Shadows

The lone assailant slipped through the shadows, landing in front of the CCT before stealthily approaching an armed guard from behind. Lifting her arm, she then knife-handed him on the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious before dragging him behind some bushes.

Making her way into the building, her hourglass figure only pronounced in her catsuit, the two guards stood stunned for a moment before one held up a hand at her in warning.

"Excuse me, no one's allowed in this area," he began, but immediately continued as Cinder maintained her bearing, "Stop!"

The soldier opened fire when she did not comply, but didn't stand a chance as she evaded the bullets and overpowered him, using his gun to take out the second approaching soldier. Throwing the first one back against a handrail, Cinder flash-forged a pair of black blades from fire Dust and trounced two more soldiers rushing her with batons.

Her work done, she now stood in front of the elevator that already seemed to be approaching ground level, raising a brow as she began to hear voices within.

"Hey man, do you know the Wi-Fi password?"

"It's Beacon, but replace the E with a 3 and add a pound symbol to the end."

The elevator door opened to show the two guards inside pause their conversation, one of them noticing the fallen men outside before Cinder casually walked in with a smirk. The apprehension growing within, Cinder turned around as the doors closed, and by the time the elevator reached the desired floor, both guards lay on the floor in unconscious heaps.

"Oh! That's handy," the enchantress remarked idly as she examined a scroll from one of the fallen guards before the elevator came to a stop with a ding.

However, when the door opened, the raven-haired intruder stopped short at the sight of the armed blonde knight waiting in the middle of the console room for her, his head lowered and hair obscuring his eyes.

Jaune

"Fancy meeting you here," I begin, sensing the momentary shock within her already fading away.

It's almost funny, really, thinking that they would make a move without telling me, as if I wouldn't be able to sense it anyway. And especially a move spearheaded by the famous - or infamous, depending on how you look at it - Cinder Fall. It didn't take long after my dance with Pyrrha to sense her, the Dust she's infused with gives her a rather unique Force signature despite her not being a user, and as much as I hated it, I had to take leave of the dance and pick up my sword on my way over to the CCT.

"And so we finally get to meet, Mister Arc," the enchantress hums with a sultry voice that almost immediately rivets my full attention on her, "You're even more intriguing in person - already surpassing my expectations~"

I have to blink a few times to shake it off: a strong - no, unnatural - sense of attraction to her... her obsidian hair, striking fiery eyes, and hypnotic figure almost getting me to lower my guard as she approaches slowly until I figure out her secret.

Pheromone Dust. Those guards downstairs never stood a chance.

"I'm already aware of the little ace up your sleeve you're carrying around," I warn firmly as I line Crocea Mors at level with her neck, a small smirk on her face surprising me as she stops in place, "You've been using Dust to charm your way up here."

"Oh?" she drawls with a small grin, "Are you sure it's not the case that you simply like what you see?~"

"Don't test me, Fall."

Humming in satisfaction, the enchantress holds her hands up placatingly, taking a step back with the same small grin before replying, "Definitely impressive. Roman chose wisely with you... How exactly did you manage to get up here without alerting anyone, may I ask?"

A sudden sound like knocking at the elevator door suddenly catches her attention, causing her to turn quickly to the source as she flash-forges her twin sabres in each hand. However, raising a brow upon noticing that no one is behind her, she turns back to face me. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little smug at my own trick.

"That's how," I begin smoothly as I maintain my sword drawn at her, "A very nifty form of Force Confusion, which seems to have helped me hit two birds with one stone - I now know what weapons you're using. It only took a quick mind trick on the guards posted up here that I sent down the elevator."

She seems to be about to say something when I notice her eyes jerk to the side, squinting a bit as I realize she's listening to something in her ear.

Cinder sighs, unexpectedly rolling her eyes before glancing at me and pointing at her ear, "Which one?"

Straining my senses, I try and catch what's being said in her hidden communicator, but to no avail. I haven't had enough training in honing my senses with The Force, and being that I don't really seem to have a predisposition to sense-specific abilities, it's unlikely I'll ever become more sensitive to these things than maybe a Faunus. Still, I'm able to catch the last bit as Cinder walks over to a console and sticks in a mini-drive.

'Should we intervene?'

"No... we're done here," she states slowly with an almost uninterested tone at the conversation at hand before reaching up to her ear and ending the communication.

I notice lines of code appear on every screen in the room before being replaced with the image of a queen chess piece... strange, but I doubt I'll get much of an explanation from her. Still, it's worth a shot.

"A Queen? That's thinking a little highly of yourself, don't you think?"

Almost taken aback at my back-handed comment, I merely see her smirk widen, her eyes lighting up a bit as if they were aflame as she responds, "And bold as well~ You know, Young Arc, that men have died for much smaller a transgression than yours?"

I scoff as I grip the hilt tighter, ready for a fight, "I don't see a funeral in my future anytime soon."

"Careful~" she continues with a subtle hint of warning, casting a glance at her raised hand next to her in which a small ball of flame appears, "Remember, you work for Roman and Roman works for me, so let's not get confused as to who will decide your future after I'm ruler of this kingdom..."

Ruler? Queen... Kingdom?

All of a sudden, her plan becomes clear in my head. Somehow, this operation is supposed to help her gain power over Vale using the White Fang as support, turning the kingdom into some kind of monarchy? ...A monarchy? And just as suddenly, her plan now feels terribly... hilariously... small.

The change Roman was always talking about bringing was at a global scale... It only takes me a second to realize that this woman is merely a means to an end, ultimately nothing but a pawn in Roman's hands to align the world to his point of view... but how? How?

I don't get a chance to think about it much longer as several things happen simultaneously in the next second. First, I hear the elevator running - and not by my choice - and second, a blaring sense of warning through my Force instincts emanating from the seemingly startled Cinder who's also turned to the elevator. And now turning back to face me, I notice she's sporting a smug grin as she speaks up.

"Yes... definitely impressive. But I'm afraid, still terribly naïve..."

Realizing she's talking about me, I cock my head to the side before I realize something's beneath me. The moment I look down, I notice there's a rather large fire glyph spinning on the floor under me, my impending scowl deepening as Cinder concludes.

"Nothing personal. In fact, you should consider this a favor - my thanks for not getting in my way~"

And as the elevator reaches our floor with a ding, the glyph goes off.

SHOOOM!

Barely dodging the pillar of flame that rises from the glyph beneath me like a budding fire-flower, the blast augments my back-flip out of control and sends me flying into a few consoles at the edge of the room. In and out of consciousness, I could barely register the awkward shuffling of heels as a third person entered the room.

"Hello? Is anyone there? ...Hello?"

My heart sinks as I realize who it is. Ruby.

Trying to regain full control of my body, I sense myself beginning to panic as I hear a second pair of heels approaching her, and much more fluid by the sound of it. Cinder...

"Excuse me? You know, it's not a masquerade party, so why don't you take off that-!"

What follows is what Pyrrha might describe as a cacophony of Dust attacks whistling through the air, the fight suddenly ending as quickly as it began.

I see a streak of black course across my field of vision, realizing it's Cinder leaping out an opened window after shooting me a wink as Ruby speaks up at a new unidentified person.

"General Ironwood!"

Oh thank Dust.

"...Did you do all of this?" I hear him ask before I register Ruby explaining the situation at a hundred miles per hour. At least... it feels that way, because my head starts swimming and I'm starting to think a nap would be a great idea right about now...

"A-And then she disappeared! I'm pretty sure she must've gone out this wa- Wait a sec... Jaune!?"

Roman

"He did what!?"

'I'm sorry, but I'm quite certain I didn't stutter,' Cinder's voice comes through the communicator matter-of-factly, at which in an admittedly heated lapse of judgment, I fire a round from Melodic Cudgel into a nearby car, turning it into an inferno which I'd say pretty much reflects my state of mind at the moment.

"Hey!" I hear the owner of the car yell as he keeps his date held back from the blooming flames.

"SHUT UP!"

I then turn my attention back to the communicator as I turn the corner of the Vale city block.

"Did he get in the way of the operation?"

'No~' the voice continues smoothly, in much the same way a Siren of old would do before pulling your guts out, 'He actually helped, in a way. I was almost certain that I'd have to terminate the two guards posted in the console chamber to eliminate any possible witness of what was done up there, but he sent them away instead with one of those Force tricks, as you call them...'

I can't help but grip my cane a little harder as I growl in response, "Sentiment... should've known better. I underestimated him. Any other complications?"

'Aside from the appearance of General Ironwood, none at all. I had already been warned of his approach well before the deed was done. Besides, as I told Mercury - they'll be scratching their heads long after we've finished what we're here for~'

"Heh," I chuckle knowingly, "Ironwood isn't a concern. The only real problem here is the kid somehow having figured out your plan before you even had it in motion."

'Oh... judging by what my associates tell me, he'll be a problem alright~'

At that, I stop in my tracks on the sidewalk, my brows immediately furrowing at the tinge of scandal in her voice.

"What're you talking about."

'Emerald tells me that he's finally passed first base with his partner, The Invincible Girl. I'm sure it was a wonderful moment as they shared their first kiss on the ballroom floor~'

You've got to be kidding me. Don't get me wrong, the Dark Side requires a pretty strong connection to your emotions, but this? This? It's a distraction, and I'd be damned to Remnant's Hell if it wasn't already eating into his resolve and loyalty to my cause! I can't have that. This must be handled as quickly as possible. No matter the cost.

"Y'know what? I'll get back to you on that. I'm about to hit some traffic."

Ending the conversation, I begin walking as a small fleet of Vale's police force attempts to corner me on the sidewalk with a barricade of a dozen squad cars. Idiots.

No more holding back.

Eeeee-CRASH!

Four... or eight, I'm not really paying attention... squad cars go hurdling into the nearby building, flames erupting all over the dimly-lit street. Heh, not just dimly lit anymore.

"S-Stop right there!"

"We will fire!"

Hmm... police officers behind me. Three behind, seven more surrounding, and two injured near the demolished building. Can't have any survivors, can we?

I turn with my hands up - and cane raised - my darnedest attempt at theatrical frustration coming to the fore with my reply, "Darn! You got me!"

I'll admit, it's getting harder to hold back a smirk as I hear some of them whispering around me things like Freak and What is he, but like a good actor, I stay in character as the captain of the graveyard shift squad slowly approaches me. Hah! Graveyard shift, it's almost poetic...

"A-All right, no funny business. Just do as I say... and drop, the cane."

Ohh... this is rich.

He flinches - a fatal mistake - as I raise my brow and crack a wide grin, "Very poor choice of words..."

SHOOOOOM!

With a quick twirl, I slam Melodic Cudgel onto the ground, unleashing a Force Blast that vaporizes any organic matter at street level within a street block radius. Well... vaporizes is putting it lightly... a more accurate description would likely require supervision by a parent or guardian to hear.

Whistling the theme song to my favorite web series, Red vs. Blue, I twirl my cane around and onto my shoulder as I turn and walk away from the fiery hell-hole, turning the corner as a nearby clock tower strikes midnight before reaching up to my earpiece and dialing my surely expectant Master.

"Good evening, General!" I quip cheerily into the earpiece, "Quite the event tonight, wasn't it?"

'The disturbance in the Force just now, that was you.'

"Couldn't be helped," I reply without missing a beat, admittedly lying through my teeth, "There were witnesses to my escape from your airborne prison that needed taking care of."

A slight pause.

'Very well,' he continues to my relief, 'It seems there was an altercation at the CCT, Cinder met two resilient students by the looks of it.'

"Two?" I retort off-guard, "Wait, you were there?"

That's not good.

'You seem surprised. Of course I would be there. I made my way over after sensing her presence; after all, her operation tonight was indispensable to our plans - I wanted to ensure it had been successful.'

"Well, yeah. Of course. And those two students managed to fend her away without a scratch?"

'Not quite,' he replied pensively, recalling the incident most likely, 'She only left upon my arrival; otherwise, she doubtlessly would've dispatched them since they were witnesses. The young lady engaging her the moment of my entry was a rather brilliant student; accepted a year early into the Academy and highly recommended by the Headmaster there.'

"And the other?" I can't help but ask, needing to know if he'd become suspicious.

'The other one... well... it was difficult to tell. He was unconscious by the time we found him, surely incapacitated by one of Cinder's attacks. And aside from a particularly large aura - which leads me to believe he must be an Arc - there didn't seem to be anything else outstanding about the young man.'

Dust that kid has gotten really good at masking his presence in the Force! I let out as silent a sigh of relief I can muster, unwilling to have my plans unravel so early as I reply, "Those little punks will never realize just how lucky they were, that's for sure."

'Indeed.'

Now to put the final nail in the coffin.

"Well then, my Master, that leaves us but one thing," I begin flatly as I reach a secret extraction point at the roof of a nearby empty parking garage, dialing in a White Fang transport, "I know it's a little soon, but with the added resistance at Beacon and growing number of witnesses and investigations, I suggest we move forward with the final phase of Operation Breach."

'Without Cinder's authorization?'

"I'm sure she'll understand," I reply a tad impatiently as I hear a WF stealth transport coming over the horizon, "Besides, all the pieces are already in place on your side - now is the best time to act."

A stagnant pause follows as the transport makes it over the parking lot, the Raven-class Bullhead dropping down with little more than the sound of a light breeze before he finally declares, 'Then let it be done. I expect maximum casualties and losses within the week - the world will need quite a show to rally to my cause. Do not fail me, my Apprentice...'

I hop on the transport with a humorless smirk on my face, sighing as the lift takes off, "Have I ever?"

The call ends without another word, the faux smirk on my face turning to a grimace as I catch a distant sight of Beacon's pale green tower across the edge of Vale.

You will pledge loyalty to me above all else, Arc... Even if I must destroy everyone you hold dear to do it.

Yang

Okay, so I'm just gonna say it now - yesterday's dance was a total, undeniable, success.

Just putting that out there.

Blake made it, Weiss actually had a conversation with a guy, and Jaune has finally hit puberty!~ Yeah, I'll have to say that the only kink during last night would have to be what Ruby ended up telling us was a break-in at the CCT that she - and apparently Jaune, weirdly enough - interrupted, but seeing that the two of them came out of it without a scratch... well, Ruby, at least... I'll just put it down as a win!

But at least Jaune's okay. Some minor burns that his aura healed as soon as he woke up after a brief visit to the infirmary, from what I'm told, and now he's as good as new. Ruby was called to Ozpin's office earlier, she fed Oz, Goodwitch and even Ironwood some info about the location of the White Fang base we've suspected, and now we're all set to take on the day!

Which is weird... cuz apparently Ozpin told Ruby today would be a big day, but we've only got one class scheduled for today...

But it's my favorite - Combat Sparring with Glynda Goodwitch as the Prof!

Anyway, enough about everyone else. Let's keep talking about me for a second.

I'm a girl of simple tastes - hair care, bullets, and beat downs - so when I say the only thing I love more than beating down some baddies is watching the most epic fight of the year play out in front of me, you know that's saying something! So you can imagine my growing excitement as me and the rest of my team sit at the amphitheater bleachers when Miss Goodwitch calls down Jaune for the first match!

But that's not all. It seems not only our first-year class, but all of the visiting students from the main Huntsmen academies around Remnant from all four years are here too! Can't wait to find out who his opponent will be~

"Now, being that this multi-year class period occurs only once a year," Glynda now continues into a mic as he looks down at her tablet, "It seems rather fitting that this challenge be taken into account for Mister Arc's consideration..."

"Wait, what's she talking about?" Ruby asks me curiously from beside me, to which I can only shrug in reply.

"A challenge?" I hear him question in the arena.

"Why yes," Glynda continues with what I bet could be a small smirk, even if I can't see it clearly from this distance, "You've been called to the arena in a challenge from one of our second-year students: Yatsuhashi Daichi. His team just returned earlier today from an unexpected delay in a mission assignment, but their team leader reports they are fully rested and ready for combat. Here he is now."

As the broadsword wielding hulk of a dude strides into the arena, I can't help but hear the growing murmurs of surprise and awe from the audience before the kid that passes Jaune by more than a head speaks up.

"White Knight, I have come to hear of your reputation as a rising swordsman and your unique semblance among the ranks of Beacon's finest, and I would be honored if you were to accept this challenge."

"Wait," Weiss suddenly begins in realization from Ruby's other side on the bleachers, "Yatsuhashi Daichi. He's the Beacon swordsman who is rumored never to have lost a match! He was chalked up to be the main contender against Pyrrha in last year's Mistral Regional Tournament, but it's said he had to drop out for personal reasons..."

"So you're saying he's that good?" Ruby asks with some obvious disbelief, but I'm sure it's mostly at the fact that Weiss is actually speaking so highly of anyone. Especially another swordsman.

But I decide to pay closer attention to my classmate in the arena as he narrows his eyes at his challenger, apparently catching onto something that no one else has gotten yet.

"I sense that there's more to it, isn't there."

At that, I'm not surprised to see the samurai giant bust out a small grin, "And the rumors of your uncanny powers of perception are true as well. But yes, White Knight, as a future Hunter who is taught to enter conflict with the most trusted of allies, I wish this not to be merely a duel... but a challenge of pairs."

The murmurs continue to get louder among the arena as Glynda looks around and then sets her sights on Jaune, "Do you accept the challenge, Mister Arc?"

"And Ozpin approves?" Jaune asks with a sly smirk, "I mean, they've got a whole year of combat experience over us... I might not be able to afford to hold back anymore."

And to our surprise, the Headmaster himself - who normally doesn't even come to these sparring matches - walks onto the amphitheater platform, nodding to his right-hand woman before she lets him take the mic to answer, "Of course. It is now up to you to take the next step."

Jaune then turns to the stands in our general direction, "Well, if my partner-"

"Agrees," Pyrrha suddenly finishes for him, having already made her way down to the arena and surprising her partner by being at his side so soon, "And she does."

I hear Jaune chuckle as he turns back to the Professors on the platform, "Heh, then I guess you have your answer."

"Very well," Ozpin continues, turning to the challenger as Velvet appears at his side, "Then the match may begin."

And stepping away from the platform, the suspense rises in the arena as Ozpin and Glynda are now out of sight and the four contenders drop into combat stances.

Now, I'm not gonna lie. The first time I saw Velvet, I was almost sure she was the timid type - you know, the withdrawn personality, stutter and everything - well... I was apparently dead wrong. Turns out, she can really hold her own, but she just chooses to remain a pacifist when it comes to all people Faunus or human - even if they pick on her.

Of course, the pacifist bit gets kicked out the window as soon as the words sparring and competition are placed on the table. Something she shows now as she makes the first move, her eyes blazing an unnatural hazel as she places a hand on Yats' shoulder.

"Es ist groB. Es ist klein! Vox Gott Es Atlas!"

And just like that, I see thin wires of white light spread across both students' bodies and into Yats' weapon before they fade away.

"A reinforcement incantation done so easily," I hear Weiss say slowly, "I've never seen anything quite like it..."

"What a velvety observation coming from you, Ice Princess~" I can't help quipping at the heiress, earning a combined deadpan stare from my team. Honestly, that was golden! I never catch a break with these girls...

And with a yell, the giant samurai leaps at Jaune while Pyrrha advances at Velvet in a dash.

Pyrrha

A Mage. Of course.

I hadn't thought of the possibility, but I had heard in Mistral that there were a few clans of Faunus in Menagerie who had dedicated their use of aura, not to developing a semblance, but into developing mastery over the elements and aura-based incantations. An impressive feat that would prove too cumbersome for most normal human's auras, only Faunus were ever known to become fully-fledged Magus.

I ready Miló in spear form as I engage her, thrusting and slashing only to find that the nimble rabbit-faunus is incredibly agile, dodging and evading every attack with ease. Quickly forcing her back with an upward swing of Akoúo, I take advantage of the split-second that the shield covers me to shift my spear into firearm form, coming up under my shield to pelt her with a volley of gunfire.

Despite their being non-lethal rounds, the bullets make contact, denting her armor and piercing her gear faster than she can dodge making Velvet the first of us to have any amount of aura depleted.

But tumbling back with several admittedly flawless handsprings to put some space between us, I see her land wide-eyed at my successful attack. And then I see it.

The wooden box with the heart-shaped lock which hasn't been opened within Beacon all year.

And to my surprise - and unfortunately, chagrin - she deftly opens the box pulls out the one thing that I in all my arsenal of techniques have little defense against: a jewel.

Topaz, to be exact. A wind-affinity stone that she quickly points at me with a one-step command.

"Drohnen!"

SSSSSSS-kratkratkratkratKRAT!

And breaking apart into several pieces with a loud hiss, the fragments spin and dissolve into a multitude of bolt-like spears of energy that now fly through the air towards me with the speedy cracks of thunder-like ferocity. I try and dodge as many as I can, but realize they are changing directions and honing in at me at high speeds.

"Hep! Hah! Hiyah!"

I slash and parry at them with Miló in spear form, finally putting out the last one with a split-second deflection from my shield. But no sooner do I recover when I'm suddenly kicked back towards Jaune by an unexpectedly powerful drop kick from the girl on Akoúo.

Jaune

Ack! This guy's sword hits like a sledgehammer! And- OOF!

"P-Pyrrha!?"

I turn back as I realize my partner back to back with me, countering a downwards slash from Yatsuhashi with a simultaneous Force Push to launch him back several feet with the riposte.

"Sorry."

"No need to apologize," I hedge as I keep an eye on the big guy who's already standing and charging me again, "Don't tell me Velv's giving you a hard time?"

I'm somewhat concerned that instead of hearing an immediate response, I only hear a duet of grunts and muffled growls behind me, the two girls apparently in hand-to-hand combat. Wait... Velvet?... in close combat?

"I'm afraid so!" Pyrrha grunts aloud at me, directing herself at Velvet from what I can figure next, "It's quite rare for a mage to also have such skill in physical combat as well, you're abilities are certainly formidable!"

I'd turn to see what was going on, but Yats keeps me busy with an unexpectedly quick barrage of sword strikes that I can't seem to get out of by my sword skills alone - another Force Push is necessary to send him reeling back. But I'm starting to get a bad feeling about things as I realize he's not falling as far back as I'd anticipated.

However, that bad feeling gets much worse as I turn around and see something I thought I'd never see... Pyrrha going down in close combat.

Two failed slashes from Miló, and Velvet grabs the edges of Pyr's shield to flip over her and put her to the floor into an awkward kneel with a massive downward kick on her shoulder. The entire audience goes dead silent as they watch The Invincible Girl take her first public hit along with me.

The velveteen rabbit nods once with a slight pant before holding up a ruby in her hand to deliver the final blow, "Thank you. Kick-boxing and Kenpo, mostly."

"EeeYAH!"

I don't even realize what I've done until Velvet has been yanked toward me and sent into the far arena wall with a Force Pull and Push combo, Pyrrha staggering upright and staring at me wide-eyed.

"Jaune!"

"I-I'm sorr-"

"Look out!" she suddenly yells at me instead, pulling me back as I notice a particularly red glow growing behind us.

"Zerstoren!"

For a split second, I'm pretty sure I see the same ruby held in Velvet's hand before it sparks into a ray of red energy that flies at us like a bullet. With just a moment to dodge, Pyrrha and I leap out of the way as the attack lands and melts the spot we were standing in a sizeable fireball, leaving behind semi-molten rock and a rising blue haze between us and her.

"Uhh... what if that attack would've hit us?" I muse aloud before I notice Pyrrha ready Miló in spear form.

"Our aura would've redirected the energy to absorb the blow. But they each would've gone to the red - immediately disqualifying us," she replies flatly before hefting the spear up like a javelin and launching it through the haze at the girl.

I could sense the Faunus girl's surprise through the Force before Yats suddenly appeared with surprisingly swift speed and deflected the spear with his blade.

The blue haze dissipates as me and Phrrha step through it with myself at the fore, a small smirk on my face as I notice Velvet falter and fall, Yats whispering something to her before beginning another charge at me with a battle cry.

Heh, nope.

Eeeeeeeeeeeee...

The armor on him strains and creaks as I hold out a hand and launch a Force Push... but to my surprise, he doesn't fall back.

"Jaune, he's figured out your aurakinesis!" Pyrrha calls out from behind me as he drops his shoulders and still manages to struggle towards us against my Force Push like against a strong wind, wisps of his surprisingly grey aura coming off of him in wisps, "His semblance must somehow be permitting him to resist your Force attacks using his aura!"

That must be some serious aura control if he can do that... But I can't help but chuckle as a scene from the docks last semester flows through my mind.

"Okay..." I begin as I sheath Crocea Mors at my hilt and shake off my hand to loosen it up, both hands now beginning to light up with pale white aura, "Let's see him resist this!"

ZZZzztzzttzzRAK!

Two tendrils of electricity course out of my hands and hit Yatsuhashi full force, the large samurai growling in pain as I sense Pyrrha taking her scroll out behind me.

"Jaune, it's working!" she states as she checks his aura level, "But please do it quickly - I don't doubt it's a highly painful attack!"

I know. Oh boy do I know...

Hehe...

"Jaune- Jaune look out!" she suddenly cries out, my Force senses suddenly picking up danger coming... from above?

"Whoa!" I cry out as I dodge a double-bladed strike from an auburn-toned fox-faunus above me, Pyrrha being engaged by none other than their team leader herself: Coco Adel.

"Mold-veðr!"

Aw, crap.

My instincts sense the attack coming as soon as Velvet makes the command, my first reaction being to leap up high with a Force Jump as a quake literally tears apart the area of the arena immediately below me. In midair, I glance at Ozpin and Glynda in the stands to see her about to protest the unexpected entry of the remainder of team CFVY... until Ozpin holds her back with a small smirk.

You've gotta be kidding me! He knew they might do this the whole time!? Ohoho... the little-

"Grk!"

I grunt as I'm suddenly knocked out of the air by a swift kick from Fox, landing on the ground as Yats and Fox rush me while Velvet joins Coco's physical assault on Pyrrha. I can sense Ren and Nora's desire to join the match as well; I quickly turn to them as I stand and shake my head, Ren catching my gesture from the stands and holding Nora back as Yats speaks up in front of me.

"You truly do live up to your reputation, White Knight," he begins with a genuine tone of respect, "Though I do apologize for my teams unexpected entry, I can tell you wish to continue the fight with only your partner."

"Pfft, I sure don't apologize," Fox mentions snarkily from the side as he brandishes both blades in his hands.

"Yeah, Pyr and I can take you guys just fine."

Agh, I might as well play along with this stupid test Ozpin's making me take. At least it beats the lame Force lessons every week from Goodwitch.

But I really need to join Pyrrha ASAP... it's the only way neither of us comes out disqualified from this. So, I do the one thing that neither sword-wielded expects me to do at the moment.

Charge like a madman.

"Yaaaaah!" I yell before launching Fox away with a Force Push, quickly ducking and turning at the same time under a lethal swipe from Yats' broadsword before coming up and blasting him back with another two-handed Force Lightning attack from under him.

No disqualification announcement? Dang, that samurai kid must have some pretty decent aura reserves on him, too...

But I waste no time in getting to my partner, shouting just as Coco drops her purse into a... oh you gotta be kidding me... a Minigun!?

RATATATATATATATAT...

At a hundred rounds a second, I'm pretty sure about three hundred bullets stop in midair between the four of us before Coco stops firing, cocking her head to the side and pulling her glasses down a bit with one finger before remarking, "Well that's different."

"Pyrrha, listen to me," I whisper quickly to her as she catches her breath at the imposing half-dome of bullets I promptly let fall in front of us, "I gotta keep Velvet busy enough to use the rest of her jewels - we won't be able to last much longer against two long-range attackers like them. Use your polarity to hold off Coco. If anyone asks, just say I used the Force."

Her face quickly goes from alarm at the mention to her semblance to confusion, to thought, and then to grinning realization.

"Jaune, you're a genius."

Giving me a quick peck on the lips, causing me - and certainly everyone else in the arena if my Force senses are correct - a fair amount of stunned surprise, she breaks away as Coco opens fire once more, not a single bullet hitting its target as her semblance does the blocking work for her.

Setting my sights on Velvet, I approach her only to be beset by Fox, Yatsuhashi likely staying back with his low reserves in mind.

"Drohnen!"

SSSSSSS-kratkratkratkratKRAT!

...Seriously?

Now, I'm forced to use Crocea Mors once more as Pyrrha now engages Coco with painful-looking hits from Miló and Akoúo, dual-wielding my sword and collapsed shield against Fox's intermittent attacks between Velvet's multi-shot gem spell. Finally gaining the upper hand, I knock the faunus-boy back with a powerful slash from my blade and send out a Lightning attack to where I was sure Velvet was standing a second ago... only to see she's been carried away by a battered Coco in a brisk sprint towards where her team was waiting.

As Pyrrha comes up behind me, a very strong sense of danger comes over me as I see the four students drop into some kind of formation.

"Uhh... that doesn't look good..."

Fox kneels down on both knees first, holding both blades up over his head like a closed triangle on which Velvet pulls out a small glowing Amethyst jewel that remains floating in midair. Holding Coco's minigun with her, Velvet drops her ears a bit as Yats now appears over the two girls, holding his sword with its tip downwards over the jewel before all three blades now charge it further with aura.

By instinct, I pull Pyrrha down behind me into a kneeling position, doing the same with my shield extended and held out in front of us just as the minigun fires the crystal and all four second-year students shout in unison.

"GANDR SHOT!"

Ruby

GREAT MONTY IN HEAVEN ABOVE, IT'S A GIANT BEAM WEAPON ATTACK! A GIANT, BEAUTIFUL ORANGE BEAM OF DESTRUCTION!

I... I-I think I just...

Blake

"Um... Did Ruby just swoon?"

Pyrrha

I honestly don't know what's more difficult to believe... that four Hunters in training just executed a flawless combined aural attack...

Or that Jaune's shield held up to the beam blast head on.

He and I slowly stand as the heat waves rise from the scorched ground beneath us, our four opponents each visibly gaping at Jaune's white-hot shield as my partner himself stares down at it in surprise before it starts to slowly begin glowing pale yellow.

But then I see it... the shield isn't just glowing from the attack... it's... it's...

"Ehehehehe..." Jaune chuckles darkly as he collapses his shield and flips it around into his hand as a glowing yellow saber of light, checking the hilt of his sword before suddenly feeding his aura into it.

And that's when I realize... the handle and lining of the shield... and the inner hilt of his sword... they're lined with Dust!

The entire blade of Crocea Mors glowing the same pale yellow as a result of his action, he turns his head slightly to me as Coco reloads, "C'mon, Pyr. Let's finish this."

RATATATATATATATATAT...

I know I've seen a lot of things as a four-year Mistrali champion... and I've beaten quite a few aural prodigies at that... but this?

voomVoomvoomVoomvoomVoomvoomVoom...

I can only gape as I follow Jaune who charges the hail of gunfire without so much as using the Force. Instead, he deflects every single bullet with impossibly fast twirls from his energy-sabers from side to side as the audience now begins cheering him on in an incredulous hysteria, quickly reaching the offending minigun and slashing it to bits as if it were a stick of butter! With no time to apologize as he moves on to shred apart Fox's weapons, I butt their fashionable leader with a semblance-augmented smack from Akoúo before twirling Miló above and over my shoulders to floor the barely armed Fox with a head-strike.

Having already separated Velvet from her jewel box, it only takes a discus throw of Akoúo to catch her in the ribs before Jaune and I stop in front of the standing Yatsuhashi. The three of us glance up at the long banners over our heads, the other three members of team CFVY already showing their auras in the red and disqualified with Yatsuhashi's a mere sliver away from disqualification as well before Jaune speaks up.

"Well Yats, for what it's worth... it really was a good fight."

"Yes, White Knight," the large samurai replies enigmatically as he glances down at Jaune's humming twin blades of light, blades that now slowly turn into a surprisingly intimidating shade of red, "You disarmed my team in less than ten seconds... you are truly a force to be reckoned with..."

Jaune and I raise a brow at him as he concludes, "Of course, you and your partner both. But now I can say with full certainty, that you and I will meet again, White Knight."

With a short chuckle, Jaune replies, "Oh? I'm sure we will... Pyrrha?"

Immediately understanding my leader, I point Miló at the final opponent and fire a round into his abdomen, his only reaction being a slight wince as his banner above us flashes red to end the match.

Ozpin

Hmm, I certainly would've expected no less from the young Arc.

And of course, from Crocea Mors.

So, he finally figured out the generations-old secret imbued into the blade by his great-great grandfather... the true form of the Crocea Mors: The Yellow Death. It seems fitting, as the first Force-wielding Arc since the war hero himself. However, I'll admit that the unexpected change from yellow to red was somewhat surprising... but I shan't expect to accurately ascertain the nature of the weapon forged by the Master who once taught me.

All those decades ago...

Bah, this is not the time to ruminate over such matters. All I can hope for is that he uses his gifts for the greater good when the time comes. In the words that my Master once told me, Jaune Arc - I can only protect you... not fight a war for you. And unfortunately, every day that passes, I can only sense that war is becoming more and more a possibility.

Well, the match aside, at least Glynda's following announcement after a few more matches that first-year mission assignments would be placed around the amphitheater to be selected at the end of the period went well. After a brief speech, all I needed to do was change the parameters on the Search and Destroy assignment on Quadrant 5 so Ruby and her team could select it.

It wouldn't take a Force-user to sense that those girls have figured out quite a bit on their own, nor to see that they have shown themselves capable of discovering the culprit of these strange happenings around Vale in a way that I nor my associates can no longer lest the Order's existence be revealed.

Hm, even now I can sense the bright future that awaits that team... but laced with so much danger and pain for reasons I cannot fathom. Neither I nor the Order's remaining council members can see the future clearly anymore, so clouded by the Dark Side it's become. Especially of the future surrounding the young Arc...

Sigh.

May the Force be with you, Jaune Arc. May the Force be with you all.

A/N: So. It's been a month since my last post for Jaune Arc: TFU...

Oopsie :/

Well i'm not going to say that it's because I've lost the will to write or anything like that, more like a combination of work, family and friends with something I'd like to call The Gamer Girl ;)

But hey, at least I got in a good fight, and got to include what I hope Velvet's weapon includes as a kickboxing Mage... which I'm sure several of you can guess which kickboxing Mage I drew my inspiration from heh :)

As for Ozpin... eesh. First time trying to get in his head for a POV, and trust me, it's easier said than done. But there's a first time for everything, and I sure hope to get better with a serious Oz POV with time (cuz all I seem to read in FFNet's RWBY section are Ozpin parodies - even thought they're hilarious, but still :/) So if you have an idea about good ways to get in Ozzie's head, then by all means feel free to shoot me a PM!

For now, I'm more than happy with where I've begun with him, being the only link into an underground cooperative and all... ;) Anyway, all that's left to do is apologize for the next two to three chapters I'm going to post. There will be feels. To an extent that I doubt many will realize until it's too late- I mean, er, until next time! ^.^

Happy Reading!