This is what happens when I'm left to my own devices, then a friend drags me to another friend's place and we stay up until one in the morning discussing ideas.

RWBY belongs to Roosterteeth and Monty Oum.

Darkness shrouded the building as night fell, the only source of light illuminating from dust-infused lanterns that hung along the walls, giving off an eerie reddish hue. Echoes of footsteps radiated down the corridor as the lithe form of a male passed through, approaching the steel door at the end of the hallway. His eyes were narrowed from unfathomable anger. When he first heard the news he had been in disbelief, almost tempted to shrug off the news like one of Nora's jokes. But he knew it hadn't been. Ever since that night, Jaune had grown… reckless. Unreasonable. His focus had been his intent. His intent his life. No longer was he the boy dubbed "Vomit Boy" by Ruby and Yang. He was a calculating machine with only the goal of revenging the death of the woman he loved.

"Jaune," his voice broke the relative silence as he rested his hand on the door knob and pushed down, not surprised to find it unlocked. Despite the conflict with the White Fang, Jaune had left himself with limited security, sending the guards to help reinforce the soldiers located in Vale. Military deception wasn't uncommon now. Jaune was no longer just a hunter; he was a general. One of the few generals still fighting, that was, and if the White Fang knew of his location they wouldn't hesitate to dispose of him. Pushing open the door he took a step inside, almost cringing at the bright lights that burned his eyes. Unlike the other parts of the building, the room was well lit. His former companion was sitting back in a chair, grim blue eyes on him. "You can't do this." Ren found his voice again only after a moment of hesitation. "I don't know what you did to persuade the council-"

"The council is dead."

"What?"

"The council is dead. The White Fang attacked a few hours ago." He shook his head, faded blond strands falling over his eyes. "There were no survivors, and all were accounted for." He pushed himself out of the chair and turned from his friend to gaze out the small window of the room, into the dark forest. "The other generals are now contemplating surrender. To throw everything we've done away, out of fear we don't have enough forces to even have a chance."

"And your solution is sending children to their death?"

"They are hunters and huntresses in training, Ren. They know risks; they're willing to give their lives to defend the people."

"It doesn't make it right. They're still children, learning how to fight, how to defend. Most haven't witnessed actual combat, let alone experience it. If they aren't killed, they'll be mentally destroyed." He crossed the room to rest his hand on the other's shoulder. "Think this through. Your judgement has been clouded by hatred and vengeful lust. Pyrrha wouldn't have wanted this."

"Pyrrha didn't want to die. She didn't deserve to die. But they…" he trailed off, struggling to keep his voice from breaking. "My order still stands. It's time you depart, Hunter Lie."

The nightmare always started off the same.

Team JNPR had just deployed from the Bullhead, using their strategies they long ago designated to safely land on the roof. They were several blocks from their destination, having been sent on a mission by Ozpin to check out the White Fang tip. According to the tipster, a small group of White Fang members had been sighted entering and exiting the building. It'd been going on for several days and despite them not being Beacon students for four years, Ozpin had asked for their assistance in checking it out. The quad having been assigned to exterminate Grimm that had started to flock outside the village of Quail. They were relieved to be given a new task; the Grimm didn't last long with Nora's hammer Magnhild in action.

Crossing the rooftops with running jumps, the team made their way towards the warehouse. It didn't take long, thanks to years of vigorous training at Beacon. They sprang down onto the ground below, unable to go further from above. That was when it went wrong. There were only suppose to be a handful of faunus, but instead they found themselves surrounded by what seemed to be dozens of the brutes.

"The fuck? Where did they come from?!"

"Jaune, behind you!" He barely had time to turn and block the oncoming blow with his shield when he became painfully aware Pyrrha was no longer beside him. They had surged so the teammates weren't together; separated and vulnerable alone. Ren had backed up, bringing down faunus with StormFlower's bullets. He seemed to be trying to avoid using his aura unless it was absolutely necessary. Nora, on the other hand, was annihilating her enemies with an almost eerie gleefulness. The sheer impact of each blow sent White Fang soldiers flying, sometimes into one another.

A sudden scream tore his focus from his hammer-happy friend and he found his gaze resting on the immobilized form of Pyrrha. She had fallen to her knees, her body taut in pure agony. Near the entrance of the warehouse was a masked figure, of what gender and descent was near impossible to distinguish, with an outstretched hand. It was glowing white, whatever power it possessed being used on Pyrrha. She was powerless, and as Jaune moved to intervene he found himself blocked off by a thin, almost invisible barrier. "Pyrrha!" Soldiers moved to hold him off, to stop him from attempting to destroy the barrier, and despite his best efforts of fighting against the forces that held him in place he was forced to watch as Pyrrha's screams began to soften, her body going limp as her dark green eyes met his blue. Eyes filled with regret, as if there was something she hadn't the chance to tell him… and he watched as the light dimmed; as her last breath was stolen from her.

He awoke gasping for air, his clothes clinging to his body in a cold sweat as he attempted to regain himself. That day he had lost not only his partner, but the woman he loved and that loved him back. Not for being the lovable idiot, but for being himself. One of the same reasons he'd fallen in love with her as well.

A part of him knew that Ren was right; that children had no place in the war. But it had been three years since Pyrrha's death, almost five since the rise in White Fang criminal activity and four since the betrayal of Blake and the death of Yang. Resources were running low and there weren't many other choices. Even if he lost the support of Ren and Nora, he knew he still at least had the support of Weiss and Ruby.