It was quiet, uncomfortably so. Sitting across from one another in their rented room, Jaune fiddled with various vials and potions he recovered from his shop, meanwhile Ilia was tinkering with her weapon. The two rented the space not too long ago that day, and before so they departed from what Jaune called an attempt to recruit a thief to their apparent traveling party. Granted, she could see the benefits of having someone with a semblance like Emerald's, however, she felt a bit put off when he revealed to have had a silver pupil. It wasn't exactly a common shade to have for eyes, but it irked her that a barrage of questions were piling on as she had little to no idea what it was that the blond was aiming to accomplish. So much so that she even questioned whether she knew him at all. Granted, growing up with him did little as he wasn't exactly fluent in their language yet, but even now, she wasn't sure if her time working for him gave her any insight. She knew his adoptive mother had mentioned a home in Patch, which was no less than a small boat ride away. Though, judging by his intent on leaving through the northern gate, a fair assumption could be made that he wasn't necessarily going to Patch any time soon.

"Something on your mind?" Her head cocked up, her eyes fixed on the blond whose attention was on the vials before him. Or rather, the red and purple vials used to coat Summer's wrist blades. His uses of toxins in combat were effective, but she couldn't help but wonder if he would ever use an actual weapon. If he wanted...if she grew to be of no use to him...her next cup of tea could be her last. "Ilia?"

Again, the chameleon's attention was brought back to reality as now she found the blond staring at her with his ocean blue eyes. Well, with one blue, and the silver being hidden away for some reason. "I..." She began, though, had a harder time speaking the words. "...I didn't know you had a silver eye." She mumbled, while not exactly what she wanted to say, she thought more on what gave her grounds to ask the blond for what she really wanted to ask.

The blond, if only for that one moment, showed genuine guilt, faint as it was. "Heterochromia isn't that rare." His comment was, albeit akin to their conversation, was not exactly what she intended on receiving.

"Why hide it then?" Her breath hitched when she saw the blond seemingly frozen in place. The vial in his hand was near close to dropping; thankfully he regained himself and placed the vial on the desktop beside his bed. He seemed lost in thought for a bit before retracting the blades back into the doll's sleeves.

"Because when I was born my clan took one look at me and wept. Not for me, but because a half-breed was birthed into their lineage." Again, Ilia felt at a loss for words, for the blond to share this much with her, it only made her wonder if he was blindly putting his faith in her. Though, upon hearing him speak of his birth, she wondered why it was that he was seen so negatively amongst his people. The term half-breed was seemingly spoken with a tint of venom.

"A half-breed?" She asked.

Jaune took a quick glance at Summer as she kept her eyes elsewhere, unwilling to look him in the eye. Jaune knew little of the strife his clan had with his mother's people, but from what little he picked up from the elders and the runes, he had a fair assumption of the hostilities between the two. "Human blood, my mom...she belonged to a group of people that tried to wipe out my people, ages ago. Didn't exactly work out so well." He muttered that last bit, hissing as he felt Summer's hand pinching his cheek. "I know! I know! Touchy subject." He managed to remove the doll's grip as he continued. "When she and my dad met...the subject wasn't exactly brought up over what clans they belonged to, they were just two folks who got drunk and...got busy." He mumbled, a tint of red flashed across his cheeks, he vehemently refused to so much as continue hinting at what occurred, but Amitola picked up on something other than hesitance; doubt. It almost seemed as even Jaune didn't believe that was how his folks met. "Nine months later..." he gestured to himself. "Into the world I come. And only then does my father reveal who he is, as did my mother...if my grandfather hadn't intervened, there would've been blood spilt, both my mother's and mine." The way he spoke so nonchalant about it drew a picture of the conditions the boy grew up with at such an early age. "Funny thing about my mom's folk; they all had silver eyes."

Amitola didn't know what to say at this point, or rather, she didn't know what would be an appropriate response to his little tale. At this point Jaune removed his Kasa, placing it aside. It was odd he didn't do so earlier, but then, Ilia had already chosen not to question the blond when he did something. After all, she was still coming to terms that Summer was sentient, and he treated her as if she were a real person. And then something dawned on her; silver eyes. The doll had 'em, and so did Jaune, well, half. And the boy was overly fond of his wooden companion.

"Did your mom know?...about your eyes?" She was treading on thin ice, but at this point she was too curious not to attempt to ask.

Jaune shook his head. "No, when I was born my tribe made sure to keep me away from my mother until they found a way to hide my silver eye from her." He took a deep breath before turning his eyes to the window. In an odd twist, he chuckled. "I'm surprised they hid me so well, she can be 'persistent' when it comes to finding something she wants..." the blond trailed off, something about that statement suddenly dampened his mood, as if confirming something he feared. His eyes wandered for a moment, lost in thought before continuing his little story. "But, where I got my name from a passing merchant, my old man got me contacts from a nearby settlement. Told me to always have them on, said silver-colored eyes was a taboo amongst the Reavers. Even with my mom, I wasn't allowed to show my heterochromia."

"If your people didn't like silver-eyes that much, how was it your dad hooked up with your mom?" Ilia asked, that particular inconsistency was bugging her.

In response, Jaune shrugged, chuckling dryly before crossing his arms. "Believe me, I wish I knew. Never really believed that whole 'drunk hookup' story." The blond took a moment to gather his thoughts, caring little at this point how much he shared. As far as he was concerned, with him now on the run, each day could be his last. And speaking to Ilia about it; it gave him a momentary peace of mind. He rose up, shifting for a moment before his cloak dropped to the floor. And before Ilia could muster up a response, she found herself stunned at what she saw. It was an outfit almost identical to lady Kali's, only difference was that he wore a pair of skin-tight shorts that fit with the ensemble. It was no longer the fact that he dressed in a manner that gave off an androgynous vibe, but that he seemed to fit out the attire well. With maybe a little makeup, possibly a little like lady Kali's, it would only make him all the more of a trap for potential suitors. A small tint of pink lit her cheeks as the blond lay on his bed, Summer floating slightly above just before laying atop his chest.

The room remained silent for a greater amount of time, leaving Ilia to ponder over what she learned about her companion. She didn't deny that this painted Jaune in a whole new picture, leaving Amitola with more questions than she knew what to do with.

"I have a question?" Now it was the blond who appeared curious, his focus remained on the ceiling however. As for Ilia, her curiosity peeked as she wondered what it was that the blond wanted to know. "I don't mean to sound rude, but why are you traveling with me?" And that rocked her harder than she thought. A realization finally hit; she honestly had no reason to follow him. All that kept them together was the fact that the two were being hunted by the Fang. She had one reason, but it was a selfish one. A desire bred from fear, the fear of being alone in the world. Amitola recognized how the Fang would paint her actions in Menagerie, and she could also predict the reactions her family would have. A majority were supporters of the White Fang, leaving her as the only one who openly defied the Fang by partaking in the poisoning of their leader. But, how could she continue with them? She saw firsthand how disgustingly similar to humans her people could be; Jaune grew up in Kuo Kuana, worked small but reliable jobs, opened up his own shop, and openly voiced for peace. And the people he once called his friends wasted no time turning on him once they were privy to what he was. In a way, she related to his situation.

Never one for beating around the bush, and at this point caring little for pity or whatever the hell his response would be; she answered. "I don't want to be alone." She waited, feeling as though she could predict what his response would be.

Jaune remained silent before sighing softly. "Me neither. And I'm glad you're here." Ilia blinked a couple times before her eyes glanced to the blond, who had closed his eyes and breathed calmly. They opened again after a moment, his attention wasn't focused on anything in particular, but all the same he almost appeared staring intently at something. "But..." the girl froze, her breath hitched, wondering what it was that would force a contrary from the blond. She knew it wouldn't be racial or unspoken transgressions, but it didn't mean there wasn't a plethora of reasons for a contrary. "On the boat ride here, I wondered why it was there couldn't be peace, what was missing? Do we need a new form of government, should there be a new mandate on how to raise the next generation? Alter laws to make bigotry illegal? I tried working all of it out in my head, even spoke of it with Ghira a couple times." Jaune took a deep breath, remembering the last interaction he had with the chieftain. "And I came to one conclusion; Sienna was right." His admission caused Amitola's eyes to bulge slightly; never in her life did she expect to hear this boy admit that that Fang leader was right. Something was missing. "Partially." There it was. "Her aim was to solely benefit the Faunus, my goal is to bring lasting peace to the whole of Remnant."

The room remained silent, save for the rather sounds of the bustling city outside. It was an admirable and bold statement to make. And while Jaune showed potential in adapting, Ilia was skeptical of this boy's bold claim and whether or not he could make his dream a reality. "And how do you plan on doin that?"

His response, albeit odd, was a soft chuckle as he sat back up. He turned his body to face his companion, his eyes hardened as he uttered. "I'm going to burn the old world." Jaune remained silent again; the lingering answer remained in his head. He arose from the bed. Summer hovered just slightly above his head as he retrieved the kasa from his bed. "I'm going out for some air." And with that, he left. Leaving Ilia to her thoughts. She knew he wouldn't have the same mindset for peace, not after what happened in Kuo Kuana. But, she didn't know what to expect now, whether Jaune would remain true to the mindset of peace, or if he'd become like Sienna, or worse...thinking back on it, she wouldn't be surprised if that was the road he walked down now. His home, his people; gone. His second home drove him away, all of the hatred he faced, and none of it broke him. Or rather, nothing outwardly visible. Perhaps deep down, he was disturbed, he did admit to feeling slight animosity towards humanity. But, he never acted on it. What would be the next course of action, though?

Meanwhile, atop the roof of the inn, Jaune leaned against a railing, his eyes fixed on the luminous city, a sight he only now was privy to. While his sight was limited thanks to his attire, he could still admire what little his eyes could see. Subconsciously, his left hand was placed over his right eye. In many ways, it was easy to hide it, especially when he was told of the dangers of having this certain eye color. Vaguely from his grandfather, and most of it from Ghira. Of all the people he came to know after the Eradication, the Belladonna patriarch was by far the only one he'd shown his silver eye to. Jaune trusted him, though it wasn't all at once, he couldn't afford not to tell him considering he needed new contacts in the coming years. But now, the blond felt little care for who knew of his 'special eye'. Summer hovered above him, placing her right palm atop his head, comforting him in the only way she could. Though, upon catching sight of something nearby, her silver eyes remained on the intruder. Jaune's eyes glanced slowly towards where Summer's gaze was. A pair of crimson eyes were studying him from afar, an obvious giveaway as to who it was spying on him.

A faint smirk spread across his lips before calling out softly. "Hoping for a successful second run, Emerald?" For a moment, he could've sworn he heard her pursing her lips. From what seemed like thin air she emerged, her illusions seemingly having no effect on this blond.

Curiously, the theif's eyes remained on the doll, the first thing to somehow alert the blond to her presence. The same toy that, as crazy as it sounded, saw her coming the first time around. And while she knew the thing was nothing more than a lifeless husk, she couldn't help but feel the doll was staring right back at her.

"Emerald?" Her eyes snapped up, the blond's eyes were piercing through the kasa, although, she couldn't help but also stare at his attire. On the one hand, she assumed this blond was perhaps a girl; the tone of voice sure did fit. Although, she also couldn't deny the possibility this unknown was androgynous. If so, he sure as hell played the part, almost perfectly. "I'm waiting."

"What?" She asked, not realizing if he had spoken to her while she pondered away in her mind.

"I'd like to know why you're here." The doll flew hovered ever so lightly above him; its eyes were fixed eerily on him, as if the doll itself was wary of her.

For just a moment, Emerald turned her attention away from the doll, and on to the blond before her.

"I wanna know what your aim is. Why would you want me to be a part of your little party? And what exactly are you guys aiming for?" She didn't seem to beat around the bush either; a trait the boy was very fond of.

"My goal?" He spoke with an almost amused like tone, as if entertained by his own ideals and how exactly he would go about achieving them. "I want peace, for all of Remnant, even if I have to burn the world, and let a new one be birthed from the ashes."

The thief flinched, noticeably when he spoke of burning the world itself. "Sounds...ambitious."

Jaune chuckled, softly. "Well, that's one way to put it. But do you know why I would go to such lengths?" Emerald shook her head, curious in what he had to say, but wary of the intention of fanaticism he might incorporate in it. She'd heard that sort of talk all around, front the splinter group of White Fang in the city, to some more active anti-Faunus groups here and there. Jaune took a deep breath before gesturing to the city. "Take a look around, and you will find the answer; hatred. There is too much of it in Remnant. From the social unrest, to the constant political upheavals; there is no end to disdain the people hold against one another. Any chance at peace, equality, or understanding is met with the same pessimistic argument; we're just too different. And you know, maybe they're right." Jaune removed himself from the edge, stalking closer to Emerald as the thief stiffened. Though, that didn't mean she didn't hear every word he spoke, the blatant and obvious truth of it all; people just accepted that they would always be different, and never once has there been a long term movement of folks that wanted to change the status quo. Perhaps the Fang, and others like them, were groups that originally sought change. However, their presence was fleeting, and once their minor objective was obtained, their influence seemingly diminished as their purpose for being had been completed. People just seemed content with how they were. Without realizing it, when she took notice of the blond, he was standing next to her, albeit facing opposite of her. "Tell me, what do you think is needed for the people of Remnant to finally be equal?" It was a rhetorical question, she knew that much considering he'd probably just tell her in a bit. Although, that didn't stop her from wondering about the idea herself. And like she predicted, the blond continued. "Pain." He muttered. "A great pain, one which no annals, no historian, no text will ever dare to forget. A memory burned into the minds and hearts of generations to come. And when the world feels this pain, only then will everyone truly be equal. Because only they will the people finally understand one another."

Truly, the text book definition of a villain at its finest, and Emerald wasn't exactly the philosophical kind to give a damn or further the argument. But, all the same, in an odd, albeit faint, manner; he did have a lick of sense. Still, she wasn't sure she wanted to throw her hat into this ring just yet. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a light bluish/gray pair of orbs prying from the entrance to the building.

"And what is it you want from us?" She asked, referring to the other companion he was with earlier.

Summer caught Emerald's sudden side-glance, her head turned to where the crimson eyes wandered to, only to find nothing. And oddity, but the doll kept her guard up, just in case. "From Ilia?...I'm not sure. At this point, knowing what I intend to do, I don't exactly expect her to settle for another Kahn." His reference wasn't entirely lost on the thief, she knew of the Fang leader going by the name Kahn, and from the way he spoke, she wouldn't be surprised if that leader was going by this route as well. "If I'm honest, I fear she will leave. And while I don't wish her to go, I will not stop her. Nor will I force you into joining me. As to what I want from you; i ask that you help me in bringing peace to Remnant. To do that I want you to do what you do best; steal. I have no intention of reeling you in, on the contrary, I would encourage you to test the limits of your abilities. And should there be a time you get caught, or need a hand, you would only have to look to us for help."

For a moment, Emerald remained silent just before chuckling lightly to herself. "A guy like you wants to bring peace, but has no problem with me causing trouble. Kinda hypocritical, don't ya' think?"

Jaune merely smiled back, unnerving the girl to a great degree, yet for the life of her she couldn't understand why. "The only thing I care about is peace and my family, everything else is secondary as far as I'm concerned. Although, we would have an issue with unnecessary deaths, I would prefer to avoid killing needlessly." Jaune turned his body to her, unintentionally causing her to recoil, flinching a few steps back as he extended his hand to her. "A life where you are never hungry, a home to call your own, the promise of abilities that would give you an edge in your future encounters, and a family in lieu of a lonely life aimlessly wandering the streets for your next meal is what I can offer you." A pretty hefty packaged deal, she wouldn't deny that. The idea of having a family, a home, a good meal every day, by Oum that was definitely appealing. However, there still remained the fanatic ideals he held. She could see why he'd come to his own conclusion, but for the life of her she couldn't determine if joining him would be a good gamble or not. Though, looking back towards the city, she couldn't exactly say she wanted to continue a life like what she currently had; always looking for the next mark, hoping it'd be enough for a decent meal. And each time she used her semblance, she always ran the risk of getting caught, more so recently. "So, what say you?" It only took a moment for the thief to think it through before a smirk spread across her lips. She did, however, hesitate as her arm reached out to meet his. She shook, only once, affirming her acceptance to his offer.

"I'm in."

Back in their room, Ilia slumped in through the window, having stepped out as well for a little breather before hearing voices. Climbing up, she saw Jaune speaking with Emerald, and while she didn't hear from the beginning, she sure as hell heard up until the part where the minty haired thief decided to join them. Of course, what plagued ilia's mind was Jaune's statement; he wanted to bring peace to the world by way of causing tragedy. If Taurus heard it, no doubt the two would finally have something in common to talk over. Although, as to who would benefit from their actions, there still lay a difference between their ideologies; Adam wanted only the Faunus to emerge victorious, Jaune wanted only equality through shared pain. And, she could see what he meant by it; if the world felt a similar cause of pain, if he truly brought this world to its knees, the people would indeed have something to unite under. But, if he was to do it, then he had to know what that would mean for him. Right? To inflict upon the whole of Remnant a pain all of history would remember would mean he'd have to be...worse than Adam. He would become the enemy of the world. Willingly.

In a way, aside from the fanatically ramblings he went off on the roof, Ilia couldn't help but ask herself where this sudden determination to be a harbinger came from. He had to know full well of the possibility that he might not survive...

An odd pain in Amitola's chest had suddenly pinged, causing her to grasp to where she felt the pain, but, it did nothing to alleviate the feeling. The two were friends, that much was clear. Both were made outcasts from their home, exiled by different means, and yet...of all the futures he could've thought up; living a peaceful life elsewhere in Remnant, becoming a mercenary or hunter, opening a new shop and starting from scratch, Jaune instead chose to bring forth an ideal of peace. An image he noted was similar to Kahn's, though, his version would amount to equality and peace for all of the denizens of Remnant. Ambitious as it was, she couldn't understand how it is that he could speak of achieving something like that with such confidence. Granted, most folk had similar, if not more, motivation to reach for more impossible goals, but her questions remained with; why was he so sure he could bring peace to Remnant? Was there something he knew that others didn't? Did he have a plan? Cause if he did, she damn sure would love to hear it.

Although, knowing him, or rather what she knew so far; Jaune would likely tell her if she asked. He had placed a rather impressive amount of trust in her, more so now that he seemed determined to enact his plan. But then, what of her? And not just her, she knew Emerald wouldn't be the only one he'd recruit. The blond would need more hands for whatever stunt he was planning to pull, and no doubt he intended to keep the group small and mobile. But what would happen to them after? The thing that kept her with a sense of relief was Jaune's unwillingness to senselessly kill, and she had faith that he'd never lay an ill finger on the people he was going to call family. And yet, what would become of their group should they succeed? Should they fail? Going by what she knew of him, he'd never allow anyone to die in his battle, so no doubt, he'd...

A sudden twisting anger forced her teen to grind, her eyes narrowed, glaring at nothing, but with no less vigor.

It was the sudden twisting of the room's door that broke her train of thought as both the blond and apparently the minty-green thief entered. The blond with a stoic expression, and the thief with an wary expression. "We have a new member." Jaune commented, closing the door softly. "I take it you two know each other?" A faint smirk spread across his lips as he took a chair from a nearby desk and sat down.

"Suppose you can say that." Emerald responded, crossing her arms whilst leaning against the wall beside the door.

Amitola responded with a faint wave, and a similarly halfhearted grin. She was in no mood to receive their new 'sister', or whatever the hell kind of family Jaune had in mind. Thankfully, it didn't seem like the girl seemed to notice or care. Although, upon glancing to the blond, she caught his stern gaze, eying her. For a moment, she could've sworn she saw his expression shift to something akin to worry, maybe fear. But the stoic side prevailed, leaving her with the bliss of not having to discuss anything to anyone. For the moment. All she needed was something to occupy the blond's mind.

"So, you said something about leaving Vale in the morning, we're we headed?" Oh, what a blessing Emerald was turning out to be. Jaune reached over to his knapsack and pulled out a map he'd acquired from the docks.

He placed the parchment on his bed, allowing Ilia a good view, whilst Emerald had to walk over towards the two. The map showed a great deal of Vale and the surrounding lands, heavily detailed up to mourn Glenn, but onward was nothing less than scribbles and terrain not yet explored thanks to the Grimm. The blond pointed to a patch of land beside a few mountains, north of Glenn, dense forests, and a great deal shade of red ink.

"We're going here, there's something there I have to recover. And if it's still there, then our future just got a whole lot easier." Jaune's words weren't without impact, though, it did bring up a great deal of confusion.

"And if it isn't?" The thief asked with crossed arms.

Jaune's finger drifted northward, towards a port settlement. "Then we move on to Vacuo. I have some unfinished business with an old dusty Qrow." Ilia openly groaned at hearing that drunkard's name, the smell alone made her cringe. "And from there...I'd say we look for another set of recruits. With our current numbers, four more should be enough."

With that tally count, they'd have seven members in their little family.

The thief raised an eyebrow at his specific choice of words, primarily the last bit. "What do you mean 'should be enough'?" A perfectly valid question, although, considering the two still didn't know how this little group of theirs was going to operate, the numbers might've meant something to what Jaune had in mind for his project for peace.

"Seven members will be all we'll need for our endeavor, assuming we find what we'll be looking for north of Glenn." He responded.

"And what is it we're looking for?" Ilia asked. However, and much to her surprise, Jaune simply folded the map and rose from his seat.

"A forgotten past." He answered, just before placing the chair back in its place, and gesturing the thief to the bed. "You can have my bed, I'll keep a lookout for prying eyes." While most would be confused, if not downright frightful at the prospect of having unwanted attention on them, this trio seemingly got the hint that they caught the eye of someone in Vale. Whether good or bad was up for debate, and not something they'd were going to risk. "Both of you, sleep. We'll be up pretty early tomorrow, and it's gonna be a very long walk."

"What time do we circulate?" Amitola asked. The blond thought it over before holding up three fingers. The two girls nodded, though before Emerald, as it appeared though she was going to volunteer, Ilia spoke up first. "Then I'll take last watch." Her eyes drifted to the thief. "You'll take the second watch." And without a chance to debate, Ilia sunk into her covers and proceeded to ignore any and all attempts at conversation henceforward. However, that didn't mean she was fully asleep throughout that time as she could hear the blond and thief conversing.

On the other hand, knowing she'd have to take the next watch, Emerald slumped into the covers and fell fast asleep. Leaving Jaune alone with his thoughts. Or so he had hoped. An hour in, and he faintly flinched when Amitola shifted in her covers. She sat up, gaining his attention, more so when she stood up slowly and stalked calmly towards him. She said nothing, made no sound in either voice or movements. Instead, she took a spot beside him, her eyes focused forward, but the weight of whatever burdened her thoughts was all too apparent. And in a way, it unnerved Jaune. He was used to Ilia being straightforward, never one to dance around an issue. Yet here she sat, hesitating.

Hoping to break the tension, the blind reached into his pocket and retrieved a little plastic card. "Lien for your thoughts?" His attempt failed, as neither a smile or sound presented itself from the Faunus. Instead, she blankly received the slip of money, staring at it for a brief moment before tossing it across the room, startling the blond.

"Where...?" His head cocked to the side, obviously confused. Though, she wasted no time clarifying, albeit as quietly as possible. "Where did this sudden 'I gonna burn the world' mentality come from? A few days ago, we had tea during our break while you went off about how Adam's ideals were what kept humans from accepting the Faunus. And now, here you are declaring that you'd burn all of Remnant just to bring peace to it...what the hell happened? Did I miss something?" She had brought her knees close to her chest, and her eyes were fixed on the floor ahead of her. Her expression matched that of a confused young woman, unsure of what she was doing with her life and how it all came to this.

Jaune took in what she said and sighed to himself. She wasn't wrong, his demeanor had changed, an impossible leap one would say. Though, that was assuming he wasn't already planning this beforehand. Make no mistake, the blond had no intention of killing unnecessarily, taking life was an act he reserved for the utmost dire of circumstances. However, that didn't mean he was not without prejudice, case in point; he didn't exactly have warm feelings towards humans. But those sentiments were pushed aside, they had to be. "No, but to be fair I don't rant how I really feel the way Taurus does." And like that, Amitola felt her view of the blond take a whole new turn. She still refused to face him, but that didn't keep a faint gasp to escape from her lips. Hearing the near audible gasp, Jaune clarified. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not going on some revenge-fueled, genocidal campaign, far from it. I truly want peace for this world for everyone. But we both know it'll take more than colorfully worded speeches and passive protests at this point. What this world needs is a common goal, a shared enemy. One that pushes them to the point of desperation." And there again was the fanaticism. By Oum, Ilia almost chuckled at the idea that it was no longer bothering her that her friend was announcing that he'd make the entire world detest him to the point that they'd actually put aside their differences.

"What about the Grimm?" She asked, referring to the natural enemy of all humanity and Faunus alike.

To her surprised, Jaune chuckled, dryly. "The Grimm are a danger, but unless provoked, they won't charge straight into the kingdom cities. Soulless they are, mindless they are not. Even so, the danger they pose is not nearly enough to force the world to act as one. What Remnant needs is someone backing then against a corner. Who better than the last Reaver on Remnant?"

Ilia had been gripping her legs tightly; her finger nails nearly digging into her flesh as her teeth clenched at his words. "Doesn't it bother you?" She murmured, bitterly. "That if you do this, this will be how the Reavers will be remembered; a race that sought out revenge by burning the world. And you...you will be vilified, hated and scorned by everyone."

"I'm already a demon to them, regardless." He answered simply. "And if that's how they will remember me, then maybe it's for the best." Without warning, Amitola grabbed the boy's shirt whilst pinning him against the wall, placing herself atop him. For the blond, he'd never seen Ilia this angered, or assertive. Considering the most she did was glare at him, he kept high hope she wouldn't strike him as he only now realized the comment he just made. Although, he was genuinely confused as to why it would bother her this much.

"...and what about us?" She asked, daring him to answer incorrectly. "What about your family?"

Jaune was taken back by her sudden question, calming his heartbeat before answering. "My family?"

"Lady Kali...Chief Ghira...Blake..." she muttered the latter hesitantly. "How would they feel if they knew you were doing this?" Her eyes glanced to Summer, the doll had remained suspiciously quiet the whole time. Though, its eyes were fixed on Jaune. "And what about your mom?"

Rather than respond, Jaune remained silent, his eyes had diverted from hers, fixed on anywhere but the grayish blue trying to burn a hole through him. "I need to do this."

"WHY!?" She lost her patience at this point, caring little if she awoke the thief or not. She shook him violently before leaning closer. "Why does it have to be you?" She snarled, a dam of tears was beginning to edge over, threatening to break loose. "I thought you wanted a normal life, a peaceful life. Why all of a sudden do you want to be like Kahn, and Taurus? What changed?" She croaked softly. She was near close to sobbing, and why wouldn't she? Her only friend now was offering his head to the chopping block, the firing squad, whatever the hell the kingdoms would use, it would all end the same way. And she was simply supposed to go along and let it happen?

"Nothing changed...that's the problem..." Jaune muttered. His eyes finally choosing to meet hers. "We both know... with how things are now...it might happen again..."

"What might happen?" She dared to ask, feeling a twisting churn in the pit of her stomach.

"Another Svartalf." The very word painted quite an image, especially considering the most Ilia had experienced in terms of discrimination was the common human sneers, insults, and references to her kind being akin to animals. Though, for Jaune and his people, they took the full brunt of humanity's rage. And to add to Ilia's growing distrust for humans, and huntsmen alike, this all came about due to a small group seemingly planning a coup. To which kingdom? No one knew. Who were the Reavers that we're supposed to launch this attack? There was surprisingly no information available on that subject. And to pile on to the mirror of similarities; the Reavers were pushed unto a single location, and eventually their home fell.

In an act that caught the Faunus girl by surprise, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. Gently, she felt his head bury itself against her shoulder, holding her, not too hard, but gently enough. This sudden embrace brought a visibly pink tint to her cheeks, and had she not gain a semblance of control over her camouflage ability, her whole body would've shifted to a similar color.

"I know what I said early, but just for this one moment, I'm going to be selfish...please, don't leave me." The way he said it, it almost felt as if he were going to beg. Though, it did catch the Faunus off-guard. She made no cemented decision to leave, nor was she intending to just up and go back on her feelings regarding being alone. Still, for him to beg her to stay, claiming himself to be acting selfish, he knew the path he'd tread was one he didn't want to face alone. His breath had hitched at the image of Ilia walking out of his life, another friend...another loved one gone from his life. After having to leave His I'd life behind, twice, the blond couldn't bear to feel loss again, not so soon. Amitola returned the embrace, holding the blond tightly as well. Hearing him like this, it broke her heart. She remembered only ever seeing him calm and stoic, with the occasional smile and rare sorrowful expression. But here, she saw in him a trait she believed he no longer felt; fear.

All the while, lying awake in her bed, Emerld stared blankly at the wall, knowing full well her new 'team' was having a moment, and with quite a few bombshells she didn't see coming, particularly the one where she now knows her new boss is a Reaver. While appearing human, the race had gone and made a name of itself, being seen as separate by the humans, and framed as a pariah race to all of Remnant. And now, she was working for one to bring peace to the world. She'd chuckle at the idea, had it not been for one minor detail that currently kept her awake.

'Damn…I have to pee…'

Alrighty, let me start off by pointing the obvious, yes, Jaune's character took quite the turn, and the reason for that is…well, it's painfully obvious what Jaune's group will be based on, and who the blond is a mix of. Now, there will be a lot of similarities, and the plan this little group will set in motion will not side with either 'good' or 'bad'. That is the most I will say, however, stick around for the next chapter, and I guarantee answers. Will they be cryptic, forward, confusing? All of the above?

Also, little side note, for those who didn't know the language I used for the Reavers, it's the Thu'um, from the Elder Scrolls Skyrim game.

Thanks for reading, stay tuned.