Jaune and Yang strolled down the path that led to his house. They were about halfway into the twenty-minute walk. The couple was silent with their arms linked, simply enjoying each other's company. They could hear birds cawing. Jaune had a passing thought, "Lotta birds today… You'd think most of them would be gone by now?"

Yang shrugged, "Maybe they're just leaving or they're a bunch of crows."

He shrugged as well, "Doesn't matter, I guess."

They were silence for a moment before Yang asked, "Hey… What's your mom like?"

Jaune blinked, looking off to the side, "Uh…" He teetered his head, "She's… Well, stern."

Yang nodded slowly, "I… see."

He chuckled lightly, "She just takes her job seriously." He thought to himself, "Too seriously…" He ignored the thought as he continued with a shrug, "She used to have energy when she came home from work, but that was before she had seven kids—by the account of my sisters."

She chuckled and spoke with a semi-joking tone, "Oh, so no family bonding, huh?"

He tilted his head, "No… Not with my parents at least." He shrugged, "Mom was always busy… Dad was… Well, inactive…"

Yang's smile faltered. She asked the question in a rhetorical manner—not expecting an actual answer. Just getting one surprised her slightly, but the answer itself made her feel slightly guilty for even asking.

She blinked, "Um… Well…"

Jaune quickly said, separating from Yang, "B-But, don't get me wrong. I know they still care, but they're just… not around." He deflated, mumbling, "Not very supportive either…" He scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, I might've ruined the… uh, mood, I guess?"

Yang shook her head, "No, it's fine." She fidgeted slightly, "You know, we've been dating for a month now, but I don't know a lot about you."

He nodded, "Well, I don't know about you either."

She took a breath, "Then we should fix that."

He scratched his cheek, "W-Well, I guess that means spending more time together."

She nodded, "Yeah… In private, preferably." The couple weren't really sure why, but their heart rates sped up at the thought of it.

Jaune chuckled, "Yeah, it'd be weird if we were talking about… these things and Ruby was just snacking on cookies behind us."

Yang nodded, "Yeah, but it'd be pretty funny though."

Jaune nodded as well, "Yeah." The pair were silent for a moment before Jaune spoke, "We should get back to-"

Suddenly, something whistled through the air which was followed by a loud explosion and the ground quaking in response. The pair stumbled for a moment before they looked in the town's direction, watching smoke float into the air. A few moments after, sirens began to blare.

Jaune turned and watched as smoke began to float into the sky. A look of shock graced his face as it mixed with dread and then anger.

Yang was in shock, taking a few steps back. It was a few moments before she snapped out of it, "We need to-" She was about to run towards the town, but Jaune grabbed her arm.

He told her with a commanding tone, "We need our weapons. I can find something as a replacement, but you can't. Head to the cabin. Get Ruby, and my weapon. And then, meet me in town."

She spoke with a concerned look on her face, "Jaune-"

He smiled reassuringly, cupping his hands around her jawline, "Hey, I'll be fine. I got your training backing me up." He kissed her forehead and as their eyes met, she noticed the concern in his eyes, "Make sure my family gets to safety, okay?"

She let out a breath before nodding, "Alright." They separated, Jaune began to move towards town and Yang began to move towards the cabin. She shouted, "Be careful!"

He nodded, "Always!" They then turned and ran in opposite directions.

Jaune thought to himself as he ran, "There's a blacksmith shop in town… I can get a sword from there…" Multiple things began to whistle through the air, followed by even more explosions. "Oh, god… This is my home… And someone's trying to tear it down…" This was his last thought as he was tackled to the ground.

Jaune quickly pulled up his leg, planted his foot on his attacker's chest, and kicked them off. He quickly flipped onto his feet and took in the sight of his attacker. It was a man in black winter clothing with trims of red and a Grimm mask, holding a simple broadsword. Jaune quickly tackled the bandit to the ground. As they hit the snow, Jaune climbed over the bandit, knocking their swinging arm to the side before yanking on their collar and decking the bandit in the face. There was a crack before blood gushed from the bandit's nose. The man cried out in pain before kicking Jaune off him.

Jaune flew back with the bandit's blade in hand. He flipped onto his feet, breathing heavily. Then came the caws of several crows. Jaune straightened as a knee collided with his nose, knocking him to the ground. He groaned as he hit the ground. Soon, he heard several pairs of feet hit the snow. He wobbled onto his hands and knees as heavy boots moved around him.

As his vision cleared, he could see several bandits surround him. He shook his head, snatching up the broadsword from the ground. He shook his head as he looked around. He wiped the blood from his nose as he popped the bones in his neck, "Alright…" He twirled the blade in his hand, "You picked the wrong colony, dumbasses."

XXX

Yang sprinted through the snow, hopping over logs and bursting through the brush. She could see the Arc cabin in the distance and she could hear Crescent Rose firing off. She picked up the pace as she leapt over a bush, tackling a man in black, red, and a Grimm mask. His mask bounced across the ground before straddled him and knocked him out with a punch.

Ruby cried out, "Yang!"

Yang turned to see a bandit lunging at her, but a shot rang out as ice encompassed his entire body. She gave her sister a thumbs-up. Ruby nodded in response. She then sped away from another attacker before speeding forward and ramming her shoulder into their chest, sending them spiraling through a tree.

Yang ducked underneath the swing of a bandit's blade, decking him in the stomach, "Where's Ember Celica?!"

Ruby smacked another bandit away, "Welcome mat! I was gonna bring it to you guys!"

Yang nodded as she sped around the bandit before Suplexing him into the ground. She then spun onto her feet and ran towards the cabin. She slid underneath another bandit's legs, continuing her sprint towards the door. She stopped as a bandit was sent flying through the window.

She watched as Jaune's dad, Thaddeus, grab the bandit by his collar and slam his face into the side of the cabin. He continued to do so until the bandit went limp. He then lifted the body into the air and threw it in Yang's direction. She yelped before ducking underneath the body, allowing it to hit the bandit behind her.

He was scowling, "Fucking bandits." There was another crash within the cabin. He turned and climbed through the window, "Sarcelles, get me Crocea Mors!"

Yang blinked before running to the front door. She looked around before snatching her weapons from the ground, equipping them, and slinging Jaune's over her shoulder. She dropped underneath the swing arm of another bandit before firing off into their chest, sending them flying away.

Yang straightened, "Ruby! Help Jaune's dad! I need to find Jaune!"

Ruby sent another bandit flying away, "Okay!" She then ran past Yang and into the house. They exchanged a nod before Yang began to run towards the town.

She spoke to herself, "Hang on, Jaune."

XXX

An airship flew past the thick clouds, flying over ice and ocean. Taiyang paced in the airship, holding his scroll to his ear. "Her boyfriend?!" He rubbed his chin, "We haven't even met him! Now, she's staying the break with him?!"

Qrow responded, "That is a reason we're going there."

Taiyang stomped, "I can't believe you said they could go!"

Qrow retorted with drunken calmness, "I called Ozpin before I let it happen. He said that this… 'John'-kid was a good one. Good head on his shoulders. If you don't trust me, trust Oz."

Taiyang nodded, "Alright… alright…"

His head shot up as he could hear the sirens in the distance. The pilot looked over his shoulder at Tai, "Sir, I think Orléans is being attacked."

Taiyang raised his scroll to his ear, "Qrow, Orléans is under attack—bandits." He kneeled next to the open door of the Bulkhead, narrowing his eyes, "Those are Raven's flags, Qrow." He stood, "Raven's here…"

Qrow replied, "I'm not too far from the colony. I'll fly over there as soon as possible."

Taiyang hung up and walked over to the pilot, "Fly over there and drop me off. And then, get back to Vale. Get help!"

The pilot nodded in response, "Yes, sir!"

Taiyang looked at the pillars of smoke bellowing from the colony and the blazing fires within homes, "What're you doing, Raven?"

XXX

Jaune leapt into the air and decked a bandit in the face before swinging the broadsword in his hands to block an attack from another bandit. He knocked the bandit's blade to the side before slamming the pommel of the broadsword into the side of the bandit's head. He was close to town, just at the edge of the Dust-heat shield. He then lowered his body and tackled another bandit to the ground. He climbed up the bandit's body before wailing on their head until they went limp.

Jaune wobbled back onto his feet, shuffling through the Dust-heat shield. The addition of heat was welcomed as he has been fighting in the rigorous cold, wrestling against bandits in the snow. He leaned against a building, propping up the broadsword to keep him stable. His breaths were labored—this was the first time he's fought so many people at once. He could hear people screaming and running around town. Another explosion rocked the ground underneath his feet, causing him to fall to the ground.

He laid there for a moment before growling, "Come on… Fucking get up…" He wobbled back onto his feet before raising his head to see people running away while others raised their own weapons against the invaders. He let out a battle cry before charging deeper into town.

XXX

Raven rolled her shoulders as she put her Grimm mask on and hitched her weapon to her belt. She then exited the captain's cabin of the boat she was on and turned to the burning colony. A bandit in uniform walked up to her, "Do we cease fire for pillaging?"

She shook her head, "No, we just want the land." She commanded, "Call back our soldiers and fire all cannons at once. That will mark the beginning of our final assault." She grabbed the bandit by his wrist, "Do not lay a hand on my daughter. If she becomes a problem, then I shall deal with her."

He nodded, "Yes, ma'am," before running off to relay the command.

XXX

Yang leapt over another unconscious bandit, "Jaune, did a number on these guys." She ran towards town and watched as another shot whistled through the air. The ground rocked and quaked as the Dust-heat shield flickered before disappearing. More shots began to fly through the air and dozens began to rain down on the town. She could see the diner she and Jaune were at an hour earlier burst into flames, crumble and then fall apart.

Her eyes were wide as more buildings began to fall, "They're just gonna destroy this place, aren't they?" She took a deep breath before charging into the ruins of the colony.

XXX

AN: Howdy! God, you wouldn't believe the number of rewrites this chapter went through. I will apologize for the jumpiness of this chapter. It was really the only way it could come out. I really did try to make this as good as I could make it. Sorry for the lack of activity. School has been, well, hell. I'll do my best to wrap up this story. (P.S. there may be a sequel to this story. With this relationship forged, the best way to continue it is to test it. Perhaps with a grand tragedy? Heh-heh, we shall see.) Anyway, criticize away and leave any words of wisdom in a review. Thank you for reading.