I do not own one thing that has anything to do with the following at all!
… CHAOS…
All around the kingdom of Vale, it was other chaos as either the Grimm or the White Fang were killing civilians left and right, not caring who they are, just that they needed to be killed! Fires we're burning down buildings and rubble was everywhere, and that did not help in the evacuation effort of the city! If that wasn't bad enough, the robot army the Atlas military had brought with them had turned against their creators and started shooting civilians like crazy!
That was the only way to describe the situation in the Kingdom of Vale as Jaune and Pyrrha we're running towards Beacon Tower to help Headmaster Ozpin fight Cinder Fall, a "student" of Haven Academy who had earlier attacked them in a secret vault under the tower that held according to her words the soon-to-be former Fall Maiden!
As Jaune was running with his partner towards the tower, he began to realize that everything had gone down over the last several weeks was connected!
Roman Torchwick was working with the White Fang under her orders and that the whole dust train incident was their first attempt to overrun the Kingdom with Grimm!
Then Roman himself purposely got arrested, as Jaune remembered that Roman supposedly was captured by Mercury Black and Emerald Sustai, Cinder's teammates and, without a doubt, her fellow collaborators.
'I should have suspected something, but all of us we're so focused on the tournament with Roman being in jail that we fail to realize that there was someone else in play!' thought Jaune with anger as he clenched his fists tightly with a vein appearing on his forehead to indicate his anger.
"When Yang supposedly attacking Mercury during the tournament, the incident got her disqualified. He should have known that it was a setup the whole time! Yang may be a hot head, but she would never attack anyone unless she was provoked first!
One of them, most likely Emerald by best guess, probably had an illusion semblance that makes people see what she chooses for them to see specifically, even if it's not really there! Emerald made Yang see Mercury begin to attack, when in fact he didn't and he was struck seemingly unprovoked in order to set her up to be disqualified as they saw her as a threat or obstacle in their plan.
Mercury wasn't even injured in the first place, has Ruby told him during the rally at the Colosseum that he was walking around fine like his legs weren't even injured at all!
'The only explanation is that he has prosthetic legs as there's no way he could have taken the full force of Yang's punch with no Aura otherwise. But how did the paramedics not see this when they were taking him away?!' thought Jaune, before he came to a conclusion.
Roman's ice cream haired partner, who, according to team RWBY, appears to have the ability to change her appearance, and that's when it hit him! She and most likely Cinder were the paramedics who took Mercury away, and that's why they didn't call out his prosthetic legs!
'If this wasn't bad enough, they used Pyrrha to kill Penny as since she was a robot, she was most likely immune to Emerald's semblance and that's the biggest threat since she was Ironwood's ace in the hole!' thought Jaune, as he began to realize that emerald was the reason Penny was dead as she made Pyrrha see something that wasn't there, which made her use her polarity semblance to break Penny apart.
'But how did they get the robots to turn on everyone?!' thought Jaune, before he realized that while everyone was busy and with the festival, that they left one person in play that they didn't even know he was in play, as they thought he was defeated.
Roman was being kept prisoner on Ironwood's personal flagship! The same flagship that had the computer data that controlled and operated the robots! His partner, Neo, or whatever her name was, must have disguised herself as an Atlas soldier and let him out so he could plant a virus or something to make the robot start acting crazy!
But how?! Only someone who knew the Atlas security system like the back of their hand could create such a virus in the first place!
"What are we going to do, as we can't even call for help as communications are down?!"said Jaune, as thanks to Cinder and the Giant Wyvern Grimm that's flying around the city, the Cross Continental Transit system was completely down, and communication with the outside world was completely lost!
As Jaune was running to the Tower with his partner, he began realizing something important as his partner was busy running, Jaune pulled out his scroll and called something that was necessary for his plan to work before he noticed a bottle of some kind of liquid in the ground and picked it up and placed it in his back pocket.
"Pyrrha!"said Jaune, getting his partner's attention.
"Jaune what--?!"asked Pyrrha, as Jaune began hugging her, causing the invincible girl to begin blushing.
"I know you learn something terrible, and that's why you were so confused that you ended up attacking me, and for that, I forgive you. I also don't know what's going on, but you do, and that's why you tried to gain the power of that girl or whatever with that strange machine for the greater good. I can see why Ozpin chose you to be the next Fall Maiden, as you're more than qualified since you are no doubt the strongest first year of Beacon Academy."said Jaune, as Pyrrha began to hug him back.
"Jaune, that isn't important right now-!"said Pyrrha, as a school locker landed behind them, but she didn't notice as he kissed her on the lips
"And that is why it is important that you live on so you can lead the battle another day. You and Ruby have to lead the charge while I buy you guys time for you to escape so you can fight another day!"said Jaune, after breaking the kiss and pushing Pyrrha into his locker before he closed the door!
"Jaune, wait!"yelled Pyrrha, as Jaune pulled out his scroll with a sad look on his face, has she looked at him through the holes of the locker.
"I love you and I'm sorry…"said Jaune as he pushed a button on his scroll, causing the locker to launch into the air, towards the evacuation area!
"JAUNE!"screamed Pyrrha, as Jaune looked at the locker one last time before he turned around and his face grew stone cold.
He knew he had no chance against Cinder, especially after her power boost, but he wasn't intending to live. He was intending to buy enough time for his friends to escape so they could fight another day as it was clear to him that the Battle of Beacon was lost. As Jaune made his way over to the tower, he called Ruby on his scroll, and luckily, she answered quickly.
"Jaune, what is going on?! Where are you?!"asked Ruby franticly, as she wondered where her best friend was.
"I'm close to Beacon Tower? Pyrrha is on her way to the evacuation area, and I want you to meet up with her there, Ruby. You two need to make sure you can save as many people as you can before you guys leave the city as well. The battle is lost, Ruby, and the rest of you need to regroup and fight another day."said Jaune, as Ruby was perplexed by "the rest of you."Instead of him saying "all of us"
"Jaune, just promise me you will be okay?"said Ruby, but you got no answer from her best friend.
"… Sorry, Ruby, an Arc never breaks his promise, but this time I can't promise you anything. You, Pyrrha, and the others are the only hope Vale and possibly the rest of Remnant has. I will buy you guys sometime to escape."said Jaune as he tossed his scroll to the ground as it was no longer.
"Jaune? JAUNE?! Don't do anything rash! I can't lose any more friends today! Jaune, answer me! JAUNE!"yelled Ruby frantically into her scroll, but there was complete silence, as Jaune stepped into the elevator and quickly pushed the button that would take him to the top of the tower where Cinder was.
As Jaune was waiting patiently for the elevator to take him to the top, he began to get to work as he pulled out the switch toward of the elevator and began removing several wires and other metal components from inside the switchboard.
"I just attached this wire here and place this tube here… and tighten it with this duct tape I had on hand… and now for the finishing touches."said Jaune, as he pulled out a bag of dust crystals and poured it into the strange device before he pulled out the bottle he had found earlier and poured brown liquid into the device until it the tube was completely full, and when he was satisfied he played several more metal components before sealing the tube up completely with duct tape.
Jaune quickly tossed the liquid bottle to the ground, revealing that it said benzene on the bottle.
Jaune meanwhile took a deep breath as he knew that today he was going to die, but he was not going to die without a fight!
Soon the elevator reach the top floor and Jaune stepped out of the elevator to see the former headmaster's office now in ruins as the whole roof was blown off and rubble was everywhere.
"I'm honestly surprised. I was half expecting the invincible girl to be here instead of you."said Cinder, as she stepped out from behind a piece of rubble to show her presence..
"But the expendable loser is here in her place! She needs to fight another day, but me, I'm just here to buy time."said Jaune as he pulled out Crocea Mors from its scabbard before turning said scabbard into its shield form.
"Cute. Do you of all people honestly think you have a chance against me, the new Fall Maiden?"asked Cinder, as shmade a fireball in the middle of her palm
"More like the False Maiden, as you didn't earn that power yourself. You just took it from people who were more deserving."insulted Jaune, as he barely blocked the blast of fire from an enraged Cinder!
"Insolent fool! I am worthy about this power, as this power is the least this corrupt world should give me after everything it put me through!"said Cinder in anger.
"Blah, blah, blah, I had a terrible life, so that gives me the right to make other people miserable. You just take and take, and you don't care who gets hurt in the end!"said Jaune, as he steadied his nerves for combat.
"Die!"said Cinder as she blasted fireballs at Jaune!
Jaune charged towards Cinder and proceeded to roll on the ground to avoid getting hit before he got up and swung his blade at Cinder! Cinder just swung a blade made of glass to intercept Crocea Mors before she summoned another glass blade and attempted to stab Jaune in the stomach!
Jaune blocked it with his shield before he moved the blade to the side and hit send her in the face with his shield! Cinder stumbled back before she released a massive amount of fire towards Jaune, who just barely avoided getting hit by rolling out of the way.
Jaune picked up a piece of rubble and threw it at Cinder, who just blasted the rock in mid-air before she saw that it was meant as a distraction as Jaune swung his blade, which she barely avoided as some of her hair was cut in the crossfire and ended up getting cut clean off!
"Enough games!"exclaimed Cinder, as she began summoning blades of glass like crazy as Jaune was barely managing to avoid getting struck but little by little his clothes were getting ripped apart as it was only because of his massive amount of Aura that he was still alive.
Cinder began to ignite her glass swords with fire causing Jaune to grunt with pain, as he could feel the heat being transferred into his metal weapons, which he barely managed to hold even though it was extremely painful as it felt like his hands were on fire the more she struck his weapons with her glass swords!
Jaune knew it was a losing battle so he tossed his shield to the side and punched Cinder in the face, some blood fell out of her nose before she looked at him with anger and stabbed him in the right side of his chest with her fire covered glass sword! His Aura couldn't protect anything, and the tip of the blade ended up piercing his chest as blood began to seep out of the wound.
Jaune gritted his teeth, as the pain was truly unbearable!
"I can't believe you made a fool of me! You, who is nothing more than a pathetic weakling!"said Cinder with anger, as Jaune dropped Crocea Mors on the ground.
"Yeah, but this weakling is going to make sure you're maimed in a way that every time you see your scars in the mirror, you will remember me."said Jaune as he pulled out the makeshift weapon he made earlier in the elevator and placed it next to her flame ignited glass sword.
"What is that supposed to be? Your secret weapon?"asked Cinder sarcastically, as she honestly felt like this fool was making a mockery of her.
"No, it's something I whipped up by combining dust crystals with benzene fuel and a bunch of metal into a makeshift bomb!"said Jaune, as blood fell out of his lips as a determined look appeared on his face.
Cinder's eyes grew wide as she quickly realized what this meant and tried to get away, but Jaune used his left arm to grab her right arm.
Cinder tried to break free by stabbing him with her free left arm, but Jaune moved his head out of the way before biting Cinder in the arm with his teeth! Cinder tried to move, but Jaune was not letting go as the bomb in his hand was burning like crazy, but he wouldn't let go no matter what.
Soon the Dust crystals and benzene inside the makeshift bomb were starting to ignite with the heat as he knew he didn't take much for benzene to ignite and combine with dust crystals, they would surely both go out with a boom!
Cinder meanwhile looked at the giant Wyvern Grimm and almost on command he proceeded to fly towards the tower to try to help her.
Jaune saw this and smiled through his gritted teeth as he knew that he was killing two birds with one stone with this sacrifice!
Meanwhile, Pyrrha landed at the evacuation area and using her semblance quickly remove the door from the locker as she stepped out and fell to the floor, as Ruby and Weiss ran over to see what was wrong.
"Pyrrha, what happened?"asked Weiss, as she noticed the tears that fell down Pyrrha's face.
"Jaune pushed me into his locker to face Cinder alone!"said Pyrrha through her tears, as both members of team RWBY look towards the Tower with horror.
Meanwhile, the giant Wyvern Grimm landed on top of the tower and proceeded to lower its head towards Jaune and Cinder.
Cinder saw this and looked relieved for a moment before hearing a gurgling sound coming from Jaune's makeshift bomb and realized it was going to go off! Acting on pure instinct, Cinder freed her right arm and forged a glass sword, and without much thought, cut her own left arm clean off to get away!
Jaune knew it didn't matter if she got away as she was still within range of the blast as he spat out her several arm and fell to the floor, as he began to pass out, just as the makeshift bomb ignited!
BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!
That was the only sound everyone throughout the city could hear as they saw Beacon Tower go up in flames from a massive explosion. Cinder who managed to get to the elevator was still caught by the blast as part of the heat hit part of her face and several other parts of her body before the elevator was launched into the sky!
The Wyvern Grimm's had meanwhile was completely blown off to smithereens, and soon, its dead body fell to the bottom of the tower, creating a massive shockwave in the process.
Ruby, Weiss, and Pyrrha couldn't believe what they saw as they knew Jaune was up there when the explosion occurred and within Ruby and Pyrrha began to cry heavily as Ruby's eyes glowed and released a massive ball of light throughout Vale before both of them passed out from the shock as they couldn't believe one of the most important people in their life was now gone!
"Idiot…"said Weiss, as Jaune had just sacrificed himself and for the rest of her life she couldn't figure out why!
Blake saw the explosion as well as she was running away from the evacuation to who knows where before a tear fell down her face as she quickly realized that someone sacrificed themselves to try to stop the Battle of Beacon!
Yang on the other hand was being treated for her missing arm in one of the medical bullheads that she was still close enough to over here her teammates, and soon tears fell down her face as she knew Jaune had perished with the tower.
"NNNOOOOOO…"yelled out Nora. As she overheard Pyrrha as well and knew that her fearless leader had blown himself up!
Ren was trying his best to comfort Nora while trying to hold back his tears to appear strong as he didn't want to show weakness in front of Nora during one of her most heartbreaking moments!
Crocea Mors meanwhile fell to the bottom of the tower before before it's stabbed itself into a rock and stayed in place as what was once it's sheat landing not too far from a completely damaged with the Arc family Crest barely recognizable.
Meanwhile, on top of the tower, a small tear of energy appeared to be where Jaune once stood before it seemed to repair itself before it completely dissipated from sight like it was never there.
No one knew that Jaune Arc did indeed survive the Battle of Beacon and that his journey was far from over…