King: So much blood. So much pain. I've released, a chapter again. Dear reader, enjoy please. So proclaims, you're good friend King~

Inspiration: Undertale

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After a while, Yang returned with her team. Once they were seated again, King floated closer to the brawler, "Are you alright? We can take a break for a while if you still need it."

Yang waved him off, "I'm fine. Just… play the next one."

King was skeptical, though. "Ms. Xiao Long, I have the feeling that…"

"Look! It's the kind of thing that doesn't go away, but I'm used to it at this point." She glanced/glared toward her mother.

King floated in silence for a few seconds. "I understand. All the same, I feel it best to offer a filter to…"

Yang shook her head, "I'm fine. Just play whatever."

King seemed to take a breath, somehow, "Alright then… Let's go then."

The screen began to form the first image, a single yellow flower. It was the only splash of color before a grey background.

"This isn't one of those artsy films, is it?" Ruby complained.

Yang groaned, "I hope not…"

Weiss just shook her head, "You two are hopeless…"

The flower shook a little. Then the camera pulled away to show Ruby glaring at the flower in a flower pot. The home around her was completely grey. Every piece of furniture, the walls, the floor, everything was solid grey. Ruby and the flower being the only color in the room.

Qrow chuckled a little, "Seems this version of the squirt's got a problem with flowers."

The Ruby on screen tapped the flower before sighing, "Calm down, Ruby… There's only one of that weirdo…"

This got Nora to think, "So… is Jaune, the flower? Is that a thing?"

Pyrrha shrugged, "In some stories. But it's a different reality. The rules of life could be different."

Ruby walked through the house, glancing around. One part grabbed her attention. A chain sealed by dual padlocks. She reached into her pocket and grabbed two keys she'd found in the house. She took a breath and clutched the keys. "Let's go…"

She unlocked the locks and made her way passed the chain. She found a set of stairs leading down to the lower level. She moved quickly down the stairs and found herself in a hallway with one section of wall removed, revealing the city before her. A large metropolis that would seem so normal to anyone, save for the lack of sky above their heads. Looking up, there was nothing but the cavern's surface.

"An underground city…" Nora marveled at the world before her.

All the while, RWBY shuffled a bit in their seats. They still remembered Mountain Glenn and what they'd learned about its fate. It wasn't the best first introduction to subterranean living spaces.

Ruby walked along until she reached a turn. Making her way to the side, she found herself in a massive hallway made almost completely of stained glass.

Ruby gasped, "So pretty!"

Yang, however, didn't fair so well. She had a moment seeing that room where she flashed back to the previous world, one where she had practically abandoned her own family. A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. She turned to see her uncle with a small smile, an attempt to reassure her. Yang smiled and nodded. She turned back to the screen and continued to watch.

Ruby walked along until she paused. Standing across from her was someone in a blue hoodie. As they removed their hood, it was revealed as a familiar blonde, but not the one they expected. Yang was standing opposite Ruby. A light shone through the glass, revealing this version of Yang wasn't quite so familiar. This Yang was a skeleton, for one. Her blonde hair was a strange magical energy flowing from her skull and her lilac eyes were single points of light in the sockets. "'sup kid?" Her mouth didn't move from a perpetual grin.

Yang started to grin, herself. "I like this version…"

"Yang… no." Weiss tried, in vain, to stop her.

Yang took a breath, "A…"

"A skeleton~"

Yang froze mid breath. Everyone looked up toward the screen.

Skeleton Yang was looking directly at them, chuckling. After a moment, she turned back to a confused Ruby, "So, finally made it to the castle. I'm proud of you kid. And hey! Didn't even die once!"

No one could really react to what Yang said after she broke their minds by finishing their Yang's pun.

Ruby nodded, "Yeah…"

Yang's grin became somber, "But there's still the King. The question is, can you keep this up? Can you spare him like you had for all of us? After everything he's done?"

Ruby smiled, "I hope I don't have to fight at all…"

Yang let out a breath and her smile returned to normal. "Good luck, kid. I'm root'n for ya." Yang walked off the screen.

When Ruby followed her course, she was gone.

"How did she do that?!" Nora was excited by everything so far. But Yang's sudden disappearance caught everyone off guard again, including her.

Ruby stood before two tall, ornate doors. She tapped her chest just over her heart to calm her nerves. She pushed one of the doors in two see within. The room before her was a massive room filled wall to wall with golden flowers growing from the ground. Standing on the other end was a massive, mountain of a man with two curved horns protruding from his head. His golden hair seemed to glow in the light of the garden. His purple cloak swaying slightly at the breeze Ruby allowed to enter. They couldn't see anything else, as he had his back to them.

Pyrrha paused, "Is that… who I think it is?"

He turned slightly as he watered the golden flowers beneath him. They could finally see and recognize him. It was Jaune, but much older. He had a full golden beard and his blue eyes showed an experience of life not so unlike that of Ozpin. The way he moved, they could tell he was a kind man, someone who would put the needs of others above his own. In this moment, he was watering the fields before him.

This made most of them smile. Seeing a Jaune that wasn't crazy or boiling over in anger/jealousy. It was nice to see a Jaune they could truly recognize, even if he was a, presumably, goat-faunas in this form.

Jaune sighed and smiled. He placed a watering can to the side and started to turn to leave. As he started to move toward the exit, he locked eyes with Ruby. He froze seeing her. He hadn't expected anyone to be there, let alone a human child. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

Ruby blinked. She had heard so much about the King, but this wasn't what she was expecting.

"So, we went from Prince Jaune to King Jaune?" Ren thought a moment. That was rather interesting…

Pyrrha and Velvet blushed seeing this Jaune. Beneath his royal cloak, he walked in golden plate armor. He looked like a man all could respect, even his enemies. But this Jaune seemed like the kind that could only wish happiness on even those that hated him. It was their Jaune in so many ways. They couldn't help but wish they could walk through the screen to meet him.

Jaune smiled down toward Ruby. It was the smile of a man that cared for so many. He reminded the young Ruby of a father. But there was something beneath. Something that haunted him. She knew well enough what was awaiting her, but she could hope…

"Um… what does she mean by that?" Ruby wasn't sure how to take that just yet.

Jaune took a breath and his smile faded. "I know why you're here, young one." His breathing seemed to shake. "I've no doubt you've heard many things about me. I wish to dissuade and remove any falsities. If you wish it, I will tell you the truth of my actions."

Ruby nodded. If she could hear his truth, she might be able to prevent anything from escalating.

"Yeah… the truth…" Roman scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Yang's eyes turned red as she rose from her seat, ready to fight the speaker.

"You really think he's going to say anything that makes him look bad? Face it kid, the truth is a big lie anyway…"

Jaune turned away and started to walk to the far side, "Walk with me, child, and I'll tell you my story."

Ruby moved to keep pace with the king.

As they reached the far wall, Jaune opened a hidden door. "A very long time ago, humans and faunas lived in harmony with one another. But many refused to look past our differences, on both sides."

Blake hung her head a moment. She used to be one of those people… So, it hits harder than it would for the others.

Velvet took a breath. She hated what the world had become with how people treat each other. People like Cardin… She clenched her fist. Did he have a hand in this world's plight?

"In time, we were at war… In the end, we faunas were driven underground. A barrier was created to keep us from returning. The humans took our homes and forced us away. My people need to return to the sun's rays, but I had few leads of how to release us. I had to keep the people's spirits up, but I was running out of ideas. In time… this place became home, whether we liked it or not…"

Jaune's somber tone, and the subject matter in question, made many in the group feel for the King.

Ruby looked up to the King. She knew this much from her own life. She had been told this story since she was young. What truly captured her attention was the hidden hallway from the garden. She had paused long enough to need to run to keep up with Jaune.

Jaune continued his story as he walked, "Then… one day, a human child fell through the mountain's barrier. My son found them as they called to help…"

"His… son?" Pyrrha stalled.

Velvet was taking it better, but still turned a shade of red.

Jaune paused a moment. He took a deep breath before he continued his tale, "He brought the human child back to our home. In time… they became like siblings. I treated the human like my own… I loved them like my own child… But they fell ill. An ailment that resulted in their death. I had to watch as the human… As my child slowly died…"

Few in the audience were unaffected. Even Roman and Neo couldn't imagine the hell that would be. Only Raven, Cinder, and Mercury were cold to his plight.

Jaune rounded a corner and turned to make sure Ruby was still following. Once she was beside him again, he turned and continued, "My son was racked with grief, as we all were, but he took things badly. He had promised the child to take them back to the surface and see the flowers from the human village before they died. So, when they passed here in the underground, it pained him. He felt as though he failed his closest friend and sibling's final request."

Being significantly taller than Ruby, Jaune had to pause a few times for her to catch up without needing to run. "My son used the human's lingering soul to pass through the barrier and take their body to their village…"

Ozpin stalled a moment, "He… used the child's soul?"

Ironwood and his army had discovered a way to transfer aura, but only through a machine. It was impossible to simply take and use the soul of another. Right?

Jaune's face fell slightly as he recalled the tale, "But my son was a faunas in a world of humans. They believed he killed his human friend and was attacked. He returned home broken and bloody, all of it his own. I rushed to him and called out for help. But I watched as the light left my son's eyes. He died in my arms. Racked with grief and anger, I blamed the humans for taking him from me."

This hit close to home for Blake. She had heard stories while in the White Fang about times like that. She understood Jaune's anger, but also saw this would only end in pain.

"I wanted to have justice for my son. But the barrier would not allow me to pass. Then I discovered a way to break the magic barrier. Seven human souls could overpower the mystic force and shatter the barrier. I told this to my subjects. Their eyes filled with hope again. We could be free and see the sun and sky again. All it would take… was seven human dead."

Blake hung her head a bit. She used to think like that. She could have this and all it would cost is human suffering. She blamed Adam for those years, but she was just as angry back then. The kind of anger born only in the young and hateful, creating ideals to justify their anger/hate.

"My wife hated what I had become. She left as soon as I issued my order, vowing to protect any human that falls into the underground. But they always left her walls. Always finding me if given enough time. Six young human children…" Jaune began to shake a bit as he spoke, his voice becoming pained, "Six souls…"

Pyrrha placed her hands over her mouth in shock, "He's… he…"

No one wanted to believe Jaune would do something like that. It was ridiculous to even consider.

"Even now… I see the face of the human child… of my child, in your eyes." He finally stopped. Before them was a massive white barrier, unlike anything Ruby had ever seen.

Suddenly, a red heart appeared in front of her a moment before resting over her chest. "I…" Fear washed over her. "No wait!" Four panels formed in front of her reading: [FIGHT], [ACT], [ITEM], and [MERCY].

Nora tapped her chin a moment, "It's kind of like a video game…"

Yang nodded, "An RPG of some kind, but… real?"

Realizing what was going on, Ruby tried to reach for the panel labeled MERCY. With a burst of wind and the sound of shattering glass, she fell backward. She looked back up to find three, blood red prongs having impaled her MERCY option. The panel moved away to reveal Jaune holding a solid red spear made of magical energy. The light from his spear reflecting off of his armor and his eyes.

Ruby jumped a little when the panel was impaled. But seeing Jaune like that… it was scary. Scarier than the psychotic versions they'd seen. This was a broken man. Someone who would do such terrible things for the needs of others. Someone who'd waded through the river of blood far too long to turn back.

Jaune slammed the MERCY panel across the ground, causing it to explode into pieces. Jaune looked to Ruby for a moment, his eyes filled with sadness. Tears began to form in his eyes as he spoke, "Human… It was… nice to meet you." His hands shook, and the tears fell across his cheeks as he looked down and away from Ruby, "Goodbye…"

Ruby tried to reason with the King, "Wait, please! We don't have to fight! We don't have to…"

Jaune's shaking only got worse as tears fell to the ground. "I don't have a choice anymore, child. I don't deserve mercy. I don't deserve to be spared… Come, child. You are the seventh soul. One way or another, my journey ends today." Jaune pointed his trident toward Ruby.

Nora clutched onto Ren's hand in sorrow for her team leader. Ren wasn't taking this any better. They were lucky to have each other in that moment. Pyrrha was crying for the Jaune she saw. A hollow man with nothing left, it was more painful to see than any mad/villain Jaunes.

When he swung his weapon, Ruby duked to the side to avoid any damage. She had to get him to see reason. She ducked each attack, using the ACT panel to try to calm him. To try to get through to him. All for naught. He wasn't beyond reason, he beyond surrender. He'd come too far, sacrificed so much, that turning back would make everything for nothing. The six souls would have died for nothing. He saw himself beyond forgiveness. It was becoming clear she had no choice. When she landed after a clean hit, she clenched her teeth and her fists. She reluctantly struck the FIGHT option. A knife appeared in her hand and she stood to face the King.

Jaune never looked up toward her. He couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye. He watched her shadow to keep track of her and her actions. He saw her draw the knife and finally stood against him.

Ruby swung her knife into Jaune's chest, glancing across his armor. She dipped under another swing and hit him two more times before she had to back away. He raised an arm and a torrent of fire flew out toward her. Ruby was able to avoid the magical attack by leaning backward and sliding across the floor with the flames flying just over her nose.

Nora tried to lighten the mood from before, "You have to admit… that was pretty cool."

She jumped back up and caught a glint in Jaune's eyes. A sky-blue flash appeared in his eyes for just a moment. If she was right about what that was… She stopped moving and turned toward Jaune as he swung his trident to her side.

"What's she doing?!" Ruby couldn't fathom why she would stop like that in the middle of his attack.

Jaune's spear turned sky-blue as he swung. The attack flowed through Ruby's body like neither she nor the weapon were real.

Ruby was awe struck. "How did…"

Weiss thought out loud a moment, "If the weapon is magic, it might have certain effects. Perhaps this is a feint to keep her off balance.

Ruby started to jump forward to get in another swing. That's when she saw the blue spear coming back toward her. By this point, she was moving too fast to stop before it hit her. The spear's side slammed into her side and she flew back about ten feet.

Weiss figured out the effects seeing that. "Okay. The blue spear doesn't affect her when she's standing still. But if she's moving, it can hit her."

A glint of orange flashed in his right eye a moment. His trident turned orange and he swung down at her. Ruby saw that and jumped up through the spear, causing her no damage. She landed another small blow against him and backed away.

Yang crossed her arms, "So, I'm guessing orange is the opposite of the blue effect."

Weiss shrugged, not truly able to be 100% certain, "Most likely."

Jaune unleashed more fire, this time forming a ring around her. She jumped out before it could envelop her. She rolled and slashed at Jaune again. But this got her right in front of him with his hand pointed at her face. He unleashed more flames directly upon her. She flew back and rolled on the ground. She needed to restore her HP… She tapped the ITEM button and a list appeared in front of her. She scrolled to an item labeled 'Homemade Pie' and tapped the button. A small slice of pie appeared in front of her and she took a bite.

Jaune paused. It was unmistakable. His tears began to pick up. It was a scent he knew well. His mind flashed back to years before. His children on either arm, one resting on his shoulder while the other hung from his raised bicep. The scent wafted over them as Velvet walked out of a house to call them inside. She wore a long purple dress with long white sleeves, giving off the vibe of a mage.

Velvet's blush from before turned into an overheat. She was Jaune's wife in this reality. They seemed so happy… Her blushing stopped, and she went pale. That means she abandoned him after his order for the humans' deaths… She'd lost a child…

Jaune fell to a knee a moment, racked with grief and pain. It lasted only a moment. He was back up soon after and swung his blade. The swing behind it didn't have the same strength. When Ruby struck him again, he felt more pain. He didn't have the resilience to fight back… After a few minutes of fire and blades, Jaune fell to a knee and failed to rise again. He wept in his sorrow and finally looked into Ruby's eyes again. "Avenge them… Finish me."

"Jaune! No!" Pyrrha tried to shout the world to halt the course. She hoped it could change what she had seen. She wanted to make the world take back the fight. Stop the battle and ensure Jaune wouldn't get hurt. But it was all for naught.

Ruby backed away from Jaune. "I can't… Please. We can…"

Jaune pleaded to the young girl, "Just do it! End this! Avenge your fellow humans and put an end to this tale!"

"I won't! I can't!" Ruby wanted to stop, but without the mercy option, she was stuck in combat. Maybe it could respawn. She only needed a moment…

Jaune looked away again. He shakily stood up again. His grip tightened around his weapon. He didn't have the power to truly hurt her, but he didn't need it anymore.

Velvet felt a chill, "He wouldn't…"

Jaune stood and charged Ruby with spear outstretched. She ducked and jumped back, playing into his plan. He slammed his blades into the ground behind her and threw himself forward. Her blade pierced his heart as blood began to flow from his lips. Ruby's eyes went wide with shock. He smiled to the young girl and placed a hand on her head. "Thank you for being there for my people, child. Thank you for making them happy… I'm sorry it had to end like this…" Jaune's eyes went dull and his hand fell away. He was gone.

The King was dead.

As Ruby fell to her knees, Jaune's body hung, leaning against his spear in the ground. As she started to cry, she could swear she heard his voice on the wind, singing a lament.

So much blood… So much pain… I have lost, my child again… Now, dear child, you shall be free. So, proclaims… the Mountain King.

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King: I hope you all enjoyed this. There was a few people that wanted Undertale versions, though they wanted either Sans-Jaune or Undine-Jaune. I couldn't help but make Jaune as everyone's favorite goat-dad, though. The song is Man on the Internet's rendition of Bergentrückung from "Undertale: the Musical." It was the first piece of Undertale I'd ever seen/heard, so it's rather special. Hope you enjoyed it~