RWBY and APRJ: volume 4

Chapter 8: a much needed talk

It was night, Qrow and RNJR were gathered around a campfire as Qrow was drinking from his flask. He also had a bandage on where Tyrian managed to hurt him.

"Really? No questions?" Qrow asked.

"Of course we have questions" Jaune annoyingly glared. "This is just...a lot to take in"

"Sure, of course" Qrow nodded. Qrow knew that everyone would be questionable towards him if he told everyone what was going on.

"So these...Maidens..." Ruby trailed off. "They're powerful fighters who don't need Dust to use magic"

"Yeah" Qrow simply confirmed.

"And there are four of them?" Nora asked.

"Yep. Always" Qrow answered.

"Which means that, whenever one of them dies, transfers to someone - a female - that they care about?"

"Whoever was in their thoughts last. Important distinction" Qrow corrected. "Best option, it's someone we can trust. Regardless, their souls become combined, in a way"

"And that's what you were trying to do to Pyrrha. The night the tower fell" Jaune remembered the memory at Beacon where Pyrrha had to become the Fall Maiden. Her screams, the death, it was all too much for him. "You were trying to turn her into one of them"

"The previous Fall Maiden, Amber, was attacked. She was young, inexperienced" Qrow began. "Her assailant, who we now know as Cinder-"

"And Jotaro's mom" Ruby added.

"Yeah...But she somehow managed to steal some of her power, but not all of it. We were afraid that if we didn't do something, the rest would go to her as well" Qrow finished.

"So you forced it on Pyrrha" Jaune angrily accused.

"We didn't force anything" Qrow replied. "We explained the situation and gave her a choice, and she chose. You were there, you heard her"

Jaune was absolutely horrified at Qrow's sudden retort. He did his best not to show it on the outside and quickly stormed off into the woods.

"That guy, Tyrian. Why was he after me?" Ruby asked.

"Well, you certainly painted a target on your back with what you did at Beacon" Qrow answered. "Like I told you, having silver eyes is a rare trait. And the fact that you're someone that was able to use them seems to have upset some very powerful people. Not many people know about the silver eyes. But those who do aren't very happy that one has surfaced. That's why I've been keeping my eye on you. In order to make sure you were safe. All of you"

Jaune perked up at Qrow's words.

"But, then, why not travel with us?" Ruby questioned. "It seems like that would've been way easier"

"He was using you as bait" Jaune's use of tone and aggression easily gave away that he did not trust Qrow...at all.

"Look, I wouldn't put it like that; it's...complicated" Qrow defended himself quickly.

"What is all of this?" Jaune asked. "Ruby's being hunted, the schools are under attack, and all for what? What is the point of all of this? Can't you just tell us what's going on?!"

"Would you just sit down? You're stressin' me out kid" Qrow ordered. Jaune did as he was told, but he crossed his arms as a result, still looking sceptical. "Not many people are super religious these days"

Qrow decided to stop drinking and put away his flask for now. He then explained again...

"This world's been around for a long time; long enough that people have created dozens of gods. But if you believe Ozpin, two of them are actually real...