[RWBY] RWBY Shorts

[AndrewJTalon]

Jaune Arc sprawled on the floor, his blond hair a mess as he laughed, roughhousing with Zwei, the corgi's stubby legs flailing as Jaune scratched behind his ears. "Who's a good boy? You're a good boy!" Jaune chuckled, Zwei yipping happily, his tongue lolling out.

A shadow fell over them, and Jaune glanced up, his blue eyes meeting Yang Xiao Long's blazing lilac glare. Her arms were crossed, her hair practically sparking with fury. Jaune's grin faltered.

"Oh! Uh, hey, Yang! What's up?"

"Listen, Jaune," Yang growled, her voice low and sharp, cutting through Zwei's yips. "You don't get to treat people like they're disposable!"

Jaune blinked, his hand freezing mid-scratch.

"I—Huh?!"

"You heard me!" Yang snapped, stepping closer, her glare searing. "You can't just take away their happiness without thinking of what you're doing to them! You can't just—just take away the things that matter! Or pretend you're not doing what you're doing!"

Jaune's brow furrowed, Zwei tilting his head as if equally confused.

"…What?"

Yang's scowl deepened, her voice rising as she jabbed a finger at Zwei, then Jaune.

"You—you heard me! And you!" She glared at the corgi, who yawned cutely. "You can't just abandon us after all we've been through! Hearts are fragile things!"

Jaune's mind raced, his thoughts a jumble of What the hell is she talking about?! Yang's words echoed—fragile heart—and Ruby's recent moping flashed in his memory. Yang's anger, Ruby's sadness, it all clicked like a lightning bolt.

Of course! I… I never thought it was possible, but…!

"You're right, Yang," Jaune said, his voice steady, his eyes wide with realization as he stood, Zwei scampering to his feet.

"You're damned right I am!" Yang huffed, her fists clenching.

"I've been…" Jaune ran a hand through his hair, his voice heavy with guilt. "I didn't realize! I was so thoughtless! I was so self-obsessed… Oh geez, I'm so sorry, Yang! I'm a total jerk! And an oblivious one!"

Yang's glare softened, confusion flickering. "You absolutely are! Seriously, I thought you were a nice guy!"

"No… no, I've been the worst kind of nice guy," Jaune said, his shoulders slumping. "Just chasing and chasing without appreciating what's in front of me."

"Yeah, that's…" Yang blinked, her voice faltering. "Wait, what?"

Jaune set Zwei down, stepping closer, his eyes locking onto hers with an earnest intensity that made her breath hitch.

"Truth is… you're like, everything I could ever want in a girl. You're my ideal. But I… I never thought I had a chance with you! You're just so amazing! Weiss, well… I thought we had something, but turns out she was just being sarcastic. That, and, well, I guess I thought I needed to prove myself. But if I tried anything with you? It… it would hurt worse if you said no, because you're just so incredible. I had no idea you felt the same way."

Yang's eyes widened, her face flushing a brilliant red as she sputtered, "I—No, that's not what I… Wait—You think I'm better than Weiss?"

Jaune's grin was bright, unguarded. "Well, yeah! Your smile, your laugh, your eyes—they're amazing!" His voice softened, sincere. "You're amazing."

Yang's blush deepened, her voice stumbling. "I—You—Look, that's great, but I'm not—!"

"Let me make it up to you, okay?" Jaune cut in, his enthusiasm unstoppable. "I'm trying not to rush into anything, but I'll take you out on a date! I'll pay for everything! It's the least I can do!"

Yang froze, her mouth opening and closing, her brain catching up to the whirlwind.

"…Well… um… okay?"

"Great!" Jaune beamed, scratching Zwei's ears one last time before straightening. "Uh… I-I'd better… do those things!"

"Uh, sure! Sure!" Yang said, her voice dazed, her cheeks still glowing.

Jaune jogged out, his hoodie bouncing, leaving Yang alone with Zwei, who yawned cutely, his beady eyes glinting with a knowing spark. Yang scowled, pointing at the corgi. "What the hell—What just happened?!"

Zwei knew, of course. The Arc family farm had corgis—hot, female corgis. The key to that harem of canine cuties? Hooking up this goober with Yang. A little nudge, a little chaos, and Zwei's plan was in motion, his tail wagging smugly as Yang's flustered muttering filled the room.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The dusty interior of Vale's Used Weapon Emporium was a treasure trove of battered blades, dented firearms, and the faint tang of oil and steel. Shelves groaned under the weight of relics from forgotten battles, their stories etched in nicks and scratches. Team RWBY and Team JNPR wove through the narrow aisles, but Ruby Rose and Jaune Arc weren't browsing—they were on a mission. Ruby's silver eyes gleamed as she scanned the racks, while Jaune trailed her, his expression a mix of determination and nervous energy.

"If I'm gonna master my Semblance," Jaune said, adjusting Crocea Mors on his hip, "I do need to keep training with it."

Pyrrha Nikos, ever supportive, flashed him a warm smile, her crimson hair catching the dim light. "Jaune, I absolutely understand. And you are getting better at controlling your other selves!"

Jaune's grin was sheepish, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks. I was afraid of losing myself after a while."

Weiss Schnee, clutching a clipboard as if it were Myrtenaster, scoffed, her cheeks faintly pink. "I-I find that ridiculous! After all, it-it's merely an expression of your true self and influence from another! Someone who… who may see things in you that she didn't before!"

Yang Xiao Long smirked, leaning against a rack of axes. "Your denial is hilarious, Weisscream."

Weiss's glare could've frozen a Grimm. "Says the girl who keeps trying to make him use gauntlets and gloves!"

Yang's cheeks flushed, her lilac eyes darting away. "W-Well, I also train him properly when he's not using his Semblance now."

Pyrrha's smile turned sharp, her emerald eyes glinting with a scary edge. "I train him. Me."

Yang's grin was all teeth, undaunted. "You're not the only one now, Cereal Girl~."

Blake Belladonna, lurking near a display of katanas, spoke up, her voice cool but intense. "Clearly my connection is best. It allows Jaune to become a ninja… a powerful one!"

Ruby spun around, clutching a scythe that wasn't Crescent Rose, her voice brimming with pride. "He's become very strong when he uses my Crescent Rose, ya know!"

Yang snorted, crossing her arms. "He becomes a total nerd."

"WHICH IS AMAZING!" Ruby declared, her eyes sparkling.

Nora Valkyrie, slouched against a barrel of spears, sighed dramatically, her pout rivaling a thunderstorm. "This is boring! I wanna see Jaune-Jaune do more funny things! Hmmmm…"

Her eyes lit up with a dangerous spark. "AHA!"

Before anyone could react, Nora seized a weathered cutlass from a nearby rack and hurled it at Jaune. "JAUNE! CATCH!"

Jaune's eyes widened, his hands flailing. "Wait, I—"

He caught the blade mid-air, his fingers closing around the hilt. Ren, standing calmly nearby, sighed. "Saw that coming."

Weiss whirled on him, her voice shrill. "But you did nothing to stop it?!"

"Nope," Ren said, his stoic mask unshaken.

Jaune's lips curled into a broad, reckless grin as his Semblance flared, a shimmer of aura rippling around him.

---

Thirty minutes later, aboard General Ironwood's flagship…

The command deck hummed with the low thrum of Atlasian technology, officers bustling at their stations. A sensor operator spun in his chair, his voice urgent. "Sir! One of our ships is evacuating due to a reactor malfunction!"

Ironwood's steely gaze snapped to the viewport, his voice clipped. "Get everyone off the ship! Stand by to receive casualties! Move the fleet away from the vessel and deploy hardlight shields to protect Beacon and Vale from the blast!"

The fleet scrambled, ships parting like a school of fish as hardlight barriers flickered into existence, a glowing bulwark against the looming disaster. But instead of a Remnant-shattering kaboom, the rogue ship surged forward, engines roaring as it rocketed away at impossible speed.

Ironwood's brow furrowed, his voice low. "What in the…?"

A black flag unfurled from the ship's mast, emblazoned with a grinning skull and crossed scythes—a Jolly Roger, bold and defiant.

The communications specialist's console lit up. "Sir! We're receiving a transmission!"

"Put it through!" Ironwood barked.

The main screen flared to life, revealing Jaune Arc, his grin as wide as the horizon, decked out in a three-cornered hat and pirate garb, a cutlass gleaming at his hip. Behind him, Team RWBY and JNPR stood in equally outlandish attire—Ruby with a bandana and eyepatch, Yang brandishing a flintlock, Weiss clutching a spyglass with a scowl, Blake slinking in a sleek corsair's coat, Pyrrha poised with a saber, and Ren looking resigned in a striped waistcoat. Nora, sporting two eyepatches and a sloth perched on her shoulder, cackled maniacally.
Ruby waved her hands frantically.

"It's his Semblance, he didn't mean to pirate your ship-!"

"Gentlemen!" Jaune declared, his voice ringing with theatrical flair. "You shall always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrowhawk!"

The transmission cut off, leaving the bridge in stunned silence. An officer, staring at the screen, muttered, "…That's gotta be the best pirate I've ever seen."

Ironwood's scowl deepened, but a glint of reluctant amusement flickered in his eyes.

"So it would seem."

 

[Sliverhero]

Second part of my chainsawman crossover and here is a young taiyang freshly out of beacon on his first solo mission.

A Young Taiyang moved swiftly through the dense forest, his weapon at the ready. His spear ready to crush grimm.He quickly comes upon this shocking scene. The air was thick with the stench of death, dead Grimm littered the ground, torn apart and smoldering. But something was off. An unnatural darkness shimmered in the shadows, and the chill crawling down his spine warned him to stay alert.

Suddenly, a guttural, guttural roar tore through the silence. The trees seemed to shudder as a shadowy figure erupted from the darkness—a beast unlike any Grimm Taiyang had seen. Its form was twisted and grotesque, limbs elongated and contorting in unnatural ways. Its eyes glowed with an unholy red light that seemed to burn with malevolence.

The creature's claws flashed as it tore through a Grimm with savage brutality, blood splattering across the forest floor. It turned its head, sensing Tai's presence. Its face was a mask of terror and rage, mouth full of jagged teeth, skin mottled and peeling, like a nightmare made flesh.

Tai's grip on his weapon tightened. "Stay back," he managed, voice trembling despite himself. The beast's gaze locked onto him, and it snarled, a sound that vibrated with pure fury and darkness. Without warning, the devil lunged forward. Its claws tore through the air, faster than Tai's eyes could follow. He barely dodged, stumbling backward as the creature's claws gouged deep into the earth beside him. His spear broken by his side.

The devil roared again, a sound so primal and deafening it made Tai's ears ring. Its body shimmered with a corrupt, black aura that seemed to pulse with a life of its own—an aura suffused with pure chaos and hatred.

Suddenly, a blur of red and silver shot into view. Chainsaws revved furiously as Denji in his Chainsaw Man form charged into the scene, reckless and ferocious. "Hey, kid!" Denji yelled over the chaos, blades spinning wildly. "Get back!"

Tai stared in shock, eyes wide as saucers, as chainsaws roared to life, then, suddenly, the beast's form was torn apart in a frenzy of metal and flesh. But what truly made Tai freeze was the sight of Denji's head, his face replaced by a massive, spinning chainsaw, teeth grinding and sparks flying.

His mouth was a whirring, deadly saw that looked like it could cut through anything—and the blood, sweat, and dirt smeared over his face only made him look even more terrifying.
Tai's breath hitched, his eyes trembling. "W-what… what is that?!" he stammered, eyes glued to the terrifying metal monstrosity that was Denji's head.

Denji grinned wildly, chainsaws revving even higher. Without a word, he charged into the beast with reckless abandon, blades tearing into flesh and bone. The creature shrieked, a nightmarish scream that echoed through the woods, as the chainsaws tore through flesh and bone.

The devil let out a deafening roar, an unearthly, primal sound that shook the trees, and lunged toward them again, claws extended. Tai stumbled back, clutching the remains of his weapon, in his hands and they are trembling. He watched in horror as the beast's body was ripped apart, but something was deeply strange. The blood and severed limbs and body parts didn't evaporate or dissolve into the air like they normally did after a Grimm was defeated. Instead, they remained, dark and glistening, refusing to fade away into nothingness. A cold dread crawled up his spine as he realized how unnatural and wrong it was.

His eyes widened further. "This… this isn't right," he muttered under his breath. "The blood… the body parts… they're not disappearing. Why aren't they evaporating?" Denji leapt forward, chainsaws spinning like hell incarnate. Blades sliced into the creature, sparks flying. The beast shrieked and thrashed wildly, but Denji's relentless fury overwhelmed it.

Finally, the shadowy figure dissolved into a dark cloud, the remnants of its form fading into the night. Tai stared, wide-eyed and trembling, still shaken by what he'd just seen. His body was drenched in sweat, and his mind struggled to grasp the terrifying reality.

Denji lowered his chainsaws, panting heavily. "You okay?" he asked gruffly. Tai's voice trembled as he nodded. "Y-yeah… what was that thing? And… what's with your head?"

Denji chuckled grimly, a wild look in his eyes. "That's just how I roll. No big deal." His grin stretched even wider, chainsaws revving softly. "You get used to it… or you don't survive." Tai's face paled further, still staring at the terrifying chainsaw head—half expecting it to start spinning again at any moment.

 

[Sliverhero]

Here is the next part for my rwby x chainsaw crossover.

Beacon Academy — Ozpin's Office

The soft hum of the elevator faded as Taiyang stepped into the dimly lit office. The air smelled faintly of coffee and old books, and the rhythmic ticking of the clock filled the silence between them. Ozpin sat behind his desk, fingers steepled, eyes calm but sharp — the kind of gaze that seemed to look through you, not at you.

Taiyang's hands were still trembling, though he tried to hide it. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he muttered, voice low. Ozpin tilted his head slightly, the faintest hint of a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "You'd be surprised what I'm willing to believe, Mr. Xiao Long."

Tai exhaled shakily, pacing once before stopping in front of the desk. "I went out near the southern woods—Grimm activity had spiked. I thought it was just a nest. But… what I found out there—" He stopped, searching for the right words. "It wasn't a Grimm. It wasn't anything like I've ever seen." Ozpin didn't interrupt. He simply reached for his mug, taking a slow sip, watching Taiyang's every movement.

Tai's eyes darted to the floor, his brow furrowed. "It tore through Grimm like they were nothing. And the way it moved… it didn't make sense. It was like watching a nightmare crawl out of a storybook." He hesitated. "And then someone else showed up. Some thing." Ozpin's mug paused midway to his lips.

"He had blades," Tai continued. "Chainsaws—coming out of his arms, his head. Just… spinning, tearing through everything. I thought I was seeing things, but the sound—" His voice wavered slightly. "You could feel it in your chest. Like the forest itself was shaking." Ozpin slowly set the mug down. "Chainsaws, you said?"

Tai nodded, a haunted look in his eyes. "Yeah. Said his name was Denji. Looked human… mostly. But there's no aura. No Dust reaction, no semblance signature. Just blood, metal, and madness."

Silence stretched between them. Ozpin's expression had gone distant, thoughtful. He turned slightly toward the large window overlooking Beacon's courtyard. The morning sun filtered through the glass, casting soft golden light across the stone statue that stood at the academy's entrance.

Tai followed his gaze, a man carved from pale stone, holding two chainsaws, one in each hand.
"You've heard of him," Tai realized quietly.

Ozpin's eyes didn't leave the window. "There are stories," he said softly. "Old ones. From before the kingdoms were united. During the Great War, when monsters walked beside men, and devils bled like mortals."Tai frowned. "You mean those myths about the 'Chainsaw Devil'? I thought they were just propaganda from the old Vale archives."

Ozpin's voice dropped to a murmur. "Most myths begin as truths too terrible to be remembered." The clock ticked again. The sound felt almost deafening. Tai swallowed hard. "If that thing's back… what does it mean?"

Ozpin leaned back in his chair, his eyes distant, the kind of gaze that carried centuries of secrets. "It means," he said finally, "that history might not be done with us yet."

The camera would slowly pan down, to the base of the statue outside Beacon, where the engraved plaque, worn and nearly unreadable, bore three words:

"The Man Who Fought Hell."

The faint wind stirred the leaves in the courtyard. Ozpin stood still for a long moment, eyes reflecting the fading light, the look of a man who had just seen a ghost from a story he'd once buried.



Bonus Scene:
The Arc Homestead : Outskirts of Vale, Nightfall

The forest outside Vale was quiet, the sounds of nature replaced by the soft hum of crickets and the glow of fireflies drifting lazily in the dark. Nestled between two old trees sat a large wooden cabin, sturdy and well-kept, smoke curling gently from the chimney, windows glowing with golden light.

Inside, the home was warm and alive. The interior was spacious, expanded with hand-cut timber and patched walls that spoke of years of patient labor. Pictures, some hand-drawn, others simple sketches, lined the walls. Such as Beam grinning with a massive fish, Reze smiling in the garden, Denji holding up a crooked table he'd built himself.

And near the front window, resting on a small wooden table, sat a shrine. Two framed portraits , a kind-looking man and woman with gentle eyes, stood among candles and flowers. The inscription beneath read:

"In memory of Giles and Alina Arc , our first home in this world."

Fresh flowers rested at its base, carefully arranged by Reze earlier that morning. The soft candlelight flickered against the faces of the couple who had once taken them in, taught them to live quietly, to build, to belong.

Denji stood by the stove, stirring something in a pot. "Smells good, huh? Guess all that chopping wood paid off." Reze, seated at the table, smiled, one hand resting gently on her stomach, now visibly showing. "You've gotten better. Still can't believe you figured out how to cook without burning down the place."

Denji chuckled. "Hey, it only happened three times. Four, tops." From the far corner, Beam was sprawled out on the rug, tail wagging lazily. "Denji! Reze! Beam feels blessed! The house is warm, the food divine, and the mighty sun shines for us even in the dark!"

Reze laughed softly, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "You're ridiculous, Beam." Beam beamed wider. "Correct!" Dinner was simple, stew, bread, and freshly caught fish, but the laughter that filled the room made it richer than any feast. Denji served Reze first, sliding her bowl over carefully, before taking his seat beside her.

As they ate, the light from the shrine flickered in the background. Reze's eyes lingered on it for a moment, her smile turning wistful. "They'd be happy, you know. Seeing us here. Seeing… this."

Denji followed her gaze, his grin softening. "Yeah… they saved our asses. Guess we owe 'em more than we can ever pay back." Reze leaned her head gently against his shoulder. "Maybe just living a good life is enough."

Beam nodded solemnly — for once — before stuffing his face again. "A glorious feast in honor of the Arcs! Beam eats for them too!"
Denji snorted. "Yeah, sure you do, bud."

The camera lingered on the three of them, a strange little family from another world , laughing together under the warm light of a home built by their own hands, the shrine's candles flickering behind them like stars.

The wind outside sighed through the trees, and for a fleeting moment, it almost sounded like two gentle voices , proud, watching, and at peace.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

A slight tweak to the RWBY timeline. Isabel did indeed become a doctor... But her main focus for revitalizing Radian was to get its Dinosaur Park running again. Like in Dinosaur Sanctuary, an island was discovered with a lot of dinosaurs that had survived not only the KT Extinction Event, but also the rise of the mammals and the Moonshatter.

(So yes, Remnant is Earth in the distant future. Screw the Brother Gods, they just lied about everything).

And one of Jaune's uncles created a dinosaur park, filled with all sorts of prehistoric creatures he sought to preserve and to show to the public. By Isabel's time though, the park had become run down and lost money, and wasn't getting tourists.

Isabel and Nick, along with Arjun and Saia, helped revitalize the park. So Jaune grew up working at the park with the dinosaurs. He still had his dream to become a Huntsman though, while Isabel was hoping he would take over the park. He loves dinosaurs of course, but he had to plot his own path.

He had a real knack for bonding with the dinosaurs though. An incredible talent for it.

And so when he goes to Beacon, well...

 

[Sliverhero]

So, what kind of dinosaur bonded with Jaune and follows him all the way to Beacon?

Click to shrink...

Now I picturing the shocked reaction people will have once they see jaune bonded dinosaur.
Also think on the reaction if they learn that jaune only got his aura once he got to beacon. So to them that means Jaune has been working with dinosaurs with no aura.

Now back to my chainsawman crossover.
There is something inserting about hybrids they can't age once they become a hybrid.

The Arc Homestead : Late Evening

The forest outside Vale breathed in silver mist. The path to the old Arc homestead glowed faintly in the moonlight, warm windows flickering through the fog.

Roman Torchwick adjusted his hat as he walked, gloved hands in his coat pockets. Behind him, Neo followed with careful steps — small, silent, parasol hooked lazily over her shoulder. "Keep up, kid," he said, voice smooth and teasing. "This isn't the part of town you wanna get lost in."

Neo gave him a look, sharp and unimpressed then signed quickly: "You're the one who gets lost." Roman smirked. "Touché."

They reached the porch. The faint hum of aura in the wood still felt familiar, alive, a heartbeat under his palm. Home. He knocked twice.
The door swung open to reveal Saphron, face lighting up instantly. "Roman! You actually came back!"

Roman tipped his hat with a grin. "The prodigal son returns. You still making that stew that can double as glue?" "Still got that smart mouth, huh?" she laughed, pulling him inside.

The house was loud and alive. Rouen sat by the fire, oiling a practice sword; Sable was sketching at the table. Jaune swung a wooden stick like it was Crocea Mors itself, a chorus of younger siblings cheering him on. Upstairs, muffled laughter and footsteps hinted at even more Arcs awake past bedtime.

And there in the big rocking chair by the fire, sat Reze. Her hair was shorter now, tied back loosely, and her belly round with another child. Candlelight shimmered against her soft smile.

"Roman," she said warmly. "Welcome home."
He took off his hat, grin faltering into something gentler. "Hey, Ma." She tilted her head, eyes sharp but kind. "Still finding trouble?"
Roman shrugged. "Nah. Trouble finds me. You know how it is, big city, small kingdom. People need someone to keep things… organized."

Rouen glanced up, amused. "You mean that 'Roman Torchwick Criminal Empire' rumor they keep talking about in Vale?" Roman smirked. "Rumor? Sounds flattering." Reze sighed, but her smile didn't fade. "Just make sure your organization doesn't follow you home."

He winked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Before more teasing could follow, the window rattled. A low rumble rolled through the ground , too heavy for thunder. Beam sat up from the hearth, tail flicking, voice low. "Denji smells devils… bad ones." Reze's smile vanished. "Rouen, Saph, get the little ones downstairs."

Roman straightened, eyes narrowing. "Guess Vale's 'rumors' followed me after all." The front door creaked open before he could move.
A tall, scarred figure stepped in — coat torn, shirt half-burned, faint wisps of smoke rising from his shoulders. Denji stood in the doorway, rain dripping from his hair, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth despite the blood on his arm.

"Evening," he said casually. "Something nasty out there."Reze moved to him instantly. "You're bleeding." He waved it off. "Barely a scratch. Thing's fast, though. Didn't smell like Grimm."
His eyes flicked toward Roman — sharp, knowing. "You still playin' mob boss, kid?"

Roman smirked. "Pays better than monster hunting." Denji chuckled, then grew quiet. "Don't make me bury another one of us." Roman's grin faltered. "…I'm not a kid anymore." Denji stepped closer, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder. "You'll always be one of mine."

Roman tried to look away, but Denji just pulled him in — a rough, one-armed hug that spoke more than words ever could. "You get that fire from your mom," Denji muttered. "And that stupid grin from me. Don't let either burn you out." Roman let out a breath, almost laughing. "No promises, old man."

Denji smirked. "Good. Let's go make a mess."
He turned toward the door, the faint rattle of hidden chains stirring under his skin. Roman followed, rolling his shoulders as orange sparks coiled up his arms — tiny halos of heat that shimmered like living embers.

Reze stood in the doorway, hand resting protectively on her stomach. "Denji. Roman." They both turned."Come back," she said simply.
Denji grinned. "You got it." Roman gave a mock salute. "Wouldn't miss dessert."

Then father and son stepped out into the storm.
Through the window, Neo and Jaune watched as the clearing beyond the treeline lit up, crimson chains snaking through the dark, explosions flaring like stars. Denji fought with wild, reckless ferocity; Roman with precision and rhythm, detonations bursting exactly where he wanted them, the chaos and control forming one deadly dance.

Two devils born of love and madness,a legacy the world wasn't ready for. Inside, Reze sat by the fire, a soft hand on her belly. Her gaze lingered on the window, pride and worry tangled in her eyes. "Another one on the way," she whispered. "And still they fight for a home worth keeping."

The wind howled. Outside, light bloomed red against the trees, fire, blood, and the heartbeat of a family that refused to die quietly.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Glynda: "You put Qrow and Peach on the radio show?!"

Ozpin: "It will help with outreach to the community."

Glynda: "Oh will it?" She turns on the radio

Qrow: "Hello listeners, we're back after that ad. My companion is still trying to pretend her hangover is just allergies."

Peach: "Ugh, go to hell."

Qrow: "Already been. Involved a date with you."

Peach: "HA! You were screaming for the heavens on that one, asshole-Owwww... Sinuses..."

Qrow: "Keep telling yourself that. Yes, caller, you're on the line?"

Caller: "This is Bob. Is there a particular brand of whiskey you would recommend for drinking at the Vytal Festival?"

Qrow: "Longbarrow Whiskey from Albion. Perfectly aged, has just the right amount of kick to it and gets you drunk fast even with your Aura unlocked."

Peach: Moans "I hate that stuff so much..."

Qrow: "And Thumbelina hates it, which makes it even better."

Bob: "Sounds great. Who do you think has a shot at the Valean Cup this year?"

Qrow: "The Gallian Tarasques might have a chance but more than likely the damn Valean Wizards will bribe the refs again. Good call. I will continue to rate the uniforms for barmaids at the various bars around Vale, ranging from 'Are they even trying?' to 'potential warddrobe malfunctions.'"

Glynda: GLARE

Ozpin: "..." sips coffee "He's doing fine."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

That said, if we're going to take inspiration from great sitcoms... We need a character to be Ron Swanson.

Let's use Professor Harold Mulberry (Weapon Crafting & Upkeep). He's canon but was never seen. He'd be perfect as a Ron Swanson stand in.

Harold: "Hey, you're fixing your bow wrong."

Cinder: "How is this, Professor?"

Harold: "Slightly less shitty. You'd figure after being in Hunter Academy for ten years you'd learn."

Cinder: "No, I-I'm just a fourth year!"

Harold: "Let me guess: You hit thirty but instead of trying to entrap a rich millionaire you're living out your childhood fantasy because 'girl power' and that outfit and hair are a desperate cry for help. Am I in the ballpark?"

Cinder: "... I'll kill you last."

Harold: "Another lie."

- - -

Harold: "Arc. You're trying so hard it's embarrassing. The girl is clearly not into you, why do you keep this up? Is it one of those Spacebook things where you show off how much shame you can bring to your ancestry?"

Jaune: "No! No, I just... I do really like her."

Harold: "She doesn't like you. She likes gay men."

Neptune: "I'M NOT GAY!"

Harold: "I don't actually care about your sexuality but it's obvious. And between your parents there's no way you'll be gay, Arc. So move on."

Jaune: "I... Well, sure sir."

Harold: "Good."

Neptune: "I swear I'm not gay!"

Harold: "You really need to stop worrying about what everyone thinks of you."

- - -

Mulberry: "So... Why are we keeping this war with your evil immortal ex-wife secret? What does she look like?"

Ozpin: "This is what she looks like." Holds up a photo from a drone of Ever Night Castle, where Salem is standing in the doorway menacingly

Mulberry: "... I suppose keeping it secret is wisest."

Ozpin: "Yes-"

Mulberry: "Too many men would simp over her."

Ozpin: "I-no-"

Mulberry: "I assume the divorce was because you couldn't pleasure her in bed? When money isn't the issue that's usually the case."

Ozpin: "No! She got bored of living as immortal rulers of the world and threw herself into a Grimm pit to try and kill herself!"

Mulberry: "Crazy too huh? Hot ones always are."


- - -

Harold: "Xiao-Long. You still upset your bitch of a mother ran off?"

Yang: "I-I just want some answers-"

Harold: "The answers won't change who she is or what she did. She could have come back at any time and she didn't. You want some kind of absolution for why you had to become the mom when you were a child and lost your childhood that way. It won't bring back the woman who was your actual mother, or your childhood. So get over it and focus on building a good life for yourself."

Yang: *sniffles* "... Just... Saying that kind of shit, huh?"

Harold: "Apparently being a teacher means I have to also be a substitute parental figure. I hate that this happens but I may as well get it over with. So go on and find a nice boy to settle down with."

Yang: "What if I'm a lesbian?"

Harold: condescendingly "Sure you are."

Yang: "... Damnit." storms off

Harold: sighs

Blake enters.

Blake: "Professor, I-"

Harold: "Go call your damn parents and stop the drama. You're gonna make everyone else miserable with your YA novel heroine act."

Blake: "Y-You don't know me!"

Harold: "Sure I don't. And my breakfasts are vegan."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Ironwood and and his troops landed on Beacon airstrip. The first face he sees is Harold's.

Ironwood: sounding annoyed "Harold."

Harold: nonchalant "Janus."

Camera cuts to Harold.

Harold: "I always hated those Ice bastards. They suck the joy out of freedom and hide it behind bureaucracy. To show my annoyance I always make it a point to get his name wrong."

Later, in Harold's office, James arrives with Winter. He is wearing a scowl.

James: "Harold, I expected your report by last evening. All the other professors put in their reports."

Harold: "I did submit my report."

James: "It's a one sentence email that says 'Everything is fine and I don't work for you.'"

Harold: "Yes. That is more than sufficient."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Harold: "Jaune, given how manly your father was, I understand the deep shame you feel not living up to his example. Fear not. There is an easy fix for this."

Jaune: "Yes?"

Harold: "In his case he hit his head and became braindamaged. Then he was raised by a paladin monk who loved beer, meat, and saving people. The brain damage thing has too many liability issues, unfortunately. So instead we'll focus on meat and general manliness."

Jaune: "But I ate a lot of meat!"

Harold: "Yes but your father was cowed by your mother, and so we need to fix things. You will note almost all the women around you have issues with their parents. Including the cat girl princess who had a rich and stable lifestyle before turning to terrorism. While they can be fun in bed, it is better to find a salt of the earth type woman with a stable background to settle down with."

Jaune: "Uh... Okay?"

Harold: "So, knock some sense into the Altan, Nikos, Rose or Xiao-Long girls and you'll be fine. The latter will probably be obsessively clingy with you once she gets over her masquerade of confidence. If you like that sort of thing, then by all means, she might make an acceptable wife. Points in her favor are her ability to fix and ride motorcycles, and you're already a stronger person than her father while resembling the good parts. Her half-sister is also a good choice, but gotta wait a few years and try to be a positive male influence in her life."

Jaune: "Um... Sure?"

Harold: "Belladonna is as toxic as her name implies, steer clear of that trainwreck. Nikos is a sheltered rich girl who was probably trained with a bell by her parents. You need to find the woman inside her and get her to let loose. If she does, it might be full on crazy which I cannot in good conscious deny you but it might destroy you both, so be careful. Schnee is also a sheltered rich girl with daddy issues. Her taste is awful so if she chooses you that's not a compliment, though underneath her stoic nature might be a real freak. Again, can't deny you the chance to try as all men must give that a shot."

Jaune: "And Altan?"

Harold: "Religious, from a stable family, stoic, beautiful, loves steak, can smash a tank flat with her bare hands. You'd be a fool not to go for her."

 

[LordofBones]

A few fun ideas:

-Weiss and Ruby have a fight, and Ruby decides to befriend Winter just to spite Weiss. Weiss, deeply offended, befriends Jaune to get back at Ruby. Stupidity and hilarity ensues.

Click to shrink...

Ruby: "HAH! Your sister's my bestie now!"
Weiss: "Oh yeah?! Well, I stole away your best friend!"
Ruby: "Snob!"
Weiss: "Brat!"
Ruby: "Elitist!"
Weiss: "Child!"
Ruby: "FLAT!"

-Jaune and Ren get tasked with removing spiders and other bugs from rooms to keep their female friends from freaking out. Also mice.

Click to shrink...

Jaune: *tiredly* "The spider's gone, Pyrrha."
Ren: "And so are the mouse, the earwig, the two weevils under the bed, and all the dust mites we could find."
Pyrrha: *curled in Jaune's covers, whimpering with only her eyes visible* "It's not going to come crawling back and eat my face?"
Nora: *hunkered down under Ren's blankets, gibbering about things laying eggs in her ears*

*Five minutes later, JNPR's room door is busted open by a hysterical Team RWBY*

Ruby: *tearfully* "It was on my baby! A huge filthy bug!"
Weiss: "It was enormous! A deep blood red, with spots as black as night! And it was there, staring at us!"

Jaune: *sighs, walks to RWBY's dorm room* "The hell? A ladybird?"
Weiss: "Luh...luh...ladybird?! Who named these beasts 'ladies'?!"

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Port: "HAHA! And welcome to the Beacon Radio Show! I'm Professor Port, and with me is Professor Harold Mulberry, our Weapons repair and maintenance instructor!"

Harold: "Hello. I am here under protest, as I have my own podcast. 'Mulling with Mulberry'. In which I speak about the evils of government and how to be a real man in today's coddled, feminist society."

Port: "I highly recommend it! I had no idea you could disable the transmission gears of a Valean Chimera tank with tar, a molotov cocktail, and some steel chain!"

Harold: "Industrial Standard Metric Rating 30 should be sufficient but to be sure of disabling the vehicle, use Rating 50. Preferably while supported with machine gun fire from a protected bunker, drones, or other diversion tactics to tie up infantry support and blind the tank's situational awareness. This is easier in an urban environment which is where most fighting during an armed rebellion will occur."

Port: "Ha! Reminds me of the time I helped in the Pandavan Revolution! I had to disable an Atlasian-built T-85 tank while fighting a whole squad of Grimm and Kauravan soldiers, armed only with a coconut!"

Harold: "Pay attention to Port's stories, kids. You never know when the government will flip over into full on Utopianist authoritarianism, when they unleash Grimm via ancient Grimm magical control spells upon the rebelling populace. When that happens, you must ask yourself: Will you be a sheep for the slaughter, or a wolf who tears out the throat of tyranny? I know which will make for a better historical novel."

Port: "We will also talk a lot about our favorite alcohol!"

Harold: "Well obviously."

- - -

Mombi: "Oh, hello. This is um, Head Librarian... Well, only Librarian Mombi Lang-"

Peach: "And I'm Professor Thumbelina Peach! Welcome to the show! Today is more for any young Huntresses out there! The topic is: How to land your dreamboat husband!"

Mombi: "Are-Are we allowed to talk about that?"

Peach: "Of course we are! What, do you want to fight horrible monsters for a living with no husband or kids to come back to until you're 40? I sure don't! Any Huntress who wants this is kidding themselves! It's not sexism to want a happy home, handsome and rich husband, and kids to love!"

Mombi: "Um, but you don't have any of those things."

Dead silence.

Peach: "Wh-What does that matter?! I'm just taking my time to find the right man! Focusing a bit more on my career-What man wants to marry a bore of a wife, anyway?! You gotta know when to kick ass and when to be beautifully feminine! Both of which I will cover in today's episode!"

Mombi: "Um, me too..."

- - -

Oobleck: "-The Third Dynasty of Mistral is NOT MYSTERIOUS. THEY TOOK METICULOUS NOTES WITH ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED FILING AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS IN HUMANKIND'S HISTORY POST-MOONSHATTER UP TO THAT POINT. THEY DID NOT SECRETLY INVENT FLYING MACHINES WITH ALIEN HELP! THIS ENTIRE MOVIE IS TRASH!"

Mombi: "Y-Yes... But I do kind of like it...?"

Oobleck: "ARTISTIC TASTE IS NOT IN QUESTION BUT FILM CRITICISM IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT GENRE! DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TODAY!"

Mombi: "Meep!"

Port: "Indeed! We are discussing the pool cue you used to beat Professor Antimony up with during your debate on the Third Dynasty!"

Oobleck: "Again, that is entirely different from the main subject of debate!" Pause "However, for the record it was a 1967 Harold Hill Deluxe. It only broke after three hits on that charlatan's head, meaning it was high quality."

Port: "Especially given how hard his head was!"

Oobleck: "Indeed!"

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Peach: "Hello again, and joining us on the show today is Professor Anne Green, our Survival and Stealth expert, and Professor Harold Mulberry, our Weapons Design and Maintenance teacher! Say hello!"

Anne: "No."

Harold: "No."

Peach: "... Okay... So! Anne! What are you teaching your class this week?"

Anne: "The human body can be entirely drained of blood in 5.3 seconds with the right pump."

Peach: "... Why would that be useful to know?"

Mulberry: "... What kind of pump?"

Anne: "Do you have a recommendation?"

Mulberry: "I keep an industrial strength shop vac, a Wayland Tech Handyboy 323 model. It can be used for wet or dry cleaning, doesn't even require a change of filter and can move 100 cubic feet of air per minute, or approximately 24 liquid liters per minute. Given the average human or Faunus has about 5 liters of blood, you might have been calculating this figure with an inferior model in mind."

Anne: "Interesting. Tell me more-"

Peach: "WHY?!"
- - -

Peach: "Ugh... Anyway! This show we have Headmaster Ozpin on the show!"

Ozpin: "Hello all."

Peach: "So, what can you tell us about your work today?"

Ozpin: "I arranged for Mister Arc to fight Miss Rose today, and dropped some cryptic messages that he took as advice in becoming a better leader. It was in fact to get them to interact and perhaps start seeing eachother as more than friends."

Peach: "Wait what?!"

Ozpin: "Ah. My mistake, I wasn't supposed to reveal that-"

Peach: "ARE YOU ABUSING YOUR POWER TO SABOTAGE THE BETTING POOL?!"

Ozpin: "Not at all... At least, no more than you are."

Peach: "... Mister Arc and Miss Schnee ended up locked in that closet entirely by accident."

Ozpin: "Of course they did..." sips coffee
- - -

Peach: "So, Bart, what are you focusing on in your first year class this semester?"

Oobleck: "We've covered the Faunus Revolution and the Great War, our primary focus right now is on the Hunter Association System across Remnant!"

Peach: "How fascinating~! Tell me more~..."

Oobleck: "Thumbelina, please. Stay professional."

Peach: "You didn't mind me being unprofessional in the past, now did you~?"

Oobleck: "We both agreed to be professional, Peach. I told you before-I'm married to my work."

Peach: "But Barty darling-!"

Oobleck: "I've got to be free, Lina."

Peach: "WHY WON'T YOU LOVE MEEEEE-"

- - -

If Mulberry's characterization is based on Ron Swanson's... I had to base Anne a bit on April Ludgate.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Since you won't get this anywhere else on the forum, here: Sheena Duquette, Monty Oum's widow, speaks out on Rooster Teeth on her Tumbler. I have included a Summary by Gleaming Onyx on Reddit about it, here:

So, Sheena Duquette released a couple tumblr posts recently, and tldr Shane's letter is on the money, RT were assholes to her. We now have full and complete confirmation that he was not fibbing about, unfortunately, imo the most despicable part of the letter which I wished was just exaggeration or misinterpretation: the routine, inexplicable abuse Sheena faced after Monty's passing, culminating in her unceremonious rejection from the show as part of them taking control.
For those who don't know, summarized, after Monty's death, some people in RT proceeded to isolate and treat Sheena miserably. They treated her like trash, they treated Shane like trash for daring to bring her up, and essentially forced her as far away from the production as possible. All we know as to their identities is that "one of the producers" almost immediately stated she would have nothing to do with RWBY.
For example, Sheena was going to be the original voice actor for Winter, a character that was made for her(in the same way, say, Yang was made for Barbara). RT scrapped the design, tossed out Sheena's work, and decided to make it "a fair chance" by having her audition with a bunch of professionals.
Obviously I recommend reading the letter and, in this case, the post in its entirety. Beyond the fact that it's better to hear it from her mouth than a recounting(or a recounting of a recounting), I just think it's very well-written. Weird to say about someone's venting, sure, but it's got some flow to it.
That being said, the TLDR beyond this is: Sheena's been pretty fucked up by RT's actions and, of course, has remained silent due to the invisible threat of RT's retaliation(and some visible threat: in a different post Sheena mentioned she got a cease and desist from RT when cosplaying) and even now doesn't understand why they were that cruel. But they were: they kicked her when she was down, literally ran from her, gave her no respect, insulted and isolated her to the point where, as Shane stated in his letter, treated her very name like the boogeyman.
But pity and bitterness has turned to a more confident anger. She likens knowing the truth to "holding a fusion bomb on [her] tongue"... but she's not just going to spill the beans. Per Sheena, she wants to "continue holding on to the rope for the guillotine, because they deserve to eat the anxiety that comes with anticipation for every meal."
As in the end, she doesn't want to "give away pieces of [herself] to satisfy some childish online disputes."
Now, personally, I don't think they're childish online disputes. This is a 'me' thing but something about the treatment of Sheena struck me as uniquely horrid. This goes beyond RWBY or Monty or any of that stuff. It's just... malice. It's being genuinely terrible, awful people. That sleazy, mean-spirited, remorseless kind of despicable. You know, like abusers. Who starts acting like an asshole to not just a coworker, not just the wife of a supposed friend, but the widow of that supposed friend right after his death? Who shoves the widow of a project's creator out the door and refuses to let her name be spoken to the point of systematically exiling anyone who supports her?
Simply put, who the fuck does that?
We still don't know, and apparently we never will. I believe Shane said at some point that Miles and Kerry had nothing to do with it, and that's all we got. By God, I wish we had names, though. I could not be as kind as her. I'd be on Kendrick timing. Did RWBY die an ignoble death? Sure. But it was still successful. These unknown people still rode off into the sunset, and if they were in power at RT, there is still the chance that somehow, somewhere, some time, they will come back(and, of course, all the animators who made it possible won't).
At bare minimum, I just wish they had to wear the scarlet letter—that at least they have to live with the public(even if only those who want to believe) knowing how awful they truly are. They clearly care about their reputations, not just from the parasocial relationships RT actively cultivated, but because they wouldn't need threats if they felt no shame.
It just doesn't seem fair that only Gray leaves RWBY in disgrace. Still, Sheena has made clear she has no intent on "spilling the tea" as it were. It won't do anything but cause trouble. Such is her choice. But I have my theories. If Miles and Kerry are clean?

More often than not, accusations that are tossed around easily tend to be a flimsy projection by the person throwing them. It was not me who was trying to take control. It was not me tanking team morale. It was not me self-inserting characters.

Click to shrink...

It was not me self-inserting characters.

Click to shrink...

I have my theories on the queen bees of that clique.
Anyway, that's me abusing mod powers to rant a little bit about what I always viewed as one of the grossest injustices of RoosterTeeth—the thing that actually "radicalized" me against RT as a whole years and years ago. It's easy to forgive incompetence or even selfish behavior like Gray's embezzlement because at least they're trying, but this was always just plain... evil for the hell of it. It's petty. What did they get out of this? Not being 100% in control of RWBY? Despite already clearly being in charge? It being so unnecessary only makes it all the more absurd.
Alongside this post will be stickied another one talking about the more fun aspects of her posts around the same time, like old RWBY concept art. That's something to theorize on, it's arguably a more constructive conversation, and frankly it's just more fun to talk about.

Click to shrink...

I don't want to make a big fuss, but let's be honest: The Index RWBY discussion threads crack down and harass anyone who deviates from the FNDM line of "RWBY was perfect and you're a bigot if you dare insinuate otherwise". The drama over Fixing RWBY recently is proof of that.

Robyn Hill got killed in the last episode to induce a Mantle/Atlas Civil War, Jaune was too late to stop it, and SOMEHOW this means the Fixing RWBY crew is "misogynist". Now I'm not a huge Fixing RWBY fan, they made a lot of creative decisions that felt too safe and didn't go far enough in my opinion to really fix RWBY's issues, but I appreciate all the hard work, talent and passion they bring to the project. And slandering and attacking them is... Well it's just what that side of the FNDM DOES, unfortunately.

So yeah, go check out her stuff, there's a lot of behind the scenes info. And you can figure out the people who forced her and many other people out after Monty's death which is what sealed the fate of RoosterTeeth.

 

[Sliverhero]

Next bit for my chainsaw man crossover.

Vale :Arc Homestead & Dust Shop Crossover

Training Session : Late Afternoon, Arc Homestead

The late afternoon sun dappled the homestead porch, bouncing off the old wooden beams and the forest beyond. Roman Torchwick adjusted his coat and tipped his hat at Jaune Arc, who stood across from him, fists clenched and hood low.

"Alright, kid," Roman said with a grin. "Time to stop swinging blindly and start swinging smart. Aura's fine, but it can do more. Heal faster, move faster, hit harder. And don't just punch things, let the devil inside you do the heavy lifting."

Jaune swallowed, nodding. He could feel it: a low, insistent pulse beneath his ribs, hot and eager, itching to be unleashed.

Roman sparked a tiny controlled explosion in his palm, just a flare. "See that? That's controlled chaos. Now layer your aura over your blood. Let it mend you, let it sharpen you. But control it. You must be the master, not it."

Jaune's hands tingled as golden light seeped along his veins. The pulse beneath his skin throbbed, responsive, alive. Roman clapped. "Good. Now move."

Jaune bolted forward. Each step Roman punctuated with a small detonation beneath his boots, boosting him. Landing hard, Jaune nearly fell, and Roman caught him easily. "Careful, kid. Don't break yourself before you break someone else," Roman teased. "But you're learning fast."

Neo, sitting cross-legged nearby, signed: 'Too fast. He'll outrun you.' Roman laughed. "Let him. Maybe one day he'll save my hide."

By the time the sun dipped below the treeline, Jaune's aura burned gold and red, and the devil's pulse in his blood thrummed with energy. Roman smirked. "Good. Now let's see if you can use that outside a homestead."

The Dust Shop Job – Vale, Late Evening

Rain streaked down the streets, turning the neon signs into liquid fire. Roman, Jaune, and Neo approached From Dust Till Dawn, the faint glow of Roman's cigarette cutting through the mist.

"Easy job," Roman murmured, his grin sharp. "In and out." Jaune's hood was pulled low, golden aura simmering just beneath his skin, the devil's pulse thrumming faintly, eager and restless. Neo gave him a sidelong glance, signaling silently for him to keep cool.

Inside, hired men moved crates, unaware of the storm about to break over them. Roman's grin widened. "Take what I mark. Nothing else. I like my crime curated." Then the bell over the door chimed, and the world shifted.

Ruby Rose stepped inside, humming softly, small and unassuming in the chaos. A merc reached for her, and in the next instant, the shop erupted. Her scythe bloomed like silver petals in a hurricane, each strike precise and impossibly fast. Every merc fell in seconds, some barely registering the motion before they hit the floor.

Jaune froze. She moved like lightning, her aura bright, exact, and alive. His pulse jumped in response, a strange resonance echoing between them. Roman's grin widened, the corners of his mouth twitching in approval. "Now that's art."

Ruby's gaze swept past Roman and his explosions, past Neo's silent presence, and landed on Jaune. Their eyes met, and for the first time, the storm paused, just for a heartbeat.

Ruby's silver eyes widened. She blinked, startled by the sudden heat she felt radiating from the figure half-hidden in the shadows. He seemed ordinary at first glance, but there was something else, something raw, dangerous, and alive coiled beneath the surface.

Jaune's aura flared, gold mixing with red, and the devil's pulse in his blood responded, throbbing insistently under his skin. He felt a pull, like recognition, like some unspoken understanding stretching across the distance between them.

Ruby's breath caught. Her small frame stiffened, yet her eyes lingered, curious and alert. She felt the faint metallic tinge of his blood, glowing faintly from where a scrape from training had drawn it, and it drew her gaze even closer. Her heart beat faster, a flicker of something she couldn't name stirring deep in her chest.

Jaune's pulse matched it, a surge of heat and tension that made him suddenly aware of how small she looked, how precise she moved, and how frighteningly capable she was. He instinctively shifted, lowering his hood just enough for the silver of her gaze to find his, and the world seemed to narrow down to that single, electric connection.

Roman noticed the exchange but simply smirked, lighting another flare beneath his palm. He ignored the subtle flicker of something between the two, content to watch the play unfold while detonating the chaos around him with perfect rhythm.

Ruby's silver eyes lingered, tracing the line of Jaune's jaw, the tension coiling in his posture, the faint pulse beneath his skin she could somehow sense. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. He wasn't like anyone she'd seen before. Dangerous, yes—but also human, strangely familiar, and compelling in a way she couldn't shake.

Jaune felt the devil's pulse stir in response, a heat that made him aware of her gaze in a way that was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. He wanted to step forward, to reach out, but the instinct to hide, to stay in the shadows, kept him still.

Roman's explosions flared in the background, detonation after detonation, yet for a moment the chaos dimmed to the edges of Jaune's and Ruby's awareness. Time itself seemed to pause as they simply looked at each other, two souls recognizing something in the other that neither could name aloud.

Then Ruby blinked, shook herself slightly, and lunged forward. She attacked Roman with her scythe, precision slicing through the air, forcing him to dance, flitting between controlled detonations. Jaune stayed in the shadows, his pulse still high, aware that she was more than just another opponent—she was a force he couldn't ignore.

Roman's boots sparked, sending flames and fragments of controlled explosions into the air, and with a final, calculated detonation, the last of the hired men fell. Smoke and dust filled the shop.

Ruby lowered her scythe, chest heaving. Her gaze immediately returned to where Jaune had been, scanning the shadows. Her silver eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued and unsettled. Her lips parted, almost in a whisper, "Who… is he?"

Jaune remained still, hood pulled low again, heart hammering in a rhythm that matched the devil's pulse in his veins. He had no words for her, only the awareness that her eyes, so bright and alive, had seen something in him, and he hadn't been able to hide it.

Roman caught the glance and smirked, shaking his head slightly as if reading a private joke. Neo gave Jaune a subtle nod to move, pulling him toward the door, and the world outside resumed its storming pace, but the spark between Ruby and Jaune lingered, a thread neither of them could forget.

Before the trio could leave, Glynda appeared, aura crackling, crop glowing. "Roman Torchwick!"

He danced between her attacks, explosions flaring around him. She lashed with her crop, smashing into his chest and for the first time, a gash split his coat. Steam hissed as his flesh knit itself back together. Blood bubbled, sizzled, and vanished.

Glynda froze. "Aura… doesn't…"

Roman straightened, smirking. "I told you. I'm built different." Jaune shifted instinctively, devil's pulse thrumming. He could feel the tension of the fight, the danger radiating from both sides, and the thrill it brought out in him.

Roman fired off one last controlled blast and then stepped back. "Enough for tonight," he said, rolling his shoulders. "We move."

Ruby's silver eyes lingered on Jaune, curiosity, admiration, and something softer dancing in her gaze. Jaune felt the pulse beneath his skin spike one last time, a silent promise of more to come.

 

[Sliverhero]

Here is a small idea.
What if at the after their children died.

Salem and Ozma got different lessons from the event and now their fates are reversed.

Twisted Fate

The air was cold when he woke. It always was.
He drew his first breath with a gasp, his body convulsing as the memories crashed down on him, a thousand voices, a thousand faces. Kingdoms built and broken. Names forgotten. Children born and buried.
And always, her.

The witch!
The monster!!
The woman he could never forget!!!
My love!!!!

Ozma sat up slowly, his new hands trembling. They were small and pale the hands of a young man, perhaps in his twenties. Around him lay the remnants of a modest cabin: a bed of straw, a dying hearth, the smell of herbs and rain. Someone had cared for this body. Someone had loved him.

He hated that.
The curse never let him rest. No matter who he became, no matter where he awoke, they had already suffered before he even opened his eyes. He was born into borrowed lives, doomed to wear the skin of good men until he ruined them.

"Again…" he whispered hoarsely. "Always again
He looked down at his hands. For a moment, faint gold and violet light flickered across his palms, remnants of the gods' gift. Once, that light had brought him purpose. Now it only reminded him of chains.

He rose and stepped outside. The world had changed again. Rolling hills stretched beneath a gray sky, dotted with scattered farms. In the distance, a village lay by a river, its people moving like ants among their fragile walls.

Humanity endured.
It always did.
And always, it forgot.

He could feel it, the cycle of ignorance and rebirth, of war and peace and war again. Each age thought itself wiser than the last, yet every one of them stumbled down the same path, never learning, never changing.

He remembered his children. Their laughter. Their screams. He remembered Salem's face as they died and the look of horror when she saw what she'd become.

For centuries, that memory had sustained him. It had been proof that he could try again.
Now, it was only proof that even the purest love could rot.

He clenched his fists.
"They were right," he muttered to the wind. "The gods were right. Humanity doesn't deserve to be saved."



A whisper stirred in his mind , familiar, poisonous, comforting. It wasn't from the gods. It was from himself. From the part that had stopped believing.
Then stop saving them. He shut his eyes, but the thought wouldn't fade. It pulsed like a heartbeat, slow, insistent.

You've tried. You've bled. You've died. Over and over. And still they suffer. But What if mercy isn't salvation… but silence?

Ozma's breathing quickened. He stared toward the village again, toward the laughing families, the children playing near the water. A warmth welled in his chest that wasn't love, wasn't pity. It was envy.

He turned away before it could grow stronger.
He would not hurt them. Not yet.
Instead, he began to walk — not toward the village, but toward the mountains in the east, where the wind howled through the ruins of an ancient keep. He could feel her there — Salem — distant, faint, but alive.
Still watching.
Still waiting.
He hated her for that.
He loved her for it too.

"If I can't save this world," he murmured, "then I'll shape it myself. No gods. No fate. No endless suffering.

The whisper in his mind smiled.
And to do that… you'll need power.

Ozma's hand brushed against the earth, and his magic flared. The ground shuddered — and something old beneath it stirred in answer. A relic, perhaps. A fragment of the gods' design. He could almost hear it hum, promising him what he'd been denied for lifetimes: control.

For the first time in centuries, Ozma smiled.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
Just certainly.

Far away, deep within her sanctum beneath the ruined world tree, Salem lifted her head. Her crimson eyes opened, the black veins of her skin glimmering faintly in the light of a pale lantern.

She felt it, the ripple of power, the echo of the man she once loved.

"Ozma…" she whispered.
"Don't do this again

The Grimm around her stirred, uneasy.
And for the first time in a long, long while, she felt afraid.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

The sky over Patch was dark but dotted with beautiful stars, streaked with wisps of clouds. Ruby Rose, future badass Huntress, was working on her beloved Crescent Rose at the kitchen table. Yang Xiao-Long, her older big sister, was watching TV on the couch, lazing around.

There was a roar over the house, and the glass and utensils shook. Ruby yelped, barely catching Crescent Rose before it fell off the table. Yang nearly fell off the couch.

"What the heck?!" Yang shouted.

"Wha-What is-?!" Ruby looked out the window. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

A fiery streak tore through the sky above the house, trailing smoke and bright orange streamers?

"Wha-?!"

Ruby practically flew to the window and watched the thing slow down and hit the Earth somewhere beyond the trees. Yang soon joined her, looking over her shoulder into the night.

"Holy… Do you think it's an airship that went down?!" Ruby gasped.

"Let's go find out!" Yang declared. "Come on!"

They raced outside to the garage, and mounted Yang's trusty motorcycle, Bumblebee. Ruby clung to Yang's back as her older sister raced off at high speed. Ruby winced, but managed to look over her shoulder. Smoke rose from behind the trees. Ruby bit her lower lip.

"You stay behind me, okay?" Yang ordered loudly, "Don't do anything without my say so! Got it?"

"G-Got it!" Ruby nodded, her heart pounding in her ears.

They went past the trees and the local lake came into view. And so did whatever had landed. There was a small crater of dug up mud and sand from the shore of the lake… And a shiny capsule covered in bright glowing lights with orange parachutes streaming from the top and lying around it.

"Holy," Yang whispered as she came to a stop several meters from the object. Ruby got off at the same time as Yang, both their eyes wide.

"It… What is it?" Ruby whispered. Yang shook her head.

"Doesn't look like any airship I've ever seen," she murmured. She made a face. "Ugh… Smells like it's still on fire."

Ruby gaped. She pulled out her Scroll and flipped through several of her comics. She selected one and held up her Scroll.

"It looks like…"

Yang stared at the image of a saucer shaped craft with lots of lights on the screen, from which several gray aliens emerged. Yang looked over at the capsule. She slowly shook her head.

"No way," Yang whispered. "It can't be-!"

A hatch on the side of the capsule slowly opened, rising up. Yang immediately put Ruby behind her, and lifted Ember Celica. Ruby could see the fear on Yang's face, but she tried to hide it behind a fearsome glare. Ruby looked back at the capsule… And someone emerged.

It looked humanoid, tall and male, his skintight spacesuit glinting silver, hugging every muscle that looked earned from years of hard work. Its golden visor helmet obscured its face, reflecting the stunned expressions of Yang and Ruby Xiao Long, who stood frozen on the shore, their weapons half-raised.

The figure approached them slowly, stepping unsteadily on the soggy shore. He… It? Came to a stop in front of them, and seemed to stare.

Yang tensed, but Ruby quickly shook her head.

"No! No, don't attack it!" Ruby hissed. "We might cause an interstellar war!"

"I… If it's an alien, why does it look so… Hot?" Yang whispered, her eyes tracing the masculine form.

"Maybe they're hot alien guys!" Ruby whispered. "Either way, don't hit him!"

The figure stared, and raised its hands up.

Yang, her blonde hair waving in the light breeze, shoved Ruby behind her, her lilac eyes narrowing.

"Did… Are you from space?" Yang called out.

Ruby, peeking out, her silver eyes wide with awe, clutched Crescent Rose's handle.

"Do you come in peace?!" She demanded.

The thing grasped its helmet… And pulled it off with a loud pop. It revealed a handsome, exhausted looking young man with messy blond hair and bright blue eyes, who was panting for breath. Yang and Ruby's eyes went wide.

"Yes… And yes." The young man said. He raised his gloved hands, stepping forward. "I'm Jaune Arc. And I'm-"

A taller blonde man with a five o'clock shadow dashed in behind Jaune, holding a shovel. A loud THWACK cut Jaune off as said shovel connected with the back of his head, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. Yang and Ruby gasped, their voices a unified shriek.

"DAD!"

Taiyang Xiao Long stood over Jaune's crumpled form, his blonde hair mussed, his shovel raised like a warrior's blade, his eyes blazing with fatherly fury.

"NO SPACE CASANOVA IS IMPREGNATING MY GIRLS!" he roared, his aura flaring. Yang's jaw dropped, her voice a mix of shock and exasperation.

"Dad, what the hell?!"

Ruby flailed, her cloak flapping.

"He said he comes in peace! You can't just knock out an alien!"

"I just did!" Taiyang snapped, pointing the shovel at the prone figure. "He's some slick space pretty-boy trying to charm my daughters! I know his type!"

Jaune groaned as he looked up, one hand clutching his head.

"I'm… not… a Casanova… Or an alien…" He looked up, his blue eyes now dazed and slightly cross-eyed as he mumbled, "I'm… Jaune Arc… Aunt Obertha… launched me… Into space… And I missed my landing point…" He passed out.

"We gotta help him, Dad!" Ruby cried, dashing to Jaune's side.

"Seriously! I'm not starting an interstellar war!" Yang shouted, on Jaune's other side. "Come on! Let's get him to the hospital!"


Taiyang sighed.

"Fine! But if he gets you space pregnant, he's marrying you!"

"DAD!" Yang and Ruby squeaked, turning bright red. They both looked at the young man's handsome features… And blushed harder.

"Well… Maybe he's a Space Prince? That might be cool," Ruby offered.

"To be a Space Princess!" Yang declared, "Let's go!"

Taiyang shook his head as Yang and Ruby rushed to Bumblebee, and argued over how they would arrange the young man. The older man frowned.

"Jaune Arc? Why is that familiar…?"

His Scroll went off. He answered it.

"Hello?"

"Tai!" A woman's breathless voice shouted. Taiyang blinked.

"Isabel? Isabel Arc?!"

"Yes! Look, it's a long story, but Aunt Obertha has a space program and she got Jaune to agree to be her guinea pig and she launched him into space and he GOT into space-"

"He did?!" Taiyang gasped.

"Yes yes, I'm very proud!" Isabel said.

"We're very proud!" Nick Arc, Isabel's husband and Jaune's father, shouted happily in the background.

"But he went off course after re-entry and landed in Patch! Can you help find him?! Can you help him?!"

Taiyang slowly looked at the young man he had knocked unconscious, still being fought over by his daughters. He coughed.

"Ah, well… Good news, we found him. He landed safely."

"Oh thank the Breaker! Is he okay?!" Isabel cried.

Taiyang again looked at the unconscious young man being fought over by his daughters. The poor boy was now lying on the ground as Ruby and Yang shouted at eachother

"I'll get back to you, Isabel."

"What?!"

Notes:
How did Auntie Obertha get Jaune into space? Tune in for the second chapter to find out!

 

[AndrewJTalon]

All right... This is dumb. Super dumb. The dumbest idea... Here we go.

Years ago, one Nicholas Arc went missing. Presumed dead. Soon after, Ozpin began to track a mysterious Dark Knight, the Noir Chevalier, known as Sombra. He is Salem's most fearsome warrior, seven point five feet tall, wielding a massive sword, dressed all in black.

At some point, Jaune Arc and his friends would confront this man. Jaune would fight, hold the line and be a distraction to let his friends escape. Then... The reveal.

Sombra: "You do not understand your importance in this war, Jaune. You are only beginning to understand your power. Join me. Together, we can end this destructive conflict, and bring order to Remnant!"

Jaune: "I'll never join you!"

Sombra: "If only you knew the true nature of this war... Ozpin never told you what happened to your father?"

Jaune: "He told me enough! ... He told me you killed him!"

Sombra: "No... I am your father."

Jaune: gapes "That's not true... That's impossible!"

Sombra: "Search your feelings, you KNOW it to be true!"

Jaune: "NO! NOOOOOO!"

Sombra: "Son... I was taken into Salem's service. A pawn for her eternal war with Ozpin. They are two immortals, who care nothing for us. They know we can destroy them! They have forseen it! When I complete your training, if you bring your friends to our side, we can end them both and rule Remnant together as Father and Son!"

 

[Sliverhero]

Here is a prologue for a dxd x rwby crossover,
The idea is what if remant is the distant future earth of the dxd universe
The brother gods tricked the supernatural to leave earth to deal with the exe gods so that they could take over the earth and shaped it to their whims leading to the events of rwby. And it is pure luck the brother gods succeed in this


The Hidden Gods' Gambit

The cosmos shivered, not with war, but with something far older, far colder: a fracture tearing through reality itself. It stretched endlessly, a gash in the void, positioned far from Earth.

The team DxD forces surged toward it. Angels in golden legions, devils ripping portals open, dragons screaming in ancient fury—all poured themselves into the void, drawn like moths to a flame. They did not know it was a trap. And it worked perfectly. On Earth, only a few remained.

A young girl, barely more than a teenager, stood atop a ruined hill. Issei and Asia's daughter, Airi, her eyes bright with determination. Despite her youth, she felt the weight of the entire planet pressing down on her shoulders.

Beside her, Vali's son,silent, poised, the heir of the White Dragon, watched her. He could feel the responsibility she carried and mirrored it in himself.

"We catalog everything," she said, voice steady despite the tremor beneath it. "Every relic, every fragment of magic, every scrap of knowledge. If anyone, be it supernatural, angel or devil, ever returns, this must survive. Everything we leave behind could decide the fate of the world."

Vali's son nodded. "And we protect those left behind. Every single one. No exceptions."
She clenched her fists, feeling the spark of dragon blood in her veins. "We survive. We hide. We prepare. Earth will not fall, not while we stand."

The armies vanished into the void. And the hidden supernatural were left to defend a planet they no longer understood, against an enemy whose existence they had not even glimpsed.

Far beyond mortal sight, in the folds of space, two presences lingered, unseen. The universe itself bent around them, yet no force could detect their presence.
"They actually went," one whispered, disbelief in its voice. "They actually left Earth entirely."

The other smiled faintly, a cold, unreadable curl of lips. "Pure luck," it said. "If even one lesser force had noticed, our plan could have failed. But the Exe are… predictable. They fear the greater threat above all else." "It worked," the first said, nodding. "The armies are gone. Earth is exposed. And no one suspects we even exist."

A pause. Their energy thrummed through the void, spent, but precise. "This took everything we had," the second said quietly. "We cannot do it again. Not for centuries if ever,. If we tried, the cost would destroy us."

"Then we lock it away," the first said, voice firm. "This planet will be ours. No devils, no dragons, no angels. Only we decide its fate. Our dominion begins here." The Exe, the DxD forces,they had all been tools. And now, the real game began.

On the surface, the air shimmered, a faint hum spreading across mountains, forests, and seas. Light coalesced into a dome, invisible yet palpable, curling around the planet like an iron fist.

The barrier was alive, humming with the final remnants of the Brother Gods' energy. No mortal, angel, devil, or dragon could breach it. Earth itself seemed to bow beneath its weight.

Airi lifted her hand, feeling the pulse of the barrier as it anchored itself into the planet's ley lines. Vali's son mirrored her stance, sensing the enormity of their task: survival in a world now sealed off from everything they knew.

Far above, the Brother Gods exhaled.
"Fortunate," one murmured, exhaustion threading every word. "It worked," said the other, cold and precise. "Earth is ours. And we cannot risk this again."

The planet shimmered under the barrier, invisible to the cosmos, locked away for the gods' private dominion. Below, the children of the DxD forces would live and prepare, unaware that the very world they defended was no longer free.

The gods had won. Earth was theirs

 

[Sliverhero]

Jaune's team gets pretty used to the idea that he ends up isekaied to random fantasy worlds every night. Team RWBY...not so much.

Ruby: "Wha...what's with Jaune's aura?"

*Goodwitch takes a good, long look at the multiple overlapping bars of Jaune's aura meter compared to Cardin's."

Jaune: "YOU EITHER DIE A HERO OR LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE YOURSELF BECOME THE SECRET BOSS."
Nora: "Oooh, he's starting with the gauntlets!"
Ren: *meditating* "Cardin's not going to push him to the katana."
Pyrrha: *worried* "We'll have to get Professor Goodwitch to call it off if Jaune brings out the scythe."
Nora: "Remember when he pulled out the staff? I think they're calling the crater the 'Fist of Arc' now."

Click to shrink...

Had to do it .

The Final Boss Arc

Combat class had seen chaos, but Beacon reached new heights of disbelief the day Jaune Arc requested a multi-team spar.

Glynda Goodwitch peered over her glasses, perplexed. "Mr. Arc, are you certain? This is hardly...""I'll be fine, Professor," Jaune said calmly.

Everyone in the class except the rest of jnpr either had suspicion or concern, on their face.
RWBY exchanged glances. CFVY stretched. SSSN cracked knuckles.

Only JNPR reacted like the circus had come to town. Nora was vibrating so fast Ren had to put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from liftoff.
"Ohhhh—it's happening," she squealed. "HE'S GONNA DO IT!" Pyrrha winced.Ren sighed.
"This is what we feared."

Goodwitch stepped back. The buzzer sounded.
And Jaune… changed. The air shifted as if recognizing a higher authority.
His aura stirred, then bloomed in golden waves, casting him in a warm, dangerous glow. His posture rose tall, sovereign. His eyes darkened with something deep.

He stepped forward, voice ringing like a bell:
"Let the curtain rise… upon your final performance." Nora lets out a shriek of pure joy.


Ruby blurred forward, only for Jaune to step aside like she wasn't even there.
His voice boomed with knightly authority:

"Phase One: Fallen Knight Ascendant.
Come forth, and test your courage."

Weiss summoned a glyph. Jaune brushed past and it shattered. Blake went for a flank. It was blocked, effortlessly.Yang lunged, but she was caught, and it was twisted, and redirected.

He fought not like Jaune Arc of Beacon Academy their know, but like the hero in a painting, clean, precise, inevitable.

CFVY charged as a unit flanking him in a perfect formation. Jaune inhaled.

Lightning crawled up his arms, crackling between his fingers. His hair lifted in the charged air. Nora screamed in delight, "THUNDER FORRRRM!"

Goodwitch attempted discipline.
Nora ignored her entirely. Jaune raised his blade:

"Phase Two: Herald of Thunder.
Let the storm speak."

Wind burst outward. Electricity danced across the floor. Coco lost her sunglasses, an unprecedented tragedy. Every strike boomed.
Every dodge sizzled. CFVY staggered under the onslaught.

RWBY stared in awe and mild horror. RWBY and SSSN regrouped ready to help CFVY. They focused on Jaune. Jaune's aura dimmed… then swirled, half-gold, half-black, like twilight overtaking day.Ruby gasped. "Oh Dust, HE HAS A DARK FORM?!" Yang sputtered, "WHY DOES HE GET THE COOL STUFF?!"

Blake whispered, "Who let him be hot and edgy?!"Jaune lifted his weapon in a sweeping, elegant flourish. "Phase Three: Eclipse Champion.When the light falters… I remain."

He moved faster. Hit harder.
Shadow and gold danced behind every motion.
Even Ozpin straightened in his seat as he is watching the feeds. Nora was practically convulsing with pride.
The teams are slowly chipping away at Jaune. Everyone watching this fight are holding their breathe. Then suddenly, Jaune's aura finally flickered. Everyone braced. Surely he must be weakening. But JNPR didn't move. Ren breathed, "Here it comes." Pyrrha whispered, "Oh… Jaune…" Nora clasped her hands like she was witnessing a holy miracle.

The arena fell silent. The three teams stopped attacking confused on what's going on, that moment of confusion doomed them.

Jaune closed his eyes. Golden embers, tiny fragments of his aura, lifted into the air, gathering behind him in a swirling constellation. Their glow was not bright, but ancient. Heavy. Regal.

The air felt reverent. His voice came soft, solemn, weighted with centuries of loss and duty: "You have fought with valor. And for that… I honor you."


The sparks coalesced into a brief, ethereal crown. Then dissolved.

Jaune raised his sword in both hands, a knight saluting worthy foes. "A king stands so others may rise." His aura unfurled into a sweeping cloak of light, regal and grave. He opened his eyes, calm, resolute, impossibly old.
"Final Phase…" He stepped forward with gentle inevitability. "...The Last King of a Broken World." And then he moved.Not fast.Not furious.
But with the precision and dignity of a monarch delivering judgment.

His strikes were not punishments, they were acknowledgments. One by one, teams fell. Not crushed, but humbled. When the dust settled, Jaune stood alone, cloak fading. He bowed. A king's bow. To honor them. The silence afterward was absolute. Then Nora burst, she cant contain herself from an awesome scene .

Nora launched into Jaune like a missile.
"JAUNE ARC, YOU GLORIOUS ANGEL OF AWESOME, WE NEED TO MAKE MORE FORMS!"
Everyone else groaned. Ren rubbed his temples. "Nora, please." Pyrrha begged, "Let him rest!"

Weiss shouted, "NO MORE PHASES!"
Yang threw her hands up. "WE'RE GONNA DIE."
Blake muttered, "If he gets a stealth form, I'm transferring." Sun flopped face-first. "Make her stop…" Coco groaned, "Not the notebook…"
Jaune blinked. "…What notebook?" Nora gasped. "You DO have one!" "W-well," Jaune blushed, "I've been brainstorming..."

Half the room screamed in despair. "NO!"
Nora pumped her fist like she'd won the lottery.
"JAUNE, TOMORROW WE'RE MAKING A FIRE FORM!" Everyone else groaned in pain and spiritual defeat.Jaune just scratched his cheek.
"…So that's a yes?" And Nora shouted to the heavens: "JAUNE ARC : FUTURE KING OF TOO MANY FORMS!" The room groaned again.

 

[Sliverhero]

Part two of three final boss arc


The forge was quiet when RWBY entered,quiet in the way of a loaded crossbow. Jaune and Nora sat hunched over a notebook labeled 'FORM IDEAS, DO NOT TELL GOODWITCH' in huge, childish scrawl. Ren looked resigned; Pyrrha looked worried.

Jaune looked up when they entered, hopeful and a little guilty."Oh, hey. You guys came."
Ruby exhaled with the weight of someone accepting her destiny. "We talked. As a team. And we made a decision."

Yang crossed her arms. "We can't stop you two..." Blake nodded. "...but if we don't help, you'll make forms that could destroy Beacon."
Weiss pinched her nose. "Or reality."

Jaune blinked. "S-so… you'll help?"
Team RWBY groaned in unified pain. Ruby nodded. "Yes. We'll help you make more forms. Because if we're here, maybe we can reduce the chaos."

Blake muttered, "We can't stop the crazy."
Yang added, "But we can steer it before it flips the boat." Weiss sighed. "This is chaos damage control." Nora raised her arms triumphantly. "WE HAVE RECRUITED THE CHAOS MANAGEMENT SQUAD!" Ren whispered, "Please help."

Jaune stood in the middle of the training arena. RWBY circled him like nervous scientists."Okay!" Ruby said. "Stress, fear, motivation, standard aura triggers." Yang cracked her knuckles. "Let's start with fear." "Wait..." Jaune began. Too late. Yang lunged, Jaune yelped, aura flickered. Harmless. Next was embarrassment. Blake cleared her throat, reluctantly. "Your Eclipse Form is… um… very attractive."

Pyrrha's soul left her body. Weiss choked. Jaune turned beet red. Aura sparked dangerously. Ruby scribbled, "Do NOT do that again." Then came the last test. Ruby hesitated. "We need a trauma trigger. A real one." Yang frowned. "Are you sure? Trauma isn't funny." Jaune tensed. "Ruby, don't..." But Ruby, unaware of the Truth, whispered: "Jaune… Just remember something bad in your life?"

Something inside Jaune broke.
A pulse erupted through the room.
A crimson-black aura crackled outwards, cracking tiles and knocking everyone back.
Jaune's eyes opened,slitted, glowing, predatory.

Nora gasped in joyous horror. "OH YES. MONSTER FORM." Yang whispered, "WHY IS HE HOT AND TERRIFYING AT THE SAME TIME." Blake mumbled, "That's unfair." Weiss stared… and stared harder. Because behind Jaune, aura tentacles unfolded, smooth, strong, powerful, unmistakably otherworldly. And Weiss, very much against her will, turned red as a tomato.

Blake whispered, "Weiss. Are you okay?"
Weiss coughed violently.
"I...I AM STUDYING THE TACTICAL APPLICATIONS." Yang smirked. "Uh-huh."
Weiss's voice cracked. "They're just… very flexible! FOR COMBAT REASONS." Blake: "Right. Combat." Weiss: "STOP LOOKING AT ME."

Meanwhile, Jaune's voice layered with something ancient: "Phase Zero… The Forgotten Beast." Then he sneezed,The aura vanished.Jaune collapsed.

RWBY took Jaune back to the dorm to recover. Once they left to find ice packs, JNPR gathered around him. Pyrrha brushed hair from his forehead. "Jaune… are you okay?"

He swallowed. "I didn't mean… I didn't want that to come out." Nora sat beside him, quieter than usual. "It's the isekai memories, huh?"

Jaune shut his eyes, He barely remembered that other world... just flashes of war, magic, and a life that didn't belong to him.

And two faces he would never forget:
A woman with horned, shimmering scales,
wings like a storm unfolding,
and a smile that melted fear.
And a small boy who looked like him.
Same hair. Same eyes. Same little grin.

Jaune whispered, voice cracking, "I think… I think I was holding him. Protecting him. And then everything… disappears."

Ren placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"Only we know. And we'll keep it that way until you're ready." Jaune trembled. "Thanks."
Pyrrha held his hand. "You're safe here."

Nora wrapped him in an aggressive hug.
"And you have US! Your emotional support squad!"
Jaune finally smiled. A tired, grateful smile.


Back in RWBY's dorm:

Weiss paced, flushed red, clutching her notebook. Yang lounged on her bunk. "You're STILL thinking about the tentacles." "They were combat appendages!" Weiss snapped. Blake added, "You drew hearts around one."

"I WAS TESTING AERODYNAMIC SYMMETRY."
Ruby peeked over Weiss's shoulder.
"There is literally a sketch labeled 'Jaune but with MORE tentacle reach.'"
Weiss screamed. "That is A COMBAT DIAGRAM." Blake: "Your face is red."
Weiss: "I'M OVERHEATING DUE TO, TACTICAL FOCUS, STOP BLINKING AT ME..."

Then the door slammed. Nora stole the notebook. Weiss let out a noise only bats hear.

THE TENTACLE INCIDENT

(Beacon's insurance premiums skyrocketed)

"Jaune," Nora said solemnly, "Weiss made science." "She made WHAT!!!!"
Jaune didn't finish before the tentacle sketches were shoved into his arms.

"Oh Dust…" "Try the aura tentacles!" Nora begged."I, Nora..." "JAUNE. ARC. DO IT."
He sighed. Closed his eyes. Reached for the memories. Trauma burned the edges of his mind. And the tentacles exploded out.
Four crimson appendages whipping, twisting, acting on instinct. "I CAN'T CONTROL THEM!" Jaune yelled.

One tentacle grabbed his sword. One poked Nora's cheek. One wrapped his waist.
One slapped him repeatedly. Ren closed his eyes. "I am so tired." Pyrrha shrieked.

And just then.. Glynda Goodwitch entered. She froze. Her soul left her body. "Mr. Arc," she said in the calm voice of someone repressing violence, "why do you have… aura appendages."

Nora beamed. "Weiss made a TACTICAL NOTEBOOK!" Weiss, who had followed them in, turned scarlet. "I, IT WAS COMBAT ONLY..." Glynda raised a finger. "Miss Schnee. We will discuss this later."
Then she snapped her riding crop.
A telekinetic blast erased the tentacles instantly. Jaune fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Glynda exhaled. "Team RWBY. Team JNPR. My office. All of you." Nora fist-pumped. "Awesome." Weiss buried her face in her hands. Jaune groaned "I didn't ask for any of this…" Pyrrha helped him up gently. "We know."
Ren nodded. "We really know."

 

[LordofBones]

-Sun helps Blake and Yang realize their relationship is completely toxic and unhealthy in Vacuo.

Click to shrink...

Blake: *mumbling* "I'm a manipulative gaslighter?"
Yang: *mumbling* "I'm a toxic enabler?"
Sun: *cheerfully* "And you took Ruby to a tea shop after she committed suicide with tea!"
Yang: *sniffle*

Weiss: "Wow, I held my younger brother at swordpoint and I'm still the most normal member of this team!"
Winter: "YOU WHAT?!"

 

[Sliverhero]

Here is next part for my dxd x rwby crossover.

The Schnee manor is unusually peaceful. Willow Schnee, steady and sober on one of her rare bright days, sits beside young Weiss's bed. She smooths the blankets, humming softly as Weiss looks up at her with hopeful, curious eyes.

"Mother… can you tell me a story tonight? One of the old ones?" Willow hesitates, but tonight, the memories don't hurt. She nods. "There is one tale," she says softly, "passed down so long ago that even our oldest records call it a myth." Weiss's eyes widen as Willow begins, her voice calm and warm.

"Thousands of years before Mantle, before Atlas, before Remnant itself. Our family descends from a warrior named Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor. He carried within him the soul of a mighty dragon called Albion."
Willow pauses, brushing her daughter's cheek gently. "But no legend of Albion is complete without his eternal rival… the Red Dragon Emperor." Weiss perks up. "There was another?"

"Indeed," Willow continues. "His name, according to the oldest accounts, was Issei Hyoudou, partner of the Crimson Dragon, Ddraig. In the ancient world, these two dragons were said to be unmatched, equal in power and fury. Their hosts, Vali and Issei, clashed countless times."

Her voice takes on a soft rhythm, as though reciting something passed down through generations. "White dragon against red…,Light against fire…, Albion against Ddraig."

"But Mother," Weiss whispers, "were they enemies?"

"A complicated question." Willow smiles faintly.
"They fought. Oh, how they fought. The sky itself trembled when those two met. But they shared something far stronger than hatred—respect. Rivals, yes… but also partners in fate. Destiny tied them together, and in time, they even stood side by side to protect their world."

Weiss's eyes shine, imagining two colossal dragons, one shimmering white, the other blazing crimson, circling each other in the heavens. Willow continues, voice soft.

"Vali and Issei faced gods, devils, tyrants, and monsters. Some scholars even claim their final battle was so tremendous that the shockwaves echoed into the new worlds that formed later… including Remnant. That is why our family has always kept the story alive."

She leans down, kissing Weiss's forehead lovingly. "Our ancestors believed the tale should remind us of something important: Even the strongest rivals can inspire each other. Even dragons can choose who they wish to be.
And so can you, my little Weiss."

Weiss closes her eyes, drifting to sleep imagining white and red dragon wings dancing across the sky.

Jaune side.

Rain taps softly against the windows of the Arc home, and the dim lamp beside the bed casts warm gold across the room. Young Jaune lies pale and weak beneath heavy blankets, shivering despite the warmth.

His mother sits beside him, gently brushing damp blond hair from his forehead. "Deep breaths, sweetie… you're okay." Jaune swallows, voice thin."M-Mom… can you tell me a story? One of the old ones?"

Her heart warms. "Of course." She pulls up a chair and takes his hand. "This is the story of our greatest ancestor… Issei Hyoudou, host of the Crimson Dragon Emperor, Ddraig."
Jaune squints up at her. "Ddraig… the yelling dragon?" She chuckles softly. "Yes, him."

Her voice becomes slow and soothing. "Issei wasn't born strong. But he was brave. He refused to give up, even when the world expected nothing from him. And by his side was the mighty Ddraig, fierce, ancient, loud… and full of heart." Jaune's breathing steadies. "And the Arcs tell his story to remind ourselves that even the frailest child can grow into something extraordinary."

He smiles weakly. "I wanna be like him someday." "I know," she murmurs. Then something stirs. From the high shelf in the corner of the room, an ancient artifact begins to glow. The gauntlet-like relic, draconic engravings, crimson metal, pulses with warm red light.

"M-Mom… why is it glowing…?" She follows his gaze and exhales softly. "That relic was made long ago by an old friend of Issei's… a brilliant craftsman named Azazel. A wandering inventor, scholar, and tinkerer. No one truly knows where he came from, only that he cared greatly for Issei and his descendants."

The artifact pulses again, thump… thump… thump, steady as a heartbeat. A gentle warmth flows from it, filling the room before settling over Jaune. His shaking stops. His color returns. His breaths deepen. "M-Mom… it feels warm…"

"It's helping you," she whispers. "Azazel designed it to protect our family in times of weakness. A final gift to Issei's bloodline."
The glow slowly fades. His mother tucks him in again, brushing his cheek lovingly. "You're safe, Jaune. And stronger than you think." Jaune's eyelids grow heavy. "Mom… can you say the words…? The old ones?"
She smiles, soft, almost sacred.

The ancient Arc family phrase, passed down from generation to generation, meaning forgotten but significance never lost. She leans close and whispers: "Zoom Zoom Iyaan…"

The artifact gives one faint pulse, like a warm acknowledgment. Jaune drifts into peaceful sleep, wrapped in Azazel's ancient craft and the legacy of the Red Dragon Emperor.

 

[SharkCultist]

Got hit with this lovely little idea.

Weiss: what do you mean I wouldn't make a good maiden?!

Ozcar: you lack certain attributes that make it so you could use it to its fullest potential.

Weiss: I'm female, combat trained, and the best female in pure technical manipulation skills among my year. Who would make a better maiden than me?!

Ozcar: miss xaoi-long for one.

Weiss:WHAT! That brute is more suited to learning to manipulate the forces of the universe than me?

Ozcar: oh gods no, she just has a much higher potential capacity than you.

Weiss: and how do you know that?

Ozcar: it's a very technical process with many nuances I'm not sure I feel like describing at the moment.

*Very drunk Qrow from the floor*

Qrow: it's yer tatas snowflake.

Ozcar: brothers damn it Qrow.

Weiss: What.

Ozcar: I know this sounds bad.

Weiss: you're gonna give Yang phenomenal cosmic powers because she's a overblown dairy cow?!

Ozcar: ok first off you asked if you would make a good maiden candidate. Nowhere did I say we were picking one. And second I told you she has a higher magic capacity, that's why I'd choose her.

Weiss: and how does breast factor into this?

Ozcar: Well....did you ever wonder why I gave Qrow shapeshifting powers and not tai?

Weiss: don't go off topic.

Ozcar: I'm not! I picked Qrow-

Qrow: cuz I got fat nutz.

Ozcar: WILL YOU PLEASE JUST PASS OUT NOW AND STOP MAKING THIS WORSE!

Qrow:....K *passes out*

Weiss: so you're telling me that breast are literally magical.

Ozcar: Magic is stored in the breast.

Weiss: this is humiliating.

Ozcar: and balls. Speaking of can you please send Mr.Arc in? I'd like to see if he'd be interested in shapeshifting.

*Weiss screams*

 

[SharkCultist]

Despite being a born and bred Atlas native Dexter Watts hated the cold.

Well it wasn't very cold in Atlas right now. What with about a quarter of it being on fire.

Dexter lit up a cigar while he watched his home burn from the top of the biggest building still standing in Atlas.

His father always hated cigars and cigarettes. It made the drag of nicotine hit all the sweeter.

"Come to sit with me cousin?"

She always knew where to find him. In the entire world nobody knew him better than her.

He hopes he won't have to kill her.

"Dexter."

"Penny."

"Why?"

"You will have to be a bit more specific with your questioning dear cousin."

"Why are you burning Atlas?"

Dexter thought about if he should tell her. His father being a traitor to humanity and working with that pathetic creature Salem, and for what? A ego stroke?

He thought about Atlas and Vale being just as bad. Assassinations and lives ruined just for the tiniest advantage against Salem. People enslaved just to keep the dust flowing.

Nobody deserves to win. Not like this.

"It needed to be done."

No. Best not to tell her. Let her remain blissfully ignorant a little bit longer.

Tears well up in the corner of her eyes (a saline solution his uncle whipped up to help sell the illusion of flesh) before her eyes harden.

"Specialist Dexter Watts of the Atlas Research and Development division you are accused of grand treason and terrorism. Do not resist arrest or lethal force will be deployed."

Always the good girl. Happily following orders (well maybe not in this case).

What a shame.

Dexter stood up and dropped his cigar over the edge. One more fire wouldn't hurt.

"I do not wish to fight you cousin."

The backpack he wore (so similar and yet so different to her own) unfolded and flowed down his arms with plates of shifting metal before turning into a pair of gauntlets.

"But I will dismantle you if I must."

---

Meet Dexter Watts.

Another artificial human, but from a completely different path.

Arthur watts the mad bastard made computer code into DNA.

He wrote Dexter's genetics from the ground up making him as perfect as he could.

And then abandoned him when he fucked off to mommy salami.

Dexter has through his own genius ferreted out most of the big secrets of both factions and is disgusted with them both.

So he plans to tear both factions apart. Step 1 of his plan is to make them all lose.

He's going to try to get his hands on the sword and use it to destroy any of the other relics.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Here's a fun idea: Jaune's Semblance is sort of The Gamer, but it uses the elements of one particular game for his abilities. In this case, Resident Evil.

Jaune: "Hang on... Combine herbs... Water... And there! Healing potion!"

Pyrrha: "Thanks Jaune!"

Weiss: "W-Wait, how does that work?! Random herbs just show up and you can make a healing concoction out of it?!"

Jaune: "Pretty much!"

Ruby: "Now we need to get into this locked room!"

Jaune: "Hang on, we gotta do a puzzle!"

Weiss: "Wha-WHEN DID THAT SHOW UP?!"

Jaune: "Don't know, but if we align the shadows..."

A key pops out of nowhere.

Jaune: "There we go!"

Weiss: "Buh... Wha... WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?! There's NO WAY that could-"

Jaune unlocks the door.

Yang: "Heh. That's pretty handy, Ladykiller! You're not gonna use that to spy on me in the locker room, are you?"

Jaune: "H-Huh? N-No!"

Yang: "Shame~."

Nora: "OOH! OOH! Be careful Jaune, or you'll end up... A Jaune sandwich!"

Jaune: "Huh? How does that make sense?"

Nora: winks at the audience "Oh, it's not for you."

Weiss: frothing at the mouth

 

[Sliverhero]

The Knight Who Defied Fate, and the Seven Who Followed Him

Jaune Arc dragged his sword through the scorched remains of Vale.

What used to be a city.
What used to be laughter.
What used to be home.

The sky overhead had split into two jagged wounds, one of searing white light, one of endless black smoke, where the Brother Gods tore at reality out of boredom, cruelty, or some combination of both.

Jaune's armor steamed from divine strikes. His Aura flickered like a dying star. Every motion was pain. But he kept walking. He had watched everyone die... It should have been him.

Ruby burned out her silver eyes stopping a wave of divine Grimm. Weiss froze protecting thousands, and shattered like glass. Blake died fighting to protect the Faunus homeland one last time. Yang went down swinging, taking a Titan with her. Ren and Nora died together, protecting their daughter. And Pyrrha, gods, Pyrrha, fell saving a village that no longer existed.

Only two had survived with him the longest:
Neo, who stepped in front of a killing blow meant for him, her eyes wide with a final, genuine emotion he had never seen before.
Cinder, who spent every drop of Maiden power she had ever stolen to pin the God of Darkness to the ground so Jaune's sword could strike true.

He held their bodies until the winds turned their ashes to nothing. He had nothing left to lose.
And a single man with nothing left to lose was the most dangerous thing in existence.

Jaune charged the gods, and their cowards of servants Salem and Ozpin. The battle lasted days. Or minutes. Time bent and twisted under their power. But in the end: Jaune Arc, the Rusty Knight, the last man on Remnant…killed the gods. The world ended with him standing alone amidst divine corpses.

A crack in the world opened behind him. Reality, exhausted, began collapsing. He closed his eyes finally thinking its over and he can be with them. He fell through ..into the Ever After.

The air of the Ever After was impossible warm. Gentle. Comforting.Which only made Jaune's trembling worse. He's thinking why he is here. He hasnt been here since so many years ago. Why cant he just die. His sword slipped from his hand as he collapsed near the Tree. He dug his fingers into the grass, panting, trying to breathe past the crushing grief.

A shadow fell over him.
"You have come far," the Blacksmith murmured, kneeling beside him. "Farther than any mortal has ever walked." Jaune coughed, blood staining the grass. "I don't… I don't want to keep going. They're all gone. Every one of them."
The Blacksmith placed a cool hand against the cracked heartplate of his armor.

"Loss defines a blade's edge. But you..."
Her eyes softened. "You have been sharpened beyond endurance." Jaune clenched his jaw.
"I couldn't save Ruby. Or Weiss. Or..."
"You saved them all," she said firmly. "Just not in the world you began in."

Seven threads materialized around her, frayed yet glowing. "These are the echoes of the ones you love, in other timelines, other endings." Jaune stared, breath trembling. "I… I died for them, didn't I?" "Yes," she said. "In every timeline but your own." A pause.

"They would do anything to change that."
The threads brightened, showing him glimpse
Ruby, broken and alone.,Weiss, sinking with Atlas.,Blake, half-Grimm, sobbing.Yang, lost in the dark.Pyrrha, collapsing in the ruins of Beacon.Neo, screaming silently over his dead body.Cinder, weeping beside his corpse on her ash throne.

The Blacksmith whispered: "Watch. Remember. And prepare." jaune states intently as the Blacksmith shows him their fate in the other timeliness.

Ruby : the broken Hero
Storm clouds swallowed Vacuo. Grimm swarmed endlessly. Ruby stumbled on shaking legs, Crescent Rose snapped in half, her silver eyes flickering weakly.

She collapsed next to a broken Huntsman statue, tears streaking through soot.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I tried… I really tried…" Shadows closed in, and a golden explosion ripped the Grimm apart. "Ruby!"

Jaune dropped beside her, one arm around her back, the other raising his shield to block a hail of claws and teeth. "Stay with me," he whispered. "I'm not letting the world take you too." Ruby sobbed into his chest. "I don't want to fight anymore…"

"Then don't," Jaune murmured. "Just let me protect you." He expanded his shield. Aura sparked violently. His heartbeat slowed.
As the light consumed the Grimm, Ruby clutched his armor and felt him fall still. Then a blindly light surged out of his body and she closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she lay beneath a familiar Tree.
As she gets her bearing and starts to realize what happens, the blacksmith appears.

The Blacksmith asked softly: "Do you wish to change the ending you refused to accept?"
Ruby forced herself to her feet. "Yes."




Weiss Schnee : The Princess of a fallen kingdom.

Atlas was falling. The entire kingdom collapsed in slow motion, a tidal wave of ice, metal, fire, and smoke. Weiss struggled to summon a glyph, but Salem's corruption burned across her arm. She slipped off the edge.
Wind roared. Then, "Got you!" Jaune caught her, glyphs exploding under his boots from pure Aura as he pinned them to a piece of falling debris. He notices an escape pod in the debris they are clinging to.

"Jaune,you'll fall too!"
He smiled sadly. "Then I'll fall protecting you."
He grabbed and shoved her into the escape pod, slammed the door "Weiss, live. For all of us." He hit the eject, and as the pod escapes all she sees is jaune jumping off and slamming his sword into a Grimm Titan forced them to fall to their death. As weiss sees all this she starts to feel something and before she faints she sees in the corner of her eye a flash of gold.

Weiss awoke at the Tree, sobbing. But once she hears the offer. "I won't let him die again."

Blake Belladonna: the Beauty cursed to be a beast.

Blake crouched in the ruins of Menagerie, claws dripping Grimm ichor, half-feral. Her shadow clones wavered; her humanity flickered. A Grimm pounced. A golden blade split it in two.
"Blake," Jaune whispered, stepping toward her cautiously. "You're still in there."

"I'll hurt you," she growled, voice warping. "Stay back..." He walked up and wrapped his arms around her. "Then hurt me," he whispered. "If that's what it takes." She trembled. Claws retracted. Tears hit his armor. "Why… why save me…?" "Because you deserve to be saved."

He purged the Grimm corruption using every drop of Aura he had. He died doing it. A flash of gold and Blake woke beneath the Tree and whispered: "Please… don't take him from me again."
All the blacksmith just gives a simple nod.


Yang Xiao Long : the lost dragon

Yang wandered the void, a silent, infinite nothing. No color. No gravity. No direction.
Her aura barely flickered. Then a beacon of gold flashed beside her. "Yang! Grab my hand!" Jaune pulled her upward, muscles straining, cracks spreading through his aura like shattering glass.

"Jaune, don't, The Void. it's pulling you in!" she cried. Jaune only smiled sadly. "I know," he said. "But if you go back… the others still have a chance." The darkness swallowed him up to the chest. "JAUNE!" His eyes softened. "Tell Ruby… tell everyone… I never stopped believing."
He shoved her upward with a final burst.
Yang awoke under the Tree, fists shaking, eyes red. "No more. I'm getting him back."

Pyrrha Nikos : The Champion that finally lost.

Pyrrha wandered Beacon's ruins, guilt devouring her. She lived. Thousands didn't. She touched the cracked floor where Cinder struck her years ago. "Why… why did I survive…?" she whispered.
Footsteps. Heavy, familiar. "Pyrrha."
She turned, and broke down, collapsing into Jaune's arms. "I failed everyone," she sobbed.

"No," he whispered. "You were forced to live in a world that didn't deserve you." He held her as Grimm closed in. "I'll get you out." He waves a staff and shoved her through a relic portal he created and slammed it shut behind her. She screamed his name as the light consumed her.

At the Tree, she rose shakily. Pyrrha goes and listens to the blacksmith offer and accepts it
"This time… I protect him."

Neo : The Silent Comfort of a Knight's Sacrifice

Neo had no one left to hate. Revenge turned to loneliness. She wandered destroyed kingdoms, hunted by Salem's forces. A Grimm lunged.
A golden sword impaled it. Jaune knelt beside her, wounded badly. Neo signed shakily:
Why save me after everything? "Because you deserved better than the person I used to be," he murmured.

He carried her to safety, bleeding heavily the whole way. He died at her side. Neo awoke at the Tree, biting her lip until it bled. She chose the doorway instantly.

Cinder Fall: : the Queen of Ashes.
Cinder sat on her throne of ash. She had killed Salem. She had conquered the world. And she had never felt more empty. A lone figure staggered into her hall. Jaune. Barely standing.

"Come to kill me?Please do it!" she asked and pleades softly. "No," he said. "its to save you."

A divine Grimm Titan burst from the wall.

Cinder raised a hand, but Jaune moved first, tackling her to the ground, shielding her with his own body. "NO!" she screamed as his armor cracked. He died whispering her name.
She woke sobbing at the Tree. "…I want to change," she whispered. "Please."
The Blacksmith opened the doorway.

"They walk because you crawled." Back in the Ever After, Jaune trembled. They died for me… in every timeline?" The Blacksmith nodded. "You inspire sacrifice. And now, sacrifice inspires return." Seven portals pulsed behind her.

"They have chosen to walk backward through fate." Jaune swallowed. "What… what do they want?" The Blacksmith touched his heartplate.
"You." A long pause. "And a world where you live."

The portals burst open in a circle around him.
Ruby stumbled out first, eyes widening. Her voice cracked:"…Jaune?"Weiss covered her mouth, tears spilling instantly. "He's alive…"
Blake froze, hands shaking, as if afraid he'd vanish. Yang whispered, "Holy… you look like you fought God." Jaune forced a sad smile, while coughing up abit of blood.
"I did."

Pyrrha fell to her knees, hand over her heart.
"Fate brought me back to you…" Neo ran to him, hugging his leg, refusing to let go. Cinder stared at him, amber eyes trembling. "You… you died in my arms…"Jaune looked at them all, breath trembling.

"You shouldn't be here." Ruby stepped forward, determination blazing. "We're here because you never gave up on us." Pyrrha nodded. "Now it's our turn." Yang cracked her knuckles. "We're saving you whether you like it or not."

Neo nodded sharply. Cinder whispered, voice soft as ash: "This time… you live."
Jaune swallowed hard. "…All of you came back… for me?" Ruby smiled through tears.
"No, Jaune. We came back with you." After that The Blacksmith lifted her hammer. Each world followed by a clanging of metal on metal, "The past awaits, Rewrite it.Together."

As she says this, a blast of light appears from the anvil where she was hitting. It moved as if it was dancing to unheard music. It slowly shrunk down with each movement until it got to the size of a person. It then formed a golden portal.
The golden portal opened, leading anyone willing to go, back in time.

Jaune stepped forward, surrounded by seven women who had walked through hell to reach him.

 

[SharkCultist]

It would surprise many to know that Cardin has a few things in common with Qrow.

Both are fans of piano bars, both are allergic to rhubarb, and both of them have always active semblances.

Cardins isn't quite as metaphysical as probabilities manipulation to negative outcomes.

Cardins semblance is called Combustion and is the reason he always wears his armor.

Rather than for defending him the armor is actually one giant shock absorber.

---

Cardin hates being weak. He'd strained and trained and done everything he could to not need his semblance.

He hated his semblance. Since the moment he unlocked his aura ist all any of his instructors talked about or focused on.

He wouldn't need to train his semblance would make him great, who needs tactics or teammates when you're a walking bomb?

Nobody saw cardin they just saw Combustion.

So he saved up some money, quite a bit of it actually, from any allowance or odd jobs he could find, even sold some of his stuff.

He then commissioned some crazy engineer in patch he heard about on a message board to make his armor.

It's gonna be a bitch getting this thing repaired if it ever breaks since he heard whiterosewarrior passed away.

But right now the armor didn't matter, since he was about to have to take it off.

This thing that ambushed his team was strong. Too strong. There was something wrong with it.

It had at one point been a beringal. No mistaking that ugly monkey. The extra four arms and spider jaw were new. So were the webs and whatever the fuck that green stuff leaking from its body was.

His team was already down, and wasn't that worrying that it wasn't killing them, wrapped in cocoons of silk stronger than steel (he knows. He tried breaking it.).

He couldn't beat this thing. Not with his mace.

So cardin laid his palm on the bird on the front of his breastplate and channeled aura in a very specific pattern.

The armor fell apart like a house of cards in a windstorm and for the first time in a long time combustion could sing.

It didn't take long to adjust, hate it or not combustion was a part of him.

The softest of steps, practically just the tips of his toes touching the soil was enough to trigger explosions that launched him at the beast at speeds comparable to a sports car.

But cardin didn't slam into it, instead he flowed around it the smallest taps to the ground and trees surrounding them enough to keep him circling the monster.

Cardin almost looked delicate dealing with the beast. Small touches and pokes, no longer than a second, no more force than a baby would use.

Each touch blasting chunks out of the beast like it had been hit by artillery fire.

They'd fought the beast for thirty minutes before this.

Cardin killed it in four.

With combustion.

Something bitter settled in his gut.

 

[Sliverhero]

Next part for my the knight defiled fate.

The Ever After had no sun, yet the clearing around the Tree glowed with a soft, perpetual gold. Seven figures stood in a loose circle around Jaune, some cautious, some defiant, some too overwhelmed to speak. None of them trusted each other. Not Yet! Even though they know who each other are its still not their friend, their families. They dont have their memories of the highs and the lows.

The Blacksmith had given them rest, food, repaired clothes and armor shaped from their memories. But nothing she did could soften the tension coiling between the group like a hidden tripwire. "Alright…" Jaune exhaled. "If we're going back in time together, we need to train. Sync. Talk."

Ruby nodded quickly, forcing optimism into her tired voice. "Y-yeah. Totally. Team… meeting?"
Yang muttered under her breath, "Feels more like babysitting a powder keg." Her eyes slid toward Cinder.

Cinder didn't react outwardly, only crossing her arms and keeping a careful distance from the circle. The Maiden fire coiled faintly around her fingers, restrained but ready. Neo simply stood beside Jaune like a silent shadow, refusing to let anyone close.

Weiss took a step back from Neo. Blake took a step back from Cinder. Pyrrha stood perfectly still, scanning every movement like a battlefield.
Jaune could feel it all.

"Then let's start with this," he said quietly.
"Everyone needs to tell the truth about their timeline. Everything. So we know who we're trusting." "Or who we're not," Blake muttered.
A flicker of pain crossed Cinder's eyes.

Ruby inhaled, trembling.
"i'll start first....My timeline… Vacuo fell first. Then the Grimm came nonstop. I thought...I lost everyone. I burned out my Silver Eyes saving people who didn't even make it five minutes after." Yang flinched.

"I fought until Crescent Rose snapped. And then I…" Ruby swallowed. "I gave up. Jaune didn't."
She wiped her cheeks. "He died protecting me after I couldn't protect anyone."

Her gaze slid to Cinder and Neo, steel-hard, her newly recovered eyes glowly with a sliverly flame. "I don't forget. But I'm here to change the ending. That means everyone works together."

Cinder looked away.
"My Atlas collapsed," Weiss said softly.
"Piece by piece. Salem's corruption spread through the central tower like frostbite. My arm..." She touched the faint scar the Blacksmith had left as a reminder.

"I couldn't fight anymore. Jaune caught me as the city fell. Then he forced me into an escape pod and… ngh…" She forced herself to breathe.
"I woke up alive only because he wasn't."
Blake's ears flattened. Yang put a hand on Weiss' shoulder. Neo looked down, unreadable.
Cinder stared at the ground.

"My Menagerie was consumed by Grimm," Blake whispered, voice warping with remembered pain. "Adam released something he didn't understand. I tried to save everyone. Failed. I became… wrong. Corrupted." Her hands shook, claws flickering in and out.

"I attacked anyone who came near me. Anyone… except him." She looked directly at Jaune.
"You let me hurt you until I remembered I was human." Jaune frowned, aching. "I'm sorry, Blake." "No," she said quietly.
"You sacrifice your life to saved what was left of me. Even after I couldn't save myself."
Blake starts to go a little teary-eyed and gives a little smile. "Thank you"
Weiss and Yang exchanged a guilty glance.
Cinder looked shaken.

Yang crossed her arms tightly.
"My timeline started normal. Chaos, fighting, same old. Then… something happened to the Ever After door. I got dragged into the Void."
She shivered. "You don't feel. You don't see. You don't exist. I was stuck there forever." Her voice cracked.
"Jaune pulled me out. But he couldn't pull himself back."

Ruby touched her arm.
Yang didn't move, jaw tight.


"I lived," Pyrrha whispered.
"For years after Beacon. I lived with knowing I shouldn't have. That Jaune died for me at Haven. That so many others died because I wasn't there to stop it." No one breathed.

"I lost myself in guilt. I dont know how but he brought me back just long enough to save me again." Her eyes softened painfully when they found Jaune. "I won't fail you a third time."
Ruby looked down. Weiss squeezed Jaune's arm. Cinder looked nauseous.

Neo stepped forward, tapping Jaune's arm softly. When he nodded, she used her Semblance to project simple words in the air:
"I had no one left. No revenge. No purpose."
A second line shimmered beside it.
"He was the only one who didn't try to kill me.
Even after everything." Neo's throat bobbed with a silent swallow.
"I won't hurt Ruby. Or Weiss.Or Blake.Or Pyrrha.
Or Yang."

Then the last line appeared.
"Not if it means losing him again."
Ruby stared, stunned. Yang narrowed her eyes.
Blake looked wary but unsure. Weiss looked relieved but skeptical. Cinder watched Neo for a long, unreadable moment.

When it was her turn, Cinder didn't speak at first.
The Maiden fire crackled faintly behind her eyes.
She looked at Jaune. Then away. Then back.
"My timeline…" She swallowed hard.
"I killed Salem. Burned the world down. Took everything. Won everything."
Her voice broke. "And it meant nothing."

Everyone froze. Cinder continued, staring at her hands as if seeing old blood. "The throne of ash was cold. And I was alone. I thought… I thought that was what I deserved." She exhaled shakily.
"Then he walked into my throne room. Not to punish me. Not to kill me. But to save me."
Ruby stiffened. Weiss clenched her jaw.
Blake's hand hovered near Gambol Shroud.
Cinder's voice fell to a whisper. "He died protecting me instead of letting a monster die alone."

She looked up, eyes wet,not with fire, but grief.
"That is why I am here. Not to hurt you."
She hesitated. "But because… I want to change who I become. So i ca be better for you."
She looks at jaune. Silence. Heavy. Tense. Fragile.

Then Pyrrha, of all people—spoke first.
"We don't have to forgive each other today," she said gently. "But we do have to fight together."
Ruby nodded.Yang huffed. "I'll tolerate her. For now." Cinder dipped her head, accepting.
Neo blinked and signed something quick.
Jaune translated: "She says, 'Fine. Just don't betray us.'"

Cinder nodded again, slower.
Weiss was the one who finally asked:
"Jaune… what was different in your timeline?"
Jaune inhaled… then let out a long, exhausted sigh. "Amber," he said. Cinder flinched. "In your worlds… she survived Beacon long enough for the Fall of Beacon to happen normally."

Blake and Yang nodded slowly. Jaune shook his head. "In mine… she died two weeks earlier, before i went to beacon." Everyone froze.
Ruby: "H-how?" Jaune's expression darkened.
"She was found behind the school. Badly injured. No one knew who attacked her. She passed that night."

Cinder's eyes widened in horror—real horror.
"I… I didn't…? Beacon was supposed to happen much later... I wasn't even strong enough then..."
"I know," Jaune said quietly.
"In my timeline, Amber wasn't killed by you."

Cinder staggered back as if struck. Pyrrha looked ill. Weiss covered her mouth.
Yang whispered, "Then who...?" Jaune's voice softened. "I never found out." Ruby trembled.
"And without a Maiden to take… Cinder stayed hidden. Salem moved slower. Beacon never fell. Everything changed."

Cinder looked shaken to her core. Neo's eyes narrowed, calculating.Jaune exhaled heavily.
"That's why we need training. We're not just rewriting history, we're landing in a world where the wrong person killed Amber. And if that is wrong who knows what else is wrong that i never saw."

The group shivered at the implications. Ruby lifted her chin. "Then we train. We get stronger. Together." Yang smirked faintly. "Yeah. Let's go punch destiny in the face."

Blake nodded. Weiss took a fighting stance.
Pyrrha stepped closer to Jaune, warm and steady. Neo summoned her weapon. Cinder inhaled deeply, flames settling behind her eyes.

Jaune smiled softly, brokenly, but with a spark returning. "Alright," he said, raising his sword.
"Let's begin."

Training had only just begun, but Jaune's footsteps drifted toward the Tree.
He sat on a smooth root, staring across the golden clearing with a hollow, distant expression.

Ruby noticed first. She jogged over. "Jaune? What's wrong?" One by one, the others followed, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Pyrrha, Neo, and Cinder, forming a loose half-circle around him. Their breaths steadied. Their eyes fixed on him.
Jaune exhaled slowly. "There's more I need to tell you. The Blacksmith explained the things all your timelines share… the constants. The crossroads."

He glanced at each of them. "Beacon always falls. Ozpin and Salem's war always spirals out of control. And…" His voice cracked. "…I always die protecting one—or all—of you."

Ruby flinched. Weiss swallowed. Blake's ears wilted. Yang's fists tightened. Pyrrha lowered her gaze. Neo grabbed Jaune's cloak and didn't let go. Cinder looked away, pain sharp and quiet.

"And then there's the big difference," Jaune continued, voice low. "Amber." Blake's ears twitched. Cinder's hands curled slightly.
Ruby asked softly, "What happened in your timeline?" Jaune leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"In your worlds… Amber survived Beacon long enough for her powers to matter. In mine… she didn't." Cinder's head snapped up, shocked.

"In my timeline," Jaune said steadily, "Amber was found behind Beacon. Behind the gardens. Critical condition. No witnesses. No suspects."
Weiss covered her mouth.

"It was on the news," Jaune added. "Every channel. 'Transfer Student Amber Gravely Injured Behind Beacon Grounds.' No explanation. Just panic." He looked at Cinder.
"She died that night. From her injuries." Cinder staggered, whispering, "I… didn't do it? I wasn't even strong enough then, i was only able to defeat her by ambushing her alone. With emerald and mercury "

"I know," Jaune said gently. "Whatever killed her… wasn't you." The group fell silent. "And without a Maiden target," he continued, "what happened next was different for all of us. Beacon didn't fall right away. It… rotted."

The word hung heavy. "Ozpin broke," Jaune said. "The staff cracked under pressure, and some were replaced . Missions got worse. Grimm waves got bolder. Students left. Some came back in boxes."

Yang flinched. Blake's tail drooped.
Pyrrha held a shaking breath.
"But…" Jaune's eyes softened. "It wasn't all bad."
They blinked, startled. "In those ruins," Jaune continued, "some of the most beautiful things in my world happened."

He turned toward Neo and Cinder. "Because both of you ended up at Beacon." Neo's eyes widened, trembling. Cinder stared, confused. Ruby whispered, "You mean… they defected?"

"Not at first," Jaune said.
"They were lost. Hurt. Running." He pointed gently at Neo. "You arrived with Roman."
Neo froze, then shook her head vigorously, desperate to know more. Jaune's voice softened.

"He survived longer than anyone thought possible. Protected you when Vale started hunting anyone tied to Cinder's old operations. When Grimm were unleashed across the city, Roman drew them away, so you could escape."
Neo's lip trembled. A soundless sob escaped her. "He didn't make it," Jaune finished. "He died saving you."

Yang muttered, "Guess Torchwick wasn't all bad." Blake nodded sadly. Ruby blinked rapidly, touched despite everything. Neo leaned against Jaune, shaking. "And Cinder…" Jaune continued, turning to her. "You weren't alone either. Emerald and Mercury were with you."

Cinder stiffened. "They stayed when Salem decided you were a liability. They fought her agents. Tried to carry you to safety. Mercury held off Grimm until his Aura shattered. Emerald dragged you as far as she could." Jaune paused.

"They died trying to get you away." Cinder's knees nearly buckled. "…for me?" she whispered. "Yes," Jaune said softly. "Because they believed you still had a future." The clearing fell utterly silent. Slowly, Cinder wiped tears from her eyes, the kind she'd never let anyone see.

Ruby whispered, "You weren't alone. Not even then." Weiss nodded gently. "They saw something in you." Blake murmured, "Family isn't about what you were, it's about what you choose now." Neo signed shakily: "They loved us." Cinder whispered, "…I didn't deserve them."

Jaune put a hand on her shoulder. "You can deserve this second chance." He looked at both Neo and Cinder. "When you got to Beacon… you changed. Neo barely spoke. She stole my hoodie so many times I gave up trying to get it back." Neo smirked through wet eyes.

"And you, Cinder," Jaune continued, "you were angry, scared, and lost. But you tried. Every day. You fought the darkness. When Beacon finally fell, you stayed. You fought beside us." Cinder covered her mouth again, overwhelmed.
"You… believed in me," she whispered. "I believed in who you could be," Jaune corrected gently. He looked at the whole circle again.

"So yes, Amber's death broke everything. Beacon collapsed. The world fell apart."
He smiled faintly, warmly. "But the people who survived? The people who chose each other? They created something worth fighting for." The wind shimmered gold.

Ruby stepped forward. "Then let's honor them."
Yang cracked her knuckles. "Let's punch this timeline in the teeth." Weiss nodded. "We'll build a world where they didn't have to die." Blake murmured, "Where none of us have to."
Pyrrha smiled softly. "A world where you live, Jaune." Neo wiped her tears, signing: "For them." Cinder whispered: "…For all of us."

Jaune stood, lifting his sword. "Then let's train.
We've got a future to rewrite." And for the first time, the eight of them stepped forward together, not as enemies, not as strangers, but as a team forged by tragedy, sacrifice, love, and hope.

The Ever After shimmered with golden light as the eight of them, Knight, Huntresses, Champion, Thief, and former Queen, began training for the fight that would rewrite fate itself.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Happy Thanksgiving!

- - -

Sun Wukong, tail swishing confidently, cornered Jaune Arc in one of Beacon's courtyards, his golden eyes gleaming with a plan.

"Jaune! Take Yang out! With me and Blake! A double date is way less stressful, right?" Sun grinned, slapping Jaune's back.

Jaune blinked, stumbling a bit from being caught off guard. "I uh… well… what about Weiss—?"

"Dude," Sun said, deadpan, tail flicking.

"Uggggghhh… fine," Jaune groaned, rubbing his neck. "You think she'll go for it?"

"Blake told me she'd get Yang to come along," Sun said enthusiastically. "You just have to ask!"

As though on cue, Yang and Blake rounded the nearby corner, Blake looking determined while Yang looked the tiniest bit nervous. She then raised an eyebrow at Jaune and smirked.

"Well VB?"

Jaune looked thoughtful… Then reached out to take Yang's hands between his. He looked right into her eyes and smiled.

"Hey Yang," he said, "I'd love to take you out on a date tonight. Just for fun, because I like you. What do you say?"

Yang flushed… Then yanked her hands back. She brushed her hair back from her ear.

"I-I yeah, sure," she mumbled, "Vomit Boy."

"Spitfire," Jaune returned playfully. Yang flushed and laughed.

Sun turned to Blake and just grinned broadly. Blake gave them both a speculative look. Yang and Jaune both turned to glare at her.

"What?" They demanded.

"Nothing," Blake smiled softly and took Sun's hand. "Let's get going."

"So, where are we going?" Yang asked. Jaune tried to take her hand, but she lifted her own up to avoid it.

"A nice spot for our first date," Blake said with a smile, turning to Sun, "Right?"

"Oh yeah! I've got the perfect spot!" Sun nodded.

- - -

The night had gone sideways. What started as a casual stroll through the docks—Sun's idea of "romantic" for his first official date with Blake—spiraled into chaos when they stumbled on a White Fang cell unloading illegal Dust crates. Now, explosions rocked the air, the scent of scorched metal and burning wood choking the night. Jaune swung Crocea Mors, shielding Yang as Blake and Sun fought back-to-back, Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang a blur, Gambol Shroud flashing.

"HOW DID WE END UP FIGHTING TERRORISTS?! AGAIN?!" Jaune shouted, deflecting a blast with his shield.

Blake, dodging a sniper shot, grinned at Sun, her amber eyes sparkling despite the chaos. "Sun, honey, this date was a fantastic idea!"

"I'M GOING TO SKIN THAT DAMN CAT!" Yang roared, Ember Celica thundering, her blonde hair a fiery halo as she punched a goon through a crate. She charged through several more goons, leveling them all. Jaune sighed and followed, knocking out any who were left with lighter hits from his shield or hilt of his sword.

Afterwards, they dragged all the unconscious White Fang members out of the warehouse and tied them up.

Jaune stood up and sighed.

"Well… we stopped the plot… and with a minimum of collateral—"

BOOM! The warehouse erupted in a fireball, Dust crates igniting in a chain reaction that lit the sky orange.

All four of them stared at the burning warehouse and heard the sirens of approaching police and firemen.

Blake's ears flattened under her bow. "…Run."

"Quickly!" Yang yelled, grabbing Jaune's hand.

- - -

They collapsed at a cozy café a mile away, the air now sweet with coffee and pastries, police sirens and firefighter Bullheads wailing in the distance. The four sat at an outdoor table, soot-streaked but alive, sipping drinks under string lights. Jaune's hoodie was singed, Yang's jacket torn, Blake's bow askew, and Sun's shirt half-unbuttoned (as usual).

"Sooo…" Sun grinned, leaning back, tail curling around Blake's chair. "What about the art museum for our next date?"

Blake smirked, sipping her tea. "…Sounds good."

Yang slammed her coffee down, lilac eyes blazing. "Jaune… next date, we're going alone, to a quiet place. Like a movie. Or dinner. Just us two. And no insane terrorist-seeking moron with us."

Jaune blinked, flustered. "Wait, there's a next date?"

"Yes, doofus!" Yang snapped, pointing at him. "I refuse to let this be the only date I've gone on at Beacon! So you're taking me to a nice place, and then maybe, we'll go on a third!"

"Woo! Sounds great—" Sun started.

"YOU'RE NOT INVITED!" Yang barked, her hair flaring briefly.

Sun raised his hands, laughing. "Okay, okay! Geez, Blondie, chill!"

Blake chuckled, resting a hand on Sun's arm, her voice soft but teasing. "You did say taking down criminals was romantic."

"Yeah, but I didn't blow up the warehouse!" Sun protested, grinning.

Jaune sighed, sipping his cocoa, but a small smile tugged at his lips as Yang's hand found his under the table. "Movie sounds good," he murmured.

"Damn right it does," Yang said, smirking, her thumb brushing his knuckles.