Remnant Rumble

by Curbizzle

In Remnant's Vytal Pro-Wrestling Company, Jaune Arc, a down-on-his-luck underdog forms an electrifying partnership with the spirited Ruby Rose. Together, they'll grapple with personal demons, forge unbreakable bonds, and eventually step into the ring of a high-stakes tag-team tournament, where their resilience and friendship will be put the ultimate test.

15. Chapter 15

It's about damn time! Welcome back everyone, sorry it's been so long. Life has been life-ing. Been through busy season at my new job and lordy it's been kicking my ass. But thank you all for being so patient, you didn't leave my mind for a second. Thankfully, since it's been so long I was able to crank out a pretty dang large chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy!

Let's get it started!

Beta: Wolfy

Art: Gyanguirus

Chapter 15 - And Into the Fire

---

The dull roar of the crowd filled his heart with excitement.

He'd gotten used to it obviously, but despite just how many times he'd found himself backstage with only minutes before he burst through that curtain, it felt just as wonderful as it did the first time. Hours had passed since the ceremonial lunch, and now fully decked out in his ring gear, he was ready to go out and greet the thousands of fans who'd shown up to watch the opening festivities.

What was less wonderful was just how packed the gorilla was today. The cramped space between backstage and the arena was pandemonium, with endless sound technicians, lighting workers, and managers darting around like worker bees, fighting desperately to maintain the hive.

"Now repeat back what I've just told you if you would, Mr. Arc." A voice said from in front of him, slicing through his thoughts as he faced forward. Skittish blue eyes met curious hazel as Ozpin gave him an indulgent smile. "I understand that it's quite the occasion, but I'd like to know for sure that you're prepared for what's to come."

Jaune flushed, a giggle coming from his right as Ruby nudged him in the shoulder, snickering at him getting caught zoning out. I'll make her pay for that later, he mused as he gave his partner a once over. Ruby was clad in her classic black and red ring gear. He chuckled as he watched her nervously pull at one of the numerous straps on her top. Clearly, he wasn't the only one feeling the pressure of the ceremony. He shook the thoughts from his head as he faced back towards Ozpin.

"We're on second. After Coco and Velvet." he recalled, honestly kind of happy they weren't going first or bookending the entrances. The past few days he'd been feeling the pressure, and for once, it was nice to not be the absolute center of attention.

"That's correct, Mr. Arc." Ozpin confirmed as he gave Jaune a slight nod. "And what will you two do once you arrive at the ring?" he continued, his gaze flicking over to Ruby, who stiffened under the CEO's gaze.

"We're gonna listen to Ms. Goodwitch, then grab a ball out of the box." She rattled off.

"You'll be grabbing a ball out of the jar." Ozpin amended as Ruby flushed.

"Dang it." She whispered under her breath. "So close."

"Then after that?" Ozpin carried on, finding some humor in Ruby's slight misstep.

"We'll show the ball we picked to the camera." Jaune began as Ruby nodded beside him. "If it's an X, we'll be one of the teams that will be interrupted. If it's an O, we'll be one of the teams that gets to interrupt another team on the show next week." Ozpin only smiled as he sent them both a nod, heading back towards the control center.

The choosing part of the ceremony was a concept he'd been vaguely aware of before the festivities had begun. As far as he knew, the rules had always been this way. Sure, it was more efficient to just do a normal seeding pool and list out the full bracket, but in the VWC, if it wasn't grandiose, it wasn't happening. The rules had been a bit confusing, but thankfully he had an expert on his team. He chuckled as he remembered how Ruby had drilled the information into his head.

/

"You need to pick an O!" Ruby stressed as she paced, practically hovering as she zipped back and forth in front of him.

"What's the difference? They feel kind of samey to me." He ventured honestly. She'd given him the rundown after he'd gotten back from his walk. It was pretty simple. There were sixteen balls in the ceremonial jar. Eight of them were O's, and the rest were X's. If you pulled an O, you were a team that got to interrupt another team during a segment. There was nothing that lit a crowd up quite like a wrestler in the middle of a passionate promo, only for someone else's music to rip through the arena, cutting off the superstar as another one came in to pick a fight. On the other hand, if you were an X, you were going to be the one who got their segment interrupted by someone else.

"What's the difference?" Ruby repeated, a look of pure disbelief on her face. "It could decide if we win or lose, Jaune!"

"Ok," He began, sensing her nerves were getting to her. Heck, his were getting to him too. "Let's dial it back a bit. What's the worst that could happen if we get an X?" he said in a tone far more confident than he felt.

"It means whoever we're up against has a leg up." She explained, letting herself fall onto the bench beside him. "We don't know who we could be up against if we pull an X. Sure, we'll be able to know who pulled an X and who pulled an O, but any of the teams who pulled an O could be our opponent. They get assigned their opponents right after the drawing."

"Which means they have more time to prepare for us." Jaune said, his eyes widening. "They know who they're up against us immediately after the ceremony while we're left guessing."

"Exactly." Ruby agreed, letting her head fall back as she stared up at the stadium's tall ceiling. "Ugh, it's so freaking stressful! I just wanna get it over with."

"Yeah, me too." Jaune replied, taking a second to lay a hand on his partner's shoulder. "But no matter what, X or O, we'll be ready to take them on. Once we get through the ceremony, we'll finally get to show everyone just what we can do."

"That's what I'm saying!" Ruby crowed, her mood recovering. "No more stuffy clothes, awkward lunches, or annoying jerks. Just you, me, and our babies."

"Please stop calling them that." Jaune practically begged as Ruby descended into a fit of giggles.

"Fine, movesets." She huffed, the mischief twinkling in her eyes undermining her exasperated sigh.

"The fans are going to want more from us." Jaune stated. "That stuff with Yuma and Perry was just the beginning. If we want to get more eyes on our matches we're going to have to level up."

"Don't worry, Jaune." Ruby replied, and for a second, that confident look in her eye that she had when she'd face down Cardin was back. "They haven't seen anything yet."

"I'm counting on it." Jaune expressed as he slugged her in the arm. "Because I'm gonna need you to bring your A game if we're going to make it through the first round."

"You got it." Ruby said, her brilliant smile shining through.

"So, are you feeling better about this?" He asked. She gave him a shrug.

"Yeah, I guess. You still have to pick an O, though." She giggled from beside him.

"Yeah, yeah." He agreed. "I'll do my best."

"I'm sure you'll pick the right one." Ruby agreed.

"So content to put the pressure on me." Jaune began, a teasing smile on his face. "You know, you could always pick it." he joked, laughing as Ruby's face went white.

"Are you kidding me? That's way too much pressure. What if I grab the wrong ball!"

"Ruby, it's literally random chance."

"So was Weiss seeing my match!" She retorted with a groan. "But that still happened."

"F-Fair enough." he spluttered. She had him there. "Me it is."

/

"Whatcha thinking about?" Ruby said, her voice slicing through his thoughts as he turned his attention back to her.

"Just remembering to grab the right ball." He said as she hummed her agreement, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"I hope I didn't stress you out about it." Ruby mumbled. "You know me, sometimes I kinda get a little–"

"Freaked out?" Jaune finished as Ruby nodded. He waved a hand to dismiss her worries. "I'm not worried. It's pretty simple. Go out there, pick the right ball, and sit down and watch the rest of the show."

"It's certainly easier said than done, Mr. Arc." A voice quipped from beside him. He turned to follow the sound, beaming as his gaze landed on the host of today's event.

"Glynda!" Jaune crowd, unable to keep the elation out of his voice as he came face to face with the woman who was responsible for his place in the tournament. "It's great to see you."

"That's Ms. Goodwitch, Mr. Arc." She amended, but despite her curt tone, he could tell she appreciated the warm greeting. To put it plainly, Ms. Goodwitch looked incredible. Being the master of ceremonies for one of the biggest events in the sport was a lot of pressure, but she'd risen to the challenge appearance wise. She was wearing a suit that looked far more expensive than her usual one, and she'd added a few extra accessories for the occasion. A silver pendant hung loose from her neck, capped off by a dazzling green gemstone that matched her eyes, and she was even sporting her cape! A relic that was once a staple of her ring gear. And most of all, in true Glynda fashion, not a single thing was out of place.

That being said, while her outfit was extremely well put together, she herself was less so. Jaune had known Glynda Goodwitch for most of his life, and despite how hard he tried, he couldn't quite recall a time she'd looked this frazzled. He'd seen her angry, elated, and stressed, but this was a new one.

If anything, she looked downright scared.

"Are you okay, Ms. Goodwitch?" Jaune began, making sure to keep his voice down so as to not put her on the spot.

"I'm fine Mr. Arc, just a bit…"

"Nervous?" he ventured, and she nodded.

"It's been a long time since I've been in front of them." She said wistfully. "In more than just a celebratory capacity."

"Your retirement promo, right?" Jaune recalled. Sure, Glynda had been on VWC programming to hand out championships to title winners, and she'd spent time on the commentary booth, but as for a genuine in ring promo? It had to have been years.

"You certainly know your history." She replied softly. "There's nothing quite like standing out there in front of them, is there?"

"There really isn't." Jaune agreed. "You're going to kill it, Ms. Goodwitch. I'm sure of it."

She didn't reply, she just turned to him and sent him a small smile that more than conveyed the gratitude she felt. He didn't envy her, taking the mantle from Ozpin for the opening ceremony had to be nerve wracking.

"Yeah! That's right." Ruby agreed, giving Glynda a thumbs up. Ms. Goodwitch's eyes sharpened as she gazed down at his partner. She went to say something but elected instead to simply pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Thank you, Ms. Rose." she deadpanned. Her mood quickly shifted though as a wave from the sound booth got her attention. Flynt Coal was there, holding up three fingers. Glynda took a deep breath, and Jaune couldn't help but pat her on the back. She stiffened under his touch, but only for a second as she waited for Flynt to count down.

She'd been there to support him; he was absolutely going to support her.

Finally, the last finger went down and the stereos came to life, blasting Ms. Goodwitch's theme music. The pop was incredible, with thousands of VWC fans recognizing the familiar tune instantly. With one last deep breath, Glynda surged forward, sweeping the curtains to the side as she strode confidently out to greet the ocean of fans. Jaune and Ruby switched their gazes to the myriad of flatscreens that ringed the gorilla, watching as Glynda made her entrance.

"PLEASE WELCOME, THE FORMER TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION. THE VWC'S OWN GLYNDA GOOOOOOOODWITCH!" Peter Port bellowed from the commentary table, the audience's cheering reaching a crescendo as her last name rang out. Jaune watched with a dumb grin on his face as Glynda stomped down to the ring, sliding underneath the ropes with the grace of someone who'd done it a thousand times. And after a career like hers, she probably had.

He and Ruby continued to gaze at the screens, starstruck as Glynda made her triumphant return to the VWC ring. As she entered the ring, one of the camera crew tossed her a mic. She caught it and held the instrument like a veteran holding their first weapon. It looked completely natural. She paused, her eyes drifting shut as the audience quieted around her, before she finally lifted the mic to her lips.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the VWC TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT!" she bellowed, the audience exploding around her. The message was clear.

The wait was finally over.

In that moment, everything felt real. The dam that held back all his excitement, fear, courage, and readiness finally burst as he shuddered, the simple sentence evoking an incredible reaction, one he could feel from the tips of his fingers down to his toes. It was clear he wasn't the one who felt it by the way Ruby practically bounced up and down. A quick glance around the gorilla confirmed it. There were smiles all around.

Glynda thanked the audience and began to explain the rules. Sometime during her explanation Jaune found himself zoning out, electing instead to think about the future. The first round was only a few days away. A week max. If they were lucky, they'd be finding out who their opponents were today. He finally snapped out of it as he heard Ms. Goodwitch begin to trail off, a telltale sign that the entrances were going to begin soon.

The sound of the crowd rumbling in the background was a stark reminder of just how close they were to being out there. The curtain only a few steps away. "You can hear them too, can't you?" Jaune said, his eyes flicking over Ruby, who flinched.

"Yeah."

"They're waiting for us. Let's make our first team entrance one to remember." He said, trying his best to reassure her. He'd only shared an entrance with Ruby once, and she'd been pretty shell shocked the whole time. He was hoping maybe this time she'd get a bit looser and more relaxed. Just as he was about to give her some tips, a familiar voice rang out from behind them.

"I admire the go-getter attitudes, but you're gonna have to wait your turns, kiddos. I'm up first." Coco Adel purred as Jaune and Ruby backed away from the curtain, making way for the fashionista.

"We're up first." Velvet Scarlatina amended from beside her. "And seriously Coco, you have no tact." she griped as her sunglasses clad partner chuckled. Velvet turned to face Jaune and Ruby. "I'm really sorry about her." she said as Coco rolled her eyes.

"No worries, she's not wrong." Jaune reminded her. "You guys are up first. You ready?"

Coco leaned forward, her shades slipping down the bridge of her nose in a motion so smooth it had to have been practiced. But with Coco Adel you never really knew, she really was that cool. "I was born ready. Bun over there's doing her best." she quipped, jerking a thumb towards Velvet, who was desperately brushing off the shoulder of her top. "What about you, Rose? Ready to enter the big leagues?"

Ruby's shoulders rose and fell, before she answered. "As I'll ever be, I guess."

"We'll just have to see, won't we?" Coco teased as she poked Ruby in the chest. "Catch ya later you two." She finished as her head lolled over to the sound booth where Flynt Coal stood, giving her the classic three, two, one.

The Fashionista tipped her beret to them, before she whirled around, strutting through the curtain to greet her thousands of admirers. Her theme music was a stark contrast to Glynda's. Where Ms. Goodwitch had an epic orchestral motif, Coco's was practically the polar opposite. It was something akin to a pop idol's song, but not one of the really famous bubbly ones, no, it was the theme of an absolute diva.

It exuded swagger that fit Coco to a tee.

Her entrance was grand as she sauntered down the ramp, arms wide as if to take it all in. Fans waved signs in her face, asking for autographs. There were even a few in the front row with matching shades and berets. Velvet followed closely behind, reminding him of Ruby by the way she practically hid behind her partner. Finally, they climbed through the ring ropes, the two of them approaching the ceremonial jar. It was a massive black urn, with a golden VWC logo embossed in the middle. He recognized it from videos and pictures, the old thing had to be decades old. Coco dipped her right arm in, rummaging around inside the jar until she finally pulled an orb out, triumphantly showing it to the camera.

It was an O.

"She'll be interrupting someone then." Jaune breathed as Ruby grunted her agreement. The words had barely left his mouth before his eyes widened. They were up next! He'd nearly forgotten, and as he watched Coco and Velvet exit the ring to find their seats in the front row, he only had a few seconds to get himself ready.

"Yo Jaune." Flynt called out from the booth. "You two ready?"

Jaune gave him a nod back, teasingly slugging Ruby in the shoulder for good measure. "Heck yeah we are." His partner took a few deep breaths as she followed his gaze, staring over at Flynt as he gave them the three, two, one.

It was showtime.

Their new theme blared through the arena's sound system. Sending a ripple of confusion through the swelling sea of fans. It was their first time hearing the Crimson Crusader's theme after all. Thankfully, they didn't have to be confused for long. After all, it was his job to rectify that, and as the sound of guitars and trumpets began to get louder, he shared one last look with Ruby before charging through the curtain.

He stormed out through the entrance hall, throwing out a forceful fist pump right as the beat dropped, letting himself fall into a crouch as he let the crowd's overwhelming energy flow through him. Gazing around, he could see the audience process his arrival. There was confusion, shock, then eventually pure elation.

The crowd roared to life as they cheered him on, and just like that, the fear was gone, replaced by pure tenacity just like it always was. He stomped forward, pumping his fists as he raced off towards the fans on the right of the entrance ramp, getting as close as he could to them. He could see them reaching out to him like branches on a willow tree, trying desperately to make contact. He was happy to oblige as he reached into the crowd, smacking as many palms as he could.

He spun around, his heart set on doing the same for the fans on the left, but to his surprise, Ruby had beat him to it. Well, she'd tried to anyway. She stood on the left side of the ramp, timidly slapping the hands of the fans as they reached over the barricades. Sure, it was a far cry from what he was doing, but she was making a bit of an effort. It didn't last long though, and quickly Ruby was overwhelmed by the sheer energy of the crowd, slinking back. He met her halfway though, grabbing one of her wrists and wrenching her arm upward as the two threw their fists to the sky. He could practically feel Ruby shaking.

They'd definitely have to work on it, but the poor girl was trying her best.

He patted her on the shoulder, a signal that it was time to speed it up. Their music echoed through the arena, the upbeat punk soundtrack the perfect backdrop to the start of their journey. The two tromped down the ramp, Jaune making sure to high five as many fans as he could. As they made it to the ring, he made sure to hit his signature move, racing up the steel steps and facing towards the audience. He paused for a second before he threw his hands up, beckoning at them, practically begging them to pump up the volume. They obliged, bobbing up and down in the mass of bodies as they celebrated with him.

It wasn't the biggest pop he'd ever received, which made sense. They hadn't recognized the song, and he was still pretty new to the tag scene. That being said, the reception he was getting confirmed that not only were they still firmly on his side, but that if this was where they were starting, they'd be getting massive cheers in no time.

Ruby climbed up beside him, woodenly waving towards the crowd, who were a bit less enthused than they were with him. It didn't bother him though, once they saw Ruby in the ring again, they'd be behind her.

He didn't want to, but he knew he had to finish his entrance eventually, and as the two ducked through the ropes their music began to taper off. Glynda gave him a polite nod, a small smile etched on her face. It was clear that he hadn't been the only one to enjoy his entrance.

"Welcome to the tag team tournament, Mr. Arc." She said, raising her voice to speak over the crowd. "By all means, take a ball." she finished as she beckoned towards the urn.

Jaune stepped forward cautiously, suddenly feeling a lot more pressure than he thought he would've. It was pretty simple, right? Just pick an O. He made it to the lip of the jar. He went to gaze down into it but stopped himself. It wasn't exactly random if he was looking at them, right? He steadied himself, making sure to take one last deep breath.

Quick like a Band-Aid it is, he decided as he thrust his arm down into the jar, his hand grasping around as he tried to pick a good sphere. Finally, his fingers closed around a ball, tightening as he ripped his arm from the urn. He turned it over in his palm and cursed.

It was an X.

He'd blown it. The look on Ruby's face practically confirming it. They were going to be interrupted by their opponents during a segment. They were going to have zero idea of who they were going to face off against in the first round. Well, zero idea out of the people that pulled O's. He made sure to remember to show the orb to the camera.

"And the Crimson Crusaders pull an X!" Peter Port crowed from the commentary booth. "That's not what they wanted to see, huh Barty?"

Jaune slinked over to Ruby, handing the ball to Glynda as he made his way over, trying not to let the shame show.

"Sorry Ruby." he mumbled.

"Hey, just like you said, it's just random chance." She quipped, giving him a smile that he was sure was meant to boost his mood. He appreciated the gesture as he pulled her in for a quick side hug before the two exited the ring, following the barricades to their seats. Ruby grabbed the aisle while he settled for one next to her.

"Don't worry about the X." Ruby urged, knocking his knee with her own. "Like you said, it doesn't matter who they put in front of us, we'll be ready."

"That's right." he said, giving her a warm grin. "Thanks." They sat there for a second, enjoying each other's company.

"Thank goodness the scary part is over!" Ruby professed, practically deflating as it seemed like tons of weight was suddenly absent from her shoulders. "I needed that to be done like, yesterday."

"Now we just get to sit back and watch." Jaune agreed, raising an eyebrow as Ruby tried to stifle a fit of giggles. "What's so funny?"

"You should've seen your face when you pulled the X." Ruby chortled. "You looked so scared."

"Maybe I wouldn't have been if I didn't have a certain somebody winding me up all afternoon." Jaune joked back, thankful for the distraction as the mixed feeling about pulling an X drifted away.

Turns out he wasn't wrong about the best part being getting to watch everyone else go. The entrances were an unbelievable spectacle. All the lights in the arena went out, a calling card for the Malachites. It was only pitch black for a few seconds before the EDM music and strobe lights began to flood the arena as the two girls took to the stage, dancing in their glow-in-the- dark ring gear. The audience were even provided glow sticks that they waved up and down. The White Fang's entrance right after was their entire group, 6 faunus stomping down the ramp in intimidating fashion. More teams followed, Arslan and Reese, Scarlet and Sage, heck, Sun and Neptune even got one of the loudest pops of the night. Jaune took some selfish satisfaction in watching Cardin make his own grand entrance, only to be greeted by a hurricane of boos and insults.

Some things never changed.

Jaune and Ruby watched each one, whispering their own commentaries and cracking jokes as time went on. One by one each team entered, grabbed a ball, and took their seats in the athlete's section. Jaune made sure to carefully note what results each team got. Sun and Neptune, Roman and Neo, Miltia and Melanie, Ilia and Trifa, Fionna and Joanna, and Nebula and Gwen all pulled O's. He found himself a bit relieved at the results. They were still fierce competition, but that lineup meant he wouldn't be facing Cardin in round one. Despite his newfound confidence, he wasn't quite sure he was ready for that.

"Only two more teams to go!" Ruby beamed from beside him. "It's gotta be Ren and Nora next, right?"

She was right. Ren and Nora had to be one of the last two teams to go. Jaune glanced over at her. "Is this your first Renora entrance?"

"Yeah," Ruby said, a little embarrassed. "I've only ever seen their matches; I didn't really stick around to see the entrances."

"Then you're in for a heck of a sight." Jaune grinned.

As if on cue, an infectious pop beat began to ring out through the arena, one so happy and bubbly you couldn't help but join in. The audience began to clap their hands in time with the beat as pink and white spotlights danced over the mob of people. The crowd reaction was deafening, and he was sure even someone as cocky as Coco could admit, it was probably the biggest one of the night.

One thing was clear, the people loved Ren and Nora.

How could you not?

Ruby laughed and cheered as she joined in, clapping her hands along with the rest of the arena. He did too, unable to keep the wide smile off his face as he watched his friends get the recognition they were long due.

Speaking of his friends, Nora came rocketing through the curtain, Ren right as her heels. She threw her body towards the audience, arms extended high above her head. Ren did the same towards the other side of the ramp. Nora began to shuffle back, bouncing her shoulders to the beat. Just as it began to ramp up, she crouched low, spinning her fists over each other, slowly letting herself rise until she exploded upwards as the beat dropped, throwing her hands to the sky, letting her head bop to each pulse of the rhythm.

"PLEASE WELCOME, THE TEAM OF LIE REN AND NORA VALLLLLKYRIE! THEY. ARE. RENOOOORA!" Port roared over the speakers as Nora grinned wildly, cupping her hands to her mouth and letting out a loud "WOO!" as the music got faster. She skipped down the ramp, Ren right behind her, slapping as many fans' palms as he could. The crowd danced in the stands, and Jaune found himself unable to stop himself from bouncing his own shoulders to the rhythm.

Nora reached into the audience, plucking a child out of her parents' arms. Ruby let out an awww as Jaune realized the little girl was wearing a neon pink Renora shirt. Nora pulled her in and gave her a kiss on the top of her head, quickly lifting the girl high above her and spinning around, giggling as the girl shrieked in delight. Ren quickly surged forward and picked the child out of Nora's arms, returning the kid to her parents with a quick apology.

They continued down the ramp, matching each other's rhythms as they finally made it to the ring. Ren climbed through the middle and top ropes, bracing them as Nora pulled up and over, launching herself over the top rope and landing with a roll. Unfortunately, the dance party came to an end as the music cut off, replaced instead by one last cheer.

A rumble ran through the crowd, one that Jaune wasn't sure he could make out.

"Are they–" He began, but Ruby beat him to the punch.

"Chanting?" She exclaimed, and they both strained their ears to hear.

"FLOWER POWER!" The masses chanted, following the chant with five claps. "FLOWER POWER!" Pride bubbled up in his chest as he gazed at the ring, seeing Nora look around in wonder as the chants continued to ring out. It was one of their catchphrases. Ren's lotus emblem brought the flower, and Nora brought the power.

Jaune couldn't stop himself as he leaned over to look at Cardin, who certainly looked less than enthused at the reception they were receiving. They absolutely deserve to be here, Jaune thought to himself.

"One day, they'll cheer for me like that." Ruby whispered; her voice so low he wasn't sure he was supposed to have caught it. What resonated with him was the hope in her voice. But surprisingly enough, he wasn't worried. Ruby would hit that level, and he'd be right there to congratulate her once she made it there.

As he turned his attention back to the ring, he almost burst out laughing as he watched Nora lunge face first into the massive jar, nearly knocking the thing over as she fumbled around, eventually pulling back as she lifted a ball high to the sky. It was an O. Jaune felt a combination of excitement and dread fill his chest as he watched Nora lunge over to wrap up Ren in a tight embrace.

They might end up being his first opponents after all.

He let out a long sigh, one that his partner picked up on. "Don't worry, Jaune. If we end up going against them, it's going to be a heck of a fight. Ren and Nora would want nothing less."

He sent her a nod as thanks. She was right. It would be an incredible match, a testament to just how far all three of them had come. When he thought about it like that, his worries receded. Regardless, now wasn't the time to think about it. There was only one entrance left, then they'd finally be done with the ceremony. Not that it hadn't been without its excitement, but he was getting tired of the waiting. He needed to get in the ring again.

As Ren and Nora made their exits, they meandered over to his row. "Room for two more?" Ren inquired; Nora hot on his heels.

"Of course," Jaune said as he and Ruby stood up, letting his friends into their row. "You guys rocked it out there."

"That's right!" Ruby emphasized. "Did you hear that cheer? They loved you."

"Aww you guys are gonna make me blush" Nora said gleefully. "Did you hear them Jauney? They were chanting for us!"

"I'd have to be deaf to have not heard them." Jaune joked back as the four of them descended into hushed conversation as they waited for the final team to make their entrance. About halfway through one of Nora's ring stories the chirp of a scroll had Ruby reaching into her top. Jaune looked at her, mouth agape.

"That thing has pockets?" He remarked, watching as Ruby turned the scroll over in her hands before fixing him with a confused look.

"Yeah…doesn't your gear?"

"Uh, totally." Jaune replied, trying and failing to cover up his complete lack of pockets. Ruby went to laugh at the revelation, but it died in her throat as her eyes roved over the screen.

"All good?" Jaune asked, leaning close.

"So…remember how I said Weiss really wanted to meet you?" Ruby said, giving him a look that said please don't be mad.

"Yeah, why?" Jaune replied, recalling their earlier conversation.

"Well, she's kinda sorta been watching the whole time, and wants us to visit the cafe after the ceremony." She said, her voice trailing off as Jaune pinched the bridge of his nose. On one hand, he did want to meet Weiss, but at the same time he was already so exhausted.

"I thought we at least had a few days." He uttered as Ruby nodded emphatically.

"I thought so too! But Weiss didn't know the ceremony was at Beacon. The cafe is like five minutes away from the bullhead stop." She groaned.

"Any way out of it?" Jaune asked. "Last I checked you were an expert at ditching plans with her."

Ruby laughed as a hand came up to rub at the back of her head awkwardly. "I'd give you some advice, but I like my head where it is, thank you very much."

"Heck, why not? We may as well knock everything out in one day." Jaune decided, shrugging as he sunk a bit in his chair, trying to stave off the yearning he felt for his bed. It had been a really long day after all.

"Sounds good to me." Ruby replied, gazing back towards the stage as the lights began to dim, their worries over a rendezvous with Weiss forgotten as they eagerly awaited the final entrance of the night. As he waited in the darkness, he could help but let out a low chuckle. Sure, getting to meet Weiss sounded like a disaster waiting to happen, but it meant he got to spend more time with his partner, which was always a plus. Finally, the sound of an electric guitar tore through the arena, followed soon after by bass and drums. The titantron broadcasted a jagged black logo he'd seen a few times in passing, one that had the crowd gasping.

The crest of Evernight.

The curtain parted as the final two members of the tag team tournament made their VWC debut. The duo stalked through the entryway, walking with such confidence and authority that it couldn't help but demand the audience's attention. They wore vastly different ring gears, but they shared a common attribute. Both competitors wore hoods over their heads, which only added to their intimidating appearance. It didn't take a genius for Jaune to know who they were.

After all, there was only one pair of people he hadn't seen on stage yet.

Emerald took the lead, getting in front of her partner as she stood right where the stage met the ramp, for a second taking it all in as she stretched her arms wide, basking in the raucous attention of the electric crowd. Mercury stood behind her, his own arms held up over his head, the two casting quite the unique silhouettes. Finally, Emerald's hands came down to grasp her hood, before throwing it back as she began to stomp down the ramp. Mercury did the same, his silver hair a fantastic contrast to her vibrant pale green locks.

The sound of a ragged gasp from beside him had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. It sliced through his mood, the sound itself not unlike a death rattle. Jaune's head snapped to his side to follow the strangled noise, his eyes widening in surprise.

It had come from his partner. Or well, who he thought was his partner.

The girl sitting beside him was a far cry from the Ruby Rose he knew. The Ruby who'd been chortling and chuckling with him for the better part of an hour, was gone. His partner was pale, much more than usual. Her skin practically shone, illuminated by the stadium's bright lights. He gulped once he figured out the reason. She was sweating. Bullets. She didn't just look pale anymore, she practically looked green. Her pallid complexion wasn't the only thing that startled him, it was the look in her eyes. He'd become pretty accustomed to staring into those silver orbs, and over time he'd learned the multitude of expressions Ruby tended to flip through. This wasn't one he'd ever seen before.

It was pure panic.

He went to say something, but just as he went to speak the booming voice of Peter Port cut him off. "AND THE FINAL COMPETITORS IN THE VWC TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT, REPRESENTING EVERNIGHT, THEY ARE THE STREET RATS…MERCURY BLACK AND EMERALD SUUUUUUSTRAIIIIII!"

The duo in question had finally reached the ring, and as Emerald went to duck through the ropes she paused, freezing in place as she seemed to change her mind. She deftly strode across the ring apron, facing the athletes section. Jaune gazed up at her, and to his surprise, he found himself feeling anxious under her gaze. She stared right at him and flashed him a brilliant smile before she turned on her heel and entered the ring. But something wasn't quite right. She'd been staring at him, right? No. She hadn't been. She'd been staring past him. She was staring at–

"No…" Ruby breathed from beside him, her chest beginning to rise and fall so fast her he was worried her heart might just break through her ribcage. "No, no, no!" Ruby cried as she exploded out of her seat.

"Ruby what–" he didn't even have time to finish his sentence as Ruby whirled around and began to sprint up the aisle, her pace frenzied as she tore towards the exit. He flinched back, eyes wide as his partner fled through the crowd, not even bothering to excuse herself as she shouldered past vendors and fans alike.

"What just–" Nora began, but didn't care to listen, he flung himself up from his seat, chasing after his partner. What the hell was going on? Something was wrong. Something was seriously, seriously wrong. Ruby didn't run away. Well, she didn't anymore. Had the crowd finally gotten to her? He dismissed the thought as he followed her trail, violently shoving past a popcorn cart as he made his way back into the stadium's vast concrete hallways. No, she'd been fine for the past hour. Maybe she'd gotten another text. Something from Weiss? He shook his head as he made his way through the entrance hall, catching a glimpse of her disappearing into the women's locker room. It couldn't have been something from Weiss. Ruby's ringer was on, he would've heard the notification. The only thing that was going on was–

Emerald and Mercury's entrance.

Did Ruby know Emerald? He continued to spiral, his thoughts running rampant throughout his head as he tried to understand what was going on. But as he came to a stop in front of the women's locker room, he made a vow that he wasn't leaving it without answers. His fist came up tentatively, pausing in front of the door, but only a few seconds before he rapped his knuckles against the firm wood.

"Ruby, it's me!" He exclaimed. "What's going on?"

"C-Come in." Ruby's voice sounded from beyond the door. He went to turn the knob but paused. Her voice was raspy. Almost gravelly. Had she been crying? He had to find out. He shouldered the door open but what he found didn't make him feel any better. Ruby was sitting on the floor with her back to a locker. Her knees were drawn up to her face as she cradled her head in her hands. But that wasn't what got his attention. No, what horrified him was just how violently she trembled as she sat there. It was as if she'd taken an ice bath, and was shivering, desperately trying to keep herself alive.

He moved before he could think, racing to her side as he fell into a crouch beside her. His panic was long forgotten, replaced with concern.

"Ruby, what's going on–" he began, but she cut him off.

"It's her. It's her." she babbled breathlessly.

"Who's her?" Jaune said as he shifted, sitting beside her.

"It's her." Ruby said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Who?!" Jaune barked, practically demanding an answer, anything to shed some light on why his best friend looked like she was staring death in the face.

"Emerald." Ruby said, her eyes finally sliding over towards him. He almost wanted to recoil as he gazed back into them. The frenzied panic in those chrome-colored orbs was gone, replaced instead by something infinitely worse. They were almost dull, as if the life had been sucked out of them.

His skin felt like it had been washed with ice. There was only one time Jaune had ever seen them like this. Only one time he'd ever seen Ruby like this. When Ruby spoke about a mysterious she, someone who'd entered Ruby's life, and tried their best to ruin it. Someone who every time Ruby brought her up, she'd looked like she was actively reliving some kind of traumatic experience. Someone who'd terrorized her.

Someone who had nearly caused Ruby Rose to give up the one thing she loved more than anything.

The realization had him reeling.

"She was your second partner." He guessed numbly, suddenly aware of the lack of air in his lungs. "Emerald. That's gotta be it, right?"

Ruby shuddered as the name hung in the air between them. The only indication that he was correct was the way she barely nodded her head. Jaune didn't need to see anymore. He lurched forward, slinging an arm over her shoulders and pulling her in.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she was going to be in it." He said as he felt her tremble against him. "Well, I knew she was a competitor, but I had no idea you knew her."

It all made sense. Emerald's weird comments about Ruby's promo skills. Her constant inquiries about his partner and Ruby's capabilities. That last thing she'd told him, about Ruby getting what she deserved. That hadn't just been social anxiety, or awkwardness. It really had been a threat. He winced as he felt a distant memory desperately trying to be recalled from the corners of his mind. The memory of when he'd opened Ruby's closet the first time he hung out at her place. She'd had a few ring gears. One of them was red and some other color. At the time he thought it was blue. But no, it was green.

Emerald and Ruby had been a tag team.

"Why is she here!?" Ruby questioned, practically begging for an answer. "She wasn't supposed to be here! I thought she was out of my life forever but she's back and she's going to make me pay and I can't–" she agonized as Jaune laid a hand on her shoulder, giving her a light shake as he tried to ignore how she flinched at his touch.

"Ruby, I know this is serious, but I need you to take a few deep breaths." He said, desperately trying to recall how he'd helped her the last time she'd begun to spiral. "Look at me. Focus on me. Right now, you're safe."

"You don't know that!" Ruby practically screeched. "She saw me. She smiled at me. She doesn't even feel bad about it. She hates me just as much as she did back then!"

Jaune leaned back as Ruby continued to spiral, unsettled. She genuinely thought she was in danger, or at least she felt she was. In a matter of moments, all the progress she'd made was nowhere to be found. The confident warrior that had stood up to Cardin when even he couldn't looked like she was made of glass, ready to shatter at any moment. What the hell had Emerald done to her? He couldn't bear to see his friend in this state. He had to do something.

"The first time I wrestled Nora she nearly broke my neck!" He blurted out, cutting her off. She looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"H-Huh?"

"Yep," he said quickly, latching onto her attention. "It was one of my first real matches. I'd been put in Ren and Nora's group, and needless to say we had gotten off on the right foot. I might've been feeling a little too confident, and when Nora asked me to spar with her, I said yes." he explained as Ruby continued to gaze at him. It was a good sign. The more he talked the less time she had to focus on anything Emerald related.

"The bell rang and guess how long I lasted?" he said, letting the words hang in the air, hoping Ruby would go for it.

He felt relieved when she finally spoke, her dull eyes sliding over to him. "H-How long?" she breathed, her voice soft and tentative.

"About three seconds." Jaune joked, "The second she wrapped her arms around my waist, deep down I knew it was over. About fifteen suplexes later and I didn't even know which corner was mine."

Ruby sniffled, and to his elation he saw a small ember of mirth in her red rimmed eyes.

"So, Ren's cheering her on from the side, and Sun's trying and failing to cheer me on." He continued. "Turns out just repeating "Lock in bro!" wasn't great coaching. Eventually I was so dizzy I thought I was going to throw up, and Nora had the genius idea to put me in a piledriver."

"She didn't!" Ruby gasped.

"Yep, when she gets in the zone it's hard to snap her out of it. The biggest issue was she hadn't properly learned how to do one, and it definitely wasn't a move to do in sparring."

"W-What happened next?" Ruby inquired, her voice level.

"Well, I was upside down by the time Ren jumped in to stop her." Jaune snickered. "My pride was pretty much shattered at that point, but in a dumb attempt to look cool I stood right up and went to jump out of the ring. But by then I was so dizzy I ended up tripping over the top rope, flipping over, my arms flailing like a mad man until I finally fell flat on my face outside the ring on top of Sun. Nearly broke his nose."

Ruby looked at him, her expression a combination of amusement and incredulity. They stayed like that for a few seconds as silence descended over the locker room, Jaune hoping against hope he'd managed to get through. Then Ruby finally began to tremble, but to his elation it wasn't to cry, it was to laugh. And laugh she did. She was wracked with giggles that gave way to full blown laughter. It only lasted a few seconds before fresh tears sprung from the corners of her eyes, which seemed to shine a bit brighter than they had a few minutes ago.

She didn't say anything at first, electing instead to lean in and pull Jaune close. "T-Thank you, Jaune. For h-helping me. I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I'm sorry I'm such a burden." she said, but he made sure to nip that in the bud.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Ruby. And you're not a burden. You're anything but. Heck, you're the reason I'm here. You're my best friend, and I won't let you think you're something you're not." He said as he rubbed circles on her back as she began to cry again, but this time, her quiet sobs didn't seem quite so pained. They stayed like that for a little while, before the sobs gave way to sniffles, then those gave way to silence.

"Thanks." She began. "Sorry for causing a scene. Ren and N-Nora are probably wondering where I went. I wonder if anyone else saw. I hope I didn't embarrass us." Ruby confessed.

"Nevermind that, I wasn't just going to leave you." Jaune said. "You're my partner, and it was pretty obvious that something was seriously wrong."

She smiled through the tears, giving him a warm look as she let her head loll back, looking at the locker room's ceiling, her mirth fading.

"I never thought she'd be back." Ruby said, returning the focus of their conversation to what had sparked it. "I…I thought she'd finally leave me alone when we split up. I guess it was kind of dumb to think she'd be gone forever."

He thought about asking her more about Emerald, about their history, but decided against it. When Ruby was ready, she'd tell him. He chose instead to let her talk; it was clear Ruby needed to get a few things off her chest.

"But she's really here. She's going to be in the tournament. She might be matched against us." She said, letting out a shaky huff as she turned her head to face him. "When I see her, I just start sweating and my throat gets really scratchy and I feel like I can't even breathe. How the heck am I supposed to fight her when I can't even look her in the eye?!"

"We can cross that bridge when we get to it, right?" He suggested, trying to keep her spirits up, but once glance at Ruby and he wasn't quite so sure.

"I…I don't know. Jaune, I don't know if I can." She said quietly, her voice small and fragile. "No. I can't do it. Not after everything. I'm sorry, Jaune." He knew it was coming, but regardless it still hurt. It wasn't her fault. He couldn't have predicted this. Heck, nobody could have.

"Then you don't have to." Jaune said, the decision an easy one. "If you can't do this, we can withdraw. I won't let you go through something like that again."

Her eyes widened imperceptibly. "B-But the penalty! Jaune you'd be tanking your own career!"

Jaune shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now. I…I can find my way back. The last thing I'm going to do is make you face Emerald if you don't want to. I'm not going to just sit here and let you relive whatever messed up trauma you have with her just because I want to be happy. I'd never do that to you. I promised you back when this first started if you wanted out, I'd follow you, and an Arc never goes back on his word.

He felt Ruby's eyes on him as he continued. "Maybe I would've given a bit of pushback, or maybe asked you to reconsider, but after the way you acted back there, I'd never forgive myself if I forced the issue. Say the word and we'll pull out." he finished, gazing away as silence once again descended over the room. To be completely truthful, he'd be crushed. How was it that he'd gone from one of his highest highs to one of his lowest lows in the span of an hour? If Ruby didn't want to be in the tournament anymore, he wouldn't force her or make her feel bad about it.

But man, it would suck.

But that didn't matter, a promise was a promise.

/

Ruby felt dizzy as her partner finished speaking, watching numbly as he leaned back against the cold metal locker. He'd done it again. He'd surprised her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of Deja vu. That was what Weiss had called it anyway.

The feeling that she'd been here before.

She almost giggled as she remembered just why this situation felt so familiar. It was just like when he'd approached her to be his partner, wasn't it? She'd shut him down, lost in the memories of the past that picked at her like a swarm of ants, reminding her of every horrible moment she'd spent being Emerald Sustrai's partner.

The name sent chills down her spine. Emerald was here, and she was back for revenge. She let out a sigh. She deserved it, didn't she? She'd let Emerald down in the end. Just like she let Yang down. Just like she was about to let Jaune down. She stopped herself before she fell further down that rabbit hole, trying to get her train of thought back on track.

That's right. This felt just like when she'd run back into her room, trying to make sense of Jaune's words, much like she was doing now. If there was one thing Ruby Rose knew, it was that talk was cheap, and that promises were meant to be broken. Well, most of the ones made to her were anyway. For example, Emerald had once promised they'd be friends till the end.

Yeah, that one sure turned out well, she thought miserably. The fact of the matter was, promises, to Ruby Rose only brought pain.

Which is why for the life of her she couldn't understand why Jaune was keeping his.

He should be angry at her, right? Here he was, on the biggest stage he'd ever had the chance to be on, ready to begin the comeback of a lifetime and here she was about to pull the plug. But no, instead he'd chased after her, no doubt causing a scene. He'd comforted her and even held her as she got all freaked out and cried. Gosh I'm such a mess; she mused as she tried to erase that moment from her mind. But Jaune didn't judge her for it. He'd taken care of her; he'd even told a pretty darn embarrassing story just to try and make her laugh.

Well, he didn't try, he did.

He really was a great guy.

It felt like she was at a crossroads, much like she was when he'd first approached her on that fateful day with the offer of becoming a team. She'd been facing similar pressure, right? Ruby knew something like this could've happened, so she should've turned him down.

But she hadn't.

No, she'd accepted his offer, and they'd become a team. She chalked it up to one last hurrah, one last ember of hope that she wasn't a curse on anyone who'd made the choice to team with her. It was a leap of faith, and leap she did. They'd gone up against Yuma and Perry. No, that didn't quite do it justice. They hadn't just gone up against Yuma and Perry, they'd beaten them. They'd had a barnburner that even someone as old and crabby as Glynda Goodwitch herself had told them they'd done an incredible job.

But beating them wasn't what had stuck with Ruby. It hadn't even been the cheers and the applause that had followed their match. No, it was something infinitely more important.

She'd felt alive.

For the first time since she'd stepped into the ring for that championship match with Yang, the last time she'd truly felt happy, she was alive again. Every hit she landed, every ragged breath she drew in, and every slam Jaune had managed to land on their opponents had filled her with a feeling so euphoric it threatened to consume her even now. She was born to be a wrestler, and finally she was getting a chance to live up to that potential, to put a smile on the crowd's face as she fought for what was right. Just like she'd always wanted since she was a little girl.

She couldn't give that up. She wouldn't give that up, not after she'd been chasing it for so long.

She was being cowardly for even thinking about running away from this one, wasn't she? Ruby stopped herself, nipping the thought in the bud. Jaune didn't see her as cowardly, or fault her for how she'd reacted. He didn't hate her. He didn't think she was pulling the plug on him. He was even the one that suggested they pull out. Because just as she'd realized two weeks ago back in her cramped apartment, that wasn't who Jaune Arc was. Jaune Arc was her best friend, her partner.

And she was having the time of her life teaming with him.

They couldn't give up now. They had a set of belts to win after all, right?

She drew a deep breath as reality sliced through her ambition like a hot knife through butter. Emerald…Emerald was a problem, but it was one she had to face eventually, right? She couldn't keep running away from her. If she was on her own, there was no chance she'd ever get the guts to stand up to her. But she wasn't alone, not anymore. It was just like Jaune had said way back then, Ruby Rose didn't back down from a challenge.

And for better or for worse, she wasn't backing down from this one.

Finally, after what felt like a thousand years, she finally spoke.

"No."

"What was that?" Jaune said, as if checking to make sure he'd heard her properly.

"I said no." Ruby gritted out, "I'm not pulling out. We're not pulling out."

"But Emerald–" Jaune began, but it was her turn to cut him off.

"Is scary! And mean, and hurtful, and a jerk." Ruby asserted in a tone a lot more confident than she felt, "But I'm not going to let her ruin the one thing that's making me happy. I'm done letting her ruin my life!" she said as she turned to look him dead in the eye. "We're winning those belts, Jaune. We're making our dreams come true."

"I want that," Jaune started, gazing at her intently. "I want that more than anything. But I need to know that you're really on board with this. I don't want to pressure you or anything."

"You can count on me." Ruby swore, making a promise that for once, she didn't think she was going to break.

Whatever Jaune saw in her gaze, it must've convinced him, because he let out a shuddering breath accompanied by a few high-pitched laughs. "Thank goodness. To tell you the truth, I wasn't ready to give this up."

"Me either." She replied. "Sorry I made you worry."

He gave her a warm smile. "Ruby, thank you."

"I should be the one thanking you." She replied. "Now no more sappy stuff! Let's get back out there." She said as she climbed back to her feet. Sure, she wasn't okay. Emerald terrified her, and the thought of entering the ring with her made Ruby's knees weak. Heck, the thought of her even standing across from her tormentor had her knees shaking. If push came to shove, chances are, she was going to lose big.

But that didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

/

Ren and Nora sent them relieved glances as Jaune and Ruby returned to their seats, the latter practically falling into hers.

"Is everything alright with you two?" Ren inquired as Nora gave them a concerned look. Jaune waved his hand dismissively, the last thing he wanted to do was broadcast Ruby's troubles to the world.

"Yeah, we're good, Ruby just had a…bathroom emergency."

His partner's head snapped to look at him so fast he was worried she might've broken her neck. Ruby gazed at him with a look of betrayal so intense he nearly burst out laughing.

"T-That's not–" She squawked indignantly, her face as crimson as her cape. It only made matters worse when Nora fixed her with a sympathetic glance, cutting the poor girl off.

"Don't worry Ruby, it happens to me all the time. Sometimes you just gotta go." She shrugged as Ruby balked.

"But I wasn't!-"

Ren tapped her on the shoulder. "It's perfectly natural for athletes in our position to have their bodily functions exacerbated by stress." He explained calmly as Ruby looked ready for the ground to swallow her up. "If you'd like, I could provide you with one of my wheatgrass shake recipes. They've been quite successful."

"More like quite gross." Nora snipped from beside him, and it wasn't long before the two descended into a squabble over the effectiveness of consuming algae to boost performance. Jaune could only chuckle as he fell back into his seat, watching his partner desperately try to fend off his best friends. His eyes scanned over the athlete's section. Emerald and Mercury were nowhere to be seen. It was probably for the best. If they were still here after what he'd just seen, he was more than content to give them a piece of his mind.

And maybe his fist too while he was at it.

But they were gone, and Jaune was happy with that. Despite how the mood of the night had been soured a bit, he couldn't help but feel his bond with Ruby had been strengthened. That being said, they were still in for a rough few days. Today was Friday. The segment they'd be hosting that was going to be interrupted by their opponents was going to be on Monday. Not much time. That being said, it helped that since Nora and Ren had drawn an O, Emerald and Mercury must've drawn an X. They were safe, for at least one round. One thing was for sure, he'd need to start talking to Ruby about just what they were in for if they ended up across the ring from that duo.

Eventually, the ceremony came to a close, punctuated by the floods of fans filtering out of the stadium. Jaune was sad to watch them go but knew they'd all be reunited real soon. He paced down the empty halls of the stadium, Ruby at his side. Ren and Nora had elected to leave early, citing Nora's ever present need to get a full eight hours of sleep.

Ruby stretched her arms wide as she yawned, exhausted. He was no better, trying to keep his eyes open as they stepped out into the chilly night air. Sure, he loved the spotlight but even he was drained.

"I'm so happy that's over." Ruby said, stifling another bleary-eyed breath with her hand. "Now there's nothing stopping me from jumping into my bed, bundling up, and sleeping for as long as I want!"

Jaune chuckled at the display, when she did things like that, she really displayed that childlike wonder and attitude he found so special. But unfortunately, he had to rain on her parade.

"Me too, but you know we can't."

Ruby sent him a quizzical glance. "Why?"

"We've gotta head to the cafe to meet Weiss, remember?" He said, recalling their earlier conversation. He nearly doubled over laughing as Ruby's face went white as paper, her breakdown earlier having done well to distract her from that fact. Her arms flew to her scalp, fists balling in her black and crimson locks.

"OH, COME ON!"

/

As he went to park the car, Jaune couldn't help but think that A Spoonful of Dust looked like a lovely little cafe. It was on the corner of one of the larger streets in downtown Vale. He'd frequented the area many times, but somehow, he'd never noticed the cafe before.

"Looks pretty cool, doesn't it?" Ruby said, reading his thoughts as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "This place is awesome! I'm not the biggest fan of coffee–" she began, but he saw the opportunity to tease her and took it.

"You hate it don't you?"

"It's so GROSS!" She blurted out, sticking her tongue out to emphasize her point. "But Weiss has found a way to make it so that it's chocolatey and delicious and wonderful. I'm pretty sure she adds like five sugars and that's just how I like it, then she adds milk and–I'm talking too much." She noted as she paused to take a breath. "All I'm saying is that you'll love it! And hopefully Weiss too." She added quietly at the end.

"This is gonna go fine, Ruby." He assured her. "I'll be on my best behavior."

"You're not the one I'm worried about." Ruby quipped as they began to walk towards the shop.

Once they were about twenty feet away, Ruby froze, before her hands came up to cup her face. Then she let out an exasperated sigh. Fearing the worst, he sprang into action.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Ruby said, not that he believed it for a second though. He followed her gaze but found himself puzzled at what seemed to be troubling her. She was looking at the other side of the street, more specifically at a motorcycle. Jaune didn't know much about motorcycles other than the fact that his dad had one, but even he could tell it was a beauty. It was vibrant yellow, with a familiar looking emblem stamped on the side. Where have I seen that before? He pondered as he looked back over at Ruby.

"Didn't know you had a fear of bikes." He quipped. She sent him a deadpan expression.

"Not funny."

"It was a little funny."

"You're the worst," She sighed with a tired grin. "It's not the bike. It's who it belongs to. It's…Yang's bike. Ugh, I should've known Weiss was gonna do something like this! That's so totally like her. Ditch her one time and she pulls this."

"Ruby, you've gone on record saying that this is like the eighth time you've ditched one of her get-togethers."

"Details details, Jaune." She replied quickly. "We should go. We have to strategize, right? Start making plans for our opponents."

"Ruby, we don't even know her opponents yet." he said, happy to poke holes in that excuse. "And didn't you say Weiss would have your head if you skipped out on this one?"

"Dang it, fine." She said, taking a shudderingly deep breath. "Let's just go for coffee and leave."

"Maybe there's a good reason your sister is here." He ventured. "Maybe she wants to congratulate you on being in the tournament."

Ruby shook her head. "Maybe that would be the case if she didn't hate me for taking her opportunity to be in an event like the tournament away."

He winced. That was right, Ruby's sister wasn't exactly her biggest fan after the whole injury thing went down. He still retained the belief that what happened to Yang wasn't Ruby's fault. But emotions often clouded judgment, and if her sister blamed her for it, there wasn't much Jaune could do. Regardless, he was ready to step in and protect his partner if things went south.

"I gotcha, Ruby." He said, doing his best to instill some confidence in her. "We can go whenever you like."

She seemed thankful, and after a beat of silence the two continued walking towards the glass double doors. The cafe was closed, but he knew Weiss worked there, and it seemed like she'd prepped the place for their arrival. Jaune peered through the window, trying to get any information he could on who might be inside before he threw himself and Ruby into the situation. It didn't take long to find what he was looking for, in the corner of the establishment was a pretty big table with three people sitting at it. He wasn't able to make out much, outside of the colors of their hair, which were surprisingly diverse. The first girl had their back to the door, her hair was ivory white. She seemed engaged in conversation with the other two people there. One had black hair, the other blonde.

"Well, let's get this over with." Ruby said, in that moment looking like she was facing an execution rather than a get together with her roommate. With a slight shove they pushed open the doors. The second they did, the three colorful heads he'd seen through the window snapped towards the sound of the noise, their conversation dying down. It wasn't him they were looking at though, nope, their gazes fell on Ruby, who shriveled under their looks.

"H-Hi guys." she mumbled. The three women stood up from the table and paced forward to meet them. The first was the girl with the white hair. She was on the shorter side, with piercing sky-blue eyes. She wore plain clothes with a gray apron over her front. The second was the raven-haired girl. She wore a similar outfit, most likely another cafe worker. What got his attention were the two black cat ears that stuck out from the top of her head. Lastly was the blonde. She was on the taller side, with a massive mane of yellow hair that framed her.

"Ruby Rose!" The white-haired girl barked. "Do you have any idea how late it is?! We've been here for two hours!"

"Sorry Weiss!" Ruby replied. "I said it was going to end around eight. But I kinda, sorta, maybe forgot that that was just when we were done. We still had to watch all the other teams go. And then Ms. Goodwitch started talking and doing another one of her speeches and we couldn't exactly leave, I mean, that would be rude right and you're always telling me to remember my manners and –"

The white-haired girl, who he now knew as Weiss was not amused, her blue eyes gazing critically at her roommate. "Nice try, Rose, I'll give you an A for effort on that excuse."

"That's a pretty good grade." Ruby mused as Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Get over here you dolt, it feels like it's been forever since I've actually gotten to have a conversation with you." Weiss said as she strode forward, wrapping Ruby up in a hug that she eagerly returned. "Now tell me, did you wear the outfit? What did everyone think? You better have worn the heels I bought you. They were expensive."

"If by wear you mean stomped around with those death traps then yes." Ruby groaned. Jaune couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he watched the two. They reminded him a lot of how he and Ruby acted, constantly bantering back and forth. The sound alerted Weiss, who pulled away from her roommate to face him. She extended her hand formally, her posture much more rigid than it was moments prior.

"Weiss Schnee." she said, as if expecting him to say something.

"Oh, cool. My name's Jaune." He replied as he reached out and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Charmed." She replied, he wasn't sure if it was just a Weiss thing, or an Atlas thing, but her grip was pretty dang tight. They shook hands, and finally she let him go. He looked over her head, watching as Ruby greeted the other two people in the room.

"Hi Blake, long time no see." Ruby said as she stepped forward, giving the taller faunus a hug. "I hope you've been doing well these days."

Blake returned her greeting in kind. "It's good to see you, Ruby. I was worried I'd scared you off with the last drink I made you. I swear I put enough sugar in."

"Yeah well," Ruby trailed off. "It was pretty dang bitter. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to expand my horizons again."

"That was one time. Now I only really do that with your sister." Blake joked. "She usually has the same reaction you do when I try and put her onto something new." The mention of Ruby's sister had her gazing over the only person in the room she hadn't greeted yet.

"Hi…Yang." She said softly.

The girl in question gave Ruby a smile that anyone could tell looked brittle. "H-Hi Ruby! It's been too long since I've seen my baby sis!" she cheered as she stomped forward, wrapping Ruby up in a tight embrace. Jaune's eyes widened as he watched Yang lift Ruby off the ground, giving her a quick twirl. It hurt him to see how his partner stiffened in her sister's grasp. Yang must've felt it too, because the smile had run away from her face as she quickly set Ruby back on the ground.

"Sorry…I was just thinking that maybe–" she said as she went in for another hug, but decided against it as Ruby didn't make any attempt to reciprocate. Ruby tried to amend that, trying to go for a side hug, but the sisters didn't quite hit the mark, and Yang ended up settling for a handshake that had Jaune feeling so much secondhand embarrassment he couldn't help but avert his eyes.

"No, no. It's okay." Ruby replied as she pulled away, stepping back towards Jaune.

What was that? He wondered as he tried to process what he'd just seen unfold. Yang hated Ruby, didn't she? Then what the heck did he just witness? Maybe she was just being polite. It was the only explanation he could think of.

Ruby turned to face Weiss. "Well, I'm here. What's up?"

"What's up?" Weiss mimicked. "Ruby, did you forget the whole reason I asked you to come here?"

Ruby winced. "Yeah, totally did for a second there." She admitted without an ounce of shame as she turned back to face him. "Guys…this is Jaune. He's my friend…and alsomytagteampartnerforthetournament." she practically barfed out.

"We've met." Weiss said coolly before she glanced over at Yang and Blake. "Why don't you two lovebirds introduce yourselves. I'm going to get us some drinks. Ruby, the usual?" She said as she glanced over at Ruby, who nodded.

"I'll take a–" Jaune began, but either Weiss hadn't heard him or wasn't listening as she turned on her heel and entered the kitchen. He didn't have time to process that though as the girl he knew as Blake stepped forward.

"Blake," she said as she extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You too." Jaune replied. "Ruby's told me a lot about you guys." It wasn't exactly true. He'd only ever heard her mention Blake once or twice. But it was what his sisters always said when they introduced themselves, and it worked for them.

"Hopefully good things." Blake said as she slid down into one of the seats at the table.

"Totally." He replied as he drew out a chair. Ruby and Yang did the same, his partner next to him and Yang next to Blake.

"And this big lug beside me is Yang." Blake said, nudging Yang with her shoulder.

"Wuh–oh right!" Yang replied as she looked at him. "Hi, I'm Yang. Nice to meet ya."

"Right back at you." He said as Yang gave him a confident grin that was undercut by just how shaky it looked.

"You better be taking care of my Rubes. Or else we might have to have a little talk." she joked, her tone light. But despite her efforts, only he really chucked at the comment. Blake just let her eyes drift shut as Ruby looked away.

"Yeah, I sure am." Jaune said, desperately trying to break through the awkward atmosphere that had descended over the table. "Well, I'd say she's taking care of me more than anything. She's pretty dang awesome."

Usually, a compliment like that would have Ruby beaming ear to ear, but his partner just kind of sat there, her gaze fixed on the table. Come on Ruby, give me something to work with, he practically begged as he looked over at his teammate, hoping she'd pick up on the mental message he was attempting to beam into her head. Sadly, she didn't receive it.

Thankfully, Blake came to the rescue, saving them all from another thick silence. "I'm sure she is. How've you two been handling everything? I'm sure something like this can't be easy."

Ruby slightly perked up at the mention of the tournament. She wasn't quite open, but it seemed like she was at least down to engage. "I-It's been pretty stressful. There's a lot of opponents, and some of them are super strong! But Jaune and I can take 'em for sure." she said, determination dripping from her voice.

"That's right!" Yang chimed in. "You're gonna kill it, Ruby. You guys picked your opponents tonight, right? Who's my lil sister up against? I bet it's the Ace Ops." she asserted confidently. "If you need any tips on how to take those guys down, just ask."

"The ace ops aren't in the tournament." Ruby replied plainly after a long pause. Jaune didn't miss the way Yang twitched, watching as her eyes drifted shut. Whether it was out of frustration or embarrassment he wasn't sure.

"Oh, y-yeah I guess that makes sense. I uh, haven't watched the show in a while." she fumbled out as Blake laid her head on her shoulder.

"Your sister's been really busy in the garage these days." She explained, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"How's that been?" Jaune asked, "I've never really been all that good with cars. Speaking of which, there's actually been a light on my dashboard that's been on for a while, but I've got no idea what it means. Maybe I could get some help." He said, still with the goal of making a good impression on Ruby's friends in mind. But Yang seemed kind of out of it, not really giving him the time of day.

"It's good. I'm sure it's fine." She mumbled as she propped her face on her hand, gazing out the window.

Thankfully, he didn't have to suffer through it much longer. After another few minutes of failed small talk, Weiss finally arrived with their drinks. She set down a cup of tea in front of Blake, and two sugary monstrosities in front of Yang and Ruby respectively. Ruby perked up, diving right in as she began to consume the diabetes inducing dessert. Weiss sat down at the head of the table; her own coffee cup gripped delicately between her fingers. She set down a plastic cup of water in front of him.

"Thanks." He said, not exactly forgetting how she'd aired his own drink order.

"Sure." She replied curtly. Thankfully, she only seemed to be that way with him. With Weiss at the table conversation began to bloom, even despite the atmosphere-destroying tension between Yang and Ruby. Weiss brought up some pretty great points about social media, something Jaune had barely considered since they'd taken a look at the comments after their tag team match. Weiss had even offered to help them out with creating a few accounts, which Ruby and Jaune eagerly accepted. After a little while, Ruby stood.

"I've gotta hit the bathroom. Be right back." She eeped out as she briskly crossed the cafe towards the restrooms.

For a brief moment, no one talked, then he heard Weiss' voice from beside him.

"So, out with it."

He turned to face her, leaning back slightly as he took in her appearance. The soft smile and lighthearted tone were gone, replaced by what he could only describe as a frosty demeanor. Blake leaned closer, while Yang still continued to stare out the window, utterly unaffected.

"Out with what?" he replied quizzically.

"Why exactly are you here?" Weiss replied, her voice clipped. Jaune gave her a confused look.

"Uh…here? Like the cafe? Ruby invited me. Heck, she said you specifically wanted to meet me."

Weiss rolled her eyes, suddenly a lot less personable. "You know what I mean. You're Ruby's new partner. I want to know why."

"Why what?" Jaune retorted, still a bit perplexed at what she was getting at.

"Why are you tagging along at all?" Weiss said simply. "Ruby told me about when you showed up at our apartment. How you two became a team. I want to know why you picked her, and what your end goal is."

Jaune leaned back in his chair. So that's what this was about. Ruby had spelled it out after all. Weiss was Ruby's best friend, and Ruby had mentioned how Weiss wanted to make sure he wouldn't stab her in the back. It wasn't unlike how his sisters would interrogate a boy if he just so happened to make the mistake of trying to court one of the Arc girls. He was pretty used to it and elected to just play it safe. At the end of the day, Weiss was doing this to keep Ruby safe and happy, so they already shared the same goal. Blake also seemed pretty intent on hearing his answer, and he was happy to share.

"Because she's my best friend." He stated plainly. "Sure, I might not be her "bestie better than the restie" but she definitely is mine." he explained, finding some mirth in watching Weiss roll her eyes at Ruby's term of endearment as Blake snickered. "When I met Ruby, I had nothing. I was put on break, down on my luck, and I genuinely thought I was facing the end of my career. Then I met her and started training with her. And since then, we've been pretty joined at the hip."

"So that's it then, you were using her to get back on your feet?" Weiss said, her eyes narrowing. Jaune waved his hands in front of him.

"Not at all." He said, a bit of annoyance creeping into his voice at the insinuation. "We made a deal at first, I'd help her out on her promos, and she'd help me in the ring. I'd never use her." He gritted out, pausing as Weiss held up a hand.

"My apologies for assuming. Continue."

"It started as a deal, but that was exactly it. It started that way. But the longer I got to know Ruby, the more I grew attached. She's awesome, smart, kind, and funny." He said, a warm grin on his face as Weiss listened intently. "She's got a passion about her, and energy that's just so raw and powerful it's infectious. She just gets me, and I get her. Over the months we both improved so much. I improved and so did she." he finished as Weiss leaned forward expectantly.

"Then I got hit with some bad news, something that threatened to destroy everything I'd worked for. I came to Ruby with an offer, we'd join the tag tournament together, and fight to make our dreams come true. She said yes, and we became a team."

After a few beats, Weiss spoke. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

"Why, is it because of her history with Emerald?" Jaune retorted, taking some satisfaction at seeing Weiss' eyes widen slightly.

"She told you?"

"Not exactly." Jaune said as he shook his head. "I don't know any of the specifics, but I know who she is, and I know she hurt my partner. That's about all I need. When she's ready she'll tell me." he gritted out. "But even if she doesn't, that doesn't matter to me. What matters is she's got my back, and I've got hers."

Weiss' eyes narrowed to slits. "Is that so? Because the last time Ruby trusted someone to "Have her back" it didn't end well. I was there to pick up the pieces after what that monster did to her. I won't stand by and let her be hurt again."

"That makes two of us." Jaune replied. "I need you to know that I'd never, ever hurt her. I know you've known her for longer, but Ruby isn't just my friend, or training buddy, she's my tag team partner. That isn't just an empty label, or something to scoff at. That means that we'll go to bat for each other inside or outside the ring."

"But Emerald said the exact same–" Weiss began, but she only made it a few words before she was cut off, to Jaune's surprise, by Yang. He thought she'd tuned him out long ago.

"He's right." She said, fixing Jaune with a curious gaze. "About the whole tag partner stuff. Let him talk, Ice Queen."

Weiss just folded her arms, giving him a chance to finish his thoughts. "I know you might not believe me. Heck, I wouldn't if I was in your position, but I want you to watch, because I'm going to prove to you, to all of you, that I'm here for her."

Weiss inclined her head. "We'll just have to see, won't we? Words are cheap after all. Loyalty isn't. So let me make this very clear, Arc; if your words prove meaningless, if you jump ship at the first chance, if I so much as suspect you're going to hurt her, you'll answer to me."

Despite her size, and the fact that Weiss didn't look like she'd had a minute of training in her life, he didn't see a scrap of doubt in those piercing blue eyes. "I-I wouldn't expect anything less."

The ice queen simply leaned back in her chair, for a brief second her expression softening. But it was gone just as quickly as it had come. "Good. For your sake, I hope you mean that. Because Ruby…Ruby deserves better than what she's been through."

Her words hung in the air, no doubt having an effect by the way Yang looked away. Blake laid a hand on her bicep. Now for the bad news. He was going to have to tell them, because it definitely didn't seem like Ruby was going to anytime soon. Jaune took a deep breath before he spoke.

"She does. And as for sticking by her, I guarantee you'll get a front row seat to watch me do that in the coming weeks."

"And why is that?" Weiss inquired.

"Because Emerald's in the tag tournament too. And I'm not letting her anywhere near my partner."

The sentence dealt a death blow to the conversation. The sound of a chair scraping back shook sliced through the newfound silence as Yang stood, making her way towards the door.

"Getting some air." she said over her shoulder as Blake stood to follow, looking down at Weiss.

"I got her."

Weiss' eyes drifted shut as she nodded to her friend. When they finally opened, they were deathly serious.

"Emerald Sustrai is in the tournament?" She asked, exhaling as Jaune nodded. "And you haven't pulled out yet? How can you do that to her?"

"I let her know the second I made the connection that we could pull out, no questions asked." He insisted. "Ruby said no. She doesn't want to be afraid anymore. And that's another thing I admire about her, that she's willing to confront things like that. I don't even know if I can do that."

Weiss leaned forward intently; a hesitant look scrawled across her worry-ridden face. "Ruby said she wanted to stay in the tournament, even after she found out Emerald was going to be there?"

"Yeah."

She let out a chuckle as she turned to gaze out the window at the dark street. "Ruby is my best friend, but even I can't help but find that a little hard to believe. Don't misunderstand, I know she's capable of such courage. I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around it."

"She's changed a lot these past couple months." Jaune explained. "I'm sure you've noticed it."

"I have." Weiss agreed, clearly mulling it over. "And while I think this is still a terrible idea, I won't fight her on this. But it's all the more reason you'll need to be there for her. Like I said before, I don't trust you. I don't know you. So, you're on thin ice, Arc."

"So be it." He said simply. "But give me time. I'll prove to you all that I am what I say I am."

Weiss let out a huff. Clearly, she didn't believe him. He didn't fault her. I mean, how could he? She was spot on about words being cheap in the grand scheme of things. But that only made him want to prove her wrong even more. He wasn't sure of what he thought of Weiss. On one hand, she made him angry, accusing him of using Ruby, and constantly snipping at him. But he couldn't fault her. She'd said she'd been there to pick up the pieces, he recalled, remembering just how crestfallen she'd looked. Weiss had been there for Ruby when even Yang hadn't been.

It was clear Weiss had her best interests in mind.

Just as he went to say something, the sound of a door slamming cut through his thoughts as Ruby finally emerged from the restrooms. Weiss fixed her with a critical glance.

"Ruby, what could have possibly caused you to spend so much time in there?"

Ruby rubbed the back of her head with her hand sheepishly. "Well, I kinda sorta maybe knocked over one of those buckets with the mop in it and got gross water everywhere and I went to clean it, and it didn't work so I tried mopping it but–"

"You didn't use the water in the bucket, did you? That water's been accumulating filth since we opened up!" Weiss practically begged, her shoulders slumping as she braced herself for the inevitable.

"In my defense, it didn't look dirty in the bucket." Ruby admitted, pushing her fingers together shamefully. "Sorry Weiss."

"Sometimes I don't know why I put up with you." Weiss groaned as she got up, but she only made it a few steps towards the restroom before Ruby swept her up into a hug.

"Because you're my bestie, better…" she trailed off, looking at Weiss expectantly. The white-haired girl in question scoffed, fixing Ruby with an annoyed glance. It only lasted a few seconds until the irked expression crumbled, replaced instead with resignation.

"Than the restie." her roommate grumbled as Ruby squeezed her tighter. Then she stopped to look around.

"Hey, where'd Blake and Yang go?"

As if on cue Blake and Yang pushed through the glass doors, the latter perking up as she took note of the extra person in the room.

"Oh, hey Ruby. Welcome back!" She said warmly.

"Thanks." Ruby replied plainly, clearly wanting to say more but Jaune knew that look. Ruby didn't have anything to say, so instead she just kind of stared at Yang, before looking down at the tile floor.

"We should get going." She said simply. "It's getting late, and Jaune and I are going to need as much time as we can possibly get to train for the tournament."

Yang looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it as she sighed. Stomping back towards the table.

"It was good to see you, Ruby." Blake cut in. "Best of luck in the tournament, we'll be rooting for you."

"You too." His partner replied. Jaune sent Blake a nod that she returned. In truth, despite this on paper being an opportunity to meet Ruby's friends, he didn't really feel that he'd learned much about them. It had been more of a Ruby thing, save for Weiss dressing him down.

Speaking of which, Weiss strode forward, wrapping Ruby up in an embrace far more elegantly than her roommate did her just minutes before. "I can't tell you enough how proud of you I am. You're going to do wonderfully."

Ruby flushed, waving her hands in front of her. "Come on, Weiss."

"I mean it. See you late tonight." Weiss said, her expression turning cold. "After all, I've got a bathroom to clean."

Then she turned to face him. "Remember what I told you, Arc."

"I will. It was nice to meet you, Weiss." He replied. She seemed satisfied and passed him to head towards the restrooms. Ruby had made her way out of the cafe at that point, and he wasn't going to get left behind. They only had two days before they were expected back in the ring to meet their first-round opponents after all. There was a lot of preparation that needed to be done. He needed to focus.

But just as he strode forward to make his exit, he paused, the sound of a frustrated sigh drawing his attention. He turned, glancing quickly over his shoulder to find the source. His gaze fell on Ruby's sister, but only for a second before he turned back to follow his partner out into the cold air.

But try as he might, for the rest of the night he wasn't quite able to forget just how upset Yang Xiao Long looked as she held her head in her hands.

---

Whoa, that was a long one. A lot happened here. I had a ton of fun writing this chapter as always, and look at just how many characters we have now! I still remember the days when it was just Jaune and Ruby. The ceremony is over, and we're firmly in the tournament arc now. Next chapter will be the last buildup one, then BOOM we're off to the races. A lot of fun entrances here too, I'm especially partial to Ren and Nora's, those two are just so adorable and awesome I can't help but write them that way. I'll include a list of the theme songs down below for most of the teams, just so you have an idea of the vibe during each entrance.

Now as for the next portion, we finally got to see Emerald and Ruby interact, well, technically they interacted. A sinister smile is more than enough for poor Ruby, and as we can see, she still can't take it. My beta and I went back and forth about her realization scene here. I thought it was too similar to her monologue back when she decided to team up with Jaune, but Wolfy helped me see that it's almost a part two of that scene. Not only is Ruby leaving her fear of opening up behind, now she's ready to begin the long journey of confronting her boogeyman. She's still terrified, but the poor girl has had enough of letting Emerald ruining her career.

Now for another reunion we'd been waiting for since chapter 11, Ruby and Yang! This scene was uniquely difficult to write. Believe it or not, it's easier to write a scene with both sides having a complex dialogue over an awkward jank-fest. Poor Yang, and poor Ruby. Somehow they just can't seem to jump over some kind of hurdle that will most likely be explained later! Also W Weiss for being a good friend. I tried to make sure she's not an ass to Jaune, she's just worried about her friend.

But that's enough sneaky details for now. What matters most is who will be Jaune and Ruby's opponents for the first round? Place your bets everyone!

As always, thank you all so much for following this fic, it means the world to me when I see your reviews and follows. Thank you all.

- Curb

As promised, here's that list of themes.

Jaune and Ruby - Worlds Apart (Sami Zayn)

Ren and Nora - Turn it Up (Bayley)

Sun and Neptune - Tarzan Boy (Jack Perry)

Cardin and Dove - Fight (Kevin Owens)

Roman and Neo - I Came to Play (The Miz)

Arslan and Reese - If You Close Your Eyes (Christian)

Coco and Velvet - Fabulous (Carmella)

The White Fang - We are One (The Nexus)

Miltia and Melanie - Amazing (Naomi)

Scarlet and Sage - The Next Journey (Kairi Sane)

Nebula and Gwen - Spiteful (Alexa Bliss)

Fiona and Joanna - Stars in the Night (Paige)

Emerald and Mercury - The Other Side (The Judgment Day)