Chapter 43: Hope and Despair

(JNPR's room) (The next morning)

How did it end up like this?

It was supposed to be a simple match. A friendly fight between two professional Huntsmen, observed by referees. It was supposed to be a fight that signified the unity of the Four Kingdoms, a fight that made people cheer with joy whoever the victor was. How did something as innocent as a friendly fight turn so… deadly?

Jaune certainly didn't understand. He and his team were at the coliseum cheering for Yang when the matched started. It went well enough on the first half with both Yang and her opponent, Mercury, dueled, displaying all their strength and skill out in the open. Even Pyrrha would readily agree that their masters would be proud to see them duke it with everything they had. After a long and enduring fight, Yang came out on top.

The crowd applauded and cheered, their praises echoing the very halls of the coliseum. But those gestures turned sour right when the match ended. Just as Mercury was giving out some manner of congratulatory gesture to the victor, she retaliated with a punch to his knee sending the poor boy reeling in pain.

Nobody could've believed it. Jaune certainly couldn't. But everyone in the world saw it with their own eyes. They all saw how Yang attacked her opponent, mercilessly so.

Easy to say, the rest of the tournament was cancelled, launching a full blown investigation of the match.

Team RWBY was effectively under house arrest though it was mostly Yang who was kept in.

By morning, General Ironwood paid them a visit and has been with them for the better part of the day. The voices of the girls and the General himself can be heard but just barely enough to be deciphered.

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"Gosh… I sure hope they're ok." Jaune said worryingly as he eyed the doorway listening to some of the words coming from the other side. He also noted the two droids standing guard making it look like there was a real convict amongst them.

But Nora waved it off with her happy go lucky personality. "I'm sure they're fine. Come on now. It was just a harmless accident. One punch. I can take one of her punches without my aura and still be standing."

"Yes, but not everyone has electrical powers like you do, Nora." Ren explained patting his partner down. "I still don't understand why Yang would do such a thing. She was already victorious. There was no reason for her to deliver that blow. It was totally uncalled for."

"We don't know that." Jaune reasoned. "Sure, Yang might be a bit of a wildcard at times but I don't think she would attack someone unprovoked."

"But we all saw it." Even Pyrrha seemed to be disappointed of it. "The whole world saw it."

Jaune sighed. "Look. I might not know Yang as well as most people, but I'd like to believe she's innocent in all of this. Who knows? She might actually have a good reason for breaking his legs."

"Oh! Like getting prosthetic legs on a discount!" Nora cheered not knowing how close she was to the truth. "Or maybe getting super robot cyborg legs! That would be so cool! You think I'd look good with a robot arm? Oh… or robot eyes! And maybe even a robot brain! What were we talking about again?"

"Well a robot brain will certainly be an improvement for you." Ren commented with a short laugh. "Though I wouldn't mind a robot arm. It would have a multi-tool for all my researching needs."

"Come on guys. I'm being serious." Jaune insisted but Ren shrugged back.

"Look Jaune. We all want to believe that Yang is innocent but I saw what I saw. You can't change that and the speculations we do now will only lead us to an argument. I suggest we wait and let the investigation finish before we draw up and more conclusions."

They heard the door on the other end of the hall shut signaling the end of the interrogation. Jaune raised a brow and had a thought come to mind. "Or… we can ask from the source directly. Wait here."

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The blonde knight rushed out of the room noting the General leave with his escort. "General Ironwood, Sir."

The soldier raised a brow curling a small smile to greet his proxy. "Ah Jaune. How can I help?"

"How's Yang? I mean… is everything alright between her?"

Ironwood waved his worries off. "Yang isn't injured. At least not physically. However she will be placed under house arrest until the matter regarding her 'assault' is resolved. Merury had been shipped back to Vale to be with his parents so all investigations have been put on hold until they land."

"But sir. Yang would never do such a thing."

James sighed. It was the same story everywhere he went. "I understand your sentiment Jaune. Team RWBY and the other teachers also said the same thing. But regardless, millions of people have already seen her attack an innocent student. They've already drawn their own conclusions and as Head of security, it is my job to see that justice is served. Whether or not it was an accident… the people have decided. I must follow their will." He saw the boy cast his eyes downward, solemnly. "To err is to be human. And only humans can admit their faults and correct them. Even warriors are simply people. We make mistakes and see things that aren't there. Don't let this bother you. Hopefully by the end of the festival, people will forget this whole incident."

"Will they?"

"That's up to the people to decide." Ironwood answered before noting the time. "I have to go now Jaune. Take care of yourself and try not to let this bother you. A lot of people still look up to you and your team. I'd prefer if you kept your feelings to yourself and let things sort out by themselves. Ok?"

"Y… yes sir." The boy replied hesitantly watching the General walk off but not before hearing another commotion in RWBY's room. One can only guess that there was another argument sparking within.

(Ozpin's Office)

Ozpin was in his office that morning, with a mug of hot coffee in hand eyeing the two holoscreen before him. One showed of the leg-breaking incident in Amity Coliseum with the famed Lisa Lavender on screen and a random tourist on the street.

"I don't know what Beacon's Headmaster is teaching his students, but that was disgraceful. Completely uncalled for!"

He turned it off, shaking his head grumpily before turning to the second monitor, showing Glynda's face on the other line. "I take it you've heard the news?"

"Yes. Quite so." Ozpin sighed back. "But I'm hardly worried about my public image at the moment. Regardless of what people say, we still have a job to do. How are things outside the city?"

The blonde witch had a disappointing expression. "Vale's defenses are holding. Thanks to Ironwood's fleet and droids we've been able to keep the Grimm out of the lowlands. Although we had to evacuate a few farmlands to keep the civilians from getting caught in the cross fire. The Hunters from Patch just recently arrive as well and they'll be coordinating with the militia here to start reclaiming the area. But I can't stress enough that we're spending a lot of resources away from the cities."

"I know." Ozpin agreed. "But without the farmlands, the cities will slowly die. Do what you can for them. But try not to risk your life as well."

"I won't make any promises. Speaking of which… how is Ms. Xiao Long?"

"James is handling her. I think by now he should be done delivering the verdict."

Glynda's face cringe a hidden anger within. "I don't like that our students are being prosecuted by another headmaster. She is our student so it should be our responsibility."

"I understand your reasoning. But James is named the Head of security for a reason. The council has spoken so I can't do much. For now let's focus on what we can do. Finish your rounds and we can discuss things further in my office."

"I should be back within the hour."

(RWBY's room)

Yang let out a sigh as she slumps her shoulder on her bed, her gaze focused boringly out the window. It was so quiet around here. And the noise the droids were making outside their room wasn't making it any better. She couldn't understand. Was it really just hallucinations like Ironwood said? Was she so stressed out that she accidentally mistook Mercury's gesture as an attack? No…

That can't be. She would never succumb to something as blatant as hallucinations. She was an experienced warrior, a Huntress for crying out loud, a protector of the world. There was no way she could mistake that. That man attacked her and she retaliated in kind. He was the one who struck first. But then again… the videos showed differently and a million people could testify that she was the aggressor. It just didn't make sense.

Click…

The door to the room clicked which made her sigh.

"I don't feel like talking right now." She made a blatant statement to whoever was on the other side.

"Not even for a nice slice of chocolate cake?" The voice said with an oddly cheerful tone.

"Jaune?" She muttered his name, a hint of surprise in her voice. "How did you get in here?"

He shrugged. "I asked the General to give me special permission so I could visit. Sometimes being friends with the big wigs around here pays off." Slowly, the boy pulled a box from his belt showing it to the prisoner. "My sisters say that sweets are the best medicine for sadness… so I thought I'd get you a cake. If you don't mind."

A small smile came upon the blonde bomber as she looked at the boy's literal 'sweet' gesture. She wasn't really hungry but that cake looked mighty tempting.

"Sure. Why not? It's not like I got anything better to do." She accepted finally after a brief pause. Without even waiting for his consent, she dug her hands in and grabbed a piece before taking a good bite off of it. "So… does everyone think I'm crazy too?" She asked bitterly.

Jaune shook his head. "Well… I can't exactly speak for everyone. But I still think you're innocent in all of this."

"Well that makes one of us." The blonde bomber smiled taking another bite from her treat. "Half the world says I'm crazy while the other half thinks I'm a girl with no control over her own fists."

"Hey, don't listen to them." Jaune stated holding the girl's shoulder. "People just believe what they see. They don't know Yang Xiao Long like we do. I've seen you fight before. Yes you can be reckless sometimes and a bit of a firecracker in a box but I know that you wouldn't hit that guy if you didn't have a reason."

"Oh yeah?" She challenged. "So what did you see?"

"It doesn't matter what I saw." The boy said strongly surprising her. "What matters is what I believe. And I believe that Yang Xiao Long is not a crazy psychopath."

"Y… you really believe that?" The girl stared, a little caught off by his honesty.

"Definitely." There was no hesitation in his answer. Just the confidence his father gave him. "Yang isn't someone who would go around looking for a fight. No… wait… that's wrong. You would definitely look for a fight, but not without reason!" He corrected quickly earning a short grin from the beautiful boxer. "Ugh… what I'm trying to say is… I want to help."

"And how do you think you can help?"

"Well… whenever my sisters have a problem, the first thing we usually do is… talk." Jaune admitted. "That's how we understand one another. So… tell me everything that happened. From beginning to end. I know what everyone saw but I want to know what you saw."

Yang could tell the dork was being serious. She wanted to rebuke it but thought 'What did I have to lose?'. She was confined to her room until the investigation was done and that would probably take forever with Mercury sent back to Haven.

"I…" She opened up but stopped midway on her first word. "I don't know what I saw. I mean… for a moment I really thought Mercury attacked me. After I tore through his aura, I turned around and wave at the crowd."

"Uhuh… and then what?"

"Well…" She looked back at her memories recalling what she heard. "Then he said something to me and attacked."

Jaune's brow rose. "What did he say?"

"He said… that there wasn't going to be a next time." She recounted. "Then the next thing I know, he was throwing a kick at me. I acted on reflex and punched him on the leg."

The blonde knight put the information he had on hand together. It was like a jigsaw puzzle with a lot of pieces missing from the box. He can tell that Yang was telling the truth. Having to live with seven sisters can teach you a few things about women not many men can learn in a decade. He knew Yang to be volatile in nature and perhaps even destructive, but never personal violence. She was someone who would beat up someone only when that guy deserved it. But if that was the truth, then how come he and million other viewers saw her attack like that?

It didn't add up.

"So… do you still think I'm crazy?" She asked which he waved it off.

"I already considered every member of your team to be crazy going after Torchwick with his giant killer robot." He jokingly added which made the girl laugh softly. "But that really isn't much to go on. Can you tell me anything else?" He asked out of curiosity's sake. "Any little detail. Anything that seemed odd or out of place."

Yang shot him a look but shrugged. She thought long and hard but very few things come to mind. She was too enamored with her victory to focus on anything else.

"Well… there was this strange noise before he attacked me."

"A noise?" Jaune inquired.

"Yeah, it's pretty small but I heard this weird noise right before Mercury tried to kick me. Like a whistling tone or something. Right in my head." It wasn't really much to go on but Jaune didn't expect anything else to give him clues. "Do you… think that helps?"

"I don't know." He told truthfully. "But I'll do what I can with what I have. I'll get to the bottom of this. I promise. So chin up. I'm sure in the far future we'll be laughing at this story one day."

"Thanks Jaune." She gave him a playful punch before grabbing another slice of cake. "That's really nice of you but I seriously doubt that one person's faith will be enough to get me acquitted.

"Hey, I'm an Arc." Jaune said confidently for once. "And if there's anything we Arcs are good at, it's keeping our word. Well… that and probably growing pumpkins but we always keep our word."

Yang's cheeks turn a shade of scarlet as the boy melt her worries away. She knows that he's only saying those things to make her feel better. After all, what can one kid do to prove her innocence? But still… it was a nice sentiment. Something that was rare in these days. If he were any other boy, she'd probably give him a quick peck on the cheek or even a good smother, but Ruby already called dibs on him and Ice Queen probably had a mark on him as well so adding a little fire on that mix was just too volatile for her taste.

"Thanks Jaune. You really… helped."

"Hey, what are friends for if you can't put your trust in them?" He smiled before turning to the door where the droids were guarding. "I have to go now. Get some rest, convict."

She chuckled at his wordplay. "See ya around, officer. Oh and if it's not too much trouble, mind getting me another cake from the fairground? The one with pineapple would be nice."

"Alright, but you owe me one after this." The boy waved back, leaving the room, unaware of the old Qrow hiding in the corner of the hallway.

(Courtyard)

Ruby was in a rut. She hasn't heard Yang shout like that for a long time. Yang always had a short fuse but she was always in control. She would never lash out at her friends at least not without good reason. Perhaps some time apart would heal some wounds.

Ruby hated this feeling. The inability to help others. She never liked it. For someone who always wanted to help people, the feeling of powerlessness was a sin. Seeing others sad made her sad too and her emergency cookies for depression wasn't helping much either. Perhaps it was because they were way passed their expiration date?

Meh… she couldn't care less. As long as they still tasted good, she wasn't gonna complain. Still… it didn't help knowing that Yang was still in her room. She would be by her side to cheer her until she got back up, but it seems like she will have to rely on little old Zwei to do that task. That little mutt may be small but he never fails to bring the life to the girls and hopefully this time he would do the same.

"Attention, attention." The little red riding hood was caught off guard when the speaker to the airbus called out. "The first evening flight to Amity Coliseum will be departing in 15 minutes. 15 minutes! Please grab your seats now or wait another hour for the second ride. Thank you for your time."

The next round of the finals was coming soon. She did promise Pyrrha that she would go see the match just in case she got picked. It would be nice to see a match without a bloody incursion. But just as the girl was about to line up, her ears perked to the sound of a camera snapping in the distance. Turning, she saw the familiar bunny eared figure of Velvet, a close friend to her and her team.

The little rabbit was snapping pictures of everyone that came across her crosshair. Whether it was people, objects, birds or blowing leaves, none escaped her snapshots. Having super-hearing powers, the rabbit Faunus quickly noted that someone was behind her, with a questionable look on her face.

"Ruby! How you going?"

"Hi Velvet!" She raised her hand to greet. "What're you up to?"

"Oh, you know. Just working on my photography? Wanna see?"

"Sure." Ruby shrugged taking a peek at her newly acquired shots only to notice that most of the… no… wait… all of them, were abhorred. She couldn't tell if the rabbit was trying to get the person or the weapon… and that next one had the bird's lower half and 1/4th of the wings. "That's… umm… better? I guess. Oh?" She noted the next photo of a familiar blonde headed boy with a heartwarming smile. "Is that… Jaune?"

"Wha? No! I mean… yes?" Velvet answered unsurely quickly returning her camera to her infamous box. "It's just… part of my collection. I thought about having pictures of other people for a… scrapbook project of mine."

"Really?" Ruby nodded quite excitedly. "Who else you got in there?"

"Oh… people and places." She answered before turning solemn. "I'm… sorry to hear about your sister. Is she doing ok?"

The young grim reaper nodded thankful that someone cared. "Yeah… she's as fine as she'll ever be. Thanks."

"I think it's just awful, what people are saying about her. Yang is such a nice person. She even helped me in my combat training one time."

"Well, I'm glad someone thinks so." Ruby rubbed her head shyly.

"Most people don't know what it's like on the battlefield. I mean… even experienced fighters can get scared and start seeing things. If it happened to Coco, it can happen to anyone."

"Coco?" Ruby wondered. She saw the fight too but never caught the whole thing since Coco was fighting deep in the forest section.

"Yeah." Velvet confirmed it. "She swore she saw Yatsu with her, in the forest during the fight with Emerald and Mercury. But he never even made it out of the geyser fields. Stressed induced hallucinations apparently. Though I am a little surprised."

"About what?"

"Coco and Yatsu have been the finest fighters I've ever met in my year. They even beat a couple of seniors here in Beacon. I never would've imagined anyone defeating them. At least… not from another school. I guess the training is different everywhere."

"Yeah…" Ruby nodded suspiciously before noting the rabbit patting her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure by the time the festival ends, we'll be laughing at this."

"I hope so." Ruby cheered. "So… are you coming to watch the finals? The next bus is leaving soon."

"Wouldn't miss it."

(Cafeteria exterior)

Pyrrha was afraid.

No, that was incorrect. She was more than afraid…

She was terrified. Her hands were shaking, she could feel cold sweat running down her neck and every time she looked at the autumn leaves falling from the tree she was reminded of that scarred girl at the vaults of the academy. It was something lingering at the back of her mind ever since she returned from that secret meeting with Ozpin. It was as if the glass that separated her world and the world underneath has been shattered molding the two sides together in a grotesque manner. Nothing made sense. Everything she knew from when she was just a child had changed.

To believe that the powers of the Maidens actually exist shattered every fabric of the reality she was comfortable in. She couldn't believe it. No, she didn't want to believe it. Powers of nature at your fingertips? That sounds more like something out of a storybook and she had enough of those happening for one lifetime.

She already accepted her fate as a Huntress. She knew the moment that her talents blossomed she would become a warrior unmatched by many. Pyrrha accepted it, so why? Why is this happening? Why is the world she maintained around her crumbling before her very eyes?

What was she to do? Was she to accept that fate and become the Fall Maiden? Control the powers of the universe for half of her life and hope for the best? So many things crossed her mind and many would be tempted to have a taste of that arcane power. But for her… it was more than that. The scarred woman at the bottom of the vaults was constantly on her mind…

"Hey…" The voice of her partner brought her out of her train of thoughts. She looked up to find Jaune, standing there with a cotton candy in hand. "It's… no green goo or that tofu you like so much. But… I think it still might do some good." He offered kindly, showing the best relieving smile he could muster.

"Umm… right… thank you Jaune." But her expression hardly changed at all. In fact, Jaune could've sworn it might've gotten worse. Perhaps he should've gotten that tofu. The boy might be blind when it comes to women but he was always attentive when he sees another in distress. And right now, his partner was in distressed.

"So… what's the problem?"

She gave him a confused look. "Wh… what do you mean?"

"I might be blind to a lot of things but I know when my partner needs someone to talk to." He answered back taking a seat beside her. "And you've helped me a lot so I thought… I'd do the same for you. I… guess what I'm saying is that… how can I help?"

"Jaune… I really don't…"

"Hey, even the mighty champion needs a shoulder to lie on every once in a while." He opted which surprised the girl slightly. "So… if you have any comments or concern, I'd like to be there when you need it. So... how can I help?"

A small chuckle escaped her easing some of that worry off. Quietly she accepted his offer, placing her head by his shoulder. "Thank you, Jaune." And for a brief moment, Pyrrha actually forgot. She forgot about all her worries and pressure. She forgot about the scarred woman in the vault. She forgot it all for only a moment. The champion would've enjoyed nestling her head in that shoulder all afternoon had it not came flooding back in like a nightmare.

"Hey… Jaune…" The boy gave her all the attention she needed as she raised her head again, her expression returning to that of solemn and fear. "I don't… I don't know what to do?"

"What do you mean?"

She looked up to the falling leaves and sighed unsure of what to ask. After a brief thought, she turned to him. "Do you believe… in destiny?"

Do you believe in destiny?

"Uh… I don't know." The boy answered honestly. "I guess that depends on how you view it."

"When I think of destiny… I don't think of a predetermined fate that you can't escape. But rather… some sort of final goal."

Some sort of final goal…

"… something you work towards your entire life."

Jaune seemed to understand where she was heading with that theory. It seemed more like an ideological debate than a problem. "O… k. Uh… yeah. I can see that, sure. But what does this have to do with…"

"Well… what would you do if something came along that you… never expected?" Pyrrha continued. "Something that had the potential to stand between you and your destiny."

Stand between you and your destiny…

"Like… what?"

But Jaune couldn't get an answer when Pyrrha barreled out her stress raising herself from his shoulder as if she wanted to throw a tantrum to the wind. "Or what if you could suddenly fulfill your destiny in an instant, but at the cost of who you were!?"

"Pyrrha you're not making sense."

"None of it makes sense!" She welled up. "This isn't how things were supposed to happen!"

Jaune tried to give chase but suddenly found his head throbbing from within. "I… I'm sorry! Pyrrha… argh! I'm just… trying to…"

"DON'T!"

A voice snapped within Jaune. Like an echo from a memory long forgotten. He felt like something was telling him to stop and her continue bursting.

Fortunately Pyrrha did not seem to notice and was still shouting at the wind. "I've always felt as though I was destined to become a Huntress. Someone to protect the world—and now… it's become increasingly clear to me that my feelings were right. But… I don't know if I can do it."

Jaune saw her eyes gaze at him, looking at him, pleading him for an answer, a way out of it all. He saw how she trembled, how her fears gripped her very core. She was shaking from the bottom of her heart and for that moment, the boy took it.

If he wanted to be the shield that protected his friends… he will have to take on her worries as well.

"Then don't do it."

"What?" Pyrrha was taken aback by his reply.

"You say that it was your destiny to become a Huntress. But is that what you really want to be?" Jaune spoke up, slowly approaching the girl. "You think that destiny is some kind of… final goal that you strive towards, right? But… I think you're wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Yeah. I can see where you're going with your theory… but I think that's a wrong way of looking at it. Your final goal… isn't something your destiny points you at. Your final goal, should be something you set for yourself."

"My… myself?" Pyrrha raised a brow unable to fight back. This was perhaps the first time anyone has ever challenged her way of thought.

"The way I see it, destiny is just another guideline. You can either choose to follow it or… not. I mean… come on, look at me." The boy gestured to himself. "I could've just stayed in the farm with my folks, but instead I decided to come here and follow my dream. The life of a Huntsman didn't choose me Pyrrha, I chose it. That's why you shouldn't let your talents define who or what you are."

Pyrrha eyed him challengingly. "How would you know how I run my life? You don't even know where I came from or what I have gone through."

"No… no I don't." Was his answer. "But I think I know what kind of predicament you're having. It's easy to see that with all that talent you had in fighting, all those skills and abilities, you can probably see yourself as a warrior unlike no other. But it doesn't have to be that way. So let me ask you… what is it you want to be?"

"Me?" The girl looked at herself for a moment already knowing the answer. "I want to be…"

"No, not that." Jaune corrected. "I'm not asking the champion of Mistral or the warrior. I'm asking THE Pyrrha Nikos, what she wants to be."

"What I… want… to be?" For the first time, Pyrrha was at a loss. After having her fate outlined for her thanks to her natural talents as a warrior, those same talents molded what she came to be. Normally when people ask that question, she would respond in the way everyone expected.

She wanted to be a Huntress, a protector of the world, a champion of Mistral. Those were the same lines she used to guide her. But she was wrong. Those… those were not her words. They were the words of her power, her strength, they were the words spoken by the outlines that was set for her. She followed it blindly, never straying from the path. Unaware of where she was heading.

And so for the first time, the young Champion was at a loss and that feeling of straying from that path frightened her.

"You don't have to be afraid." She felt Jaune's warm caring hands reach for her, taking her fears away. "It can be a bit overwhelming but… I want you to know I'm always here for you."

"How…?" She asked looking straight into his eyes. "How can I choose? It's not like I can just challenge my destiny."

"Sure you can." The boy said with all confidence. "I haven't seen an opponent who can take on the mighty Pyrrha Nikos in a head on fight. Whether it was a White Fang soldier, a Huntsman or even destiny itself, I'm sure you can beat it."

"That's a rather big vote of confidence there."

"I'm only saying what I believe." He added proudly. "You can follow whatever you want to become. You can be a Huntsman, a dancer, a singer or a writer. No matter what you choose, just know that it was your decision. Your talent doesn't define you. It's you… who defines you."

"Jaune…"

He flashed his trademark smile, holding her tightly. Her fears and doubt remained… but at least now they were calm… and contained.

"And… if it doesn't work out, my dad is always looking for some extra hand at the farm." The boy added again making the redhead Amazonian raise a brow. "It can be messy work but it's an honest living. Just be careful with the animals, they tend to spit on you and think your hair is some midnight snack."

"Huh?"

"Sorry. That last bit was supposed to be a joke to break the tension out of a serious conversation." He admitted in a dorky manner. "Did… it work?"

"Pffft!" She stifled a laugh as she held onto him a little longer, a small crossing her face. "It most certainly did. Thank you… Jaune."

"Oh… umm ah… yeah…" He blushed wildly when he realized how close they were together. "No problem. So uh… are you… gonna be ok with the match and all?"

"Yes…" She answered cheerfully. "I believe I will be at my best."

"Great! Then… if you do get picked and if you do win… why don't we all go and have a victory feast together? My treat?"

(Beacon) (Dorm rooftop)

Cinder eyed the clock tower from the safety of her dorm rooftop. She enjoyed watching the two handles in the tower ticking away every minute of the hour, each movement inching closer to the end of this whole charade.

Just a little longer…

The Lady of Fire thought to herself. Just a little longer and her hunger will finally have the chance to feed once again. To feed the power that she had been craving all this time. She's so close now that she could actually taste it.

A buzz from her scroll caught her attention. A sinister grin appearing on her lips as she noted the caller. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes… everything is coming along smoothly." The caller answered back, no trace of emotion in his voice. "We should be ready to strike within the hour. All we require is your signal."

"Good… very good." One can only imagine the glow within her eyes as she spoke. "And the city's defenses?"

"They will be off by the time we strike. You have my word."

"Excellent." She cheerily added. Well… as cheerful as she could get with that tone. "I expect to see great results from you… Adam. Don't disappoint me~"

"… of course…"

(Amity Coliseum) (Snack Bar)

The cheering crowd in the coliseum was deafening. Jaune and his teammates could practically hear the shouts all the way out here. If they were any louder, one might think that there was a rock concert in there.

"Sounds like we have a full house." Nora chirped listening to the loud cheer. "Come on guys—or we'll miss the show!"

"They still have to do the randomization process, Nora." Ren explained. "You can't be that excited for a roulette game."

"Oh but that's part of the show!" She replied loudly. "It's like the trailers before the big screening in a movie house. It's just as exciting to watch as the main show. Come on!"

"How does even…?" Ren opted to disagree but decided it was not worth the time and energy to waste. "Never mind. Just don't let me wear that foam finger again. It's disgusting."

"Renny! Where's your team spirit?"

"I have plenty, Nora."

Jaune couldn't help but laugh at the two. How such polar opposites ever became such close friends, he'll never understand. As long as they keep their tantrum in moderation, he was fine with it.

"Get your hotdogs! Get your hotdogs here!" Our blonde knight was attracted by the sound of the vendor nearby. "Don't watch the match with an empty stomach! Come get your fast food!"

"You guys go on ahead." Jaune gestured to his teammates. "I'll grab something to eat and join you later." They nodded and went on their merry way. Jaune quickly took his turn on the counter fiddling with his wallet noting his broke status. With the amount of cash he had on had he probably couldn't even afford to buy attention. "I'll have one small-set please."

"Coming right up." The lady on the counter smiled sweetly at him.

However… just as Jaune waited for his order, he felt a strange tingling sensation at the back of his neck. Something wasn't right. He turned around thinking that it was just the cold wind blowing, but instead, his eyes cast gaze to an oddly familiar figure hiding in the corner. People wouldn't be able to spot her but thankfully Jaune developed a keen eye during his time in Beacon.

It was that woman he met in the fairgrounds. The lady caped in white who had a discerning features similar to that of his close friend, Ruby. Her silver eyes met with his as a smile curled around her lips. Her fingers beckoned him to come her way, like a lure of a siren in a sea-voyage. Like a victimized sailor, Jaune obeyed and gave chase.

"Here you go. One small order of our sp—ah! Hey! Sir? Your order!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"All right, it's now time to begin the randomization process for our next fight!" The announcer's voice echoed through the walls of the coliseum followed closely by the roulette sound faintly rattling nearby.

Jaune couldn't understand what compelled him to follow. The only thing he understood that he needed to find that girl. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew that she was important. At first he didn't connect the dots but after a while, his memories clicked it.

That girl in white… was… is the girl from his visions. He remembered it. The woman who appeared constantly with those headaches, standing beside an unmarked grave, pointing straight at shattered moon. Those two were definitely same people. They had to be. But the question was… why? Why did she show up now? Why was she here? And why was he making him follow through the labyrinth hallways of the coliseum? These were the questions he was going to make her answer one way or another.

Jaune rushed as fast as he could, taking one turn after another losing his sense of direction in the endless corridors and maze-like halls and questionable instructions markers. Only the white petals that littered the floor guided his way.

Soon enough, the boy caught a glimpse of the white cape hovering by a door, her smiling face peeking down her hood.

"Wait!" He shouted, his good arm extending to reach her. "Wait a moment! Come back!" He began to pant softly when he realized the futility of his chase. "Ugh… where'd she go?"

Ding!

"It looks like our first contender is… Penny Polendina from Atlas!" Professor Port's voice bellowed through the walls.

The trail of white petals ended here in this corridor. Was this the end of it?

"And her opponent will be… Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!"

Great… he was chasing a ghost and he's about to miss the match of his teammate. Great going there Jaune.

"Mercury, what are you doing?" Wait… that voice. Was that… Ruby? Jaune would recognize it if it weren't for the cheering crowd outside. "You were hurt! Why…? What's going on?"

Jaune quietly snuck around the corner, noting two other figures there. It was Mercury and Ruby. But how was that possible? The boy was supposed to be on a flight back to Mistral. He couldn't possibly still be here. And what were they doing? They looked like two people who are about to duel.

"Fine… if you're not going to tell me…"

"Fighters, are you ready!?" Dr. Oobleck's voice cut through. "3… 2… 1… BEGIN!"

"Show time." Mercury said smugly before launching an attack. Ruby tried to break through with her speed but the narrow corridor made it quite useless. With a short flurry of kicks, the little girl was sent reeling back. Jaune gasped. This definitely wasn't a friendly fight. Quietly the boy reached for a nearby object to use as his weapon.

Ruby stumbled on her fall holding her head up. She reached out for her scroll but Mercury simply blasts it out of her hand with one of his bullet shots. "Let's just keep this between us 'friends' hmm?"

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing." Jaune said out loud alarming the gray haired assassin as he noted the boy standing only a few feet from him with a fire extinguisher in hand. With a squeeze of the handle, the warrior was enveloped in a sea of cold foam making reel and slip.

"Ah! My eyes!"

"Ruby, run!" The grim reaper complied rushing to Jaune's side as he smacked the assassin with the extinguisher making him fall flat on the floor.

Irritated by such a cheap blow, Mercury quickly got back up, watching the pair escape. "Grrr! Don't think you're so lucky, hero-boy!" Using his boot shots, the assassin sped his way to catch up.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Thanks for the save, Jaune." Ruby nodded thankfully not stopping on her sprint.

"You're welcome. But what was that all about?" The blonde knight asked panicking. "Wasn't he supposed to be injured!?"

"I don't know either. But right now we have to stop the match!"

"The match?" He raised a brow still running. "Why? What's gonna happen!?"

"It's Penny and Pyrrha! We can't let them fight! If she uses her polarity powers on Penny then… umm… it's a long story!"

"Then give me the short version! WHOA!" Jaune ducked when a powerful blast ricochet at him. The two turned around and saw Mercury glaring at them menacingly with one smoking gun boot pointing at them. "You know… for someone who just got his leg broken, he's looking pretty spruce. Whoa!" Another shot whistled through making him run even faster.

"If Pyrrha uses her powers on Penny… then…" Ruby groaned. "She might die! You have to trust me!"

"Considering the situation! I believe you! But what's Pyrrha's power got to do with this!?"

"It's because Penny's a…" She cursed to herself for breaking a silent vow. "It's because Penny's made of metal." Jaune quirked a brow. "She's a robot!"

"A what!?" Jaune barked in disbelief. A robot? As in a machine with nuts and bolts? A being that has the capacity to launch Judgment Day? "Are you serious!?" Her face held no signs of deception, only worry.

But their hasty retreat through the corridor quickly grinded to a halt when they came upon a three way blockade. One that was made out of White Fang soldiers and a certain bowl hat wearing criminal.

"Well well well… what have we here?" Roman puffed a smoke with the same cool voice he bore. Standing on his flanks were two large brutes of White Fang soldiers who looked like they took a pack of muscle enhancement pills for breakfast. "I was wondering what all the commotion was all about. It's just my two least most favorite people in the world, Little Ms. Red and Plumber Boy. You're an odd couple to wandering around these parts. Did you lose your way too?"

"Roman Torchwick and the White Fang? Here!?" Ruby gasped. "This isn't good."

Jaune looked around and saw that they were surrounded. Both sides were covered by the White Fang and Mercury had their backs. There was no way out. If they wanted to get through here they would have to fight their way, and Ruby didn't even bring her scythe either. But just the young knight was about to take on the enemy, he noted that there was one path open to one of them. The vents. It was small but thankfully one of them was small enough to fit through it.

"Ruby, go…" Jaune motioned drawing his blade. "I'll hold back. You have to warn the others."

"What? But Jaune!"

"Don't argue with me!" He scolded. "We don't have time. You don't have a weapon so I need you to go as fast as you can and stop that match." Ruby darted between the boy and the large strong men in front of them. It was an unfair fight and this crowd didn't look like the regular grunts the White Fang threw at them either. They looked lean and mean and carried an assortment of weapons that went with their masks.

"Ahem." Roman coughed loudly. "If you two are done saying your famous last words… it's time to die now. So make it easy for us and lie down on the floor."

"Go…" Jaune unfolded his shield showing his twin golden moon insignia for all to see.

"Kshhh! He holds the Crocea Mors!" One of the White Fang elites hissed evilly. "The killer!"

"Murderer!" Another spoke.

"Slayer of our kin!"

"Ravager!"

"Bane of Adam! We will enjoy ripping your flesh from your bones!" The four elites howled angrily, looking more like rabid dogs ready to pounce.

Jaune didn't quite understand what they were angry about but saw an opening nonetheless. "Go!" He yelled sparking the red riding hood the rush to the vents.

"Oh… I don't think so…" Roman raised his cane, firing a shot from its lower tip expecting it to send the red girl flying, but instead, Jaune intercepted the shot with his shield. By the time the smoke cleared, the red riding hood was gone. "Grrr!" The crook turned to his henchmen. "Well!? What are you all waiting for? A written invitation!? GET HIM!"

They attacked.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What in blazes!?" The hotdog seller yelled out when the vents above his stand suddenly burst open spitting a girl in red to the floor. "H… hey lady. Are… you alright Miss?"

"The snack bar?" The girl recognized the area before jolting upward. "Ah! No time!" Ruby dusted herself and rushed out the moment she got on her feet. She knew that time was of the essence and there was little to spare. Coupled with constant worry for Penny and Jaune, she made a hasty rush towards the arena hoping to stop the match.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The roaring crowds made it difficult for the poor girl to yell out her warning. Down below, she could see Penny and Pyrrha already duking it out, the redheaded champion dodging skillfully as blades and beam shots flew from all around her. She would've loved to watch this fight if there wasn't a crook on the loose in the coliseum.

"Hold on Penny. I'm coming to save you!"

"My word!" Port's voice boomed over the arena. "What a tremendous by Ms. Polendina! You certainly don't see that happen every day."

Using her speed semblance once again, the girl rushed towards the arena knocking some of the audience as she passed them by, each of them grunting and wondering if a strange breeze passed them by. But Ruby was beset by another obstacle when she got to the lower part of her seats. She intended to jump in and intervene but found herself blocked by a powerful barrier that separated the audience and the fight below.

"Ow… stupid… shield…" She rubbed the red side of her painful nose.

But just when things couldn't get any worse, the guards in the audience noted the sudden commotion. "Hey! You there! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Uh oh!" Again she used her semblance, dodging the guards and the droids that came with them.

"Hey! Come back here!" The guard barked before turning to his scroll. "This is Patrol Unit Charlie. We have a suspect on the run. Last seen on the second floor walkway. Suspect is, female, early teen, dark red hair wearing a black and red combat skirt."

(Corridor)

Back in the corridor, Jaune was once again in a fight for his life. Against Mercury, Torchwick and four large White Fang elites, you could barely call this a fair fight. It was such an overwhelming battle that Jaune could do nothing but block and parry as they surrounded him on all sides. Thankfully his shield was made out of sturdier stuff, holding off blows that would've crushed his bones. Those giant hammers and massive axes looked like they were made for cleaving humans rather than monsters.

"Gahh!" Jaune recoiled backward as he felt Mercury's roundhouse kick to his face. "Oww…"

"That's a nice pool of aura you got there." Mercury sneered. "Too bad that's all you have."

"Not so fast!" The knight swung his blade only to have it deflected and countered with a powerful kick to the stomach. "Ugh…"

"Hooo… this is rich." The gray haired assassin laughed. "I get to kill the guy that got the infamous Adam. I wonder what kind of perks I get for that. Hehehe… what's the matter blondie? Don't tell me you're tired already."

"No…" The boy grunted raising his shield in defense. "I barely started."

"Of course you are." He taunted. "What's the matter? Didn't pack any of your special Black Dust?"

Black Dust? Wait… how does he know of that?

"Rahhhhh!" He didn't get an answer when the White Fang elites charged at him with their weapons, swinging blindly.

The boy withdrew and defended as best he could but, blocking and parrying each blow that came his way. He tried a few quick stabs and slashes but his attacks simply grazed their bodies. It was like trying to weather a hurricane. After several blows later, Jaune quickly found himself cornered on a literal dead end. "Oh boy…"

"End of the line. Plumber Boy." Roman added taunting grinningly from his end. "Too bad we had to leave on such bad terms. My showers back home could use a fix. Oh well~~ guess I'll have to find another handyman to fix that leak."

"Tch!" But Jaune held his ground, readying his blade unaware of that soft glow around his body.

"But don't worry." Mercury reassured him. "Once we're done with you, you're little red friend will be joining you shortly."

Ruby…!

The boy gritted his teeth as they mentioned her. No. Will she suffer too like Blake? Will she be a victim of this? No… he won't allow them. He will not allow it to happen. He'd rather die a hundred times before he lets any of these scumbags near her. This is what he was chosen for. To be a shield for all of them and he will do his duty even if it meant his dying breath. Raising his blade one more time, the boy stared down at his enemies, readying himself.

"You're not laying a finger on her… or any of them." He muttered softly with all the hostility he can muster.

"Oooh. Scary." Torchwick humored only for a moment before flicking his cigar out of boredom. "Kill him…" The four elites closed in on the boy menacingly, each with their own method of ripping him to pieces. But as luck would befall our hero, Jaune cast a glance over the fire extinguisher hanging close to him. He wanted to call it luck but then again… does such a thing exist? He certainly wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"It worked well the last time…" With a swing of his blade, the boy cut through the extinguisher puncturing through its surface letting the foam engulf the whole area.

"Arghhh!"

"I can't see!"

"Where'd he go!?"

Roman and Mercury had turn smug look turn 180 as they backed away from the cloud. The White Fang mutts were soon engulfed in it, covered from head to toe. Sensing an opportunity, Jaune retaliated in force. He slashed and stabbed using his smaller figure to his advantage. The brutes had little in the form of accuracy and when they swing their weapons in that closed corridor, they accidentally smack one another for good measure.

"Gah! You scum!"

"My face!"

Jaune counted at least two went down for the count. He would've gone all the way with this strategy had the fog not began to clear. He needed to make a break for it and going through Mercury seemed like a sure bet.

… or so he thought…

"Doh!" A flat kick to the stomach sent the boy towards the steel wall with a defining thud.

"Sorry blondie, but that trick won't work a second time." The assassin mused with a taunting tone. "Oh don't tell me you're actually gonna cry."

"Geh!" Jaune tried to counter but found himself pinned to the wall by Mercury's gun/boot. "Ok… that was a bad move."

"I'll be honest. I'll give you a B for… 'you tried your best.' But that's all."

"Keh… you… won't get away with this." Jaune tried to mutter but found his throat blocked by a metal spike poking down his Adam's apple.

"Oh rookie. That's where you're wrong." Mercury gloated with a cocky grin. "You see… we've already won. You just don't see it yet. I mean we've all gone through careful planning to see this all work out. From your little White Fang incursions around the city all the way to the Grimm invasion. It was all us. Be a little grateful. You'll be one of the few people who actually knew about before you die. Others might not be lucky."

"Over my dead body."

"That's pretty much the whole idea."

(Coliseum prep room)

Ruby was running faster than she ever thought she'd ever go. Using her semblance over and over, she began to feel the exhaustion on her legs as she made her way to the coliseum prepping room. The guards were at her back chasing her like a pack of cats trying to corner a single measly mouse. There were slow but they made up for it with their tenacity. Any time she thought she was safe they always manage to find her.

"There she is! Get her!" The lieutenant shouted giving chase. "Don't let her get away!"

"Ugh come on. Give me a break!" Ruby groaned out loud before using her speed to dodge the soldiers and droids. "I'd really love to stay and explain everything officer, but I really… really… REALLY need to stop that fight!"

"Stop her!"

Finally making her way to the prep room of the coliseum, Ruby can now see the fight just a short sprint away. But woe once again blocked her path when the droids formed a line, making no room for her to maneuver. She wished she brought Crescent Rose with her. Things would be so much easier. Grunting, the girl knew that she had no time to play with these tin cans. So much was at stake and so little time. Mustering her strength, the girl rallied all the aura in her body and used the momentum to build up speed. With the guards coming close behind her there was little time to think. If she were to put it in words, she would say she was doing it the 'Jaune' way and wing it.

With speed and ferocity, she ploughed through the line of droids breaking the center unit to pieces. No doubt that would cost her a lot of school-points but this was an emergency.

"Ho ho! Looks like Ms. Nikos is in trouble."

The girl got to the arena just in time to see Pyrrha disarmed by Penny's blades. The android was just about to deliver the killing blow when Ruby noted that strange black glow surrounding the redheaded champion. She was undoubtedly going to use the full force of her magnetic powers. The shockwave alone could send Penny reeling back, and could undoubtedly kill her in the process.

But Ruby was weary. The chase through the corridors and the cat and mouse game she played with the guards used much of her energy. She was tired. But Jaune was counting on her and that alone was enough to make her pull some stamina from the pit of her stomach. Using her semblance one final time the girl hastened her moves going so fast that it created a whirlwind that sent petals of roses flying in the air. She ran… and ran and ran some more and asked for the first time if she could go even faster. She saw Pyrrha fling the full force of her magnetic powers, sending Penny's blades back to its owner.

But before the invisible strings could wrap themselves around the innocent android, Ruby tackled Penny from the sideline sending both of them out of the ring. To say the least, the crowd was not pleased.

"What in the world!?" Professor Port's voice chimed through, equally surprised as the audience. "What's going on here!?"

Down on the arena, Ruby was reeling back from the impact. "Ow… that was even worse than hitting a brick wall." Her eyes cast on Penny who was also recovering from that blow. "Huh? Ah! Penny!" She pulled the orangette android to a full blown hug which surprised her.

"Oh… hello there Ruby. Did you miss me already?" She asked, not really understanding the gravity of the situation she was in.

"Penny! You're alright! You're safe! Are you hurt?"

"I… don't believe so." The metallic girl answered unsuringly. "My body appears to be functioning at optimal efficiency. Why do you ask? Is something the matter?"

"Ruby!" Pyrrha's voice chimed in as the champion jumped down to inspect her friends. "Are you alright? Why did y…" But her sentence stopped to a gasp when she noted her opponent. "Penny… you… you're…"

The two girls noted her words and quickly noted where the redhead Spartan was pointing at. Sitting oddly like a hunk of rotten meat on the sidewalk was an arm. No… to be more precise it was an entirety of Penny's body. A whole chunk of her left most body was down there, its metallic components and silicon structure exposed for the world and all of its inhabitants to see freely and judge.

The audience gasped, some in disbelief and some out of pure terror and confusion.

"Oh no…" Ruby whispered much to her chagrin. Penny also had an equally horrified expression seeing a part of her body ripped from its socket. "Penny, come on. We need to get you out of here." But before she could pull the android up, the guards finally caught up to her surrounding the entirety of the arena.

"Ruby Rose! Stand down!" The lieutenant demanded.

Well so much for that quick getaway plan.

"No wait! This isn't what it looks like!" Ruby protested as the guards steadied their aim.

"Stow it lady! You've already caused enough of a scene!"

"No! You don't understand! We need to get everyone out of the stadium, RIGHT NOW!"

Before anyone could comprehend her words, a large explosion echoed right above the arena alarming every man, woman and child within. The audience panicked as the lights slowly flickered and died.

And soon… only darkness remained.

A/N: And cut! That's a wrap! At least for this chapter! Working on the next chapter now so be patient or wait till the series continue this weekend. Thanks for all of your support dear readers. Hope to hear from you all.