Hello again! Sorry for the long wait, I was off on vacation and writing got kinda hard. As for the likes and favs, thanks so much! I'll try my best to stick with this story till the end.

Now, for review responses:

To Guest, thanks!

To triscythe59, glad it is! Ryuki characters will make an appearance, but I'll try my best to make them not too foreign for people who don't know them (You'll see what I mean). As for the events… I wanna build them up chapter-by-chapter. Hope you like this one!

With that out of the way, please enjoy!


"Whoah!"

Jaune rose his hands in the air, making sure to show that no, he didn't mean any threat - all the while staring with fear at the woman below him. The woman who he had bandaged up and healed, brought along her unconscious body for days as he wandered alone in a forest - who now also had a red-bladed sword pointed to his throat.

His eyes flitted to behind the woman. Dammit, just as he had started the campfire too…

From below the mysterious, bloonde-haired and blue-eyed stranger - this kid probably wasn't any older than Vernal - Raven growled.

"You." She growled, "Who are you?"

"U-uh, I'm Jaune! Short, sweet, rolls off the-." Raven growled and Jaune sweated bullets. "Y-yeah! Jaune!"

"Jaune…" Raven pressed her sword closer to Jaune's neck, not a name she's ever heard before. "Where are we?"

Jaune yelped."Somewhere in a forest in Anima!"

"Specifically?"

"C-can you at least let me get my map first?" Jaune said, "I can't point us out if you keep pressing your sword on my neck- owowowow!"

Raven grit her teeth, her blade beginning to press against Jaune's neck. Her she laid - bandages around her body, her Aura at a pitiful red, and her stamina depleted - a t the mercy of some bumbling kid who didn't have a spine at all. She refused to be as weak as that - it was what got you killed, after all. The weak die, while the strong survive.

And another word - a new one, spoken by Him, The Man in the Trench Coat - reverberated in her mind. Same but different.

Those who don't fight will not survive - tatakawanakereba, ikirokorenai.

And she refused to die here, in a forest with some useless and weak nobody. Raven spoke with gritted teeth. "Where did you find me?"

"I- in that ruined camp! You were the only one left breathing, the rest…" Jaune's breath shuddered, "They were already long gone." He whispered.

Memories flashed through Raven's eyes. The Grimm, the death of everyone, every single member of her tribe except herself - and the power she was forcefully given after the fact.

A short wave of sorrow hit her, but Raven quickly pushed it away and pressed her sword further to Jaune's neck. "And how exactly did you get there?" she pressed. There would be time to acknowledge the loss, and only that - but that was not now. As it stood, there was no way this kid could've wandered accidentally into a Branwen - which meant the strong - camp so accidentally. There was just no way. Especially not with Him having just did what he did to her tribe so easily.

And so Raven interrogated him further, "And why were you wandering in a forest all by yourself?"

At that, Jaune mumbled a response while looking away. Raven wordlessly pressed her sword ever so closer to a blood vein. Jaune understood Raven's pressure and let out his answer with a loud sigh.

"I was running away from home, okay?" Jaune said, "I wanted to become a Huntsman, but they wouldn't let me, so I had no choice…"

Raven raised an eyebrow. Stupidity, or naivety? From his current track record, she couldn't know. "You did at least bring a weapon, right?"

"I- I do have that…" Jaune pointed to a sword laid off the side of the bonfire, and Raven could see that it was more like a family heirloom. It looked like an unremarkable bastard sword, and she doubted that it even had any mechashift properties at all.

But the kid did make it this far, and looking briefly at his handiwork, she was healed and bandaged in all the right places. And with the bastard sword so far away from him, and the panic in his face that was too sincere to be faked, she was more willing to bet at naivety.

"Fine." Raven spat as she lowered her sword from his neck. Jaune sighed in relief, but didn't lower his hands as Raven kept her sword pointed at him.

"But if you try something," Raven continued, "Then I'll make sure your family will never find your remains."

"S-sure." Jaune nodded, "Whatever you say. Arc's word."

Raven gave a brief nod and finally sheathed her sword back, rolling to the other side with her back to Jaune and falling into a restful sleep. But before that, she made sure that she still had her treasured – and loathed - item. Her Grimm deck, still tucked safely beneath her clothes.

She had to survive, had to fight once more, but to do that she had to get back to full strength. And with how naïve this Jaune kid was, she was sure that he would never be too big of a problem. She'll just deal with him once the moment comes.

Jaune shook his head as Raven's breath steadied in her sleep. That was a lucky break, he wasn't expecting to be paid with such venom after literally saving her life, but at least he did save a life. Maybe she was a bandit, or some kind of criminal on the run…?

Jaune shook his head and turned back, tidying up the mess Raven made. It didn't matter– she was a life in distress, and he refused to stand back and let someone die. But as Jaune looked back, Raven sleeping away her wounds after threating the person who saved had saved her very life, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her. Like he was supposed to save her, like someone had manipulated the events for her to survive.

And it would only be in the end that he knew, it was The Man in the Trench Coat that had planned everything.


To be completely honest, the moment Pyrrha met him, she immediately became very intrigued with Jaune - and of course, to her delight, her current partner.

The first sign was, of course, that he didn't give a damn about who she was. Even when he did find out, he never stuttered and never backed down. Most people would back away once they figured out who she was. And the ones that knew from the beginning often approached her with a hidden agenda.

But over time, Pyrrha relented that her fame was another fact of her life. After all, in a world where fighting the Grimm was a constant to survive, anyone that showed promise - especially a Mistralian four-time Regional Tournament champion who first won when she was 14 - was bound to have eyes on him or her. Her constant wins didn't help either, nor did the media deals, sponsorships, brands, you name it. But Jaune didn't shy away from her. He joked, he worked together, and he never took advantage of their newly-formed arrangement. He was… a breath of fresh air, one that Pyrrha knew she desperately needed after so long in Mistral. A real delight.

That lead her to the second sign she saw- his skill, or apparent of it. He had defeated a Deathstalker on Initiation, all by himself, while it took all seven of them to take down that Nevermore. She had seen pictures of the what's left of the Deathstalker, or rather the damage Jaune had done to his surroundings fighting it - That Grimm itself was already long obliterated, it seemed. Gossip quickly spread around, declaring Jaune as the strongest of the first-years, even stronger than her or Yang.

And yet, the third sign, the one that intrigued her the most, was that Jaune was utterly, completely, unassuming. He didn't have the arrogance that came with such a strength, didn't carry himself in a way that indicated a lust for battle, and from what she saw, seemed to even avoid any conflicts at all. So out of line with what she knew of strong people, both outside of her tournaments and inside. In fact, it seemed that he always skirted around it, doing everything and anything he could to avoid any kind of trouble, verbal or not.

And because of that, as Pyrrha walked the 4 AM halls of Beacon, ready to start her first proper day in Beacon, sheresolved to figure out what kind of person her partner was. Because even if she didn't get him - granted this was their second day together - she felt, no, knew that he was a good person.

But that was to come later. Now, she needed to get her usual morning routine done first…

Pyrrha heard a groan, and then stopped in her tracks. That was odd, everyone was usually fast asleep at this hour…

Another groan, fainter but constantly repeating itself, and Pyrrha decided to follow it to the source. She kept her ears open and eventually found herself at the door to Jaune's dorm.

Jaune groaned again and Pyrrha entered his dorm - unlocked - concerned for her friend. She saw him turning in his sleep, muttering to himself with stress practically seeping out of his body. Words Pyrrha fainlty heard as Grimm, card, fight, and survive entered her ears. It was clear her friend was distressed, and what kind of person was she if she didn't help him out?

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, but Jaune didn't answer. H kept turning and muttering, and so Pyrrha got closer and shake him awake.

She laid her gloved hand on his shoulder and he immediately relaxed. His shoulders slacked, his breathing calmed, and he truly settled into a rest.

"Rider…" Pyrrha heard Jaune whisper, before finally falling into a fitful rest.

Pyrrha felt relief wash through her. It was as if he settled into her touch, that he needed someone to calm him down. She felt sympathy rise from her chest as she watched Jaune sleep, 'Must be hard having the expectations of the whole school… and it isn't even the first day yet.' In that case, she'll help him the best she could, from one person struggling with pressure to another - and most of all, as his assigned partner.

She lifted her hand, away from her touch, and watched as Jaune slowly opened his eyes.

"Ugh…" Jaune got up his bed and shook himself off. He looked to his friend, "What time is it?"

"It's about 04:00 AM." Pyrrha said. Pyrrha saw Jaune look to the clock beside him, and sure enough, the digital clock read as such.

Worried, she continued her sentence with another, "You were squirming in your sleep."

"…Really?"

"Yes." Pyrrha nodded, "I was just walking outside when I heard, so I decided to check in."

"…" Jaune looked away, his eyes squinting in focus. She could see the emotion in his face, naïve and clear as day. It was like he didn't remember the dream at all…

"Jaune… are you alright?" Pyrrha pressed.

"What? O-oh, I'm fine…" Jaune said. His expression didn't shift, and Pyrrha believed that he couldn't recall a single thing that disturbed him in that dream. That was fine, she sometimes had nonsensical dreams too – fueled by the expectations she had to live up to, even if only for herself.

But then, her partner suddenly pressed a hand to his head as he felt a sharp sting on the back of his brain. His head hurt, ringing intensely in his ears.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha quickly knelt by her friend's side.

Pyrrha saw Jaune quickly refocus on her, his breaths slowing down and the pain going away. And then, her eyes shone with worry as she looked at Jaune. "…You're crying." She noted.

Jaune's eyes reflexively went to his face. And then, indeed, he felt something warm trickle down from his cheeks to his fingers. And Pyrrha could see the distress in her partner's face. 'Why?' Pyrrha felt he must've thought, 'What's happening to me?'

"Jaune... do you want to talk about it?" Pyrrha asked. They had been partners for less than 24 hours, but even so, it was her job to help him, right?

"N-no, I'm fine." Jaune shook his head and wiped his tears away. Whatever it was that was troubling him, whatever it was that was changing him, it seemed to be gone the instant he focused on something else. And as such, Pyrrha saw him quickly change the topic.

"Say… what're you doing up so early?" Jaune asked, eager to change the topic.

"Oh! I was getting in some early workouts." Pyrrha said. "But that's all done now, so I was just walking around, getting familiar with the campus."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Sure thing!" Pyrrha smiled.

"Alright. Let me get changed for a moment, okay?"

"Right." Pyrrha nodded. "I'll be waiting outside."

"Okay. I'll be just a moment."

Pyrrha turned around and closed Jaune's door behind her. Jaune quickly got up his bed and got dressed for the day, making sure to be as quick as possible.

But then, even as he stepped out to join Pyrrha, he never noticed his Grimm Deck glow ever so slightly in the dark of his room. And as for Pyrrha, she only got a quick glance at a strange, glowing metal object that she couldn't even begin to discern. Nevertheless, she made sure to keep note – it wouldn't do to keep poor care of her partner.


The First Class…

"Monsters! Deeeemons... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha!"

Professor Port laughed, deep from his belly, as he delivered his first lecture of the semester. In front of him, Beacon Academy's newly-minted first years sat in their seats rapt with attention as the Professor continued his speech.

At least, that what Professor Port believed.

And so, as Professor Port continued… "And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy! Now, as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world…"

…Pyrrha hit the shin of her partner with her own, forcing him back awake.

"U- huh?" Jaune blinked his eyes wearily and shook his head, lifting it from his hand as drool almost came out of his mouth. He turned to his partner, "What is it, Pyrrha?"

"Could you focus, please, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked. "You're setting a bad example here."

Jaune's eyes were still drowsy. "Uh…"

Professor Port continued, "That is what you are training to become. But first: A story. A tale of a young, handsome man... Me! When I was a boy..."

"It's getting kinda hard… you know I didn't get good sleep last night…" Jaune moaned as Port got off topic. Pyrrha saw him looking to the others, but mainly their teammates. Nora was snoring loudly, head buried under her arms as she slept the class away. Beside her, Ren was taking notes, though Jaune could see that his notebook was only half-a-page filled and that Ren was finding it harder and harder to write.

And then, Jaune cast his gaze to the rest of Team RWBY. Ruby was showing a doodle of something to the rest of her teammates, which caused Yang and Blake to laugh but caused Weiss to look fairly annoyed.

At her partner's remark, Pyrrha turned sheepish. She coughed into her fist, "Well, that is true…"

Her partner spoke again, "…I mean, it's nothing we haven't heard of before, right? The whole save the world speech?"

At that, she sighed. "But there might be something that's important… At least try to pay attention, Jaune."

Professor Port soldiered on, "...Despite smelling of cabbages, my grandfather was a wise man. 'Port', he told me..."

"I did, Pyrrha! It's just-." Jaune suppressed a yawn. He was about to say more, but was interrupted when Professor Port coughed loudly.

"Ah-heh-hem!" Professor Port got everyone's attention focused back to him, including Jaune and Pyrrha's. With all eyes back on him, Professor Port continued, "In the end, the Beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity, and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high, celebrated as a hero!"

Several weak claps sounded. Professor Port laughed boisterously, and then continued back into his story, turning into blah's in Jaune's ears.

The class was the same, quickly losing their focus as well. Jaune blinked his eyes as he settled his head into his arms, though he did make sure to keep his eyes facing the professor. He muttered to his partner, "A-ah… I'll try my best, Pyrrha…"

Pyrrha shook her head. This was probably the best he was going to give her… Ah, but she'll give him the benefit of the doubt. She just hoped he got better soon.

With their communication done, Pyrrha went back to her notes, glad that she had at least already semi-ensured her partner's attention for the class.

And such, Professor Port continued his speech, "The moral of this story? A true Huntsman must be honorable!"

'O-oh…' Pyrrha felt a part of her brain slow down as she listened to the Professor. But she had to admit, Jaune did have some points – the speech could get quite dull at times.

Pyrrha's eyes then went to Team RWBY, interested in how they're doing compared to her own Team. In contrast, their leader seemed even worse off. She watched Ruby's focus becoming less and less by the very second as Port continued his lecture.

And as Professor Port kept going, "A true Huntsman must be dependable!"

Pyrrha could see Ruby balancing an apple on a book with her pencil held only by her finger, all the while she made a silly face.

"A true Huntsman must be dependable!"

Ruby fell asleep again, right in the first class of the year.

"A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise!"

Ruby not-so-subtly picked her nose, all the while the Professor didn't seem to notice.

And then, Pyrrha directed her gaze to the rest of Team RWBY, and she saw Weiss barely containing her displeasure.

Well, Ruby was two years younger, though she didn't envy her in that regard. And, well, compared to them, it seemed her Team was doing just fine. Even if Jaune was barely paying attention, Ren found it hard to write, and Nora was Nora.

And then, Professor Port ended his speech with a loud bellow to the entire class, "So! Who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?!"

And then Pyrrha saw Weiss angrily raise her hand. "I do, sir!"

"Well then, let's find out!" Professor Port shouted. He then turned to gesture at glowing red eyes surrounded by shadow, growling and shaking within a steel-enforced cage. "Step forward, and face your opponent!"

Pyrrha turned to where Professor Port motioned and felt her eyes widen. 'He-'

"Captured a Grimm…?"

Pyrrha heard her partner whisper the words before she could fully think it. She cast a side-eye glance at him, and though his head was still planted firmly in his arms, she could see his eyes were sharp with attention.

'So he's finally paying attention…' Pyrrha thought. She cast her eyes back to the front of the class, right as Weiss got to position to face the Grimm.

And, as such, Team RWBY got their support going.

"Gooooo Weiss!" Yang hollered.

Blake waved a flag that had the words 'Team RWBY'. "Fight Well."

"Yeah! Represent Teeeaaaaam RWBY!" Ruby pumped her hands in the air.

Weiss' eye twitched and she sent an annoyed glance at Ruby. "Ruby! I'm trying to focus!"

"Oh! Um… sorry…" Ruby's eyes went to her desk, sheepish.

"Allllright!" Professor Port shouted, walking next to the cage and positioning his weapon next to the cage. The students could all see the Grimm inside it now – a Boarbatusk, "Then let the match… begin!"

Professor Port swung his weapon down and freed the Grimm. The Boarbatusk immediately launched itself at Weiss, who expertly deflected its lunge with her rapier.

The Boarbatusk landed on its feet a good distance away from Weiss and studied her closely, taking the time to plot its next move.

"Ha-ha! Weren't expecting that, were you?" Professor Port laughed. Meanwhile, Weiss stood at the ready, preparing herself for whatever the Grimm might throw at her.

Up on the seats, Jaune muttered to himself. "It's planning something…"

Pyrrha watched on, but kept an ear out for her partner's comments. Maybe they held something valuable, after what he did in initiation, and all.

Ruby shouted from where she was, "Hang in there, Weiss!"

Right after Ruby said that, Weiss lunged at the Grimm rapier first. Its sharp tip hit the Boarbatusk, but sadly, right at the slots between its armor.

The Boarbatusk roared and flailed its body, forcing Weiss to let go of her weapon and jump back. Her rapier went flying to the other side of the room and behind the Boarbatsuk, firmly out of her reach.

"Bad move." Jaune muttered. "Boarbatusks can't be handled with direct attacks…"

"Oh-ho! Now what will you do without your weapon?" Professor Port laughed.

Jaune's eyes sharpened as the Boarbatusk took it as its que to move. Pyrrha kept her ears open for her friend's comments…

"…Swing from the right..." Jaune muttered to himself.

The Boarbatusk reached Weiss and swung its left paw from Weiss' right. Weiss dodged back just in time, though the Boarbatusk persisted.

"…Down from the left..."

The Boarbatusk brought right its paw down moving to Weiss' left. Weiss stepped to the side, but not without feeling her clothes being nicked just barely by the Boarbatusk.

"…and a lunge." Jaune finished.

The Boarbatusk roared and lunged to impale Weiss with its tusks. Weiss held her breath and stood her ground, before running forwards and sliding right as the Boarbatusk jumped.

She slid gracefully beneath the Boarbatusk, coming to an end and quickly standing up securely behind it – and more importantly, right next to her abandoned rapier.

Weiss let out a relieved breath as she slid her rapier back into her hand. That was too close.

"…Good move." Jaune whispered. He had been intrigued, especially with the environment they were in, but with Weiss' recent movements, maybe there wouldn't be anything to be worried about at all.

And then right after, Jaune felt exhaustion pull him as his interest waned. He yawned, feeling his eyes go heavy.

Pyrrha watched Weiss prepare for a finisher move. But she was still surprised by how accurate Jaune's predictions was. It was like he knew each and every move the Grimm was about to make. How could a first-year be that familiar, and a recently-accepted one at that? Did shadowing a Huntress for a year make that much of a difference? If so, why was he so worried in initiation?

Weiss twirled her rapier and got to her stance.

"Weiss! Go for its belly!" Ruby shouted. "There's no armor underneath-!"

Weiss angrily turned to Ruby. "Shut up! Stop telling me what to do!"

Ruby's eyes wavered and she cast her gaze to her desk, hurt.

The Boarbatusk roared and jumped, spinning and turning into a blurry black ball. It then launched itself at Weiss full speed. Weiss calmly summoned her Semblance in front of her right as the Boarbatusk reached her; forming a protective circle right in front of her that blocked the Boarbatusk in its tracks.

Clash!

The Boarbatusk stumbled back from Weiss deflect, exposing its belly for her to see.

'Now!' Weiss gripped her Rapier tight and lunged, right through her Semblance and straight into the center of the Boarbatusk's belly.

Slash!

The Boarbatusk was launched back from the blow, hitting an unobstructed wall of the classroom and dying as it slid down.

Weiss took a deep breath as she steadied herself, entering proper position once more.

Professor Port clapped, as did the rest of the class. "Bravo! Bra-vo! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress-in-training! But!" Professor Port looked to the class' clock, "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and... stay vigilant! Class dismissed!"

The class quickly dispersed, with Ruby and Weiss running off to separate directions with worry and resentment respectively. Team JNPR headed to their next class while giving what remained of Team RWBY a small goodbye - that being Yang and Blake. They gave them their best wishes and separated for the next class, to which Yang gave an uneasy smile and Blake loudly sighed.

Their next class was one that Nora was very excited for – Dust Studies, with Professor Peach as their teacher. Nora led the team into the class with unrivalled enthusiasm, the rest settling into their seats only after she had finished jumping around class.

Jaune and Pyrrha next to each other and Ren and Nora behind them. The rest of the class was empty, giving them some free reign to talk with themselves.

Pyrrha gracefully settled down and began to pull out her notebooks. Again, she chose once more to sit beside her partner, if nothing else than because of the fact that they'll be working together for the foreseeable future.

And then, as she put her notebook and pencil case, Jaune spoke to her once more.

"Weiss is being stupid." He said bluntly.

Pyrrha turned to her friend. "Oh? What do you mean?" She asked.

"I mean, what's done is done, right?" He said to her. "It's no use trying to fight Ozpin's decision."

"Hm, that maybe so." Pyrrha said, right as more of the class began shuffling in. But she couldn't help but also think to see it from Weiss' point of view. And what Jaune think of that? But before she could voice it, she heard Ren speak up from behind them.

"Maybe she thinks she can handle the team better since she has more experience." She heard Ren gave his two Lien. "Since she grew up in the SDC, she must've gotten the best tutors, right?"

Pyrrha then heard Nora quickly answer her partner, "Well~, I think she should at least give her a chance. She's being rough on Ruby for no reason at all!"

'Hm, well there's an argument for both sides, I suppose.' Pyrrha thought. But she didn't think that she had any teal stakes in their troubles, not really - though she did want RWBY to work together.

And then, Pyrrha slightly slumped to her seat, realizing how fortunate she was - at least her team didn't get off on the wrong foot before Initiation even began!

And then she heard Jaune answer, the one who began the conversation in the first place. She saw him shake his head, sinking into his seat for the next lesson. "Still," He said, "Couldn't she just let it be? Makes it easier for everyone, you know…"

Pyrrha was about to open her mouth to respond when the professor walked in - Professor Peach this time, for Dust Studies - So instead, she opted to open out her notebooks and just ask Jaune more about it once class was done.

Said class passed by fairly uneventfully. Professor Peach gave them a short introductory lecture and then partnered everyone up with, well, their partners, and then assigned them a short experiment using a small vial of Wind Dust.

The class quickly came to a close, with how interesting it is making it seem to pass even faster than it did. Pyrrha walked beside Jaune and the rest of her teammates, and she saw him breathe a long sigh of relief. She gave him a light tap on the shoulder, giving him an understanding smile.

Jaune smiled back and mouthed the words 'Nora.' to her. Pyrrha hid her giggles behind her hand, said teammate talking animatedly with her own partner Ren.

With how active Nora had become in the experiments, she couldn't help but half-expect her to have walked out with singes and wounds covering her body - and it seemed her partner had thought the same.

Pyrrha giggled as she saw Jaune's eyes flick to Nora and shine with a brief hint of despair. She guessed that he probably thought that this was going to be a common occurrence too, and as their leader, he was the one who'll have to be responsible for it.

Nora, however, didn't seem to share the same sentiment. She stretched her hands behind her and rolled her neck, "That was fun! A lot better than Port's lecture!"

Ah, but that sentence sent a chill down Pyrrha's spine. She realized that this'll be a problem they'll all have to deal with, since if the lab exploded, then they'll all be in the crossfire, right? She rubbed her arm nervously, 'there was no way she'll actually do it outside of class, right?' and warily looked at Nora. "U-um, do you really think that?"

"Of course!" Nora gave her a grin, if slightly manic. "You're saying it wasn't?"

"Eheh, u-umm…." Pyrrha let out a nervous chuckle and looked away. Oh, if she was this enthusiastic, then they're screwed.

To her immense relief, Pyrrha saw Ren sigh and put a hand to his partner's shoulder. "Just stay safe and pay attention, Nora."

"Aww, but I always keep myself safe Renny!" Nora whined.

"I'm not asking for your sake…" Ren whispered, though his lips did quirk upwards ever so slightly. Oh, so Ren had dealt with this before too, it seemed; at least they had a backup plan then.

"Just," Pyrrha heard Jaune speak, and she saw his lips smile upwards warily - hesitantly. "Just don't… blow… anything up while you're doing it, okay Nora?"

Nora flashed her leader a thumbs up. Once more, Pyrrha felt glad in that Jaune managed to calm her down. Pyrrha saw Nora flash him an eager thumbs up, her eyes filled with eagerness and respect. "You got it, Fearless Leader!"

Jaune, Ren, and Pyrrha let out a collective sigh of relief, even though Nora didn't realize it. After that, they headed to the cafeteria first to get some lunch, making small talk along the way.

But then, as they walked, absorbed in their conversation, Jaune looked to the left and saw Ruby dejectedly to the side, sulking all alone. She was walking away from them, shoulders slumped and eyes downcast, though they did sometimes turn around to look filled with envy.

Jaune casted a quick glance and Ruby swiftly turned around, hastening her steps to go away. Jaune looked back to his teammates, but it seemed that they hadn't recognized.

'Ah.' Jaune realized, turning back to see Ruby walking alone and shrinking as she got further and further, 'Maybe it's best if I talk to her alone…?'

He glanced back to his teammates, still none the wiser to Ruby - his first friend's - troubles, and decided that that indeed was the best. The situation required a delicate hand, and he was nothing if not loyal to his friends.

Jaune dashed off, giving a quick excuse to his team before chasing after Ruby. Pyrrha watched on as her partner left, mentally noting another fact about him.

Well, at least she knew he cared, even if it was someone from another team. That was more than she could say for the 'friends' she made back at Mistral.


Jaune quickly excused himself from JNPR right as he saw Ruby turn a corner away from them. Hastening his steps, Jaune quickly raced after Ruby and called her out.

"Ruby!" Jaune shouted. "Wait up!"

Hearing her friend's voice, Ruby stopped in her tracks and turned around. Jaune could see her expression clearly, puffed eyes and flushed cheeks easy to see.

"O-oh, hey, Jaune." Ruby stuttered. She attempted to give him a smile, but it came out broken. "What's up?"

"Ruby, is something wrong?" Jaune asked. "I noticed you looking at us earlier… is it about Weiss?"

"Weiss? Oh, nothing's wrong." Ruby shook her head – she spoke just a bit too quickly, and Jaune noticed it immediately.

"Ruby…"

"Team RWBY's doing great!" Ruby insisted. "R-really, what's gave you the wrong impression, huh? Huh?!"

"Are you stressed because Weiss' still jealous?" Jaune said patiently.

Ruby faltered. She opened her mouth and raised her hand to object, but found no words coming out. She lowered her hand, her body deflating, and relented. "Yeah..."

"Listen… I don't know Weiss all that well, but from what I can tell, she's got her own reasons for acting the way she is." Jaune said.

Ruby's eyes shot up in betrayal. "You're siding with her?"

"I'm not siding with anyone." Jaune raised his hands in surrender. "But everyone's got their own reasons for thinking the way they do."

"But I'm doing the best I can!" Ruby almost shouted. She pouted and kicked her feet to the floor, "It hasn't even been a full day yet… can't she see everything I'm doing?"

"She's hurting you – I think that's wrong." Jaune said. His own words from before rang back, 'Weiss is being stupid,' and he stood by that. "Maybe she's jealous, and I don't know whether that's justified or not. But the fact of the matter is that Ozpin chose you, and I think she's wrong for disputing the decision."

"So you're saying I'm worthy?" Ruby said hopefully.

"I'm saying it's not fair for Weiss to judge you when she hasn't given you a chance yet." Jaune said, "But more than that… Ozpin chose you, right? Why does she have to challenge it?"

Ruby heard Jaune's voice turning bitter at the end, his eyes shifting away from her own, his eyebrows knit deep in thought.

With a start, Ruby realized Jaune seemed so off looking like this. He was always seemed so carefree, so relaxed, that anything other than that seemed unnatural on his face. And it seemed Jaune wasn't even speaking to her anymore, as if he had something personally wrong with what Weiss was doing. "I mean, can't she see that she's hurting someone else for her own dreams? What kind of Huntress does that…?"

And Ruby could see the thoughts on his head, written so plainly on his honest face. 'It's selfish. It's hurting my friend, and it's egoistical. Doesn't matter how pretty you are, I've got personal beef with it and I don't like it one bit.'

At least, that was what Ruby thought. She might be wrong, but she didn't believe that the chances would be high.

Jaune sighed, and Ruby saw him focus back on her once more. "But that's what I think, anyways. And there's another thing that I think – it's that you're gonna do great, Rubes."

Ruby felt hope flutter within her chest, and she couldn't help but giggle to herself. Such a corny line, but coming from Jaune, it was almost cute. "Sure, Jaune." She said, hiding her smile behind her hands. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. It means a lot."

And as she looked up, she saw the previous fleeting anger leave Jaune as easily as it did. His smile reached his eyes, warm and welcoming. "Anytime, Ruby. And besides, you want to protect people, right? That's why you wanted to be a Huntress?"

"Yeah!" Ruby nodded eagerly. "Just like my mom did."

"Is that why you stopped Torchwick the other night?"

"O-oh, you heard about that?" Ruby rubbed her arms sheepishly. "Yeah, he was robbing a store after all…"

"Well, I think it was pretty amazing – not everyone has such a good reason for fighting…" Jaune's voice turned bitter again, and Ruby couldn't help but notice once more.

"Regardless, I think you did great," Jaune flashed her a thumbs-up, "Keep going and I'm sure being two years younger won't be a problem at all."

'And he noticed that too?' Ruby smiled wide and nodded her head vigorously. "I'll train hard, I promise! I'll be the best Huntress Beacon's ever seen!"

"And if you need anything, even if it's just an ear to talk to – just call me, okay? I know how hard the road can get, and friends should help each other, after all." Jaune turned around, giving her a wave as he walked away. "Have a good day, Rubes. Don't forget what I said, and make sure to show Weiss you can do it!"

"Sure thing, Jaune!" Ruby waved back, and Jaune's back slowly disappeared down the hallways. And as he left her, she couldn't help but take note of the oddities he had shown. She wasn't a stranger to the gossip going around the school, that people were starting to tout him as one of the strongest in their year. But that profile didn't exactly match up with what she knew of her friend – someone who despised conflicts, especially with what their recent conversation had showed her.

Meh, it wasn't really her problem. He did beat that Deathstalker, she was sure. And if Jaune ever needed help fighting, then the least she could do was pay him back for his kindness.


Her partner didn't come back after his talk with Ruby. Pyrrha had asked Ruby, but she had no answers either. Pyrrha had resolved to search for him, and eventually found him right as the day ended everyone went back to their dorms.

In the end, she found him alone on Beacon's rooftop, watching the orange sun set. She saw his fingers tracing his pocket, before suddenly pulling with a flinch.

Ah. He knew she was there.

Jaune turned around and saw Pyrrha approaching, quickly giving her a smile. "Hey there, Pyrrha. You like looking at the sunset too?"

"Mistral gets packed often, so I like to find a place to sit down and soak the silence in." She said. Pyrrha sat some distance to the right of him, "I never thought you were someone who liked something like this as well, though."

"My mentor travelled a lot when were together, so we didn't usually have time for long stops. So when we do, I found that this was one of the best ways to spend it." Jaune said cheerfully.

"I agree." Pyrrha nodded with a smile, her eyes then shifting to see the orange sun sinking beneath Beacon's horizon. "Nothing beats looking at this kind of scenery…"

Jaune gave a nod to that as well and went back to his sightseeing. They both sat calmly, sinking in the scene in front of them, until Pyrrha finally found the courage to ask.

"So, about what you said about Weiss…."

"You mean before Professor Peach's class?" Jaune asked.

"Yes."

"Well, I just thought that they shouldn't have been fighting over it that much." Jaune said simply. "I mean, it's just being a leader, right? Nothing to get worked up over."

"Be that as it may, I believe that wasn't what Weiss had in mind. The position of leader is, I suspect, something that she had dreamed of for long. To be taken from her, by what she thought of as a mere child, no less, must have been quite the shock."

Jaune couldn't help but flinch slightly at Pyrrha's words. "That's selfish." He said firmly.

"Well, most of us have our own aspirations, do we not?" Pyrrha asked. "It's only fair that Weiss had hers."

Jaune loudly sighed. "...And you?" He turned to his friend, "Pyrrha… why did you choose to become a Huntress?"

"Well… I always thought that it'd suit me best." Pyrrha said, inexplicably opening up to her friend. She felt that she owed him that, at least if she were going to get him to spill. "I wanted to do something with my life, and being a Huntress seemed like the best bet. It just - called to me, I guess…"

"..." Jaune looked away and into the sinking sun, "Well, you've got something going on for you, at least…" He whispered.

"Jaune?"

"To be honest, I'm not really sure I'm here." He shrugged. To hear him admit such a thing, and so easily, was a small shock for her. "I mean, I know I want to protect people, and deal with the Grimm, but I don't really have any grand plan. Not like you."

"But then how did you get so strong?" Pyrrha asked. "I mean, defeating a Deathstalker's no small feat, Jaune!"

And wasn't that the truth, and Pyrrha saw Jaune sigh. "It just seemed like the right thing to do. That's all, really." He said so simply.

But Pyrrha could see something bothering him, something deeper than what he just said – but she also knew that what he said was also what he believed. How contradictory. And yet, it didn't stop her from asking.

"And it's really that easy for you?" Pyrrha asked. Not to brag her own power, but even she would find a good challenge to defeat a Deathstalker alone. Perhaps Jaune was as good as her…? And if so, what was his reason?

But to her surprise, Jaune sighed again, shoulders slightly slumped. It was like he didn't want this conversation happening in the first place, like he didn't want to figure out a deeper reason of why he was here. Like he was tempted to just go with the flow of life, and if it meant going to Beacon, then so be it.

On one hand, Pyrrha thought that this could mean someone that was very flexible - someone that could handle whatever life threw at them and stay sane. But another part of her thought that it might also mean someone who was very weak – someone who didn't have the courage to fight back and stand his ground.

And which one Jaune was remained to be seen. It had been only 24 hours, after all.

And one last thing Pyrrha noted was that Jaune's hand seemed to constantly stay in his pockets. From the corner of her eyes she saw his hand repeatedly clench and unclench, as if holding on to something important.

She won't pry. But she will help, that she was certain. And as she looked to her partner's face again, so easy to discern, she could take a good guess as to his reason for going to Beacon.

Save people. Fight. But most of all… to just Exist. It was the expression of someone who didn't really want much, and was fine with what he had.

Wasn't just living good enough?

And with a start, she heard him speak to her once again "We're just fortunate enough to be living, y'know?" He said, waving his hands in motion. He turned to his friend again, eyes shining believing what he truly said. "I don't really want much more than that. I don't think I have the place."

Pyrrha looked at her partner with interest and contrasted what she guessed and what she knew. For all her life, she's always strived for something, be it strength, winning the tournaments, and then entering Beacon. That ambition was something she knew very well, and sometimes even relied on - but as she heard Jaune's words, she figured that maybe her partner was different.

It seemed as if he was content with what he had, and she voiced it as such. "So, just go wherever the wind takes you?"

"Yeah." Jaune nodded. But for Pyrrha, this didn't make sense. After all, why shadow a Huntress for a year if you're not determined? More than ever, Pyrrha felt drawn to the mystery that was her partner. He had defeated a Deathstalker, yet nobody saw it. He was a Huntsman-in-Training, skilled beyond his years if the Initiation proved anything, and yet he had no ambitious drive. He goes wherever the wind takes him, and yet he shadowed a Huntress for a whole year - and everybody knew that shadowing was not as easy as it sounded.

But another thing – had she paired with someone who had unquenchable ambition, would she ever get someone who saw her as Pyrrha, and not the champion? Perhaps he had a place here after all, and she shouldn't ask for more.

She stayed silent, and Jaune eventually continued. "I hope Weiss and Ruby have made up, though." He let out a soft chuckle. "It's not good for a team to be fighting with themselves, right?"

Well, at least he won't let JNPR fall apart that easily, Pyrrha thought. "So then, if I can ask, how exactly are you going to lead JNPR?"

"Make sure everyone gets along, for one." Jaune said, leaning back with his hands supporting him, and she thought back to their first day together – indeed, Jaune had made sure their team had stayed cohesive at least. "No use fighting others when we can make peace, right?"

"But life's not going to be as smooth sailing as that, Jaune." Pyrrha pointed out. She wanted to see how he responded; before they inevitably hit a large bump in JNPR's road, she was sure.

"Pyrrha… you've already heard my reason - I'm sure you can figure it out by yourself." He flashed her a charming smile, "But question is, Pyrrha… why did a life of fighting call to you, like you said?"

And, well, Pyrrha didn't expect for the tables to be turned on her, but she obliged nonetheless. "It just- did, I guess. I can't imagine doing anything else." She said simply. Training and fighting was all she had ever known, and many people knew it as such. "And besides, we're going to fight eventually, right? There's no denying that." Be it stopping robberies like Ruby or fighting the Grimm, that was the way of life here in Remnant.

"I… don't really like conflicts that much." Jaune said, and Pyrrha understood. That thing with Weiss and Ruby, she understood how he perceived it.

She figured that he despised needless conflicts, and the definition of needless was anything that came down to personal wishes. Just like how he himself had no real wish for anything. Even becoming a Huntsman was only something more than a whim.

"Just…" He waved his hands around, not finding the proper words. He gave up and turned to her, "You get me, right?"

'A pacifist.' She deduced what Jaune was in just a single word- but not to the Grimm, at least. Her intrigue rose, along with respect for his wishes, and outwardly Pyrrha nodded. "Of course." She smiled, "I understand."

She could see Jaune relax. "Thanks, Pyr." His eyes shone as she looked into them, "It's nice to know someone who thinks the same."

She was about to push more, to get to know her friend better, but stopped herself. There would be a time and place, but she didn't want to push too hard now, not when he had opened so much to a partner that was little more than a stranger. Besides, they still had time, and she was eager to see what her partner was like with his actions.

And opening up so easy, it spoke to her of his kindness, of his willingness to let people in. It wouldn't do to betray the one person who saw her for what she was after years of looking.

After all, that was the entire reason she came to Beacon, right? The true one - to find people who didn't care about her fame. Who looked at her like she was a normal girl. She just hoped that she was right about Jaune…

A ding from their Scrolls, and Jaune and Pyrrha opened them at the same time. Jaune raised an eyebrow as he read the text. "What's this?"

"O-oh, before I went to look for you, the others agreed to go to dinner for the night. RWBY and JNPR together." Pyrrha said, "Part of the reason I looked for you as well! Said it's to make sure everyone gets along well, something along those lines."

"Oh, well in that case then you can count me in." Jaune closed his Scroll and put it back. "Said they're already at Beacon's entrance, but it didn't say where we'll be going…"

"Ah, Yang said she'll scout the place out first." Pyrrha said, "And then she'll tell us the location once she finds someplace that's good."

Jaune hummed and stood up. The sun had almost fully set by now, and he was sure that dinner was about to start any time now. "Right then! Let's get going."

"Let's." Pyrrha stood up and walked side-by-side with Jaune.


The walk to the entrance was shared in companionable silence. Jaune was glad to find someone who knew the value of peace - he hadn't met someone like that in a long time, and Pyrrha was glad to have found a new understanding of her partner, however small it might be.

They soon opened the doors, seeing the rest of Team RWBY and JNPR minus Yang waiting down the stairs. As they approached, Pyrrha could see Nora grin teasingly with her eyebrows moving suggestively.

"Wow, Pyrrha, I never would've pegged you as someone who liked to move so quick!" Nora teased.

Pyrrha's cheeks flushed red. "N-Nora!" She flustered, "It's not like that!"

"Suuuure it isn't!" Nora laughed, and to her horror, Pyrrha could see the others laughing as well.

"Oh come on!" She wailed, and the chuckles only strengthened. It did die down, in the end, but not before Pyrrha groaned in utter embarrassment.

"So…" Blake said as the laughter died down, "Did Yang ever get around to telling us where we're having dinner?"

"Ah, she didn't tell me that, actually…" Ruby said sheepishly, "She just told us to get together quick…"

"But why would she tell us that without explaining?" Weiss said – she had fixed things up with Ruby, but only just. But she genuinely wanted things to get better, and was looking forward to whatever Yang had planned. But even so, "I feel something fishy going on…"

Ignoring the way Blake's headband seemed to twitch at the word 'fish', Jaune piped up. "Maybe she'll call us soon? We did get here on a short notice, after all."

"Hm, you're right about that…" Ruby muttered. Not a moment later, they heard a ding from Ruby's Scroll - curiously, it didn't come from anyone else's.

"Oh! That must be her right now!" Ruby quickly pulled out her Scroll and opened it. The rest leaned in to read the message. What they found unsettled them, Ruby most of all.

Help.

Went too fast on my bike. Am now in -

"Police custody?!" Weiss shrieked.


SLAM!

"No more Ozpin to bail you out now, missy." The police officer said. He grinned maliciously through the bars at Yang, sitting morosely behind a cell. "Now you Huntresses get to live with real consequences."

Yang saw the officer walk away with her Scroll in his hand and moaned, putting her head in her hands. They were going to hit her with trumped up charges, she just knew it! – and yet they had every right to do so since she had countless speeding records already, not to mention the utter wreck she had left Junior's club in the other week.

Just as he wanted to spend a good night out as well! Tonight was supposed to be a way to mend their team, dammit!


Weiss ran a hand through her face, loudly groaning as she did so. "Honestly, does she not know how to ride her motorcycle slowly?"

"Eheheh, sometimes, Yang tends to go… overboard…" Ruby said with a small and sheepish voice.

"But what matters is what we need to do now." Ren cut in, his voice calm and sharp. "So, since tomorrow's still a school day, what exactly can we do to help her? It wouldn't do to miss the second day, right?"

"And especially making a bad impression on Professor Ozpin…" Pyrrha trailed off.

Everyone racked their brains for a solution. Sadly, most of them came up with nothing. After all, what were they going to do? Break Yang out from jail? And besides, Headmaster Ozpin couldn't know anything about this, lest they be doomed!

But then, Weiss snapped her fingers as a light bulb appeared above her head. "I got it!" She shouted, quickly pulling out her own Scroll. She began rapidly scrolling through her quick contacts, all the while the others leaned too her in interest.

"Um, what is it?" Ruby asked her partner.

"My family's ex-lawyer recently moved to Vale." Weiss said, "He's off our contract now, but I should be able to convince him to take on Yang's case."

"A Schnee's lawyer?" Blake asked skeptically. She didn't like the sound of that at all…

"Yes." Weiss said, evidently not picking up Blake's hesitation. She attempted to reassure her, "Don't worry, Blake, he's pretty good at getting people off quickly. Ah, and he's also quite famous, but because of that he's also got quite a bit of an ego."

"Coming from you, that's saying something." Nora deadpanned.

Weiss coughed into her fist. "Erhm, yes, well-." She looked sheepish, "I suppose that could mean several things…"

Blake huffed, whispering quietly beneath her breath. "That's what I was worried about…"

"Um, but won't this - he - cost a lot of money, Weiss?" Ruby nervously asked. "I mean, we don't want to impose-."

"Nonsense." Weiss waved her hand, casting Ruby's concerns away. She stopped scrolling and gave Ruby a tense, but sincere smile. "Think of this as… paying back, okay?."

'Oh… Oh!" Ruby's eyes lit up and she chirped, "Thanks a lot, Weiss!"

"It's no problem." Weiss went back to her Scroll and gave it one last look. "Ah, here he is."

At that, everyone from both Team RWBY and JNPR, of course among them Pyrrha, leaned close to Weiss to look at her Scroll. They looked at the name that Weiss had stopped at, and Pyrrha vaugely noted that it seemed a bit Mistralian. But alas, the name didn't ring any bells in her mind, even if he was famous.

"Kitaoka Shuichi…" Pyrrha said, rolling the words in her mouth. And if she felt Jaune going stiff for a moment beside her, she pretended not to notice.


A Few Moments Later…

Yang somberly entered the room where her lawyer was supposed to meet her. The officers hadn't been rough, but they hadn't been kind either. It was clear that they were getting sick of her antics – the incident with Junior's club came to mind – and she just knew that no one was going to bail her out this time.

She was so, so utterly screwed! She doubted Ozpin would help her family a third time, her father was going to learn about this, and she was going to be pulled from RWBY and Beacon all for embarrassing them on the first night! Not to mention the charges they'd bring, and then she'd cost her dad a lifetime of paying back the authorities. Dammit, if only she had gone slower on that straight, then the cops wouldn't have noticed!

And tonight was supposed to be getting her Team solid together too…

Yang put her head on her hands once more. She laid them against the table, sighing as the fight left her. No doubt they were going to give her a joke of a lawyer, and those public defendants never did do good from what she knew. "Oh, what am I going to do…"

"Heh, well, that's not any way to think if you want to get out of here, ne?"

Yang's head shot up, her eyes peeking through her hands and meeting what she presumed was supposed to be her lawyer.

And she had to say, he didn't look half bad. He had medium-length auburn hair elegantly swept to the side, a dashing and rouge-ish sort of face, and a presence that screamed posh and money. Not someone she'd expect to be her lawyer…

But as Yang saw the smirk he aimed at her, she sighed again and figured he was going to be just as hard anyways.

The man laid his suitcase on the table, both of them separated by a layer of glass, and pulled out a recorder. "Now," he had softly, "Let me introduce myself."

Yang grunted, shifting to lean against her arm as she looked at the man disinterestedly.

"My name is Kitaoka Shuichi." He put his hand on his chest, and then extended it to show an open palm to Yang through the looking glass, "And you are Yang Xiao-Long, right?"

Yang grunted.

"Speak for the recorder, please." Kitaoka asked, his smile becoming just a little strained.

"Yeah, that's me." Yang relented.

"Good! And for your information, I've been assigned to be your lawyer for this current, let's say predicament, that you've found yourself in. Now," Kitaoka pressed the pause button on his recorder, "Now that we've got that for the record, I think we can continue this a bit more informally." He folded his hands, leaning forward with gleaming eyes. "So, a certain Ice Queen told me that you got caught speeding down the road. We're good so far, eh?"

Yang shook her head, surprised. "Weiss sent you? Are you one of her lawyers?"

"Yes, she did. And yes, I was. Of the SDC's, to be correct." Kitaoka's smile grew, and Yang noted how infuriatingly smug it was. "Well – that was until earlier this year. I wanted a change in scenery, you see, and the pay just wasn't good enough to keep a Super Lawyer like me tied down anymore."

Yang glared. "So you're just in this for the money?"

"Why else?" Kitaoka smirked and leaned back on his chair. "But you know, I do have a reputation to keep, and helping an ex-client certainly will help that – yes, it certainly will."

Yang shook her head, her anger easily building. "I can't believe I got someone like you…"

"Hey now, do you want to get out of this or not?" Kitaoka shot back, "I mean, I could just walk out and tell them you're just way too hard to work with, and then you'd just be dealing with a far more incompetent lawyer. A public defense case is way below my pay grade, y'know~?"

Yang grit her teeth, but settled down as his words sunk in. Dammit, again! She had no choice, did she?

"Ah, now that's more like it." Kitaoka rolled his neck, bouncing his shoulders as he leaned forwards again. He pressed the play button on his recorder, "Now, could you please tell me exactly how it happened?"

"I was riding down Knight Street," Yang said slowly, "And I was in a bit of a hurry since time was running out."

"Ah, in a bit of a rush, then? I get that." Kitaoka nodded. "And what made you need to rush around the city at that speed?"

Yang was about to answer, her mouth open and the words clear in her throat – before she saw Kitaoka wink at her suggestively and wiggling his eyebrows. He made a slight motion with his hands to the recorder and – Ah, Yang thought, 'I understand.'

"An appointment was coming up, and it was very important to me." Seeing Kitaoka nod at her words, Yang continued, "It was very important to my career as a Huntress, really, so I couldn't afford missing out on it."

"If you missed it, how much would your career have been impacted?"

"Oh, very!" Yang stressed out the word, "It was for my team, you know? I wanted to have a time for us to reconnect, and make sure we worked well together – we were all taught that a team that doesn't work means death in the battlefield."

"Aaaa, I see…" Kitaoka nodded along, and Yang could practically see the dots connecting in his eyes as he thought of how to get her released. He spoke again, "And of course, that means the death of countless civilians in the event of an emergency, right?"

"Yeah! Teamwork is the cornerstone of being a Huntress!"

"I see, I see… and how would you describe your record as a Huntress-in-Training so far?"

"As far as I know I've been the strongest every year– well, save for one…" Yang muttered the last part under her breath. Nevertheless, she continued, "But that guy's strength still hasn't been proven yet, so I think I'll stand a good chance!"

Kitaoka nodded along, making sure to note every single word she was saying and the faces she made as she said it. And now, for the killing blow, "And Beacon's just started, right?"

"Yeah! This is our first night, actually, and tomorrow's filled with important studies to learn about being a Huntress!" Combat Training, Yang had thought with excitement. She could then ses how strong their year's 'Deathstalker Slayer' really was! But she was getting off topic, "And we can't afford to miss it for the world! That' why we were so desperate – we really wanted the best for everyone here…"

Click!

And then, Kitaoka pressed the stop button on his recorder and put it back in his suitcase. As he closed it with another click, he looked at Yang with twinkling eyes. "See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Yang shrugged and leaned back in her seat. "Still, didn't think it'd be that easy, though…"

"Ah, don't you worry Miss, I'm a Super Lawyer." Kitaoka brought his suitcase down and stood up, messing with his tie. "I'll get you free no problem, OK?"

"…"

"Just sit tight, relax, and tell Weiss to pay me extra for working so suddenly once you're out." Kitaoka finished his tie and turned around, waving her bye as he left the room. "Ja ne."

And now, Yang was left alone with her thoughts as she waited for the police to escort her back to her jail cell.

And in the silence, Yang voiced her thoughts to no one but herself…

"What a jerk."


Team JNPR and RWBY walked to the police station together. Well, 'walk' wasn't quite the right word – it was more like they were rushing in panic to make sure that they could both see Yang in time and also not miss the final Bullhead back to Beacon by the time they were done.

And then, just as the police station began to come in to view, they could all hear Ruby's loud sigh of relief as they all saw Yang walking out.

Yang grumbled as she left the police station behind. The brawler was a bit sore around her arms, sure, and a bit put off because her night was so utterly ruined, but really she was glad she got out so quickly and easily. All things counted, she had only been in custody for just short of two hours.

And it seemed that Kitaoka really did work his magic, having got her freed in less than 20 minutes. She had to thank Weiss then, especially for helping her of all people.

Ruby squealed, "You're okay!" and rushed to her sister with unrivalled speed. Yang grunted as she felt her body slam against her chest.

"Shhh, it's okay." Yang rubbed her sister's back, her strong arms never weakening her grip around Ruby. She shot a glance at her team and her friends, her smile sheepish at the trouble she caused, "…Heh, sorry for the trouble, guys."

And Yang shot a special glance to Weiss, the friend who had given her the chance for a quick bail in the first place, "…And- thanks for that, Weiss. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it." Weiss said, her smile tense but genuine. "I- I'm glad to help, guys."

"Where is this guy, anyway?" Blake asked, and both RWBY and JNPR looked around for the mysterious Kitaoka. Yang did as well, but found no trace of him.

"Huh," Yang said, "I was sure he was right behind me…"

"Aw, missed me that much?"

All eyes turned to the side, Kitaoka walking into view for them all. He eyed them all curiously, smug and sure, and turned his eyes to Yang. He chuckled, "See what I told you, Yang-chan? I'm a Super Lawyer – these charges don't really mean anything."

He turned his eyes to Weiss, "And as for you," He smirked, "Make sure to pay up, okay?"

"Sure." Weiss said calmly while Yang growled, "The usual fare, right?"

"2 hours clocked – you know how much that is." Kitaoka nodded. He hefted his suitcase over his shoulder, pulling out a car key that Weiss just knew he did to flash to everyone there. "Oh, and make sure to give your family my regards! Wouldn't do to fall out of touch now, ne?"

"I'll give Winter your regards." Weiss said.

"Right." Kitaoka adjusted the cuffs on his shirt, flashing its designer logo on everyone there – and oh, did Yang hate this for his guts! – and his eyes surveyed them all one last time.

'A bunch of misfits here,' He thought as his eyes went over them absentmindedly. Nothing out of the ordinary for him, at least not anymore, 'Just some Huntsmen and Huntresses like usual-.'

But then, his eyes paused as it landed on a certain blue-eyed and blond-haired boy.

Jaune?!

"Ah! I didn't expect you to be in this whole mess!" Kitaoka shouted happily. He approached the group again, this time with much more pep and smug in his step and stopped right in front of his target. "How's it going, Jaune-kun?"

The rest of RWBY and JNPR shot their glances at the knight among them, eyes wide in surprise. They all had the same question, just how did Jaune know of this random yet top-of-the-line lawyer?

Jaune sighed but shook his head with a fond smile. His body relaxed and he met the lawyer's eyes, "Hey, Kitaoka."

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to be in Vale all of a sudden! Last I heard you two were going…" Kitaoka hummed, "Vacuo, right?"

"We split." Jaune said simply, "We had no reason to be together anymore, remember? And I don't know where she is right now."

"Right, right…" Kitaoka looked to the side, "But well, I never thought you'd actually leave her, get what I'm saying?"

"She's got her own priorities now, but she knows I'll be at her beck and call no matter the time. And 'sides, she can just open a portal whenever."

"Right, that damn stupid Semblance. Saved our asses so many times, ne?" Kitaoka chuckled. He pulled his suit's collar and checked the time – ah, he had some free time. Just enough time. "Say, I don't have an appointment for at least another hour. What's say you and I have dinner and catch up? For old times' sake."

Kitaoka looked to the other students with an inviting raised eyebrow, "That's what you were all going to do, right? I could get us a reservation in the top restaurants in no time flat."

Kitaoka smirked when he saw the other students' eyes light up. Of course, they probably wouldn't want to miss a chance as good as this. And then, to sweeten the deal, he added with a smirk, "My treat."

And then he saw them break out into a grin. Oh yes, too good to miss, isn't it? Kitaoka looed back to Jaune, hoping to see something of the same sort, but only saw him looking at him with a deadpan expression.

"Kitaoka. Do you really want that?" Jaune deadpanned.

Kitaoka paused. The memories flooded in, of just what exactly had happened between the three of them – him, Jaune, and Raven – and of the ten others that he knew of. And so, that single thought made him shrug his shoulders.

"You know what? Maybe you do have a point." Kitaoka rolled his neck.

Both Teams RWBY and JNPR groaned in disappointment, many of them shooting Jaune dirty looks. At this, Kitaoka laughed and gave Jaune a playful punch in his shoulder.

"Aw, look, you made them all mad!" Kitaoka said, "Shouldn't have expected anything else from you, though, e?"

Kitaoka saw Jaune smile, and he grabbed the young Huntsman's shoulders to present him to the rest of his friends.

"Jaune here never really did like me all that much." Kitaoka said to the rest of RWBY and JNPR, waving a hand dismissively, "Something about hating my guts and all that."

"Tch. I guess that covers it." Jaune shrugged him off, but not without a playful smile.

"And yet I saved your hide too, didn't I?" Kitaoka said.

Jaune rolled his eyes, and Kitaoka laughed.

"So! Next time you all need a lawyer, just remember that Jaune might not like me showing up to your defense." Kitaoka said to the rest of Teams RWBY and JNPR, "And if that happens, make sure to keep him out of the room, okay? Don't want him spoiling up my defense and all that."

"Ah! And don't forget – it's Kitaoka Shuichi, Super Lawyer. Weiss' got my number, but in case you ever forget, it's on the back of the card I gave dear Yang-chan there." Kitaoka flashed them a thumbs up and a smile, his teeth somehow glinting even in the dark.

Teams RWBY and JNPR shifted around, muttering their own mixtures of acknowledgement. Pyrrha was about to respond, but before she could do so Jaune had already briefly hit Kitaoka's shoulder.

"They get it, idiot." Jaune broke out a smile. "Now go and get back to your stupid penthouse or whatever. I'm sure Goro's got a good dinner waiting for you."

"Fine, fine. I hope it's gyoza tonight, though. Don't want anything too heavy…" Kitaoka turned around and waved a hand as he left. "I'll be seeing you around, then. Ja ne."

"Guess so." Jaune nodded. He waved a hand that Kitaoka didn't see. "See you."

Pyrrha watched from where she was as Kitaoka walked away from them. His back grew smaller and smaller, until eventually he disappeared behind a corner.

She then looked to her partner and saw his shoulder sag ever so slightly – with relief, maybe? She didn't know. And she watched him turn around, giving all his friends an uneasy smile, and then say, "Sorry bout that guys, but, well, a dinner with him wouldn't really be all that it`d crack up to be."

And Pyrrha heard Weiss huff and say, "Hmph! What would you know?"

And then she watched as her partner responded, "You saw what he did, he talks a lot about himself, right? Do you really want to be a part of that for a whole hour?" And she couldn't help but agree.

And it seemed that Weiss did as well, lowering her head with a sigh. "Yeah, I guess that's true…"

And with that, all of them decided to just go back to Beacon, slightly dejected but relieved that at least Yang was okay. Pyrrha followed the crowd, watching her partner from behind as he – paired with Ruby – led them in front in their little journey.

Pyrrha`s mind whirred with possibilities, but nothing too extreme. It was just quite the coincidence that Jaune knew the lawyer that Weiss had set up Yang with – and from the way they spoke, it seemed that they went a long way back. And more than that, it seemed that Kitaoka knew the Huntress that Jaune shadowed for the past year.

But still, it was just a connection, right? It wouldn't do for her to breach Jaune's privacy like that, and besides he never meant any ill will toward her. She'll just have to understand her partner a bit more, and maybe then she'll get to know what his and Kitaoka's connection is – and whether it was important or not…

But then she saw Jaune stumble out in front, clutching his head as he grimaced and stopped in place.

The entire group stopped. Ruby went beside her fellow leader, "Jaune? What's wrong?"

"I-I'm fine." Jaune waved them off and got back on his feet. But from behind him, Pyrrha could see that he was anything but. He was looking around, his eyes glancing left and right, and the pupils in his eyes were dilated ever so slightly.

But before she could say anything, he squared his shoulders and seemingly regained his composure. "Ruby," He said without looking at her, "I'll catch up with you later, okay? I've got something I forgot to do."

"Oh. O-okay." Ruby nodded, uncertainty in her tone at her friend's odd seriousness. This didn't seem like him at all… it somewhat matched his tone during initiation, but they were in the middle of a night out! Why?

And then, as Pyrrha watched from the sidelines, she saw her partner turning his head and look directly at her. Caught like a deer in the spotlight, she could do nothing as Jaune winked at her and then dashed off.

"J-Jaune! Wait!" Pyrrha heard Ruby shout, his speed faster than she could react in a social situation. But he was off, and in mere seconds he was gone - there was nothing either RWBY or the rest of JNPR could do.

After a moment of shocked silence, Weiss tapped her foot and looked to her Scroll. "Ruby, the last flight leaves in 15 minutes." She said, and then with slightly sympathetic eyes looked to her leader, "We need to go now. I'm sure the idiot can catch up with us on his own."

Ruby's shoulders visibly sagged, and she reluctantly turned around. "A-alright…"

And as the others continued to go, with one less member and JNPR one leader down, Pyrrha made a scratch on her earlier assessment. Yeah, no – if Jaune was going to do this often, always going off alone, then maybe Kitaoka wasn't that much off limits.


Growl, growl, growl…!

The sounds of a Grimm growling rang around in his head – ethereal, here yet not here. The others may not know it, but he knew, like he always did – that a single Grimm had somehow managed to enter the city. He needed to find the source fast, and his instincts, the ones tied directly to the Grimm, were roaring at him that that very Grimm was attacking. He knew every swipe it took, every lunge it went for, and every bit of air that its fang bit emptily.

But he just couldn't find out where it is! And because it was in the city, then he needed to defeat it quick!

GROWL!

Jaune ran around the night-covered city, farther and farther from his Team, following the ethereal sound as it got louder and louder – and with it, he knew he was getting close. He just hoped he wasn't too late…

And then, as he turned around a final corner, he saw that very Grimm smack-dab in the middle of his vision. It was a Boarbatusk with its back facing towards him, right in the middle of the road and chasing down a young couple who were desperately running away.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jaune pulled out his Deck and felt his belt form around his waistline.

"HENSHIN!"

CLANG!

In a flash, he felt his suit cover him, transforming him to Rider Ryuki. Raising a fist, he yelled at the Grimm with determination in his blood. "Hey you!"

The Grimm abandoned its pursuit and stopped in its tracks, turning around to face Jaune. It recognized the energy that Jaune emitted – Grimm, and yet also human…?

Jaune cast a glance to the couple behind the Boarbatusk. He yelled as loud as he can at the man and the woman, "Run! Get away from here and find safety!"

"R-right!" The man nodded and grabbed the woman's arm. With a mad dash, he led her and left the scene, leaving Jaune and the Ursa alone.

But the Boarbatusk didn't react, clearly now focused on Jaune and only Jaune. This other prey – it was odd, and very, very interesting… and it had sided with the humans too?

That made a clear enemy of them all.

ROAR!

The Boarbatusk roared and ran straight at Jaune, its tusks glinting beneath the moonlight. Jaune quickly pulled out a card right as it approached.

"Guard Vent!"

Clang!

Jaune stopped the Boarbatusuk right in its tracks with a pair of shields formed from the bone of his Dragon. He yelled and pushed the Boarbatusk away, forcing it to stumble back several steps.

Jaune smirked beneath his mask and drew out another card. "Sword Vent!"

His sword flew in from the skies and he grabbed it with his right hand. With a steady breath, he roared and charged at the Boarbatusk. "HYAHHHHH!"

The Boarbatusk roared in turn and rushed at Jaune as well. It thrusted its tusk right as Jaune arrived, and yet the Rider ducked right beneath it and slid down the Boarbatusk's underside.

"HYAH!"

Jaune swung his sword as he slid below, cutting open the Grimm's underbelly and finishing his slide behind it. Crouched, Jaune heard the Boarbatusk roar and saw it swinging around with its tusk. Jaune quickly jumped, the tusk just missing the soles of his feet, and drew out another card as he soared over the Grimm.

"Strike Vent!"

A fireball formed in Jaune's left hand. With another yell, he launched it below him - right at the top of the Grimm.

BLAST!

The Grimm roared as the armor protected it, but in groaned as its lower wound was forced open – having to withstand a fireball and its own weight.

Jaune landed right in front of the Grimm once more, shifting the grip on his sword as he saw the Boarbatusk eye him warily. He saw the Grimm slowly tuck itself in, forming a wheel-like structure, and then roaring and rolling straight towards him.

'Dodge!' Jaune leapt to the side right as the Boarbatusk rolled past him, kicking up dirt and asphalt as it tore up the streets. Jaune focused back on the Boarbatusk and saw it rebounding on a building and then heading right back towards him.

'Damn!' Jaune dodged to the side again, this time just barely saving his skin. The Rider made sure to keep track of the Boarbatusk as it kept rolling and rolling, rebounding and rebounding, always going for him again and again and again.

Jaune repeatedly dodged, slowly but surely losing ground to the Boarbatusk. After what seemed like an eternity of back-and-forth, It came for him and Jaune dodged to the side once more , but then, in a critical moment-!

"Ah!" Jaune felt his ankle step on a piece of weak concrete – one torn apart by the the Boarbatusk itself – and felt himself landing in a heap.

Slam!

ROAR!

'Shoot!' Jaune looked up while on his back saw the Boarbatusk going right for him, rolling faster and faster and getting closer and closer-!

Jaune kept a hand on his Deck, ready to pull out his Final Vent card at a moment's notice. The Boarbatusk finished its roll and leapt up, its body blocking the moonlight from Jaune's view. With another roar it began descending at Jaune, tusks glinting as it prepared to pierce the Knight's chest.

"Tch." Jaune pulled out his Final Vent and prepared to slam it in. He didn't want to do this in the middle of the city, but what choice did he have?

ROARRRR!

The Boarbatusk was getting ever so closer and Jaune made up his mind. Screw the attention - he had no choice but to-!

"Shoot Vent!"

BAM! BOOM!

SCREEECH!

The Boarbatusk erupted into a fiery inferno right in front of him, and Jaune covered his eyes as the flames licked at his armor. With a grunt, he waved it away and looked to the front, where what remained of the Boarbatusk lay.

It was nothing but a husk of its former self now. Its bone armor had begun to shrink, the body's muscles slowly but surely being depleted of its meat. The corpse let out black particles that floated to the air, a sign of being absorbed, and Jaune followed its trail – right to a person standing behind him, wearing the armor of a Rider affiliated with a Boarbatusk and holding a large fuck-all single-shot cannon made of the very same bone armor.

Another Rider - to the normal eye - but Jaune knew it was more than that.

Jaune let out a breath and stood back up. He looked to the Boarbatusk-affiliated Rider and gave him a short nod. "Thanks for the save… Zolda."

The newly-named Zolda gave a shrug and threw his cannon to the ground, walking past Jaune and approaching the downed Boarbatusk. He finished his absorption, to then be transferred into his own contracted Boarbatusk later and gave a short nod. What remained of their enemy could barely be recognized as a Grimm now – a stray and dead animal, more likely.

Zolda let out a laugh, one Jaune knew – and hated – very well, and turned around with what Jaune knew was a smirk behind that damned mask.

The voice of Kitaoka spoke through Zolda's armor, gracefully grating Jaune's ears. "Well well well, getting a bit rusty, are we Jaune?"

"Don't push it, Kitaoka." Jaune grumbled. He put his Final Vent card back in his Deck and dusted himself off. "I still had one more trick up my sleeve."

"Ah yes, and blow the entire city block?"

"Like your cannon was much better." Jaune grumbled, but knew it was weak. Kitaoka laughed and rolled his neck. He walked right back to Jaune and made a show of looking around.

"Eh? Where are your friends?" Kitaoka asked in surprise. "Thought you'd want them to see the show…"

"We have to keep this a secret. You know that." Jaune said. His voice turned grim, "If anyone knows that we can control the Grimm…" He trailed off.

"Yeah yeah, the whole world will be up in arms, I remember last year." Kitaoka waved him off. But then he turned around, absently looking at the remains of the Boarbatusk.

"Last year…" Kitaoka mumbled, his mind drifting back at the memories.

"…" Jaune stayed silent, looking at the remains of the Boarbatusk. Now that Kitaoka had mentioned it, it was indeed strange.

Last year had been the time he had met Raven and Kitaoka. Last year was also the time he began his relationship with the Riders, and then fighting Grimm anywhere and everywhere including cities and villages. But the events of last year were over.

And until now, it didn't strike him how odd it was that a lone, single Grimm had breached a city.

No wall breach, no city-wide alert, nothing. It had gone completely under the radar…

Just like his own Dragon often did when he summoned it.

"Those who don't fight won't survive." Jaune said, trance-like in tone. It was a saying he absolutely despised, a saying that The Man in the Trench Coat bashed into the heads every single one of the Riders. And yet, Jaune couldn't help but feel dread seeping in. Because this simply wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't natural, and they both knew it.

"You feel it, don't you?" Kitaoka asked, and Jaune couldn't help but nod. Because it had plagued the both of them, the same question ringing in their heads– the events of last year were over, and yet they still had their Grimm Decks.

Why? Why did they have this power still? Jaune had sought the answer in going to Beacon. Kitaoka had tried to move on, taking on cases as a lawyer like he usually did.

And yet this lone, single Boarbatusk might just be the answer - the right one. In time, more and more of these would show up. In time, conflict would rise again.

Something was coming, something big. Something involving the Riders…

And of course, involving him.

They had their Grimm Decks because their fight wasn't over. And The Man in the Trench Coat would be proven right once more – that those who don't fight won't survive.

This lone, single Boarbatusk was the mark of Rider affairs. One that Jaune swore was over last year, and yet had come back to haunt him – no, all of them - once more.

And he had no choice but to fight once more.


Pyrrha stood alone the rooftop of Beacon, the midnight moon shining down on her face. She worriedly looked to the beautiful night skyline of Vale, clutching her Scroll tight. On its screen, numerous calls to her leader were logged as unanswered.

Alone, Pyrrha couldn't help but worry. She knew it was probably nothing bad, that nothing warranted worry that was worse than her first tournament match jitters, but still she felt dread creeping up her spine. She didn't know how where it came from, didn't know why it was there, and yet she felt completely justified in its presence.

All she knew was that it must have something to do with her partner.

Of that, she was sure.

Pyrrha clutched her Scroll tighter. 'Jaune… please be safe.'


Behind a lonely and worried champion, a shadowy man stood alone, ethereal-yet-real. He had shaggy black hair and was dressed in a dirty trench coat ripped and worn in all but its collars.

Alone, he stared at the champion with a neutral expression. No one would see him, and no one could see him. For that, he was glad for his fellow Mistralian – his presence was necessary, yet he knew he was unwanted.

Alone, he stared.

Alone, he examined.

And alone, with the champion none the wiser, he made is presence known through her feelings.

Because those who don't fight won't survive – tatakawanakereba, ikinokorenai.


Next time… Rider Time: RWBY!

"If that's what you think is best..."

"Someone is pulling the strings – someone stronger than he ever was, and we have no choice but to fight."

"Do you really think you can balance two lives, Jaune? That's impossible, not even I can do that!"

"I'm vexed…"

Those who don't fight won't survive – tatakawanakereba, ikinokorenai!


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