AN: Happy Holidays everyone! Oh yeah, baby, I am Back! Did you miss me? ;) More about what I've been up to after this chapter.

Chapter 4: Let's talk about the Paladin

Beta: My older sister

Glynda stood there and honestly didn't know how to feel about the situation. If what the barbarian said was true. Then, she would have more to learn about the ones who held her captive. The barbarian's strength was confirmed. Depending on where she hailed from, this could spell disaster for the witch.

Then there was the assassin, creatures that could become shadows themselves. The Badwitch would have to take him out first compared to anyone else. "Well, Jaune, two days in, and you've already blown up the bathroom," said Nora. "You should really watch what you put down there." The ginger added a finger wag for exaggeration.

"I didn't blow up the bathroom," Jaune half shouted in embarrassment. "That was Glynda. After I tried, she messed with the water gauge. Then it blew up." The new faces looked to the Badwitch with panic in their eye. She backed up to her bedroom door, and they looked to the self-repairing bathroom.

"Yes, well, the bathroom still has to be cleaned up. The water isn't just going to disappear, and the house has problems." Ren said to the room. "And Jaune?" The paladin looked at the green garb person. "Next time, let me handle repairs." Jaune chuckled in response.

"We should get mops from the main house and some cleaning supplies. The house isn't fully moved in yet." At Jaune's mention of the home, Glynda looked around, and she supposed the place only had the bare bones of necessities. It had firewood, a bathroom, and, from her guess, two barely furnished bedrooms. However, the fact they were trying to furnish a prison cell was absurd to the witch. "I should go make a list of all the stuff we need, but it'll take all day to haul it all over here."

"That's why I'm here, Jaune-Jaune." Nora flexed her muscles and showed off her impressive musculature. Jaune chuckled and disappeared into his room for a second. He returned with paper and pen in hand.

"You're right, Nora. I forgot to ask my team for help, sorry." He wrote down different things as he paced around the room. He mumbled off things around the house, from clothing to supplies for modification. Jaune mentioned the names Ruby and Weiss but went back to his list. Nora and Ren found themselves around the table with a cup of tea in their hands.

They sipped slowly and watched their comrade fill the air with muttering. Glynda rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall as Jaune continued. "Jaune, don't forget—" Ren stated.

"The food, yeah, I got that," Jaune answered quickly. His face was still buried in the parchment.

"No, to talk to the commander," Ren said in step.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. What was it about again?"

"About rotating between us three and your training with Junior Commander Qrow."

"Ugh, and here I thought I was done with the basics," Jaune complained as he struck his head against the wall.

"Well, fighting human combatants is different from Grimm."

"So Goody Witch," Nora began as her teammates discussed fighting. "Do you think I could lift this entire house? Or do you have some spiffy magic spell that could make me as big as a giant?" Nora moved her fingers as if she was casting a spell herself.

"I am a magician of great prestige. However, transmutation is not my specialty," Glynda replied haughtily. "And don't call me Goody Witch." It came across as a veiled threat, but Nora just chuckled along.

"But I heard you turned someone into a frog?"

"I did not. That is a baseless rumor."

"So you can't turn me into a frog?"

"Well, I can, but why are you curious, barbarian?" The outgoing creature became meek and shy as she motioned for Glynda to get closer. She did what she was told and got uncomfortably close to someone who could crush her skull with her hands.

"Well, I was wondering if you could make a whole Prince Naveen thingy for me?" Glynda was drawing a blank with what Nora was referencing. Why would she want to become a man? What did that have to do with becoming a frog? Glynda noticed Nora was staring at the pair. They talked about the logistics of transporting the needed items, but she doubted her blush would be spreading because of the numbers. Then she looked more closely and saw that she was looking at the assassin.

"No."

"Wha, What? Why not?" She asked, stammering through her thoughts.

"Because the purpose of magic isn't to help you play matchmaker."

"Shhhh." Nora got into Glynda's face with all the worry in the world. She looked back at the pair, still discussing the home's necessities. "Let's just not tell them about this conversation, please?" The Goodwitch only rolled her eyes in response.

"Okay, I think we know everything we need. Nora, would you mind helping me get all of this?" Jaune asked as he made his way to the door.

"I got you, fearless leader," the ginger bounced to her feet and skipped out the door.

The door closed with a click, and Goodwitch was already in her room. She refused to be in the same room as the assassin. She wasn't going to give him any chance to just off her. She looked around her room. She looked at the barren sight. It was just donning on her that boredom might kill her before Ren got the chance.

An hour or two passed until a knock on her door caught her attention. "Are you decent?" the monotone voice of Ren reached out from the other side.

"Yes, but I don't permit you to enter," she called back. The door opened with bread and a knife to cut the loaf. Glynda sighed at the sight of him and moved to her window. "I said I did not permit you."

"Yes, but I don't need the permission of a prisoner to enter their cell," Ren said calmly.

Glynda scoffed, "Like this is a prison cell. Are muffins on the list of necessities to nibble on as well?"

"If they were, Nora would likely eat every last one before they got here," Ren said with a small smile.

"Your puppy love is sickening. I'm glad I am stuck just with the golden-haired boob then all three of you."

"Puppy love?" Ren shook his head with a small chuckle. "Well, Commander Rose might just make so. After all, three guards are better than one." Ren grabbed the knife, and Glynda jerked the window sill, but it didn't budge. "It's sealed shut. Do you know Jaune's familial background?"

"They're an ancient family of knights that serve the Kingdom of Vale?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, not necessarily; they are a family of knights that are ironically trying to break their ties with the knight order and fighting entirely. It's why they joined the Knights of the Hunt. Not that they wanted Jaune to join the order." He turned around and put a piece of bread into his mouth.

"And why are you telling me this?" Glynda questioned as she eyed the knife in his hand.

Ren stared blankly at Glynda, then took another bite of the bread. "Mhm, now what's the extent of your magical prowess?"

"Why does that even matter? I've been put in chains that keep me from casting magic."

"I know, but I'm curious about what you can do."

Glynda stared down the assassin and rolled her eyes. "The manipulation of objects is the quickest spell I can perform next to elemental spells. I can do hundreds of things, but transmutation isn't easy for me. Something I already told your partner, and you should already know all about this monster."

Ren stood and made to leave but stopped short at the door. "You are a test for not only Jaune but for the Order as well. So go ahead and cause trouble because we will be ready." Ren took a stance and lunged forward at blazing speed. The bread knife kissed her throat, and his tone was low. "You do anything to hurt Jaune, I will end your life. No matter what my monk teachings have taught me. I will end you."

Glynda balked, "You're a monk?"

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Nora's strong arms pulled a cart made for an ox and with the cargo to match. "So, Jaune, how are you feeling?"

Jaune turned to Nora from the top of the cart and asked, "I'm feeling pretty good. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's been a year and a half since she…" A lump sat in Nora's throat, but she swallowed the rock and continued with her thought. "Since she died at the hands of that witch." Venom sprouted from the last word of the sentence, and Jaune's face darkened in response. "You sure you want to be alone with one?" Jaune was silent for a while. Nora halted her push and turned to her leader. "Jaune?"

He looked at his teammate with a smile like a dog hearing its name being called for dinner. However, The smile was thin and practiced, one of the last things their late teammate taught him. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll do great on this mission, and then I'll be cleared. I can't wait to get back out there and help people. It feels weird to see everyone go on missions while I can't go anywhere."

"Well, you didn't go out of your room for months, and even then, you couldn't look any mage without crying your soul out or going into a blind rage," Nora stated as she started to push again.

"Urk," Jaune followed up with.

"I know it took a lot of convincing for us to get the mission from the boss lady and even more to make so that you're the only guard but Jaune. Pyrrha died. She was our teammate, and she died. She was closest to you, but you shouldn't shoulder this alone." Nora stated the fact, and the forest filled the silence.

"Yeah, but I need to prove I can do missions again. But I swear if I'm not able, I'll ask for help."

The rest of their trip was quiet, with one or two animals saying hello to Nora. When the home came into view, Nora spoke. "Just don't get lost in the snow on your way back to town, okay Jaune?"

"Yeah, I won't."

AN: Alright, dudes, so long story short, I GRADUATED! Yes, yes, hold your applause. Nah, who am I kidding? Pile it on. Feed the dragon that is my ego. He is very small and needs some lovin. I cried when I realized I did it. Anyway, after trying to find some semblance of balance in my life for everything because I graduated.

I have decided to post this when I am finally working on the next one and not right when I am done. I'll probably be either done with the chapter or almost done with it by the end of it. It will be good and more importantly I hope you all had good lives from the last time we talked. I've had my downs, but I've had many ups as well. Don't forget that life might seem unfair, and at some points, it can be. But if you keep walking forward with hope for better and striving for better, you'll get it. Well, that's what I believe. It might not be what you're looking for, but it is what it is.

But also forget that whole thinking. It is what it is? Why not change it if you can. Like truly do so, pah. So many people are going on strike in the USA, and they got sick of it. It is what it is. So yeah. Oh, if you need cheering up, go to dragoofire on Instagram. There's a cosplay I'm sure you all will enjoy. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. See you in the next one.

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Next Chapter: February 19th