Hey there guys! So, delays! Haha! Alright, how about this. If you find me in real life, you can punch me for taking so long. But that's not why we're here for this really long chapter! You wanted some more, you get it! There will be some power increase for a certain character this chapter. Mwahaha! And shiiiiiiiiiiiiips! Brace yourself, it gets violent, fluffy, then violent! I haven't edited this yet, but will eventually, so ignore the incorrect stuff for now. Whoops!

Classes were going slowly for Lucas that day. He didn't know why, but he kept on glancing back at the clock ever couple of seconds. It seemed to be noticed in Oobleck's class, considering the teacher called him out.

"Lucas! Is there something more important you have coming up?" The Jackal jumped a little in his seat, but shook his head.

"No, Sir." The teacher sped right next to him, looking down on him.

"Then why do you keep on looking at the clock ever 33 seconds?" Lucas let out a strange, gurgling noise of sorts before speaking.

"I don't know. I just feel like I should be somewhere else. I apologize." Oobleck hummed to himself, pushing up his glasses.

"I know the feeling, but not only will this learning be on your next test, but it will help you in life as a whole. So please, pay attention." Lucas nodded, watching the board as the teacher raced back to the board. Shade just casually moved his note book over, showing his notes to the Jackal for copying. He nodded to the shadow, and went to copying them, beginning to catch up to the teacher.

He did have to admit that what was being taught was pretty important. It was a history on how the systems of certain Faunus worked. They had traits that were very similar to their animal similar. Cats and Cat Faunus liked Yarn and chasing lasers. Then they came to canines. While all of them had some slightly different trait, wolves being more territorial and with a pack mentality, Jackals were very interesting.

"Jackals are known for being reclusive most of the time, and being scavengers, except for weaker prey, such as birds and small animals. But one trait that sets Jackals apart from other canines is they imprint their mate. Meaning, Jackals mate for life. Not only that, if their mate tragically dies, they will never mate again. This same trait goes for Jackal Faunus." Everyone seemed to look at the only Jackal Faunus in the room. Lucas merely licked his lips and looked forward. Oobleck then continued.

"It is also said that a Jackal is able to tell it's mate within the first few minutes of meeting them. They will then fiercely protect them, even having been known to take on bears and entire packs of wolves." Lucas wrote down the notes, and let the thoughts stir around in his head.

That class ended, then they reached Port's and Lucas was close to ripping his head off. They were all trying to figure out what was wrong with him, and even Mew was uncertain what was wrong.

"Maybe you're tired, and need to sleep?" Lucas frowned, groaning.

"No. I'm not tired. I just feel like I need to do something else." They sat in silence, not sure what to do as Lucas suffered through the class. Others tried to help, seeing his need to move around. Team RWBY also tried to help, and that seemed to work when they interacted. The moment they had moved over, Lucas had calmed down considerably. He took his notes quietly, efficiently, and interacted in class. He hadn't looked at the clock once.

When the class was over they began to make their way to lunch, Lucas calm now. They didn't know what had caused it, but his mood was improved, and he was normal. He just laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Maybe I just needed some calm people to be around. My Semblance and all, ya know?" That seemed to work for them. They reached the cafeteria when Ruby panicked.

"I forgot my backpack! I'll be back!" She took off. A few seconds after, Lucas was back to glancing back at the clock, and seeming impatient. Garon was getting annoyed now.

"Dude, chill! Eat!" He shook his head.

"I... I can't. I'm not hungry anymore." A few minutes later, Ruby returned with her backpack. After a minutes, Shade growled angrily. They all turned to him, seeing him settle his blazing blue eye on Lucas.

"Now you're hungry!?" They all saw Lucas eating his food, totally fine again. He was even surprised.

"What is wrong with me!?" He placed his head in his hands, and shook his head. Ruby merely placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you need to see the nurse?" Lucas shrugged.

"I... I don't know anything anymore." Ruby stood, grabbing his arm.

"Come on, you might be sick." She lead him to the nurse, the Jackal just staring calmly into space the whole time. When they arrived, the nurse greeted them. She was a bat Faunus, who was young, and a little slow, since her vision was poor, even with glasses. She adjusted them, looking closely at Lucas as she ran some basic tests.

"He seems in order to me. I have a couple, more, but you need to leave Miss Rose." Ruby nodded, giving a worried glance to Lucas before departing. She started to get ready, when she saw Lucas tapping the table impatiently.

"Got somewhere to be all of a sudden?" Lucas jumped in surprise, shaking his head at her, and looking at the clock. She raised her eyebrow in surprise, before grinning.

"Miss Rose!" Lucas' ear twitched.

"Ya?"

"Can you come back in, please?" She did so, and Lucas calmed down after a few seconds. The nurse chuckled, standing and fixing her glasses once more.

"I know what's wrong with you." Lucas looked relieved.

"What is it?" She gave a sweet smile.

"I cannot tell you. It is something you must find out on your own, I'm afraid." Lucas' jaw dropped, and he sputtered out nothing for a few seconds.

"That's not how being a nurse works!" She merely smiled warmly at him.

"It is, if you know what a certain ailment is. Trust me. Just cherish what you have, ok?" Lucas' ears twitched at her wording, but he nodded anyways.

"Alright." She then shooed them out, smiling warmly to herself. She slightly envied the girl, but let that go.

"He'll never leave you, Miss Rose. Take care of him."

Combat class was bearable for Lucas, who was sitting next to his team, RWBY, and JNPR. He was still trying to figure out what the nurse was getting at. But he couldn't. Even Mew didn't know what was wrong, meaning that he knew nothing of what Lucas was going through. Then Goodwitch spoke.

"Miss Rose, please come down." Lucas watched with worried eyes as she walked down. Goodwitch continued.

"This will be a 2v2 fight, with people who you do not normally fight with. It will force you to have to learn to adapt and survive when fighting with someone you normally don't fight with. Would anyone like to be Miss Rose's par-"

"I will!" Lucas had stood up, his hand raised high. Even Goodwitch was surprised at his sudden outburst.

"Alright. Please come down." Lucas made his way down, quite quickly from what the people watching could see. He walked next to Ruby, smiling at her.

"I'll keep you safe." She readied her scythe, grinning right back.

"I'll protect you too. We can have each other's back." Lucas chuckled, readying his aura staff.

"Sounds like a plan." He observed their opponents, seeing the first looked like a biker, but he had the sleeves torn off. He also had a bright red Mohawk. He noticed chains wrapped around the forearm of the boy too, making him wonder where his weapon was. He then turned to the person next to him. The person was dressed like a Plague Doctor, and had a broad sword with jagged edges. He turned to the Biker, nodding.

"Let's get them Fuego!" The biker nodded, coating his arms in fire.

"Hell ya!"

He guessed they were going to be tough, and readied himself. The fight started and immediately the doctor rushed them. Lucas blocked the overhead swing from the man, watching as Ruby zipped past.

"I'll get the other one!" Lucas was worried for her, but nodded. He pushed up against the sword, getting his face close to the other boy's. All he got was a slight head cock.

"What's your name? Mine's Grayson." Lucas scoffed slightly, but chuckled after.

"Lucas." They split apart, before rushing back together and exchanging quick blows, neither hitting the other. Lucas then fired a blast of aura at him, making the doctor block, the blow sliding him back. They rushed, clashing weapons again. Lucas then watched as Grayson slammed his mask into Lucas' face, making his view fuzzy. Before he could recover, he felt a powerful blow to his head, sending him flying backwards. He then felt something wrap around his legs mid flight. He looked, seeing chains that led back to Fuego's arms. The biker grinned at him. He pulled, sending Lucas flying through the air.

The Jackal shouted in pain when the chains caught fire, burning his legs. He used his staff to break free, flying through the air, balancing himself. Instead of slamming into the wall, the Jackal placed his feet on the wall, and leapt off, flying back at Fuego quickly. He clothes lined the biker, making him do a back flip. Mid back flip, Lucas raised his staff above his head, slamming it down. He then crushed Fuego, before blasting him away. He frantically looked around, seeing Ruby being beat by Grayson.

He went to help when chains were wrapped around his body, and catching fire. He screamed in agony, making his teammates stand in panic at the fire. He went limp, before being launched into a wall by the chains. He landed on his chest, barely conscious. He watched with fuzzy vision as Grayson launched Ruby into the air, before Fuego used his chains and grabbed her, launching her away.

She quickly stood, getting ready to attack before looking up in fear. Large storm clouds were formed above her, before they shot down large bolts of electricity. They hit her, causing her to jerk in pain, and shout out. Lucas started to stand, and rushed at her. Grayson rushed forward, raising his blade above him, ready to finish off Ruby. He was surprised when something stopped his blade dead. He looked down, seeing Lucas holding the blade in place with his bare hand.

Lucas let out an angry huff, launching Grayson backwards, where he slid along the ground before stopping next to Fuego.

(Seras Victoria The Real Vampire Zakuro)

"What the Hell?" They looked to see Lucas with glowing red eyes. His teeth were sharp, and slightly curved. They noticed blue aura floating around him as he glared at them. He slowly turned back to Ruby, the girl looking up at him wide eyed. He slightly nodded.

"It's going to be alright." His voice was husky, and filled with power. He stepped forward, before aura began racing around him quickly. He crossed his arms over his chest, before a sphere of aura covered him, hiding him from view. It swirled quickly, and energy began to build. Then it began to glow brightly, making everyone cover their eyes. It let off a roaring sound, similar to racing wind, making the team of travelers turn to each other. Mew spoke, having to shout for others to hear him.

"He's evolving!" The sphere burst, leaving a slightly different Lucas behind, roaring, aura coating his body in a raging fire. The main differences were that the sleeves on his jacket were pulled back to just under his elbows, and he had swirling, tribal tattoos running up his arms. They were pulsing a dark blue, and sending out aura. He seemed slightly taller, with a stronger looking build. His ears were taller, but only slightly. They still had the blue fur, but had black tattoos running along them in dark lines.

His jacket was much longer, reaching down to his ankles in the back. His coat also had a spike on the front of his shoulders, which looked sharp, and dangerous. He also had gloves, which were dark blue, with black lines running along them in a tribal fashion. Then there was his tail. It was much longer, reaching down as far as his coat, and much larger, and with bushy fur. The fur was blue, and also had black tips. He growled, creating his staff from nothing but aura. No metal stick.

He pointed it at them and hissed.

"This is the end for you!" He rushed forward, his red eyes leaving a trail behind them. He slammed his shoulder into Grayson, knocking him off balance. He then gave an uppercut to him, sending him up and back. Lucas then pointed his staff, a beam of aura flying from it and slicing into Grayson's aura. He then turned, catching the chains that were coming at his head. He then turned to look at Fuego, seeing surprise on his face.

The biker lit the chains, fire engulfing Lucas' hand. The Jackal merely scoff, before stopping the fire with his own, auroric fire. Fuego was so surprised he didn't have time to brace when Lucas gave a strong tug towards him. Fuego flew forward, before getting a knee to his gut to stop him. Lucas then stomped onto the ground, a small geyser of aura exploding from the ground, and sending the teen into the air.

Lucas dispersed the staff, pulling both hands back and building power. He then threw them forward, sending a large aura sphere into Fuego. The teen flew back into the wall, hitting it hard enough that his aura shattered. Lucas looked to his arms, seeing they were almost completely aura. He flicked them, causing them to turn back to normal. He then turned to see Grayson rushing him.

He created his staff, blocking the hit from Grayson. He then slammed his head into Grayson's, blinding him with aura. Lucas then knelt down, his right fist planted in front of him. Then it was engulfed by aura fire. He rushed for the dazed Grayson. He hit him with his shoulder once more, before sending him up in a hurricane uppercut of aura. Lucas landed slightly knelt, multiple spikes of aura forming around him. He grinned before standing straight up, and throwing his left arm up. The spikes of aura flew up, sticking into Grayson's own aura, and sending him higher into the air.

Lucas them placed both hands in front of him, a bright light of aura forming as he grunted in exertion. It grew stronger. Then, right before Grayson hit the ground, Lucas threw his hands forward, a bright beam of aura engulfing the electric wielder. It became so bright everyone looked away. When it was less bright everyone looked back. Grayson was on the ground, smoking slightly, with only 1% aura remaining.

Mew chuckled, impressed that Lucas had perfectly adjusted his aura to leave his opponent with 1% left. The aura around him faded, but his new form remained. He then fell to a knee, breathing heavily. He looked over to Ruby, giving a weak grin, before grunting, falling to the ground unconscious.

Lucas opened his eyes, seeing he was in a white room, with almost every part of it being white in color as well. He looked around, seeing Ruby in a chair next to the bed he was on. She was asleep, and almost looking like she was going to fall over. Lucas felt tired, but not where he wanted to sleep. He felt like he had run around the world, and back. He sat up, gasping in slight pain.

Ruby stirred, waking up. When she saw him up she stood in surprise.

"You're ok!" He nodded, smiling at her.

"How long have I been out?" She frowned slightly.

"Two days. I was so worried about you. Are you ok?" He chuckled, leaning back.

"I'm fine. Are you ok?" She grinned at him, her face slightly turning red.

"Ya. Thanks to you." She then hit is arm.

"Ow! Why?" She gave a pouting face, keeping her gaze sharp.

"You could have killed yourself pushing your aura so much! I was so scared for you! Don't ever do that, ok?" Lucas chuckled, massaging where she hit.

"Alright. I'm just glad they didn't hurt you." Ruby was confused, cocking her head slightly.

"It was just a spar. Why were you so freaked out?" Lucas frowned, looking away.

"Where me and my friends are from, we don't really have spars. Fights are usually to the death. So, I guess I forgot it was a spar when they started to hit you, and went all out. I snapped back into it at the end though, but still." He then turned back to her.

"Are the other two ok?" She nodded.

"They were more surprised you managed to get back into the fight than anything else. I was too. What did you do?" Lucas looked at his arms, seeing the tattoos. He then saw a small mirror, grabbing it and looking at the changes. He chuckled, setting the mirror back down.

"I evolved. Makes sense." Ruby, meanwhile, was confused.

"Evolved?" Lucas nodded to her, continuing.

"Where we're from, people do gradually get stronger, but every now and then they just burst with power, and get incredibly strong in an instance. We call it evolving. Garon did during initiation. If you remember when he came back he was taller, and his dorsal fin was much larger." Ruby nodded, suddenly understanding.

"So what happened to you was evolving? Why did you change physically?" Lucas tried to think of a lie, and eventually settled on one. It was weak, but he hoped it would work.

"Nobody knows. It just sorta... happens." Ruby looked down, before just smiling warmly at him.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're safe." She then came close, hugging him. Lucas was surprised, but wrapped his arms around her as well. They split off, Ruby yawning loudly. Lucas chuckled.

"I didn't cause you to lose too much sleep did I?" Ruby didn't answer, and merely tottered a little. Lucas sighed, moving over, and pulling her into the bed. She was heavily surprised, but took it as a good sign that he wanted to be near her. She snuggled into his side, her head by his neck. She was asleep almost instantly, while Lucas looked over her. He placed his head on top of hers, holding her close.

"I will keep you safe. I promise. I love you." Ruby grinned, not as asleep as Lucas thought. her thoughts drifted to her conversation with Mew the day of Lucas' collapse.

"Ruby. May I speak to you?" The reaper turned to the voice, seeing Mew. She wanted to ask more about how Lucas was, but knew they weren't going to tell her much. She nodded, following the strange Faunus outside the hospital on Beacon. He found a tree, sitting under it, and motioning her to do the same. They sat in silence, Ruby almost worried about why he wasn't talking. she almost thought he had forgotten she was there until he finally spoke.

"He cares for you. You know that right?" She paused, thinking about it.

"He cares for everyone of his friends." Mew shook his head.

"He cares for you in a much deeper way. He has imprinted on you Ms. Rose. And he is too afraid to admit it." Ruby paused. She remembered what Oobleck had said in class. Jackal Faunus imprinted on their mates like normal Jackals. But... That couldn't be true. As if reading her thoughts, Mew spoke.

"It's true, regardless of what you think. And he is scared, because he has never felt this way. He is excited around you, worried, and everything in between. Lucas' semblance is a strange one." Mew turned to her, looking at her with his pale orbs.

"His semblance is a manipulation of both aura and Gaia. This has the effect of pulling in emotions from those who are gone, and those around him. Which was why he was so stressed during classes. He picks up other people's emotions, and accidentally copies them. But I noticed that whenever he was around you, they went both haywire, and into a calm state." Ruby was confused. Nothing Mew was saying made sense to her.

"I suppose the best way to put it is this. You got rid of his stress aura, and the other negative ones. However, you sent his other ones, like happiness, guardianship and loyalty into overdrive. So while his aura output may appear the same, it is comprised of an entirely different kind of aura. Does this make sense, Ms. Rose?" Ruby nodded, looking to her lap, and began to think.

"Am I the reason he blew up with energy? He was trying to protect me?" Mew nodded, looking forward.

"When Lucas saw you in danger, his protective instincts kicked on much higher than they were before, and he did everything he could to keep you safe. The most important thing to note about Jackals and their imprints... they won't ever stop fighting unless their heart has been ripped from their body if their mate is in danger. Lucas will fight the world for you, even us." Ruby was almost into a panic mode.

"Don't worry, Ms. Rose. Lucas would not wildly attack us. I know you are our friend, and ally. Which means Lucas is. He was before, and will continue to be." Ruby calmed down, but still was worried.

"But what if I accidentally drive a wedge between you guys?" Mew chuckled, shaking his head.

"I doubt that. This will be a learning experience for both you and him. He will be very scared when you are out of his sight, but will not go ballistic. Worrying is what mates do for each other. You may not reciprocate his feelings, but they are his. What you do, is up to you. You can use this however you wish. He is basically at your beck and call now." Now Ruby was worried.

"So I could tell him to do something dangerous, and he would do it?" Mew shrugged.

"It depends. If you tell him to punch Cardin for being a bully, he will. If you tell him to attack random civilians, he will refuse. You can savor his feelings, and let them grow, or you can abuse them, and use them to your advantage. The choice is up to you."

"No! I don't want this! I feel like I have so much I need to worry about! What if I do something wrong!? I don't know what to do!" Mew held a hand forward, placing it to her forehead. She saw a pale light, and immediately calmed down. She let out a sigh.

"So what do I do?" Mew stood, his tail swishing slowly. Ruby stood as well, watching as he began to leave. He then turned back.

"I cannot tell you, Ms. Rose." He then bowed his head, and Ruby heard his voice in her head.

"The choice is up to you." She stood like a statue, watching the pale manipulator leave. She needed somewhere to think. She turned to the tree behind her, seeing a low branch. She climbed it, sitting on it, just like she would when she was a kid. She let out a shaky breath, calming herself.

"Ok. This is about Lucas. He is imprinted to me, and that means forever. Am I ready for forever? Does that mean he wants to marry me!? Oh! I'm so confused!" Then she remembered something. Oobleck. He knew lots about the Faunus. She would ask him! But first she would check on how Lucas was.

That had been an interesting conversation as well, she remembered.

"So, how is Lucas, Ms. Rose?" She nodded, feeling a weight of her shoulders.

"They said he'll be fine. He might be asleep for a day or two, but it's only exhaustion." Oobleck grinned, leaning on his desk.

"Wonderful news. I heard he pushed himself in combat class to protect another student. I wished I could have seen it. I haven't seen an imprinted Faunus fight in years!" Ruby turned slightly red, wringing her hands slightly.

"What makes you think he was imprinted?" Oobleck chuckled, grabbing his coffee mug.

"Well, he took out two opponents at once, even though he should have been knocked out of the fight. I was told he was bursting with intense energy, and wiped the floor with them. If that's not imprinting, I don't know what is!" He started to take a sip, while Ruby weakly laughed.

"So I guess he really is imprinted to me." Oobleck did a double take, his coffee arcing through the air as it left his mouth in a wide spray. He wiped his mouth, turning to her.

"I beg your pardon?" Ruby licked her lips, tracing a circle with her foot.

"I was the one he was defending." Oobleck looked at her for a few seconds before laughing.

"Makes sense! I noticed he was a little off whenever you were not around! My goodness he has really fallen for you!" He then noticed the uneasiness on Ruby's face.

"But you haven't... have you?" She looked startled by the question.

"What!? I-no! I mean sure. No! I... I don't know. This has never happened before. And I feel so scared knowing that I'm the only person he'll care for. I don't know anything!" Oobleck nodded, motioning Ruby to sit on the desk next to her. She did so, hands on her knees, head down.

"Well, I will give you some advice, Ruby. First hand. Are you listening?" She looked up, taking in a breath and nodding.

"Ya." Oobleck took a sip of coffee.

"When I was your age I was learning about many things in the past. Wars, expeditions. Anything like that. But, what I found incredibly interesting, is the traits of the Faunus. How they were mistreated, their abilities. Everything about them intrigued me. So much so I pretended to be one and entered the White Fang when it was first created to learn about them." Ruby was surprised. She would have never expected Oobleck of all people to have been a member.

"I did everything I could to learn about them. Until one day I was found out. A Faunus around my age by the name of Shio. I was worried what would happen. While they didn't hate humans back then, I was worried what they would do with me. Shio turned me in, naturally. But they didn't do anything to me. Instead they shook my hand, and thanked me for helping them." Ruby had no words, so she merely cocked her head. Oobleck chuckled.

"My response as well. They said someone had stood up for me, saying I had done many things to help them, and had been nothing but supportive. Imagine my surprise when Shio stepped forward, smiling. Shio had not only turned me in, but defended me. Want to know what I was told?" Ruby nodded.

"You may be human, but you are brave like a wolf. I just didn't want you to have to pretend around us. We accept you, and thank you. So, I helped Shio for years to come, fighting for the rights of Faunus. While also furthering my pursuits as a huntsman. Then the day came where I realized something. It had been a protest for the Faunus. I was at Beacon, taking my final with Ozpin overseeing my test." He frowned.

"I received a call from my friend Ezra. It was right before the test, so I wasn't worried about getting into trouble. Then I heard the fear in his voice. He had told me, 'Something's happened. Shio is hurt. Bad. We need your help.' I stood, startling everyone near me. Ozpin looked at me in a confused manner. He told me to sit for the test, to which I replied no. When asked why from him, I told him my friend was more important than some rubbish test." Ruby was wide eyed at this. She never imagined Oobleck, an amazing scholar, and someone who respected Ozpin so much to tell him something.

"I rushed to the address, wondering why it was there, and not a hospital. I reached the small house, practically crashing through the door. I asked where Shio was, and was led to a room in the back. I heard crying, and people trying to be supportive. Upon entering I was greeted with a sight that would stay with me forever. Shio was on the floor, blood pooling around her leg from a gun wound." Oobleck looked down, a frown on his face.

"She couldn't be taken to a hospital, because they would not accept a Faunus. I had never been so scared in my life. I knelt next to her, taking her hand in mine. She looked into my eyes with fear. But upon seeing me they turned to hope. I smiled at her, telling her she would be ok." Oobleck sipped his coffee.

"I may not be Faunus, but I believe to this day that I imprinted on her, and would never leave her. And I think she was imprinted to me as well. I regret not having been there for her sooner to this day." Ruby could feel tears welling up in her eyes, and saw a single tear trace down Oobleck's face.

"I would do anything for her to take away her pain, make her better. I would have gladly been shot for her." Oobleck rubbed his eye, removing the tear. He then smiled at Ruby, motioning towards her with his coffee cup.

"What you have is special, regardless of what people say. You have a connection with someone that you will always have for the rest of your life. You may not feel it now, or even for a while, but he will always be there for you. Ok?" Ruby nodded quickly, realizing what he meant. She would always have someone there to support her, even if she felt alone. She smiled at the thought, suddenly not scared of Lucas' imprint anymore. When he woke up, she would try her best to be there for him as well.

Oobleck's scroll let out a beep, making him check it. He smiled, standing and leaving his mug on his desk.

"Well, I have somewhere I need to be, but I hope I helped you Ruby." The young reaper grinned at him, nodding her head as well.

"You did, Sir. Thank you." They made their way to the front of the school together, before Ruby turned to him.

"Professor... What happened to Shio, if you don't mind me asking?" Oobleck looked down at her, gazing at her over his glasses. He then motioned to his left, chuckling.

"Ask her yourself." Ruby turned, seeing a woman limping towards them. Her white hair was tied in a pony tail, and fell down her back. She had fluffy Jackal ears that were standing straight up, and a smile on her brightly colored face. Ruby gazed at her in awe, before turning back to Oobleck. The teacher laughed, holding up his left hand.

"Did I not tell you? Shio is my wife." Ruby then saw the ring on his hand, and it all made sense. Shio came next to them, only slightly taller than Ruby, making Oobleck tower over his wife.

"Hello, Bart." She wrapped her arms around his body, while Oobleck placed one hand on her back, and scratched behind her ear with the other.

"Hello my dear." She turned to Ruby, smiling at her.

"And who might you be?" Ruby gave a small wave.

"I'm in Oobleck's class. I'm one of his students." Shio nodded, a knowing look on her face.

"He was either telling you how he is a doctor, or giving some information on his past. Which was it?" Oobleck could only tug at his collar, chuckling. Ruby laughed.

"The second. But it helped me a lot." She then directed her attention to Oobleck, slightly bowing her head.

"Thanks for the help, Professor."

"Doctor." Shio just lightly face palmed. Ruby knew what she had to do. So she sped off, straight to the hospital, so wait for Lucas to wake up. Shio just turned to Oobleck, a smirk on her face.

"What were you talking about, exactly?" Oobleck grinned, throwing out a shrug.

"A Faunus who made me fall for her. And what that would mean for Ruby." Shio pulled Oobleck down, looking into his eyes excitedly.

"So someone's imprinted on her? Oh! So exciting! Tell me all the details! But first." She planted a kiss on his lips, surprising the doctor.

"I haven't seen you all day, and I missed you." Oobleck chuckled, adjusting his tie.

"You miss me every day."

"Is that a bad thing?" Oobleck chuckled, kissing his wife, before adding, "No, because I did too. Just like I do every day."

So here she was. Snuggled into Lucas, conflicted. Should she throw caution to the wind and go for what she wanted, or listen to her head and be careful about what choice she made? She slightly opened her eyes, seeing Lucas was awake, and seeming to be watching over her. She bit her lip, almost causing pain. She was so unsure, before she felt something almost force her into action. She moved, making Lucas look down, confusion in his eyes.

"I thought you were asleep." Ruby shook her head.

"There's too much on my mind." Lucas turned more towards her, diverting his full attention.

"Maybe I can help you?" She gulped, looking into his red eyes, and seeing nothing but compassion and worry. She nodded.

"Just... don't freak out, ok?" He started to nod, but stopped when she practically crashed into his face in a sloppy kiss. He was heavily surprised, but not upset. Instead he returned the kiss. Ruby wasn't sure what to expect, but she wasn't let down. He held her close with a firm protectiveness, but was also gentle. They separated, looking into each other's eyes. Ruby then giggled.

"I guess this means we're both imprinted to each other, huh?" Lucas smiled warmly to her pressing his forehead to hers.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way."

The plan was going well, but Cinder needed some more help. People who could rival her power. She was only half a Maiden, and that did not, by any means, make her invincible. Not even the full Fall Maiden was a match for her and her allies. So imagine her surprise when four people walked into her warehouse, easily squashing the White Fang 'guards' she had and then facing off against her.

"And who would you be?" The leader, judging how he carried himself and his attire, stepped forward. He had one hand tucked behind his back, and the other held in front of him.

"I take it you are the source of power I detected? I expected... more. Oh well, beggars cannot be choosers." He lightly cleared his throat.

"You are going to allow me and my allies into your operation, or else." Cinder took a slightly defensive stance, but knew Mercury and Emerald were in the rafters above them.

"Or else what?" She said in a teasing manner. Emerald dropped, about to land on the large one with orange leather armor when a draconic tail and wings appeared on him, smashing her into the wall. Mercury leapt at the tall skinny one in black, kicking at her head. She merely bent back, before grabbing his foot and throwing him into Emerald.

They both tried to stand when the short one in purple and black stabbed the ground, ice appearing and encasing them. The leader turned to Cinder, grinning darkly.

"That was a waste of time, my dear." His gaze then hardened.

"I do not appreciate having my time wasted." Cinder took in the look of her opponents, gauging how they looked.

The leader wore a black vest, a red undershirt visible underneath. He had an almost cape around his left arm, even though it was tucked behind his back. His sleeves were black, with small tinges of red, while he had swirling markings on the back of his hands. He wore black drees pants, with almost pristine shoes that had red markings along them.

He had a necklace that had an orange glowing crystal attached to it. She also noticed his eyes had a similar orange glow, as if the crystal was the source of his power. His hair was a pale black, and he had two, almost cat-like ears on top of his head. Then she noticed his tail. It was long, and almost cat-like, but more undeveloped and without any hair.

She looked to the orange one, noticing how strong he looked. His height was large, and his muscles the same. He wore black and orange leather armor that covered his whole body, and almost looked draconic. He had a large tail and two massive wings, both of which draconic in nature. She also noticed two horns stretching back on his head. His teeth were sharp, and very visible in his wicked grin. His blood red eyes gave a look that hungered for blood. His hair was very short, and a strange color that looked both orange and black at the same time.

The next was the tall skinny one. She had long black hair that was tied up with large white bows. Her skin was pale, as if she had died. She wore a black and white Lolita styled dress that went all the way to the ground. It was frilly, and did not look like it would be useful to wear in combat.

The last was a fairly short woman. She had multiple feathers in her hair that went back. They were a dark red in color, while her outfit left little to the imagination. It clung close to her body, with holes near her hips, and most of her back left exposed. She had white gloves, but they were fingerless, allowing her sharp nails to be seen. She was barefoot, and her toes also had long nails as well. She was constantly jumping around, like an imp. Her hair was black and red, which was cut very short.

Cinder assessed them, and chuckled.

"You wish to face the powers of a Maiden? So be it." The leader turned to the dragon.

"Char. You first." The dragon roared, rushing Cinder. He shot large balls of fire at her, which she easily batted away, before forming her bow and firing it at him. He punched it with a flaming fist, only to be surprised when it broke into multiple pieces and hit him. The dragon was tossed back when Cinder made a geyser of fire under him, sending him airborne. She then shot him out of the air with her bow, but made several arrows.

The dragon was slow to rise, but fell to his knees. The leader merely stopped him.

"You did well, Char. Gabby, you're up." The skinny one moved forward, silently staring at Cinder. The half Maiden made a geyser of fire under her, only to watch as it arced harmlessly around the woman. Gabby raised a hand, using her powers to pick Cinder up. She slammed the Fall Maiden into the wall, and then lifted her once more. Cinder broke free, deciding to get close.

She created her dual daggers. She swung quickly, watching as Gabby managed to dodge most of them while staying in one place. Cinder the created multiple shards of glass behind her, sending them at Gabby. They hit true, stunning the gothic woman. Cinder then struck quickly, sending Gabby to her back by her master's feet. The leader nodded down to her.

"Well done, Gabby. Minerva, play." The imp woman let out a cackle, before rushing Cinder at speeds that surprised her. She barely blocked the two claws that almost went into her throat. She pushed her back, sending multiple balls of fire at the small woman. She watched in anger as the imp merely danced around them, laughing the whole time. She was surprised when the imp then threw a large ball of ice at Cinder.

It hit her, dazing her slightly. The imp then rushed forward, slicing into Cinder quickly. Before she could do more, Cinder threw her arms to the side, sending out a blast of fire, burning heavily into the imp woman. Minerva slid to a halt, using her claws to slow her down. Cinder drew her bow, firing at her, only to watch at the imp slid under it, and jumped up, kicking the Maiden in the face. Cinder then activated her Maiden power, grabbing Minerva and slamming her into the ground.

She was about to send a blast of pure concentrated power into the downed Imp when it was stopped by a shield of darkness. The leader walked forward, standing in front of Minerva.

"Very good, Minerva. I will handle this from here." He didn't take a fighting stance, just hand his arms by his side. She decided to use her bow, firing it at him. He held his hand forward, a blast of energy shattering it. Before the shards could hit him, they stopped and just floated around him. He laughed at her, coating the shards in his own dark power.

"I think not." He sent them back at her, causing her to have to dodge. She was still hit by a few, but the damage was minimal. She then made a geyser of fire under him, only to watch as his shadows pooled over the geyser, extinguishing the fire before it could engulf him. Cinder scowled, drawing her daggers and rushing him. He sighed, turning the right side of his body towards her.

He coated his right arm in energy, and began to block the hits from her dagger with perfect. Her two daggers couldn't beat the speed from his one arm as he blocked and deflected her daggers. She was surprised when he caught the dagger in his hand, then used his elbow to stop the other dagger. He then laughed, the energy on his arm exploding and sending Cinder backwards.

Cinder growled, activating her Maiden powers. She send a blast of energy at him, only to watch as he caught it with his right hand, unflinching at the power it should have had. He then nodded in a knowing matter.

"You seem to be missing something. Ah, I see." He sent the energy back at Cinder, infusing it with his own powers. It smashed into her, breaking her out of her Maiden state.

"You are only half of what you claim to be. So unfortunate for you, my dear. I thought you were going to put up a decent fight. I guess not." He stood over her, leaning down slightly.

"From this point on, I will take control of your operation." Cinder looked up at him, venom in her eyes as she laughed.

"You really think I'm leading this? You are as much of an idiot as you are stuck up." She then felt pain as she was lifted to his height, being forced to look into his orange, corrupted eyes.

"Then take me to your master, pet. Now." She glared back at him, only to watch as his hand started to glow orange, and immense pain shot through her body. This man... was pure darkness. Just like her. And she was afraid of him. So very afraid...

So how was that, guys? I really don't have much to say, lol! Just sorry for the delays and such. This story isn't done yet, though! Haha! Man I'm tired though. I have school to return to tomorrow, so that's probably it. Ya, just blame school for everything! Anywho, hope you all enjoyed the shipping with Lucas and Ruby! Also, I will not lie.

My favorite character is probably Oobleck (Besides Drunkle Qrow, cuz he's basically me) since he is so awesome! How could you not like Oobleck!? Now then, I plan on having Oobleck come back to help later. Now who do you think those four who fought Cinder are? Ho ho! We will find out, won't we? Stay tuned, for whenever I get a goddamned break from school. Bastards!

Keep calm and may the Aura be with you!