The sun shines on Vale. There was celebration to be had. Why wouldn't there be? The Vytal Festival had finished with a bang. With Vale being the hosting kingdom, the number of cheers to be had when they had won the Vytal Tournament is cause for great jubilation. Restaurants and bars were filled with customers and reservations as everyone went off to celebrate. Caterings and at-home celebrations were a close second. Truly, there was no greater moment of peace and joy than it did today. For a simple security guard of a particular Dust shop, it was business as usual. Last minute buyers and those who were there to claim their orders had made a queue outside From Dust till Dawn and Sasaki Kojirou was tasked to ensure that order was had as his Master dealt with them all. In time perhaps, the shop keep would have hired more help here but such times would be for the future; there was Kojirou's apprentice but Adam Taurus was still technically serving his time and was currently training while he was out doing public service.

After the rush came the calm. With the end of the Vytal Festival, there was also an end to the school year. The number of huntsmen and huntresses visiting the place had gone scarce. The transfer students for one returned to their respective kingdoms while some of those who were of Beacon had opted to return to their homes. The Dust shop felt that with the lessening of customers and the decrease of those that had been their regulars throughout the duration of the Vytal Festival.

Businesses as whole made booming profits with some having earned enough to start expanding into a franchise. As for Kojirou's Master, well, that came in the form of new businesses. He already had experience of that: deliveries, food, and various other services. His Master was truly a man of many talents.

One night, just before they would close, he heard his Master call out to him. "Kojirou, I'll be going out for a while. Leave the shop closed for the next few days."

"Yes, Master," he replied.

It didn't take that many days for his Master to return. Business wasn't loss as there were so little customers now that the season had begun to cool; the holidays were arriving.

As the snowflakes have begun to fall, the Dust shop had been a place for many of those who sought to warm their homes. Kojirou even worn a scarf on guard duty while he was there. But with the holidays soon coming, the Dust shop would close for that day, allowing both him and his Master some time to rest.

For Sasaki Kojirou, that came in the form of an invitation to some party. Ruby Rose had always been a regular at the shop, whether that was Dust or new comics and magazines. Whenever a new issue was out, one copy had already been reserved just for her; she was just that much of a regular.

Funnily, the place that Ruby and her sister's team and friends had reserved one of his Master's own businesses. His Master knew about this of course and allowed them to use it through a discount.

"Kojirou!" Ruby greeted. She left behind rose petals as she dashed towards to see him. "You're here! You're early!"

Kojirou looked at the clock mounted on the wall. He was, at best, two minutes early.

"Every heard of being fashionably late?" Ruby pouted. "When people say it will be at this time, it usually means that they should start moving at that time."

As he stepped further inside, Kojirou managed to catch sight of a television playing highlights of the Vytal Tournament. There were analysts aplenty, each one breaking down the individual fights and how they would have done better. Of course, the actual huntsmen and huntresses watching the show had their own commentary to that with how impossible and how unlikely the suggestions of the commentators on the television had.

"Ah," a masculine voice was heard. Out came a wolf Faunus. Kojirou recognized him from the tournament rounds. Rolf, leader of team RWBY. "You must be Sasaki Kojirou. Ruby has told us about you."

"And you must be Rolf," he replied. "I'd say that I heard just as much about your team. Or rather, Ruby's sister's team."

The two approach one another. Time slowed to a crawl with each individual step that these two took. Each strand of hair on their bodies could be seen moving and bouncing every time their feet landed on the ground. Two hands were raised, one for each. The two people shook hands, a pleasant meeting.

"A pleasure to meet the fan favorite," teased Kojirou. He saw how the news treated Rolf during the tournament.

"It is just as much a pleasure to meet the unknown protector of Remnant," returned Rolf. Kojirou may not have appeared on the news but somehow, Rolf knew who was responsible for dealing with that Grimm lady.

Suddenly, the television had a sudden broadcast. "Hey guys, check this out!" a blonde knight called out to them.

Tuning in to the broadcast, Kojirou managed to hear with clarity on the sudden news. "… day for all of Remnant indeed. Just mere moments earlier, the various leaders of the four kingdoms have come together and declared world peace."

"Are you sure that it should four kingdoms, Lisa?"

"That is where the great news comes in. In addition to this joyous declaration, Menagerie has been recognized as the fifth kingdom and many of the White Fang members have reformed into the first generation of huntsmen and huntresses of that kingdom."

"Well, Remnant certainly has a bright future ahead of it doesn't it, Lisa?"

"That they do, my good friend. That they do."

The television was then shut off. It was Yang who had the first to thing to say. "Well. That's a thing. What are we going to do now? World peace means little negativity. Little negativity means little Grimm."

"There's still be Grimm around, Yang," Blake replied. "It just means that we all get to unite and focus our attention there."

"Guys, check this out!" Weiss called them. "Father has stepped down from the SDC and made me the next CEO. In addition, he also made a lot of reforms in the company that allowed Faunus workers fairer wages. In fact, they are now being moved away from the Dust mines with the machines taking their place because of how dangerous they are!"

Out of everyone in the room, it was Blake that was most joyous at the news.

Rolf and Kojirou looked at one another. The two legends both smiled and nodded in understanding. The world will never know what had happened here today but none will ever deny the effect that it had.

Hours have passed and more guests have arrived. Mostly comprised of friends of theirs. Kojirou recognized some of them as being participants from the Vytal tournament though he can't remember their names at that moment.

Celebrations were had. A party was had. Good food and good drink were all around him. No alcohol though, they were still students after all and some were around Ruby's age aka minors. Still, it was alright enough and Kojirou certainly felt some level of enjoyment even though he was more of a guest here than any of the friendships that he could see here. At one point, Ruby had to leave only to return soon after. She was hiding something underneath her cape.

Night had fell. Kojirou could tell since outside the window, the shattered moon that hung above Remnant was in full view. However, it would seem that the party was still on going. Kojirou noticed that there was a tree in the corner, filled with various gifts.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" Yang Xiao Long declared. "Time for the exchange of gifts!"

Everybody went to the tree and found the gift that had their name on it. Kojirou personally never joined them. They were all crowding around the tree that Yang had to control the group by calling out their names. Depending on who the gifts were from, there were a few blushes that were had, like when Pyrrha Nikos received one from Jaune Arc.

"And what's this?" Yang said. "We got ourselves one last gift." She made a spectacle of it as she picked up the rather small box. "Why if it isn't for our honored guest, Sasaki Kojirou come on up here."

Kojirou himself was surprised. A gift? For him? He never expected that he would get one at all. The box was small and light in his hands. Clearly, there was a box that contained it but he didn't know what it was. Turning to see the top, his eyes could only widen; it was gift from the shop keep, his Master. When did he had the time to give him a gift?

"Well, open it." Ruby Rose was beside him. "I told you that you were early. Had to quickly dash out to get that gift inside without you noticing."

Except he did but he didn't correct her. Kojirou then proceeded to unwrap his present. Opening the box, he could only be bewildered by the glow that the gift had contained inside. It was emitting a familiar light, one that he never thought could have existed here.

The familiar shape. That golden color and the energy that he now could feel coming from it. There was no denying it for Sasaki Kojirou. He held the Holy Grail in his hands and his Master had given it to him as a gift.

"How…" Kojirou could only ask. "How was this possible?"

It was then that he found a note. Picking it up, it contained the following message:

My dearest Sasaki Kojirou. There is no other gift that is fitting for someone like you. You have served dutifully as security of the Dust shop that I simply had to get the perfect gift for you, even if I had to take it from six others who also sought this for their own. Make your wish, I give to you, my blessings.

Tears fell from Kojirou's eyes. His Master gave him the most wondrous gift.

"There is only one wish that I can make," he said after wiping the tears from his eyes. "I simply wish to continue my service as your security guard, my Master."

AN: I spent more time choosing between Kojirou meeting with Rolf and it somehow resulting in world peace or Kojirou getting the Grail as the ending to this. Instead, I went with both.