Vale – Food Stall
The warm glow of paper lanterns bathed the bustling night market of Vale in golden light, casting a cozy atmosphere over the crowded street lined with sizzling food stalls. The mingling aromas of grilled skewers, fresh noodles, and spiced dumplings created a savory haze in the air. Beneath one of the red awnings, laughter echoed as Team RWBY, Team JNPR, Onyx, and little Hemera gathered around a crowded wooden table.
Onyx sat in the center of the group, calmly sipping from a steaming bowl of tea. Beside him, Hemera contentedly munched on meat skewers, her tiny legs swinging over the edge of the bench. Across from them, Ruby leaned forward with excitement sparkling in her silver eyes.
"All right, Onyx! Spill!" she said with a wide grin. "You've gotta have some crazy training stories with Qrow."
Onyx lifted an eyebrow, his expression unreadable as he set his bowl down. "You sure you want to hear it?"
Jaune, already halfway through his third dumpling, nodded enthusiastically. "After what we just went through at that warehouse? Can't be any crazier than that."
Onyx smirked faintly. "If you say so… How about my first training session?"
Yang cracked her knuckles with anticipation. "Oh-ho, this is gonna be good."
Onyx leaned back slightly, his voice deepening, not in tone—but in memory.
---
Eight Years Ago – The Forest Outside Signal Academy, Year 1 of Training
The morning air had been cold and damp, a sharp bite clinging to the mist. Seven-year-old Onyx stood barefoot on the forest floor, his small frame shivering slightly beneath the thin training tunic Qrow had thrown at him that morning. The sun had barely begun to rise, casting weak light through the trees.
Qrow, leaning lazily against a tree with his flask in hand, pointed toward the dark woods.
"Lesson one," he said, voice gravelly but sharp. "Survive."
From the shadows, it emerged.
Massive. Growling. A hulking Alpha Beowolf, its crimson eyes glowing with hunger.
Onyx didn't move. Didn't breathe. His heart thundered in his chest as he whispered, "What the hell…?"
"No weapon," Qrow added, taking a swig. "You've got your Aura. Let's see what your instincts can do."
The beast lunged.
---
Back to the Present…
Weiss's fork clattered against her plate. "Wait—what?"
Pyrrha's brow furrowed in disbelief. "An Alpha Beowolf? At seven?"
Blake's ears twitched, her normally composed face betraying a rare moment of open shock.
Ren muttered quietly, "That seems… excessive."
Onyx nodded with that same calm, distant edge. "Oh, it gets better."
Nora leaned forward, eyes wide. "Better how?!"
"Qrow told me I had to fight it barehanded."
The table froze.
Ruby coughed on her drink. "B-Barehanded?! You didn't even have your Semblance yet—or your Amethyst Eyes!"
Yang glared at Qrow's empty chair. "I knew he was a bad influence!"
Onyx smirked faintly. "Just me, my Aura… and the dirt under my feet."
Jaune stared at him. "Dude. That's not training. That's child endangerment!"
Weiss, now pale, gasped. "How did you even survive?!"
Onyx casually took another bite of his noodles, his voice calm as a still pond. "Found a rusted pipe near a construction site. Waited until it lunged. Jumped on its back. Jammed the pipe down its throat… then slammed its skull into a rock."
The silence was deafening.
Ruby's mouth dropped open.
Blake slowly set down her chopsticks.
Yang blinked. "You're serious."
Ren closed his eyes like he was processing something profoundly stupid.
Jaune's voice cracked. "A… pipe?!"
Onyx just nodded. "Qrow said it was creative."
Weiss could only manage a tiny squeak. "You were seven…"
Nora burst out laughing. "Okay, that's nuts!"
Pyrrha, both impressed and horrified, whispered, "Your instincts must have been remarkable, even then."
Jaune pointed at Hemera, who was still happily munching away. "And you're not shocked by this?!"
Hemera blinked at him and shrugged. "Meh."
Ruby spun to her. "Meh?! Your dad took out an Alpha Beowolf barehanded when he was the size of a loaf of bread!"
Swallowing her bite, Hemera tilted her head. "I mean… it's Papa. Sounds about right."
The table once again went dead silent.
Jaune groaned. "You know what? That actually makes sense."
Onyx chuckled, shaking his head. "Glad to know my trauma is entertaining."
Yang nudged him playfully. "You're like a tiny murder gremlin. No wonder Qrow took you in."
Nora pumped a fist. "Best story ever!"
Ren exhaled slowly. "Absurd. But… impressive."
Blake rubbed her temples. "Remind me never to ask about your childhood again."
Weiss nodded solemnly. "Agreed."
Onyx leaned back slightly, his smirk returning as he set down his cup.
"You think that was wild?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wait till you hear what happened when I was eight."
Yang, still shaking her head from the Alpha Beowolf story, perked up. "Oh, this I gotta hear. Please tell me Qrow gets wrecked."
Weiss crossed her arms with a dry scoff. "What now? Did he drop you into a pit full of King Taijitus to 'build character'?"
Onyx chuckled. "Surprisingly, no. This time, it wasn't me who suffered—it was Qrow."
Ruby immediately lit up, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her silver eyes. "Ooooh! I love a good Uncle Qrow disaster story!"
Jaune sighed. "Of course you do."
Onyx leaned in, his voice dropping slightly as the group instinctively hushed.
"We were traveling near Forever Fall, camping along a riverbank. Qrow decided we needed fish for dinner and went full-on survival mode—shirt off, standing in the water, spear in hand. Real hunter vibes."
Ren nodded knowingly. "Let me guess. His Semblance kicked in."
Onyx grinned. "With vengeance."
Nora clapped. "Yes! Let the chaos begin!"
Onyx's gaze drifted slightly, eyes narrowing as the memory returned.
The voices around the table faded, and the world slipped into the past…
---
Seven Years Ago – Forever Fall Riverbank, Year 2 of Training
The forest was calm. Sunlight filtered through red-gold leaves as the river rushed gently through the clearing. Onyx, an eight-year-old with messy raven-black hair and dirt on his cheek, sat cross-legged on a rock, watching intently.
Qrow stood waist-deep in the river, his eyes narrowed in concentration. In his hand—an improvised spear made from a snapped branch. His expression was focused. His stance—determined.
"Watch and learn, kid," Qrow muttered, raising the spear.
Suddenly—a flash of silver in the water.
With surprising speed, Qrow lunged and thrust. The spear met resistance. A splash.
"I got it!" he shouted triumphantly, lifting a flopping, impressively large fish into the air.
And then it happened.
In perfect synchronicity with his pride—his Semblance activated.
The fish slipped from his grasp.
And not just slipped—launched itself upward, flipping midair like a vengeful missile.
Onyx's eyes widened.
SPLAT.
The fish slammed into Qrow's face with an undignified smack.
It should've stopped there.
But instead, its mouth—still flailing—latched onto Qrow's tongue.
"MmmMMPH?!"
Qrow staggered, eyes wild, flailing wildly as the fish clung like a bizarre piercing.
Then—splash! He tripped on a rock.
Face-first into the river.
Now half-submerged, with a fish still attached to his tongue, Qrow thrashed like a drowning animal.
"MMRRPPFF!"
Eight-year-old Onyx blinked from his rock, mouth slightly ajar.
"…Should I help?"
---
Back to Present
The table exploded in laughter.
"OH MY GODS—" Nora howled, nearly falling off her seat. "THE FISH CLAMPED ONTO HIS TONGUE?!"
Yang wheezed, clutching her sides. "This is the best thing I've ever heard!"
Ruby wiped tears from her eyes. "That's my uncle! The mighty Huntsman—defeated by a fish!"
Weiss just stared. "Your life is a fever dream, Onyx."
Ren, as calm as ever, muttered, "That may be the single most unfortunate fishing incident I've ever heard of."
Jaune raised both hands. "Wait. Wait. A fish. To the face. Clamped. On. His. Tongue?!"
Onyx smirked, sipping his tea. "Yup. He managed to rip it off after a full minute of panic—but by then, he was soaking wet, coughing up river water, and pissed beyond belief. He just… sat there, scowling at the water like it had personally betrayed him."
Ruby gasped through giggles. "I am absolutely asking about this next time I see him."
Yang grinned. "You have to call it something. Like… 'The Great Fish Attack of Forever Fall.'"
"Too late," Onyx shrugged. "That's what I already call it."
Nora was wiping her eyes. "I can't breathe…"
Blake, finally giving in, chuckled. "He really is cursed."
Pyrrha smiled softly. "And yet he keeps going."
Jaune leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "Man, no wonder you're so tough. You were raised in cartoon logic."
Weiss sighed. "First the Alpha Beowolf, now this. What is your life?"
Onyx smirked as he picked up his food. "An adventure."
Hemera, silent this whole time, looked up from her dumplings and nodded sagely.
"He deserved it," she said simply.
The table broke down again.
As the group was still recovering from their laughter over Qrow's legendary battle against a fish, Onyx smirked. "Alright, I got another one for you."
Yang, wiping a tear from her eye, grinned. "Oh? What now? Did you fight a Nevermore with nothing but a toothpick?"
Onyx chuckled. "Nah. This one's about the first time I met Winter Schnee."
Silence.
Weiss, who had just taken a sip of her drink, choked. "I'm sorry—WHAT?!"
Jaune blinked. "Wait, hold on. Didn't you just meet her recently?"
Blake raised an eyebrow. "That's what we thought."
Pyrrha tilted her head. "You mean you knew her before she arrived in Vale?"
Onyx smirked. "Oh yeah. I met her when I was thirteen. And let's just say… our first meeting was memorable."
Weiss, still stunned, stared. "I… what?!"
Hemera, who had been quietly eating, suddenly perked up. "Ohhh! That's why she looked so familiar!"
Now everyone was even more confused.
Ruby, leaning forward, asked, "Okay, now you have to tell us what happened."
Onyx grinned and leaned back.
---
Atlas – Three Years Ago
A thirteen-year-old Onyx Thorn walked through the icy streets of Atlas, a 2-year-old Hemera secured in a baby carrier on his back. Snowflakes drifted around them, but Onyx barely noticed—he was on a mission.
He had come to Atlas to find parts for the Shadow Phantom, his custom-built motorcycle. He had earned enough Lien through various mercenary jobs to afford the components, but getting them in Atlas—a place that wasn't fond of outsiders, let alone a Faunus—was another challenge entirely.
As he walked through the marketplace, he noticed a group of Atlesian trainees… led by none other than a 20 years old Winter Schnee.
Winter stood with her usual cold, disciplined demeanor, issuing orders to the troops. At first, Onyx paid her no mind—until she noticed him.
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed.
"You. Faunus. Halt."
Onyx sighed internally. "Here we go…"
He turned to face her, his amethyst eyes meeting her icy gaze.
Winter stepped forward, her posture strict and commanding. "State your business in Atlas."
Onyx, completely unbothered, crossed his arms. "Looking for motorcycle parts. Not that it's any of your business."
Winter's expression hardened. "A lone Faunus boy wandering Atlas with an infant? Suspicious."
The trainees behind her stiffened, sensing tension.
Onyx exhaled sharply. "Listen, Ice Queen, I don't have time for this. Either you let me go, or we're gonna have a problem."
Winter's brows twitched. "Ice… Queen?"
The trainees, who knew Winter's temper, were visibly tensed.
Winter's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You dare disrespect a Specialist in training?"
Onyx smirked. "I dare a lot of things."
Winter had enough.
She lunged forward, aiming a precise, Aura-enhanced strike. Onyx barely shifted, sidestepping with ease.
The trainees gasped in shock—this kid just dodged Winter Schnee.
Winter attacked again, this time aiming for his legs. Onyx jumped back, spun mid-air, and landed effortlessly.
Winter's frustration grew.
Onyx, still smirking, taunted. "C'mon, Ice Queen. I expected better."
Winter gritted her teeth and lunged again—only for Onyx to catch her wrist mid-strike, twist her arm behind her back, and sweep her legs.
She crashed onto all fours.
The trainees were stunned.
Winter started to push herself up—
And then Onyx SAT ON HER BACK.
The entire marketplace fell silent.
Winter froze.
The trainees' jaws DROPPED as they looked at each other in disbelief.
And then—
Onyx leaned down, whispering into her ear.
"Sorry, but I gotta disrespect you—my Little Light is watching."
Winter's eye twitched.
The trainees had NO IDEA what to do.
A 13-year-old had just DOMINATED their top trainee and was now SITTING ON HER BACK like she was a CHAIR.
Winter, for the first time in her life, was completely speechless.
Meanwhile, little Hemera giggled.
"Hehe! Horsey!"
Some trainees barely held back laughter.
Winter trembled with fury. "…GET. OFF. ME."
Onyx, grinning, finally stood up and stepped back.
Winter shot up, her face burning with embarrassment and rage.
Onyx simply saluted. "Pleasure meeting you, Schnee."
And with that, he walked away.
Winter stood frozen in place.
The trainees exchanged glances.
One of them finally whispered—
"…Winter… did you just lose… to a kid?"
Winter twitched. "…Shut. Up."
---
Back to Present – Food Stall
Weiss stared in complete horror.
Jaune's jaw was on the table.
Blake, covering her mouth, was clearly trying not to laugh.
Yang had already lost it. "BAHAHAHA! YOU SAT ON HER BACK?! YOU'RE A MENACE!"
Nora wheeze-laughed. "Oh my gods! Winter Schnee! A chair!"
Ruby, clutching her sides, gasped. "Poor Winter! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!"
Pyrrha, despite herself, chuckled nervously. "That's… certainly one way to make an impression."
Ren just shook his head.
Weiss stared in complete horror, her voice rising in disbelief. "You sat on her?! ONYX—WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
Onyx didn't even flinch. He just smirked, casually sipping from his drink like this was the most normal thing in the world. "What? She came at me with a rapier and a superiority complex. I neutralized the threat—with posture."
Weiss's jaw dropped. "You turned my sister into a chair!"
"Technically," he said, raising a finger, "a temporary seating solution. Very dignified. Straight back, excellent lumbar support."
Weiss let out a strangled sound, grabbing at her temples. "Oh my gods… this is real. You actually sat on Winter."
"She started it," Onyx added, glancing away as if that excused everything.
Weiss groaned into her hands. "Winter is never going to live this down…"
Meanwhile, Hemera nodded confidently. "Yup! That's why she looked familiar! She was the horsey!"
The table ERUPTED INTO LAUGHTER AGAIN.
As the group was still dying from laughter over Winter Schnee: The Atlesian Chair, a new laugh suddenly echoed from behind them—one that was deep, rough, and absolutely hysterical.
"BAHAHAHAHA! OH, THIS IS GOLD! ICE QUEEN! A CHAIR?!"
Everyone turned.
Qrow.
Qrow Branwen was doubling over, clutching his sides, tears forming in his eyes as he howled with laughter.
Winter Schnee, standing right beside him, looked like she wanted to die on the spot.
And next to her, General James Ironwood was… well, to everyone's surprise, actually smirking in mild amusement.
Winter's Absolute Suffering
Winter's entire face was red with either anger, embarrassment, or both. Her arms were crossed tightly, fingers digging into her sleeves as if trying to physically hold in her emotions.
Onyx, completely unbothered, smirked. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite Atlesian horse."
Winter snapped.
"ENOUGH!"
She marched forward, glaring daggers at Onyx. "I—You—WHY DID YOU TELL THEM?!"
Onyx grinned. "Because it's funny."
Qrow, laughing even harder, leaned against the food stall for support. "Ohhh, gods—this just made my entire month! Ice Queen! How did I never hear about this?!"
Winter gritted her teeth. "Because it's not worth mentioning."
Ironwood, still calm but clearly enjoying this, chuckled. "I have to admit, Specialist Schnee… this is certainly a unique part of your record."
Winter groaned in pure suffering.
Yang, still snickering, wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, this is priceless."
Weiss, still in absolute disbelief, looked at her sister. "Winter… why didn't you tell me this?"
Winter shot Weiss a deadpan look. "Would you tell your younger sibling if you got turned into a chair?"
Weiss opened her mouth. Paused. Then, defeatedly nodded. "…Fair point."
Ruby, still giggling, looked at Qrow. "You're really enjoying this, huh?"
Qrow grinned. "Oh, kiddo. This? This is the kind of story that deserves to be told for generations."
Winter glared. "If you tell this story ever again, I will personally—"
Onyx cut in, smirking. "Oh, don't worry, Ice Queen. I'll make sure to tell it to Hemera's kids someday."
Hemera nodded innocently. "Yup! Horsey Winter will always be a classic story!"
Winter let out the longest, most exhausted sigh of her life.