A/N: Welcome back to a new chapter. As always, I hope you enjoy.

Lesson 12: When little is left. You Fight.

"AHHHHHHHH" Screamed Adam as he flipped a table full of medical instruments over. Burns and cuts gleamed through the areas of him that weren't' bandaged. His breaths ragged through clenched teeth. He was practically tearing at the seams.

"Sir you need to lay down!" A girl with feathered arms said to Adam trying to push him back into the bed. He easily grabbed her by the neck, effortlessly lifting her up. He seethed with anger.

"Where is my sword?" Adam said tightening his grip on her causing her to cry out weakly.

"In in in the roo room over there." The young faunus said in between gasping breadths as she pointed to the door on the opposite side of make shift emergency room. Adam dropped her on the ground. The girl let out a cry.

Adam made his way through the door to find his sword.

Quickly locating it, he grabbed it and unsheathed it checking for damage. "What do I owe the pleasure?" Adam said staring at a man in a chair.

"Adam glad to see you made it." A cool voice said.

"Quit the small talk what do you want Salizar?" Adam said pointing his blade at the man.

"You look worse for wear." Salizar raised his hands in the air. "Fear not this is in our favor, I have video of the whole incident." He said placing his scroll on to the table

"Stop beating around the bush! How could that help us." Adam's face strained in anger behind the bandages.

"We both know you weren't exactly out to do good last night Adam. Of course, that would depend on the perspective." The lawyer hit play. "Tell me what you think, we won't be worrying about your foe anymore." Adam smiled in the light of the video.

"I see were smoking him out? You are a clever man" All lawyers were crafty though.

"Oh, and Adam. A little gift from me to you." Than lawyer pulled a vial from his jacket and place it in Adams hand. "Happy hunting"

/-/

Neptune couldn't believe what he was seeing. The video he was seeing on the news couldn't be real. It had to be fake.

But the media in Vale wouldn't care. He knew Jaune wouldn't attack innocents. More than that, he knew Adam wouldn't protect them. This wasn't good. Another precinct had already sent out an armed taskforce to take him in Alive or Dead. It was going to be a bloodbath. He had to get there before the taskforce.

Neptune stood up grabbed his coat and ran out the door.

/-/

Jaune couldn't be happier. His new arm felt more a part of him than his original did. Ruby did not spare any detail. Although the cannon and submachine gun were a bit interesting considering he can't shoot to save his life.

AHEM

"Sorry to rain on your parade Jaune but we should actually be leaving." Said Qrow making Blake, Ruby, and Jaune look at him in confusion. "There isn't time to explain, other than someone released a video of Jaune's escapade last night…and it does not paint him in a heroic light. Grab your weapons and follow me."

"Uncle should we go on the run. I am sure we can explain it to the police." Said Ruby

"By not heroic light I mean villainous. Plus, I am sure they aren't planning on taking him alive so let's get out of here." Blake and Jaune nodded following Qrow out of the apartment. Ruby followed soon after.

/-/

Jaune, Blake, Ruby, and Qrow were now officially on the run. Currently they were to the best of their ability making their way to Bullhead launch pad. They were running at break neck pace.

"Were going to Beacon, aren't we?" Blake asked calmly.

Qrow nodded. "It's the only place the police can't just storm when they please."

"Stop." Blake said sliding to a halt. The other three followed suits. Blake grabbed Jaune and Ruby pulling them behind cover. Qrow quickly followed. She pointed towards a large group of uniformed policemen patrolling in the distance around the helipad. "We can't go in loud. Even if the police can't storm Beacon they can pressure Glynda to extradite us."

Ruby nodded, and looked pensively at Jaune. "He will be hard to hide but I have an idea. Blake, I need you to create a distraction with your clones." Ruby smiled.

"Can I just walk to Beacon?" Jaune askes knowing it was futile.

/-/

"Dude we got the worst job in the whole precinct. I told you last week to not screw around on patrol. And what did you do. You screwed around. Now instead of going on the raid we get to wait here and guard pelicans." One blond police officer said to her much larger partner.

"I told you I'm sorry. But think about it. You saw the destruction that guy caused. Do you really want to be on the taskforce trying to take a monster like that on?"

The girl rolled her eyes at her partners cowardice. "You be a baby all you want. I know I could take him."

Her large partner suddenly focused off into the distance. "Hey did you see that?"

"Look rookie if you jump at every shadow you will never make it in this squad." She said accusingly until a crash shook a container in the distance. "Alright maybe it is something. Go check it out."

"But Sergeant…"

"Don't but Sergeant me. Go check it out numskull." She said pushing the larger man forward. He made his way towards the containers slowly before looking back. The female officer gave him a thumb up to give him confidence. The man filled with a new fervor made his way into the containers.

A series of thumps followed. The officer quirked her eyebrow. "You better not be slacking off again or so help me." She said rolling her eyes and running towards the containers.

Just as she rounded the first container she saw her partner lying on the ground groaning.

"Oh look Jaune they found you."

The police officer span around drawing her weapon and pointing it at the two figures before her. "You're under arrest!" One was a faunus woman with black hair and cat ears. And the other…

"It seems you are right. Too bad it's a trap."

"Gotcha" Said a gravely voice behind her before everything went black.

"You two switch into the uniforms. Ruby and I will meet you in the Bullhead." Qrow said.

Blake and Jaune mad rather quick work of disrobing and putting on the cop uniforms gaining an interesting look from both Qrow and Ruby.

"Alright what next Ruby?" Asked Jaune.

"Simple Jaune. You and Blake commandeer a bullhead with your police authority!"

/-/

Jaune and Blake began walking across the tarmac trying to look as official as they could.

"This isn't going to work Blake. They have to have a mugshot or something." Blake grabbed his hand to reassure him.

"Just keep walking Jaune. Well get there. Just 100 meters to go. Just a little bit farther." The last stretch mine as well have been miles. Blake and Jaune began walking a little bit faster. Yet they still didn't receive any looks from airport security. It was good that police presence had been spread out over the whole airport.

Jaune looked on the tarmac to see airport technicians going about their daily lives. He knew all it took was for one of the workers to recognize them. Sure, the chances that a person would spot them while they were in uniform were low. But there were a lot of workers.

Blake and Jaune finally made it into a Bullhead. "Blake?" Jaune said curiously. "How are Qrow and Ruby getting on?" And before he could say anything more a blur of rose petals crashed into the hull of the bullhead.

"Were here!" Said Ruby valiantly as Qrow struggled to stand up. "To Beacon!"

/-/

"Qrow, Ruby, you brought guests?" Said Glynda. Jaune was bending over like he was going to be sick. Qrow was drinking, and Blake was in the corner.

"Ya, can we get some rooms?" Qrow asked. "It's been a long day."

"That can be arranged. We will talk over dinner. Ruby, Blake…and ugh Jaune the old room is open."

/-/

Blake, Jaune, and Ruby walked down the halls of Beacon once more. Ruby seemed quite happy to return, as did Blake. They gained the onlook of many students. Its been a while since they all walked these halls. "Blake, Ruby I am gonna take walk for old times' sake. I'll catch up with you." Jaune said before walking off down a different hallway.

"I ghuess it's just us then huh Blake." Ruby said nudging the faunus girl. "Soooooooo? Jaune how is he?" Ruby said smiling and nudging Blake.

"He's alright I guess." Blake said shrugging. Ruby wore an unsatisfied face.

"Blake…Really how is he doing? I was so worried when I found him after he fought Cinder. He looked happy. There was so much blood Blake. He looked like he had been through a grinder. I know we were fighting Salem…but we were doing it together. He fought Cinder alone. He did it all alone" Blake grabbed Blake's arm lightly.

"He's doing…alright. Better than you would expect. He's strong you know Ruby. Stronger than I ever thought he would be." Blake smiled "From what I saw of him taking on Adam, I don't think he would stop at anything less than Victory." When Blake had found Jaune the entire area around him was glassed beyond recognition. He must have wanted nothing more than to kill Adam.

"That's what worries me Blake. Do you know what one of the first things he asked me in the hospital was? He asked me to let him help us hunt down Salem. To be honest Blake, I think Jaune died…" Ruby looked down. "Not literally of course. But whoever he is, is nothing like the person I met when I first came to Beacon." Ruby said her hand forming a tight fist.

"A lot has happened Ruby, we have all changed." Blake said to Ruby in an attempt to comfort her.

"Well he didn't have to do it alone! He didn't have to abandon us! We could have helped him. I could have helped him Blake. But he ran off to Atlas. He didn't say goodbye."

"I ran off at one time too. You accepted me back." Blake said smirking.

"You came back though Blake. We didn't find you on deaths door on some desolate field."

"It's not your fault Ruby. Nor is it Jaune's necessarily. We were all forced to make hard choices. Some that were mistakes even. It's not something we can fix. Jaune himself has to heal. We can only support him to the best of our abilities. I am sure he appreciates everything you have done for him. In fact let's go find him. I have a few ideas where he might be."

/-/

Jaune stood atop Beacon Tower carrying a single flower and a bottle of liquor. So many years have passed since she died. In all these years, he didn't ever expect to make it back in to Vale alive. In many ways he would have rather died than return to Beacon and finally confront the specter of his past.

"Pyrrha forgive me, I should have come sooner. So much has happened. I wish you could have been there with me through it all. I couldn't keep Ren and Nora safe. I think I have a solid lead on worst team leader in Beacon history." Jaune sat down and pulled out two small glasses, and popped the cork on the bottle. He poured the two glasses and filled them to the brim. "I know you weren't old enough to drink…but don't tell Glynda, I think we deserve this." Jaune picked up his glass and took a deep sip emptying it. Then picked up her glass and cast the drink into the air. He refilled both the glasses.

Jaune looked into the dark liquid. Trying to find the right words to start with. So much had happened, and he didn't know where to start.

"I hope you don't mind, I got my hair dyed." He said chuckling to himself. "And some contacts too, as you can see. I've changed a lot. I even lost Crocea Mors, an arm too in fact." He said waving his arm in the air. "But don't worry, the new arm Ruby gave me is way better anyways. I'll probably break before it does. I got a new sword too. It's nothing special though." Jaune said sheepishly realizing he had let his red short sword break. He knew Pyrrha wouldn't care about simple trinkets like weapons. She would only want to know that he is well.

Jaune took another swig of the dark liquid and cast another into the air. Jaune smiled. A bottle of liquor had been one thing he had learned to find comfort in. It was something that helped him escape the dark corners of his reality. He poured another glass, though not as gracefully. "This is some really good stuff Pyrrha. I'm surprised students had stuff this good stashed away." Theft was usually wrong but as far as Jaune was concerned he was doing a service to Glynda. Stopping underage drinking and all that.

"Look I know what your gonna say. You were gonna say that I should take better care of myself. Probably not drink as much. And that I should rest more between training. You shouldn't worry though. I'm stronger now. It's all thanks to you. You know that right. Without you I probably...no definitely would have died during initiation."

"I sometimes would wonder though, on all those nights on different battlefields. If you had left me to my fate. Would you have lived. Would you have escaped the attack on Beacon?

Jaune swirled his drink pensively while biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. "I think now though I realize something. You would have gone to fight Cinder no matter what."

"You were a true hero Pyrrha."

"Without your sacrifice we would have all died. All of Remnant would have fallen. You gave us the time we needed to plan and get stronger. In fact…"

"I killed Cinder." Jaune said a sad smile adorning his face.

"I know it was a surprise to me to. I had no right being able to beat her, it was probably a fluke. I wasn't really sure where to go from there though. Until now. Until now I had roamed from battle to battle trying to get to where you, Nora, and Ren are. Although…I don't think I'll be going there anymore. Regardless, I am not going to wallow in self-pity any more. I can't change what happened. I am going to honor the sacrifice you made."

"I am going to protect the things you sacrificed yourself for. I am going to protect everyone."

"Jaune." He heard. It was Ruby making him turn around. It was Blake and Ruby. "Can we sit with you." Jaune nodded. Ruby sat on the left and Blake on the right.

Ruby sat up straight. "Pyrrha like Jaune said. Thank you. If you had not fought Cinder she would have killed us all. I would not have been able to protect my team."

Blake followed. "I would not have been able to help my fellow Faunus. Don't listen to what Jaune says. He has helped more than you could ever know. We won't let a friend go into danger alone. We will always have his back."

"And I promise we will defeat Salem and bring Peace to Remnant!" Ruby said defiantly, picking up the bottle and taking a big swig. And then promptly spiting it out and coughing. "Oh my gods, this stuff is horrible. How can you drink this?" Jaune and Blake clutched their laughing at Ruby their sides in stitches. "Stoooppp laughing guys!" Ruby said in a whine while lightly smacking the two. "This stuff is nasty Jaune, why couldn't you get something that taste good?"

"I guess you're not as grown up as you think you are Ruby. It takes a refined pallet to enjoy this drink." Blake said giving Ruby a glance.

"Blake, Ruby, thank you. I can't explain it. But I feel lighter. I am still sad. But that's ok. I know the challenges we face going forward will not be easy. But I know if we work together there will be nothing that we can't take on."

A/N: This one was a tad bit shorter. But need not worry. We are coming to the climax of this story. When this one is done I am planning on trying my way into one shots/low chapter because I think they will help develop my writing abilities. This being the first story I ever did, I think was hard managing a multi-chapter story. What I learned was that you should plan well ahead and have chapters more or less outlined. I mostly free wrote this one. I have another longer story in the works.