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Chapter Text

Of all people, she thought she and her teammates would be able to avoid Ozpin's mistakes, but boy, was she more than wrong. The moment they doubted the General's motives, she's started making mistake after mistake, starting with not telling Ironwood the truth about Salem, and that she was immortal.

Everything was her fault. Keeping that secret from the General led to him to betraying the Hunters and Huntress from Vale, abandoning the people of Mantle in order to save his people, and ordering the Ace-Ops to apprehend them, Ruby blamed herself for all of it.

Ironwood was ready to use the Relic of Creation to levitate the kingdom into space so that Salem would never get her paws on the staff.

To make matters worse, Ruby discovered that Salem knew her mother, and spoke about her as if she had met her face to face. Ruby didn't know if her mother had died by the Grimm witch's hand, or if she was lying to get a rise out of the Silver-Eyed Huntress.

After all, Salem wouldn't tell her anything about her mother when the witch discovered that Ruby was the daughter of Summer Rose, and not knowing what happened to her mom was killing her inside.

Her teammates were able to stop the Ace Ops from capturing them, ending up with them getting split up.

The only thing Ruby thought while escaping was to regroup and try to come up with a plan.

After learning that Salem was coming, she did her best to plan out a course of action that would help them grain some ground in this shadow war against the Queen of Grimm and mankind.

They thought they were making progress, especially when the members of Salem's court of Watts and Tyrian showed up. However, even them finding out about their presence in Atlas as all part of her plans.

The flunkies were decoys to buy the Wicked Witch time to arrive with an army of soulless Grimm.

By the time they realized the Grimm Queen's plan, it was too late.

They were able to get Penny, Weiss and everyone except her uncle and Oscar. Penny has somehow become the new Winter Maiden after Fria died and Cinder escaped, but not before the witch's lackey had another unfortunate encounter with the power from Ruby's silver eyes.

But the Fall Maiden got the last laugh as she was able to take the Lamp of Knowledge from Jaune, Ren, Nora and Oscar, and it was all thanks to Neo.

So, they lost a relic, they were wanted by the Atlas Military, and Salem would be knocking on the kingdom's door someday soon. She truly thought that it wouldn't or couldn't get any worse.

After successfully escaping on a Bullhead, they picked up a communication from the military detecting unknown readings coming from the distant mountains.

It only took them a short while to discover that what was causing the radar to go haywire. It was a supermassive, flying, giant, Whale Grimm.

It was like nothing they have ever seen before. It was beyond huge, and it was flying without any form of propulsion.

The giant mountain-sized Grimm was being followed by a massive group of flying Berringels.

That was also new. Berringels weren't supposed to be flying Grimm, at least none of that the modern-day Hunters had seen.

As they arrived back at Dr. Polendina's clinic, Ruby's plan was to tell the entire world about Salem and her goal as The Queen of Grimm.

Everything fell apart as Ruby and Yang first argue against each other while Ren suppressed his feelings further as he forcefully pushed his teammates away from him and Nora's feelings were conflicted about herself.

Yang and Ruby split up their teams on their goals. Yang's team are herself, Oscar, Ren, and Jaune and they are to protect Mantle from upcoming Grimm attacks. Ruby's are with Weiss, Blake, Penny and Nora and they are to reestablish the communication access towards Amity tower.

Oscar then got kidnapped by a new Grimm called the Hound which later revealed has a faunus inside as part of its body. Meanwhile, Penny got hacked, while trying to held her own with her father and Maria against Cinder, Neo and Emerald thanks Watts created a virus on her.

Ruby then revealed everything to the world thanks to Penny, her father and the Amity Communications Tower.

Oscar later was rescued by turncoats, Emerald Sustrai and Hazel Rainart in which later was sacrificed himself to delay Salem's assault on Atlas.

Winter became a traitor to Ironwood as soon as he announced an act of genocide on Mantle unless Penny surrendering herself to the general.

The plan puts in motion. Qrow, Maria, Marrow and Robyn steals a Bullhead with a bomb while Emerald uses her Illusion semblance to disguise herself as Penny while using on the others to hide in plain sight to take the relic and use it wisely.

The Staff of Creation was used twice: to recreate Penny's body, and to build a one-way trip to Vacuo. Everything went well until...

[Location: The Evacuation Central Location to Vacuo, In-between Void]

[Planet: Remnant]

Everything went wrong as the survivors of Mantle and Atlas were completely evacuated to Vacuo, Cinder Fall and Neopolitan arrived to attack the Huntsmen and Huntresses. Some residents were thrown off into void while teams RWBY, OJNR, and Penny fought them off as long as they can.

Any of Ruby's teammates were nearly fell to their untimely demise but were saved by Penny, leaving her open to any of the Fall Maiden's attacks. What she didn't realise is that Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Oscar Pine, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie are stuck to the other side of the portal — thanks to Ambrosius' literal character and Weiss' poor choice of wordplay — that once they're in Vacuo, they can't go back.

Leaving the only protectors of the citizens are none other than: Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc and Penny Polendina. They held their ground for a good span of minutes, only for Cinder to split them up. She used her Grimm arm to severely injured Penny by the chest as Ruby and Jaune had to watch for a moment.

Ruby rushed in to attack the Maiden, didn't even cared if Neo corners her. A few seconds has passed, Jaune cried in agony while his sword is dripping in blood, Penny's blood.

Ruby realised what Jaune had done, Penny asked him to end her life and give her power to someone who is worthy of it, forcing Jaune to kill her.

While Ruby stood by and watched, Cinder slammed her into one of portals of Atlas and Mantle as the Maiden herself prepares to kill the one who send the Winter Maiden's power away from her.

Before Jaune loses his life, Winter Schnee arrives with the Maiden's power infused in her soul, savagely attacks Cinder while the Fall Maiden herself was being overwhelmed by the assault.

Until she felt her Grimm arm in pain and agony, meant to one thing: Salem's return. Winter was completely caught off guard as she previously thought Cinder was defeated, only to be grabbed by the neck as Cinder slowly drains the Winter Maiden's aura and power back to her, claiming it as her own.

Jaune arrived on time to cut Cinder's arm off in a surprise attack as the Fall Maiden grips her stump in immense pain while Ruby was overwhelmed by Neo's ruthless attacks.

"Stop Neo! *gasps hardly* I didn't kill Torchwick! He got eaten by Grimm, *breathing heavily*... he didn't even *still breathing*... control his emotions and I was too injured to move." The reaper huntress said.

Neo didn't want to believe her but deep down, she knew Little Red wasn't lying. All of time following the young huntress, Ruby wasn't the kind of person who can lie.

"*sobs* I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what happen to him. I tried my best to tell him not follow through it." Ruby cried out to her assailant. 

Neopolitan left her old life when Roman Torchwick offered to help her. She treated him like a brother figure she never had and yet, he died from a simple Grimm attack.

"What? Should I just forget it? Move on?" Neo wrote.

"No. Something like this never goes away. *sigh* You can move forward, revalue yourself right here. Either you give the Staff to Salem, or leave all this behind. It's all up to you." Ruby advised Neo.

Meanwhile, both Jaune and Winter stood their ground, low on aura as well as Cinder when she saw Neopolitan left to Vacuo in a dark cloak that she used herself to hide earlier in a crowd.

Fulled with anger, she rushed towards, forced Winter back towards the edge of the path as she attacks Jaune until his aura drops. Ruby came in a quick pace, attacks the Maiden.

'Hmm, I remembered what blonde dumbass said about sacrificing himself for giving his friends time to fight back. Let's put that to the test.' Cinder thought and attack Ruby relentlessly.

Every glass weapon she conjured and used, she eventually broke the Silver-Eyed Huntress' aura and slashed her stomach, forcing her to bleed.

Ruby coughed blood. Her aura was too low, so she knew that her wounds won't be able to heal this, it was a mortal wound.

As Jaune stood up, he saw what has transpired. Ruby on her knees, clutching her bleeding stomach to apply pressure as Cinder walked towards her, conjured a glass bow and arrow in her hands.

Jaune ran as fast as he can while Cinder worked on her aim at Ruby's chest. Ruby saw herself in a exact moment two years ago, when Cinder aimed her weapon at Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune's partner and teammate, at Headmaster Ozpin's office.

Before her eyes stared at her, Cinder with an evil grin on her lips. The cruel Maiden had finally managed to land a fatal blow on the petite Huntress, and as a bonus, the wicked villain managed to shoot through someone that meant the world to the Rose.

Before she meets her end, she saw Jaune in front of her, taking a hit instead. An arrow pierced on his left shoulder as Cinder was enraged, conjured a glass scimitar and stabbed Jaune through his armor and into his chest, forcing him to bleed out.

Ruby clutched herself to Jaune from his back, tears running through her face as she saw him, despite all the pain, he still managed to put a smile on his face.

Jaune Arc, her first friend in Beacon for two years, temporary partner of team RNJR since the Fall of Beacon to the Attack at Haven when her team reunited, managed to put goofy smile.

The red cloak girl was already in tears, and it only got worse when she saw Jaune crying as well. She didn't want to see this. She couldn't believe he did this. Why would he put his life on the line in an attempt to save her?

The chaotic thought tumbled around in her head while Ruby's hands reached for his face, shaking as she watched him coughing too much blood. She knew that Jaune didn't have long unless Cinder removed the blade to allow his massive store of Aura to heal himself.

Despite the sudden betrayal from the mute, the corrupt Fall Maiden was truly pleased. All the complications the group had given her over the last several months faded and the built-up frustrations she had melted away.

Cinder has the relic and killed the red-cloaked bitch that was responsible for the loss of both her eye and arm, and because her Mistress demanded it, she held back the hatred and desire to kill the red-themed Huntress for too long.

It was the first time she had gone against Salem's orders. The Grimm Witch told her, clearly, and without remorse that she wanted Ruby Rose alive for something her Mistress refused to share. However, now Cinder could care less if Salem gets upset with her.

Once she brings her the Lamp of Knowledge, she's sure to forgive her, and if that wasn't enough, Cinder could always use the fact that she was a Maiden that was too important to be thrown away. However, either way, it just didn't bother or worry her anymore.

Cinder had finally fulfilled and ended the vendetta between the Reaper and herself.

Not to mention the blond weakling who failed to protect his partner back in Vale. She was a little surprised that actually chose to sacrifice himself for little red. It was so poetic, she almost laughed.

It took her such a long time, but Cinder finally did it, revenge is truly a dish best served cold. The Fall Maiden chuckled thinking that that statement had to be true, seeing that they were surrounded by nothing but a bridge and an empty void of darkness.

"Fools that fight together, can die together," said the Fall Maiden before chuckling with jolly tone.

It wouldn't last long as Winter drove the corrupted Maiden back away from the teenagers. The former Atlas Specialist looked back at them and saw the state they're in, she grabbed the Staff and hurried herself towards them while Cinder still has the Lamp, recovering slowly.

"We need to get to Vacuo, the two of you'll be healed there and safe." Winter stated.

"Jaune... W... Wh... Why?" the silver-eyed petite stared at the Arc with a look of abstract horror.

The goofy knight's face turned to her, and even with all the blood flowing into his lungs and the intensifying pain he was feeling, Jaune was able to give her a smile.

The sight of it broke her heart was she knew they were going to die here.

'We're both going to die here, I don't want this…I don't want him to die with me! It's not fair!' Ruby's thoughts continued to run rampant.

"I couldn't let it happen again. I failed to protect Pyrrha…I didn't want to see such a tragic scene again. *cough*… *cough*… there was nothing I could do. I saw you from afar and before I knew it, my body started acting on its own. I couldn't help but run and try to save you. This time, I really thought I could do something. Silly me, looks like I failed again. I'm so sorry, Ruby…." Jaune said, weaker than most.

The girl did all she could to summon any strength left, the silver eyes why couldn't she use them like last time. Just when she needed to use them, they failed her.

Maybe it was because she was too weak, Ruby had no Aura left, and she was standing at death's door.

"No! *cough* You need to take the Staff to Vacuo and *cough*... prepare yourself and *cough*... others for Salem." Jaune said while summoning any strength left to stand. Before Winter could argue, Jaune continued, "Please. Tell Ren and Nora *cough*... that I'm sorry... I will not make it this time. Just *cough*... tell them to fight for me."

Jaune slowly walks towards Cinder as the corrupt Maiden herself was almost completely recovered. Jaune stilled himself as he held his bloodied sword and damaged shield and readied himself for an incoming attack.

Cinder saw this as an opportunity to taunt Ruby to no end of her suffering, decided to play along while slowly killing the Arc.

She conjured a glass blade as she walked towards the knight and attacks him. Jaune tries his best to guard himself up but narrowing fails as Cinder easily cuts him shallow all over his body. As Jaune swings Crocea Mors once more, Cinder caught the blade and heats it up, snapping it in half. Jaune lost half of his sword and was stumbled back to Ruby cause by Cinder kicking him hard.

"Winter. Get the Staff and go. It's too late to save us. Just tell Yang *sobs*... that I love her." Ruby said as she cried at the end of a sentence. 

Winter stood up, took the Staff and took off towards Vacuo. As Cinder was about to pursue, Ruby shifts Crescent Rose into turret sniper mode, took aim and shot at the Maiden's right shoulder.

Cinder cried in pain as she clutches her shoulder with immense pain as she looked at Ruby with rage. She used her Grimm arm and stabbed Ruby through her right side.

Ruby felt numb as she clutched her side while losing blood as Cinder walked towards them.

Both Huntsman and Huntress were still stabbed through by Cinder's sword or in Ruby's case: her Grimm arm, and the wicked Maiden continued to enjoy the moment by gloating merrily. However, when the excitement of the situation faded a bit, Cinder realized that Salem might really kill her.

The Fall Maiden then smirked as she thought that she could just tell Salem that the girl got killed by Neo. She was very confident her mistress would welcome her back once she shows her the relic.

Of course, that still leaves the Staff of Creation. Once she's had her fill, Cinder planned to go after that disgraced Atlasian officer and the Atlas relic once she gets to Vacuo and then, find the Summer Maiden, claimed her power and retrieve the Sword of Destruction from the Vault under Shade Academy.

'If I have retrieve the relic, Salem will definitely forgive me for my past failures. Ohh, and this little act of insubordination too of course!' Cinder thought as her mirth filled grin looked down at the fallen would-be-heroes with a mocking expression.

How Cinder wish to see Watt's face when he finds out what she has accomplished. She will take all the credit if she decides to keep him alive.

When Cinder finally grew tired of seeing her the pain and drinking in the pool of negativity of her victims, she removed the sword with a quick jerking motion. The blood from the flaming sword spilled in a sloppy line, leaving a trail in the path while two bodies still losing their blood in front of her.

"Don't worry Ruby. I haven't forgotten about your friends, your sister, your uncle, and of course your friend's sister that stole what should be mine. I will find them all and kill them one by one. I will take the greatest of pleasure in taking the lives of those you hold dear. They will all face my wrath as Salem conquers Vacuo next."

The red cloak girl glared in tears, but her body was too weak to muster any form of resistance, it was starting to fail her.

"You... How can you be so cold hearted?" spoke the weakened Jaune, "Do you feel nothing killing so many innocent people? Don't you regret anything...?" Jaune managed to cough out while his Aura worked overtime to try and heal the damage to his body.

"I do regret not killing you and your friend sooner, and I do feel something. I'm not as emotionless as you think I am. I feel great joy killing my enemies."

"You a monster... *cough*… *cough*… and I hate your guts… so much that I pity you. No one has probably ever cared for you… *cough*… and no one ever will, who could love a monster… *cough*… after all?" Jaune coughed up more blood.

"Pity me, no boy, you're the pitiful one. It must really suck being you. You have never accomplished anything in your life, you're the weakest of the group, and that why your partner died, she never had a competent person backing her up. You we're never going to amount to anything, just a smalltime hick that could never achieve greatness like I have. You are nothing but a black sheep in a herd of wolves. Just what was it that Ozpin saw in you anyway?"

The Arc grew so angry that he almost didn't notice that Crocea Mors was too far away for him to grasp. After failing to reach his weapons, with what little strength he had left in him, Jaune was able to get on onto his knees.

In his current state, it was impossible to stand, just keeping his back straight was about all he could do without passing out. Facing the amber eyed woman, Jaune spit on her face with a glob of blood and smiled at her before saying, "I hope there's an afterlife. Cause I'm going to visit you in hell, and trust me, we'll see who's laughing then."

Cinder glared at the blond Arc while removing the disgusting spit from her cheek.

'How dare YOU IGSIGNIFICANT ANT? I will make you pay?' Cinder thought with a look of absolute rage.

However, instead of continuing to blow her top, she calmed down a bit, smirked, and then proceeded to say, "You know, the fact you are still playing hero even when you know you have lost, it's pathetic. Just like that red-headed bitch's attempt to fight me... ooh, what was her name again?"

"Her name was Pyrrha, and she was better than you in every way!" Jaune shouted as his Aura flashed around his body, similar to how it acted when Cardin tried to punch him all those years ago.

Luckily, his blinding technique bought him some time. While Cinder fumed and rubbed her eyes in pain, Jaune held on tightly to Ruby's hand and activated his Semblance. He knew he was done for, so he decided to give Ruby everything he had, thinking that if he did, she might survive at the cost of his own soul.

Cinder had enough of her gloating and the boy's witty retorts, so once she regained her sight, she reached out and stabbed him with her sword repeatedly. That was it, Jaune's eyes closed, his blood spilled out from the wounds, and his body fell limply into the ground, but at the same time, almost all of the Blond Knight's remaining Aura reserves flowed into Ruby.

Cinder mounted his side and continued to stab away at his corpse while screaming, "Bug! Ant! Worthless piece of shit!"

Ruby saw everything, as much as she wanted to look away at the Fall Maiden desecrating the blond knight's body, she couldn't. Pure, unadulterated anger filled her very soul. The eyes of the Huntress slowly began glowing a radiant silver hue.

Cinder saw this and stop stabbing Jaune's body. Cinder gazed and her eyes widened and she turned back to face the red reaper.

Cinder's mouth opened in shock as the little teenage girl shouted in hatred over the loss of her best friend, "GET O-F-F-F OF H-I-M!"

The silver eyes of the huntress suddenly began releasing a powerful silver beam divine energy that hit the wicked maiden, covering her body completely.

But it didn't stop there. The power and might of Jaune's semblance mixed with the blessing from Ruby's Silver-Eyes lit up the entire Central Hub all the way to all the portals of both Atlas and Mantle as the survivors on Vacuo saw the powerful bright light as Yang keep banging the barrier, crying as she called Ruby. Winter saw this and knows what to do.

After the full might of the Silver-Eyed Warrior was unleashed, Ruby finally lost unconscious and fell down beside he recently deceased friend. The huntress felt her heart stopped beating, and she died along with the Arc.

Both of their bodies lay together on the bridge, the bridge itself quickly disappearing on top of their bodies while their hands held together in a similar fashion that was reminiscent of the moment when they first met at Beacon.

It was as if their fate was connected like the way their fingers intertwined with one another.

[Location: Unknown]

Ruby's eyes suddenly opened in a shocked manner as she got up and began looking over her body for wounds.

The poor girl was completely bewildered as she thought, 'Was everything a dream, but… it… it felt so real. It has to be real.'

Their ship crashing, getting separated from the others, engaging Cinder, and losing. Jaune protecting her, and watching him dying because of her, it was too much to be a dream.

'If it was a dream it has to be the worst nightmare I've ever had in my life,' The petite thought before she took notice of her surroundings.

"No snow, no withered trees, or huge rocky formations. This doesn't look like the outskirts of Mantle or the Solitas continent, not even in anywhere on Remnant." Ruby mumbled aloud.

She was surrounded by green life, so much grass and countless beautiful flowers lay before her eyes. Everywhere there were trees, grass, lakes, and rivers. It was just so amazing for her to look at she lost her breath.

Ruby also took notice of some buildings nearby. They looked old, like they were ancient ruins you'd see in a travel magazine.

Her eyes widened then widened as her thoughts drifted to something else, 'What about Jaune? If it wasn't a dream, then he… I… we're both dead.'

The red cloak girl wanted to deny it. Yet something was telling her that this place could very well be the 'other side' people talk about from time to time.

'Is this…is this where good people go when they passed on? The Temple of Light?' Ruby questioned before she heard a groan.

Her eyes shot over to the noise before she looked at the sprawled-out knight laying a few feet away from her.

"Jaune!" Ruby shouted as she ran to the unconscious blond.

She kneeled down beside him, propped his head up on to her knees, and started checking his pulse while holding her finger under his nose to check for air.

A sigh of relief came over her as Ruby realized that he was okay. However, she also remembered the events of that day as clear as water.

The Arc got in front of her trying to protect her from Cinder's attack, but it didn't work, she got hurt too. Tears filled her eyes remembering his words. He wanted to protect her because he couldn't do the same with Pyrrha.

'The blond goofball was still hung up on the past. When is he going to learn that it wasn't his fault… it was mine,' Ruby sniffed as she tried to hold back her tears.

Ruby was present when she reached the top of Beacon Tower, and she was there to watch Cinder firing that arrow through the Champion's armor.

The petite Huntress vividly remembered how the arrow hit Pyrrha's heart before the Fall Maiden touched her head turning her into ashes that scattered into the winds.

Just like that, she was gone. One of her best friends was gone.

"It was my fault! I couldn't protect or save her either, Jaune," Ruby mumbled lifted his body as she wrapped her arms around him while letting few sobs.

Ruby was so caught up in her grief, she didn't realize her tears were falling on his face, making him slowly opening his eyes as he came to.

A groan escaped his lips as the petite removed her arms and got up with a rapid movement, letting out a high pitched "eep" as Jaune's head fell to the ground with a loud thunk.

"Ow…."

"Sorry!" Ruby went to his side again, drying her tears immediately as she put his head on her lap.

"Uh... Ruby?" Jaune's blue eyes widened as he gasped and asked, " Where…. where are we?"

"I don't know," Ruby replied as she started looking around again.

The Arc got up looking at his surroundings. Ruby didn't know why, but she felt a bit miffed about the lack of reaction for the lap pillow she oh so graciously gave... after dropping his head on the ground like a sack of rocks.

"Okay, this was new," Jaune mumbled before saying, "The last thing I remember, the explosion because we got attacked by Cinder no less, then we were in the ground… feeling cold, bleeding… dying in fact. I definitely remember the pain… and that's the opposite of whatever this place is. Did we get rescued… or are we…"

Jaune's memory of his untimely passing was still fresh. He vividly remembered that he and the silver eyed girl were killed in battle. Murdered by Cinder Fall no less, all while leading the people of the Kingdom of Atlas to Vacuo.

Yet, here he was, here was the red cloak girl he's known for more than two years.

Jaune had no idea what was going on, everything just felt so confusing for him. Soon he found himself traversing down the same thought process as the red reaper. Was it all a dream? Were they still alive and somewhere on Remnant?

"It doesn't make sense. This can't be the bridge. This place is just too beautiful to be that dark-filled void. And what with those old buildings? What about the others? Could they somehow be here too?" Jaune mumbled. He needed answers and he wanted them fast.

"Okay… This is definitely weird. What is this place? Did someone save us?" Jaune asked loud enough for the petite huntress to hear.

"I'm as clueless as you. I just woke up a few minutes ago," Ruby shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you remember dying at the hands of Cinder Fall?" Jaune asked.

Ruby nodded her head before Jaune sighed and said, "Alright… I don't suppose we can say what just happened was a bad shared dream experience?"

"I don't think so. It was too real Jaune, I think we're—" Ruby hand covered where she was stabbed through.

"No don't say it! We can't be… if we are… that means Ren, Nora, Winter, Oscar, Maria…" Jaune's voice got caught in his throat.

"Weiss, Yang, Blake, Uncle Qrow," Ruby followed up, giving a slight pause before she continued by saying, "I'm in the same boat as you, Jaune. We remember getting killed and then poof, I open my eyes and here we are."

"Well… whatever this place is we'll figure out together. It's just that… I can't… no I don't want to believe it. We... It's really over. I can't believe we died. We... we were so young, and dang it, we were too pretty to die," Jaune said, trying to lift the red reaper's spirits.

However, instead of cheering her up, it seemed to have the opposite effect. Ruby sounded upset as she yelled out, "You're making jokes? At a time like this? God dang it, Jaune! You… you… idiot! You wouldn't have died if you didn't try to save me!"

"Excuse me?" Jaune looked both offended and scared. He had never seen Ruby looked so furious before. Not even when he got stealing a cookie from her plate.

Her eyes filled with tears as she slammed on his chest with her weak but fast fists while shouting, "What were you thinking? You… you… big dummy! You protected me from Cinder and—"

Jaune grabbed her shoulders and shouted back, "But nothing! Ruby, even if it happened again, I do it without thinking. I care for you, Ruby. I didn't want you to die! You can't blame me for that."

Ruby stopped hitting him but kept crying into his chest plate.

Jaune sighed in response to seeing her this broken up about it. He then let out a sigh and said, "It didn't do luck of good anyways. You died, and I failed... again," Jaune whispered the last part.

"Jaune… I… didn't mean to yell… I'm sorry," The petite's upper lip started trembling.

He hugged her tightly until she calmed down and said, "So we're really dead then? I guess that means this must be the afterlife. Well... at least there's some good news to this whole situation we find ourselves in."

Ruby gave him a look that said, "Really? Do explain!"

"If the others aren't here, then that must mean they're not dead," Jaune said as if it was a matter of fact.

Jaune infectious and optimistic attitude was the same as usual, making the red cloak girl smile a bit as she finished crying her eyes out and began drying her face with her sleeves.

He always tries so hard to sound positive, just like her. But it was more than hard for her to remain in such high spirits after what just happened. Ruby was worried sick for everyone. She felt a pit in her stomach as she thought of all those Grimm attacking the innocents of Remnant, and mostly about what Cinder and Salem would do now that they were gone.

The reaper tried her best to not to think about it all because she knows it will only lead to more tears, and she needs to keep her wits about her in such an unknown place.

What were the others doing? Were they safe? What about the people of Mantle, Atlas, Oscar and her uncle?

It was just the two of them here, so she was happy that meant they might have survived. However, it was clear that Ruby was already missing them, especially her older sister.

Ruby was lost in thought until a pair of rugged hands landed on her shoulders, bringing her attention back to reality.

"Hey, try to calm down. I know it's not easy but let's just take our time and figure things out," Jaune gave her his trademarked smile.

Surprisingly, that smile helped her think clearer, "Yeah... Like, for starters, what is this place?"

"We still have each other, our bodies, and surprisingly all of our gear," Jaune said as he held up his broken sword and shield.

"Yeah, that is a little weird. Can this place… Is this really the Temple of Light place dad used to tell me about?"

"It has to be. That is, if we're really dead. But I don't see anyone, not even the God of Light. You think there'd be someone to greet us or show us some paperwork."

"Paperwork what are you talking about?" the petite couldn't help but laugh a bit, "What... you think they have a list of all the people that die?"

"Well yeah, that's what my mom told me. They check your name and if you appear on their list they will decide if you get to stay in paradise or get sent the other place," Jaune informed as he looked around a bit.

"Other place?" Ruby lifted her brow.

"You know… the place below the ground? The one filled with darkness?" Jaune said as he pointed down.

"Oooh, the bad place for bad guys, right. Maybe we should look around and see if we can find anyone," Ruby said as she looked around.

"Is anyone out there?!" shouted the Arc.

"HELLO!" Ruby shouted even louder.

"We're dead! I think! We need... um... Guidance or something!" Jaune followed up.

Ruby placed her hand around her cheeks to amplify the sounds of shout, "Can you at least tell us if we're dead? Is this place 'The' Temple of Light?!"

"This is the birthplace of my ancestors," A new, softer feminine voice spoke shocking both teens.

As it turns out, they weren't alone in this place after all.

The owner of the voice appeared right before them a brilliant bright light. It quickly took the form of an adult woman, but the light was so bright and covered her body, hiding her face from view, so they couldn't see who she was.

"Are you a Guardian of Light?" Jaune was in awe, recalling the memories of the time his mom told him about the Brother Gods and their home temples.

"I know this is hard to understand, and this may come as a shock to you two… but both of you have recently died in a battle and find yourselves in unfamiliar grounds." the woman said.

Ruby and Jaune lowered their heads while thinking "So it's true. We're dead. Cinder did in fact, killed both of us."

"This is not the afterlife you are hoping it to be. As I said, this is where my ancestors were born. They created this paradise using the power of Mako, and by giving life to nature."

"Mako?" blinked the silver eyed girl.

"Uh…." the Arc had no idea either.

"I suppose it's better to get to the details. You know that you were both killed, and that this is not the Temple of Light place you speak off. You're not in your world anymore. Both your souls and bodies have been sent across time and space to end up here instead."

Both teens looked at each other. It would've made more sense to hear that they died with their bodies still on Remnant and that they were disembodied souls floating in the afterlife. But the lady said they still had their bodies and life force. The begs the question, if this wasn't Heaven, and they weren't dead then...

"Why are we here?" the Hunters spoke in unison.

"I know that it's sudden, you don't know or owe me anything, and know that I'm being selfish by asking so much of you two. Just know that it is not yet your time, and that if you agree to the terms, you both will be able to live again. The will of Gaia will see to it that you both will be given new lives."

"What?" Ruby's jaw dropped.

"You're kidding?" the blond was asked just as shocked as he fellow Hunter.

"You mean you can bring us back to our world?" Ruby was about to tear up please let it be true.

"I'm afraid that is impossible. You two died, and your bodies have left your world. We cannot send you back… I am sorry."

"Then why say any of this? Why get our hopes up and tell us we'll be able to live again? How can you say that it's not our time and not send us back to Remnant?!" Jaune was upset. He thought that this being was toying with their emotions.

"Is it just some lie to hurt us?" Ruby followed up, the anger growing more apparent in her expression.

"Not at all. I can grant you both new lives… just not on the world you come from. But in another one, a world that is in constant suffering and on the brink of extinction." The lady stated.

"What are you talking about?" asked the red cloak reaper.

"Jaune Arc and Ruby Rose,"

The two were about to ask, but they mysterious lady held up her hand and said, "Please don't be shocked. I already knew your names for it was the will of the planet that told me. The Brother Gods you spoke off left your world a long time ago as they treated your world is nothing more than a mere plaything. Other celestial beings who can guide the lost souls of your world to theirs, whether to the afterlife, or their new lives. The will of the planet have chosen you two. It was also the same planet that brought you here, and by its will, it wants you to go to my world and save it from destruction."

"The Brothers treated us like toys to them?" Ruby asked in fear.

"The planet wants us to save it?" The Arc was getting more confused by the second.

"But then, why us? Why can't you do it?" Ruby asked with a shaky voice.

"I am already dead and have become one with the planet. I am part of the living Life Stream; therefore I can no longer interact with the physical plane. However, you two still have your bodies, and are the only ones that can achieve this task. The planet has also seen into your hearts, you both possess great strength and carry the hope needed for the task at hand."

"So… You want us to play heroes in another world?" Jaune questioned while tapping his foot against the ground.

He then held his hands out and started to draw his broken sword while he moved closer towards the mysterious figure and asked, "What about our friends? What about what we left behind?! Will we even be able to see them when they die?!"

"Jaune don't," the silver eyed girl halted him before saying, "If we're dead, then there's nothing we can do for them. Please don't make this harder on us than it needs to be."

The Arc heard her hurting tone. This was killing her as much as him. He relented and tried to calm himself while Ruby stepped up.

The dark-haired huntress stared at the glowy female being with a bit of scorn in her expression before she said, "You want us to go to this world and help save it? Yeah, you weren't kidding about being selfish. We know exactly nothing about you or this world you want us to risk our lives for. You can't expect us to go without giving us a choice."

"Yeah, this planet can't decide for us. We didn't ask to be brought here," Jaune followed up.

"We didn't ask to die either." muttered the RWBY leader.

"You're both right, which is why I will give you two your available choices. As you have already perished on Remnant, you can either join us within the planet's will and become one with the stream of life, or you can take your second chance to live again."

"And complete this mission?" the Arc gave a sigh. To him, it felt like they weren't really giving them a choice that they wanted. They either die or play by somebody else's rules and live.

"The planet has seen the courageous actions and the efforts you both put yourself through in your world to try and save it. The will of Gaia sees you both worthy, fitted to be one of the heroes of our world, and a welcome addition."

"Great, you have heroes in that world, but still need us?" The blond asked as turned to the silver eyed petite.

Ruby was silent. Thinking on what to do, she went over the facts. She was dead, she wasn't returning to Remnant, and she won't see her sister, uncle, father, or friends anymore. She failed as a Huntress and recently deceased leader, and yet someone or something wanted her and Jaune to try and save another world.

It all seemed like she was destined to fail, and she was afraid still that she'd fail yet again.

Jaune was in the same boat. What can they do after failing miserably to protect Atlas and Mantle? What chance in hell did they stand in saving another world?

But then again, what were the chances of being thrown into a different world after dying. It was a second chance, a chance to overcome their failures and do something right.

Both were staring at each other. It was almost like they could read their minds just by looking into their eyes.

They may have failed on Remnant, but they refused to give up and let it end here. But still, it was painful to admit that their lives in Remnant are over.

After accepting that singular fact, it became obvious what choices would be. It was clear to the Hunters that this was no dream, and that they will have to try and move on without their loved ones.

It was going to be a test of their will power, emotional stability, and sanity. Probably the hardest test they have ever taken in their entire lives.

"Okay. But you have to be specific. How do we save this world?" spoke Ruby.

"Then have you chosen?" the woman in light asked the blond.

"Yeah, there's no way I'm letting her go on her own," Jaune gave a reassuring smile towards the petite reaper, and she did the same back at him.

"I'm glad that you have yet to lose your kind hearts. You can start by locating my daughter. Find her, get to know her, and please, protect her. You must protect the last Cetra."

"The last what?" blinked the Arc.

"Since you have accepted, take these with you."

The being made two small spheres appeared before they floated over towards the two teenagers. Ruby and Jaune caught them, and although they had no idea what they were, they appreciated the gift.

"Please, protect my daughter. These are special and you will use them in your dire of need. For the sake of the planet, Gaia… and for the sake of everyone living on it."

With that said, the bodies of the two Hunters suddenly started to vanish.

"Hey! You still haven't told us everything yet! How are we going to fit in this world when we don't know anything about it! No fair!" Ruby threw her hands into the air

"You will have to make time to learn and get adjusted. I pray you will find my daughter and the others."

"Others?" spoke Jaune.

Before she could answer, both were already gone, and the female being vanished into the life stream once more.

The fate of the planet was now in the hands of those children.

Chapter Text

[Location: Unknown]

[Planet: Gaia]

Jaune slowly opened his eyes realizing he was on something grassy.

Getting up, he discovered that he was laying over a little spot in a wrecked building that yellow and white flowers in a small patch of dirt in the room.

Ruby groaned before he noticed her next to him waking up. The Arc gazed around and took notice that they were inside of a building not like the old ones they saw earlier in the life stream. However, it was slightly different because this one was mostly made of wood, while the ones they saw in paradise were entirely made of stone.

Jaune saw that it had a lot of space, similar to a church or chapel he'd see back home, but it was broken down and a circular section where they sat showed the dirt and broken floorboards.

He then looked saw the spot of the flowers he was in again and looked up to see a hole in the roof where the moon light shined in.

Behind him was an altar on the end of the room with an organ and chair on the left corner. The blond was surprised by the sight of the instrument. It looked very old, at least compared to the one his mother used to have.

"Where do you think we are?" Ruby said as she stood up.

"This place looks like a church, I learned about them when my mother read me fairy tales. Churches are places where people will gather to worship the Brother Gods, a place to remind them of their faith and dedication towards their gods, and it's used to get married. However, this place looks to be abandoned. Maybe it been neglected because of a natural disaster. It could be scheduled for demolition too." Jaune rambled on to calm his nerves while turning to the petite reaper to see her wide eyed and awed as she looked around.

"I meant where we are in the world…I know what church is, Jaune." Ruby crossed her arms before saying, "My dad's a catholic."

"Oh, okay then… I haven't the faintest of clues," Jaune replied with a lackluster tone.

There was a short silence between them before they looked at each other and spoke in unison, "Do you think it was just a dream?"

"Which part?" The Arc followed up.

"Oh, you know, just that part about getting killed by Cinder and that glowing lady that tell us she will take us to her world to save it, find her daughter, and all that other stuff too!" Ruby bounced around while running her hands through her hair.

"I know what you mean. I wish both were all just a dream and we're still on Mantle, or Atlas, or anywhere on Remnant, but something tells me that's not the case," Jaune said while shrugging his shoulders.

"How are you so calm about this?!" Ruby said as she finally stood still.

"Oh, I'm not. I'm freaking out on the inside. But then again, I died, Ruby. What's there left for me be to lose my calm over?" Jaune replied as he leaned against a pillar and sighed.

"I guess you have a point." Ruby said before small crumbs of rubble from the roof nearly fell on her head.

"This place is pretty big and run down, huh?" the red reaper noticed the holes and cracks.

"Yeah, I noticed." Jaune said as he looked with her.

The sound of thunder echoed through the skies as it shortly started raining. Not wanting to get wet, the two teenagers left the area where the flowers grew, running under the sturdiest part of the building they could find to get some cover.

They stopped near one of the glass windows with a nice decorative painting of the city they were most likely in. Almost as if it was put there to mock them, the two realized that they had never seen a place like that before on Remnant. The buildings, architecture, and layout of their streets, everything was different from what they knew.

"I guess this means it was real." Jaune said as he shook his head, getting the rain off of him.

"Yeah… I guess so." Ruby put her head on Jaune's shoulder and watched the rain fall outside the window.

The Huntsman and the Huntress stood silent for a few minutes, just taking it all in while the thunder roared and the rain picked up pace.

"At least we still have our weapons. We even have our Scrolls... though, we can't use them without the CCT we can still use them as cameras and play the offline games on them. I guess it wouldn't be fair for us to be sent to another world to save it without them." Ruby commented.

"About that, what do we do when we run out of Dust?"

"Shit…" Ruby sighed before covering her mouth.

"Ruby… did you just curse?" Jaune looked surprised.

"I... no! I'm just worried about the health of my baby." Ruby looked away before holding her Crescent Rose.

Jaune laughed, which in turn caused Ruby to chuckle as well. However, the laughter didn't last long before they both sighed with a depressed tone.

Even though they could see the glowing city through the windows, even with the painting of Midgar in front of them, it didn't feel real yet. Both of them were still coming to terms that they were dead moments before and now they were back, alive and kicking.

Jaune turned to where the rain was falling inside of the church and thought, 'It looks so beautiful. Is this really a new world?'

It sounded crazy, but after what they've seen, what they've experienced, there wasn't really any place for doubt left.

Jaune's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by soft sobs coming from the girl next to him.

Ruby had put on her hood and her head was hanging down, gazing at the ground while tear dripped onto the floorboards.

Thinking back on it, Jaune has never seen her with her hood up. He understood now that this was a sign that his only remaining friend was trying to hide her feelings, and he 100% sympathized with her current emotional state.

She was taking this whole event rather hard. Dying, being revived, learning about the Brother Gods whom Salem hated never cared about Remnant and then being sent to another world. It sounded like a fairy tale, a tale no one would ever believe. Yet here they were, in an unknown world without their friends or family to comfort them ever again.

"Just what have we gotten ourselves into?" Jaune sighed. He couldn't stand it seeing quirky and excitable Ruby like this. He knew her best as a joyful person, cheery full of life.

But now, it's like she was broken, depressed, and losing the spark that made her the Ruby Rose he knows and loves. Though, he couldn't blame her. Jaune was feeling the same string of emotions plaguing his thoughts.

He wanted to run away from it all as well, but he'll be damn if he lets her go through this alone. Ruby was still his friend and someone very important to him, and Arcs will always be there for their friends.

Jaune hand reached out to her and held her hands in his own before calling out to her, "Ruby?"

She didn't answer or react to his touch, but she slowly stopped sobbing and tried to reign in her emotions.

Jaune knew very well what she was doing. The petite reaper has always put a strong front so that no one will be able to tell how she was feeling. It may have worked in the past, but not anymore.

Yang could always see through her, and so does he.

'Must be a sibling thing.' Jaune thought before pulling her into another hug.

Ruby's eyes widened a bit of blush was on her face before she realized what Jaune was doing and hugged back.

"*sniff*… I'm sorry, Jaune… I must look like a wreck." Ruby sniffled.

"It's okay... You can cry if you want to. You don't have to pretend like everything's fine. I know you're hurting, and I am too. If you're sad then let it out." Jaune said.

"I'm a horrible person." She whispered while leaning her forehead against his chest piece.

"What are you talking about?" Jaune nearly shouted with his eyes widened in surprise.

Ruby did her best to stifle her tears as she said, "I'm talking about me, Jaune. I'm a terrible person. I'm a bad Huntress, a bad leader, a bad everything. I chose not to tell Ironwood about Salem's immortality and kept it a secret. Yang was right, I'm no better than Ozpin. If I had only told him instead of lying... *hic*... would've never gone against us. We wouldn't have had to fight the Ace-Ops. We wouldn't be wanted by the Military. We wouldn't have been attacked by Salem... and… We… wouldn't have died."

"Ruby—" Jaune was about to tell he how wrong she was when the reaper cut him off again.

"Why couldn't have I been a better Huntress. I just wanted to be a hero and strong like my mom—"

"Ruby," Jaune called out again.

"I failed everyone. Ozpin should have never let me skip two years—"

"RUBY!" Jaune shouted rather loudly.

The red cloak petite raised her head from his chest while the thunder flashed, lighting up her face, and allowing Jaune get a better look at her.

Her eyes were filled with tears and running down her face like small waterfalls. It was a very rare sight to see. In Jaune's eyes, Ruby was always one of the strongest persons he knew. She was smart and always tried to look on the brighter sides of things, but seeing this broken state she was in, it changed his opinion of her by just a bit.

It made him feel a bit upset that he thought Ruby was completely different from other girls. He used to think that she was built for this kind of stuff. Jaune couldn't help but shake his head while thinking, 'I guess even Ruby has her breaking point. I shouldn't have put so much on her shoulders. I should have helped her carry more the burden.'

Suddenly, Jaune reached out to her hood before pulling it down with one swift motion. He then placed his hands on her cheeks and wiped away her tears with his thumbs while saying, "It wasn't your fault. We all chose to follow your lead of our free will. We thought we were doing the right thing at the time. We felt the same then and feel the same now. We all thought that Ironwood might change after hearing the news and might even do something crazy. We're human, Ruby. So, you can't blame yourself for a mistake that we all made. Heck, everyone in our ragtag group has a long list of wrong choices, for example, me lying my way into Beacon, not telling Ironwood about Yang and Blake informing Robyn about the communications tower, or Blake running from her issues, or Nora learning explosions aren't always the best choice, even Ren needed to snap out of his Sloth-like moods at Beacon. Point is, we're not perfect, Rubes, we're bound to make mistakes."

"But…" Ruby tried to say something, but this time, it was Jaune's turn to cut her off.

"Even if you have done the ‘right thing’, it wouldn't have changed anything. Watts and Tyrian would have made their move, Cinder and Salem too. We weren't just ready for it all, we weren't experienced enough. It was just like the Fall of Beacon all over again."

"But you and I… If not for me, we wouldn't have had to…"

Jaune shook his head and wrapped his arms around her back before saying, "Shhh… I told you before, I chose to try and protect you. It was my choice, Ruby. I put my life on the line for you as I'm sure any other our friends would do the same for us."

"You... big... dum-dum," Ruby shook her head as she continued to sob into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Rubes. I never wanted you to blame yourself for my reckless actions. It's just… I needed to do something, anything instead of watching a friend die. I didn't want to lose you."

"I didn't want to lose you either. You shouldn't treat your life like it's not precious, Jaune, because it is. Ren and Nora will never forgive me." Ruby banged her hands against his chest plate.

Hearing that, Jaune felt himself choking up before he said, "I know that we both died, but like I've told you before, I don't regret it. Ren and Nora will understand. We're both hurt that we won't see our friends and families again. I won't lie to you, Ruby. This is not going to be easy. Living in a whole new world away from our loved ones, it might even be the biggest challenge of our lives. So... for starters, I don't want to hear you calling yourself a horrible person, ever again. I know for a fact that you're the opposite of that."

"By now... Atlas and Mantle are gone, and everyone else on Vacuo, they're…" Ruby released more tears.

"I know..." Jaune couldn't take it anymore. The emotions he was trying to repress came to the surface as he began shedding tears.

Jaune pulled her softly into his arms, letting her cry her heart out. He joined her and let their tears flow, only for them to be disguised by the thunder and the rain pelting against the windows.

Their emotional moment was cut short as suddenly many ghost-like things appeared, surrounding the two in a swarm pattern.

The Arc broke the embrace as both were now staring at cloaked beings flying around. Although they looked like ghosts, after everything they have seen during their stay in Remnant, these guys didn't surprise them at all.

The only issue they had was that there were so many of them, and although it looked like they were flying all over the place, there was an intelligence to their movements that they weren't used to. Almost as if they were following a flow or rhythm.

The Hunters got up while taking their weapons out. However, the ghosts didn't seem to react to their provocations.

It was pretty clear for the two Hunters to see that these things were after them for some reason, and the strange specters weren't planning on leaving them in peace anytime soon.

Feeling the frustration had long since passed its peak, the Red Reaper and the Blond Knight charged towards a ghost and struck out.

Ruby's scythe went right through one of them, and the same happened with the Arc's sword.

"THEY REALLY ARE GHOSTS!" Ruby shouted as she noticed that even if they kept on attacking, the strange specters would vanish only reappear seconds later with more of them by their sides.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Ruby shouted as she hacked through dozens of them with Crescent Rose.

"I think we should leave. We're obviously not welcome here!" Jaune said as he rammed his shield through one of them and stabbed through another.

While they continued their attacks, Jaune changed his weapon to great sword mode and started slashing the hooded specters with incredible power and accuracy.

Ruby used her semblance and started spinning her scythe while moving and shooting with intense bursts of speed.

When she landed back on the ground and pointed her rifle into the air, Ruby noticed that they were all gone.

Both Hunters were clueless to what was going on. The specters just vanished without a warning, and they didn't seem to be coming back.

The seconds and minutes went by, yet there was still no sign of them.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"They left." Jaune replied while sheathing his sword.

"That's it! I've seen enough strangeness for one day. I'm tired!" said Ruby as she threw her butt against one of the benches.

"Yeah, I'm with you there, Rubes. We should get some rest. We can think about this other world's craziness later." the Arc agreed, deciding to leave the topic of those ghosts for another time. He sat down beside her and tried to close his eyes and clear his head.

Hours had passed and the rain stopped as the rays of the sun were passing through the hole in the church, illuminating the flowerbed bellow. It was also reflected in the windows as some small rays hit the two teenagers.

They were sleeping in the same place they sat the previous night. Jaune didn't realize that Ruby had her head leaning on his shoulder, and that she was sleeping peacefully beside him.

The small blotch of light coming through the stained glass hit the Arc's face, stirring him from his sleep seconds before he heard soft footsteps approaching from not that far away.

For a moment, Jaune thought he was dreaming, but the sounds of the footsteps were getting louder by the second.

Then, when they reached the peak of their volume, the footsteps just stopped.

Jaune slowly opened his eyes, and he was surprised that there was a young woman in front of him staring at the both of them with curious eyes.

The blond jumped from the startle he was given, letting out a frightened yelp that made the stranger yell at the same time. The noise of their screams woke the red cloak girl in the process.

"Huh? Wha? Are we under attack?" Ruby said while grabbing her weapon before she tripped over her own feet.

Jaune was breathing heavily when the silver eyed petite noticed the new person in the church. It was a young woman looking in her early twenties. She had long brown hair tied on a long braid with a pink ribbon, and emerald eyes that gleamed with bright light. She was wearing a red silk jacket with a pink silk dress that reached below her knees, knee high brown boots, and gold bracelets on both her hands.

They almost missed that she was holding a brown basket filled with yellow and white flowers.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you!" The woman held her hands out with a worried expression on her face.

"You just stood there staring. Maybe I over reacted, sorry." Jaune sighed as he sat back down.

"I'm just happy it wasn't those creepy ghost thingies again." Ruby said with a look of respite.

"Ghost thingies?" the brunette stood in thought.

"We've… had a rough night." said the Arc, knowing that that was a massive understatement.

"It's okay! I should have said something instead of staring. I was just surprised to see people here of all places. Nobody comes here except me."

"And where is this place?" asked the blond.

"This is an old church in the Sector 5 slums. It's been abandoned for a long time. I usually only come here to harvest the flowers over there." the young florist said as she gave a gentle smile.

The Arc and the reaper looked at each other. They never heard of this Sector 5, and then it hit them again, they were really in another world.

"Sector 5?" asked the silver-eyed girl as she stretched out her limbs and let her Aura heal her soreness.

"Yeah, Sector 5. You know, it's where we are right now."

"And where is this Sector 5?" asked the Arc while cracking his neck and rotating his arms to limber up.

"In Midgar." the brunette florist gave a look like she thought these two were clueless.

"Er… we don't know much about this place." Jaune said while holding up a finger.

" I see, you must be new to Midgar. Did you guys come from another town or city?"

"Yeah, you can say that." said the blond while he gave a nervous expression.

"I'm Ruby, nice to meet you!" Ruby hopped over and shook the florist's hand.

"I'm Jaune. Sorry for freaking out like that." Jaune held out his hand, making the florist use both hands to shake the newcomers.

"Dilly-Dally Shilly-Shally, I'm the one who startled you, you don't need apologize for anything. I'm Aerith by the way. I'm a florist, so I sell the flowers that grow here." the brunette smiled at the two as the Hunters dropped their hands from the shake.

"That's nice." the blond smiled while thinking that it should've been obvious based on the basket full of flowers she was carrying.

A huge grumbling roar was heard as Ruby grabbed her gut and blushed while chuckling nervously.

Jaune's sweat dropped off his brow, but he couldn't blame her after everything they've been through. They didn't eat before the mission on Remnant, and it has been almost 14 hours since they last tasted food. Since he was just as hungry, Jaune thought it was only natural that Ruby was also starving.

"Someone's a little hungry." Aerith chuckled softly as she put her hand over her mouth.

"I need some grub, where's the near restaurant?" Ruby groaned.

"I do know a couple of places here, and they have nice prices too." Aerith informed as she let a few louder giggles.

"How much Lien will it cost?" Jaune asked while pulling out his wallet.

"What? Lien…?" Aerith scratched her head.

"I'm sure Lien is worthless in this world." the reaper whispered to Jaune.

"Oh right… what I meant to say is money. I hope it's not that expensive." Jaune chuckled while rubbing the back of his head.

"They won't charge you much Gil if I go with you." Aerith smiled.

"You would do that? I mean… You don't have to." Ruby said while they both realized that the money is called Gil.

"No problem. I just got back from the city, and although I haven't made much progress in my business ventures, I have enough Gil to at least buy you two something to eat." Aerith informed with a confident smile.

Hearing that Gil is the name of the money from this world, it was once again confirmed they weren't on Remnant anymore and that they didn't have a way to repay the nice lady.

Still, they were more than hungry, so they swallowed their pride and agreed take the flower girl up on her kind offer.

[Location: Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

After agreeing to being treated to a meal, the trio left the church and started walking the streets of the Sector 5 slums.

Jaune and Ruby were in awe, but not in a good way. They were in the slums, and everywhere they looked they saw things that proved that was exactly where they were.

Old buildings, old houses, many places abandoned, dirty and worn out. The whole area could use a serious makeover.

It was first time they were seeing such a poor sight, not even Grimm attacked villages looked this bad, heck they were sure that Vale looked better this place, even after the fall.

Their opinion of the place improved a bit when they saw the people wearing decent clothes at, some of the kids even had bicycles.

Since they saw the electric poles, it was clear that they must have power, communications, television, and radios.

Jaune guessed that they even had some source of viable fuel when they spotted a couple of cars passing by.

"This world isn't that far behind compared to Remnant's technology still…" Jaune commented before Ruby finished, "Yeah… the tech from Remnant was still a bit superior, especially if we compare this world's technology with the stuff we saw in Atlas."

The duo shared their opinion. However, the most impressive thing so far has to be what was above them.

It's like there was a giant plate over hanging over their heads, and as it turned out, that's exactly what was it.

The two Hunters gasped when they heard there was an entire city above them that was countless times more advanced than the slums below.

When the duo from another world reached a small restaurant, Aerith led them inside with a cheerful smile.

The interior was just a shoddy as everything else they've seen thus far, though at least it was clean.

They kept their comments to themselves and got seated without so much as a complaint. While they waited for a waitress, their stomachs growled like a starving lion's roar. The two Hunters couldn't help but real back in shame.

Jaune was more fretting over the fact their Lien was useless here and that they are now broker than broke. Heck, they might as well admit to being homeless, because that was what they were, homeless and penniless, or rather Gil-less to be more accurate.

The people at the place obviously knew the florist as they brought the menus. Both teenagers ordered the least expensive dish not wanting to act selfish towards the brunette.

For a couple of minutes, they chatted about Midgar when they were brought a hot meal that was placed in front of them. It was a meat and potato stew that made their mouth water before taking a spoonful to shove in their mouths.

Aerith smiled as she watched them scarfing down the meal and dipping the bread sticks before inhaling them like a drink. She could help but think, 'Yep! I was right about them. They were pretty hungry, must have been starving.'

Deep down, Aerith could tell there was something more than off about them, even if she just met them, it was pretty clear for her to get the idea they weren't from anywhere around here.

The first thing the florist noticed was that their clothes were quite unique, especially Ruby's. The same could be said about their weapons.

Jaune looked like a knight from those ancient legends her mother told her about, but for the love of Gaia, that hair, it was bad. It was like his hair couldn't decide whether it was trying to be a yellow bonfire or a head full of bananas.

The pink schemed florist did her best not to laugh as her eyes kept glancing over at the banana head. She will definitely have to tell him sooner or later that he needed to change it, immediately.

After the duo finished eating everything on the table, they were full as can be. The food really hit the spot and they were both feeling much better since they didn't feel like their stomachs didn't feel like a thunderstorm was brewing inside them.

Still, they were feeling uncomfortable that the brunette had to pay for their meal. It wasn't fair that she should spend what little Gil she earns on two complete strangers.

While the Arc wallowed in self-guilt, he saw the sign on a metal wall and mumbled the words to himself, "SHINRA ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY."

"Thanks Aerith, we really needed that, you're the best." said the red cloak petite with a jubilant smile on her face.

"No problem. I'd feel bad if I let you two starve to death." Aerith chuckled as she sat down the money for the meal.

'She's so kind. A girl like this is too good to be true.' Jaune thought while mentally shedding tears.

"So, you live around here?" The Arc decided to change the topic.

"Yeah, my house is a little further away from the slums. Do you two have a place to stay in mind?"

Both the Huntsman and Huntress looked at each other and sighed. They didn't. They just arrived at this world and were completely clueless about everything. They needed knowledge and understanding before they can truly say they have adjusted.

"The glowing lady should have us more about this place before sending us here." Ruby's cheeks puffed up.

"Are there any hotels here?" Jaune asked.

"Inns? Yeah. There are three and the price is good. But it won't work since you two don't have a single Gil to your names." Aerith replied.

"True." both sighed mentally.

"You guys should try getting some jobs. It's not that hard to find something to do here. Do you have any talents?" Aerith asked.

"Of course we do." Ruby smiled before holding up her fists and swinging a couple of times before saying, "We can fight, and we're very good at it."

Without blinking, Ruby took her weapon from her back and transformed it from compact mode to scythe mode as she announced, "This is my baby, Crescent Rose! It's a scythe that is also a gun."

"Wow! I've... Never seen anything like it," The florist commented in awe while staring at the red and black weapon.

"Yep, it's a two in one weapon. I built it myself." The red reaper proudly declared as she finally seemed to have perked up a bit.

"Mine isn't that special," Jaune unsheathed the broken Crocea Mors "the only thing special is the sheath that turns into a shield. The shield is pretty good too, it can make light constructs, but… the fuel is limited."

"Don't forget big sword mode, show her!" the silver eyed girl squealed in excitement. It was clear to see talking about her favorite subject was finally letting her calm down.

"Oh, right, almost forgot about that." Jaune chuckled while rubbing the back of his head.

He actually forgot.

As he changed to great sword mode, Jaune smiled and said, "There, my attacks are stronger when it's in this form but a little heavy. Though, I've already gotten used to the weight."

"It's still impressive." For a second there, since he was lifting the greatsword without any effort, Aerith thought the blond was a SOLDIER, but she shrugged it off when she saw that he didn't have the same eyes SOLDIERs get after being infused with Mako.

"Well, I guess you two already have an answer to finding some good jobs. If you have fighting experience, then I'm sure you can become mercenaries. You can also do certain jobs requested by the people and get paid in return." Aerith listed off as she held the tip of her finger on her chin.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," The red cloak girl nodded her head. She like the sound of that, using their abilities to ear Gil it wasn't any different from being a Huntsman to earn Lien.

"Guess it's worth a shot." the Arc smiled while and threw his hands behind his head before saying, "Well, that was one problem solved."

'Now if only we can find that glowy lady's daughter.' Jaune thought as he remembered that they're supposed to find and protect her, but there was just on issue, neither of them knows who she is or where to even begin looking for her.

"Say Ruby, Jaune would you like to come to my house? I have to pick up something, I promise it won't take long." The brunette asked as she gave one of her infectious and sweetly gentle smiles.

"We don't see a problem with that." Ruby replied while she turned to the blond to see him nodding.

"Not like we have any better place to be, not in a hurry either." Jaune replied.

True to her words, Aerith's house was pretty far from the slums and the crowds.

After walking for twenty minutes or so, they crossed a wooden bridge made from wooden planks. When they saw the environment of Aerith's house, the two Hunters gasped in shock.

There was a beautiful waterfall with some green life along with pieces of metal cylinders protruding from the ground and around the river. They were obviously for pumping water.

Compared to the rest of Sector 5 slums, this place was the only area the two had seen with such bountiful nature. There was green grass, healthy soil, and and even flowers with different colors asides the ones from they saw in the church.

The house was small but it was definitely the prettiest one they've seen since they got here. It had a triangular shape roof and windows. Really nice, it suited a young lady like the brunette. Just before they could get any closer to the house the florist stopped on her tracks facing them.

"I think we should talk before you meet my mother." Aerith still she kept her usual expression, "You two aren't from here, are you?"

"We already told you, we're from out of town." replied Jaune.

"No. You're not from Midgar or even Wutai. Just, where are you from?"

The two teens turned to the other, so much for keeping it a secret. Not like they were making the effort to begin with. They've only been in this world for like a few hours.

"I don't think you will believe us, even if we told you the truth." said Ruby with a depressed expression.

"Try me." Aerith smiled confidently.

The red cloak girl nodded as she decided to tell her everything, and she meant everything. Ruby spoke about her life in Patch with her older sister, father, and pet dog. Then she went on about Remnant, Beacon, Huntsmen and Huntresses, the Grimm, Salem, the four maidens, and the four relics.

The silver eyed reaper made sure not to miss any details. Throughout the whole thing, Aerith's expression was on of fasciation and wonder, even Jaune was surprised at the speed in which Ruby was telling her entire life story up to the point when they arrived at Atlas.

When she was done, the two-toned haired petite needed to catch her breath, and panted heavily while waiting to hear the florist's reaction.

Aerith stood in deep thought before a smile her features.

"I believe you." Aerith told them.

"Say whaaaat?" they said in unison.

"You have no reason to lie to me, you had no idea what Midgar was, and you didn't even know what Gil is. I bet you don't know about Mako, or the Lifestream either."

"The person that brought us here mentioned Mako, but you're right, we pretty much don't have a clue about any of that stuff." said the Arc with a depressed expression.

"So… How did you two get here? You said that you both died during a tough battle, but that doesn't explain how you ended up on Gaia."

"I was about to get to that part. We suddenly woke up in this pretty place filled with flowers and grass, trees similar to here, ooh and some old buildings that looked like ancient ruins." said the young reaper with her usual pip.

The brunette reacted but stood in thought having a feeling what could it be, or who.

"The only reason we were brought to this world is because this person or being told us to save the planet. That it was on the brink of extinction, and that we were the only ones that can do it." Jaune said while scratching his head.

Aerith's eyes widened upon hearing that, "The planet wants you two alone to save it?"

"No, she said that there's supposed to be others. I know it's so confusing, but please bear with us, we're still trying to get used to the fact that we died one minute and then suddenly found ourselves back here, living in another world." Jaune replied while shaking his head.

"Sooo… The will of the planet brought you to Midgar?" Aerith's interest was piqued.

"That's what she told us." Ruby replied.

"Ruby, remember what she gave us?" said the blond Huntsman while he pulled out a red orb.

"Oh yeah." Ruby slapped her forehead before doing the same.

Aerith stood in thought as the two teens have taken something from their pouches. Small Mako Spheres glowed radiantly, but it seems they weren't active yet.

"Materia."

Both blinked another thing they didn't know.

"These are might be Summoning Materias. It is very helpful during battle, but there are different. There're smaller than the usual ones." Aerith explained as she pointed at them.

"Okay." Jaune sweat dropped things can't possibly get more confusing.

"Since you told me everything about you two and your world, I will do the same. I will tell you everything you need to know. But first, can you tell me who this glowy person was that showed up after you died?"

"We don't know because she was covered in light." said Jaune while he put his hands on his hips and hung his head.

"She was way too bright… no pun intended. She also told us something else asides saving the planet." followed the red cloak petite.

"To find and protect her daughter, something like she's the last Ce... Cedan, is that it?" Jaune scratched his head.

"No, no silly you got it wrong. It's Centaur," Ruby put her hands on her hips and let out a proud, "HMPH!"

"I don't think that's it either." A sweat dropped down Jaune's brow.

"I think you mean, Cetra. It's that is the original name given to the Ancients. I will tell you all about it later." Aerith informed while she smiled.

She knew perfectly well who it was that sent Ruby and Jaune to her. Even in death, her mother was still watching over her and attempting to protect her.

'So, mom, no, the will of the planet sent these two to help me. But this turn of events will surely complicate things. With Jaune and Ruby's presence the future has become uncertain.' Aerith pondered as she looked over her new little guardians.

Whatever was in store for her, Aerith wanted to see it through.

"It was the will of the planet of our meeting, it was fate. I can help you find the Last Cetra or the Last Ancient." Aerith stated.

"Really? That's great who is it?" The Hunters asked in unison.

"That will be me." Aerith smiled while pointing to her face.

Both blinked rapidly.

Realizing that they have already found the person they were supposed to protect that was quick and easy, they looked at each other and said, "Oh."

Chapter Text

[Location: The Entrance of Aerith's house, Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Ruby and Jaune were still standing in the same spot, both wearing the same shocked expressions from what they just heard.

Well, it wasn't every day they die, get revived, and then sent to another world to be saviors.

They were currently trying to cope with the cold hard truth that they will never return to Remnant or see their friends and families again.

It still felt like everything was a bad dream, and yet, here they were, in Midgar, given the task to save the planet.

Save the planet from who or what, they didn't know, but they were also asked to find her daughter the last Cetra and protect her, and if that was their mission, than they would see to the end.

Aerith, the lovely pink-themed florist they had met recently, just finished telling them that the Cetra was the original name given to the Ancients.

They obviously didn't know what that meant, and that brief amount information didn't give them much to go on. Even after hearing that many of the fairy tales from their world were true, the one Aerith told them takes the cake.

That wasn't all, the young florist figured out they weren't from this world and Ruby told her everything, which led to her revealing the truth. That Aerith was the last Ancient that they're supposed to find and protect.

Aerith smiled at the two teenagers shocked expressions. She just met them, but for some reason, she felt as if she had known for a long time.

Ruby was a bouncing ball of energy, happy and sweet, so Aerith knew that she'd get along with her easily. Jaune was the same, except he was a bit less energetic and slightly dorkier.

'Both of them have been through so much already.' Aerith murmured with sorrow in her eyes. However, she didn't know that they gave her the abridged version and that the full story was even worse than what she imagined.

'Yet… they still have the strength to go on. To live in this world with only each other to rely on and to try to put their pasts behind them and move ahead. It takes a lot of courage.' Aerith thought as her expression became softer.

She could tell they were hurting inside, away from their loved ones, from their home, and stranded in an unknown world unfamiliar to them. Now they were caught in this mess that still hasn't taken shape. The events that were to come have already been set in motion. The real question was, how long did they have?

It can take weeks months or years. The Ancient didn't know it, but she was clear that the future has been changed with the arrival of these two off-worlders.

The future she once saw was no longer set in stone. However, it was yet to be known if that was a good or bad thing.

"I'm very lucky to have two bodyguards. One is plenty but I get two, I'll take it." Aerith said as she patted her hands on their shoulders.

"Bodyguards?" blinked Jaune.

"Well, we are supposed to look after her as part of the whole save this world thingy." replied Ruby.

"You two have a lot to learn if you want to adjust to life in Midgar. Do you guys even know where you're going to be living?" Aerith asked with her now trademarked smile.

Both teenagers were scratching the back of their heads with expressions of shame on their faces.

Aerith told them there are inns places to stay but neither of them have Gil, so it's out of the question. The money from their world is pretty much worthless here.

"I don't think my mother will have a problem with letting you two stay for the night." Aerith stated.

"Really?" Ruby smiled with stars shining in her eyes.

"You might be able to stay for a couple of days. Or at least until you guys find a job that will help you earn money to rent an apartment or an inn. Earning a living shouldn't be too hard as long as you know how to fight." Aerith said.

"Are you suggesting we become mercenaries?" Jaune asked before stood in thinking posture.

'Yeah, that makes sense. It's the most obvious choice for strays like us.' Jaune titled his head. He knew there were mercenaries in Remnant, and that sometimes they got paid more than actual Huntsman. With this, they could solve their homeless problem was easy.

Aerith too was deep thought. She was having trouble deciding whether she should tell Elmyra the truth concerning these two.

Worse yet, how do you explain that they were sent to Midgar by her deceased biological mother to protect her?

Her adopted parent loves her very much, almost as if Aerith was her own child, but Elmyra knows about Shinra's motives. She was afraid her mother would think they were undercover agents or something.

Aerith hated keeping secrets from her adoptive mother, not to mention she has never lied a day in her life. The florist wouldn't even know is she was a decent liar or not, so it was better not to risk it.

The only thing she should do right now is to do the right thing. Aerith will just tell her mother and be done with this whole ordeal.

Besides, Elmyra would never turn down the chance to help some good people. No longer needing to think about it anymore, Aerith looked at her new companions and smiled.

Ruby and Jaune weren't just her bodyguards but her friends now too. The pink-themed florist had a feeling that she would forge a strong friendship with the teenagers in the future, so she was looking forward to getting to know more about them.

"Well, let's go inside and meet my mom." Aerith chuckled and sped up a bit.

The Arc and the Rose followed the young woman climbing the small wooden staircase as she opened one of the double doors of the front.

As soon as they entered, the Hunters from another world were in awe of their surroundings. The interior was as beautiful as the outside. There was a wooden dining table for three people, some flowers in a pot, another non holographic screen, a mirror among other decorations like paintings, and a lit chandelier above their heads.

An older woman looking to be in her mid-forties came down from the stairs and noticed the two Hunters standing beside her daughter. Elmyra had golden blond hair that was tied on a bun, and grey-blue eyes. She was wearing an apron, green blouse with short sleeves around the elbows, and long brown boots that stopped around a foot or so below her knees.

The two Huntsmen already knew that she wasn't Aerith's real mother since they met the real one in the shortly after dying. However, form observing the environment, they could tell that Elmyra had taken good care of the florist and treated the Cetra as if she were her own child.

"Sweetie, you're earlier than usual. No luck today?" Elmyra called out.

"It's one of those days, mom, but enough of that negativity. I want you to meet Ruby and Jaune, my new friends. New friends, this is Elmyra, my mom."

"Nice to meet you!" greeted the red cloak girl while shaking Elmyra's hands.

Jaune followed up and shook her hand before saying, "It's really nice to meet you. You raised one heck of a daughter. She's so kind and caring. Aerith has already done so much for us. Like treating us to some food—"

"No don't!" shouted the florist too late.

"Aerith!" Elmyra crossed her arms and gave a frown that showed she wasn't too happy, "You bought them food? Young lady, you know very well we shouldn't spend what little Gil we're making from our business."

"I didn't spend that much, honest, and they were so hungry I couldn't just let them starve," Aerith said in her defense.

Elmyra sighed while shaking her head and said, "Always thinking with your heart instead of your head. If they were that hungry, I could've made them something instead of you spending your hard earned wages. You should have brought them here sooner."

Jaune and Ruby chuckled nervously.

"Guess it was my fault for letting it slip," Jaune rubbed the back of his head.

Ruby nudged his foot with her boot before saying, "You think?"

The older woman took a long look at the two teenagers and thought, 'They seem like nice people.'

However, it surprised Elmyra to see a girl with silver eyes. She has never such eye color before.

The blond male had the appearance of a SOLDIER, but any thoughts she had that he could be one vanished when she noticed his eyes were normal. They didn't have the essence of Mako within them.

Elmyra was pretty sure that they weren't involved with Shinra or the Turks, and since they were in the clear, she thought that it was always nice that her daughter mad new friends.

"We're really sorry, Elmyra. We didn't mean to make your daughter buy us food," Ruby said with her best 'forgive me' puppy dog pout.

"That's right we promise we will pay the Gil back. Once we find a job, we'll let you know immediately," Jaune followed up.

"Quite the friends you have made," Elmyra smiled at the teenagers.

"Yeah" Aerith's expression changed, "There great, but mom… there's more you need to know. You better sit down for this one, it's a long story."

Elmyra took the tone in her daughter before nodding taking a seat. The pink-themed florist then told the two to sit as well since they were their guests.

After an hour the floral girl was able to tell her everything the teens told her all the way to the present time, including the part where her real mother was the one that sent them to this world as part of the will of the planet.

The older woman stood silent and in thought not expecting to hear something like this. Ruby and Jaune were waiting for the woman to start laughing or accuse her daughter of being a nut job.

No one would blame her for it either. It was ludicrous to believe such a crazy story, even they themselves still find it hard to believe, and they were the ones to experience it all.

Instead of doing what hey expected, Elmyra was still in thought, trying to process all of the information unloaded upon her.

"Here's hoping they don't have mental hospitals in Midgar or we might be joining the looney bin soon," Jaune commented earning a snicker from the silver-eyed petite.

"That's... Quite the tale. I never imagine it would be possible to have visitors from another world. But I suppose it's no stranger than listening to the voice of a planet," Elmyra said with a soft chuckle.

"You believe us?!" the Arc was shocked.

"Aerith would never lie to me. She's that good of a person, and I'm sure she's already told you she's an Ancient. She must trust you two a lot, but I guess it's to be expected if you two were sent here by her mother, even if she barely knows you both," Elmyra said with a gentle smile that resembled Aerith's.

"I want to help them get used to living in Sector 5. They have so much to learn about this world," Aerith replied with an excited expression.

"Thanks Aerith," smiled Ruby as she gave her a hug.

"Ooh…" Aerith was a little surprised before she closed her eyes and hugged back.

"Yeah, Ruby's a hugger," Jaune said with a grin on his face.

"If that's what you want, Aerith, I won't argue. Besides, if I told you no, you probably still help them without my permission anyway," Elmyra chuckled a bit.

Aerith giggled at her mother's comment because she knew that she right about her. "So, now that my mom knows about you two, I will tell you guys everything you need to know…Well, at least the most important stuff."

So now it was Aerith's turn to give a lesson about their world. She told the two teenagers about the planet Gaia, the Lifestream, Mako, Materia, how the Ancients use to control the Mako to create life and nature, and then came the story of the meteor that crashed on the Ancient's Promised Land two thousand years ago. It wiped out the majority of life, but some survived and continued to evolve into the beings they are today.

Aerith then proceeded to explain how the world changed and became more technologically advanced thanks to the Shinra Electric Power Company finding the way to harness the power of Mako to generate electricity for the people of Midgar.

It was a lot of information but necessary for them to know. Getting this history lesson was mandatory since they were visitors from another world. Ruby and Jaune were listening to every word she was saying with curious expressions.

The two didn't even notice that this was probably the most attention they've ever given to someone. Not even to Oobleck or Port whenever they were teaching or giving one of their speeches. It was a lot, but they did their best. When the pink-themed florist finished, they stood in thought looking at each other.

Remembering the words of the Ancient in the Promise Land, they focused on the fact that this world is on the brink of extinction. However, based on Aerith's explanation, it can be interpreted that it was probably already dying, and had been for a while now.

"Does it have to do with the Mako being extracted by the Shinra Company?" Jaune thought before coming to the conclusion that there could be a possible connection.

However, at the moment, there was too much to think about. What Aerith told them was really complicated. Definitely something they will have to get used to.

"So Midgar is the way it is thanks to this Shinra Company?" asked Ruby.

"It's the power of Mako that makes everything possible. From providing power, fuel, energy they would even use it on people. Midgar relies on Mako and the reactors that provide the electrical output."

"It kind of reminds me of Dust," Ruby tilted her head as she pondered what the differences were.

"They use that Mako stuff on people? You mentioned something about them being called soldiers, right? What's that about?" Jaune asked full of curiosity.

"Yes. They are an elite unit of strong fighters that work for Shinra exceeding in combat. Their bodies are infused with Mako, improving their strength, magic, and durability by several times a normal human's capabilities," Elmyra commented.

"And the Materia? Anyone can cast magic with them?" Ruby gushed since this was the part that she was really interested in. She used to think that only the four Maidens could have that kind of power, but if Aerith was being truthful, and Ruby believed that she was, that meant that even they could wield the forces of nature without Dust.

"Everything you told us sounds amazing and crazy at the same time. We'll do our best to adapt to this world. I still can't believe we can use magic, and to think, I thought Remnant's legends were insane," Jaune laughed happily for the first time in a while. He could get stronger, strong enough to protect what mattered most.

Jaune's eyes drifted to the Red Reaper's face before she looked back with a gentle smile that for some reason made Jaune's heart thump.

"Then how do we use these?!" the reaper took her different summoning Materia.

"I've been wondering the same thing" Jaune followed up.

"Hmm... Usually summoning works like any other type of Materia but these are far different. Like I said earlier, you just use it but these... They're dormant," said Aerith with a knowing expression.

"Dormant?" The Hunters said in unison.

"Summoning Materia brings out powerful creatures to aid you in battle, and the Materias are almost always active. But you have to wait a little while before they can be used. On top of that, after you use them, they'll help out and will disappear when the danger passes, or when you chose to dismiss them. After that, you will have to wait a while if you want to summon them again. Both of the Materia you have are dormant and different, if they are for summoning, you have to awaken them in order to use their power. To do that...the only thing I can think of is that you two will have to fight. When you're in combat or in a dire situation, the summons can sense it. I also don't know how long you will have to fight, sooo… sorry," Aerith put her hands together and gave a sympathetic bow.

"That's okay, it's no biggie. You told us enough," the silver eyed Huntress said. She was so eager to summon the creature that lies dormant within the small sphere. She almost couldn't take the suspense.

"I guess it wouldn't be fun if it was too easy" Jaune said before he gave a soft chuckle.

"I hope you guys understood everything and are able to make a living here with my lackluster explanation," Aerith said while tapping her head and sticking out her tongue.

"Seriously, it's all good. We know more than we did yesterday, and we'll learn more tomorrow," Jaune waved his hands in front of his face

"Ooh! I know what to do! If it's okay with you guys, I would like to give you a tour of Sector 5. There are many things you've missed on the way to my house," Aerith announced as she cheerfully clapped her hands in front of her face.

"That will be so cool. Thanks a lot, Aerith!" Ruby hugged her again. It was clear that the Huntress with two different hair colors already saw the young florist as a great friend.

"You're still doing so much for us Aerith. You have no idea how much this means to us," Jaune followed up while choking back his tears.

"Actually, Jaune… I have a little teensy-weensy suggestion for you," Aerith said while pinching her index finger and thumb together.

"Why do I feel like it's not something I want to hear?" Jaune scratched his head.

"You need to change that hair," Aerith chuckled before running her hand though the field of bananas.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Jaune asked. He sounded hurt as he gently removed her hand from his head.

"It makes you look like... well… how to say this… it just doesn't fit your cute face," Aerith announced, trying to use gentler words.

"More like it makes you look like a flaming dork that's obsessed with bananas," clarified Elmyra.

"MOM!" Aerith shouted with an embarrassed expression, "I was trying to be nice."

"You got to be blunt in situations like this, honey," Elmyra followed up.

"No way! I mean… I was told back home that this hair style really works for me," Jaune commented while remembering those thirsty moms back in Mantle, that and Nora told him he looks good as well.

"Yeah. I'm sorry but about that… you look like some set your hair on fire or planted bananas on your scalp," Ruby said while poking her fingers together.

"How can you say that to me, Ruby?! You told me I look great!" Jaune said with a shocked expression while turning to face the red cloak petite.

"Sorry, I lied. I only said that because I didn't want to hurt Nora's feelings, I know she was the one who cut it…" Ruby smiled nervously.

"Fine, I'll change it before we go," Jaune said while he hung his head down in shame and thought, 'Great just when I believed I was descent enough to attract the attention of the ladies… so much for being cool like Neptune.'

"Follow me, I'll give you a proper hair style," said the mother of the house.

"You should go. Mom is very good at giving haircuts, she has a lot of experience. After all, a lot of people in the slums come to her for help," The florist smiled and nudged her head over towards the sink.

"Okay." the Arc relented as he walked with Elmyra to the kitchen.

Both girls were staring as his slumped over form before they shared a laugh.

"This is turning out to be a fun day," Aerith thought as she stifled her chuckles.

"Aww… That was kind of mean. Now I feel bad," Ruby pouted.

"It's better to be honest than to lie about that. He really doesn't look good with that haircut."

"My friend Nora thought it was a good idea to give him something new just to get the attention of the girls. I think he pulled it off, back in our world at least."

"He won't here. Well... some girls might go for that thing, but it just looks like it was done haphazardly. Like they didn't think about what they were cutting and just went nuts."

"That's Nora, she was always kind of… chaotic," Ruby chuckled.

"Don't worry, when my mom is done with him, he'll be able to attract more than a few ladies," Aerith boasted both her mother's skill and her ability to spot a hottie.

Ruby just shrugged her shoulders. She didn't really know too much about that courting stuff. The whole guy/girl thing wasn't her forte. So Ruby was pretty clueless when it came to liking someone and romantic feelings, especially her own.

She didn't even notice that Aerith was staring at her with a suggestive smile.

'What is it about these two being together-together that makes me feel so happy? Well, happier than usual…' Aerith chuckled mentally.

After leaving the house, the florist led the two back to the slums. Jaune's hair style changed back to his usual cut he wore at Beacon, but much shorter and kind of spikey.

When asked what he and Elmyra chatted about when she was cutting and styling his hair, the blond responding by saying, "I don't want to talk about it!"

Elmyra gave him her honest advice. She told him to try and let it grow out, and that he'd look good with longer hair.

So, the Arc took it to heart. Besides, they were in new world, he had new hair style, so Jaune thought that he would do his best to remain positive.

The first part of the tour was a building near the path that leads to Aerith's house.

It was another nice wooden building as the young woman told them it's an orphanage home to many kids. It was also a school where they will receive some education to a certain degree.

Aerith wanted to introduce her new friends to Ms. Folia but it seems she was busy giving classes. They would have to come back another time since it would be rude to disturb her.

"Shame." Aerith said before thinking, 'Well, there are still more places I can show them. Right, I should make sure they are familiar with the whole area.'

The children's secret hideout was an easy find. Well, at least the front of it was. No grown-ups were allowed as stated by one the kids guarding the entrance.

The under-city station was where people take the train to get to the main city above the slums. The scrapyard where Ruby's eyes sparkled at all the different metals she had never seen before, the church where she first met them, the public cemetery, and lots of other places that took almost the whole day to tour.

When the sun started to set, Aerith smiled happily at her job well done as she thought, 'That's about all I can show them, everywhere else has monsters roaming around.'

Lastly, she took them to the shopping district. The items which caught the short teenager's attention were the Materia and weapon shop.

The shop signs alone made Ruby's eyes sparkle. She was beyond interested in the weapons in this world as well as the Materia that lets her cast freaking magic.

"Maybe I can come up with some ideas to give Crescent Rose and Crocea Mors an upgrade. Ooh, I should defiantly create Materia slots. Aerith said that Materia can be put on weapons and armor, giving the user the abilities to use magic. OOoh! It's going to be so cool!"

Her elated emotions quickly deflated as she realized that in order to do that, they needed Gil, and to earn money, they needed to get a job.

The red cloak girl was staring at the many types of weapons on display with twinkles of desire in her eyes.

She knew that they didn't have the money to purchase anything at the moment, but that couldn't stop her from thinking of buying parts and tools to maybe make something better than the models on the stands.

The possibilities were endless for the little red reaper. Her imagination was running wild as she hoped around from weapon to weapon, inspecting them to the best of her abilities.

Jaune just smiled at the girl while thinking, 'She'll never change, always the weapons maniac, Rose.'

Jaune was happy watching her make so many expressions. After what she's been through, it's better if she stays the same.

The harrowing experiences she went through is enough to traumatize anyone for the rest of their natural or unnatural born lives.

Though, it wasn't just Ruby. Jaune knew it wasn't going to be easy to be living in this world just the two of them, especially with the psychological baggage they were carrying around.

Without any of their friends from their world, they weren't sure how they could cope with the loss. However, they were given this second chance, so they weren't going to waste it.

First, they needed a job and to start rebuilding their life before moving on to the mission they were assigned.

"At least we found the person we need to protect. I rather like this lady. I think we're going to be good friends," Jaune said while nodding his head.

"Can't buy it, but nothing can stop a girl from window shopping, eh Ruby? So, what do you think of our world's weapons?" Aerith asked as she smiled at the silver eyed girl.

"Oh yeah, the weapons here look freaking awesome, and I wouldn't mind buying one of those rifles," Ruby replied as her entire face was pressed against the window display.

"You're only torturing yourself, Rubes. You know we don't have any Gil on us," said Jaune as he patted her shoulder with a sympathetic look.

"For now," Ruby smiled and tapped her fingers against each other while her hands made a pyramid.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better. I think I know what to do about our homeless situation. Since our skills revolve around being heroes, I figured that being a mercenary is a good idea. However, I thought that a merc who only fights won't make us very much. So, asides from fighting monsters, we could do all kinds of jobs. Like cleaning, painting, fixing houses, searching for missing people or animals, scavenging, planting seeds for flowers, all kinds of works that will help the people around us while filling our pockets."

"I get it, an Odd Jobs company. From slaying monsters to helping kittens out of the trees! I like the idea, Jaune," the red cloak girl said with a cheerful sway.

She was more excited about the scavenging part. Her mind couldn't help but drift to thinking that maybe she could find parts for weapons, there is a scrapyard here after all.

"Instead of plain old mercenaries, we'll be a Jack of all Trades. We'll do just about anything for a small amount of money, of course that's only if it doesn't go against our morals. It our prices have to be cheap at first since we're new in this business. But once we're well known, and have a good enough reputation, we can discuss increase in Gil for each job," Jaune said as he planned it all out.

"That seems like a good idea," said the florist with a radiant smile.

"I like it too. Good going brainy Jaune," Ruby chuckled.

"Sounds like a company I could invest in," The three turned to the owner of the new voice approaching them. It was an older woman looking in her late fifties to early sixties with white hair and dark eyes. She was wearing a semi-round hat with goggles and the usual attire the people of the slums would wear.

To be honest, she looked like someone who would be searching the trash in order to find food.

Jaune and Ruby knew this place was for the poor, but based on what she was wearing, they were starting to understand just how poor the people living in the Slums were. The Hunters now understood that the people here could barely sustain themselves with what little they have or on what they little they can earn.

That's why it will become their job to help them in exchange for some profit or reputation. The two Hunters didn't mind living in such a poor environment, as long as they had each other, they would do the best that they can do, and that's what counts.

"Sorry for eavesdropping but I couldn't help but like your idea. Name's Mireille as you can see from looking at me, I'm a scavenger of sorts. Anything of value I can get my hands on I will sell it for a fair price. I also like helping others if it's within my power. If you two want to officially make your job known to the slums, I don't mind hiring you. I could use a pair of extra hands in searching for all kinds of things. You know what they say? One man's trash is another man's treasure."

"I'm Jaune and this is Ruby. It's nice to meet you, Mireille. I guess you will be our first client." Jaune shook her hand without showing an ounce of disgust.

Seeing his attitude towards her poor attire and probably smell, she smiled and shook his hand before saying, "Glad to know. Our destination is the Sector 5 scrapyard. That's where I find the most valuable objects."

"This is going to be so cool!" Ruby bounced around.

"Well at least Ruby's looking forward to our first job." Jaune said before Aerith cut in.

"I should get going. I have to pick up flowers and try to sell them around the city. I'll see you two later. Good luck on your first job."

The two bid farewells to the young florist as they followed the older woman to the scrapyard.

Chapter Text

[Location: Sector 5 Slums - Scrapyard, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The scrapyard earned its name due that fact it was a complete mess filled with lots and lots of garbage.

'Scrapyard, more like junkyard,' Jaune thought as he looked around.

It could take them hours or days to find something of value or at the very least, something that it would catch their eye.

"It's like searching for a needle in haystack in this case, a needle in a mountain of garbage," Jaune sighed.

Mireille then told them to split up and take an area for themselves to scavenge through while she takes the northern section.

Jaune and Ruby both decided to take eastern section first, then they'd move to south, and lastly, they'll cover the west.

Ruby was more than eager to go looking around, and with her speed, she might actually find something.

"There has to be something that will help me forge weapon or better yet give my baby and Jaune's weapon a nice upgrade. But I should start by looking for metals that will make good tools."

She looked through piles and piles of trash, her Semblance going full force as dozens of random objects flying through the air.

"Hey, you getting it in my pile!" Jaune shouted.

"Sorry! I'm just to excited! I can't wait to start tinkering with this world's tech, imagine the upgrades, Jaune, imagine!"

"Well...There is nothing wrong with being well equipped," Jaune replied as he moved further away from the trash tornado.

It wouldn't hurt to be prepared, especially if they are to encounter monsters on a daily basis.

Aerith did warn them that there many of the creatures prowling in the outskirts of the slums, and sometimes they would occasionally appear near the residential areas, so they needed to be careful.

Jaune cracked his fingers before he said, "Well, better start searching before the day ends."

"Be careful if you encounter monsters. Sometimes small creepers will pop out from out of nowhere. I hope you two know your stuff and can handle them."

"We can handle ourselves fine don't you worry" smiled the red cloak girl.

"Good to know. I hear monsters are prowling around these parts, so if I do happen to run into some trouble, please try to look after this old woman."

"Then splitting up might not be such a good idea. If there are monsters here, we can't in good conscious leave you here on your own Mireille," Jaune said in all seriousness.

"Point taken, then stay close to me and yell if you find anything worth of value,"

"Does that count monsters?" asked the young reaper.

"No, just draw your weapons and eliminate them. Annoying critters will disturb my scavenging once they appear. Though, you should know that certain parts of the monster are valuable. It's mainly their bones and claws since the Mako within them makes for good potion crafting materials. Monster Hide also makes good armor and durable clothing. Some monsters even have edible meat."

"That's good to know…" Jaune said as he started diving into the piles, looking for anything that could worth a Gil or two.

"I've haven't had to dissect any animals since we camped out. I can't say I'm looking forward to it," Ruby blanched as she recalled Jaune teacher her how to hunt and harvest live game.

"It wasn't that bad. You picked up the camp survival methods really well, Ruby," Jaune chuckled.

Both Rose and Arc stayed close to the older woman while searching through the large mountain of scrap.

Ruby used Crescent Rose and her super speed to remove the junk.

It was a good move as Jaune did the same drawing Crocea Mors and stabbed into the pile of trash before throwing it behind him.

Mireille was taking her sweet time searching through the many piles. Pretty clear she's very experienced in the field.

While Mireille had some good finds, the Pair of Hunters found, tires, car pieces, lamps, windows, doors, more furniture, construction materials that were obviously old and worn out. Not exactly something that will get a good price for people that have a low income.

It was worse for Ruby, other than the pile of scrap metal she had going, she had yet to find any parts for weapons.

After Jaune found a rather nice coil that was at least 2% Mithril, a sudden sound caught their attention. From within the piles of junk, there was movement that forced some stray piece of trash to fall around them.

The teens readied their weapons seconds before they saw a couple of creatures leaping out from the junk pile.

"Found monsters!" Ruby shouted.

"Yep! Those are Monsters, definitely not Grimm," Jaune said as he raised his shield.

"DO YOUR THING!" shouted the scavenger as she ignored the commotion and went on searching through the trash.

Around the Hunters were three Hedgehog Pie monsters running towards them with their pudgy legs. They were small and chubby looking monsters that had spikes all over their backs and head, lightly colored tummies, and flat grotesque faces with beady little yellow eyes.

Ruby didn't waste any time as she shot one on the head killing it instantly.

Jaune slashed one across the creature's stomach and face, cutting half of its body and leaving it on the verge of being ripped in two. Needless to say, it died rather quickly.

As for the last one, Ruby lined up her scope took the shot. The bullet left her chamber and traveled down the barrel in a burst of heat and fire. The bullet lodged itself inside the monster's cranium, killing the last one as quickly as the first.

"That's it? They were weaker than I thought they'd be," Jaune said as he wiped the blood off of his sword with a rag.

"We're done!" Ruby shouted.

"Nice job. Keep it up!" Mireille shouted back.

1. Ruby looked at the monster's bodies and then turned Jaune with a pout that could make a stone-cold killer cave in.

'Alright, I'll take care of the icky part. You're lucky I'm kind of curious if they are anything like an animal. Besides, learning its anatomy will make it easier to kill in the future.' Jaune shook his head before going over to the older lady and asking, "You got any gloves and a knife I can borrow?"

Mireille nodded her head and went through her things before giving him a pair of large rubber gloves, an apron, and a very sharp dagger.

Jaune thanked her before he put the gloves and apron on before he pulled out a dagger that he borrowed from Mireille and cut into the creature's stomach.

"Hey, Mireille? Are these things edible?" Jaune asked.

"Yep! Why do you think they're called Hedgehog Pies? There a pretty good restaurant that can cook em up for us. They're pretty good, kind of like a cross between chicken and beef jerky. You just got to know that red blood means it's usually safe to eat," Mireille replied as she got back to work.

"Red blood good to eat. Other colors it's better to throw away. Good to know," Jaune hummed as he crouched down and inspected the corpse of the monster he nearly cut in half.

While he cut open the stomach and pulled the sack out, he examined the insides and cleaned it out with a bottle of water he also ended up borrowing from the elderly scavenger.

"Hmm… one heart, two lungs, but all of their organs are compacted in their tiny body. Just stabbing it once ought to be enough to kill them instantly. However, the hitting organs end up spoiling the edible meets. I'll have to be careful to hit the heart or the head only.

Jaune then quickly harvested the Hedgehog Pie and set aside the edibles with the crafting resources.

Mireille guided him through what was valuable and what could be thrown away, making Jaune's job much easier.

When he finished, he looked at Ruby's green face and said, "You get used to it after a while."

"I know…it took me forever to get used to red blood, but theirs is green and yellow. It just makes it…you know,"

"No, there blood is red, the green stuff the contents of their stomach and the yellow mustard color is from organs I nicked while trying to cut it out. We have to be careful not to hit them in the stomach if we're going to harvest them in the future. Also, you have to overcome that issue. Sometimes, I might not be around to do this, and we need the money, Ruby. So just think about it like this, doing this can let you buy more weapons because you can both exchange the parts for Gil and save money by eating the meat."

"Yeah, I can do it too…just not today," Ruby whistled and looked away as she vomited from Jaune's disapproving stare.

"Okay. Welcome to the club, Vomit Girl."

Ruby glared at Jaune before they let out a soft chuckled before they went back searching. Every now and then, more of the red small creatures with spikes on their heads and back came out to fight.

Asides from Hedgehog Pies they encountered, the fought against a monster called a Wererat.

It was a medium size rat-like dog that had four paws with sharp claws, a slim hairless tail, razor sharp teeth, and lots of grey fur.

Ruby was startled by its appearance. To her, it looked more like a wolf-rat. Needless to say, she immediately cut it in two and caused a purplish-black spray of blood to get all over her stockings.

"Yuck, yuck, yuck! It's even more gross than those red thingies," Ruby said as she shook her hands and wiggled around in disgust.

"Why are you freaking out, I'm the one that has to cut it up!" Jaune joined her as he looked at the monster with a green face.

Before they knew it, hours went by, and they managed to slay several more monsters rather than finding anything of real value in the scrapyard.

Mireille had her sack filled, and from the looks of her cheerful expression, it seemed like she found what she was looking for.

Turning to the workers she hired, she saw that they just finished taking another pack of Wererats.

Sure, they didn't find anything worthwhile in the junk pile, but they got plenty of meat and bones to sell, and they did their job protecting her.

Thanks to the Hunters letting her do her job without being interrupted, Mireille managed to find quite the haul.

Grabbing the sack, she was ready to leave noticing the sun was almost down. It will get dark soon and this place will get a whole lot dangerous during the night. No way she will stay late and see what kind of monsters will come.

"That will be enough for today. I found quite the lot to earn a good amount. Time to head back."

"But I still haven't found anything of worth," said the blond with a disappointed gesture comprised of slumping his shoulder down and hanging his head.

"Hah! I have a whole pile of scrap metal ready to be melted down," Ruby puffed her chest out.

"You got Gil to pay for that? Cause I'm sure the metallurgist won't work for free?" Jaune lifted a brow.

"Well… we can sell the bones and meat…"

"You want to use what little funds we can get to melt metal, yeah, okay. I can put up with that," Jaune said with a very monotone voice.

"I think I can help with that. You did a job well done fending off the monsters and saving my hide. It was more of a bodyguard mission than scavenging. I will give you your pay as promised," Mireille pulled out a small pouch before taking the Gil coins from it.

"That's three hundred Gil, and an extra one hundred for your first time. A total of four hundred Gil. Not bad you two, you have earned yourself a returning client. Keep up the good work."

"Thanks a lot Mireille!" chirped Ruby happy that they finally have some money from this world.

"Come on, let's leave this place before dangerous monsters show up, load everything in the cart and I'll show you where to sell those monster parts."

"How much do you think we made," Jaune said as he looked at the field of dissected monsters.

"Hmm… let's see, the pelts, bones, the organs, and edible meat combined, I'd say you made 750 Gil," Mireille informed the two who smiled brightly.

"Did we just make 1.15K in one night?" Ruby giggled with joy.

"I guess being Hunters is another viable job for our up-and-coming mercenary business. Some monster extermination will do us good, not to mention keep us combat ready," Jaune chuckled.

"What should we call the business? Hmm...Jack of all trades makes JOAT...if we add on our last names, it would be...JOATAR, no, that's not a word...or maybe we should use JR Mercenary Business."

"So, it comes back to Team Junior. We could just use JOAT and make the J sound like a G," Jaune chuckled.

"The Goat? Channeling your inner Ozpin on that one, aren't you?" Ruby chuckled back.

"Greatest of all time, G.O.A.T and J.O.A.T Jack of all trades, it kind of rings,"

"We are not calling ourselves the Goat Mercenary Squad," Ruby laughed a bit as she thought of the cute animal.

However, her laughter was cut short by Jaune's stomach rumbling.

"Let's celebrate! Hey, we should try the Hedgehog Meat Pie Mireille talked about," Ruby felt her stomach growl as well.

"Right, let's sell this stuff and grab some grub...ooh, hey, we should invite Aerith! We can pay her back for that meal!" Jaune shouted while throwing his hands up. A bit of blood spilled from his sword and landed on his pants.

"Um…maybe we should take a shower and clean our clothes too. I'm not used to blood splatter," Ruby grunted. She didn't think that she'd ever miss the Grimm, but them turning into ash made clean up much easier.

As night hit Sector 5 Ruby and Jaune were able to see the slums in the dark for the first time. It was so bright with all of the lights from the power the Shinra Company is providing. They couldn't help but think of Atlas a bit.

After selling the goods and stopping by to invite Aerith and her mother out eat at the restaurant Mireille recommended.

While they ate, they discussed their first job with a similar fashion that resembled their lives a Beacon. Sitting around, eating with friends, talking about slaying monsters. Though the monsters of Gaia were certainly different that the ones they were used to.

Aerith was more than happy that they succeeded on their first job. Now that they had some Gil to spend. She suggested a renting a room at a nearby inn where it's clean and affordable.

"Just tell them I sent you and they'll give you a discount," Aerith winked.

Of course, they trusted Aerith's wisdom and went with her choice. Hours before the night ended, they walked her back home and bid farewell to the florist.

While they waved goodbye, they walked back on the path back towards the Slums chatting about their experiences.

The conclusion they came to, was that all around, it was a nice start thanks to them meeting the florist.

Arriving at the inn they went to reception desk and gave the necessary amount. It was 30 Gil the night, but after mentioning Aerith sent them, the Clerk smiled happily and said, "Alight, 20 Gil and not a Gil cheaper."

That was more than good for the two teenagers. However, there was a small problem, all the rooms for vacant, except one. Meaning they will have to share the only available room.

The Arc stared at Ruby before turning away his face while his cheeks turned cheery red. Sharing the room with a girl wasn't his idea, he could only hope that Yang understands their circumstances and forgive him.

A universe apart and angry Yang still scares him witless.

While Jaune was freaking out, the silver-eyed girl didn't seem to be bothered. However, her stomach was filled with butterflies for reasons unknown.

Opening the door, the room was exactly as they were expecting. The room was bit worn down, but the amount of living space was good, and the room was well cleaned.

With his eyes drifting across the room, Jaune saw that it was as he originally thought, there was only one bed and one bathroom.

"It'll have to do," Jaune said as he looked around, trying to avoid staring at Ruby.

"At least until we earn more money to buy a condo or a place of our own," Ruby said as she sat against the table in the small space by the door.

The blond immediately blushed as he noticed her crossing her legs, her very fit legs.

Jaune gulped and shook his head before saying, "You take the bed. I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor."

Jaune was brought up to act like a real gentleman. His mother taught him to always be kind and think of other first. This also included letting the girls have the bed when they went on trips and stayed at hotels. Of course, with 7 sisters, he almost never got to sleep on the bed, so he was used to it.

Ruby didn't seem to have a problem with sharing the bed with Jaune but, it was small.

It wasn't exactly five-star hotel they were staying in, so it made sense for the bed to only fit one person. Ruby looked at Jaune and saw his red face. For a moment, she thought he was sick or something, but decided to accept his offer.

"Tomorrow you can sleep on the bed, and I'll take the take the floor," The red reaper announced before flopping her head on the pillow.

Jaune was against the idea. His morals aligned with letting Ruby take the bed until they can buy a place of their own with separate rooms.

Even though they've been through a lot together and have known each other for over two years, Jaune couldn't see Ruby as just another teammate. That alone felt weird to him because he didn't have this same issue with Pyrrha or Nora.

'Why am I freaking out over sleeping in the same room with Ruby? I should just calm down and take it easy. Yeah, it'll get easier…' Jaune thought as he laid a spare blanket on the ground and laid back.

Without their nightwear, they slept in what in their Hunter's gear, thought Jaune did take of his armor. It wasn't comfortable but it would have to do for now.

And with that, they turned off the light and closed their eyes.

Chapter Text

[Location: Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Midgar]

The days have passed as Ruby and Jaune were quickly getting used to their new job. They have been mostly helping the people of Sector 5 with their daily problems and any other issues their strength or wit could solve.

However, it wasn't always about fighting monsters. It was like the Arc said before; they will become a Jack of all Trades rather than regular mercenaries.

The duo had basically done everything within their power to earn them a decent reputation. Cleaning, weapon maintenance, painting, helping the kids of the orphanage with their studies and reading to them, aiding with construction, and giving Chocobos a bath.

The last one was Ruby's favorite. She has come to grow fond of the big yellow birds, and desperately wanted one for her own. Jaune had it just as bad, but he handled himself better. They were so cute, and fun to ride on as well. Which was an experience they paid for instead of taking the Gil for the job, an experience they loved with all their hearts.

The animals were so intelligent and kind towards those that were kind to it. The Hunters couldn't help but fall in love with them.

Mireille had become a regular customer of theirs. She constantly hired the Hunters, so Ruby and Jaune ended up fighting their fair share of monster that in turn helped them earn a decent paycheck.

In just one week of intensive labor, they managed to earn quite a lot of Gil, and a positive yet small reputation within the slums.

For once in their lives, everything was going well for the two Hunters.

Days later, they had come to the conclusion that they didn't need to stay at the inn anymore. With all the Gil they saved up, they were able to buy a small one floor apartment in the middle of the district with two rooms.

So now, Jaune and Ruby were officially roommates. Even with the Gil they earned, the two Hunters didn't stop working, learning more about the world with customer that hired them,

After settling into their apartment, the Hunters resumed their jobs, taking care of the people in the Slums, collecting bounties from criminals, and hunting monsters. Since money was no longer an issue, the two sometimes found themselves taking the jobs for free.

The image of the Slums even improved. It looked a bit less run down, a lot of the broken parts of buildings were patched to the point they couldn't tell it was damaged in the first place, and the Slums overall was much cleaner than before.

Turns out, Ruby's super speed had great applications for construction.

For the silver eyed reaper, the best thing that happened yet was that she sent their weapons in the shop in secrecy. When they were on a day off, Ruby snagged Jaune's broken sword and shield before rushing to the weapon shop so they can receive a nice upgrade.

It was easy for her to convince Jaune. Ruby knew the Arc was fine with leaving his weapons in her care because he trusted his partner. It also helped that he was at the orphanage doing a few errands, making it the perfect time for Ruby to enact her plan.

She gave the perfect excuse to Jaune, saying that she needed to give her baby maintenance before offering to have his weapons touched up, fixed and polished. Of course, Jaune bought it, hook, line, and sinker.

Once she was finished with the upgrade, her eyes were shining from the sheer excitement and at how awesome she is. Ruby couldn't wait for her blond partner to arrive and see this.

"Ruby? I'm back!"

'He's here!' the girl freaked out he arrived earlier than anticipated.

Using her Semblance, she quickly hid both weapons under her bed. Typical hiding spot, but she didn't have the time to play master sleuth.

"Are you in your room? Is it okay for me come inside?" Jaune asked after knocking.

Ruby made sure she stood in front of the hidden weapons before she said, "Sure, you're always welcome inside, silly!"

Yang in another universe: THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!

The blond entered the room and saw the red cloak girl giving him a big cheesy smile. For as long as he has known Ruby, he could tell when something was up with the girl, and at the moment, Jaune's Ruby-Senses were tingling, letting him know that something was up with the petite reaper.

The smile she was wearing was more than forced, and he had seen it a hundred times on the faces of his sisters. That was the smile of someone trying to hide something from him.

He came in here to get Crocea Mors back, and the thought of her doing something to it that would upset him never crossed his mind. However, she kept up that smile, and it was starting to bug him.

That's when he noticed something is missing, two things to be exact.

"Where are our weapons?" Jaune asked like a parent that caught his child playing with something that didn't belong to them.

She giggled innocently and said, "Now, don't freak out."

Ruby then took the weapons out from under her bed and presented them.

Jaune raised an eyebrow why would she put them there, unless she was hiding them from him, 'That's weird, why she would do that?'

"I gave Crescent Rose some maintenance like I said I would, and I did fix and polish Crocea Mors too. But… I added something cool, something you're going to like a lot."

"Okay, you have my attention." the blond smiled.

"Since we'll be living in this world from now on, we might as well use their resources to our advantage."

The Arc saw her scythe and noticed three holes near the back of the blade. Two of the slots were connected while one was by its own.

Jaune's eyes then blinked widely as the petite handed him his sword and shield.

The sword has finally been fixed as Ruby mentioned some upgrades on it. At the base of the blade was a piece of silver to blend in with the color of the blade. It had two interconnected holes and one on the base of the pommel. As for the shield, the connected slots were above his family symbol.

Honestly, Jaune didn't know what to think or say, but the words still came out, "Um... Ruby, what are these for?"

"For the Materia, duh! Don't you remember what Aerith said? Materia can be equipped to weapons or armor, giving the user the ability to use the knowledge stored within them. Meaning we can cast magic."

"Right, so the slots on the weapons are actually technological in nature… but what about Materi—"

"Right here! I bought them a while back," the red cloak reaper interrupted by pulling out seven Materia spheres from her bag.

"Guess I spoke too soon," Jaune chuckled.

The blond knight looked at all of the Materia laid out before him. The spheres were green, so Jaune understood that they were elemental magic.

Aerith also told them about the colors of Materia and the abilities they possess during her long winded explanation about this world.

"You forgot to mention Materia can also be equipped to armor," Jaune commented while pointing at his chest plate.

"Drat, I knew I forgot something" she started looking at her outfit" too late to put any Materia slots in it, same for you."

"I'm sure we can buy new clothes that already have them."

"That's a great idea! Let's go!" Ruby shouted as she looked at his armor with a shine in her eyes.

"Not right now. We're supposed to help Aerith sell flowers at the city, remember? She should be arriving within the hour," Jaune informed as he covered his chest piece.

Ruby gave a nod as she gazed at the green Materia she bought before saying, "Well… now that you're here, we can discuss what kind of Materia we're going to set to our weapons."

"What about our weird summoning Materia?" Jaune asked.

"Didn't Aerith say they're dormant? If they're sleeping, we can't use their power, so we can't summon them. I think we should continue to hold on to them before equipping them."

"She also said fighting might help awake the summons," Jaune added.

"So which ones will you be equipping? The guy from the shop said that they're marked as the following, Fire, Ice, Lightning, Wind, Water, Poison and Restore."

"Hmm... I will go with Lightning, Ice, Poison and Restore. If that's okay with you," Jaune said as he picked up the Restoration Materia.

"That sounds good to me. I'll take the rest," Ruby aid as she put the fire, wind, and water Materia into Crescent Rose before they suddenly gave a quick glow.

Figuring that it must be a sign that it works and they're ready for use, Ruby was so excited and couldn't wait to test them.

Jaune did the same putting lightning and ice on the sword then poison and healing on the shield. The four spheres gave a quick glow, signaling their readiness to use.

Their weapons were ready and set.

"Ruby, Jaune I'm here!" Aerith called out from behind their apartment door.

"Right on time," Jaune said as he looked at the clock.

They sheathed their new equipped Materia weapons before leaving the reaper's room, and then quickly headed towards the front door with vibrant smiles on their face.

When they opened it, Aerith stood in front of the duo with her bright smile while holding three baskets filled with flowers of all kinds.

"Aerith!" Ruby shouted as she hugged her friend.

"Well, what's the plan, Pinky?" Jaune said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.

"You guys did promise to help me sell flowers on topside, so let's start with that," Aerith chuckled before Ruby let go.

"Sure, let's go. Wouldn't want to keep the good people of Midgar from getting the high-quality flowers they oh so deserve," followed the Arc.

"YAY, I've been wanting to go to the city for so long now," Ruby gushed as she ran in place.

"Well, walking would be too much, so need to take the train to get there. We're going to the station," Aerith said as she pumped her fists.

The trio walked the streets seeing people chattering, the birds were singing, and the kids playing.

Ruby and Jaune were actually very productive workers during the last week. With all the clean-ups, repairs, and odd jobs they've taken, the Slums has slowly been improving their appearance.

The duo of Hunters slowly got used to living in the slums. Even if it doesn't excel when it comes to appearance, it's the people and the maintenance the Mercenaries worked their butts off to complete made it a much livelier place to be and live in.

There was less crime, the houses were in better conditions, and they didn't have a single monster invasion since Ruby and Jaune started working.

However, the further they leave the urban area, the more likely it was for monsters to appear any given moment.

After hunting them for more than a week, the two heroes from another world learned that there will always be some creepy crawlies prowling about or hiding in wait for the right opportunity to attack.

Noises were heard as monsters have emerged from a large pile of junk.

A single Gorger appeared. It was a biological-type creature that looked like a strange worm-scorpion with teeth in a gaping mouth, scythe-like legs, and a scorpion stinger.

Next to it was a Smogger, a machine type monster that looked like a bunch of pipes that were fused together in a haphazardly manner.

Lastly, another biological type appeared, Venomantis; a gross looking half slug, half insect monster. It had scythe-like arms, fat slimy bellies, barbed narrow beaks, and a scorpion stinger at the end of its tail.

Ruby and Jaune grinned. This was the perfect chance to test out their new Materia. They drew their weapons and took the front guard while Aerith stood at their backs.

Both Hunters gave each other a smirk before they charged at their foes.

As soon as they engaged the creatures, they could feel a power within them that was different than their Auras.

Ruby continued to feel the knowledge from within the Materia telling them how to use it before she changed Crescent Rose to her rifle form and released a fire spell alongside the bullet. The bolt off fire slammed into the Gorger, killing it with a single bullet that ripped into its open maw and shot out the creature's backside.

"Looks like the worm thingy is weak against fire," Ruby said as she blew away the smoke from Crescent Rose's barrel.

Jaune used the Lightning Materia slotted in his sword to unleash a bolt of electricity on the Smogger. Since it's a machine, it was very weak against the lightning element, causing the bolt to make the creature malfunction and explode.

The Venomantis charged at the Arc, but before it could get within 3 feet of him, the monster was hit by a couple of rays of magic.

The silver eyed girl turned to see Aerith holding a long silver staff. The florist then moved her rod, causing it to release more rays of magic.

Aerith's attack slammed against the monster again, taking out the creature in an explosive mess of green guts and goo.

Both teenagers should have been surprised that they were able to cast magic on their first try, but it was actually the young florist that they once thought was defenseless, ended up surprising them the most.

"Guess I forgot to mention I can fight too, sorry" she smiled as she pressed a button on the staff, making it collapse into itself so that it could fit inside her flower basket.

"That's great, thanks for the assist," was all the Arc could say while giving her a thumbs up.

"You're… that… So coooool! I mean, we were cool too, but you shot lasers! Freaking lasers! How did it come out of a regular collapsible staff! What Materia did that? Is it tech from the staff? Or maybe a certain Materia combination?" followed the red reaper with her barrage of questions.

In response to Ruby boasting for her, the green-eyed florist only smiled even more. She didn't mind lending a hand to her friends, and the compliments weren't too bad either.

[Location: Unknown Upper Sector, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

It took around an hour and a half for the trio to arrive to the heart of Midgar. The train ride was a comfortable experience for the pair of Hunters. At least this time, they didn't have to worry about being attacked by Grimm and separated.

As they passed through the tunnel of the city expressway, they noticed that the station was even bigger than the ones in the slums and the number of people walking about was in the hundreds.

They were in awe at the sight, tall buildings, elegant houses, fancy vehicles, five stars hotel and restaurants.

Jaune was wondering what it would cost to rent an apartment in this place while Ruby was thinking of the weapon shops they must have here.

This topside of Midgar reminded them of Atlas. There was similar high technology vehicles, appliances, and even similar holographic screens that existed everywhere in their world.

No matter where they went, there was one constant phrase that was on almost sign or broadcast. It was the sign of the Shinra Power Company. It was on billboards, commercials, public and personal transportation, and even on some buildings.

Jaune figured it was to be expected since the company is the reason Midgar has become this high-tech.

Up here, many people have jobs and apparently, wealthy incomes. The difference between the slums and what they were seeing now was like day and night.

It didn't take them long to figure out that they were where the middle and upper class resides.

Jaune started thinking what Aerith told them in their history lesson of this world. The Shinra Company managed to control the power of Mako into electrical energy, and by tapping into the wells of power beneath the earth, they can provide electrical power throughout all of the communities in this massive city.

It was impressive to the Arc, but when he thought more on the subject, he realized that the same Mako that comes from the planet was nothing more than just a part of the Lifestream.

'If the reactors keep taking Mako nonstop, then isn't there a possibility that it might ran out someday. If that's true, then the planet really is dying. It just like Aerith's mother said, this world is on the brink of destruction and Shinra are the ones who will bring it to its eventual end.'

"Jaune are you okay?" Ruby asked as she saw him deep in thought.

'If Mako isn't an infinite supply of energy, then the death of the planet is inevitable. Yes, this has to be it, this is the reason why Ruby and I were sent here. We have to save the planet from the company along with protecting the florist, also known as the last Cetra.' The blond snapped back from his thoughts by the silver eyed girl when she literally snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Hey, Vomit Boy! Anyone in there?"

Jaune frowned and said, "You said you wouldn't call me that anymore," Jaune huffed.

"Vomit Boy?" Aerith grinned, extremely interested in the story behind the nick name.

"He puked on my sister's boots before we ever even introduced ourselves," Ruby chuckled.

"I used to get air-sick… I haven't had much issue with it since my Training in Atlas… I can still remember Ironwood's methods to get over it," Jaune said as he thought of him being repeatedly thrown out of a Bullhead.

"That's kind of funny," Aerith chuckled, "But doesn't Vomit Knight fit his current appearance better."

"Oh my gosh, yes!" Ruby laughed.

"Ruby, no!" Jaune cried.

"Ruby, yes!" Ruby said in a Nora-term as she continued to laugh harder at the blonde's expense.

As upset as he was, Jaune was actually kind of glad to see Ruby laughing like this again. It finally felt like they were setting down roots in this world. Also, he reminds themselves as Ren and Nora argued all the time by the way they talked.

"Well, we're here," Aerith said as she reached a central hub for foot traffic.

"Right, let's get to work!" Jaune said as he pumped his fists, "And never mention Vomit Boy or Knight, or any other iteration of the phrase."

"Alright, but you weren't responding to anything else. What were you thinking about?" Ruby asked with a set of curious silver eyes.

"I was thinking of our future. You might be better at short term plan, we're about even with coming up with plans on the fly, and you know I'm better at the long term stuff," Jaune lifted a brow.

Ruby whistled and smiled before saying, "Thanks for all the hard work Vomit Knight, but we have work to do!"

"Ruby!" Jaune huffed as she ran off giggling.

Aerith chuckled as well before telling them a few tips on how to earn Gil, "First, to go to the corners where foot traffic is highest, but make sure not to go too far away from each other. Then, approach people when they get close to you and give them a smile."

The Hunters nodded their heads and wrote down notes as Aerith continued speaking, "Use kind words and praise their appearances to try and convince them that they should be interested in buying a flower because it improver their already spectacular looks, and lastly, really nail this one in, a flower cost 10 Gil, and that it's a really cheap price. Make sure to highlight the cheap part."

"What are the prime targets?" Ruby asked as she looked up from the note pad.

"Usually our biggest buyers are those with their loved ones, or when they have special someone, and they haven't revealed their feelings yet, so if you spot them, try to take advantage of that. Now get out there and earn me some money!"

Both teens nodded in understanding as they took a basket each.

"We've been doing a great so far with their other jobs let's see if we have what it takes to be top florists," Jaune chuckled.

"Ruby Rose, master florist, coming at ya!" Ruby followed up.

While the two Hunters hit the streets and corners, they kept seeing the people with their highly expensive clothing walking by.

They offered their most sincere smile showing them the basket flowers and using all of Aerith's tips, but it didn't work. They were being ignored, and it wasn't just chance either, it happened more than ten times.

Jaune looked back at the pink-themed florist and though Aerith made it look easy. She has already managed to sell another flower to an older gentlemen without even trying.

They hadn't had any luck thus far, but they were doing their best to at least sell one or two flowers at a cheaper price. Seriously, they were trying to be very generous.

«Greetings citizens of Midgar.»

The blond and silver eyed girl turned to see one of the holographic screens showing a man in his late thirties with dark blond hair, eyes, a blond goatee, and was wearing a dark pinstripe suit with a red tie.

«We in Shinra are always looking out for each and every one of you. Our vision remains the same and has remained the same for the past hundred years, to provide you with the best in latest technology and better welfare, to continue bringing better ways to live, better safety, better transportation, and a better roof over your head. With Mako energy by our side, we're heading into a brighter future. Never forget you are the reason we have work so hard. Remember the Shinra Electric Power Company is here by the people, for the people. Let's keep going forward and resume making your dreams a reality!»

That was a very inspiring speech. This guy was very good with his words. If Jaune didn't know any better, he would have believed in him and what Shinra stands for.

But it they knew that wasn't the case.

Jaune was beginning to understand just what they were up against. This biggest problem they would have to face was majority of the people and supporters the power company had. Worse off, there was barely anyone against it or understood what Mako really was.

However, it was good to know that they weren't alone in their endeavors. Aerith informed them about a rebel group that is constantly going against Shinra and fighting for the planet. They call themselves Avalanche, and apparently, they're not fond of the company.

Avalanche claimed that the repetitive usage of Mako would kill the planet eventually, and Shinra was doing was speeding by unfathomable proportions.

That's how Ruby and Jaune saw it too. If they were sent here to save this world, then they will have to put a stop to this company somehow.

"Easier said than done when Shinra has so many people defending them," Jaune mumbled. He has been giving this situation a lot of thought, and he was starting to wonder if they should seek this rebel group to seek out a partnership.

Jaune wasn't sure what Ruby's thoughts were on all of this, because he still hasn't talk to her about the topic that was causing him so much hassle.

The time passed, and Jaune stayed in his head through most of the job. However, it looked like Ruby was selling flowers just as well like Aerith.

The petite reaper was giving the sad puppy face instead of a pretty smile, and it was working great too. There was no way he'd be able to compete with that. So, Jaune kept on walking around and offering smiles to the people that passed him by.

A couple of hours later, the green-eyed florist called the two back and said that they have done enough for the day.

The Arc was shocked that the red cloak girl's basket was almost empty with only six flowers left. Aerith had around twelve left, and as for the blond, he didn't want to look at his basket because he didn't sell a single one.

After they were done with work, the young Ancient decided to take the teens on a small tour through the upper city before it got too dark to explore.

It was their first time here, so Aerith wanted to show them the best places.

Ruby almost leaped in joy, she was already dying to see the weapon shops as she mumbled, "They must have high quality types, the real deal."

"And today's winner is... Ruby! Who sold twenty flowers for a total of 200 Gil!" cheered Aerith while holding the Red Reaper's arm in the air.

"I can't help it if I was blessed with the cutest and saddest puppy eyes ever!" the reaper said proudly.

"And my wallet thanks you for being born with such a gift," Aerith said as she high fived Ruby.

Jaune rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but admit that it was true. He bet Yang or her dad would fall victim by them. As for himself, he'd say that he's resistant thanks to seven sisters pulling the same stunt whenever they wanted something from him, but there was something special about Ruby's pout, not even Jaune could say no to that face.

And thus began the tale of the two shopping maniacs and the master mule Jaune Arc.

By the time they got back to Sector 5, it was already dark. They had seen enough in the upper city, and it was truly the place for the rich and wealthy to live.

Too bad he didn't do well getting third place, Ruby got a free ice cream while he got to watch her eat it.

Jaune was tired from walking so much. Several times he caught himself staring at the expensive hotels and inns up there. He was constantly dreaming about sleeping on the soft beds and all the room service while he lugged around all their purchased items.

Still, he wouldn't replace his and Ruby's apartment for anything. It meant more to them since they both bought it with their hard earned Gil.

Jaune came to the conclusion that his home is in the slums with Ruby, not some fancy city.

His thoughts returned to the fact that he shouldn't ignore all the people that live there, 'They're happy and it's all thanks to the Shinra Company. If we take them on, we'll become the enemies of everyone on the upper plates. Heck, we might piss off everyone in Midgar.'

Giving a quick glance at the silver eyed girl, he sighed while thinking that he really needed to talk to her.

Jaune kept trying to think about how to bring the up topic, 'When we get home, I'll speak with her about all this. If the planet is dying, then it's up to us to do something about it. The easiest way to do that is spread awareness and try to end the Shinra Company.'

Aerith mistook his long silence for him being depressed. So, to perk the resident knight up, she smiled and said, "Don't feel bad Jaune, you did your best, and that's what really counts."

"I don't think I'm cut out to be a florist. I didn't even sell a single one."

"They prefer girls over guys." Ruby giggled.

"That's one of the reasons," Jaune lifted his brow.

"It doesn't matter. You both did great and I'm happy you helped me. So, thank you very much," Aerith said happily.

As they were well along their way to escorting Aerith to her house, they discovered that there was someone standing in their way.

He was tall man in his early thirties, bald, wearing shades and earrings, and had a goatee that almost reached to his ears. The mysterious man was wearing a black suit, black leather gloves and black business shoes.

"Looks like he was waiting for someone," Jaune thought before Aerith reacted seeing him.

"I guessed it wouldn't be long before one of them will show up," Aerith waved her hand at Rude.

Jaune and Ruby thought the guy looked out of place, like he belongs in the topside or a richer district. His clothes were a dead giveaway.

"Just what is a guy like that doing here?" Ruby wondered when the pink-themed florist stopped them and signaled for them to do the same.

"It's a little late to be here, don't you think so, Rude?" Aerith questioned the Turk.

Both teenagers suddenly thought, 'So, she does she know him.'

"Sorry, just keeping an eye on you. It's part of our monthly visit," Rude said with a blunt tone.

"You could have done it in the morning. Don't tell me Reno's slacking off," Aerith smiled gently before giving a chuckle.

"Something like that," Rude muttered while adjusting his shades.

"It's the middle of the night…" Ruby commented.

"I know, right? He probably thinks it makes him look cool, I had a sunglasses phase when I was kid," Jaune followed up.

"I know what you mean, I used to steal my sister's aviators and wear them inside the house all the time," Ruby giggled.

"*snort*… Well, as you can see… *snicker*… I'm okay and I'm tired after a hard day's work. Hehe…I'm heading to my house now," Aerith said while tried to hold back her laughs.

"And these two?" the man in the suit pointed to the people accompanying her. He tried to hide it, and would never admit it, but he was a bit embarrassed by their comments.

"They're my friends. They were helping me sell flowers. Is there a problem?"

"No, not at all," Rude said with another simple and direct tone to his voice.

"Let me introduce you to them, this is Jaune, and this is Ruby." Aerith said as she patted her friends on the shoulders.

"Nice to meet you sir," the Arc kept a straight face as he held out his hand for him to shake. However, he was ignored.

"Are you Aerith's dad?" asked the silver eyed girl to bail out her buddy.

The florist burst out laughing while Rude cleared his throat. Not wanting to comment on that, he thought, 'Do I really look that old?'

"Ruby has such a great sense of humor, isn't she great?" Aerith gave the petite a quick hug.

"I'll be on my way then," Rude started leaving.

"Would you like a cup of tea now that you're here? We're not that far from my house" offered the young woman.

"That's all right. Maybe next time," the Turk in the suit excused himself before walking off towards the slums.

"Who was that guy?" asked Jaune waiting that he was out of sight.

"His name is Rude. You can call him sort of a friend," Aerith said with a perplexed expression.

"I thought he could have been your dad. My bad," Ruby stuck her tongue out and hit her head.

"It's fine! You made me laugh, so I don't mind," Aerith said as she chuckled again.

"What was he doing here?" asked the blond.

"Like he said, Rude is keeping an eye on me," Aerith said as she started walking down the path towards her house.

"Why?" Ruby asked with a worried expression.

"He's a member of the Turks, they work for Shinra," Aerith confessed as she looked at the stars above her.

"Wait, does that mean they know you're an Ancient?" Jaune was shocked.

"Yes. I'm supposed to go with them willingly for some reason. However, it's pretty clear to see that I have no intention of going along with them or helping Shinra with anything," Aerith smiled, but for the first time since they met her, they could see a look of sorrow on her face.

"I don't get it. Wouldn't it be better if they kidnap you?" asked Ruby.

"If you want, we can beat that guy up if he comes back again," Jaune said while Ruby nodded her head in agreement.

"Heheh! Thanks, but I'll pass on the offer. I'll give you the details about the Turks later. Well... I'll be on my way now. See you tomorrow, and thanks for all the help today!" Aerith ran off. The Hunters from another world could tell by her body language that she was happy again.

"Should we be worried? They know the truth about her?" Ruby asked.

"I think we should worry. But at least this gives us better reason to stay by her side all the time," Jaune looked back at the Turk walking ahead of them.

Ruby stood sleeping soundly until something came at her going beyond just fast.

The being covered in shadow grabbed her by the throat and started pushing her to the wall of her room.

Silver eyed widened in horror as she was staring at the person choking her with her Grimm arm. It was Cinder Fall, alive and well.

The villain was grinning with a sadistic expression while her visible eye had the golden flame of the Fall Maiden.

Ruby tried to break free, but the woman's strength was too much for her. There was no contest, Cinder completely overpowered her. The silver eyed girl couldn't even scream for help.

Thinking quickly, she used her semblance, escaping in a puff of rose petals, but received a sword to the back the moment she rematerialized.

The petite fell to the ground as the Maiden's blade has pierced her skin, staining the floor with blood. The poor girl was trembling as she thought, 'It's happening again. I'm going to die.'

Hearing the evil chuckling of the woman while she stretched her Grimm arm and grabbed hold of her, was too much for the petite reaper to listen to.

Ruby was now in tears, and all she could think was that she wished she had her weapon.

Staring into the fiery eyes of the mad woman, Cinder began to speak, "You will never get rid of me. I will always find you, and Arc will be next."

"NO!"

Ruby woke up with startle, her face filled with sweat. Her red sleeveless shirt and long black night pants was soaked with perspiration.

Ruby took large gulps of air while gazing at her room.

"There's no one here… what a horrible dream," Ruby said as tears started to fill her eyes.

"RUBY!"

The red reaper jumped as she heard Jaune's voice shouting out from the other side of the wall.

Ruby's eyes widened as she saw her room suddenly being flooded with the same ghost that surrounded them in the church. The hooded spirits were back, circling all over her room, and creeping her the fuck out.

The door slammed opened as the Arc arrived in his pajamas. He was wearing tight fitting white shirt with blue boxer briefs.

Without worrying for his own safety, Jaune went straight to the petite reaper's aid. He embraced her trying to protect her from the ghosts while thinking about what they were and what they wanted with them.

However, instead of being attacked, or possessed, the specters were still circling around them harmlessly. It was the same pattern they saw in the church.

"JUST LEAVE US ALONE!" Jaune shouted as his Aura flared up.

As if they were obeying him, the hooded ghosts vanished in an instant, leaving them alone in the room... in their nightwear… hugging each other.

Ruby was sobbing while the blond was holding her tight.

The Ruby he used to know would never cry like this. Ever since they came here, she's become even more emotional. However, Jaune understood just as well as she did. Death changes a person.

He patted her back and said, "Just let it out."

Ruby did. She cried and cried until there was nothing left in her body to cry anymore.

"There was no need to put on a tough front. Besides, crying makes people stronger. It's how they handle their situations and move on," Jaune said as his fingers traced the back of her head, running it through the reaper's black and red locks.

The Huntress lost herself in Jaune's warmth, wrapping her arms around the Arc while she cried into his firm chest.

Sadly, Ruby felt like pouting when he broke the hug and stared at her tear covered face.

Jaune dried them with his hands while taking a better look at the petite.

"It's okay, they're gone…." Jaune said with a gentle smile.

"I dreamed... Cinder…."

"Shhh... It's all right she's not real. and I'm right here with you." Jaune held her close again.

"It felt so real I…. *hic*…"

"We'll get stronger, so strong that not even Cinder can stop us. I promise you." Jaune said as he felt her looking up at him.

"Together?" Ruby asked as her tear-filled eyes locked on to his baby blues.

"Together."

Chapter Text

[Location: The Scrapyard, Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Jaune was currently in the middle of job, rummaging through junk while Mireille did the same.

The older woman that constantly needed their services, and today she requested him to dig up more junk that can actually be worth something.

Sometimes, the Arc didn't understand the woman next to him at all. At times, she will fix junk and sell it to anyone looking to buy, and other times, she'd just give away her findings for free.

In fact, there were several times Jaune spotted her in the Sector 5 Slums, just giving things to those in need and even handing Gil out for no reason.

The residents have nothing but praise for her donations and kind deeds. He guessed that she didn't mind spending money while earning some good reputation. Either that, or he now knows the kindest lady on the planet Gaia.

"There wouldn't be a point to having so much Gil if you don't bother to spend it on something. Not to mention she was a great talker."

Mireille can bring any topic, and it will become interesting. Truly, Mireille has a heart of gold, not like the usual people at her age and circumstance in life. Jaune could only recall that most people at her age and living on the streets were mostly the complete opposite of her and purposely chose to be pains in the ass.

The Arc was able to know more about her due the fact he and Ruby have done many jobs for her.

As he was deep in thought, he saw a gleaming shiny coming from within his junk pile.

"Oooh! Holy crap! I found something! HAHAHAHAH! It's the first thing I've found since we've started this odd-jobs mercenary gig!" Jaune announced as he pulled out a small golden statue of a fat man he had never seen before.

"Hey, Mireille? How much is this worth?" Jaune asked as he showed it off.

Mireille looked at the statue with a frown on her face before saying, "Well, the statue is useless, but you can melt it down for about 10,000 Gil."

"Yahoo!" Jaune threw his hands in the air before saying, "I think my luck is changing!"

"Heheh, don't jinx it boy," Mireille joked before pointing to her pile and following up with, "I'll get you the money when we get back. Now help me with the load I found."

Jaune looked over to see piles of car parts that were at least 50% Mithril, some dark gold and silverware, and a few gem-encrusted platinum rings.

Jaune whistled before he asked, "Dang, Mireille how do you do it?"

"What can I say, I got a knack for this stuff," Mireille replied with a soft chuckle.

Jaune got up and hauled the materials she gathered to the wagon. Luckily, they had a Chocobo to pull it.

Jaune had no idea that she owned one until recently. When they first met, she used Jaune as her mule to haul the cart around.

After stacking everything up, Jaune walked around to the Chocobo and said, "Aren't you just the cutest thing… yes you are! Yes you are!" while he pet the sweet spot under its glorious yellow feathers.

"KWEH!" Noka the Chocobo chirped happily as Jaune scratched her favorite spot.

Jaune could still remember Ruby going crazy because Mireille decided to show off her Chocobo. He chuckled as he recalled all her expression before Jaune realized that in his memories, his eyes were glued to her smile.

'What's wrong with me… I mean, sure, Ruby has some nice lips…' Jaune thought before slapping himself in the face.

After shaking off any impure thoughts, he went back to picking up the rest of the pile.

By the time the blond finished, he put everything on the wagon while Mireille went back as if she had missed something.

A few of Hedgehog Pie appeared from a small mountain of scrap, Jaune could tell it was looking for trouble, so the Arc unsheathed his weapon and fought them while the older woman finished with the gathering.

He took a deep breath and created a near solid form of Aura around his sword before rushing ahead and cleaving through the creatures' vitals with single strokes of his sword.

One of the Hedgehog Pies tried to jump at him with a fire imbued belly flop. However, Jaune raised his shield and slammed the creature into another of its allies before it detonated the fire skill it had.

It exploded and shook its allies before Jaune rushed up and stabbed them both in the heart with ease.

As they flopped to the ground, Jaune smirked and said, "Well, I got dinner. Good thing I learned how to make Leo's famous Hedgehog Pot Pie."

The blond was able to get rid of these kinds of monsters easily. Since they were among the weakest creatures in this area, he had gotten to the point that he could one shot them.

Now, if he was up against a Chronomogger or a Smogger, Jaune might have to push himself just a bit, and that was only if he didn't want to use his Materia.

With the Materia, they were even easier since he used the Lightning Magic. Mechanical Monsters were weak against that particular element, so Jaune could just sit back and take pot shots at the mecha-creatures, and still come out on top.

Once he was sure there were no more enemies around, Jaune sheathed Crocea Mors and nodded his head.

"I've gotten stronger… but it's not enough. I should experiment more with my Semblance, mainly the effects of long term and consistent use," Jaune mumbled to himself before his boss tapped him on the shoulder

"That will be all for today. I got everything I wanted to find for the night, so let's head back, Jaune."

The Arc nodded as the older woman, took a hold of her Chocobo by the reigns, and started leaving the scrapyard.

The blond was keeping an eye out for any monsters, protecting her as he walked alongside the cart.

During the walk back, Jaune noticed that she was stealing him glances at him. He had no idea what all that was about, but he paid her no mind.

Though, when he thought about it, the Arc had a pretty good idea of what she wanted to ask him.

Mireille went to the children's hideout and offer them a worn out clock she fixed up. Of course she made sure that it was safe before giving it to a bunch of kids.

Then, she went to the orphanage and gave Ms. Foila a radio.

Every time she pulled out something from the junkyard, it surprised Jaune that she managed to get those things working again.

If she saw something that could be repaired and used, the older woman would immediately fix them.

'Guess people will throw away anything if it's too old for their taste. Maybe that's why scavenging is such a good thing, you find useful stuff that someone else might want or need.'  The Huntsman pondered as he continued to follow his boss.

He kept up his guard until they were far away from the where the monsters usually prowl.

When they were in the clear, the dutiful scavenger began checking on the Chocobo before she started stocking up on useful items to continue on traveling towards another sector.

While she packed the carriage with some gysahl greens and human food, she snuck another glance at Jaune.

"Aren't you going to ask me why Ruby isn't with me?" Jaune finally broke the tension.

"It's not my business to ask. I love to small talk and gossip, but even I know there's a limit. Don't like sticking my nose where it doesn't belong."

The blond nodded his head. She made a good point. Guess the older woman isn't like that. Not the snitching type.

"But… I can tell you want me to ask you about her? Well, where is she?" Mierille said with a gentle and caring smile.

"She decided to stay back at our place," Jaune's blue eyes softened.

"Is she alright?"

"She's... I don't know…" Jaune sighed.

"Did you two have a lover's quarrel?"

This made Jaune gasped as his face turned red. The word just took him by surprise.

"Whoa, whaaa, no! It's nothing like that. We… kind of… had an argument… and she's... Not feeling well," Jaune slumped his shoulders over and sighed again.

"So, she got angry at you and doesn't want to talk to you? How is that not a lover's quarrel?"

"For one, we're not dating, and it's more like she needs time to think for herself."

"You want us to WHAT?" Ruby shouted, worried about what the Arc just told her.

She stood seated on the small living room of their place. The blond was currently cooking breakfast before starting their day. The silver eyed girl was in thinking hard, going over his words time and time again inside her head, and for some reason, she didn't like it. No, it worried her.

"Jaune... I don't know…. I'm getting bad nightmares of Pyrrha dying, Penny getting killed twice, the entire team breaking apart, even Yang and I arguing,"

"I'd say it's time we fulfill our mission. Maybe it's a little too soon but we have to do something. We have to take the fight to Shinra. Aerith said the reactors are what allows Mako energy to power the city. There are eight Mako reactors in total, if we take them all out, we stop their plans for good."

"And leave thousands if not millions without power. Think what that will mean! Not just the people from topside but the people of the slums and all the sectors, how will they be able to survive? It will be our fault if they end up rioting or getting killed."

"You have a point, but surely there are other methods to make electricity besides stealing the life blood of the planet."

"So? Do you have a plan? Or is this another hair-brained idea!" Ruby yelled.

"Hey! What's with you? You know we have to stop the Shinra Company, you know that. You can't forget we're here to stop them from taking anymore Mako from the planet. If this keeps up, and Shinra keeps sucking up all the Mako, the planet will die, Ruby. So, what do you think is worse? If this world runs out of the very source of energy it needs to produce life, it will all be over for everyone. At least this way, there will be survivors."

The red cloak girl stood silent, not giving him an answer as she lowered her head.

Jaune started to get worried as he finished with the breakfast, turned off the oven, and headed over to the petite to see the doubt in her silver eyes.

'This wasn't right, this wasn't her at all. Just what's could be bothering you, Ruby Rose?' Jaune thought to himself.

Jaune then put down her food in front of her and asked, "Ruby, you're with me on this right?"

"I don't know… I just don't know," Ruby's head drooped lower.

"Ruby, we have to do this. We need to save the planet. It's the whole reason we we're brought here. It's the reason why we're alive in the first place, and you're telling me you don't know? I thought you would be the first to jump in and say "let's do this"."

"Maybe the old me would..." she whispered.

"What?" Jaune's brows furrowed.

"I used to think everything would be fine. That it would all work out if we keep trying out best. I always looked at the positive side of things without thinking of the consequences. Well… Not anymore, not after…." Ruby gave him a dull scare that screamed she was out of hope.

"I'm sorry, Ruby, I'm so sorry. I know you're still trying to get over what happened, but—"

"But WHAT?!" she suddenly snapped, slapping the table and shocking him as she shouted, "You want us to play the heroes again? So, what, we blow up some reactors, then as a byproduct of our actions, we end up killing hundreds, possibly thousands of innocent people? That's not what heroes do, Jaune!"

"It won't be easy for the citizen if they run out of power, I know that. But people are more resilient than you give them credit for, Ruby. Sure, they will have to find a way to adapt and get used to life without Mako. But we have to have faith that they can pull through."

"That's not enough, Jaune!" Ruby shouted.

"Remember what Aerith's mother told us. If the planet runs out of Mako, it will be the end. The whole planet dies! The plants, the animals, the people, heck, even the monsters will die. Everyone will die, Ruby! Shinra is sucking up Mako without any signs of stopping. It will eventually kill the world. We need to do what's right, and you know just as well as I do, the best way to do that, is finishing our mission. To do what we were sent here for," Jaune explained with a bit of his own temperament to his tone.

"You think that's the right thing? I used to think not telling General Ironwood the truth about Salem was the right thing to do at the time. You saw what happened, what became of Atlas and Mantle? What became of everyone? What became of us?"

"You're still hurting. I get it, Ruby. I really do. It's not something easy to forget. Well, you know what? I'm hurting too, but I need to keep an open mind and believe our deaths weren't in vain. We were given this second chance for a reason. You and I are alive and working for the sole purpose we were sent to this world to accomplish was and is the right thing to do. Otherwise, we'll be making the same mistakes we made back on Remnant, and then you know what will happen? We will die again. Is that what you want?"

"We might die if we go to destroy those Mako reactors. What will be the point of this second chance if we'll end up losing our lives again?" Ruby shouted.

"Don't do this, please. I need you to stay positive because I can't do this without you. I need 'the' Ruby Rose, Huntress Extraordinaire. I need you to be one hundred percent on this. You're a Huntress, the leader of Team RWBY—"

"Team RWBY is dead! Just like your team, Jaune, and as for Ruby Rose, she died when she was on Remnant, losing everything she ever loved in the process. Her friends, her family, her home. So yeah, I prefer to live this life the right way without taking any risks. I don't even know how I was able to hold on up until now. Maybe be you and Aerith that are the only things keeping me sane."

"You won't be able to live this new life if the planet is dead. If you're not there to help me make a difference, then our chances of survival are even worse than I thought. The Ruby I know will suck it up and keep facing forward no matter the risks we have to take or danger we face. Because that's who she is." Jaune inched his face closer to her while staring her dead in the eye.

"Maybe she's not here anymore."

Those words destroyed Jaune. He felt like the whole world collapsing in on him.

"Just what became of that young girl who used to be so cheery, hyper, and always kept a positive attitude. The quirky girl he met at Beacon was gone. The petite lowered her gaze ready to shed tears.

"I'm not feeling hungry. I'll be in my room," Ruby said while leaving the table.

"What about the jobs we have for today?" Jaune asked with frustration in his voice.

"YOU CAN HANDLE IT ON YOUR OWN!" with that she opened the door and closed it shut with a loud slam.

"Ruby…."

"You had a falling out?" Mireille lifted a brow.

Jaune gave a nod of affirmation. Of course, he didn't give Mireille all of the details. There was no way he could tell her the truth without thinking he's crazy.

He told her just enough to give the older woman the general idea that they did have an argument about their future.

Jaune didn't know if Ruby was going to return to her usual self or remain as the person she is now. It really worried him because he cares so much for her. She was his closest and best friend, and most of all, Ruby was the only one from his world that he had left.

Ruby means everything to Jaune, and he couldn't see himself attempting to save am entire world of people if she wasn't by his side.

With her, there was nothing he couldn't accomplish, without her Jaune just felt lost. He had no shining light to guide him in these dark times.

Then his mind drifted to just how important the silver eyed girl is to him, he didn't want to imagine life without her by his side… Jaune then slapped himself again to ignore the last part and stop his cheeks from getting red.

The blond found himself thinking that he should have tried to better understand his partner's feelings. Dying at the hands of Cinder, failing everyone in Remnant, and loosing everyone she ever cared about took a big toll on her. It was getting to the point where Jaune was starting to make nightly visits to her room every time she woke up screaming from having nightmares of the Fall Maiden.

"Pretty much," Jaune replied, trying to shake the sight of seeing Ruby with hopeless eyes.

"That sort of thing is normal between friends. Don't worry about it too much. These things come and go. Before you know it, everything will be back to normal."

"I hope you're right Mireille," Jaune said as he sighed.

"Just give her time to think things through. She probably doesn't like fighting with you as much as you dislike fighting with her. Let her cool her head off and give her space, she will apologize sooner or later."

"You really are a good listener and speaker. Thanks for the advice."

"Just make sure not to screw up. That girl is one of a kind. You might never meet anyone else like her in your entire life. I sure wish my daughter was like Ruby, she could sure need a good influence like that Ruby in her life. That girl… always getting into trouble and giving me a headache. What am I going to do with her?"

Jaune nodded not knowing the scavenger had a daughter. But the first part got him thinking a lot. His face turned red again it's like Mireille was telling him not to lose a girl like Ruby in a romantic girlfriend/boyfriend kind of way.

'We aren't in a relationship! We're just close friends… okay… maybe a little too close. But neither of us have taken it beyond being anything more than really good friends. We don't see each other like that,' Jaune thought to himself.

However, now that she brought up the topic, the Arc realized that he has never thought how he feels about the red cloak petite.

It never occurred to him that she was a possible romantic partner. With everything going on that moment, he just didn't have the time for a together-together relationship.

'Ruby must be in the same boat too, she was going through a lot and romance is probably the last thing on her mind.' Jaune nodded his head in denial.

Then again, he suddenly remembered seeing her talking to Oscar in a flirting way back at Weiss's manor.

'Great now I'm thinking too much about something that's completely unnecessary. But what if she liked farm boy and never realized it. Come on Jaune, get off that topic. None of that matters right now. Ruby's wellbeing is more important.'

"Well time for me to head out. Got some stuff to take care of at Sector 7. Hope you two work it out. Here's your pay another good job."

"Sure you don't need me for anything else?" the blond took kindly the Gil from the older woman's hands.

"I'll be fine in Sector 7. They have many young lads armed and trained, and their borders are always on constant watch."

"Alright then, Goodbye Mireille," Jaune waved as she rode off on her wagon.

After Jaune left, Ruby cried for quite a while. Part of it was because she meant what she said, the other part was nothing but regret and disappointment in herself for lashing out at Jaune like that.

Ruby pulled out her scroll and turned it on. She went through the pictures of her team and all the shenanigans they pulled.

The batter sign blinked red as she powered the phone off and sighed.

Holding the scroll tightly in her hand, Ruby sniffled and said, "Yang… Blake… Weiss, what am I supposed to do?"

Ruby let her head crash against her pillow as she thought, 'Yang would probably tell me to suck it up. We signed on for this stuff. Blake… she might offer me a good book to read… and Weiss, well she'd just complain as say I'm being lazy.'

She could almost hear them chatting beside her.

"Get up, Ruby! You're better than this," Yang's voice called out from within her.

"We have work to do, Ruby. You're our leader. We can't stop now," Blake's voice came in like a cool whisper.

"The leader I know wouldn't let something like this get to her. Ozpin picked you for a reason, now live up to it!" Weiss' shrill voice made her wince.

"Hey, kiddo. I know it gets hard sometimes, but you have to keep on pushing through the crap if you want to get to the good stuff," Qrow's drunken tone.

"No matter what happens, you'll always be my little girl. No matter what choice you make, I'll be there to support you," Her father's voice rang loud and clear.

"I love you, just the way you are." The voice of Summer Rose snapped her out of it.

Ruby stood up and sighed before saying, "I… I can't just run away from my problems…Jaune was right… Oh crap baskets! Jaune!" Ruby rushed out of the house, feeling more than frightened and wondering if Jaune would forgive her for being so harsh.

After reading a book on Materia and Slot combinations, Jaune decided to head back to his place.

He was hoping that Ruby has had enough time to think, and that she was ready to talk now. Otherwise, he'll be making a big mistake, "Man, I hope Mireille's advice pans out."

Jaune didn't like the fact they had an argument, and he hated seeing Ruby so distraught. They've always gotten along just fine in the past, and he didn't want to ruin their friendship.

It scared him that their relationship might have taken some damage, and Jaune wanted nothing more than to continue being there for her. Of course he was still hurting about dying and leaving Remnant. The poor blond will never forget it.

The experience has scarred him for life, but he's been trying to be strong, to overcome this trail in life, and move on.

The only thing he can do is what's present before him, and that's fulfilling the mission they were given. Save the planet, stop Shinra and protect Aerith.

It was bad enough the company already knows she's an Ancient, but they are the most technological militant force on the planet made it thousands of times worse.

While passing through the slums, Jaune saw Ruby walking around looking for something. When the petite spotted him, she smiled widely.

Before he could wave at her, Ruby tackled him using her semblance. Not a very friendly experience considering how fast she is when she's moving like a comet comprised of rose petals.

The Arc was seeing stars for a while before gazing at her and he saw it. Pain was present in her silver eyes, but most of all, the regret was overflowing on her expression.

She got up and waited, giving him time to get up as the blond dusted himself off.

"I—" both said in unison.

"You first!" they replied again.

"Let me speak first, Jaune. I... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for the way I acted. I should have never, never, NEVER, gotten so angry at you, Jaune. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"Ruby I understand how you feel. You were upset and hurt. I shouldn't have pushed you like I did. I know we have a mission, and it's all I've been thinking since coming here, I'm sorry for not paying more attention to how you were feeling. It's just that, thinking about it is my way of coping with everything we've been going through. There's no need to rush things, I understand that now. Since there's only two of us, we won't be able to do much by ourselves. But most of all, I don't want us arguing like that again. I'm sorry, Ruby, can you forgive me?."

"No, it's okay. You were right. We do have a mission. It's the reason we're here and why we're alive. These past weeks I've been running away from our duties. But because we got a second chance at life, I… I… I got scared that we might fail, again. However, I'm not going to let that fear get to me anymore. We've been here long enough I'd say we get started," she smiled.

The blond didn't say a word before pulling the petite reaper into a hug. She was back to normal, that angsty and emoish personality doesn't suit her. Ruby should always be a person full of life and joy, similar to Aerith.

Breaking off the embrace he gazed happily at Ruby as she smiled.

She gave him that same sweet smile that Jaune always loves to see. He would do anything to help her keep that smile on and never to see her sad again.

The Arc started blushing. Noticing how close she is to him, he pulled away gently.

The silver eyed petite just blinked not knowing why he stopped hugging her. She felt a little empty when he did, but she didn't mind too much. He wasn't angry with her anymore, so that made her feel a whole lot better.

"There's something else I have to tell you. I went to Aerith's house, and by the way, she's busy helping her mom planting some flowers. But anyway she told me something useful that might help us get stronger."

Jaune smiled. That was definitely useful information. He did promise her that they'd work on getting stronger together.

"That's great news to me. What's the info?"

"There's this place where you can train and exercise as much as you like. It's a place in the slums of Sector 6 Wall Market."

The blond stood in thought he has heard about Wall Market from the people and Mireille. It's supposed to be the most lively of all the slums in Midgar, but there are also some rumors about the place that made him question whether or not they should go there.

"Are you talking about a gym?"

"Yeah, there's also a weapon and armor shop among other things that didn't really catch my intrests. We can finally change our outfits to ones that can equip Materia, and let's not forget buying more of them too. Ooh, she also told me to be careful in Wall Market."

"I heard about that too. It's not so safe like the other sector, especially for cute…" Jaune paused, making Ruby tilt her head.

"Um, for girls, It's dangerous for girls at night at that place," Jaune said with a sweat drop running down his brow.

'What's wrong with me? Sure, Ruby is cute, but why is it so hard for me to tell her that,' Jaune thought to himself with red cheeks.

"Yeah, Aerith told me to be careful and stay away from a place called the Honeybee Inn. She said not to set foot in there under any circumstances."

'I have a feeling I know what kind of place is that inn is,' Jaune erased the thought.

"So it's official, we're going to Wall Market?" Ruby said while putting her arms behind her back and interlocking her fingers.

"Right, but let's take's Aerith's word for it and tread carefully," Jaune followed up.

Ruby giggled as she looked back over her shoulder and said, "It won't be a problem. Besides, I'll have you there looking out for me."

Jaune blushed again before shaking his head and thinking, 'Seems like she's looking forward to visiting the armory and weapons shop.'

Chapter Text

[Location: Wall Market, Sector 6 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The path to Wall Market was as expected a long one. Not without encountering a couple of monsters along the way.

However, it was nothing the two Hunters couldn't handle, especially with the equipped Materia in their weapons.

With the added ability of using magic, the Hunters from another world have definitely gotten stronger, they continue to get stronger still.

First, they wanted to train their bodies. The stronger their physiques were, the more Aura amplified their abilities. So a going to a gym was a really good idea on Ruby's part.

Their mission wasn't an easy one and it was better to be prepared, and having some extra muscle couldn't hurt.

When they were in the clear, and it seemed like no more monsters would be popping up, Ruby continued telling Jaune what she learned about Sector 6 from Aerith.

Since the conditions of the slums was so much worse than many of the others places in Midgar, many of the people that helped in the cities construction decided to create a place for the sole purpose of fun and entertainment.

It was a place with all kinds of things that humans would love. There were bars, casinos, strip joints, good food, music, and so much more.

Before they knew it, the business in Wall Market started booming, and a lot of people started earning a lot of money.

Unfortunately, the addition of money to the slums brought the attention of certain unsavory characters, ones that didn't care about the law.

Of course, the government didn't care about the problems of the lower sectors, so they solved it by building a large wall around it, and that's how Wall Market got the name.

Over time, Wall Market became known as the city under a giant iron veil, settled below a plate that was damaged in an incident that happened a long time ago.

The sad part about it all is that even thought the plate was salvageable; Shinra still hasn't lifted a finger to repair the damage.

They pretty much allow anyone in, no need for identification, and there free to roam if they don't upset any of the real owners of the nightly market. It was also the reason why there are more outlaws than regular fair people.

When the two Hunters finally saw the large wall in the distance, the looked a bit surprised. It took them a couple of minutes to walk to the front gate. The entire way they chatted about how much bigger it looked that the Sector 5 Slums, though most of that place was rubble.

Thanks to the person on watch at the top spotting them, they didn't have to wait that long before the large gates opened in front of them.

"Looks like anyone can get in just like that," Jaune commented.

"It's no wonder why bandits and crooks use this place to hang out," Ruby said before the both entered the Sector 6 Slums.

The first thing they noticed was the noise of all the people bustling around. There were so many, way more than what was in Sector 5.

Everywhere they looked there was something all kinds of places and shops. The nearest one was a rustic looking house with a Chocobo sign on the door frame. Next to it was a bundle of feathers strapped to a carriage.

The yellow bird creature had obviously gotten Ruby's attention as she ran to the cuddled it, "So cute, so cute, so cute, yes you are!"

The Chocobo obviously didn't mind the attention as it chirped joyfully.

The Arc couldn't help but smile. Ruby looked so cute when she was in her element, and from the way the Chocobo was behaving, it was obvious that owner had it trained very well.

Chocobos spook easily, and their usual reaction is to run away at the slightest disturbance, and boy can they run.

"They're pretty fast for their size," Jaune chuckled.

Seeing as Ruby wasn't stopping her Chocobo-Fluffing anytime soon, Jaune had to pull the poor girl away from the Chocobo by force, making her cry a bit as she said, "Just five more minutes! Please, there so cuddly!"

Jaune shook his head and replied by saying, "Nope! We came here for a reason, Ruby. Let's try to stay on track."

And so, they continued on their exploration of Wall Market. There were food stands, decent inns, and dozens of shops.

One shop in particular caught the blond knight's attention called, Super-Girls. He didn't even want to think what is that place was about.

Jaune shook his head and then suggested to go to the gym first before buying the outfits and the Materia.

"Relax, with so many signs and decorations, we'll find that place in no time," Ruby said while she tried to act cool.

"Man, this place must look like a carnival at night," Jaune commented as he followed after the red reaper.

As it turned out, Wall Market was bigger than they first thought. It wasn't as easy for them to find the gym without asking for directions. So, the two Hunters asked the people passing by until they got their answer.

Remembering the information, the reaper and the knight took the path that lead to a tent. However, the inside of the tent was completely constructed by wood and other materials you'd find in a sturdy house.

As they entered and looked around, they noticed a few men working out. Some looked scrawny others were buff. There were weights, exercise machines, and some trophies on the back definitely a gym they were in the right place.

Now all they needed to do is find the one in charge of the place. The customers were all doing their best, lifting weights, running on treadmills, doing pull ups, but there was only one that really caught their attention.

He was a young buff man with dark skin and dark brown short cut hair. He had a short beard, dark eyes, and a broad chin.

The dark-skinned man was wearing sleeveless white gym attire with the drawing of an arm showing its muscle. The logo on it read Otoko.

He was trying currently lifting a big dumbbell that must have weight a lot, at least judging from its appearance.

There were two men trying to encourage the man to lift the weight. One of them had even more muscle than the dark-skinned man and he had the same buzz cut, but his hair was blond. He had blue eyes, was wearing a sleeveless red with black stripes gym suit that an orange line at the bottom.

The second one had long black hair reaching to the back of his neck, dark eyes, and a black bandana keeping his hair bunched together in the back. He was wearing a gray shirt gray with white lines making a tribal-ish design on each side, black leather shorts with a belt and a silver buckle, black knee pads, and black boots reaching to his knees.

Just like the other guy, he was also cheering for the dark skinned man to lift the weight completely.

Ruby and Jaune thought it wouldn't hurt to try and ask them where they should start, at least one of the two not lifting the weight. The dark-skinned man seemed pretty busy trying to lift. The two teens slowly approached the three. Not wanting to break his concentration, they treaded lightly.

"Come on Ronnie just one more push!"

"You can do it!"

"Ugh...Almost there…."

With one final push the dark skinned buff man was able to lift the weight all the way to the rack and set it down.

Ruby and Jaune were impressed the weight he lifted looked very heavy. For a human without Aura to pull that off, it proved that Jaune and Ruby came to the right place.

Ronnie got off of the bench press and stood up before he was congratulated by both of the men at his side.

This place was no joke just looking around was enough to tell. There were so many people trying their hardest to get stronger and into shape.

"Good job Ronnie. You've come a long way."

"Thanks, I'm planning on getting stronger."

"Oh what do we have here?" the man in black and gray haired men noticed the two teenagers.

"Who might you be?" The long haired man asked.

"I'm Ruby and this is Jaune! We want to know who's in charge here," Ruby said with a smile on her face.

"That will be me. Name's Jules, I'm the head trainer and owner of this place. If you want to get in shape you've come to the right place."

"Yeah, we would like to get some exercise as part of our training. I hope we're not asking for too much," said the Arc.

"Not at all, I'm always happy to recruit more people. Working out is great for the body. You just don't get stronger and in shape but it also helps you stay healthy. In addition you get to have fun while burning calories," Jules informed like he was making a sales pitch.

"Please, look at these two. They're so skinny it's like they barely eat at all." said Ronnie.

"Hey, that's not nice," the silver eyed girl huffed as she frowned.

"Never judge a book by its cover. I can tell these two have potential. So, is it your first time doing a workout?"

"Well, we do have experience fighting monsters." replied the blond.

"That's a good start. Actual fighting is a real workout for the body. I guess you won't have a hard time doing the basics. Squats, pull ups, push ups, sit ups the works. Thirty of them, then we'll do fifty and if you still want more we can try a hundred."

"All right!" Ruby was hyped.

"But first I suggest a change of clothes. You can change in the locker room to the left. You have to wear the gear if you want to sweat. See you in five," Jules pointed them to a locker room.

It didn't take long for Jaune and Ruby to changed and return to Jules. The Arc was wearing a t-shirt with the words Square Enix with blue sweat pants and white sneakers. The reaper was wearing a black shirt with the words Rooster-Teeth in red, red sweat pants, and white sneakers.

"Remember, Ruby, no Aura unless it's to heal the muscle fatigue," Jaune whispered.

"I know how to work out…" Ruby said with her eyes darting away. Truthfully, she was ready to shoot pass everyone and show off by working out with her Aura going full throttle.

The head trainer nodded while Ronnie and Jay were watching. The dark skinned man thought it will be amusing watching the two skinny kids fail. The three got to the middle of the ring.

"Hope you guys are ready."

"Bring it!" said the silver eyed girl.

The three started with squats. At first Jules thought of going easy with them, but boy he was wrong.

Jaune and Ruby were giving the head trainer a run for his Gil. Seeing them excel at his training program put a smile on Jules' face expecting such if they already have experience fighting monsters.

They immediately did thirty squats in no time. Years of fighting and training to be efficient Hunters gave them stronger bodies than most.

When they hit fifty, that's when their bodies started sweating, feeling the burn of the workout.

Still, it wasn't as much strain as one of Nora's or Yang's workouts. So, they powered through and finished the fifty squats.

Jules was impressed while Jay and Ronnie stared on in disbelief.

However, Ronnie quickly hid his expression of awe while thinking, "There was no way they keep this up and not burn themselves out, even if they are young and full of energy."

Well, Ronnie was wrong. Not only did they manage to do a hundred squats the same as the head trainer, after they finished them off, the two went the pull ups.

Jules put the bars on the roof of the ring so they can start the next part of the exercise, looking at the two with great appreciation. He had been a trainer for so long, Jules could see the real value of the muscles they built under their outfits.

It wasn't over the top, but fit for fast and hard hitting combat. Jules knew better than to underestimate these two.

The blond knight and the silver eyed petite jumped holding to the bar as the head trainer join them.

They went for thirty, then fifty and then a hundred. By now, their bodies covered in sweat and their clothes were drenched in it.

Ronnie and Jay were stood absolutely still, shocked and jaw dropped. Of course, they would expect Jules to manage this kind of workout, but these two kids were still going at it, and it looked like they didn't plan on stopping any time soon.

Next was the push ups, thirty, fifty and a hundred. They followed by starting the sit ups, thirty, fifty, and one hundred.

Then it happened, Jules couldn't take it anymore. His body has given up on him, collapsing to the ground in a pool of his own sweat.

Ronnie and Jay were speechless, it was the first time they have ever seen their trainer falling down from a workout.

Yet the petite and the blond were still going at it and eventually collapsed from exhaustion.

However, once they used their Aura to heal the damage, they got right back up and started the whole routine over again.

"They're not human!" Ronnie commented.

"What fun!" Jules said between his large gaps for air.

"Jules! You okay?!" Jay asked as he and Ronnie went to the ring to check up on the head trainer.

Jules started chuckling while he was barely able to get up.

The head training watched them go through five reps of his most intensive workout regimen before he shouted, "HOLY GAIA you two are the real deal. I have never been this tired before."

"We're tired too." Ruby was panting as she got seated on the ring.

"I feel like we fought a hundred battles." followed Jaune as he sat beside her.

"You two have earned a break, well done. There some free water in the vending machines. You can shower later to the right. That will be enough for today. Next time, we're hitting the weights. Good job, Ruby and Jaune."

"Damn." muttered Ronnie, "Guess I will have to do five hundred of everything!"

"For real?" Jay stood shocked.

"Watch me. I will show these two what it's like to be in top form!"

Jaune and Ruby gulped down their water bottle and took a breather before getting right back into it. With their Aura healing the micro damage to their muscles and healing away their soreness, they managed to complete 10 solid reps of Jules work outs.

The head trainer managed to judge their capabilities and the muscles they needed to work on, so he guided them through it while they sweated until they found themselves being pushed harder than they ever had.

Eventually, Jaune and Ruby ran out of Aura and collapsed on the ground. Jaune was even more winded because he had to constantly refuel Ruby's Aura when she ran dry.

"I can't move my body." said the blond.

"Me too." the silver eyed girl was exhausted but she manage to smiled.

"Take the rest of the day off, you two certainly earned it. If you're in pain I can help with that. You can go to Madam M's massage parlor. That woman works miracles, trust me, when she's done with you guys, both of you will feel good as new in no time."

"And I'm sure that it's free," Jaune said as his sweat continued to drop of the floor. He didn't want to spend Gil because they still had weapons, clothes, and Materia to purchase.

"You won't have to," Jules replied as he smiled and took out two pieces of paper from his pocket.

"Show this to Madam M, and she will give you a free massage."

Ruby and Jaune took the paper coupon that read, "Free Massage"

Both of them looked at each other and smiled.

"Thanks, this is great," Ruby said as she bowed her head a bit.

"Yeah, we could really use a massage. Our bodies are aching… but.." Jaune paused.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Well… *hehe*… could you tell us how to get there?" Jaune chuckled with an embarrassed expression.

"Hahahah! Of course, no problem," Jules replied before writing down the directions to reach the massage parlor on a piece of paper and handed it over.

Chapter Text

It took an hour for the two to muster up enough Aura to heal some of their sore muscles and regain a bit of their stamina. When they could finally move, the Hunter took a shower and changed back to their regular battle attires.

The hot water helped sooth some of their body's aches and pain, but until their Aura's regenerated, they had to put up with it.

Still, it was a good workout, and the two appreciated what continuing it would bring.

Exhausted and tired, they walked the streets and through the alleyways until they reached the end.

There, was a tall building that shocked them because the structure of it reminded them to architecture from the kingdom of Mistral.

It was so familiar, that they found themselves being choked up by the ordeal.

They never thought that they might see anything that resembled something so closely to related to their world.

Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration. There were many things that resemble things from Remnant, but this building looks like it came straight out of Mistral building plans.

Opening the door, they were surprised to see that even the interior looks like the houses they would find in the kingdom on the Anima continent.

There was a woman standing on the reception desk wearing the same clothing style from the people Mistral, no surprise there seeing how everything else looked like they stepped back into Remnant.

The woman presumed to be Madam M was a young lady in her late twenties. She had short brown hair and lighter brown eyes. She was wearing golden hair pins, a black kimono with a red belt that had yellow designs on it, and was holding it and a collapsible paper hand fan.

Both Jaune and Ruby had to admit, she was quite the beauty.

"Hello and welcome," The hostess said as she gave a cordial smile.

"Are you Madam M?" asked Ruby.

"That's right and this is my massage parlor," Madam M replied with a gentle yet mature smile.

"We just finished a really hard workout session at Jules place and he gave us these coupons," Jaune said as he showed the slip of paper.

"Here's mine!" Ruby followed up.

The young woman took them from their hands, and not looking particularly happy when she said, "Just when I thought these damn coupons were gone for good. That Jules… I should've put an expiration date on these things. *sigh*… Very well, let's get this over with but I will only give you the standard course. No ifs or buts."

"That's okay," Jaune waved his hands in front of his face. Something told him that this lady was fiercer than she looked. So, she got no arguments from the blond.

"So, which one of you would like to be first?" Madam M raised an eyebrow as she looked over the two Hunters.

"Me!" Ruby raised her hand.

"Go ahead, I'll wait," Jaune said before he looked for a place to sit down.

"Make your way to the room in the back and wait. And you…" Madam M pointed her finger at the blond before she continued speaking, "If you try to peek, I will tear out your eyes out with my fan."

Jaune gulped before saying, "I would never!"

"Jaune isn't like that, he wouldn't do something like those characters in Blake's books!" Ruby came to his rescue knowing her friend.

"You never know darling. Men can be quite the treacherous snakes who only know how to look after themselves," The kimono wearing woman said with venom laced in her voice.

"I said he isn't like that!" The silver eyed petite continued to defend him.

Jaune smiled and felt happy that Ruby believed in him that much. Of course she was right, he would never peep, at least not on purpose. There was that one time where Nora hammered him through into the girls' shower room.

Shaking his head to brush of the memories, Jaune just waved at Ruby with a smile on his face and said, "Go head and enjoy the massage, I'll wait out here."

Ruby left the room and followed the woman who was pointing at where she should go.

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the leather couch. Nearby was a small table covered in a stack of magazines and newspapers that managed to catch his eye.

Grabbing the paper, Jaune's eyes widened upon reading the headline.

"MURDER ATTEMPT ON SHINRA'S PRESIDENT. WUTAI AND AVALANCHE FORCES SUSPECTED OF BEING INVOLVED!"

The blond teen started reading the article. There was no actual evidence on the ones they claimed were responsible for the attempt on the Shinra President's life, the subtle mention of Wutai went unnoticed but most of the article focused on calling out the anti-Shinra group called Avalanche.

For months now, they have been causing a ruckus. Destroying Mako fuel stations, interfering with Shinra's militaristic operations, and trying to take down the Power Company in any way they could because of their 'delusional' beliefs that it's saving the planet.

Suddenly he was hearing groaning voices coming from the room in the back. It was Ruby, and she sounded like she was in pain. Jaune felt a sweat drop from his brow as he thought, 'Was it really a massage parlor or was this torture house.'

He felt sorry for the poor girl. However, a few seconds later, Ruby's groans turned into something more… erotic.

Jaune blushed profusely before crossing his legs and repeated, "Grandma, ice baths, and family…phew…"

The moment Jaune got ahold of himself, the parlor door opened, and a young woman walked in.

She looked to be in her early thirties with long brown hair, hazel eyes, and a pair of nice reading glasses. She was wearing a gray business suit with a skirt that stopped below the knees, black high heels, and grey stockings.

Everything from her expression, to her messy hair and rings under her eyes said that this woman was stressed out.

As she got seated next to the Arc, she gave out a long and disappointed sigh. Jaune looked over and saw that her eyes were zeroing in on to the paper was holding.

"You want it? I don't mind giving it up, I'm just finished reading it," Jaune asked as he held out the newspaper.

"No thank you. I don't want to read that garbage… Stupid Shinra lap dogs," The woman nearly growled.

The blond didn't know what to say, other than that she has quite the temper.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to act so rude. My name is Emma. I USED to be a journalist for the Midgar paper, the Planet Star."

Jaune gazed at the newspaper, and low and behold, it had the same logo and title of her previous place of employment.

'Okay, I guess that makes sense, and it certainly explains why she sound so upset. I'm sure seeing, would set off any one who USED to work for them,' Jaune thought as he held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Emma, I'm Jaune. You must've really hated your work place…oops…sorry about that, was that insensitive of me?"

"Relax blondie. It's my former work place. I quit. I was so sick and tired of their biased bullshit," Emma responded with a stern expression.

'That sure explains a lot but not her temper and attitude. It will be understandable if she got fired, but according to her, she quit. Usually that makes a person happier than angry. I wonder what was this of biased BS she mentioned is,' Jaune thought to himself.

"Journalists are supposed to seek the truth and be the voice of reason for the people. Not the opposite. You read the headline, right?" Emma asked.

"Uh…yeah. You're talking about the attempted murder of the Shinra Company's President, right?" Jaune replied as he sat back in the couch cushions, letting some of that muscle fatigue he was felling lessen.

"It's all lies made up by the paper to stir the people into a state of fear and vulnerability. They always have to make Shinra out to be the good guys, and of course, any chance they can get, they'll point fingers at the only threat available, Avalanche."

The Arc gave a nod while thinking, 'At least that explains why she quit.'

The Shinra Power Company basically founded Midgar. It wasn't exactly rocket science, Shinra obviously hold more power than the Mayor, or any news outlet for that matter.

The people will take their side in a heartbeat since Shinra has lulled the public to sleep with comfortable living conditions, electricity, and modern appliances.

So in the end, any information the news outlets publish on subject concerning Shinra will end up in support of the company.

"Guess it is biased information or BS," Jaune smirked.

"Don't get me wrong I don't support Avalanche. I just want to hear the other side of the story and not the same spiel my publisher tells me to write. It's repetitive, dishonest, and annoying. Being on Shinra's leash will never bring the truth, and so I left. The funny part is, they didn't feel sorry for me because they've already had a replacement lined up; just another brainwashed fool that will continue kissing their asses."

"If you want to hear the other side of the story, maybe you should make your own paper outlet."

Emma stood staring at him in shock before she chuckled and said, "You know what? That doesn't sound like such a bad idea. However, it's nearly impossible. First thing I will need a is huge amount of income, and since I don't see that happening any time soon, it won't do me much to start thinking of my own paper…especially since I'm now unemployed. Even if I did have the start up money my own paper, it will fail on the first day. Shinra's influence on the people, it's just too strong. They'll believe anything they say and the media will back them up on it. Though, I am curious to know more about Avalanche."

"What would you like to know?" Jaune asked, full of curiosity.

"Well… for starters, what's their objective? The paper, Shinra, and the people claim that they're nothing but terrorists that want to harm our city by any means necessary."

"Really? That doesn't really line up with what I've heard about the group. Didn't they claim that their Eco Terrorist or something?" Jaune lifted a brow.

"I know what you mean, even I've heard those same words in rumors. Some say they're eco heroes who want to save the planet, because according to them Shinra is destroying it. But then again, they're just rumors, possibly theories nothing more. I need solid evidence if I want to get to the truth."

Jaune gave another nod while thinking, 'Looks like she had a lot on her mind.'

"But anyway I'm still upset about quitting my job. I thought maybe a massage will help me relax and get better, that's why I came here."

"You know what? I think you need this more than me," the blond said as he gave her the coupon.

Jaune then stood up and cracked his neck and limbs before he said, "It's a free massage coupon, Madam M the owner of the parlor says she will only give the standard treatment."

"A coupon for a free massage, here? I'll take it! But are you sure you should be giving me this?" Emma asked with a worried expression.

"I'll be fine," Jaune waved his hand. Clearly his kind nature got the better of him again, because as much as he doesn't want to admit it, he does need a massage.

The poor teenager's body was still aching from pushing his Aura and body to the limits during that workout at Jules gym.

Jaune then mulled it over and smiled, "Here, take this too."

Emma's eyes nearly popped out when she saw the 10,000 Gil, "Huh? What?"

"You said you needed seed money to start up a news outlet. Well… I'm investing," Jaune continued to smile gently at the news reporter.

"I can't accept that!" Emma wanted to refute.

"Emma, please. I'll have you know, reading the newspapers is one of my biggest hobbies. It'd be a real shame if I couldn't read the truth instead of the biased BS the other outlets are printing. Besides, grassroots movements are important, especially when it comes to the truth. You may think no one would read or buy, but I promise you, I'll be one of them, and if that won't make you take my money, just know that I'm supporting a cause I believe in."

Tears filled the journalist's eyes as she gave Jaune a hug before wiping away the waterworks.

"You're a lifesaver Jaune, I… thank you, I'll do my best to make sure only the truth gets published," the journalists smiled.

Around the same time, Ruby arrived with a smile on her face too. Madam M was behind her with a confident smirk on her face.

"You okay?" Jaune asked.

"Heck yeah, I'm in tip top shape now. In fact, I feel like I can take on an army of monsters."

"Then I guess it's time to go," Jaune said as he stretched again.

"Wait, aren't you going to get a massage?" Ruby asked with a puzzled expression.

"Nah, I gave the coupon to someone who deserves it more," Jaune smiled while gazing at Emma who was currently leaving alongside the woman in the kimono.

"You gave it up? But isn't your body in pain?" the silver eyed petite took on a worried expression.

"Nah, my Aura's already recovering. I've been boosting myself the entire time we waited. Another half hour or so, I'll be fit as a fiddle. Now, let's head out to our next destination, the armor shop. We're buying those clothes that can equip Materia. After that we'll drop by the item shop to buy more Materia."

"Yeah! And then the Weapon Shop, right?" the petite was really hyped.

"And then the weapons shop," Jaune nodded his head as Ruby gave him a hug and squealed.

"Ow… ow… ow, still sore, Rubes," Jaune cried out as Ruby let go.

"Sorry,"

As they were about to leave Jaune has suddenly tripped.

The pain in his body is worse than he thought, so it was perfectly natural that he'd lose his balance at some point. However, he never got the chance to hit the ground since Ruby caught him just in nick of time.

The red cloak girl smiled at him before he suddenly blushed and looked away.

'Damn, I must look like a complete idiot right now,' Jaune thought to himself, but for some reason, he didn't seem to mind being in this situation.

"Let's walk there together. You know something, Jaune? I'm glad you gave that lady your coupon. It was very sweet of you. I think I love that part of you the most."

Her compliment only made him blushed even more.

The teenagers were closer to the item shop than they were the armory, so they decided to buy the Materia first.

They had enough Gil saved up to buy a couple new useful Materia for setting on their new outfits.

Jaune bought the following Materia for himself, barrier, revival, parry, steadfast block, and cleansing.

For Ruby, she picked enemy skill, luck up, deadly dodge, binding, and steal. They will also be adding their dormant summon Materia to their weaponry.

Just to be extra prepared, the Arc decided to buy some extras items like potions and hi-potions. They made their payment and left the building before they walked to their next destination.

Once they arrived at the armor shop, both teenagers checked their wallets to make sure they had enough Gil to buy the outfits.

They both gave a satisfied nod and entered the shop. The Hunters started looking around until they found the perfect set of clothing to purchase.

After buying them, they went to the changing room and removed their old attires from Remnant, giving a final goodbye as they folded them neatly.

They will miss them, but new world means new clothes, and they also needed them for the Materia.

Jaune was wearing a fitting, sleeveless, split-tailed, hooded trench coat that flowed down to the back of his knees. The coat was pale white on the outside and ruby red on this inside. Under the trench coat, he wore a blue long sleeve tight and flexible turtleneck shirt that fit like a second skin.

He kept the chest piece, pauldrons, and arm pieces but now had long black pants, a Viking-style heavy wide belt with two belt loops on them and Pyrrha's sash underneath it.

The belt had small rectangular buttoned bags stitched into the sides that were big enough to fit potions and a few other items in.

Lastly, he put on a nice pair long black boots that had a buckle with a Materia Slot in it and stepped outside.

There were secret areas in the clothes to equip the Materia. Jaune's were along the belt, boots, and wrists of the trench coat.

Now he was ready to kick some monster butt. Although he still bore some resemblance to a knight from the fairy tales his mother used to tell him, Jaune looked a bit more like a professional that belonged in this world.

Ruby wasn't done yet so he chose to wait for her outside. While he stood next to the changing room stall, a few other people in the store gave Jaune some funny looks, and although he felt like he was imagining it, he saw few ladies ogling his body.

It didn't take her too long. When the silver eyed petite emerged from the changing rooms, stepping forward to meet the blond, she smiled and gave a little twirl.

Blue eyes widened at her new attire. She was still wearing her red cloak and hood because she's Ruby Rose and the Arc knows how much it means to her. Other than that, she wore a black choker, black short sleeve leather vest with also a zipper all the way up, but unlike the blond, she was showing her belly. After that, he saw that she wore some red shorts that stopped about half a foot or so above her knees, black boots, black fishnet stockings, and elbow long red leather gloves.

A Materia was equipped on each of the gloves, belt buckle, and choker.

Jaune stood dumbfounded. First, he has never seen the petite's belly and stomach. Second, he has never seen her wearing shorts. It was always skirts, or 'combat skirts' as she calls them. Third, he was realizing that she has a nice figure, nice legs, and those thighs.

The black vest she was wearing made her bust noticeable. They weren't that big or small just the perfect balance size.

It the occurred to him that the blond that the reaper has a curvy body, and seeing her like this made him blush like red lamp lighting up.

The knight's heart started beating faster and faster. He knew Ruby was pretty, but this new outfit, it truly shows off her sexy side.

A part of him felt the intense desire to check out her her butt. Jaune wondered if it was a nice size, not too big and bubbly, but just enough to hold on to.

The blond knight's face only got redder as he thought, 'Why the hell am I thinking such things?'

He couldn't help if the petite has a hot body. Puberty has been good to her. She's strong, beautiful, quirky, caring, and clever to boot. What else could he ask for?

'Get a grip Jaune! AND GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!' Jaune shouted mentally.

"So, what do you think?" the eagerly girl turned around so he can take a better look.

Jaune's eyes definitely looked at her perky ass before he shook his head and gave a thumb's up while saying, "It's great. You look ready for action,"

'What kind of action? Argh! Shut up pervert side!' Jaune ran his hands through his hair.

"Jaune you okay?" the girl got closer noticing he has spaced out.

"Yeah, better than okay! You look hoaaa…really good," he gasped at what he was going to say before blushing again and thinking, 'You almost called Ruby hot! You idiot!'

"Thanks Jaune, you're outfit looks nice too. I see you kept the armor pieces," Ruby eyed him up and down while feeling something fluttering inside her stomach.

"Yeah, I figured that since the metals came from Remnant, they might have unique properties in this world. I plan on asking a metallurgist to take a look at it. I'll add some slots to it later."

"Well then, I'd say we look ready to save the world. And I'm already feeling stronger thanks to the extra Materia we bought."

"That's the idea. I guess that means we're done here, let's head back to Sector 5." the Arc was so glad he got rid of those impure thoughts.

"Wait, we have to check out the weapon shop first!" Ruby gushed as she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out of the shop.

As they rushed across Wall Market, Jaune noticed her hips swaying with her jaunt and blushed before thinking, 'And the impure thoughts are back.'

As they made on their way back to Sector 5, they were able to test out their new Materia. They encountered a couple of monsters and defeated them with ease.

With Jaune's Aura pushing his body, he managed to cleave a Venomantis in half.

Ruby was even faster than before. Her body turned into rose petals before she reappeared next to several wererats and cleaved through them like a grim reaper collecting a debt.

Looks like the short training at Jules' place also did the trick. They were planning to come back every day and train their bodies in order to get stronger.

They couldn't just rely only on the Materia and Aura. They needed a stronger foundation to build off of.

Arriving at their home they spotted Aerith standing on the front porch, and boy she didn't look happy in the least. Both the petite reaper and the blond knight were shocked. It was the first time that they have seen the green eyed woman upset.

But why would she be angry? It's not like they have done something wrong. Or maybe she had a bad day with her business ventures. After all, selling flowers is no easy job according to Jaune.

She has always been such a sweet and caring person, so to see her like this was something quite unexpected.

"There you two are! Do you have any idea how late it is?!"

They stood speechless, seeing her upset was enough to send chills down their spine.

"Where were you?!"

"Wall Market, I told you before leaving." spoke Ruby.

"But you never said you were planning in spending the entire day there! That place is dangerous! You guys could have been hurt or worse. Well young lady care to explain yourself?"

"I..I..I… What's happening right now?" The red cloak girl didn't know what to say.

So here was Aerith acting like an over protective mother over her children. Since when, well she was their dear friend and she clearly sees them as their best friends.

"Well, you're planning on saying something?" Aerith's eyes drifted to the shaking Arc.

"I don't think this is necessary, really" replied the Arc while waving his hands out in front of him with a pale expression.

"You're not even going to stand up for her?!" Aerith huffed before a smile appeared around the corner of her lips.

Both Ruby and Jaune stood speechless when Aerith suddenly started laughing out loud, unable to contain her laughter any longer as she clenched her stomach.

Both Hunters felt sweat dropping from their brows.

"I'm sorry, I was kidding. You should have seen the look in your faces."

"That wasn't funny!" The petite reaper pouted at the florist.

"It was funny for me. Anyway I like your new clothes. I can see that you're equipping Materia on them."

Jaune nodded while sighing. They should be used to the brunette's teasing by now.

"So, what are you doing here, mom," Ruby shot back.

Aerith snorted before she said, "The reason I was here is because I was waiting for you guys. You have to come to my house with me."

"What for?" asked the blond.

"It's a surprise" Aerith smiled.

They followed Aerith to her house, and once they arrived, they realized that they would never get tired of the view.

It was even more beautiful at night than during the day. The florist was smiling the whole way to her porch.

She then looked back than giggled before she opened the front door to let them in.

Ruby and Jaune got quite the surprise when they entered. The moment they stepped through the threshold, their noses were invaded by a delicious scent.

The table had large portions of piping hot food on it. Elmyra stood waiting for them with a smile as she waved them over.

Looks like the prepared a surprise dinner for them. And it was a good thing because both teens were really hungry.

It wasn't until the moment they smelled the food that the realization of how hungry they were hit them.

They got seated before chowing down while talking to the mother and daughter of their adventure at Wall Market. It was a great moment for the Hunters of Gaia. They were having such a good time because it looked like they were a big happy family.

Afterwards the Arc and the reaper volunteered to pick all the plates and wash them. It was the least they can do to thank them.

They even helped with cleaning the kitchen, and they did a good job too. The table was so clean you could see your reflection in it.

Ruby and Jaune noticed shortly that Aerith was missing before Elmyra told them she wanted them to meet her outside.

Leaving the house, they didn't spot her right away. They started looking around and eventually saw her standing on the flower field near the beautiful wooden house.

It was really pretty this place at night. Ignoring all the scrap that was around, and the giant plate above them, it was still a wonder to look at.

Aerith was knelling by the amount of flowers, and looking ever so peaceful as she seemed to be chatting to the flowers.

It was definitely good for this place to be so far away from the rest of the slums. It was one of the only two places that has real green life in it. The old church was second.

"Were you talking to the flowers?" asked the red cloak girl.

"It's a habit I made up. Sometimes, I like to imagine they're listening to me."

"Are they?" followed the blond.

"No, but I wish it was true," Aerith chuckled.

"Elmyra said you wanted to talk to us." resumed the Arc.

"It's something that's been on my mind for a while. Ruby, when we first met you said something about ghost thingies, right?"

The petite along with the blond looked at each other. If Aerith believes their crazy story of being from another world, then why not tell her about those spirits as well.

"I think they're ghosts. They're wearing hoods, our attacks pass right through them, and they fly around in a really creepy way. They appeared when we were at the church and one time in my room when I woke up from a bad dream."

"They were also in our apartment," Jaune followed up.

"Twice, that's not a coincidence." the florist shook her head.

"Do you know what they are?" asked the silver eyed reaper.

"Whispers. They're like the arbiters of fate. They appear to those that are trying to alter destiny's course. They are connected to all the threads of time and space the planet's fate. Not many can see them unless they're part of fate's plan. It shouldn't be a surprise they will show up around you two."

"Have you seen them too?" asked the Arc.

"Yes, so many times I lost count," Aerith said with a sigh.

"Is it because you're an Ancient?" Ruby questioned.

"I think it's more than that. Everyone has a plan. Fate and destiny are connected, and everyone has a role in it, whether it's big or small."

The teens stood silent in deep thought. Hearing the word destiny Jaune remembers Pyrrha. She once asked him if he believes in destiny, and she died trying to protect them. Fate, it was a word he was beginning to hate.

Was it fate and destiny that he and Ruby died at the hands of Cinder; the same person that responsible for the death of the red head champion.

"So our deaths are part of this plan?" the blond didn't sound happy at all.

"I'm afraid so. No one can escape fate, you can try but you're only evading the inevitable. It's bound to catch up to you sooner or later."

Ruby remained silent not knowing what to say about the whole topic at hand.

However, she knew her blond friend was upset, and it was beginning to worry her. This whole thing about destiny and fate is a touchy subject for him. Since he lost Pyrrha because she thought that it was her destiny to die while protecting the world and her friends, it tore in to Jaune every time he heard that word.

"Well, you know what I think about destiny? I think it's all bullshit. I don't care if it was fate or destiny that Ruby and I are here. I just want to do what's right. Protect you and save this world, that's what we care about the most. It doesn't matter how long it will take us. I make my own destiny with my choices," Jaune said as he crossed his arms and fumed.

Ruby nodded head before saying, "We have a debt to pay to your mom and the planet. If we were sent here because they believe we can make a difference, then let's not disappoint them. I'm with Jaune, we'll do it together. Screw destiny!"

Aerith stared at them with a serious expression before she smiled and giggled all of the sudden.

"What?"

"I just can't help it you two look so cute together."

"….…."

"You guys make such a cute couple!" she smiled.

Those words were ringing in Jaune's head as his face turned beet red.

Ruby's reaction was slower. At first, she didn't know what Aerith was suggesting but then it hit her. Her brain ticked away as she was able to connect the dots.

Suddenly, her cheeks turned red and she stared at Jaune before looking back at Aerith.

The brunette didn't sound like she was kidding.

"Do we make a cute couple?" Ruby questioned herself.

She never thought about it before. She has known the Arc for a bit over two years, and he is her closest friend ever.

"Sure, we get along pretty well, and we're always together, but not together-together, and we also live together…" Ruby's face got even redder as she attempted to hide it behind her hood.

Aerith kept staring at the two with a smile on her features, things were sure getting embarrassing seeing their face turned red. She got up walking away from them.

"You guys should be heading back. It is getting late" Aerith walked back to the house, snickering under her breath.

Jaune and Ruby stood rooted to the ground for a minute before realizing they were alone. Without so much as saying a word or looking at each other, they went back to their apartment.

'Wow, this has got awkward, real fast,' Jaune thought to himself.

Chapter Text

[Location: Jules' Gym, Wall Market, Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The months have passed by, and neither Ruby nor Jaune had time to realize it. They've been doing so much during their stay in this world.

Adjusting to this new way of life, doing jobs, and training to get stronger. They have bought new outfits, have more Materia and they were hitting the gym every single day for three hours straight.

Hard to believe it's been four months and one week. It seemed that the two teens have gotten used to living here.

The Huntsman and Huntress have dominated the exercises and have beaten Ronnie, Jay everyone else, including the head trainer Jules.

Both Ruby and Jaune could now do hundreds of push ups, sit ups, squats and pull ups without their Auras.

Once they passed that part of the training with flying colors they went with the weights.

Obviously they started with weights right for their size and weight-class.

Jules was just following the standard progression for weight lifting. However, he vastly underestimated the Hunters. By using Aura to constantly heal the muscle damage, they were able to go through countless cycles of hyper-recovery.

They worked out, healed the damage and worked out again. Because of this, the two Hunters were building up the same muscle type Nora so proudly boasted about on several occasions.

There bones were denser, their muscle fibers more flexible and durable, and lastly, they had an incredible growth of fast muscle twitch fibers.

Needless to say, Jules was shocked. Without even using their Auras, Jaune was lifting 8 times his body weight while Ruby was lifting around 5 times her own weight.

Pretty soon, they were using the heaviest weights in the gym to push their bodies even further.

Jules, being the great head trainer he was, helped them through every step of their training. He gave them tips on how to build up the proper muscles, methods in which to do it, and a nice nutritional diet plan with healthy fruit shakes.

Jules energy, protein, and fruit drinks did the worked wonders as well.

It surprised the two Hunters how much they have improved in these last few months, and eventually, the physical changes of their body became more apparent.

Jaune put on some more weight and had become toned. It wasn't over the top buff like Ronnie, but fine balance of red, white, and pink muscles that made him look like an Adonis sculpted from marble.

With a nice six pack of abs, muscles almost twice as large as he used to have, and less than 10% body fat, Jaune has gotten in shape and developed a muscular shape fitting of a young man of his age.

His hair has also grown and he currently has a short pony tail. When Ruby saw him purchasing hairbands, she teased him by saying, "So, a pony tail it is."

"I prefer a warrior's wolftail," Jaune said smirking back at her before the two busted up laughing.

However, Ruby couldn't complain. Jaune looked good with longer hair, and she couldn't say it wasn't pleasant to see him every morning with a style she approves of.

As for Ruby's changes, she grew some slight muscles on her arms and legs, her body became hard like a rock, at least in most places, and all around, her petite body developed into a more athletic figure.

Of course, was still gorgeous in the Arc's eyes, maybe even more now. Not to mention her new style worked with the short haircut of hers. To Jaune, it just made her all that more attractive.

She mainly focused on doing fast twitch muscle exercises to build up her body's max speed and accuracy, and it was working wonders. Even though she had muscles now, it didn't take away from her natural streamline beauty, but made it shine brighter.

Because she was the only female in there, Ruby managed to impress all of the regulars, and became something of a gym mascot for Jules to attract more female customers.

Not a single woman from Wall Market would ever think of doing exercises and get in shape for the sake of their health. They would either chose to party, join the Honeybee Inn, or become properties of the Don that rules the place.

Eventually, Jules managed to get a couple female customers thanks to showing of the Ruby of their gym.

Ruby has never thought about wasting her body or slacking off, she was focusing everything she had into getting stronger along with her blond friend. Ruby was a god damn role model to all the women in Wall Market, and Jules loved her all the more for it.

Of course, Jules had no idea that the reason they were pushing themselves so hard was because they had a mission, save the world.

In truth, Ruby was just as determined as Jaune. Knowing she failed to protect everyone back at Remnant, she felt like had an even bigger responsibility to the people of this world and the world itself.

This time, she wasn't planning on failing. To Ruby, the Red Reaper of Midgar, it was no longer an option.

Aerith's mother said they have what it takes, and she believed in her words. Besides, they weren't alone. Well, there's supposed to be more people to aid them in their quest, though she didn't know when she'd meet the other destined heroes.

'Well, Aerith has to be one, that's for sure. She's an Ancient and she can fight too. So that's one down, and who knows how many more to come,' Ruby thought as she went on with her day.

Both were done with their reps as they went to vending machine to get some water for another hard day's work.

After they finished their drinks, the Hunters of Gaia took a shower and change before heading back to Sector 5.

While they walked, Jaune thought about all the things he had done this past few months.

Jaune tested many things over the months having to do with Aura and his Semblance.

For one, he has been constantly amplifying his own Aura, even when it was full. Surprisingly, constant use of his Aura Amp caused Jaune's Aura Levels to slowly increase over time.

When he was at full power and he increased his Aura past its limits, his soul would take small bits of the amplified Aura and assimilate it into his base Aura Levels.

However, over use came at a risk. One big mistake Jaune made nearly got his ear chewed off by the crimson reaper.

When his Aura Levels were too low, he tried to use a full Amp on himself and ended up screaming in pain.

They were in their apartment when he tried this out, and needless to say, Ruby came running the moment she heard him.

Jaune didn't have enough Aura to Amp his levels back to ten percent much less a hundred. So when his Semblance took the Aura necessary to amp it by the desired amount, his Aura levels dipped into the negatives.

It felt like his soul was burning, or like it was completely exposed to the outside world. Having your Aura shattered didn't even come close to the pain Jaune felt.

The only thing he remembered after that was Ruby screaming his name with tears in his eyes, and then, just pitch dark blackness.

He woke up almost three days later. His Aura reserves didn't just grow like the steady increments he was used to, but in a massive way. His Aura was a bit more than double what he had before, making the Arc jump in joy before Aerith and Ruby came in to see him dancing in his underwear.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" Jaune yelled while covering his crotch.

Before Aerith could say anything, Ruby turned into a blur and slammed straight into his gut.

She was crying again and yelling at Jaune, "You idiot! What the hell did you do to yourself?! I was worried sick…sob…You were asleep for three days…*hic*…I thought you'd never wake up."

"I was what?" Jaune shouted with wide eyes.

All he could remember about being unconscious was a strange dream of him floating in an endless abyss of darkness.

Now that he thought about it, the memories became clearer as he recalled seeing cracks against his glowy white soul floating in the void, and for a moment, it felt like the darkness was pouring into him, making his soul stronger through some form recovery.

No, to be more specific, it was like the clashing of light and darkness, hammering, tempering his soul back together, and eventually making stronger and purer than before.

"I'm… sorry, Ruby. I wasn't expecting my Semblance to rebound on me like that." Jaune said before explaining what he attempted.

"Are you freaking stupid?! You shattered your soul, Jaune! I don't know how you came back from that, but people who've over drafted their Aura's usually die! Don't you ever do something like that again! I… If you do, I'LL KILL YOU!" Ruby said while flailing her arms around wildly, hitting Jaune in the chest and face.

"I agree with, Ruby. I may not know much about Aura, but even I could tell what kind of damage you did to your soul was serious. The entire time you slept, Ruby continuously cast the Life Spell on you. You're lucky to be alive at all." Aerith said as she sat down a pan of water with a rag floating in it.

"I'm… wow, sorry doesn't even begin to explain how I'm feeling right now. Not only did I scare my partner half to death, I missed out on work. Guys, I… promise I won't let this happen again."

"You better not…*hic*…wait a second, why didn't you say you won't try something like that again rather than won't let it happen again?" Ruby said while trying to dry her tears.

"Because I got results, Ruby. I don't fully understand my Semblance, but after this event, I might have found a clue. If we're going to save the world, I need to use every trick I have in the book. My Aura has doubled in size twice since coming here, and my studies have even help you improve the pool of Aura within you."

"Jaune, please, promise you won't try a stunt like this again. At least consult me first," Ruby said as he lip quivered.

"I promise." Jaune said while holding Ruby's cheek and looking her dead in the eyes.

"Maybe I should leave, it's getting kind of steamy in here." Aerith fanned herself with her hand while chuckling at the two.

Ruby looked back at her then to Jaune. She then suddenly realized that she was sitting on Jaune's lap, with her breast pressed against his chest.

With a slight eep, they both jumped away from each other and looked in the other direction with faces as red as Ruby's name.

Another event was that took them by surprise was Ruby experimenting with combining the Dust tech of their world with the Materia tech of this world.

Surprisingly, the two technologies were extremely compatible with one another, and Gaia had most of the metals they had in their old world and some that didn't exist on Remnant.

Mithril was her biggest alloy she was experimenting with. One day, she tried to make a Triple-Linked Slot in a single sheet of paper. Unfortunately, the result of that experiment caused the Materia to overload and exploded.

The Materia was fine, but the sheet of metal she used was broken into fragments and she got stabbed by some of the shrapnel.

Jaune ran in the room and quickly doused the fires with his water spell while looking for Ruby in the smoke.

He found her bleeding on the ground and nearly had a heart attack.

Jaune felt like the world had lost all its color, and he froze in place. However, with a quick slap to his own face, Jaune rushed over and swooped up the petite reaper before rushing over to his bed.

Jaune then removed the shrapnel from her body and combined the Restore Spell with his Aura Amp to rapidly heal Ruby's wounds.

When she woke up, Jaune was crying over her while saying, "Please be okay," over and over again.

"Jaune?" Ruby's eyes fluttered before he gripped her in a hug and said, "I'm so glad I wasn't too late."

Ruby blushed as her heart rate skyrocketed. She then felt him jerk her back from the hug and he wore a furious expression.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again. What happened in there? You're answer better be good, or else."

Ruby gulped before she shifted her eyes and said, "I was experimenting… the experiment won."

Jaune huffed before he almost growled, "Not funny, Ruby. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm…sorry, Jaune. I messed up, but it won't happen again. I figured out where I went wrong. I was using Dust Circuits to run the Triple-Link, when I should have augmented it to fit the Materias unique energy source. After several of my studies confirmed my hypotheses, I figure out that dust is basically refined magic. My mistake was forgetting that Materia is more than that, the next model will defiantly include proper pathways the sentient Mako to travel without interconnecting with the circuits for the incoming flux of Mana."

"Ruby…I can't understand half of that," Jaune said with a sweat drop forming on his brow.

"Sorry, I promise I'll be more careful in the future. But I'm on to something, Jaune. I can't just let a little accident scare me off the path of progress."

Jaune sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Fine…but from now on, you're going to teach me everything you know about technology and weapons. I'm going to be right beside you so something like this never happens again. And why was your Aura so low?"

"I used a lot of it to carve up a massive Dust Circuit. I was really confident it would work," Ruby chuckled nervously.

However, a second later, her eyes widened as she asked, "Hold up, what did you ask me to do?"

"Make sure I'm around before you try and blow yourself up again, Crater Face," Jaune lifted a brow.

Ruby's cheeks puffed up as she turned red from embarrassment, "Watch it, Vomit Boy. You just amped the heck out of my Aura, I can still put it to use by smacking you around."

Jaune chuckled and said, "I believe what you wanted me to repeat was, you're going to teach me about weapons."

Ruby's eyes sparkled as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Jaune's neck while saying, "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to ask me that? Forever! Come on, Jaune, let Ruby show you the beauty of crafting weapons and cool tech. EEEK! This is going to be so fun!"

Jaune blushed hard before he pulled her off of him and said, "You know you blew up your room. We're going to have to find another place."

"Tee-hee!" Ruby bonked herself on the head and stuck her tongue out before asking, "So, why do you want to learn about this stuff?"

"Well…you were right, we might end up hurting a lot of people if we get destroy all the reactors, I figure I might as well try to find a good alternative power source for when that day comes. I don't know if it's possible, but I'm going to try."

Ruby felt her heart thump before she blushed and looked away. She then put her hands behind her back and kicked her feet against the floor.

"Just… make sure you show up with a notepad, you'll be needing it," Ruby commented as she walked out of his room.

A few seconds later, Jaune heard Ruby scream and said, "MY ROOOM!"

And so, Jaune started to learn more about Ruby's obsession with weapons and technology. Of course, he too was interested in the stuff, he just never found the time to study it. He was always catching up with the class or pushing himself to try and be as good as the rest of the teammates he was surrounded by.

But now that he was in Gaia, he could go at his own pace. He didn't have a teacher breathing down his neck to finish the homework, or have combat classes and training that took up his whole day,

Jaune and Ruby continued to share their experiences and understanding of the technology of this and his previous world.

Ruby kept her word. She purchased a blast door that she could test out her experiments with more explosive results while teaching Jaune everything she knew.

Jaune was a fast learner, he picked up on a lot of stuff, and after making a hundred nails, he was even allowed to make his own dagger. With Ruby's guidance, of course.

The Triple-Link Materia Slot was still a work in progress. However, Ruby managed to turn the massive explosion she had in her first attempt into a small puff of fire that nearly melted the plate she was testing it on.

She had progressed quite a bit in her research, but still didn't have any viable results worth bragging about.

Ruby couldn't help but chuckle as she thought of Jaune almost blowing himself up by mixing the wrong compounds for a grenade.

Another big improvement was that they finally managed to afford a new place. They bought the ranch out by Aerith's house and ended up with a three bedroom house with a basement.

The used the spare room to work on all their combined experiments and studies while the basement turned into their own personal gym.

Ruby and Jaune both worked on repairing the property and nurturing plant life around the area, so it was full of green grass and some of Aerith's special flowers.

Purchasing the property was a way more expensive than renting the Apartment, but with all the Gil they saved up from completing missions, working for favors, and even taking down a few bounties like small time crooks and thieves, they had enough to live in luxury. At least in the Sector Five Slums that is.

Another upside to the purchase was that they lived closer to Aerith, which in turn meant that they could better protect her.

The two Hunters snapped back to reality as they treaded across some monsters on the way back to Sector 5.

Since they make daily commutes to Wall Market, the duo also got more live combat training since they usually encounter monsters on the path between the sectors.

It helped sharpening their skills, and they had already got the hang of using Materia, they soon learned that stronger spells were contained within the little spheres of Mako.

Jaune managed to upgrade his Restore, Barrier, Ice, and Lightning Materias while Ruby upgraded her Water, Fire, Luck+, Steal, and Deadly Dodge Materias.

At least there weren't any dangerous monsters in these areas. So, if any creatures get too close to the slums, they can handle it with no problem.

They went back that day full of cheers and joy, but fate began to turn the cogs of destiny for the Hunters.

The next day, after Ruby and Jaune finished another intense work out, they sat next each other and sweated like active fountains before Jules came over and handed them each a water bottle.

They enjoyed the cool refreshing water and the short rest while they got seated on the ground.

Jaune was thinking what to do when they get back to Sector 5. They can continue taking request for jobs, or work on some of their projects, but something didn't feel right to him.

It was clear to see that whatever Jaune was thinking about was bothering him. For starters, a lot of time has passed, and they still didn't have an official plan to save this world.

Protecting Aerith is also part of the task but that wasn't all there was to it. The blond needed to talk to the silver eyed girl later.

"You guys done for the day?" Jules walked over to them.

"Yeah, another day's hard work and another day of gains," Jaune chuckled as he clicked his water bottle against Ruby's as they were giving out a cheers.

"You two have gone a long way since you first came here. Never forget we're always here if you want to feel the burn and get in even better shape!" Jules said while pumping his fists excitedly.

"Hey Jules! Hurry up!"

The head trainer only shook his head in return.

"What's wrong?" asked Ruby.

"Seem Ronnie wants to challenge Jaune to an arm-wrestling match. He's been asking for it for a while."

"I remember, if he wants to do it now, that's okay with me," Jaune cracked his fingers while stretching his arms out.

"Then it's official." the head trainer smiled.

The silver eyed girl wasn't missing this. Following the two men where there was a large crowd gathered, she saw that there was tall table with handles and standing marker. This thing is what they use for all the gym's arm-wrestling matches.

Jaune was impressed by how much Ronnie was really looking forward to this, and the Arc wasn't planning in letting him down.

"One more exercise before leaving," Jaune said as he stepped up to the table.

The people were cheering on both sides while Ruby was cheering only for the Arc. The blond was on the left side, pressing the handle with his left hand and grappling with his right.

The dark skinned man was more than ready. He trained so hard, harder than usual to take down the blond.

However, he has been so far unsuccessful in his endeavor to defeat the blond knight. He kept losing at everything, but her wouldn't lose at this.

Determination filled him as Jaune took on a serious expression. The Huntsman was also unwavering in his desire to win with the memories his months of working his butt off to get this far fueling him.

Jules got in the middle and held his hand up, ready to start the match.

"All right gentlemen, you know the rules. I want a clean match and no sore losers. Remember we treat everyone equal here so we can continue keeping our bodies fit and healthy."

Both nodded as they closed their fists for the match while Ruby was watching from behind the Arc. She was already cheering him on. The head trainer put his hands on their closed fists.

"Ready... Set... GO!"

Both men used their strength to push the other arm to the other side of the table. Since he was an honest man Jaune, wasn't using Aura, thus he was really struggling.

Ronnie has indeed gotten stronger as he increased daily workout ever since he and Ruby beat him on every single exercise routine.

However, Jaune was stronger too. He has been so determined to build up a better physique, for his sake, and the world's too.

It seems like both were in the same level of strength until, the blond grinned. Jaune then gave a big push, revealing that he had been holding back and making the dark skinned man gasp in astonishment.

'No way, he still stronger than me, and here I am, using all of his strength.' Ronnie cried out mentally.

He was a ripped from head to toe, and he wasn't even half as strong as Jaune.

'How can he possess such power?' Ronnie thought to himself as he struggled to try and push his hand back.

He refused to lose, he has lost enough in this gym, he should be winning this, all these thoughts empowered Ronnie to push himself even harder. However, even with the proper motivation, even with Jay and others cheering him, on it wasn't enough.

Ruby was still loudly and excitedly cheering for her partner, "GO! JAUNE! YOU CAN DO IT!"

The blond was winning, and hearing Ruby motivate him only made the match getting interesting.

Ronnie was trying so hard to pull off a win, but he just couldn't. It felt like he was pushing a solid piece of rock stuck firmly within the ground.

"If you win, I'll bake my special cookies tonight and share half of them with you," Ruby cheered again.

"Ruby's special cookies? Sorry Ronnie, I think it's time to end this," Jaune said before everyone's eyes widened at his statement.

'Was he still holding back?' Ronnie thought before Jaune started putting in even more strength.

With one final push, Jaune was able to take down the dark skinned man to the other side winning the match.

The crowd exploded, but Ruby was louder than them all. She then rushed over and hugged Jaune while shouting, "You did it, Jaune!"

The Arc was caught off guard as the silver eyed petite hugged him. His face turned red as he felt certain parts rub up against while people in the gym were still cheering loudly.

Ronnie thought deeply before giving a sigh, 'I lost even when I gave it my best. Guess Jules was right, it doesn't matter how much muscle mass you got. You need more than just strength to win.'

Ronnie has seen Jaune countless time these past months. He saw the blond exercising, lifting weights, and sparing with his partner in the ring, but he went through the same training with the sole focus of defeating Jaune, but no matter how much he tried, it never worked out in his favor.

Every single day, Ronnie could see that Jaune had a goal in mind, a goal that motivated him beyond the norm. The dark-skinned athlete was curious to know, just what it was that made the Arc push himself beyond his limits every time he came here.

'Is Jaune preparing to save the world, or a really strong monster, maybe he's trying fight an army by himself or something else just as crazy.' The dark skinned man thought seconds before he was surprised by Jaune approaching him.

The blond knight walked over to Ronnie and offer his hand. Ronnie gave him a smile before he chuckled and shook the blonde's hand. Nothing personal it was a friendly competition.

"Congratulations, both of you," said the head trainer with a great big approving smile on his face.

"Great match Ronnie," Jaune nodded his head.

"Same. Just to let you know, I ain't giving up. I'm still going to keep on working hard, and eventually, I'll surpass you!"

"Wouldn't want it any other way," Jaune chuckled.

Ronnie smiled and then asked, "I just gotta ask. What motivates you to work out so much?"

"I want to get strong so I can protect people, that's all." Jaune replied with a confident smile. However, his motivation wasn't just that he wanted to protect people in general, but he also wanted to save the world from whatever threat it was facing.

"A goal?" the dark skinned man knew it has to be something like that, that's why he work his butt off in these three months.

"Some of us work out to stay in shape, others to be healthy. Guess your goal is more noble than most. Either way, you both did great, and I'm proud of your progress," said Jules.

Once again, Ruby and Jaune were taking the path to Sector 5. After that exciting arm-wrestling match, the teenagers took a shower and changed back into their new outfits.

Once their bodies got used to the extreme workout sessions, it became so easy they had to put in even more effort just to feel the burn.

It felt great to see the results of this training. It was hard to believe he was the same person that came to Beacon.

Remembering himself a couple of years ago, often made him blush out of shame. He was weak, oblivious, and had no idea what aura or a semblance were.

It really excited and scared him from how much he changed. Well, he wasn't the only one, Ruby has also gotten stronger.

The monsters from the slums they used to beat up, now they were defeating them in seconds.

They couldn't even force the two Hunters into breaking a sweat, and when they used their Auras or Magic, it wasn't even a challenge.

The Arc wondered if he'd be able to take Nora on and win now. The Valkyrie was truly the strongest member in his team, and by following her work out regimen of never using Aura unless it was to heal their fatigue, they both had developed superior super human type muscles.

Jaune's mind drifted to the second physically strongest in their group, Pyrrha. Even she had to admit that Nora's training was…effective.

"I wonder if we're ready for this task," Jaune mumbled to himself.

Ever since arriving into this world, both he and Ruby has had some major uncertainties that they can pull off something as big as saving Gaia.

The biggest doubt they had stemmed from the fact that they couldn't save their world. If they couldn't save Remnant, what chance did they have to save their Gaia.

Even at their current level of strength, they had no clue if they stood a chance against Cinder, much less the world ending threat Salem.

Jaune and Ruby have desperately been trying to come up with a plan. They knew the constant draining of Mako for electricity is killing the planet, and they have Shinra to thank for that, which means the company itself is the enemy of the planet and their prime target.

Both came to various choices. For one, they could try to find the group Avalanche and join them. However, they didn't know where to find them and they doubted the members of Avalanche would let them join if tried asked nicely.

As for the second choice, they could try and infiltrate the power company on their own. Not the easiest of tasks. The security must be tighter than Ruby's old corset, and not to mention all the resources Shinra had in their disposal.

"You were pretty good, you were cool. You showed Ronnie who's boss!" Ruby's boasting over Jaune snapped him out of his thoughts.

"He was a great opponent. If it weren't for the Nora's workout methods, he would have beaten me easily."

"But you did beat him and Jay in squats, pull ups, push ups, and sit ups. Even Jules, don't sell yourself short silly," Ruby tapped him on the arm with a light punch.

"We didn't have an arm-wrestling match when we started though, so there's no telling how much stronger he was back then," the blond smiled with a bit of blush on his face.

"Hmm, okay, maybe he would have beaten you back then, but the past is the past. Just goes to show you how much progress we made. Ooh! We should have an arm-wrestling match too," Ruby declared with an excited expression.

"You? Want to arm-wrestling with me?" Jaune said with a bit of mockery in his voice.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" Ruby was giving him a cocky expression "You think I don't have what it takes to beat you?"

"I never said that," Jaune chuckled as he waved his hand in front of his face.

"But you were thinking it. Your tone of voice said I can beat her without lifting a finger," Ruby's cheeks puffed up.

"I think you're exaggerating. You've gotten stronger too," Jaune patted her head with a condescending smirk.

Ruby threw hands up in a boxing stance and threw a few punches before she said, "I may not have that muscle mass like you, mister. But I can still take you on."

"Muscles means nothing if you don't have the will and the determination to go beyond. Both Pyrrha... and you taught me that."

And just like that the conversation turned silent.

Ruby felt her heat clench as he has mentioned the name of his previous partner. The very same red headed champion she saw getting killed by Cinder with her very own eyes.

Ruby will never forget that night when Beacon fell and everything started falling apart. It was when she first used her silver eyes on the Fall Maiden, and discovered the might of the Silver-Eyed Warriors, but even then, it was too little and too late to save Pyrrha.

Sometimes, it felt like the past was too painful to move on from. It was something both of them had been struggling with these past few months.

It was a past that would always haunt wherever they go, or in whichever world they are on.

The petite put her hand on his shoulder before Jaune gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that he was okay.

Pyrrha will always be part of his life just his teammates, friends, and family. Now more than ever, her memory gave him strength to move forward.

They resumed walking, but the silence was still in the air.

Ruby hated silence, she wanted to bring something new to the conversation, and she definitely didn't like when the Arc was down. Sure, he was smiling, but she could tell that he was forcing it.

"Well, then… I guess we'll have to have an arm-wrestling match," Jaune smirked at her.

Needless to say, his words caught the girl by surprise. She didn't expect that he would bring up that topic again.

"Really?" Ruby raised her eyebrows with a look of expectancy.

"Sure, and I won't go easy on you. So, you better be ready," Jaune said as he put his hands behind his head and whistled while he walked a bit faster.

"You're on!" Ruby smiled, happy to see him back to normal.

"JAUNE! RUBY!"

The teenagers turned to the other way seeing someone running towards them.

The young girl's name was Sarah, a member of the children from the secret hideout.

'Why was she in such a hurry? Her expression, she's seems really scared,' Jaune frowned as he watched her running so fast that she ended up tripping.

The Huntsman and Huntress went to the poor girl and checked if she was all right. After picking her off the ground, Jaune saw that she only suffered a minor bruise on her knee and used a Cure spell to do away with it.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" Ruby sked.

"MONSTERS! At Evergreen Park! The others are trying to fend them off but they can't hold on much longer!" Sarah yelled with a worried expression.

They immediately left without a word. The girl did her best to follow them, but with all the running she did to get here, Sarah was exhausted.

Jaune plucked her up and carried the girl in his arms as they ran through the streets of the slums, trying not to bump into people or kids.

Evergreen Park wasn't that far from their location they just needed to hurry. They were cutting it close as they ran in the street. Jaune could see that a car passing nearby would slow them down, so he told the red cloak girl to get ahead using her semblance.

"I'll catch up! No time to waste, Ruby. We can't afford to lose any more time," Jaune shouted as she nodded her head and turned into a blur of petals.

Instead of slowing down, Jaune jumped on the top of the car with Sarah still in his arms and leapt off to chase after his partner.

'If the monsters are more dangerous than the ones we're used to, the children aren't going to last. Come on, move faster, Ruby!' The red cloaked petite shouted to herself as she pushed her Semblance to the limits.

She arrived just in time to see that there were a group of Smoggers surrounding the kids. Ruby huffed and rushed forward, plucking up the kids before flying them out of the encirclement.

The moment she landed, a Smogger shot a poisonous mist towards her. However, Jaune jumped down from a nearby railing and slammed his shield into the ground while activating his Barrier Materia.

The cloud of dirt shot up and defused the poisonous smog before blowing it away.

The children of the secret hideout had their wooden swords but that won't be enough for the enemy they were facing.

There were two Chronomoggers, and a group of Smoggers following them. Since they were both mechanical types, Jaune prepped his lightning Materia and looked at leftovers scrap-monsters made by Shinra.

Both Jaune and Ruby drew their weapons and smiled.

"These guys don't seem that tough," Ruby grinned as she aimed her sniper rifle, plucking off the Smoggers with her lightning bullets.

"Go back to the hideout, we'll handle this!" Jaune shouted as he raised his sword and threw it down. The All Materia and Lightning Materia shined before bolts appeared from out of nowhere and slammed into the remanding monsters.

The smoggers blew up and fell across the ground while all of the kids nodded, running away as Ruby and Jaune turned back to face the two remaining mechanical beings.

Starting off strong, Ruby cast Water, splashing one while Jaune added with Thundara with her spell.

The Chronomogger was staggered immediately.

The red cloak reaper used her semblance again as she slashed it in many directions, followed by firing a couple of lightning shots. The Arc cast Thundara on the other before it could use it's arm that was in the middle of preparing to launch the wrecking ball attached to it.

While the creature became staggered, the blond knight performed a barrage of combos before casting Thunder again, causing critical damage and causing it to fall apart.

By now the silver eyed petite has finished defeating the other one as she ripped it to pieces with Crescent Rose.

They thought they were done, but one last Chronomogger hopped down from a nearby railing and used the wrecking ball to try and hit the blond knight.

However, Jaune was too fast for it and dodged, rolling under the chain and ball before he charged in with a counter.

Before he hit, Ruby splashed it with a water spell followed by her Thunder Bullets. The moment it was staggered, Jaune performed a barrage of Aura infused sword slashes, cutting through the metallic monster like a hot knife against butter.

As it fell to the ground in pieces, the two Hunters sheathed their weapons while thinking, 'We never thought the monsters would get this close to the slums.'

Usually, they would be in the outskirts, where it is more isolated from people and didn't have to worry about being hunted by mercenaries like Jaune and Ruby.

A few seconds later, Aerith arrived, running, out of breath, and looking worried. However, it looked like all that anxiety was for nothing.

"I heard from the children. Are you guys okay?!" Aerith asked before she started catching her breath.

"Yeah, they weren't that much of a threat," Jaune said as he kicked aside the broken parts and pulled out a Mithril Core from the Chronomoggers.

"Ooh, it's Mithril instead of carbon steel alloy," Jaune said as he held the fist-size sphere of metal in his hand.

"Who knows what would have happen if we didn't arrive on time." followed Ruby as she watched Jaune pull out all the most valuable parts.

"I was late, that's kind of annoying I missed all the action." said the florist with a pouty expression.

"It's all right now. Let's patrol the area in case there are any more," said the Arc as he finished scavenging the fallen mechs.

Chapter Text

[Location: Evergreen Park, Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

After doing a full patrol around the park, killing a few Hedgehog Pies, and making sure that there wasn't any debris from their fight that could hurt the kids, the trio went to check on the children at their secret hideout.

Once they arrived, the Ancient and her bodyguards saw that the kids were all right. They were just a little shaken up.

Jaune thought that it was impressive they tried to hold them off with mere wooden swords, but he still scolded them while Ruby told them to run next time and get an adult.

"Now, now, nobody got hurt and that's what matters," Aerith said to calm down the worried hunters who were acting like distressed parents.

"I suppose your right," Jaune sighed.

"We're going to go on patrol. Just in case, we'll cover all of Sector 5 to make sure there won't be anymore…" Ruby looked at the scared kids shaking and huffed before saying, "Accidents."

Aerith giggled and kneeled down to the leader of their hidden hideaway and whispered, "They're only acting like this because they were scared something happened to you guys."

The kids blushed before they jumped on Jaune and Ruby, hugging them as they thanked them for saving their lives.

After they calmed down, Aerith, Jaune, and Ruby scouted the entire Slums to make sure Sector 5 wasn't in any danger of a monster tide.

Once they were sure that everything was safe and up to standards, the Hunters chose to help Aerith pick flowers from the old church.

It was so strange for Jaune and Ruby to be here.

Not just because they haven't been back here in a while but, this is where they arrived when they were sent to this world.

To this day it was still felt crazy for them to think they died and were given a second chance at life. Sure, they have to save the world as repayment, and they were still clueless how to do that, but they were still grateful towards the will of Gaia for bringing them back.

However, going against a powerful company that provides power to all of Midgar, it still very taxing on the spirit.

"I hope you guys are taking care of the flowers I gave you," Aerith said with a look of expectation.

"Yes ma'am, we always water them every day!" Ruby confirmed as she gave a salute.

"Don't forget about sunlight and shade, they also need that to grow," Aerith replied.

"Right! I made sure to make some shaders for the green house, as for natural shade, we made sure that the bushes around the property are growing healthy as well.

Jaune was silent in deep thought.

He took a glance at the red cloak girl helping the green-eyed woman gather flowers to sell and smiled.

"Guess I shouldn't be thinking too much if I didn't know what to do," Jaune said before he went over and started plucking the flowers like Aerith taught him.

Ruby had every right to doubt they could make a difference here. He didn't blame her after what they went through. However, even how strong they have become, can two people really make that much of a difference?

The Arc thought that instead of focusing on the Shinra Company they should search for the others who are supposed to be helping them.

The more people they have helping with this endeavor, the better.

However, when Jaune thought about everything, he realized that the silver eyed girl has done her part to try and forget the past and move on, but what about him.

It was clear Ruby wasn't the only one who was impacted with what happened at Mantle.

The blond will never forget that experience, it has left him permanently scarred, and to this day, he is still haunted by the memories of his failures, including Cinder Fall herself.

When Jaune opened his eyes, he felt intense pain and he saw himself back at the Evacuation Central Location. Noticing he was covered in blood, is not a wonder why he was feeling such pain.

The Arc gave a cry of agony, attempting to get up even while more blood spilled on to the golden path.

Even with all his massive stores of Aura, it will take a while for this injury to heal.

The blonde knight's eyes widened in horror as he stared flames all around him.

He remembered now, it happened after Cinder revealed herself, ambushed everyone on site along with Neo.

His worse fears coming true, did the others, his teammates, Team RWBY, his own team, Penny, were they all dead?

Trying to ignore the pain the Huntsman was able to get on his feet.

"Please don't let it be true, please don't let it be true…." he kept whispering to himself.

With all of his strength, Jaune tried to run to the center location and searched for any signs of life.

He then realised that Penny saved each and everyone of them except himself, Ruby and her.

"Well… That's a relief. I guess that means everyone found a way to escape before they fell into the void." Jaune spoke too soon.

He then saw civilians fell into the void while others were scorched and filled with blood.

Jaune was shocked as he himself was in front of Penny, Crocea Mors dropped her blood from the blade itself.

He screamed as loud as he can, feeling the agony as he told himself, "Why me. Why could've been me to kill her."

"She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't such death by my hands." He mumbled as tears falling from his eyes.

His head's feeling fuzzy and he clutched it in pain while all around him has been splitting in two, showing himself at Mantle, fighting for his life along with Yang, Oscar, and Ren while the Grimm are surrounding them all over.

He wouldn't know what's happening as he started drawing Grimm with his negative emotions.

They howled and alerted the others while the Arc kept ignoring them. All his thoughts were on finding his friends that he got separated.

"Please let the others all be safe and sound. God, just let me find them hiding or fighting against the Grimm. Damn it how could it all have come to this. Salem was really one step ahead of everyone's plans. Tyrian and Watts were probably decoys to bring down the inevitable. Creating chaos, panic so the Grimm would come and eventually bring the witch herself with them. Then, Cinder would just attack everyone while we were evacuating everyone to safety."

Tears were filling his eyes. It was impossible to think positive with all of this happening around him.

The Berringels were all pilling towards him as he drew his weapon. Using the gravity dust within his shield, Jaune blew some of them away before he gripped Crocea Mors tightly and started slashing through them, not even letting his injury stop him.

The blond Huntsman ran while stopping every now and to attack the winged creatures. He was forcing them to line up by chasing him, and whenever he spotted an opening, he would kill the closet one to him.

That brief change in speed confused the Grimm and bought him time to start running again.

His bet was to get his butt back to the others as fast as he could and see how things are looking in the city.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" Jaune shouted as the Grimm tried to swarm him again.

There was so much fury in the voice of the blond knight. Every slash, shield bash, punch, or kick, killed a Berringels, bursting them into shadowy ash as he fought on with every breath.

Jaune could care less if they were strong, fast, or had the ability to fly. If they wanted to stop him from seeing his friends, then let them try.

The Arc used his semblance on himself enhancing it increasing the speed of his healing, "Why didn't I think of this from the start, I really am stupid."

His mind went back to the bridge when he saw  her. Cinder conjured her glass-made bow and arrow as she went towards someone.

As Jaune looked closer, he realised The Fall Maiden went to Ruby Rose, blood dripping from her stomach as she barely moved.

"No...Not again...Please not her…."

Jaune went faster, he never knew his Aura could help him reach such speeds.

The blond knight felt like the world around him was melting away as he zeroed in on the silver eyed girl at the mercy of the Fall Maiden.

Memories of the red cloak girl flowed his mind. From when he first met her at Beacon all the way to the present. The fun times, laughing at silly jokes, reading the next issue of X-Ray and Vav, and even the sad times when they doubted their roles as leaders.

Ruby has helped him in many ways. She made his life a brighter from just being around, especially when Pyrrha passed on.

He never blamed her for his partner's death, and she stood by his side through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Ruby has always believed in him even when he never did. She promised that she'd return when RWBY separated from them back at the Argus Limited, and she kept her promise, despite all the suffering he saw in her eyes when they met up again, she kept her promise, and so would he.

The Arc kept running, wanting to be the shield for the silver eyed girl just before Cinder aimed her bow and arrow straight to the reaper's chest. She reached back her right hand as she was about to release the string, planning to kill her like she once did with Weiss back at Haven.

Neo saw Jaune, but it was too late to stop him. Jaune plunged himself before the girl, taking the blow. However, he was unable to protect her.

The arrow ripped and tore through his chest and shot straight into the girl he wanted to save.

"Aw…man, I can't do anything right," Jaune cried before he heard shouting.

"Jaune!" Ruby shouted inches away from his ear.

The blond was snapped from his traumatic reliving of his worst memory. He was panting, covered in sweat, and shaking as if he were freezing.

However, he tried his hardest to shake off the memories in time to turn and see a worried Ruby staring at him dead in the eyes.

His eyes glanced over and noticed that Aerith was next to the petite, wearing the same worried expression.

"Oh, what's up? You guys alright?" Jaune tried to play it off while thinking, 'PTSD is a bitch. Why did it have to be that memory I flashed back to?'

"That's what I want to know. I called your name five times now, and you didn't answer. Are you okay?" Ruby clenched his long coat.

"Uh...Yeah…I was just stuck in my own head is all. You know me, thinking too hard as always,"

The red cloak girl had a strong feeling she knew what this was all about. However, since he didn't feel like talking about it, she decided not to say anything. It would be better to save it for when they're alone.

The florist knew it has to be something personal, and that it most likely had something to do with the tragedy that took place in their world.

As much as she cares for Ruby and Jaune there was nothing she could do for them when it comes to their past. She couldn't force them to open up. All she could do for now is to just be there for them.

The two teenagers were the closest friends she has ever had. However, many times she has thought of scared she is for the two humans from another planet, and even more so, she wondered what plans fate has in store for them.

"That's right, I was helping you guys pick flowers, right?" asked the blond.

Aerith had a bad feeling crawling on her skin as she said, "That's okay, I'm done. Ruby helped me plenty. We should head back now."

However, it was too late. The trio were suddenly surrounded by the same hooded ghosts that kept appearing around them.

They were flying all over the place in greater numbers than they had ever seen before.

Jaune and Ruby gasped at the sheer number of Whispers that floated around them.

They remembered Aerith's explanation vividly as the words, "Whispers are the arbiters of fate that set the course of destiny in this world," echoed in their skulls.

This was the third time they had shown themselves to the Huntsman and Huntress. However, it was the first time they had someone else with them when they showed up.

The Whispers kept flying until they were twirled around and grouped together to make a whirlwind.

"This was only getting creepier by the minute," Jaune mumbled.

"What do they want?!" asked the red cloak reaper.

"They know we play an important role in destiny's plan. They won't ignore us," replied the florist.

"Is that a good thing or bad?!" The Arc followed up.

"It's hard to tell. Even if the events have been set in motion a long time ago, anything can happen to change fate. That is why they're here, to make sure we follow the path."

"The path they want, or the path we want?" Jaune frowned.

"I don't know," the Ancient admitted as she stood in thought.

"We get it! We're big heroes that will change fate or whatever. Now, JUST LEAVE US ALONE!"

Then just like that, the Whispers all vanished. Jaune and Aerith turned to Ruby, bewildered and not believing that they actually obeyed her.

"I totally didn't see that coming," Ruby blushed as she rubbed the back of her head.

"If we have a big role in their grand plan, then it won't be the last time we will see them," Jaune commented as he looked at the distant scrap heap and Shinra's headquarters looming over all of Midgar.

After leaving the church Jaune told them he wanted to go to orphanage without saying what for.

This really caught Ruby's attention it wasn't like the Arc to keep things from her. Aerith was curious and thought maybe he wanted to visit Ms. Foila's class.

As they entered the large building the florist realized that at this hour there was no class, the kids were all on their recess break.

"So why Jaune want to come here?" Aerith pondered.

Needless to say, Jaune's sudden outburst got the attention of both girls.

Seeing that they wouldn't stop staring, the Huntsman finally spoke up, "The teacher and owner of the orphanage have something important that will be vital in helping up complete our task."

"Okay, but what and how?" Ruby scratched her head.

"I learned about this little item from Mireille. It's all thanks to her connections. As for the items, that's a surprise," Jaune chuckled.

"That woman truly is very reliable. Not only can she do what she says she can do, sometimes she does more," Ruby said, getting even more curious to what Jaune was talking about.

The trio stood at the entrance to her office before Jaune knocked gently on the door twice.

The dark skinned woman with glasses was waiting for them. She quickly closed the windows keeping her office lit with the light from the desk lap.

"What was going on? She was acting very secretive, did Jaune cross-class into a spy?" Ruby's eyes looked at the blond knight.

"You're just in time," the dark-skinned lady commented.

"Do you have it?" Jaune asked while lifting a brow.

"Oh, my gosh, where's the popcorn when you need it!" Ruby thought as she watched them interact with each other.

"I do. Now remember, you have to promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to give you. I will never forgive myself for what I had to do to get these, and just when I thought I can have a peaceful life here."

"You have my word, no one will know," Jaune said as he held out his hand.

"Jaune what's going on?" asked the red cloak girl.

"You'll see," Jaune smirked.

Ms. Foila reached for her desk opening a locked drawer.

Opening it, she took out many documents that had been rolled into cylinder shape and had a tied string keeping its shape.

She gave them to the Arc as he removed the string checking the documents.

Ruby and Aerith joined him while not having a clue what was this about. However, their eyes widened as they took a better look at the documents spread out on the desk.

"This is…." the florist stood shocked.

"A map of all the Mako Reactors owned by the Shinra Company," Jaune said as he grinned.

"No way, it's all here," the petite kept staring "all eight of them."

"The maps are all very detailed and easy to understand. This is going to be a big help for us, Ms. Foila."

"Foila when did you—how did you…." the green-eyed woman didn't know what to say.

"My ex-husband used to be a high-ranking officer for the power company. He took the maps with him when he quit. He forgot all about them the day he left me, and he never realized that he left them with me."

"I had no idea." Aerith was still shocked.

"How did you know about this?" Ruby asked her blond friend.

"Like I said before, you can thank Mireille, she knows the slums and it's people better than anyone. It's like she's some sort of library filled with all of Midgar's information. I paid her a pretty big sum of Gil to give me any important intel she could find. I am sorry that I had to butt into your personal information, Ms. Foila."

"It's all right. I had a feeling that it wouldn't have been long before someone found out. This secret wasn't going to stay a secret forever."

"Don't worry, like I said I will keep my word. Arcs always keep their word," Jaune's eyes gleamed for a second.

"Thank you. I hope you kept those maps from falling into the wrong hands," Ms. Foila said before sighing.

"I'll make sure to keep them safe," Jaune gave a nod.

They left the office walking the hallway of the orphanage. Aerith stood in thought, and she couldn't help but experience a feeling she didn't like.

"You're planning on stopping Shinra, aren't you?" Aerith questioned.

"If we want to save the planet we have to, you know that, right?" Jaune replied with a question of his own.

"So, you're just going to walk into the reactors front doors and go guns blazing," the florist put her arms on her waist, not looking happy at all.

"No, that's crazy and suicidal. That sounds like something Nora would come up with, I have a plan…that might work if we do it right. Aerith you'll play a big part in it," Jaune said as he rolled up the papers and stuck them in his satchel.

"That's great! I'm glad you planed on including me in all this. Because if you weren't, I would still get involved whether you like it or not," Aerith commented as she crossed her arms.

"So, what's the plan?" asked the eager Ruby.

"Aerith, when will the next visit from those men in suits be?" Jaune asked while looking the florist dead in the eye.

"You mean the Turks?" the young pink-themed florist stood in thought before saying, "I know that they're always keeping tabs on me, and they usually come to visit me once a month, almost always at the end. I think they still haven't come this month, and hey, there are only a few more days left. They could come any day like tomorrow or the day after. They would either come to the church or my house. I'm pretty sure it will be Reno."

"Then we'll be ready for when they come," Jaune said while nodding his head.

"You're not planning on fighting them? The Turks are frighteningly good at fighting," Aerith asked with a worried expression.

"It's the other way around. We're going to talk to them. Just leave the rest to us," Jaune smiled before gazing at the silver eyed petite.

"You better tell me everything." the florist was serious.

"But that would ruin the surprise. You do like surprises, don't you?" Jaune asked while lifting a brow.

"I do like surprises," Aerith nodded her head.

Later that night, Jaune suddenly found himself in a faraway place. It took him a bit to adjust, but when he did, the blond knight's eyes widened in shock while looked around at the very familiar scene before him.

He was standing on the golden walkway in the middle of the void. Was he back in Remnant, but how.

The sight before him was nothing but pure horror as noticed Ruby's dead body laying in a pool of her own blood.

"No…"

Cinder grinning as she held on to her tainted sword covered in blood of the one he held so close. Her lone eye was glowing with the golden with flame of the Fall Maiden's power.

Jaune stood frozen, like he was rooted to the ground. In response to his lack of response, the evil woman's Grimm arm extended before she grabbed him by the neck and pulled him back towards her.

She was chocking the life out of him. The Arc was losing air, unable to breathe, and feeling weaker by the second. However, his eyes never left the deceased body of his partner.

'I failed her, just like I failed Pyrrha.' Again, he lost someone important to him.

While the Fall Maiden had a wicked grin on her features, she spoke to Jaune in a mocking manner, "You will always be weak, a useless fool with a death wish. Just watch as your precious friends die in front of you by my hand."

Jaune couldn't do anything. He didn't have the energy or the strength to fight her power. With a one strong push she broke his neck.

The blond Huntsman rose from his bed panting and sweating.

He touched his neck with a pale complexion.

'It really felt like I was being choked,' Jaune sighed as he stood up and walked to his door.

Ruby wasn't the only one having bad dreams of the Fall Maiden. But this one, has to be the most realistic one he has ever had.

He opened the door and headed to the kitchen. Jaune then turned on the sink and stuck his head under the cool stream of water coming from the nozzle.

However, when he got back up and turned to his side, he saw something that shook him to the core.

Standing right in front of him was none other than Cinder Fall, crossed arms, wide stance, and her usual arrogant grin.

'Holy crap! It's impossible, she was here, right here in my room. This has to be another nightmare,' Jaune thought before he looked over and saw Crocea Mors on the counter.

He reached out as quickly as he could, grasping for his weapon like his life depended on it, but her Grimm hand stretched out before grabbing his right arm, preventing him from reaching his sword.

'The hell, I can feel her touch, I can her breathe, and it's that same sickeningly sweet perfume, Cinder Fall really is here in this world.'

"You...You can't be…."

With her human arm she hushed him before she got closer and whispered something in his ear.

"Reunion."

Jaune blinked before he frowned.

His expression turned to that of pure rage as Jaune's eyes started to glow white. His Aura erupted around his entire body, so thick that it was visible to the human eye. He didn't even have to touch himself to activate his Amplification Semblance anymore.

Then, with all his strength, Jaune tried to punch at Cinder. His fist cracked the air as put all his strength into the blow. However, by the time he swung, she was long gone.

All Jaune did was punch at the air.

"A traumatic induced hallucination, that has to be it," Jaune lied to himself.

"No, it wasn't. She was really here. You can't feel a hallucination, I think," Jaune said as he saw the marks from her grasp on his arm.

The bruise was quickly healed by his Aura, but he was still reeling from the experience.

'What a horrible feeling. I doubt I'll ever be able to sleep peacefully again.' Jaune said to himself while tried to steady his breathing.

"A shower, yeah, that will do. I nice cold one," Jaune said before thinking that there was no way he was telling Ruby about this. He didn't want to scare her, especially if it really was something his mind cooked up to deal with the stress.

'God… I need to cool off and relax. Why would the Maiden be here? I doubt she got here the same way as both Ruby and I did. I don't exactly think the will of the Planet would bring that nut bag here. What was it she said?'

"Reunion?"

Chapter Text

[Location: Aerith's house, Sector 5 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The next day Ruby and Jaune went straight to Aerith's house.

According to the florist, one of Shinra's Turks should be coming to visit her.

It was still unknown what the Arc's intentions were from just talking to him. Either way, she'll wait with the red cloak girl and enjoy watering the flowers outside of her home.

As for the blond knight, he decided to get some training done not that far from the place. The Huntsman was practicing all the moves Pyrrha taught him. Usually, Jaune would train his sword skills at Jules' place, and any other moment of the day it would be seen as perfectly normal for him, but something was amiss.

Aerith probably didn't see it, but Ruby did. She could see the strain in his swings, like he was hitting something that wasn't there.

The petite did her hardest to ignore her friend's behavior while helping the pink-themed florist.

'He's been really acting off lately, especially when we got up this morning.' Ruby thought as she stopped for a second and took a peek at the blond knight.

In her eyes, it was nothing like the Arc she knows. His expression and body language gave it away.

'I guess that's what happens when you know someone for this long.' Ruby thought to herself, unaware of the blush on her face.

"Jaune sure seems fired up," Aerith commented.

"Yeah…"

"What is it? It doesn't take a genius to know something was bothering you, Rubes," Aerith asked before she paused and gasped.

"Ooh no, was it too soon for nicknames?" Aerith asked as she looked a bit frightened at what Ruby thought of her calling her Rubes like Jaune does on occasion.

"No, that's fine Aerith. I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to call me by a nickname. It's just... He's not acting like himself."

"He must be nervous about his plan, which he still hasn't told me yet," Ruby frowned and puffed her cheeks up a little.

"He wants to talk business with the Turks. That's all he said to me," Aerith replied. The florist was confused as to what kind of 'business' Jaune would speak with one of Shinra's men.

"I'm worried," replied the reaper, "This morning he was so freaking out. No smile, no good morning, Ruby, or let's have another great day, Ruby. He was too quiet, I made him breakfast and he only smiled. He didn't say a word about the food, and that it was the first time I've ever cooked a meal."

"Did he like it?" Aerith couldn't help but ask.

"I didn't! It tasted…bad. I will never get the hang of cooking. My dad try to teach me but I failed, just like my sister. But I did get all the baking skills in the family."

"But he still ate it?" Asked the worried florist.

"He did, and I can't believe he wasn't grossed out by it. Anyone would after eating that abomination!" Ruby's cheeked puffed up again before she stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Come on, it couldn't that bad," Aerith said with an awkward expression.

"Aerith, it was that bad. Something that grotesque should never be made. I hope he doesn't get a stomachache or worse."

"You said he started acting weird when he woke up?"

"Bad dream, that has to be it. I've been having them a lot lately as well. With everything that happened, I don't blame him. His dream must have been worse, much worse. I really want to ask him about what he's going through, but I know he will just shrug it off like it was nothing."

"Then you should knock some sense into him. A nice smack to the face will do the trick," Aerith said while waving her hand.

"What?" Ruby turned to the green-eyed florist, "No, I'm not going to do that. I don't like the idea of hitting him, he will only get angry at me. I don't want that."

"Ask him. Make him tell you if necessary. Isn't he your friend? You do care for him, right?" Aerith asked.

"I do...A lot" Ruby whispered the last part.

"If it's a bad dream, then who better to understand than you? You two have been through so much together. He can't ignore or shut you down forever. He will open up to you, but you have to make the first move."

The silver eyed girl gave a nod and thought, 'It's true, though. There's no harm in talking things out, we're friends after all.'

"Guys!"

Jaune caught the attention of the two ladies as they saw people arriving.

Three men wearing the same uniform with machine guns, guards, and helmets.

The third man stood in the middle of the Shinra Grunts. The Turk was wearing a black suit, had spiky red hair on opposite sides instead of straight up, and clear blue eyes.

He was holding a metal rod and tapping it on his shoulder as his eyes glanced across the three. However, the red head mainly looked at the florist.

"Lovely day we're having today." the red head's tone sounded cocky.

"Hello, Reno." said Aerith with a wave of her hand.

"I was in town...thought I'd drop in and give you a visit."

"As you can see, I'm doing great," Aerith smiled gently.

"I can see that and these two are still with you," the Turk stated as he stared at the teenagers.

"We're her friends, of course we'd be with her," Ruby said before sticking out her tongue.

"How corny. Oh well, time to head back. Just checking in, take care. Remember our doors will always remain open for you," Reno said while turning around and waving his hand behind his head.

"Wait," Jaune stopped him from leaving" You work for Shinra right?"

"Should be obvious if Aerith has told you anything about us. Oh, don't tell me she hasn't?" Reno looked over his shoulder.

"She did. We would like to talk to you. We have a business proposition for you," he pointed to the red cloak girl.

"Whatever it is blondie, not interested. Let's go."

"Jaune and Ruby have been doing a lot for Sector 5 for the last three months they've been here," spoke the florist.

"Is that so?" Reno gave a grin.

"I can say they've done more than Shinra. They've been solving the peoples' everyday problems, and their pretty good at. As long as you can pay them, they can do any job. Sometimes they're even willing to do it for free, if it comes down to it." smiled the green eyed woman.

"They're mercenaries, big deal. Why should I care?"

"Hire us instead. We would like to work for the Shinra Company." the Arc went straight to the point.

This really surprise the silver eyed petite, but not Aerith, she had a strong feeling that this was the blond knight's plan all along.

Her guess was that both Jaune and Ruby would get a job working in one of the Mako reactors, possibly as security. Well, Aerith had a good noggin on her shoulders, because she was completely right.

Reno stood in thought while gazing at them seconds before he ended up laughing at them… loudly.

"You two? That's rich. What kind of job, babysitting our men?" Reno slapped his knee while he laughed again.

"You need a pair of extra hands for security we will take it. I'm sure you must know we can look after ourselves. Payment isn't an issue. You can take our services for free we don't mind."

"Free mercenary services. And here I thought you were kidding Aerith," Reno wiped a tear away from laughing so hard.

"They do what's right, and that doesn't need price," The pink-themed florist announced with a proud expression on her face.

"Sorry but I will have to decline. Shinra doesn't need children fighting their battles for them. Stick to the slums kiddies, you're safe down here."

Ruby immediately acted using her Semblance beating up the three guards that were accompanying the red headed Turk.

"We're safe down here, huh? Well…too bad we can't say the same about you," Ruby said as she placed Crescent Rose upright and stamped the end of the pole on the ground.

Jaune and Aerith were shocked. They couldn't believe Ruby just assaulted Shinra operatives.

Reno even more shocked as he thought, 'What was that? Did she cast some sort of magic spell?'

Whatever it was, the Turk had never seen anything like it before.

The silver eyed girl kept holding her scythe with a smirk before she said, "If you're people are that weak, then you really do need our help."

"You just made a big mistake kid. You can't expect to get away with this after attacking Shinra personnel."

"It's Ruby Rose, I'm seventeen and I'll be turning eighteen in a few months. So… I'm not a kid."

"You have guts. I like that. Maybe I'll go easy on you," Reno said as he readied his electro-magnetic rod.

"Here's the deal," Jaune smirked, glad the petite did what she did, because now, they could show off their skills.

"If she wins, you will hire us no questions asked," Jaune propositioned.

"You both have guts. I'll accept the challenge but won't say anything about your terms. Because your little girlfriend here is going to lose!"

"Sh-She's/He's not my girlfriend/boyfriend!" Jaune and Ruby shouted, both blushing hard.

"You lose, I'll take you both in to face some jail time. Maybe that will teach you punks a lesson."

"Kick his a… butt, Ruby!" Jaune shouted out. He had to watch himself, almost cursed. He didn't want to donate another Gil to that accursed swear jar.

Reno moved so fast that it almost shocked Ruby. Using his rod to swing at her shoulder, the petite reaper dodged it with her semblance and slashed back.

The weapons of the two combatants began clashing rapidly. The sounds of metal slamming against metal echoed throughout the room as Ruby continued to swing around the 175-pound weapon with ease.

Ruby was sort of having fun, it really surprised her how fast Reno was.

The red head young man released lightning from his rod while the red cloak girl dodged just in time.

"Turks are no joke, stop playing," Reno grunted.

Before Ruby knew it, Reno unleashed several lightning bolts towards Ruby with a single wave of his rod.

The Huntress fired a couple of shots of the same element, neutralizing Reno's lightning as they stood across from each other from a distance.

Reno's eyes widened as Ruby's smile grew.

"Oh, shit!" Reno jumped behind a pillar seconds before another shot went off, taking out a portion of the stony part next to his head.

"Damn, what kind of weapon was that?" Reno said as he searched his pockets and sighed.

However, he spotted his unconscious grunt on the ground and grinned.

Ruby shot a few mor rounds into the pillar. The bullets sprayed off part of the concrete pillar when Reno call out, "You missed!"

'No, I didn't.' Ruby thought as she saw him trying to peak out the from behind cover to ascertain her position.

She fired another shot that made his eyes grow wide. Moving as quickly as he could, he pulled his head back and heard something metal falling to the floor.

"Give up?" Ruby said as she pulled back the hammer on her Sniper Rifle.

"You wish. I'm just waiting for you to reload," Reno called back from behind the cover of the pillar.

Seeing that she had turned her weapon into Sniper Rifle still completely surprised Reno. However, it wasn't going to be enough. Reno kicked up a flash grenade he took from the Shinra Grunt's belt and shocked it while covering his eyes.

Ruby winced as the flash grenade exploded. During that chance, Reno charged in again, releasing more lightning bolts with every swing of his electrified rod.

'If she gets hit by that attack it was going to hurt even with her Aura healing her. Also, she's been using her semblance a lot which certainly reduces her aura levels. But it shouldn't be that bad, her Aura capacity has increased by almost half her original amount from constant Amping I've been doing to her during training.' Jaune furrowed his brow.

Clashing weapons, the bolts lightning scuffed Crescent Rose, making her gasp as she thought, 'How dare he harm my baby!'

"Hey! Watch the flowers!" said Aerith.

'Come on Ruby, I know you can out-speed, power, and outsmart this guy. What's you game?' Jaune wondered, keeping his faith in the silver eyed girl.

"Where do you think you're going? We're just getting started!"

Ruby fired a couple of shots, but they were blocked again by the Turk's swift movements.

Not wanting to show every card in her deck, Ruby sighed before casting fire.

Reno dodged it. He wasn't surprised at all that she could cast magic. Both of them are using Materia, so it was fairly obvious. But Ruby had a plan, she knew what she needed to do, and poor Reno is going to suffer for it.

Still, the red reaper couldn't help but admit that he's pretty good, and the fight was fun. Besides Jaune, she hadn't fought a human that could challenge her in a while, and she was using Reno to get back into the groove.

Using an electric weapon and his attacks are lightning based so the obvious spell to use is pretty clear.

She readied her weapon in rifle mode as she cast Watera.

Eyes widened as the Turk dodged the spell. The bullet of water exploded as he rolled behind a bench and thought, 'Damn! She can use water too. That's not good, if I get hit with that it's game over. Ugh, what are the odds of her having a Water Materia?'

He should have done his homework before picking a fight. Rude hated to lose because he had bad intel.

"Well, too late now," Reno thought as he prepped his weapons.

The petite wasn't planning on using Crescent Rose or going all out because she didn't want to hurt or cripple the poor guy, much less kill him.

That's why she was looking for a way to win without too much effort. All she needs is the perfect chance.

'Damn, the kid is tough. Her boyfriend must be the same.' Reno thought as he got ready to cast Thudara.

The room lit up as Reno spell went straight for her weapon.

Ruby gasped as she thought, 'Stop aiming for Crescent Rose!'

With a burst of intense speed, she kicked up the piece of rebar she shot out of the pillar earlier and tossed it into the air, attracting the lightning bolt as it fell into the ground.

In that moment, Ruby quickly used her semblance to appear behind him. He reacted with incredible reflexes, turning to face her, but it was too late.

Ruby cast water on his rod and made the thing flash and smoke as it started malfunctioning.

The Turk dropped his weapon as he gave a quick hiss of pain, and before he knew it, he was facing the reaper while the petite's scythe rested against his shoulder.

The blade was inches from the back of Reno's neck his neck when she looked him in the eye, smiled, and said, "I win!"

Both Jaune and Aerith were all proud of her. After all, she managed to beat one of Shinra's Turks and didn't even look winded.

"Okay, so maybe you ain't that bad. Though, I'm pissed you damaged my favorite weapon. It's going to take me a while to fix it up."

"If you want to, I can fix it for you," Ruby said as she held out her hand.

"You can do that too?" Reno gave a surprised expression.

"Ruby is very good with weaponry. I'm sure if you let her check out your thunder stick thingy, she'll be able to fix it in no time," Jaune smiled. He should know firsthand, after all, Ruby was teaching him more and more about weapons every day.

"Well, don't you have something to say?" followed Aerith.

"Fine I admit defeat, guess we can talk about your proposition. Hey, wake the hell up already!" Reno kicked the two guards, before shouting, "How long are you idiots planning to sleep?"

The three guards were starting to regain conscious as the red cloak reaper took the Turk's weapon. Of course it's equipped with Thunder Materia, along with another that colored purple. It was hard to tell which one it was because there are so many different types of independent Materia.

"I'll fix it for free," Ruby eyes sparkled as she inspected the inner workings of the stun rod.

"You're too kind for your own good. It can get you into trouble," Reno commented.

"It's just who I am. We're trying to do the right thing and help anyone we can," Ruby smiled softly.

The red head man shook his head and snickered before he said, "I'm feeling hungry. Meet me at the nearest restaurant and we'll talk about your proposition. And you…" Reno pointed at Ruby before continuing to speak, "I want my weapon back and it better be in perfect shape. Or else."

"Sure, sure, sure, I might even give it a few upgrades," Ruby ignored his obvious threat.

"Great job, Ruby. Well then, I better get going and meet up with him before he changes his mind. I'll buy you enough time to fix his weapon," Jaune said as he patted her shoulder.

"Thanks," Ruby smiled, not noticing the blush on her cheeks.

"Wait, you two." Aerith stopped them before saying, "If Reno does accept your proposition, you'll be entering a den of monsters."

"We already know. We want to have a look at the enemy's place. We're not doing anything unless we get enough information to make our move," Jaune informed.

"Any idea, where they might send us?" asked the petite reaper.

"I doubt it will be the main Shinra building. That place has enough security make a King envious. Most likely, they might send you to one of the Mako reactors," Aerith said while putting her finger on her chin.

"Good, that's exactly where we want to go. Of course, we'll be taking the maps along."

"Please you two be careful. The Shinra Power Company shouldn't be taken lightly, and if you do go, I might not see you two again for a while. Soo…" Aerith paused before she hugged Ruby and Jaune.

"Someone is going to miss us," the red cloak girl giggled.

"Of course, I'm going to miss you guys," the florist squeezed them a little tighter, "What's life in Sector 5 without my best friends?"

"No need to get too emotional, we'll return before you even know it." Jaune said as they parted from the hug.

"Guess our arm-wrestling match will have to wait. We'll be back in no time flat!" Ruby smiled and waved before leaving.

"Somehow, I doubt it." Aerith had a strong feeling that was the case.

[Location: Midgar airspace, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Ruby and Jaune stood quiet on the back seat of their ride.

The curiosity was too much for them. The duo gazed out of the window and looked down. They were able to see the entire city of Midgar from their position up so high.

The Arc and the Rose were flying on a Shinra helicopter as it was heading to their destination. There, they would do their first job for the Power Company.

Though, they still didn't know where exactly they would be working. It was the only thing that had them worried, entering at the enemy's stronghold without knowing where they'd end up. One thing was for sure, it wasn't Shinra HQ.

Just as Aerith said, the building itself must have heavy security, so the chances they would be going to their headquarters were very slim.

If not the HQ, that leaves one of the eight Mako reactors responsible for powering the whole city. Either way, they were still going into enemy territory without any back up or an escape plan. That in it of itself was a frightening concept.

As long as they do the job, their motives shouldn't be uncovered. The blond had the reactors map along with other items in his and Ruby's pouches; potions, hi-potions, phoenix down, and a few other useful gadgets.

Rude and Reno were in the front, piloting the air vehicle with comfort.

The Turks kept their eyes glued the front. They were almost there, and they could see the massive construct towering in the distance.

"This is strange. Why bother hiring mercenaries when they have plenty of guards, bio-weapons, and mechanical weapons to guard all of Shinra," Jaune wondered before shaking off his doubts.

"Regardless, we have to go through with this. They have nothing on us, because we came from a different world. That means there shouldn't be any information on us anywhere. As long as we keep our cool and play it safe, nothing bad will happen," Jaune nodded his head as he went over the plan in his head.

While Jaune was lost in his thoughts, the red headed Turk looked over and gazed at the silver eyed girl behind him.

She actually beat him in a one on one fight, and she had no intention of killing him throughout the whole ordeal. It was the same for Reno, it was just a match, nothing serious but he still fought to win.

Ruby is her name and she said she's seventeen, and she was already a well-known mercenary with great potential. He had never seen anyone fight the way she fights.

The male's name was Jaune, nineteen a normal age to be able to fight, and even more likely to be in this line of work. However, Reno hadn't seen him fight yet, so he couldn't tell if the kid had it in him.

Jaune was pretending like he didn't see it, but he caught the red headed Turk occasionally staring at him and at the petite.

Jaune was hoping that he didn't regret going through with this plan, because the more he thought about it, the more he realized just how damn crazy it all was. The Arc then thought of Aerith, hoping that she was all right, and that she wasn't worrying over them.

Though, Jaune did wonder why Reno accepted his proposal in the first place.

Shortly after the battle in the church, Jaune entered the restaurant where Reno usually ate.

"Was this a coincidence or fate at play? The place Reno requested to meet me, it the same one Aerith brought Ruby and I here to eat when we first arrived on this world. The food here is pretty delicious. I guess that he has some good taste."

The two guards accompanying him stayed behind, standing at the front of the restaurant instead of the same table. It seemed like he gave them orders to leave him alone.

It was hard to know if the Turk would accept his proposal. Even if Ruby beat him, it didn't guarantee that everything would work out in their favor.

His plan was simple, find one the reactors and get anything he could on it. That meant, studying their work methods, learning shift times, and memorizing the structure of the Mako Reactor to best learn how to take one down.

He already has the maps for all of the Reactors, and now he needed a ticket in to infiltrate the organization. Of course, they planned on entering the Reactor legally.

The Arc walked over to the table where the Turk was eating and saw that he seemed to enjoying the meal.

Jaune took a shallow breath and made sure he was in a calm state of mind. He knew that everything from here on out will determine what course of action they'll take next.

If this plan didn't pan out, the blond knight would have go to with plan B or C, which meant, infiltrate the place at any means necessary. Plan B was the stealthy approach, and plan C was the gun blazing method, both of which are crimes.

"Have a seat, I won't bite. Well, not at the moment because this meal is occupying it," Reno said as he waved him over.

The blond did as he was told, getting seated on the opposite side of the table before he stared the Turk in the eye.

"Your girlfriend is pretty good. I'll give her some credit where credit is due," Reno said before taking another bite of his food.

"I told you she's not...you know what? Never mind. Are you going to accept my proposal?" Jaune asked with a serious expression.

"Here's a quick question. Why do you want to work for Shinra?" Reno asked as he pointed his spoon at Jaune and took a bite of his bread.

"I realize if we work for the Power Company, we can earn a whole lot more Gil than doing cheap jobs in the slums."

"Just the answer I was expecting. I'm sure you two would've been a great addition to Shinra, but the answer is still no."

"Why not? Ruby beat you fair and square, and I believe we agreed even before the fight started," Jaune questioned as he frowned a bit.

"Hey, I said I won't agree to your terms whether she wins or not. You have to understand a big company like Shinra doesn't hire extra hands when we already have enough manpower at our disposal. Not to mention, it will ruin our reputation if word gets out that we hired people from the slums. Sorry kid, looks like you will have to stick to the petty jobs down her."

"Ruby is currently fixing your weapon. The least you can do is get us a job in return. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it pays well," Jaune said as he crossed his arms.

"She'd better be fixing it! She's the one who broke the damned thing, and like I said before, I can't do that for you kids. Look at me, I'm just a loyal dog, I bark when told, and I bite when ordered, I don't call the shots. If you want a job at the big leagues, you will have to ask someone at the top of the food chain. Though, I doubt they will allow it for same the reasons I already mentioned. We're done, now get lost and let me eat."

Jaune glared at the Turk while thinking, ' So much for doing things the easy way.'

Since this fell through, that only leaves them with the hard way, infiltrating one of the reactors through stealth or force.

However, Jaune and Ruby knew they couldn't do that on their own. They needed more people, and time.

Maybe if they knew where to find Avalanche, it would've made things easier for the Hunters of Gaia.

Suddenly, a ring tone was heard of somewhere on Reno. The fancy catchy music played for a bit while Reno sighed and stop eating.

The Turk then took his mobile phone from his coat pocket and said, "Yeah? What? You can't be serious! Well…one of them is right here. Huh? Why? Yeah, yeah, forget I said anything..."

The Arc didn't want to stay, but something in his gut told him to stick around. Mainly, it was Reno's confused expression that kept the blond knight from walking off.

"You sure? No… It's nothing, I just don't see the point. They're just kids. I—Okay, all right, I'll do it. I don't see the point, but I'll do as told. If the boss allows it, I don't have a say in it, I only obey. No need to give me one of your rants." Reno rolled his eyes as he ended the call looking angry.

"Asshole. That old war relic Heidegger always pisses me off."

"I guess I should better get going. Don't want to continue ruining your meal—" Jaune nodded his head and pushed his chair back.

"Hold it, not so fast. You have one hell of a lucky streak. Honestly, I didn't see this coming. That just now, was one of the top dogs of Shinra. They were asking me to look for any additional help. Part of a security protocol on all Mako reactors. I've been asked to hire you and your girlfriend for your services."

"For real?" that was quite the shock for the Huntsman and the timing is very convenient.

"Surprised? I know, me too. I don't have a clue why, though. It's pretty convenient if you ask me. You two must have gotten pretty popular to get their attention. You do know you can't back down now that it's official?"

"I do, I'll let Ruby know," Jaune said as he stood up.

"As soon as she finishes with my weapon, we'll be heading out. The chopper is already waiting."

Jaune nodded as he was about to leave before he got stopped by the Turk.

"One more thing, it will be for the best if you stop hanging around that florist," Reno said, pointing his silverware at him again.

"Aerith's is both  our friend, and I'm sure she gets to decide who she wants to spend her time with. You don't get to tell her what to do, or me, or anybody for that matter."

"Just a friendly warning, pal. Being around her will only put you in a whole lot of trouble, just saying. Got it memorized? Good, now get out of here."

'I really have a bad feeling about this.' Jaune thought as is foot tapped against the floor of the helicopter.

It didn't feel right, it was too easy, and had Jaune a bit unhinged. He was so sure they'd be doing things the hard way, and his gut reaction hadn't proven him wrong yet.

The whole thing happened so fast, and right at the most opportune time. The way Jaune saw it, if something looked like it was too good to be true, it probably was.

When things started, Reno made it clear it was a no go, and now here they are, flying towards what might be one of their central targets, the Mako reactors.

Someone at the top wanted them to have the job. That's why Jaune strange feelings weren't going away.

'It has to be a trap, or maybe I'm being paranoid. Shinra didn't know a thing about our plans, so if we play it cool and keep our heads on a swivel, it's all good.'

The Arc remained calm, turning to Ruby who was looking like her usual self as he thought, 'How does she do it?'

The reaper has a tendency to be calm even in the most dangerous situations. The blond could use some of that right about now.

There was need to panic considering where they were going, Jaune thought before he shook his head and mumbled, "Yeah right, talk about heading to the belly of the beast."

The Huntsman and Huntress gazed again at the window to see the giant building that is the Shinra Electric Power Company.

The chopper obviously went flew over the HQ and headed in the direction of one of the Mako reactors, just as they suspected it would.

Within a few minutes, they found themselves hovering over a heliport. Reno readied to land the vehicle while Rude pressed a couple of buttons.

Jaune and Ruby gazed out the window, seeing where they were with a look of awe present in their expressions. It was a big place, fumes of Mako shot out the top, and it looked like it was built to be a maze.

'Probably to confuse terrorist and spies that sneak in. Hospitals and government buildings did the same back on Remnant.' Jaune thought as his eyes drifted to see the number one painted in black.

"This has to be the first Mako reactor," Ruby mumbled.

The chopper made a safe landing on the heliport, and the two Turks kept the engine on before waving at some men from the outside.

The side hatch on the helicopter was opened by one of the security guards before the two teenagers got up and exited the vehicle.

Reno gave them a wave and a small smile, the sliding-door was closed, and the chopper took off.

"I gotta hand it to that girl. She did a one hell of a job on my weapon. She even put in couple of upgrades. Very nice," Reno said as he saw that the rods could be connected into a polearm now.

Rude gazed at the red head with a raised eyebrow.

"Something wrong, partner?" Reno asked while lifting a brow.

"You were smiling at them. You're not the type to get along with people so easily," Rude commented.

"How about, you, keep your mouth shut, ya?" Reno grunted.

They resumed piloting the aircraft before Reno took one last glance at the two teens.

This couldn't be a coincidence. Heidegger hiring them just when that blond asked to work for them.

"Something was not right," Reno mumbled. He had a feeling something was wrong. However, there was nothing he could do. His job is to obey orders.

'Heidegger is up to something. Better tell the boss and let him know.'

[Location: Mako Reactor 1's helipad, Sector 1 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Jaune and Ruby were now facing a couple of guards as a new figure appeared.

A large man approached the crowd. He was in his late fifties with black hair, thick beard, and black eyes. The man wore a big black coat with yellow buttons on the middle and on each side of his chest. Lastly, he had long black pants, black shoes, and weapons on his back.

The sight of this guy was intimidating, but it was enough for the Arc and the Rose to know that this guy has to be the one in charge.

It was hard to keep a calm demeanor around this guy, and Jaune could tell he was Military. He had seen enough of the type back at Atlas.

The silver eyed petite already got bad vibes from him. She didn't know who he was, and she didn't trust him further than she could throw him, and with Aura, she could throw the guy pretty far.

"Welcome to Mako Reactor No.1. I am Heidegger, head of Shinra's Public Security. You two must be the mercenaries I've heard so much about."

"Jaune Arc, nice to meet you sir," Jaune gave the same salute he saw some of the other Shinra employees give him as they passed by.

"Ruby Rose, same," Ruby copied her partner.

"You're young but talented. However, that doesn't make your youth doesn't make much of a difference. Age is nothing but a number. I am quite curious to know where you learn to fight." Heidegger asked while lifting a brow.

"Our families used to be part of a roaming Monster Hunting Troupe. They went around killing monsters for Gil, so we were taught at a young age about how to fight and survive." Jaune said as he looked at Ruby.

Before they came, they made sure to prepare several cover stories. Where they learned to fight was pretty easy since they were monsters in this world. It wasn't even a lie, they…well Ruby was raised up to fight monsters, and Jaune had two years of firsthand experience.

"I see, and where are you parents?" Heidegger asked.

"They died, sir. They were killed by a Behemoth pack. We happened to escape, ended up in Midgar, and now here we are, looking for work." Ruby said as she channeled the facts her parents might have actually been killed by Salem or her forces.

"I see, that explains something. SOLDIERs are trained before they reach their teens, and from what I was told, you two aren't far off from their level of prowess. Even with Materia aiding you in combat, your skills are impressive."

"Thank you, sir." Jaune and Ruby gave another phony salute.

"Now, before we get into any details regarding your job. Let me give you a tour of this facility so you can get familiar with your surroundings."

Both nodded before following the tall man. A couple of guards were behind them, marching with a confident stride.

Jaune's bad feeling was getting worse. He was sure that he spotted the high ranking Shinra Officer keeping an eye on them, proof that they didn't have the slightest bit of trust towards them.

Heidegger talked a good game, but of course, Jaune could easily see through it. He was just using them as mere tools. To him, Mercenaries are nothing more than weapons to be use by others, and all for the sake of money. Whether they prove to be useful or not it didn't matter. If they pull one wrong move, he would definitely have them eliminated.

[Location: Buiness District, Sector 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Sometime later, in the dark alleys of Midgar, Aerith kneels in front of a shining light on a pipe with her eyes closed like she’s praying. 'Please, keep Ruby and Jaune safe.' She prayed in thought, remembered their plan against Shinra. Then, she realizes that something is wrong with how one of the lights flickers like there was something there. Not wanting to find out, she holds onto her basket of flowers and runs out of the alleyway. As she leaves while looking back, she accidently bumps into a man causing some of her flowers to fall out of her basket.

She moves down to pick them back up. As she grabs three and moves to the last one another man stepped on it crushing it. The woman picks up the now dead flower and looks at it with sadness. It was another of the planet’s life taken away, but also the meaning behind the flower, that she will never be reunited with him. He promised he would come and see her, but after five years he never came.

She looks to the sky remembering how she felt him as his life faded away, but something was telling her that he was still out there and was close by. But that was a deep desire that she would see him again, but after so long she accepts that she will not see him again.

She started feeling differently as scene itself headed towards the train station where the train itself heads towards the Reactor.

What the guards didn't realise that there an unknown man on the train car's roof.

The man was in the early twenties. He had spiky blond hair going in different directions and radiant azure green eyes. His uniform was outdated dark blue SOLDIER Uniform with brown boots, a metal pauldrons on one shoulder, and brown gloves.

He also carries a massive on his right hand as he raise it up on both hands, his head near the handguard while closing his eyes for a second as he placed his sword on his back.

'My name is Cloud. SOLDIER: 1st Class.'

Chapter Text

[Location: Mako Reactor 1, Sector 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The next few hours became torture for both the Hunters.

It was so boring. There was nothing to do but stare at their surroundings. Not a thing happened during their shift on watch.

With naught but the wind and silence, they scouted out over their positions and did their jobs.

As the stared out at Midgar from a catwalk, Jaune and Ruby couldn't help but think, "At least there's a pretty view of the city from our positions."

From their high up positions, they couldn't help but admit, even with all the Reactors sucking the life out of the planet, Midgar looked really beautiful now.

"Now, if only they can do something about the slums, like give them a full makeover so the place can look just as good," Jaune commented.

"Yeah, but what are the odds of that," Ruby rolled her eyes.

She was right, Shinra wouldn't lift a finger to reconstruct the slums. No, they were too busy focusing more on the people that have all the money. The middle and upper class are the ones with all of Shinra's privileges.

"I guess they think, better spent money on the higher plates than on the poor slums," Jaune shook his head in disappointment.

"Yeah, right now, they still have power, food and water. But if the reactors are taken down then…" Ruby shivered as she thought of all the lives that they might end up making suffer.

Jaune did so as well, but he forced himself to shake off the thought. Either they wait and do nothing or just go for it, and fight with all of their might.

However, one false move, and it'll all be over. The thought of failing this world too was plaguing the blond knight just as badly as the red reaper. Their failure in saving Atlas and Mantle may never stop haunting them.

The Huntsman and Huntress radios went off before their superior notified them that they were going to move to the train station.

Ruby was more than glad that they finally doing something other than standing around and looking at the nice view.

They reported and confirmed their position before they walked down towards the Reactor 1 train station.

The duo was still surprised to learn that there was a train and tracks that led to the reactors. Though it made sense that they needed something to haul away the reactors byproducts, it seemed like a pretty big oversight from the security team. It was an easy way in. Jaune wondered if the train might be a good entrance strategy.

They thought that since they were still scouting the place, they should at least look the part. So, they followed Shinra's orders to earn their stay and their money.

After getting called over, the Hunters assumed that they might see some action and get to show off a little to impress the higher ups. That way they can take some of the suspicion off of them.

Boy, did they assume they were wrong. When they got there, the Hunters were at the very least to say, disappointed.

It was just a simulation in case the facility faced an emergency. Things like a reactor meltdown or an attack.

They barely got to do anything. It was mostly just move around and pointing their weapons while taking orders. Pretending there was something going on, empty action to say the least.

Ruby was seconds from falling asleep because of the boredom, and even Jaune couldn't help but yawn every now and then.

After the drill came to an end, they went back to their spot in the upper levels of the reactor interior.

It wouldn't be long before the silver eyed petite will start whining, "Sooooo boooring!"

"Yep, right on time," Jaune chuckled.

At noon an officer arrived, bringing some food for the two Hunters before telling them how long they had to eat it.

Ruby was so hungry and eager to eat she asked, "What's for lunch?"

The officer said it was from the cafeteria at Shinra's main building, "Steak, potatoes, asparagus, and some honey cakes. Tomorrow we're having chicken breasts, broccoli, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Chocolate chip cookies will be the desert portion of that meal."

"Soo…Shinra-made cookies, they any good?" Ruby asked as she scarfed down her meal.

"Oh, they're damn good. Sometimes the boys fight for em," The Shinra employee replied before waving goodbye.

"Look at this stuff, it looks like prime meat. So much marbling and everything looks cooked to perfect," Jaune commented as he took a bite.

"Dang it, these rich jerks, getting to eat num…mum…food like this every day," Ruby cried a bit.

Yeah, even Jaune had to admit, it tasted so damn good. He knew that this kind quality of food could only be afforded by the rich.

Guess they were lucky they didn't have to spend their own Gil on a lot of food because they hunted for most of their meals.

The hours went by, and the teens were still in their position, watching as the sun was lowering while admiring the beautiful scenery of it all, and then, before they knew it, it got dark.

With all the lights on, the Mako spewing from the top of the reactor, and the slight glowing city in the distance, the reactor looked livelier than ever at night.

Jaune was currently polishing Crocea Mors while the reaper was checking on her ammo. She ran out of dust rounds a while back so now she was using the standard ammunition they use in this world, and has to say, it's not that bad.

It was pretty strong stuff, so it had the prestigious Ruby's stamp of approval.

The gravity dust stored on the Arc's shield was also gone, he guessed that he'd have to get used to it, or at least find some way to replicate the Remnant tech with Materia.

However, it wasn't as important at the moment, especially since they have Materia and can cast magic.

The blond went to a nearby security officer, asking him about the time before heading back to the petite's side.

"Please tell me it's almost over?" Ruby asked with her famous puppy dog pout.

"No such luck. We'll be stuck here for a few more hours," Jaune replied as he made sure not to look at her silver eyes. God he was such a sucker for that look.

Ruby gave a long and exaggerated sigh. She didn't know how longer she could take being this bored.

"Are we really doing this? You know…." Ruby's eyes pointed to the reactor.

"I...I don't know, not yet," Jaune shook his head.

"Why not? Us being here is part of your plan to take out the reactor. You know where the core is because you memorized the contents of the map, right? So all we have to do is go there and blow it up," Ruby said with a discreet whisper.

"That's easier said than done. You know what we're up against. I'm starting to think this whole thing was a bad idea," Jaune ran his hands through his hair.

Ruby shook her finger before saying, "We just have to come up with a plan. Let's pool our ideas together. I'm sure we can think of something."

Jaune gave a smile as he looked at her, 'She's always being the positive light in my life, that's the Ruby I knows and care so much about…as a friend of course.' Jaune thought while trying not to blush.

"Sooo, before we think of something to blow this place to kingdom come, are you going to tell me what you're keeping from me?"

The blond knight's eyes blinked as he stared at the petite reaper.

There was an obvious look of concern in her silver eyes, so Jaune understood that she actually figured him out. No, she was able to read him like a book because she knows him that well.

"I— it's true I am keeping something from you. You know I'll will never lie to you…it's just that…I'm not even sure I believe it," Jaune rubbed the back of his head.

"Jaune, we died. I'm ready to believe anything," Ruby said with a serious expression.

"Well… It happened last night, and I was planning to tell you after all of…this. I swear."

"No biggie, I'm not angry, silly. I'm just concerned. You haven't really been yourself lately. Not to mention that time I found you reading a book on cooking at 4 in the morning...upside down."

"I had an another Cinder dream," Jaune said as Ruby paused.

"Ahem… That's it? Join the club. I've almost had enough of how many times l woke up screaming because of her, and then you will come over to calm me down, then I will cry…and…well you know how it goes. I'm glad you chose to tell me. You remember our promise?"

"We won't keep secrets from each other and to talk about our problems, no matter what. For the sake of keeping our friendship strong, I will never forget." Jaune smiled at her.

She giggled as her cheeks got a little red, good old Jaune always being his true self.

"It wasn't the dream that scared me. It's what happened after I woke up. She was there, Ruby, Cinder was there."

"Nah, that's one of those things. What was it called? Um…a dream within a dream thingy."

"It was no dream, she was there, I saw her, felt her. After the nightmare, I got up and just dunked my head in the kitchen sink, and I was wide awake. The moment I turned, there she was, Cinder was standing right next to me, and worse yet, I felt her grab me…"

His serious tone made her turned pale. Jaune would never joke about something like this.

Cinder Fall had become someone that the two will never forget. She was the one that scarred them for life. They failed everyone and Remnant and died because of her.

Even to this day, Fall Maiden still haunts them in their dreams.

"But that couldn't be… How could she even get here?" Ruby questioned.

Honestly, Ruby doesn't remember what happened after the Fall Maiden killed Jaune. The silver-eyed reaper was at the brink of death, and her heart was seconds away from its last beat.

It was the first time in Ruby's life that she felt such unbridled fury. It was the angriest she has ever been at anyone.

The Huntress came to the conclusion she must have used her silver eyes before passing on, and it seemed to very effective on her, almost like she was more Grimm than human.

Ruby wanted to deny what Jaune was saying, and that the blond knight had to be wrong. However, when she studied his expression, she knew that he was dead serious.

Besides, Jaune would never lie to her. For as long as she knew him, the Arc has always been honest and upright person.

The petite took a step back, the fear was evident on her expression, but when he took a hold of her shoulders, she snapped out of it and said, "She's not here..."

"I know what you think, it's crazy. I saw what I saw."

"She's not here..." she repeated her voice quivering.

"We have to face the facts Ruby. I don't know how, but there is the chance Cinder could have been sent to this world just like us."

"Why? Why would Aerith's mom even bring that horrible woman here?! Doesn't she know she'll be putting this world in even greater danger with her around?! That doesn't make sense, why send someone that wants to destroy us when we're supposed to save it."

"I don't know, I wish I was wrong, and that I go back to believing she was a hallucination. But I can't, not after...She said something that had nothing to do with anything in my memories. It was just one word, reunion."

"Reunion?" Ruby showed a confused expression.

"I don't know what it means or what the hell she could be talking about," Jaune paused as he looked at Ruby's expression. He then sighed and said, "Maybe we should put this conversation on hold. I know how upset you can get when it comes to this topic."

"I'm already upset…argh…let's just focus on what's in front of us," Ruby said while trying not to tear up.

After taking a few breaths and calming herself down, Ruby changed the topic back to the reactor before saying," It's your call. If you want us to act now that we're here, I'm with you all the way, Jaune. We might never get another chance you know. It's not every day Shinra will hire us."

"That's true. Okay, this is what we're going to do—"

The blond was interrupted by the sound of a loud alarm. Both thought the drill was over hours ago and knew they wouldn't do another one without saying something.

"What's going on?" Jaune said as his combat instincts kicked in and he went on full alert mode.

"Is the reactor going to blow?" Ruby said with a pale complexion.

"Please don't jinx us," Jaune mumbled as he looked around.

Suddenly, the two heard their communicators beeping.

"This is a code red emergency. Intruders have infiltrated the facility and they are cutting through our forces! They're currently in the reactor's interior. This is not a drill. I repeat, THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Calling for any and all available reinforcements for backup support!"

"Guess this is the real thing this time," said the shocked Arc.

"Intruders? Who will be dumb enough to come here? Well…aside from us?"

"Only one way to find out, come on!"

Jaune and Ruby ran down the stairs, heading for the elevator as fast as they could. They were really curious about who these intruders were.

The Hunters weren't expecting an attack on the reactor, especially today of all days. Maybe they'll be able to do something here after all.

If they find out the intentions of the intruders, they might fulfill the mission in this job. They steeled themselves for the fight to possibly come and looked at each other before nodding.

Coming back empty handed after getting this far wasn't an option. Well…with possibly ten thousand Gil in their pockets isn't exactly empty handed, but that doesn't count.

They descended a flight of stairs to see the elevator that led to the Reactor's core on the other side room.

'Let's hope we can get down there without being caught.' Jaune thought to himself.

"HALT!"

The teenagers sighed while muttering, "So much for not getting caught."

The sounds of guns being cocked and trained on their backs echoed out behind them. When they turned around, there stood four security officers with their rifles pointed at their heads.

"Um…hey, we came down her to stop the intruders. Are you going to let us do our job or are you going to keep pointing those things at us?" Jaune said as he used his finger to slowly push away the barrel of one of the Shinra Grunts.

The Shinra Grunt forcefully pulled his rifle back towards Jaune's face before saying, "You're not fooling anyone. General Heidegger told me to keep an eye on you two, and from the looks of it, his suspicions were correct. It's too convenient we have to get attacked on the same day your hired."

"You guys are not following the drill protocols," said Ruby while crossing her arms.

"Shut it! We know the truth! You guys are with them. Just admit it, you're with the intruders, Avalanche, right?!"

'The intruders are Avalanche?' The Arc stood in thought, ignoring the guns across from them.

"So, what if we are?" Ruby growled.

"Ruby?!" the blond gasped with an expression the read he wasn't worried about the four rifles pointed at them at all.

"It's not like they're going to believe us if we tell them we're not. So, we might as well roll with the punches."

The Huntsman shook his head that was true as both draw their weapons.

"Drop your weapons now!" The Shinra Grunt ordered.

"Make us," Jaune said as he smacked the face of the closest guy to him with his trusty shield.

While Jaune sent one guy halfway through a wall, Ruby used her semblance and knocked two of them before they got the chance to fire their weapons.

The last man shook like a winter leaf in a storm. Jaune looked at him and said, "I thought I told you to get that thing out of my face."

*BANG!*

The Shinra Grunt fired. However, the bullet didn't even pierce through his skin before the slug bounced off his face without leaving so much as a scratch.

"We need a key to get in there?" Jaune asked.

The man kept shaking as he nodded his head up and down.

"Do you have the key?"

Once again he nodded his head and held out a key card for the elevator.

"Thanks…" Jaune took the card before hitting him in the jaw and knocking him out cold.

There was no need to kill them. Their real mission is the reactor itself.

"You okay?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, I know I can tank a bullet with ease, but it still stings a bit," Jaune said as he walked over towards the elevator door.

"So, we know what to do now?" Ruby grinned as she readied her weapon.

"I don't know, Ruby, what's the plan?" Jaune asked

"We're going to help Avalanche destroy the reactor!" said the reaper, clearly failing to hide her excitement.

Finally, they were going to kill…the boredom.

Chapter Text

[Location: Train Station, Mako Reactor 1 - Exterior, Between Sectors 1 & 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Nearly an hour ago before Ruby and Jaune were falsely accused for aiding Avalanche, the train had arrived on the station when two guards arrived to inspect.

As soon as the smoke clears, the guards began to do their jobs when suddenly, a grunt was heard and one of them was gone missing as the other went to look for him.

He was suddenly grabbed from behind as the assailant kicked him in the stomach before losing consciousness.

Two people headed for the two other people came out from hiding before the first two hid the body.

The first man known as Biggs has short swept-back black hair also with a red bandana, light stubble, light brown eyes, wearing an olive shirt with a black shirt underneath, leather harness with two magazines, brown gloves, dark green cargo shorts with black knee pads, and armored boots.

The woman is named as Jessie has brown eyes, red-brown hair in a ponytail, with a red bandana, metal breastplate with a black and blue shirts underneath, metal plated brown gloves with red bands, black wristbands, green knee length pants and armored boots.

Wedge's the chubby guy of the group, with black hair held by his bandana, blue eyes, metal shoulder pads, a beige shirt with black undershirt, a leather harness and a bandoleer across his chest, dark blue shorts, and brown boots.

A heavy set muscular man is Barret, has three scars on his right cheek, with a skull tattoo on his left shoulder, with dog tags around his neck, brown vest and a black tank under it, a rotary machine gun for his right arm, while his left has a leather bracer with small metal plates strapped on top, green cargo pants, ammo pouches on both of his legs, and black boots. 

He was the leader of the group known as Avalanche as he nodded at them to proceed and looked back to call someone, "Get down here, merc."

The figure jumped out from the top of the train and landed with one knee to the ground along with his left hand while his right hand carried a massive sword.

A young man with a lean and toned build, and spiky blond hair. He has blue eyes, which glow a bit of green due to him having being exposed to mako. He also has a silver earring in his left ear. His outfit is a SOLDIER standard uniform. This uniform comprises indigo pants with a sleeveless shirt and a belt. He also wears brown boots, gauntlets with a pauldron over his left shoulder and a SOLDIER band in his right wrist. Unlike the standard uniform, his is customized to exclude the right shoulder pauldron, likely to make it easier to draw his sword from behind him, while his left pauldron remains, albeit with protruding screws and bolts due to makeshift repairs. He also wears a gear-like armlet on his left forearm.

That young man is known as Cloud Strife, an Ex-SOLDIER turned mercenary.

He casually walked as two guards appeared from the entrance and noticed them.

"HALT!/Who goes there!?" Both guards shouted as they approached them while three others sneaked inside the building.

"You're up." Barret old the merc to handle them.

The guards ignored Barret as they think that the merc is a bigger threat than Avalanche leader is.

"You're coming with us! Nice and easy!" One of the guards said as they both aimed their guns at him with fingers on the trigger.

"Don't think so." Said the merc as he stroked down two guards with ease as he compliments himself. "Not bad."

Cloud marched towards the station's entrance with ease as two more guards surround him the second time while Avalanche sneaks further as Jessie whispered, "Have Fun~!"

"FREESE! Move and we shoot!" One guards demands in which Cloud replied calmly, "Go ahead."

He instantly move to attack two more guards easily as both of them went down without realising what happened.

Cloud then vaulted across obstacle as three guards arrived from the top of the stairs, telling him to drop his sword down. Avalanche moved in without being noticed by the guards.

"You got this." Biggs whispered as Wedge followed but spoke a little loudly, "Yeah, what he said."

"You're coming with us." A guard said it with confidence as his allies surrounded the merc, in which he already knew it.

"Can't get surrounded." Cloud murmured as he placed his sword for a defensive stance, waiting for a right moment to strike.

One guard approached him and started to kick him and in return, Cloud slashed him down quick as two remaining guards started shooting at him.

"Try harder." Cloud taunts them, making them act recklessly and that, the guards suffered greatly as Cloud won with ease. Cloud went up and catch up with them as they talked about something where they're nearly at the base of the reactor.

Jessie and Biggs are trying to "fix" the console while discussing about a certain someone.

"So, what SOLDIER boy's deal? Is he one of us now?" Jessie asked. "He's got balls, this, uh... Uh...what's was his name again?"

"Cloud. Cloud Strife." Biggs answered as Jessie acknowledged it.

"Right."

"And he isn't a SOLDIER anymore. Still, he's a professional—unlike the rest of us. I'm glad to have him." Biggs added.

Wedge gave Cloud a thumbs up but was received a harsh statement from the merc instead, "This is a onetime gig. When it's done, we're done."

Wedge went from being happy to being sad as he put down his hand while thinking, 'Ah man. Why wouldn't he give me a thumbs up or a simple smile?'

Instead, he asked. "You'll keep us safe...right, Cloud?"

Cloud looked for a second before heading to Barret as Biggs and Jessie were having a talk while working.

"Real joy to work with though."

"Real joy to look at too."

"Here we go."

"Looks are what people notice first. Guess I'm not on the same page as people."

"I'd say you're not even reading the same book."

"Enough. We're done here." Biggs said while being annoyed by Jessie.

"Or even the same—"

"Give it a rest." Biggs interrupted her to end their discussion. 

As soon as they're done talking, Barret moved the Ex-SOLDIER slightly away from him as he walked towards them while Wedge plans to convince Wedge comes up to Cloud trying to convince him to join up with them.

“C’mon, nobody’d do something this crazy just for money.” Wedge says of how it is Cloud was doing this for the payment, but that's not all there is to it then he adds. “They may not think you’re a true believer, but you know what I think?”

"Not interested." Cloud interrupted, closing the discussion already much to Wedge's disappointment.

Not a moment later, Jessie and Biggs finally get the door open as they took point with others right behind them.

“Wedge!” Barret gets Wedge’s attention and telling to move out. Wedge moves past him and catches up to the others. Barret begins to move as well but stops and looks to Cloud glaring.

“You better be worth the money, merc. Every last Gil.” Barret says warningly to Cloud. Cloud just glares right back then Barret moves to join up with his team.

Cloud grunts in frustration then moves up but comes to a stop staring at the reactor, then hears a bark turns to see a hound and a guard.

"Get him, boy!" The guard commanded the hound. The hound looks like a basic guard dog but it has vicious eyes and its tail was placed on its nape.

Cloud focusing on the hound first before the guard. "Guess your first." The merc putted on his defensive stance as he counterattack the dog's attacks, making it go down, much to the owner's anger.

"HEY!" He shouted as Cloud now focuses on him.

"Looks like your next." Cloud suggested as he strike down the guard with ease.

As soon as he entered the building, another guard and his hound comes in and find him but only being struck down by the merc himself.

Cloud heard running around as he look up and saw Avalanche heading towards the other side via the platform and Wedge stops to talk to the merc.

"Hey, Cloud! Elevator's over there! Catch up soon!" Wedge said as he pointed his finger to direction of the cargo elevator that he mentioned.

Cloud heads towards the elevator and went up and went over the platform as he sees the group by the fence as Jessie uses a bolt cutter to cut through the fence in order to get through along with the others as Cloud heads there as well, only to be stopped by Biggs.

"Not so fast. We've got company." Biggs warns as Cloud heard running as two guards and a hound appear from where he came.

Cloud immediately attacked Shinra guards in a focus three strike move without them realising it before heading towards the others.

The merc saw the guards coming out from the reactor entrance while Avalanche hid behind cover to avoid detection.

"There's one! GET HIM!" The guard commanded the two others as Cloud quickly executes them without giving them a chance.

The gate immediately closed as soon as those guards earlier came out from there but didn't notice Avalanche narrowing came through. Cloud finally opens the gate as came towards the team as Barret nearly finished talking to them.

"You'll know what to do—now GO!" Barret finished talking as he, Biggs, and Jessie heads on inside.

"See you later!" Wedge bid them farewell as Cloud catches up to them.

"C'mon, Cloud!" Jessie called the merc as soon as she noticed him while running inside the reactor. As well as Barret noticed him too, added. "Keep up the pace!"

Wedge noticed the merc last as he spoke. "I'll secure our escape route, okay? You go on and catch up with the others."

Cloud complies as he heads on inside the reactor.

[Location: Mako Reactor 1 – Interior, Between Sectors 1 & 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

"SOLIDERs may attack on command, but I hear they make good guard dogs too." Barret said and adds "Bet you seen a few reactors." He says then ask "So how do we get to the bridge above mako storage?" But Cloud doesn’t answer as he doesn't remember if he ever stationed there. But he starts to feel like something is coming up.

Barret not liking getting any answer. "Ain’t holding out on me, are you?" He says, deep mistrust in his voice. But Cloud wasn’t listening feeling getting stronger as Barret adds. "Stamp scared to bite the hand that fed him? OR IS HE A LOYAL LITTLE DOGGY!?" He yells as Cloud suddenly clutches his head as he hears something ringing loudly and feels like his blood is boiling, then it suddenly stops and fades as fast it came.

"Have it your way, mutt. We can do this with you, or we can do this without you." Barret says in anger for not answering him.

"Different reactor, different layouts. Depends when it was built. Never seen one like this, but I'll manage." Cloud said without answering Barret's earlier question.

"I'm watching you." Barret murmured as Jessie spoke. "Don't you worry. Biggs'll have that door open soon."

Cloud heads to Biggs as the latter said, " In three, two..." Then the console has been overwritten when he compliments himself. "Damn, I'm good!"

The doors open as Cloud heads in and four guards are already inside as they took notice and saw the merc and are quickly alarmed of the situation.

"WHO'S THERE!?" The lead guard asks before commanded a fellow guard. "THE DOOR!" The other guard immediately reacted as he immediately close the door on the console near him.

"W-wait!" Barret called out the merc as the door in front of him closes while Cloud notices and shrugs it off and look in front of them.

Four guards line in front in a firing position as the lead guard spoke. "It's over!"

"That's my line." The merc retorts as he unsheathes his Buster Sword, preparing for a fight.

"He's alone. We can take him." The lead guard assures them as the other guard yells. "MAKE IT RAIN!"

The spikey-haired Ex-SOLDIER raises his sword in a upward position above his head and immediately attacked in a quick succession, taking out four guards easily. And then, the door went open.

"We're back!" Jessie says cheerfully as she comes up to the counsel.

"Then let's move." Cloud simply says wanting to move on.

"He always knows just what to say!" Jessie jokes like they knew the merc.

"Cut it out!" Barret orders telling her to open the door. "Simmer down, hotshot." He added.

"I got this place covered." Biggs reminds his boss.

“It’s a good thing I know someone who can get us the passcodes.” Jessie says as she types them in and adds. “Pity no one else at command will talk to us, but what can you do? And we're good.” She said as she finished and moves in. “Careful in there.” Biggs comments as Jessie smirks back at Biggs who stays and covers the elevator as he spoke. "Well, what're you waiting for?"

Cloud and Barret follow after Jessie. "Security's only gonna get tighter, so be ready. We can't afford to make any more mistakes."

"Looks like the elevator's on another floor. Mind pushing that button?" She asked him to, in which he does it. "So...you know Tifa, right?" Jessie suddenly asks. "It’s not really my business, but are you guys close?" She adds, Cloud hesitates and once more finds himself drifting off and like he’s going back in time.

Cloud walks up to the door of his house and walks out to the village. He passes by the water tower heading to his usual spot since he doesn’t have any friends, as he was excluded from the kids. Speaking of he sees them with Tifa again, which is one of the reasons the other boys don’t like having him around. Not that he blames Tifa as she isn’t the stupid as they are. Tifa then spots him walking by and gets up.

“Cloud!” She calls and waves as she starts to run up to him, he quickly looks away as he still doesn’t know how to really talk to her. “Are you ignoring me!?” He hears her ask and turns back as the boy's glare as always and Tifa looks a little angry.

Cloud finds himself back in the present remembering his childhood and his very unpleasant memories. But he thinks more on how he couldn’t be more friends with Tifa then anything else. Cloud just answers plainly. "Tifa and I..." But stops as the elevator arrives. Barret shoving Cloud again as he moves in follow by Jessie then Cloud, Barret presses the button and they go down.

Elsewhere in an office at the top of cities tallest building, sitting at his desk is President Shinra, watches through the cameras in the elevator of the reactor, as he watches his General Heidegger of the Shinra Military walks up behind him reporting on what he has on them.

"These sewer rats appear to call themselves Avalanche Sir." He says as he looks to the screen and adds “We are currently investigating whether they belong to the same group that made the attempt on your life. As well as those two mercenaries that applied there for a job. I've already have guards watching them as we speak. And rest assured, our inquiries will not take much longer.” He said bowing the president gives off a humph and continues to watch.

Cloud and Jessie listen to Barret as he starts to explain what the reactor is. "This pump’s sole purpose is to bleed the planet dry. While you sleep, while you eat, while you shit— it's here, sucking up Mako. It doesn’t rest and doesn’t care. You do realize what Mako is don’t you?" As he speaks to Cloud as the merc himself gives a bored look and turns to Jessie silently asking which she picks up and shrugs.

"Mako is the lifeblood of our world. The planet bleeds green like you and me bleed red." Barret continues. "The hell you think’s going to happen when it’s all gone, huh?! ANSWER ME!" He wasn’t done yet. "You going to stand there and pretend you can’t hear the planet crying out in pain? I KNOW YOU CAN!" Barret finishes as he points to the merc who just stares.

"You really hear that?" Cloud asked, not looking at the big man.

"Damn straight I do!" Barret says as he pumps his chest.

"Get help." Cloud suggested and the brunette gasped at what he said, which'd pisses off the big man more.

"Say that again!" Barret said as he marches right up to Cloud who doesnt flinch, but before anything else can be said the elevator stops.

"I'd worry less about the planet and more about the next five seconds. Save the screaming for later.” Cloud says to the head honcho not understanding why he is even attempting to get to him, when he’s more than happy to say goodbye once payment has been done. Barret just glares at the merc as they move out the elevator one at a time. They've arrived at the reactor's utility access room and Barret stops and says to the spikey-haired merc.

"Our lives are on the line now." Barret walks back to him, stops and points his gun at the merc. "You listening, merc? One false move..." He then shoots to the side, causing Cloud to look where Barret shoots to see a Sentry Ray destroyed and falls down. "And that happens!" Barret warns.

"Well, so much for Cloud do all the fighting." Jessie says as she looks at the Sentry. "There are some places a sword can’t reach..."

She then jogs up to Cloud who felt uncomfortable for a bit as she approached. "Just... bear with him for me, would you?" She asks and Cloud just looks at her then at Barret who holds his gun up and smirking.

"Should've asked for more money." Cloud says as he moves ahead, causing Jessie giving a slight laugh to Barret and follows after Cloud, while Barret just growled at Cloud.

A Sentry Ray located the merc as he draws his sword, readying to fight but unable to, forcing himself to team up with Barret.

"Gonna throw your sword at 'em? Let the man with the gun go to work! These tin cans ain't got nothing on me!" Barret says as he shoots down one Sentry Ray and goes into Overcharge as he shoots down two more Sentry Rays easily while Cloud handles the Monodrives.

"Do your job, merc!" Barret spoke as Cloud retorts, "Shut up and move over." Cloud cuts down three Monodrives in quick Punisher Mode.

The head honcho and the merc head down the stairs and saw Jessie as she spoke. "Look what we have here."

Cloud looks at the problem. "A laser security grid... Great." Cloud said, getting frustrated at it.

"Those things'll hurt more than your pride if you're careless. They'll cut you down to size and then some." The brunette explained in detail. "...But, I'm guessing you're done with this kind of thing before." She added, guessing the merc about it.

"Yeah. Figure out the timing of the lasers. Then make a move when they cycle off." Cloud confirms Jessie's guess.

"Exactly!" Jessie said. "I'll go first. Nothing like a little danger to get the blood pumping!" She then offered herself first as she runs towards the other side while the merc calls her in worry.

"HEY!"

"Just keep those baby blues of yours on me!" Jessie shouts, teasing Cloud while being concern for the Ex-SOLDIER's wellbeing.

Cloud runs through the first laser grid once the cycle went off while the brunette says, "Huh. He's a natural!"

Then, the merc went through the other one without much trouble as Jessie compliments him. "Not too shaby."

Lastly on this floor, he went through the third one as Jessie spoke. "You're doing good, SOLDIER!"

Barret followed the merc's lead without a hitch before went down with the others as they found more laser grids and in even erratic cycle.

"...And it's more of the same. Come on, then." Jessie said as all three of them cross one grid at a time.

As they passed the first, Jessie chastised them, moreso on the merc. "Right easy, right?"

Jessie went first as Cloud followed shortly after, which left Barret crossed through last the second grid. "Nice one, Cloud."

The last grid before the stairs to the ground floor, Cloud went through first as Jessie made a statement. "Like a walk in the park, huh?"

Jessie crosses through as soon as Barret went through and said. "Not a scratch. Now on to the objective."

They all went to the ground floor as Jessie took notice on their new obstacle in front of the door. A Sweeper.

"Hey! They don't call those things Sweepers for nothing. They can wipe out a whole squad in seconds." Jessie stated as hid on one deactivated Sweeper.

"Not if you wipe the floor with them first." Cloud suggested as he and the head honcho headed towards Shinra mech.

"Hah! We can take this hunk of junk!" Barret said as he sprayed a bunch of bullets from his hand-cannon at the mech.

"That “hunk of junk” is a heavy weapons platform. If we rush in, we die." The merc warns him, even though Barret already fired at it.

"Is that right?" The head honcho asks.

"Hit it with magic. That should give us an opening." Cloud suggested as he shields himself while the Sweeper sprays a lot of bullets on the merc.

Barret follows the professionals advice as he uses his Lightning Materia and sends a lightning spell on the mech, pressuring it. Cloud notices it and said, "Let's pin it down! Give it all you've got!"

Cloud and Barret attack the mech together and finally staggering it. "Now's our chance! Go!" The merc said, nonstop attacking it.

Barret went into Overcharge and sprays heavy weapon bullets on it. "No need to tell me twice. I'm gonna enjoy this!" He said, firing the mech nonstop as well.

Cloud focuses his target as he thrust forward the mech in great strength, called it Focused Thrust. With that move and the head honcho's help, they finally destroy the mech.

"And that's that!" Jessie said as she came out of hiding and walk towards them.

"What are you, twenty-something?" Barret asked a different question, a not-about-the-mission kind of mission.

"First." Cloud answers.

"Huh?" Barret not getting it.

"SOLDIER: First Class. Doesn't go into twenties." Cloud explains his position without realising the big man's question.

"The hell you talking about? I mean your age, not your goddamn rank." Barret corrects his question to the merc.

"I,uh..." Cloud thinks hard about his age, seems to be forgetting about it.

"Though, for all I know, a SOLDIER's rank could be the same as his age..." Barret stated jokingly, making Cloud small, and he doesn't stop there. "Mm-hmm. Guess, that'd make you a one-year-old, huh? Live and learn!"

Two Avalanche members and an Ex-SOLDIER headed towards two sets of doors as they arrived at the top of Mako Storage.

"That’s our target. The reactor core. Gotta  set the bomb at the bottom” Jessie says as they looked to the core then heads for the ladder. "Let's get down there." The brunette added.

Before they went to the ladder, they heard footsteps as in, someone's running. As all three of them wondering in a single thought of their heads.

'Who's coming?'

Chapter Text

[Location: Mako Reactor 1 – Interior, Between Sectors 1 & 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Shortly before Avalanche arrive at the reactor core, Ruby and Jaune walked past the unconscious men and stopped in front of the high-tech-looking elevator.

Jaune used the Shinra ID to unlock the pad and pressed the button open it up.

"Ah, it worked," Jaune said as he stared at the unconscious man before giving a gusture that showed his appreciation.

"Thanks for the key card," Ruby waved as the doors closed in front of them.

Once the entered, Ruby had to fight the urge to press every floor in the elevator buttons presented.

Jaune chuckled and said, "Easy, Rubes. Not the time or place."

"Don't act like you haven't done the exact same thing," Ruby blushed before hitting the button for the floor where the reactor should be.

It got quiet as the teens stood waiting patiently while the music on the elevator was too chill for their liking, for what they were about to do. They still had the communicators given by Heidegger.

"All units the hired mercenaries are really working for Avalanche! I repeat the mercenaries are working for Avalanche! Apprehend them at once! The Commander wants them alive for questioning!"

"This gives us the perfect excuse to blow up the reactor," said the Arc.

Jaune the smiled as he turned on the radio, pinched his nose, and then said, "I think I saw them heading towards the mess hall!"

"SHUT UP! We know you're in the elevator." A Shinra employee replied.

The red cloak girl giggled as she pointed to the corner of the elevator and said, "Nice plan…but a little redundant with that watching us."

Jaune saw where her finger was pointing to and noticed the camera on the elevator.

"Aww…man! It was such a good idea," Jaune's shoulder's slumped.

"Don't beat yourself up. Like you said, it was a good idea," Ruby patted his shoulder.

Ruby then gave a pair of devil horns, or more commonly known as rock on fingers before shouting, "AVALANCHE RULES! SHINRA DROOLS! SAVE THE PLANET! DOWN WITH SHINRA!"

"Is that really necessary?" A sweat drop ran down the brow of the blond.

"It's not going to make a difference. They already see us as the enemy. So why not have some fun and bother them a bit," Ruby chuckled.

"Ruby, you're a genius!" Jaune shouted before hugging her.

Hearing Ruby's words made sense to the blond knight, but at that same moment, it gave him another idea.

"What, I am?" Ruby asked before she paused and smirked as she said, "I mean. Of course am."

Jaune clicked on the radio and asked, "Hey, Ruby. You went to Camp-Camp too, right? Yang told me you went around the same time I left."

"Omg, space camp was so freaking cool!" Ruby laughed as she recalled her youth.

"Yeah…that was a weird one, considering it was impossible to get there…I went there for survival lessons…well, anyways. Do you remember the theme song?"

"Do I?" Ruby's eyes sparkled. She could finally see what Jaune had in mind.

"Tying up the enemy communication lines with a little diddy, good thinking Jaune. "

Jaune laughed as he started off.

♪♪OHHHHH~There's a place I know that's tucked away; a place where you and I can stay. Where we can go to laugh, and play, and have adventures every day! I know it sounds hard to believe, But guys and gals trust me it's true, Camp Campbell is the place for me and you! We'll swim through lakes and climb up trees; Catch fish, bugs, bears, and honeybees! There's endless possibilities And no…That's not hyperbole! Our motto's "CAMPE DIEM" And that means I'm telling you~ We've got: Archery, Hiking, Search & Rescue, Biking, Horseback riding, Training that will save you from a heart attack, Scuba diving, Miming, Keeping up with rhyming, Football, Limbo, Science, Stunting, Pre-Calc, Spaceships, Treasure hunting, Bomb defusal, No refusal, Fantasy, Circus trapeze, and Fights, and Ghosts, and Paints, and Snakes, and Knives, and Chess, and Dance, and Weights–It's Camp Camp!♪♪

"Oh god, someone shut them up!" Someone on the other end of the radio shouted.

"The hell is a Camp-Camp?!"

"Did he say, training that will save you from a heart attack?"

"That's what weirded you out? He said freaking Ghosts!"

Ruby and Jaune laughed before they started singing the song over and over in repetition.

The ding of the elevator rang as they arrived at the right floor when the doors opened they were met by more very frustrated and angry security officers and two guard dogs.

"What, were we off key?" Jaune joked as he put the radio on his belt.

The officers opened fire as their rifles released high velocity rounds towards them.

Jaune used his barrier spell to shield himself and raised his actual shield to block the heavy fire.

Ruby cast fire causing critical damage to the guard dogs while shooting at the officers.

"They're not that good. At least not against an experienced Huntress," Ruby thought as she looked over their unconscious bodies.

Jaune chuckled as he looked at Ruby and asked, "Lend me your radio, will you?"

"Sure, what'd you have in mind? Maybe this time a little rock'n'roll?"

"Nah, but I sure hope they like elevator music," Jaune said before he pulled out some tape, and pressed down on the radio speaker before taping it on.

He then walked back into the elevator and broke the ceiling a bit where the speaker was before putting the radio next to it.

Ruby chuckled as she looked at her partner and gave a thumb's up. He looked back and smiled before they both started running towards the reactor core.

They hurried along the corridor, pacing their steps at a decent speed while hoping no one else shows up. Unfortunately, the path ahead was blocked as a Sweeper wasn't planning in letting them proceed.

The Sweeper unloaded a clip of its fire-shot while the Arc used his shield and blocked before countering with thunder.

The Rose cast water to at the same time the bolt hit it.

As the combined magic forced the machine to malfunction, both Hunters teamed up, slashing it with Aura covered blade until it was cut down to pieces.

They smiled at each other and continued on. Along the path they took, they encountered several enemies that they handled with expertise and swiftness that would leave a veteran 2nd Class SOLDIER in the dust.

The silver eyed petite was smiling thanks to the usefulness of her steal Materia. This entire time, she has been taking the items of those she cross, and gained much.

Ruby had more Gil, Potions, and grenades that she continued to stash away in her satchel.

The blond sheathed his weapon for a moment before taking the map of the reactor out to make sure they were going in the right direction.

"Good, we're almost there. The core to the reactor should be straight ahead," Jaune commented before rolling the map back up and putting it away.

The double doors opened. As they stepped through, they saw a big room with many stair cases, ladders, and railings, all going down towards a singular location.

"This has to be it." Jaune said as he looked around and noticed that they walked right next to some other people.

Standing across from them were three people.

One was a cute looking female looking in her early twenties with brown hair tied in a pony tail and hazel brown eyes. Her armored outfit definitely not the one the security officers were wearing.

The second was a tall man in his late thirties. He had dark skin, was wearing shades, and one of his arms had a machine gun. His outfit was military-ish, but just like the young woman it didn't come close to matching Shinra's men.

The third one was another male looking in his early twenties. He had spiky blond hair going in different directions and radiant azure green eyes. His uniform was outdated dark blue SOLDIER Uniform with brown boots, a metal pauldrons on one shoulder, and brown gloves.

Oh, and can't forget the huge ass sword strapped on his back.

Jaune and Ruby came to the conclusion these guys had to be Avalanche.

Also, this is the reactor core chamber, and their target should be at the bottom.

The spikey-haired blond swordsman reacted immediately as he has sensed their presence drawing his big sword getting into an attack stance.

The other two noticed their comrade was combat read and joined him.

The burly black man pointed his gun-arm while the brunette woman took out her firearm, a handgun from the looks of it.

This is the last thing the teenagers wanted. For once, they wished that they would stop running into trouble even without looking for it, especially trouble from same people they want to work with.

While Jaune focused on the reading the room, Ruby's eyes were glued their weapons, 'What a huge sword! It's probably even bigger than Yatsuhashi's sword from Team CFVY! Ooh, and that guy has an actual gun for an hand. Now that's a hand-cannon! Even that handgun looks nice! It's clearly been modded!'

Gun-arm has to be the coolest thing she has ever seen. It was simple but cool.

"WHOA! Hold it! We're not the enemy! We're not Shinra!" Jaune yelled as he put his weapon away.

"You can do better than that punk!" The burly dark-skinned man replied with a scruffy voice.

"He's telling the truth! We're here to destroy the reactor too!" Ruby followed up.

"Yeah right! Well if there's one thing I learned about Shinra today, it's that they can teach their dogs all kinds of tricks, like lying," The man with one hand shot back.

"Wait, they're not with Shinra." spoke the spikey-haired blond man with the buster sword.

"How can you tell?" The girl with the chestnut colored hair asked.

"Do they look like Shinra officers to you?" The buster sword wielding man answered with an obvious question.

"Guess not." The dark-skin man looked them up and down.

"I didn't think there were more people with grudges against Shinra, besides us that is. Who would have thought?" Said the young brown-haired woman.

"You guys are Avalanche? Let us help you! We're in the reactor room, so we can take it out together." Ruby called out as she stood firm.

"True, we are close to the target. There's the reactor core down there. We have to place the bomb there if we want to destroy it." The brunette gazed from the railing while pointing at the bottom.

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'm Ruby by the way." The silver-eyed petite held her hand out.

"Name's Jaune, nice to meet you guys." The Arc did the same.

The brunette was the only one that bothered to shake their hands and introduce herself.

"I'm Jessie, but you cutie, can call me Jess." the brunette has actually winked at the Arc, making him blush.

That was a first, a woman was actually flirting with him. Though, it was a bit to playful for Jaune to take seriously.

It also surprised the silver eyed girl a lot. She hasn't ever seen someone introduce themselves to Jaune like that, and for some reason or another, she didn't like it. It felt like her stomach was twisting and turning into knots.

"Now wait just a damn minute! We're really going to trust them? Just like that? I ain't buying it!" said the man with a gun for an arm.

"They're not with Shinra, Barret." Jessie said with a deadpanned expression.

"So what? For all we know these guys can be working under cover for them. How the hell did they even get in here? I didn't see them at the train or along the route we took, did you?"

The brunette stood silent, the same with blond swordsman. Berret brought up a good point.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself. We ain't have time to waste!"

"We didn't arrive here on train, we came here on one of Shinra's chopper—" started Jaune.

"I knew it!" Barret pointed his gun at the two teens.

"WOULD YOU BE QUIET AND LET US EXPLAIN?!" Shouted the reaper as she suddenly realized all that tension from what Jessie made her feel vanished.

"We rode in with Shinra because we were doing a job. We take all kinds of jobs in exchange for money." Jaune continued to explain.

"Mercenaries?" replied the blond man with the big sword.

"Yeah we 'were' supposed to watch over the reactor. When in truth, we were planning in destroying it. At first, we didn't know how we we're going to pull it off, so I thought the best way to scout the reactor was to take a job. I 'planned' on learning about this place so I could find weaknesses to exploit. What better way to do that then as security for the very reactor we want to destroy?"

"We had planned on learning the when the guards change shift, or which ones are lazy and exploitable. We also planned on looking for paths where we could avoid fighting, ways to get around all the sensory bits, and blind spots for all the cameras. But then someone did the opposite of a smart mission and came in guns'a'blazing… You should wave by the way." Ruby said as she pointed to a camera on the wall not to far away and waved at it.

Everyone looked over where Ruby was pointing before Berret growled and shot it, splintering the lens into fragments.

"Too damn convenient if you ask me." Barret said, still convinced as he blew the smoke away from his gun-hand.

"Well…it's the truth, also they were keeping an eye on us the entire time. They actually thought we were with you guys and attacked a few minutes ago. Wanna go see the trail of unconscious people?" Jaune followed up.

"It still sounds pretty suspicious." Jessie said as she put her finger at the bottom of her lip.

"You don't have to trust us, you don't have to even like us, just let us help, please." The red cloaked petite said, giving the sad puppy eyes that always work.

"You said we don't have time to waste." said the man with big sword.

"Grrr… Yeah. Fine, you two can come but I'll be keeping my eye on you. Just like you, SOLDIER boy," Barret gave a glance at the spikey-haired blond man.

"So, what's your name?" Jaune went over to his fellow blond man.

"Cloud."

'Short, simple, and doesn't talk much. I can work with this.' Jaune thought before saying, "Nice to meet you Cloud. I'm Jaune."

The Arc smiled wanting to give him a handshake but Cloud ignored him and left him hanging.

"Okay, add not the friendly type either." Jaune said to himself as a bit sweat dropped from his brow.

Chapter Text

[Location: Mako Reactor 1 – Reactor Core Upperside, Between Sectors 1 & 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The two Hunters finally managed to join up with the three members of Avalanche in peace. They continued moving deeper and deeper into the large chamber.

When they weren't walking down steps, they were climbing down the ladder with Jessie in front.

Jaune thought it was a bit reckless, or maybe bold was the better word, because they were definitely being watched through surveillance cameras.

There were so many things that could go wrong. There could still be security forces here, or the enemy forces can call for backup. However, Jaune liked to think his little trick with the radio was buying them time.

When taking everything into account, Jaune felt like something wasn't adding up. He knew Shinra wasn't dumb. The reactor core should be the first place they send in more forces to defend. Even if they blocked their communications with elevator music, Jaune expected way more resistance.

It was just…a little too easy going at the moment. However, like Barret said they don't have time to waste, so Jaune pushed those thoughts aside and marched on.

As they went deeper into the reactor core, a strong scent caught the attention of the group's noses. It smelled of something sweet yet reminded them of saltwater.

It was new for Ruby and Jaune. This has to be the smell of Mako, they could see it below at the bottom.

'So this this is Mako, also known as the lifeblood of the planet.' Jaune thought as he gazed at the beautiful azure green pool below him.

When they reached yet another ladder, Jessie stopped and said, "You guys go on ahead, I'll cover this area."

So, without any argument, the others went ahead of her.

The blond Huntsman noticed the brunette giving him a flirty smile, and oh boy, he blushed again. He wasn't used to the attention, and the thought of pretty women like Jessie flirting with him so brazenly never really seamed within the realm of possibility to the poor blond knight.

Ruby saw it and frowned before she gave Jaune a push to hurry up. She still didn't know why she was feeling so annoyed, but ignored it and continued on.

And so began the game of chutes and ladders. Climbing down another long ladder, leading to another corridor, and yet another ladder at the end.

Eventually, enemies showed up, three Monodrives and a Sentry Ray at the top of a pillar. Before the two teens drew their weapons, Cloud has charged in while taking out his buster sword.

The slashing began as Cloud's blade cut through the three flying mech devices, chopping them to pieces with little to no time wasted.

Barret easily took down the sentry ray with his gun, they never stood a chance.

The Arc and the Rose were shocked. It was the first time since arriving in this world that they'd seen someone this good.

The silver eyed girl was staring at their weapons with a dreamy expression, kind of like she wanted to ask the weapons out on a date.

'The big sword is epic looking, and a gun-hand, it…so…so freaking cool. Why didn't I think about such an idea when Yang lost her arm?' Ruby thought to herself with gusto and greed.

Though, she was sure her older sister would've preferred a mechanical arm over a gun. It would be pretty hard to grapple something or punch it with a gun.

Jaune signaled the petite that there were four more Monodrives ahead, so they went ahead of the two Avalanche members.

They have to show them they're good and not excess baggage.

The Huntsman and Huntress used the water/thunder combo to stagger the machines. They then followed it up by attacking together, slicing through their metal surfaces with their Aura coated weapons as the targets were made of paper.

Barret and Cloud arrived a little too late to join in on the action, but they saw their performance.

Turns out these kids can handle themselves after all. Still the dark-skinned man didn't trust them. Heck, he didn't even trust the blond Ex-SOLDIER. He didn't care if he was a childhood friend of Tifa. As far as Berret was concerned, once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER.

The four climbed down the last ladder that led to the reactor core. There was circular platform with a door behind the ladder, and a pathway leading to the end where a spherical machine condensed and presumably produced electricity.

They ran until reaching their target while Jaune and Ruby both thought. 'Taking down the core will take down the reactor. That will be one down and seven more to go.'

Barret then took something from one of his pouches. It appeared to be a rather compact bomb made of materials Jaune and Ruby really hadn't seen before.

However, Jaune was glad that they came prepared with an explosive, because he and Ruby hadn't really thought they would need one.

They had planned on learning how to cripple the machine by spying under their identities as security, but Avalanche's attack forced them to use plan G, the direct approach.

They figured that they could rush in here and shoot at it until it explodes or something. However, they figured that doing that so haphazardly might come with some unforeseen and dangerous consequences.

"Alright, let's see if Stump can bite the hand that feeds. Go on. Do the honors." Berret said as he pushed and hold the bomb against Cloud's chest.

Berret then looked Cloud dead in the eye before he said, "Prove to me, you're the man Tifa says you are. That you're one of us."

"Never said I was, I'm just here for the paycheck," Cloud shrugged his shoulders.

"Then do the damn job!" Berret snapped.

"Ooh, I want to place the bomb. Can-I-can-I-can-I-can-I-can-I? Please!" said Ruby while shaking her arms up and down.

"No, not you! I didn't hire you two. I hired him!" Berret pointed at the Ex-SOLIDER.

"Let's leave this one to Cloud, I think we should want to get on his good side." whispered Jaune as his eyes pointed to Barret. The man really seemed to have quite the temper, so it was better not to provoke him.

The Ex-SOLDIER took the bomb before he walked to the reactor and started placing it. However, the closer he got to the core, the more staggered his walking pattern became.

Cloud then placed his hand on his head, feeling an intense pain that couldn't be described as a simple headache.

 Ruby and Jaune noticed it first. It looked like Cloud was in a lot of pain.

"What's wrong?" asked the Avalanche leader.

"I'm fine. What about the timer?"

"Your call, merc." Berret crossed his arms and looked away.

"Just…make sure there's enough time for us to escape," said the Arc before he got a glare from Barret he took a step back getting behind the silver eyed petite.

Cloud put twenty minutes for the bomb to go off.

"Phew," Jaune and Ruby let out a sigh of relief.

Twenty minutes was more than enough for the two teenagers to escape the facility before it goes boom.

"Pretty cocky, ain't cha?" Berret said noticing their behavior.

"Think you can keep up?" Cloud asked.

"Please, I was born for this shit," Berret replied as he held up his hand-cannon.

"Do you hear that?" asked Ruby.

The Arc listened as well, unable to hear before using his Aura to boost his body's natural senses. He heard it, something crawling, clanging, but it was very faint.

Cloud didn't get the chance to set the timer before he heard the sound louder than the two focusing and straining their senses.

They then heard Jessie shout at them, "HEADS UP! INCOMMING MECH!"

Barret immediately thought the Merc was a traitor, pointing his weapon at Cloud while the barrel spun, but Ruby stopped him by grabbing his chin and forcibly turning his head to look at the thing that just crawling on the walls.

"You're a strong little girl," Berret said before his eyes locked on to the piece of Shinra weaponry.

It landed directly in front of them, shaking the platform they stood on, and causing the pool of Mako to make small waves around them.

A big red mech that resembles a scorpion with a human torso aimed two large gun barrels at them that were bigger than their torsos.

This thing looked way tougher than other mechanical units they've fought thus far.

The water/thunder combo might not be enough with this one.

"Hey! How the hell do we fight this thing?!" Ruby asked as she pulled Crescent Rose to her front.

"It's got reinforced armor plating—but the internals can be overloaded. Lightning magic," Cloud informed.

"Barret, if you can cast thunder then do it! Jaune will aid you I will help Cloud!" said Ruby.

"You may not like it, but please, listen to her. Ruby has more than 2 years of experience leading people to do this kind of stuff, so she knows what she's talking about!" Jaune told the man with one arm.

The Scorpion Sentinel started using its tail wanting to pierce them with its electric stinger.

Barret used Thunder while Jaune used Thundara, causing some serious damage to the mech.

Cloud and Ruby were fast in their attack. Their weapons swung out at its legs with the purpose of destroying them.

Without them it will be a sitting duck the thunder spells and the quick attacks were doing a lot of damage all together.

The mech fired a barrage of missiles at its targets while the red cloak girl evaded them with her semblance and managed to move blond Ex-SOLDIER out of harm's way just before the missile exploded.

The petite reformed with Cloud beside her, the mech's tail swung out and tried to stab at them.

Ruby tried to block the attack, but before she could, the spikey-haired Merc blocked the attack, saving her time so she could continue with her own assault.

The Arc wasn't worried about his partner. He knew the Huntress could take care of herself. Heck this wasn't even their first giant mech fight.

Ruby then cut through a part of its armor and frowned. 'It felt like I hit something similar to Aura. Could it be?'

Jaune and the Avalanche leader kept on bringing the thunder while the Scorpion mech was getting damage. The blond knight even saw it spark as short circuited a little.

'I guess that means they were doing a good job.' Jaune hummed before he charged up another Thundara spell.

"Keep casting thunder!" shouted Cloud.

The Sentinel mech fired its machine guns to force them to stop with the spell slinging, then used that time to jump and stick to a wall before unloading a payload of missiles towards the heroes of the story.

The group dispersed getting away from the line of fire. Then it jumped to the other side creating something that was surrounding. It was a light blue colored.

"What the hell is that?!" said Barret.

"A barrier? Never seen this system before," replied Cloud.

'It's like as I thought. I was wondering why I couldn't just chop through its legs. Nora would be disappointed in my performance.'

"I had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy, It almost looks like my hard-light tech," Jaune followed up.

"Thought you were the expert!" Berret yelled at the Ex-SOLIDER.

"I've got an idea," Ruby said as she stepped up.

"So what's your brilliant plan, genius?" Berret asked as he fired off shots towards the creepy crawling mecha on the wall.

"Well, for starters, we have to find a way to take down its barrier. Best advice I have is to keep using thunder spells and we'll use magic this time" said Ruby.

"Magic might just work. Enough lightning could overload the barrier. Or the very least, weaken it," Cloud said with a nod.

Barret first used his charge shot before moving to thunder, the Arc kept using the Thundara Spell.

Cloud went with Fire and Ruby Aero. When the spells combined, it turned into a blazing inferno that swept over their target while the lightning smacked into the barrier, exploding with magical firework like colors.

Ruby and Cloud then switched to using blizzard and water. Adding the thunder spells on top of it all was doing some serious damage to the Sentinel's barrier.

Jaune then noticed something on the back of the mecha, just below its tail. It was a small device, but he was able to recognize a hard light generator since he carried one in his shield.

Cloud spotted too before saying, "It was a field generator. Shinra tech, I recognize it,"

"On its back, below the tail is the field generator that maintains the barrier. We take that down, and we take down the barrier!" Jaune shouted.

"Even better! Thanks for pointing out a weak point, makes my plan work smoother," cheered the red reaper.

The Scorpion mech jumped off the platform again before sticking to a wall.

"Great, now it's keeping its distance from the group, right when we just figured out how to remove the annoying barrier it has on," Jaune lamented his luck.

The Sentinel released the Mark 99 Missile Launchers along with machine gun fire, bombarding the room in explosive that tore up the space they had to walk.

"And now we have to worry about falling in a pit of Mako. Anything else you want to throw at us?" Jaune asked as he tried to charge up a lightning spell without being disturbed.

'Attacking with magic from far away isn't going to cut it.' Ruby thought as she changed Crescent Rose to sniper rifled mode. Her eyes were already on the scope while she took aim.

"If I can get just make an opening to get at the core of the field generator… no I can do this," Ruby let out a breath as she unloaded her explosive rounds into the flickering shield.

Barret joined her and the two firearm users continued to pelt the shield over and over again with a hail of bullets.

Since they were the only ones with long range weaponry, Jaune and Cloud cast their magic to assist. Jaune focused Thundara and managed to hit it several times alongside Cloud's fire spells.

The Sentinel barrier flickered again before it jumped in front of the reactor's core. It the used its laser sight to lock on nearby targets just to make things more complicated.

"Oh, I don't like that. I don't like that at all," Jaune commented before he dove behind some peeled up walkway made by one of the earlier explosions.

Berret and Cloud did the same, but Ruby kept firing at the barrier while saying, "Come on, flicker again!"

"Watch out!" Jaune shouted as he rushed forward and grabbed Ruby before the laser it charged up could hit.

He rolled behind the cover and saw that the heat from the laser was melting through the platform's metallic covering.

"Thanks, Jaune," Ruby huffed as she released her clip and loaded a new one.

Casting Lightning on it again, Jaune turned to face Ruby before saying, "Did you lose your head out there? Why didn't you duck for cover?"

"I just need that barrier to flicker again. I've got the timing down, so trust me when I say I have a plan. Besides, I know you have my back," Ruby said as she pulled the hammer back and loaded a new explosive round.

"Alright then, how about I top you off?" Jaune asked as he used his semblance, enhancing her aura just in case if she was running low.

The red reaper's body was glowing with the color of her aura. It wasn't like the other times Jaune used his Aura Amp on her. Usually, she'd almost be out of Aura. However, she hasn't used much on this mission. The Rose's soul overflowed as she felt the amount of Aura she had doubling and then tripling.

At the moment, Ruby felt like she could do anything. Smiling at the blond, she vanished in puff of rose petals.

In one quick burst of speed, Ruby appeared behind the Scorpion Sentinel, surprising both Cloud and Barret at just how fast she moved.

With a quick barrage of her scythe, she damaged the barrier and shouted for everyone to use Lightning.

Jaune, Cloud, and Berret, all unleashed a lighting spell causing the barrier to crack and suddenly flicker rapidly.

Ruby turned into a blur of petals again and flew inside the barrier before she touched the Shield Generator. With a flick of her hand, she transmuted the piece of technology into rose petals and stored the object inside her bag.

Then suddenly, the barrier was lifted, leaving it wide open for everyone to attack it.

It kept releasing missiles and firing its guns until the Ex-SOLDIER and the silver eyed Huntress made their move.

Cloud leapt into the air and cut off one of the missile arm launchers while Ruby cleaved through its legs, causing it to fall to the ground.

At the moment, it gave them all a chance to attack with everything they had.

Jaune changed Crocea Mors into great sword mode and proceeded to amp himself with his Semblance. However, he was trying something different.

'Amplify only my speed and durability, ignore my Aura entirely…' Jaune thought before he felt his Aura transforming into pure physical power.

With a single amazing burst of speed, he rushed up and chopped through another leg, making the red reaper's silver eyes sparkle as she thought, 'That's fast. Not as fast as me, but still, pretty dang fast.'

Barret shouted, "Hell yeah!" as he used his charge shot and combined it with a thunder spell.

Although it was missing its generator, three of its legs, and one of its missile launchers, the damn thing refused to be beaten.

'This thing is really tough.' thought the Arc.

The Sentinel backed off and jumped towards a wall. While it was still able to stay functioning, the loss of legs lowered its maneuverability, allowing Ruby and Berret to lob swarms of bullets in its direction.

In response to their assault, the scorpion mecha then unleashed a barrage of missiles, only this time they were aimed at the ceiling of the large room instead of the heroes still on the platform.

Big chunks of debris fell off landing in around the group and near the reactor's core.

It was hard to tell what the mech was trying to do. The area around it was surrounded by the debris and there was less room for those fighting it to attack.

'Maybe that was its plan all along.' Jaune frowned before Cloud noticed the Sentinel's tail lighting up.

"Watch the tail! It's charging the laser!"

"Great, I imagine this one will melt right through steel. So much for cover," Jaune sounded a bit grouchy.

"Huh? So, wadda we do?" asked the Avalanche leader.

"The debris, we can pile it one to use it as cover!" said Ruby.

"Right, work fast!" Jaune said as he ran around, gathering all the scrap he could find while Ruby zipped back and forth, transmuting the broken sections that surrounded them into petals before placing them with the rest of the pile.

Even Cloud used the buster sword to cut up the floor beneath them to bend it around the pile they gathered.

The Scorpion continued charging the powerful blue laser until a countdown began.

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1...

They managed to dive behind the cover before a massive blue beam of plasma hurled towards them like a speeding lightning bolt thrown by Ramuh himself.

The laser ending up destroying most of the pile, but it managed to hold up. At that moment, Jaune grabbed Ruby and amped only his strength and durability before asking, "Ready?"

Ruby nodded her head before Jaune took her hand and threw her straight at the mech.

Luckily, she knew how to follow the flow of combat. It was almost as is she could read his mind as they all jumped out from behind the cover. Jaune goes low, Ruby takes down the high.

She performed some quick attacks on the torso above, every slash with Crescent Rose tore open it's metallic covering and left sparking wires and chips viewable for everyone to see.

With Cloud and the Arc joining her at the mecha's legs, and Barret kept his distance while firing his gun at its joints, using his charge shot, and casting thunder.

The Huntsman and Huntress finally decided to use their water/thunder combo causing even more damage while the Buster Sword wielding Merc used Braver for additional damage, splitting another one of its legs down the middle.

With only two of its legs up, Jaune was surprised to see that it was still standing strong, firing its missiles and machine gun fire.

When they saw that it was charging for the blue laser again, not a good sign. They went for the remaining debris for cover.

"Maybe we can stop it from firing it." Jaune thought before shouting, "Ruby! Let's try attacking it while it's charging. Maybe we can interrupt the attack!"

"Got it!"

The Arc cast Thundara and the reaper used Watera, damaging the tail in a conductive bath of electricity.

The petite reaper used her Semblance, dragging the blond knight with her as both charged at the mid Sentinel's mid-section going at incredibly high speed.

Jaune amp them both while she struck out with Crescent Rose, and Jaune used Great Crocea Mors to cut at the other side.

It hip section of the mecha tore open, revealing the intricate interior of the machine. The combination of the attack was strong enough to cancel the laser and forced the machine to collapsed onto the ground.

While all the pressure was on, Cloud joined them resuming the assault.

He cleaved off another leg before the mech changed weapons from machine gun fire to micro burst lasers from its head and tail, about as strong as the one that nearly melted the metal they were standing on.

The machine was rendered immobile, but the rapid fire lasers kept the group leaping across the room to avoid being hit.

It wasn't as strong as the charged beam, but they can cause a lot of harm.

While they crisscrossed the room, avoiding the laser that cut holes in the floor, the trio managed to position themselves behind its only remaining leg, blocking the range of its lasers so it couldn't target them without shooting itself.

Barret used the debris for cover and charged up a special big blast while thinking, 'You're going to get it now, punk!'

The Sentinel was finally damaged so bad it looks like it was about to fall apart.

It was time to finish it off.

They as the group got ready for one more round with the mech. But just when the tide of the battle seem to have been shifted to their favor, something just had to go wrong.

The Scorpion suddenly had a tinted glow of green all around it.

"What the hell is it doing now?!"

"An auto-repair unit? Dammit-we gotta take it out quick of we're screwed!" said Cloud.

"It's healing itself?! Oh hell no!" Jaune was shocked as he started rushing in to go for another attack.

"Then we'll take it out quick!" Ruby readied her scythe.

"Oh, I am way ahead of you, merc!" Berret shouted before he came out from behind the cover and launched a charged Big Shot with lightning.

The ball of energy shot off from Barret's hand-cannon before it hit the metallic scorpion's head and forced it to stagger back. The blast had did a little extra too, breaking more of the laser ports and leaving the Sentinel with only its tail laser.

Jaune started using his semblance to push everything to the top, amping his Aura over and over again until felt it growing far beyond his usual limits. The more Aura he had, the more his Semblance amplified it.

The result was making him stronger than he ever felt before. Tightening his hold on his weapon, Jaune focused everything he had into his next attack.

Charging forward, Jaune unleashed a powerful leaping thrust that destroyed its last remaining leg, and shot through the lower half of the Sentinel.

Ruby kept attacking its upper half while continuously casting water.

Cloud used Braver again, cutting down the middle of its torso and destroying most of the hardware inside.

The combination attack ended when Berret shot it with a lightning bolt and charge shot.

Smoke came from the machine as they all came together and slammed their weapons at the center of its body.

The Sentinel hit its limit before flames burst out all over its body. Explosions went off where the machine had exposed internals. However, it's tail started charging up again, even as it was breaking down into pieces."

"You gotta be kidding me! Why won't this thing just die!" shouted Barret.

"Look out!" shouted Ruby.

The mech fire its tail laser hitting the reactor's core before causing an explosion.

The tail then flopped back and forth like it was out of control, the laser never stopped and tore through the innards of the core chamber the stood in.

Both the Arc and reaper ran at it before swinging their weapons together and cutting the tail off, canceling the laser for good.

"Shit! The bomb!" the dark skinned man saw debris covering where the core is along with the explosive.

While Berret was freaking out, the Scorpion Sentinel ended up falling onto the large pool of Mako beside them.

"Well, I guess that's it for whatever the hell that was," Jaune took in breath of air and calmed his Aura. Pushing pass 100% was really taxing on his body and mental state.

"That thing was really annoying," replied the silver eyed girl as she grinned at her partner.

"More like annoyingly tough, you had fun, I can see it on your face," the blond smiled while she giggled at his comment.

"Hah, you hear that? Damn thing, mess with Avalanche, and you get buried!"

"Oh, please tell me he doesn't make puns like that a lot?" Jaune asked Cloud.

"Don't know him well enough to tell." Cloud replied as he put the Buster Sword on a magnetic sword holder on his suspenders.

«Twenty minutes until detonation.»

"What?" the Huntress turned to see that the bomb has been activated, most likely by the debris falling on it.

"Uh oh…we should probably be running right now," Jaune followed up.

"Come on, we gotta move." Cloud said as he started making his way towards the ladder.

Chapter Text

[Location: Mako Reactor 1 – Mako Storage, Between Sectors 1 & 8 Uppercity, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

«Twenty Minutes until detonation.»

Thanks to the debris hitting the bomb that was set to detonate in twenty minutes, the group started hustling.

"Thank goodness we were able to defeat the Scorpion Sentinel before activation," Jaune huffed as they climbed a ladder.

The mechanical unit had proven to be a real pain in the ass. However, because of their efforts, they beat it, and showed great teamwork with a couple of people they've just met.

Nevertheless, there was no time for victory celebrations when time was against them.

They were rushing up the reactor chamber when Barret said, "Wedge is covering our exit. Move it people, double time!"

Jaune and Ruby believed this Wedge person to be another member of Avalanche, but was more relieved at the fact the group had the exit strategy covered.

As they followed the leader of Avalanche and the ex-SOLDIER out of the reactor core area, they continued climbing the ladder back to the top while the whole place was going crazy with alarms.

The blast from mech Scorpion has really damaged the reactor core chamber, making the place very unstable. It could blow up any minute, maybe even before the bomb goes off.

They thought it was going to be easy to get away, but now that all hell was breaking loose, Shinra was going to take drastic measures.

So, they began rushing back towards Jessie's location like someone set a fire under their feet. Oh yeah, they were the ones who set fire beneath themselves.

After climbing a few ladders, a Monodrives jumped down on the scaffoldings and the leader of the Avalanche group off with the rest of the team.

While they faced off with a couple of Monodrives, Barret went ahead while shouting, "Hurry it up!"

Ruby glared at the machines while thinking, 'We don't have time for this!'

Both she and the Arc then slashed them away with some help from the blond Merc.

Climbing the next ladder, they saw the Avalanche leader a few feet ahead and Jessie was just slightly behind him.

A large pipe fell off hitting the platform, breaking it apart as a piece of rubble fell on the brunette's right leg.

Cloud reacted first, going after her as he jumped to an iron bar and lept across the grated floors.

Around the same time, the Huntress used her Semblance to get both Jaune and herself there even faster.

However, it didn't take the ex-SOLDIER much time at all to appear right next to them.

'That was pretty fast. Guess he's the allrounder type.' Jaune thought as they placed their hands under the piece of rubble trapping the Avalanche member.

Needless to say, the two Hunters with Aura and the SOLIDER infused with Mako didn't have any problems lifting the rubble together. Jaune was the closest to Jessie, so when she managed to pull her leg free, she got up and gave everybody a quick hug before saying, "My heroes."

However, her gaze was set on the Arc before giving him another wink after giving a wink on the merc. In response the flirtatious behavior, the blond blushed while thinking, 'It's going to be so hard getting used to these kinds of things.'

Again, Ruby got annoyed and thought, 'Why does she have to do that? It's not like he was the only one who saved her, all three of us did!"

For some reason, Jessie's actions were starting to really irk the silver-eyed reaper, but for the life of her, she didn't understand why it making her feel so angry.

"HEY! WE'LL MEET UP OVER THERE! LOOK AFTER JESSIE!" shouted Barret from the other side of the railings.

"Come on! This way!" Jessie shouted as an explosion went off nearby. She rushed over while pointing to the ladder next to her and said, "This route will lead us straight to Barret! Probably!"

"Probably?" Jaune felt the sweat dripping from his brow.

They had choice but to take it. The Hunters from another world needed to regroup with the leader of the Avalanche group. More than ever now because he still didn't trust the Huntsman and Huntress or the ex-SOLDIER while they were on that matter.

However, Berret was giving them a chance to earn some trust with the task of protecting the female Avalanche member.

All four climbed down the ladder before the brunette shouted, "THERE! I SEE THE EXIT!"

Taking a path she pointed to, they had to cross a pipe that stood over the pool of Mako, they needed to be careful not to lose their balance, lest they fall in a vat of processed Life Stream.

After crossing the pipe, they ran down a path that led to another platform, with, yep, you guessed it, another ladder. This place was filled to the brim with them.

Climbing it to another platform and another ladder, they continued to go as fast as they could without Ruby using her Semblance that is.

Jessie wasn't helping much because she was urging them to hurry up, as if they didn't already know that.

They probably had fifteen minutes to get out of there before everything blows up.

Cloud gave a stern comment to the brunette, telling her, "Shut up, and keep climbing."

The Hunters breathed a sigh of relief, glad someone was able to voice their opinion for them.

However, instead of doing what Cloud said, the young woman with the chestnut hair suddenly shouted, "Sorry! I need to talk, or else I'll just keep freaking out. It helps me focus!"

The trio of pros sighed before thinking, 'Guess we don't have a choice but hear her out.'

They tried to ignore her instead while focusing on leaving. That was their top priority.

After climbing out the ladder they met up with the dark skinned man and a door that had a couple of Monodrives standing next to a security officer.

"Barret!" Jessie called out.

"Go! I've got you covered. Find us a way out of here!" Berret waved his hand in a gesture, telling her to get going.

"But then—"

The Avalanche leader shot down a Monodrive as the security officer pressed something on a control panel while the door behind them was about to close.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine! I got three able-bodied mercs with me!

Jessie nodded her head, running off and not looking back. She slipped through just in time before the door closed on her.

The security officer was down, but there were more Monodrives and Shinra Grunts present.

Ruby and Jaune drew their weapons. Fighting is the last thing they should be doing with a bomb ticking under their feet, but they had not choice. Besides, it's not like they were going to let them go if the group asked them nicely.

Jaune looked at the team assembled before him and nodded his head. The four of them were more than enough to defeat everything in this room.

The group charged at their enemies while a Shinra Grunt watched everything happen. Several seconds later, the doors opened that led to a straight corridor that goes on until it reached a pair of double hanger doors.

As it opened completely, it revealed the room they were just in was in disarray and broken. More than half the room was set on fire, and had scrapped Sweepers and Monodrives laying in random parts all over the room.

Cloud, Berret, Ruby, and Jaune all walked through the large gated double doors. It closed while their backs were turned and another explosion shook the previous room behind them.

While they proceeded down the new path, a Sweeper went online ready to attack them. However, the Arc and the Rose used their water/thunder combo for quick stagger.

Between the ex-Soldier's buster sword skills, the petite Huntress' scythe skills, the Arc's sword skills, and the one-armed man's shooting skills, the mech unit was destroyed in an instant before joining the rest of the scrap pile they were making.

After they took a path to a staircase to a higher floor, there were more Monodrives and Sweepers chasing after.

'Great, they just had to throw their whole security force at us when there's a bomb under our butts ready to blow. Why can they just let them us in peace when they know they're going to lose.' Ruby thought as she fired her rifle alongside some fire spells.

Her flaming rounds pierced through and shattered he small flying bio-weapons, destroying them in instantly.

Jaune cut down a group of Shinra Grunts as he thought, 'Guess all they had at their disposal are the weaklings. That scorpion bot must have been the strongest thing they had in this place.'

A Sweeper tried to charge Jaune, but Cloud jumped over and slashed his sword through the mecha before he looked at Jaune and said, "Stop thinking, fight."

"Right, right." Jaune got out of his own head and focused on the task at hand.

Reaching the end of the path they were on, they saw a closed door and officer jumping down near them.

However, this Shinra operative was dressed different. It had mechanical claws, pointed boots with metal tips, and a monstrous, cyclops-looking bird helmet.

Cloud could see what they were thinking and said, "It's a Shock Trooper. Relax, they're humans, only they've been pharmacologically enhanced and are wearing advanced mechanical suits to augment their physical performance."

"Huh? SPEAK ENGLISH FOOL." Berret yelled out as he shot a few bullets that the Shinra operative dodged.

"They're made stronger by the drugs they were given and the suits their wearing," Jaune simplified as he bashed the guy out of the air.

"They also favor Lightning Materia," Cloud said seconds before the Shock Trooper cast bolt.

They dived out of the way, avoiding the blast of energy just in time.

"Lightning based shocked troopers… Yang would be having a field day with these guys," Ruby said as she shot him in the chest.

The guy fell back when Jaune and Cloud appeared above him and slashed down their swords against both sides of the Shock Troopers shoulders with their great-swords.

"I can hear her now. Talk about a shocking victory," Jaune chuckled as he looked over the defeated Shinra Employee.

"He was such a buzz-kill," Ruby rolled her eyes before they both chuckled.

"THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO? WE AIN'T GOT TIME FOR BAD JOKES! WE GOTTA GO!" Berret yelled as he rushed ahead.

The four took another staircase while Jaune and Ruby were wondering how long until they can finally find the exit.

On the next floor they encountered two Shock Troopers and two Sentry Rays. Barret took out the sentries immediately while the three went after the troopers.

Jaune finished his off with a Fire Slash combo while Ruby and Cloud crisscrossed their attacks and dropped the Shinra employees like trash.

"Another easy fight won. Guess Shinra will be sending every security assets at us with the intent to kill. Shouldn't they be leaving so they don't get caught in the upcoming explosion?" Jaune said as they ran forward, going up a small staircase before stopping at the front of an elevator.

"Still got that card?" Ruby asked.

"This should get us out of here," Jaune answered while he pulled out the access card he took from the Shinra Employee that shot him in face.

The doors opened and the four entered with the Avalanche leader pressing the button. The elevator went up seconds before they suddenly felt an explosion shaking the box.

"Looks like the bomb went right on time." Ruby chuckled nervously.

Shortly thereafter, more explosions detonated while the elevator rocked from the shock waves.

The four stood silent, swallowing their nerves while waiting to reach their destination. Among them, Barret wasn't looking patient as he tapped his foot against the ground and repeated the mantra, "Come on! Come on! Come on!"

Cloud had his eyes closed with his arms crossed. The Hunters could help but look at his calm attitude while thinking that it made him look like a badass.

"We're almost there. Just a couple of minutes," spoke Jaune trying to calm him down.

"And how would you know that?" Berret lifted a brow.

"I got a map of the reactor. I got the map of every other reactors here, and here," Jaune replied while pointing to his head and to the satchel.

"YOU WHAT?!" The man with a gun arm shouted with a shocked expression.

Before the Avalanche squad leader could demand an answer from the blond knight, the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

They walked out to see Jessie messing with a control panel next to some closed double doors. The door opened before they all ran and meet up with another member of the group, Biggs.

He was surprised to see two newcomers, but he kept to himself and followed after his crew.

They passed across a grated platform with a path that split to the right and left. The group rushed to the right moments before Jessie tripped. However, Jaune caught her on time and started carrying her as he thought, 'Looks like she's still hurt from when that rubble fell on her leg.'

"Sorry for the inconvenience, miss." Jaune said as he carried her like a princess.

"Oh, not a all, nothing beats being carried by a handsome man." Jessie blushed a bit, which in turn made Jaune blush back.

Ruby's cheeks inflated as she felt that same feeling welling up inside her, 'AGHH! It's so frustrating! Just what the hell is this feeling?!'

Jessie smiled at him and thought, 'This blondie is being way more gentlemanly than I thought, at least compared to Mr. Ex-SOLDIER blondie. I'm going to find some way to thank him this later, after the merc.'

They kept on running when a large tube suddenly fell on the platform, breaking it and separating Cloud from the others.

The platform the Ex-SOILDER was standing on was seconds away falling down a couple hundred feet when Cloud jumped to the falling tube, kicked off of it, and landed back on the platform alongside the rest of the group.

The sight was amazing to say the least, even Ruby and Jessie showed an expression of awe for a second.

"Okay, that was pretty cool." The ladies said in unison.

'Show off. I could have done that too.' The Arc thought to himself without understanding why he felt so jealous of the spikey-haired youth.

Jaune then let Jessie down and they all rushed off, running while following the other three as the explosion behind them became more intense.

The now Eco-Terrorists increased their speed because there were piles of debris falling down behind them.

It looked so unreal, like the building was trying to eat them alive.

Jaune kept watching Jessie, making sure she doesn't trip again, or slow down because of her injury. Doing that here would be nothing but trouble.

Suddenly the entire reactor started to blow up, lighting up Midgar's night sky. As Avalanche flees the explosion causes a massive destruction and debris falls into the city causing damage to it and the loss of life of anyone debris and fires hit.

Chapter Text

[Location: Unknown Tunnels, Unknown Sector, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The ruble slowly started to stop falling, leaving a closed off path behind them.

"Looks like it's stopped." Jaune commented as coughed a few times while waved his hand to push aside the dust floating in front of his face.

'The explosion was bigger than I thought it would be. No…unless they are using some kind of super chemical, there's no way an explosive that small could do all that.' Ruby thought to herself.

"That was one reactor down and seven more to go." Berret announced as he tried to push aside some of the rubble with his only good hand.

Jaune and Ruby looked at each other, checking for wounds. They both breathed a sigh of relief as they saw that they were fine. So were Cloud, Barret, Jessie and the other two guys they didn't know.

They were all right, still standing, alive, and kicking.

After the eventful evening, the Arc knew now that there was no way he and his partner would've been able to take the reactor down just with the two of them.

The duo had to admit, they got lucky meeting Avalanche and getting their help in taking the place down. If they hadn't they would've had to go back empty handed. It felt like it was fate.

"Looks like we made it, and nothing but a few scratches to show—" Jessie was cut short by a tremor that shook them.

"Must have been another explosion." Ruby commented.

"Think you might've overdone it?" asked the Avalanche leader.

"I followed the instructions to the letter. Ugh…I don't know, maybe it triggered a reaction with the Mako?" Jessie guessed with a frustrated expression..

"I hope the people in the city are all right." said Ruby with a sad expression on her face.

"Hey boss, who are they?" Biggs pointed to the two teenagers.

"Oh, them..." Barret paused, not knowing where he should begin.

"Long story short, we were hired by Shinra for security when we really wanted to destroy the reactor. Problem is, we didn't have a plan beyond scouting the place out. Luckily, you guys came and set the whole facility on red alert. Then we got caught looking around, and they thought we were with you guys. Anyways, point is we're on the same side. We want to save the planet too," said the red cloak reaper in rapid succession.

"Girl can really run her lip, but I get it. The world's a small place, you can run into allies in the most unlikely of places." Biggs commented.

"You understood that?" Wedge asked with wide eyes.

"You didn't?" Jessie questioned with a puzzled expression on her face.

"How can anyone? She spoke like thirty words in a second," Wedge complained.

"They're mercenaries, and I don't have a problem with them helping out." Biggs clued in his friend while patting his shoulder.

"Oh, in that case, neither do I." Wedge.

"I'm Jaune, and this is Ruby, my partner." the blond Huntsman introduce himself and the petite to the two males.

"Nice to meet you," Biggs said as he went back to inspecting their path ahead.

"Me too! I'm Wedge and that's Biggs."

"Let's cut the chit chat and get the hell out of here already," Barret yelled in frustration.

Another tremor shook the corridor again before Ruby said, "That bomb really packed a punch."

"Doing must've helped the planet some." Biggs said as he pulled out a piece of debris blocking their path.

"After all that, it'd better have. Anyway, let's get going. We in Sector 8?" the brunette replied as she looked around.

"That’d just be down there!" Wedge pointed straight ahead.

"All right then, lead the way," Barret said as he nodded at his men.

"You got it!" The group called back.

The Hunters and Avalanche members carefully traveled through the sewerage corridor. It smelled so bad that Ruby said, "When we get somewhere safe, I'm going to have to sanitize everything."

Jaune blushed while thinking of Ruby washing off of the filth and slapped himself.

Seeing that, Ruby lifted a brow and asked, "Something wrong?"

"No…I think it was just a drop of…"

"Eww…eww…ewww, don't say it!" Ruby closed her eyes and gave a disgusted expression.

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she stopped asking about why he hit himself.

Cloud lifted his brow. He didn't see anything land on Jaune's face. He then shrugged his shoulders as he thought, 'Not my problem.'

They had to avoid some live and exposed electrical along with squeezing through a couple of tight places.

When Ruby almost got stuck in a tight place, Jaune reached his hand back to help her while pushing against the partially collapsed wall with his other.

The petite reaper smiled in return before taking ahold of Jaune's hand. She didn't notice the bit of blush on her face as she thought, 'He's always there for me. It's been like that since we've arrived in this world. For four months we have been training, making a living, and fighting together.'

The silver eyed petite thought she couldn't live without the Arc. She lost so many dear people and he was the only one left.

Jaune smiled at her and pulled her through. As she passed over him, Ruby felt her body brushing up against his.

Her cheeks started heating up, and her heart started beating a little faster as she felt Jaune wrap his arm around her waist and pull her through the rest of the way.

'Why was this happening again?' Ruby asked herself.

She had no idea why, but she liked it. Just the feel of his touch makes her body shiver, but not from fear, it was something else, something hard for the petite to understand.

Jaune made sure she was alright before he put his hand on her head, "Got a little debris in your hair."

A little steam could be seen coming off of Ruby's head as she said, "T…t...thanks."

Barret rolled his eyes as Biggs elbowed him and said, "It appears out new possible recruits are a couple."

"Hmph, Just a bunch a foolish kids who don't know what love it," Barret replied as he pushed off a very heavy piece of debris.

"How much further do we have to go?" Jessie asks.

"Not far!" Wedge responds then they reached their entrance to Sector 8. "That’s about as good a place as any." He says as they approached the door but it’s locked.

"Stand back then. I’ll set the bomb." Jessie says as she sets the bomb and the others take a step back to cover.

"Can’t wait to see you, Marlene." Barret says happy thinking of seeing his daughter.

"Can’t wait to take a shower." Biggs says hating the smell and another shake happens Cloud, Ruby and Jaune catch up as Jessie set the bomb.

"She’s good to go." Jessie said as she moves back covering her head. "Fire in the hole!" The bomb goes off creating the hole for them.

"You sure told those doors." Biggs comments as he moves through.

"Let that be a lesson to anything that gets in my way." Jessie said following him with Barret and Wedge.

Obviously, it wasn't as powerful as the one used to destroy the Mako reactor. It made Ruby even more puzzled as she wondered if the bomb used on the reactor core was made from the same stuff.

'If that's true, there's no way that bomb was strong enough to make such a big explosion. Could she be right about Mako reacting with the explosion? But I never came across something like that in my experiments…' Ruby shook her head.

She decided to focus on getting out of here for now and would think about the bomb at a later time.

[Location: Sector 8 Business District, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

As they left the sewer corridor they were able to smell the fresh air along with the smell of something burning in the fire behind them.

"My butt!" Wedge yelled as ran around patting the fire on his buns.

Ruby cast water and splashed him to douse the flames. She got him absolutely soaked, but he seemed appreciative as he said, "Thanks, Ruby."

"No problem," Ruby gave a thumbs up.

In front of them there was a massive pile of burning rubble with bits of metal scrap poking out from the debris.

According to Wedge, they were supposed to be in the Business District of Sector 8.

Neither the Arc nor the Rose had ever been here before. They've been around Sector 5 and 6. If they needed something that was only sold in another Sector, they would just ask Mireille to buy it for them when she was making her rounds.

«Attention all citizens, Attention all citizens. This is an alert from the Shinra Emergency Operations Center. Unidentified intruders have detonated a bomb inside Mako Reactor 1. Multiple explosions have been confirmed as well as ongoing fires. In response, a disaster warning has been issued in Sectors 1 and 8. Structures in the area are at high risk of collapse rendering the entire sector hazardous.»

The group was shocked seeing the sight before them. Everything was a mess, rubble, debris, fires even crushed cars.

'That little bomb was the cause of all this?' Jaune thought as he frowned.

It was hard to believe. No, it didn't make sense. Ruby wasn't the only one who felt something was off. The damage didn't add up with what they learned about Mako and explosions.

The sound of choppers flying in the sky was heard as Shinra operatives flew over their heads. Jaune could tell they were already given orders to try and help any civilians on sight, and of course, to stop the terrorists too.

"No... No Way, did…I…am…I responsible for this?" Jessie couldn't believe it.

"That bomb must have been stronger than you thought. What did you use?" Jaune asked.

The brunette only lowered her gaze while the guilt was reflected in her brown eyes. Now the Arc felt bad for making the comment as he rubbed the back of his head with an awkward expression.

Ruby was still at a loss for words. She couldn't believe this was happening. Sure the reactor was destroyed, but the consequences of their actions were harsher than she imagined them to be.

The red reaper knew this was going to happen, and yet she still went along with it, because this is their mission, to save the planet.

Who knows how many people have been injured or worse. The Huntress tried to ignore it while whispering, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so, sorry, but we can't stop now,"

"This couldn't have been because us...could it?" Biggs said in denial.

"But what is it was…?" followed Wedge.

"What's done is done." said Cloud.

"Merc's right. It ain't pretty, but we can't stop this train now. This was just the first reactor, and the planet won't be safe till we get the rest." said Barret.

"Yeah... We always knew this was gonna get messy" Biggs followed up.

"And this is only the beginning..." Wedge lamented.

"Y'all gotta look at the bigger picture here. Nothing worth fighting for was ever won without sacrifice. Though you may not be crying out, I know you're in pain—just like the planet is. But it's okay, cause I'm here for you! To help take the load off your shoulders! Your fears... Your worries... Your concerns...And yes, your fees... Whatever your problem, I got you." Barret gave a speech as he looked at each and every one of the party.

Suddenly, Ruby couldn't take it anymore as she went to the one armed man and gave him a hug. She was in tears not just because of his speech but because she knew there is someone who will try to take the burden for them. It takes tremendous courage and strength to do something like that.

Ruby tried it once, she failed, and she will never forget it. Jaune stood silent, staring at the petite while feeling concerned for her wellbeing.

The Huntress has changed since their times on Remnant. She was more emotional and not afraid nor ashamed to show her tears.

To be honest with himself, Jaune figured that this was the real Ruby. The Ruby from Remnant used to pretend nothing was wrong, she was always forcing herself to smile or hold back her emotions, and always putting up a tough front so she could be seen as the reliable and perfect leader.

Jaune understood that in the end, Ruby was only hurting herself by bottling it all up. The silver-eyed girl broke the hug while the dark skinned man stood still, surprised by her sudden action.

For a second, when Barret looked at her, he thought he was looking at Marlene, his little angel.

"Thank you Barret." Ruby said as she wiped her tears away.

"R…right...no need to get so touchy-feely with me young lady. I hardly know you," Barret tried to keep up his rougher than stone routine and sound a bit rude, but his tone was off.

"I'm just glad to know the leader of Avalanche is a softy with a big heart." Ruby chuckled as she stepped back beside Jaune.

The man cleared his throat trying not to blush from the compliment while the others chuckled. Cloud was the only one who didn't reacted.

"So, what's our next move boss?" asked Biggs.

"That's easy enough! We get our asses home!" Berret shouted as he threw his hand in the air.

"Home? Oh, gods…OUR HOME!" said Jaune with a frustrated expression..

If not for Barret bringing up the subject, Jaune would have probably would have followed them all night without realizing the danger he put the house he bought with Ruby in.

It was nice to know Avalanche have a home to call their own, but the Arc knew it wasn't Sector 5. They knew that they couldn't go back. The surveillance cameras in the reactor obviously recorded their images, and Shinra probably had a profile on them since they applied to work for the power company.

Since they know who they are, and they come for them, their place was probably being ransacked and put under heavy surveillance. Meaning, if they return to Sector 5 they would be endangering everyone there.

Aerith was already in danger since they know she's an Ancient but the others, but Shinra wanted something from her, so they wouldn't go after her just to get at them.

The Arc fumed as he thought of their hard earned house being destroyed by Shinra Employees.

'How am I going to tell Ruby this? She's not going to like it, not one bit.' Jaune thought as he turned to the petite reaper and saw her expression.

It looked like he didn't need to tell her, because Ruby was already on the same wavelength as Jaune. Ruby, indeed wasn't what one would call, happy, but was well aware of what they gotten themselves into.

One nod from the Rose was enough to tell the Arc that she'd be all right. They followed the group of Eco-Terrorist, knowing they weren't out danger yet, and that they couldn't stay here.

The Huntsman and Huntress followed them to some stairs in an alleyway as they gathered up.

"We'll split up and shoot for the last train home. Regroup in the freight car. Got it?" Barret gave the order.

"Later then./See ya later!/Take care, boss," Wedge, Biggs and Jessie said in unison before they went on ahead.

"Hey. I'd like my money now." said Cloud as he held out his hand.

"You can have it—once we're back at base." Barret grunted before he turned to the two teenagers and asked, "What about you guys? Aren't you going to head back home?"

"We can't go back to our home, Shinra's probably sitting in our kitchen going through the pantry as we speak." said Ruby lowering her head.

"We'll be putting everyone in danger now that Shinra knows who we are." Jaune put his hand on her shoulder.

"We made this choice a long time ago, so we don't regret it." Ruby followed up.

The leader of the Avalanche Unit felt bad for them. They were young and yet they made a very hard decision. He's been there before, in the same shoes as the kids he was looking at, and for that Barret admired their determination and grit.

Since they were a big help and played their part in taking down the reactor, Barret figured he can cut them some slack. At least they were more trust worthy than SOLDIER boy who was only in for the money.

Barret stood in place while he thought, 'Maybe I can give them a little help. The red cloak girl was nice and I could tell the blond boy cares a lot for her. Not to mention, they fight like 1st Class SOILDERs but none of the signs of being one. Having them will be very beneficial for Avalanche and their cause.'

"If you have nowhere to go, how about you come with us?" Barret propositioned.

Jaune and Ruby looked at each other in shock, neither of them saw that coming.

"I admit it probably wasn't a good idea to get hired by Shinra. But if we hadn't chosen tonight to attack, you could've probably gone home. So I guess that's my bad." Barret felt a little shame.

"Oh, no need to be sorry. We probably would have tried to sneak in and gotten caught anyways." Ruby chuckled.

"No, that means something. Blondie over their said you guys were scoping the place out, it's the smart way, but it's also too slow for the planet's sake. The fact you two jumped on the opportunity to take that place down, and lost everything because of it, shows you two are worth trusting…that's if your story checks out." Berret pushed his glasses towards his face.

"It will, there are plenty of people that can vouch for our identities in Sector 5. Just drop our name, and almost everyone there can tell you a bit about us. I'm pretty sure we've worked for at least every decent individual in the part of the slums." Jaune said as he held his finger up.

"Sometimes for free." Ruby added.

"Sometimes for free." Jaune reaffirmed.

"I'll get the info later. For now, I'll take your word for it. Since you two have no place to go, you should come back with us." Barret pointed his thumb at himself.

"Are you sure about this?" Jaune lifted a brow.

"Yeah, I'm sure. If you ask me, you two have proven that you want to save the planet multiple times tonight, and since we share the same goals, don't you think we should stick together?" Barret asked with a bit of a smile.

"That does make sense." replied the Arc with a look of appreciation.

"We'll do it!" agreed the silver eyed petite.

It wasn't like they anything else to lose, so why not go with the flow for a change.

"Good. We can talk some more once we're somewhere that don't have Shinra dogs sniffing around. The name's Barret Wallace by the way."

"Ruby Rose!"

"Jaune Arc."

The teenagers turned to the ex-SOLDIER. Cloud didn't react, but he knew they were expecting him to fully introduce himself.

"Cloud Strife."

"Wow, real basket of sunflowers that one is," Jaune's eyebrow twitched.

Ruby chuckled, "I don't know, he kind of reminds me of Yatsuhashi; a man of few but important words."

Cloud didn't know who this Yatsuhashi fella was, but he already liked him better than the blond giant standing next to the petite woman in red.

"Come on, time to get our asses moving." said the one armed man.

They climbed down some stairs taking a better look at the district. The streets, the panicked people, and even the Shinra lackeys running about, everything was a mess.

Cloud walks down the steps to see people in a panic from the fire and the destruction, some people trying to help. The merc had to resist the urge to stay and help but Shinra security will be on the lookout for any suspicious suspects for the reactor bombing. Before he can go any further someone taps his shoulder, he turns to see Jessie who is looking nervous at what she wants to say.

"I don’t need to tell you what this is, right?" Jessie nervously asks as she held out a Materia in front of Cloud.

Cloud looks to see a green orb confused at first then remembers what it is. "Of cource not, it’s a healing  materia." He says honestly.

"You can have it. For saving my life." Jessie replies giving it as a thank you.

"Just doing my job. Nothing more." The merc said while looking around.

"Yeah, yeah..." Jessie says taking his hand and giving him the Materia. "Fact is, I’m lucky you were there." She adds giving a smile still holding on to his hand.

Cloud feeling awkward with her holding his hand, he then takes his hand out of hers and says "Survival can be a matter of luck or skill. You can’t rely on luck." He said with experience.

"Words to live by." Jessie says giving a small smile.

Cloud not speaking for a moment then puts the materia away. “Yeah, well... thanks.” Was all he said.

“You do know how to use it, right?” Jessie asks.

"You do know what I was, right?" The merc retorts by giving her a question instead of an answer.

"Okay! I was only trying to help." Jessie said, knowing the blonde merc's frustration so she gave him something else as well, "Oh—before I forget, here's a little something for extra, for being so brave and helping with those two. Now go on. I have to wait to someone else here."

Cloud nodded and took point and helped some people on the street as Ruby and Jaune walked down the steps.

"Yoohoo!"

The blond Huntsman felt someone tapping on his shoulder turning to see Jessie holding a green Materia.

"Usually I'd say I owe all of you for saving me but, I think you're the winner for this one. You know what this is, right?" Jessie asked.

"Materia…" Jaune said with obvious tone.

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. Take it. It's yours now. Thanks again!" Jessie tossed it to him before leaving with a smile.

Seeing that it was a Restore Materia, the Arc decided to give it to Ruby. He already has that one equipped on him, but the petite didn't, so he decided she should have it instead.

The reaper smiled at his gift while thinking, 'That's so sweet of him. Well…The more Materia we have, the better.'

They turned to Cloud who resumed walking ahead of them.

"Guess we're with him for now." Jaune said as he started following after.

His expression was his usual moody one, and he was probably wasn't too happy about not getting his money when he 'asked' for it.

The two followed him through the damaged streets while trying not to gaze at the people around them. It was for the best that they lay low and keep their heads down.

The Hunters from another world knew they couldn't to bring too much attention to themselves, especially since Shinra was most likely looking for them. If they were spotted by a citizen, there was a chance they could be reported to the authorities, which in the case, was the Shinra Power Company.

They decide to keep their heads down and avoid confrontation until the Arc and Rose made it to the train ride out of Sector 8.

At least for now, it was them and the blond mercenary sticking to the alleyways and back streets.

Seeing that it was too quiet for their liking, the Hunters thought this was a good chance to learn more about the Ex-SOLIDER, even with their circumstances keeping them quiet for the most part.

"So Cloud, you mind if I ask how can you fight the way you do? Like, how did you get strong enough to use that sword?"

"Training." Cloud responded with a blunt tone.

"Yeah I know that, but how? I'm sorry to say, you don't really have the muscle mass to effortlessly toss out a hundred plus pounds." the Arc clarified.

"More training." Could responded yet again in that same 'not interested' tone.

"Where did you learn to fight?" Jaune spoke up while feeling he finally asked the right question.

"Training camp." Cloud's dull voice grated on the blond Huntsman's ears.

'It's like talking to a sassy robot.' Jaune thought as a Ruby chuckled behind him.

"I like your weapon! It's very cool. Does it have a name?" The red reaper tried her hand at starting a conversation.

"It's a Buster Sword."

"So…no name in general? Okay, cool. I mean you should give it a name just my opinion. It's bad luck not to name it." Ruby nodded her head.

Cloud shook his head before saying, "Buster Sword is its name. It stays that way."

"Sh…sure," the silver-eyed petite realized that it wasn't going to be as easy to talk to the Ex-SOLIDER as she thought it was.

"Your weapon is…impressive." Cloud replied as he turned his attention towards Crescent Rose.

"I know. Crescent Rose is my baby. She's scythe and a high-caliber rifle, and I built her with my bare hands." Ruby replied as he held the weapon close to her chest.

"Never seen a two-in-one weapon combination before." Cloud said as they continued to walk the back alleys.

Jaune found himself rather surprised that the Ex-SOLIDER was talking more with Ruby than him.

"So, you made it by yourself?" Cloud asked.

"That's right, she's my greatest creation. Well, she's my only weapon, but I built her, you get the point."

He only nodded.

"What about my weapon?" added the Arc.

"It's just a sword and shield." he wasn't impressed in the least.

The Huntsman felt his eyebrow twitching as he said, "Sure, it may seem that way to an untrained eye. But the shield is actually part technological in nature. Not to mention, I doubt you ever find the metal it's made from on Gaia. My sword may just be a sword, but it's important to me, so please don't call it JUST a sword and shield. They have a name, it's Crocea Mors."

"Right…"

Jaune felt like tearing his hair out before he sighed and calmed himself down. He understood that for some reason the Ex-SOLIDER seemed to be getting along well enough with the petite but not him, go figure.

'Look at me, I'm Cloud. I'm a mercenary with a big sword. I'm so cool being all silent, barely say a word, and I look so cool when fighting. Yay.' Jaune thought before he mumbled, "Seriously, it wouldn't kill him to be a little more sociable."

"Guys! Up here! Look up! I said look up!" They heard a familiar female's voice calling out.

The trio did as told looking up to see Jessie and the others to standing on top of some rubble with some sort of pipe and big cables around it.

"Careful up here! This thing could collapse at any moment! If you guys want up, you'll have to use those stairs!" Jessie called out as she pointed.

Jaune gave a sigh. It was never going to be easy for them. However, at least there weren't any Shinra operatives, so they were still safe.

No one has really had a chance to see them yet, so they thought it better keep it that way.

As they marched on, Ruby did her best to ignore the cries of the people. Many have lost their homes and place of business because of the explosion, and it was their fault.

Doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, she'd been there before, and just like Wedge said, this was only the beginning.

There will be more explosions, more of city will face the consequences of their actions, and Ruby didn't know what to do about it. She couldn't just let these people suffer because they didn't know any better.

Hopefully, Jaune and her experiment would pay off. Trying to find a viable source of electricity that didn't harm the planet was more than difficult, but they were willing to put in the work. It's just, after seeing this, she wished more than ever that they had breakthrough.

The trio climbed the stairs arriving at the rubble walkway. Taking Jessie's advice to consideration, they were walking slowly and carefully over it.

They managed to reach the other side and jumped seconds before the walkway fell. Lucky for them, there weren't any people from this point on.

As started to run, Jaune and Ruby noticed that the Fire Station was intact, and they were helping people with the structural damage that surrounded them.

'That's good. Maybe Jaune was right, I don't give people enough credit. Even now, they are struggling to pick themselves back up, and they will struggle still. However, they'll get through it, just like we did.' Ruby thought before a concrete bridge suddenly collapsed in front of them, blocking their path.

"Great, as if things couldn't get any worse." Jaune grumbled.

They passed by more burning buildings before Cloud suddenly found himself in a trance. Before Ruby and Jaune could check on him, or ask if he was okay, they were blocked by the appearance of the Whispers.

Once more they were here flying around them like a bee stalking a flower. Both of the Hunters couldn't help but think that their appearances as of late have become more annoying than frightening.

They grouped up, blocking the vision of the Hunters until they could barely see themselves much less spot the Ex-SOLIDER who shuffled off ahead of the.

The Arc was able to take a hold of the petite's hand and pulled her to his chest, making sure she doesn't disappear like Cloud did.

Chapter Text

[Location: Destroyed Bridge, Sector 8 Business District, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Cloud found himself shocked as he stood in a very familiar place that was currently engulfed in flames. This village was his home, Nibelheim.

The fire, the heat, and sickening sensation in his stomach was all too familiar. This was the incident that took place five years ago. It's the night when Sephiroth went mad and set the whole place on fire. Everywhere around him were the dead bodies of the people that were killed.

Suddenly, the vision was changed. Cloud looked around before realizing he was in Sector 8, and it was sometime after the Mako reactor exploded. The damage done to parts of the city surrounded him while he was trying to catch up to the members of Avalanche.

The ex-SOLDIER was separated from Ruby and Jaune when he suddenly saw 'him' standing right before Cloud's eyes.

It prayed that it was his mind playing tricks on him again, until he saw him.

His long silver hair, his Mako infused eyes, and his black and white SOLDIER attire. Cloud noticed him starting to walk away before he followed the 1st Class SOILDER the whole time thinking that this was all just a dream.

Eventually, the spikey-blond mercenary followed him all the way to a narrow alleyway where 'he' was waiting for him.

"You're not real... You're... Dead!" Cloud frowned as he reached for the Buster Sword.

"I am…?" replied the war hero with a sinister smile on his face.

"I killed you with my own ha…"

"Oh, you need not remind me. It was the crowning moment of our time together, Cloud. But that was then, and this is now, and I have a favor to ask," The silver-haired SOLIDER said with a grin.

The mercenary glared at him before thinking, "A favor? What the hell are you talking about?" Cloud shouted. There's no way he'd ever do any favors for him. Not after what he's done. Besides, this was just a dream. A figment of his imagination.

"Our beloved planet is dying. Slowly, silently, and painfully."

This was great now he was starting to talk like Barret. His rants that the planet is dying was starting to affect his dreams.

From war hero to psychopath to Avalanche supporter, it was all crap to his ears.

"Can you bear to see the planet suffer... Cloud?"

The mercenary gasped as he was surrounded by fire again, the sight of his home. He could hear his younger self calling out to his mother.

"Were the planet to die, so many things would be lost. Your hometown that burns so bright... The sound of her voice pleading for me to spare you. The shiver of her flesh yielding to cold steel."

Cloud panted his head hurting again. 'I can't believe that bastard glorifying that moment where he killed everyone without any sign of mercy. No remorse, he just massacred everyone.'

"That which binds us together would be no more. And I would be loath to live in such a world. Which is why I must ask you this, one…little…favor…Cloud. Don't worry. It's a simple thing. Run, Cloud... Run away. You have to leave... You have to live."

"Son of a…." Cloud muttered as his hatred for him returned in full force.

"You bastard!"

Unsheathing his buster sword, the ex-SOLDIER charged at the silver haired man. With no regrets, no holding back, he sent down his weapon as it hit nothing but the solid concrete ground where his foe was just standing.

Then, everything was back to normal. The fire was gone along with the former war hero. Just as he thought, it was all just an illusion being played by his head.

"Good, Cloud. Very good" his voice echoed around. "Hold on to that hatred."

Cloud froze, realised as he heard Him as he shook his head, focusing himself.

"I'm seeing things. Fumes from all the Mako, maybe." The merc says to himself, confusing himself even though it wasn't about the Mako as he added. "All right. You got this."

Cloud then moves out of the alley and looks for a way to the station. The merc had to go over a building and finds on the other side, on the Loveless Street as he sees the sign. To the left he sees security looking for the intruders as the ex-SOLDIER quickly walks away down the street. Cloud looks to see a woman with a red jacket, a pink dress, and a basket with flowers, she looks like she is being attacked but there was nothing around her. She then stops then turns around and makes eye contact with him which he froze. But then Cloud sees a hand tap her shoulder and Sephiroth is back.

Cloud backs up fearfully not understanding how he’s seeing him. “You are too weak to save anyone.” Sephiroth says as he walks to Cloud. “Not even yourself.” Cloud clutches his head as the ringing is back.

"Are you okay!?" Cloud hears a voice but it wasn’t Sephiroth’s. He then sees the flower peddler move right in front of him. "Hey... Are you okay?" She asked again.

"I’m fine." Was all Cloud said as he starts to move wanting to get away from where he was. But the flower peddler runs right in front of him.

"Here. This is for you." She said as she holds out a flower.

"A flower?" Cloud asks confused.

"That’s right. It’s a gift. You know, for scaring those things away." She replies still holding a flower out in front of him.

"What things?" Cloud said even more confused as there was nothing.

"Never mind. Think of it as a memento." She said giving a smile.

"Just my luck..." Cloud murmured, frustrated as to how this is going on like it’s natural with nothing going on.

"I heard that, you know." She said like it was an insult.

"I'm good." Cloud said, shaking his head as the flower peddler took offense to his answer.

"Oh, don't be like that. I know you want one." She politely insist as she asks, "When was the last time you saw a real flower, huh?" She then added, "Plus, it'll make your make your girlfriend's day. I guarantee it."

"How much?" The merc asked, ignoring what the brunette says last statement.

"Well, that depends on the customer." She said as she looks at the flower then back to him. "In your case... It’s on the house." She says, then she moves to him which he backs up. "Lovers used to give these when they were reunited..." She explains as she places it in his chest leather belt.

Cloud just looks at her wondering what was up with her, but before he says anything else he finds himself just starring at her. He felt like he knows her like they met before but the merc doesn’t recall meeting, but he felt like he had interacted with her before. And there was a feeling when he looked in to her eyes liked he dreamt of seeing it a thousand times. Cloud suddenly remembers that he has to get to the station before the train leaves.

"Look, I’m involved in things. Dangerous things." Cloud said trying to tell her she should stay away from him.

"Oh, I’m sure you are. So?" She said casually.

"So keep your distance." Cloud said, dangerously and thinking she'll stay away but the brunette wouldn't budge on the threat.

"Wait—you think someone’s out to get you? Is that what you’re all worked up about?" She asked as she thinks that is what he’s saying. "Relax. No one’s going to attack you. I promise." She says trying to ease him.

"A mako reactor just blew. You shouldn’t be out here trying to sell fl—" Cloud says but stops as she gasps, drops her basket and moves about trying to get away from something that was attacking her.

"Help me!" She grabs Cloud’s hand and sudden whatever she was seeing came to reality. They both see strange creatures around them, they are gray robed beings Cloud never saw before. One of them flies toward the flower girl which Cloud had a strong protective feeling too strong as he just met her. Cloud draws Buster Sword out and strikes at it but it had no effect.

"What are they?" The flower girl asked as they continue to fly around them. Before Cloud can think of something he notices the security running to them.

"Drop your weapon!" One of them said as they point their weapons at Cloud not seeing the flying robe beings even as one of them flies around one of them.

"Are you blind...?" Cloud asked confused by these things as they float all around the Shinra guards.

"You know—you're right!" The flower girl said as she looks at them then to him and then at the robed things then starts to run to an alley, as the creatures follow her.

"Wha—Wait!" Cloud said as feels concerned for her.

She stops and turns around giving him a look for a moment. "Nice meeting you!" She says then runs down the alley with those things in toe.

Cloud debates whether to follow the flower peddler but decided to face the security guards as one demands.

"Sword on the ground. Right now!"

The merc instead raised his sword, readying for a fight.

Meanwhile with the Hunters, the Whispers kept floating around them before they suddenly found themselves standing with a blazing inferno at their backs.

Everything changed so suddenly, neither knew what was going on, or where they were.

The Arc kept the Rose close to his heart, afraid that she could get hurt because his gut was screaming that something bad was about to happen.

Ruby was able to see Jaune's worried expression and understood that the Whispers weren't planning on leaving any time soon.

"Why is this happening now of all times and places? We destroyed a reactor, did we do something wrong?" Ruby pondered before they saw figure was approaching them from within the raging fires.

Smiling while thinking it was Cloud, Ruby called out, "Hey! Over here!"

"This way, Cloud! We're right here!" Jaune followed up.

However, instead of seeing the spikey blond patch of hair holding a giant sword, they realized just how wrong they were.

The eyes of the two Hunters widened in shock and horror as the silhouette within the flames became visible.

"It can't be…." Ruby was the first to speak.

"I guess that means I'm not hallucinating…" Jaune clenched Ruby closer to him.

Ruby saw her as well, so that confirmed what Jaune dreaded, Cinder was here.

The Fall Maiden stood among the flames while the Whispers were surrounding her in a tornado shaped flight pattern.

The Fall Maiden wore the same attire she had on when she killed them, and she seemed be completely fire resistant as she walked through the inferno without showing even the slightest sign that she was surrounded by super-heated gas.

It hit both of them that what they were looking at was real. It was no dream, but actual their darkest reality. The reaper wanted to still deny it, that the blond was wrong, and it was just there PTSD acting up again.

However, she knew that you don't normally share the same hallucinations at the same time about the same thing.

No matter how much she tried not to, the Huntress couldn't stop herself from reliving the experience of when the Arc tried to protect her before being killed alongside her.

The petite reaper's lips were quivering, her body trembling, and she was sweating, but it had nothing to do of the fire around them.

The blond Huntsman has already put himself in front of the girl facing the Maiden as he thought, 'I'll be damned if I let that bitch lay a hand on her…but can I…can we take her on? No! With all our training and experience in using Materia, there was only one way to find out.'

"You're not here... You're not really here…." Ruby repeated as she gripped her head in pain.

"Back off, Cinder! I won't let you take another step toward her!" Jaune pointed Crocea Mors towards her.

"Are you still trying to play hero? Do you need for a reminder of what happened the last time you tried that?"

"What do you want, Cinder?" glared the Arc as he held his stance firm.

The Maiden didn't replied as she kept her lonely eye on the Huntsman and Huntress.

"Why are you here?! There are no maidens or relics for you to take in this world!" Jaune felt his Aura overflowing as he activated his Semblance on himself.

"No…but there's something much bigger here…." Cinder's eyes drifted to the petite reaper.

"You... Leave, just go and don't come back!" Ruby shouted as she drew her weapon and held it in scythe mode.

"Is that hatred I hear in your voice? That isn't like you, little Ruby. What happened to that sweet cheerful and naive girl that thought everything will play out alright as she just tried her best to do the right thing?"

"Ruby, don't listen to her! She's trying to get into your head. Don't let her in!" Jaune said as he continued stockpiling his own Amped Aura.

"Aren't you tired of always doing the right thing, only to fail in the end?" Cinder asked with a mocking smile.

"We destroyed a Mako reactor for the sake of this world!" the Rose snapped back.

"And look at the results. Is this what a hero is supposed to do, destroy and take lives? The meaning of the word hero has sure changed these days."

"Shut up!" she drew her scythe.

"Calm down, don't fight her on your anger," Jaune placed his shield hand on Ruby's shoulder and had the sword still pointed at Cinder's neck.

The blond knight then glared at the evil woman before asking, "Are you here for a fight?"

"I'm here to deliver a message. You don't have to try so hard to save this world because he will save it. He is the one and true savior of this world."

"He? Who are you talking about?" Jaune growled as his Aura started flowing off his skin like an upside down waterfall.

His Aura continued to amplify itself over and over again. Every time he Amped his Aura, it would make his Semblance stronger, and in return, that would make his Aura levels bigger, and thus the process repeated itself until Jaune's body was screaming in pain.

Muscles and veins twitched as an unimaginable energy filled his body. Jaune was focusing the ever amplifying Aura to increase his physical abilities twenty fold and was slowly continuing to rise.

"Ohh…what's this, I don't remember this trick," Cinder said as she looked at Jaune.

"I know, I made this trick to kill you. Now unless you want to taste of my blade, I suggest you answer my question. Who are you talking about when you say, him, and what are you doing here?" Jaune shouted as the white Aura of his completely changed his irises to that of a snow white color.

"If you would like to know, try your luck in beating me" she materialized her sword.

Jaune was about to tell Ruby the plan, but the rosy reaper acted rashly. As if he could sense her intentions, Jaune raised his hand and shouted, "RUBY NO!"

It was too late. The silver-eyed Huntress charged at the Fall Maiden with her semblance going full throttle.

Crescent Rose and Cinder sword clashed, creating a shockwave of force around them that blew away the fire.

Her lone eye was now glowing from the golden flame of her Maiden powers. They clashed a few more times and ended in the same position crossing weapons.

"You have gotten stronger. Is it because of your hatred for me?" Cinder laughed mirthfully.

Jaune appeared beside Cinder and swung out his sword with all his might.

Cinder was surprised to see how fast he moved, but was able to block, almost as she knew where he was going to strike ahead of time.

However, the moment their weapons clashed, Cinder's eye widened as she was flung back several feet.

As the Fall Maiden's feet touched the wall of the building next to stop the force from Jaune's blow, Ruby appeared beside her and swung Crescent Rose while front flipping.

"I won't let you harm the people of this world! I WILL STOP YOU THIS TIME!" Ruby shouted as Cinder dodged at the last second, letting her scythe cut into the building and carve out a good section of it.

"I don't have to destroy anything! HAHAHAH! You're doing it for me," Cinder replied as she watched her words hit harder than the reaper's swing.

Lowering Crescent Rose, Ruby let her guard down while Cinder's words echoed in her head and heart.

Cinder lunged forward, trying to stab the petite in her stomach, but Jaune immediately went to her aid blocked it with sheild.

The blow from Jaune repost forced her hand into the air and made her hand shake, yet Cinder kept calm and continued hold firmly to her sword grip.

"My, my, little Arc-y boy, you sure have grown big and stwong, to bad you didn't show any of this back when I killed your girlfriend," Cinder jeered.

Jaune facial muscles twitched as he bared his teeth, "What are you playing at? You had the chance to strike a fatal blow against Ruby and you didn't, why aim for her stomach?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…" Cinder replied with a almost sweet voice.

Jaune rushed forward while Ruby realized what Jaune was getting at. She clenched her fists as she lamented losing her cool.

Jaune cut down at her, aiming for her head with a horizontal slash.

Cinder raised her sword and blocked, but once again, her arm was flung back by Jaune's sheer physical might.

While she opened her guard up, Jaune stabbed forward and felt something exploding inside his body.

His Aura shot forward and glowed around Crocea Mors before taking the shape of Cloud's Buster Sword.

It was transparent, as white as Jaune's Aura, and glowed like a radiant light only matched by the sun.

Jaune didn't know why, but for some reason, when thought that he didn't have time to transform Crocea Mors and needed a heavier sword, the blond knight thought of Cloud's weapon, and for reason Jaune didn't yet understand, his Aura took the desired shape and encased Crocea Mors in its image.

Cinder's eye widened as she engulfed her sword in golden flames and struck back.

A loud sonic explosion shook the area as their swords clashed and bounced off each other. Jaune quickly got back in stance and slashed with another horizontal strike.

Cinder countered with her blades and they clashed once more, and again, and again, and again.

The Whispers were still present flying around them as if they were spectators watching the two swordsmen dancing with the flames while the battle intensified.

Ruby clenched her fist and said, "No! I'm different now! I won't keep making the same mistakes!"

Just like Jaune, she felt something inside her exploding with power. Her Aura didn't get stronger, but her weapon started glowing with a bloody crimson glow.

She felt the magic that she slowly nurtured thanks to the mastery of magic changing shape and taking form. Almost like her limits were being broken.

With a sudden burst of speed, Ruby rushed forward and cleaved Cinder's sword in half. Ruby then turned around and tried to cut at Cinder's neck, but stopped before saying, "Out with it! Why are you here?"

Cinder smirked as her body suddenly glowed with a golden flame, spewing it out as pure light to blind the two Hunters.

When Ruby went for the kill as she closed her eyes, but Cinder quickly jumped back and smirked at the two before she levitated into the air alongside the Whispers.

"Damn it! Answer us!" Jaune roared as he jumped after.

Jaune's improved physical abilities allowed him to easily jump above the buildings. However, Cinder was going higher and higher into the sky, quicker than he could ascend.

Cinder then gave one lace cocky smirk before she said, "All answers in due time."

"WAIT!" the reaper flew up next to Jaune and stopped him from crashing into the roof.

"Where's Yang, Weiss, Blake, Oscar, everyone. Did you…."

"Keep holding on to that hatred Ruby, foster it, forge it, and make it stronger. You're going to need it if you want to survive. HAHAHAHAHAH!"

With that, her cackle faded, and the Fall Maiden vanished. Shortly thereafter, so did the Whispers and flames.

Both teenagers were left alone, angry, and on a random rooftop.

"Damn it what is going on? Cinder isn't the cryptic type so why is she...And the Whispers what are they doing with her? Could she be part of Fate's plan too?"Jaune thought as his Aura started to drop back to normal levels.

To keep him passing out from the pain he was in, Jaune syphoned all the extra Aura into healing his torn muscles and broken bones. Moving and attack dozens of times his natural abilities came with consequences. The good news is that every times he messed himself up with this technique, he had plenty of Aura to heal the damage after the battle.

Another bonus was that he always felt a tiny bit stronger when he healed the damage after using this particular variant ability

While he recovered, a thousand questions crossed his mind, "Was there a connection between the Maiden and the Arbiters of Fate? What was she talking about when she said that we'd learn in due time? What about this savior she mentioned?"

It was all cryptic as if she was just toying with them. Cinder could have landed a fatal blow on Ruby earlier but she didn't.

The Cinder he knows would have never hesitated. She would have killed Ruby without blinking, and she'd get off on it too. He knows, he's seen it firsthand.

Turning to the petite, he saw that she was in tears. The silver-eyed reaper's hold on her weapon was trembling like she was standing in the freezing cold.

All she could think was of what happened to her friends, family, and team.

"Hey…." Jaune hugged her and did his best to calm her, saying, "I know it's a lot to take in, but we shouldn't waste time here."

"You were right. She's really here, but how…?" Ruby pulled herself back together and wiped away her tears.

"We can worry about that later. Let's go find Cloud and the others. We need to get to the train station."

Ruby nodded while continuing to dry her tears until she finally calmed down. When they felt good and ready to move, the two Hunters hopped off the roof and resumed running down a new route.

Getting away from the burning buildings and the destruction they played a part in, the two Hunters arrived at a part of the city that wasn't damaged by the reactor's explosion.

They saw a sign that read, "Loveless Street" as they looked around for a clue to where the train station or the Ex-SOLIDER was.

They noticed a crowd ahead of them and started to walk through the mass of gathered people. Jaune grabbed Ruby's hand so they wouldn't get separated and the girl blushed as they pushed aside a few people.

"Sorry!"

"Coming through,"

"Watch the foot!"

The closer they got to the front, they could hear louder and louder shouts in the distance. Then came the sound of a grenade going off.

After pushing through the last row of people, they saw five Shinra security officers and the blond Merc ready to fight. There was a small crater in front of the flat-side facing Buster Sword with Cloud crouched behind it.

He just tanked a grenade and was blocking the bullets from the Shinra Grunt's guns while slowly gaining ground.

Then, with a swift leaping motion, Cloud front flipped and cut on of the officers down in an instant before lifting the Buster sword off the ground and horizontally slashing out.

Two other Shinra officers got cut across the waist and dropped to the ground, presumably dead.

"Cloud!"

The ex-SOLDIER turned to see them running to his side with weapons in hand.

"Sorry were late," Jaune said as he looked at the Shinra officers jumping off the back of a truck.

"Not late. On time," Cloud abruptly replied.

"Sorry for getting separated. You wouldn't believe us if we tell you" Ruby said before switching to rifle mode.

"Talk later, fight now," Cloud held his Buster Sword in his Punisher Stance.

Ruby cast Aero while she shot out with her rifle and Jaune cast blizzard on their weapons and torsos, hurting the officers while the merc slashed away at them.

They then turned into blurs as the trio dashed through the dozen or so Shinra officers and cut them all down with ease.

They were so easy to beat, they were barely rookies.

The trio didn't stick around, taking off and going to another part of the street. Unfortunately, there were more officers waiting for them and blocking off the roads with more trucks full of more Shinra lackeys. they broke through their forces along with two guard dogs.

As they barreled through the blockades, Jaune managed to find an Elemental Materia that fell from one of the Trucks. Picking it up as he dashed on, another Shinra officer saw them from the distance.

"This is 8-411, I've got eyes on the intruders; requesting reinforcements at Sector 8's Loveless Street A.S.A.P, over!"

"Which way to the station?!" asked Ruby as they skid out around a corner to see more troops waiting for them in the streets.

"Yep, this feels just our luck," Jaune commented while more officers and guard dogs showed up.

"Pthhp, remember that time you got chased by all those Grimm."

"First rule of Nora's fearless training, we don't talk about Nora's training methods. Though I recall you getting dragged into it to when you triggered the launchers on the top of the cliff."

"How was I supposed to know they were active all year round!" Ruby huffed.

Cloud lifted a brow and said, "Not the time for this,"

The two chuckled as they readied their weapons and charged.

After fighting for a few dozen minutes, they realized that there was no end to them. Jaune was already bunt from using his ace-in the hole, and another consequence to his secret move was that he couldn't use his Semblance for quite a bit of time. It was like the thing was on cool-down.

Ruby was already tired from pushing herself so hard all throughout the night. If Jaune hadn't been constantly refilling her Aura every chance they got, she was positive she'd be in a comma, or at the very least, asleep.

Since the Shinra officers kept spotting them, it wasn't surprising that they continued to request for more backup.

They didn't stay in one spot and continued to make more ground until they ended up reaching a beautiful fountain in the middle of a small business area.

"No time to enjoy the view," Jaune thought as he continued taking out the officers in front of him.

Suddenly, a chopper arrived before two Shock Troopers jumped from it.

"This is starting to get annoying," Ruby said as she counted all the enemies around them.

She rushed forward and spun her scythe, hitting the Shock Troopers in the back and front of their heads.

"Well, that takes care of them, but we still have a chopper to worry about," Jaune shouted as Ruby noticed the vehicle lock on the trio with their weapon systems.

"Cloud, you know the way to the station?" asked the Arc as he jumped in front of Ruby and used the Barrier spell to take the machine Gun fire with his shield.

"We could use an out, Cloud!" Ruby called out as she held her rifle over Jaune's shoulder and fired back at the at the helicopter, using her blond knight as a sturdy shield and landing shots against their sturdy windshields.

"Never been here," Cloud responded as he was impressed with their teamwork.

The helicopter shot a rocket at them while Cloud took action. He jumped into the air and cut the missile into pieces before it landed in fountain without exploding.

Ruby shot through the bullet proof glass after shooting the same spot dozens of times.

The helicopter back off for a bit to assess what damage her bullet did while Ruby sighed and said, "Neither have we. Jessie should have given us better directions."

"But I might know a way," the ex-SOLDIER cast his gaze above before continuing to speak, "The rooftops, maybe. They look clear."

"Guess we're going up" said the blond Huntsman while more men behind them chased after.

"Don't let them get away no matter what!"

Chapter Text

[Location: Sector 8 Rooftops, Sector 8 Business District, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Following the blond merc, Ruby and Jaune reached a corner where there was a ladder.

"Oh for the love of…if I never see another ladder again, it will be too soon," Ruby huffed.

"It could be worse. We might have shimmy up a wall without one someday," Jaune chuckled as he grabbed hold of the ladder's bar.

They climbed it before running along top the roofs. Thanks to Cloud's eyes, they were able to get back on track. However, there were also more officers there waiting for them.

On the way they ran into new Shinra Operatives holding shields made of durable iron.

"Riot Troopers," Cloud informed.

They were able to get rid of those shield with their quick attacks.

They tackled another waves of officers and Riot Troopers, Shinra was really throwing everything at them.

Jaune couldn't help but think it that this was a natural response, after all, they did destroyed one of their Mako reactors. It wouldn't make much sense if they just let them go free and walk after doing something like that.

Before they knew two vehicles approached with more officers and Riot Troopers, behind a Shinra truck as even more enemy forces arrived.

"Great, and now were surrounded. Guess we have no choice but to fight. Just how did Barret and the others managed to avoid running into these guys?" Jaune spoke out as he held his sword stance firm.

Cloud and Jaune were blocking their gunfire with shield and buster sword while Ruby used her semblance, gaining the higher ground before firing Crescent Rose, and quickly taking them down.

The silver-eyed reaper followed up with using aero and water to disrupt the guard's movements. The two blonds used that opening to close the distance and went after the Riot Troopers.

Jaune switched Crocea Mors to greatsword mode while going for heavy attacks beside Cloud. To get rid of their shields, the rammed into it with a great deal of force, knocking them aside while the men behind swung out their electric batons.

Jaune and Cloud paid them not attention and cut through both their weapons and chests.

Another three guys dropped their guns because Ruby shot them in the side of the head while Jaune and Cloud tore through four more heavy-shield users.

Jaune and Cloud stood back to back while Ruby stood on a rooftop nearby, covering them from every angle. Even if the odds were against them, they wouldn't stop until they manage to beat them all.

The Arc noticed something gazing down from a ledge, train tracks eyes widened.

"Guys! There are train tracks!" Jaune waved them over with his shield hand.

"Sweet! We found the train station!" Ruby said as she used her Semblance to fly back down.

"If the train hasn't pass by yet, we can use it to make our escape" replied Cloud.

However, the nice moment was ruined when they heard more Shinra chatter, "Move in!"

"Don't let them escape!"

Once again the trip were surrounded by more officers.

"HQ this is Sector 8 Unit 2. Targets are surrounded. Moving in to secure," Another voice hissed over a radio.

However, as one of the officers took a closer look at Cloud, he hesitated and gave a look like he knew him.

"Guys, the Shinra chopper is back!" Jaune yelled as he prepared a barrier spell.

The spot light flew over and landed right where the three stood with their backs against the tracks.

"What do we do now?" asked Ruby.

"I'm thinking," was all Jaune could say.

"We'll have to buy time for the train to come," the ex-SOLDIER followed up.

"I'm thinking!" Jaune repeated with a louder and slightly aggravated tone.

"If the train hasn't passed by, by now," said the reaper it will be their bad luck if that was the case

"Deploy the Commando!"

"Please keep your underpants on!" Jaune cried out and got a rare smile from the spikey-haired Merc and a giggle from his favorite Rose.

As things couldn't get any worse for them something big, had six legs, and a long scorpion tail, jumped out, landing in front of where the other officers were standing.

"Another one?!" the Arc was shocked.

It was indeed another Scorpion mech but this was one was different from the one they fought at the reactor room. It was smaller, colored different shades of green, more high-tech looking, and it already had its barrier on.

If the one in the Core Chamber took up both sides of the street, this one only took up one lane.

On top of the new Sentinel, the number of Shinra Operatives was still growing in number. They were beginning to think that there was no way they'd be able to fight so many enemies.

With Jaune's Semblance out of commission, he couldn't Amp Ruby or his own Aura, so they had to be careful with how much energy they expend.

If the train has already passed, they'll be done for. The Scorpion Commando was already charging the laser beam on its tail.

"Surrender and come quietly! Or we'll use force!"

"Funny they've been using force from the beginning," said the Huntress.

"Come on, do something think of anything. Get them out of here alive!"

Jaune felt something was glowing within him. It was coming from his clothes. Taking it out it was a Materia colored red that was glowing. Ruby stood in awed at the sight.

"What's going on?"

"It's a Summoning Materia! It's active, use it!" said Cloud.

Realizing that his Materia was finally awakened, the Arc smiled happily. It appeared that all the fighting put himself through must have awaken it from its slumber.

"Is that a S…s...Summoning Materia?!" asked one of the officers.

"Drop it!"

"It's all right the Scorpion Commando has it covered!"

"HELP US!" shouted the Huntsman to the red Materia.

The Materia shattered while sending out a strong shockwave and vibrant white light, blinding everyone in the vicinity. The intense light took shape and from the source of energy emerged a tall being.

She was six foot tall and has pale skin like the red Huntress and slightly muscular. She wore a brown overbust corset with a vertical strip of lighter brown in the center. Additionally, she wore an elastic, black, A-line mini skirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. She wore a red ankle-length sash that wrapped around her skirt. A sash which is very similar that Jaune used on his waist underneath his belt.

As for accessories, there was a small circular bronze plate on her right hip opposite two pouches with both connected to a belt. The plate bore her emblem. Underneath her hair, she always wore a brown circlet adorned with a pair of small, green, teardrop-shaped emeralds on thin chains. She also sported a large bronze gorget around her neck and a bronze bracelet on the upper half of her left arm. She wears a headpiece.

The figure wore armor. She had elaborate bronze greaves that started below her mid-thigh before continuing downwards into her boots as well as a pair of cuisses that began mid-thigh and ended slightly above her knees. She was also equipped with a bronze bracer capable of connecting with a circular shield atop the sleeve on her left arm. Her high-heeled boots were brown with bronze trim, matching her skirt and sleeves and reaching up to mid-calf.

Besides the headpiece, her hair is clearly red in a waist-length ponytail, curled slightly into a loose ringlet. She also wore light-green eyeshadow around the far upper corners of her green eyes.

Her weapons are called Miló and Akoúo. Miló was capable of transitioning between three forms: a javelin, a xiphos and a semi-automatic rifle; Akoúo was a Dipylon shield.

As soon as Ruby regained her eyesight, she gasps loudly as she froze and her eyes watering, allowing the blonde knight to see what the red petite is looking at.

His eyes widened as he saw was none other than his fallen partner more than three years ago, Pyrrha Nikos.

"Y...y-you...are—" Jaune immediately shush as Pyrrha placed her finger on his lips, smiling softly as she spoke.

None of them hear her as the fallen huntress held out her hand, waiting for the blonde knight to hold her.

Jaune grabbed her fallen partner's as she started to disappear. He panicked, only to feel her presence within him. He widened eyes, feeling the strength starting to grow as his Aura was mixed with red and yellow.

Jaune closed his eyes as he remembered her teachings back on Remnant shortly after her death.

"Alright, Jaune, just like we practiced." Her voice was heard as he positioned himself.

"Follow these instructions." Everything was silent are the Shinra guards and The Scorpion Commando lined up in a firing position. Cloud noticed the familiarity of it but couldn't remember where.

"Shield up." Jaune raises his shield in front of him.

"Keep your grip tight." He grips his sword tight as he raises Crocea Mors up to his shoulder.

"Don't forget to keep your front foot forward." His left foot was placed forward as his Aura was flaring.

"Ready?" Jaune opens his eyes as he changes his irises from blue to green in a second before changing back to blue. His Aura was mixed with yellow and red, flaring brightly as Shinra guards are having a hard time seeing.

Ruby's eyes are wide awake as she dragged Cloud to hide behind a military truck as cover while Jaune's sword filled with Aura so strong that it matches Cloud's Buster Sword.

Cloud looked at her as well with a frown, "Who's that earlier?"

"That's one of our friends. She passed away a long time ago. Her name was Pyrrha Nikos."

This was the summon given to the Arc as Materia. Aerith's mother never said the Summons had to come from Gaia. When the will of Gaia called over the huntsmen and huntresses from Remnant, it interacted with the will of Remnant. Part of the agreement was to give Jaune and Ruby friends that came from their world.

"What can she do?" Cloud played along, still thinking that Ruby wasn't serious about his earlier words.

"I don't know. But I think what she's trying to is that." Ruby pointed to Jaune.

"Go!" Jaune send a horizontal flying slash as he sends a whole platoon of guards flying to the walls, bones broken and all.

"Again." He then sends a vertical slash on the mech, staggering it in one move. The Scorpion Commando was short circuited as it cannot activate its weapons and barrier at all.

"And again." Jaune sends a powerful thrust as the sword filled Aura destroyed the mech through the chassis, explode to bits.

The officer who seemed to have recognized Cloud took cover behind the armored truck and dived into an alleyway before the big Crocea Mors trusted the mech like a train ramming through a building.

After the snoke clears, the entire street was filled with broken bodies of Shinra guards, pieces of the Commando were all over, signs of swords slashes on the walls.

Pyrrha re-emerged herself as she saw Jaune staring in awed.

"Thank you, Pyr. Even though... *sniff*y-you're g-gone...*sniffs*you always f-find a way to t-teach me." Jaune said, slightly crying as he couldn't believe what he's seeing either.

Tears filled Jaune's eyes as Pyrrha hugged Jaune gently as tears filled in her eyes as well.

Ruby was still shocked to see Pyrrhaas she's crying as well, much less see her partner breaking down like this.

"All my life…I was trying my best to honor you. I wanted to avenge you. Trying to make her pay for what she did to you."

And then, suddenly, Ruby understood. Although Jaune always wanted to be a hero that could make his great grandfather proud, he wanted revenge for her. The silver-eyed petite understood that well, that always been her journey since The Fall. She didn't wanna admit it, but she wanted to make her pay for what she's done to everyone.

The Invincible Girl smiled before pulling back from the embrace and patted the blond knight's shoulder.

She pointed to herself and then raised her hand while shaking her finger side to side. Next, she pointed at Jaune's heart and then back at herself before crossing her arms.

Once more, the fallen huntress poked Jaune's head and then pointed to his heart.

"Why can't she talk?" Ruby asked.

"The Materia isn't high enough level. The more Jaune uses it, the stronger it will become, the longer it can stay in this world, and the less Mana it will cost to sustain," Cloud explained.

"Good to know, you sure know a lot about Materia," Ruby commented.

"Standard SOILDER training, even the grunts know this stuff," Cloud replied.

"What do you think she's saying?" Ruby questioned with a curious expression.

"Isn't it obvious?" Cloud answered with a question of his own.

Jaune looked over and said, "Charades really wasn't my game. But I think I get the gist of it."

"Tell me!" Ruby seemed a bit grouchy.

"Don't try to avenge her. Be yourself, be proud of who you are and everything you've done, and she's proud of you." Cloud explained.

The Summon nodded her head and pointed at Cloud before she vanished and reformed into the Materia.

Jaune held the Materia in his hands and noticed that there were now some carvings forming inside the red orb. It formed a word, a name.

"Hehe. The Red Huntress." the Arc said as he smiled and wiped away the tears on his face.

"WHAT!? THAT WAS HER!? THAT WAS SO COOL!" Ruby was so hyped as she hopped around Jaune and rattled on, "If this is your summon, I can't wait to see mine! What will I get, the Grimm Reaper? Oh wait, she's still alive. Maybe the Ancestor of the Silver-Eyed Warriors, like one dad used to tell me from the fairytale? Ooh, you think they can teach us how to do that thing she did with her…Aura?" Ruby whispered that last part.

"I think that was me. Although, she guided me to fight alot. So, I guess that yours would be." Jaune guessed.

"Cut the chat. The train's coming," said Cloud.

Chapter Text

[Location: Train Car Rooftops, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Both saw the train leaving the tunnel as the three jumped on it. Both the ex-SOLDIER and the petite landed safely.

The Arc, however, had some trouble because his Aura was dangerously low. His knees went weak before his foot slipped.

As he was about to fall off, someone grabbed his hand and helped him keep balance. The Huntsman looked at his fellow blond mercenary and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks."

He didn't reply as he hopped over between the carts and ended up where he thought Barret and the others would be. He figured they be in one of the last carts of the train, possibly with the cargo.

Meanwhile, Avalanche were waiting in the freight car as they had regrouped and now waited for Cloud, Ruby and Jaune but they haven’t showed up. And as the train moves away and he never showed they grew worried despite what he said earlier.

"Guess Cloud won’t be joining us after all..." Wedge said.

"No need to assume the worst. I’m sure he’s fine." Biggs said easing Wedge. "You saw him in action, didn’t you? Guy’s a SOLDIER. Goddamn one-man army."

Jessie holds concerned for the merc's wellbeing. "Mmm, think he’s a keeper?" She asked. "Besides, what about the cute one? Jaune, right?"

Biggs change his expression as he heard what his friend called the blonde knight and replied regardless. "I'm sure he's fine. As well as his young friend. They're strong as you mention, boss. They'll keep up."

Barret still angry at Cloud for his rude attitude but doesn’t want him dead, he can tell Cloud’s a good kid but he’s not sympathetic to Avalanche’s cause, he doesn’t know what to tell Tifa when they get back. Besides, he's more worried about the other two, especially the red petite as he reminds her of Marlene. Before anyone can ponder further there was a knock outside, they tense up Barret and Biggs move to the door.

“On my go.” Barret says to Biggs who draws his gun. Barret opens the door and Cloud jumps right in surprising everyone and the merc waved his hand down.

They followed Cloud and held on to the rim of the train door before throwing themselves inside the cart. As they landed on ground, they saw the rest of the Avalanche group jumping like they just saw a ghost.

"Gave me scare there, thought you were Shinra," Wedge said before he let out a sigh.

"You had me all worried for a minute…." Barret crossed his arms.

"Aw, you do care," Ruby smiled at the Avalanche squad leader and playfully tapped his arm.

"So, what the hell you been up to?" Barret pretended to ignore the petite's comment.

"Giving public security the runaround, that's what. We had to draw them away from the station," Ruby answered with a grin.

"We don't mind doing the hard work, it's probably why you guys managed to get here without being spotted," Jaune was obviously being sarcastic.

"Nicely done," said Jessie with a thumb's up.

"Well—can't argue with results," Biggs smiled patting his leader on the back.

Barret just pretended he was upset before marching over and closing the wagon's door, "We're y'all raised in barns. Didn't no one teach you to close the door behind you."

Ruby chuckled when Cloud moved past her to lean against the wall of the train cart. That's when she finally noticed the flower on Cloud's chest.

There was only one person that came to Ruby's mind when she saw it. The silver-eyed reaper then quickly took the Arc's arm and attention by pointing at it.

Jaune tilted his head for a second and saw the same thing. Needless to say, he was shocked.

"Excuse me, I got a question for you all," Jaune called out.

"What?" Barret asked.

"Ever been attacked by a semi-transparent and for the most part invisible enemy? They're wearing robes and move like their made of wind," Jaune asked with a serious expression on his face.

No one in the Avalanche crew had any idea what the blond knight was talking about.

However, the Arc and the reaper had a pretty good idea that Cloud was in a similar position as them.

'Cloud must have had an encounter with the Whispers,' Ruby thought as she stared at his frown.

'It must have been when we got separated, and the flower.' they immediately thought of the florist from Sector 5, their good friend Aerith the Ancient.

"Yeah, I saw em," Cloud replied.

"I thought they were invisible." said Biggs.

"They were—at first. Only saw them after she grabbed me…." Cloud replied while running his hand through his hair.

Jaune and Ruby were even more shocked now. There was no doubt, Cloud had to be one of the people destined to save the planet with them. The only question was; how to get him on board with their mission?

"A new Shinra weapon, maybe?" said the female brunette.

"Hah! More like a panic-induced hallucination!" Barret rolled his eyes.

"Never mind, forget I said anything." Cloud said as he looked away.

"Suit yourself. C'mon let's move up," said Barret as he waved his team on.

As the others left Cloud was stopped by the two teenagers.

"What is it?" Cloud lifted a brow.

"That flower... Where did you get it?" asked the Arc.

"A girl gave it to me," Cloud replied.

"Did she have long brown hair braided in a ponytail, pink bow, and pretty green eyes?" Ruby asked with some hope in her eyes.

"Yeah," Cloud the ever emotionless robot answered.

"Aerith, she was in Sector 8?" Jaune mumbled, and now the blond Huntsman was worried.

"Is she okay? Did something happen?" the Huntress starting freaking out

"She's fine, I think. She took off before Shinra security showed up."

"So she didn't get involved, thank god," Jaune Arc said before letting out a sigh of relief.

"You two know her?" Cloud questioned.

"She's our friend, she lives with us in Sector 5," The silver-eyed reaper smiled.

"At least we used to," Jaune followed up.

Cloud nodded. He wanted to ask them about those invisible ghosts enemies and wondered if that flower girl had some connection to them.

However, he'd decided to ask at a later time before deciding to leave and check out the rest of the train. After all that fighting, he just wanted to find a quiet space and close his eyes for a bit. He really could go for a power nap.

The Huntsman and Huntress followed him shortly after. They wanted tell him about the Whispers, especially if he met Aerith, but they didn't know how to approach the topic without pushing Cloud.

They chose to hold off on the conversation as they walked through the freight cars. Along the way, they saw a lot of people probably huddled together while thinking it was because of the evacuation order.

That was a good thing, knowing that there weren't many civilians hurt or killed during the aftermath of Mako reactor 1 explosion.

Ruby and Jaune kept hearing the people whining and complaining, some were even happy about the explosion and the damage caused to Sector Eight.

Since the treatment they give to the citizens of the slums was less than favorable, it was clear that not everyone agreed with how Shinra operates.

They arrived at one of the passenger carts with quite the lot of people of all walks of life. This was good for them since they can blend in just in. Even if Shinra decides to come and investigate the train, they probably wouldn't be able to pick them out from such a colorful grouping of people.

Wedge, Biggs and Jessie decided to stay here, the ex-SOLDIER, however, didn't like it. It was too cramped for his taste. The same could be said for the Huntsman and Huntress.

By the time they reached the female member of Avalanche, her expression said that she was still troubled about the bomb she made.

According to her it shouldn't been able to make such a big explosion, though she did say it could have reacted with the Mako in some manner that increase the explosive yield of what she intended.

Jessie then mentioned something about the reactors having a failsafe to prevent these kinds of things. Lastly, she brought up the invisible enemy the blond merc mentioned before and wondered if they played a part in it.

In the end the brunette to just put the blame on herself and was happy that they listened to her. Cloud and Ruby went to the next cart before Jaune's hand was grabbed by Jessie.

"Thanks for listening," Jessie showed a sad smile.

"I don't think you should be blaming yourself. If you were sure the explosion shouldn't have been that big, then maybe it's true."

"How would you explain what just happened if it wasn't my fault?" Jessie asked while shaking her head.

"Maybe the bomb didn't do that much damage and Shinra chose to destroy the reactor themselves," the blond Huntsman gave a wild guess.

"…...…..."

Jessie stood baffled, but then her expression turned to one of deep pondering. The Arc thought he might have made a mistake. What kind of crazy thing he will come up with. There's no way the company would do that.

"I'm sorry. I always speak my mind, and sometimes my mind comes up with weird ideas…but if you think about it, I've read a few things about them and they like their propaganda. They have eight of them, losing one might not mean much to them, and they might want to use of this event to gain some public sympathy or they could end up using for spinning a whatever story suits their narrative…well, that's my opinion, a wild one, but still mine."

"What makes you think that?" Jessie asked.

"I've met some manipulative and wicked people in my short life, everybody's got a scheme or plan, and sometimes, nothing is what it seems. I guess you could those guys taught me that lesson the hard way," Jaune waved his hand behind his hand as he walked away.

"Hey, Jaune?" Jessie called out and stopped him.

The blond knight looked over his shoulder and lifted his brow, "Yeah?"

"Thanks. Whether it was my fault or not, thanks for listening," Jessie winked at him.

The blond Huntsman went to the other cart while the young woman was still deep in thought.

'Hm... Would they really be willing to destroy their own reactor…sounds crazy but what if Jaune is right?'

Cloud and Ruby then move to the next car and Shinra employees talking.

"What kind of maniacs would go so far as to bomb a reactor?" A woman of the group asked. A Shinra middle manager responds. "They’ve yet to announce it publicly, but I heard it was Avalanche’s doing."

"Really? Aren’t they the terrorists who tried to kill the president?" The woman asked like it was heresy.

"Is there nothing they won’t do?" The guy standing asked.

"Hey! Quit talking out your ass!" Barret said scarring the three with his presence. "Everyone knows Avalanche cares about saving the planet." Barret adds intimidating them.

"J-just who do you think you are?" The manager asked not liking his attitude.

"A law-abiding citizen." Barret simply says.

"“Law-abiding?” Really?" The woman asked in disbelieve. Barret got right up front of her daring her to say it again. "Don’t antagonize him!" The guy next to her said fearfully .

"In my humble opinion, that explosion was a message—a message to the bastards bleeding our planet dry." Barret says. "Think they got it? Heard it loud and clear? Y’all’s masters?" Barret said Cloud just facepalm, he might as well say they are Avalanche Cloud thought then he hears the manager speak.

"We will not submit to intimidation or violence! But work together for peace and prosperity!" He says and adds. "That is how civilized people change the world!"

The other two start clap. "That’s right!" The women says as if they made a great triumph. "That is the Shinra creed!" The other guy said, Barret then stomps his foot scaring them.

"Hmph. Them’s fighting words." Barret says in disgust at them for being blind.

It’s what we believe. We all have to follow our conscience, don’t we?” The manager says not backing down from Barret. "We should go." the other guy said as he got up and headed for the other car with the others behind him.

As soon as Jaune arrived, he sweat dropped watching three people leaving in fear from Barret's grouching.

They were the usual citizens that highly believe and support the Shinra Company, and the one-armed man was just finishing up tearing them a new one with his beliefs.

"How was he able to keep his identity as the leader of Avalanche?" Jaune wondered as he watched the guys run in fear.

With that little stunt he pulled just now, anyone would be safe in suspecting him. That very same leader got seated and seemed to be happy that had enough space chill-out.

"Yeah, he's got the right idea. We could all use a breather after all the action that took place today," Ruby said as she tried to sit next to Berret.

Jaune grabbed her arm and shook his head before whispering, "Better not to bother him, he seems like the kind of person that go off easily."

However, he's also a man who truly believes in what's he fighting for, a trait Jaune can respect.

Going to the front seats he saw Ruby talking to Cloud and thought, 'This'll be interesting to listen to. Knowing how talkative the ex-SOLDIER is, I bet it will end with, hmm, not my style, whatever, okay, right…god would it kill him to use words.'

"I still say you should give your weapon a name," Ruby nodded her head.

"Buster Sword is fine," Cloud looked away.

"But it's your weapon, part of yourself. Your bestie, that's why it's important to name it."

"I don't have a name for it. It already has on, Buster Sword," Cloud repeated.

"That's lame. I was thinking something like Giga Cleaver or Wolf Fang Buster. Something cool and intimidating that will make anyone run away just by just hearing its name."

"Doubt monsters would do that," Cloud replied.

"What about people from Shinra? I bet if they find out the name of your weapon they will tremble just by mentioning it. Okay maybe not. But how about if I give it an upgrade—" Ruby's eyes sparkled.

"No."

"Come on Cloud, let me at least have a look at it," Ruby clasped her fingers together and prayed for him to let her hold it.

"You're looking at it now," Cloud responded.

"Not like that silly. Let me hold it and see its structure. I might come up with something that will make it even stronger," Ruby rubbed her hands together.

"I like it the way it is."

"I told you I made Crescent Rose and you did say you like my weapon. Give me one chance to make your buster sword even better."

"No."

"Fine!" Rub pouted while crossing her arms and said, "Meanie."

"Couldn't convince him huh?" the Arc smiled.

"You are a jerk. I can make your weapon the better than ever, but okay you don't want my help. We'll see when you regret not coming to me. You'll be like, “I should have listen to Ruby my weapon isn't that great after all”."

"It has helped me a lot so far. No thanks, it stays like this," Cloud shook his head.

"Just give it a rest. You can try some other time," Jaune chuckled.

"I'm not giving up," Ruby shouted as she kicked her feet up on the cushioned train seats.

"Anyway Cloud," Jaune got seated on the other side, "You mentioned the invisible enemy those things with robes. We believe you."

"You two have seen them too? That girl can also see them. What are they?" Cloud questioned with his usual expression.

Jaune was about to explain when he saw Barret signaling him to come over.

'Looks like he wants to talk with about something.' Jaune thought before looking to his partner and saying, "Ruby why don't you give him the short version while I talk with Barret?"

"I will... If you do let me give your weapon an upgrade," Ruby pursed her lips.

"Forget it then," Cloud shot her down.

"Argh!" The reaper pouted again.

The blond Huntsman walked back to the one-armed man's seat. He signaled him to get seated next to him and so Jaune sat.

"You and your friend did pretty good out there. Having three mercenaries ain't that bad. Course I won't be paying you for this job, I only hired the spikey-haired merc."

"Money isn't that much of a concern for us. We did things because we want to...no we have to," Jaune showed a stern expression.

"Heh, that merc should take some notes from you two. Alright, let's get straight to the point. You said you have the map to Mako Reactor 1."

"I actually have the maps to all eight reactors," Jaune corrected.

"You better not be lying to me." the dark skinned man glared as he removing his shades and revealed his onyx black eyes,

The Arc looked around. Since there weren't that many people in this cart, he figured it was all right to show him. Taking the rolled up sheets out his satchel, Jaune passed the reactor floor plans to him.

Barret immediately unfolded them as he checked every single one. He stood shocked and speechless as realized that it was the real deal.

All the details to the eight Mako Reactors were in his hands, and best of all, the location to the core reactor room was shown as clear as day.

"Son of a bitch, where the hell did you get these?" Barret asked as he put his glasses back on.

"I'm sorry but I won't say. I gave my word that I wouldn't reveal the name of who gave me these. Even if you're Avalanche, I'm sorry, I can't do it," Jaune replied while shaking his head.

"Do you have any idea how long we've been searching for something like this? We thought blue prints and maps to the reactors would be all but impossible for us to get our hands on. Documents like these are the kind of documents that should be under lock and key back at Shinra HQ, along with all other hinky secret shit."

"I can give them to you is that what you want. They'll better off in your hands. Besides, I've got it memorized…for the most part."

"All right pal, how much? Because there's no way in hell you will hand something this valuable without something in return. How much Gil you want for them?" Barret asked with a serious expression.

"I'm giving them to you for free, no strings attach. Money isn't an issue." Jaune held his hands out, as if telling him to keep it and not give them back.

"Damn." he took the papers and folded them up before saying, "Wait till the others find out. We succeeded in destroying one of the reactors and now we have the maps to all of them, it doesn't get any better than this."

"Stupid Cloud." Ruby was still pouting walked to them still not looking happy.

Suddenly something orange and red hit them as it scanned the entire train.

"What was that?"

"Relax that's the ID checkpoint of Shinra. Any train that passes by it will get all the information from everyone on board. Jessie managed to hack into it and so we can get past it no problem. Don't know for how long though. To that thing we're just ordinary citizens."

"You guys must have thought about everything. That's pretty cool," the petite smiled.

"You have to be one step ahead if you want to stand a chance over Shinra," Barret couldn't help but gloat a little. He wasn't used to that kind of up front and blunt praise.

"So, where are we going now?" asked the Arc.

"Right! You said neither of you can't go back to your home. We're going to Sector 7, your new home for the time being. I'll talk to Tifa, and see if she can get you guys a place to crash."

"Thanks Barret," Ruby said with a smile before turning to her blond partner and asking, "I wonder, do you think we'll ever get paid for our day's work? I know we blew up their reactor, but we still put in the hours."

"I don't think so. Yep, that 10,000 Gil vanished the moment we sided with Avalanche," Jaune chuckled.

"Stuck up, I'm filing a complaint!" Ruby joked, earning a chuckle from Barret.

Chapter Text

[Location: Train Station, Sector 7 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

After a long ride around Midgar, the train finally made a stop. Arriving at their destination, Ruby and Jaune stayed seated, trying to see things on a positive note. On one hand, they couldn't return to Sector 5 because they knew that Shinra would be there waiting for them. On the other hand, they might have found a new home. Also, both of them had no clue how long it would be until they could see Aerith again.

That last one really had them down. The florist was a dear friend. Part of their mission is to protect her and not being by her side, naturally it didn't make the Hunters feel better at all. Though the youthful Ancient could look after herself, it didn't change the fact they are going to miss her dearly.

"We'll see her sooner than you expect it," Jaune said, trying to cheer the petite up.

"I know…it's just hard to think that we won't be greeted by her when we wake up tomorrow," Ruby responded as she leaned against the Arc.

They knew that they would have to make the best of their situation and try to give Sector 7 a chance to become their new home.

Not wanting to wait any longer, the teenagers got up to leave the train. The duo followed Cloud and the others to the ended up taking a glance outside.

It was similar to Sector 5, living under a plate away from the more advanced city.

Barret, Jessie Biggs, and Wedge left the train looking so calm, keeping a cool head and straight face. The Hunters on the other hand, were still in a bit of shock that they actually pulled it off. Their first mission has been a complete success. Regardless of how devastating was the destruction from the explosion was or the people that were injured and killed, they actually succeeded.

Ruby and Jaune noticed the other passengers leaving meeting with their friends and families.

They have obviously heard of the make reactor 1 explosion, and chatter about the damages done to Sector 8 was loudly voiced, but most of all, they noticed the worried and relieved expressions of the people reuniting with their loved ones.

Barret let it sink slowly. After all those months of planning since he formed Avalanche, everything they went through, the training, the drills, and all the other things they needed to take on in order to fulfill their vision.

It wasn't all for nothing, he wanted to cry tears of gratification, but most of all he was overjoyed that they managed to do something everyone said was impossible. Their first mission was completed with no casualties from their side, along with adding some potentially powerful allies.

"Hot damn, we did good boys!" Berret shouted.

"And ladies," Jessie said as she patted her leader's shoulder and pointed at her face.

"Bombs detonated: one. Members lost: zero!" followed Wedge.

The Arc and the reaper had to smile at the sight. Even they couldn't deny being excited after completing mission as successful as this one was.

"And one step closer to a brighter future!" said Biggs.

"Hell yeah!" said Jessie sharing the same enthusiasm.

"Guys! Lower your voices, huh? People are listening," said the Avalanche leader.

"Says the one who shouted first," muttered Jaune while Ruby giggled.

"I heard that!" Berret pointed to the blond with his gun-arm.

"Watch where you point that thing. Didn't your mother teach you about gun safety?" Jaune joked as he held his shield up.

Ruby and the other Avalanche members laughed at the blond knight's antics.

Cloud remained silent, patiently waiting for his pay for his services rendered while thinking, 'Seriously, they haven't paid me yet. We're done, the bomb was planted, it exploded, taking down the reactor, and they safely escaped Shinra Forces. What else could they ask for? If they want more they will have to double my payment.'

"Now get some R&R. You've earned it. Just make sure you're ready for the next mission." Berret said clearly out.

The three nodded before leaving.

Jessie stopped and looked over her shoulder to glance at Jaune. She him a sweet smile, waved, and winked while walking away.

Once more he blushed while thinking, 'Is…is she coming onto me? Well, at least she isn't acting like those thirsty moms back at Mantle.'

Jaune didn't mind this kind of attention because he never thought he would ever be a female magnet. He wasn't the cool suave type like Neptune, and he was no womanizer, no thank you.

The Arc would have to be very careful around her from now on.

Barret was about to go with them but stopped before turning to the ex-SOLDIER and said, "See you soon. We'll meet up at Seventh Heaven. You know, where Tifa works? Don't keep her waiting, she'll worry."

"As for you two" the burly dark-skinned man turned to the Huntsman and Huntress as he said, "You guys ain't that bad. Feel free to have a look around since you'll be living here from now on. I'll let Tifa know right away. Thanks for the maps by the way."

With that said, the Avalanche leader finally left, leaving the teenagers and the blond merc behind. It was a real shocker how nice Barret can be sometimes, considering how much he looks the stereotypical tough guy.

"Not long now, honey! *laughs* DADDY'S ALMOST HOME!" The three hear Barret's yelling voice from the distance well.

Jaune was happy that he was the kind of person who isn't quick to trust people, but once he got to know them, it was clear that Barret can be a real softy.

It's a good trait to have, and Jaune was pretty sure handing him the map to all eight Mako Reactors earned them some trust with the Avalanche leader. Meaning, he'll be counting on them to get jobs done, which meant more Gil to buy a new house.

As for Ruby, Jaune figured there'd be no problems. He was sure that Berret would fully trust the silver eyed petite in no time. She's very trustworthy, and with her infectious can do attitude, almost anyone can easily get along with her.

Even if the scarlet cloaked woman was still socially awkward like him, she just had this way of making people gravitate towards her.

Cloud, however, he didn't know how to socialize at all. From what Jaune learned about him, the Ex-SOLIDER likes to keep all conversations short, he was the silent type, spoke very few words, good with a sword, and would put his own life in harm's way to get the job done. So at the very least, Cloud was a man of his word.

Jaune couldn't tell if he can get along with someone like that, but that won't stop him from trying.

"Where should we start?" asked the red cloak reaper looking around the place seems to be as big as Sector 5.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe asking Cloud is a better idea. You should know your way around, right?"

"I don't know," Cloud shook his head.

This shocked them because they thought Cloud would know the place, but then again, they knew next to nothing about the spikey-haired Merc's personal history.

"It's my second time here. Don't know much about Sector 7, except the Seventh Heaven bar."

"Then why don't we look around together? If we get lost, we can ask people," suggested Ruby with a pep in her step.

"That does sound like a good idea," replied Jaune as he walked beside her.

"I don't see a problem. But let's not take too long. I don't want to make Tifa worry." Cloud nodded and followed the two Hunters.

The people at the station were still talking about the reactor explosion, it was everywhere in the news, radios, and even stray flyers on power lines.

Other civilians were still looking for people that apparently weren't at the train.

Ruby didn't want to think about those people that were among the deceased or wounded from Sector 8. It was still tearing her up inside, thinking that they were responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people. Even if the number of causalities was low, it was still too big a number for the red reaper to accept.

They heard someone announcing that they have concluded all train travels for the day while they headed further down the path to the Sector 7 Slums.

There was a wide space with circular benches and people talking, a food truck on the corner playing some jazzy tunes, and more food trucks on the opposite corner.

It was really a lively place from a simple glance. Maybe more lively than Sector 5 before Jaune and Ruby became resident mercenaries. There were also more adults and kids running than there were in sector 5.

As they walked through the new slums, Jaune noticed a wall that was similar to a bulletin board. It had many papers attached listing jobs in the area, random bits of news and information, and there was even one about Avalanche.

When they thought of it, both Jaune and Ruby have seen a lot of Avalanche signs around, there was even graffiti of the group plastered on trains and other sectors.

They saw a man checking one of the papers listing information written about Avalanche and their cause.

"Hah. “Mako is the lifeblood of the planet”? The hell it is. Goddamn eco-warriors with their dumbass posters." he grabbed it holding it.

Jaune lifted a brow as he thought, 'It's literally called the Lifestream, how do they not get it?'

"I tear 'em down and they're back up inside of an hour. Like I've got nothing better to do... I mean, look at all that steelwork... You're trying to tell me that's not progress?"

Ruby and Jaune stood in place while thinking, it was to be expected. The majority will support Shinra, even in the slums.

Cloud has suddenly felt a pain in his head. It was like something falling on him before he grabbed his head and braced for impact. However, as it turned out, it was just an illusion.

He odd behavior was noticed by the teenagers as well as the young man.

"What the—You okay, buddy?" The younger man asked.

"Mako junkie, huh? Figures…." The older man who tore up the Avalanche paper grouched.

Both the Arc and the Rose didn't take to kindly to his comment, and were about to say something in Cloud's defense, when suddenly, they gasped. A Whisper floated up behind Cloud, then another one, and another.

'Here we go again. Why do they always have to keep showing up around us.' Jaune thought to himself.

Even though there were other people around, they couldn't see them, only the Hunters and the ex-SOLDIER seemed to notice their spooky presence. Aerith too of course, but she didn't count. She was an ancient, they probably see lots of things they don't on a regular bases.

They passed by the trio before floating away before they became incorporeal once more.

"Sooo, you see them too?" asked the Arc.

"Second time. The first time was when that flower girl touched me," Cloud replied as he put his hand over his wrist.

"She touched you? Was that why you able to see them?" asked the petite.

"At first, no. I saw her scared like she was trying to get away from something. Then, she grabbed my hand while telling me to help her and I was able to see them."

The Huntsman and Huntress knew from Aerith that regular people can't see the Whispers but, only a few can; mainly those that are supposed to change the tide of destiny and alter the course of fate.

The two figured since they were able to see them without the florists help, then the reason has to be because they were chosen by the will of Gaia and sent to this world.

Cloud couldn't at first but could after touching her proved that.

So, they came to the conclusion that if anyone who is supposed to play a major role in saving this world, actually manages to touch the said florist, they should be able to see them.

If the ex-SOLDIER can now see them now, and that could mean he's one of the people that supposed to join them on their journey.

"That's a total of four people, for now. I wonder if there are more," Ruby mumbled.

"Ruby told me about them. Arbiters of Fate or something…." Cloud looked at Jaune for answers.

Jaune lifted a brow at the silver-eyed petite before she held her hands out and said, "What? You told me to tell him the short version."

"Guess there's nothing wrong with telling the rest then," the Arc chuckled while thinking that it was time to fill in the Merc on everything they know.

Biggs, Wedge and Jessie weren't that far from where they stood.

"That hot shower can’t come soon enough. I can barely tell my skin from all the ash and sweat." Biggs said on the need to take a shower.

"When I get back, it’s refuelin’ time." Wedge says excitedly .

"And you, Jessie?" Biggs asks her.

"I dunno. Figure out how I screwed up?" She said, still filling guilty about the bomb.

"Hah! You’re such a kidder." Biggs said thinking she was joking all while they start jogging their way home.

Ruby and Jaune didn't want to bother them after their mission success. So they waited for them to leave and relax like Barret told them to.

After going on a path filled with the usual scrap one would see in the slums, there stood the living district full of life. They spotted a few shops where there was a group of people watching the news, drinking, and others that were dancing to the music coming from a jukebox.

Just from a simple glance, and it wasn't as big as Sector 5, but maybe there was something here that Sector 5 didn't have. While Sector 5 felt like a cozy home where everyone took care of each other, this place seemed to be filled with lively people that wanted to party.

"Yang would love this place," Ruby commented.

"Yep, first place she' d be heading to is at the bar," Jaune chuckled.

"Speaking of bars," Cloud pointed to a building in the middle of an open wide area. The sign “Seventh Heaven” was written on a bright green board with light bulbs handing around it.

"That's where we're supposed to go," Ruby's eyes widened.

"Yeah, Yang would definitely love it here," Jaune said as he shook his head with a soft smile.

Now that they thought about it, they prefer to live in the slums rather than in the big cities above. The two could connect more with the people because they were needed and able to help them with problems.

While they had space, Jaune and Ruby started to tell Cloud about the Whispers.

They told him what they knew and added the information Aerith gave them. However, they decided against telling him that the florist is a Cetra, and that they're from another world entirely.

No, there was no need to tell him about that yet. Jaune was pretty sure the Ex-SOLDIER doesn't believe in Avalanche's dogma. He didn't know what they were doing was actually saving the planet by stopping the power company from draining it of all its Mako.

So, after telling him everything they could, the Hunters waited for the Ex-SOLIDER's reaction. However, there was none. Just what Jaune was expecting, Cloud wasn't impressed in the slightest.

"You're serious?" Cloud asked dully.

"Why would we lie to you?" said Ruby.

"It's no better than saving the planet by blowing up some reactors," Cloud shook his head.

"Well, the planet runs on Mako, it's called the Lifestream, life being the big important part. Without it, the planet and everything on it will die. Haven't you noticed there's no plant life around these reactors? Haven't you seen the large stretch of dead land outside Midgar's walls? If Shinra is draining that Mako away everyday with bigger and bigger needs for power, don't you think it's bound to run out of sooner or later?" followed Jaune with an aggravated expression on his face.

"Keep me out of their ideals. I had enough with Barret's rants. I just want my money," Cloud held up his hand and shook his head side to side.

"That's fair, I can't force anyone to believe my words without evidence, but you can't deny the Whisper's existence. You've seen them twice now, and you will continue to see them until you do what's needed," replied the Arc.

That was something Cloud couldn't deny. Those things, whatever they are, they're real, and the rest of the people couldn't see them; with the exceptions of Ruby and Jaune, of course.

'They must have had physical contact with the florist too since they know her personally.' Cloud thought before he suddenly felt another headache coming on. As he touched his head, the teenagers got worried seeing his reaction. It was clear that he was in pain.

'Is he sick or something?' Jaune thought.

"Cloud, you okay?" said the worried reaper.

"You will never stop haunting me, will you?" he muttered.

"Hey, Cloud?" Jaune checked on him.

"I'm fine. I've seen enough of the place for the night. I'm heading for Seventh Heaven," Cloud shook it off and started walking away.

The Hunters saw no reason to argue with that choice and thought that they can always take a better look at Sector 7 later. They followed the blond mercenary to the bar that wasn't that far from where they were.

When they arrived, the trio saw two people waiting on the staircase leading to Seventh Heaven.

One was a young woman in her early twenties with long dark hair, brownish red-colored eyes, and was wearing a white tank top with a black sports bra underneath it, like something you'd see MMA fighters wear in a ring. Other than that, she had red and brown arm bracers with silver and brown gauntlets.

Below the belt, she wore a black combat skirt with brown leather suspenders that went from her shoulders to the waist of the skirt. For her leggings, she had on long thigh high black stockings with red boots.

The second person was a little girl looking to be around the age of six or seven years old with short shoulder length brown hair, browns eyes. She was wearing a pink dress with white socks and brown dress shoes.

Ruby silently squealed at her because she looks so darn cute and adorable. She just wanted to hug her and never let her go. It was a max level of cuteness, and the reaper seconds away from suffering from cuteness overload.

"Marlene!" Barret shouted as he stepped up to the little girl.

The cute girl was overjoyed when she saw Barret walking to her. She then rushed over and jumped while the pretty black-haired bombshell called out, "Marlene! You know you're not supposed to run on the steps.

However, the cute little girl paid the dark-haired woman no mind as she shouted, "Daddy! You're home!" and jumped off the steps.

"That's right, angel, I'm home!" Berret said as he caught her with his normal arm and hugged her with the happiest expression the Hunters have seen him make yet.

Ruby blinked while thinking, 'So, she's his daughter? That couldn't be, they look nothing alike. Well, not unless, she was adopted. Oh, my god. Barret is such a sweetheart!'

This made the reaper's smile even brighter as she saw the interaction between the Avalanche father and daughter duo.

"Welcome back," The dark-haired woman called out.

"Have you been a good girl?" Berret asked.

"Yeah, I've been helping Tifa," Marlene replied with a radiant smile.

"Oh, you did, did you? Well, well…we're going to have find some way to reward you," Berret chuckled before entering the bar.

Tifa was about to enter until she saw new people next to Cloud. They didn't seem like they were from around here.

"Aren't going to introduce me to your new friends?" Tifa smiled as she put one foot behind her and leaned closer to Cloud's face.

"They're not my friends." replied the ex-SOLDIER as he shifted his head to the side.

"That's mean!" Ruby as she puffed her cheeks up like a chipmunk.

"We met during the reactor…thing, and we ended up helping everyone out," Jaune explained.

"So, new allies, huh? I'm Tifa," said the childhood friend of Cloud as she held her hand out.

"Ruby," smiled the petite.

"Jaune," The Huntsman replied and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you all, come on in!" Tifa said as she gave them a smile and waved them in.

Both entered the bar and it was pretty decent looking. The pinball machines caught Ruby's attention because there were similar machines like that back in Remnant.

"So they also have arcade machines here too?" Ruby shouted as she thought that she was beginning to like this bar. There was also a music jukebox with some tables, chairs, and stools.

"Where did you get that? I can't remember the last time I saw a real one," Tifa said as she stared at Cloud's chest.

Jaune saw Tifa pointing to the flower hanging on Cloud's harness. For some reason the Arc thought that if the ex-SOLDIER picked his next words wisely, he'd be in hot water.

'He did say they have known each other since they were kids so she might have a thing for him.' Jaune hummed.

How curious it was that Jaune was so observant towards other ships, but clueless towards his own.

Just like Ren and Nora felt the same for each other. It was something he saw from day one, and he called Neptune falling for Weiss when the two first met.

Before he made his move, Jaune wondered if Cloud could be bold enough to tell Tifa another woman gave it to him.

In response to Tifa's question, the spikey-blond merc took it off and offered it to her.

The Arc nodded in approval, admitting to himself that Cloud's action was a real smooth thing to do. That day, the Huntsman learned that sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Tifa smiled with a bit of blush on her face. Jaune could tell she liked getting a flower from the spikey-haired ex-SOLIDER.

'Way to go to save your bacon. Getting into trouble with women is never fun.' Jaune thought, but the Huntsman wasn't sure if Tifa was the jealous type since he barely knew anything about her.

"How sweet, when did you get so thoughtful?" Tifa said as she took the flower and started walking behind the bar to put it in water.

"A guy can change. It has been five years," Cloud replied.

'Five years?' Jaune tilted his head.

"I need to talk to Barret," Cloud followed up.

The Arc decided to go check on his silver eyed friend who was having a blast with one of the pinball machines.

Thinking that it was a pretty good start at their new home, Jaune tried to get Ruby's attention, but the reaper was too lost in the game to focus on anything else. She wasn't going to pay attention to him anytime soon, but it did look really fun.

Maybe it's because he has never had the chance to, but it occurred to Jaune that he never bothered to invite his team to an arcade.

That really brought him down, but he shook it off when he realized that they did lots of other things like watching movies, playing board games, running from Nora, and telling ghost stories for fun.

Nora would always come up with the scariest of stories. She had some that made Ren hide in their bathroom tub for a week.

'Ah…the good old days…and great, now I'm feeling home sick again.' Jaune shook his head.

"Daddy, the Mako place blew up. Everyone on TV's talking about it," Marlene stated with curious eyes.

"Don't you worry about all that silliness, dear. Daddy's here, and he's not going anywhere tonight. Now turn that thing off and let's get you to bed, huh?" Barret said as he turned off the television.

Cloud was about to approach the Avalanche leader when the little girl turned to him.

The Ex-SOLIDER didn't know how to speak to or how to handle Marlene. Kids weren't exactly his area of expertise. So, he went with direct approach, "Hey, kid."

'Smooth, Cloud, real smooth.' Jaune shook his head before Cloud turned to the Avalanche leader and asked, "Where's my money, Barret?"

Marlene panics jumping off the stool she was on and runs behind the counter.

"Hey! The hell you think you're doing scaring my daughter like that?!" Barret growled as he invaded Cloud's personal space.

Jaune immediately got between them before things got ugly and said, "Easy, it was just an accident. Cloud is just a little lacking in the sociability department. I'm sure Cloud didn't mean any harm, right?"

"..."

Barret kept glaring at him. The man was obviously the over protective type. He won't let some stranger get close to his little girl.

“Daddy says never talk to strangers.” Marlene said still behind the counter.

"That's right, honey. I do say that. What a good girl you are, remembering daddy's lessons." Barret said as he flipped between angry father to doting father.

Jaune saw that Ruby was done with the pinball machine, so he thought that it was time to get into his good side again.

Jaune was used to kids, so won't to mess up like Cloud did. The blond knight slowly approached the little girl while the dark skinned man eyed him like a hawk glaring at its prey.

"Hello Marlene, I'm Jaune and it's very nice to meet you."

"And I'm Ruby! You're very cute." smiled the petite.

The girl seemed to have calm down, giving a nod to the two strangers while saying, "H…hello…."

"Jaune and I are new here, so you'll be seeing us a lot from now on. I hope we can get along and become friends, that way we won't be strangers anymore."

Marlene nodded before smiling and saying, "I like your cloak."

The petite reaper giggled while showing off her red cloak like a model displaying her new dress. Ruby even put the hood on.

"I know, isn't it cool? It was a gift from my mom when I was little. It means a lot to me,"

"Daddy? Can you make me a cloak like that?" Marlene asked as she pointed at Ruby with a big smile on her face.

Berret coughed a few times before picking her up and saying, "We'll see about that sweetie. Now, off to bed we go."

"But I'm not tired! I wanna talk some more, Daddy…."

"Mmm... Alright—but just this once!" Berret relented as he put his daughter back down.

"Barret, I have to say, she's so adorable!" The reaper gushed.

"Of course, she is! Marlene is one of a kind! There is no one like her on the planet!" Berret bragged with a smug smile on his face.

Ruby smiled gently seeing the little girl and the big guy being so close to one another. It reminded her when she was Marlene's age playing with her father in the backyard while her mom was baking some of her famous cookies.

The memories of her youth flooded into her psyche. Her dad pretending that he was a Grimm while she and Yang were the Huntresses that needed take him down. The nostalgia hit her strong.

Ruby took a breath and reminded herself to be careful or else she'll end up shedding tears again. Remembering the past was supposed to be a good thing, but damn it, she missed them so much, along with all her friends.

Ruby got seated in one of the bar stools next to Cloud while putting her arms over the counter.

As the blond knight got seated next to her, Tifa smiled at her two new crew members/customers, and let's not forget about Cloud.

"So then! What can I get you three?" Tifa said with a cheerful smile.

"Milk, and cookies if you have those," Ruby called out.

"Water is just fine for me," Jaune held his hand up while thinking, 'Besides, I doubt you have grape sunburst soda in this world. Heck, I haven't seen a proper tasting soda since I got to this place. It's all energy drinks and that weird Mako stuff Shinra makes. Mako-cola, seriously what were they thinking?!'

Tifa turned to Cloud and tilted her head, making him shrug before saying, "My money. I'm still waiting on it."

Then the blonde merc sigh, "Give me something hard."

"I can get the milk and the water but no cookies, and your money, right."

She left the counter before walking right to the spikey-blond Mercenary, "About that... We should talk. Outside. Anyway Jaune, Ruby, can you guys can wait here for your order? I'll be right back."

"Sure thing, we're not going anywhere," Jaune waved them off.

The teenagers watched as the two left the bar while Jaune leaned over and said, "Think they're a couple?"

Ruby shrugged her shoulders, "I think Tifa might have a thing for him…but Cloud seems like a pretty dense guy. All that flirting and looks she gave him probably went right over his head."

"Hahaha, yeah it's so obvious, his head would have to made of stone to miss that," Jaune chuckled.

"From the sound of Tifa's tone it sounds like they don't enough money to pay Cloud," Jaune followed up.

"Ooh, he's not like that," Ruby chuckled.

But seriously, they both thought the Avalanche should cut Cloud some slack. Isn't it enough that he aided Avalanche's cause and put his head on the line? The man deserves to get paid for his services rendered. A mercenary's life blood is the check he gets from doing the job, without it, they can't live.

Jaune and Ruby understood where he was coming from, but they also knew that they are nothing like that. Money is important to them, but in the end, it's just another tool for humans to use. They care more about helping people that getting paid for it. It's just how they were brought up.

"Um, Daddy... Did the people who died all return to the planet?"

"Of course," Barret replied with a bit of a sad expression.

Jaune wanted to talk to the Avalanche leader, but he was too busy talking to Marlene. Ruby volunteered to get her attention away from him, and got up from the bar.

Being her usual cheerful peppy self, the little girl was immediately attached to the silver-eyed petite. Part of it was because of her red cloak, but Ruby was just fun to be around.

She knew stories Marlene never heard before, and spoke about her teammates and family like they were heroes in the books Jaune's mother used to read him.

Barret didn't mind one bit. He was happy to see Marlene coming out of her shell thanks to the Huntress. Though, his baby girl should be getting some sleep, any minute it'll be a half-hour past her bedtime.

Barret then recalled the way he reacted towards Cloud. The guy didn't have any ill intent to harm his little girl. He wasn't best person to hold a conversation that's for sure.

Barret then shook his head as he thought, 'No, I ain't apologizing to him.'

The merc may have been of great help in the destruction of Mako Reactor 1 but he wasn't sure if he Cloud had fully earned his trust.

The taller blond next to him, on the other hand, has done much better. First of all, giving him the maps to all of the reactors for free wasn't just charitable, but down right stupid.

It's the one thing that their group has been searching for so such a long time that they'd pay any price to get it.

Barret made a mental note to to inform Avalanche HQ later.

"What will you two do now? Take some jobs?" Barret asked as he crossed his arms.

"I do need to talk to you about that. We might take jobs from time to time, but not from you. That's not why were here. Being mercenaries was good at the start of our journey. However, now that we're with Avalanche, Gil is the last thing we want from you Barret. We're in this too for the planet," Jaune answered honestly.

"That's good. Paying one merc is enough to put a dent on Marlene's schooling funds."

"You should give Cloud a break. He has to make a living too. Mercenaries don't eat if they don't get paid," Ruby followed up.

"Everybody needs to eat, Barret," Jaune nodded his head.

"Guess so. Still, you haven't answered my question. If you aren't taking payment from me, how will you make a living in Sector 7?"

"Well...first of all we wished to join Avalanche. It's been our mission to save the planet before knowing about you. As for money, we have other skills that help us earn a decent pay," Ruby said with a bit of a nervous tone.

Barret turned to Jaune and then asked, "Is that so? You two want to throw away your futures to join us?"

"We made the decision before arriving here, before learning about your group. We want to save the planet as much as you," Ruby said loudly with a dead serious expression.

"Hmm…." he stood in thought.

True the teenagers did more than a good job back at the reactor, they fight better than most people he's met, and he also has those maps that will become very useful in future missions.

"So, you want to moonlight being a mercenary while being a fulltime member of Avalanche, huh?"

"We'll do anything you say no questions ask…well, we're not dumb enough to not question orders, especially if they sound bad, but as long as it doesn't go against our morals, we're your guys…"

Ruby heard him and gave him a dull look before Jaune coughed and said, "I mean, guy and girl. You already know we're good in a fight, and like Ruby said earlier, we have other skills that can be very helpful in other fields."

"Oh…I'm listening," Barret said while Ruby fully focuses on Marlene.

"Ruby has...an interest in weapons, and she made her own weapon. You've seen her using it, so I'm sure she can maybe forge you some new weapons for the group."

"You have my attention," Barret show a bit of a smile.

"Well, let's see, she's smart, funny, is one of the best fighters I know, makes great cookies, she's…fast on her feet, like really fast…I think that's pretty much it. Oh, yeah, Ruby isn't half bad with technology, and also gets along with Marlene, so she can look after her just in case you're not around."

"That's usually Tifa's job. Though, I wouldn't mind the extra help," Barret commented as his glance drifted over to see his little girl laughing at something the silver eyed girl said to her.

"What about you? Any expertise asides fighting?"

"Me? I...I'm very reliable I can come up with quick decisions and formulate a plan. Ruby is also the same, quick thinker, and she's a bit quicker than me. But I think I'm better at the long term stuff…she's also been teaching me about crafting weapons, and I've taken in interest in building technological stuff lately…I don't have any confidence in my understanding of the stuff to make something yet,"

"Sounds to me she's more useful than you."

The Arc didn't deny it as he sweat dropped. It was true in a way.

'She can fight, she's capable of making weapons, and Marlene likes her. She's the perfect candidate for Avalanche.' Jaune thought before saying, "Ruby is not going to join you unless I join too."

And it was true too. They wouldn't hesitate to leave if they both didn't get accepted into the group.

"I'm kidding boy. You want to join us, you're both in. But you better keep your end of the bargain and show me what you can do than fight or I might change my mind."

"Thanks, Barret we won't let you down," Jaune breathed a sigh of relief.

"You do know it's going to continue? There will be more explosions, more destruction, more people dying. Think you can handle it?"

"We know what we're getting ourselves into" the blond knight nodded.

The man gave a nod while hiding his smile. Avalanche was sure growing bigger and livelier. He turned to his little girl that was still chatting with Ruby.

"And it looks like my baby girl has made a new friend today," Barret thought as he forgot to not smile.

The one-armed man was happy Marlene made a friend. Barret was getting along with the two Hunters, and he could tell they were good kids, specially the red cloak girl.

"All right, that's enough chit-chat Marlene. Off to bed, for real this time."

"Okay daddy. Night Ruby!"

"Goodnight!" the petite reaper chirped. She was so happy to have met Marlene, it reminded her of herself when she was the little girl's age.

Barret took the girl upstairs of the bar while the silver eyes girl got seated next to the Arc.

"So far, this place isn't so bad," Ruby said as she kicked her feet back and forth happily.

"I should be easy to adjust with Avalanche here," Jaune followed up.

However, it didn't change the fact that they still miss Aerith.

The Ancient was always seen in a positive light. She's so kind and caring, and they hung out every day for their first four months in this world. However, they also knew that the pink-themed florist was lonely, trying to fit in with regular humans, it was hard for her to make friends, and Shinra keeping an eye didn't help either.

Biggs came out after chatting with Berret and walked over towards the two Hunters.

"Are we in?" Jaune asked.

"Barret gave you two his seal approval. Congratulations, you two are a part of Avalanche now," Biggs patted them on the back before heading over to the pinball machine.

"Cool. I have so many ideas to improve their weapons. There's nothing with having classics, but maybe a little touch of home will."

"Two in one special?" smiled Jaune.

"Yes. If I have the right place, the right tools, the right materials I can come up with something. Not to mention…our little experiment,"

"I already told Barret of your particular set of talents, so he might consider funding us," Jaune replied with a smirk.

"You're the best, Jaune! Thanks for always thinking about me," the petite giggled with a bit of blush on her cheeks.

"We still have a long way to go if we want to take down Shinra," Jaune changed the subject.

The reaper nodded before she got silent, "Think Aerith's okay?"

"She is. Young Grandma's stronger than we give her credit for," Jaune chuckled at the first nick name he called the florist.

The memory was still fresh in his mind.

"Why Young Granny?" Aerith pouted.

"Because, you're young and Ancient at the same time! You asked for a mean nickname, and I warned you, mine are particularly mean, even when I don't even try to be."

"Okay, I'll remember this, Vomit Knight," Aerith frowned as she puffed her cheeks up.

"Boo! Granny can't take a joke," Ruby jeered as she started laughing.

"Shut it, Crater Face! How many times are you blow up your lab? Jaune was right to give you that one," Aerith said before they paused, let the silence stick around for a bit, and then they all started laughing.

"She's probably thinking about us. Like "I wonder if Ruby brushed her teeth yet?", or "if Jaune took a shower after his workout session?"," Ruby said with a vibrant smile on her face.

"Or she said, "If Ruby isn't picking her nose when no one is watching?"," smirked the Arc.

"Ah! I...I don' do that! Not anymore. I'm a big girl now!" Ruby claimed as she blushed and turned away.

"Never doubted you, but seriously, Aerith has this tendency to look after us as if she was our mom."

"Or a concern older sister, either way, I miss her," Ruby deflated.

"Me too," Jaune patted her back.

The doors to the bar opened as Tifa walked through. She was surprised to see that there were still people here.

"Oh, I almost forgot about you two. One cup water and a cup milk coming right up," Tifa said as she walked back behind the bar.

The young woman went to a cabinet and took out three cups.

The Arc and reaper noticed the many bottles on the shelves. There were all kinds of alcoholic beverages, one called 7th Heaven Whiskey, Shiva Rum, Ifrit Tequila, Red Bomb Scotch, and even more strange names they've never heard of.

Staring at them it reminded Ruby of her uncle. She was sure if Qrow was here, he would be drinking some of them to see which tastes better while sneaking some into his flask.

It didn't take her long to serve the two glasses. She poured the third cup for when Cloud came back in. He got a cup of 7th Heaven Whiskey.

Jaune was feeling thirsty, so he didn't hesitate to take a sip, he downed the whole glass. Cold and fresh water, Jaune was glad that it didn't taste polluted or anything. He's had to drink some a couple times in the other Sector. That was until Jaune taught them how to make rustic filters out of sand, rocks, and charcoal.

Ruby looked like she thought the milk was even better.

"How is it?" Tifa smiled at Ruby.

"Great. It will taste even better with some cookies," the petite gave a pout.

"Sorry, this isn't a bakery. You have to buy them elsewhere," Tifa chuckled.

"Did you give Cloud his money?" asked the Arc.

"I did, but not everything. Five hundred Gil is all I could give him. I am planning on paying him the full two thousand after selling some water filters."

Ruby and Jaune stood in thought. Two thousand wasn't that bad of a price for helping Avalanche take down a Mako reactor. They were supposed to get ten thousand from Shinra just for being security guards for a day.

Ten Thousand if they did the day's work, fifteen thousand if they did a good job. Well, they still have some Gil left in their satchels, but together it only added up to about 5k. They 'were' sitting on 35K back at their house, but there was a high chance that it went into a Shinra employees' pockets.

"Well, might as well give her the good news while we're at it," Jaune sighed as he thought of their lost savings.

"We'll help you out. We're part of the group now," Jaune smiled as he pointed to Ruby and himself.

"Really?" Tifa asked.

"We're in, Barret gave the okay," Ruby said as she finished up her cup of milk.

"Welcome aboard," Tifa smiled. She was more than happy to have new members joining them.

"I don't mind the additional help, Cloud already volunteered," Tifa nodded her head.

"Will he accept if we gave him the remaining fifteen hundred Gil?" asked the Arc.

"I don't know. He usually likes to earn the money instead of someone offering it to him. It's why he wants to help me. He wants to be useful," Tifa answered.

"He'll be more useful if he aids Avalanche without a paycheck," said Ruby while shaking her head.

"I've been wanting to ask him to join us for some time now, but he obviously doesn't believe in the group's ideals. Still, if it means he can fight against Shinra, he'll do it," Tifa sighed as she shook her head side to side.

"He used to work for Shinra as a SOLDIER. I wonder what happened that made him quit?" Jaune thought out loud.

"Um…that's a good question. Probably a personal one," Tifa scratched the side of her head.

"Sorry," Jaune apologized in all seriousness, "I just say what's on the top of my mind sometimes."

"It's okay. You guys are new in Sector 7, right? Do you have a place to spend the night?"

alarret said you might be able to help us find a place. I hope it's not too much trouble," Ruby replied with an embarrassed expression.

"It's okay, seriously you two, relax. I can help with that. Come on, let's go." Tifa left the counter again.

Chapter Text

[Location: Stargazer Heights, Sector 7 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The young woman brought them to a two-floor apartment complex called Stargazer Heights.

It was the same place where Cloud was staying for the time being, and Tifa was just a few doors down.

It made Ruby happier knowing that she was living near people she can become friends with.

She was still getting to know the spikey-blond Merc, but Ruby still chose to see him as a friend, and she figured that it would be easy to get along with the Seventh Heaven's bartender, so that was one friend in Marlene, and a whole lot of potential friends to make over their time here.

Their room will be on the first floor and currently there's only one room vacant.

"One room, one bed, I feel like we've been here before," Jaune said with a nervous expression on his face.

He didn't like it, not because he thought Ruby was sexy, because it wasn't right for a man and a woman who weren't family or a couple to share a room.

Back at their place in Sector 5 they worked hard to earn two rooms, but he was going back to only having one bed once again, his back was going to kill him from sleeping on the floor so often.

It made the Arc uncomfortable and most importantly embarrassed. Because he'd never imagined he would share a bedroom with a girl again. He thought he got through that phase of their new life.

Not to mention it was Ruby of all people, someone he has grown very close to. In addition, Jaune couldn't deny that he has noticed her curves at the age of seventeen. To top it off, she was going to eighteen in a couple of months or so, which made him even more embarrassed because that would mean two adults were going to share a room.

"I don't mean to sound rude to Tifa, but I'll have to turn down your help. I'll have to find a place while Ruby stays here," Jaune said as he scratched the back of his head.

"You two can stay in room 102, and the landlady won't charge you because she supports the cause. I hope you two can come to an agreement on who will take the bed," Tifa seemed to have ignored him.

"Um...Tifa I—"

"Sure thing, we'll take the room! We'll just sleep on the bed together," Ruby said while casually cutting Jaune off.

"What?!" Jaune's face turned red bright red before he asked, "Ruby, can I talk to you over here?"

Ruby walked over a few feet away from Tifa and whispered in a rather loud voice, "What are you doing?"

"Sharing the room, what's so wrong about it? Friends share right?" Ruby showed a puzzled expression.

"Y-Yeah but share a bed? The two of us on a bed, together?" The poor guy was still blushing to the point steam started to rise from the top of his head.

"So, what? It's just a bed? I don't see the problem, Jaune," Ruby lifted a brow ad crossed her arms before saying, "Are you saying, I'm not good enough to share a bed with you?"

"Ruby, the way you phrased that…it can be taken in so many wrong ways." Jaune said as he slapped his forehead and thought, 'Oh, boy! Why is she not getting this?'

Tifa smiled when she saw Jaune's expression. Not to mention, they weren't really being quiet.

It was clear to the bartender that these two are very close to each other. The blond was acting like any guy would if they heard that a girl wanted to share a bed with him. Especially someone so close to him.

"You can take the bed, I'll take the floor," Jaune sighed, seeing he wasn't going to win this debate.

"Why do you want to sleep on the floor? The bed is so much comfier!" Ruby stuck her bottom lip up as she pouted.

"Because…I'm…sure the bed is small, right?" he turned to the beautiful bartender lady.

"It's true this is the slums. So it's not exactly a five star inn," Tifa held her hands out and shrugged.

"And I think it's the right thing to do if you get to sleep on the bed."

"I don't want you sleeping on a cold floor with no covers or a pillow. It's crazy. We did that once, Jaune, and it affected out work. My back isn't built for sleeping on the floor, and neither is yours. Just sleep with me on the bed, silly."

Her comment just made him blushed even more while he thought, 'If she could only understand the meaning of those words without me having to tell her. Then Yang might not kill me once we get to the afterlife…I wonder what happens if you die when you're already dead. Is like…double death?'

Tifa kept smiling thinking they would make a cute couple. Maybe she and Cloud would have been like this if he never left Nibelheim.

Tifa's cheerful expression changed for a second when she thought, 'No, don't think of it. That only brought painful memories.'

Memories that she won't see Cloud for a while, where she used to have people that she cared for, and where her life was changed forever.

They gasped hearing groans and the sound of a struggle coming from upstairs. They went to check it out only to see the blond merc pining someone to the ground holding his weapon.

"Cloud! Stop!" Tifa shouted.

"Get back inside!" Cloud warned.

The hooded person grabbed his right foot before Cloud let out a low growl, "Get off me!"

Jaune and Ruby saw the person on the ground wearing black robes similar to the Whispers, but it was an actual person and not a specter of fate.

A piece of his robe on his left arm was torn, revealing the number 49 in black ink over his pale skin. Neither had a clue what was going on, or what the number means. However, it was clear the guy wasn't fighting back.

Cloud's eyes widened as he lowered his weapon. It was like he wasn't seeing the person same person everyone saw, but a real and viable threat.

"How…no, maybe I'm just tired," Cloud gipped his head as he back up a bit. Even in death, that man was still haunting him, his very image seems to follow him everywhere.

"What are you doing to Marco? This is his apartment. He's got a few problems but he's not a bad guy." Tifa said before she helped the robe man.

"Is being very creepy one of those problems?" Ruby felt a shiver down her spine at the sight of the man, no wonder Cloud would try to attack him. It wasn't just that, something inside her was telling the reaper there was something fundamentally wrong with that man.

"The landlady asked me to check on him and then to make sure he's okay. Can I ask you to do the same?" Tifa requested.

"Sure..." Ruby shook her head as she thought, 'What's wrong with me. I don't even know the guy.'

"Here, let me help." Jaune volunteered as he helped the bartender take robed man back inside.

However, as they carried him through the door, Marco whispered something, a word that very familiar to the Arc.

"Reunion."

Blue eyes widened in shock.

"Reunion?"

The image of Cinder saying that word only brought him fear and anger. He and the silver eyed petite were still trying to come up with the fact that she might be in this world.

Removing the thoughts from his head, he helped Tifa put him on his bed, and left.

Closing the door behind them, Tifa gave a slight bow of apology before saying, "He won't cause any trouble, I promise,"

"Is he okay?" asked the red reaper.

"I don't know, he barely says anything. I only know he was found on the street before the landlady took him in. He doesn't eat much or sleep either."

"What's with the number on his shoulder?" followed the Arc.

"I don't know much about that either. Let's just leave him alone."

"Sorry." the blond felt bad interrogating the young woman.

"I'm glad he's on the second floor," Ruby whispered to him.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who got a funky feeling from that guy," Jaune shook his head.

Cloud sheathed his Buster Sword before going back to his room. He was tired and wanted to regain his strength and energy for tomorrow.

"What, no goodnight?" Jaune called out.

"Not my style," Cloud said as he closed the door.

"Yep, figured as much," Jaune let out a dry chuckle.

"Let me get the Landlady so I can give you the room key. I only told her about Cloud staying. I won't be long," Tifa waved before left taking the stairs.

"So, what do you think of Sector 7?" said the blond Huntsman.

"It's nice, I like it. I do miss our house in Sector 5 but this place...I feel it can become home," the petite smiled.

"Yeah, me too," Jaune crossed his arms and smiled.

"Hey, Jaune... Do you think Aerith knew we weren't going to return to Sector 5?" Ruby's eyes looked a bit depressed.

"I've been wondering the same thing too. I don't know if Ancients can predict the future. Maybe she just had a strong feeling."

"I want to see her again." Ruby placed her head against Jaune's arm.

The Arc nodded in agreement as he said, "Yeah, me too."

Jaune changed into his sleeping clothes and left the bathroom. He was so tired that the blond could barely think straight. Not bothering to check the time, Jaune went to the bedside wearing a white muscle shirt and blue shorts.

Sighing that the bed was indeed small, and that it didn't give him or Ruby any space between them each other, the blond knight let out another sigh of resignation.

"Forget it," Jaune shook his head. He wanted to sleep, so he went to the bed while not even giving a chance for the petite to come out of the bathroom in her sleepwear.

While he was trying to go to dreamland the Arc was reflecting of the many things that happened today. There were so many things that he didn't know where to start.

Joining Avalanche was the obvious choice. He wasn't sure at first, but after running into them back at Mako Reactor 1, it became clear to the Arc.

Helping Barret and Cloud against the Scorpion Sentinel, escaping the reactor, dealing with more Shinra forces, and the Scorpion Commando. His new summon/guiding form, giving the group leader the maps, and now living in Sector 7.

Too much action for one day, but it he guessed that could tomorrow it would slow down again. They have a new home, new team, and they were still in this together.

'Great, so much for crashing and conking out quickly, I really do stay in my head too much.' Jaune thought before the sound of the door opening caught his attention.

Ruby was finally done changing and walked out of the bathroom.

The petite closed the door to behind her, and with not knowing why, Jaune really wanted to glance at the silver eyed petite.

Unable to stop himself, he opened an eyelid slightly and peaked over his shoulder. The blue eyes widened at the sight.

The reaper was wearing a white tank top that showed off her belly and white shorts that stopped at her thigh.

'Why is she dressing like Yang?' Jaune blushed hard as he looked away.

Okay, so she was growing up into a beautiful woman, he won't deny it, but that doesn't mean she should wear so little.

The tank top shows perfectly her moderate bust and those shorts by the Planet Gaia, they can't get any shorter with how much of her thighs it was showing.

The blond was starting to wonder he might have a fetish for legs and thighs before he thought, 'All in all, her figure is amazing, and she wanted to share the bed with me? Here's hoping I don't die of a heart attack.'

Jaune heard her walking over as he closed his eyes and thought, 'Please just give me strength not to fall into temptation. I mean, it's Ruby…and she's... Freaking hot!'

Not to fall into temptation was very right. The girl's petite body has gone through great changes thanks to puberty and working out at Jules' gym.

She has also done changes to her clothing choices. He remembered when she would wear that black dress with the combat skirt during their Beacon days. It was hard to notice her developed body back then because she wore loose clothing like he did.

Then, little by little, she started changing her attire to show more skin. Growing up led Ruby to have different preference in clothing, and that change started to frustrate Jaune in a way he didn't want to think about, and all because her current attire shows her amazing figure.

Jaune was never really one to put too much thought into their 3-sizes, he cared about looks, sure, but it wasn't the most important thing. However, the blond knight was beginning to understand that he had a preference.

Ruby's boobs were perfect size, decently big, but smaller than Yang. Her hips had nice curve thanks to the corset she used to wear, and the muscles on her weren't overly developed like some kind of fulltime body builder, but an acrobatic and speed type build. Not to mention, he fully approves her shape and weight to her bottom, what a booty. It wasn't too big, but it was fit and had more than enough to hold onto.

Basically, the Huntress has the perfect body he was looking for in a girl.

But instead of admitting his feelings, Jaune went full blown denial mode, 'This can't be happening! She's my best friend. She's been with me through thick and thin, even before arriving in this world. Am I being punished? Why? I'm a good person.' Jaune cried to himself.

Ruby smiled ready to hit the sack and get some rest. What a day it has been, all the fighting and adrenaline really hit the old hero itch of hers.

It was no wonder why she was starting to like Sector 7, the place looked real rowdy, like trouble was easy to find here. Not to mention after meeting Marlene, Tifa, Cloud, and Barret. She enjoyed watching the Avalanche squad leader acting like a completely different person when he wasn't working, especially when she saw him with the little girl.

Seeing Barret being such a loving father brought back fond memories of when her own father would look after her. Taiyang Xiao Long wasn't the perfect father, but he was loving, kind, and cared for his daughters more than his own life.

Ruby didn't want to let the reminders of her family haunt her. She wanted them to make her stronger, so the reminders she got about her sister from Tifa, or the fatherly side of Barret reminding her of her own father, it would give her strength to move on.

'This place really can be home, the one I've been yearning for since I died.' Ruby thought to herself.

It was a matter of adjustment and moving on. Though, Ruby believed that she wouldn't be able to do it on her own. If she was alone in this world, she wouldn't know what to do. She probably would have given up, but she wasn't. Jaune was here with her and together, they will face anything that Shinra throws at them.

The reaper walked over to the bed glancing at the blond before asking, "Jaune, are you asleep?"

"Not yet."

"Too much excitement, right?"

"Yeah…excitement," Jaune crossed his legs pushing something hard down between his thighs before saying, "I'm tired but I can't sleep. I hate it when that happens."

Ruby giggled as she got on the bed covering her and Jaune with the covers. Her body so close to the Arc, her heart thumped hard a few times before she took a breath and calmed down.

She admitted this was a little extreme. Yang would never have allowed something like this this, sharing a bed with a boy would be so over the top. Ruby wasn't so sure about what the rest of her team would think.

Weiss will probably rant of how immoral it was while Blake could care less because she has always trusted Ruby as a friend and leader.

Ren wouldn't make a big fuss while Nora will be grinning.

A blush ran across her cheeks before tried to ignore the thoughts she was having, 'We have known each other for about two years and 7 months now, and we've almost lived here for four months now…together…'

Now the silver-eyed reaper found herself embarrassed and strangely hot when she was very comfortable a minute ago.

'Great, now the butterflies in my stomach are back.' Ruby's calm and confident nature ran out window when she realized just how close the blond muscular back was to her.

Ruby then blinked widely when she noticing the Arc trying to move away from her.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to give you your space," Jaune answered as he continued to scoot further away.

"But the bed isn't big enough, you're going to—"

And then Jaune fell off while a sweat dropped from the reaper's brow, "Fall..."

Jaune grunted as he landed on his very active lower half when Ruby asked, "You okay?"

"Ugh…I'm peachy. Why I don't go out to buy some extra covers and a pillow. I'll sleep on the floor as it should be."

"You don't want to share the bed with me?" Ruby's eyes showed a familiar sparkle Jaune recognized.

"Ruby—"

"You don't want to sleep with me?" Ruby pushed out her lower lip and pouted with her famous puppy dog pout.

'That sounded SO wrong,' Jaune thought as he blushed hard and tried to say, "But…"

"Stop it already and get on the bed. No ifs and or buts," Ruby pointed to the bed while holding the covers up.

"I...I—"

"Jaune, don't make me use Crescent Rose. Do what I say and get in the bed, now!"

"Okay!" Jaune shouted before he thought, 'Wow, I didn't know Ruby could be so scary! That's kind of hot…okay, yeah, something is wrong with me.'

The blond gave a sigh getting on the bed. It was hard to keep his distance from the reaper, and Ruby didn't make it any easier.

The silver-eyed petite didn't care what Jaune wanted as she moved her body closer to his until she ended up cuddling with his back.

The Arc blushed feeling the heat of her body along with her chest pressed up against his shoulders while her arm that was under his bicep was firmly wrapped over his chest.

She was so warm and soft, Jaune found himself unable to say a word. So, he clenched his eyes shut and tried to think of an ice bath or being out in the frozen tundra without clothes on.

Eventually, he was able to calm himself down, and both fell asleep. To their total surprise, it will be the first night neither of them would have a nightmare.

Chapter Text

[Location: Stargazer Heights, Sector 7 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

Cloud woke up seeing the rays of the sun against his window. Judging from the looks of it, it was still early. Considering how late he went to bed last night, he had to admit, he didn't get much sleep at all. However, it didn't bother the Ex-SOLDIER too much. He was used to long nights and fewer hours of rest.

The spikey-haired Mercenary took a quick shower before getting dressed, ate small breakfast, and got ready to start the day.

Actually, when he thought about it, Cloud couldn't recall the last time he had a goodnight rest. Every time he tried, it was always the same dream of that silver-haired SOLDIER he supposedly killed.

Yet, instead of rotting in the ground like a good corpse, the man was in his head, messing with him haunting him.

Cloud's thoughts then shifted to the man he met last night. Marco was definitely a strange one, the way he acts, his clothing, and that number on his shoulder. Tifa shouldn't be looking after weirdos like that, but it was in her good nature to help others.

'She was doing favor for someone, so it couldn't be helped,' Cloud thought as his mind drifted to the two teenagers.

'Pretty sure I'm not the only one irked by that man. Jaune and Ruby were creeped out by Marco too. I guess it will take some getting used to meeting people like that in the slums,' Cloud continued his thoughts as he picked up his Buster Sword and sheathed on the magnetic strap over his back.

"Checking for today's schedule," Cloud mumbled as he walked to the door.

He was planning to help Tifa earn some money selling water filters so she can pay him. He was still short by fifteen hundred Gil/ of what he was promised.

Being a mercenary in this day an age wasn't easy. Truly, he thought that he should've stuck to his guns back at Mako Reactor 1 and asked for more money. Then again, if he did demand more, it will be a whole lot harder on his childhood friend.

She was always so hardworking, bright, and trusting, he would never take advantage of her. Barret should at least be a the proper gentleman and helped her out. However, the dark skinned man was still having issues trusting him. Even after all of his help.

Also there was the fact it was her idea to hire him.

Therefore the Avalanche leader should've been responsible and paid him upfront.

"Time to go to work," Cloud said as he opened the door.

As he left the room, Cloud closed and locked the door behind him. Getting closer to the railing, he noticed Jaune arguing with someone on the first floor.

"Take it," Jaune said as he held out a fist full of Gil.

"I told you no," An older woman crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side.

"It doesn't feel right. Please accept it, or you can just pretend like you just found the Gil laying on the ground," Jaune refuted her refusal.

"What part of free of charge don't you understand?" The older lady shot back.

Cloud shook his head as he thought, 'Great, what's going on now?'

He climbed down the stairs and got a better look at the two.

Jaune was arguing with an older woman looking to be in her early seventies. She had white hair tied in a bun and blue eyes. She was wearing a blue necklace comprised of yellow spheres, a dark gray dress, and black sandals.

'What could they possibly be arguing so early in the morning?' Cloud thought as he moved closer to the two.

The old woman sounded annoyed than upset. They were being loud and people were obviously still sleeping at this hour.

"Yeah, they'll be happy trying to sleep with all this ruckus," Cloud commented to no one in particular. His sarcasm was clear to her in his tone.

"How about thirty Gil?" Jaune begged.

"Just accept the fact it's free of charge. For crying out loud, kid. You're friends with Tifa, and that's enough for me."

"Okay, just trying to be nice. Neither Ruby of I mind, giving you some payment just for giving us a place to live," the Arc finally gave up. Though it still bothered living in an apartment without paying rent.

The old woman finally noticed the shorter blond mercenary before saying, "Well now, you must be Cloud."

The ex-SOLDIER didn't know what to say. Jaune wasn't surprised. He wasn't the kind of person to greet someone.

"I'm Marle, your landlady. So how'd you like the place? You from up high?"

"I've been around," Cloud replied.

"I'll bet. No matter. All kinds come through with all kinds of reasons. If you ever need an ear to bend, I'll lend you mine. Can be about anything—even Tifa." Marle said as she nodded her head.

"What's she to you?" Cloud crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"The granddaughter I never had. And if you hurt her, I'll take it out of your hide. You hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Cloud answered simply and straightforward.

"Careful with that one, Cloud, she means business," the Arc whispered to the merc.

"Good! Now you'd best get a move on to Seventh Heaven! She's got a head start on you and then some." Marle waved her hand like the two blonds were flies or something.

"Marle look I—"

"Jaune I swear if you bring up money again, I will kick you and your girlfriend out!"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Jaune shouted with a bright red face.

"She hasn't awake yet?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, she was very tired from last night," Jaune shook his head.

"And what were you two doing that made her up oh so very tired?"

The Arc turned to Cloud who wasn't paying attention. Then back at the old woman and his red face turned redder when he finally realized what she was talking about.

"Whoa! It's not what you think! We were busy with the group's, you know, the cause? We just got back from a mission, the same mission that everyone is talking about, and we recently joined too so it was a full night with lots of stuff that kept us busy."

"Okay, but you two are sleeping in the same bed?" Marle lifted a brow.

"Again, nothing happened. We just slept like normal people," Jaune was still blushing. To make matter worse, he remembered that he had a morning wood poking the silver-eyed reapers bottom when he woke up.

'It's a good thing Ruby was sleeping soundly.' Jaune thought to himself as he tried to banish the impure thoughts.

"I'm just making sure. I don't want any funny business going on in my place. It's an apartment complex not a brothel. You can always go to the Honeybee Inn in Sector 6 if you feel like getting your rocks off, or better yet, go to a hotel."

"Look, I get it. Can we please, please, drop this subject… Well, then, I better get a move on I'm supposes to meet up with Tifa too. Thanks for everything Marle. Oh and if Ruby wakes up, tell her I'm at Seventh Heaven."

"Will do," Marle replied as she watched the blond walk away.

'Why does everyone think we're together?' Jaune thought as he continued to blush.

Jaune left and walked a bit before he saw Cloud standing nearby.

'Wait, was he waiting for me? That doesn't sound like the merc I know so far…well, I've only known him for a day.' Jaune thought the Merc would have already gone on ahead to Seventh Heaven by now.

When he caught up, they started walking together, which again, the Huntsman found very strange. It wasn't like he hated the ex-SOLDIER, but he was sure they weren't in the friendly terms. Also, Cloud wasn't the sociable type. Keeping a conversation isn't his forte, so Jaune was sure that he didn't stick around because he felt like opening up or having a good one on one bro-chat.

The only thing he could think of was that Cloud might want to ask him something, 'Could it be related to incident at the apartment last night.'

That Marco character was really weird, and Cloud looked like he wanted to run the Buster Sword through the guy.

'Well…anyways, today will be my first day as a member of Avalanche.' Jaune shook off his thoughts and tried to strike up a conversation.

"So, you and Ruby joined Barret?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, we've had intention to join Avalanche for a while. It's almost ironic those Shinra Grunts suspected we were already with them because you guys showed up."

"Then you're done being mercenaries?" Cloud lifted a brow.

"Well. No, we're still mercenaries, it's just we won't be able to work when we have missions. If you're worried about us taking jobs, how about we consider you part of the JOATA Mercenary Company?" Jaune asked with a smile on his face.

"JOATA Mercenary Company?" Cloud questioned.

"Jack of all trades associative mercenary company, or JOATA Mercenaries for shout; we do everything from fighting monsters to cleaning bathrooms," Jaune answered.

"Sounds like a hassle," Cloud followed up.

"Yeah, but you earn more than a bit of Gil when you open yourself up to working on just about anything. Ruby and I made at least 50K in four months," Jaune informed.

Cloud gave a nod before he has took another look at Jaune's sheathed weapon.

"Why do you fight with a shield?" Cloud asked.

"I need it to guard against attacks."

"I use my Buster Sword and I don't need a shield."

"But my sword isn't as big as yours. You can probably cut a car in half with that monster on your back. The shield is part of my fighting style that's been passed down through generations of family. I still consider myself a novice in the Arc Swordsmanship," Jaune answered before he paused and thought, 'Damn, maybe I shouldn't have said that without thinking. Well, it's not like he can actually find my family.'

"I see," Cloud nodded his head.

"Besides, most people underestimate how useful a shield is. You're sword may be able to block bullets and tank grenades, but with a shield, you can block, repost, counter, parry, deflect, and bash faces in.

"I saw you change your weapon into a two handed sword back on the mission," Cloud brought up his mecha-shift.

"True, and it's called Great Sword Mode to name it correctly," Jaune shook his head.

"Never seen a weapon where you fuse them together as one" for some reason the spikey-blond merc like the idea.

"Yeah, it's pretty heavy, but I'm used to the weight. Something I need to fix soon."

"They don't look heavy," Cloud remarked.

Jaune drew his sword and tossed it towards Cloud. The Ex-SOLIDER caught it and frowned.

"Heavier than I thought," Cloud swung a few times, impressed with the sound it made cutting through the air.

"I told you, you won't find meals like this on Gaia. The sword weights about 30 pounds, and my Heater Shield weighs roughly 75 pounds. In great sword mode, it weighs 105 pounds."

Cloud handed it back and said, "Not bad. You said the shield is part technological in nature, how so?"

"Well…I used to be able to make Hard-Light shields, kind of like that scorpion mech we fought in the reactor core room. I'm starting to understand how it worked thanks to Ruby teaching me technobabble, but unfortunately, the fuel source it used isn't viable anymore."

"Why not use Materia?" Cloud questioned. For a second, he thought Jaune was just swearing off Mako because he joined Avalanche. He had no clue that Jaune was referring to a combination of Gravity and Hard-Light Dust.

"For starters, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I mean, what Materia Combination can even make Hard-Light?" Jaune chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Cloud gave him a confused expression.

"It's nothing…I just thought it's funny that you're talking about my weapon and you haven't said anything about Ruby's. Come on, big sharp scythe and a sniper rifle that's way cooler than a sword and shield fusing."

"I prefer melee weapons, mostly swords. Not into guns," Cloud shook his head.

"I guess that was an obvious response. Well, you're very good with that Buster Sword. Just staring at it makes me feel like that thing must weight a ton."

"Not to me. It only weighs about 300lbs," Cloud said with his simple tone of voice.

"Sure, I don't suppose you know what it's made of?" Jaune asked with a smile. He still couldn't believe he was keeping up a conversation with the Ex-SOLDIER.

"I think a mixture of Mythril and Adamantine," Cloud replied.

"You don't know what your own weapon is made of? You're more like me than I thought. Ruby would love to figure it out. I can imagine her bursting into rose petals as she run circles around the thing," Jaune let out another laugh.

Cloud stood silent again though there was something he wanted to ask to the blond.

The Ex-SOLIDER saw Ruby moving way faster than he was capable of, but the most interesting part was that parts of her body, or her body entirely, was converted into rose petals before moving at speeds he could barely react to.

"What was that? That was nothing like I've ever seen before. Was it a new Materia Combination, or was it even Materia at all?"

Cloud then looked to Jaune's eyes as he continued pondering over their abilities, 'Anyway both of them can move and fight on par with most 1st Class SOLIDERS, and I don't see any signs of Mako infusion. Well, I've never seen Silver Eyes before, could be a new method of creating SOLIDER…No…I doubt it's that. Not to mention, they both are very skilled in combat. It's like they have years of real fighting experience.'

Jaune gave a quick glance at the mercenary who went silent, "Guess that's all the talking he will do for now."

The Huntsman took it as a sign that they were getting along when Cloud suddenly asked, "Where'd you learn to fight?"

"Training camp," Jaune threw back Cloud's response when he asked the very same thing during the mission.

"Fair enough," Cloud held his hands up.

The two blonds arrived at the bar to see some people gathered outside talking about Shinra and Avalanche.

Many of them supported the group of their ideals, not to mention, they weren't fond of the electric company because of the treatment the slums get.

That's when the Arc noticed he really had a lot in common with the people of Sector 7. Thinking that's to be expected from the home Sector of Avalanche, they entered the bar and saw that Tifa was behind the counter, washing some glasses.

She looked up and saw them walking over before she gave them both a smile and said, "Morning, you two!"

"Hey." Cloud nodded his head.

"Hi, Tifa," followed the Arc with a smile.

"Where's Ruby?"

"She uh...I went on ahead, she will come by later."

"She's sleeping in?" the bartender smiled again before giving a chuckle.

"Sorry about that. I think she really needs the rest," Jaune rubbed the back of his with an apologetic expression on his face.

"I don't blame her. After that mission last night, anyone would be exhausted. I'm sure Barret will understand. And just so you know Marlene's still asleep so..." Tifa put her finger over her lips and smiled.

Both blonds nodded as they got seated. They understood it wise to stay quiet. Waking the little girl would be a big mistake since they'd have to face the wrath of her dad.

While he waited, Jaune was hoping the Avalanche leader wouldn't be upset at Ruby for oversleeping. Then again, maybe the others were in the same boat. Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge weren't around, so maybe they were sleeping in as well.

'If that's the case, then it should be all right.' Jaune thought to himself.

"Let's get down to business, shall we? I told Jaune and Ruby they could help, so I hope that it's okay with you if they come along, Cloud."

"I'm fine with it."

"These water filters won't replace themselves. Although, the next batch probably could, if Jessie put her mind to it. Most every home in the area has one. Folks love 'em 'cause they practically eliminate the rotten-egg smell."

Jaune noticed Cloud's behavior and tilted his head as he thought, "Wait, is he bored?"

Tifa was doing this in order to pay him the remaining Gil for his services he's in no position to argue. But then again, it doesn't suit him or it's not his field of expertise.

He used to be a SOLDIER and they're very good at fighting. Jaune understood that they live for the battle.

"Huh? Guess I can understand him a little. I should talk to him about this. Even though it wasn't his kind of job, mercenaries don't get to be picky when their broke. If he's going to be part of team JOATA, he should learn to hide that expression when dealing with a customer," Jaune hummed to himself. It appeared he signed up his fellow blond without even giving him a choice.

However, Jaune also noticed the bartender beauty was still going on about it even though Cloud's expression said he wasn't interested, like she was doing it on purpose. Her smile gave it away. It was clear that Tifa enjoyed teasing him.

This made the Arc smile as he thought, 'Looks like they really have known each other since they were kids.'

"Honestly, they make us more money than this place. And it's easy money too. We bring new filters, collect the old ones, and get paid." Tifa informed.

The blond Huntsman was memorizing everything she was saying. He might need to write all of this down just in case.

Cloud grunted which made Tifa raise a brow as she asked, "What?"

"Give me a break. I'm not a salesman. I'm a SOLDIER," Cloud turned his head away.

"Ex-SOLDIER" Jaune put the emphasis on the 'Ex' part.

"You're a mercenary now, and you do want your money, right? Then don't argue and listen to her. I'm willing to help too, so it will be less work for you. First thing you should learn about taking jobs, customer is always right…well, unless they're trying to use you for other more nefarious things, but Tifa isn't the scheming type, and you know plenty about her character, so don't need to run a background check or anything. You have to get things done if you want the money, Cloud. No complaining either. If you piss off the people paying you, you might not get paid at all."

"I could always force them to pay," Cloud placed his hand on the Buster Sword's handle.

"Then you'll never get a job in this place again. If you hurt your customer, then no one will want to hire you once word gets out. In the mercenary gig, reputation is just as important as the pay that goes in your wallet," Jaune informed.

"He's right. I volunteered to help you, so you should listen to me if you want your money. No one else is going to pay you, so...what do you say? Please?"

She had to say the 'p' word. There's no way Cloud could say no to her now. He will never forgive himself if he ever hurt her feelings.

A sigh escaped the spikey-haired merc's lips before he said, "Let's get this over with."

"Great. And while we're at it, I'll give you the grand tour of the Sector 7 Slums," Tifa declared as she pumped her fists.

"Well, we didn't get to see all of Sector 7 last night," the Arc said to himself while thinking, 'The problem is Ruby isn't here yet.'

"Jaune!" The voice of an upset Huntress echoed throughout Seventh Heaven. The doors then opened as Ruby arrived, and boy she didn't look happy at all.

Jaune was too shocked to react, but for reason he refuses to admit, he wanted to hide behind Cloud or Tifa.

Jaune knew why she was unhappy. The only thing he could think of was that it had to do with leaving her alone or leaving the apartment without her.

Jaune couldn't help but think, 'What did I do wrong? Ruby was always appreciative when I gave her some extra time to sleep in, what was different this time?'

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" Ruby's cheeks puffed up.

"Because…you needed the rest? I know you were plenty tired, so don't deny it." Jaune tried to turn the conversation around.

"You could have at least told me you were going on ahead!" Ruby huffed as she crossed her arms, stomped her foot, and cocked her head to the side.

"But…that would have woken you up…" Jaune felt sweat dropping from his brow.

Tifa smiled at the two chatting back and forth while Cloud just wanted to get this job over with already.

He didn't have patience for this. The merc just wanted his money, that's it. There was no time to listen to…whatever this was.

Ruby pouted while muttering, "Maybe…you do have a point."

Yes, she was exhausted last night, and yes, she needed the rest. But Jaune leaving without a word wasn't acceptable.

"Would you please forgive me, Ruby. I'll leave a note or something next time. I just thought a few extra hours of sleep would do you good," Jaune pleaded.

"I'll think about it," Ruby looked away as she pushed her bottom lip up and stuck her head in the air.

"PLEASE!" Jaune begged.

Who was she kidding? She couldn't stay mad at him for too long. The expression on his face was so sincere. Always caring about others before himself.

When she thought about it, Ruby realized that she would have done the same thing if Jaune was in her position.

"I'll forgive you, just this once," Ruby hid her smile with her back turned.

The blond sighed in relief. He really didn't want Ruby to be in bad mood. She was kind of scary when she was angry.

"If you two are done with your lovers quarrel. We can finally get started with the job," Tifa smiled with a large grin, but it was clear to see that teasing expression that was behind it.

That was enough to shut them up. Both the Arc and the reaper blushed as they stood slack jawed and stared at bartender.

"We…w..w…we're not lovers!" Ruby said as she got more and more quiet towards the end of her declaration.

"Y…yeah, we're j…j…just good friends…" Jaune looked away and walked out the door.

Cloud was breathed a sigh of relief while thinking, 'Finally, that's over. Let's just get this done already.'

The Hunters left the bar while avoiding each other's cherry red faces. However, after a few minutes of not talking about it, their attention shifted to Tifa's tour of Sector 7.

"Go ahead and keep whatever we collect. Seeing as you didn't bring any luggage, I'm guessing there's stuff you need to buy." Tifa suggested as they started taking a tour while collecting payment.

"Thanks."

"And don't worry. We'll pay you the difference after. Barret's out making his rounds too."

"As long as I get it all today." Cloud said nothing after.

Since they were able to take a better look at Sector 7 in daylight, they noticed many shops, buildings, and people walking around that they missed out on seeing the previous night.

They listened to her explain a bit about where most of the Sector's citizens lived, the alleyways, and were some monsters pop up too, and before they knew it, they arrived at one of the buildings she has sold the water filters to.

They entered one of the shops before the bartender went to the owner and charged him for the water filter.

"Hey, there. Here to change out your water filter." Tifa greeted him.

The man who seems to be in his mid-twenties was showing all kinds of happy gestures and smiles with the young woman. His tone even had some flirt to it, which it was then abruptly ignored by Tifa, and Cloud.

"Tifa baby, how you doing? Been waiting for you to—Wait. Who's he?"

Then the shop owner finally asked about the blond Merc next to her. He didn't bring up the two teenagers because he was mainly focused on the bartender. Cloud just happened to be the closest to her.

"This is my childhood friend and mercenary Cloud Strife. He's helping me collect the money for the water filters."

"I see…" The shop owner knew he hated Cloud with a single glance. He looked the Ex-SOLIDER up and down before thinking, 'Could there be something between him and Tifa?'

Cloud could care less if he was glaring at him or not. This wasn't the kind of job for him.

"Sounds like a pretty sweet gig! If you ever need someone to fill in, I'm your man." The shop owner said.

"Pay up," The ex-SOLDIER said with a bit of a rude tone.

However, Tifa interfered and followed up by saying, "For the filters."

Jaune ad Ruby saw the funny scene and thought, 'The guy must have a thing for Tifa.'

The Arc wasn't surprised. He admitted that Tifa was very beautiful, and he probably wasn't the only guy in the slums who thought the same.

The spikey-haired Merc decided to buy some items since he was here. After paying for a couple of Materia and potions, the shop owner announced that he still didn't need to change, so there was no need to charge him.

"Thanks! If you're ever in the market for anything else, drop on by. Especially if Tifa's with you."

"We'll see you around, okay? And let us know when your filter next needs changing!"

After he was done, they tried to leave, but the shopkeeper stopped the teenagers and asked, "Is Tifa was with him?"

Jaune and Ruby took a page from the Ex-SOLIDER and shrugged their shoulders while saying, "Not our business."

The mercenary watched the two teenagers exit the shop before following the Merc and his childhood friend.

"He's a regular. Stock up here, and he might throw in a freebie or two," Tifa said as she gave him a wink.

"For you maybe..." Cloud rolled his eyes.

Jaune and Ruby smirked as they thought, 'At least Cloud isn't that dense.'

"He sounds jealous," Tifa thought before letting out a soft chuckle.

Jaune and Ruby looked at each other before holding back their snickers.

"Well... You could try being a little nicer," Tifa raised a brow.

"To get free shit?" Cloud raised a brow back.

"Not my style." Jaune, Ruby, and Cloud said while they shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders.

Tifa chuckled before it turned into full blown laughter.

Cloud's eyebrow twitched as he looked at the teenagers with an apparent expression of frustration.

Jaune and Ruby chuckled because they thought they nailed the impression.

"Not funny," Cloud responded with a dull tone.

"It's kind of funny," Tifa said as she forced herself to stop laughing.

"Can we go?" Cloud tapped his foot against the ground while his arms were crossed.

"Our next stop is Stargazer Heights. Landlady's a client." Tifa announced as she wiped away a tear from her eye.

"Just met her." Cloud responded.

"Then you know what to expect. Remember: she's a good friend of Avalanche, so be nice. Please." Tifa winked at the shorter blond.

"Say, Tifa? How much do you guys make with these water filters?" Jaune asked as they walked towards the apartment complexes.

"Quite a lot actually, so much so, that you'd be surprised. Water is an essential source for life, just like Mako. Everyone needs it to survive. We always make sure to stock up the stuff and earn enough to get around with the filters."

"That's why you guys can keep up with all of the funds you need for...Avalanche stuff," Ruby muttered the last part.

"Exactly, we don't have to fight to earn Gil for the cause, except on missions. Sometimes, easier is better."

"If you're a salesman, not an ex-SOLDIER," The blond merc replied.

"Then just call this a break from all the fighting," Tifa said as she rolled her eyes.

"It's too easy for someone like me," Cloud shot back.

"Then you should be happy. It's easy Gil because you don't have to put in that much effort. Mercenaries should be happy about a job this easy," Ruby followed up.

Cloud paused and looked at the teenagers before he made sure they weren't going to do anything, and said, "Not my style."

"We used to do all sorts of things when we were living in Sector 5. It wasn't just fighting monsters, scavenging, painting, cleaning you name it. We would do anything for a quick Gil, that kind of work tends to pile up the Gil," Jaune informed.

Cloud shook his head there's no way he'd imagine himself doing all of those things. Fighting it was all he was good at that's why he will prefer any job that includes the use of his skills.

They were returning to the apartments sooner than he thought. Cloud saw the building in the distance and thought about how old woman gave him an ultimatum and what she'd do if he tries to hurt Tifa. Of course, he'd never do anything to harm her. Besides, Tifa's a big girl, and she can take care of herself.

Cloud could tell the old woman was a good person, and that she cares a lot for his childhood friend. So his opinion of her was better than most.

The four arrived at Stargazer Heights where Marle the landlady stood seated on chair in the first floor.

She was reading the newspaper. Not surprise it was the Midgar Planet Star, the same paper that is always kissing up to Shinra. But why was she reading it if she supports Avalanche. This was enough to get the attention of the three mercenaries.

"Hey, Marle! Got some filters for you." Tifa said with a cheerful expression.

"Tifa! My dear, dear girl!" the old woman immediately put the paper away.

"Why are you reading that?" the Arc had to bring it up curiosity has gotten the better of him.

"Oh this, just trying to keep myself occupied. You know what makes this paper so great?" Marle asked with a smile on her face.

"No, but I have a feeling you're about to tell us," The Arc commented.

"They're perfect for a nice fire. Good garbage is better to be used for keeping yourself warm," Marle said as she threw in a nearby burn bin.

Ruby and Jaune chuckled at her comment while Tifa giggled. Cloud was amused, but he hardly showed it.

"I'm glad to see you two again." Marle smiled at the teens before she glared at the Arc "Now, I trust you remember what I said?"

"I know, I know." the blond blushed.

"I'm keeping my eye on you, and Ruby, dear, I don't want you sleeping in the bed with him," Marle showed a much softer expression with the silver-eyed petite.

"We're only sleeping together, what's so wrong about that?" The Huntress asked.

"You're still young and innocent. I can't expect you to understand dear," Marle said as she gazed back at Jaune.

Ruby blushed before she poked her fingers and said, "We're just sleeping together, we're not doing any pervy stuff. You worry too much. Seriously, Jaune would never do anything to cross those boundaries… Even if he had a woody this morning…"

"…...…...…..."

Jaune stood with wide eyes and his mouth wide opened. His jaw might as well be hitting the ground from complete embarrassment.

Tifa covered her mouth to prevent herself from laughing out loud. However, she couldn't hold in and started busting up.

Cloud turned the other way it was impossible to keep a straight face after hearing that. He was so hard not to laugh that small snort escaped.

Marle's glare intensified towards the poor tall blond. He wanted to take a step back and run away, but he was still too shocked at the revelation.

"Ruby! I thought you were asleep!" Jaune didn't know what color he should be, bright red, or pale as a ghost.

"I was…until your woody woke me, poking me…are they supposed to be that big?" she muttered, feeling embarrassed for bringing it up again.

Tifa sputtered before she clenched her stomach and laughed harder, "Good for you, Jaune."

And so, his face turned so red, it started radiating light and heat.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. You should sleep on the floor and let her take the bed. That's what a true gentleman would do."

"I wanted to do that in the first place, but she refused. She wanted me on the bed," Jaune shouted in his defense. However, it ended up sounding more pervy than he intended.

"True I don't mind. He can say no a hundred times and I will say yes a hundred times more. I'm stubborn like that," Ruby gave a sweet smile. She still saw nothing wrong sharing the bed with him.

"Kids… They never change," the old woman gave a sigh.

"Actually, I'll be eighteen in…let's see, three months," Ruby nodded her head before suddenly realizing something.

'Wait…I forgot about Jaune…it was pretty close to his birthday when we arrived on Gaia, and I completely forgot! Why didn't he say anything…right, he probably forgot too..I have to do something!'

"Still a teenager and you're still a kid to me!" Marle rolled her eyes.

"Okay! Can we get back on topic to the reason why we're here?" Jaune just wanted to be rid of this embarrassment moment. However, he was pretty sure everyone in the slums now knows about his morning…accident with the silver eyed petite.

"Tifa, please, no more. Can we just sell the filters?" Jaune pleaded.

"Right," Tifa answered, still trying to control her laughter.

"He's here too?" Marle finally noticed Cloud, and she was not sounding too happy.

"Working." replied the mercenary.

"Be nice! Cloud's helping me with collections. Jaune and Ruby volunteered," Tifa defended her friends from the wrath of the landlord.

"You'd better take care of her!" Marle said with a stern expression. She trusted the Arc to a degree but not the Ex-SOLIDER yet.

"I'm pretty good at taking care of myself, you know." Tifa shook her head.

"That I do. Still, better him than you. No charm, no wit. Big sword...but no skills."

"I've got skills." Cloud furrowed his brow.

"I think she means your social skills" replied Jaune.

Cloud stood silent, "Okay, point taken."

"Be nice!" reminded the bartender.

"I'm doing my best..." Cloud replied.

"You're looking awfully glum. Are you getting enough sleep? A good long rest'll cure anything, I tell you."

"A tried-and-true lesson for life on the ground floor, am I right?" Tifa giggled.

"That you are. Now—your money," The landlady said as she gave Tifa two hundred Gil.

"Thanks, Marle. You take care of yourself," Tifa waved as she started walking away.

"Marle, you don't have to worry about Cloud. We've seen him fighting, he'll be able to protect Tifa easily. Plus, we can fight too, so Tifa is in good hands," chirped the red cloak reaper.

"You're so adorable Ruby. I think I might have found myself another granddaughter," Marle responded with a soft smile.

Her comment made the silver-eyed reaper smile and think that Sector 7 place was already starting to feel like home.

"Alright! Last stop is the weapon store." Tifa announced.

"Yeah!" Ruby cheered before hopping in the air. She was hyped that they were going to her favorite place in the slums.

Ruby wanted to take the lead, but since she wasn't that familiar with Sector 7, she let Tifa lead them.

"Oh yeah, Ruby gets like that when it comes to anything weapons related, it's her passion," Jaune commented as he saw the look on his fellow blond's face.

"I see," Cloud replied as he watched Ruby hopping around and chatting with Tifa about Crescent Rose. The reaper was imagining the kind of weapons they must have, she could hardly wait.

The bartender led them to and entered the weapons shop. It was bigger than the petite thought it would be, way bigger than the one from Sector 5 and Wall Market.

However, the size of their building didn't matter to the Huntress, it's what's on the inside that counts. Her eyes widened seeing the products on display, all kinds of weapons that would make her drool were lined up with price tags on everything.

Cloud and Tifa went to the counter where the shop owner was. Unlike the young man from the item shop, this guy didn't look happy at all. In fact, he seemed very upset about something.

The red cloak girl was still looking around while Jaune stood behind the bartender and the mercenary. His eyes glared at the sight of the young woman which made the ex-SOLDIER glare back at him in return.

"HEY! THAT LAST FILTER DIDN'T DO SHIT!"

"We're so sorry about that. Hopefully this one will work better... We will bring it to you free of charge," Tifa apologized.

"SAVE YOUR EXCUSES AND GET OUT!" The weapon shop owner barked.

"That's not nice. Look, she apologized and offered to give you a free filter. The least you could do is accept it. " said the Arc as he crossed his arms.

"SO IT CAN PERFORM POORLY LIKE THE LAST ONE? NO THANKS. I'M BETTER THAN OFF BUYING FROM ANOTHER BRAND!" The owner said as he turned his crossed his arms as well.

"Unbelievable," Jaune frowned as he lowered his arms.

"Jaune, it's all right. If you could just settle your bill, we'll be on our way."

"The hell? You charging me for your busted-ass goods?" The shop owner sounded offended.

"My associate, here, handle payments disputes…." Tifa patted on Cloud's shoulder.

The Ex-SOLIDER was more than ready than just collect money and put an end to this dispute. Money or no, he wanted to tear this guy a new one.

"Think you can mosey up in here and have it your way?"

"Pretty please." Cloud's voice was beyond sarcastic. He just needed an approval from his childhood before he gave this guy a left hook.

"I have no interest in giving you anything. If your product doesn't deliver it's not my fault it's yours. Now leave."

"You have an awesome collection mister!" Ruby walked over to the counter before she continued speaking, "The models here are in top notch condition, and the materials used to make them are of high quality."

"Damn right, my shop is the best in Midgar. You won't see weapons like the ones here anywhere else in Midgar," the owner's behavior changed suddenly sounding very proud of his shop.

"I have some Gil to spend. A few caught my attention," Ruby smiled, noticing that he was looking forward to her patronage.

"Say no more. You name them, I'll bring them."

"Buuuutttttt…It doesn't feel right to buy from you with the way you treat our associates. This sweet young lady right here took her time from off from busy work schedule to come here personally and collect the money. However, you don't want to pay her back. I'm starting to have second thoughts about this place. Maybe I will take my Gil elsewhere. I hear Wall Market has quite the variety of weapon to select from."

Tifa wanted to smirk at how Ruby was able to guilt trip the guy. However, she couldn't argue with results. The bartender could see that the owner was panicking.

"Fine! Here you go!" The shop owner quickly handed the bartender the two hundred Gil.

"Thank you!" Tifa smiled while accepting his payment.

"That was fast," Cloud was impressed.

"Ruby has a way with words," Jaune said before walking over to a nearby faucet and started running the water.

Once he saw that the filter was working just fine, Jaune looked at the now sweating weapon shop owner as he said, "You didn't want a new one because the old one still works."

He coughed a few times before mumbling something like, "I don't know what you're talking about. I fixed it…"

Tifa chuckled as she turned to the rest of the group and said, "Seeing as we're done with our rounds, and you've got a small fortune now, why not take a gander at the weapons?"

"Well…When will Barret be back with the rest of the group?" Ruby asked as her eyes darted across the goods in the store.

"Before we open up tonight. It'll be a while yet, so...what do you wanna do?" Tifa asked again.

"Don't really know." Cloud shook his head.

"In that case, I've got a suggestion. Wanna hear it? If you're serious about becoming a merc, then you're going to need to start making connections. “It's not what you know, but who you know,” y'know?" Tifa smiled as she placed her hands behind her back.

"She's right. Ruby and I had to start somewhere, so we started with doing small jobs asking for small payments. Little by little, we started gaining a reputation and became well known in Sector 5. Once we became popular, we raised the prices of our services. The more people know about you, the better." Jaune informed.

"Hmph. Another lesson for life on the ground floor?" Cloud lifted a brow.

"Like Jaune said. Connections get you jobs, jobs build your rep, and more rep gets you better connections...better connections lead to better paying jobs."

"How do I start?" Cloud asked earnestly.

"Hmm...why not help out the neighborhood watch? They're mostly volunteers, but you'll get to know people." Tifa suggested.

"Sounds like the best place to start building your reputation," the Arc followed up.

"Yeah, okay." the ex-SOLDIER seemed fine with it.

"Didn't see anybody at the office, so let's head up top." Tifa said as she pointed to the stairs.

"I want this, and this, oh and this too!" Ruby was still ordering.

'Just how much is she planning to spend?' the blond Huntsman felt sweat dropping from his forehead.

Chapter Text

[Location: Weapons Store Rooftop, Sector 7 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The blond knight shook his head while following Cloud and Tifa. While he walked behind them, Jaune eyes were glued to Ruby's actions. The petite bought a machine gun, an assault rifle, and a handgun.

He knows the girl loves her 'combat appliances' as she would call them, but he also thought that she's spending too much Gil on weapons she'll probably never use. He had to face the fact that there was no way he could see Ruby using anything other than her Crescent Rose.

Her Sniper-Scythe is her baby as stated countless times by silver-eyed reaper herself. She created it from scratch, and she's very attached to it. There's not a single weapon on Gaia that will replace her weapon of choice.

The blond Huntsman obviously helped her carry some of the weapons when she came running after.

Cloud took a glance at the silver eyed girl. She was eyeing the three firearms closely while her eyes were shinning, 'I guess Jaune wasn't lying when he said she was passionate about weapons.'

They climbed some stairs leaving the weapon shop and headed outside to second set of stairs that led up to another room above the shop.

After entering the room, they saw Biggs and Wedge seated on some boxes, checking on their weapons. On a side note, the room was full of cargo boxes.

"Huh, didn't know you were holding down the fort." Tifa called out.

"Oh, hey, Cloud, Jaune, and Ruby. Looking to join the neighborhood watch?" asked Wedge.

"That depends. What does this neighborhood watch do?" The blond merc answered with a question.

"Umm...lots of stuff, really. But our top priority is taking care of any beasts that wander into town. That, and teaching the locals how to defend themselves." Biggs replied as he cocked back the hammer on an assault rifle.

"Like they say: “The only one who'll look out for you is you.”" Wedge said as he puffed out his belly and held out his arms.

Cloud stood in thought, "So it's like guard duty."

While he didn't like the teaching part, the Ex-SOLIDER could put up with it. Though, he wasn't exactly teacher material.

Jaune and Ruby didn't have a problem with it. Since they're now official members of Avalanche, they do the job as requested.

"Cloud's a great fighter, but only we know that. If no one knows him, no one'll hire him. Thought if he joined the watch, he could get his name out there." Tifa said with a confident expression.

"We want to volunteer. We don't mind a little hard work. Besides, you can make a pretty penny…er, Gil harvesting monsters," Jaune grinned.

"Really?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, being a Monster Hunter is probably just as lucrative as being a Mercenary, then again, Mercenaries often hunt monster for jobs so they actually make more," Jaune commented.

"Good to know," Cloud said with a nod.

"What's with the artillery?" Biggs asked as he took notice of the red cloak girl with the three weapons.

"Just something I bought to check the design and materials, and it's pretty cool," Ruby grinned.

"We'll aid Cloud, since we're part of Avalanche now, we won't take a paycheck, but we'll take those monster parts," Jaune grinned.

"Why?" Cloud tilted his head.

"Do you want to dissect every monster you come across and harvest its skin, bones, useful organs, and edible meat?" Jaune lifted a brow.

"Not my…"

"Style, yeah, yeah. So I don't want to hear any complaints when I make a fortune," Jaune chuckled.

"Hmm… Well, maybe I should learn," Cloud smirked back.

"Oh, my, god. He smiled," Ruby pointed her finger.

Tifa chuckled as she saw Cloud look away to hide his expression.

"Wait, what did you say? You're part of Avalanche now?" Wedge questioned with look of confusion.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you about that," Biggs chuckled.

"Really Biggs? Well, anyways that's great news! Welcome aboard!" Wedge gave a thumb's up.

"Yep, Ruby and I are now members of Avalanche. Barret's fine with it by the way."

"I figured as much!" smiled Wedge.

"Yeah, always happy to have more people join the cause," followed Biggs.

"Now if we can just get Cloud on board, it be better for everybody!" the chubby member declared.

"Truth be told, we could really use your help. The more power Avalanche has, the better our chances will be of pulling off our missions," Wedge followed up.

"Not interested. If you want my strength, pay for it," Cloud responded.

"Hahaha, come on, don't be like that. You get certain perks for joining Avalanche. For example...uh, what about your sword?" Biggs pointed to the Buster Sword on the Ex-SOLIDER's back.

"No, no, no. If he didn't let me check on it, he won't let you do it either," Ruby frowned, still not happy about not letting her examine the weapon.

"She's right, you can forget about it," replied the ex-SOLDIER.

"Okay...Just trying to be nice. C'mon...at least let me show you how to enhance your weapon." Biggs knew he didn't stand a chance in convincing the Ex-SOLIDER.

"Enhance." This got the reaper's attention.

So, Biggs began his in depth explanation for the merc and everyone present on how to enhance one's own weapon.

"Jaune, can I see your sword?" Biggs asked.

Jaune looked at it and nodded his head before passing it over.

"Whoa, it's heavy than it looks. Well, first you apply liquefied Mako to the sword, making engravings that match the flow of metal. The information contained within the weapon gives rise to new powers. I can see the Buster Sword on your back has already gone through this process a couple of times."

They watched as Biggs pulled over what looked like a tattoo gun filled with glowing green Mako. As he made the grove, Ruby watched in fascination as the Mako melted into the weapon and the sword glowed for a bit. The sword didn't look any different at all, no groves, or fancy print, just Crocea Mors as it was.

"There, check the edge on it now," Biggs gave it back.

Jaune held Crocea Mors close to his face as he said, "Wow, it looks like it usually does after I spend an hour on the whetstone."

Jaune then smirked because he knew very well that Ruby was loving every second of this. He too paid attention to how the knowledge within their weapons, and how their built-up experiences had transferred to direct value when Mako was added to the mix.

Biggs went on about how to sharpen, hone, add slots, and even to apply certain Materia combinations.

"How do you know all this, Biggs?" Ruby questioned.

"Well, I used to be a teacher. It was my job to make sure the kids could move into a paying occupation," Biggs blushed a bit as he rubbed the back of his head.

Cloud obviously didn't have a clue since he was no blacksmith. He only knows how to use his Buster Sword.

Ruby then cleared her throat to get their attention. She then she whistled like she was minding her own business out on a stroll while she slowly approached Cloud.

She stood in front of him and looked at his sword when Jaune figured out what she was up to. The Arc then chuckled as he thought that Cloud was never going to go for it.

"You know…" Ruby started off.

"No," Cloud said bluntly.

Why can't they understand he likes his weapon the way it is. He has fought so many tough battles with it, and it didn't have a single scratch on it. His buster sword is the best, and his most favored weapon of choice.

"Well, I—"

"I said no. And that's final."

The red cloak petite frowned again as she crossed her arms. She was about to call something Cloud she was going to regret when Jaune jumped in front of her and said, "H…Hey! Why don't we start our rounds?"

"I'll go and spread the word of your deeds! Praises, even on an empty stomach!" said Wedge as he patted his belly.

"Wedge, we're going to get you in shape," Jaune scratched his brow.

"What's wrong with me?"

"For one? Being overweight is bad for your health. Two, your ability to run might cost us something on a mission. I have no problem if you like to eat, but you should work off the calories that you take in," Jaune commented.

"So, I don't have to eat less?" Wedge asked.

"No, you just have to work out more," Jaune followed suit.

"Well…I guess I could get in shape. For you guys," Wedge smiled.

"So, where are these monsters?" Cloud said, wanting the job done. He had quite enough bonding time with the Eco-Terrorist.

"Scrap Boulevard. Good hunting," replied Biggs.

"Anything edible?" Jaune asked.

"Not really, the only edible thing around this place are the rats and drakes," Biggs answered.

"Hey, Cloud. I'll come with." Tifa said as she held her fist up.

"No, I've got this."

"Aren't you forgetting we're coming too?" said Ruby.

"Yeah, might as well let her tag along," Jaune shook his head.

"Besides, none of you know the way, do you?" asked the bartender with a sly smile.

"None of us, no…" followed the reaper.

"Lead on," Cloud shook his head. Didn't have a choice now, better getting there fast than getting lost.

"Sure thing, I know these streets better than anyone." Tifa pushed her breasts out a little as she placed her thumb over her heart.

"Can you guys hold onto these while I'm away?" Ruby smiled at the two.

"Sure." Biggs took the three weapons from her hands.

"Are we allow to carry this much artillery?" Wedge asked with a sweat drop running down the back of his head.

"I don't think the boss minds. Besides, I'm more surprised you agreed to lose weight. I've been trying for years to get you to do that!"

"No," Biggs crossed his arms, "You wanted to put me on a diet. Jaune said I don't have to stop eating what I like."

This time, a sweat drop formed on Biggs' head.

Tifa lead the group away from the district section. As they walked, Jaune thought, 'Should have been obvious Scrap Boulevard would be away this far from the people. It's all the way on the other side of Sector 7.'

Cloud was actually in a good mood for a change. He was glad his name will soon get recognition for his deeds. The more people know about him, the better the pay he will receive. Eventually, he'll be able to charge a hefty sum for people to pay for his services.

Now that Jaune and Ruby were no longer fulltime mercenaries, it was his big chance. The competition won't always be around because of the Avalanche duties, so it only makes it right that he steps up and take all the clients.

The massive piles of scrap were behind a gate that was being guarded by a member of the Neighborhood Watch.

When they walked up, he gave the four access inside without raising a fuss. The guard knew Tifa, and even warned her to be careful.

Walking into the place, everyone saw that there was junk littered everywhere. For the Arc and the reaper this was similar to the Sector 5 scrapyard, so there weren't surprised at all.

They also knew that Monsters could pop up at any minute, so they kept their guards up. The bartender decided to do something to show her childhood friend that she wasn't any worse a fighter than a SOLIDER.

"The area is pretty big. They could be anywhere, so we should split up to cover more ground. Ruby, you're with me. We'll take the left side," Tifa called out.

"Sure, fine with me," Ruby didn't seem to have a problem with the team selection.

"I guess we're taking the right," the Huntsman turned to his fellow mercenary before Cloud nodded at him.

Both ladies left, leaving Jaune with the ex-SOLDIER.

It quickly became awkward when the silence filled the air and lingered for a minute.

Honestly, the Arc didn't know what to say. Heck he'd probably didn't approve of Tifa's choice. The Huntsman was expecting they will do this as a team. But there goes that option.

Before he said anything, Cloud has already headed out. The blond gave a sigh while thinking, 'This should be fun.'

"Wait for me. Just because we split up doesn't mean you have to go on your own," Jaune shouted as he ran after.

"Then hurry and catch up," Cloud said bluntly.

"It feels like we're back at square one."

Both blonds were patrolling the Boulevard filled with scrap. It didn't take long for monsters to show up.

Three Gorger; a large insect type that is commonly found in these grounds. Jaune had already drawn his weapon, but Cloud beat him to punch, charging at the creatures with an intense burst of speed.

Now usually, Jaune would say it was reckless to do that, but since he was stronger than he looks, he figured it can be overlooked.

The Gorgers never stood a chance. Within seconds, they were all cut down by the Ex-SOLIDER's large sword.

"Cloud is truly a one man's army, I guess he doesn't my help," Jaune said, feeling a bit left out.

However, he'd still keep an eye out for other monsters, just in case the mercenary might need help. More Gorgers appeared, roughly seven of them.

This time the Arc lent his aid, rushing forwards and rapidly swinging his sword out twice, cutting the two monsters in half, killing them instantly.

'Gorgers don't have any edible meet and the most expensive parts are their bones, teeth, and claws. Their tails have poison sacs that can be used to make an anti-toxin. But all in all, they're pretty weak, and fire deals more damage to organic monsters.'

Jaune rushed forward and jumped off one before equipping the Fire and Elemental Support Materia into his double slot. With a front flip, he landed on another monster's back and stabbed it in the head. Fire spewed out from the wound before Jaune pulled his sword out of the creature's head and slashed across the top half of another Gorger.

One tried to jump at his face, but Jaune swung out with his other hand and bashed his shield against the creature, forcing it to fall and roll the ground. However, Cloud finished it off before Jaune looked up noticing that Cloud had also killed the rest.

They were nothing but pushovers, so it was to be expected.

"So far so good," Cloud commented.

"Don't let your guard down. You make mistakes when you do. This place should be filled with more of them," Jaune rolled his eyes.

"I know," Cloud responded with his usual cool tone.

"Now guard me while I cut these suckers up," Jaune said as he pulled out a dagger.

"Right," Cloud said as he watched Jaune work while occasionally checking their surroundings.

Once they finished, Cloud learned something new while Jaune got to teach.

"Why burn all the meat?" Cloud asked.

"Well, for starters, it isn't edible. Secondly, meat will attract more monsters to the spot. We want to lower the numbers of monsters in this area, not attract more," Jaune replied.

"Why learn so much about their anatomy?"

"Understanding a foe's weakness is important. One of my tea…someone I knew taught me to take full advantage enemy weaknesses and to use anything that could help you gain an edge in combat. It's usually you think your strength is greater than the need to think that someone stronger and smarter than you comes along to kick your ass…opps, ohh…phew, Ruby's not around. Don't tell her I cussed."

"I won't," Cloud said as he went over what Jaune said. The Ex-SOLIDER then thought, 'It was good advice. Was the one who taught him that the same person that taught him how to fight?'

While resumed walking, they dealt with more of the gross-looking insect-type monsters with relative ease.

Cloud remained calm, these enemies were too weak, but his past experience taught him to keep his guard up at all times.

However, there was enough slack in his tension to keep an eye on Jaune.

It was the same for Jaune. He had his guard up, shield and sword in hand, and ready to react to the slightest commotion, but still spared enough of his attention to interact with the Ex-SOLIDER.

Taking time out of being a mercenary to help Avalanche save the planet for free was something he still didn't get it. He knew Shinra was bad, but the whole eco thing was nonsense to him.

Getting pay is all that matters to him. However, one thing that had him deep thought since the mission to Mako Reactor 1 was both Jaune and Ruby.

The teenagers have shown impressive skills during the fight with the Scorpion Sentinel, escaping the facility, when they were running from Shinra forces at Sector 8, not to mention Jaune's supposed warrior was a Summon. He had never heard of a Summon with human warrior, it sounded like something straight out a fairytale.

When Cloud thought of the destruction The Red Huntress Materia caused, he wondered if Jaune had the same potential within him. Not to mention, he saw something glow on them when bullets landed, especially when that same summon infused with him that caused him to glow.

Cloud's genetic augmentation made him stronger, faster, more durable, but not bullet proof. At least not without applying barrier to himself.

After disposing another batch of Gorgers, the mercenary put his buster sword down and thought, "They aren't SOLDIERs, but they definitely aren't ordinary fighters."

"If this is all the place has to offer, then Ruby and Tifa won't have a problem," Jaune commented.

"They'll be fine. I know Tifa can handle herself just like your partner can," Cloud replied.

"You're not going to complain because this is too easy, are you?" Jaune rolled his eyes.

"A job's a job. It gets done, and I get paid. Have to start somewhere."

Jaune nodded his head before saying, "Yeah, you can't expect you'll be earning two thousand Gil every time."

"The Mako reactor mission was different. It's Shinra, not scrap bugs," Cloud clarified his motives.

"True, true, it was intense, and we could have all been in big trouble if lady luck wasn't on our side," Jaune chuckled.

"Luck has nothing to do with it. Experience and skills is the decisive factor in a fight," Cloud replied with a assurance in his voice.

"I have to disagree to an extent. Yeah, we're strong and we triumphed even when the odds were against us. But it was luck my summon Materia awakened at the nick of time. My female warrior saved us just when everything was about to make a turn for the worse."

"Or maybe it was fate,"added the Arc with a grimace. God, he hated that word.

"I don't believe in fate."

"Whatever it was, fate, luck, skill, it saved our butts back there. I won't argue with you on that," Jaune shook his head.

"You and Ruby... Seriously, where did you learned to fight?" Cloud asked with the most curious look Jaune had seen on him yet.

"Now that sure came out of nowhere," Jaune saw that Cloud really wanted answers. It wasn't like when he asked him before and brushed it off like he didn't care. This time, he was genuinely curious.

Thinking about, it made sense to the Arc. After watching him and the reaper in action anyone will get curious, even a guy like Cloud.

"My dad taught me. Remember how I said my fighting style is passed from generation to generation in my family?"

The blond mercenary gave a nod.

"Well…I was crap. I still remember every stroke, every movement, all the footwork, but I was just…a failure."

Cloud lifted a brow, "Don't seem that way to me,"

"Don't get me wrong, I worked my butt off, and I had the help of my friends. But I promise you, I SUCKED at fighting. I could tell my father was disappointed, so I ran away. I ran away to get strong."

Cloud nodded his head. Strangely, he could relate with the kid. It wasn't like he didn't know how important family was. However, for some reason, he can barely recall his own mother's face. He doesn't even remember if he had ever met his own father.

In fact, most of his memories were hazy. Cloud can barely recall his time as an SOLDIER. From what he did remember, he felt alone for as long time, at least until he met Tifa.

"So yeah, I was trained by a friend and my father, and I was total crap before she took me in," Jaune smiled as he recalled the first time that he asked Pyrrha to teach him.

"She?" Cloud lifted a brow.

"Yeah, her name was Pyrrha Nikos. She was the strongest person I knew. Well, stronger than Ruby and myself at the time. She taught me how to make sense of my family's fighting style, as well as taught me many of her own. She was a hero to me, my partner, and my best friend. Even now, long after she died, her memory gives me strength to move forwards."

"Hmm…sorry for your loss…" The Ex-SOLIDER commented while thinking, 'That…kind of sounds familiar.'

Cloud then felt a tinge of pain coming from his head before shaking it off and moving on.

"As for Ruby, she was taught by her uncle before we went to Beacon—" blue eyes widened realizing his mistake.

"Be-acon?" the merc stood confused.

"It's a school we went to learn all valuable information how to fight monsters and further our training," Jaune felt so stupid for letting it slip. Well, he no choice but tell him a little now.

"A school?" Cloud stood still. He thought it sounded similar to a training camp he once attended.

"This school, did it have anything to do with Shinra?" Cloud asked.

"No, it wasn't, and thank goodness for that. It was a private school. We were taught the basics all about monster hunting, spared with other students, and took chaperoned mission to go out and hunt. Remedial classes were often nightmarish."

The mercenary gave another nod. That sounded like a good place to train. They probably didn't treat them like SOLDIERS, tools of death, or lab rats. Cloud could still feel the intense pain of being injected with a great deal of Mako.

However, the pain was necessary to create the ultimate weapons for battle. A being that is able to surpass any human in physical might.

"So, Cloud, how do you like Sector 7 so far?" Jaune tried to strike up a conversation.

"It's okay I guess. I'll get used to it. Don't know about my neighbor though,"

The Arc knew what he was talking about. The creepy hooded man named Marco living next door to him would put him on edge too.

"Would you prefer to live on top of the plate?" Jaune asked.

"The slums are enough." He gave another typical Cloud-natured answer.

Jaune smiled before saying, "You may be strong but don't forget you don't have to do everything alone. We can help you, so don't be shy to ask for it. We're always willing to help when needed."

Cloud's eyes widened seeing the blonds' smile and his posture. For a moment, he thought he was staring at his old friend and comrade.

A headache came in waves as he touched his forehead. Images flooded the mercenary's mind, memories of training camp, meeting Zack, and then….

"Hey Cloud, you okay?" the Huntsman got worried.

"I'm okay. Let's keep going," Cloud shook his head as he went ahead.

"That was weird." Jaune scratched his head.

It was pretty dull and quiet on Ruby and Tifa's side of the scrap area. The red cloak girl had her scythe out and got a compliment from the bartender.

"That is a very cool looking weapon. You said you made it yourself, right?"

"Yep! This baby is a combat scythe that can rotate in any direction. Her name is Crescent Rose, and she's also a gun." Ruby bragged, drawing a chuckle from Tifa.

The Huntress was glad to share weapon talk, but she's really been looking forward to see what the young bartender can do in battle.

Ruby noticed that she didn't have any weapons on her besides the gauntlets, so she figured that Tifa was obviously a melee fighter like Yang. As he sister popped in her head, the petite did her best to try and not let memories of Yang get her down.

Besides, she had a job to focus on.

Before she could continue to torture herself, six Gorger arrived to snap her out of her funk.

The monsters took a circle formation, surrounding the two ladies as they slowly encroached upon their personal space.

Tifa went for the ones facing her while the reaper covered her back and took care of the rest.

"These things as just as weak as they are ugly," Ruby commented as she took them all out with a couple of swings from her scythe. The Huntress didn't even break a sweat before turning to her partner with a smile on her face. She admitted, she wanted to brag a little.

However, silver-eyes widened upon seeing the bartender. She was moving so fast, faster than any human could. Her punching, and her kicking, they were all executed with perfect movements. There wasn't a single bit of slack in her form.

The petite stood still as nostalgia washed over her. So she wasn't just any old melee fighter, but an incredibly powerful one.

Her moves and fighting style were similar to her sister's. It was so close to being the same, she was so sure about it, that she was imagining the blond brawler's image transposing itself over Tifa's.

The sight should have made her smile, but instead, she teared up. The memories washed over her like a strong wave, submerging herself inside her own psyche.

It wasn't just Yang but Weiss, Blake, Ren, Nora, Oscar, her uncle, Maria, and even Penny. Even her early memories of when she was little. In every single memory, her sister was always there for her. The emotions were too much for her as she put her hood on.

The Avalanche brawler was done with the creatures looking like she could fight for another twenty waves.

"Looks like you beat them before me. Good job, Ruby," Tifa smiled.

The Huntress couldn't reply as she choked back a sob, her body refusing to move.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Tifa got worried approaching her.

'No, I refuse to cry in front of her! Let them be strength, let them be strength.' Ruby chanted mentally.

She was tired of crying all the time. Jaune was always comforting her, and she thought he must've have been as tired as she was. The reaper sucked it up, put on the same tough front she was used to, that same positive go-getter version of herself.

Removing her hood, Ruby gave Tifa a big smile and shouted, "That…was…SO COOL!"

This surprised the brawler her outburst was so suddenly.

"Wow! You were like bam! Whap! Boom! And then it was over before I knew it! I figured you could fight but that...That was truly amazing. Sure, Cloud is really strong, but I think you're superduper, for realsies, a whole lot stronger! You do that all with your bare hands! Your bare hands, woman!"

"Thank you. Though, I wouldn't say I'm stronger than Cloud. He is a SOLDIER after all. The augmentations and Mako infusion ensure that they excel in physical might, and in combat, they set themselves apart from any other fighter alive."

"I like seeing you fight more than him. It was just…."

Thus, the red cloak girl started imitating Tifa, putting her fists up, her feet in a fighting stance, and waist centered before throwing a few punches.

Tifa smiled at the sight. Ruby was doing a very bad attempt at copying the posture Tifa uses when she fights.

The punches were uncoordinated, her balance was off, footwork was a mess, and the same could be said about the teenager's kicks.

'Looks like hand-to-hand combat isn't Ruby's forte.' Tifa thought before gasping as she saw the silver-eyed petite punching herself in the jaw.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?!"

"I... Whoa...everything's... Spinning...so cool" Ruby managed to say before she fell on her butt. The poor girl was seeing stars.

"I think you had too much excitement for one day. I doubt there could be more monsters here. Cloud and Jaune must have taken care of the rest. Come on, let's get back," Tifa said as she lent a handout.

"Ow... You know, your fighting style, it's just like hers…." Ruby huffed before thinking that she wanted to talk about it.

"Hmm, like who?" Tifa paused.

"My older sister, she fights with martial arts too. Her moves aren't exactly like yours, there are some major differences, but I can tell she was stronger."

"Really?" Tifa noticed the past tense part of Ruby's words. She felt sorry for the girl, but was curious to know if this sister of hers really fought like her.

"She wasn't the patient type, always making horrible puns, had a bit of a short temper, and way too over protective of when it concerned anything me-related. Then she, just changed she wasn't the same anymore. She lost her arm and we drifted further apart. She didn't want me to get involved, and chose to get comfort from her friend instead of me. It felt like I wasn't her family anymore, it angered me a lot." Tears were starting to fog up the reapers eyes.

"It's okay," Tifa smiled at Ruby and patted her head, "You don't have to tell me. There's no need to dredge up all those painful memories."

Ruby nodded with wiped her eyes before taking a deep breath and putting smile. Once she saw that the silver-eyed reaper was good to go, they started walking back to the others.

When they made a bit of ground, Tifa tapped Ruby on the shoulder and said, "However, if you feel like talking about it. I'm willing to listen. It sounds like your sister was a great person."

"She was. She was the best," Ruby nodded her head.

"I wonder…could she have trained under a man named Zangan?"

"Who?"

"It's okay, that gave me my answer," Tifa was sure now that her sister didn't train under her same teacher as her.

Ruby didn't know why but she felt like hugging her. So she did, catching Tifa by surprise. It was a quick embrace before Ruby let go and let out an actual smile instead of the front she forced herself to put on.

"Feeling better?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah," Ruby answered.

"Ready to go?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," Tifa answered before walking side by side.

Minutes later the two ladies reunited to see the two blonds waiting.

"Look man, I'm telling you, I can make a hedgehog pot pie that will blow your socks off," Jaune shook his head.

"I don't care what you say, I'm not eating those disgusting little monsters. Try a dragon or drake at least," Cloud rolled his eyes.

"They're pretty tasty, actually. They kind of taste like chicken; but has that planty taste you get from hunting wild animals," Ruby commented, drawing their attention.

Just as Tifa thought, they cleared out the rest of the Gorgers without any issue. They didn't even look tired.

Even though they did their part, both Jaune, Ruby, and Tifa were in agreement that it was better to give the credit to Cloud.

Since he's the new mercenary on the block, he needs the reputation more than them. Jaune and Ruby had a list of referrals and recommendations from Sector 5 that set them up anywhere else in the other Sectors.

A freebie for Cloud was easy.

After walking a bit, they stopped by an item shop to sell the monster parts. While they walked up to the counter, the same flirtatious clerk waved at Tifa.

Jaune shook his head as sweat drops rolled off everyone's brow.

Shaking it off, Jaune told Cloud what the appropriate cost of every useful part from a monster's corpse. Cloud listened attentively as Jaune went into great detail how much damage was acceptable and how much that lowered the cost.

The shopkeeper tried to play Jaune, but the blond-haired knight saw through every trick.

"It was a clean cut! The bone is fine, and none of the marrow leaked. 15Gil and that's final!" Jaune lifted a brow before the clerk caved.

After adding up all the material, Jaune handed Cloud a bag of 415 Gil.

"Not bad, right?"

"Some of this should be yours," Cloud frowned.

"Cloud, we said first one's a freebie. Maybe we should make it a tradition for Newbies that join the JOATA Mercenaries Company."

"I never agreed to join," Cloud said as he smiled and put the bag away.

"JOATA?" Tifa scratched her head.

"We are not calling it that, Jaune." Ruby rubbed her forehead.

"It works and it's not goat," Jaune replied.

"It's not a word!" Ruby argued.

"You're right, it's an anagram that has a nice ring to it," Jaune chuckled.

"Hey! If you want a better name, instead of anagrams, why not use the simple name?." Tifa suggested.

"Huh?" Both the Hunters were dumbfounded.

"Based on what you said to Cloud, you both helped everyone on Sector 5, making their lives, you light up a beacon of hope wherever you go."

Ruby's eyes light up and said, "Why not the name, Beacon instead."

Jaune smiled softly, remembered their old lives back at Beacon Academy as he spoke, "That's sounds perfect. Team Beacon it is then."

Before they knew it, they had walked back to the room where they first saw Biggs and Wedge.

"Back already?" Biggs asked.

"Got every last one too. The slums should be safe for quite a while." Tifa said as she grinned at Cloud.

"You guys are machines!" Wedge gave a thumbs up.

"Good job. Meanwhile, we told everyone we could about you." Biggs grinned.

"I've gotta ask though. What did you tell them?" Jaune questioned.

"I told them a strong mercenary is up to hire. He used to be a SOLDIER and is willing to any job,"

"For the right price," Cloud added.

"For the right price," Biggs finished.

"So…that's it?" Cloud crossed his arms.

"That's all I got go on," Biggs chuckled.

"It's alright. All you gotta do is keep up the good work. It'll pay off soon enough, I promise." said the bartender/brawler.

"If you want to be extra assurance, Ruby and I can help spread the word too," said the Arc.

"We will make sure everyone in Sector 7 knows who Cloud Strife the professional mercenary is!" followed the reaper.

The blond wanted to smile but he suddenly got another headache. He touched his forehead seeing the vision of Zack fooling around with him in some kind of abandoned shop, rummaging for food.

"We'll be the best mercenaries in Midgar...no the world…"

"Cloud, you okay?" Tifa was worried.

"I'm fine," Cloud shook his head.

"It happened again," muttered Jaune.

Ruby was close enough to hear him before she gave Cloud a worried look.

"Been meaning to ask...After you left the village…." Tifa started.

"It's a long story."

"I've got time! Why don't you tell me all about it while we try to rustle up some more work for you?" Tifa said as she held her arms out wide.

"That sounds great! I'll come too!" said Wedge.

"Oh no you won't, we got work to do," Biggs stopped him before looking at the group and saying, "Run along, you children."

"Sorry. Maybe next time," Tifa apologized.

"No fair!" Wedge complained.

"We gotta go too, come on Ruby." the Arc got the message too that this was a personal talk between them.

"Oh, and Wedge, I'll be getting you up bright and early tomorrow to come workout with me and Ruby," Jaune said with a grin that made the chubby Avalanche member shiver.

"Hey! What about your weapons?!" Wedge pointed to the three Ruby bought over.

"Keep them. I got everything I needed from them!" The silver-eyed reaper said as she ran out the door.

"O..Okay…."

Tifa parted ways with Jaune and Ruby and bid them farewell.

The Hunters had other things to do, so they wanted to leave give Cloud and Tifa some alone time.

Tifa was thankful as she thought, 'Maybe if I stick around a bit more, Cloud might might open up and tell me about what happened back then.' The past she recalled wasn't pretty, but she wanted him to talk to her.

The ex-SOLDIER noticed most of the people talking about a mercenary in Sector 7 saying that he will do anything if the price is right.

He's got to hand it to Biggs and Wedge, they did a good job. He wasn't expecting word to pass around so quickly. Now it won't be long before he will start getting more jobs.

The brawler told him they were visiting Wymer. The guy was in charge of posting jobs in Sector, so she thought it would be a good attempt to see if he has anything available for childhood friend.

Wymer wasn't that far from the weapon shop. He told him there weren't any new jobs yet, but he should try asking the people on the streets or in other shops. There's bound to be someone in need of help.

It wasn't a problem for Cloud as long as the pay is good.

"What do you think of them?" Cloud asked.

"Who, Biggs and Wedge?" Tifa lifted brow.

"No, Ruby and Jaune." Cloud added.

"Oh them. I think they're very nice people. Ruby, in particular. She's very easy to get along with. I can tell we might even become the best of friends. I can also tell she and Jaune will make a cute couple."

The blond mercenary only gave a nod.

"Why are you asking?"

"Nothing. I just think they can't be trusted completely. They seem alright people, but I've never seen people fight the way they do."

"I had the same thoughts. They're not even with Shinra, but it's like they have their own fair share of experience in battle. No, fair share doesn't do them justice. Those two have tons of experience in battle, like they've been doing every day for years. However, I'm going to have to disagree with the trust issue. Those two, it looks like they lost everything that meant anything to them, kind of like us…"

"Jaune... He…,"

"What is it?" Tifa moved closer.

"It's nothing. Let's talk to more people. Gotta earn my money somehow," Cloud moved ahead.

Ruby and Jaune chose to walk the streets of the slums telling people about the new mercenary in town.

They were doing their part just like Biggs and Wedge. Most already heard about him but many didn't know what Cloud looks like.

So, they did the best that they could to fill in the details for the strangers.

"He's best described as a man with spiky blond hair, carries a huge sword on his back, and is the silent type."

With that description, there wasn't anybody that could mistake him for someone else.

"Pretty soon he'll be doing jobs left and right. He'll be so busy," The silver-eyed reaper said.

"You know something? I think I'm starting to understand Cloud a little. At Scrap Boulevard I feel like we kinda... Connected."

"See I told you. I knew he really a good guy on the inside. You just have to keep talking to him so he can open up. You also have to give him some time," Ruby smiled.

"What about you and Tifa?"

"We clicked immediately; I like her. She's…." Ruby paused.

"What's wrong?" the Arc could tell in heartbeat that her chipper tone changed.

"She's a hand-to-hand combat fighter, just like Yang. She even fights just like her," Ruby pushed her foot against the ground and made circles with her leg.

"I'm sorry," Jaune couldn't help but feel bad for asking.

"Why are you apologizing silly? I never thought I would meet someone that can fight so similar to Yang. It makes me sad, but at the same time, it makes me happy. I can see Sector 7 becoming our new home."

"But it's still not the same without Aerith," Jaune looked into the sky.

"Yeah" the petite lowered her gaze thinking of the florist.

On their way to Stargazer Heights, they saw Marle talking to Barret with Marlene next to him.

It looked like the Avalanche leader was done with his rounds for the day. Ruby smiled because she's wanted to talk to him for a while now, and now she has the chance.

"Marlene sweetie are you behaving?" Marle asked with a radiant smile on her face.

"Yes, I'm being nice. I'm a good girl! Marlene replied."

"Remember to wash your teeth after every meal," Marle said as she patted the little girl's head.

"She knows. And before going to bed too ain't that right sweet heart?" Barret said with a big cheerful expression.

"I know," Marlene nodded her head.

"BARRET, MARLENE!" the silver eyed teenager shouted as she waved at the two.

"RUBY!" Marlene shouted back as she ran towards Ruby and hugged her. Seems like the little girl was overjoyed to see her again.

"You're back." said Marle as she walked over to her alongside to Berret.

"Where's the other blond?" Marle asked.

"Cloud and Tifa are on their own trying to find jobs for him," the Arc replied.

"Daddy can I have some ice cream please?" Marlene begged as she pulled on Berret's vest.

"Sure thing angel," Barret said as he patted her head with a fatherly smile.

"Ooh, I want ice cream too!" the reaper said while raising her hand and jumping in the air.

"Can Ruby come too?" Marlene seemed even more excited at the thought of hanging with Ruby than getting ice cream.

"Wait a minute, you're not—" Barret paused seeing that the girl was giving the sad puppy eyes.

"Please…." Ruby's eyes widened as he lower lip trembled.

"Yes! Daddy, can Ruby please come with us? Please…" Marlene copied Ruby's expression.

'Great now my little girl was doing the same thing!' Barret thought before sighing and caved in and said, "Okay, you can come."

"Yay! See you later, Jaune," Ruby waved as she picked up Marlene and put her on her shoulders.

The blond watched Ruby leaving with Barret and Marlene before he smiled and thought, 'Nobody asked Jaune if he wanted Ice Cream...'

Jaune had a pretty good idea what the silver-eyed petite was planning to ask to the Avalanche leader, so he knew that he wasn't needed. Ruby's weapons would definitely help the group and the cause.

But what about him, what will he do now. He had no intention in returning to the room yet. Guess he could have a look around, go to some shops, buy some books, check on his gear. Or maybe polish his sword and check his equipped Materia.

"Ooh, I know, I can start looking for a house. But I'll have to save up some Gil. I could also study more about Mako Tech…" Jaune pondered to himself.

Just when he was planning to speak to Marle, the old landlady quickly left the area, heading back to her home near the apartment complex.

He'll think of something, hearing someone approaching him. Then his eyes were covered. Someone wants to play guess who, really childish. Not even Ruby or Nora would do that. Well, maybe Nora.

"Can you guess who I am?"

"I don't know, crazed stalker number 1, or maybe 4? Could be 5," Jaune answered with a thick layer of sarcasm in his voice.

"Wrong answer. Get it wrong again, and you'll upset me furthermore."

"Jessie?" Jaune rolled his eyes.

"Ding ding! We have a winner!"

Jaune shook his head and gave a soft chuckle as she removed her hands. The blond knight then turned around to face the young brunette.

"Just so you know I was kidding about the whole stalker thing," Jaune let a small laugh.

"So was I, about the whole upset thing," Jessie smiled before leaning in and asking, "So, do you have some free time?"

Barret was happy than can be whenever he was with Marlene. It's like nothing else mattered as long as she was by his side. The girl is the only good thing in his life that can bring out his nicer side. She was the best part of him and gave his life purpose. The Avalanche leader would do anything for his daughter. So, if she asked for ice cream, he was damn well going to buy it.

They were near one of the many food-stands around Pillar Plaza. The burly Avalanche leader bought the dessert to the girls with a bright smile on his face, two strawberry ice creams. Though, he wasn't expecting to tag along. He only allowed it because his daughter asked him nicely.

It seemed the new Avalanche member in question was enjoying the ice cream more than his baby girl. That's when Barret noticed something strange, for some strange reason, he couldn't say no to his to the Huntress.

The red cloak girl was too damn nice, not to mention she gets along perfectly with his little angel.

'It has to be those damn sad puppy eyes of hers. Damn things should be illegal.' Barret thought to himself.

"It's delicious!" Marlene called out.

"Now sweetheart, don't eat it too quickly or you will get a brain freeze," Barret warned.

Marlene nodded eating the dessert calmly but still so happy.

"Who doesn't love ice cream, huh?" Ruby smiled.

"Okay, what do you want? I doubt you wanted to tag along just for ice cream," Barret asked as he crossed his arms.

"I did want ice cream, and I love it. Strawberry is my favorite flavor. But, there is another reason for me tagging along. I need to talk to you...It's about the cause" she whispered the last part.

He nodded before removing his shades. Marlene was lost eating that ice cream, so he doubted she was paying attention.

"I'm listening. Hope you're not having any second thoughts, because there's no turning back now. Once you're in, you're in," Barret informed with a stern expression.

"Nah. No second thoughts. It's about weapons. I bought a couple from that shop run by that rude guy. I was able to give it a quick peek at their designs and the possible materials that were used to make them."

"So, what's your point? Get on with it. I ain't got all day."

"I made my weapon from scratch. I did tell you right? Anyways…I want to make myself useful to the group as much as I can. If you have some place, the right tools and the right materials maybe I can work something out. I have some tools with me but not enough to make something awesome."

Barret showed a shocked expression but after a few seconds, he gave an impressed look before asking, "Are you saying you can make weapons, better than Jet's shop?"

"Ditto. Just give me the tools and the materials and I will make the coolest weapons for Avalanche you have ever seen. Oh, I also need a place for making everything, very big because I'm planning of making a lot of them."

The one armed stood in deep thought while scratching his chin. It didn't sound like such a bad idea at all. Getting better weapons will definitely give them an advantage over Shinra. However, there was one thing bothering him. He knows Ruby can fight after seeing her in combat firsthand. But making weapons was another story. Still, the idea is very tempting.

"Think you can do it? I will understand if you can't," Ruby said with honest eyes.

"Who do you think you're talking to? I can do it! I've got plenty connections. But let me ask you one thing. You can call pull this off, can't you?"

"I can," Ruby nodded her head.

"Your idea isn't that bad but it's going to cost us a lot of Gil. Gil we can't waste. The money we have is s extremely important for future missions. We're down to one Mako reactor, and with seven remaining to destroy, we'll be needing a lot of funding. If this doesn't work, there'll be hell to pay. You got that kid?"

"Got it! Just give me one chance and I'll show you results!" Ruby pumped her fists.

"You only have one chance," Barret said while putting his glasses back on.

"I won't let you down. I promise!" Ruby cheered before downing more of her ice cream.

"Owowowow, brain freeze!"

Barret saw her expression filled so much determination and smirked.

What interesting pair has joined Avalanche.

Chapter Text

[Location: Residential Area, Sector 7 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

The weeks passed, and for some reason, it really didn't seem that way. Well, for Cloud anyway.

To him, it really appeared as if it had only been a couple of days since he started working as a mercenary. After his name was spread throughout the Sector, the people looked to him and gave him a steady stream of jobs.

So many jobs, and many of them were long enough that they sometimes took an entire day to complete. It didn't bother him much, those kinds of jobs usually earn him quite the sizable amount of Gil.

So, as long as the pay was good, it will be enough for him. However, not all jobs were taking out monsters and keeping the slums safe. Some were errands that don't need a merc. Those were the tasks that would annoy the Ex-SOLDIER the most.

Pretty sure they can find someone to collect Gil for water filters, delivering food ingredients, items hunting, even clothes. The Gil wasn't worth it, but he couldn't refuse due that fact he has made a name for himself; the right prices, for the right job.

The people knew who to call if they needed help with something.

It was mainly because Tifa showed him how to become popular and increased his reputation through word of mouth. Connections are good, and those lead to future jobs which will eventually lead higher paying jobs, putting even more Gil in his pockets.

Without Jaune and Ruby to take in so many clients, competition wasn't an issue because Avalanche duties kept them busy most days. In fact, recently, Jaune spent 2,000 Gil purchasing the abandoned Steel Refinery. So it looked like he wasn't hurting too badly.

Cloud was partially convinced that the two were Monster Hunting Machines.

However, it worked out even better for the spikey-blond one because of the days they stayed cooped up in that place or when they go on patrol to kill dozens of monsters at time.

He used to think that Jaune was still probably busy killing all the Drakes, weeding out all the wererats, and other subterranean monsters that place was infested with. However, he should have known better after seeing their track records.

They even hired him once to help clean out an unexplored section in the refinery. It showed him how much they had cleaned out, and that was three weeks ago.

That day, Cloud learned that Drake meat was freaking delicious and Jaune really could cook. The lesser drake parts were even more expensive. The leather of a Drake, lesser or not, could net him 500 Gil if it was in near perfect condition. On average, the hide, claws, fangs, organs, bones, and blood, altogether made Cloud 1,500 Gil.

However, sometimes he couldn't preserve the corpse that would sell very well. Thankfully, Jaune showed him that there was a reason to attack weak points.

A single stab wound to the heart wouldn't damage the body too much or change the price by a considerable amount, because the heart is usually dried and ground into dust for potion making or is eaten right away because of how quickly they go bad.

Every part had its use, and Cloud was now able to tell the difference between a good kill and a sloppy one, how much it should cost, or much damage was acceptable when selling and naming a price.

All in all, Cloud was in a decent mood as he headed over to meet with Wymer.

Wymer was usually the one who let him know if there were any available jobs for him.

When the guy asked Cloud how he enjoyed his month in Sector Seven, Cloud shrugged his shoulders before saying, "I don't know, really. I've been so busy, I lost track of how much time has passed by."

However, there were no complaints from the Ex-Mercenary, since this is what he wanted in the first place.

He liked his life as a mercenary. He liked knowing that his skills could be useful for helping others instead of fighting for Shinra. Along with his job, Cloud's been able to get along with most of the residents, including, Tifa, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, and Wymer.

Barret wasn't included. The spikey-haired Merc had a feeling that the dark-skinned man still harbored doubts about his motives. Good thing he hasn't run into him that much.

There was also Jaune and Ruby. Cloud was getting along with those two just fine. The silver-eyed girl was pretty easy to get along with. She would talk to him about anything, and Cloud meant ANYTHING.

Honestly though, it really didn't bother him. She was a nice person, who happens to talk too much sometimes. Now usually the ex-SOLDIER couldn't stand people that will run their mouths, like Barret for example. It annoys him when people go on and on about nonsense, and eventually that leads to him ignoring them.

Ruby, however, he didn't feel the same way. It was so normal to just listen to whatever she has to say, which was usually anything that pops in her head at the time.

As for Jaune, Cloud was still thinking about how his fellow blond made him feel. His attitude was okay, his personality, his positive attitude. It was impossible to say that he wasn't like Zack in some terms.

Maybe he wasn't willing to admit the blond knight was stronger than his former friend and SOLDIER, but he could acknowledge Jaune can hold his own in battle. At first, he wanted to keep a distance, but now, he just wanted to give the guy a chance to be his friend.

The memories he recovered were still painful to recall, and there will forever be a part of him that knows he lost his friend and his home, but he was still glad that he could remember Zack.

However, finding someone that can be friend like the way Zack was to him is hard to come by. True they didn't get off to a good start when they first met, but it was different now. After exchanging words in conversations and finding out what motivates him to continue going forward, Cloud could respect the guy.

Jaune wasn't Zack; that much was clear. In fact, Cloud had more in common with Jaune than Jaune had in common with Zack. Nevertheless, it didn't mean he shouldn't try to make another friend, even if it reminded him of better times that turned to crap.

'Sulking in a corner about the past in solitude isn't the right way to go about this. It will make Tifa worry,' Cloud thought to himself.

He could tell how happy the brawler has been since his return. That smile of hers was so sincere, sweet, and he just wanted to keep it that way.

So far, the spikey-haired mercenary could say his stay in Sector 7 has been a pleasant one thus far.

As long as he continues to make more money, he will remain here. It was so simple, just how he likes it. This is the kind of life he wanted, and it was enough for him. He wasn't the ambitious type to ask for more out of life without putting in the work.

Cloud walked the streets expecting to get his next job while thinking, 'Wymer will surely have something for me. If he doesn't, asking my usual customers if they need an additional set of hands should do for the day.'

Some of the people passing by were saluting him with a smile. By now, they knew who he was and what he was doing for them.

The ex-SOLDIER only nodded in approval. Everyone already knew he wasn't the kind of person to smile and say "Good morning." But they knew that a nod from Cloud might as well be acknowledgement.

Their friendly gestures made him glad that he was no longer a stranger in the slums.

As he walked through Sector 7, the blond Merc spotted Jaune not that far away. The Arc was trying to carry a big car on his back filled with all kinds of scrap.

Cloud had no idea what he was doing, but still, he wasn't going to miss the chance for a possible job. A mercenary's work is never be done.

The young blond was sure having a hard time trying to move the loaded vehicle by himself, and although he was struggling, it was clear that Jaune was making steady progress.

'Definitely someone who can sure use some help,' Cloud thought as he nodded his head. He didn't want to pass up another opportunity for the ex-SOLDIER to earn a quick Gil.

"Busy?"

"Very," Jaune chuckled as he gave himself just enough Aura to carry the car easier. Wasn't a point of carrying this stuff if he didn't get a good work out of it.

"What are you doing with all of this?" Cloud lifted a brow.

"It's for Ruby and me. She needs more materials for the weapons she's making for Avalanche, and thus, needs more scrap to practice working on our projects."

"That isn't going to go well with the owner of the weapon shop. Don't think the guy likes competition," Cloud commented.

"Ruby said she already has it covered. Damn, this heavy. Maybe I should have taken off a few dozen hundred pounds," Jaune said as he lowered his Aura back to its previous levels and started struggling to move it.

"Usually, a load this heavy is carried on carts that are pulled by Chocobos, muiltiple ones. Why the whole car?"

"Ninety percent of the parts are made of Mythril, good find! Besides, I asked all over slums and there isn't a single place that sells Chocobos. Not even at Wall Market," the Arc gave a sigh.

There was a time the Huntsman asked Mireille how she got a Chocobo and she told him she was lucky enough to find an egg during one of her travels. The older woman raised the chick as it was her own child.

Jaune doubted he had that kind of luck.

"Don't have a choice but to do it on my own. I've been doing this for weeks I'm used to it. Besides, it's a good work out," Jaune groaned only this time, it was way harder.

"I can give you a hand," Cloud offered.

"For the right price, right?" Jaune chuckled. He knew that's that was the game when it came to mercenaries.

"Just doing my job."

"Okay, merc with the mouth, how much?" Jaune took a deep breath and started using his Aura to repair his muscles.

"We can discuss the payment when we get there," Cloud shook his head.

"That was fine by me!" Jaune said as Cloud joined him carrying the Mythril Model car together.

With Cloud huffing it with him, Jaune was making twice the progress.

He could have done it without the strength of a SOLDIER. But Jaune felt like it was a good opportunity to bond with his fellow blond.

Though he was surprised by how much lighter the load became, especially since Cloud didn't have Aura. Jaune often thought if he should try and go thought the SOLIDER creation method whenever he saw how strong Cloud was.

'I guess if he can carry that huge ass sword of his and use it like it weights nothing, this, must be a cakewalk for him,' Jaune thought to himself.

The blond knight recalled his attempt to lift his buster sword one day without his Aura, and it was no easy task.

Even with his muscles and all the exercise he put himself to build them, it was still hard for him to swing the thing properly. Obviously, he didn't use his Semblance or Aura to enhance his physique because that would be sort of cheating.

Both men carried the car filled with scrap until reaching a large structure. Cloud realized it wasn't that far from the Talagger Factory, or as Jaune now called it, The Beacon Headquarters.

When Jaune purchased the building, he got it for a steal because it was infested with wererats and lesser drakes. However, over the course of 14 days, and him helping out the Hunters some, they managed to clear out the entire place.

Jaune made 58 Thousand Gil off of all the monster parts they collected, spent 21 Thousand Gil repairing the place, and another 10 thousand buying furnishings and wood; wood being the most costly thing to purchase because there weren't any trees or forests around Midgar.

Jaune and Ruby bought a place for 2,000 Gil and ended up with a surpluss of 27 thousand Gil, after fixing the place up.

Cloud had to admit, the blond knight had a skill for earning funds. Even Barret was impressed when Jaune said that he would handle paying for the funds. It was almost like was just looking for something to do to make himself useful.

They carried the heavy load all the way until reaching the entrance. Jaune knocked on the hanger door before both blonds were able to hear quite the racket coming from inside.

After knocking a few times, the noises stopped. The metal door slowly opened revealing Ruby. The silver eyed petite wasn't wearing her red cloak, and it was the first time the Cloud has seen her without it.

She was covered in dirt and sweat, so the Merc thought that she obviously didn't want it to get dirty.

The reaper had something new to go well with her outfit. She was wearing black knee stockings thanks to Tifa who bought them for her. They were similar to the ones Tifa wears and replaced the fishnet stocking she used to have on.

The only difference from her stockings they were made from silk, and she decided to add her rose symbol on the knee part, in red of course.

The Huntress and the Martial Arts Master have become the best of friends over these last few weeks, and Ruby's change of attire was representation of her bond with the bartending brawler.

The Arc really liked it because the stockings showed a bit less than before. It was still easy to see how developed her legs and thighs were, but now he didn't have to worry about other guys leering at her so much.

Though, Ruby did get called out by some less than gentlemanly men every now and then, which made Jaune angry, upset, or just plain frustrated. Why, he still didn't yet understand. However, it wasn't the time to be thinking with his hormones, he had a job to do.

"You're on time, and you brought a lot this time!" she smiled jumping up and down before giving him a hug.

"Anything for the cause," Jaune smiled back before putting the huge car down in an open area.

"So, you're really making weapons for the group?" asked Cloud.

"Anything for the cause," she repeated before giving more information, "However, these weapons are going to be very different. They will be the best in Midgar."

"You think so?" Cloud lifted a brow.

"I know so!" Ruby replied proudly.

"I believe her. Ruby isn't just very knowledgeable when it comes to weapons, she's also the best at making them," Jaune followed up.

"I know everything there is to know about the subject," and she wasn't bragging either. This woman could take apart a weapon she's never seen before and rebuild it blindfolded.

As it turned out, the weapons from this world weren't so different from theirs. The only major difference she noticed was that instead of using dust, they use gunpowder. It was pretty much made from the same substances, just without the fire-dust.

However, the chemical mixture was a little more destructive than dust-rounds, something Ruby approved of happily.

It's the same when it comes to the designs and materials use to make them. They had similar metals and plastics, but they also had unique metals like Mythril and Adamantium, not to mention the fabled metal, Orichalcum.

Ruby was fascinated to learn how many unique metals were contained within this world. Nightsteel, Wolfram Ore, Lunar Adamantine, High Mythrite, Cloud Mythril, there were so many choices of fantastical metals to choose from, but her funds limited her options.

That's why she wasn't having a hard time making the lower models she had built up in her head. If she couldn't find the common materials from the scrap Jaune was giving her, Barret will take care of it with resources he gets from his connections. As for advanced custom models like Crescent Rose, well, in in Barret's words, those were just too damn expensive.

"You can leave it here as usual. Thanks again!" she took some scrap heading back inside closing the door.

"She's not wasting time" said the merc.

"Not when it comes to weapons. Anyway, about your payment?" Jaune reached for his wallet.

"Let's go somewhere else," the ex-SOLDIER suddenly spoke.

This took the Arc by surprise. Surely Cloud should be asking for his money by now, or least try to discuss the prices of his services.

Jaune followed the spikey-haired merc, but he had no idea where they were going. Asking him would be the sensible thing to do. However, something told the Arc that maybe he should wait a little.

They returned to the residential area passing Jet's weapon shop. Curiosity got the better of the Huntsman and he just had to ask, "Where we going?"

"To get some training done," Cloud answered.

"So… Scrap Boulevard?" Jaune asked again. It was the only place Jaune thought where monsters reside.

"No. More like training in virtual reality," Cloud shook his head.

Blue eyes widened, now he was curious and confused.

As far as he knew, there was no such technology in the slums of Sector 7. The only place he had even heard mentions of such tech was in the most expensive places in big cities on the top and Shinra HQ.

He wasn't surprised the merc went to looking for him as a training partner. These past weeks the Huntsman and Ex-SOLDIER have sort of bonded in a manner of speaking.

Cloud walked over to someone standing on a corner. Jaune looked at a young man looking to be in his mid-teens with short platinum blond hair and shiny blue eyes.

He was wearing a school uniform consisting of a white and blue button shirt, a black leather belt, black plaid shorts, tall black socks with suspenders, and brown boots. For accessories, on his face was a magnification eyepiece, a multi-colored orange ribbon was on his right shoulder, and lastly, he had on large leather backpack.

"I'm glad to see you again Cloud. Thanks to you, I've been able to gather new data. Is he a new candidate?" the youth asked as he turned to the Arc.

Listening to the boy, Jaune understood that he was the brainy type, and from the tech he saw on him, Jaune had something to bond with the boy over, maybe even find a good teacher.

"He is." replied the merc.

"Wonderful, I'll start the physical analysis right away" the boy said as he reached for the device near his right eye.

Jaune had no idea what he was talking about, and he was more than curious to know who is this kid was. Turning to the ex-SOLDIER, Jaune saw that he only signaled him to just follow along.

'Guess there's nothing wrong with this, as long as I get an explanation later,' Jaune crossed his arms and gave Cloud a look like he better not be wasting his time.

"Variable weapon, recommended for close range combat, excellent cardiovascular health, superior lung capacity, strange muscular mass and bone structure... He is highly above average, another optimal candidate. I am curious, how did you make your bones and muscles so dense?"

"Are you going to fill me in on what's this all about?" the Huntsman asked as he turned to his fellow blond.

"Apologies. My name is Chadley I'm an intern of Shinra's Research and Development Division. I hope you'll be interested in joining my research as well."

"He's with Shinra, and you're helping him? What was wrong with this picture?" Jaune asked while lifting a brow.

"He's taking advantage of his position, slacks of every chance he gets, and does his hardest to make Shinra look bad," Cloud defended the boy.

"In a matter of speaking, yes, Cloud is correct. I'm only doing this for myself not on Shinra's interest. If it's all right with you, please help me continue on with my research."

'I'm getting major Penny vibes from this kid,' Jaune thought before asking, "You're not a robot are you?"

"No. Not at all," Chadley replied with a quick and expressionless response.

"He'll help," Cloud said as he nodded his head.

"Hey! Since when do you get to decide for me?" the Huntsman felt a sweat drop from his brow as he looked at the ex-SOLDIER.

"It's not much effort. You should give him the assess Materia, Chadley," Cloud pointed to Jaune with his thumb,

"Assess Materia?"

"It's a Materia that's sole purpose is to record battle data. The more battles you engage in, the more data it will gather."

"So I just equip it like any other Materia?"

"Exactly! The data will help me develop new types of Materia," Chadley confirmed.

"Wait…you can develop Materia? As in make?" Jaune showed a shocked expression.

"Yes, there is a Materia Fusion method, and also a creation method. However, the ladder is more top secret. I cannot reveal that information."

"Holy…can we learn how to make a Materia Fusion device?"

"I don't see why not. Consider it payment for your services. Do you have a tablet or…"

Jaune shook his head, "Haven't had time to buy a computer yet."

"I see, old-school it is. I shall draw up blueprints at a later date and deliver them to you place of residence."

"That doesn't sound bad. Good pay for becoming a guinea-pig, I guess," Jaune smiled happily.

Though, he did wonder how many battles they will have to fight in order to give Chadley the data he required.

"Here you go" the youth gave him the Assess Materia.

"Thanks. I'll make sure to put it to good use," Jaune accepted the small sphere.

"Time to fight?" Cloud asked.

"Affirmative," Chadley answered while he took something from his backpack. It was a pair of silver-colored headsets that had blue visors on them.

"This is the latest technology in virtual reality that developed by Shinra personnel. It's a combat simulator with the purpose to test the abilities of any Shina officer, SOLDIERs included. Cloud and Tifa have already tested it once."

"That's what you meant about getting training in virtual reality," Jaune rubbed his chin.

"I used one a long time ago. But it was an old model," replied the spikey-haired merc.

"Will this really help us get training?" Jaune was starting to have doubts.

"Not to worry. The battle simulator was design to sharpen one's combat skills and even provide you with further information for which areas in your training you should focus more on."

"Sounds great, let's give it a go!" the Arc was excited. He really wanted to pick the kid's brain and learn more about the technology of this world.

The two put on the VR devices as immediately a screen appeared that had the words, "Shinra Combat Simulator Test."

The Hunter and Ex-SOLIDER suddenly found themselves in a wide open area. It was mostly blue with streaks of white grids here and there. It was all very high-tech looking.

Jaune was floored at the level of tech the power company was capable of. It was probably in the same level as the tech from Atlas.

It was ironic that such tech couldn't save them from the inevitable of invasion of Salem and her forces.

Their opponents were already present, two Shinra officers, one Shock Trooper, and one Sweeper. The Arc drew his sword and shield while Cloud took his buster sword in hand.

'It's incredible how the environment feels so real, it's almost like we're really here,' The Arc thought as he assessed his surroundings.

He knew the merc could take care of the officers and the Shock Trooper together, so he went for the Sweeper since it's weak against lightning.

Giving a nod to the ex-SOLDIER, Cloud nodded back as if he knew his battle plan. They had fought together more than a few times over the last week, so they were familiar with each other's body language. They didn't even need to talk to tell each other who was going after what.

In an instant, both charged in while the virtual targets readied themselves to attack.

The Huntsman cast Thundara on the Sweeper, causing the thing to short circuit and fire its machine guns wildly.

Jaune continued his advance while blocking the fire from its massive 60 caliber Gatling Guns with his shield. He even managed to bounce some back towards the Shock Trooper while Cloud slashed through both Shinra Officers.

Jaune then he followed it up by sliding underneath the Sweeper and cut its legs off with a spinning motion.

Before it hit the ground, Jaune finished it off with weaker Thunder spell.

It may be big and tough, but the blond had the advantage of knowing where to attack it and what to use in order to bring it down.

At the moment, only the Shock Trooper was left.

Jaune changed Crocea Mors to Great Sword Mode, before rushing towards the last guy.

The Shock Trooper was cast thunder at Cloud, forcing him to slam the Buster Sword into the ground to direct the flow of electricity. When the bolt was gone, he picked the sword back up and noticed Jaune jumping in he air.

He readied his skill attack "Crescent Slash!" Crocea Mors lit up with his Aura and almost formed a complete shell around it. From the side, the slash looked like a crescent moon being drawn with white paint.

Jaune's sword then cut through the Shock Trooper's skull and bisected him while Crocea Mors stopped before hitting the ground.

The enemies turned into streams of data before vanishing entirely. Jaune then turned to Cloud chuckled, "That one was too easy. Does this thing got a harder difficulty?"

"It does," Cloud nodded his head.

"Well…let's keep this ball rolling," Jaune said as he clapped his hands.

"Chadley?" Cloud called out.

"Roger, upping combat difficulty by one setting,"

They fought several more enemies and worked up a brain sweat as Yang would put it.

Once they finally had their fill, the simulation ended, turning the once vibrant VR into a blank and black screen.

Both blonds removed the VR gear before seeing Chadley standing before them with a smile on his face.

'And we're back…though we didn't really go anywhere…yep, still the residential area of the Sector 7 slums.' Jaune looked around before he turned to Cloud and dropped the act.

"Okay, that was incredible. It looked and felt so real." said the Arc in awe.

"It's the battle program Shinra use to train their forces. It should be realistic enough," replied Cloud.

"I can only simulate types of opponents with current data I've already collected. If you bring me more, I might be able to establish new opponents. Even ones you still haven't fought yet. I can even create new Materia in exchange for your cooperation."

"I'll gladly fight to help you on your research," the Huntsman said with a wide grin on his face.

"Same." followed the ex-SOLDIER.

"Thank you both very much. I much appreciate it" Chadley smiled.

"Now, if I could pick you brain for a few moments," Jaune stepped up.

"Why would you want to pick at my brain?" Chadley tilted his head with a confused expression.

'Once again, major Penny vibes,' Jaune sadly thought before shaking his head.

"It's an expression. Means he wants to learn something that you know," Cloud explained.

"Yeah, what he said," Jaune followed up.

"Well then, pick away," Chadley nodded his head.

After almost an hour of Jaune asking Chadley all his questions about technology and how to build the stuff, the blonds left saying farewell to the clever youth with Cloud seeing that what chip was on Jaune's shoulder had vanish.

Both of them understood how important it was that they could fight creatures they haven't fought yet with the VR, the experience gave them an edge in real combat. Not to mention, Chadley was a wellspring of information, he was a techno-wiz, and he could make them new Materia for just gathering information.

It felt like it was too good to be true, but if there's one thing Jaune and Cloud learned in the mercenary business, it was to take what they could get.

There are some expensive Materia out there, so they should take full advantage of this situation by getting Materia that might not even exist yet.

Cloud took a glance at Jaune for a moment. Though he was focused on his opponents during the battle simulator, he recalled how Jaune deflected the bullet towards the Shock Trooper that tried to cast lightning on him at the start of the fight.

It's just like in Mako Reactor 1, precise moves, precise attacks, full of concentration. He may not be a SOLIDER, but he was strong enough to hold his own against one. If he had gone through the SOLIDER making process, maybe Jaune would have been stronger than him. Maybe even stronger than the one who he saw as a mentor.

Why was he doing this anyway, inviting him to the virtual combat simulator because he saw something was weighing on the kid, something besides the few tons of scrap and the car he was carrying on his back earlier, which was something that Cloud still found, very, very impressive.

It wasn't like him, it felt off. It wasn't like him at all but, it was something he wanted to do.

"How much do I owe you?" Jaune brought the payment topic.

The spikey-blond merc turned to him like he had no clue what he was talking about.

"Your money? You helped me carry the scrap for Ruby?"

"Right… It's on the house."

"Say whaaaat?" the Huntsman stood baffled.

"Just this once," Cloud waved his hand behind his head as he took off down the street.

"What…what just happened?" Jaune blinked rapidly.

"Fancy meeting you here," the voice of a familiar Avalanche member called out to him.

The blond turned to see Jessie smiling at him.

"You're exactly the person I wanted to run into."

Cloud did a couple of jobs after parting ways with Jaune. He was glad he didn't have to walk around for nothing. This day wasn't going to be boring after all.

'Maybe I can check up with the usual clients and see if they have more work for me,' Cloud thought while not knowing why he was felt like he wanted to spend more time with the others.

He'd already hung out the Arc today, and Ruby was still busy making those weapons, so there was only one person he thought he could visit.

The spikey-blond merc really hasn't spent enough time with her these past few weeks. It's not like he was doing it on purpose, he has been busy and so is she.

The Ex-SOLIDER has known her since they were kids, and even if he last saw her five years ago it feels like he doesn't really know her. Surely, he could take a couple of hours out of his day to be with her, for old time's sake.

So he started searching for the brawler. The first place he checked was Seventh Heaven, where she works. She wasn't there, only Marlene was, and he did his best not to scare her off like last time.

The Merc started asking around and talking to people who know her. Cloud asked Wymer, Jet, Chadley, and many more among others, but not one of them knew where she could be.

Their first guess was that she at Seventh Heaven, but Cloud informed them that she wasn't there. The Ex-SOLIDER then ran into Biggs and Wedge who were out on patrol. Hoping they would know, he walked up and asked if they had seen Tifa.

They didn't. In fact, they haven't seen the brawler at all today. Cloud was starting to get worried, though if you asked him about it, he'd say he's as cool as an ocean breeze.

The spikey-blond mercenary resumed looking all over the slums, and no matter how much ground he covered, there was still no sign of her.

Cloud took a small breath and thought hard. If she wasn't anywhere there was only one place she could be, her room. Which it was strange he didn't considered checking. Well, she had told him that she would barely home because she was always busy running the bar and doing chores for Avalanche.

The ex-SOLDIER went to Stargazer Heights and noticed that there was no Marle around. 'Guess I can't expect her to always be present, even if she's the landlord.'

Climbing the stairs, Cloud headed for room 201.

Within a few seconds, he was standing at the door and knocked once but, there was no answer. He knocked again, no answer.

She wasn't here either. Okay, now he was willing to admit he was a little worried.

"Did she leave Sector 7? Tifa? Are you there?" Cloud called out.

He knocked for the third time but still, there was no answer.

'Maybe Barret will know,' Cloud thought before his eyes narrowed.

He looked at the doorknob and turned slightly, and wouldn't you know it, it opened the door.

'It's not locked? Did someone brake into her place?' Cloud questioned as he put his hand on the hilt of his Buster Sword.

If that was the case, he needed to check this out just in case if the thief was still present. Before entering the mercenary had already drawn his Buster Sword. Last time he made a mistake trying to unsheathe it when he encountered Marco. He still didn't know why he thought the disabled man was a supposedly deceased silver haired SOLDIER.

Cloud stepped inside the room ready to fight. However, the place was quiet, everything seemed nice and orderly. It was hard to believe that someone broke in.

His ears caught the sound of water running coming from a nearby closed door. It suddenly stopped as Cloud was shocked.

Good news, Tifa IS here, and the bad news, she was in the bathroom, showering. He needed to get out of here before he gets caught. Cloud knew he'd be so dead if she catches him here.

But, it was too late. As the door opened, and the brawler strolled out of the bathroom, all cloud could think was, 'I'm a dead man.'

"Note to self. Bring clothes before leaving shower," Tifa said as she closed the door behind her.

The bartender hottie was still soaked from the shower and only wearing a white towel.

The poor merc couldn't move, it felt like every cell in his body had frozen over, but was on fire at the same time, and things only got worse as the brawler had an accident.

Her towel almost falling but she caught it right on time. Unfortunately, it didn't cover her entire body. She managed to cover the rest of her except her chest showing the ex-SOLDIER some cleavage.

Time stood still he knew she has developed quite the body growing up and her training. The young woman finally realized she wasn't alone as her eyes were on her blond childhood friend. He was here, standing before her when she was only wearing a towel.

She gasped noticing she was displaying her cleavage to him while trying to fix the damn towel. Her cheeks turned red from the embarrassment.

"Cloud…?"

"Uh…ahem…sorry,"

That was it, he turned around, left the room, and closed the door behind him before getting far away from the apartment complex. Tifa blinked thinking she was dreaming, but after pinching her cheek, she realized it was indeed reality.

"Did…did I leave the door open?"

Cloud wanted to get as far away from Stargazer Heights as he could, mainly because he doesn't want Tifa to find him. 'Maybe bury myself in a hole and never come out. Tifa just might do that for me when she see me again. Yeah, that sounds appropriate.'

The mercenary felt that THAT single experience was the most embarrassing moment of his entire life.

Cloud shook his head, trying to get the image of the brawler in a towel, showing her cleavage, and looking very…attractive out of his head.

'Getting busty…I mean busy, getting busy with more jobs might do the trick. Or I could take a break and drink some liquor. Maybe I'll forget if I drink enough,'

However, getting shit-faced is not his style, or his idea of a good time.

'Better to stick with jobs for the duration of the day,'

Since at the moment, he won't be able to look at the brawler in the eye. That is, if she doesn't punch him square in the face first.

"Man, it's going hurt," Cloud shook his head as he thought, 'I've seen that woman punch through steel!'

Jaune was feeling happy and comfortable as he and Jessie walked the streets.

Lately the brunette has been spending quite the time with him during his stay at Sector 7. So, it's been a little over three weeks.

Jaune couldn't help but be glad he was getting along with the Avalanche group, especially since he was one of them.

Sometimes though, the young brunette can take her flirting a little too far. Usually, she will make comments like calling him handsome or dashing, things that will always make him blush. However, she liked to get a little grabby sometimes, and the Arc definitely wasn't used to the sort of thing.

In fact, he only remembered that he wasn't popular with the ladies. No one from his group of friends would ever hit on him like that, so it was never an issue.

But when Jessie does it, it's something big and really bold, like sitting on his lap while they're chatting in the bar or leaning on him when he plays pinball.

Of course, he gave the natural reaction every time and blushed before stuttering like a buffoon. Whenever he gives her the same shy response he always does, Jessie would smirk or laugh before backing off. The teasing just wouldn't end.

Asides from that, the Arc genuinely enjoys her company, and they get along just fine. Since she hasn't done any of that today, it was nice to spend time with her.

Jessie wanted him to accompany her to buy materials for the second bomb.

She told the Arc that Barret wanted to commence the next mission as soon as possible.

"How long?"

"Within the next month or so," Jessie asked.

"Guess we've had enough time to relax and rest," Jaune placed his hands behind his head.

"Yep, so get ready, Monster Hunter!" Jessie pated him on the back.

Jaune gulped and said, "Why'd you call me that?"

"You don't know? Oh, man, you don't know. Come with me, you got to see this," Jessie grabbed his wrist before dragging him across the sector to a place near the junkyard.

She pointed to the numbered sign that had names next to it, "Those are how many monsters you guys have killed.

Jaune: 763

Cloud: 540

Ruby: 901

"Hey, it's Jaune! You going to the scrap heap? Some of us could use the boost. First one to a thousand decides who gets the Gil," Danny called out. He was a regular Joe that Jaune chats with from time to time.

"You guys bet on us?" Jaune shook his head before asking, "And did I really kill 763 monsters?"

"Yeah, tough guy! You're strong and handsome, a twofer in my book," Jessie purred as she scratched the underside of his chin.

"Stop that," Jaune flicked her hands away before looking back at the numbers while Jessie continued to laugh.

"Hey, Danny?!" Jaune yelled out.

"Yeah?"

"What's the payout for my odds?" Jaune asked.

"You…7 to 10, why?"

"Put 20K on me!"

"MY BOY!" Danny yelled as Jaune threw him a stack of bills.

"Really?" Jessie lifted a brow.

"What? I'm not going to sleep tonight, and I wouldn't mind an extra 14K."

"Hahh…is it always money with you?"

"Well, I figured I might help with some of the mission funds. I can't make weapons like Ruby, but I can make you guys some money." Jaune crossed his arms.

"Alright, I get that," Jessie nodded her head before saying, "Anyways, that's not why I came to you. In order to make necessary preparations, the materials for the bomb have to be special…You know, let's bring this talk back to my place."

Jessie pointed to the laughing Danny a few feet away.

"That payout is as good as mine! That Arc boy never goes back on his word,"

"Right…" Jaune nodded his head before they took off.

They walked for a bit before Jessie saw a shop and said, "Hold on for me, I need to grab a few things."

"Fine with me," Jaune said, not realizing how much he'd come to regret saying that.

After a few HOURS of walking the different shops, the brunette finally got everything she needed. Though, it was a shame her mood crashed when a casualty report on the Mako 1 explosion popped up on the television.

Jaune felt worried for her when he saw the look of self-deprecation all over her expression. He knew she was still blaming herself for the explosion at the 1st Mako Reactor.

She had one job to do, get the bomb to be strong enough to destroy the core, but not enough to damage the surrounding. She thought everything was perfectly calculated, but part of Sector 8 ended up getting caught in the fall out of their actions.

Though they all knew the risks for doing this, the poor woman was still filled with guilt. If there was a way to make feel better and stop blaming herself, Jaune would do that. Unfortunately, you can't really stop a person from blaming themselves for the death that they might have been able to prevent.

Jaune should know, he has some experience in that area.

After she shook it off, Jessie took a deep breath and put on a smile before she told Jaune to follow her back to her place.

The way she said it made the blond nervous, not to mention it was first time she invited him back to her house. In fact, Jaune never expected any girl to invite him into their home…minus the thirsty moms.

"I don't mean to intrude," Jaune rubbed the back of his head with a red face.

The brunette only smiled at him before saying, "It's all right, she didn't mind his company."

The Arc kept calm while thinking it was just a friendly thing, not a boyfriend/girlfriend thing. Nothing serious to worry about.

He walked inside the house, she set down what she bought, and then said she was going to take a show.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"A shower, I'm going to go take a shower. I've been working all day in that sweaty workshop. I stink and want a change of clothes. Just wait here for a bit. And don't peep," Jessie gave him a wink.

"I wouldn't!" Jaune shouted with a red face.

Jessie giggled and said, "I know, you're a good knight and shining armor, aren't you?"

"Ha-Ha," Jaune replied with the dullest laugh Jessie had ever heard.

"Just take a seat on the couch, I'll be out in a few minutes,"

"You know, where I come from, being called a knight is an honor persevered for few," Jaune said as he thought of his old town.

Jessie giggled flirtatiously as she walked around the corner and threw her top out into the living room.

So there sat a Huntsman, on small couch, in a small house, not twenty feet away from an amazingly hot woman taking a shower.

'Yeah, I deal with all the time with Ruby…and I just admitted Ruby is hot again…damn it, Arc! Get you mind out of the gutter.'

Was she playing with him? Whatever it was, he knew he needed to keep a cool head and stop believing he was this lucky. Jessie just wanted to tease him again, no, scratch that, she wanted to tease him to death.

Then, there was this feeling that he didn't like. That for some reason he was doing a mistake by being here.

'But why? Jessie and I are just friends. There's nothing wrong with it,' Jaune shook his head.

A few minutes later Jessie came out of the bathroom with a change of clothes and a towel around her neck.

She wore something more comfortable since she was in her place. It was a light orange shirt with some denim shorts. She has taken off her red headband along with her ponytail revealing her long hair.

Jaune stood staring at her. He had to admit, she was really attractive. It surprised him someone so pretty like her didn't already have someone special.

Maybe Biggs or Wedge maybe, nah, those two only think of her as a good friend. Or maybe he was thinking too much in the matter, especially since he wasn't an expert in the field. He still didn't have a girlfriend and he was still a virgin. So how hell should he know who'd be a good match for Jessie?

'I wonder what Ruby would look like with long hair,' Jaune tilted his head.

Then it hit him. Jaune realized his eyes were on Jessie and yet, his thoughts were on Ruby. The silver eyed petite he's known close to three years, and one of the closest friends he has ever had. Her sweet smile, and her quirky attitude, it was always filled with so much energy, like she drinks ten pots of coffee a day.

Jaune knew he was being rude and tried to banish his thought to another corner of his mind.

"Soo…what am I here for?"

Jessie's stomach growled before she blushed a bit and said, "I got pizza, you want some?"

Jaune nodded his head before saying, "Yeah, I could go for a bite. I managed to work up quite a sweat hauling a few tons of scrap to the Beacon HQ."

Jaune was hungry, and again he thought of Ruby, "She must be hungry too. I'll be to pick her up something. I know she probably hasn't taken a break from working her butt off. Making those weapons must be tiring."

"Ruby's really making everyone weapons?" Jessie asked as she headed to the kitchen.

"Yeah, she loves you guys, so she's really putting her heart into the job," Jaune said as she got further away.

The brunette took her time choosing the best ingredient before she put it in the oven. When she finished, she washed her hands and happily she got seated next to the blond.

The entire time, the Arc kept trying to calm himself down and not blush. It wasn't just because she was so close to him, but because he was still trying come to terms that he's in Jessie's house.

Too bad for him that she noticed his behavior.

Jessie then a let a smirk spread across her face as she asked, "Are you nervous? Being in a single woman's house?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine," Jaune replied rather quickly and forced a smile.

"Are you captivated by my charm and beauty? I can't help it if I'm this good looking, but you're going to have to keep your eyes up here," Jessie pointed to her face.

"I just wasn't expecting that you'd shower…and change, that's all" Jaune replied as he looked away.

"Were you expecting I will be dressed like that in my own home? Geez Jaune don't you get comfortable when you're at your place?"

"I do. Sorry, my bad for bringing it up…Uh, the food smells good, " Jaune said as he looked over.

"It does smell good, the pizza is almost done. I guarantee you will love it," Jessie gave a thumb's up while she giggled.

"My stomach can't wait. Thanks for inviting me by the way," Jaune held his hand over his stomach just in time to hear it growl.

"No problem…" Jessie giggled before it suddenly got silent.

Thinking that it was starting to get weird, Jaune knew something was up. Jessie wasn't the kind of person that couldn't go for too long without talking up a storm. Back at Mako Reactor 1, she was yammering on like crazy as a way to hide her panicked emotions.

"Well, the place was falling apart, and they were against the clock before a big bomb went off under their literal bottoms. If there was ever a time to panic, I guess that would be it."

The Huntsman was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he failed to notice the brunette stealing glances at him a few times. The bell of the oven ringed before Jessie smiled and got up. She then walked to the kitchen swaying her hips in a provocative manner.

Jaune did his best not to look, but he still got caught with her grinning a smile of victory at him while she looked over her shoulder.

The blond knight blushed as he looked away so quickly, he thought his head would spin off his neck.

Jessie then put on her kitchen mittens and opened the stove. The whole room was suddenly covered by the delicious aroma of the pizza made by the Avalanche member. The Arc's mouth was watering at the sight when she got it out of the oven.

'This might be the best Pizza in all of Midgar! I have to ask for the recipe!' Jaune thought as he continued to breathe in the delectable scent.

She put it on the table before taking out two plates from her cabinet. Sad par was that they will have to wait until it cools down. It was too hot to touch at the moment, much less eat.

A shame the Arc will have to wait a little longer.

"This is the worst part of making pizza. The long wait for it to cool down gets me every time. I Hope you're not that hungry," Jessie said as she leaned against her counter.

"I can wait. I'm pretty good at that," Jaune sighed as he thought about how useless he was compared to Ruby. Sure, he could fight, but he only has roughly a few months of learning from the silver-eyed petite, so he isn't that much help to her.

He could use a forge and hammer now, make simple melee weapons, and was told by the reaper herself that he wasn't half bad. However, the part he was interested in most was constantly being blocked by Shinra protocols and government information suppression.

Jaune wanted to make a new reactor to replace Shinra's Mako usage. He had some ideas thanks to the tech of his previous world, but had no idea how to make it, or convert it over to something this world could use.

"Something on your mind?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, I don't feel like I'm not doing enough for the cause. About the only thing I can do is fight, and I'm not even the most skilled at doing that."

Jaune looked at his hands. He thought he had changed, he thought that it would be better than he was on Remnant. Yet, he was constantly finding out that there were stronger people, stronger monsters, and technology that could have actually helped destroy a Grimm army.

"Huh? What are you talking about? You do plenty! Now me on the other hand, I need do my job right this time. I plan on preparing the bomb for the next reactor. Hopefully it will destroy the core only and not part of the city this time."

"Still blaming yourself?" Jaune asked as his blue eyes softened.

"I'm the one who made it, so yeah, it's on me."

"Jessie. I think everyone made a choice when they decided to take up this endeavor. Barret didn't force any of you into doing this. I don't know about you or the others, but at the very least, Ruby and I chose this path of our own free wills. Was your reason for joining any different from us?"

"Nope it was all me. I chose to be part of Avalanche just like Wedge and Biggs."

"Exactly, all of us are in this together. We're all responsible for what happened at Mako Reactor 1, and the same is true for any future missions we take on involving other reactors. Don't shoulder this on yourself. Trust me, it just weighs you down and messes with your head."

"You really know what to say to make a girl happy. If you keep this up I won't be held responsible for what will happen next," Jessie said as she sat next to him while leaning closer.

Jaune gulped as the brunette got closer to him, their faces inches apart.

"Pizza is still hot. Damn, I should have put less time on the oven. Hey, you have ice Materia on you?"

"Yeah, why you ask?" Jaune lifted a brow.

"Think you can cool it down with an ice spell?"

"What? That sounds ridiculous. I'm not casting blizzard on it. Unless you want to eat icicle pizza. Let's just wait."

"It was worth the shot" she laughed.

"Well, I do have a Wind Materia. Just give me a second," Jaune made a chuck of ice and proceeded to use Aero to blow the cold air on the pizza.

"Wow! You're a genius, why didn't I think of that," Jessie gave a little pout before she held her hand up and said, "That's enough. We don't want to cool it too fast. It will lose its flavor!"

Jaune stopped as he watched Jessie inspect the pie.

"Hmm…give it five minutes and it will be good to go,"

Jaune held the block of Ice in his hand and asked, "What do I do with this?"

"Just throw it in the sink," Jessie giggled as she started at Jaune's face.

There is one topic she wanted to bring ever since she first met him. Though she had a pretty good idea what his answer would be.

She knew he wasn't ready to talk about his past, but a girl can get curious and is more than willing to ask the questions if she feels like it, especially when it comes to Jaune.

Her feelings for the blond knight were real enough. Though, she admitted to herself that she probably has a thing for Cloud too.

'What is it about blonds that make her feel like she's on cloud nine?' Jessie found herself thinking.

The ex-SOLDIER wasn't the talkative type and she saw it was impossible trying to get to know him, because he barely says a word, and keeping a conversation with him going for more than a minute, don't even get her started on that issue. But she also liked the challenge.

Then there was the fact that he was already taken. Jessie figured out his history with Tifa, and that they've known each other since childhood. The signs were already there, and she knew that she didn't stand a chance.

"Say Jaune, how long have you known Ruby?" Jessie asked.

The Arc was surprised by that question. He certainly did not see that one coming, "Um...We've known each other for a while. Two years and five months, almost six."

"So, you know each other pretty well then?" Jessie continued her impromptu interrogation.

"Yeah, we've been through enough crap to fill in a lifetime or two. I guess you could say we are pretty close," the Arc chuckled. She probably thought he was being expressive by saying life or two. She had no idea he was being literal with his statement.

The brunette nodded as she thought, 'Guess it's just like I thought. He doesn't know it yet, and it was probably the same with Ruby. But…I'm never wrong about these things. Why are all the good blonds taken?'

Ruby decided to take a break from all the hard work. Closing the section of the factory Ruby named the Workshop, she started lock the place up. With several chains and keep out signs, the silver-eyed reaper was sure no one would dare enter.

The workers they hired were still renovating the rest of the factory and building they ordered to build in the center. It was to be their house in a month or so.

Since she was all done for the day, Ruby decided it was time she go home. When she returned to the apartment, the petite reaper noticed that Jaune wasn't present.

'He must be busy helping Cloud or someone else in Sector 7,' the reaper thought before she took a shower and sent her clothes down a chute to the apartment's shared laundry room.

They were so sweaty and dirty from all the work she has done. Luckily her cloak was still clean because she always took it off before getting started.

She returned to the room later changing into her combat attire, she preferred it over the casual attire.

Casual being just a pink shirt that had a corgi's face on stamped on the front, long white baggy pants, and red sneakers.

Usually, she'd just wear a combat skirt, but it felt like it was getting old, so she chose to try out something new.

As the Huntress left the apartment, she spotted Tifa heading her way. Tifa waved her hand and approached Ruby as she said, "You ready?"

The silver-eyed reaper smiled before giving a nod to the brawler, "You bet!"

As they started walking together, Ruby thought of when she approached Tifa a couple of weeks ago.

"You said you wanted to talk to me?" Tifa asked as the bar doors flapped back and forward behind her.

Tifa and Ruby stood outside of Seventh Heaven while the others were still inside doing the usual; drinking and having fun.

The brawler wasn't expecting the petite to call her out. Not that she minded or anything. Tifa just wondered if Ruby was still bothered about what happened during their job at Scrapyard Boulevard.

According to the silver eyed girl, her fighting style reminded her of her older sister's style. It didn't surprise her at first. Zangan often told her that he has a hundred and twenty eight students across the world. So, her older sister could've have easily been one of them.

Ruby confirmed that she wasn't. The consensus was that someone else must have taught her martial arts, or he sister could be a second generation disciple of Zangan, like she was taught by someone who was taught by her master.

Judging from Ruby's expression back then, Tifa believed something bad happened to her sister, and she it was clear that the girl didn't really want to talk about it.

It was getting dark, and the bartender would be closing in a few hours. The brawler noticed the petite woman looking a bit nervous. Something was definitely on her mind.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked as she stood beside Ruby and leaned over the porch railings.

"I don't know how to approach you, or what say for that matter. I just...I don't know if you'll will think better of me or worse." Ruby paced back and forward.

"If you tell me I might have an answer for you."

"Okay. You know I can fight? But it's not enough the way I am. There was a time my sister wanted to teach me to fight using my fists, and I failed. Ever since then, I feel like I let her down. But she'd never hold it against me, saying it's cool, we'll give it another go later. That never happened. Then someone else tried to teach me, and I tried hard, but I didn't learn enough to be good at it...Anyway I can fight with my weapon but without it...Without Crescent Rose I'm sort of defenseless. Having Materia helps with that deficiency, but it's still not enough."

"You want me to teach you martial arts?" a smiled spread across Tifa's soft features.

"Well…only if it's not too much trouble. I will totally understand if you don't want to," Ruby held her hands up in front of her face and shook her head.

"Hmm...I see no problem with that. I never had a student before though," Tifa replied while tapping her finger against her chin, almost as if she were inspecting Ruby's physique.

"Thanks!" Ruby shouted. She was so happy, the silver-eyed reaper turned into a puff of rose petals and hugged Tifa.

"Whoa, I saw it before, but she really is fast, and what's up with the rose petals?" Tifa pondered before Ruby backed off and gave an embarrassed expression that consisted of rubbing the back of her head and kicking her feet on the ground.

"I should warn you. If you really want me to teach you Zangan's style, you have to take this training seriously. I won't go easy on you just because you're my new friend."

"I promise! I will take it seriously! Teach me to punch and kick and any of those flashy moves you do!" Ruby said as she once again performed poor martial arts movements.

"Off to a bad start already are we?"

"Huh?" Ruby scratched her head in confusion.

"Zangan's style isn't exactly about punching and kicking it's a fighting style that it's about one thing, and one thing only; self-defense."

The bartender remembered how the old man kept saying that his martial art was never meant to be used for bullying others, but to protect yourself and those important to you.

Tifa held her finger up in front of Ruby and said, "If I hear you're misusing the martial art I teach you, you can expect a firm hand from your new Master."

"Sorry! My bad I...I'm just excited that's all. I want to get started right away!" Ruby poked her fingers together.

"Firstly, we don't subscribe to any singular school of fighting styles, but instead, open ourselves to all of them. Zangan Style is a mixed martial art that takes in the useful and leaves out the useless. That's why it's been improving with every new iteration of the martial art the next generation develops," Tifa informed with the same tone she copied from her martial arts instructor.

"So cool!" Ruby's eyes sparkled.

"We'll start tomorrow morning. You better wake up early and have breakfast. I won't be happy if you're late for your first day of training."

"Yes teacher!" Ruby saluted.

"The first thing we need to work on is getting you used to feeling your own Chi," Tifa shook her head.

"Chi?" Ruby questioned the word with a puzzled expression.

The brawler and the reaper went to their usual spot. It was a wide space in the slums where there wasn't any foot traffic, isolated, and perfect for training.

Both got into their fighting stance and immediately Tifa noticed that the girl's posture was off. Oh well, guess she can tell her later after the match.

They stood still, waiting for the first move.

It was Ruby who made the first attack with a straight punch towards Tifa's torso.

The brawler was able to evade, and once more as Ruby followed up with a kick to her mid-section.

Today the silver-eyed petite was on fire. Her attacks had more emotion in them as she punched, kicked, and tried for grapples far more than she used to.

However, no matter how much Ruby tried to land a hit, Tifa kept on evading. The reaper's attacks were too predictable, and there was no need to block them.

None the less, it's been a good experience for both females. For the bartender, it reminded her of the days when she was training under her master. No matter how much he'd boast, Zangan was a true martial arts expert, and his training was anything but easy.

He was strict with her because it was the only way that she would learn, and no matter how harsh he was during their training, the old man did it for her own good. Zangan taught her how to be a tough fighter that could take it as good as she dished it out.

Thinking of those past memories reminded her why she chose to be his student.

When they were younger, Tifa made Cloud promise her to be there to save her if she were ever in any trouble. It was a silly and childish wish when she thought about it, but in truth, she wanted to be independent and rely on her own strength. She wanted to stand by Cloud's side, not behind him.

After everything that has happened, she doesn't regret her choice one bit. Becoming strong, developing as her own person, surviving her harsh training, and helping others because she simply felt like it; it was a good feeling.

When every she would take hit that put her on the ground, she wondered how he was doing or if he was still alive, just thinking of that boy who wished nothing more than to be a hero filled her with strength to carry on.

Luckily, although Zangan was strong, he was getting old and wasn't as spy as he used to be. Tifa often wondered if she could survive a youthful Zangan's training.

Her attention returned to her pupil, and Ruby was still attacking her only this time, she was incorporating feints into her attacks.

'At least she's using her head,' Tifa thought before saying, "Not bad looks like these past two weeks have been very helpful for you, Ruby."

"Thanks!" Ruby said as she tried a jump kick aimed at Tifa's neck.

Tifa lowered her upper body, dodging the blow as she said, "You've improved alight, but only by little. You still have ways to go if you want to be called good."

The bartender didn't mean to say it as a taunt; even her tone sounded upright and full of honesty.

However, it still made Ruby pout as she began trying even harder.

This was the brawler's intention. She had to get a rise out of Ruby and make her give it her best. Tifa's martial arts instructor would often do something similar, but with harsher words. The hardest ones to deal with, were the ones that were true.

The bartender remembered that he even made her cry a few times.

When she finally complained that he was being too harsh, Zangan told her that the training was always going to be harsh, and that in order to improve, she'll have to push herself to her limits and break them.

Ruby kept going throwing punches and kicks while changing up her strategy. Ruby stopped mid punch and tried to duck down to a sweep kick.

Tifa raised her leg just slightly. However, Ruby was already trying to change stance and push out an uppercut.

This really got Tifa's attention. The bartender noticed how Ruby's feints were becoming more complex from just by looking into her silver eyes.

'Better not let my guard down, again,' Tifa thought as she continued to doge Ruby's attacks.

In the couple of weeks that she's been teaching the girl, she found out Ruby can be rather unpredictable at times, and if you push the right buttons, the silver-eyed reaper could be very good at coming up with a nice trick or two.

'Ruby is definitely someone who can gain more of an advantage with the right plan,' Tifa thought before she leaned back, dodging another kick to the neck.

As the match continued on, Ruby kept her eyes on the brawler throughout everything. She saw her movements, techniques, and her actions, all while memorizing them to the best of her abilities.

Tifa still wasn't attacking. The bartender was just letting her attack while she evades, not even blocking.

Not the first time she has done this. There were times when Tifa would dodge for hours, and there were times when she would attack. Ruby almost always went down with one blow.

However, that was because Tifa was so darn strong, and moreover, Ruby sealed away Semblance to learn how to fight proper.

But then again, maybe it was time she shows Tifa a thing or two.

'If I did that…there's no way she won't be surprised,' Ruby thought to herself.

This was her chance to finally break through her master's guard with something she won't possibly be able to see coming. The reaper had an idea, but she'll only get one shot to pull it off. Not to mention, knowing Tifa, she'd figure out how to counter it after seeing it just once.

It was petty, but Ruby just wanted one hit. The Huntress smirked. No matter how experienced the brawler is, there was no way she could stop what's coming.

In the middle of a jump kick, Ruby suddenly stopped in mid-air and waited for it by partially turning her body into rose petals.

Tifa was more than shocked to see that Ruby had all but slowed down in the middle of the air. Then in an instant, the silver-eyed reaper she vanished in a red swirl of rose petals.

The brawler had no clue what was happening or where Ruby had vanished to, but her eyes widened as she heard the sound of rushing wind on her back.

Tifa quickly flipped around, but it was too late. Ruby used a low kick, making contact with the young woman's calf.

The rustic red-eyed woman was caught off guard as she felt the hit land. Ruby expected her to fall to the ground as she felt Tifa's legs coming up and prepared herself to hit where she suspected her teacher to land.

However, the second bit of her plan failed because the bartending brawler reacted quickly performing a summersault flip before landing safely a few feet away.

Instead of feeling disappointed, Ruby thought that at least she was able to successfully land an attack on her martial arts instructor, even if it was cheap.

That was some real progress despite not even being able to catch Tifa's shadow for the past two weeks. The silver-eyed reaper knew that was going to be the only hit she would get in a long while. Now that Tifa saw it, she won't be able to fool her with the same trick twice.

Next time, Tifa will have a counter measure.

"That was new. What kind of Materia Combo are you using to do that?"

"It's a secret. I'm sure you can figure it out," Ruby smiled as she played coy. She really wanted to tell her how she was able to do that because she trusts Tifa, and the others as well for that matter. But telling her about her semblance will lead to telling her about Aura, and that would lead her to telling Tifa about her world.

It won't matter if she would believe her or not, the silver-eyed reaper just wasn't ready to tell them everything about themselves.

The Huntress had talked to Jaune if they should tell them about Remnant, dying, coming back to life, and their mission given by the will of the planet.

So far, Aerith and Elmyra were the only ones who knew the truth, and they believed them regardless of how crazy it all sounded. The two Hunters believed that the only reason they did so was because Aerith was a Cetra.

They didn't want them thinking that Jaune and her should be inside a mental hospital, so both wanted to keep it this way for the time being.

Since they were planning to stay with Avalanche for a long time, they knew they'd get the chance to tell them eventually.

That is, if they don't appear too suspicious after showing them abilities they've never seen before. Now the silver eyed petite was regretting using her semblance. She also used it several times back at Mako Reactor 1, Barret and Cloud have seen her too. Not to mention all the times she just using in the spur of the moment.

They haven't gotten to the proper conclusion, but for how long? Ruby didn't know.

"Maybe I should talk to Jaune later. We should discuss whether we should just tell them everything already. I hate keeping secrets. Especially after what happened the last time," Ruby sighed as she shook her head.

"A secret, huh?" the brawler just smiled and walked over before saying, "Well anyway, you did good job with that move you pulled just now. It's proof that you're improving…but slowly. You're a quick thinker, and it's a good trait. However, in training, it's nothing more than taking short cuts."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you. I have to train more. I've only gotten this good in just a couple of weeks because I have a good teacher," Ruby said as she pushed Tifa's shoulder in a playful way.

"On another note, flattering me isn't going to do much. It won't change how hard I come at you, I'm not going to go easy on you, Ruby Rose."

"Keep it that way! That's why I'm improving so much." Ruby pumped her fists.

"I'm sure your sister would be proud of you."

Ruby's smile faded as her expression changed to that of a somber one. Tifa gasped cursing mentally for screwing up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"No, it's okay. I know she would…I know she wanted me to teach me how to fight without my weapon. But so many things happened that she lost track. Then she went through a lot and chose not to tell me. I was her sister, her family and she still didn't tell me! All she did was hold it in and keep it to herself."

In truth Ruby was upset with Yang for not letting her in. It's not like they grew up together under the same roof, had similar friends, and were freaking sisters.

When she lost her arm to Adam, Yang refused her help, stating that she wanted to be left alone. She never knew if Yang opened up to their father though. Even after reuniting at Mistral, her sister never said a word to her how she was really feeling.

Ruby was partly to blame since she didn't bring it up either. There was nothing she could do when felt upset with Blake either. Okay so she was also more upset with herself. But the one thing that really bothered her is that the blond brawler never told her of what changed the relationship between her sister and the Cat Faunus.

After the battle of Argus, Ruby noticed that the two have grown 'quite close' while they weren't missing to deal with whatever their 'unfinished business' was. They were holding hands when they boarded the air ship.

The Huntress didn't know what happened at the communication towers when they lost contact with the raven haired Faunus.

She wasn't an expert in the topic of love and relationship, so what the heck will she know. All Ruby knew was that it felt like Yang was treating Blake like she was family instead of her real one.

Then it hit her, 'Was I…too needy. Was it really wrong of me to not like that she was talking more with Blake than her own sister? I know Yang and I were going to work it out, but I died. I just…didn't understand her feelings.'

Maybe that's why Yang couldn't confide in her, she didn't really make the effort to bring up the topic and never pushed the subject when Yang told her to drop it.

'I really suck as a little sister. I'm an expert in weapons but I'm clueless to understand Yang and her feelings,' Ruby thought to herself.

"What's wrong?" Tifa walked closer to the petite before saying, "I'm sorry, I did it again. Your sister must be a delicate topic."

"I'm okay. It's just me being silly. You're right, Tifa. She would be proud if she could see me getting the hang of hand to hand combat."

"Look, I know I shouldn't be sticking my nose into anything that isn't my business, nor do I have the right to speak on it if it's too personal for you. But, if you feel like talking about it, I just want to remind you that I'm right here if you need to."

Silver eyes widened in shock.

"If you ever want to talk, I don't mind listening to your troubles. Isn't that what friends do?" Tifa smiled as she put her hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Tifa…"

Ruby held her tears back, but she did give the brawler a big hug. She was so kind and sweet, just like Aerith is. The Ancient was always there for her, like a concerned older sister. If the brawler ever meets the pink-themed florist, Ruby knew that they would get along just great.

'Maybe they'll even become best friends,' Ruby pondered before breaking the embrace. The silver-eyed reaper was feeling much better now.

'There are so many wonderful people in this world,' Ruby thought to herself. Knowing this made her resolve to save the planet even stronger.

"How about we stop the sparing for the day and focus on Chi?"

"I still don't get it really," Ruby said as she sat down in the lotus stance.

"I know it's hard, it took me months to sense my own Chi. But the payoffs are worth it. Once you learn to sense it within yourself, you can train it just like any other muscle. It can help you run faster, hit harder, and take more damage too."

"Sounds great! If I could sense it," Ruby shook her head before sighing.

Whenever the silver-eyed reaper would try to sense the spring of life force within her, she would always pull on her Mana or Aura. It was starting to frustrate her that she can't follow Tifa's instructions to manifest her own Chi.

"Maybe I've been going about this the wrong way," Tifa mulled it over.

"Okay, let's try the philosophical route. What do you picture when I say the word life?"

"Lifestream," Ruby answered.

"Not what I was hoping for. Mako is the Life Stream, that much is true, but it's more accurate to say that it's a collection of souls. Without a soul, life is impossible. However, life force itself, Chi, is the manifestation of the potential of one's life. Mind, body, and heart, these three aspects are what make up Chi. Emotions give rise to energy, and that energy gives rise to action, lastly, you must control it with purpose, will or heart, whatever you want to call it."

Tifa showed an example by making a ball of swirling Chi in her hand.

"Ooh! I never get tired of seeing that," Ruby awed.

"Think of it like your own personal Lifestream if that helps. It flows in every living being, radiates with unbridled power, and helps fuel our every action."

"I feel like Jaune should be learning this too, guy has a lot of Au…spirit. You said those with more energy than others tend to have more Chi, right?" Ruby asked, making sure she avoided the A word.

"Ruby…focus,"

"Right…" Ruby closed her eyes.

"Picture Mako, you've seen the Lifestream up close, right?"

Ruby nodded her head.

"Good, use that image. You know those green little bubbles that float up, picture that kind of substance running through every living thing. The people, the animals, the grass and plant life, all living things emit a steady flow of energy."

Ruby continued to imagine a force that wasn't soul powered or magic powered, an energy that solely came from her physical body.

An hour passed while Ruby found herself entranced with what she was seeing without her vision.

Little motes of lights were floating off of everything around a vast empty black void.

"Is this, my Chi?" Ruby reached out and felt her mind brushing against the specs of light.

"It's so warm…" Tears flowed from her eyes. It wasn't because she was sad, but because she could sense life itself. She finally understood why she wanted to protect people so badly.

"Life itself…is precious, it should be protected," Ruby said out loud.

Tifa smirked as she told Ruby, "Quickly, will those motes of light to gather just above your navel. You should find a space where it will flow naturally. Once you fill that tug, don't fight it. Just give into the flow of the world around you."

Ruby nodded her head and noticed that it felt like this energy was scattered all throughout her body. It was just aimless floating in place.

However, once she gave the demand, the flow of energy rushed into what Tifa called a Dantian. When Ruby felt the tug of the imaginary organ, she could only watch in fascination as all the energy created a physical bean sized organ that looked like a marble.

Inside it contained and nurtured one's life essence that suddenly began branching out of her core and all around her body like the root system of a great tree.

It wasn't scattered or floating anymore, but moved with purpose and on Ruby's command.

"Uh… Ruby?" Tifa called out with a look of shock.

"Huh? Yeah? What's up?"

"You're eyes, they're glowing," Tifa replied as she pointed at the now glowing silver-eyed reaper.

"Huh?" Ruby blinked a few times and felt a deep connection with her eyes that she didn't notice before. Cutting the flow of Chi to it, her eyes returned to normal.

"That was weird, right?" Ruby scratched the back of her head.

"Yeah…I don't know, maybe it's normal. I didn't exactly look at my own eyes when I managed to form my Dantian," Tifa scratched the back of her head. She could tell it had something to do with more personal stuff. But it didn't bother her none. Tifa was a patient girl, after all, she waited for Cloud for about 7 years.

"So, how do you feel?" Tifa asked.

Ruby jumped up and clenched her fists a couple of times before saying, "Powerful."

"Yeah, now don't going abusing this gift. I have no issue if you want to teach Jaune, just make sure he understands that life force isn't meant to harm the innocent. He'll have to deal with my wrath if he does," Tifa slammed her knuckles together.

"Right, I make sure to tell him," Ruby gave a student to master bow.

Tifa laughed at her antics and said, "Come on, let's head back. I'm starving after all this training."

"Um…could we spar again? I kind of want to get a handle on using Chi," Ruby poked her fingers again.

"Well, I think my stomach can hold off for another hour or so. Come on, Ruby, show me what you can do."

Both walked the streets after their day of training. Ruby was feeling great after that last spar. She actually managed to keep up with Tifa's movements without relying on Aura or her Semblance.

Not to mention all that working out at Jules place adjusted her bodies base statistics, strength, stamina, speed, all of it was beyond top tier because of Nora's training methods.

With Chi and Aura combined, Ruby had no idea what the limits of her body was. She was more than happy to finally feel like she was growing stronger, just like Jaune was. However, Jaune didn't seem to notice his progress as much as Ruby did.

They suddenly heard people talking, murmuring until they were able to fully hear them. It was something about a fight near Stargazer Heights.

This was new experience for the bartending brawler. For as long as she has lived in the Sector 7 slums, there would never be any kind of confrontation at Marle's place capable of drawing such a crowd, unless it's a monster attack.

But according to the people they passed by, they were saying a couple of guys were about to duke it out.

The two females looked at each other and nodded before they went to see what this fight was about.

Tifa was hoping it wasn't Barret having a fit with one of the Seventh Heaven customers. It wouldn't be the first time his temper has gotten the best of him.

However, after arriving, she didn't know if she should be thankful or not that she was proven wrong.

A large crowd has gathered outside the apartment complex. The brawler and the reaper heard the people saying about the new mercenaries fighting each other.

That was enough to get their full attention. Both Ruby and Tifa didn't want to believe it, but there were only two mercenaries that they knew of that could be responsible for this, and as it turned out, they were right.

Standing there in the center of the crowd was Cloud, holding his buster sword, and facing his opponent.

A shockwave echoed out from the clashing of swords.

"Jaune?" Ruby was more shocked than Tifa was at seeing Cloud on the other side.

"Just what was going? Why are they fighting?" Tifa rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"It looks like, they're having fun…" Ruby noticed the smile on Jaune's face. Even the Ex-SOLIDER was smirking.

Seeing that the atmosphere between the two was friendlier than they thought it would be, the two females chose not to interfere and would wait to see what was going to happen. They'd know if they needed to step in and break it up.

Jaune jumped up and slashed down with a vertical slash that met Cloud's horizontal one. Sparks flew of their swords second before Cloud put more strength in his arms and threw Jaune back into the air.

Jaune landed a few feet away and rolled to the side the moment Cloud struck down. His Buster Sword cleaved the air aside as dust from the blow shot out on both sides of his sword.

The girls felt a sweat drop on their brow as they thought, 'This is a spar, right?'

Jaune nearly bumped into a spectator as he asked, "Why are there so many people all of the sudden?"

It came out of nowhere when Cloud went to him and asked for a sparring match. Who was he to say no? Besides, he's been wanting to fight the ex-SOLDIER for some time now. They're supposed to be Shinra's best elites, and the Merc has already showed him how strong he is on several occasions.

"Well you okay," Cloud stood a few feet away, not striking because he'd hit a civilian with that sword of his.

"Just catching my breath," Jaune replied as he walked forward and moved into his stance.

At the same time, the Arc spotted Ruby and Tifa in the crowd. Not that far from them was another familiar face, Marle, and boy she didn't look too happy at all.

Guess having a match near her property didn't exactly make her giddy with excitement.

However, it was nothing so serious that would cause destruction of any property. They agreed they won't be using magic or their best attacks to avoid just that.

Biggs, Jessie and Wedge were present, and they were cheering their heads off for who they put money on.

Wedge bet on Jaune because he's seen how hard the guy trains. Every day for the past 3 weeks, Wedge as tried to join Ruby and Jaune in their early morning workout routine.

And boy, did he find out that he had regret. Poor wedge had no clue what he was getting into. He'd run, drop, get cured by Jaune with a Restoration Materia, and then he switched up the training to push ups, sit ups, or whatever he told him to do.

When Wedge finished a rep, he had to start the whole process over, and for four hours straight no less. There were no food breaks, only protein shake and water breaks.

Wedge had never heard of such an extreme training method before, but he couldn't deny the results. He had already burned off 20 pounds. He still had some chubbiness to him, but he was starting to see muscles.

The best part of it all, he didn't have to stop eating so much. Though he did have to provide a list of how many calories he took in everyday so Jaune knew how much to work him to actually get some gain out of his exercises.

Biggs was rooting for Cloud. He just thought that the spikey-haired mercenary had more experience because he was older.

Jessie was rooting for Jaune, for obvious reasons.

"I guess this little spar has gotten the everyone's attention in Sector 7," Tifa chuckled.

The mercenary with the Buster Sword has gotten popular in the past few weeks, hearing he was facing someone was enough to make them watch. Of course, with Jaune and Ruby around to constantly hunt monsters or help out on jobs when they had the time, they were pretty popular in the slums as well.

"I thought our match will be a quiet one," Jaune said as he slowly moved closer towards his target.

"Word spreads fast." replied Cloud as he took on his operator stance.

"Yeah, I guess. But I wonder who it was that blabbed, we should probably charge these guys to watch," Jaune said in all seriousness.

Cloud nodded his head in agreement and said, "Well, enough talk."

Both made the first move at the same time. Jaune tried to unleash an horizontal slash against Cloud's chest, but the buster sword blocked it.

The size is a decisive fact compare to the size of Crocea Mors. It's like using a toothpick to fight someone using a I-Beam. However, he had a shield. The moment his sword clashed off of the Buster Sword's fuller, Jaune spun around and struck out with his shield hand.

Cloud felt his feet slide back before he realized just how heavy Jaune's blow was. However, he didn't have time to admire, Jaune rolled in past his guard and tried to stab at his stomach.

Cloud took a step back and used the Buster Sword to sweep Jaune's arm into the air when their weapons collided.

Jaune didn't stop there. He rolled back with the force and rammed his sword into the sheathing section of the shield before turning the switch on the pommel of Crocea Mors.

By the time the sword had transformed, Cloud was in front of Jaune, swinging downward with another powerful vertical strike.

Jaune quickly swung back with his great sword while the ex-SOLDIER followed through with his swing.

A loud clang rang out as the edges of their blades met. However, it appeared Jaune was losing out slightly.

Pushed back by the weight of the Buster Sword, Jaune let go of the pressure and felt the heavy sword slide off Crocea Mors.

As Cloud's weapon slammed into the ground, Jaune lifted his sword around his back while he spun and swung down at Cloud's head.

Cloud quickly flipped the Buster Sword around with some precision grip-work and performed some quick attacks, hitting Jaune's sword into the air before swinging back down towards the taller blond's neck.

Jaune went with the blow, letting Cloud's strength push him away while he crouched down and spun towards the spikey-haired mercenary's legs.

Cloud acted quickly, halting his strike to lower his sword facing flat against the Jaune's blow.

Their swords rang out again before Jaune jumped back up and tried another overhead swing.

Once more, Cloud's hands worked with surgeon like precision. The blade of the Buster Sword flipped around before Cloud unleashed a swing that made the air scream.

Their swords clashed again, but this time, Jaune's blow was much heavier than his last attempt. Cloud couldn't force him off, but he could force the blond knight to the ground.

Mustering all his strength, Cloud followed through with his swing and made Jaune land on the ground at an awkward angle. Jaune stayed focus, fixing his feet before pushing back against Cloud's attack.

Crocea Mors and the Buster Sword screeched as the unique metals rubbed against each other. The friction from their strength caused sparks to run down the edges of their blades every time they pushed back against each other.

Then, with one big push, the two separated and their arms turned into blurs.

Dozens of consecutive clangs rang out like powerful sonic booms. The crows was losing their collective minds as they cheered and roared for the two Mercenaries to keep it up.

Every blow, Jaune made sure his Aura didn't push his strength beyond what Cloud was capable of.

It was dangerous to fight holding back, but the muscles he needed to work on couldn't be built without the proper stress.

Again, their swords clashed. All Jaune could think was that it was heavy, heavier than when Cordovin's giant robot hand swatted him like a fly.

However, Jaune knew he could take it.

Jaune pushed himself to swing harder, hit faster, and most of all use his brain better.

Their swords clashed over and over again when suddenly, Jaune flipped the greatsword back into sword and shield mode and drew the lighter version of Crocea Mors to aim for Cloud's fingers.

Cloud's eyes widened as he let go of the Buster Sword, but that was a big mistake too. The moment, he did, Jaune swung out with his shield hand and hit the Merc in the waist.

Cloud wheezed for a second before he grabbed the shield and reached for his Buster Sword at the same time.

Before Jaune could get away, Cloud kicked him in the gut and sent him flying back while his feet slid across the dirt.

Cloud coughed a little as he rubbed his stomach, "Right…not just a shield."

Jaune coughed up some air as he said, "Wasn't expecting you to kick."

"A SOLIDER is more than his sword," Cloud took his Punisher Stance and readied himself.

'If he were an amateur, I would have been able to break through his defense and land a win. I guess a shield isn't too bad,' Cloud thought as he lunged forward with a stabbing motion.

The Huntsman knew it wasn't going to be easy after seeing what Cloud can do. Sparring against his fellow blond was just as hard as an actual fight.

Jaune felt strength well up within him as he heard Ruby cheering him. It was the same rush of energy he felt when fighting against Cinder.

His sword glowed as it took the shape of the Crocea Mors he remembered his former partner guiding him. The blade was about a foot bigger and a couple of inches thicker. It wasn't a standard sword like he had, but a stronger version of his sword.

Cloud blinked before he mumbled, "Limit Break?"

Jaune could feel that it was magic that was pulsing through his weapon and not his Aura. His Aura simply guided the magic and helped it take form last time.

This time, it was purely magical.

Cloud grinned as the edge of his sword filled with magical energy and he struck out.

The two clashed sending shock waves of energy that forced the crowd to back up.

"What was that?" Ruby shouted.

"Limit Break. You friend has an interesting manifestation. What should we call it, Magic Sword?" Tifa answered.

"Limit Break?" Ruby tilted her head.

"You know, when your emotions run high, and all that energy burst out from your core? It happens when in the heat of battle and the magic responds to your emotions, taking form to what we call Limit Break."

Ruby's eyes sparkled as thought back to her fight with Cinder, "That's right, my weapons filled up with magic and it felt so much stronger when I swung."

"Neat, what happened?" Tifa asked as Jaune and Cloud continued to clash weapons.

"The blade from Crescent Rose turned blood red and it made my swing dozens of times stronger," Ruby explained.

"Cool, it sounds like Cloud's ability. You see the edge of his sword? It's being reinforced with magic," Tifa pointed out.

Ruby nodded her head and thought, 'I should call it Scattered Rose!'

Even with his new understanding of this power, Jaune realized that Cloud isn't a fighter you can brute force your way through. With this kind of opponent, he needed to think carefully if he wanted to stand a chance.

The crowd cheered more for the fight then the fighters.

Cloud could care less about the spectators. His eyes were focused solely on his opponent.

Jaune knew his new magic sword construct wasn't doing the job, so he immediately changed tactics. Their blows continued to set off concussive waves, and the crowd was forced to give him more room.

Jaune suddenly willed his sword to become a copy of the Buster Sword and pushed himself to the limits as Cloud showed a shocked expression.

After ten quick exchanges, Cloud noticed something was off.

'His shield? Where is it?'

However, it was too late. Jaune threw his shield into the air a while ago and it landed behind Cloud. The entire time they were clashing, Jaune boxed him in with the help of the crowd and guided the spikey-haired blond to where he wanted.

The back of Cloud's leg hit Jaune's shield which was firmly lodged within the ground. He started to fall back when Jaune lept into action.

However, at the last second, Jaune felt the magic form of his sword fade away.

Their weapons clashed with Cloud's back on the ground.

"That's the thing about breaking your limits. It can only last so long," Cloud informed as he kicked Jaune in the stomach while rolling backwards.

Jaune tumbled across the ground, but he stood right back up just in time to see Cloud charging sword first

"You have to use your energy properly, save for when you need it, and get the timing right." Cloud announced as he cut with a horizontal swing.

Jaune dodged out of the way and slammed his sword back into his shield before rolling on the ground to face Cloud with Great Crocea Mors once again.

'Having an opponent that doesn't give up and improvises is good,' Cloud thought to himself as Jaune charged at him.

It seemed that the two fighters were done feeling each other and were planning on giving it their all from this point forward.

The weapons collided numerous times, both swinging their blades equally as fast. Every clash, they two seemed to be searching for an opening in each other's guards.

Ruby kept cheering on the Arc while Tifa didn't know what to say, she never expected to see a human going toe to toe with a 1st Class SOLIDER.

Not to mention, besides the usual bar brawl, marital dispute, and general dumb fights between friends or bullies, a fight of this level just wasn't seen in these parts of Sector 7, unless they were in areas where monsters inhabit, and even then, Avalanche was the one doing the killing.

The crowd went wild when both kept on clashing moving their bodies faster and of course they kept their distance from the competitors.

Neither of them looked like they were ready to quit.

'You know, I'm actually having fun. I wonder if Cloud feels the same,' Jaune thought to himself.

Jaune had to smile as he continued to exchange blows with Cloud.

The merc kept his focused expression.

Jaune swept forward with his Great Crocea Mors and turned it back into a shield. While Cloud dealt with the force from the blow, the shield started falling towards the ground while Jaune had drawn the smaller blade and lunged towards his throat.

Thinking quickly, Cloud kicked the flat side of the Buster Sword and used the moment from the blow to swing his sword up in time to stop the Jaune's stab.

It hits Crocea Mors at an angle and force Jaune's arm into the air. Not wanting to give him time to react, once the Buster Sword reached the peak of its arc, he flipped the blade around and swung back in the same direction.

However, to his surprise, Jaune already had the shield back on his arm and blocked the blow before swinging to from his side.

The horizontal slash didn't go unnoticed. Cloud quickly jumped back and deflected the attack as he pulled the Buster Sword back into his Operator Stance.

The Ex-Mercenary had been trying his best to break through Jaune's guard, but that shield kept deflecting or outright stopped his attack.

'What the hell is that thing made of?!' Cloud thought as he kept up the pace, dodging Jaune's sword while swinging back with a vengeance.

'I've cut through steel no issue, and I know that's not adamantine,' Cloud raised his Buster Sword to block a stab before spinning around to knock Jaune away.

'Again, that shield!' Cloud jumped into the air Jaune rolled underneath him and tried to attack his back.

Both of them were mid-air when Cloud swung around to block Jaune's leaping vertical cut.

Their weapons clashed before the force from their blow knocked them back and made the two mercenaries land a few feet away from each other.

'Damn hard to get a hit in,' Jaune thought as he started walking in a circle pattern around Cloud.

It wasn't just a Buster Sword, but Cloud's stance as well. He switched between two styles, one extremely precise and had a lot of control, the other was full offense where he let the weight of the Buster Sword pull him around into wide arcing blows that were filled with tremendous power.

Jaune wasn't letting his guard down not even for a second.

Cloud came in and the two began exchanging blows. Once more, it became a struggle of endurance, to see who dropped their guard first.

'A real warrior with years of experience,' Cloud thought as he dodged a stab only to swing and hit Jaune's shield again.

'If Cloud wasn't a mercenary in this world, but in ours, he would be a great Huntsman on Remnant,' Jaune contemplated as he bashed the Buster Sword away with his shield before trying to cut his opponent across the chest.

'I wonder what how strong the person that taught him was,' Jaune and Cloud shared the same thought as their blades crashed into each other.

They kept on clashing, bouncing their swords of each other's weapons as they struggled to maintain a calm breathing pattern.

However, the spikey one began speeding up and his strength becoming more intense. Each attack managed to blow the young blond away even.

'So, he was holding back too. Damn it! I can't judge what level of strength I need to keep up with him. Does this guy even have any limits?' Jaune thought as he noticed himself losing more ground.

However, Huntsman didn't give in. Every time Cloud moved quicker, he'd use a little more Aura to keep up.

While he bought himself time, Jaune managed to think of a way to turn this fight in his favor, but he knew that he'd have to act fast, because the ex-SOLDIER was taking things to the next level.

He waited for the right timing and plotted out his next attack. This time his eyes were on the Buster's Sword's movements and the direction it was traveling.

Finally, he'd seen enough, the timing was right, and he went for it, risking it all with a bit of finesse.

Cloud thought he had the advantage, and that he just needed to keep up the pace. As long as he had the Buster Sword, it acted like wall that Jaune's weapon couldn't get around, or at the least made him take risks to try.

Jaune rushed forward and tossed his shield at Cloud. He quickly slashed it out of the way, but when he looked for the Arc, he realized he was gone.

The blond mercenary kept his guard up not knowing where he disappeared to when the crowd suddenly gasped in awe.

Without any warning, everyone spectating on this little event exploded into cheers, in fact, it was louder than ever.

The spikey blond merc turned to his right only to see Jaune standing before him. The Huntsman was holding on the backside of the sword.

Jaune had firm grip on the Buster Sword's spine and was channeling enough Aura to keep ahold of it.

Cloud's eyes widened in shock. He's never seen Jaune move so fast before. To not only get through his guard, but reach his weapon too, Cloud could say with absolute certainty that he's never had an opponent that could do that.

It was one hell of a risk to dispose of his shield and use it to blind his line of sight. One thing was for sure, the Ex-SOLIDER never saw it coming.

"Thanks Cloud, I couldn't have pulled this off without you," Jaune looked up with one arm raised in the air, Crocea Mors was at his feet, and his shield was falling towards him.

That's when Cloud realized, 'Did he calculate the trajectory of my swing? No...it's more than that. He predicted what motion I would take to block the shield throw. Incredible.' Cloud thought as the shield landed on the magnetic strap inside Jaune's bracer.

Once it clasped into place, Jaune punched out with sharp end of his heater shield headed straight towards Cloud's abdomen.

Cloud let go of the Buster Sword, but he wasn't done just yet. He kicked the Crocea Mors' cross guard and sent it flying toward him. Grabbing firmly onto the grip, he swung out with the lighter blade in less time than it took for a heart to beat.

Jaune's eyes widened as he used a whole lot more Aura to spin the Buster Sword and grabbed onto the hilt quick enough to place the flat end towards Cloud.

As Crocea Mors smacked into the Buster Sword, Jaune lept back and held on to the heavy weapon's grip and swung back in time to block the attack.

It was in that moment, Cloud realized that he was having fun. He forgot why he wanted to have this spar with the Arc in the first place.

The younger blond charged at him, and he wasn't going to let that happen. Even if it was his own Buster Sword flying towards him. Crocea Mors was a good sword, and it held up well against Jaune's attacks.

The two mercenaries exchanged a few more blows before jumping back and looking at their perspective weapons.

"Trade?" Jaune said as he held up the Buster Sword with great difficulty.

"Trade," Cloud nodded his head.

They both threw each other their weapons and caught it before slamming the edges of their blades against one another.

Jaune thought he had him back there. He wasn't expecting Cloud to nab his sword.

Once more, they were deadlocked in a furious exchange of sword against sword.

However, Jaune eventually noticed Cloud tried something he hadn't done throughout the entire fight.

When Jaune deflected the blow from the Buster Sword with his shield, Cloud didn't retreat. He reached out and grabbed Jaune sword by the tip before jumping up and kicking the Arc across the face.

Jaune tumbled back as the crowd roared and cheered like crazy. His head was still spinning as he picked himself back off the ground. However, Jaune noticed that Crocea Mors was gone.

His eyes darted across the area to notice that his sword and shield were a few feet away from him. The blond knight dashed for them, but before he could reach his hands out, the ex-SOLDIER stood in his way.

The Arc was staring at the sharp tip of the Buster Sword pointed at his nose.

"Well…I guess that's it. Game over, I yield." Jaune announced as the crowd cheered for the winner of the match.

Jaune wasn't disappointed or upset. He knew this was going to happen. Cloud has had a better training and more experience, and even with all the effort he put in since arriving on Gaia, he was bound to lose without relying on his Aura.

This match was a strong reminder to the Huntsman to continue training and getting stronger. The crowd cheered for the mercenary as the match was officially over.

The crowd was cheering for both blonds. It was a great fight and no one there could deny that they did their best and gave one hell of a show.

Jaune was didn't think he was too far in over his head. Even if they were fighting for real it would probably be another close match.

But then again, if he used his semblance to enhance his own aura, Jaune might be able to wipe the floor with Cloud. Not to mention if he used Over-Clock, the Aura Technique he finally named, Cloud might not be his match at all.

When he used Over-Clock on Cinder, his abilities multiplied several times over and gave him an edge against the Fall Maiden, so it definitely could give him the edge against a SOLIDER.

However, the ability didn't simply boost his Aura once, Jaune overlapped the growth of his Aura with constant recasting of his Semblance. Once his Aura stopped growing, he overlaid with his new and improved Aura with a repeated use of his Semblance, thus the name Over-Clock. Cause it took time. Yang would of liked that one.

However, there was no need to use that technique on cloud, it was a move he made solely for killing his enemies, and Cloud wasn't his enemy.

Jaune was glad to have the ex-SOLDIER as an ally.

The Huntsman was on one knee, panting while sweat dripped from every pore. He then took a deep breath, and about to get up when his fellow merc offered him a hand.

Jaune smiled, accepting the help as he nodded in return. The blond knight was glad to see he wasn't the only one that got a workout.

Cloud was sweating up a storm, and everyone one of his muscles were feeling the burn.

However, the Ex-SOLIDER wasn't focused on that, he was lost thought, staring at the Arc while thinking that having friend like Jaune was actually a pretty nice feeling.

Zack would always be his friend and brother but it doesn't mean he should ignore the chance to make some new ones. Meeting Jaune and getting to know him taught Cloud that life was too more exciting with friends, and more worth living.

It didn't take too long for the crowd to disperse. After all, the people had to get back to their normal daily lives and jobs.

Biggs, Wedge and Jessie congratulated both each saying their piece.

"Jaune my boy, it was a good fight, and because of you, I now have 10K burning a hole in my pocket." Biggs laughed as he patted him on the back.

"Shut up! It was a close fight teacher!" Wedge nodded his head.

"Don't call me that. I'm just instructing you how to get in shape. Jules would kill me if I just let you walk around in that shape. Besides, I haven't taught you fight or anything," Jaune blushed a bit as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I thought it was close too. Strong enough to force a SOLIDER to sweat, Jessie likes," the brunette gave Jaune another wink.

As he blushed, Ruby's eyebrow twitched, and for reasons she couldn't understand, she felt so annoyed.

Cloud tried to look Tifa in the eye. After what happened at her room, he was still feeling embarrassed and afraid of the punch he had coming.

The brawler didn't seem to be upset with him, and it's not like he saw her naked, but almost...for a second, Cloud had just the slightest of blush on his face before he looked away.

Just in time to see Marle stomping over to the group. The landlady looked like she wanted to decapitate someone as she glared at the two blonds.

She gave them a harsh lecture about public safety and told them that she will kick them out to the streets if they ever pull another stunt like that again.

They got it loud and clear not to have a match near their apartments. The ex-SOLDIER gazed at them before his eyes traveled to the steel sky.

"Maybe this place can become my home."

Chapter Text

[Location: Beacon Headquarters, Sector 7 Slums, Midgar]

[Planet: Gaia]

It's been a week since the sparring match at Stargazing Heights, Jaune was welding some pieces of metal in the shape of a tiny reactor Core. He paused mid-weld and stopped to look at the Blueprints Jaune had drawn down from the floor plans he got from Ms. Folia.

However, there were some major differences between the Shinra Reactor Core and the one Jaune was building.

For one, it didn't use Mako.

Jaune went back to work and managed to get a prototype up and ready to test when Ruby walked beside him and asked, "So, how's it looking?"

"Well, for starters, not good. The reactor they have is…well, crap. It's way more inefficient than the stuff we had back home. Since Dust is basically a degraded and weaker form of Materia, the reactors we had on Remnant were capable pulling in a thousand percent more energy for far less fuel consumption."

"So why build a core?" Ruby asked.

"It's not the core we're familiar with. Take a look inside," Jaune said as he opened the hatch.

Ruby was stunned when she saw three Lightning Materias slotted up in a triangle while everywhere else was complex machinery.

"I chose to go with Shinra's core model because I want it to be compatible with the Mako Reactors. The Mako obviously has to return to Gaia, but the buildings themselves are fairly useful. It has thick concrete barriers, enough storage space to store massive amounts of water, and can easily be repurposed for what I have in mind."

"What do you have in mind?" Ruby didn't know it at the moment, but she found the sweating, grease covered, and messy haired Jaune hot. He face full of blush was proof of that.

"Remember the dam we visited back in Anima?" Jaune asked as he leaned down and started working on the machine's innards.

"Yeah, it was pretty cool to see all that water gathered in on place thanks to human and Faunus efforts back in the day."

"They used Water to turn massive turbines, sure the water flow came from Water Dust, but thanks to understanding a bit about magnetism and how it works with copper, I came up with an idea. You see, the dam we saw uses the flow of water to generate about as much energy as all two or three Mako Reactors combined. This is what I mean by Mako Reactors not only being inefficient but extremely wasteful. Not only that, it's electricity making process is extremely simplified," Jaune walked over to a box shaped object and opened it up.

"This is a showcase DC converter I built. I used Sky Copper to create the coil because its ability to generate a magnetic field is 3 times greater than regular copper, the magnetically charged poles are made from Mythril, and the cables are the same cables you see around the city. The fewer infrastructures we have to replace, the less costly it will be to build one of these things on the macro-scale."

"This looks like good work, Jaune. But what does it do?"

"Well, we can't just build a dam because there isn't a river around this region. However, we are close to the ocean, if we hired some men proficient in using Earth Materia, we can make a line to the ocean floor, desalinate the ocean water, and thus easily feed a constant supply of water into a reactor."

Jaune closed the hatch on his black box and walked over towards the reactor before putting his hand on it, "This baby will use the Mana I put into it and set up a cycle of rotating lighting arcs. It will travel out of the core and back in it to each Materia in order to keep the feed of inserted mana constant."

Jaune demonstrated as he went over to a plate that had the prototype reactor core design on it.

"When I tried using slots that were in a straight line, I noticed that every time the Mana turned directions and bounced back, it would lose a bit of energy, or sometimes it would overload because it gained too much when the machine detected the energy deficiency and tried to compensate. However, once I set in the triangle formation, the Mana didn't have to make a full turn around. Instead it bounces at an arc, never once slowing down or speeding up more than what was necessary."

Ruby looked at the design and suddenly felt a flash of inspiration due to Jaune's idea. The gears in her head started turning before she had her eureka moment.

"Jaune! You're a genius!" Ruby shouted as she hugged the blond knight.

"I am?" Jaune scratched his the side of his head.

Ruby kissed his cheek and shouted, "Yes! Silly!"

Jaune turned into a bumbling mess as his face turned bright red and his knees felt weak. However, Ruby didn't seem to notice what it was she just did, and started going on about their triple slot tech.

"Jaune, don't you see, the reason Triple Slots never worked was because of the shape. The shape! A straight line doesn't contain the energy as well as well as it would if we put it on a track." Ruby started drawing in a shape over a plate of metal alloy.

"I completely forgot about the energy it takes to stop and change direction. However, if I make it like this," Ruby stuck her tongue out as she grabbed a fire pen and used it to carve in a perfect circle.

"I love this thing," Ruby said as she looked at the pen with a Fire Materia slotted on the top of the clicker.

Next, she put in four slots, one for every direction, top, bottom, left, and right, before putting one more in the center.

Ruby's hands turned into blurs as she drew in several thousand energy circuits on the metal plate and set in an Elemental Materia in the center.

Next, she put Fire, Water, Lightning, and Earth Materias all around in the circular shaped slot.

The board…didn't explode.

Jaune's eyes widened as he realized that Ruby had done it. She cracked the Triple Slot issue. However, it was even better, because she was able to make 5 interconnected slots without them overloading the material it was set in.

"I…holy crap!" Jaune covered his mouth before Ruby held out her swear jar.

"Come on! If there was ever a time it was acceptable to curse, it would be now," Jaune cried.

Ruby shook the jar before Jaune sighed and put in 5 Gil.

"Thank you for your potty mouth donations," Ruby chuckled as he looked at the very full Jar.

"Anyways, this is great. We can equip newer and better Materia combinations!"

"Not so fast. This baby is an alloy mixture comprised of 50% Adamantine and 50% Cloud Mythril. It's still producing way more energy, and weaker metals won't be able to handle the strain as well. However, the good news is, your triangle formation with one more in the center should be acceptable. It might just be better for common metals to only use triple slots."

"Still, this is amazing!" Jaune held his hands out.

Ruby blushed as he jumped up and hugged him, "I know, right?!"

The two looked at each other before they blushed and backed off.

Ruby quickly changed the subject and asked, "So, how is your Reactor Supposed to work?"

"Well, I figured I'd submerge it in water, boil that water and use the steam to turn turbines in order to produce electricity."

"Jaune, that sounds…amazing. It gathers the kinetic energy of steam and produces electricity from a byproduct rather the source material. There are no pollutants and the steam that rises from the reactor will eventually become rainwater, replenishing what we took to make the energy. Only issue is, how to keep the salt in the ocean."

"I figured a Water Materia set to separate the incoming water rather than make water would be a more efficient idea. But for a smaller version its better just to contain the water and steam to reuse."

Ruby's eyes sparkled as she shook her arms up and down, "I can't wait to try it!"

"Well, I'm about done with this one and it's ready for a test drive once I seal it shut," Jaune said as he walked over and picked up the arc welder.

Ruby nodded her head as she asked, "Is that why you had that entire section of the factory turned into a concrete pool with a reinforced Mythril coating?"

"Yep, I filled it up with water too. They finished the building a couple days ago. So, Ruby…want to be the first person to help me test it?!"

"Would I?" Ruby smiled ear to ear.

The two Hunters finished patching everything up before carrying the materials to the new building.

Ruby looked on in awe as they saw a deep pool of water beneath them in a room with elevated grated catwalks. There were pipes of all sizes around the room that had the insides coated with a resin polymer that wouldn't degrade from the hot or wet atmosphere. They led to large turbines made out of pure Mythril, so rust wasn't an issue. Once they started spinning, the copper coils would turn and generate a direct flow of electricity to the transformers, then to the power pylons, and lastly to everyone's house.

In fact, almost all of the metal parts in the room were made from corrosive resistant alloys.

Jaune and Ruby carried the material to a hole in the middle of the platform and set it on a crane that would lower it into slotted area at the bottom.

Jaune started taking off his clothes before Ruby blushed, covered her eyes, and asked, "What are you doing?!"

"I have to wield the Reactor to the ground and set up a few things down there," Jaune said before walking over to a locker that was on the wall.

He then put on a rubber dive suit that covered everything, including an air-hose that was entirely made out of shock proof materials.

Ruby looked him over and noticed that the suit didn't leave much to imagination. She could see Jaune's muscles and defined body as if were almost naked.

"I'll be right back," Jaune said as he jumped into the water and started swimming down.

Using the equipment he had on hand, Jaune welded the materials together, put in a few dozen pipes, and connected the exhaust lines.

After he came back up, Ruby turned away in time; so, she didn't get another eyeful of almost naked Jaune. Although, part of her was telling her to turn around and take a peek.

Jaune set up some more cables and then pulled a lever near the door.

Around the surface of the water, a metal cover started to move out of a slot near the edges of the room. It covered the entire base of the Mini-Materia Reactor No.1, sealed the water beneath the room, and hid the reactor core from sight.

"How are going to see if it works?"

Jaune pointed to the control panel near the wall and said, "I've installed cameras under the water that use both heat and infrared to see what's going on. I also added a scanner that can give us a full image based on its data. Meaning, even if it gets hot down there, the A.I can filter out the bubbles and other obstructions to give us a clear image.