Chapter 8: The End of An Arc

I am happy, that was what Jaune had to tell himself.

He didn't know why he thought it'd be a good idea to go out into public without a disguise. It wasn't as if this was routine, oddly enough, the last time he'd gone out by himself was during his first week in Atlas. Piling paparazzi, rapid fans screaming at him, a sea of names and faces everywhere. At the time, he'd thought it was an isolated incident. Surely, he didn't have to worry about getting eaten alive by crowds all the time?

He envied that foolish positivity.

Went without saying that he was used to it now. But that was the odd thing, when you dressed up enough times, when hiding who you really were became the norm, you started to confuse yourself. Is this what I really look like? Was I always dark-haired? What's my name? Cold, wheedling uncertainty. He knew it didn't make sense, logically he hadn't changed at all. He was still Jaune Arc in every sense of the word.

Its just that where Jaune Arc used to be the only resident of this body, now something else had moved in and brought a metric fuckton of baggage. And whatever it was was shrouded in a murk so deep that no matter how much Jaune squinted, he couldn't see inside. Like being stuck at the bottom of the ocean, not knowing what he was looking at it. Was it nothing but miles of endless water? Or was there some unseen, unknowable monster lurking inside, staring right in the face? Was it whispering in his mouth? Was that where the voices came from?

"That's him, ain't it?"

"Wouldn't you know it, it is!"

Jaune had sat off by the benches, thankfully alone. Professor Theo had asked him if he wanted something like a bodyguard, but that was best avoided. He was only at the bank to do some deposits, to send his sister some money for a trip. He should have worn a disguise, but it was too late now. People whispered and pointed, gasped and tried to contain their excitement. The attention was so banal now that he hardly registered it. Of course people would look at him, admire him, revere him. It was only natural when you were a genius like him.

He didn't have to like it, he didn't have to want it, but he realized something after visiting some schoolchildren, when the world fell into place under a stormy rain. You had to accept things for what they were now. Roman… would you say I'm being an idiot right now? Bet you'd tell me to fight against it, maybe I should. But haven't I fought enough?

Roman would berate him for whining and being a child. Jaune probably would do the same, but there was an easy answer to it: you trained yourself to be happy. When Jaune figured that out, it was like a blessing.

So that's what he did. Every day for the past few weeks, he'd stand in that broken mirror he'd punched one day in a furious stupor. I am happy, he'd say with a smile, as many times as he needed to get on with the day. Sure enough, it began to work. He walked with more confidence, he took more pride in his accomplishments, he leaned into the praise and awards that he so clearly deserved. Why, they were his right. He was the best, had everything anyone could ever want. No one could ever match him, a prodigy among prodigies. He was happy. Happy. Happy, happy,

"Happy…" Jaune muttered.

"What?"

Jaune shot up, hadn't realized he'd had his face in his hands. A sudden horror, the boy in front of him looked disturbed to the point of backing off. Wide-eyed, fiddling with his hands and looking down even though it was clear who he was talking to. Big green eyes would look up at him only to fall back down and it reminded him entirely too much of Ethan.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hi." Jaune plastered on a smile. You had to smile for the children, for the fans. You had to appear, you had to be, invincible. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Leo…"

"Nice to meet you, Leo." Jaune held out his hand. Leo reached out hesitantly, but he took Jaune's hand anyway, tiny and weak compared to his own. Jaune was sure to strike a balance between firm and gentle. The latter to nail in the ideas Leo already had of him in his head, and gentle so the boy didn't have to feel like he was talking to a wall. "Something you wanted to ask me?"

"I... saw you when you visited my school." Leo stammered, "I didn't get to be part of the class but… I saw you. It was really cool to see you."

Jaune nearly frowned, nearly. He let his smile get bigger, so big that the boy couldn't help one himself. Interesting thing about human emotion, it was reflective like a mirror. If you looked happy and at ease, it'd make the people looking at you happy and at ease. Appear humble and people gravitate toward you. Especially kids. And how much had he smiled for those hundreds of kids he'd talked to as he convinced them to hunt blood-thirsty monsters and violent criminals for the rest of their lives? Oh yes Jaune, you are the definition of righteousness and heroism.

"Its always nice to meet a fan." Jaune said calmly, the boy dropping his arms. "Your parents here?"

He frowned, looked behind him at one of the distant kiosks. "My mom said I could come talk to you if I wanted. I want to be a Huntsman like you." He mumbled something after that, but Jaune hadn't caught it.

Jaune didn't let his smile drop. This was a good thing, he was supposed to convince children to want this. "You're sure that's what you want."

"It's the most important job in the world, right?" Leo said, eyes flashing with an almost dream-like glow. "Everyone has to do their part, I think. All my friends want to be Huntsmen too…"

Doctors, cops, firemen, scientists, activists, maybe a fucking astronaut if space exploration ever became a thing. The kid could have been any of those things and he wanted to be a damn hero? Jaune wanted to rewire some common sense into him. All that hero stuff? It was bullshit that he'd been fed as a kid too. Being a Huntsman, especially one in the limelight, was nothing but politics. And once you were in it, there was no getting out.

But Jaune was happy of course. Always happy.

"Leo!"

Jaune hadn't noticed her, but the boy's mother had come up and snatched him by the upper arm, drawn him close. For Jaune, it was easy to tell when people loved him, now more than ever. Naturally, that made spotting the people that hated him easier too. And the mother's flashing eyes and vicious snarl said without words that if he were to swallow a cup of battery acid, she'd spit on him while he writhed on the floor.

"I suppose its not enough for you trying to influence them at schools, but now in public? I thought you predators were supposed to be hunting Grimm, not children."

Jaune dipped his head. I am happy. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I was—"

"Fuck off!" she spat, "I should have you arrested, trying to brainwash my boy."

She'd be an idiot to try. It'd be no exaggeration to say that he could get away with a lot now because of his status. Drunk driving? Someone else's fault. Doing drugs? He'd clearly been influenced by bad people. Caught stealing? Obviously, he needed that new video game for very important Huntsman related reasons. Jaune didn't need to do any of that to know how far his lawyers and agent would go. Pff, I bet if I murdered someone they'd probably sweep it under the rug, too.

"I'm very sorry, ma'am." Jaune said again. It was all he could say as he hoped for her to take her son and leave.

She scoffed. "All of you Huntsmen are nothing but brutes and connivers, sending our children to the gallows. Let's go, Leo!"

"M-mom!"

She dragged him away, and Leo didn't fight her, but waved goodbye as best he could. Jaune waved back, but the mother's words were right in a way. He wished he could say he didn't care, but he did, unfortunately. He was happy, of course. Completely. Today was a good day.

He hadn't been paying attention until he heard the shattering glass, a door frame snapping off its hinges and clattering across the floor as Leo's mothe shrieked. A storm of footfalls, voices calling out like squawking crows. Men in dark outfits came in, wearing white masks with various expressions, heavy guns and bags carried in. Jaune didn't even get a chance to stand before the world erupted into screams. Bullets pelted the ceiling at rapid fire, pops and cracks left the air bleeding with disturbance. People shreiked and ducked, covered their heads. Those not on the ground yet were forced down, struck in the head with the butt of guns, kicked while they were down. More men came through the busted doors, more than a dozen of them, fanning out and securing the place like they knew where everything was and where they'd need to be.

"Ground now, hands out!"

"I blow your fucking head off, bitch! Sit!"

Employees were ripped away from their desks, customers were put on their knees, and Jaune just… stared. So shocked even that he blinked and wondered if any of it was real. Things like this actually happened. People actually robbed banks like this? Surely, these were things that only happened in movies?

Leo looked more shocked than scared, as if he couldn't process it. Him and his mother put on the ground, clutching each other while a gun was trained on them. That gunner, wearing a sad face mask, nodded toward a group of his men and they went around the desks to start ripping drawers open and keys from hangers. He was on his feet, Jaune noticed, chest-pounding, fists clenched tight. He wanted to draw his sword… but he hadn't brought it with him.

"You, get up and get with them!" A smile-masked gunner stormed up to him, Jaune watching him the whole way, didn't remove his eyes even as the nozzle of the gun pressed against his temple. "You hear me? "I'll splatter your brain across the fucking wall! Get over there and get on the ground!"

The hostages didn't say anything, but they did look at Jaune. Waiting, begging. Even Leo's mother looked so scared and helpless that she looked at him. So easy to disrespect him when her life wasn't on the line, but suddenly now it mattered that he was supposed to help her and her son? What if he wasn't the hero they thought he was? He could walk out of here right now if he wanted and no one would be able to stop him.

But of course, like his agent might say in this situation, "Jaune, that wouldn't be very good for your reputation!" And if nothing else, he didn't want to get chewed out by her again.

He was tired of all the expectations but… this was a fight waiting to happen. And if nothing else, he still enjoyed that. It was the only time he felt like he was in control somehow.

""I said get on the—"

When Jaune hit him, he expected him to go crashing into the wall. Pretty standard. Whenever he hit any of his peers in class, they went flying pretty far, even without Brave. But then they'd get up, lose a bit of aura, and keep fighting like it was nothing.

He didn't factor in the fact that this guy likely didn't go to Huntsman school. Had no aura.

Something wet and warm splashed his face right before the man slumped down. Sputtered out of his mouth. His fingers jerked on the trigger of his gun, spitting bullets into his aura, bouncing off like cat claws on steel. Jaune simply stood there, uninjured, the bullets little more than a tickle while he tried to process how his fist had managed to go through a man's back.

Before he knew it, he'd jerked his hand out, and the man collapsed over and didn't move. Jaune could only stare at his hand, the blood coating it. He wondered if everyone in the room was staring at him. He probably would have been. This… wow. He'd killed someone. And it had been so disturbingly easy.

Somehow… it felt so mundane. So boring. Never thought he'd say that about taking someone's life. Jaune wiped his hand on the dead man's jacket. He didn't have his sword or shield, but it looked like he might not need it.

The robbers trained their guns on him. "Don't move!"

Why did the bad guys always think to fight the one who quite clearly their weapons wouldn't work on? Arrogance? Desperation? They were threats regardless, and if they were smart, they'd have run away the first chance they got. What choice did Jaune really have at this point? He'd have to learn to do this at some point in his second year anyway. What's the difference starting a little early?

This is what you want, Leo? You want blood on your hands? Jaune closed the distance between himself and the man holding up Leo and his mother. The gun didn't get even a chance to fire. Normally when he elbowed someone, it might crack their nose. This man's brain was now matting the wall. Leo stared with blinding, ghost-faced horror, mouth agape, staring at Jaune like he couldn't believe what he'd seen. Jaune Arc was a hero. He could never do things like this right?

Well Jaune would make him wake up. He'd destroy his dream of becoming a Huntsman forever. It was best for him, he needed to live a productive and happy life.

Away from this nonsense.

"What is this?" Pyrrha whispered.

It was a broken mess of a wall, what remained of… well Ren honestly couldn't tell anymore. A castle? A fort? Whatever it was had been so lost to time that chunks of stone stabbed out of the ground like they'd been buried under a thousand years of erosion. The few left standing, if they'd had any semblance of personality, had been washed clean and were nothing but cracked structures slick with mud, moss, and black gunky mold.

Ren's and Pyrrha's feet squished through the slurry of mud, constantly fighting for balance. There'd been heavy rain the night before, and if it wasn't obvious that it rained often here, it certainly was now. Ren was no closer to being dry even now that his clothes were mostly damp. Imagine having to sit naked with a friend, have to press together for warmth while their clothes dried over a campfire? Started awkwardly, thoughts and strange feelings came and went. But the disturbing thing was getting used to it—to the point that Pyrrha's nudity didn't make him feel uncomfortable anymore. It had become, quite simply, another point of survival.

Pyrrha pushed ahead of him, hair frizzled and wild, skin coated in bruises and muck, armor dull and untempered. She looked like a particularly messy cross between a gladiator and a jungle woman. And I can only imagine what I look like.

"What do you think these are? " Pyrrha asked, almost touching the wall but grabbing a clump of leaves instead. She wiped some of the moss away, revealing what looked like messy, broken carvings in the wall. A language? Drawings?

"What are these… monsters?" Ren inched closer.

There were a handful of them he noticed. A dragon, a gorilla, a spider, an anaconda, what looked like a harpy eagle, and a small jungle cat like a jaguar. They were following something in a line together, the dragon at the front and the jaguar some distance behind the others. By a considerable margin, a cloaked figure walked ahead, what looked like a human. But with the hood drawn up it was hard to tell if it was a man or woman or simply some other kind of Grimm like a Geist. More creatures were around them, scorpions, giant ravens, wolves, bears…

"These are Grimm." Pyrrha pointed out. "Deathstalkers, Nevermores… who on Remnant made these?"

Ren did not want to say that Grimm did. He'd have liked to say that people had been here before and did these carvings themselves, but that seemed incredibly unlikely. The Grimm they'd seen days ago had used broken language to carve into the mountainside. If they couldn't even articulate that, then there was no way they could have been so clean with the carvings here. And if that was the case, then who had drawn them?

Pyrrha had already grabbed more leaves. "Look, there's more down here!"

"Pyrrha, I think we should…" But it was too late to stop her. She revealed the next picture and Ren didn't try to resist looking.

The snake was battling the dragon; a mighty, coiling titan that the dragon was dwarfed by and yet the latter seemed to have the upper hand, razing the snake with what looked to be fire. The spider was climbing a great tree, one that stretched higher and further than others, a massive web stretched above a huge canopy, shapes dotted into it. Further down, the ape conglomerated with smaller apes, what looked like Primals and… Watchers? Like it was building an army or something?

"These are Grimm. What'd be the point in fighting one another?" Pyrrha almost sounded like she was in awe of it, green eyes roving up and down, hands covered in wet moss as she forewent using leaves altogether and simply wiped away with her bare hands.

Why indeed? There was no reason for Grimm to fight each other. But then there's no reason Grimm should need to spell either, even rudimentarily. The Grimm here are more intelligent than any I've ever heard of. Who knows what they're capable of?

The harpy attempted to eat the spider, claws and fangs clashed like giant swords. The ape's army had intercepted a wave of others, Grimm just like it, and it seemed to cut through hordes of them with claws longer than its own body. Beringels against Deathstalkers. Nevermores against ageist-possessed golems. Suddenly it was a clutter, the story unfolded like flipping the pages of a book, Ren stumbling as he fought to keep up. The ape against the dragon. The spider against the snake. The harpy against the dragon, the snake against the spider, dozens and dozens and dozens of times over. This war, for it could be nothing else, was endless.

Until it wasn't.

"What?" Ren breathed, breath caught in his throat, a sweat having formed on his already damp neck.

The war just… stopped. He didn't see anything else except a paw print. A dog's or cat's.

"What happened?"

Ren couldn't be sure himself, but he couldn't help but feel like he was forgetting something in that picture. Something was missing. There was the dragon, the harpy, the spider, the snake, the ape, and… "All those battles… where is this jaguar?"

"There was a jaguar?" Pyrrha came back. "Oh…"

There it was, just sitting there behind the others. Small, not like a cub, but clearly the runt compared to the others. He didn't follow after the cloaked figure like the others, but nor did it go its own way. Instead it was like the thing was watching them. Waiting.

It entered none of the battles, and fought none of its fellows. But, as Ren found, it was there the whole time.

It stood next to the dragon, just barely visible. Then in the next picture was the dragon while it fought the snake, the jaguar wasn't there at all. Then another scene, just barely visible, the jaguar kneeled to the ape, then the ape and its followers were assaulting an enemy horde. It happened again and again, the jaguar was always there before a battle happened and then when all the groups were fighting one another, it was nowhere to be found.

Why?

"Pyrrha, let's hurry on out of here." Ren said, touching her wrist, but Pyrrha hadn't moved. "Pyr—" his voice died in his throat.

It was hanging there, right in front of them. Inches from Pyrrha's wide-eyed, staring face. Glowing red eyes like the tarsiers, except hidden by an elaborate, cracked mask. A black body that looked stitched together, flesh hanging off bone. Thin, scrawny, like a half-withered dead body spiked with thousands of jutting bones as if it were some freak amalgamation of horror. A shawl of foliage hung off its spike laden shoulders.

"Mommy, Daddy…" Pyrrha squealed weakly, whispering almost. Tears flooding her cheeks like a dam had burst from behind.

"Pyrrha, get down!" Ren snapped himself into action, pushing her aside. He open fired, cursed when the gun made a defeated click, but by then, the creature had launched itself up into the air.

"Mom! Daddy, help me!" Pyrrha was screaming now. And Ren darted back and forth between looking at her and the descending… thing. She was curled up on the ground, arms tucked close, bawling like a newborn. What had that thing done to her?

Ren immediately got moving, taking Pyrrha's arm under his and slinging them both away, right at the Grimm landed, stabbing something into the ground. A spear it looked like, a spear crafted entirely of bone. When had it gotten that?

"We've gotta run, Pyrrha!" Ren yelled, trying to pull her along. She clutched viciously tight to him, but was barely able to get one foot in front of the other. Screaming again and again for her parents.

Nothing he said was getting through to her. Was this like with Jaune? The red eyes were just like the Watchers, and he'd been thinking that they'd had some affect in Jaune. In his case, they'd affected his rage to the point that Jaune attacked him. Had this thing targeted Pyrrha's fear? Turned her back into a defenseless little girl?

Pyrrha;s weight was too much, she took them both down, and just in time. A bone lance came flying over their heads, ripping straight through a tree.

A tree now falling toward them.

He grabbed Pyrrha by the shoulder, rolled them over, and didn't see the incline. And the world began to tumble over and over. Green, brown, black everywhere. Things stabbed and slashed at him, sticks and shrubs. The sky and ground mixed together, and he could only clutch Pyrrha tightly to him and hope for it all to come to an end soon.

"Aargh!" Ren grunted as they came to a violent stop. Pyrrha fell out his arms, he'd slammed against a tree stump, shooting stinging pain up his back. He clawed at the ground for purchase, legs weak, he'd thumping mercilessly. He could hear Pyrrha whimpering. He had to get her, had to get them out of here.

She screamed, Ren moved instantaneously, without thinking.

That Grimm was back, a bony spear raised above its head, about to drive it into a cornered Pyrrha. Ren cut between them, his blades caught the spearhead. The strength of it, the pure unmeasurable power behind arms that were little more than skeleton. He refused to buckle, but he didn't need to. A third arm burst out of the monster's side and backhanded him hard enough to turn him over in the air, crack his head against a rock.

He wheezed, fought against the pain. Screaming. He had to save her. He had to save her!

"Let her go!" Ren leapt at the beast again, noticed the way it redirected its swing at him. He dodged away, rolled aside as the monster chased him down. Clang, their blades met again, monstrous strength overwhelming.

If he fought this thing alone, he wouldn't win… and he knew it. He wanted to live. What about Nora's silly plans to have children? She never should have been thinking about such things this young but… suddenly it didn't sound quite so bad. Funny, thinking about all of that while trying not to crumble under a monster's strength. "Run, Pyrrha! Go!"

Pyrrha stared at him, still quivering, red glow in her eyes. Like she didn't remember him, like she had no clue where she was, why she was here or anything. And Ren suddenly didn't want her to leave, he needed her help, needed her to help him survive.

She shrieked as something leapt onto her, pinned her to the ground. A jaguar Grimm. Pyrrha tried to fight it off, but the monster had closed its mouth around her neck, teeth digging in just barely. Pyrrha whimpered, forced to lie still, staring at him with sheer horror in her eyes.

"Let her—" He was knocked aside, the ape chasing him down. He weaved sloppily away, tripping over some undergrowth. The spear slashed out at him, ripping a tree in half where he had once been.

Ren took a blow, blood spraying from his busted nose and all over his face. The world was dizzying, painless. All he could see was the Grimm, between flashes of his team and everyone else, the world was cruel and beautiful all at the same time.

He forced his spine to straighten, readied himself right as the Ape Grimm roared at him, sounding like an army of cicadas. With all his strength, he roared right back, spit flying, fury rising like a tempest in his chest and throat. He was going to die here.

But not before taking this monster with him.

Jaune caved in the shooter's face with one punch. No Brave needed.

Turned out most of them had aura, which most certainly was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. It only meant the show would have to go on.

He'd already downed the ones pointing their weapons at the civilians, splatters of blood staining the floor. He really had tried not to hurt them seriously. But… he'd simply acted. He had to make sure none of the innocents died. He was the hero. The Champion. What did the lives of these criminals who would kill innocent people possibly matter?

His head pounded, a voice inside was beating at his brain, making him reconsider. He pushed that side of him away. One fired at him, but Jaune tanked the shots and closed a hand around the man's neck. He lifted him with the most minimal effort, then slammed him face first onto the floor, heard bones crunch and the crowd gasp in terror. He glanced at Leo, who stared frozen, face pale like he'd been submerged in ice.

See? It's not worth it. This isn't the life you want. Don't end up like me! He had to make sure Leo stayed terrified of being a Huntsman. Jaune would make him hate them, just like his mother did. Then he could live happily, leave the monster hunting to those who were expendable.

If he could save no other child, he'd save him.

He couldn't even see what he was doing anymore, smiling like a maniac as the robbers shouted orders to take him down. Jaune laughed, they were idiots. None of his peers could touch him, so why did they think they stood a chance? They were nobodies preying on others to feel powerful, but Jaune didn't need to do that. He was just powerful, the best, he was destined to become the greatest, most powerful Huntsman ever.

These fools were going to get in the way of his destiny? No, that couldn't be allowed. He had to teach them the truth.

One lied dead at his feet, Jaune unsure of what he did to him. His fists were sopping wet, so was his shirt and his lower pant leg, something dripped off the end of his nose. He could feel his eye twitching, that voice screaming in his head as he watched the cosmic fear envelop the rest of the robbers. Something was laughing inside, and it damn near bubbled to the surface.

"Are you done?" he smirked, "No no, we've just gotten started."

Ren let out a yell as the beast came after him. Swipe for swipe, he forced himself to meet its lunges. Every miss felled a tree, slashed crevasses in the ground. He leapt away as bony buzz saws spun through the air, dug through the ground like shark fins. He jumped up into, gravity shifting as that tree began to come down. The ape leapt at him, bone spears spinning about it wildly.

Back off! Ren swung down, aura filled his palm. He struck the falling tree, reversed its motion and sent it spiraling at the Grimm. The tree cracked and split like an egg when the spear came through, just barely missing Ren's face. So it could extend the range of the spear? It was no wonder it seemed to be able to cut through things he was nowhere near.

Ren rolled on the forest floor, the ape right there to meet him. Duck, slash, jab, they traded blows back and forth. Ren had little choice but to dodge, but even then sometimes found himself to slow. He backpedaled as the spear caught his leg, ripped a sizable chunk of aura away. Ren took that opening to leap at it, bury the blade of one of his guns into its chest. It went in, went deep, but if the Grimm felt it, it showed no sign. It looked so physically weak and yet was so very powerful.

It was nothing like any Grimm he'd ever seen.

Like a loose zipper the crotch and head of the beast split open, revealing gangly rotten teeth oozing with saliva as it roared and leapt at him. A narrow miss, Ren's shoulder nicked and blood began to stick fabric to skin. The creature rebounded off a tree, opening its abyss of a jaw open wide again as Ren leapt away, its teeth buried into the ground. Got you! Ren jumped onto it, aura burning through his arm. With a flesh-stinging strike, the aura pulsed through the beast and sent it spiraling away, a flopping mess on the ground.

Weak to aura, that was how he beat it. He could win this. He had no idea how he'd get Pyrrha free of that Jaguar, but he had no choice to take it one thing at a time.

Ren's flared up, used his aura to take the lunging spear that stuffed his approach. Couldn't run forever. He drove a palm into the creature's chest, let the power shoot through like a crack of lightning, like the howl of thunder. The beast felt that one, launched away like a flailing ragdoll. As if defying gravity laws, it righted itself in midair, sliding down a tree using its claw as purchase. It reared back, hurled its spear like a javelin. Forced Ren to hit the ground, tasting dirt, but thankfully not his own blood.

That was the new game, it played. Launching spear after spear, nailing the ground like staples in a desk. Ren kept moving, pushing himself toward the monster closer and closer. He'd ensure this thing died. Aura attacks, that's what it suffered from, that would be the way to bring it down.

He hadn't stopped thinking about Jaune, at how liberally he used his aura. He had so much that he could afford to, Ren was nowhere near that. He'd the weakest aura out of everyone.

But he let his aura flare up anyway. It felt good, warm, uplifting. It made him angry, no, it was like he was feeling someone else's. His own aura never felt like this. Maybe because he was on the edge of death? Maybe.

If nothing else, he'd at least save Pyrrha. He owed her that. He owed Jaune that. His own life? It was expendable, he'd gladly give it up...

Gladly...

"M-monster..."

Oh he was something much worse. He was a hero, a Champion. How could these weaklings not have realized it until now?

Jaune held the leader by his collar, the man down on the ground, one leg crushed to oblivion. They'd been so easy to beat, almost boring. Part of him wanted more, but knew that at some point the statement was made. He dropped him to the ground, heard him wheeze as his head tilted to the side, chest heaving in desperation for air. No telling if he'd last until the police arrived, but it hardly mattered.

He'd saved the day—as expected. "Everyone alright?"

You expected the people you saved to look relieved, hopeful even. Some were. Most, though? There was a potent air of unease, ambiguity as all eyes were on him, watching him, waiting, perhaps fearing what he might do next. He couldn't imagine why. There was nothing for them to be afraid of.

He didn't know what to say as he approached Leo and his mother, her pulling her son close. Even kneeling before them, in a position of power, it felt like all the words Jaune could say were all gone.

That's when Leo snatched away from his mother, against her protest, and came to him. He looked hesitant, shaking, staring at him like he was looking at a monster. It broke Jaune's heart, but its the way it had to be. Leo didn't want to be a Huntsman, didn't want to be part of all this death and chaos. Just look at himself, he'd just killed a man, multiple men, and he couldn't be sure if what he was feeling was joy or numbness. Where was the regret? The trauma and wish to take it all back?

Insignificant things for the Champion.

"Leo," Jaune said, raspily. This was the time to tell him, no better chance than now. "I—"

The boy crashed into him, arms wrapped around his neck. He was trembling, shaking, but not with fear, but exasperated relief. "Thank you, for saving me and my mom."

No, this wasn't… this wasn't what Jaune wanted. He'd tried to show Leo that this wasn't the life he wanted. Leo should be afraid, want to get away from him, want to spread terrible lies about the monstrous Jaune Arc and destroy his reputation. Something like that. Anything like that. Not thanks, not fucking admiration… anything but more admiration.

Bang.

So that's what a gunshot felt like.

Jaune wasn't in a lot of pain, he'd had worse looking back. Even if he could feel the blood pooling in his chest, his aura would stitch the wound far before he bled out. He was fine, and the half-dead leader that shot him? Well, that was all the strength he'd had left and now dropped the gun and fell still.

Then he heard the whimpering, felt something drew away from him, the arms of a little boy.

"No, no..." Jaune caught Leo before he could fall. The boy's tiny hand clutched at his, holding on for dear life. Blood, it was everywhere, dark and hot. It cursed Jaune to the touch. Not Leo's blood, anything but Leo's blood. That's not what was supposed to happen, not like this. "Leo, Leo…" Jaune stared at his whimpering, tear tracked face, red with twisted pain, breathing labored and weak.

His aura, yes, Jaune could use his aura. He'd be fine! Jaune put his hand to Leo's chest, let the aura wash over him. He'd healed way worse, right? Leo would totally be…

It wasn't working. No, why? He had full aura, had barely used any of it. Hadn't been in any matches. Why? Fucking why? He tried again and again, forced his aura to spill out in great gouts of energy. It did nothing to help the whimpering Leo. It did nothing to save a dying child. Was it because his aura wasn't unlocked? How did he unlock his aura?

Jaune panicked, trying to recall the words. "F-for its in p-passing… by my shoulder…" No, that wasn't right. What was it Pyrrha had said? Where had she put her hands again? Leo gasped and panted desperately, unable to even scream, unable to move. "Please, please no…" Jaune begged whatever he could. Fate, god, the universe, anything. Take his life if they had to, not this boy's.

Limpness. The tiny hand that had been squeezing at his fell still, went slack.

Someone pushed him away, she was screaming, wailing like a banshee. Jaune couldn't do anything but stare, eyes wide to the point of popping out, his entire body had grown cold, his heart a slow beat of building horror that tried to deny everything he was seeing. A mother rocking her son in her lap, her son's eyes half open, tiny hand laying flat on the ground, head tilted and hanging like his strings had been cut. A fireman, an officer, an astronaut, he could've been any of those things. He had to become one of those things.

"No, no, no…" Jaune quivered where he lay, eyes hot and pooling wet to the point that it disturbed his vision. The world was confusing, a haze of spiraling colors, a blur of voices and people and everything he'd ever seen. Murder, he was a murderer, a crazed, psychopath that dragged children into his bloody business.

Murder, death. Good day. He was a hero, the best, the murderer. The Champion. Screaming, someone was screaming. Footsteps, men in suits rushing inside. Wailing sirens. Murderer, child killer. They were right, all the protestors were right. Hero, champion, hero, champion, the best. Today was a good day.

I am happy, I am happy, I am happy...

Get up, Ren told himself, get up, you fool.

Those words had come out over a year ago, when he was leaning over the railing of the contestant booth, watching his leader snarl, spit, and match the strength of one of the strongest students in their year. Jaune was never supposed to win that fight, he was never supposed to make it past the preliminaries, never supposed to run an entire gauntlet against the best of their year and make it out on top. None of it had ever been Ren's expectation of him… and yet when it happened he'd cried. He'd been proud to see him standing there, sobbing amidst a storm of cheers with his fist raised to the sky.

He was thinking about that moment a lot right now.

Ren pushed himself to stand, cuts and lacerations all over him. His leg stung with the effort, warmth wet blood oozing down his pant leg, damping it, made it stick to his sweaty, stinking skin. His hair was no better, a near miss from a bone spear had caught his temple, now his bangs were glued to his forehead and blood seeped down and into his eye. Still, he stood. Still, he raised his weapons, and if the Ape Grimm had been surprised, it didn't show.

Had to protect Pyrrha. Had to save her. But how?

"Come on, you f…" Ren stumbled, one eye squeezed shut. He could barely get the words out, could barely keep himself from looking weak to the enemy. The Grimm showed no need to rush, wasn't lusting with an uncontrollable desire for death. The thing inched toward him, bony clawed hands flexing, waiting on Ren to make a move. This thing was no one's fool, that much was clear.

How did you beat a Grimm who was smart enough to challenge you? How? Ren couldn't figure out the answer. The most he knew was that aura could damage it, but not significantly. The armor was too strong, and it constantly regrew. He had no bullets to pierce through, the blades of Stormflower were utterly useless at piercing. What options did he really have?

Just… roll over and die?

Ren might have chuckled, but his throat was killing him. Clogged with snot and blood and dirt. Maybe that's how I atone… would you be okay with that? Who was he even talking to? The Grimm? Jaune? God? Was there even such a thing as a God? If there was, why did he let the Grimm run around and cause so much pain. Why did he let children lose their parents to them? Why God? Why?

Pyrrha was still staring at him, tears in her eyes, staring at him imploringly. Begging him to save her. But what could he really do? His whole body hurt, his aura was fading like a dying lamplight. He had nothing left. Nothing but regrets.

The Grimm opened its body again, chest expanding like a giant mouth brimming with spit-dripping black teeth. No tongue, just the roof of a mouth laden with coiled muscle perfect for smothering a victim to death if it somehow got past the teeth. That wouldn't be a quick death, Ren didn't need to guess. He'd die screaming, begging for help, maybe it would feel like hours before the monster grinded him into mush.

He didn't want to die. Who did? Ren felt like a child again, cowering, shivering, unable to summon any strength. Tired, he was so tired. Maybe… it was fine this way. Maybe he didn't need to fight anymore…

He started to drift off, the world becoming dark as the gaping mouth came closer and closer. Nora was there, waiting. Pyrrha, too. Maybe the monster would have mercy and kill her quickly. The others? Ruby and everyone? They'd be alright without him. He was as useless as dead weight anyway. Hadn't found food or water or shelter or anything he'd promised them. What right did he have anymore?

Ren fell to his knees. This was the way it would end, with him knowing it was over, but wishing desperately for it not to be. He was a selfish idiot, an unworthy friend, a monster of a man. He wasn't smart and resourceful like Jaune, he couldn't lead like Jaune, as much as he wanted to prove he didn't need him. Well, he needed him now. More than ever.

Would Jaune appear out of nowhere to rescue him? Would he fight this enemy to the bitter end and come out on top like he always did? That'd be something to see. It never failed to impress him…

The jaws were even closer. Pyrrha was crying again, she tried to wriggle her way out of the jaws of the Jaguar, but it bit down just a bit harder, forcing her down. He wanted to yell at her to stop, to tell her not to put herself through more pain. He was okay with this… he really was…

Oh… his mind felt so clear. The sky was so incredibly ugly and beautiful, the forest was so dark and bright. The wind tasted so good, the forest smelled like wet muck. He recalled lying with Nora, warm against her back, laughing with Pyrrha long before the tournament happened. Having awkward bro time with Jaune as he tried and failed to glean advice for wooing Weiss. That fool, he had a perfectly good woman like Pyrrha and he wanted Weiss? A lot of silliness.

He'd loved it. Loved them so much. This would be how he atoned.

Someone was calling his name. He was sure he was just delusional, tears slipped out of his closed eyes, he practically offered himself to the monster. Everything was so clear, he wasn't afraid anymore.

It was over.

…

…

Why did it feel so warm, here in this darkness? What was he hearing muffled outside the bubble of black abyss? Why did the hundreds of teeth of a monster only scrape against his aura?

A friend was next to him, except he wasn't. Something had a hold of him, something that was seeping out and protecting his body. He opened his eyes. His skin was a fluorescent white, pure like snow, warm like fire, powerful like… like…

That night, when the air had been shifting around him, when his body had felt hot and his aura felt like it had been stretching even before he'd been punched. It was expanding. Growing…

A final tear rolled out of Ren's eye. He tucked in his lips, pressed his hands out, calling on every last bit of strength he could manage. Dying? No, that was unacceptable.

He still had to apologize to Jaune.

Pyrrha screamed for him. She had no idea what happened or where she'd been, how her neck had ended up in the tight jaws of this Jaguar or why it hadn't killed her. None of it mattered as she futility kicked her legs and clawed at the impassive monster that didn't flinch to anything she did.

Not Ren, not Ren. She couldn't lose him! She screamed again and again, bawled as the monster closed its jaws around her friend. Watched Ren let himself be consumed. In one full bite, he was gone, no blood, no scream, nothing. But the way the mouth chewed and crunched was all the indication she needed.

"I'll kill you! Let me gooo!" Pyrrha fought as hard as she could. It amounted to nothing.

The Ape Grimm turned to her, its broken body yet to return to normal. It took one step forward… and a part of its mutated body bulged. Pyrrha swore the Jaguar's grip loosened a bit.

Another step. A bigger bulge, like a finger was poking through the inside. The creature began to shift and shake, more bulges, getting bigger and bigger with each passing second. Pyrrha watched stunned, baffled at it. What the hell was happening? Was this how it ate? Was it mutating?

Then the best returned to normal shape, looked around a bit, then up. At the Jaguar.

Before bursting.

Ren's pained, haggard but undoubtedly alive roar burst to life. A brilliant explosion of white-hot aura sprayed out and away from him like a force field, sending shredded pieces of the ape all over the levelled forestry like the popped skin of a balloon. Ren landed flat on his side, choking and fighting for breath.

"Re—" Pyrrha didn't get even a chance to say it. She was airborne in a second of a second, but not for long. A blur of trees rushed past her, her neck was free and blood was tickled by the passing wind. Then she went down.

The hill was steep and merciless, Pyrrha forced to tuck in to keep rocks and sticks from flaying her. She didn't fall for long, crashing hard onto… soft ground? Her tongue tasted like dirt, she pushed to hurry and stand. Ren, she had to get to him before the Jaguar did.

Ren rolled to the base of the hill, coughing and sputtering. How had he…? Had he gotten away, escaped the Jaguar somehow? Had the Jaguar let him escape?

"Ren!" Pyrrha rushed over to him, pulled him into her arms. He was showered in bruises, his shirt was torn to shreds, revealing the deep slashes all over him. Only… they were closing. And quickly. Jaune's aura? When had he gotten that? During their fight?

"Even when you can't do anything, you're still helping us." Pyrrha shook her head. She tapped his cheek. "Ren? Ren, can you hear me?"

"...ater."

"What?"

"Wa… ter." Ren croaked, raising a weak, trembling finger.

"I'm sorry, Ren." Pyrrha said, following it. "I don't—"

Could it have looked any more beautiful?

A sparkling waterfall rushed out of a mouth like crevasse at the base of the cliff like a water hose turned all the way up. White foaming spray kissed the air, spilling into the shining blue pond spreading wide and far. Lilies danced on the water, drifted toward and way from the ripples, all coalesced together in almost angelic harmony as a great circle containing the pure ambrosia fit to heal even the dead.

Pyrrha's throat hadn't felt drier. So much so that she barely got out, "Oh."

Well, glad I got this done, and a nice meaty chapter too.

To everyone, thank you for sticking with this story. Times only get harder and I don't have the time to update as frequently as I used to when other things take priority. But when I do get the time, I still try to push an update if I can.

As it stands, I may only be able to update a fic once or twice a month. I'll certainly try to make it more often, but to do that I'd need to cut back on work, which I simply can't. To those who are supporting me o , thank you. Even a little bit motivates me to stick to the promises I made.

That said, having a support account open does still make me feel kind of sick to my stomach for some reason. I suppose I just hate that I asked for support when I'd never intended to make this anything more than a hobby. But, like Jaune Arc, life just continues to fuck me. XD

I may close the account for that reason alone. So while I appreciate those who did support me, if I end up closing the account, its not that I'm ungrateful or don't appreciate you. Its more that I respect you guys enough that taking money from y'all just doesn't sit right with me, personally.

Anyway, sorry for all that real life stuff. I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Major secrets revealed and all that. Can't wait to see your reviews.

Later and stay safe out there.