Hello there readers. I am CZ.

I used to be an advent writer of the site, but fell off years ago. I held no love for writing, and chose to laze around for quite some time.

Then, I was introduced to RWBY.

I will be the first to admit the storytelling for this series is not the finest. But at the same time, I fell in love with it all the same. The characters, the weapons, the comedy; all of it drew me in.

I had thought of writing a RWBY Fanfiction for years, but I simply didn't have the motivation.

So why now?

Honestly, I'm just juggling writing and Animation back and forth. I'm trying to do better and get back into these hobbies, instead of getting lost in video games for most of the day...Not to mention that the economy SUCKS, so I have a responsibility to find a decent paying job and finally stop mooching off my parents.

...There hasn't been a lot of time for games, so in between college classes, internships, and juggling two jobs just to BARELY add up to 40 hours in a week...I've needed a productive outlet.

Hence this story.

I will update this story SPORADICALLY, as this is not the only thing going on in my life. It takes a while to find time to write, and even longer to find time to edit (seriously, I wrote this chapter a month ago and just FINALLY managed to edit it all the way).

But I do plan on finishing this piece, otherwise, I wouldn't bother on fanfiction at all.

ANYWAY!

This piece starts off years from where the current Season (6) is.

Ages are as follows:

Ruby (20)

WBY and JNR (22)

Oscar (17)

This is temporary, as you'll see in the next chapter, many more years have passed. I will put up their updated ages in the next chapter.

Onto the Show!

06/12/2019 EDIT: I changed a bit of the last section, because I honestly hated how OOC Jaune and Ruby felt to me during their romance talk. I don't know if this makes it better, but I know it doesn't drive me crazy like the last version. If, however, some people want the original version back, I have the backup and I'll re-upload the original.

Chapter 1

The Future Looks Bright

Glass scattered across the table spread. Shards glistened atop ripened fruit and became embroidery seeping into pie crusts. Moonlight bounced off each fragment, offering a dazzling light show with their meal. If it had been intended, the scene might have been beautiful. All except for the large, jagged piece of stained glass that had made a home betwixt the eyes of the roasted pig.

Weiss stared at the awkwardly horned beast, her expression neutral. Muttering filled the room as the guests watched her. Ignoring the stares, her eyes trailed away from the mutilated food, going upward to the undesired skylight that had been forced into the roof of her family's ballroom. The night air was consistent, lapping at her feet and teetering nearby chandeliers.

The gaping hole flooded the floor beneath in moonlight. The damage was not cartoonish, where an outline of a person's body would be scooped out of the foundation. Instead, pieces of marble and stone dipped into the interior of the room, as though a cannon ball had been shot through at close range.

Weiss forced her eyes away from the unwanted spotlight that bathed her in ethereal light. Klein moved in her peripheral, already prepping a ladder and barking orders at the other members of the staff. Her eyes scanned the room. Hunters and Huntresses of all kinds stared at her, either in fear of an outburst, or in awe of how mythical she seemed, bathed in the light of the moon.

Her eyes landed on a group, huddled around something at the edge of the table. Weiss could not hold back the groan that escaped her lips when she realized who comprised the group.

Rubbing her forehead, she walked the length of the table to the end. The expressions of her teammates ranged from rage on a certain cat Faunus' face to the barely held back laughter of a buxom blonde. Ruby was the only face etched in worry, eyes bouncing back and forth between the approaching Ice Queen and whoever was at her team's feet.

As the W of their namesake drew closer, she started making out little things she had not prior. Whoever was at her team's feet had not landed gracefully. The table cloth was pulled taut and scraps of food slid off the table, directly onto the person hanging off the edge. A yellow sneaker dangled in the air, and twitched as a turkey leg rolled away from the banquet and dropped onto them.

Weiss glided aside the table, steps silent despite heels clacking against tiled floor. Her palm dragged against the table cloth in a futile attempt of removing as many creases as she could. A low groan wheezed out of the downed person. The voice sounded familiar, and another glance at the yellow sneakers clicked all the pieces into place. Unable to stop herself, the Ice Queen sighed and dug her fingers against her temple in hopes of warding off the inevitable headache.

"Honestly, Sun…" Weiss said. Having finally made it to the end of the table, Weiss deadpanned toward the monkey-man.

Yang's laughter exploded into little snickers. Tears bubbled at the corner of her eye as she watched the reactions of her monochromatic team members. Ruby stammered and shook her sister's shoulder. The Reaper's cheeks were ablaze as she begged her sister to quiet down.

Only Blake shared her disdain of the situation. The black and white duo glared at Sun, trying to figure out what had happened. Layers of ruined food splattered against his suit. The turkey leg sat against his cheek. His hair and face were drenched in a light red liquid; Weiss assumed it was the from the drink bowl that the monkey boy was now wearing as headgear. All the while his body was rigid; his arms wrapped protectively around a football.

"Uh…hey Weiss. What're you doin' here? …Some party, right?" Sun said. The lopsided smile he gave twitched slightly ever now and then, and his eyes seemed desperately focused on her and her alone.

"I'm sure it is, Sun. After all, I planned it," she retorted. Sun's smile dipped. He finally glanced at Blake, and Weiss saw the color drain from his face. The deadly aura she felt pouring off her teammate was palpable, so much so that Yang and Ruby had dropped their quarrel in favor of calming down their friend.

A deep breath hissed out of Blake's mouth. Each member of Team RWBY visibly relaxed as the bloodlust dissipated with the exhale. It was a short lived peace as the female ninja suddenly sliced her foot between Sun's ribs.

"Ow! What the hell Blake?" Sun said. He tossed the football away, ignoring a yelp of pain in the background. His hands went to his sore ribs, and his Aura flared to life. Blake ignored his plight, her eyes like daggers; killing intent and fury trained on his poor soul. The young man melted into a whimpering state akin of a puppy.

"Apologize. Now," Blake said. Her cat ears bristled and the snarl she spoke through made great emphasis of her canines.

"U-uh…" Sun fumbled over his words, bouncing his options around in his head. Terrified out of his wits, Sun couldn't help seeing Ghira in the way her teeth called out for his blood. Even more concerning, he found it strangely attractive on her.

"Ladies." All eyes turned to a mop of oceanic hair. The tension did not ebb, forcing an awkward cough from the wannabe cool guy. Running a hand through his hair, he walked between the women, offering a hand to his team leader. Sun clasped his friend's hand, already prepping an escape plan. Every idea was shot down as Neptune kicked the back of his legs, sending the monkey boy into a kneel before every woman of RWBY.

"Sorry 'bout the damage Weiss. We were goofing around and it got a little-" Something crashed close by. Everyone turned and watched pieces of a chandelier destroy what was left of the food. A dinner roll bounced against the floor, making its way toward the group. Settling at the cat girl's foot, Team RWBY stared at it for a moment before looking back at the two boys, their expressions void of sympathy. Neptune coughed again, struggling to continue his thought. "…Chaotic."

"Sun…," Blake growled. The Faunus boy kept his head down of his own choice now. He stiffened as she took a step forward, expecting another slap from the girl he was insane for. Instead, she yanked at the collar of his blazer, forcing him to see the disappointment in her eyes. "We worked so hard to find a suit for you…"

A beat hung over the group, all eyes on the ninja. The trance was broken by Yang, who was laughing whole-heartedly and continuously saying the words, 'Money-Suit.' It was enough to create a chain of groans at the pun, and any leftover tension dissipated.

"Uh…I-I'm sorry?" Sun said, confused. Weiss' hand clasped over Blake's, gently prying her fingers away from Sun's collar. The cat girl raised a brow, but pulled away without a word.

The ice queen walked between the two boys and grabbed a hand from each. Sun more than anything was stunned at the action. His mind wandered back to when he first met her; overhearing her call him a 'ruffian.' All that indirect hatred towards him was nowhere to be seen as she looked him in the eye. A gentle squeeze of his hand calmed him, and for the first time in his life, he felt welcomed by the infamous queen of mean.

"It's alright Sun. Could you at least…help out with the cleaning? It'd make Klein's day," the former heiress said. Weiss' gaze turned to Neptune, who stared back slack-jawed. "And Neptune, I hate to ask, but could you and the rest of the team help out too? He's your leader, and it would make everything go faster."

"U-uh…sure Weiss. N-no problem at all. I'll just…get the guys. C'mon Sun" Neptune said. Without waiting for a response, the sub-leader of SSSN yanked his friend away by the collar. The duo stumbled away in Klein's direction, never taking their eyes off of the young Schnee woman. This led to the partners colliding and flipping over another table.

"Wow…that was…incredible Weiss," Ruby said. Weiss turned away from the Vacuo pair, catching the tail-end of Klein barking orders at them in his angry persona. She focused on her team sisters, all of whom gave her varying levels of approval. Blake especially stood out, taking on a very Yang-type stance, with her hands on her hips and a disbelieving smile on her face.

Ruby's gaze softened and she waved her hand at her partner. "I hate to sound like a cheap-knockoff of Ren, but you really have grown since we first met."

Weiss gave a crisp hum, eyeing her leader coyly. Rather than speak, she made a quick nudge towards the crowds. Although the SSSN drama was over, guests were still sneaking glances towards the young women.

"That's hilarious, coming from you of all people. Honestly, getting Sun into a suit was annoying," Weiss started. Yang opened her mouth, but Blake immediately clasped a hand around her partner's mouth. Ignoring the black and yellow pair, Weiss held her arms out toward their leader, as though presenting a treasure. "But getting you into a dress was so much easier than the last dance."

Ruby flushed at the comment. Her eyes scanned the room, and her arms wrapped around her body protectively. Her mind flashed to the closet down the hall, holding her precious weapon hostage until the end of the ball. When she had been younger, she felt naked in that dress and lady stilts. Now, realizing all eyes were on them, on her, brought up anxiety issues she hadn't had the time to think about in years. It didn't help that although the dress was modest, her…assets had grown over the years, making the dress feel almost skin-tight.

"I-is that why everyone is looking at me? Is it the dress? Should I have put on some make-up? Oh, why does dressing 'girly' have to be so hard? I mean, you and Blake make it look so easy…" Ruby rambled. The moment the flurry of words of words spewed from her mouth, Weiss regretted the jab at her friend.

Blake took a moment to glow in Ruby's subtle praise. The moment died quickly, and the cat girl shuttered as Yang finally when on the offensive, slowly licking the inside of her palm. Gagging, Blake yanked her arm away. Weiss watched the exchange with disgust and felt some bile build up when she saw the string of saliva that connected from the cat girl's hand to the brawler's lips.

Yang wrapped an arm around her partner, ignoring the way the ninja bristled in her grasp. Focusing on her baby sister, she let out a low whistle. "Ruby, trust me when I say, these last five years have been extremely kind to you. Hell, you're my sister and I still think you are one of the sexiest people in this room."

It was Ruby's turn to gag, and her reddened face turned to a queasy green. Yang was snickering up a storm, barely registering when her partner used her semblance to get out of her grasp. The B of RWBY stood before her leader, pulling her into a hug and blocking Ruby from her sister's sight. She looked over at Weiss.

"Has she been drinking?" Blake hissed out to the princess, rubbing Ruby's back while the girl had a breakdown. Sighing for what was easily the thousandth time that night, Weiss nodded.

"I swear, the moment the smoke cleared and she realized she was 22, she went on a 'celebration binge' with her uncle," Weiss said, sounding far too familiar with something like this.

"Ahem, I must apologize, but…well; there was no way to walk into that conversation comfortably." The quartet of women turned to the new arrival. Ruby took notice of Oscar's attire and gasped. His combat gear had been swapped out for a suit with a green scarf. Spectacles rested against the bridge of his nose, although the old farmhand had needed them some time during their journey. His face and hair were all Oscar, but standing before them was a perfect copy of the Oz that had been their headmaster; the one that had invited her to Beacon Academy. Resting his hands over his cane, he leaned into it with a giddiness that the women had never seen before.

"Wow," Blake said. That single word summed up everything the team was thinking. Oscar laughed, and the airy breath that followed afterwards clearly signaled that Oz was the one in control.

"I know, I know. Very reminiscent…would the phrase 'a blast from the past,' be cheesy, especially coming from me?" Oz said, waving to his own body. The joke was horrid, but still garnered a few chuckles from the girls.

"Now, now. All jokes aside, you have all matured well beyond your years. Ms. Schnee's compassion towards Mr. Wukong is more than enough proof of that," Oz continued.

Weiss offered a small curtsy to the short man. When she rose, she then shrugged; an obvious influence from Yang.

"To be honest, that isn't the worst thing that's happened today. Nora already smashed twelve windows, and that was before the party started," Weiss said nonchalantly.

"Again, I am so sorry," Ren said. His voice came unexpectedly, jolting attention back towards the destroyed banquet. Lo and behold, Ren stood right across from the girls on the opposite side of the broken table. More specifically, Ruby saw Ren rubbing his forehead, all the while watching Nora poke a finger into the food on the floor. Plucking shards of glass out here and there, the hammer-wielder began scooping out chunks of food and dumping them onto her plate.

Weiss turned toward the brotherly set of the group's ninja, waving her hand as though to forgo his apology.

"Think nothing of it, Ren. After all...it's Nora," Weiss said, almost matter-of-factly.

"And I'm not apologizing for it!" the ginger Valkyrie said in kind, raising her fist proudly. This got the desired effect, sending everyone into a chuckling fit.

"It's hard to imagine that seven students that had once been the biggest troublemakers I'd ever seen," Oz started, and more than half of them either glanced away or chuckled nervously. Oz sighed contently, and his gaze turned reverent. "Who would imagine that these problem children would become the saviors of the world? And not only that; they would be the ones to finally set me free…"

Rather than be humbled by the immortal's words, it instead brought an elephant back into the room. All of RWBYNR cast questions between one another silently. Of course, Ruby inevitably was the first to ask.

"What's going to happen to you now, Sir? And…what about Oscar?"

Oz stared the crimson girl, wide-eyed at the amount of concern that came from her voice. Shutting his eyes and nodding to himself, he turned to the hole in the ceiling. As everyone waited for his response, he took in the sight of the moon, now whole.

"This will be my last reincarnation," Oz said. Some among the group had expected the answer, but a chill still crawled down their spines. Oz held his arms up, preventing any interruptions. "I'm fine with that…I've lived longer than any other person in existence; Salem included. But…she's gone now. And with the relics brought together, the gods made good on their word. Humanity was made whole and my mission was completed. And although I can see trials and tribulations over the horizon…I can tell that this is the best possible ending for the world…"

Everyone absorbed the information silently. Oz coughed, trying to break the silence. His somber speech dipped into his frown, but his eyes sparked with a small hope.

"As for Oscar; we will still be bound for as long as he lives. He – and I by extension – made peace with that thought early on, as I'm sure you remember from Argus. But as Jinn said to you once, I've learned to live alongside my hosts and their lives. I will still be around from time to time, but until we are bonded completely, I feel as though Oscar deserves to live his life his way… And when we are made one, I will do my best to follow whichever life he has made up to that point…That's the only gift I can give him…"

With those parting words, his eyes flashed and his shoulders relaxed. Blinking a few times, he looked at the group and hopped backwards in shock. He ended up slipping on some leftover food and crashing onto his back on the ground.

"Ow…can someone help me up, please?" Oscar said. Ruby pulled away from Blake, offering a hand to the young host. Oscar looked to his savior, and his face burst into flames at the sight of Ruby's dress. Forcing his eyes away, he reached out and grabbed her hand. In a single tug, he was off the ground, still looking away from the reaper.

"You alright Oscar?" Ruby asked. She grabbed his shoulders, scanning him over to make sure he wasn't hurt. The farmhand sputtered a moment, his words catching in his throat. Finally, he shook his shoulders, forcing Ruby to let go.

"I-I'm fine R-Ruby," he said, still refusing to look at her. Instead, he took notice of the damaged banquet along with the shattered ceiling. "Oh gods, what did I miss this time?"

"Before you panic, that was not your fault," Weiss started. She pointed a finger behind her, where Klein was now tossing the football between his hands, opting to toss it at Team SSSN's heads if they began slacking in their cleaning duties. "As for what you missed: the dorks literally crashed the party, Yang made a pass on sister, and everyone is looking at us."

While everyone else gawked at the quick sum-up, Oscar finally looked at Ruby. The words poured out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"I'm not surprised you're the center of attention. I mean…just look at you."

"Huh?" Ruby said, not understanding what he meant.

Oscar snapped out of whatever hypnosis had ensnared him, jumping back and once again stumbling through his words. "I-I-I mean, j-just look at y-you guys! You g-guys are the s-saviors of the entire world! Who wouldn't want a glance at the new legends?"

As he spoke, his stutter vanished, and his nerves gave way to excitement. The large group flushed as one, realizing the truth behind his words.

"I actually never thought about it," Nora of all people started. She gave a quick study of the room, subconsciously sliding her hand into Ren's. "We were just doing what we thought was right, but…we're probably the most famous people in all of Remnant right now…"

"You're not just famous," Oscar said. He held his arms wide open, and his eyes seemed to spark with more adrenaline. "You guys literally saved the world from the greatest evil that ever existed! The stories people will spread will be passed down for the next millennia at the very least! And at the very center of it all was you, Ruby!"

Ruby jumped at the focus on her. Her anxiety burst forth again and she tried blocking her face with her hands in hopes of hiding her blush.

"W-why me specifically?" she asked. She was even more surprised when not only Oscar gaped at her in shock, but her teammates from both teams shared his shock.

"Are you kidding Ruby?" Blake said. "While we were fighting off her goons and Maidens, you literally summoned a set of Gods, and the three of you wiped an immortal, magical, Grimm Queen off the face of Remnant."

"And then when the job was done, you told the Gods to 'fix what you broke and shove off,'" Yang continued, surprising a few that she was keeping up despite her current status. A beat hung in the air, before the brawler snorted a laugh, probably at how ridiculous their reality actually sounded.

"That was not how it went," Ruby said, still blocking her eyes, even from them. She began kicking her leg back and forth, focusing on the sway of her dress' ruffles.

"Those brothers literally wiped humans off the face of the planet once before. And yet, when you told them to leave, they listened. Ruby, if that is not how it went, than please tell us how all of us are still standing here," Weiss said. The snark in her voice faded as she spoke, replaced with something close to worry for her friend. Her tone carried throughout the group, and Ruby couldn't help but cast her anxiety aside to look them head on.

"I want to say that it was a heat-of-the-moment thing; that I was still in combat mode when I talked to them," Ruby said. Her eyes became downcast, and her mind went back to that moment. "But...I had been thinking about it ever since Jinn showed us the truth.

"Everything that we went through: losing Penny and Pyrrha…Ironwood and Maria…" Ruby paused; the wound of their latest loss still fresh. "All of this happened because Salem couldn't let Ozma go."

Oscar had the decency to look ashamed on Ozpin's part. Ruby rubbed his shoulder, hoping to brush his self-blame aside. "And when humans came back, they forgot the Gods even existed and were still horrible to each other, and even worse to the Faunus."

Weiss lowered her head, biting her lip. Blake's arm snaked over the princess' shoulder. Weiss leaned into the embrace, shame dancing across her face.

"When my mom died, all I wanted was for her to come back," Ruby said. Her voice wavered at the mention of her oldest scar, but she continued forth. "I hate to admit it, but if the Gods had been around when she died, I might have been the next Salem."

A collective frost burrowed down her family's spines. None of them knew what to say to such a statement.

"It's isn't just me. I love all of you, but…I know each of you have been in similar boats. An obsession can make us to do horrible things," Ruby continued, her voice getting weaker. Each member of RWBY looked back, remembering the things they had risked on a single train of thought. Ren subconsciously rubbed his cheek where Nora had slapped him during the Nuckelavee incident. He thought of how reckless he had been during the fight…and what he almost lost due to his rage.

A shuttered sigh spilled from Ruby's lips, and she had to blink back tears. Sniffling, she cleared her throat. "But that's what makes us better than Salem.

"Every one of us lost something we can't get back. There's always gonna be another Adam or Hazel; someone who can't let go of the past," Ruby couldn't help the smile that stretched her face. "And then there's us. We suffered just as much and we still chose to protect the world.

"The Gods saw that too; they saw what we managed without their help. Maybe that's why they listened when I asked them to stop; because somewhere inside of them, they knew that we were the best parts of humanity…probably the best parts of them too, if you think about it. They listened because they saw that we stood strong…and that we will always stay strong. That's what it means to be human; we keep moving forward."

Everyone stayed silent, a range of awe across their faces. Ruby breathed out a laugh at their response. She caught herself when she realized how quiet the room had gotten. Looking past her family, she found all eyes on her. Even Team SSSN and Klein had stopped to stare.

Panic set in Ruby's stomach. Had everyone heard her? Were they thinking she was crazy? Her breath caught in her throat…

Then someone began clapping. The noise bounced across the room, making it hard to find the source. But the applause continued, unfaltering as the only noise. Another set of hands added into the echoed gesture. One by one, the ballroom became a ballad of praise as a thunder of claps rained down over the teams.

Someone cheered in the background and Ruby was stunned by the reception of their praise. Her surprise shifted as she felt her head pulled toward a waterfall of blonde. Her hair tousled, Ruby immediately tried prying away from her sister's arms.

Her squirming halted as she felt Yang press her lips to her forehead. Yang pushed her sister back a bit, just enough to stare down into her eyes. Lilac met silver, and Ruby saw the first sign of clarity peeking through the drunken haze. Rather than uncomfortable, Ruby found herself enveloped by the warmth and love that poured from her sister's smile.

"Ruby Rose…My sweet baby sister… You really are the 'bee's knee's," Yang said. The old phrase made Ruby groan, but that didn't stop the tears bubbling up at the sentiment. She pulled her big sister into a hug, reminding her of their younger years.

"Well, then," Weiss started. Ruby pulled away from her sister in time to catch her partner wiping her own eyes. The princess sniffled, trying to reign in her emotions. "Following such an uplifting speech, I think we can proceed to the dancing portion of the evening," Weiss said. Raising a palm into the air, the thunder of cheers filtered into the soft music filling the room.

Ruby prickled at the tune, remembering their last dance. She watched as Weiss wandered toward the stage, presumably to become the singer for the band. Her sister finally let go of her, and instead wrapped her arms around Blake's waist. The cat girl yipped as her blonde teammate hoisted her into the air.

"Don't worry kitty-cat; I'll make sure monkey boy gets a dance as well." Yang winked at her partner, and Blake couldn't keep the appreciative smile off her face, although that did not stop her eyes from rolling.

Ruby had become anxious once more, but took solace in Oscar becoming as flustered as she. The young man swung his arms around his head, face hot as he flustered over his words again. His antics made the crimsonette smile; Oscar had just been recruited into the now aptly named 'Socially Awkward Trio.'

"R-Ruby! I m-mean Ms. Rose! I-I mean…ugh…Would you l-l-like…" Oscar's words caught in his throat, strangled by the scarf. The boy felt the world shift. To make matters worse, it seemed as though Ruby had not heard a word he said. Her head bobbed left and right, focusing on something that, specifically, wasn't there.

"Oops! Sorry Ruby!" Nora said as she brushed up against her fellow redhead. Ruby turned to Nora, and Ren, who were obviously dancing with one another. Ren was hovering over the ground, held in place by Nora, who had wanted to dip him during their waltz. The duo turned to Ruby when they noticed her rabid search for something.

"Where's Jaune?" Ruby asked. The pink and green lovers paused for a moment. They both pointed a finger towards one of the balconies across the room. Mumbling a 'thanks,' Ruby headed towards her destination, missing the panicked apology from Nora dropping Ren. Ruby also missed the defeated looked that had cemented onto Oscar's face.

Ruby weaved through the crowd. Every few feet, patrons would stop mid-dance to talk with her; ranging from praising her to practically begging to shake her hand. If being the center of attention had been a headache before, then Ruby was living through her worst nightmares.

Squeezing between the last pair of her new fans, Ruby found herself on her hands and knees, panting as though she had just run through a war zone. Sucking in large gulps of breath, the red-head used a nearby pillar to pull herself up.

Steadying her panicked breath, Ruby patted down her dress. Now calmed, she caught the tail-end of someone speaking from the balcony. Call it catharsis, call it childish; but after practically being groped by almost every man and woman in the ballroom, Ruby was feeling mischievous. Keeping to the shadows, she sneaked around a curtain, hoping to scare her best friend. The reaper let out a sinister giggle as she spotting her blonde friend leaning against the stone railing of the balcony. The noise from the party inside seemed miles away out there, and Ruby chalked it up to Papa Schnee's need for privacy at any given moment. With that in mind, the Reaper readied to pounce on her buddy.

"You sure know how to keep it down, kid. I respect that," another voice said. Ruby let out a muted gasp, tucking herself behind the curtain. Peeking out, her mind trying to register what she was seeing.

Her Uncle Qrow and Jaune were having a one-on-one conversation; the glint of a flask shining in the moonlight as Jaune downed some alcoholic concoction her uncle had made.

"Thanks," Jaune said. There was no animosity in his voice. The knight held out the flask to the old bird, who took it back without missing a beat. "Y'know Rubes is gonna flip if she finds out you're drinking again."

Qrow paused mid-tilt with his flask. With a genuine laugh, he lowered the flask away from his lips. "You got a point kid, though I'm pretty sure they know with the way Yang was acting. Besides, she'd probably be more freaked out that you're drinking."

A pause hung in the air. Finally, Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "I mean…you're not wrong."

A loud gulp followed as Qrow finally took a swig. Ruby was stunned at the scene before her. She loved the duo, but they had never seen eye to eye before. Yet there they stood, acting like old friends.

"Besides," Qrow said after his drink. "It's a celebratory drink. The kid's gotta let me have this one, ya' know?"

Jaune let out a quick bark of a laugh, before slipping into a heavy sigh. "You're right. She'll forgive you in a heartbeat. She's just…that incredible."

A beat weighed between the two men again. Finally, Qrow spoke up. "I really can't believe it. Salem's finally gone…more than half the Grimm are gone…all thanks to a crybaby who used to wet the bed."

Ruby could feel the steam pouring out of her ears. It took all her self-control not to kill her uncle right then and there.

"And now, she's the savior of the world," Jaune continued the uncle's thought. "That's not really surprising though."

"…Care to elaborate?" Qrow asked. Ruby's anger forgotten, she moved a bit closer to hear what he had to say.

"Ruby…is probably the most amazing person I've ever met. She's goofy and clumsy, but insanely smart and brave. Not to mention she's kind. Ya' know, at the very end, she begged Salem to give up. There was no reason; she just…understood what Salem had gone through. Ruby felt that she still deserved a second chance. Not many people would have offered; I know that the rest of us would have made the killing blow in a heartbeat…" Jaune chuckled, and it sounded like an old man recalling a legend. In a sense, he was. "Without a doubt, Ruby is the best there is. Human, Faunus, there's no comparison; she is the best of the best… and she is going to be the legend people look up to… there's not a doubt in my mind."

Ruby could feel her heart melting into a bubbling mess. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people had told her how incredible she was when Salem had been taken down. Not a single one of them understood like Jaune. He knew her better than anyone else, and understood how much thought had gone into the final blow. Ruby did not regret her choice, but Jaune knew that she was sad that she had to make that choice.

"Listen Kid… trust me when I say that I'm glad Ruby has a friend like you," Qrow said. The old hunter coughed awkwardly, as if he were choking on his next words. "Just…do me a favor."

The air between the two grew silent again. It was only with a nod from the knight that Qrow continued his thought.

"Don't get me wrong; I like you a lot kid. Honestly, outside of Ruby and Yang, you might be my favorite of the lot of you brats," Qrow admitted. The statement made Jaune and Ruby's brows rise. Without missing a beat, he continued. "But, please don't fall for my niece…Just 'cause I like ya, doesn't mean I want to hear you calling me 'Uncle Qrow' too."

If Ruby had been steaming before, she was on the verge of going nuclear now. As for Jaune...

"Cute," Jaune chuckled out. A hand ran through his golden locks and the chuckle lingered between the trio. "Nah, me and Ruby aren't like that. Besides, are you sure you should be telling me this? After all," Jaune paused and sent Qrow a knowing look. "I think we both know someone who's head over heels for her."

A gasp passed through her lips before Ruby could stop it. Panicked, she dove further into the curtain, desperate to keep hidden. If either of the two men noticed, they did not show it.

Qrow watched Jaune a moment longer. Seemingly accepting the knight's words, the bird yawned and stretched his back. A loud pop echoed from his spine and he groaned in appreciation. Rubbing the back of his neck, Qrow sauntered away from the ledge, towards the party. "Well, guess I should 'grace the party with my presence,' or whatever the Ice Queen would say…Don't stay out here too long."

It was more a statement than a polite gesture. If Jaune was offended, he did not show any reaction. Ruby pressed herself against the pillar, hoping the curtains would block her from her Uncle's view. An effort wasted, as when the hunter passed, his arm shot out and yanked the curtains aside. Started by the action, Ruby cupped her hands over her mouth. Uncle and niece started back at one another until Qrow jabbed a finger in Jaune's direction. Yawning even louder, Qrow stepped into the crowd, blending into the mass of guests almost immediately.

"Hey Ruby. Me and Qrow were just talking about you," he said. Ruby jumped at the greeting. Her feet anchored, she felt her body twist rigidly as she looked at him. The blonde had a smug grin on his face. The reaper inwardly groaned; the knight had known she was there the entire time.

"How long?" she asked, dejected over being caught. She made her way over to him, immediately sidling close enough for her shoulders to brush against his arm. Ruby wanted to compliment his suit, but the conversation she had eavesdropped on still rattled in her mind and she opted out.

"Oh, I don't know. There was a sinister sounding giggle when me and Qrow were talking, but that could have been anything," Jaune said, sarcasm dripping from his words. Rather than continue crippling her already bruised confidence, Jaune's changed the subject. "What happened in there? I heard a loud crash."

Grateful for the segue, Ruby recounted Sun's banquet massacre. Jaune listened on, becoming more bewildered as the story continued.

"Wow…I'm surprised Weiss didn't kill him," he said when she finished.

Ruby shrugged her shoulders, as though what had happened was an everyday occurrence. "Honestly, I think Weiss kind of liked it. I mean, her father and brother were forced to hold this party. Winter – I mean General Schnee – ordered it. I think this was her way of thanking Weiss for, y'know, ending the 'biggest war in history.' And I know that any damages to the house will come out of 'Daddy Schnee's' vault, so I think both of them will take any excuse to hurt him."

Jaune was silent for a moment, thoughtful. "Well…at least they're happy," he said with a curt nod. A comfortable silence sat between them for a moment. It ended with the knight scooting away scanning her over. Crossing his arms, he nodded in clear approval. "You really look good in that dress."

Ruby's eyes rolled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Aw, shut your stupid face, Vomit Boy." The laughter that bubbled up from both of them gave her the confidence to continue. "Besides, we both know you look better in a dress than I do."

"Oh really? Well, it's all in the legs," Jaune fired back just as quick. The quiet laughter grew into a harmonious cackle. The snorts and small slaps to each other's shoulders were childish and beneath them, as Weiss would say. But for the duo lost in their battle of quips, it was the comfort of being home.

Sucking in deep gulps of air, Jaune wiped a tear from his eye. "Ah, you really are an amazing woman, Ruby." Ruby's cheeks tinted red, but she gave him a grateful smile nonetheless. "It's no wonder Oscar's in love with you."

The peace in the air cracked. Startled by the claim, Ruby pushed her arms off his chest. She hadn't even realized she had been leaning into him during their teasing battle.

"W-W-What!?" Ruby said, and she felt like her words understated her shock. Jaune's face stayed calm, as though he wasn't worried about the panic attack Ruby was slipping into.

"Deep breaths," Jaune chimed. A loud inhale filled her lungs with much needed air. The repeated action worked like a charm, slowing her thumping heart and the racing mind. Taking one final breath, Ruby pressed a palm to her chest. A hard glare etched onto her face and Jaune had the decency to look apologetic.

"Honestly Ruby; you're a tactical genius in everything weapon and combat. And I know that we're the 'socially awkward,'" Jaune said, and Ruby almost forgot her anger at the mention of their old nickname. "But when it comes to anything short of 'normal,' you are a nightmare. Even something as simple as someone liking you flies over your head…"

The comment was rude even though it was true. This time, Ruby did not stop the rage that boiled to the surface. In a quick motion, she was in front of him again. Her finger jabbed into his suit, and she made sure to twist enough to dig a little deeper.

"You of all people have no right to tell me that."

The air around them seemed to vanish; the implication painfully clear. Just as quickly as the words fell out, she wished she could take them back. Her anger faded immediately, replaced with horror at what she had just said. Her feet shuffled backwards and she tried pulling her hand away from his body.

His arms shot out, and his fingers sunk into the skin of her shoulders, locking her in place. Ruby flinched at the action, but didn't try pulling away. They both knew she could break away with ease. Guilt kept her from doing so; ashamed she had reopened one of his deepest scars. Jaune had been silent through the entire motion and Ruby tensed when she heard him inhale deeply.

"You're absolutely right…By the time I even realized how she felt, Pyrrha was already gone… I never gave her a chance…"

Ruby locked eyes with him again. Rather than anger, his eyes were gentle, though there was hurt skittering across the surface. She pulled herself flush against his chest, clinging to her best friend in the tightest hug she could muster up. Ruby felt his grip leave her shoulders, looping around her back in a forgiving hug. Ruby bit her lip, keeping silent as stray tears were absorbed into his suit jacket.

"Do you like Oscar? I mean, in a 'like-like' kind of way," Jaune asked. Ruby opened her mouth, but she didn't know what to say. Anything beyond familial love was a foreign concept to her. Jaune continued; his voice hoarse and somber. "Ruby…you've gone through so much. You've always put the world ahead of yourself…It's honestly a miracle you're still that bubbly dork that made a crater on the first day of school."

Ruby shifted her head, so she could finally look at him. She wasn't surprised to see him staring back. His smile was bittersweet, but his eyes held no animosity towards what she had said. One of his arms pulled away from her back. When he started gliding his hand over her hair, she had to bite back her laugh. There she was, a literal Reaper, being treated like glass. It was somewhat ironic that she was being comforted by the one she had hurt. Nevertheless, she leaned into his pets, appreciative of his coddling.

"I don't know how long Oscar has left; it's honestly a miracle he's still around. But…he loves you Ruby," Jaune said. The statement shook her to her core. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't understand how someone could see her in that way. She was Ruby Rose, weapon nerd and slayer of cookies; not 'romantic meals' and 'chick flicks.'

Jaune continued, despite her internal war. "Ruby…it's okay to be scared after hearing that." A sympathetic chuckle shook his body. "No one's expecting you to fall for the first person that's into you; my little 'attempts' at Weiss speak for themselves…" Jaune muttered the last bit. "But if you don't put yourself out there, you'll never know if you missed out on something…Take a chance, and you'll figure it out from there. You don't want to risk 'too late.' Do you understand?"

The atmosphere between them crackled with emotion. Whatever Ruby had expected when she was looking for him earlier, this conversation hadn't even crossed her mind.

Ruby took a shuttered breath, trying to keep herself from crying. She pulled away from Jaune, and he did not stop her. Wrapping her arms around herself, Ruby sighed, unsure of what to say next. "Well…how do you know I don't…ya'know?"

"You mean, 'swing the other way?'" Jaune said, almost too quickly. Ruby could not tell if her face was still red from all the emotions or from the embarrassment of how bluntly he had said it. Nevertheless, she nodded, actually curious of what he would say.

Unexpectedly, Jaune chuckled in a dark way. It was a laugh fit for a trickster, and Ruby was stunned at how quickly his personality had changed. "Well, that depends…does the thought of Weiss and Blake naked turn you on?"

"Oh god." Just like that, the heaviness in the air faded. A groan and a laugh both caught in her throat and she didn't know which to let out first. Jaune snickered at her reaction, playfully rolling his eyebrows.

A shutter crawled down her back and she began rubbing her temples. "Out of anybody you could have mentioned, you just had to pick my other sisters? Ugh…it was already awkward enough with Yang hitting on me…"

"Well…I guess you have your answer then. Besides, you have the rest of the night to forget about it," Jaune said. The smile he gave her was so jovial. At that moment, he was the earnest kid from Beacon Academy that gave her a helping hand once more. It was hard to believe how far he had come.

"But…won't it be weird? I mean…we've known Oscar for years, plus there's Ozpin…and what if it doesn't work out?" Ruby asked. Jaune shook his head, denying her excuses.

"Ruby, if you don't like him that way, Oscar will understand. If you reject him, you'll still be his friend, right?" Ruby nodded without hesitation. "No matter what you decide, he'll be glad you were by his side 'til the end. That's more than some people get…"

Ruby couldn't answer. Jaune looked back towards the view from the balcony, but his eyes seemed to be looking at something far in the distance. "The future is bright Ruby…you'll always be the greatest Huntress to the world; now just be 'Ruby' to him; either as his friend…or something else. That's up to you."

"…Right," Ruby said. She couldn't find the right words to say. She was still confused on how she felt about all of this, but one thing was clear. Jaune was right; if anything could happen between her and Oscar, she wouldn't get a 'later.' Jaune was being pushy, but he only wanted to make sure she didn't have any regrets.

A shadow shuffled behind the duo and they both turned and saw Oscar peeking around the same pillar Ruby had been attached to. His eyes trained on Ruby, nervous but hopeful.

Ruby turned back to her dear friend. He gave her a raised brow and gave a quick nod in the younger man's direction. "Take the leap?"

"…Right!" Ruby said, beaming at Jaune. Ruby didn't know what would happen, but she trusted Jaune; everything would work out one way or another. Nodding to her fellow leader, she tried leaving on a high note. "You are really convincing. If you ever want to get out of the Huntsman life, you'd probably be a good therapist."

She rushed to the door with a laugh. Jaune waved a farewell to her. Inhaling as deeply as he could, he turned back to the view from the balcony. His eyes trained on the moon, and a peaceful smile touched his lips.

"We did it Pyrrha…I know you'd be proud…"

Here is Chapter 1. I hope you like it, and I hope the characters felt like they came from the actual show. I tried my best to keep them in character.

Minor heads up: there will be OC's in this piece. I am not a fan of OCs, but I need to write in a villain for them to fight, so...yeah.

All flames will be disposed into the nearest trash heap. I worked long and hard on this, and I desire feedback to help me grow. I like how this turned out, but I know this could have been much better as well.

Anyway, I'll see ya when I see ya.

-CZ