Alright people seem to like this story so far; I can only hope it can keep it up. At this point I will answer a few questions. Jaune will only be using these 8 cards, the reason he didn't get Shirou as archer is that having Shirou train Jaune or be his servant has already been done, and using the Jeanne Alter also felt a bit lazy. As I said I do not own RWBY or the Nasuverse. Beta Read by good old Khor.

Chapter 2: A Game of Cat and Bird.

Journal Entry/ Post Beacon entry 4

Right, so this journal's purpose has changed a great deal since two weeks ago. Rather than record my life at Beacon its purpose is now to document the insanity that is my life now. Some days I think I must actually be in a padded cell right now but Mordred is always ready to remind me that I couldn't dream up someone like her even if I tried. Right, I'm repeating myself now. Let's move on to the purpose of this entry and document what the Spirits I can use are capable of.

First, because I'll never hear the end of it otherwise, is Mordred. So far she is the most powerful servant I can call upon. Her armor is incredibly durable, more so to survive her own strength than anything. Her Crimson Lightning technique is her go-to option for long-distance attacks but throwing her blade is something I have memories of her doing. Her Nobel Phantasm is something I haven't touched yet but the destructive power I've seen makes it something I won't touch in a populated area.

Diarmuid is the second servant I managed to Install. A master of a twin-spear fighting style; he's faster and more agile than Mordred as well as more strategically minded. For once luck was on my side and when I Install him I do not receive the Love Spot that caused him so much trouble. His spears are terrifying, one creates wounds that will never heal and the other will cancel or pierce anything magical. The latter will be useful once we face a Caster class while the other will ensure those that rely on outlasting their opponents will be faced with wounds that constantly bleed them out. A note to myself; when making deals never have Diarmuid Installed. He is proof there is such a thing a too loyal and I don't want his mindset influencing me while I make deals.

Finally we have Medusa the Rider. Her memories were disturbing to say the least. Mordred and Diarmuid had some horrifying memories filled with bloodshed and carnage but theirs' were on the field of battle. Medusa's were memories of her being hunted down or her doing the hunting. More and more I receive new memories of her decent into madness and I feel only sorrow for her. Cursed by a goddess and set upon by 'heroes' from across the land, added on to her sisters treatment of her, her mind just couldn't take it. On a side note saying so made her act oddly for a time but she soon returned to her normal self. Installing her is interesting to say the least. For one her outfit changes from a dress to some very tight shorts and a sleeveless top for me. Secondly is the way I'm blindfolded when she is Installed. Her eyes are her main Nobel Phantasm and therefore covered when not in use; in exchange my other senses are incredibly heightened. This is the Install that has me the most closely linked to the spirit as her experience and skill are even more important with the lack of sight. Her main weapon is a set of nail-shaped daggers attached to chains, combined with her great speed hit and run tactics are my best choice for using her.

With the final addition to his journal Jaune shut down the journal app on his scroll and tucked it away. Two weeks since he had taken Zeltretch up on his offer and he had come to see exactly why the Vampire was concerned. Three cards, that's how many he had found and while the first two, a horned figure wielding a gigantic ax and a gunslinger respectively, had been newly born the third, a Spirit that appeared to be a young woman that threw around fire and turned into a dragon at one point, had slaughtered a whole trading caravan. By the time he found it nothing but bits of burnt wood and charred skeletons had remained. It was at that point that Jaune was truly thankful for the memories he had seen of his Heroic Spirits as they let him ignore that detail until after the corrupted Spirit was defeated. Once that was done he spent an hour vomiting whatever was in his stomach as Diarmuid talked him through it. Within twenty-four hours after every fight Zeltretch would show up to collect the cards.

Jaune smiled as he looked around the Shion, apparently he had wandered through just in time for a big wedding and there was plenty of work to be done. He had traded he services for room and board; performing whatever task needed to be done while listening for gossip that could relate to a Card. Diamurd had been jubilant the whole time; telling the tale of him and Grianne.

"And that is how my and Grianne's union came to be." Jaune just nodded along, unsure of how to think about the story. Mordred however….

"Tch, so you're just like Lancelot. I'll at least allow you the fact she used a Geas to make you run off with her but you still married her."

"I loved her and until my King accepted it I lied not a single finger upon her. She was as pure as snow until we consummated our marriage."

"YOU STILL BETRAYED THE ONE YOU SWORE YOUR LOYALTY TO!"

"SHUT IT KNIGHT OF BETRAYAL! THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THEIR KINGDOM'S DEMISE HAS NO RIGHT TO JUDGE! " Jaune winced asthe two knights began to argue; wishing Mordred would make up her mind on if she hated her father or not as then this argument would stop.

"Both of you, quiet. You're making Master uncomfortable." Medusa's voice filled Jaune's ears, a curious mix of sultry and concerned. Both knights quieted down at that, something Jaune thanked Medusa for as he sat down on a bench in the town square. He looked around, taking in the banners and lights set up. Shion was a constant vacation spot for the Arc family, the town's harvest festival famous throughout the area and being back in it brought back some bittersweet memories.

Mordred had made him question his parents and sisters way of raising him; the knight finding it disturbing that in such a dangerous land the sole heir was not taught to survive. Jaune had been forced to explain gender-equality to Mordred and discovered the young girl's hatred of her gender. Since then Jaune had made an effort to only call her by her given name as any use of feminine pronouns set her off. Still her thoughts stuck with him and Jaune had been forced to take a hard look at his life. Yes his family wanted him safe but they forbid him from taking even introductory self-defense classes. And while the town he grew up in was a relatively safe place they did lose people to Grimm and bandits, Jaune himself had lost three friends to the soulless beasts over the years.

Instead of a sword Jaune was trained to wield a needle, the only reason he used a knife was to cook, for crying out loud he was turned into a skilled masseuse when his sisters wanted him to help ease the back-pain puberty had brought them. The memories of Medusa's sisters treating their sister like a servant only settled the point, that his family had decided the only worth he had was as a butler to them. Jaune was sure they loved him but it was hard to look past both the lessons and the fact that when his sisters decided what they wanted to be they had received full support unlike him.

"They probably just wanted to keep you safe, I know that my old man wanted me to spend a long time before joining him in his house and Anegus was the same."

'Maybe, or did they want to keep me indoors and ensure I didn't embarrasses them. Either way they wanted me stuck in a gilded cage.' His servants kept quiet at that and Jaune got up as the mayor of the town, an aging man in his sixties named Bacchus, came up to him.

"Jaune my boy, would you mind keeping an eye on my granddaughter, Thalia, while I deal with some more adult matters of the upcoming festivities?" At Bacchus' words an eight-year old brunette dressed in a pink sundress and her hair set in pigtails came out from behind his legs and pouted up at the man. Jaune grinned at Thalia, having come to know the little girl rather well over the past few days.

"Grandpa, I'm plenty grown-up. I even have a part in auntie Vivian's wedding." The mayor chuckled at the little girl and leaned down to pat her on the head.

"Yes, yes. I'm sure you'll be an excellent flower girl but this is something you'll need to be a bit older for."

"How old?"

"You'll need wrinkles like mine before you can get involved in these matters. Come know, didn't you say how awesome it be to spend time with Jaune earlier." Jaune felt a blush on his cheeks as Thalia turned bright red. Stepping up her leaned over and held out his hand to the girl.

"Let's leave the geezer to whatever he had to do, okay? The two of us can go enjoy the game stalls they set up this morning." A bright smile is his answer.

"Thank you Jaune, I'll get her in a few hours." Jaune waved the mayor off but accepted the Lien the man gave him for the games. Nodding to Bacchus Jaune scooped Thalia up and carried her off to the game stalls.

The first one Thalia wanted to do was a ring toss game, the little girl eagerly playing the game and earning a stuffed cat. Following that she dragged Jaune to the darts, earning a little crown for her efforts. That was how Jaune spent the next two hours, following Thalia around as she racked up the prizes. If a bit of his own Lien was used to pay for her fun Jaune so be it, after the last few week he had lived Jaune was enjoying the joy that radiated from the innocent little girl.

"So then little lady, which do you want to end with." Thalia eagerly pointed to a basketball game that had been set up. The goal was to score twenty goals, a prize being earned based on how many you made.

"That one, that one." Jaune set Thalia down in front of it and handed the woman manning the stall the Lien needed to play. The little girl eagerly picked up her first ball and threw it up wildly, hitting the backboard and sending it flying back at her, Jaune plucked the ball from the air before it hit her and set it down.

"Hey, bit too much power behind it. Here, like this." Jaune led Thalia through the next shot, showing her how to do it just like his sisters did for him once. Thalia managed to get the next three through the hoop and barely missed the fifth. Jaune just laughed and ruffled her hair as she pouted at her streak being broken. By the end of it Thalia had managed to get a score of 13/20. Jaune couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's choice of a foam sword as her prize.

"Agreed, at least make it wood. How else is she supposed to do damage with it?" It took everything Jaune had not to double over laughing at the sheer indignation in Mordred's voice.

"Jaune." The knight looked down at Thalia who held her sword up at him. "Can you teach me how to use a sword." Jaune got down on one knee so that he was face to face with the young girl.

"And why do you want to wield a sword."

"To kill the bandits." Jaune's blood ran cold and a silence filled the area at the Thalia's statement. The sheer hatred on her face scared Jaune, it didn't belong on a girl as young as her. "They took my Mommy from me, Daddy never recovered and one day he died from a broken heart. It hurt him so much it exploded inside his chest, you could see it on his clothes." Jaune's mouth dried as he realized this little girl had walked in on her father after he killed himself, someone clearly making her think that tale was true. "I want to make sure every bandit dies, I want to make sure no-one else losses a mommy or daddy to them." Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at him, clutching the toy sword to her chest. "So please teach me how to kill them." Jaune shakily enveloped Thalia in a hug, his heart aching at listening to this girl's story. He knew her Grandfather was raising her and that he was the only family she still had; that her calling the bride auntie was simply because of how close the young woman was to Thalia but he had no idea just how she had lost her family.

"I can't, I can't just train you for something like that."

"But.."

"You are an eight-year old girl, your life goal shouldn't be to kill people. Besides you're too young for that. " Jaune knew most people started combat training around eleven, ten at most. He had started asking, and being denied, training at this age.

"But.."
"You want to protect people right?" Jaune pushed Thalia back so he could see her teary nod. "Then know I want to protect you, I want you to live your childhood and when you turn eleven I'll come back and train you so we can get you ready to protect your loved ones. Okay." Thalia nodded and held up a hand, her fingers curled up except for her pinkie.

"Promise." Jaune looped his own pinkie around hers and smiled at her.

"Promise; and remember that I never break my word. Now let's go get you a slice of pie, my treat." Just like that Thalia was all smiles and cheer again as she ran over to the lady selling pie. Jaune followed after her, opening his wallet to get the lien.

"On the house." Jaune looked up from fishing through is wallet to see Thalia chewing on a mouthful of pie, whipped cream forming a mustache and beard on her face, while the sales girl smiled at him. "Thalia hasn't smiled like that in a while, I'm happy to help the man that helped her do so." Jaune grinned at the girl and handed her the lien anyway.

"Thanks but I don't need a reward for that." Jaune slipped his wallet in his pocket and picked Thalia up as she munched on her treat. "She's just too cute not to want her smiling." Turning around to head back to the town square Jaune didn't notice the blush on the sales girl.

Thalia fell asleep on the way back after she finished her pie, the day finally catching up to her. That was how Jaune handed her off to Bacchus, fast asleep with a pie-stained mouth and her toy sword clutched in her hand. The rest of her goodies in a plastic bag he gave the elderly man.

"Heard about what you promised her, whole town probably knows about it. You do plan on coming back boy?" Bacchus' question ends in a glare that narrows off when Jaune nods.

"Of course, I made a promise to her." Bacchus nods, a smile on his face.

"Good, having a former Beacon student training her will be good." Jaune stares at him in shock; having made no mention of his past. "Come now, you were in the first two rounds of the Festival. Maybe you got overlooked by most for the flashier contenders and with Nikos beside you but I was amazed by your tactics. So why aren't you back at school." Jaune clenches his fist as the image of his former friends goes through his mind. He hated them; he might keep it buried most of the time but he really and truly hated them.

"My former team found someone better and the rest of my former friends supported replacing me."

"Then they're fools." Jaune sends a grateful smile to the man before saying his goodbyes and heading towards the inn.

"So Master, got yourself a Squire now?"

"Squire?"

"Kind of a combination of a servant and apprentice. You going to make that girl your squire?" Jaune snorted as he lay down on his bed.

"Nope, I'll just give her a leg up when the time comes." His piece said Jaune closes his eyes.

Dreams are something that he had unknowingly traded away once he took of the Class Cards. His nights were filled with the memories of the Heroic Spirits. Mordred and Diarmuid's were a mix of their times spent in royal courts or bloody battles while Medusa's had so far been her time on her island as she slowly descended into madness. This was none of that; if anything it was worse. He was watching someone carry a green-hair baby out into the woods; the intent clear. The perpetrator drops the basket holding the child none too gently and leaves the baby crying. Jaune can only watch as a pack of wolves comes into view, his stomach twisting at what he's about to see only for the wolves to run.

Jaune can't blame them, even in a memory the feeling washing over him is clear. This is divine power, emanating from a silver-haired woman that comes into view, her hair casting a shadow on her face and obscuring her features as she leans over to pick up the child. The baby's cries ending as the woman holds her close.

"Hello little one. Such a horrible man to throw you away for being born a girl but don't you worry. I know someone who would love to raise you, let's take you to your new family …."

"AAAHHHH" Screams and gunshots are what awaken Jaune from his dream. The smell of fire filling his nose, Jaune is up in an instant; snatching the cards before running out the room down the stairs of the inn.

"Install Lancer!" By the time he hits the ground Jaune is decked out in a high-collared, green bodysuit, matching armor on one shoulder and his arms. Black boots with the metal toe guards replaced his own. In his grip were two spears: Gae Buidhe ,the yellow spear, that dealt wounds that never healed and Gae Dearg ,the red spear, that pierced through all magic. On the ground floor a man was pointing a gun at the inn's owner and his wife, a twisted grin on his face. When the sound of Jaune hitting the floor caught his attention he turned only to see Gae Buidhe a second before it pierced his eye before skewering his brain.

"Stay inside and hide!" Jaune ran outside after shouting out to the couple, his voice now a mix of his and Diarmuid. The bandit's corpse sliding of his spear as he ran outside to find a nightmare. Bandits were chasing people, shooting anything they pleased and stealing the rest. One had a woman pinned to the wall, tearing away at her clothes.

"Time for some fun swee…ACCCKKK!" The bandit's voice was cut off as a spear ran through his side. Jaune kicking his body off the spear and quickly handing the woman her assaulter's gun before running off, unable to stay longer. A group of three bandits entered his vision as he turned a corner, a corpse by their feet as they laughed.

"Fucking bastards!" All three died in a second, decapitated by the spears. Another two were came around the corner and shared their fate.

"Uhhh." A weak groan caught Jaune's attention and he turned to see the girl that manned the pie stall lying against a wall, blood stains all over her white shirt. The spear-wielder was by her side in a second, his heart sinking as he took in the amount of blood and bullet holes he saw.

"Hey! Come on, you got to stay awake!" The girls eyes were dull, the life he saw in them yesterday nearly gone. For a second clarity seemed to return to the girl.

"Oh it's you. Heh, I suppose it's better to die with you as my last sight."

"Hey, stop talking like that!"

"I really was looking forward to tomorrow; I planned to take up most of the space on your dance card." Jaune felt tears well up in his eyes. He didn't even know this girl but here she was bleeding out in his arms and nothing he could do about it.

"Yeah, just hold on and you can have that. Hell we can spend the whole-time dancing if you want, just hang on." The girl raised a bloodstained hand and put it against his cheek.

"You shouldn't promise a girl a good time if you can't deliver. Ma..make sure Thalia smiles again oka.." She's gone with that, the life fully leaving her eyes. Jaune grits his teeth as he rubs his eyes.

"Well look a…AHHHHH!" The bandit that spoke was slammed into the ground, both spears through his chest. Jaune pulled them out and then speared the man through once more, this time through the neck and the right lung.

"I'm going to kill all of you. Every last stinking one of you are going to die today."

"What's was that!" Jaune lunges at the sound of more bandits, spearing another one through and forcing her body between him and the bandits behind his victim. Bullets riddle the female bandit and with a heave Jaune tosses her body at the shooters. The corpse hits one and sends him flying back into a wall with a sickening crunch leaving three more.

"UAHHHH!" Jaune leaps into the air both spears ready to strike. The bandits fire at him but each bullet that would hit him is swatted away by his spears. When he lands he spears through the two on the sides while slamming his feet into the middle one, crushing her neck underneath his boots.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Jaune turns to glare at the voice and is met with thirty bandits pointing their weapons at a majority of Shion's population. Bacchus is on the ground with a bullet wound on a shoulder while Thalia is crying by his side. "Drop the spears or these people get it." Jaune stands up, looking over the situation before uninstalling Lancer, knowing he can't do anything. Despite how fast he was some of the bandits would have time to empty their clips before he dealt with them. The man in charge blinks as the boy's clothes and weapons change but shrugs it off as a semblance of some kind.

"That was the right move kid now then you're go…" The bandit stops talking and glares at Thalia. "Someone shut that brat up!" One bandit turns his weapon on Thalia and Jaune screams at them to stop alongside the rest of the town. Their words mean nothing, the man shoots. The silence following the shot is even more deafening than the shot itself, bloods staining the ground where Thalia once stood.

"GRANDPA!" Bacchus lay dead on the ground, a bullet hole in his head. The old man had managed to shove his granddaughter out of the way at the cost of his life.

"DAMM IT! Now we got to blow the safe rather than make that old coot tell us. Now shut the little bitch up right now." Jaune growled as his hand unconsciously grabbed a card. "Hey you stop moving!"

"They dare threaten a child! TAKE MY POWER! KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THESE MONSTERS! SEND THEM TO THE FIELDS OF PUNISHMENT!"

"With pleasure; INSTALL ARCHER!" Everyone was forced to cover their eyes as a harsh light erupted from Jaune's position. A twang filled the air as well as screams and when everyone could see once more all the bandits but the leader were dead. Jaune stood in front of them, a blueish-green jacket over a black undershirt and shorts combo. Tall black boots with yellow soles replaced his own. Black metal gauntlets went covered his hand to his elbows. A massive black bow highlighted with yellow was held in his hands. His hair was now streaked with green; a pair of feline ears sticking up from the hair while a blonde tail swished angerly behind him. His eyes burned with rage. The arrow that was nocked flew and pierced the bandit leader's hand; forcing him to drop his weapon. By the time it hit the ground another arrow had formed in Jaune's hand and been nocked and shot; this time piercing the man's knee.

"AHHH!" The bandit screamed as he hit the ground, looking up he saw the boy glaring down at him and in his fear at the sight the bandit's bowels betrayed him. Another arrow was nocked, ready to plunge into the man. "Wa…wait I'm not the one in charge! I can tell you where to find my boss!" The man took the fact he still breathed to continue and began to spout out directions and coordinates. "There, so you'll let me live!"

"SCCHKKK!" The man collapsed to the ground; dead with an arrow sticking out of his eye. Jaune looked at the remaining villagers with a dead look in his eyes.

"I'll go finish this for good. Start burying your dead and use the rest for fertilizer. Let them have a bit of value for once." Jaune then walked over to Thalia, getting down on one knee and kissing the girl on the top of her head. "I'm sorry I couldn't save him. Hate me all you want once I return but allow me to grant your wish." Jaune's gaze slipped to Bacchus, anger filling his heart at the sight of the kind man's body. It was with that Jaune began to run, he ran towards the spot the bandit had said he would find the leader. His prey, that was what he was after.

"I apologize for not aiding you sooner. Perhaps if I had that girl would not cry so. From here on I swear my utmost loyalty to you Master. I, Atalanta, offer my power to you so that you may hunt down your foes." Memories filled Jaune with the name. Whatever distrust Atalanta had held for him becoming perfectly clear with each one. Most men had brought her nothing but trouble; the fact he looked like one of the worst offenders clearly aiding in that distrust.

"Doesn't matter now, let's just finish this hunt and ease a little girls sorrow."

#%$!#$

"Mam." Raven looked up from her desk, a map filled with notes on it. Each one designating how much time had passed since an area had been raided. The bandit leader stared at Vernal, awaiting whatever it was that had her second-in-command disrupt her while she was planning the tribes next move. "This was just shot into camp." Vernal held out a bloody arrow, a piece of paper wrapped around the shaft.

"Who got hit and did they live."

"Copper, mam. He didn't make it, hit him right in the jugular." That caught Raven's attention, the odds of hitting that area at random were low meaning someone had sniped the man. Raven unrolled the message and snorted.

"You sent your men to kill and rape. You threatened the lives of children. This catastrophe is of your own making."

"Another threat from some vengeful fool; at least this one has some strength. I'll go find this archer an…"

"INCOMING!"

Artillery. That was the one thing Raven could think of when the explosions started. The last time she heard something like this it was when she had seen Atlas bombard a Grimm horde with some mobile artillery. Raven rushed outside, slipping her mask on and drawing her blade as she did so. Outside she found green blasts of energy raining down on her camp. With a growl she sent a blast of lighting to hit a cluster of them as she called everyone near her. Vernal and twenty others made it, a mere third of her force. With further use of the Spring Maiden's power Raven managed to protect herself and those around her till the barrage finally ended. Her camp was in ruins, bodies littered the ground, her walls were in ruins, and their tents were in pieces. The last one would be the hardest to replace. People seeking money and protection were easy to find, wood was all around them, high-quality tents however weren't as easy to acquire as she'd like.

"Boss look over there!" Raven looked where the idiot that gave away their position and condition to the enemy gesture just in time to catch the arrow that flew by head before burying into the shouter's open mouth. From the smoke the bowman emerged, her first thought was he was a faunus at the sight of his tail but then she caught the ears. Faunus should only have one trait that extreme yet he had two, a genetic mutation then. The man nocked another arrow that appeared out of nowhere, there was no trace of a quiver on his person.

"So you're the head bitch of these monsters. I can smell all the blood on you; HOW MANY INNOCENTS HAVE YOU KILLED? HOW MANY CHILDREN'S LIVES HAVE YOU CUT SHORT!?" The arrow flew and Raven cut it in two.

"GAHHH!" Raven's eyes widened and she spun around, expecting another enemy behind her only to find two of her men clutching at their chest, half a shaft sprouting from each of their chests. Instinct saved her, she felt the arrow flying at her chest and created a wall of ice to stop it. She smirked; this man was strong. He used her to hit two men with one arrow, successfully gambled on her believing another enemy was behind her, and then played upon her exposing her back rather than holding onto a notion of honor and waiting for her to face him. On top of that those two men he hit had aura, meaning he was shooting with enough force to punch through the protection aura provided. If only she had met him before he took his weapon up against her.

"Spread out, form a circle, shoot when you can." Raven trusted Vernal to follow her orders and make sure the others did as she charged the archer. Three arrows went flying her way, each one cut down. Raven slid to a stop in front of her foe and sliced at him. He put his bow between them and pushed up. Not only did the bow stop her blade but he forced her arms up. Quick as a flash his bow was ready to shoot an arrow into her heart only for him to jump to the side as a lance of earth erupted thanks to her power. Raven sent more after him, forcing him to run as her people shot at him.

Yet even with all that he still managed to get accurate shots off at her. Each one was cut down but Raven noted the blade was cracking. She sheathed her weapon, unwilling to risk the blade breaking during a barrage of arrows and therefore needing to replace it. Black filled her vision as she was thrown back, the bow colliding with her head. Even as her head rang from the blow Raven put together the archer's plan, he had forced her to set aside her weapon while acting like he couldn't close the distance. All so he could hit her, using the bow as a club just added to the unpredictability and insured she couldn't react. Her mask broke, any protection it offered her eyes was now gone. She rolled away and glared at the archer who glared back.

"Those fucking eyes!" Raven lunged at him only for her sword to be swatted away; the archer spinning with the momentum of his parry and coming around to face her with two arrows nocked. She weaved around them and lashed out, shooting fire out with her sword swing and hitting him. A pained howl left his throat as he was sent back, a couple bullets hitting him as well. "I didn't think I could hate you anymore and then I find you have the same eyes as that punch-happy bitch." Raven watched as an arrow formed from nothing in his hand and was nocked, another piece of paper wrapped around it.

"I offer thee…" Green energy began to wrap around the arrow. Raven charged at the archer, unwilling to see what would happen if he shot it. The man began to dodge and parry her strikes, only taking the ones that were nuisances at best. Adding to her assault Raven had lighting strike down at him but even that wasn't enough to stop him as he merely danced around the bolts. "… this calamity!" The archer's leg rushed at her, slamming into her gut and forcing her back. "PHOEBUS CATSTROPHE!" The archer launched his arrow up into the air, the projectile turning into a bolt of pure energy. Raven's eyes widen as she realizes what it is.

"Magic." Once the bolt reached its apex it exploded. From that more of those green projectiles rained down. Raven quickly slashed open a portal, knowing she couldn't dodge; she finished creating it none too soon. Her blade dropped from her fingers as an arrow pierced her wrist. Throwing herself into the portal Raven caught the sound on Vernal's screams, the artillery-like sound of the archers barrage, and the twang of his bow. Right as she entered the portal two more arrows slammed into her back. Darkness claimed her as she came out the other side.

"RAVEN!"

!# $%$

Coral, that was the salesgirl's name. Jaune had made sure to find out her name once he woke up after returning; using a Noble Phantasm twice in a row after spending so long with a Card Installed had drained him and when he got back to Shion he fell asleep for almost half a day. When he woke up the next morning the dead were already buried. He spent the day helping with essential repairs and had grabbed a few Lilies. It was one of these he laid down at her grave; having already put one on Bacchus's resting place. The wedding was going on right now, the town needing something to help counter the grief the loss of a dozen friends and family had caused. Jaune didn't feel he had a right to stick around after failing to kill the leader of the people that caused this tragedy. He had stuck around long enough to ensure there were no Grimm in the area and Thalia was going to be taken care off before slipping out.

"There was nothing you could have done." Jaune snorted at Atalanta's comment, unwilling to believe it.

"She is right Master, if you had attacked more would have died. You can't save everyone." Jaune just nodded as he slung his pack over his shoulder. Eager to move on, a rumor had trickled into town with some new huntsman guards that an armored Grimm had been seen and that could only mean a Class Card was involved.

"Jaune!" the cry drew Jaune's attention as he turned to find Thalia running towards him. He stopped his trek and nearly stumbled when she slammed into his leg, her arms wrapping around his limb. "You didn't say good-bye." Jaune ran his hand through her hair.

"Didn't think you'd want to see me." Thalia glared up at him.

"That's stupid. You're going to teach me aren't you." Jaune smiled down at the little girl, amazed by her inner strength. Not even a day since her grandfather died and she had managed to pull herself together.

"Children should not have to have this kind of strength." Jaune partially agreed with the huntress

"Yes, but this is the world we live in. Better she be strong than let this tragedy weigh her down for life." Jaune knew Thalia was nowhere near okay but she had an entire village ready and more than willing to help her. Thalia slipped a slip of paper into Jaune's hand.

"Auntie Vivian's scroll number, you need to call at least once a week." Jaune took the paper, making a mental note to add it into his contacts.

"Right, I'll be back in a couple years and then we'll turn you into a force of nature." Thalia grinned up at him.

"Right!" Jaune gave Thalia a hug before sending her back towards Shion, keeping an eye on her till she was back inside the town.

"Yep, she's your squire. We gotta teach her my fighting style!"

"Tch, you think such a barbaric way of fighting would suit her. I think a lance would be the perfect weapon for her."

"Umm, maybe mine would work well for her Master. It give her both close and long range options."

"You guys need to calm down, we have wait a few years to see how she grows." Jaune was pleased that got the three of them to quiet down, all of them going off at once gave him a headache.

"Master." Jaune gave a mental nod to Atalanta, letting her know he was listening. "I don't like it that our prey escaped, more-so filth like that woman. I have her scent if we ever catch it again…."

"Yeah. The next time we meet; we turn her into a pincushion."