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"That was alright as fights go," Amber said as JPBY exited the arena and Jaune sat down to rub his shins. "A bit more armor might help, but I'd advise not to overdo it, something bulky can easily become a hindrance."

"I'll keep that in mind." He muttered as Pyrrha offered him a hand up.

"Are you going to be okay?" The redhead asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'll fade like any other pain to my aura." He assured. "Alright, for doubles round I'm thinking Yang and Pyrrha. We need a combination of defense, experience, and offensive abilities in an arena where we know nothing about the opposition."

"I understand that," Blake nodded. "Although some might use this as an opportunity to study their opponents. The fights are all saved into the internet."

"Eh, let them. I'm certainly not going to do that." Jaune laughed, that felt like additional work he didn't wanna do. The tournament fights were important but not that impactful to him.

"Alright Pyrrha we're going to have to spar later today, we've got some time before the team fights are all through." Yang added.

They were all going to be training later on today. Not within the next hour or two, it was break time for them. Time find somewhere to eat and recuperate. They had barely made it ways down the hall when Jaune's scroll vibrated for a new message. Taking it out he was surprised to see that it was from his father asking if he was free to visit their hotel. He asked which one it was and quickly got a location.

"Think it might be a congratulations party?" Amber asked and as much as Jaune liked the idea it certainly wasn't possible, this was too fast to set one up and too much confidence to do so in advance. It was likely his dad just wanted him to spend time with the family while they were here.

"Hey, my dad just texted me, asking if I wanted to come over. Does anyone want to come with me?"

"I was planning on waiting to see Ruby fight then head to the fairgrounds with her and Blake." Yang explained.

"That's fine," Jaune shrugged, this was a spur-of-the-moment thing with his dad. No reason to butt into established plans for them. "Do you have anywhere to go right now Pyrrha?"

Her emeralds eyes were glued to the glass screen of her scroll. Looking frustrated while moving the screen to websites of places.

"I think that's a no Jaune," Amber voiced but he still wanted to hear from her. Jaune has promised Pyrrha they would go out first. "You can always go somewhere on the way to the hotel, it's not much right now but it's all that's available."

"What do you say Pyr? Stop somewhere on the way to where my family is staying?" He asked hoping it would wipe the frustrated look away.

She pursed her lips for a moment and eyed the scroll in her hand before nodding. "That sounds lovely." She said as the two groups eventually had to depart.

The best the two could find upon landing in Vale proper was a hamburger stand and even that had a thirty-minute long line. It was certainly The moment they got there Roland Arc pulled Jaune to the side and past a door used to connect two usually separate rooms. It wasn't what Pyrrha was expected but soon found herself crowded with Jaune's sisters to do inquire about it.

"That as soon cool!" The one she knew as Alice cried out. "How you threw your shield and knock that guy down. I didn't know you could do something like that."

"It takes a considerable amount of practice." Not to mention a semblance to propel it forwards and course-correct when necessary.

"That was also brutal when you shot that blond in the crotch." Kate added

Pyrrha couldn't help but wince for a split second before clearing her throat. "Yes, well. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, your brother needed help then and there. I had to act fast."

"Protecting your teammate by sniping someone's crotch off." Linzy hummed. "Can't tell if that's kinky or not..."

"Linzy." Juniper Arc turned her gaze from the television and sent out an unspoken warning.

"Okay, kids are here zipping it up." She held her hands in mock surrender with an amused smile. "Jaune's got a girl he can talk to though~ Weird change of pace."

"Tell me more about Jaune actually, what was he like for you growing up?" Pyrrha asked curiously.

"He is my older brother," Kate shrugged. "He never had any friends so that's mostly the roll we all took as kids. Been awkward at times when he'd try and take to any girl that wasn't family though."

"He's always been nice to everyone." Alice added.

Pyrrha wasn't sure what she was trying to gather from asking them questions. Information about Jaune's past? Okay but why though, she felt like this was a lot of stalling. Stalling from what though-

"Oh come one Pyrrha, you know what..."

"He's a good companion of mine, kindly individual. I couldn't ask for a better partner in my life.. Era team, never had those in Sanctum academy."

"Oh?" Linzy leaned forwards suddenly more interested. "Ho ho ho. You're into my brother!" it was a small room so every other female in the Arc family heard her.

"I... just..." She sighed. "I've been trying to find a nice place to have a date ever since the Beacon dance occurred. I want to take things slow and see if he's interested you know?"

"You are asking the wrong person for relationship advice." She said almost sorrowfully. "I got nothing that can help you, been single all this time."

Juniper Arc came up to Pyrrha's side with a warm smile. "Are you certain if he is? Ever asked or made it clear to him?"

"Hm..."

"I know a lot easier said than done. That is how I eventually got together with my husband, sometimes it better to just tell someone how you feel than wait for quote one quote 'right time'. It may end up never feeling like the right time either."

That was kind of the advice she really didn't want to hear. She wasn't blind to the fact that it was the best one could give her at this point but certainly not something she wished to do.

Jaune knew from the moment his father took him into the adjoining room that there would be something troubling to discuss. He has been a son far too long not to pick up on his dad's serious tone, especially when the man sat on the end of a bed and gesture to a chair.

"I know you've been hearing a voice from a girl named Amber. Also that you and your team had been running dangerous missions as a first-year team with almost no supervision." He sighed. "All a big shock to me seeing how I heard about it from Ozpin... How are you doing Jaune, please be honest and truthful with me, I'm your father and here ready to listen and even help."

Amber sighed. "Oh boy, why does something always come around to complicate things."

Jaune found himself mirroring that sentiment. He had told Ozpin and his teammates about the situation and now his father wanted to know. They are at risk being here, Cinder was still out there and he knew how badly she wanted the Maiden Powers. Ozpin said he had people watching them. Jaune's scroll began to ring and he was quick to ignore it, this was an important moment he couldn't ignore. He never suspected that the reason why this father came here was that he thought Jaune had a mental disorder. That old thing was still following him even after letting his team in on the secret.

"Should I let my entire family know?" His father at least should know, they had to be at risk if not from Cinder then certainly from that Salem woman later on. Thinking about it more Jaune really needed to start asking more questions about this so-called queen of the Grimm.

"Jaune?" Roland Arc having waited too long for an answer asked.

"I'm sorry... I should have been keeping the rest of the family in the loop on what I was doing." It was all pretty dangerous, at the very least he should have called. "I was busy trying to help some of my teammates and deal with this Cinder woman... I kind of made myself her nemesis."

"Then please tell me what's going on with... this girl?" He asked unsurely.

"We should first call Ozpin to tell him about Roland. It's only one man and a concerned father at that, so the Headmaster might be opened to letting him know." Amber quickly offered.

Jaune was interrupted once more by his ringing scroll he once more ignored. "Dad. Amber is a friend, that much I can say right now. She isn't trying or going to get me into trouble or into hurting myself." Thinking about it Amber was always overly cautious about everything, and an understandable move from her if quite the damaging one to Jaune.

"I'm doing fine here, yes I and my team have been going through some rough fights. but we're all okay. And will continue to be, I can explain a lot just not right this insistence. Just a bit later on." He needed to speak with Ozpin before disclosing too much information but for now, this would have to do.

"Jaune, please." His words didn't seem to assure Roland Arc who laid a hand over his son's shoulder and gave him a warm smile, the same one he'd always give to calm one of his kids. "I'm right here, there is no one else around. I want to know what's going on in your life and if there is anything I can do to help you?"

"Well, I can use some shin guards." His father sighed exhausted by the dance they were now engaged in. "Trust me dad, I have everything under control and I-" His scroll began to ring for the third time and finally Jaune conceded and whipped it out. It was Ozpin and he wouldn't be calling three times in a row without cause.

"Sorry I need to take this."

"How are you not more ascetic about this!" Jaune said aloud before remembering the pilot of the aircraft could hear him. "You could be getting your boy back pretty soon."

"We'll see Jaune." Ever the realist Amber remained skeptical.

Jaune felt bad about having to make himself excused to leave his father and family so soon but he had to go. Trying to explain things to Pyrrha got a confused look but she was willing to go along with it all. They soon made it off a bus and to the shuttle docks to Beacon and onto an Atlas transport. They were going directly to Ironwood's flagship.

"Mr Arc and Ms Nikos." Ozpin sighed upon seeing his partner.

"I didn't want to keep her in the dark about what I'm about to do here, they're gonna know when me and Amber separate." Jaune explained.

"That is fine," His tone of voice suggested it was anything but that. "Although I would like to remind you that the is extremely experimental." The headmaster warned.

"Is this device going to be dangerous?" Pyrrha asked, of course, she would be concerned by the idea of separating two soups by means they didn't understand.

"It's gonna be fine Pyr, I doubt we're going to be trying something dangerous without safety measures in place," Jaune assured as Ozpin lead them through the ship and to the familiar medical ward. He was just as nervous as his partner, this could be the solution they were looking for but boy oh boy did he know it was going to hurt.

Soon they reached an operating room where Jaune was ushered in along with Pyrrha lead into a separate place with The Headmaster and Ironwood, she refused to be sent back to the school. Inside there were two doctors in your typical medical attire and Amber's body on a medical bed who all the proper equipment hooked up. A metal mask was also enclosed over her face, where the scar was located. There was a cable leading from the mask to a bulky metal glove on a table usually reserved for medical tools.

An intercom buzzed to life and Ozpin's voice came through. "Mr Arc, just take a seat on the stool and insert your hand into the device."

"What exactly is supposed to happen with this?" He asked while he complied. "Is this going to take Amber's soul out?"

"Not exactly, the primary theory is that her body is trying to call the soul back. The scar on your arm is the entry point and may also count as an exit ss that's where her powers are able to escape from as well. Such as the time we gave her an aura booster, we will today and the device is supposed to help ease the process as its beloved something is blocking her from simply leaving."

Jaune nodded as the glove locked around his hand to his wrist. It was clamped down hard but he didn't feel any kind of needles or anything connecting it to his body.

"Mr Arc listen if you or Amber feel any serious discomfort then give the word and we'll disconnect both the devices. We don't want to cause any damage to you bodies or souls." There was a brief silence until Jaune nodded, it was a similar promise he made to Amber when his mission began.

"Inject the aura booster," Ironwood said through the intercom and a doctor carried a syringe over to Amber's arm.

"Here we go..." Amber's voice sounded anxious and also a bit eager as the fluid was slowly injected in.

Jaune kept quiet and braced himself. This was going to hurt, the only question he had was how badly it was going to be. The doctor picked up a tablet and pressed a few buttons and the bulky glove and mask both began to hummed as they came on. Jaune felt nothing at first, just the heavy metal clamped around his hand and the lines tethering it at the palm to Amber's scar.

"I don't think it's work- oh." Amber shutters and he knew why a second later.

Pressure, that was the word he'd used to describe it. It began to steadily built, not inwards but outwards. Like someone pushing an object through a tube, except said tube was his arm. It was slow at first but began to build, Amber began moaning and groaning like she was uncomfortable. Jaune could tell where this was going, things were moving smoothly now but he knew it was only a matter of time before-

"MH!" His arm when from bracing to tense in an instant. Pain flowed throughout every receptor inside and outside the shielding of his skin and he reflexively tried to pull back, dragging the device back with him and staining the cables. It was a stinging feeling like when let the Maiden powers flow through him but eventually grew into a more fiery pain like someone had let his arm alight to burn.

There was something else too, Jaune didn't know how to fully describe it, but it was something being pushed... No, he'd been getting it wrong. Pulled out from his arm, the confirmation that Amber's body was indeed being called by her body helped keep Jaune quiet. Standing firm against the pain, her body had always been trying to get Amber back. It just needed a little bit of help.

"Come on just a bit more!" The cables at his palm began to glow brown, which had to progress. Amber's discomfort soon grew into cries of pain, which almost encourage Jaune to let loose his own cry. Even if Jaune was powering through he still squirmed in his seat as every muscle in his arm began to cramp under the constant assault. That began the last straw.

"Ahh! Okay, stop, stop, stop!" Jaune couldn't hold back the pain anymore, it was as if someone was trying to suck out the bone from his arm. Amber was still groaning in pain, either from his own suffering or maybe even straining on her soul.

As instructed the doctor immediately pressed a button on his tablet and the glove and mask both opened. The mask on Amber was removed by his fellow in the room. That it and even the interior of the glove were steaming didn't fill either of them with confidence.

"By the brothers," Amber breathed. "It was like being pushed into a small tube... Why was it like that!?"

The door slide opened and Pyrrha rushed to Jaune's side, taking a hold of his left arm and examining it for any signs of damage. "Are you okay? Can you move your arm?"

He tried giving her a smile to reassure her but it obviously strained. "Yeah, I'll be good. This isn't the first time my arm's hurt after all."

He doubted it would be the last too.

"We tried it, that's what matters." Amber continued when she never got an answer. "There was always a chance this could fail, best to move on right?"

Jaune was taking a breather in the medical room alone so he could speak fairly freely. "They said the whole thing was experimental, this was the first test run with it. It's not like we won't have another chance."

"How much of your arm are you willing to damage before you realize how life-damaging this is turning out to be?" Amber snapped back, as always Jaune could see a projection of her face and boy was she upset. "You promised me you wouldn't go off and hurt yourself on a longshot plan of helping me." She hissed angrily.

"No, I swore not to put myself into unnecessary danger and I didn't. The moment they thing started to sting badly I took it off."

"Yeah, and it clearly does work." Her eyes rolled with annoyance. "I don't see how Ironwood's scientists could improve on something like this even with decades of time."

"We both felt it, I know that for a fact." Jaune knee something moved from within, it wasn't a part of himself either. He wasn't sure how to describe it and doubted Amber could either but she was being drawn back into her body. Just unable to... Jaune supposed 'fit through his hand' was the only way he could describe it.

"We can't just give up like this. You cannot just give up not at a time where any progress is made." To say Jaune was confused would be an understatement, he expected her to be ecstatic about this. They had a way to get her back inside her own body. It had some kinks to figure out but it was good news. Yes, it has hurt and yes his bones were still cracking. Didn't mean they could just give up.

"There's no way this technology can be fixed and tested. We don't even know for sure what is blocking me or if I'm being drawn back instead. Soul has no mass after all."

"Maybe they do?" He shrugged, even he had to admit it didn't make a whole lot of sense. "We can make it through this. It's not as if we're on a strict timetable. Doesn't matter how long it takes or if there's pain. We getting your body back." Jaune sat up tall as he made the same declaration three times before.

"...You can be unbelievably insufferable you know that?"

Jaune smirked. "Admit it, you find that endearing about me."

Amber groaned. "Admiring how staunch you are certainly, but endearing? No."

"...I'm just trying to help you..."

"I know." She sighed feeling exacerbated in part because of the strain on her soul the device had on her.

"That's what makes this hurt the most..."