The ride down was…about what Ruby expected.

She was sitting next to Jaune, her hand rubbing small circles on his back as he stared at the ground between his feet. He'd assured her he'd taken motion sickness pills during breakfast, meaning the likelihood he'd get as far as vomiting was exceptionally low.

That didn't stop Ruby from pulling her feet off the ground.

Jaune, meanwhile, laid his face in his hands, a faint smile directed at Ruby as they leveled out. "Thanks, Ruby. You'd think the motion sickness pills would stop me from—" a bout of turbulence sent his hands over his mouth, eyes screwed shut.

After a few seconds, he opened them, smiling at Ruby again. "Getting so sick on flights. Turns out that's not how they work."

Ruby shrugged, a faint smile on her face as she trailed a hand beneath his collar, running circles over his surprisingly muscular back. "Don't mention it. Now we're even."

Jaune's brows furrowed. "Even?"

Ruby smiled. "Yeah!"

She looked up and to the left. "You helped me calm down after a really bad nightmare that left me in sleep paralysis."

She looked up and to the right. "I help you keep from spilling your guts on the way down to Vale!"

Jaune chuckled, looking back at the ground. His hands clutched tight in front of him as the ship rocked once more. Though, true to his word, he didn't spill his lunch on the way down.

As they reached the ground, Ruby guided Jaune out the doors where he—predictably—leaned against the nearest lamppost and stared at the ground. He muttered something in mistralean before standing back upright, staring ahead. "Okay…I think I'm good."

Ruby reached over, gently patting his back. "Glad to hear it."

Jaune had just turned around when Ruby heard her scroll go off. She reached into her purse before looking at the number, eyes widening a bit when she saw none other than Miltia Malachite.

She answered, holding it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ruby. It's Miltia. We've got you and your sister's passports whenever you get here."

"Okay, I'll be there soon!"

Ruby ended the call, laying her scroll back in her purse before turning to Jaune. She gave a nervous smile as she held up a hand. "Okay, I hope you aren't hungry just yet—"

"Relax—I don't think I'll be able to look at food for the next ten minutes."

Ruby nodded a few times, gripping tighter to the handles of her purse. "Good, good…anyway," Ruby cleared her throat. "We have to go pick up something before we head out. Nothing big—it'll be super quick! I promise."

Jaune's brow furrowed. "What is it?"

Ruby opened her mouth before shaking her head. "Nothing important—come on!"

Ruby grabbed his hand, effectively dragging him down the sidewalk with her until he managed to regain his balance. The two ran for a few seconds before Ruby slowed to a jog, Jaune doing the same. "Where are we going, exactly?"

"It's a club downtown—not much farther."

Jaune stopped after a second, confusion clear on his face as he watched Ruby jog ahead. At least until she didn't sense him following, turning to see him staring at her. "Oh, am I going too fast?"

Jaune shook his head, frowning as his eyes flicked over her. "Ruby, you're fifteen and I'm seventeen. Why are we heading to a club?"

Ruby's face tinted pink as she rubbed behind her head, letting out a nervous laugh. "Well I mean we're not—actually we are but it isn't to do clubbing things! We aren't going to drink or dance or anything. It just happens to be the place I have to get these things from Miltia!"

"Aaaand who's Miltia?"

Ruby gulped. "Can we talk about this later?"

Jaune looked her up and down before nodding. "Okay—but I want some kind of explanation."

Ruby let out a sigh of relief, slowing to a walk as Jaune moved in step beside her. Ruby retained a faint smile on her face on the outside—despite her slight blush.

On the inside? She was panicking.

What am I supposed to tell him? That Yang and I illegally got passports to Mistral? Will he tell Ozpin? The police? My dad? Oh no, this could get bad—okay! Calm down, Ruby. He doesn't have to know…but what would he believe? We're picking this up from a nightclub! How much more suspicious can it get?

Similar thoughts ran through her head until they neared the club itself, her gently tugging on Jaune's wrist to show where they were going. As they neared the steps, her thoughts entered some semblance of calm. It's okay…it's Jaune! He's my friend, he wouldn't turn me in! Right?

As she approached, the bouncer stepped forward, blocking the doorway. His eyes flicked between them behind sunglasses, particularly at Ruby. "Club's closed, kids."

Ruby shook her head, a bright smile on her face. "Oh, we're not here to club! I just need to get something my sister and I got yesterday!"

"Then come back when it's open."

Ruby blinked twice, confusion in her eyes despite her smile. "What? But, Junior said to come here today at twelve. Did he change something, or…? I was just here yesterday! Just ask the…late bouncer? Or—how do you guys rotate schedules here?"

The bouncer walked forward, placing a firm hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Kid, I'm asking you to leave one more time. You ain't welcome here. Got it?"

Ruby shrugged the man's hand off her shoulder. "Then tell Miltia Malachite to come outside."

"You expect me to believe Miltia knows you?"

Ruby's face tinted red as she glared at him. "She does!"

He shoved her back.

Ruby, caught off-guard, felt everything happen in slow motion. The burning on her left hand as she tried to catch herself on the concrete steps. The rattling pain as her skull impacted the sidewalk. The sounds of clattering as her purse fell onto the sidewalk. Even the slight tearing off her dress as she skidded toward the street.

Janue's eyes widened. "Ruby!"

He turned to the bouncer, gritting his teeth as he glared at him. "Gesu yarō!"

Jaune's fist glowed white as he slammed the man back through the doors.

He dashed back down the steps, taking a knee against the bottom one as he placed a hand on Ruby's back. "Ruby! Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Yes."

Jaune reached down, guiding Ruby into a sitting position. He let out a small gasp, eyes wide as he saw the river of blood spouting from her nose. His eyes trailed down her dress, seeing a few places where it was torn—though for the most part seemed intact. He grabbed her purse from the side, thankful Ruby had it zipped.

Jaune guided Ruby to stand, the shorter girl letting her head fall as her blood splattered on the ground—relying on her grip on Jaune's arm for guidance. "Come on, Ruby. Let's go find a—"

Jaune stopped mid-sentence, prompting Ruby to look up through her hair. There, she saw the shocked faces of Miltia and Melanie Malachite, both staring at the now somewhat battered and definitely bloody Ruby.

Despite her condition, Ruby tried to smile and wave at them.

It only got more blood to coat her lips.

The twins looked at one another before turning back, both staring at the downed bouncer. The two spoke in unison, their gaze unreadable. "What did you do to her?"

The bouncer sat upright. "She wouldn't take no for an answer."

Miltia's fist sent him right back to the ground.

The red-clad twin's face matched the rest of her outfit, expression one of pure rage as she slammed her high-heeled foot on the man's groin—prompting every male in a fifty-foot radius to suck air in through their teeth.

Her claw was aimed at the man's neck and would've killed him if Junior hadn't managed to pull her back in time. "Hey—hey! You know the rules: No killing staff unless absolutely necessary!"

"This feels very necessary."

Junior shook his head, lifting Miltia into a full nelson before making his way to the front. He made his way past Melanie, curious who the heck could've caused such a massive uproar this early in the day.

The moment he saw Ruby, he understood.

He let Miltia go, walking over to the students. He leaned down slightly, gently lifting Ruby's head so he could have a look at her face. He let out a small sigh of relief. "You got lucky, kid. Nothing broke—just a damn bad nosebleed."

He turned to Jaune. "Bring her inside, grab a lot of tissues and a wet rag."

Jaune nodded, helping Ruby walk up the steps alone until Miltia came down as well, taking up her other arm. She looked over Ruby's lowered head to stare at Jaune. "Did you punch the bouncer?"

Jaune nodded—too angry to be afraid of the woman.

Miltia looked at him for a moment before turning back ahead. "Should've hit him harder."

The two guided Ruby past the unconscious bouncer (Miltia making sure to stomp on him as they did so) to a nearby booth. Miltia turned to Jaune, gesturing to Ruby. "I'll grab some tissues and a wet rag, you stay with her."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

Miltia dashed off as Jaune turned back to Ruby. He set her purse on the table before laying his hand on her back, trying to be as gentle and comforting as he could. "How bad does it hurt?"

Ruby gave him a faint glare. "My nose is a blood waterfall—what do you think?"

Jaune nodded a few times, settling for silent gestures of comfort. Sitting up on the table, taking her right hand in his as he gently rubbed her back.

While it didn't help much, Ruby was coherent enough to appreciate the gesture.

Miltia dashed back in a few seconds later, giving Ruby a handful of tissues—which said girl promptly used to plug the floodgates of blood. She handed Jaune a wet rag. "Put this behind her neck, it should help the bleeding stop faster."

Ruby yelped as Jaune did so, shivers running down her spine at the shock of cold.

After a moment, Ruby looked up through her hair at Miltia. She gave the girl a faint smile, trying not to tilt her head up too much. "Thanks, Miltia."

"If you ever have to get something from here again, meet me by the back door."

"Noted."

Miltia reached into a pocket of her dress, ruffling around for a moment before producing two black booklets. "By the way, here's what you actually came for."

Ruby took them in silent thanks, unzipping her purse and stowing them away for later.

After a moment, Miltia turned to look at Jaune. Her eyes flicked over him a few times before they narrowed at his face. "You look familiar. What's your name, pretty boy?"

Jaune's face tinted pink. "Uh…Jaune?"

Miltia slowly nodded, scratching her head as she stared at him. She swore she'd seen the blond boy before, but for some reason, she just couldn't put her finger on it. He looked so disturbingly familiar…

Suddenly, it clicked.

"Hey, weren't you here about the—"

Jaune shot upright, panicking as his left hand covered Miltia's mouth.

Miltia stared wide-eyed in his grip. She was no stranger to men and boys alike trying to flirt with her, dance with her, getting in her personal space. She'd lost count of the number of Junior's patrons she'd sent to the hospital simply for trying to hold hands with her.

The grip she was in now was far different. Panicked, spur of the moment—it'd be almost terrifying if the boy doing it wasn't clearly frightened out of his mind. Strangely, despite that fear, the grip was in perfect form for what few Mistralean dances she knew. Almost as if he'd instinctively resorted to a dancer's grip

Jaune pulled back his hand after a second, face red and gaze apologetic as he whispered. "Ruby doesn't know about that—can we please keep it that way?"

Miltia gave a faint glare toward him—though one offset by her small smile. "You a dancer, pretty boy?"

Jaune blinked twice. "Uh…I know how, if that's what you mean."

"Your hands are around my waist like we're about to dance."

Jaune looked down, face suddenly matching Miltia's outfit as he pulled back, hands gripped behind his back. "Sorry—force of habit."

Miltia walked past him, gently patting his shoulder before gesturing to the bar—whose sole occupant was her twin sister. "Go get Melanie and have her come out here, and your secret's safe with me. Deal?"

Jaune let out a sigh of relief. "Deal."

Miltia walked back to Ruby, who'd simply been sitting there—trying to ignore the rattling in her skull and pain…well, everywhere. She looked up to see Miltia coming back, Jaune heading off toward the bar. "What were you two talking about?"

Miltia hopped on the nearby table. "What's the story with him?"

Ruby looked at her for a moment before turning back to Jaune, seeing him talking to Melanie. She turned back to Miltia a moment later. "We were sparring yesterday and I bet him lunch he couldn't hit me…guess who's paying?"

She jerked a thumb at herself.

Miltia shook her head, leaning down closer. "Let me make this so clear there's no way you can misunderstand it: Is the pretty boy your boyfriend?"

Ruby's face tinted red as she giggled. "What? Jaune? Nah, we're just friends. Well, that and I'm teaching him how to fight faster opponents—he's been having some trouble with that lately."

Miltia nodded a few times, eyes flicking to Melanie before a faint smirk found its way to her face. "Nice to hear, because it looks like Melanie's got him hooked."

"What?"

Miltia gestured to her, the two watching Melanie rise, a faint smirk on her face and a hand on her hip.

Miltia turned to look at Ruby—a vaguely mischievous look on her face. "Uh oh, she saw something she liked. Watch, pretty boy's gonna be her pretty boy in twenty seconds if you don't do something."

Ruby turned to watch, staring at the scene as she used the tissues to wipe up the remnants of her nosebleed. Why would I do anything? If Jaune gets a girlfriend…then again, as nice as Miltia is, they are still criminals…

Ruby stood, swinging her purse over her shoulder. "Jaune! Ready when you are!"

Jaune turned away from the flirty Melanie, his face pink as he gave Ruby a grateful gaze. "Coming!"

The two walked toward the exit, flanked by a smirking Miltia and a slightly disappointed Melanie. Ruby let out a small sigh of relief as they exited the building, heading out onto the sidewalk. Here's hoping he didn't want to date either of them.

She turned to Jaune, about to speak when he beat her to the punch. "You okay? Nothing feels broken? Nose stopped bleeding—maybe we should grab a few tissues from them just in case—"

Ruby shook her head. "No, no. It's fine…I think it stopped."

Jaune nodded a few times, face painted with worry as he looked down at her. The clear, bloody spots at the hem of her dress, the places where the dress was slightly torn—especially the light-red flesh where she'd scraped her hand.

He reached down, gently pulling Ruby's right hand between them. His eyes flicked over the already scarring over flesh, gently holding a hand above it. "Does it hurt, still?"

"If it did, could I do this?"

Ruby took his hand, forcing herself to ignore the pain it caused.

Jaune chuckled, letting his hands fall to his sides. "Guess not."

The two started walking down the sidewalk, still hand-in-hand as Ruby turned to talk to him. "So, should we head out to eat first or…"

Jaune shrugged. "Guess that depends on how hungry you are."

Ruby felt her stomach grumble at the thought of food.

"Food sounds good right now."