A/N: Of all the reviews I got, I think TerrelHayden was the best. No wonder he has a Chad for a profile pic. Good defense and great critique that I absolutely agree with. Honestly, I ALWAYS make that mistake, not fleshing out certain characters. Worst part is that I usually think of those concepts and forget it right as I'm writing.

I guess a good analogy is cooking. I follow the recipe ALMOST to the letter until I forget that one little ingredient or detail. I forgot the salt or I stupidly put the lid on the food when I was told not to, only for it to taste totally different from what I hoped, making it not what I wanted. You ever get that feeling? Working on something only to mess up at the last second, realize it when it's too late, then mentally smack yourself? I can honestly say I've done that with almost everything I've done (yes, including cooking).

Thanks for your review, TerrelHayden. Yours is a great example of why I want more reviews on my stories. I can't promise that I'll listen to it, though. I'll try, but I'm one hell of a screw-up. Just bare with this lunatic, alright?

As for you, ZonZus... you have a far larger heart than I do. You truly are an optimist.

I'm honestly impressed that you tried to defend humanity, even saying that we're getting better, despite more and more proof of the contrary. I mean, not too long ago, an eighteen-year-old in Texas shot up an elementary school, killing nineteen kids and two teachers. Then there's Ukraine and the possibility of WWIII, the strife in America, and the stupidity of government. It really does look like things are getting worse as days pass, not better. We're still a war-crazed species, and technology only seems to be fueling that. As you said, it's no longer hiding. It's been released.

But if you believe we can be better, then I salute you. If more people had the same mindset as you, then maybe, just maybe, humanity could improve. Please, help make this species look just a bit better than before.

Now then, onto the story.

Jaune looked down at the unconscious thug before looking up at the girl. "Did you... just betray your comrade?"

She just shrugged. "He wasn't much of a comrade. More of a target."

"A target? Who are you? That man you just stomped called you Mary. And I'm pretty sure you were called Poppins. Mary Poppins?"

"Oh, that's just a false name I like to use," she went with a wave.

"Come again?"

"Well, what self-respecting thief would give out her name so easily? A lady needs to keep some of her secrets, especially from rapscallions such as these."

"You're a thief?" Jaune looked at the unconscious men. "A thief who steals from thieves. . . You consider yourself a Master Thief, don't you?"

She giggled. "Aren't we knowledgeable?"

Jaune looked over the girl.

"Careful, love. I'm still underage."

"Please don't go there. Who are you, really?"

"Mm, well, you are a gentleman. And given your reputation, you're more than deserving to know that secret." The girl then curtseyed. "A pleasure to finally meet the legendary Vale Knight. I am Anita. Anita 'Nanny' Vanille."

"Nanny," Jaune asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, Master Thieves need disguises, and it turns out I'm quite skilled at caring for children."

"Wait, Vanille?" Jaune's eyes widened. "You're... Trivia's daughter."

Anita tapped her staff on the ground before she clapped. "As clever as mother informed me. You live up to her stories, Sir Arc."

"D-Does that mean... Trivia's-"

"Sadly, Mother is not with me."

"Oh," Jaune went in disappointment. "So, did you and your mother have... a bit of a falling out or-"

"Oh, heaven's no. Don't fret. I love my mother deeply. Though, admittedly, we have a bit of a... rivalry."

"Rivalry?"

"A friendly one, mind you. Two Master Thieves together? That's no fun. Besides, Mother and I have different ideals about the ways of the thief. She believes it is best to stay in the shadows, while I enjoy espionage."

"You tried to destroy these men before stealing from them?"

"Precisely. It is quite a fun process, steal some valuable item here, take a piece of chunk there; feed legitimate information then feed utter rubbish. Everything was going swimmingly. Had you not arrived, it would have been quite the show on the night of the operation. True, they would have successfully infiltrated the tower, but that's as far as they would possibly go. Trip a silent trap here and there and guards would be on them before they could say bollocks. More than likely you yourself would have captured them."

"And let me guess... you'd be back at base taking all their valuables and getting away while they were being arrested."

"Time with my mother has taught you much, Sir Arc. Then again, she taught me everything I know, save for the espionage. That one's self-taught. I accomplished my first successful robbery at age six. I heard the Falcon Family took quite a bit of damage afterward."

"The Falcon Family? I destroyed that family eight years ago."

"Oh. Seems I aided the hero without realizing it. Well, I have had my fun with this group. Like with the Falcons, you can take care of the clean up here, can't you, dear knight?" Anita then held up enough lien to look like a full hand of cards. She even began to fan herself with the money. "I believe I have been paid adequately enough."

"You think I'm going to let you leave? You're a key witness to their crimes."

"Actually, this is," she said as she threw something at Jaune.

He easily caught it and looked at what was between his fingers. "A scroll?"

"A throw-away scroll. It has more than enough video and audio to convict these men," Anita said as she walked past Jaune before he realized it. When he finally caught her scent, he looked behind him in shock to see the girl walk away, tapping her cane every so often. "Oh, I almost forgot." She turned towards Jaune with a smile. "What do I look like to you?"

"Huh?"

"A simple question, dear hero. What do you see when you gaze upon me?"

"Uh, a beautiful young lady... with her mother's trademark hair of half brown and... half red. With one brown eye and one green eye," Jaune said sadly. 'Wait, why am I disappointed,' Jaune asked himself. 'Did I... really want her to be...' Jaune sighed. 'I guess I do still have feelings for Trivia, even fifteen years later,' he thought.

"Hmm. Interesting. It seems you truly are pure of heart."

"Huh? Pure of heart? What are you-" Jaune then remembered before looking down at the crook. "This guy. . . He called you ugly. Even said you had a unibrow and messed up teeth." Jaune looked at Anita. "You have an illusionary Semblance."

Anita giggled. "As brilliant as mother stated you to be. She taught you well."

"Hey," Jaune went in annoyance.

"Kidding, kidding," Anita laughed. "I like to call it Fantastic Sight. I make you see what I wish for you to see, limited only by my Aura. But don't fret, I have quite a lot of it. A simple tap from Knock First here, and I can have those around me see what I believe they are allowed to see. It seems you are allowed to see the real me."

"Should I be honored?"

Anita giggled. "Not many men get the privilege to see a lady's true face. Ta-ta," she said as she walked away into the shadows.

"Wait," Jaune reached out. He was too late. With his nose, he could tell she was long gone. Jaune stared at the hallway before making a call. "Winter? It's Jaune again."

As the New Mantle officers arrived at the building, Anita was watching atop a building, her scroll at her ear.

'Anita, darling, it has been too long, love.'

"Hello, Mother."

'Is New Mantle treating you well? If you wish to join me in Vale, I don't mind waiting for you, dear.'

"A kind gesture, Mother. I just called to tell you some entertaining news."

'Such as?'

"Well, other than another successful heist-"

'As expected from you, my dear.'

"Thank you, Mother. However, something interesting happened at the end. I met Father."

'Oh? Oooh, now that IS interesting. Was he able to see through your Semblance?"

"Well, not fully." Anita then closed her eyes. Then, her previously red hair turned golden blonde. When she opened her eyes, her green eye was now deep blue. "I used my Semblance to turn my hair and eye a different color. I can't make it too obvious that I'm of Arc blood, now, can I?"

'You wouldn't be that effective of a Master Thief if your lineage was so simple to deduce.'

"Indeed. Plus, I am only fourteen years of age. I can't allow my father to know my secrets at this stage of my life."

'I suppose not. Plus, your father is just fun to tease.'

"He is, indeed," Anita agreed, the Vanille women giggling. "Well, I believe I have had my fill of New Mantle. I will rejoin you in Vale, Mother."

'I'll be waiting, dear. Kisses.' Trivia made smooching sounds.

Anita giggled. "Love you, too, Mother. Ta-ta." She then hung up before looking down in time to see Jaune walkout, Nimueh at his hip, talking to a nervous-looking Ace Op. "Farewell, Father. May we meet again soon," Anita said before walking away from the scene.

Jaune and Nimueh were standing in the middle of a lab, the two wincing at the sound of crashing.

"THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR RESEARCH?! AND YOU LET THAT HAPPEN," Maria screamed as she chased Dante while swinging a bat.

"Maria, dear! Please! Calm down!"

"CALM DOWN?! MY PRECIOUS RESEARCH WAS TAKEN UNDER OUR DAMNED NOSES AND WAS ABOUT TO BE SOLD! SOLD! ALL THAT WORK, AND IT WAS ABOUT TO BE SOLD TO SOME SHADY PUNKS THAT JAUNE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO TAKE DOWN!"

"Uh, he's not the only Huntsman in the world, you know," Ruby said as she walked up next to Jaune.

"BUT HE'S THE ONE WHO DEALS WITH THIS CRAP THE MOST! YOU DEAL MORE WITH GRIMM AND BIG-NAME CRIMINALS! HE DEALS WITH LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE!"

"Ow," Ruby went.

"She's not wrong," Nimueh shrugged.

Dante barely caught Maria's downward swing, the beautiful genius pushing the bat down on her boss. "Maria, darling, please. At least we know how effective the Aura Vacuum is."

"WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT A MACHINE YOU THOUGHT OF IN ONE OF YOUR DRUNKEN STUPORS?!"

"What? Are you... ARE YOU SAYING I LOST TO A DRUNK FEVER DREAM," Nimueh yelled.

"If that thing was just the fever dream, I don't want to know what Dante's actual idea for the damn thing would have looked like. That thing took out my Aura in one shot."

"Oh, that's only natural, since it shot you with your own Aura," Dante explained.

"Got it."

Maria growled before she groaned, releasing the bat so unexpectedly that Dante fell back with it, slamming into something Maria didn't care about. She walked over to a chair and sat on it. "Jaune, please be a dear and give me some ice."

"Uh, sure." Jaune then used magic to create ice, walking over and placing it on Maria's forehead. "Oooh, gods, that's the stuff. Urgh. All that work. All that research. Used against Remnant's greatest hero and one of the holiest beings on the planet."

"I'm considered holy," Nimueh asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Babe, you're literally one of four creations of the gods that created Remnant."

"Oh, yeah. I guess sometimes I forget... due to not caring."

Jaune chuckled.

"Please tell me you actually got all of our stolen crap," Maria whined.

"Well, according to the scroll Mary gave me, yeah." Jaune decided to give the military Anita's false name. He thought it would be better for the mysterious girl. ("Remember, loves, I'm actually his daughter," Anita says in a comic bubble with her actual hair and eye color, giving a peace sign and shining smile. "Just be sure to keep it a secret from my dear Papa," she says as she puts a finger to her lips in a shooshing motion.)

Maria sighed. "Well, according to our records, it really was everything, save for a bit of stolen Silver Dust rounds."

"And we know where that went," Jaune said as he held up his arm.

"At least we know it's effective," Dante said as he walked up, dusting himself off. "If it works on the King of the Grimm, it should work on any other variant."

"Uh, Dante? . . . I'm still technically human!"

"Mm, right. You could be resistant. Well, the data is still useful. Maybe add a bit more to the mix."

"Dante, don't talk about improving Silver Dust while I'm in the room. It almost sounds like you're making it to fight me."

"Hm? Oh, by the gods, no! I'm not developing the Silver Dust to take out our World's Greatest Hero," Dante said as he waved his hands defensively.

"That really pissed me off," Ruby grumbled.

"Don't be mad at the truth," Nimueh taunted. Ruby and she then glared at one another. You could practically see the lightning clashing between them.

"Ah, but we still need to do more research on you. See how much you may have improved. Need to collect as much data as possible," he said with a smile. Jaune groaned.

"Not today." Everyone looked at Maria, who had her feet up on a random desk.

"But Maria-" He shut up when she merely glared at him.

She then sighed. "We've done enough. And I feel a massive headache coming." She then lifted the small block of ice and placed a cloth she got out of her pocket on her forehead before putting the ice back. "Jauney, dear?" He strengthened the ice on Maria's forehead, the woman sighing contently.

"So, no crazy experiments today," Jaune asked.

"No. Not today. Just take our latest invention," she waved before pointing at a table.

Jaune looked over and saw what was on the table. "A watch?"

"Giving him jewelry, Maria? You know I'm officially his wife now, right," Nimueh went, ignoring the irritated look Ruby gave.

"It's not like that, Mrs. Arc."

"Wow. That sounds better than I thought it would," Nimueh smiled.

"Just put it on and press the watch's face, hero."

Jaune did as the scientist said. As soon as he pressed down on the face of the watch, his entire body began to glow. "What the?!"

"Jaune," Nimueh and Ruby yelled in concern.

Then, as quickly as it appeared, the light was gone.

The women were shocked.

Before them was Jaune. . . in human form.

The very first thing Jaune noticed was that his hand wasn't death white anymore. He then held his Warrior's Wolf Tail to see it was no longer white, but once again golden blonde. Then, he went for the biggest test and created an ice mirror.

His face... was normal. No white skin. No black sclera. No red irises. No white goatee. He was back to normal, his eyes no longer Grimm, but blue once more. He then ran over to Nimueh and looked into her eyes, seeing his reflection to make absolutely sure. When he saw his face in his wife's eyes, he began to laugh.

He then lifted and spun around a now laughing Nimueh. "I'M BACK TO NORMAL! I LOOK HUMAN AGAIN!"

"Don't get too excited, hero." Jaune looked at Maria as he gently put Nimueh back down. "It's just a hologram. You're still the Grimm King underneath."

Jaune smiled sadly. "I know. But... this is the closest to a cure we got," Jaune said as he looked at his hand. "So I'm just gonna try and enjoy it," Jaune said as clenched his fist.

"You do that. Just be careful. It's a prototype. We can't make any proper adjustments until you take it for a proper test drive. We'll go through actual tests with it tomorrow. For now... OUT."

Jaune chuckled. "Thank you, Maria," Jaune said as he took Nimueh's hand and left.

Ruby watched them before turning to Maria. "So, about that upgrade to Crescent Rose?"

"OUT!"

"Sorry, ma'am!" Ruby used her Semblance to book it.

"Uh, Maria, we still have work to-" Maria silenced him again with just a single glare, and the man immediately ran out of the room to give his second-in-command some much-needed rest.

She then groaned. "Sometimes I hate this job."

Argent was walking through the building with Elm, talking about his time at school, making the powerful beauty laugh. "It really is no fun to have a fight end like that," she laughed.

"You're telling me. I know for sure I could have won."

"Really? Didn't he punch away your family's 'Signature Move'," she asked with a raised eyebrow and teasing smile.

"I have other tricks," he said with a pout and blush. "I mean, I had other teachers besides my dad. I could have used Uncle Ren's palm blast."

"He calls it the Sabyr Palm, kiddo."

Argent looked up, his and Elm's eyes widening. "DAD?!"

"Yo," he waved.

Argent ran up to his father, looking him over. "Y-You're back to normal!"

"As normal as your father can be," Nimueh teased.

"Oi," Jaune said as he nudged his wife, the beauty laughing.

"B-But how?! Did Dr. Dante cure you somehow?"

Jaune shook his head. "Not that easy, Arie." Jaune then held up his dominant arm.

"A watch," the boy asked.

Jaune then pressed the face of the watch, reverting back to his Grimm form.

"Whoa. That's cool."

Jaune chuckled as he ruffled his son's hair. "Glad you think so, kiddo," he said before turning the hologram back on. "According to Dante, it's called an Image Inducer. It may only be a hologram, but I can look human again with it. Though, they don't know the limits of it yet. This guy's just a prototype. I don't know what might deactivate it just yet," he said as he looked at his hand. "I can still feel my powers, though. This is basically just Emerald's Hallucination with no known time limit."

"But did you really need it, dad?"

"Hm?"

"I thought you looked pretty cool as a Grimm. Plus, no one seemed particularly afraid of you."

Jaune chuckled. "I guess it's easier for people to trust you when you're considered the World's Greatest Huntsman. Everyone sees me as some incorruptible superhero or something. I wouldn't be surprised if they think I can end the days of people fearing Grimm once and for all."

"Could you?"

"No idea," Jaune said with a shake of his head. "Besides, this is mostly for me. I'm not exactly used to looking like one of my worst enemies. . . Especially after learning she's our ancestor. . . And worse than that, being the one who killed her."

Argent then got a sympathetic look. "Oh, I get it. Your Grimm form... reminds you that you're the one who killed her."

"Yeah. Me and your mom. Though, I doubt it affects her as much."

"Sorry, babe, but it doesn't." They looked at Nimueh, who had her arms crossed. "Salem needed to be stopped, and you and Ruby had the power to do it. If not you, Jaune, then who else?"

Jaune sighed. "I get it. Still, it kinda hits hard, ya know," he said as he stood back up. "Besides, admit it, you like me better looking like this, right?"

Nimueh gasped playfully before walking up and flicking his nose. "You idiot. You're the man I fell in love with. You could grow beast horns in our sleep, and I'd still be in love with you."

"That sounds seriously cool, actually," Argent went.

"I'm not growing horns, kiddo."

"Aw."

"So, Elm?"

"Hm? What?"

"How did my kid do on his first day of school?"

"Oh, you're going to enjoy this report," Elm said with a wide smile.

It was now the end of the day, Nimueh was already in bed before looking over at Jaune. "Having fun checking out your reflection," she asked.

Jaune was in front of a full-body mirror, looking over his body. "It even recreated my old scars."

"Didn't you keep those scars as a Grimm?"

"I never noticed."

"I did. Though, I mostly felt them."

"Felt them?"

Nimueh gave a seductive smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Oh."

"You press yourself against me nearly every night and I'm usually sleeping on top of you afterward. How could I not feel your scars?"

"Good point." Jaune looked at his reflection. "Still, it really is amazing. I look human again. And Maria said this thing was only a prototype. What's there to fix?"

"Have you tried using your powers?"

Jaune looked at Nimueh before looking at the mirror. He then held up his hand and created a small ball of fire in his hand. As soon as he did, his hologram began to fluctuate. "WHOA!" Jaune stopped the magic, only for his skin to look red. "I look like Ilia!"

Nimueh laughed so hard that she fell out of the bed.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"YOU'RE RIGHT! IT'S HILARIOUS!"

Jaune growled before he got a mischievous grin. He then took off his watch, turning back to his Grimm form, walked over to the still laughing Nimueh, and lifted her.

"Whoa! What's going on?"

Jaune then put her on the bed, looming over her. "What was that about me pressing my body against you enough for you to feel my scars?"

Nimueh then got a seductive look. "Oh, is that how it is," she asked as wrapped her arms around his neck, taking off his hair tie to free his now snow-white mane. "You know, this is technically our first night together as a legally married couple."

"Thank you, General Schnee."

Meanwhile.

Winter sneezed.

"Rare for you to do that," Qrow said from their bathroom before brushing his teeth.

"Must be more gossip about me."

"That all it had better be," Qrow said as he got in their bed. "After all, you're off the market," he said with a teasing smile as he closed in on his wife.

Winter giggled. "You are a greedy man."

"I'm your greedy man."

"Yes. And that is why you're not allowed to so much as look at a barkeep's skirt."

"I can live with that. Gave up drinking, didn't I," he asked before he kissed his wife.

"And since this is the first time I get to sleep with my wife, I had better damn well make it one night to remember," Jaune said.

"Bring it, hero," Nimueh said as she brought Jaune in for a kiss.

The two were already moaning in ecstasy and pleasure before Jaune created a tail, stretching it towards the light switch and turning off the lights.

Argent's eyebrow twitched. Do I have to wear this," he asked as he looked down at the pajamas. "It's just a soft version of the Mantle Military uniform."

"It's regulation, sweetie," Elm said as she lifted Argent. "You're now a student of New Atlas Academy, so as long as you're here, you're following our rules."

"Okay... but do you have to carry me like this? I look like a teddy bear or something."

"Don't be silly. You're not even a Faunus. You look more like a well-made doll instead of a teddy bear."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Argent went with a blush, his eyes closed, eyebrow twitching again.

"Now, it's 2100 hours. Time for bed."

"Do we have to? I'm not totally drowsy yet. Dad sometimes works out with me to make me feel more tired when I'm like this. Much better than when mom makes me watch boring soap operas to bore me to sleep."

Elm laughed. "I like the way your parents think, especially your dad! But rules are rules. I'm sure you can nod off somehow," Elm said as she got into bed. . . while hugging Argent as if he were a stuffed animal.

The boy blinked, face totally red. "Uh... I-I can sleep in my own bed, you know."

"Nonsense. It will be easier for me to wake you at 0600 if we're in the same bed. Now, get some sleep, sweetie."

Elm then brought Argent closer, her large breasts now pressing into the back of the boy's head, making him turn as red as his dad was after using fire magic with the hologram.

'How am I supposed to sleep like this,' he mentally squeaked while Elm was already dead asleep.

Jaune was sleeping peacefully with his wife atop him. Winter and Qrow were also sleeping soundly after their nighttime fun. Somehow, Argent got to sleep... snuggling into Elm's embrace. Everyone but the night guard and night crew were soundly asleep.

Jaune actually hugged Nimueh closer to him, smiling as she nuzzled up to him.

ENJOYING YOURSELF?

Jaune then began to stir. 'What?'

YOU WIELD MY POWER FRIVOLOUSLY, MANIPULATE MY CREATURES IN A WAY THEY WERE NOT MEANT TO ROAM, AND NOW EVEN MAKE MY DAUGHTER YOURS. YOU CONSTANTLY PERFORM BLASPHEMY AGAINST TIME AND TIME AGAIN, BOY.

'Darkness?'

AND NOW... YOU WILL BE PUNISHED FOR YOUR INSOLENCE.

Jaune then heard an earsplitting roar and saw a nightmarishly huge mouth filled with teeth rush at him from the darkness.

Jaune shot up with a yell, surprising Nimueh awake as she fell onto the empty side of the bed. She looked to see her panting husband, the man in a cold sweat. "Jaune? What's wrong?"

Jaune gritted his teeth as he got out of bed, putting his uniform on. "We might be in for a fight."

"What?"

"Read my mind, Nim."

Nimueh closed her eyes to do just that. Her eyes then popped open before she growled in anger. "That old bastard. What has he done this time," she yelled as she turned into a sword, appearing on Jaune's hip.

As the New Mantle Security Watch was doing their jobs, typing away and looking at monitors to make sure everything was in order with the kingdom, they jumped in surprise when the doors burst open.

"What in the-" The employee then gasped. "M-Mr. Vale Knight! I mean, Sir Arc! I mean, sir! Um, you're not authorized- Well, given your rank as a Huntsman overall, you are, but you still should have gotten the General's-"

"How far can the New Mantle security cameras see outside of the walls?"

"Um, huh?"

"Simple question, soldier. How far out into Solitas can the cameras see," Jaune went in a no-nonsense tone that put everyone on edge.

"Uh, a couple of hundred kilometers, sir."

"Try 150 kilometers north of the western wall."

"Uh, but why, sir?"

"Don't question me! Just do it!"

The man jumped. "Um, I'm sorry, sir, but we need proper authorization from the general in order to-"

"What in the name of the gods?!"

Everyone looked toward the monitors to see a technician already followed Jaune's orders.

"Was that mountain there before?"

"I don't think so. I've never seen a mountain that big before, though. It looks as big as New Mantle itself."

"How could we not have noticed something like that out in Solitas?"

"Think we should report this to General Schnee? It could be a new Dust deposit."

"He did it." Everyone looked at Jaune. "That sonofabitch actually did it. DAMMIT," he went as he slammed his hands on a console, making everyone jump. "Contact General Schnee immediately! Tell her it's an emergency! Ask her for permission to allow an Ace Op to operate a New Mantle Titan."

"A WHAT?! Sir Arc, with all due respect, those are used to fight against Leviathan-level Grimm. Small-town threats at the very least. Why would we need-"

"STOP ARGUING WITH ME AND DO IT!"

"YES, SIR," the soldier went before running off.

"Inform any and all available officers! Place New Mantle under red alert! Get the civilians to safety and prepare any and all escape crafts if necessary! Send in your best operatives with the best equipment possible to the coordinates ten kilometers FROM the mountain! And whatever you do, do NOT let anyone named Schnee anywhere near there, I don't care what Winter says," Jaune said as he walked out of the room.

"Sir, what's going on?! What is this?!"

"A fight I might not be able to win on my own," Jaune said, horrifying everyone before they began to follow Jaune's orders.

As Jaune was walking towards a hanger bay, a scientist ran up to him. "Sir, I've received a bit of information involving the situation. I ran the data and found that the mountain didn't exist before approximately three hours ago."

"So it shows up after my marital night. Of course," Jaune grumbled too low for the scientist to catch. "Do you have a body camera on you?"

"Yes. All New Mantle operatives in every division are required to wear one for both security and research purposes."

"Give me one and patch it into a live feed channel. I don't want to have to explain everything to Winter when she wakes up and calls me."

"Of course," she said as she handed Jaune a camera. "Shall I call and have a Mantis prepared for you?"

"Just open the door."

She made the call. Before she could ask anything else, Jaune ran towards the opening door and whistled. The scientist watched in shock as Jaune jumped out of the hangar door. Then, she saw Jaune riding away on the screeching back of Neverflame, the two off towards the mountain.

As the technicians were toiling away at the tasks Jaune gave them, one noticed that a monitor was requesting a connection. He put in the proper code to activate it. "Sir, it seems someone is headed towards the mountain."

"Who?"

"Me."

"Mr. Arc! Sir, is it wise for you to head to the coordinates without a team?"

"I'm about to find out. I've reached the 'mountain'."

"It looks so... irregular," a technician said.

"I wonder why Sir Arc made such a big deal out of it," another whispered to a coworker.

"You're about to find out," Jaune said, making the technician jump.

Jaune then aimed Nimueh at the mountain. He charged the tip of her blade until a glowing orb was at the end. Then, he fired. Moments passed.

"Doesn't her Aura Beams usually explode," someone asked?

Then, rumbling occurred. It was enough to make the body-cam on Jaune, who was riding on the back of the airborne Neverflame, shake.

"Someone get me a seismic reading! Now," a technician yelled.

"By the gods! These readings are off the charts! It's at a magnitude of 7 and climbing!"

"Seven?! Solitas has never had a quake that large!"

"This is no earthquake," Jaune went, gaining everyone's attention. When they looked, the shaking stopped.

Then, something burst out of the mountain with a roar.

The technicians looked at the screen in shock and horror.

"By the gods."

"L-Look at the size of that thing."

"But... that's impossible."

"It's... It's big enough to swallow New Mantle whole."

"What is that?"

"A Grimm," Jaune answered. "Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to defend New Mantle from an Ice Dragon."

"With all due respect, Sir Arc, THAT THING IS NO DAMNED ICE DRAGON! NO ICE DRAGON IS THAT HUGE! NO GRIMM IS THAT HUGE!"

"You're right. This monster deserves its own name," Jaune said.

"That's not what I meant, sir!"

"This creature... is now an Elder King Ice Dragon, and it is now my mission to protect New Mantel, if not all of Solitas from this creature."

The technicians looked among each other before one stepped forward. "With all due respect, sir, New Mantle is OUR home, so this is our mission, too!" The technicians cheered in response, making Jaune smirk.

"You heard them, you oversized fishing lure." Jaune then glared up towards the massive worm-like Grimm. "Bring it."

The King Ice Dragon then roared at Jaune, as if accepting the challenge.

MISSION BEGIN

A/N: Trust me, the next chapter is going to be a RIDE! It was one of my most enjoyable battles to write. Get ready for WAR!

Well, you know what to do. Leave a review and wait another week.

Until then!