All That Matters

"Life is not a fairytale and there are no happy endings." -Achilles Davenport

Disclaimer: All rights to the name "RWBY" belongs solely to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. Anything else of a copyrighted nature belongs to their respective owners. I do not profit from writing this story whatsoever.

They first met at Beacon Academy and placed together as a team by Professor Ozpin. As Team FALL, their career had some highlights as they were usually on the top of Beacon Academy's list, but Loden Bayern did notice that his teammate, Amber, always seemed to hold back in battle such as not using her Semblance or being reluctant in delivering the final blow. Amber would also always be called on by Ozpin and Goodwitch for something important. Overtime, Loden had become good friends with Amber during their time as a team and they hung out together often so Loden would sometimes ask her what Ozpin and Goodwitch wanted with her sporadically. She would tell him it was the both of them advising her on extra Huntress training or extra study work and move on to another topic but Loden felt suspicious of her answers. It seemed like almost every other day Ozpin would call on Amber, but Loden let it go after their first two years at Beacon when she reassured him that she was doing this for one thing.

"I want to be the strongest Huntress there is." She told him. Amber did have a fighting spirit but it only made it strange when she chooses to hold back in battles.

At least she was around to be with him and the rest of the team on long enough periods of time that satisfied their other teammates from prodding too much with questions. If they asked though, Loden took it upon himself to cover for Amber's absences to his teammates, making excuses that she's sick, polishing her staff, getting yelled at by Professor Goodwitch for something or that she was stuck with Professor Port getting lectured to death. The excuses were just to add variety to Amber's absences so that they wouldn't question why she was always with Ozpin. Amber going to Ozpin's office was the most frequent. As thanks for covering for her, Amber would take Loden out to Vale, just the two of them, and go to a cafe, a bookstore, or the shopping district. On one trip, in their third year, Amber bought Loden a bracelet from one of the storefronts.

"Looks good don't it?" Amber said as she finished tying the green and gold bracelet to his arm.

"It's okay."

"It's okay?" She doubted his sincerity while she paid the shopkeeper.

Loden immediately realized her tone but he did honestly see as an okay gift. It wasn't the best gift he had ever gotten but it wasn't bad by any margin. Still, he felt the need to reassure her, "It's a wonderful bracelet, Amber. Thank you."

Her expression of doubt softened slightly.

"I should get you something too." He said, just to dispel any lingering doubt in her.

"You don't have to, you already bought lunch."

"It's fine. You got me something, I should give you something. Now..." Loden began looking through what else the storekeeper had.

'She's already got two gold bracelets. Hmm...maybe this. This looks just right.' He thought.

Loden picked up, appropriately enough, an amber colored pendant with two small green and gold feathers and a slightly larger red feather sticking out. He showed her the pendant that Amber had actually thought of buying for herself.

"Uhh, may I?" He asked, intending to put the pendant on her. Amber nodded back.

While putting on the pendant on her vest, a thought strayed into Loden's head, 'A little close to her chest aren't you?' He sped up putting the pendant on her with that thought and then asked her, "Well, how's that?"

Amber looked at the small mirror in the storefront. The pendant made her look more like a professional Huntress. She enjoyed that feeling since they were now only a year away from actually being considered legitimate Huntresses and Huntsmen.

"Now, this is wonderful."

Eventually, Loden would be told about why Amber was missing most of the time. Before finishing their final year at Beacon, Loden was called to Ozpin's office. Just before Loden got on the elevator, a man with graying spiky hair and alcoholic smell jumped into the elevator before the doors shut. As the elevator ascended, the drunk man broke the silence.

"Who are you, kid?" The man questioned.

"I'm Loden. I got called in by Professor Ozpin and you are?"

"Qrow's the name. I'm, uhh, I'm a friend of Oz."

While Loden wondered about who else would be Ozpin's friends, Qrow took a glace at him and scrutinized his appearance.

'Green shirt, brown pants, simple armor layout over the clothes, dark hair. Pretty normal. Wait, what's that on the arm? A handmade bracelet? Green and gold.' He thought.

"Lucky kid." He mumbled under his breath before taking a sip from his flask. Loden gave Qrow a weird look and thought about what he meant by that.

Exiting the elevator, Loden saw Amber was already there, standing next to Ozpin. She looked nervous. Ozpin told Loden to take a seat while Qrow leaned on a pillar in the back. Ozpin began with asking Loden if he had ever heard of The Story of the Seasons.

"Yeah, I remember the story. It's a fairytale my mother told me once. Four Maidens take care of an old wizard and the wizard gives them the power of each of the four seasons as a reward. Moral of the story being, be nice to people, at least it's how my mother saw it."

"Ohh, a smart one too." Qrow quipped.

"Correct." Ozpin replied, ignoring Qrow. "But what if I told you that story was not a fairytale? What if I told you that story was real? That the Four Maidens exist in this world? That their story fell from known history to myth and legend because of the time passed since? What if I told you that the power of the Maidens was done without Dust."

"So it's by Semblance then." Loden answered trying not to sound nervous as to why the Headmaster of Beacon was dwelling on an old fairytale.

Ozpin shook his head. "No, Mr. Bayern. I am suggesting that their power transcends a Semblance. I am suggesting it is magic."

Loden struggled to answer Ozpin's statement until Qrow butted in.

"Oz, stop scaring the kid and let Amber tell him. It's why she's here, isn't it? In case, he wouldn't take you seriously or wouldn't understand."

Loden looked at Amber. She had been avoiding to look at him directly since he came into Ozpin's office. Ozpin consented to Qrow's advice, got up and whispered something into Amber's ear before moving towards Qrow. Amber nodded to whatever Ozpin told her then she spoke softly, "Professor, Qrow, can I be alone with him for a bit?"

"Of course." Ozpin said. He went to the elevator telling Qrow to join him. Qrow complained a bit, telling Ozpin he just go there but ended up joining him anyway. Amber then leaned on the front of Ozpin's desk facing Loden.

Once the elevator doors shut and they were alone, Loden spoke first. "You're a Maiden."

"What?!" Amber said looking at him in surprise.

"You're a Maiden." He repeated in the same astonished tone.

Amber flustered at his reaction, "Well, uhh, yeah, I mean, yes. But, I—I didn't think you'd take it so well."

"Don't get me wrong, this is still pretty surprising and I got a bunch of questions I wanna ask. I mean, you're a Maiden. And Professor Ozpin is trying to say magic exists? This is all really..." He couldn't finish his sentence.

Amber then became suspicious of Loden, "Wait, how would you know I'm a Maiden?"

"Well, I just kinda thought like, why would Professor Ozpin go real deep into The Story of the Seasons? Why were you standing right next to him? Why would he call so much attention to the story with you next to him if he wasn't trying to imply something, right?" He defended.

Amber relaxed and then after a moment, she laughed softly, "Maybe the Professor was talking about you."

"Oh, what would I do with phenomenal cosmic power? Cook? Get good grades? Maybe impress a girlfriend?" He mumbled before shaking his head and asking her in a concerned tone, "But how did you know, Amber? How did you know you were a Maiden?"

Amber took a breath and started, "It started was when I was a child. It was sudden too. I felt this rush when this—this power came over me. Suddenly, I could make it rain or make the clouds disappear. Throw up a strong wind or make it calm. All of it just by thinking about it."

She then gave a quiet chuckle, "And as a real shocker to my parents, started levitating around the house."

Loden found that amusing too of the mental image of a young Amber floating around her house while her parents panic in thinking of how to bring her down. Amber's expression then became somewhat sad.

"Then Professor Ozpin came to talk to my parents. I didn't understand then, I was young still, but thinking about it now, I'm sure he talked with my parents about what was going to happen with me. My parents agreed to whatever Professor Ozpin said but I remember my mother crying. After finishing with my parents, the Professor told me that I was the Fall Maiden and he would be happy to have me at Beacon when I got older."

"So it was just like that. You got the Maiden's power just like that?" Loden said.

"From what Professor Ozpin has taught me about the Maidens is that when they die, their power goes into a young girl they thought of before they died. If their last thought was a man or someone old, it goes into someone random. Since Professor Ozpin found me quick, I guess the previous Fall Maiden thought of me."

"Well, this is, uhh, that's all—" He started as this was quite a bit to take in, but Amber interrupted.

"This is why I've been getting called on by Professor Ozpin, for lessons on the Maiden's powers and history and it's why Professor Goodwitch has been giving me extra combat lessons. All for me to control my powers properly."

"Wait, Professor Goodwitch knows about this too? Who else knows?!" Loden said in surprise.

"That man you met, Qrow, General Ironwood from Atlas, the heads of the other academies and probably some others that even I don't know. Professor Ozpin wants to keep it all a secret."

"But why keep this a secret? Amber, I'm sure the rest of our team would definitely like to know. Hell, I'm sure the rest of the world would want to know."

Amber felt nervous to explain this part as it's a future she might face, but Loden needed to know why it would seem as if she was neglecting their team for not telling them.

"The thing is, Professor Ozpin told me that the reason it's good to keep the identity of a Maiden a secret is because people have been hunting them. It had been happening for a long time. Keeping the Maidens a secret let them become myths, become fairytales. All to stop people from murdering them to get their power. It's why I've been holding back in our battles, to keep this all a secret. And I told you what happens when a Maiden dies, remember?"

That thought hadn't crossed Loden's mind. He felt ashamed about it, not realizing that Amber's life would be in constant danger if someone knew about who she was. And if a terrible person got the amazing power of a Maiden, a lot of people could die. Despite the horrifying possibility though, Loden wanted to ask her one more thing.

"Why me?"

"What?"

"Why tell me all of this? Why would Professor Ozpin, who's trying to keep this all a secret because of the danger, risk telling this to one of his thousands of students that he can't be sure of in trusting?"

"It's because I asked him to trust you."

Loden was surprised by her response, "What, really?"

Amber smiled at him, "Yeah. I've come to trust you. You've covered for me when I needed it even though I didn't really ask for you to do it. You've been one of the nicest people I've met." She then eyed the bracelet she gave him when they went to Vale in their third year. "I've actually come to ca—" She shifted nervously and turned her face away from him slightly to hide the red on her face, "I've come to really care about you because of it..." She then looked at him and quickly added, "and the team. Yeah, the team too."

Loden smiled back at her, "Th—Thanks."

But he couldn't shake off her comment about him though and couldn't help feel himself heat up and blush because of it. "Actually Amber, you're one of the strongest people I've met. You've beaten my ass in a lot mock battles now that I think about." He laughed quietly. "But, you're also compassionate and beautiful and..." He hesitated feeling uneasy of how she might react but he might as well get it out there. "Amber, I lo—"

"Excuse us." Glynda called as she, Ozpin, Qrow, and Ironwood exited the elevator. While walking out, Ozpin was in mid-protest that Amber and Loden needed more time, but it didn't matter anymore. Loden shut himself right up.

Amber immediately got up from Ozpin's desk and greeted the four while Loden got up from his seat. Ozpin returned to his desk while Glynda, Qrow, and Ironwood came to surround the two of them. Loden felt uncomfortable being surrounded, feeling he was about to be told that this was all a ruse to make him disappear for having learned of the Maidens.

"Hey Amber, have you told him?" Qrow said.

"Yes, Qrow. He knows."

Glynda spoke up, "Good. Have you also discussed the next step?"

"Actually, I was just about to get to that." Amber said somewhat embarrassed, noticing that she and Loden had gotten slightly sidetracked even after Ozpin had just whispered to her earlier to mention it.

"The next step?" Loden questioned.

Ironwood answered, "The next step is that Amber needs a guardian. Unfortunately, Qrow can no longer do this. We need him elsewhere."

Loden began to realize that they were likely to ask him to be Amber's guardian because she vouched for him. He felt rather happy about that.

Amber looked sadly at Qrow. "Sorry, Amb. But James is right." Qrow said.

"Yes. We need Qrow to handle an issue that has come to our attention." Glynda said.

Amber was close to asking what would have them worried but Glynda knew what she was going to ask. "You do not need to worry, Amber. We can handle the problem. As for your guardian..." Glynda eyed Loden. She began thinking of his combat scores which were quite good. While far below Qrow's level, Glynda understood there was potential in him. She didn't feel the need to object to Amber's recommendation of him. "I agree with your choice."

Ironwood however, felt otherwise. "Her guardian should be more experienced. Someone with extensive combat experience. Unfortunately, Schnee is also unavailable. I would feel better if some of my Atlesian Knights would shadow her movements for the time being." He appealed to Ozpin.

"Good one, Jimmy. A bunch of your Knights trying blend in is the same as a Death Stalker pretending to be dog. They'll tip off everybody that Amber's a Maiden. Besides, even the Ice Queen isn't ready for this."

"She is ready, Qrow. She only needs to be available. But what do you propose?"

"Stick to Amb's suggestion. He'll do fine." Qrow turned his attention to Ozpin, "It's why you put them together as a team, wasn't it Oz?"

Ozpin had so far been deep in thought about his choice to pair them and then acknowledged Qrow's comment, "Yes, I did. I agree with Qrow, Glynda, and Amber, James. Mr. Bayern has been with Amber since the beginning of their careers at this school. It is only logical they remain together."

Ironwood scoffed at Ozpin's statement but reluctantly agreed, "I hope you're right about this, Ozpin."

Ozpin thought the same. Turning his attention to Loden, "Mr. Bayern, you understand what we are asking of you, correct?"

"Yes, Professor. You want me to be Amber's guardian."

Ozpin nodded, "You should know Mr. Bayern, there is risk to this position. If Amber is discovered..."

"I'll protect her, Professor." Loden though, felt that Amber could protect herself better than he could, but if Ozpin wanted someone to watch over her, he would gladly do the job.

"Then it is decided. Thank you, Loden. Now please, you and Amber are free to leave." Ozpin pointed them to the elevator.

While proceeding to the elevator, Amber put her arm around Loden's and whispered to him, "Thanks."

"I should be thanking you again Amber, for trusting me with all of this. I'll protect you, no matter what." Amber tried to hide her blush at his declaration but he could tell how she felt.

Once in the elevator and the doors shut, she turned to him, "By the way, what were you about to say before you got cut off?"

As soon as the two of them were gone, Glynda proposed to add extra combat lessons to Loden's schedule.

"Thank you, Glynda. I'm sure Mr. Bayern will appreciate it and hopefully calm your fears, James."

"I still believe a more experienced person should be assigned to her but I'll respect your decision, Ozpin. Now, why does Qrow need to be somewhere else and not protecting the Fall Maiden?"

Qrow gave a questioning look at Ozpin as he also wondered why he was ending his guardianship. Ozpin sighed, "Qrow, I need you to investigate some rumors."

"Rumors? About what?"

"Rumors of someone looking to steal a Maiden's power."