bother you. You'll have a body capable of handling strain like your human body wasn't capable of before."

Ruby nodded as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Odyn looked over at his girlfriend, she'd grown significantly taller since her blood began to change and her hair... it still was black, but now it had streaks of silver, blue, and her crimson highlights that she was known for. And her ears.. they were looking more and more like an elf's now.. they still had their fading human shape, but the pointing of them was becoming more pronounced. By tomorrow, no... probably by the end of the day Ruby's ears would be that of an elf's.

That meant one thing: Ruby had by the end of the day before she was a full fledged elf. The girl then spoke up.

"I was kinda scared when I woke up though.. I thought you'd left already.,"Ruby said.

Odyn looked at her, studying those silver eyes of hers that were laced with emotion currently.

"But you know I'd never even dream of doing that to you, right little rose?," Odyn replied.

Ruby nodded as she interlaced her fingers with Odyn's as she grabed his hand.

"Yeah, I know that. I'm glad I was wrong with my initial thoughts upon waking up. You mean everything to me, Odyn. I.. I can't imagine my life without you anymore.," Ruby said.

Odyn smiled at her.

"And neither can I, little Rose. It's hard to think of my life going forward without you in it.," He said.

The two sat in silence for a moment, nefore Odyn spoke up again.

"Once this is all over, little Rose, there's something important I need to tell you, okay? Think you can be patient until we figure out all this business with Haven first?," Odyn asked.

Ruby silently chuckled.

"For you Odyn, of course. I'm willing to wait as long as you need me to. Just know that uh... I may have something of similar importance to tell you once this Haven business is taken care of, okay?," Ruby replied.

"Of course, little rose.," Odyn replied.

The two then just stayed in silence like that for awhile, content to simply enjoy each other's company for the time being. The others, while quiet, simply were smirking at the two lovebirds and acted as if they were asleep so they wouldn't disturb them.

The scene then transitions to the group walking down a road after the sun has risen with Ruby looking rather confused at a map in front of her.

"So... uh.. the next town is.. uh.. uh- huh, we're lost.," Ruby said after failing to be able to read the map properly.

Jaune thwn spoke up.

"We're not lost. The next town is Shion, my family and I used to visit it all the time." Jaune said.

Ruby nodded again.

"Uh huh, don't you have like.. four sisters, Jaune?," Ruby asked her friend.

"Uh, try seven.," Jaune answered.

Ruby giggles.

"Seven, huh? You know, that actually explains alot then.," Nora answered this time.

"So what did you guys do there then?," Ruby asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, all sorts of stuff! Over here is a great hiking trail, and over here is where we went camping all the time. I got my own tent because I was special. Also, so my sisters would stop braiding my hair.", Jaune explained.

Sarai was seen to be giggling at the thought of Jaune's hair constantly being braided into feminine styles of hair as a young boy.

"Didn't like the look then?," Ruby asked.

Jaune shook his head.

"Nah. I prefer to think of myself as more of "warrior's wolf tail" kind of a guy. Pigtails aren't really my thing." Jaune said.

The girls raised confused eyebrows as Ruby voiced their thoughts.

"But isn't that just a ponytail?," Ruby asked confused.

"I stand by what I said.," Jaune said back.

This conversation was rather amusing for the rest of the group until Nora asked a question that took Ruby off guard a little, given the timing of it.

"Speaking of hair... you never did finish telling us what exactly happened to you, Ruby? Why do you look so... different now?," Nora asked.

Ruby wasn't really expecting that question and stumbled over her words a little in surprise.

"D-Different? I don't know what you mean by that.," Ruby said flustered as she looked to Odyn who nodded.

"No, I think you do know, Ruby. Your hair is different, longer even. And... have you gotten taller? You're almost the same height as Odyn is now..," Nora said in observation.

The other members of JNPR nodded as they took notice of the physical changes within Ruby as well. Ren and Jaune each spoke up, confirming their agreement with Nora's question.

"She is right, you know. You do seem... *observes Ruby's physical changes to her appearance briefly* a bit different.," Ren said.

Jaune nodded.

"Yeah Ruby, I don't think your hair was that color or length the last time we spoke, and... is it just me or did you get taller?," Jaune asked.

Odyn looked towards Ruby and nodded. Ruby sighed, knowing this conversation would happen sooner or later. She smiled before gaining a determined look as she then began to detail what had changed with her since the last time the group of friends spoke to each other.

"Well, it's not like we've been hiding it... I..just wasn't really sure when was the right time to tell you guys this , but... I'll give you guys the abbreviated version.," She said before continuing as she was gaging the reactions of her friends.

"You all remember the moment Odyn and myself revealed that we were officially a couple, right?" Ruby asked.

The gathered teens nodded in agreement.

"How could we forget? You were so nervous that your face became red."Nora said.

Ren, Jaune, and Sarai all smiled and nodded.

"Of course we remember."Jaune said with a smile.

"It.. was quite unexpected, but a very happy moment for all of us.," Ren said.

Ruby then continued.

"Right, uh well how do I explain this? The thing is when Odyn and I became an "item", due to my blood being special even among humans apparently, I did start to notice certain "changes" about myself. They were subtle at first, but they began to become more noticeable as time went on, drastic even." Ruby explained.

"And what do you mean exactly by "drastic changes"?," Ren asked curious.

"Well...,"Ruby saaid as she was about to expound further on it when the group's attention was redirected by Nora's voice.

"Uh.. guys?," Nora said with a nervous and pensive tone in her voice.

The group turned to the girl wondering what was wrong.

Nora stops short, raising her hands to her lips as her eyes widen. Soon after, Ren stops, visibly tense.

"What is it, Nora?," Sarai asked from next to Jaune.

"Yeah, what's up Nora, why'd you suddenly stop?," Jaune asked curious.

Nora points in front of them after Jaune and the others look up from the map Ren was seen to be holding. Their eyes widen and jaws drop. In front of them is a desolated village. The sky is gray and two columns of smoke rise in the air. A gazebo has a broken tower and lampposts are askew from the ground. At least one dead body can be seen on the side of the road approaching the town.

The map is dropped in surprise as the group looks on in worry. Odyn picks up the dropped map, before rolling it up and pocketing it. The teens all rush forward into the town, looking around and checking to see if there were any survivors. Ren is seen to be tossing his backpack to the ground and moving ahead of the group, while the other 5 teens gather in the middle of the road.

The group of teens then rush towards where Ren is seen to be leading them. On the ground, sitting propped against a broken building wall is a young man in armor. He breathes heavily and holds his hand against a bleeding wound in his abdomen. Ren drops by his side and puts his hand on his shoulder. Ruby's eyes widen in shock as she realizes what this young man is, based on his attire.

"A Huntsman!," Ruby says in shock with her eyes widened in horror upon seeing his wounds.

Jaune was then seen to also be kneeling with the group, alongside the dying huntsman.

"I know it hurts, but can you answer some questions for us?," Sarai asked also kneeling.

The dying huntsman nodded as he seemed to recognize what Sarai was by her eyes and pointed ears.

"Can you tell us what happened here? And.. who killed all of these people?," Jaune asked.

Sarai placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder, prompting the blonde to look back at her.

"Jaune, calm down please. Just breathe.," Sarai sagely said to the blonde knight.

Jaune nodded as he recognized he'd been flustered from seeing the state the village was in. He then calmed down as the group listened to what the dying huntsman had to say.

"Bandits..,*coughs* the whole tribe. Then with all of the chaos and panic.."

The young huntsman can't finish as he is seen to be coughing repeatedly.

Ren then speaks up as if he knows what happened here.

"Grimm..," Ren says as he stands up.

Ren then walks a few paces away while the other confer on what to do. Sarai attempts to use a little bit of her healing magic on the man, much to his relief.

"What should we do, Odyn?," Ruby asked a little unsure.

Odyn adopted a thinking position as he placed his hand on his chin in contemplative thought.

"We could try and get him to a doctor in the next village perhaps.," Odyn said in thought.

"Great idea, Odyn!," Ruby agreed.

"I"m not sure if he'll make it that far guys...," Nora said doubtful.

"He will. He has to.," Jaune said confidently.

Sarai looks to the dying huntsman and sees a soft smile on his face before he mouths the words "Thank you" silently before shutting his eyes. She then looks away as if she knows the man couldn't be saved fro his injuries.

"If we get going now, our chances will be better. I can run ahead and look for some help!," Ruby said.

She goes to do so before Odyn grabs her arm and shakes his head, Sarai also mirroring the action.

"Odyn, why are you-?," Ruby trails off before Odyn and Sarai gesture to the man.

Ren speaks up.

"Guys." Ren says interrupting them.

The group turns only to discover that the huntsman has unfortunately.. already died.

"Oh..," Ruby said saddend by this.

"Should we at least bury him?", Nora asks.

Odyn nods as he and Sarai both quickly remove some dirt right where the huntsman breathed his last. They then use some elven magic to quickly and neatly bury the man. This way he'd at least receive a proper burial.

Ren then turns and starts to walk away.

"We should go now.. It's not safe here.," Ren said.

Odyn nodded.

"I agree with Ren. I'm getting an ominous feeling that whatever did this to this town may be lurking nearby..," Odyn said.

Nora looks at her friend with a worried expression crossing her face.

"Ren...", Nora says worried.

Nora turns and follows him, while Sarai is seen to be putting her hand on Jaune's arm while Ruby joins Odyn as she looks towards Nora and Ren worried for them.

"It'll be alright, Jaune. We'll get to the bottom of this.," Sarai said encouraging the blonde knight.

Jaune nodded, wiping away frustrated, angry tears from his face.

"I know. I'm just... so tired of losing everything.," Jaune said.

Sarai then cupped his face in her hands, forcing the boy to look at her in the eyes. She let a determined, but also empathtic look cross her face as she looked at Jaune.

"You haven't lost everything, I'm still right here, in front of you, Jaune... Remember that, okay?," Sarai told him looking the blonde haired knight in the eyes.

Jaune nodded wordlessly as he felt in awe of the beautiful dark elven young woman in front of him. This woman was the same person as pyrrha now, which he was still having a little difficulty adjusting to. A little bit away from them, Ren is seen to be stopping as he looks at something on the ground.

His eyes widen when he sees what it is: A cloven hoofprint impressed into the ground. Nora is then seen to be coming up to his side, followed by Ruby, Odyn, and eventually Jaune and Sarai after a few moments. Nora's eyes also widen in recognition when she sees the hoofprint on the ground in front of them. The two of them then wordlessly make eye contact and nod towards one another.

Back in Atlas with Weiss...

Weiss has finally made her way to the door to her father's office, she's standing outside of the doorway as she listens to the conversation inside. She hesitates putting her hand on the doorknob as she does not want to disrupt the discussion taking place inside. Weiss has learned not to do that as such an action would only serve to enrage her father.

"I'm not talking about the good of my company; I'm talking about the good of Atlas, our entire Kingdom!"

That voice was undoubtedly her father, Jacques Schnee. But the other voice, most likely male, also kind of sounded like....

"That's a load of garbage and you know it."

Weiss sighs and hesitantly opens the door, peering inside the room.

"I beg your pardon?!"

James Ironwood is seen to be sitting down in a chair in front of bookcase.

"If those... cretins, those "forsaken" get their way, Atlas would be a laughing stock among the kingdoms! They only exist but to serve the better race who have years of infastructure, history, and strategies meant to benfit the whole of Remnant. What could a race that is fundamentally different then us humans possibly offer in the ways of knowledge?"

Ironwood sighed in frustration again afterJacques had said his peace.

"Look Jacques, will you just hear me out? It's well documented that you don't like the dark elves. But consider this: what if you were in their shoes, ostracized, villified, and slandered just because you look a little different than other folks? You're making a mistake, Jacques. A big mistake... one that could destroy Atlas. These Dark Elves you insist on demonizing, they are FAR STRONGER than you give them credit for, I would know, I've seen their power firsthand and it is frightening what they're capable of when angered."

Jacques took offense to that.

"Are you suggesting that I'm underestimating those cretins?!"

Ironwood nodded.

"I am, Jacques. You really don't know what you're facing or what you've just involved atlas in. Atlas, without the support of the elves within its ranks... we'll be lucky if we survive the wrath of an entire race as powerful as the elves are... especially with the amount of magic at their disposal. I won't help you on this one, this is a mess of your own creation. I only hope that you will survive the bloodbath that will follow once the elves rage is unleashed upon Atlas for their unjust treatment."

Jacques places his glass down on the table roughly before he speaks again.

"You are a trusted friend of this family, James, but what you're suggesting is absolute insanity!"

"You're blowing it out of proportion, Jacques."

"The council will never agree to such a plan!"

"You forget Jacques, I hold two seats on the council. They'll hear me out once I present the facts to them and they'll realize just how pointless this war is!"

Weiss seen to be entering the room. Weiss stepped into her father's study, the tension in the room palpable as Jacques and General Ironwood continued their heated exchange. The familiar scent of leather-bound books and her father's expensive cologne filled the air, a combination that had always made her slightly uneasy.

"I'm merely trying to be reasonable," Ironwood said, his voice carrying the weight of exhaustion. He stood from his chair, his military bearing evident even in this informal setting. "The Dark Elves have been peaceful citizens of Atlas for generations. Their contributions to our society, their service in our military—"

"Contributions?" Jacques interrupted, his mustache twitching with barely contained anger. "What contributions? Playing at being human? Pretending they belong among us?" He paced behind his desk, the crystal tumbler in his hand catching the light from the window. "They are fundamentally different from us, James. Their very existence threatens the natural order we've built."

Weiss remained near the doorway, her heart racing as she listened to her father's words. The prejudice in his voice was nothing new to her, but hearing it directed so openly at an entire race made her stomach turn. She thought of Winter, wondering what her sister would say if she were here.

Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose, a gesture of growing frustration. "Jacques, listen to yourself. You're talking about displacing thousands of loyal Atlas citizens, breaking up families, destroying lives—all because of what? Their pointed ears? Their magical abilities?" He placed both hands on Jacques's desk, leaning forward. "This isn't about maintaining order. This is about fear."

"Fear?" Jacques scoffed, setting his glass down with enough force to make Weiss flinch. "I fear nothing, least of all those creatures. What I fear, James, is the degradation of everything we've built. Atlas stands as a beacon of human achievement, of progress! These elves, with their archaic traditions and their mysterious powers—they're a reminder of everything we've worked to move beyond."

"And that's precisely why you're making a terrible mistake," Ironwood replied, his voice lowering dangerously. "You're so focused on what Atlas has built that you've forgotten who helped build it. The Dark Elves have been here since the beginning, their magic and knowledge helping to raise our floating cities, to power our technology. They've bled alongside humans in every conflict, defended our borders against every threat."

Weiss watched as her father's face reddened, his composure cracking. She'd seen that look before—it usually preceded his worst outbursts.

"They've had their chance to prove themselves," Jacques spat. "And what have they done? Gathered in their enclaves, maintained their separate identity, refused to truly integrate. They cling to their old ways while pretending to be part of our society."

"Perhaps," Ironwood suggested, straightening to his full height, "they maintain their identity precisely because people like you refuse to accept them as they are. They don't need to become human to be valuable members of our kingdom, Jacques. Their differences are what make them unique, what make them an asset to Atlas."

"An asset?" Jacques laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Is that what you call them? Tell me, James, how much of an asset will they be when they turn against us? When they use their powers to—" He stopped abruptly, finally noticing Weiss's presence. "Weiss. How long have you been standing there?"

Weiss straightened her posture, years of etiquette training taking over. "Father, General Ironwood. I apologize for interrupting. I was told you wished to speak with me."

Ironwood turned, offering her a gentle smile that contrasted sharply with her father's stern glare. "Miss Schnee. I was just leaving." He moved toward the door, pausing briefly beside her. "Remember what I said, Jacques. This path you're choosing... it will lead Atlas to ruin."

As Ironwood's footsteps faded down the hallway, Jacques settled into his chair, fixing Weiss with a calculating stare. "Close the door, Weiss. We have much to discuss about your future role in the company—and in Atlas's coming conflict."

Weiss's hand trembled slightly as she shut the door, trapping herself in the room with her father and the weight of decisions that would soon reshape their world.

The heavy mahogany door clicked shut behind Weiss, sealing her in her father's study. Rather than take the seat he gestured to, she remained standing, her spine straight and shoulders squared. For the first time in her life, she didn't feel small under his scrutinizing gaze.

"Father," Weiss began, her voice steady despite her racing heart, "before you speak, there's something I need to say."

Jacques raised an eyebrow, clearly unused to being interrupted. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"You're making a grave mistake." The words came out clearer than she expected, emboldened by years of suppressed truth. "The Dark Elves aren't what your propaganda claims them to be. They're not creatures to be feared or despised. They're people—people who have endured centuries of discrimination and hatred."

"Weiss," Jacques's voice carried a warning tone, but she pressed on.

"No, Father. For once, you need to listen." Weiss took a step forward, her hand unconsciously moving to the hilt of Myrtenaster at her hip. "Do you have any idea what you're actually facing? The Elven army isn't just some ragtag group of dissidents. They're powerful, organized, and most importantly—they're furious."

Jacques scoffed, but Weiss could see a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "They're angry? Let them be angry. Atlas has the strongest military in Remnant."

"And they have magic that predates our kingdom itself," Weiss countered. "But it's not just about their power, Father. It's about their resolve. Every hateful word you've spoken, every piece of propaganda you've spread, every right you've tried to strip away—it's all just fueled their determination."

She moved closer to his desk, placing her hands on its polished surface and leaning forward. "They're not just coming for Atlas, Father. They're coming for you specifically. You've become the face of everything they've suffered, every injustice they've endured. And when they arrive, they won't show mercy to the man who turned an entire kingdom against them."

For a moment, Jacques's mask of superiority cracked, revealing a glimpse of genuine fear. "Are you threatening me, Weiss?"

"No, Father. I'm warning you." Weiss straightened up, her voice softening but losing none of its intensity. "There's still time to change course. To prevent this war before it begins. But if you continue down this path, if you keep underestimating them and dismissing their grievances..." She shook her head. "Atlas's destruction will be the least of your concerns."

Jacques stood slowly, his hands pressed flat against his desk. "You dare stand in my own study and lecture me about—"

"I dare because someone has to!" Weiss's voice rose, filling the room with an authority she didn't know she possessed. "The Elves have suffered enough. They've been patient enough. And now they're ready to fight back. Their army is prepared, their magic is strong, and their anger..." She paused, meeting her father's gaze directly. "Their anger has been centuries in the making."

The silence that followed was deafening. Outside the study's windows, snow began to fall, each flake casting tiny shadows across Jacques's increasingly pale face.

"Be careful in how you proceed, Father," Weiss said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your next decisions won't just determine the fate of Atlas—they'll determine your own. And I fear you won't like the consequences if you choose poorly."

Weiss paused at the doorway, her hand resting on the ornate handle. The weight of everything left unsaid hung heavy in the air between father and daughter. Slowly, she turned back to face Jacques, her eyes reflecting both determination and genuine concern.

"I love you, Father," she said softly, the words carrying years of complicated emotions. "Please, for the sake of your family... end this while you still can." Her voice trembled slightly, not from fear but from the urgency of her plea. "Their military is far more advanced than you would think, and it's filled with battle-tested warriors who do not fear death."

Jacques remained seated at his desk, his usual commanding presence diminished by the gravity of his daughter's words. The latest military reports lay scattered before him – evidence he could no longer ignore. Each paper told the same story: Atlas was losing ground at an alarming rate to the Dark Elven forces. Villages and outposts that should have held for months were falling within days.

The silence stretched between them as Jacques's eyes drifted to one particularly troubling report. The Dark Elven armies, led by High King Berethon and High Queen Hyatan, had already pushed through defenses that military strategists had deemed impenetrable. Their combination of advanced military tactics and powerful magic was proving devastating against Atlas's supposedly superior forces.

If Weiss and Ironwood were right – and the mounting evidence suggested they were – Atlas wasn't just losing the war. They were facing complete annihilation at the hands of a force they had gravely underestimated. The clock was ticking, and each passing moment brought the Dark Elven armies closer to the heart of Atlas itself.

As Weiss finally turned to leave, the sound of her footsteps echoing down the hallway, Jacques was left alone with the crushing weight of his decisions and the terrifying possibility that his prejudice might have doomed not just himself, but all of Atlas to a swift and merciless defeat.

The snow continued to fall outside his window, each flake a countdown to what was beginning to seem inevitable – unless he found the courage to swallow his pride and act on his daughter's warning before it was too late.

Meanwhile with Lailah, Hailfire, Mercury, and Khanna/Seraphina...

The afternoon sun filtered through the trees as Lailah, Khanna, Mercury, and Hailfire made their way along the winding path toward Mistral. Their small group moved with the practiced ease of experienced warriors, though the tension of recent revelations still hung in the air.

Mercury found his eyes drawn once again to the striking similarity between mother and daughter. Their matching lavender hair, streaked with black and silver, caught the sunlight in identical ways. Even their movements held the same fluid grace typical of Dark Elven nobility. Yet it wasn't their obvious relation that had left him reeling – it was the bombshell Lailah had dropped about her connection to Qrow Branwen.

"So let me get this straight," Mercury said, breaking the contemplative silence that had fallen over the group. "You're not just Khanna's mother and the High Queen's sister... you're also Qrow Branwen's wife?" He shook his head in amazement. "That's... quite a family tree."

Lailah's expression softened at the mention of Qrow, a mixture of love and old pain crossing her features. "Yes, though few know of our marriage. It wasn't exactly a union that either humans or Dark Elves were ready to accept at the time."

"Mother had to leave both me and Father behind," Khanna explained, her hand finding Mercury's as they walked. "The threats against Dark Elves were becoming too dangerous, and she needed to protect us both."

Hailfire, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "It must have been an impossible choice to make," she said, her auburn hair catching the breeze. "Leaving your family to keep them safe."

"It was," Lailah confirmed, her voice steady despite the pain evident in her eyes. "But the dangers we faced as Dark Elves... they were very real. The same prejudices that are fueling this war now were just as virulent then. If our enemies had discovered that Qrow Branwen had married a Dark Elf, had fathered a half-elven child..." She trailed off, the implications clear.

Mercury squeezed Khanna's hand, understanding now why she had always been so guarded about her past. "That's why you were so careful at Beacon," he said, looking at his lover. "Why you never spoke about your family."

Khanna nodded. "I had to protect both my parents. Father's position as a huntsman, his connection to Ozpin... it would have all been compromised if the truth had come out. And Mother..." She glanced at Lailah with a small smile. "She was doing important work for our people, helping to prepare for the day when we would no longer need to hide."

"Your father never stopped loving your mother," Hailfire added, her voice gentle. "I remember seeing him at Beacon, the way he would look at the moon some nights. It makes sense now – he was thinking of you both."

Lailah's steps faltered slightly at these words, emotion briefly overwhelming her composed exterior. "And I never stopped loving him," she admitted quietly. "Every day apart was necessary, but painful. Watching our daughter grow up from afar, unable to be there for either of them..."

"But you're here now," Mercury said, his usual cynicism replaced by understanding. "And once we find Ruby and the others, we can find Qrow too. Maybe it's time for secrets to end."

Lailah looked ahead toward the horizon, where Mistral waited. "Perhaps you're right, Mercury. This war is bringing many things to light that have been hidden for too long. And while some truths may be painful..." She glanced at her daughter and the man who loved her. "Others might just help heal old wounds."

The group continued their journey, each lost in thought about the complex web of family, love, and sacrifice that had brought them to this moment. Above them, birds called to each other in the growing dusk, their songs a reminder that even in times of war, life and love continued to find their way forward.

"And when I find that husband of mine," Lailah declared, her flame orange eyes flashing dangerously, "we're going to have a very long discussion about his recent... behaviors." She cracked her knuckles meaningfully, the gesture making everyone else in the group wince slightly.

Khanna felt a bead of sweat roll down her temple as she watched her mother's expression darken. While she loved both her parents dearly, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her father. Few people remembered now, but Lailah Branwen had once been known as the "Storm of Solitas," her combat prowess legendary among the military ranks of Atlas. The thought of her father facing that legendary temper made her slightly nervous.

"Mother," Khanna ventured carefully, "perhaps we should focus on finding him first before planning his... lecture?"

Mercury couldn't help but chuckle at the diplomatic way his lover phrased it. "A lecture? Is that what we're calling it?"

Hailfire smiled knowingly. "I remember stories about your sparring matches with the Atlas military, Lady Lailah. Didn't you once send an entire platoon to the medical ward for making inappropriate comments about Dark Elves?"

"They recovered," Lailah replied primly, though a slight smirk tugged at her lips. "Eventually."

The group's laughter was interrupted by Mercury's thoughtful expression. "It's still strange," he said, looking at Khanna. "Having all these memories coming back. Years of knowing you as a child, playing together, being friends... all blocked by Cinder and Salem's magic."

Khanna squeezed his hand reassuringly. "What matters is that you remember now. Their magic couldn't erase our bond completely."

"Which reminds me," Lailah interjected, fixing Mercury with a penetrating stare that made him straighten involuntarily. "We still need to have our own discussion about your intentions toward my daughter."

"Mother!" Khanna protested, though she couldn't quite hide her amusement at Mercury's suddenly nervous expression.

Hailfire laughed openly. "Save some intimidation for Mistral, Lady Lailah. We'll have enough to deal with once we meet up with Odyn and Ruby's group." Her expression grew more serious. "There are many truths that need to come to light."

"Indeed," Lailah agreed, her own expression sobering. "We've all kept secrets for far too long. Some to protect those we love, others because we felt we had no choice." She looked at her daughter and Mercury with warm understanding. "But perhaps it's time for all of us to step into the light, to face what comes next together rather than apart."

Khanna nodded, thinking of her friends waiting in Mistral. "They deserve to know the truth – about everything. About who we really are, about our family's history..." She paused, sharing a meaningful look with her mother. "About the prophecy."

The mention of the prophecy cast a momentary shadow over the group. Even Mercury, who was still learning about his role in all of this, felt the weight of its significance.

"One step at a time," Lailah counseled, her voice gentle but firm. "First, we find your friends. Then we find your father." Her eyes glinted dangerously again. "And after I've finished reminding him why he married me in the first place, we can all face whatever comes next together."

As they continued their journey toward Mistral, the setting sun cast long shadows ahead of them, as if pointing the way toward revelations yet to come. Whatever secrets awaited unveiling, whatever truths needed to be faced, they would face them as family – a family that had grown to include not just blood relations, but the bonds of love and friendship that had survived even the darkest magic.

To be continued in Chapter 30: Future Steps III; Yang's Recovery

Ending theme: Tales of Zestiria the X season 2



Visuals: Pans to different groups of the cast each fighting their own battles. Odyn and Ruby's group taking on Grimm, Roy training Yang who has her new arm, and the saiyans plus Neptune training against one another. The song ends with Odyn and Ruby ahead of the group of teens as they confront Cinder and Salem and charge towards them in a freeze frame.

Hey guys! Glad you all have been enjoying the story so far! Below is a list of potential pairings aside fro the ones that have already been established, vote for which ones you guys would like to see:

1. Hailfire x Yatsuhashi

2. Hailfire x Oscar

3. Hailfire x Eleryc

4. Hailfire x Caliburn

5. Hailfire x Beat

Other possible character pairings:

Zero x Aiko

Valvahdern x Emerald

Note x Beat

Giblet x Velvet

Sun x Jinjer?

Scarlett x Neptune

Oscar x Aiko

Zero x Lilia

Anyways, i'll see you guys in the next update! comment or pm me which pairings you think could work or are the best, until next time, have a great week!