The world was black, though not silent. The jostling of the... well, he didn't really know what it was they were using to transport him. He just knew it made him sick. He could already feel the nausea building up inside him, but as soon as he made a noise to indicate the motion sickness, he heard one of his captors hiss into his ear, "If you so much as make that noise again, I'll make you stew in your own sick." He immediately shut his mouth and tried to bear with it. It hadn't been the first time he had been abducted, and it probably wouldn't be the last. That was simply the life he had been born into. The vehicle stopped and he was forcibly dragged out of it onto what felt like concrete. Pulled roughly along, the biting wind cut into him as he moved since he hadn't been prepared for it. The chill in the air subsided after a small distance and he could tell that he had been dragged indoors. He was forced to his knees before they yanked the bag off his head. He squinted, the light assaulting his eyes. It didn't help that the person standing before him had a blinding light behind them. He could vaguely make out an outline, but he already knew who it was. The mocking voice rang out with just a tad too much enjoyment for his taste. "Well, well, well. If it isn't our little 'JauneJaune.'" He didn't even look up, knowing that would just make things worse. "Hey, sis."

WHO SAID YOU COULD SPEAK!?" The riding crop came down hard on his shoulder.

"OW! Hey, mom said it's not okay to hit!" His cry came out instinctively, and he immediately knew it was a mistake. The second blow was just as hard as the first.

"She also was fond of saying 'don't talk back,' wasn't she? But there's something you don't seem to be aware of, little JauneJaune... mom's not here right now."

Jaune looked up in shock at the announcement, knowing full well what that meant. "She... she's not?"

"No, she's not little Jauney. Off with Remi touring a few museums. Wants her little girl (Remi, not you) to grow up 'civilized,' after all." The older woman sorted in derision. Jaune could barely make out her face now, as his eyes adjusted. Her military officer's uniform was as crisp, cleaned and perfect as the day she had first received it. Her blonde hair was cut short and maintained, of course. Her icy blue eyes pierced him. He could feel her gaze even without looking up, and knew that any eye contact would be met with a harsh blow, so he averted his gaze.

"So tell me Jaune, when you took Crocea Mors and ran off to that academy, did you really think that would last forever? No, of course you didn't. You knew you had to come back eventually. Family Heirloom or not, you were never cut out to be a hunter. Beacon was never the place for you."

She placed the riding crop underneath his chin and raised his face, forcing him to look at her as she leaned in. "I think we all knew where you belonged. Right here, at the academy, where I can keep a close eye on you. The people at the Beacon? They don't care about you the same way we do, Jaune. They don't even care that you're gone."

Jaune, flustered by the mention of his teammates immediately began to speak out. "Of course they do! As soon as they realize-" but he was cut off by another blow with the riding crop to his cheek. It stung, but she immediately began to gently rub the spot, dulling the pain.

"Oh, my poor deluded little brother. We already know EVERYTHING. The way you hold your team back, the way you hide behind that girl, what was her name? Pyrrha? Yes, how you hide behind your precious Pyyrha. We know everything you've been up to, even when you're not around. How they talk about you when they think you can't hear."

Jaune wanted to argue, but he knew two horrible truths. The first was that any argument from him would only earn him another blow, and that his sister was serious. They had proved it time and time again. They always seemed to know more than they should. The last time he had asked for proof that his 'friends' had been talking about him behind his back, they had happily provided it. Audio recordings didn't lie. He had no doubt that whatever his sister mentioned, she could back up with proof. She would never risk not being in complete control of the situation at any time.

As the stinging in his cheek subsided, she smiled at him, cold and beautiful. She slowly slid the riding crop up and down his face, right over the place she knew would be bruised soon enough. "The truth is, Jaune, that you were never meant for Beacon. You ran off because you wanted to become something. I suppose I can understand that. I'm not unreasonable. But that road is not for you. We all know what you need to do. Stay, complete my training course. Join the academy. It won't be so bad, you'll see. You may even come to enjoy it. It does come with certain... benefits."

She righted herself and placed her hand on her chin, as if thinking. Jaune knew that it was only for his benefit. She would have thought this whole line of thought out long before she brought him here. "That girl you were interested in. The Schnee... Wiess, I believe. Yes, I'm sure we could work something out. Political marriages are still very much a part of life. Think of it, Jaune. Two unwanted children finally being of use to their families. Father might even be proud of you. Everything you've ever wanted, served right there on a silver platter. You just have to tell me one thing." She leaned in once more and grabbed his chin roughly and forced him to look at her again. "You just need to assure me that you know your place. So tell me, little brother... where is that?"

Jaune could not hold her gaze for very long and tried to avert his eyes, but she roughly moved his head back in place. Her voice was smooth, almost gentle, but unyielding, like steel wrapped in silk

He had lived this moment several times throughout the years. He could struggle all he wanted, but in the end, they would break him. They always did. "Come now Jaune, this is better for everyone, isn't it? Your team gets a better leader, loses you as a liability. You finally do something productive with your life. You get the girl. You might even come to enjoy life in the academy. Father might even be able to bring himself to look at you again with something other than disgust. All you have to do is say four little words, Jaune. And all that is yours... now say it."

Jaune stared into her eyes, feeling himself frozen in place even as her fingers began to smush his cheeks. He saw her smile start to fade, just a little. She was getting tired of standing there, staring at him. More drastic measures would come next. He felt trapped, and rightfully so. He could feel the strings of family once again attaching themselves to him, and he remembered one simple thing. They owned him, and nothing, not Beacon, not his friends, his team, or even Pyrrha could change that. That last thought sent a wave of despair through him and that was the last straw. They had him, and they knew it. He broke, his voice cracking a bit, and elegy of emptiness as he finally said "My...my place is here." She smiled and released him. He was allowed back on his feet as she placed a gentle hand on cheek. "Gooood. Let's get started then, shall we?"