It had been quite some time after Jaune moved into Qrow's family home. There was never a dull moment with the family, playing video games together, talking with girls that won't dress him up for fun, removing all alcohol in the household every day just to antagonize the one whose lifeblood is liquor… It was a worthwhile sight. It was something Jaune had never got the chance to do as Galen Marek to Raam Kota.

Especially watching Qrow's withdrawal symptoms acting up, how his manic eyes turned bloodshot, scrounging for the poison that defined his very existence, and, the most amusing of them all, watching him crawl around the floor like a fish drowning on dry land.

He also had to call his family from time to time, to assuage their fear for his safety. He always received complaints from his sisters in every call, how they miss their adorable little brother, though secretly Jaune was elated in his being away from them. If they continued using him as their dress-up doll, his masculine identity might emasculate down the line, something he must prevent at all costs.

As for his own self-training, Jaune found that goal rather difficult to perform under so many prying eyes. Unlike his sisters, Ruby and Yang would indefinitely hound him if he asked them to keep his activities privy. The two 'dads' were even worse, they would force Jaune to explain himself to them if he slipped his facade.

One day, at the beginning of the second week of his stay in his home, Jaune slipped away from the cottage home, wanting to explore the surroundings - his objective, scout any glades within sight, an escape from the two potentially homosexual parents.

However, Yang stole his weapon from him, running away with her tongue sticking out of the corner of her lips. Jaune was now chasing her with rage in each step.

"Yang! Give back my sword!" Jaune demanded, catching up to the goldilocks faster than what's possible for a young child at his age.

"Nope! Catch me if you can! I'm the Gingerbread Man!" Yang playfully teased with an iconic nursery rhyme.

"I will whack your Gingerbread head if you don't slow down!" Jaune threatened with indignity, unaware of Qrow and Taiyang watching them from the sidelines - both of them amused by the playful interaction between them.

"He seems to be having fun." Qrow chuckled at the sight, even more so when Jaune tackled Yang to the floor, but not before Yang lobbed his wooden sword away to the smiling Ruby who caught the sword with a frisking leap.

"Go Ruby, go!" Yang shouted before wrapping her arms around Jaune in a bear hug, smiling sheepishly at the scowling boy in her arms.

"Let me go, you bear girl! Rubyyyy!" He roared at the little sister, said sister only responding with a giggle and a shuffling escape from the scene while holding his wooden sword comically over her head.

"RUBYYYYYYYYYYY!" Jaune shouted once the girl ran back into the house, closing the doors as Jaune flailed in Yang's arms.

Covering their mouths, Qrow and Taiyang started to break down laughing as Jaune flailed in the smiling Yang's arms in thrashing futility.

"Let me go, goldilocks!" Jaune demanded as he fumed with pouting cheeks.

"Nnnnope." Yang denied.

From the corner of Jaune's bloodshot eyes, he caught sight of Ruby peeking out the door. Jaune shot a silent message from his bloodshot gaze, demanding her to give back his weapon. Ruby just smiled cheshirely back at him like a playful dog. He saw his sword slowly inching out opening, Ruby wagging it playfully in a way that pulled his anger up to even higher heights.

"Ahahahahaha!" Qrow, on the other hand, started laughing at Jaune when he saw steam rising from his cheeks.

"Shut up, drunk!" Jaune wriggled in Yang's arms even harder like a frog caught in a snake's grip.

"Pfff, ahahahahahahaha!" Taiyang joined Qrow in his laughter as the two dads doubled over, one slapping his knee in response.

Jaune briefly considered using Force Augmentation to free himself, but thinking about it, he shrugged the thought. There were times that Jaune had forgotten his actual age when he was too engrossed in his role as a young boy. He sometimes wondered if the 'Jaune' persona was still in him somewhere when he tapped into his inner child as he slipped out of character sometimes, ones unbefitting that of a former assassin.

Think Jaune, how do I get these two kids to back off?

…!

That's it!

"Yang, if you let me go, I'll show you guys something cool." Jaune said and thanked the force, which seemed to work as Yang finally released him from her vice grip.

"What is it?" Yang asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

Jaune prompted her to look at his practice sword and grinned while extending his hand towards it.

"Watch This." he said and the wooden sword was lifted out of Ruby's hand by an invisible force. The jaws of the girls dropped at the display before Jaune started moving his hand and the sword began soaring through the air.

"That's so cool!" Ruby squealed watching the spectacle with sparkling eyes.

Then Jaune bonked Ruby's head.

"Hey!" Ruby complained as Jaune bonked her head again and again without end, the boy smiling devilishly.

"That's unfair!" Ruby whined as Jaune pulled the sword back into his grasp.

"Behold, the power of a Semblance." Jaune lied shamelessly as he waved his sword around.

Qrow squinted at Jaune for a moment as he watched how he telekinetically waved his sword to circle above Ruby. The girl kept leaping for the wooden weapon in vain, failing to catch it every time.

"...Wait… you don't think that… it's like Summer's…"

Tai blinked as he looked at Qrow.

"...But she could only lift or push things away. Jaune…"

They looked back at him seeing the boy lifting Ruby up with ease.

"Whoa! I am flying!" She was flailing her arms and legs, laughing with joy as she shouted 'wheeeeee'.

"Okay, he is definitely more attuned with The Force."

Qrow and Tai didn't think that the boy would be one of the very rare ones in this world.

They didn't even know what the people with the special ability was called until Ozpin told them from his experience with one Force wielder from the old days.

"It would explain why he got Summer's crystal…" Taiyang hummed.

"I think we should let him keep it. I want to see what he wants to do with it." Qrow suggested.

"But…"

"Don't worry. I don't think he'll ground it into something else. It's not Dust after all." Qrow reminded.

"...Alright, fine. But if he dares to even scratch it…"

Qrow threw a thumbs-up.

They returned to watching the boy lifting both girls up with his telekinesis, now more interested than ever.

However, after the third week of his stay in the homeless drunk's abode, there was a dark change in Yang's Aura. A somber gray obscuring the sun of her soul, questions, doubt and need for answers. Jaune could literally feel the shadow of the clouds casting over her spirit.

Yang's cheerful demeanor dulled, her positive light lessened. Her bright personality no longer brought the impact it did when Jaune first met the sisters. Ruby also seemed somewhat changed, albeit bubbly personality never diminished one bit. Jaune was tempted to inquire Ruby about Yang, but decided otherwise since she might spill to Yang and lose his cover.

Qrow and Taiyang, However, noticed the near-undetectable despondency under Yang's jubilant exterior. Something must have happened, but Jaune didn't know what it was.

Her actions were lately becoming more and more suspicious. When the two 'dads' were away, Yang stealthily raided the kitchen, scrounging the wooden cabinets, cupboards and fridge like with the quiet of a mouse, to smuggle some non-perishable consumables into her pockets before running back to her room.

After deciding to tail her, Jaune caught Yang packing her pilfered chattel into a backpack, a yellow one with fuzzy sun and rainbows decorating the polyester. It dawned on him that Yang looked like a cute animal, like a squirrel selfishly scavenging and hoarding food for the winter.

That night, Jaune decided to converse with her, to covertly prod the yellow bear for honest answers before bedtime. Waiting outside Yang's room, the boy leaned back on the wall with arms crossed oh his chest as casually as he could, to not look conspicuous.

Nonetheless, he surprised the yellow teddy bear with his appearance when she saw him without warning, causing Yang to yelp like a frightened squirrel.

"Hey," Jaune waved in greeting.

"H-Hey… whatcha doing here?" Yang hesitantly waved back.

"Just wanna talk. So… wanna talk?" Jaune asked, wanting to start being direct a little.

Thinking about it, his experience when talking with others his own age was… lacking. Very lacking. Especially on sensitive matters such as this.

"Ummm, well, sure! Whatcha wanna talk about?" Yang smiled with a childish radiance.

"…is there something wrong?" Jaune asked.

"What?" Yang tilted her head, confused.

But Jaune knew better. Yang was a terrible liar once pushed.

"Just curious, that's all. You've been… secretive lately. Heard you scurrying in the kitchen sometimes. Even saw you taking some non-perishables. So, wanna talk?"

Yang looked at Jaune, tilting her head a little, and innocently asked, "What does 'non-perishable' mean?"

"Oh…" Jaune forgot. She was still around his age, meaning her range of vocabulary was less than par. He always forgot that he was a child when speaking sometimes.

"Um, well, it means food that lasts a long time. Back to the point, why are you packing things?" Jaune resumed prodding Yang.

"U-Um, no reason."

Yang shook her head in denial.

"No reason?" Jaune quirked a brow, completely unconvinced by her lackluster answer.

"Jaune, I'm not kidding. I'm not hiding anything!" Yang sounded annoyed this time, though not without exuding a furtive intone laced in her voice.

"Are you sure?" Jaune asked one more time just to make sure.

Yang fervently nodded in response.

"Yes, no problem!"

A pause filled the air. Jaune looked straight into her lilac pupils, the calm blue of his eyes as still as a tranquil, undisturbed pond. Yet, behind those calm, stoic eyes, internalizing panic percolated like boiling water. Already a few questions yet he failed to break through to her.

"Alright…"

Jaune worked his brain to think of anything else to say. Even before, Jaune was usually less than adequate in the art of casual conversations from parties other than PROXY and Juno. In PROXY's case, he was family. In Juno's case, as a growing relationship from partners to… something more.

In other words, Jaune was terrible at small talk, especially with children.

"If you need anything, let me know. I know that we only knew each other for almost a month, but know that I will always be there if you need me. So don't be scared to ask."

Departing his last words, Jaune left the area, returning to his room while feeling Yang's lilac eyes gazing behind his head. Once Jaune melded away from her sight, Yang slowly closed the doors, her eyes trembling with a furtive gleam filled with regret. The Galen inside did not leave without sensing her palpable emotion, the gray and black miring her usual fiery yellow.

The next day, early in the morning, Yang was gone. Along with Ruby.

It started when Yang asked about her parents.

The fire was already lit when Taiyang started deflecting the question. It grew out of control when Qrow answered for her that their mothers were different. When she asked why her mother wasn't around, Taiyang and Qrow didn't answer.

All she found was a picture of her mother, a raven-haired woman with a long katana.

Questions festered within the young fire dragon that was Yang Xiao Long. She decided to go and bring Ruby with her, sneaking outside of their home while Taiyang, Qrow and Jaune were still asleep.

She wasn't sure if she should bring Jaune but… it was not something that she could do. She didn't want to drag Jaune into her family problems.

He was the first boy to like her puns, a great blessing, and a good friend.

She smiled sadly as she dragged the red wagon carrying her sleeping sister down the beige road through the trees. She didn't know what to expect outside of her home, but she should manage.

The leaves of the trees were falling gently, crooked brown branches standing above the blanketing red and yellow. The air was a beautiful tinge of maple and oak, scenting the smell of dirt and stone.

She wondered how long it would take for her to reach the next town.

If Uncle Qrow could make it, so could she. He and her dad did say that she had the makings of a great Huntress after all.

She smiled as she imagined herself punching a big bad Beowulf in the face!

Like that one stalking in the trees in front of…

Yang froze when she saw an real Beowulf ahead of her. It was looking at her with its scarlet red eyes.

It was like in the picture books, a beast of black in the shape of a werewolf, bones protruding from its black body, a white mask with red engravings, red eyes that hunger for blood.

And it was much bigger than she thought when the Beowulf started running towards her.

She couldn't move as it ran on all fours, the big black werewolf pouncing at her with white-bone jaws gaping wide to chomp on her.

She closed her eyes out of panic.

She held her head and turned away, feeling fear for the first time in her life. She quivered as she prayed for someone to save her, anyone.

Then she heard a whining sound.

She blinked as she slowly opened her eyes. She gathered the courage to look forward to see that the black werewolf was levitating in the air.

It was dangling, flailing, the big beast clawing at its throat as it whined.

Then Yang heard a loud snap, a crack, the creature's limbs now dangling lifelessly as its head was tilting to the left.

Then the creature collapsed in front of her like a puppet with its strings cut.

Yang stared at it.

It was not moving, not moving even an inch.

Black particles were even smoking from its body.

She slowly inched closer to the Beowulf and piked the thing's red eyes. It did not flinch or react.

"Yang."

Yang jumped.

She turned around, seeing Jaune walking out from behind a tree.

"...Were you following me?" Yang asked while trying to process Jaune's image despite him standing in front of her.

"Did you really think that I can't tell you're up to something?" Jaune asked, quirking a brow.

She looked back at the dead Beowulf.

"...Did you…"

"I snapped its neck." Jaune answered.

"...How?"

"Semblance." Jaune smirked.

"I… wow."

Jaune chuckled as he sensed gratitude blossoming within Yang.

"That… was… awesome! What else can you do?! Can you crush rocks?! Trees?! Or-"

"When we get back. Before your drunk uncle and pun dad start asking questions."

Yang froze.

"...Umm…"

"Yang. I don't know why you're doing this. But we should go. I won't ask about it."

"Mmmmm… munya…"

Yang and Jaune turned to Ruby, seeing her stirring in her sleep.

"Well?" Jaune asked as he offered Yang his hand. Yang stared at it for a moment… she blushed as she reached out and accepted it.

"...Alright…" Yang bashfully looked away as Jaune lead her back to where she came.

Hiding in his crow form, Qrow watched as the boy returned to the house with the girls.

He squawked as followed them, making sure that they would get home safely.

Yang managed to avoid any grounding as Jaune defended her, saying that he begged her to show him around their home.

Taiyang was suspicious, but dismissed it, leaving the boy to lead the girls back into the living room.

Taiyang sighed as he walked out of the house as a crow landed in front of him, the bird transforming in magical light until Qrow stood in his place.

"Well?" Taiyang asked.

"The kid can kill Grimm with his mind." Qrow summarized his surveillance.

Taiyang blinked for a moment at that answer.

"...Do we have to keep this charade going?" Taiyang asked.

Qrow shook his head.

"I think it's time we ask him." Qrow stated. "No more beating around the bush, just pure confrontation."

The image of Summer ran through his mind when he thought of Ruby.

"...Alright."

However, the door opened behind Taiyang.

They blinked when they looked back, seeing the boy in question looking at them.

"...I was wondering when you guys would finally stop watching from the backlines."

Qrow and Taiyang sighed.

"...Since when?" Qrow asked.

"Since I sensed your Aura tailing me in the bird form, I remembered. And I was eavesdropping in return."

"And the girls?" Taiyang asked.

"Yang is sleeping. I fed Ruby to Zwei."

Qrow and Taiyang snickered when they heard the corgi bark behind Jaune and Ruby cooing with delight.

"Alright, squirt. Let's get this out of the way, first. Who are you really behind Jaune?" Qrow asked.

"...Galen Marek." Jaune answered truthfully.

"...Galen Marek… huh. Are you…"

"Shhh." Qrow shushed him before he could reveal Ozpin's secret.

"...It looks like we have much to discuss. Like how you're here and… well, what your goals are, you little demon." Qrow scoffed.

"Can't say that I'm here by choice. You two seem experienced in dealing with someone like me. Is there someone else out there from beyond the stars?" Jaune asked.

Qrow and Taiyang exchanged glances.

"...You're from outer space?" Taiyang asked.

"Yeah?"

"...Like outer outer space?" Taiyang asked, pointing a finger at the fall sky.

"Ships that can travel at light speed and everything. Aliens and planets teeming with… unique life. I will say that this planet is a bit unique. Never seen a world infested with danger around all corners."

The two stared at the boy as if they encountered a unique, unusual life form. No, an exotic strange animal.

"...Oh my Ohm. Oh my Ohm! What planet are you from?! How many worlds are there?! Do you have super laser guns?! Oh oh… are the aliens hot?" Tiayang started spitting questions.

Jaune scoffed at the adult's questions. He had an idea where Ruby got her machine-gun tongue.

"Taiyang. Give the boy some space. Now. Here's my question… What are you planning to do with Summer's crystal?" Qrow asked.

Jaune stared at the drunk for a moment.

He slowly took out the object he found and showed it to him.

"It's called a Kyber Crystal." Jaune answered. "They're very special to force users. I assume… Summer is one without proper training judging by your questions."

They didn't answer.

"...And what does it do?" Qrow asked.

"I'll show you. If you give me the right materials, I think I can make something that Summer wished she still lived to see." Jaune smirked. "But I don't know how advanced this world is. It seems as if it's still in the industrial age. Let me ask my question though. What are we going to do now that you know my secret?"

Taiyang and Qrow looked at each other.

Indeed, what should they do with him? The world was dangerous and rife with threats in every corner of Remnant, much more dangerous than the populace believed.

"What are you planning to do? Live out your life all over again?" Qrow asked.

"...For now. I didn't exactly have a normal life back then. I was… I didn't exactly live an ideal life."

"...Were you a killer?" Qrow asked.

Jaune remained silent.

"...I was an assassin. I was a Sith, an order of Dark Side Force Wielders, though not by choice. I was… stolen from my father. My first master murdered him when I was young."

Qrow raised his hand.

"You don't have to keep going. And now? How do you plan to live your life?"

Jaune looked up at the sky, seeing the shattered moon.

"...I don't know. I… feel like I want to try out being a Huntsman. I… want to explore Remnant's secrets. I want to use my skills to do good this time. I'm not sure why the Force brought me here. But if it is to give me another chance, well, I think I'll take it and see where it takes me."

Qrow looked at Taiyang in the eyes as he inhaled.

Taiyang knew that Qrow resonated with the boy given Qrow's past as a Branwen.

"You want to learn under me, kid?" Qrow offered.

Jaune quirked a brow.

"...You know, my second master was also a drunken mess. For a time, at least. Even though I did beat him when I was still under my first master." Jaune scoffed. "But the real question is, do you really think you're good enough to be my third master, you smelly hobo?"

Taiyang broke into snickers as Qrow threw a glare at the single parent.

"Oh, you're on, you little imp. If I win, you're going to call me master and apologize a hundred times while groveling at my feet."

"And if I win?" Jaune asked with a wry smirk.

Qrow hummed in contemplation.

"I'll teach you how to make your own weapon and still be your teacher?"

"Like what? A gun-sword?" Jaune scoffed.

"Don't tell me you're not into that kind of thing." Qrow scoffed.

"I'm more used to laser swords, but alright. Surprise me."

Quirk grinned as he imagined his victory over the little imp.

Qrow and Jaune stood facing each other, considering distance standing between them.

They were holding wooden swords, each matching their size as they gazed into each other's eyes. Taiyang watched from the sidelines as a referee to decide the victor and end the match.

Jaune's wooden sword was smaller than that of Qrow's.

Qrow had an idea of the boy's fighting style. He was more used to wielding Harbinger, but he could handle this kid. He did not know what kind of assassin this kid was, and it seemed rude to ask him so many questions in one day, but he could definitely defeat a random space assassin with magic space powers.

Jaune was holding his sword in a strange reverse grip. Qrow snorted a little as he entered the basic kendo stance.

"You ready, imp?" Qrow asked.

"Ready to kick your butt, old man."

Qrow snorted at the boy's comeback.

"Alright, you asked for it!"

Qrow was the first to move.

The adult was on the offensive, striking at the bow with low sweeps and low attacks, avoiding vertical strikes to give the boy an opening.

However, Jaune leapt on Qrow's sword at the fifth strike and knocked the sword off his hand with a heavy whip to his wrist, then somesaulted over the Qrow while simultaneously smacking his neck and and shoulder, striking his left ankle when he landed.

Qrow winced before Jaune swept Qrow off his feet with a strong sweep, then knocked Qrow's stretching hand aside before stepping on Qrow's chest and placing the tip of the wooden sword at Qrow's throat.

"...Holy Oum." Taiyang could barely read the sequences as he uncrossed his arms.

The boy was too swift and his timing was impeccable. He overwhelmed the older man before he could catch his bearings with offensive acrobatics. This wasn't something that an assassin should learn, even if they come from space.

Jaune was smiling at the older man, smug in his use of Ataru and Makashi. It was in honor of Shaak Ti, the most formidable Jedi he slew.

Qrow was frowning as he sighed, dropping his head down the grass.

"...Damn it all."

"Do you admit defeat?" Jaune asked.

Qrow grumbled as he looked away.

"You got lucky."

Jaune stepped off Qrow's chest as the alcoholic picked himself up.

"...Where did you learn how to fight like that?" Taiyang asked.

"Sith Assassins are trained in the Dark Side of the Force. And in the way of the sword. I fought a lot of skilled swordsmen in my time. We don't even have something like Aura back then as well."

They were surprised to see that the boy fought in such dangerous conditions.

"...What about the Light Side?" Qrow asked.

"Oh. They are called Jedi. I… I was only taught that the Light Side was weak. But in the end, I decided to follow it. I assume you have questions for me?" Jaune asked.

"More than you know."

Taiyang glanced at Qrow in the eyes.

Qrow understood.

What should they do with this secret? Qrow wasn't sure whether they should let Ozpin know about the child. He was like Ozpin, but more unique.

There was so many questions that they have about the boy but they do not know where to start. But the idea of living life amongst the stars away from all of the problems Remnant has… maybe…

Qrow shook his head. He didn't want to hand this boy over to James Ironwood and Atlus. There were already too many problems with that nation considering the issues there, and Qrow didn't want Jaune, or Galen, to be brainwashed by Atlas' doctrines.

"We just want to know where to start. Like… how were you when you died?"

"Eighteen."

"EIGHT-Okay, that is pretty young."

"Jaaauuuuuune!"

They stopped when they heard Ruby calling out from the door.

"Come play with us!"

Zwei was running out the door, the gray hotdog-shaped corgi puppy yipping as he ran up and pounced on the boy.

Jaune laughed when the dog licked his face with undiluted love, the boy smiling with genuine joy as the adults smiled.

At least they knew that they could trust Jaune with the girls. He probably needed them more than they believed.

Yo. Long time no see. Busy working with other stuff and trying to work up the nerve to write the RWBY stories. It will take some time for me to master the RWBY characters on my own and the mundane settings but I will try to master the art of filler scenes. It is not easy for me to be honest, coming up with things while trying to make things interesting. I am going to make a small time skip arc, or montage to speed things up. I decided to allow sneak peeks of Jaune's adventurers through flashbacks at the very least to give you all an idea of what Jaune did while traveling with Qrow around the world training to become an early Huntsman.