Jared's Diary (CANCELLED)

by JLyman

This... is my diary. Nothing special... Except when you have your favorite characters living inside your house, and possibly everyone else from your favorite shows living on Earth! I hope nothing bad happens... I just jinxed myself, didn't I? :( Expect some comedy, action, drama, romance, and most importantly a slice of life. (Self Insert... literally)

8. Halloween

Finally! The time has come!

Happy Halloween, everyone! And Happy Birthday, Ruby Rose!

But before we begin this entry, I just have to thank all for those who participated in my poll. Without you, I would've been in a flux on who should I be shipped with in my life. And now, without further a do, here are the FINAL results of the poll:

Harem: 15 plus 6 = 21

Ruby: 18 plus 2 = 20

Yang: 10 plus 2 = 12

Weiss: 5 plus 1 = 6

Blake: 5

Velvet: 5

Neo: 5

Glynda: 4

Amber: 4

Penny: 3

Winter: 2

Pyrrha: 2

Emerald: 0 Plus 2 = 2

Coco: 1

Ilia: 1

Cinder: 1

Raven: 1

Sienna: 1

HAREM WINS!

...Well, this is new. Even though the results were close, I gotta say I have never done a harem fanfic before. From where I am right now, I don't know how many girls are gonna be in the harem. It might vary, to say the least. But Team RWBY is definitely gonna be a part of it.

But overall, this is gonna be challenging for me.

Anyway, lets answer your reviews:

Dark Crimger: 1.) I'm not blaming you. I'm just making my own opinion on it. That's all.

2.) Well in that case, get ready to experience Ruby's most epic surprise party! ;)

3.) Thanks; you'll see something like that again in the future.

4.) Thanks again; I'll let you know when I need help.

P.S.) That's going to be difficult to answer, because whenever I'm close to finishing a new chapter for the "Z Fighters" story, I always get like this 'bug'. Like, the page freezes and then the website crashes. It's frustrating.

BlazefireDrago: Thanks for the compliment. Though, for the fan art and fan-fiction, I'll now most likely put their reactions in my shorts. TBH, I have never read your crossover story but since you told me not to let Blake and Yang read it, I have a feeling that there's gonna be a negative affect on those two? I don't know. I could be wrong. But good luck on your story, though.

Interstellar Industries: *chuckles* Good one. :) I think the town your referring to is the one in the Caribbean? I'll most likely have them react to the old pirate day music in one of my Omakes. I think Nora will be affected the most. And also, thanks for the compliment. I actually have seen a couple of 'On Earth' fanfics where the main OC is pretty emotional. But, I don't blame them. They're just trying to make their stories good. I do appreciate you seeing me as one of the lucky ones, though.

Jerry (Guest): Well, he is on Earth; along with everyone else. So, you'll definitely get to see him... if I find him, that is. I hope I do.

KingArthur3: Well, were at a tie between Ruby and Harem. So, you know what to do.

DragonWalkerDEW (Guest): 1.) I'll now most likely have their reactions to fan-fiction in my Omakes. I'll probably have them first react to ElfCollaborator's "Weiss Reacts".

2.) For last entry, I was talking about last week. This year, Rooster Teeth is doing RWBY releases differently. On Saturdays, they release their episodes for FIRST members; which are basically premium members to the Rooster Teeth website. On Tuesday, the episode is release to free members of the website and on VRV; an anime-watching app. But then, on NEXT Saturday, the episode is released on YouTube. I hope this resolves any confusion.

3.) I think I already see your votes on my poll...

4.) For your second review, the Achievement Hunter video that was featured in my first entry is called "Chopper vs. Chopper X". It's hilarious!

P.S.) Maybe I'll show that in my shorts...

Lazy Disappointment: Review 1.) Not really...

Review 2.) I actually just answered your question...

S.D.R the Fifth: I'll do that as an omake. It could be hilarious, but it also could be shocking to the cast.

Guest (1): Your vote has been counted.

Guest (2): Your votes have also been counted; but I had to choose two out of the three you picked since you reviewed, the limit was up to 2 characters... Actually, ignore that last part. I'm gonna count them all.

Guest (3): Your votes have all been counted.

jruiz82: For your first question, Part One of my diary is gonna last until next summer. I got a lot of plot to cover, in fact the plot is gonna be set into motion in this entry. For your second question, I have already released the omake of your request. For your P.S. note,... that's actually an interesting theory. I haven't even thought about it, though, your theory could be true.

And now, here is the Halloween entry!

1/3/2020: This entry has been revised. Expect some changes, editing, and a brand new character.

---

Halloween.

The scariest time of the year.

I would always agree upon that when I was little.

I would get scared by the vampires, skeletons, werewolves, zombies, and other horrific monsters.

This was also a time where my family and I would enjoy ourselves.

We would always go out in the night in our selected costumes and do some trick or treating in the neighborhood. Me and my sister would always get these different types of candy and wallow up eating most of it afterward.

But, nothing lasts forever.

As we got older, we eventually stopped doing trick or treating and we would stay home and do some casual stuff like we always do.

Ultimately, Halloween became less scarier for me.

I'll be honest, I miss the tradition.

I do miss trick or treating and I do miss the good times my family had.

But I knew it would be weird for a grown-up like me to still go out in costume and go up to people's doors and ask them for candy. It just wouldn't feel right, you know?

Thankfully, in this year particularly, 2017, there was something that me, my family, and even my friends could do.

Halloween is also Ruby's birthday.

We all had took it upon ourselves to set up a birthday party that she will never forget, and we got everything ready for this special day.

I can still remember the warm, bright smile we brought to her face.

...However, I can also still remember the then unforeseen events.

---

October 31st, 2017

6:10pm

Well, what a day this will be.

It's that time of the year again. The spookiest, scariest day of the year:

Halloween.

Now, if I were a little boy, I would dress myself up and my family and I would go to the closest packed neighborhood, so me and my sister would go trick or treating.

Well, I would.

But sadly, I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm 17 now and my childhood is almost over.

But, at least I got to dress up for school today. My school does this every year. They would allow the students to dress up as their favorite characters and go to class as them. And, as the year before, I dressed up as Daryl from The Walking Dead.

You thought that I was gonna dress up as a character from RWBY, did you? Well, I wish. But the costumes are expensive; especially the replicas of their weapons. My parents wouldn't afford it.

Speaking of RWBY, I think I should give you my analysis for the second episode of Volume 5:

First; Professor Lionheart's connections with Salem. As of this episode, it has been confirm: Lionheart is working for Salem. I always had this grudge when I saw that final scene in Volume 4; excluding the post credits scene. Looks like it came true. I think a lot of fans had the same feeling, as well. And I know that a lot of them are just angry at what the Haven Headmaster is doing. But, when I looked at that scene, I also had a feeling that Lionheart was afraid. Afraid of what Salem could do to him, if he fails. That's definitely an example of why he's alluded to the Cowardly Lion in the first place. I can guarantee that none of our heroes are gonna like this, when they find out.

Second; Weiss's battle with the Lance Grimm. It was awesome; especially her fight with the Queen! But still, it was tense. I believe that she had never faced a Lance Grimm before; those are the wasp Grimm FYI. It was still cool, though. But even so, her fight came at a cost: the ship she was in took too much damage. I guess you know what happens after that, if you watch the episode. But, I'll get back to it at the end.

Thrid; Adam's coup. Sienna Khan was an interesting character. And if you know RWBY by heart, then you guess right on her character traits: she hates humans, and she wants Faunas equality by using violent methods. But there was one thing, though. Even though she uses violent methods, she does not like it too much. She wants the humans to recognize them, not start a war with them; hence why she didn't like Adam's faction's involvement with the Fall of Beacon. But, we all know what happens after. Adam Taurus would agree with her methods, but he wanted something more than that. He wanted the extinction of all humans. And that was Sienna's tragic flaw. She died in an instant; which, to be honest, actually made me feel irritated. Adam's coup was so simple. I thought that this was gonna happen at the end of the Volume. There has to be more to this. There's got to be! For Sienna to be the leader of the White Fang, she must have had something that made her have this role for a long period of time! I hope I'm right about this! But in the end, this goes to show another reason why we hate Adam.

Fourth; Cinder's anger towards Ruby. Now, we all know why she's mad at her. But this could be another weakness. I don't know why, but this could lead to her death. Cinder's rage towards Ruby could lead to Ruby unleashing her powers yet again and defeating the Fall Witch once and for all. I may be wrong, since this just came into my mind. But, look on the bright side, at least Cinder has got her voice back.

Fifth; Tyrian. Not much was said about this topic. But, we did get to hear that Salem wants to speak with him. By the expression on her face, we can tell that she is angry at Tyrian, after she learned that Qrow was still alive; since Tyrian did poisoned him after all. But, we also learned that Tyrian may be getting a new tail soon, since Ruby cut off the last one. I wonder how that's gonna happen? Things may get disturbing, later on...

And sixth; Weiss's capture by Raven's tribe. After her ship was crashed, Weiss was found by Raven and a couple of unknown characters... and Raven stomped her foot on the former heiress; right after. Guess Raven doesn't like the SDC, as well. Anyway, this has brought up a theory, and this might most likely come true. With Weiss in captivity with Raven's tribe, Yang looking for her mother, and RNJR, Qrow, and probably Oscar as well, attempting to retrieve the Spring Maiden, all of this could potentially lead to one of the biggest moments in Volume 5: most of Team RWBY reuniting with each other in the same place. If you want my opinion, I can totally see this coming!

And so, another great episode has passed. I gotta say, some people, even though they were minor characters, have been killed in this episode. It was kinda hard for me to watch. But, I know that RWBY isn't what it used to be; like it was in the beginning of the web series itself. Things have changed, now. And it's gonna be like this throughout the rest of the series. I'm just gonna have to bear with it.

Anyway, back to Halloween. Ever since earlier this month, I found out that Halloween does exist on Remnant. So I'm pretty sure that some from Team RWBY and JNPR would be interested in going trick or treating. Actually, now that I think about it, if Halloween exists on Remnant, then perhaps Thanksgiving and Christmas exists there, as well. I wonder-

"JARED!"

I jumped out of my seat from the sound of the girl's voice. But, as I landed, my feet had the wrong footing. I slipped and landed my head hard on the floor.

"...Sorry," Ruby weakly said, cringing as I slowly got up.

"Ooowwwww," I groaned. I was sitting next to my computer, writing down the events of the day, when Ruby burst into my room and shouted my name out with glee. I looked up at her, who was scratching the back of her head and, even though the back of my head was in pain, I smirked, "My, you must be excited?"

"Oh?," Ruby sound confused. But quickly after, her eyes lit up and a bright smile spread on her face. "Oh, right! Right! Jared, do you know what today is!?"

As I began thinking about the answer, I slowly got up from the floor. "Hallowe-"

"IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!" Ruby cheered.

I acted surprised by her answer. Keyword 'acted'. I knew today was her birthday. In fact, I told you about this at the end of my last entry. Me, Emily, JNPR, and most of RWBY had been planning for this day to come.

You can say that this was the day we've been waiting for. ;)

"Wow, really!?" I acted. Ruby smiled more and happily nodded. Looks like she bought it. "Happy birthday, Ruby!"

Ruby smiled at the compliment.

"And to think that your birthday is also on the same day as Halloween! You are one lucky girl, Ruby!" I smiled.

I now noticed a pink dusting growing on her cheeks, as Ruby intertwine her fingers. "Oh, stop it," she blushed, swaying from the joy inside her. "I wanted to tell you earlier this morning. But since you were going to school, I figured that it was best to tell you now than... you know."

Oh yah. I should've told you this last entry but, two weeks ago, me and my sister started driving to school on our own. We got our parking permit, so we were allowed to use the parking lot at the front of the building. First time for everything, huh? But sadly, only my sister was legal to drive us there and back. I still haven't got my license and, with winter coming (the season, not the character), it's gonna be hard for my parents to set up a date for my driving test.

I suddenly noticed Ruby's smile slowing turning into a frown. I acted worried, "What is it, Ruby?"

Ruby looks up at me; her eyebrows lowered and her lips lowering even more. "It's just that... ...none of my friends seem to care about my birthday," she answered.

I acted surprised again. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I told everyone that today was my birthday. But, for some reason, they just shrugged it off," Ruby answered. Deep down, I was grinning. This was all going according to plan. I knew her friends were as excited as much as she and I are. That's why they were acting like this. They wanted Ruby to get into this mood so that they can surprise her.

Call it cliche, I guess. But it would've worked.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I frowned. I then put on a sad smile. "But, look on the bright side, at least you're 16 now."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ruby sweatdropped... Huh, so they can do that here, as well.

"Well, a girl turning 16 is something very special," I said.

"Whoa, really!?" Ruby had stars in her eyes.

"Yah. You see, when a girl turns 16, they have reached the next stop into becoming a woman. It's a tradition we do here on Earth," I explained. "Tell you what, how 'bout we talk more about this downstairs and maybe we can set up something fun for later this year?"

"But, shouldn't we do something for today?" Ruby asked, as we begin walking.

"Well, we can't set up everything in one day. My parents learn that the hard way one time when me and my sister's birthdays were nearing," I answered.

I wasn't sure if this was true. I mean, most of the time, my parents plan things for me and Emily's birthdays in secret. But, as we got older, they tend to do something light; except last year, when we turn 16. Never forgetting those days... :)

"That must've been a doozy," Ruby said, as we walked down the stairs.

"Yah, it was," I agreed. But as we came downstairs, we noticed that the lights in the kitchen were off.

"Why are the lights-" Ruby was about to ask, until suddenly...

"SURPRISE!"

The lights in the kitchen were turn on and everyone jumped out of their hiding places.

Ruby gasps loudly, and covers her mouth, at the sight in front of her.

Halloween themed decorations on the walls were seen; including a 'Happy Birthday' sign that hung between the poles that held the upper floor. A birthday cake and a pumpkin pie were laid out on the dining table; the candles on both of them unlit. Presents were laid out on the metal table in the middle of the room.

I then put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Did you really think that your friends would forget about your birthday?" I said.

"Yeah, Rubes. What do you think we are? Chopped liver?" Yang playfully smirked.

"We are your teammates, you know? You should know that this would've happen," Blake joins with Yang.

"It's important to remember someone's birthday," Weiss smiled.

"Plus, to have a birthday on Halloween? How could we ignore that?" Jaune said.

"It was obvious that we had to do something special for you," Pyrrha smiles cheerily.

"Yah, and I helped!" Nora cheered.

"We all helped, Nora," Ren reassured her.

"B-B-B-But-" Ruby stuttered. She was just stunned by the fact that all of this was happening right in front of her.

I totally understood what she was saying. "Well, it wasn't easy," I started.

---

October 21st, 2017

11:34am

"Make sure Ruby doesn't come up here," I spoke to my sister.

I had everyone, except Ruby, in my room to talk about the said red hooded girl's birthday. I had Emily guard my door, so that Ruby wouldn't come in and ruin the surprise. Some of them were pretty confused as to why we had to discuss something important in my bedroom.

My sister nodded in approval and I closed the door. I then turned towards the rest of Team RWBY and Team JNPR, who were all looking back at me.

"So, what does this have to do with Ruby?" Pyrrha asked.

I began, "Well, as you all know, Halloween is coming up. And that means we have to prepare for our party."

"Party?" everyone said in sync.

I nodded.

"Then, why are we not telling this to Ruby?" Ren asked.

"Because Halloween is also Ruby's birthday," I explained.

"Wait, hold on. How did you know my sister's birthday is on Halloween?" Yang menacingly pointed a finger at me.

"RWBY Chibi," I answered. "She was pretty excited, as well. She actually took it for granted for... well anything."

"Wait, what?" everyone said at once, again.

"Yah, but in the end, all of you backstabbed her and dressed her up as a trash can," I said.

"That sounds totally pathetic," Weiss countered.

"Well, not lying," I said, as I shook my head. I guess the Halloween special of RWBY Chibi didn't happen.

"Okay so, you know Ruby's birthday. But, how do you want to plan this out?" Blake asked.

"Well, that's why I brought you all here; so we can discuss on making this year Ruby's best birthday ever," I explained.

"I'm guessing that you also know old Ruby is gonna be?" Yang raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

"Yep, and to add to that, her turning 16 is something very special," I answered.

"How so?" Pyrrha asked.

"On Earth, when a girl turns 16, they go through a huge celebration known as a 'Sweet 16'. All the members of the family, and the girl's friends, come and celebrate for her first step into adulthood," I explained.

"Wow! For a girl to turn 16, that must be a great moment of their lives," Nora smiled.

"It definitely is. When my sister turn 16, my family planned a huge vacation for us. It was awesome!" I remembered. Again, I'm never forgetting those days... "And I suggest we do something as big for Ruby's 'Sweet 16'."

"Alright, I'm up for this. Anything for my sister," Yang smiled.

"Yes, me too. Ruby would definitely appreciate it, if I was involved," Weiss agreed.

"What could possibly go wrong?" Jaune smiles, while shrugging.

Everyone else gave their own simple agreements; which were very thankful. "Thanks, guys. Let's not let Ruby down," I pound my fist into my hand.

"Right!" everyone nodded.

"Alright, let's start on what should we include," I began.

"Cake, definitely!" Nora chirped up.

"Yes, definitely. And I know just the person who could bake one," I motioned towards my door.

They all looked at my door and quickly remembered my sister was on the other side. "Your sister bakes?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yep; she's been doing that for a few years now. She bakes cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and... maybe pies? I do know that she was self-taught," I explained. I was pretty sure that Emily does bake cakes and cupcakes, but I don't think I remember her baking a pie before. Actually, it has been a long time since she baked something. I think the last time was for my Mom's birthday.

"That's pretty impressive for someone her age," Weiss smiled; amused by my sister's talent. I'm not gonna argue about her cake butler; might leave some jealousy between Emily and Weiss.

"What about the decorations and the presents? Where are we gonna get that?" Ren asked.

"Well, for that... I think it's time I bring you all to Kingston. It's a small city that's east from here. You could say it's sort of like Vale," I explained.

"What does Kingston have?" Blake asked.

"Kingston contains a lot of shopping districts and restaurants. They even have a major shopping district known as a Mall. I think all of you would enjoy it," I explained again. Now that I'm thinking about it, if we ever do find Team CFVY, Coco would definitely love the Hudson Valley Mall. Period!... Maybe Weiss will like the Mall, as well.

"Do you think we will get the decorations and Ruby's presents in this 'Mall'?" Nora rubbed her chin.

"If Ruby insists on getting a part for her weapon or a new weapon entirely, then no; we can't get that. But, there are other things that Ruby has to be interested," I answered.

"Maybe, we can buy some of those first person shooters and fighting games that she's interested in," Yang suggested.

"Isn't Ruby also interested in Super Mario Odyssey?" I asked Yang. She nods in approval. I have heard that Ruby and everyone else had reacted to one of the trailers of the game. They were a bit flabbergasted in the beginning. But in the end, they all totally wanted to buy the game; just as much as I want it. "Great, so that'll also be on the list. Anything else?"

"How about new clothes? She seems to be wearing her regular clothes, her pajamas, and sometimes her student attires, every time we stay indoors. It's unhealthy," Weiss pointed out. She is right. Ruby has kept wearing the same clothes, every time I see her. There was even a time where she wore her regular attire a few days in a row. It may seem gross, but I think she's comfortable with her Remnant clothes more than the clothes my family gave her.

"Yah, your right. There may not be that much out there for her, but I think there's another pair of clothes that will make her feel comfortable in. I'll show you later online," I said. What I was referring to was Ruby's Volume 4 outfit. The style seemed perfect for her when I first saw the design online. I do wonder how she got that outfit in the first place though. I might find out later in the series. "Anything else?"

"How about we get new cookie mixes? She really likes cookies," Blake smiled. I smiled back at her. There are many cookie recipes out there for Ruby to try. She definitely must try the white chocolate chip cookies my mother makes. Those are delicious. :)

"Anything else?" I said yet again.

But before anyone could say anything, my father shouted from downstairs, "Alright, Jared and Emily! We're leaving in a half an hour, so get ready!"

"What's going on?" Ren asked, as they noticed me frowning.

"My Mom is going on a business trip to London tonight; it's a city that's located across the Atlantic Ocean. My family and I are going to drop her off at the airport, and then we were going to pick up my Abuelita. She'll be staying with us until Friday. We won't be back until late tonight, so think of more things that Ruby would enjoy for her birthday. Please, do not tell her anything about this," I explained.

They all nodded and started to head out of my bedroom. I then got myself ready and head downstairs for the events of that day.

---

October 26th, 2017

4:16pm

"Wow! This place is huge! No wonder you always go here!" Yang shouted, as we were standing in the middle of the largest building of Kingston.

For me, it was just an ordinary day coming to the mall. Normally, I would go to GameStop to buy some video games, go to the theatre and watch a movie with Dad, go to a certain clothes department and buy some new clothes, or go to one of the restaurants here and get something to eat.

For Teams RWBY and JNPR, the mall was a sight to see. This was there first time being in a building like this; so this was a whole new experience for them. They'll remember this day; for sure.

"Yah, I know. Amazing, right?" I smirked at everyone... well, almost everyone. Ruby did came with us, but Abuelita had her join up with her instead; since her being with us might put our plan in danger. They were actually in the same clothing when they visited my school.

"More like 'incredible'!" Nora smiled.

"This place really does feel suitable for attractions," Weiss smiled.

"Is that a movie theatre over there?" Jaune pointed at the Regal Cinemas theatre in front of us.

"Yep, that's actually where we're going to see Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League, and a few other movies later on," I answered. Usually, I would watch an action-adventure movie with my dad. But other times, we would watch animated comedy movies with the rest of the family.

"Oh man, I can't wait!" Nora squealed.

"Alright, everyone. We don't got all day, so find as many as you can for Ruby's birthday. I suggest we all split up and cover more ground; it will make things quicker for us. Write anything down you find that interests Ruby. Remember, we're only looking today. On Saturday, we'll buy the stuff we need. We'll rendezvous back here at 8pm," I explained.

"Good idea, but what if we don't find anything?" Pyrrha asked.

"Then we'll look again on Saturday," I answered. They already understood why we couldn't go on Friday, because my family had to drop off my Abuelita back in Brooklyn and then we have to pick up Mom at the airport. We would be gone for the rest of the day; when I get back from school.

"Well, in that case, I'm gonna go to that GameStop store," Yang headed towards the said video game store; with Jaune following.

"I'm gonna try and see if there's any good clothing departments," Weiss headed towards the other side of the mall; with Pyrrha following.

"I'm going to see if there's any bookstores here," Blake followed her teammate's directions.

"Me and Nora will see if there's any stores that have any recipes for cookies and other desserts," Ren started walking towards the former's directions; while Nora just skipped along with him. There wasn't that much to be seen in where we were, so that's why almost everyone headed towards the alleyway on my right.

"I'll go check on all of you, one at a time," I said to myself. But before I could, I heard my iPhone beeping in my pocket. I pulled it out, open the case, and turn on my screen. What I found was a text message from Emily:

Emily: I'm starting to bake the cake. Keep Ruby here until I'm done.

"She'll probably have enough time to finish it today," I muttered. Emily had to stay home to make Ruby's birthday cake. It's going to be easy for me to handle this, since what I saw from Ruby earlier, she seemed excited to go to the Mall. "I'll go see what Yang and Jaune are doing, first. They probably are looking at games that just came out, recently." I then started heading towards GameStop.

A few moments later, I walked inside the store and found Yang and Jaune at the Nintendo and PlayStation sections. Jaune noticed me walking in and greeted, "Hey, Jared. What's up?"

"Just checking on what you two are looking at, right now," I answered.

"But, we only been here for a minute," Yang gave me a deadpan look.

"Well, I just want to see if I can help out. That's all. I won't take your time, though. I will go and help the others, shortly," I said.

"No, it's alright. You can stay here as long as you want," Yang reassured me. I had noticed her eyes had flashed golden. That has happen more, lately... I wonder why this is happening to her.

"I do have a question, though," Yang broke out of my thoughts. "Where is Super Mario Odyssey? I don't see it, anywhere."

...Well, this is gonna be a bad start for this day.

"Actually,... that doesn't come out until tomorrow," I slowly answered.

"Are you serious!?" Yang shouted. I nodded, while putting on a meek face. "Aw man, that sucks."

"Well, your not the only one. A lot of people want this game so much, I believe that around midnight tonight, many people are gonna flood these stores," I theorized. Maybe not in this store, but I think that will happen at the Nintendo World store down in the city. I heard from critics that Super Mario Odyssey is really, really good. Every video game critic so far has given the game a near perfect to a complete perfect score! 10/10! Another magnum opus to the Mario franchise. ;) "But don't worry, we'll definitely get it on Saturday," I calmly stated.

"Oh, we better. Because my sister is definitely gonna be disappointed if we don't get this game for her birthday," Yang warned.

Not on my watch.

"What about this game?" Jaune joined back in, as he pulled out a specific game from the PlayStation section. "Will Ruby like this one?"

I looked closely at the game Jaune was holding. It showed characters from two different franchises on either side, heading straight towards each other. The game's logo was right above them. "Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite? Okay, that's sounds good. Ruby will appreciate this," I agreed. Even though this game came out a month ago, I had also wanted to get the game. But, at the time, the game was too expensive. So I waited, until now, for the price to lower a bit. And by the price I was seeing, it was enough.

Jaune nodded in approval and put the game back in the slot. I then pulled out a piece of paper and wrote the game title down.

5:21pm

"Okay, which dress do you think Ruby will like the most?" Weiss asked me, as she hold out two dresses in front of me... or combat skirts in her and Ruby's occasion.

After an hour of sightseeing with Jaune and Yang in GameStop, I decided to go and see what Weiss and Pyrrha were up to. Yang insisted on getting more games for Ruby, but I suggested that we should get the things that Ruby enjoys the most. Because, if we get like everything that Ruby enjoys, I'm not sure if we're gonna pay for it all. At least Yang agreed with me on it.

"Aren't they the same color?" I raised an eyebrow. Right now, we were in Macy's. So far, Weiss and Pyrrha had found a few clothes for Ruby; such as pajamas or regular clothes. But, there were a couple that Weiss wanted me to look at.

The said heiress looks both at the dresses she was holding. They may have the same red and black color, but... "Yes, but they have a different style," Weiss said. The one on the right was a literal combat skirt... well, it look similar to one. The one on the left was a long-sleeved shirt, with a pink peace sign in the middle.

"That does make sense. These's are good choices, but.. lets be honest. Do you think Ruby would enjoy these clothes?" I asked.

Weiss raises an eyebrow at me. She looks back at the two pairs she was holding. She then looks back at me. "Maybe?"

I mentally sighed. Weiss may be a fashion designer but, no offense, I don't think she's as good as Coco.

"What about that dress you mentioned last week? You never showed us that," Pyrrha said, as her head popped up from the clothe aisle in front of me.

I mentally face palm. She's right, I never did showed them Ruby's Volume 4 outfit. I guess I was so focused last week that I forgot about it. "Oh yah, I forgot. Thanks for reminding me," I pulled out my iPhone from my pocket, and began looking up Ruby's current outfit. After a few moments, I found it and showed them the picture on my screen. "This is what I think Ruby would like."

After a brief moment of silence, Weiss responded, "I like it. The design looks pretty close to what Ruby's wearing now."

"Actually, this is what she will be wearing after the Vytal Tournament," I whispered, since there were a few people in the store we were in. I didn't want anyone else to get the wrong idea.

"So, this is a glimpse to the future," Pyrrha said, a bit amazed by the fact.

"...You could say that," I hesitantly said. I hope they didn't notice my hesitation, because I really did not want to say anything about the future. At least I bought it, so there was nothing to worry about.

6:45pm

"Blake... what are you looking at?" I said, with an acted warning tone. I finished hanging out with Weiss and Pyrrha, and I decided to go see what Blake's been up to. Believe it or not, there are no bookstores in the Hudson Valley Mall, so it took a while for me to find where Blake was. In the end, I found her in Target... with her back turned and steam coming out of her head.

Blake jumped a bit by the sound of my voice. She turns around and noticeably hides something behind her. "Nothing," she quickly said... too quickly. Blake also had a cheeky smile on her face. I'll rarely see that. She should do it more often.

But, by telling the red dust on her cheeks, I can clearly see what she was doing. I sighed and reached out, "Give it."

Blake pouted... seriously? Okay, I may not have looked at what she's reading, but I can tell that it was some sort of adult novel. And by the looks she was making, I'm guessing that whenever she reads something... profound, she undergoes sort of a mood swing.

Momentarily, Blake slowly reveals the book behind her and hands over it to me. I grab it and look at the front cover.

I should've guess, again.

"Fifty Shades of Grey?" I raised an eyebrow.

Blake rubs her hands, as her blush quickly covers her face. Okay, I know it's not a book about ninjas, but it's definitely something that Blake would definitely read alone. Oh boy, when she finds out about the film adaptations to this book series... then, that'll be the day.

I sighed. "Blake, I can understand why you would want to read this. But, no offense, shouldn't you be focusing on getting books for Ruby?" I said.

"I already got some books for Ruby," Blake said.

"Really?" I looked at her closely. As proof, Blake pulled out a hard case of a book series out of nowhere (good thing no one else was able to see that anime aspect). The title of the book series was seen on the middle of the case; 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid'. Now, I do have a couple books of the series, but they were never in order. I guess Blake wanted to complete the order by buying the whole set.

"Huh, well... good job, Blake," I pulled out my list and wrote down the book series. I then looked up and noticed the gloomy look on her face. I deadpanned, "Yes, you can have your book as well."

Blake's face beams with happiness.

Note to self, bring Blake to Barnes and Nobles next time.

7:31pm

"Um...," I stared at the scene in front of me.

"She's been like this, ever since we got here," Ren said, as he stood right next to me. It wasn't that long since I left Blake and headed towards where Ren and Nora were. Apparently, there are no bakeries in the mall. So, the duo had to find something related or had a connection towards cookies. Eventually, Ren founded the Yankee Candle store near the southern exit of the building. He went ahead, while Nora stayed behind and sat on the bench near the store. Immediately, from what Ren told me, Nora fell asleep; and right now she was snoring to kingdom come! ...Well, her snores weren't that loud; so no one was freaked out by her.

"Did you try waking her up?" I asked Ren. Thankfully, while in Yankee Candle, he founded a chocolate chip cookie scented candle. It literally smelled like a chocolate chip cookie. I can imagine Ruby smelling that candle all day long.

"I would have, but the only way to wake her up is by the aroma of pancakes," Ren explained. We don't have pancakes. :(

"Welp,... looks like your carrying her," I said.

Ren sighed and softly smiled. "Yes, like always."

beep beep

Just then, I heard my iPhone beeping. I pulled it out of my pocket and open the case; thus turning on the screen. On the screen, was another text message from my sister:

Emily: The cake is done. You can come home, now.

"Looks like my sister is done making Ruby's birthday cake," I notified Ren, who just lifted Nora over his shoulder. "Go back to where we entered. I'll tell the others and meet you two there."

Ren nodded in agreement and we went our separate ways.

---

Present...

6:30pm

"...after we all decided on what to get for you, we came back on Saturday and bought it all. And that's it," I finished.

Ruby just stood there silently; her eyes wide and her mouth open. I guess she was trying to process everything of what I just said to her.

"You...," Ruby began, as she placed a hand on her heart, "...You planned all of this... for me?"

I looked at her and noticed that she was trembling a bit. Must be a lot to take in... I softly smiled, and answered, "Well, if you want to put it that way, then-"

Before I could finish, I felt two arms quickly wrapping around me and the rest of the body closing in on my chest.

Ruby was hugging me. But, it wasn't like the hug when she was scared from watching the 'IT' trailer. No, it was a hug of gratitude. A hug of someone being thankful of what their friend did. It was a hug by a friend towards a friend. "Thank you," Ruby softly said through my clothes.

To be honest, I was a bit surprised by her actions. I would've blushed, though. But somehow, I didn't. I actually felt comfortable. I also did what any normal person would do: I hugged her back.

"Looks like you two love birds could use a little bit of privacy," Yang suddenly said.

This made Ruby snap out of what she was doing and distance herself a bit away from me. "YANG!" Ruby shouted, as she blushed madly.

While Ruby may be thinking about what she did, I was focusing on the eye color Yang was currently having. It was same color, as all the other times a situation like this happen; gold. But, this time, I noticed something else; but only for a glimpse. A blood red glowing light circled around Yang's eyes. Instantly, the circle vanished. That was strange... none of this was seen in the series; and yet it's happening right now. I don't understand. I really need to talk to Yang after the party.

At least Mom didn't join with Yang teasing Ruby. That would've been more embarrassing...

"Ah, I'm just messing with you, Ruby. It is your birthday, after all," Yang reassured her sister; the golden color in her eyes now changing back to its original color.

"Now, hurry up and blow the candles!" Nora shouted, gesturing towards the now lit birthday cake on the table. "Don't want anyone to eat it all," she then smirked.

"And by that, you mean you," Ren added. Everyone laughed at the comment, except Nora, who just playfully glared at her best friend, and Ruby, who just realized that she has been standing here for about 30 minutes now.

"Oh right," Ruby walked towards the front seat of the dining table and quickly sat down.

"You don't have to rush, Ruby," Weiss crossed her arms and smirked.

"Yes,.. embrace the moment," Blake smiled.

"Embrace the moment," Ruby repeated quietly. She then took deep breaths.

She then muttered something that was indescribable to hear. I would've thought right then and there that that was her wish. But, Jaune said something basically confirm what happened after, "You have all day to make your wish, Ruby. Make it so that your wish will come true."

I repeated the words inside my head, as Ruby silently began thinking about her birthday wish. Make it so that your wish will come true...

Ya know, it's funny. Here I am, standing next to my family and friends, having a good time while celebrating Ruby's 16th birthday. Soon, we'll have cake, open the presents, enjoy those presents, listen to music, and probably we'll go trick or treating.

But, at the same time, it was sad. They might not have noticed it, but I do.

Deep down, Team RWBY and JNPR miss their friends, and ever since they came here, I have been trying my hardest to find the rest of the cast of RWBY. I know I haven't wrote any of my searches down in my entries lately, but I really tried my best!

I searched through Accord, Kingston, Stone Ridge, Kerhonkson, Ellenville, New Paltz, Phoughkeepsie, and even the times when I went to New York City!

And I still couldn't find them!

I just don't get it!

Where are they!?

Are they out of state; across the country!?

Are they on the other side of the world!?

Are they even here in the first place!?

It felt frustrating to me, but there is a reason for it.

I just...

I just hope that they're okay.

Suddenly, as we all watch Ruby blowing out her candles, the lights in the house went off. Adding the effect of the sun already set, the room instantly went from light to darkness. All of us stood still by the sudden surprise.

"The.. power went out," Pyrrha proclaimed.

"That's strange. Last time I checked, it was not raining today," Weiss lowered her eyebrows, as she and the rest of us look up at the now shut down lights.

While many of us were confused by this, Ruby was intrigued. "Ooo, don't tell me that you guys have planned a good ole' jump scare for me. W-Well, it is also Halloween, after all." Ruby said, shivering in excitement.

I noticed Yang looking back at the Ruby at the corner of my eyes. "Um... that wasn't us, sis," Yang said.

Ruby looks back at her sister, her smile fading away. "Then, what is it?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

rumble

Suddenly yet again, we all felt the ground shook beneath our feet, but only for a moment. It was a quick one, but it almost felt devastating. This caught the scare within some of us. "W-What was that!?" Jaune shouted.

And then, we all heard a weird noise. It was faint, at first. But as every second passed, this noise became louder. It was like a mixture of an airplane engine with the sound of lighting. We all looked around to find the source.

And it didn't take long for me to find out...

When I looked out through the doorway towards the deck, I noticed something that was beyond this world.

A shockwave surrounded by blue electricity was seen quickly spreading around the land; enlarging with each second passing. If this doesn't help you,... then imagine that scene in "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" (horrible movie, by the way) when Doomsday evolves after taking a lot of damage from that nuclear bomb, or when Superman pushed it towards that chemical plant; thus creating a huge electrical explosion that destroys everything in its path...

So, yeah, it was kinda like that...

...AND IT WAS HEADING RIGHT FOR US!

"GET DOWN! NOW!" I screamed, as I grabbed Emily and Ruby with my arms, and I slammed myself down towards the floor. Everyone quickly followed, and we prepared ourselves for the worst.

The blast reached our house.

A loud boom occurred.

I could barely hear my Mom and my sister scream, as the blast literally popped my ears.

I felt like this lasted for hours.

But, in reality, it only lasted for a few seconds.

I couldn't recognize the amount of time that passed since the shockwave passed my house, but I knew it took awhile for me to slowly open my eyes, as I can feel the warm floor on my skin and my ears ringing from the aftermath of the blast. I didn't feel any blisters, or any of my skin burned, though. I looked to my left and right and saw that both Emily and Ruby were shivering from the sudden experience. "Are you two, okay?" I whispered.

"Yes... we're okay," Emily weakly said. Thank god. Emily was alright. Ruby was alright. Everything looks good so far. Now, I need to check on the others.

I let go of my sister and my friend, and I slowly began standing up from my spot. In fact, I was the first to stand, as I noticed everyone else still on the ground. On instinct, I ran towards my parents. "Mom! Dad! Are you okay!?" I said, as I crouch down next to them.

They didn't respond.

I quickly rolled them on their stomach, and I pressed my head against their chests.

.

.

.

thump thump

I let out a huge sigh of relief. I almost cried right then and there. My parents were okay, but they were unconscious.

I then heard the generator outside turning on. And in a few moments later, the lights came back on, as well.

I look around and noticed everyone else slowly getting back up... well, almost everyone. I noticed Nora was still on the ground, but I also noticed static electricity popping out of her body. Strangely enough, a warm smile forms on my face. If it weren't for Nora's semblance, then my family would've been vaporized by the blast. Everyone else would've been affected by it too. But because of their aura, they would most likely have been seriously burned.

"Nora,... I owe you. Big time," I said.

"Th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th," this was all Nora could say, as she began twitching from the electricity coursing through her veins. Guess this must be a side effect of her semblance. Fuse too much electricity into her, then this happens.

"Oh my god!" Pyrrha suddenly shouted. I look at her and noticed her covering her mouth; in shock. "Are your parents okay!?"

I noticed Emily looking at me, who soon had the same expression as Pyrrha had. "Yes, they're fine," I replied, as I look back at them, "They must've passed out." Emily sighed with relief, while everyone else had a relieved look.

"Well,... at least the cake is okay," Ruby tried to brighten up the mood. And she was right. The cake, her presents, even the decorations were left untouched. In fact, I also noticed that nothing was damaged; except for the windows, which were all shattered.

"Yeah...," I quietly agreed with her.

"OKAY, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPEN!?" Weiss instantly shouted.

"Jeez, Weiss. Calm down a little," Yang said, her ears a bit stung by the sound of her teammate's voice.

"Calm down? Calm down!? Did you see what just happen!? We were all celebrating Ruby's birthday, when suddenly some random explosion appeared out of nowhere! We all could've died, if it weren't for Nora!" Weiss shouted back, while pointing at the still twitching girl on the floor.

"Which we should be thankful for," Blake countered in a bitter tone. Her tone then softened, when she continued, "But, aside from that, you do have a point. What was that, just now?"

"I'm not sure if anyone can answer that," Ren replied.

"Are you guys sure that you did not plan any of this for me!?" Ruby shouted, now looking frantic. This may be her birthday today, but... I don't like saying this, but she's innocent. Throughout her time as a huntress-in-training, Ruby has never been in a extreme situation. The Breach was one thing, but it wasn't enough to have her break down. It wouldn't be until the Fall of Beacon when that would happen. I'm just glad it didn't,... for me at least.

"Ruby, this was all unexpected... for all of us. If you think that we would plan something this dangerous, would you still consider us as your friends?" I honestly said.

Ruby looks at me; her eyes widening for a moment. She then looks down, "Well..., yes. But, I... would have been mad, though." My face expression softens, as I continued to look at her.

"Exactly, Ruby," Yang said, "Which is why we would never do such a thing to you."

Ruby continues to look down, as silence fills the room.

.

.

.

She then looks back at us, with a warm smile on her face. "Well then, looks like there is one thing left to do."

"And what is that suppose to be?" Blake asked.

"We need to find the source of the blast!" Ruby announced.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" Weiss jumped in, "Ruby, do you really think that something like this would happen again?"

"No. But, it is dangerous. Which is why we need to find it and destroy it, before it falls into the wrong hands," Ruby explained.

"Well, here's the problem. We don't know where it came from," Jaune said.

"Well then, we'll just have to look around," Ruby shrugged.

"I think I know where it is," I said. Everyone then looks at me, curiously. My hand was up to my chin, as I thought back towards the recent memory. "When I first noticed the shockwave heading to us, I saw a bright pillar of electricity; much brighter than the entire surface of the blast radius. I'm not sure what it was, but it could've been the radio tower not too far from here, or it could've been the epicenter of it all."

"Are you sure that's what you saw?" Blake asked again.

"I don't know. I only had a very short amount of time to look at the blast, before... you know. But, it's still a possibility," I honestly said.

"A possibility is all we have, right now," Pyrrha said.

I may have been calm and controlled on the outside. But, on the inside, I strangely felt... exhilarated. Like, I was the one who was trying to make the right choices and try to keep everyone focused on the situation at hand. It almost felt.. exciting. But, at the same time, I was scared. This was an intense moment in my life, and I was afraid that I might fail. And I didn't want to fail. I wanted to make things right; which also made feel... courageous, in a way.

This maybe a day that I will never forget.

"Well, looks like we found our motive," Ruby placed her hands on her hips, "Alright team, let's move out!"

I haven't heard that phrase, in a long time. :)

"You got it, sis!" Yang gave her a salute.

Weiss sighs, "Just like old times."

"You said it," Blake smirked.

"You heard Ruby. Let's grab our weapons and head out," Jaune ordered his team; including Nora, who was now fine, but still twitching a bit from the electricity inside her.

I smiled, as I watch all of Team RWBY and JNPR head upstairs to the attic.

After they disappeared from sight, I frowned. I was worried about them. They haven't been on a mission like this for almost two months now. And to top that, they may not be able to fix this situation. I do still have high hopes for them though, but they know so little about this world; even after I told them everything I knew.

I look back down at my parents, and my sister who now was crouching next to them. I didn't want to leave my family here, but deep down I didn't have a choice. My sister may not take this well...

...I need to go with my friends.

"Emi," I called my sister by her nickname. She looks up at me, and I continue, "I need you to take care of Mom and Dad. I have to go help Team RWBY and JNPR."

Emily blinks and quickly jumps up to her feet. "What?" She says, surprised.

"I know I shown them the computer, my iPad, and all the other technological stuff in this house. But, they know next to nothing about the rest of our world's technology," I did had a point. The radio towers here are kinda like the CCT towers on Remnant, but they were much more complicated than that. "I need to show them how they work."

"But Jared, you don't know anything about how to work a radio tower," Emily counteracted. She was right, as well. I'm not a technician.

"I know. But, I have more experience than they do," I replied.

"What if something like this happens, again? What then!?" Emily complained.

"It's not gonna happen," I reassured her. I noticed that her voice was a bit shaky. I need to calm her down, before the situation gets out of hand before it even starts. I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Emily, listen to me. It's your responsibility to take care of everyone, as well. But right now, you have to stay with our parents. And even then, you can't let this get to you. I'll be fine. Mom will be fine. Dad will be fine. RWBY and JNPR will be fine. Everyone and everything is going to be fine. Trust me on this,.. please. You are my sister, after all."

Emily looks at for a moment, most likely trying to sync all the words in. And then, after a few moments, she hugs me gently. "Just be careful, okay?" she whispers.

I gently hug her back. "I will."

7:04pm

"I shouldn't be doing this," I said.

Nora looks at me from the back seat. I can almost feel her playful smirk creeping up my spine. "What, giving up on this exciting adventure already?"

I quickly look up at the rear mirror, and then back at the wheel. "Me? Giving up? Hell no. I'm just saying that I shouldn't be driving without an adult in the passenger seat. I don't even have my license, yet. But, does it look like I have a choice? Nope."

I can now feel Weiss, Blake, and Team JNPR sweat drop.

Yah. Go figure.

Right now, I was driving most of the main cast of RWBY towards the radio tower near the dump. Yang, along with Ruby, were riding on Bumblebee right next to my car. So far, it has been a smooth ride. We didn't see any other car driving on the road. In fact, as we pass the houses on the street we were on, none of the lights were on. I guess they didn't have a generator, or they just kept them off, or maybe, in the smallest proportions out of the three, the people inside were already sleeping.

...I'm gonna go with the first one.

"No offense guys, but did you really have to bring your weapons? We're not gonna face any Grimm here," I asked them. This is just fixing the radio tower and putting the power back on for the rest of the neighborhood... kinda think of it, this tower may have covered the electricity for the entire town.

I wasn't sure.

"Well, as a huntress-in-training, you should always take your weapon with you, no matter what the situation may be," Weiss, who was sitting on the passenger seat, explained to me.

...That actually made a lot of sense. "Good point," I agreed.

"Are you sure your sister is okay with you coming with us? She did looked a little sad when we left," Pyrrha asked.

"That's how she looks whenever she's worried. I already talked to her about this when you were all getting your weapons. Emi has an honest soul like Ruby's. She'll be find with watching over my parents. Besides," I looked at my right side window, to see Ruby and Yang riding alongside us, "I want to get this done as quick as possible. It may seem like an unfortunate day for all of us, but we still have a birthday to celebrate."

"Lets hope for the best, then," Ren said.

After our conversation ended, it didn't take too long for us to reach the radio tower. Now, I have never been up to it so close before. So, I did not know what to expect. I parked the car to the nearest open spot with Bumblebee stopping right next to us. We turned off our vehicles and we all got out.

"Alright team, first things first. We find the source of the explosion and we destroy it," Ruby started.

"And then we fix the tower, head back home, have cake, and pretend these events never happen," Jaune finished. Everyone, including me, gave him a weird look. "...Well, ignore that last part."

"Sounds like a good plan, to me," I nodded. Everyone else soon agreed after. I gotta say, Ruby and Jaune really make good plans. I mean, they were the ones who figured out how to successfully defeat the Nevermore and the Deathstalker during the end of their initiation. And many other good plans followed soon after; throughout their time at Beacon. No wonder why Ozpin chose them as the leaders of their teams. Well, it wasn't the only reason, but still.

"Okay, lets start by splitting up, look around, and see what we can find," Ruby suggested.

"Right," everyone nodded. We then began looking around the large area of the radio tower. Like some other towers, this one was only covered by small bushes and shrubs; which means we had a lot to cover. We all split into one to two packs. I was on my own. It was a good thing I brought my flashlight with me, otherwise I wouldn't be able to see anything.

It took about five minutes, before Ruby started asking, "Has anyone found anything yet?"

"No, not yet sis," Yang shouted from a distance, who was also holding a flashlight.

"There's nothing on my end," Blake said. She didn't need a flashlight. Because of her faunas heritage, she had night vision.

"None on my end, either," Jaune said.

"Keep looking, everyone!" Weiss shouted.

Some of us were looking around the bushes, while others, including me, were looking around the tower. The structure around the tower was not that big. It was just a small building, right next to a large generator that was connected to the tower itself.

I eventually decided to take a closer look around the tower.

So far, there was nothing.

The left side of the tower only showed the front door of the small building; with the large generator in the front.

I then turn towards the corner to check the back...

.

.

.

.

.

I drop my flashlight.

"H-h-holy shit," I whispered, my voice trembling.

You wouldn't believe what I just found on the ground.

Laying on the ground, was a girl around my age. She wasn't moving and her eyes were closed, which means she was either unconscious or perhaps I was now looking at a dead body.

Now, normally, I would have already called out my friends to come check this out.

But, seeing the girl wasn't the only thing that made my hands shake.

No.

This girl actually looked very familiar.

I pick up my flashlight and head over to where she laid, to get a closer look. Plus, I couldn't conclude who this girl was, since she was laying on her stomach. But, I think I know who it is.

I crouch over the girl, rolled her on her stomach, and shined my flashlight over her face...

.

.

.

.

Oh. My. God!

"RUBY!" I screamed.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing with my own eyes. I almost didn't think that I wouldn't see the day of when I meet her.

After all my days of searching, I never thought that she would be the first one.

The girl who wants to be your friend...

The girl who was the only single team during the Vytal Tournament...

The girl who suffered the consequences in Volume 3...

The girl who would always hiccup when she tells a lie...

The girl... who thinks she's not a real girl...

Penny Polendina.

Within a moment's notice, I can hear rushed footsteps coming in my direction.

I didn't see who it was, but judging by the gasp I heard, it was most likely Ruby. I couldn't even hear them say anything else, as my hearing suddenly fogged up from the sudden events. I was so shaken by the 'surprised' appearance of Penny. How in the world did she fall up right next to a radio tower!? Is it possible that she was all by herself this whole time here!? So many questions began to form into my mind!

But, deep inside me, I was also... happy. I finally found someone! And better yet, I found someone who had a deep connection to one of the main characters; Ruby herself! This is great! FANTASTIC! This also brings good news! If Penny's here, then all the other characters could be here, as well...

But, this also brings bad news. If Penny's here, then there's a better chance that the villains could be here, as well. Man.., this day is bringing a lot on my plate.

"Jared!" My thoughts were cut off, and my hearing came back, as I finally Ruby's voice calling out to me. I jumped a little and landed on my back. I then looked up and saw everyone looking at me, worried. "Are you okay?" Ruby asked.

I pushed up from the ground and rub my forehead. "I'm fine. I'm just... surprised, that's all," I answer. "Were you saying something?"

"Yes! I was asking, what's Penny doing here!? Why is she here now, at a time like this!?" Ruby shouted, confused.

"I don't know, Ruby! I'm as confused as all of you are! In fact, I'm not even sure if I can answer any of this, yet! I mean, is it really a coincidence for her pop up around this area, after a huge explosion that almost killed us all!?" I then stopped. I quickly realized that I was over exaggerating. I began taking deep breaths, to calm myself down. "I'm sorry. I just... I need to get this out of my chest. This is all happening so fast, for me."

"We all understand your concern. You've never been in a situation like this, before," Pyrrha said.

"I know. There's always a first time for everything," I shrugged, after I got back up.

"Hey guys," we all looked at Blake, who had a concern look on her face, "...If Penny was here this whole time, then.. do you think..." Blake hesitates. I can see the doubt in her eyes, but what she said, gave us her message.

Ruby was the first to counteract, "No. I know Penny very well. She would never do such a thing." Ruby then looks at me; showing me a bit of concern. "Right?"

I agreed with her, by nodding. I have a feeling that Ruby already knows that I knew Penny's little secret. Penny's a robot. We all know that. But, would she think of setting off an electrical bomb, that would result in the deaths of many? Hell No! Penny has a kind soul. She knows her ways between right and wrong. Penny has a conscience. So, that theory was definitely out of the picture!

"Well, even if she didn't, then somebody must've set off that bomb," Weiss suggested.

"Yah, but who though?" Yang brought up.

"Could be Roman," I blurted. Everyone looks at me, by the mentioning of the notorious criminal.

"That's not possible. Last time we saw him, was when we witnessed him getting arrested by the authorities after the Breach," Blake said.

"Well, we don't know what the Flashing Light did to him. He could still be in a jail cell, or he could be somewhere that we don't know. Think about it, for a second. If Penny was affected by the Flashing Light, then it is possible that Roman, and maybe all the other criminals, were affected, as well," I explained.

"He does have a point," Ren agreed with me. But, I wasn't finished.

"And it may not even be possible. Maybe all of this was done by some stupid idiot who wanted to set up a prank to scare the children. But if, IF, Roman and the other criminals were affected by the Light... then we have a lot more on our hands than we realize," I finished.

We all stood in silence, as Teams RWBY and JNPR jog down all the information in their heads. I almost had a feeling this may be too much for them, but... what choice did I have? They all have to know this at some point. Otherwise, things could get more complicated.

"Okay," Jaune sighed, "I guess that helps a little." Looks like they understood what I was saying.

"Well, looks like we got what we came for," Ruby announced. She then looks at Nora, "Nora, do you still have some of that electricity within you?"

Nora nods, "Yes, why?"

"I need you to release it on the generator. Hopefully, if enough, we can recharge it and bring power back to the neighborhood," Ruby explained.

"Got it," Nora smirked, and started heading towards the generator.

"While Nora does that, I need someone to carry Penny back to Jared's house," Ruby added.

"I'll do it," I said, while sighing. "I have some responsibility for these events. At least, let me do something to repay it." As I said that, I felt guilty for some reason. I didn't know why but,... this incident happen in my neighborhood.

Why here?

Why not somewhere else?

None of this made sense.

I guess I need to be patient, for now.

Ruby nodded, and started to head towards our vehicles; along with everyone else. I then crouch down, wrapped my arms under her, and slowly lifted her up. And as the web series showed us, she was heavy. Penny may be a robot, but for someone at her size, you guess that she would be lighter. But nope; the series will always stick to the script.

As I slowly started heading towards my car, I suddenly heard the sound of an engine of another vehicle.

It wasn't my car. My car's engine sounded normal.

But this one sounded more rougher; like a truck's engine.

"Must be the authorities," I muttered, as I continued walking. As I said that, a thought suddenly ran through my mind. If it were the authorities,... then RWBY and JNPR need to hide their weapons.

Like, now!

If the police see something that's out of this world, then they're definitely gonna freak out and arrest us. I think they might lay off with Yang's bike, since it looks pretty much like the motorbikes on my world. But there's no way I'm gonna have time to hide Penny from them. I'm just gonna have to quickly make a false story that's good enough for them to believe me.

I got close enough for me to see the truck stopping in front us; the headlights still shining. I don't see any of my friends holding their weapons. They must've hid them in my car. Good. That's one less thing to worry about.

"Damnit, I knew someone would come," I said, getting the attention of RWBY and JNPR.

"What should we do?" Jaune asked.

"Just stay calm. Let them do the talking," I answered.

As I said that, the truck's engine turned off.

The passenger seat's door opens.

And a girl's voice was heard in the darkness.

"Ruby... is that you?"

.

.

.

No. Freakin. Way.

Ruby widens her eyes by the sound of the familiar voice. "V-Velvet?"

NO FREAKIN WAY!

"Ruby!" Out from the shadows, came Velvet Scarlatina.

The first revealed faunas in the entirety of RWBY...

The girl who has a camera that can copy any weapon...

The shy girl who would always get bullied by Team CRDL...

The girl who played kind of a certain role in the Fall of Beacon...

The Velvet Scarlatina.

"Velvet!" Ruby runs up to the bunny faunas and they both embrace happily.

OH MY GOD! First Penny, now Velvet!? This day won't stop giving me surprises!

...Wait.

If Velvet's here, then...

"It's about time we found somebody," the driver's seat then opens, and another girl jumps out. She closes the door; revealing the famous shaded glasses that hid her eyes...

The girl who carries a mini gun inside a handbag...

The girl who was known as the best fashion designer in RWBY...

The girl who was the leader of Team CFVY...

Coco Adel.

I didn't have time to adjust to the surroundings around me, as two more people came out of the back of the truck.

The giant that was Yatsuhashi Daichi.

The blinded man that was Fox Alistair.

"I don't believe it," Yang said; astounded by the sudden appearance of Team CFVY. Yah, you can say that again! This is really happening! First, I found Penny. And now, I found Team CFVY; all in one day!

Normally, I would have dropped Penny, which would've been rude by the way, cover my mouth and try not to squeal like a fangirl. But with all the recent events that just happen today, I'm not sure if I can do it right now. :(

"Coco! Yatsu! Fox! You're all here, too!" Ruby shouted with glee, as she released her grip on Velvet.

"Um, yeah? What did you expect? The police?" Coco raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you!" Jaune agrees with her.

"But besides that, where were you guys!? We've been looking for you for almost two months now!" Ruby asked.

"That's exactly what we were going to ask you," Yatsuhashi proclaimed.

"Um, Ruby," Weiss interrupts, "I think we should discuss this somewhere else, because...," she then motions towards me still carrying an unconscious Penny.

The realization struck Ruby, "Oh, right!" She then turns back to Team CFVY. "Lets discuss this back at Jared's house. It's safer there."

The mentioning of my name, causes Team CFVY to blink in confusion. "I'm sorry, who?" Coco asks again.

Another realization struck Ruby, again. She smacks her head this time, "Oh, right again!" She then walks up to me and waves her hands in front; introducing me. "I'll tell you more about him later, but right now this is Jared Lyman."

I now noticed Team CFVY looking at me. Coco even had to slid down her glasses, just to get a better look.

.

.

.

"He seems pretty good," Coco grins.

This causes me to blink in confusion.

What?

What's that supposed to mean?

"Hey Nora, are you done rebooting the network!?" Ruby called out to her friend behind her.

"I was just about to!" Nora said back. And as she said that, she thrusted her hand out towards the generator. Electricity suddenly bursts out of her hand and strikes into the generator. For some reason, I thought the generator was gonna blow up. But actually, after a few moments, I heard the generator powering up again. As soon as it did, Nora stops. "All done," Nora smiles proudly.

Okay, I got to admit, that was cool.

"Welp, time to head back," Yang said, as she walks over to her bike.

I let out a heavy sigh.

There's gonna a lot of commotion back in my house.

I may just even find the answers I've been looking for; for so long...

7:49pm

"Nice place you got here," Velvet complimented me.

"Thanks. It is a big house for a small family like mine. But, it's a good place to live in," I said.

We drove back to my house a while ago. My sister was glad I was safe. She told me that our parents have woken up and were now resting in their bedroom. I guess they've been through enough for one day. At least, they're okay.

Emily did ask me about the new company; especially when she notice me carrying Penny. I told her everything. She wasn't as shock to see more RWBY characters in our house, than the last time around. She was still surprised though, but she quickly got used to it. She then told Mom and Dad about it, though. Lucky for us, they didn't pass out again. But, if I'm correct, they're probably sleeping now.

Right now, we were all in the living room. I laid Penny down on the couch earlier. So we were all standing around, waiting for her to wake up.

To be honest, I was actuallly nervous. I may not seem to look like it, but I was deep down. Probably even more nervous than when I first met RWBY and JNPR in person.

Yah, I think it's more than that.

I mean, the reason is that before I even met them, I knew RWBY and JNPR more than CFVY. I can get their character traits, but Team CFVY had less showtime than the main characters. In fact, I haven't seen them since Volume 3! I wonder what their show versions are doing now?

"While we are waiting for your friend Penny to wake up, I think it's time we get some answers," Coco said, leaning against the long, wide window.

"Same here. You first," Blake counteracted, sitting on the edge of the loft upstairs.

"What were you guys doing for the past two months?" Coco asked us all.

"Well, before we start, do you all know about the Flashing Light?" Ruby said.

"You mean the light that blinded us and sent us here? Of course," Velvet answered.

"Well, we just finished our fight with Team ABRN at the Vytal Tournament, and we were grabbing a bite to eat. Until suddenly, this Flashing Light came upon us and sent us here," Yang explained,

"Wait,... you mean this light sent you inside this house?" Coco asked.

"Yes, and that was the day when we met Jared and his family," Weiss said.

Team CFVY looks at me, again. They must be waiting for me to give a confirmation. "I showed them, and told them, a lot of things about this world; mostly the positive stuff. I treated them with honesty and respect. They've been living here with me ever since," I explained.

The team smiled at my comment. "You have done an honorable thing, young man," Yatsuhashi said.

"Well, I did what my gut told me; and it was to help them," I replied.

"You must be very proud for what you did," Velvet softly smiled.

I smiled at her comment, "Yah,... it is nice to have them here."

"Makes me like you, even more," Coco smirks.

"C-Coco!" Velvet shouted, while blushing in embarrassment.

"What? I was just joking," Coco said.

Okay, getting off topic here. :(

"Anyway, what did you guys learn?" Coco asked.

"A lot of stuff, actually," Jaune began, "We learned about the world's music, creativity, technology, video games, and many other things."

"Creativity?" Yatsuhashi raised an eyebrow.

"This started when Ruby and Yang watched a trailer to a scary movie. Don't ask why," I deadpanned.

"I'm never watching that video, again," Ruby shivered.

"Anyway, besides that trailer, they all enjoyed everything else," I finished.

"What about you? What have you four been up to?" Pyrrha asked.

The members of Team CFVY look at each other. They feel hesitant. I guess they're backstory wasn't as pleasant as RWBY's and JNPR's.

"We were at the festival grounds; getting ready for our first fight of the tournament. And then, just like you, this blinding light flashed over us. Next thing we know, we popped up in some town named Ellenville," Velvet began.

The mentioning of the village caught my attention. "Ellenville? That's like 20 minutes west from here," I mentioned. If they were in that village on the first day, then I could've easily found them. I wonder where they went afterwards?

"The surroundings... it really surprised us. We knew that a town like this would never existed. Back then, we still thought that we were on Remnant," Coco said.

"When did you guys found out about Earth?" Ren asked.

"A week later," Yatsuhashi answered, with Fox nodding in agreement.

"But we had our suspicions from the start. Like for example, we didn't see any Faunas there," Velvet proclaimed.

"Well, sad as it is, there is no Faunas on Earth," I then look at Blake, and then back at Velvet, "Until now, at least."

"Anyway, as we walked around in town, some people gave us weird looks," Coco lowered her eyebrows.

"Well, no offense, but what you were wearing is not from this world," I slowly said. I know Coco is... 'addicted' to the style of clothing, so I had to play my cards right.

Coco sighs heavily at the realization. "Well... what are you gonna do?"

"We were lucky we didn't get question by the police," Yatsuhashi said.

"We were on our own for a week, and it was hard to get around," Velvet said, her ears drooping a bit, "The currency was a lot different than on Remnant, so we barely had any food or water. It was also hard for some of us to hide our weapons, since they were so out in the open. We basically couldn't do anything."

"That's awful," Yang frowns. I felt the same way. If your from another world, and there's basically nothing you could do, then it's gonna be hard to get around in these parts. It would've much harder if they were brought to the city...

"But, the good part of it was, there was no Grimm. So, it made things easier for us," Coco smiled a little.

"When we found out about Earth a week later,... it was.. a lot to take in. But, it made a lot of sense. Also, on that day,... we had learned something else," Yatsuhashi slowly said.

I gulped. I think I know what they were saying. "It may be weird to bring this up right now, but on that day,... ... did you learn about your very own existence?" I slowly asked.

"...Yes," Fox finally spoken. This was surprising, actually. I never got to hear his voice in the web series. His tone was rough, bold, and hard. Just like how I imagined. "It wasn't easy."

"It was... nerve-racking. It was very emotional for us to hear, like I almost felt that I wasn't even born," Velvet said.

Oh, shit. :(

They must've felt much worse than when RWBY and JNPR found out.

"We understand how you dealt with this, and why you felt like that. It wasn't easy for us as well, when we found out. We almost felt the same way like you," Ruby frowned a bit, but then she smiled. "But one day, Jared told us something that brought all our spirits up. He told us that no matter what happens, we should be focusing on the positive things, and the things that we should be focusing on for our future; and that is doing what's right."

At first, I was confused. But momentarily, I remembered that I really said that... well, something close to that. It was when I told them about the negative aspects about Earth. I still felt a bit guilty for telling about the past and ongoing conflicts of this world. I was proud though for telling them what Ruby mentioned.

"I have my moments," I smirked, as CFVY looks at me again.

"You are a really good person," Yatsuhashi smiled.

"Thank you," I said.

"Wait," Weiss began, "There is one thing I would like to know. Who told you about this?"

Suddenly, Coco chuckled, "Well, that's actually the next part of our story. On that very same day, we found Headmaster Ozpin."

.

.

.

"Ozpin!?" RWBY, JNPR, and I all finally shout.

"You founded Ozpin!?" I added. The mentioning of the Headmaster of Beacon really struck me.

"Well... he founded us, actually," Velvet rubs the back of her head.

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow.

"On that day, we were all standing next to the gas station in town; when suddenly this car pulled up in front of us. We were amazed to see Professor Ozpin in that car... along with Professor Goodwitch," Coco explained. So basically, Ozpin and Goodwitch found them on the sidewalk... This day just keeps getting better and better! :)

"They gladly took us in, and we headed towards where we've been for the rest of our time here; the Sanctuary as he called it. He was actually the one who told us about this planet and our existence," Velvet added.

While I am glad that I got to hear about Ozpin and Goddwtich being here for the first time, I did feel curious about this 'Sanctuary'. "Where is this Sanctuary?" Jaune beat me to it.

"It's basically a campsite that's not too far from here. I don't look at the sign that much, but from what I can remember, I think it's called 'Rondout Valley Resort'," Coco said.

.

.

.

.

I blinked. "Your kidding?" I said.

Coco shakes her head no.

Oh.

My.

WHAT!?

Is she really saying that they have been in my neighborhood for the past two months!?

I have been looking at every corner, every street, and all around left to right just to find everyone else, and they are saying that they, Ozpin, and possibly all of the other teachers of Beacon, were staying in the campgrounds that is 5 minutes from here!?

Welp, that's it.

It's official, I've been duped.

"I don't understand," I began, even though I was screaming on the inside. I wasn't mad at them. I was mad at myself. "How can you be at that campsite that's actually very close to my house? I have been there a couple of times recently, and I never saw you." It's true, I have been there before. But, I never saw anyone related to the series.

"I think you should talk to Ozpin more about that. But, what I can say, is that we're just being cautious to our surroundings," Yatsuhashi explained a bit. I think I understood where he was going with that.

"Are you guys the only ones that are living at the resort?" Nora asked.

"Ohhhhhhhh no. Practically everyone from Beacon is there. There's also people that we've never knew before," Coco answered. I may be mad at myself, but I was very happy that I found all the students at Beacon... and also some other people. I wonder who they're talking about?

I was about to find out.

"Who are these people your referring to?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well first, there was this man with blonde hair who actually had a symbol on his clothes that looked similar to yours, Yang," Coco started.

"That's... our Dad," Yang looks at Ruby, who looks back at her.

"Along with him, was this really cute dog. I think I'd seen it once in your dorm room," Velvet smiled.

Yang and Ruby gasped happily; with stars sparkling around their eyes. "Zwei!" they both shouted.

"Next, there was a married couple. The man was very humble, along with his wife. The weird part of it was that the woman looked a lot like you," Yatsuhashi points at Blake.

Blake's eyes widen, as everyone looks at her. "That's... my parents," she slowly said.

Well, this is awkward. None of Team RWBY or JNPR know about Blake's parents. In fact, the topic of her parents never came up until Volume 4. So, this will definitely be a change for everyone.

"Next, there was this family that had a lot of kids; seven of them to be exact. Everyone of them were girls," Coco said.

"That's my family," Jaune said.

"And finally, there was this man who's always around Ozpin and Goodwitch. Kind to think it, he was actually around Beacon right before the Vytal Festival," Velvet said.

"That must be General Ironwood," Weiss said.

"And that's about everyone. Ozpin has been finding everyone ever since. We weren't the first ones he'd found, but we're glad we weren't the last. As of right now, you guys have been the latest," Coco said.

A moment of silence passed. I really wasn't sure what to say. This has been one of the most intense Halloweens that I had ever have. From celebrating Ruby's birthday, to the blast, to finding Penny and Team CFVY, to now learning that the students and staff of Beacon, Ironwood, Taiyang, Zwei, Ghira, Kali, and Jaune's unnamed family are all living in the Rondout Valley Resort.

So yah,... oh and also we almost died.

Seems simple enough.

"Guys," we all look at Blake, who was looking down, "I think Penny is waking up."

I look at where Blake was looking and I noticed that Penny is now shifting a bit. This is gonna be a weird moment to remember.

Penny's eyes slowly open and notices the mass group of people around her.

.

.

.

"Um..., salutations?" Ruby awkwardly says.

"Ruby," Penny instantly recognizes her voice and begins to sit up. But she stops, and her face cringes a bit. "Ow." I guess the blast must've shattered her aura.

"Take it easy, Penny. You have been through a lot," Ruby kneels besides her.

Penny then looks around. She must be curious. "Where am I?" she asks.

Time for me to step in. "Your in my house. We found you and brought you in," I kneel down next to Ruby.

Penny then looks at me. "And who are you supposed to be?" she asks again.

"My name's Jared. I'm a friend of Ruby's," I introduced myself.

"Penny, I know this may not be a good time to ask but, have you been on your own ever since?" Ruby asked. Penny was silent for a moment. She didn't answer directly, but she did nod. This must be a touchy subject for her. Ruby caught on immediately, "It's okay, you don't have to explain right now. Just take as long as you want."

Penny smiles softly. "Thank you, Ruby." She then looks at the rest of us, "Thank you; all of you."

That could've gone a lot worse. But, I'm glad it didn't happen.

"Well, this is a night I'm gonna remember," Coco said, making everyone look at her, "All of you can stay here for tonight. But my team and I will have to go back to the Sanctuary and report our findings to Ozpin. Tomorrow;... I think it's time for Team RWBY and Team JNPR to finally meet the rest of their family and friends. They'll be very happy to see you guys again," Coco then looks directly at Penny, "If you want to come with us, or hang with them tonight, then that's okay with me. Either is fine."

"I do not want to be rude with you, but I would like to remain with Ruby and her friends for tonight," Penny answered.

"Like I said, it's okay with me," Coco smiled.

"Well, I guess we'll see you guys tomorrow then," Ruby smiled back.

"Yep, we'll be waiting," Velvet smiled.

8:23pm

I, along with RWBY, JNPR, and Penny, watch as the truck that CFVY was in drove down the hill and off into the distance.

"I have to agree with Coco. This is a night I'm never gonna forget," I said out loud.

"Scratch that. This is a night that all of us are never gonna forget," Yang rephrased, as she looks at me.

"Even though it was intense, we did found some answers," Blake said.

"Which is fantastic; to begin with. Not only did we save the town, but we found a lot people all in one day," Jaune said.

"Including me," Penny added.

"Yep, including you Penny," Ruby smiled at her friend.

"I wonder how everyone is going to react when they see us again?" Pyrrha said.

"Well, only time will tell," Ren answered.

"And that time is now packed in. It's gonna be great seeing them again," Nora smiled cheerly.

"I suggest we should get some rest now," Weiss said. She then placed a hand on Penny's shoulder, catching her attention. "Let me show you to your quarters."

As of that, we all went back inside the house...

.

.

.

Well, almost everyone.

Before I could take my first step back inside, I notice that Ruby was still sitting outside. This made me a bit worried. I wasn't sure what she was feeling, but I think I had a pretty good reason why. Might as well talk with her about it now than later.

As everyone else got in, I closed the door and walked back up and sat down next to the red hooded girl. "Hey, Ruby," I began. She slowly looks at me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm just...," Ruby paused, her eyebrows lowering a bit. She then looks up and finishes, "I'm just trying to take this all in."

"I think everyone's doing that right now," I chuckled, trying to crack a joke.

Ruby chuckled back and sighed, "Yah."

Silence came back. As more time passed, I felt more uncomfortable. It wasn't because of her, it was... to be honest, I don't really know. But, I did felt apologetic. I should say something about this. "Ruby," I broke the silence. Ruby looks back at me. "I just want to say... I'm sorry."

Ruby raised an eyebrow at this. "For what?"

I sighed, "For everything."

"Why do you feel sorry for today? You didn't do anything wrong," Ruby said.

She did had a point there. But for some reason, I still felt guilty. "I know, but... I had everything planned out for your birthday today. I always imagined that you would be happy. And then this happen. That blast ruined the mood. It ruined everything. When I saw you out here, I felt like... that I ruined your day. So, that's why I feel sorry." I actually figured myself out at that moment. It was emotional for me to say that.

"You didn't ruined my day," Ruby suddenly said. It was my turn to look at her. I noticed a huge smile on her face. "In fact, this is the best birthday I ever had! Not only did I get cake, presents, and the love from my friends, but I also got to see the rest of my friends and I got to hear that my family was okay. Nobody else can believe that. But I know you will believe that," Ruby pokes me on the nose, unnoticeably startling me a bit, "You were part of my day. I really... I really can't thank you enough."

I was a bit amazed by her words. I would've thought of more about this, but on this day I realized, that besides her skills of her weapon and her Semblance, this was Ruby's talent. She always had the right words to say to others; whether it would be her friends or not. Her words were so cheerful that I almost cried that day. No wonder why Ozpin indirectly said that Ruby had a more honest soul.

They were so many ways for me to respond to her. But momentarily, I thought of the best way possible.

"Wait here," I started. I then got up from where I sat and quickly headed back inside. It took about a couple of minutes for me to set up what I was doing, but I knew right then and there it was worth it. I came back outside and sat back down.

Ruby's eyes widen a bit at what I was holding in my hand.

"Happy birthday, Ruby," I smiled, as I hold a slice of cake on a plate. On the cake was one lit candle, along with the letters 'B-Day Ruby' on the frosting.

Ruby instantly smiles back, a small blush spreading on her cheeks.

Yah, what a day this has been.

---

What a day this had been...

On that day, I finally got what I wanted.

I finally found more people.

Their friends.

Their family.

And more than that.

It was an unexpected day, but in the end, we all had our spirits up.

I would eventually know more about the others.

But at that moment, I didn't realize that this day would be the start of something else.

...However, this time around, it didn't involve me.

---

Three Days Later...

November 3rd, 2017

10:59am

Third-Person POV

Halloween is now long gone.

Usually, in the aftermath by now, the children would have their tummies filled with candy and the adults would sit back and relax from the adrenaline they used from the special night or they would be back at work.

But unlike every year in the Stone Ridge neighborhood, this year turned out to be very bizarre.

That was because of the electrical blast that erupted in the middle of Halloween night.

On this day, some people were still left shaken by the unexpected turn of events that happened three days ago.

So far, no one knew exactly what happened that night nor why did it occurred.

However, most individuals already expected the outcome of this incident:

There would be an investigation.

And that's what happened the day after Halloween.

With the exception of the small number of cop cars, policemen and policewomen, and the large amount of duct tape, not much has changed since Jared Lyman and his friends left the epicenter of the blast.

But over the past few days, the town's police department had been looking at every corner in the area; trying to find any evidence that was connected to the incident.

In a matter of time, they did found something.

Around this morning, in the morning of November 3rd, 2017, a black mini van was seen by the cops currently stationed there driving up along the dirt path that led to the radio tower.

The van turned a bit to its right, as to not block the path, and shortly stop in front of the scene.

Out from the mini van came a small group of five individuals; three men and two women.

None of the cops took a good look at them, except for one male.

But they all notice the big three yellow initials placed on the left side of their dark blue coats:

F. B. I.

That one male in particular was a near middle-aged man; possibly around his late 30s. He has short, trimmed dark black hair and gray eyes. In addition to his dark blue coat, he was also wearing blue jeans, brown shoes, and a pair of sunglasses.

His name is Jack Mattisson.

"Agent Mattisson," from the front seat he came out of, Jack look toward the deep, filled voice of the person who just spoken to him.

That person was Carlson Brown; the sheriff of Stone Ridge. He was a little bit older than Jack, with black-grayish hair and teal eyes, while wearing the casual blue police uniform and dark blue cap.

"Sheriff Brown," Jack replied back with his light, slightly scratchy voice.

"As you know agent, nobody here saw this coming," Carlson began, as he and Jack began walking toward the radio tower, while the other agents had already walk to other police officers in the area, "This blast was nothing like I have ever seen before in my lifetime. But when me and my company came around, what we found were scorch marks surrounding this radio tower; all spreading far and wide throughout the area."

"Were there any fatalities?" Jack asked.

"That's the weirdest part out of all of this. While the explosion did appear to be destructive, there have been no reports of such or any injuries. Honestly, that's one of the things I'm still trying to figure out," Carlson answered, as he rubs his forehead with his left hand.

"Well, the FBI is now corresponding with your investigation, sheriff. With us here, we can now find the answers you and your comrades have been searching for," Jack reassured Carlson.

"Actually, I am glad that you came," Carlson stop in his tracks and turn to Jack, who simply followed, "Because just this morning, we may have found the breakthrough to this investigation."

"Show me," Jack simply replied.

With those words, Carlson then led Jack to a white covered tent that was stationed right next to the radio tower. They head inside by walking through the small opening that was attached in front.

Inside the tent, there was not much to see, with the exception of two more male police officers...

...along with a table carrying two bizarre objects.

The first object was nearly indescribable for all individuals inside, but they can tell it was some sort of small round metal object. It looked damaged, and it had a few openings sticking out and scorch marks covering the object.

The second object though... was much different. While there were a few small scorch marks seen along the edges, this object is a turquoise long, curved blade with a small round hole opposite to the tip of the blade.

"We were able to make out with one of the pieces here," Carlson started, as he and Jack stop in front of the table, "From the overall damaged structure, we were able to theorize that this must've been a bomb. However, with the other one... we're still trying to figure it out."

"Did you at least find any connection between the two?" Jack asked, as he took off his sunglasses to take a closer look.

"If it weren't for the scorched marks, then we would've had a much more difficult time," Carlson replied back.

As the sheriff said this, Jack squinted his eyes toward the blade. Even he was stupefied by the unusual artifact that wound up in the middle of nowhere; the main reason being was, from the looks of it, the blade looked like it came out of a sci-fi flick.

He quickly push that aside, as he knew it wasn't true, but Jack still felt odd that this blade was found here of all places.

Overall, it did peak his curiosity.

"This day just got a lot more interesting," Jack muttered.

---

I did not realized that this entry would take so long to write. I'm sorry for the slight delay, had a rough couple of weeks, including what had happen on this day. But, at least I finally got it done.

So, I hope you guys like this entry. Leave a review, if you did.

And I hope to see you guys on the next entry of my diary!

See ya later, everyone!