Jaune flailed his whip-like appendage as I back flipped out of it's reach. It lashed onto the floor as I kept my butterfly knife handy.

Jaune's new look didn't teally suit him I have to say...

Jaune: You'll pay for what you've done to me!

Elle engaged Jaune from behind with her metallic bladed fan, as I dodged another whip crack. Jaune turned his head and grabbed her neck,  she gasped as he sent her flying towards me. I quickly dodged her as I threw my knife at Jaune's head, it embedded into his arm as he tried to block it. Causing him to yell in pain.

Me: Come on first you try and pick up girls... he he. Now you, pick up girls?! Damn I love myself.

Jaune: Shut up!

He cried, pulling my knife out of his arm utilizing his whip, and throwing it back to me, which I caught.

Me: Gee thanks.

Jaune: That was for your head...

Me: Nice telling what you were going to do after you tried to do it.

I replied with a snarl.

Jaune then pulled out a black sword, not unlike the ones that SALEM wielded when she banished me. Oh why haven't I figured it out before... Jaune Arc, Salem, she controlled the Grimm. She could know what they were looking at, she mist've retrieved him and used him as an Ace in the Hole against her Ace in the Hole. Well played Salem... I have to admit.

Jaune charged forward, sword in hand. I leapt over him as his dark blade clanked onto the concrete floor where I once stood. My fist connected with his temple as he held his ringing ear, I kicked him to the ground and slashed his leg with my butterfly knife.

Jaune: GAHHH! B-but how'd you know... My new Grim limbs didn't have aura...

Me: You suspect me as an idiot? Grimm aren't protected by aura. Which means your replacements held the same traits.

Jaune didn't waste time with a response, he grunted and grabbed my right arm with his whip. I tried to pull it off but it was admittedly goddamn strong! Jaune flung me over his head as Elle, now recovered, ran towards him.

Elle: NO!

She tackled him and repeatedly struck his chest, all her blows were stopped by his still active aura. Jaune countered by swiping her fan away with his organic arm and kicking her to the other side of the room. I had just stood up as the fucker than knocked me into the floor and impaled my leg with his blade, twisting it as it embedded into the ground more.

Me: Aghh!

My aura had by then rapidly healed up my wound to the point where it encompassed the blade itself, but Jaune then laughed.

Jaune: What a turn of events, mu leg was impaled by you, so I figured. Why not do the opposite?

I grunted in slight pain as I did my best to ignore it.

Me: You, should've.

Jaune: What? Should've what?!

He asked.

Me:: You should've gone for the head.

Jaune scoffed. I tried removing the blade... but it was stuck in the floor good.

Butterfly-girl used her wind-related weapon to force Jaune to the other side of the warehouse room. Elle tried to help remove the weapon but she only swore in disappointment. By now Jaune had recovered, unexpectedly wrapping his whip around her neck, she gagged in pain as I forcefully tried to pull out the goddamn blade!

Jaune: Watch her die Ace, just as you did me.

Jaune recounted. Grinning as if a long lost soul having his final victory among his long lived enemy.

My anger had flared up to a point where my black-coloured aura was sizzling in fury around my body.

SAVE HER!

I heard something, scream from seemingly within me. The deepest recessions of my mind that I pushed back so long ago. That damn feeling of helplessness, as disaster unfolded right in front of me. Reminding me of memories, memories even I knew were only phantoms of a false past.

Me: DON'T KILL HER!

I yelled, reminded of my false family that I had cried for so hard on the night that never even existed in the first place. Yet I still kind of accepted it... Strange to say the least.

Yet even stranger was the fact that I felt a strangely familiar sensation. Power I felt returning in a blast of energy.

My gravelly body flew out of the blade's painful grip to the ground, as I reformed in front of a surprised Jaune, Holding a Spade I had grabbed nearby, that I never even thought of using.

WHACK!

Jaune: Aeeeegg...

I had smashed his whip-like appendage to the floor. Using the shovel's pointed edges, I drove home as I wedged it into the limb and snapped Jaune's new Grimm whip in half, after that was done, I smacked him on the head as hard as I possibly could muster in my arms, so much so that I sent him flying, busting through the huge metallic door the warehouse once utilized.

I then looked back to the black sword that was still stuck in the wall, Scoffing as I looked down, Elle was catching her breath in huge gasps of relief. I held down a hand to her, helping her up to her feet as my attention then fell on the Jaune-shaped hole that decorated the large aluminum door,

Elle: T-thank you... Y-you saved my life.

I looked back at her, slightly nodding in response. As I looked at the shovel briefly, setting it down as I found my knife. I headed out of the hole in the door.

Looking around quickly. I saw a trail of evaporating Grimm blood headed to nowhere. Perhaps Salem bailed him out... cowards.

I then remembered the bombs we were supposed to retrieve, Elle was in the next room, not yet recovered, but she began dragging the four heavy cases.

Me: I got those, you just rest.

She nodded quickly, as I picked up all four, two in each hand. I decided to call it quits for the night, removing my hoodie and placing in my contact lease to cover my red eye. Elle in tow just a few feet behind.

-Timeskip-

Lilith: Jaune Arc? As in the Jaune Arc that you killed back at Beacon?

Lilith asked anxiously, Aurora sitting on one of the beds conversed with Elle as she recounted her night.Caine and Asher were down in the lobby as usual, keeping an eye out for suspicious figures. Amber sat opposite of me.

Me: Yup, Salem revived him. Gave him some hentai arms, and well. She used him as a backup plan should I betray her. And... I got my semblance back.

I say, with a slight grin on my face.

Lilith: That's hardcore... But still, I'm glad you're alive.

Lilith smiled. I nodded in agreement.

Me: I'm surprised I am, to be honest...

Amber: Never knew Salem was the forgiving type.

Amber jokingly commented. Aurora entered the room with Elle.

Aurora: She's alright, she thanks you for saving her Ace.

Me: No problem. I did need her help to defeat Jaune.

I dismissed.

Elle: It was still very brave of you to try and attack him with a shovel though. I didn't think you were actually going to do that.

Me: Okay, can we please get back on the topic of the plan? Everyone commending me like this makes me feel like a hero or some shit. I don't like it.

I snapped.

Aurora: Whoa, sorry about complementing you.

Amber: Ace is right, we should get back on business and proceed.

Amber said, looking at me.

Me: We're continuing as planned indeed, White Fang first in order to take out Adam Taurus for good. He knows how to get to Salem, trust me. He's not getting away from us.