"Jaune!"
"Ruby!" Jaune shouted his shoulder falling as he eyed his best friend and partner. The young girl zoomed up to him her prosthetic eye zooming out of her skull and locking onto Jaune as the young collared student held her best friend. Wrapping him in a tight hug as-
"AH! There you are! You must be Jaune! I've heard so much about you!" A cool calm voice that reminded Jaune of a spring breeze and instantly put him at ease. A pair of searing blood red eyes locked onto his as a boy without? A collar on his neck smiled warmly at him.
The boy had skin as pale a paper, and a slim build. His hair was the color of freshly fallen snow, and he wore an immaculately cleaned but loos white t-shirt, with a light blue tie hung loosely around his neck. He had on a pair of light khaki pants and wore a firm smiled on his face.
"Who are you?"
"Merrick!?"
"Kage! So pleased to see you! How are you doing today?" The boy Merrick? Asked as he smiled warmly bowing halfway as Kage's mouth drooped. The brown-skinned boy's hands dropped to his side almost reaching for his twin weapons as-
"Jaune Arc is it? I've been waiting to meet you!" The boy said smiling ear to ear as Jaune felt the hair on his back raise up as a tingling sensation filled his body. Jaune felt an instant sense of danger, radiating from the boy as-
"Yes, that's my name who are you-
"Merrick! Call me Merrick! We are all friends here! I've heard a lot about you Jaune! Did you know I am a leading member of the Piercing Lancers?" Just like that, it popped! The growing sense of unease that filled Jaune's body instantly left his body as all tension and unease that he felt left him replaced by a flood of relief as he smiled to Merrick. Jaune knew he could trust Merrick-
"Really? How?"
"How have I heard of the White Knight of Bastion? Jaune! Do you take me for a slouch? I watch things! Of course, I know of one of our most promising candidates! Your desire to join our organization has not gone unnoticed I'll let you know! And let's just say that more than a few high ranking members of the Lancers are more than interested in having you join our ranks."
The boy said with a thin smile that looked like it could cut bone.
"Me included of course." Merrick finished as his blood eyes looked behind Jaune locking onto the students behind him.
"Zach, a pleasure as always."
"M- Merrick! Sir! I... How are you, sir?"
"Sir?" Jaune asked shocked that Zach was showing another student? A semblance of respect as the black haired thief looked ready to bolt for the nearest exit and make a break for it.
"Merrick."
"Mika. Always nice to see you."
"If you say so!" Mika said her voice unnaturally sharp and clipped. Like she was forcing out her usually peppy words, the young woman's lime green battle ax falling free from its holster on her fur pels. Swinging freely as she smiled in a way that promised pain.
"Do you have another thing to add Mika?"
"Nope! Just wondering why the shiftiest person and I use that word loosely is talking to my best girl teammate and leader is all!"
"Just a friendly chat! Now Jaune how about I take you to the Piercing lancer's headquarters? I think it's time the higher-ups should meet their newest recruit."
"You can do that?"
"Of course! Just follow me and I'll show you the way to the good life!" Merrick said smiling wildly as Jaune felt what had to be the rarest emotion in all of Bastion, Jaune felt hope...
"Now as you may or may not know a Bastion is a place for the more... socially awkward members of society."
"That's a nice way to say, murderers."
"Kage! You flatter me! Now keep your comment's to yourself, as much as I love to see your lips move I must ask you to keep your mouth closed this time." "As much as I would like for you to keep it wide open," Merrick said with a wink that made Kage go stiff as a board. The usually apathetic boy looked like he had been frozen solid as-
"Back off," Mika growled standing in front of her partner, blade raised as Merrick smiled wryly raising up his twin gohst like hands and backing off. 'Ok, ok, I get the message." Merrick said backing off before looking at Jaune the blonde leader eyed Merrick with a look of curiosity and optimism. So far Merrick had not been anything but helpful, with thier quest to join the Piercing Lancers.
"Merrick."
"Yes, Jaune? What can I do for you?" Merrick asked his voice that still sounded like a fresh spring breeze and felt like a soothing hand was placed on her heart. Jaune had no idea why but something about the boy just calmed him for lack of a better word, even if Ruby for some reason had not kept either eye off of Merrick for the entire journey to the elevator that was now carrying them to the headquarters of the Piercing Lancers.
"Where did you and Ruby come from? I saw you and hear coming back from somewhere? "
"Ah! I can explain! Ruby was helping me with some philosophical debates!"
"Philosophical? Ruby?" Jaune asked raising an eyebrow to Merrick who was somehow accusing Ruby of all people of helping him in a philisophical debate.
"Of course! I asked for her help with a bit of a spiritual issue and she was of great assistance to me."
"So... that's good?"
"I'd say, in fact, we made such a good team that she has volunteered to help me out with further crisis of faith in the future. Isn't that right Ruby? Can I count on you for more help in the future?"
Merrick asked as Ruby froze her fist balled as her augmented eye zoomed out of her skull.
"Yes... I will help-
"Wonderful! Now we are almost here! All of you follow me it's about time you joined the elite group of Bastion." Merrick said as a ding! Sounded and Jaune and the rest of team ARKM steeped out of the cramped elevator as they stepped out into the light.
"Welcome to the headquarters of the Piercing Lancers," Merrick said as Jaune felt his eyes widen. The hallway they stepped into was not what Jaune expected. The halls that were carved clean from the mountain were sharp, clean polished to a blinding white sheen, that hurt Jaune's eyes.
As they stepped out the narrow hallway was clean, there was not a shred of clutter or hint of a less than perfect ninety-degree angle anywhere.
As they walked out twin guards wearing a light white armor armed with assault rifles, the newly acquired Arcadian variants, whos faces where hidden by heavy thick grey visors. Thier faces hidden from view as Merrick smiled. "Greetings, I have come with the new recruits," Merrick said smoothly as the guards relaxed.
"Sir. Welcome please, this way." One of the faceless guards said a Jaune notice a large P on his face, his collar indicating his reason for interment the same as him and Ruby as they walked behind Merrick. "Now come please, you all must pass through a checkpoint of sorts."
"Checkpoint? What kind?" Jaune asked as the four members of ARKM were lead into a narrow hallway where a door closed behind them with a heavy pneumonic hiss!
"Merrick?"
"You will forgive me for this but the Piercing Lancers are a bit of a cautious lot."
"You mean paranoid and twitchy.' Mika spat as Merric gave her a sanguine smile, that showed none of his true feelings to the young woman.
"You will find thier so-called paranoia well founded. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. Isn't that right Jaune? You would not want to take any chances with people who have one too many chromosomes, espically after that last mission you went on right?"
Jaune gulped as he felt a pinprick of sweat drip down his back, as memories of the twisting writhing, braying mounds of flesh filled his head.
"No, that's fine."
"Grand! Now for this next test, we will be exposed to a chemical agent of sorts."
"A chemical agent?"
"Fear not Ruby, this was developed as a cure for Black Light. It only affects nonhuman organisms. As long as you are a full human you have nothing to fear."
Merrick said as Mika froze going stiff as a board, her lips forming a tight smile as Jaune saw sweat begin to drip down her smooth pale face.
"What do you mean by nonhumans?" Mika asked her voice low and toneless. Almost dull as Merrick smiled sanguinely at her.
"I mean what I said. If you are a human you have nothing to fear."
"What about me-
"Fear not Ruby it does not work on mechanical devices, your eye is fine as is the rest of you."
"See Ruby it's ok," Jaune said smiling down at his best friend as she nodded.
"Alright, that's good," Ruby said eased by Jaune's spot at her side, while-
"What do you mean it doesn't affect humans?" Mika asked tensing up as her fists became tight balls as she growled.
"Mika? What's the problem?" Jaune asked his teammate and friend hos skin tense and-
Writhed? Jaune froze as he swore he saw something move underneath her skin like something was shifting underneath her and-
"Merrick is all of this really necessary? I mean we are all humans here right!" Mika asked a thin pasty smile plastered on her face as Merrick grinned.
"I know that of course, Mika. I know we here are all human but! It never hurts to check right?" Merrick asked clicking a button on his scroll as Mika ground her teeth.
"This isn't necessary!"
"But is it not necessary?"
"Jaune! Tell Merrick that we don't need this!"
Mika demanded as Jaune frowned at his friend.
"What's the problem? Mika is something wrong? It's just a test right?" Jaune asked trying to reason with Mika who looked like her life was in danger.
"You don't know what they are going to do to us! It could be lasers! Blades! We might be lite on fire for all we know!"
"First of all Mika I am not a cartoon villain, there are no falling saw blades fire pits or acid baths waiting for you all. Please, what do you take me for?"
"A propped up know it all, who's hiding his inner sociopath under an easy smile and red eyes!"
"You wound me!"
"You don't care!"
"I don't, now hold still! The test will begin soon."
"What kind of test?"
"Ah! Jaune a rational voice! It's a simple air born test. A certain gas will fall into the room. Anything nonhuman will be... purged for lack of a better word. Oh! I mean biological things only! Your weapons and armor are totally fine."
"Gas!? GAS! Jaune! He's going to poison us!"
"I'm going to poison the people I want to induct to my organization? Really?"
"Look! He just admitted it!"
"Merrick is the gas toxic?"
"To nonhumans? It's fatal, to us harmless." Merrick said as a low hiss filled the air. A wave of light pink gas flooded the chamber as Jaune stiffened. The gas was cold on his skin and felt odd. Not bad but not great, he held his breath as it dropped down.
He waited until Merrick breathed a deep breath and exhaled before doing the same. Kage sighed taking a deep breath as Ruby flowed.
"HAH!" Mika gasped inhaling a deep lungful of air as Merrick's blood eyes locked onto her as she took a deep breath and-
Exhaled. Breathing the air in and out with no trouble.
"Interesting didn't expect that."
"Didn't expect what Merrick?"
"Oh it's nothing Jaune, don't worry about it. Even I can be a bit surprised every now and then. Now! Onto the show! Merrick said as the gas bled out of the room and the door opened revealing a large room bustling with people, some looked like students others staff. Humans and faunus busied around as Merrick led them inside. "Welcome to the Piercing lancers! Please show your selves in while I get your new boss."
Merrick said bowing out going to a group of older officers?
"Jaune, this place is big, like really big."
"I know Ruby calm down. Mika, what was that back there?"
"Oh, nothing! I'm not a big fan of tests you know?"
"No I didn't but you acted like you were going to die!"
"I don't like gas ok!"
"It was just gas, not like it could kill you, you know?"
"Well excuse me Venke! I thought you would care more about your own partner!"
"I do care but I've seen your tear the limbs of a Creep that gas was nothing, not like you were in any real danger."
"I just want one of my teammates to care about me! Ruby! You care right?"
"Of course! I... I just don't see what the problem was, it was just gas and we are all human so what's the big deal?"
"The big deal is-
"Jaune! Let me show you the leader of the Piercing Lancers and a man who wants to meet you! His name is Mac!" Merrick said as a tall light-skinned man too old to be a student with brown hair and black eyes smiled to him warmly.
"Jaune Arc?" The man asked with an easy smile and a calm walk holding out a long arm covered in a thick brown coat. The man was taller by Jaune by half a foot and seemed to radiate a strange amount of calm from himself.
"Yes, that's me and-
"Nice to mee you! Name's Mac! Call me that! I've been looking forward to meeting you for some time now!" The man said shaking Jaune's hand in a firm grip, that made Jaune smile. He just met this man, Mac but Jaune felt a budding trust in him.
"Good to hear, I've been interested in joining your organization for some time, me and my team that is."
"And we have been keeping an eye on you as well! Team ARKM the most dangerous of all first-year teams! We have been keeping an eye on you espically."
"On me?"
"Yes, you are a rare first year Jaune. You are a rare example of a Bastion punishment student of all things that strives to show some level of moral integrity." Mac said with a calm smile that made the boy's guard drop.
"Moral integrity?"
"Yes, most first years only see to thier own survival putting the lives of others and espically other Bastion students at a secondary. You don't, you don't like to wast life. And here at the Piercing Lancers, we seek out people who do not waste lives."
"You don't waste lives?"
"No. We are a group dedicated to the salvation of Remnant. Even if we are not the most ethical of people that is no reason that we can not seek to better the lives of the people with our unique set of skills."
"You are a group for the people?"
"Yes, we exist to help those who can not help themselves. We have near full autonomy to act and we use that to help others in need." Mac said as Jaune felt a swell of hope in his chest, as he might have just found his Bastion group.
"I like the sounds of that Mac.'
"I knew you would, you have yet to kill an opponent in the arena please tell me why you do not kill them?"
"I don't want to. Killing got me into this school and I don't want to kill to get me out."
"Yet you do kill. You have quite the kill count if you don't mind me stating that."
"Why would I? You are right, I've killed since I got here and I don't plan on not killing until I get home."
"Home? Ah! Your deal with Ludo! You are going home if you can survive correctly?"
"Me and Ruby yes."
"But what of Mika and Kage?" Mac asked as Jaune froze, his legs going stiff as he felt wrong-footed.
"I... what?" Jaune asked feeling oddly off balanced as Mac's light brown eyes narrowed on Jaune.
"I asked what of Mika and Kage? They are your teammates correct?"
"Yes, why?"
"Do you care for thier survival?"
"What? Of course, I do!"
"So you want them to live correct?"
"What kind of question is that? Of course, I do!" Jaune shouted his temper rising as Mac simply kept a calm glare to Jaune's blue eyes.
"So you would not do something to harm them?"
"Of course not! Why would you ask?"
"So you are unwilling to harm them, but you are going to abandon them?"
"Abandon them?"
"When you leave what happens to Mika and Kage? Are you just going to abandon them?"
"I... how would I abandon them?"
"Simple. When you and Ruby assuming you survive go back to Beacon what happens to Mika and Kage? Are you just going to abandon them? Leaving the two people who you yourself call friends behind? Even if they have saved your lives many times over?"
Jaune froze the man's questions flooring him as he felt anger build in his chest as he balled up his hands.
"That's none of your business Mac."
"Oh, I think it is my business Jaune. We here at the Piercing Lancers believe in a no man left behind philosophy. We value all members of our group equally. I can't let you in if your only priority is keeping Ruby alive. You need to be able to accomplish your missions no matter the cost. Can you do that Jaune?" Mac asked eyes boring into Jaune as he growled.
"Of course! I am here to save people!"
"Really? People or just Ruby?"
"Everyone!"
"Really? Do you want to prove that to me then Jaune?"
"I don't need to prove it, I'm not going to abandon anyone!"
"Is that a promise?" Mac asked his brown eyes glistening with a challenge.
"It is, I won't abandon anyone!"
"Good! Then we can use you!"
"What? Use me?"
"Of course Jaune! You are the perfect candidate for a training mission for us!"
"A training mission?"
"Yes as you might know Bastion requires the help of the outside world to operate. And one of our critical dust routes is under attack. We need you to defend it."
"Attack? From what?" Jaune asked any and all hostility forgotten as he went into Leader mod. Analyzing every word Mac said with a fine tooth comb.
"Simple. Grimm."
"They are attacking the shipment?"
"More or less. They are attacking a town that's under Bastion protection. We need you to go there and sort it out. Protect the dust and the civilians Jaune. Do not let harm come to either is that clear?"
"What's the situation down there? How many Grimm? Can the town's people fight back? Who will we be taking with us to this mission?"
"In that order? Bad. The town is near the Atlas wilds border barley on the map at all. It is walled around but it's surrounded. Our conservative estimates put there to be two hundred Grimm all attacking at one. Ursa, Beowulf, and some Griffons."
"And you liberal estimate?"
"A thousand," Mac said as Kage let out a low whistle.
"That's one helluva distance, you sure we can trust your cont, Mac?"
"Since when has long odds been a problem for you, Kage? You are the one who's in for treason. Doing stupid decisions for little reward suits you."
"Why us? Why not send in your elite units for this?" Jaune asked heading of an argument before it could begin as Mac nodded once to him a thin smile on his lips.
"Simple. I need to test my newest recruits and two. All of our elites are currently busy. That town incident has stirred quite a few feathers."
"What town incident? What happened on your mission?" Ruby asked her silver eye filled with worry as her mechanical one whirred over to him.
"I'll tell you later Ruby, it was nothing."
"Nothing? Jaune you and Kage went up against one of the most deadly creatures in all of existance! It puts the most ferocious Grimm to shame! To say that your lives no you very humanity was in mortal peril is a considerable understatement!"
"Jaune!? What happened in the town?!"
"Ruby it was just another mission."
"Another mission against one of the most hostile lifeforms in existance! One that I have fought personally before."
"What? You fought that thing before?"
"Yes... back in my second year I fought the thing before. I barely bested it then, and it cost me, my team."
"If he thinks he bested it." Mika coughed making Jaune sigh.
"That's... it's..."
"I know the thing is terrible beyond comprehension you have my utmost respect for fighting it off even in a limited form now this. Jaune, the Piercing lancers are a group of Bastion members dedicate to taking our gifts and making this world a better place no matter the cost. Can we count you in to help us in that goal?"
"Yes," Jaune said as Mac nodded and the boy sighed.
"OK! Here's the plan!" Jaune said struggling to be heard over the roar of the bullhead. The craft soared up into the air, tearing across the sky breaking into the Atlas airspace.
Jaune stood in front of his team, ARKM being sent alone to determine skill and as Jaune knew to prove their worth and loyalty to the cause of the Piercing Lancers. Their plan was simple. The town they were going to call Ice Cliff was a Bastion protected town and was under siege from a horde of Grimm. In the town was a large train shipment of dust. Jaune needed to make sure that the dust in that train made it back to Bastion unmolested while saving as many civilians as humanly possible. It was an easy task but one that Jaune needed to achieve.
"Kage!"
"Boss."
"What's the situation on the ground?"
"Been better, been worse. Couple hundred Grimm we'll need to kill them all."
"How many are near the walls?"
"Most of them. The majority are surrounding the area where the civilians are taking shelter."
"Ok, Mika!"
"That's me!"
"You and Ruby go there. Take care of the big group, Kage you follow me. We are going to secure the train itself."
"As you say, should I know anything else? Any stupid plans that are going to get us killed?" "Not if I can help it, our mission is simple we get in we kill the Grimm and go home. Simple enough fight?"
"I got it Jaune! Don't worry I won't let you down!"
"I never thought that you would Ruby. Mika."
"Yess ~boss man~!"
"First of all, I'm glad you are better after your gas incident. I don't know what is so bad about the gas but I need you!"
"What do you require of me Jaune?"
"Like I said you are Ruby take the big clump to burn them all."
"Already on it."
"Good, Kage?"
"Yo."
"Get your self-ready, put your game face on it's time to go," Jaune said as the ramp lowed exposing the interior of the ship that was until a moment ago pleasantly heated now exposed to the bone-chilling Atlas air. The sharp sir flow could have cut metal and made Jaune wince.
"GO!" The boy said as the craft hovered over a rather empty part of the town wall as the four students jumped off the craft and onto the wall.
"Down!"
Bang! Jaune winced as the sound of a bolt pistol fired off blowing an Ursa that had somehow scaled the five-story wall and was about to get over the edge.
"Jaune!"
"I see it!" Jaune said raising his plasma pistol and firing it. The kicking screaming melted body of a Creep was hurled off the wall as Jaune and Kage began to do their sweep of the perimeter.
"Keep going! We can't stop!" Jaune said hissing as he felt the frigid Atlas air enter his mouth. It felt like he was swallowing frosty knives as he ran. The heavy sounds of boots stomping on the cold barricade of the town filled his ears as he and Kage sprinted.
The defense of the town was going well so to speak. Mika and Ruby had successfully killed the Grimm assaulting the town civilians, and now Jaune and Kage needed to only sweep the perimeters for any stragglers that remained.
"How's Mika and Ruby?" Kage shouted before tosing another shot out into the snow bleak landscape that looked lime snow heinous crosses between a frozen, dreamscape and demented painters love child.
The harsh snowy speaks sparkled in the bright moonlight. Twinkling like miniature stars, bouncing off the snow and ice at odd angels giving Jaune an odd feeling of nausea like he was looking down the lens of a cracked kaleidoscope.
"They are guarding the civilians! They say that there are some Grimm still on the outskirts of the perimeter but Ruby's sniping them!" Jaune shouted the roaring gale of the snowdrift that had just happened! To come when they landed blotting out his voice as Kage nodded.
"Got it! Heads up! We got more Grimm!" The boy shouted pointing to the newest horde of Grimm roaring out of the frozen tundra. Raging towards the wall as Jaune sighed.
"Dammit. I'll call Ruby and tell her to look out. We can't afford a breach!" Jaune said raising his plasma pistol online setting. The maximum range possible for the pistol as Kage frowned.
"Might want to put a raincheck on that call Boss."
"What? Why the hell would I do that?"
"The Grimm are coming for us."
"What?"
"Look! That horde is heading for the damn train!" Kage shouted as Jaune glared, the boy wishing he had his death korps mask on to block the freezing air that was literally acting up his aura, as he saw that Kage spoke the unfortunate truth. A horde of Grimm was closing on them and it was looking like-
"Shit! Where are the townspeople?!"
"All hiding in that building! Why?" Kage asked losing off a couple bolt shots that did little more than irritate the encroaching mass of black and red as Jauen swore.
"If those things break past this wall the town is done for!"
"You want me to call Ruby and Mika? Get them back here?"
"We can't! Dammit. If we take them away from there then the people will freak out! The negativity attracts more Grimm and they will be butchered!"
"Ok... so what's the plan boss? We need to save the civilians and the dust, and it doesn't look like we can do both. What's the play?" Kage asked the boy usually fully stoic now shivering as the wind whipped his face.
Plastering his mop of black hard down on his brown skin, his still temporary black armor on as-
"Fuck, I have an idea."
"Shoot, I'm all ears," Kage said firing again a loud bang filled the air as a Beowulf had its head ripped off. Its body twisting back int bloody twisting pile of black and red before slamming into the snow and disintegrating.
"The Piercing Lancers are here to save the people right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"People Kage! People are what matters! We can't risk the lives of people for things!"
"Boss... I don't like where you are going with this." Kage said a frown crossing his normally unmoving face as he lossed two more shots into the horde blowing apart two Ursa as he frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
"The Dust."
"What about them?"
"We are going to use it..."
"Boss! This is a terrible idea!" Kage said running up and down the dust train, planting the last of the improvised explosives on the dustcarts.
"It's our only chance!"
"Jaune! We can just leave the civilians!"
"Kage we are here for them!"
"And the dust!"
"We can make more people! Dust will save lives!" Kage shouted as the train was finally jury-rigged into an improvised bomb as the boy sighed, this was going to get him killed! He just knew it!
"I'm not abandoning them!" Jaune yelled ducking down falling from the barricade as the low creaking of gears filled the air. Alogn with the sound of twisting metal as the door to the town opened. Instantly a gust of air blew past him as Jaune despite the situation smiled.
There was a second horde coming, another mass of fur and death heading right for Ruby and Mika. If Jaune pulled them away then the civilians would die. Mac said he thought Jaune would abandon people, Jaune was going to prove him wrong. He was going to blow up the train. Well, part of it. He had Kage rig the back of it with improved charges taken from the down and the train itself. When the Grimm attacked he would pull the pin, blow up half the train and most of the horde in the process!
Then after that, he and Kage would clean up the surviving Grim, go to help Ruby and Mika and the battle would be theirs! Sure they would lose some dust but the civilians would survive and that's what mattered.
"Boss! Grimm!"
"I see them!" Jaune said as the first Grim came into to town a wave of Beowulf and Ursa types surged like a black tsunami a hurricane of fur, claw, and teeth. The monsters surged covering the train as-
"Kage! NOW!"
"As you say." The boy said pushing a button on his scroll and covering his ears. It didn't do much good. There was less of a sound more of a felling in Jaune's bones as the train went off. The explosion so intense and so mindnumbing that it yanked him off his feet.
The night was alight as a second sun bloomed in the middle of the town. As the first two cars went off the fire dust incinerated the Grimm and eradicated the entire town around it.
The horde vanished in one bright brutal cloud of dust, the firestorm breaking past the wave of snow and sleet. Immolating everything around them as-
"FUCK! I use too much charge!" Kage shouted as Jaune felt he blood freeze. The train was split in two. Jaune made Kage split in in half. The one that was going to explode pushed forward the other more vital part kept halfway down the tracks.
Jaune froze, as he saw it. One of the cars blew back, cartwheeling mid-air like a flaming meteor as-
"NO!" Jaune yelled as the cart slammed into the remained part of the train igniting the dust as the entire town went up into bright yellow light as a star was born...
"Jaune... do you know why I allow your team so much... leeway?" The harsh rigid voice of Ludo said, the normally passive man looked ready to rip out Jaune's spine.
"No... sir..." Jaune stammered the four members of team ARKM recalled back to Beacon as even Miss Heil looked terrified of the glacial look on her employers face.
"I allow you such freedom because you are a gift! You are an asset for us here at Bastion."
"Thank you, sir, that means a lot-
"Or that was what I would say. You were an asset to us until you decided to blow up half of our DUST! Now you are a liability." The man yelled slamming his fist on the table as his grey eyes shot open with anger. Looking like raging hurricanes as Jaune gulped.
"Sir! I was trying to save civilians-
"Civilians!? Civilians!? To hell with them! Jaune we needed that dust! We need supplies to save civilians! Now we are at a critical shortage of dust!"
"Sir I'm sorry. I take full responsibility for this action.
"You are damn right you do! You will return every last ounce! Of the dust or else!"
"You will kill me?" Jaune asked gulping loudly as Miss Heil gave him a sad smile as Ludo smirked.
"No Mister Arc, I will not kill you. Your life is in no danger! Your team, however?" Ludo asked taking out a scroll and flipping it open and pressed a button. Instantly a low ding! Filled the air followed by the sounds of rapid beeping as-
"Jaune..." Ruby said her voice low and shaky tinged with fear and panic as Jaune turned around, her, Kage and Mika's collars were all now blinking. A long line of blue lights surrounding them as-
"Jaune. You will return every last ounce of dust that was lost today. You have three days to accomplish this task. Do that or your team dies."
Omake. Hero of Remnant part 14 reboot.
"Jaune Arc! Lie Ren! As a member of his holy inquisition I Pyrrha Nikos award you both with the Imperial Aquilla of valor!"
"Thank you, Inquisitor. It means a lot." Jaune said bowing as Pyrrha put a medal on his neck, the beautiful redhead winking at Jaune as he bowed.
"Mam," Ren said as curtly as ever as the inquisitor honored the two of them.
"It was an honor to serve with you inquisitor."
"And you commissar, I hope you will find me at a more... private time later on." Pyrrha said winking at Jaune who blushed once as he nodded.
"Or you could spend some time working under me." A rich thickly accented feminine voice said as Jaune felt shivers run up his back as pinpricks dotted his back.
Sieena Khan sauntered up to him the faunus rep smirking like a predator her brown eyes glaring into him as Jaune felt Pyrrha's grip tightened.
"Sieena."
"Pyrrha. Jaune for saving faunus live and my own. You have a permanent place in my group. Should you ever fell a need for a more... nontraditional partner just give me a call. You have my scroll number."
Sieena pure rubbing her clawed hand on Jaune arm making him blush as she placed another medal on his neck as Pyrrha looked ready to snap!
"Now! Onto my part!" Jaune said walking away from the dangerous women as he went to his charges.
"Mercury Black! Oscar Pine! Penny Polendina! Arslan! And Sage! You have all performed your duties with valor and distinction! And it is my great privilege to give you all an imperial pardon! Your crimes are cleared and you are now full guardsmen again!"
"Meh, I like it either way."
"Yes! I'm back! You here that Penny! We are guardsmen again!"
"I did hear that friend Oscar! Stupendous!"
"Damn right we are! Quit sulking Black."
"Leave him alone Arslan, let him be him."
"Thank you, Sage. You get me."
"Ahem! And since you all did so well in this last excursion, I will now make a change to the nine hundred and first Atlas regiment! Starting from today I will now with the newly freed members of the former penal legions! I will instate the first ever nine hundred and first ever Command squad!"