Reaction time (All the good names are taken (sigh))

by spart1339

Spart, having seen the future of the RWBY decides that a change is needed and wishes to bring in that change. So, he brings RWBY, JNPR, Beacon teachers and parents to change their fates and to show them the multiverse of Jaune Arc. From hero to villain, hunter to humble shop owner, secret agent to ladies man. The realities of Jaune Arc are infinite.

9. Chapter 9

A/N: First off , I'm sorry about the long delay in between chapters. They do take a long time for me to write and then the reactions are another thing to deal with. It's a very time consuming task, one I hope to get better at but we'll see as we move forward with this story. I wrote this in sections so some parts may seem different bear with me. Thank you to MKIceAndFire and Gamer's Little Playground for providing a walkthrough of the game for me to watch and translate into this type of format.

Thank you to everyone for being patient and let's go.

Inspiration: The Darkness game

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"Alright, everyone. Before we begin, I should warn you that this showing has elements that may upset some of you." Spart told the audience.

"Is it bad?" Ruby asked stretching in her seat.

"Yes."

"Thanks for the warning." Yang added popping her back making some in the audience wince at the sound.

"Must you do that every time I'm around?" Weiss asked looking at the blonde fighter who shrugged. "I'm sure there is a place to get a massage." She said looking at Spart.

"I'll add one later." Spart told her. "Any questions about the showing?"

"You said earlier that this is going to be from the Dark 'Verse, correct?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yes. I won't spoil it, but this is one of my personal favorite universes." Spart told them. "Enjoy the show."

Everyone focused on the screen stocking up on snacks and drinks as the screen turns on and the lights dim.

"I remember the night of my twentieth-first birthday."

"That was the first time I died."

"You don't think he means literally?" Ren asked concerned for his friend.

"I think we need to watch to know for sure." Jaune said also wondering what he means.

"I remember ours." Qrow said with a wince recalling the massive headache he and Raven had after celebrating their twenty-first birthday. Their teammates were not happy with them and Summer teased them the entire day.

Raven looked at her brother and shook her head recalling the distant memories that she long since buried.

"Arc! Hello, Arc! Come on, wake up sunshine."

Arc opens his eyes slowly allowing his vision to clear up from being blurry.

"No, no up here, you Goombah. Come on, look at me!"

Arc looks up and winces at the bright light that flood his eyes. He blinks a couple of times till his eyes readjust to the light. He notices that he is in the back of car that is about to enter a tunnel.

Two people are sitting in front, both are wearing suits of different colors. The one in the passenger seat is relaxed as he looks at Arc.

"Come on. What's the matter you pussy, huh? You get one little baby tap from a nightclub bouncer, you go to sleep on me over here?"

"To be fair, some of those bouncers are pretty big." Yang said thinking about the many bouncers she encountered. Her team shake their heads knowing that when it comes to clubs or bouncers, Yang is the expert.

"What accent is that?" Kali asked having never heard that accent before.

"I don't know." James says confused and also curious.

"Jaune pulls off the all black look." Coco said impressed since black on black is hard to pull off. "Not sure about the coat."

"Is fashion all she thinks about?" Sun whispered to Velvet who shook her head.

"Not all the time." Velvet replied knowing that Coco can be serious when the situation calls for it.

"Hey, I already told you. He don't look so good." The driver looks at the passenger and waves his hand at him before going back to looking at the road. "That guy was a goddamn gorilla. Ugly too."

The driver honks the horn to get the cars in front of them to move faster as they move through the tunnel.

"Paulie's gonna rip our nuts off, he finds out we never collected his money." The passenger said while the car slowed down due to the car in front of them going slow. The driver honks the horn again. "Oh, man… Man, we screwed the pooch on this one, Jaune."

"Who's Paulie? And what does he do?" Yang asked curious but Spart didn't answer choosing not to spoil the story.

"Is Jaune part of a gang?" Ruby asked having read a book that Weiss forced on her one time about gangs and criminals. According to Weiss it was meant to "broaden her horizons". She read that thing front to back multiple times to get Weiss off her back. She read that gangs collect money from business that offered them money.

"Let's keep watching and find out." Nora said looking at the screen tossing a popcorn in her mouth.

"You know what Paulie's like, you don't collect, best not to even come home." The passenger yelled as he turned in his seat to look at Jaune.

"Hey, Paulie don't know nothin' alright." The driver said as the car in front of them started to pick up speed. "We'll tell him the money was stolen before we got there. Maybe he'll be nice 'cause it's Jaune's birthday…"

The driver gets fed up with the slow car in front of them and goes around.

"The guy's a piranha, Mikey. He wouldn't know "nice" if it slapped him upside the head with a fifty pound sledgehammer." The passenger told the driver, Mikey while Jaune looked to the cop they passed as they change lanes. "Jesus Christ , we gotta get a plan here."

The car speeds up and pass a semi-truck. "Okay, okay… Practical question: you think Paulie will still want us to take out the foreman at the construction site?" Mikey asked while serving between the vehicles in the tunnel. "'Cause I'm headed that way."

"So Jaune is a hitman." Ren said with a frown. "And appears to work for a gang or mob."

"Mob would be my guess." Ozpin said setting his mug down. "Having met a few of them, Jaune and his associates match their style."

"I wonder what this Jaune is like." Nora asked curious about his outlook and morals.

"That cop isn't doing their job." James said noticing the cop didn't immediately go after them.

"You would focus on that." Willow said with a small smile knowing that James is very adamant when it comes to laws.

"Yeah… Yeah. I mean Paulie was adamant, right?" The passenger agreed. "I mean, maybe if we whack that guy nice and clean like, he won't be too hard on us, you think?

"Maybe… But we gotta get there first." Mikey said as he continued to drive fast around the cars. He sees something in the rearview mirror and looks behind him. "Hey, we got company…"

The passenger turns in his seat and looks behind Jaune. "Drive, goddamnit!" He shouts pulling his gun. Jaune turns around and sees a cop car following them.

"Hold on to your lunch!" Mikey told them as he floors the gas the pedal and rams a car out of the way.

The passenger just laughs as they zoom past the other cars. "Christ Mikey! You're gonna kill us."

"That is an overreaction." Leon said surprised that they didn't just stop and talk their way out. "They could've bribed them. Literally anything else other than fleeing."

"They could have something illegal in their car that they can't be caught with." Emilia said looking at the screen. "Or they could be just crazy.

"Maybe both." Jaune added.

"I told you they was coming. I heard the sirens." Mikey said swiping another car while the passenger fully turns in his seat to look behind them. "Didn't I say I heard sirens, Nino?"

"You hear sirens in your sleep, Mikey." Nino said aiming his gun at the pursuing cop. "You gonna shake these assholes or what?" Nino flicks the safety off.

"Watch this!" Mikey said driving through a barricade and onto on coming traffic and starts dodging incoming cars.

Nino fires a shot at the cop car. "Yeah! You like that, pig!" He yells at the cops while standing up in his seat.

"Tell them they'll never take us alive! They hate that!" Mikey suggested focusing on his driving. Nino sits back down and looks at Jaune.

"Jaune, we gotta get to the Grave's End Construction site and take care of Paulie's contract on the foreman." Nino told Jaune who nodded and Nino grabs a shotgun from under his seat.

"Two jobs in one night, like we're slaves or something." Nino complained while he hands the shotgun to Jaune along with some shells. Jaune looks at the gun getting a feel for it. "Jaune, don't just sit there starin' like a retard. We gotta shake these pigs!"

Mikey moves the car out of the way from a semi that swerves to the side. The vehicle goes back into the right lane avoiding the cars that swerve to get out of their way.

"Come on! Load up an' help me out!" Nino yelled spurring Jaune into action while he grabs his gun. Jaune holds the shotgun up and starts loading the shells into the loading port.

A cop car gets in front of them and tries to block their path. "This is the New York City Police Department. Stop the car and step out with your hands in the air!" The cop orders the trio in the car over the intercom.

Mikey pulls alongside the cop car and starts ramming the side of the car. Jaune continues to load the shells into the shogun while Nino fires at the car.

"Anytime you're ready, Jaune, huh? Take your time!" Nino yells looking at Jaune in between shooting at the cop car. He stands up while the cop car gets in front of them again and this time Mikey hits the car in a way that causes the car to flip and fly over them and Nino's head. "Don't worry about getting our heads blown off!"

"Damn!" Pyrrha yelled in surprise at seeing the car flip over them.

"This jumps right into the action." Nora said having a love of action films.

"He sure is taking his time loading that gun." Raven said looking at her wine glass and a servant droid appeared next to her and refilled her glass.

"He's in a moving vehicle that is swerving left and right, gunfire. That creates a stressful situation for anyone." Qrow said looking at his sister. "Even a trained individual can still make mistakes."

"Very true." Ozpin said taking a sip from his mug and even Glynda nodded.

Jaune follows the cop car as it flies over them and crashes behind them. More cops show up and drive past the wreckage continuing the pursuit.

"Hoohoo, they got new uniforms!" Mikey said continuing to drive past the cars in front of them. "Did you see them new uniforms they got? Pretty sharp!"

Jaune drops one of the shells when Mikey rammed a car out of the way, Nino continues to shoot at the pursuing cops when he stops firing and looks at Mikey. "Hey! Hey, these are James Ironwood's boys."

Mikey looks behind them for a moment before focusing back on the road. "Why the hell are they shooting at us?" He asked pulling his own gun. "They're supposed to be on Paulie's payroll."

"I would never work with criminals." James proclaimed from his seat.

"I dunno, something tells me you would be a great criminal." Qrow said with a smirk directed at James who ignored him. "That military experience and the number of soldiers that would follow you. It could be a powerhouse. Gives me the chills just thinking about it."

"Qrow…" Ozpin said looking at his associate.

"I wonder who would win, Ironwood or Uncle Qrow?" Ruby whispered to her sister.

Yang wanted to say their uncle would win at first but after some thought she couldn't say. She didn't know how the General of Atlas fought or even what his semblance is. So, she couldn't exactly say who would win in a fight between the two.

"Obviously, General Ironwood would win." Weiss said with pride in her kingdom's General. "He did train Winter after all."

"Hear that, James. We need to have a spar and settle this debate." Qrow said looking at James. "Can't have my nieces thinking you're better than me."

"In some ways." Winter whispered earning a look from James.

"Fuck 'em! Paulie's gonna go apeshit on us anyway – so keep shootin'." Mikey turns around and fires his gun. Nino stands up to get a better shot and fires a couple of more times before looking at Mikey.

"Would you drive straight! I can't get a bead!" Nino shouts firing more while Jaune continues to load the shogun.

"I am driving straight! You shoot straight!" Mikey shouts back, firing his own gun.

"Mikey, you crazy bastard!'

"Hey, you wanna drive, jackass?"

A police SUV pulls beside them, Nino points to them. "Waste that guy on the left! I got the one trailing!"

Jaune looks behind them and sees the police car get its tires shot out and swerves only to end up flipping. "Oh, sorry about that, officer!" He hears Nino yelling as he loads another shell.

"You missed!" Nino yells seeing the police SUV still alongside them back off. "Come on, they're gaining on us!" Another police SUV comes up and rams the back of the car causing Nino to fall and land halfway out the car. "Fuck me!"

Mikey pulls the steering wheel to the left to avoid a semi and unfortunately Nino didn't react in time getting hit by the semi decapitating him.

Everyone winced at the scene, RWBY and JNPR no longer felt queasy at seeing the gory scene. They didn't know if that is a good thing or not. Time will only tell.

"Nino! Oh shit! Jaune… Jaune, you gotta get up here!" Mikey yells just as Jaune finishes loading the shotgun. "Take Nino's place. I can't lose this guy."

Jaune stands up and climbs over the seat where he kicks Nino's body out of the car and takes his spot.

"Scratch one more of New York's finest!" Mikey yells after causing another police car to crash. The SUV that rammed them gets in front of them again only for it to crash into the back of a taxi that tried to get out of the way. "That's for my buddy Nino, asswipe!"

Jaune looks at the wreckage behind them and sees no more police after them.

"This is it! Hold onto your nut sack!" Mikey told Jaune driving through another barricade and onto the incoming lane. "This goes right into the construction site. So we better keep an eye out for them Irish boys, Jaune."

They drive through a construction site where one of the works lands on hood of the car holding a gun. "Holy shit! Look out!"

Jaune reacts quickly and shoots the worker pointblank with the shotgun killing him and making a mess. The body falls off the hood as they make through the construction site.

"Messy but effective." Raven said watching the screen.

"More like gory." Ghira said seeing the scene of a shotgun being used at pointblank range.

"At least he doesn't hesitate." James said looking at the screen.

"Hahaha! Somebody better call cleanup!" Mikey says driving down the tunnel where more workers are shooting at them. Jaune fires as they get closer killing some of the workers as they drive past them. "Hang on!"

Jaune sees a truck trying to block their path and more workers ahead of them.

"What the fuck is this! They knew we're coming for christsakes!" Mikey yells flooring the gas and driving the past the truck while Jaune shoots more of them. "Jeez, some welcome party, huh? Funny hats, guns and fucking everything!'

Jaune sees a worker on a scaffold and shoots, killing him as Mikey hits the side of the tunnel. "You think Paulie has something to do with this?" The car starts to swerve and Mikey does his best to control it.

"From the sound of it, this Paulie appears to be the mob boss." Bart said with a finger against his chin. "Also, he appears to be…"

"An asshole." Peter suggested looking at Bart.

"Unpleasant." Bart said. "Though it does raise an interesting question. Why would Paulie tell the man he wants dead about the hit on him."

"We may get our answers soon." Leon said watching the screen.

"I say ambush." Mikey struggles with the wheel. "Am-fucking-bush!" He yells as he losses control of the car and it hits a ramp causing them to flip and crash into the construction site. Mikey screaming is the last thing Jaune hears before he blacks out.

"Grave's End Construction site… Aptly named." Jaune said even though the screen is still black. "Classic mob-venture filled with blue-collar construction workers armed to the teeth. And my boss, Uncle Paulie, sent me here to whack the foreman."

"Like I said… Classic."

The screen fades to Jaune awakens on the cold ground with a groan. "Owwww, man." He hears Mikey groaning and slowly gets to his feet. "This sucks donkey dick!" Jaune takes in his surroundings and sees the car he was in flipped upside down.

"Hey!" Mikey's voice comes from the other side of the flipped car. Jaune walks around the car slowly. "I'm dyin' over here! Where the hell are you?!" Jaune makes it to the other side of the car and sees Mikey on his back.

Jaune goes over to Mikey and grabs him under the arms and drags him away from the wreckage making him yell in pain as he does so. He notices a piece of the car is lodged in his upper thigh staining his black pants with blood.

"That's a bad wound." Ren said seeing the amount of blood Mikey has lost. "He doesn't have long."

"Even with Aura, a wound like that can be fatal without proper medical treatment." Jaune said surprising his team and RWBY as well. "I pay attention in medical class. Even if I can't fight, I can still help by healing my teammates."

"Huh." Blake said surprised by Jaune once again. "Does anyone in our team have medical knowledge?"

The silence among her team answered that question. They paid attention in medical class but only got the basics. Something that would need to change if they want to survive during missions.

Jaune drags Mikey over to a box where he lifts him up and sets him down on top it.

"Jesus!" Mikey said doing his best to hide the pain. "I wouldn't wanna do that again. Ah! Aw, man. Would you look at that?" Mikey looks at his pants and the piece of metal sticking out of his leg. "These pants cost me four hundred bucks over at Sal's. Now they got bloodstains all over 'em." He said waving his hand at the loss of his pants and groaning in pain. "Jaune, there's a case in the car. Get it, will ya?

Jaune looks at the upside-down car and gets down on his knees to see. There under the driver's seat is a black case that he grabs and stands back up. He gives it to Mikey who takes it.

"Some fuckin' twenty-first birthday for you, huh?" Mikey says opening the case and grabbing two handguns from it. "Here…" He says holding them by the barrels and offering them to Jaune. "Got you a present."

Jaune takes the pistols from Mikey and looks them over. "Thanks, Mikey." The pistols are Colt make with black metal and engraved in a lighter metal making them stand out.

Qrow whistled at the guns. "That must have cost him a pretty penny."

"Those engravings serve no function other than making it a collector's item." Ruby said examining the guns. "I wonder what caliber they fire?"

"After this showing I'll be adding a firing range so you can try them out for yourself." Spart told the girl making her eyes sparkle and she practically vibrated in her seat at the notion of trying out new weapons from different universe.

"That sounds fun. It's been a while since I've been to the range." Emilia said with a longing sigh. Being a mother to eight children didn't leave her with a lot of free time.

"Attaboy, Jaune. You look after those pieces an' use 'em well." Mikey tells Jaune. "You know, this looks real bad… Real bad… Now go find out what's going on, then get the hell outta here…" Mikey whispers the last part before succumbing to his wounds.

"Thanks, Mikey." Jaune whispers looking at the body before looking at the only door and seeing it locked. He checks the case and sees two magazines for the pistols and takes them loading them and proceeding to shoot the lock off.

Jaune enters a hallway with boxes stacked along the wall and a light that is flickering. He walks down the hall stepping over one of the boxes in his path.

"Jaune."

Everyone in the theater felt a chill run down their spines, hairs stood up and their instincts in the face of danger went on full alert.

"What…is…that?" Jaune said slowly trying to compose his nerves.

Jaune stops and looks around wondering where that disembodied voice came from. Just hearing the voice sent chills down his spine and spark a fear in him. Shaking his head, he found a cargo elevator and pressed the "up" button making it move after closing the gate.

"You ever got that loan you applied for?"

Jaune looked up upon hearing the voices, he readied his pistols as the elevator slowly reached the upper floor.

"Oh, yeah. Sure! They sent the money over in a covered wagon with an armed guard."

The elevator stopped when it reached the floor and Jaune opened the gate slowly and lucky for him there are pallets blocking the elevator from the rest of the room.

"They said I didn't hafta pay it back either."

Jaune left the elevator and walked around to the side of the pallet and peeked around the corner. Two armed workers are talking with each other and Jaune took aim and fired. The first bullet hit one of the workers in the gut and the other quickly turned around.

"What the-"

Jaune fired both his pistols hitting the worker in the chest killing him. He walked over to the first guard he shot and finished the job with a shot to the head.

"He's done this many times." Raven said impressed at the Jaune on screen and how he killed the guards with zero hesitation. "A killer indeed."

"Not sure that is something to be proud of." Emilia said looking at Raven. "Then again I shouldn't be surprised from a mother who abandoned her daughter and left to rejoin a band of murderers and thieves."

Everyone felt the temperature in the room drop and everyone looked at the two women ready to intervene when Spart glowed red and unleashed a high pitch noise that sounded like a growl stopping everyone.

"EVERYONE REMAIN SEATED! I BROUGHT YOU ALL HERE TO VIEW THE MULTIVERSE AND TO CHANGE THE FUTURE THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE!"

Spart's red glow changed from red back to his usual blue. "I understand if you have grievances with another but refrain from them until after the showing when the arena is open. I did not bring all of you together to fight. Now please watch the viewing."

Everyone looked back the screen hoping to not see just what Spart can do to them with even a fraction of his power.

Jaune left the room and entered a small hallway where he opened the door at the end to show stairs. He went up the stairs making sure to watch the top.

"Soon…"

Jaune stopped again upon hearing the voice in his head, he cleared his thoughts and resumed walking up the stairs slowly when he made it to the top showing a clearing filled with construction equipment and a worker with his back to Jaune.

Wasting no time, Jaune shot the guard in the back forcing him to his knees where he placed the barrel of the pistol against the back of the worker's head and pulled the trigger. Two more guards started shooting at Jaune forcing him into cover. Jaune fired around the corner killing one of the guards that stood out in the open.

"Jaune, you fucker!" The remaining guard shouted as he walked over to where Jaune is firing his gun. When he got closer Jaune jumped out of cover and kicked the guard in the balls before placing the gun under his chin and pulling the trigger. With the guards dealt with Jaune reloaded his pistols using the magazines that he took from the bodies.

JNPR and RWBY winced at the execution of the guard.

"Seems he knows how to fight dirty." James said in a tone that sounded like… approval?

"I'm surprised to hear you say that, James." Willow said looking at the General as did Winter. "You usually talk about honor."

"When I was younger, yes." James said looking at Willow. "With age and experience I've learned that such things like honor have a place and time. Just not in the field or during a mission."

"On that we agree." Qrow said a glass to James. "Take a lesson kids. James is actually giving some good advice for once."

"He's got you beat in that department." Tai said making Summer chuckle.

Jaune entered an unfinished building where he heard more shouting and hugged the wall.

"You're gonna know the meaning of pain, Jaune!"

Jaune scoffed and peeked around the corner to see three more guards standing out in the open like idiots. He shook his head before walking around the corner and shooting the closest one forcing the others into cover. He kept shooting to keep them in cover before getting behind a pillar for cover, the guards used the opportunity to shoot back and Jaune waited for a gap in the firing before leaning out and shooting back.

He killed one of the guards with a series of body shots before turning to the last one and shooting him twice in the head. The sounds of a helicopter overhead got his attention as he reloaded his guns and used the cargo elevator to access the top floors.

"News Watch Six following a developing story at the Graves End Construction site."

Jaune heard a woman's voice over the sound the helicopter, most likely the news anchor as the cargo elevator continued its ascent.

"Police reporting shots were fired in the vicinity just moments ago."

The cargo elevator reached the top floor and stopped allowing Jaune to disembark and continue his mission to whack the foreman.

"This is Lisa Lavender live on the scene in the News Watch Six chopper."

"Seems like in every world Lisa is a reporter." Glynda said wondering if there is a universe out there where the reporter isn't a reporter and instead something else.

"There is." Spart said hearing her thoughts and drawing her gaze. "In fact, there is a universe where Lisa has your job and you hers."

"Glynda has a reporter?" Ozpin said with a slight chuckle already imagining it.

"She's actually quite a successful one." Spart told them. "In fact, she's uncovers the truth about Salem and under the threat of death from you. She doesn't go public with the news and instead works to suppress any news of Salem and her followers."

"Threat of death?" Ozpin asked worried. Throughout his many lives he rarely used the threat of death to keep people in line. He chose to be more a shadow puppeteer, manipulating things from behind the curtain.

"The other you is more… direct. When it comes to matters of Salem." Said Spart. "In that world, you bloody your hands instead of being behind the scenes. Making you something of an urban legend when you're not busy dealing with the Council."

"Ugh, I'd rather fill in all the student information manually then deal with the Council." Ozpin said with a groan.

"That can be arranged." Glynda said looking at Ozpin who went back to watching the screen.

Jaune recognized the name but paid it no mind as he crawled under a gap in the pallets to get to the other side.

"He's not getting away."

"We got him surrounded."

Jaune heard the voices of the workers and guards coming from below and the sounds of the helicopter slowly grew louder. The door at the end of the catwalk opened and reacting quickly Jaune killed the guard before he could shoot.

"We can see movement down below. No confirmed reports of any casualties, but police are known to be racing towards the scene."

Jaune entered the doorway the worker opened and saw an open window with a scaffold outside. He climbed out and saw the news helicopter right outside blowing air in his face and making his blonde hair fly back. A light focused on him temporarily blinding him, he held up his arm to shield his eyes and when the pilot saw his gun the helicopter flew up to a safe distance.

"He's quick and proficient." Raven said with a whistle. "My favorite type."

"I thought that was blonde." Summer said sending a glare at Raven.

"Remember what Spart said about picking fights in the theater." Tai said placing a hand on Summer's shoulder to calm her down. She nodded with a sigh and went back to watching the screen.

"Should we be worried?" Qrow whispered to Tai seeing his sister return the glare.

"A little. I'll talk to Summer and see what's going on." Tai responded and Qrow nodded looking back at the screen.

Jaune looked around the scaffold and saw a ladder leading to the roof to the adjacent building where the foreman is at. He climbed the ladder and walked onto the roof when the sound of a window breaking caught his attention.

"I see you, Jaune!"

Jaune rolled out of the way as the guard in the window started shooting, he rolled to his knees where he started shooting back and killed the guard in the window. Jaune kept an eye on the window as he climbed an AC unit and through the window the guard was using. He found himself in a hallway and started making his way slowly down the hall making sure to keep his guns raised, he reached the corner and peeked around it to see no one waiting for him.

The end of the hallway is blocked by a desk pushed against the door and the other door is wide open.

Jaune entered the opened room and saw nothing just an empty desk and another door in the back. He crossed the room and opened it. Another table greeted him, a TV sat on a table with blood splatter on the table and wall. Jaune entered the room and the TV turned on showing Jaune's boss, Paulie on the screen.

Paulie is an overweight middle-aged man with thinning hair combed over and wearing a black and white fitted suit. His black eyes hold a lot of hate for Jaune.

"I don't even know the man and I already hate him." Emilia said glaring at the man on screen.

"He does give off a rather 'unique' vibe." Kali said choosing her words carefully.

"You mean asshole?" Willow suggested with a small smirk. "I know the type."

"Exactly." Said Kali.

"Hey, it's your Uncle Paulie." Paulie said over the TV. "You know, you've been a pain in my ass since the day I met you, Jaune. Pissin' and moanin' about the way I do business."

Jaune watched Paulie rant on the TV slowly getting an uneasy feeling.

"Well you need to learn who's calling the shots in this family." Paulie said raising his voice at the end of his sentence. "I've been very, very generous to you, Jaune. In fact, I've got a surprise for you… On your birthday."

"It's a trap." RWBY and JNPR said at the same time seeing the signs.

"As a hitman for the mafia, you'd think this Jaune would see the signs and run." Winter said shaking her head in disbelief as to why Jaune isn't already running out of the room.

"True." James agreed. "I wonder how this Paulie runs things that would warrant Jaune speaking out. And why that would lead to this type of response."

"We should keep watching and find out." Willow said already watching the screen.

"It's in the closet…" Paulie said. "Have a blast!"

Jaune shot the TV destroying it and walked over to the closet where he opened it to show the foreman he was supposed to kill already dead with a bomb strapped to him.

"Happy birthday Jaune!" is written in blood above the body as the timer started to tick. Jaune wasted no time and ran out of the room just in time for it exploded knocking him off his feet and through a window where he plummeted to the ground. He crashed through a skylight and hit the ground hard enough to knock him out.

The screen cuts to black and shows Jaune standing alone in a dark void.

"What is going on?" Ren asked confused as to why the screen is showing Jaune alone.

"He's not… dead, is he?" Nora asked.

"No, think of these moments as him voicing his thoughts in his mind." Spart explained to the audience. "There will be moments like this throughout the showing that offer a unique perspective to this Jaune."

"Fascinating." Bart said. "We'll be able to hear his thoughts and see how he reacts."

"Different from the previous showings." Ozpin said with interest. "Nevertheless, it is an interesting opportunity to hear how this Jaune thinks."

"Me an' Paulie never did agree about the way things were being done." Jaune said holding one of his pistols. "Paulie took the business into selling drugs, working side by side with the cops."

"When I was growing up, the family had codes. We did business, we looked out for the people." Jaune held a finger at each point. "I believe we ought to honor those codes. Now Paulie… he's just a parasite. Wants to bleed me dry."

The screen fades to Jaune laying on the floor groaning as he regained conscious and saw the building above him burning.

"So, he respects the old ways of how the Family did things. While this Paulie does things that seems to go against the code he grew up with." Leon said with a nod. "It's good to have a set of codes to follow and believe in."

"True words and wisdom." Raven said surprising everyone that knows her and shocking to them to hear her actually agree with someone.

"Is that why Paulie wants to kill Jaune? Because he follows the code of the Family." Velvet asked.

"Paulie most likely sees how Jaune acts towards him as a challenge to his rule and so decided that he must get rid of him" Emilia surmised looking at the screen. "Typical for those who grew used to the power they wield. They grow fearful and paranoid enough that they start lashing out the moment they think someone is coming for them."

"You seem to know a lot about that." Ghira said looking at Emilia.

"Grew up in a place that had a guy like Paulie." She said with a sigh. "Made life hell because he thought everyone was out to get him."

"What happened to him?" Jaune asked looking at his mother.

"I got bigger." She said with a small smile that made everyone nervous except for Leon who knows what happened.

The screen fades to Jaune laying on the floor groaning as he regained conscious and saw the building above him burning.

"I saw him! He came outta the window!"

Jaune groaned as he picked himself up off the cold floor. He looked through the broken skylight that he crashed through where he heard more voices.

"Down there!"

Jaune quickly left the room he crashed into after grabbing his guns.

"He's goin' towards the cemetery! Tell the boys to drive around the block. We'll squeeze him in there!"

Jaune found himself in a maintenance tunnel with pipes overhead and other such items. He walked down the tunnel.

"Where is he? I don't see him no more."

"I lost him too."

The voices faded as Jaune left the tunnel and walked into a cemetery. He took a moment to catch his breath before continuing.

"Darkness will fall."

"That voice again." Jaune said feeling the same thing from before though less prominent. "I got a bad feeling about it."

"You're not the only one." Pyrrha said holding his hand. "Something tells me we've yet to see the worst."

"Not comforting." Nora said looking at Pyrrha then back to the screen.

Jaune ignored the voice as best he could and continued walking through the cemetery and past the graves when he heard the sound of tires squealing and doors opening and closing.

"Hey! Who are you? What are you doin' to my cemetery?"

Jaune heard the groundskeeper and saw one of the members of the Irish gang wearing black suits patrolling the grounds looking for him. Deciding to not waste any more time and leave the area, he shot the gang member with his pistols killing him.

"Over here!" Another gang member shouted and started shooting.

Jaune used the tombstones for cover and fired back at the gang member killing him before another showed up and ran at Jaune. He shot the gang member in the legs tripping him and finished him off with two shots to the chest.

More gang members started climbing over the wall and started shooting. Jaune quickly fired back killing some as they made it over the wall before getting back into cover and reloading. He peeked out of cover and saw two more remaining that just stood out in the open. Jaune killed them both easily since they didn't bother to use cover.

With the guards dealt with Jaune went over to the gate and saw a car blocking the entrance and his only way out.

"Shit." Jaune said looking for another way out and saw a restroom sign on the other side of the cemetery and walked over to it. He hoped there is a window he can use to climb out and leave.

"If there's no way out then he's corning himself." Glynda said. "He'd be better off climbing the fence or the walls."

"True but there may be more guards on the other side waiting for him." James said looking at the screen. "He must be running low on ammo and can't afford to fight everyone."

"Can't he just take ammo from the guards?" Sun asked.

"Different weapons and calibers." Neptune said before Ruby could. "If he had time, he could check for ammo for his guns, but he doesn't." He explained and Sun nodded accepting the reasoning.

Ruby slouched in her seat having her moment stolen.

"Ruby, sit up and proper." Weiss chastised her partner. "You'll develop back problems."

Jaune walked down the stairs to the bathroom and saw nothing but broken stall doors, graffiti tags on the walls and trash on the floors. He ignored them and went around the corner to the other side hoping to find a window but instead found a brick wall waiting for him along with a homeless man.

"Hey! Don't shoot me, son." The homeless man said raising his hands in surrender. Jaune lowered his pistols making the homeless man sigh in relief.

"Is there a way outta here?" Jaune asked and the homeless man shook his head.

"Only way out is through the main gate."

Jaune nodded and left the homeless man to return to the main gate when he heard voices coming down the stairs.

"Down here!"

"Oh… Jeez! Here they come again…" The homeless man said just as the shooting started again. Jaune hid behind the wall waiting for a break in gunfire.

"Through you. I will display my power. Through you. I am born."

Jaune groaned in pain as the overhead lights are shot out plunging the restroom in darkness. From his back a black tentacle spung forth, sharp enough on the end to cut through flesh.

"What the hell?" Coco and Velvet shouted at the same time.

"What is that voice?" Ozpin whispered to himself concerned.

"Something bad is about to happen." Kali said and everyone mentally braced themselves for what is about to happen.

The tentacle shot out and stabbed the remaining light destroying it before stabbing the wall and bringing Jaune forward. Another tentacle emerged from his back, this time it took the shape of an eel with glowing red eyes and a wide-open mouth full of sharp teeth.

The gang member who saw Jaune screamed and ran back up the stairs only to trip. The sharp tentacle was replaced by a second dark eel as Jaune walked up the stairs. The gang member tried to crawl away but one of the dark eels latched onto his stomach biting down making him scream in pain as the second dark eel bite his entire face off with a single bite.

The students do their best to not vomit but seeing a man's face being torn off is not helping and they had a feeling that things are going to get worse.

"By the gods…" An said covering her mouth in shock upon seeing the bloodshed and the sight of the dark creatures.

The remaining gang members started shooting as Jaune left the restroom entrance. One of the members was by the entrance and froze when he saw the dark eels coming out of Jaune and that cost him his life. One of the dark eels bit his head and threw him against the wall killing him. Another member ran out of ammo and threw his gun at Jaune before turning to run.

The sharp tentacle shot out of Jaune's back and stabbed the fleeing member through his chest and tossed him away. One of the dark eels eyes glowed yellow as it detached itself from Jaune's back and slithered on the ground around a tombstone where another member was hiding. The dark eel hissed getting the member's attention before it took a bite of his face killing him. The dark eel returned to Jaune and both dark eels eyes shifted to blue as a dark hole appeared behind the finale member sucking him and everything around it inside.

The member screamed as he was sucked in and stopped when the dark hole exploded sending body parts flying.

Jaune collapsed to his knees after the display.

"You are nothing but my puppet."

The droids appeared with buckets for the students to vomit into. Seeing people's faces being torn off and eaten is vomit inducing for anyone to see and the sheer brutality Jaune killed the guards shocked everyone. The scene with the exploding body parts didn't help either.

"The voice did that?" Jaune asked after vomiting. "What is it?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is. It views this Jaune as a puppet." Ozpin said glancing at Leon and saw him with his eyes shut and gripping the seat tightly. Emilia is comforting him and whispering no doubt words of encouragement. Ozpin has no doubt the scene reminded him of Mt. Glenn and the horrors that happened that day.

"Hopefully we get answers." Jaune said still holding the bucket.

"What the hell?" Jaune said taking deep breathes to calm his nerves after what he just witnessed. He felt his chest expecting to find bullet holes but found nothing, no blood, not even holes in his clothes from the multiple times he was shot. He gets back to his feet already feeling the power within him. He summons the Darkness within and like before black tendrils along the dark eels appear from his back.

Jaune can sense that the eels are hungry and sees one of the bodies on the ground. "Go."

One of the dark eels springs forwards to the dead body and chews through the chest cavity and pulls out the heart. The dark eel looks at Jaune while it eats the heart, once its done eating a dark portal opens and Jaune walks over to it.

He waves his hand over the portal and black smoke floats out of the portal where a small demon like figure is hunched over on all fours.

"Follow me!" The dark creature says while crawling on all fours to the entrance of the cemetery. "Follow me to freedom!"

"He can summon creatures?" Ruby said before looking at Weiss. "Almost like you with your glyphs."

"My summons can't act on their own, nor can they talk." Weiss explained. "This Jaune's summons are very different from mine."

"How is he still alive after being shot so many times?" Nora asked replaying the scene from earlier when she saw him getting shot multiple times.

"This voice must grant him special healing powers in order for him to survive all those bullets." Ren said after thinking about things. "We may not have seen the full extent of his powers."

Jaune follows the creature to the entrance where it leaps onto a tombstone and uses it to climb over the wall.

"Every man for himself!" The creature yelled as it climbed over the wall leaving Jaune behind. He's about to send the dark eels after it when he hears the car blocking the gate being moved, he looks through the bars and indeed the creature is pushing the car out of the way with ease. Once it pushes the car out of the way it unlocks the door and opens the gate for Jaune before running off again.

"Hey, whe-" Jaune is cut off by screaming. Turns out one of the gang members survived and was hiding behind a mailbox but was found by the creature who jumped on him and looked at the member for a moment before tearing his throat out with a single bite. Jaune walks up to the body and the dark eels tear into it devouring the heart.

Jaune turns away and goes down the street to the subway when he hears another gang member talking to himself.

"Use the creeping, boss." The creature said. "Simply think about detaching the eel and it'll happen."

Jaune sighed and thought about and sure enough one of the dark eels detached from Jaune and shifted perspective to what the eel is seeing. It slithered along the ground through an open grate where Jaune could see the gang member watching the gate to the subway mumbling to himself.

"That's gotta be disorienting." Nora said tilting her head when the dark eel slithered up the side of the vent.

"A useful ability if it wasn't used for killing people." Ozpin said taking a quick sip of his coffee before feeling the urge to throw up seeing the perspective move to upside down. Turns out he's not the only one to feel the urge to throw up by what's happening on screen.

Jaune commanded the eel through the vent opening and down the wall, it slithered up to the man hissing to get his attention. The moment the man turned around the eel struck fast tearing the face off and devouring the heart. It picked up the key off the body with its teeth before returning to Jaune. The eel dropped the key in Jaune hands.

"That's useful." Jaune said to himself as he descended the stairs and found the locked gate along with the body of a worker and the gang member. He unlocked it and continued down to the subway.

The screen goes to black and Jaune is sitting in the dark void.

"I've heard people complain that life is unpredictable. Well, I never had a life that was predictable." Jaune said looking into the void. "But what happened to me today, that's why I need you, Pyrrha. You're the only one I can count on."

Pyrrha blushed when she heard Jaune talk that way about her.

"I take it they are together in this universe?" Coco asked Spart.

"Yes. In many universes they usually don't end up together." Spart told the group earning surprised looks from the students upon hearing that. They would have figured that Jaune and Pyrrha would always end up together but that appears to be incorrect.

"Why?" Pyrrha asked looking at Spart curious as to why that is the case.

"I wish I could tell you but even I don't know." Spart said. "Many authors often create universes where Jaune ends up with different women namely RWBY and even some of the villains. He even ends up with Glynda and Salem in one universe."

Glynda spit out her tea coughing to clear out her lungs. "What!"

Even Ozpin dropped his mug which a droid caught it and held onto to it.

Qrow whistled at the revelation. "Maybe that's how we defeat Salem. Get her laid."

"Please do not joke about that." Jaune said shaking his head and feeling the many eyes on him. "You make it sound like I'm some sort of magnet for women."

"In the Erotic 'Verse you are." Spart said. "The things you do would make a porn star blush and even makes Blake's books look tame in comparison."

Everyone blushed upon hearing that. Especially the girls that like Jaune.

"Let's focus on the showing." Sienna spoke with a cough wondering for a brief moment if she and Jaune ended up together at one point in a different universe.

The screen fades to Jaune hiding his guns before continuing further into the subway so he doesn't freak out anyone and get noticed. He walks down the stairs when his pager went off and he looks at it seeing a message from Pyrrha.

'JAUNE, RUNNING LATE? CALL ME ASAP – PYRRHA'

Jaune put away the pager and went to the nearest payphone, putting in the money and entered Pyrrha's number. The phone rang for a few seconds before she answered.

"Hi, this is Pyrrha."

"Pyrrha, it's me. Jaune." He said leaning against the wall next to the payphone.

"Hiya, baby! Happy birthday! I just got into my new place. I thought you were gonna help me unpack."

Jaune smiled briefly. "Yeah. I'm sorry, baby. Things got kinda screwed up at work."

"Again? That's too bad. I have a surprise for you."

Jaune looked at the people coming and going. "I can't talk right now. But I'll be there soon. I promise."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it." Jaune told her. "Look, just remind me again how to get to your new place."

"It's on Orchid Street here in Chinatown. It's just next to the basketball court. It's apartment number 11."

Jaune nodded making sure to remember the instructions.

"Oh, but you'll have to go around back through Mulberry Alley. They're doing repairs or something on the front door. Are you on your way now?"

"I'll be over as soon as I can. Now, do me a favor. Just don't open the door 'til you know it's me." Jaune told her.

"Smart, if Paulie finds out he survived the explosion, then he might go after his loved ones." Sienna said crossing her legs. "If Paulie doesn't care about codes, then I wouldn't put it past him to go after civilians just to get to Jaune."

"Like Adam." Blake whispered thinking back to moment on the train when he wanted those people to die just to strike back at the Schnee and the society that stepped on them for the longest time. She looked to her parents and saw them thinking the same thing. She really should've listened to them when they told her he was bad news but she wanted to fight and ignored them.

"I'm a big girl, mystery-man. I can take care of myself. I'll see you when you get here."

"Hey, humor me just this once, ok?" Jaune told her. "Now I gotta run. Bye." He ended the call by hanging up and going through the entry gate. He passed people as he walked to the train platforms when he heard someone calling his name.

"Yo, Jaune! It's me, Enzo! Wait up!" An older man said and Jaune stopped in front of him. "I hear you pissed off your Uncle Paulie. He put his boys out to look for you. You knock bones with one of his girls, or somethin'?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Jaune replied.

"Uh-uh… I steer clear of that little rat like he had the bubonic plague." Enzo said waving his arms in front of him. "What the hell did you do?"

"Ehh… money was involved. I was unconscious at the time." Jaune said with a shrug.

"Eh, well, what're you gonna do? Hey, I was wondering, you still seeing that girl, Pyrrha?" Enzo asked. "'Cause I'm thinking, you know… if you ain't… huh?"

"Hey, I'm still seein' her." Jaune said in a raised voice. "Matter of fact, she just paged me."

"Oh, okay… well, there's a phone down the platform you can call her from, you know." Enzo told Jaune. "Hey, you say hi for me, okay?"

Jaune shrugged and left Enzo in his corner as he walked down the stairs to the train platform while glancing at the movie posters and other advertisements as he walked across the platform moving past the people waiting for the train. He walked up the stairs passing by a homeless man holding a sign asking for money. He walked past the gates passing more people when a news broadcast caught his attention forcing him to stop.

"This is a News Six Breaking News Special Report. I'm Lisa Lavender bringing you continued coverage on the latest on the Crane & Extine bombing."

Jaune watched the broadcast with interest.

"Police officials have dismissed the bombing as a random incident." Footage of the explosion at the construction site is shown. "Captain James Ironwood was unavailable for comment. With us now over the phone is Lieutenant Gomer. Welcome, Lieutenant. Appreciate you joining us this evening."

"Thank you." A photo of the Lieutenant appeared.

"Could you please give us an update on the current investigation into the Craine and Extine bombing?"

"Absolutely. The Grave's End construction site bombing seems to have been part of a feud between two small time gangs. We have indications that lead us to suspect a foreign criminal organization was involved in the laundering of drug money for the Craine & Extine construction company."

Jaune scoffed at the obvious cover story.

"He did say that Paulie worked with the cops." Ilia said. "I wonder how many are on his payroll?"

"It has to be a few." Winter said from her spot. "Even this Paulie couldn't buy the entire police force. There must be a few good cops remaining."

"Never underestimate greed and the power it holds over the desperate." Ozpin said having seen the damage greed can cause. Turning good men into tyrants. "He wouldn't need to bribe every cop only those in power and the others will fall in line."

"Experience?" James asked looking at the immortal in the room.

"A lifetime." Ozpin simply said with a heavy sigh.

"I see. Do you have any suspects detained yet?"

"We expect to have all suspects involved in this incident captured by tomorrow night. You know how we like to keep the trash in the garbage bin, Lisa." Gomer said with a chuckle.

"What about the reports of witnesses claiming a lone gunman was sighted on the scene?" Lisa asked. "Some speculate that this was related to the mafia."

"Well, I wouldn't put much stock into crack pot theories like that. As you know, the area where the bombing occurred is known for having its share of drug addicts and other suspicious elements. Now, those can hardly be relied upon for accurate information."

"Won't this work against your boss, Captain James Ironwood, in the upcoming election?" Lisa asked.

"Absolutely not, no. Since Captain Ironwood has been in office crime rates have plummeted thanks to his zero-tolerance policy. I think that the law abiding, and upstanding citizens of our fine city will want to keep it that way and for that to happen they need him in office."

"Thank you for your time, Lieutenant." Lisa said as the call ended and his photo disappeared from the screen. "This is Lisa Lavender for News Watch Six saying thank you and good night."

With the broadcast over Jaune resumed his walk to Pyrrha's new apartment.

"Hey Jaune – it's me, Nicky Barruci!" A man said as soon as Jaune turned the corner. "Hey, wait up!"

Jaune stopped next to Nicky.

"Good to see ya, Jaune. How you doin'?"

"You remember Pyrrha, right?" Jaune asked. "She moved to a new place around here. It's supposed to be by some ballcourt. You know where it is?"

Nicky nodded. "The basketball court. Sure. First street to the left and then second to the right. But in case you didn't hear, Paulie's got a hit out on you. So be careful."

"Man, Paulie really wants him dead." Yang said crossing her arms. "Because Jaune didn't agree with how things are being done."

"Those in power will do anything to protect it." Emilia said repeating her point from earlier.

"He seems to have the respect of the older guys." Ren noted.

"Probably because he honors the code of the Family while Paulie doesn't." Raven said looking at her wine glass. "See it all the time in bandit clans. Those that go against the clan to do their own thing don't last long."

"Lessons from a bandit." Weiss said with a shake of her head.

"You could learn a thing from me, Schnee." Raven said looking at the white-haired girl. "There are things only the wild can teach you that books can't."

"Like abandoning your family to lead a bandit clan." Yang asked with red eyes. Mother and daughter glared at each other for a moment before Raven scoffed and went back to watching the screen.

"We really need to have a sit and talk about this." Tai said looking at Raven and Yang. "This can't go on."

"Agreed." Said Summer holding Tai's hand.

"Thanks for the advice, Mr. Barruci but I can take care of myself." Jaune said leaving Nicky to his devices and left the train station.

The screen goes to black and Jaune is in the void.

"Ever been in love with somebody who was so beautiful and pure, you couldn't bare to show them your own darkness?" Jaune asked looking out into the darkness with his hand reaching for something. "That's how I feel about you."

"We grew up together in St. Mary's Orphanage. I guess I'm gonna have to tell you the truth about what kind of scumbag I really am. What the hell am I gonna say?"

Tai reached for Summer pulling her close and embracing her making her smile as she snuggled into his side.

Leon kissed Emilia on the cheek making her blush and smile a little. All of the couples in the room embraced each other knowing a little about what Jaune is talking is about.

Jaune looked at Pyrrha seeing her giving him a side glance, he looked to the other girls seeing them blush and look away making him blush.

"Wait, orphanage?" Emilia said looking at the screen in shock. "Wait happened to us? To the Arc family?"

"You died giving birth to him and his father died the day he was born, leaving Jaune an orphan who was given to St. Mary's Orphanage where he met Pyrrha." Spart explained.

"We both grew up in an orphanage?" Pyrrha asked in surprise at the concept of another version of herself growing up in an orphanage far from the fame.

The screen fades to Jaune leaving the station and walking onto the streets of New York city, he passed under a streetlamp and winced at the bright light.

"Stay in the shadows. Jaune."

Jaune got of the light and into the shadows instantly feeling better in the dark. He looked down the street and spotted a car with two men waiting. He recognized them as Paulie's boys and so to avoid them he went down an alley where he ran into another goon waiting. Jaune summoned the dark eels which tore off the man's head before feasting on his heart.

"Your power is in darkness."

"So, his powers only work in the darkness." Ren said looking at the screen. "Meaning at night he's unstoppable."

"Artificial light seems to weaken him." Jaune pointed out seeing how this Jaune winced under the streetlight. "I wonder what the limits to his powers are?"

"Even the greatest of powers have limitations." Ozpin whispered looking into his coffee cup and sighing. An action that didn't go unnoticed by his staff and James. "It's just a matter of looking for and exploiting it."

Jaune looked at the decapitated body before moving on. He needed to avoid Paulie's goons prowling the streets looking for him. He exited the alley and walked down the streets passing under the streetlights doing his best to ignore the slight pain he felt whenever he entered the light.

Jaune made it to the basketball court and entered the little courtyard looking for the building Pyrrha mentioned.

"Jaune! Hello! Up here!"

Jaune looked up and saw Pyrrha waving at him from the building across the courtyard. He smiled and waved back approaching the building.

"Hey you found me." Pyrrha said from her window. "Come on upstairs, it's apartment eleven."

"Got it." Jaune said before entering the apartment building. The lights showing the dull green wallpaper already starting to fade in spots as Jaune headed for the stairs to get to the third floor. He made it to the third floor and found apartment elven. Jaune stood outside the door for a moment and knocked. Footsteps could be heard inside heading for the door, and it opened.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha said with a smile. "Oh, my god!"

"Love the simple look." Coco said in approval at what onscreen Pyrrha is wearing.

"Her hair is shorter." Nora said looking at the screen. "And you have a lip piercing." She pointed out the small ring on Pyrrha lower's lip.

"A version of me that isn't famous. Must be nice." Pyrrha said with a sad look.

"Do you really hate fame that much?" Jaune asked seeing his partner's posture slacken.

"It was fine at first. Being recognized for my skills that I worked hard for but then after while the novelty wears off." Pyrrha said with a sigh that Weiss recognized all too well. "Then it was always something that required my attention, some sponsor to meet, an ad to shoot, a clothing deal. Eventually I didn't have that much free time for myself. I had to be Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl. I couldn't just be myself."

Jaune leaned over and brought Pyrrha into hug comforting her. Weiss looked at Pyrrha seeing a mirror of herself. If she had approached the girl differently, they could've been friends maybe they still could. She would need to talk with her and see.

Jaune released Pyrrha and she saw Ren and Nora smiling and offering their own words of encouragement.

"Look at this Pyrrha, you now have free time to find something to enjoy." Nora suggested making Pyrrha smile.

"You're right." She said smiling at her friend.

Pyrrha looked at her new apartment and Jaune did so as well admiring the size. "Can you believe this place? Come here, look on the kitchen table."

Jaune entered the small kitchen and saw a small cake on the table with the words "Happy Birthday Jaun" written on it.

"Surprise! Cake." Pyrrha said closing the front door and chuckling. "You won't believe this, look Giancarlo spelled your name wrong again."

Jaune smiled briefly at the error.

"Well? You gonna blow out the candles?"

Jaune leaned down and in a single blow blew out the candles earning a small laugh from Pyrrha.

"Happy birthday, vomit boy."

"Even in another universe that name still lingers." Jaune said with a sigh and a shake of his head.

"Vomit boy?" Emilia asked looking at her son.

"A nickname Yang gave me after I threw up on her shoes." Jaune admitted.

"I said it in jest." Yang said defending herself. "I didn't think the name would stick. Honestly, I'm surprised it lasted this long."

"Me too." Ruby said.

"I'll be happy when it finally disappears." Jaune said crossing his arms and slouching in his seat.

"You're finally legal." Jaune looked at the cake for a moment before turning to Pyrrha leaning against the door frame. "I know you always piss and moan about your birthday, but I couldn't resist."

"I mean, you're only twenty-one once, right?" Pyrrha asked getting off the doorframe. "Are you okay, babe? You're being kinda quiet."

"Yeah, yeah… I-I'm fine." Jaune said with a shrug. "I'm just kinda tired. I had a problem at work, is all."

"I know you, Jaune Arc. Something's wrong." Pyrrha said placing her hands on her hips.

"Um, Paulie's all bent outta shape because some money went missing from the register." Jaune said with a heavy sigh. "Now I think… he's going to terminate my contract."

"You never worried about stuff like that before." Pyrrha said removing her hands from her hips. "He's been upset plenty of times. What exactly do you do for your Uncle Paulie anyway? Why won't you tell me?"

"I'm a nobody. Take out the garbage." Jaune responded with another shrug.

"An apt description for a hitman." An said taking a sip of her tea.

"I get the feeling she knows what this Jaune really does." Li said looking at the screen.

"Maybe she doesn't really know." An said looking at her husband. "Ignorance is bliss after all."

"Whoever said that is a lair." Qrow said looking at the screen not bothering to further elaborate.

"You're a bad lair, Jaune Arc." Pyrrha said looking at Jaune closely. "You look pale, and you're sweating. There's something else, isn't there?"

"Okay, see…" Jaune paused for a moment before continuing. "Here's the thing. I was supposed to collect some money for my Uncle Paulie downtown. Only the money wasn't there. And now Uncle Paulie's kinda pissed at me."

"Hey, come on. It's your birthday and I got a new apartment." Pyrrha said reaching out and grasping Jaune's hand in her hers. "Let's take one day off from 'fucked up'." She let go of his hand and headed for the living room. Jaune followed her into the still barren living room with a couch against the wall and a TV set up in front of it.

"Your friend Butcher came by today." Pyrrha said looking back at Jaune. "He wanted you to call him when you could. I wrote the number on the notepad by the phone."

Jaune removed his coat and laid it on a pile of boxes before heading to the table with the phone. He grabbed the note and looked it over when his headache returned.

"She reeks of innocence."

The voice said in anger making Jaune wince before the pain faded.

"Come on, sit here for a while Jaune. Watch some TV with me." Pyrrha said from her spot on the couch.

"In a minute." Jaune said picking up the phone and dialing the number Butcher left with Pyrrha. Butcher answered on the third ring.

"Hello, Jaune. I heard about what happened tonight." Butcher said over the phone. "I don't need to point out to you this is a bad situation. You'd better come an' see me."

"Does everyone know about what happened to Jaune?" Nora asked.

"Word must spread fast after the hit was put out in him." Ren said. "All it would take is one person who likes Jaune to inform one of his friends. That information then spreads to everyone."

"It can also be used as a fear tactic as well." Sienna said drawing the attention of everyone. "By letting the person know that they have a hit on them makes them slip up due to the fear of being killed."

"Experience?" Kali asked looking at Sienna who stared back.

"Adam and those that share his 'passion'." Sienna said looking away and back to the screen.

"Where are ya?" Jaune asked looking over to Pyrrha to see her flipping through channels trying to find something to watch. "Heard through the grapevine you were at the Olive Grove."

"Yeah, and let me tell you something. It's a good thing your aunt Sarah's outta town." Butcher said. "The Olive Grove is right next to her apartment and this has been one messy afternoon. Now you get yourself over here but tread lightly. I got my share of shit for tonight, okay?"

"Hey, leave the goons to me." Jaune said. "Now listen, Butch… things are happening. I'm about to get my ass handed to me by a very nasty scumbag whose name rhymes with Paulie Franchetti."

"Okay, now I want you to know this. I do this only for you because of who your father was and because you've always shown respect to your family." Butcher said and Jaune looked outside through the window seeing the night sky being lit up by the city. "Now listen, you go through Doyer's Alley across from Pyrrha's apartment. I got my car parked there. Make sure no one sees you. I'll leave the backdoor entrance to the kitchen open. You got that?"

"Yeah, I'll be there." Jaune said before hanging up the phone.

"All done?" Pyrrha asked getting Jaune's attention. He turned and saw her smile at him. "Come here."

Jaune walked over to Pyrrha looking at her.

"Jaune what is it?" She asked looking up at him.

"Pyrrha." Jaune said after a moment.

"Yeah."

"Nothing." Jaune said with a heavy sigh before sitting down next to her. Pyrrha chuckled as she playfully hit him in the arm.

"Reminds me of when we first started dating." Leon whispered to Emilia making her smile.

Tai looked at Raven briefly recalling happier times when the two were together. There were times he saw Raven's softer side though she was still rough around the edges when it came to certain things. He looked at Summer nibbling on a cookie and smiled happy to have her back.

Ozpin looked at the scene remembering bygone days of when he and Salem were together with their children at their side before everything changed. There are days when he longs for them again to remember his wife as the beautiful women she was, the loving mother she was to their children. Ozpin sighed and looked at the screen.

"Let's just sit here a while, okay." Pyrrha said snuggling close to Jaune who put his arm around her. Jaune looked at the TV seeing an old film being shown. "You want the remote, don't you mister?" Pyrrha waved the remote in front of Jaune who made a half-hearted effort to grab it.

"No. My apartment, my TV, my remote." Pyrrha said moving the remote out of reach and sitting it down on the table next to her before relaxing next to Jaune. "Are you cold? God, it's freezing in here."

"Might close the window and see if that helps." Jaune suggested nodding to the open window.

"Smartass." Pyrrha said elbowing him in the ribs making him wince slightly as she got up and closed the window then sat back down next to Jaune to resume watching the film being shown.

Pyrrha yawned as Jaune held her. "It's good having you here… It's kind of calming." She said with another yawn. "I'm always calm when you're here."

"Same." Jaune said not really paying attention to the film being shown. Pyrrha leaned her head against his chest.

Pyrrha looked at her onscreen counterpart snuggling against Jaune and wanted to do the same but decided against it not wanting to anger the others until they spoke further about in detail with Jaune.

Leon smiled at the screen at the small scene of peace between the two.

"Why do get the feeling this is the calm before the storm." Willow whispered watching the two interact.

"I can feel your heartbeat." Pyrrha said snuggling closer to him. After a moment she looked up and turned Jaune's face to her and leaned up to kiss him. The two kissed for a moment before she went back to her previous position.

Jaune held Pyrrha close and watched the TV without really paying attention to what's being shown. After a while he heard even breathing coming from Pyrrha and he looked down to see her sleeping on his chest. Moving slowly and quietly he moved her off his chest and laid her down on the couch, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head before grabbing his coat and leaving Pyrrha's apartment.

Jaune made sure to lock the door before putting back on his jacket and walking downstairs to the door he came in. He left the apartment complex when his pager went off.

'I SAVED YOU FROM THAT FUCKING OPRHANGE – PAULIE'

"Paulie adopted him?" Leon said not liking the thought of a criminal adopting his son. "Does that mean he groomed Jaune into a killer?"

"Yes." Spart said shocking everyone in the room. "Paulie needed a killer and what better one than to make one. After all a child is more easily to train than an adult."

"Sick." Emilia said gripping the seat handles tightly.

'Similar to how we were raised.' Qrow thought with a scowl thinking back to his time with the tribe.

Jaune scoffed as he put away the pager and walked back to the street when shouting caught his attention. He hugged the wall and looked at the street.

"You got the wrong guy!" A stranger shouted running away from two guys.

Jaune scowled and summoned the dark eels controlling one, so it attacked one of the goons tearing apart his chest before moving onto the next one by tearing off his leg and ripping out his throat before being recalled to Jaune.

Jaune stepped out of the alley and approached the man they goons were chasing huddled against the wall.

"Those guys are fucking crazy!" The man yelled. "Who the hell are they?"

"It's none of your business. Now you say a word about me to them and I'll fuck you up worse than they did." Jaune threatened the guy. "Now get outta my face."

"Hey! He's here. Jaune Arc is here!" The man screamed before getting knocked out by Jaune. He heard the sound of a car coming and quickly reached for his guns just in case it could be something else but that hope was dashed when the car turned the corner and Jaune saw the goons in the car, he summoned his newfound abilities and saw the fear in their eyes that they stopped in the middle of the street.

"I think anyone would be afraid if they saw that waiting for them." Yang said and everyone agreed especially after seeing what this Jaune is capable of.

"He does strike a frightening image with the Darkness surrounding him." Willow said looking at Jaune's glowing yellow eyes and two bloodthirsty eels coming out of his back.

Jaune fired first killing the passengers before they could get out and fired at the car to keep the others in cover as he advanced towards the car. He got close enough so when one of the goons stood up Jaune commanded one of the dark eels to attack and it tore off the goon's lower jaw forcing the other one to scream and jump out of cover where Jaune impaled him on a sharp tentacle and threw him against the wall making a crunch sound before hitting the ground.

With the goons taken care of Jaune put away his guns and before he could recall the Darkness one of the dark eels tore into one of the bodies and removed the heart and ate it. The other eel did the same but the other stole it before it could eat it. Jaune winced at the gory scene between the two eels but felt his strength return as the hearts were eaten. He recalled the Darkness and walked down the street to Doyer's Alley.

He entered the alley and saw Butcher's car parked in the alley in of the back door to the kitchen.

The screen fades to black as Jaune approaches the door.

Jaune is back in the void.

"If there's one untouchable in this business, it's Butcher Joyce." Jaune said. "You put out a hit on some guy, Butcher flushes his body, and no one's ever the wiser. Butcher knows everyone's business. But what keeps him alive is that he never, ever chooses a side."

"Sounds like Junior." Qrow said having dealings with the information broker/mobster in the past regarding a certain fair maiden and other such things. "Always in the middle, hmm, never taking part in the fighting 'cept for when it occurs in his territory."

"That might have changed. Lately, his men have been spotted assisting Torchwick in the Dust robberies." Glynda said having helped the police in rounding up the mobsters after helping young Miss Rose.

"Maybe it has something to do with this Cinder." Qrow suggested.

"Maybe." Ozpin said setting aside his mug. "I might need to pay a visit to him when we get back."

"Yeah… Too bad there's a war coming." Jaune said looking out into the void.

The screen fades and Jaune is in the back rooms of the kitchen where he passes by a body bag and blood covered walls.

"I heard you coming from a block away, Jaune." Butcher said entering the kitchen wearing a leather apron and black gloves. "Those expensive Italian shoes make you sound like a fuckin' bull elephant. Fuckin' new generation."

Jaune smiled at the comment as Butcher picked up body bag and tucked it under his shoulder and picked up another one which he carried on his shoulder.

"Every cop for a half a mile around probably knows you're here. Fuckin' cops, all I need now, huh?" Butcher said shifting the body bag under his arm to better hold it and gestured to the other body bag on the floor. "Grab that body, would you?"

Jaune walked over the body bag and picked it up tossing it over his shoulder. "Always, they gotta call me in when I'm eating dinner." He followed Butcher out of the kitchen.

"Same problem." Qrow said looking at Ozpin. "It's always on my off days you call or when I'm relaxing."

"Maybe send me a message saying that you're off that day or relaxing for the next couple of hours." Ozpin replied. "Everyone needs a break every now and then, Qrow. You can tell me no if the assignment isn't important."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Is it strange that I relate to Butcher regarding fashion?" Leon asked and no one answered. "Whatever happened to dressing sensibly for the task at hand."

"You're just getting old, honey." Emilia said patting his arm and shooting a look at Coco before she could respond. "Things change."

"An excellent point." Bart said. "There are various documentation of a huntsmen or huntress showing them wearing armor or at least some protection. Over the years it seems that disappeared. Maybe an overreliance on Aura is the cause?" He mumbled the last part.

"Nothing wrong with wanting to look good while kicking ass." Yang said. "Plus, the fight is over before Aura breaks anyway."

"What about a rogue huntsman who is the better fighter? Or a stronger Grimm?" Jaune asked and none of the students had an answer since they assumed they would come out victorious in the fights. "What happens when Aura breaks and you don't have any protection from a potentially fatal attack."

Again, the students didn't have an answer.

"He's right." Summer said with a heavy sigh recalling her fight with Salem's agents feeling confident that her skills would see her through. As the fight dragged on and her Aura grew close the breaking point she began to fear for her life, then her Aura broke, and she started taking fatal cuts that her outfit couldn't protect from. Even a little bit of armor would've helped. "Even a little bit of armor helps should you encounter a superior foe."

The students filed Summer's words for later thought.

"Can't you people make your hits at a reasonable time of the day?" Butcher asked leading the way out of the kitchen to the back alley that Jaune came in from. "They told me there was one body to dispose of. It was supposed to be one of those dealers from the alley."

Jaune smiled at the comment as Butcher walked to his car. "So, what happens? Instead, some moron puts a bullet right between Chef Helmut's eyes." Butcher said with a sigh as he dropped one of the body bags and opened the trunk. He tossed the bodies inside and stretched his back.

"What are you gonna do?" Butcher said still stretching. "Just drop it in the trunk. I'll take care of it."

Jaune tossed the body bag into the trunk and Butcher closed it. "All right…good enough. What happened to you tonight?"

Jaune shrugged. "Listen, Butch. You know any more about why Paulie wants me dead?"

Butcher sighed deeply. "You're the best contract guy they have. You're young and ambitious. They don't like that." He said waggling his finger at Jaune. "Now you listen to me, Jaune: your only option is to take down Paulie before he takes you down. Put a big enough dent in his business and the Chicago People will see to it he has an accident."

Jaune nodded along with what Butcher is saying. "I would never be one to suggest how you do this. But if you ask me, you need to pay a visit to Dutch Oven Harry. Put some holes in him."

"His name is Dutch Oven Harry?" Sun asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Think it's a nickname or his real name?" Neptune asked in return.

"Both…"

"I once knew a guy named Dirty John." Qrow said with a smile. "He had it legally changed, fun guy to drink with."

"Knew?" Ruby asked.

"Everyone's luck runs out eventually." Qrow said with a heavy sigh looking back at the screen.

"Dutch Oven Harry?" Jaune asked. "No, never heard of him."

"Who's Dutch Oven Harry? I'll tell you?" Butcher said explaining who the man is. "Harry's, Paulie's biggest dealer of illicit medicine – he works out of a building in Hunterspoint. Now, if I were the kind of man to be involved in things like this, I'd take down Harry and pull all of his merchandise out of the building. But I'm not, see?"

"Yeah, I do." Jaune said with a single nod.

"You don't wanna come walking up to their front door, so go through that run down billiards club at Whitefish Alley. There's a back door leading to Hunterspoint from there." Butcher told Jaune as the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance getting closer. "Ah fuck – the cops. This is why I don't get involved. Get inside"

Jaune nodded and went back into the kitchen area and headed for the front door hoping to get out before the cops arrived. He heard the sound a car leaving meaning that Butcher left.

"Jaune Arc – This is Captain James Ironwood New York Police Department." A voice announced just as Jaune left the kitchens and quickly dropped to his knees and got behind the counter. "We know you're in there. Come out with your hands up and nobody gets hurt." James announced as Jaune peeked out from behind the counter to see a SWAT van show up. "Well, nobody anyone gives a shit about."

"He ain't coming out, cap." An officer said from outside the restaurant.

"We're gonna call it resisting arrest." James his men. "Take him out, boys."

"All that just to kill one man." Glynda said with a head shake. "How do they get away with this show of force. Surely there must be video evidence or something that incriminates them."

"People enjoy living and they probably know what happens to those that oppose Paulie or James." Peter said looking at his coworker. "Then there are those who truly don't know and believe what they are told on the news. Either way it's not hard to suppress information and misinform the public. As this James says 'resisting arrest' and how many are going to question that?"

"You surprise me on occasion." Ozpin said with a smile. "He's right, misinformation can be used to trick the populace into believing the lie rather than the truth."

James looked at Ozpin wondering just how much of the lies the people of Remnant came to believe because of his influence. How many truths were lost to the ages because of him, how much of their history was influenced.

Ozpin looked at James and held his gaze before looking away.

The cops open fire on the restaurant through the windows destroying furniture, tables, and even the lights bathing the restaurant in darkness making Jaune smile. The SWAT van backs up into the restaurant destroying the front door and wedging itself through the opening it made until it stopped.

"You caused me a lot of trouble, boy. Running around shooting people, getting the media involved."

The back doors opened and SWAT officers jumped out as did Jaune shooting them and summoning his new powers along with a Darkling to help kill the officers sent in.

"I got too many fucking people asking me questions."

Jaune shot one of the officers through his googles killing him while his minion jumped onto another and bit into his neck tearing out a good chunk of it in the process before jumping off the body to attack another.

"Me and your Uncle Paulie, we see eye to eye. Nice and simple."

One of the officers shot Jaune with a shotgun but it didn't much affect since the dark eels formed a shield in front of him taking the hits.

"Oh shit!" The officers before the dark eels attacked. One of them tore through his chest armor and lifted him up while the other bit deep into his neck and tore off his head spraying blood all over the walls. Jaune commanded the dark eel to toss the body at the other officers knocking them to the ground.

"The last goddam thing we need is some little punk like you coming in and making people asking me questions."

"Here boss, use this." The Darkling said tossing Jaune a shotgun, he caught the gun and noticed how the grip is bloody. "Makes a damn good club." The darkling cackled.

"He's getting better at using his powers." Penny said setting down her tea. "Those powers seem overpowered, is that the right word?" She asked Ruby.

"Yup, he taking shots that should've killed him and he has those eels which acts as shields."

"He can see perfectly in the dark." Blake added.

"His wounds regenerate faster than any normal being, negating any fatal wounds." Yang added with a hint of jealousy.

"And he can summon minions to help him or distract the enemy." Wiess pitched in. "Yeah, he's overpowered though it does raise an interesting point. If enough damage is caused to the point his regeneration ability can't keep up. Will he die?"

"Assuming whatever that voice is will even let him." Jaune said.

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked turning to face him.

"I think whatever that voice is that this Jaune is hearing has some control over him." Jaune said. "Remember earlier when it said that Jaune is nothing but a puppet to it. Maybe it has a power we haven't seen yet."

"An interesting idea." Ren pondered the idea.

Jaune pumped the shotgun and went to work killing one of the officers and sending the dark eels to attack another while his Darkling ran around attacking who he could.

"And now I got a lot of cleaning up to do. All because you don't know how to play dead. But you're gonna be in the ground, Arc. Sooner or later – it makes no difference to me."

The front doors were kicked open and two more SWAT officers entered with their weapons raised. Jaune fired blowing apart one of their chest at point blank range.

"What the fuck are you?!" The final SWAT yelled in terror of seeing his fellow officers killed. Jaune approached the man who tried to hit him hoping that it would do something, but Jaune batted his fist away and placed the barrel of the shotgun under his chin and pulled the trigger.

Everyone winced when they saw what Jaune did, thankfully no one vomited this time upon seeing the gory sight of a head exploding from a point-blank shotgun blast.

Jaune dropped the shotgun and exited the restaurant to deal with the remaining officers holding a perimeter around the restaurant. Each had a face of shock or horror when they laid eyes upon him.

Jaune fired first hitting one of the officers in the chest killing him and forcing the others into action. Using the power of the Darkness Jaune walked towards the officers tanking the bullets that would have killed any normal man but Jaune isn't anyone normal anymore and so he ordered his Darkling to attack.

The Darkling cackled with glee as it charged holding a bloody knife that it got from the SWAT officers and leaped into action literally by jumping onto an officer's neck and slicing it open. While the officers were focused on trying to kill the Darkling Jaune used the opening to shoot out the streetlights giving him more room to operate in the darkness. He killed more cops using a combination of guns and his dark powers.

"My, how the tables have turned." Raven said with a small smile. There was something about seeing a superior foe being crushed that brought a smile to the bandit. Plus this version of Jaune is more ruthless when it comes to killing his foes, it reminded her of her youth with Qrow when they were growing up in the tribe and their "father" dealing with the other bandit tribes. She shook the memory away focusing on the screen.

"We need help! He's tearing us apart!"

"What the hell is he!"

"God, help me!"

The few remaining officers shouted as Jaune killed them. He heard a helicopter and saw a low flying police attack helicopter turn the corner shining its spotlight at him making him wince and recall his dark powers.

"Die you fuck!" The pilot yelled over the intercom opening fire with the main cannon. Jaune jumped out of the way into the side of a building to avoid the light and the large caliber rounds as they tore apart a police cruiser.

"Goddamn! Overkill much?" Yang yelled seeing the attack helicopter destroying the car.

"Better question is why the police force has such a thing at their disposal." Weiss said shaking her head at the display. "Is crime that big a problem in the city that they need this weapon."

"There is no way the citizens are going to be able to ignore this." Velvet said. "Small things, sure. But this… I would love to hear how they try and spin this to the public."

"Interesting design." James said eyeing the design of the attack helicopter seeing the difference between them and the transport helicopters from the previous universe they saw.

Jaune waited for a lull in the gunfire before running down the street away from the police helicopter. He turned onto a new street to see another police cruiser blocking the street and Jaune quickly dealt with the cops when he heard the helicopter again and it showed up in front of him, once again shining its bright light on him before opening up forcing Jaune down an alley.

"Fuck." Jaune said to himself running down the alley knowing that it's a dead end and a good opportunity for the attack helicopter to end him. His prediction turned true when the light shined upon him. Jaune spotted a ladder waiting for him at the end of the alley leading over a fence and taking a chance he drew his pistols and fired a few shots at the helicopter knowing that small arms won't do much, but it might buy some time to climb the ladder and get out of the alley.

Sure enough the helicopter stopped firing giving him a few seconds to climb the ladder. Not wasting time Jaune jumped onto the ladder and climbed as fast as he could before the pilot could shoot him. He made it to the top of the ladder and ran across the fire escape jumping over the railing onto a cargo container and down onto the street where he quickly hid behind it. A few seconds later the police helicopter arrived shining its light down the alley trying to find him.

"Where are you, Arc?" The pilot asked over the intercom. After a minute the helicopter backed off and flew away, Jaune peeked around the container and saw a couple of police cars drive past the alley into an underground tunnel.

Jaune sighed in relief and left the alley making sure to check the streets for any lingering cops, he didn't see any and he did see the billiards club not far from the alley and so he walked up to the large fence blocking his path. He looked to his left then to his right looking any opening or gaps in the fence he could crawl through, but he didn't and with another sigh he started to climb the fence.

Almost over Jaune heard a car accelerating and looked behind him to see a police car heading straight for him. He tried to get over the fence but was too slow as the police car rammed the fence knocking them off their fence poles and sending him crashing a few wooden crates.

"Holy shit!" Nora yelled seeing Jaune crash into the crates. "Goddamn."

"He's been shot, now run over. What's next, an explosion?" Blake asked.

"At this point I wouldn't be surprised." Weiss responded looking at her tea and taking a quick sip.

"They have no right to call themselves officers of the law." James whispered causing Winter to look at him and silently agree. Her sense of right and wrong mostly came from James since she served with him as her CO for the better part of her military career. To her, James is more of a father figure than her actual father.

"We got you now, Jaune." A female officer said getting out of the car and looking at the knocked over crates.

"That must've hurt." Her partner said with a chuckle as he leaned against the car. "Go get him."

"Fuck you. You get him." The female officer told her partner. "He's probab-"

The female officer didn't get to finish her sentence since a dark eel jumped out of the shadows and tore half her face off. She collapsed onto the hood of the car before falling to the ground.

"What the fu-" Her partner said before getting impaled by a black tendril through the back. It turned him around to a very pissed off Jaune Arc. He has a large open wound on the side of his face showing his teeth and his right eye bloody. His wounds healed rapidly leaving no visible scars behind and Jaune cracked his neck.

One of the dark eels appeared and opened its mouth wide before lunging toward the cop tearing through his body armor and flesh with ease and pulled out showing that its now holding a still beating heart between its teeth. The dying cop watched as the dark eel consumed his heart before succumbing to death.

Ruby and Penny both gagged but didn't throw up at the sight a heart being eaten. The others winced at the sight seeing the pure look of fear on the man's face as he watched his heart get eaten unsettled them.

"Looks like his healing can overcome large wounds other than bullets." Weiss said with a shiver at seeing the damage to Jaune's face.

Jaune tossed the body away and recalled his dark powers as he walked over to the steps leading to Hunterspoint. He descended the stairs as the screen faded to black.

"Listen… The best way to my Uncle Paulie's heart is through his ribcage with a meat cleaver." Jaune explained in the void holding one of his guns. "Failing that, you screw up his distribution and let the Chicago People collect on him. Now, I've been all over town, picking up Paulie's drug money from his street peddlers. But I've never been to Dutch Oven Harry's."

The screen fades back showing Jaune entering an underground bar with pool tables and people playing games. He ignored them and left the bar quickly before anyone could recognize him and entered an alley that has seen better days with a homeless man warming his hands over a fire in a metal barrel.

"Hey, hey, hey…" The homeless man said when he spotted Jaune approaching. "What say you slip me a couple of bucks, eh? Huh? I gotta take a train… Say, you got any liquor on you?"

Jaune is about to walk away but stopped. "Sorry, pal. I'm dry. Hey, you know Dutch Oven Harry?"

"Best way to get information." Qrow said and Raven nodded. "Those living in the streets often know what others don't. People seldom acknowledge them or outright ignore them, so they often go unseen and overhear things. Makes them a perfect source of information."

"Wouldn't they also be a source of bad information as well?" Winter asked looking at Qrow. "The homeless would say anything to get food or money."

"That is a risk but more often than not they have really good intel to use." Qrow replied. "That's how I found Amber, a little too late."

"Who Amber?" Jaune asked seeing the veteran huntsman somber look.

"A tale for a different time." Ozpin said not wanting to tell them about the fate of poor Amber or how he wanted Pyrrha to inherit that power.

"Oh, you wanna get wired up?" The homeless asked with a chuckle. "You go by the side door an' tell 'em old Matty Forehand sent you. If they ask, you say 'hit me!' and then they bring the really good shit."

Jaune nodded.

"Now you make sure not to point any guns in their general direction. I don't wanna get caught in the crossfire." The homeless man warned and Jaune walked away further down the alley where he passed through a broken part of the wooden fence.

"Night is your master."

The voice said as Jaune walked across the gated parking lot to a set of stairs leading down under a building. He stopped in front of a metal door and knocked once.

"What's the password?" The guard behind the door asked opening a slot on the door.

"Hit me. I gotta see Dutch Oven Harry." Jaune said repeating what the homeless man told him.

"Come one in." The guard said unlocking and opening the door. "Harry ain't around. You want something, talk to Roach."

Jaune entered the basement of the building and walked further in passing two guards talking about doing a clean run and one of them complaining. Jaune paid no mind to them wanting to see Harry quickly. Jaune walked around a corner and saw a man wearing a black suit sitting down next to a table.

"Hey… get a move on, huh, pal?" The man said spotting Jaune and waving him over. "I got a hot date tonight with a couple of Gino's girls."

Jaune approached the man. "You Roach?"

"Yeah, I got everything. Whatta need?"

"I need Harry. Where is he?" Jaune asked nicely.

"You think Paulie would have warned his men or those leading his operations that Jaune might go after them." Ilia said looking at the screen.

"I don't think Paulie expected Jaune to live this long hence the lack of warning." Sienna said looking at her subordinate. "You're right though, after escaping from the police. Paulie should have warned his men to expect a visit from Jaune."

"You got some nerve, kid…" Roach's phone rang cutting him off and he answered.

"Hey, Roach." A voice on the end said loud enough for Jaune to hear.

"What's up, Harry?" Roach asked still looking at Jaune.

"Just got a call from the boss. Someone's coming to pay us a visit."

"Oh, he's already here. Harry." Roach said covertly signaling to the guards behind Jaune. "You want me to bring out the 'hard liquor'?"

"Called a bit too late." Sienna said already knowing that those men are dead.

Everyone prepared themselves for another slaughter of Jaune's enemies. Some hoped he wouldn't go overboard with his powers.

"Oh, Christ… Okay, Roach… you do that. I'm sure he needs a shot."

Jaune quickly reached for his pistols and shot Roach in the face before he could draw his own weapon. The guards Jaune passed started shooting and he replied in kind shooting and killing two guards who didn't bother hiding in cover and just stood out in the open. The other guards hid behind the concrete pillars only peeking out to shoot.

Wanting to get the fight over quickly Jaune rushed forward to the closet one and grabbed his shotgun surprising the guard. He broke the arm making the guard scream before shooting him in the chest point blank and moving onto the next. He didn't use his powers choosing instead to use his skills to kill the guards. Jaune killed another guard who tried to rush him and he moved onto the next by shooting his cover keeping him pinned as Jaune moved closer.

CLICK

The shotgun ran out of shells and the guard laughed as he got out cover only to receive a shotgun to the face since Jaune threw it at him knocking him back and giving him enough time to draw his pistols and put a bullet in his throat. Jaune sighed seeing the remaining guards cowering behind their cover upon seeing him kill their friends and so he summoned another Darkling who wore a bloody jersey and welded a cricket bat.

The Darkling cackled and leaped into the fray chasing the guards out of cover for Jaune to kill and killing some along the way. Finally, the last guard dropped to the ground dead with a caved in skull courtesy to the cricket bat. Jaune reloaded his guns and went back to where he killed Roach to find a way out of the basement.

"Hello? Roach? Roach, are you there?" Harry asked over the intercom.

Jaune decided to answer and pressed the call button.

"Roach, it's Harry. What's going on down there? Is Arc fixed or what?"

"Sure, Harry. Take it easy. I killed him myself." Jaune answered in a poor impression of Roach.

"When has that ever worked?" Pyrrha asked with confusion.

"Almost never." Weiss answered.

"Almost?"

"There has to be an instance where such a thing has happened before and actually worked." Weiss said looking at Pyrrha. "Moving on, that is a terrible impression of Roach's voice that only an idiot will fall for it."

"Sure thing, 'Roach.' Why don't you come up to my office an' we'll discuss the funeral arrangements." Harry said ending the conversation.

"Looks like he's not an idiot." Yang said sounding disappointed.

"There's still time." Jaune said looking at the screen.

A door leading out of the basement is kicked open as more of Harry's guards enter the basement with weapons drawn. Jaune's Darkling went to intercept them and got shot when the guards spotted him.

"What the fuck is that?" One of the shouted firing his shotgun.

"Ow! That hurt, stupid!" The Darkling shouted jumping onto the ceiling and leaping onto one of them and bashing in his skull as Jaune came around the corner and shot another in the legs knocking him down to be killed by the Darkling.

"Fucking die!" The last guard yelled in frustration shooting Jaune in the chest with a shotgun knocking him back. "Just die!" He yelled firing again once again knocking Jaune back till his back met the wall. The guard laughed forgetting about the Darkling who hit the back his knees knocking him down in front of Jaune.

"You angered the boss. Not good." The Darkling cackled as Jaune picked up the shotgun and killed the guard by shooting him in the chest. "Ah, I always love seeing the chest explode like that."

Jaune kneeled and searched the body finding more shells and reloaded the shotgun. "Scout ahead and deal with any guards you come across before you get killed."

"Right, guv'nor" The Darkling said with a mock salute and placing the cricket bat on his back before rushing up the stairs the guards came from.

"He's kind of cute in a murderous way." Penny said with a tilt of her head before looking to her friends seeing the weird looks they are giving her. "What?"

"How do you find something like that." Ruby said pointing to the screen showing the Darkling jumping onto a guard and bashing his head in. "Cute in any way?"

Penny looked at the screen then back to Ruby and simply shrugged unable to come up with an answer as to why she found the Darkling cute.

"People have different tastes." Tai told his youngest daughter when she looked to him for answers.

Jaune walked upstairs passing by two dead bodies at the top of the stairs. He heard gunfire and screams at the same time making him smile slightly knowing that his Darkling is cutting a path for him. He went three flights of stairs without much issue other than the risk of tripping over the bodies left behind by the Darkling's rampage. His pager went off.

'HOPE YOU SAID YOUR GOODBYES TO SISTER MARY! – PAULIE'

Jaune scowled as he put away the pager and went to the next floor just in time to see his Darkling get shot into the wall.

"Bloody…fucking…wankers…" The Darkling said before dying and fading away back to wherever it came from.

Jaune entered the room and opened fire on the guards killing one and smashing the nose of another with the handle of the shotgun before shooting him in the head splattering his brains over the room. Moving on Jaune found another set of stairs leading up.

"You think you accomplished something here, Arc?" Harry said over the intercom. "I got news for you, you little shit! You ain't done nothin' that Paulie won't undo in a second."

A guard came down the stairs only to get his leg blown off and then his chest. Jaune continued up the stairs.

"Show no mercy."

"That voice is egging him on." Ren said frowning at the voice. "It seems to enjoy the carnage Jaune is causing."

"Maybe it derives its powers from the blood being spilled or the death?" Jaune suggested.

"It's impossible to know its motives without learning about the being behind the voice." Bart said adjusting his glasses as he wrote down possible motives the voice has.

"He's right, we may learn about it's origins if we keep watching." Ozpin said.

Jaune made it to the top floor where more guards waited for him. He summoned another Darkling to help him and the dark eels as well before entering the room. Jaune saw Harry running out of the room towards the roof.

"He's coming, Paulie! He's coming!" Harry yelled into the phone leaving his men behind.

Jaune focused on the guards first by stabbing one of them and using the body as a shield when the guards started shooting. The Darkling jumped onto a desk and picked up a pair of scissors to use as a weapon. Jaune shot the light plunging the room into darkness, the only sources of light are coming from the gunfire as the guards fired blindly into the room in the hopes of hitting Jaune.

Jaune used his ability to see perfectly in the dark to kill the guards using a combination of his dark powers and guns. Jaune left the room heading for the stairs to the roof to deal with Harry.

"Blow it up, Paulie! Now!"

Jaune picked up the pace when he heard Harry yelling about blowing something up.

"This human is evil."

"Blow it up, Paulie! Blow up the orphanage!" Harry yelled as he tripped over his feet and fell over the building just as an explosion occurred behind him.

"I hope Jaune kills the bastard!" Pyrrha shouted upon hearing that they are going to blow up an orphanage, everyone in the room agreed with the redhead. Anyone who kills children does not deserve to live and should suffer for the longest time.

Jaune stabbed the ground with a tendril and used it to propel himself up to better see the damage but couldn't. Frustrated he used the tendrils to lower himself over a train tunnel. He looked down to see Harry struggling to move off the tracks but couldn't since a train ran over him. Jaune waited for the train to pass before jumping down onto the tracks and walked over to Harry's mangled body.

"He deserved to suffer more." Glynda whispered glaring at the body of Harry. A statement shared by all the teachers and parents.

"He got off lightly compared to what Jaune would have done to him." Leon said with barely contained anger.

Jaune summoned the dark eels to feast on the leftovers of Harry's corpse.

"Feed me."

Jaune watched as the dark eels feasted upon the body until they reached the heart and the one on the right grabbed it, looked at Jaune for a moment before tossing it to the ground where a dark portal opened and another Darkling crawled out. Though this one wore an army helmet and carried a large gatling gun on its back.

"Assume tactical positions!" The Gunner Darkling yelled stepping onto the tracks and drawing the gatling gun and firing down the tunnel as a train is coming down the tracks. Jaune stepped to the side to avoid being hit unlike the Gunner Darkling who held down the trigger until the train applied the brakes making it squeal on the tracks as it slowed to a stop running over the Darkling before it came to a stop.

Jaune looked at the front of the train full of bullet holes and blood from the train operator on the window. He looked at the smoke rising over the buildings.

"They burn, Jaune. All the little ones. Such delicate torture of the body and soul."

"How can this… thing, enjoy the suffering of dying children!" Willow yelled at the screen.

"Not even Salem would stoop this level." Ozpin said thankful that even though his former wife is trying to destroy Remnant she never targets orphanage preferring to turn her Grimm lose and look away. Easier to commit genocide when you don't have to see the blood and the faces of the victims.

"This being enjoys death no matter who is dealing it." Bart said writing more notes down in his notebook. "I worry about Mr. Arc's psyche with this being in his head encouraging him to take lives and cause chaos."

"You fear he may go mad with this power?" Peter asked his colleague.

Bart shrugged and set down his notebook. "Its hard to say, how many leaders in the past have gone mad with power?"

"We'll just have to watch and see." Ghira said.

Raven shook her head at the display, despite being a bandit that killed she never once harmed a child maybe that had something to do with giving birth and being a mother for the better part of two years. She may be a bandit but she had codes however little they are and actually mean.

Jaune scowled at the voice for the joy in its voice. He walked down the opposite tunnel when his pager went off, grabbing it and reading the message.

'CALL ME , ASSHOLE – PAULIE'

The screen faded to black as Jaune went further into the tunnel. Jaune is back in the void holding his pistols.

"My Uncle Paulie's pretty much a scumbag." He said looking up. "Not that anyone has the balls to tell him that to his face. Paulie took me out of an orphanage I lived in after my parents died."

"It's kind of like being rescued from a shark attack by a grizzly bear." Jaune said waving his guns around. "The only reason he took me in was 'cause he needed another hitman. We never did see eye to eye."

"Bastard." Emilia said forming a fist and ready to punch this Paulie in the face for turning her son into a killer.

"That's sick." Kali said shaking her head comparing Paulie to the warlords of the past who used child soldiers in their armies. "He deserves nothing more than being eaten alive by those eels."

Blake and Ghira looked at her surprised that she would even suggest such a thing.

"Never mess with a mama bear when her cubs in danger." Li said and every father agreed seeing how protective their wives are when it comes to their children.

The screen fades back to Jaune who is now leaving the tunnel and climbs onto the subway platform. His pager goes off again and he sees the message is from Pyrrha this time.

'CALL ME! – PYRRHA.'

Jaune puts away his pager searches for a payphone to make some calls, he finds one next to the stairs leading out of the subway. Entering the coins Jaune entered Paulie's number, the phone rang three times.

"Jaune?"

"No, it's the fucking milk man." Jaune said with barely contained anger.

"You fuckin' maggot. Anyone hurts Paulie Franchetti, I hurt them twice as bad in return." Paulie screamed through the phone. "Three times as bad! Because I decide how this city works, you hear me? I hope you took a good look at the sky today, cause it's the last moment of peace you'll ever have in your very short and very miserable rest of your pointless fucking existence."

"Think of happy thoughts. Think of the people you love. Think of St. Mary's Orphanage for fuckin' imbecile children and the bomb that blew their retard brains to pieces. They're all dead, Jaune!" Paulie yelled. "So, I want you to think of me. And never forget: This was all your fault!"

"That man needs to die slowly and painfully." Blake said with narrowed eyes and once again everyone agreed. Something about the way Paulie spoke reminded Blake of some unpleasant aspects of Adam when it came to humans.

"Only a low-life piece of shit would target children." Kali said glaring at the screen in anger same as her daughter.

"This was never Jaune's fault." Nora said coming to the defense of Jaune. "Jaune is not the one who planted the bomb or made it go off. He has nothing to blame himself for."

"You may see it like that, but he won't." James said looking at Nora. "When there's a moment of reprieve, he'll start thinking about what went wrong and what he should've done better or faster to prevent their deaths."

Winter looked at her C.O with concern and didn't see the shared look Tai and Qrow had as they looked at Summer who noticed and nodded at them.

Jaune hung up the phone ending the call and taking a deep breath to calm his nerves before calling Pyrrha. She picked up on the first ring.

"Jaune?"

"Yeah, it's me." Jaune said looking at the wall tiles.

"Did you hear on the news about Saint Mary's Orphanage? Oh, god, it's so horrible. That was our home, Jaune" Pyrrha said.

"Yeah, I don't know what to do or feel about it." Jaune admitted looking at the people passing by. "All I know is that it's evil. Where are you?"

"I'm at home but I'm going by there right now to see if there's anything I can do to help. Jimmy's picking me up." She told him. "Can we meet at Fulton Street, by the exit to the orphanage? You can take the train from Canal and be at Fulton in a minute."

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Jaune told her before hanging up and looked at the signs to find the correct sign for the train to take. He found the correct one and waited for the train to come. When it did Jaune entered the train and found a spot to wait. He looked at the people riding the train lost in their own little worlds while they waited and so Jaune did the same to pass the time.

"They don't seem at all concerned about what just happened." Ren stated seeing how no one is reacting to the explosion. "At the very least there should be a new report on it."

"Maybe it's coming, or maybe people have grown used to the violence." Jaune said.

"Not sure if that's better." Ren said looking at Jaune.

Jaune felt the train slowing down and waited by the doors as the train came to a stop at the platform, the doors opened, and he left the train. Looking at the signs Jaune went up the stairs leading to the orphanage, he turned a corner and saw Pyrrha with an older gentleman.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha yelled waving him over. Jaune walked over to the duo and looked at the TV above them to see a new report.

"This is a News Watch Six Breaking News Special Report. In a stunning turn of events, the Saint Mary's Orphanage is currently the site of a massive firefighting operation following what witnesses have described as an explosion, turning a random bombing in the city into a trend." Footage of the orphanage is shown showing the building on fire with firefighters doing their best to fight the flames.

"Live on the scene is News Watch Six Reporter Lie Ren. Ren, what do you have for us?"

"Lisa, behind me is a scene of chaos as New York's Fire Department tries to subdue the raging fire that has claimed the Saint Mary's Orphanage." A reporter appeared on the TV. "Earlier reports that this might have been a terrorist attack have been quelled by Captain James Ironwood of the New York Police Department. He has said that the explosion was likely the result of a gas leak and that there's currently no suspicion of criminal activity having been involved in this tragic accident."

"Bastards hiding the truth from the public." Yang said through clenched teeth upon hearing the lie being fed to the people. "Of course, people are going to believe the lie told the Chief of Police."

"Wouldn't be the first time a politician lies to the public and they believe it." Wiess said having experience from her home life and having to sit on her fathers meeting with the PR department regarding the working conditions for the Dust mines and the Faunus workers.

"Such is the way of the world." Bart said referencing to the countless times in history where such a thing has happened.

"As you can see behind me the fire is still way out of control and the fire department is desperately searching for anyone who may be still alive inside—"

Jaune felt the subway shake as a second explosion rocked the area and the TV showed the explosion forcing the reporter back.

"Shit!"

"Get outta here!" One of the firefighters yelled walking over to the TV crew.

"Lisa, we've been asked to leave the area, it's not safe for us to be here." Ren finished his report and left the scene as the screen shifted back to the studio.

"Alright, thank you Ren. Stay tuned for more information on this developing story on News Watch Six." Lisa finished her report and the outro played.

"Hey, good to see you, Jaune." The older gentlemen also known as Jimmy turned to Jaune. "Listen, I wish we could be meetin' under better circumstances, but you know that the way things are."

"Oh my god, Jaune… this is so awful." Pyrrha said with a shudder. "No one's heard from Sister Mary. The police said it was kind of gas main explosion, but it feels like they're hiding something."

"At least there are some people who don't buy the lie." Jaune said with a smile. "She really is perceptive."

"Lends more credence to the idea that she knows what Jaune really does and ignores it." Pyrrha said looking at the screen.

Jaune walked to Pyrrha giving Jimmy a pat on the shoulder as he passed him. He hugged her to comfort her. "Our Sister Mary?"

Pyrrha nodded.

"Jesus, what about the kids?" Jaune asked letting her go but holding her shoulder.

"Two or three died. One of the firemen told me some have severe burns." She told Jaune.

Everyone frowned at the news, they already knew that some of the children would be dead but to hear that still weighed their hearts down. Some said a silent prayer to the children who lost their lives and the quick recovery of those who are injured.

"Yeah, I know, Pyrrha. It's a terrible thing sweetie, it's a terrible thing." Jimmy said comforting Pyrrha. "But you mind if I have a quick word with Jaune?"

"Okay, I guess…" She said with a shrug and Jaune kissed her forehead before following Jimmy down the hall. "I don't understand. What kind of monster would do something like this."

"Jaune, come here. Let me tell you something." Jimmy said when they are far enough from Pyrrha, so she won't overhear them. "I've seen this shit happen time an' time again ever since that fuckin' Paulie took over the mob. You understand? He's out of his fuckin' mind. Last week he cut off Tony Lucchesi's big toe. Why?"

Jaune shrugged not knowing the answer.

"'Cause of a fuckin' baseball game. Could you believe that? A disagreement over a baseball game." Jimmy told him. "That piece of shit thinks he can't be touched, right? Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! He's gonna be touched. Oh, boy is he gonna be touched. I'm tellin' you. Someone goes to Grinder's Lane and burn all the fuckin' money he's holdin' for the Chicago guys." Jimmy said looking at Jaune.

"Listen, Jimmy. You know out of respect I would never do something like that unless you guys gave the word." Jaune said before looking at Pyrrha still watching the news. "If I make a move, will you keep an eye on Pyrrha?"

"Jaune. Like she was my own flesh an' blood. I swear to God." Jimmy promised. "Just kick the fuck out of them, you hear me? Kick the fuck out of them."

"Of course, Jimmy." Jaune said earning a nod from Jimmy who went back to comfort Pyrrha while Jaune waved at her before turning around and heading back down to the platform to the stairs leading to Grinder's Lane.

The screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void with his back to the screen.

"Grinder's Lane. This is the center of Junior's operation. Place always makes me want to kick a fucking dog – or something."

"Zwei…" Ruby said missing the small corgi hoping to see him again in the new world line.

"I know, Rubes." Yang said giving a quick hug to her sister making her smile.

"It's strange how some places have that effect on people." Glynda said having experienced the same thing in the different kingdoms, mainly the seeder parts of the kingdoms.

The screen fades back to Jaune walking out of the station and into Grinder's Lane, he spots a man standing in a corner of a building and goes up to him to ask him what he knows or seen.

"Hey, I wouldn't hang around here if was you, Pal." The man warned. "I mean there is somethin' that just ain't right about this place. I mean you see all them meat shipments coming in, but like, nothing ever fuckin' comes out!" The man said shaking his hands at Jaune.

"I'm not making this up, man. They're probably shipping in somethin' illegal… like rhino meat, or somethin', huh? Okay, check this out. There's a control box on the other side of the gate." The man told Jaune. "It's on the wall but you gotta look real close 'cause it's hidden in the shadows."

Jaune watched as the man looked again at the wall in front of them before shaking his head rapidly and leaving for the subway. Jaune walked over to the wall that the nervous man was looking at and heard voices coming from the other side talking about him and his current situation. He didn't bother listening to them and instead summoned one of the dark eels to control.

The dark eel slithered away from Jaune and up the side of wall and over, Jaune saw through the eyes of the eel the control box the man spoke about and ordered the eel to attack it sending sparks flying as the main gate opened and Jaune recalled the eel back to him.

Jaune walked through the main gate with his pistols ready to go and quickly dispatched the two guards outside before proceeding inside the building through a side door.

"Human flesh festers…"

Entering the building Jaune felt a chill from the refrigeration units keeping the obviously expired meat cool so it doesn't smell. He walked through the many compartments containing expired meat using the automated doors. He opened the next door and got shot twice in the chest forcing him back as the doors automatically closed.

Jaune leaned against the wall looking at his chest as his wounds healed even patching the holes in his clothes. He looked at the light above him buzzing, he shot the light out bathing the room in darkness allowing him to summon his powers and the Gunner Darkling from a portal.

"Ready to kick some ass, boss." The Gunner said with a salute.

"Go raise some hell." Jaune ordered the Darkling who pulled a cigar off its helmet band and light the end, inhaling the smoke.

"Roger, time to let ol' painless out." It said pulling the gatling gun off its back and Jaune hit the open button and the two entered the room. The gunner went to the left while Jaune went right, the two making quick work of the guards. Jaune walked over a body to a door tucked in the corner of the room.

"Is that a reference to the Predator universe?" Yang asked trying to recall the first universe that they watched.

"Yeah, it is." Sun said excited. "That's the name of the weapon that I used in that universe."

"It's nice to see the mini gun get some love." Coco said approving of the Gunner Darkling using her weapon of choice. "Not many appreciate its power and form."

"I think it also has something to do with it being large and sometimes unwieldy in certain situations." Velvet said looking at Coco. "Then there is the cost of ammunition, weapon maintenance, the various Dust costs –"

"It's not for everyone I admit, but it suits me." Coco said lowering her glasses. "Loud and makes a statement."

"That is true."

"You ain't getting in here, Jaune!" One of the guards shouted from inside firing a shot shattering the small window forcing Jaune against the wall.

"Don't suppose you got a grenade?" Jaune asked the Gunner Darkling sitting on top of the body and smoking.

"Nah, only bullets, bullets, and cigars."

"Great." Jaune mumbled seeing a single light source in the room. Getting an idea, he shot out the light and summoned one of the dark eels to control and commanded it through the small window and into the room. Commanding the eel to attack the guards in the room. Each of them dying a horrific death, Jaune turned the eel to face the door and attacked the lock destroying it. With the lock destroyed he summoned the eel back and opened the door seeing a stack of money on the table.

"That is a great ability for sneaking and recon." "Ilia said thinking of the many uses a skill like that could be used for. it would save her a lot of time if she had such an ability at her disposal.

"And not for other purposes?" Sienna asked looking at her subordinate knowing full well of the crush, more of an obsession really for Blake. Ilia's skin turned red, not blushing red but literally red thanks to her Faunus traits giving her away.

Blake looked at Ilia knowing that the two would have to have a long talk regarding this crush. While she is bisexual, she didn't feel anything romantic towards her.

Jaune looked at the Gunner Darkling still smoking. "Go find something to burn this." He ordered the Darkling who gave a two-finger salute and started looking. Meanwhile Jaune started to make a pile out of the money when the Darkling returned with a red gas can, taking the can Jaune emptied the gas onto the money and tossed the can away. He pulled out his pistol and firing at the table making a spark and igniting the money pile.

Job done, he left the room and headed for the exit when he heard cars outside. Jaune picked up two submachine guns and found a good spot to wait. The guards entered the room coming face to face with Jaune aiming at them with his two submachine guns and the Gunner Darkling with its gatling gun, the barrels already spinning. Jaune fired first and then the Darkling joined in, the guards were shredded by the incoming bullets.

With the guards dealt with Jaune dropped the borrowed guns and left the building as the fire started to spread. He went back to the subway station to inform Jimmy of the news.

The screen fades to black and Jaune is sitting on a box in the void.

"I love this subway station. Uncle Paulie brought me down here on vacation on time to count the trains." He said with a sigh. "Best two days me an' him ever spent together."

"I guess even an asshole have their good days." Emilia said with a scoff.

Leon looked at his wife with concern as did Jaune knowing how protective she is when it comes to her children.

The screen fades to Jaune walks down the stairs leaving the entrance to Grinder's Lane and walked to the other end of the platform to the exit leading to the orphanage. He walked up the stairs back to where he last saw Pyrrha and Jimmy, he walked around the corner and saw Jimmy kneeling against the wall. Jaune ran over to Jimmy seeing the blood around him and helped the elderly man up noticing the bloody mark on the back of his head and his bruised face.

"Jaune, they snuck up on me and nailed me from behind." Jimmy told him using the wall for support. "Paulie and that fuckin' piece of shit James Ironwood. But listen, you gotta get to the orphanage. They took Pyrrha to the orphanage, you gotta get there. Go on, move quick! Move!"

Jaune left Jimmy and ran for the exit leading to the orphanage as the screen fades to black and Jaune is standing in the void with both his guns drawn.

"When you kill for a living, life's only precious if you're staring down the barrel of a gun – or somebody you care about is." Jaune said in an agitated tone. "Paulie can have my possessions, my life, anything I own. Anything, except you… anything!"

"Jaune should've seen this coming." Winter said drawing the ire of the students which she ignored having seen them before from the Atlas students. "He went after Paulie's main distribution guy and point and then his money. He should've known that Paulie had to retaliate somehow or else his men will start to think he's gone soft and might attack him."

"She's right." Qrow pitched in supporting Winter. "Jaune doesn't have any family being an orphan and his friends seem to be the old guys in the mafia. Pyrrha on the other hand isn't connected to the mafia and is the only Jaune cares about making her a target to really hurt him."

The students took in the words and agreed with what Winter and Qrow said.

"He should have told her to leave the city or have her stay with his friends." Jaune said looking at the screen and wondering if this is how he would've felt if Spart hadn't pulled them from their World Line and the fall of Beacon happened. He couldn't imagine the pain of losing his partner who trained him and trusted him.

The screen fades to Jaune exiting the subway and draws his pistols seeing three of Paulie's men waiting for him. He made quick work out of them not wanting to waste time, he walked through the gates of the now destroyed orphanage seeing the fire damage. He took a deep breath as memories of his childhood came back.

"Remembering something Jaune?"

A young Jaune appeared in front of the front door walking slowly when a younger Pyrrha snuck up on young Jaune and pushed him over.

"Now you're my boyfriend, Jaune." Young Pyrrha said with a chuckle.

"Hey… Am not…" Young Jaune said getting up and tagged Young Pyrrha.

"Are too…" Young Pyrrha said tagging him back. The two kids ran back and forth tagging each other.

"Am not!"

"Forever!"

The memory faded and Jaune opened the door to the orphanage.

Everyone smiled at the memory but couldn't shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen.

"Make it in time, please." Jaune whispered to himself not wanting to see his partner die.

Spart looked at Jaune knowing what is coming and hoped that he and everyone is prepared for what is coming.

Jaune walked through the front door and sighed upon seeing the damaged caused by the fire, he noticed a blood trail leading to a side door. Jaune scowled in anger and followed the trail through different rooms until he ended up in the kitchens. Recalling another memory of his younger days when he hid back here to get away when he was told the news about his adoption.

A younger version of Jaune is huddled against the wall hugging his knees and rocking back and forth.

"I'm not gonna go. Can't make me." Young Jaune said to himself. "Can't make me do what I don't wanna do. I'm gonna stay here with Pyrrha."

"Jaune?" Young Pyrrha asked from outside the closed door. "Jaune, what's wrong with you? That was the grossest thing ever. When sister Mary finds out you nailed a frog to the front door, she's gonna kill you… Jaune? I know you're in there."

"Go away! I hate you." Young Jaune yelled through the door.

"Why do you do stuff like that? You're supposed to be nice to animals."

"He hurt animals?" Ruby asked wondering how this Jaune would do such a thing.

"Different version of Jaune, sis." Yang said comforting Ruby and gently reminding her of the times Jaune played with Zwei earning the little corgi's respect.

"Could it…" Ren said before shaking his head to clear his thoughts. An action that didn't go unnoticed by Nora.

"What is it?"

"Just a theory." Ren answered looking at the screen and at the memory of Young Jaune. "What if the Voice has always been apart of Jaune and slowly influenced him into what he is now."

"An interesting theory." Bart said looking back to his notes. "It is possible."

"Shut up, Pyrrha! Who cares, anyway?" Young Jaune yelled going back to rocking back and forth. "Who cares?"

Jaune shook his head clearing the memories that he'd long buried, he griped his pistols tighter and left the kitchen heading for the stairs that lead to the second floor where the fire didn't reach. Another memory appeared as Young Jaune and Young Pyrrha appeared and started to playfully shove each other.

"Promise me, Jaune. No more frogs, no more killing." Young Pyrrha told Young Jaune holding his head in place.

"Promise… no more killin'." Young Jaune promised.

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Young Jaune said crossing his heart.

"Did you feel that? It got so cold all of a sudden." Young Pyrrha asked looking around.

"I don't feel nuthin'."

"It's like, like we're being watched." Young Pyrrha looked in the direction of Jaune. "It's like someone just walked over my grave."

The memory faded and Jaune resumed his search for Pyrrha. He opened a door to the second floor balcony when his powers emerged without him summoning them, the dark eels looked at him before a tendril shot out of him stabbing the ceiling and carrying him over the gap.

"This will be a night to remember."

"Something tells me it won't be a good memory." Qrow whispered and Tai elbowed him making him grimace in slight pain. "Sorry."

"So, it can act independent of Jaune." Ren noted. "I wonder for how long."

"It really does treat him like a doll." Nora said looking at the screen with a glare.

Jaune landed on the other side of the gap and opened the door to the main office there he saw another memory waiting for him. Young Jaune and Pyrrha are sitting on the desk holding hands.

"It's not fair, Jaune. Why do you have to go?" Young Pyrrha asked.

"I'll come back."

"I don't wanna be without you." Young Pyrrha let go his hand and pushed it away before crossing her arms. "You promised you'd always stay with me."

Young Jaune reached for her hand and held it. "I gotta go… my Uncle Paulie's waiting for me."

"Don't go with him…" Young Pyrrha argued. "You'll forget me."

Young Jaune hoped off the table and walked away passing through Jaune.

"Promise me you'll not forgot me, Jaune! Jaune?" Young Pyrrha watched her friend go.

Jaune sighed to himself and walked through the side door leading out of the office making sure to ready his pistols.

"Too late, Jaune. Love dies."

Jaune followed the blood trail to a door when a tendril appeared and wrapped itself around his hands knocking his pistols out of them and restraining him.

"Learn that you are my puppet."

Another tendril appeared and wrapped itself around his chest further restraining him.

"Now watch this!"

"No!" Jaune yelled at the screen seeing his on-screen counterpart restrained and unable to do anything.

Spart looked at the screen knowing that the moment is coming up and wonders how the students will handle it. Sure, they handled the Predator universe and others like it pretty well but nothing like what is about to happen.

A tendril shot out and stabbed the wall dragging Jaune forward to the door where he saw Pyrrha with her arms tied behind her back with Paulie and Ironwood.

"I said let me go, you dick. Jaune was so right about you." Pyrrha said as she is forced to her knees at gunpoint.

"As, shut up, you dumb broad. You're givin' me a fuckin' headache!" Paulie yelled holding a revolver above her head.

"This was your idea, Paulie." Ironwood said from his spot in the room. "If it was up to me, I'd blown her brains out already."

James glared daggers at the man on screen seeing a corrupt man who enjoyed the power given to him. This version of himself made him sick and tainted everything he believed in.

Even Winter had to look away from the screen for a moment to recompose herself. It pained her to see her C.O acting not better than her father or any other corrupt politician.

Willow shook her head seeing a mirror image of Jacques in James and it made her disgusted. Seeing the man she respected be a copy of her husband.

"Yeah? Well, it's not up to you." Paulie said.

"Fuck you! Why are you doing this?" Pyrrha asked and Jaune tried to intervene but couldn't due to being restrained by his powers and the voice.

"Maybe you should ask your boyfriend when he gets here." Ironwood told her.

"Jaune? Why, haven't you fucked him over enough?" Pyrrha looked at Paulie with a defiant look.

"Aw, shut your fuckin' mouth, bitch!" Paulie yelled and when Pyrrha started to struggling he hit her with the butt of the gun knocking her over.

Jaune struggled harder against his restraints but couldn't get free.

"Be still and watch."

"Keep fighting, Pyr." Yang said feeling uneasy at the situation hoping that she finds a way out or that Jaune will break free of his prison.

"Please be ok." Penny whispered gripping her armrest tightly not liking this uneasy feeling building up inside her.

"Come on, come on." Jaune pleaded looking at the screen. "Break free and help her."

Spart looked at Jaune wondering if this is how he felt back in the original World Line after Pyrrha sent him away for his own safety. After she told him that she loved him and kissed him, how did Jaune feel in that moment watching through the locker slits as Pyrrha walked away and Beacon burned.

"Okay… please don't kill me." Pyrrha asked while Paulie walked to the other side of the room. Paulie scowled and walked back over to her, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her back up. "No!" She yelled throwing her head back and colliding with Paulie's face knocking him on his ass.

"Aw, god…" Paulie cried holding his mouth while Ironwood intervened and punched Pyrrha in the face knocking her on the floor again.

"Your flesh is mine. Your will is mine."

Nobody spoke up, the uneasy feeling is back and everyone watched the screen.

Jaune once again tried to break free and managed to punch the glass getting Ironwood's attention.

"Well, well, well, just in time." Ironwood said walking to the door while Paulie continued to roll on the ground. "I heard you and your girlfriend grew up here, Arc." He said stopping a few feet from the door.

"What a shithole. And now the place looks like it was hit by a bomb." Ironwood said looking at the room.

"Broke my nose." Paulie said finally getting back up and looking at the blood on his hand and running form his broken nose.

"Oh, what's the matter? Don't know your ass from your elbow with all that demon shit?" Ironwood asked looking through the window at the tendrils coming out of Jaune's back.

"Get up, bitch!" Paulie ordered grabbing Pyrrha by the back of her shirt and yanking her up to her feet. "You know why we're here? 'Cause you hurt me, Jaune! I took you in for my own! I trusted you! So now all this blood is on your hands."

"Jaune, what's going on? Get me out of here." Pyrrha's voice broke when she saw Jaune.

"Aw, shut the fuck up!" Paulie yelled making Pyrrha sob as the gun barrel is pressed against the side of her head. "You see a happy ending here, Jaune?"

"You figure you got something to bargain with me? So, I don't blow her fuckin' brains out her fuckin' nose?" Paulie asked and Jaune tried to get free again hearing Pyrrha's sobs. "'Cause the way I see it, you got nothing!"

"It just gets better an' bigger, don't it, Jauney?" Ironwood said walking towards Paulie. "We hurt you, you hurt us. It's like some fucking game we're playing here. You caused me a lot of trouble, boy."

"She's mine."

"You were my blood, Jaune. I loved you like a son an' you took from me." Paulie explained marching Pyrrha forward to the door. "You stole my respect and you stole my trust. And when blood takes from blood, someone always pays."

"So now, I take from you." Paulie said pressing Pyrrha against the door and pressing the barrel of the gun against the back of her head.

"Jaune, this is not your fault." Pyrrha whispered before Paulie pulled the trigger killing her, blood splattered against the window making streaks as they fell down the window.

Jaune ceased his struggling and everything went quiet.

Ruby gasped and covered her face with her hands wishing she looked away at that moment wishing her mind could forgot seeing her friend get killed in such a fashion. It's one thing to see someone killed in the heat of combat and another to see a person you knew and spoke with daily being killed like that.

Yang and the rest of RWBY shut their eyes hoping to be rid of the image of Pyrrha dying but couldn't, the scene still fresh in their minds and replaying.

Pyrrha looked at the screen in shock wanting to look away but couldn't. The screen and what just happened held her gaze, she looked at the screen watching as the blood made trails as they fell down the window.

Nora held onto Ren for comfort and took deep breathes to calm herself. Ren breathed rapidly trying to calm himself after seeing his friend kill in such a fashion unable to help just like before with his parents.

Jaune is by far the worst of the students seeing his partner get killed and feeling powerless, unable to do anything just like his onscreen counterpart pissed him off and made him sick. It reminded him of the ever-present gap in his peers and something he needed to close if he ever wanted to be of use to his team and to Pyrrha and the others.

Leon had to close his eyes and take a deep breath knowing exactly of how his son felt. Being unable to help even though you're right next to the person who needed it. It reminded him of what happened to his team at Mt. Glenn and how he couldn't help them. Something he never wanted to feel again or wish upon his son ever since he wanted to become a huntsman but Jaune made his choice and now he must respect it and at the very least offer some advice.

The teachers fared no better hearing about their student's deaths weighed upon them but to see one of their students executed, a student under their charge angered them. They did their best to make sure their students are trained and ready but the world outside an Academy is very different from a classroom. No rules, retries, or calling a match when your Aura dropped below 50%. Every mission they take could be their last.

"Poor girl." Glynda whispered removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes of the tears.

"Clean that mess up…" Paulie said aiming at Jaune through the window when the dark eels attacked breaking the glass and knocking the gun out of Paulie's hand. Ironwood is the first to run upon seeing the dark eels followed by Paulie.

The tendrils let go of Jaune allowing him to break free of their hold and open the door to see Pyrrha's body. He dropped to his knees taking slow breathes.

"Aww, what did they do to Pyrrha?"

The voice mocked as Jaune hesitantly reached out to touch her but pulled back. He looked to his left and saw the revolver used to kill her, he picked it up.

"Is he-?" Nora didn't finish her sentence.

"That fucking voice." Jaune glared at the screen for mocking Pyrrha's death.

Everyone agreed with Jaune on that statement. Whatever is behind the voice is clearly a being who relishes death and loss, a being that doesn't value human life.

"She was a burden. This is freedom."

Jaune stood up holding the gun and left the room seeing a mirror and himself for the first time. His eyes glowed a bright yellow with many tendrils surrounding him. He walked slowly to the mirror.

"Where are you going?"

He stopped in front of the mirror as one of the dark eel emerged and hissed at him.

"No, Jaune! This is not your time."

The second dark eel appeared and roared trying to stop Jaune as he put gun barrel in his mouth. One of the eels bit his arm trying to pull it back but couldn't and the second joined trying to stop him.

"No! Cannot! Must not!"

Jaune pulled the trigger and the last thing he saw as his life ended is himself in the mirror as the screen cuts to black.

"What the hell?!" Emilia yelled at the screen after seeing her only son kill himself.

"Calm down, Em." Leon said comforting his wife though seeing his son kill himself disturbed him also. "He'll be fine."

"How do you know?"

"Remember the start of the showing?" Leon asked seeing his wife shake her head.

"Jaune said that this night is the first time he died." Ghira explained recalling what Jaune said at the beginning of the showing.

"Meaning he comes back to die again because it's the first time." Emilia said with disgust. "Why?"

Leon shook his head not knowing the answer that she wanted to hear. "I don't know. We just need to watch and see."

The students took deep breathes to calm themselves and looked at Jaune to reassure themselves that he's still there with them especially those that like him. Jaune may have his flaws and sure he lied his way into Beacon with false transcript but that didn't mean they wanted him dead. He earned his way in, he proved that by fighting Yang and eking out a win.

"And that… "

"Well…"

"That was the first time I died."

The sounds of explosions and gunfire can be heard even though the screen is still black.

"You wronged me, Jaune. You betrayed my gift."

"He did the right thing, though the wrong action." Pyrrha said.

"More of a curse than a gift." Ozpin said with a sigh knowing a thing or two about such things.

"Only someone twisted would view such a thing as a gift." Glynda said removing her glasses and cleaning them before putting them back on. "Salem might."

Jaune awoke in the middle of a trench, he saw three men wearing blue military uniforms on their knees with their arms tied behind their back. Another person who didn't have a face wore a black military uniform that resembled an officers uniform walked in front of them and shot two in the head. Jaune tried to move but couldn't due to being weak from putting a bullet through his head.

The officer looked at Jaune and his head bent at an unusual angle before twitching rapidly.

"That is very unsettling." Ren said deeply unsettled by the sight of the rapid movement of the head.

"Where is he, now?" Nora asked looking at every detail on the screen. "What's with the soldiers?"

"It resembles a war zone." Jaune looked at the screen seeing similar images from the history textbooks from Beacon's library that he read while studying for a history test. "What is going on?"

The last prisoner begged for his life, but the officer ignored his pleas and shot him in the head before walking away leaving Jaune.

"You should not be here."

Jaune felt his strength return and got up. He looked around hearing the sounds of war, he looked for a weapon and found a discarded pile in a bunker that probably belonged to the executed prisoners. Grabbing a bolt action rifle and a pistol along with some spare ammo before leaving the bunker and walking down the trenches with his newly acquired rifle at the ready. He turned the corner and saw the same officer walking away from him.

Jaune aimed and shot the officer in the back of the head killing him. He walked to the body when his powers emerged, this time obeying him as the dark eels devoured the body and Jaune felt more of his strength return. He walked through the trenches killing the soldiers in the black uniform as they appeared. He entered a bunker looking for clues or any information about where he's at. He found a letter that is torn and written in German, he can make out a date, 1916. Meaning that Jaune is somehow in the trenches of World War 1 which would explain the weapons and the uniforms.

"World War 1?" Bart asked curious looking to Spart.

"A war that engulfed the world for four long years and claim the lives of roughly nine million soldiers and 20 million civilian lives." Spart told the group and saw the looks of amazement and sorrow on their faces.

"20 million…" James whispered shocked at the number of lives lost. Even their own wars never reached that number. Probably because of the Grimm, he shuddered to imagine how their world would be without the threat of the Grimm. Would the Kingdoms be at peace or at each other's throats while claiming to be friends and allies.

"How did such a war begin in the first place?" Bart asked. "And how many were there?"

"With the assassination of single man which kicked off the war." Spart told them. "After the showing, I'll be happy to give you a rundown of the first two World Wars."

"Two world wars." Ozpin said shocked at the number of world wars.

Jaune walked under a bridge when he heard a plane engine and looked up to see a plane on fire heading for him. He ran back to escape the incoming plane which crashed in the trenches behind him. Turning around he saw the wreckage of the crashed plane blocking his path.

"Shit…"

Jaune looked for a way around the wreckage and found nothing. He decided to summon a Darkling hoping they can come up with something, he expected the Gunner of the regular Darkling instead a different one appeared. This wore a top hat and a long trench coat with a detonator plunger on its back.

"Ka-boom!" The Darkling said before crawling over to a crawlspace boarded up and removed the detonator plunger from its back and slammed the plunger down exploding itself and knocking Jaune back again.

"And now he has a bomber at his beck and call." Weiss said no longer surprised at this point in the viewing.

"I wonder what other abilities he will get." Ruby wondered trying to forget the scene from earlier.

"At this point I wouldn't be surprised if he gains the ability to summon a black hole." Ren said jokingly unaware of right he is.

Jaune got up with a sigh and saw that the crawlspace is now open thanks to the explosion. He crawled through the tiny space and exited in a bunker with two more soldiers guarding the entrance. He summoned the Darkness and attacked the guards killing them quickly to save ammo. Afterwards he left the bunker walking down more trenches where a soldier came around the corner only to get killed by an incoming mortar round that knocked Jaune back.

Getting up, Jaune dusted himself off and walked further down the trench looking for a way out. He walked further down the trench feeling the ground shift slightly up and figured he's approaching the exit, he turned a corner and saw two more soldiers guarding the exit. He summoned his powers again and impaling one of them through the neck and then the other in the chest killing them. Tossing the bodies away, Jaune recalled his powers and left the trenches.

"Hell has no form. It bends to my whim."

Jaune looked over the landscape seeing nothing for miles but an empty barren land, impact craters from mortar rounds dotted the landscape.

"This is my dream of you."

Jaune looked around for any landmarks to guide him and spotted some ruins with a small hill behind it. A pole stuck out of the middle of it, deciding to move to the hill he walked towards the ruins where he expected an ambush but nothing.

"The sun grows ever darker."

Jaune made it to the ruins and looked up for the first time seeing that the sky has darkened and indeed the light from the sun is dying bathing the land in darkness. Already he could feel his strength increase as darkness fell upon the war torn land and he made it to the small hill to see an upside down cross with a man nailed to him, a blindfold covered his eyes and his mouth his sewed shut.

"Gods…" Jaune said shaking his head at the scene wondering how someone could such a thing to another.

"So Jaune is dreaming?" Pyrrha said confused.

"Could be or something else is going on." Ren suggested.

"Pestilence."

Jaune looked away from the guy nailed upside down and found a trail leading around the hill. Deciding to follow it, he follows it to a path circling the hill and leading downward.

"One of the four."

While following the path Jaune is attacked by more of the soldiers hiding behind a few destroyed trees. Jaune quickly returned fire tanking hits that would have killed any normal person and made quick work of the soldiers and searched them for more ammo. Once done he resumed following the trail to a concrete pillbox. Not wanting to waste time he summoned his powers along with a Suicide Darkling who jumped through the open firing slots cackling before a loud explosion happened.

Jaune broke down the metal door with ease and proceeded to clear the entire bunker.

"He's starting to get reckless." Ozpin said seeing Jaune not using cover and standing out in the open, an easy target for anyone. "He keeps this up and things are going to get worse for him."

"He's clearly taking out his anger and frustrations." James said watching as Jaune used his powers to cut one of the soldiers in half and tearing the head off another. "Anger is only going to hinder him and impair his judgement."

"The man just lost his love. I think he has a right to pissed." Qrow said looking at James having gone through the same thing with Tai when Summer died.

Jaune exited the bunker through a hole he made, his gunshot wounds already healing.

"The flame of life shall be put into shadow."

Jaune walked across an open field wondering where to go now, he spotted a London flag over a trench.

"Get your head down ya bloody fool! Jerry's everywhere!" A soldier wearing a blue uniform like the ones held prisoner from when Jaune first woke up in this twisted version of WW1.

Jaune picked up the pace and jumped into the trench landing next to the soldier who yelled at him.

"All men are cattle."

Jaune looked at the soldier seeing his face all stitched up with thick black thread like someone took his face apart and stitched it back together. He looked around and saw that all the soldiers in blue uniforms all have stitched faces, they looked at him but didn't say anything so he walked past them without incident.

"You're with that other yank, aren't you? The one in the village." A soldier said catching Jaune's attention.

"Yeah, where can I find him?" Jaune asked interested.

"Head through the hatch and the tunnel will take you there." The soldier answered pointing to a closed hatch with a soldier guarding it.

"Who do you think is the other guy?" Ruby asked curious.

"Maybe someone that could explain some things to Jaune, and to us as well." Weiss didn't like not knowing anything hence her studious nature when it comes to the Grimm and any other such things. Speaking of which now that Ozpin revealed the nature of the Grimm and Salem, she needed to do some reading and rethink some things she thought she knew.

"It would be nice to know what is going on." Jaune said looking at the screen.

"Same here, kid." Qrow said leaning back in his seat. "It would be helpful to know what is going on instead of being given vague info." He said the last part while looking at Ozpin.

"I… will try to work on that." Ozpin replied knowing that he can vague and secretive when it comes to his allies and that is warranted due to his many past lives and with that came many betrayals. After a while he shut himself off to close friends and reduced them to acquaintances that would eventually pass. He still enjoyed their company but knew that they would die eventually, and he would be "reborn" so to speak in another person to do it all over again.

Immortality really is a bitch for those that don't want it.

Jaune thanked the soldier and walked over to the soldier guarding the hatch. "You're going that way, son an' I wouldn't fool about – I've seen things down there that would make grown men cry. If I were you I'd get in there, sharpish. Keep moving an' don't look back, whatever you do."

Jaune nodded before kicking open the hatch.

"Stay away."

The voice pleaded as Jaune descended the ladder as the screen faded to black showing Jaune sitting down in the void.

"There's no explanation for what's happened to me. Maybe this place isn't a place at all." Jaune said to the void. "Maybe it's a state of mind. I mean, I'm supposed to be dead. I remember you. I remember the gunshot… I think I'm in hell."

"I think anyone would come to that conclusion after seeing that." Sun said referring to the war torn landscape and the nightmare inducing soldiers. "I would."

"It could be a state of mind like Jaune is suggesting." Bart mumbled jotting down theories in his notebook. "Maybe something like an out of body experience?... or a something else… ah, fringe science has never been my forte."

"We have been given confirmation that other worlds exist. Any other ideas relating to fringe science may now have merit." Glynda said having read a couple of fringe theories when she was bored.

"There is actually a universe where Jaune is part of team that investigates fringe events." Spart told the group earning a look from everyone.

"What is fringe science?" Ruby asked curious.

"They are ideas or theories that are highly speculative by people that have no academic science background or by researchers outside the mainstream science community." Penny explained knowing that some of her father's theories could be considered fringe science.

The screen fades to black and shows Jaune in the tunnels under the trenches. He walked through the tunnels, his footsteps echoing off the walls and through the tunnels.

"Jaune, go back… or be lost forever. Worse than hell. Nothing can come of this."

The voice said as Jaune walked past a soldier huddled against the wall and rocking back and forth.

"Turn away."

Jaune ignored the voice and continued walking through the tunnel feeling it shake as explosions went off above him.

"Nothing for you here."

Jaune found a ladder at the end of the tunnel and started to climb it, reaching the top he climbed out finding himself in a destroyed village with a soldier standing guard at the exit.

"I say… it's young Arc! Best get into the church, eh!" The soldier said recognizing Jaune. "He's waiting for you in the church."

"It's a lie, Jaune."

"IT really doesn't want him to reach this guy." Nora said. "It almost sounds afraid."

"Maybe because if Jaune learns something, it might lose control over him or look for something that can do the same thing." Ozpin said. "At this point there are many theories at to why IT is urging him to turn back."

Jaune walked through the village following the church bells and passing by soldiers on guard duty or moving supplies. He looked up seeing massive walls running parallel to the village, seeing the church he picked up the pace making it to the church and tried the front doors finding them locked. He went around the church finding a side door and opened it, entering the church he saw beds filled with wounded soldiers.

"Jaune! Jaune!" A soldier yelled with a wave and Jaune walked over to him seeing that his face isn't stitched at all.

"Dad." Leon said surprised and shocked at seeing his father again.

"Grandpa." Jaune said also shocked at seeing his grandfather again. He passed away in his sleep before he left for Beacon and is one of the many reasons why he wanted to be a huntsman.

"That's your grandpa?" Velvet asked seeing the resemblance between all Arc men.

"Yeah, he used to tell me cool stories whenever he came over to visit." Jaune said fondly recalling memories of the two spending time together. "I miss you, grandpa."

"I do too, son." Leon said with a sad smile looking at his dad in his younger days brought a smile to his face.

"Holy shit, are you a sight for sore eyes!" The soldier said when Jaune stopped in front of him, he saw that the soldier has blonde hair. "Listen, kid… I know there are a lot of things you're not gonna understand but you gotta trust me. Now you've arrived, I think we're gonna find out what's happening here."

"Do I know you?" Jaune asked looking at the soldier feeling something.

"My name is Anthony Arc." The now named Anthony said with a sad smile seeing Jaune's confused look. "Okay, this is gonna sound weird… but I guess that I'm your great, great grandfather."

"Huh…" Leon and Jaune said at the same time.

"Different world, different rules." Emilia simply said with a shrug.

"What the hell is this place?" Jaune asked gesturing to his surroundings.

"Don't you see it? Everything happened here, Jaune… this is where it all began." Anthony said with a frustrated tone. "That's why I'm back in this goddamn nightmare war. It's why we all are." Anthony turned to face the wall with a heavy sigh.

"I brought this Darkness into our family… this is all my fault." He said shaking his head at his mistake and turned back to face Jaune.

"What do you know about the Darkness" Do you know why it chose me?"

"I don't know…" Anthony said with a shrug. "It needs a host, I guess. I messed up, Jaune – I brought it into our family. I didn't realize it would do this to us."

"The Darkness… what the hell is it?" Jaune asked wanting to know more about what's inside him.

"The Darkness is a living thing. It's some kind of creature, old as time." Anthony explained. "It passes down from generation to generation, making itself known on the firstborn male's twenty-first birthday."

"Why did it bring me here?"

"It needs its human host to stay alive. Somehow, you broke the rules, Jaune. You died before your time." Anthony told Jaune. "The Darkness has to keep you here while it puts you back together. It won't allow you to die."

"Ren's theory was right. The Darkness needs a host." Jaune said. "Why wait until the twenty-first birthday though?"

"A lot of people believe that is the moment when a person turns into an adult." Ozpin explained setting his mug down. "It's possible that the Darkness cannot manifest itself until a person becomes an adult. Until then it just waits, I suppose."

"So, it took over Jaune's body while his mind is in another place." Weiss theorized.

"Fascinating, his conscious is in another plane of reality while his body is being controlled by the Darkness in order to repair his earlier suicide." Bart said quickly that people only caught brief snippets of what he actually said.

"This must be the first time the Darkness had a host that voluntarily killed themselves." Neptune said. "I imagine anyone else with that kind of power would abuse it for their own gain. Not many would surrender that power."

"I guess it depends on the person holding the power." Sun suggested.

Jaune sighed to himself and looked around the room before looking at Anthony. "How do I stop this… and how do I get out?"

"Listen… there might be a way to control it. I found out that a long time ago, one of the human hosts forged two special weapons that were used to control the Darkness." Anthony said. "Promise me, Jaune, that you'll go find them. You gotta work out how to control this damn thing before it's too late."

"Thanks, I will." Jaune said before leaving the room and heading back into the village.

"Don't listen to the Darkness, Jaune – it'll lie to protect itself!" Anthony shouted. "Just keep going and don't look back!"

"Don't believe him."

Jaune left the church and looked around for any clues on where to find the weapons. He walked around the village finding a lot of the paths are blocked off by debris and the only path that doesn't lead to the tunnel he came from lead to the massive wall. Following the path led him to a doorway marked with symbols and warnings.

"Go no further, Jaune."

Taking that as a good sign, Jaune continued forward passing through the door and the screen faded to black with Jaune in the void, a single light shining down upon him.

"Couple of things about the Arc family…"

"One… we don't give up." Jaune said before spitting into the void.

"Damn straight." Leon said with pride and Emilia chuckled knowing that fact well when she married her husband and met his family.

Even Jaune straightened in his seat upon hearing his counterpart's words. Even his team could attest to that having seen him training and studying. Especially Pyrrha since she started training him on the rooftop.

The screen fades and shows Jaune underground in what appears to be a boiler room. He walked down the stairs and saw the path blocked by a bell wedged into the doorway. Jaune looked at the stuck bell with confusion before summoning a dark tendril and stabbed the side of the bell and removed it with ease clearing the path forward.

"Hell is behind you. Hell awaits you."

Jaune ignored the voice and followed the tunnel finding an exit but before he left a flash blinded him and he saw the figure of a soldier looking at him and vanishing just as quickly.

"Gah! I hate that!" Weiss yelled jumping in her seat.

"You're not the only one." Penny said still getting used to feeling fear and being scared now that she is a living being instead of an artificial one. It is proving to be a fascinating experience that she can't wait to tell her father/creator about.

"Nothing here…"

Jaune left the bunker and it started to rain with flashes of lightening brightening up the land, in the distance he spotted what looked like spikes coming out of the ground. He also spotted a trail lined with lanterns on each side of the trail. Reloading his rifle Jaune left the bunker and followed the trail dealing with the occasional soldier that appeared on the path and vanished just as quick.

"Stolen secrets… you'll find only pain."

Following the trail a little further he would get blinded by the occasional bright flash of lightening and each time a vision of a dead person would appear in front of him.

"Death."

Jaune saw the trail coming to an end with a dead crooked tree at the end. He lowered his weapon upon reaching the tree and circled it looking for a clue or anything to the whereabouts of the weapons Anthony mentioned but couldn't find anything.

Frustrated Jaune looked around the landscape searching for anything and saw nothing of interest save for the remains of destroyed building. Moving to investigate for any clues when another flash of lightening showed something interesting.

Where the tree once stood is another cross with a man nailed to it upside down like the one he found earlier, only this is one is holding what appeared to be swords in each hand. Another flash and the cross is gone, replaced by the tree once again.

"One of the four."

Jaune looked at tree again this time more carefully and even touched the bark. Pulling his hand back he had an idea and summoned his powers and had the dark eels suck in the darkness surrounding the area making the tree fade away revealing the cross with the man nailed to it.

"That's one way to hide something important." Ozpin said having experience when it comes to hiding things of importance.

"Even if the other troops made it to the hill, they wouldn't be able to get the weapons without the Darkness." Qrow said. "It just would have been a loss of manpower and a waste of time."

"So, these people nailed to the cross are the previous hosts?" Said Coco. "Or are they keepers of the previous hosts?"

"There is so much of the Darkness that we don't know." Peter said.

"Agreed." Said Bart writing down some more notes in his notebook.

"Do you know the word of hope?" The crucified man asked looking at Jaune with empty eyes.

Jaune recalled his powers and set the weapon down before leaning close to the man's ears. "Pyrrha."

"He really did love her." Said Tai with a sad knowing a thing about losing the one you love.

"Use the weapons wisely, or the Darkness will consume your soul." The man said letting of the swords and allowing Jaune to take them.

"What are these things?" Jaune asked taking the swords and overlooking them, immediately the swords morphed into a pair of pistols, and he already felt the Darkness being absorbed into the guns. He felt more in control now than before.

"Centuries ago, before the dawn of history, a Darkness host found a precious item that helped bring the Darkness under control." The man started to explain. "The Darkness feared control. Centuries later, I fashioned the swords to harness its power into a weapon. Over time, others refined them… improved them... I once imagined, I too would control the Darkness. Remember, a powerful enemy now fester within you."

Jaune turned away from the man after listening to him and followed the trail back to the bunker. Along the way he came across two soldiers waiting for him and offered a good opportunity to test out his new guns. he fired the one in his left hand firing off a powerful shot that he could see the sound wave coming off the barrel of the gun. The powerful shot removed the upper half of the soldier leaving only the bottom half.

The other soldier turned and Jaune fired the one in his left, the gun's multiple barrels started to rotate firing rapidly filling the soldier with holes. The body dropped and Jaune looked at his new guns in amazement and whistled before heading back to the village as the screen faded and Jaune is in the dark void.

"Goddam, those do some damage." Said Yang with a whistle. "I hate to imagine the recoil on those bad boys."

"They do seem powerful, but they don't seem to use conventional ammo." Ruby said playing with the ends of her cape, a habit she developed when she is trying to figure something out. "Not to mention supernatural, I wonder how they work. I would love to take them apart and see what makes them tick."

"I would love to fire them." Yang said with a smirk.

"Hopefully, he can better control his powers and not have to worry about the Darkness taking control." Leon said feeling better that his son will have better control over his powers.

"I think… what happens when you die? Well, you don't really die. You come to a place like this." He said motioning to the area around him before holding up a finger. "But it doesn't really seem like a place. It seems like a memory." Jaune pointed to his head as the screen faded showing Jaune entering the village. He walked straight to the church and entered the basement expecting to find Anthony waiting for him but nothing. Instead, he saw a message telling him to head down the stairs.

Jaune followed the message and walked down the stairs entering what appeared to be a war room with Anthony talking to soldiers in the room. He turned to look at Jaune.

"Jaune? What the…" Anthony said as Jaune showed him the Darkness guns. "You found them?"

"Yeah, I got them. What now?"

"The Brits have been fighting for centuries to get to those hills, but you're the one who made it." Anthony said in amazement before composing himself. "Alright, here's what else I know. There's this thing… the Darkness keeps it heavily fortified – a cannon outside an old castle."

"A cannon… how do I get to it?" Jaune asked putting the Darkness guns away.

"There's an underground sewer system that leads to the cannon. Krauts and strange things are crawling every-damn-where." Anthony said. "I think the Darkness put them there for a reason."

"Sounds like guards for something important." Said Sienna while getting a refill on her wine. "Something more important than weapons that allow Jaune to better control the Darkness."

"What could be more important?" Illia asked her leader.

Jaune recalled something from when he got the weapons. "Something that would allow him complete control over the Darkness. The weapons allow him some control over it but not total control."

"What makes you say that?" Pyrrha asked her partner.

"Something Death said about wanting to control the Darkness. If he had the weapons, wouldn't he have control over it?"

"Well, he is nailed to a cross and can't go anywhere." Yang provided a smartass answer.

"You know what I mean. There is something else that is preventing him from gaining total control. Otherwise, every host who claimed the weapons would be able to control it. It just doesn't make sense."

"You really expect a supernatural being who enjoys killing and the suffering of man to make sense?" Ren asked looking at his friend.

"Good point." Jaune admitted.

Anthony motioned for Jaune to follow which he did and lead him to a steel door. "The only way is through the catacombs. Right down here."

Jaune looked at Anthony and saw the soldiers raising their rifles at the door. He took a deep breath and gripped the handle.

"Steady your rifles! Keep your eyes peeled! First thing that moves, shoot it dead."

Jaune opened the door and saw a corridor and at the end is a ladder leading down. He passed through the door and started walking.

"Okay, Jaune! Get going! Move as fast as you can. Don't look back! Get going!" Anthony yelled closing the door and locking it.

"I don't like it, sir. Place is crawling with the damned Hun. And worse."

Jaune heard the muffled voice of a soldier through the door as he neared the ladder. He took a deep breath and descended the ladder.

"This is a mistake."

Making it to the bottom of the ladder, Jaune let go of the ladder and walked through the sewer system. His eyes automatically adjusting to the darkness as the screen faded to black showing Jaune standing in the void.

"There's something important here that the Darkness is trying to protect. I can feel it's agitation." Jaune said looking out into the void. "But if I stay the course, if I defy the voices in my head and never look back, maybe up ahead I'll see a light. And maybe in that light – I'll see you Pyrrha."

The screen fades to Jaune continuing through the dark tunnels.

"Everything you know is a lie."

"Yeah, its protecting something alright." Said Kali. "It sounds afraid."

"Probably never had a host make this far in its world, let alone one that has partial control." Ghira added.

"That might make things dangerous and unpredictable for him." Li said setting down his tea. "The Darkness is going to take steps to avoid losing control."

"He's right." Ren said agreeing with his father.

Jaune saw a light at the end of the tunnel and stairs leading down, he descended the stairs and followed the now well-lit tunnels. He entered a large room and immediately got shot at by the soldiers in the room. He summoned the Darkness along with a Gunner Darkling and went to work dealing with the soldiers, killing them with a combination of bullets and impalements. When the room is clear he tried the door at the end of the room but it wouldn't budge and so he went up the stairs to the second floor and tried the door there.

The door opened and Jaune continued entering another room with more soldiers which he killed and saw two paths on opposite ends of the room. He went down one path and entered another room this one contained a pit in the center and a pump. Jaune walked to the edge of the floor and looked down into the pit not seeing the bottom, he then walked over to the pump and saw a valve. He turned the valve hearing liquid rush as the pump turned back on.

Jaune left the room and walked down the other path coming upon a similar room to the one he was just in with the same pump. Not seeing any way out, he decided to turn the valve, but nothing happened. Looking over the pump showed that it wasn't connected to any sort of power supply but before he could figure out how to reconnect the power, he felt pain in his shoulder as a shot rang out. Turning around quickly he saw one of the soldiers using the wall for support and aiming a pistol at him.

Angry at being shot, Jaune summoned one of the dark eels and sent it to the soldier tearing out its heart. The eel looked at Jaune with the black heart still beating, it tossed it on the floor creating a portal and a Darkling emerged wearing a white lab coat with a pair of goggles resting on its head and a car battery strapped to its back.

"Let's kill the lights." The Darkling said with glee holding a hand above its head and lightning shot out of its hand destroying the lights before it pointed to the pump and transferred the power to the machine turning it on.

With the power to the pump back on, he can turn the valve activating the pump as liquid flowed from the pipes into the pit. Deciding to head back to the main room and try the main door again, Jaune expected an ambush but nothing of the sort happened when he entered the main room and walked down the stairs and over to the main door. He now noticed that the door has a turn handle instead of a normal handle.

Jaune turned the handle and the door opened revealing a circular tunnel that is wet. Jaune now knew what the valves on the second floor were for now, draining the water or whatever liquid was in the room before he drained it.

"I hope that was water that drained and not something else." Nora said and everyone grimaced as their imagination supplied what the liquid could be.

"Why did you have to say that?" Ren asked shaking his head to clear his mind of the dirty sludge water that his mind conjured.

"What?"

Jaune saw a ladder in front of him leading up and he walked over to it and climbed to the next floor. He saw another corridor waiting for him when he made to the top and he followed it entering another room with more soldiers waiting for him. He shot out the lights and went to work. He left the room and the bodies behind following the only corridor to another ladder which he climbed. This time he entered a bright room with a door.

Jaune walked through the door as the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void.

"Somewhere, somehow, the Darkness is doing whatever it can to keep me alive because it needs a human host." Jaune said. "But not one that thinks and acts for itself, like me."

"I guess a lot of people would listen to the voice in the head telling them to do fucked up stuff if they had this power." Yang said taking a sip of her soda.

"True." Blake agreed. "The Darkness probably used them as puppets for its own twisted needs in exchange for the power. Not many would say no to that."

"I wonder what happens to the Darkness when the host cannot be repaired." Jaune wondered out loud. "Like would it leave and look for another host or would it die along with the host?"

"The moment the host conceives a child with a woman, the Darkness moves onto the child and remains dormant until their twenty-first birthday. Their previous host then dies." Spart explained a little of the Darkness' history to the audience.

"That's messed up." Ruby said.

"Explains how it lives for so long and maybe why it prefers men." Glynda said. "The Darkness could compel the host into sleeping with a woman whenever it feels its control slipping and move on. Women can create life and the Darkness would have a safe place to recover until the twenty first birthday."

"Truly a parasite. Leaching onto life to survive." Bart said shaking his head.

The screen fades to Jaune walking down a corridor.

"You have done well, Jaune. I was always on your side."

Jaune ignored the voice and continued walking passing through another door that was labeled something in German.

"This was just a test. You should not have been here."

Jaune entered a large room just as a loud sound shook the room with enough force that he stumbled a bit. He recovered just in time to come under fire from a group of soldiers on a platform overlooking the room, he took cover behind a stack of crates unable to move. He summoned a Suicide Darkling who charged at the group jumping high enough to clear the railings on the platform and blew itself up along with the soldiers. He took a step out of cover no longer getting shot at he made his to the stairs leading to the platform and from there he found another stairway leading higher.

Jaune walked up the stairs coming upon a door, opening it to show a descent sized room with two more soldiers that were dealt with. He saw another door and opened it showing that it led outside, he walked outside to see a massive structure ahead of him followed by a massive boom that shook the ground. He found the cannon.

"Goddamn!" Said Yang with a whistle.

"That's a huge bitch." Sun said.

"Someone is clearly overcompensating." Qrow said unimpressed.

"What sort of war lead to such a creation." James said amazed by the sheer size of the cannon. It easily dwarfed anything Atlas had in its military. He shuddered to think of the damage a single shell could do.

"The sound on that thing must be insane." Ruby said already analyzing the massive cannon. "The shells for that thing must be huge."

"Maybe we should build something similar and shell Salem from the safety of Vale." Qrow suggested to Ozpin who immediately shook his head.

"Such a weapon will only draw the ire of the other kingdoms. The financial costs such a weapon would need to build, the materials, let the dust and gunpowder needed to fill a single shell let alone many would bankrupt he kingdom." Ozpin said. "I don't even think Atlas would have the money and resources to build such a weapon."

"They spend half their budget on its military." Sienna said looking at the headmaster. "Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if Atlas builds something similar when we get to the new world line." She said the last part with a glare directed at James and the Schnee.

James shook his head and looked at Sienna. "No, Ozpin is right. A weapon of this scale will alienate Atlas from the other kingdoms who would be fearful that it would be turned on them. We'd only be making an enemy of ourselves and that is something Salem wants."

"War… your gift. Your heritage. Your burden."

Jaune looked at the massive cannon mounted to an equally massive train. He walked along the side looking for a way in and came across massive spent casings that are the size of a house. Passing by them he made it to the back of the train finding guards and a ladder leading into the train, he summoned the Darkness guns and fired killing the guards with ease before climbing the ladder and entering the massive train.

Inside soldiers manned different stations making sure everything is working as it should be. They didn't hear Jaune enter thanks to the loud noise produced by the cannon when it fired. Jaune killed a nearby guard alerting the others but that didn't matter to Jaune, he is here to do a job and nothing is going to stop him.

His new guns easily killed the soldiers and those that tried to get near got impaled by the dark tendrils coming out of Jaune's back. He cleared the train interior and proceeded up the stairs and found a door leading outside just in time to see the cannon fire again. The massive shockwave produced by the cannon knocked Jaune back into the wall and made his ears ring.

"I can hear my ears ringing." Nora yelled while rubbing her ears due to the speakers.

"I can only imagine what it sounds like in person." Velvet said also rubbing her ears.

"Yeah, I don't want to be anywhere near that thing when it does fire." Jaune said. "I don't think there are hearing protections big enough to muffle that sound."

"I guess being dead and having no ears does help with that problem." Said Pyrrha.

Not wanting to get caught in another shockwave he quickly got up and sprinted for the front of the train finding a hatch. Opening it and dropping in, Jaune found himself in what looked like the main control room for the cannon along with a decaying corpse missing its limbs wearing a German officer's uniform in the corner of the room. Jaune walked over to the controls.

"Stay away from the controls!" The corpse yelled but went ignored as Jaune flipped a switch making the massive train turn so it faced a sealed door. "You're doing everything wrong."

Jaune moved the throttle forward making the train move forward towards the massive door.

"I fixed your broken headball."

The massive doors opened showing a dark tunnel ahead of them.

"You have passed my test. No more dreaming."

Jaune's vision blurred and he blinked, finding himself in a modern day train standing next to the train conductor glaring at him.

"Your day. Your time."

"So, his conscious was in another place while his body was under the control of the Darkness!" Bart said happy that his theory has been confirmed.

"That has disturbing implications, though." Glynda said adjusting her glasses. "Can it take control whenever it wants, or does it only happen when the host endure life ending trauma?

"Who knows." Bart said writing in his notebook. "I wonder what happens now that he is back in control?"

"Revenge." Li said setting his cup down. "At first this was about getting rid of Paulie because he tried to kill Jaune. Failing that, he took Pyrrha away from him. Jaune now wants revenge for Pyrrha and taking out Paulie's business is no longer important."

"He's right." Ghira said agreeing.

Jaune is still confused that he didn't notice the train stop at the station until the conductor spoke to him.

"Sir! Get out." He said before pushing Jaune out of the train. "Get out!"

Jaune watched as the doors closed and the train take off leaving him at the station.

"Hey! Yo, Arc, is that you?"

Jaune turned around and saw Jimmy waving him over. He walked over stopping in front of him.

"My god, Jaune!" Jimmy said reaching out and touching Jaune's shoulder. "Where the fuck you been hiding? First Pyrrha gets murdered, your ass goes up in smoke. Everyone figured Paulie blew you the fuck away."

Jaune removed Jimmy's hand from his shoulder and looked at him. "He did, Jimmy. I just came back is all."

"You know your Aunt Sarah, that poor woman." Jimmy said shaking his head. "That poor woman would just sit there in her Raspberry Street apartment and wait just for you, yeah just for you to show up. You ever do one thing right in this whole mess." Jimmy pointed a finger at Jaune. "In this whole life of yours, you go down to the Lower East Side and you see her. You hear me? You go down to Raspberry Street and you go see your Aunt Sarah."

"I will." Jaune said looking at the signs to find out where the Darkness took him. He found the sign for the Lower East Side. "Thanks, Jimmy."

Jaune walked away from Jimmy and headed for the exit.

"Jaune…"

He saw the ghost of Anthony looking at him as walked up the stairs and past the ghost as it faded. Jaune shook his head to clear his head as the screen faded to black showing Jaune in the void.

"My Aunt Sarah. Now, she taught me about life." Jaune said with a small smile. "After I left the orphanage, she was the one person who cared for me. And she loved you."

"She filled the mother role." Summer said knowing a thing or two about that. When she started dating Tai she stepped into that role for Yang when she didn't have anyone. "Paulie probably never showed Jaune any sort of kindness."

"Why would he when all he wanted was an assassin." Emilia said with a scowl. "I'm glad he got at least some love growing up."

"Now, when her husband Jimmy Franchetti died, the family forgot about her. Except for the older guys and me"

The screen faded to Jaune walking down the street passing by a sign that read Raspberry Street. He recognized the street and the buildings already knowing which one his Aunt is staying in. Walking up the stairs Jaune reached for the doorbell and hesitated for a second before pressing the doorbell. He heard footsteps approaching and soon the door opened revealing an older woman with grey hair.

"Jaune!" Aunt Sarah cried embracing him in a warm hug. "I've been so worried about you! I heard you were gone and I feared the worst." She said releasing him from the hug and looking at him. "You look thin. Have you been eating? Come inside. C'mon."

Jaune smiled and followed Aunt Sarah into her apartment making sure to close the door behind him.

"You want some minestrone?" She asked leading Jaune into the kitchen and sat down in one of the chairs. "I know what's happened, Jaune. You know how much I've always loved you. You know how I hate it when our family turns against each other like this."

"So, something like this happened before?" Penny asked with a tilt of her head.

"It's a crime family, so I wouldn't be surprised." Raven spoke up. "Those that feel they could do better or because they want to change the way things are done. Anytime a change does happen it springs up conflict between those that are loyal to the current leader and those to the upstart. Blood flows and bodies drop until one leader remains."

Jaune nodded and took the seat opposite of Aunt Sarah and sighed. "Aunt Sarah… I lost her. What the hell am I gonna do without Pyrrha?"

"It's terrible…" She said reaching out and taking ahold of Jaune's hands. "I cleaned out her apartment. She was waiting for you, Jaune – anyone but you could see it. You should have taken her away from this place when you had the chance." Aunt Sarah said slapping his hand making Jaune flinch. "Now you've got to take care of it."

"I'm real sorry for the way things came out, Aunt Sarah. You know I never meant any disrespect to you an' the family." Jaune said. "But I'm gonna have to take a stand against Paulie and James Ironwood and punish them for what they did."

"I know. Some of the older men, they'll support your decision, Jaune." Aunt Sarah said letting go of his hands. "But you're gonna have to earn their trust. If you were to hurt Paulie's operation, they might consider joining ya. They want things back the way they used to be."

"I'm gonna tear his face off, Aunt Sarah, pardon my language." Jaune apologized first before continuing. "But I'm gonna rip that little dirty motherfucker's face off and feed his lips to the fuckin' rats."

"Can't blame him." Tai whispered having the same thoughts when it came to Summer's killer. Summer looked at her husband in concern hearing his words and was about to speak up when she felt a hand on her arm. She looked at Qrow shaking his head and she dropped it.

Jaune took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "But I can't kill that little fuckin' scumbag without your blessing, you know that."

"Well, "Kill" is such a dirty word." Aunt Sarah said with a light chuckle. "But, do what you have to do. And understand that you won't get to Paulie unless you go through his police dog first. The only way to Paulie is through Captain James Ironwood. Now, I happen to know he has an apartment up by Gun Hill" She said pointing in the general direction of said hill. "And I spoke to Jimmy the Grape and he's arranged for a man named Abe Hunter to let you into the building. I suggest you go there and take up Jimmy's offer of help while you can."

"Thank you, Aunt Sarah." Jaune said getting up and placing a quick kiss on her forehead before leaving the apartment and heading back to the train station as the screen fades to black showing him in the void.

"It's like I have everything to live for, and nothing to gain." Jaune said. "I got nothing worth having without you. But at least I got a purpose. And that's tearing James Ironwood into a thousand pieces. It's my reason to live."

The screen fades to Jaune closing a service door and walked into an alley in the neighborhood of Gun Hill. Not wasting time he walked through the back alleys until he came across the apartment complex that Ironwood uses and saw a man waiting outside smoking a cigarette.

"Well you took your sweet time, didn't ya?" The man said tossing the cigarette away. "I'm Abe Hunter. I don't know where the fuck you been? What, you hit traffic or something?"

Jaune didn't say anything and just looked at Abe.

"Alright. Ironwood's up in his place. He's been there about an hour maybe." Abe told Jaune. "Five'll get you ten. He won't be expecting no company. Only about five people even know where he lives."

"Come to think of it, where do you live Jimmy?" Qrow asked James.

"That classified."

"Probably the military base or your ship." Qrow said earning a glare from Winter. "Do you even have a home outside the military."

"I do, and I enjoy my privacy." James said ending the conversation.

"I could always ask Ozpin." Qrow said looking to his employer.

"I respect his privacy and everyone needs a place to unwind from the rest of the world." Ozpin said with a smirk.

"Thanks for the info. Now, how do I get in?" Jaune asked and Abe opened the back door to the apartment complex.

"Listen, ride up in the elevator and go straight in. follow the stink. You can't fuckin' miss it." Abe said before handing Jaune the key to the elevator. "Here."

Jaune took the keys and headed for the elevator in the main lobby, he didn't see anyone and so he pressed the call button and the doors opened. Inserting the key activated the control panel and Jaune pressed the floor for Ironwood's apartment and waited as the elevator doors closed and took him to the floor.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, Jaune left looking at the doors in front of him when he heard off key singing. The voice belonged to Ironwood. Jaune drew his gun and inserted the key unlocking the door. Opening it slowly only for it to get shot a couple of times.

"I see you, you little prick!" Ironwood shouted firing more shots before retreating further in his apartment.

Jaune kicked open the door and went through the kitchen trying to catch up to Ironwood.

"If you weren't such a dumb shit. Pyrrha might still be alive!" Ironwood yelled knocking over a bookcase blocking his path and firing more shots. Jaune returned the favor only hits the walls, he pursued the corrupt police captain up the stairs leading to the roof.

"The whole of the NYPD is behind me, Arc." Ironwood fired around the corner forcing Jaune into cover when he heard a helicopter outside the building. "Here come my boys, Arc! Who's got your back!"

"Covering your six, Captain!"

Jaune heard a door open and close and he followed seeing a door leading to the outside roof. The moment he opened the door the attack helicopter opened fire destroying the door. Jaune opened fire on the helicopter aiming for the searchlight and also the cockpit. The pistol rounds didn't do much but it did distract the pilot long enough for Jaune to reach the ladder and climb it finding cover from the attack helicopter.

"Are you still crying over Pyrrha?" Ironwood yelled still running from Jaune.

"Typical coward. Acting tough to hide his fear." Raven said with a scoff. "All it will do is prolong his death when Jaune catches up to him."

"It can also cause Jaune to make mistakes. No doubt he is feeling anger at James and his words are only fueling that anger. "Sienna said. "I wouldn't be surprised if it causes him to have tunnel vision and ignore everything else in order to kill him."

"She's right." James said surprising everyone that James Ironwood, General of the Atlas military is agreeing with Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang and responsible for turning it into the violent faction that it is today. "For Jaune this is personal and a revenge mission."

"She's dead! Pyrrha, Pyrrha, Pyrrha!"

Jaune scowled as the voice chuckled and he followed Ironwood across the roof.

"Yeah, that's it! Bring it on!" Ironwood yelled while shooting at Jaune as he is jumping over a gap to get to the next building. "Bad move, Arc."

Jaune fired at Ironwood as he closed a door to the police station. A closed door isn't going to stop him and he summoned the Darkness using a tendril to rip off the door and enter the station. The officers inside shot at him and Jaune replied in kind killing officer using a combination of guns and the Darkness along with a Darkling here and there to clear the officers blocking his path.

James closed his eyes after seeing Jaune decapitate an officer with a tendril. He is no stranger to death but seeing officers even corrupt ones hurt him.

"He's more ruthless than before." Winter said looking away from the gore. "He's killing them like they had a hand in Pyrrha's death."

"Guilt by association." Said Glynda. "To him, it doesn't matter as long as they're loyal to James. They are dead."

Jaune ran to the roof upon hearing the helicopter and shoulder rammed the door knocking it open.

"Get the fuck out of here! Move! Move! Now! Now!" Ironwood shouted in panic as the helicopter took off.

"Jaune Arc! You are now officially on the NYPD shoot-to-kill list by order from me, Captain James Ironwood. In other words: You are fucking dead!"

"Great, so now he has to deal with the corrupt police force and Paulie's men." Yang said. "The body count is going to be astronomical when this is over."

"Something I'm sure the Darkness will enjoy." Ren said.

"I do wonder how the police department is going to explain the deaths of the many officers and the rising body count." Willow wondered out loud.

"They'll probably blame the deaths on a gang war or something related." Glynda said. "That's the only logical explanation that could explain the body count."

Jaune saw the helicopter turn to him and he jumped over the edge of the building landing on a catwalk that gave away due to impact. He fell off the catwalk and grabbed the railing as it swung him knocking him against the side of the building. A tendril shot out of his back imbedding itself into the side of the wall stopping him from falling any further just as the destroyed catwalk crashed into the ground. He commanded the tendril to lower him to the ground so he can leave Gun Hill before any more officers show up.

The tendril lowered Jaune safely to the ground and retreated back into his back, he noticed that he is close to where he left the subway service tunnel. He retraced his steps finding the door leading to the service tunnels and left Gun Hill heading back into the subway. Along the way his pager went off.

'JAUNE, I GOT SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU – BUTCHER'

Jaune put away the pager and went for the nearest payphone and called Butcher.

"Jesus, Jaune… what the hell did you do to James Ironwood? I heard he bolted for his little rabbit hole."

"Probably the first time anyone has gotten close enough to actually kill him." Said Tai. "First time he probably felt fear in a long time."

"Are you enjoying this?" Summer asked eyeing her husband who looked away embarrassed.

"He's not the only one." Qrow whispered behind his flask earning a light punch from Summer.

"Hey, I just got an idea… James' been safe-keeping a suitcase for Paulie. It's full of evidence that can put them both away. If you nab the suitcase, Ironwood will definitely come out to get it back. But before you return it, I'd say we prepare it with a little surprise."

"Sounds like a plan." Jaune said nodding. "So where's he keepin' this bag of goodies?"

"Well, as you might expect James and his goons snag a lot of confiscated goods for themselves. They stash most of it in the old Turkish Bath's. it's hard to get there, though – if you don't know how. But from Fulton, there's a connection through the old City Hall Station.

Jaune looked around at the people passing him by making sure that none of James' officers are down in the subway.

"You'll need to get past the gate between Fulton and City Hall. But James' gang makes damn sure it's always locked. However, someone whispered in my ear that they keep a key hidden somewhere in the public toilets at Fulton Street Station."

"Okay, I'm off to grab Paulie and Ironwood fucker's piece of candy. Thanks Butch."

"Be careful, Jaune. Go to the old Turkish Baths and get that suitcase. Then meet me at those same public toilets at Fulton Street Station. The ones where they keep the key to the gate. I'll be waitin' there for you when you come back."

Jaune hung up the phone and headed for the public restroom to find the hidden key. Passing by the women's restroom he saw the line and decided to check the men's first. Luckily for him nobody is in and he saw an "Out of Order" sign taped to one of the stalls. Kicking open the door showed a covered toilet in dried shit, from the bottom all the way to the top and even the walls.

Everyone gagged slightly at the sight of the toilet and the stall. Their imaginations filled in the blanks on what could have happened for it to get to this state.

"I suppose it would help deter people from finding the key." Qrow said wincing at the screen. "I've seen shitty bars with cleaner restrooms."

"Same." Emilia said earning a look from everyone that knows her. "Different life."

"How the hell does that even happen?" Yang asked. "I've heard the term explosives shits but never thought I would see it."

"Really?" Weiss asked Yang who shrugged and went back to watching the screen.

Jaune winced seeing the damage and checked the toilet finding a plastic bag taped to the back of the toilet tank. He took it and left the restroom heading for the locked gate leading to City Hall, along the way he came across a man looking for his brother. Jaune didn't pay any attention to him and unlocked the gate taking the side path to City Hall as the screen fades to black as Jaune walks down the dark tunnel.

Emerging from the tunnel, Jaune comes upon an abandoned station. The whole area giving off an eerie feeling as the dust floating in the air shows the light beams coming from the ceiling.

"Human misery. Suffering. Disease of the mind and heart. Festers here. It's a good place to die."

Jaune follows the tracks and sees an abandoned train parked in the tunnel blocking him from going further. Thankfully the staircase leading further in isn't blocked allowing him to bypass the parked train. He came across two people smoking in the corner wearing rags so he ignored them and followed the path further in.

"Hey… hey! I wouldn't try goin' in there if I was you." One of the men said stopping Jaune from continuing. "The entrance is blocked. Besides, you don't wanna get close to Deval's people."

Jaune ignored the warning and continued down the corridor hearing two people talking. He drew his guns and rounded the corner shooting them, he walked over to the bodies and took their SMGs for himself and summoned a gunner Darkling to help clear out the tunnels of Deval's people. He walked down a corridor noticing how some of the major paths are blocked off just as more guards came. The SMGs bullets tearing through the guards with ease and making quick work of them.

Jaune found a maintenance tunnel that isn't blocked and decided to follow it coming across tripwires for different traps set up to hinder any intruders. He shot at the traps making them drop and allowing him to continue through the tunnel with ease, the next big trap is a pit filled with water and a live wire in it electrifying the water. He traced the cable to a nearby fuse box and shot it destroying it and cutting off the power to the cable. No longer electrified, Jaune passed through the pit and continued following the tunnel coming across more traps and dealing with them either by shooting them or sending a Darkling into them.

Jaune continued down the tunnel when one of the overhead pipes came loose and fell down almost on top of him but he backed up quickly to avoid getting crushed.

"He's coming… I knew he would… he knows what I did…"

Jaune heard a voice coming from a closed metal door which is the only path open to him at the moment. He got a good look at the look at the door seeing an upside down pentagram drawn in blood on the door along with other messages relating to the devil.

"Help me, Lord Satan… your humble servant, Ernie Deval… all that I have is yours…"

"Great, a manic." Sun said. "One that believes in human sacrifices." He said referring to the body outside the door.

"Fanatics and zealots, my favorite kind of crazy." Qrow said with a chuckle. "You meet the craziest people on the fringes of society."

"I'm surprised you haven't joined them." Raven said to her brother.

"I'm related to one." Qrow replied back and Summer had to suppress a chuckle with a cough.

Jaune tried to open the door but couldn't even with his enhanced strength. He did see a vent above the door and so used the Darkness to control a dark eel to slither up the door and knock open the vent covering before entering the room and knocking the bar loose that is blocking the door. Recalling the eel, he got up and opened the door and entered the room.

"No! Help me! No, it's not my time, Lord!" Ernie yelled pulling a lever causing a gate to drop down blocking the path forward. Ernie fired his gun at Jaune trying to keep him back, Jaune shot out the lights and used the darkness to his advantage and ran across the room finding a side gate that is locked with chains.

"You lied to me… this wasn't the deal!" Ernie cried standing up and shooting at Jaune who fired back killing him.

Jaune climbed up and the dark eels emerged tearing out the heart of Ernie and throwing it at the blocked off gate in the back of the room. The heart turned into a miniature black hole sucking in everything around it before disappearing.

"Now he can create black holes at will." Weiss said throwing her arms up. "This Jaune is overpowered. He can summon Darklings to do his bidding, can't die because the Darkness won't allow it, can recover from life threatening wounds in seconds, enhanced strength and now has the power to create black holes."

"At this point we shouldn't be surprised anymore." Blake said secretly enjoying how Weiss is freaking out. It's refreshing to her acting something other than her usual self.

"There are other universes where Jaune is more OP than what you are seeing." Spart told them.

"Like how OP?" Ren asked curious as is everyone else.

"In one universe he has the power to bring someone back from death. In another he wields a foam finger that can one shot anything." Spart told them seeing the disbelief in their eyes.

"The power to cheat death…" Ozpin said in amazement.

"Such a thing would be coveted and desired by all the kingdoms." Bart said jotting down more notes. "The power balance would shift and everything we thought we knew would change."

"How does a foam finger one shot everything?" Yang asked.

"The power is actually Jaune's and the foam finger helps focus his power." Spart explained. "Similar to how Glynda uses her crop to help focus her power."

"That is ridiculous." Said Weiss shaking her head again.

"There are more ridiculous ones out there." Spart said.

Jaune ducked under the destroyed gate in the back of the room and followed the tunnel. Coming across a shotgun which he took and checked to see if its loaded before continuing. Two guards came running down the tunnel only to be gunned down by Jaune as he continued down the tunnel and spotting a lower level. He climbed down the ladder as the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void.

"These are the old Turkish Baths. Ironwood's secret warehouse full of stolen evidence." Jaune explained. "I got a little birthday surprise waiting for me, courtesy of good old Butcher Joyce. All I gotta do is get through half a legion of bent cops, find that suitcase and bring it back to Butcher."

The screen fades to Jaune leaving the service tunnel with his weapon raised. Seeing no one he went up the stairs leading into the baths.

"The light grows dim."

Jaune entered the backrooms of the baths and started to look for a way into the baths. All of the doors leading into them are blocked or locked but Jaune found a weak point in one of the walls when he spotted some light coming through the cracks. He summoned the Darkness and used the tendrils to demolish the walls revealing another set of stairs leading up. He followed them and coming upon a door that he opened and saw a large room housing large pools for baths.

He also spotted two cops currently making out. Grabbing one of his pistols Jaune took aim and fired hitting one of the cops in the side of the head splattering blood on the other making them stumble back. He fired again hitting them in the leg making them scream out before finishing them off.

"What the fuck!"

Jaune entered the room taking cover behind one of the many pillars in the room and killed the corrupted cops that entered. He ran out of ammo for the shotgun and so dropped it picking up an assault rifle off one of the bodies and moved further into the baths entering another large room and got shot at again from the top floor.

"You ain't getting far, Arc!" One of the officers yelled from the top floor and shooting some more.

Jaune looked for a side path to get around the cops on the upper floor and saw a door labeled "personal only". He went to the door and opened it finding no one and so entered the side door finding a staircase leading to the second floor and once again he didn't find any cops waiting for him.

"They should have placed traps or posted guards." Winter said wondering how they could have missed that oversight.

"To be fair, I don't think they expected anyone to make it into the baths. Let alone one with powers." Said Willow sipping a little bit of wine. "The only thing they can do is slow him down a little."

"Still, they should have anticipated intruders." Winter said. "They grew too comfortable in their hideout and are now paying for it."

Jaune made it to the second floor and kicked open the door surprising the cops, he killed them with ease since they didn't bother using cover and instead stood out in the open. He grabbed some mags for the rifle off one of the bodies before continuing further into the baths, he found another open door leading to the backrooms and more cops using stolen weapons in an attempt to slow him down. Jaune shot out the light using the Darkness to summon a Suicide Darkling who cackled before running into a group of cops and exploded taking itself and the others out.

Jaune changed mags and moved on discovering the makeshift armory only guarded by two cops. He killed them quickly using the Darkness tendrils and letting the dark eels feast on their hearts as he looked over the stolen weapons. He found an automatic shotgun that he switched to and tucked behind some ammo crates is the briefcase that Jaune is looking for. Grabbing the case and any extra ammo for later Jaune left the armory.

"Jaune… I think I got it."

Jaune heard Anthony's voice before it faded.

"It's a lie."

He shook his head to clear the voice and continued back to the main area of the baths hearing the sounds of a helicopter. He made it to the main area seeing SWAT officers rappelling through the shattered glass roof.

"You remember me, Arc! You fuckin' remember you fuck!" The pilot yelled as the spotlight on the helicopter shined on Jaune making him wince and shield his eyes to block out the bright light. The officers used the light to their advantage and started shooting, one of the rounds hitting Jaune in the leg and chest. "Stay and fight this time!"

"Easy to say that when you're behind an attack helicopter!" Pyrrha yelled at the screen. "Come out from behind the controls and see who's the coward!"

"Pyrrha…" Jaune said shocked at hearing his partner let loose like that. She is very reserved and proper all the time. It is actually kinda refreshing to see the little cracks in her mask. "Feel better?"

"Yeah." She said with a chuckle. "It felt good. Really good."

"It's nice to see you letting lose." Ren said looking at his teammate. "Keeping everything buried or suppressed isn't good for your health."

"He's right." Glynda said looking at her students. "Mental health is very important. Just as important as physical health. What huntsman and huntress must go through and see will leave their scars on your psyche and if not careful can lead to disaster."

The students are left to ponder their teachers' words. Jaune looked at his father recalling his words about his team.

Jaune dropped the briefcase and hid behind a pillar for cover waiting for his wounds to heal. The spotlight preventing him from using the Darkness, an officer rushed him only to get his face blown apart thanks to a shotgun at pointblank range. Now fully healed, Jaune fired at the other officer taking cover behind a pillar and killing one that stood out in the open. He grabbed the briefcase in one hand and fired the automatic shotgun with his other, the recoil of the weapon practically nonexistent thanks to his superhuman strength.

"That must be nice." Yang said jealous having trained hard to get used to the recoil of her shotgun bracelets. The first time she fired them she damaged her aura thanks to the recoil of the weapons. Turns out mounting shotguns to your wrists wasn't the best idea she had but she stuck with it and learned to deal with the recoil.

Ruby on the other hand used the recoil of her massive rifle to her advantage to aid in her mobility.

He killed the SWAT officers on the top floor and made his way to the stairs ignoring the helicopter pilot yells at him. Another officer waited for hm only to get impaled now that Jaune is back in the darkness and he summoned a Gunner and a regular Darkling.

"Clear the way for me." He ordered them and they saluted before taking off. He followed after them after waiting a while and for the screams to die down, he passed by bodies torn up either by a bullets or by a meat cleaver. Finally, he made it to the service tunnels where he came in from and there his summons are waiting.

"Shield boys ahead, boss." The Gunner Darkling reported.

"Get around 'em while I keep them pinned." Jaune told them opening the door and shooting out the lights bathing the tunnels in blackness. The only source of light is from the helmet's the SWAT officers are wearing and from their weapons.

"You ain't getting through here, Arc!" One of them shouted into the darkness. "Just give up!"

Jaune opened fire forcing them to take cover behind their shields and return fire. They didn't see the pair of glowing eyes behind them but Jaune did and smiled as the Darkling's went to work killing the officers brutally. The Darkling's finished their work and went off ahead to clear the path ahead while Jaune followed behind them coming upon more officers blocking his path with shields.

This time Jaune summoned a black hole behind the officers forcing them to drop their shields and be sucked into the void. The black hole closed severing one of the officers in half leaving his top half behind, he gurgled and chocked on his own blood as Jaune walked past him leaving him to suffer. Even the Darkling's relished in his suffering and left him alone to die in the dark tunnel.

"A gruesome end." Weiss said wincing at the sight of the man's entrails spilling out. The veterans in the audience saw similar things throughout their careers. Losing friends and comrades or arriving too late to help. The aftermath left scars on them.

Jaune went down the ladder he came from as the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void holding his guns.

"Now, I know a thing or two about ambushes, having set up most of Paulie's business in that regard for years." He said to the void. "So I know when I'm about to be on the receiving end. James' boys are gonna be out there intent on blowing my brains out. These fucking morons must think I was born yesterday."

The screens fades to Jaune walking down the tunnels with the Darkling's trailing behind him. A door in front of Jaune opened and he aimed at the person coming through the door.

"Hey, don't shoot!" The homeless man Jaune met earlier said holding up his hands in surrender. "Man, I don't know who you pissed off. Good luck." The homeless man said backing into a corner in fear when he saw the Darklings.

Jaune ignored the man and went back the way he came hearing voices in the distance. He approached one of the large rooms that led to the exit and waited for a moment.

"Maintain radio silence."

"That means don't talk on the radio, dipshit."

"Complete lack of discipline." Said James in a disapproving voice. "They are arrogant and that leads to mistakes."

Winter nodded in agreement, no surprise there.

Jaune shook his head and looked at the regular Darkling. "Hold onto this." He ordered handing the briefcase to the Darkling. He then looked to the Gunner Darkling and nodded for him to follow. Jaune stepped into the room and shielded his eyes as bright spotlights turned on blinding him and the Darkling. Gunshots rang out through the room and Jaune felt a pain in his shoulder and leg forcing him back into darkness to heal while the Gunner did its best to hold back the police force.

The Gunner Darkling managed to take out two of the police officers and destroy one of the spotlights before dying and fading away. Jaune looked at his wounds and saw that they are already healed, he peeked around the corner seeing scaffolds blocking his path with cops on them giving them an elevated position. He also saw two more spotlights aimed at him and he decided to take them out first. He leaned out of cover firing the automatic shotgun destroying the spotlights and plunging the room into darkness giving him an advantage.

The police officers panicked now that their only advantage is gone and started shooting blindly into the room in hopes of hitting Jaune who had snuck around them and killed them. He switched mags and continued down the stairs to the platform coming across more cops waiting for him which he killed with ease. The Darkling cackling with glee as it trailed behind him relishing in the bloodshed that its master is causing.

Finally, Jaune made it back to the train tunnel he came from and the only thing blocking his path is four SWAT officers holding shields and shooting at him. He had enough of the cops and summoned another black hole swallowing the officers into it and clearing the path. Dropping the shotgun, Jaune grabbed the briefcase from the Darkling who faded back to where it came from as Jaune entered the tunnel heading back to the subway station.

The screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void with his guns drawn.

"Fight fire with fire, that's what I always say." He said pointing his guns at the void. "My Uncle Paulie always goes for the spectacular when he's breaking somebody's balls. Let's see how he likes it when I do it to his main man, James."

"He won't take it well. If anything, it might push him over the edge and force him to do something stupid." Leon said.

"Like he hasn't already done stupid things before." Emilia asked looking at her husband.

"More stupid things then." Leon said after giving it some thought.

"If he does then it'll only hurt him when word gets back to the ones in charge." Raven said sounding bored.

The screen fades to Jaune arriving back at the subway station.

"Human flesh. Sustenance for such as us. This is where you are … where you will remain."

Jaune walked down the corridor running parallel to the train tunnel and passed through the gate he unlocked earlier and headed straight for the men's restroom. He made it and opened the door ignoring the smell and locking the door behind him.

"Well, you stirred up a hornet's nest, Jaune, make no mistake." Butcher said when Jaune turned around and walked over. "Your Uncle Paulie had big plans for that briefcase. I'd imagine they'll be calling any second now. But first, I'm gonna put a bomb in that suitcase."

"Okay."

Jaune set the suitcase down and opened it while Butcher grabbed the bomb and handed it to Jaune who armed it and handed it back to Butcher. He took it and checked it before tossing it into the briefcase. Jaune shot him a questioning look, but Butcher just shrugged and stood back up while Jaune closed and locked the briefcase.

"Is it alright tossing a bomb armed like that?" Ruby asked not knowing much about explosives. She made guns not bombs but the concept should be the same, right?

"It needs a detonator otherwise its just a brick." Nora said knowing her explosives since she makes her own ammunition for her weapon. "Though care should still be taken. I can't recall how many times my own grenades exploded on me because I didn't maintain or store them properly."

"57 and counting." Ren said having been there and cleaning up after said explosions. "Thankfully she stores them properly now."

"How did she store them before?" Jaune asked curious and maybe a little afraid of the notion of spare grenades hiding under her bed waiting to explode.

"In a plastic bag exposed to the elements." Nora stated making Ruby whimper at the thought of improper storage of ammunition. "Renny bought me a storage case for my grenades after working a series of odd jobs."

"A wise investment." James said.

"There you go." Butcher said with a small smile when Jaune's pager went off. "Like clockwork."

'ALRIGHT YOU FUCKING BASTARD, LET'S TALK – IRONWOOD.'

Jaune put the pager away and headed for the door when Butcher stopped him.

"You're setting the rules now, Jaune." He said. "You decide when and where you meet James. Just be careful. He didn't get this far in life by being stupid."

"I will." Jaune replied unlocking the door and leaving the restroom behind. He headed for the nearby payphones ignoring the looks from the people and stood in front of phone and dialed the number for James Ironwood. The phone rang twice before James answered.

"You fucking piece of shit! Do you know what you've done? I got twenty pissed off people from East coast to West because of you." James said and Jaune rolled his eyes. "I want that fucking briefcase back! Where are you?"

"Wow, James… I didn't know you cared."

"Don't push your luck, Arc. I am warning you. And don't call me James!"

"What, you're gonna kill me?" Jaune mocked. "I'm shakin'."

"Ooh, I can do worse, Jaune. I seem to recall your lady-friend's face exploding."

"He's very arrogant." James said disappointed at his counterpart. It reminded him of a time when he was younger and overconfident in his abilities. What a time that was for him and it always brought a smile or a chuckle of how he acted in his youth.

"Easy to be that way when you win every fight." Qrow said having fought against such people before. "Or when you have an entire mafia backing you."

"This won't end well for him." Willow said. "Those that think they are untouchable, fall the hardest."

Winter looked at her mother surprised before back to the screen.

"Just tell me a place."

"Trinity Church. Bring fifty grand in unmarked bills and come alone." Jaune told James before hanging up and went to the platform to wait for the train. It arrived and Jaune entered taking a seat and setting the briefcase next to him.

The screen fades to black as the train doors closed and Jaune is sitting in the void looking out into the darkness.

"Used to be the only person I cared about was you. Now, the only person I care about is James Ironwood." Jaune said holding up his guns and putting them against his temple. "Him and my Uncle Paulie. You just hang in there, James. I didn't forget about you."

The screen fades to Jaune arriving at the station and leaving the train with the briefcase in hand. He looked at the signs and found the one leading to the church. Jaune walked up the stairs leaving the station and saw the ghost of Anthony looking at him.

"Hey kid. I think I just figured it out." Anthony told him before turning and fading away.

"No! Jaune is mine. Let me have him."

Jaune entered the cemetery where the Darkness first manifested itself within him. The bodies had been cleared away leaving only dark pools of dried blood behind. He walked to the church stepping up the steps and seeing Anthony again.

"You can control the Darkness. Here in no-man's land. You gotta work out how to get back." Anthony told him before fading away again.

"Don't get any ideas now, Jaune."

"That must be how he dies the second time." Leon said with a frown at the mention of his son's death. "In order to get back to the other world."

"Something I'm sure the Darkness will not permit." Said Emilia. "Who knows what it will do to remain free."

"But he has partial control over the Darkness. That has to count for something, he should be able to control the Darkness enough to kill himself again." Pyrrha said feeling off for saying such a thing.

The voice warned him but Jaune ignored him and approached the door leading to the church as the screen fades to Jaune in the void.

"The trenches. See, they weren't inside my mind." Jaune said. "I was inside the mind of the Darkness. That's where it's vulnerable. It's where I gotta go back. That means I gotta top myself again, but this time I'm gonna take James fuckin' Ironwood along with me for a ride."

The screen fades to Jaune entering the church.

"Why this place? Filthy church!"

Jaune entered the main part of the church and looked around for James.

"Well, I see you came alone." James said from the second floor. "I knew you'd keep your word, Jauney-boy."

Jaune looked up at James.

"And I see you brought my stuff, just like you promised." James said eyeing the silver case. "Go ahead – put it on the altar. Nice and slow."

"It's a trap." Yang said and everyone nodded at such an obvious trap given the nature of this version of James to use underhand tactics.

"Let's hope Jaune does as well." Said Blake.

"I'm sure he does and is confident in his abilities to overcome said trap." Weiss said looking at the screen. "Then again he could be relying too much on his powers to get him out of sticky situations."

"He has been reckless in the last few engagements." Jaune said. "I wonder if James is going to bring lights to weaken him or something else. We've seen the police use such tactics already."

"I would." Said James. "I would place them behind protective barriers and flood the entire area with light. Put sharpshooters on the upper balcony. Soldiers with powerful flashlights on the ground floor to harass him. There must be a limit to his powers and how much light he can take before becoming overwhelmed."

"A sound strategy." Ozpin said smiling behind his mug. "Let's see if this version of James thinks the same."

Jaune approached the altar and took one final look at James before setting the case down.

"Yeah, that's what I love about criminals. You can always be relied on to make the dumbest mistakes possible."

Jaune pulled his gun and fired at James who quickly took cover as did Jaune.

"Like they train you guys to be dipshits on command. Kendal! Turn off the lights!"

The lights in the church turned off and Jaune summoned the Darkness just as SWAT officers repelled from the second floor and started shooting. Jaune fired hitting them in the legs or the chest knocking them down before getting closer and finishing the job. The few that tried to get in close were killed by the dark eels tearing through their armor with ease.

"James, he's tearing us apart!" One of the officers yelled before Jaune rushed him and took his rifle using it to kill the officer.

"Turn on the floodlights! He can't do that shit in the light! And don't call me James!"

"Same strategy." Glynda said. "I wonder why he doesn't like anyone calling him by his first name."

"Could be a power trip." Said Qrow. "Like "don't call me by my name, you filthy peasant." Sort of thing." He said using an arrogant voice that made his nieces laugh.

"I think it's something more than that." Willow said. "It's sounds almost personal."

Jaune winced when the floodlights came on blinding him and forcing the Darkness to retreat. He took cover behind a pillar and used the shadows to heal from the bullet wounds he took. More officers entered the church and fired upon him from the second floor. Jaune took a deep breath and leaned out of cover firing at one of the floodlights destroying it after a couple of hits. Getting some more room to move Jaune ran across the church to the other side firing at the cops hitting a couple of them.

Jaune took cover behind a pillar and checked the rifle seeing it empty and tossing it aside since he didn't have any ammo for it. He went back to using his pistols and leaned out destroying the second floodlight returning darkness to the church and he summoned the Darkness again this time using the Darkness guns to kill the remaining cops. The supernatural guns easily tearing through the body armor of the cops and turning them into a red mist.

"You think you can get away with this, Jaune?" James asked from his spot. "Killin' my people like they're nothing. I bet you feel like a tough guy, pullin' those tricks in the dark. Well it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out your weakness."

Flashbangs were tossed down and Jaune quickly shut his eyes but it was too late. The first grenade went off blinding him and then a second went off making him black out as the screen went to black.

"I'd forgotten about flashbangs." James said. "Useful tools."

"More like annoying." Blake grumbled having been on the receiving end of a couple during a few raids with the White Fang.

"Looks like the Darkness can be overwhelmed with enough light." Sienna said. "Everything has a weakness and learning it can be key to defeating them."

"Agreed." James said. "Intel about your foes is valuable."

"Intel is nice, but they can be falsified or incorrect." Summer said having been a victim of falsified intel.

The voice of the Darkness whispered in different tongues and languages.

"WAKE UP!"

Jaune jerked away finding himself restrained to a chair and James looking at him. A flood light is pointed at him along with two cops, one of which is aiming a shotgun at him. the briefcase with the bomb is on a chair a couple of feet away from him.

"Welcome back to the land of the living. But don't get used to it." James said with a smug look while cracking his knuckles before hitting him. "Okay, now tell me. Who helped you out on the hit at the Turkish Baths?"

Jaune didn't say anything even he got punched again. James grabbed his face and forced him to look at him.

"Aw, what's the matter? Helpless without that screwy shit you been pullin' in the darkness?" James asked letting Jaune's face go. "Too bright in here, isn't it?"

One of the cops standing guard said something but Jaune didn't pay attention focusing on James.

"Ah, let's get creative. You don't have to talk. I'm gonna have fun either way. Go get me that power drill." James ordered one of the cops.

"Please don't." Ruby said and Yang wrapped her arm around her sister ready to shield her.

"No one walks away from torture the same. Not the subject or the one asking questions." James said with a heavy sigh. Knowing what sort of operations Atlas covert units get up to. After all he isn't the only General within Atlas.

"Sure thing, James."

"It ain't James, you fuckin' moron! It's Captain Ironwood!" James yelled turning to the cop.

"Ah, shit. Sorry… sure thing, Captain Ironwood!" The cop said fetching the power drill while James looked back at Jaune.

"Now I'm gonna tell you how this works. You tell me who helped you out on the hit at the Turkish Baths, you tell me who saw the briefcase, you play ball, an' you'll die quickly." James said flicking Jaune's chin making him scowl. "Otherwise, you get little holes drilled in the pain centers of your brain."

Everyone did their best to prepare themselves for what comes next.

'How many times has he done this?' James wondered to himself.

"And believe me, I've done this work before. You may think you're a tough kid, but you don't want to go that second route." James said. "You know ya made Paulie real nervous. That little turd is so paranoid I gotta keep him in a safe place until the heat dies down."

Jaune remained quiet and looked at James as he leaned closer to him.

"Now say your prayers… 'Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners now and at…' "

"Ha! 'Mother of God.' That's a good one, boss." The cops holding the shotgun said. "I mean, considerin' the shipment we got comin' in – "

"Well, don't tell him, you stupid shit!" James yelled at the cop.

"What's the difference? Who's he gonna tell?" The cop asked. "Won't make any difference if he knows about the… you said we was gonna waste him."

"Oh yeah, we're gonna waste him." James agreed walking towards the cops making him step back. "And if you say one more word about Mother of God we're gonna waste you next!"

"Alright… easy, alright alright alright…." The cops said holding up his hand in a placating manner.

The other cop came back and handed the drill to James before returning to her original spot next to the other cop.

James took a deep breath and looked at Jaune showing him the drill. "Now then… you may feel a little discomfort…" he said pulling the trigger making the drill turn on before aiming the drill tip at Jaune head but stopped. "Fuck… shit… goddamnit! Why'dya plug it in all the way over there?..."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the scene. Grateful for the moment of respite.

Spart looked at the screen knowing what is coming next and hoped that everyone has prepared themselves to the best of their abilities.

"Jesus Christ, goddamnit I'll do it myself." James said yanking the cord out making Jaune chuckle and look at the two cops exchange worried looks as James grabbed the end of the cord and started mumbling to himself as he plugged in the drill. Once done he walked over to Jaune and showed him the drill again turning it on. "Now… where were we? Oh yeah…"

James grabbed Jaune by the ear and pressed the drill tip against his cheek and turned it on. Jaune screamed in pain as the drill easily passed his flesh and pierced the bone. After a few seconds the drill sputtered and stopped working, James removed the drill quickly making Jaune scream again as the metal bit tore a section of his cheek.

Ruby shut her eyes quickly and covered her ears with her hands but that didn't help in blocking out the sound Jaune's screams and the sounds of the drill. Her mind filled in the blanks to her horror.

The others didn't fare much better except for the veterans who had to look away and take a deep breath to calm their nerves as memories came back.

Pyrrha and Nora each grabbed Jaune's arm.

James pressed the switch multiple times trying to get it to work again but couldn't. "Chinese piece of shit!" He yelled tossing the drill onto the floor, he looked at Jaune and picked up the drill and went over to the table to try and fix it.

Jaune chuckled at the scene, blood spilled from his wound and from his mouth. He looked at the two cops standing guard. "Keep lickin' James' ass, ya cunts. Polish his sweet butt-crack."

"How can he joke at such a time." Weiss asked wincing upon seeing the damage done to his face.

"He must have a reason." Said Coco.

"Or he's trying to ignore the pain by distracting himself." Qrow suggested.

The cop holding the gun approached Jaune standing in front of the flood light. "Boy, you sure did put the cat among the pigeons, Arc. You know what I'm saying? That means you fucked everything up. Why? Now we gotta do what we gotta do. Forgot it." The cop said looking at James and going back to his original spot.

"Yes, darkness…"

"Clever bastard." Said Qrow. "Using them to block out the light."

"Why didn't he attack when the cop was blocking the light?" Ruby asked. "That would have been a prime moment to strike."

"Maybe the Darkness is weak from earlier." Velvet said theorized. "Or maybe Jaune is weak and therefore it is also weak as well."

"You'll die before you realize what I'm up to." Jaune told them, his speech slurred by the blood filling his mouth which he spit out as the other cop approached him and blocked the light.

"I seen a man die of shock one time – before the drill even touched his skull." She told him looking at James over her shoulder. "Lucky son of a bitch." She said going back to her spot.

"Display your power."

Jaune looked at the light and winced looking back at the cops. "Come over here. I want to see the cunts sucking James' dick." He said spitting out more blood.

"You caused us a lot of trouble, Arc." The cop said shoving him back a bit and blocking the light. "You know how long it's gonna take us to repair all the damage you done?"

"Ah, dark bliss…"

"You realize no-one's getting' outta this alive, right?"

The cop holding the gun approached. "You know, Arc. I never did like Paulie Franchetti. If I didn't have to kill you, I'd buy you a drink for what you did. You low-life fucking rat bastard. Die, ya fuck." He said shoving the gun into Jaune's face as he backed away.

"You're fuckin' hilarious. You think fuck face James could ever make me talk?" Jaune asked spitting blood in their direction making one of the cops approach.

"Man, he messed up your face. I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes, boy." She said grabbing his chin.

Jaune summoned the Darkness tendril cutting open her throat and severing the head of the other cop before knocking over the light and impaling James through the chest. James coughed up blood as the tendril brought him closer to Jaune until he is face to face with the man.

"Fuckin' do it, you piece of shit." James spit in Jaune's face. "Your girl cried like a bit-"

Jaune commanded the tendril with James still on it to the bomb.

"No! Stupid puppet!"

The screen froze just before the tendril hit the briefcase.

"And that…" Jaune said with a little chuckle. "That was the second time I died."

The screen unfroze as the tendril hit the briefcase detonating the bomb and knocking Jaune back as the screen cut to black.

"Took the bastard out with him." Jaune said both impressed and disturbed. "Guess that's way to kill yourself."

"Going out with a bang. We should all be so lucky." Qrow said.

"How about living out the rest of your life peacefully surrounded by family." Leon asked looking at Qrow.

"Not for me." Stated Qrow. "I got my dose of family from my nieces. And as long as they live longer than me, that's all that matters."

Yang and Ruby got and ran over to their uncle giving him a hug making him blush a little. Even Summer smiled at the scene taking out her scroll and snapping a picture of her daughters with their cool uncle. Tai smiled at his friend thankful for him sticking around even after Raven left.

Speaking of Raven, she looked at her brother and shook her head while taking a sip of wine.

"You don't know what you've done."

The screen fades to Jaune back in the main control room of the cannon still going along the tracks.

"Death awaits you. Worse than death…"

Jaune looks out the window and sees a massive fortress in the distance and an equally massive gate blocking the way forward. He hit the brakes making the train stop just before the gates and looked for a button or something to fire the main cannon. There in the center is a case that he tried to pry open but couldn't.

"The master will kill us!" The corpse yelled from his spot.

"Again you fail." The Darkness said with a laugh. "Worthless host."

Jaune left the control room and walked along the outside of the cannon and used the ladder to reach the ground. Back on the ground he looked around for anything to use to pry open the case and saw a soldier behind the cannon and so he went over to the soldier. He summoned the Darkness and the guns to kill the soldier and he discovered a path leading down and around the side of the canyon. With no other option he followed the path down dealing with more soldiers trying to stop him and he summoned a Gunner Darkling to help.

The two made quick work of the soldiers and Jaune followed the path coming upon a bunker of some kind built into the side of the canyon.

"This is the wrong way."

Jaune entered the bunker expecting to find more soldiers but didn't and found a ladder leading down. Climbing down, Jaune found a tunnel leading somewhere which he took and walked down the tunnel as the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void.

"I never felt like I needed much. Place to sleep, food and drink. Maybe a piece for protection." Jaune said holding up his gun.

"Amen." Qrow and Raven said at the same time earning a look from those nearby. "Life in a bandit camp. You survive or you don't, and you have to watch your back even when sleeping."

"Really?" Yang asked.

"Yup, probably why I never really got that much sleep my first year in Beacon." Qrow said.

"Remember the time we found a knife in Raven's bed when we cleaned the room." Tai asked Summer making her chuckle lightly.

"I need a cannon shell. Need a little hope. I need to know why the Darkness is lying to me." Jaune said looking out to the void. "I need to see you again."

The screen fades to Jaune walking through the tunnel and finding the exit seeing it blocked by a grate. He kicked it knocking it away and into the moat. He left the tunnel and found himself back in the village, he followed the moat finding a ladder which he climbed up entering the village and saw two allied soldiers waiting for him.

"Well done, old chap. If his Majesty's army can ever be of service, don't hesitate to ask." The soldier said.

"I need to find Anthony Arc. You know where he went?"

"Well, it's all a bit hectic and whatnot. The Yank went off to the trenches." The soldier told him. "He said he was expecting you, said he was getting things ready… sorry, it's all I can remember.

"Ignore them. They hate you, Jaune. They always lie."

"The irony of a liar calling someone else a liar." Ren said. "Now that Jaune is back in the Darkness' world. Its going to do everything it can to stop hm finding answers."

"He'll make it and overcome anything that the Darkness throws at him." Nora said with confidence. "Then he'll take control and show that thing who's in charge."

"And get his revenge on Paulie for what he did." Pyrrha added.

Jaune ignored the voice and remembered the way back to trenches and immediately went there without stopping for anything. He climbed down the ladder and walked through the tunnel seeing more allied soldiers in the tunnels than before. He made it to the ladder leading to the trenches and climbed up.

He made it back to the trenches and looked around for Anthony.

"Finally! You're back!" Anthony yelled getting Jaune's attention seeing Anthony standing next to a tank. "You got the Darkness running scared, Jaune!"

Jaune climbed out of the trench and approached Anthony who gave him a hug.

"I can sense it in the air! Get on to the tank, Jaune. Man the gun, I'm driving." Anthony said letting go of Jaune and walking to the tank. "We got some payback to deliver."

"Damn right, we do." Jaune said.

"Driving a tank is on my bucket list." Nora said. "I hope to fulfill it one day."

"You're going to be waiting a long time for that one." Ren said thankful that Beacon doesn't have any tanks. Then again Huntsmen and Huntress don't drive tanks and largely supported the military.

"I can arrange something in an environment that won't be damaged." Spart said and Nora had a smile so wide that he wondered if he made a mistake.

Jaune used the ladder on the side of the tank to climb up to the turret mounted on top while Anthony entered the tank. He settled in and checked the guns as he felt the tank move.

"Here we go."

The tank moved over the ruined landscape running over the barricades.

"Take it outta the sky!"

Jaune heard a plane engine and looked up seeing a plane approaching them. He raised the guns and fired; the machine gun rounds easily tore through the plane's body making it crash behind them. Ahead another tank approached and Jaune opened fire on it but the rounds bounced harmlessly off the armor plating and Anthony turned the tank to the right avoiding a head on collision.

They followed a path coming upon the ruins buildings with soldiers using the building for cover. Jaune opened fire on the buildings killing the soldiers hiding within them.

"Nice job." Anthony yelled from inside the tank.

Jaune looked ahead seeing the tank from before taking position on the hill, its turret rotating towards them. He fired again not doing much against the heavily armored tank. The main cannon fired destroying the enemy tank clearing the way for them to cross the bridge.

"Company, upstairs!"

"Take them out!" Velvet yelled cheering Jaune on.

"Yeah, bring them down!" Ruby joined in.

"I have to admit that does look fun." Yang said taking in the scene of the destruction being caused.

Jaune looked to his right seeing more planes coming. He rotated the turret and fired at them. The planes did their best to evade but one still took hits. Jaune kept the trigger down and followed one of the planes as it passed by them on the bridge destroying it and focusing on the remaining planes that turned and tired to kill them or target the supports holding up the bridge. Jaune destroyed the remaining planes just as they finished crossing the bridge.

They made it to the other side of the bridge and the tank turned right heading down the path.

"Jesus H. Christ." Anthony yelled stopping the tank when two enemy tanks came around the corner and turning to them. The tank quickly backed up and Jaune fired at them not doing anything to them until he looked up and fired at the cliffs above them knocking rocks and boulders loose making them fall upon the enemy tanks destroying them.

"Nice one, Jaune."

The tank backed up and turned down the other path not running into any other enemy tanks thankfully. They followed the path coming upon another bridge.

"Jaune, incoming on the right."

Jaune turned the turret seeing more two more planes heading for the bridge aiming to take out the supports like the others before them but Jaune wouldn't let them firing upon them destroying one and making it crash into the other one. Seeing and hearing no other planes Jaune turned the turret back to the front seeing the end of the bridge and a fortified base waiting for them with two pillboxes on opposite ends of the bridge that started to shoot at them.

Jaune returned fire destroying the pillboxes clearing the way for them as they entered the base stopping a short distance from the blocked gate preventing them from going any further.

"Message from Arc, Fritzie!" Anthony yelled ramming the gate making a dent and backing up to ram it again. The gate opened and the tank surged forward and quickly turned left to avoid running into the side of a wall.

"That was too close, Jaune. I can't brake!"

Jaune saw another tank ahead of them and fired at them knowing that it won't do much but it's better than doing nothing. The tank went off the path heading for some ruins when Jaune heard a whizzing sound by his hit and heard bullets hitting the tank.

"Snipers! I hate snipers!" Anthony said turning the tank to a large watchtower with snipers. The tank rammed the tower making it collapse and the tank went down a hill.

"Shit, no brakes!"

"Ramming that door from earlier must have damaged them." Li said. "Let's hope nothing jumps in front of them."

"Or a giant door blocking their path." An added. "And they are going downhill."

"Doesn't that thing have emergency brakes?" Sun asked curious.

"Looks like it was patched together so probably not." Said Velvet. "Their main focus might have been having it being heavily armored to withstand anything the Darkness would throw at them."

The tank picked up speed going downhill and made a jump after running up a ramp. The tank landed hard before swerving back onto a path leading down.

"Ah shit!"

Jaune could heard the gears of the tank squeaking and grinding against each other after the jump they made.

"I think we're almost there!" Anthony yelled steering the tank so it got close to the edge of a bridge they are crossing over to avoid hitting an enemy tank that is blocking the path.

Jaune fired at a tank aiming for the treads making it stop but not destroyed since he had to aim at a incoming plane that dropped bombs as it passed over them. He tracked the plane destroying it and watching the wreckage hit the ground. The tank from earlier stopped following them and Jaune looked ahead seeing the massive fortress from earlier getting closer.

"Alright, we're doin' fine, Jaune." Anthony said seeing no other tanks or planes coming for them. "Just a little bit more."

The tank made it to the fortress wall and a gate opened slowly showing a tunnel.

"Hey, we're too low! We're gonna get squeezed!"

The tank made it through the gate but thanks to the narrow tunnel the tank ran up one of the sides and tilted over crashing. Jaune ducked down as the tank slid across the tunnel and entering a large room and crashing into a wall.

"Quick thinking on his part." Neptune said with a sigh of relief. "If he hadn't ducked down he might've been crushed when the tank flipped on its side."

"Well, at least they made it to their objective." Sun said looking at the screen. "Hopefully they can find a shell without jumping through hoops."

"Doubtful." Said Winter chiming in. "The enemy knows they are in the fortress and will attempt to block their progress at every opportunity."

"Or they rush in and deal with them." Sienna said. "They're in an enemy base and not exactly in a favorable position to defend themselves."

Thanks to Jaune ducking down he avoid getting crushed by the wall when the tank crashed into it but it did trap him inside the turret. He heard a door open and a second later Anthony came into view and approached the turret peeking through the cracks.

"Man… I thought we were goners there for sure." Anthony said and Jaune could see him holding his side and wincing. "Goddam tank almost crushed my spine. You don't look so good, Jaune."

Jaune felt something wet running down his face and touched it seeing blood when he looked at his hand. Already he could feel the cut on his head healing.

"I'll go find something to get you outta here. Don't go anywhere, kid." Anthony said leaving to look for something when a loud screech filled the room. Jaune looked through the cracks trying to see what's going on but couldn't see much.

"Hey! Over here you ugly bastard!"

Jaune heard gunfire and more screeching and Anthony yelling in pain.

"Come on! You want him? You gotta take me first!"

"What the hell is he fighting?" Leon asked worried about his family.

"Something ugly based on that screech." Said Jaune.

"Get away from him you ugly piece of shit!" Anthony yelled accompanied by more gunshots. "I'm the one that brought this on our family! You think I'm afraid of you?"

"I've been here too long to be afraid! Go back to hell!" Anthony yelled in defiance before screaming in pain and Jaune saw him get thrown across the room. The floor shook and he felt the tank move and turn upright.

The audience got their first look at the creature that if guarding the base. Everyone winced when they got a good look at it.

"Kill it! Kill it with fire!" Ruby yelled.

"What the fuck is that!" Yelled Jaune.

"Something out of a nightmare." Glynda said with a shudder. This creature is worse than any nightmarish creature Salem could conjure up.

"What other things are lurking in that base if that is guarding the entrance." Asked Peter not wanting to know the answer.

Jaune saw the creature that Anthony was fighting. It stood taller than the tank almost reaching the ceiling, its grey skin glistened under the limited light and its hands are shaped like hooks which it used to grasp the tank. The claw hooks easily penetrating the tank armor and the head of the creature is shaped like a leech filled with sharp teeth ready to tear through flesh.

Jaune grabbed the turret and fired at the creature making it screech before lifting the tank up and slamming it down making Jaune stumble, but he kept his fingers on the trigger filling the creature with bullets that seemed to do nothing at first. The creature roared again and Jaune aimed down its mouth sending bullets down its throat making it screech in pain and slam a claw into the side of the tank causing Jaune to stumble again.

He kept his fingers on the triggers making the creature screech in pain as the bullets tore through its flesh exposing bone and muscles. He focused fire on the head exposing bits of its brain and the creature lifted the tank and slammed it against the ground again and even took a swipe at Jaune that would've killed him if he didn't duck down.

With a final screech the creature fell over flipping the tank with it and this time Jaune jumped from the tank not wanting to get crushed or pinned. The creature and the tank cracked the floor and kicked up dust making him cough and wave his hand in front of his face to clear some of the dust away. Jaune walked around the creature seeing a blood trail leading to Anthony sitting against a crate.

Jaune approached and knelt down next to him.

"Oh… that was a ride, huh?" Anthony said with a cough. "I think I see it, Jaune. I know what went wrong with the Darkness. All those years alone to think… it lived a thousand lifetimes, and it just went insane…"

"Such a lonely existence." Willow said looking at the screen seeing her married life. How she shut herself off and retreated into the bottle. "I think anyone would go insane after being alone for so long."

Winter looked at her mother hearing her whisper the last part. She and Wiess needed to have a talk with her and clear the air between them so to speak. A conversation that is very long overdue and needed for the dysfunctional family.

"It was us, see? We're the big mistake…" Anthony said coughing up more blood and leaning his head against the crate. "Oh… god… I can feel something inside me… it's moving… Don't forget me, kid…"

Jaune held Anthony's hand to comfort him in his final moments.

"It's okay…" He said closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I've been waiting to die for centuries… I knew I was losing my mind. But the I see it better now… everything's changing." Anthony opened his eyes and looked at Jaune.

"You're the one, Jaune… you were always supposed to be the one." Anthony said, his breathing slowing. "Hey, kid… I think I got it. That thing about the light in the darkness… you know what that means?"

"Do not interfere."

The ground began to shake and Anthony used his last strength to push Jaune back just as the ground opened up beneath him and he fell into the darkness.

"Only the darkness will prevail."

"Salem and the Darkness would get along well." Qrow said a sip from his flask.

"Too well, I'm afraid." Ozpin said with a shudder imagining Salem with power of the Darkness. "In a way she and Darkness have a lot in common."

"The Darkness really doesn't want anyone helping Jaune." Pyrrha noted recalling the times the Darkness pulled Jaune away from receiving help.

"It's trying to isolate him, making him more vulnerable and therefor easier to control." Said Sienna drawing the attention of everyone in the audience.

Jaune got and walked to the edge of the hole looking down and sees nothing but darkness. He clenched his fists feeling anger build up, he looked around seeing a path heading deeper into the base. He picked up the rifle left behind by Anthony and checked it to see if it still has ammo before moving on. He opened the door seeing nobody and walked down the corridors.

"You'll be alone forever, Jaune."

Jaune ignored the voice and continued onward finding a set of stairs leading up as the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void.

"What if you get to the end of the line? I mean, what then?" Jaune asked looking out into the void. "Maybe there is a way out – and I just can't find it yet. Or maybe it's through here – in the heart of the Darkness."

Jaune shrugged. "Or maybe I'm just walking into a trap."

Ozpin set his coffee mug down and thought about what's next? What happens after Salem is defeated and the Grimm are beaten back. What happens then? What happens to him? he never really thought about the end of line or what comes after. Everything has always been a game of chess between the two immortals. The ever-changing wins and losses on both sides and as a result he always focused on the present and not the future.

"Either way, the only way out is through and maybe he'll get some answers." Coco said. "No turning back now."

"Into the belly of the beast, so to speak huh?" Said Velvet and both Weiss and Ruby clamped a hand over Yang's mouth before she could speak.

"Don't even-" Ruby said.

"Think about it." Weiss finished.

The screen fades to Jaune opening a door and seeing a cannon shell already loaded onto a rail cart with a turret on the front ready for transport. Large doors blocked the tracks going forward and Jaune saw catwalks overhead figuring the controls are there. He headed for the stairs and got shot by two soldiers on the catwalks. He fired back hitting one off the catwalks and onto the rail tracks and the other got three bullets to the chest.

Jaune felt his wounds heal as he walked up the stairs making to check the catwalks for any more enemies. He made to the catwalks and didn't see any more soldiers waiting for him and the controls for the gate. He reloaded the rifle as he walked over to the controls and flipped the switch opening the doors.

Walking back to the rail car, Jaune climbed aboard checking the turret before turning on the engine and releasing the brakes. He manned the turret as the cart moved forward going down the tracks and over a sea of what appeared to be water.

A plane dove towards the cart and Jaune shot it out of the sky.

"Please, Jaune… this is a mistake."

Jaune ignored the voice as the cart picked up speed and he saw the cannon in the distance getting closer. He also saw more soldiers setting up defenses, he fired at them as the cart slowed down before coming to a stop next to the cannon's loading bay. He let go of the turret and grabbed the rifle to kill the remaining soldiers that he didn't kill on his way in.

Jaune ran out of ammo and switched to the Darkness guns making quick work of the remaining soldiers. Once clear he climbed the ladder back to the top of the cannon while the shell is automatically loaded in position.

"I beg you: reconsider"

Ignoring the voice, Jaune opened the hatch and jumped back down into the control room. He tried the case again and this time it opened revealing a red button which he pressed and gabbed the console for support as the massive cannon fired shaking the control room. The gates to the front of the fortress is blown open.

"Now, that is a gun." Ruby said with envy. She saw so many weapons and wondered how they operated or how they fired.

"Big explosion!" Nora yelled with a wide smile. "I wonder how much powder is packed into those shells."

"A lot would be my guess." Said Ren. "I shudder to imagine the amount of powder needed just to propel the shell."

"Now he can storm the castle." Velvet said. "And finally get control over the damn Darkness."

"I'll destroy you."

Jaune opened the hatch and left the control room and walked back to the ladder leading back to the ground. He left the cannon behind and walked to the destroyed bridge seeing planks have been set up as a bridge leading to the fortress.

"I'll put your teeth to the grindstone. I'll tear your mind. I'll boil your eyes."

Jaune ignored the threats and walked across the makeshift bridge and approaching the massive fortress.

"Turn back or you lose Pyrrha forever."

Jaune stopped for the briefest moment before steeling his resolve and continued walking forward.

"I can take you to her. Your hearts desire."

"More lies to try and save itself." Li said. "Even using Pyrrha to try and save itself from being controlled."

"He'll push forward. He's an Arc." Leon said with pride. "We never give up."

He walked up the steps and through the destroyed gates entering the fortress. He saw nothing but sand blocking the doors expect for a stairway heading down.

The screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void.

"This is the heart of the Darkness. It's where the creature dwells." Jaune said with a deep sigh. "I think… this is the end of the line."

The screen cuts to Jaune reaching the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't let it win." Pyrrha's voice said causing Jaune to pause and take a deep breath before continuing. He entered a large room with a figure floating on the other end of the room surrounded by light and darkness. One either side of the room are two machines with cables running up the walls and leading to the floating figure.

As Jaune entered the room further the doors behind him closed sealing him in with the figure.

"What is with the figure in the back?" Sun asked squinting to try and get a better look.

"I think it's a physical representation of the Darkness." Neptune said. "Since the Darkness doesn't have a body per say. This could be how Jaune's mind is interpreting the Darkness residing inside him."

"Or it could actually be the Darkness since they are inside of its realm." Velvet said.

"Use the machines."

Jaune looked at the machines on either side of the room and he walked over to him seeing a body slumped over in front of the machine. He pushed the body aside and sat down.

"No! You must not!"

The Darkness cried out as Jaune leaned forward resting his head against the cradle and the machine activated sucking out a black mist from Jaune who griped the handles tightly as the Darkness screamed in pain.

The machine turned off and Jaune stood up and stumbled slightly. He looked to the other machines and approached another one to repeat the process.

"This is not for you."

Jaune settled into the machine turning it on and sucking out more of the black mist causing the Darkness to scream out. The machine turned off and Jaune approached another one seeing the body holding out its hands like expecting and offering.

"Nothing for you here."

Jaune looked at the body and summoned the Darkness guns placing them in the hands of the corpse who took them and more of the black mist left Jaune.

"It's like he's getting rid of the Darkness within him." Glynda said observing the procedure.

"Wouldn't that just make the Darkness stronger?" Peter asked.

"Maybe that's how he can control it fully." Bart said writing in his notebook. "By expelling it from himself he can fully absorb the entire Darkness instead of having a small portion."

Jaune took a deep breath and approached the last machine.

"Stay away, Jaune!"

Jaune settled into the machine one last time repeating the process and having it suck out the black mist.

The black mist began surrounding the figure causing it to twitch rapidly, the mist forming a black coat similar to Jaune's.

"Jaune!" The figure yelled turning into a demonic version of Jaune as the cables released the demon Jaune. "This is not a place you can bend to your will."

"Somebody sure is pissed." Yang said with a slight wince upon seeing Demon Jaune's face which looked skinned and twisted into a mockery of Jaune's face.

"They come from the blackest pits of existence." Demon Jaune said summoning Darklings to attack Jaune who backed up and fired at them killing them. "You insulted my legacy and now it's time to teach you a lesson."

Jaune fired at the demon version of him who took the bullets not even phased.

"Fighting only makes it stronger." Pyrrha's voice said. "Find another way."

Demon Jaune summoned more darkling which Jaune dealt with and fired more at demon Jaune.

"Good."

"You can't fight it, Jaune. So don't."

"This is not your life anymore! Surrender to the darkness!" Demon Jaune screamed.

Jaune looked at his guns as more Darklings were summoned. He took a deep breath and dropped them making a clanking sound as they hit the metal grates.

"What the hell is he doing?!" Weiss yelled at the screen. "Is he trying to get killed?!"

"He needs to accept the Darkness." Jaune said putting the pieces together. "All this time he's been fighting it hence why bullets don't affect it."

"There is also ghost Pyrrha's advice about not fighting it." Nora added. "I wonder what kind of perspective she has on the Darkness."

"It did say that it has her soul." Ren said looking at Nora then back to the screen. "I wonder if everyone that the Darkness has killed ends up under its control."

"That's a terrifying thought." Ruby said with a shudder at the thought of having her soul under the control of the one who killed her.

The Darklings stopped before Jaune and backed away as Jaune approached Demon Jaune who backed away until he couldn't anymore.

"No! Cannot! Must not!"

Jaune stood face to face with the demon version of him and reached out grabbing Demon Jaune's hand who turned into black mist being absorbed back into Jaune who accepted him. Demon Jaune's face is overlayed over Jaune's face until it faded and Jaune took a deep breathe as the screen cut to black.

"I am yours to control… for now."

"He's done it!" Pyrrha cheered pumping her fist in the air.

"What does the Darkness mean by 'for now'?" Penny asked looking at the screen. "Doesn't Jaune have full control over it now."

"It's possible that over time that control may wane, and the Darkness will once again take over." Ghira said. "For now though, I think its safe to say that he's in full control over the Darkness."

"He accomplished his goal and now doesn't have to worry about the Darkness interfering." Leon said with a proud smile.

"But Jaune… with each life you take I grow closer to owning your soul."

"Jaune Arc! Wake up!"

The screen cuts to Jaune waking up outside the destroyed orphanage and saw a vision of young Pyrrha running away from him as he got up.

"Catch me if you can!" Young Pyrrha said with a giggle as she faded leaving Jaune alone. He looked at the remains of the orphanage before heading for the subway passing by two people talking about flying cars.

Jaune entered the subway heading for the platforms when he heard someone calling his name. Next to the payphones is a mean wearing a suit and a fedora waving him over.

"Jaune? Jaune Arc? Is that you?" The man said as Jaune approached him. "Holy mother of pearl, Jaune – everyone thought you was dead."

"Been hearing that a lot, Vinny." Jaune said.

"We heard you flamed out the same time as that cocksucker James Ironwood." Vinny said with a chuckle. "That's one hell of a stunt you pulled. Where you been hidin?"

"I spent a couple of weeks in a dark place." Jaune told him looking at the people going about their business. "You wouldn't understand."

"Weeks? He's been gone for weeks?" Ruby said. "He's only been inside the other realm for a couple of hours at most."

"There must a time difference between the two places." Said Bart once again writing in his notebook. "A few hours in the other realm equals days or weeks in the real world."

"I wonder if the whole time he's been outside of the orphanage or someplace safe while his body is being repaired." Ozpin wondered.

"Speaking of time. If there a time difference between the different universes." Pyrrha asked Spart. "You said that a person can travel to another universe and is there a time difference."

"Some yes, and others no." Spart answered. "Usually once someone crosses over to another universe they are stuck there for the rest of their lives."

"Sounds lonely." Penny said. "Do some make it back home?"

"Some yes, and they find their homes and loved ones different." Spart told them. "Like I said earlier those that cross over find new friends and adjust to their new reality."

"Mystery man, huh? Well, you sure made some waves, son." Vinny told him. "The Chicago boys are considern' pullin' the plug on your dear old Uncle Paulie. He's on his knees ready to suck whatever dick he can so they won't freeze his assets. He's holed up. Not even Butcher knows where."

"Ironwood's people mentioned 'Mother of God'." Jaune recalled what one of the cops said when he was being held captive. "Now, I think it had somethin' to do with the administration in Chicago. You know anything about that?"

"Uhm, strange. He and Junior got religious?" Vinny said with a shrug. "Run the name with Butcher. He's gonna shit in his breeches when you show up. You're supposed to be dead. He's over at Aunt Sarah's helpin' her out with some stuff or some shit, I don't know."

"Thanks, Vinny." Jaune said leaving him to get on the train that just pulled up to the platform and the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void.

"The Mother of God thing was way too obvious. I figured it had to be something else." Jaune said. "Now, I knew that Aunt Sarah and Butcher were ready to see Ironwood and Paulie's asses on a platter. I've already got an opening. Maybe they can help turn it into a gaping hole."

"Eh, too easy." Yang said before Ruby and Weiss could intervene.

"Thank you." Blake said with a relieved sigh.

"The name could be related to something else." An said picking up her teacup. "It could be code for something else or a person."

"Maybe a shipment." Li suggested.

The screen fades to Jaune leaving the subway and entering the street that Aunt Sarah lives on. He walked over to her apartment and rung the doorbell. He heard footsteps that stopped at the door and opened it.

"Jaune…" Aunt Sarah said instantly giving him a hug. "You're still alive! Oh, thank the lord!"

Butcher came around the corner hearing the commotion and saw Jaune. "Holy catfish" He approached Jaune and gave him a hug after Aunt Sarah let him go. "Jaune! Is that you?"

"This problem with your Uncle Paulie has gone on long enough, Jaune. It's time to take action." Aunt Sarah said once Butcher let him go and gestured for the two to follow. She led them to the living room and took a seat on the chair while Jaune and Bucher sat on the couch. "I think the decision has just about made itself anyway, what with the way he's been carrying on."

Butcher nodded. "He's just about run outta road, Jaune."

"Some old friends of the family want to know what they can do to help."

"James Ironwood's guy said something about the Mother of God. It was supposed to be an inside joke but it meant something." Jaune told Aunt Sarah and Butcher. "I think there's some kind connection to the Chicago Families. Something Paulie wants to keep to himself.

"The Mother of God… like the Virgin Mary?" Aunt Sarah said leaning back in her chair and looked at Butcher. "You don't suppose he's talking about the Santa Maria?"

"That's the Chicago Family boat." Butcher said with a nod of understanding. "It's been running shipments of drugs into the harbor for years. Knowing James, he wouldn't resist the chance to talk about it to a dying man."

"He always did have diarrhea of the mouth. Especially if there's something big going on." Butcher said turning to Jaune. "The Chicago Families are gonna be real interested in what happens here, Jaune. This is gonna be your best chance to get Paulie out of the picture for good. Just say the word and I'll help if I can."

"I want to know more about this Santa Maria, Butch. Anything I can use against Paulie?" Jaune asked Butch.

Butcher sighed. "Listen, Jaune – I would never normally say this… you know me, I never choose sides."

"Kind of late for that." Raven said from her spot. "He chose his side the moment he decided to help Jaune by giving him info and targets."

"So… Mother of God was actually a code for a boat." Li said. "If Jaune gets his hands on those drugs and destroys them. The other mob families will have to act against Paulie."

"He could also destroy the boat and put the blame on Paulie." An suggested looking at her husband. "They have to know that Jaune is one of Paulie's men and I doubt he told them about going after Jaune."

"Wouldn't that just put a target on his back on well?" Ilia asked.

"He could lie about attacking the ship under Paulie's orders and then offer to kill him as a peace offering." Raven said getting a refill on her wine. "At least that's what I would do."

"But you already put a hole in Paulie's finances when you took out Dutch Oven Harry's operation." Butcher said looking at Jaune. "You put a few holes in that boat Santa Maria, the Chicago Families gonna pull the plug and Paulie will find himself swimming to the bottom of the river."

"I need to know how to mess up Paulie's deal."

"They've got people inside the Coast Guard. They usually wait for the coast to clear and they call the Santa Maria in from the harbor to make a shipment." Butcher told him. "There's a radio they use, down at Grinder's Lane. Tuned to the correct frequency at all times. You get to that radio and call in, they'll send the boat."

"Now, you do what Butcher says. The boat's name is 'Santa Maria'." Aunt Sarah said getting Jaune's attention. "You should go to Grinder's Lane and find that radio."

"I will, thank you." Jaune said getting up and giving Aunt Sarah a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving and heading back to the subway as the scene transitions to him leaving the subway. He's back on Grinder's Lane and headed for the same building where he burned the money and drew his guns knowing that there will be guards to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again. He hugged the wall and looked around the corner seeing a parked car outside the building with guards.

Summoning the Darkness he stepped out of cover and fired at the guard killing him and impaling the other with a tentacle and throwing the body at a door when it opened. The body hit the guard knocking him over allowing Jaune to get close and put a bullet through his head.

"This is the right way! Kill more!"

"It's really enjoying the bloodshed." Jaune said. "More than usual."

"Must be because this time Jaune is in the one fully in control this time without it intervening." Ren said. "Also remember that with every person Jaune kills the Darkness gets closer to owning his soul. So it makes sense that it would encourage him to kill everyone."

Jaune holstered his guns and grabbed the rifle the guard dropped and grabbed more ammo off the body and summoned a Gunner Darkling with a Suicide Darkling to assist as he combed the building coming upon more guards which he killed with the help of the Gunner Darkling while the Suicide Darkling hung back waiting for a group. Jaune entered the main loading area and took cover from the six guards shooting at him.

The Suicide Darkling cackled and charged forward into the group setting off the explosives killing the guards and clearing the room. Jaune and the Gunner left the main room continuing the search for the radio. He left the main building and entered a side building and spotted the radio sitting on a desk.

He set the rifle down and turned on the radio.

"This is Captain Andre Kuchev of the Santa Maria. What's the story? Over."

"You can bring in the boat. Everything's clear. Over." Jaune told the Captain over the radio

"Affirmative. We're coming in."

Jaune destroyed the radio and left the room heading for the exit when he heard a car coming.

"Kill them all."

The Gunner Darkling jumped on a crate and held the minigun at the ready. When the car came into view Jaune and Gunner opened fired upon the car, the many bullets destroyed the car and killed whoever is inside. Jaune dropped the rifle and headed for the subway entrance while the Gunner Darkling faded into the shadows.

Jaune's pager went off and he checked it.

'JAUNE, I GOT SOME INFOFORMATION FOR YOU – BUTCHER'

Jaune put the pager away and entered the subway heading straight for the phones. He stood next to a phone and dialed Butcher's number.

"It's done." Jaune told Butcher once he picked up.

"That's the spirit kid! Now you listen to me. That boat 'Santa Maria'?" Butcher said with a slight cough. "Waiting for you down at Pier 19. You put a few holes in that boat, and the Chicago People will get Paulie out of the picture for good. You need to put a bullet right between the boat's captain's eyes. Go take care of business now kid!"

"Looks like he's going with Raven's plan after all." Ghira said. "Kill the captain and place the blame on Paulie."

"Let's see how well that works out." Raven said crossing her legs. "I get the feeling that things are coming to an end."

"After this Paulie will no longer have the protection of the other families." Said Leon. "He'll only have those loyal to him as protection and wherever he is hiding."

"Shit, I would bail at that point." Sun said. "Screw Paulie, I would just tell Jaune where to find him and leave."

"Not everyone thinks that way." Ren said sipping his tea.

Jaune hung up the phone and looked at the map next to him looking for the piers. He saw that the only path is through the Lower East Side and so he waited for the train as the screen fades to Jaune leaving the subway and walking down the street heading for the piers.

"Come… embrace the darkness."

Jaune ignored the voice heading for the tunnel making sure to stick to sides to not get hit by a passing car as the screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void holding his guns.

"A job's not worth doing… unless you do it right." Jaune said looking at his guns. "Paulie's a dead man unless he gains weight and learns how to speak Swahili. Oh, he won't get that chance. Not for as long as I draw breath.

The screen fades to Jaune leaving the tunnel and headed straight for the piers noticing that the closer he got the less busy it became until the street is completely empty save for a single car parked outside the gates.

"I'm here because Paulie tells me where I gotta be." One of the guards said to his friend who was about to answer when a bullet hit his throat.

Jaune fired at the remaining guards killing two more before they could run into cover. He summoned the Darkness and took command of one of the eel making it slither on the ground towards two more guards hiding behind the car. The eel slithered under the car and attacked tearing off the leg off one of the guards before moving in for the kill and severing the head from body. The other guard fell on his ass in fear allowing the eel to strike and tear out his heart before consuming it and being recalled to Jaune.

"Exquisite meat."

"Of course, it would view human flesh as nothing more than food." Kali said disgusted setting down her dessert back to its plate losing her appetite.

"He's more confident now that he's in full control." Velvet noted. "Not that he wasn't before."

"He does seem… different." Coco said seeing how Jaune carried himself compared to before. "It could also be hearing Pyrrha's voice again affected him in some way."

"It could also be that he's nearing his goal." Ilia added.

Jaune holstered his guns and took a shotgun off one of the bodies and proceeded towards the ship. He turned the corner and saw the Santa Maria docked at the pier with guards running around on deck in response to the shooting. Summoning a Suicide Darkling who ran towards the ship and after a few seconds he heard an explosion.

"Attention, we have a situation up on the deck! Intruders detected. I repeat. Intruders detected!" The captain yelled over the intercom as an alarm blared making Jaune cuss as he boarded the ship and killed a guard that saw him before entering the ship. Jaune instantly came under fire from the guards inside and took cover behind one of the many pallets stored inside the room.

"We know who you are, asshole!" One of the guards shouted from the second floor and Jaune ignored him summoning a tendril impaling the guard on the second floor through the grate and tossing him aside scaring the other guards.

Jaune used that fear to advance further in the room killing more guards. He kicked a pallet over knocking the contents onto a guard killing him and shooting another clearing the room. Jaune took the stairs to the second floor and made it back outside, he took another set of stairs heading to the next deck and encountered more guards waiting for him. He summoned a tendril impaling one using the body as a shield as he killed the remaining guards, once done he tossed the body overboard and continued forward.

"You think the Chicago People will let this slide?"

"That's the whole point of this little assault." Said Pyrrha. "To light a fire under Paulie's ass and force him out of hiding."

"So Jaune can kill him and get his revenge." Nora added.

"It's kind of scary how the two of you are sometimes." Jaune said looking at his two female teammates. They smiled at him and went back to watching the screen.

Ren said a small prayer in his mind for his friend and team leader since he will be dealing with those two. He said a small prayer for anyone that wants to come between them and Jaune.

Jaune entered a corridor fighting his way through using the Darkness to impale people or by shooting them. A guard tried to ambush Jaune with a machete, but Jaune blocked the attack with the shotgun damaging it and summoned the dark eels to attack. They tore off his head and feasted on the brain matter leaving behind a gory scene. He tossed the weapon aside and picked up a rifle making sure to check the magazine before moving on.

He made it through the corridor leaving behind a trail of bodies and a very bloody corridor.

"You tell Uncle Paulie he's finished, you hear me?"

Jaune reloaded the rifle and continued forward killing the guards that tried to stop him. One of them jumped overboard and broke his legs to escape. Finally, he made it to the bridge and kicked open the door.

"Tell Paulie he's fin-" The Captain yelled raising his gun and got shot multiple times by Jaune.

"Good! Let go."

Jaune reloaded the rifle making sure to grab some more magazines from the small ammo pile on the bridge. He left the bridge heading back the way he came expecting more guards but none showed up probably hiding or dead either way Jaune left the ship and bodies behind.

"We are leaving now, now."

Jaune smiled at the fear evident over the intercom and watched as the ship pulled out of port and headed back for the ocean. He didn't have time to celebrate since he heard cars pulling up.

"Punish them."

Jaune summoned the Darkness along with a Gunner Darkling to help clear the pier. He saw a car stop and more of Paulie's goons jumped out with guns at the ready. Jaune summoned a black hole above the car sucking in the goons and pieces of the car as well before disappearing. Near the exit is a roadblock and more men blocking his path.

"You think at this point Paulie's men would just give up when they see Jaune approaching." Coco said adjusting her sunglasses.

"Blind loyalty, perhaps." Said Kali looking in Sienna's direction. The tiger faunus ignored the look already knowing what she is going to say.

"Or fear." Ghira said drawing his wife's attention away from Sienna. "At this point they probably fear Paulie more than Jaune. He's been in power longer and most likely has done terrible things to those that have dared to speak out against him."

"Ruling through fear, huh?" Raven said while looking at her wine giving it a light swirled. The blood red liquid swirled gently inside the wince glass. "Not a bad leadership style for a beginner. Though after a while the underlings will grow brave and kill the leader."

"Speaking from experience?" Summer asked genuinely curious since Raven nor Qrow spoke much about their lives when they were with the bandits.

"Yes." Raven answered after looking into her wine and seeing her reflection.

"Draw their fire." Jaune told the Gunner Darkling and hugged the side of the building. The Gunner laughed as it fired the minigun killing some of the goons and forcing the others to take cover behind the cars. Jaune summoned a Suicide Darkling.

"Clear a path."

"With pleasure." The Suicide Darkling said tilting its top hat and running out into the street to charge the blockade. Jaune leaned out of cover firing at the blockade keeping the goons pinned while the Suicide Darkling charged, it made it to the blockade and jumped over the cars before blowing itself and the blockade up.

Jaune walked past the burning cars and finished off the goons that survived the blast and left the pier behind while the Gunner Darkling vanished into the shadows. He hid the rifle under his coat and walked back to the tunnel as the screen fades to black showing him in the void.

"Now that Paulie's found out that the old crew's on my side, it's like some snake bit him on the heel." Jaune said. "Next thing I know, I got Jimmy the Grape an' everybody, all holed up at my Aunt's Sarah's place while Paulie's boys crawling over them like stink on shit. I guess maybe this is what I wanted all along."

Jaune held up his pistol. "The opportunity to impress."

"He should be more worried about reaching them in time especially if Paulie sent his men." Said Raven setting her wine glass down. "Rather than showing off."

"I think at this point he just enjoys killing Paulie's men to deprive him of muscle and further weakening him." Sienna said. "I think the Darkness left an impression on him."

"Could also be an opportunity for the older crew to see just what Jaune can do." Ilia said looking at Sienna then to the screen.

The screen fades to Jaune leaving the tunnel and finding the streets empty save for a black car parked in an alley. He heard voices as he got closer and stopped at the entrance, looking around the corner he saw two men talking with their backs to him. Jaune pulled out his stolen rifle and shot one in the back of the head and the other in the chest killing him.

Moving on Jaune took the main street to Aunt Sarah's apartment coming across more of Junior's men trying to stop him. He killed them since they weren't expecting an attack from behind and they had less men stationed on the corners, so he easily killed them and continued forward. Jaune heard gunfire and picked up the pace seeing three cars parked in front of the apartment and some bodies. Jaune opened fire drawing attention from the remaining goons allowing those inside the apartment to shoot back and kill them.

Jaune checked the cars not seeing anyone left alive and ran to the entrance passing by a body left on the steps. The door is kicked open and more bodies of Paulie's goons are in the hallway. Jimmy leaned out from a corner holding a pistol.

"Yo, Arc. Come on!" Jimmy said aiming at the door as Jaune ran past him seeing the others by the windows armed. The sounds of cars pulling up and brakes screeching could be heard, Jaune leapt into action running for the nearest window in the kitchen spotting Aunt Sarah holding a gun and shooting at the cars.

"What ever happened to respect?!" She shouted while shooting and managed to kill one of the goons.

"Get them!" Nora and Pyrrha shouted seeing the elderly Aunt Sarah joining the others in fending off the goons. "Kick their asses!"

"The old guard against the new ones." Leon said. "Show them what you can do, son."

"Is he going to be able to use his powers with everyone around him." Coco asked.

"He doesn't need his powers to kill them." Jaune said. "He still has his guns and he knows how to use them. Plus he has backup this time around."

Jaune broke a window and opened fire on the goons killing some that leaned too far out of cover and those that didn't bother with cover.

"Feed my power."

"I got this, Jaune. Help the others." Aunt Sarah said killing another goon. Jaune nodded and killed another goon before reloading and going to another section of the apartment to help.

"Jaune give me a hand." Butcher yelled from the living room. Jaune took up a spot by the windows that looked over the basketball court and fired at the goons hiding behind the car, he is tempted to use the Darkness but didn't want to have to explain himself to the others and so he didn't. "Here, use this."

Jaune looked at Butcher who tossed something at him, catching it revealed the object to be a grenade. Pulling the pin and tossing the grenade at the car which blew up a few seconds later killing the goons behind it.

"Kill them. Kill them all."

Jaune and Butcher killed the remaining goons by the living room when they heard Aunt Sarah calling for help. The two ran for the kitchen passing by Jimmy covering the front door and he noticed a couple of new bodies by the door. The two made it to the kitchen and assisted Aunt Sarah in dealing with the remaining goons.

Jaune killed the last goon and everything fell silent save for their own breathing.

"Darkness will fall."

"I think we're clear." Butcher said after a few seconds of nothing happening. "Jimmy!"

"Nothing here." Jimmy yelled back and everyone relaxed slightly but kept a hand on their guns in case more showed up.

"They managed to survive the assault." Emilia said. "Now they can counterattack."

"They still need to find the bastard." Leon said. "Hopefully Butcher has a location."

"If not Butcher. Then maybe some of the older guys knows." Velvet said taking a sip of tea. "They must still have connections with some of Paulie's men. They probably don't like working for him and want him dead just as much as they do."

"Either way we must be nearing the end." Blake said watching the screen. "James is dead and his money is gone. Paulie has nothing left."

"Let's talk." Aunt Sarah said motioning for Jaune and Butcher to follow. She led them to the entrance hall where everyone is waiting.

"I don't think much of the redecorating job, Jaune." Butcher said looking at the bullet holes. "It's the work of Paulie's rat bastard, backstabbing motherfuckers. The Chicago People are gonna be grateful that you protected Aunt Sarah."

"Thank you, Jaune." Aunt Sarah said giving Jaune a quick hug.

"They'll owe you a great debt. Paulie, on the other hand…" Butcher said with a smirk. "Okay, I've got a lead for you. I think I know where Paulie's been keeping himself. Paulie paid for an old lighthouse to be renovated last year. He's out there, hoping to hell you don't find him. You can only get there by boat."

"You got balls, kid. You really got balls. And you got brains." Jimmy said getting Jaune's attention.

"A dangerous combination." Tai said and the veterans and teachers agreed. Having both is a dangerous combination especially when in the hands of this Jaune who commands the Darkness. Or really anyone in the criminal world.

"Are they going to make him the boss?" Weiss asked crossing her arms.

"It does seem like it." Blake said with a shrug.

"Listen, me and some of the old guys, we been talkin' the other day. And we were saying that someone like you with brains, balls and respect. And someone who honors the old ways." Jimmy said pointing to Jaune and the other people in the apartment nodded along. "You know what the 'old ways' mean, don't ya? 'Cause there ain't nothin' but the old ways. So what we want – we want for you to come in and take over the family. Just for a little while."

"Huh? You like that? C'mon, this way you be the guy. You be – the Don."

Jaune looked at Jimmy, then to Aunt Sarah, Butcher, and then the other guys. Each of them nodded at him. "Sure… as long as it doesn't interfere with my day job."

"Called it." Weiss said smugly.

"Easy, you got one guess right." Said Yang. "Besides it was pretty obvious from the way Jimmy was speaking."

Weiss looked at Yang then to the others who shrugged and nodded.

"It was pretty obvious." Ruby said shyly looking away.

"It was." Blake said agreeing with the rest. Weiss deflated a bit and uncrossed her arms.

"That's the spirit, kid. But don't let it go to your head, huh?" Butcher said slapping the back of Jaune's back before getting serious. "Get this straight: there's a boat waiting for you down at Pier 19. Mario's there. He'll take you out to the lighthouse, okay? You ain't home yet."

Jaune nodded and left the apartment to head back to the pier where he shot up the Santa Maria. The screen fades to black showing Jaune in the void looking up at only source of light.

"I'm close. Yeah, real close. But I can feel the Darkness twisting. It wants this more than anything. It thrives on the madness." Jaune said looking away from the light and into the endless void. "It can feel the coming eclipse, and it's agitated. I'm beginning to lose control."

"No light to weaken the Darkness and the notion of killing everyone. Sounds like a dream come true for it." Nora said with a sigh. "No wonder it's excited."

"It lost control and is now on verge of regaining it." Ren said shaking his head. "This won't end well for him."

"Agreed." Jaune said seeing no happy end to the story they are seeing.

The screen fades to Jaune walking along the pier looking for the boat to take him to the lighthouse. He sees the boat at the end of the pier and starts walking to it.

"Soon, Jaune."

Jaune makes it to the boat and takes a seat ignoring what the guy is saying and the boat leaves the pier heading for the lighthouse as the screen fades to black again showing Jaune in the void holding an assault rifle.

"End of story. Except I'm not the one linin' up for the last rites. It's my lovin' Uncle Paulie." Jaune said looking over the rifle. "He knows the end of the story as well as I do… but he don't like it as much. You know what I say to that?" He asked looking at directly at the screen.

"Fuck 'im."

"Amen." Qrow said raising his flask in toast.

"I would love for Salem's story to end." Summer said wanting the threat of Salem to end so her family can live in peace without having to worry about an immortal being wanting the complete destruction of Remnant.

"I'll raise a glass to that." Tai said raising his own cup in support of his wife.

"One day… one day." Ozpin promised.

The screen fades to Jaune sitting on the boat looking at the sky already an orange color from the coming eclipse. He is checking over his pistols before moving onto the rifle.

"I seen that stupid prick shovel a whole mountain of shit onto some good friggin' people." Mario said while driving the boat. Jaune could see the lighthouse getting closer. "Dealin' with the dope-heads an' sellin' out to the cops. You take Paulie out, I'll be right behind you."

The boat came to a stop at the docks and Jaune got off the boat leaving his coat behind as the boat drove off.

"You remember me, right? Mario Del Arte!" Mario shouted as he drove off with the boat. Jaune tightly gripped the rifle and walked down the pier and headed up the stairs to the lighthouse.

"The sun shall fall into darkness."

Jaune looked up at the sun seeing that the eclipse has begun as a planet is slowly overtaking the sun.

"This is going to be a bloodbath." Jaune said preparing himself for oncoming death.

"More like a slaughter with the sun being covered." Said Pyrrha. "A moment of eternal darkness."

"He'll be damn near unstoppable." Nora said following what Pyrrha is saying.

Jaune came across Paulie's guards already waiting for him and he reacted shooting and killing them as he advanced up the stairs.

"The time of darkness comes."

Since the sun is still out, Jaune couldn't summon the Darkness and that meant his healing is back to normal. He took cover to avoid the heavy gunfire from the guards atop the stairs. The minute the fire stopped so they can reload, Jaune stepped out of cover and fired back killing some and forcing the others to retreat allowing Jaune to advance.

"More dead is better. Feed me with murder."

Jaune walked up the steps and saw a Gunner Darkling get summoned without him doing it surprising him.

"Do not stop!"

He looked up seeing the sun getting darker as the eclipse continued and he could feel his strength growing stronger with the dying light.

"Kill them all. Succumb to darkness."

Jaune summoned the Darkness as he made to the top of the stairs seeing more guards waiting for him.

"Kill them. Relinquish all control."

A Suicide Darkling appeared beside Jaune and charged the guards drawing fire and allowing Jaune to get in a couple of kills before the suicide darkling blew itself up.

"Why are they able to appear without being summoned?" Ruby asked.

"The eclipse must be amplifying his powers and causing them to go out of control." Penny said looking at the screen. "Or it could be a sign of the Darkness regaining control."

"Not sure if both of those are good or bad?" Ren said sipping his tea.

"Most likely very bad." Jaune said.

"Good!"

Jaune walked over the bodies as the sky grew darker and more Darklings appeared behind Jaune to assist in the killing.

"Feed me and your thoughts will belong to me."

Jaune walked along the path coming across more guards to kill that tried to stop him. A Darkling jumped onto a guard and used jumper cables to fry their head putting the smell of burnt flesh into the air while another tore the throat out of a guard. The Gunner Darkling fired its minigun killing a group of guards that came rushing to help their fellow guards.

Everyone winced at the sight of the death that Darklings are causing reminding them that they are soulless beings that thrive on death.

Jaune looked at the sun seeing that it's completely obscured by the other planet plunging the sky into darkness and allowing Jaune full access to his powers. The lights exploded as Jaune passed by further spreading the darkness.

He walked up the stairs seeing a large mansion with guards waiting for him.

"Jaune! I see you, you little pissant!" Paulie yelled over the intercom as flood lights came on making Jaune blink but he didn't feel drained like before and summoned a black hole in the middle of the courtyard that sucked in the guards before vanishing. The Gunner Darklings jumped onto the walls and opened fire on the guards clearing a path for Jaune to the mansion while the Lightkiller Darklings destroyed the lights.

Jaune dropped the rifle after running out of ammo and summoned the Darkness guns and started killing the guards with ease and soon the entire courtyard is filled with bodies. He walked up to the mansion doors and kicked them open as the screen cut to black before an image of Pyrrha dead flashes across the screen and goes black.

"My time, Jaune. As was prophesied."

More images of people suffering flashes on the screen before it cuts to Jaune kicking open the doors and a group of Paulie's men are waiting for him along with Paulie himself on top of the stairs. They shoot him but the bullets do nothing as Jaune takes them before summoning two tendrils that slice through the guards and impale some tossing them across the room.

Paulie stops reloading his gun and throws it at Jaune before running to a different part of the mansion as the screen cuts to black.

"Coward." Qrow said with a hint of disgust. "A big man behind the scenes, but the moment things change the coward comes out. Right sis?"

Raven didn't say anything and instead looked at her reflection in the wine glass before setting it down. Summer and Tai looked at Raven with concern at her silence since she never passed on the opportunity to call someone out for being a coward.

"I grow strong upon you, Jaune."

The screens cuts to Jaune walking up the stairs cutting the head off one of the guards and more images are shown of the Darkness world before cutting back to black.

"Show me what you can do with my powers."

The scene begins to intercut with Jaune killing the guards using the Darkness powers and watching as the Darkling's kill the guards. More images are shown.

"Behold, vessel! Let me…"

The scene cuts to Jaune standing in front of three guards backing up in a hallway. A tendril impales the guard to the wall scaring the others as they try to run only to be gunned down.

"Yours is the power of darkness."

The scene cuts to Jaune walking outside the mansion heading towards the lighthouse and watches as a Darkling jump onto a guard and uses a saw to cut open his throat. In the distance he hears a helicopter getting closer.

"I almost feel bad for these guys." Pyrrha said before remembering that they work with Paulie and helped him in securing his power. Spreading fear in his name. "Almost."

"Same." Nora said agreeing with Pyrrha.

"You must be careful students. You hold the power of life and death when dealing with threats other than the Grimm." Ozpin told his students. "I've seen good people get corrupted by that same power and think themselves above reprieve."

"He's right. You must be careful to not abuse the power you will eventually hold." Glynda added having hunted down a few rogue huntsmen and huntresses.

"Now I show you my power."

Jaune is looking at the attack helicopter that has been hounding him along with more guards that shoot at him. Like before the bullets do nothing even when the attack helicopter fires upon him. A tendril emerges out of his back and impales the helicopter through the underside killing the pilot as the tendril goes through his body. The tendril throws the helicopter with ease towards the guards cutting them to pieces as the rotors slice them apart.

The scene cuts to Jaune back inside the mansion walking down a hallway that has been blocked. Two guards shoot at him and they don't see the Suicide Darkling behind them. The explosion smears the guards against the walls and the blockade is destroyed allowing Jaune to continue.

"Now. It should be my will only."

The guards run from Jaune and his Darklingsas they are killed. One of them jumps out the window to his death.

"Can you feel it? Your rage feeds our power. I make us invincible, look."

The scene cuts to Jaune outside watching the guards try to kill him. He summons a black hole sucking in the guards killing them before it disappears leaving only one guard behind who drops his gun and runs.

"Make them fear you."

Jaune is walking through the mansion killing the remaining guards or throwing them to the Darklings to get ripped apart. A guard gets his heart eaten by a dark eel before his eyes and another gets sliced down the middle by a tendril.

"I'd say that they all fear him." Willow said watching the slaughter happening on screen. "The Darkness must be enjoying all this slaughter."

"Also, it gets closer to regaining control with life Jaune takes." Said James looking away from the screen. "At this point its spurring him on to continue killing."

"All control of the vessel is mine."

The scene cuts to Jaune looking at the last group of guards who aren't armed and begging for mercy. He looks at them and commands the Darklings behind him to kill and they do, they rip and tear apart the guards. Jaune watches the slaughter with indifference at the gory scene.

"We are the stuff of nightmares. You like the blood, don't you?"

Jaune looks at the gory scene in front of him and walks away looking for the door leading to the lighthouse. He passes by bodies filled with bullets or torn apart, it no longer phases hm, even walking by a pyre of bodies burning doesn't phase him. Finally, he arrives at the door to the lighthouse and kicks it open drawing his pistols ready to kill Paulie.

"You think you made a difference here, Arc?" Paulie shouted from above.

Jaune took the stairs heading up.

"I didn't do anything that you didn't bring upon yourself!"

He picks up the pace almost running up the stairs now.

"You know what the problem with you is, Jaune? You never listen. You always wanted to be me!"

Jaune makes it to the top of the lighthouse and stops just outside the only door leading out.

"This is the last one. Finish him."

"The last step on his journey of revenge." Leon said with a sigh. "The last one before the Darkness claims him."

"It's almost over." Emilia added. "One more body to add to the growing pile."

"All this blood and death just to get to one man." Coco said removing her sunglasses.

Jaune readies his guns and kicks open the door taking cover behind the door to avoid the gunfire from Junior.

"You're a dead man, a dead man!" Paulie yells firing blindly at the door. Jaune steps out tanking a few shots and shoots Paulie in the arm making him fall back and dropping his gun. He starts crawling back away from Jaune. "Listen, Jaune. I been thnkin'. I know this worked out bad for both of us, but there's no need to be rash here."

Jaune ignores him and walks towards him raising his gun.

"When he dies, I own you. Take his life so that I can take yours."

Paulie continues to crawl away. "Why don't you fuckin' listen to m-"

Jaune shoots Junior in the head silencing him forever.

"Now you are mine."

The Darkness manifests itself and the dark eels look at Jaune who doesn't try to fight it and closes his eyes as the screen cuts to black.

"Mine!"

"And that… was the end of the line." Jaune says as the screen fades to white.

"Ends with him getting his revenge but at the cost of losing himself to the Darkness." Velvet said shaking her head at how the story ends.

"Some would say that it's worth it in the end." Coco said to her partner. "That as long as they get their revenge nothing else matters. Not even what happens to them."

"Depends on the person." Raven said finishing the last of her wine.

"I hope he gets rest now that everything is over." Velvet said looking at the black screen.

"I shudder to think the damage that the Darkness can cause now that Jaune is the Don." Winter said reminding everyone that the older guys made Jaune the Don of the mafia before he left to go after Paulie. Now that Jaune is no longer in control of himself the Darkness has free reign to use the mafia as it sees fit.

"There's always a little light in the darkness." Pyrrha says as the screen fades to her looking at Jaune resting with his head on her lap. She smiles warmly at him as he blinks in disbelief. "Didn't I tell you so, sweets?"

"It's not over." Said Jaune as everyone looked at the screen wondering what is happening.

"Is he in the afterlife?" Ruby asked confused since Pyrrha is dead.

"Maybe…" Yang said unsure.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune said in disbelief, he touches her face earning a smile from her.

"We get one moment, Jaune." She tells him brushing some of his blonde hair aside. "It's all they can allow."

"What?... who?"

"Just one moment. Just to say goodbye." She says with a sad smile.

"You were everything to me… and I all I ever did was kill you." Jaune said shedding a tear. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

Pyrrha smiles at him and shakes her head. "I can't forgive you, Jaune. How can I forgive you when it wasn't your fault?"

"Debatable." Sienna whispered earning a glare from those sitting next to her.

"Jaune didn't put the gun to her head and pull the trigger." Ilia said looking at Sienna. "She just got caught in the crossfire. That hasn't happened before."

Blake looked at Ilia with surprise due the fact as long as she's known Ilia. She's been a firm supporter of Sienna and her leadership style but now it seems she's changing her stance. Hopefully for the better.

"So, who's giving them this moment to say goodbye?" Pyrrha asked curious.

"Good question." Nora said with a shrug. "Maybe a higher power."

"You have to go now."

"I don't wanna go. I wanna stay here with you." Jaune tells her closing his eyes as Pyrrha leans in and kisses him.

"I know." Pyrrha said backing up and rubbing his cheek and the two enjoy the small peaceful moment in the light.

"Am I dreaming?" Jaune asked with his eyes still closed.

"Yes." She tells him before looking at something in the distance. "You have to wake up now. Wake up…"

The screen cuts to black and the lights come on allowing everyone to stretch and work out the kinks after sitting for so long.

"Opinions?" Asked Spart.

"It was dark and tragic." Leon said looking at Spart. "First he losses his love, then his free will to the Darkness."

"Not to mention the massive body count he leaves behind." Emilia said. "Then there is the issue of the Darkness being in control of the Mafia."

"I don't know. Based on that ending it seems like Jaune might regain control." Li said thinking back to what Pyrrha said to Jaune about waking up.

"He does." Spart told the group. "Later he regains control and banishes the Darkness allowing him to regain control of his life."

"That good to hear." Jaune said.

"Before a group tries to kill him forcing him to use the Darkness to survive." Spart told the audience. "Then there are angels trying to kill him, one takes over Pyrrha's body and so on and so on."

"Wow…" Winter said unsure of how to process what Spart told them. "That sounds like a lot for Jaune."

"This supernatural stuff hurts my head." Weiss said rubbing her temples to ease the coming headache from thinking about angles, Darklings, and the Darkness.

"Agreed." Penny said sipping her tea.

"Well, the next showing is going to be an interesting one." Spart told them.

"What is it this time?" James asked.

"A world at war." Spart told them. "I'll set it up while the rest of you can stretch and move around."

---

Another long chapter is done. Both this and Zootopia are my longest ones to date. Fun fact they are almost a full-length film script at 120 pages. Both are sitting at 118 pages without the additional notes. It'll be a while before the next chapter is out since I need to decide on what the cast gets to react to next. I'm thinking Saving Private Ryan, Fury, or Hacksaw Ridge since those are set during WW2. I'll post a poll on my account and let everyone decide.

Thank you to everyone who has been patient in waiting for this chapter to come out. You guys are awesome. Stay safe everyone.