Ruby was really trying her hardest to explain to Weiss that she couldn't date- that she didn't want to date Jaune! But it just wasn't working!

"You just told me he already has a girlfriend!" Ruby hissed.

"So?" Weiss shrugged, "You could be his human girlfriend. They can be his sister girlfriends."

"That's not how that… works!"

"That's silly," Weiss said, "You're being silly."

Ugggggh, Mom was going to be so mad if she didn't come home from Beacon because she didn't know how to politely decline an invitation to move to the Grimmlands! She really wasn't supposed to go to there! How many times had Nana Maria told her, her silver eyes were a danger to herself, that Salem hated her personally, and everyone like her, and now she was going to… move in? S-so she could date a boy?

E-even if he was… cute and… and so nice, the kind of guy who was used to being around people who had special powers and wouldn't act like she's creepy just because she liked Crescent so much. It wasn't fair! Boys as Signal thought she was weird because she was in an accelerated program, and boys at Beacon were either losers or taken or way too forward! Why did the first boy that she felt she could actually make a real connection with be her entire family's mortal enemy?

And he could make her a Princess! It wasn't fair!

Ruby grumbled to herself as she looked back to her ice cream. Unlimited free ice cream with Weiss had sounded super cool when Yang first told her about it, but now they were talking about boys and Ruby was very bad at that! Didn't Yang know how much Coco and Nora teased her about it?

Of course she did. Her sister was always looking for opportunities to make Ruby feel like she was a little kid. She was such a butt sometimes. Enough to even make ice cream not fun.

So instead, Ruby tried to focus on Emerald, who, unlike her, was an expert at being normal and cool while Ruby was just flailing. Man, she was chatting up Neo all cool and casual like, like a real grown up while Ruby was a mess of blustering about a boy she liked-

As a friend! She only… she just wanted to be friends with him. Nothing weird.

Ugh, Ruby hated how hard this was.

Especially with Neo. Ruby had fought Roman Torchwick twice already, and he was, technically, her nemesis, but that… that didn't mean Neo was her nemesis, too, right?

Because Ruby really liked Neo. She liked Neo and she liked Emerald, and Weiss had just barely edged out Nora for her top Best Friend Forever spot, even if she was saying… crazy things, so Ruby really just wanted everyone to be friends here.

Friends. Just… friends. Normal friends with normal friend relationships. That would be good. Being a Silver-Eyed Warrior meant that she was set apart from others, like Mom always told her, but Mom also said that Ruby would have no problem making friends at Beacon. That she'd met Dad at Beacon, and that was where they fell in love. Even though Mom thought they'd never get together, that it just couldn't happen between them, just like how Ruby was sure Jaune would never-

Nope, just gonna focus on ice cream! Focus on eating lots and lots of ice cream because it was free and tasted delicious and she was having fun with Weiss! Normal, best friend fun! With no boys!

It was really good stuff, and Ruby loved how, as soon as she finished her bowl, another bowl was there, like magic. She was so glad that Neo had recommended this place, though Ruby suspected they were getting VIP treatment. Probably something involving Roman, but… Ruby could overlook his dastardly crimes for one day. For Weiss's sake. Speaking of...

"Wow," she said to Weiss as she finished another bowl, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't know if I can eat any more ice cream!"

"Can't, mmf, talk," Weiss said in between spoonfuls, "Mmmf, eating."

"Is that… okay?" she glanced to Emerald. Ruby knew that Yang usually intervened before she had too much sugar, and while most of the time she was just being a butt who just wanted to be in charge, even Ruby knew that this much ice cream meant she was going to be wired for the rest of the day… and then some.

Emerald just shrugged. "It's cool. Weiss and I just convert food into Grimmstuff. I mean, it doesn't have to be 'food,' but food tastes good and we like food, so… that's mostly what we eat." Then she pondered things for a moment. "Well, Jaune has to eat regular food, but that's just because he has a sensitive tummy. But Weiss just turns matter into Grimmstuff, and if she has too much, she'll just shunt it off as a Grimm."

"As a Grimm?" Ruby asked, shocked. "Is that going to-"

"Nah," Emerald shook her head, "It takes a whole lot of matter to become..." her voice trailed off as she looked over the considerable stack of empty bowls Weiss and Ruby had produced between the two of them.

Neo seemed absolutely delighted to see it, evidently coming to the same realization Ruby had just had, only she seemed to see it as fun rather than pure chaos.

"Weiss..." Emerald murmured, "h-how much did you eat?"

"Lots," she said, then burped… a loud, rumbling noise that didn't sound like something someone as small and delicate as Weiss could make!

"Weiss!" Emerald sternly complained, "I told you this would happen if you ate too much ice cream!"

Ruby was starting to realize that Emerald's annoyance was probably a sign of something she was used to that nobody else in Remnant was. "Wait… what are you talking-"

But she was cut off as, with a sudden, great belch, the black lines tracing Weiss's skin pulsed and she slapped her hand onto the table, where a Beowulf suddenly sprung to life!

Ruby lurched back. So did Neo.

And so did literally every other person in the ice cream parlor.

There was a scream. Probably several. The crowd bolted as Mr. Ebi struggled to restore order, but his shouting was easily drowned out in the panic as customers and employees raced for the exits.

The Beowulf just sat down on the table, a blank look on its face. If it wasn't… an actual Grimm, Ruby would dare say that it was actually… kind of cute? But then Emerald effortlessly scythed it down with a single strike from her bare hand, and the Beowulf disintegrated into black smoke.

Weiss didn't seem put out that her creation had been killed. "Thanks, Em," she mumbled, embarrassed, as the only other sound in the ice cream parlor was a bowl still spinning on the table, a testament to how quickly the place emptied of all but the four of them and their chaperones.

Jaune had never really imagined that dashing out of the restaurant, escaping their chaperones, and laughing together as they did it could be so much fun! He and Pyrrha burst out of the restaurant's back door into an alleyway—it was a reckless move, anyone who came across them would know, for sure, that they weren't human—but he didn't care. Nor did she. Sure, Jaune's eyes and Pyrrha's body gave them away, but their heightened Grimm senses told them they were alone here. Alone to… talk. About things.

The brimming confidence that Jaune had in the restaurant suddenly evaporated once he felt the cool night air. Back inside, with Blake and Yang, he was in the zone, surrounded by people he knew in an emotionally easy space. Keep things light, pleasant. That was something Jaune could do. But now, he was in the back alley, alone, with a woman who desired so much from him...

And he desired so much in return.

But while Jaune's courage waned, Pyrrha's waxed. She saw the look on her face and he could tell she wasn't going to lose another opportunity here. She grabbed his hands and pulled him close, her face, her eyes, her lips just inches away from him as Jaune, just as he did the last time he was confronted with love.

He trembled to look at her, caught between fear and desire, pulled apart by two poles as he struggled to settle something in his mind, in his soul, in his gut sufficient to make a decision. But just like that last time, beholding her and Blake's bodies and realizing that they were beautiful and that his own awakened desire was upon them... he froze. Uncertain. Lost.

Pyrrha looked at him, her eyes piercing any attempt to hide his thoughts. "Whatever you choose, Jaune…" she said, her voice a forceful whisper, "I'm not going to stop loving you. I'll never stop loving you."

"Pyrrha..."

"It's true. You… you're my hero, Jaune. You're the only one… the only one I've ever felt this for. The only one I'll ever feel this for. You're where I feel safe, where I feel loved, and I- Even if you don't feel that way for me, I will always feel that way for you."

He had never felt so small before, so unworthy. His whole life was about his sisters, keeping them safe, protecting them from Mother, but to… to receive something in exchange for it felt so deeply perverse. Like it would break everything if he accepted her feelings for him. He just… wanted things to go back to the way they used to be.

"Maybe..." his words were hesitant and uncertain as he thought of his time in the Headmaster's office, when he first returned the sword. "Maybe in another world, maybe there was a time when we didn't get taken by Mother. In that world, maybe we would meet, maybe even… maybe at Beacon, and in that world… we could be very happy."

Profound grief came across him to imagine this other world, to think of the Jaune and Pyrrha there, Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos, students together. Maybe they'd cross paths or study together, even be on a team together. And maybe they'd find each other just as Jaune found Pyrrha now. The two of them falling in love without the threat of Mother hanging over their heads. The two of them being free.

"But we're not in that world," Pyrrha said, cutting off his fantasy, "We're in this one and I know you have feelings for me, just like I do for you, and I know we can be happy if we just tried!"

"You don't… you don't understand," Jaune lamely suggested.

"Then tell me!" she demanded, "Don't shut me out, please, Jaune, just try and tell me!"

"It's like..." he struggled to articulate himself, to marshal his words in the moment, "It's like I'm... on the side of a cliff. And I have to either climb up or climb down, but I just know… I know that if I take a wrong step, it'll crumble underneath me and I'll fall. I feel like I have to keep… perfectly still, and if I ever slip up in the slightest way, it'll all..."

"It'll all fall apart..." Pyrrha completed the thought.

"Yeah..."

They sat in morose silence for a moment.

"I don't accept that answer."

"What?"

Pyrrha looked Jaune square in the eye, a look that reminded him that as much as he was his sister, his beloved sister, she was also the Eagle. "I don't," she said with force enough to make Jaune almost step back, "That's not- that's not you. You're not the one to hide from danger—you're the one who stands up to Mother, you're the one who fought Yang, and you're the one who believed in taking a risk and making this whole trip as a diplomatic outreach—you fought me on that. And if you think after all the head-to-head arguing we had over that, that I'm going to accept that you're too afraid now… I don't buy it. I know you, Jaune. You think you can get away with not telling me your feelings because you think I'm not going to push you, but I'm not. I'm not letting you. You're answering me. Tonight. Now."

Jaune stared at her. In all his life, he'd never seen Pyrrha like this, so… forceful. And… and she had a point. He wasn't being honest here, he wasn't…

A powerful tremor of dread came across Jaune as he unlocked something deep within his core that he could finally open up about. With a choked moan, Jaune finally came clean. "A-all my life, love m-meant… it meant pain, Pyrrha. Pain. I l-loved you, all of you so much that I was… was able to face Mother. And she m-made me pay for it, every… every time."

Pyrrha's eyes, alight with sympathetic grief, gazed into his. He didn't want to tell her this, he never wanted any of his siblings to find out, but he couldn't stop talking. Years of bottled up fears couldn't be stopped now.

"And when you and B-Blake approached me, all I could think… all I could think was… was that this wasn't… I was scared. I was scared of what would happen. I- I… Love is pain, Pyrrha, and I was afraid of what would-"

He wasn't expecting Pyrrha to throw her arms around him and pull him close. But while startled, Jaune had to admit that this was… nice. Pyrrha was strong, stronger than anyone he knew, and enveloped in her arms, he felt… safe. Safe enough to finally break down, to let the tears flow down his face as he slumped forward, his legs giving way, to be held in his sister's arms.

She'd seen him cry. Seen him lose his composure in terror and fear, every time he was dragged forth from the Hole. But this time, Jaune was showing a weakness he never showed, something he never even acknowledged: the fear of his own selfishness, that he might break, that he might betray his sisters. It was a fear inside him that bloomed like rot in dark places, every mindless fear he'd tried to banish from his mind was now exposed.

But in Pyrrha's arms… he could admit it. He could be weak. He could admit his darkest fears and grieve what they'd experienced together.

Pyrrha held him close and whispered in his ear. "You've never failed us. Ever. I love you, Jaune, because you've always been our protector, but Jaune… let me protect you now. Let me hold you, let me keep you safe. Please..."

All he could do was accept. Awash in grace, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, feeling her body against his, the faint hum of her Grimmstuff and the thump of her heartbeat, the familiar Darkness within her and… and something that made the Light Inside glow within him. Not a brilliant flame like it was against the Darkness of The Hole, but a calming light. A soothing light. Something like love, within them both. A connection forged on a level Jaune didn't understand, but could feel it stronger than steel.

And so Jaune made up his mind.

Swooping forward, he caught Pyrrha, the peerless warrior, utterly by surprise as he kissed her, gently, on the lips.

For a moment, they help there, the two of them enfolded in the moment. Both too shocked, too uncertain to do more except feel their lips against the other's.

Then Pyrrha kissed him back. And Jaune kissed her back. And they returned it, again and again, reflecting their feelings from one to the other, something joyful and life-affirming and they were laughing, laughing together as they kissed and held each other. It was… it was madness, but a good kind, the kind where all their years of emotions were no longer held in stasis, the two of them sharing a love that had long boiled under the surface.

There were no certainties in their lives. They were instruments of war and destruction and conquest, and the Darkness within them was as surely present as Mother's voice reminding them of her true purpose, but right now… right now, neither Pyrrha nor Jaune paid no heed to those things.

There was no Prince or Eagle present here. No Grimm power, no arcane Darkness. Just a boy and a girl, in each other's arms. And they were very, very happy.

She was a sweet kid.

Neo felt she could really come to like Emerald, but… she'd long since learned that there were people who were cut from the criminal cloth and there were people who'd wound up in the life, astray from their other calling. And trying to pretend that one was the other was only the way to tragedy and a wasted life. Even if it had been a fun date (especially with the Grimm at the end!), Neo could see where there was and wasn't a future here.

Simply put: Emerald wasn't cut from the criminal cloth.

In Neo's mind, that was a good thing. Honestly, a great thing. The kid had skills that would easily let her rise to the top of the criminal underworld, but she didn't have the mindset that would let her enjoy it. And for Neo, if you weren't enjoying it, what was even the point?

But as the two of them were sitting together as a team of Huntsmen checked the location, some of them even dressed up in Hazardous Environment Suits (she had to admit, they looked pretty cool and scifi—she'd have to nick one on her way out, though they might not come in her size), Neo felt it was time she and Emerald had a talk.

Hey, Em?

Emerald blinked, evidently jolted from her thoughts. "Oh, uhh… what is it, Neo?"

That was real cool what happened in there.

"W-what, really? You don't- you don't-"

Clearing the place out like that? That was cool as hell!

Emerald blushed from the compliment. She was young and inexperienced, clearly unfamiliar with receiving positive attention in such a manner. Neo normally wouldn't mind being the one to guide her into the larger world of criminal conspiracy and larcenous plotting, mentoring her and taking her under her wing. A promising talent, and, more importantly, someone Neo liked? She had everything she really needed, didn't she?

But… no, Roman was right: Emerald needed someone who wasn't her or even like her to grow as a person. And Neo was the sort of person who, if she saw that something had no future, she wasn't gonna flail around, denying the reality staring her in the face. Better to be quick about it.

So… I hope you had a good time tonight.

"I- I really did!" she said, with the sort of aching sincerity Neo didn't hear in the criminal underworld. Like, ever. "I'm so sorry that my sister completely ruined it, and-"

Your sister didn't ruin anything.

"Oh!" Emerald seemed to brighten a bit at that, "Well, that's- that's good to hear."

But…

"Oh no..."

Emerald gave her a fake, sympathetic smile. "I mean, I get it, I'm not exactly the best at-"

You didn't ruin anything either.

"Then what… what was it?" she asked, with a needy insistence, "W-was it Qrow? I swear, he's a good guy he-"

Gods, she was too innocent for words. Far too much of a sweetheart.

It's not anyone. Just… You and me, it just can't work out. We're from two different worlds, and-

"Because I'm a Grimm?" she interrupted, "Neo, please, I know I-"

Cause you're not an assassin.

Emerald froze at that. Then the words came tumbling out of her mouth, less said than regurgitated. "But I'm… I'm the Shrike. I'm my brother's justice and-"

Neo cut her off with a look. You've got a lot of skills and you'd make a damn good assassin if you put yourself to it, but you shouldn't. There's so much more you can be, Emerald, and if you stick around me… you're not going to be that. And I can't let that happen. The world needs good people, Emerald. People who aren't marks or thieves, people who aren't bullies or victims. And that's what you are. A good person.

Emerald blinked, absorbing Neo's words.

"I… I guess… okay. I… thank you for telling me," she said, glumly.

There wasn't a lot to be happy about in breaking her heart like that, but Neo knew this was for the best. Neo loved her life, but knew how much unhappiness was in it and how much… how much it took from her. Emerald was someone better off with anyone but her.

But she didn't want to leave the girl without something to show for her first date. Well, typically, Neo didn't end a date before having a whole lot more, but Emerald was just… a little too innocent for what Neo was used to. Leaning forward, she kissed Emerald on the cheek, seeing the girl's eyes hang wide open, frozen in shock, even after Neo drew back from the kiss and opened her eyes. She was a cute one, wasn't she?

But when Neo was about to make her exit when she suddenly felt Emerald's hand on her. Neo was about to turn, until she was suddenly jerked over to Emerald who now caught her off guard with a sudden, unexpected kiss, right on the lips.

With all her various lovers and flings and paramours, Neo had been kissed very many times. By men and women, some skilled, some inexperienced, some just arrogantly fumbling their way through it, but she had never been kissed like this before. She held the other girl in her arms, felt the sensation on her lips shift from passionate closeness to a gentle feather-touch, something pure and delicate and, alas, temporary.

Neo was the one to break the kiss. She couldn't put that on Emerald. She withdrew and found herself smiling in a way she wasn't sure she had done in a long time. Maybe ever. A smile that was genuine and honest and… small. But in a way that made it all the more precious and bittersweet.

Still feeling the kiss on her lips, Neo hopped up and made her way out. It wasn't… this place wasn't for her. It wasn't just that Emerald wasn't like her… she wasn't like Emerald. Neo had made her choices in life, had established who she was—all she could do was lead the girl down a dark path she'd never forgive herself for. It was a pleasant meeting, a rather... enjoyable date, even if it wasn't like her usual approach. But... that was all it could be. All it should ever be.

Thanks to Renarde for feedback on this chapter!

Writing the date scene really evolved a lot from the original outline, but even if it was a challenge to finish it, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out! Even though, man, I feel so much for Emerald in this. But I'm really happy with Pyrrha's scene. She's been a key character since Chapter 1, but she's mostly been a stiff, reserved character, who doesn't actually drive that much of the plot. But ever since her fight with Emerald, Pyrrha's become increasingly more active, something that'll continue especially into the next Act.