W H I T E // Naruto X Rwby

Jacques ran without a second thought as he left his son at the mercy of Vernal and Raven.
"S-save me! Anyone!" Jacques yelled as he ran downhill.
He suddenly tripped on a rock hidden in the snow.
"Save m- AHHH!" Jacques yelped as he rolled off the hill. 
Jacques tumbled down the snowy hill, his body colliding with the cold, unforgiving ground as he yelped in fear. He rolled to a stop, face-up, staring at the overcast sky of Argus. The biting wind stung his skin, but it was the weight of his failure that truly froze him in place.
'Is this how I die?' he thought bitterly. 'Not in the comfort of my wealth or surrounded by luxury, but here, alone, abandoned to the cold... because of some lowly bandits?' He scoffed at the irony, though there was no humor in it, only regret.
Jacques threw his arm over his eyes, blocking out the sky. He had always seen himself as untouchable—superior to everyone around him. Yet here he was, helpless. Running from everything, he realized. He was always running, whether it was from his responsibilities as a father or from his family itself.
But then, something changed. He felt it—a warmth glowing within him. He blinked, lowering his arm to see his aura shimmering faintly.
 'Rinko,' he realized. It was his son, who had unlocked Jacques' aura earlier. Even now, after all Jacques had done—or hadn't done—his son was still protecting him, still caring for him.
Jacques stared at his hand as the warmth spread through him. The realization hit hard.
'My son...' The same son he had ignored and scolded, the one he had belittled and controlled, was the one saving him, even as he abandoned him. And what had Jacques done in return? Run away, like a coward. Again.
Memories of his family flooded his mind—of Willow, and the coldness that had crept into their marriage as he distanced himself; of his children, growing up in an environment of power and control rather than love and support.
Jacques clenched his fist, feeling the glow of is aura fade but the guilt remain. He had failed them all. He had failed Rinko.
'No more.'
With newfound resolve, Jacques pushed himself up from the snow, his body aching but his spirit ignited. He looked back toward the hill, where Rinko stood alone, facing Raven and Vernal. The bandits. The danger. His heart raced, not from fear, but from determination. He would not leave his son to face this alone.
"I'm sorry, Rinko," Jacques whispered, his voice hoarse but sincere. His legs felt like lead, but with every ounce of strength he had left, he forced himself to move. He stumbled over the uneven snow, nearly falling, but caught himself and pressed on. Each step was heavy, deliberate, as if he was marching toward something he could no longer avoid—his redemption.
Meanwhile, Rinko collided hard against a tree with a grunt. His vision blurred for a second, but he snapped back just in time to see Vernal's boot sailing toward his face. He ducked low, narrowly avoiding the strike, and with a burst of instinct, lunged forward, tackling her to the ground.
"Get off me!" Vernal snarled, shoving him off with surprising strength. Both of them scrambled back to their feet, panting, eyes locked in a tense standoff.
Raven stood a short distance away, her gaze sharp as she assessed Rinko. Despite the chaos, she remained composed, observing every move with calculating interest. She had seen fighters like him before, but something about his persistence intrigued her.
Then, from down the hill, movement caught her attention. Another figure. Jacques.
Both Vernal and Rinko turned toward the approaching man. Rinko's eyes widened in disbelief. "Father?! What are you doing? Why'd you come back?! You need to get out of here! RUN!"
But Jacques kept coming, his eyes burning with something Rinko hadn't seen in him before. He wasn't running anymore. He was standing tall, despite the fear that had once consumed him. His voice, when he spoke, was no longer trembling. 
"NO MORE!" Jacques' words cut through the tension like a blade, firm and resolute. Rinko flinched, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his father's demeanor.
"Well, well, well," Vernal sneered, her lips curling into a smirk. "The prize finally walked into our hands."
Jacques stepped forward, putting himself between Rinko and their enemies. He was no longer the cowering businessman, desperate to save himself.
There was no fear in his eyes now, only a strange sense of determination. "Let my son go," Jacques said, his voice steady, unwavering. "You can take me instead."
For the first time, he wasn't negotiating out of cowardice or fear, but out of resolve.
Rinko was still catching his breath, eyes wide as he stared at his father, struggling to process what was happening.
Jacques Schnee—the man who had always prioritized his own safety and fortune over anything else—was standing there, offering himself up in exchange for his son. It was surreal.
Vernal raised an eyebrow, her smirk returning as she glanced at Raven, who crossed her arms, curious but unmoved. "Well, this just got interesting," Vernal mused, wiping a bit of snow off her jacket as she sized up the elder Schnee. "I didn't think you had it in you."
Jacques stood tall, squaring his shoulders. Though his heart was still racing, his eyes were set with an unusual fire, one Rinko had never seen in him before. His father wasn't running this time—he was standing his ground.
"I've made mistakes," Jacques admitted, his voice loud enough for both Vernal and Raven to hear. "But I won't make the mistake of abandoning my son."
Rinko's shock quickly turned into a mixture of confusion and anger. "Father, what are you doing?!" he shouted. He was still tense, ready to fight Vernal, but his focus kept darting back to Jacques. "You can't just—"
"Rinko, please." Jacques' voice softened, but it held a firmness that stopped Rinko in his tracks. "I need to do this."
Raven's eyes narrowed, intrigued by the sudden shift in the dynamic. "You'd sacrifice yourself for him?" she asked, taking a slow step forward, her aura flaring slightly as a show of her overwhelming power.
Jacques didn't flinch, though he could feel the weight of Raven's presence bearing down on him. He held his gaze, unwavering. "Yes."
Vernal laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "Brave words from a man who was just begging for his life moments ago."
"I was a coward," Jacques said, his jaw tight. "But no more. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my son."
Rinko's heart was pounding in his chest. This wasn't the man he knew. The Jacques he grew up with wouldn't have risked a paper cut for his children, let alone his life. And yet, here he was, standing between him and death.
A part of Rinko wanted to yell at him, tell him to leave, to run again. But another part, the part that had always longed for some semblance of love and courage from his father, remained silent, watching.
Raven exchanged a glance with Vernal, her face unreadable. She took a few steps forward, stopping just feet away from Jacques, towering over him with her imposing presence. "You really think you can negotiate with me?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous.
"I don't expect you to honor my request," Jacques replied calmly, "but I won't let you hurt my son."
Raven studied him for a moment, then turned her gaze to Rinko, who was still standing behind his father, tense and ready for another fight. "This is touching," Raven said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But you know this won't end well for either of you, don't you?"
Jacques stood his ground. "Maybe. But at least I can say I didn't fail him again."
Rinko felt his throat tighten at those words. His father had always been a man of pride, of status, of control. But in this moment, it was as if he had stripped all that away to be just a father—a real father.
Vernal tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "What do you think, Raven? Should we take the deal?"
Raven's gaze never wavered. Her eyes remained cold, assessing. After a long, tense pause, she finally spoke, her voice like ice. "We'll take both."
Jacques barely had a moment to register her words before Raven's sword was in her hand, a flash of deadly steel cutting through the cold air. Her movement was swift, a blur of lethal precision, the blade aimed directly at Jacques' chest.
"NO!" Rinko's scream echoed through the clearing, and in a blink of an eye, he was in front of his father. The sound of a shattering aura cracked through the air as Raven's strike collided with Rinko's body.
CRACK
His aura, the only thing keeping him standing, shattered like glass.
"RINKO!" Jacques' voice broke in disbelief, eyes wide as he watched his son fall. Time seemed to slow as Rinko's body trembled, his strength giving out as he collapsed, unconscious, onto the snow-covered ground.
Jacques dropped to his knees, hands trembling as he clutched his son's limp body. "Son! Rinko!" His voice was raw, desperate. He shook Rinko gently, his hands slipping as the snow and tears blurred his vision. "Wake up! Please, wake up!"
Tears spilled from Jacques' eyes as he cradled his son, the weight of what had just transpired crashing down on him like an avalanche. This was his fault—his weakness, his fear. And now, Rinko was paying the price.
"No..." Jacques whispered, shutting his eyes tight, trying to block out the reality before him.
"Hmph. He's still breathing. Don't worry," Raven said dismissively, her voice devoid of sympathy. She turned her cold, calculating gaze toward Vernal. "Take Jacques."
"What about Rinko? What should we do?" Vernal asked, glancing at Rinko's unconscious form, concern flickering across her face.
Raven's eyes narrowed as they landed on Rinko, lying helplessly in the snow. "Leave him," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. Vernal nodded, her expression hardening at the order.
As Vernal secured Jacques to the back of her motorcycle, a mix of anger and despair surged within him. He strained against his bindings, but it was futile. Rinko was still lying there, and he felt powerless to help.
With a roar of engines, they sped off, leaving Rinko behind in the snow-covered wilderness, the cold wind whipping past them as Jacques' heart sank. Each moment felt like a dagger, reminding him of his failure, his son's sacrifice echoing in his mind as they drove back to their hideout.
Rinko, Hospital
Rinko opened his eyes, warmth enveloping him as he stirred in the bed. The dim light made everything around him appear hazy, so he lifted his hands to shield his eyes from the brightness.
A low groan escaped his lips as he pushed himself up, feeling the soft sheets beneath him. He took a moment to collect himself, breathing deeply to shake off the lingering fog of sleep.
As his vision cleared, he began to take in his surroundings. The walls were painted a calming shade of blue, adorned with serene landscapes that seemed to invite tranquility. The soft beeping of medical equipment accompanied the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat, grounding him in the present.
Rinko shifted slightly, noting the IV drip beside him and the faint scent of antiseptic in the air. He glanced around the room, searching for any sign of his father or familiar faces, a wave of concern washing over him. Had they made it? What had happened after the confrontation?
"Jacques..." Rinko whispered, his heart tightening at the thought of his father being in danger.
He clenched his chest, the realization of his own vulnerability weighing heavily on him. He had been too weak to fend off their attackers; his body was still adjusting after the intense battle. Memories of the fight flashed in his mind, a jarring reminder of how he had failed to protect his father.
Pushing aside the blankets, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, but a brief wave of dizziness hit him like a freight train. He shook it off, steadying himself against the bed, his mind racing with questions and worries.
Just then, a doctor entered the room, breaking his spiral of thoughts.
"Hello there, Schnee," the faunus doctor greeted, he has an Atlas insignia on his lab gown, his voice calm and professional.
Rinko looked up, meeting the Atlassian doctor's gaze as he shuffled through his papers. After a moment, the doctor turned his attention to Rinko, the warmth in his eyes contrasting with the sterile environment.
"You've been asleep for five days. That's quite a long nap," the doctor mused, a hint of humor in his tone.
Rinko blinked as he absorbed this information. He shook his head silently.
"You're lucky a nearby Atlas ship that was scouting Argus spotted you. It could have gotten much worse if you hadn't been found," the doctor continued, his expression shifting to one of concern.
"Is... is my father okay?" Rinko asked, his voice trembling with urgency. "They took him. I need to know if he's safe!"
The doctor hesitated, sensing the weight of Rinko's question. "Your father is yet to be found. I can't disclose too much, but I assure you, we're doing everything we can to ensure the safety of all patients."
Panic surged within Rinko. "Please, I need to see him! They might hurt him!"
"Rinko, you need to calm down," the doctor urged, stepping closer. "We're working on locating him. Right now, your health is the priority. You can help him by getting better."
Rinko's heart raced. "I can't just sit here! I have to find him!"
"Listen," the doctor said, his voice firm yet compassionate. "Rest now, and we'll update you as soon as we have any news. You're not alone in this fight."
Rinko clenched his fists, determination igniting within him. He might be in a hospital bed, but he wouldn't rest until he found his father.
"I will find him myself. I can go to him right now—" Rinko started, his voice filled with urgency.
The doctor interrupted, raising a hand to cut him off. "You'll have to get a Huntsman license before you do that. Let the professionals handle it, kid. We're doing everything we can to locate your father."
Everything in Kakashi's view slowed down, as the doctor's voice became a blur as he repeated what he just said within his mind.. 'Hunstman license.'
'I.. I need to become a hunstman...'
The word "Huntsman" showed Kakashi a vision of her sister,
'Weiss..' 
Kakashi's goal became clear. He will become a huntsman.
[End]