A/N

Now this is where it gets even more exciting, if that were even possible! Cinder shows up, the girls go out to get ready for the gala, Sun pisses people off, and Jaune meets a man fond of wearing black.

So, by all means, keep reading. And I seriously can't thank those who've left a review enough. You guys have helped so much. You have no idea. Thank you.

Team Ruby's Dormitory, Beacon Academy.

Yang cracked one eye open as she shifted under the thick sheets, near enough to the edge of her mattress to slowly focus on the window, devastated to find that it was open enough to let in a brutal draft of the brisk yuletide air.

She loosed a miserable groan as she started to shiver under the sheets, and didn't feel the dark presence beginning to loom behind her.

"...It's really really cold. Think I might just stay here and-" She started to mumble as she curled up to hold onto the trapped pocket of blissful warmth just for a few minutes more when she noticed a crack of light spilling through a gap in the ragged curtains over the window.

Normally Yang liked seeing the sun. Except when it came to waking up.

"As the sun rises... I RISE! AWAKE, SISTER!" A voice boomed from behind her.

The hairs on her neck stood up as her eyes widened in shock and alarm. The blonde loosed a squeak as Ruby roughly crashed on top of her with a elbow slam. Yang grunted as she tumbled off the edge of the bed, landing on the floor with a thud.

Completely tangled inside her now ruined sheets and quilts, she began to shiver and her teeth chattered as Ruby hopped down in front of her with a huge grin. Her little sister leaned forward and flicked Yang on the nose.

"Aahh! I was warm and it was awesome and sleeping in was my plan and you ruined it! Damn it, Ruby!" Yang sat up, blowing a wild bang out of her eyes as she blinked the sleep dust away. "Ow..."

She glanced over her shoulder at the bookshelf standing in front of her and Blake's bunk, only to see the faunus sitting cross-legged on top of it, wearing a thick navy sweater.

Blake looked up and indicated the white mug next to her knee with a smirk. "Morning. Weiss made cocoa."

Yang nodded as she crawled to her feet, angrily thumping Ruby in the side as she rubbed her shoulder. "Weiss made cocoa?" Yang then glanced at the window just as Ruby pulled the curtain aside with a flourish, revealing a wintry haze of snowflakes glinting in the early morning light.

Weiss clapped her hands and loosed a pleased breath as she looked out the window. "It's a wonderful morning! Yuleday is approaching my friends! And so is the gala!"

"Guess what, Yang? Ruby sidled up to her with a deviled smirk.

"What Ruby." The blonde growled, still sore about being woken up so violently.

Ruby lunged at her in quick hug. "Dad's coming to the gala!"

Yang stopped and glanced at Ruby. "What, seriously?"

Weiss came over with her arms folded.

"My grandfather is too."

"Isn't this exciting?"

Blake didn't realize Yang noticed the downcast look in her eyes.

"I wonder if Uncle Qrow's showing up too, he might have gotten back from his travelling." Yang stroked her chin as she glanced over her shoulder at Blake. She eyed the black hairbrush in her hand very suspiciously. "And what is that?"

Blake blinked twice. "You need to brush your hair."

"Nope."

"But-" Yang held up her hand.

"Blake. Nope."

Weiss scoffed and rolled her eyes. She placed a hand on her hip. "Well at least put on something... slightly covering! We're going out to pick out our outfits for the gala." Weiss glanced at Yang. "It's cold out there."

Yang sighed. "Sure. Fine." She turned around to rummage through her and Blake's hamper shoved between the bookshelf and the bunk, soon coming up with a cheerful orange sweater. "This'll do." she muttered as she pulled it down over her head, squeezing her hair and body into it before unfolding it.

She glanced up at a pair of pants Blake was holding, nodding as she grabbed them and slipped them on. Soon she straightened and looked up at Weiss and Ruby, who was almost lost inside her red scarf, red ear muffs and red jacket. "Done."

Someone knocked on the door. Weiss moved over to it while giving Yang a look. "Good." She pulled the door open to see Pyrrha and Nora standing there. "We're all ready, Pyrrha."

Weiss led the way out into the hallway, with Ruby following close behind while Yang and Blake left together. Nora bounced up and down on the spot as Weiss spied Jaune and Lie Ren standing near the door to their team's dormitory, before hearing a tinkling noise and looking upwards.

She narrowed her eyes as Sun Wukong hung lazily from the chandelier, grinning down at the six of them.

Blake sighed and rolled her eyes as Weiss stomped her foot with a growl and pointed up at him. "Hey! Get down from there!"

Sun shrugged as he hanged upside down for a moment before uncurling his tail from the central strut, falling towards them with a chuckle. He landed in the midst of them with a smirk, and popped up with a bow.

"Y'know I can tag along. You girls will need a second opinion."

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "I don't think that's necessary, monkey-boy."

"Sorry, Sun." Blake offered him a apologetic grin.

"You're gonna have to wait until the gala for a good look!"

Sun pouted as Yang blew her tongue at him.

Further away Jaune scratched the back of his neck, trying not to stare too much at the simple and elegant longsleeve shirt Pyrrha wore, with a orange undershirt visible underneath the low-cut V collar. "I'll, uh, see you when you get back."

Pyrrha inclined her head with a small smile. "Like Yang said, we're a couple of friends just heading into town..." Pyrrha took that moment to glance over her shoulder to see Ruby paled faced and getting a earful from Weiss after just ducking under Crimson Rose's blade just in time. Yang and Blake were simply chatting. Yang with the Ember Celicas hoisted over her shoulder and Blake with Gambol shroud by her side. Nora just bounced up and down on the spot, loosely holding Magnvild in her grasp with a manic grin. Pyrrha looked back at Jaune with a cheesy grin. "With all of our weapons."

Jaune gave a low whistle. "Pretty much got that covered then."

"Heh. Indeed." Pyrrha clasped her hands and glanced at her feet. "I must admit... I've never really done much shopping for myself befor-"

Yang suddenly wrenched her backwards with while winking at Jaune. "You're lucky I'm a expert!" She stuck her thumb out as she dragged Pyrrha away behind her. "Let's go, superstar!"

Pyrrha stumbled and flailed across the floor, waving awkwardly at Jaune. "I - uh - I guess we'll see you later, Jaune!"

Her voice echoed off the hallway walls as the group departed, leaving him standing there. Jaune slowly dropped his arm as Lie Ren came over.

"So that happened."

"Yeah." Jaune turned to him and shrugged. "So what are we gonna do?"

At that moment Sun burst out in laughter, getting a annoyed eyebrow from Lie Ren and a confused look from Jaune.

"What's so funny?"

Sun smirked and hit Jaune on the shoulder. "Come on. We're hitting the town."

A Hunter's Attire, Coin District, City of Vale.

Jaune shifted uncomfortably as he stared at his reflection, completely certain that he looked ridiculous and weird with the fancy clothes on. He fumbled with his cuff links as he turned away from the mirror, relieved that at least the dress pants and shoes felt comfortable. It was just the jacket that he thought was too much.

He pulled the stall door open and stepped out into the dressing room. Sun was cross-legged on top of a couch cushion pushed up against the wall, while to the side Lie Ren stiffly adjusted the buttons on the black and green dress... robe... thingy... he wore.

Lie Ren flicked a barely concealed look of contempt at the faunus boy. "Once again, Wukong. It's a Changshan."

"Yeah. A dress. I've seen them all over the place in my hometown."

"Urgh." The stoic boy noticed Jaune and turned around. "The look suits you, Jaune."

"Does it. Does it really?"

Despite being dressed in a suit similar in style to Jaunes, Sun still nimbly sprang off the cushion and nodded appreciatively. "Looking sharp, Mr Arc!"

"Yeah-" Jaune's breath caught as the black tie around his neck tightened a little. He loosed a frustrated grunt as he picked at the windsor knot, only to lose his patience and hook his finger underneath the loop to loosen it.

"Aren't you wearing a black tie, Sun? Everyone important and famous will be there." Jaune's voice cracked a little with the notion that a few of them might be less than pleased to see him.

Sun raised a eyebrow and shrugged. "Why would I wear a black tie?"

"Uh..." Jaune held up a finger as the boy flopped back onto the cushion couch, before loosing a sigh.

"I'm still surprised Ozpin is letting you hang around the Academy. You aren't even a student."

Sun scowled and glanced up at Lie Ren. "Yeah, well, you don't need to be registered to be eager to learn and fight monsters!"

Lie Ren arched a eyebrow. "Right. Except the rest of us have registered. We earned our way into the school."

"No, you're totally right. All I did was help stop a huge shipment of Dust from being stolen by Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. There's absolutely nothing I did that allowed me to stay at Beacon. Except I did." Sun scoffed. "Anyway. I won't be hanging around too long. Not my style."

"Yeah. I think you are suited for Beacon, Sun."

"Cheers, Jaune."

Jaune hid a quiet sigh once again.

"I still can't believe she's on your team, man!"

"Huh?" Jaune looked up in surprise at Sun.

Lie Ren glanced at Sun. "Really. I'm surprised you know who she is."

"Hey, even I've heard of Pyrrha Nikos! The superstar gladiator-athlete-bombshell extraordinaire of Mistral!"

"I take it he's a fan." Ren murmured to Jaune.

"Yeah. She's on my team. I could never have done anything without her."

Lie Ren once again raised his eyebrow. "Really? Come on Jaune, you need to give yourself some credit. Especially after all that nonsense with Cardin."

"This Cardin sounds like a prick." Sun looked between the two of them.

"A- no - he's... - Okay, he kind of does. But I saved his life so he should be less like that now." Jaune chuckled nervously, before racking his thoughts. "Come to think of it I haven't really seen him or his team around since the final exam."

"Probably busy soaking some poor dude's head in a toilet bowl." Sun remarked.

Jaune nodded, pausing a moment. "So where do you come from again?"

"This really huge city to the east. Smack bang in between Mistral and Vale."

"Really? You come from there? That place is ginormous!"

"Yeah. It's got like a thousand different names. The City of Dragons." Sun grinned wickedly and wiggled his fingers at Jaune. "Flamerest. Golden Spires. Usually it involves fire or something to do with fire."

"It's actual name is Xiao Zang. And It's a hive of scum and villainy."

Jaune turned to Ren with a raised eyebrow. "Huh?"

"My family tend the grounds of a Lotus temple near that city. And every time I've talked to travellers on the road back they've always lost something of themselves."

Sun rolled his eyes at Lie Ren, who returned it with a curt scowl. "It's still a great place, though! The massages you get there are the best in the world, not to mention the girls! They are simply divine! And most of the time they're ones doing the massaging!"

"He's forgetting the fact that the Dragon Triads own the entire city, not to mention how everyone who lives there is forced to give away everything they own to the Triad in exchange for 'protection'. Often enough from their own thugs."

"Way to suck the fun out of something awesome, Monk."

"Just telling the truth, Thief."

"...Right."

Lie Ren rolled his eyes as Sun popped up from the cushion couch, yawning loudly with a huge stretch. He jerked his thumb at the entryway to the rest of the store. "Welp, I'm heading back now." He sauntered down the hallway, waving at them over his shoulder. "Later."

Jaune glanced at Lie Ren as he started to leave to.

"Where are you going?"

"Someone needs to keep a eye on that guy."

"Alright. I'll... I'll meet you guys back at the school."

Green District, City of Vale.

The stars glittered above, visible in between the pure glowing spheres of light mounted on the tip of fixed iron columns scattered throughout the small patch of parkland. Jaune watched them for a while, before looking down at the river to see them reflected in the dark waters as silver pinpricks, scattered as wavy lines of light.

"Suited for Beacon." Jaune whispered.

He soon stared down at the white and gold sheath sitting across his legs, the silvery blade of his sword showing a little and catching some light from the lampposts. Underneath it was his suit and dress pants, folded neatly.

Jaune grimaced. "You've sure come far haven't you?" he murmured, remembering the airsick and awkward boy coming to Beacon Academy for the first time. Finally doing something for himself for the first time. Finally living life.

But he frowned, remembering what he did to even get into the academy. To even lead a team of people so much more skilled and brave than he ever could be. "I've probably disappointed you, grandad." After a long while he thought of someone else. "Mom too. And dad... and Sol- Argh!"

He turned his back on the river and moved up the bank to the concrete path, steeling himself with a few deep breaths. Ever since Pyrrha had been training him, he still sometimes wondered how he could ever have had someone like that trusting him one hundred percent.

And now he was going to be rubbing shoulders with the most important people in the world. All because of a fake transcript.

He picked up the pace, heading into the near pitch black shadows as the path fed into a alleyway between two thick apartment blocks. Above dark lines were strung from wall to wall, sagging with clothes and blocking many of the stars from showing.

Jaune continued through the narrow alley until it opened up into a wider space, with a garage on a raised ledge on one side and a line of dumpsters on the other. He shivered and picked up the pace, keeping his sheathed sword close.

"I didn't expect to see such a dashing lad come through here."

His eyes widened and his breath caught as he heard the haughty tones of a soft-spoken woman. He whirled around, coming face to face with a pair of burning golden eyes staring at him with a twinkle.

She came into what little light there was, and Jaune fought to keep his eyes from searching her voluptous body, barely hidden by the glittering bare-shouldered crimson dress she wore, showing no signs of discomfort from the cold at all.

"Oh my, is that Crocea Mors?" The raven-haired woman's eyes lit up as she flicked a devilish smile at the stricken boy and slowly approached, swaying her hips a little with a amused smirk.

His eyes weren't sure were to be as he strained to look away from her and refocus, knowing that she threw off some bad vibes. He stiffened as the woman reached out a hand and delicately stroked her fingertip up and down the blade, a small but furious trail of flame being left behind.

Jaune gulped and tried to take a step back. "Cro- Crocea what?"

She winked at him. "I'm a avid enthusiast of sharp objects, you know. And this one is the greatest of them all."

He haltingly took another step backwards. "Stay back!" Jaune stared down at the blade of his sword, seeing that it was glowing with a silver outline. He realized that his hands were as well.

"My, my, your aura is quite... substantial, Jaune." The raven-haired woman chuckled. "Definitely larger than the ones I've seen." She grinned and took another step closer, the tip of Jaune's sword almost resting on her slender belly. "Your family sword, if I'm not mistaken. Quite impressive."

He froze, uncertain as to why when he stared into her burning eyes, remembering the utter ease with how she summoned her flames before. The utter subtlety.

The raven-haired woman lifted a slender arm, and Jaune tensed up as she gently rested her hand on top of his. He froze again.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Just weirded out." He muttered under his breath.

The wind itself fell silent as the raven-haired woman leaned in and grinned. "I've been waiting for so long to meet you, Jaune."

"Step away from the kid, Cinder." A gruff voice rang out over the alley.

Jaune quickly took the chance to scramble away from the strange woman, quickly drawing out Crocea Mors and folding the sheath into a shield. Breathing heavily he kept his shield between him and Cinder, like Pyrrha taught him to.

His eyes briefly looked upwards to see a man-sized shadow standing on the edge of one of the roofs above, holding something twice the length of his body by his side. The man dropped into view and landed with no sound, getting to his feet and glaring with indigo eyes at the raven-haired woman.

Jaune stared in disbelief at the scythe he held. Its blade was a dull grey, and marred with scratches and nicks. While its shaft resembled the skeletal branch of a ash tree, knotted and gnarled and twisted around itself. A particular knot at the intersection of the scythe blade and the top of the shaft resembled a crow's eye.

Cinder stayed where she was. with the haft expanding outwards to form a rifle stock. He noticed the pull-bolt sticking out from the side, realizing that Ruby's scythe more or less worked the same way.

"Why, hello, Qrow. Been a while."

Qrow's eyes flicked to the boy before settling back on Cinder as he angled the scythe blade towards her. "Not long enough."

Cinder smirked, raising a hand to her lips as she chuckled. "I'm not up to anything suspicious now am I? All of that is in the past, handsome." She winked at him. "I'm simply talking to my friend here."

He narrowed his eyes. "Must sting to know all of that hard work went to waste because of a few kids." Qrow's own smirk grew as Cinder's faded. "...hotness."

"Well, the docks fiasco was a bit of a setback, but luckily I have what I need, feather-brain."

The scythe blade sang as Qrow whipped it towards Cinder in a sideward sweep with a growl, only for Cinder's eyes to flash a burning gold.

"I'll see you boys later." A series of ruddy sparks fizzed and cracked around Cinder, soon growing into a outright burst of flames enveloping her entire body. The column of fire grew, reaching to the roofs of the buildings above and lighting up the entire alleyway.

Qrow narrowed his eyes and pulled back the bolt on the shaft of his scythe. He held a gloved hand in front of Jaune, stopping him from moving closer as the flames danced around each other.

They soon disappeared, leaving only a few wisps behind and a pile of cinders on the ground.

Jaune stared at them for a few seconds, frozen to the spot. Slowly his thoughts came back and he turned to look at the weathered man dressed in the shaggly black longcoat.

The man gave him a hard look. "Name's Qrow. You should probably get back to the Academy, mr Arc. The gala's only tomorrow."