Disclaimer: The following is a nonprofit fanfiction of RWBY. RWBY belongs to Monty Oum(RIP) and Rooster Teeth. Any likeness to writings of others is not intentional. To help with improvements: Read and Review!

AN: Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years! (stop rap there) Sup. Been a long time coming and some of you guys were still favoriting and subscribing. Touch me none of you gave up. Also a bit concerned since no one wanted to adopt my works. Shout out to Arebus, a fan who told me I haven't updated in a year. I didn't know I was out that long.

Where I been? Here and there. Practicing new art styles, putting myself under a different name, writing new ideas for my own original stories. Under a new name and identity, I went deep into fandoms and found the toxic side like the darker corners of Tumblr.

ANYWAYS! I'm back y'all and I'm raising the stories from the dead. Ninjas of Love, Unthinkable Growth, and Fate and Destiny. Now let's get into some growing Arkos action.

Pyrrha sighed as she lazed in bed. Homework was done, Ren and Jaune were working on the next script, and Nora was with Ruby doing whatever it was they did. Today was peaceful.

And now she was bored.

Today was her lazy day and gosh darnit she would do it right. But she was bored! What to do, what to do? Remembering her book, she took this chance to get back to the next chapter. She's been kept so busy, she nearly forgot about it. Cracking the book open, she got to reading.

Chapter 4

Coins for Service

Market Square – Early Morning

Pyrrha

Sneaking away early from home and her siblings, the redheaded soldier sat on the edge of a roof eyeing the empty stall the minstrel would usually sit. Waiting for him, she saw the butcher and the carpenter had opened up shop and were bringing out their finest works.

Swinging her feet, she paid no mind to the people below her pointing and whispering amongst them about her. She was not like her siblings to chase them away though. So long as they did not attack her, she would stay her hand from her spear.

Boredom was soon taking over as she waited for the minstrel to appear and sit in his spot. Perhaps he was one of those traveling types that played in different areas.

"How foolish of me." She scolded herself, standing from her spot.

As she was about to turn around, she heard fat butcher and the skinny carpenter cheer.

"Jaune/Lad!" She heard them shout in pride and joy.

Turning back to them, she saw him appearing with a sack full of vegetables on his back with guitar on his side. She did not go to him yet though. On last night, he was quick to run from her. If he had spotted her today, the chances of him running and turning into the wind would be too high.

For now, she would sit and watch him.

Jaune

The blonde farmer was a bit late coming to his stall. After all the running he had done last night, his feet ached to where each step brought him pain. Carrying his produce was hard, but business was business and his family needed the coins.

"Jaune/Lad!" Peter and Bart greeted him as they saw him coming. When he gave them a tired hello, the two men grew more concerned and asked what ailed him. "My feet are a bit sore from running last night."

"Ah, I see~." Peter smiled while wiggling his eyebrows. Bart was covering his mouth as he gave a mousy giggle. "You found her didn't you? My how your generation work fast. I bet her father wasn't too happy finding you in her bed, aye?"

"What are you-?"

"Hoho! Reminds me of me in my youth." The large butcher clapped Jaune on the back. "I remember running from angry fathers and leaving my paramours naked in their sheets."

"I thank the fates for gifting me swift feet in that time." The carpenter heckled. "Nothing compares to an angry father out for your blood."

"It wasn't like that!" Jaune blushed as the two men continued to tease him.

As they continued to ignore him and drone on and on of their past mischief in their days, he got to setting up his stall and arranging his vegetables. It was bad enough he lost sight of his fated one, and another to nearly die by the soldiers, but what was worse was he couldn't remember the face of the woman he had been chasing. All he remembered was bells, and nothing more.

"How much for the turnips, my good man?" An old woman asked him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

Going back to thoughts of selling and getting coins, Jaune dismissed all thoughts of women. For now, it was time to sell.

Afternoon

Nearing lunch, Jaune was tired after successfully selling all his products and his feet were still aching. Like always, there was nothing left but the mat he rolled out and the empty sack he brought with him. And as usual, Peter and Bart were still trying to get the good amount from hagglers.

"Half will not do for five kilos of this fresh meat!" Port growled to an equally hefty man wanting meat for half the price. "A discount at twenty and nothing less, or step aside for the fine lass behind you!"

"This is pure danbuk wood." Bart patted a finely made table. "Come. Sniff and you'll see it is by the soothing aroma it constantly gives. Don't think you'll be taking it for any less."

Laughing at their plight to gain fortune, he took out his guitar and played a few notes. Sitting down to relieve his feet, he closed his eyes and relaxed into his playing. His mother had taught him a few keys, but he was far from good. At best, he could only remember ten chords and how to put them together. The rest was just plucking strings. When everything became quiet, he felt someone standing in front of him and saw first the shoes of a soldier.

Looking up he saw it was the red haired woman, Pyrrha.

Pyrrha

It perplexed her seeing a minstrel selling in a marketplace. As she watched him offer produce to customers coming in, she would have thought him a simple farmer. Or perhaps he was both a farmer and a minstrel; she did not know much when it came to normal people. And yet he also had powers like her siblings, meaning he could be a distant relative posing as a normal man.

No, he was definitely something else. He was not like any of her siblings who thirsted for blood and glory.

"How strange." She said to herself, trying to imagine doing what he did. It was different, but it did not feel wrong to her.

As she watched him interact with the people, she soon envied how some of them looked to this wonder. They did not shy away from him or avert their eyes in fear. They did not smile forcefully but were relaxed by his mere presence.

When all goods were sold and he counted the coins he collected, she saw him sit down and pull his guitar out. Taking a chance while he was not looking up, she quickly jumped down from her spot and walked to where he sat. All conversation stopped, and she frowned of how they all feared her.

When Jaune looked up to meet her eyes, she saw him flinch and stiffen up. Trying to put on her best smile to show she wasn't going to hurt him, she failed when he tried to get up.

"Please don't try to run." She asked him nicely.

Jaune

Jaune cursed his sore feet for not being able to pick him up. He tried to get up and run, but it hurt to stand. And he was too scared to concentrate on turning invisible.

"Please don't try to run." She ordered him.

And now she was taunting him? He's gotten over many of his regrets, but sparing her life if it meant she was going to kill him now was his biggest regret! But he wasn't going to go out like a coward. If he was to do today by a soldier, it would be on his feet with head held high as a man like his father.

Pushing on the ground, he struggled to climb to his feet but paused when three gold coins with rubies in the center were dropped in front of him. Looking up, he saw her outstretched arm and a small smile on her face.

"Would you please play me a song, minstrel?" She asked him.

"I-I'm not very good." He said nervously. What was she playing at? Would she spear him if she did not like his playing? "Please take your coins back. Whatever I play can't be worth three gold coins."

She shook her head and instead sat on her knees in front of him. Then she pushed the coins closer to his foot and insisted he play whatever he knew.

As he looked to the others for aid, he saw no one was coming to help him. Peter and Bart looked like they wanted to help, but they were unsure on how they could help. The blonde couldn't blame them. He may have saved Peter's life, but it was by a stroke of luck and sense.

In this case, nothing made sense.

"I'm sorry if you wont like the tune." He apologized in advance, picking a song he remembered his sisters and mother humming.

Strumming the guitar, he flinched every time he struck a bad chord or misplaced a finger to make a bad note. So far he wasn't stabbed where he sat, so maybe he was given a mercy to keep playing. Looking up, he saw her closing her eyes and listening as he played badly. He knew it was bad, and those that stuck around to hear him play showed it on their faces how bad he was playing.

But he was given three gold coins and he had to make sure he played its worth. As the minutes went by and his fingers started to ache like his toes, he could play no more and stopped on the last strum.

When Pyrrha opened her eyes, she still held that same smile on her face. Then she giggled as she stood up.

"You were right." She said while dusting her legs. "You aren't very good."

"I told you." He replied, putting the guitar down.

He looked her dead in the eye and waited for the spear to nail him to the wall. Instead, she backed away with hands behind her back.

"You can keep the golden coins." She said before she walked away. "I would like to hear you play again sometime after you've practiced."

Sitting stunned, he looked at the three gold coins and then back to her retreating form. Those three coins she gave him added more than all the copper and silver he collected selling vegetables. Pocketing them, he wondered if he misjudged her. She was not like the soldiers he saw running around.

"My boy." Peter stood before him, face looking grave.

"Are you alright?" Bart asked in concern, looking him over. He was tilting the blonde's head in every direction and patting his limbs. "By the fates, you are lucky today."

"I know. Ouch!" Jaune winced when the carpenter touched his hands. "My fingers hurt."

"Poor lad." The butcher knelt down to see his fingers. He clicked his teeth seeing how red they were. Taking them in his, he rubbed them gently to soothe the pain. "Why a soldier came to you today, I don't know. You must be blessed to encounter them twice and come out alive."

"I think so too, my friend." Bart agreed. Turning back to Jaune, he was all serious. "I think it is best you leave. Best not tempt the fates lest she come back with more numbers."

Jaune didn't think of that! Trying to get back to his feet, he winced and nearly fell over from the pain if not for Port being quick to catch him. The two older men son forgot about their stalls as they checked on their young friend.

"What is this?" Bart scratched his chin as he took Jaune's sandals off.

The farmer's feet were purple and swollen. Jaune didn't remember them being that bad in the morning, but it seemed it only got worse as the day went.

"My poor boy." Peter shook his head, seeing how bad it was. It was amazing the lad could still stand. "Bart, do you know a place for this?"

"Not any the soldiers would let us in." The carpenter sighed, poking a toe and making Jaune wince.

"What place are you talking about?" The blonde asked.

"A house of medicine, my boy." Peter said gruffly. "Ignoring this will only make it worse until you can no longer walk."

"No!" Jaune gasped, not wanting to lose his legs. If he did his family would lose hands to help in the farm and market. "There has to be a place. I'll look everywhere if it means getting cured."

As he tried stand on his own, he winced from the pain coursing up his body. The large butcher caught him once more and didn't put him down. Looking up, Peter hummed seeing the sun still in the sky.

"There should still be time to find a place." He said, fixing Jaune so he was being piggybacked. "Can I trust you to hold the line, friend?"

"Of course." Bart nodded. "Be quick now before the sun goes down. Make sure our boy gets his legs cured."

Jaune was touched by their close camaraderie. There was no one like Peter or Bart. Holding onto Port as he did a light jog, he did his best to try and help find a place of medicine.

"I'm sorry." He told Peter as they turned a corner.

"None of that, young lad." Peter said with eyes scanning for a place to help him. "I have no children of my own, but you are close to any man I'd be proud to call son. And I'm sure Bart feels the same."

"Thank you, Peter." He said, touched by his words.

Evening

"I'm sorry, lad." Peter gasped for air as he leaned on a wall.

He had been running for hours nonstop looking for any place to help Jaune. It hurt how the medicine houses only served the soldiers and were too afraid to lend a hand to their fellow man.

"It's fine, Peter." Jaune admitted defeat, planning on what he could do once he was unable to walk.

"No, no!" The portly man denied giving up. "There must be a place. Any would do."

As Peter ranted and cursed every place they had stopped by, Jaune looked around. The streets were familiar since he ran them at night, but he never took the time to see what the buildings were. Many of them were closed, but there were signs above that showed what services they gave. There was a clothing store, a tailoring next to it, and a bit further was a faded sign.

"Peter, what sign is that?" Jaune pointed to the faded one.

Stopping in his curses to all medicine houses and what a horse should do in them, the butcher picked the blonde up and walked to the sign.

"This sign is for-" Peter's face soon turned pink at what it was. "Oh my! Ah, lad. This is not the kind of place we should be at now. Especially this late."

"What store is this, Peter?" Jaune struggled to get down. "I haven't seen one like it before."

"Thank goodness you haven't." Peter said under his breath. When Jaune refused to let it go, he caved since the boy was technically of age. "Well, it's a massage house."

"A massage house?" Jaune repeated, looking at the sign. It was ratty and looked ill maintained. "Did we pass any other massage houses looking around?"

"None, lad." The large man answered as he turned with Jaune still on his back. "And it looks abandoned, so we should best go home."

"Let's try this place." The young man said to Port's ire. Hearing Peter groan, he gave reason. "No medicine house would take us, but maybe a massage house would. I'm not too familiar with massages, but I do know they help to remove pain and stress."

Peter was still on the idea of not going inside. If it truly was a 'massage' house and the place was still open, he didn't think it safe with how dilapidated the place seemed.

"This will be that last one." Jaune made it a deal. "If it holds nothing or gives no service, we can go home. Please, Peter. I have a feeling this will work."

Giving in, the butcher turned back. Maybe Jaune's feeling was right and it was fate bringing them to this place. He just hoped it wasn't what he thought it was.

Stretching his hand out, Jaune knocked on the door and heard someone coming out. From the sounds of it, it was a woman. When Jaune felt Peter about to turn, he told him to wait until they met who was inside.

"Hello?" A girl near Jaune's age greeted them. "Can I help you?"

She had short brown hair, wore a cute fez on her head and was in a dirty brown robe. But what struck both men at the door were her eyes. They were milky white signifying she was blind.

"Honey? Who's at the door?" A blonde man came from behind her, dressed in nothing but ripped pants and a small vest.

"I'm not sure, dear." She replied, trying to feel around for them.

"Hello." Jaune greeted them with a small wave. "My name is Jaune, and this is my friend Peter. We saw your sign and wondered if you were still open for service. You guys do massages, right?"

The blonde man shook his head while putting a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"We're not doing those anymore." He tried to pull her back in, but was halted by his wife swatting him back. "Honey, why?"

"Sun, we rarely get customers nowadays." The wife huffed, trying to relocate herself. Finding the door once more, she bowed to Peter and Jaune. "Please, come in you two. My name is Coco and the stubborn monkey trying to chase you away is my husband, Sun."

The husband bristled at the insult but paid her no mind.

As Jaune looked at the place, the inside was just as bad as outside. It wasn't so dusty, but things looked like they needed to be refurbished or replaced.

"Is it both or just one who requires a massage?" Coco asked as Sun guided her and the two to a room with old curtains and a wooden table.

"Just my boy here." Peter motioned to Jaune. "His feet are in a bad way, and he thinks this place could help."

Any apprehension Sun had against them was soon forgotten when he saw the state of Jaune's feet. From the looks of things, it was spreading upward to his shins.

"Why not take him to a medicine house?" He asked, helping put the poor boy onto the table. "This seems too serious for just a massage."

"None would take us." Jaune winced from the feeling of his legs moving. It had gotten worse. "If there is anything you can do, I will take it."

Guiding his wife to Jaune's legs, Sun took Coco's hands and gently placed them on the farmer's feet. Jaune was confused since he thought the husband would be the one to do the massage, but it was actually his blind wife to do the service.

"Hmm." Coco gave the feet an experimental squeeze. When Jaune winced in pain, she slid her hands up to his ankles and gave them a soft squeeze too. "Seems swollen. Not too bad, but not good either. Honey, what color are his feet?"

"Purplish." Sun answered, getting a jar out. Coco tsked at the answer. "What do you need?"

"Prepare me hot rocks, bring out the pepper oil, and run hot water to clean his feet with a towel." She instructed her husband. Turning to the owner of the feet she was about to massage, she narrowed her eyes. "What have you been doing to put your legs in this bad condition? They are tensed and filled with cold air. Continue to do whatever it is you do, and your toes will snap off."

Jaune gulped at the blind masseuse's words. It's true whenever he was training he would do so barefoot at night. It was relaxing since the day gave hot sands that he enjoyed the sands when they became cold. Looking to Peter, he turned away in shame when the older man gave him a disappointed glare.

When Sun came back with what his wife asked for, Coco got to work trying to fix his swollen feet. First she wiped them with a hot towel and scrubbed any dirt stuck to the bottom and side. After cleaning and drying them, she covered his feet in pepper oil and gently massage and squeezed from his shins to the tip of his toes.

The pepper oil gave a burning sensation, but at the same time it felt soothing. After that, Coco wrapped his foot in another towel and strapped the hot rocks to the bottom of his feet.

"I did all I could for now." She said as Sun wiped sweat off her forehead. "You must have your feet wrapped at all times to prevent them from becoming cold again. Don't walk yet, either. Your feet will be sensitive and need to rest."

"Thank you." Jaune sighed, feeling the pain subsiding. Then the blind masseuse got up and grabbed his hand. "Hm?"

"Your hands are next." She said in finality. "The feet can tell a lot about a person's health and I know your hands are also in pain."

Not giving him time to argue, Coco ran her thumb and index through his fingers to the wrist and shook her head at what she felt. It wasn't as bad as his feet, but they were in need of help. Feeling the ring on his finger, she gave it to her husband to hold as she fixed the farmer's digits.

The husband eyed the ring and saw how shiny and clean it was. Looking around to his poor home he and his wife lived in; he wondered how much the ring was worth. Hearing a grunt and clearing of throat, he saw the butcher eyeing him with arms crossed.

"This should be fine." Coco finished, giving Jaune's hands a quick rub. "You have very strong but gentle hands. Take good care of them."

"Same to you." Jaune complimented, flexing his fingers. They felt better than before. "Let me pay you for this."

"No." She waved his hand away. "From the feel of your skin, I know you aren't that well off as us. Let this be my good deed as a Samaritan."

"I should still repay you for your services." The farmer pressed. When Coco refused and walked away, he turned to her husband. "Please, let me pay you for helping me."

Seeing as the wife would not accept his payment, Jaune turned to the husband. While the farmer was being massaged, he had an idea of what he could give in return for such a service. When Sun opened his hands for him, Jaune put the three gold coins into his hands.

"Jaune! Are you sure about this?" Peter asked him in surprise. "This is a lot to give for a massage."

"You and Bart said so yourselves, Peter." Jaune replied, closing Sun's hand on the gold coins. "You said if I could not cure this, I'd never walk again. We looked everywhere and were refused so many times. I don't know if my life is worth three gold coins, but it's all I can give to this man and his wife for helping us."

"I-I don't know what to say." Sun said shocked at what he was holding. Feeling humility and shame for thinking of robbing this man, he couldn't take such an amount. "No. This amount is too much. I can't take it."

"What if I did it like this?" Jaune took the coins. "One for massaging my feet. One for massaging my hands. And one…"

Putting the last gold coin in Sun's hand and closing it, he made sure the man did not give it back. "For helping us when no one else would."

Nodding, Sun pocketed the gold coins and guided them out of his home. He returned the ring to Jaune, gave both a hug, and wished them a safe trip home.

"Take this advice from the wise, young man." Peter said before leaving. "Use the gold you've earned wisely and carefully. Take those three coins as a step for a better life for you and your wife."

"That's good advice, Peter." Jaune agreed from his friend's back.

"Of course it is." The man boasted. "It was the advice I was going to give you when you got it. Now tell me about this young lass you met last night. We have a long way home."

Laughing as the two men went home, Sun closed the door and looked at the gold in his hand. Shame filled his heart for how he treated the two before. What his wife saw in him he'd never understand, but with this gold he would do right by her.

Unknown Area

"He passed the second test." The voice said with surprise.

"Yes, he holds generosity in his heart." The other voice said with pride. "Any other trial you wish to put his way."

"Let me think." The voice whined like a child. Focusing on the image of Pyrrha on the balcony, the voice chuckled. "I have more ideas coming to mind. This child will be helpful."

"I have my own plans and tests for her as well. But first, I think another stone should be dropped." A star twinkled in the sky with a vibrant red color.

"This can be another test." The voice agreed, plotting how to use it.

And so they continued to watch and plot.

"What a good chapter." She sighed, putting a bookmark for the next chapter.

"My favorite part was the farmer giving his three gold coins to the blind masseuse and her husband." Nora said next to her.

"Mine too." The champion agreed.

"I'm curious what the stone was the voice threw." Ruby said on Pyrrha's other side.

"Would you like spoilers?" Pyrrha asked the little leader.

"No. I'll just read through it." She said nonchalantly. She took the book out of the champion's hands and continued to read it quietly with Nora.

Smiling at the two beside her, Pyrrha closed her eyes to do nothing on her lazy day. Then they snapped open when she realized what she missed. Turning to the two girls still reading her book, she had a face of horror as she made a silent scream.

"I still like Blake's book, though." Ruby said to Nora. "It had way more action and pictures."

Pyrrha promptly fainted then and there.

END

AN: That's what's up. Jitterwhack, is Jitter-Back. (Ooh it sounded better in my head)

ANYWAYS!

Arkos story revived, NoL being revived, and Unthinkable Growth is being revived.