Hello There!

Well it's been awhile. Much longer than it should have been, for which I apologize. In my defense there were some external situations that made it hard for me to write, but those were only delays of a week or two, not a month. In all honesty this chapter kind of kicked my ass. I'm not totally satisfied with it, but I didn't want to wait longer to publish it and I didn't think that adding more would really improve it in any way. This chapter was actually going to be a good bit longer, like probably at least 5,000 more words at the absolute minimum, but with events that would be taking place that would be too much all at once and it was just better to break it up for the next chapter. So, bright side, I'm already like 2,000 words into chapter 27, so that will expedite the writing process some.

So in this chapter we will mostly be covering Jaune and co. back in Beacon. I know I set up things for the battle of Sanctas to take place in this chapter, but I needed to work more on Beacon events to get things to the point I wanted before that.

But yeah, here's the next chapter, hope you all enjoy!

On with the story!

Vaya stepped out of the archway and into the mountain fortress.

Piece by piece she laid out the armor of the Knight Lord upon the ground and set a mighty great blade next to it. The weapon was as tall as the armor itself, and a half a foot across at the widest point of the blade. It was a weapon made for Grimm slaying.

Vaya knelt next to the armor, hands folded on her lap.

And waited.

Cinder looked up as someone knocked on the door of her room.

She glanced over at Mercury and nodded at the door. The assassin moved to open it as Emerald and Cinder shifted, ready to spring into action if necessary. The odds of them having been found out at this stage were low, and even if they had been the odds that someone would knock on their door before busting it down to arrest them were even lower. Still, it paid to be careful.

Mercury opened the door. "Jaune? What's up?"

"Hey Mercury. Is Cinder in? I wanted to talk to her about something."

She perked up, surprised. Her subordinate looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, silently asking how she wanted to handle this. She stood up and approached the door. "I'm here," she said as she stepped in benching Mercury. She gave Jaune a genial and entirely false smile. "Hello Jaune. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was wondering if we could go for a walk and talk privately?" He smiled back and she quietly wished she could carve a second smile into his throat.

"Of course. Lead the way." She stepped out into the hallway and walked beside him. The blonde had a hand resting on the pommel of the sword at his side, but it was a casual gesture, not one of someone about to draw it on her. "I heard you were out of the hospital. I'm glad to see you're doing better," she lied. Though he was certainly doing better. Better even than he had before going into the hospital. He was taller, stronger, and he had a presence about him that called to the Maiden's power in her. As though it and something about him were one and the same. That, she guessed, was the Light her mistress had told her about. The power he had used to kill the Dark Champion.

"Thanks, it feels good to finally be back." He responded. "I'd have lost my mind if I had to spend another week in that place." He pushed open the door out of the dorm building and let her pass through before following her out.

"I'm sure," she said as they strode down the cobble sidewalk. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well..." he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I've been doing some thinking lately. About us."

Oh? She looked at him, intrigued. She knew about his little date with Pyrrha Nikos yesterday, as did everyone else in Beacon. She'd thought the two of them had well and truly started a relationship, which would have put paid to her attempts to win him over. Was that not the case? "What about us?" She asked coyly as she placed her fingers on his forearm.

To her displeasure he shrugged her hand off. "I know we've had this back and forth going for a bit, and I really do enjoy your company, but I think we should just stay friends."

Cinder stormed into her dorm and slammed the door shut.

"Is everything alright?" Emerald asked frantically as she sat up.

"He friend zoned me!"

The thief paused, taken off guard. "Um... pardon?"

Cinder sat down on her bed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That bastard friend zoned me."

Mercury snorted with laughter. "Oh, that's funny."

The Maiden's eyes burned with amber light as she fixed her glare on on him. He choked his laughter down and gulped. "I-I mean... it's funny that he would make that decision. He seemed securely wrapped around your finger."

"He was," she grumbled. "Until Weiss Schnee decided to swoop in and take him for herself."

"Is that an issue?" Emerald asked.

"Truthfully, no. Arc still regards me as a 'friend', so little has changed. Though Schnee might start resenting my presence if I hang around her little boy toy. She might tell him to see me off."

"Seems awfully petty," Mercury pointed out.

"She's a spoiled rich brat whose biggest concern is her makeup getting smudged. Petty is an apt descriptor." She rolled her eyes. "That's to say nothing of his partner. Nikos has mistrusted me from the start. Between those two and the Rose girl his little harem makes it hard for any female outside of his circle of immediate friends to get close to him. It's probably why he was never seriously approached by anyone else, whether he realizes it or not."

"So if it doesn't change anything, why were you upset?" Emerald asked. She blanched when Cinder turned her gaze on her. "J-just curious, ma'am."

Oh she certainly was. Cinder didn't know if Emerald's attachment to her was romantic or not, nor did she care. It made the thief loyal to her and that was what mattered, but she feared being replaced or forgotten, like a stray puppy that clung to the first person to take it in, regardless of how they abused it.

"Don't mistake me. I have no romantic attachment to that fool, but I spent over two months working on him. The only reason he isn't wrapped around my finger right now is because of his fascination with the Schnee heiress. When he seemed to have given up on that I actually started making head way, but now all that's gone. I'm just frustrated at wasting so much time on him." For that alone Cinder wanted him dead. But she would get her chance in time. Once she had the full power of the Fall Maiden she would reduce Jaune Arc to ash. Assuming he didn't fall to one of her mistress's monsters beforehand.

"So what now? Just keep up the charade?" Mercury asked. "Don't want to try and find a chance to off him early?"

"No. Our mistress has made it clear that we are to observe him only. She has a plan in place for handling him." Not that Salem had shared said plan with Cinder. And if he came between her and the Maiden's powers Cinder would kill him, orders be damned.

"Does she seriously think we can't take him down?" The assassin asked indignantly. "I mean we took down the Fall Maiden, and would have finished the job if Ozpin's attack dog hadn't gotten involved."

"It's not a matter of whether or not we can kill him. It's a matter of whether or not we can do so without exposing ourselves. Amber was alone in the middle of nowhere. Jaune is in the center of a huntsman academy in a densely populated city and has friends around him at almost all times. That and the second something goes wrong his pet Gryphon will sense it and come down on us. There's too many risks to make it worth it. If we're discovered early it will interfere with the festival attack and make it harder to retrieve to find Amber."

"Eh, fair enough," Mercury signed as he lounged on his bed.

"Speaking of Amber, have you made any progress on locating her ma'am?" Emerald questioned, hands folded on her lap.

That made Cinder smiled. "Yes, actually. I believe she is sealed away beneath the CCT tower. The blueprints I retrieved during my infiltration show a large chamber was dug beneath the tower during it's construction. Official records state that it's purpose was to house a back up generator and servers, but no records show either ever being installed. In fact an examination of the power grid shows that there is something down there drawing power, not distributing it. Not enough to be worthy of notice when compared to the tower's massive power draw. Unless you're looking for something anomalous."

"So Oz put her on life support and stuck her in a hole in the ground? Harsh," Mercury laughed. "Guess that's her punishment for abandoning ship. Any idea how we get there?"

"One of the CCT tower's elevators has access to her, the one that leads to Ozpin's office. However I've not been able to deduct how to achieve that access. Anything deeper than a cursory inspection of the elevator is bound to draw attention, and security has been increased dramatically since the night of the Vytal Ball."

"What about Ozpin's next choice of Maiden? Is Nikos our primary suspect?" Emerald queried.

"I'm almost positive he intends to choose her. With her skills and temperament he will view her as an ideal candidate, and she is Jaune Arc's partner. Control over her means control over him."

"But how will he get the powers to her?" Mercury scratched the side of his nose. "After what you did to her she's not in any state to do more than gurgle and sputter."

"I'm not sure," Cinder grudgingly admitted. "But we should assume he's figured something out. Underestimating Ozpin is a good way to get killed. Once the festival attack begins Ozpin will gather Nikos and take her to the tower so that she can take the remainder of the powers to repel the invasion. I will follow them and strike when their backs are turned and take the powers. At that point even Ozpin won't be able to stop me."

"And what will we be doing ma'am? Are you sure you wouldn't want us with you just in case?" Emerald squirmed, uncomfortable with leaving Cinder to face Ozpin alone.

"I'm sure. I need you two in position to video everything. I want the people of Vale and beyond to see Grimm running rampant in the streets of the capitol, White Fang members gunning down humans, and Atlas mechs going haywire and killing the very people they were meant to protect. It will not be enough to bring down Vale. We must destroy the people's trust in their leadership, and in one another. That is how we win, that is how we build a new world from the ashes of the old."

Mercury didn't say anything to that, just hummed noncommittally and stared at the ceiling. It was about what she expected from him. He was only in it for the exorbitant fee he got paid to work for them, as well as being guaranteed a comfortable life when they took power.

Emerald however shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was undyingly loyal, but at the core of her being there had always been a seed of compassion, perhaps a result of her own deprived life. To Cinder's annoyance she had never been quite able to crush that seed.

"Is something wrong, Emerald?" The maiden asked softly, eyes fixed on her subordinate.

"N-no ma'am. I'll follow your orders to the letter."

"I know you will." Cinder reached across and placed her hand over the girl's. Red eyes widened as the thief's breath caught in her throat. "You've never disappointed me, and I don't expect you to start now."

Emerald all but shook with excitement, eyes fixed on Cinder's hand over hers. "Y-yes ma'am! I'll make you proud, I swear!"

"You already have. Why don't you go find Jaune for me? He said he was going to train with his friends for the Vytal festival. I want to see how he's changed. Don't be seen, and report back when they finish."

"Of course!" Emerald shot to her feet and rushed to the door, beaming. "I'll be back with my findings." She stepped out and shut the door, leaving Cinder alone with her other subordinate.

"You know, she's eventually going to realize you don't give a damn," Mercury pointed out idly. "What will you do then?"

"Don't be foolish Mercury. So long as I give Emerald the occasional compliment or touch she'll glue herself to me. She's so desperate to be loved she won't bother questioning if it's genuine so long as I continue to prefer the carrot over the stick."

Mercury stared sidelong at his employer, his neutral face betraying no emotion. He looked back at the ceiling. "Hm."

Weiss swept under Ruby's swing and struck out with Myrtenaster. The red reaper nimbly dodged aside and the two swept past one another, weapons up in a guard and watching each other warily, waiting for an opening to appear.

Off to the side Yang and Blake sparred with one another as well, bobbing and weaving around one another as they probed their partner's defenses in search for weaknesses to point out.

And then further away Pyrrha sparred with Ren and Nora at the same time. With their skill and familiarity with both one another's fighting styles and Pyrrha's they were putting up a respectable fight, but it was clear the Invincible Girl still had the upper hand and was pushing both of them back at the same time.

A white glyph formed beneath Weiss's feet and she shot towards her partner with her rapier held straight out. Ruby vanished in a flurry of rose petals before contact could be made and reappeared behind the heiress with her scythe drawn back for a heavy swing.

And then she stepped on the patch of ice Weiss had left in her wake. With a yelp the silver eyed girl slipped and tumbled to the ground as her speed was used against her. Weiss turned and pointed her rapier at her team leader's throat. "I do believe the victory is mine," she said with a smirk.

Ruby pouted and stuck her tongue out at Weiss. "Meanie."

The snow haired girl laughed and pointed her weapon away as she offered a hand to her partner. Giggling the crimsonette accepted it and let Weiss pull her to her feet. "That was clever!"

"You like to use your speed to get flank your opponents and strike where they can't protect most of the time. I knew what to expect and how to counter it. An opponent with a semblance that can control the battlefield like mine could potentially turn your speed against you if they're clever. Well, as clever as me." She smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "And here I was thinking you'd learned humility here at Beacon."

"Me? Never." The two laughed as Blake was sent sailing back by a punch from Yang.

The faunus groaned and sat up. "I think that's a point in your favor."

Yang strode over and flexed her arms, kissing her considerable biceps. "Your clones are useful Blakie, but you can't dodge forever. Eventually you're gonna have to stand and fight."

Blake shrugged. "Perhaps." She grinned, amber eyes flashing. "But not today." And then she vanished.

"Aw fu-" Yang turned, but she was too late. Gambol Shroud's ribbon bound her arm as Blake slipped around her and yanked, spinning the brawler around and taking her to the ground. Blake knelt on her chest with the edge of her blade sheathe against her partner's neck. "And you can't rely on brute force to solve every problem uh... Yangie."

"Really? That's the best you have?"

"I'm trying!" she said indignantly as she got up and offered Yang a hand up, which she took.

The blonde brawler grinned. "Keep at it. One day you'll be a pun master like yours truly."

The dark haired girl scoffed, but there was a mischievous gleam in her eye as she teased her partner. "Thanks, but I'm good. I've already shown you up in combat. Taking your self accredited title of 'pun master' on top of that would just be mean."

"Ooh, kitty's got claws."

"INCOMING!"

The four girls scattered as something crashed down where they had been standing. That something was Pyrrha, who stood up from her crouch and coughed up a lungful of smoke. "Nora! No explosives! We don't want to ruin Beacon's lawn." She looked around at the scorch marks, patches of ice, torn up sod, and small craters that marred the once pristine open expanse of grass they were training on. "Well... not ruin it more, I suppose."

"Mrs. Goodwitch is going to kill us," Ruby sighed.

"Or make us fix it," Ren said flatly. The seven of them shuddered at the thought. "Perhaps we should leave before someone sees us as the scene of the proverbial crime?" he suggested.

"Leaving already? And I just got here too."

Weiss froze in place, face heating up. Ruby looked past her and waved. "Hi Jaune!"

The heiress turned, heart thumping in her chest.

Jaune Arc smiled at them all, Brillant Mors casually resting on his shoulder and his brown leather jacket laying across the other. His eyes met hers and they lit up as a grin spread across his face. He folded his jacket up and set it on the ground somewhere it would hopefully be safe, putting arms heavy with muscle on full display. "So," the blonde knight said as the blade of Brillant Mors flashed in the morning sun. "We've got a bit less a month before the Vytal festival tournament begins, and I've spent way too long laid up in the hospital." He rolled his shoulders. "Who's first?"

"Oh?" Yang grinned and slammed her fists together. "That sounded like a challenge Jauney boy."

"It was a challenge flame brain," he shot back with his own grin. "But if you don't think you can take me I'm sure someone else will be happy to take your place."

Yang laughed. "Oh you are so on. Hope you're ready to get your butt kicked by a girl!"

Yang watched Jaune as the others formed a loose circle around the two of them.

If she hadn't known him from the start of Beacon she would have never thought this was that gangly awkward boy who had befriended her equally awkward little sister. He had changed a lot in less than a year, and not just physically. The blonde brawler was glad to see it. It was like he was finally coming into who he was in full.

And that meant she didn't have to hold back with him. She wanted to see what he was really made of. "So Jauney boy, think you can take me down?"

"I think I can give it a fair go," he said as he rolled his shoulders. "Afraid you'll get whipped by the rookie?"

"Oh, you wanna whip me? Kinky." She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he flushed crimson.

"I-I didn't mean-"

Ah, some things never changed. "Relax stud, I'm just teasing." She brought her fists up in a guard and deployed Ember Cecilia, peering past them at him. "Now, you wanna keep talking, or shall we dance?"

Jaune hefted Brillant Mors off of his shoulder and leveled it at her. The two circled one another cautiously, weighing their options. Yang could engage him at any range with her gauntlets, while he was limited to the reach of his own weapon. And even then if she got within that reach she would have an advantage over him. She would be too close for him to hit effectively while all she had to do was throw some punches. Or she could keep out of his range and blast him from afar while he tried to close the gap. Of course she wouldn't do that. She wanted a proper throw down, not to bully him from somewhere he couldn't reach her. She'd save that for the actual tournament, assuming they wound up going against one another.

"Hey Ren, catch." Jaune tossed his halberd to the surprised boy who barely managed to catch it before it hit the ground. He and the others looked at the blonde knight in confusion, but Yang already knew what he was planning.

She was proven right as Jaune drew Crocea Mors from his waist and held it in front of him in a two handed grip, the point leveled at her.

The reach of his halberd wouldn't help him much against her. Her weapons and fighting style were well suited for getting into his guard or staying out of his reach. His longsword was much better suited for dealing with her. "Clever!" She winked at him. "Now, c'mere and show me how you use your big long swo-"

Yang barely dodged his thrust, the point of his blade missing her head by a scant inch as she ducked to the side. He drew the blade back and up and cut from his right shoulder at her. She brought her arm up to catch the blade on her gauntlet even as she drew her other fist back to slam into his solar plexus. In her mind she could see the next few steps of the fight. She would block his strike, use the energy from it to empower her own blow and break his guard, then-

Yang's arm was driven into her shoulder as Jaune's strike crushed her guard and drove her into the dirt in a pile.

She blinked stars from her eyes and groaned as her head spun. Jaune stepped back still in a guard. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Gimme a sec. Whoo." She pushed herself to her knees with a grunt and shook her head again.

Okay, so Jaune hit like a truck now. Or a bus full of trucks. He'd completely floored her with one strike, and it wasn't like she hadn't braced herself for the impact. She'd been expecting to get hit and had planted herself accordingly. It just... hadn't mattered.

Upside, that blow had given her a considerable boost to her damage output. Downside, a few more hits like that would shatter her aura completely.

Yang got to her feet and brought her fists up, grinning from ear to ear. Her eyes flashed red, fire flickering across her golden hair. "Alright lover boy. Time for some real action."

Like a bullet from a gun Yang shot towards Jaune in a golden blur. He stepped forward and met her charge and cut down at her as she closed. She slipped to the side and drove her fist into his stomach, firing a shell into his gut and knocking the air out of him as he folded over her fist. Her second punch slammed into his jaw with a crack as his head snapped back and he was sent sailing by the impact. He hit the ground and rolled to his feet with a grunt. He charged back in and cut at her head as she brought her arms up in an X and caught the blade. The shock of impact traveled through her body and drove her boots into the dirt, but she held her ground as the two strained against one another, Jaune trying to take her to the ground as she struggled to keep on her feet. To Yang's delight Jaune matched her grin with one of his own, enjoying the fight as much as she was. On the side lines the two teams cheered for their respective member as the two blondes tried to push the other off balance. Eventually one of them would have to give and relent to the other.

It was Jaune who ended the contest. He pulled his sword down and off of her bracers, leaving her pushing against nothing as her arms flew up into the air as though she was cheering and leaving her open. He took immediate advantage of her vulnerability and thrust the point of Crocea Mors into her stomach with enough force to knock her back, aura crackling.

She caught herself before she tumbled to the ground again, skidding across the earth and feet digging a furrow in the ground. Jaune didn't relent this time, pursuing her and thrusting again to force her back even further. She stepped back and fired a shotgun blast at him. Fire swept over him but Jaune charged through it as it washed over his aura and came in with an upward swing that she narrowly dodged. She responded with a kick at his head that he side stepped and cut at her legs.

Yang leapt over the cut and somersaulted in the air. With a yell she drove her heel down on the back of Jaune's head and drove his face into the dirt. She stuck the landing, drew her fist back, and drove it down at his back with all the might she could muster, trying to end the fight then and there. Jaune just managed to roll to the side in time. Dirt and dust filled the air as the impact blew it up, forcing the two to back up out of the cloud and away from each other, coughing up soil.

When the dust settled the two of them were left facing one another, guards up. Both were breathing hard and coated in a fine layer of soil.

"Heh, you hit hard Jauney boy. Someone's been eating their Pumpkin Pete's," she teased as they began to circle each other.

"Well, it is the breakfast of champions," he joked. Yang laughed and shook her head, readying a retort.

"What is going on here?!"

Everyone jumped and looked as a familiar figure strode towards them purposefully, carrying his trademark thermos.

"It's Oobleck!" Ruby squeaked in alarm.

Nora grabbed Ren and Pyrrha and threw them over her shoulders. "CHEEZE IT!" The ginger powerhouse took off at a dead sprint in the opposite direction. Ruby grabbed Blake and the two vanished in a flurry of rose petals.

Later the eight teens would agree that running hadn't been a good idea. Oobleck definitely knew who they were and it would have taken him little effort to track them down and dish out punishment for their destruction of the meticulously managed Beacon lawn if he'd chosen to do so.

Of course, teenagers weren't typically known for their ability to think ahead.

Yang looked at Jaune. "Run?"

He shrugged. "Might as well at this point." The two blondes turned and hoofed it.

Weiss however did no such thing. She in fact stepped towards the teacher, hands clasped in front of her. "Professor, I am so sor-"

Jaune darted back and grabbed her hand. "Run now, apologize later. Let's go!" He took off with her right behind him, doing her desperate best to keep up with his much longer stride.

"It's doctor! Doctor Oobleck!" He shouted after them as they hurried off. He looked down at the mess they had made of the ground and shook his head with a sigh. "Kids these days..." Well, he could chase after them himself and dole out punishments.

Or he could inform the groundskeepers of just who was responsible for the extra work they were going to have to do in order to get the lawn up to snuff before the festival. Yes, he rather liked that idea.

"Hell hath no fury like a groundskeeper scorned..." he mused to himself as he pulled out his scroll.

Jaune and Weiss ran until they found themselves in the gardens behind the school. The tall blonde leaned against a low stone wall that lined the path, breathing hard. "Phew, think we lost him?"

"For now," Weiss groaned as she hopped up on the wall to give her aching legs a rest. Jaune could really book it when pressed. "He's going to give us so much detention. You know that right?"

"Hey, take it up with Nora. Running was her idea."

"And you went along with it why?"

"Nora has good ideas! Sometimes..." The two looked at each other for a few moments.

Then burst into laughter. Jaune leaned against the wall next to her. "Yeah," he chuckled. "We're probably in trouble."

"What else is new?" Weiss asked sarcastically. "We've practically existed in some level of 'in trouble' since Beacon started. You've all been nothing but a bad influence on me."

"Oh really? Because I recall just who started that food fight at the beginning of the semester..."

Weiss blushed. "Nora hit me with a pie!"

"And you hit her with a table, and it all went down hill from there." He pointed out with a cheeky grin.

Weiss looked away from him and turned her nose up imperiously. The blush coloring her cheek somewhat dampened the haughtiness of her look. "Like I said, a bad influence. I was a nice proper girl before I came to Beacon. Now look at me, tussling in the dirt with a child, getting in food fights, and..." she shuddered in mock horror. "Sleeping outside on missions. Barbarians, the lot of you."

"You know you love it."

The false air of superiority fell away and she looked at him with a smile. "Yes, I do love it. Coming to Beacon was the best decision I ever made. I don't want to think about who I would have been if I had stayed in Atlas."

The two stared at each other quietly, neither sure what to say. Neither wanting to look away and break the moment. There was nothing coming between them anymore, nothing to pull them away from each other. And that was new territory for both of them.

Jaune shifted a bit closer and cleared his throat. "So... how are... things?"

"Things are... good." She shifted nervously. "Yeah. They're good things."

"That's... good."

The stood and sat there awkwardly, not looking at each other. Weiss cleared her throat. "Uh, well..."

"Screw it," Jaune sighed. He placed a hand over hers and looked at the heiress. "You want to go on a date sometime?"

"I- what?" She blinked several times, processing his words. "A date? With you?"

"No, I was asking for Yatsuashi," he said dryly.

The heiress burst into laughter and shook her head. "Yes Jaune. I... I would like to go on a date with you sometime. Do you have a location in mind?"

"Not yet," he admitted. "So far I've been more or less flying by the seat of my pants. It's worked so far. Kind of."

Weiss looked around. "Well we are in a garden right now. I would call that a good location for a date."

"Oh, you want to go on a date now?"

"I- well, if you're not against it..."

Jaune cleared his throat. "N-no, not at all! It's just that I'm not really in the right state for a date. I'm covered in dirt, Ren still has my jacket, and I left Brillant Mors back at the scene of the crime."

He choked on air as it hit him that he'd casually abandoned his family's ancestral weapon without realizing it. "Oh, whoops. One second." He held his hand up and waited. A few moments later the halberd came sailing into view and he caught it deftly.

Weiss stared. "I've been meaning to ask, but how do you do that?"

Jaune shrugged. "Honestly? I'm not sure. I just can. I need it, and it comes to me."

"Well that's certainly useful."

He grinned. "Faster than a rocket locker, that's for sure." He slung the weapon over his shoulder and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

Weiss hopped off of the wall and interlocked her arm with his. "Let's."

And thus Weiss and Jaune's first date began. It was not a momentous or groundbreaking moment. There was no fanfare or overly romantic gesture to mark the moment. It was simply two young people affirming their feelings for one another and enjoying time witch each other, away from the pressures of the outside world. Without the rest of their teammates around, especially Yang and her teasing, the two simply enjoyed their time together and strolled through the garden, talking. They did so for an hour before they decided to rest, sitting at a stone bench by a pond and taking the weight off of their legs. Weiss leaned into his side as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. She placed her hand over his and sighed contently, curled up against her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend. Not so long ago attributing the word to Jaune would have been as likely for Weiss as flying by just flapping her arms. Now the fact that they were finally together filled her with the same sense of belonging that she got from her team. She sighed contently and burrowed against him, pulling her legs up against her torso and pressing herself into his warm torso. Jaune rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand and smiled. "Comfortable down there?" he asked.

"Yes," she said softly. "I am. So don't move."

"Wow," he laughed. "Demanding much?"

"Oh please." She lightly swatted her free hand lightly against his chest. "I'm a demanding, needy perfectionist. You should have known what you were getting into by this point."

Jaune caught her hand and brought it to his lips. She squeaked as he kissed the back of her hand. "You're also the smartest, most beautiful girl I've ever known."

She grumbled and hid her face in her chest, face bright pink. "You dunce..."

"Your dunce," He corrected cheekily.

She blushed darker. "You're doing this on purpose..."

"Of course I am. You're just so cute when you blush."

"Hmph," she pouted. But she didn't mind half as much as she pretended to.

The two of them stayed like that for some time. Neither was really sure for how long. Time seemed to lose any true meaning for either of them in that moment. They simply enjoyed one another's presence and the comfort they drew from it. Eventually however Weiss knew she had to break the silence. She had many question about many things, and Jaune hopefully had many answers.

"Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

She looked up at him. "About yesterday." She gulped. "Are you two going to be okay?"

He hummed thoughtfully, and then nodded. "Yeah. We're gonna be okay. We talked things out and both of us got stuff off of our chests that needed to be said. It's going to be okay."

"Good. Um... I saw the video of you two talking in the restaurant."

The blonde boy groaned and tilted his head back. "Oh great, it's already making the rounds. Wonderful."

She smiled. "Welcome to the world of fame. Nothing you ever do will truly be a secret. Just be glad you haven't been mobbed by paparazzi yet."

"Oh Talon will love that. I'll be lucky if he doesn't kill one of them by accident." He huffed. "Or on purpose."

"I'm sure Talon wouldn't intentionally hurt any of them."

"You underestimate his capacity for spite," Jaune said dryly.

"Maybe," she laughed. "But I'm sure he'll be fine."

But the topic of Talon brought to mind Weiss's own voice in her head. Amare had thus far been silent, letting Jaune and Weiss have their time together. But Weiss could feel her excitement and could practically visualize her double trembling with joy as she fought the urge to burst into song. She'd said that Jaune could explain things to her, and the heiress doubted she'd ever have a better chance to question him than now.

"Jaune? I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I... have a voice in my head."

Jaune looked at her and blinked once. Twice.

"Uh... come again?"

"I have a... spirit, entity? I don't really know what she is. But she claims that the Angel's Rose is her vessel, and that when you gave her to me she formed a connection to me. Her name is Amare. She calls herself the spirit of... love."

Jaune stared quietly at her for several moments. Weiss mentally kicked herself. He probably thought she was completely ins-

"Are you okay? She hasn't hurt you, has she?"

"As if I would ever hurt my bearer," Amare huffed. "Rude."

Weiss sighed. "There you are. I was beginning to think you were going to make me do this on my own."

"Oh, make no mistake. Watching you fumble through this explanation would be great fun, but I don't want you to make me out as some parasitic weed. Really, the least you could do is put in a good word for me."

"Well I could use some help with that then."

"Ugh, fine. Just tell him that I was made by The Lady to help her children. He'll understand."

Weiss personally didn't understand, but hopefully he could fix that. "She says that she was... made by the Lady to help her children? I don't really know what that means, but she said you would."

And if the way he immediately straightened his posture and his eyes went the size of plates was any indicator, he certainly did know. "The Lady? Well that explains some things." He smiled down at her. "Are you doing okay?"

"Am I doing okay?" She asked incredulously. "You just got out of the hospital two days ago!"

"Look, I know how strange it can be to have a voice in your head. And based off of what you told me it is a very literal voice in your head, not just someone communicating with you like Talon and I. Can she hear me?"

"Yes! I can hear you!"

Weiss let out a long suffering sigh and rolled her eyes. "Yes, she can."

"Hello Amare, how are you doing today?"

"He knows my name! HE KNOWS MY NAME!"

"Of course he does you dolt, I told him what it is!"

"Still! Do you think he'll sign something for me?"

Weiss's eye twitched. "She's fine."

"She's bugging the hell out of you, isn't she?"

"You have no idea." Weiss threw her hands into the air. "It's like I have no privacy anymore! I'll just be going about my day and suddenly there's a voice in my head! It makes bathing very awkward."

"You'll get used to it," Jaune laughed. "It was the same for me at first, always having Talon in the back of my mind and hearing his voice out of nowhere. How long have you two been bonded?"

"Ever since the White Fang ambushed you, though we didn't start properly communicating until a few days ago. I just heard her voice every now and then. I thought I was going insane."

"Wow, rude."

"Let me guess. She helped you summon the knight that day, didn't she?"

"Ask him if he liked my addition to it!"

"No."

"Rude!"

"Yes, she did. She can give me power and I can convert it for use in my semblance. She called it..."

"The Light."

So he did know.

"Jaune, who is this 'Lady'? Why is she so important?" She squeezed his hand and locked eyes with him pleadingly. "We all know you've been keeping things from us Jaune, and for awhile we were content to let you have your secrets. But that thing at the Breach wasn't there to destroy Vale. It was there for you."

"Weiss, I-"

"If the next words that come out of your mouth aren't an explanation, then I don't want to hear them." She kissed him on the cheek. "Jaune, we all care about you. We love you. And we're worried for you."

The heiress brought his hand up to her face and pressed her cheek against it as he cupped his hand reflexively. "I have seen you grow so much throughout your time here at Beacon, even if I refused to acknowledge it at first. You've come so far in such little time that it amazes me Jaune. But you're still only human. You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders forever and not collapse under it. You have people around you who can help, who want to help. But we can't if you don't let us."

"I..." He looked away and removed his hand from her. "I can't. It's my responsibility. I can't put it on other people."

Weiss got up from the bench and stood in front of him, hands on her hips. Even with him sitting and her standing he was almost at eye level with her. He looked to the side, unable to meet her gaze. "So what? You think we don't understand responsibility?"

"Of course I don't think that, but-"

"But nothing. Jaune, whatever is going on we can help you."

"I don't want to get you involved."

"We're already involved you dunce!" She grabbed his face in her hand and turned his head to force him to look at her. "I'm already involved. That thing attacked mebecause it knew that was the best way to hurt you. What happens when I'm targeted again because of our relationship, or one of the others?"

The fire in Jaune's eyes flared. "I won't let that happen again."

"You can't be everywhere at once. And you can't keep us together all the time. By keeping us in the dark you're putting us in danger."

She could see Jaune trying to come up with a counter to that and falling short, the way his bright eyes flicked around and his fingers drummed nervously on his leg. "I..." He swallowed and looked away from her. "I just... want to keep you all safe." He sagged, shoulders dropping as though they were finally giving under a great weight. "I don't want to lose any of you, and I'm scared that if I tell you everything that a target will be put on you."

Jaune began to tremble in her hands. "I can't lose you. Any of you." He stood up and took her hands off of him, turning his back to her and walking to the pond chest heaving with heavy breaths. "I can handle it. I have to handle it. Good enough is never good enough. I have to push myself to be the very best I can be, and then go beyond that." He clenched his fist, knuckles turning white. "I can crush stone with my bare hands, punch a dent in steel, wrestle an Ursa to the ground and kill it without a weapon, but I'm terrified that it isn't enough. I can still die. And if I die, then everything dies. All because I wasn't good enough."

He looked back at her, tears pouring down his face. "And I'm still not good enough. You almost died because I was weak. I got lucky that day. That's all that happened. If the Light hadn't woken up in me Vale would be a graveyard. She would have won."

Jaune turned away and started walking away from her.

Glyphs formed around his wrists and ankles and lifted him off the ground. Jaune spun around in mid air and dragged towards Weiss. With a flick of her finger she forced him to his knees, the glyphs dragging him down. "What are you doing?!" He strained against his bonds, but he was stuck. "Let me go!"

Weiss knelt before him and cupped his face in her hands. Her fingers traced his jawline as her thumbs rubbed under his eyes, wiping the tear tracks away. "Weiss-"

The heiress leaned in and kissed him. Her hands slid to the back of his head and neck, clutching him possessively as she claimed his lips for herself. She kissed him until she couldn't breathe and broke off, leaning back and panting for air. Stunned into silence, Jaune simply stared at her quietly for several moments before he got his voice back. "Weiss?"

She kissed him again, and again, and again. She clung to him as though she was afraid he would disappear if she let go as her own tears fell. When she was done she rested her head against his chest and held him. "I will never let you go," she sobbed. "Never, do you understand? I won't let you destroy yourself out of some misguided belief that you have to take the full weight of the world on yourself. I won't lose you like that. Not after everything that's happened." She looked up at him. "So I will keep you here until you agree to tell us everything. No more secrets, no more half truths. I am with you until the end, whatever that might be."

"You don't have to do that, Weiss."

"But I want to. Can't you see that? I... you... you have come to mean so much to me, Jaune. I know about everything you've done for me, for my happiness, at the expense of yourself. And now I see everything that you've done for others and the weight you have set on yourself. I can see how it's crushing you. I don't know why you're carrying this burden, I don't know who The Lady or She is, but I want to know. We all want to know. You can't do this to yourself anymore. Because if you destroy yourself, then you'll destroy me too."

The glyphs vanished and Jaune slumped into her arms. Weiss caught him and held him as he wrapped his arms around her back and engulfed her in his warmth. She nestled against him and splayed her hands on his back, rubbing it and murmuring softly to him as he trembled in her arms. "I never wanted to hurt you," he choked out.

"I know," she murmured. She kissed his cheek. "But when you hurt yourself you hurt me and everyone who loves you. Your teammates, myself, my team, your family. Everyone. I don't know what's put this burden on you, but I know I can help ease it if you'll just let me. Accepting help isn't a weakness Jaune. We are all stronger together than we are apart. I learned that quickly here at Beacon. I tried to do everything on my own. I thought I had to be the perfect girl who could do it all on her own to live up to her family name. But I couldn't do it. It was only when I opened up to my team and let them help me that I truly understood that. I know that no matter what happens Ruby, Yang, and Blake will be there for me. And I want you to understand the same thing. We're all here for you. We'll help you overcome these challenges."

Jaune kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

Weiss's breath caught in her throat.

"You don't have to respond, I know that this is all a lot and I don't want to put you on the spot. But I just... whatever happens, I want you to know that."

"Say it back! Say it back!"

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes at Amare, but...

The snow haired girl kissed his chin. "I love you too, Jaune."

"YES! YEEEEEEES!"

"Hush," Weiss scolded. "We're having a moment."

Amare fell silent and retreated into the back of her mind, but she could still feel the spirit of love's joy bubbling like a pot about to boil over. The two held each other for several moments before she spoke again. "So, are you going to tell us what's been going on?"

"I will," he promised.

"Good." Weiss smiled softly. "But for now lets just stay here and relax, okay? Right now you don't have to worry about anything."

Jaune leaned his back against the tree as Weiss nestled against him, more at peace than he had felt in a long time.

The Champion had always known in the back of his mind that the others would find out the full story eventually, it was inevitable. He had just wanted to hold off for as long as possible, to spare them the truth for as long as possible. Now that he had agreed to speak with everyone he felt trepidation. Would they be angry with him for keeping the truth from them for so long? Would they understand his decision to stay quiet? He didn't know. But what he was sure of was that had he been in their position he would have wanted to know everything from the very start so that he could do his part. If they did become angry with him then he wouldn't hold it against them.

Jaune slipped an arm around Weiss's waist and she linked her hand with his, humming softly. He smiled as he recognized the tune of her song. "I always liked that one."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"The song you were humming, Mirror Mirror. That's probably my favorite."

She blushed. "You listened to my music?"

"Of course. You have a beautiful voice. Once I realized you used to sing I had to find your songs."

Weiss looked up at him with a smirk. "And how did you discover my singing career?"

"I uh..." Jaune cleared his throat and looked aside, scratching the back of his head. "Might have looked you up online after I first met you... maybe."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"N-not for creepy reasons!" He defended. "I was just curious is all. I knew you were someone famous, but I didn't know why."

She raised her eyebrow even further.

Jaune slumped, pink in the face. "Sorry..."

Weiss giggled and kissed his chin. "It's okay. It's just fun to watch you squirm sometimes."

"Wow, you really can be an ice queen," he said dryly. He poked her side in retaliation.

Weiss jumped and squeaked.

Jaune raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

It was Weiss's turn to be flustered. "I-it was nothing!"

He poked her side again. She jumped and squeaked again.

"Weiss Schnee," Jaune grinned from ear to ear. "Are you ticklish?"

"D-don't you dare you big brute!"

Jaune dared.

Weiss shrieked with laughter as his hands assaulted her lithe waist. She writhed and kicked in his grasp, but he had her securely trapped. "S-stop!" she giggled. "Y-you dunce, I'll get- eek! I'll get you for this!"

"Oh, what was that? I couldn't hear you." He cocked his head to the side and grinned cheekily. "Could you speak up?"

"I- I- eep!" Weiss squirmed and flung her arms out as she tried to break free. Her hand smacked him across the face, startling him into letting go. She wiggled away from him and panted for air, giggling. "Y-you dunce..." she gasped. She turned and looked at him, face pink.

And saw him rubbing his cheek with a smile. "Heh, guess I should have let you go sooner," he chuckled. "That'll show me."

Weiss froze. Then she lunged for him and cupped his face. "I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to, I was just trying to break free and I wasn't paying attention and-"

"Whoa, hey." Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Snow Angel. It was an accident, it happens." He smiled kindly. "You didn't even bruise me." He turned his cheek to show her. "See? I'm fine."

That didn't seem to comfort her any. "It doesn't matter if I didn't bruise you! I hit you!"

"By accident. Really, it's my own fault."

"It's not!" Weiss threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "Jaune, don't ever say that. It's never your fault if I hit you."

The Champion frowned and slipped his arms around her back. "This isn't about you accidentally smacking me, is it?"

"It is, but... not just that." She buried her face in his neck. "I don't want to hurt you..." she mumbled.

The pieces started falling together. "Like how you've been hurt?" He guessed.

Weiss's silence was answer enough.

"Hey, Talon? I'm putting Jacques on the 'to kill at a later date' list."

"Oh goodie. You get me the nicest things," Talon responded with glee.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he murmured in her ear, sliding his hand up and down her back.

"It's just..." he felt her body shift as she swallowed. "Sometimes when I was younger... when my father was frustrated with work, or I wasn't doing good enough, I would do something that would upset him and he'd... lash out. He never hit me hard, and at first it was just 'accidents' but..."

Jaune kissed the top of her head. "You're not your father Weiss."

"I know, but... kids learn from their parents. I don't want to be like that."

"And you aren't going to be." He hugged her tightly. "You've got me, and the rest of us too. I'll let you know if you hurt me, and we'll work it out. But that's not going to be necessary, because I know you'd never hurt me or anyone else like that. You're not an abuser."

She let out a shuddering breath and melted into him. "Thank you..."

"And if your dad hits you again I'm feeding him to Talon. Piece by piece."

"Jaune..."

"I'm not joking."

She sighed and kissed his cheek. "I know. That's the problem. Please don't attack him at the party. I don't care about what happens to him, but I do care about what it will mean for you. He has many powerful friends."

"I can make it look like an accident," Talon pointed out. "Freak Beowulf attack, flock of juvenile Nevermore, swallowed whole by a King Taijitu..."

"How is a Grimm attack an 'accident'?," the knight responded flatly.

"He was 'accidentally' in the wrong place at the wrong time, of course."

"I won't," Jaune promised her. "But he'll never put a hand on you again."

"I'm not a little girl," she pouted. "He hasn't hit me in years, not since I started training. Probably because he knows I could pin him to the roof with a glyph."

Jaune let go of his anger with a sigh. Well, not let go. More like stuffed it in a box for later use. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make you out to be helpless. I just... I care about you. I don't like the idea of someone hurting you. Especially not your father."

"I know. I care about you too." She smiled and cupped his face. "Which is why I don't like you keeping all these secrets bottled up inside."

"Yeah... about that." He cleared his throat. "There's one thing I'm going to have to hold onto when I talk to everyone."

Weiss's eyes hardened to ice chips. "Jaune..."

"I'm serious," he said quickly. "I'm not being stubborn, I promise. It's just..." He sighed and looked around. "Talon, it's clear right?"

"There's no one within earshot of you two. It's clear."

"It has to do with Pyrrha. If I tell her what it is, it'll put her in danger. And I mean actual immediate danger. As in a target on her back."

"Why?" The snow haired girl sat up, alert.

"It's... hard to explain without knowing the full picture. I'll tell you more later, but right what you need to know is that Ozpin wanted to use her as a vessel for a... power."

"What power?"

"The kind of power that people would and have killed to obtain. I told him he could choose someone else. He wasn't doing that to her."

She frowned. "Why Pyrrha?"

"It's a long story." Jaune kissed her cheek. "Like I said, I'll explain it later. It will make more sense when you understand the wider picture. Right now all it would do is confuse you. Just promise me that you won't tell Pyrrha. You can tell whoever else you want, I trust your judgement. Just not her."

"Alright." The heiress took his hand in hers. "I promise. If it's that important for her safety, I won't tell her."

Jaune sighed in relief and smiled. "Thanks, Snow Angel."

She smiled back at him. Once again Jaune was captivated by her beauty, but now he admired her openly. She flushed and looked down at herself, squirming in his lap. "W-what is it? Do I have something in my teeth? Is something wrong with my hair?!"

He laughed and shook his head at her. "Am I not allowed to just admire you? There's nothing wrong with you."

She blushed. "I suppose that's fine."

Jaune grinned as an idea came to him. "Actually, there is one thing..."

"W-what?" The heiress looked herself over nervously. "What is it?"

Jaune took her chin between thumb and forefinger and gently tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. Quick as a whip he darted in and pecked her on the lips. "There, I got it for you." He grinned at her, his own cheeks darkening with color. "I-if that's okay?" He gulped. "Oh crap, I should have asked first shouldn't I? I'm sor-"

Weiss pressed her lips to his, quickly cutting him off. "A few minutes ago I pinned you down and kissed you several times. I'm not going to get mad if you kiss me spontaneously."

"Right, sorry. I'm just to this."

"It's okay." She smiled. "I am too. We'll figure it out together."

"Really? I..." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I thought that you'd be more familiar, with Neptune and all." He blinked.

"Neptune was nice, and I enjoyed his company for a time, but we never got past the hand holding stage of things." She shrugged, a bit embarrassed. "I... I've never actually kissed anyone other than you..."

"Really? You probably had the whole of the young men of Atlas wrapped around your finger. I figure you could have easily found some guy you were interested in."

"Pfft. Shallow self obsessed brats who looked at me and saw the Schnee family name." She scoffed. "No thank you. Winter was wise enough to warn me to steer clear of them, advice I'm grateful for every day."

She pecked him on the cheek. "No, I've only ever kissed you. And no matter what happens to us, I'm glad to call you my first kiss." She looked away. "Even if I wasn't your first kiss. I don't know what happened with you and Pyrrha yesterday, and I'm not asking. That's entirely between the two of you."

"It's okay, you were my first kiss too." He smiled at her. "So we're even."

"R-really?" She cleared her throat and blushed, but she seemed very pleased. "That's... surprising."

He laughed. "Well you did kiss me in the hospital after all, so-"

Ah crap.

"You really know how to stick your foot in it, don't you?"

"Wait, what?!" Weiss leaned back in shock, pale blue eyes wide. "You... were you awake for that?!"

"I'm dead."

Jaune shrank away from her, doing his best to sink into the tree against his back. "Sorry... I had just woken up when you came in, and I didn't want to be bothered. I thought it was just a nurse and they would leave when they thought I was asleep, but then I heard your voice and you told me all these things, and... I didn't want to interrupt you."

Weiss turned so red she went nearly purple. She buried her face in his chest and groaned in mental agony. "Oh gods, kill me..."

"You aren't mad?"

"No. Just mortified. I'll probably fall on my sword in shame later today..."

"It wasn't that bad. It taught me a lot about you, actually. Things I probably never would have known otherwise." He rubbed her back soothingly. "I can understand now why you thought I was just after you for the money. I never realized I was being such a pest."

"It's fine," she sighed as he looked up at him, pouting with her cheeks still a deep shade of red. "It's in the past. But don't think I'll let you off easy for eavesdropping on me."

"You literally came to my room to speak with me."

"Ah, no." She wagged a finger at him. "I went to your room to speak to an unconscious Jaune. There is a key difference. You will have to be punished. I'm not sure how yet, but I'll think of something. Prepare to rue the day, Jaune Arc!"

Her lover's response was a kiss on the cheek, earning a squeak from her. "Oh I am trembling in fear Lady Schnee. You can be sure of that." He gave her his characteristic big goofy grin, eyes flashing with joy.

"Dummy," she muttered as she leaned back into his chest. "You're lucky you're cute. Now don't move, I just got comfortable."

Jaune cleared his throat as everyone looked at him expectantly.

They were all gathered in team RWBY's dorm. Ruby and Nora were perched on the edge of the younger girl's bed as Weiss and Pyrrha sat beside each other on the lower bunk. Ren, Blake, and Yang were across from them on the blonde brawler's bed. Jaune was sat in the middle of the room, the focus of their attention.

"So... for awhile now I've been keeping some things to myself."

"Oh, really? We hadn't noticed," Yang said sarcastically. "I mean it's not like you pulled a giant cat bird out of nowhere or anything."

"The reason I've been keeping these secrets is because... I thought it was the best way to protect you guys." He looked at Weiss. She smiled gently at him. "But I've realized that all I've done is keep you in the dark about things you needed to know. This probably goes without saying, but what I tell you doesn't leave this room. I trust you guys, but if any of this got out it would change everything. History, religion, everything."

"What, you know the true history of Remnant it something?" Nora laughed.

Jaune looked at her. "Yes."

"... Oh."

"If anyone doesn't want to know this, if they don't want to be involved, now is the time to leave this room." He looked around. "I won't think less of any of you for it. Honestly, sometimes I wish I could forget it all myself."

No one moved.

Jaune nodded. "Alright then. Tell me, everyone. What do you know of gods?"

Silence filled the air as Jaune finished his explanation.

"So... let me get this straight," Yang said slowly. "God exists, and she's a woman. Which is awesome and all, but there's another god, uh, goddess, and she wants to wipe out all life on Remnant, which is less awesome."

"And she chose your ancestor Cailan to be her champion," Pyrrha continued wide eyed. "And he wounded this Salem badly."

"But now she's nearly back at full power and you need to kill her once and for all," Ruby continued. "And at the same time rebuild your ancestor's order of warriors to protect Remnant."

Jaune looked around. "Yeah. That's it in a nut shell."

The silence that followed was heavy. Everyone sat quietly, processing the information they had just received.

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Nora asked softly. "Don't you trust us?"

Jaune's heart ached. "Of course I trust you Nora. I trust all of you. It wasn't that I didn't trust you, it's just..." He sighed and looked at the ground. "I thought I was protecting all of you. If you knew, you'd get dragged into all of it. I wanted you to be able to go through Beacon without worrying about this." Unlike him.

"But I realize now that isn't an option. I should have brought you guys into this from the start. I can't do this alone. I need my friends at my back." He laughed and shook his head. "Guess I didn't really learn my lesson in Forever Fall after all."

"No one is perfect," Ren said calmly. "We all fall back into old ways from time to time. We simply do our best to make sure it happens less and less." He smiled at his leader. "This is progress."

"And you weren't completely alone," Blake pointed out. "You have Nathaniel and Talon."

"Yeah, but... it's different. They're here for me, and their support is probably the only reason I've made it as far down this road as I have. But I'm... I'm scared," he admitted softly. "And I don't want them to know that." Even if Talon might already know because of their connection. Admitting it to him felt like he was failing to live up to the legacy he was expected to take on. "I'm scared I'm not going to be good enough."

"Of course you are," Blake said. " The fate of the world rests on your shoulders. I'd be more concerned if you weren't scared. Being afraid means you understand the danger of the situation you're in. Confidence is all well and good, but arrogance gets people killed. You have every right to be scared." She gave him one of her rare smiles. "Just don't let fear rule you and control your actions. You're not alone, even if it feels like you are."

"Yeah, she knows all about that," Yang threw an arm around Blake's shoulder and gave her a squeeze. "Took Blakey here long enough to get that message through her own thick skull."

"Pfft, whatever," the cat faunus mumbled petulantly.

Yang locked her in a headlock and started grinding her knuckles into her partner's scalp. "I'm sorry," she said cheerfully. "What did you say? It sounded like 'I've learned my lesson and will open up to my friends and not run off on my own again'."

"I've learned my lesson and will open up to my friends and not run off on my own again!" Blake squealed desperately as she struggled in her partner's grasp.

"Atta girl!" Yang let her go with a laugh.

Blake growled and tried to flatten her hair back down to no avail. "You're such a mom friend..."

"Who else knows?" Pyrrha asked. "Besides Sir Nathaniel and Talon, of course."

"Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood. Team Cardinal too."

"Wow, Cardinal knew before us?" Nora huffed.

Jaune shrugged helplessly at her. "I didn't intend to get them involved. At least not this early on. The Lady had other plans. It was either tell them or let them think they were going crazy."

"I mean, a little insanity might be good for them," Ruby giggled.

"They're making a serious effort to be better people," Jaune defended. "When they get back I'd appreciate it if you guys just gave them a chance. They've been through a lot in the past."

Weiss raised a hand. "Let's bring the topic of conversation back to what is currently important. I know we all have questions, I have a great many myself, but let's try to stay focused and tackle things one at a time. Firstly, are you in danger here?"

"No," Jaune said quickly. "I'm safe within Beacon. And even outside of it Talon is never far."

"What if another one of those Dark Champions attacks?" Ruby asked, concern etched on her face.

"Then I'll kill it." Jaune held up his right hand and clenched it into a fist. White fire flowed over his hand. The others gasped, but it hurt him none. "I'm even stronger now than I was then."

"Wow," Ruby leaned down and stared at his hand. "How do you do that?"

"The Light is the Lady's gift to help us better fight the Grimm. It hurts them, and they fear it."

"Does it work on people?" Yang aksed.

"Not in any way that normal light doesn't. It's specifically for fighting Grimm."

"So it's not your semblance," Ren pointed out.

"No, it's not." The blonde knight shrugged. "Though at this point I think I'm fine without it. Either I'll figure out what it is or I won't. I'm content either way."

"So, when do we take the fight to Salem?" Nora leapt off of the bed and slammed her fist into her palm. "I say why wait? If we can find her then Jauney can smash her face in!"

"It's not that easy. For one, I wouldn't even know where to begin searching for her. For the other, I seriously doubt I could kill her right now. Cailan was the Champion of his era, and when he faced her he was much stronger than I am now. Despite that he couldn't kill her. Trying to face her now would end... badly."

"So for now lets stay focused on what's ahead. We still have to train for the Vytal festival after all."

"And we need to be prepared for my father's party," Weiss pointed out. "Which is only two weeks away."

Jaune groaned and tilted his head back as a sudden thought struck him. "Oh hell, I'm going to have to get my dress uniform resized. There's no way it still fits me. The last thing I need is for it to bust at the seams while I'm wearing it."

"I dunno Lover Boy, I can think of plenty of lovely ladies who'd like to see that." She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "I wouldn't mind myself."

"I will sic a Beowulf on you," Weiss warned.

"Ooh! Someone's territorial," Yang cackled. "You two finally stopped beating around the bush?"

There was a pause. All eyes turned to look at Weiss. She in turn looked at Jaune, who shrugged. "We were going to have to tell them anyway."

The heiress sighed and nodded. "True. Yes, Yang. Jaune and I have-"

"Oh my GOSH!" Nora scooped Weiss up and spun her around! "Finally! All this wishy washy will they won't they was driving me insane!"

"Look who's talking," Blake laughed.

Nora blushed and released Weiss from her stranglehold. The petite girl stumbled over to Jaune and leaned against him heaving for air. He chuckled and rubbed her back.

The ginger decimator cleared her throat awkwardly, looking everywhere but at Ren, who was in turn very focused on his scroll. "W-well we're all happy for you! Right?"

"Indeed!" Pyrrha exclaimed.

"Erk." Nora flinched and looked at her red headed teammate. "Uh..."

"We are all happy for them," Pyrrha affirmed with a smile and clapped her hands together. "I know you two will be wonderful together."

"Thanks Pyrrha," Jaune gave his partner a smile. "That means a lot."

Weiss squeezed his shoulder and gave the champion fighter her own smile. "Indeed it does. And I hope that, no matter what, we are all always here for one another. We'll need to be in the coming days. There's a lot on our plates now."

Ruby started counting off on her fingers. "Killing a goddess, winning the Vytal festival, dealing with Weiss's crummy party..."

"Hey!"

The red reaper giggled. "And worst of all, classes."

As the sun set in the distance Jaune stood on the roof of Beacon and looked out upon the school and Vale Beyond.

Talon lay beside him, staring in the same direction. "So you've let them all know, eh? Was that wise?"

"I trust them with my life. My not telling them was never due to a lack of faith in them." He lifted his hand from the pommel of Crocea Mors and clenched it. Enough strength in the palm of his hand to crush stone, just like he'd told Weiss in the gardens.

And it still wasn't enough for what was ahead.

But that was okay. Jaune had time. The end would not come tomorrow. He had time to train and grow, to face new challenges and overcome them. And he wouldn't be alone. Nathaniel, CRDL, and now his teammates and Weiss's. With them at his back, Jaune's hope for victory was stronger than ever.

"I do not mean to imply that you do not or could not trust them. What I mean is that they are now a part of this well and truly. Not simply as huntsmen and huntresses duty bound to fight the Grimm, but as your own inner circle. That may not mean anything now, but in the days to come it will mean much. Are they ready for that level of commitment to this?"

"No." He shrugged. "But I'm not either. That's why we're training. When the time comes they will be ready. I will be ready."

"A good answer." The Gryphon shook his mane and settled in. The two stared off into the setting sun, silent in mind and voice for several minutes before the war beast spoke up again. "It's okay to be afraid, Jaune."

"I know." The Champion closed his eyes and sighed. "I just... I feel like I'm failing him."

"Nathaniel?"

"Cailan." He opened his eyes. They flashed in the golden light of the setting sun. "My ancestor left a legacy for me to inherit. A mantle of responsibility to watch over and protect the people of Remnant. When I listen to your stories about him and the things the two of you did... I feel small. Before all this I just wanted to be a huntsman like my dad and my grandpa, and that was daunting enough. Now I'm supposed to defeat the incarnation of evil itself. I just don't feel like I'm up to the task. I know, I have time, like I said. But there's just so much more to it than that. How could I ever match up to the first Knight Lord?"

Talon was silent for long enough that Jaune thought he would not answer. But he did.

"Tis true that Cailan was a mighty man. The mightiest of his age. In battle he was like a sun that burned away the shadows. In peace he was a guardian and a sentinel on the edge of civilization, always watching for the darkness to return once more. Where he went no evil could withstand him, and only one Grimm ever bested him in battle. Even then, we mustered our strength and brought the beast down. He was a titan, towering over other men and women, but he was a gentle giant. He cared for all around him and sought to make the world a better place with more than just the sword. He fought in the battlegrounds of the royal courts with the same fervor he possessed on the fields of war as he strove to right wrongs and settle injustices. He would not ally with any man or woman of any station if they were not good hearted and dutiful rulers, no matter what they offered him. He was a true Beacon of hope for all the world."

"And yet, he failed. For all his strength, cunning, wisdom, and ingenuity he failed. He could not slay Salem once and for all. He lacked the strength do so. He could not stop the endless tide of the Grimm. He lacked the cunning to do so. He could not see that not all of those who allied to his cause were true to him, and they would turn their backs on the Order when the night was at its darkest. He lacked the wisdom to see their shortcomings. He could not devise strategies to outsmart or out maneuver Salem. He lacked the ingenuity to do so. For all of Cailan's strengths, and there were many, he had one fatal flaw. He could not let others in. He was burdened by the same weight of expectation that weighs upon you. He too was afraid. Cailan led by example, from the front. Where the fighting was thickest he was there. When innocents were in need he was the first to lend a helping hand. When council was needed he was the first to offer up his wisdom and experience. He bore that full weight upon himself and himself alone, and it crushed him. He would not allow others to help him with his load." Talon tucked his wings in close to his body. "Not even me, the only one who could see how the burden of leadership was slowly but surely dragging him down."

"It is not enough to be the best Jaune. No one stands alone. The mightiest are still only mortal, still only flawed. By working together we can overcome those flaws and work towards a better tomorrow. In you I see so much of Cailan. Were he to stand before you he would be so proud of who you are and who you are fast becoming. I am proud too. But I do not wish to see you become him in full, because Cailan failed. You cannot afford to fail, my brother. Push yourself to be the very best and never stop striving to improve yourself. But do not forget that no matter how far you go, even should you achieve godhood itself, you will always have limits. Do not be afraid to open up to those you can trust and let them in. Let those who love you help shoulder the burden you bear before it grows too heavy for your shoulders. Do not make the mistakes he made. In the end the duty and the responsibility is yours and you must bear the brunt of it. But not all of it. Never all of it. Look to him for inspiration or guidance, but do not seek to emulate him. You are not Cailan, and it was wrong of me to behave as though you were. You are Jaune Arc, a new Champion of the Lady and Knight Lord of a new Order of Light."

Jaune slipped a hand in the Gryphon's mane and scratched the skin underneath. "Thank you, Talon. I'll take your words to heart."

"Of course you will. You'd be a fool not to." He yawned, beak opening wide enough to bite off a man's torso. A potent reminder of how powerful the ancient Gryphon was.

The Champion laughed. "Well I like to think I'm not that foolish anymore."

"Not anymore," Talon teased. The two shared in their united mirththrough their connection and fell silent again, letting emotion express what words could not.

As the sun began to sink below the horizon, Jaune's mind drifted. "They've been gone a long time."

"They're okay," Talon assured him. "Nathaniel is a mighty warrior even by the standards of the Gryphon Knights of old, and team Cardinal are no push overs."

"I know, I just worry." The Champion sighed. "Sometimes it feels like all I do these days is worry."

"I'd be more concerned if you weren't. Worry means you understand the importance of your situation."

Jaune snorted. "Yeah I definitely do. I told Glynda they'll be back soon. I hope I was telling her the truth."

"You still haven't told me what it is they were sent to find."

"That would spoil the surprise." Jaune grinned widely. Yes, what Nathaniel and team Cardinal brought back from the mountain would be a surprise indeed. "But you're a smart bird. I'm sure you can guess."

"Yes, I can. If I'm right... it will be nice to no longer be the last of my kind."

Jaune's only answer was his hand idly scratching at the base of Talon's neck under the mane, what he'd learned was the Gryphon's favorite spot to be scratched since he couldn't get to it himself. The mighty war beast sighed contently.

"I have a child."

Jaune's head snapped around so hard his neck twinged in pain. "What?"

"I have a child. Somewhere out there, hopefully."

"Hopefully?"

"My child was one of the eggs hidden away when it became clear we had lost the war against Salem. I do not know where they were hidden."

"They never told you?"

"When Vaya commanded that the Gryphon eggs should be hidden away Cailan chose one hundred men led by Marusas, Nathaniel's ancestor and Cailan's most trusted man, to hide the eggs. No one outside of those men, not even myself and Cailan, were permitted to know where they had been hidden lest we be taken alive and the information torn from us, by either torture or magic. When the eggs were hidden those responsible for their relocation came to the decision that so long as they lived, the cubs were in danger. Ninety nine of them took their own lives. Marusus lived only because his duty was to hide me away."

Jaune's mouth was suddenly dry, "That's..."

"Barbaric? Horrific? Yes, it was. That should tell you just how dark those days were. Many of our allies had abandoned us in favor of defending their own lands, and those that stood with us were overwhelmed one by one. We had lost, and we knew it. All we could do now was make the price of Salem's victory as high as possible and prepare the way for a new generation of the Order. We had little left to lose, and that made it all the easier to use extreme and desperate strategies."

"I can't imagine what that must have been like."

"It was tragic," the Gryphon said somberly. "For over thirty years we protected Vaya's children from Salem. We were hailed as heroes and protectors. Men came from every corner of the world just for the chance to serve in our ranks. We were the best of the best."

"And we will be again," Jaune swore.

"That's a lofty goal. Are you sure you're capable of accomplishing it?"

"Hey, an Arc never goes back on his word." Jaune grinned. "I give you my word that the Order of Light will return stronger than ever. We'll win this time Talon."

He looked back out into the horizon as the sun disappeared from view. Night set in, the only light in the sky the shattered moon drifting overhead.

"We have to."

Night fell upon Sanctas.

Nathaniel looked out into the deepening dark beyond the walls of Sanctas, and knew tonight would be the night. He could feel the Grimm approaching, like a wave of darkness sweeping over the land in its inexorable march towards the once hidden village. Beside him Elder Malach slumped, breathing hard. "My wards have failed," he croaked. "Something is keeping the Grimm focused on us. My illusions are no longer effecting them. My guess would be that the Elder Grimm is behind it."

"We knew they would find us eventually. We're ready," the grizzled knight promised as he closed the Gryphon helm, sealing his features behind hardened steel. "I will take Cardinal beyond the wall and meet them. You and your people will support us from here as best as you can."

"I wish you would reconsider Nathaniel. Even with our help and the Lady's gifts I fear it will not be enough for you to survive. Pull back into the fortress with us. We can hold them at the entrance, and if what you say is true then Vaya may be able shield us from harm inside of the mountain. You do not have to endanger yourselves like this."

"No. If Vaya is forced to reveal herself then Salem will bend her full might to destroying this place. Even a fragment of Her being here would be enough to earn the full wrath of Salem. Even if she could save the village from this attack, She would not be able to save it from what would come next." The knight looked out on the village behind him, stretching to the very base of the mountain. "And if we did pull back to the mountain entrance this place would be destroyed. All that you and your people have built here would be lost. Including the Hall of Records. Such ancient knowledge cannot be lost again. If the Grimm get in they will tear the place apart in search of prey. I doubt the Hall would be spared their attention."

"Knowledge and buildings are not worth your blood."

"No Elder. It is not worth your blood, or your people's. But it is worth ours. That knowledge is the lost history of not only the Gryphon Knights, but all of Remnant. It must be protected from harm so that one day it can be shared with the people of Remnant. For your people, your homes, and for the knowledge you have carefully collated I will go out there and stand against the darkness." He placed a gauntleted hand on the Elder's shoulder. "But if we fall do not hesitate to retreat. Pull back into the mountain, do not wait for the Grimm to draw near. We swore that no one else from Sanctas would die here, and we meant it."

"I see that you will not be swayed from your path." Malach smiled sadly and patted his hand. "Very well. We will stand with you and support you from here. Go, son of the Lady, and show the Grimm the power of Her knights."

Nathaniel nodded and turned away, walking down from the wall top and to the gates of Sanctas. Team CRDL awaited him at the gate, weapons in hand. Cardin gripped his mace in both hands, the Horn of Wrath laying across his breastplate. Dove fiddled with his blade, checking it over one last time. The Banner of the Sun King was furled and resting against his shoulder. Russel was making sure his arrows and daggers were where he could grab them quickly, and Sky was reading through his spell book. They all looked up as he approached. "I don't suppose you've managed to figure out your first spell?" Nathaniel asked the blue haired boy.

Sky shook his head and shut the book, hanging it from its chain. "No such luck unfortunately. Feather's Edge and I will just have to do things the old fashioned way." He smiled tensely and patted his weapon.

He could feel their fear, see it in their eyes. They were going out beyond the safety of the walls to fight an army of darkness. They would be fools not to be afraid.

There were those that believed that bravery was the lack of fear. They were wrong. Bravery was doing what had to be done despite the presence of fear. It was a lesson he'd learned throughout his life. To be brave was to know fear and overcome it.

Right now these four squires were some of the bravest people he'd ever had the honor of knowing.

Nathaniel stepped to the gate. The sentries pushed it open and let them through, then shut it behind them. The sound of the locking bar sliding in place was like dirt being cast onto his casket. A shiver ran up the knight's spine. He pushed on regardless, as did the four members of CRDL.

He walked one hundred paces out before he came to a halt and planted the butt of his halberd in the dirt, staring out into the forest. The four squires stopped beside him, two to either side of him. To his immediate left was Cardin, who had pushed his visor up and had the Horn of Wrath in hand. Past him was Russel, almost invisible with his cloak about him. He took arrows out of his quiver and planted their heads in the soft tilled earth they stood upon to make it easier to grab them when he needed them. To his right was Dove, the furled Banner of the Sun King in one hand and his blade in the other. Beyond him was Sky Lark, gripping his pole axe in both hands as he stared into the darkness. Nathaniel smiled when he realized the young man was whispering a prayer to the Lady under his breath.

"Nathaniel..."

The knight started and looked to his right. It was as though someone had just whispered in his ear. But Dove's whole focus was straight ahead, and it hadn't been his voice regardless.

"Something wrong?" Cardin asked as he stared out into the forest, the horn and his mace in white knuckle grips.

"No..." Nathaniel said slowly, and turned his focus back to the forest. He could have sworn he'd heard...

He shook his head, forcing himself to concentrate. Now was not the time to let his attention waver. The enemy was approaching, and his men needed his leadership.

"Millenia ago, upon this very ground, Cailan Arc and the last of the Gryphon Knights of his age made a final stand against Salem and her dark forces. Here she was wounded. Here the darkness was halted. Here those men and their Gryphons fell, battling to the last to protect the people of Remnant from destruction. And because of them and their sacrifice now we stand here with weapons in hand and the Lady's blessing upon us!"

Nathaniel's heart swelled with pride and righteous fury. He felt heat pump through his limbs, the Light that burned within him straining to be unleashed upon Vaya's foes. He drew in a breath and let it out, an amber glow igniting in his eyes. "We are the blades of light! We are the flame of hope! We are the foes of darkness!"

From the shadows came dark silhouettes with furious red eyes that burned with madness and bloodlust. The Grimm poured from the forest in a dark tide towards the defenders of Concilon Sanctas, roaring and snarling their hate. It was like Deargis said. There were hundreds.

Thousands.

Nathaniel raised his weapon into the air. The night was rent apart as a star ignited upon the blade of his halberd. Beside him team Cardinal hefted their weapons as a glow began to cover them, their fear retreating as Dove unfurled the Banner of the Sun King and the Light of Mother Vaya permeated their weapons.

Nathaniel roared, and his voice surged on the wind to the creatures of Grimm.

"WE ARE THE WARRIORS OF VAYA!"

And that is a wrap. I know I said it before, but the stage is now actually set for the Battle of Sanctas. We'll be jumping right into that at the start of 27.

We finally got the true start of Jaune and Weiss's relationship here. Reading back through it I feel like overall things may have progressed a bit too quickly on that front, but I don't enjoy it when stories drag out a 'will they won't they' situation with two people who very clearly are into each other and don't have anything stopping them from coming together. That said I feel like things progressed a bit too quickly in this chapter, but I have ultimately decided to stick with it. In the future though I'll slow things down on the romance front and give it more time to bloom 'on screen' as it were, rather than having several time skips like we've had since Jaune got stuck in the hospital. But hey, lessons for the future. I've got plenty more stories to share with you all in the days to come. I only hope that I continue to provide stories that you all enjoy and that they only get better as time goes on.

If you're enjoying the story so far then please follow and favorite it so you can be notified when more chapters are uploaded! If you have a friend that likes RWBY, RWBY content, fan fiction in general, or you just think would enjoy this story then please share it with them! If you want to further support my works and myself as I strive to establish myself as an author then please consider following the link below to monetarily support me in my quest to be the very best, like no one ever was. Just copy and paste it into your browser bar, close the spaces, replace the (slash) with the / symbol and you'll be good to go. A big, BIG thank you to my two Knight-Lord level patrons Lufftewaffle and Scout!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions feel free to leave a review or PM me! Though do be aware that if you ask a question as a guest account I can't actually respond to it, so if there's something you're wanting to ask me you need to make an actual account. It's easy, cheap (AKA free) and the authorities probably can't stop you! I love you all. Goodbye!

P a treon . com (slash) Nerdlydelicious