Ruby and Velvet were strapped into the automated bullhead, practically bouncing with excitement. The hum of the engine filled the cabin, but it couldn't compete with Ruby's energy or Velvet's focused, furious tapping on her scroll. Her usual nervous expression was replaced by something intense and unsettling, like a cat spotting a mouse across the room.

"Velvet," Ruby whispered, eyes twinkling, "we're going to see Jaune Arc!" She grinned, practically shaking. "Do you know how amazing that is? It's Jaune! The Jaune! The guy who fought, like, a million grimm, armed with nothing but… uh, probably just his, like, amazing aura or something!"

Velvet let out a dreamy sigh, her thumbs still racing across her scroll. "He's not just a hero, Ruby; he's the hero. A living legend. And… he talked to me once! He actually said, 'Hey, you okay?' and I'll never forget it." She clutched her scroll to her chest for a moment, gazing into the distance.

Then, out of nowhere, Ruby's voice cut through Velvet's thoughts. "Whoa… Velvet! Look over there!"

Velvet's eyes widened as she looked out the window. There, rising out of the desert like some magical oasis, was a colossal forest, so lush and green it looked like it had been stolen from a fairy tale. And this wasn't some modest little patch of greenery. No, this thing went on for miles, at least a ten-kilometre radius, just sitting there in the middle of endless sand.

"Oh, my Dust!" Velvet squeaked, yanking out her scroll to film the whole thing. "This is incredible! Look at the size of those trees! And the leaves… they're so… green! Like, the kind of green that only exists in, I don't know, really expensive video game graphics! Is that a river entering the forest? Nah, might be the heat's doing, desert illusions."

The two girls were so wrapped up in filming that they didn't notice a head poking out from the closet at the back of the bullhead. Lisa Lavender, Vale's infamous journalist, leaned out just enough to get a quick look, then whipped out her camera with the speed of a hawk spotting prey. She snapped a few rapid shots, her mind racing with headline ideas.

But as Lisa tried to get a better angle, she completely forgot that she was supposed to be sneaky. She walked straight over to Velvet, peering over her shoulder with an approving nod.

Velvet nearly dropped her scroll. "Gah! Who—wait, who are you?"

Lisa waved a dismissive hand, her eyes glued to the viewfinder. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just here to, uh… document history! Yes, history in the making." She glanced at Velvet with a shark-like grin. "You have quite the knack for photography, you know? Care to help me out?"

Velvet, caught off guard, gave a shy smile and nodded. "Uh… sure? I mean, I guess I could help?"

Lisa leaned in closer, adjusting Velvet's hand to the "perfect angle" as she called it. Together, they took shots that made the forest look even more legendary, capturing the way sunlight filtered through the massive canopy and cast the ground in a green, otherworldly glow.

"Fantastic! See? You're a natural," Lisa cooed, patting Velvet on the back. She took a few more shots, positioning Velvet's scroll to capture the most dramatic angles.

Ruby, meanwhile, was busy snapping her own pictures and hardly noticed Velvet's "guest." "Hey, Vel… who're you talking to?"

Velvet blinked and looked back, only to see no one standing there. She scratched her head, a confused look on her face. "Uh… no one, I guess?"

Ruby shrugged, too focused on documenting the spectacle outside. "Weird. Anyway, come on, we've got a hero to meet and, like, a whole forest to explore!"

Back in the dark confines of the closet, Lisa smirked, transferring the photos to her cloud storage. She whispered to herself, "This is it… The Jaune Arc Chronicles: Exposing the Demon King's Dark Secrets. I can already see the hits rolling in…"

She leaned back, smug, as she remembered the tip she'd gotten from some shady informant calling themselves "Professor McGonagall." Apparently, if she managed to sneak aboard this automated bullhead, she'd be able to capture some "hot stories" about Jaune Arc. And boy, was she ready to cash in.

Meanwhile, the bullhead's AI crackled through the speaker, announcing, "Forest density detected. Landing outside perimeter required."

Ruby and Velvet shared an excited nod. The bullhead dipped, hovering over a clear patch of sand before touching down. They hopped out, eyes bright with anticipation—until they were slapped in the face by a wave of desert heat.

"Oh, for Oum's sake!" Ruby squealed, covering her face. "Is this… is this normal?!"

Velvet fanned herself, her earlier excitement fading as she melted under the sun. "It's… definitely… Vacuo heat…"

But they quickly pressed on, trudging toward the towering forest, which seemed to offer a promise of shade from the blazing sunlight. As they approached, they noticed an archway made from twisted tree branches, woven into a gate of sorts. And above it, engraved in rough, worn strokes, was a strange symbol: 火.

Ruby pulled out her scroll and tapped the translator. "Says here it's an ancient language called… 'Japanese'? And this symbol means… 'Fire.'"

Velvet tilted her head. "Fire? That's… kind of random?"

"Eh, whatever," Ruby said with a shrug. "Let's get some shade before we fry."

They pushed open the gate and stepped into the forest, which instantly dropped in temperature as the cool, earthy scent of leaves and bark filled the air. Velvet squealed softly, almost in reverence. "This place is… amazing! Do you think Jaune Arc actually built all this?"

Ruby grinned. "Maybe he just… punched the desert and a forest popped up?"

Unknown to them, Lisa was creeping along behind, camera held at the ready. She muttered quietly to herself as she tiptoed, keeping a dramatic monologue going as if she were broadcasting live.

"This is it, folks. I, Lisa Lavender, am deep in the forests of the Demon King. It's dark, it's eerie… monstrous, even! Look at those towering trees… like claws reaching up to the heavens! The very earth trembles beneath my feet. Who knows what kind of horrors lie within?"

She glanced nervously around, taking overly dramatic breaths. "These trees probably… eat people alive! The entire forest… might just be a trap for unsuspecting travelers!" She turned the camera to her face, eyes wide and glinting. "All of this, the handiwork of the ruthless Jaune Arc, the man, the myth, the terrifying Demon King of Vacuo. No one is safe in his domain…"

Lisa snickered, clicking her camera to capture "evidence" of this so-called ominous paradise. She snapped a shot of a squirrel that looked mildly annoyed at her presence and leaned in close to whisper into her mic, "It's only a matter of time before he shows himself… Jaune Arc, the villain who dared to bring green to the desert. And mark my words, folks, I'll be here to capture every scary detail!"

With one last flourish, she saved her photos, her mind racing with visions of dramatic headlines. Meanwhile, Ruby and Velvet continued deeper into the trees, blissfully unaware of the absurd "report" unfolding just steps behind them.

—X~X—

Lisa Lavender crept through the forest, camera clutched in one hand, her eyes darting around like a nervous meerkat. Every rustle of leaves, every bird chirp, had her muttering into her camera like an unhinged survivalist documenting their definitely-true encounter with aliens.

"Two days ago, this was a desert," she whispered with the intensity of a soap opera star delivering a secret. "And now? A forest. With trees. Animals. Life. This can only mean one thing: Jaune Arc has meddled with the very fabric of nature!" She gasped as if hearing her own words for the first time. "This forest… is alive with his evil magic!"

A squirrel scampered into view, pausing to gnaw on a nut. It gave her a side-eye so judgemental, Lisa felt personally attacked. She zoomed in with her camera. "Oh, I see you, tiny woodland agent. Don't think I'm fooled by that innocent act. I know you're working for him."

The squirrel twitched an ear dismissively before hopping off, leaving Lisa seething. "Jaune's spies," she grumbled. "Everywhere."

Suddenly, movement behind a bush caught her attention. Her eyes lit up. "An assassin? Already?" She adjusted her camera with a flourish. "Oh, Jaune, you're predictable! But mark my words, Demon King—I'm ready!"

She crept toward the bush with all the grace of a toddler sneaking cookies. Reaching out, her hand trembled with the thrill of uncovering some terrible secret. But as she parted the leaves, a furry blur launched itself at her face.

"GAAH!" Lisa shrieked, flailing wildly as she staggered back. The culprit? A smug-looking cat perched in front of her, licking a paw as though mocking her existence.

Lisa stared at it, breathless. "What… what is this? A wild cat?" she panted, narrowing her eyes. "A demon familiar? A shapeshifting agent? ANSWER ME!"

The cat tilted its head innocently, which should've been her first clue. She crouched down cautiously, extending a hand to pet it, her fingers trembling like a kid reaching for the last slice of cake. "Okay… easy there, little guy…"

Before her hand even made contact, the cat hissed, swiped at her, and sent her stumbling backward like a cartoon character slipping on a banana peel. Her camera wobbled precariously, and in a flash, the feline thief snagged it in its mouth and bolted into the trees.

"NO!" Lisa howled, scrambling to her feet with all the urgency of someone realizing they left their phone on a bus. "Get back here, you little menace! That's evidence!"

What followed was a chase so ridiculous it could've been set to circus music. Lisa flailed after the cat, tripping over roots, smacking into branches, and cursing every deity she could name. The cat weaved effortlessly through the forest, occasionally looking back as if to laugh at her struggles.

"You're working for Jaune Arc, aren't you?!" she bellowed, stumbling over a log. "A trained operative sent to sabotage my investigation!"

At last, the cat stopped in a clearing, casually dropping the camera in the middle like it had just won a game of fetch. Lisa staggered in, panting and sweating like she'd just finished a marathon. "Ha!" she wheezed. "I win! You… you lose, you little gremlin!"

She pounced on the camera, inspecting it with the desperation of someone checking for cracks on their new phone. A few scratches, but otherwise intact. "Yes!" she crowed, raising it triumphantly.

The cat, now sitting smugly nearby, began licking its paw again. Lisa aimed the camera at it. "Ladies and gentlemen, behold: Jaune Arc's loyal agent, sent to sabotage my noble mission!"

The cat meowed softly.

And that's when the ground began to rumble.

Lisa froze, feeling the vibration through her boots. The sand beneath her feet shifted unnaturally. Her eyes widened. "No…" she whispered dramatically. "It can't be…"

A monstrous centipede erupted from the ground with a screech that sent every hair on Lisa's body into a panicked salute. It was massive, ugly, and had more legs than anything needed to.

She shakily raised her camera. "Oh… oh my… Jaune Arc has unleashed his MONSTERS!" she shrieked into the lens, her voice cracking like a teen at karaoke. "Look at this unholy abomination! Truly, he has no mercy!"

The centipede hissed (or maybe it growled?), lunging toward her with terrifying speed. Lisa turned and bolted, screaming so loudly she was sure the next town over could hear her.

"HE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!" she yelled, dodging a low-hanging branch. "IT'S A CONSPIRACY! I KNEW IT!"

The cat, apparently deciding it didn't want to be lunch, leaped onto her shoulder like a tiny, furry parrot. Lisa nearly tripped again. "Get OFF me!" she screeched, batting at it uselessly.

The cat meowed, lifting a paw to point left.

Lisa blinked. "Are you… helping me?"

The centipede screeched behind her, snapping her back to reality. "Okay, fine! Left it is!" she yelled, careening into the trees like a drunken tornado.

Somehow, she managed to keep the camera rolling, though her footage was mostly shaky glimpses of trees, centipede legs, and her own terrified face. "This is Lisa Lavender, live from the Forest of Death!" she shouted breathlessly. "We are under attack! Repeat: under attack! Stay tuned for—AAH!—more updates, assuming I don't die!"

The cat meowed again, smacking her head with its paw as if to say, "Focus, you idiot!"

Lisa could only run, scream, and pray this forest didn't have more surprises waiting for her.

—X~X—

Ruby and Velvet made their way to the heart of the mysterious forest without so much as a scratch, their nerves on edge but their steps steady. When they broke through the dense greenery, the sight before them was almost… homey? Cozy?

Wooden houses—dozens of them—stood in neat little rows, their chimneys puffing out thin trails of smoke. Faunus villagers bustled about, some cooking over open fires, others boiling water in large pots, and a group of kids playing a lively game of "Who Can Throw the Most Mud?" The air smelled like roasted vegetables and… was that chicken? No, squirrel? Ruby wrinkled her nose but kept moving, Velvet at her side.

Suddenly, a winged Faunus girl swooped down from the sky with all the grace of a pelican dive-bombing a fish. She landed in front of them, wings flaring dramatically as she glared. "What are you doing here, humans?" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut wood.

Ruby hesitated. "Uh… We're here to see Jaune Arc?"

The girl's eyes narrowed further. "And why would you want to see our great leader? Hmm? To seduce him?"

Ruby froze, her head tilting slightly like a confused puppy. She turned to Velvet and whispered loudly, "Hey, what does 'seduce' mean?"

Velvet's cheeks turned red faster than a tomato on a sunny day. "I-I… I don't—why would you—oh gosh, Ruby, don't say it so loudly!"

Ruby frowned. "So you do know? C'mon, spill!"

"Later!" Velvet hissed, waving her hands frantically as if she could swat away Ruby's question.

The winged girl snorted. "Whatever. Why are you really here?"

Velvet straightened up, clearing her throat and trying to salvage the situation. "We, uh, we come in peace."

"Piece?" The girl raised a suspicious brow. "Piece of what? Pie? Cake? I knew it—humans are always stealing desserts!"

"No! Peace! As in no fighting!" Velvet blurted, practically waving a white flag with her tone.

The girl squinted at them, clearly unconvinced. Finally, she yelled over her shoulder, "OI! Old Man Oogway! These strangers say they've got business with the Hokage!"

"Hokage?" Ruby asked, blinking. "What's that?"

"It means 'Fire Shadow,' dummy," the girl said, rolling her eyes.

"Uh, in what language?"

"Doesn't matter!"

A long moment passed before a slow-moving tortoise Faunus shuffled out from a nearby hut, his shell glinting faintly in the sunlight. "What's all this racket?" he asked, his voice deep and gravelly, like someone who'd been chain-smoking for a century.

"They want to see the Hokage," the winged girl said, jabbing a thumb toward Ruby and Velvet.

The tortoise Faunus eyed them, his gaze sluggish but oddly piercing. "And what's your business with the Hokage?"

Ruby, determined to sound official, puffed out her chest. "We have a message for him!"

The old tortoise scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… Alright. Wait here while I see if the Hokage is free. Make yourselves… comfortable."

Comfortable wasn't exactly the vibe Ruby and Velvet were getting. The villagers' reactions were… mixed, to say the least.

The men smiled politely, a little too brightly, their attempts at chivalry bordering on unsettling. "Good afternoon, ladies!" one of them called, tipping an imaginary hat. "Lovely day, isn't it? Lovely forest? Lovely you?"

Ruby blinked. "Uh… thanks?"

The women, meanwhile, looked like they wanted to roast Ruby and Velvet over a fire. They muttered under their breaths, their glares so sharp they could've peeled paint off a wall.

The kids were the most harmless—if "harmless" meant "insatiably curious and completely tactless." One little boy tugged on Ruby's cape. "Are you a superhero? Can you fly? Can you beat up my big brother?"

Ruby chuckled nervously. "I mean… I could try?"

Another kid poked Velvet's arm. "Why are your ears so normal? Are you broken?"

Velvet flushed. "I-I'm not broken!"

Meanwhile, in a treehouse deep in the forest, Jaune Arc sat hunched over a table, sketching a messy diagram. His latest project—a wind turbine—was proving trickier than expected. He muttered to himself, erasing one section and redrawing it.

"Why not just slap a big fan on it and call it a day?" a middle-aged goat Faunus suggested, leaning over Jaune's shoulder.

Jaune sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's not a toy, Goaty. It's supposed to power the village."

"Oh, right, right. What about adding… uh… more wood? Wood solves everything!"

Before Jaune could reply, Old Man Oogway shuffled in, bowing apologetically. "Forgive the interruption, Hokage."

Jaune straightened, immediately slipping into his "cool leader" persona. "What is it?"

"Two girls have come to see you," Oogway said. "They claim they have a message."

Jaune arched a brow. "Hmm. Intriguing." He started to stand, but Oogway held up a hand.

"Wait, wait. You can't just go. You're the Hokage! Show some attitude. Make them wait. Build suspense!"

Jaune blinked. "Suspense, huh?" He grabbed a glossy yellow paper from the goat Faunus and scribbled:

I'll be there shortly. Please wait.

—J. Arc

Oogway took the note back to the village, where Ruby and Velvet were still fending off curious kids and death-glares from the women. The tortoise handed Ruby the note.

Ruby gulped, her fingers trembling as she unfolded it. Everyone crowded around, holding their breath.

Ruby cleared her throat, holding up the glossy yellow paper like it was some ancient artifact she'd discovered on a grand adventure. The gathered villagers watched her with a mix of curiosity, dread, and an overwhelming sense of impending chaos.

"Force of Nature: The Real Man," Ruby began, her voice loud and dramatic, as though narrating the prologue to an epic tale. Her words echoed ominously through the forest clearing.

The crowd collectively froze. Velvet's wide eyes darted between Ruby and the villagers, her ears twitching like a rabbit caught in headlights. She could already tell this was going to be a disaster. But Ruby, blessed with oblivion, plowed on without hesitation.

"Strawberry flavor. Four units in each pack… guaranteed to deliver unparalleled comfort and performance." Ruby paused, her brow furrowing as she considered this. "Strawberry? Huh. Is this, like, a snack pack? Does Jaune sell food now? Wait, what if it's gum?" She turned to Velvet with a thoughtful expression. "Velvet, do you think it's gum?"

Velvet groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Ruby, stop reading—please!"

Ruby waved her off dismissively, as if Velvet had just suggested she stop breathing. "Relax, I'm getting to the good part," she said, her tone bright and chipper, completely unaware of the growing tension in the air.

"Crafted with state-of-the-art latex technology," Ruby continued, her voice taking on an exaggerated, almost reverent tone, "each unit undergoes rigorous testing to ensure maximum durability and satisfaction. Designed to enhance pleasure for both partners—"

Velvet let out an audible squeak, and a nearby man in the crowd choked on his spit. The winged Faunus girl leaned over to her friend and whispered something that made her companion fan herself furiously. Ruby tilted her head, puzzled but determined. "Huh. 'Latex technology.' Is that, like, some kind of magical material? And what's this about testing? Do they test it on animals? Do you think it's edible?"

The children, who had been listening with innocent curiosity, perked up at the last part. "Edible?" one boy asked, his face lighting up. "Is it candy? Can we try it?"

"NO!" the villagers roared in unison, their voices booming so loud that the kids jumped back in alarm. Ruby frowned at the overreaction, but her enthusiasm remained undeterred. She pressed on.

"Using advanced ergonomic design principles, the product is tailored to fit securely, ensuring comfort without compromising safety. The addition of natural fruit extracts elevates the sensory experience, creating a moment of intimacy unlike any other."

By now, Velvet was a trembling mess, her face crimson and her hands clamped over her nose in a futile attempt to stop a sudden nosebleed. Some of the women in the crowd were exchanging furtive, knowing glances, their expressions vacillating between embarrassment and intrigue. One particularly bold woman leaned over to her friend and whispered, "Do you think it comes in other flavors?"

The men, meanwhile, were shuffling awkwardly, their faces ranging from tomato red to ghostly pale. One man adjusted his hat so low it practically covered his entire face. Another muttered, "I didn't sign up for this," before skulking away.

Ruby, still blissfully oblivious, lowered the paper and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "So, it's not gum," she said, more to herself than anyone else. "Maybe it's some kind of… glove? Yeah, that makes sense! A fancy glove! They're probably, like, really durable and good for fighting!" She turned to Velvet, who looked like she was about to pass out. "Velvet, do you think it's a glove?"

Velvet could only manage a strangled whimper in response.

Ruby shrugged and raised the paper again, squinting at the fine print. "Ideal for adventurous individuals seeking to push the boundaries of traditional relationships. With a triple-layered design, it ensures unparalleled reliability in the most… rigorous of activities."

Velvet let out a noise that could only be described as a mix between a squeak and a dying animal. Several men in the crowd turned and fled outright, their boots kicking up dirt as they bolted. The women, however, were riveted. One of them, eyes wide, whispered, "I need to find out where they sell this."

The children, still blissfully naïve, tugged on their parents' sleeves with innocent curiosity. "What's 'rigorous' mean?" one boy asked his father.

The man groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Go ask your mother," he grumbled before walking away, his dignity clearly left behind somewhere in the forest.

Ruby finally finished reading, her face alight with determination. She looked up at the silent, awkwardly shuffling crowd and grinned. "Wow. This is some deep stuff. I mean, I hardly understood any of it, but it's gotta be super important if Jaune Arc sent it, right?" She held up the paper triumphantly. "Can anybody explain it to me? Pleeease?"

The crowd collectively froze, and then, as if on cue, they scattered like leaves in the wind. Velvet, still clutching her nose, mumbled something incoherent and darted off behind a hut. The women suddenly remembered they had food to cook. The men became very interested in their shoes. Even Old Man Oogway muttered something about "polishing his shell" and waddled away as fast as his ancient legs could carry him.

Ruby frowned, watching them go with a puzzled expression. "Huh. Weirdos," she muttered. She looked back at the paper and noticed something handwritten at the bottom. Her eyes lit up. "Oh! Another message!" She beamed, her excitement renewed. "It says, 'I'll be there shortly. Please wait. Signed J. Arc.'"

She sighed in relief, her confusion melting away. "Now that makes sense!" she said, smiling brightly. "I wonder what all that other stuff was about, though."

—X~X—

Jaune took a deep breath as he entered the village, his steps slowing when a peculiar scent wafted through the air. His enhanced senses picked up… pheromones? Seriously? He sniffed again and grimaced. Yep. There was no mistaking it. "Ugh, I don't even wanna know," he muttered, shaking his head.

'Why does this always happen to me?' he wondered, silently cursing his enhanced senses. His life was like a bad romance novel, minus the romance.

He decided to focus on something less confusing—like the ominous absence of most of the adults. Instead, clusters of children were huddled around two figures wearing Beacon Academy uniforms.

"Oh no. Not Beacon. Not now," he muttered, trying to keep his voice low. Panic surged through his veins as he thought of all the possible reasons why Beacon's students would be here. None of them were good. His eyes darted around for an escape route, but the desert was flat and empty. Not exactly prime real estate for a getaway.

He edged closer, curiosity and paranoia battling it out in his head. One of the girls was short, with wild black hair and a red cloak. The other was taller, a bunny Faunus whose bright red nose made her look like she'd just face-planted into a wall. Jaune froze as a dreadful realisation hit him.

"Them?" he whispered, disbelief dripping from his voice. The cloaked girl was the same one he'd fought during his accidental... assistance in Roman Torchwick's escape. The bunny Faunus? She was the girl he'd rescued from that knife—a move that had nearly cost him his arm.

"Just great," Jaune mumbled, dragging a hand down his face. "It's like fate wants me to get punched."

He decided to approach cautiously, his posture rigid and awkward. As he got closer, the bunny girl's face turned crimson—almost matching her nose. The cloaked girl, on the other hand, lit up like a firework.

"HEY, YOU!" the cloaked girl shouted, pointing at him with the enthusiasm of someone who'd just spotted a celebrity at a grocery store. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW WE'D REALLY FIND YOU HERE!"

Jaune flinched at her volume. "Uh... hi?" he said, giving a weak wave. "Do I know you?"

"Do you—WHAT?!" The girl's jaw dropped. "You don't remember me?! We FOUGHT! You—ugh, forget it. Anyway, we've been looking everywhere for you."

The bunny girl gave him a shy wave, her voice so soft it was like she was afraid of breaking something. "Um... hi. Thank you. For, uh... you know. Saving me. That day. A-Are you okay? Your wound...?"

Jaune blinked, caught off guard. "Oh, yeah. I'm good."

The bunny girl nodded quickly, fiddling with her fingers as if they were the most fascinating things in the world. Meanwhile, the cloaked girl—who still hadn't introduced herself—was bouncing on her toes like she'd just chugged ten energy drinks.

The younger girl sprang to her feet, nearly knocking over the pile of papers beside her. The other followed suit, though much slower, her face somehow redder than before. Her nosebleed wasn't exactly helping matters. Was she okay? Or did she… Jaune's stomach sank. Oh no. Pheromones. Blood. Was she one of those closet perverts? His gaze darted away quickly. Nope. Not thinking about that.

"We brought a message for you! I am Ruby Rose and she is Velvet, by the way." Ruby announced, fishing out a small box from her satchel. "It's from Professor Ozpin himself! He says—oh wait, I should probably say it dramatically—'We believe Jaune Arc to be innocent.' Tada!" She thrust the box towards him with an exaggerated flourish.

Jaune blinked, dumbfounded. "Wait, for real?"

Ruby nodded enthusiastically. Velvet added, "Yes. We've been sent to deliver this."

Jaune stared at her. "You... what?" Jaune's mind reeled. "So... I'm not a criminal anymore?"

"Well..." The cloaked girl scratched the back of her head, looking sheepish. "Technically, you're still wanted. Like, there's a bounty and everything. But Ozpin says you're innocent. So... yay?"

"Yay?" Jaune repeated, his voice flat. "I'm still a walking dartboard, but yay?"

The girls exchanged awkward glances before Ruby muttered, "Well… yeah."

Jaune sighed. "Great. So I'm still a walking bounty poster. Cool. Well, let's see what the message says—"

Before he could finish, a loud yell shattered the moment. "FINALLY! I HAVE FOUND THE DEMON KING HIMSELF!"

Everyone turned to see a wild-eyed woman sprinting out of the woods, a black cat perched on her shoulders and a camera clutched in her hands. Her unkempt hair flailed in the wind as she screamed into the lens. "FOLKS! THIS MAY BE MY FINAL MOMENT ALIVE—!"

A massive centipede burst from the shadows, lunging straight at her with terrifying speed. Its grotesque body wrapped around her, preparing to—

"Hey," Jaune said, his voice low and cold.

The centipede froze mid-attack. The sheer force of his killing intent hit the air like a thunderclap, silencing everything. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. The woman, still tangled in the creature's coils, looked around in utter confusion. Velvet's ears twitched as she realised the sheer weight of Jaune's presence.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jaune asked the centipede, his eyes narrowing.

The centipede began to tremble. Its grip loosened as it quivered like a leaf in a storm before slithering back into the forest, disappearing into the shadows.

The woman fell to the ground in a heap, still clutching her camera like her life depended on it. The villagers erupted into cheers, praising Jaune for saving the day. The woman, however, wasn't so quick to celebrate. She stared at Jaune, her body trembling, her voice barely a whisper. "The Demon King… scared it off. Just like that…"

"Stop calling me that,"

Ruby laughed nervously. "Well, you did scare off a centipede the size of a truck. That's kinda Demon King-y."

The bunny girl nodded timidly. "It was... impressive."

Jaune sighed, then looked at the woman. "Uh, you okay, lady?"

The woman slowly stood, her legs shaking like jelly. "I… I am Lisa Lavender! The Lamp Lady of news!" she declared, still clutching her camera like it was a holy relic. "And I'll expose your true self to the world!"

Jaune blinked. "Who?"

Ruby snapped her fingers. "Oh, I know you! You're that crazy lady from TV!"

"I am NOT crazy!" Lisa snapped, but her declaration lost some weight when the black cat on her shoulders meowed loudly in disagreement. She turned to the cat, her frustration boiling over. "Not now, Winston! You're supposed to back me up!"

"Meow."

"Oh, don't you start with me!" she yelled, shaking her finger at the feline.

"Meow."

"This is why you're single!"

The crowd watched in stunned silence as Lisa and the cat argued back and forth, their bickering devolving into incoherent yells and angry meows.

Jaune sighed, rubbing his temples. "Uh, anyone hungry?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "I've got fresh octopus."

"Octopus?" the villagers echoed in confusion.

Old Man Oogway, leaning on his cane, raised a shaky hand. "Uh… sir, we're in a desert. There ain't no sea for miles."

Jaune gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah, well… I was practicing my Water techniques last night and… I might've changed Vacyo's geography a bit."

Lisa's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?!"

Velvet gasped. "So those blue lines we saw… they weren't mirages? You actually connected the forest to the ocean?"

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "Uh… yeah. Oops?"

—X~X—

The roar of Blake's motorcycle reverberated through the desert, blending with the distant whispers of an incoming sandstorm. The sun blazed overhead, turning the landscape into a giant frying pan. Blake squinted against the heatwaves rippling in the distance, her mind juggling far more than just the oppressive weather.

Yang, riding beside her on her own bike, shouted over the wind. "C'mon, Blake! Pick up the pace! We are not going on a holiday trip! Ruby could be in danger!"

Blake suppressed a groan. Yang didn't know the truth. She wasn't here just for Ruby. No, that was just the convenient cover story Blake had sold her excitable teammate. In reality, Sienna Khan had tasked her with tracking Jaune Arc, gathering intel, and pretending to be nothing more than a concerned 'fan'. Her subordinates from the White Fang—had tagged along, but Blake had strictly warned them to keep their mouths shut about their actual identity.

To complicate matters further, Weiss Schnee was with them, having "snuck" away to Vacuo to follow her elder sister. The irony wasn't lost on Blake: dragging a Schnee into a mission that involved the White Fang was like introducing a mouse to a room full of hungry cats. So far, Weiss seemed blissfully unaware of the tension simmering beneath the surface.

Fū, the tigress faunus and one of Blake's most hot-headed "old buddies," smirked as she watched Weiss bounce uncomfortably in her sidecar. "What's the matter, Snowflake? Sand getting to you?"

Weiss glared, brushing grains of dust off her pristine outfit. "Not all of us are accustomed to riding through deserts like uncivilized hooligans."

Fū snorted. "Uncivilized, huh? Maybe I should show you just how 'civilized' we can get."

Blake shot Fū a warning look. "That's enough." Her tone was sharp, but her grip on the handlebars tightened. If Fū spilled the beans now, this whole operation could go up in flames.

Yang, oblivious to the undercurrents, chimed in. "Guys, focus! We're here to save Ruby, not argue about sand or manners or whatever this is."

Weiss sniffed indignantly. "I'm merely pointing out the lack of professionalism."

"Oh, professionalism!" Fū's grin widened, her tail flicking behind her. "Well, Princess, let me give you a hint about our line of work. It starts with White and ends with—"

"Fū!" Blake's voice sliced through the conversation like a blade. She turned briefly, her amber eyes burning with unspoken warning. "Drop it."

Fū shrugged, feigning innocence. "What? I was just gonna say we're fans of White Bang music. Relax, boss."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "White Bang? Or White Fang? Isn't that a militant faunus group? Why would you be fans of—oh." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're joking."

"Yeah," Fū said with a grin that screamed definitely not joking. "Totally joking."

Blake pinched the bridge of her nose. This was a disaster waiting to happen.

The tension broke as the silhouette of the forest appeared on the horizon, its massive trees stretching skyward like ancient guardians. The air grew cooler as they approached, the oppressive heat of the desert gradually giving way to the ominous stillness of the Forest of Death.

Yang cracked her knuckles as they slowed to a stop at the forest's edge. "Alright, time to find that sleazeball Jaune Arc. He's got some explaining to do."

Blake rolled her eyes but stayed silent. Yang's theory that Jaune had kidnapped Ruby to do… unspeakable things… was as absurd as it was baseless. But Yang's fiery temper wasn't exactly known for waiting on evidence.

Weiss adjusted her ponytail, looking equally determined. "Let's get this over with. The sooner we find Ruby, the sooner we can leave this dreadful place."

Blake dismounted her bike, her ears twitching at the eerie quiet. "We leave the motorcycles here. The forest is too dense to ride through." She turned to Fū and the other faunus, her voice low and commanding. "You know the plan. Stay out of sight. Don't engage unless I say so."

Fū saluted with Han following the suit. "Whatever you say, boss."

As the faunus disappeared into the shadows, Blake, Yang, and Weiss stepped cautiously into the forest. The air was thick with the scent of moss and decay, and the light barely filtered through the dense canopy above. Every rustle and snap of a twig set Blake's nerves on edge.

Weiss broke the silence with a whisper. "So, uh… is it just me, or does this place feel like it's watching us?"

Yang frowned. "Don't be ridiculous. Forests don't have eyes."

Blake sighed. "Focus. We're here to find Ruby and—"

A distant howl cut her off, followed by a guttural growl that echoed through the trees. The three of them froze, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons.

Yang grinned, her eyes lighting up. "Finally, some action! Let's see if this forest can handle me."

Blake shook her head. This was going to be a long mission.

—X~X—

Author Note:

Hope you loved it.

What do you want next before we spice up things more?

Do drop your thoughts in the review section. They inspire me to write faster, better and larger.

Till next time.

~Phoenix.