Chapter 11: The Cause

You stretch your arms back and forth as you walk back to your dorm. It's about time to call it a night, especially after the taxing day with Weiss. It was fun, no doubt, but you haven't had to do so much in a day since your time in Atlas. At least you were entertained today. After the "concert" Weiss brought you to some high-end restaurant, an interactive museum, and so many other things. But there's only so much time in the day and you had to come back. In fact, you just left Weiss a moment ago, as she has to go to her room, and you need to go to yours.

You let out a small yawn as you approach your room. You slip your hand into your pocket and grab your scroll for the door lock.

"At least I'll be able to get an easy sleep," you say, opening your door. "All alone in my comfy..."

Your brain finally processes what your eyes are seeing. There's another bed, and another person.

"What... What happened to my room?" You shout, completely baffled at the situation.

Dylan lifts his upper body off his bed to see you.

"Surprise," he smirks, lifting his arms to display his section.

"What is this?" You question, closing the door behind you.

"You're the one who brought me here, so it seems we're in the same dorm. Fortunately we're not on a team, as I refuse to work with someone as repugnant as you," he insults, laying back down.

"But... I..."

"Cry to Ozpin about it," he bluntly states.

You let your body relax in defeat. You are the one who brought him here, so it makes sense you'll have to deal with him.

"Wait, you're a student now?"

Dylan nods.

"It was this or the police. A much as you irritate me, you're preferable over containment, if only slightly."

"You're a real smooth talker, you know that?" You say, heading to your bed.

"Whatever. Just don't bother me during the night."

"Oh, so you won't mind that I snore louder than an Ursa?" You smirk, throwing your jacket over to the chair.

"Hm... it's not like there's a lot of difference there," he counters, closing his eyes to sleep.

"Oh, oh, I didn't realize you could play this game, Dylan. You want to keep going back and forth cause I can go all night!"

"I would prefer to sleep, if you don't mind. Unlike you, I have important things to think of. I'm sure you don't understand that, as you likely have nothing worth thinking of," he calmly states.

You roll your eyes and get comfortable in your bed, attempting to ignore the man beside you. He rolls his head over to see you.

"Why did you bring me here? Really?" He asks.

You smirk.

"Because I know you didn't miss," you respond before rolling onto your side and covering yourself with the blankets.

"Hmph," is all Dylan responds with as he rolls to the opposite side of you. "I... did miss..." He weakly says under his breath.

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"Yaaaaang, you promised!" Ruby whines, following her older sister around their dorm.

Yang shrugs.

"Sorry Rubes, that was before we had this assignment. Unlike you I didn't have Weiss do everything for me," she teases.

"Hey, she just did it! I wasn't going to complain," Ruby complains. "We've been planning this since last week!"

"I don't know what to tell ya. I guess you gotta find someone else to go with," Yang tells her as she gives her hair one last brush in front of the mirror. Satisfied with her look, she heads for the door with Ruby hot on her heels. "Sorry Ruby, I was supposed to meet Blake ten minutes ago. I'll see you later."

"But... but!"

Before Ruby can come up with something to say Yang closes the door behind her.

"Awwww," Ruby whines as she falls flat on her back.

Suddenly she hears the door to the bathroom open. She looks over and sees Weiss, all dressed and ready for the day. Ruby bounces to her feet and runs up to Weiss.

"Hey Weiss want to-"

"No," Weiss quickly shoots down as she walks past Ruby.

Ruby puffs her cheeks at the heiress, to which Weiss rolls her eyes at.

"I have some other things to do today. Perhaps another time."

"There won't be another time! It ends this weekend!" Ruby shouts, waving her arms at break-neck speeds.

"Well it seems you'll have to go with someone else. Perhaps ask (Y/N). He did say you two would spend time together, did he not?"

Ruby thinks back to yesterday. Yes, she remembers. You said that as you and Weiss were leaving.

"Oh yeah... what did you two do yesterday?" Ruby inquires.

"Nothing really," Weiss lies, keeping the entire instance with Tuckson to herself. "We just went to a few events. It was very entertaining."

"Oh..." Ruby reacts, a tad sad. "So... he enjoyed it?"

Weiss, who isn't catching on to Ruby's sadness, replies with a nod.

"Yes, he seemed to. Still, I think you should ask him to go with you. I'm sure you'd both have fun. You two are good together."

Ruby instantly goes red.

"W-W-What does that mean!?"

Weiss cocks her head to the side.

"You two seem to converse fairly easily, so I assume spending a day together wouldn't be too taxing."

"Oh, yeah, that's what you meant it totally make sense I'm gonna go find him," Ruby babbles.

Ruby jogs out of the room, closing the door behind her. Weiss stares at the door for a few seconds after Ruby leaves, then exhales as she shakes her head. Weiss pulls out her scroll and begins typing away. She has a promise to keep, and a flight to book.

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Ruby, who's now walking, approaches your room. She knocks with a little tune to it, then waits for a response. Not long after the door opens, revealing someone who she wasn't expecting.

"Yes?" Dylan says, looking down at Ruby.

"Oh... um... am I at the wrong room? I thought this was it?" Ruby mumbles aloud.

"You're looking for Slater, am I right?" Dylan predicts.

Ruby nods.

"Yeah... who are you?"

"His roommate. Look, some woman named... Pyrrha, I believe, came by a bit earlier. Those two left together about ten minutes ago. I don't know where."

"Oh, alright then. Thanks for your help," Ruby happily says, smiling.

"Yeah..." Dylan huffs, closing the door.

Ruby begins walking away from your dorm at a lazy pace, swinging her legs around as she thinks.

When did (Y/N) get a new roommate? He never mentioned that... hm... and he's with Pyrrha. Maybe I shouldn't bother them. Jaune would go with me! But... I... kind of really want (Y/N) to come. Wait, why? Why do I want him to come, Jaune would be great company! But so would (Y/N)...

Ruby's eyes fill with conviction. She'll find you, and at least ask if you want to come with her. If not, she'll go with Jaune. A simple plan. Now all she has to do is find you.

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"Do you see what I mean?" Pyrrha asks you as she pulls Jaune off the ground.

You nod, slowly approaching them.

"Yeah, Jaune's footing isn't right. It's close, but it's not stable enough. You're getting knocked off your feet too easily," you speak.

Jaune brushes himself off and huffs.

"Alright. Can we try again?"

"Hold on, Jaune. How about I show you exactly what Pyrrha is talking about, and then you try again," you propose, looking at Pyrrha for confirmation.

Pyrrha smiles at the thought.

"That sounds like an excellent idea. (Y/N), take the same position as Jaune was."

You nod and step where Jaune was. Jaune moves out of the way, watching both of you. He's attempting to practice taking on a head-on assault – one strong hit – and keeping on his feet. Perhaps his failure comes from how powerful Pyrrha is, but his only other option at the time was Nora, and there's no way he'd come out of that without at least one broken bone. Thus, for training purposes, Pyrrha asked you to watch and see what Jaune's doing wrong.

You take position, pulling out Crimson Blaze. Pyrrha spins her weapon in her hand a few times, waiting for you to get ready. You execute a strong stance, holding your weapon with both hands right in front of you, so the blade is evenly separating your face from Pyrrha's point of view.

"Alright Jaune, so you need to really focus yourself here. Using your aura might help, but its mostly just muscle and technique," you shout. "Alright Pyrrha, come at me!"

Pyrrha nods, then proceeds sprinting towards you. She's gaining speed every second she's moving, giving her a powerful momentum advantage. You dig your heels into the ground and grip your sword tightly, preparing for the attack. Thankfully you've fought Pyrrha before, so you know here average hitting power. Knowing that, you can estimate how much force will be behind this attack, and gauge your own strength accordingly.

Pyrrha leaps into the air, spins around, and slices you. You push your sword forward a little bit to lessen her impact. Your blades connect, sending a devastating shockwave around you. You begin sliding across the ground, but you barely break your position. Instead, you flick your sword up, sending Pyrrha flipping over you. She lands behind you, and you swing your leg around, rotate your sword, and connect. One more collision occurs, raising the bits of dirt and pavement around you. Jaune watches in awe, truly impressed by the two of you. He jogs over to your location, which is at least a few meters from the original, and peers into the dust cloud. It eventually evaporates, revealing you now pushing your blade against Pyrrha.

You're both smiling at each other, then break into a small fit of laughter. You holster your weapons and start walking towards Jaune.

"That's basically what I mean, though the reversal is a little more advanced," you say.

"It was genuinely surprising. I wasn't expecting retaliation," Pyrrha admits.

"Yet you handled it perfectly. Shows how skilled you are," you compliment. "Anyway, Jaune, did you get what I was saying."

Jaune sheepishly chuckles.

"I... think I need more practice," he concurs.

You laugh.

"Fair enough. Alright, how about we-"

"(Y/N)!" A young voice shouts.

You, Jaune, and Pyrrha look over at the source: Ruby. She's jogging towards you, a wide smile on her face. You wave.

"Hey Little Red! What's up?" You happily ask, smiling at the sight of the young Huntress-in-Training.

Ruby stops in front of you, then waves at Pyrrha and Jaune, who wave back.

"Are you guys, uh, doing anything?"

"Well, Pyrrha and I were just showing Jaune something quick. Why? Do you need one of them?" You ask.

"No, I need you! Well, I... I wish to ask you something," Ruby quickly corrects.

You shrug and cross your arms, swaying your body ever so slightly.

"Alright, what is it?"

"Would you like to, well... Yang was supposed to come with me but she can't now so I need someone and I thought you might want to come to a carnival......... with me?" Ruby hopefully asks, a little red around the cheeks.

You ponder her request for a moment, then nod your head.

"Sure, that sounds like a lot of fun!" You enthusiastically answer before turning to Pyrrha and Jaune. "You two can continue without me?"

Pyrrha nods.

"I think I can handle it. Thank you for helping."

"Yeah, it was cool to see," Jaune adds.

"Anytime. So," you turn back to Ruby. "Shall we go? Or is it not open yet?"

"It is! Come on! I can't waaaaait!" She shrieks in delight, grabbing your sleeve and tugging you towards the airpad.

You chuckle at her excitement, and give one last wave to your other friends as you leave them. They wave back, laughing at your situation.

"She's grown a liking to him," Pyrrha observes.

Jaune nods in agreement.

"Yeah. I haven't seen her like this with many others. Were you there when Yang was going on about those two?"

Pyrrha ponders this for a moment.

"No, I don't believe so. Why?"

"Well, apparently they were sitting near the docks together and..."

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After a very bubbly ride to Vale, you and Ruby arrive at the docking area. Ruby, who has thankfully stopped dragging you around by the arm, instead pushes you out of the airship.

"Come on! Come on!" She ecstatically cries.

"Ruby... when does this thing end?" You question.

Ruby stops pushing you and thinks.

"About... maybe eleven at night. Why?"

"Ruby, we have all day! You don't need to be in such a rush," you snicker.

"I know, but I'm just so excited! This only comes around once a year, and I haven't missed one for as long as I can remember."

"How long can you remember, Little Red?"

"I... hey!" She complains, putting her hands on her hips and pouting.

You laugh, then rustle her hair, making her pout some more.

"Ah, you're too cute Little Red," you compliment before walking ahead of her.

Ruby's left as still as a statue and as red as a Grimm's eyes. Did she just hear you right? Did you just call her cute? It feels as though her heart's going to beat right out of her chest. What is that feeling? Why does she feel so... she can't even explain it. She's never felt like this before. A pit in her stomach starts to form as she dwells on your words more.

You notice that Ruby isn't beside you anymore. You look around and see her still standing.

"I thought you wanted to get there? Besides, I have no idea where I'm going," you call out.

Ruby somewhat snaps out of her moment, then runs to catch up with you.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just... uh..."

"Hm... did I say something wrong? You're a little red, Little Red?" You chuckle at your own joke.

"No, no, nothing. L-Let's just go! I wanna get there!" Ruby declares, trying to get away from what just happened.

You shrug, and continue to walk with her. The two of you walk at a pretty even pace. You notice that there are a lot more people on the streets than you would've figured. Perhaps it was different with Weiss, or perhaps it has something to do with this carnival. Everyone seems to be going in the same direction, with a few stragglers breaking off from the huge current of bodies. Ruby seems to be sticking closer to you than you would have thought.

"You alright, Little Red?" You ask with concern.

"Oh?" Ruby looks up at you, then nervously smiles. "Yeah, I'm just not used to being around so many people at once. I barely have any room."

"Heh, yeah. I get you. You know, we could always bust out some moves and get them to run?" You propose, slowly moving your hand to Crimson Blaze.

"(Y/N)!" Ruby shouts.

You laugh, relaxing your arm.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. What's with the nervousness, though? You can more than take care of yourself," you speak.

"I know, I just... really don't like big crowds."

"Hm... well, just stick beside me. We can links arms if that makes you feel any better?" You tease, lightly elbowing her.

Before Ruby can respond you both hear some commotion behind you. It sounds like young kids laughing. Suddenly one runs into Ruby, causing her to fall forwards. Already close to her, you slip your hand around her waist, keeping her from smacking the ground. Ruby dangles in midair, only held by your arm. She feels... safe. Comfortable. She starts blushing once again, knowing you're holding onto her.

You quickly pull her back to her feet then turn your attention to the child ahead of you, who didn't fall over.

"Hey, kid! Apologize to the lady, huh?" You shout, gesturing to Ruby.

The child saunters back to you and Ruby, extremely nervous and guilty.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you," he mumbles.

"It's okay. Just be careful," Ruby cheerfully says, giving him a smile.

The kid then looks up at you to see your smile. It's contagious, as he starts smiling too.

"Okay!" He says before running back into the crowd.

You shake your head.

"You alright, Little Red?"

Ruby nods.

"Yep, thanks for the save."

"Any time. Now, let's get to your carnival, huh?"

Ruby nods and continues to walk with you. Following the crowd the whole time, it wasn't difficult to find the carnival, even if you were on your own. You could faintly see some lights before even getting there, and you can definitely hear the people. Ruby continues to get more excited the closer you get there, and it's represented in her step. There's more enthusiasm and bounce to it the closer you get to the carnival. It makes you smile, seeing her like this. Her smile, her silver eyes full of excitement... it's...

"(Y/N)?" Ruby questions, cocking her head to the side, making her hair fall on her face which she quickly fixes.

You shake your head, then rub the back of it.

"Yeah?" You chuckle.

"What were you looking at? Do I have something on my face?" Ruby questions, rubbing her face in an attempt to get anything off it.

"What? No, no, you look great- gah, I mean there's nothing on your face," you quickly correct. "I guess I was just lost in thought."

Ruby giggles, and, for some reason, she's happy you were looking at her. You look away from her, staring at where you're going, but she continues to look at you. She's really happy you were able to come with her.

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After some time, you and Ruby make it to the carnival. Ruby unfortunately lost her wallet, which she blamed her lady pockets on, so you had to pay for the two of you. You didn't mind, of course, and it wasn't even that much since Huntsmen and Huntresses get a small discount, even the ones in-training.

"Thanks so much for paying for me. I would have been so mad if I had come all the way here just to go back," Ruby sheepishly states.

"Ah, it's fine. Come on, let's enjoy ourselves," you smirk.

The carnival is massive, taking up a decent chunk of Vale. There are rides, vendors, people, music, balloons, everything. The vibe is so upbeat with the mix of laughter, music, and sound effects. Every second you hear someone goading others into their games, and the sounds of the games themselves. Even during the brightest point in the day, the lights flashing from all angles is still a sight to see. The young Huntress beside you has already been hypnotized by all the games and lights. Her mouth is wide open, ogling at everything around her.

"Ooooh, it's just how I remembered! We gotta play a game, (Y/N)! Come on!" She shrieks, grabbing your hand and running over to the nearest game.

"Whoa! Hey!" You shout as Ruby pulls you, nearly making you fall.

Ruby brings you to a game with a few water guns set up.

"Step right up. You two, the lovely couple there, come play!" The game master calls, pointing at you and Ruby.

Ruby doesn't seem to hear him, but you definitely do.

A couple? I guess it could seem that way. But, this is just how Little Red is.

Ruby takes a seat, spinning a little bit, then grabs the gun. You calmly take a seat and hand the man tickets for both of you.

"Alright! All you have to do is aim at the center target there until the balloon is filled. First one to fill the balloon wins, and can take a prize from the first two shelves," he explains, gesturing to all the different parts, and the shelves which display small prizes such as small stuffed plushies of animals and Grimm. "If you manage to pop the balloon, then you can have one of the prizes from the top shelf. Now. Are. You. Ready?" He declares.

Ruby narrows her eyes at you, smiling. You give her your own smile, raising the competition.

"Go!" He shouts, activating the water in the guns.

You grip the gun rightly and begin spraying into the target with perfect accuracy. However, Ruby is doing the same. Of course she is, since she's a sniper. She would have perfect accuracy with a gun since she has so much practice with it. You have had lots of practice with firearms, but since you're more of a close range fighter you're at a disadvantage. Surprisingly, Ruby stops firing. You glance over at her, but she's still focused. She fires a second long stream, stops, then repeats. You observe her balloon and notice that she's surpassing you. You realize what she's doing now. Her shots have more pressure than yours, so it fills more.

"Six more seconds!" The game master calls out.

Both balloons are filling up, and will no doubt get filled by the time its over. But you're not going to settle for just filling it. You keep spraying as the game master counts down. Ruby sticks her tongue out as she gets more serious, but you don't allow that to distract you.

"Three!"

Your balloon is full. Just a little more.

"Two!"

There's no time. You have to come up with something. You stop firing water.

"One!"

You quickly spray one shot, similar to Ruby. All the water hits the target, which makes the balloon explode. The bell rings, signaling that the game is over. You smack your hand on the surface and stand.

"Yes!" You cheer in victory.

Ruby pouts, not pleased that she lost. She hops off the stool and approaches you.

"Well, you won. I guess you can choose what you want."

You look at the prizes, not really sure what you want. You glance over at Ruby, who's staring at something in particular. It's a stuffed dog with a brown back and white belly. It's a pretty decent size too. You shrug and point at it.

"That one, please."

Ruby follows your finger to the one she was staring at, then twists her head back to you. The game master hands you the animal.

"Here is your prize! Thank you for playing!"

You grab the stuffy and smile at him.

"Thanks. And," you turn to Ruby, handing her the dog. "This is for you."

Ruby holds it and feels its soft material. She coos into it, squeezing the stuffed animal. You smirk at her enjoyment.

"Why'd you get it for me?" She wonders, most of her face covered by the toy.

You shrug.

"Well, I didn't really want anything, and I noticed you staring at it, so..."

You leave the sentence there, looking around.

"Anyway, wanna keep going? There's a ton of other stuff to do," you offer.

Ruby smiles, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yeah... yeah! There's one thing I really wanted to do, but we'll check everything out on our way!"

"Well there we go! Let's get a move on."

You and Ruby walk off, Ruby still holding the stuffed animal.

"So, any reason you wanted that one?" You ask.

"It reminds me of my dog," Ruby admits, cuddling the stuffy even more.

"Hm... I never had a dog, or any animal," you reveal.

"Not even at all those places you lived?" Ruby inquires, looking at you.

You shake your head.

"Nope, none of them had an animal. Other kids, yeah, but no animal. Guess that's for the best though. I might've gotten too connected to the animal," you lightly chuckle.

Ruby becomes downcast for a moment as she thinks.

"Well, maybe I'll introduce you to Zwei! You'd like him!" Ruby declares, hoping to cheer you up.

You graze your hand along the stuffed animal, feeling the surprisingly soft texture of the material.

"Yeah... that'd be cool."

And so you and Ruby continue through the carnival, going to nearly every game and every ride. She's like a kid the entire time, but it never ceases to amuse you. It's part of her charm, and you're happy that hasn't gone away. Then again, it's also part of her age. It'll likely go away in a few years, maybe. Huntsmen and Huntresses tend to mature a little faster than most, due to what they have to learn and endure. That very thing is why you prefer to keep your sense of humour during fights. Too many Huntsmen become too serious, and some don't even follow the Huntsmen's path.

You can remember a couple times where you've had to fight a fellow Huntsman who's gone down a darker path. To no surprise it was during your training with Qrow, and instead of him fighting them he would watch from the shadows as you did it, and if you were ever in danger of dying he swooped in. You fought two Huntsmen in your life. Qrow had to help you both times. You were younger and weaker then. As you are now, you could have taken them down with relative ease. You can only imagine what that dusty old guy is doing nowadays.

Lost in both thought and a plethora of activities, the time goes on like nothing. Both you and Ruby share laughs, stories, and even some ice-cream. You both got separate cones, of course. With all the time being used, night quickly descended upon Vale. The carnival didn't stop however, and the darkness only made it even more of a spectacle to see. Now spotlights were being shot into the air, attracting those from all over the kingdom. Ruby is even more dazzled by the lights and gets more into the whole spirit, which you didn't think was possible.

"Okay, we're almost there," Ruby huffs, marching through the grounds.

"It's been hours Ruby. Have we seriously not gotten to where you want to go?" You ask, slugging yourself along.

Ruby happily shakes her head.

"Nope. Trust me, you'll know it when you see it."

After a minute you and Ruby approach what appears to be a section of the carnival with some tighter security. You raise your brow at this, but Ruby seems unfazed by it. Ruby approaches two men standing in front of the entrance.

"Hiya! Can we enter? We're both from Beacon," she informs.

The two men scan you both, looking at your weapons and apparel.

"Those do seem like Huntsmen's weapons... alright, go on," the guard on the left says as he steps to the side.

You and Ruby walk into the area. There are far less people here, but you recognize a lot of their faces. They're other students from Beacon.

"Ruby, where are we?" You ask, surveying the area.

"This is a Huntsmen only area. There are some games and prizes tailored specifically for us. But I'm still looking for..."

Ruby trails off as she looks around. Her eyes land on a certain vendor, and she starts bubbling.

"There! There it is!" She happily screams, running over there in a flash, leaving you baffled.

"H-Hey!" You call, running to catch up to her.

When you get there Ruby is ogling over a prize. You examine it and realize it's a lightweight frame for a HCS, which Ruby somewhat has.

"A frame for your weapon? But this isn't for scythes," you point out.

Ruby waves you off.

"Psh, you think I can't modify it," she chuckles at your ignorance. "But I've been looking for something like this forever! It'll help me move around faster with Crescent Rose!"

You look at the event that correlates with it. It's a large pole with varying levels, and a small ball at the bottom of it. You assume it's related to the classic 'hit the base with a hammer' game, but this is different. There is fake Ursa that's on its hind legs, and a pad is slapped right on its stomach.

The game master notices Ruby looking at the prize and approaches you both.

"You want that frame, huh kid?" He smirks, knowing he's got someone hooked. "Well, all you have to do is hit that there button as hard as you can," he instructs, pointing at the pad on the Ursa's stomach. "And if the ball reaches the top, you can get that prize!"

Ruby immediately grabs some tickets you gave her and hands it to the man. He takes them and gestures towards the Ursa.

"Go ahead, young lady. Hit the Ursa as hard as you can, but you can only use your fists."

Ruby nods, then takes a few steps back. She judges it a bit, then runs as fast as she can while not using her semblance, charges her fist, and punches the Ursa's stomach. You watch from the side as the ball does the smallest jump you've ever seen. Ruby looks at it and instantly becomes depressed.

"Oooh, I'm sorry, it seems I can't give you anything. Better luck next time!" The game master declares.

Ruby turns to you in a flash.

"(Y/N), you try! You can do it, right?" She begs.

"I would, but those were our last tickets," you inform.

Reality slowly sinks into Ruby as her face becomes ever so pale. She falls back, lying flat on the floor. You sigh and look at the game.

It's probably rigged... but we have no tickets... unless...

You walk over to the game master.

"Hey, can I offer something other than tickets?" You ask, which gains Ruby's attention.

The game master raises his brow, turning his body towards you in intrigue.

"What are you offering?" He asks.

You attract Crimson Blaze to your hand, then display it to him.

"A Huntsman's weapon, along with the glove that goes with it," you declare with unwavering determination.

"Hm..." The man looks at the weapon, then at you. "Very well. If you don't hit the top then you give me your weapons."

You nod, handing the sword over to him. Ruby rushes to you, beating at your chest.

"What're you doing?" She questions, full of worry.

"I'm getting you your mod... I hope," you mumble the last part as you approach the Ursa.

You stand directly in front of the Ursa, judging what you're going to do. You raise one hand forward and get into a stance.

"What did he call it... one centimeter punch? No... uh... damn, I can't remember," you whisper to yourself as you set up.

You lightly place your middle finger against the button, keeping your arm and hand as straight as possible. Ruby watches with anticipation and anxiety. She's chipping away at her nails as you set up, worried that you might not make it.

You take in a deep breath and close your eyes. You concentrate all your aura into your fist, and the moment it's all there, you open your eyes and thrust your fist into the pad. The balls flies up and smashes out of the setup, landing beside the Ursa. You huff, then wipe your hands on each other.

"That's that. I'd say that was satisfactory," you smirk, walking towards the game master.

He huffs in frustration as he hands you your sword back. You let it attract to your belt, then point towards Ruby's mod.

"That too, please."

As the game master goes to get it Ruby rushes up to you, catching you off guard by leaping into a hug. You both spin around as she hugs you tightly.

"YOU DID IT!" She yells in joy.

You give in and hug her back, chuckling at her excitement. You both let go of each other, but the moment you do Ruby realizes what she did. Her face goes red and she becomes timid, putting her hands behind her back and tapping the tip of her boot.

"I... uh... sorry," she mumbles.

You shake your head firmly.

"No, it's fine. You were excited, and you're not all that bad of a hugger. Anyway, get your mod, huh?" You suggest, flicking your head towards the game master.

Ruby nods and rushes over to get it. After she grabs it she returns to you and exhales.

"That was a good day, and waaay to close at the end," she admits.

"Yeah... should we head back to Beacon now?"

"Yeah, sure. Do you want me to carry one of those?"

Ruby throws the stuffy at your face, which baffles you.

"Yeah, hold that as I read this!"

You shake your head as you laugh, and walk back. It takes little time for you two to leave the carnival since you don't stop at any point, and there are less people around. It's more people from your school, and young couples now. No kids or older adults. It doesn't really bother you, as the only person you care about right now is Ruby. You look over at her to see her talking to herself about how to implement the mod. You suddenly notice she's about to walk into a pole, so you tug her hood a bit to move her closer to you. She doesn't even notice, and keeps reading the box.

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It's been hours since Blake and Yang completed their assignment, and the two are now lounging in their room. Unlike Yang, Blake's mind is on overdrive right now. The presence of Dylan Brine is still making her on edge. She knows not why he's here or his motivations for being here, but she doesn't trust them one bit. He could be spying for him and then he will know where she is. She can't allow that to happen, but at the same time she can't just attack another 'student'.

With her mind on the fritz about it, she decides to visit him again, this time taking a more friendly approach. She elegantly leaves her bed and walks towards the door. Yang pokes her head out from her bed.

"Where're you going?"

"Just... for a walk. I'll be back soon."

Yang shrugs and goes back to... whatever she was doing. Blake leaves the room and plots a course to your room. It takes less than a minute and she's at your door. She pleasantly knocks, then waits for a response. She can hear a groan from the other side, and the footsteps leading up to the door. It opens, revealing Dylan.

"What do you want?" He says with venom.

"I would like to talk to you," she pleasantly says, keeping herself composed.

Dylan sizes her up, then rolls his eyes. He walks away from the door, leaving it open for Blake.

"I don't know what's worse, humans or a traitorous Faunus."

"Is that all I'm known for, now?" Blake asks.

"It's all you are," Dylan snaps, turning to Blake.

Blake keeps eye contact with him, standing her ground.

"I stand by what I believe. If I'm called a traitor for that, then so be it," she says.

"Evidently you don't believe in the revolution we are bringing."

"No, I don't," Blake quickly responds. "I believe in equality. What... he wants is not equality."

"Why should humans deserve to be our equals after all they've put us through?" Dylan questions, leaning against the far wall.

"Why should we deserve equality if we cannot forgive them? They've even taken steps to-"

"Steps? Blake, I can't believe you're so blind to see that humans treat us no better than they used to!"

Blake shakes her head in disappointment.

"I can't believe you're so blind that you need someone else's eyes."

Dylan recoils a bit at her words.

"Your words," she starts slowly walking towards him. "They aren't yours. You're speaking exactly like Adam, and not like yourself. Maybe if you formed your own opinion with your own knowledge then you could see how wrong the White Fang are. Perhaps not all humans accept Faunus, and yes, humans do need to take bigger steps towards equality, but the White Fang are the very reason Faunus are not trusted yet!"

Dylan is a bit surprised at Blake's statement, and her tone. She's usually calmer, and though she doesn't seem angry, she's definitely passionate. Blake exhales, calming herself.

"You should see through your own eyes again, Dylan. You once tried. I'm sure you can try again. The people here, at Beacon, most of them are good to Faunus. Maybe they can show you what humans can really be like."

"Coming from the one who hides their true self," Dylan jabs.

Blake shakes her head.

"And yet my friends still accept me, knowing who I really am."

Blake turns away and begins to walk out of the room.

"Form your own opinion, Dylan. Once you do that, I'll be glad to speak to you again."

With that, Blake leaves the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Dylan to his thoughts.

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Thus, the night was over. The last airship to Beacon departs, leaving you and Ruby to head back to your respective dorms. You're still carrying the stuffy, and she's carrying the mod.

"Hey, Little Red," you say, getting Ruby's attention. You give her a warm, comforting smile. "Thanks... for inviting me. I had a lot of fun with you tonight."

"Oh, uh, hehe, it was nothing. I had fun too!" Ruby responds, suppressing a blush.

"We'll do it again sometime. Maybe not the carnival, but something else. Maybe next time we'll bring the rest of your team....... Or maybe not," you propose, shrugging.

Ruby begins pondering something. It's on the tip of her tongue, but she can't figure out how to say it. Before she can even start to incoherently speak, someone else cuts it.

"(Y/N)!" Ozpin says, approaching you two.

"Oh, hey Ozpin," you greet, waving with your free hand.

"Hello Professor," Ruby cheerfully greets.

"Hello Ms. Rose. It appears you two went to the carnival?" Ozpin assumes.

You nod.

"Yeah, it was fun. Little Red invited me and, well," you display the two things you're bringing back. "We got some stuff."

"Well, you got some stuff. But I almost beat you with the water guns!" Ruby teases.

Ozpin chuckles.

"I'm glad you both had fun. But, (Y/N), could I speak to you in my office for a moment?"

You and Ruby share a look.

"Sure. Here, Little Red take the stuffy," you say, plopping it on her head.

"Hey!"

"Hehe, well, I'll see ya later. Let's go, Ozpin."

Ozpin bows his head and turns to begin walking. Ruby moves the stuffy off her head and waves at you, to which you wave back.

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Ozpin sits at his desk and you sit across from him. He has a small file on the desk, which he pushes towards you.

"There's a small village a fair distance from Vale," he explains as you grab the file and begin reading it. "They've reported an abnormal amount of Grimm on the outskirts of the village. Since you're not officially in any classes, you won't be missing anything. I need you to take a Bullhead to the village and eliminate the pack."

"Wait... this says that the Grimm have been... 'taunting'?" You question, not believing it.

Ozpin nods.

"Grimm stand around the village on the edge of the woods, staring at them, but don't attack. This is extremely abnormal for Grimm. Perhaps during your time there you'll discover what's happening."

You nod, tapping Ozpin's desk.

"You can count on me. When do I leave?"

"Tonight, actually. The village is willing to have you until the Grimm issue is resolved."

You stand up, leaving the file on Ozpin's desk.

"Alright, I'll head out now."

You start to walk away.

"(Y/N)," Ozpin calls.

You stop and turn around. Ozpin approaches you, then places his hand on your shoulder.

"Be safe. If there's something you can't handle, be sure to contact either Glynda or myself. We'll send someone to assist you."

You smile at Ozpin's concern, humbled by it.

"Don't worry Ozpin, there's not much that I can't handle," you reassure, taking a few steps backwards. "It's what eleven years of training does. But yes, I'll be sure to call if I'm in trouble," you chuckle, really not intending to.

You enter the elevator and the doors close. Ozpin sighs the moment you leave.

"He has no intention of calling for help," Ozpin confirms. He turns around and walks towards the window. He stares at Vale, the looks to his side. His old friend, Jet, is standing beside him, also looking out the window. "You never called for help either, Jet. If you did... perhaps..."

Ozpin trails off into his own thought. He looks down at his cane and closes his eyes. Suddenly the elevator door opens, and Glynda walks in. Her heels fill the room, only rivaled by the ticking of the gears. She comes to a halt beside Ozpin, remaining silent. Ozpin looks up towards Mt. Glenn.

"Is (Y/N) being sent out on a mission?" Glynda speak, staring at you from high above.

"He is. Nothing too complicated... but..."

"You're worried he might be found?"

Ozpin nods. A tension grows from silence. After a few moments Glynda speaks.

"Are you sure you want him to go out on his own? I mean... if you're right, then him being on his own is..."

"I know how you feel Glynda. I don't want to run the risk of the two running into each other. But trapping him at Beacon would likely cause him to stir and become restless. He would also become curious as to the why. Keeping him in the dark is best, for now."

Glynda sighs, shifting her body a bit. She doesn't like the thought of you in danger. She knows you can handle Grimm, but this... it's like she has a natural protective instinct. She can only imagine Ozpin's feeling the same way, no matter how impassive he often appears.

Both Glynda and Ozpin watch as the Bullhead you've boarded takes off, heading out to your mission.

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You sit still in the Bullhead, waiting to arrive. The events that just took place with Ozpin are still spinning in your mind.

He seemed really concerned. Does he think I can't handle this mission? No, he wouldn't have assigned me to it if he thought I couldn't do it. That, or he would have made someone go with me. Ha, I kinda wish Dylan tagged along. He would have made for fun company, though I fear he'd just run away the moment I took my eyes off him. Yeah, better he stays at Beacon. Though, with Ozpin, it seemed he was acting very... fatherly, I think. Maybe he's not used to it yet. I know I'm not. I probably won't be calling him 'dad' any time soon. Heck, I haven't called anyone that in years. I don't think he expects me too, though. Heh, it's like I have a whole new family. Ozpin is the quiet, wise father, while Glynda is the overprotective mom. Glynda... she means well, I know it. Ever since that night... when she kissed me... she's been easier on me. She checked on me every so often too, though maybe that'll change now that Dylan is rooming with me. I'm pretty sure a couple students were jealous that Glynda took a special interest in me, too. She's not even that old, I think. Actually I don't know her age, though I don't think asking her would go over well.

You yawn and rest your hands behind your head.

"Maybe I'll just take a nap till we get there," you say to yourself as you attempt to sleep.

You try to. You really do. But the rumbling of the Bullhead and the constant bouncing isn't working for you at the moment. It's an annoying feeling of constant moving and buzzing.

"Are there speakers or something? Any music whatsoever?" You shout at the pilot.

"No..." He blankly states.

You pout and cross your arms. The only thing that comes to your mind now is the day you had with Ruby. Her pale, smiling face that's cocked to the side is plastered in your head. She seemed so happy with you with her laughing and smiles, and you... you were happy with her too. Her soft laugh, warm smile, bright eyes, and entertaining personality is what made the day. You didn't even have to be at the carnival to have a good time with her, though the small competition with the waters guns, and the success of the punching game, definitely helped augment the entire experience for both you and her. You can only imagine what she thinks of it all. She's only a kid, and a good one at that, so you assume she's seeing you as a good friend she can rely on.

Your face sours for a moment as your muscles get tighter. A single thought sets you on an entirely different course.

She can rely on me, and so can the others. But... qm I willing to rely on them? It's not that I need to, but... from what Ozpin said it almost sounds like he wants me to. No, I don't need to rely on them.

You firmly shake your head, certain of your thought.

I'm strong enough to handle anything thrown at me. I'll help them no matter what, as a friend, but for them to help me? There's no need. No need for them to worry, no need for me ask.

You get out of your seat and tussle your hair. Of course you don't need to rely on anyone else. You've never had to through most of your life. With all your training, all your experience, and all your techniques you're more than a match for anything you're thrown up against. You'll always do it with a smile, too. You can't forget the smile.

"We're approaching the drop off point," the pilot announces, flicking a few buttons.

He doesn't see it, but you nod in acknowledgement. You walk up to the Bullhead door and open it. A large vacuum of air hits you, whipping your hair and jacket in accordance to the wind. You remain perfectly still, however, waiting to see your environment. At first you only see a forest, which isn't all that unique around Vale. You've seen more than your fair share of forests. However the view changes after the pilot circles around the village. It's a very simple place with no more than a dozen houses with one larger building near the middle. You can only imagine it to be some meeting ground or a hall of some sort. The only other thing you note is a hill less than a minute from the town. There's some sort of manmade alter or something on it. You can't see all the details through the dark.

Eventually, after too much time in your opinion, the pilot lands. A few villagers open their doors, the light beaming from the building turning them all into silhouettes. One man and a younger child, no more than six, step out of the house and approach you. You hop out of the Bullhead, allowing it to take off back to Beacon and leave you here. You make your way to meet the man.

He definitely has some years on him, being between fourty and fifty. He's balding, as you notice a small lack of hair on the top of his head, but its styled so that he still looks decent. He's clean shaven with an average build for a civilian. He has deep brown eyes that seem to hold a lot of information, but still seem warm and welcoming. Right now, however, he seems more nervous than anything.

The boy has short ginger hair with freckles dotting his face. He has bright, hopeful blue eyes that stare at you. He looks skinny for a child, but some kids are like that. He also has a missing tooth, which is easy to notice as he's smiling wide.

"Y-You're the Huntsman?" He whispers.

You nod.

"That I am. (Y/N) Slater, here to help," you introduce, bowing in a very dramatic way.

The child giggles, amused by your actions.

"I'm the village leader, Adhar. Thank you for coming – everyone has been on edge," he gestures towards his home. "May we speak more inside?"

You nod, then follow Adhar and the child. The young one stays with Adhar, but insists on staring at you. You don't mind, as you once marveled at the sight of a Huntsman.

The man leads near the center of the village to the building closest to the large, center one. It's a simple house with nothing special about it. You see a wooden table with wooden chairs, a kitchen, and a few pictures here and there. You note that there are only two ways out of the kitchen, one being a living room and the other going upstairs. Adhar closes the door once everyone is inside, and he walks over to the counter, grabbing a cup. You take a quick whiff and realize its tea.

The child takes a seat at the table and stares at you. You pace around the house, looking at the pictures. All of them have a pattern, that being they consist of three people: Adhar, the child, and a woman.

"This your wife?" You calmly ask, turning to Adhar.

Adhar sorrowfully nods.

"Yes. She was... killed by a Grimm some time ago. It's been my son, Jasper."

"Hi," Jasper waves.

"And myself. The village has been very supportive of us, just as we've been supportive for their losses," Adhar speaks.

"You've lost a lot of people?" You question.

Jasper bobs his head a bit, moaning.

"It happens once in a while. Sometimes a husband, other times a wife or child. It's inevitable when living in the wilderness."

You break eye contact, looking at the floor.

Yeah... I know...

You shake your head and get back to business.

"So, I was told the Grimm were stalking your village?" You ask with a lighthearted tone, attempting to return to your carefree nature. "Did one of you kidnap a baby Grimm of something?"

"Are there baby Grimms daddy?" Jasper wonders.

"I-I'm not sure. I've never heard of-"

"It was a joke," you huff, raising your arm to cut him off. "But is there any reason the Grimm would take interest in your village? It's not normal for them to stalk a village, rather than just destroy it."

Jasper lightly shakes his head, thinking on your words.

"No, sir. We have nothing here. That very fact is why we were so desperate to have someone of your expertise get involved. We simply can't handle a situation like this."

"Yeah, alright. I'll handle them in the morning. I was told there was a place I could rest until the job was done."

"Ah, yes," Adhar quickly responds, putting his tea down. "We've prepared a room upstairs. Please, rest there. We'll discuss this more when everyone has had a good night's rest. Um, Jasper. Please, escort the Huntsman to the room," he commands, gesturing to you.

Jasper hops off the chair and walks up to you.

"Follow me, Mr. Huntsman man," he salutes.

You chuckle.

"After you."

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Ruby returns to her room, a huge smile on her face and her prizes in toe. She unlocks the door to her room and waltzes in, making sure not to bang any of her prizes on the door. Weiss is the first to notice her leader, and the things she's bringing in. Yang is the second to notice, but the first to question.

"Looks like you went to the carnival, eh Rubes?" She pleasantly observes. "Who'd you end up going with?"

Yang already has a guess of who she went with, but she wants to hear Ruby say it.

"(Y/N) came with me. He's the one who won me these prizes," Ruby says, cooing over both the stuffy and the mod.

Yang notices that the stuffed animal has an uncanny resemblance to their dog, but that observation can be saved for later. She looks over at Weiss, who's already giving Yang a look. Then she looks down at Blake, who returns the glance, then rolls her eyes.

"So he won you prizes, huh?" Yang questions, hopping off her bed and approaching Ruby.

"Yep. Now I can add this mod to Crescent Rose and try it out! Ooooh, I've been looking for this forever!" Ruby says to herself, not noticing her approaching sister.

"So did you two have fun?" Yang asks, slipping into Ruby's view.

Ruby doesn't even take a second to think before answering.

"Yeah, we had a lot of fun! (Y/N) was so funny and I was pretty funny too but we both talked for a while and looked at the fireworks on our way back which were as awesome as ever!"

"So all in all you had a great time?" Weiss inquires, finally adding to the conversation.

Ruby enthusiastically nods.

"Yep. I can't wait to see him again! We're gonna have so many inside jokes. Maybe I'll get him a cookie or two for his help, then eat the rest myself," Ruby giggles at the thought.

Yang takes a few steps back and stops near Weiss.

"Don't tell me you're going to believe Coco?" Weiss asks in disbelief.

"I don't know, Weiss. I know Ruby better than anyone, and she's never been this way around a boy before."

"Still, (Y/N) may not even be interested," she confidently says.

Yang raises her brow, turning to Weiss.

"Are you jealous?"

"What? No! He simply doesn't seem like a man who could take anything seriously, let alone a relationship," Weiss snips.

"I think you're not giving him enough credit Weiss," Yang speaks, thinking back to the night where you took care of her. "But at the same time, I don't want to have to break his legs."

"Yang!"

"Are you two talking about me?" Ruby ponders, turning around.

Weiss and Yang both stiffen up and shake their heads no.

"Nope, not at all," Yang answers.

"That would be a ridiculous accusation," Weiss adds.

Ruby stares at them both, examining them with her sharp silver eyes. After a moment she shrugs and goes back to her now opened mod.

"You two are terrible liars," Blake bluntly says, flipping to the next page of her book.

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Its early morning. You couldn't sleep. It's not that the bed was uncomfortable or the accommodations sub-par, you simply couldn't sleep in. Strange, as you're always savouring every moment to sleep whilst at Beacon. Maybe it's the mission mindset. You're a little more serious during missions, though not much. Hell, your entire battle with Dylan, who was a legitimate threat, was you making jokes and goading him into the fight. Granted, it worked in the two ways you wanted it to. For one, it put Dylan on edge and made him make mistakes. Second, it gave you a chance to learn his tactics and abilities. It's ridiculous when people think you're just an idiot and nothing else. There's a method to your madness, which breeds entertainment and results.

But alas, none of this really matters in your current situation. You're walking the perimeter of the village, taking in everything you can – location, building size, spacing, distances from the forest to the village, and any other useful information you can use. You notice Grimm tracks along the edge, but never coming closer than a few feet outside the forest.

Why? What causes them to stay away, yet forces them to come back? I don't understand. Grimm aren't like this.

You start to feel a presence nearby. It's watching you from a distance. Either it's a curious villager who's up at the crack of dawn, or a Grimm is here. Since there's a distinct lack of growling or any blood red eyes locked onto you, the only option left is a villager. You turn your head back just in time to see a small head move itself behind a building. You sigh, guessing its one of the children. You place your hands in your jean pockets and saunter over to them.

"I spy with my trained eye, a little kid following me," you say aloud as you pass the corner, looking down at Jasper.

"I... heh..." He mumbles no words and instead goes red with embarrasement.

"What're you doing out of bed, huh?" You ask, kneeling to his level.

"I... well I wanted to see you! You're a Huntsman, so you know how to do a bunch of cool stuff!"

"Hehe, yeah, I do. But I wouldn't be doing that willy nilly, now would I?"

"Willy... nilly?" He questions, cocking his head to the side.

You click your tongue, remembering he's a lot younger than you.

"For no reason, I mean."

"No! I wanna see how to be a Huntsman! I practice all the time with sticks I find around the village!"

"Heh, that's how I started too, believe it or not," you admit, keeping your voice and expression friendly.

"Really? Can you show me some moves?" He pleads with hope in his eyes.

You lift your eyes to look at the sky, simulating thinking.

"How about after this Grimm stuff is taken care of, alright?" You propose, sticking your hand out.

He weakly – and with an extreme lack of form – shakes your hand to seal the deal.

"Alright then. Now get back to bed," you smile, lightly pushing him towards his house.

Jasper giggles as he runs back to his house. Though you can imagine most people are going to be waking up soon, so you should finish your routine before you're disturbed. You walk back to your previous location and continue walking the perimeter. There wasn't much left to it, so it took no more than ten minutes to get it done. You huff, placing your hands on your hips, spinning on one leg, and walk back to the village. To no surprise Adhar is awake and walking towards you.

"Ah, master Huntsman. Did you sleep well?"

You nod.

"Yes, it was a very comfortable bed," you humbly say. "Now, what's your plan if a Grimm invasion does end up happening? I don't want everyone running around as targets for the Grimm."

Adhar firmly shakes his head.

"Of course not. W-We have a safe house beneath our meeting hall. It's more than large enough to hold all of us, and keep us out of danger."

"Perfect. I have one last request," you say, to which Adhar eagerly awaits what that is. "May you gather the entire village? I want to make sure I've at least seen everyone's face, if that isn't too much of a bother."

"Of course, master Huntsman. But... whatever for?"

You're tempted to make a joke. "To see if there are any beautiful ladies." "So I know how many people are expendable." "To make sure nobody's a Grimm in disguise." On any other occasion you would have made a joke, especially if Weiss was with you, as you know it would make her skin crawl. But these people seem too literal for your sense of humour, and there's no point needlessly confusing them.

"As I said, I just want to make sure I know everyone by face. It's a comfort thing, you know," you play off, anchoring your hands behind your head.

"Okay, I shall gather them at once. Please, wait here," he requests as he scurries off.

You push your head against your hands and begin tapping your foot to a random beat. You hear some swinging, and turn your whole upper body towards it. Lo and behold, Jasper is swinging around a stick, feigning it to be a sword. You chuckle at him, but something crawls into your mind. As you watch him. He begins to change...

You swing around a stick, shouting at the top of your lungs with each strike. The villagers are staring at you, but you don't care, you're fighting off hoards of Grimm!

"Hiya! Hiyaaa!" You shout, spinning around and hitting the imaginary Grimm in the face.

Your stance being so weak, you accidentily tumble over your own feet and fall on the ground. Your mother looks over to her son, you, lying face first in the dirt.

"(Y/N), what're you doing? No Huntsman is like that," she chuckles, aiding you as you get up.

"But I am a Huntsman mommy, just like dad!"

Clementine chuckles at your enthusiasm.

"Well, your father is home. Perhaps he'll show you some more?"

Your face lights up with happiness at the thought.

"Really!? I'll go talk to him right now!"

You run away from Clementine, making her stand up.

"(Y/N)? (Y/N)! (Y/N)!

"(Y/N)?" Adhar questions. "Master Huntsman, are you alright?"

You snap out of your moment, seeing Jasper as just Jasper again.

"Huh, yeah, sorry. Must have fazed out a second," you admit, running a hand down your face to clear it.

Once you look at Jasper you notice that a large group of people are standing before you. It's obviously the whole village, as you requested, and you quickly start getting a feel for all their faces. You notice already that there's a mix of humans and Faunus here, which is a pleasant thing to see.

"Daddy?" Jasper shouts.

"Not now, Jasper."

"But daddy, I want permission!" He whines.

"For what, Jasper?" Adhar questions, not looking at his son but instead focusing on you.

"Can I have permission to keep those Grimm out?"

You and Adhar freeze at the statement. You both look towards Jasper and see a massive pack of Beowolves and Ursa charging the village.

"Damn," you mutter, unsheathing Crimson Blaze. "Adhar, get everyone to that safe room, now!" You command, taking in the amount of Grimm that are pouring out of the forest.

Your ears pick up sounds from beside you, and you see another swarm coming in from that direction too. But the first thing that comes to your mind is Jasper. You return your eyes to him, watching him desperately run from the Grimm while swinging the stick lazily in their direction. You immediately start sprinting towards him, determined to save him. At the same time a Beowolf lunges off its hind legs and attempts to pounce the child. You continue to run, ready to take the Beowolf out.

"Jasper! Down!"

A cliffhanger ending? When have I ever done that in any of my stories before? Actually don't research that, cause I'm sure its quite a few. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter will actually be the end to the Volume 1 section of Crimson Shadow, which means we'll soon be officially moving onto Volume 2 within the next couple chapters. I decided to keep it in Volumes to help people determine where each section of the story is at. So soon I'll be able to add more Sun and Neptune into the story, so shout out to any of their fans. It'll also be interesting to see Dylan interact with a far more laid back Faunus such as Sun. Well, maybe that's just me who's interested in seeing that. Let's just hope Dylan doesn't mess with any possible Blake x Sun in the canon. God, that's a joke but I could totally write that. And sorry to the... what is it... Bumblebee? Yeah, sorry to the Bumblebee fans, but I just don't see that pairing. Though, I'll admit that out of Bumblebee and... IceRose? WhiteRose? Something like that, anyway, I would find Blake x Yang a far more believable pairing than Weiss x Ruby. Not that I pair that much anyway, other than Qrow x Winter. Goddamn do I love that tension.

Also I'd like to thank FurtivePlane4 and ssr673 for their ideas on what Ruby and Slater should do together. I know it would only about half the chapter, but I was really in a rut with that one. So thanks guys!

But, that's all for me! I hope you all enjoyed and I look forward to the Volume Finale chapter. I'm sure you'll all enjoy it too!

FACT: During the development of Crimson Shadow, I had four Beta Readers by the time I hit chapter five. Now I do not blame them for anything, as I know people have lives, but it actually took two different Beta Readers to get through chapter one, and then a new one for chapter two through four. It was a rough patch for development, and I was wondering if it had something to do with my story or not. Of course I kept going, as you can obviously tell. However, since then, I've had the same, lovely Beta Reader that's been a huge help.

A real quick side note, but I was wondering what kind of facts you guys would like to see? Would you want facts about OC characters that I've made (of course no spoilers)? Or would you want more production-related facts? Or random ones like... I don't know... I like to listen to RWBY music while writing Crimson Shadow. Well, there's a bonus fact for you all. Anyway, if you guys want specific types of facts then let me know! I don't know how long I can keep this up if this story starts running 30+ chapters. It'll come down to "While writing this, I was wearing blue underwear." Though, that is a development fact so, I guess. Anyway – ranting.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Advice? Send me a message! See ya!

PS. At the time of writing this, it's grey. You know, incase anyone was actually interested.

I