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Chapter Text

"Your dad didn't train you at all?" Ruby asked before shoving her burger into her mouth.

"Nope." Jaune replied, stirring his ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise together. "Dad wasn't much good at anything. Kind of why Mom left him."

Ruby wiped her lips of grease and sauce. "Ouch. When did this happen?"

"Uh, shortly after my youngest sister was born." Jaune squeaked his straw as he tried to remember. "So about a year or so ago."

"Was he a bad husband?" Ruby asked, then flushed and waved her hands. "I'm so sorry for prying! You don't have to answer!"

"It's fine." Jaune chuckled. "Not so much bad as he is... unreliable. He would spend most of his nights at the bar after spending all day watching TV."

"Yeesh!" Ruby winced. "Was he good at anything?"

Jaune tapped his chin as he looked up. Then scratched his cheek as he look down. He crossed his arms and shut his eyes to think. Grumbling, he sighed and rested his elbows on the table with a sigh. His next words changed everything for the two friends.

"Not really." Jaune shook his head. "He's good at eating pickles and telling women his emotional problems, but not much else."

Ruby almost choked on her soda as she spat on her glowing hand. Those same words spiraled under now soaking napkins she used to clean herself.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She fervently wiped. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay!" Jaune chuckled as he helped wipe away the sticky syrup, unaware of the glowing words. His fingers briefly touched hers, and Ruby felt like she was on cloud nine. Jaune was confused, though. "Uh, are you okay, Ruby?"

"Yeah," she sighed, admiring her friend in a new light, "just perfect."

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"OH GOD, PLEASE NO!"

"Ooh!" Cardin winced at the strike made against his teammate. "Looks like Lark is out."

"Better luck next year, eh, Cardin?" Jaune chuckled.

"Screw you, Jaune." Cardin scoffed. "Don't forget that you're up against her next, so you better be ready to eat mud."

"I'm not too worried." Jaune shrugged. "She's been teaching me since we were kids. If anyone's gonna be a match for her, it might as well be me."

"And that ends the first round of the tournament!" The announcer called out into his microphone. "Let's give a round of applause for Sky Lark and Pyrrha Nikos!"

The crowd of the ren fair roared as the two combatants stood and bowed for the audience, before Lark limped off with the only real wound being to his pride.

"Just remember that I'm taking you down in the semis, so don't go disappointing me." Cardin jabbed his finger into Jaune's chest.

"Yeah, yeah." Jaune batted the offensive digit away. "I'll save you from big, bad Pyrrha Nikos."

"Is that what you really think of me?" The two knights turned to meet Pyrrha's smirking face at him. "Because if you'd like, I can show you big and bad."

"Save it for the ring, Pyrrha." Jaune chuckled. "Otherwise it'll be wasted when we go toe-to-toe."

"You think you can win this year?"

"I don't need to win. I just have to beat you."

"What is wrong with you?" Cardin asked. "I get that you guys are friends, but it's still jarring to me that you're smack-talking Pyrrha Nikos! You might as well be fighting a tiger!"

Jaune laughed. "I honestly find her about as intimidating as a box of kittens." Pyrrha heart thumped, as she felt a burning itch on her shield arm.

"Well then," Pyrrha stood taller with a dangerous grin, "I'll just have to earn my stripes, won't I?" She then swiftly turned on her heel to exit.

"...Did she just reference a cereal mascot?" Jaune asked.

"DID I JUST REFERENCE A CEREAL MASCOT?!" Pyrrha screamed into her cestuses.

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"Are you sure he's okay?" Nora asked in a worried tone as her cat was gently pulled and moved this way and that.

Ren was always a lazy feline, but lately, he seemed more lethargic than before. He barely moved for his food, his toys lay unplayed with for weeks, and his scratching post looked brand new! Nora rubbed her hands, fearing the worst.

"Give it to me straight, doc!" Nora shouted. "Is it feline leukemia? Kuru? C.E.M.?!"

"In order, no, he's perfectly healthy. No, because that's a human condition from cannibalism. And no, because that's a sexually transmitted infection for horses." Jaune scratched Ren's ear, receiving a purr in response.

"Then what's wrong with him, then?" Nora asked.

"Hm, well, there's nothing physically wrong with him." Jaune scratched his chin. "How has he been emotionally? Any sudden changes at home?"

"Not really." Nora rubbed her hands. "I mean, I bought new cat food that he really likes, but then when my friend Emerald brought her cat, she said that the food I had was about as good as dog food." She gasped. "Is that it?! Do you think he's self-conscious about himself? Is that why he's eating less?!"

"Hm, could be." Jaune pet along Ren's side. "What kind of brand is it?"

"It's Pup-Step, Healthy Hair Blend." Nora answered.

"The dog food brand for puppies?"

"Y-Yeah." Nora scratched her head. "It looked a lot like what I normally get, so I figured I'd stick with what I got."

"Uh-huh." Jaune pulled his hand away, to which Ren began grooming himself. "Well, there's nothing to suggest dog food is nutritionally bad for cats, or at least when comparing puppies to full grown cats. But it could be more filling for Ren, meaning he's less likely to move around as much. I'd suggest sticking to your usual brand for now."

"So he's not self-conscious about what Em said?" Nora asked.

Jaune shrugged. "I mean, people generally approve of dogs eating cat food, but not cats eating dog food. With that in mind, though, I think it would be best to feed animals what they're meant to be fed."

As Jaune was looking away to write in his medical book thingie, Nora felt her heart jump almost through her chest. She quietly leaned down and peeled open her sock, where blue letters danced across her foot. She brought herself face to face with Ren, who was sitting quietly in the office.

"Everything okay, Nora?" She stood straight, her face lightly flushed from the surprise he gave her. "You were staring pretty hard at Ren."

"Uh, y-yeah, I, uh, just had a lot to think about when I get home." She lied smoothly.

"Well, if you'd like, I can take the dog food off your hands. I can swing by your apartment to pick it up."

"Yeah." Nora nodded, an idea brewing in her head. "I think I can work with that."

..................................................................................

"So how long have you been here?" Jaune asked the woman.

"Too long." She replied, staring into the fire she made. "Long enough to lose track of time."

"Do you remember what brought you here?"

She nodded. She prodded the ash, stirring ember and dust into the air. With amber eyes shut, she deeply inhaled through her nose, before letting out a long exhale from her lips.

"There was a plane." She said. "We were on a cargo run for the Schnee Dust Company. The next thing I knew was being riddled with bullet holes, and watching three people die from gunshot and fire. I held on for dear life to... something. It might have been a dust crate, or one of the ration containers on board, but when everything went loud and black, I passed out."

She stood up, walking past Jaune to the mouth of the cave. The storm still raged with wind and rain and thunder. She pointed out to the mountain on the opposite side of the island. Jaune immediately understood.

"So you crashed that mountain?" Jaune rhetorically asked. "And you somehow made your way over here?"

"Mm." She nodded, returning to her seat by the fire. "I nearly died on my first night." She turned and removed her coat, revealing her back to him.

He blushed, and moved his hand to cover his eyes, but stopped at his mouth. The beautiful woman's back was scarred with deep cuts, the deepest set just barely missing her spine. His other hand moved out to touch it, but was swiftly caught and held to himself. She returned her coat to her back, tossing her raven-black hair out of the coat.

"The white leopards," she said as she turned around, "they're all vicious killers."

"Snow leopards." Jaune nodded.

"Did you see them?" She asked. "When you crashed?"

"I was shipwrecked and had to swim to the island." Jaune chuckled. "So yeah, the beach was crowded with snow leopards. Absolutely lousy with-"

A thunderous boom caused Jaune to jump and turn to the storm outside. As he turned to the cave, Kali removed her coat, feeling a warmth along her back. As she turned, she saw the words, those fated words shining over her scar from the white leopard.

"Um, Kali?" She turned to see him blushing and looking away. "What are you doing?"

With a smile, she loosed her coat fully, exposing herself to the man on the other side of the fire. She felt a wind blow from the storm, as if the island itself was trying to stop her. But it was futile, as she felt her heard thunder in her excitement with a tremendum that rivaled the beasts of the of her shared home. Since her arrival of fire and blood, Kali finally understood her role, her purpose for being here; she was the queen, the apex predator of the mountains, the jungle, the seas, and the island.

And she was hungry.

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"I refuse."

"Willow, please-"

"Do not 'Willow, please' me, Jacques," the snow-haired woman glared at the stringy gentleman next to her, "I refuse to allow my good name to be dragged through the mud simply to appease the more simple-minded masses."

Jaune sat there with a scowl as his publisher and the 'Marquess of Mystery,' as she was so often praised, discussed and debated over his potential big break as comic book writer. Jacques Gele, of Bittersweet Publishings, had the brilliant idea to illustrate his ex-wife's mystery novels into a graphic novel. What he failed to mention, however, was how bitter the divorce had left her, as she held no warm feelings for him, or anyone associated with the name Gele attached to it.

"If I could interrupt," Jaune suddenly spoke up, silencing the bickering former couple, "because I think this conversation is going nowhere."

"Agreed." Willow nodded. "I suggest we end this farce, and you go back to your toy store."

"Woah! That's not fair!" Jaune held up his hands. "We're both well-known authors."

"Hardly." Willow scoffed. "I craft pulse-racing tales of intrigue and wit. You scribble inside bubbles for children to understand."

Jaune could have been angry. He should have been angry. This woman had just insulted his dream job, looking down upon him and his craft. But he didn't, and chose to switch tactics instead.

"I guess you're right." Jaune sighed, earning a smirk from Willow. "You author countless novels, and I write for comic books. Or, well, I wrote for comic books. Now, I author my own graphic novels."

"Simply another name for the same craft."

"Not quite." Jaune held up a finger. "While it is true that both are illustrated, the key difference is that a graphic novel is it's own intellectual property, and don't belong to larger companies, like Amaze or Black Bull."

"Oh, and you believe that simply because you wrote a few of these so-called 'graphic novel masterpieces' in your time?"

"Hey, I'll have you know I've written over fifty novels, and while I'm not on your level of skill, I'm still owed some respect."

Willow quirked her brow at that. "Is that so?" She lifted her right hand, as though she were checking her fingernails, but in truth was glancing at the shining ring of words glittering around her palm. Something that Jacques had failed to do in the time since she met her. "Then perhaps we should discuss this further, in a more casual environment?"

"A more casual environment?" Jaune repeated.

"Yes." She nodded. "This office is so stuffy, it makes it difficult to think. If you would like, I'd be willing to discuss this further this afternoon. Say, three, at the the Café Rosita?"

"Uh, sure." Jaune turned to Jacques. "Does that work for you?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot attend." Jacques stood with a sigh. "I have a meeting with another client then. I have all the documents, so don't worry about signing anything. Just... good luck, Mr. Arc."

Before the conversation could continue further, Jacques left the office, leaving an incredibly confused client. Jaune then stood and nodded to Willow. "Uh, see you at three."

"At Café Rosita."

"Café Rosita," Jaune nodded, "it's a date."

..................................................................................

This was probably the worst field day in the history of, well, ever. Jaune and his fellow instructors were so focused on their games that they never noticed Nora stealing equipment from different courses to make Olympus Mount, the most grueling obstacle course in the shape of a mountain. How she managed to build this monstrosity within so little time would be impressive if not for it's swaying structure threatening to topple over everything onto everyone.

"Jaune," Yang jogged up to him, "we just did a head count."

"Is everyone here?" He asked.

"No. Well, yeah, every student is here."

"Who's not here?"

"Ruby, my sister." Yang rubbed her arms. "I'm really starting to worry about her." She then groaned. "I knew she shouldn't have been an aide."

"Easy, easy..." Jaune patted the air. "Just take a deep breath. She's smart, so she's probably inside, using the restroom, or she went out to her bike, or-"

"HI, YANG!"

"-or she's on giant death mountain."

"RUBY! GET DOWN FROM THERE!" Ruby shouted from the peak.

"LOOK! I WON THE MOUNTAIN GAME!" She waved a red flag over her head. "NORA OWES ME A HUNDRED LIEN!"

All eyes glared to Nora, who sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Uh, to be fair," she nervously chuckled, "I would have climbed it myself, but Ren needed help with one of the courses." Ren simply shook his head.

A strong gust of wind blew, making the mountain sway especially hard. It was coming down soon. Ruby squeaked as she ducked low, close to the mountain surface, made of plywood.

"It's going to collapse!" Yang shouted. "We need to call the police, or the fire department, or the militia, or-"

"Call the hospital in case something does go wrong." Jaune said, grabbing Yang's shoulders, bringing her back to reality. "I'll climb up there and try to bring Ruby down safely."

"But you-"

"I'm the only one here with mountain climbing experience." Jaune said, stepping away.

"It was an indoor rock wall!" Yang argued.

A cloud passed over, then broke away to cast the sun's light onto Jaune. With a serious and determined face, he looked like an action hero... in an orange safety vest. "And I'm the best damn shot we've got."

Jaune ran up to the mountain and found his footing on some bowling pins and traffic cones. Climbing over the ledge, the plywood until his hands feet wobbled, but remained steady. He followed the path of deflated balls up the incline until he reached lacrosse and hockey sticks forming a bridge, tied together with weighted ropes.

The mountain shook again, and debris began to fall from above. Covering his head, he ran up the path as pieces of sports equipment, from football mats to hockey masks to even bowling balls fell towards him. One bowling ball smashed his wrist, but he powered through. He could feel the injury start to swell already.

One final climbing challenge. It would be hard with only one hand, but he had to reach the summit. Yang was counting on him. Ruby was counting on him! With his elbow, he replaced the use of his hand by digging into the soft wall as leverage. He nearly reached the summit when his fingers slipped and he began to fall backwards!

A pair of delicate hands grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him to the peak. Ruby panted as she fell on her butt. The tower swayed over and over, to and fro, until it finally settled for a brief moment.

"How do we get down?" Ruby asked. "Unless you have some kind of landing strategy planned."

Jaune looked around, hoping to find a miracle. Sonething colorfull caught his eye from under the plywood board. Pulling it free with one hand, he grinned.

"Well, I wouldn't say it was planned, but..."

The wind picked up again, and the world began to shift. Gravity was slowly becoming apparent, as much of the foundation began to crumble. Holding up the colorful fabric, he looked to Ruby.

"I need you to grab two end of this." He explained. "I'll grab one and hold onto you with my free arm." She nodded, gripping two sides with as wide arms as she could. Jaune grabbed an edge and hugged her slim body to his. "Ready?"

Ruby shook her head.

"Me neither." Jaune ran towards the edge and jumped, hurtling towards the ground at not nearly as slow as he expected. Still, it was slow enough for them to descend safely, and he rolled them into the parachute. Crawling free, they watched as Olympus Mount came crashing down, in their opposite direction.

"Holy crap..." Ruby breathed.

"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Nora cheered, appearing right in front of them. "So, what would you rate that? Five stars?" Ren grabbed her collar and dragged her away. "What? Too soon?"

"Ruby!" Yang hugged her sister. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Yang." Ruby sighed.

"Are you sure?" Yang asked, reached her hands to rest on her younger sister's cheeks. "No broken bones?"

"No, I'm completely fine."

"Good." Yang squeezed the cheeks with her index and ring fingers and thumb, growling. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, CLIMBING UP THAT DEATH TRAP?!"

"OWOWOWOWOW!" Ruby whined. "I'M SHORRY, YENG! I WANTED TO PROVE I COULD DO IT TO NORA! SHE SAID IT WASH TOO HARD!"

"Well, to be fair," Jaune chuckled. "That was pretty fun, despite the impending collapse." He sighed. "I never knew what hardship was until it started raining bowling balls."

Yang released her sister, and covered her stomach, which seemed to be glowing for a moment. With her fist, she coughed her way out of explaining anything. "Even so, that was a stupid thing to get into. I'm glad you're okay, Ruby, but I will have to tell the head honchos about all this."

"Aw, man..."

"You can go tell your side of the story." She jutted a thumb towards Jaune. "I'll keep an eye on Mister Hero here."

"Okay, Yang." She ran off.

"That was dumb, by the way." Yang said.

"Eh," Jaune shrugged, "not much else I could have done."

"Sure." She held out a hand. "Let's take you to the nurse's office. Might need to get some heat on that wrist."

..................................................................................

"Are you enjoying the evening, Mr. Arc?" The woman crooned in her silken dress, a fiery red marked with golden flames crawling up in a pattern that made them dance with every step.

"I am." Jaune answered honestly. Sure, he was deep in enemy territory, a casino ruled over by a malevolent shadow figure known as the Black Queen, and one wrong step would end with him dying a horrible, painful death shortly after. But hey, free soda, right?

"That's good." The woman smiled, much like a serpent before striking a hapless rabbit. "Would you care to play a game? Craps?"

"No, thank you. I already went."

"Atlas Hold 'Em?"

"I don't trust Atlas with much of anything, sorry."

"Spades?"

"Uh, Clubs? Hearts? Diamonds?" Jaune Arc was a secret agent for his wit, not his charm, but even that failed him at times."

"What game would you play then?" She raised a brow. "Surely you haven't been here for so long and only played on the slot machine?"

"Of course not!" He laughed, not revealing that he was actually at the bar, waiting for his root beer vanilla cream swirl. Apparently they didn't think to serve non-alcoholic cocktails, so it took a while for his drink to arrive. "But if you had a board, I'd be willing to play a game of cribbage."

"Cribbage?" The woman balked with genuine surprise. "I didn't think there was a soul alive who still plays such a game."

"Well, this is an isolated casino," Jaune then openly mused, "deep in the jungles of Mistral and not near the coasts of Menagerie."

"As it so happens, there is a cribbage board, but it's not open to just any players."

"Oh, and how do I get to such a board?"

She chuckled. "Come to my room at ten tonight, and I'd be willing to show you~."

"T-Ten tonight?" Jaune gulped. "Uh, I mean, b-but that's so soon, and I'd like to attend some of these tables."

"Oh, the tables will still be here," she traced a finger along his throat, "but it would be rude to deny a lady's invitation." She turned away, a sway to her hips as she sauntered a few feet. "Shall we?"

"Uh, y-yeah, just, uh, let me use the can."

Minutes later, Jaune was in the restroom, checking the stalls before pulling the ear microphone from his collar. On the other end, Goodwitch scolded him.

"I'm sorry! I panicked!" Jaune whimpered as Goodwitch growled obscenities, reminding him to not blow his cover.

"She already knew my name, and now she's inviting me up for cribbage. "Dialogue on the other end followed. "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY CRIBBAGE!" More scolding followed.

"I don't know! Blake and I were talking about it, and I got it stuck in my head." He sighed. "So I guess I gotta lose at cribbage, huh?"

A different voice spoke up. "Really? You'll help me out, Blake?!" The voice continued. "Yes, I'll buy you a board. How much would it cost?" A brief description followed then. "HOW MUCH?!"

"Mr. Arc?" A voice called. "Are you still interested in our game?"

"Uh, y-yeah, sure!" Jaune called back, hiding his microphone in his collar, heading out. The woman met him outside, as lovely as ever. "Sorry, I, uh, had some bad soda."

She giggled. "Oh, Mister Arc," she crooned, emphasizing his title, "so uncouth. Perhaps you should save your sailor tongue for our game?"

"Perhaps I shall." Jaune chuckled, following her into the dimly lit room.

"FUCKING SHIT!" The woman cursed as Jaune placed his peg in the final hole once more. She composed herself once more, though flaring from her nostrils a great deal. With gritted teeth, she praised him. "I guess it's not surprising for a man as yourself to be skilled at a game so few play."

"It's more luck than anything." Jaune chuckled. "Fifteens, thirty-ones, pairs, flushes, and runs. I guess if the cards like you, they really like you."

"Oh?" The woman smiled. "Then I suppose my cards really do like you, don't they?"

Jaune glanced at the deck he sloppily shuffled. In the dimly lit room, outshined by the casino strip lights outside, he admired the rosebush deck. Bleeding hearts and ensnared diamonds seemed to glisten and shine along with the unperturbed spades and scored clubs.

He dealt the cards between them, one for one until both had six cards in their hand. Being his crib, Jaune carefully looked over his hand. King, Queen, Jack, Ten, Ace, Nine. All one suit. His hand was too good, and it made the decision difficult for him as a new player.

"Of course," he chuckled, "there's a reason that roses have thorns."

The cribbage board crashed to the floor as pegs flew through the air. Jaune was suddenly pinned under the beautiful woman, who he could now see was wearing an eye-patch, emblazoned with mark of the Black Queen's organization, GRIMM.

"You think you're so clever," she growled, "waltzing into a lion's den, and prodding the beast like it's a game..."

"Actually, I-" Jaune's words died as his lips were smothered and invaded by the sinister woman's own. A faint glow behind her eye patch served only to raise further questions. Now, here he was, pinned beneath the no doubt evil woman as she continued to unbutton his disguise.

"Get this stupid thing out of here!" She tossed the microphone aside, catching her pize between her teeth, nibbling on his neck.

"A-Ah! Easy, uh..." Jaune blinked. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"

"Cinder Fall," she answered, removing her dress, "and you'd best remember it, because I intend to make you scream it until I'm satisfied."

Jaune gulped. "Y-Yes, Miss Fall." A thought occurred to him. "Uh, won't your boss be looking for you?"

"Perhaps, but I am privy to my privacy, and any of her plans rely on my attendance."

"Oh, okay." Jaune nodded. "So now what?"

"Now?" She ripped off his shirt. "Now you show me how you sailors really peg."

"Uh, okay," he then spoke loudly, "I HOPE NO ONE CATCHES US!"

"Oh, believe me, no one will." She smirked, removing the last of her clothing. "Now lose the pants and get over here!"

"Of course, Cinder." Jaune smiled. For his first solo mission as a secret agent, he'd say he didn't do too bad. He neutralized an enemy combatant, gave the codeword to send in the ground troops, potentially stopped the end of the world, AND he was going to get laid! A plus, definitely!

..................................................................................

Space... When Jaune was a little boy, just a wee lad bouncing on his father's knee, he used to gaze at darkened sky. At the moon, and the stars, and wish for the night to never end. Just so he could marvel at all the vast beauty of the blanket overhead.

And then he joined the Star Brigade, and everything sucked forever. When he applied for the military, they had a "special offer" for anyone who joined the Star Brigade, the newest branch of warriors for defending humanity from the scourge of the Grimm menace.

That "special offer," by the way, was an extra fifty lien in his paycheck, which was then rescinded five years later. Now, here he stood, Leading Star Soldier of his own Star Squad. "That's awesome!" said his five year old nephew. He loved the little guy, but sometimes even his love didn't cover how lame it sounded.

But what does that have to do with his current predicament on the moon? Yeah, you know? The shattered moon that hangs in the sky overhead? The one that opens and shuts more than... uh, something, something, somebody's mom's legs? Yeah, that moon.

And Jaune was the point man on this mission "vital to humanity" by attacking a rogue Grimm hive in some hole of a cave on the moon. That meant he was in front of everyone in his squad. He was the only thing standing between himself, and his closest friends of the past three years. They back him in everything.

Including his retreat, which they took a headstart for on the sight of something bigger than a Moon Beowolf. That's a Beowolf on the Moon, if you couldn't figure that out. So Jaune was left alone, armed with little more than his hard-light shield, plasma sword, and titanium-iron knife. He was armed, ready, and trained for this.

And he got tangled up by a Moon Seer. That's a Seer on- Ah, you can figure it out.

He thrashed against the tendrils, but they seemed to be squeezing tighter and tighter, and tighter still. It was trying to choke him! Or, at least, that's what it seemed until he fell the floor slam into his side. Apparently, it just pulled it closer until it decided to drop him, the start the whole process all over again.

The light from his helmet buzzed as he looked around the cave. As he drifted deeper and deeper into the cave, he wondered where he was being taken. The Grimm he met along the way simply retreated to shadows. How deep was he being taken? His oxygen pack would run out eventually. Fear started to grip his heart as he cautiously glanced at his HUD, then gasped as he saw the O2 level shifted! ...From 88% to 87%. Then the Moon Seer dripped him again.

"ARE YOU DONE?!" Jaune roared.

"Yes, they are." He felt the tendrils retract from his form, then slipped back into the darkness. Everything around him was dark, with no walls to catch or reflect the light back to him. The floor was also dark, yet slick with tar-like ichor that clung to his suit and his boots. He searched for the source of the voice, but found none. A drip from above caught his attention, and he followed it to it's source high above, where a pale-faced woman watched from the ceiling.

Her red eyes glared down as black vines writed over her cheeks and from her eyes, where the black ooze fell to the floor. It seemed to be spreading, like fungus, except when a fungus grows another fungus, the other fungi don't slither and crawl from where it grew to make room.

"You have trespassed on Grimm lands." The voice echoed, yet was clear. This thing definitely chose the right place for acoustics. A band would make a killing playing here, but it seemed the only killing to be made was him at the claws of the Grimm. "State your reason."

"The extermination of the Grimm." Jaune answered, as boldly as he could muster. A deep thrum reverbed through the cave. He couldn't tell if she was humming or if that was how she laughed. Either way, he was in danger.

"You cannot exterminate the Grimm anymore than you can exterminate a cancer, mortal."

"I mean, if you catch early enough, then maybe..." Jaune reasoned.

"The Grimm have existed for thousands of years, since the dawn of man," the woman argued, "and it has been so long since."

"Are you... the first Grimm?"

"No." She replied plainly. "But I was there when the first arrived."

"Wow..." Jaune huffed in awe. "So you're super old, huh?"

"Rude." The face replied.

A click behind him made Jaune jump away, his legs straining to be free as he pushed himself. He turned to the sound of the disturbance. Not far from where he stood was a woman, cloaked in the black tar, as blood-red lines accented her figure, and drawing his attention to the subtle curves. He glanced up and could only find darkness hanging high above. His gaze returned to the woman, but she was gone.

He drew his plasma sword and activated his hard-light shield. This unknown entity, be it woman or Grimm or something far more sinister was dangerous on a level Jaune could only dream of. He heard another click, and swung behind him, missing her as she dove into the oily floor.

"Folly, human. Folly." The voice echoed from everywhere. "Your actions speak well of your boundless bravery, but your tongue echoes ceaseless fathoms of idiocy."

"What can I see?" Jaune barked in return. "Courage and stupidity are all I have!"

The air was still and tense. Had he made a fatal error in challenging the darkness? He checked his HUD. O2 at 70%. He took a breath to calm himself.

O2 at 40%?! He suddenly felt a weight pull from his rear, threatening to tear him off his balance. But he held firm, willing himself forward. With a loud hiss, he was free.

With a loud hiss, and blaring sirens, Jaune's oxygen had been depleted. He fell to his knees as his body ached. His vision blurred and dimmed, but he saw a form slowly approaching as his vision, and his life faded. A set of black letters etched over the reaching palm.

He then felt a warm on his body, uneven, yet warmer than he had ever felt in his suit. He found his arm, his only body, lighter as he reached to touch the warm. It was a softness. A softness so pure he had no words to describe it. It was then the warmth moved to smother him.

"Have you finally awakened?"

Jaune opened his eyes slowly to find himself in a brighter room than the one before. The walls were clearer and ceiling, and the ground softer. He turned his head and found the woman from before, her entire form now pale as ivory and lain over his chest. A chest, too, now so pale.

"Where...?" He groaned.

"Home." The voice spoke. "You are home, my king." She pressed her lips to his, flooding his mind with an ecstasy he couldn't words.

The Grimm. The Star Brigade. All of it now what feels like ages ago. For now, there was only one thought on the Grimm King's mind.

How was he going to explain this to Mom?

Chapter Text

"Get up," Jaune groaned at the words, "I said get up!" A kick struck his side. He was awake now, and not in a good place. "About time you woke up."

Jaune squeezed his eyes shut before opening them. As he opened them, he noticed he was chained, shackled around the wrists, and his bed was dirt, mud, and straw. A grunt to his side drew his attention to a massive beast standing next to him. It was well over seven feet tall and had a coat of chestnut brown. All in all, a nice-looking horse.

He turned around and saw a woman with short hair glaring at him. She was wearing a torn leather jacket, and her eyes were a beautiful diamond blue. If only there weren't daggers coming out of them.

He then remembered last night. The caravan was ambushed. Thankfully, it was only goods, and his team didn't attend. He suspected the worst, but he had to be sure. "What happened to the other men?"

"Dead." Vernal looked to the side. "You've got some thick aura. Surprised you even lost. You killed at least six of our bandits."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be. If they were weak enough to die for no reason, then all the better for our tribe. Speaking of better, you should be lucky that we aren't executing you."

"So what is going to happen to me?"

"Well, the first option is slavery. You might be human, but I'm sure the SDC will pay any price for free labor."

"And option two?"

"You become one of us. We take you in, clean you up, give you a job, and you live by our rules." She held up her index finger, wagging in a tick-tock motion. "For. Eh. Ver."

"So I either become a slave, or I become a slave. Not a lot of options, is there?"

"Aw, what's wrong, handsome?" The woman cooed. "Is this not what you expected?"

"Not really." A grunt from his side drew Jaune's attention again. He chuckled. "The horse is kind of a surprise."

The woman's eyes widened for a moment, before she shook her head and turned around. Jaune couldn't see, but she suddenly lost her composure. "Uh, are you okay, Miss...?"

Straightening herself, she turned with a grin. "Vernal. My name is Vernal, and I think I have the perfect place for you, if you join us."

"Well, between you and Schnee, I'd say you're prettier." Vernal tittered, then coughed into her fist.

"G-Get up!" She hesitantly barked. "We're going to see Raven. She'll want to hear the good news herself."
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This was supposed to be a simple job, but no! Merc had to fuck it all up! Again! She held up the store, and he would grab the cash and run. Instead, he grabbed the cash and ran out the back, leaving her stuck in a makeshift Vacuan stand-off between her and this old man.

They both glared at each other, each with a pump-action shotgun pointed at the other. She swallowed as she tried to step back, but the clerk jerked forward. She wasn't going anywhere.

She just wanted to get out of town. Go to the city, maybe. Live out her life away from what was left of Cinder's gang. But no, there was no way out. She was going to die here. She was going to die alone, with a hole in her face.

"Um, excuse me?"

Emerald heard a voice behind her. She didn't dare turn around, but she could tell a lot by the voice alone, though. It was a young male, slightly older, either late teens or mid twenties. He seemed calm, which was weird since two people were armed and ready to blow each other's brains out!

He walked around to the front counter, setting a pack of gum down. He pulled out his wallet, then stepped between the barrels! Was he insane, or did he just not give a fuck?!

"Uh, can you break a twenty?" He asked the clerk, who growled in response. "Okay! Okay! Bad joke! Bad joke! You can keep the change, though. Just set down the gun, and ring me up." The clerk growled again. "Her? Don't worry about it. I'll talk to her, and this'll be all taken care.

There was a soft clack, followed by a number of beeps and clicks. Emerald glanced at the counter and saw the buttstock of the shotgun on the counter. He did it! The crazy son of a bitch did it! How the hell did he-?

"Hey!" Emerald blinked and focused on the man looking at her down the barrel of her gun. She cocked an eyebrow. "Hi, why are you holding that man hostage?"

Emerald looked at her forearm for a split-second, and the magic words shone brightly green at their announcement. Lowering her gun, she took a breath.

"There, you feel better?" He asked. He turned around to his wallet and flipped it open, revealing a shiny golden badge. "Detective Jaune Arc, Vice. What's your name?"

"Emerald," she answered, "Emerald Sustrai." She could have given him a fake name, but... something about this choice felt right.

"Nice to meet you, Emerald." He shut and pocketed his wallet. "Tell me, you ever been to the big city?"
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Cinder's day kept spiraling down from bad to worse to it's current position of absolute shitshow.

The job started just fine. She snuck in, made it past the guards, diverted them away with a distraction, and began downloading the data. But then the "hero" had to show up; that little girl in a red cape. Their fight was simple, albeit annoying, but the situation grew worse when her friend, another "hero" with a shield showed up and made things more difficult. Here she was now: pinned down with her only safe exit blocked by Atlas guards, and the less safe options monitored by those same men. Needless to say, she needed an out.

Thankfully, her prayers were answered when saw the Nevermore roost on the window outside. It pecked at the glass. To anyone else, it was random, meaningless for no purpose save for it's own curiosity. But Cinder knew better.

She shot a flaming arrow into the window, the heat melting the glass and weakening it around it's edges. She then fired three shots at the guard, catching them off guard. She would alternate until the glass was melted and she had run out of all but one arrow. Shifting to dual blades, she charged and hoped her aura would hold against the six remaining guards and the two heroes.

With a crash, she broke through the window, finding herself on the roof. Carefully, she edged around the tower until she was behind cover and out of sight. She sighed in relief that her aura held.

"You know, shooting arrows to melt glass is a cool concept," she heard the shield hero behind her, grinding her teeth, "but, uh, not sure that's the intended use of that item."

Unfortunately, her respite did not last as the heroes followed her and circled around the tower. Seeing no escape without capture, she jumped. She fell a good twenty stories until she landed on something soft, and pillowy. Opening her eyes, she saw she landed on the back of a much larger Nevermore.

As she was carried into the night, she growled at the annoyance but breathed it away as she held the thumb drive of data she'd retrieved. Upon landing, the Nevermore opened its maw, and a Seer emerged from its beak.

Cinder kneeled before the Grimm before standing proudly, waggling the drive between her fingers. "My Queen," Cinder cooed, "the plan goes along accordingly."

"Excellent, my dear Cinder," her dark master hummed, "but I have one question. Who were those interlopers you encountered tonight?"

"No one of interest, my lady." Cinder bowed. "Just children pretending to be heroes."

"That remains to be seen, Cinder." From inside her dark castle, Salem looked through a seperate seer where an image rewound, then sped up, then slowed down, then stopped on a gargantuan, modern-day knight in shining armor. Through a cocky smirk, he repeated the same words over and over again. Her arm pulsed with a light that ebbed and glowed at his quip, played on repeat. A smile split across her lips. "That remains to be seen."
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Classes were beginning soon, which meant Summer had little time left to, well, enjoy summer. Her youngest had just left for college to get settled in for her new life on campus, while her oldest was on her way up with her to start her third year of classes, leaving her alone around the house with Zwei. Judging by the wag his butt did, he was excited to start that.

She looked out the window at the sleepy suburb life she and Tai chose. Losing him in that car accident was the hardest thing she had ever gone through, which always surprised the combat veteran inside her. She sighed, missing his goofy smile, perfectly complimenting his life-loving eyes and shaggy, blond hair. Her breath hitched as her memory drifted to his "other" qualities. She was a woman with needs after all.

A honk brought her out of her fantasies as a moving truck pulled away from the house. She forgot about the neighbors that just moved in. She barely got to meet them, since she was always out with the girls while they were moving boxes and furniture around.

From what she could tell, her new neighbor was a blond, young man about Yang's age, with his two girlfriends and their child. The first of the girlfriends was a knockout, complete with stunning blonde hair and muscular arms, which made Summer a little eager to PT again, for old time's sake. The other woman with darker looked classier, complete with a more moderate attire and glasses, but Summer surmised that she was more mature of the three as she held a baby who looked exactly like her.

Summer walked away from the window with a smile. Seeing a happy couple of three reminded her of her similar situation with Tai and Raven. Unfortunately, her best friend wasn't the best mother and left her and Tai alone with Yang. She looked back, seeing the young man gone from the group. She gave a sad sigh.

Zwei ran into the garage as she stepped into her bedroom and removed her shirt, ready to switch to her PT gear. She removed her bra and was reaching for her sports bra when the doorbell rang. She tossed on her shirt and hurried to the door. When she opened, there was nobody outside, so she shut the door.

Another ring. This time she lingered before shutting the door. Probably some punk teen trying to get one last jolly before school. At the third ring, she shut the door behind her and hid around the corner. Waiting patiently, she closed her eyes and counted to fifteen, the time in between every ring. Thirteen, fourteen, DING!

Summer leapt around the corner, catching the punk as he was running away, pinning him to the ground. It was such a blur, she didn't notice it was the same young man from before, panting as he squirmed.

"Leggo! It's gonna kill me!" He shouted. Summer looked up and saw Zwei yapping and snapping at him. A light blush covered her cheeks as she helped him up, giggling when he jumped behind her. "Sit! Heel!"

"You gotta use more force with him." Summer corrected. Snapping her eyes to focus on her faithful companion, he quivered with flat ears. Sergeant Rose was about to give the order. "INSIDE! NOW!" The dog ran around the corner to the garage door dog entrance. Summer turned around. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah..." He gulped, catching his breath. "That's the last time I listen to my sister."

"Your sister?"

"Yeah, my sister." He gestured behind Summer to his house. "I just moved in with my sister, sister-in-law, and my nephew. They needed help paying for here, so I offered to move in with them."

"Well, aren't you sweet, Mister...?" Summer extended her hand.

"Arc." He answered. "Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, and rolls off the tongue. The ladies love it."

Summer laughed. "Summer Rose. Beautiful, clean, but can be super fucking mean." Jaune was taken aback a bit. "Sorry. I'm retired military, so I can't help it sometimes."

"Really? What branch?"

"Vale Foreign Defense, Sergeant Upper Rank."

"No kidding!" Jaune chuckled. "Vale Active Guard, Lieutenant Sergeant!"

"Ha! One of the stay-at-home boys, huh?" Summer beamed. "Glad to see kids like you still have the guts to step outside before going back inside when trouble actually starts."

Jaune just laughed at it. She's seen it before with the new guys when she was still in. They either tried to hit back to look tough and save face, or they just rolled with it, accepting that the older generation will always rag on the younger. She liked that kind of respect.

"I just wanted to drop by and say hi. I'm glad to know I'm not the only Vale dog on the block."

"Even if you are a porch pup." Summer chuckled.

"Speaking of, about your dog."

"Zwei? He's technically my daughter's dog, but I still love him. He's a cute, little guy, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, cute dog!" Jaune agreed. "Why is it trying to kill me?"

Summer laughed as she covered her forearm, a light blush on her face. "Oh, he's just being protective. Say, are you busy? I was about to start on some PT. You mind spotting me?"

"Sure!" He beamed, the corrected himself. "Er, I mean, yes, sergeant!"

Summer rolled her eyes. "Just get changed already! I might be retired, but I can still kick your ass." He chuckled and ran back to his house. Summer lingered for a moment, watching the goofy, blue-eyed, blond-haired hunk run back to take care of his family.

Maybe Summer was lonely, but she felt something a little more than hunger when she watched that porch pup. With a lick of her lips, she walked back inside to get ready for some old school PT. She was feeling cardio and core today.
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"This is amazing!" Ruby cried from the pilot seat of an Atlas Paladin IV, the shiniest piece of the loot hauled from the latest SDC raid. She twitched her wrist, and the arm shot out it's extendable buster blade. "SO COOL!"

"She's really enjoying herself up there, huh?" Jaune commented from the sidelines. As the first members of the White Fang's latest project, an all-human combat team, Jaune and Ruby aided the White Fang however they could, so long as it wasn't genocidal. Each of these statements served to agitate Adam, but the results didn't lie; the humans were more effective in bringing equality between the races together with the Faunus than the two races attempted alone.

"As she should." Sienna replied, a smile across her lips. "After all, it was because of her that we could even identify this in their cargo manifest."

Not even Sienna Kahn, the High Leader, could ignore them. She stood proudly next to Jaune as she watched the weapons expert "field tested" their latest weapon.

"You could have figured it out." Jaune replied.

"Perhaps, but not as quickly as she could."

"Well, she is pretty handy with this type of stuff." Jaune scratched the back of his head. "Wish we could say the same about-"

"Silence." Jaune snapped to a stiff standing position. She placed a gentle hand on his back. "You are an invaluable member of the White Fang. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to procure this marvel."

"Oh, uh, thanks, but I was talking about Adam."

"Really?" Her lip peeled back halfway into a snarl. "You think yourself high enough to speak ill of your superiors?"

"Ah, no! No! No!" Jaune waved his hands in defense. "Uh, it was just, uh, a slip of the tongue! He talks bad about us when we're not around, so I thought I'd return the favor!"

"Then listen well, pup; if I hear anyone under my command speaking ill of anyone under my command, I will personally correct them. You are the first; pray you are also the last!"

Jaune gulped. "Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"Good." She stepped away. "Now about-"

Jaune tackled her as the massive robot arm flew at them. It missed, extended over their prone forms. The two panted in their embrace. As she pushed him up from her, her fingers sank into the thick pectoral muscles of his chest.

"Sorry, guys!" Ruby called. "I got distracted! It has two cupholders!"

Jaune chuckled, then called back. "A mobile weapon's platform and it has two cupholders?! This thing has it all!"

"I know, right!"

"Jaune," he looked down at the woman below him, "can you help me up?"

"Uh, sure." Jaune climbed off, then knelt down and helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"I am." She brushed a hair around her face. "But would you mind escorting me back to my chambers? I'm feeling a bit tired from the excitement."

"Oh, sure thing!"

"Thank you, dear." Sienna wrapped her arm around his bicep. "Now, what was it Adam said that he thought you wouldn't hear?"
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Jaune kicked against his bindings and screamed through his gag. What was supposed to be an educational tour through the ancient city had turned into a deadly trap designed to ensnare college kids like him. He wanted to cry.

The stripped him naked, tied him to a stone pedestal, rubbed oils over his chest and neck, then slit his wrists. In spite of the blood loss, he was fighting back, though his attempts grew weaker. Before he passed out, he saw two figures approach.

They were short, slim with fair skin. Their long, dark hair passed their shoulders. They knelt to his wrists, and then... he blacked.

He awoke later to a muffled discussion. It was dark, the torches inside the temple having long since gone out. He tried moving up but found himself still bound. With a final grunt, he ripped through the fabric.

No, not fabric. On closer examination, this was rope, and thick rope at that. He tore off the other binding at his hand, noting how sharp his fingernails were. They were long, thick, and sharp. Ouch! Yup! Definitely sharp!

"Well, well, well, look who's finally awake, dear sister." A voice in the darkness cooed.

"He must be so confused." Another called out. "Do you think he remembers anything?"

Jaune closed his eyes to think, and instantly remembered everything. The screaming, the crying, the blood.

"Ooh, so you do remember?" One of them chuckled. "Yes, that's right. You died, and now you are here."

"You came back." Though it was difficult to see at first, his eyes adjusted in their moments of rest as he remembered and could now see the beautiful girl's delicate hand hold his clawed fingers. "You have become something more."

Her eyes were mesmerizing, soothing him from his previous anxieties. She pulled him forward, like a mother with her child. It was peaceful, but not meant to last.

Jaune tripped over himself and tumbled down the steps from the pedestal. He yelped in agony as he felt own claws sink deep into his abdomen. When he yanked it out, black syrup gushed from his wound, and he immediately covered his mistake.

"Are you alright?" One of the voices asked.

"Is it fatal?" The other followed on.

Jaune looked down at the pooling black growing clearer to see as his core became colder to touch. "Oh, it's fine, I didn't need that blood anyways." One of the girls gasped behind him while the other tittered. Before he could ask why, a rapid miniature explosion sounded outside.

"Do you hear it?" The kind one said beside him. He could see her more clearly. She wore a short dress of red-plumed feathers and had red accents around her eyes. Her delicate, albeit clawed fingers were outsized by the massive blades attached to her forearms. "Someone is disturbing the forest." She turned to him. "You have to help us."

"It would make for good practice." The other stated before Jaune could answer. She looked just like her sister, except her dress was smoother with white scales, and her eyes were accented by a crystal-like blue. She walked forward, her bladed heels clicking the floor with her pointed toes. "After all, nothing like an easy breakfast to start your day right, right?"

Jaune followed her, his uneasy and pained steps eased as he followed her to the exit. Stepping out, he could see everything in the moonlight. With a deep breath, he could taste the wild of the forest. Looking down from the temple, he saw flashes of gunfire below.

"Are you ready?" The red woman asked.

He nodded, and the two giggled.

"Then let the hunt begin." Grinned the white woman.
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"Stop crying, Whitely." Father sneered from behind his desk. His son had come home from a schoolyard fight, black and blue, and the man simply looked at him like he was looking for ill-needed attention. "You're a Schnee. Act like one."

With a long sniff, Whitely wiped away his still running tears and straightened himself. Though he trembled, the boy held firm. He even pulled out his neckerchief and blew into it before returning to his stoic expression. With a gulp, his shaking lessened.

"Go see Klein." His father waved off. "He will see to your wounds while I attend to matters with the boys father."

"Girl, Father."

"Excuse me?"

"It..." Whitely swallowed, "She was a girl, Father."

With another sigh, his father waved him away. As Whitely stepped out, he walked down the hall towards his mother's gardens, hoping Klein would be there. Instead, he found the new bodyguard hired by Klein to protect the family. He appeared lost.

"No." He murmured. "Not this way."

"Are you lost, Mr. Arc?" Whitely asked.

"No, not lost, just-" As he turned, he reeled back in surprise. "Yikes! What happened to you?!"

"A minor argument at school, today." Whitely answered.

"Woof!" The bodyguard huffed. "If that's an argument, I'd hate to be in a brawl with that kid. It looks like he dragged you across the playground."

"If only." Whitely sighed. "She- Er, he was quite cruel in his methods."

"Uh huh, and how old is this kid?"

"Thirteen, the same as I."

"And you got beat up at lunch?"

"After classes, actually."

"And her pigtails are held up in a blue scrunchie, right?"

"Actually, she doesn't wear pig tails. Her hair is held back by-" Whitley flushed as he snapped his mouth shut.

"What's her name?" Whitely shook his head. "Come on, what's her name? I'm not going to hurt her."

Seeing as he didn't move, Whitely relented, telling the girl's name, their argument over the pronunciation of Verdás, and how she overpowered him so easily. As he finished, the bodyguard knelt down to get to eye level with Whitely. He was going to laugh him, call him weak, and probably tell his body guard friends about weak, snot-nosed, pathetic, insignificant-

"Girls are real mean, huh?"

Whitely was dumbfounded. Instead of mockery, as he expected, Whitely was met with empathy!

"You good, kid?" He asked.

"I'll..." He didn't want to cry, though his eye decided otherwise as it leaked again. "I'll be fine."

The bodyguard placed a hand on his shoulder and a warm feeling overcame him. His tears stopped, and the scuffs on his arms and knees disappeared. He gasped as he looked at the bodyguard once more. He was smiling.

"You don't have to put on a brave face for me. I know how it feels to get your butt kicked by a girl." He stood up. "I had seven sisters growing up. I know exactly how it feels to get bullied by someone with a pink Pony Tales lunchbox."

Whitely snickered, receiving another kind smile.

"My oldest used to give me swirlies."

"Swirlies?"

"Yeah, it's when she holds you up by your ankles like this!" Whitely couldn't react as he was hoisted off his feet. His sweater-vest fell to his chest, and he began to feel the blood rushing to his skull. "And she'd hold me over a toilet, shouting, 'Give me your lunch money, or else you're getting a sick new 'do!'"

"Did it work?"

"Do I have a sick, new 'do?"

"I can arrange that, if you'd like."

Whitely paled as he recognized the tired, slightly slurred speech. He turned and saw his mother approaching, Klein guiding her shaky steps. Another afternoon of white wine, it appeared.

"And pray tell, why are you holding my son like that after my husband just finished telling me of his earlier torment?"

"M-Misses Schnee!" The bodyguard shook a little, judging by the small vibrations Whitely felt in his legs. "Um... Listen! There's a very good reason why I'm shaking this child by it's ankles and demanding its lunch money!"

Whitely looked his mother, whose reaction was... sobered? She then placed a hand against her head and shook it. Klein glanced at his mother, or more specifically, her arm.

"Jaune, you are a bodyguard, not a body shaker. Put my son down." Whitely felt himself slowly lowered. Until his hair touched the dirt path, followed slowly by his body. He stood, dusting himself off. "Klein, take Whitely to his room. Mr. Arc will take me to my quarters to clarify his barbaric actions."

"Mother, please!" Klein and the bodyguard had already swapped their tasks. "He did nothing wrong, he-"

"It'll be okay, Whitely." Whitely stopped talking as Jaune answered. "I'm sure your mom just wants to talk."

"Yes." His mother smiled at him, then looked to the bodyguard. "Talk." Whitely wasn't certain as they walked away, but his mother looked... happy. He had never seen her so happy. It made him happy, too. He liked it.