Dreams Do Come True

by DragonoftheEastblue

Do you believe in destiny? I certainly do, and so do two young Huntsmen-in-training who are about to have their lives changed forever. A retelling of events from the end of the Beacon Dance where Jaune realizes and accepts Pyrrha's feelings, and takes the first step on a journey he never knew was waiting for him. World-building/Canon-Restoration. Arkos, Boop, BlackSun, Iceberg, etc

26. Chapter XXVI: No Two Falls

Chapter XXVI: No Two Falls

The final day of the Vytal Festival had come at last. And not a moment too soon, as the gloomy skies were now the worst they had been since the start of the great event. The bustle of the city had decreased considerably, but there were still a fair number of people that braved the threat of a downpour to enjoy the capital before returning home. Teams RWBY, JNPR, and SSSN decided to do the same, and divided themselves into two groups. The boys went off together, as they wouldn't see each other for a long while, unless they planned either a trip to Vale or a trip to Vacuo. The girls would obviously see one another in a few months time, but nevertheless wanted to enjoy one last girls' day out, especially now with Blake mostly gloom-free.

They decided to play things safe and hang around the campus, specifically at the garden they had first discussed the evils of the White Fang, as they would be near cover if the heavens opened on them. Furthermore, none of them had a problem with spending a rainy day together chatting over hot chocolate and pastries. As they made their way towards the garden, they walked past the lecture halls, and something Blake didn't expect to see caught her eye, causing her to halt. Standing between the buildings was Mercury Black, sweeping trash with a White Army soldier standing a few yards from him. She stared at him in shock, never thinking that she would see him again, and very much wanted to know why he was there. Blake's disappearance caught Yang's attention, and she turned around.

"What's up?" she asked, and then turned her head to see the kick-boxer. "Oh, it's him. Why's he's sweeping up trash?"

"I don't know" replied the Faunus, frowning slightly, but was equally curious about the soldier that was watching him.

The others joined them and saw the boy, which brought about the suspicions that had been aroused during the tournament.

"Did he get in trouble?" asked Ruby, addressing the trash he was collecting.

"Why don't we ask him?" suggested Pyrrha, which surprised the others. Before they could ask, she began to walk towards Mercury, with the others slowly tailing her. "Good morning" the redhead said to the soldier, who nodded back, before she turned her attention to Mercury. "Hello, Mercury. How are you?"

"Other than the cleaning, I can't complain too much" he said with a shrug. "Congrats on your victory again." He then looked at Yang and smirked. "And I can't be too pissy given you beat blondie for me."

"Don't ride her coattails cuz you lost in the first round of the singles" Yang shot back. "But if you want a rematch, I'm down."

"As fun as that would be, I currently have my hands tied."

"What are you doing exactly?" Blake asked, not losing sight of the issue at hand, as her suspicion was only growing.

"Cleaning garbage, obviously" he replied. "My team and I were partying last night and things got a little out of hand, so I was given community service till the end of the festival. The girls are doing something else."

"That sucks" remarked Nora sympathetically.

"Could be worse."

"So, do you two know each other in the end?" asked Weiss. "You were rather peeved with yourself when you could not recall him during the tournament."

"You're right" answered Pyrrha with a small smile. "I could not remember him or his teammates, and the reason why is because I've never met them before. They entered Haven under different circumstances—rather special ones at that."

"Like what?" asked Nora.

"To cut to the chase—and not to sugar coat it—we're a team of broken rejects" Mercury explained honestly, taking the others aback by his self-deprecating answer. "Each of us were messed up and got placed together. It was either that or give up, so we decided to go ahead and become Huntsmen-in-training."

While the false-Havenite's explanation was true, it was purposely vague, which was to be expected given the circumstances. Nevertheless, it prompted the others to ask more questions, which was also to be expected.

"I don't understand. What does that have to do with you being broken?" asked Ruby. "That sounds kinda mean."

Mercury smirked somewhat hollowly, and reached over to his left pant leg, lifting it a few inches. It was then that the Beaconites understood what he meant by being broken, for his mechanical legs were now visible. Indeed, given that he was technically speaking a free man, Mercury was given back Talaria, replacing the civilian prosthetic legs he was fitted with to limit his combat abilities. Of course he would need to earn Ozpin's full trust, therefore his legs contained no ammunition, and the firing mechanism spiked.

"Maybe, but it's true" the former criminal replied.

"Fuck" hissed Yang. "No wonder your kicks stung like Hell. What happened?"

"My house burned down and the roof fell on me" Mercury half-lied, having his story prepared in advance. "My legs were crushed beyond saving, so they had to cut them both off above the knees. Can't say I'm too pissed about the whole thing since I can do a lot more with these new legs—and I like my fighting style quite a bit. Em's got permanent health issues thanks to malnutrition growing up, and Laura's mute."

"O-Oh!" gasped Ruby, feeling incredibly guilty. "I thought she was just quiet like Blake. What about Cinder?"

Mercury remained silent for a moment.

"Chronic apoplexy."

"What?" Nora and the Xiao Long Sisters said simultaneously.

"Prone to becoming unconscious or incapacitated from a cerebral haemorrhage or stroke" explained Weiss with shocked sympathy on her face. "That is terrible! Are you certain, or did you mean to say she's apoplectic?"

"Both. She could get angry very quickly, and it would take her out, so she had to learn how to keep calm or else she could trigger another attack."

"She has my deepest sympathies in that case. Not to be rude, but how could she be permitted to be the captain of a Huntsmen team with such a debilitating illness?"

"This was the test run. A tournament is safer than the wilds, so we were hoping to win to cement our place at Haven. We'll see what happens now."

"You've done plenty to consider" Pyrrha said calmly, before turning to her friends. "I had a long chat with Mercury and his team the other day, where he explained the entire situation, so it was nice to clear things up at long last."

Indeed, Pyrrha had spoken to Mercury, Emerald, and Neo, but only in brief. She had seen them when she visited Amber, and was obviously shocked, as she knew that they were Cinder's subordinates. It was Ozpin that explained the situation in full, and informed her that they were now to be students of the academy that coming autumn; if no complications arose. It was certainly a result she had not been expecting; however, after having her Huntmaster explain why he had made such a decision, she began to see it from his perspective. They, like Blake, had been manipulated at a time of weakness to take part in something they did not know the scope of. That was not a free pass for bad behaviour of course, as anyone at any time had the free will to do the right thing, but it did create a clearer picture.

Ozpin's words of atoning through good hard work had touched Pyrrha, and now knowing the truth of the Maidens, as well as Cinder's cruelty, she would offer her support to the three former foes. If they could see the error of their ways and help those in need, then all the better for the world. It would also be incredibly hypocritical to give Blake grace after what she had done, but not offer the same to her future classmates. There was of course the very personal nature of it all. She and Amber had become friends, and while her would-be killer had paid the price for her crimes, these three were her accomplices. Once again, Pyrrha needed to show restraint and adhere to her vows to both her faith and the Order. What helped was that when she brought this up with Amber, taking care to provide the entire story, the Fall Maiden appeared neutral. She trusted Ozpin's judgement, and she was more relieved that an innocent child hadn't been used as bait.

Trying to do her part, Pyrrha was granting Mercury, Emerald, and Neo an alibi of sorts, as who was more trusting than she? She had been the most suspicious, and now with a reasonable explanation, the hatchet could be buried...for now.

The others began to nod in comprehension, and the doubts that remained in their hearts regarding Team CLME's legitimacy, were now removed. Of course they did not know the full story, but in time they would. Team RWBY were especially pleased that their "friends" hadn't been evil spies, as both Pyrrha and Jaune's suspicions had made them rather uncomfortable. Blake on the other hand, was still uncertain, and now, she knew exactly why.

"I guess we'll leave you to it" said Ruby sympathetically. "Good luck, and give the others my best—especially Cinder!"

Mercury internally twitched at the mention of the false-Maiden, but did not let it surface, and simply promised that he would. They said their goodbyes, and he was about to return to his punishment, when he noticed that Blake hadn't left with her friends.

"What do you want?" he asked, making sure to not sound as annoyed as he was with this facade.

"From the moment I saw you" Blake began quietly, "I had a feeling that I'd seen you before."

Mercury froze for a moment, and he began to rack his mind to try and remember if they had actually met previously.

"Really? I'm pretty sure we haven't—I would have remembered" he replied, choosing his words carefully. "I'm from Mistral and you're Valian, so I seriously doubt it."

"I wasn't sure either. It was always on the tip of my tongue, and I could never put my finger on it until recently. For the first time in a long time, I'm thinking clearly." Blake then stepped closer, and lowered her voice in order to avoid being heard by the Atlassian soldier. "I also prefer cutting to the chase. You know exactly who I am, so you shouldn't act surprised that I know who you are. You, Emerald, and Cinder approached Adam Taurus many months ago, offering to join forces. I know you did, because I was there. I was his second-in-command then, and while I only saw you leave, it was enough after spending a good amount of time thinking on it to remember you. So everyone's original suspicions that you and the rest of your friends were up to something evil, were well founded."

Mercury said nothing, and remained as blank as possible. He had never thought there was a loose end like this, though it wasn't his fault, as he hadn't even known there was someone else with Adam that night. He was certain that Adam's second was Saphed Sterling, though he had heard several mentions that Adam was looking for someone. Blake was obviously that person. He cursed Cinder for this, as even in death, she was affecting his life. Mercury didn't want to be under anyone's thumb. He wanted control of his own destiny, and with both chances he was presented to finally have that freedom, it was now being taken away from him. He tried to think of something to say, as he had to deny any association, but he knew that the game was up, and Blake was entirely correct.

"And yet, here you are" continued Blake, knocking Mercury out of his thoughts. "The White Fang was chased out by the White Army, but you haven't left. Clearly you're being watched by a guard, but POWs don't get community service as far as I'm aware. Pyrrha defended you and gave you and the others a cover, despite her being the one who was most suspicious of you. That means she knows something that I don't, which makes sense given her meetings with the Huntmaster, and how the light in your eyes changed when Cinder was mentioned. She was the ringleader—that's obvious since she approached us. She was the one calling the shots, and roped you into something you didn't fully understand. I understand what that's like. I thought Adam's vision of the world was true, and I let him control me like a puppet, until I finally saw just how evil and cruel he truly was.

I then knew I had to start making things right, so I decided to become a Huntress. I still ended up lying to the people that cared most about me, pushing them away when all they wanted to do was help. I've finally decided to face my demons head-on so that I can walk in the light with them, and actually have a life of freedom. It looks like that you're trying to do that too, and given what I know, I'm going to trust Pyrrha's judgement and wish you the best. I'm not going to waste this second chance, and neither should you. My father has a saying, 'Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent'. He's entirely right, though despite what I've done, he's welcomed me back home. My father has always been a man of his word, so only when I face him and tell him of my involvement with Adam, will I learn how worthy I am of forgiveness. And since you've referred to Cinder in the past tense, it wouldn't be a stretch to guess that she wasn't shown any mercy.

Good luck, Mercury, and to Emerald as well. I don't know where that Laura girl comes into this, but I'm also guessing she was dragged into things—so good luck to her too. I hope to see the real you, and not the masked character you've been all this time. As someone who's been like that for so long, when you finally take that mask off, it's more liberating than you can imagine."

With that, Blake walked away, heading off to rejoin her friends. Mercury watched her leave in silence, up until she turned the corner and vanished from view. Her words pierced him like a volley of arrows, and his hands gripped the broom he held so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He tried to think, but there was nothing he could focus on. With great effort, he returned to his sweeping.

The girls finally reached the garden, situating themselves as they had during their previous visit, and began to chat away, eager to enjoy their time together. The conversation then turned to their summer plans, which looked like would be eventful for all of them—for better or for worse.

"I told you everything would go well" said Pyrrha with a smile.

"I guess so" replied Blake softly with a nod. "I'll have to tell them about Adam, and I don't know how they will react about that, especially since Adam really looked up to my dad. But that hardly matters now. I'd rather be rid of all of my guilt so I can patch things up with them."

"Speaking of that piece of shit" said Yang. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you. You don't have to answer, but it's been bugging me."

"How could I love Adam?" Blake sighed, expecting the question. "I don't know—at least now looking back. He was the first man to treat me like I was special, and I got so caught up in his rhetoric that I was taken in. As I explained yesterday, we worked so closely together, and him making me his second, I thought he saw me as the only person he could really trust. That got to me. He was also this stoic warrior with a handsome face—something right out of my novels. The short of it was I was young and dumb, and it made me not see what he truly was, hence my love for him dying the moment I saw the truth that night."

"If I may speculate for a moment" offered Pyrrha slowly, "I truly believe that Taurus was using you, and did not love you. That man is clearly obsessed with power, and if what you said about him idolizing your father is true, I think that he may have seen you as a tool to be used for control. He could position himself as the true leader of the White Fang, with the daughter of the original founder by his side—when the time was right, or when you were indoctrinated enough to stand by him. He would have hurt you horribly or worse if you had stayed. You made the right decision to leave when you did."

"Furthermore, you are doing infinitely better with Sun" remarked Weiss. "I was right about how dedicated he is to you. Could you ever imagine Taurus doing that? In any case, he is a monster who not only has taken advantage of you, but every Faunus who he has roped into aiding him with his savagery. I wish he had met his end by the White Army's hand, but that great day will have to wait. Despite my sister's dejection, she told me 'Justice moves slowly and remorselessly upon its path, but it reaches its goal eventually'. Your past with him and the White Fang is over. Let us focus on training and becoming Huntresses."

"You're right" the Faunus agreed with a sigh. "I just hope his days really are numbered, and he does nothing to make the world a worse place—well, worse than what he's already done."

"He can't hide forever, so I'll be looking forward to seeing that cocksucker's been killed in the news" sneered Yang, seeing that the question was raising more stress than it was worth, and decided to change subjects. "So how long have you liked Sun? No point pretending otherwise, so out with it—I just want to know the exact moment."

"Not long after infiltrating the secret White Fang meeting" Blake confessed, having neither the energy nor the desire to argue, and secretly was enjoying the idea of chatting openly and carefree about boys like a teenage girl should. "I was happy when he asked me to the Dance, but given how scared I was of Adam, and not wanting to trust Sun out of that fear, I turned him down. But I think I really knew that I liked him when I did go and dance with him. How he treated me, and made me laugh for the first time in so long. He made me feel special in a way that Adam never had. It felt great to have someone who truly cared about me—not for any other reason than me being me. It felt normal and special all at once."

Everyone smiled at her explanation, seeing her beaming with joy, and they were all happy for her. Pyrrha was especially gleeful, as she understood what Blake was saying and feeling better than any of them, though Weiss was a close second. However, before either of them could comment, Yang leaned in with her right hand cupping her ear.

"What do we say?~" she teased.

Blake blushed, and her ears tilted backwards. "Th-Thank you, Yang, for changing my mind that night" she said slowly.

"Good kitty." The blonde tried to then pet her, but Blake swatted her hand away, funny enough, like a cat that did not want to be pet. "Oh, so Sun gets to pet you, but I don't?"

"Given you're missing Blake's favourite bits, you can't blame her" snickered Nora.

"Can't say that I do, no. Sun's pretty damn hot, those 'bits'—his great pecs, arms, and abs—are very nice eye-candy. Plus his personality is good too." Yang then glanced over to the aforementioned Cat Faunus, and snorted in amusement at the sour expression on her face. "Fucking c'mon, Blake! Are you seriously thinking I'd try to take him from you? After working my ass off to get you two together? Not that I'd have a chance since I'm not his type—and he's not mine like I told you before—and I'm no house-breaker—plus he'd never give up on you, so calm your tits."

"I know all that" retorted Blake, her ears flicking in annoyance. "It was annoying enough to watch his fan girls try to get his attention during the tournament, not to mention all those women at the karaoke bar. I'm fully in my right to be defensive of him, so how about you not give me that look, OK? Plus, I think I owe Weiss much more for grilling me the other night."

"You thanked me with your actions, Blake, so stop running in circles" the heiress dismissed, though was nonetheless pleased by her gratitude. "It was just as rewarding for me to see you enjoy yourself with him while we were out with Team SSSN yesterday."

"Bout time too. Speaking of protective girlfriends—Pyrrha, you excited to meet Jaune's parents? You mentioned this morning you'll be going there first before going back to Argus. It's kinda last minute, but you've got to be ready by this point."

"Yes and no" she replied slowly. "After meeting Jaune's cousins, it has made me very excited to meet the rest of his family, as they all seem like such wonderful and interesting people. At the same time, since Jaune is my first boyfriend, I have never been introduced to someone's parents before, so I'm rather nervous."

"Why? Do you think they won't like you? You did their trial and passed it, and you're, well, you. How could they not like you?"

"That's just it. I do not want them to like and accept me because I am Pyrrha Nikos the celebrity athlete. I want them to judge me for who I am, and be honest with me. However, Jaune has done that, which is why I love him so much. Now learning more about his family, I understand that he was raised to judge others on behaviour and character, which gives me comfort that his parents and uncles will do the same with me. It also has given me clarity on why Jaune has been so self-conscious. He comes from a family of warriors, and for him to have such troubles in combat, he could not get passed the idea of me having feelings for him when I'm so talented, and he's lagging behind. We both understand one another so much better now, and I look forward to meeting his parents, though despite knowing I have nothing to fear, the nervousness remains. But I think it's fine to be a little skittish, as Jaune is nervous to meet my mother."

"You think she'll like him?" asked Blake.

"Oh she adores him already" Pyrrha replied happily. "They spoke on the phone the other day, and I overheard her asking him to call her 'mother'. He shouldn't feel nervous, but just as he's my first boyfriend, I'm his first girlfriend, so this is just as new for him."

"You two are just adorable" Weiss remarked with a smirk, causing Pyrrha to blush, but felt not an ounce of embarrassment.

"What about yourself, Weiss? How will your parents react towards Neptune?"

This caused the heiress' smirk to fade, and she sighed.

"That relies entirely on Neptune's response" she answered honestly. "If he decides that he wants to date me officially, then when I will be asked about him, I will tell the truth. There will then be many arduous arguments on the matter, however, if he makes it clear that he will stand by me, I shall stand by him and dig in my heels. If he decides that this is all too much, I will tell my father that there is nothing serious between us, and we are no longer pursuing one another. No doubt that will prompt him to lecture me of how I cannot date willy-nilly, and will stress that I must choose from the official list of suitors, rather than random boys—for the sake of the family's public image and standing. It is going to be a long summer."

The others frowned at her situation, sympathetic, and wishing she could have some relief from it all. Then again, her constant ignoring of her father's calls could only act as a reprieve for so long, and it ultimately had made things worse.

"Is that why you were so depressed and argued with Jaune?" asked Nora, clearly remembering that day.

"Yes" the heiress confirmed with a nod. "I had spoken to Jaune privately on the matter initially, thinking he could be of some help. He gave the right advice, though I held back on the more personal details, until I learned of his similar heritage to my own. I took offense to that and acted like a child. One must face their own problems and resolve them in the end."

"I've seen the way you and Neptune act together—even recently" Blake then said. "It's clear he isn't running from you, so he must be fully ready to date you officially. Has he really not given you a clear answer yet?"

"No, he hasn't."

"But we're leaving tomorrow" Yang pointed out. "Why is he waiting so long?"

"It is a great endeavour to court me, and I will not pressure him—until tomorrow afternoon" Weiss replied steadily. "It's not how I want to start the summer, at the docks and to be rejected before the long flight home, but it has to be done."

"He won't reject you" assured Pyrrha with a smile. "If he did not have feelings for you, he wouldn't have stayed by you all this time so patiently. Like Sun, he hasn't pressured you into anything, and like Sun, though Neptune appears a playboy, he is a good, honest young man. You have nothing to fear."

Weiss began to smile again, and her pale cheeks turned slightly pink. "I know."

"Speaking of Sun again" began Yang, turning her attention to Blake, and stared with an expression of expectation.

"What now?" Blake said cautiously, knowing full well what her blonde friend wanted to know.

"Have you two been making up for lost time before going home? There's nothing holding you back now, so you have to be, right?"

Blake's cheeks began to slowly turn red, and she looked away.

"Sun and I are..." she started, but faltered.

"Oh come on!" gasped Yang. "What's wrong now? You just said you liked him."

"I do! I really do."

"Then?!"

Blake sighed. "I guess I'm in the same boat as Pyrrha and Weiss, though the only difference is that Sun isn't my first boyfriend. I know I really can't call what I had with Adam real, or anything remotely normal, it doesn't change the fact that I have been with someone before him. I know just how awful a bad relationship can be, so I want to take a page out of their book and do this right. I fully accept his feelings, and it makes me happier than I can put into words. I just don't want to mess this up...especially with how patient and gentle he's been with me. I owe him that."

The others smiled proudly at her, but Yang was Hell-bent on getting a juicier answer.

"Then why not reward his patience with something a little more fun" she suggested. "If I made the guy I liked—who I knew liked me too—wait for this long, I'd make some real summer memories—especially if he lived so far from me. Seriously, you have him wrapped around your finger, so how about you give him a kiss of gratitude after being so patient...followed by the tongue of appreciation."

"Just ignore her" cut in Weiss, holding her hand up to silence her teammate as she looked to Blake. "You are doing exactly what you should be doing. I advised you to be an adult and take responsibility of your relationship, and you exceeded all my expectations. Your happiness is what matters, so do what you believe is right, and have the relationship you deserve. Do not let this Lustmolch bully you."

"How am I bullying? I'm just teasing" defended Yang with a huff. "And what did you just call me?"

"Lustmolch. Sex-crazed."

The blonde leaned back with wide eyes. "Did you just call me a whore?"

"No!" gasped Weiss. "I called you sex-crazed—which you clearly are. Ever since we first met, you have been eagerly chasing after men, wanting to get into a relationship with sole focus on the sexual side. You have gotten much worse on that front when the rest of us began to court the boys we like, with you trying to get into the very personal details of our relationships. I know you have expressed the joys of carnal pleasure with someone you love, but you have hardly touched upon the deeper and arguably more important parts of a relationship."

"OK, hold on just a second" protested Yang, holding up her hands as if to signal a full stop. "Are you trying to tell me that none of you have thought about having sex with your boyfriends? That I'm the weirdo here for wanting to get some? Don't pretend for a second that you're all pure like the driven snow, especially you, Ice Queen, and you, Champion."

"Of course we have" said Blake, not feeling as shy, though still blushing, as this was the first time she had ever admitted it openly to her friends.

"Oh we know. You've been drooling over Sun's abs and chest for months" Yang remarked with a wave of her hand, causing the Faunus' face to redden further. "But to the two celebrities ready to get married at the drop of a hat—have you or have you not?"

"Y-Yes" confessed Pyrrha hesitantly, her cheeks flushed. "It is only natural."

"Have you two done anything?"

"N-No, just kissing."

"I've seen the way you two kiss" Yang reminded with a cocked eyebrow. "You were using full tongue when we caught you and Jaune after your date, and then he pulled you into his bedroom. Are you really telling me nothing happened then or any time since? You've shared a bed more than once haven't you?"

"No! Just kissing and cuddling. I-I will admit I have thought of it—marriage and children involves in-intercourse, obviously—especially after learning just how l-large Jaune's family is" she explained, her face now becoming quite red. "H-However, there's more to marriage than four bare legs in a bed, so we haven't fooled around in any way. I-I'm free to do as I like, so don't look at me like that, Yang! I think that Jaune is very attractive, so I can let my mind wander without acting upon my d-desires."

"So defensive" smirked the elder Xiao Long sister. "But you're right. He's your boyfriend and you can do what you want. I kinda get why you love him personality wise, though I don't think he's all that attractive. Not my type—no offense."

"Jaune's more than reasonably attractive—especially as of late" admitted Blake.

"You like tall blonds so I'm not shocked, though Jaune's not as jacked as Sun."

"He has muscular arms and chest, which I saw when he wore that dress, and they've only become more so with all the training we've undergone together. Of course he's very cute and handsome, and the new armour only amplifies that." Pyrrha then paused from listing her favourite physical attributes, her face nearly scarlet as she confessed the last point. "J-Jaune also has a v-very nice butt..."

"Had a good look at it, have you?—couple squeezes?"

"W-Well, I first noticed the night we arrived at Beacon, and I saw him walking about in his long pyjamas. I could see its p-presentation there, and have looked more when we cuddled that night, as well as in his new jeans. H-He's my boyfriend, so I'm allowed!"

"Of course you are, and I'm happy for you that you find the boy you love hot" said Yang honestly, nevertheless amused by the Mistralese girl's shyness. "I just want the juicy details because I'm curious. So tell me, is he packing?"

Pyrrha's face was now entirely red, understanding what she was implying, and did not yet have the fortitude to discuss such things.

"She doesn't know because they haven't gone that far" said Nora, coming to her friend's rescue. "When Jaune said he was going to take a shower while Pyrrha was taking hers after her match with her mentor, I said they should take one together, and he crashed into the bathroom door. He's clearly not ready for that level of their relationship, and neither is she. Maybe this summer will shake things up, and since I'll have a front row seat, I'm really looking forward to it."

"You'll let me know if anything happens?" asked Yang.

"Nope. That's up to Pyrrha, not me."

"Traitor."

"If I were to make an educated guess, this all sounds as if you're rather jealous, Yang" Weiss remarked, eyeing her friend with care. "Given that Pyrrha has a boyfriend and you do not, it looks like her way of doing things has paid off while yours clearly haven't—and that is getting to you."

"I'm not jealous" scoffed the blonde, deflecting the accusation, though she seemed more agitated than normal. "And what about you? Have you been thinking of getting in the sack with Neptune?"

"As I have previously stated" Weiss replied calmly, though her pale cheeks were tinted pink. "I believe that one should wait for marriage before consummating the relationship. Th-That does not mean I have not thought of it of course, however, there is a great deal of difference between thinking upon it, and trying to act upon it—furthermore, it is far from ladylike to discuss such things."

"You're actually gonna do that? Waiting till marriage like the super old days?" Yang then looked at Pyrrha. "What about you?"

"Well, that is the mandate of my faith regarding marriage" the redhead confirmed. "Jaune and I have both taken chastity vows, and we shall both adhere to them—hence why we haven't done...whatever it is you are thinking. It is more common than you think, Yang."

"They have boyfriends, and they're gonna wait for who knows how long" the blonde muttered to herself. "Please tell me you're not gonna do that too, are you, Blake?"

"N-No, but we haven't even kissed yet, so that–"

"Not even–" Yang cried before stopping herself and sighing, and then moved her eyes to Nora. "Please, for the love of the Gods, tell me you of all people have thought of it?"

"I love Ren, so of course" replied the ginger with a blush. "He's been checking me out more and more recently, so he thinks about it too, I think. But we need to get together first, so all that stuff needs to wait—obviously. We'll be making up for lost time, don't worry."

"Good. At least someone here is reasonable."

"As uncouth as ever" the heiress sighed as she shook her head. "This is why I call you Lustmolch. What I find most humorous, is that you will most likely be the last one of the group to get a boyfriend."

Yang glared at the white-haired Atlassian, saying nothing for a few moments, before lying on her back with a sigh.

"Yeah, probably."

This was not the reaction they expected from her, and the tone of her voice equally caught them off guard. It was that of clear dejection, which matched her face that was a mix of exhaustion and frustration.

"What's wrong?" asked Blake. "You've been getting really agitated the more we talk about the boys. Whatever's bothering you, you can tell us, obviously."

Again, Yang remained silent, staring up into the dark clouds above for a short while. The others looked at one another anxiously, as this was behaviour that she had never shown before. Even Ruby watched her sister with concern, as her hard-headedness normally kept her from caving to doubt. At last, she spoke once more, her voice filled with dispiritedness.

"Weiss is right" she sighed, closing her eyes. "I am jealous of you girls. All of you managed to find really great guys that care about you, and I'm just over here striking out at every turn."

"Yang..." said Pyrrha gently, "you cannot be so depressed just because you have not met someone yet. You certainly will in time."

"No, I won't" the blonde disagreed, opening her eyes and frowning. "Let's be real for a second. I thought the reason why I couldn't get a boyfriend was because dad was a teacher at Signal. Who'd want to date their teacher's daughter? I was betting that when I finally got to Beacon, and I wouldn't have him watching me like a hawk, I could meet someone easily. But no, not a single one; even with so many guys coming from the other schools, none of them stuck out to me."

"That just means you haven't met someone who's your type" Nora offered. "That's got nothing to do with you. It's not like you're turning guys away."

"Yeah, I thought that was it, but now I know it's me. I'm not datable."

"C'mon" cried Blake, shocked to see her friend's confidence had completely evaporated. "How can you even think that?"

Yang raised her right hand and pointed at Weiss. "Ice Queen, how would you describe me?"

"Loud, uncouth, perverse, stubborn, hotheaded, ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, and immature" Weiss replied flatly, showing that she had been paying close attention, and had no reservations of telling her teammate the truth, much like she did with Blake.

"Don't hold back—tell me how you really feel" Yang remarked sarcastically. "And here I was thinking that Neptune had warmed you up a little, but you're the same as you've always been—cold as WEISS!" She shouted the rapierist's name in gleeful annoyance, causing the others to jump. "I finally made that fucking pun work!"

Weiss blinked in confusion for a moment, before a small smirk touched her lips.

"That was the most obvious one in the world. I'm honestly surprised it took you so long."

"Don't you dare take this from me—especially when I'm sulking about my shitty lack of appeal" the blonde countered, but continued to speak before the others could try and jump to her defense. "Let's face it; I'm not like the rest of you. I put a lot of effort in my looks, and I'm pretty confident in them, but after hearing you all talk about how much you love the personalities of your boyfriends, made me realize that I'm not exactly the most approachable person in the world. My personality for sure scares guys away, I'm physically strong, I swear like a sailor, and I'm tall. I can look good in a dress, but I'm not the most girly-girl, so guys get turned off."

"You're not that tall—only 5'8 I believe" Pyrrha remarked, which was appropriate given that she was the tallest girl in the group.

"5'9, actually" Yang corrected with a sigh of annoyance. "I checked my height when we went shopping the other day."

"And I'm six foot. Trust me, it is far more of a chore to find casual clothes that fit me—much more than it is for you. One of the few blessings of winning so many tournaments is that I can afford tailored clothing—shoes especially."

"I'm not that far off, but I get your point. That explains why you were hovering so much over those booties. What size are you anyways?"

"Ten or so."

"Oh you're right, I'm not that bad! At least I don't have skis for feet" Yang snorted.

"Th-They're not that big!"

"Tens for a girl is pretty big, Nikos, which makes sense given you're six foot—it'd be weird otherwise. Getting back on track, not only am I all those things Weiss and I mentioned, I'll still growing. Tall girls already put guys off, so me being tall, plus a hand-to-hand brawler who likes to party, and rides a motorcycle, kinda makes me a girl guys don't want to be with...which really pisses me off" Yang sneered in annoyance. "I always figured I was the kind of chick guys would kill to have. I'm not picky about food, I'd much rather watch an action movie than a dumb chick-flick, I like bikes and cars, I'm never gonna use that dumb 'I've got a head-ache' excuse if he grabs my ass—I'd be grabbing his just as often, I'm not high maintenance–"

Ruby instantly sputtered at that, sending a jelly bean bouncing across the stone tiles, and she raised her eyebrows.

"Quiet, midget" her sister jeered, sticking a finger at her as if she were scolding a dog. "Just because I can use a mirror better than you can doesn't mean I'm afraid of getting dirty. You've seen what I look like after training or working on my bike. I'm just saying I know when to be pretty and when to get dirty—and not bitch that I broke a nail."

Ruby then opened her mouth to protest, given that Yang was the same girl that blew a gasket when her hair was messed with. She didn't get the chance to correct her hypocritical sister, for she continued with her monologue.

"Anyways, I figured I was ready for a dating life at Beacon, and flirt and go after the hot dudes I saw when I got here. Anyone notice the guys checking me out at the karaoke bar? I did, but none of them tried to talk to me or buy me a drink. I mean, I really don't think I could date a civilian—I don't want some weakling as a boyfriend—but it would've been nice if at least one of them tried. I guess popping off like I did at Pyrrha's mentor killed that from happening—makes sense. For the record I'm not looking for one-night stands or some shit. I have standards."

"Given that you haven't found someone despite how many guys are around shows that" Blake added, not fond of hearing Yang talk about herself in such a manner. "And none of us think you would sleep around, by the way. You're just upfront about fooling around."

"You have flaws, however, so do we all" Weiss pointed out, also feeling bad for her teammate, as well as guilt for being so harsh. "There are obviously things you can improve on, but you aren't so flawed that you have to completely change as a person to be more datable."

"Exactly. I never thought that I would meet someone like Jaune here, especially so quickly" Pyrrha expressed. "Initially I thought my height was putting him off, and I didn't know what to do to change his mind–"

"Which was dumb since he's taller than you, and if his cousins are anything to go off of, he'll get even taller" cut in Yang.

"In the end," Pyrrha continued, "it was just speaking directly that put things into motion, and we have to build our relationship on our values. Honestly, I can assume that none of us expected to find the boys we like; they just appeared in our lives, and clearly none of them have gone smoothly from the jump. Proper relationships take work, and as I said the day we went shopping, there are crucial pieces that guide you to know if the person you are interested in is the one for you. Now that I think of it, you've never told us what your type is, Yang. Please tell us so we can help you."

The blonde paused for a moment.

"Tall, dark, handsome, muscular, manly, a great fighter...a nice trimmed beard, has to love puns" she began to list off, needing to actually think on the matter.

"You and twenty million other girls" Nora laughed. "What about Sage? He's almost like that."

"And he likes blondes" added Blake.

"I thought about it" Yang admitted, "but nothing clicked at the karaoke joint. Pyrrha's mentor—what's his name? The one in white—I thought he was good looking...and then I found out he was engaged..."

"Not that I wish to make you feel any worse, but it wouldn't have worked out" Pyrrha informed. "Ivoire is both deathly serious and hotheaded, not to mention he adores his fiancé, Colombe, who brings out his more playful side."

"Figures."

"Yatsuhashi maybe?" Blake asked.

"Too serious—plus I'm pretty sure Coco has the hots for him."

"So anything more specific than being tall and manly?" continued Nora.

"I don'know. Someone who I can trust and...can put up with me...I guess..."

"I don't think you understand what relationships are, no offense" Pyrrha remarked with an apologetic smile. "Finding someone that can put up with you is not the sign of a good partner; or at least someone who would be the best match. Furthermore, you make it sound as if you are the most unfathomable person around."

"Well she is Hell on wheels" the ginger reminded.

"And where did you hear that?" Yang demanded, turning over slightly so that she could glare at the hammeress. Nora made no reservations of pointing straight at Ruby, who was still in the process of eating candy. Ruby looked up and swallowed, but to her relief, her sister laid back down. "Of course."

"So in short, you actually have no idea what you are looking for in a man, but you are certain that you want one" surmised Weiss, folding her arms. "Can you at least share with us a sign that you think speaks to the possibility a boy might be the one for you?"

Yang thought hard for several moments, racking her brain for an answer. When one did come to mind, it was almost comical, but she couldn't think of anything else.

"I let him play with my hair" she confessed.

The others saw nothing overly odd about this, as while Yang was particular about her hair being touched, it made sense. However, it was Ruby who reacted strongest, with her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates.

"If that ever happens, I'll have to call dad right away to let him know to start planning the wedding".

"That strong, huh?" Nora smirked.

"Placing aside Yang's adverse reaction to such things, I do not think there are many women who do not like having their lovers play with their hair" Pyrrha said with a smile. "Obviously, you would need him to already be someone special to allow him to do that, so it might not be the best indicator. All of us here are certainly more than willing to help you look for someone, but there is something I would like to point out. You have complained that even at the Vytal Festival, with people from around the world coming to spectate and compete, you were not able to find a boy that caught your eye. Look at the rest of us. Jaune is from Vale, and I am from Mistral. Neptune is from Vacuo, and Weiss is from Atlas. Sun is from Vacuo, and Blake is from Menagerie. Do you see a pattern? We did not find our boyfriends in our backyards, we had to travel–"

"So I need to pack my bike and hit the road?" Yang asked, cutting in.

"Let me finish. The world is a vast place, with many people in it. None of us expected to find the boys, but we did. I think that if you wait, focus on your training, and allow things to naturally take their course, you will find someone. The life of a Huntress will lead you to many unknown roads, and with them, unknown challenges and rewards. I think it is inevitable that the right man will appear, so long as you keep an eye out for him. You're also only seventeen, so you have plenty of time. Work hard and have faith, is my advice to you."

Yang eyed her carefully before softly grimacing.

"Pretty easy to say coming from the girl who already has a fiancé" she remarked.

"Says the girl who is being far too hard on herself."

"And you say I'm gloomy" added Blake with a smirk.

"Exactly. Let the cards fall where they may" said Pyrrha with a smile. "We have another four years at Beacon, and many years ahead as Huntresses. As I said, there is plenty of time to find someone that will capture your heart and ask for your hand in marriage."

"I never said I wanted to get married" Yang returned flatly.

"Oh. I thought you said you were looking for someone."

"To date, yeah. I'm not into getting married—or having any ankle-biters."

Pyrrha frowned at this. Of course the elder Xiao Long sister had voiced her annoyance that she and her fellow Mistralese seemed overly keen to marry early, and continued that irritation when meeting Jaune's family. It wasn't an entirely alien sentiment, especially these days, but that did not deter Pyrrha's feelings that it was both foolish and disheartening.

Weiss shared in her fellow foreigner's disapproval, which wasn't at all a shock, as the heiress too wanted marriage and children, but wasn't guaranteed to have either; at least not with the man she loved.

This did not go unnoticed by the bitter blonde, and her eyebrows nearly hit her hairline.

"What? You can't actually think that I'd make a good mom—that I'm mature enough for that. Seriously, would any of you trust me to babysit your kids in ten years or whatever?"

Her eyes bounced between her friends, Pyrrha and Weiss in particular, waiting to firmly disagree with them. The truth of the matter is that they unfortunately did think that Yang wasn't yet mature enough for the responsibilities of motherhood. Even Ruby couldn't deny that her thrill-seeking was a far cry from what one would expect from a proper mother or guardian. In fact, it was that expectation that partially fueled Yang's self-undermining, as her fleeting memories of Summer clearly showed her what a real mother was, and how she was nothing of the sort. If anyone amongst them was ready for motherhood, it was obviously Pyrrha, who now held the blonde's gaze. What Yang didn't notice however, was Nora's behaviour. As a matter of fact, none of the group noticed the ginger's expression. It was strangely sympathetic, as well as timid—something that should have immediately garnered attention. Instead the other kept their eyes on Yang, who switched her gaze to the more matured members of the group. As expected, Weiss' face was mostly flat, unable, given the circumstances to completely suppress the disapproval in her eyes, especially when labeling babies as nothing more than a nuisance.

It was Pyrrha however that gave Yang what she was looking for. As always, Pyrrha was a poor liar, and it was clear from the expression on her face that she thought her fiery friend was not ready for parentage...at least not yet.

"Exactly" Yang remarked with a shake of her head, her eyebrows jumping for emphasis.

"I didn't say anything!" the redhead defended.

"You're the world's worst poker player, Nikos. You're face says everything—which is perfect given you're the one most ready here to start popping out kids. I'll stick to being the cool aunt—just like Uncle Qrow's been for Ruby and me."

"You don't become an adult and some random age" said Ruby suddenly, causing the others to look at her in surprised curiosity. "You become an adult when you decide to be one, and then act like one. Ten years is plenty of time, sis. You'll get there."

This caused smiles of amusement to grow on the faces of her fellow Beaconites, especially that of her lieutenant, who saw the wisdom in her words. They touched her, for Weiss had to grow up sooner than she had expected—no older than Ruby was now. Once again, she showed she had grown greatly over their first year together, and that was something that the white-haired rapierist would not forget. To add to the small captain's effective comment, Yang herself eyed her sister with pleased annoyance. It wasn't that she was insulted by her words, far from it; it was that she once again sounded like their father. It bugged her, but still got to her heart. Gods forbid she admit that.

"And maybe you'll fill a bra by then too" Yang retorted with a smirk.

Ruby's cheeks instantly filled with both air and colour, and she was about to counter with the rest of the advice Jaune had given her, when Weiss gripped her carrier belt and pulled her back onto the stone wall. Acting like an adult was the right way to go about things, and Weiss knew she needed to do her part to keep her captain from letting her sister get under her skin. She was sharp-eyed as well, and she could see there was more going on than Yang was forthcoming with. By opening up, she wasn't as good as a poker player as she usually was, hiding her insecurities behind her bravado and fiery rhetoric. Why waste the opportunity, and instead ask more questions?

"Let us do as Ruby says and approach this subject with maturity, shall we?" Weiss suggested calmly. "Are you not interested in the idea of marriage and children, or have you simply never thought upon either seriously—thus think they are far too early to fathom, and you just want to have fun?"

"Both" she replied. "Plus..." She paused for a moment, and turned her head to glance at her sister, this time with much softer eyes. "Dad went through two marriages...I don't want to go through that pain..."

Ruby looked down at the ground, knowing exactly what she was referring to. The air changed with Yang's admission, with the others now knowing what truly was at the core of the blonde's outlook and behaviour. They were of course aware of the tragedy of Ruby and Yang's mothers passing, both of which were under their father's command in their Huntsmen team. They couldn't begin to understand what it must have been like for them, let alone how devastated their father must have been. Blake herself felt truly horrible and guilty when Yang had told her, forcing herself to consider just how lucky she was that her parents were still alive, which added to her guilt for leaving them behind. Nora too felt deep sympathy for them, as while she didn't remember her parents, she did see how hurt Ren was after his were killed in the attack of Kuroyuri. The only one who could understand Yang best other than her sister was Pyrrha, and she rose to her feet, walking to the part of the stone bench where she lay.

"May I?" she asked. Reluctantly Yang sat up, swinging her legs off the makeshift bench, and allowed the redhead to sit to her right. Yang blinked in surprise when she felt Pyrrha take her hand, and looked up at her, seeing her don a sad but soft expression. "I know what it is like to lose a parent. My mother and I were so heartbroken when my father passed, for he was like the sun—so bright, strong, and warm. My mother tried her best to hide her pain from me, but I knew how much she was suffering. I never wanted to see her like that again, so I vowed to become a Huntress and protect the innocent—that no one else would be taken again before their time. I became a Huntress to uphold my father's memory, and follow his principles to do good and protect people. Our profession is a dangerous one, and the chance of dying is high."

"I know" Yang said. "Dad didn't want me or Ruby to become Huntresses—that much is obvious—and I get why. He didn't want us to get hurt or worse, and we had to beg for him to let us go to Signal. Hell, I had to plead to get him to let me get my bike licence for my sweet sixteen. He's so overprotective that even when I mentioned I was interested in getting a tattoo, he wasn't having any of it—or any piercings past earrings."

"My mother wasn't overjoyed with my choice either" Pyrrha continued with a smile. "But when she saw how well I performed in school, and how I excelled in the regional tournaments, she came to realize that I was born to be a Huntress, and she has supported me ever since. The point I am trying to make, is that while I saw how hurt my mother was from my father's passing, it never stopped me from wanting to have the same profound and strong marriage they had. Losing the people we love is the risk we take when we swear to join the Hunt. However, that is why we train and fight—to protect them, even if it costs us our lives. Are they not worth fighting and dying for?"

Yang looked into Pyrrha's vivid green eyes, and saw the seriousness that lay within them. Her conviction was unwavering, and she looked away in shame, realizing how childish she was being. She hadn't seen the Light, as it were, but it did poke a hole in her perspective.

"Ren means everything to me" came Nora's voice suddenly, causing the girls to look at her, seeing that her face had also become melancholic. "The idea of something happening to him, getting really hurt or dying, scares me more than anything. I've never prayed, but I'm so happy that the Light gave me the Semblance I have. It's made me strong enough to protect him, and I've been training so that I can keep protecting him no matter what. If I lose him" she shook her head, as if trying to rid herself of the fear and imagery of such an event, "I don't know what I'd do. But I know what I can do: train like crazy and fight. Even though I can't tell him that I love him yet, I'm gonna keep the promise we made that we would protect each other."

"A man who isn't willing to die for anything, is a man who's living for nothing" said Blake. "My father said that a long time ago, and it applies to Huntresses as well."

"Agreed" chimed in Weiss. "Funny enough, Jaune mentioned that his father has a similar saying, about fighting and dying for the Kingdom. Death is the nature of this life."

"I don't dare imagine losing Jaune, even though I know it is possible" Pyrrha said slowly, tightening her grip on Yang's hand slightly. "But just like how he is training to protect me, I will do everything and anything to protect him. You're right; I can speak easily about love because I found the man I am going to marry. However, that comes with its own challenges and fears, and it spurs me on to improve and be the best that I can be. When you find the man for you, I know you'll change your mind. As my mother says, 'You are never ready to get married until you're married'. And besides, the point of life is to live it fully. Don't deprive yourself of that opportunity because of your doubts."

"Has anyone ever told you you sound like a mom?" asked Yang after a pause, her lips turning slightly into a smile. "Thanks Pyrrha. I get what you're saying. But I swear, if Ruby gets a boyfriend before I do, I'm getting blackout drunk, and none of you can stop me."

"Don't worry, I'll be here on the sidelines" reassured her captain, popping another sweet into her mouth.

"Hey, I wasn't kidding about wanting to be an aunt."

"I want to be an aunt too, but oh well!"

"You feel the same way?" Blake asked, amused by their reluctance.

"No. I just never thought about it" Ruby replied honestly. "I've always wanted to be a Huntress, and that's all I focus on—that and my marksmanship. I'm in no hurry to get into that stuff." She then quickly glared at everyone and pointed warningly. "If any one of you say 'Oh you'll understand when you're older' or anything like that, I'm gonna...something."

"I think what we said before that you'll understand when the right boy shows up still stands" Blake remarked, smirking at her friend as she pouted. "But if you need reassurance, Yang, just look to Ren and Nora. Nora's just as over the top as you are, and Ren totally has a handle on her when he needs to—as strange as they may seem."

"Like a long married couple—which they are, given they've known each other for a decade, and she's already in love with him" the blonde pointed out.

"Love makes you behave in ways you do not expect yourself to" added Weiss. "Who knows how you will act when Mr. Right appears."

"Hey" said Nora, looking at the Faunus with a frown. "What do you mean by strange?"

"On first glance, you two don't seem like a couple" Blake explained. "You're just such polar opposites it doesn't look like it could work. And yet, I think you two are as close if not closer than Jaune and Pyrrha. It's cute."

The ginger blushed at this, and smiled.

"Well, as long as you don't think we're a bad match."

"Oh I've never thought that. I just think it's funny. My parents don't look like they would make a good match, other than my mom is a Cat Faunus and my dad is a Panther Faunus. They're totally different, and yet, they're super close. It's kind of like the marriage I'd hope to have."

"You and Sun are a cute yet polar opposite couple so you're on the right track" pointed out Yang. "Maybe there's hope for me after all."

Blake blushed at the mention of marrying Sun, which caused Yang to smirk, and Weiss to nod approvingly. The heiress then looked over to Pyrrha, and pondered on whether or not to mention themselves, as she knew it would lead to another question that had been annoying her for a while.

"What do you think of us?" she asked the group. "Jaune and Pyrrha, and Neptune and myself. What do you think of us as couples? Are we smart matches or no?"

"Jaune and Pyrrha were made for each other, obviously" Nora exclaimed, making Pyrrha smile appreciatively. "Those reporters don't know anything about them, so any comment they make that they shouldn't date because Jaune isn't famous or whatever, proves they're idiots!"

"They don't know that Jaune is a Knight, or at least for now, the son of one" Blake reminded. "That alone, visually speaking, makes them look like a fantastic couple. A match made in Starlight, as they say."

The others were all in agreement, which caused Pyrrha to blush, as their approval and support was just as important as her mother's and her future in-laws. She had all their support already, but hearing it like this, said so openly and certainly, gave her comfort. Weiss watched her beam with joy, and felt something in her chest, knowing what it was and not wishing to feel it ever again.

"And what of Neptune and I?" the white-haired Atlassian asked slowly. "Not 'Does he feel what I feel for him?' or 'Will we date or not?'. I want to know what you all think when we stand together, knowing of our heritages and social standings."

"You two look really good together and you clearly make each other happy" replied Nora.

"Same here. Obviously you come from completely different backgrounds, so you would assume that you aren't compatible, but clearly that hasn't been a problem at all" added Blake with a small smile. "And to be as fair as you were with me, I'm not saying any of this because Neptune is friends with Sun. I think you two make a really great couple, and your social standings, as much as they don't matter in regards to whether or not you should date, does make it even cuter. Plus we're friends so I wouldn't lie to you about this."

"Cuz it's like a story from one of your romance books, right?" Yang remarked with a grin. "Ya know, the princess falling in love with the stable boy?"

"Kinda, though Ruby is the one who'll end up with a stable boy—if your theory holds out."

"Not gonna happen" Ruby retorted, popping another sweet into her mouth.

"Fingers crossed" the blonde grinned.

"You already know what I will say, Weiss" Pyrrha stated with a knowing smile. "Things are obviously different with Jaune and myself, as our social standings relate to my athletic accomplishments. I know that I can only tangentially understand the stresses of being an heiress to a company and family like the Schnee, but you deserve to be happy just like anyone else. Things may have been shaky at first between us, but the four of us are now right where we want to be. I love Jaune because he didn't care about me being famous and saw me for myself, and Neptune seems to be the same. He wouldn't have stayed by you this long if he did not have strong feelings for you, meaning he cares for you as a woman, and not an heiress. That is what matters. Your happiness is paramount over the snide comments of journalists and nameless critics. I know there are things that need to be settled with your family, but I truly do think you two make a wonderful couple, so don't let doubt hold you back as it once did for Jaune and myself."

The Atlassian looked at the Mistralese champion with steady eyes, taking in her words, though agreeing that they were as predictable as Pyrrha had warned. Nonetheless, there was something between the lines of the redhead's comments, which coincided with her earlier suspicions, as well as some previous interactions during the week. Weiss had been uncertain whether or not to mention it, for she knew it would bring up some rather unpleasant awkwardness. However, it now seemed to be the best time to bring up that gnawing question, as they were already discussing her possible future with Neptune.

"I appreciate that, Pyrrha" she began politely, earning a warm smile from the redhead. "However, I do have a question that has been on my mind for a short while, and I would like for you to answer it truthfully."

Pyrrha blinked curiously, but nodded.

"Of course. Please feel free to ask me anything."

Weiss hesitated for a moment, but then spoke steadily.

"Do you or have you ever thought that I am having second thoughts about Neptune for Jaune?"

This caused not only Pyrrha, but everyone to lean back in surprise, but also caused them to pause, as it was both absurd and plausible in the same breath.

"I'm sorry?" asked Pyrrha expectedly.

"Do you think that I am having second thoughts about Neptune for Jaune?" Weiss repeated. "I have noticed the looks you have given me when interacting with him, and I am more than certain that the previous times I have spoken to him in private, have placed particular ideas in your head. Furthermore, now that you all know most of the complications regarding the stipulations my family demands of courtship, I know it has fed those ideas. Am I wrong?"

Pyrrha swallowed uncomfortably, for there was truth to the white-haired rapierist's words, though now voiced allowed, made her feel incredibly foolish.

"I warned you not to think like that" reminded Nora, seeing the insecurity in her friend's face. "You even explained how dumb it was to think that Weiss changed her mind about Jaune."

"Seriously?" added Yang. "After everything you two have been through?"

"I-I know" Pyrrha confessed, her eyes dropping to the stone pavement, feeling great shame. "I'm so sorry. I don't think for a moment that Jaune's love for me isn't true, or that he would betray me, or that you don't love Neptune, or that you would betray him, or-"

"Stop" Weiss cut in sharply, causing them all to look at her as she crossed her arms and legs. "I understand why you developed those thoughts. I have changed my tone towards him, and I think of him significantly higher than I did previously. If I can get to brass tacks...yes, I now find him much more appealing as a man than I did when he was trying to court me. Coming from a long line of Knights and now a military family would make him much more acceptable to my family than Neptune would. However" she explained, pointing at Pyrrha with a strong finger to stop her from speaking, "my heart belongs to Neptune and no one else's—just as Jaune's heart belongs to yours and solely yours. If we are confessing our childish thoughts, then I will do the same. When you and I first met, I hoped for us to combine our fame and elevate our statuses further. In that same vein, I thought you were like myself, and that you understood the responsibilities of being a high-born lady with a comprehension of the stresses of being one. I very quickly learned that was not who you were, and you were just a kind-hearted young woman from a humble background, and I felt incredibly guilty for trying to take advantage of you.

And yet, I did the very same to Jaune. When I began to notice his comments regarding his father were very close to the conflicts with my own, my interest in his background was piqued. It then began to grow legs and run when I saw his heraldic achievement, as the similarities between our families allowed my emotions to override my critical thinking. It is why I then spoke to him privately that morning, because I wanted answers, hoping that I would finally have someone to connect to, as I have felt so alone ever since I was made heiress. It is also why I exploded at him when his cousins explained their heritage, for I believed Jaune had lied to me, and it felt as if he stabbed me in the back. All of this is so very childish, and it shows my lack of maturity and my hypocrisy when I criticize the others. If there is anyone that should be apologizing, Pyrrha, it is I. I wanted to be your friend for greedy and selfish reasons, and I wanted to be friends with Jaune because I thought he was finally the one who could understand my personal issues. I beg for your forgiveness."

Weiss ended her confession with a small bow, as the others looked at her with varying levels of surprise. Her teammates knew most of what she had shared, for she had already done so privately, though the added pieces of information filled in the missing gaps of the puzzle. For Pyrrha and Nora, it was far more than they imagined, but like their friends, were finally able to make sense of the past two weeks.

"There is nothing to forgive, Weiss" Pyrrha replied at last, reaching over and taking her hand. "As I said, I cannot possibly understand to the degree of your stresses, though I fully understand feeling alone. Everyone kept placing me on a pedestal, thinking they couldn't get close to me, either as a friend or as a lover. And as I have said many times now, it is why I love Jaune, and value you all so much. It's my childishness that is far more shameful—thinking that you would betray Neptune."

"Ach komm schon (Oh come now). You are feeling the same emotions any woman feels about their man. Jaune is your first boyfriend, and you are convinced he is the one you will marry. You are fully expected to be protective of him and to be jealous of those who appear to be a threat; especially given he was interested in me...which I also feel great shame for. I am so sorry Pyrrha for getting in your way. I have already apologized to Jaune, as I treated him so cruelly during his attempts to court me. And while I've known for a while I needed to address it with him, I now must do that same with you. Can you forgive me?"

"I meant what I said, Weiss. There is nothing to forgive."

"Are you saying that you didn't harbour ill will towards me for taking Jaune's attention away from you?"

The redhead paused for a moment, and she subconsciously bit the inside of her cheek.

"Well...I tried not to be envious of you then, though I had reached my wit's end at the Dance. Nevertheless, any lingering feelings such as those went away the moment Jaune asked me to dance. W-Well, I say that, but then I started to get worried with how you and Jaune were acting."

"I cannot blame you for that" Weiss reassured with a nod, "though it is admittedly silly. In fact, it would be just as silly if I were to become suspicious of Blake given her conversations with Neptune."

The Cat Faunus blinked in confusion for a moment, not at all expecting to be dragged into the conversation, but nevertheless understood what the heiress was driving at.

"I-I just wanted to talk about fishing given his family runs a fishery" she explained honestly. "I used to go fishing with my dad when I was a kid, so I wanted to get some advice for when I return home. Maybe it'd be a good way to reconnect with my dad, plus it's something Neptune and I have in common to talk about—despite what happened when he was a kid."

"I am well aware, I'm just using you as an example—not to mention my sister enjoys fishing as well. Speaking of Neptune, I felt the very same when his fans cheered for him during the tournament, Pyrrha, which Blake felt with Sun. The only thing that I need to be clear on however, is what is and not what could have been. Jaune has become a proper young man, and is far more appealing to me than he was. However, the only reason he has become the young man he is now, is entirely due to you. You are the reason why he has grown as much as he has over the school year, and while he did it to be a better leader, you were still at the heart of it all. You remember what Sir Lawrence said, do you not? 'Women make men want to be better men' and you turning a mouse into a lion? You were the one who brought out Jaune's potential, not I, so there could have never been anything between Jaune and me beyond friendship. And in the time he was falling for you, I was falling for Neptune. He is all that I could want, and I am not giving him up for Jaune—for the 'stable boy' is far more my type than a Knight, as it turns out. Are we finally clear?"

Pyrrha was stunned by her friend's words, but before she could stop herself, she began to softly laugh. Weiss was completely right, and definitively explained how foolish she had been to allow doubt to enter her heart. Furthermore, it was rather cute of her to refer to Neptune as a stable boy, as it did describe their relationship in the form of a romance novel. Her own relationship with Jaune was fairy tale-like as well, and she had indeed seen his growth since the Dance, morphing into the young Knight that now stood before them. He had voiced more than once that he wanted and needed to improve himself to be worthy of her, as well as to protect her. Indeed it brought back the long conversation they had with his cousins, clarifying her lingering assumptions. She was the core of his motivation, and she remembered how much it touched her. It also cemented that her schoolgirl fears of losing him, were beyond unfounded, and her gratitude towards Weiss was growing by the second.

"Clearer than crystal" she replied, smiling brightly as she rose to her feet. Weiss understood what she was doing, and she stood as well, entering in a warm and needed hug.

Their friends smiled at them and had a collected sigh of relief, glad that this loose end, as well as others, had finally be taken care of. Of course there was still the looming question of when Blake would make things official with Sun, as well as when would Neptune give Weiss his response, but at the very least this strengthened the ground work to deal with said questions. Yang looked at the pair in amusement, when she then noticed her sister leaning forward with her left hand cupping her ear.

"What?" she asked.

"I told you I was right for leaving them alone and letting them figure things out" Ruby said with the slightest hint of smugness. "So what do we say?"

Yang let a single laugh through her nose, almost proud that her little sister was being sassy.

"Fine fine. You were right on this one, but I'm still right on everything else, so don't get cocky."

"I'll take what I can get."

"Pipsqueak."

Ruby promptly threw a gumdrop at her sister, who expertly caught it with her mouth, and chewed it victoriously.

"If I can add a small detail" began Blake, "Sun told me that Neptune was incredibly focused on winning his match because you were watching, Weiss. Also, while I was hanging out with them without you, he mentioned many times how incredible he thinks you are, and how he needs to rethink his training when he returns home. I guess you're bringing out the best in him as well."

The heiress blushed at this news, as having that affect on him spoke volumes, especially after what they had just discussed. It reminded her of how he reacted after Team SSSN's match in the first round of the tournament, and how the curtain had been pulled back, revealing his own doubts and flaws. It was then that they truly began to develop their relationship, and while she was still waiting anxiously for his answer, it comforted her that things were headed in the right direction.

"And Sun finally brought you out of your none-stop moping" remarked Yang with a grin. "What have you brought out of him, I wonder?"

"That we already know" replied Weiss. "Remember the barbecue? We saw the way they were cuddling for one, and Neptune told us he has never been in a relationship before. Also, Neptune informed me as to why Sun hadn't aided him during their match, as he pushed himself too far in order to not look unfavourable in front of Blake, and he needed to rest. Blake has him completely wrapped around her finger, as you put it, so what will happen in future, will certainly be interesting."

"Well, I was referring to the 'animal' Neptune mentioned, but sure, I'm sure that someone with Sun's skills and potential will become an incredible Huntsman if motivated by the girl he loves."

"Lustmolch."

Yang snorted, glad that Weiss understood what she was getting at, as Blake became flushed, also understanding her teammate's innuendo. Nonetheless, the raven-haired girl was surprised to hear this new piece of information.

"I'm the first girl he's gone after?" she asked.

Yang and Weiss looked at her in surprise, and raised their eyebrows.

"Yeah. He didn't tell you?" the blonde asked in disbelief, causing Blake to blush further, and her ears to fold against her head.

"J-Just that he likes me more than anyone before..."

"Oh, Blake, you really need to kiss him now; not just to give him his first kiss, but to thank him for being so patient with you despite never being with a girl before. C'mon, you know you want to."

"Even I have to agree with Yang on this" Weiss remarked, causing the elder Xiao Long sister to grin toothily at her, before holding out her hand. The heiress smirked at her eagerness, and returned with a high-five, leaving Blake to smolder in self-consciousness.

She was brought out of her embarrassment however, when she felt something lightly hit her left ear. She flicked it, and she looked up at the sky in confusion. Yang noticed and looked up herself, and instinctively held out her hand, suspecting what was going on. When a drop of rain landed in her palm, she knew she was right.

"It's raining" she announced.

Naturally the others looked up to the cloud covered sky, all unsurprised that after a few days of overcast, the rain came as last. At that moment, Pyrrha felt her Scroll pulse, and she retrieved it from her pocket, fully expecting it to be Jaune, as she knew she still had time before leaving for her scheduled meeting with Amber. Her stomach instantly clenched the moment she saw the message, for they were the three words she secretly prayed would not come.

It is time.

"I have to go" she said, and before the others could ask what was the matter, Pyrrha took off at full tilt, not caring if by doing so would arouse suspicion.

It only took Pyrrha several minutes to reach the Beacon Tower, and ride the elevator to the vault below the academy. The moment the doors opened at the last level, she was out like a horse at the races, but she then halted in her tracks. Her entrance caused the members of the Order, all of whom were surrounding the wounded Fall Maiden, to turn to face her. By doing so, they revealed Amber lying on her back with the mattress adjusted so that she was able to look at everyone without having to sit up. Her brow was covered in sweat, and her breathing was irregular, causing the mask that provided her oxygen to fog up. Her eyes locked with Pyrrha's, but she made no effort to call out to her, for it was clear that she didn't need to. Pyrrha was also breathing heavily, though not from exertion, as normally such a short sprint would have been a breeze. However, knowing what the message meant had caused her heart to thunder in her ribcage, and even now she was having trouble steadying herself.

"Miss Nikos" said Ozpin with a slight nod, his voice steady, but had a somber tone. "Thank you for coming on such short notice." He gestured for her to seat herself by the chair she had been using ever since she first met Amber. Slowly, Pyrrha walked towards it, but halted when she reached the Huntmaster.

"Is she...?" she asked, knowing exactly what the answer to her question would be.

"I am afraid so."

Swallowing, she walked past the silver-haired Huntsman, and slowly seated herself, looking into Amber's eyes. The injured Maiden reached for her mask, trying to remove it, but did not have the strength to do so. Quickly Pyrrha helped her, knowing as Amber did that she would no longer need the oxygen.

"Hey" greeted Amber weakly, smiling despite the reality of the situation. "How...are you, Pyrrha?"

"I'm alright" she replied, swallowing the lump that kept returning, and forced herself to smile.

"Good...I'm...not doing so hot..." Amber laughed, though it came out as a single pronged wheeze. "I'm not getting in the way...of your alone time...with your cute boyfriend...am I? I know we were supposed to hang out later..."

"Not at all" she answered, laughing more at the absurdity that Amber was making small talk. "He's off with his friends for the day, though I'm afraid they'll be caught in the rain."

"Really? It's raining today? Well...not the best day...to die on...but it's fitting." Amber looked back to the rest of the Order, and her tired eyes said more than her words. "I guess it's time...to say goodbye..."

"Yes" was all Ozpin could say, with his eyes, along with those of his colleagues, speaking for them.

"I'm not one...for speeches...but this is my one shot so...here goes nothing...Sam...you've been a great teacher, and learning about the world through your stories...has been amazing...how I wish I could have heard more. I...have this to give you" she reached for her book, where the end of an envelope protruded. Pyrrha took it from her, and passed it to Ozpin. "It's for my father, giving him an explanation...though not a completely truthful one. Maybe he can learn the truth...when this is over."

"I will deliver it personally, you have my word" he vowed, placing the letter in his inside breast pocket, and bowed to her.

Pyrrha bit her bottom lip as she felt her heart break, as the realization that Amber's father would learn that his only daughter was dead and not know the truth, hurt her terribly.

"Glynda...thank you for all the books...and making me feel welcome here. And for me...try to lighten up a little."

The Deputy-Huntmistress nodded and smiled sorrowfully.

"It would set a poor example to the students, but I will try" she said.

"James...you've been a great guide and friend. Don't...let the war make you forget about relaxing and enjoying life. You've got...enough grey hair as it is."

"Such is the life of a soldier and officer" the Huntmaster-General replied softly, his usual stern aura, now tender and tired, revealing just how much this was actually affecting him. "They say that grey hair brings wisdom, but if I were truly wise, so much of this could've been avoided."

"So stubborn" Amber smirked, drifting her gaze to Winter. "Speaking of which...and someone else who needs to lighten up, try to have fun, OK...Winter? I know things are...rough at home, but you...deserve to be happy too. Since nearly dying makes you start thinking about your future...maybe you should date more...before it's too late."

"I will try to make better use of my leisure time, thank you" Winter replied saluting, her voice betraying her blank expression, as it came out shaky and emotional.

"Penny..."

The robot stood at attention. She seemed the steadiest of the group, which was odd to Pyrrha, as she had been by Amber's side much more than herself. The ginger had been the Maiden's nurse, plus she must have been acquainted since she joined the Order, leaving Pyrrha to wonder if this was just another quirk of hers.

"I meant what I said..." Amber breathed with a soft smile.

For just a moment, it seemed as if Penny's eyes were filled with sadness to the point of tears. Instead the girl saluted, showing she was still moved.

"Thank you, m'a–Amber" she replied respectfully. "I will never forget."

"Qrow..."

"I'm sorry" he said, the usually macabre and somber Huntsman, now gritting his teeth in bitterness, his dark red eyes drowning in pain. "I should have been there sooner. It's all my fault."

"No, it's not" she said honestly, trying her best to ease his guilt. "I should've been paying more attention. If I had trained harder...like a proper Maiden should have, we wouldn't be having...this conversation. But that time has passed, so...please, for me, don't hate yourself." She smiled at him. "You know, I really misjudged you. I thought you were...a perv and a creep the first time we met. Yeah, I was right about the perv thing...thanks for not locking the door and...letting me get a full shot of that. But...can you promise me two things?"

"Just say it."

"One...try to stop picking women up and date seriously. You deserve to be happy, and...I know that...the booze and one night stands aren't cutting it, no matter how much you brag. And that leads into number two...you are a good man. You may hate yourself...you may think that things are your fault...but the truth is you are so much better than you think you are. Be...honest with yourself and your family, and see...what we all see in you. Will you promise me?"

"...I will" he replied with effort, knowing there was nothing else he could say.

"And finally Pyrrha" she began breathlessly, taking her hand. "Such fast friends we became. How I wish we had met under...different circumstances."

"So do I" choked the redhead, squeezing her hand tightly, the tears she had been suppressing sliding down her cheeks.

"Please don't cry, Pyrrha. I'm happy to have met you, and...I can't thank you enough for what you're doing. It means more to me...than you can ever know." Pyrrha knew that she was telling the truth, but it didn't stop the pain she felt from watching her friend die. "I can rest easy knowing...that someone like you is picking up where I failed...and protecting the powers of the Maidens from Salem and her evil. You're a good kid...a really good kid, and Sam couldn't have picked a better...successor. I know you'll be a fantastic Fall...Maiden, and don't worry about Jaune and your friends...they will stick by you. A bit late...saying it now but...I give you...my blessing."

Pyrrha nodded silently, holding Amber's hand with both of her own, as the Maiden tried to catch her breath as she turned to the Order. It didn't come.

"My friends...it has been an honour...and a pleasure to have met all of you. Each of you...have been so welcoming and helpful...and I couldn't have asked for better friends. All of you...are doing something amazing...by putting your lives on the line...for the world, and it has...been the greatest of honours...at least for a while...to join you. I wish you the best of luck, and...goodbye. I'll hopefully be...watching from above, and I'll be...cheering you on. I love you all."

The Order all bowed to her, each displaying varying levels of heartbreak, though all felt the same deep within. Exhausted, Amber looked back at Pyrrha, sensing that her time was near, and stared deep into her emerald green eyes.

"Are you still nervous...about meeting Jaune's parents?" she asked.

Pyrrha managed a short laugh, but more tears came as she replied.

"A little. I'll be seeing them in a couple days."

"Don't worry. They'll love you..." Amber then blinked. "O...Oh...that reminds me. Could I ask you for...one more favour?" Pyrrha nodded. "Could you...look after Cedar? You said...that Jaune's good with...horses so..."

"Of course. I'll be sure to ask. Jaune's family has a big ranch up north—thousands of acres."

"Cedar will love that..." Amber said with a smile. "He's yours now so...take good care of him for me."

"I will. I haven't ridden a horse in a while, but I'll practice."

"Thank you. Strawberries are his favourite, by the way...plus pumpkin. Just make sure you...cut the pumpkin into small pieces so he doesn't choke..." Suddenly her grip began to slacken, causing Pyrrha to take it up, and she leaned forward so the Maiden didn't need to strain herself to speak clearly. "That...also reminds me. I know...this is going to sound...super cliché but please Pyrrha...save the world. Find our sisters...wherever they...are and...stop Salem. May the Light...be...with...you..."

Amber's breathing began to slow, and her eyes broke away from Pyrrha, turning to the small stack of books that sat on her nightstand. Her head sunk into the padded mattress of her bed, and her grip on Pyrrha's hand lost all strength. Pyrrha's heart stopped as she felt Amber become still, and swore she sensed what she could only describe as her soul leaving her body. With her eyes still open, Amber Calico departed from Remnant forever.

Pyrrha sobbed, knowing she was gone, and she kissed her hand, whispering a prayer and her final goodbyes. Suddenly, the redhead felt as if her heart was on fire, beating like a war drum. The air was stripped from her lungs, and her Aura began to surge without her control. It felt like nothing she ever had experienced before. Her Aura coursed through her, and it felt as if a bonfire was burning in her chest. She could have sworn that her very blood was boiling; not in rage, but like fast running lava. She felt as if she was going to explode, and for lack of a better explanation, she did. Her head reared back, and her eyes widened as she cried, fire flashing from her eyes, and continued to burn. The flames rose above and separated from their source, but did not dissipate in the air. Instead they turned into maple leaves, swirling above the former and current Fall Maiden. They rose from both the heat generated by the flames, and by the gale created from Pyrrha's Aura, before gently floating down onto the bed and floor.

Pyrrha breathed heavily, not understanding what had happened, but could only assume that the Fall Maiden's powers had successfully transferred to her. She looked back at Amber's motionless body, and she reached out to her with her left hand to gently close her eyes, whispering a thank you. At last, Pyrrha slowly turned to the Order, who had watched in complete silence. Glynda had clearly been crying, and though the Major's were watery, she kept her face as steady as possible. James and Qrow remained somber and mostly composed, with Penny outdoing them both. Ozpin stood between them with a steady face, but his eyes were wrought with emotion.

"The Fall Maiden, Amber Calico, has fallen" he said, his voice gentle yet strong, but carried a weight of sorrow. "From her ashes has risen another—the seasons changing without fail. Welcome to the Order of the Maiden's Ring, Fall Maiden Pyrrha Nikos."

He bowed low, joined by the rest of the order, and Pyrrha watched them, unable to think a single coherent thought. All she could do was continue to hold Amber's hand and pray, the leaves slowly burning away, leaving not even a speck of ash behind.

λΛλ

The Order moved quickly to prepare Amber's body for burial. Pyrrha had assumed that her body would be taken back to her home town so that her father could bury her there, but Ozpin explained that due to the nature of Amber's body housing the power of the Gods, it was sacred, and must be handled accordingly. Dictated by Heidrian the Heroic's tome, the bodies of the Maidens were to be burned on a pyre, so that they can return to dust, and be cleansed. Due to the weather, and fear of being caught, the Order had decided to entomb her in a special casket for the time being, adorned with holy runes and spells, crafted by Ozpin himself. Secretly they carried her out from Beacon through what used to be the Postern of the former castle, which now served as a secret escape route out of the academy. Pyrrha had requested to carry Amber's casket herself, her Semblance able to securely levitate the sarcophagus. They headed to the Forest of Forever Fall, which Ozpin said would be an appropriate final resting place; one for its namesake, and two, for it was Amber's favourite place in the entire Kingdom. They were joined by Port and Oobleck, for while they were not members of the Order, they had known Amber, teaching her as the other members had, and deeply wished to pay their respects and say their goodbyes.

They walked for a length of time, heading deeper and deeper into the forest, and reaching places that neither Pyrrha nor her friends had ever ventured. She was then shocked to find that they had arrived at a small gated graveyard. She immediately remembered what this location was, or at least that it was marked on one of the larger maps of the campus, but was nevertheless surprised they had chosen this to be Amber's resting place. Ozpin explained that the graveyard was specially made to entomb the Huntmasters of Beacon, so that even in death, they could be part of the school and watch over the students. He admitted that burying someone other than a Grand Huntmaster would need approval from the Council, but he did not care in the slightest to follow the law in this matter.

As Pyrrha slowly lowered Amber's casket into a grave dug previously in secret, Ozpin read passages from a book as he stood amongst his friends beneath their umbrellas, the rain continued to fall heavily. Pyrrha then stood beside her Huntmaster, as Ironwood and Qrow began to gently toss soil into the grave. She wore a white cassock called a ryassa, with matching veil, stiff crown band, underveil, coif, and wimple. These were the holy garments of her faith which she had procured from the local temple, and they were purposely white, as the more typical black clothing worn in morning, was not in the doctrine. They believed that death was darkness, but only for a moment before the soul transcended to the Light. Therefore, it was fitting to stand before the body of the dead donned in white, as a guide, and to show that all was not lost.

At last, the pair completed their task and did their best to smooth the topsoil, and both touched Amber's headstone that read: Here lies Amber Calico. Bright till the end. Ironwood and Qrow returned to the others, though neither accepted back their umbrellas from Winter, as they were already soaked. Ozpin closed his book, and gazed upon the grave, before taking a deep breath.

"Amber, our dear friend, we stand now before you to say our final goodbyes, and lay you to rest. We who knew you, loved you, and it breaks our hearts to see you go. You were thrust into a world you did not know, and were saddled with a responsibility that would have buckled the knees of most. And yet, you stood strong, and carried that burden till the end. We now gather to see you embark on that final journey, towards the Light and into the loving embrace of the Gods. There lay your ancestors, and they call for you to join them, so go. Do not look back to us whom you leave behind, for your work is done, and ours is just beginning. We shall carry on what you started, and we shall carry on until the end. Go now to the flowery plane, where your predecessors wait for you to join them, and bestow you the glory and majesty that all Maiden's earn. Goodbye, Amber Calico. May you rest in peace and joy."

Ending his prayer, Ozpin stepped forward and laid a wreath of chrysanthemums, celosias, black-eyes Susans, purple fountain grass, and maple leaves at the base of the headstone. He then stepped back and bowed low to the fallen Maiden's grave, his eyes shut. Glynda and Pyrrha did the same, with Ironwood, Winter, and Penny saluting, and Qrow, Port, and Oobleck bowing their heads. They remained in silence for a while, before they reluctantly began to leave, slowly walking back towards the academy. Pyrrha remained rooted to her sport before Amber's grave, lost in the all too familiar pain of funerals and final goodbyes.

She then felt a hand on her shoulder, and was surprised to see that it was Winter. The older woman's face was now much more sorrowful, and she wasn't entirely sure as to why.

"I'm sorry, Pyrrha" the officer said slowly, her voice reflecting the sadness in her eyes.

"As am I. You were friends with her for longer."

"Yes, but that does not make your pain any less true. It may seem inappropriate—which is not my intention—but you have handled this situation with grace and humility. It is truly admirable, and it continues to solidify your deservedness of the Maiden's powers."

Pyrrha smiled weakly. "Perhaps, but I would gladly trade this power away to have her back. I have never desired power greater than what I could achieve through my own hard work and strength, nor have I ever wished to be bathed in glory. I feel not an ounce of joy."

"It would be terrible otherwise. I nevertheless maintain my respect and admiration of your shouldering of this burden. I hope to be as strong if the time comes, hence my regret for not spending more time with you before today." The redhead looked that the White Army officer in confusion, before finally understanding both her words and the sadness in her eyes. "While it is more than likely the Winter Maiden is as young as Amber was, in the event that she is near death, either from age or by injury, I have been tasked with being a candidate. I very much understand what you are going through...however..." tears began to gently fall down Winter's cheeks, "I've learned today that I am woefully unprepared for what may come in that regard. I expect that we shall speak on this matter at later date. If you would excuse me."

Winter bowed to her fellow members before facing Amber's grave and saluting one final time. Without another word, she began the long march back to the academy, leaving the new Fall Maiden with not only the sense that things would be even more challenging in future, but that she would not be facing them alone. That, at least to some degree, was comforting.

Ozpin and Pyrrha were the only ones remaining, standing side by side in silence, not yet ready to leave Amber behind. After a time, Ozpin looked to the new Maiden, and seeing the sorrow in her eyes, gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"She is no longer in pain, Miss Nikos" he assured softly. "The peace you gave her was what she needed."

"I know" Pyrrha replied, inhaling shakily. "That does not mean that it hurts any less. I only knew her for a few days, and yet...it feels like a childhood friend has been taken from me."

"Yes. She spoke so highly of you to me in private, which gave me comfort that I had truly made the right choice in you as her successor. But please, know that she is no longer suffering, and you were the one to set her free." Pyrrha shut her eyes and nodded. "She now resides in the Maiden Fields, where she can finally rest."

"The Maiden Fields? Is that what you meant by 'flowery plane'?"

"Indeed. Heidrian's tome claims that when Maidens die, they go to their own plane within the Land of Light. It is there that they receive the highest of honours by the Gods. Huntsmen have their own version of this belief, though obviously different in a number of respects."

"Do they? I was not aware."

"Of course. As in Mistral, many Valian Huntsmen believe that when they fall, they enter a forest that surrounds the Land of Light—think of it as a Fiddler's Green for Huntsmen. They make their way through this forest, in search of its centre, and what it holds."

"Which is?"

"The Cathedral of Bone" said Ozpin. "It is a large structure, adorned with the horns, antlers, and skulls of beasts that Men have hunted since time began. It is there where Huntsmen feast and drink, stable their horses, and ready their hounds, for when the Great Hunting Horn is blown, it will signal the start of the Wild Hunt. They will then rush to join the cavalcade, blowing their own horns with horses rearing and hounds howling, and the thunder of their hooves rousing all to join their ranks. I do not know if ever the Wild Hunt will begin, but I too shall heed the call if it rings."

The Huntmaster sighed and pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose, trying to soothe the pain.

"Are you alright, sir?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm…tired, Miss Nikos" he answered honestly. "I'm tired of the years of toil, tired of the uncertainty, and tired because I am getting old. But what I am tired most of…" he paused, and Pyrrha saw one lone tear fall down his right cheek "I am tired of burying my friends."

Without another word, Samuel Ozpin bowed one final time to Amber, and turned, walking slowly back towards his school. Pyrrha watched him go, her heart aching for him. So much rested upon his shoulders, not only as the Huntmaster, but the head of the Order; some of which he took upon himself when he didn't need to. While she now had her own burden to bear, she nevertheless pitied him, as she knew he had to make many unimaginably difficult decisions. How many more would he have to make once this Holy War truly began? How many would she herself have to make? Only the Gods knew. Taking one final look towards Amber's grave, she bowed and said her holy goodbye, before leaving to join her fellow members.

Only after taking a few steps, she felt as if she heard the rushing of wind, but it was not due to rain, nor did the trees rustle if they had been pushed by a gust. She turned around, and gasped. Above the gravestone stood Amber herself, translucent and no longer scarred. She gazed at Pyrrha with a warm comforting smile, and she opened her to speak.

"Thank you, Pyrrha" she said, coming as a soft and gentle whisper, like an autumn wind signaling that summer had come to an end.

The clouds must have then broken, as a ray of sunlight shown down, bathing Amber in radiance, and causing her to fade away, as if she had been called by the Light to return home. Pyrrha let go of her umbrella, and she fell to her knees, pressing her forehead onto the wet grass, crying as hard as she had when her father died.

"Orkízomai stous Theoús! (I swear to the Gods!)" she sobbed, her tears falling onto the ground. "Orkízomai stous Theoús óti o thánatós sas den tha ítan mátaios! (I swear to the Gods that your death will not have been in vain!). Tha ta vro kai tha nikísoume ton Sálem! (I will find Them, and we will defeat Salem!). Orkízomai!"

Pyrrha did not know for how long she knelt there, but she did not stop crying till her voice had become hoarse, and the rain had long since stopped.

λΛλ

At the dormitories, the boys were making their way down the hall towards the RWBY and JNPR rooms. They had been caught in the rain, but thankfully managed to find shelter, and made their way back to Beacon without great issue. Reaching Team RWBY's room, Jaune knocked on the door, and heard the girls' call for him to entre. He opened the door to reveal them all sitting around a small table, with tea and pastries. Strangely, Pyrrha was not amongst them.

"Hey, you're back!" cried Ruby with a smile.

"Got caught in the rain, I see" remarked Yang.

"It was to be expected" replied Ren.

"You should change before you catch a cold" said Nora. "Then you can come join us for cake."

"Yeah, we probably should" smirked Jaune, before looking to his Vacuan friends. "What about you guys? I can lend you some clothes—plus you can use our dryer in the meantime."

"We're from the desert, dude" Sun reminded. "The rain doesn't come nearly enough in Vacuo, so we're gonna enjoy it—but thanks anyways."

"That makes sense, though it was a little surprising with Neptune today."

"If I was so afraid of water that even the rain affected me, then I'd never be able to take a shower" Neptune explained. "I'm not that terrible."

"Sorry" Jaune apologized sheepishly. "Just a thought. Anyways, Ren and I will go change then. Um, where's Pyrrha?"

"In our room" answered Nora. "She's…a bit under the weather, she said."

The look in the ginger's eye caught Jaune's attention, and he didn't like it. He nodded, and turned for his room without another word. He and Ren began to change, though Jaune stopped at just removing his gambeson and boots, and then left for Pyrrha and Nora's room. He knocked, but when he got no answer, he tried the door, and found that it wasn't locked. He slowly entered and called for her.

"Pyr–" he began, and froze when he saw her standing in the room, soaking wet, her hair down, and wearing a white dress he had never seen before. Hearing him at last, she slowly turned to look at him, and Jaune's blood ran cold at the sight of her bloodshot eyes and greatly pained expression. "Pyrrha!" he cried, closing the door behind him, and dashed to her, taking her by the shoulders. "Pyrrha, what's wrong?"

"J-Jaune…I…" she said weakly, placing her hands on his damp shirt, and feebly grasped it. "I…something's happened…"

"What? Please tell me."

Feeling her knees starting to give, Pyrrha tried to sit on her bed, which Jaune immediately helped her with. Never letting go of one another, the blond sat waiting for her to begin speaking, having not a clue what brought this on.

"There's…something I need to tell you" she said slowly. "It's what's been going on during the tournament that I promised I would tell you about, and why I was out for most of the day for the past few." She took a breath to steady herself. "A friend of mine got badly hurt…she's been in the hospital, and it looked like she was finally going to recover…and then her health took a turn for the worse…"

Jaune looked at her with stunned sympathy. He hadn't a clue that this was the reason she had been acting so strangely, but it certainly explained why she had been so emotional.

"Pyrrha, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you…" she said honestly, "I tried to focus on the tournament, and take things one day at a time…"

"I could have helped, or at least been there for you to talk to me about it."

"I know…but I wanted to remain as focused and calm as I could. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong" Jaune said, touching her cheek gently. He then hesitated to ask the question that he felt he already knew the answer to. "Is she…?"

Pyrrha slowly nodded. "We buried her today…" she whispered, tears falling once more, and tightened her weak grip onto his shirt. "She died as I held her hand…telling me goodbye…I…"

She fell forward and buried her face into Jaune's chest, and she began to cry.

"Pyrrha…" Jaune gasped, instinctively wrapping his arms around her. "You should have called me. I would've gone with you at least."

"I know you would have…" she sobbed, smiling slightly despite the tears, as she loved that he was always ready to drop everything to help her, "but there wasn't any time. I know she made peace with dying, and she's no longer in pain…but…"

Pyrrha could say no more. She knew that he would need to learn everything to understand what was going on, but she didn't have the strength to tell him now. Of course she would, not only because she vowed she would, but because she could no longer shield him from her destiny; their destiny.

"It's OK…it's OK…" he said, though he knew his words wouldn't help. "You should get out of this dress and take a hot shower. Then you should get some sleep, you look exhausted."

"No" begged Pyrrha softly, clinging onto him tightly and pressing herself against him. "Please, Jaune…can we just stay like this?"

The blond heard the grief in her voice, and in turn tightened the hug. Never before had he seen her in such a state, and it hurt him even more so than when she stopped him from going after Team CLME. He had a great many questions to ask her: who exactly was this friend of hers? How could he not be aware of her, given that Pyrrha admitted she couldn't make friends due to her fame? Jaune was fully aware that she would never lie to him about something like this, but her tears made him desperately want to know the truth going all the way back to the tournament.

But he held himself back. Questions were certainly not what she needed right now. She promised she would tell him everything, and he hadn't a single reason to doubt her. If she wanted him to hold her, he would do so gladly and for as long as necessary.

"For as long as you want, Pyrrha" he said gently, kissing the top of her head. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Those words meant more to her than he could know, and she cried in his arms, praying in thanks for him being hers, and praying for the strength she would need for the days to come.

---

Author's Note:

So a slower paced and sombre chapter to say the least, but everything serves a purpose.

Blake Confronting Mercury

Since RWBY and JNPR would see the trio in September, it would obviously be better to set things up properly. By allowing Pyrrha to give them a cover would at least, for now, let legitimate friendships develop. Then there's the elephant in the room with Blake's past. Learning that Blake was there with Adam when Cinder approached him, has coloured my perception of Blake for years. By this point, I now hold her partially responsible for Pyrrha's death. And before anyone says it, no, I do not believe, not for a single moment, that every time the "heroes" encountered the enemy, that they didn't see their faces or anything that could identify them. From the beginning I've rejected that absurdity, and I've been hinting that Blake remembered them since the start of the tournament. Of course with her having a new outlook on life she was able to think clearly and handle the situation. The show version, not so much.

As I did my best to address in the previous two chapters, Blake has a lot to answer for, as well a lot on her conscience. In the show, this gets easily forgiven or lampshaded. I couldn't do that here. My Blake is very self-aware, and willing to show grace to those who want to do better like she has. Of course she's out of the loop on some key details, but I wrote her as true to herself as I could.

Girl Talk II:

From almost the beginning, many of you have been asking me as to what would happen with Yang in regards to relationships. Who was I going to pair her up with, and if not an official character, then which OC? As every one of her attempts fell through, I received more questions as to what would be in store for Yang. I even received a question (AEden99) if Yang's reaction to marriage was due to what happened with her parents. Well, for those of you wondering, you got your answer. From the beginning I established that Yang was different from the others, but I never intended for her to be a one-note character. That of course extends to her views on relationships. Yes I love the foul-mouthed, fiery, dirty-minded Yang, but I also wanted her to have some vulnerability that would reveal there's more to her than she lets on. I treat her as I do any other character: wanting for her to be happy, but having to take the steps needed to achieve that happiness. Jaune and Pyrrha did it, and Ren and Nora, Weiss and Neptune, and Sun and Blake are doing it, therefore so will she. Of course there is more to cover on that subject, but that would be spoilers for what I have planned.

What I will say—or rather comment on—is something that happened in the show that makes no sense. I never took Yang as someone who liked kids, and yet CRWBY had her gushing over Jaune's sister's kid. I planned for her to change her mind about marriage and kids over time, but stuff has to happen for that to make sense. How does Yang going gaga for babies work with the version of her in the show? For the record, I wasn't even aware of this aspect of Yang until recently—or at least that scene existing. Whatever, it's not like we're expecting CRWBY to remain consistent or logical about anything, let alone know what makes a relationship healthy—it just works magically even without compatibility.

The other important portion of the scene was Weiss making proper peace with Pyrrha. Many of you were happy to see how Jaune and Weiss bury the hatchet, that they actually addressed their past and made amends. From day one people have been commenting if I was going to deal with the fact that Jaune did indeed court Weiss, as most Arkos shippers tend to lampshade or straight up ignore that ever happened. By now I've shown that I gave this all a great deal of thought, not only with Weiss and Jaune having addressed the issue, but also Jaune and Neptune not having any bad blood. This then left us with Weiss and Pyrrha. From the beginning I wanted to avoid that trope of childish jealousy, where Pyrrha would grow suspicious of Jaune, and even get mad at him, becoming a completely different character for the sake of drama. One of my readers, Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov, was very concerned about this, so I did my best to reassure him without spoiling what was coming—I have to do that a lot with him. No offense, mate, but you're damn perceptive XD.

Getting back on point, I took great care throughout the story to avoid going that tropeish route, not only because of the senseless drama, but genuinely because I knew these reimaginings of Jaune and Weiss are more compatible than they ever were in the show. It's a running joke in my full rewrite where journalists and even Nicholas think they would make a good couple. Jaune and Weiss laugh about it of course, and have many of the conversations you see here, reworked so that Weiss can set the record straight. I was honestly worried that you guys would start asking about it sooner or later, not only from Weiss' comments about Jaune, but Pyrrha giving Weiss glances of worry. I wanted it to be a fleeting sense of insecurity from Pyrrha; not in some heavy-handed approach, but from her having to fight against her nature for so long. She wanted to be with Jaune, was hurt to see him only look at Weiss, tried to woo him but also didn't want to be selfish and not help him convince Weiss. That is why she lost her patience at the Dance; having to fight with her teachings of delayed gratification and self-discipline, her natural kind nature, and being genuinely in love with Jaune. She didn't want to be envious of Weiss, let alone hate her, but she's still Human. As dumb as she knows it is to think it, her overprotective nature is strong—as I've show throughout the story.

I'm not sure how well I did in showing this in the story, but I hope it was believable.

The Death of Amber:

At last, the inevitable. There were people who thought that Pyrrha wouldn't become the Fall Maiden now that I spared Amber from her fate in the show. Alas, that was never in the cards. Destiny is in full play, and Pyrrha is ready to meet it. Despite that, I still took care in crafting the scenes to not only convey that pain of loss, but also explain more of Remnant's understanding and views of life after death—something that CRWBY have failed massively on.

On that note, I once again cannot help but comment on what happened in V8. I was very annoyed that Penny's soul randomly chatted with Winter and gave her the Winter Maiden's powers. Not only because of how dumb it was, but that I had planned the scene you read today of Amber saying her final goodbye. I've spent a great deal of time working on the Maidens, how they work, their history, and more, so I once again feel defensive at people thinking "Well you say you've rewritten this, but you're actually taking shit from the volumes you claim you hate". That's very childish of me, I know, but it really did annoy me when I saw that occur. The same goes for Winter becoming the Winter Maiden. I never planned for that to be the case, but she was chosen as a possible candidate; that was always in the cards. Rant over XD.

Thoughts on Current State of RWBY:

So shit has happened since I've been gone. The delay of V9 to 2022 was curious but not unexpected. I figured that because of the lockdowns they would be able to catch up on the time they previously lost, as the delays of V8 set them further and further back. CRWBY kept lying about them, and only after the end did we learn how behind they actually are. And yet, even with the lockdowns, they had to delay it till next year. Since nothing is coming out on their end other than the pointless teaser, who knows what's going on. There's also the uncertainty of the Warner-Discovery merger, so anything can happen. We'll have to wait and see.

Then we have "Roman's Holiday". Yeah, what I came up with here is much better XD. It's as predictable and hollow as you'd imagined it to be. Roman and Neo aren't lovers (thank the Gods), but it's much more empty than you'd think, given that Roman isn't even the focus. I did laugh at Neo's parents hating that she has mismatched coloured eyes...in a world about colour...what XD? And it's a woman power thing as well, plus making her a Weiss clone. Sloppy, very sloppy smh. It's forgettable so don't even bother reading it. Roman has been spared.

Closing Thoughts:

So I know that this sounds repetitive and empty at this point, but I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter. My changing hours and longer shifts make time for sleep and editing at a premium, plus every day has been dedicated to helping my family. That doesn't mean that the delays haven't been my fault. I've been procrastinating with the last couple of chapters, doing everything and anything other than editing; not only working on Project JADA, but reediting chapter I of Project IMEIMB, and working on a treatment for a possible sequel for Project BICO—even a possible What If. For the first time in my life, I'm experiencing burnout. Chapter XXV broke me, making me genuinely hate editing. It doesn't make sense to me however, as I've edited everything from music, to audio recording, to video, to photography, and I actually enjoyed doing all of it. Why editing text bothers me, and it has ever since I was a kid, I don't know. I adore writing now more than ever, but editing is just a nightmare. What needs to be done is a new schedule, limiting myself to a certain amount of time to edit per day, but make it a habit. That way progress can be made, and not feel like I need to rush on the weekends.

What makes me want to rush, thus making this all so much worse for me, is that we have now passed the one-year anniversary of DDCT. This is nothing to celebrate, as I meant to complete this in March of this year. By this point I was hoping to be halfway done with JADA.

All I can say is that I'm sorry. I never want to repeat the mistakes of the past where I took months to release a single chapter, and even abandoned stories. I owe you all better than that.

Cheers, Gods bless, Happy Fall Equinox (funny how this chapter ended up being posted at this time—or would have if FFN didn't lock us out on web), and see you next time. Chapter XXVII will be a behemoth, by the way. I honestly don't know when it will be ready for posting, and I may need to take a break in the process, but it will be worth it.