The airship hummed as it descended, its engines letting out a soft whirr before touching down smoothly on the landing pad. The familiar silhouette of Beacon Spires stood tall against the afternoon sky, casting long shadows over the courtyard.

The moment the doors hissed open, Jaune Arc stepped out, boots meeting solid ground. His eyes immediately scanned the figures waiting for them.

His gaze found her first, Ruby Rose. The ever-energetic leader of Team RWBY stood with her hands on her hips, silver eyes gleaming. She spotted him instantly, giving him a knowing grin.

Next, his gaze drifted to Autumn, standing slightly apart from the group. She met his eyes, nodded quietly, then vanished into the wind, dissolving into a flurry of multicolored leaves.

Then there was Pyrrha.

She stood a few feet away, her red hair gleaming in the afternoon sun, her tall frame effortlessly graceful. The way she carried herself, the confidence, the quiet strength, it was the kind that left people in awe.

Jaune wasn't sure if it was just him, or if she had become even more radiant in the time, they had spent apart.

Beside him, Weiss let out a low whistle. "Pyrrha's really amazing," she murmured, watching as she approached.

Jaune turned his head slightly. "You sure like complimenting Pyrrha a lot."

Weiss smirked. "She earned it." Her sharp blue eyes flickered toward him, a teasing glint in them. "I mean, just look at her. Lovely figure, strong yet elegant. And don't even get me started on her three sizes—"

Jaune sighed. "Weiss, please."

But Weiss was already hurrying forward, calling out Pyrrha's name with a cheerful wave. Before Pyrrha could react, Weiss practically lunged at her, wrapping her arms around the redhead in a warm embrace.

Pyrrha let out a small, surprised laugh but didn't push Weiss away. Instead, she exhaled softly, reaching up to gently massage Weiss's back.

Ruby snickered from the side. "Has Weiss been annoying you, Jaune?"

Jaune glanced at her, shrugging. "Not really."

Ruby narrowed her eyes playfully. "Yeah, I don't believe you."

Weiss, still hugging Pyrrha, hummed. "I did miss her, after all."

Pyrrha chuckled helplessly, giving Weiss a small squeeze in return.

Then, she turned her attention to Jaune.

Before he could react, Pyrrha closed the distance and pulled him into a gentle, tender hug, burying her face against his neck.

Jaune froze for just a moment. He felt the warmth of her body, the way she melted into him, and, Brothers help him, her scent, the familiar mix of steel, cinnamon, and something uniquely Pyrrha.

Ruby and Weiss exchanged a glance.

Ruby shook her head, smirking at Jaune as if she were looking at a playboy.

Weiss, however, placed a finger against her chin, as if deep in thought.

Jaune tried to ignore both of them. He cleared his throat, hesitating only for a second before wrapping his arms around Pyrrha in return.

The embrace lasted longer than he expected.

When Pyrrha finally pulled away, her expression was soft, her green eyes warm. "How was the mission?"

Jaune exhaled, forcing himself to focus. "We need to hurry back," he said, shaking off the lingering warmth of her presence.

She nodded, sensing the shift. "Alright."

The four of them made their way toward the entrance of Beacon, their conversation light yet filled with quiet urgency. Weiss teased Jaune along the way, Pyrrha smiled at their antics, and Ruby, as always, carried herself with that ever-burning spark of energy.

As they reached the main courtyard, they saw them — Blake. Yang. Nora. Ren.

Their teams. Their friends.

They had been waiting.

Ruby barely hesitated before throwing her arms in the air. "Alright, group hug!"

Nora immediately joined in. "Hurry up, slowpokes!"

Jaune barely had time to react before he was engulfed by the warmth of his team and friends. Laughter echoed across the courtyard, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten in favor of this brief moment of normalcy, of something familiar in the middle of all the missions.

After what felt like a full minute of laughter and friendly jabs, they finally pulled away and entered the Academy.

Beacon's grand halls were quieter than usual, the air filled with an odd sense of tension.

Professor Ozpin stood in his office, hands resting on his cane, the Long Memory, his expression weary.

The moment the teams entered, his sharp eyes flickered over them, assessing, noting.

"You've all returned safely," he observed, though there was an undertone of relief in his voice. "Good."

Blake and Nora stepped forward first.

"Our mission took us to Anima," Blake reported, her voice measured. "The White Fang is still moving, but something's changed. Their leadership is… fractured."

Nora nodded. "And there's been a lot of activity, worse than before. We think it's because of the instability."

Ozpin absorbed their words carefully before turning to Yang and Ren.

"We investigated Grimm activity in Vacuo," Yang said, arms crossed. "There's been an increase in hostiles, but we also found traces of… Merlot's work."

Ren's voice was calm but firm. "We neutralized the Merlot-Grimm we found. But it's clear someone has been continuing his research."

Ozpin's lips pressed into a thin line.

Pyrrha and Ruby stepped forward next.

"We found traces of Dr. Merlot," Pyrrha said. "He's still out there, and his experiments haven't stopped."

Ruby's expression darkened. "We also encountered more Hounds. They weren't like the ones we faced before, some of them seemed… different."

Ozpin's fingers tightened on his cane. "I see."

Finally, Weiss and Jaune stepped forward.

"Our mission focused on hunting down Hounds and White Fang remnants," Weiss explained. "We also found something… worse."

Jaune took a slow breath before continuing. "We discovered a serum," he said. "It contains what we believe is a modified Grimm liquid. When injected into a person's body… it mutates them into a Grimm."

Silence.

Ozpin closed his eyes briefly.

When he spoke again, his voice was even, but the weight behind it was undeniable.

"You've all done well," he said, nodding. "Your reports confirm much of what I feared… and more." He exhaled. "The hunt for Salem's followers has been… complicated."

Jaune and Weiss exchanged glances.

That was putting it lightly.

Ozpin looked at all of them, his expression unreadable. "This information changes things. We must act carefully."

Jaune straightened. "What's the next move?"

Ozpin's gaze lingered on them before he finally spoke.

"I believe… it's time we start preparing for what's coming."

No one missed the gravity in his tone.

The room felt colder.

Ozpin took a slow sip from his ever-present mug before finally breaking the silence. "Your missions have brought to light some… troubling developments." His sharp gaze swept over them. "Dr. Merlot's continued experiments. The White Fang's fractured leadership. The increase in Grimm activity across multiple continents." His voice lowered. "And now… this serum."

Jaune and Weiss remained still as Ozpin's eyes landed on them.

"This Grimmification serum," he continued, "is unlike anything we've faced before. If it is as you say—if it can transform people at will—then we are dealing with an unprecedented threat."

Blake's ears twitched, her expression hardening. "We need to stop its production before it spreads."

Weiss nodded. "Agreed. If it gets into the wrong hands…"

"It already has," Ozpin interrupted, his voice quiet but firm. "You encountered it in Vale. Who's to say it hasn't already reached Mistral? Atlas? Even Vacuo?" He exhaled, fingers tightening around his cane. "And if Salem is behind this…"

Everyone stiffened.

The thought sent an uncomfortable chill through the room.

"We can't let that happen," Pyrrha said, stepping forward. There was a fire in her eyes, a resolute determination that made Jaune's heart tighten. "We need to act now."

Ozpin studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Indeed."

Jaune straightened. "Then what's our next move, Sir?"

Ozpin set his mug down. "First, we need more information. We must locate the source of this serum. The facility where it is being produced, the individuals behind its distribution."

Ren crossed his arms. "That won't be easy. If they've managed to keep this secret for so long, they won't let it be discovered without a fight."

Ruby's grip tightened on Crescent Rose. "Then we fight."

Ozpin smiled faintly, but there was no humor in it. "I suspected you'd say that." He turned to Weiss and Jaune. "You two have the most experience dealing with this serum directly. Do you believe there is a way to counteract it?"

Jaune exchanged a glance with Weiss before shaking his head. "Not that we know of. Once injected, the transformation is instantaneous."

Weiss folded her arms. "And unlike the Hounds, these people chose to take it. If there's a way to reverse it, we haven't seen it."

Ozpin hummed in thought before looking toward his Scroll. "Then we'll need outside expertise. Someone who understands Grimm biology better than anyone."

Weiss frowned. "You mean Merlot?"

Jaune's stomach turned at the thought.

Ozpin sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. I doubt Salem would cooperate, so we'd have to get him first."

Yang scoffed. "Great. Because the last time we dealt with him went so well."

Nora cracked her knuckles. "If I see that creep again, I'm gonna punch him so hard his ghost will feel it."

Ozpin smiled slightly at that, but continued. "Regardless, finding Merlot is a priority." He looked at Pyrrha and Ruby. "You two reported signs of his presence?"

Pyrrha nodded. "We found abandoned labs in Anima. Some of them had research logs, half-completed experiments. He's still moving. We just don't know where."

Ruby's face darkened. "But he's working with Salem. That much is clear."

Jaune exhaled. Of course he is.

Merlot had always been obsessed with his work, twisting Grimm, pushing the limits of their biology. And Salem had taken an interest in him…

Ozpin straightened. "Then our course is clear. We locate Merlot. We shut down this serum. And we prepare for the inevitable battle that follows."

A silence stretched across the room.

It wasn't spoken aloud, but they all felt it.

This wasn't just another mission.

This was war.

The meeting adjourned shortly after, leaving the teams to process the weight of what they had learned.

Jaune stepped out onto the Beacon courtyard, taking a deep breath. The crisp evening air was a welcome contrast to the suffocating tension inside.

Weiss was beside him, her arms crossed, deep in thought.

"I hate this," she murmured.

Jaune glanced at her. "Hate what?"

She sighed. "How we're always reacting to things. We're never a step ahead."

Jaune huffed a quiet laugh. "Yeah. Feels like we're always just barely keeping up."

Weiss turned to him, her expression unreadable. "Do you think we can win?"

Jaune was silent for a moment before answering. "I think… we don't have a choice."

Weiss smirked slightly. "That's not an answer."

Jaune sighed. "I want to believe we can." He looked up at the sky. "But Salem's been around for centuries. How do you even defeat someone who has been at this for centuries?"

Weiss was quiet for a moment before shaking her head. "Then maybe it's time she did."

Jaune chuckled. "You make it sound easy."

Weiss smirked. "I never said it would be easy."

From the entrance of Beacon, Pyrrha, Ruby, and the others emerged, their conversation lighthearted despite the grim news they had received.

Nora stretched her arms. "Okay! We've had our serious talk. Who's up for dinner?"

Blake nodded. "That… actually sounds nice."

Yang grinned, throwing an arm over Ruby's shoulder. "C'mon, sis. You need to eat something that isn't cookies."

Ruby pouted. "I like cookies."

Weiss sighed dramatically. "And this is the team I'm stuck with."

Jaune smiled, watching them all. For a moment, just a moment, it felt normal. Like they weren't in the middle of a brewing war. Like they weren't staring down an enemy that had existed longer than entire civilizations.

He looked toward Pyrrha, who caught his gaze and smiled softly.

Maybe Weiss was right.

Maybe it was time for Salem to lose.

Jaune just hoped they'd still be standing when that time came.

As they made their way to the dining hall, Pyrrha fell in step beside him, her presence warm and grounding.

Jaune chuckled. "You doing okay?"

She nodded. "It's a lot to take in, but… we've been through worse."

Jaune smirked. "Have we?"

Pyrrha laughed. "I'd like to think so."

Ahead of them, Nora was already dragging Ren inside, and Yang was challenging Weiss to see who could finish dinner first.

Jaune exhaled, letting himself feel the moment.

Because tomorrow?

Tomorrow, their fight would continue.