Hi guys! Sorry I'm late in updating this story, but personal issues and work kept getting in the way. Anyway as per usual, I do not own the rights to RWBY, it's characters, or locations. They are all owned by Rooster Teeth and the late, great Monty Oum.

Now, without further ado, here is the latest chapter of Love Heals All Wounds!

"RRAAAHHH!"

Jaune thrust his sword forward and he panted a bit. He waited a few seconds before he slashed downward, causing a slight breeze to blow through the air.

Spring had finally arrived in Patch; the flowers were in bloom, the trees had grown leaves on their branches, and even some birds had returned to stay for the season. The temperature also indicated a change in the season as the air felt warmer, but not enough to be considered oppressive and humid.

On this particular day, Jaune was busy practicing what he had learned from watching Pyrrha's video. Now that the weather was more suitable, it made sense to practice outside instead of in the basement. He didn't currently have the video playing; he decided to use it whenever it was most private for him. He felt as if that video was for him, and only him, to know about.

"AAAAAAHH!" He cried out as he slashed his sword vertically, causing a few nearby bushes to rustle from the air the attack created. Jaune then collapsed on the ground as he panted heavily. Feeling as though he was done for the day, he sheathed Crocea Mors and stood up.

"Not bad." A familiar voice said, causing Jaune to turn to see Tai walking towards him. "You're pretty good with that sword. Not exactly an expert, but still."

"Thanks," Jaune said through deep breaths, "been trying to keep myself from getting soft."

Tai only hummed in acknowledge before asking, "You mind if I see it?"

"S-Sure," Jaune said before handing his sword to the older blonde.

Tai held the sword with two hands as he casually swiped the air with it. He then took his left hand and placed the blade on it before bringing it up to eye level and examining it. "You said this was a family heirloom, right?" He asked, to which Jaune nodded. "It's a good weapon; impressive that it has stayed good after being used so much. However," he added as he gave the sword back to Jaune, "the scratches and dullness of the blade are of concern. It might be time to get it upgraded. You could always let Phaestus work on it while you're staying here."

Jaune's features saddened as he looked at his sword. "The truth is...a couple of months ago, he already offered to upgrade my sword and shield. But..." He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I turned it down. The thing is...this sword and shield were once used by my great-great-grandfather during the Great War. It's been in my family for generations. If I upgraded it, it'd be like I was disgracing his legacy."

Tai nodded before handing the sword back. "Look, I get the reason behind it." He said. "But your great-great grandfather's legacy is already cemented in your family's history. It's time you created your own, and you can't continue that without upgrading your weapon. Besides," He added as he leaned against the house, "be thankful that you're only getting your sword and shield upgraded. You would not believe the number of modifications Ruby put into her weapon." A chill ran down his spine as he thought about those days.

"So sweetie, have you thought about what you want for your weapon?" A slightly younger Tai asked his twelve-year-old daughter as they walked home from Signal Academy.

"Yep!" The little girl said with a smile. "I've been thinking about wanting a weapon like Uncle Qrow's. Though I want it to be long-ranged like a sniper rifle and I want it to be light and durable."

Tai internally gulped. He knew what she was hoping for was going to be expensive. The monthly budget was hard enough on his salary alone, but with this new development, he would have to cut back on a few things. He was going to suggest something more simple and effective, but as he looked at the excitement on Ruby's face, he knew he couldn't bring himself to do it. "S-Sure sweetie," he said, "whatever you want."

"Yah!" Ruby exclaimed in excitement.

'Give me strength, Lord.' Tai thought.

Day 23

Ruby looked down at her first prototype and smiled. It had twenty-three grueling days, but she had finally completed what she thought was the perfect weapon. 'Now, let's test this beauty out.' She thought as she gripped the handle. As she made to leave, however, she was held back by the weapon itself. Frustrated, Ruby pulled again, but the weapon wouldn't budge. "C'mon you stupid thing, budge!" Ruby muttered through gritted teeth. She then placed her foot on the edge of the table to give herself more leverage as she tried to move the scythe.

The scythe finally moved, but too much for Ruby as it sent her flying across the room. "Oof!" Ruby cried out as her body hit the opposite wall.

"Ruby?" Tai called out from upstairs, his tone filled with worry.

"I'm okay Dad," Ruby called up, "just testing out the weapon." There was a long pause before she heard the door close. 'Okay then,' she thought, 'I've got to get a lighter metal to wield this weapon.'

Day 56

Ruby looked down at the latest model; it was perfection. Even though it was the same as the previous one, this model was easier to lift than that. She twirled it in her hand and pressed a button on the side, causing the gun to convert into a scythe. She swung the scythe around to make sure it was easy to wield. She then checked along the blade to make sure it was perfectly balanced.

"Dad," Ruby called up, "can we test the magazine clip outside?"

"Sure thing sweetie," Tai said when he opened the door to the basement, "just let me get some practice dummies."

Ten minutes later, the two found themselves outside with three wooden dummies in front of them with a few on the side. "Now remember, Ruby," Tai said as he placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "your shoulder may hurt a bit at first from the recoil of your gun. If it starts to get sore, don't be afraid to take a break."

"Got it," Ruby said with a thumbs up. She then unclipped her weapon from her belt and aimed it at the first dummy. Taking a deep breath, she fired at the wooden head, causing said dummy to fall backward onto the ground. Unclipping the bullet, she then fired upon the second before taking out the third. "Yes!" She exclaimed, punching the air in excitement.

"Not bad," Tai said as he gathered the broken dummy remains, "but this time, let's try using Dust clips." He then positioned three new dummies in front of Ruby before returning to her side. Ruby inserted a clip of Fire Dust bullets into the weapon before aiming it at the dummy to her left. When she fired it, however, the gun blast sent her flying backward into the side of the house.

"Ruby!" Tai called out as he rushed to help his daughter. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay Dad." Ruby groaned as she got up. "I just need to make my weapon compatible with Dust clips as well."

'And here I was hoping that she got it right.' Tai thought solemnly, crying inside at the idea of further weapon costs.

Day 120

Ruby sighed as she aimed her modified weapon at the wooden dummy. She was equipped with a Fire Dust clip and she was praying that it would fire without a problem. Tai was secretly praying as well; they had already invested 5,000 Lien into Ruby's weapon and they had resorted to eating ramen noodles for dinner for the past two months. If luck or any Gods were merciful, this would be the day Ruby had perfected her weapon.

Ruby fired it, causing the dummy to burn in flames. She then removed the magazine and inserted an ice clip before encasing the middle dummy in ice. Finally, she inserted an electric clip and sent electricity at the final dummy, causing it to fall backward. "It works, it works, it works!" Ruby called out as she jumped up and down in excitement. She turned to see her dad crying. "Dad, why are you crying?" She asked.

Tai wiped away some tears before saying, "I'm just so happy that you've got the weapon you've always wanted." He then pulled her into a tight hug and held on despite her embarrassed protests.

"It was one of the happiest days of my life," Tai said as a single tear fell down his cheek.

"Because Ruby had finally perfected her weapon?" Jaune asked.

Tai shrugged. "That, and it also meant that we could finally afford to eat hot meals for dinner."

"Oof." Jaune muttered, "I'm guessing Yang's weapon was a walk in the park compared to Ruby's, huh?"

Tai glanced away before saying, "Well..."

"Come on, Dad," Yang whined as she fitted her gauntlets onto her wrists, "why do we have to set the Dust level so low? You know I can take the recoil head-on."

"You're right," Tai said while smirking at his thirteen-year-old daughter. "I know you can, but you shouldn't start the Dust level on such a high volume, especially if you have a new weapon. Now, let's start with 10% and see how that goes."

"Fine," Yang said as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. She set the dials on her gauntlets to 10% and faced one of the dummies. She then took a deep breath before firing two rounds at the said dummy, causing it to rock back and forth.

"Okay," Tai said, "how do your arms feeling?"

"Fine."

"Okay," he said, "let's try at 20%."

Once again, Yang upped the juice in her gauntlets and shot two rounds at the second dummy, causing it to fall backward.

"How about now?"

"Still fine," Yang said, the frustration she felt clearly detectable in her tone of voice. "I told you, Dad, I can handle these things. Let's crank these up to 80%." She grinned as she boosted the power levels on her weapons.

"Wait Yang, do-"

BLAM!

"WHOOOOOOA!" The minute her gauntlet went off, the recoil sent Yang flying backward until she hit the side of a tree with an "OOF!"

"Yang!" Tai exclaimed as he ran towards her. "Sweetie, are you o...kay?" He stopped, however, when he noticed Yang's hair glowing yellow. As she stood up, he noticed that her eyes had turned red, a sign that she was not in the best mood to reason with.

"RRRAAAAAAAAHH!" Yang screamed as a pillar of fire surrounded her. She then turned around and punched the tree, causing it to split down the middle and fall down. She walked over to another tree and did the same thing to it. Tai could only watch as his daughter began her warpath on some innocent trees.

"She must have taken down about thirty trees before she calmed down," Tai said, to which he heard Jaune whistle in amazement. "We had enough firewood to last for two winters. I called her my 'little lumberjack'." He heard Jaune uttered something that sounded like a stifled laugh and couldn't help but smile a bit at the memory of how embarrassed Yang was when he called her that.

"The reason I told you these stories," Tai continued, "is because they were both about my girls improving their weapons so that they could become better fighters, better Huntresses. And if you upgrade yours, you'll continue to be as well."

Jaune looked at Crocea Mors; it sure would be nice to get the blade refined and strengthened. Plus, he could use the upgrade to better himself. Despite these pros, however, there was something that was holding him back. Something he knew Tai couldn't truly understand. "I'll have to think about it," He said, "thanks for the stories. They were helpful...and entertaining."

He then walked inside; wondering what to do for the rest of the day. He could always watch Bad Men II on his Scroll, but he had seen it over twenty times since he stayed here. He could also try to write another letter to his family, letting them know how he was doing.

"Jaune?" The sound from the room he just passed caused him to look back at Yang, who was lying on her bed and had a book situated next to her. "Sorry," she continued, "I couldn't help but see you and my dad outside. What were you two talking about?"

"Oh...um..." Jaune said as he scratched the back of his head, "he saw me training and suggested that I upgrade my sword and shield. And I...was not sure about it."

"Why not?"

"Well," Jaune continued, "it's technically a family heirloom and I'm not sure how well they would take it if I upgraded it. Plus," he paused for a bit, "it's the same sword I've been using since Beacon. It's the same one I used when Pyrrha trained me. I just...I just feel that if I upgrade it, it's like I'm letting go of those good memories."

Yang was silent as his words sank in. "Listen," she said, "I get your reason behind why you're hesitant; those memories are definitely something to hold onto. But you shouldn't be thinking that you're throwing them away by upgrading your weapon. An upgraded weapon is a sign that you're growing up and bettering yourself. It's a sign that you're willing to continue fighting for what you believe in. If you don't upgrade your weapon, you can't make yourself a better fighter. Then you're just throwing away all that hard work Pyrrha put her time and energy into training you."

Jaune sighed; he knew Yang was telling the truth. It was Pyrrha's goal to make him a better fighter. As a result, she made him the man he was. If he didn't upgrade his weapon, he would be throwing away everything she did for him. He nodded before walking over to Yang's nightstand. He then removed his chest armor and asked, "Think I should get this upgraded as well?"

"I don't see why not," Yang said as Jaune turned to face her. "If it helps you, then su-" She stopped and her eyes widened as she looked at Jaune's attire. "What. Is. That?"

"My hoodie?" Jaune asked looking down. "I've always worn this."

"I know, but..." Yang said, trying to keep her composure, "What's with the bunny rabbit?!"

"It's Pumpkin Pete," Jaune said, sounding a little frustrated, "You know, from the breakfast cereal?"

"Wait, hang on," Yang said, covering her mouth a bit. "You mean that's been under that armor the entire time?!"

"Yes!"

"...pfffftHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Yang cried out as she clutched her stomach. Jaune only sighed in embarrassment; he had forgotten that the only ones who had seen his hoodie were his teammates and family. He glanced over at Yang, who had rolled over to the side while still laughing.

The sound of feet skidding across the floor caught Jaune's attention. He turned just in time to see Tai enter the room in alarm. "What's going on? What happened?" He asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Jaune's hoodiehehehehehehehehehe..." Yang said through laughs.

Tai glanced down before saying, "What? He's been wearing that the entire time he's been here." His statement only caused Yang to continue her giggling fit. Seeing Jaune's shoulders slump in defeat, Tai smiled a bit and put a hand on one. "C'mon," he said, "I've got some old t-shirts in the attic you can use."

"Thanks," Jaune said. As he followed Tai, he shouted, "I'm still keeping the hoodie, though." The statement was met by more giggles from Yang.

The two blonds came to a flight of stairs that lead to another floor. Tai opened the door at the top to reveal a dusty room filled with boxes, crates, and one or two trunks. A single, circular window provided light for the room and few cobwebs hung in between the wooden beams of the roof. A few dust particles made their way into Jaune's nostrils and he couldn't help but let out a sneeze. "ACHOO!"

"Gesundheit," Tai said. "Sorry about the mess; guess I should clean out this place soon. I haven't been up here since Yang and Ruby both left for Beacon. Anyway, the shirts should be here someplace; help me look." As they began moving some boxes around, Tai added, "Listen, I just want to say...thanks for making Yang laugh." Seeing the younger blond's confused expression, he continued, "When Qrow brought you guys here, I was worried. I was especially worried about Yang; she seemed to be in this deep depression that I was worried she wouldn't recover from. When I heard her laugh, it felt like a small part of her had returned. I know she's not fully recovered yet, but the fact that she's laughing is a start. So thanks Jaune."

Jaune nodded; it was nice to know that a part of Yang's old self was still there. "Glad I was able to help...even if it was at my own expense."

Tai chuckled as he picked up a box marked "Tai's shirts". "Here we are." He said before opening the box and pulling out a black t-shirt. "Try this one on; see if it fits." As Jaune took the shirt, Tai added, "You know, you kind of remind me of myself when I was your age."

"Really?" Jaune asked as he began to take his hoodie off.

"Yeah," Tai said, "Young, ambitious, willing to fight for what's right. Though...maybe not as good looking or as good with the ladies as I was, but close enough."

Jaune laughed as he placed his hoodie aside and put on the t-shirt. It felt nice; there were no holes, the length was suitable, and it was snug and yet not too tight to cut any circulation in his arm. "Thanks," he said, "it fits perfectly."

"Great," Tai said before handing the other shirts to him. "You can keep the rest if you want. They were only going to gather dust up here anyway."

The two blonds made their way downstairs and as Tai closed up the attic entrance, Jaune went to his room and placed his shirts and hoodie away.

"Find something you like?" Jaune heard Yang's voice call out as he made his way down the hall.

"I did," Jaune called out as he entered her room. "What do you think?"

Yang looked at Jaune's new attire and her cheeks turned a slight pink. Just like with the white shirt he wore once, she could make out the muscles in his shoulders and how the cuffs in his sleeves hugged his arms. She also noticed the bottom part of the shirt clinging to his lower body, showing off his slightly toned stomach. He almost looked like one of those Abercombie & Finch models she and her friends used to ogle over.

'Woah, where did that come from?' she thought, mentally shaking away the images of Jaune replacing the models. Instead, she smiled and said, "Looks good on you...Bunny Boy."

Jaune's shoulders slumped in disappointment. Just when he was trying to boost his confidence, Yang had to give him a new nickname. "I never thought I'd say this, but I kinda miss being called Vomit Boy."

Yang covered her mouth as she laughed a bit at Jaune's embarrassment before saying, "Relax, I was just messing with you." Her smile became more sincere as she added, "But in all honesty, thanks for making me laugh. I...I really needed it."

Jaune returned her smile and said, "No problem." As he made his way to leave, he smirked before adding, "By the way, I got to ask...have you cut any trees down lately?"

Yang looked at him in confusion until realization hit her. He looked at him with a bit of horror and anger. "Who told you that?!" She demanded. Her question was soon answered, however, when the sound of Tai whistling innocently came from downstairs. "Seriously, Dad?!" She called out while Jaune laughed.

The next day...

"Morning," Tai said as he saw Jaune walking down the stairs. It was nine in the morning and Tai had just finished pouring himself a cup of coffee when he noticed the young man. "What are your plans today?"

"Dunno," Jaune said simply. "I might go into town, run a few errands. Nothing too big."

It was then that Tai noticed his sheathed sword attached to his hip and a burlap bag slung over his shoulder. He nodded and said, "Well, have fun. Just don't stay out too long."

"I won't," Jaune said, before stepping outside. As he looked back, he noticed Yang looking out the window at him. He waved at her and smiled when she returned it.

As he trekked down the dirt path, he opened up the burlap sack and gave a small smile as he pulled out the object. In his hand was Pyrrha's bronze circlet, the last piece of her he had to remember her by other than his training video. He had remembered waking up at the Xiao Long house days after the Fall of Beacon and seeing it on the desk next to him. He also remembered the number of days he spent in that room, holding the circlet to his chest and crying.

He shook his head at those memories before putting the circlet back into the sack. Today was the day he would start to move forward, to prepare himself for when he would return to Ruby and his team. And if he was going to upgrade Crocea Mors, he figured he might as well include the circlet into the shield to honor the girl who first believed in him.

When he arrived in Luxaria, he saw Phaestus in his shop hammering a sword. As soon as Jaune entered, the old man looked up from his work. "Well, if it isn't Jaune Arc." He said as he walked over to the blond. "So what can I do for you today? Tai sent you over to get more stuff fixed?"

Jaune shook his head before saying, "Actually Phaestus, I'm here for something else." He then unclipped his sword and shield from his belt and placed it on the counter. "Is that offer you made me still on the table?"

The corners of Phaestus' mouth curved into a smile as he said, "Glad you finally came around to ask me, kid. Yep, the offer's still available." He then unsheathed the sword and popped open the shield. "I'll sharpen the blade and make it shine. Are there any designs you want on the shield beside the one you already got on it?"

"There is one," Jaune said before pulling the bronze circlet out of the burlap sack. "I'd like to have this melted down and done along the edge of the shield. Also," he added as he also placed his chest armor on the counter, "could you also make me a new chest armor? Make it cover more of my upper abdomen with gold lining?"

Phaestus's smile widened. "Jaune," he said, "you give me two months and I will give you the best work I've done with a sword and shield."

Jaune returned the old man's smile. "Thanks, Phaestus."

And another chapter to Love Heals All Wounds has come to an end. Again, so sorry that this chapter took longer to publish. I will try to make sure the next one doesn't take as long.

Kudos to my beta reader Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov for reviewing and editing this chapter.

Also, don't forget to favorite, follow, and review.

Until next time, this is AnimeFan299110 encouraging you all to go out with a "Yang"...GOD DAMMIT BARB!