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

27. Chapter XXVII: Remember the Oath

"It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time to say anything in it, because we do not say anything in it, unless it is worth taking a long time to say, and to listen to."

—Treebeard, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Chapter 4.

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Chapter XXVII: Remember the Oath

"You've got to be kidding me, Sam!" cried Leonardo. "First you take the best student I could have ever had, then that said student wins the whole tournament, then she and Theo's students beat my seniors, and now you want three more of my freshmen?"

It was very early in the Kingdom of Vale, before the sun had even risen, which was the perfect time for two Grand Huntmasters to have a chat. Of course there was a considerable time difference between Vale and Mistral, so to speak at a reasonable hour, Ozpin had woken far earlier than usual. This worked to his benefit, as the Beacon Academy faculty had a great many things to supervise with the departure of their students, as well as those from the visiting schools. And given that it was Ozpin himself who requested to speak to Leonardo in the first place, it was only fair that he chose a time that allowed them to converse freely in the Lion Faunus' favour.

"Well, in all fairness, Leonardo" Ozpin replied with a small smile, his fingers interlaced and resting in his lap as he looked up at the Lion Faunus on the holoscreen. "I did not ask Miss Nikos to come to my academy, rather she did so out of her own volition. Furthermore, she is a professional athlete, and cared solely about winning for her team, regardless of the Kingdom she hails from. In that same vein, these three freshmen of yours came to me requesting to transfer to Beacon, hence why we are speaking here this morning. I am not doing this to spite you, my friend."

"No, of course not, that's not in your nature. Nonetheless, it does rub my fur the wrong way. You've gotten yourself a fine collection of students from all over the world attending your academy. Are you planning to add some Vacuans to the mix? Some Menagerians as well?"

"A tempting offer, but who knows what the future holds? Perhaps in time. After all, most, if not all Menagerians head to your academies, so it is only fair I gain a few of my one."

"Fine, fine, you can have them. They enrolled independently so there's no need to contact their legal guardians" sighed Lionheart. "I'll have my secretary send their transcripts to Glynda by early afternoon your time. Now, if you'd excuse me, I need to prepare for my fifth-years' graduation ceremony, as well as finalizing the paperwork for the grand opening of another primary academy in the east this fall—good luck getting more of my people now. You thoroughly whipped me this year, Sam. I'll remember this."

"There is always next year" replied Ozpin. "Goodbye, Leonardo."

"Take care."

The moment the call ended, Ozpin's smile faded completely, and he fell back heavily into his chair, appearing quite exhausted. He rested his head in his right palm, feeling more drained than he expected to be. Then again, things had not at all gone as he expected.

"So Torchwick was telling the truth" said Qrow, appearing from thin air with his hands in his pockets and a sneer on his face. With him came the rest of the Order, who had been leaning against the large bookcases that sat to the right of Ozpin's desk. The Huntmaster had cast a spell just before the call in order to hide them from view, allowing them to eaves drop on the conversation.

"He seemed almost glad to be rid of them, and given that I did not mention Cinder Fall, he did not mention her once" sighed the silver-haired Huntsman, massaging his temples. "Yes, Torchwick was indeed telling the truth. Leonardo is in league with Salem. He provided the transcripts and cover for Fall and her three indentured colleagues, and he must be aware of their failure. Either he thinks that Miss Volpe, Miss Sustrai, and Mr. Black are just trying to save their own skins, or is foolish enough to think they are still on their side. In any case, we now know of his true allegiances. I hoped against hope it wasn't true, and I was proven the fool."

"That traitorous son of a Grimm" growled Ironwood, his left hand gripping the hilt of Einherjar. "I will have his head for this."

"How could he do this?" asked Glynda, shaking her head in disbelief. "How could he betray us? Betray poor Richard?"

"Because ironically his last name signifies what he lacks, not what he possesses" Winter remarked coldly, sharing in her General's disgust. "Just as it is the still and silent sea that drowns a man, I fear the dull knife rather than the sharp one. A sharp knife is predictable on how it will be used, and you are always wary of it. A dull knife on the other hand seems useless and unimportant, and you won't notice it until it has been driven into your gut."

"He's always been squirrely, but I figured that after taking his brother's place as Headmaster and in the Order, he would've toughened up more. Instead, he's been roped in by the enemy" Qrow said darkly. "I'm with Jimmy. Do we go lion hunting?"

"No" replied Ozpin. "At least, not yet. We need to know what the actual situation is in Mistral—if there is more going on, and if there are more agents of Salem sheltering there. Furthermore, I must know why Leonardo has done this. His cowardice was never this severe, for his heart was always good. However, the extent of his aid to the enemy is so great, that I cannot give him the benefit of the doubt. Then there is the obvious issue that he is the Grand Huntmaster of Mistral. Yes, this is a grievous blow to the Order and the safety of the Mistralese, but we cannot remove him without drawing the attention of the Mistralese Council. I may still send you, Qrow to pay him a visit, though perhaps not alone, for I fear that a trap may be waiting for you. We must plan this very carefully and not do anything rash."

"Fair enough, but what about the kid?" Qrow asked, referring to Pyrrha. "She's entitled to know that the Grand Huntmaster of her Kingdom is a traitor."

"Yes, but we never did inform her that Leonardo was part of the Order. And just as we never told Leonardo that Amber is dead and we did not lose the Fall Maiden's powers, we shall remain mum on this—at least for a little while longer. When her training starts this autumn, we will tell her the truth of the matter...if we have a plan ready by then, of course..."

A heavy silence fell onto the elder Huntsmen, and they thought deeply on this revelation. After a time, Harper, who sat on his perch upon his master's table, leaned forward and pecked Ozpin's hand in concern. The Huntmaster looked at the bird in surprise, who gave him several hoots, before picking up one of the tea cups that hung beside the tea pot, and placed it before his master. Being fully jerked from his thoughts, Ozpin gave the owl a small smile, and stroked his head.

"Always looking out for me, aren't you, old friend?" he said, earning himself a soft five pronged song in return. "Yes, I think we shall follow Harper's guidance to take heart and take things slowly. Our focus today should be on the closing ceremony, when our students are home and safe, along with the civilian tourists, we can meditate on this further. Are we in agreement?" When the others nodded, if a tad reluctant, Ozpin rose to his feet. "Then this meeting is adjourned. Today is a busy day. Let us get to work."

The rest of the Order began to leave his office, but his eyes rested on Qrow. He hesitated for a moment, uncertain if what he wished to say would worsen the situation. That uncertainty at last gave way to concern for his friend, and he took a quick breath.

"Qrow" he called gently, causing the Branwen heir to halt. "May I have a word with you, please?"

Qrow looked over his shoulder, and seeing the look in his friend's eyes, he slowly nodded and turned to face him. Winter was the last to leave the Huntmaster's office, and glanced at her raven-haired colleague with concern. She could sense the tension in the room, and while she wanted to speak, she knew it was not her place, and left, closing the door behind her.

The two men looked at one another in silence, waiting for the other to begin speaking, while simultaneously trying to read their intentions through their eyes.

"So" Qrow said slowly, "what do you want to talk about, Oz?"

Ozpin remained silent for a few moments longer, still examining his Brother, as he knew that this, more than anything, required the most masterful implementation of tact.

"How are you, Qrow? Given what has happened as of late" he asked at last.

Qrow paused for a few moments, before replying.

"I'm as fine as everyone else is, given we lost Amber and confirmed Leo's a traitor."

"That is not what I am asking, Qrow. I am referring to Raven..."

Qrow's brow deepened at his sister's name, and he looked towards the window.

"I'm fine" he said coldly.

"No, you're not."

"I am."

"No, you're not, Qrow" Ozpin insisted, trying not to be overbearing as he sat back down. "There is no way you could be given what we learned from Torchwick. We've unfortunately been sidetracked given what occurred with Amber, so please forgive me for not trying to speak to you sooner. However, I am here now, so if you wish to speak to me, I am more than willing."

The dark-haired Huntsman stared back at his former classmate steadily, his face mostly blank, other than pangs of bitterness.

"This is a family matter, Oz. I'll deal with it" he replied thinly.

"If that is the case..." Ozpin continued carefully, "I think you should tell Tai–"

"No" Qrow cut in immediately, his eyes flashing with wrathful disagreement.

"Qrow, please, he–"

"I said no."

"Qrow–"

"Sam!" growled the Branwen deserter, his tone and use of the Huntmaster's first name taking Ozpin aback. "There is no fucking way I can tell him. We don't even know how much of what Torchwick said is fucking true, so I'm not telling him a damn thing."

"I cannot possibly understand what you are going through" Ozpin said softly, seeing the pain in his friend's eyes, "but please, Qrow, despite what has transpired and how many years are behind us, Taiyang and Raven were my friends also. He, more than anyone other than Yang, has the right to know the truth, and I am more than willing to go with you to Patch to inform him toge–"

"You're not getting it" Qrow growled, slamming his hands onto Ozpin's desk. "We all thought Raven was killed, and it nearly destroyed him if it wasn't for Summer. And when she was murdered, Yang and Ruby are what kept him from breaking completely. If we tell him, then he will break for good. Tai has been through enough, Sam, and I'm not going to be the one to do it, and I swear I'll beat the shit out of you if you try. We don't even know if what Torchwick said was true, so we can't mess with Tai, let alone Yang with this until we know for sure."

"I understand that completely, though thus far Tortchwick has proven that the information he traded us was accurate. So I now ask you, do you have any theory as to why Raven is working with Salem? We can assume with some certainty that she faked her death, as we only found what we presumed to be the remains of a Grimm attack—her body not amongst them."

"Yeah, only one, and I fucking hate it" swore Qrow, removing his hands from the desk and walking towards one of the large bookcases. "It's the only thing that could explain it. I thought the day Yang was born proved it could never happen. I saw the joy and light in my sister's face when I walked into her hospital room. I've never seen her smile like she did when she told me to come close so she could give me Yang to hold for the first time. Even an hour old you could see her blonde hair, and it made me beyond happy she took after Tai—that our cursed blood didn't pass on to her. But it's still in us. The damn Branwen Curse. How fucking stupid of me to think we were able to get away from it...that we could finally be free..."

Ozpin frowned sorrowfully at him, feeling his self-loathing and pain.

"Tai sent me that photo of you all that night. I remember that smile" he reminisced forlornly. He then looked at his friend with cautiousness. "That too makes me question her leaving of her own free will. There could be another explanation."

"Like what?" demanded Qrow, turning to look at the Huntmaster with his dull red eyes beginning to glow. "Tell me, magic man, what spells or hexes can explain what happened that day? I saw my fucking old man practicing Necromancy and Blood Magic growing up, and I hated what I learned from him. I've forgotten a lot of it—mostly because I avoided learning it as best I could—but even I know it can't be strong enough to control someone as strong as Raven, let alone a Gods damned Maiden. You've spent the past twenty years learning all about this black magic shit, so if you've got an explanation other than my cursed blood, them I am all fucking ears."

"I am currently trying to understand what Salem taught Fall to inflict on Amber, which I do not doubt is tangentially related" Ozpin replied slowly. "If I succeed in deducing an explanation, you will be the first to know. Unfortunately, I do not know when that will be, for what Torchwick has told us, offers us very little insight on that particular matter."

Qrow gritted his teeth, knowing the silver-haired Huntsman was right, and he glared at the window in frustration. The room became deathly silent for a while, before Qrow began to muse over a course of action.

"If Torchwick can't give us what we need, and it could take Gods know how long for you to piece it together, I've got an idea on how to get answers" he explained, slowly looking back at Ozpin. "There's no way I can find our rookery now, but I can track Raven down. I'm damn sure I'm the only person she'd be willing to talk to."

"Talk? I'm not so sure. Manipulate would be more likely" Ozpin pointed out rightly, examining the younger Branwen twin cautiously. "Knowing Raven, which I clearly do not, she would allow you to find her, rather than you finding her—and that troubles me greatly. Do you truly think that she would tell you anything?"

"No, but I have to try something" Qrow spat. "I need to know for sure before–"

He caught himself, grimacing in frustration before looking back towards the window. Ozpin's gaze sharpened at this, and he began to decipher his friend's words and facial expression. He began to suspect which thoughts were going through his mind, and he knew that they could spell disaster if not addressed immediately; as cacophonous as it most likely would be.

"What are you going to do when you see her, Qrow?" he asked steadily, trying to be as even-tempered as possible. "What will you do when you get confirmation that she betrayed us? That she betrayed Tai? That she betrayed Yang? What will you do then?"

Qrow slowly looked at the head of his Order, with the most venomous eyes Ozpin had seen him make in a long time.

"Whatever it takes to protect my family" he replied, his tone deathly cold. "As much as Tai hates me, he deserves peace—Yang deserves peace. I won't let their memories of her be destroyed by this."

"You would kill her?" Ozpin asked stonily, his eyes now beginning to turn malicious. "There are many words I would use to describe you, Qrow Branwen, but neither 'selfish' nor 'fool' would come to mind until this day."

"Selfish?" Qrow snarled, enraged by Ozpin's accusation.

"Yes, selfish!" snapped Ozpin, his grip on his composure now fully lost, rising to his feet. "You want to kill Raven? For what? To maintain a lie? To continue keeping Tai and Yang in the dark? She is the current Spring Maiden and Salem has already begun making her move, where her next could come at any time if we aren't careful. They will learn the truth whether you like it or not—in the most brutal way possible by our horrible luck—as a General leading the troops of the enemy onto innocent people, slaughtering them all. And what about Ruby? How will she react when she learns her sister's late mother is still alive and in league with the enemy? What wedge will this cause in your family then? The reason this Order was remade, was to protect all against the Darkness of Salem, and succumbing to personal vendettas will help no one. They are my friends too, Gods damn it."

The office became silent as the grave as the pair stared at one another, both fuming and melancholic. It was clear that they were deeply affected by the news, and in Ozpin's case, far deeper than Qrow had suspected. Ozpin of course could not understand the complexity of Qrow's feelings regarding his sister being alive after all these years. The history of the Branwen's was a vile and cruel one, and he could only tangentially comprehend its effect on Qrow from what he shared over the years. He wanted to be free of it, which was why he convinced Raven to leave the clan, a previously thought impossible occurrence, that a Branwen could be born with a conscience; let alone the heirs. Nonetheless, Qrow had been so focused on trying to protect the family that mattered, despite the tension between himself and Taiyang, that he had forgotten how close they had all been. Before everything they hadn't planned for emerged, they had been as close as family, giving them hope that the future would be a bright one. Qrow may have been able to divide himself between his responsibilities as an uncle and duty as a member of the Order, Ozpin had dedicated himself entirely to the Maidens and the coming war against Salem. That didn't mean that he hadn't been feeling tremendous pain for all these years of the people he had to leave behind, however.

"Leaving aside the selfishness" the Huntmaster continued, his tone softening considerably, "going after Raven on your own to either fight her to the death or fight to capture her, is foolishly suicidal. You were near equal in strength in those days, and while you have no doubt grown greatly since then, we do not know how much stronger she has become—and with her being the Spring Maiden, there would be no hope of you succeeding. If you were to ever engage her, you must not do so alone."

"She won't talk to me if I show up with the rest of the Order tagging along" Qrow pointed out. "And she isn't stupid enough to not figure out or notice we're setting a trap for her, either. If we have any chance to get information out of her, it's by me going to her alone."

"With all due respect, Qrow, you have never possessed or learned the skill of diplomacy."

"Then what do we do?"

Ozpin paused for a moment, and looked towards the window, his eyes falling to the bookcase that sat below it.

"I think we should come to a compromise" he said slowly, turning back to look at his old friend. "I will concede that we shouldn't tell Taiyang of Raven's survival and betrayal for now, though I must stress that we should tell him sooner rather than later, before she or the enemy make it known. At the same time, we do need to gather information—desperately so. Mr. Torchwick has yet to give us all he knows on the matter, I think, and with the enrollment of his daughter, I am confident that in time he will be more inclined to share. Of course I am aware what he knows will not contain the entire story, so I think we should change the target. We will need to wait for the right moment, but I agree we should go with our initial desire to confront Leonardo. He would know far more on what happened with Raven, as well as explain why he betrayed us. That too will require planning, and cannot be done alone. I would ask you to be part of that strike team."

"Thank you. I'll take Winter."

"My thoughts exactly" Ozpin agreed with a nod. "Though I would prefer a team of three, given our current numbers and showing up in force would give our intentions away, I dare not allow more than two to go to Helike. It would be appropriate to send Miss Nikos with you, though even as she is, she is not ready for such a mission."

"We could make use of Teams RROI and LION again" Qrow pointed out. "They're loyal as Hell, and they proved themselves to be incredibly effective. If we let them know that their Huntmaster is a traitor, they'll be on him like a starving dog on a thick steak. They'll be graduates of Haven by that point, and active Huntsman. No need to worry about surprising Lionheart then."

"That is a good idea, unless he has already become suspicious of them as they took part in our plan to repel his new allies."

"Is he even smart enough to suspect that? He was completely nonconfrontational about having Fall's pawns transferred here, glad to be rid of them actually, and didn't ask about Fall."

"And yet he has changed sides in this conflict. When and for how long has this been a reality? How much does the enemy know of our plans? How compromised are we? These are the answers we desperately need. Furthermore, how do we know he hasn't done this to simply buy himself time to contact his cohorts or Salem herself?"

"Fair point. Then we need to get to him as fast as possible. How long can we keep Amber's death and Pyrrha's ascension from him before he starts asking questions or suspecting things on his own?"

"Agreed" Ozpin sighed, retaking his seat and causing Harper to eye him sympathetically. "As it has been for the past half year, time is of the essence. We will have to kill as many birds with the few stones we have, and do so without the rest of the flock catching wind of us. I will see what I can learn from Torchwick, as well as our three new students, during the summer break. Try to gather what you can without making your intentions known, for just as we have been desperately been trying to keep the existence and identity of Amber and Pyrrha secret, Salem has kept Raven's existence secret as well. Then, we will plan our course of action. As for how long we can keep up this charade, I do not know."

Qrow nodded and turned for the door. He only made it halfway before Ozpin spoke again.

"And Qrow...please know that you do not have to carry this burden alone. Tai made that call, and you have never kept your disapproval of it a secret from me. I have relied on you most over all these years, thus it is more than your right to claim recompense from me. Not only I, but the rest of the Order. Friends have each other's best interests at heart, as well as their backs. Please keep that in mind."

The sombre Huntsman looked over his left shoulder at the Huntmaster silently, before finally nodding.

"Thanks, Oz" he replied, his tone gentler than it had been, which gave his friend some comfort that his words reached him, if partially. Qrow stretched out for the knob of the office door and opened it, closing it behind him, and leaving Ozpin alone with Harper.

The silver-haired Huntsmen inhaled deeply through his nose, and slowly exhaled through his mouth. The owl hooted softly at him, sensing once again the stress his master was under, which earned him grateful scratches atop his head.

"One step at a time" he said forlornly, glancing once again to the bookcase. "Though, we have not avoided missteps and tripping, have we?"

Harper hooted understandingly, having been by his master's side for those missteps, and knew there would be more to come.

λΛλ

Jaune slowly and quietly crept out of his dorm room, closing the door behind him and doing his best not to wake Ren. After a great deal of time had passed the night before, Pyrrha managed to recover enough to let Jaune return to his dorm, though she wished he could spend the night beside her. Before he left, she told him that they needed to speak privately, and instructed him to wake before sunrise to meet her at their usual place above the dorms. She did not tell him why they needed to talk at such a time and place, but he could only assume that it had something to do with her friend's death, as well as whatever else that transpired throughout the tournament. Making his way down the hall, he turned for the stairs that led to the roof, and when he reached the top, he slowly turned the knob and opened the door. On the edge of the roof before him stood Pyrrha, wearing her usual clothes except her armour, circlet, and other bronze accessories. Her long hair flowed in the breeze, and she turned to look over her shoulder at him. He breathed a sigh of relief that she looked much better than she did the night before, but he could still see some grief in her emerald eyes, causing them to appear much less vivid.

"Good morning" she said softly.

"Good morning" he replied, closing the door quietly behind him, and walked towards her. "You OK?"

"I'm better than I was, yes. Thank you for staying with me last night."

"You're welcome, but I could've stayed longer, you know."

"I do" she smiled gratefully, "but you were also right that getting some sleep would help. It was more peaceful than I expected."

Jaune nodded, relieved about that at least, before biting the corner of his lip.

"So what's up? Why did you want to talk this early? We'll be going home together so there's plenty of time."

"Yes, but what I want to tell you can no longer wait. I have kept it from you for long enough, and you have every right to know" Pyrrha answered slowly as he stood beside her. "Also, I wanted to watch the last sunrise of our first year at Beacon; in the place where we started our relationship, and where you told me your secret and promised to be a better person."

Jaune was touched that she remembered and cared about these things, for even if they seemed so small, they meant a great deal to him as well. They stared eastward, passed the kitchen building, lecture dome, and forge, and towards the mountains, where the sun would crest and bathe the academy with the golden light of dawn. The couple remained in silence for several moments, before Jaune felt Pyrrha's soft slender hand take his own. He turned to look at her, and saw anxiety in her eyes and face, causing him to squeeze reassuringly. Without words she knew what he was saying, and she turned to face him, knowing just how much of a shock what she would say would be.

"Jaune" she began, "what I am about to tell you is the complete and utter truth. All I ask of you is to not interrupt me until the end. It will sound absurd, fantastical, and ludicrous, but I swear to the Gods that it's the truth."

Nodding slowly, Jaune prepared to listen to what his girlfriend had to say, very much unsure of what her warning could mean, as at this point, he felt ready for anything. Taking a breath, Pyrrha began.

She told him that the first time she had been called to Huntmaster Ozpin's office, was to be told about a secret brotherhood called the Order of the Maiden's Ring, and how the Tale of the Four Seasons was a true accounting of four young women inheriting the powers of the Gods to fight the Darkness of the world of Remnant. She told him of how the friend that had passed away was the previous Fall Maiden, Amber Calico, and how she had been attacked by Cinder Fall, and that she had been correct that she and her accomplices were not Huntsmen-in-training from Mistral. Then Pyrrha told him of how she was asked to become the next Fall Maiden if they could not stop Cinder in time or Amber's health faltered and she died before restoring her powers. She spoke of how the enemy were planning to attack the city with Grimm and the White Fang, and how Ozpin had recruited the help of her mentors to manipulate the tournament so that the enemy would fall into their trap, and keep the civilians unaware of the danger they were in. At last, she told him of how they had succeeded in thwarting the enemy, capturing Cinder, trading secrets with Torchwick, restoring Amber's powers, meeting the young Maiden for the first time, accepting to become her successor, getting to know her, her passing away and the transfer of power, and finally, setting her to rest and seeing her leave the world of the living.

When she finished recounting everything that she could, Jaune stood there completely stupefied. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined what she had just told him was the secret she'd been harbouring. He tried to make sense of it all, and while it did answer a great many questions as to why the tournament had been so strange, and why Pyrrha had behaved as she had, his thoughts kept hitting speed bump after speed bump. He desperately tried to say something, anything, but was afraid that he would say something that would offend her. Pyrrha was a terrible liar, so what she had just told him must be, at least, in her mind, the truth. However, if it was true, then the world itself had just become so much more complicated than he thought possible. His confusion must have been easier to read than a children's book, as Pyrrha squeezed his hand to comfort him and bring him out of his turbulent thoughts.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"I...have no idea" he admitted. "I'm sorry, Pyrrha, I just…this is all just…this is really hard to believe. I'm not calling you a liar, but this is all so crazy that–"

The words became stuck in his throat, as Pyrrha took a breath, and her eyes suddenly began to emit fire. He audibly gasped, making it clear to her that he hadn't believed her until she had given him tangible proof, and she smiled weakly at him.

"Do you believe me now?" she asked.

The blond remained silent for a moment before swallowing as he nodded.

"Yup" he gulped, trying to pry both feet from his mouth. Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh softly at his reaction, and she looked down at his hand, gently rubbing her thumb on it.

"I know this wasn't what you thought was actually going on behind the scenes. I didn't believe it either until Ozpin proved it to me. Even now I'm still in a state of shock. It's why I wanted to sleep on it—to gather my thoughts. I haven't scared you away have I?"

"No!" Jaune cried, tightening his hands on hers, as if he was afraid she would go. "I…I'm just gonna need a bit of time to let it sink in. Thank the Gods for the summer. Funny enough, this actually answers some questions I've had for a while now—different ones than what's been bothering you, I mean. After Weiss told us that the White Fang tried to attack the capital, I called my Uncle Thomas about it—except that he didn't mention anything about the White Fang. He told me that the Valian Army and the White Army had a joint offensive in the north against a massive horde of Grimm. I couldn't accept that it was a coincidence—not at the same time that the White Fang were gonna attack us from the south. That had to be planned, but how could they control the Grimm? I guess I know the truth now...as terrifying as it is. So…are you breaking any rules by telling me all of this?"

"No, not anymore anyways" she explained. "I was given permission to tell you and mother, and in time Ren and Nora. Team RWBY will learn the truth as well, but it remains to be seen when the Order will see fit to include them in all of this."

"It seems like one Hell of a secret to tell me just because we're dating."

"It's because were dating that I insisted that I'd be allowed to tell you the truth. It was one of the conditions for my acceptance of becoming the new Fall Maiden. Also, you've made a great impression on Huntmaster Ozpin, that he gave me permission gladly."

"Really?" Jaune said surprised. "I mean, we seem to get along, but not enough to be trusted with something like this. If I have to swear on something or to someone, I will, if it makes things any better."

Pyrrha giggled. "It's alright, Jaune. They trust you." She then grew quiet, and her smile faded. "Everything has changed, and will continue to change. We will never be able to go back to how things were before, and what comes next, I don't have a clue. Huntmaster Ozpin has told me that at the start of the school year, I will have to undergo special training, learning how to control my powers, and learn the full history of the Order. Other than those trials, I can only guess, but I know we must find the remaining Maidens, for Salem already has the Spring Maiden, and we do not know how close they are to finding the Summer and Winter Maidens."

Jaune nodded. "That makes sense, but I don't doubt for a second you'll do great. Are you gonna go looking for the other Maidens yourself?"

"I don't know. I suspect Huntmaster Ozpin hasn't said more to not overwhelm me further. I'm appreciative of him for that. However, after what happened with Amber, he would be far less inclined to put me in harm's way. Well, more than he already has."

"That's the life of a Huntsman, but given what he's done for all of us so far, I trust him to make the right calls. I mean, he apparently trusts me enough to know the truth, and he isn't trying to break us up, so I owe him some trust and loyalty at least—more so than a Huntsman normally owes a Grand Huntmaster."

"Yes. He carries too many burdens. You can see it in his eyes—or at least I have during our private conversations—and I can only hope as the new Fall Maiden, I can alleviate, or at least shoulder, some of those burdens. He's put so much faith in me, going against his own principles to beg for my help. Being the Fall Maiden and he the Grand Huntmaster aside, I feel a deep obligation to serve." Pyrrha then paused, sensing the weight of her own words, and she looked at her boyfriend with a worried expression. "So are you angry with me for keeping all of this a secret from you?"

"No. I just wish I could've helped you more" Jaune replied honestly. "I get it. It's a major secret, but seeing you cry like you did at the tournament and me thinking it was my fault...that hurt. I love you, Pyrrha—you know that, obviously—and it's hard to divide my responsibilities as captain and boyfriend. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do—giving you room to deal with this—and I'm sorry for not doing a better job. I'm going in circles again, aren't I?"

"A little" the redhead said with a small smile, though her eyes showed the guilt within her heart. "I'm so sorry for having put you through all of that. I wanted to protect you and the others." She then grew quiet, and spoke in a low, cautious voice. "Are you disappointed that I didn't consult you before accepting my charge?"

Jaune remained silent for a moment. Then a tender smile formed on his face.

"No, not at all. I think I know you well enough that there was no way you could say no to this, even if you talked to me about it. I can't even be angry about you keeping it all a secret because...well, it's gigantic. Of course I'd liked to have known so I could've been there for you—that goes without saying—but talking to me about it wouldn't have changed anything. You've talked about how much you want to protect people—especially the people you love. It was the reason why you became a Huntress in the first place, not to mention how devout you are. How could you pass up such an incredible honour like this? If I was braver and a girl, I'd be honoured too. That's why I'm not disappointed or angry about any of this.

And if I can be honest, I think if you told me and I said you shouldn't do it and you turned the Order down, it would ruin our relationship. Running away from protecting the innocent goes against everything you stand for, so there's no way you could respect or trust me if I made you run. Relationships are built on trusting your partner, so if I said you shouldn't become the new Fall Maiden, that'd be me betraying you just as much as you'd be betraying yourself and your values.

I know you aren't a hateful person, but I know you'd never look at me the same way ever again. Walking away from this duty would eat at you every day. You'd be putting me before the world if I've understood all of this correctly. How could you respect me after that? How could we have a happy working relationship, let alone a happy friendship, let alone a happy romance and future? You said so yourself how much you fought for us to stay together if you accepted, so I'd be like I stabbed you in the back if I then told you you shouldn't do i–"

Jaune wanted to properly assure her that she had not made the wrong choice, and that he would support her all the way. What he hadn't noticed during his speech, was the slow smile spreading across Pyrrha's face. His words were like the sun cutting through the darkness and warming a cold home. Unable to contain herself any longer, she leapt into his arms and pressed her lips onto his with more passion than ever before. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and that would have been more than enough to keep herself there, but Jaune's shock was only momentary, and he instinctively held her. After a good ten seconds, Pyrrha finally broke for air, placing her hands on the blond's burning cheeks.

"Oi Theoí me échoun evlogísei me perissóterous trópous apó ósous boró na metríso! (The Gods have blessed me in more ways than I can count!)" she cried with joy, her eyes and smile shining as brightly as the Northern Star. "Eísai to óneiró mou pou égine pragmatikótita, Jaune Arc (You are my dream come true, Jaune Arc)."

"I-I didn't understand a word of that, but I think I got the gist" he stammered, his tongue very much tied. Pyrrha giggled at that, and kissed him again, more tenderly this time, her hands resting on his chest.

"I love you" she said after a short while. "And you're entirely correct. I hated having to keep secrets from you and the others. I trust you with my life, Jaune, and if I can't trust you with my secrets, then we can't walk side by side—in battle or in love. I never want to keep things from you ever again, and I promise you that I never will."

Jaune's smile faded at this, and his hands reached up to take hers off of him.

"Then in that case" he said slowly, "I need to keep up my end of the bargain." Pyrrha looked at him with an expression of confusion, as she was certain he had revealed everything he'd been hiding. He saw the look on her face and sniggered, understanding her perfectly. "Yeah, there's one last thing I've been hiding. It's honestly one of the reasons why I've been so patient, other than lying about my family."

Taking a step backwards so that they were no longer touching, Jaune took a deep breath.

"Do you remember what I said during our first date?" he asked. "When I said that I didn't know why I thought I had a chance with Weiss but not with you—when really you're both out of my league?" Pyrrha nodded, though it was obvious that she wasn't fond of him undervaluing himself as he used to. "I think I figured it out. You know why I was so hard on myself about us dating. That I didn't deserve you after what I did, that I'm such a bad fighter—especially in comparison to you, that you're a champion athlete and I'm a northerner with a legacy I couldn't carry, I lied to get into beacon because of it, and so on. I finally get why you love me now, and I don't doubt you for a second, but I also finally know why I thought I had a chance with Weiss and not with you.

You know that I've always thought you were beautiful—from the moment I met you—which was why I tried acting manly and confident after you saved me from falling and breaking my neck during the team placement. You always have to act confident and look cool in front of girls, right? You weren't any different, not till I learned who you were at least. Then I thought 'You're an idiot trying to show off to Pyrrha Nikos', which took away any arrogance I gained from being made captain over you. So why did I then go after Weiss? I've told you all about my issues with my dad and my family. I know it was wrong now, but when I left home, I wanted to do the 'right' thing rather than what I wanted. I've always had a problem with self-discipline, so when I managed to get into Beacon, I told myself I had to do things the right way.

When I first saw Weiss, she reminded me of a cloudless January afternoon, where the sun is high in the sky and shines on an untouched hill of snow, reflecting off it beside a frozen lake—that kind of pristine beauty. I saw how Weiss carried herself, her talents, her family, her heritage, her grace—it was all incredible. So I started thinking about how good of a partner she would be, and how she would easily win my dad's approval. He has a great deal of respect for the Schnee House—as does my whole family, which you saw with Lawrence and Octavia. If I came home with a girl like Weiss, I'd be a son my father could be proud of. Bridget came home with an officer, so me coming home with the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company would prove that I wasn't a failure. I'm not going to pretend that it was a nice thing to do, even though I did genuinely have a crush on her. From the start, you were more my type than Weiss was, but I kept telling myself to do the 'mature thing' instead of what I wanted. It's why I didn't give up, no matter how obvious Weiss was being that she wanted nothing to do with me.

I've felt just as guilty about that as I've been about not noticing your feelings, and it's partly why I've tried my best to help her and Neptune—to make up for my immaturity and not respecting her. There's no other way to look at it as being disrespectful, since what's making Weiss so stressed is that she's expected to date and marry like a preapproved business deal rather than a contract with the Gods based on shared values. And yet, I did the same whilst telling her it's both wrong and stupid. We've made up about that already, but I haven't told her everything yet, and I have a strong feeling she's not going to like me after that. I guess I'm still a coward on that front.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm still not everything I could be and I know it. I acted how I thought Lawrence does towards you and Weiss, but instead of being confident and humble, I acted arrogant and immature. Instead of being an honest, honourable Knight like I was taught to be, I lied from the start and avoided my training. Instead of honouring my House and my friends, I hid from the truth and shirked my responsibilities. I know what you want to say, Pyrrha, and you're right—I've improved a lot from when we first met. I'm slowly becoming the person I should've been a long time ago, and I know how much I still need to grow, so my shame is far from gone."

Jaune looked at his girlfriend with a timid expression, unsure if he had confessed too much. She remained silent for a few moments more, processing everything he had said, as well as the concern in his eyes, which he was never able to hide from her—willing or unwilling. At last she stepped forward and took his hands as gently as she smiled.

"Thank you, Jaune, for telling me the truth" she said genuinely. "I had a sneaking suspicion that this was the case, given what you told me during our date, and what I learned from your cousins—your family legacy and your apparent preference for redheads."

"W-Well it's more than just that."

"Such as?"

"You instantly came across as warm and gentle, despite being such a great warrior" Jaune explained. "Like I said, I thought you were beautiful the moment I saw you, but it was getting to know you that I became more attracted to you. If I can be honest—well, as honest as I'm being right now—you were always what I wanted in a wife. But after learning who you were and becoming teammates, I felt like it wouldn't be right to hit on my own lieutenant—like it was a sleazy and disrespectful thing to do. And then the more time I spent with you, the more I respected you as a person and a warrior. You then add me thinking I had no chance with you anyways, and, well, I out you on an ever higher pedestal. Y-Yes, I know! It's all stupid since the reasons I gave for what stopped me from chasing after you also applies to Weiss, plus me knowing that my family would love you if I brought you home—you saw how my cousins acted around you—so all of it was a big, dumb, act of childish bul–"

Once again, Pyrrha silenced him with a kiss.

"Stop beating yourself over the past and running in circles" she instructed with gentle sternness. "You've done so much through your hard work to atone for your mistakes. Yes, it wasn't the nicest thing to do to either myself or Weiss, but you have mended your wrongs tenfold. Hearing that you were interested in me as I was for you irks me as much as it fills me with joy. We are young and prone to make mistakes—or as Sun's father put it, 'We haven't been in Remnant long enough for life to beat the stupid out of us yet'. As for Weiss, I think you have nothing to fear."

"You sure? How could you know?"

"She and I have spoken about your conversation with her about how your interest in her affected our friendship. That led us to finally clearing the air about my jealousy, as well as her guilt for how she treated you. She also admitted she initially wanted my friendship for superficial reasons, no different than yourself. None of us, no matter our prestige, are perfect, so if you were to tell her the truth, I very much doubt she would be angry with you—especially since she's admitted to me that she thinks you are much more appealing now after having matured as you have."

"R-Really?" Jaune asked in surprise and embarrassment, his cheeks turning pink. "That's flattering, though I guess that's fair since she's become a lot nicer since we first met, which honestly was the major turn off about her...which I then proceeded to ignore and keep at it. I'll never live down how dumb I am. Anyways, Neptune deserves all the credit for making her so happy. Even Weiss has confidence issues, and he's been a big boost to help her deal with her family. Speaking of which, today is the last day of school, so he'd better confess to her before we go home."

"Yes indeed" Pyrrha agreed, smiling at how similar he and Weiss were in their self-awareness regarding their flaws, as well as one another's relationships. "Speaking of confessions, since you admitted that I was always your type, can I ask you something?" Jaune nodded, prompting her to ask, "Was my height ever a turn off?"

"What? No, of course not. Why, did you think that was the reason I didn't flirt with you like I did with Weiss? Cuz she's shorter?"

"Yes."

"But I'm taller than you."

"Yes" laughed the redhead, dropping her head and shaking it. "Nora and Yang have both taken the time to ridicule me about that."

"So would you not be into me if I was shorter, then?"

"Not at all, though it would most certainly have made me more self-conscious about my height."

"If we're being honest, I like that you're tall—it just means more leg" Jaune remarked with a grin, earning himself a blush from Pyrrha.

"I'm well aware, given how flustered you were when you saw them after you spoke with my mother" she said, unconsciously rubbing her left calf with her right shin. "I wish I had learned that sooner, though I'm flattered either way."

In an instant, Jaune's flirtatious grin vanished into wide-eyed panic, and his cheeks deepened to an apple red.

"I-I-I'm sorry! Th-The door opened as we talked, but I swear I only saw a part of your leg and nothing else!" Flustered was an understatement to explain the blond's reaction, fearing Pyrrha's as he hadn't thought she noticed.

"Jaune Arc" she said in a scolding but playful tone, tapping his chest with every word. "You cannot act so shyly after having the gall to complement by butt and my legs!" This only caused Jaune to stammer further, completely at a loss for words, which caused her to kiss him for the third time to calm him down. "I love that part of you so much."

"Wh-What part?"

"Your boyish charm. No matter how much you have matured since the start of the year, no matter how manly you now look and act, there is still that shy boy within you, and I hope it never goes away."

"Really?"

"Yes. I love how cute it is, and it was certainly part of why I was attracted to you in the first place."

Still blushing at being caught, Jaune rubbed the back of his head as he tried to unravel his tongue.

"Th-Thanks, I guess" he stammered, feeling his confidence grow at the sound of her giggles. "I love how cute you are too. So I'm out of secrets if you are."

"I'm spent as well" she replied, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Jaune, for being honest with me."

"Same here" he returned, as well as the hug. "It feels so damn good to be honest with you. I know your secret was way different than mine, but at least we can go and spend the summer together without that much hanging over our heads. I love you, Pyrrha."

"I love you too, Jaune."

For a short while they remained in silent peace, enjoying the comfort their embrace brought them. It felt wonderful to be free of their original burdens, and now they could look forward to relaxing together without undue stress.

And then came the thought of Salem and what was to come. That was now something major in their lives, which now worried the both of them, for with Pyrrha being the Fall Maiden, she would be on the front lines. She'd have to fight this evil sorceress, and what could happen if she and the other Maidens failed, was anxiety inducing to say the least. How long would this war go on for? What would their future hold as a couple now with this new mission?

"So what does this all mean for us? Jaune asked at length in a subdued voice. "I know we can still date, but what about our plan to get married after graduating? I know that a holy war is bigger than us, but I can't help but feel worried about us not having a chance at…well, what we both want. I'm being selfish here again, I know, but…"

Pyrrha tightened her arms around him.

"Yes, I know" she replied, shutting her eyes. "That's been on my mine throughout all of this. I really don't know what will happen for certain, but that drives me to keep going. I told the Huntmaster I wasn't going to accept this charge without you by my side, and that is what I got. He may have given us some rules we need to keep to, but it won't stop us from having the future we want to have. Thinking about us not having any chance at all will only hurt us, Jaune, so let's just focus on building towards our dreams."

"Yeah. And what are the rules exactly?"

"Well…" Pyrrha felt her cheeks beginning to slightly burn, "when I stood my ground about us staying together and having children, the Huntmaster assured me that as a Maiden I'm not forbidden from marrying and having children of my own. Mr. Branwen then added we needed to wait until after the war before starting a family."

"Makes sense."

"Yes, th-though I think what he was getting at was that if we decide to…c-consummate our marriage, we then be as careful as possible." Pyrrha's blush had grown considerably as she explained herself, and was rather glad Jaune wouldn't see it. However, she was unable to see his face turn red as well, understanding what she was driving at.

"A-Ah, r-right" the blond admitted, clearing his throat. "W-Well, those are the same rules as before, right? My dad will probably kill me if anything happened before we got married, so we just need to keep to our vows. And since you won't be able to fight p-pregnant, it makes total sense to be careful and wait."

"As you said, no different than before, though maternity leave would certainly work differently in this case" Pyrrha remarked, though a painful thought returned to her in that instant, and she tightened her embrace to calm herself. "But then there's what Mr. Branwen also said..."

"Which is?"

Pyrrha inhaled deeply. "If we fail, then we won't have any future. The idea of raising children while at war is a terrifying thought, and since the enemy has shown they have no restraint with women and children..."

Her voice failed her, and she said no more. It was enough for Jaune to understand her foreboding trail of thought, and he felt his stomach twist sickeningly.

"Yeah" Jaune sighed, hugging his girlfriend, "That thought crossed my mind too."

The couple fell into silence, feeling the cold fingers of dread reaching out to grope them. Death had always been a possibility in their line of work, and while Huntsmen tended to put it out of their minds for the most part, it was never gone. Now, with the knowledge that a war against a dark sorceress that would engulf the world was on the horizon, death was now that much more certain. The Grimm were terrifying enough, but a Queen that controlled them? It was a thing of nightmares.

And yet, at that moment, Jaune felt hope in his heart.

"Then we have to win" he said strongly, bringing Pyrrha out of her darkening thoughts. "Salem tried to destroy the capital, joining forces with the White Fang, sending in spies, and attacking us on all sides, and we still beat them. We beat them damn hard. They completely failed in what they wanted to do. That means we have a chance, and a really good one. Vale's army is strong, the White Army is even stronger, our friends and teammates are strong and getting stronger, your mentors are incredible, and so are you. And now you have the Fall Maiden's powers? You really are the Invincible Girl now. I know this is probably overly optimistic—naively so—but I think we have a good chance of winning this war. We...We have to believe that. I want us to get married and have a family, Pyrrha. I've wanted that more and more with each passing day, and I'll be damned if that gets taken away from us. So don't let fear break you like it almost did during the tournament. That's exactly what they want. My dad says that fear is the strongest emotion, able to rob you of reason and willpower like snuffing out a candle in the wind. He's right, so we can't give up, or else the enemy will win. So we'll all train our asses off so we can teach them the ways of war—both of Huntsmen and of modern warfare.

I love you, Pyrrha, with all my heart and soul. Through thick and thin, Hell and high water, blood, sweat, and tears, I will never leave your side, so have faith."

Jaune's fiery speech had risen from his core, and he was almost not in control of himself, his voice rising to nearly a shout. Never before had he spoken in such a manner, and it was only later on would he realize that he was emulating his father, though not as steady and with as eloquent language. Despite that, it had all been genuine, for he did believe in their might with what Pyrrha, Weiss, and his uncle Thomas had told him. Of course he could not have envisioned the scope of Salem's power, though not even the Order were aware of that until much later, though that would not come into this tale.

Nevertheless, his words reached the young Fall Maiden, and shook her. Jaune had had his moments of wroth before, a lion awakening within him to challenge any and all threats. This however, had been different. It was an oath; an oath of defiance against the Darkness no different than the one she had taken when her father had passed, or to the Order only a few short days ago. The Knight within him had emerged once again, and it gave her hope. She felt pride in him as well, for his determination was the result of their training and their relationship.

It was that final thought that caused her to lift her head and look at him with almost elated nervousness.

"Jaune…" she said softly, "that…sounded very close to a marriage proposal…"

The sternness in the blond's face melted at that revelation, and his cheeks began to turn red.

"Y-Yeah, it sorta did" he replied, swallowing. "Would you be mad at me if I said that I want to wait a bit longer? We've got enough rules as it is, so I want to do this right and make it more romantic at the very least. Instead, I'd like it to be a promise that I will ask you one day. We know it, all our friends know it, but I wanted to say it too—to you especially. I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere."

Pyrrha's heart fluttered at that, as it always did when he spoke sincerely like this. She needed no words of her own to thank him or voice her feelings, and conveyed all she wished to in a kiss. It was clear enough for Jaune, who returned it in tender fashion, his arms pulling her tightly against him. It was their best kiss yet, and it would remain that way until the day of their marriage and the first after the birth of their first child, but that would be years away. For now, they remained in their bliss with hope and happiness swelling in their hearts.

And then there was a new sensation. Pyrrha felt something completely foreign within her, and she hadn't the words to describe it. It wasn't painful or even unpleasant, but rather a gentle sensation that felt like a form of happiness. At that moment, she felt something warm touch her face, forcing her to break the kiss and look to the horizon. The sun had finally risen, slowly illuminating the academy and the capital city. Immediately Pyrrha understood what the sensation meant, as Amber's words of what the Maiden's powers entailed returned to her. A smile grew upon her face as at last felt at peace.

Jaune had also turned to look at the sunrise, and admired its beauty, though something else caught his eye. He looked back to the redhead, seeing her smile and glow, to which he began to laugh to himself, causing Pyrrha to look at him in curiosity.

"What are you laughing at?"

"At the sun. It reminds me exactly of how I would describe your beauty."

"Oh?" her interest was most certainly piqued at this.

"Yup. You're warm like the sun breaking the dawn, cutting through the darkness and bathing the world in light and splendor. It reminds me of getting up really early with my family in the fall, and going out before sunrise on our ranch, seeing light fill the valley and making the leaves ignite like a bonfire."

"You're such a sweet-talker."

"Not really—just telling the truth."

Pyrrha laughed and hugged him, not so secretly weak to his cheesy romanticism. Jaune joined her, though he continued laughing for longer.

"Now what's so funny?"

"Ya know, you made such a fuss about being placed on a pedestal, and how it made everyone think that they could never get close to you" he explained. "And here you are, getting on a literal pedestal, becoming an actual Goddess—or something close to it. Is there enough room for me on this one?"

The redhead realized what he meant, and she began to giggle, pressing her forehead against his.

"I have made certain of that. And not just for you, but for all our friends. I will never abandon any of you."

"Gonna be a bit cramped don't you think? Where are we going to put the kids?"

Pyrrha laughed. "I guess we will have to make due."

"Does this mean we're gonna get a tree house when we get married?"

Pyrrha laughed even more, as she hugged the boy she loved tightly.

"I am the luckiest girl in the world. I love you, Jaune Arc."

"And I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I love you too, Pyrrha Nikos."

The couple remained in each other's arms for a long while, feeling the warmth of sun upon them match the warmth in their hearts. It had been a long and uneven road to reach where they were now, and at times, it seemed as if they were bound for failure. And through it all, they had made it. Of course there was so much road left before them, but the fear of the unknown felt so much smaller than it had, and they looked forward to whatever waited for them around every corner. Hand in hand, side by side, heart to heart, they would march on. They could not wait.

λΛλ

The Beaconites were all in their dorms, making sure that all of their belongings that could not stay at the school were properly packed. It was a slightly more difficult task than they had expected, as they had been living at the school for nine months and would continue to do so for the next four years, the dormitory was effectively home. It was then a decision of which souvenirs needed to come home with them; or at least for the ones that had souvenirs to gift to others. After one final check, Teams RWBY and JNPR exited their dorm rooms, their luggage in tow. Leaving together, they walked down the stairs and exited the dormitory, and walked up the path to the dining hall for their last breakfast as first-years. It wasn't as talkative a meal as it usually was, and the young Huntsmen-in-training weren't entirely sure why. Of course they would be in contact with one another throughout the summer, and they would be seeing each other again that September, and yet, there was a serene air at the table. The reality that it was their final meal together, signalling the end of an entire year of school, showed just how fast the days had gone by. So much had changed in that time, causing them to also feel as if it was an eternity ago, yet when looking at a calendar, it was baffling that only nine months had passed.

After finishing their meal, the two Beacon teams left the dining hall, joining their fellow students as they marched towards the ceremony hall that was once the giant gatehouse of the former castle. Entering it, they saw that just as they had done at the start of the Vytal Festival, the four academies had positioned themselves at their designated spots, and were separated by year. Teams RWBY and JNPR joined their fellow first-years at the back of the Beacon area, as fifth years were given the honour of standing before the Huntmaster, as they in a week's time would be officially graduating as full Huntsmen and would receive their Huntsman's licences, numbers, and diplomas. Now standing in their spot, they could see Team SSSN at the back of the other Shade students, who saluted them in their usual ways, earning blushes from Blake and Weiss. Pyrrha could see her tall mentors standing in front of the Havenites, their coloured hats visible above the heads of the other students, though Ian was tallest of all. After only a few minutes of waiting, Huntmaster Ozpin and Huntmaster-General Ironwood walked onto the stage and stood before them, positioned at a pair of microphones.

"Good morning students" greeted Ozpin with a smile. "It seems only yesterday that all of you came to this academy to take part in the Vytal Festival. You came to earn glory for your academies and your Kingdoms, and while only three could take a spot on the podium, you have all performed splendidly, and have made your families, schools, and Kingdoms proud. Each and every one of you who have graced our shores, have made this Vytal Festival one of the best there has ever been. You, the first-years, have amazed us all at your skill and potential. I meant what I said at the end of the tournament that you have fully surpassed my expectations. My students, as well as James', Teodoro's, and Leonardo's, I sit on the edge of my seat to see what further heights you will reach by the time you graduate. And speaking of which, to the seniors, you have trained long and hard to become Huntsmen, and now, that dedication has paid off at last. Go now to your Kingdoms with your heads held high, and stand tall as you are bestowed by your Huntmasters the title of Huntsmen—students no more. To my seniors, I shall be seeing you in one week's time to bestow those honours myself, and for the rest of my students, as well as those visiting, I wish you all a wonderful summer holiday. Rest well for you have earned it, and I look forward to seeing you this autumn. May the Light bless you all and keep you and your families safe. Fair well."

The students erupted into applause, with the seniors most of all excited by the Huntmaster's words, along with the Beaconites who supported their professor's praise. Ozpin then turned to look at Ironwood, who had said nothing, nor made any indication that he had a speech to give.

"Is there anything you would like to add before we go, James?"

"Just happy to be here, Sam" he replied, earning some laughs and whistles from the crowd.

"Surely you must have something to say to the students?"

"Well done all—minus mine, as they will all receive extra training to make up for their poor showing this year."

"You can't still be sore about losing the b–"

"Shut it or I'm shoving that cane up your ass."

The students burst out with laughter and gasps at the bickering professors, as it was beyond shocking to see Grand Huntmasters behave this way. They were both a far cry from Teodoro's bombastic character, but this display was not that far off given their usual polite demeanors. Of course their friendship was twenty years long, and it showed how strong it was, for it was no different than how the Huntsmen-in-training were with their own friends and teammates.

"In that case, you are all dismissed. Make sure to have all your belongings with you before heading to the harbour, and try to not miss your flights, train or bus rides. Travel safe and good day."

As the professors left the stage, the students began to quickly mingle amongst themselves, showing that friendships had been made during the festival, with few hard feelings between the winners and the losers. Teams RWBY, JNPR, SSSN, and CFVY were now together and to the side of the ceremony hall, eager to see each other before their departure.

"Well that was shorter than I expected" remarked Sun. "I was expecting a full speech from both of them, but we got off easy."

"It was nice all the same" Coco added. "Though, losing to first-years in the second round isn't exactly something to go about being proud of."

"Both of you did well, so you should be proud of that at least" said Pyrrha with a smile, knowing the truth of their match with Mercury and Emerald. "And as Huntmaster Ozpin said, there is so much training that remains until we graduate. We will all have to put our noses to the grindstone come the autumn, so let us enjoy the summer before then."

"Here she is talking about getting back to work after winning the whole tournament" the second-year captain laughed, shaking her head. "Are you going to have any time left for your blond Knight over here? Speaking of which, you two are finally together, right?"

Before Pyrrha could reply, she felt Jaune's left hand on the small of her back, and pulled her into a kiss, showing how unashamed he was, and eager still to show his love for her.

"Well done, you two. I figured you decided to celebrate your victory properly with the way you ran off from the Coliseum."

"They still waited to go on their date before becoming a couple, if you can believe it" informed Yang. "Though taking your sweet time seems to be par for the course around here."

"Taking relationships seriously requires one to be steady and diligent" commented Weiss, "especially when marriage and children are to be considered."

"We suspected that was the case" remarked Velvet. "And given just how many children Jaune's family has, talking about how many they would have themselves would change the situation slightly."

"Oh you don't know the half of it" Sun said to his fellow Faunus. "His cousins came by to say hi, and we got a full rundown of just how big Jaune's family really is. He's got six uncles, all married with a bunch of kids of their own. When these two get married, they're gonna need a mansion. I swear, they put us Faunus to shame."

Velvet looked at the tall couple with renewed admiration, causing them to blush.

"And one of his cousins is only a couple years older than us, and he's getting married" added Nora. "Plus his oldest sister is married with a kid, so these two need to hurry up."

"Graduate, get married, then kids. That's the right order of things, and we're going to stick to it" said Jaune at last, leaving out the uncertainty of when all of those would occur, given what he had learned that morning.

"Exactly" Weiss agreed with a nod, eyeing Neptune for a moment.

"I'm sure your family will be happy to hear that when you see them tonight or tomorrow—whenever your train makes it" remarked Neptune with a smile, glancing at the heiress.

"Oh I have no doubt of that" came a voice, and the group turned to see that it was Olivier who spoke, joined by the rest of Team RROI and Team LION. "If they are anything as Pyrrha described, then they will certainly be pleased to hear that you have taken such a mature outlook."

"Will you be staying in Vale or will you be returning to Mistral right away?" asked Pyrrha.

"Within the next two hours, just as the rest of you. We need to take care of a few things, but will see you again on the docks where we can say our proper goodbyes—until we meet again in our homeland. See you shortly."

The seniors made their way to the exit of the ceremony hall, but Ian stopped and glanced towards Blake.

"Go on ahead" he said, "I need to have a word privately." His teammates nodded and continued, as the giant Bear Faunus turned to face Blake, who was cautiously curious as to why he was focusing on her. "Can I speak with you, Miss Belladonna?"

"Sure" she replied slowly, and the both of them walked off to the side, making sure they were out of earshot. Sun kept his eye on them, both feeling very protective of Blake, and being a little wary of his opponent who tossed him around like a ragdoll. He then felt an elbow nudge him, and he turned to see his lieutenant giving him a reassuring look.

"We should wait outside for them since almost everyone's already left the hall" offered Ruby, which her friends agreed with, and followed the short captain out.

Now alone, Ian looked down at the considerably shorter Faunus, and folded his arms.

"I wasn't satisfied with the answer you gave me the last time we spoke" he began, eyeing Blake carefully. "So I thought about it more, until something that my uncle mentioned to me years ago came to mind. He told me that Ghira Noir's real last name was Belladonna, and that he used the name Noir as a cover when he went off to fight Bolto Silver. So tell me, Miss Blake Belladonna, are you his daughter or are in any way related to him?"

Blake swallowed nervously, unsure of how to respond. She remembered that he had asked her a similar question that day at the karaoke bar, and she had hoped that would have been the end of it. Of course that now she had revealed the truth to her friends, and was now patching things up with her parents, that did not mean she wanted it to be known who her father was. Ghira had chosen not to retake his real name after the war, so she would respect that decision until told otherwise; though using his name in the first place betrayed that logic.

"No, I'm not" she lied. "I wasn't aware that his real name was Belladonna. How could your uncle know something like that?"

"My Uncle Alexei was one of the many imprisoned in Silver's camps, and Noire rescued him during one of his many raids" Ian explained calmly. "My uncle has always admired him for that, and would tell me when I was a lad about the time, though it was brief, that they fought together. He sounded like such an incredible man, that I even turned my quarterstaff into axes as a tribute. I've never been to Menagerie, but I hope to visit and meet him, and thank him personally for saving my uncle. My mother was mortified when he'd been taken, and she too would love the opportunity to thank him for what he did for us. Forgive me for rambling. I won't take up any more of your time. Have a nice day Miss Belladonna, and forgive me for roughing up your boyfriend during our match."

With a polite nod, the Mistralese Faunus walked away, leaving Blake to feel a great pang of guilt in her chest. She hadn't expected for that to have been the reason for Ian's suspicion, nor to run into anyone connected to her father outside of the White Fang itself. His guesses were correct of course, and while she was still falling into the habit of protecting herself with white lies, she was now more aware that she needed to break that habit.

"W-Wait!" she called, stopping the senior at the end of the hall. He turned to face her again, waiting to hear what she had to say, as Blake took a breath to steady herself. "I am his daughter. I was born in Menagerie, but I came to Beacon in secret. I didn't want others to know the truth to protect myself and my family, but I'm trying to be more honest and trusting. I'm sorry for lying to you."

Ian gazed at her with new admiration, and he bowed his head respectfully.

"It is an honour to meet you, Miss Noir—or Belladonna, as the situation demands. While I am curious to know why you came in secret, though given the political stresses caused by that bastard, Torus, I can guess. Please give your father my deepest thanks."

"What's your uncle's full name? I can ask my father if he remembers him and he can call him."

"Alexei Iednik."

"And where can he be reached?"

"He's not hard to find. After Silver was killed, he was offered to remain with the White Fang, but he declined. He returned to Atlas and enlisted in the White Army, and is now the best Tank Commander in their armour corps. He was called away for some training exercise last time I spoke to him, so it'd be faster if you ask your teammate to get in touch with him through her sister—that or he calls General Ironwood directly. However, now that I know who you are, I've got another question for you. I'm not sure if you know the answer, but if you do, please tell me. Why did Commander Belladonna leave the White Fang? Aye, we all know the 'official' explanation, but I want to know the truth—if I'm not putting my nose where it doesn't belong, that is."

Blake thought for a moment. She could just tell him that while being his daughter, that didn't mean she could answer the question. And yet, she knew the answer. She had known it all her life.

"Because there is no hope or future for the White Fang" she replied. "It fulfilled its purpose, as did my father and uncles, and life must go on in order to rebuild what was lost. I've always been hesitant about giving up on the White Fang, but thanks to seeing what they are capable of and talking to my friends—Weiss and Pyrrha especially—I saw what my father foresaw years ago. I can even hear Pyrrha's voice in my head as I say this, 'If we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find we have lost the future'. That was pretty much at the core of what she said to me when we talked about all of this. I hope that answers your question."

The Mistralese Faunus paused at her words before nodding.

"Yes, it does—that's what my uncle thinks as well. I was a wee lad when it happened, but I remembered that he kept his eye on the White Fang and your father, and wasn't all that surprised to see him and many others leave. He gathered why it happened, but he wasn't sure why Noir didn't put the White Fang down for good—even before he took office. But I suppose that is the difference, isn't it? Great men do great things, immortal men do great things with charity, humility, and grace. Goodbye, Miss Belladonna. Thank you for your time and have a nice summer" said Ian with a light bow, and he walked away and out of the ceremony hall, leaving Blake to think over what she had just been told.

'Another page of the past come to prove me wrong...' she thought, and slowly walked out of the hall.

When she left the building, she found that her friends were standing outside of the hall, though the Mistralese teams and Team CVFY were nowhere to be seen. They were not alone however, for before them was Huntmaster-General Ironwood, Major Schnee, Deputy-Huntmistress Goodwitch, and Qrow. Unsure of what was going on, she walked up behind them, and found they were only discussing pleasantries and nothing of great consequence.

"It's such a shame that you chose not to enroll in my academy, Miss Schnee" sighed Ironwood. "If you had, then at the very least you would have been in the winner's circle. The fact that not a single student of mine made it to the finals hurts my pride greatly."

"With all due respect, Huntmaster-General, if I had enrolled, the result of the tournament would be the same, as I cannot compete with Pyrrha" Weiss replied honestly. "But thank you nonetheless for your kind words."

"Maybe, maybe."

"You're all a far cry from where Nikos is" remarked Qrow cynically. "Enjoy the summer while you can, but if you want to become real Huntsmen, you better bust your asses while you're still young. Cuz if you don't, you'll be pushing daisies before long. Dedicate yourself, don't party too much, and stay out of trouble if you can manage it."

"That is unbelievably rich coming from you" said Winter. "Or is this a case of 'do as I say, not as I do'?"

"Hey, I'm an experienced Huntsman giving these kids good advice."

"Well then, Great Huntsman" said Glynda, folding her arms in amusement, "why don't you give my students some proper advice that shows the wealth of knowledge and experience you possess?"

Qrow glared at his old classmate, knowing she was challenging in order to embarrass him, so he decided to disappoint her thoroughly.

"Right," he muttered, looking to the Huntsmen-in-training, "ladies first. Nikos, I've got nothing to say. Keep doing what you're doing, and good luck. Gingie, you've got the power, so what you need to do is to better focus it, and make sure to land those heavy hits without over-committing. Belladonna, hesitations lead to death—so make sure to become more assertive and trusting to your teammates. Smaller Ice Queen, given what I've seen your sister do, you've got a lot of work to do with your Glyphs. So practice and you can catch up—just try to not become as much of a stick in the mud like she can sometimes be."

At last his eyes rested on his nieces, and he paused before speaking.

"You two know what I'm going to say, as I've said it before. Yang, you rely too much on your Semblance, and you let yourself take too many hits. One of these days you'll bite off more than you can chew, and it'll go very badly. Use your head, instead of banging it against your enemies. And Ruby, you need to find better ways of integrating your Semblance in combat, and a lot more practice with Crescent Rose. You haven't even gotten close to the level of potential you've got, so take a good hard look at what you have and build on it. Other than that," his tone then softening, "you've both grown a lot this past year. Keep it up. Your dad and moms would be proud of you—I know I am."

The Xiao Long sisters felt their chests fill with unexpected joy, never before getting such praise from their cynical and sombre uncle, and hearing that their parents would be proud of what they had become, meant everything in the world. The rest present were genuinely surprised by Qrow's words; even the ones that barely knew him. Leaving the nicknames aside, he had given sound straight-shooting advice, and despite his macabre presence, was still a kind uncle to his nieces. It was only Pyrrha who was the least surprised of the students, as she had seen what kind of person Qrow was, and that he had a heart, even if he appeared bitter and heartless.

"And now for the boys" he continued, looking at the six carefully. Admittedly, he knew next to nothing about Team SSSN, slightly more of Ren, and a fair chunk of Jaune, though mostly due to Pyrrha, as well as other factors. After a pause, Qrow began to give them the best piece of wisdom he could think of. "The Gods gave each of you a cock and a brain, and only enough blood to run one at a time. So know when to hold'em, and know when to fold'em. Sex is a damn good stress-reliever in our line of work, but for Gods' sake wrap that shit up. There's a time and a place for everything."

It was certainly not as poetic as what he said to the girls, but it was in actuality, sound advice as well. Nonetheless, not all were pleased, and Qrow quickly ducked two swipes taken at him from Glynda and Winter.

"What?!" he shouted, clearly confused by their disapproval, and pointed at Winter. "As a soldier, you should know just how important that is, so I don't get why you're mad. And you" he then pointed at Glynda, "I've heard how many times you've complained to Oz about catching students fooling around or were about to, using the age old excuse, 'You don't want to die a virgin, do you?'. So both of you, shove it!"

He was entirely right of course, and Ironwood laughed at their antics.

"He's right, you two. Spoken from true experience, indeed" he chortled, shaking his head. "You can't cure the stupidity of youth in a day, but you can mitigate it with knowledge and wisdom. The young should be left to make their own mistakes, and hopefully learn from them, of course—but something of this nature is best to do until further down the road."

"Which reminds me" Qrow said, turning back to the students and walked right to Jaune, placing his mouth to his ear. "The whole not knocking up thing—that goes ten thousand times for you, Blondie. If you knock up the Maiden, I'm going to cut it off and shove it down your throat. Got it?"

Jaune grimaced at the threat. "You know, I'm getting tired of strangers prying into my love life. You're already telling us when we can get married, now you're telling us how and when to have sex."

"Since it sounds like she didn't mention that part of the deal, it's a good thing I'm telling you now."

"She did, actually. Look, I'm not the sharpest sword in the armoury, but I damn well know to not have kids out of wedlock and be safe. I've had that beaten into me since I figured out girls weren't actually gross, so please don't threaten me. I understand how important all this is."

"Kid, you ain't got a clue yet."

"Ease off him, Qrow" said Ironwood, knowing what was being discussed while not hearing a word of it. "I've met his father on several occasions, and if that is anything to go on, his son already has his wits about him. They have a very large family, but none have done things out of order. Furthermore, you of all people know that it takes two to tango."

The Branwen heir then whipped around, leaned close and glared at the General.

"Yeah, and I'm not stupid either, cuz I'm not the one who knocked up his girlfriend while still in training, am I?" he hissed quietly.

The Huntsmen-in-training were all very confused by Qrow's strange behaviour. They were equally confused as to why Jaune was getting particular warning, as while Pyrrha was a champion of Mistral, Qrow was from Vale, and it was no business of his to get in her private life. Pyrrha of course knew the truth of the matter, and was blushing in embarrassment, which the others noticed and while understood why, they did not know the actual cause.

It was Blake however, that was most puzzled, as she had been able to overhear what Qrow had said to Ironwood. Who was he talking about exactly? From what Ruby and Yang had mentioned about him, he was still a bachelor that cared only for casual sex, and he did indeed graduate from Beacon, so he could not be referring to himself. Furthermore, the General wasn't married and had no children, so Qrow could not be firing back by calling the kettle black. Her parents were already married when she was born, and simple math proved that he wasn't speaking of them. So who remained?

"I don't think squabbling in front of the students is setting a good example for them, at any rate" Glynda remarked. "The day is passing quickly, and there is still plenty to do. We need to meet up with Huntmaster Ozpin before you all leave, so let us go. As for the rest of you, try not to dawdle. Make sure you have your things packed, and make your way to the harbour. Have a good summer holiday."

With that, the elder Huntsmen made their way east back to the Donjon, leaving the students perplexed and amused.

"I cannot make sense of him" Weiss remarked, folding her arms. "Your uncle is sardonic, uncouth, tactless, and wise, all in one. So queer."

"He's the best, you mean" Ruby defended proudly. "He really grows on you when you get to know him."

"Fear the old man in a profession where men die young, as they say" Pyrrha commented. "Rough around the edges as he may be, there is more wisdom in him than he lets on. At least, that is how I see him."

"He's not old though. What is he? Late thirties, early forties?" pointed out Jaune, knowing that Qrow was a member of the Order, but wasn't fond of being spoken to in that manner. Furthermore, General Ironwood's comments had left him feeling uneasy.

"Late thirties, I think" confirmed Yang. "We don't get to celebrate his birthdays together since he's away so much, so I'm not sure how old he is exactly. But an old guy like him who likes to party and play video games is top notch in my book."

"He's your uncle, so of course, but I see what you mean. I think he's cool" added Sun.

"We should probably do as Ms. Goodwitch said and get ready to leave" reminded Blake. "The boarding lines are going to be long since we have so many foreign students here."

"Good point" Ren agreed. "Shall we?"

The group began to walk back towards the docks, allowing some of them to realize what needed to be addressed. Neptune and Weiss made quick glances at one another, though neither made eye contact. Both knew that time was running out, and they would need to make things concrete on whether or not they were officially dating before they returned to their home Kingdoms. Blake noticed this, and made eyes herself at Sun, knowing she too needed to make things clear.

As they walked away, the two couples were deep in thought, with their friends just behind them, not noticing that Jaune was now lagging, before finally halting entirely. Pyrrha then realized he was no longer by her side, and turned to see him facing the direction of the Beacon Tower, as if he were in deep thought.

"Jaune?" she asked, approaching him and touching his arm. "Are you alright?"

This roused him from his thoughts and he looked at her in surprise.

"Uh...yeah. I just need to take care of something real quick" he replied, assuring her with a small smile. "Go with the others and I'll catch up. I promise."

Pyrrha was a tad uncertain, especially given what they had spoken about that morning, but she trusted him so much at this point that she knew he would tell her if it was serious.

"Alright. Don't take too long, OK?"

Smiling affirmatively, he leaned forward and quickly kissed her, before walking away. The redhead watched him go for a few moments, before taking her boyfriend's luggage and walked briskly after her friends prior to them passing out of sight.

λΛλ

Atop the tower in Ozpin's office were all the current members of the Order within the Kingdom of Vale, safe for Pyrrha. Oobleck and Port were present as well, for though they were not proper members of the Order, they had been aware of it since its reforming many years ago.

"Another year done" remarked Port satisfactorily, though clearly tired. "It was certainly the most entertaining year in a while."

"Certainly, and I expect that this is only the beginning—for better and for worse of course" added Oobleck.

"The wheels are now in motion, and we must be more vigilant than ever before" Ozpin reminded, his eyes focused on a piece of paper he was writing on with an old fountain pen. "We may have defended our borders, but we have nevertheless lost a dear friend in the process, and I fear that we may lose more in the battles to come."

"This is the very nature of warfare" said Ironwood, punching a hole in the cap of his cigar. "If we aren't willing to place our lives on the line, then we won't have the grit needed to defend what matters most to us. Amber knew that, and Miss Nikos gave her the peace of mind she needed—as well as us for that matter." He flipped the cigar punch, ignited the lighter, and lit the foot of the cigar with the blue flame evenly.

"I suggest we drink to her and vow to do better" said Qrow, helping himself to Ozpin's mini bar. "Bart? Pete?"

"I don't see why not" Port replied with Oobleck in agreement.

"James?"

"Certainly. A–"

"Whiskey Highball."

"Good man" the General said with a small smirk, puffing his cigar, and glad that his friend remembered—not that he ever doubted him.

Glynda gave Qrow a disapproving look.

"That whiskey is going to be the death of you some day" she warned.

"Most likely" answered the Branwen heir, turning from the bar to give the two professors their drinks, before turning back. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that whiskey has killed more men than bullets and swords" he continued, grasping his glass and Ironwood's, and brought them to a lavish table that sat just off centre in Ozpin's office, taking a seat beside James. "But, and I'm sure our soldier friend over here can confirm, that most men would rather be full of whisky than bullets."

Ironwood laughed as he accepted his drink, and raising it to both Qrow and Goodwich as he removed his cigar from his mouth.

"In whisky veritas (In whiskey there is truth)."

"Truer words were never spoken. As much as it'll annoy you to hear, I couldn't live without whiskey. In victory I deserve it, in defeat I need it—and as toast to a fallen friend and a goodbye to others, it's more than appropriate". Glynda wasn't moved, and Qrow chuckled through is nose as he sipped his drink. "You know, Glynnie, if you keep that sour face, you're gonna age much faster than the rest of us" he warned.

The Deputy-Huntmistress' eye twitched at the nickname, and she drew her riding crop.

"Call me that again, Qrow" she threatened, pointing the weapon at him, "and I will throw you out the window and turn your remains into pillow stuffing."

"Go ahead. That threat is dumb for two reasons. One, it won't do anything" he explained, before opening his mouth and cawed twice uncannily like a crow, "and two, I don't mind being turned into stuffing, so long as it's for a cushion that will support the fine ass of a voluptuous woman."

Ironwood threw his head back with laughter, as Glynda glared at Qrow with resentment, while he merely grinned back. He then held up his glass as a peace offering.

"Drink?"

"Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress" added James, curious to see her reaction.

She stared at him for a moment, and then the glass, leaving the others unsure if she was going to throw the contents or the glass itself at him. To their pleased relief, she instead took the glass and downed the entire thing without so much as a flinch, before placing it on the table with a hollow clink.

"For Amber" she said calmly, and then walked towards Ozpin.

Qrow and Ironwood nodded approvingly, with the Atlassian taking a mouthful of his cocktail, and Qrow eyeing his empty glass. Before he could say anything, a bottle of whiskey floated over to him, and he smirked, knowing it was the overly stiff Huntress' doing.

"What about you, Ice Queen? Want a snort?" Qrow offered, uncorking the bottle.

"I'm not a fan of alcohol" she replied, her nostrils narrowing slightly at the nickname he had given her, going all the way back to the day they met. "And could you please stop calling me that? You accosted me in public when I first arrived in Vale, and then you use that nickname in front of everyone."

"Don't like me using your pet name in public, huh?" he teased, causing her eyes to widen in horror. "In any case, I did that just to test you out, newbie—a duel for fun to show off to my niece."

"Test? Newbie?" she echoed incredulously. "I have been part of this Order for over two years. How much longer must I serve before I earn enough respect from you to warrant graduating from T.F.N.G? How many missions must I run successfully to prove my worth?"

"You have, and you've done incredibly well, both in previous missions and this one. I'm just busting your balls—figuratively speaking, obviously. Good on you for not being just a pretty face."

"O-Oh" Winter said in surprise. This was the first time he had actually complimented her, and she was left unsure of how to react. "Th-Thank you."

"Welcome. And what does T.F.N.G mean?"

"That Fucking New Guy—or girl in this case" translated Ironwood. "Also, I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from flirting with my subordinate."

Qrow looked at Ironwood, then to Winter, who was now growing in embarrassment, and causing the sombre Huntsman to smirk in amusement, before looking back to her commanding officer.

"No offense, but I prefer women that don't look at me with such powerful distain they could blow the paint off a barn door" he said, bringing the glass to his lips. Winter glared at him, which he then pointed to without breaking his draft, causing her cheeks to tint pink.

"Not that my comment matters, but I too think you have done very well since you joined the Order" added Ozpin with a small smile. "You have helped strengthen this brotherhood, and aided us in successfully fending off our foes."

"This Ring will not break, like riveted mail, not even against the most tapered swords and arrows. It is this strength and unity that we will win many more battles, and hopefully, this war" Ironwood encouraged, which did give the others hope. Qrow on the other hand, was pessimistic.

"Except that it's already broken" he argued, a shadow passing over his eyes. "The Wolf and Falcon are dead, the Raven has flown away into the night, the Lion is slain, his brother betrayed the pride, the Panther slumbers, and the Dragon's lungs are ashen-cold. We're nowhere near where we should be—all thanks to things falling apart years ago. We might've won this battle, but we're still fighting with one arm tied behind our backs. If this had been a properly planned attack, how well do you think we would've really done? We're not ready. You better think of a way to deal with Leonardo while I train the kid—same goes for you, Jimmy. All of this will've been for nothing if we don't do this right."

A heavy silence fell onto the Order, and they remained under its weight, though Ozpin continued to write. After a moment or two, his pen lifted off the page, both to dot a sentence and for the silence to be broken.

"There is another..." he began slowly.

"Yeah, yeah, this 'Black Wolf' you've talked about. I'm sorry, Oz, but you've been having those visions for years, and none of us have seen either hide or hair of him. At this point, I don't think he exists, so I'm going to focus on what is and what's right in front of me."

"You said the same for the Maidens and the Order back then" Ozpin reminded, turning over a page and commencing on another. "And the world is vast, filled with many nooks and crannies that have yet to be explored. There are many mysteries yet to make sense of, and I believed that in time we will unravel them. Speaking of which, I have come across an interesting little enigma from the Dark Continent."

"Oh, this should be good. What is it?"

"It is a small rhyme that was discovered in one of the destroyed settlements, and was preserved in one of the tomes of continents, which is now excluded from modern editions. It goes, 'In this land we have defended from all things dark and cruel. Now we are defenceless in a land where dragons rule'. What do you make of that?"

Qrow stared at Ozpin with a hard look of incredulity.

"Dragons?" he repeated. "You've got to be joking, Oz."

"That is the rhyme. I can show you if you wish."

"Dragons! You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, right? I've seen a lot of weird shit and heard lots of crazy things, but this one takes the cake."

"We're a secret Order tasked with locating and training the Four Maidens who've been gifted the powers of the Gods, and you're drawing the line at dragons?" asked Ironwood in amusement.

"The alcohol hasn't killed all my brain cells yet—so yes, I'm drawing the line at dragons! All this is, is just another Grimm attack where people think they're seeing magical creatures. Maybe a pack of Elder Wyvern Grimm turned up or something, and whoever wrote this was being colourful—the poetry gives that away."

"What about–" Ironwood began, but was silenced by a dismissive hand wave from Qrow. "The Dark Continent is shaped like a dragon, Qrow, so it has some merit, at least."

"People like to see what they want to see—enough booze makes a four look like a nine, so there!"

"Oh, c'mon! Now you're being disingenuous."

"I'm being realistic, Jimmy."

"100 Lien we find real, live dragons."

"I'll fucking take that bet! I'll actually win this one."

"Howbeit, there's no evidence—other than this rhyme—of what happened to the settlements on the Dark Continent" continued Ozpin, putting down his pen and rising to his feet, before walking towards the window that overlooked the courtyard before the tower. "Qrow's incredulity is very much warranted, and his point regarding the embellishment of events is as valid as his theory..."

On the small bookcase below the window, sat several picture frames housing photos from many years ago. The largest photo was the one that held the Huntmaster's attention. It was a panoramic photo of an area somewhere on campus, with a number of people in it divided by a large tree, and most were known. Ozpin himself was there, much younger of course, with Glynda beside him. To his right was Oobleck and a much more in shape Port, as well as Ironwood without any grey hair, standing at attention with his hands behind his back. In between the professors was another young man of their age with black and green hair, and matching the others with a pair of glasses on his thin but friendly face. His hair was tied in a low ponytail, and he wore a green and silver tunic with a high collar, and two partially hidden rods attached to his belt. Only those present knew of his identity.

To the furthest left side of the photo, were two more people, one of which was clearly a younger Leonardo, standing sheepishly beside another Lion Faunus, who instead was standing tall and proud, with a well trimmed beard, and fire in his eyes. On the left side of the tree was Ghira bearing a genuine smirk, with Kali hugging his torso, smiling brightly. On either side of them were two more Faunus. One was a cheery looking Bear Faunus, even taller and larger than Ghira, and flashing a mischievous grin with his massive arms folded. He had an impressive amount of dusty-black hair on his head, with a streak of cream-blond partly visible from the front, but was otherwise clean-shaven. What was also just visible was the impressive hilt of some form of weapon that protruded from behind his right shoulder. It was long enough for at least two hands, even large ones, and had a peculiar pommel made in the shape of a banana bunch made of many hands, with each finger tipped with a small ruby. The other Faunus was a slim but muscular Wolf Faunus. Taller than Kali, he was still dwarfed by his kinsmen, though still looked to be a fearsome warrior. He had shoulder-length greyish-red hair with white-tipped wolf ears, and bright olive-grey eyes set in a face that was both keen and wise. His weapons were more visible, for they were a pair of Bagobo Bolo short swords, though judging from their scabbards, they were heftier than their civilian counterparts.

To the other side of the tree and photo, was Team TRQS. Qrow was leaning against the tree with his arms folded, as was Summer, sitting at the base of the tree beside him, facing the camera and hugging her legs. Beside them was an impressive gold and chrome motorcycle—seemingly a form of Harley-Davidson Low Rider—leaning on its stand broadside, with an extended dragon design on the gas tank. On the bike and facing the camera was a clean-shaven young man with shoulder length blond hair, grinning wildly with his muscular arms wrapped around a beautiful young woman that looked very much like Yang. She was leaning against him, smiling brightly as she hugged her boyfriend's arms.

Ozpin gazed at the photo in silence. His eyes slowly passed over each of their faces, feeling a pain in his heart that had never faded swelling, before suppressing it, and speaking again.

"However, as I said previously, there are certainly many strange things in the world, and I would not be surprised if there were dragons to the north. For now, there is another rhyme to devote our attention to, for we still only know one line of it:

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall Spring;

Renewed be the Ring that was broken,

The crownless again shall be King.

It holds the secrets we need in order to fight Salem, and only one line, two at the very most, have we managed to decipher their meaning. I do not have to tell you to meditate on them, as we have all been doing so for years. However, given that the wheel has begun to turn—faster than planned or expected—we must invest more time in mining said secrets. I pray we decipher them before it is too late."

The others nodded silently, knowing the truth of his words and their weight. After a few moments, Ironwood glanced at the clock that sat on Ozpin's desk, and looked over to Winter.

"Time is just about up. Major, please return to the harbour and make sure our security detail is ready to roll out from the capital and fly escort" he ordered. The elder Schnee nodded and saluted the others, before turning for the large double doors of the office, and left the room. As soon as the door closed behind her, the Huntmaster-General sighed and massaged his temples. "I'm not looking forward to getting home."

"Paperwork regarding the Council?" suggested Port, his walrus mustache twitching. "No doubt those pencil-pushers will be getting on your case about calling in more troops without letting them know. My advice to you, James, is if they give you any form of sass over this, you belt them right in the mouth. Your boys did a phenomenal job defending our northern border, and we're grateful for it. Lives were saved because of your tactical knowhow and quick thinking. And what do they know? We're professors and haven't been in the field proper for a long while, and even we know how things are done."

"We are keeping them in the dark about all this, Peter" reminded Oobleck, though far from thrilled with having to defend any Councilman. "I'm sure they'll see it was all for the best—begrudgingly or not."

"Doesn't matter. Their job is to make sure the plumbing works and the power stations are pumping out electricity, not tell us how to do ours. Don't forget that I've been dealing with this nonsense longer than all of you, and while I've never been to any Council meeting, I know just how slimy those thin-skinned, yellow-bellied, gun-shy, bureaucrats can be."

"Easy there, old-timer. No need to carpet-bomb them. They're just doing what they think is best, even when they disagree with me" James said, waving his hand gently to try and calm his friend. As expected, this caused them all to look at him as if he had turned himself into a Grimm, prompting him to return with a sheepish smirk. "Hear me out before you turn your guns on me. When I'm abroad, I always make it a rule never to criticize or attack the government of my own Kingdom. I do however make up for lost time when I come home."

"So if it ain't the shits on the Council," Qrow asked before sipping his drink, "what's making you gun-shy? Taxes? A woman?"

"Worse, if you can believe it. I'm going to have to talk to Seeadler, my First Sea Lord of the Admiralty. He's the one that provided the Jörmungandr and the subs, and is going to explode on me when I tell him what's happened to Big Blue. He's going to chew me out for not torpedoing it on sight, as he would much rather see her at the bottom of the sea than be in the hands of the enemy. I understand him entirely, but he and I have a...uneasy working relationship—the past few years being the rockiest."

"In what way?" asked Oobleck.

"He's been demanding that I secure funding to refit the Atlassian Navy for several years now."

"Weren't you pivotal in funding the very submarine program that resulted in the Blue Marlin?" asked Glynda, earning a nod of respect from the General for remembering.

"Indeed I did, but that was merely a compromise. He argues, 'Have you forgotten one of the mottos of our Kingdom? Atlas rules the waves! Just because we've taken to the skies, does not mean we must abandon the seas!'. He's right, and he's going to love jeering at me for the Paladin Project not performing as well as I'd hoped. Can't blame the ol' sea-dog, though. He knows better than anyone that the Navy's development has been lagging in comparison to the rest of the Atlassian Armed Forces—better engines and mileage doesn't cut it. He wants new classes of battleships, cruisers—light and heavy—destroyers, and corvettes, along with more carriers and new jets just for the Navy. That's a pretty big wish list, but I can't argue with a single thing on it. If I could grant him the funding, I would, but money doesn't grow on trees. I think I'll send Winter to tell him the news."

"Hiding behind your subordinate, Jimmy? Not a good look" teased Qrow behind his glass.

"Not hiding. Tactical diplomacy" Ironwood corrected, holding his glass with his index finger pointing to the sky. "Seeadler has a real soft spot in his heart for her, and she being the one to tell him, will allow him to think with a level head. Furthermore, those two have been friends for years, before she enlisted, as she's had a fascination with ships and Atlas' naval history since she was a child. He needs to take it easy, given his age. I don't want to have to retire him—when the war begins I'll need his expertise and grit—but the reality of the matter is that it's time for someone to take his place. He's almost twenty years my senior, and I don't think he has it in him to fight the war that's coming."

"Can you not appoint a new Admiral?" Ozpin asked cautiously, turning another page as he had returned to his desk. "A Vice-Admiral or one of your Sea Lords."

"None that reaches my standards—or Seeadler's for that matter. But I'm working on it. Keep in mind the mandatory age of retirement in our military is sixty-five, and the man is nearly seventy. Even if I were to find someone suitable, he would never accept it. He'd much sooner tie himself to the helm and go down with his ship than retire; not only to die at his post like a soldier, but to die at sea like a sailor. They sadly don't make officers like ol' Markus anymore, but I guess that's our own fault for not training our lads better. That would be a fair trade, wouldn't it? Seeadler retiring and taking a desk job to train the next batch of officers—from senior to petty. Alas, our standards—mine and his—are what's keeping us gridlocked."

Ozpin nodded, and began to return to his work, when something caught his eye. He looked out the window and saw something that brought a smirk to his face.

"We all have to face the music eventually. I think that will be all for now, my friends. We have students to send home, and much more work to do—which I now must rush to finish."

"What are you doing exactly?" asked Ironwood, looking at the pile of paperwork surrounding his fellow Huntmaster's desk.

Before Ozpin was a stack of stationary paper and envelopes beside an antique writing box made of dark stained oak. It had a lid cut at a forty-five degree angle, so when it was opened towards the writer it would click into place to become a sturdy writing board. The contents, usually hidden from a protective lid, were an arrangement of octagonal cuts of coloured shellac sealing wax, removable gold seals that could be screwed and unscrewed from the handle, and cleaning tools. To the left of the box was a small Dust burner with a melting spoon sitting above the flame. It had a spout for easy pouring, and a wooden handle as beautiful and of the same colour of the desk stamp and box. This was all very traditional, as while people did still write letters where electronic mail could not reach, there had been many advancements in postage, though there were those who enjoyed the craft still. Where the antiquity ended was the green fountain pen in Ozpin's right hand, which matched perfectly with the elegance of the writing box. A quill would have been too much, even for the Valian Grand Huntmaster, though one could be seen in the box itself, appearing to be a feather much like those of Harper.

"Writing letters" Ozpin replied, completing the sentence he had been working on.

"Don't be cute, Sam. Who are you writing letters too?"

"The expected parties" he replied, signing the letter. "There has been a great deal going on over the past few months, and I believe that those involved need to be updated on what has transpired."

This caught Qrow's attention, and he looked at his old friend with suspicion, fearing that the Huntmaster was taking matters into his own hands. Of course if that was the case then Ozpin would not say it aloud with Qrow in the room given their argument that morning, nor was it in his nature to go behind the backs of friends. Ozpin himself noticed this, and was about to give his friend a knowing look to reassure him, when Ironwood spoke once again.

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say if you have important things to tell our friends and do it quickly, you'd call them." The General then puffed on his cigar with a knowing look in his eye. "But I do know you better than that..."

"Correct" Ozpin replied with a nod, reaching into his writing box and plucking an emerald coloured piece of wax, and dropping it into the melting spoon. "Secrecy has always been of the utmost importance for the Order" he explained as the wax began to slowly melt. "And now with the reality of Leonardo's betrayal, we must be even more cautious. There is of course the personableness of a hand-written letter, which can never be replaced, and given the nature of what these letters contain, they require that quality. As to the question of haste, I would have written these sooner, if not for my need to learn the answers to many pressing questions, as well as time being limited. Furthermore, I must always be cautious with what I say, for one can always say more than one intends. With what the enemy has done to us, I dare not risk voicing sensitive information over the regular channels, but instead trust messages to be passed by special curriers. Qrow."

The Branwen looked at Ozpin expectedly, unsure of what he wanted, and watched him place one of the envelopes onto his desk, before reaching for the spoon and pour some of the wax.

"If you would" he pressed his stamp onto the blob of green shellac, "please take this to Tai. It is important Council business that he needs to see. Tell him that we require a response by the first of August."

The request was nothing out of the ordinary, other than Tai being at the centre of it. The last time Ozpin had asked Qrow to deliver a letter to his brother-in-law, it was to admit Ruby into Beacon with her sister's year. That had certainly soured things at the Xiao Long residence for a while, and it was only at the last possible minute had Tai given his response. Qrow hopped that this letter would bear better news, which there seemed apple evidence of, for the Council was less of a problem than the news of Raven's survival and betrayal. The Huntmaster's words were enough for Qrow, and he gave his friend an apologetic look as he reached out for the letter, which was returned with a nod of understanding, and no offense taken.

"Very good. Now I ask for you all to leave me to finish this task, as time is, as I said, limited. Take care my friends, and may the Light be with you all."

Without argument, the others drained what remained in their glasses, and left the office. Ozpin returned to his work, dropping more wax pieces into the melting spoon before addressing the letters accordingly, and making sure that the correct letters were placed in their matching envelopes. Harper watched him carefully as he did this, almost in expectation that his master would ask him to deliver these letters. Ozpin noticed this, and smiled.

"No, not today, my old friend" he said in a soft voice, "for while some of these letters are meant for within our Kingdom, others are for lands that would take, even you, far too long to fly." This caused the owl to puff his chest, almost in a scoffing manner, though the look in his eyes spoke that he was well aware of the destination of the letters. "You've also not recovered fully, and it would grievous me to send you on such a laborious errand."

Harper turned away to clean his right wing, not entirely satisfied with the situation. His master smiled at his stubbornness, and he carried on with his letters. Now that all was ready, each letter and accompanying token secured, he poured the appropriate amount of wax at the tip of the seal flap. He then pressed his stamp into the wax and held it for several seconds, before at last pulling away to reveal his mark; an owl's head in the centre of a laurel wreath. He repeated this several more times before opening an ink pad that sat in between of his in and out boxes, grabbed a large rubber stamp, tapping it into the pad, and stamped each letter above his wax seal. In red ink was the Arms of Beacon Academy, with it and his seal being the perfect indication that the letter was of great importance. Not all the letters bore this official stamp, but some things nevertheless required to be done in the required legal manner; to throw off the scent if nothing else.

"Well, that's that for now" Ozpin said at length, before glancing at his feathered companion. "Would you care to join me in handing them to their courier?"

Harper clicked his beak as his way of saying "yes", prompting the Huntmaster to collect the letters, and then rise to his feet. Once he cleared his desk, Harper leapt off his perch and sat comfortably onto his master's right shoulder. The pair made their way out of the office, but not before Ozpin snapped his fingers to extinguish the Dust burner, and for the writing box to clean and put itself away, and the large doors closing at the same time as the box.

λΛλ

Since leaving his friends, Jaune had made his way around the ceremony hall, and now found himself standing in front of the statue that was raised before the tower. The statue featured two cloaked figures, one of a young Human man clad in armour, sword in hand and raising it to the sky, and the other was of a younger-looking Faunus woman wielding a rifle and standing on a rock outcropping. Below them was a roaring Beowolf, which somehow the sculptor had managed to capture the hate in the Grimm's eyes in this stone counterpart. He and so many other students had seen the old statue, erected in the year of the school's founding several centuries ago, and most used it as a rendezvous point, rather than appreciating what it represented. His eyes scanned the faces of the Huntsmen, slowly working his way down to the bronze plaque that was installed at the base.

This plaque held the meaning behind the statue, and Pyrrha had been the one to point out to him that many students did not pay any attention to it. It was a large rectangular plaque, two feet by three feet, fitted against the outcrop at an angle. There was a long inscription upon it, which was not the names of the founders of the academy, nor was it the names of the fallen. Those memorial plaques did exist on campus, but this was not it. At the top, were three words, leafed in gold that shone in the sunlight, and had caught his eye when he first came to Beacon. They then led him to read the verses below, and he knew what it was and what the statue represented. He now gazed upon those golden words, which now held more meaning than they ever had before: The Huntsman's Oath.

From dusk till dawn, I will hunt the Grimm

I swear to defend my kith and kin

To defend the realm and her folk within

To battle the Darkness is my hymn

For I am a Huntsman, and this is my vow

From dawn till dusk, to defend the land

From Grimm, from war, all evil at hand

To repay for the power the Gods endow

Protect me and my brothers, all that we pray

To return to our homes, and the love of our kin

For after we rest, it is time to begin

To commence our hunt, and we dare not delay

In life, in death, your glory we praise

To slay the Grimm till the end of days

Jaune read those words slowly, letting their weight sit on his heart. He was so focused on their meaning that he did not notice that someone was standing behind him until the figure spoke.

"Wandering once again, Mr. Arc?"

The blond spun around in surprise, seeing that it was Huntmaster Ozpin with his owl on his shoulder, and he was certain that he had neither heard nor sensed the man's approach. How could a man needing a cane sneak around like that? Unless the cane was his weapon and not a crutch, Jaune would be left without an answer.

"Forgive me, did I startle you?" he asked, a small smile of amusement on his face.

"No, not at all" Jaune replied, slightly sarcastic.

He then eyed the man carefully, as he now knew he wasn't merely the wise Huntmaster that had protected him and his friends by giving them a place at his academy. Pyrrha informing him that the docile head of the school was actually the leader of an ancient order formed to save the world, made Jaune look at him in a different light. Admittedly, he wasn't sure if that light was of reverence or caution, as the truth hadn't truly set in yet. Clearly they knew that Pyrrha had told him the truth, for Qrow wouldn't have threatened him otherwise, and it was Ozpin that had said he was trustworthy enough for her to tell him, so was he being skittish for nothing?

"As far as you are concerned, I am nothing more than your Huntmaster" he said steadily, as if he were able to read Jaune's mind.

"That's easier said than done" Jaune pointed out. "Are you really a wizard or something? Pyrrha was kinda vague with the details on that one."

Ozpin smiled at that, and he held up his right hand with his palm facing the sky. It began to glow green with Aura, and to Jaune's surprise, a four-legged dragon with large wings emerged, and it reared its head as it breathed green fire.

"Yes" he said calmly, gesturing for the dragon to take flight, which it did, circling Jaune twice before resting on his left shoulder.

The blond looked at the small dragon in astonishment, and he forced himself to swallow as he looked at his Huntmaster.

"So...magic is real then? How does it work? How is it different to Aura and Semblances?" he asked, slightly shaken. "Pyrrha was a little vague on that too—not that I asked her since...there was a lot to process this morning."

"It's rather simple really. Aura is the energy within us that comes from life and our souls, and Semblances are the manifestation of that energy in conjunction with our souls to produce a power that is just as unique. Magic on the other hand, is the specific utilization and implementation of Aura to create specific outcomes beyond the limitations of one's Semblance—or as most would refer to them, spells. Magic is akin to mathematical equations, with Aura then fed into those equations, to produce a desired result. I am a professor of folklore and religion, so I did not have the expected mind for such things, but twenty years of dedication has proven fruitful. Interestingly, I've come to the unpopular opinion that 'Semblance' is not the best term to describe our Huntsmen abilities. I much prefer 'Radiance' or 'Reverberacion', with the latter meaning 'great flash of light'. I doubt I will ever convince people to abandon 'Semblance', let alone for a word such as 'Reverberacion', so I think it would be best to jettison that venture—though I will stand by 'Radiance'. Anyhow, I imagine that it was a rather staggering experience for you learning of the charge Miss Nikos has undertaken."

"That's the understatement of the century" the swordsman replied honestly, keeping an eye on the dragon that had now decided to curl up and take a nap on his shoulder. "H-How did you take it when you found out? Pyrrha said you were the one who found a book written by an old Paladin. How were you convinced that what he wrote was true, and how did you convince General Ironwood and Ruby and Yang's uncle? Pyrrha had to show me her powers so..."

"Yes, despite the world we live in there are still things that are too much to swallow. I suppose it was a combination of my nature of digging into things to learn everything that I possibly can, I found enough to confirm the Heidrian the Heroic's claims, as well as experimenting with magic and learning I had a talent for sorcery as well. There was a leap of faith, naturally so, but I was confident in what I learned was true—both through research and experience. I have always believed that myths have their historical importance, especially at times of crisis. As for my friends, it was much easier than one may think. We learned and saw together, and we believed. While seeing is believing, I think that believing is seeing. Sadly, I fear that in time all will learn the truth, and in far ruder fashion."

"That makes sense." Jaune then paused for a moment before asking the next question. "Then when can our teammates and friends know?"

"Soon, I think. While I do believe that your friends will handle the truth well, there still requires some more growing up. There is of course the matter of Team RWBY's families to consider, which does impede their learning of the truth, so that must be handled at a later date. As for Mr. Ren and Miss Valkyrie; while I think that Mr. Ren is resolute enough to bear the burden of the Order and the Maidens, and Miss Valkyrie will follow his lead, more growth would aid them. Furthermore, as brave of a face as Miss Nikos has put on, she is still shaken by all of what has transpired, so I believe it is best to allow her to centre herself more before bringing the others into the fold." Ozpin then paused to examine Jaune's face, and after a moment spoke again. "And how are you taking all of this, Mr. Arc?"

"I still don't know what to think or feel" he replied honestly. "But as long as I can still stand by her, then I can accept it. I just hope I'm strong enough for when everything kicks off."

Ozpin nodded. "I thank you for that. She was very adamant that you remain in her life if she became the new Fall Maiden. I truly apologize, as I never imagined that I would have to bring you children into this so soon, but this is the hand we have been dealt. The least I can do is not take away your happiness, especially when it is clear that it is true and strong. And you are strong, Mr. Arc. You must remain strong, for not only is Miss Nikos your pillar of support, you are hers. She needs you more than she confessed, which was one of many reasons as to why I have supported your relationship, and you have my deepest gratitude for being her boyfriend. There are other reasons of course, but I shall keep them secret for the time being. I have seen enough of those bonds break with myself powerless to stop it..."

He shut his eyes for a moment, as if halting whatever emotions were rising in his heart, before opening them again.

"But I don't doubt you will rise to the occasion when it is needed. Strength is granted to us all when we are needed to serve great causes, which is also why my friends and I reformed the Order. So tell me, Mr. Arc, why are you standing here alone when you should be at the harbour?"

Jaune was silent for a moment, before he finally answered.

"I'm just trying to organize my thoughts" he said slowly. "So much has changed throughout this year. I came trying to figure out who I was and make something of myself. Not only have I done that, or at least started on the path towards it, but I made a bunch of great friends, and found the love of my life, who's not only the champion of Mistral, but now a Goddess—or a herald of Light. It feels like I'm living in a dream, and at any moment, I'll wake up and find myself at home, where nothing's changed. I feel incredibly blessed, and I feel like this is only the beginning, with no clear idea where it'll end. I know where I want it to end, but I don't know if and when I'll get there. I'm sorta starting to feel lost again, when I know I shouldn't. I sound like a mess, don't I, sir?"

Ozpin eyed him for a moment before chuckling.

"No, not at all, Mr. Arc. I think you have meditated on this deeply, and know how important it all is. With the people beside you, I have no doubt that you will feel more confident as time goes on. You are correct, a lot has transpired this year, and you have come out of it exactly as I expected."

Those words awoke a question that Jaune had thought of ever since Pyrrha had told him the truth that morning.

"Huntmaster" he began carefully, "you said that you saw something in me, some kind of spark of potential, and that's why you let me stay despite my transcript being obviously fake. And I started to think you were right, since Pyrrha and my cousins started saying they saw it too. But today, I heard that General Ironwood met and remembered my father, and since you're friends with him, I'm starting to wonder if he told you who I was, and that's why you let me stay. Since that's why you protected Blake, and the rest of Team RWBY, I'm starting to wonder if you did the same for me."

"An understandable observation, however, that does not explain why I gave Mr. Ren and Miss Valkyrie the same courtesy. I have not lied to you, Mr. Arc, I did see that spark, and I will not lie now and say that I did not know who you were. I recognized your family name, though I was not aware you were the Major's son, for it was James who told me after the fact. I care not where people come from or who they are, so long as they are decent and care about the Huntsman's cause. My special treatment ended at letting you take on our enemies. Deciding to let you—as well as allowing your teammates—to stay, and accepting Miss Rose two years early, was my judgement as a Huntmaster that you were all full of great potential to become even greater Huntsmen. That is my job after all, to help young people flourish into the best warriors they can be."

Jaune gazed at the silver-haired man, who sensed that the blond was still a tad sceptical, and gave him a comforting smile.

"I must admit, Mr. Arc, you are the most reluctant student I have ever had. You need to take a bit of pride in what you have achieved, for it is a great deal. Yes, you were nearing getting lost, like a raven in the night, not trusting your friends when you should have, and thinking of leaving the academy prematurely. However, you course corrected, and now you have become a man. Pride can lead to arrogance if left unchecked. However, I doubt that Miss Nikos and your friends would ever allow that to happen. Also, I think you are more mature than that. So carry on, Jaune, son of Angus, and return to your lands in the north with pride. Rest well, and return in the autumn ready for toil, for the road of the Huntsman goes ever on and on. Which reminds me."

The Huntmaster lifted his hand, holding it flat, and green Aura arose once again. A collection of envelopes stacked atop one another formed, and what seemed to be a small parcel, and he extended his arm to the blond.

"If I may ask of one more favour of you, would you please bring these to your friends? They are all marked accordingly, with one for your father, as he needs some clarifications regarding your admittance. Fear not, I have not penned anything unnecessary, but all is the truth. I assume you are more than capable of explaining things to your parents, and have no doubt been planning for it—which I both expect and advise for you to do better than you did in my office."

"Of-Of course" Jaune replied, accepting the letters with both hands, though Ozpin's words were not as reassuring as he would have liked.

He had indeed thought about the inevitable conversation he and his father would have when he returned home, and not simply about his relationship with Pyrrha. He was certainly more confident, but he still knew his father, and he knew he had to do things right. Ozpin noticed the conflict in the blond's eyes, and rested his hand on his free shoulder.

"You may not have chosen to become a Huntsman because you heard the call, but you clearly have come to stay. Stay on that road if you can, wherever it may lead you. Goodbye, Sir Jaune, and safe travels."

The Huntmaster then left the blond standing alone by the statue, mulling over his words, when Ozpin stopped, and looked over his shoulder.

"Oh, and one more thing: not all who wander are lost."

With that, he walked away, with Jaune watching him as the green dragon suddenly awoke, and leapt off his shoulder, taking flight before fading into nothing. He kept his eyes on the Huntmaster until he disappeared from view, where he then sighed through his nose. He looked at the ground in pensive thought, before glancing up at the statue, and looked into the stony but proud face of the Huntsman. Jaune put down the letters at the feet of the statue, and taking a deep breath, he drew Crocea Mors, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. He pointed the blade into the air, directly at the sun that nearly hung immediately above him, and spoke strongly and clearly.

"I swear upon my honour and that of my House, to the sun and the Light, that I will serve as a Huntsman to the very end. I will fight the forces of Darkness, and may the Great Lancer watch over me. For I am Jaune, son of Angus, son of Maximilian. I am an Arc, I am a Knight, I am a Huntsman."

He held his sword before his face, and struck his cuirass with his other hand, before sheathing it. He bowed to the statue before collecting the letters and put them inside the rucksack he'd been carrying, having not bothered to leave it with Pyrrha. After making sure they were properly stored without getting damaged, he shouldered his pack once more, and began to walk in a straight line to the harbour; his heart beating with pride.

λΛλ

The Beacon Academy Harbour sat at the very edge of the cliff that overlooked the Vimy River, which connected with the Sea of Souls. It was a multi-vessel harbour, with the top of the cliff housing the airship docks, and below housed the docks for sea-vessels. The streams of water that ran westward tumbled over the edge in several small waterfalls into the river below. They had been diverted slightly in order to construct the upper dock, which was beneficial for the lower deck's reconstruction. During the Great War, an amphibious assault had destroyed the original sea docks, as well as part of the academy, for that had been the primary target.

The airship docks were very crowded, filled with students gathered into lines to fly home. Less ornate but just as large banners with the Kingdom and academy crests were placed on the docks, indicating which ships were bound for where, with the Atlas and Mistral lines obviously being the longest. There were also students from Vacuo waiting in their line to fly home, though a number of them were below boarding one of the sailing ships, as the chance to enjoy a cruise after living their entire lives in a desert, was too much to pass up. There were a few students from Vale that were flying as well, though most would simply take a bus or train within the Kingdom. Nonetheless, most Beaconites were present to say goodbye to their new friends. Even though they had come to either compete or cheer on their classmates, it was hard to not get along and become fast friends, especially those who were quickly becoming more.

At the centre of the crowd stood teams RWBY, JNPR, SSSN, and CFVY, who were all patiently waiting for Jaune. Thankfully they did not need to wait for long, as they saw him passing through the crowd, and walk up to them with a smile on his face.

"Sorry for the wait" he said with a wave. "Just needed to tie up a loose end."

"Don't worry, we haven't been waiting long" assured Ruby.

"Is everything alright?" asked Pyrrha, always concerned for the blond swordsman.

"I've never been better" he replied, and kissed her to send the point home.

"Well, now that lover-boy is here" began Coco with a grin, "we can say our goodbyes. We need to catch our train south to Ker-Is City, so we have to jump on one of those ferries below. Congrats again you two, and don't let your critics get you down."

"Thanks and don't worry. They can critique us all they want. The only opinions that matter I already have, and will get the ones that remain this summer" Jaune replied.

"Bringing her home to mom, are ya?"

"Yup, and then over to meet hers."

"That'll be fun. Nervous at all?"

"Sorta. No idea what crazy stuff my family will pull, but I know they'll do everything they can to embarrass me. I'm really looking forward to meeting her mom, but I just hope I don't make a fool of myself."

"You won't" Pyrrha assured with a smile. "Just be yourself."

"They've been like this non-stop" informed Yang with a half-amused half-annoyed smirk, before looking over at Ren and Nora. "Hope you two are ready to deal with that all summer."

"Oh we know" Nora answered with a grin. "We're looking forward to it, actually."

"Have fun~" sang Coco, winking at Pyrrha, as she and her team said their goodbyes, and walked towards the end of the airship docks.

There was then a moment of silence, as the Goliath in the room made itself very much known. Neptune and Weiss glanced at one another, and they knew exactly what needed to be done. Their friends were also aware, and they wanted to encourage them to get it over with, as they all knew what the result would be, but were also sensing how awkward the situation was becoming.

"Scarlet and I'll take the luggage aboard, shall we?" said Sage somewhat smoothly, and saluted to the others before grabbing Sun's suitcase. Scarlet did the same before taking Neptune's, and they both walked towards the Paraíso bound airship.

Neptune, knowing that the ball was in his court, gestured away from the others to a small unoccupied spot of the platform, that appeared to be out of earshot.

"Ladies first" he said calmly. Weiss simply nodded, feeling her heart skip a beat anxiously, and began to walk away from her friends, so distracted that she pulled her luggage along with her.

As the pair walked away, the others watched them with varying levels of consternation.

"This is so dumb" muttered Sun, folding his arms with a frown on his face.

"Tell me about it" added Yang, equally annoyed. "He's totally into her."

"The question was never if they had feelings for one another" reminded Pyrrha. "The question was would Neptune be willing to put up with the scrutiny of her father and critics. I think he will say yes."

"Of course he will" the Vacuan Faunus retorted. "It's still dumb that they waited this long when we all knew that they'd end up together."

"Just hang tight and watch" said Jaune calmly. "I have a feeling things will go even better than you think."

The others glanced at him curiously, not sure as to what he was referring to, though given that he had spoken to Weiss privately a few days prior, he could possibly be privy to something they didn't know. Blake remained particularly silent, as Sun's words in conjunction with the situation at hand, made her feel her own apprehensions.

Neptune and Weiss now stood facing one another, both hesitant and nervous. Weiss of course feared that his answer would be no, though what logical part of her mind that wasn't succumbing to anxiety told her that he wouldn't have dragged her around for this long if he wasn't serious.

"So..." he began, rousing her from her thoughts, "here we are." Silence then fell between them for a moment, as the blue-haired Vacuan swallowed tensely, before speaking again. "I'm sorry for not giving you an answer sooner. It was wrong of me to make you wait this long."

"No, it's alright" she replied, doing her best to hide her timidness. "We both know the gravity of the situation, and I should have told you before our date. I know that it was not the most romantic thing to do by bringing it up during our dinner, however, you needed to know the truth. I was being selfish, so giving you as much time as possible to think on it, was the fair thing to do."

"But doing this last minute's not great either. I could tell you were walking on eggshells the past couple days you were hanging out with me, and I felt like such an asshole. You deserve better since you gave me a second chance after turning you down at the Dance."

That caused Weiss to smile, if but a small one, before she felt it fade as the question she had wanted to ask him for days was now on the tip of her tongue.

"So what is your answer?"

Neptune nodded, and took a deep breath. He stood straighter, and he made sure to look her in the eye before opening his mouth, when Weiss' Scroll rang. Quickly the heiress pulled out her Scroll, and without looking at who was calling, rejected it and began to turn it off.

"Who was it?" he asked.

"N-No one" she replied hastily, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. Why hadn't she closed it before hand?

"It was your dad, wasn't it?" Weiss' flinch confirmed his guess was correct, and he sighed. "You should probably answer him. He must be...worried about you."

"He can wait. You demand my attention more than he does." This of course wasn't entirely true, as Jacques had been trying to contact her for weeks. She knew that her radio silence with him was only throwing fuel on the fire, and he would unload on her the moment she arrived home, but at least she would have a proper foundation for a response when she got her answer from Neptune. "Please, go on."

Neptune rolled his tongue over his teeth, accepting her request, and was about to try and speak again, when Weiss' Scroll chimed.

"Um Götter willen! (Oh for Gods' sake!)" she hissed in frustration, beyond annoyed with herself for being such a childish wreck that she failed to even turn her Scroll off properly. She then noticed that it wasn't her father calling her again, but rather he had sent her a text—something he had never done before. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the message, and began to read.

Father: You may have been able to ignore my phone calls, young lady, but the moment you arrive home, we are going to have a VERY long conversation. I have been patient, but it has officially run out. I see that letting you study abroad has caused you to neglect your responsibilities. I have seen the papers, and my secretary has been bombarded by newspapers wanting to know about you and this boy. I have told them that this is nothing more than you having a moment of childish weakness, but this has gone on for long enough. Since your sister has claimed to be too occupied with her military duties to ask you for me, I will give you this warning: you cannot associate yourself with simply anyone you wish as heiress of this family. You are besmirching the family name by allowing people to think you are involved with such trash as a Vacuan vagabond–

That final line caused Weiss to inhale sharply, her eyes widening at the hypocrisy and hubris of her father's words.

"Besmirching? Vagabond?" she repeated in a low voice, her hand gripping her Scroll tightly in anger. Then, her face turned from growing wroth, to cold amusement, as a smirk spread across her face. "Alright then, Father" she said calmly, letting her Scroll fall onto her luggage before looking back at a confused Neptune. "How is this for besmirching?"

Before Neptune could say anything, Weiss stood on tiptoe, reaching up to clasp his cheeks, and pulled him down to press her lips deeply onto his. It was her first kiss, so she let her instincts guide her, and did what she had wanted to since before they had their talk outside the Coliseum. Neptune was in such shock, that he only kissed back the moment she began to pull away, and the expression on his face must have been to Weiss' liking, because she was smiling like he had never seen her do before.

"I...um..." he stammered as his face turned red, "wh-what about your family?"

"I don't care" she replied without hesitation, taking his hands in hers. "I can choose whomever I want to date, and my father will have to accept you since I am the heiress. I have the highest grades of anyone in my year, I won my match in the tournament, I have Glyphs, and I have fought triumphantly against the White Fang. I will stand my ground and make him consent to our relationship if he won't accept you personally. My family can disapprove all they want, but I do not care what they'll say–"

"Is that so?" said a voice.

The couple turned to see that it was Winter who had spoken, and was now standing before them, her hands behind her back, glaring at them with steely cold eyes. Weiss and Neptune stared back, completely frozen, knowing that they now had to put their money where their mouths were.

"S-Sister..." whispered Weiss, not knowing what she was to do or how the elder Schnee would react.

"I was hoping that I would get a chance to speak to you sooner on this matter, however my duties came first" she said steadily with the warmth of the tundra. "Now that I am here however, I can finally take a good look at this boy."

Winter said that last word with such icy venom that it caused both teenagers to swallow nervously. Knowing that he needed to set a good first impression, especially with the sister Weiss looked up to with such reverence, Neptune put out his hand whilst maintaining eye contact.

"Good afternoon, Miss Schnee" he said, taking care not to use her first name until they were better acquainted.

"Miss?" Winter echoed, a slight scowl on her brow, her pronunciation of that honourific communicating her offense more than her expression. "Tell me, do you think that I decided to earn these Major badges for a lark?" she asked, tapping the strip on her left shoulder.

Neptune winced, realizing that he stepped on a landmine, even though he had done what he thought was enough to avoid it.

"N-Not at all Major Sch–"

"Quiet!" she snapped, and he shut his mouth instantly. "Stand up straight!"

He complied, placing his arms to his sides tightly, and stared passed her like a cadet being chewed out by a drill sergeant. He was taller than Winter, and yet felt he was an ant beside a snow-capped mountain. Weiss stood beside him completely silent, watching her sister glare at him with piercing eyes, utterly unsure of what would happen next. This was the first time she had seen her sister interact with a boy that she liked, and had not a clue as to what Winter would do, nor how Neptune would react to it.

"What is your name?" the Major demanded.

"Neptune Vasilias, ma'am!" he replied instantly.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen on the 23rd of July!"

"Where are you from?"

"Vacuo, ma'am! Originally from the village of Locri on the northern coast!"

"What is your family's occupation?"

"Fishermen! Fourth generation owners of Trident Fisheries!" Neptune replied as he slapped the blue trident badge that had been sewn onto his jacket.

"What is your affiliation with my sister?"

"I'm...well...I don't know if I'm officially her boyfriend yet or not, but I'm interested in her."

"Interested in her or our family providence? Our fame? Our wealth?"

"No!" cried Neptune, swallowing. "Just her!"

"Are you sure? Those thoughts never crossed your mind when you asked her to the Beacon Dance?"

"Well...she asked me, actually."

"Answer my question!" snapped Winter, not in the mood for dawdling. "Did the Schnee Dust Company not factor into your decision to pursue my sister?"

"No, ma'am! I...I turned her down" Neptune confessed, feeling shame wash over him. "I-I've never had a girlfriend before, so when Weiss walked up to me and asked if I wanted to go to the Dance together, I panicked and said no. P-Partially it was because I'm a terrible dancer, and I knew I would make a fool of myself and Weiss, but mostly because of who Weiss was, and she being interested in me. I tried to pretend that it was no big deal, but I felt terrible, and even more so when a friend of mine confronted me about it. He's the one who convinced me to crawl back to Weiss and beg for her forgiveness. It worked out in the end, but I still haven't forgiven myself for it. Since then, I've tried to spend as much time as possible with her, and learned who she really was as a person. She's not at all what people think she's like—some rich Ice Queen who looks down on people. Weiss can be so kind and warm, and I'm beyond lucky to be the guy she likes. I know I'm not rich or famous, and all I've got to offer is myself, but I really like her, and I'd like just a chance to prove to your father that I'm not messing around, and prove myself overall. Weiss told me about your family's high standards, and I know I fall short, but I'd like a chance to earn your approval."

A heavy silence then rested on the trio. Neptune was praying that his honesty would be worth something to Winter, who was now staring at him as if she were trying to bore holes into his skull. Weiss was holding her breath, not only waiting for what her elder sister would do, but was agape at Neptune's confession. Most of what he said she had already known, but there was some that was entirely new, and she desperately wanted to speak, yet she knew she could not.

The seconds ticked away, feeling to the Huntsmen-in-training that they passed at the same speed of an iceberg floating down the Atlassian coast, before Winter's expression finally softened.

"You are not at all what I expected" she said calmly, the biting cold in her eyes melting away. "While I cannot speak for my father, I think you have at least made a good first impression—at least to me. I will have to speak to you properly over tea, as I must get a better idea of who you are as a person—which will have to wait, as I have my military duties to fulfill. However, I can say with certainty that you are the best suitor that my sister has ever had. Not one has ever caught her eye or heart, so I warn you to not toy with her emotions."

"I'd rather drown" he said, which surprised him as much as it did Weiss.

"That can be easily arranged if you hurt her. If you break my little sister's heart, I will personally keelhaul you across the Atlassian Sea" Winter vowed, her threat sending far more than a chill down Neptune's spine. "But I sense that will not be necessary." She then turned her attention to Weiss. "Ich werde nicht die Brieftaube meines Vaters sein. Sie müssen ihm in dieser Sache allein gegenübertreten. Bleiben stark, kleine Schwester. Selten findet man ein so hübsches Exemplar, das nicht leer im Kopf und im Herzen ist. Sie haben meine stille Unterstützung. Viel Glück. (I will not be father's carrier pigeon. You must face him on your own on this. Stay strong, little sister. It's rare to find such a pretty one that isn't empty in his mind and heart. You have my silent support. Good luck)."

With a courteous nod, she left the couple and slowly walked away, her boots clicking on the concrete. Weiss and Neptune watched her for a moment before turning to one another, trying to process what had just occurred.

"So..." he began, "that went well?"

"I...think so" Weiss replied, just as stunned as he was, but was now focused on what Neptune had said to her sister. "You've never had a girlfriend before?"

The blue-haired Vacuo blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

"No..." he said slowly. "Yeah, I'm pretty popular, but the girls who cheer for me and the team I'm on are exactly that—cheerleaders. And like I said, I wanted to be a Huntsman to make up for not being able to take over my folk's fishing business. To actually try and go through all those girls that would throw themselves at me to find the right one would just get in the way. Plus, this level of popularity is kinda new for me so, I didn't know how to react when you of all people asked me to the Dance."

After a pause, Weiss said, "That...was my first kiss."

"...Mine too."

"Does this mean that your answer is yes?" she asked smiling, knowing very well what his reply would be, but nevertheless wanted to hear him say it.

Neptune smiled sheepishly and continued to rub the back of his head.

"I let you go once before because of childish fear. I'm not gonna make that mistake again. So, can you forgive me for taking this long?"

Weiss' smiled turned coquettish as she stepped closer.

"I think I could be persuaded" she said softly.

Needing no aid in understanding her intentions, Neptune leaned down and kissed her, his hands resting gently on her hips as she placed hers on his chest. From afar, their friends watched them proudly, glad to see that they had finally found each other. Thanks to Neptune's nervous rambling, they had heard everything, and it was as much touching as it was humorous. Sun was chuckling away, knowing better than anyone what Neptune felt for Weiss, and had been ribbing him to pull the trigger sooner. Yang and Nora filmed the entire interaction on their Scrolls, knowing that it would be a shame to let such an opportunity go to waste. However, it was Jaune who was the most intrigued by the lieutenant's confession, as it both answered some questions and brought up some new ones.

"And there we have it" said Yang with a shrug, ending her filming. "So much drama for nothing."

"Technically the drama won't actually begin until she returns home" pointed out Pyrrha, "though I think this will give her what she needs to deal with the possible fallout."

"They'll pull through" assured Sun. "Trust me, I've talked to Neptune about all this stuff with Weiss' family, and he's gung-ho about doing things right. And it looks like they have big sis' support, so my money's on things turning out in the end."

The others nodded in agreement, before Yang suddenly turned to them with a flash of mischief in her eyes.

"Hey, hey!" she said quickly to gain their attention. "Now that they're together, how many chilldren do ya think they're gonna have?" Only Sun and Nora laughed, though Pyrrha did smirk, leaving the rest to groan. Of course, as always, this never swayed the blonde. "And instead of having a baby shower they'll have a snow ball?"

"You've been sitting on those for a while, haven't you?" Ruby accused with annoyance.

"Hey, just because I was having trouble trying to get a pun to work with her name, doesn't mean I wasn't keeping other gems ready for the right moment."

"I thought those were cute" Pyrrha defended.

"Don't encourage her" Ruby replied.

"Too late" Yang grinned. "One day you'll all admit my puns are golden."

"Like pee."

"Brat!"

As the Xiao Long Sisters commenced their usual routine, Jaune continued to gaze at the new couple with captivation and pride. After a few moments, he finally spoke.

"I'll be right back" he announced, and walked towards them. Quickly crossing the distance, he waited a half second for them to break from their kiss, before clearing his throat to get their attention. They quickly turned to him in surprise, and blushed as they saw the mischievous grin on the blond's face. "Sorry for intruding, but I'd like to congratulate you two, and wonder if I could borrow him for a second."

The couple looked at one another curiously, before Weiss gave her permission, and Jaune clasped the taller teenager on the back, leading him away to speak privately. Weiss watched them go, a little unsure of what was going on, as well as already missing the boy she loved, when she noticed Yang waving at her to rejoin the group. She complied, and saw the looks her friends were giving her— all of which were varying levels of "It's about time".

"I do not want to hear a word" she said, cutting them off at the knees. "Bear in mind I have my work cut out for me when I get home."

"And a boyfriend" added Sun with a smirk, bringing a blush to her cheeks. "Thank you, by the way. You've made him happier than I've ever seen him."

"Am I really his first girlfriend?"

"Yep. He's got both Human and Faunus girls throwing themselves at him, but he's not a whore. He's way too respectful for that, and he just thanks them. I'm not as suave as he is, but I haven't reaped the rewards of fame either" he confessed, glancing over to Blake. "Though that's why he's taking this so seriously. Yeah, your family does make things a bit more complicated, but I bet he would treat you the same way if you were a regular girl."

His words comforted the heiress greatly, and she smiled at him with gratitude. Of course she had believed everything Neptune had said, though there was still some added weight to hear confirmation from his best friend.

Not too far from them, though just far enough for the group to not notice, Winter had walked to the opposite side of the dock, where Qrow stood leaning against the hull of an airship, arms crossed. They now were both watching the students, and Qrow glanced at her once she took place beside him, keeping her hands behind her back.

"And you give me crap for grilling the kids?" he asked.

"You get into their sex lives" she pointed out calmly, "my concern is solely my sister's happiness."

"And what's the verdict?"

"I'm not sure yet" she admitted. "He is quite respectful, honest, and shows more grit than any of those soft and divvy boys that surround her at balls and events. They were no different when I was her age, and I'm very happy she found herself one that truly cares for her. I cannot say where it will lead, but I will be here for her if she needs me."

"So how pissed will your old man be?"

Winter sighed. "He'll be outraged, no doubt. I can only offer my partial support, and not fight this battle for her. Mother will not get involved, unless something changes, and grandfather...if he stays with us, could judge the boy and give him his blessing. If he reaches his standard that is, which has no doubt risen greatly after my father's near three decade long venture."

Qrow eyed her quietly, seeing her face dim, before speaking again.

"And what's the ballpark average do you think of your old man and gramps to be won over?"

"Nothing short of a complete victory will force my father to surrender. How Weiss will achieve that, I do not know, however I do not think my father will ever accept Vasilias, unless he capitulates to him—which is not in the nature of any Vacuan. Grandfather just might. I can't be certain though."

"Gods help them," he muttered "and you for that matter. No wonder you don't date if that's what you have to put up with."

Winter's cheeks tinted pink from the comment.

"I do not date because I am not looking for anyone. Furthermore, I am no longer the heiress of the Schnee House and Dust Company. I have somewhat more freedom than my sister does, though I am still required to choose someone of better stock. It is of little consequence. I relinquished my position as heiress for the sake of the Order, and that is all that matters. My personal wants and desires can sit on the backburner until we defeat our enemies."

Qrow turned his head to her, and even though she was slightly in front of him, he could see the look in her eye. However, that wasn't what caused him to do what he did next. Her words alone affected him, and with only a moment of pause, he swung his left hand and spanked her rear. Winter squealed as her hands flew to her behind, as the sting of the spank was just as shocking as the spank itself. Despite Winter wearing a long coat over her trousers, Qrow's spank got through, and she turned on a dime to face him, eyes wide and face completely flushed.

"How dare..." she breathed, completely bewildered by his actions, and beyond frustrated by his blank but serious facial expression. "Who do you think–"

Qrow was having none of it, and he flicked her forehead, rather strongly, and without hesitation. She winced and moved her hands to her forehead, shocked by how much it had stung, and was about to shout at him, when the words died in her throat to the sight of him pointing at her with a hard look on his face.

"Listen here, F.N.G—and yeah I'll call you that since that's how you're acting—that was beyond stupid" he growled, making it sound it was coming from a deep place. "Seriously? How old are you? Early twenties? And you're going to cut yourself off from having any happiness, and any kind of future? You may be a Major in the White Army, but that's probably the dumbest plan I've ever heard next to the Council's to partially divert defense funding to tourism. So listen and listen good: don't rob yourself from enjoying life. You're a soldier and a Huntress. You know how quickly life can be taken when you least expect it. Who knows if you'll die tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year—fuck, you might not even see the end of this or worse, we lose. You might be the older sister, but take a page out of the kid's book and if you find someone who makes you happy, don't let them pass you by. You'll end up a bitter person hating yourself if you keep this up, and that is just as bad as what your mom is going through. So stop being stupid. And no, I'm not apologizing for either the spank or the flick. Take your licks and don't do that again, got it?"

Qrow then looked to one of the double-sided post clocks, checking to see how much remained before a particular ship was leaving. Winter stared at him silently, no longer feeling embarrassed or insulted, but instead felt something she'd begun feeling the more time she spent with him: pity.

"Wie der Topf den Kessel schwarz nennt...(How the pot calls the kettle black)" she said softly to herself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

To the other side of the platform, Jaune and Neptune were speaking while the two members of the Order were having their talk.

"So Weiss is your first girlfriend?" Jaune asked, his eyes full of curiosity. "Mind explaining that one?"

Neptune blushed.

"She's just my first. What about it?" He sucked his teeth when the blond gave him an incredulous look, and he sighed through his nose before beginning his explanation. "I haven't been a tall pretty boy my whole life. I was short and fat as a kid—got called 'Snow Cone' a lot because of my hair too. I didn't have any confidence because of it, and I figured that was how it was gonna stay for a long while. Then when I was eleven, I met Sun. He didn't make fun of me, and actually wanted to be my friend. He was all about training, even then, and with his help, I managed to drop the weight, right in time for my growth spurt. I learned from him and actually took time to put effort in how I dressed, and before I knew it, I was getting just as many girls making eyes at me as he was.

That got worse when we entered Shade and teamed up with Sage and Scarlet— well, 'worse'. It didn't take us long to start making a name for ourselves, and our fame grew, and with it came more attention from girls. I was able to act cool about it, and take it all as compliments, never letting it get to my head—by some miracle. But that was all an act, since I just didn't know what to do if I liked a girl back, or if she wasn't just into me because of my popularity. So when Weiss came up to me to ask me to the Dance, I just panicked and turned her down. Super cool, aren't I?"

Jaune lifted his eyebrows in surprise. This filled in the missing pieces of the puzzle, along with what he mentioned to Winter. However, he did have two that remained.

"Did you panic just because she came to you, or was it because it was Weiss specifically?" he asked carefully.

"Both" Neptune answered honestly. "Weiss is stunning. The first thing that came to mind when I laid eyes on her was, 'Snow Angel'. I know you called her that too, so you get it, but you had the guts to chase after her. I instead got cold feet. And c'mon, she's Weiss Schnee. She's not your average girl, and for her to be interested in me...I just spooked."

"It had nothing to do with not being able to dance, did it?"

"...A little. I didn't want to step on her toes in front of everyone." Jaune snorted and shook his head, causing Neptune to give him a slightly aversive look. "What? I know it was a shitty thing to do, but I figured that turning her down politely was better than embarrassing the shit out of her in front of the whole school. I'm not defending my actions by the way, I'm just explaining."

"Dude, relax" assured the blond, lightly punching the Vacuan in the arm. "I get you—I mean I really get you. I'm dating Pyrrha, which I know means nothing given I took a crack at Weiss so why would I think that Pyrrha was out of my league, but I did. I've tried to figure out why I thought that, and I gave up because I didn't know at the time. The point is I understand why it got to you. It's why you took so long to give her an answer right?"

"Yes and no. I was focusing on trying to do things right since I did think she was cool and beautiful, and the more time I spent with her, the more I liked her. I felt so ashamed when I froze during our team match, thinking I looked so pathetic to her. She didn't think of me at all that way, and it's been great ever since, as I've been able to be me, and at the same time see a whole new side to her. But then she told me about her family, and that was a big wake up call. 'You're dating THE Weiss Schnee, Neptune. What are you gonna do about it?'. And for the first time in a while, I felt lesser. I didn't feel like I was good enough, and that was fighting against my feelings since I was really starting to like her. I let her go once, and I didn't want to again. So I said yes. I knew it was yes after Sun and I talked about her and Blake the other day, and I know I should have told her sooner, but I wanted to make sure that I felt the same after sleeping on it a little."

"I get you. I knew I was in love with Pyrrha before our date, and I badly wanted to tell her, but I wanted to do it right" Jaune said with a nod. "And I know what you mean about not feeling good enough. I'm so far behind as a warrior, especially compared to Pyrrha, so it took me a while to accept she did have feelings for me despite me being so shit. But ya know what? It just drives me to be better. So don't let it get to you, even if her father looks down on you at first. Just remember that she picked you, and keep moving forward. We both made things more complicated than they needed to be, so just keep it simple from now on."

Neptune smirked. "Laying down wisdom on me again, huh?"

Jaune shrugged with a smirk of his own. "You have to practice what you preach, right?"

"Yeah, you're totally right."

"And I totally get how hard it can be at times to follow it. I know what my Semblance is, but I still can't awaken it, which is beyond frustrating. I need to awaken it ASAP, so I should be looking forward to Aura training with Pyrrha, but I kept pushing it off. I've finally forced myself to get my ass in gear and stick to my training. I haven't awakened it yet, but I have to stay positive and keep at it."

This caused the opposite effect Jaune had intended, as the blue-haired teenager looked down in shame.

"At least you know what yours is" he sighed, and laughed dryly when he saw Jaune's eyes widen. "Yeah, that's about right. I don't know what my Semblance is yet—if I did, I would have used it during the tournament, wouldn't I? I can control Aura just fine, but even after graduating from Oscuro and spending a year at Shade, I still can't awaken it. It's why I've given Ionio so many upgrades leading up to the tournament—to make up for my own shortcomings. I can fight well enough, but I know I won't be allowed to graduate and get my licence if I don't get it together and awaken it."

Jaune paused for a few moments, before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Looks to me we really are in the same boat. Just relax and take it day by day, man. Who knows, maybe we'll both pull through now that we've got our girls? I got my ass in gear for Pyrrha, and you fought well against her mentor to make up for freezing in the first match. I've made good progress since the Dance, and since you're much more talented than I am, I've got my money on you figuring things out sooner rather than later...which means I need to hurry up and not disappoint Pyrrha."

Neptune smirked appreciatively, and then asked, "I take it Ren's also a shipmate on this vessel—having a girl to fight for and all."

"Yup—and he's shaking things up with his training too" Jaune replied, before hesitating for just a moment. "I won't go into detail for the sake of privacy, but yup."

"Say no more. Thanks, Jaune. I'm back in your debt."

"Honestly, you did me the favour."

"How do you figure?"

"You winning Weiss' heart made me overlook Pyrrha, which caused her to confess to me. That was my big wake-up call. I felt terrible, and I did everything I could to make it up to Pyrrha, and here we are. So the way I see it, you're just as responsible for getting us together as I am for getting you and Weiss together."

Neptune tilted his head upward in thought, before grinning and holding out his hand.

"Then we're even" he said.

"That we are. Got anything else to share? Any secrets I should know about that aren't as bad as you think? I'm here to help if you need it."

That offer caused Neptune to hesitate for a few seconds, unsure of whether or not to take Jaune up on it. He decided to in the end, as it was now clear how much he and Jaune were similar, and he wouldn't laugh at him for it.

"Just one...but you'll think I'm crazy."

To his surprise, Jaune laughed.

"Buddy, nothing can shock me at this point—trust me. What's bothering you?"

"Well..." he paused again, shifting uncomfortably, "...I hear the sea calling to me."

'Well that's not at all what I expected' the blond thought. "What do you mean? Like you want to get back into fishing even though the water scares you?"

"Y-Yeah but…more literal than that. When I get close to the sea—any sea—I swear that I can hear it calling to me. It's not actually words or anything, and it's more of a feeling than sound but...yeah. I don't know how else to explain it."

Jaune thought for a moment, taking what Neptune was saying seriously, as it was clear that he wasn't lying. Trying to emulate Pyrrha, who was much better than he on such metaphysical matters, he came to what seemed like an apt conclusion.

"Is it a yearning? Like when you miss home?" he offered.

"Yes!" Neptune cried in shock. "But stronger. I've never felt anything like it before, and it doesn't make any sense, because I freeze completely when I try getting close."

"That's not nothing. I don't think you're crazy at all" Jaune assured. "I'm not sure what it means exactly, but I think you should look into it."

"I know. The others have been telling me to ask the professors at Shade, but you have to admit, it does sound a bit crazy on the surface."

"Like I said, nothing surprises me anymore. Think about it over the summer, and then talk about it with your teachers when the school year starts. As someone who kept that sort of thing secret from the people who want to help, it's going to go much smoother in the long run if you're honest."

Neptune nodded, the irony not lost on him. "It can't be wrong if it's the truth, right?"

"Now you're getting it."

"Fair enough. I've got the most beautiful woman in the world in my life now, so I have to pull myself up by my bootstraps."

"We'll have to agree to disagree on the first part, but you've got the right idea" Jaune grinned, with Neptune grinning back. The blond glanced up at the post clock, and realized the time. "When do you have to leave by the way?"

The blue-haired young man too looked at the clock, just as a voice came over the speaker system on the docks.

"Final boarding call for Shade Academy students! All Shade Academy students returning to Paraíso, please board the designated air vessel!"

"Well, there's my answer" the blond remarked.

"Guess so. Time to say goodbye" Neptune added, his heart dropping as his eyes met Weiss', as she had also looked to him. The pair rejoined their friends, knowing that this would be the last time they would see one another for a while. "It's time to go, man."

"Yup" replied Sun with a nod. "I hate to take you away from your girl, but you knew what you were getting into dating a foreigner."

"I know, I know" his friend sighed, not making things any easier for himself. He gazed at Weiss, seeing the longing in her light-blue eyes, and he took her by the hand. "But if it doesn't bother her, it doesn't bother me. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna miss the Hell out of her, though."

"Beacon is closer to Shade than Mantle" Weiss pointed out softly, squeezing his hand. "I'll miss you too. Call me when you arrive."

"I will, and you too—especially when you talk to your dad. Screw the time difference and call. I'll be waiting."

"I promise" she said, feeling her stomach tighten slightly at the prospect, but felt it settle when he smiled at her. "Travel safely."

"You too" he returned, before leaning down to kiss her goodbye.

However, just before he could, he heard someone shout his name. He straightened and turned to his left to see that it was none other than Allen, dashing towards him and carrying something in a wooden triangular case.

"Ah Neptune! I'm glad to catch you before your departure!" he said with a wide smile.

"Why? What's up?"

"I just wanted to give you a gift before parting ways" the minstrel explained holding up the case.

"What? A gift? I don't understand."

"Open it and you shall see."

Complying, Neptune opened the case, and his mouth hung open in shock. In it was a beautifully crafted eight stringed instrument, with an equally beautiful headstock, tipped with bright brass tuners pointing towards the player. The sound hole was perfectly round, and had a multilayered set of rings around it, looking very much like grape vines braided into a wreath. The neck and body were just as bright and beautiful, with silver foil floral designs on the sound board. It was truly a work of art, and Neptune was beside himself, wracking his mind as to why under the Light the man was giving this to him.

"I...I can't accept this" he managed to say at last.

"Of course you can. It is an old one of mine, and I think it would be better to pass it on rather than let it sit unplayed" Allen replied with a wave of his hand.

"But I told you I'm a fiddler!"

"Then it will be easy for you to learn! We may not have been able to play together, but there may still be a chance, as I'm inviting you to my wedding in a month's time. That invitation extends to Miss Schnee of course, and I would love for the both of you to join in the music making then."

The couple were surprised by the invitation, Neptune especially, as he didn't think that he made that much of an impression on the man to warrant such an honour.

"Th-Thank you. I don't think I can learn a new instrument in time, but I'll be sure to be in top shape with my fiddle" Neptune promised, closing the case and making sure that the straps were tight.

"I look very much forward to it" smiled Allen. "Till we meet again, and I will be seeing the both of you as well—or rather, the four of you, as I hear you'll be staying with Mrs. Nikos in Argus."

"Yes they will, as well as my mother who wouldn't miss it for the world" replied Pyrrha with a smile. "Till then, Allen."

Removing his hat, he bowed graciously, and turned back to board the airship destined for Mistral. In doing so, the others could see the rest of his friends entering the airship, who waved their goodbyes. They had of course intended to say their final goodbyes face-to-face, but once seeing what was occurring between Neptune and Weiss, they had decided to hang back. This prompted Pyrrha to wave to them, along with the rest of her team, knowing they would have much to discuss in the weeks to come.

As soon as Allen was out of earshot, Weiss quickly tugged on Neptune's arm so that she could whisper into his ear.

"That is a very expensive mandolin" she whispered excitedly. "It would be best if you take very good care of it and learn to play."

"How–" he began to say, but the words died in his throat when she whispered the estimated value in his ear, and he instantly held onto the mandolin as if it were his first born. "Is he fucking nuts?! I need to give it back!"

"That's just how he is" assured Pyrrha. "He has made a name for himself as a musician in Mistral, so money is not an issue for him. Though I must say, he must have really taken a liking to you to give you one of his personal instruments. Take good care of it, won't you?"

"Y-Yeah" Neptune stuttered. "I-I'll get this onboard, shall I? I guess I'll see most of you soon."

"See you in Mistral" said Jaune holding out his fist to bump him, which he returned before kissing Weiss one last time, and saluted the rest, treading very carefully back to the ship.

"Guess I'll be off then" said Sun with a smirk. "It's been a blast, and I can't put into words how awesome all of you are. I'm damn lucky to call you my friends."

"Likewise" the other blond returned, fist-bumping him.

"You're not too bad yourself" grinned Yang, doing the same.

"You throw awesome parties!" cheered Nora, joining in the farewell.

"Oh you ain't seen nothin' yet. When I can get you all to Vacuo, get ready to have your socks blown off" Sun assured.

"We'll figure out a date and you can show us what ya got" Yang challenged.

"Will do. Nikos..." the Vacuan Faunus held out his hand "I'll be training hard as Hell, and I'll kick your ass one day. I promise you that."

Pyrrha smiled and took his forearm in a tight but friendly grip.

"And I will be waiting."

At last Sun's eyes locked with Blake's, who blushed, not sure of what to say as they had run out of time. He merely grinned mischievously, just as he always had, and he winked at her.

"Be seeing you, beautiful" he said, and with one final salute, began to walk towards the airship.

Blake watched him go, and it took a moment for her to realize that she was holding her breath. It then took another moment to realize that all of her friends were looking at her.

"I-I know!" she stammered defensively, her cheeks burning.

"Will you shut up and go!?" hissed Yang, looking like she was about to toss the Cat Faunus over the edge of the cliff. "The ball of yarn is in your court, so move!"

Unable to do anything else, Blake quickly walked after Sun, trying to calm herself, but when she saw that he had stepped onto the gangway, she cried out for him to stop. He turned to her for a second, before shouting for the pilot to wait an extra minute or two, and then made his way back to Blake.

"Forgetting something?" he said playfully. He knew that they couldn't part without saying anything, and while he had been taken by surprise the last time they had spoken privately, he had a good feeling that this time things would be different.

"Y-Yeah" she confirmed, now aware of how dry her mouth was.

Here she was at last, standing before him, and her mind was completely blank. This should not be so difficult and she knew it. And yet, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, almost as anxiously as she'd been when she tried to turn him down the other night. Blake knew what she needed to do, and she should have done it sooner, so why was she now unable to form the words she had said in her mind for weeks, but never dared to utter aloud? Just say it she could hear in her mind, which only made her demand to know what exactly she should say; of course, getting nothing in response.

'Oh, fuck it' she cursed mentally, and did what Sun had not been expecting. She stepped forward, grabbed him by the jacket with both hands, and kissed him as deeply as she had wanted to the night at the Dance.

When she broke the kiss, her cheeks had darkened further, as the blond stared back at her in astonishment.

"W-Well" she began, her tongue feeling like it was about to fall out of her mouth. "I couldn't leave you hanging and not make it clear that I want to go out with you, could I?"

Blake felt her heart skip a beat when he grinned from ear to ear, but he said nothing, which only added to her nervousness. She was about to ask him what was on his mind, when without warning he grabbed her with his left hand behind her back and his right hand behind her left knee, and dipped her so that her heels were to the sky, kissing her with such passion that it took her breath away. This of course caught the attention of nearly everyone in their immediate vicinity, bringing about cheers and whistles. When Sun broke the kiss, Blake stared at him, eyes wide and her face completely scarlet. Never in her life had she been kissed in such a way, nor had she ever read of anything like it in her romance novels, as she would have certainly remembered it.

"I've wanted to do that for months" Sun said, his face beaming, before slightly dimming. "And here I was thinking I was gonna miss you like crazy before."

"W-We'll be able to text and call over the summer" Blake managed to say.

"I know. Doesn't mean I'll miss you any less. I'll try to visit Beacon as often as I can, I promise. I'll even go to Menagerie on break, since I've always wanted to go there."

"I'm sorry for making you wait this long..." she said honestly, "and for living so far away. You didn't know until the end of the festival."

Sun just smiled. "I didn't know a lot of things. I knew you were dealing with something. I didn't know what, but I knew that if I gave you the time you needed, you'd see I was serious about you and open up. As for you living on the other side of the world—Remnant is too small a place to worry about something like that. I'd swim across the Sea of Souls to Beacon, and even out of Bialmatri Bay to Menagerie for you. You're a strange animal, Blake Belladonna, but you're a strange animal I've got to follow. You're worth it all to me."

Blake's heart fluttered at that, as she knew he was entirely sincere. He wasn't Adam, not even remotely, and she kicked herself for being so childish and cowardly. She knew he cared for her deeply from the beginning, and he never once tried to take advantage of her in any way. It may have taken her this long to let him into her life, but she promised herself that she would never do that to him again. The life she had with the White Fang was now behind her, and she could now build her new life in peace, having her family back, a man that loved her, and friends who would do anything to help her. She knew that while Adam lived she wouldn't be entirely free, but she now knew she would not have to do this alone. With gratitude, she placed a hand on Sun's cheek with her arm around his neck, and they kissed tenderly like they were the only ones in the Kingdom.

Of course they were not, and their friends watched them in impressed amusement.

"About damn time—it's been like herding cats with her" sighed Yang, shaking her head, filming once again. "Seriously, I was this close to kicking her ass if she was going to let him go without sealing the deal."

"Not if I got my hands on her first" added Weiss.

"Leave them be" Ruby said with a soft smile. "They're together, and that's what matters."

"Exactly" added Pyrrha, smiling. "It's their relationship, not ours. All we can do is support them."

"And tease them" remarked Nora, earning a quick suggestive eye brow raise from Yang.

"Yep. Also, you've got some competition, Arc" the blonde warned. "Sun just blew the stunt you pulled at the Coliseum right out of the water, as you can clearly see."

"For now" said Jaune with a grin, confident he could top that, which Pyrrha picked up on and blushed.

"And for the record, I'm not bitching for nothing" Yang defended. "It was clear from the beginning they liked each other, and I hated what she was doing to herself. She refused to let herself be happy, and it drove me nuts. I'd kill for a guy to like me the way Sun does for her, and the fact she would pass that up because of whatever reason—though I know she had crap to deal with—was driving me crazy. I say this because she's my friend and I care about her—plain and simple."

"Well said" Weiss remarked, as she had given a similar speech the other night. "Uncouth as always, but right to the point."

Sun and Blake continued to kiss without interruption, until a piercing whistle brought them out of their bliss.

"I hate to do this, but the bus is leaving, dude!" shouted Neptune from the top of the gangplank. Reluctantly, they broke the kiss and Sun set Blake gently on her feet, but neither let go of one another just yet.

"I gotta go" he said, stating the obvious. "I'll be seeing you, babe. Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone."

"Look who's talking" she shot back, unable to hold back a playful smile.

Sun smiled back, and caressed her cheek tenderly.

"I'm too busy looking at you. I was right—you're a thousand times more beautiful when you smile."

"Now you're making me miss you terribly" Blake replied, her cheeks flushed from his words, though she had begun to miss him the moment he headed for the airship.

"Good."

With one last kiss and wishes of safe travels, Sun climbed aboard the airship, walked down the hall with Neptune, both in the best moods they had ever been in. They quickly found their friends and sat beside them, where Sun popped the seat back with a relaxing sigh, eyes shut and a peaceful smile on his face. This allowed the airship's captain to at last decouple his towline from the dock, and depart westward until reaching the coast, before turning aft to a south by southwest heading. Two Atlassian jets pulled up alongside the Vacuan vessel as escort, fulfilling the defence promise made by the northernmost Kingdom, though none were worried of a Grimm attack.

"You got 'er?" asked Sage once they were at cruising speed.

"We both did" his captain answered softly. "Gods, she's amazing."

"Yeah, she is" agreed Neptune, referring to Weiss.

"Glad to hear it after the both of you wouldn't stop rambling about them for weeks" Scarlet remarked.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be" Sage informed. "If Scarlet and I ever thought that you guys where making a mistake, we would've have said something—bros before hoes, right? And they clearly aren't slutty or empty-headed—we've talked with them enough to know that for sure—and we've seen how you guys act with them. You four are in love, and now that you've said it, we can celebrate."

Sun and Neptune were touched by their friend's words, though Neptune felt he was required to correct them slightly.

"That means a lot, Sage, though I haven't told Weiss I love her."

"Really? Why not? You do, don't you?"

"I'm...not entirely sure yet" the blue-haired teen said at length. "I have feelings for her, that's for damn sure, but if I think if I frame it as love this early, it'll do more bad than good. She's going to get it at home because of me, and that's been keeping me from thinking on what I truly feel. I told her that I wasn't going to let her go and I meant it. We've been invited to a wedding this summer, so I'll tell her then. I'm not sure about Sun, though."

"I didn't either" Sun replied.

"Why?" his teammates asked simultaneously.

"Blake's got a lot to deal with at home with her family too. She was the one that kissed me, and that was a big deal for her."

"But that doesn't explain why you didn't tell her" Scarlet retorted. "You do love her, right?"

"Damn right I do."

"So?"

"She knows—like all good women do. Don't get me wrong, I've wanted to say it for weeks, but she has big things she needs to take care of first. Now that she knows that her friends and I are here for her, and her parents want her to come home, she's putting herself back together. I know if I explain what exactly's been going on it'd make much more sense to you guys, but I can't do that. It's not for me to say, but trust me when I say it's big."

"I'm kinda shocked she told me—she could have asked me to stay downstairs or go back to our teammates" Neptune remarked. "But you're right. The same applies to Weiss, and I need to get my ass in gear. I'm not letting her shoulder all of this alone."

The four fell into silence for a short while, before Sun opened his eyes.

"Gentlemen, I have an announcement" he said, causing them to look at him curiously, the tone in his voice sounding serious but upbeat. "After we start the summer with a proper Vacuan bang, we need to get back to some hard training. Now that Neptune and I have girls worth fighting for, we all need to step up our game. Sorry to drag you into it, but I'm not leaving you boys behind."

"No worries, man. We're friends and teammates, and you're our captain. What you say goes" assured Sage, fully expecting him to suggest such a thing.

"Man, I thought I was motivated to train after losing to Nikos, but this fires me up way more."

"I feel you, believe me" Neptune assured. "Now more than ever I need to figure out my Semblance."

"We'll do it together, you have my word" Sun assured, holding up his left fist, which the lieutenant bumped his knuckles appreciatively.

The others nodded their support, and they drifted into thought, thinking of where their futures were now headed, and knowing that things were a bit more certain than they had been.

Back at the docks, Blake watched the airship disappear into the horizon, before finally turning back to her friends, fully expecting to be teased. When she reached them, Yang was standing there with her arms folded, smirking like a proud mother who wasn't so shy about her daughter getting a boyfriend.

"You know you could've enjoyed yourself for a lot longer if you hadn't beat around the bush, right?" she remarked, with some of their friends eyeing her with slight disapproval, agreeing that Blake shouldn't be teased on her hesitation. To their surprise, Blake smiled and nodded.

"You're right" she replied with a sigh. "If I hadn't been so hesitant and in my own head, I would've been able to have spent the past few months with him like Jaune and Pyrrha are now. But I did things the way I did because it's what I thought was best, even when it clearly wasn't. I should've been more trusting and honest, and I know now that things need to change. That's what I'll be working on from here on out. Right now, I need to take inventory. I got a boyfriend who really cares about me, I'm patching things up with my parents, and I have friends that I could have never dreamed of having. I think I'm gonna be spending my summer counting my blessings, instead of wishing of what I should've done or could've had. And since I've got a long flight to Mistral, and then a ship ride to Menagerie, I have a lot of time to think."

"That is a wonderful idea" said Pyrrha, with Weiss nodding in approval. "And there will be time in future for you to enjoy his company."

"Says the girl going home with her boyfriend" Yang remarked.

"Speaking of which, I think it is time for me to depart" said the heiress mournfully, glancing at the clock. "I'm going to miss all of you terribly."

"Me too!" cried Ruby, dashing into Weiss' arms and hugged her tightly.

Normally the Atlassian would not have been so soft-hearted, but many things had changed, and she returned the hug in kind.

"I was wrong" she said suddenly. "You have been a great captain, and I look forward to seeing you progress this coming school year." Then after a slight pause she added, "You've been a great friend, Ruby. I'm glad Huntmaster Ozpin decided to invite you to Beacon early. If not, then we might not have become friends. Thank you for everything."

Ruby's eyes widened in shock, never imagining that her lieutenant would compliment her like that, nor say something so personal. She remembered Weiss admitting the day Jaune's cousins came to visit that it bothered her she was two years younger, confirming what Ruby already suspected. To hear her apologize for it, though she had long been forgiven, struck a chord deep within. She felt tears beginning to form and she tightened her hug with all her strength before finally letting go.

"Are you crying?" Weiss asked, the sight of her captain's tears affecting her.

"No! Just got something in my eye" the younger Huntress-in-training defended as she opened a messenger bag that she'd been carrying since she left the dorms. She had been rather secretive with the bag, as well as its contents, but revealed its purpose at last by retrieving a medium sized package wrapped in a white cloth, furoshiki style, and a paper tag with a snowflake on it. "I-I made cookies for your trip home! I made them with less butter and sugar so they aren't too fattening! A-Also, I looked up some Atlassian desserts, and I tried making them. How do you pronounce these again? B-Bucht-teln, Magenbrot, and Beth–wow, Bethm-männchen? I'm sure I'm saying those all wrong, but I think they turned out OK. Let me know when you try them, and be honest so I can try better next time. Th-There's still something in my eye!"

The white-haired Atlassian stared at Ruby with her mouth slightly open, deeply touched by the small gesture. Her expression then turned uncharacteristically warm, and pulled her captain into another hug.

"Of course. Thank you, Ruby" Weiss said, doing her best to suppress her own tears as she accepted the gift, before turning to Blake and hugged her. "Try to stay out of trouble."

"I know, Sun already said that to me" Blake laughed, pulling out of the embrace. "As if I'm the one who needs to be told that."

"Don't worry, I extend that to the rest of you" Weiss assured, hugging Yang who snickered.

"Yes, mom" the blonde teased.

When Weiss continued down the line, she at last came to Jaune, and both looked at one another in a rather wistful manner. They had started their relationship in a rather rocky state. Weiss could tell that he was compensating for his lack of skill with boyish bravado, which only grated on her nerves when he then tried to court her. That annoyance grew when she noticed that Pyrrha was clearly interested in him, which baffled her beyond words. Alas, as time went on, she began to realize what kind of man Jaune truly was. Stripping away the pseudo pride and confidence, he quickly began to show his quality, which Pyrrha had brought out of him. The more time she spent with him, the more mature and competent he became, making him completely unrecognizable to the boy that first stepped onto Beacon Academy grounds. He was now a friend who understood her, and thanks to his own wisdom gained from his mistakes, he had helped her get together with the man she had fallen for. It was a debt she would neither forget nor leave unpaid, though she needed more time to think on how she would achieve that feat.

"Thank you, Jaune, for everything" she said at last, meaning it more than she could express in words, as she hugged him in gratitude.

"Hey, don't worry about it" he replied in kind. "Just focus on getting your dad to give you the green light, and think about the kids you'll have with Neptune in the future."

That comment caused her cheeks to flush, but the heiress smiled nonetheless, as it was a comforting and wonderful thought.

"Same for you."

At that moment, a girlish cry came from behind, causing them all to turn to see that it was Penny charging at them with authority, and without hesitation, grabbed Ruby and hugged her tightly, lifting her off her feet and swinging her side to side like a little girl getting a new doll for her birthday.

"Oh, Miss Ruby!" she cried with joy. "I'm so glad I managed to catch you before you left!"

"It's...good to see...you too, Penny" Ruby managed to say, having a little trouble breathing by the impressive strength the ginger Atlassian was displaying. "You can put me down now."

"Oh! Of course!" Penny said happily, and gently did so. "I'm going to miss you so much! I don't know when we will be able to see each other again, but I will try to contact you as often as I can."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Penny, and don't worry. You have my number so text or call whenever."

"Thank you! I am very busy most days, as I have many tasks given to me by F-Huntmaster-General Ironwood, but I shall do my best." Penny then looked at Pyrrha, and while she could not address her by her new title, she instead hugged her, which piqued everyone's interest, as they hadn't known they had become friends. "Congratulations again for your victory, Miss Nikos. Safe travels home, and I hope you reach even greater heights."

Pyrrha was also aware of Penny's odd behaviour, but was also aware of its cause. They were now "sisters" in the Order of the Maiden's Ring, which meant they were going to become friends sooner or later. As strange as Penny was at times, everything she did was genuine and out of kindness, which Pyrrha realized almost instantly.

"Thank you very much, Penny. Have a safe trip home as well. Oh, that reminds me, General Ironwood mentioned that you wished to have a rematch. I would be more than happy to fight you again. Simply let me know when you are free, and we can plan it properly."

The robot's face lit up at this, and she squealed with joy, tightening the hug further.

"Oh, thank you! I will check and reply to you as soon as possible!"

"Pardon me" said a voice suddenly, which they all recognized as Winter, who had approached with Qrow beside her. "But did you abandon your post, Cadet?"

Instantly Penny stood at attention and saluted the Major.

"Yes, ma'am! I did, ma'am! I am very sorry, ma'am!"

"At ease" Winter said, not really interested in punishing the robot, though it still puzzled her that despite knowing the truth, Penny's moments of disobedience were surprisingly Human. "However, you do need to return to Atlas—as do you, Weiss. I'll escort you to your vessel at the very least, as I will be returning with the General on the Veðrfölnir."

"Same for you two" Qrow said to his nieces. "If you miss your ship, Tai is gonna give me an earful."

"Are you coming with us then?" asked Ruby hopefully.

"Just till the ferry docks in Quilt Bay, but then I have to sail back to Albion. Like I said before, I have stuff to take care of here, but I'll come by soon. You got everything?"

"All in the pull behind" Yang informed, gesturing with her thumb to the yellow covered trailer hitched to her bike.

"Good, let's go." Qrow then looked to Team JNPR. "So you're heading north first right?"

"Yeah. Catching a long train ride to Azincourt" replied Jaune.

"Then I'll see you four off too, since you need to take one of the ferries bound for the train station. Make sure you kids have your stuff before we go and you're not forgetting anything."

"Oh, crap!" Jaune exclaimed, and quickly removed his rucksack.

"Did you forget something?" Nora asked.

"Yeah, a favour from the Huntmaster—thanks for reminding me, Mr. Branwen" he replied, which caused the others to look at him curiously. Opening the top flap, Jaune produced a neatly folded letter. "When I was taking a walk, I ran into the Huntmaster, and he asked me to give these to everyone before we went home. This one's for Pyrrha, that one's for me, this bigger one is for Blake, here's one for Weiss, here's one for Ren and Nora...weird, I figured there'd be one for Ruby and Yang."

"That's cuz I've got it" Qrow informed, tapping his vest. "I was there when Oz was writing those letters, and he gave it to me before I left his office. That's one of the reasons why I'm going back with my nieces to Patch."

"Not because you love us?" Ruby asked half-hurt with a mope.

"I said one of the reasons, pipsqueak" he shot back, ruffling her hair and smirked at the giggle it elicited. Yang on the other hand was looking past the tree for the forest.

"If the letter's for me and Ruby" she began, eyeing her uncle suspiciously, "why didn't the Huntmaster let Jaune give it to us?"

"Mine is addressed to my mother" Pyrrha announced.

"Me too—both my parents" Blake added, slightly unsure of the reason for it, though after learning the truth through Jaune the other morning, she felt that the purpose behind it was nothing to fear.

"Same here" added Jaune.

"As does mine, though for my grandfather as well" Weiss said slowly, looking over to her sister.

"Dies war mir nicht bewusst (I was not aware of this)" Winter replied honestly. "Fürchte dich nicht, Schwester, das kann nur eine gute Nachricht sein (Fear not, sister, that can only be good news)."

This made Weiss nod in relief, but while she and the others were unconcerned, Yang was on high alert.

"Is the letter for dad?" she demanded.

"Yes" Qrow began, which caused the blonde to instantly blanch. "Relax, kid. Did you actually forget that your old man's a teacher? He's never been more than a phone call away since Oz is the Grand Huntmaster of Vale. Other than your grades needing a bit more work, there's nothing to warn Tai about...minus picking fights with the White Fang. This is just official business. Like I said the other day, what Tai doesn't know can't hurt him."

At last the Xiao Long sisters breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they weren't in any trouble. However, Qrow's final comment took more effort to say, which Winter noticed. She had of course noticed when he had said it the first time, and every time the topic of his family arose. Raven's survival was what Qrow was keeping secret from Taiyang, which wasn't a secret at all, for when he wasn't in the presence of his family, it was clear in his eyes he was wrestling with his emotions. The advice he had given her was true, incredibly true in fact, though that was due to his own suffering, and he wanting others not to repeat his own mistakes. If only he would take his own advice.

"Our letter has our names on it" whispered Nora into Ren's ear.

"As expected" he whispered back. "Huntmaster Ozpin knows the truth, after all."

"You think it's good? Like, good news?"

"Clearly if he was going to expel us for forging our transcripts, he would have done it long ago. My guess is that his letter will be clearing things up and filling in the blanks from what Jaune told us. We'll read it together on the train."

"Oh! OK, good!"

"Final boarding call for students bound for Helike!" the dock intercom sounded. "Final boarding call for students bound for Helike!"

"That's for me" Blake said with a sigh.

"Yes" remarked Weiss. "I should board my ship as well. No point in delaying it now."

The two girls then looked at one another, and without saying a word, understood what they were thinking, and hugged warmly. From deep distrust to deep understanding, Blake and Weiss had become friends despite everything in play to drive them apart. While there was still much to discuss on the matter, as that long conversation over tea had yet to occur, their bond had never been stronger, and would only grow in time. This did not go unnoticed by their friends, as they had had front row seats for it.

"Take care" said Weiss softly.

"You too" Blake replied.

That was the final straw for their captain, as she jumped in between them to join the hug, causing them to welcome her with a laugh. Yang smirked at them, but had no hesitations in hugging her friends.

It was then Winter's turn to smile uncharacteristically, as it warmed her heart to see that her sister had made such good friends. Qrow was doing the same, as there was nothing he wanted more than for his nieces to be happy, though Winter's smile caught his attention. It was genuinely the first time that he could recall her smiling, and it honestly took him aback. Of course in his own fashion he thought she looked much better when she smiled, though he was unable to stop himself from thinking that she might not be such an Ice Queen after all.

With a final round of hugs, goodbyes, and cookies from Ruby, while doing their best to hold back their tears, they all headed to their respective vessels. Blake boarded the Haven marked airship, as Weiss took one painted white, bearing the Ýdalir crest and Atlassian eagle, escorted by Penny and her sister. She could of course have requested a private jet to be sent from home, or bought a first class ticket on a commercial airship, but she needed time to think on her best plan of attack, knowing that now that she had her fun, the true battle would begin. Just before boarding, Weiss fished out a small flash drive no bigger than a silver dollar, and handed it to her sister. Winter took it without question, though she gave Weiss a curious look.

"Wichtige Informationen über die Weiße Fang (Vital intel about the White Fang)" the shorter Schnee whispered. "Ich kann es jetzt nicht erklären, aber es wird einen Sinn ergeben, wenn Sie die Zeit haben, es sich anzusehen. Viel Glück, Schwester (I can't explain right now, but it will make sense when you have the time to look at it. Good luck, sister)."

Winter kept her face free from emotion, but her eyes flickered with intrigue. Without a word, she nodded as she pocketed the drive, and helped her sister with her luggage before leaving the dock.

Team JNPR meanwhile, along with Ruby and her family, made their way to the docks at the base of the cliff, where they were to depart upon their respective ships. These docks were for sea vessels, all of varying shapes and sizes, meant for travelling the small waterways throughout the city and for the open sea. These were vital not only for inter-city transport, but for parents sending their students to Signal Academy. The latter were easy to identify, for they were midsized vessels several hundred feet long, dwarfing the foot ferries moored on the opposite side of the docks.

Standing before the large ferry, Qrow offered to take his niece's bike and luggage on board, bringing them to the lower deck where vehicles and other cargo were stored. Leaving the students alone, they all looked at one another warmly, missing each other already.

"So this is goodbye for now, I guess" said Ruby, trying not to cry again.

"For now" echoed Pyrrha, smiling. "But the new school year will be here before you know it."

"Don't remind me" Yang scoffed. "I want to enjoy this summer vacation as much as possible, and school is the last thing I want to think about."

"We'll miss you too, Yang" smirked Jaune.

"I never said I wouldn't miss you guys. I'd much rather we all hang out for the summer. All I'm saying is that I don't want to think about homework and exams during my well deserved vacation."

"We're gonna miss you too!" said Nora, wrapping her arms around the blonde and hugged her tightly. This caused the others to laugh, and ushered in a round of hugs, making it abundantly clear how close they had all become.

"On second thought, given that you two will be busy bringing each other home to momma, the rest of us being around would just get in your way...and drive me nuts" added Yang, never allowing a tender moment to rest. "Two couples are crowded enough as it is, so being the proverbial third wheel sounds far from fun."

Ren and Nora blushed at this, though they had secretly begun to enjoy being referred to as a couple, even if they knew there was a way to go before that would become a reality.

"If it's all the same to you" began the taller blond, "why don't I show your photo around my family when I get home? I've got a number of guy cousins around our age, and who knows, maybe one or two might fancy you."

Yang raised her eyebrows.

"What? And potentially end up related to you?" she retorted with a taunting grin, before it quickly began to soften. "I suppose I could do worse."

"What happened to tall, dark, and handsome?" asked Nora.

"Like you girls pointed out, I'm not totally sure what my type even is, so I might as well try. I got nothing to lose."

"Well we can't help in the dark department, though we are all tall and handsome" confirmed Jaune.

"I'll be the judge of that, Arc...but thanks—even if you all apparently got a redhead fetish."

"In my defence, as much as I do have a think for redheads, I did go for Weiss first, so it isn't a fetish. And in defense of my family, not all my aunts are redheads. Character matters more than looks in the end."

"Then I got no chance" scoffed Yang. "Especially not with you religious types."

"You're too hard on yourself" Jaune argued politely. "You're good looking, you're confident, and you love to fight. That goes a long way in my family, and you'd honestly get along with them more than you'd think. Not to mention after a few drinks, we get pretty foul-mouthed ourselves. We're only Human."

"O-Oh" was all Yang could manage, not at all expecting him to compliment her, especially after teasing him relentlessly since they first met. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly as her cheeks began to slowly turn pink. "Th-Thanks."

"Don't mention it, plus I'm sure Octavia would be more than willing to help too."

"We will do what we can to help while we visit" added Pyrrha, pleased to see Yang accepting a helping hand regarding relationships, and one towards something more substantive than the carnal side. She had of course been the one to notice that Yang had said there was a potential she could end up being related to Jaune, and that, as expected, made her smile, for the idea of marriage was no longer so off putting a notion for the blonde.

Yang nodded to both of them in agreement, realizing she had a lot more to think about during the summer than she expected.

"Girls! It's time to go!" called Qrow from the top of the gangplank.

"Coming!" replied Ruby, before turning to Team JNPR. "These are for you." She pulled a large container from her messenger bag, also wrapped in a furoshiki style.

"Cookies for the road?" asked Nora eagerly.

"Of course! Four types! Make sure she doesn't eat them all before you even leave Albion, Ren."

"I'll do my best" he replied with a smirk, as the ginger playfully stuck her tongue at the hooded captain, knowing full well she was just as weak willed when it came to sweets as she was.

At last the Xiao Long sisters boarded the vessel and waved to their friends one last time before making their way to the weather deck. Team JNPR then turned towards the opposite side of the docks to a smaller wharf, in order to board one of the smaller foot ferries, bearing the insignia of the major rail line. They boarded it, and given that it was the first time Ren and Nora had been on a sea vessel, they naturally headed towards the bow, with Jaune and Pyrrha tailing just behind.

"I'm gonna go to the bow and see the view as we set sail!" called Ruby, taking off for the front of their ferry.

"Don't run!" shouted Qrow, though she was already out of earshot.

"Still a kid" remarked Yang with a grin. "Even after the year we had."

"Part of me sees that as a good thing, just as the other part knows she has to grow up sooner rather than later."

"We still got some time before then."

"Hve mikið eigum við, eiginlega? (How much do we have, really?)" Qrow muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" asked Yang, having no idea what she had just heard.

"Nothing. Time flies faster than you think, kid. Just look at this year. It feels like yesterday that Oz told me he wanted you both to enroll at the same time. Now you're heading home for summer vacation before your second year. Tai is gonna want to hear everything, by the way."

"Thanks for reminding me" groaned the blonde, closing her eyes as she winced. "I know you said that we did well, but I know dad, and he's going to give me and Ruby crap on how we did in the tournament—and everything else. Please don't tell him that we took on Torchwick and the White Fang. We managed not to say anything during winter break, but you know how damn sharp he can be. Even though we kicked their asses, he's gonna flip out."

Qrow chuckled. "You know me—you have my word."

His smiled faded as his thoughts turned to his brother-in-law, knowing there were bigger secrets he was keeping from him. His eyes drifted back to his niece, and he saw her leaning against the railing of the weather deck, her elbows propping up her chin as she looked over the lower harbour. The wind caught her long blonde hair, causing it to flow behind her as her curious lilac eyes scanned the scenery before her. Qrow sighed, for despite inheriting her father's hair and eye colour, he was reminded once again just how much she looked like her mother. It had always pained him, just as Ruby's appearance did, but now, it felt as if he was teleported back to that day seventeen years ago.

His expression caught Yang's eye, and she turned to look at him, blinking perplexedly.

"What? Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

"It's nothing" he deflected, leaning on the railing beside her, looking to the other sea vessels.

He could see her squinting at him from the corner of his eye, clearly unconvinced from his words. After a few moments, he finally turned his head to look at her, and couldn't suppress a small snort from the expression on her face—the one that his sister would make. Without warning, he wrapped his left arm around Yang, pulling her into him so that her face was pressed against his chest.

"Wha–?" she demanded, even more confused at what he was doing.

"You're a really good kid, ya know that?" Qrow said crestfallen yet proudly, as he rubbed her head.

Normally Yang would have wrestled her way out of his grasp, especially with her hair being touched, but the tone in his voice caused her to hold back. She didn't know what was causing him to act this way, though it was akin to how he would sound on the anniversaries of her mother and her step-mother's deaths. Knowing it was better not to pry on the matter, she returned the hug.

"Thanks, Uncle Qrow...I'm trying" she said gently. "I love you."

"I know you are and I love you too. C'mon, let's go find your sister before she gets into trouble."

Laughing, the blonde let go of her uncle and walked beside him as they headed for the bow.

While this had taken place, Blake had done some reminiscing of her own. When she boarded the Mistralese vessel, she presented her Beacon Academy student card, and informed the captain that she was bound for Menagerie, and she needed to catch a ship in Mistral. There was no need for her to explain this of course, as any student could take whichever vessel they wished, for the only limitation was they had to be students. After successfully scanning her card into the passenger manifest, she carried her luggage as she walked down the aisle, looking for a free seat. In doing so, she saw Pyrrha's mentors again, including Ian, who greeted her politely with a nod. Sadly there was no seat available near them, though there was a window seat several rows down. Placing her luggage in the overhead compartment, she took her seat with a backpack between her knees, and looked out the window to the cliffs on the portside.

Shortly afterwards the captain's voice sounded throughout the ship, welcoming them aboard and to fasten their seatbelts, where they promptly complied. Blake was hardly listening, as she was too deep within her own thoughts, though she sensed the airship pull away from the dock. They bounced from Sun to her friends and then her father, and she tried to compartmentalize them to the best of her abilities. There was a great amount of joy of course, the butterflies Sun had placed in her stomach were flying with gusto, but the anxiety of seeing her parents again was affecting her nevertheless. Her partnership with Adam was the sword of Damocles that made her uncertain of how forgiving her father would truly be, though her hopes were better than they had originally been.

Deciding to listen to some music, she opened the top of her backpack, and she saw the letter Jaune had given her. She paused for a moment, before reaching past them for her headphones, and plugged them into her Scroll. She only managed to listen to half of the song, as her eyes kept bouncing between the view outside her window and her bag. She switched off her music app, and stared out the window for a good while, before waking her Scroll, and selected an app called "TopBox", which was Remnant's number one online video sharing platform. Blake then slowly began to type into the search bar. After pressing the entre key, the video she was looking for was the top result, and after a moment of hesitation, she tapped on it.

The video began with footage of an outdoor stage and a podium in the middle. A Hutia Faunus with short grey tipped brown hair was standing behind the podium as he held a green leather-bound book. He was looking up at a Faunus, that while was younger, was still instantly recognizable as Blake's father.

"Place your left hand on the Prásino Vivlío, raise your right hand, and repeat after me" instructed the Hutia Faunus, which Ghira followed. "I, Ghira Noir, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of Chieftain of Menagerie, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of Menagerie, so help me Gods."

Ghira repeated the words, and once completing them, was congratulated by the official, followed by thunderous cheers and applause from the crowd before the stage. After a moment or two, Ghira then turned to face the crowd, and the cheers renewed. He placed his hands on the podium before adjusting the microphone to match his height, and the crowd fell to a hush as he cleared his throat.

"Good afternoon people of K'iin Ha', and all citizens of Menagerie that are either watching or listening to this broadcast" he said in a clear voice, cheers accompanying it. "I thank you all for coming out today to congratulate me." Again applause rang, causing Ghira to look down at the podium as if he were checking his speech, though Blake was very much aware he had not written one. "However..." he began again, halting the crowd, "I cannot say honestly that I am entirely happy with how this election transpired. I was encouraged by my friends, both old and new, to pursue a political career here in Menagerie, as the gubernatorial election was underway. Given that my daughter had just been born, I declined, as well as having no interest. Now a year has passed, and round came the Chiefship elections. Once again I was encouraged to throw my hat in the ring, and again, I said no. After much debate, I was at last convinced and decided that I would run for Chieftain, and submitted my candidacy. And then began the bad news."

Despite the camera not changing its view, the microphone could pick up the confused murmurs of the crowd. It was clear this was not the type of victory speech they had been expecting, especially from the most popular Chieftain since Reynaldo Espinal.

"While I was preparing for the debates that were to come, Governor Marrón came to my home one night to inform me that his fellow governors, who had been in the running for Chieftain, had promptly dropped out of the race. It does not take a genius to deduce that out of fear of political backlash from attacking my character, my ideas, and my lack of political experience, my opponents decided it would be safer to avoid the debates altogether. So much for being a celebrity, for I would think people would know that I despise cowards."

The murmurs now grew to gasps of shock. Ghira's speech sounded more like a bitter rant after a defeat than a victory. To make matters worse, though they were mostly out of frame, the governors who were present for Ghira's inauguration where shifting uncomfortably in their seats, unsure of where things were headed. While it was political suicide to make enemies of your fellow leaders, the governors were caught between a rock and a hard place, as Ghira had been correct that they were fearful of attacking the hero of their people. Was it better for them to stand up for themselves and lose their jobs, or take the licks and hope to earn the Chieftain's forgiveness?

"Please do not misinterpret my words" Ghira continued, capturing the attention of those present once again. "I am not angry with the governors. I am not angry with the changing of procedures that allowed me to run, for one must be a citizen and resident of this nation for ten years before running for any form of office. I am instead disappointed. I wished to succeed or fail on my own terms, and I would not have held any ill will against anyone if I lost. It is the nature of an uncontested single-winner election, something that has not happened since the founding of this nation, which upsets me. I much prefer this system of government than the Council system of Mistral, Vale, and Atlas. I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your Chieftain by your ballots alone, but by your admiration for my actions in Mistral. So instead, I ask you to confirm me as your Chieftain with your prayers, and a promise to hold me accountable from my first day in office till my last.

I have not campaigned for the Chiefship, and have not won it as one is meant to; to be challenged in debate, and questioned by you, the people. Thus, I feel I am indebted to no man, and only to one woman—my dear wife—as I begin this very difficult job. I have not sought this enormous responsibility with eagerness in order to gain more glory, but I will not shy from it. With the Gods and the Light helping me, I will not let you down. You welcomed me and my family to your country with warmth and great hospitality, and I shall repay that in full by serving you as the best Chieftain I can be. Thank you and Gods bless the Republic of Menagerie."

Though the crowd had been confused by Ghira's initial condemnation, they now understood his grievances, and once the shock of his honesty subsided, they cheered and applauded him. Whether foreign or domestic, the expectation that politicians would be honest with their constituents was tied with the keeping of promises made by said politicians. Ghira's honesty was a refreshing change from the usual, and it gave the citizens of Menagerie hope that he would be as great of a leader as they expected him to be.

Just as Ghira was about to leave the podium, he stopped as he saw something rush towards him, though the camera did not catch it. From the left side of the frame, a young woman could be seen, who Blake instantly recognized as her mother, reached out towards whatever was on stage. Kali clearly looked panicked from what was occurring, though despite Ghira being slightly turned away from the camera, he was not. He stooped down and lifted up a little Faunus child, not even two years old, who was smiling as brightly as the Menagerian sun.

"What is it, baby-girl?" Ghira asked with a proud grin on his face. "Is there something you want to say to the crowd?"

The microphone picked up the girl's giggles just before she leaned forward and eagerly cried, "Tuna!"

Both Ghira and the crowd laughed, though for different reasons.

"You're hungry, aren't you? I guess it is time for lunch, isn't it? Say goodbye before we go."

"Bye bye!" his daughter said, waving to the crowd, who returned the gesture happily.

As the video ended, Blake felt warm tears roll down her cheeks. She had been well aware of her father's speech, as well as this recording, but she had never had the desire to watch it in its entirety—at least not for a long time. It was both a heart warming reminder of how great of a man her father was, along with his love for her, but also a bitter one that she needed to be entirely honest with him when she returned home. She didn't need reminding of course, but this time there was a slight sweetness to it all. It could be just a figment of her imagination, though she nevertheless decided to harness it and add it to the support offered by her friends and lover. Shutting her eyes, she allowed herself to be overtaken by her music, and think of how best to greet the family she had left behind.

As Blake's ship flew eastward, Team JNPR's ferry sailed before RWBY's, as it had a stricter schedule to keep, and at a solid pace, rode down the river towards the train station that sat in the middle of the Commercial District. This only took them twenty minutes or so, to which the ferry pulled into the docks that lay within the inside of the terminal, as it had waterways made for ferries to entre and moor properly. The four disembarked from the vessel, and followed the signs that guided them to their platform. Given their sparse luggage, they were able to take them aboard, and placed them in the overhead compartment in their cabin. Ren and Nora looked about in awe, and seated themselves in the comfortable interior of the cabin eagerly. They had never been on a train before—at least not as proper passengers—and now they were free to take it all in.

Trains were an integral part of the world of Remnant. The Kingdoms of Vale and Mistral were very large, with the latter being the largest in the world, with Atlas, Menagerie, and Vytal Island able to fit within in with room to spare. For centuries the horse and carriage was the fastest way to traverse these large expansions of land, which would be perilous enough if not for the danger of Grimm. It was with the invention of the steam engine that changed the world forever, as massive locomotives were built to pull everything from food, to supplies, to livestock, to Dust, and of course, people. Lengthy train tracks were laid across the three major Kingdoms of Vale, Mistral, and Atlas, and much of the growth and development of those Kingdoms was owed to the railways. Towns and cities could now be connected, reached, supplied, and grown at a rate never before in history. And speed was indeed key, as not only were trains able to pull their freight and passengers for far longer if not faster than a team of horses, but outrun most common Grimm. More rural parts of the world could be crossed with less worry of attack, and even traveling by night became less foolhardy. Even Vacuo, with the help of Vale, were laying tracks to better connect the towns and settlements that were severed from the shattering of the southern Kingdom.

It was the innovations of the previous century that truly solidified the importance of the train. Carriages were reinforced with armour plating, as were the locomotives themselves. This was originally done to protect supply trains from enemy bullets and cannon shell, but it proved to be just as vital to protect the trains from Grimm. It was here that the innovations in armaments took centre stage, as the idea to built gunnery positions into the trains sprang into the industry. Turrets with .50-calibre or larger heavy machine guns were installed in the roofs of the carriages, along with gun turrets at the rear and the front of the train, nowadays making use of auto-cannons. These were meant as the last line of defense if they could not outrun the Grimm, and were very important to kill or ward off airborne Grimm that could keep up with the trains—especially when fully loaded with freight. Of course this was becoming rarer and rarer, as trains were now incredibly fast, reaching two hundred miles per hour, and always keeping to over one hundred, even at their maximum travel weight.

Huntsmen and soldiers were still deployed to accompany these trains, though modern arms technology was more than sufficient. Unsurprisingly, it was Atlas that had the most advanced locomotives and carriages, as not only did they possess the mightiest military technologically, but were overall more advanced to deal with the climate. The locomotives themselves were built with a special device called a wedge plow, which cleared the snow and ice from the tracks, and gave Atlassian locomotives a naval appearance; the plow sharing features that of a modern ship's bow but flipped upside-down. Vale and Mistral also had locomotives with such plows, though they were usually designated snow plows, whereas Atlas had no choice but to permanently implement them. In that same vein, the carriages were built to handle the elements, for if there was ever a situation that the locomotive were to break down, the carriages could shelter the crew and passengers for as much as two weeks if need be.

While the past century had given birth to commercial aviation, as well as cars in major cities, rail was still the cheapest and fastest mode of transportation on land. It was certainly a marvel, and one that showed no sign in being replaced.

Jaune and Pyrrha sat across from their friends, with the blond taking the window seat, and he looked out towards the north. He wasn't looking at anything in particular, though his eyes felt drawn to where he assumed the Forest of Forever Fall was.

"Are you alright?" Pyrrha asked, taking his hand, noticing his thousand yard stare.

"Yeah" he replied, squeezing it. "I'm just thinking—about everything, you know?"

She nodded. "Are you thinking about..."

"A little" he confessed "but not in a bad way. Like you said, one day at a time. I'm just thinking about what nuttiness my family are coming up with for us. My sisters must be bouncing off the walls by now."

Pyrrha giggled. "I think whatever they're planning, they do so with love. And whatever they do send our way, we will take it on together, won't we?"

"Yeah" Jaune smiled, leaning closer to her. "With you by my side, I feel like I can do anything."

Pyrrha blushed at his words and she beamed, for she felt the very same.

"Now kiiiiiiss~" came Nora's voice teasingly, who was watching them with a grin, and Ren doing the same with a smirk. Of course, things were not as they had been before the tournament, so Jaune, without needing to be told twice, pressed his lips against the Maiden's, who accepted them happily.

The other couple watched them with both pride and envy. They were without any doubt the ones most supportive of their relationship, as they were their best friends and teammates, and knew how many hoops they had to jump through to be together. Obviously they had yet to learn of the truth regarding the Four Maidens, Pyrrha's ascension, and Salem the Grimm Sorceress, but nevertheless knew Jaune and Pyrrha's relationship had not formed as smoothly as they had hoped. Nonetheless, they were overjoyed for them, knowing they were made for each other, and would defend them with pride.

There was then some jealousy within them, which made them feel guilty as well. Ren and Nora had equally strong feelings for one another, and harboured similar fears; without each other knowing. They had made great progress that year, as Nora's bold changing of wardrobe to purposefully get Ren to check her out, something that once would have been too much for her, she now did eagerly. She too had purchased a bathing suit, which she now had a chance to show off this summer; a nerve-racking yet exciting thought. Nora had confirmation at last that Ren was attracted to her, and saw her as a woman and not a sister, which was something grand to build off of. Where and when things would come to fruition and they would cross that line in the sand, she wasn't sure. Ren was on the same page as she was, his feelings for her stronger than ever before, and was taking active steps to uphold his vow. He would get stronger for her. He would protect her no matter the toil, for she was worth it all. Then, and only then, would he allow himself to tell her what he truly felt. And yet, he was not a fortune teller either, and he did not know when that say would come, though he hoped sooner rather than later.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome aboard the TransVale Golden Arrow Express" came a voice over the intercom, causing Jaune and Pyrrha to break their kiss. "We'll now be departing from Albion Grand Central Station, so do make sure that your luggage is properly secured in the overhead compartment, and enjoy the ride. Lunch will be served in forty minutes for those who wish to partake, and the drinks are open all the way."

"Here we go" sighed Jaune, squeezing Pyrrha's hand. "The road goes ever on and on, as they say."

The train lurched forward, as the powerful Dust engines sprang to life and drove the long locomotive down the track, starting slow until it cleared the station before building to cruising speed. Nora gazed out the window with a wide smile, very much like a child would, seeing something new and jaw-dropping. What brought her out of her daze, was the feeling of something touching her hand, and looked to see that it was Ren taking it gently. She blushed in surprise, not sure what had brought this on. She looked up into his magenta eyes, and suddenly felt her quickening heartbeat slow slightly. Without saying a word, he communicated through his gentle gaze that they too were beginning a new adventure, traveling through the world and life, but no longer doing so alone. She smiled and squeezed his hand, letting him know she understood and felt the same. The four then rode in silence for a little while until the train crossed the bridge over the Vimy River and continued through the Residential District, where they began to ask Jaune questions about home, eager to learn what lay ahead of them.

It had been a year unlike any other for them, changing their lives forever. None of them could know what lay in wait for them on the very long road before them, and they in time, would laugh at just how underprepared they were for all the twists and turns. But none of them, nor their friends, would ever say it wasn't worth it. The oaths they made, the friends they met, the family they found, and the future they built was fought for with all of their might, and they did so together.

λΛλ

In all religious denominations of Remnant, they spoke of three realms. Some said there were more, but all agreed that three, the Realm of Light, the Middle Realm, and the Realm of Darkness, were true. The first held the Gods and the good that had passed, the second was where mortal Men and Faunus dwelt in living, and the last were where the damned suffer and the Grimm are born. It was here in this Realm of Darkness, sat a massive castle, appearing to be made of sharp black obsidian.

Within the structure, in a hall deep in its bowels, sat six figures at a long refectory table. Two of those figures where known, with the first near the head was Raven, her helm removed and sitting on the table. Perched upon it was a large raven, large enough to be mistaken as a black eagle, though its plumage was as black as night. It was over thirty inches from bill to tail, and though its wings were closed, they would have to be over five feet from tip to tip. Even the claws were larger and crueller, giving the bird a truly menacing appearance. What dampened its intimidation however, were the bandages wrapped around its body. Wounded as it was, there was still a gleam of ferocity in its eyes, which it was aiming at the second figure seated across from its master. Adam sat with his mask also removed, revealing a jagged scar from his nose to past his left eye. For the moment, he pretended to ignore the looks the ravens were giving him, patiently waiting for the meeting to begin.

The others were all unknown. To Adam's left was a tall middle-aged man with a slim build, slightly tanned skin, short black and gray hair, as well as a thick black mustache, and green eyes. He wore a grayish-blue overcoat with yellow linings, a yellow dress shirt, and black necktie. To his right was a very tall, broad, and muscular middle-aged man, with short brown hair, beard, and hazel eyes. He wore a two-tone olive green coat over a black ¾ sleeve shirt, and his hairy arms had some scars visible near the edges of his sleeves.

Beside him, perched on his chair, was a pale man with gold eyes and a brown ponytail braided to resemble the tail of a scorpion. He wore a white sleeveless jacket, which he left open, exposing his bare and heavily scarred chest, and leather belts strapped to the jacket, along with matching white pants. His arms were covered with purple bandages and leather vambraces, leather boots and grieves covering his shins, as well as poleyns on his knees. At his waist was a Kriegsmesser, a curved, single edged warsword, with a hilt constructed of two grip-slabs secured with tubular rivets. What made the hilt slightly peculiar, was that while it had a regular straight cross-guard, it also had a strange nail-like quillon on the right side. Of course what truly caught the eye was not even the pommel cap fashioned into a skull, but the long scorpion tail that protruded from the base of his back. To make matters worse, unlike his compatriots, who all bore solemn and serious expressions, aside from Adam who always carried a small smirk, this crouching man had a wild and wicked smile on his face, his yellow eyes revealing an instability that would worry most.

The final figure that sat at the head of the table, was not facing them, but rather had their high back chair pointed to the partially stained glass window that encompassed nearly the entire wall.

"It appears that Fall misused the Trojan I designed, and allowed a back door to be penetrated by the White Army" said the mustached man, his tone and expression were cool, though there was frustration in his eyes.

"Cinder got too cocky and made so many mistakes that everyone was wiped out, safe for Adam who we managed to pull out in time" added the giant man, his arms folded in disapproval.

"And I thank you all for that" said Adam, though it was difficult to tell if he was sincere. "Though, I warned you that she was not capable of handling her mission. She was overly ambitious, and lacked the experience and levelheadedness to plan such an assault and command troops. Furthermore, the utilizing of such green brats to infiltrate the academy, not to mention that Torchwick was clearly aiming to turn on her given the chance, was beyond foolish. It's a shame I will never be able to thank him for the submarine. I'll call it fair for the lives of my people that were lost during that train fiasco."

"Are you criticizing the Mistress' judgement?" hissed the wild man from the other end of the table, lurching forward to look at Adam.

"Of course, I say this with all due respect to the Lady. However, I think she did put too much faith in Fall. She had the fire, but not the control. It was never my intention to offend Her, my friend, just reminding all that my fears were well founded."

"And let me remind you that it was Lady Salem who ordered me to save you" Raven said coldly. "For someone so critical of their allies, you should take greater care of yourself. Do not act as if we don't know of your own personal agenda within the assault on Albion, which could explain your own failings. Your job is to insure the will of the Lady. Even in your personal war, it is for the imposing of that will."

Adam eyed her carefully and then grinned wickedly.

"I always serve with the Lady's interests at heart. I would never dare to abandon my mission for the sake of some fleeting memory of the past."

That caused Raven to grit her teeth and her dark red eyes to glow, with her corvid flapping its wings twice in protest, cawing in a shrill and menacing tone. Adam's grin grew, and the tension between them became palpable, leaving the others to wonder if they would dare start a fight in the council room.

"Enough" said a strong but calm feminine voice.

All turned to the head of the table, and the two closest to her leaned back as the figure turned her chair to face them. There seated before them was a shocking individual. It was a woman, or so it seemed, though living would not be the way to describe her. Her skin was a deathly pallor, with jet black sclera in her eyes, and glowing crimson irises that were amplified by her pale white hair, tied in a bun with six offshoots wrapped together, suspending several obsidian-coloured ornaments. Dark purple veins lined her face and arms, and she bore a black diamond-shaped marking in the centre of her forehead. She also wore a ring resembling a spider on her right middle finger, which stood out as much as her long jet-black fingernails.

"Our plan of attack in Vale was indeed a failure, and I concede that you were indeed right, Commander Taurus. Thus, I give you my full support in continuing with your plans. In the mean time, I will be keeping my end of the bargain."

"My humblest thanks, my Lady" he said bowing with a hand on his heart.

"Now then..." the monstrous woman said, her red eyes focusing on Raven, "with all of us gathered at last, my dear Raven, would you please give us your report?"

"Of course" the Branwen heiress replied with a bow. "It was even more difficult than I imagined to gather information on Ozpin and the Order. With my brother's involvement, spying with my crows or organizing the local murders would draw too much suspicion. Then there was Ozpin's owl, who constantly defended the academy by killing my crows, forcing me to send Gildr to defend them. At last he and Ozpin's pet met in battle, and though Gildr was badly injured and forced to retreat, he dealt a heavy blow to his opponent."

"So you have nothing to offer" remarked Adam.

"Hardly" Raven replied coldly. "My murder, even at the cost of their lives, brought me the tidings of our enemy. Each of our targets have been examined in full. As Lionheart proved, the Order does not have any of the remaining Maidens, nor know their locations. Unfortunately, I was not able to confirm if the previous Fall Maiden has fallen, or if they succeeded in passing the powers on to a new Maiden."

"You'll have to press Lionheart on that" the mustached man said, glancing at both the giant and Raven. "He has to know something. If not..."

"Then he might be cracking under the pressure" the strongman warned, tapping his bicep, "or he might have been discovered."

"My fears exactly, Mr. Hazel. The fool might not even be aware of that—but if he is lying to us, then he's usefulness has run its course."

"I appreciate your thoughts on this, Dr. Watts" Salem said with a polite nod, "however, that topic will be discussed in time. Speaking of lions, Raven, what is the current situation with the Arc cub?"

"Hilariously underdeveloped. The shiny armour he wears is nothing more than a disguise for his incompetence. He has yet to even awaken his Semblance, let alone don the Lion's Skin. He is, at best, years away from being any sort of threat, though two members of his House were spotted entering and leaving Albion. Their intentions are, at this moment, unknown, but the situation has not changed."

"Excellent—though no doubt he would not bear it out in the open so soon, even if he was able." Salem then paused for a moment, almost as if she were hesitating. "What of Taiyang Xiao Long's daughter?"

For a moment, all present, including Raven herself, paused and left the hall so quiet that a pin drop could be heard with ease. Salem, as well as the rest of her cohorts, were curious to see what Raven's reaction would be at the mention of her former husband and daughter. They had known the Branwen heiress for a good while, and knew that her loyalty was unquestionable. However, given they knew of what task their Lady had given her second-in-command, a particular thought nonetheless crossed their minds. Adam was particularly curious, as he knew something that the others did not, and would keep that information as a bargaining chip if need be.

"Which daughter?" Raven asked after a heartbeat, her expression appearing not to have changed.

"The elder."

"Mildly better than the Arc boy, though still rather pitiful in battle. Nikos tossed her around like a child's toy, for her combat prowess is nothing like her father's was at her age. Her Semblance is equally unrefined, as she clearly has yet to be marked."

"Then this means that the Xiao Long are still broken—good" Salem remarked with a cold smile. "And the younger daughter? Does she possess what we seek?"

Again Raven paused, but for no longer than she had previously.

"It is impossible to know, my Lady. My crows have confirmed that she does have silver eyes, but her Semblance is that of speed and turning into rose petals. She hasn't shown any proficiency with the powers of the Silver Huntsmen."

"Then we're right where we started" Hazel sighed deeply. "We know that the Silver Huntsmen have been keeping at least one Maiden hidden for centuries. Without Geri, we won't be able to find where they've been hiding all this time."

"Maybe we can pry it out of her?" suggested the Scorpion Faunus gleefully.

"Do not lose hope, Hazel" said Salem, "nor be so hasty, Tyrian. The lack of Ruby Rose's wielding of her power is not proof of it not existing. The wide variety of eye and hair colour of the races of Remnant is daunting, though in regards to eye colour, silver is the rarest after gold, who of which none exist any longer. There are those with grey eyes, and while they are rare as well, they are bluer than true silver. Those with silver coloured eyes are without question of that line, and therefore Geri has joined her, waiting for the call of his master. If her sister is to be used as an example, their father is to blame for Rose's lack of training. All we must do is wait for our foes to do our work for us. Then when the time is right, we shall capture both the girl and the wolf. In the mean time, we have plenty of work still to do. There are still two Maidens that are not accounted for, and with what Raven has told us, the Order is in no better position."

"We've lost the Fall Maiden" warned Hazel, though he knew she did not need reminding. "As flawed as Cinder was, she was nevertheless tasked with the powers, and now we have only Raven. Is she alive or dead? What if she talked?"

"That does interest me, though as Raven has told us, we do not know Cinder's fate. It is more than likely that she has indeed been killed, or perished through the Rite of the Maidens. I did indeed expect too much of her to return victorious, though I was not wrong in my faith in her loyalty. Even under pain of death she would tell them nothing, leaving me very confident that her secret mission was not revealed. Make no mistake, this was a defeat. However, much was learned, and it will lead us to many more victories. This now guides us to the issue at hand. I require confirmation from Lionheart as to what has transpired within the Order. Is Amber Calico alive or dead? Is Pyrrha Nikos the new Fall Maiden? Is the Order aware of Lionheart's duplicity? This task I leave to you, Hazel. He must be confronted face to face, as he remains more honest in such situations."

"Thank you, my Lady. It will be done" Hazel returned with a bow.

"Would it not be better if I were to fly to Helike and deal with this?" asked Raven.

"Your conversations with him have been very fruitful, there is no doubt of that" admitted Salem, "but your task, my dear Raven, is of even greater importance. You will continue your hunt for the remaining Maidens. We must assume that the Order has maintained the Fall Maiden—either by saving Amber Calico from death, or passing the powers to Nikos—until we acquire information that suggests otherwise. This leaves us to find the Summer and Winter Maidens before they do, which I trust you will succeed in, as you have before. Furthermore, please give your father my thanks for his continuing aid. He has proven to be as indispensible as you have been."

"I will, my Lady" she replied, bowing. "He will be greatly humbled, and you continue to honour our House by your praise."

"It is honour that is well earned, my dear" the undead woman replied with an uncomfortable fondness. "You have not failed me once, unlike Cinder. You trained her to the best of your abilities, but as you warned, she was not good enough. Lord Atli has been just as successful as you in his tasks, sending his unkindness across Remnant to do my bidding. Let him know that his reward has been doubled—one for his results, and two for that of his daughter. May the Darkness continue to conceal your flight and treachery."

Raven bowed again, which hid the smile that grew from her mistress' words.

Salem then began to turn her head to her right, as something caught her attention.

"I know you are restless" she said looking over her shoulder, "but I cannot reveal you to the enemy just yet. Your time will come."

Standing behind her in the shadows of the hall, was a cloaked figure with a hood drawn over its face and overshadowing it. It was tall, though shorter than Hazel, and all that could be seen of it was its left hand, which was grasping a black staff. It was adorned with runes and marks of death, along with the skull of a Jacob's Sheep ram at the top. It too was marked, with black feathers and blacker gemstones hanging from it, giving off—which was no doubt the intent—a foreboding aura. On closer inspection, there were similarities between the staff and Raven's own attire, particularly the runes and honouring of death. Despite the figure's morbid appearance, it had been entirely hidden in the darkness, though there was nothing that could hide from Salem's gaze.

"As you wish, my Lady" it said in a deep and unnatural tone.

"Adam" Salem addressed, prompting him to bow, "your claws are still deep in Khan, are they not?"

"Indeed, my Lady."

"Then make sure she does not become an issue. No doubt she has been placed under a great deal of pressure due to your raids. You have prolonged your return to the citadel for long enough—the 'calm' having possibly the reverse effect. Tame her, and continue to arm your men."

"I shall, though I assure you she was declawed long ago" Adam stated with a dark smirk.

"And what of Belladonna?" Salem asked, eyeing him carefully.

The Bull Faunus remained silent for a moment, maintaining eye contact with the sorceress, before at last growing his smirk.

"A cat with gloves catches no mice" he replied, "and we all know what kills one that grows overly curious."

Salem was unmoved for a moment, but then a wicked smile spread across her face.

"Happy hunting, and may your bounty be plentiful." Adam thanked her with another bow, and then Salem turned her eyes to the rest of the council. "While the three of you continue with your objectives, I entrust that you, Dr. Watts, will carry on with yours, and our dealing with our friend in Atlas."

"Of course, my Lady" the mustached man said.

"Tyrian."

"Yes, Mistress?" the perched man replied eagerly.

"Carry on with securing our allies" she ordered. "We must ready our forces for the Vacuan assault, which will also serve as a foothold to destroy Vale for good. We need a launching point for the final assault on Tepāncalco."

Tyrian began to cackle with glee.

"It shall be done, Mistress. When my men are ready, I will inform you immediately, and then all you must do is give us the word to descend upon Paraíso!"

"And you will have it once you are ready. Good luck."

Salem's words brought even more joy from the madman, as he slapped his knees like a drum. While the Scorpion Faunus was eager for his mission, Adam's subtle reaction caught Raven's attention. At the mention of their grand assault—which was years away—the Bull Faunus' eye flashed with fiery excitement, like when a predator spots its prey. Despite knowing why he was stirred by the mere mention of the Dark Continent Campaign, it was still disquieting to her to see him so enthusiastic—though intoxicated would be a more appropriate word. It was no different than the fire she saw in the eyes of Cinder, other than Adam was much better at controlling it. Nonetheless, to Raven, neither of them were worthy of the power they sought.

'You will never be anything like Ghira. You're neither the man nor the leader he was—even when he was younger than you are now' she thought, though it took some effort to not say that aloud, and she began to ask herself why she had thought of her former classmate with such respect.

"Now that we have been briefed and your orders have been given, you may go" announced Salem. "We continue without fail or stagnation, regardless of our obstacles. Dismissed."

The others all rose together and bowed before leaving the hall. The cloaked figure peered at the sorceress, who nodded, letting him know he was free to leave as well. Adam and Raven glared at one another before retrieving their masks, though Adam smirked at her great dislike of him. Gildr leapt off his master's helm when she reached for it, and perched upon her left shoulder. When Salem was alone at last, she began to chuckle softly to herself.

"I must say, Samuel Ozpin, I am most impressed. You and your little order showed no mercy in repelling my forces, and you even slayed my Maiden. However, do be careful not to let it all go to your head, for I have so much more in store for you."

Salem rose from her chair, revealing her true height of a monstrous nine feet, and slowly walked towards the window. She wore a very long, short-sleeved black necromantic robe that obscured her feet and partially dragged behind her, with its distinctive feature being a curved high collar with dark red trim that bordered the outer edge of a narrow window exposing her bust in a vertical ellipsis resembling an eye. Her attire was completed with a long shawl emblazoned with three interconnected, maroon-coloured vertical elliptic sigils, resembling a trio of overseeing eyes above a series of similar coloured diamond emblems. Approaching the window, there was something large and animal like curled up beneath it, though it was impossible to tell what exactly it was.

On the wall to the right of the window, sat a massive vertical loom, where a mostly completed tapestry was fitted. It was as black as Salem's robe, which was unusual, for the thick strands that made up the structure of the tapestry, called the warp, were meant to be undyed, where coloured strands would be woven in to create the image. The warp strands were arranged across a wooden bar with metal teeth, and were hung from the loom's top beam, allowing the other end of the strands to be attached to the lower beam. Here they would be tightened in order to create tension, giving the weaver a solid base to bring the tapestry to life.

In the context of what was upon this particular tapestry, life was nowhere to be seen. Instead of glorious battles, majestic hunts, or sprawling landscapes, there are Grimm. Beowolves, Nevermores, Goliaths, Griffons, King Taijitu, Ursas, Boarbatusks, and Wyverns, were all neatly organized from the weakest to the mightiest. However, what was disturbing beyond the macabre nature of a large black tapestry of Grimm, was the variety. Not only did the work contain every known Grimm type, but many unknown. Some were Grimm versions of monsters from legend, where others were completely new. To make matters even worse, there was so much more warp below the bottom beam, indicating that there were many more monsters to be created.

"You name your children after all the colours that the Light bestows, reveling in the sweet peace you have enjoyed for so long. And while you indulged without a care, I have been waiting, and now I am ready. So go ahead, gather your paint, for I wield the paintbrush of Hell, and I will paint with all the colours of war. For when those colours blend together, they create the most beautiful of them all. Pitch, black, darkness."

Her eyes began to glow a Hellish red as she laughed; a sound that would make the blood of mortal Men turn to ice, echoing through the halls of her black castle.

The End

---

Author's Note:

Firstly, I'm sorry this took so long. There were a lot of things that got in the way, and I will explain everything later on.

Secondly, yes, this is indeed the last chapter. As I drew closer to the end, I started to get the feeling that people thought it would go on for far longer, and I started feeling guilty. If you felt like I was leading you on, I do apologize; though let me say that there are future plans for DDCT. Keep reading to the end to learn more.

Now let's get on to the breakdown that I almost don't want to do given the length XD. Here we go.

Leonardo's Betrayal and Sam and Qrow's Talk:

Long before we learned the truth of Leonardo's betrayal in the show, I guessed that was the case given how many red flags were going up with Cinder and her team. There were major reasons as to why I changed Team SSSN's Kingdom of origin from Mistral to Vacuo (though that was again from my natural assumption years ago). As I showed in chapters VI and VII, Pyrrha becomes suspicious of Team CLME, and with the others joining in, it sows the seeds of doubt, which are reaped thanks to the Order. This situation never occurs in the show, despite that Team SSSN are from Haven, yet never interact with Pyrrha as if they know her (Neptune is from her home town of Argus thanks to a retcon by the way). Either Cinder got help or they're all stupid. Sadly both are true, but let's get back to my version.

As I showed from the start, the Order isn't brain-dead. They know something is up. Despite learning things from Roman, they do act with caution, and now they need to plan things out. In my full rewrite, the enemy is more organized, and thanks to their efforts, the Order's suspicions of Leonardo come much too late. Furthermore, only one member of the Order learns of Raven's existence (my OC), and that's only because he questions Yang about it, and her description of what she saw is then sketched by said OC. Instantly realizing what's going on, he calmly tells Yang that this person is dangerous and not to think of them as a hero, as "him" saving her was more than likely a spat between criminals. He does tell her to stay quiet about what she saw, and this is now a military investigation, and her report will be submitted. This is all a lie of course, and it hurts my OC deeply, but remains quiet about it to focus on the coming attack. Only when Qrow finds out his family is involved and the Battle of Albion is over, does my OC tell him the truth, and they security try to figure out what really happened with Raven. They keep it a secret from Tai and the kids until they are 100% sure. Of course it doesn't go well, but to explain why would reveal too much.

Obviously none of that happened, and the Order possesses vital information, so I had to show them trying to piece things together and how to deal with treason. There is now a vital gap in their armour, so I have them actively trying to fix it and find the original cause of it.

In that vein, we have Sam and Qrow's conversation about Raven. As I mentioned above, that conversation doesn't occur until later (and what keeps Qrow busy unlike the show), but since Beacon hasn't fallen, they can talk about it. It was certainly difficult to write without revealing too much, and I admittedly had to rework it a number of times, but I hope it did a good job in explaining the struggle and pain from learning of Raven's survival and working with Salem. The point was not only to show yet again who Qrow is, but that Sam actually cares about his friends; that they had great times at Beacon that they will always remember, and they contribute to the pain of losing their friends. Everything they spoke of has been fully planned out, and I hope to show them in full in future projects.

Pyrrha Tells Jaune the Truth:

Ah yes, the long awaited—some say overdue—telling Jaune of the truth. I repeated ad nauseam, both in the story and in notes, that given the nature of all of this regarding the Maidens and Salem, it has to be handled with tact. Unlike the show where it's all handled like it's a mildly interesting anecdote, I tried to give it the weight it deserves. At the same time, if Jaune and Pyrrha seem to handle the news well enough, that goes to both their personal strength and their naïveté, given they haven't seen what Salem can even begin to do. Furthermore, there were some of you asking why Pyrrha hadn't told Jaune sooner, along with perhaps consulting with him before agreeing. I said nothing because this conversation was written and coming up. I can only hope that it satisfied you all.

What I expect won't satisfy everyone is Jaune explaining why he tried for Weiss despite thinking he had no chance with Pyrrha. Now, this has always been an issue, and while some have pointed out that by merely claiming Jaune never really did have feelings for Weiss is really shitty, and indeed it is, my issue was trying to understand why anyone would like Weiss in the first place. I've mentioned it before that I wasn't a fan of Weiss as a character at the start, and that extends to her as a possible girlfriend. I could perfectly understand why a bloke would want Pyrrha, Nora, Yang, and even Ruby once she grows up, but Weiss was just too icy. She's fantastic as she is in DDCT, but how she is at the beginning and how she treated Jaune, made no sense in regards to her attractiveness. Then again, I don't get why Sun (or anyone) likes Blake until she becomes the much more fun person I envisioned in my rewrite. Having had time to think on it, with the background I gave Jaune, I decided on this being the reason for him trying so hard for Weiss. It was my attempt to balance them all: honestly thought she was pretty, admiring her prestige, and thinking it would make him a better son. If I had the chance to rewrite RWBY from the beginning, I think I would have a better shot of making it all fit more believably, but alas, here we are.

Lastly, I hope that the scene conveys just how strong of a couple Jaune and Pyrrha are—well, this whole fic has been trying to do that. For years now, there's been this effort to claim Arkos could never work, and that things "had" to happen the way they did with no other possible outcome. If I haven't stated this publicly, I absolutely loath that stance. I'll be covering that later, but allow me to state that people who think that, have no only a poor understanding of the characters, but have very little imagination and are in desperate need to be taught how to human—and that extends to CRWBY.

Ian Speaks to Blake:

As I've said a few times before, it's kinda ridiculous that no one recognized Blake given how little effort she put into disguising herself. I tried to balance it with Ghira trying to keep her out of public life, but it would be far from believable that no one would put two and two together. Ian is obviously one of those people, so I couldn't end this story without him getting confirmation whether or not his suspicions were valid. Furthermore, Blake has to practice what she preaches, and obviously I wanted to show that.

Oh, and Ian's Uncle Alexei is a fucking riot. Yes, he's a fully formed character, though I have no idea how to show him off.

As for the little scene between teams RWBY and JNPR with the Order, that was once again to show off Qrow and have a bit of a laugh. Yes, it raises some questions, and I'm going to stay quiet on them for now :P

The Order's Last Toast:

I worried about the tone of this scene long before I put it to paper. I knew the contents of it were important and needed to be told, but I worried that it would come across that the Order seemed too upbeat despite what had occurred. Amber died, Raven and Leonardo are traitors, and they're cracking jokes? It would be pretty hypocritical that I shame CRWBY for their lack of self-awareness—how tone-deaf they are with their "comedy" during emotional scenes—and then do the very same.

What I tried to do was balance the situation. These men and women have seen and experienced a great many things, so while they aren't unfazed, they have better control. In regards to Amber's death, as sad as that is for them, they know that she's no longer in pain and in a great place of honour. They lament that she couldn't live a full life, but it was the best result given the circumstances. Leonardo's betrayal is a problem, and they are angry, but sitting about fuming isn't going to fix the situation. As Sam put it previously, they need to handle things with caution.

Lastly is Raven's survival and betrayal. This one has been a tedious bridge to cross, as not only do I have to express Qrow's turmoil, but how each member of the Order feels about it. Of course I showed what Qrow's been hiding during his argument with Sam that morning, along with Sam's own feelings coming to light, but unlike CRWBY, you can't turn things on and off at will. Qrow always hides what he feels, even to his friends and family, and I can say that this method of his will come to bite him in the ass.

If the overall tone fails for you guys, I'm sorry. All I can say in my defense is that excluding Qrow and Winter they only knew Raven for 2-3 years, and their friendship with her came slowly due to her unwillingness to open up (more of that in Project JADA). Learning of her survival is shocking, as is her being the Spring Maiden whilst being Salem's second-in-command, but a couple years of friendship and nearly 18 years of believing she's dead dilutes their pain—not to mention the shock of it all and the questions it brings. Again, you'll let me know if I failed in this or not.

As for the Atlassian Navy situation, I wasn't kidding about having given it a lot of thought XD. Major plans for that, though I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to show them off. In regards to Markus Seeadler, he's a fun character to be sure; a lovely amalgamation of sea captains and officers from my childhood, whose friendship with Winter is heartwarming as it is funny. That also will not be made public sadly, though it will be touched upon in both Project BICO and JADA. Furthermore, I've been accused of being a fan of ships and sailing, and you're God damn right XD. I have Dan Simmons' The Terror and the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian (Master and Commander) sitting on my eReader, and they are calling to me—with some Clive Cussler as well. Hopefully I'll get to them by the end of the decade.

Oh, and about the Strider poem. One of the things I love about fantasy is the prophecy trope, so I naturally began to think of one as I rewrote RWBY in my mind. I did think of one, but I hadn't come up with a poem or even a name for such a prophecy—just the components of it. Then about a year and a half ago when I wanted to include it in DDCT, I was rereading The Lord of the Rings (I've since done that again, just now completing The Children of Húrin and starting Unfinished Tales), and when I got to chapter 10 of book 1, I laughed at how well things fit. I consider it a form of honouring Tolkien rather than stealing from him (unlike what many Tolkienites tend to believe). Honestly, this entire story honours Tolkien, as his ideas of adventure and heroism have influenced me my entire life—and we need stories like those now more than ever. I leave it to you folks to figure out what the prophecy could mean in this context. In regards to the dragon rhyme...that's a secret for now XD.

And about the group photo. I've been hinting to these characters throughout the story, and while I do want to say who's who and go into detail, I'll restrain myself and let it stand on its own. What I will say is note the presentation. Compare what I wrote to how Qrow shows his copy of Team STRQ's photo—coffee-stained and loosely stored, thumb purposely covering people. Here there is genuine respect and morning for their past and their friends, where neither time nor distance can break. Also, hinting to a change of wardrobe, as it's ridiculous that these characters never change their clothes in twenty years, especially Raven who's trying to hide. I mostly wear shorts and t-shirts—have so for most of my life—but I certainly have more than one of each. And in the same breath, we also have characters changing their wardrobe for no reason or for the wrong reasons...like not wearing winter clothes for Atlas. The Devil is in the details.

Jaune and Sam's Final Chat:

We couldn't end this story without one more chat between Sam and Jaune—they've become such good friends, after all XD. I felt that there some small things that needed to be tied up between them, and given the location, it seemed right for it to happen then and there.

One of the things that I decided to include was Sam's thoughts on Semblances, which are obviously my own from my years of thinking upon the series. As a name for super powers, Semblance makes no sense, nor does it sound cool. It sounds like something that was invented in haste and to sound different than what's out there, which is really odd given that Monty went with "Aura". Radiance came into my mind after less than 30 seconds of thought, and a quick flip through a thesaurus gave more options like Gleam, Shine, Lustre, Glow, Blaze, Blare, etc. Alas, we're in a world where the head of a school for Huntsmen is called a Headmaster rather than a Huntmaster, so no one should be surprised.

As it turns out, Sam knew about Jaune's family (kind of impossible for him not to have). I honestly can't remember if any of you were suspicious about that, though I have no doubt that given what he's said, there will be even more suspicion.

Lastly, I very much wanted to have Jaune take an oath. Of course it felt appropriate for him to do so, but as to be rather blunt about something that's been burning in my gut for years. Jaune is not a child. Jaune is not a pushover. Jaune is not a fucking battery. Despite subverting expectations and doing everything in your [CRWBY] power to undermine him in your fear that he would be the better main character of the show (too bad, he is), the fans want it—and more so with each volume. The only reason any of us kept watching was for him to get revenge for Pyrrha; in fact, it's the only thing that mattered given the convoluted nonsense that Salem and the Maidens turned out to be. And given what you, my readers, have said over the course of the year, you feel the same.

Call us what you like RWBY cultists, but at least we're still having fun.

The Docks:

So there's a lot to cover here. Let's try to keep this short.

Neptune and Weiss' scene is one of my favourites of the entire fic. I'm as much of a fan of them as you guys are, so I've been looking forward to this scene for months. The mental image of Weiss being insulted from her father's arrogance and disdain for Neptune, pushing her over the edge to say "Fuck it" and kiss him, was front and centre from the start, leading me to build the scene very quickly around it. Another image was Winter catching them. Yes, many of you have been asking for Winter's reaction to her sister dating Neptune, and I remained silent to not spoil this chapter. I know I took a long time to get to it, but I do hope it made sense and was worth it.

Speaking of Winter, of course she's supportive of them. Some were expecting her to be very disapproving of Neptune, and I wanted to ask why, as he isn't what CRWBY turned him into in my story. As I laid out in the chapter, she can't fight Weiss' battles for her, but big sis will always be there. I touched on it briefly throughout DDCT that Winter was once the heiress of the Schnee, and what I wanted to focus on was her understanding of what her little sister is going through. I wanted to build off what Winter was at the beginning where she actually cared about her family, which is more than could be said for the rest of the cast. This finally manifested in her grilling Neptune and giving them the thumbs up. As for her conversation with Qrow, I'll let that speak for itself.

Neptune and Jaune's conversation need a bit of explaining. Putting aside their banter about how similar they really are, I revealed the reason as to why Neptune doesn't use his Semblance; and that is because he doesn't know what it is. I know what it is of course, but unlike the show which avoided giving characters Semblances in the Vytal Tournament to simplify the fights, I had a proper reason—at least in regards to Neptune. For those who don't know, Neptune's trident is called "Tri-Hard" in the retcon from 2019, and has a Semblance that he doesn't like. As with everything else, I wrote my own canon without ever looking into what CRWBY "created", so at least I could hint at it here—you'll have to figure things out yourselves XD.

And I had to get Allen in for one last time. He's become quite the favourite with you guys, so let his invitation confirm there will be much more to come with him in the future.

And at long last, we get Sun and Blake sealing the deal. This too has been long overdue, but unlike Weiss and Neptune, I revealed exactly why she's been so reserved from the start, which was why it had to be her to kiss him and make things clear. That was important to do; not only for her character, but to show she's not the manipulative cunt she is in the show. Like I said in chapter XX about Blake kissing Sun in V6C1, Blake just led him on for years, so my version had to be better than that—not hard to do, obviously. And to milk the scene for what it's worth, I had Sun react as we expected him too, given how long he had to wait; let his vigor serve as your outlet, friends—Gods know you haven't hidden it from me XD.

Now, it hurts me to say that I had to cut out content, but I did. There was meant to be a scene either at the docks or in front of the gate house where the previously mentioned Wilhelm Imperial, makes his appearance. He was supposed to fight Winter in a better version of her fight with Qrow, which would then be broken up by Ironwood, partially revealing his Semblance. Alas, I had to cut this scene, but it will be used in another form. Forgive me.

I decided to go into detail about trains for a spell, as I've honestly thought upon how the people of Remnant get around outside of cities. The show is very confusing on that front, as while they have advanced aircraft, you still see very medieval environments where you expect to see people riding horses—Amber comes to mind on that. I balanced it by having horses in remote locations—we do that after all—with commercial cars and aircraft for the average citizenry. Ships obviously still make sense as well, so that left us with inter-kingdom travel. Highways didn't make sense given the limitations with the Grimm, but trains came screaming to mind, along with all the tech to make them fit better in this world. I believe there are trains in the show too, though I have my doubts that they're as well thought out given how much walking the characters did in V4.

There's of course so much more to cover (you don't realize how long this chapter is until you start writing these notes), but this is already getting long in the tooth, and I'll let them speak for themselves. Feel free to ask me any and all questions you'd like, though I will try to avoid (major) spoilers.

At Castle Evernight:

And so we come to the final scene. This was originally much shorter, as I wanted to simply tease you all without spoiling too much. On further examination, I decided it was better to have the villains have lengthy conversations and reveal more of their plans. By addressing things by name is more natural, so I leave it to you people and to fate to possibly figure things out from what I put in. Like everything else, I have planned the enemy's plans from beginning to end. Changes have obviously been made, though only in future will those changes bear clearer fruit.

Some of you asked whether or not I would replace or add villains due to the embarrassing ensemble from the show. Indeed, the villains are terrible, hence me killing off Cinder, though her own incompetence and arrogance played into her downfall. However, as you can see, most of the villains from the show are here still. I did add Raven (much to everyone's shock) and Atli by extension, along with this shadowy figure, and changed Adam to be a proper threat, but for now, these are the players. There are many enemies working for Salem's generals, but there was no way to show them here. This is once again a case of the need for a full rewrite to implement things properly, and given this isn't, fully replacing the cast wouldn't work well. Project JADA will be my attempt to make better use of these villains, so if I did a poor job here, perhaps I can earn your approval in future.

I'd like to mention that the scar I gave Adam is technically canon accurate. I always assumed there was a scar under that mask, though in my version he got scarred from being tortured in Bolto Silver's camps. I mentioned in a previous chapter that in his original concept art, Adam had a similar scar, which was then retconned for a Holocaust allegory. Admittedly what Silver did was also inspired from what the Holocaust, but it at least makes more sense than the Schnee Dust Company.

And like I promised, I did something with the Silver-Eyes. I'm not gonna spoil a damn thing, but I wasn't lying! XD.

I'd like to mention that once again something I had planned years ago is now happening in the show. In my full rewrite, the first major battle after the Battle of Albion—though there is also the Battle of K'iin Ha'—is the Battle of Paraíso, where the capital of Vacuo is under siege from Salem and her forces led by Tyrian. I originally had Tyrian hunted down and killed by Ruby, but that was years ago, and instead gave him a more important role as a proper general of Salem. I now have it that after dealing with Leonardo, the group make their way back to Vale, support the armed forces there, and then head to Vacuo to reinforce their allies and recruit Teodoro. That is a massive arc and important on both a plot and character level. I expect only the worst with V9.

I'm sure you all have plenty of questions with what the Dark Legion spoke of, and I will try to answer what I can without spoiling anything...which will be far from easy.

Closing Thoughts:

Alas, all good things must come to an end. From the beginning this was the intended end of this story, though as I mentioned at the start of these notes, I began to feel a consensus that people thought it would go on for much longer—a possible full rewrite. As I said many times in PMs, if I were to fully rewrite RWBY, I wouldn't start at the end of V2 just to rewrite V3. And even if I did begin to rewrite the entire story, you wouldn't see it for at least a decade, as I would not release a page of it until it was fully done. That's why this story ran as "smoothly" as it did, as I began writing it in September of 2019, and the first draft completed in July of 2020. Because of that "speed", I spent an entire year editing alongside what my editors helped me with, as there were plenty of issues, and still does. I will be coming back to edit this when I have the time, though I will be focusing on other projects.

In that vein, I should explain why it took so long to finish. The first reason was the technical. As I've mentioned before, my laptop is on its last legs, and it could take a full day to get it working again.

The second reason was time. I work full time, I work at night—which drives me nuts as that is when my mind is most creative so I go to bed wishing I could write—and even though I have weekends off, I don't really get the time to myself; even if I do, I'm usually interrupted fairly regularly. Furthermore, I can't do some writing before going to bed, as it takes upwards of 40 minutes to get my laptop ready for use, so it isn't worth it.

The third reason was my reluctance to edit, which I mentioned previously, especially when the chapter was this long. This compounded with the fourth reason, which was that I wanted to get to writing Project JADA and other stories—I even wrote thousands of words for the companion book because light bulbs kept going off.

The fifth reason was admitting that things needed more meat to them, not just for you guys to chew on, but to flesh out both dialogue and narration.

The sixth reason was my fear of messing this up, as this is the final chapter, especially since I left things aside like the Huntsman's Oath to work on later, because I thought I had more time to do so. Since I was editing every single day since I started posting this story, I never had the free time I was expecting.

The seventh reason is that I busted up my left hand at work, and it took two weeks to heal. It didn't stop me from going to work, but typing was impossible, so I had to wait.

The eighth reason was that I was editing three other pieces at the same time because I wanted to release them back-to-back. Not wise at all, but it's my own fault for not finishing things a while ago.

And now we have the final reason, which is a new one. I happen to have panic attacks every so often, and even though they're distracting, I can usually power through them or figure out a way to calm down. This time I had a legit anxiety attack, robbing me of appetite, energy, and desire to do anything, which lasted for an entire week. The aftershocks lasted for a while as well, and it took a while before I was back to being myself. It pushed me to finish this story as much as possible, and even awoke my creative fire once more, though it still resulted with an extra month+ delay. All I could think of was that I was letting you all down, especially after getting a fair number of messages from people asking if I was OK and when the next chapter would be released.

I desperately wanted to never return to how I used to be, leaving most of my work incomplete, and I fell right back into my bad habits. I suppose with the New Year right around the corner, it's a good time to change for the better, though never put something off till tomorrow when you can do it today. So again, I am profusely sorry for taking so damn long.

Originally I was going to end this chapter with a prewritten afterword (I wrote it back in August of last year), but given how many people were put off or angered by my foreword, I've become reluctant. I might in the end, but for now, I will end this as if there won't be an afterword.

This has been an incredible journey for me. After losing my passion for writing in both fan-fiction and original work, I wondered if I would ever get it back. Thanks to DDCT, I've fallen right back in love with storytelling, writing thousands of words a day, starting to write treatments for my own original stories, and still having so many more ideas for both fan-fiction and original work. I want to tell the kind of stories we used to have, about heroes fighting villains and saving the princess, and not be some hollow allegory that no one enjoys. That results in DDCT, a tough love-letter to a show that was completely ruined by greedy and incompetent stewards.

Whilst working on DDCT, in my need for content as I have no interest in modern media, I completed my collection of Tolkien's works and read them, gathered the fantasy series I ignored like The Dragonlance Chronicles, The Black Company, The Chronicles of Prydain, The Stormlight Archives (my editor Eddy has been VERY adamant about those), The Wheel of Time, The Witcher, the Raymond E. Feist sagas, and Legends of the Raven and other stories by James Barclay. I desired to waltz through history with the Aubrey-Maturin series, the Sharpe series, and the Asian Saga. I decided to get my hands on the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, the Aesop Fables, the three volumes of Arabian Nights, the four volumes of Journey to the West, and the twenty-five volumes of the Andrew Lang Fairy Books. Going against consensus of my generation, I gathered the "boring" classics of the Iliad and the Odyssey, a new translation of The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Moby Dick, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, Ivanhoe, Robin Hood and his Merry Foresters, The Once and Future King, The Divine Comedy, and the collected works of Shakespeare. I had to buy a new eReader to hold them all! I'm not kidding, my library has now exceeded twelve-hundred books...and I've only read 10% of them.

While we're on this subject, reading these old fairytales makes you realize just how much potential was wasted with RWBY, as well as how little respect and reverence the writers have for the fairytales of old. I already have many OCs from what I've read over the course of my life, but doing this research has given me even more ideas.

And to hammer this thought home, I already loath how little respect modern writers and storytellers have for the past, so the extent that CRWBY fuck with the tales of our childhood, some of which have inspired generations for thousands of years, hurts my very soul.

Because of these emotions fueling me, I was very nervous about the whole thing, thinking I would have daily fights with RT Loyalists for the great sin of not thinking RWBY is God given perfection, and claiming that Blake and Yang aren't raging lesbians. While I have had a few scrapes, the response has been incredible, and I am eternally grateful. In a single year, this story has received more favourites, follows, and reviews than any of my other stories have gotten in a decade. It's no barn-burner, especially compared to the reception other RWBY stories have received, but I knew that going in, and this was all more than I could have hoped for.

While I'm grateful to each and every one of you, I would like to give special thanks to Ravell Aqim, LuckyPickl3, SuperSaiyajin4Vegeta, Six02, PlaneSilk, wolfstyle2074, GunBlade2021, merendinoemiliano, and Incapacitated Ichthyoid, as well as MuddyBootKnight, WrightKnight, REDWOLF1997, AEden99, and SalDiPietro from Ao3. You guys have been both consistent and wonderful, and I looked forward to your reviews every time I posted a new chapter. We had some great private conversations, and I learned a great deal. Bless you all.

I would like to give a MAJOR thank you to two mad lads in particular: Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov and Knight of Wings. These guys have not only reread my story more than once, but did so to review every single chapter in great detail. You guys are a fucking perceptive pair, picking up damn near everything I put down. Knight's reviews would glue a stupid grin on my face, and Kerlo, Gods bless him, would chat with me daily for the past year.

Thank you to my guest reviewers, though if I can be honest, asking questions that I have no ability to answer, did hurt me XD. Then again, given the amount of reviews I replied to from people with accounts, who then never respond, there's no guarantee of anything. I will now try to answer as many as I can without spoilers in FAQ, as I can't spoil what I've already posted.

I'd like to thank my friends and editors, "Eddy" and "Ultron", who helped me with this, for I value their opinions and criticisms more than anything. I'd also like to thank my sister for her help with languages and other elements, for she's also a Rooster Teeth fan who was shocked by what's happened.

And thank you to those of you who hated this story and/or me personally. No, really, thank you. Your incomprehensible ranting, complaining, and cultish devotion to Rooster Teeth only affirms everything that I know and believe. The disconnect that RWBY "fans" have with the show and reality, while is nothing new and par for the course these days, is nonetheless disturbing and disappointing. It's amusing to see them tie themselves in knots, but the part of me that values truth above personal want and desire, becomes very annoyed when they run around with the goal posts. The best I got was one guy admitting he doesn't care that Monty is dead and Miles isn't head-writer anymore, and that I'm just like Adam—ya probably should have read chapter XVIII before accusing me of that, mate. "You clearly hate this show"—given you think that anything less than blind love is hate, your boos mean nothing XD.

I have just one question to those who call me entitled and angry that I didn't get what I want: Are CRWBY and Rooster Teeth entitled to my enjoyment?

Nevertheless, my haters validated my efforts in writing DDCT and other stories, and it served as motivation just as much as the positive reviews. So cheers :)

To those who I've lost along the way, I'm sorry my story wasn't entertaining enough for you. I wish you voiced your displeasure so I could have gotten a better understanding of what I did wrong, but given it's hard to get any feedback outside of a like/dislike system (which FFN does not have), it's just how it is.

Now I'm sure there are some of you who are wondering if there's going to be a sequel to DDCT. The answer to that is yes, but there are caveats. As I mentioned before, Projects BICO and JADA take precedence, but to get a full explanation on the matter, I'll be releasing an FAQ that contains my future plans. Speaking of which, if any of you have questions you've been meaning to ask, feel free to. If enough of you ask the same question, I'll include it in the FAQ. It's already over 6k words, so I'm taking the time needed to be thorough.

What I will be doing whilst working on these new projects are minor tweaks to DDCT. I don't mean changing plot points or anything like that, but rather tidying up. Even after going over this story from beginning to end with the help of my editors multiple times, I still stumble across errors. I've had a note pad on my desk since the beginning to remind myself to fix things, so when I post a new chapter I also upload the corrections. In all honesty, I think Word doesn't actually save my document properly, as I swear I've fixed the same mistake more than once—and I manually save more often than the auto-save does. As I said, this was quite rushed, so now that it's done, I can go over it and fix things ranging from syntax errors, to sentence structure, to the flow of dialogue, to narration—anything that requires fixing in order to make my story as legible and understandable as possible. A big thanks to those of you who weren't shy and informed me of those errors. That's not me being facetious, I'm genuinely thankful for that.

There were definitely things that I left out due to not having enough time, one of those being a new name for Menagerie, as it's the French word for "zoo". Subtle, CRWBY. Very subtle. For those of you who don't speak French, menagerie was originally used as the English word for "zoo" (late 17th century), but now is used to mean "a strange or diverse collection of people or things" after "zoo" came into fashion in the mid 19th century. If most of you assumed CRWBY meant the latter, I don't blame you, but Gods on high must they feel clever—and made the Faunus even dumber in the process. I'll be honest and admit that I never sat down to think of a better name for Menagerie for my rewrite. Given that so little of the story takes place there (more than the show for sure), not to mention its fate later on, I had bigger fish to fry. Nevertheless, I feel complied to be thorough, so I'll try to have a proper new name by the time JADA will be ready...I hope.

Another change that I didn't make was Dust. As I mentioned in previous chapters, Dust makes little to no sense in RWBY, having no set rules or proper distinctions. We don't know which Dust does what, which Dust is better suited for what job, which Dust can be combined (if at all) and their result, the potency of each Dust and Dust itself, how Dust function (either an explosive or a propellant), the list goes on. It is truly a magic system in and of itself. Since the beginning, I've treated Dust as a multipurpose element (fuel and smokeless powder for the most part), never differentiating one type from another—there were just bigger things to focus on. Once I started writing DDCT, I actually sat down to try to understand what exactly Dust was from the wiki...and I couldn't understand it. I then tried to come up with something coherent on my own...and then I realized how much work was required to make and organize a magic system/magical elements with clear and consistent rules. I was able to work on Semblances and create a super metal with ease, but this was a horse of a different colour. Unfortunately I have to sleep in the bed I've made, for there will be plot points in Project JADA regarding Dust, so I have to make sense of it. I've been doing a lot of research on that front (dozens of books for both DDCT and JADA), and while I have a better understanding on how to implement it to Dust, I'm realizing it's more chemical than magical—this is gonna suck XD.

As for what will happen in V9 given what's been going on, my prediction that CRWBY will humiliate Sun remains my immediate go to. It's honestly my only concern, as getting revenge for Pyrrha would mean nothing even if Jaune kills Cinder—which I doubt will happen as the writers have admitted that Jaune, in their eyes, has "overreacted about Cinder". They also admitted they are SO happy Emerald is good now—without explaining ANYTHING. Also, if you haven't guessed, I listened to the V8 commentary. I have been so bloody vindicated! They admitted that so much wasn't planned and that their budget affected the volume. That's something I've been telling people for a long time; that you shouldn't fan theory this show, not only because nothing is planned, but that assets are recycled to save money—they don't hold secret or significant meaning, sorry. And in this case, missing elements are due to incompetence and inability.

I could spend hours ranting on the insanity of it all, but I will summarize it with one single quote from Kerry, "There's clearly back-story here—we're not gonna get into it, though". That summarizes RWBY perfectly. At least I got confirmation that they stole shit from Lord of the Rings (as well as other properties) without understanding it. They also admitted that rules don't matter (I want to die), which also summarizes RWBY perfectly. They also called their own show stupid. Ha. They said that Ren and Nora aren't ready for a relationship yet, that they need to figure things out, and they made them fall out for "power balance". Can we all agree that I did a much better job on that front? This show wasn't written by humans -_-. Is there anything else to cover other than the commentary? Oh yeah, the RWBY subreddit got overtaken by the NSFW RWBY subreddit; that's both hilarious and confirming what we already knew.

V9 is gonna be horrific, and I'll be here writing my own stories and cringing at what I see and gets reported. Given that these companies—especially Warner Brothers—have not a care regarding profits or audience reception, I do think that RWBY will make it to volume ten. Wasp will happen and the story will end without satisfaction. The Rooster Teeth and their cultists will gloat of course, but we all know that it's, I dare say, worse than a Pyrrhic victory. Former fans like us won't accept it along with more than 80% of the show, it's cost them their reputation, integrity, and careers, and everyone will forget RWBY ever existed within a month of the final episode. The porn will live on forever—Korra is the same exact thing—but the show and what it meant will vanish. It has now earned the same fate as so many other series in the modern day: Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Marvel and DC comics and shows (X-Men, Thor, Doctor Strange, Superman, Batman, Batwoman, Teen Titans, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, etc), Game of Thrones, Terminator, Harry Potter, Avatar the Last Airbender, Watchmen, West World, The Witcher, The Boys, He-Man, The Wheel of Time, Cowboy Bebop, The Man in the High Castle, and upcoming abortions like Halo, The Lord of the Rings, One Piece, and Bone—three of my bloody favourites too.

And people wonder why I collect old books and movies instead of watching the latest Netflix shit-show.

And that's that, I suppose. Thank you all again so much for sticking with me for this long. I'd like to wish you a belated Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Christmas, and a Happy New Year. While I honestly feel that things will get much worse before they get better, we must persevere. We cannot give in, even when that feels like the easiest thing to do.

May your sword stay sharp, your spear never break, your hammer shatter bone, and your pancakes always turn out fluffy. And in the words of the future ruler of earth, Dicktor van Doomcock, "Without respect, we reject". All hail Team JNPR, and stay angry, my friends.

See you next time, Wild Huntsmen.

Explicit Liber Primus