Jaune spent the next hour or so wandering through the room. All the doors on both the first and second floor had been locked with magic, and jaune was not about to spend another four hours unlocking every single door with a metaphorical sledgehammer. There was no sign of danger in this room, although the omnipresent signs of the arcane were unsettling. The walls were lined in glyphs and bands that were coded to do god knows what. Jaune was laying down on a couch, clearly meant to receive possible guests of the sorcerer. It was a nice couch, keeping its comfort throughout the ages. Jaune suspected that it was enchanted, but frankly had decided to not consider it and just relax on the upholstery. He practically sank into the cushioning as he pondered just exactly how he had ended up here.

"I remember being bitten by the snake and collapsing in Moralle." He listed off, tracing sigils of nothing in the air. "And then I woke up here. I thought it was a dream, but that can't be true. I can do some of the things in here that I can do in Remnant, so it clearly can't be just in my head-" He trailed off.

But what if it is? A suggested, bringing to light the opposite possibility for such a situation. What if all this isn't real, and we just happen to have the world's shittiest dreams?

Jaune raised an eyebrow at that. "How can I draw dream born weapons in the Waking world then? Or Jump and cast Blend into Air?" jaune countered. B shrugged.

I dunno… World's strangest semblance? He proposed, as though the idea wasn't so far removed from reality that it literally tapped into a completely other realm.

Jaune shook his head. "I don't think so." He started. "I can't imagine that anyone's semblance has that kind of power, much less mine." Jaune continued. He wasn't an expert on semblances or their limitations, but he had a pretty good grasp of what they could not do. And pulling things through various realities was most certainly one of those limitations.

We should really ask Arslan or another member of team ARBN about it. A suggested. Jaune tilted his head at that. It wasn't a terrible idea, not at all. They most certainly had more training in the subject than him. He had gone to public school, and really hadn't paid that much attention there. He had really only paid attention to his agriculture class and language arts. They offered Computer Science in his last two years of public education, which was a subject that he lapped up like a sponge.

He had garnered a particular set of skills that were particularly useless to the accomplishment of his dreams, ironically enough. He could have made a living doing practically anything else. He could have been a farmer, or a programmer. His father pushed for that career line in particular. But there was something about such a life that, whenever Jaune considered it, just made him wither and feel empty inside.

"I should ask Arslan about it tomorrow." jaune decided, giving a glance to the outcropping of grave stones in the center of the room. He probably should go back soon. Spending less time here in the Dream was probably better for his mental health.

A's head tilted. Then why don't you exit the Dream? He asked. Jaune really didn't know.

I think there are still some things I need to sort out. He decided after a while. You know, recenter myself, figure out what I want to be. Who I want to be.

B nodded at the sentiment. A wise choice, Jaune. He said sagely. Knowing yourself is a good goal to have. A deep understanding of self is something not many people achieve in their lives. Jaune thought about Cardin at that statement, the line of thinking completely unbidden. "I wonder how well he knows himself?" Jaune said aloud, before shaking his head.

Jaune shrugged, not actually caring about the answer to his question. "I wonder what I am going to do with myself." Juane sat there, thinking about that question for some time. He got nowhere with his thinking, but at least he felt a little bit better about it.

Ready to wake up? A asked. Are you ready to face the world from whence you came, oh stranger of mine?

Jaune stood up, raising an eyebrow. "You would cite Hakke to me?" Jaune asked, impressed. He had to read Hakke in the ninth? Tenth grade? Very prominent poet from mid post war era, just on the cusp of the color revolution and the Faunus war.

I'm pretty sure Hakke mixed cocaine and mummy dust with his hard liquor and got absolutely schwasted, mate. B reminded them. The man was tripping balls for most of his life.

Yeah, and it showed. Jaune thought, shaking his head. Remember the Glasshouse? Me and Joanne were so fucking confused when we were given that assignment to read. He giggled, twisting to pop his back.

"Well, up and at'em." Jaune sighed, as he sat down at the gavestone. He closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

He had to wake up, after all.

It was raining when Jaune woke up. The soft pattering against his face made him blink. He rose, shaking the unfamiliar headache that he assumed came with alcohol.

How come I get these in the waking world, but I can chug this shit like water in the Dream. Jaune squinted at the squared bottle. It was empty. Jaune closed his eyes, trying to force his headache away. "Oh, I do not like that." he groaned, letting the rain wash over him.

B squinted, trying to remember something. Wasn't team ARBN leaving in like, seven in the morning? He asked.

Jaune's eyes widened into a universal "Oh shit" face. "Fuck."

Jaune was running through the forest, the sheer movement of his steps shaking his brain in his skull in a painful manner.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck" the ranger muttered as he lept over a root. "I really hope I'm not late." He cleared a stump and a rock in one go, making it past the forest and into the grassy area between the town and the forest. He saw in the distance a bullhead approaching. He really started sprinting at that point, his feet slamming the muddying dirt underneath him into a compact print.

A looked at the bullhead against the dark grey sky. Well, good news: We aren't late yet.

It was the yet part that was concerning.

Arslan woke up, half expecting to be assaulted by the unmistakable scent of blood and alcohol like she had last night.

But there was no scent out of the ordinary. Arslan let out a breath, calming herself. Everything was right with the world. The soft patering of the rain whispered softly to her, causing her to look out the window.

"I see it's raining again." She whispered, turning to look at her scroll. The screen was blindingly bright for her dark adjusted eyes. She blinked, turning the device away from her. The monk eventually got used to the light, managing to glean the time from it. 5:18 blinked at her. She put her scroll away, pulling herself out of bed. It was an early start for her, earlier than she had intended anyway. She had planned on being up at six, as they were leaving at seven thirty.

"Oh well." She sighed under her breath. It wasn't like she was going to go back to sleep anytime soon. She started to do her morning routine. Stretches and some light meditation. She began with bending over to her side, taking a triangle pose. She went through the motions of her exercise, stretching her muscles in preparation for the day. Arms, legs, torso. She was in the middle of her Tai Chi when there was a rustling from behind her.
"You're up early, Ars." Bolin said as he slipped out of bed, shrugging on his own mirrored cloth to Arslan.

Arslan gave a humming sound, swaying through the motion of her forms. "The rain woke me."

Bolin tilted his head to listen to the light battering of the rain.

"You always were a light sleeper." he said as he joined her in her meditation. They mimicked each other, swaying with the muscle memory that had been ingrained into them from a young age.

Bolin was the first to break their shared silence. "Something is on your mind. Care to tell me what it is?"

Arslan turned to him. 'Oh?" She asked coyly, not stopping her practiced movements, "what makes you say that?"

Bolin stopped, squaring his shoulders. "Ars." he said, fully commanding her attention. "You're doing the first Kata."

"You only do the first Kata when you're stressed about something." Bolin said. "So what is bothering you?" Bolin asked. Arslan sighed, dropping her form.

She was silent for a moment, trying to bring her existential worries to life with her words.

"I-"She started, before shaking her head. "You remember when we were given this mission, how i was skeptical about it? A long range mission without a teacher, two months in advance of any other practice mission." She started. "It's something that would be given to a second, maybe even a third year team. But it was given to us. A first year team." She explained, mulling over the odd context around the assignment. "And then we find Jaune, a fellow student lost in the middle of nowhere. Who is transferring to Haven. Who is…" She trailed off, trying to find an inoffensive word to describe the particular oddity that was the ranger. Bolin gave her a flattened look. "You can say it. He's strange. Wack. An oddball. Insane. Cracked in the head" he listed off.

Arslan gave him a withering look, but agreed regardless. "Strange." She decided on the least offensive of the bunch.

"You don't think that our mission wasn't to kill an incursive grimm pack, but to pick up a student, do you?" She asked, coming to a possible answer to her questions. Bolin raised an eyebrow at the possibility. He took a breath in.
"I suppose it is possible, but as to why I cannot tell you." The blue monk said. Arslan shook her head, still lost in her own thoughts.

"It just doesn't make sense." Arslan repeated to herself.

She completed her routine with Bolin as the others slowly came to. Nadir went to the bathroom, taking care of whatever it was he did in the mornings.

After everyone was washed and clothed, Arslan called them to her. "So, we should be returning to Haven today." She started.

Reese nodded. "At seven, right?" She asked. Arslan nodded.

"Yes, a half hour from now." She confirmed. "I see that we are mostly packed for the trip back." That was good. The sooner they got back to Haven, with good beds and much better food. Arslan missed the comforts of a well supplied live in dorm and good CCT connection. True, she had lived most of her life as a monk with strict teaching about material wealth, but even at the monastery they had a CCT emitter and decent connection. How they could use such technology was limited. Damn parental restrictions.

Arslan and her team spent the next couple of minutes packing away the last bits of their stuff. The battery pack, toothbrushes, Nadir's bedroll, those kinds of things. Arslan looked at them as they shouldered their packs, ready for the long flight home.
"Good."

Breakfast was a dull affair with eggs, porridge and some grained toast. The rain outside remained at its steady shambling pace. The finished, paid with lien and left. The floor squeaked it's goodbyes as they walked out into the rain. Mr. Derothoga, dressed in an overcoat and a wide brimmed hat to save him from the weather, waited outside the inn.
"Leaving us so soon?" he said with a smile.

Arslan gave him a sad little smile and nodded. "I am sorry to be leaving. You have been a most gracious host." She said with a bow. The Faunus bowed back.

"Thank you for your service." he said, speaking his native tongue.

Arslan smiled, straightening up. "And thank you for yours." it was the customary response for her. It was nice, complementary and more or less meaningless. The meaning of the words shifted a little bit because it was in Feral, not english. The context was different, because Feral has a very historic language with many of it's sayings, and even the definitions of its words, being tied down in traditional folk tales and testament stories.

It was a fascinating subject that many monks dedicated their lives to study. Arslan had an interest in it, but not enough to pursue anything beyond listening to her friends at home ramble on about the language. Arslan could not wait until the next break, as short as it was. She looked forward to visiting the Monastery again, seeing her old masters and friends.

The Vice Magistrate looked at the four of them, as though he was expecting someone that was not there. A surprised kind of confusion flickered within him.

"Where is your ghost?" he asked Arslan. Arslan blinked, taking a moment to piece together just exactly who the elected official was talking about. Because that? That was most certainly a context.

"Oh, jaune?" She squeaked, shaking her head. "No, Jaune is not my shabyth. He simply…is." She sighed. "And as for where he is, I cannot say. He is unto himself."

The magistrate understood the intent behind the words. "I see." He said, turning to look at the approaching bullhead. "Well, I suppose I will see you off."

The five of them watched in silence as the bullhead slowly became larger and larger in their view.

"How long do you think before it lands?" a voice came from right next to her. A voice that had not been there moments prior. The five of them jumped at the sudden surprise intrusion of their waiting.

Jaune was standing there, right next to them, as though he had been there the entire time.

"Holy Fuck!" Reese exclaimed at the sudden appearance of the grey ranger. "Where the hell did you come from?" She said, before shaking her head. "We need to put a bell on you." The skater muttered to herself. Jaune heard her anyway.

Arslan took in a breath, clutching at her spiking heart rate. Once she had recovered from the shock, she looked at Jaune. "How long have you been there?"

"For some time now," he responded. Arslan blinked, amazed that he managed to be right next to her and not be noticed.
"Really?" She asked, astounded at his skill.

"No."

Team ARBN stared at him for a moment, before Reese started giggling at the joke. "Good to know you have a sense of humor, at least." she snorted with a smile.

Jaune gave her the same stone flat look he seems to always be wearing. "I do. His name is A." he said, turning to the approaching airship. "He's a pain in my ass."

HEY! A responded, indignified at the insinuation. B's a sarcastic little shit too!

Jaune smiled at that. Or at least he thought he was smiling. He knew his mouth didn't move, but he really didn't care. That smile wasn't for the outside world.

It was not for them.

Arslan realized that she had something, fishing in her bag for it. "Jaune." She said, gaining the rangers attention.

"Yes, Ms. Altan?"

"I still have your scroll." She said, holding out the dented and beaten scrap of technology in her hands, like an offering to some wild beast.

Jaune gave the lioness a grateful nod, gingerly taking the scroll from her dark hands. "My gratitude. Thank you for returning it to me." The ranger said, his gratitude was sincere.

He turned it on, opening it once more. The last time he had done so, he had been ridden with guilt, fleeing into the forest where he could escape his judgement. But he would be strong this time. Strong enough to face his fear, face his judgement.

He was strong enough. And even if he wasn't, he had to be. For his sake, if for no one else.

Jaune unlocked the phone, gazing fondly at the picture that was his background.

He was pretty sure that this was taken at his grandmother's house during the summer, but was unsure.

The six of them stood there in the light drizzle, waiting for the bullhead to land on the outskirts of town. Jaune did not recognize the faunus man that stood with them, but assumed that he was some form of overseer. Perhaps he was a teacher? Jaune shook the thought out of his head. He didn't seem like a huntsman. He didn't have a weapon on him, nor did he have that keen dangerous feel that most hunters had.

The bullhead mercifully landed after ten minutes, lowering the gang plank for the five students. They marched into the metal machine, jaune in particular was dreading the trip. He hadn't been on one of these massive flying monstrosities in a life age.

The magistrate took a step forward. "Again, thank you all for your efforts and work here." he said to the huntsman team. He then looked at Arslan. "If you ever come this way again, you are welcome here." He continued in Feral.

Arslan gave him another kind nod. "I will be sure to say hello if I do." She responded. Jaune turned to give his own response to the magistrate.

"I doubt our paths will cross again, Son of Krydth." he said, his voice carrying through the rain as though there was no noise but it, no distance between them, and yet all the space of the universe was what the words had to travel. "But if we do, I hope it will be under better skies."

Everyone was looking at him, shocked for the second time that day. The bullhead began it's ascent, forcing the two huntsmen at the door to retreat to their seats.

Arslan turned to her companion. "You speak Feral?" She asked, her statement more of demand for an explanation than a question. The idea that someone had taught anyone the sacred language of the Faunus, much less a human? That was almost unheard of, and most certainly a reason for interest.

Hell, a hundred years ago Jaune would have been stoned to death for such a feat.

Unless he himself is a faunus of some kind. Arslan thought, squinting at the blonde. There were no betraying appendages that he was a Faunus, nor any particular traits that Arslan recognized that could clue her into his species.

Jaune nodded. "I speak many things." he said simply, as though that explained anything whatsoever. Arslan leaned forward to get a closer inspection of Jaune's face, only to get a whiff of his rain soaked odor. Arslan frowned at jaune.

"You reek of alcohol." She pointed out, clearly unimpressed at the fact. Jaune had the decency to give her a sheepish smile, reaching up to scratch at the back of his head. He did not deny the fact, instead reaching into his pouch and producing a flask of clear liquid.

He uncorked it, peering down into it suspiciously. He gave it a tentative sniff, and when that did not yield conclusive results, held it up to the light.

He clearly was making a show of it, for his own amusement or for another? Arslan could not tell.

Eventually he decided that it was safe to drink, and started to chug the liquid.

The empty bottle was returned to his quiver pouch thing.

Arslan gave up, seeing that she wasn't going to get anywhere with her attempted dissection. She turned to look out the window opposite her, but she could feel Jaune staring at her. Eventually the gaze became unbearable.

"Yes?" She asked, turning to the grey man. He was looking at her with a puzzled look, as though he had a line of thought that was missing a key component. He reached out to her, his fingers just barely brushing against her lips, as though he was asking permission to touch her. Arslan blinked, so incredibly bewildered that it robbed her of any action she might have.

Jaune seemed like such an unapproachable person, akin to a statue. It was so very strange to see him try and touch someone one.

You know, maybe we should ask her, instead of grabbing her without warning. A pointed out, reminding Jaune that just touching people was really rather strange.

Jaune retracted his hand slightly, clearly apologetic about his mismanagement of the situation.

"My apologies. I wish to confirm something. May i?" he asked, not telling Arslan what exactly he wanted to confirm.

Arslan blinked again. She decided to word her answer carefully, as jaune was as equally likely to be a Karmorayal as much as he was a Shabyth or a man. Permission with such beings was labyrinthine at best. There was a folk lore from the continent of Vaulco and Vale. Fae, she believed they were called.

"You may ask your question." She said finally.

Jaune tilted his head to the side, resting his chin on the hand that had previously invaded Arslan's space with a curiosity. "Can you smile for me?"

The lioness was taken aback by the stunningly innocent request. "Uh…sure?" She said, giving jaune a grin.

Jaune gulped upon seeing the smile. Joy truly suits the face of man. He thought as he stared into the happy face in front of him.

B looked more critically, actually searching for the trait that they were interested in in the first place. Unlike the star struck Jaune. I thought so. He said, causing Jaune to snap back into reality.

Huh. He thought, looking at her sharp, elongated canines. They were truly fangs, much like that of a cat. Or a lion. Would you look at that? Arslan's got fangs.

A was shocked for a moment, before common sense caught up to him. I suppose that really shouldn't surprise me. He said after he thought about it for a while. I mean, she always had a good sense of smell. A concluded his thoughts on the new information.

B nodded. And hearing. Arslan's ears are seconded to none we have met.

Jaune gave a hum, still fixated on the fang like teeth Arslan was showing off.

He reached out to touch one, carefully stroking the lioness's jaw as though it were the maw of some dangerous viper that might bite him at any moment. It was a cautious approach, one that showed both respect and fear for the beast he dared to admire. Arslan's smile faltered as her eyebrow raised curiously. It was a strange feeling, how tender jaune was. It was also not everyday that someone just decided to touch her teeth, her fangs in particular.

"You're a faunus." he said, dropping the bombshell. It frankly

A nodded at the statement. I'll be honest, I was expecting a tail, or some ears.

B was inclined to agree with his counterpart. You are correct. I did not know that teeth could be a prominent trait.

Arslan's face fell from her forced smile into one of shock. "How-how did you-"
"You have fangs, as I suspected." Jaune said, pulling his hand away from the stunned lioness. "It was rather obvious, once I thought about it." jaune started to explain. "The only missing piece was your trait. Although I will admit, I was unaware that teeth could be an animalistic trait."

Arslan looked at jaune, both stunned and impressed. Most people never guessed that she was a faunus, due to her lack of explicitly defining traits like a tail or ears. But to have someone who was almost a complete stranger be able to tell that from just a smile? That was a first indeed.

"Do-" Arslan gulped. "Do you care about that? That I am a faunus?" The subject was always a little tense for her, as it was with any faunus. It was hard to tell just exactly who was going to not be a racist, and there was always a change that someone was. She didn't think that anyone that spoke the Sacred Language could be racist against faunus, but it was best to make sure.

Yes. A started, taking in the new information with an unbound imagination. It just makes you that much hotter-

B proceeded to hit him over the head with a rolled up newspaper.

Jaune gave her a small, timid smile and shook his head. "I would be a most foolish man indeed if it did." he said, turning away to look out the window. "We all are of man, of Krydth, The brother gods, The King In Yellow, whatever you believe in. We all bleed the same, die the same, live the same. I see no difference beyond the word "Human" and "Faunus''."" Jaune said sagely, watching the clouds roll by.

His stomach gurgled at the thought, to which he pushed it down. His face soured as his efforts faltered. Arslan looked at him with concern.

"Are you ok?" She asked, as to which jaune shook his head.

And promptly vomited onto the floor.

And another chapter is done! and we get the big reveal for Arslan that everyone saw coming six miles away. But more importantly, The first arc of this story is officially over! Moving on to the first haven arc!

I am so glad at my progress with this project, it being the longest and most complete long term personal project I have undertaken. I am happy with how this arc ended, and really look foward to the next couple of chapters.

As always, leave your comments, reviews, ideas, scenes and theories you think would be cool to share with me.