Blaze1992: You never seen any of the tremors movies that's really sad to hear.
Wonder what he took as "payment"?
Anyway quick question here but do you think it's possible to create the various handheld Mass effect guns in RWBY verse with gravity/lightning dust mix replacing the Eezo in the guns?

Re: Well, since that Review came in, I've had the chance to watch Tremors 1-4 on Netflix, so that's something.
As for Jack's "payment", it's a literal Favor from Ozpin Greene; it can be just about anything, "within reason". That's what the "IOU" officiated by Ozpin means.
As for the Mass Effect guns, a few have already been shown, but they shoot regular bullets instead of shaving granules off an Ammo Block.

P.S.
I'm a smidge disappointed in the turnout for Chapter 25 since I put a lot of work into those fight scenes, but I guess super fighting robots isn't all that exciting, nor was Penny even though she's totes adorable…

*NEW WORLD*

While Teams like RWBBY and DIRT were off carrying out their own missions, Team CRDL choosing to dedicate that Monday to study, Team JNPR had their own problem.

"So you really don't know how to use anything else?" Ren asked tiredly.

"No," Jaune sighed. "All I ever knew how to use was the old sword-and-shield combo, and as you're probably aware, I was never very good at it."

"So then you just gotta get a replacement," Nora shrugged.

"Easier said than done," Jaune sighed. "Hunter-grade weapons cost money, and plenty of it. Which means…" he said going over to his steamer trunk, undoing the latch, and lifting the lid.

"Yowza! It's like you've got every copy of X-Ray & Vav ever made in here!" Nora awed as she beheld the contents of Jaune's new steamer trunk. Each issue was enclosed in a transparent plastic sleeve.

"Yeah… These were my prized possessions back home," Jaune hummed in nostalgia. "Back in high school, I was somewhat… socially awkward. And then when that incident with the librarian happened-"

"The seventy-year-old librarian who broke your-"

"Damaged my phallus, yes," Jaune cut in, red in the face, interrupting Nora's sentence. "And it wasn't just in highschool I was awkward in. I was always socially awkward, so I've been a card-carrying member of the 'Going Home Club' ever since I was a kid. For that reason, X-Ray and Vav were my only companions for a long time."

"Hence the comics," Ren hummed.

"They aren't mint-condition, I've read them a time or two so 'Near Mint' would be the highball, but I wore gloves whenever I did and kept them out of direct sunlight so I should still be able to get a decent sum of money for the Silver Age variety."

"Silver Age?" Pyrrha asked with a tilt of her head.

"Oh, well, comic book publication has been split into four 'ages'. Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Modern," Jaune began in an excited tone born of familiarity. "You see, right after the end of the Great War and for the sixteen years that followed was the Golden Age of comics, which largely dealt with crime, romance, and horror instead of war propaganda. After that from 16 AGW to 30 AGW was the Silver Age, where the idea of the 'superhero' finally came into being; moral pillars and paragons of virtue fighting for the greater goood. From 30 AGW to 45 AGW was the Bronze Age, the 'Dark' age of comics where the medium was dominated by darker, edgier subject matter as the Comics Code began to loosen previously-established constraints on what could and couldn't be published. From the end of the Bronze Age up to the present is the Modern Age, the one we're currently living in right now. The rules regarding what comic writers can and can't make have been loosened a little more, but now there are three ages of stories to build upon so there really isn't any 'one kind' of story that dominates the Modern Age."

"You really know your stuff," Pyrrha hummed appreciably.

"Yeah, well…" Jaune trailed off with an embarrassed flush as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm a bit of a dork like that."

"Maybe… But there's nothing wrong with that."

"So you're going to sell them all?" Nora asked, interposing herself in the moment the two teens were sharing.

"Well, to be honest only the Silver Age comics are going to be the big sellers. I won't get much for the Bronze and Modern Age X-Ray & Vav comics…" he trailed off before coughing awkwardly into his hand. "Back to the topic at hand… It's time that I grew up. I can't escape into a comic book fantasy land of a bygone era whenever things don't go my way, can I?"

"No, I suppose not," Pyrrha hummed as she looked longingly at the comics.

"That's a very mature stance to take," Ren hummed aloud.

"What're you gonna do with the ones you don't sell?" Nora asked.

"Hold onto them, re-read them. You guys are free to 'em if you want, just try to keep them in decent shape," Jaune pleaded. "But anyway, you three go on without me. Without a weapon I'd just be dead weight, so I wouldn't be much help on any missions.

"You're sure?" Pyrrha asked softly.

"Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine," Jaune waved off. "It'll take me a while to arrange the sale of so many Silver-Age comics, and I also need to find an appraiser, so there's no reason you can't go out and have fun."

"Well… Alright, if you say so…" Pyrrha said with a nod. "And you'll give us a call if you need anything?"

"If anything comes up," Jaune returned. "Now, go on, guys. I'm sure there's a giant monster somewhere that needs slaying."

"I'ma smash 'im with my hammer!"

"Ooof course you will," Jaune nodded. "Give 'im one for me."

*NEW WORLD*

"Sooo… What kind of mission do you want to take on?" Pyrrha asked as Team JNPR sans their leader stood before the Bounty Board.

"Hmmm… Let's start small. It'd be pretty damning if we over-stepped our first mission and got a black spot on our permanent record," Nora hummed thoughtfully.

"You are the last person I expected to say those words," Pyrrha stated curtly.

"Thank you!" the ginger said giddily, Pyrrha blinking owlishly at her before turning her attention back to the board.

"How about Wall Patrol? That seems pretty low-key," Ren hummed. "Decent pay, nearby, ammo reimbursement."

"Sounds as good as anything," Pyrrha admitted. "We'll head over after breakfast."

"Banzai!" Nora whooped with a raised fist.

"Banzai," Ren said more languidly.

"Y-Yes! Banzai!" Pyrrha added, a bit of excitement creeping into her tone.

*NEW WORLD*

Upon arrival at the clock-in station for Wall Patrol, Team JNPR was directed toward a zig-zagging staircase that brought them up to the lip of the wall. Waiting for them upon arrival was a lean man with sun-tanned skin, sun-bleached hair, and clad in the uniform of Vale's Wall Patrol; a white shirt and matching pants tucked into knee-high brown boots, a beige overcoat with Vale's insignia on the back and the left breast pocket, and a green waist-length mantle thrown over the shoulders to shield from the wind and rain.

"I tell you what, it's nice having some extra hands on the Wall," the Beacon Liaison of Vale's Wall Patrol said greeting them with a smile. "Although… weren't there supposed to be four of you?"

"Our leader is currently… indisposed," Pyrrha said nervously.

"Well, his loss I guess," the man shrugged. "Come on. Let me give ya the tour," he hummed walking along. "Right now we're standing atop the eastern quadrant of the Vale Barrier. Average wall height is twenty meters above ground level. Base thickness on average is seventeen meters, while the walkway topside is eight meters across. Composition is military-grade concrete with hardened steel reinforcement. Hydrophobic coating protects the concrete and steel coating from water and weather damage, as well as cutting down maintenance requirements since no-one wants to be on that side of the wall longer than they have to," he said jovially with a jabbed thumb. "We don't have a wall in the bay, saltwater would corrode everything and make it hard for ships to maneuver, but the shallows stop the big Grimm from getting in unnoticed, and if anything small tries we've got enough Auto Turrets along the shoreline that they'll think twice after a warning shot or two."

"Don't people complain about Auto Turrets going off at odd hours?" Pyrrha saked curiously.

"Way I see it, they can either complain, or they can be dead," the man shrugged dismissively. "Not a hard choice, honestly."

"I see…" Pyrrha hummed. Back in Mistral, she'd lived close-enough to Palutena's Domain that the Grimm were an extremely rare issue, so having Auto Turrets going off wasn't something she was overly familiar with.

"And what're those things?" Nora asked pointing to the inside of the wall as they passed by a large concrete pylon occupying the open space between the inner wall and the nearest buildings. At increments along the open-spaced perimeter were similar pylons, forming a secondary ring.

"Those'd be the Shield Emitters. High-end Atlas tech they reserve for key facilities and kingdom capitals," the man answered. "Mind you, in Atlas everyone respects the tech enough not to vandalize it on the regular, but since that isn't the case here…" he shrugged.

"But if that's the shield generator, why's it so far away from the wall?" Pyrrha asked.

"The shield wall only goes up if anything big-enough to trample the real wall, like a Goliath, or a Leviathan, were to make its way here," the man answered. "Of course, if anything big-enough to force its way through like a High-A or S-Class Grimm were to show up, the Shield Wall's only meant to slow them down long enough for people to evacuate to the airships or the fallout shelters. And of course, if the Shield Wall gets overloaded…" he trailed off.

"It'd be like the difference between a firecracker on an open palm or a closed fist," Ren hummed.

"Exactly. Forcefield tech isn't infallible, so malfunctions are usually quite… costly. And of course, forcefield tech on this scale soaks up a ton of power, but between keeping the Grimm out or cooking pizza bagels, I'd think a rolling blackout or two's a fair tradeoff," he said with a shrug. "They're one-way barriers, so you can launch ordinance through it from the inside like with the Crusaders' Barrier Field tech, but don't even think about trying to force your way through. All you'll get for trying if a nervous system on the deep-fry, and take this from a guy who saw it first-hand; bad way to go. Round these parts we call it 'The Disappearing Cow Incident'."

"Wait, I thought you said a person walked through it," Pyrrha hummed confusedly.

"I did, and he was, 'was' being the operative word, on account of how, a couple years back when we were cycling through them for bi-yearly maintenance, one of the newbies to the wall forced their way through to get to the nearest bathroom instead of taking the long way around and they kind of… exploded."

"Hold on, I though you said forcing your way through a forcefield would give you 'a nervous system on the deep-fry'," Nora said confusedly.

"In ordinary cases, yes, that's what happens, and you'll be lucky if the shock doesn't kill you, though spending the rest of your life as an eggplant isn't much better," their guide trailed off. "However, when 'Disappearing Cow Guy' walked through, at the exact moment he was halfway through the low-powered barrier thinking it was safe, there was a power surge that went straight through his body and… well… Let's just say the area around the Thirteenth Pylon still smells like hamburger, and leave it at that."

"Pft… Ha… Ahahahahahaha!" Nora cackled giddily. "Oh my god…! Oh, my god! Please tell me someone caught that on camera! I have got to see the moment he exploded!"

"Nora!" Pyrrha cried, aghast.

"No no, its okay," their guide soothed. "It was a tragedy then, but enough time's passed that now we're allowed to laugh at it."

"I'm not sure a person exploding in a horrific forcefield accident can ever not be 'too soon'," Ren huffed.

"Oh don't be such a wet blanket. You'll never get the girl at this rate," he said jabbing a thumb Nora's way.

"Yeah, Ren, don't be such a wet blanket! You'll never get a girl at that rate," Nora chided, striking what she thought was a sexy pose.

It wasn't in the conventional sense, but you had to give the girl effort for trying.

"Um…" Pyrrha hummed nervously hoping to change tack. "Oh! I assume the rails are some sort of transportation system?" Pyrrha asked pointing out the embedded rails running across the floor at her feet, as well as up and across the wall's exterior.

"Got it in one," the man nodded. "Since some Grimm are able to climb ladders or open doors, we needed to install something they couldn't use. Something that requires multiple dexterous fingers instead of flesh-rending claws."

"Question," Nora said raising her hand.

"Yes, little lady?"

"What is that smell?" the girl retched as she stepped away from the outer wall. "Is that Disappearing Cow Guy? Cause if it is, that 'hamburger' smell you were talking about h as turned."

"Oh no, the Thirteenth Pylon is up on the north end," their guide waved off. "No, what you're smelling now would be the 'Noxious Fuel Oil' we use to keep lesser Grimm with enhanced senses of smell at bay. Work on the wall long-enough and you don't even register after a while," he elaborated. "It smells different for everyone, but by and large people say it smells like fire and low-cost tear gas."

"Really? 'Cause for me it smells like gym shorts and ginger snaps," Nora retched, a confusing urge to lick her lips passing through her.

"I'm picking up… gym socks and snickerdoodles," Pyrrha hummed thoughtfully, used to working up a good sweat herself.

"…Tennis shoes and fudge nutters," Ren admitted after a moment.

"Huh… Neat," the man hummed aloud.

"Sooo… What else do you use to deter Grimm?" Pyrrha asked, stepping away from the lip of the wall. Just because she was used to working up a good sweat didn't mean she found it pleasant.

When she envisioned what Wall Patrol would be like, she imagined herself as a lone sentinel against unending hordes that stained the ground jet black in all directions. But here, and now, it felt more like a leisurely walk in a city park; only with more guns.

Out in Vacuo it'd be exactly the same since everyone out there carried guns, but since that sounded kinda racist, you wouldn't catch her saying that out loud.

"We put on a cheap non-toxic lubricant that not only prevents Grimm from brute-forcing their way in, but also stops arthropodal Grimm like Arachne from simply skittering over it," the man answered. "We also have a few Sonic Emitters that are painful for Grimm with enhanced hearing, but since it hurts Faunus too, we don't have those on 24/7."

"Well that's thoughtful," Pyrrha hummed with a smile.

"Yeah… At the end of the day, Humans and Faunus working the wall don't feel like wasting our energy fighting one another when we have the Grimm at our asses," their guide said as they walked past an inter-species group heading the opposite way, a beautiful aura of comradery surrounding them.

"It's a shame we can't feel that way inside the wall."

"Yes, well, what can ya do?" the man shrugged. "And hey, if there ever is a breach, then the bad eggs will be the ones to go first."

"Well that's a little pessimistic," Nora hummed.

"Kid, if you try to save everyone, you'll save no one," the man replied plainly. "In the end, if you want to save one person, you'll have to forsake another, and if you want to save a thousand, sometimes you'll have to leave a few behind. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you won't feel 'let down' by the world drawing its leg back and kicking you in the nuts."

"I'm a girl."

"Whose nuts are on the inside of her abdomen."

"…Huh. I never thought of it like that," Nora hummed thoughtfully after a moment.

*NEW WORLD*

Meanwhile, back at JNPR's dormitory…

"Man… This takes me back," Jaune sighed contentedly as he photographed each sleeved issue, a couple hours into the arduous process of compiling proof as to the outward condition of each issue.

He'd been taking his time with the photographs arranging them atop the steamer trunk and getting the lighting just right, partly because he didn't want to damage the issues in any fashion, another because he wanted those who came to the online auction to take him seriously as a collector. He'd only have one chance to sell off his Silver Age X-Ray & Vav collection, so he wanted to get the most money out of them possible before saying goodbye to his prized comics forever.

He'd been sorely tempted to re-read each issue for old time's sake, but the further away they got form "Near Mint" condition, the harder it'd be to get a robust price for them.

Fortunately, his memory of X-Ray & Vav was very good, and there were digital scans on the Interweb he could read, but it was the catharsis of real paper between fingertips, or just the bragging rights of having original manuscripts framed or in a display case, that would be the selling point for his physical collection.

"It really sucks that I have to say goodbye to such an integral part of my childhood, but like I told the others, it's time I grow up. And it's not like those childhood memories will go away," he sighed to himself contentedly as he took a picture of the last issue in his collection, Issue #105.

" . . . "

"I should really stop talking to myself," he said after an awkward moment.

Placing the comics back in his steamer trunk once he was finished, Jaune then went to his desk and sought out a "Historical Literary Appraiser" with his Scroll to officiate the comics' condition as "Near Mint" before going to auction. Vale, being the capital of the Kingdom, had quite a few who would fit the bill, but many of them would charge exorbitant fees that'd cut into whatever profits he could make, and because he was asking them of officiate comic books, they might charge him extra because he was "wasting their time on a media so-juvenile", purely out of spite.

To his surprise however, instead of having to bite the bullet and pay out the ass for someone to come up to Beacon from Vale, there was an accredited appraiser on Beacon grounds he could call up. He was doubly-surprised by the identity of this appraiser and that he actually knew him.

*NEW WORLD*

"Waitwaitwaitwaitwait…" Jaune said trying to get his thoughts together. "You… can appraise the condition of comic books? Officially?" he asked, still surprised by the fact.

"Yes, that is indeed one of my many talents," Dr. Oobleck stated after responding to Jaune's summons 'post haste'. "When it comes to history, comic books are no different than any other form of literature."

"Oh, well, that's neat-"

"For example, did you know that since the X-Ray & Vav serialization began 11 years after the Great War, they fall under the category of 'Silver Age' comics, the age of comic book history where the fantastical concept of 'superhero' were first defined, as opposed to the previous Golden age dominated by stories of crime, romance, and/or horror?" the man asked excitedly.

"Well, um, I had some idea but-"

"So, I'm to believe you have some prime specimens for me to examine?"

"Yes, I have them right here," Jaune said directing Dr. Oobleck over to the steamer trunk, opening the lid and drawing out one of the comics. Dr. Oobleck in turn withdrew a small folding table, a flashlight, linen gloves, and a cloth face mask.

"Hm, yes, I see, I see," he hummed as he looked over Issue #1; everything from the ink to the font to the edges of the paper and even the position of the staples. "This specimen is in excellent condition. If all of your manuscripts are as in-excellent condition as this one, I should have full confidence granting this collection the coveted rank of 'Near Mint'," the man hummed thoughtfully with a nod of his head.

"And… How long do you think it'll take to appraise all of them?"

"For as long as necessary. You cannot rush perfection!" the man said raising a finger as he applied a loupe to his right spectacle and set to work in earnest.

"Oh, well, alright then… I'll wait here…" Jaune hummed sitting atop his bed and opening a textbook.

At the very least, he could get a headstart on all the homework his teachers gave him on Friday.

*NEW WORLD*

Elsewhile, back at the southern quadrant of the Vale Barrier, Team JNPR was down on ground level inside the wall, sitting around a food truck parked near one of the rest stations. At the moment they were all having a light lunch, having spent the last few hours patrolling the wall, checking for damages, and responding to a false alarm.

"Sooo… Dave, was it?" Pyrrha groused as she picked at her food. "What's it like working on the wall all day?"

"Well it's good for your tan for one," their supervisor said as he reapplied some of it to his face. "You get to be outside in the fresh air which is also nice, though if you're near the Industrial District it tends to get a little rank, which is why everyone without respiratory problems are on mandatory rotation from that station. Makes you appreciate the time you aren't there a lot more."

"Sounds fair…" Pyrrha nodded.

"It's great cardio too, though if the weather gets bad, you're still supposed to tough it out."

"Can't they use security cameras for those days?" Nora groused.

"Nora, do you know how much open space there is to cover? Not to mention what condensation or even snow would do to a camera," Ren chided.

"Got it in one, son," Dave nodded. "I'm all-for technological innovation as much as the next guy, but sometimes if you want something done right, you gotta put boots on the wall."

"And you aren't afraid of losing your job to a robot?" Pyrrha asked.

"Way the Council sees it, it's just cheaper to hire live folk who don't need software upgrades every thirty days," Dave said with a shrug. "Sides, between the maintenance, power cells, spare parts, technicians' salaries, and what not, it's cheaper to reimburse for ammo and hire food trucks."

"Well, given the fortified position you all have, I can see how this line of work would be appealing," Ren hummed looking up at the wall as another group of men traversed its length, guns in hand and an eye to the Frontier beyond.

"Yeah, though it gets awful boring after a while," Dave shrugged. "Not that I'm not envious of Huntsmen, getting' to go out there, see the world, meet exotic… scenery!" he amended since the girls around him were both minors. "But the way I see it, 'boring', is 'better'."

"We still get work credit, right?" Nora asked around her food.

"Nora!" Ren chided. "But yes, do we still get work credit if nothing happens?"

"Oh, for sure," Dave nodded. "Wall duty's low-key, but it's a good way of getting your feet wet and getting over any jitters."

"Any complaints?" Pyrrha asked.

"Mmmm. Well… A couple more water fountains on the wall couldn't hurt," the man shrugged. "Anywho, I think that's enough of a break. Let's get back to the old grind."

"Good! Because if I don't shoot, repair, or screw something in the next five minutes, we're gonna have a problem!"

"Nora…"

*NEW WORLD*

Elsewhile…

"Sooo… Doc."

"Doctor! Oh, wait."

"What's the prognosis?"

"Quite good, actually," Dr. Oobleck hummed as he got to work on a document on his desk. "I'm happy to say that your comic books all warrant the official ranking of 'Near Mint'," he said slapping a stamp onto the corner. "Attach a photo of this to your auction page and a link to my Beacon profile, and there should be no end to the reputable clients who will attempt purchase."

"That's great to hear," Jaune nodded, accepting the certificate with a bow of his head. "This'll be a huge help for me."

"I'm just glad you're deciding to help yourself. It'll be a long and arduous journey, but I have no doubt you'll be able to repair your damaged reputation. Eventually."

"Yeah… Eventually," Jaune sighed. "Anyway, I better get to it. Can't hold my team back forever."

"You most certainly cannot. Good day," Dr. Oobleck said zipping out in a blur, a panicked- "Whoa!" -sounding from out in the hall before someone asked-

"What was that all about?" Nora gawped.

"Oh, just… getting some prep-work done," Jaune said as his team filed in. "What about you guys? Anything interesting happen on your mission?"

*FLASHBACK*

"This little piggy went to market! This little piggy stayed home! This little piggy had roast beef! This little piggy had none! This little piggy went wee, wee, wee, all the way home!" a certain ginger cackled madly as she swatted Boarbatusk aside with her battle hammer/grenade launcher, skipping giddily outside the wall.

*FLASHBACK END*

"In as many words…" Nora shrugged noncommittally.

"Sounds… fun…" Jaune hummed.

"So… You all set?" Ren asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yep. All I've gotta do is put in the details of my comic book collection on the Comic Book Aficionado's website, and then wait for the money to come in," Jaune said with a confident smile.

"Are they really worth that much?" Pyrrha asked.

"They're all 'Near Mint' Silver Age comics, so they'll be worth quite a bit. Doubly-so because it's in a full set," Jaune hummed. "I already have a profile on the site, so half the work's done for me."

"Who will you sell it to?" Pyrrha asked.

"Whoever gives me the best price, I guess," Jaune shrugged. "As long as the money clears, whoever gets my old comics isn't really important," he hummed contentedly, Ren slapping Nora's hand away from the steamer trunk as she reached for the latch.

"I… see…" Pyrrha nodded, her hand going thoughtfully to her chin. "Please excuse me, I have an errand to run," she said stepping out of the room.

*NEW WORLD*

"Excuse me, Mr. Valentine," Pyrrha said knocking on the door at the end of the hall. "I uh… I have something to discuss with you," she said as her eyes darted furtively to the other end of the hall.

The door creaking open, Pyrrha's eyes were drawn front and center, only to go wide and her jaw to fall at the sight that greeted her, her mind completely unprepared for what she bore witness to.

Standing half a head taller than her was a young woman with large breasts and a lithe, alluring hourglass figure. Her hair was colored violet, cut at shoulder height with long strands framing each side of her head forming a tightly-wound spiral. Sitting atop her head were a pair of purple cat-like ears with pink tips, a slim curled tail swishing behind her back. Her lips curled into a cat-like smirk as she yawned displaying elongated canines, golden amber eyes regarded her as she blinked sleepily.

Pyrrha's face then flushed into a shade of red as bright as her hair when roving eyes discovered the carpets did in fact, "match the drapes".

"Nyaaaaaawn~" the cat-like girl purred into a yawn, rubbing at her eyes as she looked Pyrrha up and down. "Yes? Do you need something?"

"I… Uh… I, uh…" Pyrrha stammered unintelligibly as she tried to avert her eyes from the naked feline form. "Is… Is Mr. Valentine… present?" she asked awkwardly, wondering if she'd walked in on something of a more… intimate nature. "I can come back later-"

"Oh, if you're looking for Odd-Eyes, he's down the hall there," the shapely woman said as a delicate finger indicated to the end of the hall around the doorframe, the floor's RA humming a tune to himself as he strode down the hall towards her, a shopping bag held in his hand.

"Ah, Pyrrha, was it? Is something wrong?" Vincent asked with a tilt of his head, the door closing.

"D-D-D-D-Do you know there's a naked woman in your room right now?" the red-head stammered.

"Well of course the girl in my room's going to be naked. I'm not one of those weirdos who makes their pet wear clothes when they already have a fur coat on," he answered with a completely straight face.

'P-P-P-P-Pet?!' Pyrrha stammered to herself with a blush as she imagined a completely different side to him.

"Hey, Blair, I'm back~" Vincent chirped as he opened the door.

'Wait, did he say 'fur coat'?'

"Nyaaaa~"

'Eh?' Pyrrha blinked as a purple long-tailed cat with large yellow eyes and pale busy ear tips leapt up at his chest, the odd-eyed teen catching her before cradling the lithe feline in his arms. 'Whu… What?' she gawped confusedly as she poked her head in the door frame and looked around, finding no-one else present.

"So, Pyrrha, did you need something from me?" Vincent asked as he stepped into the room and turned to face her, the feline in his arms rubbing her head against the underside of his chin, purring contentedly.

"I… Um… Uh… Do you… have a guest I don't know about?" Pyrrha asked as she peeked into the bathroom, only to see no-one there.

"Nope. Just Blair and I here," Vincent hummed, the cat named 'Blair' looking up at her before sending a cat-like grin her way, the red-head gawping in shock as the cat actually stuck her tongue out at her. "Poor thing was out all alone, so I decided to take her in," he continued, blissfully unaware of the byplay going on. "Smart too. Like, really smart," he hummed as Blair jumped out of his arms and slinked into the bathroom, a padded hindleg kicking the door shut before. A few moments later, the sound of a toilet flushing was heard, the purple-haired cat stepping back into the common room, a square of toilet paper stuck to the underside of her foot despite her best efforts to shake it off. "Certainly saves time and money on a cat box…" he hummed with a spacy look on his face. "Would you like to come in? I have snacks," he offered raising the bag up to eye level, previous topic seemingly forgotten.

"I, um… I wouldn't want to impose…" Pyrrha said nervously as her eyes drifted back to the RA, brain still scrambled as she tried processing.

"Please, think nothing of it. Residents imposing themselves on me is half my job description," the odd-eyed teen hummed merrily. "Would you like some tea? I have Green, and Earl Gray," he hummed holding up two boxes.

*NEW WORLD*

"So you're… sure she's a cat…?" Pyrrha asked sitting across from the RA a few moments later, a kettle of tea heating up atop the table between them as Blair gorged herself on the contents of a box of sardines, laying across Vincent's lap belly-up.

"Well of course I'm sure Blair's a cat. Just look at her," he said holding up the long-tailed cat by the armpits, her lithe body dangling cutely as she was held up for all to see. "What else would she be?" he asked as the cat licked sardine residue from her cheeks.

"Ummm…" Pyrrha hummed nervously as she and Blair regarded one another. "You know what? Maybe the stress was just making me see things…" she replied. 'Yeah, that's got to be it,' she told herself, unconvincingly, as she and Blair stared one another down.

"Oh? What're you stressed about?"

"Well… After Jaune got ousted as a fraud, it was a huge load off my shoulders since he kind of… told me before everyone else… But now that the secret is out, I'm just very worried about where his career will take him now that everybody knows."

"Hm. Yes, that does seem like something to be stressed about," Vincent hummed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds like you are a really good person."

"P-Please, you're embarrassing me…" she said holding up her hands.

"Sorry," Vincent replied with a wave. "Still, if Jaune's secret getting out is as-bad as you're making it out to be, then isn't it better the secret got out now, instead of later where the damage would be a lot worse."

"When you put it that way, I guess you're right," Pyrrha admitted. "True, the damage to his reputation is great, but there's nowhere to go from there 'but up'," she said hopefully.

"That's the ticket!" Vincent cheered. "So, what did you need my help with?"

"I uh… I need you to do a favor for me," Pyrrha said nervously.

" . . . Okay."

"O-Okay? You're not even going to ask me what the favor is first?" Pyrrha asked with wide eyes.

"If whatever this favor is is important-enough you'd entrust it to a complete stranger, it must be for a good reason," Vincent replied as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "And besides… if it turns out I'm being taken advantage of…" he said as he ominously stroked Blair's back, the shadows around his eyes intensifying. "I can always do horribly-unspeakable things to you in recompense," he said in a suddenly-cold tone that sent chills up her spine. "So!" he said with a clap of his hands as the levity returned. "What do you need my help with?"

To Be Continued...