A/N: Aaaaaaand we're back! I'll save all the crap for a post, so let's get tot the good part!

Thank you for reading, and please enjoy chapter thirty-two!

"Nora's right: packing sucks…"

Boxes covered seemingly every space of the house, and she honestly wasn't sure how it had happened. They'd been here only a few months, for heaven's' sake! Yes, there were the clothes JNPR had acquired in Bar and in Vale. And what her mother had brought for her. JNPR had also acquired some sundries in both towns, too. There was their weapon maintenance equipment, and their general Hunter equipment. Camping gear, too. Doctor Oobleck had supplied them with textbooks to help them prepare for their "next year" at Beacon. Ren had gotten a spare tea set from Fox Alistair. Jaune and she had gone comic shopping incognito as well. Nora had been given an imitation Ursa-hide rug by Professor Port in lieu of payment for helping him on a patrol…

Okay, so maybe they had gotten a lot of things.

"Well, some of us have a lot of things." She remembered grouchily, spotting the small collection of bags and boxes Jaune had made of his possessions in the hall: he'd be able to carry it all in one go. Meanwhile, she scanned the ground in her and Nora's room and saw a sea of brown cardboard. She refused to be defeated by something so trivial as packing, however, and levitated her next round of packages out the door.

Her mother and Nora were busy breaking down the impromptu training room, and distant clanging told her Ren and Jaune were busy in the kitchen. A half-dozen packages floating in an orderly line, Pyrrha marched down to the foyer and laid her payload down carefully; most of these would be mailed home, JNPR hardly needed the clothes on hand, but some of it would come along on their ship to Wind Path.

There was a particularly loud banging from the kitchen, drawing her attention in time to see Jaune push through the door, scroll held to his ear.

"Sorry, Ren!" he bellowed, and Pyrrha had a glimpse of the black-haired boy surrounded by downed pots and pans before the kitchen door closed. "Rose? How's it going?!" Her partner spotted her and began making excited waving motions, so she followed Jaune to the living room. "The team's packing, we're leaving Vale in a few days, remember? Don't mind me, what's going on with you? Pyr's here, say hi!"

Jaune had taken a seat on the couch, and she moved to sit next to him, leaning in close to view the screen. Waiting for her was Rose. The young Arc had her hair pulled back in a bun reminiscent of Claire, but the younger girl was also in sweat-dampened athletic clothes. Behind Rose, Pyrrha could just make out the feet of what she presumed to be a resting Verte. "Hi, Pyrrha," Rose greeted, the tiredness her clothes implied plain to hear.

"Good evening, Rose," she replied pleasantly, settling more comfortably against Jaune. He rested his free hand around her unconsciously, still engaged with his sister.

"So, what's up? You and Verte have been training, yeah?" In the distance, she heard a Jaune-like grumble which was likely Verte; Rose, however, nodded solemnly.

"We just got back from our first day of pre-semester exercises: a few of the teachers in Signal run the program for students waiting on the island. Since Mr. Tai is one of those teachers, we got signed up." Rose's world tilted precariously as the girl collapsed on the bed: groggy Verte was replaced with the linoleum floor beneath Rose's bed. "Don't let Verte fool you, she's on cloud nine right now. Mr. Tai even told her she had solid fundamentals for her footwork."

"Thanks, Jaune!" came Verte's tired voice.

"Thank Pyrrha!" Jaune called back.

"Thanks, Pyr!" Verte said obediently.

"Not a problem." She assured them. She focused back to Rose: "Beyond the training, how are you finding Patchwork? We didn't spend much time in town: Team RWBY kept us busy out of town." Jaune's sister shrugged lightly.

"S'okay, I guess. We don't get off school ground much, even with them not in session: they don't want unattended minors going too far. We've met some cool kids that'll be in our class, though. A couple of them thought it was super cool when they learned we knew JNPR and RWBY." She smiled deviously, then. "By the way, can you guys send me a few signed pictures of Ren?"

"Not on your life!" Called Nora as she staggered past the entryway, toting half a rack of weights: the heavy half, of course. The younger Arc scratched her head, nervously laughing the moment off.

"Signal's campus is nice, but I didn't expect it to be so much like school back home. I don't know, I guess I expected more fighty stuff? Like, the classrooms don't have any weapons in stuff in them, and the gym has the same blue mats as back home."

"Sanctum wasn't overly different from my primary school," Pyrrha offered. "Beyond the sparring equipment and the aura display screens, but neither was left lying about. I'm sure the school will feel martial once school is in full session." The prospect seemed to unnerve the girl, and Pyrrha wondered if Jaune wasn't the only Arc worried about their skill.

Jaune spoke up, and he too seemed to have caught Rose's change. "Well, if I can make it at Beacon, you can make it at Signal! Even if I had a roommate slightly more useful than Verte."

"The worst, Jaune!" Verte groaned from beyond the screen, and Rose began to snicker.

"Seriously, Rose, you guys will be fine. Plenty of kids come to combat academies with no experience; Ruby was a terrible fighter before she got to Signal!" Rose, who Pyrrha knew had been impressed by the Vytal Festival recordings they'd brought to Bar, looked mollified. Her partner's eyes flicked to her, and she saw a sly grin quickly suppressed.

"I know this can be frustrating, and it can feel like so much effort to progress such a small amount. But, I want you to know I'm proud of you." Pyrrha felt warmth bloom in her chest at Jaune's words, a preening Rose completely forgotten as she heard him repeat her own lesson. She took hold of his chin and pulled him into a kiss.

"Eww! Pyr, can you not get a gushy with Jaune when I'm around?" Rose gagged dramatically, and Pyrrha reluctantly released Jaune. Jaune looked completely shocked, but certainly not in a bad way. She winked at him, and Jaune pulled at his collar playfully.

"Didn't think it was that good of a speech." Rose switched to vomiting noises, and Jaune coughed into his fist, trying to find some composure. "Well, it's nice to hear you two are settling in. Anything else going on?"

"Tell him about the outfits!" Verte yelled.

"I was going to!" Rose pleaded, finally sitting back up. "Verte and I went to a shop in town that does Huntress gear; we can't get weapons until we're in session, but we wanted to look the part." She waved a hand down to the sweaty tee, as if to prove a point.

"Well, I just wear my normal clothes?" Jaune replied, a mildly confused expression on his face, but Rose rolled her eyes.

"Well, yeah, Jaune, and you look so great out there. Vi did you a solid with the gold trim, but you need to get more flair!"

"Give him a spare sash, Pyrrha!" The youngest Arc suggested, and Rose quickly nodded along. Pyrrha didn't mind the sound of that, either: they'd look like a matched set.

"Hey, Pyrrha thinks my outfit looks good!" Jaune called defensively, looking down to her.

Pyrrha forced on a very brave, very fake smile.

"Traitors, I'm surrounded by traitors!" He fell away from her dramatically, arm across his eyes.

"This is exactly why we ordered some outfits. We'll send you pics when they get here, but I got one word for you: combat skirts."

"That's two words, sis…" Jaune mumbled from behind an arm.

"Well, I am the smart one!" Verte yelled. Pyrrha nestled closer to Jaune, who almost immediately took hold of her again, his feigned hurt forgotten. She wrapped her own arms around his waist, hugging him against herself gently while his hand settled over her stomach.

"SO YEAH!" Rose talked over the other girl, glaring off camera. "New style for the Arc sisters, featuring our kickass emblems. Thank Nora for the help with those, by the way."

"You're welcome!" Nora once again shouted from the hallway, moving the other set of weights.

"So, things are in the clear here, what about you guys?" Rose asked, watching them expectantly. Jaune looked down to her, while she shrugged back up at him.

"We're gonna be out of Vale in a few days, but I think we're doing alright. I had an easy time packing, at least." Pyrrha reminded herself it was considered bad form to put Jaune in a waistlock while he was in a call with family. "We're leaving for Wind Path by boat, which will suck, but there's not a faster way to travel without being military." Rose opened her mouth. "And no, Dad can't fly all five of us and our stuff to Mistral just because we ask nicely." Rose deflated slightly.

"Well, I hope you guys will be okay." She answered, watching the floor.

"I'm sure we'll be fine, Rose." Pyrrha assured her.

"We all know how seasick Jaune gets; make sure he brings mints."

Jaune again resumed her accusations of treason as Pyrrha giggled helplessly alongside his sisters.

It was raining, of course. It'd been raining for days now, and the forecast said it would keep raining. The open water would be choppy in the bad weather, and the ship would be swaying horrendously.

'Juuuust perfect."

Thetis was speaking with a steward, making sure their luggage was all on board, while his team watched the crowds continue to go by on the Vale docks. Jaune himself, however, was busy with an age-old tradition.

"You've got your wallet?" Blanche asked, holding onto his shoulders worriedly.

"Yes." She was always like this before a trip.

"You packed your clothes?"

"Yes." She'd once asked him if he had his shoes while he was wearing them.

"That includes underwear, right?"

"Yes, Blanche, I packed underwear!" Jaune tried to shake her grip, but he'd let her grab on too firmly. "Sis, I have everything. I didn't even forget my partner at home, see?" He gestured to Pyrrha.

"Hello again!" Pyrrha said cheerily, deep hood hiding her face from rain and camera. Blanche rolled her eyes at the two of them, though he made sure to shoot Pyrrha an appreciative smile.

"I'm just worried. The last time you left, you didn't even tell us." She frowned up at him, his new height still a recent occurrence, as the rain sloshed off her cap.

"I'm still sorry for that, Blanche, but I'm not skipping out on you this time." He took hold of his eldest sister then, pulling her into a soaked hug. "I'll keep in touch, but you watch out for yourself too, alright?"

His sister laughed at his concern, though. "Me? I'm the one of us who spends all day at desks, Jaune! You're going off to go be in the thick of it again. Don't worry about me: Dad and I will take care of Vale, no problem. You go off and save the world, or something." She wriggled free of his grip then, breaking her hold on his shoulders. "I hear Winter Schnee's in Mistral, maybe you can get her to give me a call, for old time's sake?" He shuddered at the thought of asking Weiss' sister for so much as the time.

"I'm gonna have to pass on that one, sis." He stepped back, lining up with his team. Blanche moved down to his friends then.

"Take good care of Beacon, Blanche!" Nora gripped Blanche tight, and his sister squeezed back. "We'll be back to finish the job in no time."

"Looking forward to it, Nora." Jaune smirked, hearing the strain in his sister's voice. Nora let her go, and she offered a hand to Ren. "Ren, keep… doing what you're doing."

"Being the brains?" he offered, accepting her hand.

"Exactly." she said, laughing. Jaune, deciding he was fine being the cute one, let it slide.

"Pyrrha!" Blanche cheered, arms stretching round his partner. "I hope everything will turn out in Mistral."

"Thank you! And I've already promised at least three Arcs to look after Jaune!" She laughed, and he felt his own mirth rising.

"I'm sure you will." His sister agreed before leaning close and stage whispering into Pyrrha's ear: "After all, you did bag the cute one." He couldn't see Pyrrha's face, but he imagined she was blushing a little.

Naturally, he winked at her when she looked to him for support. "That was for Pumpkin Pete." Jaune thought, totally not selling his girlfriend out.

The drumming rain echoed against the steel walls of her cabin, while Pyrrha sat in her bunk, trying to focus on her book. Their ship had been pulled out of its berth nearly an hour ago, but their actual departure from the Vale Port was tediously slow; Nora had taken off some time ago to "see if the buffet was any good", while she had opted for trying to relax. A good book in a quiet room could very often be quite a treat, but she simply couldn't focus, couldn't engage with the story. She'd read the last ten pages at least three times!

With a frustrated sigh, she rested the book on her bed, pulled her hoodie back on, shoved her hair down the back, and went in search of her partner. Her mother had booked three rooms on the upper levels of the ship, where the passageways were wide and decorated with secured paintings, the steel painted soft whites. Jaune and Ren's room was opposite theirs, and she knocked quietly on the sealed portal. She could make about a quiet shuffle just before Jaune threw open his door.

He looked uneasy, not surprising given their ship-bound state, but he smiled happily nonetheless. "Hey, how's the room?"

"They're fine, but a little dull; would you mind coming on a walk with me?" Jaune hesitated slightly, and she leaned forward pleadingly. "Please? You can't hide from your sea legs the whole trip, Jaune."

"Well, how am I supposed to turn down an invitation like that?" he said with a laugh, grabbing his own coat before stepping out with her. "Do we have a destination in mind? So long as I'm in sprinting distance of the rails or a trashcan, I'll be okay." She leaned against Jaune slightly as they walked, and he wrapped an arm around her: partly for support in the gentle rocking of the deck, but she was more than happy to lend him a hand.

"Just around, I thought. The outer deck has a covered level, so we could go outside as well." A bit of fresh air did sound rather nice, after spending so long cooped up out of the rain. Jaune hummed an agreement, and the two continued on.

The ship itself was rather crowded, the line to board had been absurdly long, but most of their fellow passengers seemed content to wait in their rooms for the moment. Looking about discreetly, Pyrrha pushed down her hood, enjoying just another bit of freedom as they walked.

"Am I ever going to get that back?" Jaune asked, looking at the oversized jacket she wore, Pumpkin Pete proudly displayed. She brought a finger to her lips, tapping in consideration.

"Hmmmmm… no?" There was a short pause where Jaune looked rather as if he'd been hit over the head, and she started to laugh at his expression.

"Next thing I know, I'm going to find your hair ties in my bags…" Jaune mumbled, squeezing her lightly, and she only laughed harder at his confounded tone. Jaune opened the door for her, and the two stepped out to stern.

The rain pounded onto the bay outside, Vale and Beacon beyond grey shapes in the storm. She could see the hazy forms of ships navigating around them, trying to find their way in and out and all around. On a whim, she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind: great masses of metal sounding back to her.

"I can sense them…" she muttered as Jaune pulled her ever so slightly to the side.

"Them?"

"The ships, I can sense them." Eyes still closed, she pointed a hand out to her side, following one vessel in her mind's eye. "A ferry from Patch is right there, it's clear as day to me." Unbidden, however, she felt the strange tugging of her new powers, and she opened her eyes.

The rain was bent.

She doubted anyone beyond Jaune and she would notice, but the rain curved away, opening a window in the storm. Jaune stretched a hand into the gap, and both of them watched the curious line where the rain halted drew a dark patch on his sleeve. Soon, the dark form of a ship passed before them, and both watched in silence as the ferry slid past her window through the weather. After a few long minutes, all that remained was the ferry's wake, and she dropped whatever hold she had. The rain rushed back into the void immediately.

"Well… that was different." Pyrrha muttered, and she felt her legs go weak. Jaune had thankfully not let go of her, though, and he bolstered her when she began to tip.

"Pyr? Hold on, let's sit you down." He half guided-half carried her to one the benches that lined the deck, resting her down gently before taking the seat beside her. "Where'd you learn that trick?"

She hummed her unsureness, still feeling fatigued.

"As cool as it was, you need to be more careful with that," Jaune said dotingly. She knew he wanted to do something to help, but there wasn't anything the could do if she overstressed her powers besides wait.

"Scoot over, please," she asked, deciding she could calm Jaune's nerves and rest at the same time. Her partner moved down the bench slightly, and she turned to lay down, resting her head in his lap. "Much better." Jaune smiled dopily at her before beginning to slowly run his fingers through her hair.

"Much, much better than a book," she decided, feeling herself relax to the sounds of the rain and Jaune's gentle touch. Maybe she would just close her eyes for a moment, just long enough…

"Love you…" She heard Jaune whisper from above.

…

When her eyes opened again, she found Jaune looking off over the bay, hand still running through her hair. She shifted her shoulders, arms stretching out, and Jaune looked down to her.

"Nice nap?" he asked playfully.

"Mhmm, you make a wonderful pillow, Jaune. How long was I out?" He shrugged slightly, briefly checking his scroll.

"Not that long, really." The slight stiffness in her neck disagreed with him, but Jaune didn't seemed to hand minded. "We're almost out of the harbor: I've been watching Vale go by." She craned her neck to look; sure enough, the northern edges of Vale were drifting by on the horizon.

She reached up to take hold of Jaune's hand, gently returning both to her stomach. "We'll come back, Jaune, I promise." He kept watching the city's silhouette pass, but hummed his acceptance. He looked down to her, though, shaking himself free of the mood.

"Forget it. I'm not going away for good, it's just a job: we should say goodbye in style." He shuffled to the side, and Pyrrha reluctantly surrendered her cushion so he could stand. She watched with a bemused expression as Jaune flicked through his scroll, a pleased grin taking hold as he seemed to find what he was looking for. The blond set his scroll against the bench rail before standing, his foot tapping lightly until It was joined by a song. The music was soothing yet quick: an instrumental piece she didn't know.

"Jaune, what are you up to?" She asked, watching him continue to tap along with the relaxing beat.

He turned back to her, bouncing on his feet. "Well, ya see. I learned from a certain ticklish partner that, in Mistral, Hunters ask one another to spar as a kind of flirting." She blushed slightly, remembering when he finally managed to make her talk. Jaune continued on, however. "Well, we do it differently in Vale."

Jaune offered her his hand.

"We ask them if they want to dance."

Her heart blossomed watching Jaune, his body swaying before the bay as the song rose in volume. She wordlessly accepted his hand, allowing Jaune to pull her up. He moved them quickly into a brisk tempo, steps quick and close as they moved across the deck. Instantly, she was back at the dance: a ruined night revived by a smile and a silly promise.

"By the way, which one of your sisters was it?" she asked as Jaune spun her.

"Hmm?"

"Which ones taught you to dance? That's what you meant by 'these things tend to happen', right?" He chuckled as he pulled her close for a moment for another spin.

"Blanche and Vi, mostly. Blanche needed help getting ready for her graduation, and Vi just loves dancing." The image of serious, quiet Vi thriving on the dance floor was an… odd one. Clearly, Jaune read her expression and let out a booming laugh. "The Arcs are full of surprises, Pyr!"

"Oh, don't I know it! I suppose I'll need to be more mysterious to fit in with all of you." She laughed, relieved that they were finally doing something after so many days of preparation. But as the first song began to fade, she felt the ship accelerate, pushing past the bounds of Vale. Jaune and she steadied the other for a moment, a slower song beginning. He rested a hand on her hip, she laid hers lightly on his shoulder, the song rose and they began to sway slowly.

"I love you, Pyrrha." He whispered in her ear, hand flexing over hers. "I… thank you." She rested her head on his shoulder, letting him lead them through the graceful movements.

Over his shoulder, she could see Beacon's broken towers fading into the distance. They would come back, they would save their school. But for now? She turned her head away, focusing on her partner's serene face.

"I love you too, Jaune."

Post: So ends the Vale Arc! Now, for the nitty-gritty: When a Plan Fails will continue into v4 and v5, {I already have some plans for that) but it will not be soon. I have many story ideas that I'd like to write, as well as a certain supernatural comedy I've left grievously unattended, and it's hard to find the time when I feel obligated to keep my primary fic updating on at least a semi-regular basis. As such, WPF will be going on hiatus for an indeterminate period of time to permit me to explore other avenues. My author's page will be updating in the near future, and will then resemble an actual fucking page, future fics included.

I do promise to be back! This specific fic will update, not a sequel, so no fear. I personally expect to return some time in the fall or winter, but can't say until I have a grasp of how these other fics will progress. In the meantime, I plan to do some interludes to cover the open space. I know for a fact I will do a Weiss Interlude, but feel free to let me know what/who you have been dying to see, but have been so cruelly denied.

Thank you all so much for supporting this story. Over 300 favorites, 400+ follows, and 93k views; I never expected in my wildest dreams for WPF to become so large or so widespread, and it means a great deal to me.