Disclaimer: Brotherhoof12 does not own RWBY or the Spider-Man franchise.

(Chapter 44: Prelude to the Festival Arc)

Jaune and Ruby were walking at a comfortable pace, but an uncomfortable silence settled between the two as they made their way to Jaune's former workplace, the weapons store where they had first met. Jaune's gaze was fully secure on their path, whereas Ruby's head was hidden under her hood, hiding the ever deepening blush on her face.

'What was I implying?! I won't forget that he has seven sisters, seriously, why did I even say that!?' If she had a wish right now, it would be to change her semblance into one that can let ravel back in time, so she can go back and fix that mistake. 'Aah~! It made me sound like a weirdo or worse, a pervert! I'm not even good at talking to boys, that's Yang's thing. Though, I'm sure she only said she flirts with boys.'

And speaking of Yang, Ruby was still mad at her sister for ditching her at the library! Sure, the teenaged reaper wanted this type of freedom, to not have Yang always hover around her. Yet with what she said to Jaune, who was thankfully oblivious to what she had been implying, Ruby would rather have her overprotective sister around to fix her mistakes!

'On the other hand...' Ruby subtly peeked from under her hood, sizing up her companion. 'Has Jaune been working out? He seems bigger… like, a lot bigger.'

For as much as Ruby acted like a child, she was still a growing woman and she had seen more of the opposite sex much more at Beacon than she had at Signal. That first night at Beacon, when the boys and girls had to share the same space together, was a good example of how Vale was so different than Patch.

Most of the boys had worn pajama bottoms, and alternated between wearing muscle shirts or no shirts at. Most kept to themselves, but some of the more confident boys vied for the attention of their female classmates. Yang had been among the few who enjoyed the free show.

Ruby, however, didn't really understand the appeal. Yes, she can admit that some of her male classmates had nice figures. There were boys like Ren who had a slim yet athletic look. There were the likes of Cardin with his tall and muscular frame (Though his personality could use some work, in her opinion). But these were just objective observations, she can admit to admiring the aesthetic, but there was nothing deeper than that. They just didn't have anything that appealed to her, and she was thankful that most boys didn't dare talk to her that first day.

Or any day at Beacon, now that she thought about it. Maybe it was because she didn't have much compared with the likes of her teammates. She didn't have Weiss' classical beauty, or Blake's mysterious attitude, or Yang's... um, 'Yangs'. She didn't get any attention of that kind at Signal either. However, considering the fact that her father and uncle were part of Signal's faculty, it sort of marked her as 'forbidden fruit'. Yet, when she looked at Jaune, she can't help but feel... something about his appearance.

When she had first met him, Jaune was already tall and had a slim body similar to Ren's, save for the fact that he has more muscles. But then they met today, and he seemed to have gone through a growth spurt. Jaune was even taller than before! And from what she can see, it was not just his height that had changed. The clothes he wore were fitted perfectly to his body, showing it to be sculpted and well-defined, almost like a professional swimmer.

'I'm not the only one who's noticed...'

As a Huntress-in-training, Ruby had been taught to be attentive to her opponent's reactions and muscle movements, both Grimm or rogue Hunters. At this moment, she was using her situational awareness to register several bystanders that even dared to glance admiringly at Jaune.

And almost all of these leering gazes were female.

'I'm sure they think Jaune and I are together. I-I mean, we are standing next to each other, or else I would have already had gotten some guy to walk up to me and try to ask me out, right?'

"Ah!" Ruby was cut off from her thoughts as an arm shot up in front of her, stopping in her in tracks. Ruby instinctively grabbed the arm and felt the tight, firm muscles lurking beneath the sleeve.

"Careful, Ruby..." The arm that stopped her was Jaune's. "You were zoning out and about to hit your head on the door to Mr. McCarren's shop."

"Sorry..." She embarrassingly mumbled, 'Stupid-Stupid-Stupid-Stupid! Focus next time when you're thinking about Jaune's musc- NOPE! No, don't focus on that... But still, by the Brothers, those arms of his!'

She entered the store first, thanks to Jaune politely opening the door for her. The minute Ruby Rose entered the shop, her thoughts shifted from her friend's impressive anatomy and onto the various components and mechanisms within the store.

"Welcome, welcome to my humble shop!" Mr. McCarran called out as he walked out from the back. When he caught sight of the two teenagers, his smile grew wider, "Jaune! And miss Ruby, too! Oh, it's so good to see you both! How can I help you two?"

"Hey, Mr. McCarran," Greeted Jaune with a wave.

Ruby followed suit, "Hi, Mr. McCarran!"

"I'd like to buy a cleaning kit, please! One best suited for cleaning an advanced sniper rifle." She told the shopkeeper.

"I think I've got a set that might interest." The shopkeeper told the girl, before he looked to Jaune.

Jaune shrugged nonchalantly, "I just might look at the clearance section. But other than that, how have things been?"

Minutes passed as the teenagers engaged the store owner in pleasant conversation. Ruby received her new cleaning kit, whereas Jaune found nothing of interest to him. Eventually, Rain began to pour outside, a sign for the young teens to head back to their respective homes.

"Thanks for the help, Mr. McCarran! I'm sure Crescent Rose will love this!" Ruby said with a wave, skipping happily as she held the bag containing her cleaning kit.

"Anytime, Ruby, oh, and Jaune, it's good to see you again! And please tell May I said 'hi' by the way!" The shopkeeper told the departing teens.

"Sure!" Jaune was only one foot out the door before he looked back at Mr. McCarran, waving the umbrella that the man had just gifted to him. "Oh, and thanks again for the umbrella too. But are you sure it's okay for me to use it? I mean, Ruby and I are wearing clothes with hoods."

"Come on, Jaune!" The man couldn't help but groan at his former employee's denseness. "Are you really gonna let a girl get drenched in the rain? This isn't just an umbrella, boy, it is a tool for you to get closer to her."

Jaune flummoxed at what the old man was implying, "Wa-Wa-What!? No! This is just a misunderstanding, Ruby's-"

"Jaune Arc, listen well to what I'm about to say" The humor in the man's tone was gone. "You can fool yourself, but you can't fool this old man. That girl, I can tell there's something growing between the both of you. Take it from a man who experienced the same thing: If you don't act now, that chance will slip away, and you'll regret it forever. Just take that chance, it's not like it's going to kill you."

Jaune was left speechless by his former employer's words. Did he really want to let this chance go? He had long thought of Ruby as a friend, but he can't deny that he felt something for the young huntress. But he was afraid. What if he did take that chance, only to screw it up, and put their friendship at stake. But Jaune knew he only had one life and he almost lost it months ago, so he can see the appeal of going for broke and not regretting it. But it was still too big a choice to decide on a whim.

The conflicted boy looked to the man, "Thanks. I'll make sure to return your umbrella tomorrow. Tell everyone I said hello, too."

"Of course, have a safe trip."

Jaune left the store, now standing under the shop's awning, with Ruby standing near its edge, her silver eyes staring up at the cloudy grey sky, the heavy pitter-patter of rain beating in their ear drums. Jaune, still fresh off his epiphany, found himself staring at her, mesmerized by her beautiful silver eyes. How hadn't he noticed that before?

"It's really pouring hard," Ruby told Jaune, pulling up her hood over her head. "It was nice of your old boss to lend you an umbrella, Jaune. I'll just call Yang to pick me up, so don't worry about me."

"Actually-" What he was about to say stopped in his throat. 'This is the perfect moment. Don't let this become a 'what if' moment. Just go for it, Arc!'

Jaune opened the umbrella, stood next to Ruby, and held the umbrella over their heads.

"I can walk you back to the library. You can wait for Yang to pick you up there." Jaune was sure his cheeks were burning red by how forward he was being, but he wanted to hang with Ruby just a little bit longer.

"I-I would like that." He didn't see her face, but the hitch in her voice told him she didn't dislike the gesture. "Thank you."

With that out of the way, the two teens stepped out from under the awning, venturing into the rain, with the umbrella shielding them from falling water. Silence settled between the two, the only sound being the soft yet powerful battering of the rain upon the umbrella. Jaune kept his eyes forward, face red as a tomato. Ruby kept her crimsoned cheeked face concealed by the hood of her cape and followed along Jaune's steps.

As they walked, it became clear that the rain was not going to let up. Even as the sun began to dip further into the horizon, with the lamplights turning on, the rain kept on pouring. Eventually, it was starting to get dark, and their path was illuminated by the bright street lights reflecting in the rippling puddles on the streets. There were less people on the sidewalks, giving them more room to walk. However both still acted like it was crowded with pedestrians and therefore walked shoulder to shoulder.

'I just realized how tall Jaune really is...' Now that she was so close to the blonde, Ruby finally took full notice of his increased height.

She didn't feel insecure comparing her height to Jaune's. It wasn't like whenever Yang teases about her relatively short stature. In fact, strangely, it felt nice walking next to him, her head barely reaching his shoulders. It made her think that if she hugged him, it'd be like hugging a big teddy bear.

'I didn't think Jaune would be so forward about walking back with me. I texted Yang and she said she'll come in half an hour. Should I maybe ask him if he wants to keep me company a little longer?'

Ruby Rose may be a student huntress that can fight terrorists and kill monsters, but at the end of the day, she was still a teenaged girl and being alone in the city at night was something she never hoped to experience. Growing up, her dad had told her and Yang of the dangers that came with being in the big cities, of the high rate of kidnappings, muggings, and assaults. It was practically ingrained into their heads that even if their opponents lacked aura and semblances, it was unwise to let their guard down.

Yang brushed off such notions with her usual bravado, boasting that she can handle herself if she ever encountered those kinds of people. But Ruby knew her sister, and she was sure Yang was just hiding her true feelings on the matter. As for her, well, it honestly sickened her to know that people would act like that towards their fellow man, even when humanity was facing the threat of extinction by the Grimm.

'Still, I'm glad Jaune's here with me.' She peeked from under her hood and saw that Jaune was still looking ahead. She smiled as her returned to the ground below her, a faint dusting of red on her cheeks. 'I'm glad to have him here with me. It would have been a quiet walk, and I don't really getting my hood wet.'

Ruby's attention was brought back when Jaune stopped walking. She was going to ask why he stopped only to follow where his eyes were looking at. She blinked in surprise when she saw a familiar figure walking several feet ahead of them.

"Hey, Isn't that MJ?" She asked Jaune, whom nodded in return.

The glow of the street sights were bright enough to highlight MJ's richly red hair to them, but other than that it was hard to see her, what with the darkness and the heavy rain. But they could tell that it was Jaune's classmate ahead of them.

Ruby noticed something else, "It looks like she doesn't have an umbrella, or anything to cover her head, Jaune."

"Yeah, you're right. Actually, I think she's wearing the waitress uniform from the diner Gwen and I used to work at." Jaune observed as he squinted his eyes.

When Jaune told her that he can see what MJ was wearing, Ruby was honestly surprised to hear that. MJ's bright red hair was easy to spot, her scarlet tresses illuminated by the lights, almost resembling a flare. But Ruby couldn't see what MJ was wearing, considering her distance from them, the time of day, and weather obscuring Ruby's sight.

'How was Jaune able to see what she was wearing? She's too far away, and its night now. Even if were daytime, I doubt we could see her with this downpour.'

Ruby's thoughts didn't last long as she watched MJ continue on her way. As she walked, the redhead passed a group of disheveled men. From what she was able to see, the men gazed upon the girl with lascivious eyes and lustful grins, not even bothering to hide their intent with her. One even went as far as to whistle and catcall at her.

No doubt feeling threatened, they watched MJ picked up the pace as she turned the corner of a building, cutting her off from the teen's sights. Seconds after losing sight of the redhead, they watched as the group of harassers turned to a nearby alleyway, disappearing into the darkness. The two teens knew in an instant what their intentions were. They intended to cut MJ off once she reached the other side of the street!

"Ruby," The young huntress jumped slightly when Jaune suddenly grabbed her shoulder. "I don't like what I saw. MJ, she's… Ruby, I need to-"

"Call the police, Jaune!" Shrugging off his hold, Ruby left the safety and comfort of his warmth, now caught in the harsh and cold rain. "I'll cut them off! Just make sure you follow after ten minutes!"

"Ruby, no, wait!" The boy's words fell on deaf ears as the girl ran off after would-be assailants. Jaune watched as she charged headlong into the night and rain, her footsteps splashing and cape billowing. Her body quickly vanished, consumed by a spiraling vortex that zoomed ahead, leaving scattered rose petals fluttering in the wind.

"You don't even have your weapon!" Jaune yelled into the night.

Left with no other choice, he pulled out his scroll and called the cops. Once he was sure they were on their way, he climbed up the wall of the nearest building, a certain mask clutched in his hand.

"HELP ME!"

The vortex of petals spiraled into the alleyway, before dissipating next to a dumpster, rematerializing into the form Ruby Rose. Crouching behind the metal container, the young huntress stealthily peeked from her position and spotted Mary Jane, who had just been apprehended by one of the criminals. The girl was kicking and screaming, trying to break free from her captor's grasp. Ruby seethed in rage when she saw this, before recoiling in disgust upon hearing two of the criminal's partners arguing about 'taking turns'.

She quickly assessed the area, looking for openings to initiate her attack. She quickly counted the number of opponents, of which there were a total of seven. One holding the hostage, two standing a short distance away arguing, three were keeping watch, and the last one was sitting on the ground watching the girl struggle. Ruby noted the distance between each goon and found that it was wide enough to use her semblance again. All she had to was rush past the two debaters, and take out MJ's captor.

The girl took a deep breath, her silver eyes blazing with fury and her muscles tightening with anticipation. She crouched into a starting position, gritted her teeth... and shot forward, disappearing into a drilling projectile of rose petals!

She passed the two arguing goons, and rushed the one holding MJ. The vortex arced upward, and Ruby shot out from it, delivering a fierce dropkick to the man's back. A surprised scream of pain was the only sign of how effective her kick was. She landed on the wet cement, next to MJ, who fell on her behind, only for her form to collapse back into rose petals. She deftly moved between the legs of one of the lookouts, morphed back into her physical body, and swept his legs. The man fell on his back, and tried getting back on his feet, only to be knocked by a boot to his face.

Within just a few seconds, Ruby had already taken out two thugs out of the fight.

'Don't forget what's around you, Ruby!'

The sound of shoes stomping in a puddle warned Ruby to a coming attack. She quickly used her semblance to dodge a kick from behind, her attacker's foot landing her at body's previous position. The man let out a startled grunt, oblivious to the young girl now hiding behind him. As Ruby prepared herself, the words of her father echoed through her mind.

'The Grimm use strength and speed to overwhelm us, but people will use any tactic, no matter how underhanded, to get what they want. We may be training to fight the Grimm, but that doesn't keep us from fighting people.'

'It's not that I haven't forgotten your advice, dad.' Reverting to using her semblance once more, the silver-eyed girl swarmed around him, using her fast movements to confuse and disorient him. The instant he lost all sense of focus, she turned back to normal and kicked him between the legs.

The man let out a short scream which quickly became a pained and pitiful wheeze as he clutched his family jewels in pain. The girl watched as the would-be assaulter slumped to his knees, whimpering like a dog; three down, with only four more to go.

'It's just that I don't like thinking about it!' She thought with a grimace. She'd never get used to the idea of fighting people.

"What the hell is this?!" She turned on her heel and found herself staring at the rest of the gang. The four thugs stared in shock at the scene before them. Three of their buddies had already been taken out, and by a little girl in a ridiculous red cape.

"Screw this!" One growled before reaching behind his back.

To Ruby's horror, the man pulled out a gun. Her first instinct was to use her semblance to close the distance between her and the shooter, only to remember MJ was right behind her, frozen in fear and unable to move to safety. The young huntress-in-training abandoned her attack plan, focusing instead on MJ's wellbeing.

'I gotta get her somewhere safe!'

Before the shooter had a chance to shout his demands, Ruby used her semblance and rocketed toward MJ, covering her body with her own. She helped the frightened girl to her feet, shrouding their bodies with her cape, and moved to run behind the safety of a dumpster. As they ran, the goon fired his weapon, his aim fully on the teenaged girls. Fortunately for Ruby, the man was not as well trained in weapon use as she was as his shots mostly missed their mark. Whatever bullets that did hit her were deflected by her aura and thank to the firearm being of low caliber it did not cause Ruby to register any pain. Soon the bullets ran out, just as the girls finally made it to cover.

Wanting to ensure the poor girl everything was under control, Ruby made sure to maintain eye contact and spoke confidently, "Stay here. Everything's going to be okay!"

MJ just nodded her head, her green eyes puffy and welling with tears.

BANG-BANG-BANG!

The girl shrieked as the sound of gunfire returned, hiding her head under her arms for safety. Ruby kept her composure and waited for the reckless shooter to exhaust his ammunition. The instant the gunfire stopped, she peeked from behind cover and saw the shooter struggling to reload his gun, surrounded by his three remaining friends, whom formed a line of defense of around him.

'Need to get rid of that gun!' Ruby ran out from cover, gaining their attention. The gunman saw this and finished reloading his gun, intent on ending the girl. Ruby used her speed to dodge his line of fire, causing the man to curse.

Taking cover behind a trash can, Ruby began to plan another strategy. 'As much as these guys deserve a good beating, I just can't let them get shot. With the way that idiot is being careless with his gun, he's gonna shot one of them!'

Knowing that they were expecting her to come at them from the ground, Ruby chose to take an alternate route, one that would go right over their heads. Activating her semblance again, the girl shot up high into the sky like a rocket, the thug's eyes following her launch. With the shattered moon high in the sky, her form silhouetted against it, she looked down at her targets. With a steeled resolve, she transformed into a storm of petals that scattered all around them. The four thugs, frightened by this sudden display, instinctively grouped together for protection.

'NOW!'

Seizing the moment, Ruby deactivated her semblance, and landed next to the distracted gunman, whose attention was still on the sky. She quickly disarmed him, tossed the gun aside, and kicked the man in his lower back, forcing him to kneel, taking him out with a final kick to his face. Despite her victory, Ruby kept her mind on point, as she thought back to her father's lessons.

'Remember; don't focus on just the shooter, always know where the gun! Because people always try to either run from the fight or find a way to win it!'

And just as she predicted, one of the thugs moved for the gun. Not only did the man moved away from his friends, he was now only focused on getting the weapon rather than watching his teenaged opponent. Ruby used her semblance to reach the gun before he did and knocked his lights out by kicking her leg at his face. Like his comrades before him, the goon was unable to dodge and was knocked out.

The final two stragglers watched their friend crumple to ground. They kept their positions and stared at the girl, who stood ready to act if they tried something. After seeing most the number decimated within a span of just a few minutes, the two thugs felt their resolve to see this through crumble.

"Forget this!" One of them shouted, opting to turn tail and run.

"I ain't going back to prison for this!" The other cried out, following after his friend.

As she watched their retreating forms, Ruby thought about one other lesson from her father.

'Just because they're running away doesn't mean you should let your guard down. They might and surprise by hiding behind the corner!'

Having committed his lessons on dealing with scum living in Vale, Ruby kept her guard up for a few minutes more. Once it was clear that the two thugs weren't returning, she took the moment to check on the would-be assaulters she had knocked out. To her relief, they were all knocked out cold.

Now free to savor her victory, the young Rose smiled. 'Even when I'm thousands of miles away, you're still teaching me. Thanks, dad.'

She looked over to the dumpster and called out, "It's safe, you can come out now!"

After being given the all-clear, Mary Jane Watson rose from her hiding spot. With shaking legs, she stumbled toward the young huntress, hugging herself and almost on the verge of tears. Ruby, concerned for the older girl, moved over to her and asked. "Are you alright, MJ?"

It was here that MJ finally broke down, wrapping her arms around the shorter girl as her knees gave out. Ruby fell with her, unwilling to shake from her grasp, opting instead to let the taller girl cry on her shoulder.

The older redhead sniffled, "Thank you, Ruby! Thank you!"

Even with the freezing rain washing over them, Ruby still felt the girl's hot tears as she wept into her shoulder. "Thank you so much!"

Most people in this situation would offer some words of encouragement to the victim. Ruby, on the other hand, chose to wrap her arms around the inconsolable girl, letting her cry her heart out as they waited for the police.

Wearing only his mask, Spider-Man wrote a small note and attached it to the webbing holding the two stragglers against the wall of a building. With a voice laced with disdain, he told the vile assailants, "You two stay here and think about what you and your friends did. The cops will be here to pick you up. If not, well, don't worry, the garbage is usually picked up in the next hour."

Jaune smiled behind his mask as the two men tried to scream hateful curses through their web gags.

In the distance, he heard the sounds of police sirens blaring in the distance. 'Man, am I glad the first scroll call went through.'

He quickly exited the scene, leaving the two screaming criminals for the police. After what they tried to do to his friend, he hoped they got life in prison. Once he was sure that was far enough away from them, he removed his mask. Upon doing so, his face was bombarded by heavy rain and the chilly air. It didn't bother him in the slightest. He walked through the alley, intent on reaching Ruby and MJ.

'The dispatcher said they'd be here by now. Now where are they?' Jaune thought as he navigated the labyrinth-like alleyway. He turned a corner, and saw blue and red lights flashing against the brick walls. 'There they are!'

He picked up the pace and soon found himself reaching the end of the alleyway, right where it led to the street. He found the two redheads sitting in the back of an ambulance van, both of them covered with thick blankets and holding two warm cups in their hands. He moved to approach the two girls, only to be stopped by a cop who was setting up a perimeter. It was only when Ruby saw Jaune that she called out to the officer to let him through. The officer acquiesced to the girl's request and allowed Jaune to approach the emergency vehicle. Ruby ran to the boy, the blanket still clinging to her form.

"Jaune," Ruby didn't say another word until she hugged him. "Thank you for calling the police! I didn't expect them to be here so soon."

Jaune chuckled, "Well, let's just say I'm great when it comes to giving directions in Vale."

After spending the several months web swinging through the city, the young man had become well acquainted with the layout of the city. He didn't like to brag, but he was proud to say that he knew these streets like the back of his hand. In fact, he could probably swing through this city blindfolded.

"How's MJ holding up?" He asked, concerned for his friend.

"She has a few bruises, but nothing too bad. She's just a bit jumpy." Ruby told him. She frowned, "God, she was almost..."

She didn't even want to finish that sentence.

It was then she remembered, "Two of them were able to give me the slip. I'm not sure if I can sleep tonight knowing they're still loose in the city."

"Hey now, don't forget there's a certain friendly neighborhood wall-crawler who swings over these streets. I'm sure Spider-Man nabbed those guys by now." He said to reassure the young huntress.

"Yeah..." Ruby couldn't help but smile at the thought. "Yeah, you're right. Come on, I'm sure MJ will feel much better having one of her friends with her."

Following her back to the ambulance, Jaune frowned when he took in MJ's roughed-up appearance. He was glad they got to her before those monsters did far worse to her. The very thought of what those men had planned for her made his blood boil in rage. Not wanting to hold on to such impulse, Jaune chose to contain his anger. Right now, all that mattered was comforting the traumatized girl.

"Hey, MJ." Jaune's voice snapped MJ out of her funk and she looked up, surprised to see him here.

"Jaune, hey..." She greeted with a lopsided smile, yet her voice didn't carry the confidence it usually held. "Fancy seeing you here. Were you and Ruby on a date?"

Jaune didn't bother refuting that teasing remark, choosing instead to explain, "We were actually walking to the library when we saw you walk out of the diner. I didn't know you work there."

"I just started actually. The boss is starting to expand and she was looking hire someone to perform there. She remodeled half of the diner into a stage and I wanted to try my hand at singing... and a little extra pay by waitressing." She answered with a shrug. "I'm just trying to expand my horizons, you know? Every star has to start somewhere, and I don't mind if it's at some small diner."

The girl sighed and looked into her cup. "I should've accepted that ride my boss offered. If I had, then I wouldn't have... you guys wouldn't..."

Her words died in her throat as her mind went back to that alleyway. Her hands shook and her body trembled in fear as she recalled recent events. Seeing this, Ruby placed her hands over MJ's, in an attempt to console the traumatized girl.

"What are you talking about, MJ?" Ruby told her fellow redhead, who looked to her with teary eyes. "You're safe now, that's all that matter. Don't think about what almost happened; just be glad that it didn't. MJ, I'm just glad you're okay and Jaune is too. So please, just don't be afraid to let us help you. That's what I'm here for!"

"I-I-I...!" MJ couldn't keep it in anymore as hot tears rolled down her cheeks. With a speed faster than even Ruby's semblance, she enveloped the shorter girl in a bear hug. "I was so scared, Ruby!"

Jaune couldn't make out the rest of MJ's words, her words having twisted into incoherent blubbering. Unsure of what to do, he stepped away from the ambulance and chose to wait. He knew Ruby was the only one that can help her now. An officer approached them, and relayed some news.

"We now have the suspects in custody. We also got a tip that the two that escaped have already been apprehended, so your friend can rest easy now that they're going to jail."

Jaune smiled in relief, "Thank you, Officer."

The officer waved off the boy's gratitude, "Don't thank us. The one you should be thanking is that girl with the red cape. She took them on all on her own, all while keeping the victim safe. I can she's going to be a hell of huntress once she graduates."

Jaune looked proudly at Ruby and smiled. 'Don't I know it.'

He asked the officer, "By the way, is there a chance MJ will be taken back to her home."

"We still need to get her statement at the station, as well as inform her guardian. Sorry, but that's protocol, and we need her testimony so we can take these scumbags behind bars." The man replied.

"I understand." Jaune turned his head and saw that Ruby was now sitting beside MJ, who was now falling asleep from exhaustion. "Can my friend and I stay with her a little longer. Maybe even come to the station with her?

The officer shrugged, "I don't see a problem with that. In fact, I think it'd help her to have some friends at her side. You three have a safe drive, we'll see you soon."

Jaune thanked the officer and climbed into the back of the ambulance. Ruby had already helped MJ onto the gurney, where she will rest throughout the ride. Jaune sat on a foldout chair and Ruby sat on a bench adjacent to it, with MJ nestled in between them. The EMT'S closed the doors and started up the van. The ambulance jerked slightly as it drove over the curb, before becoming a steady and smooth ride.

As he sat in the back of the van, keeping watch over the sleeping MJ, Jaune couldn't but frown at the sight of her friend. Why did this have to happen to MJ, of all people? It served as a cold reminder to the blonde that not even those close to him were safe from the seedy, dark underbelly of Vale. He was thankful that Ruby had been there with him. She had no weapon and little experience with close quarters combat, and yet she still rushed to save Mary Jane.

"Ruby?" He addressed the girl, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

Ruby looked at Jaune, "Mhm?"

"Can I ask you a question? About what you were thinking when you fought those guys when they tried to... well, you know." Jaune always hated he was confronted with topics like this, and he especially hated it when he encountered such situations while patrolling as Spider-Man. "What were your thoughts when you fought them? I mean, you use a scythe and you're used to fighting at long range. So, fighting them hand-to-hand must have been hard, especially since there were so many of them."

"I..." Her eyebrows scrunched up. "It... it was kinda scary now that I think about it. I was never that good at CQC compared to my sister. And it is true I'm better at fighting long and mid-range with my scythe, since it mostly keeps the enemy away. To be honest, I'm sorta glad that they were just regular people, because if it had been a huntsman, I'm sure I would've lost and..."

She stopped herself from going on a tangent and went back to answering Jaune's question.

"So, yeah, it was scary, my uncle will likely go off the rails at what I did and then congratulate me for sending bad guys to prison. I also know for a fact that Yang's gonna talk my ear off for being reckless." Ruby muttered under her breath. "Though that'd be calling the kettle black."

"Anyway, it was scary because fighting people is different from taking on the Grimm. With Grimm, well, they're easier to fight since they're just following their instincts. But when it comes to people, well, I can see their eyes filled with emotions, which makes it hard for me to deal with them on a personnel lesson. Does that make sense, Jaune?" She tried to explain, struggling to find the right words to express her argument.

"Y-yeah." He spoke, and thought. 'It's weird, but I kind get where she's coming from. Seeing people do wrong by each other sometimes bothers me, especially when dealing with psychos who just like hurting people.'

"Well, I think you're a hero, and I'm sure MJ thinks so too." The secret vigilant was sure that Ruby had made a friend for life in MJ. He expected the silver-eyed girl to beam at the praise, only to be surprised by the deeply neutral and contemplative look on her face.

Hero..." She spoke with a frown. "Can I tell you something, Jaune?"

He replied, "Of course."

Ruby exhaled and said, "I... well, you know how I love comics, right? All those stories about heroes, you know? For as long I can remember, I dreamed of being a hero, but that's just it... it's just a dream. I... sometimes, Jaune, I don't think I'm a hero."

Whatever Jaune was about to say died in his throat, as he stared dumbfounded at Ruby. He listened as she continued.

"When my team and I stopped that train with all those veteran hunters and Atlas soldiers, it felt like I finally hit the big leagues. I thought that my adventure was finally starting, like the ones that I always read about in comics. Then we found out that Vale was still breached, and so many had been killed in the explosions, fires, and by the Grimm. We were so far away and we couldn't do anything. 'You could make it faster than anyone else', and 'How can I use my team to the best of their abilities in Vale', these thoughts and others were all I could think about on the flight back to Vale. I thought that maybe, just maybe, we could still find a way to be useful. It was only when we arrived and saw the damage that I finally got my head on straight. I finally realized just how in over our heads we were."

"Did you tell your team?" Jaune hated how it took this long before he could ask how she felt after the Breach. Maybe he'd been too focused on helping the victims as Spider-Man to really ask, but now was as good as any time to ask her. "I can't imagine how you all must've felt seeing the damage."

"I asked them how they felt and I told them how I felt. What they said didn't really make me think differently. I don't even know why I expected them to feel any differently. Then I asked my uncle and he said something that made the most sense to me." Ruby's lips stretched into a small smile. "He told me, 'don't expect much responsibility, you're still kids, just be glad that you have the grown-ups to pick up the slack'. He said that I don't have to feel like the weight of the world should rest on my shoulders, especially since I just turned 16. But above all else..."

Silver eyes looked up to meet blue. The intensity of that stare, coupled with relatively close proximity, make Jaune's heart beat faster.

"Above all else, I shouldn't think about saving the world… I just have to think about saving one person." The one to break the eye contact was Jaune, who clutched his chest that was beating fast.

"I didn't understand him at first, but after saving MJ, I do now. When I save one person, I'm also saving someone's 'world'. So yeah, a hero might save the world, but I like the idea of saving one person at a time."

Jaune smiled at those words.

"And I'm glad that I'm not doing it alone."

Elsewhere in the City...

In a rented-out house located in Vale's Marshland district, Scott Lang, the vigilante known as Ant Man, was going over the plans for his next mission in locating the stolen Pym Particles. As he examined the papers, he felt a sudden force strike him from behind, followed by a pair of small arms snaking their way around his neck.

"Dad!" His daughter, Cassie, shouted excitedly. "Did you know the Vytal Festival gonna be at Beacon?! Can we go and see it, please~!"

"Cassie, peanut," He unclasped her arms around his neck and picked her up to sit on his lap. "I'm sorry, but we can't, honey. You know why, and we're only staying here for another month. Besides, I thought you wanted go back home and stay with your mother in Mistral."

"But the festival~! Please, if we're gonna leave, can't we go the festival before we go?"

The girl tried to use the puppy pout on him, her ultimate technique in getting her father to do whatever she said. For once, Scott was actively trying to resist giving in. Just as he was about to deny her request, a new voice entered the conversation.

"I say we go, Scott." Coming from another room, Hope Van Dye, his partner and girlfriend, entered the kitchen, dressed in casual business suit and holding a suitcase. "I'm heading out to meet with my dad about the particles. You know, with how the both of us have been running around the city for weeks, I think we deserve a day or two off. So why don't we just check the festival out?"

"You have a point, Hope." Scott rose from his chair, still holding his daughter, and started making his way to the girl's temporary bedroom to tuck her in for the night.

As he walked, he looked at Cassie, who was still pouting like a puppy. Scott couldn't take any more of that look and caved in, "Okay, you got me, Cass. We're going to the festival!"

"YAY!" The girl cheered.

Somewhere beneath the streets of Mantle...

"Hey, Whitley, dude! Did you see the message on your scroll?"

Whitley Schnee, the Invincible Iron Man, didn't hear the question, the sound of his blow torch welding metal and the obnoxiously loud rock music drowning out all other noises. He wasn't worried about breaking any sound ordinance, considering that his grandmother's secret workshop, which he had dubbed the Forge, was deep underground. The fact that it was located in an abandoned part of the city helped too.

Of course, even if he had heard the voice of his AI companion, V.I.C., he wouldn't have registered the sentient computer's inquiry anyway. The AI knew how hard it was to get his creator's attention when he was in the zone. The fact that he had no physical body, save for the moments he controlled the suit, made it especially difficult.

"Whitley! Whitley! Hey, I'm-" Now seeing that speaking to the young man wasn't working, V.I.C. used his connection to the boy's scroll to mute the music. When he noticed the distinct lack of shredding guitars, he looked irritably at the suit's helmet, where the AI was located, and snapped, "V, what have I told you about interrupting my rock and roll?"

"And finally, I got your attention! Look, Neon texted you that her team-"

Whitley interrupted the AI, "I know, I know. The Vytal Festival, Flynt, Neon, Penny, and Ciel are competing, Jaune will be there, and that terrible trio he told me about are probably gonna try something." He removed the welding googles from his eyes, revealing his arctic blue eyes to the world. His face was smeared with grease and sweat, and the outline of the goggles around his eyes resembled a mask. "Don't worry; I'm keeping track of everything. Why do you think I'm down here, and not packing my stuff at Rhodey's?"

"Then you know that your usual song and dance number of flying in to save the day won't go down well when you get there. Jaune did say Beacon's been infiltrated, so what's the plan?" The AI inquired, wondering what his creator was planning.

Whitley rose from where he was crouching and pulled out his scroll. He typed in a few keys on the touchscreen. Suddenly, the scroll shifted into a small projector that showed images of the various known vigilantes operating in the kingdoms. Most of the images were of Spider-Man swinging from building to building, fighting crime and saving people. Others were of him flying through the air as Iron Man. Some showed what little was recorded of the so called 'Ant Man' as he appeared in Mistral, Big Wind, and Kuchinashi. There were also small snippets of another hero, unnamed as of now, who seemed to be working alongside Ant Man.

Finally there were feeds from Eastern Sanus, thousands of miles south of Vacuo, that showed reports of a vigilante who struck from the shadows, prowling their prey like a predator. The most common thread amongst these reports was that this mysterious person always left claw marks as a calling card. He had a feeling these reports were referring to a new friend he had made recently.

"I admit I don't play well with others... but maybe it's time I try this 'team' thing out."

Hours later, at an unknown location south of Vacuo...

A lone figure stood tall and proud over the sacred monument, his brilliant violet eyes surveying the land, and the large city that encircled a beautiful and vast oasis. In the distance, he can see the mountain range that housed the source of his people's strength. He had always loved this particular spot, considering it the one place where he can unwind and contemplate his problems. Of course, there was also the nostalgic feeling he'd get when standing there, recalling all the times when his father took him and his sister here to watch the sun set on their home.

"Brother." He turned and saw his sister approaching him. He acknowledged her with a nod, and returned his gaze upon the land their family has ruled for countless generations.

"So, have you decided?" She asked, joining him as they observed their kingdom.

"Indeed, sister. Remnant is changing, and so must our people if we are to survive the coming darkness." He replied resolutely, his eyes locked on fully on the horizon.

"If only our people can see that. We've spent too long cutting ourselves apart from the world. They'd go as far to say that it's hilarious that you think the other kingdoms are progressing, when our own land is flourishing." The younger sibling told him.

"Our home may be at peace, but I have seen what lies beyond our borders, sister. We may hold out longer compared to them, but if the kingdoms fail to come together, all of Remnant will perish."

He watched as the sun finally began to pass behind the mountains, the light slowly dying out as the day turned to night. And right as the last of the light passed over the monument, a titanic panther statue, the two siblings watched as a beautiful and ethereal purple light rippled across its jet black surface, serving as a beacon in the night. To outsiders, the sight of this fearsome carved giant of a panther glowing at night would have been a frightening sight. But to the people of this land, it was the most relieving image they know, a sign that their panther goddess was watching over them, as well as her chosen champion.

The brother addressed his sister, "Our kingdoms has always been tested, Shuri. Our long history is a testament to our strength. But I feel a storm coming, a darkness that might prove to be our toughest challenge; one that we are not yet prepared for. I have been outside our home and it has revealed many evils to me... yet, I have also bore witness to just as much good. My travels have shown me that our isolation has insulated us, made us ignorant. It has blinded us to the good that we can accomplish, and deafened our ears to the cries of those that suffer in the world. This has to end. We must change how our people view the world if we are to survive. We must step into the light, and finally show Remnant we exist."

Made this short, but the reason is cause I don't want to put too much background in the other heroes. I was just giving a chapter that involves Jaune and Ruby's dynamic and also Ruby's own character development. I wanted her to question her own thoughts about the breach and I also wanted to give Qrow that 'Uncle Ben vide' and to give Ruby's good advice and what take heed on what her choices may lead.

As most of you might know, the part where MJ was about to be assaulted was one from the Toby Maguire Spider-Man movie. At first, I wanted Spider-Man to also show up, but thought that get away from Ruby's spotlight and her own progression in the story.

Anyway, this chapter was short on the account that I want to shorten the words and to also get ready for the next arc I'm about to do and all of you have been waiting for.

I already revealed Iron Man, Ant Man and Wasp, and the last Marvel character is someone you all know and some would ask why I did not make a chapter about him. The reason is that Nacoma23 is going to show him in his story, the invincible Whitley Schnee, and in the next chapter I will finally get all of the intended characters to meet, so thank you all for waiting and liking my story for so long.

Big shout out to my Beta and I would also like to thank you all who liked, followed, and commented on this story. I hope you all have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Omake: Gift of Giving and Taking

In a future not too far away, a group of friends gathered together under one roof, ready to celebrate what was sure to become a yearly tradition.

"Okay, did everyone get their present from their secret Santa?" asked one Scott Lang, who currently clad in a Santa costume, sitting in a large chair with his daughter on his lap. He smiled and told the partygoers, "Remember, as soon as everyone opens their gifts, we're gonna take a group photo!"

"I think we're missing Jaune." Said Scott's girlfriend and partner-in-crime-fighting, Hope Van Dyne, also known as Wasp. Like her boyfriend, she too dressed for the party, serving as the Mrs. Claus to his Santa. She took out her scroll and saw that the blonde was running late. She sat down in her own chair, her gift on her lap, waiting to be opened.

She called out, "Whitley, do you know where Jaune is?"

"He texted that he came across one of his regular arches. He said the fight won't last long." The Schnee told her as he handled setting up the camera. As they fixed the tripod into place, he glowered.

"Oh, and by the way," He looked to the couple and pointed at the antlers sticking out of his head. "Do I really have to be the reindeer? I mean, I would have been alright with being the little helper elf."

"Sorry, Whit, but the elf costumes only came in Cass and Jaune's sizes." The older man told the boy. "Besides, look on the bright side, at least you're dressed as Rudolph."

The Schnee blinked and stared at the red cotton ball wrapped around his nose. He sarcastically replied, "Yeah, because having a song makes all the difference."

"Hey, save the sarcasm for after the new year." Scott scolded the young man.

Whitley rolled his eyes in response as he continued setting up the camera. It was only for one night, he reminded himself. He really wished the holidays would end sooner. He already spent eight crazy nights with his girlfriend's family and Pepper's, and he still had to buy gifts for his sisters. His wallet can only take so much abuse.

Suddenly, there was a knocking at the door.

"I'll get it." The boy said as he walked toward the door. He opened it and saw Jaune, still dressed as Spider-Man, wearing a scarf and a Santa hat. "Didn't have time to change on the way over, Jaune?""

"Nope. I have my stuff in my backpack though." Jaune walked inside, and breathed in the warmth of the house. "Roman and his gang were stealing from a mall. I was able to stop them, but they still escaped with some loot. Weirdly, I thought they were carrying toys, but that could just be my imagination."

"Jaune!"

"Spider-Man!"

"Glad you could make it!"

Pulling of his hat and mask, Jaune greeted the Pym-Van Dyne family with a warm smile.

"Merry Christmas, everybody! Are we starting now or what?"

With everyone accounted for, the gift exchange commenced. Each of the partygoers placed their gift under the tree, and one by one picked up the gifts assigned to them.

"WOW!" Cassie beamed in excitement upon seeing her gift, a pair of pajama's that resembled her dad's costume.

"Okay, I admit, this is pretty cool." Scott spoke as he pulled out a Wasp onesie.

"I think I'm starting to see a pattern here." Commented Hope as she pulled up an Iron Man onesie.

"Yeah, I guess we all had the same idea and bought each other pajamas." Whitley observed as he looked at his own Spider-Man onesie. "And I'm sure Jaune's is the same."

"Yep!" Jaune looked inside his present and then back at his friends. "I just hope it's a pair of footie pajamas!"

"I'll probably use this, though only when I want to look like a fanboy." Whitley remarked before checking the time on his scroll. "Jaune, you might want to change into your elf costume so we get this photo taken already."

"Yeah, you're right." Jaune dropped his present and opened his backpack. He reached in and pulled out, much to his horror, the torn and singed remains of his elf costume.

Jaune guffawed, "What, seriously?! Ah, don't tell me..." He palmed his face, cursing his rotten luck. "I had my backpack with me throughout the whole fight, and now my clothes and costume are ruined. I'm sorry, guys, I should've been more careful."

"It's not your fault, Jaune." Whitley reassured his friend. "I mean, we can take the picture without wearing these costumes... please... please, can we not wear these?"

"Or..." Hope snapped her fingers as she thought of an idea. "We all got these onesies and we did decide to do a theme, so here's what we can do..."

Minutes later...

"Everybody ready?!" called out Spider-Man, or more precisely Whitley in his Spider-Man onesie. Once he was given the go-ahead, he set the timer on his scroll's camera and got into position.

Scott was in the center of the group, sitting in a chair wearing his Wasp onesie. Sitting upon his lap was Cassie, clad in her Ant Man pajamas. Leaning on his shoulder was Hope, dressed in her new Iron Man onesie. Whitley was crouching to the right of the chair, decked out in his Spider-Man onesie. Sitting next to him was Jaune, garbed in a red, white, blue onesie with a large star stitched onto the chest.

Hope spoke to her friends, "Okay, like we all agreed... on the count of three... two... one..."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

The Camera flashed and Santa Claus bellowed his signature laugh, "HO-HO-HOOO, MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

A little boy bounded up to the jolly man and jumped onto his lap. Santa asked the boy, "And what would you like for Christmas, little boy?
The boy smiled wide, showing the gap between his teeth, and gave his answer, "I want the new Gamestation!"

"I see!" Santa said right as his beard started peeling off. Ole' Saint Nick quickly fixed his fake beard and looked to his little elf. "Luckily for you, Santa has just what you asked for."

The elf, who had mismatched pink and brown eyes, smiled and reached into Santa's gift bag, pulling out the exact item the boy had requested. The boy looked upon the console with a twinkle in his eyes; though he thought it strange Santa had one, considering it was being released tomorrow.

But he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Thanks, Santa!" The boy cried in joy as he leapt of Santa's lap, joining his parents, who were handing money to another elf. This elf was a tall man holding a large candy cane.

The boy showed the console to his parents, "Mom! Dad! I got a present from Santa!"

"And don't forget to try a ride on our reindeer!" Santa pointed at his reindeer, offering free rides for the kids as they waited for their turn with Santa. The parents watched their children with a smile, all while paying an elf who held a baseball bat wrapped in wrapping paper.

The only complaint the kids had was that they had to shake sand out of their clothes, a strange thing to do considering the time of year.

"Or better yet, how about a picture with the friendly Yeti?!" Santa proposed, pointing to the Yeti located to his right. But then his hat fell off, revealing his bright orange hair. 'Santa' quickly pulled the hat back over his head, praying nobody had noticed that.

'This is humiliating.' Thought the Yeti as he let out an unenthusiastic, "Roar."

It would have sounded pathetic, had it not been for the Yeti's impressively large frame and bulging muscles that strained against his fur suit. He also had a horn on his forehead, something one did not expect to see on a yeti. The kids and parents shrugged it off and had their pictures taken. Once they received their pictures, the parents paid their lien, not to the elves, but to the gingerbread people holding wrapped gifts that vaguely resembled guns.

"Okay, Santa! Come on, let's go!" The boy with a console heeded Santa's suggestion, begging his parents, "Let's go get a picture with the Yeti!"

And so as the next family of suckers lined up to see him, Roman Claus merrily called out, "MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! FA-LA-LA-LA-LAAA! LA-LAA-KA-CHING~!"