Weiss and Jaune walked through the streets of Vacuo, taking in the sights and people. The two had decided to take a simple patrol around the city as their first mission together, in order to better get the lay of the land and avoid getting lost. It also gave them time to clear their heads and process what happened to them in the Ever After.

Both had changed into new outfits that were more suited to the desert environment—more or less. Weiss was wearing a pure white minidress with a sweetheart neckline, knee high bluish white wedge heeled boots and long white gloves made with a breathable material, and a white shoulder cape with red interior. Her hair was cut shorter, now only reaching down to her upper back when tied up into her offset ponytail, and she stopped tying it into a braid.

Jaune hadn't changed much with his outfit. Aside from changing his shirt to a sleeveless shirt and adding knee pads to his armor, it was still pretty much the same.

"I'm curious, Jaune," Weiss said. "I know that you were waiting for us before Alyx and Lewis arrived, but did you ever explore the Ever After during that time?"

"Actually, no," Jaune admitted. "I had no idea how far back I'd gone, and I didn't want to miss your arrival." He chuckled slightly. "Guess I forgot about that after my adventure with Alyx."

"That wasn't your fault," Weiss said reassuringly. "After everything you've been through, you shouldn't keep blaming yourself."

"I know. I'm trying to get better at that."

Jaune was still trying to wrestle with the decades he spent alone. He had managed to finally accept what happened to Alyx and Penny, but that didn't mean it was easy for him.

"And what about you?" He asked. "How's your family been?"

Weiss sighed. "Honestly, it's kind of weird. But in a very good way. My mother has been working on sobering up, and Whitley managed to become a lot less stuck up. Winter has been spending more time with them as well. After everyone found out I was alive and we finished crying, we sat down and had dinner. But it was just so... different." She looked up at Jaune. "I'm used to dinners being quiet and tense. The food was always delicious, but nobody ever said anything to each other. This time it was the opposite—the food was disgusting, but everyone... talked. I've never heard any of them talk that long to each other, and they were loud. They laughed and cried and... and it didn't feel real. It was like I was in a dream, but then they got me to join in and it started to feel real." She shook her head and laughed. "I think I might be going crazy, but it feels like losing everything our family had actually made us into a family."

"I'm actually not surprised by that," Jaune admitted. "You really don't appreciate what you have until it's gone."

"No, there's more to it than that. I know I can't blame everything on Jacques, but things started getting better the moment his shadow was gone from our lives. I think it's just going to take some time for me to get used to things." She smiled softly. "But for the first time in a long time, I'm actually looking forward to seeing my family again."

"Jaune!" A voice called out, causing the former Rusted Knight to stiffen.

"No way..." turning in the direction of the voice, he and Weiss saw a tall, muscular man in heavy armor running up to them.

"DAD!" Jaune ran up to the man, leaving Weiss stunned into silence. The two hugged tightly, crying happily.

"I knew you weren't gone, boy!" The man said happily. "Everyone else had given up, but I knew you were still out there!" He pulled away from Jaune and looked him over. "Look at you! You've grown so much, and you're armor looks fantastic!" He then looked at his son's hair, and saw the streaks of grey in it. "You've... been through it, haven't you, son?"

"You have no idea," Jaune chuckled, then turned back to Weiss and beckoned her forward. "Weiss, I'd like you to meet my dad, Julius Arc. Dad, this is Weiss Schnee."

Weiss gave a polite curtsy, and Julius nodded just as politely. Julius stood as tall as Jaune did when he was the Rusted Knight, and looked almost identical to him. His long hair was still unbroken golden blonde, and was more well kept. His beard had small braids hidden within. His armor was heavier than Jaune's, and covered more of his body, but he didn't seem to mind the intense heat.

"So," Jaune said, "What are you doing all the way out here? I thought you'd still be in Vale with Mom and the girls."

Julius laughed. "Come on, Jaune, you know me better than that! This is shaping up to be the biggest battle in Remnant history, and an Arc has always been present in every major battle that involves the kingdom of Vale! I wasn't about to break that tradition! Besides, I figured that you'd be here, too."

"But, everyone thought we were dead," Weiss interjected. "How did you know we were still alive?"

"I didn't," Julius admitted. "At least not you. But thanks to my Semblance, I could tell that Jaune was still out there, somewhere."

"Wait, really?" Jaune asked, surprised. "But what kind of Semblance is that?"

"Mortal Sense, Jaune. Basically, I form bonds with others, and that lets me know how they are. It doesn't tell me where, though—only how. I can tell if somebody I'm close to is safe, or in danger. In a way, it also tells me if they're dead, because I can't sense them at all when that happens."

"That sounds... useful," Weiss said hesitantly.

"It's a gigantic pain in the neck," Julius corrected her. "But it has its moments." His eyes then noticed that Crocea Mors was missing from Jaune's hip. "Where's your sword, son?"

"Oh! It was broken in a fight against Cinder before we fell, so I left it with a blacksmith to repair it."

"I see. So, what happened to you on your journey? Saffron told me a few things, but I want to hear it all."

"Well, we're kind of on patrol right now..."

"And so am I," Julius turned serious. "I think I have the right to know what my own flesh and blood has been through. I lost count of the times I felt you were in mortal danger, Jaune."

Jaune sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Come on, walk with us. I'll explain everything."

Blake and Yang walked into the headmaster's office to find Theodore sitting at his desk, with Rumpole standing beside him.

"So!" Theodore said loudly. "I told you two to choose a new partner you weren't used to working with."

"You did," Blake said nervously.

"You didn't listen. Why?"

"Because we're not students anymore," Yang explained confidently. "We're licensed Huntresses, now."

"Right," Theodore said, looking annoyed. "And because you're licensed Huntresses, you think you've got everything figured out? Did you even earn those things, or was Ironwood already slipping when he gave them to you?"

"We beat the Ace Ops when they tried to arrest us!" Yang said indignantly.

"Oh! Did you, now? 'Cause from what I hear, they weren't supposed to kill you, so they held back. And they were tired from the Grimm attack. If you really think you can handle them at their peak, then you're either arrogant or ignorant."

"Hey!" Yang didn't like that.

"And, since you're probably as stubborn as I am," Theodore continued, "I guess that means I have to teach you something that the other headmasters failed miserably to do." He stood up from his desk and cracked his knuckles, grinning excitedly. "I'm gonna beat into your skulls that there's always someone or something stronger than you, and then you're gonna listen to me."

"You want us to fight you?" Blake asked, more nervous than before.

His grin widened. "I want you to try."

"The Rusted Knight?" Julius echoed in disbelief. "You're telling me that you were the same Rusted Knight that was in the book? The one that you idolized as a kid?"

"Yeah," Jaune said, rubbing the back of his head. "Pretty wild, right?"

"He's telling the truth, Mr. Arc," Weiss interjected. "I can hardly believe it myself, but it happened."

"Oh, I believe him," Julius said. "With everything that's happened in these past few months, not much can surprise me anymore." He then looked back at Jaune. "You've really grown, son. I'm proud of you. I still remember the time you left for Mistral, and the promise you made me."

"Right. I promised that the next time we saw each other, I'd be a great Huntsman."

"And you kept your word," Julius nodded. "You've fought enemies far stronger and refused to back down. You saved thousands of lives, and ensured that we could save thousands more. And you have made impossible choices that nobody else could have done. You are a great Huntsman, Jaune Arc. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I... wow," Jaune looked at his father as if seeing him for the first time. "I thought you didn't believe I had what it took, Dad."

Julius sighed. "That was more for my own sake than yours. Like I said, my Semblance is a gigantic pain in the neck. There's no worse feeling for a parent than knowing their own child is in mortal danger, and not being able to do anything about it. I always knew you had what it took, even if you didn't train for it. We Arcs are able to adapt to almost anything—we like to call it our 'second Semblance.' I just didn't want to feel the stress of you risking your life." He put a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "I'm sorry, son. You've grown into a warrior of amazing courage and prowess. I should have been there for you the whole time."

Jaune smiled softly, his eyes shimmering. "Thanks, Dad. That means a lot, coming from you."

Julius nodded, then turned around. "Well, I guess I should finish my own patrol for today. Come find me when you have more time."

Weiss watched as the older Huntsman walked off. "He was very nice," she said, smiling.

"Yeah," Jaune nodded, looking a little happier than usual. "It felt good, actually telling someone what happened. Especially someone who can at least understand."

Weiss looked at Jaune, the concern clear in her ice blue eyes. "You still haven't told her yet, have you?"

Jaune shook his head, not willing to look at her. "I just... how do I tell her?" He asked. "I can't just walk up to Ruby and say 'Hey, How are you? Oh by the way, I killed Penny.'"

"Well, no," Weiss agreed tacitly, "but you do need to tell her, and soon. The longer you wait, the more damage you'll do to her. Wait too long, and she'll never be able to forgive you."

"Then why don't you tell her?"

"That's not my place, Jaune, and you know that. Besides, if I do, it'll ruin any chance you have at reconciling with her. I know it's hard, and there's really no good time or place, but you have to be the one to let her know. We're not the only ones—what do you think is going to happen if Cinder decides to tell Ruby what happened on that bridge?"

"That won't happen," Jaune said firmly. "I'll tell her before then. I just... need to be ready."

"Jaune, you've had decades to get ready."

Jaune chuckled humorlessly. "I guess so, but I spent most of that time just... waiting for you to show up."

"All the more reason to get it off your chest," Weiss insisted. "You've been holding onto that for too long, and we all saw what it did to you. The way you snapped at Ruby, the way you were in the Ever After? You need this for yourself just as much as she does."

Jaune looked at Weiss and sighed. "You're right, I'll tell her when I get the chance. But you'll be there, right?"

"Of course," Weiss promised, "for both of you."

Jaune smiled gratefully, then looked back around. "C'mon, let's finish our patrol and turn in for the day.