"That was both really cool, and really scary at the same time." Yang commented as Jet flew towards them in the stands, turning in mid-air and tucking his wings in to land perfectly in the empty seat next to Ruby. He felt her aura intermingle with his own as he looked up at Yang.

"Well, they were useless to me in that state." Jet explained. "And they had been bullying so many in the past, one of their victims being me, so I simply decided to lock them out of the fight and use their energy to sustain me in place of my own aura."

Yang leant back so Weiss, who was sitting next to her having just arrived herself, could see Jet. Her face was one of stern appraisal.

"There's just one thing I don't get." she remarked. "Why were you invulnerable throughout the fight?"

"Invulnerable?!" Both Yang and Ruby asked in shock, both girls looking to Jet for confirmation (Jet used his sixth sense to find Ruby).

"You explain." Jet shot at Weiss, who scowled at him a little before snapping her fingers to get the two girls' attention.

"When that aura bar turns gold," she pointed at the aura indicators, "the one with it is completely invincible. The aura can't decrease. Normally, that's only temporary, but with you," she turned her gaze onto Jet, "that was sustained for the entire fight. How?"

"Maybe I'm just so powerful now that you and your team can't hold a candle to me." Jet said, cockily. "After all, I did catch your blade and rip it out of your hand before blasting you with my Red Pulse, taking you out in one hit."

"That's the other thing. How did you send out a red pulse that powerful?" Weiss queried, keeping her gaze locked on him now as if searching for lies. "It gets stronger as you take damage, but there it was full strength, and you hadn't taken any damage yet."

"That part, I don't know." Jet replied honestly. "I'm surprised it didn't take me out with recoil damage. You know it deals damage to me proportional to about a third of what I dish out, and both sets of damage scale with how much I've already taken. Still," he said over a clash of steel that indicated the next fight had begun, "it shows that I've transcended what I was capable of before. I doubt anyone can defeat me now."

"It's true." Ruby said from behind him, and Jet felt her interlink their arms. "I've seen his power. Trust me, it's impossible to beat him."

"He can't be impossible to defeat, Ruby." Weiss snapped.

"Really?" Jet interrupted before Ruby could retort. "In that case, since actions speak louder than words, how about I show you how much power I have. All of RWBY and one other team of your choice, against me. Eight against one."

There was silence at his words.

"What were you thinking?!" Ruby asked Jet as she perched on Jet's bed in team LIJN's Dorm. The place looked much as it had done the last time Ruby had visited, the floating beds remaining a testament to the mysterious nature of the occupants.

Ruby was looked down at Jet, who was rummaging around in his chest of drawers underneath his bed for something. Aside from Izzet, who was napping in her own bed, they were alone.

"I'm testing my powers." Jet replied coolly, as he found what he was looking for, closing the drawer and then jumping up onto the bed so that they were face to face. "Besides, you and I both know RWBY and whichever team you ask help for won't succeed."

"It's not that!" Ruby shouted. Didn't he get it? This would probably reveal him as an Angel of Darkness! And if they were discovered, it would all be over! "You could be discovered!"

"We need to do this, Ruby." Jet said, in a darker voice now. "Otherwise, we'll-"

He was interrupted by a hand over his mouth, and he whirled around to see Izzet, fully awake, behind him. Ruby jumped in a fright, and nearly toppled off the bed.

'Discover what?' the telepath asked, eyes boring into both Ruby's and Jet's. Jet raised his right hand to push Izzet's hand off his mouth, and Ruby noticed her eyes widen. The dark jet ring on the middle finger of his right hand caught her attention, and she spotted the ring on Ruby's hand too.

Tears appeared in the telepath's eyes, and she vanished without another word.

"Why did-" Jet asked, spinning around to see where she'd gone, and then he seemed to realise something. "Shit!"

"What's wrong?!" Ruby asked, now panicked. What was going on?

"Go back to Team RWBY's dorm." Jet instructed. "Stay there, and don't follow me. This is something I have to do alone. Understand?" His eyes had developed a hard look again, and Ruby felt them piercing her own, as if they were staring into her soul.

"I-I understand. Come at seven-o-clock, if you can." Ruby replied. Jet nodded with a reassuring smile, and he too vanished. Ruby immediately jumped off the bed and made for the door. If Jet was like this, then there was a very serious reason, and while Ruby had a curious streak almost as large as her childish streak, she knew better than to question him.

Jet appeared out of thin air onto the same building he and Izzet had kissed together on Christmas Eve. True to his prediction, Izzet was there, her legs hanging off the side of the roof, her back to him.

'For the record, it wasn't that hard to guess.' Jet remarked telepathically, deciding to be courteous and use her method of communication. Izzet didn't respond, and Jet used this opportunity to approach her. He noticed her wiping her eyes, and this confirmed what he'd suspected.

'What am I to you?' Izzet asked. Jet closed off the connection and thought. He knew what she wanted to hear, but unfortunately, he couldn't say it. If he did, it would destroy Ruby, and right now, he couldn't afford to lose either girl.

'You're Izzet, a beautiful and wonderful girl. You're my partner, you're a loved one and you're my bonding partner for Asmo's blessing. That's who you are to me.' Jet replied.

'In short, a tool.' Izzet shot back, turning to face him. 'A tool that you maintain and repair and love, then discard when it's broken or when you don't need it!' She stood up and faced him. 'You love me only because I keep your light powers!' Anger replaced sadness as she approached him, hands balled into fists. 'Because I helped you! You only love Ruby right now because she's more USEFUL to you!'

Jet didn't hesitate. As soon as Izzet neared striking range, he slapped her across the face, the force of the blow sending the lithe girl toppling to the floor, her sharp exhale the only sign of pain. He was full of disbelief now. Did she really think for a second that he thought of her as that?

'Do not ever,' Jet sent furiously as he knelt before her, eyes boring into her own as she propped herself up on an elbow, 'insinuate that I don't care about you or Ruby! You know I still love you, and wouldn't think of ever dumping you like trash!'

'Only so I can serve you as-' Izzet sent, but she was interrupted by Jet, who had grabbed her and kissed her. He felt her resistance slacken as he held her, unceasing, not entering her mouth but remaining there.

'Never think my words empty.' Jet replied. 'I concede, part of it is the bond we share, but most if not all is devoted to my love for you. Never, ever forget that.'

He didn't need to say anything else. Activating his time stop, he took flight from the building, ending it when he was a good distance away, hidden by colourless clouds. He hoped Izzet would understand. Even before Ruby, his main objective came first, lest neither of his lovers see the light of day ever again. With that in mind, he dived towards the dorm rooms, where Ruby had asked him to meet her.