Skit - Professional Help (Oscar, Angel)

Angel: Oscar?

Oscar: …

Angel: Oscar!

Oscar: Ah! O-oh, sorry, auntie…

Angel: You look dreadful! I even took all your books away and you're still not getting enough sleep, huh?

Oscar: I'm sorry…

Angel: Oh, don't be! Though, I should probably head into the city and try to find some professional help for you. I don't even know what's wrong and this can't possibly be good.

"Boy."

Oscar gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut tighter. He knew that trying to ignore it wasn't going to do anything to block him out, but he couldn't help but try.

"I'm going to ask you again, boy. Do you love your aunt?" Oscar ignored him. "So you're truly fine knowing that your aunt's premature death will be because of your cowa-"

"Just stop it!" Oscar opened his eyes, tears starting to run down his face and staining his pillow. "Fine, you win… If it means keeping Auntie Angel safe, I'll go on this stupid quest of yours…"

"You've made the right choice, Oscar."

Oscar felt some odd sensation, like he was sitting in a movie theater, or in the passenger seat of a car. Then his body started to move.

"W-what's happening?"

"I took control of your body. For now, rest."

Ozma, in control of Oscar's body, snuck around the house, filling a pack with supplies for the first leg of their trip. He even went so far as to take some lien from Oscar's aunt as funds. He relinquished control temporarily after getting a pen and some paper. Oscar wrote a letter apologizing profusely and trying to explain to her why he needed to do this. Some of his tears fell onto the paper, threatening to smudge the ink. Once it was done, he folded it and placed it at the kitchen table where his aunt would be in the morning for breakfast. With that, he finally walked outside of the house that had been his home for so long now.

He looked at it one final time, wiping tears away. He had no idea how long it would be until he saw it again, or if he ever would. He was absolutely petrified, but the cost of doing nothing was far too severe. He turned onto the path and started walking, Ozma pointing him in the direction of Haven.

Cinder was the final one of the group to enter the conference room. Everyone else was seated at the table, Salem at its head. Cinder silently took a seat, looking down at a random spot at the table.

"It's nice to have you all together," Salem said. "I've called you all here for a simple announcement. We will be going to Haven next. Until then, as you know, you are free to act as you will. However, I will ask you to keep your actions confined to Anima."

"Do you think any of Ozpin's kids are going to be a problem?" Rapunzel said. "Two of them were there at Beacon Tower and made it out alive."

"One of them is related to one of Ozpin's lieutenants," Salem stated. "If he acts, she might follow him." She rose from the table. Silver?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I've detected movement from The Aberrant across Anima. Should the girl cross over into the continent, it might target her."

"I'll be on the lookout," he said.

Salem left them, and they sat in silence for a short while.

"So… what happened with the White Fang?" Emerald asked.

"The gamble worked in Vale, but I doubt we'll be able to count on them for Mistral, unless something drastic happens," Watts said. "It appears Adam Taurus has fallen out of favor with their leader for cooperating with us."

"Great. He was useful. It's a shame we've lost him. Just like Torchwick and Neopolitan," Midna said.

"Their bodies were never found. They fell off of an airship, so unless they exploded on impact, that's weird," Imperia added. "I guess Grimm or wild animals ate them."

"Probably." Rapunzel was the next to rise. "Well, I'm probably going to go screw around the city for a while. Later losers."

"Actually, dear Rapunzel, would you accompany me?" Tyrian rounded the table, approaching her. "There was somewhere I had been hoping to visit, though I am unsure I can do it alone. The rest of our companions have been… less than receptive of my invitations."

"Because going into the middle of nowhere with a creep like you is asking for trouble," Impera said, leaving the room.

"With your asinine ideology, being alone with you as a faunus is simply idiotic," Midna added.

"I mean, it isn't like I'm doing anything else. Sure, why the hell not? A little field trip might do me some good."

The others filed out, and before long, Cinder was alone. Free to do whatever she pleased until further notice? If they were meant to stay in Mistral, one place she wanted to visit came to mind. It had been many years since she was last there. She didn't stop by the last time she was in Mistral City, but they were there on business with Leonardo Lionheart at the time. Now that she was on leave, she could stop by. Her heart ached at the thought, but it wasn't an unpleasant ache. It was almost like some sort of longing.

These last few months have been a complete whirlwind. It feels weird. Not a bad weird, but definitely weird. I thought I had lost everything, after that Grimm attack. Practically overnight, everyone I knew and loved was gone. I thought I was just going to waste away and die under some tree in the middle of nowhere.

Then Professor Ozpin found me.

I don't know what it was about my eyes that he was so interested in, but when he saw that they were silver, he insisted on bringing me to Beacon Academy with him. My skill with a rifle was just a little added bonus, he told me.

I was so empty back then. I was still trying to process everything and come to terms with it. I had never wanted children. Then I suddenly found myself dreaming about motherhood and raising a child, when so many friends and family were robbed of their chance to have their own kids. When I first saw the guys at Beacon, all I could think about was their height, their builds, their intelligence. The idea of love, attachment, or being especially close to the person you'd have a child with were the furthest things from my mind.

All of the boys around me were little more than carriers for genetic information; potential mates to give the next generation of the Rose clan a better chance at survival. Now, though, some of the guys I see make my heart flutter and skip a beat. I get tongue tied, I can't look them in the eye, and I daydream about them. I can't remember the last time I had a crush on anyone, but I was so small, probably influenced by all the fairy tales mom would tell me to get me to sleep. The others constantly tease me about them.

Being a student at Beacon just sort of came with friends. I didn't think much of my team at first. Taiyang Xiao Long was pretty dorky and unimpressive. Qrow and Raven Branwen were only notable because of the fact that they were twins. The more time we spent together, though, the more I realized I just enjoyed spending time with them. The more I overcame my grief, the more I smiled. The three of them played a massive part in helping me with that. Professor Ozpin had said our teammates would become our friends, and then our family. They're definitely friends now, but I'm skeptical about the family part.

Leadership comes with its own challenges. Living with my teammates and being friends with them makes it hard to be assertive, and I swear Raven doesn't take me seriously half of the time because of it. It all seems so random, how we got put into these positions. Me of all people, a leader? Raven seemed like she'd be a better fit for that. Well, she seemed like she would be if she were open with us. Qrow's too busy goofing off. Taiyang has a good head on his shoulders, but he's probably more passive than me. Actually, maybe I was the best choice. That just makes me worried.

Right when I thought I was getting used to things, and the busiest four months of my life were finally winding down, I got a letter. An actual piece of paper in a fancy envelope with a fancy seal and everything. That was weird enough. Then I read it, and the crown princess was inviting me to dinner. The invitation was just for me. Taiyang was happy for me. Raven just seemed annoyed. Qrow was bugging me to ask if I could bring a plus one. I was terrified. What did royalty want with a random orphan from central Vale?

She ended up being a lot cooler than I thought she'd be. I was afraid she'd be all pompous, snobby, and spoiled. She was actually really mature for her age, even though she couldn't have been older than 13. Her younger sister wasn't quite as charming. She was just a little kid, so her attitude didn't surprise me, but there were more than a few times I wanted to punt her down the road.

This semester has been busy and overwhelming, but it's been crazy fun. I can't wait to explore more of Vale during the summer! It's going to be sort of weird not having the others with me, but it's just for a little while. I'll survive. I can't wait to see what the second semester and the rest of my time at Beacon has, even if I'm terrified of screwing up.

The knock on the door broke Ruby out of her trance. She looked up to see Yang leaning against the door frame.

"Nora and the other two are doing some nerdy thing in the kitchen. Though you might want to take a look."

Ruby bookmarked the page in the diary she was on and followed Yang downstairs. The table the other three were sitting at was littered with books and sheets.

"There she is!" Nora threw her hands up when Ruby entered.

"It was like she was in her own little world," Yang said.

It wasn't wrong to say that she was. A chance to read more about her mom was fascinating. When her dad showed off her old journals, Ruby spent far too much time figuring out how to fit them all in the things she was packing. She had only just started the first one, and she was already learning new things about her mom. Ruby had heard that she'd met the queen before, but didn't know she was that much younger than them. Based on her meetings with the princess, she couldn't ever imagine her as a spoiled little girl. The Rose clan was mentioned in just a sentence, but that sent Ruby's mind racing. Were there really entire communities of people with Silver eyes out there? Was that why Silver had the same last name as her?

"You're playing The Gallant and The Grimm again?" Ruby asked.

"Before hitting the road again, we went 'eh, why not?'"

"Do you think… I might be able to join you?"

"I don't see wh-"

"Too short notice," Jaune cut in. "Maybe next time. Looks like people joining mid-campaign isn't even all that rare."

"Jaune, don't you think it would be better to have a group of three than just two?" Ren asked.

"Maybe it would be. Like I said, next time."

Yang took a step forward, trying to keep her cool. "Why are you guys even doing this? If you're going to play a game, don't you want something that doesn't need you to read a bunch of giant books and take notes?"

"Here we get to make our own fun. There are no rules!" Nora declared. Her enthusiasm was more subdued than it would usually be.

"Not as restrictive as other types of games, anyway," Ren clarified.

"Pyrrha's the one that introduced us to it," Jaune said. "I wanted to keep the tradition alive. For her. Besides, she never did get to play third edition."

"More power to you, then. Have fun, kids!" Yang waved to them as she left the kitchen. She grabbed Ruby's hand, taking her along as she went. "He's been such a dick lately. Are you sure you're okay? You don't have to go with us if you don't want to, you know. You look tired enough as it is, and I don't think he's going to help you any."

"I'll be fine, Yang. I can't leave you and Uncle Qrow alone." Ruby forced a smile. She wasn't exactly confident that it would fool Yang. "What kind of huntress would I be if I didn't join the fight against evil?"

Yang frowned. She gently stroked Ruby's hair, twirling the ponytail Ruby had recently tied her hair into around her finger. "If it ever gets to be too much, just let me know. If I have to turn back and bring you home, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Don't try to keep anything bottled up, okay?"

"I'll be okay Yang, really." Ruby glanced back into the kitchen. "I thought it might be fun. 'Maybe next time', right?"

One day she'd be able to sit around a table with them. Jaune couldn't be angry with Ruby forever. It wasn't going to be easy, but she just had to stay strong and have faith until then.

"Maybe… I could show you some of mom's diaries. I think you'd like them."

"Mom's deepest and darkest secrets, eh?" Yang chuckled. "As long as they're not too deep and dark. Like dad in a skirt! I think I'd like that."

The two headed back to their room. Before following Yang inside, Ruby looked back downstairs towards the kitchen. She heard the other three laughing from within the kitchen. They were having their own fun. Until she could sit alongside them, she'd have to make her own, and learning about her hero was definitely going to be fun in its own right.

Ruby wanted to stay up, reading more and more about her mom. Qrow had come in, telling the two to get plenty of sleep. The day of their departure had finally arrived. Even if they were going to be taking it easy for the first leg of the trip, he wanted them at their very best.

Getting to sleep was much easier said than done. Ruby had never left Vale before. Now when she finally would be, it was to wage war against some unfathomed force she didn't even know existed until just a few short weeks ago. Blake and Weiss had no idea what was happening. Ruby didn't even know how the two of them were doing back at home. She didn't even know if Sun and Blake got to Menagerie in one piece. There was far too much on her mind to make rest feasible in any way

Ruby struggled to stay awake during breakfast the following morning. Everyone was quiet. Even Nora and Yang ate in silence. As Taiyang washed the dishes, they split up. Ren and Nora settled onto the couch. Qrow and Yang were trying to have some sort of strategy meeting, about what they'd do once they reached Anima. Ruby continued to read. Jaune went somewhere outside.

The sharp knock on the door made Ruby jump in her seat. Ruby and Yang watched from the doorway as Qrow opened the door.

"Well, you look like you've seen better days."

"Cath- Your Majesty, it's good to see you." Qrow stepped aside, one of the queen's guards pushing her wheelchair into the room. The Princess followed in after them.

"I couldn't let you all leave without saying bye, could I?" She pumped a fist. "I know things are looking pretty grim, but have faith!"

"Prince Yu of Mistral should make a reliable ally," Meghan said. "I imagine Qrow would be able to get you a meeting with him. His father would be another story, but…"

"Yu's enough, don't worry," Catherine looking at the five students, nodding approvingly at them all. "After getting through the Fall, I'm sure you all have what it takes to make it through this fight." She gestured towards Qrow. "You have a veteran with you, too."

"Prince Yu, the Ironwoods, President Amel… we have no shortage of allies. Don't forget that."

"Thanks. The pep talk definitely helps," Yang said. "Oh, yeah! What about those prosthetics you two were supposed to get?"

"They aren't here quite yet. But that just means the next time we meet, I'll be back in top form! I can't wait for that!"

"Your Majesty?" Ruby took a step forward. "I got a chance to read a bit about when you met my mom. If I'm getting a chance to talk to you before we leave, I wanted to tell you…"

"Boy, how many years has it been since then?" Catherine sighed. "It was probably just because she was a cool Beacon student, but there was something about her… If you've got the same stuff, I have even more faith in you. Same to you, Yang. You're just as much Summer's daughter as Ruby is."

"It would be improper to only praise our countrymen," Meghan said. "Arc, Valkyrie, Ren. I wish you the best of luck. You fought valiantly for Vale, and now the stage is your own homeland. I've no doubt you'll continue to thrive. I look forward to hearing tales of your heroics."

"It's an honor, Your Highness!" Ren exclaimed. Nora and Jaune thanked her, but were nowhere near as excited.

"We didn't just want to bid you farewell, either." Meghan nodded towards the door. "Join me outside."

A small military airship was outside in front of the cabin.

"So this is our ride to the border?" Qrow asked.

"We're lending you on of the military's finest pilots. There's a car in the hold, too. We were just barely able to squeeze it in, but it worked!" Catherine smiled at Qrow. "You can drive, right?"

"Probably the best one I know. We'll be in Mistral before the end of the month with me behind the wheel."

"The doctors don't want me outside for long, so we should probably get going. Everyone, take care of yourselves. We're counting on you."

"We'll be praying for your success," Meghan added.

"Thank you," Ruby whispered.

The others joined her in showing their gratitude, and the two went on their way. They loaded the few things they packed into the transport, and then the goodbyes came. Taiyang held onto his daughters longer than he did anyone else. Ruby didn't want to let go, but she knew she had to.

"Stick close to Qrow, you two," he said. "And look out for each other. I'll try to write to you while you're in Mistral. You'll probably have a few letters waiting for you when you get there!"

The five teenagers gave Zwei enough ear scratches to last him a few months before they boarded their ship. As it lifted into the air, Taiyang waved after them. Zwei barked and ran after the ship until it flew over the forest. Qrow was speaking to their pilot. Ren was reading. Jaune was idly starting out of the window. Ruby watched as her home grew smaller and smaller, cradling Crescent Rose, Yang and Nora at her side.

It took them a few days to reach the western edge of the continent of Anima. Qrow drove the car out of the transport. With their job done, the pilot started the trip back west.

"A bit big for my tastes, but we got six people. SUV or bust and all that. Pack it in, kids!"

"Shotgun!" Yang and Nora threw their hand into the air at the same time.

The two started playing rock-paper-scissors. While they were distracted, Ruby got in next to Qrow.

"Damn, why didn't I think of that?" Yang asked.

"So, guys…" Jaune took one of the seats in the back. The other three sat in the car's middle row. "What do we do about a name?"

"Do you really want to change JNPR, Nora?" Jaune asked.

"Well, this is a new beginning, right? Don't you think it's right for a fresh start to come with a fresh new name? Besides… we don't have our 'P' anymore…"

"What would you even be?" Qrow asked. "JNR? RNJ?"

"JNRR is my vote!"

"That's just silly. RNJ is better. Besides, that's only three of us. What about Ruby? RNJR is more inclusive."

"If I have to… I think I like JNRR better."

"Really, Jaune? It sounds better to you?" Ren asked.

"Well, Ren, it's two to three! Surrender and accept JNRR as our new name!"

"Fuck me, huh?" Yang asked. "Where's the 'Y'?"

"Where would a 'Y' go?" Nora crossed her arms, scrunching her face up in thought.

"How about JRRNY? Like 'journey'? I don't think it sounds too bad," Jaune said.

"Actually quite clever…" Ren said. "I still prefer RNJR, though."

"Yellow RNJR?" Yang proposed. "I like the ring of it."

"I like that," Ruby said.

"We got a long ride to Mistral." Qrow turned on the radio. "You kids have time to figure it out."

He changed the station until it was playing popular music instead of local news. When he started tapping the steering wheel to the beat of the music, Nora started humming in the back seat. Yang and Ren joined in. With them singing, it was easy to forget why they had come to Mistral in the first place. It was like they were just on a nice little road trip, not trying to beat Salem and her lieutenants to Haven. When they did arrive, things were going to get busy. Ruby just hoped that until they did, the trip would be harmless.

Skit - Until Further Notice (Silver, Tyrian, Rapunzel)

Rapunzel: Well, boss man, I guess this is bye for now.

Silver: What did I say about calling me that?

Tyrian: It isn't so bad, is it? Must you reject her affection?

Silver: I'm not sure I'd call it affection.

Rapunzel: Well, don't go and get yourself killed or something. Sounds like what you're doing is pretty dicey.

Tyrian: Do have faith in our leader, Rapunzel. He'll be fine. Unless… he finds himself in harm's way for a certain young woman's sake.

Silver: You have ruins to get to, don't you?

Rapunzel: Harsh, man.

Author's Note

Volume 2.5 is done, and I'm out of material. I was on a good streak, but it's over. Between just having a lot of things going on and burnout, I've barely started Volume 3. So I'll be going on hiatus. For quite a while. I don't think I'll be back until the entire Mistral Arc is done. That's Volumes 3, 3.5, 4, and 4.5, so there would plenty of things already written and the weekly uploads wouldn't have to stop for a rather long time. I want to thank everyone for sticking with me this far. Sorry to have to go for now. I have every intention to return someday, and I hope people will be able to bear with me until then.