Chapter 10: Red:

It has been 13 years since the war concluded. 13 years.

During that time, I have travelled the war torn world and helped humanity rebuild. I have explored beyond the limits of human exploration and traversed the great wilds of the world.

I have seen things you would not believe, been to places others could only dream of. I have fought the darkness wherever it still resides, in whatever bastions of abysmal shadow they reside. I have fought our foe across the world.

I know the threat that they represent is still ever present. I know it's unlikely we'll ever stop it. But it can never again be our undoing. That is my consolation. Because we need never fear it like we did before.

Jaune Arc sat in the teacher's lounge after the feast to celebrate the successful initiation earlier that day. No one had died, so that was a plus. Yet now they had some 200 new students to integrate, 200 potential troublemakers to contend with, and 200 more stories to learn. Jaune sighed, as he leant back in his spot, a mug of coffee in his hand. Coco had once joked he was becoming a little too similar to Ozpin, but Jaune said that perhaps she was only seeing the similarity. Jaune at least didn't seem to have his mug glued to his hands.

The room was filled with the teaching procession of Beacon, from headmaster to engineering, combat to tactic, history to dust instructions, they were all here in this room, a small party to celebrate the start of term.

Ren, his own mug of coffee in hand, sat down next to Jaune on the worn out couch, giving his old friend a smile.

"Contemplating your life?" He asked slowly, after a small pause.

Jaune shook his head. He was thinking over something much more…trivial.

"Nah. I was just thinking of all the new students. I want to get something really impressive for them to see, as a surprise. I mean, they've come here learn to be a hunter, so why not have the most famous of them all come here to speak to them?"

Ren nodded. He knew of course who Jaune meant. "The Most Famous Hunter in the World" was a title reserved for one person, and one alone.

"Ruby" He said simply.

Jaune nodded, leaning forward, holding his coffee mug in two hands as he turned his head to the monk like man beside him.

"Well, I mean, I could always just ask Yang to get her here. Ironic that Ruby still listens to her big sis'".

Ren smiled, but not as much as someone else did across the room. Yang jumped over the longue and in between Jaune and Ren, putting her arms around both their shoulders.

"Well of course she does! I'm fabulous!" She announced cheerfully, ignoring Ren's frown and Jaune's sigh. Yang snorted.

"Come one guys, you have to admit it. I am pretty damn cool!"

Ren smiled.

"I thought 'hot' was what you were always aiming for" he deadpanned. Jaune snickered behind Yang as she turned to the monk.

"Oh? What's this? Ren with the snark? My, how time has passed!" She smiled her trademark grin, the sort that signalled she was going to follow through with an awful pun.

"I wouldn't want to Lie, Ren, 'hot' is what I always am. I don't need to aim for it" She quipped. Ren groaned and put his head in his hands while Jaune banged his head on the coffee table in defeat.

"Huh? Huh? Guys?" She said, grinning madly as she waved her arms in the air.

"BOOOO!" Came the reply of Coco from over at the teacher's bar. Yang frowned, flipping Coco off with both fingers. Jaune rolled his eyes at the whole exchange.

"You know, we are ever so mature, aren't we?" He deadpanned, reflecting on what the first years would think if they could see them now, then deciding it was probably better if he didn't. Ren breathed out from his nose as he closed his eyes and leant back.

"Imagine if Nora was here. Then it'd be even worse, wouldn't it?" He remarked, as Jaune shuddered, as he always did, when he thought back on all the parties involving Nora and alcohol. Yeah. They always went well…

"So, guys, joking aside, how about I call Ruby right now, see where she is?" Yang said, pulling out her scroll and searching through her contacts until she reached Ruby.

"Well?" Jaune said, as Yang looked over to him. "You really don't need my permission to call up your little sister, you know?" He said wryly. Yang rolled her eyes and pressed "CALL".

XXX

Atlas, 8:00 PM, Schnee family household.

Weiss Schnee, the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, mother of two, sat at the family dinner table as she, Neptune, Ruby and their youngest child listened to the twelve-year-old Cyan Schnee-Vasilias recount her first day of combat school.

Ruby, staying as a welcome quest in the (impressive) mansion of the Schnee household, was listening on eagerly. She always liked listening to the exploits of friends and family, and, as the unofficial "aunt" of this family, she wanted to hear all she could about Cyan's first day, particularly in regards to her weapon.

It was one of the very first things students did at Combat School, choose and forge their own weapon design. Cyan had run through a long list of things she wanted for her weapon beforehand, meeting with mixed approval from her parents, until she settled on a Walloon blade, a flat bladed sword used for thrusting similar to a Rapier, but also able to parry. Weiss approved of the idea almost immediately. The tradition of swords play was one of the Schnee's most well-known traits. Tradition didn't demand it, however, it was just sort of expected of someone to learn it if they were born a Schnee.

"So, meet any new friends?" Weiss asked, looking across the table to her eldest daughter. Neptune smiled and turned to her to await her response. Cyan nodded eagerly and began discussing in great detail all the people she had met. Ruby smiled fondly at the sight of her two friends so engaged with their children, content simply to listen on, until her scroll ringed and interrupted her peaceful meal.

Muttering apologies as Weiss frowned at her for this breach of etiquette (Some things never change), Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll, stepping out of the dining room and into the corridor to talk to her caller.

"What's up, sis!" Came the cheery greeting, with a background sound of raised voices and toasts being made. Sounds like there was a party going on. Typical. Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Hi, Yang" She said happily, unable to keep the excitement from her voice as she failed to hold in a broad smile.

"So, how have you been? What's Atlas like? How are Weiss and Neptune? How are their kids? How are- "

Ruby cut her sister off before she could continue.

"Yang, please. One. Question. At. A. Time. I'm fine, by the way." She said slowly. She could imagine Yang rolling her eyes on the other side of the scroll.

"Good to hear! Good to hear! Me and all the gang at Beacon send our warm regards to the Schnee-Vasilias Household!" Ruby could hear the background shout of approval.

"So, Ruby, I was wandering if it were possible for you to make a visit here?" Yang asked eagerly, causing Ruby to smile. She did want to see her sister, and had an open schedule to allow for it. Smiling widely, Ruby announced her response.

"Uh, yeah, I would love to! I just have another day or so here and then I can make my way there! It would be so good to see everyone again!" Ruby basically squealed into the speaker. Yang cheered triumphantly and the room broke into roars of approval. Ruby smiled. The good old gang.

As Ruby was speaking to her sister, Weiss, back in the dining hall, was listening raptly whilst her daughter regaled her with the tales of her first day of school. Neptune smiled fondly whilst he patted Liberty, their youngest child, on his back as he complained about his sister getting all the attention.

"So, did you meet Headmaster Flynt?" Neptune asked. Cyan nodded.

"He's so relaxed and…uh…" Cyan searched for the word to describe Flynt Coal that was in keeping with proper etiquette.

"Unconventional?" Suggested Weiss, the first thing she often associated with the maverick Huntsman.

"Yes, very. I mean, I know he is a hero and all that, but surely he has to adhere to some standards of discipline, right?" Cyan asked, looking directly at Weiss, as if she could help resolve this situation somehow.

Neptune chuckled at how much of his beloved wife seemed to have rubbed off onto Cyan. He could envisage her future as a huntress very clearly, the bright hopes and idealism she would have, the aspirations, the promise of adventure and romance, all of it. He once felt a similar thing, before…

Well…before…

Neptune clenched the tablecloth as he blinked rapidly, swallowing as he recalled inadvertently some of the things he hoped to never recall. Weiss looked over, concerned, as Liberty tugged at his shoulder, seeing his father's discomfort.

"Is everything alright?" Weiss asked, reaching over to touch his arm. Neptune nodded and looked away, standing abruptly. He would not want his kids to see this.

"Yes. Everything's fine." He lied, walking over to the doorway to the corridor and opening it. He felt the cooler air of the outside halls wash over him as he excused himself, passing Ruby on the way, who glanced up from her scroll, concerned. She was about to inquire as to what he was doing when he waved his hands to symbolise everything was fine, before he rounded a corner to the bathroom.

Neptune opened and closed the door behind him, and then went over to the sink before he turned the tap on. Splashing cold water on to his face, he knelt over the basin and shuddered as he recalled some painful memories of his past, of battles long since won and friends gone even longer. He could still recall it all so vividly. Neptune closed his eyes and breathed out, feeling his hands shake, an after effect of everything he had witnessed.

Cursing softly, he leant back on the bathroom door and slid down slowly to the floor, burying his head in his hands as he tried to shut out the thoughts that assailed him within the confines of his own mind.

For him, the war was not over. For him, the war waged each and every waking hour, behind closed eyes and amidst his dreams, in memories half seen and thoughts half realised, he could always see the battle raging on, the sounds of the dying and the stares of the dead. He could never be free of them…