A/N: Nothing is owned by me
A bit hard to write because of fight scenes let me know what do you think regarding those
and also another main character died yay!
Edit1: Dr Merlot also dies yay!
Edit2: I have changed the fight and his death a bit for a bit of mystery
Edit3: Changing caroline name to trivia which neo real name
Casting:
Ciel: Antique shop Owner (I will probably give her more roles in future)
Neo: Kruger (She did not die, yet!)
Blake Belladonna
Chapter 4
The faint scent of dust and aging wood wafted through the air as Jaune, Oscar, and May entered an antique shop. Rows of old furniture, knick-knacks, and items from a bygone era filled the space. Jaune took a moment to glance around; old paintings hung on the walls, vintage gramophones, and elegant porcelain figures neatly arranged on wooden shelves. The warm, amber light from the chandelier overhead cast a cozy glow over everything.
Directly ahead was a broad wooden desk, behind which sat a woman with a striking appearance. Her dark skin was a rich contrast to her short, teal hair which, combined with her intense blue eyes, gave her a mysterious allure. She wore a blue beret, tilted slightly to one side, and a crisp off-white shirt with golden buttons and an asymmetrical collar. Jaune noticed her wrist, where a watch resided. She glanced at it, her eyes darting from the watch face to the three newcomers, clearly expecting someone – or something.
Marigold led them with confidence, which was somehow both reassuring and intimidating. Jaune and Oscar exchanged nervous glances. They had imagined going straight to a high-tech laboratory or a secret base. But an antique shop?
Suddenly, the woman at the desk looked up from her watch. "Would you like some tea?" she asked, addressing Marigold.
Marigold responded smoothly, "I'd prefer cola. Though they might want something."
The woman's gaze shifted between Oscar and Jaune. "We're out of ice cream, but there's coffee."
"Make sure to add salt," Marigold added nonchalantly.
Confusion played across Jaune's face, and he felt Oscar's similar bewilderment. Before Jaune could ask anything, Marigold nudged him towards the back of the shop. That's when he spotted it: underneath the desk, hidden in the shadows, was a machine gun. The seemingly innocent exchange was anything but innocent.
Beyond a curtain, they were met by a soldier, standing tall and stoic next to a massive metal door. As it opened, Jaune's eyes widened. Beyond the door lay an expansive underground laboratory, humming with activity and technology far more advanced than anything the surface shop suggested.
Dr. Merlot was there, guiding a team of technicians as they assembled complex-looking equipment. A film crew moved amidst the machinery, cameras capturing every detail.
Whitley Schnee stood on the far side, engrossed in his work on a computer. His Ultron bots flitted about, aiding in various tasks. Noticing the newcomers, he smiled warmly. "Jaune, May, Oscar! You made it. I hope Ciel didn't give you much trouble?"
"No trouble, Mr. Schnee," Marigold replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.
A new voice echoed across the lab, "So, this is our first super soldier 'Steve Jaune Arc'?" a man with a regal appearance approached Oscar, extending his hand for a shake who looked a bit awkward.
Commander Orion interjected with a chuckle, "That would be the blonde one, the other one is next in line."
As Jaune recognized Commander Orion, he snapped to attention, as did May and Oscar, giving him their crispest salutes. The grizzled commander returned the gesture with a swift nod.
"Jaune, meet Councilman Brandt," Orion introduced.
The newcomer, introduced as Councilman Brandt, looked Jaune up and down. "A bit scrawny, is it?" he remarked in a voice as rough as sandpaper. Jaune held back a flinch. Brandt continued, "But no issue. He'll be a beast as a super soldier."
The two men exchanged handshakes. Brandt's grip was firm, his fingers cold and calculating.
Jaune's brows furrowed. "Why are we here in the city of Vale Commander , wouldn't it be safer to perform such an operation away from a populated area?"
"We're operating here in Vale because we need to access the city's power grid."
Orion's gaze shifted to Brandt, a hint of annoyance evident. ".. If only you had provided us with a Dust mine, as requested."
Councilman Brandt cleared his throat delicately, interjecting with a tone of feigned regret, "The Dust required would significantly affect the city's economy and we can’t do that in these perilous times".
Before Jaune could probe further, a subtle movement caught his eye. Not far away sat a woman, engrossed in her notes. Beside her was a tub of Neapolitan ice cream, from which she occasionally scooped up a mouthful as she wrote and a parasol kept on the side.
Brandt followed Jaune's gaze. "Ah, that's Trivia," he introduced with a hint of pride. "She's with the media. Should our project succeed, she'll ensure the headlines sing our praises."
Trivia looked up, her intelligent eyes taking in the group, a hint of recognition flashing momentarily. She gracefully stood up, offering a hand to Jaune. As they shook hands, he felt the determination behind her grip. She offered him a polite smile, her eyes searching his for a moment.
"She doesn't speak much," Brandt added, "but she's the best in the field."
Jaune felt an uncanny sense of familiarity. Had he seen Trivia somewhere before? Pushing the feeling aside, he refocused on the mammoth task that awaited him.
Dr. Merlot, with hands clad in sterile gloves, gently guided Jaune onto the sleek metal bed of the imposing machine. The cold surface made Jaune shiver. The cavernous room was filled with the hum of machinery and a palpable tension.
"Comfortable?" Dr. Merlot asked, his voice betraying no emotion.
Jaune's voice was almost lost amidst the vastness of the room and the stature of the man beside him. "Yes," he replied, though he was visibly swallowed and his knuckles were white from gripping the edges of the table.
"Will it hurt?" Jaune's eyes met Merlot's. There was genuine curiosity there, mixed with a dash of fear.
Dr. Merlot gave a small, wry smile. "Maybe a little." He raised an eyebrow. "Are you afraid of pain?"
Jaune squared his shoulders, his gaze unwavering. "No."
From behind a protective glass booth, Commander Orion, Oscar, and May looked on. Oscar caught Jaune's eye and gave a supportive nod, a silent message of 'you got this.'
Dr. Merlot began to close the device, its large panels sealing Jaune inside. But before it fully closed, he pulled down an overhead microphone. "Mr. Schnee," he called, looking pointedly at Whitley, "Is everything prepared on your end?"
Whitley's voice, smooth and collected, responded, "We're ready to draw 100% of the city's power."
Dr. Merlot addressed the gathered observers, "Ladies and gentlemen, this morning we do not take another step toward annihilation. Today, we take the first step on the path to peace."
Councilman Brandt, always the skeptic, watched with a frown. As Dr. Merlot explained the procedure, Oscar and May found seats behind Trivia. She seemed more interested in her Neapolitan ice cream than the groundbreaking procedure unfolding before her.
With meticulous precision, the Ultron bots, armed with shiny aluminum syringes, began injecting the serum into Jaune. The room was filled with the rhythmic beeping of machines and the faint glow of monitors.
"The serum will cause immediate cellular change," Dr. Merlot narrated. "To prevent uncontrolled growth, the subject will then be saturated with Aura Rays extracted from the subject itself."
Inside the chamber, Jaune shifted, a hint of discomfort evident on his face. But after a few minutes, the inner glow dimmed. He caught his breath and managed, "That wasn't so bad."
Dr. Merlot raised an eyebrow. "That was at just 1% power. Now for the real serum." A panel slid back, revealing a carousel of seven radiant blue vials. The Ultron bots inserted six vials into the injectors, each bristling with hundreds of needle tips.
Jaune, now looking visibly more tense, was pressed firmly to the table as Dr. Merlot initiated the procedure. The machine whirred and clicked, and Jaune's body stiffened, a silent scream caught in his throat as the serum infused his body. The intensity in his eyes increased to a vibrant blue.
Dr. Merlot signaled Whitley, "Now, Mr. Schnee."
Whitley, with a dramatic pull, activated the Aura Ray reactors. The chamber housing Jaune glowed with increasing intensity. Jaune's visage, framed in the window, was a mix of pain, determination, and awe.
"Is it too late to go to the bathroom?" Jaune's weak joke was met with a tense silence.
"We shall proceed," Dr. Merlot responded with a nod to Whitley.
The room was filled with an increasingly loud whine. A large gauge displayed the escalating power levels, and as it climbed, the tension in the room grew palpable. Everyone, even the usually impassive Whitley, was on edge.
Oscar, her breath fogging up the protective glass, watched with bated breath. The orange glow inside the chamber intensified, almost blinding. Jaune's monitor raced, and his vitals spiked. The atmosphere was electric, filled with hope, fear, and anticipation.
But as the power gauge approached its maximum, a scream pierced the heavy atmosphere. Dr. Merlot, panic evident in his eyes, rushed to the window, shouting into the microphone.
But through the chaos, a voice emerged from the chamber, weak but determined. "No... Don't... I can do this."
The room held its collective breath as Whitley, with newfound resolve, maxed out the power. The blinding light consumed everything, and then... darkness.
The room, once filled with blinding light and deafening noise, now seemed eerily quiet as Whitley, with a deep breath, pressed a button on his control system. There was a brief hissing sound as the hood of the chamber began to retract and the panels slid away. A heavy cloud of steam billowed out, temporarily obscuring the sight within.
As the mist began to clear, an outline emerged, showing a man - but not just any man. Jaune, once a scrawny young man, now hung suspended from the chamber's straps. His physique was dramatically transformed – muscular, tall, and in every sense of the word, perfect. His head hung forward, resting against his chest, and his eyes were tightly closed.
The gathered crowd watched in awe, their faces a mix of shock, elation, and disbelief. Several gasped, some exclaimed in delight, while others stumbled backward in shock. Everyone, driven by an impulse, began rushing forward, except for one solitary woman eating ice cream who watched with cautious optimism from a distance.
As technicians quickly moved in, releasing the straps, Jaune's newly formed body dropped, but was immediately caught by Whitley and Dr. Merlot.
"Jaune?" Whitley asked, his voice tinged with a mix of concern and excitement.
Slowly, Jaune's eyes fluttered open, and he took a moment to register his surroundings. "Doctor? Whitley? Did it...?"
Dr. Merlot, visibly emotional, managed to whisper, "I think... yes..."
Commander Orion, usually a beacon of stoic discipline, was beaming with happiness. His joy was evident as he exclaimed, "You did it, Doctor. You really did it!"
Brandt, with his characteristic wry smile, added, "I can think of some folks in Atlas who are about to get very nervous."
Oscar, always the caretaker, approached with Jaune's old clothes, which now seemed several sizes too small. Handing them over, he asked with genuine concern, "How do you feel?"
As Jaune tried to fit into his old shirt, he looked down at Oscar and May, who was observing him with a mix of wonder and concern, and replied wittily, "Taller..."
Trivia was the last to strode in, her every step filled with elegance. Her gaze scanned the room, and like a hawk spotting its prey, her eyes locked onto the lone remaining tube of the unused serum.
Dr. Merlot was the first to notice her as she landed her eyes on him and the serum. Recognizing her even before she fully revealed herself, his face paled, his voice coming out in a choked whisper. "No..." The disbelief was evident in his eyes as they darted between Trivia and the rest of the group. He took a step back involuntarily, "NO...!"
She quickly used her parasol and attacked the doctor and as she prepared her final strike, Oscar, in a swift, selfless act, threw himself between her and Dr. Merlot. The sharp point of her parasol, meant for the doctor, found its mark in Oscar's chest.
A collective gasp echoed through the room as Oscar's body crumpled to the ground, blood staining his clothes. Everyone's attention turned to Trivia, who now seemed almost otherworldly. Her hair, a captivating mix of pink and brown, stood out strikingly with white streaks decorating the pink side. Her eyes, mismatched in color, gleamed with a mix of malice and amusement, making her intentions clear. She gave a clear frown to Oscar's crumpled body, clearly not expecting him to jump between her and her target.
Chaos ensued as the attendees rushed forward, trying to apprehend the unexpected assailant and some towards the fallen Oscar. May Marigold, swift on her feet, was at the forefront. But it seems now not Trivia was prepared for such a reaction. Nonchalantly, she pressed a concealed button on her parasol, triggering an explosion from the half-eaten ice cream cup left carelessly on a nearby table.
The resultant blast sent a shockwave through the room. Shards of glass and debris flew in every direction, pushing back those who had been charging at her. Jaune's eyes went wide as he witnessed his friends thrown off their feet. Whitley and others who had been closer to the blast were flung aside, their bodies hitting the cold floor with a thud.
Commander Orion, quick to react, pulled out his pistol and took aim. However, the lady’s swift moves combined with the smokescreen from the explosion made it difficult for him to get a clear shot. May Marigold, undeterred by the explosion, continued her pursuit, her every stride filled with determination.
Jaune's attention was only on Oscar, lying a foot away, as blood pooled around him. The weight of the situation crashed down on Jaune. The attack, the loss of a life, the loss of a friend – everything seemed like a nightmarish blur, like that scene in fall of beacon. Only one emotion crystallized in Jaune's eyes – raw, burning anger. All their efforts, their hopes, their sacrifices were threatened to be undone in mere moments.
The antique shop's bell jingled violently as the parasol lady burst out of the door. As the sunlight hit her face, her peculiar parasol glinted menacingly. But she barely made it a few steps when Ciel, with a determined glint in her eyes, shouted, "Stop right there!" and brandished a machine gun, ready to stop the parasol lady in her tracks.
However, with agility unexpected for someone with such a refined appearance, the parasol lady leaped over a nearby counter, using it as a shield between her and Ciel. In one swift motion, she lunged at Ciel, knocking her off balance and causing the machine gun to skitter across the cobblestone street.
As she darted out into the alleyway, a guard yelled, "There she is! Fire!" Several guards, their guns raised and ready, unleashed a hail of bullets towards her. But as the bullets neared her, her form shattered like a broken mirror, revealing it to be an illusion.
One of the guards, baffled, exclaimed, "Was that a semblance?!" Their eyes darted upwards just in time to see the real parasol lady nimbly scaling a building, her silhouette quickly disappearing over the edge. By the time they processed her escape, she was already gracefully jumping from one rooftop to another, her silhouette contrasting against the bright blue sky.
Their bullets followed her path, but each shot was effortlessly dodged or deflected, the parasol lady's malicious grin taunting them with every evasion. But just as she thought she'd made her escape, another bullet whizzed towards her from behind. With a fluid motion, she spun around, using her parasol as a shield, deflecting the bullet with a metallic clang.
Peering over her shoulder, she saw the determined face of May Marigold, eyes ablaze with fury, propelling herself across rooftops in hot pursuit. The parasol lady's confident smirk faltered for a split second.
Further behind, Jaune, still adjusting to his new, powerful physique, was giving chase. His old recruit uniform, now comically short due to his changed form, flapped wildly as he ran. Each leap and landing seemed a tad more awkward as he grappled with his new strength and size. But his resolve was unmistakable.
Jaune blasted onto the street, his speed uncontrollable. Buildings and faces blurred past him. As he tried to regain control, his trajectory aimed him directly towards a local shop's window. Time seemed to slow as he braced for impact. The sound of shattering glass echoed as he crashed through the window, sending shards and merchandise flying.
Tumbling head over heels, he felt the cold, smooth tiles of the shop floor under him. Without skipping a beat, he shot up, barreling out the shop's front door, leaving a trail of disarray behind. His feet, devoid of shoes, slapped against the pavement, causing sparks of pain but driving him further. He quickly outpaced a speeding car, barely swerving past a stationary truck, causing pedestrians to scramble out of his path, their faces a mixture of shock and awe.
As the chase intensified on the rooftops, the streets below erupted in chaos. The townspeople screamed and ducked for cover as May let out a series of gunshots, each aimed at the parasol lady.
"Stop running and face me!" May challenged.
The latter, sensing an advantage, smirked. She produced a handful of small devices from her pocket, their ominous glow matching the sinister glint in her eyes.
Seeing the devices, May's eyes widened in realization. "No!" But before she could act, the parasol lady flung them towards her. Swiftly pivoting, she pressed a button on her parasol handle. The subsequent explosion was blinding, the force knocking May off balance and sending her hurtling off the building's edge.
Jaune, witnessing May's perilous fall, shouted, "Hang on!" Pushing himself harder than ever, he reached out, managing to catch her just inches from the ground. Panting heavily, he checked her condition – her aura was weakened, and injuries were evident.
"Go!" May gasped, struggling to regain her composure. "We can’t lose her...She has the serum!"
Jaune sprinted with unmatched vigor, using his newfound strength to close the distance between him and the parasol lady. His heart pounded in his chest, each thud echoing his increasing determination.
The parasol lady, sensing her pursuer drawing closer, glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening ever so slightly at the sight of Jaune's relentless approach. Realizing she couldn't outrun him, she shifted tactics.
With a sudden, bold move, she leaped from the building's edge, her parasol fluttering like a macabre butterfly as she descended. She aimed her fall directly onto a moving car beneath her. The impact of her landing on the car's roof caused the driver to lose control. The vehicle swerved violently, jumping onto the sidewalk. The unlucky fire hydrant in its path was uprooted, and water shot out, creating a torrential fountain that added to the chaos.
However, the parasol lady was far from done. As she used the momentum to jump back onto another building's roof, she tossed several small devices towards the panicking crowd below. Jaune, sensing the impending danger, acted on pure instinct. Instead of pursuing her, he hurled himself between the innocent bystanders and the ticking threats.
With an audible click, the parasol lady activated the devices. A wicked smile played on her lips as she anticipated the destruction. But her satisfaction turned to shock when, despite the deafening explosion, Jaune emerged from the smoke, unscathed. He'd managed to use the door from the crashed car as a shield, somehow enhancing its protective capabilities with a mysterious golden aura. Not only was he untouched, but so were the people around him.
In the midst of the commotion, a citizen, seeing the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime shot, snapped a photo from his scroll. The brilliant flash momentarily illuminated the scene, capturing Jaune's fierce determination and the parasol lady's dawning realization of her miscalculation.
With a roar of anger, Jaune channeled his newfound power, lifting the car door as if it was nothing more than a piece of cardboard. With a fluid motion, he hurled it towards his adversary. The parasol lady, confident in her protective aura, did not expect the shield to penetrate her defenses. But this was no ordinary shield. Its golden glow seemed to nullify her aura, and she felt the full force of the impact, sending her spiraling down to the cobblestone streets below.
Dazed but not defeated, the parasol lady tried to regain control. She swiftly pulled out a gleaming knife from her attire. But Jaune, already on the move, was too quick for her. In a graceful arc, he knocked the knife out of her hand, leaving her defenseless. In the scuffle, a glass vial slipped out from her pocket, shattering upon impact with the ground and the mysterious blue liquid spilling on the floor. She looked around and there was no way to escape and Jaune arc with a fierce look closing into her.
Jaune was closing in on his target, a sharp whistle cut through the air. A bullet pierced the ground, creating a cloud of dust right next to Jaune's feet. He instinctively shifted his stance, his eyes darting to locate the new threat.
Out of the shadows, a figure moved with feline grace and agility. Within moments, Jaune found himself parrying a blade that sought to find its mark on him. As they exchanged blows, Jaune got a clearer look at his attacker. It was a girl, a faunus with distinctive cat ears peeking through her raven-black hair. Her face, those amber eyes and the way she wielded her weapon, they were all too familiar to him.
A sudden flashback hit Jaune of his time at Beacon and of a faunus girl who attended with him.
"Blake? Is that you?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.
The faunus visibly hesitated at his words, her grip on the weapon faltering momentarily. But she remained silent, her amber eyes narrowing slightly.
She then turned to the parasol lady, her voice firm, "Neo, leave from here. I'll handle him."
Jaune's resolve strengthened, "She's not leaving anywhere, she has a lot to answer for."
Blake's cat ears twitched with irritation. "You're already in over your head, Jaune. You don't know what’s going on."
Jaune's voice trembled with anger, "She took my friend from me, harmed those I care for, threatened the innocent... And you want me to stand by? I don’t care if you're Blake or not. She's coming with me."
Blake sighed, her voice tinged with sadness, "I knew you'd say that. You've always been the hero type. But this war... it doesn’t need heroes."
She glanced at Neo again, "Leave."
Jaune's voice echoed with desperation, "NO!" He lunged at Neo, but Blake, swift as ever, blocked his path, forcing him to defend himself.
"Don't make me do this, Jaune," Blake pleaded, her blade dancing around him, "I'm not ready to kill you."
He managed to push her back, surprising her with his newfound strength. "Why are you saving her? She is a criminal. You used to fight them not help" he questioned, launching an assault on Blake.
In the midst of their dance of blades, Blake responded, "Times have changed, Jaune. We can't all remain the good guys."
"Did you not leave the White Fang to change your life? To stand for what's right? When did you revert to being a street cat, Belladonna?"
Blake gritted her teeth, her eyes flaring with a mix of anger and sorrow, "I am not with the White Fang, never again. I have a higher purpose now."
Jaune, his voice filled with desperation, countered, "And what's that? Aiding terrorists? Attacking your friends? Ruining lives?"
Blake’s response was swift. With a series of lightning-fast movements, she found an opening in Jaune's defense. Her blade connected to his skull, he faltered, but using his reawakened aura, he was able to preserve.
He pressed forward, his determination unwavering, but Blake's graceful and calculated movements made their clash intense and relentless. The atmosphere crackled with tension as they exchanged strikes and parries. Jaune's aura flared brightly as he defended against Blake's onslaught. With his raw strength he landed a few defiant blows on Blake , almost shattering her aura.
Blake was also finding it difficult to stop Jaune, her voice was strained. "You have become strong, Jaune" Her eyes shone with a bit hesitant look "But there is more than one way to win a fight"
She withdrew a syringe from a hidden pocket, its ominous design featuring a red skull with eight tentacles
Blake's amber eyes locked with Jaune's, a tumultuous storm of emotions evident in her gaze. Taking a deep breath, she sprinted forward with unwavering resolve. Spotting a brief lapse in Jaune's defenses, she swiftly drove the syringe deep into his neck.
A rush of dizziness overcame Jaune. His world began to blur at the edges. "Blake..." he whispered weakly.
The sounds around him became distant, and darkness crept in. Blake's voice, weighed down with pain and regret, was the last thing he heard, "Forgive me, Jaune. Some battles need greater sacrifices."
The lab was submerged in oppressive darkness, punctuated only by the scant light seeping through the gaps in the curtains. Its center was occupied by a visibly distraught man, every inch of him radiating anxiety. The dim light reflected off beads of sweat that clung to his forehead, making his pale skin seem almost ghostly. Strands of gray hair were plastered to his skin, and a crimson hue peeked from underneath a hastily applied bandage. His wounds, still fresh, told tales of a recent confrontation.
"No, no, no! He can't do this to me!" His voice echoed in the lab, filled with the weight of desperation. His trembling hands moved quickly, almost robotically, stacking papers into a briefcase.
His eyes darted around, filled with paranoia, "He can't find out... I'll disappear, he won't trace me."
An eerie silence was punctuated by a sudden cacophony of shattering glass. The window exploded inwards, glass fragments glittering as they embedded into the room's furnishings—and into the man's skin. An imposing shadow entered, amber eyes gleaming with malevolence from the dim light.
The old man gasped, trying to scramble backwards. His voice quavered with fear, "Give me a chance! I won't fail him again. It was just an oversight, an accident. I beg you..."
But his pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. Those amber eyes remained unyielding, cold, and detached. Without uttering a word, a weapon with intricate engravings, reminiscent of the Grim Reaper's scythe, was raised and brought down swiftly. Blood splashed painting the walls and floor red as the old man scream reverberated the surrounding.
Hours later, a raging fire engulfed the house, illuminating the night in a blaze of orange and red. The once quiet night was now filled with the screams of sirens and the urgent shouts of firefighters.
The next morning, the Vale daily carried a front-page story: "Prominent Vale Scientist, Dr. Merlot, Perishes in Mysterious House Fire." The details of the previous night's events remained hidden, obscured by shadows and secrets.
