Gamer4 in. I'm on vacation now- time to kick my feet up, relax, and finish up Phantom Blood- let's rock!

Episode LV

Jaune's Bizarre Adventure: First Episode at Hienton

The Fate Within His Blood

After a five-minute crying break, Mario finally cleared his throat. "You ready to continue?"

"Yes," Yang glared. "I want to see Adam's head on a silver platter!"

"He's evil," Ruby reiterated. "The most evil thing we've seen in all these worlds!"

"Well, just in case you're not convinced of that yet..." Mario shrugged.

The world opened up in what looked like Adam's throne room- a woman knelt before him, her face tear-stained as she clung desperately to her baby. "Please... please, spare my child... take my life, but spare my boy!"

Adam smirked as he picked up the crucifix she'd attempted to ward him away with, and crushed it in the palm of his hand. As if such peurile superstitions stand a chance at fending off I, Adam!

He turned his masked gaze on the pleading mother. "Allow me, if you will, to confirm your request- I may do whatever I wish with you, so long as neither I, Adam, nor my servants bring any harm to your child?"

"Yes!" the mother nodded rapidly. "Yes, please- take me, but spare my baby boy!"

"Oh, crap!" Blake's eyes widened.

"What? Sounds like the set-up to a nice book series to me," Nora pointed out.

"No, Blake's right," Ren's fingers tightened. "Nora, you may want to look away."

"Ruby, you too!" Weiss agreed, biting her lip.

"He... he wouldn't!" Pyrrha was trembling.

"I don't understand!" Jaune admitted. "What's got you four so scared?"

"Your pleading has reached my heart," Adam's smirk widened. "You have the word of I, Adam, that neither I nor my men will harm a hair on your child's head." He rose from his throne and moved steadily towards her, carressing her face until he'd pressed his fingers into her neck.

The baby looked up and began to cry as he watched his mother's face contort, life drained away, replaced with something decidedly inhuman- her cheeks hollowed, her eyes reddened, and a pair of fangs descended from her teeth.

"The child... my precious... BOYYYYYY!"

Within seconds, she had consumed the very infant she'd been attempting to save. Adam chuckled. "As you can see, neither I nor my men have harmed him- you did quite enough yourself. An irony, unfortunately, completely lost on you as you are now."

"I... that..." Yang seemed to have choked on her own rage. "That son of a..."

"It's sickening..." Pyrrha did, indeed, look more than a little green.

"I'm gonna kill him... I'm gonna rip him to pieces!" Jaune roared.

"Break his legs- then his arms- then the rest of his bones! One by one!" Nora screamed.

"Yang... I don't... I don't like it..." Ruby wrapped her arms tightly around her sister.

"Don't worry, Rubes," Yang finally regained the ability to speak. "I'm sure Jaune's gonna rip him a new asshole."

Far away, Jaune, Torchwick, and Oscar were travelling down a moonlit path towards central Hienton. They were all very grim-faced after Qrow's impromptu funeral. Torchwick threw a glance at Jaune's face. He's changed. There's something... darker in him. Can't blame him- I'm the same. No time to grieve, though- no time to cry until Adam's back in the grave.

He finally spoke aloud. "Adam said he only need one night- I believe him. With zombies going around creating more zombies, he could take over the entire world by the end of the year! Looking down there, I can't help wondering- how much of Hienton is even still humnan?"

Oscar's eyes twitched with nerves. "You don't think... they got my sister, do you?"

"You don't think that woman was his sister, do you?!" Ruby's eyes widened.

"No... no," Ren shook his head. "The two women look completely different- based on Oscar's flashback."

"Of course, that doesn't guarantee her safety, either," Blake pointed out darkly.

"We'll find out," Jaune promised. "Let's hurry."

As a cloud passed in front of the moon, they spied a man walking the opposite way down the path. Upon seeing him, Oscar brightened. "Mr. David!"

It was a tall, slim man with brown hair and eyes. "Oscar! What are you doing out this late?"

Oscar ignored the chastisement. "Mr. David, is Em alright? Where's my sister? Is the town alright?"

"Your sister?" David tilted his head. "Your sister..."

"Oh, no..." Ruby winced.

"She's absolutely furious!"

Ruby blinked. "Well... that's better, I guess."

"She said she's planning on locking you in the barn when you get home!"

Oscar looked as though he didn't know whether to be relieved or even more terrified. Jaune glanced at Torchwick and shrugged. "Sounds like the town's safe for now, at least."

"Good. Let's hurry, then!"

The two set off at a brisk pace, Oscar jogging after them. "Thanks, Mr. David!"

David closed his eyes. "Thanks, huh? I know how you can thank me."

His tongue emerged from his mouth- and kept emerging. Longer and longer it grew, until it was longer than he was tall, the tip snaking towards Oscar's retreating back. "I'll take... some of that lovely blood of yours!"

"It was a trick! The entire town's infected!" Nora cried.

Just before the tongue could reach Oscar, Jaune's hand lashed out and grabbed it, sending glowing Hamon energy down the slippery rope directly into David's body. He clearly had no defense against the energy- he screamed and was dust within seconds.

"Kinda sad he had to do that... but it was still kinda badass," Yang decided.

"Looks like things are worse than we thought," Torchwick noted grimly.

"A lot worse!" came a new voice. "The outskirts of the town are riddled with zombies!"

They turned to spy a figure in a white cloak approaching them, moving almost as if gliding.

"Another zombie!" Nora was immediately on guard.

"No... it's not..." Ruby said quietly, her eyes wide.

"On your guard, kid!" Torchwick took the more cautious approach.

The figure abruptly broke into a run, prompting Jaune to drop into a defensive stance. The figure leapt into the air, leaving the cloak behind, revealing a lithe, feminine figure. She drove her legs down towards Jaune's face- he managed to catch her by the feet with relative ease, but she immediately spread her legs apart, taking his arms with them, leaving his body wide open.

"You fell for it!" the woman grinned. "Thunder Cross Split Attack!"

With his arms occupied, Jaune instead threw his head against hers, sending her reeling backwards. With the attack ended, he could make out black hair reaching down to her shoulders, a dark corset previously hidden beneath her cloak, and a piercing pair of silver eyes. "Good hustle!" she grinned as she pulled herself back to her feet. "Most people would pull their head back if they were being attacked like that, not use it as a last line of defense!"

Jaune finally focused again, and immediately turned to the offensive, but the woman raised her hands, patting the air. "It's alright, Jaune- I'm not an enemy!" As if to prove it, she took in a deep breath, and her body immediately began glowing with Hamon energy. "My name is Summer Rose- I'm a friend of Qrow's, I wanted to see how well he trained you."

"Summer!" Weiss and Blake both gasped immediately.

"I knew it!" Ruby's eyes shone with a mix of excitement and tears. "Mom!"

"No way she'd ever be a zombie!" Yang thumped Ruby on the back with a wan smile of her own.

"You know Qrow!" Jaune perked up immediately.

"After twenty years of training under the same master? I'd hope so!" Summer beamed.

"And dragging me along on one misadventure after another, I should add."

Another woman had appeared, taller than Summer, with much longer black hair and blood-red eyes. "My name is Raven Branwen... Qrow is my brother."

Everyone glanced at Yang, who was not nearly as excited to see Raven as she had Summer. "...Just... go on," she instructed, her eyes flashing.

Raven reached into a pocket and produced an envelope that she handed to Jaune. Jaune glanced at it.

To: Pipsqueak

From: Qrow

"Sounded like he thought he could use some backup on this job," Summer smiled. "Told us all about the mask, and this... Adam guy who used it."

Torchwick looked up, and gasped, drawing Jaune and Oscar's attention. Behind the two women was a third figure approaching down the dirt road. He wore a suit, his stormy grey eyes behind a pair of dark glasses that sat on his nose- the grey was matched by his hair. He carried a cane with what seemed to be a large crystal on the handle.

"Even Ozpin's shown up!" Pyrrha blinked.

"Well, Adam sure doesn't stand a chance now!" Ruby grinned.

The women separated as the man approached, allowing him to stand directly before Jaune. "Meet our master, Ozpin," Summer introduced.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you face to face," Ozpin smiled.

"You... you're the one who taught Mr. Branwen!" Jaune's eyes widened. He reached out a hand. Ozpin looked down at it, and chuckled slightly.

"Apologies, but we don't shake hands where I come from- it's simply not the done thing. Rather, we greet each other like this."

He placed his hands together, as if in prayer. Summer and Raven followed suit- taking their cue, Jaune did as well. Torchwick shrugged and placed his together, while Oscar hurried to fall in line, as if afraid of being reprimanded otherwise.

Finally, Ozpin lowered his hands. "Tell me, where is Qrow? I much desire to speak with him."

Jaune's face fell, which seemed to tell the three newcomers everything they needed to know. "...I see." Ozpin bowed his head, adjusting his glasses.

"Qrow... no!" Summer's eyes glimmered with tears.

Raven said nothing, looking pointedly away, keeping her emotions to herself.

"You could show some tears for your own brother, you bitch," Yang snarled.

"Not everyone expresses grief the same way," Blake decided to play Devil's Advocate. "I think she might really be broken up, but she doesn't think showing it will help, so... she keeps it to herself."

Yang huffed, but let the issue drop.

"If only we'd gotten here faster!" Summer balled her hands into fists.

"Try not to think of such things," Ozpin instructed gently. "Fate is akin to gravity- it can be manipulated on a small scale, but never truly defied. He knew this, and I'm sure he went to his fate with pride."

"He... he did," Jaune agreed, choking up slightly at the memory.

Ozpin nodded. "For now, we must turn our attention to this Adam. Qrow gave his life attempting to undo his wicked might- we will not allow his death to be in vain."

"You'd better not!" Yang agreed.

"Four Hamon masters against one vampire? I like those odds!" Nora smirked.

The camera abruptly cut to a house within Hienton, where Oscar was getting smacked across the face by his father. "And what sort of time do you call this, boy?! Do you have any idea how worried Em and I were about you?!"

"Again with the slapping!" Yang winced.

"Corporal punishment was far more common back in the day," Blake pointed out once again. "I'm sure Oscar is just glad he's not a zombie."

"But what about his sister?!" Ruby fretted.

Oscar seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Father- where is Em? Is she home?"

"She went out looking for you!"

Oscar froze in horror. "She... she went out?!"

Torchwick and the Hamon masters were standing outside, listening to the exchange- hearing about Oscar's sister, a grim look crossed their faces.

His father's voice shifted from anger to concern. "Oscar, is there something wrong? You're acting strange."

Oscar stepped away slowly. "Em... EM!" Without another thought, he rushed out the door, ignoring his father's protests.

"And what do you think you'll be able to do, you foolish child?!" Weiss's tone had the same angered worry as Oscar's father.

"Then again, with zombies all around, perhaps travelling with a group of Hamon masters really is the safest place," Pyrrha pointed out fairly.

The camera returned to Adam's throne room, where he sat with a pair of dogs on his lap- dogs with the heads of humans, one of which was sneering and cackling at a woman near a large window. She wasn't looking out- she was looking at the man on the throne and his unorthodox pets with a mixture of terror and disgust.

"What... the everloving... fu-dge," Yang performed a last-second word swap when she remembered Ruby sitting right next to her.

"Some sort of... chimeras." Even Ren sounded a little nauseous. "Likely made as a test of his powers."

"Yes... that sounds right," Blake admitted. "Why not play God if he thinks he can?"

"Will you not draw closer?" Adam glanced at her. "There's no need to fear. Take this flower, for instance." He reached over into a vase at his throne's side, and produced a single rose. "It blooms, just as you do in your youth. However, once it reaches full bloom, all that is left is for it to... wither away." He sapped the heat from his hand- the rose quickly froze over, wilting on the spot. "Surely, you don't wish such a fate for yourself, do you?"

"Yessss... still sixteen! So pure and innocent!" drooled the man-dog on Adam's lap. "So full of delicious life!"

"Urgh... can he not?" Nora shuddered.

"Don't worry, Nora, I won't let him near you," Ren promised quietly.

Surprisingly, though, it was Adam who dealt with him first- he thrust his knee up, causing the man-dog to fly into the air, then to the ground, where he crushed it beneath his boot. "Very ill-mannered, that McCormick," he grunted. "I don't think I'll be making more of these chimeras- those without proper manners are not fit to live."

Far from being reassured, Em finally looked away, turning her gaze out of the window.

"Somehow, I'm not exactly reassured," Weiss crossed her arms.

Adam rose to his feet and began advancing on the crying woman. "Now... allow me, if you will, to offer a chance to enjoy that youth for all eternity. A beauty that will neither wilt nor fade. Others would force such things upon you- I, however, merely extend the offer."

"Yes, I'm sure there's no coercion involved at all," Blake grimaced.

"This is a fate you must choose for yourself."

Em looked down to the ground. "You're the Devil..."

"Hm?" Adam leaned closer. "Care to repeat that?"

Em smacked his face away from hers. "I said you're the Devil! Let my life be taken before I give you power over me!"

"You tell him!" Nora cheered.

"Indeed... but I'm afraid he'll be very keen to take her up on that offer," Ren pointed out.

Adam did not lose his smirk as he straightened up. Her slap had managed to draw some blood from the edge of his lip, which he casually licked back up. "If that is your wish."

Em suddenly became conscious of a strange liquid dripping down on her from above. She began to shake as she slowly looked up to spy a man hanging from the ceiling, his head beneath a burlap sack- there were holes in it through which the liquid was seeping.

"You heard the lady, Dughall. She's all yours," Adam waved a careless hand as he left the chamber.

"What... what is that thing?" Ruby's eyes widened.

"Another chimera, I think it's safe to say," Weiss decided, trying to hide her shuddering.

'Dughall' flipped over as he landed on the ground- something was moving around beneath that burlap sack, seemingly random bulges attempting to escape.

It raised a massive arm and swung at her- she narrowly dodged and turned to run, but quickly found herself cornered. It reached out to grab her...

Just as an anvil came slamming into that head from above.

"Okay, where did they get an anvil?!" Weiss threw her arms up in exasperation. Nobody answered.

Dughall thrashed and screamed. "Who... who dares...?!"

Up above, a skylight had been smashed in, through which peered four Hamon masters, Torchwick, and Oscar. Jaune seemed to have been the one to launch the offensive. "Sit and wonder!" he ordered fiercely. "I have no reason to give my name to the likes of you!"

"He's such a lame classic hero, and I love it soooooo much!" Ruby squealed.

"Em!" Oscar cried.

"Oscar?" Em looked up in surprise at her brother's voice.

Ignoring both, Jaune leapt down towards Dughall, who turned immediately towards him. The burlap sack tore apart, revealing no head at all, but a gigantic nest of snakes that lashed out, digging their venemous fangs into Jaune's face.

"Oh, that's not right... Renny, that's not right at all!" Nora whimpered.

When the two landed on the ground, Jaune quickly examined his injuries, while Dughall began an ecstatic dance. "Bit you, bit you!"

Jaune, however, did not look at all panicked. "Good grief... I don't have time for these games. I'm here for Adam!"

As Dughall struck again, Jaune caught the snakes between his fingers, sending the glow of Hamon into them. They suddenly turned upon the being of which they were a part, biting into it instead, spreading the Hamon further and further, until there was nothing left of the monstrosity but dust.

"Yeah... I think we're done playing around," Jaune agreed with his other. "No more shields- just Adam."

Another deep breath, and the venom injected by the serpents left through the very wounds through which it had entered.

Summer cheered as she leapt down next to him. "Nice work, kiddo!" she grinned. "I can see Qrow taught you well!"

"More than that," Torchwick grunted as he leapt down after them. "He gave the kid all his Hamon- all his life energy before he died."

Oscar ignored all the adults, leaping towards his sister and pulling her into a hug. "Big Sis Em!"

"I love a happy reunion!" Yang wiped a tear from her eye.

"Yeah," Ruby agreed, tightening her grip on her own sister.

Finally, Ozpin and Raven made their entrance. As one, all the adults shared a look. This is it- we're not leaving this place until Adam is dead.

They stepped through the doors Adam had just left through and found themselves in a great hall, with two curved staircases leading up to a balcony overlooking it all. At the top was Adam, whose eyes widened upon seeing his new guests.

"Adam," Jaune stepped forward. "I'm back from Hell."

"Hmm... I suppose congratulations are in order." Adam did not betray the shock in his eyes in his voice. "You standing here must mean you defeated Dedue and Legume."

"Upset your human shields failed?" Nora sneered.

"Come down here and fight, Adam!" Jaune roared.

"Oh, now, Jaune, I could never bring myself to hurt my dear brother!" Adam objected in a tone of wide-eyed innocence. He then snapped his fingers. "Come, my zombie soldiers- kill my brother."

Zombies began flooding into the chamber. Torchwick raised his cane and struck a zombie's head off, while the Hamon masters leapt into action, all glowing.

Jaune spied a zombie approaching Torchwick from behind, and on instinct, threw his sword towards it- he impaled it from behind, but did not turn to dust. "What? I placed Hamon in the blade-"

"Well, there's something my brother failed to teach you!" Raven called. "Hamon travels through organic things- things that are, or were, alive! It can travel through metal, too, but you must maintain contact- like so!"

She leapt onto a chandelier, and cut its binds to the ceiling. It came crashing down, glowing as she held on, until it bound and destroyed no less than ten zombies at once- however, the second she leapt away from it, the glow vanished.

"Okay... that was kinda cool," Yang admitted begrudgingly.

"Not as cool as that!" Ruby cheered.

Summer had leapt in the air, running on top of the zombies' heads as she made her way to the steps. "This one's mine!" she yelled. "He'll pay for what he did to Qrow!"

Jaune, who was busy trying to force his own way to the steps, called after her. "Wait- there's something you don't know about him!"

Summer had no ears for him- she had her eyes on the door through which Adam had retreated- she channeled Hamon into her legs as she kicked it open, revealing a large balcony overlooking a vast cliffside. It was lit by two large flaming braziers, between which stood her target. He turned to look at her. "Oh? And here I was expecting Arc to make it to me, if anyone at all."

Summer glared at him as she moved forward. Qrow... now's the time for me to avenge you!

"I... suddenly have a bad feeling," Weiss whispered. "Ruby, my shoulder."

"You too, Yang!" Blake picked up immediately.

"No, I wanna see Mom kick Adam's butt!" Ruby objected.

Summer leapt into the air and plunged towards Adam, just as she had towards Jaune earlier- just like Jaune, Adam caught her feet with ease, and just like before, she immediately spread her legs apart, forcing his arms apart as well. This time, she had her own arms crossed as she grinned. "You fell for it, fool! Thunder Cross Split Attack!"

She called it just as Jaune finally appeared in the doorway. "Summer, wait-"

He was too late- just as he had to Qrow before, Adam froze both of Summer's legs on contact. But it didn't stop at her limbs- bit by bit, the ice creeped over her entire body until only her head was still active.

"Wait- shit, that's right!" Yang cursed. "Quick, Jaune, save her!"

"Mom!" Ruby cried.

Even Jaune was shocked. He... he's grown even stronger since our last encounter!

"Muda, muda, muda, muda!" Adam smirked. "You truly thought you could defeat I, Adam, with such feeble tactics?! All you've come all this way for is to die like a dog!"

He flexed his arms, and crushed Summer's entire body between them, sending all that remained of her- her head- into a nearby vase of roses.

"MOOOOOOOM!" Ruby cried.

"No... not again..." Yang looked down.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry..." Jaune apologized.

"It wasn't your other's fault, Jaune," Pyrrha insisted quickly. "He did everything he could to save her! This is all Adam's fault, and nobody else's!"

"Now that the rabble is out of the way," Adam smirked, turning back towards Jaune. "Hmm... I thought you'd make it up here. I didn't want you to- the thought of turning you into a zombie didn't strike me as appealing. It would have been far easier on both of us if you'd allowed my knights to kill you. But if you insist on pestering me like this, I will cast aside all my inhibitions!"

"As have I," Jaune agreed, all compassion gone from his eyes, leaving only a cold fury. "As a gentleman, it pains me to say it, but I feel only hatred for you now- I will strike you down for every life you have taken or corrupted!"

Adam was lowering himself into an aggressive pose when something struck him across the face- a glowing rose that sliced his cheek and knocked the bone mask to the ground, revealing his cold blue eyes, like chips of ice. Both men looked, startled, to see Summer's head still moving from its bed of roses.

"Summer!" Jaune gasped.

Summer met his gaze with her own- she wasn't sad, or angry, instead offering him a gentle smile just as life finally left her eyes.

"Mom... she's still trying to help him, even as she's dying..." Ruby cried.

"Yeah... that was her in a nutshell," Yang agreed. The only reason either of them seemed to still be functioning was the comforting presence of their respective partners.

"You... you dare scar my face?!" Adam's face, previously a veneer of perfect calm, twisted with rage. "You dare touch me with Hamon, filthier than frog urine?!"

"There's his real face," came a voice from the doorway- it was Torchwick, finally having made his own ascent through the zombies. "Just like I thought- likes to play it cool, but rattle his cage a little, and the true self comes out!"

"Torchwick!" Jaune yelped. "Go back! It isn't safe here!"

"I'm just here to play delivery boy!" Torchwick countered, producing the sword Jaune had lost earlier and throwing it to him.

Jaune caught it deftly, and turned towards Adam. "With her last breath, Summer taught me the way to get around your flash-freezing! This strike... is for her!" The sword began to glow. "With Dedue's sword of Luck and Pluck, I will be your executioner!"

"You'd better," Yang snarled. "Jaune, you had better!"

Torchwick looked back at the hall, where Ozpin and Raven were continuing to slaughter all the zombies before they could interfere with the battle above. He then turned his gaze towards Jaune and Adam. Adam's quick as a leopard, strong enough to pulverize bones with a glancing blow- but Jaune's got all of his strength plus Qrow's! This battle may just come down to who gets the first blow...

The brothers spent a full ten seconds glaring at each other before Adam made the first move. "Your time has come, Arc!" Adam screamed.

"I will purge the world of your evil!" Jaune countered. He held up a handful of roses and threw them at his oncoming assailant, each glowing with Hamon.

"You- you bastard!" Adam roared. "You picked those up when I wasn't looking?!"

"A gift from Summer!" Jaune agreed fiercely.

Adam managed to swat them all out of the air, freezing them one-by-one... and by so doing left himself open when he landed, a chance Jaune did not waste, dashing forward, slicing Adam's arm off as he rose the sword, then bringing it back down, cleaving his opponent almost completely in two.

"He's done it!" Torchwick grinned. "Adam's been defe-"

He paused when, to his baffled eyes, Adam's remaining arm continued moving, pressing half his body against the other, and his body began to reform, knitting back together with only a scar to show there had been any injury at all. "Wrong," he smirked.

"GODDAMMIT, JUST DIE ALREADY!" Yang roared.

"What will it take?!" Nora cried.

Jaune looked down, and found that his sword was now stuck in Adam's torso- frozen completely solid, along with his arms.

"Muda, muda, muda!" Adam sneered, raising his arm and pressing it into Jaune's neck. "It's time for you to become one of my creatures of the night, Arc. Remain still, let it happen- or else, I will break your carotid artery, and let you pass from this world altogether!"

"You clearly don't know the Arcs- we never give up!" Jaune growled.

His other followed suit, attempting to drive his knee into Adam's groin, but Adam blocked that with his own knee, and soon, Jaune's leg was frozen as well. He placed his other foot on Jaune's remaining foot and began freezing that.

"Give it up, Arc!" Adam repeated. "Accept my gift of life eternal, lest your thread be broken here and now!"

"The hell you will!" Torchwick snarled, hoisting his cane and preparing to rush in- but he faltered when he saw Adam's severed arm moving.

"Zombies! Keep this peasant back for a moment!"

Still more creatures shambled towards Torchwick, forcing him onto the defensive.

"You... haven't won, Adam..." Jaune forced out- and, despite his labored words, his lips were lifting into a smile.

"Have I not?"

"No... in your eagerness to feed on me, you didn't freeze me completely. That... would have stopped my Hamon altogether."

Behind Adam, the tip of Pluck was sticking into one of the flaming braziers, where the ice was rapidly thawing, and a very familiar glow was beginning to return.

"Gotcha!" Nora grinned. "Eat that, bastard!"

The heat was conducting down the blade, into Jaune's arms, rapidly thawing them as well.

The second Adam realized what was happening, he pulled his fingers from Jaune's neck and pushed him forcefully away, taking the blade with him- the tip broke off and clattered to the ground, but Jaune paid that no mind, taking immediate advantage of the opening. "Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!" He delivered a punch directly to Adam's cheek- but before the Hamon could go through, Jaune's arm was once more turned to ice. Dammit! It's so fast- I only bruised his face!

"It... really is starting to look hopeless," Blake admitted. "He just can't get the Hamon in quick enough."

"He'll find a way!" Nora insisted. "He always does!"

"As ever, you underestimate me, Arc," Adam smirked- tendrils emerged from the stump of his shoulder, reaching out and grabbing his arm, quickly fastening it back. "I'll admit it, I admire your tenacity- your use of the flames was inspired. But there is nothing beyond my icy grasp! A single touch is all I need to rend all your power muda muda muda muda MUDA MUDA!"

Jaune glared as he took a deep breath- a foul green liquid was forced out of the injury in his neck.

"What's that?" Weiss asked, wrinkling her nose.

"At a guess, the vampiric essence Adam was attempting to use to convert Jaune into a zombie," Ren speculated. "He used his Hamon to force it out."

As Jaune struck another fighting stance, Adam laughed. "Still trying to fight, Arc? A monkey challenging a god? That's all you humans are to me now! Simple MONKEYS!"

"You're wrong!" Jaune stood firm, the familiar glow running throughout his body. "As humans, we have the power of resolve! With resolve, we have the ability to do anything! To grow! To adapt! It's time you learned the power of those you left behind!"

Adam leapt in the air and towards Jaune, who wound up a punch- he spun around, and pressed his knuckles into one of the braziers lining the balcony. The flame instantly latched onto his gloves and began to spread.

"That dolt is lighting himself on fire?!" Weiss panicked.

"No, he's right!" Pyrrha realized. "That may just be the only way to beat him!"

"This is my final technique, Adam! Crimson Flame Overdrive!"

He swung his fists towards Adam's chest- Adam attempted to block with his hands, already freezing over, but just as Jaune intended, the fire melted the ice as quickly as it could appear. At last, Jaune broke through, and punched a hole clear into Adam's chest, his fist coming out on the other side.

"Got him!" Ruby cheered.

"WRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Adam cried in agony as he was cast back off of the balcony. He was already beginning to dissolve from where Jaune's fist had made its mark- the arm that had previously been severed went spinning off into the night, crumbling as it went- it would not be returning to him again.

The pain- it BURNS! This wasn't supposed to happen! My reign was meant to be eternal!

"Here's the world's smallest violin, playing 'My Heart Bleeds Purple Piss' just for you," Yang snarled.

As he fell, Jaune collapsed to his knees. "It... it had to be done. It had to..."

"Even now... he still feels bad about it," Pyrrha lamented.

Suddenly, Adam's eyes lit up- it seemed as though his irises were opening, blooming like a flower as a beam fired from them, ripping through the air, over Jaune's head and, with a swipe, slicing off the tip of the castle's roof.

"What was that?!" Nora immediately put her guard back up.

"One last desperate attempt to take Jaune with him," Ren surmised. "He's not coming back."

Jaune's eyes widened. "Firing essence from his eyes? If I hadn't fallen... it may have pierced my brain!"

"The last throes of a demon, pathetically clinging to its life within this world," came Raven's assessment as she ascended the steps.

Torchwick looked over the balcony, watching as Adam continued to dissolve as he tumbled into darkness. "He's gone... he's gone! It's done!"

"Finally!" Yang collapsed back into her seat.

"Maybe... maybe Mom can be at peace now," Ruby gave a sad smile.

"I'm sure she is, Ruby," Weiss smiled, patting her on the head.

The only person who didn't seem relieved was Jaune- tears were leaking from his eyes. "Adam..."

He turned and took two steps before collapsing onto the ground.

"He fainted!" Oscar yelped, rushing to his side.

"Just tired, kid," Torchwick assured him. "As he should be after a fight like that."

"But... why? Why is he crying for the bad guy?"

Torchwick reached into a pocket and produced a cigar. "They were brothers, once. No matter how evil that bastard was, part of him just can't let it go." A smile spread across his face as he lit up. "Which just means I'll have to be happy enough for the both of us!"

He took his hat off and threw it into the air. "You watching, Qrow? Summer? The kid did it! Adam's dead! Nobody will ever believe his story, but Jaune Arc saved the world tonight!"

XXXX

And then everybody lived happily ever after and nothing bad ever happened again, the end! Assuming Trico will give me time to actually finish the next episode, it should be up on Halloween, as planned, where nothing bad happens, and we get a quick link to the next act of Jaune's Bizarre Adventure, which, as per overwhelming feedback, will be continuing in another YAM spinoff, Yet Another Bizarre Adventure! The entire first act being here, we'll be starting with the second. Should be nice and cheerful, since nothing bad happens between now and then. No reason you should go hollow, so don't you dare- Gamer4 out.