A/N: Alright guys! Here it is! The long awaited chapter 9! I really have nothing else to say right now, other than the fact that life's pretty hectic at present. From homework to tests, there's a lot goin' on right now. But I will survive.

I WILL SURVIVE! HEEEEYY!

And yes, I know I lied and said that this would be coming out in a week. When did I say that again? Oh, that's right, nearly TWO WEEKS AGO.

Anyway, I hope you all got what you wanted for the holidays, and if you don't celebrate said holidays, then I hope you at least enjoyed the Winter Break. Also, happy New Year! I know, I'm probably the lamest writer on this site to be saying this after all of them have already happened. All in one chapter, too.

Welp, enough about that. Here are my replies to our reviews.

Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov: That does seem like it would flow with canon, as Jaune's main weapon is Crocea Mors, so I think it would be a good idea to have his load out like that. I mean, obviously, he'll still use his guns, so it's not like we're discarding them. Anyway, I'm still tossing around ideas at the moment. Also, yeah, I'm looking forward to writing the action parts, though it might suck because I am not good at writing fight scenes and the like. Also, I can't really offer any criticism on what you're good and bad at.

I'm an amateur writer after all. Still learnin' the ropes. Thanks for leaving a review, and thanks for the positive reinforcement!

FanficCrossoverMaster15: Yeah, but that'll be all until we are further into the story. Also, the Blues are from Mirror's Edge, in case you didn't know. And if you did know, then yes, I included the Blues. It's kind of intriguing to me , the concept of corrupt cops. Not that I'm saying to support them, it justs interests me to know that there are officers out there that are willing to put money over honor, and the task to protect others, you know what I mean?

TopHatGuy: Thank you for telling me about this! I honestly didn't know about it 'till now! Thanks, man! and actually, no, I am DEATHLY afraid of heights. Literally, it's to the point where I go queasy on roller-coasters, and not because it's moving, but because it climbs so high. But for the second one, I guess you'd be right in saying that. Though, I'll try to cut back on doing that, as it'll probably get old after a while. Also, ouch! The gentle stab, eh? I know I'm a slow writer, but I promise you, I do it because I care! :)

Kamzil118: Thank you! But, like I said in the first chapter, at the beginning, this was just a small idea. But thank you anyway, for reviewing.

Amvmaster: It's alright, I'm not offended. All author's have their weaknesses after all, so really, I just took that as reason to improve. Though next time, just be sure to clarify first, alright? Anyway, thanks for the review!

kloensy1: I hope it continues to get better! Also, that plan of yours seems to be going pretty smoothly. It would... be a shame if someone were to... oh, I don't know... be helping Ruby, in a way? *Disarms the mines and relocates sweets*

...Oh, Ruby~? I think there are some... desserts that require consumption in the Tower Basement.

I'm sorry kloensy, but really, can you say no to Ruby when she pouts at you, full force? Because I can't. Nothing personal, (God, I feel really cheesy for using this line), it's just business. *Vanishes into mist*

Kylesilos: Oh, okay then. If the poll says yes, then I will gladly do that!

EzioIsPIRATE: Thank you! And I highly recommend that you play the Division. It's... not for everyone, but it is awesome in my books!

bernardo: I PM'd you the specifics of the gun concepts. And I love the idea that you submitted to me, keep that imagination going! Also, I'm sorry if it doesn't say your full name. For some reason, the website isn't letting me.

Nickshepard: Well, I already happen to have both a "heavy" pistol and a "light" pistol for Jaune, so that's already got that aspect covered. However, I still appreciate the fact that you at least thought about it! Also, I'm doing this "Weapon Idea" thing because I want to include my readers into my story, as a way to incorporate them into my stories, if that makes any sense. But anyway, thank you for giving your input!

Arsao Tome: Yeah, I didn't want my french to go to waste. Also, I absolutely suck at coming up with names, most of them going to Asian roots or something like that. And I'm NOT saying Asian names suck, I'm just saying that it'd probably get old if I kept using names from a certain region of the world.

Arc-Angel-Of-Fire: I kinda agree with you there. I mean, yeah, in the beginning, she was one of my favorite characters simply because she was an enigma. But now... well, as you so eloquently put it, she's a b*tch.

Ghost-407: Well, yes, that is true, it would be a very effective combo. However, I'm also doing this whole "Weapon Idea" thing with you guys because I want to incorporate you guys into my stories somehow as well. I feel that, since I'm an author, I should honor you guys in some shape or form, besides just replying to your reviews. And I'm not at all saying that your idea is bad, in fact, I'll probably use it for one of the characters later on, all I'm saying is that I want to include the readers as well into my story. But thank you for the suggestion.

Reading Rainbow: I definitely agree with you there. Thanks for leaving a review!

25217: Actually, I know about it, but I haven't thought about buying it. As of right now, I'm still playing vanilla Division.

Shrek: 0_0

And that's all for reviews! Once again, I would to thank ALL of you guys for taking the time and leaving a review on this story. I really appreciate that. Also, i would like to thank everyone for leaving their weapon ideas and a vote for said weapon ideas in the poll I left on my profile!

Here are the results:

S.C.A.R.A.B: 9 votes

IGL-STRZ5 (Eagle): 1 vote

Kahon: 1 vote

Lucifer: 1 vote

Wow, you guys must've liked that S.C.A.R.A.B, huh? Anyway, I would like to thank Mechassault Man, Darkkseid, TheOtherSanics, and bernardo. (It still won't let me put your full name! I think it thinks your name is a link to another website, I think that's why it won't let me put your full name.) I would also like to thank everyone else who submitted their ideas! Don't worry! Your ideas will be used by some of the later characters, so yours won't be forgotten!

Anyway, onto the story!


Remnant National Post Office; Division Base of Operations:
In the infirmary...

Jaune woke up with a splitting headache. Looking around, his vision bleary, he could barely make out his surroundings. Wherever he was, it was colored in a bright white. Not something that's nice to wake up to after being knocked out, but at least he got a bed. A rather soft and comfy bed, he might add.

He spotted a red object to his right, a delicious aroma emanating from it. Reaching over, careful not to move too much, he grabbed the edge of the red object and pulled it towards him. Carefully, he set it down in his lap. Rubbing his eyes, Jaune saw that it was... rib-eye steak?!

Jaune did not hesitate to begin eating. Foregoing any kind of table manners and utensils, in favor of devouring the large slab of meat in front of him, Jaune finished his meal within a span of 10 minutes, finishing his mash potatoes and broccoli in an extra 2 minutes. He sighed contentedly, closing his eyes, about to go back to sleep, when his eyes snapped wide open in another brief moment of pain. His hand immediately flew to his temple, said limb's protest being ignored in the process, and he massaged the side of his head, hoping that it would provide some semblance of relief. The headache slowly faded away, but Jaune could still feel the small throbs in his skull.

He sat there in contemplation, rapidly mulling over the whole situation. As he was going over the details of his predicament, Jaune's eyes lit up when he remembered something, or rather, someone.

'Ino?' He thought to himself, trying to use his aura to connect to her.

'Ino, are you there?'

...

...

...

'Jaune?' A small voice replied.

'Ino, can you hear me?!' He asked frantically.

'Yes, I can hear you Jaune. I was afraid that you would forget, but knowing you, you wouldn't have.' Ino said, causing Jaune to smile.

"Thanks. Where... Where are we?" He asked. Stiffly, he sat up in his bed.

'I'd say we're in a hospital.' Ino commented, and Jaune gave a grunt in agreement.

"Yeah, certainly seems like it." Jaune groaned as he pushed himself out of the bed. He was dressed in a hospital gown, as he could feel the cold air brush against his... jewels...

"F**k, it's cold in here." Jaune muttered, stumbling through his section, trying to get to the door to the rest of the hospital. He barely made it two feet before his vision became blurry. "What... W-What the hell... is this...?" He mumbled as a white hot pain flashed through his head, the amount nearly making his knees buckle. He staggered a little, having lost his equilibrium in that short moment, and he fell to one knee. His breaths were long and labored, and it felt as if he were breathing through a straw.

'Ino... what's... what's happening to me?' He asked in his head, his body too wracked with pain to function.

'I'm sorry Jaune, but I don't what's happening either. Your aura is acting weirdly. It's... fluctuating...' She replied, worry laced in her voice.

"W-What... does that... mean...?" Jaune gritted out through clenched teeth, his body soaked with sweat. The pain was becoming too much to bare, and Jaune fought to keep a grip on his state of consciousness. He tried standing up again, but the pain in his head forced him back down, and this time, he fell all the way to the ground, his stomach pressing against the cold tiles of the hospital floor.

'I'm not sure... wait... someone's coming this way!' Ino hissed urgently, and Jaune forced his head to look up. The door to the wing opened, revealing a tall man, he who wore a grey, untucked dress shirt and black pants, as well as a dark, crimson cape. His black hair was combed backwards, with some stray strands falling over his forehead, and his red eyes glared down at the Arc with suspicion.

Jaune glared back, struggling to push himself up on his feet. He fought through the pain and managed to kneel, then he stood. Jaune's body screamed in agony, but he ignored it. Jaune's eyes dashed all over the man, looking for any weaknesses and weapons. After a few moments, Jaune's gaze rested on something protruding from the man's side, behind his back. His eyes narrowed at the object, before he came to a realization.

'Sword...' He noted to himself, his fists clenching.

He dropped into a fighting stance, whatever he could manage given his current state. If he was going to die, he was going to die fighting. Immediately, Jaune was looking for any weaknesses the man may have. 'No limpage in the legs. Hesitation in movement? No, that can't be.' Jaune thought to himself.

The man suddenly laughed, making Jaune confused. Why was he laughing? Then, that confusion turned to anger.

'He's laughing because I'm weak.'

Jaune's eyes flared with a literal blue flame, and his vision was blurry no longer.

'He's laughing because I'm vulnerable.'

A deep growl resonated from deep within his throat, and his glare increased in intensity.

'He's laughing...

Jaune's muscles tensed.

'...because I can do nothing.'

"RRRRRAAAAGH!" Jaune lept forward with a roar, and he swung his fist wildly in an attempt to hit the man. The man ducked underneath it and retaliated with a punch of his own, his fist colliding with Jaune's stomach. The pain returned ten-fold, and Jaune yelled in order to remain conscious. He stumbled backwards, nearly losing his footing. He looked up again and saw the man walking towards him.

Jaune attacked again, jumping into the air and lashing out with a kick that connected with the man's face. The man was sent flying backwards because of the force, and he crashed through the hospital doors, nearly tearing them off of their hinges. Jaune watched the doorway, his breath labored, and his body sore. The man slowly pushed himself up and smirked, before he sped forward. Jaune stumbled to the side to dodge, but the man's fist swung out and sent Jaune's face to the floor, and the pain nearly knocked him out once more. Jaune moved to get up.

Until he felt the edge of a blade underneath his chin. He turned slowly, looking up at the man with the large sword in defiance. He glared at him with as much heat as possible. There was a beat of silence.

"Do it." He growled, leaning towards the blade. He felt the sword prick his skin, and he knew that it drew blood. He waited for the man to end it, to swing the sword one final time and finish the fight. The two stayed that way for a solid minute. Jaune tensed as the blade wavered a little, but the expression on the man's face remained unmoved. Relaxed. Passive.

And what angered Jaune even further, was that the man looked utterly, utterly bored.

Suddenly, much to Jaune's surprise, the man retracted the blade and returned it to its spot on his back. The man smirked one last time, before walking away.

"What the...?" Jaune murmured, confused as all hell. He glared at the man as he struggled to stand, his legs wobbling and aching at the amount of effort the simple action took. He leaned on a nearby by rolling-tray for support. He cursed as the tray rolled away, and he collapsed onto the ground once more. He looked up at the man, just in time to see him vanish in a flurry of black feathers.

"Who... Who the hell... was that...?" Jaune mumbled, still on the floor and staring at the doorway in which the man had once stood. He lay for a moment, his breathing labored as usual, but even then, it was harder to breathe than before. Well, that should be expected, given that he had just been in a fight with a, Jaune reluctantly admitted, skilled fighter. Whether he was a huntsman or a mere mercenary, Jaune did not know, and neither did he care. All he could focus on right now was the pain that wracked his body, desperately trying to use his aura to lessen it. However, his aura did not heed his call, and remained dormant. And yet, Jaune could still feel its presence within himself.

Before he could think any further, the scuffling of feet brought his gaze back to the doorway, in which he saw a group of diversely colored people, all chatting with each other with happy smiles. That is, until they laid their eyes on him, and in that instant, they rushed at him. Jaune, ignoring whatever protest his body made, stood as quickly as possible, getting into a fighting stance. His vision was blurry, and it got worse when he made the effort to stand, so he could barely make out the faces of the people in front of him, who had stopped 2 meters away.

"Jaune?" One of them asked. Jaune located the owner of the high-pitched voice, to his immediate left, and his gaze snapped to her. He could only see a haze of red through his wonky vision, and he could barely make out the silver on her face.

"Ruby?" He groaned, his hands lowering back to his sides. A sudden bout of exhaustion overcame him, and he gave a wide yawn as he wobbled from side to side. Two of the people from the group, one in green and another in yellow, went up to him and hooked his arms over their shoulders.

"Woah there, Vomit Boy. You shouldn't be standing right now, especially with how you are." The one in yellow said.

"Yang?" He mumbled, his body sagging in their grip.

A calm voice spoke next, "Yang is right, you need your rest." The two began to guide him somewhere, hopefully to the nearest bed.

"Ren? Is that you?"

He felt the person in green's grip shift. "Yes, it is me Jaune." Ren replied. Jaune felt his body being lifted, then set down onto a soft, comfortable surface, probably his bed. For a few seconds, his vision remained foggy, but it eventually cleared, and Jaune was able to see his friends. They all wore expressions of both concern and relief, though Jaune was unsure why the latter was present.

"How... H-How long have I been out?" Jaune asked. They paused and looked at each other, sharing these odd glances.

"Jaune... you've been unconscious for a week." A voice to his left said, and Jaune turned to see that it was his partner's, Pyrrha. The sentence she uttered threw him for a loop, and his eyes widened by a small fraction, the only indication of his surprise.

'A week?' he thought. 'I've been out for a week? What happened to me?'

"What?" He murmured.

Ruby popped up on his right, nodding with a concerned expression. "Yeah, we came to visit you a few days ago when you didn't come to Vale like you said!"

Jaune's chest panged a little with guilt. He scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah... I did say that, didn't I? Sorry."

Weiss rolled her eyes from her position at the foot of the bed. "You have nothing to be sorry about. The doctors told us that your aura acted up without your knowledge, so it's not you fault."

"Although, I'm curious," Blake said, and everyone turned to her, "why did your aura act up? What was the cause?"

Jaune shrugged. 'Ino, do you have any ideas?' he asked mentally.

'No, sorry I don't,' she replied. Jaune groaned. Some answers would be really nice right now. He tried to reach out for his aura, grasping at what was supposed to be the familiar warmth of his soul. Instead, all he could grasp were wisps, as if his aura was nothing but smoke from a fire.

"Dammit! I can't tap into my aura," he informed the others, eliciting worried expressions from them. What did it mean when you literally could not feel your aura, your soul? Normally, this only applied to Grimm, as they have no soul to begin with. But... for a human to have an aura... and then suddenly find it missing...

Jaune sighed. "I just can't catch a break, can I?" he muttered.


Later...

Pyrrha was worried as she waved at her leader. Rather, she was frustrated. And the source of her feelings and emotions?

Said leader and partner, Jaune Arc.

Sure, she understood that he was a Division agent, and she saw first-hand what Division agents threw themselves into, but it still gave her a mini heart-attack overtime she got a call saying that Jaune had been injured in the field, or Jaune himself telling her. In fact, the latter was probably worse because she could hear the pain in his voice. She gave a soft growl, attracting the attention of her other friends.

"What's wrong, Pyrrha?" Blake asked, her bow twitching. She probably heard her first.

"Hm?" Pyrrha hummed, looking over her shoulder, "It's nothing, Blake. Just thinking."

Yang suddenly appeared next to her, slinging an arm over the champion's shoulder. "Oh? About what?" she asked suggestively. "About Vomit Boy?"

Pyrrha's face flushed a little, but she had long since gotten used the blonde's antics. "Yes, about Jaune. I'm worried about him. Well, about what he does, anyway. It's so dangerous, and it may have been the reason why his aura's been acting up!"

Weiss rested a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. "Pyrrha, I'm sure he'll be fine. And even then, our job is dangerous as well."

The champion shook her head. "No, not as dangerous as Jaune's. He gets sent into battle with other people. People far more intelligent and dangerous than the Grimm could ever hope to be. And what's worse is that- I don't even know how he can be so nonchalant about killing people! It's another person, for Oum's sake! He has no remorse for killing or even the notion of it!"

Pyrrha stopped to take a breath after her small rant. Suddenly, a pair of black and red boots walked in front of her, and she looked up to see a pair of silver orbs looking at her.

"Jaune does have remorse," Ruby said, barely above a whisper, but just loud enough for everyone to hear. "He just... doesn't show it. He doesn't like killing-"

"I know that Ruby, but-" Pyrrha interrupted, only to be interrupted herself by the red reaper holding a finger up to her lips.

"But what? He hates killing, but he got used to it because it's his job." Ruby retorted, eyebrows furrowed. Weiss had to raise an eyebrow herself; the expression was foreign on the reaper's face. "He's a good person at heart, and that's all that matters. He's doing so that we won't have to bare that burden." Ruby added, thinking about Jaune's words after her first kill.

She shivered a little.

Pyrrha stared at Ruby for a full minute, her face stuck with her mouth slightly agape. That expression turned into a smile soon enough. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"You're right Ruby. I should never have doubted him." Pyrrha said, pulling a 'Jaune' and scratching the back of her head.

Ren stepped up to her. "It's okay Pyrrha. You were just worried about our leader," he assured, "However, we should also be worrying about Ice Day. The doctors said that Jaune will be free to leave tomorrow, and Ice Day is also tomorrow."

Nora nodded vigorously. "Yeah! And we can party all night until the sun rises!" She exclaimed.

Ren patted her shoulder. "Yes, if Jaune allows it. Despite his... occupation, he is still our team leader. And even if he does allow it, we don't even have our dorms decorated." He pointed out.

Ruby snapped her fingers with an expression of realization. "You're right! Let's go get some supplies and we'll welcome Jaune back home with Ice Day cheer!"

Yang fist pumped before putting said fist out. "Everyone yell 'Ice Day' on three! One! Two! Three!"

""ICE DAY!""


Tomorrow...

Jaune groaned a little as he got up from his bed, his arms still a little sore from the needles the doctors had stuck in him for blood samples. They were still trying to figure out this whole aura mess, but Jaune's body still functioned normally; therefore, they deemed him healthy enough to leave the hospital. Really, at the current moment, Jaune wasn't much different than a city civilian.

And Oum did he feel like one.

Jaune still had his armor, which made him feel a little more secure, but without his aura, he still felt vulnerable. It was like walking out into a field of gunfire wearing only spandex. And he was no X-ray or Vav.

Looking around, he was scanning the environment for threats, and just to admire the scenery too. It was snowing outside, and the streets were filled with decorations for Ice Day. It seemed that everything bad was put on hold for today, which was good. He walked over to the window and looked down at the streets, where saw that there were Vale policemen lining the streets with rifles in hand. They stretched all the way down to the end of the street, where they probably continued on around the corner.

Jaune was still a little skeptical about the amount of security the officers provided, given the crisis that he was called out for in the first place, but he supposed it was enough to hold off any thugs that wanted to ruin today.

Maybe all the bad guys were celebrating Ice Day too?

Jaune entertained the thought with a small smile as he headed out of the hospital. According to Roy, he was to go to Beacon Academy for 'recovery', (which to Jaune sounded like a lot of bullsh** and that Roy just wanted him out of the game for a while), but he wasn't really complaining. Plus, he'd get to see his friends and celebrate the holidays with them. He at least had to feel guilty that he broke the promise he made to spend time with them.

As he walked out into the cold, snow-covered streets of Vale, Jaune searched the buildings for stores. He had to get gifts for his friends. As he looked around, he noticed all of the stores were closed in favor of stalls containing food, toys, and miscellaneous trinkets for sale. He looked around at all the trinkets for sale, and found them all lacking. Then he remembered that his sister, Verte, had a friend that owned a store in Vale. It was supposedly on Jayke Street, which was about a block due east of his current position.

Jaune began walking to east, acquiring his direction by the sun's position. He walked for a minute, a full 60 seconds, when he arrived at Jayke Street. He looked down the street and searched for the shop, murmuring its name under his breath.

"June's... June's... Ju- There it is." He began walking to a decently sized store 20 yards down on the opposite side of the street. Once he was outside of the store, he began his observation of the store front. There were two medium-sized windows on either side of an ornate wooden door. Above the door was a sign held up by a nail, which had a stylized 'June's' written in gold on it. Behind the windows, Jaune could see the inside of the establishment, which had its lights on.

"Good," Jaune murmured, "somebody's here."

Jaune gently pushed the door open, the warm air from inside heating up his frozen cheeks. He looked around at the interior, which held a homely feel to it, with the fireplace and recliners to his left, the warm red walls and the Victorian crown-molding. The end of the store was a good 30 yards back from the front of the store, and in between were shelving units with toys, clothes, jewelry, and even a few weapon parts, probably for the Huntsmen and Huntresses. A few feet away was a young woman, maybe in her late teens, early twenties, standing next to a wooden counter with a scroll in her hands. She had black hair which faded into purple towards the tips, and mismatched eyes, one a dark brown-almost black- and a purple-ish eye, as well as a light complexion. She wore a purple and black striped knit sweater, a pair of dark denim jeans, and a simple pair of purple and white low-top sneakers.

She looked up from her scroll and a smile appeared on her face. "Ah! Hello, and welcome to June's! My name is-well, June, June Verbena. How may I help you today?"

Jaune returned the smile, and held out a hand for a shake, which she took. "Hello June, I'm looking for a few gifts for my friends. Unfortunately, I've been in the hospital, and I haven't been able to get any gifts for them. Could you help me?" He asked.

June nodded. "Sure, c'mon and follow me. While we look around, tell me what they're like," she motioned for Jaune as she walked to the shelves. Jaune followed, looking around at the store's selection. He saw a thermal optic for a sniper rifle, sitting in its own lit up display, and immediately grabbed that for Ruby.

"So? What are your friends like?" June inquired. Jaune continued to walk with her, but he hummed in thought.

"Well..." Jaune thought of Ren, his brother in all but blood. "One of them is quiet, reserved, yet very thoughtful and kind. He's a practitioner in martial arts and loves sleep. He loves to cook, but he mostly cooks pancakes. I think he wants to expand his horizons but he has no method as to how."

June interrupted him with a finger to his lips. "Say no more. Here!" She shoved a cookbook into his hands. Jane's eyes widened at the sheer thickness of the book. It was about half a foot thick, and twice as long.

"Wh-What the-"

June appeared in front of him with a small smile. "It's a book full of meals from the other three kingdoms. They're pretty hard to come by, as most cook books sold here are by Valean chefs."

Jaune gave her a more nervous smile, and held up the cookbook. "Th-Thanks."

"Alright, one down, and how many more to go?" June asked.

"Six."

She nodded, and they continued on. "Alright, what's another one?"

Jaune immediately thought of Yang, the boisterous blonde popping in his mind like a firework. She pretty much was a firework, for how she explosive she is. "There's one who's boisterous, and very explosive, both in personality and temper. She loves to have fun, and get in trouble. Normally, us having fun gets us in trouble. She also loves parties, and she absolutely loves puns."

June smirked at the tinge of annoyance in Jaune's voice at the last one. The smirk slowly turned evil as she held up another book that she picked up from a nearby shelf.

"Here ya' go!"

Jaune looked down at the cover of the book. He felt his heart die on the inside a little.

"D-Do you think there's anything else for her? L-Like... uh... like a mug or something?" Jaune asked. June raised an eyebrow, before she deadpanned at him.

"You're gonna get a girl a mug? Really? I'm sure a pun book is a fantastic gift for her!" June exclaimed, gesturing at the Puns for Beginners and the Punworthy; How to Come Up With Puns in his hands.

Jaune gulped. Sure, it probably was a good gift for Yang. But he wasn't worried about her puns, oh no, he knew how to tune everything out. However, he didn't know if his friends knew how to do that, and he worried about how they might kill him when they see him give Yang a pun book.

"A-Alright."

June nodded in satisfaction before continued to walk through the store.

"Okay, your next friend?"

Jaune thought for a moment, before his partner, Pyrrha, came to mind. "Uh..."

What does she like? Jaune couldn't for the life of him figure out what Pyrrha would like as a gift. A plushy? No, that'd seem too childish, wouldn't it? Maybe a scope like Ruby? No, that'd seem bad to get two people the same gift. Maybe-

"Hello?"

Jaune was snapped out of his train of thought when June waved a hand in front of his face. "Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about what gift she'd like." Jaune said, scratching the side of his cheek with his index finger. June tilted her head at her in a questioning manner, (which, to be honest, looked kinda cute in Jaune's opinion), but nodded soon afterwards.

"Gotcha. So, what's she like?"

Multiple things popped into his mind, ranging from kind and caring, to pretty and se-

'Jaune...' Ino warned, making Jaune jump. He had completely forgotten about her!

'I know Ino, bad thoughts.' He told her, chastising himself for ever thinking that about his partner. Although, he at least made the effort to justify his action with teenage hormones.

'What do I do Ino? I don't know what to get Pyrrha? Can't you, I don't know, hack into my memories or something?'

'If I were able to, then I would've already you exactly what Ms. Nikos likes.' Ino replied, and Jaune could just picture her rolling her eyes.

Then, it came to him. In their dorm room, Pyrrha always mentioned a tournament fighter that she wanted to meet. Jaune chuckled as he thought of the way her green irises lit up like shining emeralds whenever she spoke of her.

Yes, her. And luckily, she was having a White Day tournament in honor of the holidays.

Jaune decided to leave that for later, and focus on the rest.

"Okay, well, I have a friend who absolutely loves to read. She doesn't talk much, but she's a good friend nonetheless. She's calm, yet caring when need be, and the books she reads? Practically smut..."


Later...

"Thank you June, you really saved me. I'll be sure to recommend this shop to all of my friends." Jaune said as he made his way to the door, June walking alongside him.

"Thank you, sir. By the way, I never caught your name?" June inquired, an eyebrow raised.

Jaune smirked before putting on a crestfallen expression on his face. "I'm hurt June-y, after all the time we spent playing together, wearing dresses and putting on makeup? You forgot about me?"

June squinted her eyes at him, looking at his face extensively. Her eyes lit up when she figured it out, and a bone-crushing hug came soon after. "Oh. My. Gosh. Jaune! Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

Jaune smiled. "Because knowing you, you'd probably try and give everything to me for free. And, well, I wanted to help out your business."

June punched the Arc boy in the arm. "You jerk. Of course you would do that. How have you been? It's been forever!" She exclaimed, dragging him to one of the chairs by the fireplace.

"So! What's been going on with my favorite she-man?" June teased, waving her eyebrows.

Jaune rolled his eyes and scowled playfully at her. "We both know you forced me into those dresses, you minx."

She laughed in response, patting Jaune's knee in a mockingly pitiful manner. "Aw, but you looked so adorable in them! C'mon, how about you dress up for a photo, eh?"

Jaune's eyes widened in horror when she pointed at a dress hanging on one of the nearby racks. It was colored a hot pink, with a black corset, and frills on the unbelievable short skirt.

"HELL NO!" Jaune yelled, standing up with fierce indignation burning in his eyes. That fire turned into annoyance when he saw June rolling on the floor, laughing in hysterics.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh my Oum! Your-HAHAHA... Your... Your reaction!" June cried out in between breaths. "Freakin' priceless! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

He glared at her for a second, before he himself began to chuckle. He missed her a lot. Back then, in their village, she was like another sister, and she treated him like her little brother. She was also the main reason why his sisters practically turned him into their life-sized dress up doll as he was growing up, much to his misfortune. Seriously, the fact that he actually looked like a girl as a kid was embarrassing enough, but to then make him wear girls' clothing?

Humiliating.

But he chuckled nonetheless, his shoulders shaking as June did the same beside him. His eyes caught a glimpse of his watch, and they widened when he saw the time. It was 3:00PM. He was supposed to be there at 3:15!

"Ah, sh**. I gotta go, June." He said, standing up. June thwacked on the head for the language, but the smile still remained.

"Language mister. Anyway, go on ahead. Here's my scroll number, so be sure to call me, alright? I'd love to catch up some more." June said as she walked Jaune to the door.

"Of course, now that I know where you are, I'll be sure to visit too," Jaune said while walking backwards, "Bye June!"

June waved back, smiling as she watched him disappear around the corner.

It was nice to see her favorite crossdresser again.


Academy Docks/Courtyard; Beacon Academy:

Jaune took a breath of fresh air as he stepped out of the bullhead. Thankfully, his motion sickness, while a true ailment, was not nearly as severe as he made it out to be. Unlike his sisters.

All of them.

He sighed when he looked up at Beacon Tower, the hulking mass looming above him. So many good memories at this place, yet he'd probably have to relocate after his mission was done. There was no way he'd be able to meld back into normal life. At least, not here.

He clutched the bag and case tighter. Speaking of which...

He looked down at the two objects in his hands. One of them was a large duffel bag, filled with the presents that he had gotten for his friends. All wrapped in wrapping paper, courtesy of June.

In the other hand, was the case for the gun Jaune had designed. He hoped the company that made it did a good job. He stood a little straighter, plastering a smile onto his face, and began his walk to the student dormitory building. As he walked, he passed by a few students strolling around the courtyard. Some were couples, enjoying the company of their significant other, others were friends hanging out. Some were just people taking a walk around the school.

Yet, all of them, whoever they were, stopped and stared at him when he passed. He heard them whisper, but he couldn't make out their words. He could already guess, though. It made him uncomfortable nonetheless, but he ignored them in favor of being cheerful.

He pushed open the door to the dormitory with his foot, and stepped into the heated lobby. Looking around, he spotted the elevator, pushed the 'up' button with his elbow, and waited patiently as the elevator car came down. Once it arrived, he stepped in through the sliding doors, and once again hit the button with his elbow, this time to the 3rd floor.

His friends' floor.

The smile on his face grew wider. He couldn't stop it from doing so, neither would he try to.

The elevator dinged, and Jaune looked up at the digital display to make sure he was on the right floor. Once he was sure, he stepped out and took a right, where his team and team RWBY's dorms would be.

He reached the end of the hallway, and paused, deciding which door to knock on. He shrugged, and put down both the case and the duffel bag. He stood in the middle of the hallway, and reached to his right, knocking on JNPR's door, then reached over to his left, knocking on team RWBY's door.

He expected Ruby and Nora to come rushing out first, crushing in a hug sandwich.

What he did NOT expect, was for everyone, sans Blake, Weiss, and Ren, to rush out of team RWBY's room. Did he mention they tackled him to the ground?

"Gah!"

(THUD)

Well, that's what happened.

"Ow..." Jaune groaned underneath the pile of people on top of him.

He opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of four girls grinning, (Pyrrha's being sheepish).

He gave a weak grin back, but then noticed the pain in his back. He looked over his shoulder and caught the corner of the gun case in his peripheral vision.

"G... Guys?" he groaned, "Can you... g-get off of me... please?"

The girls took notice of the black case that Jaune was smushed against, and immediately scrambled to their feet. Weiss and Blake each took their respective partners away by the ear, and Ren led Nora away from Jaune by the hand.

Pyrrha shuffled her feet. "Sorry about that."

Jaune gave a hearty laugh, and patted her shoulder with a reassuring smile. "Heh, don't worry 'bout it!" he exclaimed. He looked around at the others with an eyebrow raised.

"So... did I miss anything fun?"

Ruby managed to break from Weiss' grip and raised her hand, squealing and bouncing on her feet. "Ooh! Ooh! You missed the food fight!"

Yang gave her own partner the slip and joined her sister. "Yeah! Ms. Goodwitch got pretty mad at us though. We're lucky we didn't get detention!"

Nora piped up over Jaune's shoulder, resting her chin on it. "Yeah! But I think it's because the Headmaster was there!" she explained excitedly, "Do you think he bribed Ms. Goodwitch into letting us go?!"

Ren patted his childhood friend on the head. "Nora," he began, "I don't think Ms. Goodwitch is that type of person. Plus, Headmaster Ozpin is her boss. I think she's supposed to do what he says."

Nora stood there, staring into space, before turning around and giving Ren a full body hug. "You're right! That's why I love you!" she exclaimed, but her cheeks immediately burned a bright red, and she retreated away.

"But we're not... together-together..." she said, trailing off and poking her index fingers together. Jaune rolled his eyes and patted her shoulder.

"Got it. So, who's ready for presents?!" He asked, earning cheers from his friends. He moved to take his gun case, but found it missing. He looked around frantically, before his eyes spotted Ruby on her bed, the gun case open and revealing the gun inside.

The gun was by no means sleek, yet it had that futuristic feel to it. It was about 39" long, and was colored in a shiny silver and glossy obsidian black. There was a magnified optic already installed, though it was not yet activated. There was a small seam in the middle of the barrel, indicating that the barrel shifted, and located under the handguard was a foregrip.

Ruby's eyes lit up like a kid at a toy store, and her hands immediately took the gun out of its case. In said case, there was a pocket on the lid, which held a total of six magazines. She inspected the gun from all around, and concluded that the magazine was loaded into the top, much like the old Mistralian P90. She was about to press one of the three buttons near the grip when the gun was lifted out of her hands.

She stared at the empty space that the gun used to be, before slowly turning to the criminal. She found Jaune raising an eyebrow at her, his gun resting in his hands.

Jaune himself pressed the button near the grip, and the barrel collapsed into the gun, and the magnified optic flipped down to the right side, leaving a smaller red dot sight as a replacement. He pressed another one of the buttons, right underneath the first one. Two panels folded outwards from the front of the gun, and the magnified optic came back up to the top, now making the gun look like a crossbow. He grinned in satisfaction.

"Now all that's left is to test it," he murmured. He went to the case, which was still on Ruby's bed, and rummaged through the pocket with the magazines. He frowned.

"No bolts?" he mumbled. Ruby popped up beside him with a questioning expression on her face.

"What's up?"

Jaune turned to her, frown firmly in place. "They didn't send any crossbow bolts for my gun's crossbow mode," he told her, the irritation evident in his voice. She patted his shoulder in sympathy.

"Don't worry, the same thing happened to me when I first got the magazines for Crescent Rose. The darn company got me the magazines, but they didn't send the bullets!" She cried out. Jaune sweatdropped.

"Uh... Ruby? From what I've seen of Crescent Rose so far, she shoots standard .50 BMG DI[1], right?" Jaune asked.

Ruby nodded with an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, why?"

Jaune sighed. "Ruby, they're not special order. That's why they didn't send the bullets. My crossbow bolts are special order. Nobody in Vale City sells them."

Ruby stared at him for a full minute. Her mouth opened and she let out an 'ah' of understanding.

Jaune flicked on the small toggle switch on the left side of the gun, hidden by a neat little white spring cover, the switch turning on the fusion reactor that powered the gun. The squares that ran along the barrel lit up a bright orange, and the optic glowed the same color. An orange energy string materialized into existence from the two "arms" of the crossbow, and stretched to the back, right above the trigger, ready to be fired.

Jaune inspected the weapon for any faults, switching between its three modes, before nodding in satisfaction, powering it down, and stowing it away in its case.

"What did you name your weapon?" he heard someone ask. He expected it to be Ruby, but upon turning, he found out that it was Weiss.

"Ah, I call it S.C.A.R.A.B. Pretty neat, eh?" He said, not even bothering to hide the pride in his voice.

Weiss crossed her arms. "Hmph! Not nearly as elegant as my Myrtenaster!" She proclaimed, her head turned and chin held up high in the air. Jaune couldn't help but chuckle.

"It wasn't made to be elegant, Snow Angel. It's supposed to be efficient, and lethal," He told her. "As a friend of mine once told me, 'If it's made for show, it ain't made for the field. If it's made for the field, it sure as hell ain't made for show.'"

Weiss rose an eyebrow at that. "Who told you that?"

Jaune shrugged. "Another agent, name was Agent Jumper. He's dead, though."


Weiss flinched at the casual tone in his voice. "Oh. I-I see." It still bothered her that the bumbling that was Jaune Arc was replaced by... this... monster.

Jaune chuckled again, but something was off with the tone. It was more sad, if anything. More hollow. "A monster, huh?" he murmured.

Weiss squeaked, covering her mouth with her hands. Did she say that out loud?!

Jaune's eyes hollowed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Weiss inwardly panicked. What does she do?! She didn't mean to say it out loud! Why did she let that slip out?!

Apparently, Jaune could see the panic in Weiss' eyes, as he soon gave her a smile. Weiss frowned a little. The lack of emotion behind the smile did not suit the blond boy at all.

"It's alright, Weiss. I've accepted it already." He said, his voice low. Even. Calm.

"I-I'm sorry I-"

Jaune cut her off before she could apologize. "It's fine Weiss. Really." Jaune closed up the SCARAB's case and set it down on the floor.

"I'll be right back, I need to use the restroom." Jaune murmured, leaving team RWBY's room and entering his team's room. Weiss turned to face everyone else, wincing at the glares sent her way. Normally, she'd be the one glaring, but being on the receiving end of so much heat, her usual ice-cold glare stood no chance.

"I messed up," she mumbled.


Jaune stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He stepped up to the sink, looking up and staring at his reflection in the mirror. "What's wrong, Jaune? Isn't she right?" he asked himself.

'No, she's wrong.'

Jaune closed his eyes and sighed. He turned around, leaning his back against the sink.

"Is she really? I kill people without so much as a thought, and yet... I'm barely old enough to drink. My friends look at me as if I would turn on them at any moment."

'A monster would've enjoyed killing people. They would find amusement from death, and a true monster would kill merely for the sake of killing. So, are you really a monster?' Ino asked, stumping Jaune a little.

"I-I don't know-"

Ino cut him off, sternness in her voice. 'That's not enough. Do you honestly think you'd ever attack your friends with the intent to kill?"

Jaune growled. "Never!"

'Then why do you insist on labeling yourself as a monster? You're clearly not, yet you keep telling yourself that you are. Why?' Ino questioned.

Jaune sat there in silence, and Ino waited patiently for an answer. When it was clear she was not going to get one, should she have had a body, she sighed.

'You have a righteous purpose for why you kill. Unlike a monster, you kill to protect and keep others from having to do so.' She continued.

Jaune sat there, processing her words, before he slowly began to nod. "Yeah... you're right." He murmured. He gave a small smile.

"Thanks Ino."

Ino giggled. 'Any time, Jaune. Now go back to your friends! They're probably worried about you!'

Jaune's smile grew wider. He pushed himself off of the sink and walked to the door, and opened it. He didn't notice Weiss in front of him and nearly knocked her onto the ground. She regained her balance somehow, especially with her heels.

"Oh, sorry Weiss, I didn't see you there." Jaune said, putting a hand on her shoulder for extra support. Weiss shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry. It was insensitive of me to say that to you, and I must apologize." Weiss said, bowing a little. Jaune shook his head and lifted her head up with his finger under her chin.

"Hey, I already told you it's alright didn't I? Now, that's enough." Jaune said, removing his hand from her chin and giving her a cheesy thumbs up. The two shared a smile. "C'mon, let's go open the presents." Jaune said, taking her hand and leading her back to team RWBY's room. The heiress coughed into her other hand.

"A-About that..."

When Jaune walked into the room, his eyes widened. The room was a complete mess. The drapes were on the floor, one the bunk beds looked like it was about to fall down, and books were scattered throughout the room. In the center of said room was a pile of people, minus Ren. At the bottom of the pile, as far as Jaune could tell by looking at the person's legs, was Yang.

Her arm was outstretched, away from the pile, and her hand was clutching something. A book? Jaune winced when he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. "Ow! What was that for?" He asked Weiss, the only possible culprit. The heiress rolled her eyes at him, then deadpanned at him.

"Really? As if it isn't obvious? Why would you give Yang of all people a pun book?!" Weiss exclaimed, irritation heavily lacing her voice.

"I... uh... it wasn't my idea! I swear! GACK!" Jaune choked when he was pushed up against the wall. He looked down at the assailant and saw that it was Blake, her amber eyes narrowed dangerously.

"That," she pointed at the book in Yang's hand, "was your gift?! Do you have any idea what I'm going to go through now?!"

Jaune clawed at the hand that was holding him against the wall. "Blake..." he gasped, "...need... air... let... go...!"

Blake sent one last glare his way, but let him go regardless. "You fiend." She snapped. Jaune flinched. He knew it was a bad idea. Suddenly, movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He looked up just in time to see an object flying at his face.

Reflexes kicking into gear, he caught just before it impacted his nose, and he pulled it away from his face to see what it was. He gulped when he saw the cover. The pun book. And as he peeked over the cover, he whimpered when he saw the glowing eyes of his friends, all locked on to him. Or rather, what he held.

"Uh..."

Ruby pointed at the book in his hands. "Get 'em!"

Jaune didn't even have a chance to drop the book. "Nononononononono! Gah! Guys-wait l-let's talk this out-! Ah! My back!"


A/N: Alright guys, here it is. Finally, after so long. I'm really sorry that this is so late, so I made it just a tad bit longer than most of my chapters. Anyway, happy (belated) holidays! And I'll see you again next time!

IU13, signing out!