King: First real "Part 2"! And now that I have that archiver, expect some more from the same realities. I'm still going to show new, but some of these have more stories to tell... Closure to find... This was a long time coming... Let's get right into it I guess...

Inspiration: Destiny 2

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King popped back in for a moment before the next reality loaded in. "Alright. I'm in a good mood~ So, let's test out the archive. This one… needs some closure. But… that's kind of hard to do due to… circumstances… But I found a loophole, of sorts… Hope you…" He stopped himself as disappeared.

Port's eyes narrowed (somehow), "Closure, huh?"

The screen opened, showing a robotic version of Ruby leaning to the side behind a quartermaster's counter. "Memory isn't what it used to be… But I'll never forget Jaune…"

Penny smiled. "It's rather odd seeing friend Ruby as a robot."

Ruby chuckled, away of Penny's robotic situation, "I'll bet."

Ruby shook her head, "Never forget Jaune… And thinking that the Ace is in the hands of that… bastard Mercury…"

At the mention of both 'Ace' and 'Mercury,' the groups started to understand the closure to come. This was the same world where they saw Jaune-6 die and Neo swear vengeance against his killer. Many in the audience hoped to see Neo finally take that asshole down.

"If anyone deserves the Ace, it's you…"

The scene faded to show Jaune's signature cannon on the ground. It was scratched to hell and looked older than dirt.

Ruby's voice carried through the moment, "But you've got to promise me something…"

A gloved hand reached down to pick up the Ace. The camera followed the gun to show Neo looking down at the piece. Her eyes moved to track her target. Mercury Black was injured and lying on the ground. She walked over and pointed the cannon straight toward him.

Neo smirked. She would have her revenge, after all~

"Put… Mercury… in the ground."

The screen snapped to black with an accompanying gunshot.

Neo clapped her hands together in satisfaction.

Yang groaned, "I hate to agree with the sentient ice cream cone… But I'm glad she was able to get Mercury back for what he did."

Ozpin was melancholy. "Vengeance may be a nice, short-term sensation, it doesn't change anything…" He'd seen too many people ruin their lives in pursuit of revenge. He hoped his students won't fall victim to the same demons.

The black screen persisted as Ruby continued to speak, "I haven't seen the Ace this bad since…" She sighed at the memory. One she wanted to leave in the past. "I can fix her up good as new. No… Better than new. I owed Jaune too much as it is. I can do this at least. Get me the parts, and we'll get her firing again. Probably left the parts in one of his famous caches. Find them and bring them to me."

The scene returned, showing Neo arrive at an old archology. "Okay… Let's find that cache." Neo owed a lot to Jaune as well. He may have been cocky, sarcastic, and a total smartass, but he was like the heart of the Last City. He was a beacon of joy in terrible times. Neo's fist clenched tighter and she started to walk into the old archive.

Velvet smiled, "He would be the person to perk everyone back up."

Everyone could feel the heavy atmosphere around Neo's journey. But none of them were prepared for what happened next.

Neo jumped up onto a nearby ledge and found a cache hidden away. She pulled out a suitcase-like design and opened the item. A small metallic 'ting' signaled the release of a pin.

Winter's eyes narrowed, "A trapped cache?"

Ironwood shook his head, far too experienced with the sound of trapped explosives or grenades. "This is something else."

Then, they heard a voice from the case, "This one is for Glynda Goodwitch."

Glynda closed her eyes and sighed. "They're final death messages. One last word to whoever found the cache. But I don't know why I am refenced."

"If you're listening to this, you killed me! I assume you became like… a Hive death goddess or something and fed to your worm cult." Jaune shuddered in the recording. "That, or you finally got sick of me. That said, if you didn't kill me and still somehow hear this, I'm sorry for stealing your ship. And… pretty much every other interaction we've had. But to be clear! If you DID kill me, I do NOT apologize, and I will consider my actions 100 percent justified! Either way, feel free to do… whatever you do with my maps. I sure don't need them anymore."

Ozpin tried to stifle his laughter. He could see Glynda becoming a death goddess with a cult.

Glynda groaned. A part of her almost felt like that message could have come from Ozpin… Granted, he was far more professional…

Neo took the recording and closed the cache. A part of her wanted to take it back to Glynda... But right now, she had a job to do. She jumped along the upper rafters to find another cache. She popped it open, this time expecting the recording to play.

"This one is for that armless coward, Cardin the Scarred!"

Velvet growled a bit hearing his name. She hated Cardin with a vengeance. But she didn't think he'd kill Jaune… but she sure as hell wanted to break Cardin's legs.

"If you're hearing this… you killed me. But I bet I took a big chunk of your sorry husk with me. I got my share of regrets… but I think not getting to put a bullet in you is up in the top three. Won't be long before a better guardian than me comes along and puts you in your place. Just wish I could be there to see it."

Neo grinned a little. She remembered Cardin and more than happy to have put him down. It was a somber memory, given the current circumstances. She took a breath and grabbed the recording.

Velvet felt a little better knowing Cardin didn't kill Jaune in this reality. Their Cardin was a racist ass but didn't deserve to die. This Cardin sounded like he was more than a little worse.

Neo jumped to the next cache nearby.

"This one goes to Roman Torchwick. Our resident Drifter."

This got Roman's attention. Apparently, he knew the kid in this reality. Neo wasn't sure what to consider given it was like there were two Roman's then… But she ran with it.

"You did warn me running with you was going to put a target on my back. Guess I'm in good company, huh? After all, never had any fun without a little risk. That's the idea of that operation you're putting together, right? MY idea, by the way! Had that idea like… a million years ago! Back when you were still handsome."

If Neo could make a noise, laughter would fill the room.

Roman smirked, "Now that's just uncalled for."

"So, you know, you're welcome. Granted, setting that up will put you back on the map and back in the sights of you-know-who. Hope I was around to see that showdown! Personally, my money would be on the guy with the Golden Gun. But, hey, what do I know? I'm dead."

Neo met the Drifter Roman recently and decided to take the recording back to him, if only to see his reaction. She heard a roar sound through the halls as Hive started to climb up from the floor. She grabbed her hand cannon and leveled the creatures in her way. It was a nice catharsis after everything she'd been through. When she was done, she jumped to another cache and opened it.

"Pyrrha…"

Pyrrha stiffened in her seat. She remembered that she and Jaune were friends in this reality. Or, at least, allies. It was odd to hear she had a cache.

"if you're listening to this, you killed me. Maybe the Royals of the Reef decided they were sick of me? If it was the Queen, Cinder, I guess I understand. You were always a glutton for chivalry. But if it was Mercury, I'm pissed. Just thinking about that peacock gives me a headache. But, I'm betting my death had something to do with your famous collateral damage. You're a do-gooder – but a good deed never goes unpunished with you around. You just… You've got a blast radius, P."

Pyrrha clenched her fists. She knew she wasn't the one to kill him in this reality, but it hurt that she could have been. That she, apparently, hurt people despite helping them… That was hard to hear, but it would make her more careful.

Neo hopped off and jumped to another cache. "How many of these things does he have?"

"This one goes out to the people of Atlas Military Research. You think just because you made me, you can un-make me? I get it. Got to protect those precious secrets. But you better hope I never told anyone else about what you've done. I may be dead, but you haven't heard the last of me."

Penny was conflicted. On one hand, this almost made this version of friend Jaune like her brother, having also been made by the AMR. But he was also dead… And Atlas seemed to have more than a few skeletons in the closet.

Neo jumped off to another cache and opened the casing.

"Here's one for Blake Belladonna."

Blake blinked in surprise. It was weird to think she would be responsible for killing Jaune. At least, not any more…

"You know, when I told my Ghost I was making one of these for you, she laughed. I didn't have to tell you that. Just wanted to make you feel bad. In my defense, if you're hearing this, you killed me. If it was a fair fight, I know I'd win hands down. But I see the look in your eyes, plotting some convoluted trap. Some call it paranoia, I call it 'being a Hunter'." So, here's your next Hunter lesson: looking after your own. Speaking of, congratulations~! You are now the proud owner of the Colonel!"

Neo let out a somber laugh. She remembered the chicken Jaune had taken in during the Red War.

"She only eats sesame seeds muesli and drinks purified spring water sprig of parsley. Play nice you two~"

Blake sighed, "He gave me a chicken?" She tried to diffuse the emotional timebomb welling the room, to no true avail.

Neo took a breath before moving to the next area. She had to find the cache with the parts… She located another case and opened the lid.

"This one if for any Hunter that takes me down. Best guess, Emerald Sustrai."

Emerald raised an eyebrow. Then she realized that she was one of the ones with the capes in that world. She found idea absurd, but chose not to say anything at the time.

"You realize that you get my stuff right? ALL of my stuff. That includes the Hunter Vanguard gig. Yeah! Congra-tu-lations, dummy. That's what we call the Vanguard Dare. Sucks, doesn't it? Brace yourself for some advice, hotshot. One, know your people. Like my Nessus scout, Fox Alistair. I like to call in once a moon, otherwise he gets a little too much Night, not enough Stalker. You get me? Two! Keep your weapons sharp. Your job is to watch everyone's backs. That means no one's watching your back but you."

Qrow winced and uncapped his flask, "No wonder the guy's so paranoid…"

Roman glanced toward Neo. "It's easy to lose it without someone watching your back…"

Neo heard him but didn't let him know by responding.

"And three! Think about what you want to do for your successor's Vanguard Dare. 'Cause trust me kid, this job will kill ya~"

Neo made her way down the hall to another cache, hidden in the ceiling. She opened the case within seconds, almost automatically.

Jaune was laughing, "Oh! I'm sorry. I just… Hahahaha! I can't help but imagine how awkward this is for you!"

Nora giggled a little at her leaders laughing, "Okay. So who is this one for?"

Jaune started to calm down again. "Right! Right… Let's try this again. Ren…"

Nora's giggling stopped on a dime.

"I'm dead. You killed me. You get my stuff. No more working me over at chess. No more getting worked over in poker. For real, though. I'm more than well aware if you killed me, it was 'for the good of the City.' I get that. No hard feelings. I'm serious! None. I've known you long enough now to know that you wouldn't kill me unless I presented a clear and present danger to the City and/or its people. You're way too patient to let me ever get to you. You're… You're like the brother I never had… Look at me. Getting sappy in a death cache!" The message cut off there.

Ren was a visage of calm on the outside. But within, he was breaking. Jaune had called him the same thing when he asked for advice. In a way, the two really were almost like brothers these days… Hearing the message hurt in its own way.

Neo's body shook. These were getting more and more personal… She took a breath and kept moving. Another cache found. Another case opened.

"Hi, Weiss…"

Weiss blinked in shock. She remembered her in this reality being the one willing to rain hell on Mercury for killing Jaune.

Jaune took a breath. "So… you'll know I'm making a bunch of these. Probably told you about it. Truth be told, this was the easiest to make. If we're being honest, I could never tell if you liked me or not. But… in the event you did hate me… the feeling was certainly NOT mutual."

Weiss's fingers tightened around her armrest. She never hated Jaune. Even during his obnoxious attempts to flirt with her, she never hated him.

"If we did fight… One, I know you'd kick my ass to Tuesday. Second… I know you'd be in the right. So… thanks, I guess. You were a… a good friend. Better than a guy like me deserved. Thanks, Weiss… For everything."

Weiss was shaking in her seat. This was hard to hear. Despite his glowing praise, it was somber. Spoken in a way that she never wanted to hear again.

Neo took a deep breath. Her Ghost told her there's a strange signal coming from the end of the hall. One last cache. Neo slowly walked out onto a walkway. She found a cache hidden off to the side and opened the case slowly. "The last few were pretty personal. Who was more personal to him than Ren and Weiss?"

Then it began. "Last one… For the strong, silent type. Neo!"

Neo's breath hitched. Why would…?

"I always knew you'd outdo me one day! I'm pretty proud of that, actually. I mean, yeah… I'm probably dead if you're hearing this… If you had to be the one to take me down… Eh. You saved my life on Nessus. Figure I owe it to you anyway." Jaune sighed. She could practically hear the smile on his face. "All I ask, is that you take care of the Ace of Spades. I don't mean maintenance, Ruby can help you with that… I mean… 'Take care' of Ace. Use it well. And if you find the papers from my previous… deployments. Burn them. Don't want people poking through the lives of Jaune 0 through 5, right?" Jaune paused. "So just… put it all behind you. Every story has an end… This is mine."

Neo found the parts inside the case. She picked them up and revealed a small set of photos. Some showed Jaune in the early days of the Vanguard alongside Ren and Weiss. One in particular caught her eye. It was the aftermath of the Red War. He had treated Neo to a grand party out on the town, celebrating her part in defeating the Red Legion that attacked the City.

Jaune really was the heart of the Last City. And now he was gone.

"Oh! And the photos… Just… let it go. No need to hold onto stuff that don't matter anymore… Other than Ren and Weiss… You're probably the closest thing to friend I have… had… Damn it, Jaune! Don't do this now!" He took a breath. "Know what? I'm dead, so it doesn't matter. Tear them, burn them, keep them, do whatever. Just promise me something. A dead man's last wish… Be the best damn Hunter… No! Best damn Guardian this galaxy ever saw! Think you can do that?" Jaune's recording cut off there.

Neo's face was shrouded by shadows. She closed the casing and sent the entire thing, through the transmat system, back to the City. She stood up and started to walk off. The space just in front of the cache's previous location was now adorned with small droplets.

The screen ended the run there.

King popped back in to a somber scene. No one wanted to say anything. No one had the drive… "I guess an intermission is in order…"