"So let me get this straight… You were an old man?" The disbelief in Nora's voice was paired well with the raised eyebrow from Ren. Nora and Ren had taken Jaune to the bustling cafeteria of Shade Academy, claiming a free table for themselves the group had quickly snagged a seemingly random assortment of plates from the serving area as Jaune started to share his experience in the Ever After.

"Not old, middle aged." He grumbled out in response.

"Pfft, same difference, I bet you started to plan your retirement and had cranky knees."

"My knees are already cranky." Jaune crossed his arms defensively while Ren sought to get them back of track.

"So you were the Rusted Knight?" Ren's voice was soft and even, he bit into his sandwich after continuing the conversation.

Jaune nodded.

"Yea, some kinda tree that grew fruit that looked like clocks." He shrugged as he answered realising the absurdity of what he was saying. "I don't even know how to explain half of what I saw."

Continuing Ren's question, Nora made some ninja gestures as she made some sword noises before speaking.

"From bumbling leader at Beacon to the legendary Rusted Knight, our little Jaunes all grown up… or grown down, the Ever After sounds like a weird place for sure."

"I didn't bumble-"

"You had to write Right and Left on your shoes." Nora cut off Jaune as her voice was muffled from the food she was eating.

"Well you never know when the Grimm are going to attack so it made for faster preparation."

"Riiight." Nora said as she swallowed her mouthful of food clearly enjoying the jab at Jaune but opting to let him have a semblance of a win. "Still I love what it did to your hair."

Ren nodded in agreement with his partner.

"Yes, it gives a more experienced feeling."

"more of a bananas and whip cream feeling." Countered Nora earning her a glare from Jaune.

"You guys said you like my hair?"

"We did."

"We did."

They both spoke in unison causing Jaune to look between them suspiciously.

Ren spoke first to break the impending threat of silence.

"You were so proud of it we didn't have the heart and besides, it's your hair, only your opinion matters."

"Right." Agreed Nora. "And besides, those spikes in this environment, you're practically begging for all the sand to build up in it. This is the perfect opportunity for a new hairdo, incorporate the white into a lightning strike or something cool."

"Yes, you can combine the reminders of the Ever After, make them your own."

Ren made a more confident argument than Nora but Jaune couldn't find a reason to disagree with them, at first he didn't mind them but during his time in the desert he started to resent them, treating them as if they were a part of something he wanted to forget.

"You're right, reminders of the past don't have to dictate our future, besides…" Jaune paused as he lifted Crocea Mors free from his waist and placed it on the table, pulling the sword free from its sheath, revealing the broken blade. "It might be time to change some other things."

His actions didn't have the intended reaction though as a wave of guilt spread across Ren and Nora and Jaune realized the two hadn't seen him and the weapon in what seemed like a lifetime.

"Did that happen in the Ever After?" Ren asked quietly.

Jaune shook his head.

"It was Cinder, when we were defending the bridges to Vacuo."

"We couldn't go back." Nora admitted to Jaune. "even though people came through, no one could go back."

Jaune gave them a small sad smile.

"None of you are at fault, the relics always seem to come with conditions. Besides, I know you guys wouldn't have just abandoned us for no reason. You really believe I'd think so little of you?"

The other two shook their heads gratefully at Jaune's words as they both smiled.

"I've had to spend a lot of time on my own, it wasn't always pretty but I never once doubted you guys. You're my teammates, even if you could've come back, I trusted that you had a reason to help people on the other side." Jaune reached across the table with both hands outstretched, he waited for Ren and Nora to take hold with one each of their own. "All that's happened, all that we can do is our best while we look out for each other."

Nora and Ren looked at each other before looking to their leader, both nodding gratefully as they smiled.

"You're right." Ren spoke for the both of them. "We've come a long way and we've done it together."

The three remained frozen for a moment until Jaune broke the silence.

"Now come on, I was promised crazy food and I'm just happy I don't have to worry about side-effects."

"Side-effects?" Nora asked excitedly.

Jaune groaned as he recalled some of the foods in the Ever After.

"Yea things like Growgurts and Memory Meringues pretty much do what they say but then there were things like cheese that grows in the ground sorta like parsnips. That place was a real game of chance when it came to taste and what it would do to your body."

Nora let go and grabbed two plates, sliding them over to Jaune.

"Speaking of taste, you're gonna love these, one brings the heat and the other brings the spice but I'm not saying which."

Jaune looked between the plates, both were pasta dishes that didn't betray their tastes by eyesight alone and he was unsure which to pick.

"Why do I feel like I'm suddenly missing my mum's cooking." He stated in defeat but Ren was quick to come to his rescue.

"Don't let Nora give you a no-win situation, here try this, I'm sure you're missing the taste of home." Ren pulled a plate from his side of the table and Jaune quickly recognised it as a lasagne and the way it smelled reminded him of the special ones they served at Beacon.

Not wanting to pick one over the other, Jaune grabbed a fork and quickly stabbed one of Nora's dishes and placed it warily into his mouth, chewing quickly as if hoping to avoid the heat or spice he picked up a piece of Nora's second dish and swallowed the first as he took a bite from the other, this time his tongue was more prepared and he recognised the impending spicy sensation, grabbing a hefty serving of the lasagne offered he chased the first two down with it as if attempting to cleanse his taste buds meanwhile Nora and Ren looked on as Jaune for what seemed like a lifetime ago, finally enjoyed the taste of Remnant.

"So, how was it?" Ren asked.

Jaune chewed the serving of lasagne eagerly, closing his eyes as he smiled happily, as he savoured the flavour he kept his eyes closed, with the bustling noises of students and survivors he could almost pretend that he was back at Beacon. Swallowing almost remorsefully but he quickly remember the remainder of the lasagne existed and the smiling joy of his teammates as they watched their leader enjoy himself.

"It's perfect."