Too many people are focusing on the less important aspects of the last chapter. Pyrrha and Jaune's relationship spay? Not important. We need to know what Ruby was referring to at the end. After all, she is very protective of her cookies so sharing them with Jaune is just short of being married. Yang can never learn about this or Jaune will get into an 'accident.' Pyrrha's fine though, as she has a loving caring boyfriend who would never dream of hurting her. She's just learning to be more assertive and put herself first sometimes. Nothing bad will ever happen. EVER!

If you enjoy my stories and feel like tossing a few bucks my way for expenses, please see my P a treon below.

P a treon . com (Slash) Darkbetrayer

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

"We need to talk, Pyrrha."

Things had not been going well for Jaune's team on the first day. They were all physically exhausted, and even Nora's usually bubbly attitude was diminished. The weather wasn't changing; it kept raining on and off all day. Mud drained their energy with every step. Then there were the Grimm attacks. After the large fight on the hill, things had been tense, leading to even more Grimm attacks—a couple of Ursai, a King Taijitu, and even a Griffin. The Griffin was especially tough as they had limited range attacks, so they had to draw it down before delivering a finishing blow.

Then there was the mental exhaustion weighing on them.

They couldn't continue like this. Most of the Grimm in the area should have been killed already, but negativity hung over their group, drawing more and more Grimm. It would be tough to rest if Grimm attacked every night, and continuing this survival exercise with little to no sleep was sure to worsen their already sour moods. That's why, as they began to set up camp, Jaune made a decision. A tough one that might backfire spectacularly, but something had to be done. Ignoring the problem wasn't going to work anymore.

Pyrrha had made a decision that put all of their lives at risk when she refused to follow his orders. It was like the moment when Ruby raced back to face Tyrian and nearly died in the process. There was a reason Qrow told them they had to follow his orders, even if they didn't like them. Now Jaune was in that leader position where people's lives depended on what he decided. He didn't really enjoy the position, but it was his responsibility.

Now he knew why Qrow had been so upset with Ruby.

"I… yes, I suppose we should." Pyrrha debated playing dumb but she also understood they needed to talk.

"We'll be here setting up," Ren told them as they started unrolling their bags. They had found a rock shelter that was dry and protected from the rain. Best of all, it acted as a barrier against Grimm sneaking up on them. Nora was excited to use a hammock, but they were all tired, so it was easier just to roll their bags and padding out on a dry stretch of ground.

Neither of them wanted to hear what Jaune and Pyrrha were about to go through. So Jaune led Pyrrha a decent distance away from their teammates so they could talk without disturbing the others, but close enough that if a Grimm attacked, any of them could assist. Neither talked during the brief walk; both lost in their own private thoughts about what to say. Jaune had to keep reminding himself to avoid losing his cool. Too many times it ruined any progress that was about to be made.

"About today…" Jaune began.

"I won't disobey your orders next time," Pyrrha interrupted. "You were right. As a team leader, when you make a call, we need to follow it as a team. I learned about that in school, even before Beacon, and just forgot about it in the moment. I could have jeopardized our lives, and it was hypocritical of me to do so after being upset at you for doing the same thing." She actually looked sorry, not just passive-aggressive.

Pyrrha was an incredibly nice person who tried to spare others' feelings but the fact was that she was still human. Just like Jaune, she could be angry, sad, happy, or any other normal emotion. The outburst earlier was probably weighing on her mind all day. Depressing weather didn't help lighten their moods and things always slip out when people are upset.

"Ah… good… Glad we're on the same page." Jaune was momentarily thrown off by her sudden disarming words. Pyrrha was always good at counter-attacking. At first, he wanted to lay into her, but now he just wanted to move past it. His partner was already kicking herself about what happened. Making her feel worse wouldn't solve anything right now. The opposite in fact, as Grimm would be attracted to those negative emotions. "I can't say I don't understand why."

"Do you?" Pyrrha cut him off again.

"Huh?" Jaune blinked. "What are-...?"

"Do you really know why I went off on my own like that?" Pyrrha pressed the advantage.

"Eh…" Jaune really did not want to say it out loud.

"Go ahead." Pyrrha crossed her arms, her tone neutral and unreadable. "I want to know what you really think. If you truly desire for us to talk, we should be open and not worry about hurting each other's feelings. We already did that plenty."

"You're right." Taking a deep breath, Jaune continued and decided to be open and honest. "I figured you were upset with me and didn't want me to be your team leader, so you purposely ignored my orders to do what you wanted."

"No, that wasn't it." Shaking her head, Pyrrha stared up at him with clear emerald eyes. "Things might be easier if that were the case. The truth is I've been so used to doing things for myself these last couple of months that when I started fighting, I zoned out to everything else around me and focused purely on what was happening in front of me. When I trained at Beacon, I did this every day to avoid the remarks people shot at me, so it's what I'm used to. I didn't have a partner to practice tag matches with and learn to fight with them as a team."

Ouch. Another blow right to his gut. The worst part was that Jaune couldn't argue with her. Everything she said was true about her time at Beacon, at least according to Ren. Nora being angry, having no partner, and the rest of the school being jealous of her Semblance and skill. Though the voice in the back of his mind, the stupid, irrational, angry part of him, wanted him to say she was the one who set the chain in motion, Jaune refused to listen to that voice and immediately shut it down mentally.

"Again, you're right. I haven't been a good partner." Jaune admitted, hating and appreciating the fact he could speak those words without shouting or insulting Pyrrha. "And I've said countless things I can't take back. For that, I'm really sorry."

"I said some things too," Pyrrha admitted slowly and her eyes fell to the ground. "It's just… I came to a realization recently."

"About?"

"Us."

No one ever wanted to hear those words in the resigned tone Pyrrha was using. It was the kind of thing someone would say when they were about to break up. Yet Pyrrha and Jaune had never dated. She was with Mercury, and he was with Ruby. So what conclusion did she reach? Was she going to suggest they talk to Ozpin about getting different partners? From what Qrow mentioned, Ozpin usually didn't change partners except in the most extreme situations or in the upper years when one team lost someone on a mission. So suggesting they do some team swap was out of the question.

"I realized… We aren't friends anymore."

More powerful than a kick to the balls, those words struck Jaune deep. While they were fighting, even during the worst of it, Jaune never actually believed they weren't friends. Sure, he was really upset and sometimes even suggested that they maybe weren't, but he always turned back to the possibility that they could reconnect once he got past those feelings. All the constant fighting lately, the passive aggressiveness, and now Pyrrha's statement—deep down, Jaune knew she was right.

"I see..." was all the boy could mutter in response.

"You should be relieved, though." Pyrrha continued and glanced back up at him, not looking away, but the light in her eyes seemed to dim. "Remember what you told me back when you first found out I told Ozpin? 'With friends like you, who needs enemies?' Now you don't have to worry about me anymore."

"That's not… We're in a rough spot. but I never really..."

"It's fine. You don't have to try to spin it." Pyrrha smiled sadly at him. "Some people just can't be friends... But that doesn't mean we have to be enemies. We can still work together as Team JNPR. That's why I'm willing to follow your orders since Ozpin appointed you as team leader. I will be a teammate, but I just don't think we'll ever be close again."

Wow. Jaune had no idea what to say to that. Technically, it was better than being enemies and fighting all the time. They should be able to work as partners for the good of the team. It's just outside of that; they weren't going to hang out like the old days. There was no one to blame but himself and his temper for pushing Pyrrha away. Even after understanding why she did it, the wall was there, and it wasn't coming down. After all, Pyrrha still remembered his hurtful words from the beginning. It was one thing for someone she wasn't close enough to say that; another for someone she trusted and cared for.

Physical wounds can heal, but mental ones can leave deep scars. Ren really was right in his assessment. Maybe someday they might become friends again after being stuck together for the next three to four years. Just not anytime soon. Jaune would have to accept this as a fact for now. So rather than try to argue, smooth things over, or complain, the blonde merely nodded his head.

"I can accept that." Jaune responded slowly, his words heavy. Not that he wanted to say that, but the circumstances indicated that was the best outcome right now. "Then let me say one thing as a teammate. You shouldn't have to be alone. We're in this together."

"That's kind of you to say, but we both know it's too far past that." Pyrrha sighed. "If Cardin hadn't found out about my semblance, maybe I would have had a chance."

"That guy is a huge asshole!" Jaune growled. Though Cardin hadn't really been bullying people lately, ever since they started having their private sparring matches, Probably too tired since they really went at it. "But everyone else shouldn't have joined in either. Some people have stronger semblances than others. Qrow even called my amplification OP before. Not all weapons and Grimm are the same either, so we need to learn to fight against all kinds of things." He was hoping to find some common ground for them to start building that foundation again.

What he saw was the smile of a girl looking at a child saying something unrealistic.

"There's a difference between our Semblances," Pyrrha said, raising a hand. "I'll give you a demonstration."

Without warning, Jaune felt his armored chest plate jerk up into the air by an unseen force. His arms and legs flopped uselessly as he was suspended in midair. His sheath and sword flew off his hip and hovered around Pyrrha. Without expending any effort, she had not only disarmed him but also put him in a position where he was easy prey for any attack she desired. It was obvious she wasn't going to attack, but the implication was there. Struggling in midair did nothing, and it wasn't until she lowered him back to the ground that she released her Semblance.

"Do you see why?" Pyrrha asked him. "Your Amplification Semblance is powerful, especially with regenerating your own Aura. It has so many uses and is a very versatile ability. However, it doesn't render your opponent helpless. It increases your defense, but your opponent can still use powerful attacks and skills to defeat you. Their training won't be in vain. With my Semblance…" She took a deep breath. "No matter how much they train, if they use a metal weapon or armor, I can manipulate it."

Jaune remained quiet as she continued.

"I could rip their weapons out of their hands and attack them with it. I can move their armor with them inside it. They will never be able to hit me," Pyrrha explained, her words flowing out. "They are upset with me because they all know they don't have a chance if I use my Semblance seriously. Yes, some people don't have weapons that can be magnetized, but those are getting fewer and farther between nowadays. Metal weapons are just better than alternatives like bone."

"From what I heard, you don't use it much," Jaune said, recalling a conversation he had with Ren privately, which Pyrrha didn't know about.

"But others don't know that," the champion reminded him. "If they miss an attack, they can just think I used my Semblance to make them miss. They question their skills and figure it's pointless fighting against an opponent who can negate everything. That anger is then directed at me."

"Because people find it easier to blame others than themselves for losing," Jaune acknowledged. He knew this well. It had taken time to come to grips with it during the times he felt the same. Every fight he lost in class, he wanted to blame anyone but himself, but he knew better. His classmates had practiced for years while he cheated his way in, so all the anger and frustration had to be kept inside.

"Heh, Mercury said the same thing," Pyrrha reminisced fondly. "And I suppose there's truth to that. But regardless of what you think, that's how it is. Other students don't like having their grades and records tied to facing someone who can use powers they can't have. Skills with a weapon can be learned and developed. Semblances are something we're born with and can't change. Fate decides that for us."

"If I believed in fate, I wouldn't have tried to be a Huntsman," Jaune countered. "My parents told me I wasn't cut out for it, that it wasn't my fate, but I didn't buy that. I decided I wanted to be one. Yes, I made mistakes along the way, but the fact is, I'm still here. If I laid back and accepted 'fate' as the answer, then what's the point of trying to do anything?"

"Do you believe in destiny?" Pyrrha asked.

"I… I think we make our own destiny," Jaune answered.

"Then I wish you the best of luck in making your future," Pyrrha said with a false, celebrity smile. "We should get some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

Grudgingly, Jaune followed. He was glad Pyrrha agreed to follow his orders in the future, but at what cost? They weren't friends? Friendships could end for many reasons. This one just sort of, exploded? He always hoped they would be close again, even if deep down he knew things had changed. At least they weren't enemies. A small silver lining in this dark time. Though the way Pyrrha seemed to have given up on him made him feel like crap.

"Ugh…" Jaune groaned, struggling to wake up as the relentless sunlight filtered through the trees. He pushed himself off the ground and slowly rose to his feet.

"Morning!" Nora's attempt at cheerfulness was betrayed by the dark circles under her eyes.

The previous night had been anything but restful. Nora and Ren had noticed the tension when Pyrrha and Jaune returned, but they had said nothing. An hour into their first shift, their camp was ambushed by a couple of smaller Grimm. Pyrrha, on first watch, had managed to take down three of the four before waking everyone up. Nora, enraged at the disruption, flattened the remaining Grimm with a single, furious blow.

But the attacks didn't end there. Shortly after midnight, a Nevermore perched on the cliffside launched another assault. Ren, on watch, alerted everyone, allowing them to handle the threat. Fortunately, the Nevermore wasn't flying, which made it easier to bring down—thanks to Pyrrha's precise spear strike to its eye and Nora's swift intervention, breaking one of its wings as it lunged at Jaune. Despite their efforts, the fight had disrupted their rest, leaving everyone exhausted by morning.

"Hey… Is the water boiling?" Jaune rubbed his eyes and glanced at the collapsible pot on the portable stove.

"Almost…" Nora stifled a yawn so wide that it seemed to stretch her face. "Ren got some water when the rain stopped for a bit, so we're ahead of schedule." She looked like she might doze off right there.

"You can lie down; I'll keep an eye on the pot." Jaune offered.

"You're the best!" Nora collapsed onto her bag and was instantly asleep.

Jaune didn't blame her or her mind at all. The night had dredged up so many memories of his first grueling week—sleep deprivation, constant exertion, and looming threats, even with Qrow's help. Ren seemed relatively unaffected, perhaps due to his meditation practice. Jaune thought he might give it a try once they were back at Beacon.

Breakfast was a simple affair: oatmeal with hot water. It was efficient, requiring no cleanup, and provided the necessary sustenance. The four of them ate in silence, the atmosphere heavy with exhaustion and tension. Jaune's thoughts lingered on the previous night, distracting him as he stared at his food. Pyrrha seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts too. Nora and Ren exchanged knowing glances but said nothing, fully aware that Jaune and Pyrrha were dealing with their own issues.

Nora would probably be upset when Jaune eventually revealed the outcome.

After their disrupted night, breakfast was hastily finished. They needed to get back on the trail and make up the time lost fighting all the Grimm yesterday. The fog was thick, but there were no Grimm, which was a minor victory in this horrible situation. The misty rain wasn't enough to dampen their spirits now. Jaune was less focused on Pyrrha at the moment; they had addressed what needed to be said, and for now, being teammates was sufficient. It wasn't a depressing thought; sometimes people simply didn't mesh well, and that was okay.

Suddenly, Jaune stopped and frowned as his gaze swept over their surroundings. The fog was clearing and he could see further ahead than before.

"What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked, her hand instinctively moving to her weapon.

"No, it's that." Jaune pointed ahead.

"Is that a lake?" Nora shielded her eyes as she squinted into the distance.

"More like a large pond." Ren's voice was thoughtful. "Is there something unusual about it, Jaune?"

"It's not on the map." Jaune held up the map, pointing to their current location. "We were camped here." He traced a line back. "There's no way we've traveled this far, and there's no water sources marked here. The river and lake are too distant for us to have ended up near them by mistake."

Ren examined the map closely before looking around. "I have to agree. The map might not be entirely accurate."

"Or Beacon might have deliberately included incorrect details to challenge us," Jaune suggested.

"That would be a risky move on their part, even with the tracker they gave us," Ren mused, rubbing his chin. "If something went wrong and it stopped working, they wouldn't have a harder time finding teams if they got way off track."

"So what do we do?" Nora's eagerness had faded, replaced by concern.

"If this section of the map is inaccurate, we should backtrack and find a route that matches the map," Pyrrha proposed.

"Couldn't we just continue straight and ignore this section?" Nora asked. "We know which way is east."

"We could, but there's always the chance we get off course by a couple degrees." Jaune replied. "It's very hard to go in a straight line on rough terrain."

"So what's the plan?" Pyrrha asked, doing what she said last night and following his lead. Of course, that might also be that she knew he and Ren had the most experience in traversing the wilderness.

"Hmm." Jaune pondered for a bit.

What would Qrow have him do in this situation? It never happened during their trip because the maps they had were already pretty accurate. Knowing where you were in the wilds was essential or you'll never find civilization. Cities and towns were a very small percentage of the total land on Remnant. Since Grimm were everywhere, all the places had to be easily defended. But if Qrow had discovered a discrepancy in the map, what would he say?

Looking up from the map, his eyes fell on the water source.

"We're going to go straight ahead." Jaune declared. "Then at the pond we will split into two groups. Ren and Nora will go right, Pyrrha and I left. Ren, memorize this map as best you can. We're going to see if we can find other landmarks. It's possible there was a cave in or something below and water rushed up into a low spot. We are surrounded by them. The rain might even cause some flash floods if we aren't careful down here. We'll meet back up within an hour. If one team is gone longer than that, assume they got into trouble."

"This doesn't make any sense!" Ruby growled, holding the map up to the sky as if she thought the little sunlight slipping in through the gray storm clouds would highlight a secret invisible message.

"What doesn't?" Weiss asked, pausing and staring at her partner.

"THAT!" Ruby gestured in front of her with her hand exasperatedly.

"Er… what are we supposed to be looking at?" Blake asked the important question.

"We've been following the river and it hasn't changed." Yang added, stopping and stretching a bit. "Do we go right or left at the fork?

"That's the problem!" Ruby waved the map in front of them. "There's no fork in the river! It's a pretty straight one with a single main curve."

"You know smaller streams and rivers flow into larger rivers all the time." Weiss said matter-of-factly.

"You don't even know the differences between a brook, creek, river and stream!" Ruby shot back.

"I… how dare… I was just trying to help… You don't know either!" Weiss spluttered.

"Now now, calm down you two." Yang stepped between them. "I know the foggy and misty weather isn't fun, but no need to be at each other's throats. Ruby, that's not like you."

"Ah, sorry." Ruby apologized immediately, looking at the ground. "You're right. Sorry, Weiss."

"Apology accepted and I admit I gave some information that wasn't helpful at the time." Weiss replied with a small smile and patted Ruby on the shoulder.

"Awwwwww. I should get a picture of you two benign so close." Yang cooed. "Jaune will be so jealous."

"Don't make me hit you." Weiss touched her rapier.

"Oh, if it helps, the definition of a brook, stream, river, and creeks depend on what it flows into and how much water flows through it." Blake commented as they took a break to give Ruby time to double check their position.

"Okay, don't get all nerdy on us right now," Yang rolled her eyes. "That's Weiss' job."

"HEY!" Weiss protested angrily and kicked some mud at Yang.

As her team was playing around and keeping their spirits up in the dreary weather, Ruby was straining her thoughts as she kept looking at the map, tracing their path from where they started, and then glancing around the area to identify landmarks. It didn't make any sense. Yes, it was foggy that morning, but they went slow and tracked their direction constantly. Even if they were off a few degrees, she should still be able to find out where they were. It's like the map was wrong or the entire terrain in this area changed.

"Team RWBY!" Ruby raised her hand and gathered their attention. "We have a choice to make."

"And that is?" Weiss asked instantly.

"The map doesn't seem to be correct." Ruby told them. "At least in this area." She ran her finger in a circle. "So we have a couple options. One, we keep going until we find more landmarks over here near the goal. This is risky because we don't know what the terrain is and righting ourselves if we get off course will be difficult. The other option is we try to go around the long way and follow parts of the maps that are more accurate."

"Shouldn't we push through if we want to finish faster?" Weiss crossed her arms and frowned.

"We could, but if we get off a few degrees, we risk going pretty far from our destination." Ruby explained the cons. "Depending on how inaccurate this map is, we could get really far off."

"While the long way would be safer, but would require more time." Yang repeated what her sister said earlier. "Tough decision."

"Yeah, normally Jaune and I would discuss it and unless time was of the essence, Uncle Qrow would follow what we decided… until we've been traveling a while when he decides to tell us we chose wrong and we have to backtrack an hour or two and redo it and then waste so much of the day and get exhausted…"

"Ruby, you're relapsing." Blake slapped her on the back.

"Oh, right, sorry about that." Ruby blinked. "I would say go ahead, but I try not to rush these decisions. Jaune's usually the one who suggests we be careful."

"And he would have a point." Weiss stated softly, but with little ill-intent.

"So I think we should leave it up to a vote." The young leader declared.

"Ruby, listen." Yang put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "I appreciate you wanting to include us, but you're the team leader, not us. Out of everyone here…. Except maybe Blake… you have the most experience doing this kind of thing. I think you should make the decision."

"She's right." Ruby was shocked to hear Weiss agree so easily. "As team leader, you have to make the final decision, not leave it up to everyone else. It's just if things go wrong, you also have to accept responsibility."

"And all those 'I told you so' from Weiss." Yang grinned.

"I wouldn't say that. I would just lecture her on thinking things through more thoroughly!"

"That's what she just did!"

"We all trust you." Blake smiled at Ruby. "So do what you think is best and we'll follow you. Regardless of what happens, we'll be with you."

Ruby tried to hide her smile, but that was impossible. There were no tears in her eyes either. If there were, it was pure allergies. She wasn't a baby who cried at everything anymore. An adult knew how to act strong in front of others! Wiping her eyes on her sleeves discreetly, Ruby took a deep breath and looked up. The decision was obvious if they wanted to be first, but they could still take precautions. After all, first hand experience showed her what happens when you recklessly run into a fight. There was still a small white scar on her stomach where Tyrian stabbed her.

Her hand rubbed the spot for a fraction of a second.

"We're going to keep moving forward, but we're doing this the right way." Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and spun it as the weapon shifted from its rifle mode to a scythe. A quick slash and a few tiny sparks, a rock had a small grove carved upon it. "We're leaving a trail behind in case we get lost and have to find our way back here."

Weiss was honestly impressed at her decision and Ruby tried not to let it show how happy she was that her partner was seeing her in this new light.

"Will Nora and Ren be okay without a map?" Pyrrha asked, trying to keep her voice steady as if merely asking about the weather.

"Ren's good with memorizing things quickly, which is why I let him study the map before we split up," Jaune replied, pushing aside a low-hanging branch as they moved along their chosen path. "I'm not as skilled, so I need it." He continued to scrutinize the map, trying to match the landscape to its features. "Some of these depressions look similar, but it's hard to be certain. Mark that spot."

Pyrrha made a quick slash at the side of a tree, leaving a clear but shallow mark. With Jaune focused on navigating, Pyrrha took on the task of marking their trail. Working together like this felt refreshing—a welcome shift from their usual dynamic. They were both striving to move past their previous issues. Though they had aired grievances, they hadn't fully resolved them due to the arguments. Acknowledging that they weren't quite friends anymore, they had settled on working as a team for the time being.

As they navigated the trail, Jaune's thoughts wandered. "I wonder if flooding altered the terrain or something," he mused aloud. "There's no date on this map, so I don't know how old it is. It's possible Beacon gave us outdated maps. Or, if Ozpin is as devious as Qrow suggested, maybe these maps have deliberate inaccuracies to get people lost."

"I find it hard to believe Beacon would do that," Pyrrha said, her tone tinged with disbelief. "It's already dangerous out here, and without any teachers nearby, giving us faulty equipment would be recklessly dangerous."

"Pyrrha, remember, they launched us off a cliff and had us fight Grimm during initiation without knowing our skills," Jaune reminded her dryly, glancing her way. "They also have us spar with live ammo."

Pyrrha opened her mouth, then closed it, conceding his point.

"Hmm, the terrain seems pretty similar to the map," Jaune conceded. "The only issue is the pond that isn't on it."

"So you think it might have formed after the map was made?" Pyrrha asked.

"It's possible. We should check if it's a natural formation or if the area recently flooded and filled a low spot."

"How do we check that?"

"No idea."

Pyrrha almost smiled at Jaune's honesty.

"Okay, we're far enough. We need to head back so Ren and Nora don't come looking for us," Jaune decided. "I'm pretty sure I know where we are. The pond just threw me off. We'll keep going this way, but be prepared for a lot of elevation changes. This area is not flat."

"Wonderful," Pyrrha muttered dryly. Champion or not, long hikes through mud and rain aren't enjoyable for anyone. "Can't we call them? They should be within a short-range signal."

"Good idea. I'll let them know, but we should still head back because they might not see our marks." Jaune pulled out his Scroll and dialed Ren. "Ren! We're heading in the right direction. Let's meet up back at the pond."

"Okay, our area was clear, so we shouldn't have any problems getting back. Nora's getting hungry, so early lunch?"

"You might as well enjoy the scenic view," Jaune laughed and hung up. "It looks like I worried for nothing. Let's go."

"Hmm, better safe than sorry," Pyrrha agreed.

The old Pyrrha might have complimented Jaune for his decision, back when they were closer friends. Now, she simply acknowledged his choice and moved on. The changes in her were subtle but significant. She was no longer trying to please everyone, nor was she the reserved Pyrrha who always made others feel better. It was time for her to focus more on herself, but that didn't mean she had to be rude to people. At the same time, she no longer needed to coddle them.

A faint, whizzing sound broke the silence, and Pyrrha's tournament reflexes kicked in.

"Get down!" She grabbed the back of Jaune's head and pushed him down with her.

"Wha—?"

Jaune's cry was cut short as he felt the air above his head shift. A spinning blade whizzed past, narrowly missing him. Jaune, though vigilant, had not anticipated an ambush from a skilled fighter. Drawing his sword, he kicked himself up from the ground and raised his shield. The spinning blade ricocheted off a tree before disappearing into the thick foliage.

"Who's there?" Pyrrha demanded that her sword and shield be ready. "Show yourself."

There was no need for an answer. The weapon was familiar, and Jaune felt his blood run cold. They had found him. Why were they here all the way in Vale? It made no sense. Was his escape that big of a blow to their pride? Jaune took a step back as a figure emerged from the shadows. Shorter than him but not by much, the athletic, thin woman stepped into view.

"Vernal…" Jaune whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Glad to see me, asshole?" Vernal said, her tone dripping with contempt. She lowered her weapons. "Where's the confidence from before? You and I got along so well, or at least I thought we did."

"Jaune! You know her?" Pyrrha asked, her confusion evident as she kept her sword and shield at the ready.

"Yeah, she's one of the bandit tribe members who kidnapped Ruby and me," Jaune explained. "She was the one who watched over us until we escaped."

"That was a cheap shot," Vernal snarled. "Do you have any idea how much training I had to do to make up for that with Raven?"

"You're the ones who kidnapped us!" Jaune shot back.

"We treated you like family!" Vernal retorted.

"We didn't want to join your tribe!" Jaune said, frustration evident in his voice.

"Uh…?" Pyrrha was thoroughly confused. "What's going on?"

"Shut up, bitch!" Vernal snapped at her. "This doesn't concern you. Get lost."

"This seems like it does concern me!" Pyrrha shot back. "You just tried to—"

Her protest was cut short as another figure emerged behind Vernal. A tall woman in red, with a large mask covering her face, exuded an oppressive aura. Her large sword remained sheathed, but her mere presence was suffocating, even more so than any opponent Pyrrha had faced in the arena. Jaune's hands twitched on the hilt of his blade, his eyes wide with shock rather than terror.

"Raven," he breathed.

"It's time for you to make up for your mistakes, Vernal," the masked woman said, her voice muffled. "I will ensure the other doesn't interfere."

"Pyrrha, go find Ren and Nora and get out of here," Jaune urged, his voice trembling. "They're after me, not you."

"I can't…"

"I'm giving you an order, Pyrrha!" Jaune's fear was palpable as he urged her to leave. "These aren't opponents we can beat!"

"How gutless!" Vernal sneered. "And here I thought you had some courage. No pipsqueak to impress?"

"Gutless?" Jaune stepped forward, shield raised. "I'm standing here, aren't I?"

"Suicide is the coward's way out."

Without warning, Vernal hurled one of her blades at Jaune. He raised his shield just in time to deflect the attack, but Vernal was already moving. The blade ricocheted off, and she had already leaped into the air, catching it effortlessly. She brought both weapons down on Jaune, who met her strike with his own sword. Sparks flew as metal clashed. Neither side yielded.

Vernal used Jaune's strength to her advantage, propelling herself upward with remarkable flexibility before delivering a powerful kick to the side of his head.

Aura flared as Jaune quickly amplified his defense, but Vernal also focused her Aura into her attack. The shockwaves rattled Jaune's head, momentarily blurring his vision. That brief moment of blindness nearly cost him his life as Vernal's dagger descended toward his neck. He rolled to the side and pushed her off with his shield, gaining a few crucial feet of distance. Vernal was clearly furious, aiming for a kill rather than playing around.

All of this unfolded in mere seconds.

Pyrrha watched in stunned silence as Vernal attacked with incredible speed. She had been about to intervene when Vernal leaped onto Jaune's sword, but her path was blocked.

"Let them work out their differences," Raven said, her voice calm and almost disinterested. She had somehow closed the distance between them without Pyrrha noticing. It almost was like she wanted to observe the two fighters. However, the long blade moving toward Pyrrha's neck revealed her true intentions.

Gritting her teeth, Pyrrha blocked the blade with her shield, feeling the powerful force behind Raven's attack. The blow came without warning, and the sheer lethality of it was almost Grimm-like. A single second's delay could have meant death. Pyrrha's eyes flicked between Jaune, struggling against Vernal, and her own formidable opponent.

If she left, Jaune would be overwhelmed and likely killed. As a Huntress, she couldn't abandon him, even if they weren't friends. Contrary to that, Jaune, as her team leader, had given her a direct order, but this was an extraordinary situation, wasn't it? Who could have anticipated such dangerous adversaries?

Should she stay or go?

"Don't think about escaping, girl," Raven said, her voice dripping with menace. "The moment you turn your back, I'll strike you down."

It seemed her decision was made for her. Pyrrha raised her spear, taking a defensive stance. Raven did not speak further as she lifted her long red sword. Without the ability to see Raven's face beneath the mask, Pyrrha had to rely on body language for any indication of the woman's next move. People often telegraphed their intentions through the movement of their larger body parts—shoulders and elbows before an attack, or knees before a dash. These subtle cues were Pyrrha's best chance for an early warning.

The champion leaned back as the red blade whizzed past her nose. The blade wasn't just red—it seemed to be infused with Fire Dust, giving it a flame attribute. A hit that breached her Aura could be fatal, especially given Raven's strength. Pyrrha had to employ every skill she possessed. She lunged with an upward thrust aimed at Raven's gut.

Raven parried the thrust effortlessly with her hilt.

Pyrrha somersaulted backward, shifting Miló into its rifle mode. She fired a few rounds, trying to create some space. Raven advanced, deflecting each bullet with precise, controlled swings of her blades. Range attacks were ineffective; Pyrrha needed to close in. Switching Miló to its xiphos blade form, she charged forward, aiming to bypass the long blade with speed and agility. Larger weapons had more momentum behind their swings but were slower due to their weight.

Warning bells rang in Pyrrha's mind as her reflexes kicked in. She leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the red blade that slashed through the air where she had been moments before. The blade's tip cut dangerously close to her eye. Raven's attacks were relentless and precise, always aiming for a killing blow. Even when Raven appeared disinterested, it was only to maneuver into position. Pyrrha realized the gravity of the situation; there was no room for hesitation.

Pushing off the mud with force, Pyrrha thrust her sword toward Raven's side, eyes flickering toward the red blur of the returning blade. Pyrrha activated her Semblance, surrounding Raven's weapon with black Aura. Though she had limited her use of it at Beacon when fighting other students, Raven was a different case entirely. Holding back was not an option. Pyrrha channeled all her power into her Semblance, yanking Raven's blade in midair.

Click.

Pyrrha's eyes widened as Raven's red blade detached from the hilt. It flew back with the full force of Pyrrha's Semblance, crashing into a tree and shattering into countless pieces. Raven's swift realization of Pyrrha's tactic spoke volumes about her skill and experience. Yet Pyrrha did not relent, continuing her attack as her sword aimed for Raven's chest. Without the blade, she assumed the battle would become easier.

She was mistaken. Despite Raven's disarmed state, she dodged Pyrrha's thrust with ease. Reaching forward, Raven struck Pyrrha's wrist, deflecting her attack and stepping aside. She then grabbed Pyrrha's shoulder and delivered a knee kick to her stomach. Pyrrha raised her shield just in time, though the force of the blow lifted her slightly off the ground and pushed her back.

Raven followed up with an elbow strike to the back of Pyrrha's neck. Pyrrha twisted in midair, using her shoulder and Aura to absorb the impact. It was better than being knocked out or sustaining a broken neck. With the momentum of the blow, Pyrrha spun to the side, skidding on the wet ground but remaining on her feet, shield and sword raised, ready for the next move.

"So, you have some tricks hidden." Raven mused. "Not bad. Shame you're not part of my tribe. We could use someone like you."

"I would never join you." Pyrrha panted, keeping her shield raised. Raven showed she was the type to strike the moment she saw an opening. There would be no more such opportunities from her anymore.

"Then I have to remove you as a threat." Raven sheathed the handle of her bladeless sword into the long black scabbard. It was then Pyrrha noticed the dial with multicolored segments. It reminded her a lot of Myrtenaster, Weiss' rapier weapon. While Pyrrha might not know exactly what it entailed, what she did know was it involved Dust. The dial turned and clicked, before Raven pulled her sword out.

No longer bladeless, a long yellow blade replaced the broken red one.

Ah, Raven had backup blades.

The yellow blade crackled with electricity as it was swung. Pyrrha immediately activated her Semblance to stop the attack, only for the electricity to crackle and glow brighter. Her eyes widened as she realized what just happened. Whatever that blade was, the electricity Dust mixed in was interfering with her Polarity Semblance. This was the first time she encountered it. Keeping her ability hidden for so long meant that she never learned to fight people with counters to it. A flaw in her training regimen.

Raising her shield, Pyrrha took the blow directly, as she wasn't able to dodge it in time due to her hesitation from surprise.

Electricity flowed through her metal shield and up into her arms, before spreading into her entire body. It was like the time she was shot by Ruby's electric Dust rounds in class but magnified exponentially. Her body collapsed as her muscles went numb and unable to hold her weight. With a wet splat, she landed in the mud, twitching slightly as her Aura flared. Aura wasn't a catch all and some attacks did slip through. The electricity probably would have caused more damage besides loss of muscle control and numbness if it wasn't for it. Still, her weapon and shield fell out of her limp fingers and laid next to her.

Raven stepped over her and raised her blade.

"You lack experience."

Truer words had never been spoken. All of Pyrrha's combat skills were done in school, arenas, or against Grimm outside cities. She never really learned how to fight people who were more prepared, surprising tactics, or when rules weren't interfering. Ruby had managed to do serious damage with her surprise attack in class, and now Raven had paralyzed her. Thanks to Aura, the feeling was coming back to her limbs, but there was no way she was going to be able to move fast enough to get out of the way. Raven wasn't going to hesitate. The woman was already raising her blade.

Pyrrha refused to close her eyes or look away, choosing to stare straight at her opponent.

"Nice eyes."

Raven brought down the yellow blade.

Sparks flew and electricity cackled right after a shadow passed over Pyrrha's head. A silver blade collided with Raven's weapon, blocking it directly. The electricity didn't pass through the large blade so whoever saved Pyrrha must have been used to fighting Raven. Finally able to move her head enough, she glanced up to see who saved her. Her eyes went wide as Qrow stepped over her.

"Picking on kids, Raven?" The man asked. "Is there no level you'll sink too?"

"She was in the way." Raven answered simply. "Just as you are. I take it you received my message."

"Of course I did, you made a portal directly to me and threw it tied to a rock."

"Shame it didn't break your skull."

"Q-Qrow, what's going on?" Pyrrha was pushing herself up, as the feeling in her limbs returned.

"Just a bitch upset she was outplayed." Qrow answered without turning around. "Go find the other two in your group. I'll make sure Jaune's okay and deal with this bitch."

"Right!" Pyrrha nodded and pulled her sword and shield toward her with her Semblance. There was no time to argue. Qrow was an experienced Huntsman and knew what to do. It was probably best for her to warn Nora and Ren instead of trying to fight someone so far above her skill level. She darted away back toward the meeting location.

Meanwhile, Jaune was being pushed back by Vernal's onslaught.

She had always been powerful, being Raven's second in command, but the ferocity in her attacks was unlike anything he experienced before. The 'training' they did where she beat them up back at the Branwen Tribe's camp really had been her holding back. Now that they were enemies, it was all Jaune could do to remain upright on the defensive. Her curved blades kept colliding with his shield and sword, not giving him a moment to adjust to a fighting stance. If he attempted a half hearted attack, all Vernal would do is hook one of her curved blades around his sword and twist, disarming him.

Which she had done before.

"Can't we… AH… talk about this?!" Jaune cried out as he slammed back into a tree and then dodged to the side as Vernal swung her weapon. A deep gash tore into the poor tree.

"No mercy for traitors!" Vernal snarled, throwing one of her two blades. The spinning weapon passed by Jaune and hit another tree at an angle, bouncing toward the back of Jaune's head. Simultaneously, Vernal dashed forward, thrusting her offhand curved blades toward Jaune. An attack from both his front and back. The old Jaune wouldn't have been able to react to this and taken one of the hits.

After all the training and sparring he had done?

Jaune swung his sword down at Vernal, amplifying the Aura in his arm to increase the power. His other hand moved the shield backwards so the bouncing wrist blades would meet the metal barrier. Since it was at an angle, hopefully Vernal's weapon would be deflected into a bush and get lost. As Qrow said, disarming your opponent makes fights a hell of a lot easier.

Blade met blade in a violent display of sparks. Jaune was going downwards with gravity while also increasing his strength with his Semblance. Vernal had been low to the ground and was pushing upwards. In any normal situation, he would have the advantage. His opponent wasn't normal though. Realizing she couldn't win in a straight battle of straight, Vernal twisted her wrist and pushed Jaune's sword to her right. With a single step and a jump, she flew in the air over him, her main hand grabbing the flying weapon she had tossed. Vernal slammed the weapons together and aimed at Jaune.

A yellow light began to glow between them.

"SHIT!" Jaune dove out of the way as a powerful beam of energy shot out. Just because he still had his shield, doesn't mean it could stand up to Dust energy attacks. And boy, was he glad he decided not to see if he could stand against that.

The earth was burned away as the beam tore into the ground, eradicating anything it touched. As Vernal turned the weapons, trees and rocks were cut in half like they were made out of paper. Scorch marks were all that was left as trees slid down and slammed to the ground with a thunderous crash. Birds flew into the air, cawing angrily at having their home disturbed. Jaune glanced behind him and saw the trees made a makeshift wall to block him in. Raven and Pyrrha were on the other side somewhere and Jaune had no idea what happened to them. All he knew was Raven prevented Pyrrha from leaving.

"Now you can't run away." Vernal smirked triumphantly as she spun her weapons in her hands. "Oh, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this."

"Seriously, I'm sorry for how things ended…" Jaune tried to explain.

"SHUT UP!" Vernal cut him off. "Do you have any idea what I had to go through!? The embarrassment?! Raven beat out that weakness of mine every day since you and that midget bailed!"

"Weakness? What weakness?" Jaune spluttered. "You're one of the strongest people I've fought against. In the top 5 probably." Qrow, Raven, Ruby, Tyrian, yeah, fifth palace probably was pretty solidly her. He didn't get a chance to fight some other people he knew like Pyrrha or the teachers at Beacon.

"Words won't save you this time!"

Vernal didn't answer his question and instead threw her weapon again. It bounced off his shield back towards her in a way that made it easy to grab as she charged. Duel weapons were already confusing enough for Jaune. He had to focus on both of them at the same time. Most fighters used their dominant hand for larger powerful attacks, while the offhand was for stealthy, quick strikes. If you focused on the large hits, the smaller dagger would end up between your ribs.

This wasn't the case for Vernal.

Maybe she was ambidextrous or it was due to the result of Raven's brutal training. Whatever the reason, Vernal could strike equally powerful with either hand. Even amplifying his aura in his arms, he could feel the weight from each strike. The woman was not that bulky either, slim and athletic. Like many professional and experienced Huntsmen, Vernal was perfectly capable of controlling her own Aura to increase her striking power. Jaune hoped his shield held because her attacks were so fast, with random kicks mixed in, that he couldn't find an opening to strike.

One slash when he thought he saw an opening, nearly had her rip the sword out of his hand. Vernal slipped her weapon around his blade and twisted. Luckily Jaune expected something like that and pulled his sword back in the nick of time. With a heavy slam using his shield, Jaune kept off balancing her and giving him a moment's respite, but it wouldn't last long. There were always a couple close calls, and she was probing his defenses to go for the kill.

"Can we please talk about what happened?!" Jaune begged, knowing this was his only way out.

"Fuck you!"

The boy was forced to swing his sword, intercepting an attack from his right. Their blades clashed, and with his amplification surging, he drove Vernal back. He then thrust his sword forward, aiming to force her to retreat. Vernal sidestepped gracefully, grabbing his arm with a predatory grin that said she had been waiting for this moment. Jaune barely had time to react as she twisted and lifted him off the ground. Spinning through the air, he braced for the impact as he was about to be slammed into the earth.

In a last-ditch effort, Jaune brought his shield crashing down onto Vernal's head. The solid thud of the impact confirmed the hit, but from his vulnerable position, he lacked the momentum for a powerful strike. The air was knocked from his lungs as he slammed into the muddy ground, staring up at Vernal, who loomed over him, blade raised to strike. Jaune rolled frantically, indifferent to the filth, as Vernal's blade sunk deep into the muddy ground, narrowly missing him and cutting a few strands of his hair. Without thinking, he swung his sword at Vernal's wrist.

She hissed, but the blow was absorbed by her Aura. She pulled her hand back, leaving her blade embedded in the mud. As Jaune scrambled to his feet, Vernal delivered a brutal kick to the side of his head, sending him sprawling back down. The world spun as he tried to focus on Vernal's next move. He lifted his shield, amplifying his Aura, but then something tightened around his neck and yanked him to the ground. Hands gripped his shield arm, pulling him further into the dirt.

"Your Semblance might keep you from being stabbed," Vernal taunted, "but let's see how you handle not being able to breathe!"

Her legs crushed his windpipe, and she pressed his arm to her chest, threatening to snap it if he tried to break free. Jaune's heart pounded, his lungs screaming for air. He tried to push Aura to his neck, but it only shielded him without forcing her legs away. Air was running out, and panic set in.

Qrow had never taught him how to escape a chokehold—only swordplay and some hand-to-hand combat. Jaune was clueless. Was this how he would die, crushed by a woman's legs? He thought about Ruby and how heartbroken she would be.

Fuck that! Jaune wasn't going to let his death be the reason for her sorrow!

His entire body began to glow as he pushed himself beyond his limits.

Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.

nBappo: Day's never finished. Master got me workin'. Someday master set me freeeee. (I'm not being paid for any of this but I'm a fan of the fic. Send help we're all stuck in the basement with no AC)

Dark: He's lying, I buy him stuff. No AC though. That shits expensive.