JNPR and Amarilla head into town to get a drink and take in the sights. There's plenty of people milling about on the sidewalks and clustered around the establishments open late, and it takes less than ten minutes for Mrs. Arc's prediction to come true.

Ren and Nora stop at a window to browse the candies inside. Jaune falls back a little to see what they're looking at, and for all of a few seconds, Pyrrha looks like she's alone. From the shadows of an unlit storefront, some guy immediately descends on Pyrrha, asking for her name and what she's doing alone in town on a night like this. Amarilla doesn't miss a beat. She swoops in just as fast, just as Pyrrha is starting on a polite denial, to drape an arm around Pyrrha's waist and move Pyrrha's arm around her own shoulder, telling the sleazeball to beat it because Pyrrha is with her.

Amarilla quickly leads Pyrrha back to the others as Pyrrha is still trying to process what has just happened. By the time Jaune looks back up to wonder where Pyrrha wandered off to, Amarilla is grabbing her brother's wrist and setting Jaune's arm across Pyrrha's shoulders in place of her own.

"Sorry about that," Amarilla says to Pyrrha, grimacing at the retreating figure. "You're really obvious tourists. Might as well throw steaks to the lions in this town." She indicates Jaune's arm. "Stick close."

As Amarilla fetches their teammates, Jaune does his best to act casual about having his arm draped across Pyrrha's shoulders. "Is this okay? I know you don't like..."

"No, no, it's fine."

"You sure? You can just walk close if this is weird..."

"It's not weird," Pyrrha promises. She clasps her Scroll in both hands and leans a little against Jaune to prove how not weird it is.

Nora and Ren walk over in a similar configuration, no doubt at Amarilla's suggestion. It's slightly more convenient for them since they aren't the same height. Also, Ren isn't blushing like a fool either. He very convincingly plays the part of a boyfriend to Nora's beaming smile.

"What about you?" Ren asks Amarilla as she walks in front of them unaccompanied.

"Oh, don't worry about me," she says, flapping a hand dismissively. "It's common knowledge whose team I bat for."

"Her reputation will keep her warm," Jaune elaborates. Amarilla's flapping hand turns into an affectionate middle finger.

"Ooooooo...can we go there?" Nora asks, pointing to a bar with zig-zagging fairy lights across the ceiling.

Jaune pales. "Any bar but that one."

"Why?"

"Jaune and I aren't allowed in that one anymore," Amarilla explains. "He threw a guy through a window. It was a whole thing."

His team gives him a look.

"It was an accident," Jaune says sheepishly.

"This one has better atmosphere anyway," Amarilla says, pointing to another bar a block over that has live music spilling out of it.

The five of them wander over. It's not overly crowded for a Sunday night, and they easily manage seats at the bar. Amarilla produces a handful of drink tickets and asks the young bartender if they're still valid. The man rolls his eyes good-naturedly and says they're more than valid for the Arclights.

When everyone has produced valid identification in the form of hunting permits and IDs, the bartender starts on everyone's drinks and Ren asks, "What's an arclight?"

In the time it takes Jaune to make a convincing enough noise of dismissal, Amarilla says, "The Arclights was our band name."

Nora chokes on the olive she's just caught in her mouth. Ren thumps her on the back as Pyrrha peers over at Amarilla. "You were in a band?"

Jaune drops his head to the bar and buries his face in his arms as Amarilla trills, "Yup. With Jaune." She points to a wall of polaroids behind the bar. Following the line of Amarilla's finger leads to a mostly dark photo of a little blonde boy on guitar and a little equally blonde girl on the drums.

"How old were you?" Nora asks, sounding far too enthused at the prospect.

"Not old enough to know better," Jaune mumbles.

Pyrrha pats his arm. "Jaune, you play lovely guitar."

"Hey, Lanse, do you still have any of our old demos?" Amarilla asks brightly.

The young bartender returns with everyone's drinks and a disarming smile. "I ain't gonna do that to your brother, Rilla."

Jaune lifts his head with a relieved look. "You're my favorite, Lanse."

"And you ain't nowhere near the worst thing that's played my stage, Jauney," Lanse answers. He sets a shot in front of each of them in addition to their drinks. Lanse winks. "On the house. For my favorite band."

Jaune sniffs the shot — tequila — and makes a face. Amarilla holds her shot glass up. "Shall we toast?"

Ren raises his without missing a beat. "To Juniper."

"To Juniper. My favorite band," Nora says with a smirk.

"To Juniper," Pyrrha chimes, lifting her shot to Jaune. He takes his shot and clinks it with hers.

"Cheers," he agrees. "To Juniper."

The five of them sip at their drinks. Jaune gets more details about the happenings at Beacon; he hears all about the dance and the CCTS tower break-in, about Roman Torchwick and all the new teams. When the live band finishes up, Lanse offers Jauney and Rilla first choice at the old jukebox in the corner. Nora beats Jaune to the tokens on the bartop and scurries off to pick a song, dragging Ren and her fruity invention of a cocktail along. Amarilla excuses herself to the bathroom a moment later, leaving Jaune and Pyrrha with their drinks and each other.

He props his chin on his fist to better look at her. Their barstools are really far too close, he notices. "So. What are you thinking about?"

Pyrrha giggles in a way that reminds him to keep her away from alcohol in the future. She mimics his chin-in-hand posture. "So. There's some people by the door who've seen through my grand disguise," she says casually.

Jaune looks over. His stomach lurches at the sight of Crystal and her friends staring. They glance away when they notice Jaune's caught them.

"Sorry, those are for me, actually." He quickly takes another big gulp of beer. It's not as disgusting as the beer Amarilla wanted him to drink, but he still hates the stuff.

"Oh," Pyrrha says. There's a strange note in her voice as she lowers her arm back to the bartop. "And the...group in the corner by the pool table?"

Jaune half turns in his seat to catch sight of a clique of former friends. They're in a dimly lit booth with a boardgame between them. All four immediately duck their head before Jaune can make out who is who.

He turns back in his seat to address Pyrrha. "How did you...?"

Almost imperceptibly, Pyrrha indicates the end of the bar. "And one more."

It's Carnelia, eyeing Jaune and Pyrrha with the intensity of a hawk with a degree in brain surgery. Jaune breaks eye contact and attempts to hide behind Pyrrha.

Pyrrha stirs the ice in her vodka cranberry with a grin. "You weren't kidding about being popular these days."

Jaune sighs and asks Lanse for a water. "Well, you know how it is."

"I do," Pyrrha says warmly. She indicates Jaune's other side. "More of your friends?"

Jaune turns to look. Some of Ashton's group are ogling Pyrrha in her short-shorts.

"Regrettably, no," Jaune says. He scoots closer to Pyrrha and circles his arm around her waist, glaring back at the group of guys all the while. Pyrrha makes a hum of approval at the back of her throat before Jaune can ask if the gesture is okay. "How's your drink?" he asks instead.

"Delicious."

Nora finally decides on a song, and the speakers attached to the old jukebox spread it through the whole bar. It's by an artist Ren introduced them all to, way back at the beginning of their first semester. Jaune and Pyrrha recognize it at the same time.

Jaune grimaces as he tips back the last of his beer, then holds his hand out to Pyrrha.

Beaming, Pyrrha takes it. "A rock star and a dancer. I really had no idea."

Jaune blushes. Obviously from all the beer. "Hey, I didn't know you were farsighted," he counters, acting offended. "You could be keeping all kinds of secrets from me."

Pyrrha stands, and with a genuine fondness, she says, "Never from you."

Jaune leads her into the crowd. They reach the group on the dancefloor, including Ren and Nora, and Jaune offers Pyrrha a hand to clasp. Pyrrha takes it and situates her other hand on his shoulder with a practiced ease. Jaune raises a brow teasingly.

"Not even one secret?" he asks, moving his hand to the dip of her waist.

"Well… maybe one," Pyrrha confesses, her smile shy. She tilts her head ever so slightly towards the bar behind him. "Your fan club is paying rapt attention, by the way."

"Good," Jaune says, and he means it. He dips Pyrrha unexpectedly and pulls her up into a spin, twirling her out and back into his arms, grinning like a fool. "They might learn some moves."

Pyrrha starts laughing. She bows her head in a futile effort to keep it in and her forehead brushes Jaune's. And in spite of the alcohol and the unwanted attention, Jaune finds a new warmth spreading through him from his chest to his toes. It's utter joy and something he can't quite put his finger on.

He tucks his head close and whispers, "I've missed you so much."

With the back of her hand, Pyrrha fixes the glasses Jaune almost dislodged with his spin. Smiling, she swears, "Not as much as I missed you."

Jaune doesn't believe that's possible for a second.

The night is danced away until the venue is just closing up. JNPR and Amarilla hang back to help Lanse clean up as thanks for all the discounted drinks. As Ren sweeps up the floor, Nora washes the windows and Pyrrha collects beer cans from the floor with her semblance and drops them in the recycling bins. Jaune and Amarilla help Lanse clean glasses and wipe the bar top.

"You've got some great friends," Lanse says, glancing up from counting the register money. "Ya'll met at Beacon?"

"Yeah. They were my teammates," Jaune says absently, mesmerized by the sight of Pyrrha crumpling cans into palm-sized disks. Nora comes in from outside and insists she can zap Pyrrha's aluminum disks out of the air like skeet. When Pyrrha hesitates, Ren bats one into the air with his broom. Nora sends it flying across the room with just a whisper of static.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," Lanse says. "Ya'll just seem so different."

Jaune shrugs one shoulder. "Uh, yeah. I guess we are..."

Amarilla comes up from the stairs below the bar with washed and rinsed bar mats. "Hey, when did Carnelia finally leave you alone, Lanse?"

"About an hour before we threw everyone out."

Jaune swallows hard. "She was bothering you?"

"She was pestering me about your friends," Lanse says. "Specifically that one." He juts his chin at Pyrrha, who catches Ren's next putt out of the air an inch away from the overhead light.

Lanse closes the register with a satisfying chime. "Yeah, she didn't believe me when I said she was probably your girlfriend."

"Oh," Jaune mutters. He wipes down the mug in his hands for the third time.

When the bar is fully closed up, they say their goodbyes to Lanse and Ren confirms that he's falling asleep where he's standing from the time zone change. They decide the night is nice enough to head back to the Arc house through the countryside. About halfway there, they reach a large grazing field where a smattering of cows are sleeping standing up. Amarilla offers to teach Nora how to cow-tip and Nora doesn't need to be offered twice. She and Amarilla are sneaking across the field before the others realize they should probably be stopping them. Ren graciously offers to collect them.

Jaune jumps up on the border fence to wait out the excitement. Pyrrha hops up next to him, swinging her feet as she looks out at the moonlit field and the shapes of dimly glowing white cows herded together in the night.

"I never had this, growing up," Pyrrha says absently, staring out over the field.

Unable to resist, he says, "What, you've never had a ginger ale and grenadine dressed up to look like a vodka cranberry?"

Pyrrha looks apologetic. "When did you notice?"

"When I asked Lanse to water down my second round and I noticed the bubbles in yours," Jaune answers smartly.

Pyrrha rolls her eyes and takes it in stride.

"I meant this," she says, indicating the field and the glowing lights of Jaune's town in the distance. "People who watched me grow up. Places that know my favorite drink and which songs I like on the jukebox. A life that's...lived-in, you know?"

Pyrrha sounds wistful. Jaune tests his weight on the old wooden fence to avoid answering her right away. He knocks his heel against the wooden plank, debating how much he wants to say, then decides all of it.

"That's what I hate about it," he says quietly. "Everyone's known you since you were little so they think they know you. They have this expectation of who you're supposed to be in their head, like you're not allowed to change. And if you do change because you want to become something different that what you were..." Jaune makes a motion like stuffing something big into a small box.

Pyrrha doesn't answer. Jaune can't look at her, already feeling the guilt crawling up from his stomach because he shouldn't have said anything, he shouldn't have ruined her evening.

He brings his legs up to cross and balance on the fence, his shoulders rising to his ears. "It's… I'm sorry. You don't want to—"

"Jaune," Pyrrha says. "The people that matter know how amazing you can be. How amazing you are." Her fingers brush his as she moves to hold his hand. "Come with us on assignment tomorrow."

There's such hope in her voice; it makes him swell with promise, then pops his heart like a balloon. Jaune shakes his head. "I wouldn't be able to keep up, Pyr."

It hurts to say it, but it's a truth they both need to hear. He wasn't on their level when he was training and learning every day at Beacon. He is so behind now.

She starts to protest. "That's not true..."

"It wouldn't matter anyway," Jaune says, looking up at the stars. "Everyone thinks I've already become the greatest hunter in the world. Or they think I'm so incompetent, I don't have an ice cube's chance in Vacuo." He shrugs awkwardly. "It's kind of incredible. But you probably know all about this sort of thing."

Jaune has more he wants to say, but he stops when he feels Pyrrha's hand squeezing his. Mustering his bravery, he looks over. Her expression is warm, her face framed by starlight and his sister's braid crown and he feels so stupid all of the sudden because of course she knows. She's Pyrrha Nikos. He forgets that all the time.

"Jaune," she says gently. "You'll always be you to me."

He makes this breathless sound, part laugh and part something else, startled out of him by her unexpected response. When he stops, there's a lump in his throat that wasn't there before. For a moment, he doesn't know what to say that isn't a joke or a dodge. The 'thank you' gets stuck on his tongue, lodged between his teeth and all the things he doesn't have a name for.

Pyrrha gets it. She shifts closer to him so that they're shoulder to shoulder on the fence and sets their linked hands in her lap. She smiles at him, softly, and Jaune feels that warmth again, all over.

He squeezes her hand. "You'll always be you to me too, Pyr."

"I know," she says, her smile never wavering. "That's what I've always liked about you."

"So...we're even?"

Pyrrha stifles a laugh, and Jaune's pretty sure the light's never caught on her eyes quite that way ever before. "Very much so," she says.

They stay holding hands and admiring the night until Ren returns with Nora over one shoulder. Amarilla is carrying on a conversation with the smaller girl as they walk, something about survivors of lightning strikes, and Ren looks a little queasy. Jaune and Pyrrha hop off the fence to join them, if only to save Ren and repay him for talking the girls out of trouble.

The five walk back to the Arc house through the woods, a shortcut Amarilla swears won't be a problem with the four of them accompanying her. Jaune holds out his arm to help Pyrrha cross an itty-bitty stream and is indescribably grateful when she holds onto it the rest of the walk.

Author's Note: Lan Se is "Blue" in Chinese.

And now, for something new...