Sometime during the night, Jaune and Ruby were able to fall asleep within the strange castle they have found themselves in. With the soft silken sheets and their exhaustion eventually winning over any awkward and nervous feelings they had about sharing the bed. Soon the two hunters-in-training were able to get comfortable and the shared body heat only made it easier for them to fall asleep.

Eventually, Jaune began waking up and tried moving only to feel a small weight resting on top of him.

Thinking it was one of his more clingy sisters had snuck into his bed, Jaune was about to try and wake the person up. Just then, his vision began to clear and instead of seeing blond hair, he could see a familiar head of black and red-tipped hair on his chest.

The memory of the night before was probably the only reason Jaune wasn't freaking out about the fact his best friend had moved to use his chest as a pillow. While it might have been easier to force the girl off, Jaune went for the better approach and softly began to nudge Ruby awake.

"Ruby. Come on Ruby, wake up." Jaune spoke gently, trying to wake the sleeping girl.

"Weiss…it's still semester break. Let me sleep in…"

"Ruby."

"Mmm…five more minutes…"

Another stubborn sleeper, it reminded him how hard it is to wake Pyrrha. A great friend and amazing partner, but the invincible girl was not a morning person. Many mornings of Team JNPR were spent coaxing the redhead out of her blanket cocoon.

Taking a deep breath, Jaune channeled his brotherly instincts and with his free arm moved the sheets away, exposing them to try and rouse Ruby awake.

"Ruby it's time to…" And just like that, his words got caught in his throat as Jaune could only stare at the girl still clinging to his chest.

Somehow, Ruby's nightwear becoming looser during the night wasn't what froze him. What froze Jaune was the tiny pair of white leathery wings sprouting out of Ruby's back, and the long white tail that ended in a heart-shaped tip that had wrapped itself around his leg sometime during the night.

While Jaune remained silent, the sudden removal of the sheets and cold air caused the sleeping beauty to awake. Ruby leaned up and began to stretch her body out, unintentionally shoving her chest into the blond boy's face as her wings and tail stretched out as well.

"Morning Jaune." Ruby said, smiling as if not noticing she had woken up almost naked on top of a boy.

"Ruby, I think you might want to check the mirror." Jaune said with a full blush on his face as he kept his eyes from wandering.

"Did something happen! I knew I should have just slept in my normal clothes!" Ruby yelled, covering her chest as she remembered what she was wearing and was trying to avoid the boy's gaze. "Um, could you…not stare at me like that?"

"Kind of hard not to stare when you're on top of me." Jaune said, looking to the side at her request.

"Right!" Before the scene could get more embarrassing, Ruby jumped off the boy and out of the bed. Remember what Jaune had said, she ran over to the vanity mirror to see what had caused Jaune to get so flustered.

Expecting a wardrobe malfunction, Ruby eyed her reflection and stood shocked as she noticed her new look. Tiny white batlike wings that reminded the girl of her grandmother's but in no way could she fly with such a small pair of wings. The long white tail trailing behind her was definitely the same as Lilith's if not a bit smaller. Continuing to inspect her appearance, in curiosity, Ruby parted some of her hair and could see tiny horns beginning to sprout.

"I guess it didn't take that long to change huh?" Ruby asked aloud, now twitching and flexing her new wings to try and get a feel for them. Watching how they responded, she then reached down to grab her tail and take a closer look.

"Eeep!"

That all ended with the first touch and with a loud moan she released the new appendage. It was sensitive, to say the least, especially around the heart-shaped tip at its end. A single touch sent a wave of heat and shivers throughout the young huntress' body, feelings Ruby wasn't expecting and was caught by surprise.

"Are you ok?!" Jaune asked, worry replacing embarrassment as he got out of the bed as well.

"I'm fine!" Ruby quickly answered. She was red as her namesake as she waited for the excitement to pass. "Just…surprised by the new tail is all."

"Right…that makes sense." Jaune said with a sigh of relief before he turned away again. Never in his life did he think he'd be alone with a cute girl, his best friend at that, in lingerie first thing in the morning.

"You change a bit too fast though don't you think?" Jaune asked, continuing to look away as he was sure Ruby was still examining her new assets.

"Grandma did say it would just take a night. Maybe staying in the castle helped speed it along?" Ruby could only guess, still a bit mesmerized by her wings and tail.

"Anyway, think you can find something to wear so that you're not standing around almost naked?"

"Oh…yeah! I'll check to see if Mom has something for me to wear in her closet!" Ruby said as she took off, hoping to find something that covered her up more than the lingerie she was forced to sleep in.

Once Ruby was gone and the closet door closed, Jaune let out a sigh of relief. Now safe for him to open his eyes, Jaune looked out the window and instead of seeing the light of the sun he was greeted by the same glowing red moon they had seen when they had first arrived. Confused at that, Jaune looked for his scroll and doubled check to see if any time passed and that they didn't just sleep through a whole day.

However, before the blond huntsman-in-training could verify the right time he was interrupted by the sound of the room door opening. Seeing he was not alone, Jaune looked up from his scroll and was greeted by the smiling face of Lilith as she entered the room.

"Good morning, I hope you both had a pleasant rest." Lilith said after closing the door behind her.

"Is it really morning? Sorry, it's just that outside looks…"

"The same?" Lilith finished the Arc's words, her smile ever-present. "I assure you, time has indeed passed. The sky is something you get used to while living in a demon realm. That aside, I hope you and Ruby were able to have a comfortable night. It can be difficult sleeping in a new place."

"We managed…eventually. The bed and everything was comfy really." Jaune reassured the monarch, his face flaring in a blush as he remembered his earlier wakeup.

Seeing Jaune's flustered face caused Lilith's smile to grow a bit more but she chose not to comment on it as she began to look around the room. "And where is Ruby?"

"Well, she's in the closet right now, trying to find something to wear." Jaune said, though once he saw the confused look on Lilith's face he decided to elaborate. "Ruby can't really wear her old clothes with her new…wings and tail. So she's trying to see if there's something her mother had that she could wear. That's not a problem is it?"

"Of course not, it is only right for Ruby to have full rights to Summer's room. I'm just surprised to hear Ruby already showing signs of monsterization so quickly. I had not anticipated that" Lilith said in genuine surprise.

"Didn't you say a night was enough to have Ruby begin to change?"

"I believed that a night would have been enough to awaken her Lilim blood or her mana. To already begin triggering a change is…"

Their conversation as then cut short as Jaune and Lilith both heard a loud squeak coming from the closet. The two were about to rush in and see if Ruby was ok but they then heard more squeaks from the younger girl.

"Is there anything in here that's normal to wear, or was mom a huge pervert?!" Ruby's cries could be heard from beyond the closet doors.

Her worry now gone, Lilith tried and failed to suppress her amusement. "I suppose it's better to see the changes for myself. Right now I should help Ruby find something proper to wear. We shall continue these talks later during breakfast." Lilith then went to enter the closet, leaving Jaune by himself.

Still left with many questions, Jaune decided to just strap his armor back on and attach Crocea Mors to his side as he prepared himself for the day as best he could. In the midst of adjusting and making sure his breastplate was secure he could still hear the sounds of the two women coming from the closet.

"I can't wear something like this!"

"And why not? This is normal casual wear."

"How is this normal?! Look how little this covers up!"

"I know. Such a shame isn't it?"

"A shame?!"

"Summer wasn't a fan of the more cultural succubi dresses and her 'adventurer' clothing covers too much of her beauty. Much like your old wears did dear."

"I-I like my clothes and I look ridiculous wearing this!"

"Nonsense, you look breathtaking? Perhaps we require a third opinion."

"Third? From wh…wait, Grandma, stop!"

The talks between grandmother and grandchild quickly became a scuffle until the doors to the closet were forced opened, causing Jaune to jump. The surprise quickly wore off as he was greeted by a newly clothed Ruby.

There Ruby stood; dressed in an outfit that was very different from her preferred gothic style huntress dresses and combat skirts she was used to. Her outfit was highly revealing, in a similar style to Lilith's almost, and much like the older Lilim it seemed to enhance the beauty of the one wearing it. The top was a black low-cut, sleeveless top that wrapped around her, her modesty only covered by the black almost see-through mesh that was underneath. Still it stopped short, leaving the girl's stomach bare as it led down to a very slim black skirt that just barely covered anything set around her slim waist. Underneath the skirt, straps could be seen attaching to the long black stockings around the young woman's legs and a pair of black formal shoes completed the image.

Around Ruby's shoulders, Jaune could see her signature red cape pinned to the top and from the look on Ruby's face she wanted to use said cape to cover herself more only it was being held open by Lilith, as if presenting her granddaughter to the young man.

"Well sir knight, does your princess please your sight?" Lilith spoke, smiling as she watched the reaction on Jaune's face as well of how flustered Ruby was acting by having her outfit revealed to the boy.

"I…um…Ruby, you look…" Jaune stumbled through his words, trying to think of the right thing to say.

With her face matching her namesake, Ruby quickly tore herself from Lilith's grasp and wrapped her cloak tightly around herself to cover herself up.

"See, I told you this stuff really wouldn't suit me." Ruby complained, still clearly embarrassed by the outfit Lilith pulled out for her.

"Now now, you need not be ashamed of your beauty." Lilith smirked. "And I say your husband appreciates your new wears. Breathtaking indeed," She repeated her earlier words, using all her willpower to not burst into laughter.

"Not my husband!" Ruby objected, her face almost bright red.

"I'm sure if you offered, he would take you right here and now."

"C-Can we not have this talk. Please?" Jaune pleaded as he turned away from the two bickering succubi. The young man hoped it would help cool them down, but Lilith definitely wasn't helping.

Before coming to this world he had never really seen Ruby in a sexual light and seeing her in that outfit helped to remind him of beautiful and, dare he think it, sexy his best friend is. Even before coming here, he would admit Ruby is cute but he didn't see anything beyond that until now.

Getting enough enjoyment, for now, Lilith held her hands up in surrender. "You'll have to excuse me. I never got the chance to try this with Summer for when she would show me her husband. Watching how you two act is very amusing. Your world of Remnant must be very prudish when it comes to pleasure."

"I wouldn't say Remnant is…prudish. It's more; we have other things like the Grimm to worry about than being all lovey-dovey all the time." Ruby tried to explain, her new tail wagging to reflect her embarrassment.

"Still I don't hear any objections about your outfit." Lilith smiled, putting attention back to the only human in the room.

"I mean, it's not bad looking. Honestly Ruby would look cute in anything…that is to say, not that your old look was bad Ruby. All the huntresses I know could easily pass for models and...I should just…stop talking." Jaune rambled off before stopping, hoping to not make the situation any more awkward than it was.

"And there you have it. You're free to try on more outfits if you want Ruby. Your old clothes will have to be modified for your new growth. I'll have some maids work on them while we are busy today." Lilith said.

"Busy, with what?" Ruby asked, clearly confused.

"I would like to hear more about this Remnant, the world that you two came from. The world where Summer was able to live a fulfilling life in a place much different than ours. I would like to learn more and at the same time talk about what to do with you both." Lilith explained, now gaining the two teens' attention. "Have you given any thought to what we talked about last night?"

"We did. We both talked about it and…we think we should help out! I want to help out!" Ruby said with confidence before she added a few things. "I mean, I don't want to give up my dream of being a Huntress and we kind of want to talk to our friends and get their opinions on things…if we even can."

Ruby looked up at Lilith, expecting to receive some disappointment only to feel the Lilim's hand on her shoulder as the woman gave her a soft smile.

"Perhaps I should not have been so pushy on you making a decision. Choosing an heir is an important decision but it is not something I want to force upon you." Lilith said to comfort the girl. "It is not as if I am asking you to prepare to rule at this very moment. We all have very long lives and I am still very much young. There is plenty of time for you to accomplish your dream as well as receive royal training."

"Wait, long lives? Does that mean…" Jaune trailed off, surprised at that new information.

"Exactly that." Lilith answered with a smile at Jaune's reaction as she looked at Ruby's stunned face. "Take a much time as you need to decide if becoming my heir is what you want. But first I'm sure you would like to learn more about yourself now that you've started to change."

"That did come to mind." Ruby admitted. A part of her was very excited to learn what all she could do now that she was becoming a Lilim. "Oh, but what about Remnant? Is there any way for us to go back?"

"We do want to help out, it's just we also did just come here out of nowhere. Our friends and family would definitely be worried since we've been missing for a whole night." Jaune added. "We can't exactly learn how to be Huntsman if we're stuck here."

"Worry not; normally it would take a long process to travel between worlds. Especially a world we've never heard of." Lilith began, already seeing Ruby and Jaune's worried faces. "However, thanks to finding you two, we've already discovered your world. All that needs to be done is to create a more permanent gateway."

"You would do all that?" Ruby asked; her eyes widen in surprise.

"Of course. I would love the chance to visit my new adorable granddaughter whenever possible." Lilith said. That quick answered caused Ruby to blush, but she was happy none the less that her grandmother wanted to be a part of her life still.

"So where do we go from here while this gateway thing is being worked on?" Jaune asked.

"That remains to be determined, but for now I'm sure you two would appreciate some breakfast."

At the mention of food, the sound of two stomachs growling caused Ruby and Jaune to blush again. Regardless of how the sky still looked time still passed and it was probably around breakfast time back at Remnant. Amused at their reactions, Lilith walked to the door and waited for the two to follow her.

"Come along now. Once you two are full we can discuss what you two will do during your stay. I have a few people interested in meeting you two as well but that all can wait." Lilith said as she looked the two over. "Ruby has Summer's wardrobe to choose from but I will see to having a proper outfit prepared for you. As for you Jaune, I will see about finding proper wares for you as well."

"T-That's not necessary. You're already doing so much." Jaune said, hoping to not impose more than they already were.

"I can't have my granddaughter's husband walking about in the same clothes every day now can I?"

"Not my husband!" Ruby insisted again.

"Even so, if he is helping you that would make him your knight as least would it not?" Lilith asked, smiling as she looked at Ruby's red face. "Regardless of your relationship, someone of your court should dress as such. Now we can continue this and more royal lessons later. Our breakfast is getting cold."

"Yay…more school." Ruby cheered unenthusiastically as she and Jaune followed her grandmother out of the room. The young Rose could only hope her grandmother spared her from more husband talks after they have eaten.

Breakfast itself was nothing unusual, at least not in any way the two visitors had noticed. Once they had left the bedrooms, Lilith led them to a group of maids that proceeded to lead them towards the dining room. Of course, there was a large table in the center and several chairs; however, the room was empty except for the three and the various servants that tended to them. Lilith of course sat at the head of the table with Ruby and Jaune sat to the side, next to each other of course at Lilith's insistence.

The meal itself definitely didn't disappoint with the food being just as delicious as the food delivered to them the previous night, although, there weren't any pastries or anything made by Lilith herself much to Ruby's ire.

Once breakfast was finished and the maids collected their plates, Lilith gathered the two and led them again back through the halls of the castle. As they walked, Jaune and Ruby could see various Mamono workers stop and give bows or quick greetings to the ruler of the castle before they returned to their duties. Amongst the workers they passed, a few gave curious glances to Ruby but said nothing. However, a lot of looks were directed towards Jaune causing Ruby to puff her cheeks and glared at a few women as she kept close to her hus-bestie, to make sure none of the maids tried anything. Luckily none of them made any actions towards the blond as it seemed that Lilith's orders from last night were still in effect.

The stroll through the hallways thankfully ended when they reached the throne room. As they entered and saw that they were alone, Ruby and Jaune were able to finally relax as Lilith went up to sit on her throne.

"Well, now that we've had our fill we can get back to what we were discussing before." Lilith began the discussion. "I would say the greatest concerns you both have right now are the plans to make a gateway between here and Remnant."

"Uh, Grandma, couldn't you just use the same magic spell thingy that brought us here? Just…in reverse?" Ruby asked.

"The spell that brought you two here to my understanding was a modified return spell. Created to retrieve a specific target and transport it back here regardless of distance." Lilith explained. "I'm afraid creating a portal between realms would be more complicated. Especially when Remnant has little or no magic like you two have told me."

"So would it be impossible?" Jaune asked, pondering Lilith's words as she continued.

"Of course not. Traveling between realms is not a new concept; there are several gates here in Royal Makai that allows transportation between here and different demon realms." Lilith answered, giving the two worried students some relief. "I've already assigned someone to work on this project last night."

"Wait really? Someone else knows about Remnant?" Ruby said, very much surprised at that news.

"Of course. It would be hard to keep it from her since she created the spell that transported you two here." Lilith said. "If there is anyone who could create a stable route to a world like Remnant it would be her. She is a very close ally and one of two that I have sworn to secrecy. They have kept the knowledge of you two being from another world to themselves."

"But why all the secrecy? Mamono aren't bad, not like the Grimm we have, and wouldn't more people help make the gate faster?" Jaune asked with Ruby nodding in agreement.

"No one here seems to have a problem with me, so why should we keep Remnant a secret from people here?" Ruby asked as well.

"Imagine things form my subjects' perspective. We live in a world that while mostly peaceful is far from perfect. Areas controlled by those worshipping the Chief God still see Mamono as dangerous creatures that should be exterminated. Along with that is the declining birthrate of males within our world." Lilith made her points clear for the two before she continued. "Now imagine what would happen if they discovered a world like Remnant? Many would want to take advantage of a world like Remnant for what it has and what it could represent."

"And why would they do that?" Ruby wondered aloud.

"Last night I did tell you that not everyone is as accepting of my reign as Mamono Lord, certain factions have their own goals. One, in particular, is a group of extremists who would certainly take advantage of a world away from our common enemy. A world filled with plenty of men for them to kidnap and take for themselves and women to forcibly convert into Mamono." Lilith said to Ruby and Jaune's shock. "There are radicals who would love for Remnant to become a largescale demon realm."

"Well when you put it that way, it does sound…risky." Ruby said dejectedly. Would it be that dangerous to have the two worlds meet? It might have just been better for her to stay than risk something that serious happening but could she ask Jaune to do the same?

"Ok, so we just have to keep this a closely guarded secret right?" Jaune said, snapping Ruby out of her negative thoughts as he looked to the monarch.

"That is correct. Even now the only people who know about Remnant are the three of us in this room and two others. Both of them are strong confidants that I trust wholeheartedly." Lilith promised the two. "One as you know is the one that cast the original spell that summoned you. And she will be invaluable in creating a pathway back."

"So until then we just…stay in the castle?" Ruby wondered. Not that she didn't have any problems with supposedly her family's castle but did they have to stay within its walls their entire time here.

"You are free to go about and explore the town outside but my protection only goes so far. The different Mamono out in town might not be able to keep to themselves seeing one like Jaune wandering about." Lilith said as she reminded the two of how Mamono act. "Even those in the castle would eagerly take him for themselves if he seems free or is enticed."

"Castle it is!" Ruby decided, standing close and holding onto Jaune protectively as if the blond could vanish in an instant. Suddenly a thought came to Ruby's mind as she looked to her grandmother. "Actually, if I can, is there a way for me to learn more about this Lilim stuff?"

"But of course. I wouldn't want to leave you in the dark on your new abilities. I plan to teach you myself personally." Lilith answered.

"And what about me? Not that I don't mind just staying in your wonderful castle, Lilith, but is there possibly something I can do…that doesn't involve Mamono jumping me?" Jaune quickly added.

As Lilith began to give some thought to Jaune's request the three were then interrupted by the sound of the throne room doors opening behind them. In walked two Mamono, both of them with different levels of beauty compared to the elder Lilim but still possessing their own charms.

One was a tall woman with sun-kissed skin with spiky auburn hair that reached slightly passed her shoulders, though poking through the hair she had two large black horns sprouting from the top of her head and green-scaled fins coming from where her ears would normally be. The woman also had slit golden eyes like that of a reptile and along her body specks of bronze-colored scales dotted across her body. She was only wearing a tight bronze and green striped scale mail armored top that covered her impressive chest from view but that was where the protection ended as it left her shoulders, arms, and stomach bare except for the occasional scales dotting along her body. Finishing her clothes were only tight black booty shorts along with a large belt wrapped around her waist. Her Mamono features didn't end with her eyes or the scales as Ruby and Jaune could see her large scaly hands and feet with both ending in sharp claws, a massive pair of wings coming from her back, and a long bronze reptilian tail.

The other Mamono was wearing even less than her companion surprising the two as she looked very young, even younger than Ruby. The childish-looking girl was more Ruby height, being towered over by the other woman. Her long caramel-colored hair was pulled into pigtails, pinned and decorated by what looked to be goat skulls matching the large brown goat horns growing from the top of her head. While not possessing the full impressive figures Lilith or the dragon looking woman had, she was the most shameless in appearance as her outfit barely covered anything. In fact, it covered just enough to be considered decent. Her torso was completely bare except for a black mantle that rested on her shoulders pinned by a small goat skull broach resting in the center of her petite chest. Attached to the broach, and keeping her somewhat modest, were two thin metal sheets covering her like a makeshift bra. Around her arms were gold bracelets and her hard large fur-covered arms leading to beastlike paws. A black sash wrapped around her waist, barely keeping her black panties from view with a fluffy tail poking behind her. Below her stocking-clad thighs, however, were fur-covered legs leading to goat hooves.

The smaller one of the two was the first to smile and acknowledge the two teens in the room as she skipped ahead to get a closer look at Ruby and Jaune while the taller woman still stayed back a bit to observe.

"Well, I'll be. I wouldst not believeth if Lily hadst not toldeth me. Thou look exactly like a little Summer!" The goat girl said, clearly amused as she greeted Ruby. "Groweth thy wings and dye thy hair white and thou wouldst be a spitting image!"

"Thanks, I guess." Ruby said, not sure what to say to the new Mamono in the room. While initially stunned by how someone even younger than herself could wear such an outfit and not be ashamed, she was more surprised by the girl's voice. The goat girl's ancient words greatly contrasted with her youthful appearance.

"I see what you mean. So you're Summer's kid." The taller woman said as she walked closer and got a closer look at Ruby herself. "She definitely looks the part. Like an exact copy of Summer at her age."

"These two are the ones I was telling you about." Lilith clarified for Ruby and Jaune as she began to introduce the girls. "They hold high positions in my army and are very close confidants of mine. Go ahead and introduce yourselves."

"Right…um, Ruby. Ruby Rose." Ruby started off, a bit anxious about meeting more people who knew her mother.

"Jaune Arc." Jaune said, putting a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder. He could tell how nervous Ruby must be feeling and while nervous himself he wanted to remind the younger Lilim that she wasn't alone going through this. This action of course caught the attention of the two Mamono.

"Ruby Rose. Look upon thee, already bagged thou a quality husband. And he hath a vast pool of spiritual energy, a fine choice." The smaller girl said, ignoring how flustered the two were becoming.

"We're not…! He's not…! We're just friends! Best friends!" Ruby tried to say, struggling with the small girl's teasing.

"In denial I seeth." The girl snickered.

"Oi, you can have your fun with the hatchling later. Get on with it book nerd." The taller woman said, cutting her companion's fun short.

"Spoilsport." The girl puffed her cheeks before composing herself. "I myself has't many names and titles known throughout the known realms, though the one I go by chiefly and that I'm most fond of is The Baphomet." She then gave the two a curtsy. "Though I also go by Baphy-chan or Bapho-sama to mine own cute juniors."

"Baphy-chan? That's kind of a weird name." Jaune commented aloud on the Mistralian sounding title before he could notice. Luckily the girl didn't seem to take any offense to that, not losing her mischievous grin towards the boy.

"Young man, as I hath said before, it is more a title than mine name. Amongst the many Baphomet 'round the world I place the highest of 'em all. Mine own title must reflect that." The Baphomet explained as her grin grew. "It can be quite dangerous giving one's true name out freely to one thee just hath met, especially one as appetizing as thyself." As she spoke, Baphy's grin grew as she watched Ruby and Jaune grow more nervous.

"Enough Baphy, you can have fun with them later." Lilith giggled a bit before lightly chastised her friend for her behavior.

"All right, that's enough. Did you forget what Lilith said? Their realm isn't the same as ours." The other Mamono reminded the Baphomet as well as they could see Ruby and Jaune's faces now glowing red. "Anyway, ignore this nerd for now. I'm Aria, dragon and knight captain in the Mamono Lord's army and one of the strongest she has." The dragon then also began to inspect Ruby up and down. "Not bad. I bet you're great with a sword as Summer was."

"Well, not really. I just use a scythe really." Ruby said with pride pulling out her weapon that she had kept secure attached to her waist. "Oh, and it's also a high powered sniper rifle."

"A what?"

"It's also a gun. Or well, also a firearm." Ruby added after seeing their confusion. "Um, but I do know how to use swords a little bit. My uncle taught me back when I was training with him."

"Did he now?" Aria said with interest. "Most Lilims aren't really interested in weapons or even combat. It's rare to see ones that do. I wonder if you're as skilled as your mother was."

"Now Ari, I would love the chance to train my granddaughter first before you try and challenge her in one of your duels." Lilith said. "Before we can have any fun we do have business to continue with. This isn't a casual meeting need I remind you?"

"Right, the gateway project thou assigned me should'st be prepared in about three days, possibly a week at the latest." The Baphomet spoke to the ruler with a more professional tone than the playful one she had been using earlier when teasing the children.

"Three days? That seems unusually long for you." Lilith said as Ruby and Jaune could only look at the childlike Mamono with silence and awe. In just three days the woman said she could supposedly open a path back to Remnant.

"To create a stable gateway spell to a new realm requires a lot of time, magic, and effort. It would hast taken longer but with these two hither it cuts that time down considerably." Baphomet explained. "Another reason for the long wait is because I'm working on this project alone. Should I had included assistance from mine Sabbath it would be completed much more apace but they are such gossips. They wouldn't be able to keep such a project a secret for long. The few who assisted with the first spell clearly could not."

"I see, all the better then." Lilith relented as she looked to Aria. "And did you get what I requested from you?"

"Sure thing. All the knight captains and I came together and got all the information you needed. When I got the call you needed me for this meeting I came straight here while Trista went to deliver the reports to your room." Aria answered.

"Excellent, I'll go over them later to make a decision. In the meantime…" Lilith then gestured towards Jaune. "Aria would you take Ruby's husband with you to the training grounds within the castle, I'm sure he can benefit from some lessons here whilst I work with Ruby."

"Not my…wait what?" Ruby asked, caught off guard by her grandmother's words.

"I second that, what do you mean by lessons?" Jaune asked. Wasn't he supposed to keep close to Ruby for his safety? At least that was what he remembered Lilith telling him.

"Whether Ruby chooses to become my heir or not, I believe it would help Jaune if he were given some lessons on how to handle some of the more enthusiastic Mamono you two may meet. It wouldn't be fair if Ruby is the only one learning whilst you two are here." Lilith explained to the two. "A hero shouldn't shirk his training, as my husband always says."

Before Jaune could voice any concerns he was lifted up by the dragon using his armor straps, showing her impressive strength by how easily she held the Arc up using only one arm.

"Hero huh? He doesn't look like much." Aria said with the Arc in her grip as she began pulling him towards the doors. "Don't worry Ruby, Lily. I'll whip this noodle into shape. If he's any good he shouldn't break too fast."

"Hey, don't I get a say in this?!"

"Her majesty's orders so no, hopefully, you know how to properly use that sword of yours boy."

Before Ruby could try something to help her friend who was now being taken against his will she felt a new hand on her shoulder as she saw her grandmother had left her throne to stand beside her.

"He'll be just fine Ruby. Aria may seem a little rough but it's not like she'll do anything too serious. She shouldn't work Jaune too hard." Lilith reassured her.

"Maybe she worries Aria might tryeth to taketh her hubby from her?" The Baphomet added with a smile as they both watched Ruby's face light up. "Thou were right Lily, she is fun to tease. Just like teeny Summer."

"He's not…just forget it!" Ruby tiredly said, only pulling up her hood to hide her blushing face from the older women.

Satisfied with herself, Baphomet gave a final curtsy before excusing herself. She wouldn't be able to work on her new project if she continued to linger in the throne room and there would be more opportunities to play with the newest addition to the royal family later. With a silent farewell, she vanished in a flash of light leaving the two Roses alone.

The Mamono Lord smiled as she pulled Ruby's hood back down and gestured to have the young Lilim follow her out of the throne room. Lilith had Ruby follow her through several hallways they eventually made it to a new door Ruby had never seen. Opening, instead of another room, the first thing Ruby noticed was the starry sky and bright red moon. Looking around, the young reaper could see that she was outside for the first time since she arrived in this new world.

Lilith had brought her granddaughter out to a large garden. It was still within the castle, as seen by the large walls surrounding them but was large and spacious, filled with many wondrous things that showed Ruby just how different this world was aside from the Mamono she had seen. Despite the lack of sun, the plants around them still looked healthy and the whole garden was illuminated not just by the moon but with a few of the plants as well. Several beds of flowers with light pale petals that seemed to produce bright, almost hypnotic lights as they decorated the garden. Ruby stood mesmerized as she eyed the entirely different flora she had never seen. Her father had somewhat of a green thumb back home but nothing on Patch compared to the royal garden. As she almost felt a pull towards one of the trees that had banana-like fruits growing from it Ruby was pulled back to her senses by Lilith.

"I agree that the garden is magnificent. I'm sure the gardeners would be happy to know another princess appreciates the effort they put into it every day." Lilith said.

"Sorry, don't know what came over me." Ruby apologized sheepishly, face flushed with embarrassment.

"There is nothing to apologize for Ruby. I would have let you entertain your curiosity but we have other matters to address first."

"Right…so, we're going to start training. How do we start?" Ruby asked, eager to learn more about her Lilim abilities.

Lilith smiled at her enthusiasm, seeing her act very much like her younger children. "Before I can teach you anything, we must first have you complete your transformation."

"You mean there's more than just this?" Ruby said as she looked back to her tiny wings and her new tail.

"You didn't think you would have childish wings forever did you?" Lilith answered rhetorically as she stretched out her own larger wings. "I'm sure you saw the pictures with your mother and her sisters. While all my daughters are unique, there are several things they have in common. Their hair, wings, and tails tend to resemble my own."

"So you're saying that when I change completely I'll look just like you?" Ruby asked, looking at Lilith with awe if that's what she'll look like once she's older.

"Not exactly, you do have your own cuteness after all." Lilith said, pinching Ruby's cheeks much to the girl's displeasure. "Every Lilim is special in their unique way. And before we can find out how special you are, I'll need to awaken the dormant demonic energy within you with my own and complete your monsterization."

"It won't completely change me…right?" Ruby asked with the fear and worry evident in her tone. Even if Jaune promised to not treat her any differently, the changes she had now were still only minor. What would he think if she did completely changed and become an entirely new person? What would her friends and family think?

"Ruby," Lilith placed a hand under Ruby's chin and had the worried girl look into her eyes as she gave her words of comfort. "While you may feel some changes, this will not change what makes you Ruby. You have always been a Lilim; this is only bringing out the part of you that just lies dormant. The only thing that might change is that you might be a bit more honest about your feelings."

"Honest?"

"Despite your many protests, I've seen the way you acted around your bestie. You wouldn't have been so eager to have him close to you if you only felt nothing but friendship with Jaune." Lilith clarified, smiling seeing Ruby's glowing face again. "Already, you're becoming more honest with your feelings."

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Ruby…your tail wags every time we talk about Jaune."

Before she could object, Ruby turned around to see that her tail indeed was still waving in the air as they continued to talk about her not-boyfriend. Feeling embarrassed and also betrayed by her rebellious appendage, Ruby said nothing as she grabbed hold of her tail to stop the wagging ignoring the shivers that ran through her body as she did so. Seeing Lilith's knowing smile not drop, the girl could only look down in defeat after releasing her tail.

"Betrayed by my own cuteness!"

"I can tell you have your own fears about all of this, but did you think you would have to go through this all alone?" Lilith asked, grabbing Ruby's full attention. "No matter how you change, I'm sure your friends won't treat you any differently. And no matter what path you choose, I am here for you."

"Really?"

"I told you I would be a part of your life, even if in the end you do not decide to succeed me. I won't look at you any different." Lilith reassured her. "Now close your eyes, take a deep breath, and tell me when you are ready to proceed."

Ruby nodded and followed her grandmother's instructions. She did have her own worries about the future as well as possibly becoming a lustful Mamono but the longer she collected her thoughts the more she felt how pointless those worries are. Thinking back to the other night reminded her how Jaune would stick by her regardless of what she was, she knew Yang would always stick with her no matter what and so would the rest of her friends at Beacon. Thinking to family, there was no doubt her father and Uncle Qrow would always be there for her and now she even had a loving grandmother to add to her list of family.

Silver eyes stared back into the Mamono Lord's red as Ruby finished her breathes and looked confidently at Lilith. "I'm ready."

Seeing her granddaughter's worries pass, Lilith then pulled Ruby's hands into her own. Soon they began to glow a bright pink and to Ruby's surprise, hers began to do the same before it was stopped by the familiar red glow of her aura. Sensing Ruby's confusion, Lilith directed Ruby's attention back to her.

"Do not be afraid. It is just your mana resonating with my own. Drawing it to the surface." Lilith explained as the light began to travel from Ruby's hands to cover her entire body. Her comforting voice helping Ruby not react negatively to the new energy flowing through her, her aura beginning to lower as the red was soon replaced by the soft pink.

"Remember it is your mana. Reach out and embrace it."

Following instructions, Ruby closed her eyes and reached out to the new mana within. Almost immediately she was hit with a hot sensation, a heat that warmed up her body in a way she was unfamiliar with. Thankfully Ruby could still feel Lilith holding her hands and guiding her otherwise she might have been swept away by the new avalanche of desire running through her body. Listening to Lilith, instead of trying to push it back Ruby only accepted the new feelings as she focused on her mana. Almost unconsciously, a cloak of red aura completely lowered, allowing a rush of mana to pour out of Ruby and in seconds the light in the garden increased as the girl was wrapped in a cocoon of bright light.

(Beacon Academy)

Back on Remnant, another member of the Rose-Xiao Long family was in worry. Inside of one of the dorm rooms, pacing around, one Yang Xiao Long was trying for what felt to her like an eternity to reach Ruby with her scroll. After the twentieth connection failure, it took all of her self-control not to fling her scroll against the nearest wall.

The blonde bombshell of team RWBY is a fair-skinned young woman with long bright golden hair that falls down her back styled to perfection even with the small cowlick poking out the top. Her soft lilac eyes now a burning red due to her frustration. She had on a short tan jacket with golden brown piping and short, puffy sleeves, which shows off her cleavage underneath a low cut yellow crop top which bared her symbol in black on the left breast. Her jacket stopped above her midriff leading to a brown belt covered by a brown hip cape tied around her waist. Underneath she had on black mini shorts and finishing her outfit was an orange scarf tied around her neck, a grey bandanna tied around her left knee, and a pair of brown knee-high boots.

Yang is easily known as one of the top beauties in Beacon, a huntress-in-training known for being as strong as she was beautiful. And while many of the other students know her as the playful bombshell of the first years she was also known as a protective mother bear for her team, especially towards her little sister.

After another failed call, her anger was about to explode until she heard the door open. The fire within her died down a bit with the arrival of her partner, Blake Belladonna entering the room.

Blake Belladonna is a young woman with light skin that contrasted greatly with her wavy black hair with a large black bow resting on top and bright amber eyes brought out more by the purple Catseye eyeshadow. The secret Faunus wore a black vest, with coattails and a detached sleeve on her left arm, buttoned only by a single silver button over a white, sleeveless, high-necked, crop shirt and a black scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. Strapped to her back was a grey magnetic backpack that she uses mostly to hold her weapon and she had black ribbons wrapped around both her forearms. Below her unbuttoned vest was white shorts with a zipper on each leg leading to black stockings that gradated to a deep purple as it got to her ankles with her emblem displayed in white on both of her thighs and black heeled boots.

While Blake could see Yang had stopped pacing back and forth in their dorm she could still see hints of red in Yang's eyes. "Still no words?"

"Nothing! It just disconnects and sends me to voicemail every time! It's like she's nowhere near a communications tower!" Yang answered, her grip tightening around her scroll. "This isn't like Ruby to be out for so long and not call any of us. Not only did she not come back last night but she still hasn't come back yet! What if something happened to her Blake?"

"We don't know that. Maybe she broke her scroll last night and missed the last Bullhead last night. Remember they suspended flights around Beacon earlier than usual." Blake tried to calm Yang down. She was equally concerned about her missing team leader and wished for Ruby's and even Jaune's safety but she knew to overreact like Yang was not going to bring them any help at finding their missing friends. Which was why she was the one on Yang watch to keep her under control until Weiss came back with news.

Just as Yang was going to voice more worries, their door opened again as the last member of Team RWBY now had the floor.

Weiss Schnee, one of Beacon's celebrities and resident heiress, is a pale-skinned young woman with pale blue eyes with a small scar running down the left eye and long white hair that she had pulled to the right in an off-center ponytail and pinned with a tiny silver icicle tiara. She wore a white strapless top with a small piece of black lace in the shape of a snowflake at the center of her petite chest, a thin white sash around her waist with a pouch attached to the back, and a white combat skirt reaching her thighs that faded to pale blue at the hems. Over her dress, she had on a white, bell-sleeved bolero in the same colors as her dress with a ruffled collar, the inside of the jacket is a bright red that stood out against all the white, and the Schnee crest displayed proudly on the back. The wealth of the Schnee family was further shown by the small silver apple pendant, thin rectangular silver earrings, and spotless white wedged-heeled boots.

"Anything new Weiss?" Blake was the first to ask, though can already guess the answer judging by the scowl on the ice queen's face.

"Nothing, no calls from either Ruby or Arc. Something must have happened to their scrolls because even the team tracking apps are not responding. I spoke with Pyrrha during our search for what actions we can take and we both came to the agreement that it's limited." Weiss explained to her teammates. "We had the idea of going to Vale's communications tower to see if we could find them with our connections but no students can fly to Vale because the docks are still under lockdown."

"They still have the Bullheads shutdown? Is it some dumb maintenance check, why can't they let us into Vale?" Yang asked, finding it hard to believe that all travel to the kingdom from the academy was still prohibited.

"They're still investigating that strange event from last night."

"You mean those weird colors in the sky that appeared?" Blake said as she recalled seeing the lights last night. "Why would the professors keep a shutdown going just for that?"

"Because, those weird colors, as you called them damaged one of the airships that were inflight last night; it affected the Bullhead so harshly that it almost crashed into Vale." Weiss clarified, shocking Blake and Yang.

"You two don't think…!" Before Yang could think of the worst-case scenario and fly off the handle, Weiss pulled up her hand to stop her.

"I know what you just thought and you weren't the only one. Pyrrha took off to try and get to Vale thinking the same until we were both stopped by Professor Goodwitch. The Bullhead didn't crash, thankfully, but they're still investigating all the passengers of that flight as well. They want to be sure the ship's malfunctions weren't caused by a passenger's semblance." Weiss continued to try and calm the concerned elder sibling. "If Ruby and Arc were on that Bullhead, those dolts would be safely in Vale PD custody."

"Where they possibly can't call us or forgot to call given all that happened." Blake reasoned as well. In all the excitement Ruby and Jaune could also have broken their scrolls when the Bullhead malfunctioned. "It just feels off to me. Ruby and Jaune wouldn't do anything to sabotage a Bullhead so why not let them contact us, at least to verify with their teams that they're okay."

"I know those two dolts would do anything so idiotic but what else could have happened to them? That they just vanished into thin air?" Weiss asked.

"Girls!"

At that moment, Yang stopped the two before to could have another debate/argument so that she could remind them of the more important matters. "All of that doesn't change the fact that Ruby and now even Jaune is missing and we're stuck here doing nothing while the Vale PD continues to suck at their jobs! We don't even know if they were even on that Bullhead and we won't know if we continue standing around here!" With that, Yang stormed her way towards the door.

"And where do you think you're going?!" Weiss said as she grabbed hold of Yang's arm to stop her only to fail as she was now being dragged alongside the angry blonde. "Did you forget that the docks are still on lockdown?!"

"I'm sure if I go straight to Professor Ozpin, I can convince him to give me a Bullhead ride to pick up my sister."

"And if that fails?"

"I'll wing it. It won't be hard just taking and piloting an airship to Vale. If I need extra muscle, I'm sure Nora will be on board."

"Yang be reasonable and think this through." Blake stepped in; trying to settle down the raging dragon instead of trying to force her still like Weiss was trying and failing to do.

Just as Yang reached their door and Blake considering tying Yang down with her weapon, the bombshell flung open the door only to be greeted by the stern eyes of Glynda Goodwitch as she stood in front of Yang's path.

Standing at their door was the disciplinarian of Beacon Academy, Glynda Goodwitch. A middle-aged woman with fair skin and light blonde hair tied back into a bun with a curl hanging down the right side of her face over her dangling teal earrings. The professor's fierce green eyes can be seen behind the pair of thin ovular glasses. She was dressed in a white long-sleeved, pleated top with a teal pendant at her neck over a wide keyhole window in the center revealing her bountiful chest. Draped behind her was a black cape with purple on the inside with the ends stylized to resemble flames. Finishing her outfit is a black high-waist pencil skirt, black-brown stockings, and black boots with bronze heels.

"I had a hunch after talking with Ms. Schnee and Ms. Nikos that Ms. Xiao Long would try and cause a commotion, especially when Ms. Rose is involved." The deputy headmaster spoke as she locked eyes with the remainder of Team RWBY. "Need I remind you all that team RWBY is currently on probation? Would you like me to extend it towards the new semester as well?"

"No disrespect Ms. G, but aren't the officers in the Vale PD supposed to contact the family members of those in their custody?" Yang asked, calming herself down as she spoke to the professor. Angry as she was, even she knew it was best not to get on Professor Goodwitch's bad side. Yet.

"While you are correct, Ms. Xiao Long, the rule states that those in the custody of the Vale PD are to contact the adult family members or guardian in the event of a pending investigation. In the case of Beacon Academy students, that right is also given to the Headmaster.

"Oh come on…!"

"Ms. Xiao Long!" Glynda interrupted Yang, giving her a short warning before she could go on a tirade. "I understand your worries. Trust me that the shutdown is to keep our students safe as we try to investigate what happened last night. As for Ms. Rose, we already have a family member helping us with her along with Professor Ozpin."

That last part surprised Yang that they already had a member of their family here. "Is it Dad?" Yang asked, knowing her father would easily take days off from teaching if it meant helping any of his daughters.

"How I wish." Glynda said with a sigh, making the girls look at her in confusion. "Your Uncle, besides being a professor at Signal Academy, is also a close associate of Ozpin's. He has been called in to help us with this investigation seeing as it was so close to Beacon's grounds. I actually wanted to tell you this so you don't tear your way through Beacon trying to reach Ms. Rose. Qrow wants me to assure you that he would bring her when he arrives."

"Uncle Qrow is coming to help." Yang repeated, not as much as a question but more as a sign of relief as her eyes faded back to a soft lilac. If there was anyone who could quickly help and find her right now missing sister it would be Qrow.

"Yes, now please, I ask that you all leave this situation to the adults. It is the reason why we're here." Glynda said, her harshness gone as she spoke reassuring words to Yang. "We're doing all that we can to resolve this issue quickly and that includes making sure both Ms. Rose and Mr. Arc are ok. I ask that you all have patience while we do so." Glynda promised the girls before leaving them alone in the halls. She had another team with a volatile member that she needed to console before they too could cause property damage, luckily they were right across the hall.

After Glynda had left and closed the door behind her, Yang allowed Blake and Weiss to lead her back to sit on Blake's bed as she took a few deep and calming breaths. With her anger gone and thinking more clearly, Yang looked to her teammates. "Qrow is going to be here, I'm glad I won't be alone on this."

"You weren't alone, to begin with. As unreasonable as you've been acting, did you think we would just stay here and let you run off to find Ruby alone?" Weiss reminded her. "She's not just your sister; she's my partner and also our leader. Of course, we're just as concerned as you are."

"Professor Goodwitch says just to leave it to the adults and as much as I want to disagree and have us leave to find Ruby there isn't much we can do without a Bullhead." Blake said as she sat beside Yang. "As persuasive as you and Nora can be together, I doubt we could walk up and just take one unscathed."

"Well if Uncle Qrow is on his way I'm sure he can easily be convinced into taking his favorite niece and her friends into Vale while he investigates." Yang suggested to them.

"Would he really be able to do that? Professor Goodwitch did say he works for the Headmaster. Would he really just go against the rules and bring us with him?" Blake asked.

"Of course he would, Uncle Qrow is cool like that." Yang reassured them. "And if it's to look for Ruby I'm sure he wouldn't mind more hands to help look around. Especially if it's from family." As Yang talked, she pulled out her scroll to call her uncle. "I don't think he'll be able to sneak us out along with the rest of JNPR though. Even if they're just as worried about Vomit Boy as we are for Rubes."

"Those two dolts are probably together wherever they are. As tiresome as Arc's flirting attempts can be, I wouldn't wish him poor health. Hopefully, they're both ok." Weiss said with full honesty.

"VB finally melted your frozen heart Ice Queen?"

"Do you want my help or not?!"

Blake gave a small smile as she saw how her teammates were acting. The fact that Yang could joke around means that she's finally thinking clearly.

"Still, the fact that bringing Ruby and Jaune back is taking this long seems strange to me." Blake began to think out loud causing the other two to stop bickering. "Professor Goodwitch said that the Headmaster can travel to Vale to pick up the students but why hasn't he done so now? Is it really that dangerous to fly around Beacon still or is this all part of something else?"

"What you think someone intentionally caused that weird light show?" Yang asked. "Even if all that was someone's semblance, why would they do that?"

"I don't know; it just all feels suspicious." Blake admitted to her teammates. Call her paranoid but she couldn't help but think that all the measures taken were extreme for a simple airship malfunction.

"Not everything is a part of a conspiracy Blake. Besides who would be that foolish or brave to try something like this so close to a huntsman academy?" Weiss genuinely asked.

"I never said I had the answer, just a feeling is all." Blake said before the secret Faunus received a pat on the back from Yang.

"Hey, no Blakey moods right now. We all need to be at 100% when we go look for them." Yang said, trying to lift the mood as she went back to her scroll to start her call. "I bet those two dorks are sitting in Vale waiting for when they can come back. What's the worst that could happen to them?"

"Is this really the best you have boy?!"

Aria stood bored as she waited for Jaune to catch his breath. At Lilith's request, the dragon had dragged the young knight to the arena set within the castle. To help keep Jaune's origin a secret and to keep him away from the more eager and lustful Mamono in the army it was safer to keep his training within the castle instead of taking him towards the arenas near their barracks. Once they have arrived, all the dragon did was drop the blond and tell him to prepare his weapon as she wanted to see what kind of skills a warrior from another world would have.

Now an hour had passed and here she was, standing with barely a speck of dirt on her outfit or any scars from battle while Jaune stood across from her, dirt staining his hunter's uniform and using his sword to help prop himself up.

The Arc had no one to blame but himself. When they had started Aria had told him to come at her as hard as he could. At first, Jaune hesitated. In a new world, where the residents didn't have aura, he was not pleased with the idea of swinging his sword at the dragon.

His hesitation and chivalry were answered by a punch that launched him clear across the arena.

After that, the two then continued to spar which quickly evolved into a tough challenge for Jaune and a tiring routine for Aria. It all turned into a simple pattern, Jaune would try to attack the older dragon only for her to block his sword with her bare hands before retaliating with strong punches that either crashed into Jaune's shield or hit him in the gut and sent him flying. Rinse and repeat with low levels of change as some of Aria's attack would hit Jaune faster than he could get his shield into position to defend.

After another failed exchange between the two, Aria allowed the battered knight time to rest and to regain his footing as she continued her tirade.

"Remnants standards for heroes must be very low if someone like you is one of their protectors." Aria said with her arms crossed as she continued to look unimpressed.

"I'm not…exactly the best student in my year." Jaune finally managed to say as got back into the readied stance Pyrrha had taught him many months ago. Keeping himself steady, he wiped the sweat that was falling from his brow before he got his shield raised and ready to defend along with his sword pointed towards Aria.

"It shows, though you do make a good punching bag." Aria said, giving a sarcastic compliment.

The concept of Aura was strange and it was something Aria could never fully understand if she had not seen it in front of her in person. The closest she would describe aura would be something similar to a god's divine protection or a barrier style spell, though the aura the young Arc displayed was something entirely different. It could possibly something on par with Lilith's husband's great invincibility.

Jaune had given Aria a quick rundown of aura before they began their spar, explaining all that he knew about it after he stood back up from the first devastating punch Aria had given him. Good for her, at least she wouldn't have to tell Lilith or Ruby why she had to scrape the girl's husband off the stone walls. A power that came from the user's soul that granted them protection in battle; it's something that came in handy when fighting with Aria. She was more of a hands-on trainer than a lecturer.

Dragons are powerful creatures, even during the age of previous Lords. Dragons were among the most elite and a powerful group of monsters to exist and that fact still hasn't changed even during Lilith's reign and rise to power.

Even in this age where it was less likely to die in combat, as most soldiers and heroes would be dragged off to become husbands to the victorious Mamono, casualties do still happen. There were not many warriors, much less genuine heroes that survived a battle against a dragon unscathed. Aria made it a personal point to leave the Chief God's heroes with broken bones along with their broken pride when she came across one. The arrogant heroes she met during their fight against the Order always left her in a foul attitude.

Besides two fights, there hasn't been a single battle Aria could say she enjoyed. Her fight against Jaune is hardly one to get her adrenaline pumping but he at least surprised her by taking punches and kicks that would cripple normal warriors and still get back up.

That one good factor about Jaune still did not outweigh all the flaws she had discovered during their spar.

"You have a handy little ability that can let you take hits. It can keep you in the fight, but it'll do you no good if you can hardly attack back." Aria's criticisms continued as angry amber eyes looked to Crocea Mors. "It's almost a crime that such a good weapon is wasted on you."

"Well, your wonderful words aren't exactly helping!" Jaune shot back, anger building up inside him for the better part of an hour as he has been on the receiving end of Aria's 'critiques' on his fighting style since they have started.

"How is you beating me up and knocking me around supposed to be making me any better? What lesson is there to learn here?"

"There isn't one, because this isn't a lesson boy. You haven't earned that honor yet." Aria answered as she glared sternly at Jaune. "This place right here isn't whatever knight's academy or training school you have back home. This isn't a class where I baby you or point out every little mistake like you're a child. I told you to attack me with all you have. Treat this like this is live combat. If you want a proper lesson then you have to earn it."

"You keep saying that but you never gave me any clue on how to earn it!"

"Then you better figure it out! If you have time to yell then you must have gotten enough of a break!"

Jaune only had a second but he quickly raised his shield as soon a claw appeared in front of him to strike his face only to clash against the shield. As Aria continued to push harder, Jaune decided not to fight against her superior strength and just angled his shield so that she just slide off to the side. Seeing her off-balance, Jaune swung Crocea Mors to strike Aria while she was turned only for the dragon to raise her arm to guard against the sharp blade.

Instead of blood, however, the sword sparked against the tough scales that rapidly appeared along Aria's arm.

During their long bout, Jaune quickly realized why Aria wore so little armor or why she was fine with him attacking her with full force while she fought with no weapons or means to properly defend herself besides blocking his sword with her body. Dragon scales, a material that was equally if not stronger than any metal Jaune had seen. Every time he would thrust or swing sword towards any exposed skin on Aria, bronze scales that were tougher than steel would appear where there was once bare skin, and Crocea Mors would spark and rebound off Aria as it was doing now.

Aria needed no shield or more armor. What was more reliable and more powerful than the scales of a dragon?

Now used to the dragon's spontaneous defense, Jaune brought his shield closer by instinct as he covered himself in time to block a rapid swing from Aria's tail that sent him sliding a small distance away. Dust flying from his shoes as he stood his ground against the tough attack. The surprise of Aria's scales was not the only thing Jaune had learned while fighting Aria. A missed swing did not mean she was defenseless as she had kicks just as powerful as her punches and a tail that could easily catch him off guard if he wasn't prepared.

He learned that lesson the hard way early on when Aria reminded him that a dragon's tail was no a mere decoration when a tail struck him in the gut below his breastplate.

Still close to his opponent, Jaune charged ahead to strike while he still had offensive pressure only for his sword to grind against hardened scales again. The deadlock only lasted for a moment as Aria knocked the knight to the ground with a kick.

Nails scraped against aura again, but the blow still sent Jaune tumbling along the dusty arena floor. Crocea Mors clattering against the ground as it had left Jaune's grip during that last attack. The blonde struggled to get back, reaching for his sword as Aria looked on.

"You can take hits and keep getting back up. You have the drive, but that drive is useless to you in the long run." Aria said as she watched Jaune slowly begin to pick himself back up. If she could respect one thing about the boy beside the aura and pools of spirit energy he no doubt possesses, it was his stamina. "Turtling and being defensive is fine but what good is that if you can't even hit your attacker?"

"It's not like…I'm not trying…" Jaune wheezed out as he finally grabbed hold of Crocea Mors.

"Are you sure? Do you always hesitate whenever you fight the monsters you have back home?"

That question caused Jaune to freeze. Even with how skilled Aria is, how easily she tossed him around the arena, and how tough her scales proved to be against his weapon, did he still hesitate? Did he really hold himself back against a more skillful opponent because the dragon didn't possess aura?

"You have the fire brat, I can see that clearly." Aria said, giving the boy another compliment before going back to her criticisms. "But that fire isn't going to matter in the face of the more aggressive and stronger Mamono out there, ones that could kill you if you aren't careful."

"What, would they try and kill me? Didn't Lilith say Mamono are more peaceful now?" Jaune asked, as he slowly got back to his fight. Just because Aria was talking down to him doesn't mean she was giving him a reprieve.

"Anything can happen once you're out on the battlefield. Mamono won't so much as kill their male opponents, as they would drag them off to their dens to keep as their husbands. Especially ones like you with heroic potential." Aria explained to the tired Jaune. "Let's not forget, there are others out there who could very much want to kill you. Being close to a relative of the Demon Lord who could potentially take the throne will paint a larger target on your back."

Knowing that her words could only do so much, she decided it was better to just show the young man what she meant. In an instant, she glared daggers towards Jaune and soon the blond was hit with a massive wave of pressure. A large oppressive weight slammed down on him, almost causing him to fall back down and the air became heavy making him gasp for air. Watching Jaune almost becoming overwhelmed by her killer intent she decided to keep speaking as he buckled under its weight.

"Ruby will be strong. She takes after her grandmother, I can already tell. The question is if you're going to able to stand beside her? Actually be of help instead of some boy she'll have to watch over and protect."

Jaune couldn't answer as it seemed that with every second the invisible force weighing down on him seemed to grow stronger. If Aria was really so strong that she could leave warriors breathless without touching them, was she just toying around with him all this time. Is what he was feeling, the reason why some still called Mamono by their old names of monsters? That behind the visage of beautiful women was destructive engines of power. Jaune could barely pay attention as Aria's words echoed throughout the arena.

"If someone like me came along and threatened Ruby, your friends, your family, everything you hold dear…will you be able to rise and fight? Or will you crumble apart in fear, maybe run like a coward?"

With that question lingering in the air, Aria began to walk forward and watched as Jaune stayed silent. She couldn't see his eyes, but it wouldn't matter. All that mattered was what he would do next, the fact that he didn't pass out means that he could still act. Or he could have passed out while standing, his stubbornness refusing to let himself drop even in fear. Regardless of what was happening, the knight remained frozen in front of her as she continued to step closer.

Eventually, the sword that was pointed at her has lowered along with the shield as Jaune stood in front of Aria in what looks like defeat.

"Where is that fire now? That courage means nothing if you have no skill to back it up." Aria stopped where she was and gave Jaune a look a disappointment, even if he wasn't conscious to see it.

'Another wannabe hero.' Aria thought to herself, seeing that the boy in front of her had given up.

"No skill…"

Those words made Aria's eyes widen in shock as she was surprised to hear the boy she thought was unconscious begin to speak.

"Yeah, I heard that all before. You're not the first one to say that to me."

It was clear that Jaune was conscious. His body was trembling, but not because of the pressure she was pushing on her or because of his own fear. Actually, now that Aria looked closer she saw that Jaune wasn't even being affected by the strong killing pressure she was positive was still active. He was standing tall, his breathing was calm and clear, and his body was still trembling, but not from fear.

"I'm not the strongest student around Beacon. In no way like everyone else…"

An invisible wave fired through the arena and through her body, a force that almost made Aria flinch at its sudden arrival. The dragon was sure that Jaune was on his last legs, so where did that short burst of power come from?

"Every one of my friends…they are...so talented. They can do… so many incredible things I can only dream of doing."

Another wave and this time Jaune was no longer trembling. To Aria's confusion, a small white light appeared Jaune. A light she had only seen appear whenever she struck him.

"Still…"

Before, Aria could not see the eyes of her opponent. Jaune's visage was previous covered by the messy bangs of his hair, keeping the windows to his soul from view. And now, that she was up close to the boy she could now see a pair of blue eyes filled with dauntless energy as they glared back at her own.

"If you think I would just sit by and do nothing…if anyone tries to hurt Ruby… or any of my friends…"

Suddenly, As if blown away by a strong gust of wind, the massive pressure Aria had summoned instantly crumbled away. The dragon stood in shock and awe, not because Jaune had unknowingly blasted away her killing intent. She stood in awe as, whether Jaune knew it or not, he was now shrouded in a bright wave of white. At that moment, Jaune Arc was shining like a bright flame that now illuminated the room.

"THEN YOU BETTER THINK AGAIN!"

In another surprise, instead of rushing to attack her, Jaune flipped the tip of his sword to the ground and with an upturned swing he sent a cloud of dirt and dust into the shocked dragon's eyes. Now blinded, Aria instantly backed away, trying to recover her vision from the surprise attack. She stops as her instincts told her to defend herself.

Always trusting her instinct, Aria blindly raised her left arm to defend herself. It turned out her instincts were spot on as she was just able to bring her scaled arm up to block against a fast swing from Crocea Mors.

The sword sparked and ground against the protective limb like before but there was more force behind the swing than any previous attack Jaune had thrown against the dragon. Aria stood her ground but in that instance, it was her that was sent sliding back from their brief scuffle.

Even without her eyesight, her hearing was fine enough to hear small droplets coming from her arm. The thought of what just happened was enough to get her adrenaline pumping.

On the other side of that attack, whatever high Jaune was feeling was now starting to wane. The fiery aura surrounding him faded into embers before finally disappearing. None of this was noticed by Jaune; he was breathing harshly and staring at the first solid hit he finally landed against the superior opponent.

Before he had the chance to mentally celebrate, Aria was instantly in front of him and Jaune's whole boy exploded with pain. Jaune's aura once again appeared, only this time it broke under the force of Aria's surprise gut-punch as the knight fell into unconsciousness. Falling from the dragon's fist and onto the ground, this time, Jaune was not getting back up.

With her opponent taken care of, Aria was now free to clear her eyes of the dust. Once her vision was clear she could look to her left arm to verify what had just happened.

Though small, barely visible against the rows of scales there was a mark; a mark that was now slowly emitting blood that now trailed down her arm and onto the stone floor of the arena. Against all odds, Jaune's attack managed to cut through the almost impenetrable dragon's scales. Jaune Arc had left a scar upon the powerful dragon.

"Drive indeed," Aria smiled, not at all feeling discomfort or pain from the minor wound inflicted on her. Rather she looked down at the sleeping blond with a look of accomplishment and pride for the first time since their meeting. "Definitely shows potential. The princess really is lucky to have someone like you hatchling."

"I take it that to mean he passes your test?"

Not at all surprised by the new voice, Aria turned to the side to face the one she knew was silently observing the two since they stepped into the arena. She greeted her single audience by flashing her new scar. "I'd say this will count as my seal of approval."

The mature looking woman either wasn't amused by Aria's joke or showed no care as she moved towards the dragon. As opposed to Aria who wore little armor, but had the skills to compensate for that factor, this woman was the picture definition of a female knight.

She was clad in black and purple ornate armor, complete with a thin breastplate over her torso and bountiful chest, gauntlets that rested over her black-gloved hands and spaulders on top her shoulders giving her more added layers of protection. Underneath the armor was a black battle dress with white accents that could barely be seen with the exception of the black skirt that stopped halfway down her thighs, attached to her belt around her waist was a longsword resting in its sheath. Past her pale-skinned thighs and black stockings were her metal boots. Trailing behind her was a black cape that had the ends lit with ethereal blue flames. Finally, she had a large red scarf that was wrapped tightly around her neck that covered her mouth from view. This knight seemed to be completely human, if not for her bright blue eyes and long pointed ears that peaked out the curtains of her long scarlet red hair.

"So you say the princess' husband has passed your test?"

"Passed and then some…" Aria joked again, putting her scarred arm down. The blood long since stopped as she could feel the wound healing. "That aura stuff really is something. I didn't think the hatchling had it in him."

"From what I saw, I don't believe he was completely aware of what he did." The knightess said, thinking back to the final moments of the battle. "You were particularly…rough with him."

"I lost my cool in the heat of the moment. He surprised me with that trick at the end." Aria said with a tired sigh. "I went overboard, but I didn't expect him to be able to get my blood pumping like that. Before that wild little stunt, he was actually taking my hits pretty well. He's clever, but I'm sure you saw that for yourself. Didn't you Trista?"

The now named Trista nodded, although it was a bit hard to tell with part of her face hidden by her scarf. "While he could not react he was adapting to your 'style' initially, he began to adapt and read you quickly as the battle progressed. The longer you two fought the more he was able to notice and react to the little tells and openings you gave him."

"Caught all of those too huh? You really are something."

"You were being very deliberate. If you truly wanted to have a serious match or wanted to crush his spirit you would have come here with your sword in hand."

"I wanted to test the kid, not beat him into a bloody pulp. Though now that he passed, I make no more promises. Have to toughen him up in case the hatchling ever runs into a dragon." With that, Aria turned away from her fellow knight captain and picked up Jaune in a fireman's carry. "I told her majesty you had everything taken care of. Are we still clear?"

"The reports and rosters were taken to Lilith's personal study for her to peruse after she is finished with the princess. As for you and Mr. Husband, you should have complete privacy." Trista answered her fellow knight captain. "I have ordered my forces not to wander from their barracks. Along with your orders, no one should be disobedient unless they went to face punishment."

"Perfect! Well, I better get Sleeping Prince here patched up before Ruby can see him again. I'll get out of your hair." After making sure she had Jaune in a secure hold, Aria started to move only to stop as she had a final question for Trista. "So, since you stuck around to watch I guessed he passed your test as well. Think you can work your magic on this one as you did with those other prodigies of yours?"

"That remains to be seen. I will have to test him personally myself before I choose whether or not to provide instruction." Trista answered truthfully and bluntly. "His swordsmanship could use work but there is the work of a solid foundation. He has been adequately taught. That will be good if he passes my test. Time will not be wasted too much on re-teaching the basics."

"I'd warn you but it might be better for you to see him in action for yourself. Watching can only show off so much. Hatchling isn't lacking drive, that's for sure." Aria smiled seeing the still sleeping Jaune. "When he's not bringing himself down, he actually comes off like that of a hero…almost."

"Should the princess feel worried that you seem to have taken an interest in her potential husband?"

"Ha! I'm perfectly satisfied with my own husband. Hatchling here's a bit too young for me, but even if I was single I wouldn't risk it. I still remember the last time some poor Mamono tried to take away a Rose's mate."

Aria answered Trista's humor with her own as she made her way out of the room with the unconscious Jaune in tow. Once the dragon had left, Trista seemed to contemplate something before she too left the now empty arena.

"Creating a formula for a gateway spell isn't too complicated, though I did fail to account for other factors."

There were many rooms within the Mamono Lord's castle, each of them serving various different purposes for the royal family and all of those allied with them. One of these rooms was a private workshop set up by the Baphomet, leader of the magic faction of the army and of her own organization known as the Sabbath. The Sabbath had its own headquarters and vast workshops setup for the goat girl's many followers but her workshop was the only place she could work in secret.

Space was not a factor as with just a spell, the childish-looking Mamono had all the room she could need. Bookshelves decorated the walls of the room, filled with various different tomes collected by the Baphomet or written by the girl herself. Along with her books, there were also cabinets filled with various different magical materials brought over from her main workshop at the Sabbath and tables that housed lab equipment including beakers and flasks filled with colorful, glowing liquids.

Sat in the center of the workshop was the Baphomet who had surrounded herself with various magical tomes and open notebooks filled with her research notes. She had begun working on the gateway to Remnant as soon as she arrived, only to hit a roadblock in the middle of her work.

"Connecting two points together is child's play, though it is much harder when one of those points barely hath any mana to sustain an anchor point."

Among her numerous notes, she also had the notes containing the formula for the spell she had used to summon Ruby and Jaune to the castle. When Baphy had created the first spell, it was designed to pull onto Summer's mana to create a temporary rift to pull the target through. While a success, she had initial troubles casting it and could not figure out what had caused them until she learned more about Remnant through Lilith from what Ruby and Jaune had told her.

Remnant lacked many things, but it also seemed that one of the things it lacked was magic. Ruby and Jaune had not seen or heard of magic until they had arrived at the castle. Along with that, whatever semblance of mana the two had was a fraction of what the two teens possess. The aura the two had was barely a fair imitation to the magic they would see during their time here.

"Mine first spell wast able to use Summer's lingering mana as a marker. With nay firm-set source of mana on Remnant's side, there is no means of keeping a rift ope, much less stabilized for one to walketh backeth and forth." Baphy continued to speak to herself as she had more tomes float to her with a wave of her hand.

As she looked through page after page of notes, the Baphomet thought back to how long it took her to create the first modified spell. It was a long month of effort, but at least through it she had assistance. The Familiars she had under contract and the various other Baphomets and Witches worked to gather the tools she needed to create her spell. The help from her Sabbath easily shortened the time it would have taken them to make the miracle that brought Ruby to Lilith. However, she didn't have the luxury of her Sabbath's help this time.

The existence of Remnant and the gateway needed to be kept a secret until the right time. She could not hold council with the other Sabbath leaders or use the help of those in her own Sabbath for the project. As much as she loved all her little juniors, they were a very talkative bunch. News was quick to spread between Witches and Baphomets if the information was juicy enough. She couldn't trust her juniors to keep a secret even with an order to try and silence them. And it was very dangerous to involve other Sabbaths who all had their goals and agendas.

When Ruby and Jaune arrived and made their residence in the castle, the few that had assisted her with the spell got a quick look at the blond through the crystal ball in the room and already she could hear talks about a new blond hero among her Sabbath members while she had popped in to retrieve a few materials. She need not expose a whole world to her adorable juniors, yet, so they'll have to aim their lust towards the young Arc if he were to foolishly leave the safety of the castle.

It was a shame, but at least she could enjoy it when the girls tried their hand at coercing Jaune with any trick they could think of before having to deal with an angry Ruby. At least in the castle close to Lilith, the two were off-limits. It was too early for the two otherworlders to become involved with her brood.

"Hmm…" The thought of Ruby and Jaune meeting those in her Sabbath, more specifically those of her progeny caused some ideas to begin forming in her head.

Riding that wave of inspiration, the Baphomet smiled as she gathered more tomes with a wave of her hand and her hand began flying across notebooks as she began to write plans and formulas to help build the foundations of the gateway.

"Of course, why hast I not regard of this sooner?!"

As if a complicated puzzle had just solved itself, Baphy looked proudly at her notes as she had various tomes float around her, all opened so that she could easily sort through their pages.

"To maketh a stable path 'twixt two worlds, a mana marker is required to marketh the two points. If Remnant lacks the means of mana, we'll just hast to bringeth our own mana users to it to maketh one." Pulling up another tome, Baphy found the formula she had written down when they had discovered Remnant's location throughout the various different realms.

"Ruby and Jaune shall be needed to maketh the marker, though they'll first want to be taught in magic. We shall need one competent and trustworthy to school them past the basics and even more once they are home. And I hast the perfect person in mind." Baphy said, her smile only growing as she rode the waves of inspiration.

"My poor dear spends too many days cooped up in her room. I hast no clue where she gets it from."

A new flick of her wrist and this time instead of any book floating towards her direction it was a small crystal ball. A bit stereotypical, but nothing else was simpler for quick communications with the monarch. Knowing that Lilith wanted to be kept involved in every stage of the project, she kept the sphere as she made her call. The Mamono Lord may be busy with Ruby's new transformation but she would want to hear what she had in mind.

"I'm sure Lily wouldn't mind her granddaughter having some close friends and hopefully some sister wives to addeth to her court."

AN: So, I thought this would just be a wild and fun idea to put up and wouldn't get much notice. A nice distraction from all the things going on around us. And then the first chapter blew up like it did and I was surprised reading all the reviews this story received. I'm glad that this story is being well received and Wolfpackersson09 and I hope that you continue to enjoy this as more chapters are released.

That being said, I'll say it now that the wholesomeness may be taken out the window considering what MGE is. Your fair warning for now being things become more filthy in later chapters.

Now with the one warning taken care of, I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful day. I hope you all are staying safe and healthy as 2020 continues to run its course. Hopefully, there will be some light at the end of this dark journey.

Until next time. Read and Review.