Jaune stared at the ground, his shoulders hunched as if the weight of a mountain pressed down on him. His mind churned with questions and doubts, the enormity of their situation sinking in deeper with every passing second.
Autumn watched him with a faint smile, though her silver eyes were steady and probing. She leaned Sundered Rose against her shoulder, her posture relaxed but her presence commanding. The faint glow of the setting sun behind her gave her an almost ethereal quality, her red cloak fluttering gently in the breeze.
"I understand, Jaune, that being in Remnant has made you want to show off," she said, her tone carrying a hint of mischief. "The idealism that your friends have are rubbing on you. But you're conflicting with your goals here. Your goal in coming to this place is to save Blake and Yang, and take them back to Beacon. Helping Menagerie get out of this mess is only secondary."
Jaune frowned and crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. "That sounds like you want me to persuade them. To just leave these people to die."
Autumn shrugged lightly, her expression unreadable. "Am I? All I'm saying is the situation."
He sank to the ground, squatting cross-legged as he rubbed his head, frustration etched into his features. The words echoed in his mind, clashing with the ideals he had clung to. No, this wasn't what he thought. He grunted, unsure how to process it all.
"Now, now," Autumn chided, a teasing lilt in her voice. "You're being grumpy. It's not nice."
"Why do you even ask me this?" he snapped, his tone edged with exasperation.
"Oh, just because."
"Unbelievable," Jaune muttered, letting out a long sigh.
Autumn chuckled, a light, airy sound that somehow carried the weight of her years. "Hehe, sometimes it's good to be questioned. I don't want you kiddos having a big head, thinking doing this and that will make you right."
Jaune's gaze flicked up to meet hers. "Are we wrong, then?"
Her smile softened, a touch of melancholy creeping into her expression. "Who knows? But I do think doing good is righteous. To help people in their darkest days is what people like us are meant to do. That's what we are. We face the darkness. We fight the odds, and make it even."
"Sounds… idealistic," Jaune said after a moment, his voice quieter.
Autumn grinned, an almost mischievous light returning to her eyes. "Haha, isn't it?"
Jaune let out a breathy laugh, though it was tinged with weariness. "But I feel like you poured a cold bucket of water on me."
Autumn tilted her head, her expression unreadable for a moment before she transformed Sundered Rose into its rifle form. She checked the weapon with practiced ease before letting it revert back to its Axe form, the familiar motion almost comforting in its precision.
"Oh, I just couldn't stand it," she admitted with a playful smirk. "I have to stir up the waters. Make sure it doesn't become like stagnant waters. Still waters can fester."
Jaune fell silent, his fingers digging into the dirt beneath him. The ground was rough and cool, the sensation grounding him as he wrestled with his thoughts. He finally glanced up at Autumn, her figure framed by the deepening colors of the sky.
"I just… don't know if we're doing the right move here," he confessed.
Autumn's gaze softened, and she sat down beside him, resting Sundered Rose across her knees. "It's okay to doubt, you know. Sometimes, doubt keeps us honest. Keeps us sharp."
"Or makes us hesitate when we can't afford to," Jaune countered, his voice tinged with frustration.
"True," she conceded, her tone thoughtful. "But hesitation and caution aren't always bad. Sometimes, they save lives. Sometimes, they're the difference between reckless heroism and real victory."
Jaune frowned, mulling over her words. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Autumn looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite place. It wasn't pity; it was something gentler, but not less weighty.
"You're doing more than most, Jaune," she said quietly. "Don't let the weight of the world crush you before you've even had the chance to make a difference. It would be a shame."
He blinked, caught off guard by the genuine kindness in her voice. For a moment, the heavy knot in his chest loosened, if only slightly.
"Thanks," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Autumn chuckled softly. "Don't thank me yet, kid. The hard part's still ahead."
She rose smoothly, her movements fluid and deliberate. The crimson cloak billowed slightly as she adjusted the weapon on her shoulder, the silhouette of her form almost blending with the darkening horizon. Jaune watched her before looking like he had decided on something.
Jaune stood up slowly, his legs stiff from sitting too long on the cold, uneven ground. He brushed the dirt from his hands, but his gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the camp. The silence stretched between him and Autumn, heavy with the weight of her question.
"Do you believe, Jaune Arc, that you children can win a war like this?"
Jaune took a deep breath as he recalled the question, steadying himself, before he turned to face her with a serious look on his face. Autumn stood a few feet away, her red cloak swaying gently in the breeze, her silver eyes piercing and expectant. She didn't rush him for an answer, but her presence demanded one, nonetheless.
"No," Jaune said finally, his voice firm. "We can't win a war like this. Not by ourselves."
Autumn raised an eyebrow, her expression neutral but her interest clear. "Then why keep fighting? Why stay here?"
"Because it's the decent thing to do," Jaune replied, his tone unwavering. "We came here to help. To save our friends, first and foremost. But as soon as we got here, we saw the state of this place. We saw people in terrible shape. Broken, desperate, barely clinging on. We couldn't just turn our backs on them."
He took a step closer to her, his gaze unwavering. "We're here because it's kind to help. Because it's the right thing to do."
Autumn tilted her head, her silver eyes narrowing slightly. "Even knowing that you might not make a difference in the end?"
Jaune nodded. "Even then. I understand that we've been clinging to hope. Maybe we've been too idealistic, believing that someone like Atlas or even Vale would come to help. But whether they do or not, it doesn't change what's in front of us right now."
"And what's in front of you?" Autumn asked, her voice sharp yet curious.
Jaune gestured broadly toward the camp. "People who need help. People who are suffering. People who can't hold out on their own. If we can make even a small difference for them, then that's what we should do."
Autumn's lips curved into a small, wry smile. "That's a pretty answer, but is it enough? When the Grimm keep coming, when the fighting gets worse, when the losses pile up — will that reason still hold?"
"Yes," Jaune said firmly, his voice steady. "Because it's decent. Because it's kind… and because it's who we are."
Autumn studied him for a long moment, her silver eyes searching his face for any hint of doubt or hesitation. "And what about you, Jaune? Why are you doing this?"
Jaune hesitated, the words catching in his throat. He glanced down at his hands, rough and calloused from training and fighting. "Because I've always wanted to be a hero. Even if it's just in some small way. Even if I'm not perfect or strong or smart enough to make a huge difference, I still want to try."
His gaze lifted, locking onto hers. "If we can save even just one more life… wouldn't that be worth it?"
Autumn's expression softened, a flicker of something unspoken crossing her face. "It would," she admitted, her tone quieter now. "It's just... it's hard to hold on to that ideal sometimes. The world doesn't make it easy."
"I know," Jaune said. "But like you said earlier, we're not here to win a war. We're here to save people. That's what matters. That's what we have to focus on."
Autumn's shoulders relaxed slightly, and she let out a soft laugh. "You're stubborn, you know that?"
"Maybe," Jaune replied with a small smile. "But I think it's the only way to get through something like this."
She shook her head, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in her expression. "You really are a Jaune Arc. Rusty trained you well."
Jaune shrugged. "Maybe it's not just about training. Maybe it's just who I am."
"Maybe," Autumn said, her smile lingering. She stepped closer, her voice dropping slightly. "You really are the same inside… But let me give you one last piece of advice. If you want to help, if you want to save people — don't lose sight of why you're doing it. Hold on to that. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how hopeless it seems. Hold on to it."
"I will," Jaune promised.
Autumn nodded, satisfied. She adjusted Sundered Rose on her shoulder and turned to look out at the horizon. The sun had dipped even lower, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. For a moment, the two of them stood in silence, the weight of their conversation settling between them.
Then Autumn spoke again, her voice soft but firm. "Alright, Jaune. Let's see what kind of difference you can make. But first… block this!"
The clash began in an instant, as Autumn's sudden kick sent Jaune sliding back, his boots digging into the ground to absorb the force. Crocea Mors, braced in its sheath, vibrated from the impact. Jaune's eyes widened as the realization hit him — Autumn wasn't holding back with that kick.
"You're a bit rusty," she teased, her tone light but her movements sharp. "Or maybe you're holding back? You're not in your top form from what I'm seeing here. Come on, Jaune. You and Rusty were the kind to fight Grimm head-on. Let's polish some of that rust away, oh Rusted Squire!"
Autumn swung her weapon, Sundered Rose, in a wide arc, the axe blade gleaming in the fading sunlight. Jaune deflected it with Crocea Mors, the clash of metal ringing out. Before he could counter, she transformed Sundered Rose into its rifle form and fired. Jaune tilted his body violently to the side, narrowly dodging the shot, and retaliated with a swift kick aimed at her midsection.
Autumn blocked the strike with her forearm, her aura flaring on impact, and disappeared into a flurry of multi-colored leaves. Jaune barely had time to look up before she reappeared, slashing at him. His instincts kicked in, and he raised both arms to block, his muscles straining against the force.
In a fluid motion, Jaune jumped, channeling his aura into Crocea Mors. He swung his greatsword in an overhead arc, aiming to land a decisive strike. Autumn spun into a whirlwind of leaves, spiraling out of his reach before materializing right in front of him.
"Too slow!" she grinned, cleaving at him with Sundered Rose.
Jaune parried the blow, shifting Crocea Mors into its greatsword form and raising it in a roof guard stance. Autumn charged, her movements a blur. He parried and attempted a riposte, but Autumn anticipated the move. She hooked the blade of Crocea Mors with the curve of her axe, grinning as she transferred Sundered Rose to her left hand and swung at his head.
Jaune reacted swiftly, deflecting the blow with his elbow. But Autumn ducked and rammed him with a headbutt, the unexpected strike leaving him momentarily off-balance.
Jaune gritted his teeth and retaliated with the flat of his greatsword, not holding back. The force of the strike pushed Autumn back, her red cloak billowing as she skidded to a stop. Jaune's golden aura, tinged with a faint red hue, shimmered as he steadied himself.
Autumn landed gracefully, twirling Sundered Rose in a flourish before hefting it onto her shoulder. But before she could act again, a flurry of footsteps surrounded her.
Ren, Nora, Pyrrha, Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Blake had appeared, their weapons drawn and pointed at Autumn.
"What the hell are you doing?" Weiss demanded, her rapier steady despite the tension in her voice.
Autumn looked around at the circle of determined faces and laughed, the sound light and unbothered. "Oh, nothing much. Just sparring with your fearless leader. Loosen up, kids."
"Loosen up?" Yang growled. "You just attacked Jaune out of nowhere!"
"Relax," Autumn said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It was just a little training session."
Despite her casual demeanor, none of them lowered their guard. Autumn's silver eyes scanned the group, her smile widening.
Jaune stepped forward, positioning himself in front of her. "Are we done here?"
Autumn tilted her head, pretending to think. Then, in a flash, she dissolved into a whirlwind of multi-colored leaves. Her voice echoed around them as she reappeared and disappeared in rapid succession, striking at them with blinding speed.
"Keep your guard up, kiddos!" she teased, her laughter ringing out as she darted between them.
The team scrambled to block her attacks, their auras flaring as they defended against her blitz. Ren deflected a strike with his twin pistols, while Nora swung Magnhild to intercept an incoming blow. Ruby zipped through the flurry of leaves, Crescent Rose spinning in a defensive arc. Pyrrha activated her Semblance, focusing on Sundered Rose and trying to pin Autumn down.
Finally, Pyrrha succeeded, anchoring Sundered Rose to the ground. Autumn was forced to pause, pinned in place as the group surrounded her, weapons aimed and ready.
"Not bad, kiddos," Autumn said with a smug grin, completely unfazed by the situation. "But you could still do better."
"Are we done now?" Jaune asked again, his tone exasperated.
Autumn shrugged, her grin playful. "We are. Just making sure you're not all sulking to the point where you can't fight properly."
With a flourish, she vanished once more, taking Sundered Rose with her. Moments later, she reappeared atop Juniper, who had been watching the chaos unfold from a distance.
"Well then, as an apology, I shall take Juniper with me and hunt some hounds. Leave it to me!" she declared cheerfully, raising Sundered Rose in a mock salute.
Jaune sighed heavily, shaking his head as he watched her ride off. "I have no idea what's up with her."
Ruby approached, Crescent Rose folded on her back. "She's… something, alright."
Pyrrha, still catching her breath, gave Jaune a questioning look. "What was all that about?"
Jaune shrugged, his shoulders slumping. "Honestly? I think she just wanted to make sure we were still sharp."
"She has a strange way of showing it," Weiss muttered, brushing her hair back into place.
Jaune turned to the rest of the group, his voice steady despite the lingering tension. "Alright, let's get back to work. The Grimm aren't going to wait for us to figure things out. I don't know if Vale or Atlas's coming... but that doesn't mean we'll have to stop trying to help."
As the group dispersed, readying themselves for the next challenge, Jaune couldn't help but glance toward the horizon, where Autumn and Juniper had disappeared. Jaune wondered if there would be a day where he could understand what she was thinking.
The jungle was alive with sound. The hum of insects, the distant roars of Grimm, and the rustling of leaves carried by a warm breeze painted a symphony of life and danger. Autumn sat atop Juniper, the jackalope's golden antlers glinting faintly in the twilight. Her posture was relaxed, her weapon Sundered Rose resting casually on her shoulder, but her silver eyes betrayed a keen alertness.
Juniper let out a soft, uneasy chirp, tilting her head to glance back at her rider.
"Don't worry about me," Autumn said, stroking the soft fur on Juniper's neck. "I can handle it. We can handle it."
Juniper responded with another chirp, this one more insistent. Her luminous golden eyes seemed to glimmer with something close to concern.
Autumn chuckled lightly. "You're worried about him, aren't you?" She tilted her head back, letting the cool wind play across her face. "Yeah, I know. Our dear Jaune Arc. How long will this one last? That's the question, isn't it?"
Juniper snorted, as if the thought didn't sit well with her.
Autumn patted the jackalope's side reassuringly. "Relax, girl. He's not the type to give up. That's the best thing about a Jaune Arc... and maybe the worst. All we can do is hope that the Mother in Tree knows what she's doing."
Her gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the dense jungle gave way to a clearing. Smoke from Grimm activity lingered faintly in the air, the acrid scent a constant reminder of what they were up against. Her expression softened, but a faint smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.
"That boy's got a stubborn streak a mile wide," she said fondly. "It's both infuriating and admirable. He's not just holding on for himself — he's carrying the weight of everyone he wants to protect. Friends, family, even people he's just met. It's almost tragic."
Juniper let out a low grumble, shaking her head.
Autumn laughed, a warm and melodic sound that momentarily cut through the jungle's tension. "You're right, girl. He's got a lot to learn. But hey, isn't that the point of all this? To learn, to grow, and maybe... to surprise us all? Maybe this time... we'll make it. Maybe this time... we'll get an happily ever after."
She tapped her fingers lightly on Sundered Rose, the weapon's black and gold finish gleaming faintly. Her silver eyes narrowed as she spotted movement in the trees ahead. Crimson orbs glowed ominously in the dim light, accompanied by the eerie, guttural growls of approaching Grimm.
"Well, speak of the devil," she muttered, a grin spreading across her face. "Looks like we've got company."
Juniper tensed beneath her, muscles coiling in preparation for action. Autumn stood, balancing effortlessly on the jackalope's broad back, and hefted Sundered Rose into both hands. The axe's blade caught the light as she adjusted her grip, her stance relaxed yet ready.
"Come on, you beasties," she called out, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Let's dance."
The first of the Hounds emerged from the underbrush, its grotesque form riddled with crystalline spines that pulsed faintly with Dust energy. Its fiery red eyes locked onto Autumn, and it let out a guttural snarl that sent smaller creatures skittering for cover. More followed, dozens of them, each one as twisted and unnatural as the last.
Autumn leapt from Juniper's back, landing lightly on the ground. She spun Sundered Rose, the blade humming through the air, before slamming its butt into the dirt.
"Alright, boys," she said, her grin widening. "Show me what you've got."
The Hounds lunged as one, a chaotic mass of claws, teeth, and crystalline spines. Autumn's silver eyes flared, and the air seemed to shimmer around her. With a single, focused burst of power, she unleashed a flash of light that struck the front ranks, turning several of the creatures to stone.
Before the remaining Hounds could react, Autumn surged forward, transforming Sundered Rose into its rifle form. She fired off a series of precise shots, each one finding its mark in the weak points of her enemies. The recoil was minimal in her practiced hands, the movements seamless as she danced through the fray.
One of the larger Hounds lunged at her from the side, its claws swiping for her neck. Autumn ducked low, her red cloak flaring as she twisted and slammed the butt of her rifle into its jaw. The creature staggered, and with a flick of her wrist, she transformed Sundered Rose back into an axe and cleaved it cleanly in two.
"Too slow," she teased, her voice dripping with mockery.
Another group of Hounds charged her from the rear, but Juniper intercepted them with a powerful leap. The jackalope's golden antlers glowed faintly as she swung her head, goring two of the creatures and sending the rest scattering.
"Good girl!" Autumn called, dispatching another Hound with a clean slash. "Keep them busy for me!"
The fight raged on, the clearing becoming a battlefield of light and shadow. Autumn moved like a whirlwind, her strikes precise and devastating. Each swing of Sundered Rose brought down another foe, her silver eyes flashing intermittently to petrify those who got too close.
As the numbers of the Hounds began to dwindle, their strategy shifted. Instead of charging blindly, they started to circle her, their movements more coordinated. Autumn noticed the change and clicked her tongue.
"Ah, so you really are learning," she said, a hint of approval in her tone. "Too bad it won't save you. Whether intelligent or not... I know how to kill all of you."
The largest Hound, its spines glowing with an ominous red light, stepped forward. It growled low and deep, a sound that seemed to reverberate through the ground. Autumn met its gaze, her grin unwavering.
"Come on, big guy," she taunted, beckoning it with her free hand. "Show me what you've got."
The Hound roared and charged, its claws ripping through the earth as it closed the distance. Autumn waited until the last possible moment before sidestepping its attack, her cloak billowing dramatically. She swung Sundered Rose in a wide arc, the blade biting deep into the creature's side. It howled in pain, but instead of retreating, it lunged again.
Autumn planted her feet and raised Sundered Rose, catching the Hound's claws with the weapon's sturdy haft. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, but Autumn held firm, her aura flaring brightly.
"Not bad," she admitted, her tone almost respectful. "But not good enough."
With a burst of strength, she pushed the creature back and pivoted, bringing the axe blade down on its neck. The Hound's body twitched once before crumbling into ash, its fiery eyes dimming for the last time.
Autumn straightened, breathing heavily but still grinning. She surveyed the clearing, now littered with the remains of the Hounds. The faunus they were embedded in left on the jungle floor like used and bloody rags. Juniper trotted over to her, nuzzling her shoulder affectionately.
"Well, that was fun," Autumn said, scratching Juniper's neck. "What do you say we find some more? Those kiddos need all the help they can get. And these people need to be put down and be rested. A shame we can't take them back to the Everafter so they can be renewed. Then again it would be dangerous if they somehow get thrown to a place where they don't belong. We all know what happens when someone tried to go with us. Don't want them to get lost to another place."
Juniper snorted, her eyes glancing toward the dark horizon where more red orbs glowed faintly in the distance.
Autumn's silver eyes narrowed, her grin returning. "Looks like the night's just getting started."