The days leading up to the Vytal Festival were a blur of activity at Beacon Academy.
Teams practiced their combat moves, students excitedly discussed upcoming matches, and the air hummed with anticipation.
Arthur, ever the great professor, watched over team RWBY and JNPR, offering subtle guidance and encouragement.
He saw the fire in their eyes, the eagerness to prove themselves, and a quiet pride settled in his chest.
"Cinder is going to have a hard days. Haha."
Arthur shook his head. It was like bullying but she deserved it.
His thoughts then drifted back to the new side mission: Project: Pinocchio. Help Penny Polendina become human.
The idea was audacious, something straight out of a fairy tale, yet the system's promise of Soul Magic and a boost to All Parameters made it incredibly tempting.
He knew the true nature of Penny's existence – a sophisticated android, a technological marvel.
But to imbue a machine with a soul, to truly make her human… that was a challenge worthy of his abilities.
He spent hours in his private study, poring over ancient texts and advanced schematics he got from Great Red and Ophis.
He consulted with them, their vast knowledge proving invaluable.
Great Red, with her cosmic understanding, suggested focusing on the fundamental essence of life.
Ophis, with her dominion over the void and its mysteries, spoke of the subtle energies that bind existence.
"To give her a soul," Great Red rumbled, her voice a comforting presence in his mind, "you must understand what a soul truly is. It's not just a collection of memories or emotions. It's the very spark of life, the unique imprint of an individual."
Ophis added, in her usual succinct manner, "The void holds the potential for all things. To create, you must draw from it, shape it."
Arthur considered their words carefully.
This wasn't about simply upgrading Penny's hardware or software.
It was about touching the very essence of what it meant to be alive.
He realized that this endeavor would push the boundaries of his knowledge and abilities like never before.
He began to experiment with various forms of alchemy and mana manipulation.
His private quarters became a makeshift laboratory, filled with strange glowing concoctions and intricate runic circles.
He tried to mimic the fundamental processes of creation, drawing upon his understanding of biology and energy.
His first attempts were, to put it mildly, disastrous.
He tried to create a base for a 'human soul' using alchemy, hoping to infuse it with a magical spark.
But the results were far from what he envisioned.
"No... Why has it become like this?" he muttered, staring at a small, twitching lump of what was supposed to be a basic organic structure.
It looked more like a rejected science experiment than the precursor to a human being.
A sudden, vivid memory flashed through his mind, a scene from a past life.
A little girl with bright eyes and a loyal dog, her innocent voice echoing in his ears:
"Ed… Ed… You promise to play with me."
The memory was tinged with a familiar ache, a reminder of the consequences of reckless alchemy and the tragedy that could arise from trying to defy the natural order of things.
He shook his head, pushing the haunting image away. He wouldn't make the same mistakes.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
This was proving to be much harder than he had anticipated.
The sheer complexity of a soul, the intricate dance of life and consciousness, was truly humbling.
Just as frustration began to gnaw at him, the familiar voices of Great Red and Ophis broke through his thoughts, their presence a warm embrace in his mind.
"[It's going to be okay, this is your first time trying alchemy on this scale,]" Great Red said, her voice gentle and encouraging, like a big sister offering comfort.
"[Umu, you're already doing well for a first-timer,]" Ophis chimed in, her usual reserved tone softened with a hint of approval.
Even though she wasn't particularly adept at comforting, her simple words meant a lot.
Arthur smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through him.
"Thanks," he murmured, feeling a renewed sense of determination. Their support was truly invaluable.
He glanced out the window of his room.
The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the academy grounds.
It was time for him to step away from his experiments for a while and immerse himself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Vytal Festival.
The initial rounds of matches were about to begin, and he knew many students from other academies would be arriving.
And with them, inevitably, would come Cinder Fall and her team, disguised as students from Haven Academy.
He chuckled wryly to himself. They called themselves 'CMEN' – Cinder, Mercury, Emerald, and Neo.
He knew that Neo could break out from the prison with Roman easily.
And he didn't go to make sure they could not escape.
Something had to happen so he could finish his mission and go to the fourth floor.
"Can't they just use a different arrangement like MENC for menace or something?" he mused, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"This must be Neo's doing. She always did have a flair for the dramatic."
He knew her penchant for wordplay, a twisted sense of humor that belied her silent demeanor.
He knew their arrival marked the beginning of the true struggle.
Cinder's plan to sow discord and chaos was already in motion.
His subtle enchantment of the Atlesian Knights was a small victory, a vital safeguard against one of her primary tactics.
But there was still so much to do.
He adjusted his clothes, his eyes hardening with resolve.
He would continue to work on Project: Pinocchio in the quiet hours, but for now, his focus had to be on the immediate threats.
He had to be present, observant, and ready to intervene when necessary.
The Vytal Festival was a grand stage, and he knew that beneath the surface of celebration, dark currents were beginning to stir.
He wouldn't let Remnant fall.
The arena buzzed with energy. Students from Vacuo, Atlas, Haven, and Mistral mingled, their diverse uniforms adding splashes of color to the crowds.
Arthur moved through the throng, his presence a subtle hum of power.
He observed the teams, their fighting styles, and their semblances.
He also kept a keen eye out for Cinder's group.
He spotted them easily enough.
Cinder, with her deceptive charm,
Mercury with his cocky demeanor,
Emerald with her quiet intensity, and
Neo, always lurking in the background, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Her gaze fell upon him and then to his surprise.
There was something that wasn't quite right in them.
'Its not fear… why does she look at me like she want to swallow me… don't tell me she is an m…''
He watched them interact, noting their subtle manipulations, their attempts to stir up rivalries and create distrust.
He saw how Cinder subtly influenced conversations, dropping seeds of doubt and misinformation.
He saw Emerald's illusions at play, creating minor mishaps and misunderstandings.
He even saw Neo, despite her silence, subtly trip a student from another academy, making it look like an accident.
Their childish antics were irritating, but he knew they were merely preludes to something far more sinister.
He also paid close attention to Penny.
He saw her interacting with Ruby, her innocent enthusiasm a stark contrast to the darkness that lurked nearby.
He observed her unique combat style during a practice match, her movements precise and powerful, yet strangely graceful.
He noticed the slight mechanical whirring sound that accompanied some of her movements, a subtle reminder of her true nature.
He knew that for his mission to succeed, he would need to get to know her better, to understand the intricate workings of her being before he could even begin to contemplate giving her a soul.
He felt a pang of protectiveness as he watched her.
She was a marvel, a testament to Atlas's ingenuity, but also a fragile existence in a world constantly on the brink of war.
He knew the tragic fate that awaited her in the original timeline, and the thought fueled his determination.
He would not let that happen.
As the day wore on, and the first matches concluded, Arthur found a quiet spot away from the main crowds.
He closed his eyes, his mind already drifting back to the problem of Project: Pinocchio.
He had faced impossible odds before, and he wouldn't shy away from this one.
The thought of Penny, truly human, truly alive, was a powerful motivator.
...
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