Chapter 41: Team JNPR (8)

Chapter 41: Team JNPR (8)

~Pyrrha POV~

"Jack?"

Seeing Jack I see him wore a whole new look about him as I see him stand up but the way he looks at us…

They are hollow.

Almost wrathful even.

But… confused…?

No…

Rather his eyes seem to show us his unstable or mixed emotions.

Seems like his emotions are ever-changing between happiness, sadness, despair, hopefulness, confusion, wrathful, coldness, and many others I can't determine from just a view glance.

But he seems extremely adamant about protecting the book or getting it as I see more thorns as he spoke to us this time with disdain or more of the lack thereof as if he's talking to something or someone, "Wait…? Do I have to deal with more Grimm still? I'm tired… but… if these things harm my home and my family… But? Why do they look like Team JNPR? Hmm… because it took form? Strange? Is this Salem work? Huh? What's going on here? Where am I again?"

Wait…

Does he view us as…?

No, wait the Grimm around him seems to be the cause for the confusion and from the looks of things are warping his sense of self.

Preparing ourselves I see he won't listen to reason at least so long as that Grimm around him is interfering with his perception of us.

*SWOOSH*

Seeing him change direction quickly with his fist raised towards Ren I saw him use Ruby Semblance at incredible speeds as he spoke out, "Take out the stealth ninja. Sorry, Ren even if you do look like Grimm. Or is it something else?"

*BAM*

"Ack…!"

"Ren!"

Nora was quickly alerted by the attack just now as Ren was propelled back but managed to keep himself in the game as she glares at him, "Sorry leader but no hard feelings, right? No one harms my Ren!"

*Bang*

*Swoosh*

Using her weapon, I saw that Nora manage to fly off from her spot using the momentum of her hammer to slam against Jack as he… shakes his head?

Wait where is the damage on his body –

*Shiii*

That was when a royal blue color aura soon appeared to Nora surrounding her as she struggles freely flailing I hear Jack's voice, "Sigh… You may have all that power but it's merely useless if a guy with <Telekinesis> just takes control. Huh? I have to end this no? What is – "

*Swoosh*

Rushing in for an attack stopping Jack's concentration with a swing of my sword he avoided it Nora was soon free from his control as she drops down with him moving back from the two of us as I wonder how to handle the situation.

From what I recall yesterday about Jack explaining the Semblance he copied showing his trust I didn't expect to one day fight him in friendly matches during combat… but not like this.

Ruby Rose <Petal Burst>.

Roman Torchwick <Deep Pockets>.

Glynda Goodwitch <Telekinesis>.

Jaune Arc <Aura Amp>.

And someone with <Aura Trapping>.

That's only to name what we know at the moment and currently seeing that Grimm is wrapped around his head like a crown certainly didn't make this easier.

Raising my sword up and my shield I began rushing towards him as he took notice of my action even against fighting a friend, I don't see how we can get through to him if he won't listen to reason, "Sorry Jack but I promise to help you!"

*THUD*

Slamming his fist at my shield he growls at me must have been something misinterpreted with that damn Grimm around his head as he spoke to me coldly, "Lies…. You are only a figment of my imagination. Not even real. The Grimm must have spawned things like you to mess with me…. No… You aren't real…!!!"

*THUD*

*BAM*

Feeling the slamming motion of his fist ramming at my shield as I felt the shockwave produced from his fist, I frown seeing this won't be as easy as I first thought. Even I don't understand what's his talking about.

*Swoosh*

Avoiding a sweep kick to my mid-section I saw my shield flying off and Ren using his semblance to hide away from the fight as it seems to gain an advantage.

Glancing my eyes a bit at my shield I used my <Polarity> Semblance to return it back to my side as I kept my guard up seeing Jack raise his fist near me but I wasn't a multi-year champion for nothing and without learning a few tricks.

Jumping up and landing on his fist as he seems a bit off at my attempt I used his fist as my launchpad and pulled the force down on him as his fist was now on the ground as I backed flip with my shield returned in my hand landing down already in my fighting stance.

"Take this leader!"

*BAM*

Nora next rushed into Jack as she used her hammer –

What!

When Nora's hammer collided with Jack's body he merely smirks at this and began to punch Nora with a gut punch she was knocked away but Nora managed to get herself together as she backed flipped her way out an I saw him standing there tanking it.

What was more apparent was the fact that Jack shake it off as he commented on this with a smirk, "Even if that strike would leave a mortal man injured. Fortunately, enough that won't be enough to harm me. Painful as a bitch but no permanent damage. All I need…"

Taking out from his hands as royal blue color particles began to release out a potion as I raised my eyebrow confused as he drank –

My eyes widened as I saw his aura no felt his aura refill as he smirked at us like prey, "And an infinite amount of healing items. Now then Pyrrha… where were we?"

Raising my weapon into a rifle I began to shoot fire at Jack.

*Bang*

*Bang*

What?

My eyes widen as I see a royal blue-like aura holding my bullets in midair as if... trapping them in place...

Jack managed to get himself up as he spoke out to me but then acts aloof as if searching for something, "Ok… that I didn't expect. What? Huh? Wait… weren't there three? Oh, there you are."

*SWOOSH*

Next, he vanished from sightseeing blue rose petals as I hear Ren's voice caught in his grip holding his neck Ren looked surprised as he coughed out, "Ack! How did you manage to find me?"

Pointing his free finger at his head as Jack casually explained to him with a casual smile but then lost that expression as he began to get confused again but then turned cold next, "Elementary Renny. My skill… oh why am I even explaining it to you. It won't matter in the end and… why was I even explaining to you guys?"

What?

With a sigh out his Jack breath, he began to clench his fist as Ren was struggling with some head movement I see the Grimm tendrils are going further and further down his head forming a half Grimm Mask but then acts confused as if… if the Grimm is manipulating him to speak, "Doesn't matter if you fakers learn this but… what? I have to explain it? Why? That's just dumb why – "

"Ren!"

Nora seeing the situation tried to rush in to save as Jack took notice of Nora as he simply put Ren in the way Nora stopped in her tracks as her eyes froze as she was about to harm Ren while Jack spoke, "Nah uh. I don't feel like being smashed in the head. Even if you are Grimmified versions of my friends… Wait for Grimmified? Does that happen? But that Grimm –"

*BAM*

That was when Ren headbutted him but not before he managed to get the book labeled 'EARTH' on it as Ren replied to Jack in his calm tone, "You talk too much. The real leader would've been silent about his attacks. And kept his secrets close to heart like that book."

"Ren!"

Nora began to rush towards him as he manages to get himself together as I couldn't help but smirk at this as we see the Jack in front of us glares murderously at us, "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE –"

"Nope."

*Shiii*

Ren ignoring Jack's words open it as we saw a flash of light envelop us but not before the Jack in front of us rushed at us with the intent to kill as he growly roars, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

/////

Suddenly we have suddenly vanished from our spot as we are on another glass floor but this time with the odd symbol below us before Nora began to speak out, "Ok… what exactly was that about! I mean the way our leader… our friend used Ren like a shield… I mean he wouldn't do it for real right…?"

Her words are choking out a bit as I frown at this but that was when Ren brought out a coin as he spoke to Nora, "Nora I'm fine. And no. Remember how he rushed in during the Exam after I was injured and healed me? No. He wouldn't do that. It's Grimm's fault. The Nightmare is manipulating and twisting him for its own means."

Nodding at this I agree with Ren.

It was the Nightmare Grimm's fault for influencing our friend like that.

It hurts that he tried to harm us but we voluntarily became Huntsman and Huntresses to save people from monsters like them.

This was in the job description after all.

*Clank*

*Thump*

That was when Ren used the coin to place a door and a phone booth as he spoke to us, "Ok I'll use my coins to call the professor to give him an explanation of what happened. Maybe the Dream Hunter Shion would give us more insight."

Yes, I suppose so.

Agreeing with the idea I began to wander around the area as Nora stood by Ren.

*Shiii*

"Whoa…"

"What?"

"Oh my."

Three pillars soon appeared before me as they shined with light that in each of them have a different item attached to them along with that static voice again.

'Power sleeps within you.'

'If you give it form… it will give you strength.'

Seems like this dream of our friend doesn't seem to be done just yet for us.

Going towards each of them I look at one of them each as I hear a voice echoes throughout the area from alter to alter.

'The power of the Warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction.'

'The power of the Guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all.'

'The power of the Mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin.'

'Each of these strengths will give you the power to fight.'

What do these each represent to Jack though and why are they appearing in his dreams?

And what does it mean it gives us the power to fight… is it perhaps the relics are key to saving him?