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Chapter 7: Safe Havens and Elemental Nodes

Team Crownsguard was already up, washed and dressed waiting in their room Professor Glynda Goodwitch to call her class over to the school's airship port for today's trip to a place called Forest of Forever Fall. As they said there talking, they was on one of the most major subjects. Gladiolus and Cardin, since both of those two will be on the trip today. Prompto was the current one speaking.

"You sure, you're gonna be okay big guy? I mean you have been clashing with that guy more and more often as the days have gone by."

"Relax Prompto. I'll try to keep my cool. But if I don't... I'll need you three to stop me okay?" Gladiolus replied earning him a nod from the rest of his team as it was Noctis's turn to speak.

"Ever since, you asked Blake to show us her... secret, I've been wanting a chance at Cardin as well... hell, if Blake's race was around in our Era, I would of outlawed all discrimination towards Faunuses, which is something I know my dad would of done as well."

Ignis couldn't help but smile at hearing Noctis's words causing him to speak up in approval of the young king's words. "That is very wise and thoughtful of you Noct. Perhaps, if you ever do reclaim your kingdom in this era, that is one of the things you must do. Make your kingdom a place where all Faunus can live in equality with humans."

Noctis nodded before replying to what Ignis said. "I will, it's the least I could do, specially after how Blake's folks took Prompto and Gladiolus in as their own, despite them being humans."

Prompto then chuckled at a funny thing that came to his mind, wanting to share it with the others. "Oh man! Can you picture Cardin if that really happens!? Oh he wouldn't even be able to set foot in Noct's kingdom without having someone keeping on eye on him, to make sure he doesn't discriminate any Faunus!"

All 4 boys laughed at what Prompto said, finding it very funny as they all pictured what Prompto said in their own heads, before Prompto spoke up changing the subject to something else as there was a knocking at the door, which Noctis went to get.

"So big guy... I need to ask, what's the deal with you and that Velvet girl? You've been talking to her a lot over the past few days. Is love in the air already? Owww!"

Gladiolus just slapped Prompto on the head without warning before speaking. "Shut up Prompto! She's just glad to have a human friend outside of her team, who sees her as a person, instead of another race."

"If you say so big guy. But I reckon, you could end up having something good between you and her." Prompto replied.

Gladiolus just gave Prompto a soft low hostile growl as Noctis walked back over to the 3 with Ruby behind him Ignis being one of the first to greet her.

"Ahh good morning Ruby, up early today aren't we?" Ignis said to her.

"Yeah... Weiss set the alarm... and Yang won't get up, so I was wondering if I could hang out with you guys, till Blake and Weiss can wake her up?" Ruby asked the group.

"Well I don't see why not." Ignis replied as Noctis, Gladiolus and Prompto nodded in agreement as Noctis sat back down on his bed, Ruby sitting down next to him as Ignis had a question to ask Ruby.

"So Ruby, how does it feel knowing the truth about your adopted brother?"

"Well..." Ruby started. "I'm not angry at him. I can understand why he didn't tell the truth, but then who would really believe him without seeing his powers and combat abilities? Plus Noctis is nothing like the princes and kings in the fairy tale stories Yang used to read to me ever night."

"Huh?" Noctis said upon hearing Ruby's last few words. "What ya mean by that Rubes?"

"Well... in the ones Yang used to read to me, they always was pictured as big, strong, kind of like Gladio's body, yet as wise and smart as Ignis." Ruby replied causing Noctis to chuckle.

"I guess, I must be the odd one out then. True, I may not be as strong as Gladio, or as smart as Ignis, but that isn't the other only things that make a someone a prince or a king. No one is perfect, what I may of not had in skill for certain things, my friends was there to do my job for me. You should of seen the one time we tried to start a camp fire, when Gladio left us for a bit! Didn't end well."

"So you mean, your friends are like an extra set of skills? Isn't that a bit of a mean thing to see them as?" Ruby asked Noctis, only for Ignis to reply.

"Not an extra set of skills young Ruby, but as people who could do something Noctis couldn't. Noctis knew when he needed help, but at first he was unwilling to ask for it, but as time went on. He learned it is okay to ask for help when you need it."

Ruby sat there quietly for a few seconds not saying a thing as the group waited for her to speak up. "You guys..." Ruby started. "You guys... really are close friends aren't you?"

Gladiolus then spoke up correcting Ruby. "No, not friends. As someone once said to Noctis, we don't stand by his side as his friends nor his bodyguards, but as his brothers. That is the bond we share with each other. A bond that is hard to break. But we don't just share that kind of bond between us four."

"Huh? What do you mean Gladio?" Ruby asked.

Ignis the spoke up instead replying to Ruby's question. "He's talking about the bonds each one of us, has with a member of your team. There is the brother and sister bond between Noctis, you and Yang. The one between me and Weiss, and the bond between Blake, Prompto and Gladio."

Prompto the chipped in his own piece. "He's right, we've all formed hard to break bonds Red."

Ruby just slowly looked at Noctis not sure what to really say, so Noctis took her silence as his chance to add his own words to the pot. "They are right Ruby, Gladio, Prompto and Ignis, I see as my brothers, who will stick by my side till the end, just as I would stick by your side till the end."

Hearing those words caused Ruby to jump at Noctis hugging him tightly, knocking them both off the bed, making Ignis, Gladio and Prompto all laugh along with Noctis and Ruby, before Prompto spoke up trying to be a smartass. "Hey guys! I bet ya Noct and Rubes will end up together when they are all grown up!"

Hearing this quickly made Ruby stop hugging Noctis, and stand up looking away trying to hide her blush, her reaction causing the group to laugh harder. "N-No! That's n-never gonna happen! J-Just shut up you jerk!"

After the group stopped laughing they all heard Glynda's voice over the school's intercom calling out the names of the teams who are on the field trip, asking them all to hurry to the School's dock.

Forever Fall Forest

As the class was following Glynda's while listening to her lecture about the forest.

"Yes students, the Forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peaches asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure you none of you die while doing so." Glynda then came to a stop in front of the class and turned to face them before continuing to speak. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap." Glynda then brought out a bottle from behind her back it filled with the just mentioned tree sap. "However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at four o'clock. Have fun!"

Prompto then raised his hand cause Glynda to speak up again. "And yes Mr Argentum, you may take pictures with your camera. Just make sure to use the suitable ones, when you submit your report."

As the classes started to split up, everyone walking off in their own teams, while Noctis and his friends was waiting for everyone else to leave, so they could ask Glynda if there was any Royal Tombs location with the area, they over heard Cardin talking to Jaune. "C'mon buddy! Let's go!"

Gladiolus rolled his hands in to fists not happy about the fact Cardin was using Jaune as his own personal slave. "He better hope, we don't cross paths during this, or else he have more then broken legs."

Prompto put a hand on Gladiolus's shoulder and spoke trying to calm him. "Come on man, lets just stay away from that jerk for now. I really want to go the whole day, without you and Cardin at each other's necks."

Gladiolus nodded as the group walked up to Glynda now it was just them and her. Glynda addressing the first.

"Yes Team Crownsguard? How may I help you? And Mr Amicitia, please do try to keep your temper in check around Mr Winchester today. I can understand your anger for how he treats others, but I'd rather not have to cut this trip short, just to rush someone to the infirmary today."

Gladiolus didn't say a thing as Ignis spoke up. "We will try our best to avoid any conformations between the two, now then, lets get down to business. Have there been any Royal Tombs located in this area?"

Glynda let out a sigh before replying. "Our scout parties, have not found another yet, Forever Fall has many a cave, most home to the creatures of Grimm. So it will take some time find one within this area. But there is something else that may be of interest to you four. Please follow me."

Glynda then turned away and started to walk forwards with Team Crownsguard following her, till they came to an opening with an massive stone like platform in the middle of it, it having glowing blue lines of energy all over it. Noctis, Ignis, Prompto and Gladiolus couldn't believe what they was looking at, as right in front of then was a land mark of their era known as a Safe Haven. A place where one could rest at for the night without worry of the Daemons attacking them.

Glynda then spoke up snapping the group back to reality. "Ever since you had acquired that Royal Arm from the tomb near the abandoned temple. A few of the stone platforms around Vale have started to glow with this strange blue lines of energy Mr Caelum. Would this perhaps be one of those Safe Havens you and Mr Argentum was speaking of that very night?"

Noctis spoke up nodding. "Yeah, when we was on the road, and the sun was setting we didn't always have enough time to make it back to an outpost. So we went to the closest Safe Haven we could find. As long as we didn't step a single foot off the platform the Daemons would leave us alone for the night. Don't know if these would work on the Grimm."

Ignis then spoke up already having come up with a plan. "Well... I guess there is only one way to find out."

A few minutes later

As Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis and Glynda was standing on the Safe Haven, while Prompto was currently running circles around the Safe Haven being chased by an Ursa as he was yelling at the top of his lunges. "WHY DID I AGREE TO THIS!?"

Noctis was the first one to reply trying to hold his laugher back at what he was watching. "Because you drew the short straw Prompto!"

After a few seconds Ignis spoke up. "Okay, I think we've left Prompto hanging long enough, if you may Noctis."

Noctis nodded as he summoned Cerberus and took aim at one of the Ursa's harden body parts and fired a shot, the round not even scratching said body part, causing it to look at the group while Prompto ran off to hide behind some trees as Noctis made Cerberus disappear. The Ursa slowly walked up to the edge of the Safe Haven and stood on it's back legs sniffing the air, searching for the owner of the shot fired at it as it took of Glynda's will power to not let her Huntresses training take over. After a few seconds the Ursa looked to it's side and then returned to all fours running off in to the trees something else having caught it's attention followed by Prompto's voice coming out from behind some other trees.

"Is it gone yet!?"

Ignis was the one to reply to Prompto's question.

"You can come out now Prompto!."

Prompto quickly made his way over to the Safe Haven and just flopped backwards on to the ground breathing heavily out of breathe as his lifted his hand up his finger pointing up at the sky as he spoke.

"Ne... Never again!" Was all Prompto said allowing his hand to fall back to the ground.

"Amazing!" Glynda said startling the group as she continued to talk. "It was as if the Ursa could not only be able to see us but, smell us, nor hear us as well!"

The group then made their way off the Safe Haven Ignis being the first, and was inspecting the Safe Haven very closely wondering how this could of been active after many years of not working as he spoke up.

"I have to admit, it is very strange for this Safe Haven to suddenly come back to life, after many years of inactivity. You said this Safe Haven started to glow the day after Noctis required Axe of The Conquer correct?"

"Yes. Along with a few others." Glynda replied.

"Hmm... interesting..." Ignis said deep in thought.

Gladiolus then spoke up. "At least this will make things easy for those search parties looking for the Royal Tombs, as instead of having to risk camping outside the city walls, they can rest at the Safe Havens come night knowing they are fully safe.

Glynda nodded agreeing with Gladiolus before speaking up. "Well, that's enough time waste, you all need to get on with your lesson now."

Just as Glynda finished her words Blake, Yang, Ren and Nora came running up to the group bring bad news

When the group arrived to the location they all saw Jaune standing over Cardin with the body of a beheaded Ursa laying as Noctis walked over to Ruby, while Glynda left the students to wait at their meeting point, seeing as she was not needed here at all as he overheard what was being said by Pyrrha as Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto joined them.

"Well... Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs, my semblance is polarity."

It was clear Ruby didn't know what the word polarity meant as she spoke without thinking. "Ah, you can control poles."

"No, you dunce!" Weiss quickly said. "It means she has control over magnetisms."

"Magnets are cool, too." Ruby replied to Weiss as Pyrrha turned around to walk away causing Weiss to quickly question her.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Yeah." Ruby quickly chipped in. "We gotta tell them what happened."

"We could." Pyrrha replied. "Or, perhaps, we could just keep it our little secret."

Hearing this Ignis raised his own voice in agreement with Pyrrha's suggestion now having a rough idea of just happened. "I agree. From Cardin's view right now, Jaune looks like something he regrets messing with, as even after treating Jaune how has been, Jaune still saved his life. This is one of those moments where it is best to let someone else take the credit."

Pyrrha then turned back around and walked away not saying another word as the group watched Jaune walking over to them, after having said something to Cardin, a massive bruise on his face causing Ruby to speak up worried for Jaune. "You okay Jaune? Did the Ursa do that?"

"Eh?" Jaune replied before he realised what Ruby was talking about. "Oh nah. Cardin did that, because I threw a bottle of tree sap at him. My fault really."

Ignis then made a strange looking bottle appear in his hand as he moved closer to Jaune as he spoke. "Jaune? May If I may, can I request a favour from you? If so, I've recently be able to recreate the item know as potions from our era, but have yet to test it out, and I'd rather not test it during combat, if this works it should remove your bruising."

Ignis held the potion bottle out to Jaune who had to think over for a few seconds, before replying as he took the bottle. "Sure, I guess. Best to test it out on a small thing, then a massive wound right? How I use it anyway?"

"Let me show you." Ignis replied holding his right hand up palm open as he leaned forwards in a combat stance and then closed his right hand with as much force as he could. Jaune nodded and did the same pose as Ignis with his eyes closed, and counted down from 3 in his head, and closed his right hand as hard as he could crushing the bottle, his body glowing with green energy as his bruise was suddenly gone. Jaune slowly opened his eyes to see everyone expect from the members of Team Crownsguard looking at him in shock.

"What? Is the bruising still there?" Jaune asked him all as Prompto and Gladiolus was giving each other a high five.

"Why yes it has worked, but I must ask how do you feel now Jaune? Any headaches or other sudden side effects?" Ignis asked Jaune.

Jaune didn't reply for a few seconds trying to piece his words together. "Well... I feel fine, no more then fine, as if I just woke up from a well needed rest. No pains in my body at all." Jaune the got his scroll out and looked down at it to see his Aura gauge was no longer in the red blinking, but instead was a full green meter. "Woah! It also restored my aura!"

Noctis crossed his arms smiling at Ignis. The whole group clearly having forgotten Cardin was standing behind them watching the whole thing going unnoticed till Prompto spotted him from the corner of his eye as Noctis spoke up to Ignis. "Well... looks like you did Ignis. You was able to recreate potions."

"Umm... guys?" Prompto said as he pointed to Cardin behind him.

"I'll handle this. Come on Prompto, I want some pictures of this taken, in cause we need to remind about being a bully in the future." Gladiolus spoke up cracking his knuckles as he walked over to Cardin, glad he can give the guy a good beating and just pop a potion to heal Cardin when he was done Cardin in a panic hands out palms open trying to get out of his incoming beating.

"Woah man! Look! I'll go say sorry to that rabbit girl when we get back to Beacon! I mean it!"

Before Ignis could reply Weiss spoke up asking Team Crownsguard a very important question having to raise her voice a bit more louder so she could be heard over the sound of Gladiolus teaching Cardin a lesson. "Say? Have you guys been fighting this whole time with an Aura? How is that even possible? I've seen you lot take some very hard hits."

Ignis then spoke up answering Weiss's question. "Now you know, why Professor Goodwitch won't show our Aura meter during combat classes. Remember before the Grimm there was other things running around, guess back in our era, we was built to be more sturdy then the people of this era."

Blake then spoke up pointing an very important fact. "But what if you four was have your Aura's awaken? Just think how much more punishment you guys could take then. Plus the way Aura can enhance a persons abilities would be helpful to you all." Blake then looked at Gladiolus as she continued to speak. "Gladio's already physically strong. But with an Aura he could enhance that to even greater levels."

Ren then chipped in agreeing with Blake. "She's right. Then there is also a case of finding one's Semblance. There is no telling what a person's Semblance will be once their Aura has been awoken. Not that you guys would need it, but never the less if would make things easier for you guys to hide in plain sight with an active Aura."

Noctis, Ignis, and Prompto just looked at each other not sure what to say as they was all thinking things over about trying to gain an Aura when the whole group saw Cardin's body fly pass them smack right in to the trees behind them, his back landing hard on the trees as Gladio came walking back over rubbing his hand together as Noctis grinned asking Gladiolus one thing as Prompto rejoined them. "Feeling better now big guy?"

Gladiolus nodded heard Nora's voice coming from behind some trees calling to the large group.

"Hey guys! I just found these pretty glowing crystal shaped like rocks! I'm going to touch them! Ouch! Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Ignis spoke up already realizing what Nora just found as he point a finger up in to the air. "Ahah! That's it! She's found a fire Elemental Node! Just like the Safe Haven they must of spring back to life as well!"

"Only one way to find out." Noctis replied as the whole group started to make their way over to where Nora's voice came from as Pyrrha came back looking for the group wondering what was taking them so long.

Once they had reached Nora's location they saw her holding her right arm a she was sucking on one of her fingers clearly having regretted touching the fire Elemental Node next to her, while Prompto did a fist pump in to the air in pure joy as he raised his voice.

"Awww yeah! Spells are back on the menu now!"

Weiss walked up to the fire Elemental Node wanting a closer look at it. "Huh? These rocks seemed to be shaped as larger stone versions of Dust Crystals."

Without saying a word Noctis walked up to Weiss and stood next to her putting his right hand out, causing the fiery flowing energy of the Elemental Node to flow right instead Noctis's hand absorbing it, leaving an shock of amazement on the faces of Team RWBY and Team JNPR as the Elemental Node in front of Noctis stopped glowing having lost all of it's energy now as an idea come to Weiss's mind.

"Hey Noctis? Do you think, you could do the same with Dust Crystals?" She asked him.

Noctis just shrugged. "Dunno, maybe, never really tried it, plus I'd need more then a single small Dust Crystal anyway. One wouldn't be enough if it does work."

Forever Fall Forest, nighttime.

Team Crownsguard, RWBY and JNPR was all sitting around the warmth of a campfire on top of the Safe Haven Glynda showed Noctis and his friends today eating one of the many meals Ignis knew how to make perfectly. The only reason they was allowed to do this instead spend the night in their dorms, was because Ozpin allowed them to test out just how effective the recently reactivated Safe Haven works during the night. There was 4 tents set up, one for Noctis and his friends, one for Team JNPR, while the 3rd one was for Ruby, Yang and Blake, while the 4th one was because Weiss was refusing to share a tent with her team.

"Man! I haven't had a meal this good in ages Iggy!" Prompto said to Ignis clearly having missed Ignis's cooking.

Yang spoke up agreeing with Prompto. "I know right!? This sure beats dad's cooking big time doesn't it Rubes!? Rubes?"

Yang turned to look at Ruby who was currently laying on the ground fast asleep with an empty bowl next to her having already finished causing Yang to chuckle. "Looks like you've got a fan Iggy."

Weiss smiled now understanding why her adopted brother would spend so much time helping the chefs in the kitchen back home. Seeing all these people around her smiling and complementing Ignis over just food. "Now I can see why yo, take such joy in cooking Ignis. The smiles you get to see when someone tastes your cooking. It's a real heartwarming thing to see. I never did think, I'd see such a basic thing, bring such joy to the people around me."

Ignis smiled at Weiss placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you are finally able to understand that Weiss. Not everyone is able to afford the kind of life we had back in Atlas. So people learn to take joy in the most simple of things in their life. For me it is being able to cook for others, where as Pyrrha has taken great joy in being given the chance to help Jaune perfect his skills in combat, while also being able to teach Prompto some basic swordplay skills, but my question is, what simple thing in life do you take joy in doing of your own will?"

Prompto the got his camera out and did a fake cough to get everyone but Ruby's attention since she was still fast asleep. "Who wants to see the pictures of the day?"

And here is chapter 7, hope you all enjoy it.

Now I must address an question that has been asked one too many times, making me feel as I'm under presser to add this, as if it is as simple thing to add.

Yes I am talking about The Regalia. Can you PLEASE stop asking or bugging me about it in reviews? That isn't an easy thing to add. It's not like they are on a road trip this time and the old roads of Eos aren't around anymore, plus it's not like there is an gas station outpost randomly placed in the middle of a forest ya know? I do plan on adding it, but PLEASE stop bugging me about it, as reuniting Noctis with his father's car needs to be added at the right time.

Update to the Regalia stuff: Please read chapter 9 before saying something about the Regalia as I've addressed Regalia in chapter 9

Sorry if sounds like another rant, like I had in chapter 5, but I felt that I really needed to address this, but forgot to address it a few chapters ago, so yeah my bad there. Anyway ya all know the drill! Till the next chapter laters!