Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    It’s fascinating how many similar universes there are. On a surface level they look different, but when you peel back the layers you slowly start to see patterns. Rules and laws that transcend reality.

    Two worlds could be used as such an example, especially the link the two will soon share. Not that anyone would see it coming.

    One is an ancient realm, created by two brothers. Together they created, destroyed, and later abandoned their masterpiece to teach their creations a lesson. Magic was striped from the realm with only remnants of what once was. Now pledged with monsters, leaving humanity with no one to turn to but each other.

    Though of course, darkness can never truly be banished. Even the heroes of this realm have their own agenda. An immortal witch and wizard? Huntresses and Huntsmen protecting Four kingdoms and powerful relics?

    And of course, four maidens with the powers of the seasons. It’s a wonderful world of fairytales and tragedy, withering roses and sharpened iron. A world of never ending violence.

    Meanwhile another world awaits. One that had started over a few times already, though the history long forgotten. Or at least, that’s what they want you to believe. It’s a world full of pirates, adventure, and mystery! No one had ever fully explored it in its entirety, a world map a long sense dream. Pirates and marines alike sail across these waters, the feeling of adventure buzzing even in the air.

    However just like the first world, darkness pledges this one as well. 

    Slavery, monsters, and a forgotten history. Once there was a god of liberation, a god of the forest, and a god of the ocean. What happened to them? What became of the old world? No one knows. All that remains are stones with ancient text that only one woman can now read, Devil fruits with odd and mysterious powers, and an entity shrouded in shadows with piercing red eyes. Their gaze destroying anything or anyone that may reveal the truth of this world.

    Both worlds are in a secret war, both worlds are faced with uncertainty.

    And yet, a smaller, more honest soul, is the key to saving both worlds.

    But that is a story for later. Neither the huntress nor pirate have reached the power needed in order to shake their worlds. Their stories have only just begun. 

    Though in another world, another timeline, a man would have met his end today. Hunted and burned from the inside with his face plastered across the world. A mix of cries and cheers would echo throughout the lands while an injured king-to-be wailed for the loss of his brother.

    But like I said, that’s another tale. A different path.

    There is a theory that a single change could redirect the future, no matter how big or small. The smallest rock kicked a little further. A butterfly flapping its wings causing the air to shift ever so slightly. Just a small change could completely change the future.

    Maybe it was a shared energy. Maybe it was fate? Or perhaps just another great mystery added to the pile of unknown. But on the day of his death, everything went horribly right.

    At the same time, two things happen in these two worlds.

    A war of the best, powerful pirates and marines alike fighting to the death. Powerful devil fruits and will-power gathered in the same place, and among them, a sleeping god.

    In the other, a maiden is attacked by three unknown assailants who work for an immortal witch. And for the first time in history, the leader of the group tries to drain the maiden's power to make it her own. However she won’t be able to finish taking all of it.

    In a matter of seconds, a static shock vibrates through the air.

    A brother bursts into flames, jumping in front of the younger to take a deathly blow.

    A dusty crow with bad luck  jumps in to disturb the process of stealing the maidens' powers.

    And then it happens. The change.

    The younger brother's eyes flash red, a scream on his lips.

    A large sword cuts down on the connection between the maiden and the woman’s Grim glove.

    With the blade cutting the connection and splitting the maidens power into two, and a blood curdling screams of a god, the world shifts.

    One second he sees his brother's terrified face, accepting his imminent death. Next, the world flashes to white. An explosion of colors and sounds morphing and stretching around and inside him. A burst of pain washes over his back hotter than his own flames.

    And then darkness.

    His ears ring, eyes open despite being unable to see anything. All of his senses were completely shot. I’m his haze of unknown there is the faint sound of gunfire beyond the static.

    And slowly from the shock and acceptance of his death, Portgas D. Ace faded from consciousness. A small smile on his lips.

    Everything was going horribly wrong for both sides.

    As per usual, Qrow’s semblance was going full force. If he had shown up seconds sooner, the uncertainty of the spring maidens future would be a question asked much later. Instead, he finds himself arriving almost too late.

    Amber was on her knees, held by a green haired girl and a grey haired boy. And in front of her was a woman with a glove, a black web-like substance sticking out of a bug grim and attached to Amber's face. The glow of the Spring maidens power sapping out of her and into the woman.

    Without a second thought Qrow leaped into action, moving faster than a typical human with his years of experience as a huntsman, slicing into the black web and cutting off the connection.

    What he didn’t count on was a shock wave to hit him and the three attackers. The four launched back as a flash of white flashes from where the web had been cut.

    Qrow winced, his aura flickering from the sheer impact the power displayed. For a second his vision was hazy and a slight ringing sound sang in his ears. 

    When his senses came back both the teens were knocked out cold on the ground and the woman was kneeling, panting heavily. He doesn’t get a clear look at her face as she uses the magic she managed to absorb to blur her features.

    He turns his attention towards where Amber should be and paused for a moment. He squinted.

    …Was that….why was there a man laying next to her suddenly??

    The woman makes a slight motion to move towards where the man and Amber's out-cold bodies laid, but Qrow had already leaped forwards to grab both of the unconscious adults. With a smirk the attacker holds out a hand. He barely has time to react as the ground below him swirls and turns orange, exploding just as he jumps out of the way.

    When the smoke and debris clears the attackers are gone. 

    Qrow grunted. ‘So the queen has decided to make her move.’ He thought grimly.

    He gently laid the two bodies down to assess the damage done. He first looked over Amber, her well being his priority.

    From a quick once over  he could tell she had taken some heavy hits. The skin visible was covered in blooming bruises and drying blood from what Qrow assumed was a mix of the attackers and her own. And with how her body reacted when he had set her down it was safe to say a few ribs had been fractured. Most concerningly though, was the news scars that now Weber over her face.

    ‘Definitely left from that grim glove, must be one of the newest toys she cooked up.’ The raven haired man thought. He checked her pulse. He cursed.

    He pulled out his scroll and called Ozpin as he turned his attention to the unconscious man. Half a ring later the call was picked up.

    “Qrow.” Ozpin greeted. His usual affable tone had a slight tension to it. It was like he could tell something went wrong. 

    “Oz.” Qrow answered. “I got Amber. She was attacked by three assailants, Salem has made another move.” He informed the professor. “She’s in critical condition and needs immediate media assistance.” He said as he adjusted the unconscious man to look at him better. So far there weren’t any life threatening injuries. He was covered in bruises, some new and others days old. Most of his skin was covered in soot, blood, and small cuts. And with the man only wearing shorts Qrow could see almost every injury. He carefully rolled him over onto his side to get a look at his back.

    There was a tapping sound from the scroll. “Sending air ships to your destination now, I’ll send a distress call to the nearest town to start the treatment. As soon as the air ships get there, head straight to Becan.”

    “…tell them to send enough for two critical patients.” Qrow muttered, the words falling out of his mouth before he even processed the thought.

    “Qrow?”

    The man took a shaky breath. “There’s a kid here. I don’t know why it happened or how he got here but he’s not looking too good.” 

    There was no confirmation, just more taps. “The ships will be there in four hours. Local medics will be arriving shortly.”

    “Thanks Oz.” Qrow breathed. “I’ll try to keep them stable till they get here.

    The call ended and Qrow carefully picked up the two and took them over to the shade of trees to lay on their sides. He didn’t want the wounds to get infected or for them to choke.

    The older man sat on a rock. Close enough to protect, far enough to stop his semblance from affecting them. He pulled out a flask and took a long gulp.

    He was used to things not going to plan. He’s trained with his semblance for years and yet it backfired against him every now and then. He was especially used to it since he joined Oz’s mission in taking down Salem. This wasn’t the first time the witch had targeted one of the maidens. Though this situation was incredibly…unique.

    And that wasn’t even with the unknown kid that appeared out of nowhere. Where this kid fit into all of this, Qrow had no idea. But what he had seen…

    Qrow glanced his way.

    The kid was lying facing him. Despite being covered in grime and wounds the kid slept with a smile on his face, one that reminded Qrow of his Niece. He hadn’t realized how young the boy looked at first due to all the debris covering him. If he had to guess the kid was probably somewhere in between late teens and early twenties.

    Which is why it was even harder to see it.

    His gaze trailed down to where the kid's abdomen was exposed. It was covered in the same cuts and bruises as the rest of his body, except for the very top where his side was. Blisters peaked over the edge, creeping up from his back. Qrow didn’t have to see it, the images of burnt flesh embedded in his brain.

    A large circular burn covered most of his back. It didn’t look deep but there was no doubt that his organs had been damaged. He probably needed surgery. 

    Qrow’s seen a lot of shit. As a huntsman it comes with the job. Still it’s hard to see this kind of gore on people so young. 

    He took another swig from the flask, the whiskey burning his throat.

    “Stay strong.” He said out loud to the two unconscious bodies. They didn’t hear him but there was an urge to reassure them. If it was for them or himself he couldn’t tell.

    Later the medics would arrive. Qrow would barely acknowledge them and give the bare minimum of information medical wise only, claiming it was bandits. He would watch over the two as they were hooked up to life support. They would examine the bodies and list their findings for the surgeons that would take over when the air ships would arrive.

    But for now there was nothing but the smell of whiskey and wheezing breaths.

    Marines and pirates alike stood in shock. A wave of confusion and fear floated above the battlefield like a nuke about to go off. 

    One second Admiral Akainu had shot his magma fist forward to Portgas D. Ace who was shielding a frozen Monkey D. Luffy. The next, a scream and flash of light echoed through the battlefield like a shock wave, once again halting everyone present.

    Now, Akainu stood in the same place with his arm stretched forward, like his fist had met its target. In front of him kneels Luffy, now alone. There was no trace of Ace, only ashes flaring in the air where he once stood.

    Luffy stared blankly. His bright onyx eyes were now dull, shaking in pure shock. He clumsily reaches forwards to where his brother was, Ace’s vivre card burning only a few inches away. It was gone in seconds.

    At first there was nothing. Just shock. And then, it hit like a typhoon.

    The food gates opened. His pupils shrank till his eyes almost looked completely white, like his eyes had rolled back. A mix of a wail and a blood curdling scream sounded and touched the hearts of allies. He screamed and cried as he mourned the loss of his big brother. Even Ace’s crew mates couldn’t hold themselves back as a mix of guilt and remorse rotted into their chests.

    And yet the war continues on, ignoring the loss. The Marines won, but there were still enemies on their territory.

    Justice will prevail. But not today.

Chapter Text

    Ace jolted awake.

    Immediately his arms tensed as his hands clenched into a fist. He jerked his body violently, trying to move but his limbs were strapped down to the small bed he laid on. His eyes darted back and forth.

    His vision was blurred, tilting and flickering between a pale white light and dimming black. The disoriented feeling made him feel sick.

    ‘What’s happening?!’ He thought in a panic, teeth grinding together. ‘Where am I? Who took me?’

    He couldn’t move his head, feeling a tight strap over his forehead. What little he was able to take in looked nothing like the clinic on the Moby Dick. It was too pristine, too clean even for a doctor like Marco. They were pirates, at the end of the day it still looked like the inside of a ship. But the entire room he was currently stuck in was metal, weird glowing boards on the walls over the metal desk. Other than that the room was completely bare. He would’ve assumed it was a Marine clinic if it wasn’t for the lack of the Marine symbol littered across the entire room, also the fact that they want him dead.

    But until someone came in, all Ace could do was lay in silence. The room was quiet other than the sound of his own breath and a strange hum that he couldn’t quite identify.

    He tried to piece together what happened but it was hard as a nauseous feeling in his neck started to crawl its way up, becoming harder to ignore with every second. He tried to focus. He remembered the war, being freed by his brother. They had almost made it when that Lava bastard started to spout shit about Pops. 

    His eyebrows furrowed. ‘What happened after? Did I lose? Did I get away?’ But he couldn’t remember. His body was in too much pain and each time he tried to focus on what happened next he felt his back and head pulse.

    He was startled out of his thoughts when the metal doors to the room slid open on their own. His eyes widened at the sight, in awe of the technology. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it! Was this place one of Dr. Vegapunks inventions?’ He thought. He never met the man or seen any of his inventions personally, but the way the other commanders had talked about the famed genius he assumed this was something the man had made.

    Ace was so absorbed by the strange doors he didn’t register two people coming into the room until he heard someone clear their throat. His eyes darted towards the sound, body tense.

    There was a woman with pale blue hair, pulled into two tight buns. She wore blue scrubs with a doctor's coat, a name tag on the breast pocket that said ‘Dr. Azure’. She had a strained smile.

    “Good morning young man, I am terribly sorry about this…predictament.” She said calmly, a look of pity in her eyes. “Mr. Branwen insisted that the straps would be necessary for your safety. As well as ours. I hope that is alright?” She asked.

    He didn’t need to see her pointed look towards the man next to her when she said his name, immediately turning his attention to his other ‘guest’.

    The man in question made Ace’s skin crawl the moment he looked at him. He could tell that the man, ‘Branwen’, was a trained fighter. But not only that, he also felt something deeper. Primal. Like his entire being was sending him warning bells. His red eyes looked calm on the surface, but the young pirate could tell that Branwen was analyzing every reaction.

    ‘This man is dangerous.’ Ace thought as his eyes narrowed.

    “Too formal. Call me Qrow.” The man gruffed, pulling out a flask. Ace could smell the alcohol. “My line of business is too messy for pleasantries."

    Dr. Azure sighed. “As you can see, Mr. Branwen is a very direct man. All he wants to know is if you’re a threat or not. However before I allow him to interrogate you, I will be conducting a small check up to make sure that you are mentally and physically well enough to answer questions. Does this make sense?”

    Ace allows himself to pull his attention away from Qrow. “Yes ma’am.” He said politely, startling the Doctor.

    She blinked in confusion. “Oh uhhm, okay.” She pulled out a miniature version of the glowing boards from her pocket and tapped on it. “Firstly, could you tell me your name?”

    “Portgas D. Ace.”

    She typed it in. “Portgas being your last name? And does the D stand for anything?”

    “Yes.” He paused. “And no, it’s just a D. It’s a family name.” He explained. The doctor looked confused but pushed forward with a simple ‘alright…’

    She proceeded to ask a few more basic questions, just to check his memory. Age, birthday, a few number based questions. She also had a test where she asked him to repeat ‘apple, tennis, leaf’ and to remember it because she was going to ask him later. Just a few simple tests for his short term and long term memory.

    Things quickly got strange when she asked her last question. “Aright Mr. Portgas I just have one more question and then I’ll have Mr. Branwen takeover.” She looks Ace in the eye.

    “Do you remember what happened before you woke up?”

    Ace could see Qrow lean forward in the corner of his eye. He resisted the urge to scoff. The old man was probably just excited for him to retell them the events from the war from his perspective. Some weird fascination for a dead man's point of view. After all, that’s what he’s supposed to be right?

    The pirate sucking in air through his teeth. ‘Fine. Whatever, get this over with.’ He thinks bitterly.

    “Yes, I was in the middle of the war.” Ace response.

    The doctor's hand paused, a few centimeters from the screen. Even Qrow had stopped in his place. The two looked at him like he suddenly grew a second head.

    The Doctor cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar. What war are you speaking of?”

    Ace’s frown deepened. Was she messing with him? “The War of the Best? At Marineford.” He said like it was the most obvious thing. Which it was! There was a public broadcast for Calypso sake!

    The two seemed lost. Dr. Azure looked at Qrow as if she hoped he had answers, but the man just stared intensely at Ace. It looked like Dr. Azure was about to ask something but Qrow beat her before she could even utter a word.

    “What was the war for?” He asked.

    Ace stared right back. He could faintly hear the doctor whisper-yelling at the raven haired man, confusion and frustration on her face. But Ace didn’t mind it. The drunken Qrow wanted to play games? Fine.

    A bitter smile spread across Ace’s face. “Me.” He said simply. The words cut through the room, silencing the doctor. “It was for my death and my life. One side was planning to execute me, the other was trying to save me.”

    Qrow searched his face, as if trying to see if there were any lies in his words. Then he leaned back. “Well I’ll be damned.”

    Dr. Azure sputtered. “Wait you don’t believe-“

    “Let’s leave him be for now.” Qrow interrupted, making his way to the doors. “Send in a nurse to make sure his wounds are still looking good, also have them check the skin under the straps in case he harmed himself. I’ll interrogate him later.” He waved over his shoulder, not looking back as the doors opened. The Doctor sputtered with wide eyes, looking back and forth between where Ace laid and where Qrow was currently leaving. After a second of internal struggle her shoulders slouched as she gave in and followed the man.

    The doors shut behind them, leaving Ace alone once again. He sighed as he allowed his body to relax.

    There was no time to strain himself. At the moment it seemed like they had no intention of harming him but that could change any second. If he wanted his strength to recover he needed to rest. He couldn’t even phase through the straps and they didn’t even put any sea stone on him! 

    He relaxed his head, it turning to the side slightly. He could see a small window at the top of the wall, a clear blue sky peaking through. He sighed.

    Faces flashed through his mind. His crew, his fellow commanders, pops. Were they alright? How many people died in that war that he cared about? Shared a drink with? A wave of guilt began to trickle in before he immediately shut it down. If he wasn’t strapped down he would have slapped himself.

    ‘No! Remember what they told you. They chose to save you. They wanted you to live! You want to live now!’ He thought. ‘Luffy went to literal hell and back and went to war to save you! You aren’t allowed to feel guilt!’

    But as the name of his little brother came to mind, a mix of uncertainty and fear gripped his being. He stared off longingly out the window.

    ‘Luffy, where are you?’

    Unknowingly, a dimension away, things are going into motion. A boy wakes up from a coma and screams for his brother. A man screams in agony as he reads the newspaper. And the Whitebeard pirates mourn and plot for revenge.

    But it would be a long time before Ace learns any of this. For now, he rests as fate slowly wraps its claws around his soul, forming a new destiny.

    It was just a matter of time.

Chapter Text

    Qrow stood in the airship's hallway, scroll to his ear as he relayed the information he obtained from the short visit. His gruff voice was quiet despite being alone. Though in his line of work he has long since learned that you can never be too careful, you never know who might be listening.

    He finished speaking, waiting patiently for Ozpin to respond. There was a moment of silence.

    “…I see.” The professor said after a few seconds. “I will not lie, this information is quite alarming, if not fascinating. You're saying there was an entire war for this young man?”

    Qrow sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. “So he claims. He was telling the truth, I know that much. But as far as we’ve been aware there hasn’t been something like this. Remnant is big but we would have gotten some kind of information by now of a war taking place. Even Salem can’t hide that.”

    He could hear tapping on the other side of the line. “Then perhaps it wasn’t in Remnant.” Ozpin mused. “You haven’t conducted a full interrogation, correct? Keep it that way. Ask simple questions and litter a few basic questions that is common knowledge here in our realm.”

    “Oz?”

    “It would be wrong to immediately trust the man, even with how young he is. Barely older than our senior students. But if I’m right, not only could he be an important asset, but he may catch Salem's eye. If we don’t do this right he could be in danger.” He let his words lay heavy in the air before continuing. “Keep him calm, make him feel as though he isn’t in any danger. When you arrive at Beacon we will then decide what to do with him.”

    Qrow pursed his lip. “You think he could be helpful to us?”

    There was a chuckle. “When you hear a person’s livelihood is a reason for a war, you never underestimate the possibilities. I guarantee you that young Portgas will surprise us no matter what his answers are.”

    The line goes dead and Qrow is left in silence. He slid his scroll into his pocket and pulled out his flask. He thought it over as he took a swig.

    Another world huh? He’s seen a lot of things in life, but that seemed beyond everything he’s learned. An overpowered immortal Witch who wants to destroy the world? Okay, makes sense. Immortal Wizard who has dedicated his life to stopping her? Sign him up!

    But a war for a child? A full fledged battlefield for a single person's life? Not even Remnant had that when the Maidens were still well known and not figments of myth. Sure blood was shed and Salem is still after their power. But a war? Never.

    So that begs the question. Why? Why all that effort and loss for one person? Was it for a crime? Was he powerful? It just didn’t make sense. And the way the kid looked at him, as if Qrow should already know this. Like it was public knowledge…

    ‘The war of the best.’ Qrow thought, the familiar feeling of whiskey burning down his throat. ‘What a name, must have been intense. Then again, aren’t all wars?’

    He tsked as the last drop from the bottle dripped into his mouth. Great, now he didn’t have anything to drink when he talked to the kid. He would rather go through with this tipsy, but barely sober will have to do.

    He pushed himself off the wall and made his way to the room.

    The nurses had finished up their check up on the kid and the rest were focused on keeping Amber stable. He should be free to ask whatever he wants without unwanted ears peeping in and hearing something they shouldn’t. The blue hair Doctor might be a problem but he’s sure that she thinks the kid is deleterious. I mean who would believe a kid talking about a war that never happened?

    Ozpin. And Qrow too apparently.

    He resisted the urge to scream in frustration as the doors to the kids room opened.

    The kid in question was still strapped to the bed. He felt a little bad about it, but until they determined that the kid wasn’t a threat to them the straps would have to stay. Qrow grabbed a chair by the wall near the door and pulled it so it was sitting next to the bed and sat down. He tried to make his posture laid back but with the way the kid was eyeing him Qrow doubted it brought him any comfort. Smart kid.

    “So kid-“

    “Ace.” The kid interrupted, a small challenging smile on his face. The look in his eyes said ‘try me’. The look gave Qrow a sense of Dagavu, almost like he was looking at his younger self.

    ‘Well that’s something to unpack later’ He thought awkwardly as he cleared his throat. “Whatever, let’s cut to the chase. Right now I’m sure you're very confused. Don’t worry, we don’t mean harm. We just want some answers.”

    Ace shifted in the bed, probably testing the straps for a weakness. The kid slumped where he laid and sighed. “Sure, whatever.”

    Qrow leaned forward. “Firstly, what’s your occupation?”

    “Huh?”

    The older man gestured to Ace's form. “Well judging by your physique it’s obvious that you're a trained fighter, an experienced one judging by the old scars littered across your body. So what? You a Huntsman? Bandit? Thief?"

    Ace looked at him confused. “Is this supposed to be a weird interrogation tactic?” He smirked. “Ah I get it, trying to re-write my psyche eh? Good luck, the prison guards dabbled with that while I was waiting for my execution. They weren’t very successful.”

    ‘So he experienced torture.’ Qrow noted grimly. ‘Makes sense. Not only are the fresh wounds extreme but many of the old ones were as well. I wonder if he has unlocked his aura?’ Instead of voicing his thoughts he just replied with. “You didn’t answer my question.”

    Another testing look was sent to the Huntsmen. “I’m a Pirate.”

    Now that was interesting.

    One of the most difficult challenges in this world besides Salem was the Grim. Beings that could sense negative emotions and have been humanity's greatest obstacle with gathering resources, travel, and establishing civilizations. And the closer to the ocean you were, the bigger the Grim you had to deal with.

    So Pirating? Very rare. Most regular ships refuse to leave port unless they have a couple huntsmen on board to protect the passengers in case things get dicey. Really all you could do was try to think happy thoughts and pray that there wasn’t a Grim nearby. But Pirating? Living on the ocean with negativity falling behind you like an oil trail? That was a death wish.

    Yet this kid is what? 20? This was truly too insane to believe! Well, that is unless you knew the things Qrow did. And if Oz is right about this kid being from a different dimension there could be different rules at play. Was the ocean safer or more dangerous where he was from? Did they have Grim or did another beast exist?

    For a moment Qrow had the urge to release the kid just to see what he could do. To see the reason why there was an entire war for this one person.

    But instead he leaned back in his chair, letting his gaze drift to the ceiling. “A Pirate? Now that’s an interesting path. You don’t happen to have Huntemen where you're from?”

    “I’ve never heard of that term. Are you talking about a hunter?” Ace asked, confused. “Or is that what you call the authority wherever you're from.”

    More proof. There is not a single place on this planet where you didn’t hear the word Huntsmen uttered. Of course he could be lying, but he wasn’t. Maybe he should give a little? Ox did want the kid to trust them after all.

    Making up his mind Qrow returned his gaze to the supposed Pirate. “Almost. We have police and military, but huntsmen are a separate field. Think of us like mercenaries. We protect. People, cargo, civilians, etc. Basically we usually deal with the monsters while the police and military mostly deal with the people.”

    “Are they not the same?” Ace mused. Qrow immediately knew he wasn’t talking about the Huntsmen or the Police/Military.

    Qrow grinned. “Sometimes.”

    The young Pirate seemed to like that answer so he continued. “I myself am a Huntsman. I used to be a teacher at one of the academy’s in this Kingdom but now I do this full time. Which is why you're now under my care.”

    Ace’s eyes narrowed. He could see his hands tighten into fist, like he was peeping to break out. It would be slightly more believable if it wasn’t for the kids' failed attempt earlier. “Why? Did I fall onto your prey or something?”

    “Oh if only it was that simple.” Qrow sighed. “Honestly I’d probably be a bit confused and that would be that. Unfortunately you found yourself in the middle of a very classified situation. One that most Huntsmen and almost no one in the military knows about.” He could see the kid tense further, but now his expression was changing from a guarded fury to uncertainty.

    “You see the day I found you I was saving someone very important. She is a powerful fighter, but was caught in an ambush and was greatly wounded. I had just swooped in to save her when you appeared.” Qrow put his hands up in a ‘surrender’. “Don’t worry, I don’t think that you are working with the ones who attacked her. Honestly I think it was just a really bad case of wrong place wrong time.” A pause. “Well in your case I guess it was a good thing.”

    Now the kid seemed lost. He stared at the Huntsmen blankly. “I-how? I’m sorry. Wait, no I'm not.” The kid backtracked. “How is this a good thing? Clearly you think I’m a threat or an enemy. Why else would you have me strapped down? Are you really trying to make me believe that you don’t know who I am? What I am?”

    “A dead man.” Qrow deadpanned. “Or at least you would be if it wasn’t for me.”

    “…..explain.” Ace all but growls out.

    Qrow rubs his neck awkwardly. “Shit how do I say this… When I found you after the attack you were badly injured. You were covered in cuts, bruises, and debris. I won’t list all of your injuries right now, however your most concerning one was on your back. It was burnt so bad the doctor had to replace parts of some of your organs and spine. Essentially, those straps across your body are the only thing keeping you from accidentally killing yourself.”

    Ace paled. The stark contrast made his freckles pop. It almost made him appear younger. “Then that means.. I lost.” He whispered, paling further till his face practically turning a blue-ish green. “Oh Nika. No nononoNO!” He gasped.

   He lurched forward, the force of movement causing the entire bed to jerk with him.“Where’s my brother!” He yelled, tears building up in wide furious eyes. “Where’s Luffy!”

    And oh did that bring another compaction to the table. Qrow watched on with sympathy. He couldn’t even be mad at the reaction. After all the kids' last memories were of war, the implications weren’t looking pretty. He has barely been talking to this kid for an hour and already he can see that Ozpin has his work cut out for him. But for now the kid was his problem.

    He pressed firmly on his shoulders to keep him flat on the bed. “Stay still or you’ll really die.” Qrow scolded. “I’m sorry to say, but you were alone when you appeared. I don't know if your brother is here but right now he’s not your concern. Your only goal right now is to survive. You want to make sure Luffy is safe? Then you need to calm down.”

    That seemed to do the trick, Ace slowing his struggles until he stilled exhaustedly. His eyes looked dead. “I’m supposed to protect him.” His voice cracked.

    “….”

    And what was there to say to that? All Qrow brought was destruction and pain. There wasn’t a single thing Qrow could come up with. He stood awkwardly, hands pulling off the tug into his pockets. With a sigh he turned away and made his way back to the door.

    “We’ll be at Beacon Academy in a few hours. A friend of mine is the head master there. I’m sure he can pull a few strings to aid your recovery. Until then,” Qrow looked over his shoulder, crimson eyes boring at the other. “Rest.”

    The kid didn’t respond. No surprise there. The last thing Qrow saw before the door shut was tired grey eyes, then smooth metal obscured his vision.

    He stood there for a moment, contemplating. He briefly wondered if he should’ve stayed there. Offering comfort. But Qrow knew that wasn’t what the kid needed. He needs space, not to be trapped in a room with someone he’s already suspicious of. 

    As he walked down the hall he spotted one of the nurses. He had a small wave as she greeted him with a small smile and a bowed head. “Heya, you might want to give the kid in there a sedative. He was struggling a little bit and might have strained his injuries. I think it would be best to let him rest until we land and can get him proper help.”

    The nurse’s eyes widened. “Oh my! Thank you for notifying me Mr. Branwen. I’ll take care of that right away!” She ran past him towards the room he was just in.

    Well that was one problem solved for now. Now the other…He eyed the door that led to Amber's room.

    Qrow didn’t dare to go in there. While both patients were greatly injured, Amber was the one that was most concerning. She had yet to wake up and from what the doctor told him it seems like the Maiden had fallen into a comatose state. With the way she was attacked and now her current condition, things weren’t looking good.

    Ace may not be a part of Salem’s plan. But Amber? This was no random attack. The witch was planning something, something big. And if the maidens were at the center of it? Then that meant things were about to change.

    Qrow didn’t like the picture that was being painted. For the sake of Remnant, he hoped that they would be enough to keep back Salem's forces.

    “I need a drink.” He muttered gruffly.