Update: Thank you to all the reviewers who pointed out that Fanfic ate my method of denoting the Jaune/Pyrrha 'chat'. In my raw doc, I had greater-than and less-than symbols denoting Pyrrha and Jaune chatting with each other. I have replaced those symbols with ~. Again, thank you to everyone who brought this to my attention.

The cursor remained blinking on 'Yes', but neither of the recently revived martyrs could bear the thought that the game was dangling the opportunity of reunion in front of them like some kind of cruel joke. The possibility of 'Co-op' had never even entered into the partner's minds. Pyrrha had wondered if Jaune was operating under the same settings, she had assumed the game simply put every person on Remnant under Pyrrha's settings. That, however, was a question for another time.

Jaune Arc turned away from the crowd and to rest his head against one of the nearby window frames. He hoped that other passengers would think he was suffering from the air sickness that had been cured by his Piloting skill. The sudden tears would draw too much attention. Jaune couldn't be sure he wouldn't spill everything because his emotions were shot.

"Yes..."

[Waiting for response…]

In her quarters, Pyrrha had no such concerns and was weeping at the message flashing in her vision.

[Jaune Arc wishes to begin Co-op. Waiting for response…]

"Yes...I...Yes..." Pyrrha consented.

[Co-op mode initiated! The tutorial for our exciting Co-op features! Per user requests, we have instituted Friends Lists! In order to play Co-op, please make sure your partner is added to your Friends List. This permits you to create a direct connection to your partner not just in Beacon Academy but in any future releases!]

Simultaneously, a pop-up menu appeared front and center of both Jaune and Pyrrha's perception.

[The Friends List is now visible. The currently selected screen is the "Pending Request" screen. Please select your desired partner for this playthrough.]

Pyrrha and Jaune didn't have to be told twice. Their cursors quickly danced towards the 'Confirm Friend Request' button.

[Now that you have confirmed the Friend Request, we can demonstrate the great features new to Remnant: Academy! First, is a direct, encrypted, and seamless method to communicate with your partner! No need for the world to think your crazy by speaking to your Co-op partner when they aren't around! With Siarad, PNKE Studio's proprietary chat system, instant voice chat is available. Don't worry, as we said, no one will think you are crazy as only directly connected Co-op partners may receive messages. Try it out! Say hello to your partner!]

Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos had, jointly and independently, suddenly found the most interesting bulkhead in the world. They were completely overwhelmed by the unbelievable, even by their currently skewed standards, turn of events.

Finally, a single whisper appeared in the back of Jaune's mind. A whisper that was warm and full of life. There was not a solitary hint of falsehood or illusion in the words.

~Hello again..~

~P-Pyrrha?~

There was the sound of swallowing back tears. ~Is...~

~Where are you? I need to see you. I need to know that this is real,~ Jaune's own thoughts were devastated by the fear that this was all an illusion despite the confidence from earlier.

~T-Third Deck. R-Room 304,~ Pyrrha blurted out desperately.

[Co-op Tutorial: If you are separated from your Partner for whatever reason, you can set up a Ping. The Ping will resonate as you get closer to your Partner. Would you like to set up a Ping?]

The Four Time Champion could not set up the Ping fast enough. Jaune was using the Ping to guide him, but was desperately trying not to put Ruby's Semblance to shame. He had to keep a low profile as the new reality was something that would be near impossible to explain. Hunters were an...odd..bunch, but even they had limits on what they would consider sane. Jaune was pretty sure "Life is actually a video game and you are all NPCs" would cross a line somewhere.

Jaune was power-walking like a man possessed. A few crew and passengers asked if he was alright. The Knight responded with the white lie that he was feeling airsick. Jaune was familiar enough with the effects to fake his 'condition'. He was soon confident that his 'superior' acting would allow him to pick up the pace. So, he started power walking at a pace that would make his grandmother and her walks at the mall jealous.

~Almost there,~ Jaune willed his message to his Partner.

~I...I can't believe this is real,~ Pyrrha breathed. ~Hurry, Jaune.~

As the message was transmitted, Pyrrha began pacing around her private cabin. The celebrity she had no interest in exploiting, or possessing, was currently paying dividends. A private cabin would allow them to reunite, vigorously reunite if all went as Pyrrha wished, and then discuss the odd reality in which they now inhabited while enjoying the afterglow. The HUD was also proving to be delightfully useful. Her compass had spawned a tiny tick mark pointed towards Jaune and placed a distance counter as well. Pyrrha felt her heart rate run out of control as the counter quickly approached zero. The speed at which the counter evaporated filled Pyrrha with joy and recently uncorked lust.

Jaune was hurrying.

To her.

~I'm going to knock that one song Ruby and Yang sang at karaoke,~ Jaune announced.

Pyrrha laughed at the memory and made sure to transmit the laugh to Jaune. ~The one that had Weiss burying her head in her hands and Nora playing air guitar?~

~You know it.~

A familiar tune echoed through the door. Pyrrha was trembling with anticipation. This was happening. She dashed to the door and flung it open with abandon. The excitement was quickly swept away in a tide of relieved tears. Pyrrha and Jaune barely managed to choke out each others names before nearly tackling each other in a hug. Pyrrha pounced first, but Jaune managed to time his desperate embrace more successfully. It also helped Jaune that Pyrrha was in heels. Jaune's forward momentum carried them back into the cabin. Pyrrha was miraculously cognizant of her surroundings long enough to close the door with her Semblance.

The world quickly faded away for Jaune and Pyrrha. In its place, there was only the warmth and texture of the embrace. Pyrrha buried her face in the crook of Jaune's next. His shoulder was soaked, but Jaune did not care.

Pyrrha was here. Pyrrha remembered.

"You know," Jaune said as he breathed in the scent of Pyrrha's hair. "When you mentioned immortality in the Emerald Forest, I'm pretty sure you didn't mean this kind of immortality..."

"No, but I will take it. I will treasure it. We have a chance..." Pyrrha sniffled. She was still crying, but was no longer bawling. "J-Jaune...what happened after..."

"Beacon fell. Ruby...Ruby saw your last moment," Jaune barely managed to articulate the last painful point. "She unlocked the power of her Silver Eyes. The Dragon was turned to stone and Cinder...well...Cinder was messed up, but damn it! She survived. That bitch who worked for Cinder managed to get to her before we could."

Pyrrha nodded. She clung tightly to Jaune and willed him to continue with a, ~What happened then...How did you… 'restart'?~

"After recovering, Ren, Nora, and I joined Ruby on a mission to Haven…," Jaune began. He told the entire story up until the encounter with the Geist.

Jaune blinked as his mind was having trouble processing the look Pyrrha was giving him. It was a glare, an angry glare. "What were you thinking? How could you go into battle against such an infamous incarnation of Grimm without Crocea Mors?"

"What was I...I thinking?" Jaune asked heatedly. "In the back of my head, it was 'Why Pyrrha?' That's what I was thinking."

"D-Did you go out there to die?" Pyrrha whispered as the hug broke.

"I guess I did," Jaune groaned. "Was that why you shoved me in that fucking locker? Did you want to die that night?"

Pyrrha gasped as the questions, "Was that why you shoved me in that damn locker? Did you want to die that night?" echoed over and over in her head.

"I had to atone...Penny's death...Cinder getting, usurping the Fall Maiden's power was my fault! I had to try no matter the cost!"

"Bullshit Pyrrha!" Jaune thundered began to pace. "How was it your fault?"

"I..."

"If anyone fucked up the transfer it was me. Penny? The same thing that happened to Yang, happened to you."

"But it happened!" Pyrrha countered. "It happened because I was too afraid to accept my responsibilities. I put my wants before the needs of the world. If I had agreed the day Ozpin, General Ironwood, Ruby's Uncle, and Professor Goodwitch came to me then Cinder would be dead! Ruby's friend would be alive! We would still be in our first 'game', together!"

Jaune opened his mouth to counter.

"Besides, if I couldn't do that on my own, what good was I?"

The second the words left her mouth, Pyrrha broke down in tears and collapsed. Jaune had been on the verge of leaving, but he couldn't move. He had wanted to see Pyrrha, to hold her like he had been.

But the pain of that night had come roaring forth. Jaune had been cut deep by Pyrrha's last words, and was continued to be torn into by her whimpered "I'm sorry..." mantra.

Eventually, he sat down opposite from Pyrrha on the floor. He leaned back against the bulkhead. Pyrrha had never looked so small as 'The Invincible Girl' hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

"We're really fucked up aren't we?" Jaune eventually said. Pyrrha looked up eventually. Red polluted her green eyes, now robbed of their usual vibrant light. Her make-up was smeared and running. If only the world could see just how wrong Pyrrha's least favorite 'title' truly was at this moment.

"Yes..." Pyrrha choked out. "Messed up...falls a bit short...don't you think?"

"We need to talk about what happened, but once we get used to coming back," Jaune said in an authoritative tone. "Right now, our emotions are just too raw."

"I...I agree, Jaune," Pyrrha whispered. The tears and pain were still etched into her voice.

The Knight opened his mouth, but a tone cut off his words. "Passengers, this is the captain. We have come across an unusually strong storm. We are setting down at the Tartan Airfield. Standard Storm procedures are in effect. All passengers, please return to your designated decks. We request you shelter in place."

"Well, ain't that convenient." Jaune threw up his hands. "Are you familiar with games at all, Pyrrha?"

"No," the redhead answered quickly. "The only time I ever played a 'real' video game was the time I did a press event at MGDC."

"You...could get passes to the Mistral Game Development Congress...and you didn't tell me," Jaune overacted an attempt at placating and appeasing Pyrrha. He threw his hand over his heart for good measure. The humor was forced, but it was a touching olive branch.

"We have been given a second chance," Pyrrha spoke hopefully. "When…the Vytal Tournament is finished, perhaps we could go...together."

"Everything together," Jaune agreed. "That reminds me...how are we doing this together? Not that I mind!"

Pyrrha nodded and could tell Jaune was simply curious. She cleared her throat. "I am not sure, Jaune."

Jaune was lost in thought as he considered all the information he had in his possession. "Pyrrha...how long were you on the title menu?"

The Mistrali beauty gulped and hugged her knees tighter. How could she explain that she had spent what felt like years mourning the loss of her beloved Jaune, her friends, failing the world? What words could capture her utter despair as she wondered if her entire existence was a complete lie? She gaped liked a landed fish for several moments, before Jaune stumbled across the floor and flopped next to Pyrrha.

"Remember that video?"

"The one where I told you not to slack off?" Pyrrha asked, the faintest of smiles emerging on her features.

"Three times a night, every night after Beacon fell," Jaune confessed. "I had that lesson down, but I played it just to hear your voice."

"I won't need to make the video this time," Pyrrha decided. "This is our second chance…"

Jaune chuckled. "Maybe I'll be properly spec-ed this time."

"Spec-ed?" Pyrrha asked.

A thoughtful hum escaped Jaune's throat. "Were your settings on Ironman with almost no experience growth, no auto-saves, et cetra?"

"My settings were...unusual. Did the game have you at 150% Opponent Combat Speed?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yup." Jaune turned to Pyrrha. "How about you?"

"Yes." Pyrrha seemed to have achieved some measure of emotional equilibrium. "I...kept it."

Jaune snorted. "I'm not surprised. You're incredible. It would be hilarious to see how OP you'd be with minimum opponent speed."

"OP?" Pyrrha questioned. "I'm sorry. I am...rather unfamiliar with video game jargon."

"Overpowered. Basically, you'd be a god on that setting. I'd probably have to start a cult."

Jaune's pronouncement caused a legitimate snort of laughter to escape Pyrrha's lips. "I...considered it, but combat was never my issue...outside of..."

The words trailed off. Jaune sighed and continued to push away that dark conversation piece. "Ironman?"

"Ironman," Pyrrha revealed. "Was your immersion set to 'Full'?"

"With the game starting at Conception and without the handy HUD?" Jaune asked and received a nod in reply. "You know it."

Pyrrha hummed for a moment. "I never expected the HUD to be so useful."

"It did help me find you faster," Jaune pointed out. ~It also gave us tips on how to do this.~

~True, this will be helpful,"~ Pyrrha responded through the 'voice chat' feature. "We also don't have to rely on our scrolls to see the status of our team, if I have guessed correctly about a HUD."

The video game veteran nodded. "You got it. The HUD will show our 'party'. We'll know everyone's status."

Pyrrha nodded, but decided to focus on her HUD for a moment. "I see my journal icon, my compass, and my own status. I don't see your information..."

"Probably because we aren't in a mission. This isn't the tutorial levels, but I'd wager we're still in the Prologue."

"This is very complex..." Pyrrha sighed. "Other than a few puzzle games that came pre-loaded onto the Scroll at Beacon, I've never played any games 'for real'."

"Obviously, not all video games are as complex as the one we seem to be living, but there are some sprawling epics. Never played it but supposedly it takes over three hundred and nine hours to get 100% completion on Lasta Epopeo Tridek."

"That seems a bit excessive," Pyrrha laughed.

"It is," Jaune agreed.

Pyrrha appeared to be struggling with something. Jaune found a bit of worry forming in his gut. Part of the reunion conversation had become heated and painful. His worries faded when Pyrrha finally let go of her knees and began to sit in a position that was wasn't basically misery in posture form. Her now free right arm slid around Jaune's waist and Pyrrha decided his shoulder was now a pillow.

"I turned that setting to active..." Pyrrha's voice was hopefully and scouting for a reaction.

"S-Same," Jaune stammered out. If that wasn't a surprisingly subtle, yet incredibly obvious hint that Pyrrha well and truly wanted Jaune, then he was a Boarbatusk.

The redhead slipped, awkwardly, around Jaune. She had been going for sexy and seductive, but had three factors working against her attempts. First, she was attempting to recover from being, and remaining, a total emotional wreck. Second, her position next to Jaune was physically awkward. Finally, and most importantly, Pyrrha Nikos was a socially awkward young woman who didn't want her fame and honestly wanted to be what most would consider 'a total dork'.

Still, Jaune didn't register the awkwardness. He, too, was totally a socially awkward dork of the highest degree who's 'primary' mind was having trouble registering (again) that a woman who's beauty was already damn near legendary wanted him. His 'secondary' mind was forcefully punting the previous angst, confusion, and heartache into a corner while demanding that Jaune 'Damn the Torpedoes!'.

After all, Jaune and Pyrrha had been denied this physical comfort in their past life. Why shouldn't they take this opportunity?

'Because we're in a fucked up mental place right now,' Jaune's rationality hissed at his lust. He was very determined to avoid transmitting these thoughts to Pyrrha. There was no way Jaune wanted to even hint that he was rejecting her. Jaune had died for her. Jaune had restarted his existence for her. Jaune wanted to live for Pyrrha. His rationality was making strong cases for why this encounter at this moment was in no way healthy. Rationality was losing the battle to want and lust. Jaune wanted what was about to happen. His hormones were stoking the fires of his lust. There was no denying the numerous dreams that had haunted Jaune involving something akin to this very situation.

There had been twenty-three of those dreams.

Yes, Jaune had kept count.

'Maybe...maybe this won't be so bad? It's not like sex is all we have.'

As Jaune wrestled with his quandary, Pyrrha was trying to convince herself that she was making the right decision in the right moment. She loved Jaune, completely, totally, and despite of both their myriad issues. Wasn't this the moment Pyrrha had longed for in her previous play through? This wouldn't just be sex. Pyrrha and Jaune shared a powerful connection. She had unlocked his very soul in the past! As she ground her hips against Jaune's she could feel just how eager Jaune was for this encounter.

If this didn't show Jaune the depths of her repentance and desires, nothing would!

'But...would this moment only be an apology? I don't think he would, but would Jaune expect sex as the standard apology? Would making love lose all meaning that way?'

Pyrrha's lust and desire to show contrition for her earlier faux pas overrode her concerns.

Rational concerns buried beneath their loneliness and lust, Pyrrha and Jaune started to explore their partners in earnest. There would be no Rocket Locker, no usurper of the Fall Maiden's power, no Grimm in this moment. All that existed was Jaune, Pyrrha, and their pent up desires, desperation for what they had been denied in their previous life, and the simple desperate need to know that this was all real.

Jaune broke the kiss, but quickly renewed his passionate devotion to Pyrrha as his lips found a new target slightly above Pyrrha's collar bone. His decision was met by a gasp and sensual moan of approval. The Invincible Girl greedily worked one of her hands underneath Jaune's shirt. The other found its way to the back of Jaune's hair.

"Jaune..." Pyrrha whispered happily. Her eyes went wide as the door opened. "Jaune!"

The startled, and definitely not sexually pleased yelp, drew Jaune's attention away from his Partner. "W-What the hell?" Jaune stammered. He almost added, "Damn it, Yang!".

However, he was stopped by a message from Pyrrha that stated, ~We haven't 'met' her yet! Don't use her name!~

"So, Beacon is going to be this kind of school! I think I can dig it." Yang beamed at the couple. The two remembered their friend-but-not-yet was a world class teasing-big-sister and she had adopted everyone in RWBY and JNPR as her her younger sibling last time.

"Uh, miss..." Jaune acted the mortified stranger perfectly. It was acting, because while he was mortified there was no way Jaune could count Yang as a stranger.

"Yang Xiao-long!" Yang announced and rested her balled fists on her hips.

"Jaune Arc," Jaune re-introduced himself.

"Good afternoon, I am Pyrrha Nikos," Pyrrha greeted politely.

Yang whistled. "Wow, a celebrity."

Flashing a cheeky look to Pyrrha, Jaune sent ~Watch this,~ as a message. "Yeah, I'm a pretty big deal."

Pyrrha punched Jaune in the shoulder. "Jaune!"

"Ow, you're only supposed to use your super strength for Good, remember?" Jaune rubbed at a non-existent bruise, falling easily back into their casual banter from the previous life.

Yang snorted. "I, uh, was actually looking for the bathroom..."

"Turn left out of the door and it is the second door on your right," Pyrrha explained.

"Thanks. Carry on lovebirds and don't worry! Your secrets are safe with me! I promise not to kiss and tell!" Yang exclaimed as she exited the room with a jaunty wave.

"Is this going to really be a thing?" Jaune called after her.

"Don't you know it, Big Deal!"

The second the clang of the door shutting died away, Pyrrha buried her face in the crook of Jaune's neck. "I can't believe that happened!"

"I can," Jaune said, desperately trying to contain laughter. "Our lives are some kind of video game and we are friends with the Yang Xiao Long. Would you expect 'normal' out of our circle of friends?"

"No," the Mistrali woman admitted quietly. "I just wish she had stumbled in before we, well, you know..."

"I know," Jaune tried to soothe Pyrrha's frazzled nerves. She had held up well, treating the encounter as if she was giving a press conference. Jaune knew his partner well enough that Pyrrha craved privacy. The moment that was interrupted was extremely mortifying.

"Jaune...I know this is a 'video game' and we have to select our dialog, but..." Pyrrha whispered.

The Knight grinned and rubbed Pyrrha's back. "You've gotten to the point where you can pick a choice almost without reading?"

"Yes. Is that supposed to happen?" Pyrrha asked. "I thought it was best to weigh my options carefully and..."

"Casual situations like that let you be a bit more...cavalier with your answers," Jaune pointed out with his shrug evident in his tone.

Pyrrha frowned. "I suppose..."

"Think of it this way. All of the choices are your thoughts. It's just a way to see them before you say anything. The game also gives you that nifty slow-down-time edge as well," the young man explained to his best friend and almost-but-soon-lover.

"Jaune, thank you. That puts my mind at ease somewhat. I still have a great deal of trouble wrapping my head around the fact that our lives are a 'video game' or some kind of computer simulation," Pyrrha responded.

"Hey, at least that gives us some advantages! We can communicate secretly, pause the world to work out strategies, and catch our breath if things go south for any reason," Jaune listed some positives to help ease his partner along. He wouldn't deny that there were a lot of unsettling questions about this whole situation, but right now he only cared about keeping the band-aid over the issues beneath the surface between Pyrrha and himself.

She was too important to him. He didn't want to risk it. If he couldn't move forward with Pyrrha, then what was the point?

Pyrrha slid off his lap and was at his side again. Her head rested gently on his shoulder. "This is just all so much..."

"Hey, we're in this together."

Once again, the Game had an odd sense of timing. The captain's voice boomed through the intercom system, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we believe the storm to be clearing. We will be able to resume out trip to Beacon within the next thirty minutes."

"It is always something, isn't it?" Jaune asked with a smile.

"Always," Pyrrha agreed. A delicate chuckle escaped her lips. "Do you think they'll try to force meatloaf on us for lunch tomorrow?"

"Miss Nikos. I have had meatloaf. I can assure you, in fact I'll go so far as to swear on that dress I wore last time, that whatever was served was in no way meatloaf."

Pyrrha laughed heartily. She was glad that Jaune was agreeing to put off the troubling conversation for a later time. Pyrrha was perfectly fine with living in this illusion of perfection for as long as possible.

She was being selfish.

She didn't particularly care as long as Jaune was as eager to be selfish alongside her. The fact that he was holding her just a little tighter was all the proof she needed.

The rest of the trip wasn't eventful. Jaune and Pyrrha simply basked in the fact that their reunion had happened. Soon, they would be back with Ren, Nora, Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Weiss.

As they maneuvered through the crowds, Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh at Jaune. "They are all staring at you, Mr. Big Deal."

"You are never going to let me live that down, are you?" Jaune asked.

"Of course not. It will be grand to have a new way to bond with Yang. I already have one friend I can sass people with in Blake. I believe a second friend for such purposes would be wonderful," Pyrrha teased mercilessly.

~I think you showed CRDL more mercy in our last...game...~ The Knight countered with careful humor.

~I must confess it is fun. I still may break his legs if he acts so horrendously to Velvet,~ Pyrrha caught the message in Jaune's use of the 'voice' chat. They were slipping into casual discussion of their previous life out in the open.

Jaune chuckled. He wasn't sure if they were handling their trauma better, or just becoming more adept at burying it deeply out of sight. Either way, Jaune was happy they were communicating at least.

'How many shitstorms could we have avoided if Pyrrha and I had just talked?'Jaune wondered.

~Don't be alarmed, but Ruby's about to explode.~

Pyrrha turned her head to Jaune and stared at him slack-jawed and wide-eyed. ~What do you mean explode? I thought she was joking about that!~

A short distance away, there was a fairly obvious thud that heralded a minor dust explosion. Pyrrha gasped in shock. "You weren't kidding!"

"She's going to be down," Jaune said without realizing he was using his voice and not voice chat. "Blake is still...distant. Weiss is annoyed."

"Oh," Pyrrha articulated.

The pair quickly came across Ruby, who was laying on her back staring dejectedly at the sky, and were overcome with the urge to hug their friend-but-not-yet. "Welcome to Beacon," Ruby lamented quietly.

"Hi," Jaune said extending his hand. "I'm Jaune."

"Ruby," Ruby returned the greeting.

"My name is Pyrrha Nikos. It is a pleasure to meet you," the redhead introduced herself.

"Oh wow! I can't believe I'm meeting someone this big of a deal!" Ruby exclaimed as Jaune helped her to her feet.

"Jaune is kind of a big deal..." Pyrrha reused the joke.

"And it's back!" Jaune threw up his arms in mock exasperation. Ruby laughed. "So...anyone know where we are going?"

"Uh," Ruby scuffed her feet, avoiding eye contact with her new friends. "I have no idea."

"I believe I know where Orientation is," Pyrrha offered. "Would you like to walk with us?"

Ruby beamed. Her enthusiasm and zest for...just about everything positive in the world...was one of the reasons Pyrrha and Jaune had grown so close to her in the first place.

"That'd be great!" Ruby chirped. The trio started following Pyrrha, as she actually remembered, towards the Orientation. There was companionable silence, but Ruby's mind moved as quickly as her Semblance. "So...I've got this."

It could never be said that Ruby Rose did anything half-way. Crescent Rose, the petite teen's enormous and beloved scythe, extended to its full intimidating size. The weapon was as perfectly maintained as The Knight and the Hoplite remembered from their previous playthrough.

Jaune and Pyrrha weighed their conversation options carefully. Ruby was one of their closest friends and they wanted to ensure that they accelerated that friendship. The Reaper was one of the strongest and most courageous fighters they had ever met. It was imperative…

~Jaune...why is the Flirt choice green?~ Pyrrha asked.

~I was wondering the same thing myself. I think because...it would be very effective?~ Jaune answered the question with another question. ~We'll look up details later. I'm sure there is a help menu.~

Jaune selected a friendly option that went with, "Is that a scythe...that is also a gun?"

"Yup!" Ruby responded with her family's trademark 'popped p'.

"That is quite impressive," Pyrrha selected the compliment option and followed it up with Inquiry: "Did you design that at Patch? Who taught you about such an impressive weapon?"

[Inquiry Success! XP rewarded!]

Pyrrha smiled at both the Game's pop-up and Ruby's excited intake of breath. "Y-You both want to know about my Crescent Rose? You wouldn't mind me getting all technical?"

Jaune noticed that one of his basic question option was polite, but asked for 'noob friendly terms'. He went with that. Pyrrha quickly echoed the sentiment. Ruby, immensely cheered by the sudden good fortune, began talking about her High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe. The Reaper mentioned her Uncle Qrow and how he had been a teacher at Patch and inspired her to take up the Scythe.

~I do wonder about his effectiveness as a teacher at Patch. Qrow was one of Ozpin's inner circle's most active field agents,~ Pyrrha reached out to Jaune.

~Maybe this info could give us a leg up when the whole Maiden situation rears its head later,~ Jaune pointed out. He wasn't sure if the 'Voice/Mental Chat' could transmit emotions, but he desperately sent supportive thoughts along with his point.

"So, that's my baby. What do you two carry?"

"Ladies first," Jaune requested with a mix of genuine affection and cheekiness.

"My Milo is a multi-form mechashift weapon with a Rifle form, a Javelin form, and a Xiphos form. Akoúo̱ is my hoplon shield," Pyrrha introduced her weapons with a flourish mastered from her arena days.

Ruby let an appreciative noise escape her throat. "Is it true you had custom rifling placed in the barrel? I remember reading an interview with Tiller Rye the Weapon's Guy that he did some work for you a couple of months back..."

~This is new,~ Pyrrha transmitted humorously. ~I've never had anyone fangirl over Milo's rifling before.~

Jaune shook his head. ~Did you really expect anything else from Ruby?~

Pyrrha beamed. She didn't need to send or say anything else.

The excitable and prodigious Weaponsmith was now firmly in her comfort zone. "How about you, Jaune?"

"I've got Crocea Mors. It's your typical Sword and Board, but the shield can contract into a scabbard to help with mobility when out in the world," Jaune explained and was infinitely grateful he didn't fumble the priceless family heirloom like last time. "Talked to my dad about the morning before I left for Beacon and found out a secondary function!"

"Two questions!" Ruby jumped in. Pyrrha was giving Jaune an expectant, yet flat look. "First, doesn't the scabbard/shield weigh the same? Second, is it also a gun?"

"First, yes. It weighs the same, but is easier to carry on a belt. Second, I'm afraid it is not also a gun," Jaune answered. As he followed the instructions his father had mentioned, he connected to Pyrrha. ~I legitimately didn't know about this function. A Blacksmith in Mistral found out Crocea Mors had been damaged. He explained it to me before...my game over. I swear.~

~I believe you,~ Pyrrha assured her partner. They were going to improve their communication and this was a valuable first step. The Four-time Mistral Regional Champion had to trust Jaune and she was confident they would communicate in private later.

Jaune listened to the whirring stop in his scabbard and produced the Greatsword version of Crocea Mors.

[You have activated the Secondary Mode of Crocea Mors for the first time! Greatsword form is covered by Longsword Mastery feats. You may switch forms at any time. Note: there is no Cool Down for the Great Sword to standard Crocea Mors transition, but you are unable to use any Shield Mastery Feats. XP gained]

Ruby actually 'squeed' and Pyrrha was impressed. Jaune grinned at the two lovely ladies and returned Crocea Mors to its standard form.

"That. Is. Awesome!" Ruby complimented both 'players' as they finally reached the Beacon Ballroom/Auditorium.

"We have arrived," Pyrrha announced.

~Hey! Ruby and I aren't late this time! Shame we weren't playing Co-op last time,~ Jaune reached out.

~W-What if we were?~ Pyrrha asked. ~The Game could have given us the option, all of us the option, and...~

~Mother-fucker. You're right! Without the HUD and Tutorial, there would have been no way to know! Think about how easily we could have handled everything if JNPR and RWBY were able to coordinate like we are now and be properly leveled and spec-ed!~

~That is definitely a concern. We should talk about this later. If this gets too distressing, we will not be able to hide our emotions,~ Pyrrha cautioned.

~When you're right, you're right,~ Jaune agreed.

Pyrrha, Jaune, and Ruby all entered the auditorium eagerly. Ruby was eager to begin her Huntress career. Jaune and Pyrrha were both eager to avenge the evils committed against their friends, and each other, by malevolent forces. There was also a great wave of nostalgia that washed over them.

~I'm glad I'm not missing the nice, quirky girl this time,~ Jaune transmitted. Pyrrha smiled and bumped her side against Jaune's.

"Ruby! Over here!" Yang called out.

"It's my sister! Come on, I'm sure you'll get along great with Yang!" Ruby was practically bouncing as she grabbed both Jaune and Pyrrha's hands and dragged them over to Yang. The petite Reaper hadn't been using her Semblance, but she was coming close to matching her trademark speed.

"You made...friends," Yang waffled between genuine happiness and elder-sibling concern.

"The let me talk about Crescent Rose!" Ruby exclaimed giddily.

Yang looked at Pyrrha and Jaune. "Only weapons?"

"Only weapons," Pyrrha confirmed. ~Huh, that flirt option wasn't as brazen as I've come to expect and fear. Asking to see Yang's weapon wouldn't have been too awful.~

~Yeah, it wasn't too bad,~ Jaune agreed. ~The game would have used a really… 'direct' tone though.~

"Whatcha talking about Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing," Yang said firmly. "Nothing at all."

Jaune, who was fluent in protective older sibling, recognized the message Yang was getting at and nodded. Pyrrha, who was an only child and unfamiliar with the secret language of the protective older sibling, decided it was best to simply smile politely.

Ozpin's arrival rescued Jaune and Pyrrha from interrogation from the daughters of Taiyang Xiao Long. Jaune and Pyrrha took the opportunity, as they had already heard the speech before, to look for their other friends-but-not-yet.

Ren and Nora were, as expected, together about nine meters away. Nora's overwhelming energy had given Ren and Nora a bit of space. Blake was very sneaky and no doubt trying to be somewhat on her own. Pyrrha spotted her for a brief moment in the crowd. The two girls held eye-contact for several seconds. Pyrrha smiled warmly at the other woman. Blake's eyes went wide for a second and she looked away with a small grin on her lips.

~I found Blake,~ Pyrrha filled Jaune in.

~Surprised Weiss didn't show up like last time,~ Jaune pointed out. ~Things are a bit different already.~

Pyrrha nodded as Professor Ozpin finished his speech. Professor Goodwitch revealed the 'sleep over setup' as Yang called it last time and…

"So, basically, our Professor just explained the sleep over setup?" Yang asked.

"Basically," Jaune confirmed.

Yang laughed. "I wonder if I'll follow in your footsteps?"

"Uh, Yang, what are you talking about? Did they bust up a club too?" Ruby asked with curiosity giving her silver eyes a brilliant sheen.

~How's Yang going to get out of this one?~ Jaune asked with a transmitted laugh.

Pyrrha grinned. ~She's the master of puns. I'm sure she can concoct an explanation using mental gymnastics.~

"Well, Ruby...I'm just impressed by their ability to make friends! They seem like great and, uh, affectionate people!" Yang hastily explained.

The look Ruby gave her sister clearly gave lie to the idea that Yang had convinced the Reaper by any level of mental gymnastics Yang had just engaged in. Defeated, Yang turned to talk to some of her friends from Signal. Ruby had been holding in a laugh the entire time. It was a valiant attempt, but Ruby gave in and laughed.

"That's my sister," Ruby announced. "She's always trying to pretend I'm still the five year old she would pull around in our wagon."

"Miss Rose, I would have never taken you for a prankster," Jaune teased.

Pyrrha shook her head at the antics. She couldn't miss the sheer joy Ruby was experiencing in meeting friends who weren't super-awkward and looking down at her...figuratively. Pyrrha would readily admit her dear friend was quite short, but that only made Ruby's puppy-like adorableness more pronounced.

"If you've met the rest of my family, besides Yang, you'd understand..."

The two 'Gamers' exchanged a look. They hadn't met any of Ruby's family outside of Yang. Jaune and Pyrrha had heard how Ruby's dad had mailed Zwei, Ruby's Corgi, to Beacon. That limited information made them wonder if the hyperactive, and slightly eccentric, Reaper was the closest thing to normal in the Xiao Long Clan.

"I'll be right back," Jaune announced. The two girls nodded and Jaune headed off to the restrooms.

[There are times when by choice, quest requirements, or other circumstances where you are separated from your partner. Siarad does not have a range limit. However, certain quests may have temporary interference with Siarad reception. We will also include a handy addition on your HUD's compass. Your Co-op Partner's Icon will appear in their general direction. If your partner is in extreme danger, the Icon will replace the standard colors with solid red and flash repeatedly. The greater the danger, the faster the Icon will flash.]

~That's good to know,~ Jaune tested the connection.

~Very,~ Pyrrha agreed. ~If you run into an Ursa in the bathroom, this will let us know...~

~Random, but I have an idea for a prank now...~

Pyrrha giggled, both at Jaune's last statement and Ruby's retelling of some of the misadventures her family had been involved with.

As Jaune attended to his business, Ruby was continuing to chat with Pyrrha. "Can I say how awesome you and Jaune are? I really needed to meet people like you. The first person I met caused an explosion and she yelled...and I was really, really sorry, but she just kept yelling...and she's behind me isn't she?"

"Good afternoon, Miss Nikos," Weiss greeted while pointedly ignoring Ruby for a moment. She turned to Ruby. "There would have been no risk of an explosion had you exercising the least bit of caution and care!"

"But..."

"Tut!" Weiss interrupted. "Dust is a volatile material. You must be careful at all times!"

Pyrrha frowned. Weiss and Ruby had joked about this meeting later, but Pyrrha was disappointed in Weiss. 'I can't think like that. Weiss has been molded, against her will, by the pressures of her fame as much as I have. Until she met the rest of RWBY, Weiss had no real connections with others. I can't hold anything against her as our situations are so similar.'

Still, Pyrrha knew her opinion and fame held great sway with Weiss. The 'Invincible Girl' decided to exploit her fame for a brief moment. Pyrrha selected the dialog option offered by her 'Creativity/Performance' perk, "Ruby, I am sure, is quite capable and merely had an unfortunate moment. Professor Ozpin no doubt recognized her exceptional talent if he allowed her early enrollment."

[Success! XP Earned!]

The words cut off Weiss's budding spiel. "Yes, thank you Pyrrha. I should have more faith in Headmaster Ozpin's judgment. Apologies."

Weiss gave a half-curtsy and departed. Ruby turned to Pyrrha with stars in her eyes. "That was so cool..."

Pyrrha smiled. "It is quite alright, Ruby."

Across the ballroom, Jaune was hemmed in by a crowd while attempting to make his way back to Pyrrha. There was some kind of dick measuring contest as two sports jocks from Sanctum and Umbra Academies.

~I'm delayed. Sorry, Pyrrha,~ Jaune reached out across their link.

~It is alright Jaune,~ Pyrrha assured her partner.

Jaune sent a quick emotional reply through the link, basically the semi-psychic equivalent of sending an emoticon as a message, and tried to get back to Pyrrha and Ruby. Jaune rolled his eyes as a juvenile insult was tossed around. One of the jocks didn't like that and gave him a glare.

"Don't look at me. I have no Creep in this brawl," Jaune muttered. 'Had this been going on last time?'

A very enthusiastic Mistrali-born student bumped Jaune into someone. The game no doubt was aiming for a comedic moment and against all odds, Jaune's feet got tangled with the other person. Whoever Jaune had bumped into had cat-like agility and twisted perfectly to land on top of Jaune.

And Jaune basically cursed himself for mentioning cat-like agility as he stared into the amber-colored eyes of one Blake Belladonna.

'Damn it, PNKE...'

"Sorry," Jaune quickly selected the safe, neutral option. He was intrigued by a follow-up dialogue option made available by his Command traits. Taking a risk, Jaune chose the option. "Looks like school is going to be as much of a battlefield as everywhere else."

[Success! XP Earned]

Blake smirked. "It does seem that way." She helped Jaune to her feet. "It seems you aren't one of the 'Rah! Sports!' types."

Recalling details from his last playthrough, Jaune selected the choice that lead to "Nope. I was always more of a graphic novel kind of guy."

"I'm not sure that just because they are long, those comics count as novels," Blake teased.

Jaune snorted. "Have you read Talaria?" Blake shook her head. "I'll have to let you borrow my copy. If you can read that and say it is 'just a comic book', I'll wear a dress."

'Freaking really PNKE?!' Jaune raged.

"I may have to take you up on that offer," Blake accepted the bet.

The crowd parted and Jaune smiled at Blake. "Nice meeting you." 'I am so glad I managed to keep the air quotes out of that statement!'

~On my way back, I think the delay was an event. Just met Blake,~ Jaune reported.

~Lovely,~ Pyrrha added. ~I hope we can help provide a support so she can be more open about her Faunus heritage here at Beacon.~

~Hopefully,~ Jaune agreed as he rejoined Pyrrha and Ruby. "Sorry for the delay. A group of students thinks that "Rar! Sports!" is a battle-cry and a MMA match is needed."

"Ugh. Sports." Ruby threw up her arms. "I don't get it."

"I can understand it a bit," Pyrrha confessed. "There is a definite rush when you are competing at a high level."

"What about the people who don't compete but just take it way too seriously?" Ruby countered.

Pyrrha leaned her head to the side. "That...that I did not understand."

"Have I mentioned that I'm glad to be around sane people?" Jaune piped in with the humorous agreement option. Pyrrha and Ruby laughed, which was a small victory if Jaune was allowed to claim it as such.

Professor Goodwitch's voice came across the intercom. "Students, lunch is being served in the cafeteria. Please head that way now."

"Oh boy! I hope there is meatloaf!" Ruby squealed excitedly.

~Should we?~ Pyrrha asked.

~I can't end such happiness...~ Jaune broke down.

[Now Loading…]

The Game may have skipped the lunch, but Jaune and Pyrrha were both left with the memories of substandard meatloaf. What they had not expected to be left with was Ruby absolutely loving the strange food-shaped monstrosity.

"That was so good!" Ruby sighed happily.

"I...I'm glad you enjoyed it," Pyrrha added politely. Jaune was quite impressed she managed to keep a straight face.

"Ruby, you seemed to enjoy it more than anyone," Jaune selected a neutral option.

The Reaper hugged her beloved weapon tightly. "My dad makes meatloaf like that. It helped a bit with the homesickness."

~That...certainly explains a lot,~ Jaune transmitted.

Pyrrha frowned. "In a way, homesickness is a good thing."

Jaune and Ruby both looked at Pyrrha, concern and curiosity present in equal measure in their eyes.

Buoyed by the support, Pyrrha continued. "That means you have wonderful memories of home...and…"

~I'm here, Pyrrha,~ Jaune reached out.

"Was...everything alright at home?" Ruby asked the older girl cautiously.

"Yes," Pyrrha responded without hesitation or doubt. She could feel the relief rolling off Ruby and Jaune, especially, at her answer. "I have fond memories of my parents and love them dearly. It is just...we never had somewhere that was home. Most of our happiest memories are everywhere but our house."

"Oh," Ruby whispered as she looked at the floor.

"We'll just have to make Beacon home, then," Jaune stepped in decisively. "I, for one, am going to make sure you have every reason to think of this as home."

Pyrrha melted and the budding inner romantic of one Ruby Rose was close behind.

~Jaune...I don't want to be interrupted this time.~

Jaune Arc's brain functions came to a screeching halt. The game had made him a pretty oblivious idiot last time, but now...he knew exactly what Pyrrha wanted.

And he wanted it too.

~How are we going to sneak off?~ Jaune asked.

The Game provides. In a moment of glorious timing, Yang Xiao Long came over, wearing her pajamas already, and threw her arm around Ruby. "Any corruption going on here?"

"Nope, we are all incredibly boring," Jaune chose a teasing answer.

Yang rolled her eyes. "I'm rescuing my sister from boredom."

"I don't need to be rescued!" Ruby wailed. "Save me Jaune and Pyrrha! Rescue me from being rescued! NOOOOOOO"

"We will never forget you, Ruby!" Jaune called out.

Pyrrha shook her head. As Ruby tried, but failed, to escape her sister, Pyrrha and Jaune began the process of slipping out of the ballroom. Pyrrha struggled a bit as fans called out to their 'hero' for acknowledgment or some of the bolder students made passes or cat-calls. Jaune heard a pair of the cat-calls and felt his blood boil.

~You have nothing to fear tonight, Jaune,~ Pyrrha promised.

~Other than my heart fucking exploding out of my chest since it's beating at a hundred miles per hour,~ The Knight confessed to his beloved Hoplite.

~If it helps, mine is too. I've wanted, no...needed, you like this for so long,~ Pyrrha communicated huskily.

~Our old dorm?~ Jaune asked in a throaty tone.

Pyrrha had finally caught up with Jaune and wrapped her arm around his waste. "Absolutely."

Jaune spun halfway and kissed Pyrrha with all the fire, need, and desire to put the earlier conflict behind him that he could muster. He put his hands on both sides of his soon-to-be-lover's head, reveling in the sensation of her silky hair spilling over his fingers. Pyrrha hugged Jaune's waist tightly. The risk of discovery in the hallway was great, but the simple fact was that neither one of them cared.

For them, the world did not exist beyond their embrace. Their passion, love, and lust filled the role of the sun and their bodies was the very soil of Remnant.

A moment and an eternity later, the kiss ended. Three words, spoken in a voice rattled with tears, broke the silence. "I love you."

"I came back for you," Pyrrha wept. "I love you."

Jaune picked Pyrrha up by her left thigh, and resumed his attentions. His lips migrated down Pyrrha's neck and elicited a moan that drove him deeper into that lustful haze. The Partners had never been so thankful for adjusting their settings.

"We'll never make it to the room at this rate," Pyrrha giggled as Jaune's breath tickled her skin.

"There'd be no doubt that we're together-together," Jaune mumbled as his hands started to roam. Pyrrha gasped and writhed against Jaune in a desperate attempt to gobble up every shred of sensation. Her mind and body were in accord with her heart. She needed this. The heat that coiled in her core was begging for release and Jaune would be the only person Pyrrha would ever allow to unleash it.

The Gamers stumbled down the hall as they failed to fully contain their desires. Eventually, by a miracle, they reached 'their' old room. Jaune fumbled with his memory to enter the code, but it wouldn't take.

"The hell?"

"Jaune," Pyrrha said as Jaune entered his code furiously. "Jaune...Semblance..."

The Knight turned to his lady and waged war against the urge to go "Fuck it" and take her out in the hallway. "Huh?"

[Door unlocked!]

"Oh, right," Jaune said sheepishly as he pulled into Pyrrha while simultaneously being pushed into the room. The room where so many of their happy memories from the last playthrough were made was barren. Still, Pyrrha and Jaune felt at home. Jaune was in the process of lifting Pyrrha's pajama tank top off when he was pushed back on the bed before completing the task.

"Was this the first thing you turned back on?" Pyrrha asked as she played with her top. She lifted it off herself and tossed it onto what was once Nora's bed. There was a power in this moment, Pyrrha realized. The hungry lust in Jaune's eyes meant that she was the only person in the world as far as he was concerned.

Jaune was her first true friend, thankfully not the last, and she loved him completely. He had come back for her, just as she had come back for him. Jaune deserved a reward for that.

She proceeded to practically tear Jaune's pajama pants off in her lustful haste. 'I don't know why Jaune doesn't have his onesie, but I am so glad it is gone. This would be a hassle if he had it.'

Pyrrha freed Jaune's lower mind and its fullness made her realize what was about to happen. They were giving themselves to each other. There was a finality to this act.

One she accepted completely as she reached for the object of her desires. Her massaging strokes caused Jaune to melt. She reveled in the heat, the smell, and the feeling of every touch. Emboldened by the groaning of her name on Jaune's lips, she knelt so that she could run her tongue along the length of his shaft.

"Fuck me!" Jaune groaned as he flopped backwards on the bed.

"Isn't that the point?" Pyrrha asked in between strokes and before renewing her tongue's attentions on the head of his cock. Slowly, she engulfed Jaune as much as she was able. Occasionally as she bobbed back and forth on his dick, Pyrrha attempted to take Jaune deeper. She nearly triggered her gag reflex once, so stopped. A moment of worry was quickly ended as Jaune's hand found its way to her head. This sensation, all of this sensation, was a heady brew and Pyrrha needed more.

"This...isn't fair...Pyrrha. Let's...I h-have…" Jaune tried to speak verbally. ~I want us to be Partners in everything. Get on the bed with me and get on top...~

Pyrrha understood and reluctantly slowed down. Drunk on this feeling of pure empowerment, Pyrrha took her time ending this portion of their lovemaking. She finally joined Jaune off the bed and, immediately her sleeping shorts were tossed somewhere towards the kitchen. Jaune and Pyrrha had an uncanny connection even before the Co-op game.

Jaune was definitely going to murder the people responsible for the settings that denied him this last time. His entire body burned in ways not even the most strenuous training could match. Jaune's vision had trouble focusing on anything as his mind was completely overtaxed by sensation, desire, and sheer animal instinct. His hands quickly found to Pyrrha's glorious ass. Eager to repay Pyrrha for the unbelievable pleasure from earlier, Jaune's tongue entered the fray. Pyrrha was making pleased noises as Jaune went to work.

Then his thumb brushed up against Pyrrha's clit as he tried to spread Pyrrha more to get deeper. 'Thank you sex-ed,' Jaune thought as he remembered something. He wasn't sure how he remembered due to the last game's settings, though. Pyrrha cried out in ecstasy and Jaune focused more on that spot. Pyrrha bucked up and down and Jaune was tensing. The dam of need that had built up their entire lives was on the verge of breaking.

And then Pyrrha stopped.

"W-What?" Jaune squawked as the sudden absence hit him like jumping into the oceans north of Solitas.

Pyrrha kissed him quickly. In a desperate voice, she pleaded, "I need you inside of me!"

Jaune sat up and nodded. Pyrrha, not waiting for him to change position from sitting butterfly style. As he entered her, Pyrrha cried out. Jaune, for his part, shuddered and hissed Pyrrha's name.

The couple were so engrossed in the completion of their union, that they missed their compasses morph into their personal icons.

Jaune found the position somewhat awkward as he couldn't easily thrust into Pyrrha. He adored the closeness the position afforded. Pyrrha shared the sentiments in clipped messages through Siarad. The lovers began to move in concert. Pyrrha rested one of her hands against Jaune's heart to feel his heartbeat. The two lovers became in tune and their bodies and desires created a new rhythm. The tempo of their union was aligned and their bodies acted as one to draw every ounce of pleasure they had been denied in their previous life. Jaune's hands roamed across Pyrrha's body in a desperate attempt to experience ever inch of her body. Pyrrha, equally desperate to deepen their connection, rocked against Jaune. Green eyes met blue and a conversation beyond words and even the Siarad communication was held in that moment. There was more than desire, more than lust, and even more than lust in that moment. As Jaune thrust and Pyrrha rolled her hips in concert, they never felt more alive. Each moment created music. A million notes of emotion, connection, pleasure, and want created an unmistakable and unforgettable symphony. There was truly no need for words, but Pyrrha and Jaune made an attempt regardless.

"I can't..." Jaune tried to articulate. His voice hitched and rebelled. It was almost as if his voice realized how out of place it was in the symphony the lovers were producing.

"Close..." Pyrrha mummered as she buried her face in the crook of Jaune's neck. Her own voice, like Jaune's vocalizations, felt out of place in their descant.

Spurred on by the desire, an air of violence entered Pyrrha and Jaune's concerto. The melody lost some of its gentle passion, but a desperate and hauntingly discordant cadence filled the air. Pyrrha and Jaune were filling a void neither had realized existed. The universe had deigned to deny even the most distant hint at such spiritual fulfillment. It was impossible to deny the physical pleasure that came from the caress of Jaune against Pyrrha. Pyrrha and Jaune had practically melted together. Their experiences in this moment were only comparable to when Pyrrha unlocked Jaune's Aura in the previous playthorugh. Desperate for a deeper connection that words could not express, Jaune and Pyrrha's lips met yet again.

In the end, they came. Their bodies were unusually sensitive from nearly two lifetimes of deprivation. Fire spread from the point of their union and the contractions around Jaune's member to every nerve, muscle, and point of their bodies. Pyrrha, driven into ecstasy that was beyond anything she had even dreamed of experiencing. The beautiful Mistrali reached out for a lifeline to draw her back towards reality and gripped tightly onto Jaune.

As the high of the climax faded, Jaune started half-shouting. "Ow, ow, ow!"

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha cried out. In her desperate attempt to latch onto something real as her senses had been overwhelmed by the finale of the symphony, Pyrrha had clawed deeply into Jaune's back.

"It'll be fine, my Aura will..." Jaune trailed off. "Crap."

"Crap?" Pyrrha asked with her head cocked to the side a bit. "Jaune...you don't have your Aura activated yet?"

"Completely forgot about it. Besides...I wanted...I want my Aura unlocked by you...the same way it was last time. That...that meant so much to me. That was something that was ours. I...I didn't want to let that moment be taken from us, Pyrrha."

Jaune's partner nuzzled into his chest. "I have the 'skill' needed to unlock your Aura. We can do that once we reach the forest."

"Good plan. I...may have an outside the box idea to make one hundred and fifty percent sure we are partners."

"Oh?" Pyrrha asked. "What kind of clever idea do you have?"

"Well, for one, I won't suggest going into the Deathstalker cave. Even if JNPR was completely badass in taking it out," Jaune explained.

"We were very good, weren't we?" Pyrrha laughed as Jaune pulled her down as he stretched out.

"Mhm," Jaune semi-articulated. He was holding onto Pyrrha as if someone would burst into the room and take her away.

"This 'game' will be very different from our last," Pyrrha swore.

And she would be proven right.

Author's Note: Yay! Updated on time. Once again, I'd like to thank Racellos for his excellent work in beta'ing this chapter. He's single-handedly responsible for parts of this not reading like an academic paper on South Carolina Textile Mill Unionization during the Progressive Era (which I once had to write a 65 page paper on...using at least four primary sources. I wanted to die)

Now for good news/bad news.

First, the bad news. I'm not sure if the next chapter will be published next Friday. I've caught up on completed chapters. Summer is also coming to a close and starting next week, I'll have to start easing my way back into the real world. August 22 is D-Day. A new set of students will begin their 8th grade year and I'll be responsible for herding cats, I mean teaching them about South Carolina and US history. Yay me. I'm looking so forward to have classes of around 30 students! Last year spoiled me. I had an average class size of sixteen. It was amazing.

Now for the good news, I have started Chapter 4. So far, I've got 1200 words. This fic tends to have longer chapters. No telling when I'll get it done. The response to this fic has been great. If the reviews keep coming in like they have been, I'll claw my way to my computer after work (likely 11ish hour days every day) and write a few hundred words a day.

Thank you for the excellent response. I appreciate all the support.